I used to live in Little Italy. In early September, the back alleys would turn red with tomato seeds and skins running down the sewers. It didn’t take me long to befriend the nonnas in their garage kitchens and learn the ropes myself. This week-end, we canned two bushels of tomatoes, and ended up with about 60 jars of sauce. If you’re curious about home canning, tomatoes are an easy starting place, delicious, and oh so satisfying. Here’s how:
September 27, 2012 | Posted in:
Tortilla chicken soup
by Sarah S.’s book, Milwaukee, WI
Ingredients
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large cans of fat-free chicken broth
2 jalepeno peppers, chopped or mashed
4 tsp. chili power
2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes (canned OK)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (or add to taste)
1 T. ground cumin
Salt to taste
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup Mexican cheese — (grated)
Preparation instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Heat a soup pot or Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add cubed chicken and saute 5 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove chicken from pot.
Add onion to pan, cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; saute 15 – 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, jalepena peppers, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in tomato and next 3 ingredients; add chicken. Cover and simmer another 20 minutes.
While soup simmers, cut tortillas into 1/4 X 2-inch strips. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer, and coat lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle servings evenly with grated cheese, cilantro and tortilla strips.
Submitted by: Sarah S
October 10, 2011 | Posted in:
Swiss steak
from Jennifer L.’s book, North Branch , MN
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs beef round steak, cut 3/4 in thick
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp shortening
1 (16 oz) can tomatoes, cut up
Preparation instructions
Cut meat into 6 serving size pieces. Combine flour and salt; pound 2 tbsp of the flour mixture into meat. In a 10 inch skillet brown meat on both sides in hot shortening. Drain off excess fat. Add undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, carrot, and Worcestershire. Cover ad cook over low heat about 1 1/4 hr or until meat is tender. Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim off excess fat from tomato mixture. Combine 1/4 c. cold water and the remaining flour mixture; stir in tomato mixture. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 to 2 more min. Pass with meat. Serve meat and sauce with hot cooked rice or noodles.
Oven Swiss Steak:
Prepare Swiss Steak as above, except after browning meat in hot shortening, transfer meat to a 12×7 baking dish. Stir remaining flour mixture into pan drippings in skillet. Stir in undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, carrot, and Worcestershire. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1-2 min more. Pour over meat in baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 350° oven for 1 hr 20 min or until meat is tender. Serve with hot cooked rice or noodle.
Crockery cooker Directions:
Prepare swiss steak as above, except cut meat to fit into electric slow cooker. After browning meat in hot shortening, transfer meat to crockery cooker. Stir remaining flour mixture into pan drippings in skillet. Stir in undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, carrot, and Worcestershire. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly; pour over meat in crockery cooker. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8-10 hours. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with hot cooked rice or noodles.
Submitted by: Jennifer L
| Posted in:
Stuffed green peppers
from Jennifer L.’s book, North Branch , MN
Ingredients
6 large green peppers
1 lb ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 (16 oz) can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 c. long grain rice
Preparation instructions
Cut tops from green peppers; discard seeds and membranes. Chop enough of the tops to make 1/4 cup; set aside. Cook the whole green peppers, uncovered, in boiling water for 5 minutes; invert to drain well. Sprinkle insides of peppers lightly with salt. In a skillet cook ground beef, onion, and the 1/4 c. chopped green pepper till beat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off excess fat. Add undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, water, salt , worcestershire, and dash of pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 to 18 min. or until rice is tender. Stir in cheese. Stuff peppers with meat mixture. Place in a 10x6x2 inch baking dish. Bake, covered, in a 350° oven for 30-35 min.
Submitted by: Jennifer L
| Posted in:
Porcupine meatballs
from Jennifer L.’s book, North Branch , MN
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 c. chopped onion
2/3 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (10-12 oz) tomato soup
3/4 c. water
Preparation instructions
In a bowl, combine ground beef, rice, onion, milk, salt, and pepper and mix well.
Make meatballs, using a tbsp of mixture for each one. Put in a 9×13 inch baking pan. In a small bowl, combine soup with water. Pour sauce over meatballs and cover baking pan tightly with anuminum foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
Submitted by: Jennifer L
September 27, 2011 | Posted in:
Meatball subs
by Mandy D.’s book, Colton, SD
Ingredients
1 lb Ground beef
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1Tbsp. worchester sauce
1 tsp. oregano
salt
pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped spinach (optional)
2Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 diced tomato
2 tsp. oregano
Mozzerella cheese
Hoagie Rolls or French Bread Loaf
Preparation instructions
Mix the ground beef with the garlic, worchester sauce, and oregano. Add dashes of salt and pepper. Add the spinach. Divide mixture into 1-2 inch pieces and roll into balls. Place large skillet on the stove and add olive oil, turn to medium heat and add meatballs. Cook until no longer pink. Add tomato sauce, tomato, salt, pepper and oregano. Heat through.
Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. On a cookie sheet cut the hogie rolls or french bread and dig a small trench in the bread. Put meatballs into the trench of the bread and add sauce. Place strips of mozzerella cheese over the meatballs and sauce and put in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Add fries and a salad on the side.
Submitted by: Mandy D
| Posted in:
Hamburger soup
by Mandy D.’s book, Colton, SD
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
2 cups water
2 beef boullion cubes
3 tsp. worchestire sauce
1 can tomato sauce
4 large potatoes diced
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 chopped onion
1/2 a zuchinni diced (optional)
1 tomato (optional)
salt
pepper
Preparation instructions
Brown the hamburger in a large pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cayenne pepper for a spicier version.
Submitted by: Mandy D
September 30, 2010 | Posted in:
Quick chicken chili
from Mandy D.’s book, Colton, SD
Ingredients
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced
1 (14.5oz.)can diced tomatoes with garlic & onion
1(1.25 oz) can chili seasoning mix
1 (15.25 oz.) can whole kernel sweet corn
1(15oz.) can kidney beans, drained
Preparation instructions
Combine chicken, undrained tomatoes and seasoning mix in medium saucepan. Cook over meduim heat 5 minutes, or until chicken is done. Add undrained corn and beans (drained). Simmer 15 minutes, or until heat through.
Submitted by: Susan W
| Posted in:
Prairie village barque
from Mandy D.’s book, Colton, SD
Ingredients
10lb ground beef
3T white sugar
1lb onion, chopped
3T brown sugar
1(51oz) can tomato soup
1T accent salt
1T lawry’s seasoned salt
4T prpared mustard
1T pepper
4T salt
1 1/2 c oatmeal
Preparation instructions
Brown ground beef and add sugar while browning. Drain if necessary. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until all is heated through.
Submitted by: Susan W