Category: Dinner

Notes

• 1.5 hours from start to finish.
• Original recipe calls for ground lamb.
• Replace with your favorite mashed potato recipe, add egg yolk for texture in the oven.

Ingredients

Mashed Potatos

• Russet Potatoes – 1.5 Lbs
• Half and Half – 1/4 cup
• Butter – 2 oz
• Kosher salt – 3/4 tsp
• Black pepper – 1/4 tsp
• Egg yolk – 1

Pie Filling

• Canola oil – 2 tbs
• Onion – 1 cup chopped
• Carrots – 2 peeled and diced
• Garlic – 2 cloves minced
• Ground meat (your choice) – 1.5 lbs
• Kosher Salt – 1 tsp
• Black pepper – 1/2 tsp
• All purpose flour – 2 tbsp
• Tomato paste – 2 tsp
• Chicken broth – 1 cup
• Worcestershire sauce – 1 tsp
• Fresh rosemary – 2 tsp
• Fresh thyme – 1 tsp
• Corn – 1/2 cup kernels
• Peas – 1/2 cup

Steps

• Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the meat, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
• Add the corn and peas to the meat mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp
• White onion diced – 1
• Cream of mushroom – 1 Can
• Cream of Chicken – 1 Can
• Rotel – 1 Can
• Chicken Broth – 1 Cup
• Sour Cream – 2 Tbsp
• Cumin – 2 tsp
• Chili powder – 1 tsp
• Oregano – 1/2 tsp
• Shredded cheese – 8 oz
• Corn tortillas – 10 small

Steps

1. Preheat to 350
2. Saute onion in a large skillet over high heat.
3. Combine onion, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken soup, rotel, chicken broth, sour cream, cumin, chile powder, oregano, and chipotle chile powder together in a large bowl and stir until sauce is well-combined.
4. Spread a few tablespoons of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/2 the chicken over the sauce. Spread about half the sauce over the chicken and top with 1/3 the cheese. Spread a layer of tortillas over the cheese. Spread remaining 1/2 the chicken over the tortillas, and top with almost all of the remaining sauce, reserving 1/2 cup sauce. Top with 1/3 the cheese, remaining tortillas, the reserved 1/2 cup sauce, and remaining 1/3 cheese.
5. Bake casserole in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to broil. Broil the casserole until top is golden, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Notes:

Half the recipe to have plenty of food and left overs for 2.

Double the cheese

Add bread crumbs to the top when baking

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 large onion, diced 
• 1 pound ground beef 
• Two 14.5-ounce cans tomato sauce or marinara sauce 
• One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice 
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ziti
• 1 1/2 pounds mozzarella, grated 
• One 15-ounce tub whole-milk ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 eggs

Steps:

1. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off almost all of the fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
4. In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).
5. Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.
6. Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
7. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped parsley to serve.

Materials:

• Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients:

• Ground Beef 80/20
• American Cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• Mustard
• Buns
• Any Toppings Desired

Steps:

1. Pre-heat the cast iron skillet to get it to an even hot temperature. Medium high heat.
2. Form balls of ground beef about the size of a golf ball, maybe slightly larger.
3. Place one of the balls in the pan and flatten them with a sponge-bob spatula. Once flattened do not move. Place about a teaspoon of mustard on the top and spread with the back of a spoon to evenly cover the top side.
4. After about 1.5 – 2 minutes, flip the patty placing mustard side down and press lightly. The mustard should form a crust on the patty. Salt and pepper the cooked side.
5. After about 1 minute, place a slice of American Cheese on the patty and remove shortly after.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (12 oz) bacon
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 6 cups chicken broth (from two 32-oz cartons)
• 2 lb baking potatoes, peeled, cubed
• 2/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 1 container (8 oz) sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (10 oz)
• 3/4 cup sliced green onions

Steps:

1. In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Cook onion in bacon drippings over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until almost tender.
2. In 6-quart Dutch oven, mix onion, broth and potatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
3. Meanwhile, in same skillet, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour with whisk until smooth. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in 2 cups of the milk. Pour milk mixture into potato mixture. Add remaining 2 cups milk, the salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
4. Stir in ham, half of the bacon, the sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the green onions. Cook until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Evenly top individual servings with remaining bacon, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup green onions.