Category: Chef in Training

Easy Shepherd’s Pie (Freezable!)

Easy Shepherd’s Pie (Freezable!)

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I have always wanted to make Shepherd’s Pie, but figured it was way too difficult for my level of expertise (aka… pull something out of the freezer and stick it in the oven…).  So… Pinterest to the rescue!  I came across this recipe while scrolling through Pinterest and adapted it a bit according to ingredients I had on hand as well as some substitutions that made my life MUCH easier (hey… this was already an easy recipe and I did you a solid and made it even easier…).  I also increased all of the original ingredients to make a large back quickly to freeze a few and have one for dinner.

Take a look at the original recipe from About a Mom.  She has A TON of other great recipes, so be sure to check her out!

Ingredients

  • Bob Evan’s Original Mashed Potatoes (refrigerated-I usually use about 2-3 regular size containers)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup frozen, chopped onion, thawed
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 3 lbs lean ground beef
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 tsp allspice seasoning
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cups beef stock
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • Shredded Cheddar (for topping)

Directions

  1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions start to become translucent.
  2. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat.
  3. Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt and allspice seasoning into the cooked meat mixture and stir until incorporated.
  4. Sprinkle flour over the top of the mixture and pour in the beef stock. Stir together and allow sauce to bubble and thicken some. Once the sauce has thickened, add the frozen vegetables. Give it a quick stir to combine and remove from the heat.
  5. Spread the meat mixture out evenly along the bottom of 2 9×13 or 3 (I am usually able to fill 3-4 full with this recipe) 8×8 casserole dishes or foil pans. Spoon the mashed potatoes over top of the meat. Use enough of the mashed potatoes to make about 1/2 inch layer on top of the meat.
  6. Add 1 cup of shredded Cheddar over mashed potatoes (if desired).  Cook in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through and the potatoes are golden brown on top, about 20 to 25 minutes. Or, prepare for the freezer by wrapping in aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to one month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

A little prep goes a long way in this recipe.  By double the recipe I can usually get 4 full meals out of this one!

Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork

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I love pulled pork, but never really knew how to make tender pulled pork in the crock pot.  I always used pork tenderloin, which never yielded good results.  I mentioned this to my mom one day and she said “oh!  You need a shoulder butt!”.  Never knew that was a thing.  Well, it is a thing… and it makes for awesome pulled pork!  They had them on sale this week, so… pulled pork all around!  It made for a hearty meal everyone loved.  It cooked all day and was ready for dinner with minimal prep beforehand.  Thumbs up for a weeknight meal.

I found this recipe on allrecipes and I think it made for a pretty good flavor for the pulled pork.  Check out the original recipe on allrecipes!

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 (4 pound) pork shoulder (butt) roast
  • 1 cup barbeque sauce
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 extra large onion, chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 8 hamburger buns, for serving
  • slaw, for serving (optional)

Directions

  1. Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork roast into the slow cooker; pour in the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cover and cook on High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours.
  2. Remove the roast from the slow cooker, and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir the meat into the juices.
  3. Spread the inside of both halves of hamburger buns with butter. Toast the buns, butter side down, in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Spoon pork and slaw onto the toasted buns.
I skipped the toasted buns part… ain’t nobody got time for that.  I did, however, add slaw to the ingredient list because I love slaw with my pulled pork!

Caramelized Baked Chicken Legs (Slow Cooker Option!)

Caramelized Baked Chicken Legs (Slow Cooker Option!)

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Caramelized chicken legs honey soy sauce baked easy edited
Photo Credit: Bless This Mess.

These chicken legs are absolutely amazing.  They’re sweet, savory, juicy, and tender.  Heck, even my four-year-old says “you make the best chicken, mom!” when I make these for dinner.  I love making them on a weeknight because I can sit out all of the ingredients the night before, mix the sauce, pour it over the chicken, and BOOM-delicious protein with very little prep.  Our oldest loves to do the “ingredients” when I cook, so he usually adds all of the ingredients of the sauce to the bowl, mixes it all up (or “mixa mixa mixa” if you’re privy to Danielle Tiger… if you are, I’m sorry :/), then I add the mixture to the chicken.  I got this recipe from Bless This Mess.-check out the original recipe here!

There is even a slow cooker option for these chicken legs.  I typically prefer chicken legs in the oven because they get a little crispier, but since these are in a sauce anyway it makes for a great slow cooker recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lbs chicken legs
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Oven Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay the chicken legs out and give them a good sprinkling of salt and pepper on both sides. Put them in a foil-lined baking dish with high sides (the foil is to make clean up easier – it’s not essential). A high-sided sheet pan is the best option because it has sides to keep everything in, but it is big enough that the chicken isn’t drowning in the sauce. It will caramelize best if half of the chicken is poking out of the sauce while cooking.
  2. In a glass measuring cup measure out the honey, soy sauce, and ketchup. Add the minced garlic and stir. If the mixture doesn’t combine well, microwave it on high for thirty seconds and stir again. Pour the honey mixture over the chicken legs.
  3. Put the chicken legs in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Take the chicken out of the oven and rotate it so that the bottom that was in the sauce is now on the top out of the sauce. Put the legs back in the oven. Raise the heat to 425 degrees and bake until the sauce is bubbly and starts to caramelize on the chicken legs. This should take about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Directions

  1. Place all of the chicken legs in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken legs. Slow cook on low for 6 hour or on high for 4 hours, until the largest piece of chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Enjoy!  Be sure to check out Bless This Mess. for more awesome recipe ideas!

Reuben Crescent Bake

Reuben Crescent Bake

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reubenReuben.  ‘Nuff said.  This Reuben dish feeds an entire family and combines all of the favorite ingredients of a Reuben with a crescent dough.  Now, if I’m being honest, I’ll have to say that the rye bread makes the sandwich, because it does.  But, on a busy weeknight this meal is a great option!  I have adapted the recipe (larger quantity mainly) from this one found here at allrecipes.  Check it out if you’d like to see the original!

Ingredients

  • 2 rolls Pillsbury crescent dough (8 oz)
  • 1 1/4 lb corned beef deli meat (I prefer it to be sliced thick, but any thickness will do!)
  •  16 (at least) slices of Swiss or baby Swiss cheese
  • 2/3 cup Thousand Island Dressing
  • 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry
  • 1 egg white, beaten
  • caraway seeds (according to taste)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a 9″x13″ glass baking dish.
  2. Mix together the sauerkraut and Thousand Island Dressing until well combined.  Unroll the crescent roll dough into the bottom of the greased baking pan.
  3. Bake the dough crust in the baking dish until lightly browned, 8 – 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and place slices of cheese in a single layer on top of the baked dough.  Top the slices of cheese with a layer (or two) of the corned beef.  Next, layer the sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing mixture on top of the corned beef.  Add another layer of Swiss cheese.  Lay the second sheet of crescent dough over the Swiss cheese.  Brush the top of the dough with beaten egg white and sprinkle with the desired amount of caraway seeds.
  4. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown, 15-20 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes prior to serving.

Enjoy!

Pizzadillas

Pizzadillas

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I have to give credit where credit is due on this one… thanks, Mom!  This recipe is quick, easy, and pleases even the pickiest of eaters.  As long as you have tortillas and cheese in the house, I guarantee you have any other ingredients you will need to make this easy recipe.

Ingredients

  • Flour tortillas (I like the large burrito size)
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Pizza toppings.  Here are some of our favorites
    • turkey pepperoni (makes for a less greasy and easier to eat pizzadilla, but traditional pepperoni works just fine, too!)
    • diced ham
    • shredded or diced chicken
    • mushrooms
    • black olives
    • fresh spinach
    • diced bell pepper
    • diced onion

Directions

  1. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and spray non-stick spray in the skillet evenly.
  2. Add toppings such as cheese, meat, and vegetables to half of a tortilla and fold over.
  3. Heat the pizzadilla with toppings inside in skillet until partially melted and lightly browned on the bottom.
  4. Flip pizzadilla and brown other side.
  5. Cut into even triangles using pizza cutter or knife.
  6. Serve with pizza sauce or pasta sauce of choice.

The best part of this recipe is that you can use anything you have on hand.  Picky eaters?  No problem!  They can have whatever their hearts desire in their pizzadilla!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

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This is the easiest soup you can make in the Crock Pot. Hands. Down.  I’m really not sure where I got the original recipe for this one, but I’ve adapted it slightly over time to make it even easier… if that’s possible.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breasts
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 can red kidney beans, drained
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes (I prefer cilantro lime for extra flavor, but original is great, too!)
  • 2 cans chicken broth
  • 1 pack taco seasoning
  • fresh or dried cilantro

For Serving

  • shredded cheese of choice (I use Mexican blend or cheddar)
  • sour cream
  • tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients in crock pot.  Add chicken breasts to top of mixture.
  2. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 2-4 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  3. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips.

To make life REALLY easy on a busy weekday, here are my tips:

  • Use frozen chicken breast-they cook great in this soup from frozen!
  • Use frozen diced onion instead of chopping a fresh onion.  This is my favorite substitute in a lot of meals-it cuts back on so much time and cleanup.
  • Use dried cilantro instead of chopping fresh.  I hardly ever keep fresh cilantro on hand anymore and this saves on grocery shopping and chopping!

Hope you enjoy this easy, hearty meal as much as our family does!

Baked Turkey Meatballs

Baked Turkey Meatballs

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When I don’t know what to make for dinner this is my favorite go-to.  They’re fairly low fat, filling, and everyone seems to love them!  An added bonus to this one is that I can stick them in the oven and leave them there until they’re finished-no splattering on the stove with tiny people running around the kitchen while I worry about them burning on the stove while I wipe a nose or get a snack for the millionth time.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey or beef
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs (+ extra for rolling meatballs in bread crumbs)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
  2. Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl.  Roll mixture into ball (approximately 1 inch in diameter to ensure they bake thoroughly), roll in extra breadcrumbs, and place on baking sheet.
  3. Bake 35 minutes or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  4. Serve with pasta or desired side.

I take a few shortcuts with this recipe that make my life so much easier.  I use jarred minced garlic instead of fresh.  If you have time to peel and mince garlic when you come home from work with a child and an infant, you’re my hero, please teach me your ways.  I also substitute frozen chopped onion for fresh chopped onion because… onions make me cry.  I also usually use whatever lean meat I have on hand.  I normally have turkey, but when I don’t I use very lean ground beef and they are just as delicious!

Hope you enjoy this simple one!

Instant Pot Egg Bites

Instant Pot Egg Bites

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They always say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  I’m never quite sure who “they” refers to, but in this case I concur with “they”.  I love savory breakfast foods and you can count me in for anything containing egg!  These egg bites were quick, easy, and best of all they can last all week in the fridge and are great from frozen.  Another great thing about these egg bites is you can just throw in whatever you happen to have on hand at the moment since they don’t contain any crazy ingredients.  I created my recipe by using the same concept in the Instant Pot Bacon-Cheddar Egg Bites recipe at Cooking with Curls.

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • bacon, ham, or other meat of choice chopped
  • vegetable(s) chopped
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

This is where you can get creative with whatever vegetables or proteins you would like to include.  I originally planned on using spinach, but didn’t happen to have any.  Instead, I used a whole avocado, which basically made this batch taste just like an avocado.  Other vegetable ideas are onion, bell peppers, and spinach.

Similarly, if you’re like me and might as well be a full-blown carnivore, you can use any meat you’d like or leave it out altogether!

I used whole milk for my egg bites, but any milk substitute works great as long as it isn’t sweetened or flavored.

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl using immersion blender or blend in blender until smooth.  If you are adding vegetables like bell pepper and prefer them to hold their shape, save these until all other ingredients are blended, then mix in thoroughly.
  2. Pour mixed ingredients evenly into 7 sections of silicone Instant Pot mold.  Loosely cover silicone mold with lid or loosely with aluminum foil.
  3. Add 1 cup of water to Instant Pot. Place silicone mold onto Instant Pot trivet and carefully lower into Instant Pot.
  4. Secure the Instant Pot lid and make sure the steam knob is in the “sealing” position.  Press the “Steam” setting and set it to 8 minutes.
  5. Once the timer ends let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally (this should take about 5-10 minutes).
  6. Remove the egg bites and let cool in the mold for a few minutes. Turn the mold upside down and gently push the egg bites out of the silicone mold.
  7. Enjoy the egg bites immediately, refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for later!
Instant Pot Deal!

Instant Pot Deal!

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I have wanted an Instant Pot for so long, but haven’t been willing to shell out the money for one. If you’re like me, there’s a Kohl’s deal that may convince you otherwise!

Photo Credit: Kohl’s

Kohl’s currently has a 6-qt Instant Pot (normally $129.99) for $99. Pretty good deal… but wait! There’s more! If you have a Kohl’s charge, here are some awesome promo codes to make it even better:

  • 30% off with Kohl’s charge (BBQ30)
  • $10 off Home purchase (HOME10)
  • Free Shipping (FREE4JULY)

With all of these deals you’ll walk away with (or have it shipped if you’re like me 😉) a $130 Instant Pot for around $63 before tax. If you have Kohl’s cash they may just end up giving it to you for free… but really, awesome deal!

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Spring Rolls)

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Spring Rolls)

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Vietnamese-Rice-Paper-Rolls-7-landscape
Photo Credit: RecipeTin Eats

Adding another somewhat time-consuming recipe this week, but it’s also a delicious one.  I love Vietnamese spring rolls, especially with a good pho (recipe for pho to come!).  This recipe isn’t terribly difficult, but takes a little prep and has ingredients that I don’t normally keep on hand, so it takes a little more grocery planning.  If you enjoy this recipe, take a look at other great recipes at RecipeTin Eats!

 

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Spring Rolls)

Ingredients

  • 7 – 14 sheets of 22cm/8.5″ round rice paper
  • 11 small cooked prawns/shrimp (about 12cm/5″ in length, unpeeled including the head)
  • 50g / 1.5 oz dried vermicelli noodles
  • 7 lettuce leaves – use a lettuce with soft leaves, like Oak or Butter Lettuce
  • 14 mint leaves
  • 1 cup bean sprouts

Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce

  • 1 tbsp peanut butter, preferably smooth (crunchy is ok too)
  • 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar (or lime juice)
  • 1/3 cup milk (any fat %) (or water)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp crushed chilli, samba oelak or other chilli paste, adjust to taste (optional)

Directions

  1. Combine the Peanut Dipping Sauce ingredients. Mix briefly (it won’t come together), then microwave for 30 seconds. Mix again until smooth. Set aside to cool. Adjust sour with vinegar, salt with salt and spiciness to taste.  Thickness can be adjusted with milk or water once cooled.

  2. Place vermicelli noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water for 2 minutes, then drain (or follow packet instructions).

  3. Peel the prawns, slice in half lengthwise and devein.

  4. Remove the crunchy core of the lettuce leaves.

  5. Tip – LETTUCE BUNDLE: Place some vermicelli noodles and bean sprouts in a lettuce leaf, then roll it up, finishing seam side down. Repeat.

  6. Fill a large bowl with warm water. The bowl doesn’t need to be large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go.

  7. Place two rice papers together (if using 2). Note which side is the smooth side – this is supposed to be the outside of the spring roll. Submerge the rice papers into the water (both of them at the same time, together) for 2 seconds. If your bowl isn’t large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go, that’s fine, just rotate it and count 2 seconds for each section you submerge into the water.

  8. Place both the rice papers (one on top of the other, they will stick together) on a board or the counter with the smooth side down.

  9. On the top part of the rice paper, place 3 prawns with a mint leaf in between, as per the photo.
  10. Place the lettuce bundle with the seam side down onto the middle of the rice paper.

  11. Fold the left and right edges of the rice paper in, then starting from the bottom, roll up to cover the lettuce bundle. Then keep rolling firmly. The rice paper is sticky, it will seal itself.

  12. If you placed the ingredients on the rice paper as per the photo below, your rice paper rolls should look pretty with the prawn and mint leaves on the smooth side of the roll and the seam on the side or underside of the roll.
  13. Serve immediately with the peanut dipping sauce.

Recipe Review

I love these spring rolls!  They’re packed with flavor and the peanut dipping sauce is delicious-it adds a great lightly sweet flavor to the spring rolls.  These take a little while to make, but rolling them (use 2 sheets of rice paper… it will make your life SO much easier!) is easy to master after just a few rolls.  They stick together very well after rolled, so if you’ve ever attempted sushi… don’t let this intimidate you.  It is MUCH, MUCH easier.

I have found a few shortcuts that make my life so much easier with this recipe.  The first is to purchase frozen salad shrimp.  There is already a lot of chopping, measuring, mixing, going on in this recipe, so this cuts some of the prep time down.  Just thaw a few of these little shrimp and they’re the perfect size for the spring rolls.  The second is the lettuce-it’s hit or miss what type of lettuce I can find in store or what’s on sale.  I usually use the ends of Romain lettuce, but don’t include any overly bulky stalks.  This usually adds a bit of a crunch without being too tough to bite through.

A great crock pot pho recipe that pairs well with these spring rolls will be coming soon, so be on the lookout!