BBQ Porkchops for Two

BBQ Pork chop with brown rice and veggies

In an effort to expand my dinner repertoire, I decided to pick up some pork chops.  I've never made a good pork chop, but surely, it couldn't be that hard.  It is the 'other white meat', right?

Turns out, they are easy.  And this recipe makes 2 which will feed a very hungry person, you and hubby, or you and your stomach for lunch tomorrow. 

If you can get pork, you can make this recipe.  I used bbq sauce as the topper, but feel free to substitute any other thick sauce (think sweet and sour). 

BBQ Pork Chops for Two

2 pork chops, about the size of your palm, 3/4 inches or so thick
olive oil
salt and pepper
BBQ sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees and heat oven-proof skillet on stove on medium high heat.  Put a little olive oil in the pan to coat.  Rinse and pat dry pork chops and shake a little salt and pepper on both sides.  Put pork chops in skillet and sear both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side.  This will help keep them moist during baking.  

Next, remove from stove and put about 2 Tbsp of BBQ sauce on top of each pork chop.  You may need to use a spoon to spread it over the entire chop.  Place oven proof skillet in oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.  Check chops after 30 minutes for doneness.  Continue baking if still pink in center. 

I paired this with leftover brown rice, cinnamon sugar baby carrots, and steamed broccoli.  For the carrots, steam, dab with a little butter or margarine, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Promise, they are tasty!

Enjoy this easy and simple way to make pork chops.  I'm not sure if you can even call it a recipe, but it was too good not to share with you guys!

Yummy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Gotta love when the scale tells you that you need to 'scale' back your portions and eat a little better. One step that I usually take to start eating healthier is to eat soup. It makes a GREAT lunch with a side salad or all in itself. A recipe that has worked for me over and over again is out of Hungry Girl's recipe book (check out her website at www.hungry-girl.com ) for her Chicken Tortilla Soup. Oh, and by the way, I can't buy canned soup here, so this is a real winner!

I was able to get most of the ingredients here, with the exception of the Mexican seasoning. However, staying true to my Texan roots, I keep a steady supply of taco seasoning on hand and use it anytime the recipe calls for any sort of TexMex, chili, fajita or other miscellaneous mixed seasoning. Thanks Mom, for the use of your Sam's Club card!

Oh, and one other thing...if you are on Weight Watchers, this soup is only 2 points per cup and it turns out to be a hearty 2 points at that! I'll show some optional throw-ins should you choose to beef it up a little. This recipe makes about 4 - 1 cup servings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 - 4 ounce breast of chicken, poached and shredded
1/2 cup of diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 TBsp of fajita or other Mexican seasoning (trust me, taco seasoning works great if that's what you have in stock!)
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
3 cups of fat free chicken broth (you can substitute in water with bouillon cubes like I did or use vegetable broth)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of canned corn (you can also defrost frozen corn)
1 TBsp lime juice (I used lemon...it worked great)
1 TBsp of jalapeno pepper, chopped finely (I ended up throwing in some chili flakes because I forgot to buy this item at the store. You can also leave it out if you are scared of a little heat.)

On medium/high heat, saute onion, garlic, seasoning, and spices in a soup pot for about 3 minutes until onions are soft. Add the broth and and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn and canned tomatoes. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Finally, add chicken, jalapeno, and lime juice and simmer for about another 5-10 minutes.
Optional add ins: 2 crushed tortilla chips (what is tortilla soup without the chips?), 2TBsp of Shredded cheddar cheese, 1 TBsp sour cream or creme fresh, chopped green onions, 1/4 cup black beans (this adds great fiber and is very filling), more corn

Promise, promise, promise, you will love this one. Soup's on!!

Curry Chicken Dippin' Strips and Fried Rice

OK, so Erin and I have been on a chicken kick lately. Like she said, it's easy and you usually can't go wrong with it. I would say that hubby and I have chicken at least 3 times a week, which tells you a lot!

These dishes came from http://www.foodtv.com/ and I made a couple of changes. It's actually 2 recipes (BONUS), and will accommodate protein, starch, and veggies into the meal. Gotta love that.

Oh, and what would a LLOR recipe be without a RANDOM KITCHEN APPLIANCE ALERT!

Chicken Curry Dipping Strips
1 pack of chicken breasts, sliced into strips (usually 3-4 chicken breasts)
1 small container of plain yogurt (I use Activia Nature. It's the closest to non-fat unsweetened.)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 -2 tsp of yellow curry (I have no curry in my spices, believe it or not. To make do, I pulled a small bag of yellow spice that my maid keeps here when she cooks and decided that it kind of smelled like curry. Winner!)
1/2 tsp dried ginger (If you have the real stuff, use it!)

Mix yogurt and spices together and place the cut up chicken in the mix. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1.5 to 2 hours. To cook, lay chicken strips on grill pan, OR use your George Foreman grill like I did. Cook strips through until no longer pink inside and grill marks appear.

I had a jar of peanut satay sauce in my cabinet from Carrefour that I used as a dipping sauce (can you believe it??). Try other sauces from your fridge...get creative!

Fried Rice
2-3 cups of rice, cooked (white or brown, depending on your preference)
4 medium mushrooms, sliced thin (use more or less, depending on what you have)
olive oil
1 egg, slightly beat
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup of carrot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of red chili flake
1/2 tsp dried ginger (use the fresh if you have it!)
2 TBsp soy sauce
1/2 cup of frozen peas, defrosted, at room temperature

Put a little olive oil in a large fry pan or wok and cook egg with a dash of salt. Remove and cut up egg into square pieces. Wipe out pan and heat up 1 TBsp of olive oil. Cook carrots and green onions in oil for about 1 and 1/2 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, chili powder, ginger, and stir fry for another minute. Add soy sauce, 1TBsp of olive oil, and rice and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add egg and peas and cook until peas are heated through.
For the fried rice, if you have sesame oil or peanut oil, you can use that. I just find that I always have olive oil on hand....especially in Tunisia where it's so inexpensive :).

Enjoy this meal. It was a real winner the other night!!

Not just another boring Chicken dish

Chicken, chicken, chicken. I'm ALWAYS looking for a new way to make it. While in my kitchen this evening, I decided I'd get all crazy and try a new recipe for dinner. The original came from http://www.allrecipes.com/ , but I doctored it up a bit. My gamble paid off...the dish turned out FANTASTIC and was better than I expected.

This recipe is a take on Chicken Marsala. Instead of using rice or pasta to go with the chicken and mushrooms, I substituted barley. WHAT? Barley? Who makes that? Yes, I found barley locally and it rocked. I'll post the recipe for the barley next...for those of you who are brave enough to try it.

The recipe is a mix of local items and things that you probably already have in your cabinet (spices!). For the cheese that tops the chicken, I used some Italian blend from the commissary, but feel free to substitute any white Italian cheese that melts(mozzarella, Parmesan, etc).

Not Boring Chicken and Mushrooms
1 pack of chicken breasts ( 3-4)
1 regular sized carton of mushrooms, sliced (use whatever type you can get your hands on)
2 TBsp of butter
1 egg, beaten
breadcrumbs, enough to coat the chicken, about 1/2-1 cup
Italian blend or other Italian cheese, shredded
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. To the beaten egg add salt, pepper, and a shake of garlic powder. If not using seasoned breadcrumbs, add the salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the those too. In a deep fry pan (one that can go from stove to oven), melt the butter. While the butter melts, dip the chicken breasts into the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs. Brown both sides of the chicken in the pan. Lift chicken up and put mushrooms underneath each piece. Pour 3/4 - 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan. Top each chicken breast with a sprinkle of cheese. Put pan into oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until chicken is no longer pink on the inside. Serve chicken, mushrooms, and broth over barley, rice, or pasta.
____________________________________
If you don't have a pan that goes from stove to oven, you can transfer the chicken over to a 9X13 dish to bake in. I figured, it's one less pan to wash!!

Check out the following post on how to cook the barley.

Pork Chops and Applesauce...

Every time I say this out loud I think of Peter Brady on the Brady Bunch. Regardless, you may find that you'd like to cook up some loveliness in the form of pork chops and apples, and I have the easiest recipe for you. This is courtesy of my cousin in Charleston, and it is as easy as pie.

What you'll need:

4 large apples, peeled and sliced

1-2 pounds of pork chops

3 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 tsp. of cinnamon

1/2 tsp of salt

Directions:

In a crock pot, layer the pork chops on the bottom and cover with the sliced apples. Then, in a small bowl combine the spices, and once combined, spoon spice concoction over the apples. Cover the pot, turn on high, and let cook for 3-4 hours. The juice from the apples is all that you need to cook the chops. So let it do its thing and voila! Good stuff.

This is the easiest recipe in the world. Once the pork is cooked, scoop the apples from the top and put in a separate bowl. I added a generous dollop or two to the cooked apples, and then plated the chops with some of the apples as well. I paired the chops with some mashed potatoes, some gravy (I cheated with a bought package from the commissary-Go McCormick's!), some carrots, and a nice green salad. Everyone loved the pork and apples and I didn't have to do much except take all the credit. If you're lucky enough to have a box of gingerbread cake, this would be an excellent choice for dessert. Or perhaps you have a home-made recipe for gingerbread, which we'd love you to post.

Not Your Everyday Pizza, Part 2

So last night's pizza was a hit, but as a result, there isn't a left-over piece to be found. But you're still hankering for just another taste of that delish dish--what's a girl to do? Luckily, here's a solution. And a great dish for dinner.

Last night, I cooked an entire batch of sausage, and because I didn't need all of it, there was still about a cup and half left in the fridge. I also had a large amount of the chevre left (I use Rondele garlic and herb flavor), which is a rarity for me, as I usually finish off every package I open. So I decided to use the left overs and see what I could come up with. Since I had pizza last night, I figured pasta might be the way to go tonight. So, here it is:

In a large pot, boil enough water to heat a half box of pasta. Add a 1/2 pound of penne pasta, salting the water and cooking for about 15 minutes. When pasta has finished cooking, drain off the water, and then return the pasta to the warm pot. Microwave the sausage for about a minute, then toss that into the pasta. In addition, you may want to add some cooked peas for a little color. Then, toss in the rest of yesterday's soft cheese and mix gently all the ingredients in the pot. The cheese will melt nicely against the warm pasta and the hot pot. Continue to gently stir the mixture until all the cheese is melted/incorporated. You may want to add some salt and pepper for additional flavor. Serve hot and enjoy this very quick and easy dinner.

Not Your Everyday Pizza

In Tunis, there's a lack of delivery options for dinner. While I would love there to be a Papa Mohammed's on my speed-dial, it just isn't so. There are other pizza options here, namely the very thin crust Margherita, with red sauce and cheese (and sometimes tuna sprinkled on as a helpful condiment). But for times when you want a pizza, you have to invest some time and make your own. There are many mixes for pizza dough on the shelves of the markets here, and you can also make your own from scratch. I have discovered the lazy girl's way of getting a pretty tasty pie on the table. The key is all in the pastry dough.

In Tunisia, you can find phyllo and pastry dough very easily in the refrigerator section of the supermarkets. I buy mine sometimes from the freezer section of the commissary and just keep it in my freezer at home.

Here's what you'll need:

One sheet of pastry dough, thawed

One large onion, sliced

One red bell pepper, sliced

One container of sausage

Soft cheese (chevre works well)

Cook the sausage over medium heat until fully browned. (I use the Bob Evan's mild sausage from the commissary and keep it in the freezer for emergency pork purposes such as these). Drain the fat and set aside. In a saute pan, melt a tblsp of butter, and cook the onions and peppers until they are softened a bit. I actually like to carmelize the onions, which takes a little longer, but produces really sweet tasting onions. Once the onions and peppers are cooked, remove from heat and set aside. Follow the directions for heating the pastry (some brands vary).

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. On a cookie sheet, unroll the pastry dough, and liberally spread the onions and peppers over top. Then, spoon on the sausage. Next, using a spoon, put dollops of the soft cheese on top of the pizza, trying to gauge where the pastry will be divided into square slices once cut. You want to be sure that each bite gets a little bite of the cheese. After you've assembled the pizza, cook for 20 minutes at 400. When the pastry begins to brown and puff, your pie should be finished and ready for consumption after cooling for about five minutes.

I made this pizza last night and think it's pretty amazing. It's a far distant cousin from the pepperoni slices I grew up eating from Marzella's in downtown Collegeville, PA, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Our friend Nana made a similar pizza using onions and apple slices, and it rocked. You can substitute any of the ingredients to include your favorites. Black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, bacon...Enjoy.

Curried Pumpkin Carrot Soup

When it starts to get cold outside, I tend to put the soup on. While Chicken Noodle remains a favorite, sometimes it's nice to shake things up a bit. I've discovered a fun and easy soup that is quick to make, tastes great and is really healthy. Put your seat belts on--it's about to get a little wild in the kitchen.

You will need:

1-2 cups fresh pumpkin, diced into small pieces

two cups chicken broth

3 carrots, diced

1 onion, shallot, leek (whatever you can get your hands on)

1/4 tsp. curry

1 tblsp. butter

To start: Heat butter in a pan over low to med. heat. When melted, add diced onion, and saute until transparent. Add pumpkin and carrot pieces and give a toss in the onion-butter mixture, then add the chicken broth. Add the curry. Turn up heat to high until it comes to a boil, and then turn heat to simmer, cover with a lid, and wait until the pumpkin/carrots become soft. This is the longest part of the process, usually taking about 15 minutes. Once the veggies are softened, remove from heat, and set aside.

The next step requires a Cuisinart, blender or hand held food processor. I plug in my hand held food processor and blend the soup directly in the pot. After the veggies are processed, the consistency of the soup will become creamy. At this point you may want to taste the flavor and add salt and pepper, if you choose. Depending on how much spice you like, you may also want to adjust the amount of curry. Once the soup is of a creamy consistency, you can serve it into bowls, OR you can return it to the stove top and stir in cream, milk, or creme fraiche. Milk products aren't necessary, but if you want a super creamy soup, this will make it so.

This soup is hearty enough to be a meal in itself. Just pair it with a crusty bread and you're set.

Happy New Year Chicken Salad

The holidays and over and you jumped on the scale January 4. Ey, ey, ey! Did all of the cookies, drinks and oh-so-good casseroles really catch up to me like that? New Year's Resolution time.



The big joke is that most people who commit to losing weight at this time of the year won't follow through with it. Good for those who do!! I have a salad that I make regularly that is low in calories and if you've decided to follow Weight Watchers like I have, it's low in points. If you are like me and like to have a lighter meal later in the day, this is a great recipe for you.



All ingredients can be found locally with the exception of the ranch dressing (commissary) and for those of us in the Muslim world, bacon (commissary). If you are lucky enough to be able to find these locally, I commend you! Also, the serving size is for 2...adjust as needed for your family.

By the way, there is another variation of this recipe that I can't wait to share with you next month. It's our Chicken Wing Salad and one of hubby's favorites! OK, maybe I'll post it sooner than that!

Happy New Year Chicken Salad

Lettuce or other greens, torn or chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion or 1/4 large onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced or 1 cup bite-sized tomatoes, cut in 1/2s (the mini tomatoes are probably my favorite discovery here in Tunisia for the winter season)
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed (fiber, fiber, fiber)
2 slices of cooked bacon (don't think I'm crazy...I had some left over from Sunday's B-fast)
1 hard boiled egg, diced
Sprinkle of cheddar cheese
2 chicken breasts, pan cooked and diced
Optional toppings: diced carrots, chopped celery, 1/4 diced avocado (just a little goes a long way), other low-calorie veggies
Ranch dressing (or any other creamy dressing)

**I know what you are thinking, Ranch dressing is loaded with calories and fat! A trick that I like is to take 1TBsp of dressing and water it down a bit. I'm only able to get the full calorie stuff here and it works for me! I'd like to dedicate this 'trick' to my years of eating in restaurants and having friends who were waiters in college.****

Add lettuce and layer other veggies in 2 bowls. Split up remaining ingredients into bowls. Pour dressing on top and toss salad. You are ready to eat.

For this recipe, most of the time is spent in the preparation before putting it together. One time saving trick I love is to chop a little more of the veggies or cook extra chicken and stick the stuff into baggies to use later in the week for this salad. This works well especially with the chicken breasts.

_______________________________
Happy New Year LLOR readers!
Keep an eye out for more 2010 recipes!

Clean out the Veggie Drawer Rice

You know who you are. You are cleaning out the fridge and see a drawer full of veggies that you intended on cooking throughout last week. But, things got crazy and the kids had things. Before you throw them out, WAIT! Keep reading!

I was looking for a way to add a little zing to boring, old rice. The original recipe comes from Betty Crocker, my never ending cooking go-to guide. I found it in the poultry section as a stuffing, and thought it would be great as a chicken side. Well, it turned out better than just a side and became the main whoo-hoo of the dinner!

This one is dedicated to all of you out there who end up with a drawer full of veggies a week later after your grocery shopping. It's a great recipe on a Monday, or any day where you've cooked bacon the day before and have a couple of leftover pieces. HOLD UP....leftover bacon??? You can leave this part out, but as they say, bacon makes it better.

All veggies listed are optional and can be subbed for what you have.
___________________________________________________
Clean out the Veggie Drawer Rice
2 TBsp butter or margarine
stalk of celery
1/4 cup chopped onion (any color will work here)
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
2 cups of cooked rice (leftover rice also works well here!)
Handful of chopped walnuts (pecans or almonds can be subbed, but please leave them out if you don't like 'em or if they'll send you to the emergency room)
Handful of raisins (not gross, trust me!!)
1/4 tsp paprika
4 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

My FAVORITE added veggies include: carrots, peppers, mushrooms or basically, any veggie that tastes good cooked. I think peas, eggplant or corn would be great as well. Throw in what you have!!

Melt the margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onions, veggies, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally until veggies are tender. Remove from heat.

Stir in veggie mixture with the remainder of the ingredients. Serve warm or cold.

______________________________________

Easy. Rice will never be the same for you and your family after you try this.

This Ain’t Your Mama’s Mini Meat Loaves

My friend Nana sent me this recipe after it was a big hit for dinner one evening with her hubby. Meat loaf normally gets a bad rap, but these are really fantastic. Pair them with some potatoes, and you've got yourself a meal that will please any meat-n-potatoes fan in your house.

Many of the ingredients that are listed are interchangeable for local ingredients. If you're on the newer side of cooking, try my Substitutions link on the main page. Also, if you make the full recipe, they can be frozen and the directions on how to reheat are listed. What a fabulous solution to a mid-week meal crisis!

Mini Meat Loaves

• 1 cup ketchup
  
• 3 to 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar (regular sugar or Splenda can also be used)
  
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard (try yellow or brown mustard if you don't have the dry stuff)
  
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  
• 3 cups Crispix cereal, crushed (I've used Rice Krispies, but any other 'rice' cereal can be subbed---Fitness, Rice Chex, etc)
  
• 3 teaspoons onion powder (again, use real onions or even dried)
  
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (steak seasoning works great!)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (fresh garlic works great)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  
• 3 pounds lean ground beef
  

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Remove 1/2 cup for topping; set aside. Add the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, cereal and seasonings to remaining ketchup mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes. Crumble beef over cereal mixture and mix well.
  
• Press meat mixture into 18 muffin cups (about 1/3 cup each). Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes. Drizzle with reserved ketchup mixture; bake 10 minutes longer or until meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160°.
  
• Serve desired number of meat loaves. Cool remaining loaves; freeze. Transfer to freezer bags; seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
  
• To use frozen meat loaves: Completely thaw in the refrigerator. Place loaves in a greased baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through, or cover and microwave on high for 1 minute or until heated through. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.
  

Enjoy these tasty treats with your family soon. Because isn't meat loaf truly American?

Mark’s I Want My Baby Back Ribs

While in Texas for RandR, my brother graciously hosted a Football watching party complete with all the Texas type food you could want. Mark is a great cook, and he has far fewer epic fails in the kitchen than I do. He had been bragging about these ribs for a while and decided to finally make them. When he told me that these were done mainly in a CrockPot, I thought, OK, it's possible, since I did my Thanksgiving turkey in one 2 years back. Anyone who thinks good ribs have to be done on a grill will be sorely mistaken with this recipe. It's just plain ol' good.

As for ingredients, if you are not like me in Tunis, you should be able to readily find pork ribs. However, you can also sub in beef ribs and have them cut down by your butcher to fit in your CrockPot. I've bought 2 different kinds of rubs from my local BBQ place in Houston (shout out to Carl's BBQ in Cypress, TX!!), but you can look up some made from scratch rubs online at http://www.allrecipes.com/. As for BBQ sauce, I always keep some on hand because I am a TX girl, after all.

Oh, and I almost forgot: CROCK POT ALERT!!!

_____________________________________________

Mark's I Want My Baby Back Ribs

Equipment:
- slow cooker or crock pot at least as deep as width of ribs
- oven
- oven pan or broiler pan
- knife

Ingredients:
Baby Back Ribs (as many as you want and can stand on their bone end in a crock pot or slow cooker)
2-3 T dry rub per rack (I like Head Country but I think any smoky type sauce should work)
1/2c + 1/4-1/2 c BBQ sauce per rack

Prep: Take silver skin off the back of the baby back ribs. The easiest way to do this is take a knife, insert it under the skin, work your fingers under the skin and slowly work your finger under it down the ribs until it's all off. On the meaty side, trim any excess fat or any silver skin that might be there.

Rub ribs with a dry rub on both sides. I've let them sit overnight and I've done that right before, I'm sure over night lets it sink in more but life doesn't always give you the call for ribs a day in advance.

Cooking: Put the ribs under the broiler for 15-20 minutes flipping once. You want them to get a little cooked on the outside. My oven is gas and I'm not sure it works as fast as an electric so keep any eye on them... no burning should happen.

I pour maybe 1/3-1/2 cup off bbq sauce and maybe 1/2-1 cup of water in the bottom of slow cooker or crock pot and arrange the ribs where they stand up on the bone end. My crock pot only fits 1 rack so I cut it into 3 pieces. You don't want them soaking in the liquid while cooking, that'll make the meat fall straight off the bone when removing. I've cooked them on low for 6 hours, or 4ish on a combination of high and low, just depends if you're around the house or not.

Finish them: Pull them out of the slow cooker, put them on sheet pan or broiler pan, put a thin layer of bbq sauce on them and put them back under the broiler until the sauce is bubbling a little bit but watch to not burn. I'll start them on meat side down, then flip to bone side down.

Enjoying: For the neat freaks, you should be able to eat these with a fork and knife. For the real deal, get in there with your hands. If you need more bbq sauce, have a little warm sauce nearby for individual bite dipping purposes. If anyone criticizes you on this, just tell them "The ribs told me to do it."

_______________________________________

Impress your friends with these. They will thank you for it.

Bring me some Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower has intimidated me for a long time. In fact, I tried to make some cauliflower mash potatoes one time. You know that recipe. They failed miserably!!! Just about as bad as some artichokes I attempted once (who said those were easy??). Upon reading a purchased Family Circle magazine from DFW Airport, I found this fascinating Cauliflower Soup recipe. Could this be the recipe where I triumph over the vegetable that looks kinda like broccoli, but is never really a substitute on the veggie tray at parties?

A couple of things...this recipe is time intensive and it's good if you have to be at the house for a couple of hours. I found myself finally putting up fall decorations in between steps and working on my Halloween costume. Also, if you've been DYING to break out your emulsion blender that you got for your wedding (yep, random appliance-from-the-back-of-the-cabinet-usage!), this one's for you! Oh, and the best part about this is that you should be able to find everything locally.

Cauliflower Soup
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 large onion, cut into pieces (any color will do as I used the purple ones in season here in Tunisia)
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, sliced into halves (you can use more if you love garlic and might be afraid that Dracula is lurking outside!)
2 TBsp of olive oil
2 cans of chicken broth (I used 2 chicken bouillon cubes to make 3 1/2 -4 cups of stock. This trick works great when you can't get cans of broth)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of thyme (it calls for fresh, but I dug into my spice drawer for dried)
1 cup of half and half (you can substitute whole, 2%, or skim milk if you are trying to fit into your Marine Ball dress!)
1 tsp of salt (or more for taste)
1/8 tsp of pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place cauliflower florets, onion pieces, and garlic clove halves in a roasting dish. Toss with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing mixture 1/2 way through. (Work on your Halloween costume during this time :) ).

Take roasted veggies out of oven and add to a large pot on the stove. Add chicken broth and 1 cup of water. Add bay leaf and thyme. Bring to boil. Turn down heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
(Check email and Lunching Ladies Overseas Recipes!).

Remove bay leaf. Take emulsion blender and blend mixture until smooth (either in the pot or a separate bowl). If you don't have one of these, you can transfer small batches to a food processor or blender. Return to the large pot and add half and half, salt and pepper. Heat through and serve warm.

Now, I know this one took a while, but trust me, you never thought cauliflower could taste so good. And it is filling! By the way, if you ARE watching your calories (or points!), the recipe is great if you opt for the whole, 2%, or skim milk. Bon apetite!

A Man's Gotta Eat (Ground Beef Casserole)

While ladies lunching is a delicate thang, I think it's worth addressing the hardier of the gourmands in your house. My husband, who consumes more food than any human I have ever known, once told me that he doesn't really care what he eats, he just needs sheer volume. While I enjoy creating delectable morsels for the family table, I cannot avoid tossing together an old-fashioned 1970s era casserole once or twice a week so the poor man doesn't starve. Toward that end, I offer the A Man's Gotta Eat (Ground Beef Casserole):

Couldn't be simpler and is easy to adapt to any taste palette.

1 pound of ground beef

1 lb. package of pasta (I like rotini)

mix of cream of chicken soup

1 cup (or more depending on your taste) grated cheddar, gruyere or monterey jack cheese

1 diced onion

1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

salt and pepper

bread crumbs (optional)

Using a hot saute pan, heat the EVOO and add the diced onion. Saute until tender, then add the ground beef, making sure to brown thoroughly. Salt and pepper to season the beef, and when fully browned, drain the fat and return to pan. Cook the pan of pasta, drain and set aside. If you have canned cream of chicken soup (lucky you), things get pretty simple here. If not, like some of us in far away lands, you'll need to mix the soup and water until it boils and thickens. Once the soup is heated, combine the pasta with the ground beef. Toss the mixture with the cream of chicken soup and mix thoroughly. Then toss in as much cheese as you like. Throw on some bread crumbs, bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, and you're done. Couldn't be simpler.

Some other options: Obviously, you can change the flavor of the casserole with the flavor of cream of whatever soup you choose. I find that cream of chicken has a mild flavor, but some folks like cream of mushroom for this, and some like cream of asparagus. By all means, choose what you love. You can up the heat/spice factor by creating a Tex-Mex version of this and throw in some diced chilis and use a chili seasoning as you brown the meat. There are tons of different options. Good comfort food for all.

Have your Veggies and Meatballs too!

TV and mags are always telling us to eat more vegetables. If you are like me, you don't get the daily recommended amount. Well, this Veggie Meatball Soup will help you and your family achieve this goal.

The recipe was submitted to me by my gal pal Christine who was in Tunis and is now in Paris (oh-la-la!). The only thing that you may have to buy at the commissary is the meatballs unless of course you are lucky enough to find them locally OR you made extras 2 weeks ago and have them frozen. This is great this time of year when the temps are changing and it's rainy and drizzling outside. It's what I call a smeal, or, a soup meal.

CROCK POT ALERT!!!

__________________________________

Veggie Meatball Soup

25 frozen cooked meatballs
1 can (28oz/775gm) diced tomatoes (I just bought whole tomatoes and mashed them with a potato masher in the crockpot)
3 cups beef broth
2 cups shredded cabbage (we hate cooked cabbage so we left this out)
1 can (16oz/40gm) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 zucchini, sliced
1 cup green beans
2 carrots sliced
1 cup water
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp minced garlic (I use fresh chopped)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (or whatever shape I can find, spirals or small shells work fine)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

In a 5 quart crockpot, combine the first 14 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5.5 to 6 hours or until veges are almost tender. Stir in macaroni and parsley and cook 30 minutes longer or until macaroni is tender. Serve with parmesan if desired.

_________________________

Seriously, this is one of the easiest meals ever. If you have a knack for planning a few hours ahead of time, it may become your go-to, clean-out-the-veggies-in-the-house, Tuesday-night meal. Christine's kids love it and yours will too!

Are you ready for some Football Chili?!?

To all you football widows out there, this recipe is for you! It will get your hubby and his friends away from the flat screen on Sundays and into the kitchen to dig in. You can double for more people and add your own flair, but this is the basic recipe. Most ingredients you'll be able to find locally and put your crock-pot to use (bonus appliance use!!). And in my house, crock pot= fall=football season. You do the math.

This recipe is dedicated to my friend Tracy who hates to measure stuff.

Crock Pot Football Chili

1 regular package of ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 onion (red, yellow or white), diced
1 or 2 bell peppers, diced (I like red, though green are readily available in Tunisia)
Garlic cloves, minced (1 or 2 will do)
1 packet of Chili seasoning (Sorry, this is something you may have to get at the commissary or on Netgrocer. You can also use taco seasoning).
1 big a** can of diced tomatoes
1 normal can of kidney beans
1 regular can of pinto beans
Optional: jalapeno peppers, red chili flakes (If you like your chili hot, use 'em!)

Cook veges in pan for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add ground beef to pan and cook until brown. Mix seasonings and stir. Dump the mixture into the crock pot. Add diced tomatoes and beans to mixture and set on high for 1-2 hours or until heated throughout. Serve plain or with cheddar cheese, Frito's, tortilla chips, saltine crackers, or sour cream.

I love the beans in this recipe, but you can leave them out if you don't. Also, if you can't get your hands on onions or peppers, that's ok too. The seasoning packet usually has dried onions in it. When you use both the beans and the veges, the recipe is super hearty.

Who you calling Chicken?

In Tunisia, chicken is a major staple in our house. It's consistently good with the exception of small bone left in the boneless breasts every once in a while. Cyd, a fellow Lunching Lady, in Romania submitted this easy-as-pie chicken recipe that may become a new fave fall dish in your house.

_______________________

Chicken and Veges

You will need 4 bone in chicken breasts.

Go to the local market and pick up any local vegetable that is in season. For example....I use potato, cauliflower, red onions, carrots. You can also use squash, zucchini, mushrooms. Basically, anything you like in any combination.

Cut up your veges and mash 6 cloves of garlic. Place in baking dish. Coat with olive oil, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until your veges are soft.

Salt and pepper your chicken breasts or with any seasoning of your choice. Place chicken on top of the partially cooked veges and bake for 35 minutes or until the chicken is done. The veges cook in the juices of the chicken and caramelizes a bit. It is yummy!!

Serve and enjoy!!

____________________________

Thanks to Cyd for this great recipe. As the fall is now officially here, I suspect you'll want to try this one out on hubby and fam. The recipe would be great for entertaining or when your friends/family come to town.

Cloudy with a Chance of BBQ Meatballs

This next recipe comes from my friend Julie who is currently back in the states for a tour. She definitely remembers the trials and tribulations of cooking in Tunis! No BBQ sauce, no problem!!!

_____________________________

BBQ Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (These can easily be made if you don't have them. Think day old baguette or bread!)
2 Tbsp fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp dried)
1/4 cup of milk

Combine meatball ingredients and mix well. Roll into balls and bake on foil lined baking sheet for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients in a sauce pan:

1 cup water
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp mustard
1/3 cup brown sugar (you can substitute honey as brown sugar is not available locally in some locales)
Tabasco/hot sauce to taste (you can substitute a little harissa if you want)
Worcestershire sauce (good, but not necessary)

Bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add cooked meatballs and simmer for 30 minutes.

This recipe is easy to double, triple or quadruple for parties. It can be made ahead and reheated in a crockpot. The longer the meatballs are in the sauce, the better they taste.

__________________

Thanks Julie for submitting to LLOR. This sounds like an excellent bunco or party recipe, though meatball-lovin'-hubbies around the globe would certainly enjoy for an ordinary Wednesday night.

Keep those recipes coming to my email address! New recipes will be coming to LLOR soon. Stay tuned!

Enchilada-rama Casserole

My friend, Julie, lives in Paris and is a true Texas girl like myself (hey y'all!). This recipe is from her and how she gets her TexMex fix.

________

I can so sympathize with not being able to find even basic ingredients. Just last week, I was trying to buy an onion in Carrefour and I could NOT even find an onion! And the market just outside had closed so NO ONION! What!?! I live in one of the largest cities in the world and could not buy a basic food product. Anyway, the onion ended up not being necessary for the recipe I am sending you below. I am on week # 2 sans Fajitas b/c the owners closed down for the August Holidays so I had to do SOMETHING to get my Mexican food fix. Anyhoo, here is my favorite recipe in the world although I think I am a major cheater b/c most of it comes from imported food!

Enchilada Casserole

1.5 lbs hamburger meat - cow meat...not chavel
1 onion - IF you can find one that day..if not, use dried onion flakes or leeks or green onion
1 bell pepper
1 can creme of chicken soup (imported from the United States or bought at the embassy shop)
1 can creme of mushroom soup (see above)
1 can Rotel - let's face it...there are no real substitutes for this staple..you need to import OR MAYBE a plain ol can of crushed tomatoes will suffice
1 dozen corn tortillas - yeah right..I import mine but you can probably buy yucky corn tortilla chips (El Paso or some other brand) to use instead
Cheese - Preferably some sort of Mexican cheese but get real - You will be lucky to find something that isn't sour or white looking. You need an orange or yellow cheese.. If you have connections (and lets face it, you Embassy girls can at least shop at the little store y'all have there w/ the American products) and can get your hands on some velveeta, you are set..that stuff won't go bad for anything and can be used sparingly to last you a long time. I have my cheese imported from America
1/4 cup of milk or water

Brown the meat and then add your diced bell pepper and onion. Stir in some shakes of cumin and salt and pepper...I can find Cumin here so surely you can find it anywhere. Add garlic to taste. Then add your soups and the can of rotel and milk or water if needed....stir all that together and let simmer in the skillet until it's all mixed. Cut up your corn tortillas into strips and then half those into smaller bite sized pieces. If you just have chips..use those. Put into a 9X13 pan and pour your mixture on top of it. Stir around so that the tortillas or chips are mixed in. Cover with foil and put in the oven at 350 F for about 35 - 40 min. Take out and add your cheese to the top and stick back in the oven uncovered for no longer than the time it takes to melt the cheese. VOILA! Mexican food in Paris or Tunis!

_________