Week 24: Tortillas Torte

The Recipe
(Serves 5-6 people)
6 tortillas
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
250g minced meat (I used beef, but it could be any - can also be substituted for a can of kidney or chili beans for a vegetarian version)
1 (14oz) can tomatoes
1 (14oz) can beans
1 bell pepper
~75g rocket salad or spinach
~240g corn
Cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to taste
A dash of cinnamon
~150g shredded cheese
Garnishes: Avocado, salsa, sour cream

Heat the oven to 200C.

Chop onion and garlic. Cut bell pepper into bite sized pieces.

Optional: In a pan, heat a bit of oil and once it's hot cook each tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side, until it starts to puff up and become crisp. This step can be omitted.

Heat a bit of oil in a pot and cook garlic, onion, cumin and cayenne pepper until fragrant. Add meat and cook until just browned.
Add tomatoes, beans and bell pepper and leave to simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add more spices according to taste. Turn off heat, but leave the pot on the element - add corn and salad / spinach and stir for a few minutes until the salad is wilted.

Coat a springform with oil or line a cake form with foil and start assembling the torte - alternating layers of tortillas, sauce and cheese, ending with sauce and cheese. Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for another 10 minutes.

Serve with avocado, salsa and sour cream.


The Verdict
Quite a lot of work, but very fancy-looking!!! I'm not sure it tasted all that much better than regular tortillas, but it certainly looked good. Too much work for an every-day meal, but definitely good for a special occasion :D

Week 49: Chili Mac and Cheese

The Recipe
1lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
1 tbsp chili
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 can (400g) diced tomatoes
1 can (400g) kidney beans
3 cups beef stock
2 cups macaroni
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper

2 tbsp (~30g) butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
120g cream cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup gouda cheese (or similar)

In a large pot (4L minimum), warm oil and cook onions and beef. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and bell pepper and cook until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, beans, broth, macaroni, Worchestershire sauce and soy sauce. Brint to a boil and leave to simmer until the pasta is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for a few minutes until slightly brown. Add milk and let it simmer until it's boiled down a bit. Be careful it doesn't burn! Reduce the heat and add cheese and cook until the cheese has melted.

Mix the cheese sauce into the chili once the pasta is cooked. Serve with extra shredded cheese and sliced jalapenos.

The Verdict
This ended up being more of a soup than a typical mac'n'cheese. 3 cups of broth is a LOT! I might try with 1-2 cups next time, because I wasn't too impressed by it as-is, but think it could greatly improve by having the sauce be a bit thicker.

Week 29: Huevo Rancheros

The Recipe
(Serves one)
2 tortillas
1 avocado, sliced
2 eggs
Salsa
Shredded cheese
1/3 can beans.

Heat oil in a pan until hot. Cook tortillas for about 20 seconds on each side, until it puffs up and turns slightly brown. Dry on paper towels.
Fry eggs on the pan until the whites are settled, but the yolk is still "smiling". Set aside.
Briefly heat the beans in the pan, if you prefer warm beans to cold.

Assemble the rancheros: Tortilla, salsa, beans, avocado slices, eggs, shredded cheese, tortilla. Top with more salsa and sour cream if desired.

The Verdict
Really easy and really good :) But then, I think pretty much anything with avocado and salsa is good ;) I needed a quick and easy dinner yesterday, and this fit the bill perfectly. Tasted great too :)

Week 27: Mini Meatloafs

The Recipe
2 large bell peppers
1lb ground beef
1 egg
1/2 tsp each of basil, oregano and thyme
1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion power
1/2 dl bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 cup shredded cheese
1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

Slice the top and bottom of the peppers, discard rib and seeds. Slice into 2-3 thick rings (depending on size). Dice up remaining parts of peppers.

Mix the ground beef with the next 8 ingredients (egg through garlic) and remaining diced peppers. Stuff each pepper with meat mixture.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and brown each stuffed pepper ring for 3-4 minutes on each side before placing them in an oven-proof dish. Cover with crushed tomatoes and bake at 175C for 35 minutes. Top with cheese and bake for another 5 minutes.

Serve with rice and a nice salad.

The Verdict
I thought the meatloaf strangely bland - it lacked something, but I simply couldn't figure out what. Perhaps a bit more salt would help? Also, next time I think I'll blend the crushed tomates and heat it up together with some cream cheese before pouring over the pepper rings - I think that might help too.

Week 38: Mac and Cheeseburger

The Recipe
500g minced beef
1 package taco seasoning (~20g)
1 can (14oz) tomatoes with chilies
1/2l beef broth
1/2l elbow macaroni
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp pebber

2tbsp butter
2tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk
2.5dl shredded cheddar cheese (shred your own to make it even better)

In a pot, brown the beef. Stir in taco seasoning, tomatoes, broth and macaroni. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat and cover pan. leave to simmer for 12-14 minutes or until the macaroni is tender.

Meanwhile make the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, whisk in the flour and cook, while constantly whisking for 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk a bit at a time and bring to a boil. Whisk until smooth and thickened. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the hamburger mixture. Stir gently to combine.

The Verdict
Not an instant favourite - I thought it lacked some vegetables of some sort - but really easy to make and a nice comfort meal. Definitely something I could see myself making again. Next time I think I'll add more cheese though - 2.5dl wasn't quite enough.

Week 43: Goulash Soup

The Recipe
(Serves 4)
150g bacon
1 large carrot
1 onion
1 medium-sized potato (~75g)
2-3 gloves garlic
500g minced beef
2 (140z) cans tomatoes
3/4l beef stock
2 bell peppers
1/2 tbsp paprika
salt
tomato paste
milk

Chop carrot, onion and potato into small cubes. Chop garlic and slice bell peppers.

In a pot, cook bacon until some of the fat is rendered. If it doesn't seem to give off enough fat, add a bit of oil before adding the onion, potato and carrots. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the minced beef and cook until brown. Add garlic and bell peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes before adding tomatoes, beef stock and paprika. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

Just before cooking add salt, tomato paste and milk according to taste.

Serve with Parmesan cheese

The Verdict
I used one can of tomatoes with chili instead of the paprika, but don't think it made all that much of a difference. I liked it well enough... not an instant favourite like some of the other soups I've tried, but good comfort food. DH liked it too, so I'll probably make it again :)

Week 41: Slow Cooker Nachos

The Recipe
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 bell pepper, diced
1 can (15oz) beans, undrained
2 tbsp salsa
1 pkg. taco seasoning (~1oz)
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
Nachos

Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Salsa, Guacamole... whatever strikes your fancy.

Brown ground beef in skillet on stove. Add ground beef through garlic powder to crockpot.
Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.

Serve with toppings.

The Verdict
I've made stove-top nachos more often than I can count (and love it!), but needed a crock-pot version of it. I didn't expect it to taste all that different from stove-top nachos - and it didn't - but somehow the texture of it was better. Probably not something I'll make too often, as I prefer crock-pot recipes where I don't have to cook the meat in advance, but it's a nice recipe to have available for those lazy Sundays where I'd rather have my cooking over and done with early in the day.

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 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 11 - Oven Baked Chimichangas

The Recipe
1lb ground chicken
1 package taco seasoning (~30gr)
2.5dl water
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
2 tomatoes, diced
2 spring oniones, chopped
½ cup sour cream
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
~50g butter - melted
6 large flour Tortillas
GARNISH: Tomatoes, Lettuce, Cheese, Guacamole, Salsa, Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 225C. Saute meat until cooked through and starting to brown. Add taco seasoning and stir. Add water and stir. Cook until liquid has reduced 2/3.

Add cumin, oregano, tomatoes and green onions. Simmer until the rest of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream and Cheddar cheese.

Lay tortillas on a plate and brush both sides with the melted butter. Spoon 1/6 th of filling into center of tortilla and fold like and envelope.

Put tortillas, seam-side down on a non-stick sheet pan. Spaced so they DO NOT touch. Bake 15 minutes or until golden and crisp (careful - they suddenly get too much). Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven to melt.

Serve with the garnishes.

The Verdict
A lot of work, but so totally worth it! It tasted fantastic, and I was disappointed I could only eat the one. Definitely worth a repeat. Would probably taste just as good with any other form of ground meat I think.

Week 3: Greek Gyros

The Recipe
250g ground beef
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp dried oregano
2 onions, sliced into rings
Pita breads
1 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/4 cup cucumber, finely chopped
Oregano, kebab powder
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Lettuce

Mix yogurt, cucumber and spices according to taste into a dressing for the gyros. Refrigerate.

Mix together beef, garlic powder and oregano and cook over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add onions and cook until done.

Serve with heated pita bread, chopped tomatoes, cucumber and shredded lettuce.

The Verdict
Yet another freezer recipe that really don't gain much from being frozen in advance. There's still quite a lot of preparation to be done at serving time.

The meal in itself was okay. Neither terrific nor horrible. I don't really see myself making this again.

Week 49: Elbow Macaroni Caserolle

BORING name, I know! But fortunately the dish itself was nothing like it :)

The Recipe
500g ground beef
1 can (~15oz) tomatoes
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 small can (8oz) corn
1 cup elbow macaroni
250g mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese - but buy the real stuff!
1 tsp BBQ or chili powder
Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 175C.

Boil the macaroni according to the instructions on the package. Drain and transfer to an oven-proof dish.

Meanwhile, cook beef in a pot over high heat, until no longer pink. Add onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and corn and cook until the mushrooms have wilted and the onion is soft. Add stewed tomatoes, tomato paste and seasoning and stir to mix. Transfer to the oven-proof dish and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

The Verdict
It sounded pretty ordinary, but tasted FANTASTIC! Seriously, do NOT make do with inferior cheese. It has to be the real deal to work, but when it is, you'll be sad you didn't splurge and use 2 cups instead. Really easy, lovely comfort food and definitely worth a repeat!

Week 6: Macaroni-topped Mince

The Recipe
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
3 gloves garlic
600g lamb mince (impossible to find in DK - I used a mix of pork/beef)
2 400g can tomatoes
2 tsp oregano
2 tbsp tomato paste
150-200g corn (~1 small can)
400g macaroni
3 eggs
200ml Greek yoghurt
1 cup grated cheese
100g feta cheese, crumbled.

Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

Chop onion and garlic and cook in olive oil until translucent. Add mince and cook for 10 minutes. Add corn, tomatoes, oregano and tomato paste and cook for another 10 minutes until the meat is done.

Mix together eggs and yoghurt - season well with salt and pepper.

Pour meat sauce into an oven-proof dish and cover with macaroni. Add the egg-yoghurt mix and cover with the two cheeses.

Cook at 200C for 25 minutes.

The Verdict
Hmmm... I wasn't terribly impressed. It was macaroni bolognese just made in the oven. Easy enough to make, but tasted only average. The feta did make a nice touch.

I served it with hot taco sauce which did improve it somewhat though.

Colourful Autumn Stew

(serves 3)
500g minced beef
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (16oz) tomatoes
1 cup rice
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tsp paprika
2-3 cups of chopped, assorted vegetables - e.g. bell pepper, corn, mushrooms, carrots.
Salt, pepper to taste.
Shredded cheese, chili sauce (garnishes)

Brown onions and garlic in a pot until fragrant. Add minced beef and cook until no longer pink. Add rice and paprika and stir until combined. Add tomatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, lower heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

Add assorted chopped vegetables and cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with shredded cheese and sweet chili sauce.