Top 5 Favorite Real Simple Recipes

Top 5 Favorite Real Simple Recipes

Recipes#03

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

. 2 Tbsp olive oil
. 1 lb ground beef
. 1 lb ground Italian sausage
. 1 onion, minced
. 7 cloves garlic, minced
. 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
. 1 (14.5-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
. 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
. 3 bay leaves
. 1 tsp dried oregano
. 1 tsp dried basil
. Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Step 1
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef, Italian sausage, onion and garlic. Cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef and sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat. Use a potato masher to make the crumbling process easier.

Step 2

Place meat mixture into a slow cooker. Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Recipes#
3/5

Top 5 Favorite Real Simple Recipes

Top 5 Favorite Real Simple Recipes

Recipes#04

Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS:

. 5 to 6 large poblano green chiles (to yield 1 1/2 cups roasted, peeled, and chopped), (can sub canned chopped green chiles, enough to yield 1 to 1 1/2 cups, the amount depends on how hot the chiles are)
. 3 Tbsp butter
. 2 medium onions, diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
. 2 ribs celery, diced (about 3/4 cup)
. 1 clove garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
. 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks (10 - 12 ounces)
. 4 ears of corn (enough to yield 4 cups of corn kernels), or 4 cups of corn
. 5 cups chicken stock
. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
. 2 bay leaves
. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
. 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
. 1 cup heavy cream
. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
. 2 limes, one sliced for garnish, one for juice (can substitute lemon juice)


Method:

Step 1
Roasting-chiles-for-corn-chowder-1 roasting-chiles-for-corn-chowder-2
Roast the chiles. There are lots of ways to do this (see How to Roast Green Chiles over an Open Flame), I tend to just put them either directly on the flame, or in one of those grill pans with holes in them, over the gas flame. You can roast them on a grill or under a broiler. Just make sure they get blackened all over. Then put them in a bowl, cover the bowl and let them steam. When they've cooled down enough to touch, use your fingers or a dampened paper towel to strip off the charred bits. Cut them open, remove and discard the stem, seed pod and inside veins. Roughly chop the chiles and set aside.
poblano-corn-chowder-1a poblano-corn-chowder-2

Step 2
Melt butter in a 5 to 6 quart heavy-bottomed pot on medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and the celery, stir to coat with the butter. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, lowering the heat to medium, until the onions and celery are softened and are beginning to brown.

Step 3
While the onions are cooking, if using fresh corn on the cob, cut the fresh kernels of corn away from the cobs.
poblano-corn-chowder-3 poblano-corn-chowder-4

Step 4
Once the onions and celery are beginning to brown, add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Add the potatoes and the stock to the pot. Add the bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Increase heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked through.
poblano-corn-chowder-5 poblano-corn-chowder-6

Step 5
Add the corn kernels to the pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until cooked through. Add the chopped roasted poblanos to the pot.
poblano-corn-chowder-7 poblano-corn-chowder-8

Step 6

Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the cream. Add black pepper, more or less to taste. At this point, if you want a thicker base for your chowder, you can use an immersion blender or standup blender to purée about a third of the soup.

Recipes#
4/5

Easy Garlic Chicken

A quick, easy chicken recipe for days when you don't want to spend time in the kitchen. Even finicky people will eat it. Goes great with traditional potatoes or rice. As it bakes, the garlic and sugar will melt into a sweet glaze. Customize with your favorite herbs or spices..

Easy Garlic Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

    . 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
    . 4 garlic cloves, minced
    . 4 tablespoons brown sugar
    . 1 tablespoon olive oil
    . additional herbs and spices, as desired

Directions:

    1 Preheat oven to 450°F Line a baking dish or cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil.
   
2. In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.
   
3. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Add additional herbs and spices as desired.
   
4. Season chicken with salt and pepper. .Place breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.
   
5. Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes, or until juices run clear. Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your chicken.

Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges

INGREDIENTS:

. 3-4 large russet potatoes, sliced into wedges
. 4 tablespoons olive oil
. 2 teaspoons salt
. 2 teaspoons garlic powder
. 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
. ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
optional: fresh parsley (or cilantro), ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.

2. Place potato wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. In a small bowl whisk together salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle potato wedges with the shredded cheese, tossing to coat, then sprinkle with the seasoning mixture.

3. Place potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in a single layer with skin-sides-down. Bake for 25-35 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and dressing for dipping.

Slow Cooker Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

INGREDIENTS:

. 1 pound ground beef
. 1 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular, Italian seasoned or plain)
. 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
. 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 2 teaspoons garlic powder)
. 1 teaspoon onion powder
. 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
. 1 teaspoon salt
. ½ teaspoon black pepper
. 3-4 mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese)
marinara or alfredo sauce, for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Chop each cheese stick into half inch pieces (about 6-8 pieces for each cheese stick). Place on a plate and chill in the freezer until ready to use.

2.Add ground beef, bread crumbs, egg and egg yolk, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to a bowl. Mush the ingredients together with your hands until everything comes together.

3. Remove cheese from freezer. Scoop out about 4 tablespoons of meat mixture and roll into a ball. Gently push a piece of chilled mozzarella into the middle of the meatball. Roll the ball in your hands to cover the hole where the mozzarella cheese was pushed in. Place inside a greased slow cooker and repeat with remaining meat and cheese.

4. When all meatballs are in the slow cooker (*see note for alternate cooking method), cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low 3-4 hours until meat it cooked through (no longer pink). The cheese may start melting out of the meatballs, that's okay.

5. If desired, sprinkle with a bit of fresh chopped parsley or dried Italian seasoning for garnish and serve with your favorite marinara or alfredo sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas

INGREDIENTS:

For chimichangas:
. 6 (8-inch) soft flour tortillas
. 8 oz cream cheese ( room temperature)
. 2 Tablespoon sour cream
. 1 Tablespoon sugar
. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
. ¾ cups sliced strawberries
. Vegetable oil-for frying
For coating:
. 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
. ⅓ cup sugar
For serving:
. 1 cup sliced strawberries

Instructions:

1. Beat cream cheese , sour cream, 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla extract .

2. Fold in ¾ cup of sliced fresh strawberries.

3.Divide the mixture evenly between 6 tortillas. Slather the filling in the lower third of each tortilla, fold the two sides of each tortilla toward the center and then roll the tortilla up like a burrito (secure it with a toothpicks!) .

4. Combine ⅓ cup sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set aside.

5. Line a large plate with paper towels.

6. In about 5 inch deep saucepan place about 2 -2½ inch vegetable oil for frying and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 360ºF.

7. Fry the chimichangas until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes and flip them as needed (work in batches)

8. Transfer the chimichangas to the paper towel on a plate to drain for a minute, then roll them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

9. Don’t forget to remove all toothpicks from the chimichangas!!!

HOMEMADE DRUMSTICKS

INGREDIENTS:

. 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips, divided
. 12 sugar cones
. Ice Cream, in desired flavors (about 1/4 cup per cone)
. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
. 1 1/3 cups sprinkles or chopped nuts for topping

Instructions:

1. Gather your supplies. You’ll need small glasses or containers for each cone. Tall 2 ounce shot glasses are perfect for this, depending on the size of your sugar cones.

2. Place your sugar cones in their holders.

3. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high power in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until smooth. Place a small amount of the melted chocolate in the bottom of each cone. I used a drinking straw to push the chocolate down to the bottom of the cone. Freeze the cones for 5 minutes.

4. While the cones are freezing, let your ice cream warm up a bit on the counter.

5. Remove cones from the freezer. Fill each with ice cream, making sure to have a rounded scoop at the top. I found it best to make at most 2 before returning the cones to the freezer. Use your favorite ice cream flavor!

6. Freeze the cones for at least 30 minutes, until the ice cream is re-hardened.

7. Place remaining 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in another microwave safe bowl. Add the vegetable oil. Heat on high in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until smooth. Transfer the chocolate to a short drinking glass for easy dipping.

8. Set out your sprinkles or chopped nuts, near the sink or garbage.

9. Working in batches, remove 2 cones from the freezer. Dip upside down in the chocolate and tap off the excess. Hold upright and sprinkle with sprinkles or nuts, over the garbage can to keep the mess to a minimum. Place the cones back in the freezer.

10. Once the topping is hardened, place the cones in a airtight container. These are best served within a few days so the cone doesn’t get soggy.

Irish Eggs Benedict With Corned Beef And Cabbage Hash

INGREDIENTS:

For the Corned Beef Brisket
. 1 whole yellow onion, quartered
. 3 pound corned beef brisket
. 8 ounces Guinness
Water

For the Irish Soda Bread
. I used this recipe from Eat Live Run. (The only alteration I made was eliminating the oats.)

For the Hollandaise Sauce
. I used this recipe from Tyler Florence. (I've used this multiple times and it always comes out perfect! Tip: An electric whisk will make this SO easy and fast!)

For the Corned Beef and Cabbage Hash
. 2 Tablespoons Butter
. 1/2 head cabbage
. 1 pound potatoes, boiled until cooked
. salt and pepper

For the Assembly
. 2 Tomatoes, sliced
. 4-6 cups fresh spinach, wilted
. 6 eggs,poached (Here is a great and easy how-to!)

Directions:

1. The night before your breakfast/brunch. In a 5 quart crock pot, throw in the quartered onion.

2. Place in the beef brisket, fatty side up.

3. Pour the beer over the brisket, and pour water over it until it is almost covered.

4. Put the lid on and cook on low overnight for 10 hours.

5. In the morning, pull it out and set it on a cutting board. Allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Reserve the onions and cooking liquid.

6. In the meantime, make your Irish Soda Bread, bake it, and set it aside.

7. Make your hollandaise sauce, and keep warm resting over a double boiler on low until ready to use. (If it thickens up to much by the time you're ready to use it, just add a few drops of water until its back to its correct consistency!)

8. To assemble, toast a slice of the Irish soda bread, and cut it in half.

9. Place a slice of tomato on each half, followed by a spoonful of wilted spinach.

10. Add on a slice or two of the beef brisket. Place a poached egg on top.

11. Spoon on some hollandaise sauce.

To make the Corned Beef and Cabbage Hash

12. Roughly smash up the boiled potatoes.

13. Add in 2 cups of chopped up corned beef, and some salt and pepper

14. Heat a large skillet up to medium-high heat, and ,e,t the 2 Tablespoons of butter.

15. Add the reserved onions from the crock pot and using a spatula push the potato mix down flat.

16. Cook until brown and flip cooking the other side until brown. Roughly toss.

17. In a separate skillet with a fitted lid, toss the cabbage with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid from the corned beef.

18. Cover and cook until softened.

19. Once done, drain all except 1 tablespoon of the liquid.

20. Add the cabbage and remaining liquid to the corned beef hash. Toss to mix thoroughly.

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

. 4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced
. 1 pound Penne Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
. 1/2 stick Butter
. 3 whole Lemons, Juiced
. 3/4 cups Heavy Cream
. 1/4 cup Half-and-half
. 1-1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
. Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
. 20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped

Preparation Instructions:

1. Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

2. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

3. Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

INGREDIENTS:

. 3 garlic cloves, crushed
. 2 tbsp olive oil
. 3 tbsp cider vinegar
. 1 tbsp paprika
. 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
. 2 tsp celery salt
. 4 tbsp pepper sauce (we used Frank's hot sauce)
. 3 tbsp honey
. 1½ kg chicken wings, halved at the joint

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, cider vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, hot sauce, honey and a couple of cracks of black pepper. Add the chicken wings and toss around to make sure they’re fully covered in the marinade. If you have time, leave the wings to marinate for a couple of hrs in the fridge or ideally overnight.

2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Drain and reserve the marinade, then spread the wings out on a very large baking tray. Bake for 30 mins, then pour off the excess oil, add the reserved marinade and toss well. Increase oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Return to the oven and cook for a further 30 mins, tossing a few times to coat in the glaze as they cook. They should be sticky and glazed with most of the marinade evaporated. Serve on a large platter alongside other party snacks.

Cobb salad with buttermilk ranch dressing

INGREDIENTS:

. 2 Baby Gem lettuces, leaves separated
. 1 avocado, stoned and sliced
. 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
. 3 rashers cooked crispy bacon
. 140g/5oz cooked turkey breast or chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
. 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped into chunks
. 75ml buttermilk
. 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
. 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
. 1 tbsp chopped dill

Method:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together with some salt. Arrange the salad ingredients separately on 2 plates or a platter, and serve with the dressing on the side.

Sopa Seca de Fideo with Tomatillos

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound tomatillos (about 6 medium sized), husks removed
1 to 2 serrano chiles
1/4 medium onion
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
4 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo, casing removed, crumbled
8 ounces capellini, or angel hair pasta, broken into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 avocado, seeded, peeled, diced
Crema fresca or sour cream

Method:
sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-1 sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-2

1: Place the tomatillos, serrano chiles, an quarter onion on a baking sheet lightly greased with vegetable oil. Broil for about 15 minutes until somewhat charred and blistered. Remove the stems from the serranos.
sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-3 sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-4

2: Working in batches if necessary, purée the chiles, tomatillos, onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 Tbsp of the chopped cilantro in a blender, making sure not to fill the blender more than halfway. Once blended you should have about a cup of sauce.
sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-5 sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-6

3: Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through and crispy. Use a wooden spoon to crumble up the chorizo as it cooks.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the chorizo to a paper-towel lined plate, keeping the fat and oil in the pan.
sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-7 sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-8

4: Place the broken up dry pasta into the pan and increase the heat to medium high. Lightly brown the dry noodles in the chorizo oil. Remove the pasta from the pan and set aside.
sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-9 sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-10

5: Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of oil to the pan and heat on medium high heat. Add the tomatillo sauce and the salt. The sauce should bubble up from the heat of the pan. Cook for about a minute, allowing the sauce to reduce by about a quarter cup. Dragging your spoon through the sauce should leave a trail for a second or two.
sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-11 sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-12
sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-13 sopa-seca-de-fideo-tomatillos-14

6: Add the pasta back to the pan with the tomatillo sauce and cook it until it has absorbed the liquid. Then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is soft and the stock absorbed. The pasta will be past "al dente" but shouldn't be cooked to a mush.