Week 26: Cannoli with Minced Meat

The Recipe
1 package of fresh lasagna pasta
500g minced beef
250g mushrooms
250g spinach
100g sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
200g mozzerella

In a pan brown the minced beef until no longer pink. Add mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add half the mozzerella.

Split the pasta into 6-8 pieces, and fill them with the meat sauce like a tortillas. Put in an oven proof dish and pour a bit of boiling water over. Top with the rest of the mozzerella. Put a piece of foil over and cook at 200C for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 5 minutes or until the cheese on top has started to brown.

The Verdict
Really boring. Not something I'll bother to make ever again.

Week 25: Spicy Sausage Pasta

The Recipe
1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 lb sausage
1 diced onion
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
5 oz salsa or stewed tomatoes
4tbsp milk or cream
2dl pasta
salt and pepper
1/2 cup cheese, shredded

Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth, tomatoes, milk / cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in half the cheese. Top with remaining cheese and broil until cheese is melted.

The Verdict
Quick and easy to make which is always a plus, but the dish as a whole was just okay. It's a good way to use up left-over sausage though. The recipe as stated serves 2 people nicely as long as they're not too hungry ;)

Week 24: Nacho Potatoes

The Recipe
3 cups potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces (that corresponds to ~3 large potatoes. Next time I'll use more though!)
Olive oil spray
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1lb minced beef
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
6tbsp (~1dl) vegetable stock
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Juice of 1/2 a lime
12 olives, sliced
2 spring onions, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes
Sour cream
Salsa
Guacamole (I just mashed an avocado with the rest of the lime juice)
Queso

Preheat the oven to 230C. Line a baking sheet and spread out the potato chunks and lightly spray with olive oil (or drizzle about 1 teaspoon of oil over them). Add spices and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to fully coat each piece. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping once.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Brown the beef in a large pan. Add vegetable broth, bell pepper, corn and the spices. Turn heat to low and cook until the liquid has mostly cooked away. Add spring onions and olives and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Squeeze in the lime juice and add salt and pepper to taste - don't forget this step, I did!

If necessary, (re-)heat the queso.

Transfer the potatoes to a large plate or oven proof dish and mix with about 1 cup of the queso... or according to taste. Pour the sauce over and mix thoroughly. Serve with garnishes.

The Verdict
Now you see why I tried making my own queso ;) Apart from the failure of a decent queso, this dish turned out fabulously! I'll definitely be making this again. Although next time I'll use more potatoes - the ratio wasn't quite right, so it's probably better with 4 cups instead of just 2-3.

Delicious dish though :)

Week 23: Queso Dip

The Recipe
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp corn starch
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a small pot, mix in the corn starch and stir until fully incorporated. Add sour cream and stir until it starts bubbling.
Add the cheese and stir until it has fully melted.

The Verdict
Not the best queso I've ever had - but I'm not entirely sure whether that's due to too much sour cream, not a high enough quality cheese or simply a bad recipe. Guess I'll just have to keep trying.

Week 22: Braised Carrots

The Recipe
1/2kg carrots
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
50-75g bacon
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 tbsp chicken stock
salt, pepper
a handful or two of rucola / rocket salad

Preheat the oven to 200C
Peel the carrots and cut them into long sticks. If you use new carrots, just leave them as is.
In a pan, heat up the olive oil, and cook the onion, garlic and bacon until the onion is translucent.
Add the carrots and chicken stock and stir briefly to get all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Transfer to an oven-proof dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

The Verdict
Loved it :) A very tasty side dish to e.g. pork chops or turkey. I may make it without the bacon next time to make it healthier... on the other hand - everything is better with bacon ;)