The Funky Oven

Slow cooker red beans and rice

This is Valerie Bertinelli’s recipe from Food Network. As I have said before I am not a big fan of crock pots. A few exceptions exist, but they don’t typically cook with flavor and textures that I like. This recipe is really good. I had a very busy day and had to find a slow cooker recipe. I think it more should be called sausage and red bean chili than authentic red beans and rice because it is lacking the usual Louisiana spices of thyme and such.

Here we go….

1 pound Andouilli sausage chopped

1 pound dried red beans

3 stalks of celery chopped

1 cup diced ham

1 medium onion chopped

1 large green bell pepper chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumen

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Salt and pepper

4 cups chicken broth

cooked white rice and sliced green onions

First I grilled the sausage on the propane grill at 400 for about 15-20 minutes.

Then i chopped the sausage and threw everything into the crockpot. It cooked on low. The recipe said 8 hours. No way! It was done in 4-5. It was 4 hours earlier than I planned so it was re-warmed for dinner. I did soak my beans for 4 hours and her recipe did not call for soaking. That is likely why mine cooked faster. She also did not recommend grilling the sausage first. I really enjoy the taste of the grilled sausage.

Beef stew

Dinner

Okay. There are recipes and then there are RECIPES! There are recipes you make and you eat because it took work and there are ones that you dont know why you can’t have more leftovers. Am I right? My husband ate 4 bowls of this. It is seriously that good. Even though my posts are all not my original recipes, I try hard to post only the best of the best that I create or find. There is nothing worse than spending time or money on something that fails.

2 pounds beef stew meat

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 large shallot diced

3 cloves garlic minced

1 cup cabernet sav wine

4 cups beef broth – or 4 water and 4 bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 cups red potato – small diced with skin on

3 cups carrots – peeled and cut into rounds

1 ear fresh sweet corn – remove corn from cob

1 12-14 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Place the stew meat in a gallon bag or bowl with flour, pepper, cayenne pepper and salt to coat. Warm the butter and olive oil on medium high heat in a dutch oven or pot. Brown meat in 2 batches. Do not cook fully or crowd the pan.

Remove all the meat from the pan. Add the shallot and garlic. Cook about 3-5 minutes on medium high. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Add the beef broth, worcestershire, bay leaves, italian seasoning, and paprika. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer 40 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables.

Add them in along with the diced tomatoes. Cover. Return to boil. Boil anywhere from 40 minutes to 2 hours depending on when the meat is tender. It really depends on the cut of the meat. I say taste test it every 10 minutes or so.

Mine was not as thick as I wanted so I mixed 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with the hot soup in a small bowl until mixed and poured it back into the pot about 40 minutes after adding the vegetables.

This is really quite amazing with the wheat bread I posted earlier. I have tried it with cornbread and french bread. The wheat really makes it pop.

Wheat bread

Bread

I don’t always make fresh bread, but I typically do when I make soups and stews. Tonight we are having beef stew so I started this at 9 am before I left the house to run errands. It took 5 hours in my bread machine. I cannot wait to enjoy it!

The recipe came from geniuskitchen.com

1 1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups bread flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Add ingredients in the order directed by your bread machine instructions. My machine says to add them in descending order just as listed above. Set to whole wheat setting.

This is the yeast amount the original recipe said. People have posted that it is not enough but it depends on if you want dense bread or fluffy bread. I thought it was great for soup or toasting.

Light cowboy caviar dip

Side dishes, Snacks

On chips, with grilled chicken on corn tortillas, on a quesadilla…. when is this not good?

1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed

1/2 red onion small diced

1 large avocado diced

1 large lime juiced – about 1/8 cup or slightly more

1 roma tomato diced seeds are okay

1/2 large green bell pepper diced small

1 cup fresh cilantro chopped

1 can Rotel not drained

1/2 teaspoon cumin

salt and black pepper to taste

Mix it all up and enjoy.

Here is how my recipe is different. I do not think the corn is needed. I do not enjoy canned corn’s flavor. Second, the acidity from lime is just enough where vinegar and oil (or italian dressing) are not needed. It really just adds calories. There are over 600 calories in 1/3 cup of oil. Third… fresh jalapeno is not my favorite. I like them better cooked. The Rotel tomatoes add a little liquid and spice without the super fresh jalapeno kick.

Keep this refrigerated. Best eaten within the same day of making.

Oh yes. I almost forgot. Tortilla chip are fried. You can bake flour and corn tortillas in the oven at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes to turn them into chip. Cut them first into triangles with a pizza cutter. This is a less salt, less fried, and more filling alternative.

Mexican red rice

jalapeno, Side dishes

This rice side dish is my favorite on enchilada or tamale nights. I searched forever for the best recipe. I tried probably like 30 in the past 10 years. I will never try another one again! This one never fails. I found it on geniuskitchen.com. Again… I did not create this… but I must re-share something so perfect. Okay I might have changed like 2 things.

2 cups canned petit diced tomatoes – do not drain

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup diced yellow onion

2 cups batsmati rice – rinse under cold water in a mesh strainer

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes

Juice from one lime – 1 tablespoon or so

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

I use my dutch oven for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the oil in the pot and warm it over medium to medium high heat. Add the rinsed rice and cook this until slightly browned (6-7 minutes). Add the onion and garlic. Cook 1-2 more minutes stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, paste, lime juice, chicken broth, salt and cumin. Bring this to a gentle boil. Cover immediately and place the whole dutch oven into the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove it from the oven and fluff the rice. Do not stir too much or it will get mushy. Allow it to cool for a bit, then stir again. This is really good leftover or with refried beans inside of a tortilla.

I think the original recipe calls for fresh jalapeno as well. I do not like my rice with heat. I feel as though the rice is the calm to the spice in the food. If I were to add it, I would dice it and add it to the recipe at the same time as the onion and garlic.

Sauteed brussel sprouts

Side dishes

Sometimes the most simple things are the best. There is not always a need for fancy spices or complicated recipes. I mean… I cannot claim this as something I invented but it sure is pretty.

sliced brussel sprouts – 4 cups

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper

one sliced shallot

Saute this on medium heat until browned. About 15-25 minutes or so. Stir often.

Sriracha garlic honey snack mix

Snacks

Don’t get me wrong. I like the traditional Chex mix. I grew up eating it. The older I get, the less salt I want and the more heat I need. This mix is healthier and perfect. It is a small change from the recipe on the box of Chex cereal.

6 cups Chex cereal – corn, wheat, or mix

1 cup pretzels

1 cup mixed nuts – salted

5 tablespoons sriracha

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a 9×13 baking pan, add butter, sriracha, honey, and garlic. Place in oven until melted. Stir fully. Add cereal, pretzels, and nuts. Mix completely. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Stir the mix every 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy.

Contest winning! Green chili breakfast casserole

Breakfast

It won!!!

This was Christmas brunch this year. It was fabulous.

1 pound breakfast sausage cooked and drained

3/4 loaf of 3 day of french bread cubed small

6 eggs

2 3/4 cups half and half

1 small can of diced green chilis drained

8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

5 green onion (white and green) diced

4 ounce can mushroom drained

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons worchestershire

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash of tabasco… or more 👍

Butter a 9×13 casserole pan. Layer bread, then cheese, then mushrooms, then green onions, and finally sausage. Mix the egg, half and half, spices and green chilis in a bowl. Pour over all ingredients in the casserole dish. Cover. Refrigerate overnight. Bake in a 300 degree oven uncovered for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cream of wheat muffins

Breakfast

Right now my kids only eat powdered sugar doughnuts for breakfast. I am trying all kinds of muffin recipes to hide any vitamins.

1 cup dried cream of wheat cereal

1 cup flour

1 egg – beaten

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup melted butter or 1 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Pour into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until gold brown and centers are firm to the touch. Immediately remove from pan.

I made the batter and then had a “child emergency”. The batter sat in the refridge for at least an hour before I cooked it. I am sure that affected the rising and appearance. I like my little ugly muffins.

Actually, I love these. They taste like sweet cornbread but slightly more coarse in texture. The kids are not sold on them yet. I will have to keep trying…..

Pulled pork BBQ pizza

Dinner

My husband treated me by cooking a pork shoulder yesterday. 18 hours on the propane grill to reach a temp of 200 makes a wonderful treat that we can eat all week. Not only did we buy it for like $10, but we had enough to feed us as well as gift half away. This is perfect! You could really use any pork… grilled, crock pot cooked, deli style, etc.

Crust:

2 1/2 cups white flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 cup 110 degree water

1/2 packet of quick yeast – 1/8 ounce

Mix the yeast and sugar into the warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. Once the yeast is frothy, mix all ingredients together. The dough will be sticky. Let it rest about 20-30 minutes.

Toppings:

1 cup of shredded cooked pork

1 cup bbq sauce – I mixed 1 part Trader joe siracha bbq, 2 parts Maul’s original, and 3 parts sweet heat from Stubb’s

3 diced green onions

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1 handful fresh cilantro

1 cup colby jack cheese

1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

Once the dough was ready, I preheated the oven to 475 degrees. I sprinkled corn meal on a baking sheet. A pizza stone works even better but I cannot find mine today. I made 2 pizzas out of the dough. With each portion, I pressed it out on the baking sheet until the bottom portion was very thin and almost breaking. I layered the toppings in this order – sauce, tomatoes, cilantro, pork, onions (both), and finally cheese. This baked for about 15-18 minutes or until the edges were brown.

I immediately transferred it to a wooden cutting board to keep the crust crispy while cooling slightly. It make a really great thin crust pizza! So yummy!

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