Tag: #ComfortFood

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Cowboy Spaghetti

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

In the 1960s and ’70s, Italian film directors began making low-budget Western movies that were dubbed “spaghetti Westerns.” Cowboy spaghetti is the culinary equivalent: a mashup of cozy Italian staple foods with flavors from the American Southwest. This ground beef pasta recipe makes a fantastic centerpiece to any family meal, served alongside a big green salad, vegetable sides and garlic bread.

Our recipe for cowboy spaghetti combines pasta and tomato sauce with bacon, ground beef, beans, chili-spiced tomatoes, cumin and pepper jack cheese. The result is a bold one-pot meal that’s hearty enough to satisfy the hungriest members of your crew. It makes a great work-night dinner, pairs perfectly with a ball game and is a happy surprise at a potluck.

Ingredients for Cowboy Spaghetti

  • Spaghetti: Spaghetti is in the name, but this meal would be just as fantastic if made with linguine or fettuccine. A short, chunky pasta shape such as penne would also work perfectly.
  • Bacon: Rendering the fat from smoky bacon and using that fat to cook the other ingredients is a wonderful way to pack flavor into a dish. Thick-cut is the best bacon to use for our cowboy spaghetti recipe so you get good chunks throughout the pasta.
  • Lean ground beef: Because you’ll be cooking the beef in bacon fat, you can get away with using a nice lean grind.
  • Onion: Yellow or white onions are the best types of onions for casseroles like this, but red onion works in a pinch.
  • Kidney beans: Home-cooked or canned kidney beans work equally well in a recipe for cowboy spaghetti. You could also use pinto beans or Instant Pot black beans.
  • Tomato sauce: Use the best jarred pasta sauce to make an amazingly flavorful base for your cowboy spaghetti.
  • Diced tomatoes and green chiles: Look for chili-seasoned tomatoes and green chiles. Or, simply combine a can of regular diced tomatoes, a can of mild green chiles and a couple extra dashes of chili powder.
  • Chili powder: Every brand is different, but chili powder usually includes paprika, oregano, garlic and onion powders, and cumin. It gives a smoky, rich and earthy flavor to food.
  • Worcestershire sauce: A surprise ingredient that is neither Italian nor American, Worcestershire sauce has a savory, tangy flavor that enhances whatever it touches.
  • Spices: Although all three are ingredients in chili powder, extra cumin, dried oregano and garlic powder are called for in this recipe for cowboy spaghetti. These flavors are emphasized in the sauce.
  • Pepper jack cheese: Perfectly melty and mild but with a kick, pepper jack is a fantastic topping for a casserole. Buy a block and shred it yourself, as pre-shredded cheese often has additives that prevent it from melting well.
  • Green onions: Just before serving, sprinkle green onions or scallions on the finished cowboy spaghetti recipe for an extra bit of flavor.

Taste of Home

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69 Dinner Ideas for Two That Won’t Leave You with Leftovers

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

If you want to cook dinner for two, it can be tough to find the perfect date night dinner ideas that won’t leave you with a fridge full of leftovers. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best dishes for two: everything from savory pasta dishes to chicken dinners.

You won’t want to miss out on drool-worthy pork chops for two. And if that isn’t your thing, we have plenty of healthy options like protein-packed salads and stir fry dishes.

Taste of Home

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MEATBALL STROGANOFF BUBBLE-UP BAKE

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A big plate of rich, creamy beef stroganoff is tempting, but the prep and cleanup can be overwhelming on a busy weeknight. This recipe delivers the same satisfying flavors with less effort! Our bubble-up bake features a tangy mushroom cream base, juicy beef meatballs, and the convenience of Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Biscuits instead of noodles to soak up the sauce. Let your oven do the heavy lifting; you deserve the extra time and one of our best casserole recipes in your dinner rotation.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS 

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this bubble-up bake.

Mushrooms: They’re an important component of stroganoff. We used fresh cremini, but button or baby bellas also work well. We sliced them, but pre-sliced ones are a handy shortcut.

Frozen, Cooked Beef Meatballs: Meatballs add the beef to the stroganoff! Use fully cooked, frozen meatballs; no thawing needed! We tested dinner-sized and bite-sized with great results, so pick the one that works best for you.

Progresso™ Creamy Mushroom Soup: Soup adds creaminess and mushroom flavor to the casserole.

Sour Cream: Sour cream helps give stroganoff its creamy texture and signature tang. Use full fat sour cream.

Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Southern Homestyle Original Biscuits: We found this variety worked best, but use Flaky Layers if that’s what you have on hand.

Monterey Jack Cheese: What’s a bubble-up bake without cheese? Melty Jack adds loads of flavor and gooey decadence. We use pre-shredded, but shred it if you prefer for the ultimate cheese pulls!

Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Salt, garlic powder, thyme, olive oil, onion, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, parsley.

Pillsbury

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42 Recipes for the Feast of the Seven Fishes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian-American Christmas Eve tradition, means lots and lots of seafood dishes. Celebrate with friends and family with these all-seafood apps and mains. And don’t forget the wine. Salute!

Taste of Home

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Slow-Cooker Breakfast Casserole

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Overnight breakfast recipes are a must for busy cooks. They help when you’re looking for breakfast ideas for overnight guests or figuring out a way to make morning mealtime effortless. You can assemble a slow-cooker breakfast casserole in the evening and pop it in the oven in the a.m. Anything to catch a few more winks of sleep before the house wakes up, right?

Featuring layers of hash browns, sausages, onions, green chiles, cheese and eggs, this recipe is one of the best hearty breakfast casserole recipes around. It takes less than half an hour to throw together, and the results are gloriously cheesy and filling. You’ll want to have the recipe in your back pocket for busy weekends or as an overnight breakfast recipe for the holidays.

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Breakfast Casserole

Top view of ingredients on a wooden table, including shredded potatoes, eggs, grated cheese, a cup of milk, chopped onions, ground meat, diced jalapeños, and a small bowl of salt.
Dan Roberts for Taste of Home
  • Hash browns: Frozen hash browns are ideal for this recipe. If you’re worried about your casserole turning out soggy, thaw the hash browns before you get started.
  • Sausages: Breakfast sausages are the natural choice, but feel free to use your favorite sausages. To avoid greasiness, fry and drain them before putting the casserole together.
  • Onion: Onions bring texture and flavor to this easy slow-cooker breakfast casserole. When it comes to types of onions, opt for yellow, which is the most standard variety.
  • Green chiles: Of all the types of peppers, there are two popular canned green chiles: Anaheims have a mild heat, while Hatch chiles are hotter still. Jalapenos are the next step up, falling somewhere in the middle, and serranos are quite hot.
  • Cheese: Versatile cheddar is the cheese of choice here. Sharp and extra sharp cheddar are a must for that extra bite, but we love the creamy, subtle flavor of mild cheddar too.
  • Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients together while giving the slow-cooker breakfast casserole a serious protein boost to kick off your day.
  • Milk: Adding milk enhances the fluffiness of the eggs. Full-fat milk yields richer eggs, but skim is excellent if you’re not keen on whole milk.
  • Seasonings: A simple sprinkling of salt and pepper is all you need to season the eggs. You can always add a few extra shakes tableside.

Taste of Home

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Easy Lasagna

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Traditional lasagna is a once-a-year project for me. I love it deeply, but it’s rare that I can carve out time for it. When it does happen, it’s in the dead of winter when I have absolutely nothing else to do but spend the entire day in the kitchen.

While it’s impossible to beat the classic version — with a homemade bolognese sauce and, when I can manage it, homemade pasta — I’m all about an easier version that makes lasagna a much more frequent occurrence. This recipe is exactly that. This lasagna is about as low-lift as you can get while still achieving cheesy, crowd-pleasing results. Here’s how to make it.

Why You’ll Love It

  • This recipe uses store-bought sauce (make sure you get one you love). There are just three components that make a lasagna great: the pasta, the cheese, and the sauce.
  • The lasagna noodles cook right in the sauce. Since the noodles aren’t pre-boiled, they’ll cook from the heat and steam in the oven. It’s important that they’re completely covered in the sauce so they cook evenly.
A serving of lasagna being lifted from a white baking dish, featuring layers of pasta, meat, and melted cheese.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Key Ingredients in Easy Lasagna

  • Ground beef: You’ll need 1 pound of lean ground beef.
  • Marinara sauce: Since this recipe starts with a jar of marinara for ease, make sure it’s one that tastes great. My favorite brand is Rao’s, but choose your personal favorite.
  • Cheese: Use two types of cheese – shredded low-moisture mozzarella and whole-milk ricotta.
  • Regular lasagna noodles: While classic dry lasagna noodles are typically boiled before they’re layered, there’s no real reason why you have to cook them ahead of time — they can actually be layered in with the sauce and cheese as is. And yes, this is just regular lasagna noodles!

The Kitchn

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37 Kid-Friendly Slow-Cooker Meals

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Slow-cooker recipes are built for real-life family dinners when the days are busy and appetites are finicky. These kid-friendly slow-cooker meals cook while you tackle your day and rely on hearty ingredients like ground beef, pasta, shredded chicken and melted cheese to create dinners the whole family will enjoy. Just like easy one-pot meals, these recipes require little prep and create few dishes.

But a slow cooker has the added convenience of cooking while unattended, taking the pressure off dinner without sacrificing comfort or satisfaction.

We chose these recipes for their kid-approved flavors and reliable results. You’ll find slow-cooker spins on classics like spaghetti and meatballs, meat loaf and cheesy Tater Tot casserole. There are cozy slow-cooker soup recipes like chicken noodle and creamy potato that also make a fantastic lunch. For the times when you have a few extra minutes, some recipes require cooking or browning a few ingredients before adding them to the slow cooker. Others are simple slow-cooker dump dinners: Just stir, cover and cook.

Many of these recipes are great make-ahead options that can be stored in the refrigerator for the week or frozen for the future, so all you have to do is reheat and eat. From comforting fall stews to year-round favorites, like taco pasta, these slow-cooked dinners will be ones children ask for and parents rely on.

Taste of Home

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Pizza Tots

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Who said pizza needs a traditional doughy crust? We’ve seen pizza crusts made with cauliflower, zucchini, portobello mushrooms and pita bread. These pizza tots top them all. I’ve always been a sucker for combo dishes, and this nontraditional pizza idea is pure mashup magic.

Crispy, golden Tater Tots form a pizza base piled high with mozzarella, tangy sauce and pepperoni. Make pizza tots once and they’ll be your new go-to for game days, late nights and any evening you don’t feel like wrestling with pizza dough. If you have time, elevate the dish using scratch-made sauce and tots. But this recipe is just as satisfying when you let the freezer aisle do the heavy lifting.

Ingredients for Pizza Tots

Ingredients for making Pizza Tots recipe.
ALLISON CEBULLA FOR TASTE OF HOME
  • Frozen miniature Tater Tots: Mini Tater Tots get super crispy in the oven and cook faster than regular-sized tots, making a perfect pizza base. If you use regular-sized tots, you may need to bake them a bit longer before adding the toppings. If you love the process, homemade tots are delightful.
  • Pizza sauce: A tangy, tomato-rich layer pushes the tots into classic pizza territory. A jarred version works great, but making homemade pizza sauce is quicker than you think!
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese: One of the best melting cheeses, mozzarella provides that essential cheese-pull moment we all secretly crave.
  • Pepperoni: For that classic pizza vibe, pepperoni adds salty, savory and slightly spicy notes. Arrange the slices artfully or scatter them haphazardly—you can’t go wrong.
  • Italian seasoning: A famous blend of oregano, garlic, basil and black pepper, Italian seasoning brightens the flavors and makes the whole tray smell like your favorite pizzeria.
  • Crushed red pepper flakes: These are optional, but they are an excellent way to add a little heat to balance all the melty richness of these pizza Tater Tots.

Taste of Home

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Crockpot Goulash

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

f I could have it my way, I’d spend the day cooking. I often envision a perfect scenario where my morning begins with coffee and breakfast, followed by a leisurely stroll to the grocery store. There, I gather delicious ingredients to bring home to create an incredible meal for my family to enjoy. Yes, this happens occasionally on the weekend, but my weeknights are anything but leisurely. There’s barely time to even think about dinner, let alone romanticize the process.

That’s why I rely on recipes that are delicious and efficient, think one-pan, one-pot, or slow cooker. I’ve got recipes like these tabbed everywhere. One of my family’s new favorites is crockpot coulash. It’s a cozy dish made with pantry and fridge staples like canned tomatoes, ground beef, and elbow macaroni. 

Why You’ll Love It

  • It’s mostly hands-off. Aside from browning some ground beef and softening up some onions in a skillet, there’s not much cooking. Just add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot, set it to low, and let it do its thing.
  • You can customize it. I’ve always considered recipes suggestions. You know your palate (and your family’s palate) best, so have fun and customize! Add your own spices and herbs, finish with a big glug of balsamic vinegar, or add a Parmesan cheese rind to season and flavor the dish as it cooks low and slow.
Bowl of macaroni pasta with ground beef, tomatoes, and shredded cheese on top.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Key Ingredients in Crockpot Goulash

  • Ground beef: Opt for 80% or 85%, which adds fat and also stands up well to the long cook time. 
  • Canned fire-roasted tomatoes: Brings in more flavor than just regular canned diced tomatoes.
  • Garlic: I like the flavor of two minced cloves, but you can add more and even omit altogether based on your preference. I recommend skipping the pre-minced jarred versions; they’re convenient, but their flavor doesn’t compare to freshly minced.
  • Onion: Usually I cook onion first to soften it a bit before adding my ground meat for browning. But for this recipe, I speed things up by cooking them together. 
  • Macaroni: Elbow macaroni is the most used pasta shape for goulash, and I agree it’s a good choice. If you’d like a different shape, go for it, but stick with something small so that it cooks evenly.

The Kitch’n

Posted in #Recipes

24 Instant Pot Soup Recipes

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

When I first started using my Instant Pot, I knew that I would be able to cook tender pulled pork or beef stew in much less time than in the oven or on the stovetop. Those recipes were great, but what really surprised me was how many Instant Pot soup recipes I started to make. My favorite soup recipes, from chicken noodle to hearty chowders, were ready quicker yet had a deeper, slow-cooked taste I couldn’t get enough of.

Like other Instant Pot recipes, pressure-cooker soup recipes are pretty hands-off. Quickly saute aromatic vegetables like onion, carrot and celery; layer in the other ingredients; seal the pot; and set it to cook. The intensity of cooking under pressure draws out flavors from the ingredients, resulting in a well-seasoned soup. This collection celebrates that ease with a wide range of cozy electric cooker soup recipes, from spicy broths to creamy, rich bowls.

Since pressure-cooker soup recipes have the lid on the entire time, there is little evaporation. It’s best to follow a recipe specifically created for a pressure cooker, which will have adjusted liquid ratios accordingly. If you don’t mind experimenting, try these tips for converting slow-cooker recipes to an Instant Pot when you are short on time. Your next bowl of soup will be ready before you know it.

Taste of Home