Microwave Cheese Enchiladas

Kate Kelly Hodsdon

  • 2-1/2 to 3 C cottage cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 C chopped green onions
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 4 oz. Monterey jack cheese with jalapeno, shredded
  • 8 oz. Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Mix above ingredients. Wrap 12 corn tortillas in a napkin and warm on HI for 1 minute. Fill tortillas with cheese mixture and roll tightly. Place in glass dish, seam side down, Cover with enchilada sauce. Microwave on MEDIUM HI for 8-10 minutes, covered with plastic wrap. Sprinkle with 2 cups shredded cheddar, cover, and let stand 8-10 minutes. Top with sour cream and onions.

Enchilada Sauce:

  • 3-1/2 tbsp margarine
  • 3/4 tbsp chili powder
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Pinch of oregano

Melt margarine on HI for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well, Gradually stir in 2 cups water. Cook on HI for 4 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 1-1/2 minutes.

by Tim Dineen

Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce

Tim Dineen

Ah, my most favorite vegetable in the whole wide world. This is another of those recipes that is only limited by your imagination.

The Basic:

  • Brussels sprouts
  • Flour
  • Butter                        –
  • Milk
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Mustard

Steam the brussels sprouts until tender. Meanwhile, make a light to medium white sauce with the flour, butter and milk. The amounts will vary, of course, on the amount of sprouts you are serving. Add the mustard. This is where it becomes fun. There are about a million types of mustard out there on the market, and they’re all great. Try a teaspoon of Coleman’s Dry for a spicy/hot or a sweet German or Bavarian, Dijon for that tres chic dinner, or plan old French’s, according to your mood.

Add the well drained brussels sprouts to the sauce. Simmer a minute or two and, voila! A most marvelous side dish!

If you don’t feel like making a sauce, throw some butter and mustard in a pan, add steamed brussels sprouts, and saute until lightly browned. It’s another simple dish, and again, the type of mustard you use dictates the final result. Double Yum!

by Tim Dineen

Corn Salad

Kathleen Dineen Kelly

  • 1-16 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1/2 C cheddar or Swiss cheese, cut in small cubes
  • 1/4 C chopped green pepper
  • 1/4 C chopped onion
  • 1/4 C chopped cucumber
  • 1/4 C sweet pickle relish
  • 1/2 C thousand island salad dressing
  • Lettuce

Combine drained corn, cheese, green pepper, onion, cucumber, and relish. Fold in dressing. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. Serve in lettuce cups. Makes 6 servings.

by Tim Dineen

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Margaret Dineen Prendergast

  • 2-10 oz. pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli
  • 1 can cheddar cheese soup
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • 1 tbsp melted margarine
  • 1/2 C cracker crumbs

Cook broccoli. Drain. Put in one auart casserole dish. In a separate bowl, blend soup, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir into broccoli. Add melted margarine. Top with crumbs. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

by Tim Dineen

Potato Cakes

Peg McCaslin Dineen

 

 

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 C mashed potatoes

Cut butter into flour. Add baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add potatoes and form into ball. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness on well-floured board. Cut in squares. Bake on greased griddle until brown. Serve with hot butter. Makes 12 cakes.

by Tim Dineen

Colonial Style Onions and Carrots

Kate Kelly Hodsdon

  • 1/4 C butter or margarine
  • 10 large onions, each cut in eight wedges
  • 10 large carrots, cut in 4 x 1/2 inch strips
  • 1-1/2 C Madeira wine
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 C heavy cream
  • 1/4 C parsley

Melt butter in large skillet. Add onions and carrots and turn to coat thoroughly with butter. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, Increase heat to medium. Stir in Madeira wine. Cook, stirring often, 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in cream and parsley. Heat gently for two minutes. Serve hot. Makes 12 servings.

by Tim Dineen

Ida's Indian Onion Curry Omelette

Barb O’Hanlon Dineen

  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 6-7 eggs (NOT a low cholesterol recipe!)
  • 3 green scallions
  • 1 teas curry powder
  • 1 teas prepared mustard
  • 1/2 cup milk

Fry sliced green onions in medium-hot skillet. Add mixture of eggs, milk, curry , mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until eggs are firm and all liquid is gone. Serves 4 or 5.

Serve with toast and plain sardines – cold.

Ida Dillard, of Due West, South Carolina, said “You got to be kinda wild to try this one. It weeds ’em out.”

by Tim Dineen

Vegetable Parmesan Pie

Kathleen Dineen Kelly

  • 1½ cups cooked rice
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup grated parmesan
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 cup cooked carrots
  • 1 pkg chopped broccoli, cooked & drained

(any combo of veggies can be used).

Mix rice, egg, ½ cup parmesan & onion. Press into pie pan. Make white sauce with margarine, flour , milk & salt. Add cheese and stir in veggies. Pour into rice shell. Bake 35 minutes. Sometimes I add ham or chicken.

by Tim Dineen

Brussels Sprouts, Part Three

11-7-brussels-sprouts

I did say that buying that stalk of brussels sprouts was going to be a commitment.

Today's Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms in a Mustard and Cheese Sauce came about because I decided I wanted a side of macaroni and cheese for dinner tonight.  I had tasted a couple of new cheeses - Kerrygold Dubliner with Ale and a German Rhine Mountain cheese.  Opposite ends of the spectrum - perfect to blend for Mac and Cheese!

My mother made the best macaroni and cheese.  She would save up all of her little odds and ends bits of cheese and create these rich, creamy concoctions that were out of this world.  We never - ever - had the boxed stuff (and I still have never bought a box, myself).

11-7-macaroni-cheese

So...  I started with1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup flour.  Cooked it together and added about 3 cups of milk to make a medium white sauce.   I put about a cup of sauce aside for the brussels sprouts and continued on...

To the Mac and Cheese sauce, I added a couple of ounces of the Dubliner, a couple ounces of the German cheese, and, because it was in the 'fridge, a cup of ricotta cheese.  salt, pepper, a bit of garlic powder, splash or worcestershire sauce and a shot of tabasco.

I cooked the macaroni separately (elbow macaroni, just like mommy used to make) and then mixed the sauce with the cooked macaroni, put it into a buttered casserole with buttered panko breadcrumbs on top.  350° for about 35 minutes.

As soon as it was in the oven, I did the brussels sprouts.

I sliced them in half and sauteed them with the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.  When they were just lightly browning, I added a half-cup of white wine and cooked it down.

To the white sauce, I added maybe a half-cup of the cheese sauce, and a very generous spoonful of dijon mustard.

Mixed in the brussels sprouts and mushrooms, placed it all in a buttered casserole, and baked them for about 30 minutes.

11-7-pork-chop

It ended up being a very white plate.

I browned the pork chops and then put them in the oven with everything else for about 20 minutes.  They actually were overcooked and dry.  Oh well.  they tasted fine dipped in the mustard sauce!

by Tim Dineen

More Brussels Sprouts

11-6-brussels-sprouts

It's Day Two of the Great Brussels Sprouts Marathon!

Tonight, I shredded them, fried them, and then mixed them with caramelized shallots.   I could have made a meal of these, alone!

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Shallots

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 4 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 lb brussels sprouts
  • olive oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • salt and pepper

Add butter to skillet and saute shallots until soft and lightly browned.  Add vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir until browned and glazed.  Set aside.

Halve brussels sprouts lengthwise. Cut lengthwise into thin slices. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add sprouts and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute until lightly browned. Add 1/2 cup water and continue cooking until most of water evaporates.

Add reserved shallots, mix well, and enjoy!

They were so easy and just really rocked.  It's going to be hard to top this one!

The rest of the dinner was pretty good, too - if I do say so, m'self!

11-6-chicken-1

I oven-roasted a sweet potato with a huge apple, walnuts, and maple syrup.  (The maple syrup was for you, Ruth!  I almost did brown sugar and you popped right into my mind and said "Maple syrup will be better".   You were right!)

I just cubed the sweet potato and the apple, mixed them with a bit of olive oil and maple syrup, sprinkled in the walnuts, salt, and pepper, and then baked, covered, in a 400° oven for about 35 minutes.

The chicken breast was even easier - browned in olive oil and then into the oven to finish (along with the sweets).  The sauce was lingonberry jam mixed with hot German mustard.

Now...  can I actually do a third day of  Brussels Sprouts?!?

We'll see tomorrow...

by Tim Dineen

Brussels Sprouts

11-5-brussels-sprouts-1

Okay... raise your hand if you knew Brussels Sprouts grew on stalks!    Now...  Raise your hand if you like Brussels Sprouts!

I'm one of those weird folks (big surprise, eh?!?) My favorite vegetable is Brussels Sprouts.  Love 'em.  Baked, boiled, broiled, fried, steamed, creamed, fancy, or plain.  Love 'em.

So, tonight - having all of these fresh sprouts on the stalk, I decided to roast them - with walnuts, garlic, salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil.

11-5-brussels-sprouts-2

425° for about 25 minutes.  They were really, really good.

11-5-stroganoff

I paired them with a quick beef stroganoff over wide egg noodles.  I omitted the heavy cream and the sherry in the recipe.  This was the quick (and lighter) version!  (I haven't broken 210, yet!)

But I'm working on it!

by Tim Dineen

Pork, Pumpkin, and Apples

I knew this morning that I was making pork chops with a pumpkin sauce of some sorts.  It wasn't until this afternoon that I figured apples should play a part, as well.  And Elizabeth brought me in some baby sweet potatoes from her garden.    Sweet and savory.  Mentally, dinner was done.

The weather is absolutely gorgeous.  Perfect for the contractors out there fixing the dry rot and the painters painting the house.  We could not have planned this any better.  But painters and contractors mean everything is in disarray.  And I hate disarray.  But somewhere out there, there is a grill - and a grill and beautiful weather means grilled pork chops with pumpkin and apples.  It's a rule.

Pumpkin Apple Sauce

  • 1/2 cup shallots, chopped
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 small apples, cored and sliced
  • shot of dark rum
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Wilt shallots in a bit of olive oil.  Add apples and brown a bit.  Add sugar and spices.  Add pumpkin and rum.  Heat through.

Check thickness of sauce and add chicken broth to thin to desired consistency.

On the pork chop, I sprinkled a bit of garam masala, garlic, boonie pepper (for heat), and salt and pepper. Cumin and cinnamon in the pumpkin and apples called for a bit of an Indian flair.

I oven-roasted the sweet potatoes with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.  They didn't need anything else!  Steamed broccoli finished the plate.

by Tim Dineen