Meat and Potato Cupcakes

Yes, it has been a while since my last post.  Amazing how much that pesky job gets in the way.  ;-)  So as I was catching up on my DVR recordings, I ran across this and had to give it a try.  Those who have kids this is a must.  It is so healthy and a great way to get them excited about dinner.  Who can resist a cupcake?!  My tip is to be generous on the salting of the meat since turkey is very bland and does not have much flavor.  I used about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.  Use a little less if it is table salt.  For grownups not wanting to bother with the cupcake look, just serve the potatoes on the side.

Meat and Potato Cupcakes

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Salt
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus some for brushing
1 Gala apple, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, about a palmful
Pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons honey
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
Poppy seeds, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425˚F.

Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Salt water and cook potatoes to tender.

Brush the inside of a 12-cup muffin tin with EVOO.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO. Add apples, celery and onion, and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine turkey with breadcrumbs, egg, poultry seasoning, softened apples, celery and onion mixture, salt and pepper. Separate mixture into 12 equal portions and shape into muffin cups. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Drain cooked sweet potatoes and put into a food processor. Add buttermilk, honey, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and purée.

When cool enough to handle, remove muffins from cups and “frost” mini meatloaves with sweet potato purée. Roll the sides in herbs and top with poppy seeds.

Thank you Rachael Ray!

Beef Stroganoff

This was a very rewarding dinner considering I normally get an "it's OK" response.  I am usually jumping for joy and think its phenomenal but to them, it's just OK.  Well, not tonight.  Abby had already had her dinner by the time I got home.  I threw this together at the last minute and they were literally fighting over the bowl of food (see below).  I think I out did myself on this one.

 

Beef Stroganoff

1 pound beef tenderloin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons beef broth
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup sour cream
1 lb egg noodles, cooked

Slice beef into 2-inch-long strips, each about 1 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown meat and remove from skillet, and set aside.

In same skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add mushrooms; cover. Cook until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add broth; simmer.  Mix together corn starch and 3 tablespoons beef broth until smooth then add to skillet and cook 6 to 8 minutes until thickened.

Stir mustard into mushroom mixture in skillet. Return beef to skillet; cook over medium-low heat until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve immediately over egg noodles.

Chicken Enchiladas

So I was in a hurry to get this on the table and didn't style the food very well, but let me tell you it tastes AWESOME!!!!  If you love Mexican food, you will love this recipe.

 

Chicken Enchiladas

Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 to 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotles in adobo
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
Garnish with sour cream and black olives

In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil. Add chicken. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes; remove skillet from heat. Let chicken steam, covered, until opaque throughout, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer chicken to a medium bowl; shred with two forks. Set aside.

While chicken is cooking, make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour, cumin, and chipotles in adobo; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1 cup sauce to bowl with chicken; toss to combine.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in a double layer of damp paper towels; microwave until hot, about 1 minute. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture; roll up tightly, and arrange, seam side down, in baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce, and top with cheese. Bake until hot and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Thank you Martha Stewart