COWBOY SKETTI

Welcome back to 'LET'S COOK' and the best of Christmas wishes to you and your family.

 COWBOY SPAGHETTI

NOTE: A complete Index of all of our posts is available HERE

Today is the day before the BIG Day, so it's time for the final blog of the year.

Usually before Christmas I like to go to some comfort food. And what says comfort more than Sketti ?

So, let's get comfortable.

I love sketi in any form. My favorite is Carolyn's Chilli Sketti , and this recipe is similar in nature.

We found this at the Taste Of Home web site and thought we would give it a try. 

One thing stood out about this recipe. That was using kidney beans. Usually I would not add them, but I always try to follow the recipe as closely as possible.

So, let's grab an adult beverage and get started.

Ingredients

1 package (12 ounces) spaghetti

8 bacon strips, chopped.

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)

1 large onion, chopped.

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans rinsed and drained.

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (10 ounces) chili-seasoned diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained.

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, divided.

Chopped green onions, optional.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

2. In a 12-in. cast iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally.

(I opted for a different skillet)

Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.

Add beef and onion to drippings. Cook and stir until beef is no longer pink, 5-7 minutes, breaking meat into crumbles. 

Stir in beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.

3. Drain spaghetti

4. Stir pasta and meat mixture into a 9x13 greased baking dish. 

(Stir it all up)

No, NOT the record.

Stir in 1-1/2 cups cheese and half the bacon. Top with remaining 1-1/2 cups cheese. 

Bake until heated through, 20-25 minutes. 

Sprinkle with remaining bacon and, if desired, green onions.

Cowboy spaghetti is pretty hearty, so pair it with lighter sides like garlic bread or salad with corn chips.

I opted for some garlic bread.

Let's EAT !!!

So how was it?

The recipe did not say to DRAIN the bacon grease or the grease from browning the ground chuck. 

Not draining the grease may have added to the flavor. I am not 100% convinced. I thought it was a bit on the 'greasy' side.

I also thought it needed a bit more taste, so I added a can of Mushrooms.

SO, if I had to do it all over?

1) I would drain the grease.

2) I would leave out the beans.

3) Definitely add the mushrooms.

And the bigger question. WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN?

I have to admit that if I had a hankering for sketti with a kick, I would go with Carolyn's Chilli Sketti. (It is just a better recipe.)

But go ahead and give this one a try. It may surprise you.

Side Note: You can refrigerate the cowboy spaghetti in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. Remember, you can also portion any leftovers into single servings and freeze. 

Nutrition Facts (from A Taste Of Home)

1 cup: 303 calories, 17g fat (8g saturated fat), 59mg cholesterol, 469mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 19g protein.

So that it for 2023. May your 2024 be bright, healthy, and Happy. We'll see you next year!!!

God Speed, Mother Nature.

TURKEY DAY IDEAS

Hello, and WELCOME back to "Let's Cook."

Today we ae going to share with you a GREAT recipe for Cranberry Sauce as well as a couple of ideas for LEFT OVERS!

These are not new ideas, but ones we have shared with you in the past.

I thought it might be a good idea to re-visit those recipes.

First of all, my FAVORITE Cranberry recipe. We have been making this one for several years and everyone sems to love it. Then we will show you a great Sheppard's Pie make from leftovers. And who can't resist a great Turkey Tetrazene.

Saturday, December 2, 2017

SPICED CRANBERRY SAUCE FROM CAROLYN

We love Thanksgiving at our house. Penny cooks for days and we usually have friends over for the feast.

This year was no exception. But this is Penny's meal, so I try to stay back and only help when asked. The only time I prepared the meal was the year she broke her wrist and was in a “fixator”. I will skip the picture. (It was gross.)

How about this picture instead?

But I digress.

Since I have been cooking more and more since I retired, I asked Penny if I could help this year. So, she said I could pick an accessory dish, as long as I could make it the day before the holiday. (I think she wanted me out of her hair.)

 

After my experience with the Sloppy Joe's, 

 

( http://killitcutitupandcookit.blogspot.com/2017/11/sloppy-joes_13.html ) I went right to “Cooking 

With Carolyn.” https://granddiamondseasoning.com/recipes . I have been looking at many of her 

recipes and yesterday received my shipment of her seasonings.

It didn't take long to find my dish. CRANBERRIES.

https://granddiamondseasoning.com/recipes/view/spiced_cranberry_sauce

I have loved cranberries all my life. I can eat them, no matter how they are prepared. Even that

wiggly stuff in can. Reminds me of my childhood. I thought cranberries always came that way.

On second thought, I'm not eating that stuff.....

This the easiest recipe I have ever made. So let's do it.

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Fresh Cranberries, washed and drained (Frozen Cranberries may be used instead)
• ¼ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
• ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
• ¾ Cup Orange Juice
• ¼ Teaspoon Allspice
• 1 or 2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier Orange Liqueur (optional)
  

Combine the cranberries, sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, and allspice in a medium sauce pan. Stir and simmer over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or until all of the cranberries have cooked down into a thick sauce. At the end of the cooking time, the orange liqueur may be added. I wonder how it would taste with some beer ??

How easy do you want? You would rather open some pre made can ? Or go to a deli ?

Please, please, try this one first. See how great it looks!!!!

This is positively the best cranberry sauce I have ever tasted. I told Penny, “Why do we limit cranberries to just Thanksgiving?” Good question.

So, as time permits, we are going to buy cranberries in bulk, and prepare them with this recipe. We will can them for future use. (Penny says I get to build MORE shelves.)

This recipe helped make our holiday a raving success. THANK YOU Carolyn.

Make sure you check out her page and her seasonings. https://granddiamondseasoning.com/recipes

See you all next time. 

Doesn't that look good? So does a Sheppard's Pie made out of left over stuffing.

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

AMERICAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

 

Happy Turkey Day to all. I hope you are limiting your crowds this year. I think we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it might be another year before we get back to semi-normal.

So you are at home this year without the large crowd, but you still want to have that Turkey feast like you do every year.

Since it's just the two of us, we decided to have our feast a few days early this year.

It was good, and I had a chance to mellow out on the back porch and catch up on one of my favorite shows "Star Trek Discovery"

But I digress.......

My point is this year you may have MORE leftovers than normal. What do you do with them???

Yeah, you can re-heat the same meal over again, OR you could get creative.....

My wife listens to a lot of Pod Casts. Some are about Gardening, and many are about cooking.

Here's an idea she got from one of those pod casts.

It sounded interesting and different, so we decided to give it a try.

We all like 'Shepherd's Pie'. If you ever get to a good Irish Bar (I have been to many. (Or is that too many) You have to try the Shepherd's Pie.

So this is a spin off of that famous recipe. But instead of Beef, we are using the leftover Turkey. And instead of a Crust, we are using the left-over STUFFING.

Really. You will thank me later.

There is NO recipe for this, as we made it up as we went along. Just follow along with the pictures.

But first, a quick happy hour and some doggie time.

so damn cute.

OK. Here we go.

Our cast of characters

You got your Smashed Taters, Suck Me Tash, Turkey, Gravy, and Stuffin'

Start with some of your gravy in a pan over medium heat.

In a oven save dish (we used Fiesta Ware Pie Pans) layer some butter

all over.......

Place some plastic wrap on your cutting board and lay out some stuffing. Place another layer of plastic wrap on top. Using you hands, flatten it out like a pie dough.

Take your buttered dish and lay it on top. (AFTER removing the plastic wrap)

Now carefully FLIP it over. You can trim the edges and re-layer any areas you missed. Push it down as Flat as you can.

Chop up your Turkey as the gravy heats. If the gravy is too thick ADD some BROTH.

Yep, it needs broth. 

Add your chopped up Turkey

And your suckatash

Stir and add more turkey if needed.

It's lookin' good.

Pour your mixture into the stuffing shell.

On some plastic wrap, lay out some left-over mashed potatoes and push into a nice layer.

Trim any extra from the side.

On a foil lined baking sheet, place your finished pies.

Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes (350 degrees)

Uncover and cook for another 20 min.

Check your temp!!

Add some butter and continue to cook to desired temp (160-170)

Doesn't that look GOOOOOODDDDD ?

Amazing

And here is the finished product. (It was WAY too much for me- but I will finish it tomorrow.)

All those Thanksgiving flavors..... It is hard to describe. The BEST leftover I have ever had.

WINNER WINNER, Shepherd's Pie dinner !!!!

You guys have got to try this. It was AMAZING !!!

And you made it at HOME !!!!!!

That's it for now, hope to see you next time !!!

Live Long & Prosper

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It was wonderful, but we need to move on to another delicious idea for leftovers.

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TURKEY TETRAZZINI

Welcome back to Lee's Cooking page. I hope your Thanksgiving was fun and SAFE.

Today we are again looking at the mound of left overs from yesterday, and have found yet another great solution.

If you have been following this blog, you know how much I love COOKING WITH CAROLYN . We have made many of her recipes.

Chilli Sketti is my favorite, and we make her Cranberry Sauce every Holiday.

I found one of her recipes we had printed and filed away for future use. And the future is now.

This is a recipe for Chicken Tretrazzini that we have modified just a bit for Turkey Left Overs!!!!

Here is what you'll need.

6 TBL EVOO

2 ½ lbs Left Over Turkey (chopped)

Grand Diamond Seasoning (to taste) or seasoning of your choice

Salt

8 oz chopped White Mushrooms

1 Medium Yellow Onion (Chopped)

¾ lb FRESH Asparagus (Cut into 1 inch pieces)

4 Cloves FRESH Garlic (minced)

4 TBL Butter

1/3 Cup All Purpose Flour)

2 ½ Cups of Turkey Broth

1 Cup of Half and Half

2 TBL White Balsamic Vinegar or Lemon Juice

¼ – ½ Cup FRESH Italian Parsley or FRESH Basil

1 lb Linguine or Spaghetti

1 Ton Mozzarella Cheese

Pre Heat a large Dutch Oven or skillet over medium high heat with 3 TBL of oil. 

Still over medium high heat, add 2-3 more TBL of oil and saute the mushrooms and onions until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the seasoning to taste, asparagus, garlic, and salt. Saute for about 1 minute. Remove and set aside on a plate.

 

 Melt the butter and add the flour to the skillet. Stir and lightly brown for 3-5 minutes. Whisk in the broth and then the half and half. Add the vinegar. The sauce will thicken. Turn off the heat.

Pre heat the oven to 350.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 3-4 TBL of Salt. Cook the pasta for half of the recommended cooking time. (We added a couple of minutes)

Drain the pasta well.

Stir in the vegetables, turkey, parsley, and the pasta into the sauce. Stir until mixed well.

 Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. (We used one for dinner, and the rest we froze to use later.)

Top with Cheese and bake 20-30 until cheese is nicely melted.

The other containers go into the freezer to be baked later.

When the cheese is melted to your liking, serve. 

 So, as usual with Carolyn's recipes, this was off the hook.

Penny thought it was a bit bland and needed more seasonings. OK I get that. I thought it was G R E A T.

Maybe I should add some Mushrooms?????

So, if you have a ton of left overs from yesterday, give this one a shot.

You can thank me later.

Be safe, be smart, and Stay The F(*^&^ AT HOME !!

Lice Long and Prosper

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Great recipes. but you may want something simpler. How about some SOUP???  And some Ham Salad to go with it?

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Friday, December 6, 2019

FUN WITH LEFTOVERS

Hello Foodie Friends:

Thanksgiving has come and gone, so has the regular football season.

By the time last Saturday rolled around, (Florida- F.S.U.) we were tired of Turkey and decided we wanted Steak & Fries. 

 It was GOOD, and a nice break of the Thanksgiving routine.

But we wanted to do something with our left over Turkey and Ham, so we rustled up some Ham Salad and the BEST Cream of Turkey Soup I have eaten.

It's "Two For The Price of ONE" on Kill it, Cut it up, and Cook it.... 

 So let's get to it. 

But first, another look at the exciting life of President Cleveland. 

So let's take a look at what we need for the HAM SALAD !!!!

Left over HAM

  Since we cooked for 8 on Thanksgiving, Penny got a nice ham from Honey Baked. We had plenty left over.

Colby Cheese

Sweet Gherkins Pickles

Mayo

Pimentos (nice and Chopped)

Grate the Ham, Cheese and Pickles in Food Processor

 Put into a bowl

Put Pimentos in food processor and CHOP

Add the chopped Pimentos to the bowl and stir

½ Cup Mayo then stir well

½ Cup Mayo then stir again

¼ Cup Pickle Juice

Chill

How easy can that be ??? 

I like Lettuce on my Ham Samwitch.

Now on to the TURKEY SOUP !!!!

But first :

My Indiana friends will get it......

CREAM OF TURKEY SOUP

½ Large Onion (Chopped)

½ Stick of Salted Butter

1 Celery Stalk (Chopped)

1 Carrot (Chopped)

8 OZ White Mushrooms (Chopped)

1 tsp Celery Salt

¼ tsp of Bell's Seasoning

½ Cup of Wondra Flour

1 TBL Fresh Parsley (Chopped)

1 tsp Fresh Tarragon (Chopped)

2 TBL Cream Sherry

3 Cups of Turkey Broth

You do have HOME MADE Broth !!!!

Left over Turkey (Chopped) – Amounts to taste

1/2 Cup Frozen Peas

2 TBL Heavy Cream

Melt Butter over medium heat then SAUTE the Onions / Celery / & Carrots

Season with 1 tsp Celery Salt

Add the Mushrooms

 Add ¼ tsp of Bell's Seasoning

Add ½ Cup of Wondra Flour and stir

Add 2 TBL Cream Sherry

Add 2 Cups of Turkey Broth and stir

Add Turkey Chunks and 1 Cup of Broth

Add the Parlsey & Tarragon (Keep stiring)

Add ½ Cup Frozen Peas

Simmer 10 minutes

Add 2 TBL Heavy Cream

Turn off the heat.

This was soooooo sooooo good !!!!!

So when you have plenty of left overs, you now have two good ideas as to what to make.

Oh, Football turned out great as the Gators got all over F.S.U.

Catch me if you can!!!

And Ball State finished up yet another dismal year with a 5 and 7 record.

So, we close out the football season. (Until Jan 1) and turn our attention to Basketball!!!

See you next time, as we show how to make Home Made Lemonade.....

Live Long and Prosper 

-------------------------------------------------------------I hope you enjoyed these 'blasts from the past', and they give you some ideas on what to do with all those leftovers.

Hope you have a GREAT Thanksgiving.

God Spped, Mother Nature