Pumpkin Tortellini

I love this time of year and all the good flavors that come with! Sadly, we have been super sick around here, so there hasn't been much of anything yummy coming from the kitchen. I think we are on the mend now and I have a lot of catching up to do. I made this for dinner the other night and we loved it. A perfect weeknight meal for the middle of fall. 

Pumpkin Alfredo Tortellini

2 (13oz) packages cheese tortellini
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh or dried parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Reserve one cup of starchy cooking water before draining, then drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and nutmeg and cook for about a minute until combined and heated through. Stir in the cream and milk and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cheese and cook 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Add cooked pasta to sauce and toss until combined. Add some of the cooking water to loosen if needed (I didn't need to do this, but some sauces may turn out thicker than others). Sprinkle on some parsley and serve with additional cheese if desired.

Serves 4

Peach Glazed Chicken

This is an old family favorite, courtesy of Aunt Dee. My son gobbles this up!!

Peach Glazed Chicken
1 (16 oz) can sliced peaches in heavy syrup
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp oil
3 cups chicken flavored stuffing mix (such as Stove Top)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1/8 tsp allspice

Drain peaches, reserving syrup. Add water to syrup to make 1 cup; set aside.  Heat oil in skillet and brown chicken. Add water/syrup mixture, butter, sugar, vinegar, and allspice. Bring to a boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in stuffing mix and peaches. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

Serves 4

Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese

This is one of our favorites and we (I) always make it around St. Patrick's Day. I originally got the recipe from Rachael Ray, but I have tweaked it over the years because some of the cheese she uses can cost an arm and a leg, and I really don't have any of those to spare. The flavor is just as good and it's always hard to find leftovers of this dish. 

Spinach Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
3 tbsp butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 box frozen spinach (10 oz), defrosted and wrung dry in a towel.
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 1/4 grated parmesan cheese, plus more for top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to boil. Salt the water and cook  the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, place another pot over medium-high heat and add butter. Once melted, add the onion and garlic and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 8 minutes. Turn heat up and add flour to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk the stock into the pan. Whisk in the milk and bring to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, spinach, artichokes, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer salt until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add cheeses and stir until melted.

Toss prepared sauce with cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle more of cheese of the top and bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Serves: 6

Hawaiian Haystacks

I tried a new recipe for dinner last week and we loved it! Thought I would share....

Homemade Hawaiian Haystacks

8 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp black pepper

32 oz chicken broth

2 dry ranch dressing seasoning packet

1/4 garlic salt

2 cups shredded chicken breasts

Steamed rice

Toppings of choice- here are some of our favorites

~chow mein noodles

~sliced green onions

~peas

~pineapple chunks

~olives

~craisins

~tomatoes

~shredded cheese

~sliced almonds

~chopped celery

Place butter into a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring well to melt. Slowly whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth and thick, for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Increase heat to high, whisking until thick, about 2 minutes. Add sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic salt, and cooked chicken breasts. Stir and season accordingly. Transfer to a crock pot and keep on low until dinner or serve immediately with rice and desired toppings. 

Serves 4-6

pickypalete.com

Tamale Pie

I have been wanting to try this Tamale Pie recipe by Rachael Ray for a while, but just could not get excited about some of the ingredients. So, I took some of her ideas and created my own version. It was delicious! A bit spicy, so if you want to tone down the heat, you could eliminate the jalapeno or put less chili powder in. I personally love spicy, so this was just right for me and my cute hubby.Tamale Pie

adapted from Rachael Ray by me:)

2 lbs ground turkey

1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp coriander

1 tbsp chipotle chili powder

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups corn meal

1 cup flour

1 3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp baking powder

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Sour cream

Preheat oven to 400*.

In a large, oven proof skillet, brown meat. Add jalapeno, bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Cook, stirring often until peppers are soft, about 8 minutes.

Deglaze pan with chicken stock.

In a bowl, combine vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce. Pour over meat mixture and simmer to combine flavors and mixture has thickened up a bit.

In another bowl, combine corn meal, flour, milk, honey, baking powder, salt and 1 cup cheese. Mix until combined. Drop cornbread mixture by large spoonfuls over meat, spreading it out as much as you can to even it out. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake at 400* for about 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Becky's Sloppy Joe's

I posted this recipe a long time ago, so I thought it deserved a re-post. Plus I had a better picture this time around. This is a family favorite!

Becky's Sloppy Joe's

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup tomato soup

1/2 cup ketchup

3 tbsp grape jelly

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp celery seed

hamburger buns

In a heated skillet, brown meat and onions, drain any excess fat. Add soup, ketchup, jelly, sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, and celery seed. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns with homemade fries!!!

Serves 5-6

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

Last night we had one of my "easy dinners". It's fast to make, yet full of yummy flavor. My kids always gobble this up!

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

2 lbs chicken, cut into 1 inch squares

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

Rice

Cook rice as directed. While rice is cooking, cook chicken in a large skillet with a splash of olive oil that has been heated. Stir chicken occasionally until browned on the outside and cooked through on the inside. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, water and brown sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until sauce begins to bubble, but not boil over. Add sauce to cooked chicken in skillet and simmer until sauce thickens up and is more like a syrup. My kids like is a little more saucy than syrupy, so really, the amount of time you let it simmer is up to you.

Serve over cooked rice

Serves 4-6

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

My husband is a good sport. He puts up with a lot from me...especially my odd reading habits. I read cookbooks in bed like they are novels. I find it relaxing and that's about the only time I get some days to get my creative juices flowing. I got Rachael Ray's new cookbook for Christmas and I quickly put it to good use. This recipe is comfort food all the way! I would like to pass it off as healthy, but after the amount of cheese I put into it, that probably would not be truthful.

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

rachael ray

2 1 /2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

salt

4 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

2 tsp grated orange zest

1 cup sour cream

pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 lbs ground turkey

1 large onion

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2-3 large garlic cloves

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp coriander

1/2 cup tomato paste

2-3 cups chicken stock

2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot, then mash with butter, orange zest, and sour cream. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

While the potatoes are coming to a boil, heat chili pot or oven proof skillet. Add the turkey and brown, breaking up the meat and adding the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes while you chop the chili peppers, bell pepper, and garlic. Add the peppers and garlic to the pot, season with the spices, salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes more. Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the stock and simmer for a few minutes longer to thicken and combine the flavors.
Preheat the broiler. Place chili in casserole dish or leave in skillet if it is oven proof. Spread mashed potatoes over the chili, and cover with cheddar cheese. Brown under the broiler until golden.

Serves 4-6

I love a good, hearty breakfast...i decided that I need to start making breakfast for dinner more often!

Denver Eggs and Potatoes

adapted from Rachael Ray

2 tbsp olive oil

3-4 potatoes, thinly sliced

salt and pepper

3 tbsp butter

12 eggs

3 tbsp milk

2 tsp hot sauce

1 large bell pepper, diced

1-2 cups cubed ham

6 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400*. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over med heat. Add the potatoes in a thin layer and season with lots of salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-brown, 8-10 minutes. Flip and cook until crisp on the other side.

In another skillet (that is oven proof), melt the butter over med heat. In a bowl beat the eggs, milk and hot sauce. Add the bell pepper and ham and cook about 5 minutes. Add the scallions and heat through, then add the beaten eggs; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the bottom of the eggs are set, then transfer to the oven to cook through, 10-12 minutes.

Pile the potatoes on the cooked eggs and serve.

Serves 4-6

I'm Back!

Okay-I am back! I don't know why I have had such a hard time keeping up with posts lately. Last week we were sick, so not a whole lot of cooking was going on. The kids lived on sandwiches and mac and cheese while the hubby and I were recovering.
Last night I jumped back in the game and made one of our favorites-Charred Chili Relleno's with Green Rice. It was so nice to eat real food again!!

Charred Chili Relleno's and Green Rice

4 cups chicken stock, divided

1 bay leaf

2 cups white rice

4 large poblano peppers

3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

3 cups frozen corn

1 red onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (28oz) can fire roasted tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

salt and pepper

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1 sack baby spinach (10oz)

4 scallions, coarsely chopped

1 lime

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Preheat the broiler or grill pan to high heat. Heat about 3-3 1/2 cups stock in a saucepan with a bay leaf to boil. Add the rice, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low and simmer 18 minutes or until tender. Place poblanos under broiler and char evenly all over 15 minutes.

Defrost corn and dry on a kitchen towel. Heat 2 tbsp of veg oil in skillet over high heat. When oil smokes, add corn, onion and jalapeno and toss until veggies are charred around edges and onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to med-high and add in garlic, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another minute or two and turn off pan.

Place cilantro, spinach, scallions, lime zest and 1/2 cup stock and 1 tbsp oil in food processor and process until coarse green paste. Stir the green paste into your rice just before serving. Squeeze lime juice over corn mixture. Split the peppers open, but not in half, with a sharp knife. Then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of corn mixture, mounding it out of peppers. Top with 1/4 cup cheese and place peppers back under broiler to melt and char the cheese. Serve the peppers alongside the green rice.

Serves 4

Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese

So this is not a great picture, but this is one of my most favorite meals ever!! I only make it like twice a year because I could seriously eat the entire dish by myself. Maybe I'll make it 3 times this year:)

Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese

1 lb regular or whole wheat penne pasta

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 lg onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

2 tbsp flour

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 cups milk

a few grates of nutmeg

1 box (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel

1 can artichoke hearts, chopped

1/2 cup fonita cheese, grated

1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated, plus more for top

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for top.

Preheat oven to 350*. Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When water is boiling, salt it well and drop in the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta and reserve.

While pasta is cooking, place a med pot or skillet over med-low heat. Heat olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in pot to heat and melt. Add the onion and garlic to pan and cook veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes.

Turn the heat up to med-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk stock into the pan. Whisk in the milk and bring to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, spinach, artichokes, some salt and pepper to the sauce and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add cheeses to the sauce and stir with a wooden spoon until melted.

Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle with additional cheese and bake until cheese has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Serves 4-6

*You can play around with some different cheeses with this dish. Try all mozzarella or some provolone instead of fontina. Get creative!

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

I know meatloaf is not the most exciting thing to eat, but I worked a ton of hours this weekend, so this is about as exciting as it got around here. This is my favorite meatloaf recipe though-I love the ginger in it!Brown Sugar Meatloaf

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or turkey-don't be afraid of it Jodi!!)

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Mix ingredients (except brown sugar and ketchup) in a mixing bowl and then shape into a loaf after putting mixture in loaf pan. Press sugar on top on loaf and spread ketchup on top of sugar. (You can also put ketchup and sugar on the bottom of the pan before putting mixture in if you wanted to change it up a bit, or do both-bottom and top.) Bake 1 hour or until juices run clear.

Serves 6-8

Kielbasa and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Sorry about the lack of posts. I cooked myself sick the week of Christmas and while I have been making some really good things that I really wanted to share the last two weeks, I have had a hard time getting back into the swing of things. I think life is somewhat back to normal now and I am back to posting.

I have been promising my husband I would make this pizza for about 3 weeks and I finally made it last night. Eric gave it one hundred thumbs up. I think we will be adding this to his "favorite dinner's" list. That list is getting to be a bit long:) If you like meat or have a man in your life-this is the pizza for you!

(sorry about the picture-I pulled it out of the oven and ran out the door to get to work on time.)

Kielbasa and Caramelized Onion Pizza

adapted from Rachael Ray

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb kielbasa, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

2 onions, thinly sliced

salt and pepper

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1-2 cups mozzarella cheese

pizza dough

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to skillet and heat over med heat. Add kielbasa and cook, stirring until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add remaining olive oil and onions to same skillet and cook until onions are golden brown, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kielbasa back to skillet and season with salt, pepper and thyme.

Prepare your pizza dough (whatever kind you like to use) and arrange on baking sheet or pizza stone (worth the money!!). Arrange kielbasa/onion mixture over dough and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 425* for about 14-17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

I love Mexican food! I would eat it everyday if I could. I have several enchiladas recipes that I love, but this is one of my top 3 favs. Served with rice and beans=yummy!! Easy Chicken Enchiladas

1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce, divided

4 oz cream cheese, cubed

1 1/2 cups salsa

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 can (15 1/2 oz) pinto beans, drained

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

10 flour tortillas (6 inches)

1 cup shredded cheese

shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream and sliced olives

Spoon 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into greased 9x13 pan. In a large saucepan, cook and stir in cream cheese and salsa over med heat for 2-3 minutes or until well blended. Stir in chicken, beans and chilies. Place about 6 tbsp of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down over sauce. Top with remaining sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and olives if desired.

Serves 5

Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

So I am getting ready to break out my fall recipes- it is my favorite time of year! And the fact that I have delicious recipes to go along with our cooler evening doesn't hurt either. I made this as a preview of good things to come the next couple of months!Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

2 lb ground turkey, ground turkey breast or

chopped leftover turkey
salt and fresh ground pepper

2 tsp poultry seasoning

2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes

1 lg onion, chopped or grated

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

4 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

2 cups turkey or chicken broth

a few dashes of worcestershire sauce

1 (10 oz) box frozen peas

1/3 ripe banana-enough for 4-5 slices

a few dashes of hot sauce

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425*. In a deep skillet or a dutch oven cook turkey and season with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Place sweet potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water, cover the pot, bring to a boil, season with salt and cook 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Add onions and carrots to the turkey. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, heat 2 Tbsp of the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk for 1 minute, then whisk in stock and season with salt, pepper and the worcestershire sauce. Cook for a few minutes to thicken.

Stir the peas into the meat mixture and turn off heat. Drain potatoes and return the pot to the heat. Add remaining 2 Tbsp butter and melt over medium heat. Peel and slice banana and add it with the potatoes to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and hot sauce. Mash the potatoes and banana to combine; adjust seasoning. Top the meat mixture with potato mixture. Cover the potatoes with the cheese and set in the oven. Bake to melt the cheese, about 5 minutes.

Grilled Moroccon-Spiced Turkey Burgers with Mango Chutney Slaw

This was a new recipe I tried and it was so flavorful! We loved it and will be putting this in our favorite pile.

Grilled Moroccan-Spiced Turkey Burgers with Mango Chutney Slaw

adapted from Rachael Ray

3 1/2 -4 lbs ground turkey

2 tbsp cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp sweet or smoked paprika

1 tbsp coriander

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp curry powder

1 small onion, grated

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

zest of 1 lemon (and juice)

salt and pepper

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup prepared mango chutney

3/4 cup plain yogurt

prepared cabbage mix

8 pita breads

Preheat grill pan to medium high. Combine turkey, cumin, turmeric, paprika, coriander, cayenne, curry powder, onion, garlic, cilantro lemon zest, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well to distribute spices.

Form the mixture into 8 large patties about 1 inch thick. Drizzle pan with extra virgin olive oil and grill them for 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

While burgers are grilling, chop chutney, breaking up large chunks. Transfer to bowl and mix with lemon juice and yogurt. Add cabbage mix and a little salt and pepper; toss to combine.

When burgers are done, put pitas on grill and heat on each side to warm up. Open pockets in each pita, nestle a burger inside each and spoon in some mango-chutney slaw.

Serves 8

Pineapple Black Bean Enchiladas

I didn't have time to take picture of dinner last night, but I had to post it because it is one of my top 5 favorite dinners-pineapple black bean enchiladas! I saw a Pillsbury cook-off a couple of years ago on the food network and this was one of the recipes submitted. The pineapple caught me off guard, so I had to try them. We think they are delicious. Give this odd recipe a try-you will be pleasantly surprised! Go to pillsbury.com and recipe search for these yummy enchiladas!