Inspired by an idea of Erin's on her board, I think this type of topic will translate well in the context of food as well. I think soups would be good focus now with all the snow and cold.

For February 11 - 17, 2007:

Mexican Tortilla Soup

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j277/briand06/127302_yr_feature.jpg

Ingredients:
 
  1. 1 pound ground beef
  2. 2 (14.5 ounce) cans beef broth
  3. 1 (16 ounce) jar TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
  4. 1 (7 ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
  5. 1 cup tortilla chips, crushed
  6. 1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Cheese

Cooking Directions:

  1. Brown meat in large saucepan; drain.
  2. Add broth, salsa and corn; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes or until heated through.
  3. Serve topped with crushed chips and cheese.

Yield: 8 servings

that looks delicious, Brian! And yes, this is a great idea for this section, as well! :)

Wow!
That looks awesome!
I am hungry now!

And I concur that this is an excellent thread!
Can't wait for the weeks to come !

I knew I smelled something good cooking over here. Now I just need somewhere to prepare it for me.

Nice feature here. Thanks for the cool recipe.

I knew I smelled something good cooking over here. Now I just need somewhere to prepare it for me.

Nice feature here. Thanks for the cool recipe.


Hey man, welcome back! Karma to you!  8)

I knew I smelled something good cooking over here. Now I just need somewhere to prepare it for me.

Nice feature here. Thanks for the cool recipe.

Awesome to see you WB!!!
Glad you found your way back here 8)

February 18 - 24:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j277/briand06/113957_yr_feature.jpg

Kale and White-Bean Stew

Ingredients:

  1. 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  2. 1/4 pound mild or hot sausages, casings removed
  3. 2 onions, chopped
  4. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 1 pound kale, tough stems removed, leaves washed well and shredded
  6. 3 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes with their juice
  7. 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  8. 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
  9. 4 cups drained and rinsed canned cannellini beans

Cooking Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking the meat up with a fork, until the it loses its pink color, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and then stir in the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and kale to the pan and cook, stirring, until the kale wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the kale is tender, about 15 minutes.
  3. Stir the beans into the stew and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. If you like, mash some of the beans with a fork to thicken the sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

   1. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking the meat up with a fork, until the it loses its pink color, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and then stir in the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, about 3 minutes.



I had to Google this in case I wanted to try this recipe at home

My mom's dutch oven is cast-iron.  That doesn't look cast-iron. 


Now THIS is a dutch oven:


http://www.partyware.ch/images/lodge/10do2g.jpg

Kale and White-Bean Stew


Forget the onions and this would actually be an interesting dish. Definitely worth a try, anyway. Another one to file in my "give this recipe to someone who can cook" archive.

My mom's dutch oven is cast-iron.  That doesn't look cast-iron. 


Now THIS is a dutch oven:


http://www.partyware.ch/images/lodge/10do2g.jpg


Don't suppose it actually matters what its made from at the end of the day

Here are some recipes for two main dishes I've had this week (19th - 25th February 2007). Each recipe serves two.

19th Feb
Pasta with bolognese sauce

Ingredients


250g minced beef
1 onion, chopped
1 packet bolognese sauce mix
250ml water (for the sauce)
1/2 cup pasta per person
Grated Cheddar or Parmesan
Oil for frying


Method
1. Cook the pasta.
2. While the pasta is cooking, fry the onion in oil.
3. Once the onion has begun to cook, add the minced beef and cook until it has browned.
3. Add the bolognese sauce mix and the water, stir gently and simmer for five minutes.
4. Drain the pasta.
5. Divide the pasta between the plates and pour the bolognese sauce over the pasts.
6. Serve with grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese.

22nd - 23rd Feb
Sausage Casserole

Ingredients


6 pork or beef sausages
2 onions
100g mushrooms
1 small red pepper
1 packet sausage casserole mix
300ml water


Method

1. Grill the sausages.
2. Chop the onions, the pepper and the mushrooms.
3. Mix the casserole sauce mix with the water.
4. When the sausages are cooked, chop them up.
5. Arrange the vegetables and the sausages in a cassrole dish or a baking dish.
6. Pour the sausage casserole and water mixture over the sausages and the vegetables. Mix them all together until they get an even coating.
7. Bake in the oven for 1 hour at 180 degrees.

Don't suppose it actually matters what its made from at the end of the day


Actually, it does. If it's made out of a cheap material, you're not going to have food that is cooked proper, due to the way it heats up. Cast iron for a dutch oven is definitely the better choice.

Actually, it does. If it's made out of a cheap material, you're not going to have food that is cooked proper, due to the way it heats up. Cast iron for a dutch oven is definitely the better choice.


The one I posted is cast iron.  It just happens to have enamel or something or it.  have you heard of le creuset?

My mom's dutch oven is cast-iron.  That doesn't look cast-iron. 


Now THIS is a dutch oven:


http://www.partyware.ch/images/lodge/10do2g.jpg


Oh yeah, that's the real deal.
You can't pick it up when it's fill because it's so heavy. ;D

February 25 - March 3:

All-in-One Pot Saucy Pasta

Ingredients

1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups rotini pasta, uncooked
3 1/2 cups water
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped red peppers
1 cup Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Cooking Directions

Brown meat large deep skillet; drain. Add onions; cook until tender.
Add pasta, water and spaghetti sauce. Bring to boil; cover Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 min., stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and red peppers; cook 5 min.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Yield: 6 servings

Better late then never!

March 4 - 10:

Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

  1. 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed; see Tip) dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
  2. 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  3. 1/3 cup cherry preserves
  4. 1/3 cup ketchup
  5. 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  6. 1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or more to taste (see Ingredient Note)
  7. 1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
  8. 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  9. 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

Cooking Directions

  1. Stir cherries, broth, preserves, ketchup, vinegar, chipotle peppers, thyme and allspice in a small deep bowl. Transfer to a shallow non-reactive dish (see Note) large enough to hold chicken. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  2. Preheat grill to high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Remove the chicken from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a medium skillet.
  3. Reduce the grill heat to medium and grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 7 to 9 minutes per side. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool slightly; serve with the sauce.

Yield: 8 servings

March 21 - 27:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j277/briand06/ei0905_pasta1_e.jpg

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

Ingredients:

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Cooking directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

^that looks very yummy! :P

I had to Google this in case I wanted to try this recipe at home




I just saw the picture of the dutch oven, my brother-in-law has that exact one, it works beautifully.
March 21 - 27:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j277/briand06/ei0905_pasta1_e.jpg

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

Ingredients:

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Cooking directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.


YUMMY!!!

My meals never look that good. 

Well finally here's something new.  ;D

Southwestern Corn and Black Bean Salad

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j277/briand06/115493_yr_feature.jpg

Ingredients


  1. 3 large ears of corn, husked
  2. 1/3 cup pine nuts
  3. 1/4 cup lime juice
  4. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  5. 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  7. Freshly ground pepper to taste
  8. 2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
  9. 2 cups shredded red cabbage (see Tip)
  10. 1 large tomato, diced
  11. 1/2 cup minced red onion


Cooking Directions



  1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add corn, cover and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife.
  2. Meanwhile, place pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
  3. Whisk lime juice, oil, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the corn, pine nuts, beans, cabbage, tomato and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: 4 servings

The one I posted is cast iron.  It just happens to have enamel or something or it.  have you heard of le creuset?
I have heard of le Creuset, there's an outlet near my house....

My dutch oven is about as old as me....it used to be my grandma's and it's Club Aluminum, but not the cheap stuff you get now, it's about as heavy as a cast iron one, but doesn't rust if you leave water in it....I have no clue what it's made out of :P

Diane & I love Shake & Bake pork chops. They come out tender and juicy & they're quick and easy to make. I bought some and will make tomorrow,,, wait a sec, it's 1:02am, that I will make tonight & hopefully they look as good as the one in this pic
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5m20f0FGSbAAlzqjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBsNzVvaGlsBHNlYwNwcm9mBHZ0aWQDSTA3M185NQ--/SIG=129v6362c/EXP=1178784052/**http%3A//static.flickr.com/135/355506001_542f71a97e.jpg

Diane & I love Shake & Bake pork chops. They come out tender and juicy & they're quick and easy to make. I bought some and will make tomorrow,,, wait a sec, it's 1:02am, that I will make tonight & hopefully they look as good as the one in this pic
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5m20f0FGSbAAlzqjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBsNzVvaGlsBHNlYwNwcm9mBHZ0aWQDSTA3M185NQ--/SIG=129v6362c/EXP=1178784052/**http%3A//static.flickr.com/135/355506001_542f71a97e.jpg



we had that for dinner the other night. They have some new kinds...I think the one I got was either a crunchy Parmesan...or some ranch flavor variety. Yes...they are pretty good. ;)

Diane & I love Shake & Bake pork chops. They come out tender and juicy & they're quick and easy to make. I bought some and will make tomorrow,,, wait a sec, it's 1:02am, that I will make tonight & hopefully they look as good as the one in this pic
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5m20f0FGSbAAlzqjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBsNzVvaGlsBHNlYwNwcm9mBHZ0aWQDSTA3M185NQ--/SIG=129v6362c/EXP=1178784052/**http%3A//static.flickr.com/135/355506001_542f71a97e.jpg
That DOES look tasty.....too bad noone except me would eat it ::)

The one I posted is cast iron.  It just happens to have enamel or something or it.  have you heard of le creuset?


le Creuset is a great quality dutch oven and they are fairly expensive.  My mother in law has one that she swears by.