Recipe Testing: April 2015

I made a version of this Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese, but I made the following changes based on what I had on hand:

• replace skim milk with 2% milk
• replace fat free chicken broth with low sodium chicken broth
• replace reduced fat mild cheddar with sharp cheddar
• replace 4 cups baby spinach with 4 cups baby spinach, kale, and chard blend
• add 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• add 2 caprese chicken sausages, chopped
• add italian bread crumbs to parmesan topping

Can you tell low-fat isn't my thing? This recipe didn't really set up, it turned out fairly soupy after its time in the oven. The flavor, however, was fantastic. Next time I'd wring out the spaghetti squash as much as possible and reduce the amount of chicken broth.

*****

I wanted to use up my baby greens blend, so I made a Spinach Dip from this recipe Stovetop Spinach Dip and altered the recipe based on what I had on hand:

• replace frozen spinach with fresh baby kale, spinach, and chard blend
• replace onion with leeks
• omit water chestnuts

This turned out very tasty, and I'll definitely try it again. It would be a great easy potluck recipe!

*****

I purchased some cubed steak on sale and made the Pioneer Woman's Fried Round Steak, which was very tasty! I served it with roast potatoes and steamed asparagus with lemon butter.

While we're talking about the Pioneer Woman and steak, I should mention that my go-to recipe for Philly Cheese Steak is her MM Sandwich, PW Style. This is so delicious! The mushrooms really take it to the next level. I serve it with freezer fries. Yum!

*****

While out I found a good deal on some boneless beef chuck western style ribs, and not knowing much about beef I snatched them up. When I got home I looked them up and discovered they come from the shoulder, not the ribs, and can be rather tough. Low & slow was the recommended cooking method, so I decided to make them in the crock pot. I seasoned them with salt and pepper and browned them in a skillet before putting them into the crock pot. I used the same skillet to sautee a diced onion and added that on top of the "ribs." Then I poured a bottle of beer and some NC Style (vinegar based) BBQ sauce in the crock pot, covered it, and cooked them on low for the day. I served them up with corn on the cobb, salad, and stuffing.

*****

I felt like making something that would freeze well for an easy dinner later this week, so I made the Pioneer Woman's Lasagna. I really enjoy most of the recipes the Pioneer Woman has, so I figured this would be a winner. I didn't have any tomato paste on hand, so I left that out. I also only had dried basil, and I just estimated the amounts there. This turned out to be a tasty lasagna recipe, though a bit basic. Perhaps the two items I didn't have would have given it the extra flavor I was hoping for.

*****

We got a deep fryer recently, so I decided to try it out with some Beer Battered Chicken Tenders! Yum!

I also made Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tenders, but I made nuggets instead. I made a few other alterations to the recipe:

• deep fry nuggets for about 4 - 5 minutes in batches of roughly 10 nuggets at a time
• add to flour mixture 1tsp oregano, 1tsp paprika, and 1/4tsp garlic powder
• replace buttermilk with 2% (because that's what I had at home)

These turned out awesome! Definitely the "extra crispy" version with the little bits of batter stuck to the chicken! I think adding spices to the flour mixture really helps, and I will probably tweak this over time (if I make it often enough) until I get the spices just how I'd like.