Mrs. Samurai's Kitchen

Here's a hearty and very satisfying casserole that in its original form is vegetarian, but is easy to convert to meaty if you like - just see the note at the end. This would be a great centerpiece for a Cinco de Mayo celebration, and much easier than an assembly-style meal like tacos or burritos (although those are fun if you have the time!)

Go from this...


to this...


It's so easy!
Ingredients:

• 2 jars salsa (use a good quality salsa, and choose the spiciness according to your taste. I use one mild and one medium, but I'm a little wimpy. Samurai would prefer it to be muy caliente!)
• 2 cans refried beans (I like Amy's brand, either traditional or black bean, usually found in the organic section of grocery stores)
• 1 package corn tortillas (look for organic, non-GMO. Healthiest brand is Food For Life's Sprouted Corn Tortillas, in the freezer section of many natural food stores or the organic section of some grocery stores.)
• 1 8-oz. package shredded cheese, jack or cheddar
• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped, optional
• sour cream, avocado, scallions, tomatoes, shredded lettuce... as many toppings as you like!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.

In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spread about 1/2 a jar of salsa on the bottom.

Put a third of the corn tortillas on top of the salsa, breaking them up as necessary to fit in a single layer and cover the bottom as much as possible. A little overlapping is fine. Most packages come with either 10 or 12 tortillas, so you'll use 3 or 4 for each layer.

Spread one can of the refried beans over the tortillas, then the other 1/2 jar of salsa, then about 1/3 of the shredded cheese.  (These steps are pictured below - not that this is complicated, but pics are always fun!)

Repeat the layers of tortillas, beans, salsa, and cheese one more time.

Finish with a final layer of tortillas and the remaining salsa (smear around to cover the edges of the tortillas) and top with the cheese.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until all bubbly. Remove the foil, add the cilantro, if using, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese on top is like you want it.

Serve with sour cream or greek-style yogurt, and other optional veggie toppings.

NOTE:

You can make this a meaty concoction by simply adding or substituting seasoned, cooked meat to/for the refried beans. For example, I prepared 2 pounds of ground beef with 1 packet of taco seasoning and used that in place of the beans. This meaty version does especially well with some chopped veggie toppings (tomatoes, scallions, lettuce, etc.), since it is so hearty. Make sure your baking dish is a deeper lasagna-style one, since this version is a little thicker!

Photo documentation of the complicated layering process  

Salsa


Tortillas


Refried Beans (and/or meat)


Salsa


Cheese


Then repeat those layers one more time (from tortillas through cheese), finish with final layer of tortillas, salsa, then cheese.  Here's what it looks like when done baking!  (I added the cilantro in the last 5 minutes or so of cooking.)

This is a yummy soup that can be either made vegetarian or with chicken.  Delish either way!  Don't let the long list of ingredients worry you - as with any of my recipes, it is easy to make.  Scoop some cooked rice into each bowl if desired to really round out the meal.

Ingredients

• 2 T. coconut oil or butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 T. fresh ginger, minced (The Ginger People company makes a nice jarred minced ginger that's a great time saver)
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 2 T. sweet curry powder
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• dash cayenne powder
• 1 10-oz. bag frozen peas
• 1-2 cans chick peas/garbanzo beans (depending on how "beany" you like it), rinsed and drained OR about 2 cups or so of cooked, diced chicken
• 1 quart broth (vegetable or chicken)
• 1 can coconut milk (look for this in the Asian/Thai section of the store)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 3-4 scallions, sliced, optional
• salt and pepper, to taste
• cooked rice (optional)

Directions

In a soup pot, saute onion, celery, and carrots in the oil with about 1/2 tsp. of salt until a little soft, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and half of the garlic, cook for about 30 seconds. Add spices and zucchini, then cook for a minute or two.

Add the frozen peas, beans or chicken, broth, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 20-30 minutes (or less, if you're in a hurry!).

Stir in the lemon juice and some of the cilantro and/or scallions, taste to adjust seasonings. Offer extra cilantro and/or scallions for toppings, as well as cooked rice if desired.  A dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt wouldn't be out of place here, either.

Here's a very easy and tasty beef stew with a southwestern twist. There are no potatoes in it, so it is low-carb for those of you who are cutting back on the starches! It's thinner than a typical beef stew, but chunkier than a soup. One could thicken the liquid at the end with some corn starch, but I've never bothered. Stirring in some sour cream to your bowl is highly recommended!

Ingredients:

• 3 T. olive or refined coconut oil
• 2-3 pounds beef stew meat
• 2 bell peppers, any color, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 T. cumin, ground
• 1 quart beef broth
• 1 jar salsa, 16 oz.
• 4 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• sour cream, cilantro, optional toppings

Directions:

Heat 1 T. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over med-high heat. Brown half of the beef cubes for several minutes, then place into the slow cooker. Repeat with more oil and the other half of the beef.

Heat the rest of the oil in the skillet, then add the peppers, carrots, and cumin. Cook, stirring frequently, for a minute or two, then pour in about half of the broth. Bring to a simmer then cook for a minute or two, scraping the bottom of the pan. Pour the contents of the skillet over the beef in the slow cooker.

Add the remaining broth, salsa, and zucchini to the slow cooker. Cook on low for about 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is tender. (I haven't tried it, but would probably work on high for about 4 hours.)

Serve with cilantro and sour cream.

Notes:

Instead of buying already cut up stew meat, you could get chuck or round steaks and cut them into approximately 1 inch pieces yourself, trimming any excess fat off. Be sure to account for the trimmed-off excess in calculating the weight of the steaks you need to buy. Bison meat would also work fine in this recipe.

Some recipes are really mostly ideas of what to make for dinner - fairly simple combinations that aren't all that innovative, but just come together so well they are worth writing down. That's what I finally did after preparing this dish recently. There's not much to it, but if you use the right basic ingredients, it makes for a really tasty and easy dinner. The use of sliced mushrooms helps to expand the volume without spending more $ on sausage or sacrificing heartiness. See my ingredient notes at the end!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 2 8-oz. container sliced mushrooms
• 2 packages pre-cooked italian sausages, sweet or hot, sliced (see note)
• 1 jar Pasta Sauce, marinara or basil, good quality (see note)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat a 12-inch saute pan (with straight sides - not just a skillet) or a dutch-oven over medium-high heat, add olive oil, then onions and peppers. Saute for about 5-10 minutes until somewhat soft, but not browning. Add mushrooms and saute for another 5 or so minutes until they are fairly soft. Add the sliced sausages and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes until they are heated through and getting a little browned.

Pour in the pasta sauce, stir, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and let sit off-heat for 5 more minutes. (Adding the garlic at this point really makes for a bright taste. If the cloves are really big or seem extra strong, just use one.)

Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Usually jarred sauces are salty enough, so you probably just need pepper.)

Serve over pasta, rice, or quinoa, or just with good bread to soak up the extra sauce, and a little salad or raw veggies.

Notes

My favorite sausages for this recipe are Niman Ranch's Italian Pork Sausages, which I find at a local natural foods store. You could also use chicken sausage, but it won't be *quite* as succulent. Just be sure the sausages are pre-cooked (otherwise, cook them yourself before proceeding with this recipe).

My favorite pasta sauce is Bove brand, the Basil or Marinara varieties. Bertolli and Barilla make good sauces, as well.

This decadent dessert is a legend at our parish's Paschal (Easter) feast - the serving bowl is often literally licked clean when everyone is done! It's super easy because it relies on box mixes and Cool Whip, but somehow the combination of the various ingredients results in a surprisingly tasty and even elegant completed dish.



Ingredients:

• 1 box brownie mix, prepared (should be over 20 oz. box and use a 9x13 pan - see Note)
• ¼ c. coffee, optional
• 1 box chocolate instant pudding mix, 4 serving size
• 1 ½ cups cold milk
• 1-8 oz. container Cool Whip
• ¼ bag creme-filled chocolate cookies (Oreos or Newman O's), crushed

Directions:

Prepare brownies as directed on the box. After you pull the pan out of the oven, poke some holes in the brownies with the end of a chopstick (or a similar item), and pour the coffee over the top of them (optional). Let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the pudding mix with the cold milk. (I use a hand or stand mixer.)

Gently fold half of the Cool Whip into the pudding so you get a mousse-like consistency.

Now it's time to layer these ingredients into your serving bowl! A clear glass bowl is the most attractive, but anything will do. How you layer it depends on the shape of the bowl and if you are doubling (or tripling or quadrupling) the recipe. The basic order is: break up the brownies into large pieces and put a single layer in the bottom of the bowl. Top with the all the pudding, half of the cookie bits, then the rest of the brownies. End up with the remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle the top with the rest of the cookies.

I usually quadruple this recipe for a crowd, and use a big bowl, and end up repeating layers more than listed above.

Notes:

You need a brownie mix that is over 20 oz. and requires a 9x13 pan. I like the taste of the Ghirardelli brownies mixes best, but they are more like 18 oz. and use a smaller pan. So, I just make a little extra!

I'm not crazy about the nutritional quality of many of the ingredients - especially Cool Whip! My fantasy is to create a "real food" version of this by combining the recipes I have for homemade brownies, chocolate pudding, and real whipped cream, but I'm usually making a quadruple batch of this under time pressure and just haven't pulled it off yet. However, I do make a few choices that help - I use local raw milk, and when preparing the brownie mix I use melted coconut oil (refined) and local pastured eggs.

Here's an easy weeknight dinner that you can usually pull together from ingredients you have kicking around in your fridge.  Since the food is breakfasty, it would also make for a yummy brunch.

The only "thinking ahead" item is that if you are using frozen hash browns, it's helpful to pull them out and have them thaw (either a few hours on the counter, or all day in the fridge).  But there's even a work-around for that.  Read on!...

Baked Hash Browns

1 bag frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes, about 1 pound or so, thawed and blotted dry (I use a clean dish towel to do this)
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
a few scallions, sliced
salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 deg. F.  Place one oven rack in the highest position, and one in the lower-middle.  

(If you forgot to thaw your hash browns ahead of time, spread them on a clean dishtowel on a baking sheet and stick them in the oven for a few minutes while it's preheating until they are thawed, then pat them dry.)

In a 9"x13" glass baking dish, toss the potatoes with the melted butter, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste.  Using the back side of a soup spoon, spread the mixture out evenly and up the sides a bit to have a fairly thin layer (about 1/2 inch).

Place on the lower-middle rack and bake for about 45 minutes until as brown and crispy as you like.  (Note: you can turn these into an appetizer by topping with some cheese, bacon pieces, and extra fresh scallions at the end and broiling until the cheese is melted, then serve with sour cream, avocado, etc.)

====>  While the hash browns are in the oven, begin preparing the Frittata...

Veggie Frittata

Note:  this recipe is literally based on the vegetables I happened to have on hand in my kitchen that night.  It turned out to be very tasty with this combo, but feel free to vary the types that you use.  It's a great way to use up stray veggies that are lurking in your crisper drawers feeling neglected!

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, chopped
2 cups kale, loosely packed, coarsely chopped, stems discarded
6 eggs
2 T. cream or half and half
1/2 tsp. salt
black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup or so cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
a few large fresh basil leaves, rolled together and thinly sliced

When the hash browns have approximately 20 minutes left to cook, heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add the butter.  When it's melted, add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes until they are somewhat softened, but not browning yet.  Add the squash and the kale, and cook for about 5 more minutes until they are softened and the onions and squash are browning a little.

While the veggies are cooking, whisk the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl with a fork until well combined.

Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, tilting the pan slightly if needed to get the liquid into the nooks and crannies around the veggies.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, then cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes, until it starts to look set around the edges.

Turn off the heat under the pan, and sprinkle the top with cheese, tomatoes, and fresh basil.  Turn the broiler of your oven on, then place the pan on the top rack and broil for about 2 minutes until the top is puffy and lightly browned.  WATCH CAREFULLY!  "Brown" can turn to "burned" quickly under a broiler.

Remove the pan and turn off the broiler.

(By the way - if the hash browns are still in the oven during all this, they'll be fine.  Just keep an eye on them, too.)

Stick a dinner knife into the center of the frittata to check for doneness.  If it's runny at all, just pop it into the oven set to about 400 deg. for about 5 minutes, until it's done.

Serve a slice of Frittata (I usually cut this size into 6 slices) with a good-sized chunk of the hash browns... serve with salsa, ketchup, hot sauce, or just as-is.  Yum!

Here's a simple but very tasty quick chicken dish!  It's fairly saucy, so plan to serve it with mashed  cauliflower or potatoes, rice, or something else to sop up the yumminess.

Ingredients

• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup dijon mustard
• juice from one lime (about 4 T.)
• 3-4 pounds of chicken, skinless, boneless white or dark, whole pieces or cut up into bites
• butter, unsalted
• 1-2 bags frozen veggies, your choice, optional
• sour cream or yogurt
• lime

Directions

In a glass dish, combine salsa, mustard, and lime juice, then add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes or more. (If more, refrigerate.)

In a large skillet (with a lid) or dutch oven (depending on the amount of chicken you have), melt butter over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and cook for a few minutes, turning to lightly brown on both sides (this may require 2 batches). Add the rest of the marinade to the pan with the chicken and simmer for at least 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through - time may be a little longer if you left the chicken in big pieces. (Marinade needs to simmer that long in order to cook any raw chicken still in it.)  If you want to add some veggies, just throw in a bag or two of mixed frozen veggies of your choice at the end and cook until they are heated through.

Serve with sour cream and extra lime if desired.

This makes enough for about 8 people.  You can adjust the quantities up or down pretty easily - just keep the ratios of salsa/dijon/lime fairly consistent.

This has become a favorite side dish in our house, and the only way the boys really enjoy eating cauliflower.  This is super, super easy - if you have a food processor, especially.  I started hearing about people using mashed cauliflower as a substitute for potatoes when I began to eat more low-carb this summer, and this is the recipe I came up with.  I think it tastes great, and the mouth feel is creamy and amazing.  And it's much healthier than potatoes!  It's yummy on its own, or with some kind of sauce or gravy on it.  One of my sons was very suspicious of it the first time I made it, but after the first few bites he said, "You need to make this a LOT!"  

Ingredients

1 medium to large head of cauliflower, washed and trimmed, then cut into chunks (approx. 1 1/2 to 2 inches in size)
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into a few chunks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into a few chunks
salt (about 1/2-3/4 tsp.)
pepper to taste

Extremely Helpful Equipment

Steamer basket
Food Processor

Directions

Place the cauliflower in a steamer basket over boiling water, and steam for about 15-20 minutes until very tender.  (Don't have a steamer?  Boil it until tender, then drain VERY well.)

Put the cooked cauliflower into a food processor and run it until the cauliflower is partially mashed, then add the cream cheese, butter, salt (start with 1/2 tsp., then add to taste), and some pepper to taste.  Run the processor until the cauliflower is a uniform, creamy consistency.  Sometimes it wants to be stubborn and not really start mashing up, but be patient and let the machine do its thing - the cauliflower will yield to the might of technology.  

Serves about 6 or more, depending on the size of the cauliflower.  It's great left over, too.

NOTE:  my mother makes this and does not have a food processor, so she just mashes it all up by hand.  She says it is still good, but not quite the same creamy consistency as you get with a machine.  She also finds she has to boil the cauliflower a bit longer to get it soft enough to do by hand.  

Equipment Notes:

I have something like this for my steamer setup - much sturdier than the collapsable baskets.

My food processor is a Kitchen Aid - powerful and easy to use!

For me, cooking pork chops is often a bit frustrating because today’s pork is so lean that the result is often very dry.  Here’s an easy way to create succulent chops and a yummy sauce all in your slow cooker with very little labor.  I love having dinner cooking in my Crock Pot - gives me kind of a smug feeling all day (as opposed to that nagging “what am I gonna fix for dinner?” playing in the back of my mind).  

Ingredients

6-10 center-cut pork chops, trimmed (quantity depends on size of the chops and the number of people you are feeding)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, or other seasonings
about 1/2 cup of flour
Fat/Oil (olive, refined coconut, butter, or ghee)
1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced
2 - 3 cups chicken broth
8 oz. sour cream or whole-milk yogurt

Directions

Put the flour in a shallow dish or pie plate and mix it with seasonings of your choice.  Salt, pepper, and garlic powder are good - or any favorite seasoning blend you might have on hand.  I don’t measure the seasonings - I shake it in fairly liberally, imagining how much I would shake onto the amount of chops I’m cooking.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of the fat or oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture, then add to the hot pan and brown lightly on both sides.  Put the chops in the slow cooker, then top with the onion slices and enough chicken broth just to cover it all.

Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours (this can vary slightly, depending on the size and quantity of chops).  Remove the chops (they should be falling-apart tender!) and stir in the sour cream to the remaining liquid and onions.  This sauce is excellent over the chops and either mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower (recipe coming soon!), and whatever green vegetable you decide to serve on the side.

Note:  if you want a thicker gravy-like sauce, you can transfer some or all of the liquid to a saucepan (before you add the sour cream) and heat it with a little corn starch or flour to thicken somewhat, then stir in the sour cream off heat.  I’m usually too lazy to bother, and don’t mind the more liquidy sauce flooding my plate!

This recipe is adapted from one I got through a cool menu-mailing service called, oddly enough, Menu-Mailer.  Check it out if meal planning is a challenge for you!

(Originally published at Fixitnow.com in September '10)

All right, time for another of my highly requested recipes. This is great to make for a crowd, because if you have it sitting around for very long in your house you’ll eat so much that you’ll have to run a marathon to burn off the extra calories. Like the Corn Casserole, it’s very easy to make, and if anyone tries to discuss the nutritional makeup of it, plug yours ears and hum.

Graham Cracker Toffee

2 packs of plain graham crackers (approx.)
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
12 oz. bag chocolate chips
1 cup. chopped pecans (roasted for a few minutes in the oven, if there is time, to bring out the flavor)

optional – mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet (mine is about 17 in. x 12 in.) with foil, tucking into the corners and allowing some to wrap around the sides. This takes the wide roll of foil – if you have only a regular roll of foil, use 2 smaller pans. You do not want this stuff to get on the pan itself – it’s like superglue. Grease foil with unsalted butter or cooking spray.

Arrange the graham crackers in the pan in a single layer, breaking them as needed to cover as much of the pan as possible.

Melt the butter, sugars, and salt in a saucepan, then bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently. As soon as it comes to a boil, carefully pour the mixture over the graham crackers, using a spatula to smooth it evenly. Make sure all of the crackers are covered. Bake for about 10 minutes – the syrup should be enthusiastically bubbling.

Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips all over the crackers, then put back in the oven for a minute or two. Remove pan, then smooth the chocolate out using the spatula. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate (and, for a “Rocky Road” variety – some mini marshmallows), then let it cool for 30 minutes. Stick the pan in the freezer for about half an hour to harden the chocolate, then lift the foil off the pan and break or cut the toffee into pieces. Enjoy!