Ready in Under an Hour

For years, late afternoon and early evening have been the most stressful time of day for me.  Apparently, I'm not alone.  I read a factoid in a newspaper that stated the hours between 4:00 and 8:00PM are the most stressful time of day for women.  Whether you're a working mom with a commute, or a stay at home mom chauffeuring kids to extracurricular activities, someone's got to put supper on the table and chances are that person is you.  You don't have to rely on frozen food or take out when you need to get supper on the table fast.  Chicken Parmesan is an easy dish to prepare even on the busiest of days.  It's kid friendly, delicious and ready in under an hour!

The recipe I'm sharing differs from other Chicken Parmesan recipes in two ways.  One, the chicken isn't cooked on the stove top.  Not only does this make it healthier, you don't have to keep an eye on the stove while you're working on the rest of the meal.  Two, the chicken isn't put in a baking dish, covered with spaghetti sauce and baked.  Instead, the chicken is coated with a mixture of bread crumbs and spices before it's baked.  This step takes just a few minutes and adds taste and texture to the finished dish.

When you're ready to start supper, put a pot of water on to boil for the spaghetti.  While the water's heating, cut the chicken breasts in half crosswise.

Pound each piece of chicken until it's approximately 1/4-inch thick.  If the pounded piece of chicken is larger than you want, cut it in half again. 

Pounding the chicken is an important component of this recipe.  First, pounding breaks down the fibers which in turn tenderizes the chicken. Second, chicken pieces that are a uniform thickness will cook in the same amount of time.  Third, by decreasing the thickness, you also decrease the cooking time.  Finally, when cooked, you'll be able to cut the chicken with a fork!

Beat two eggs in a bowl and set aside.  In another bowl, combine dry Italian bread crumbs with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

Coating food with both wet and dry ingredients can be messy, but there is an easy way to do it.  Use one hand for the wet ingredients -- the eggs -- and the other for the dry ingredients -- the bread crumb mixture.

Dip one piece of chicken into the eggs, making sure to coat both sides.

Remove the chicken from the eggs and place in the bread crumb mixture, thoroughly coating both sides.

Place the chicken on a greased cookie sheet 

and bake 10 minutes.

Using a pair of tongs, turn the chicken pieces over and bake another 12 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, cook and drain the spaghetti.  Toss the spaghetti with half the spaghetti sauce.

Place the spaghetti in a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.  Put the chicken on top of the spaghetti.

Cover with the remaining spaghetti sauce and sprinkle shredded Mozzarella cheese on top.

Put the pan in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese, about 5 minutes.

The recipe serves six to eight, but can easily be doubled or halved.  If you're halving the recipe, the remaining spaghetti sauce can be refrigerated and reheated to serve with the leftovers.  Add a salad and some garlic bread and you've got an entire meal ready in under an hour!

Chicken Parmesan

6 to 8 Servings

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup dry Italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded 1/4-inch thick

1 (25 3/4 oz.) can spaghetti sauce, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

hot cooked spaghetti

Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside.  In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.  Dip each chicken breast in the eggs and then coat thoroughly on both sides with the bread crumb mixture.  Place chicken on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.  Turn chicken over; bake 12 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Toss spaghetti with half the spaghetti sauce; place in a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.  Place chicken on top of spaghetti. Cover with remaining spaghetti sauce.  Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over top.  Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

© Margaret's Morsels

Not Your Usual Steak

If potatoes are the workhorse of the produce department, ground beef is its equivalent in the meat department.  Ground beef can be used for sandwiches, meat loaf, chili, soup, spaghetti sauce, casseroles, pizza, meatballs and even as a filler in bean dishes to name a few.  One of my favorite things to make with ground beef is Salisbury steak.

Salisbury steak -- named for its creator, Dr. J.H. Salisbury -- isn't a steak in the normal sense of the word, but a mixture of ground beef, onion and seasonings that's shaped into patties and either fried or broiled.  It's typically served with gravy.

For many years, I used a recipe that called for the meat to be grilled and the gravy to be made separately on the stove top.  It was good, but I had to time things carefully in order for the meat and gravy to be done at the same time.  Several years ago, a coworker gave me a recipe for Salisbury steak that calls for the meat and gravy to be cooked together in the oven.  

The original recipe called for 1/3 cup bread crumbs.  This left the cooked meat patty with an extremely soft texture which made me think it wasn't cooked through, even though it was.  I increased the bread crumbs to 2/3 cup and, although the texture was firmer, it wasn't as good as I'd hoped.  I finally added a full cup of bread crumbs and the texture was perfect.  If you prefer a meat patty that's not as firm, reduce the bread crumbs, but don't use less than 1/3 cup.  The bread crumbs help bind the ingredients together.

Combine 1/4 cup cream of mushroom soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl, mixing with your hands only until combined.  Don't overmix or the finished product will be tough.

Shape the mixture into four patties.  I make them round, but if you want them to resemble a steak, elongate the patties into an oval shape.  Place the patties in a greased baking dish.

Combine the remaining soup with Worcestershire sauce, water and mushrooms.  Spread the mixture evenly over the patties.

Put the pan in the oven and bake for one hour.

I like to serve Salisbury steak with macaroni and cheese which is baked at the same temperature as the meat.

Salisbury steak will never be mistaken for T-bone, New York Strip or Porterhouse, but it's an inexpensive and easy way to elevate ground beef from ho hum to wow!  Not only that, cleanup is minimal with this tasty one dish recipe.

Salisbury Steak

4 Servings

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup, divided (undiluted)

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. water

1 (8 oz.) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

Combine 1/4 cup soup, ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl; don't overmix.  Shape into 4 patties and place in a greased 9-inch baking pan.  Combine the remaining soup with Worcestershire sauce, water and mushrooms; spread the mixture evenly over the patties.  Bake uncovered at 350° for 60 minutes.

© Margaret's Morsels

Chocolate for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is synonymous with chocolate, but that doesn't have to mean candy.  As Forrest Gump eloquently said in the movie, "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get."  Unlike a box of candy, there won't be any unwanted pieces when it comes to chocolate pie, especially one with a delectable chocolate filling on top of a chocolate crumb crust.  If you think you don't have the skills to make a pie, think again!  Chocolate Dream Pie doesn't require any cooking, only uses four ingredients and half of them are chocolate!

The pie starts by combining Dream Whip and milk.  Dream Whip, a powdered whipped topping mix, is a tastier alternative to Cool Whip and much faster to prepare than whipped cream.  In several recipes I've posted, I suggested, for better results, not using low-fat or nonfat ingredients. When using Dream Whip, it's actually better to use the lower fat alternatives.  I found this out the hard way.

The first time I ever made this pie, I assumed it would be firmer if I used whole milk.  While I was mixing the ingredients, I glanced at the Dream Whip box and read the following sentence:  "For best results, use 2% reduced fat milk, 1% low-fat or fat-free milk."  This works out good since we drink 1% milk.

Combine the Dream Whip and milk with an electric mixer on low speed just until blended.  Increase the speed to high and beat four minutes until the mixture thickens and forms peaks on the beaters.

Add some more milk and a box of instant chocolate pudding and pie filling. Be sure to use regular chocolate pudding and not sugar-free.  Sugar-free pudding doesn't have the same consistency and won't set up like regular pudding.  You have two choices when it comes to beating the pudding into the Dream Whip mixture.

The original recipe called for beating the pudding two minutes.  This makes a pie that's light and fluffy, but not as aesthetically pleasing as one that's beaten until the pudding is smooth, about seven minutes.  The pies are delicious either way so the decision comes down to personal preference.

The pie on the left was mixed for seven minutes.

The one on the right, two minutes.

Spread the filling in a chocolate crumb crust and refrigerate at least four hours.

I like the pie plain, but my husband likes it garnished with whipped cream. If you want to garnish the garnish, sprinkle mini chocolate chips, chocolate curls or cocoa powder over the whipped cream.

If you want to add a pop of color, add a maraschino cherry with a stem on top.

A festive touch for Valentine's Day is to garnish the whipped cream with some candy conversation hearts 

or other Valentine candy.

I'm late posting this recipe so you might not have time to make the pie today.  Next year, think outside the heart shaped box and surprise your Valentine with a Chocolate Dream Pie instead.  It won't get thrown away like some pieces of candy!  

Chocolate Dream Pie

6 to 8 Servings

1 envelope Dream Whip whipped topping mix

1 1/2 cups milk, divided

1 (4 serving size) pkg. chocolate instant pudding and pie filling (not sugar-free)

1 (6 oz.) chocolate pie crust

Mix Dream Whip and 1 cup milk in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until blended.  Beat on high speed 4 minutes until topping thickens and forms peaks.  Add remaining milk and pudding mix; blend. Beat at high speed 2 minutes for a light and fluffy filling or 7 minutes for a smooth filling.  Spoon into pie crust.  Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

© Margaret's Morsels

Fabulous Fudge

Valentine's Day is less than a week away.  If you want to do something different this year, leave the box of chocolates at the store and make your Valentine some homemade candy instead.  Making candy doesn't have to be hard.  It doesn't have to be chocolate either!

My mother made the best peanut butter fudge.  Her recipe called for cooking part of the ingredients until they reached the soft-ball stage.  The remaining ingredients were stirred in and the mixture was spread in a square 9-inch pan.  The result was perfect fudge every time.  She made it look so easy!  I've never had success with her recipe, even though I've used a candy thermometer and a digital thermometer to know when the mixture was at the soft-ball stage.  Fortunately, I found a recipe that rivals my mother's fudge, but is much easier to make.

Before you begin, measure all the ingredients and line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with foil.  A quick and easy way to line the pan is to turn it upside down and shape the foil around the pan.

Remove the foil, turn the pan right side up and put the foil in the pan.

The fudge gets its smooth texture from cream cheese.  My family is used to eating Neufchatel 1/3 less fat cream cheese so that's what I use.  The fudge will be firmer, though, if you use regular cream cheese.  You can use whichever one you prefer, but don't use fat-free cream cheese.  The fat in the cream cheese helps make the fudge firm.

Put cream cheese, peanut butter and peanut butter chips in a microwave-safe bowl. 

Microwave on High 45 seconds.  Remove from the microwave and stir. Continue to microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until the ingredients are melted.

The original recipe didn't call for any flavoring, but I think the fudge tastes better with the addition of pure vanilla extract.  Pure vanilla extract is expensive, but it's so much better than imitation vanilla.  Imitation vanilla is made from artificial flavorings and leaves a bitter aftertaste.  If you don't have the real thing, leave the vanilla out; the fudge will still be good.

Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, using your hands to knead it into the peanut butter mixture.  Once all the powdered sugar has been incorporated, press the mixture evenly into the foil-lined pan.

You may think the pan is too big, but it's not.  The fudge is rich so you want the pieces to be thin rather than thick.  Let set at room temperature until firm, about 2 hours.  Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, use the foil to lift the fudge out of the pan.

Peel the foil off and put the fudge on a cutting board.  To make the pieces look nicer, I trim the edges off before cutting the fudge into 1 1/4-inch pieces.

If it's just not Valentine's Day without chocolate, check back next week for the chocolate dessert I'm making for my family.

Peanut Butter Fudge

70 (1 1/4-inch) Pieces

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (regular or Neufchatel)

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup peanut butter chips

1 Tbsp. vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with foil so that foil extends over the sides of the pan.  Put the cream cheese, peanut butter and peanut butter chips in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on High for 45 seconds.  Remove from the microwave and stir.  Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until the mixture is melted.  Stir in the vanilla; blend well.  Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, using your hands to knead it into the peanut butter mixture.  After the powdered sugar has been incorporated, press the mixture evenly into the foil-lined pan.  Let stand at room temperature until set, about 2 hours.  Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate.  The next day, use the foil to lift the fudge out of the pan. Remove the foil, place the fudge on a cutting board and cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

© Margaret's Morsels

Macaroni and Cheese with a Twist

Last year, on a trip out of town, my husband, son and I stopped to eat dinner at a family owned restaurant.  Being a creature of habit, I ordered a vegetable plate.  I don't remember what two of the vegetables were, but I vividly remember the third one:  macaroni and cheese.  It definitely had a twist to it and it wasn't the pasta!  Two differences were clearly visible. One, the sauce was made with white -- not yellow -- cheese.  Two, the ingredients weren't baked in the oven.

My son also had macaroni and cheese and agreed it was delicious.  We started talking about how to duplicate the dish at home when Bill, the cook and owner of the restaurant, came to our table to see if we needed anything.  When I complimented him on the macaroni and cheese, he confirmed that my two observations about the dish were correct. 

He used queso blanco -- a creamy, soft, unaged white cheese -- instead of Cheddar.  Rather than baking the ingredients, he stirred the cheese sauce into the cooked macaroni.  He proceeded to give me the recipe which made an enormous amount of macaroni and cheese.  It took some experimenting, but I was able to reduce the ingredients and make the dish using an eight ounce package of macaroni.

The sauce starts with a roux -- a mixture of equal parts fat and flour -- that is cooked until the mixture makes a smooth paste.

Milk is gradually added to the roux.  Through trial and error, I discovered that 1 1/4 cups milk makes a sauce that's the perfect consistency, not only when it's served, but when leftovers are reheated in the microwave.  The mixture is cooked until it's thickened, but not too thick.  The cheese will also act as a thickener.

Before the cheese is added

The pan is removed from the heat and the queso blanco is stirred into the mixture.

 After the cheese is added

The sauce is poured over the macaroni and then stirred.

Queso macaroni is a nice alternative to baked macaroni and cheese. The cheese may be different, but the finished product goes well with any entree that you'd normally serve with macaroni and cheese.  My son thinks it's especially good with corn dog casserole.  As far as he's concerned, those two foods are a match made in culinary heaven.

Queso Macaroni

8 Servings

1 (8 oz.) pkg. elbow macaroni

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

1 1/4 cups milk

2 cups shredded queso blanco cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.  In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.  Add flour, salt and pepper, stirring to make a smooth paste.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until heated and thickened.  Remove pan from heat; stir in the cheese until smooth.  Pour sauce over macaroni; stir to combine.

© Margaret's Morsels

Beating the Holiday Hustle

Life gets busier in December.  In addition to everyday activities -- working, taking care of families, driving carpools, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, paying bills, attending sporting events, meetings, school functions and church activities -- tis also the season for cookie swaps,

decorating,

sending Christmas cards,

wrapping packages, 

giving gifts from the kitchen.

When busy days get even busier, you don't have to eat out or rely on frozen food or take out for a fast meal.  The recipe I'm sharing today is ready in less than an hour.

A few years ago, a friend gave me a recipe for goulash.  When I heard the name, I immediately thought of the traditional Hungarian dish which is a kind of soup or stew.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this goulash, unlike its namesake, is actually a casserole.  Although the preparation is different, both recipes share some similarities.

• Meat:  Both versions use beef, but the casserole uses ground beef instead of stew meat. 

• Vegetables:  The soup or stew usually has potatoes, onions and tomatoes, although some versions use a larger variety of vegetables.  The casserole uses onion, canned pork and beans and, in place of tomatoes, a can of tomato soup.  Make sure you use pork and beans and not baked beans which are flavored with additional spices.

• Pasta:  Some versions call for traditional goulash to be cooked with pasta while other versions serve the dish over cooked pasta.  The casserole uses macaroni which is combined with the other ingredients before baking.

• Spices:  The soup or stew is seasoned with paprika -- a bright orange-red spice made from ground up sweet peppers -- which can range from mild to hot.  The casserole gets some heat from a couple of tablespoons of chili powder.

Although there are similarities between the dishes, there's also one noticeable difference:  cheese.  The top of the casserole is covered with shredded Cheddar cheese before it's baked.

The casserole is baked in the oven for 30 minutes.  I add a salad and garlic bread for an easy meal on a busy day.  Not only is this quick to prepare during the holiday hustle, it's also a warming meal on a cold winter night.

Goulash

6 to 8 Servings

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. chili powder, divided

1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 (15.75 oz.) can pork and beans

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can tomato soup (undiluted)

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown the ground beef, onion and 1 tablespoon chili powder; drain. Combine the ground beef mixture with the macaroni, pork and beans, soup and remaining 1 tablespoon chili powder.  Put in a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch pan.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

© Margaret's Morsels