SAUSAGE, PEPPER AND ONION SANDWICH

SAUSAGE, PEPPER AND ONION SANDWICH

Cut in half to serve two.

This is so easy and a fast pick-up dinner. There are only a couple of ingredients so make them good!

The main star is the sausage.  I prefer to use a Hot Italian Sausage. In Europe, more so than found here, the choices of sausage are many and varied.  They range to all kinds of spices and flavors being mixed with ground meat and stuffed into a casing.  This dish needs a spicy sausage. It does not have to be HOT spicy, but not a bland one.  Try to stay to flavors that blend with a plain simple marinara sauce.

                                          Makes Two Large sandwiches serving four.

1 pound Hot Italian Sausage cut into1/2 inch pieces

1 green pepper sliced thinly

1 medium onion sliced thinly

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 ½ cups marinara sauce

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 long Italian roll

1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat a grill pan and add olive oil and then the sausage.  I cut my sausage to make it cook faster and easier to eat.  But A piece the size of the roll is a bit more standard. Cook on high heat to get a nice browned coating. (about 5 minutes for the small pieces)

get a nice brown skin from the grill pan.

Add pepper, onion and garlic and turn heat down to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes stirring frequently.

Add Sauce and simmer for 10 minutes to make sure the sausage is cooked through. If you have larger pieces of sausage you may require more time.

The sauce can be homemade, but honestly just get a premade simple marinara and make life easier!  This is just a sandwich.

Split the roll open and fill. Top with cheese. Cut rolls in half.

TIPS:

·        Use any kind of bread. Kaiser rolls, sliced bread, toasted bread etc.

·        Top with mozzarella cheese and melt under broiler for 2-3 minutes

·        Grill zucchini and add for more vegetables.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Spicy Shrimp in Vodka Tomato Sauce on Spaghetti

SPICY SHRIMP IN VODKA TOMATO SAUCE ON SPAGHETTI

Add more hot Sauce or red Pepper Flakes to taste.

SERVES 4 WELL

1-1/2 pounds whole shrimp (larger the better- number count to pound)

1 tablespoon Old Bay

Hot water just to cover

Please clean and devein the shrimp.  Boil the water with the Old Bay.  Once at a rolling boil (water looks very active and bubbles may be seen) add shrimp that have been de-shelled and cleaned and boil 2 minutes only.  Drain and reserve liquid.

A great spice mix

The Old Bay clings  to  the shrimp

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ small onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon oregano

1 cup tomato sauce 

¾ cup heavy cream

½ cup vodka

Good splash of hot sauce

1 cup reserved Old Bay juice from the boiled shrimp.

¾ pound spaghetti   

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil. 

Add the rest of ingredients except the par-cooked shrimp. Simmer for 25-30 minutes to reduce down and cook the alcohol off of the Vodka.

Boil water for spaghetti and cook el dente. 

 Just before the pasta is cooked add the shrimp to the sauce to warm. Serve on pasta and garnish with a piece of Basil. Top with Parmesan cheese if you like.

Pour in cream and stir well. Sauce will turn a lovely PINK/ROSE color

Tips:

·        Keep all shells and tails of shrimp in freezer in a baggy to make sauces and bisque later.

·        Don’t over-cook shrimp in the boil, as they will continue to cook when rewarmed in sauce.

·        Can be served with any pasta of choice.

·        If sauce is too thin, whisk in a little flour.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Hamburger stuffed with Blue Cheese and Hot Sauce

ODE to Hot Wings

1 ½ pounds ground meat (sirloin is best)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

½ chop finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Hot Sauce

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

6 one inch chunk of blue cheese

6 slices of bacon

Topping you like: Tomato, cucumber, avocado etc.

Simple ingredients

No I don’t use bread crumbs, bread or eggs.  Just go with a nicely spiced meat mixture.

Mix all in a large bowl with you best tool god gave you; your hands! Portion the meat into 6 balls.

Use your thumb and make a nice big dent in the middle of the ball. Place a chuck of Blue Cheese in the dented middle. Smooth the ball around the cheese which should disappear into the burger ball.  Press the ball flat to the thickness you like (they will shrink). 

Place again your thumb slightly in the middle as when it cooks, they will plump up in the middle and shrink in diameter. Pushing the middle down helps keep it a uniform size.

Get a grill or grill pan (or fry pan) very hot.  Add the bacon and as it cooks, the bacon grease will coat the grill.  Remove when done.  Add the burgers and cook on high heat for about 3-4 minutes and turn and cook another 1-2 minutes. (Depends on how done you desired it to be and the thickness of the burgers.

Place on Burger Bun. Top with Roca (ARUGALA) , slice of tomato, and special sauce.

SAUCE:

Equal parts Hot Sauce and Mayonnaise Spread on burger

I just squeeze the mayonnaise and then squeeze the hot sauce on.
No need to mix them up first.

TIPS

·        Replace the surprise middle with any cheese or surprise such as a cherry tomato
\·        No need for fillers such as bread and egg as I think a  burger becomes like a meat loaf texture

·        Freeze any extra burgers before cooking

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

A Lighter, Easier Version of Chicken Cordon Bleu

A Lighter, Easier Version of Chicken Cordon Bleu

Cross section of cooked Cordon Bleu

This is my version of a Cordon Bleu made easier and lighter!  Instead of the classic flatten out chicken breast stuffed with ham and cheese and bread coated and fried or swimming in a creamy wine sauce, I choose to stuff my chicken breasts with ham and cheese and bake them in tin foil packets.

6 chicken breast fillets

6 pieces about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide of Ham

6 slices of light Swiss cheese

6 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

Few sprinkles of garlic powder for each breast

Salt and pepper to taste

I used a think piece of ham.  You can substitute thin slices.

Skip the pounding out of the chicken breast!

It is time consuming and messy.

Take the fillet of chicken and cut, on the thicker side of the breast, a pocket.   Take a piece of ham and top with the cheese slice. Stuff it in the pocket and close the pocket with a toothpick,

Lay on a piece of tin foil. Drizzle olive oil of top and spread one teaspoon

of the mustard on the top of each breast.  Sprinkle with pepper and salt.

Close the tin foil to make a neat little package for each breast. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.

When finished, open package carefully as there will be allot of steam and LOTS of juices. (keep the juices to put on rice if being served)

TIPS:

·        Go light on the salt as Ham can be salty

·        Once you make the packages, you can freeze them for individual premade dinners.

·        Brush them with honey instead of mustard.

·        You could change things up and stuff them with cooked spinach or broccoli, different cheeses, bread stuffing: be a true DUMP COOK and be inventive.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Asian Salmon Baked Fillet

Asian Salmon

This recipe is easy and fast.  It uses a marinade , defined as, a sauce or paste that seasons  food before it is cooked.  You can make this marinated the night before or up to as little as one hour before.  ( You may also freeze the Salmon with the marinade for later use)

Sauce/marinade

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon soy sauce

½ tablespoon minced garlic

A couple of drops of sesame oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

½ teaspoon ginger minced

1 pound Salmon fillet

Get a large Zip Lock bag and mix the marinade well in it.  (You can mix  it all in a bowl and whisk well and pour into the zip lock...For me: A seasoned cook, I skip steps always for less clean up and put it in the bag and mush it all around)  Place Salmon inside and rub to coat all the fish. Close, removing extra air, and sit it in the refrigerator on a plate for at least 1 hour. (up to 24 hours)

Just place the Salmon in  zip lock bag with the marinade and mush it all around and put in it the refrigerator.

Bake  the fish at 375 degrees  for 10 minutes or grill for about 5 minutes.  (Just until the fish flakes by a fork). Remember I do not like to over-cook Salmon. Keep the middle very pink. 

HINT: The Soy sauce will discolor the fish and it will be hard to see if it is over done... slow down and be careful.

As the fish cooks, toast for   (Toaster oven is one amazing item to own, especially if you are only two people in the household)     3- 5 minutes the Sesame seeds at 325 degrees. Make sure they do not burn. The nice nutty aroma will begin to fill the air.  (toasting nuts and seeds will always make them taste so much better)

Top the fish once it is cooked with the sesame seeds. (Optional: top with chopped scallions as well0


THIS IS SO UGLY A DISH,  I WILL ONLY PUT A PICTURE HERE.  THE SOY SAUCE DISCOLORS THE GORGEOUS COLOR OF THE SALMON (IE: color namesd Salmon)

Finished Asian Salmon on Rice noodles
Such an ugly dish..sorry but so good.

TIPS:

·        I am not very fond of a very strong taste of ginger, therefore you may add more if you like

·        You may add a little brown sugar to the marinade.

·        You can freeze the marinated Salmon in a freezer zip lock bag for use later.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Tiny Octopus and Baked Salmon

Tiny Octopus and baked Salmon

I forgot I had a container of little baby Octopus.  I had it in my freezer to add to a fish stew but now it is just my husband and myself eating this evening and I do not want to make a full big fish stew. 

I found eight little tender baby Octopus. It was not enough for a full meal, even thou we are only two, so I grabbed a piece of salmon. 

Now what?

Octopus should be my star in any dish I make for sure, as I do not often make Octopus. I cook Salmon all the time and love capers on a poached or baked Salmon.  So my mind goes in one direction: A sauce of the Octopus and capers braised in wine and tomatoes and use that as a topping to a simple baked Salmon Fillet.

Add just a bit of olive oil and saute the onion and garlic 2-3 minutes. Then add the wine (Optional)

1 tablespoon minced finely onions

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 cup tomatoes

8 baby Octopus

1 tablespoon capers

½ cup white wine (if you like)

I Salmon fillet enough to serve two

REMEMBER PLS THIS RECIPE IS FOR A DINNER FOR TWO.. (DOUBLE AS YOU LIKE) 

Add tomatoes and cook on low making a nice sauce.

Add Octopus, wine and capers and cook 10 minutes or until Octopus is tender

Now put the Salmon in oven ( a portion the size for two) 

 Please, Please cook at 375 degrees 5 minutes.  NO LONGER. (check and make sure the inside is a bit raw looking)  Place back in for another minute or so if you need.   Salmon is so often over cooked in this world. Just make sure you get good fish and there will be no problems.

TIP

·        Tomatoes: Any kind you have on hand but please make sure they are ripe or used canned
·        Please make sure the onion and garlic are cut very finely as the tiny Octopus do not want to be over powered. The OCTOPUS is the star… delicate and fresh in taste.
·        Either grill quickly the Octopus or cook slowly over low heat. No water is needed as the Octopus will make it’s own juices.  (baby ones need about 10 minutes).  Otherwise, too much or too little cooking will make for tough Octopus.
·        Be a true Dump Cook.. try Basil instead of the capers
·        I purchase Salmon when on sale and in a large quantity and break it down to individual 2 person serving packages and freeze them.

CHICKEN FINGERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

CHICKEN FINGERS AND HONEY MUSTARD

This is a recipe that is dedicated to my lovely daughter Kassandra.

 Now she should not get offended that it truly is a DUMP COOK recipe, as I made this up on the fly, but it did turn out well:

I had chicken breasts thawed from yesterday, as I was going to be out all day and thought it would be an easy thing to come home and make.  But yesterday I got bored and did a really easy “REFFRIGERATOR RUN” instead.  Meaning I did NOT cook and found whatever was around. (believe me it was not a real meal to blog about).

Well CHICKEN FINGERS came to mind and that made me think of Kassandra There were a few places we hit on the bad fast food visits when my girls were young and her favorite item at  TGIF was chicken fingers with their honey mustard sauce. (IE: the inspiration for this). So here is what I made:

I had no bread crumbs in my pantry but I found store bought  bread stuffing mix. So I got out my spice mill and ground the cubes to fine crumbs. This is what made them wonderful: Pre-seasoned crumbs! Easy!

2 chicken breasts cut each in 1/3rds

1 cup home made bread crumbs

3/4 cup egg beaters (or use 2-3 eggs beaten)

½ cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Corn or vegetable oil to fry

•The oil should be about one-two  inches deep in the skillet.

•Get the fat good and hot before adding the chicken: about 350 degrees F

Cut the two breasts into thirds (strips or fingers)

Meanwhile, dip the chicken piece by piece, in the flour (coating all sides) then into the egg and then coat with the crumbs.

•Using tongs, carefully lower chicken pieces one by one not crowding the pan.(Lay it in the oil, working away from yourself to avoid spatters).

•Fry in batches: be careful not to overcrowd the pan as the temperature of the oil will lower, causing more oil to be absorbed and result in soggy, greasy chicken.

•Remove the chicken pieces when they have  browned (about 4 minutes). Drain on paper towels and then  bake at 350 for another 10 minutes to make sure they were cooked thru.

Honey Mustard sauce for Chicken Fingers

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard  (I use this as I like spice but a brown mustard is the norm)

4 tablespoons honey

1/2/ tablespoon white vinegar (helps break the sweetness and make it a little more liquid)

TIPS

ADD    1/4 cup mayonnaise   (I did not use this but think it would make it creamier

EASY: Strawberry Pastries

EASY: Strawberry Pastries

                                             Spring is the season for fresh yummy strawberries!

Choose firm but ripe ones that are a beautiful red color all around. Smell to make sure they have a sweet strong strawberry aroma. I prefer always to buy/eat fruits of the season and hopefully from farm fresh gardens nearby (support your local growers!) If you buy fruit not in season, they have most likely been picked prematurely and then shipped to your location.(Certainly flavor and freshness have been lost).

STRAWBERRY PUFF PASTRY NAPOLEON (easy)

One sheet puff pastry (pre-made and in the freezer section)

1 pound fresh strawberries tops cut off and sliced

1 tub Cool whip (light or reg) or canned whipped cream or fresh whipped cream with a bit of sugar added

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet or spray with Pam and place the pieces of puff pastry on it (pastry sheets cut into quarters and then cut those in half )  .

Cut Puff Pastry 16 pieces

Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden browned

Strawberry Sauce;

½ pound strawberries cut in quarters

1/8 cup sugar

While the pastry bakes, make the strawberry sauce by taking the strawberries and sugar and place in a small sauce pan. Mash to release juices and incorporate the sugar into the strawberries. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.

TIPS:

Place in a boiled cleaned jar in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and use on bread as jam or top a piece of fruit.

ASSEMBLY

Place a spoonful of Cool Whip on the bottom half covering the full piece of pastry.. Top with fresh cut strawberries. Top with remaining puff pastry.

Pour strawberry sauce on top and serve warm if you wish or sprinkle with powdered sugar. I left it plain (Ha I am cutting calories!)

TIPS:

• You can use Whip cream from a can or fresh made or ice cream instead of the Cool whip

• You can add other fruits in both the topping/sauce and on the pastry for a change

• You may add some strawberry liquor to the sauce but note it will be thinner.

• You may use a premade biscuit or make one from bisquick mix instead of using the puff pastry.

Strawberry Croissants

1 Cup Strawberry jam (freshly made: recipe from above) or store bought

1 sheet of store bought puff pastry

1 egg

Directions:

Cut the pastry sheet into six squares.  Then cut square in half to make two triangles each. .

Heat the oven to 425 degrees

Place a dollop of the strawberry sauce near the edge of the long side of the triangle. Roll towards the point (be careful not to fill too much) Pinch edges to keep sauce in and make a half moon/crescent shape.  Place on prepared baking sheet sprayed with pam.

Break egg and mix and brush pastries to coat nicely 

Bake 15 minutes.  Dust with confectioners sugar.

TIPS:

•             Make chocolate Croissant by placing square of chocolate in center and roll as above

•             Make with any pre-made jam.

•             Make with any fresh piece of fruits

(As we are just two: I used ½ of the sheet of puff pastry to make the Napoleons and saved the other ½ to make the Croissants fresh in the morning)

Don't you just LOVE strawberries?

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

   

MAKE-SHIFT CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

Leftover night here!!  My refrigerator is to FULL!!! .  I have the breast of a roasted chicken that needs to be used, an open package of corn tortillas and allot of vegetables in the bin. This is where the dump cook reigns.  Be inventive and find items that need to be used and those that are there as the supportive players in the meal (staples in the pantry).

 So I am going to make a "sort"of quesadilla.

Traditional quesadillas use a flour or corn tortilla and then is filled with a savory mixture of Mexican cheese and other ingredients, often including meat and vegetables. They can be topped with guacamole and salsa. They originated in Mexico, and the name is derived from the Spanish word queso (cheese).  So from the description I guess mine will be listed as a quesadilla.

1 Chicken Breast Sliced  
6 slices of Oaxaca (preferred) but use any cheese you have
1 green pepper sliced
½  medium onion cubed
1 tomato sliced or 10 cherry tomatoes sliced
1 avocado sliced
6 corn tortillas (or flour)
½ cup of salsa of choice (or more)

Heat a flat top grill pan or large frying pan which has been sprayed with Pam.      Sautee Green peppers and onions. Remove to cutting board.

Place as many tortillas that will fit on pan. Top with cheese, chicken Green peppers/onions, tomatoes and avocado

                           Top with the additional corn tortilla. Fry on each side until browned. 

Remove and top with salsa. (If you need to make more: place the ones made in a warm oven.) 

TIPS:

·        Think out of the box and make all vegetarian ones.

·        Make with hot peppers or hot sauce.

·        Top with sour cream, salsa, guacamole

 As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!

Pork Tacos

Pork Tacos

I always try to get in the mood of the holidays celebrated worldwide.  Especially when my children lived here and were growing up, I always tried to celebrate the traditional  food of the particular holiday. It was a great learning experience for me the chef and for the children.

One of the major ideas we practiced, as we travelled to many places in the world, was to make the children learn where we going, about the traditions, the food  and about the culture. We read books with stories of the country and all its wonders prior to our trips.

I was asked by someone, why spend money to take such young children to places all over the world? They will never remember!  Well that was never my thought and thank goodness, as my two daughters (now just 30 yesterday and the other 31 years old) are so world traveled, intelligent attributed to knowledge absorbed from their travels. They, now living in and run the VALEF YACHTS OFFICE in GREECE. I am sure they have certainly benefited from an early experience of travel.

My suggestion:  travel always, as much as you can and NEVER leave your children behind! Eat and experience all the local food and cuisine.

Small tenderloin of pork about 7 inches long

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Taco seasoning

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

COLE SLAW

2 cups cabbage sliced thinly

1 medium carrot shredded

½ onion sliced thinly

Juice of ½ lime

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

½ jalapeno pepper chopped finely

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

TOPPINGS

Sliced thinly tomatoes

Avocado slices

Above Slaw

Corn Tortilla Package

Place tenderloin on baking sheet.  Rub with olive oil and then taco seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. (depends on size of the tenderloin) Slice thinly.

Make slaw by mixing all slaw ingredients together and set aside.slice an avocado.

Method: Slice in half. Take a knife and jab it across the pit so it sticks.  Twist knife and remove the pit. Then slice the avocado and then run the knife between the flesh and the skin.

Make piles of sliced: Tomatoes, Avocados, Pork and your slaw.

Get Tortillas (I like the corn ones for this)

Warm taco in a little corn oil.in a fry pan.     

Fill with the meat, then slaw, avocado, and tomato  

Fold in  half and enjoy

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO

TIPS:

1.      Serve with rice and beans

2.      Slice of lime is nice on the plate

3.      Can make a do it yourself bar for many guests

  

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!