Category: Chef in Training

Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I received a butternut squash in my Misfits Market delivery and had no idea what to do with it.  My mom used to make butternut squash frequently, but I had never attempted it.  Sooooo… I used the Google (it never disappoints).  I came across this recipe from Well Plated and it was a winner!  The ingredients were simple and besides all of the chopping, you throw it in the oven and you’re good!

Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash — about 3 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
  •  1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  •  1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  •  1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt — no not sure table salt, or the recipe will be too salty (or reduce the amount and add a bit at the end as needed)
  •  3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  •  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  •  1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  2. Place the squash cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and maple syrup, then sprinkle the salt, cinnamon, and pepper over the top. Toss to coat, then add the cubes to the baking sheet.  Spread the cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, taking care that they do not overlap.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, then turn the cubes with a spatula, then return to the oven. Continue baking until the squash is tender, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the rosemary over the top if desired. Serve warm.
Copycat Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeno Dip

Copycat Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeno Dip

by Engineered Mama ♥ 5 Comments

A friend of mine kept informing me of her Chuy’s Creamy jalapeno dip pickups during this quarantine and I would drool every time.  I figured I’d pick some up this week because the craving was becoming unbearable.  Then I remembered the jalapenos I received in my Misfits Market box this week.  I know, I know… you’re sick of hearing about my Misfits Market boxes, but they just keep giving me new ideas, guys… I can’t help it!

Why couldn’t I make some creamy jalapeno dip myself… well, and some help from my helpful little chef?  Surely it’s not that difficult, right?  As always, Google pulled through.  Things I Can’t Say had a recipe that sounded pretty darn close.  It turned out awesome (although not EXACTLY like Chuy’s) and I will DEFINITELY be making this recipe again!  I also have a favorite new recipe for easy NO COOK chicken soft tacos this dip is perfect with!  Check it out here!

Ingredients

  • 1 whole large jalapeno, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
  • 16 oz light sour cream
  • 1 oz package of ranch dressing mix
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 4-6 tablespoons milk

Directions

  1. Combine jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro in blender or food processor.
  2. Pulse until finely chopped.
  3. Add light sour cream, ranch dressing mix, and lime juice and pulse to combine.
  4. Add milk and pulse. You can add it slowly to get the consistency you want. The Chuy’s version is pretty thin, so I liked 6 tablespoons.
  5. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to combine, though it’s pretty amazing right from the start, too!
Roasted Zucchini and Yellow Squash

Roasted Zucchini and Yellow Squash

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

img_4603I love zucchini and squash, but I always find it hard to find time to sauté or fry them like I typically would with two kids running amuck at dinner time.  I came across this recipe from The Toasty Kitchen.  It uses ingredients I always have, it’s easy to throw onto a pan, and bakes quickly.  It has a lot of flavor with little cleanup.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small zucchini
  • 2 small yellow squash
  • 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Slice zucchini and yellow squash into 1/2″ disks.  Set aside.
  3. In a bowl, combine olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Add zucchini and yellow squash discs and toss to coat.
  4. Pour zucchini and squash onto the parchment lined baking sheet and spread into a single layer.  Sprinkle tops of zucchini and squash with parmesan cheese.
  5. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until cooked through.

 

Roasted Rutabaga with Maple Syrup

Roasted Rutabaga with Maple Syrup

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

img_4384I am now a fan of rutabaga, thanks to Misfits Market.  I had no idea what in the world to do with a rutabaga, so Google helped me out.  I found this recipe from Sprinkles and Sprouts.  She’s a genius… rutabaga… who would’ve thought?!

This recipe pairs really well with baked chicken.  I was able to put both in the oven at the same time for a complete meal.  Make sure to use REAL maple syrup, otherwise there won’t be much flavor, but will taste like pure sugar.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb rutabaga (about 3 small rutabaga)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • salt
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme (for garnish – optional)

Directions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 390ºF.
  2. Peel the swedes and cut them into large chunks.
  3. Place the swedes in a bowl and dress with the olive oil, maple syrup and dried thyme.
  4. Add in a good sprinkle of salt and pepper and toss to combine well.
  5. Spoon the swede into a foil covered pan (the foil only makes for easy clean up), reserving any dressing that has pooled at the bottom of the bowl.
  6. Roast in the oven, for 25 minutes, then drizzle over the reserved dressing and cook for a further 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden.
  7. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh thyme (Or chives works well too!)
Misfits Market: A Review & Coupon Code!

Misfits Market: A Review & Coupon Code!

by Engineered Mama ♥ 6 Comments

I buy the same produce over, and over, and… over.  I never really try anything new and even though I do cook a variety of vegetables (that neither of my children will EVER eat) and I typically buy whatever fruit is on sale because if I get what looks good I end up with the entire produce department in my cart, which ends up rotting on our countertop.  Scrolling through Facebook (stop judging… you know that’s all there is to do right now!) I noticed a friend’s post about her Misfits Market box.  Hmmm… that’s an idea!  The picture she posted had a wide variety of produce with a few pieces of each item.  That’s PERFECT.  I surely wouldn’t pick most of these things in the produce section and let’s be honest… when am I actually in a store lately?  Um, never.

She posted her coupon code for referrals (25% your first order-woohoo! Use coupon code COOKWME-UD0VIL), so I checked out their website.  It was easy enough to set up and just as easy to cancel or change your delivery schedule.  They offer a smaller box for $22 or a larger box for $35.

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I opted for the smaller box delivered every other week to see how it goes before going crazy with the larger box.

My first box arrived and I was like a kid receiving a Christmas gift on the doorstep.  Since we’ve all been quarantined until the end of time, small things excite me, ok?  I loved the surprise element of the box and that I could make something different for a change!

The produce was in an insulated box with a reusable ice pack (bonus!).  Most of the produce was in pretty good shape except for an orange that was pretty worse for wear and had to be thrown out.

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I’ve never really used radishes for much, but a great suggestion sheet was included in the package for buttered bread with sliced radish and sea salt.  The mango and pears were not yet ripe, but were probably the best mango and pear I’ve ever eaten!  The cucumber was great, but the celery was a little banged up and unfortunately didn’t last all that long in the refrigerator.  I was able to use the base of the celery to propagate it in water, so we’ll call it a win. The potatoes and onions are still hanging in there, but I haven’t used them yet.  Unfortunately the squash and zucchini only lasted a few days and had to be thrown away.  I haven’t cooked the delicata squash yet, but I have found a few recipes that sound pretty good, so I’ll be making that next.  I did find an awesome recipe for roasted rutabaga, which I’ve never even thought about buying before.  The recipe is definitely worth a try!

The second box I received seemed to be a little less banged up as all of the produce survived.  This box was left on the porch right-side-up, unlike the first box that was left upside down.

This box included a larger stalk of celery (that was in great shape this time and should last much longer than the last stalk), a head of broccoli, 3 oranges, 3 apples, a medium-sized yellow squash, a medium-sized zucchini, curly leaf parsley (which smelled AMAZING), 3 small jalapeno peppers, 3 salad cucumbers, an onion, two small sweet potatoes, and a small butternut squash.

This produce seemed to be in much better shape than the first box, but again, the first box was sitting on our front porch upside-down, so there’s that.  After your first box you’re able to customize your box a little more or add items (for additional fees) to your next box.  I chose not to since I just wanted to see what would come in boxes to be able to make new and different recipes.  Hopefully more recipes will be coming your way thanks to these boxes!

I definitely think these boxes are worth it.  They have saved me a visit to the store just for produce and have allowed me to try new recipes.  If the next few boxes are as good as the first two I’ll be changing my subscription to the larger box.  I don’t think you’ll regret checking out Misfits Market!

Set & Forget Roast & Gravy

Set & Forget Roast & Gravy

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I’m all for easy recipes lately.  My Crock Pot and I are practically besties, so this one is a frequent go-to meal for me.  It’s easy to throw into the slow cooker in the morning, make some noodles when it’s finished, and BAM!  Meal complete!

I love when grocery stores have buy one get one free sales on roasts.  Freezer stockpile FTW!

Ingredients

  • Roast (any type or size you like!)
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (or any “cream of soup” that you prefer)
  • 1 packet brown gravy mix
  • 1 packet Lipton dry onion soup mix
  • 1 small can of mushrooms (optional)
  • 1 cup water

Directions

  1. Add roast to slow cooker.
  2. Mix soup, brown gravy mix, dry onion soup mix, mushrooms, and water together.  Pour over the roast and cook on low 8 hours.
  3. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.  Enjoy!
Southern Blackberry Cobbler

Southern Blackberry Cobbler

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

img_4268Any cobbler can be summed up in a few descriptive words: “Southern” and “YUM” both come to mind when I think of any cobbler, but especially blackberry.

I found this recipe from Key Ingredient. A lot of cobbler recipes I’ve found use Bisquick, which I currently don’t have on hand and hardly ever use. This recipe has ingredients I usually have on hand, so I decided to use this one and I’m so glad I did!  I adapted the original recipe for a 9″x13″ pan because who needs a small pan?

Ingredients

  • 3 3/4 cups fresh blackberries, washed
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, stir together berries and sugar and let it sit out for 25 to 30 minutes.
  2. When the blackberry mixture has been sitting for about 20 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  3. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and milk with a wooden spoon. Stir in the melted butter and hand mix until the ingredients are well incorporated and you have few clumps.
  4. Pour batter into a 9″x13″ baking dish and smooth out. Pour the blackberry mixture on top and evenly distribute over the batter without stirring into the batter.
  5. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature with warmed cream or fresh whipped cream.
Set and Forget Slow Cooker Ranch Pork Chops with Gravy

Set and Forget Slow Cooker Ranch Pork Chops with Gravy

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This recipe is my go-to when I forget to plan dinner.  Pork chops are often on sale, so I stock up when they are and pull them out to thaw the night before (or, let’s be honest… nothing thaws in the fridge in 24 hours… I pull them out to thaw a few days before or just throw them in frozen.  I always have the ingredients on hand, they have a long shelf life, and WHO DOESN’T LIKE RANCH?!  I found this recipe on Pinterest and it originates from unOriginal Mom.

Ingredients

  • 1 packet ranch dressing mix (or make your own – see recipe at the bottom*)
  • 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup (or other “Cream of” soup)
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (or other “Cream of” soup)
  • 4-6 boneless pork chops (thawed or frozen)

Directions

  1. Combine soup and ranch ingredients in small bowl.
  2. Place pork chops in Crock Pot and pour soup mixture over pork chops.
  3. Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.

*Ranch Dressing Mix Recipe

  • 2 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Easy Italian Herb Parmesan Quick Bread

Easy Italian Herb Parmesan Quick Bread

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

img_4082I cannot emphasize the word EASY enough.  Seriously.  I’m not a baker.  I love to cook, but for some reason baking has never been my thing.  I either over or under bake nearly everything, so bread is usually a no-go for me.  I happened to see this recipe on Pinterest and thought “Yeah… I bet you need yeast!”.  Nope.  Then I thought, “Pfffft.  I bet you have to knead it.  Not gonna happen!”.  Nope again. Ugh… I ran out of excuses not to try it, and I’m so glad I did!  It’s a pretty dense bread, but the flavor reminds me of the bread at Bravo (yeah… totally drooling with you!).  It has a nice crust on the outside due to the parmesan cheese and has plenty of flavor.  The thing I liked most about this recipe was that I already had all of the ingredients on hand.  To me, that’s a great recipe!  If you’d like to check out the original recipe, you can find it at Kudos Kitchen by Renee.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese plus 1 tablespoon for topping
  • 2 cups milk OR buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar OMIT IF USING BUTTERMILK

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. To make the buttermilk add the milk and vinegar to a medium size bowl and stir.
  3. If using store bought buttermilk, omit the above step.

  4. Place all of the dry ingredients (except for the cheese to top the bread) into a large bowl and whisk to combine.

  5. Pour in the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until it’s a thick, lumpy and pasty consistency.
  6. Spoon the batter evenly into a loaf pan that has been liberally sprayed with cooking spray.

  7. Top the batter with the remaining Parmesan cheese and bake in a preheated oven for approximately 60 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.

  8. Allow the loaf to cool for 5 minutes and then turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Easy Chicken Fried Rice

Easy Chicken Fried Rice

by Engineered Mama ♥ 2 Comments

I honestly can’t find the original source of this recipe.  I’ve adapted this recipe over the years to make it both easier and make the most of the ingredients to last a much longer time for a family of 4.  Grab some frozen egg rolls to pair this rice with or eat it as a meal on its own!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breasts (the amount doesn’t really matter-whatever you have on hand is great or substitute with pork, tofu, or no protein at all!)
  • 3 cups cooked rice (brown, white, jasmine, they’re all great in this recipe-I’ve even used leftover noodles for a twist)
  • 2 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 small white onion, chopped (I’m lazy and use frozen chopped onion… no chopping FTW!)
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed (or any vegetable of your choosing-get creative with what you have on hand)
  • 2-3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 Tbsp chopped green onion (optional, for serving)
  • Sesame seeds (optional, for serving)

Directions

  1. Cook and shred or chop the chicken.  I usually either cook the chicken in the crockpot with a teriyaki sauce or bake frozen chicken breasts.  Sometimes I prepare extra chicken for other recipes and use what I have left for this recipe.
  2. Prepare the rice per package directions.  I usually do the same with the rice for this recipe and use leftover rice from the previous night’s meal.
  3. Preheat a large skillet or wok to medium heat.  Pour sesame oil in the bottom.  Add white onion, peas, and carrots (or preferred vegetables) and fry until tender.
  4. Slide the onion and vegetables to the side and pour the beaten eggs into the pan on the other side.  Scramble the eggs and combine the cooked egg with the vegetable mix.
  5. Add the rice and chicken to the vegetable and egg mixture.  Add the soy sauce and stir and fry the mixture until heated through.  Add chopped green onion and sesame seeds for garnish (optional).