EASY RECIPES AND STUFF

EASY RECIPE

The idea for my easy meal recipe this week originated in the cookbook ‘Everyday Light Meals’. Of course, I just had to make some changes to make the dish even easier to make and more flavorful.

My Southwest Chicken and Bean Soup is super easy to make, light, and so tasty. I suspect the soup would be a great meal even without the chicken for a meatless Monday dinner!

recipe serves six

Ingredients;

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast.

1 – 16 oz can fat free refried beans.

1 – 15 oz can reduced sodium black beans – drained and rinsed.

1 – 14.5 oz can fat free chicken broth.

1 – 10 oz can RO-TEC original diced tomatoes and green chilis.

3/4 cup roasted corn (thawed from frozen).

1/4 cup shredded Colby cheese.

1 cup of reserved water from chicken boil.

1 bay leaf.

1/2 tsp ground cumin.

salt and pepper.

fat free sour cream for garnish.

Preparation:

In large pot add enough water to cover the chicken breast. Bring water to boil and add breast, bay leaf, and dash of salt and pepper. Bring to strong boil and then reduce to low boil for 5 or so minutes. Remove chicken from water, and then poke it with a fork to make sure no red fluid flows. If cooked properly set it aside.

Reserve 3/4 cup of the chicken boil water. Discard remaining water.

To the same large pot add the reserved water, chicken broth, diced tomatoes sauce, and cumin. Heat to low boil. Add the refried beans and black beans. Stir to combine. Bring mixture back to low boil.

Chop the chicken breast into bite size pieces. Add chicken to pot.

Cook at low boil/high simmer for at least 10 minutes to soften the black beans.

Before serving, melt the Colby cheese into the soup.

After the bowls are filled with the wonderful chicken and bean soup, garnish each serving with a little sour cream.

And that’s all there is to making an easy dinner that is relatively low in fat yet super tasty!

AND STUFF

Don’t forget my three volume action novel series featuring Jack Fields and Amber Reyes, along with my thriller Dinner With Lucifer are available from all e-book suppliers virtually everywhere!

Good Eating and Table Talk,

Roger

EASY RECIPE

A few years ago I posted Lois’s Grandma’s Italian Lasagna recipe.   That recipe was my go to lasagna for years. But, as usual my mind wondered, and I decided to dial it up to eleven. As a result of my efforts I now have a super easy recipe which will provide you the Best Lasagna Ever!

This recipe is good for a dinner party, large family, or to freeze leftovers.

recipe serves ten using two baking pans.

Ingredients:

2 packages lasagna noodles.

1 lb. ground beef.

1 lb. ground pork.

1/2 lb. Italian pork hot sausage.

1 lb ricotta cheese.

1 lb mozzarelle cheese.

1 cup parmesan cheese.

28 oz can crushed tomatoes.

12 oz can tomato paste.

14 oz can stewed tomatoes.

1 cup red wine.

1 medium onion – diced.

2 eggs.

4 cloves garlic – minced.

1 Tbsp dry basil.

1/2 tsp salt.

1/4 tsp allspice.

1 bay leaf.

4 loaves sourdough bread (use my garlic spread recipe at table to knock it out of the park).

Preparation:

Heat a large fry pan to medium high heat. Add ground pork, beef, and after removing casing the Italian sausage. Break the meat up with spatiual and brown. When done, spoon out excess fat.

To meat add onions and garlic and sauté. When done add meat and onion mixture to a large pot.

To the meat pot add all tomato cans, and wine. Stir to mix. Add basil, allspice, salt and stir to mix. Add bay leaf. Bring contents to boil and then reduce to strong simmer/low boil. Leave the meat sauce uncovered and reduce until sauce thickens (at least an hour maybe more).

When the meat sauce is getting close, heat a large pot of water (better to do two) and when boiling add noodles and cook per box instruction.

While the noodles cook, mix the ricotta cheese and two eggs in a mixing bowl.

When noodles are done, drain water and place noodles on a greased cookie sheet so they do not stick.

To your 9 x 13 inch backing pans spread butter on bottom and sides. Spread one tablespoon of meat sauce on bottom and then put down  a layer of noodles. Do same to other baking pan.

Add one-third of the meat sauce evenly between both pans, and then do same with ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Lay down a second layer of noodles and repeat the addition of meat and cheese. Lay down a third layer of all ingredients, reserving some mozzarella. Top each pan with a layer of noodles and spread mozzarella over top.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put lasagna pans in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing into servings.

While the lasagna sets up, slice, butter and garlic once wrapped in aluminum foil heat your bread in oven at 150 degrees, and make a salad.

And then, its showtime!

Don’t forget, my new religious fiction, thriller, Dinner With Lucifer is now available in all e-book formats.

Good Eating and Table Talk,

Roger