tomatoes – Page 16 – The Pajama Chef

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

September 13, 2010September 9, 2015 Sarah

As I have said before on this blog, Mexican food is the best. [See here, here, and here if you don’t believe me! Or even if you do. :)] I could eat it for days on end, I think. I’m always on the lookout for new recipes, because a girl can only have tacos so many times! When I saw this recipe on Iowa Girl Eats, I was instantly intrigued because it looked so easy and so tasty. I knew I had to make it, and so I did on a recent weekend day. [I have this fear of fire, and it just makes me nervous to leave a crock pot on all day while we’re away, especially with our low kitchen cabinets (no counterspace without cabinets over it) and our kitty who enjoys hanging out on the kitchen counters when we don’t chase her off… so crock pot recipes are reserved for days when we’ll be home.]

We found this dish to be so flavorful! I love how Ben put it when he said that the zest of the seasonings combined with the taste of each individual ingredient gave it a distinct Southwestern or Tex-Mex feel. I really enjoyed how the toppings of cheese, sour cream, green onions, lettuce, and cilantro blended with the rice and chicken to bring everything together and make every bite different and unique. Don’t skimp on the fresh cilantro or green onions–you’ll regret it if you do! 🙂

This chicken is also really versatile. Initially, we ate it on a bed of rice [brown for me, white for him] and scooped up more with tortilla chips. Then… I made oven-baked burritos–just roll up tortillas stuffed with the chicken filling and a slab of cream cheese [sounds weird, but tastes amazingly creamy] and place in an oven-safe baking dish in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Top with shredded cheese the last few minutes of baking and with other toppings after it comes out of the oven and before it enters your mouth. Finally, I made nachos. No matter how you serve it, you will find it yum-a-licious!

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

Servings: 10+
Time: 7-8 hours
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from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:

15 ounces chicken broth
15 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chili peppers
15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
8-10 ounces frozen corn
3 green onions, chopped + more for serving
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro [also called coriander]
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper [or more if you like a lot more kick]
1 pound chicken breasts, thawed
fresh cilantro, chopped for serving
cheese for serving
sour cream for serving
lettuce for serving

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a crock pot with the exception of the fresh cilantro and the additional green onion for serving [but do put in the 3 chopped green onion… pieces? stalks? stems? What are they called? Anyone??!]. Cook on low for 7 hours. If you’re in a rush, you could probably cook it on high for 3-4 hours but I haven’t tested that out.

Remove the chicken breasts and shred with 2 forks or a combination of fork and fingers if you’re like me. 🙂 Return to crock pot, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve over cooked rice or tortilla chips, or in tortilla shells. The possibilities are endless! Top with any combination of green onions, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and lettuce.

Notes:

This recipe makes enough to feed a crowd or feed two people many times. I think we’ve each had about 5 servings and we still have plenty more waiting in the freezer for a busy day. So have your tupperware on the ready!

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes

Spaghetti + Meatballs=Love

September 6, 2010December 8, 2015 Sarah

Spaghetti and meatballs. The Pioneer Woman has once again come through with an easy version of a classic dish everyone loves. There is so much to love about this recipe.

Spaghetti and Meatballs | thepajamachef.com #classic #recipe

I love that the meatballs are seasoned in an Italian-fashion, and not just like a variation of meatloaf (though I do love my meatloaf too).

I love that my husband thought the meatballs were some of the best he’d ever had.

I love that I wanted to eat the meatballs plain (and I don’t ever just want to eat meat to eat meat).

I love that the sauce was chunky with veggies and not pureed to oblivion.

I love that the sauce has a distinct wine flavor (but could be omitted if that’s not your thing).

I love that I got to use herbs from my balcony garden in both the sauce and the meatballs.

I love that I made this recipe on the second day of classes and it made extra that I can freeze and enjoy in week 8 when I am stressed out.

I love eating this dish, and smelling this dish, and tasting this dish, and making this dish, and loving this dish. And talking about this dish! So go make this dish. Yum!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Servings: 6-8+
Time: 90 minutes
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from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs…

1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
black pepper
milk
olive oil for frying

For the Sauce…

1/3 whole onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped peppers (I used red, yellow, and orange)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons garlic powder
28 ounce can whole tomatoes
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
1 teaspoon sugar
salt
black pepper
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/8 cup fresh oregano, minced
cooked spaghetti

Directions:

For the Meatballs…

Fill a large bowl with beef, garlic, bread crumbs, eggs, and Parmesan. Add a splash of milk and a sprinkling of ground black pepper. Then, use your hands to combine everything together. Mix it real well! Then roll it into 1″ balls, and place in 9×13″ or cookie sheet. This should make about 3 dozen meatballs. Place in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to firm up, but you can leave them up to 24 hours. I made my meatballs in the morning and cooked them in the evening and it worked out great.

Spaghetti and Meatballs | thepajamachef.com #classic #recipe — One way to make (somewhat) meatballs that are all the same size is to press the meat mixture into the bottom of the pan and then cut it up into squares and form each square into an individual ball…

When you’re ready to cook the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy stock pot (or a skillet deep enough for the sauce ingredients too) on medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches of 8-10, depending on the size of the pan or pot. When meatballs are browned (be sure to flip frequently to brown on all sides), drain on paper towel(s) over a plate and set aside. Do NOT wash the pot. Use it to make the sauce. It will be so good.

For the sauce…

Using the same pot as before, cook onions, peppers, and garlic until soft. This should take a few minutes but not much more. Add tomatoes and wine and stir together. Then add sugar, parsley, oregano, a dash of salt, and a healthy sprinkling of ground black pepper. Mix together, then let cook uncovered for 20 minutes over medium heat. Add meatballs to the pot, stir to combine, and turn the heat down to low. Let simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir every so often and be sure to taste it during this portion and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

Meanwhile, make the pasta. Once the sauce is done, top pasta with sauce and extra Parmesan and enjoy!

Notes:

This makes a ton of sauce. Actually, about 8-9 cups. Not a ton, but close. For the two of us, this was more than enough for two generous servings for dinner, then one smaller serving to finish off the pasta I made (eaten another night as leftovers). Then, I froze the rest of the sauce and meatballs in 3 cup containers (full) for future dinners. You could decrease the amounts but I love the “work once, eat many times” approach here. 🙂

Main Dishes, Pizza, Recipes

The Bestest Pizza Sauce Ever [+ Pizza How-To]

September 1, 2010December 8, 2015 Sarah

Remember yesterday? And the most amazing pizza crust ever? Made out of cornmeal [who knew?] Well today is your lucky day, because I am going to introduce you to the best pizza sauce I ever had.

Before, my problems with homemade pizza included a crust that never crisped, sauce without flavor, and cheese that didn’t brown. Well, I fixed the crust–and this recipe fixes the sauce.

My major gripe with homemade pizza sauce was that it wasn’t flavorful enough. I do want to taste tomatoes, but I also want more flavor and spice. More like a restaurant pizza sauce. When I saw a recipe on Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures that claimed to be more like a restaurant sauce, I knew I had to try it. And I’m so glad I did.

This sauce is different than any other pizza sauce I’ve made from scratch. This sauce tastes like more than just tomatoes! The herbs shine through and make their presence known, and there is just enough tang and sweetness to make everyone happy as can be. Except when the pizza is all gone. It’s also really easy. No cooking required–just throw it in a bowl, mix it up, and it’s ready for your pizza! What more can you ask for?

The Bestest Pizza Sauce Ever

from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures

28 ounces tomato puree
1 1/2-3/4 cups water
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients except salt and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, taste, and add more salt if needed. Store in the refrigerator until use or up to 1 week. Can also be frozen.

That’s it! How simple. I love it.

The finished products.

The Bestest Pizza Sauce Ever + a Pizza How-To — His

Here’s how we made up those pizzas:

Make the dough–cornmeal pizza dough–please!
Preheat the oven to 450 way in advance. The hotter the better!
Spread dough in two pans–his & hers. This time, I made a deep dish pizza for me in a 9″ springform pan and his was rolled thin on a 16×12″ rectangular baking sheet [but was not that big–not sure of the exact dimensions.]
Bake for about 14-16 minutes or until crust starts to brown and is not doughy.
Brush edge of crust with olive oil.
Top each pizza with sauce, a little mozzarella cheese, toppings, and more mozzarella cheese. My pizza was chopped deli ham and onions, while my husband wanted pepperoni. I love putting the toppings between a layer of cheese [25% of cheese below the toppings and 75% above makes for cheese the browns like a restaurant!]
Bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until done.
Eat and enjoy! Be sure to let it rest about 5 minutes before cutting so the cheese and toppings don’t slide off.

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!

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

(Not So) Authentic Jambalaya?

August 8, 2010June 4, 2015 Sarah

I met my husband when we were both interns for Campus Crusade for Christ at Ohio University. We started dating in February 2008, and one of the first meals I found out that he loved was jambalaya. Problem was though that Ben liked a recipe made by a husband and wife who are really great cooks. So naturally, I was intimidated to make jambalaya for him. I didn’t want to fail, and I didn’t even really have a good recipe. The only other time I had had it was on a mission trip nine years ago in New Orleans, and that jambalaya was excellent! [In retrospect, I could have asked for the “good” recipe… but I make things complicated, so I didn’t. :)]

Fast forward to the present day. I finally got over my fear of not living up to his expectations, and made jambalaya. It may be authentic, it may be not-so-authentic. However, it was well received and tasty, so that’s all that counts, right?!?

Not So Authentic Jambalaya... but still delicious! thepajamachef.com — The finished product in all its glory!

Benny eating jambalaya. — Eating is serious business, apparently.

Benny waving — Taking a break to say hello!

Without further ado…

(Not So) Authentic Jambalaya?

Servings: 8
Time: 75 minutes
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à la Eat, Live, Run

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
3 Italian sausages [I used turkey sausage–2 sweet & 1 spicy], cooked & chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup brown jasmine rice
2 cups water
14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 c yellow squash, chopped <– This added such a great summery flavor and crunch to the dish.
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon double concentrated tomato paste <—I love this stuff!!! It’s so worth the price, and sometimes Kroger has it on sale. Score!

Directions:

In a large, deep pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and then add flour, stirring constantly to make a roux. Add the onions, squash, garlic, and parsley and toss to coat. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until the onions are soft. Add water, tomatoes [diced and paste], rice, pepper, and chili powder and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for one hour or until rice is cooked. Add chicken and sausage and heat thoroughly.

Notes:

The original recipe called for andouille sausage, celery, cayenne pepper, and long grain brown rice; I substituted a chicken/Italian sausage mixture, squash, chili powder, and brown jasmine rice because its what I had on hand. I also had to cook it a lot longer than the recipe called for, likely because I added additional rice and meat to satisfy my husband’s palate. 🙂 All in all, I ended up adding approximately an extra 1/2 cup of water and 20-30 minutes of cook time for the rice to fully cook. But boy, was it worth it! 😉 Oh, and this makes a ton. So be ready to eat, serve a crowd, or freeze some leftovers.