Not Your Average Nachos

Last year in the early summer I challenged our family: go one week with meatless dinners. After that, I challenged us to go another week with meatless dinners. After that second week the boys started to whine -- they missed meat. So I brought it back into the fold, but only about 2 times per week.

This was a fairly easy task at that time of year. Produce is in abundance in the summer. It got bit more challenging during the winter months, but I loved that it called upon my creativity. I took some of our usual meals and either omitted the meat or cut the amount down by half. And I took every opportunity to add extra veggies where I could. Because over time we found that we didn't miss the meat that much and didn't mind going days without. But if our veggie intake went down, even for a day, our body could feel it and we missed the servings.

One of our favorite fun meals is nachos. In the winter when we have leftover chili from the previous night's dinner, we make nachos for lunch next day or for dinner on leftover night. But a healthier version of nachos? Can it be done? Yes it can!

My husband's cousin sent me something she pinned on pintrest. It was nachos, but the corn chips were replaced with the mini sweet peppers. The version on pintrest was vegetarian, too. The halved sweet peppers were topped with corn, black beans, and shredded cheese. But one of the things I love about nachos is how versatile they are, and I knew immediately I could alter this recipe to suit my family's tastes.

Success!

These chip-less nachos were a hit, and I will definitely be making them again. You can swap out any of the ingredients for something else your family enjoys, or omit it altogether. And if you have little hand that like to help out, this meal is a perfect reason for them to roll up their sleeves and get in the kitchen.

Sweet Pepper Nachos

Ingredients:

• 1 bag mini sweet peppers (about 24 peppers), halved
• 1 lb. ground beef (or turkey or chicken)
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 15 oz. can refried beans
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• salsa
• Your favorite nacho toppings such as diced tomatoes, avocado, scallions, sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line cookie sheet with foil. Spread peppers out on sheet, cut side up.
3. In a large skillet, brown beef season with taco seasoning. Stir in refried beans and mix until warmed through.
4. Dollop beef and bean mixture onto peppers. Top with salsa, if desired, and shredded cheese.
5. Bake until cheese melts and serve with your favorite nacho toppings.

Pizza: Hors d'oeuvre-style!

Preparation for guests may get me wound up a bit, but in the end, I love to entertain. Thing about entertaining -- and I get this from my mom and grandmother -- if you don't have leftover food then you don't have enough food. So the key, for me, is to find something that will easily feed a crowd.

This recipe fits the bill. It's easy to double, which was important on the occasion I made them, since I was having 3 families over, 2 of which included teenaged boys.

They were a huge hit!

I didn't have many leftover, either. Maybe 10 or so? But regardless I still had some leftover, so by Grandma's standards I made enough.

So give these a try for the big game, party, small gathering, holiday party, or for a fun dinner.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Recipe slightly modified from The Country Cook

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 - 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper, optional
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup milk, 2% or higher
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesean
• 1 cup pepperoni, diced
• pizza or marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray mini muffin tins well with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Chop pepperoni into bite-sized pieces.
3. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Stir in milk then stir in beaten egg.
4. Add mozzarella, Parmesan, pepperoni, and crushed red pepper if using. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes.
5. Spoon mixture into muffin tins. (A small ice cream scoop makes this really easy.)
6. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, until golden brown, and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Serve with your favorite pizza or marinara sauce for dipping.

Grandma Would Be So Proud!

Growing up, nothing was better than "Grandma's Pizza." She would buy the dough from her favorite pizzaria, top with her homemade sauce, cheese, and any other toppings our hearts desired, and we would devour it like we hadn't eaten in years.

Her pizza was so popular, the kids on the cul-de-sac would come over for pizza as well. I remember one summer, hot as anything, and while we were swimming my grandmother was it the kitchen, no A/C, making pie after pie for us. Now that's love -- of food and kids.

So it seemed only natural after I had my son that I make homemade pizza for him, just like my grandmother did for me. We started out with store-bought dough, like my grandmother did. But we weren't particularly impressed. We tried different brands, but it just didn't seem to measure up to us. So we decided it was time to finally bite the bullet and make our own dough.

We started with The Pioneer Woman's basic pizza dough recipe. It was good, better than the store-bought dough, but we wanted to make it special. Remembering a pizza we had a friend's house, we decided to try making an herbed dough.

Jackpot!

The addition of some herbs was just the ticket. It elevated the dough to the next level, making it special, making it our own.

Grandma would be so proud.

Herbed Pizza Dough

Based on a recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Makes one crust

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon (scant) Active Dry Yeast
• 3/4 cups Warm Water
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 3/4 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

It doesn't look like much now, but in an hour it's going to be delicious!

Directions:

1. Sprinkle yeast over 3/4 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
2. In a mixer, combine flour, salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
3. Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.

Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance.

Ta-da! The finished product!

Success the Second Time Around

Back in September I went to a childhood friend's wedding. The ceremony was beautiful, the view was breathtaking, and the food was fantastic.

The one station we kept going back to for more was the chicken parm sliders table. They were delicious. For something so small, bite-sized, they packed a punch of wonderful flavor. And I remember sitting at the table with my friends and saying, "I need to make these at home."

And finally, one Saturday in February, I did. Unfortunately, my first try left a lot to be desired. They patties were more burger-sized than slider-sized, and they cooked unevenly as a result. I tried to get creative with the flavors as well, but in the end, I felt it tasted like I was trying to hard to put my own spin on it, as opposed to honoring the classic flavors of chicken parmesan.

Then one night, something I heard Rachael Ray say years ago came to mind: "It's all about the method. Once you've mastered that, you can change up the ingredients." I knew what I had done wrong, and with that quote, I knew how to fix it.

For a few years now I've been making a recipe from a newlywed message board called "Beefed Up Biscuits," a big hit with my family. This was my method. All I had to do was swap out the ingredients.

And my recipe for sloppy chicken parm sliders was born!

Sloppy Chicken Parm Sliders
A Country Cooking Original Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, plus more
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more
• 1 can refrigerated flakey biscuits
• Provolone cheese slices
• 1 tsp. jarred minced garlic, divided
• Olive oil
• Cooking spray
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat skillet coated with cooking spray. Add chicken and brown. Add onions, garlic, and bell pepper.
3. When chicken is cooked through add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese to skillet. Cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Coat 13x9 pyrex with cooking spray. Arrange the bottom half of the biscuits in the dish. Spoon chicken on top of each biscuit half. Top each with provolone slices and top half of biscuits.
5. Brush each top with olive oil. Sprinkle each top of Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, and 1/8 tsp. of jarred minced garlic.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.

Sassy Salsa

Last weekend we had fish tacos for dinner. I had made them once before, with a mango salsa, and we really enjoyed them.

Well, almost everyone.

While the fish was delicious, flakey with a hint of spice, my husband wasn't really jazzed by the mango salsa I had made. He said it was too sweet for him. And as someone who loves spicy food, he said he would've preferred a spicy salsa over a sweet one.

So last weekend, while I had mango salsa on my fish tacos, I made a tomato salsa for my husband.

And it was a hit.

Not only did he heap the salsa onto his tacos, but he's been eating the leftover salsa with corn chips. I can only imagine how much of a hit it will be when I get the tomatoes fresh from the farmers' market. Perfect for summertime gatherings.

Homemade Fresh Salsa
Original Recipe from Country Cooking

Ingredients:

• 2 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes from the Chef:

• I use a melon baller to seed the tomatoes. I find it's the least messy method.
• I use a grapefruit spoon to seed the jalapeño pepper. Scrapes it out without getting any seeds on my hands.
• If you like more heat in your salsa, swap out the jalapeño for a pepper with more heat.

All-Star Appetizer

Buffalo wings and football go together like peanut butter and jelly. But what if you're looking to do something just a little bit different?

Give this recipe a try! It has all the wonderful flavors of buffalo wings without the sticky fingers.

This recipe was a winner of a game-day snack competition on The Rachael Ray Show in 2009. I was looking for ideas for that year's party, and I knew I had found a winner in this dish. I make it every year, and every year it's a crowd-pleaser with the dish all but licked clean.

Scoop corn chips were recommend to serve with this dish, but they can break easily. I like to spoon some on crackers, and celery sticks work well for that true buffalo wing feel. Whatever your pleasure, I highly recommend this dish for your own game-day gathering. You won't be disappointed.

David Garrard's Buffalo Chicken Dip
Recipe from an episode of The Rachael Ray Show
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
  
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  
• 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
  
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  
• 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
   
2. Cover the bottom of an 8x8-inch dish or pie plate with cream cheese.
   
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, wing sauce and butter, and pour over the cream cheese-filled dish or pie plate.
   
4. Top with just enough blue cheese dressing and mozzarella cheese to cover. (Adding too much cheese will cause a thick skin to form that will make eating the dip difficult once the cheese cools.)
   
5. Heat the dip in the oven for 20 minutes.

Homerun?!

Think of this dish as America's favorite tailgate food meets America's favorite pastime.

For Christmas my sister gave me the best present: Diamond Dishes: From the Kitchens of Baseball's Biggest Stars. Immediately I started to thumb through it, admiring the photos (Derek Jeter! Grady Sizemore!) and mentally forming a list of all the recipes I wanted to try.

First on the list? This chili recipe from Grady Sizemore.

And it was a homerun! It had wonderful flavors that continued to deepen and become even richer as we ate this throughout the week. It was also easy to make, which is always an added bonus. If you don't have any beer on hand you can substitute chicken or beef broth, but I suggest using the beer. It just rounds out the flavors so nicely.

This is a great dish to serve on Superbowl Sunday, or to celebrate the start of Spring Training. Take your pick.

Aunt Tonya's Chili
Recipe from Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground round (85% lean)
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
  
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
  
• 1 15-oz. can vegetarian refried beans
  
• 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
  
• 1/2 cup green salsa
  
• 1 19-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 12 oz. lager beer
  
• Salt and freshly round pepper, to taste
  
• Hot red pepper sauce, to taste
  
• Shredded cheddar, sour cream, and tortilla chips for serving

Directions:

1. Cook the ground round in a Dutch oven or flame-proof casserole over medium-high heat, stirring often and breaking up the meat with the side of a wooden spoon, until it loses its raw look, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
   
2. Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Return the ground round to the Dutch oven, sprinkle with the chili powder and cumin, and stir well. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, the tomato sauce, refried beans, tomato paste, and salsa and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
   
3. Stir in the kidney beans and beer. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 15-20 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce.
   
4. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with the cheddar, sour cream, and tortilla chips on the side.

Half-Time Show

When you're having company over, it can be hard to strike that balance between time spent in the kitchen and time spent with your guests. That's especially true on Superbowl Sunday, when you also want to send time in front of the TV -- even if it's just to see the commercials.

My solution? Break out the slow cooker!

For last year's game I made this dip, which was a huge hit. It was full of flavor and quite versatile. I served it with veggies, crackers, and breadsticks. Any leftovers? Serve over a short-cut pasta for some zippy macaroni and cheese!

Zippy Sausage Cheese Dip
Recipe from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pork sausage, squeezed out of casing and crumbled
  
• 2 lbs. Velveeta cheese, cubed
  
• 2 10.75-oz. cans Rotel tomatoes with chilies, undrained

Directions:

1. Brown sausage in large nonstick skillet. Drain.
   
2. Return browned sausage to skilled and stir in cubed Velveeta cheese.
   
3. Cook over low heat until cheese melts. Stir occasionally.
   
4. Place pork and melted cheese in slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes.
   
5. Cover and cook on LOW 1-2 hours until heated through.
   
6. Serve warm with raw, cut-up veggies or chips.

Variation: For a creamier dish, add 2 10.75-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup to Step 4, stirring soup in with the tomatoes.

Traditional Fare

Last year, I opted to make a more traditional chili for Superbowl Sunday. It doesn't get more traditional than Betty Cocker, so I used the recipe in the Bridal Edition of her cookbook.

And, naturally, it was a hit. This recipe, though, requires more attention than the one I make in the slow cooker. So it will require more kitchen time. A way around that, though, is to make it earlier in the day -- maybe even in the morning -- then reheat it on the stove before serving. This will give the flavors time to develop as it sits. And it will give you more time to spend with your guests.

I like serve my chili over rice. I also like to crumble in crackers and shredded cheddar cheese. This rice is especially handy if you're trying to stretch this dish over a large crowd. The rice is filling so each serving doesn't need as much chili.

Chili
Recipe from Betty Crocker

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hr 10 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
  
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
  
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
  
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 1 can (15 or 16 oz.) kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained, if desired

Directions:

1. Cook beef, onion and garlic in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.
   
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except beans. heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
   
3. Stir in beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness.

Note: If you prefer your chili hotter, either increase the chili powder, add 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or add a jalapeño chili, seeded and chopped.

First Down

Ahhh .. .January. Winter settles in, resolutions are made, and diet recipes are researched.

Except here at Country Cooking. While all the other blogs dedicate the month to healthy recipes to help you start your new year right, I'm dedicating the month to Superbowl Sunday. This month I'll be posting recipes I've made for Superbowls past, so you have time to try them out and decide what you would like to make for your own party or bring to one you're attending.

This chili recipe is a favorite of mine. And it's great for parties because you dump the ingredients and 4-6 hours later ... Presto! Dinner is served! It's great because you don't have to man the stove; you can enjoy both your guests and the game. I like to serve this recipe over rice. And, truth be told, I make it year-round, too.

Kick'n Chili
Recipe from Rival Crock-Pot Recipe Card Collection

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds 90% lean ground beef
  
• 1 tablespoon each salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, dried oregano and black pepper
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  
• 3 cans (10.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with green chilies
  
• 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
  
• 1 large onion, chopped

Directions:

1. Combine ground beef, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, black pepper, garlic and ground red pepper in large bowl.
   
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef, stirring to separate meat. Drain and discard fat. Add tomatoes, salsa and onion; mix well. Transfer mixture to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.
   
3. Cover; cook on LOW 4 to 6 hours.

Note: If you prefer your chili with beans, simply add two 15-oz. cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed, into the slow cooker.

The Best Ever. No, Really.

I am a recipe junkie. I'm constantly printing recipes or tearing them from magazines. I eventually have so many that it's virtually impossible for me to make them all. So about twice a year I sit down and sort through them all, deciding which pile to put them in: keep or recycle. The following recipe is one I placed in the "keep" pile, and I'm so grateful I did! Originally from the July 2009 issue of Country Living magazine, the name of the recipe is "The Best Potato Salad Ever." A bold statement indeed. And naturally, I was a bit skeptical.

But as I sampled a forkful before putting it in the fridge, I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed. It was delicious, and one of the better potato salads I've tasted. And then when I sat down to eat it at dinner ... Yum! The flavors intensified and it was just delicious! Creamy, tangy, smooth, crunchy. It was the perfect contrast of flavors and texture.

With Memorial Day a little over two weeks away, you might want to add this to your menu. I know I'll be making it throughout the summer.

Best Potato Salad Ever
Adapted from Country Living magazine

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. unpeeled red potatoes
  
• 3/4 cup chopped vidala onion
  
• 3/4 cup red bell pepper
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickles
  
• 3 chopped, hard boiled eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
  
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot, cover red potatoes with salted cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until they're easily pierced with a skewer, about 40 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, combine white onion, red pepper, dill pickles, and hard-boiled eggs in a large bowl.


3. Drain potatoes and cut into half-inch pieces while still warm. Transfer to the bowl and sprinkle with dill pickle juice and cider vinegar. Toss salad gently with mayonnaise. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Chill before serving.