Cavatini

Good evening friends!  I know it is a busy time of year for everyone!  I hope you are taking time to enjoy it, taking in the laughter, the conversation and the good food!

This is an old family favorite.  We always called in cavatini, not sure why, we just did.  Give me enough time and it will come back to me but as of now, it is what it is.....cavatini!  We make this with mushrooms, without them, it is not cavatini!  We also must have the radiatore pasta  You just use any short cut pasta and you will be fine!

Don't slaughter me over the canned mushrooms, they are actually my husbands favorite and some people have VERY strong opinions about them for sure! Feel free to use fresh, no biggie, your cavatini, your decision!  The red pepper flakes are a must, this is spicy, and sweet, and has beefy mushrooms and ground beef, it is so hearty and ABOVE ALL...........do NOT skimp on the massive amount of cheese, I won't be able to forgive myself for failing you, if you do!

16 oz pasta, cooked and drained (we MUST use radiatore)
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
2, 7 oz cans of mushrooms or (16 oz fresh, sliced mushrooms)
1 lb hamburger (lean)
1  10.75 oz can tomato soup
1 16 oz jar pasta sauce
2 T sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Get your pasta cooked according to package directions and drained.  Preheat your oven to 375 while it is groovin'.

Drain your pasta and add in your butter and olive oil.  Let it begin to sizzle and add in your drained mushrooms.  Saute for a couple of minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl.  Set aside.

Add in your hamburger and cook until browned.  Toss in your tomato soup and pasta sauce, and RINSE that pasta sauce jar, you need that bit of extra liquid anyway!  Dump it into the pot and stir.  Now for the red pepper flakes, I use usually 1.5 tsp, but start with one, or even half.  Toss them in and stir to combine and heat those babies up!  Add in your sugar, salt and pepper to taste.  Add your mushrooms and pasta in and stir until completely combined.

Pour into a buttered 9x13 casserole and smooth out the top.   Let it rain cheese and in the oven you go!  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Serve bubbling hot! (with crusty bread)

ENJOY!

Swiss Mushroom Burger Mac

 Hellllllooooooo!!!  I haven't given you a new recipe for over a week I don't think.  I have a few ready for you, I just got busy as my oldest "little" (granddaughter) got here from Jersey last weekend.  We have been busy in magical forests and fairy wonderlands, swimming, playing, having sleepovers,  and eating spaghetti and meatballs.  I mean, come on, this is the life for a 7 year old!  It is so good to have her back for the summer.  So that is what I have been doing and while family and life always come first, I consider you all part of my life as well, so I hope this one potter, gets you all jittery in the joints around your knees!

My husband has been asking for a recipe like this for awhile and I obliged him.  ALTHOUGH, it is pretty different than how he presented it to me, I needed to turn it into a one pot meal.  It is summer, nobody needs hours of work, and busy moms and dads and grandmoms and grandpops we just need easy and delish!  This is going to be a hit.  Use fresh mushrooms if you like, I just used canned.  And certainly feel free to trade out the ground beef for a ground meat of your choice!  Don't skimp on the cheese, and make sure to let it sit a few minutes to thicken even more before serving! 

1 lb ground beef (turkey or chicken would work fine)
2 T butter
8 ounces mushrooms (2 cans or 8 ounces fresh, sliced)

3 cups milk
2 cups water (or beef stock)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
16 ounces rotini or other short cut pasta
12 ounces shredded Swiss cheese (don't skimp, and if you like it a lot, add more)

In a large pot, brown your ground beef until fully cooked through.  Drain if needed and return to pot.  Add in butter and let melt.  Add in mushrooms and saute until softened.

I used canned mushrooms for this, you do you.  Turning your heat to medium-high-ish, add in milk and water, salt and pepper.  Stir and bring to a boil.  When the mixture is boiling add in pasta, give it a quick stir, turn the heat to medium and simmer for the amount of time listed on the pasta box.

Stir once or twice during cooking, but do it quickly and replace the lid.

When your pasta is cooked, turn off heat, add in cheese, give it a good stir, and replace lid for 2-3 minutes.

Stir again and let sit about 3 or 4 minutes with the lid off.  Stir one last time, and wa-la, dinner!

Enjoy another one pot dinner.  Oh make sure to serve this with sliced tomatoes and corn on the cob!  I mean...ya know, if you feel like it.

Creamy Swiss Mushroom Soup

Evening friends!  By the time you see this, you will be in a panic over Thanksgiving preparations.  Is my turkey going to be dry?  How am I supposed to deal with my annoying in-laws?  I make the worst pies ever, I should have bought them!  I hope my nephew is over his conjunctivitis!  Oh great, here comes my sister who picks in everything!  WHY, WHY, WHY did I offer to host Thanksgiving......AGAIN?

The good news is, everyone will eat, everyone will drink and everyone will fall into a food coma for so long, you have time to pack their bags packed and have their cars warmed up!  "Oh your up? Nice to have, you, toodles"!  Maybe if you are lucky, they will be nice enough to bring you a fabulous unique gift!

In fact, remember to take your host or hostess something nice for having you!  Some think it is an old fashioned practice, I say, "bring me presents"!  Heh, did I say that out loud?

I mention gifts, because well, I want to share a great gift idea with you.   How about that adorable bowl and plate in my cover photo?  I received it from Uncommon Goods!   
I love this company.  How can you not love a company that not only provides a platform for artists, and designers, but gives back as well!  As an independently run company, they have the ability to support causes they believe in and support the world!  If you place an order, $1.00 will be donated to a non-profit that they support, there are several to choose from and YOU get to choose!

The truth is, yes, I was gifted these items, including those "Pinch and Dash" salt and pepper shakers, LOVE!  But there is nothing "unique" you can't find here.  Even kids will enjoy the gifts available to them!  You not only give a gift, you, in a way, give a lesson in giving.  I think it is a great idea and knowing that my purchase will also support a good cause, just is the coolest thing.  I wish I lived in Brooklyn, where Uncommon Goods is headquartered.  I would creep on that place daily, they would give me things, just to get rid of me.  (pats myself on the back) Good idea.  Anyway, when I found out I could choose what I wanted, of course being the soup obsessed human I am, I needed soup bowls of some sort.  These ROCK!  I love to serve food on crisp, clean, white dishes.  Just my preference, and these were perfect for feeding my OCD tendencies.  I wanted a nice, comforting soup, one that you needed a stack of crackers for, or a big ol' grilled cheese, (OMG WHY didn't I dunk a grilled cheese in this?!?!).

Oh, WAIT!!!!  I forgot!!

Uncommon Goods has been so kind as to offer to send one of you, a duplicate of what they sent me! ACCKK!  I know right?!?  A set of 2, plates with bowls and an adorable set of "Pinch and Dash" salt and pepper shakers!  What do you have to do to win?  OK, here it is.......ready?
Leave a comment on this post!  NOT on Facebook, NOT on Twitter or Instagram.  Here.  If you haven't registered please do.  You will need to leave your email address along with your comment as I will have to contact you to provide your address to Uncommon Goods so they can ship your prizes. 

I will pick the winner on December 3rd, at noon CST!

Now on to the recipe!

2- 8oz cans of mushrooms, drained
4 T. Butter
5 T. Flour
1 T. Chives
4 cups half and half
8 ounces Swiss Cheese
1 bouillon cube (2 if your cubes make only 1 cup of broth, if you use the softer cubes ex. Knorr that makes 2 cups, use just one)

Yes, the answer is yes, I used canned mushrooms for this, you can use fresh but use about 18-20 ounces, and cook them down in your butter straight away! Even if you use canned, chop them up if you like small unidentifiable pieces or keep them just sliced as is.

In a medium pot on medium heat, melt your butter.  Add in your drained/cleaned mushrooms and saute for about 3-4 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper!

Now add in your flour.  Let's face it, it is going to look like vomit.  Flour added into veggies, in this amount always looks like vomit.  I can't help my honesty, the facts are the facts. My mother's voice is going off in my head right now, "Christine Ellen why in God's name would you use the word VOMIT, can't you think of a more adult word"?

On medium/medium high heat, stir in the flour and continue to stir for about 1 minute, constantly.  Add in 1 cup of half and half, Stir until smooth.  Add in the rest of your half and half, your bouillon cube, and your chives and stir until combined.  Let simmer while stirring for 2-3 minutes, add in cheese and guess what......?  Stir some more!  When your cheese is melted and your soup is creamy and delicious it is time to serve it up!

This will easily serve 4 as a meal, in my opinion.  Especially if you don't forget the "big ol'" grilled cheese!!

I can't believe I used the word "vomit" in a food blog post.  Just goes to show you, some of us never grow up!  Make sure to get registered and leave your comment including your email address below!

ENJOY!  And thanks to Uncommon Goods for partnering with FoodThoughtsOfaChefwannabe!!!

Turkey Tetrazzini Bake

Another leftover remix for dinner tonight!  This week we had chicken Parm with short pasta, we had a mini Thanksgiving dinner, we had mushrooms left from the farmers market, and by the end of the week, the sauce was gone, the chicken was gone,  so were the fixings for my T-giving dinner and I am cooking up the carcass of my turkey now for stock.  Here is what was I had left.  I had a bit less than a pound of pasta, mushrooms, chicken stock, and turkey.  Isn't it obvious?  There is only one problem.  My pasta wasn't spaghetti or angel hair like traditional tetrazzini calls for, and it was already cooked, how would I be able to tell you how MUCH pasta to use?!

 

Well friends, I did as I am often advised to do in moments of questions, I "googled" it.  My niece Jessica's famous last words to me.  I found that pasta usually double in weight, so I am going to go with that.  Know, that you might need a wee bit more, or a wee bit less, but do as I do, throw some butter, salt and pepper on those leftovers and call it the cooks treat!

This really turned out fabulous, like, really fabulous.  With a couple of extra ingredients, we fed 2, and had 2 portions left for my hubby's lunch bag!

I imagine this would freeze beautifully.  Seriously, make 2, and bank one in the freezer!

For the sauce you will need:
3 T butter
4 T flour
12 oz. can of evaporated milk
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray, or butter a casserole dish large enough for your mixture, I used a 10 inch round, with 2-3 inch sides. 

In a medium pot, melt your butter and sprinkle in your flour.  Whisk together for 1 minute, until the raw flour taste cooks off.  Add in  your chicken stock and whisk until smooth.  When smooth add in evaporated milk and Parmesan cheese.  Let simmer until thickened.  Ok, back up, not TO thick.  Let it remain a little "loosey goosey" since the pasta will absorb some while in the oven. 

Now for the rest of the dish you will need:
12-16 ounces short cut pasta, cooked
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
1 cup mushrooms, sliced  (use a can or fresh)
2 cups cubed or shredded turkey (use chicken if you like!)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Into your already prepared sauce, add in pasta, peas and carrots, and turkey.  Mix until combined.  Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle the top evenly with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.   Bake for 25-30 minutes. 

Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving, or don't.

One of my favorite dishes.  This came together like a beaut!

Enjoy!

Chicken Ala King

An oldie but a goodie.  Get on your aprons and your best pearls ladies.  Touch up your makeup and make sure you look your best while you are at the stove preparing this dish.  After all, June Cleaver would have looked pristine and perfect.  Right?

When I think of Chicken Ala King, I think of June Cleaver.  Why?  I don't know.  Maybe because I always wanted to be June Cleaver.  I think of supper clubs and boilin' bags.  Yea, I said it.  When I was little my mom didn't make this homemade.  She would sometimes buy the boilin' bags with it and we would have it on toast. 

Did you eat it on toast? Noodles?  Rice?  Biscuits?

I loved it and I knew, OBVIOUSLY it was going to be better homemade.  I needed some inspiration so I did my own private brainstorm session.  Things I ate as a kid.  Was interesting as I thought about it, some of the dishes I had forgotten about.  I wonder if mine is better than June's? 

I hope that you enjoy this easy, and OMGOSH delicious dish.  I had forgotten how much I loved it and to be honest, this is one of my favorite recipes to date.  I was hesitant as I knew it would be hard to photograph, to share, but fahgetaboutit........  It is crazy good and I hope you fall in love or fall in love AGAIN with this retro classic!!

You can really use more or less of the pepper and mushrooms, it is kind of just up to what you like. 

2 tbsp butter
1 bell pepper, cut into strips (I used red, use any color)
6 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup flour
2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 cups chicken, cooked and cubed or shredded
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

In a large, high sided skillet, add in butter, peppers, and mushrooms. Stir constantly.  Saute for 3 minutes.   Add in flour and stir until the veggies are coated. 

Add in half and half, stock and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir to combine and add in chicken, again stir.  Now let it your mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes.  It will thicken up and become creamy!  The smell will make you go out of your mind!

 Sprinkle over your parsley.  Serve over, egg noodles, rice, biscuits or toast!

Your "pearls the perfect apron accessory" chefwannabe

Wonderful Wannabe Wellingtons.

Hey guys, my husband is at it again.  He wanted a budget friendly beef wellington-esque sort of meal.  So we plotted and planned how we would replace traditional wellington ingredients with more budget friendly,  more readily available ingredients. 

I am not exactly happy with how this photographed but you must just trust me when I tell you it was awesome.  The flavor was full, the pastry was the perfect amount of crispy, and the beef was moist and done to perfection, not overcooked or dry.  We decided to make the addition of a little beef gravy on the side and it was even better.  I know the photo might not LOOK like it tasted awesome, but it did, and I am so thankful he thought of this and we went ahead to create it. 

The ingredients are easy and shouldn't cause a single bit of problem to buy.  You can use fresh mushrooms, but as I was working toward a dish on a budget I chose canned.  Tomato, tomahto.  Do what you like.  We would have of course preferred fresh. I used almost no fat ground beef as well and just standard frozen puff pastry from the grocery store frozen food section.  (near the pie shells)

This is fairly simple and quick, so I hope you enjoy it!  My husband would love it if this a kitchen "hit", as HIS last idea is now my number 1 viewed recipe!!  Here we go!

For 4 portions you will need:
1 sheet puff pastry
2 eggs (1 beaten for egg wash)
1 lb lean ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs (we used fresh)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
2- 7oz. cans of mushrooms
1 tbsp butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a bowl prepare your meat mixture.  Combine, ground beef, 1 egg, bread crumbs, salt, Dijon, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper.  Mix until all ingredients are combined.  Form into 4 equal size patties  and set aside.

 

 

In a skillet, melt butter and add in mushrooms.  Saute them for 2-3 minutes in a very hot pan, stirring the entire time.  Remove into a bowl and then brown hamburger patties in 1 tbsp oil.  Fry for 2 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked only slightly through.  They will finish cooking in the oven!

 

 

 

 

Take out 1 sheet of puff pastry.  Using a rolling pin, lay it on a floured surface and roll over it a couple of times in each direction.  Cut into 4 pieces.   Lay out one square, add in 1/4 of the mushroom mixture to the middle, add a hamburger patty on top. 

 

 

Pull opposite corners together and then pinch the seams between.  Carefully flip it over and place on baking sheet.  Repeat with the other 3.  Work quickly so your puff pastry stays as cold as possible.  Keep it refrigerated as long as possible.

 



 

When you are done brush the tops and sides with your beaten egg.  It will help it brown beautifully!!

 

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.  I served with some brown gravy.  I think we threw tradition out the window and it tasted great!

 

 

Your "hubs is always right" chefwannabe

 

It Ain't Easy Bein' Green.......3 new ways to make GREEN BEANS!

Well......it's true isn't it?!  I thought you agreed with me!

I am a true, die hard fan of the green bean.  I have been since I was a child.  In fact, it was the only vegetable I would willingly eat as a kid.  I can remember many a meal of green beans only because I refused to eat whatever else my mother had prepared.  (likely shoe leather roast beef, sorry Ma) Green bean casserole, green beans plain, green beans fresh and green beans in a CAN!  I am not a fan of the frozen green bean!  I think they are tough no matter how you cook them. I especially love using the term, "haricots verts" pronounced properly sounds like "airy covair"  Long green beans, wrapped in bundles with a piece of bacon or a scallion and roasted in the oven, is another favorite way to prepare them.

All in all green beans are a great side dish, for a small family dinner to a huge meal for a special occasion.  What would Thanksgiving be without green bean casserole for heaven's sake?!?! This by they way is a specialty of my sister Peg.  She got me started on it and it's been love ever since!  For me, the vessel in which I get my beans, a can, a bag, or out of the garden, makes no difference.  I only am particular about what variety I use for each application I use them in.  I will post photos of each of the kinds I enjoy making.  This will include a grown up version of green bean casserole.  No processed canned cream soups in this version!  Trust me, it will be worth it.  I hope you give one of these a try to change up your green beans for Thanksgiving or to add to your menu.  I will post the very simple directions under each photo.

 

I prefer CANNED green beans for this dish. (serves 4-6)

3 cans cut green beans or 3-4 cups of fresh or frozen green beans

4 slices of bacon chopped

1/4 cup FINELY minced onion 

2 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Melt butter in saute pan, add in bacon pieces.  Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.  Add onions and cook for another 5 minutes until tender and translucent.  Add drained green beans and let cook covered on low for 15 minutes, stirring to coat beans in butter.  Add almonds and stir to coat again.  Salt and Pepper to taste before serving!

 

2 cans of french cut green beans

1 cup french fried onions

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)

1-1 1/2 cups milk

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

3/4 to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Drain all liquid from green beans.  Melt butter in a small saucepan, add flour and whisk.  Let cook approx 1 minute to cook the raw flour taste from the mixture.  Add 1 cup of milk and whisk vigorously to combine ingredients into a smooth sauce.  Stir in mushrooms and parmesan cheese.  When it is completely melted add salt and pepper to taste.  When sauce has thickened, add green bean and stir.  Check seasonings again!  Place in a casserole dish that will accommodate your mixture.  I used approx. a 7x10.  Spinkle the top with french fried onions and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  

 

1/2 pound of fresh green beans.  *snap ends*

4 slices of bacon

4 long green onions

salt and pepper

Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Salt liberally.  Add in green beans and let boil 2 minutes.  Drain.  On a foil lined cookie sheet, seperate beans into 4 equal bundles.  Wrap on piece of bacon around the center, and then wrap on green onion and tie it on the top making "bundles".  Back at 375 for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper immediately after removing from the oven.  

 



I hope you enjoy these twists on plain green beans.  Change up your Thanksgiving table or maybe just your dinner table on a regular weeknight.  Remember, make time to eat with your family around the table!  Family time is so important whenever you can get it with people's busy schedules.  You will enjoy spending time with your children, talking, and laughing.  You will learn more over a meal than sometimes you want to know!  (trust me on this one)

Your "it ain't easy bein' green" chefwannabe

Chris