Recipes – Page 124 – The Pajama Chef

Taco Casserole

August 19, 2010June 4, 2015 Sarah

Last night for dinner I made taco casserole. I don’t really like the word casserole (though I do like casseroles… what can I say, I’m from the Midwest), but I don’t have a better name for this dish. Anyway… it’s not so pretty but it is pretty tasty. It kinda looks like a mash of dough and meat and sauce on a plate. Appetizing, huh?

My husband says it was good in his tum tum. He likes the flavor of it, especially the crust of biscuits and spicy taco sauce. The taco sauce gave it a distinct Mexican flavor, since we don’t use it in normal tacos. It would also give Sheba distinct Mexican flavor too. [Note: we don’t give our kitty taco sauce, but we’re considering getting her a kitty-sized sombrero. Any ideas where one could get one of those?] And on the kitty front, she just bit Ben in the stomach… maybe because it was filled with taco goodness?

On that note… the recipe.

Taco Casserole

Servings: 8
Time: 30-40 minutes
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from Taste and Tell

Ingredients:

16 ounces taco sauce
12 ounce can buttermilk biscuits [10], uncooked
about 8 ounces shredded cheese [I used remains from the fridge… Colby, Monterrey Jack, and Mozzarella]
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup water
cooking spray

Directions:

Grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread taco sauce out over bottom of the pan. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces, then place biscuits in sauce. Toss biscuit pieces to coat. Top with half of the cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until biscuits are cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown ground beef. Meanwhile, heat canola oil in another skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and green pepper and cook until soft. Once ground beef is cooked through, drain and return to pan. Stir in water, chili powder, and cumin, then add green pepper/garlic mixture.

After biscuits have cooked, top with ground beef mixture and the rest of the cheese. Return to oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with sour cream and hot sauce.

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Maple Pecan Pear Scones

August 14, 2010June 4, 2015 Sarah

Whoa… that’s a mouthful.

Both the name… and…

I love scones because they are a dessert, a breakfast, and a healthy, filling snack all rolled into one! These scones are light and fluffy, not tough like some scones can be, and they’re even made with whole wheat flour, oats, and nuts, which is an extra bonus. I’ve made some rock-hard scones [or other baked goods] in my day with whole wheat flour, so it’s always great when a recipe with whole wheat flour turns out well. I enjoy all the flavors in this scone… they really marry well when made the night before, so they are perfect for breakfast or brunch. But just watch out… these will not last very long!

Maple Pecan Pear Scones

Servings: 12
Time: 30 minutes
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from Eating Well

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats [not instant]
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons [2 ounces, or 1/4 of a normal package] chilled reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup Bartlett pear, diced and peeled
1/2 cup chopped pecans, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, or substitute 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup, then let sit for 5 minutes and use what you need
1 teaspoon maple extract
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray, and set aside. In one bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flours, oats, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender [or 2 table knives], cut in the butter and cream cheese. Swirl in oil [i.e. don’t just dump it all in] and toss with a fork to mix in. Swirl in pear and 1/4 cup nuts and toss again to coat. In a small bowl, mix buttermilk and maple extract and then swirl into dough, always stirring, until coated. Scone dough will be sticky… it always is, and that is good!

Turn dough out onto a floured counter-top or large cutting board and knead slightly, then form into a ball and press down into a large circle. Using a table knife [grease and flour it, if it sticks], cut dough in half and then cut each side into 6 wedges, for a total of 12 scones. Place scones on baking sheet, then make the egg glaze.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and add water. In a second small bowl, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and 1/4 cup nuts. Then, using a pastry brush, glaze top of each scone with a generous amount of egg mixture, and top with nut mixture, pressing in gently to set. Bake the scones until golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Mango Chicken Curry

August 13, 2010June 4, 2015 Sarah

My little sister, Kathleen, [who is not so little anymore… she’s a junior in college!] just got home from a study abroad trip this summer to India. I love traveling, so I was so jealous she got to go there! But I’ve loved looking at her pictures and I can’t wait to see all the cool clothes and souvenirs she brought back.

In honor of Kathleen’s return home, I made us some at home Indian food this week. I’m sure this isn’t authentic at all, but it sure was good! Spicy yet sweet, smooth and creamy. We loved the various textures and tastes of the chicken, sweet mango and sauce. It did take a little time to make, but it is so worth it!

Mango Chicken Curry

Servings: 4
Time: 60 minutes
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very very slight adaptations from Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons+ canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ginger
2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 mangoes, peeled & diced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 1/4 cup water
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup coconut milk

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then cook onions in pan until soft and browned, about 5-6 minutes. Add a dash more oil along with the red bell pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add curry powder, cumin, and ginger, and cook for 2 minutes more. The oil will be absorbed by the spices, so add a dash more oil as needed. Throw garlic in the pan and cook for an additional minute or two, until the garlic begins to cook through. Then, add 3/4 cup mango, vinegar, and water to the pan. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 15 minutes, constantly stirring. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.

[The recipe can be made until this point the night before, or earlier in the day before you plan to serve this dish. Be sure to do this if you don’t have time to wait for the sauce to cool- a hot liquid in a blender/food processor can be disastrous, not to mention dangerous!]

Once sauce has cooled substantially, spoon into a food processor and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Return to pan.

Add chicken to sauce, and simmer, covered, until cooked. This should take between 10-15 minutes. Be sure to check the largest piece of chicken for doneness.

Add the rest of the mango to the pan, along with the coconut milk. Cook until heated through, and serve with rice.

Notes:

There are additional suggestions with the original recipe that I did not try, such as adding extra vinegar at the end if it is too sweet, or adding sugar if it is not sweet enough. I did add about 1/8 cup of extra coconut milk to make it creamier. Feel free to adjust the seasonings depending on the level of spice or garnish with cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste. I think this could have been even better if I had marinated the chicken beforehand, but it was still good.

Mango Chicken Curry | thepajamachef.com — Dinner is served!

Cakes, Desserts, Recipes

Lime Yogurt Cake with Raspberry Sauce

August 11, 2010June 4, 2015 Sarah

I found this recipe back in April and have been drooling over it ever since. However, I never had an occasion to make it. So I found one.

Lime Yogurt Cake with Raspberry Sauce — love these two together! color + flavor 🙂

The occasion? Sunday afternoon. 🙂

I hardly made any changes from the original recipe, with the main change being a swap from blackberries to raspberries for the sauce. Raspberries happened to be on sale and looked pretty, plus my husband had mentioned a hankering for them so I decided to go for it. And do not regret it one bit. Be sure to pop over to Smitten Kitchen to read the original recipe [even that one was adapted], because she gives some great tips and tricks to make this cake absolutely divine. The cake isn’t rich. Instead, it’s light and almost buttery in your mouth, which is perfect for a hot summer day. The tang of the lime and plain yogurt coupled with the sweetness of the berries is a fabulous contrast, and leaves you wanting more. And more. And more. I just had to have seconds. 🙂

Lime Yogurt Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Servings: 8
Time: 60 minutes
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from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 cup plain unsweetened yogurt <— I used Dannon nonfat because it was all I could find, however, whole milk or 2% Greek is recommended in the original.
1/3 cup coconut oil <— vegetable or olive oil is recommended, but I loved the tropical flavor of coconut oil
zest of one lime
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon lime juice, divided [approximately 1 1/2 – 2/3 limes]
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces fresh raspberries
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use cooking spray to grease a 9″ springform pan. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, oil, sugar, lime zest, and lime juice.

In a second smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. Add eggs, one at a time, to the yogurt mixture, whisking well in between. Then, sift the flour mixture into the batter. This will make the batter so light and fluffy! Stir gently with a wooden spoon until combined.

Pour batter into pan and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. [Recommended time was 35-40 minutes; mine was done in 32.] Cool in pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove side of springform pan and cool until serving.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a food processor, combine raspberries, water, sugar, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Purée until smooth. Drizzle over cake before serving [if you will be eating the whole cake in one sitting… not you yourself, but the collective you! :)], or drizzle over individual pieces.

Notes:

So my cake fell in the center. See? I’m not entirely sure the cause of this, but it may be due to the coconut oil, the heat [110 heat index, anyone?!], my wonderful *sarcastic* apartment oven, etc. It definitely was cooked all the way through and my ingredients are not old. Any other ideas? It still tasted great though.

Main Dishes, Recipes

Tomato Pie

August 10, 2010June 4, 2015 Sarah

Fresh tomatoes are one of the best foods of summer. Many recipes add tomatoes as side dish, but this one makes them the star! This was my first experience with tomato pie [which, apparently is an old Southern favorite], and it was absolutely delicious. The combination of tomato, pesto, and a little bit of cheese reminds me of pizza, and coupled with a unique rice crust [instead of a traditional pie shell], makes for a filling and tasty meal. Add a little bacon for some crunch and you have one savory pie… perfect for a luncheon buffet, a brunch, or a light dinner.

Tomato Pie

Servings: 4
Time: 35 minutes
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basically The Front Burner Blog‘s recipe, with a few tweaks

Ingredients:

A couple big tomatoes
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 tablespoons pesto + more for layering [I used this recipe]
1 tablespoon + 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated & separated
1/4 cup mozzarella
1 egg
1/3 cup onion
A big bunch fresh basil, mostly used to make the pesto [above] + some for layering
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 strips bacon
salt
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use cooking spray to grease a 9″ pie pan. In a large bowl, mix cooked rice, pesto, 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, and egg to make crust. Once combined, press mixture into bottom and sides of the pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice tomatoes into thin slices, and lay in between two paper towels to dry off some of the excess moisture so pie is not soggy. In a skillet, cook bacon until crispy; remove to paper towels to drain grease. Use grease in skillet to saute onions until soft. Then, mix 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and mayonnaise in a small bowl and set aside. Once bacon is cool, crumble or chop into small pieces.

Once crust has cooled, begin assembling pie. First, layer all of the onions and half the tomatoes on top of the crust. Then add fresh basil, pesto [as much as you want–I used approximately 1/4-1/3 cup], the other half of the tomatoes, and bacon. Top pie with the cheese mixture, as well as extra pesto and some salt if desired. [I didn’t add salt.]

Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Notes:

The original recipe used 1 whole onion instead of 1/3 cup, Gruyere instead of mozzarella, and an additional tomato or two. I added the bacon for my husband. Our 9″ pan was almost overflowing, so I am glad I decreased those other quantities but feel free to adjust recipe to your pan size and tastes. 🙂

Do me a favor and take a trip to your local Farmer’s Market today to get the ingredients for this tasty dish! The tomatoes, basil, and the beautiful flowers [a gift from my husband] made this dish extra tasty and special. Yumalicious!