Creamy Tortellini with Ham and Parmesan

1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
20 oz Buitoni mixed cheese tortellini, cooked according to pkg directions
1 cup chopped cooked ham or cooked Italian sausage 
2-3 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown off ham a bit, adding in garlic and tossing as it cooks with the ham, approx 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cups cream to same skillet and simmer till slightly thickened, then add tortellini to pan, as well. Add more cream if needed, to make a nice creamy consistency. Continue to gently simmer until mixture is hot throughout and cream has thickened nicely. Toss in peas; garnish with shredded Parmesan to serve. 

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Shepherd's Pie

As seen as on Chef Alli's Farm Fresh Kitchen, Thursday, January 2, 2014, WIBW 13 News This Morning News Segment, Sponsored by Kansas Farm Bureau

1 recipe beef stew (recipe below)

1 batch mashed potatoes (recipe below)

Your favorite 12 inch cast iron skillet

Melted butter, for crisping potatoes

Freshly minced parsley, for garnish

Beef Stew

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. butter

2 lbs. beef stew meat

1 medium onion, diced

½ tsp. paprika

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbs. tomato paste

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

12-16 oz. bottle beer

4 -6 cups beef broth

2 tsp. sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 new potatoes, cubed

4 carrots, sliced

2 Tbs. flour

In large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium high heat ; when oil is shimmering, add beef and brown on all sides.  (Take care not to crowd beef in pan so that it sears nicely.)  Remove beef from pan and keep warm. 

Add onions and paprika to pot, reducing heat to medium; cook onions until softened, then add garlic and cook an additional minute.  Stir in tomato paste and Worcestershire and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste is nicely browned, adding beer as needed to keep mixture from sticking to the bottom of pan.  Pour in remaining beer, 4 cups broth, and sugar; season to taste with salt and pepper.  Return meat to pot and cover; simmer over low heat for approx. 2 hours, or until meat is tender, adding more broth as needed if liquid level gets too low. 

Add potatoes and carrots to the pot and continue simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until vegetables and meat are fork-tender.  To thicken stew, remove 1 cup cooking liquid and add four; whisk until smooth.  Pour flour mixture into the pot and simmer for additional 10 minutes, until stew thickens nicely.  Dish up and serve with warm, crusty bread.

Mashed Potatoes

6-8 large russet potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked until very tender, drained

2 eggs, beaten

1-2 tsp. freshly grated horseradish

Milk, as needed

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Mash hot potatoes; add eggs and horseradish, and milk, a small amount at a time, until potatoes reach desired consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

To create Shepherd’s Pie, place prepared beef stew into your favorite cast iron skillet or deep casserole dish, leaving about and inch of head space.  Top warm beef stew with prepared mashed potatoes, then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parsley.  Bake, uncovered, in 350 degree oven for approx. 25-30 minutes, or until hot throughout and top of pie is golden and crusty.  Serve at once! 

**Learn more about using cast iron cookware and how to season it here.  

Now You’re Cookin’,

Chef Alli

Black-Eyed Pea Skillet with Kielbasa and Spinach

½ lb. fully cooked kielbasa, cut into ½ inch thick pieces

1 onion, diced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs. tomato paste

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

1 Tbs. dark brown sugar

2 tsp. spicy brown mustard

1 bay leaf

2  - 15 oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 ½ cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Steamed brown rice, for serving

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat; spray with nonstick spray, then brown off kielbasa pieces on both sides, approx. 3-4 minutes per side.  Remove from skillet and reserve to keep warm.  Add onion to skillet and season with salt and pepper, cooking until onion is softened and translucent about 5-6 minutes; add garlic and thyme and cook for 30 minutes, just until garlic is fragrant.  Stir in tomato paste and cook until tomato paste begins to brown, 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add 1 cup water, vinegar, sugar, mustard, bay leaf, and black-eyed peas.  Return kielbasa to pan; reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, approx. 10-12 minutes.  Stir in spinach and cook just until wilted.  Remove and discard bay leaf.  Serve over bowls of warm brown rice.  

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Asian Beef Bowls

This has quickly become one of my favorite go-to weeknight meals - fast, flavorful and fun - an updated ground beef classic!

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned nicely and fats drained

1/4 cup plum sauce

1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 scallions, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

1-2 Tbs. nicely chopped cilantro

1 lb. coleslaw mix

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2-3 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil

chopped peanuts, for garnish

Add plum sauce and red pepper flakes to warm beef in skillet; stir to combine.  Toss in scallions, carrots and cilantro and cook until all ingredients are just heated through.  Meanwhile, whisk together rice vinegar and oil to create dressing; pour over coleslaw mix and toss to combine well.  To serve, place dressed coleslaw in bowls and top with warm beet mixture. Garnish with peanuts, if desired, for added crunch.  Enjoy at once.

Serves 1 hungry Chef Alli (and I ALWAYS am!) or 2-3 average appetites.  

Now You're Cookin', 

Chef Alli

Creole Shrimp Pasta - As Seen on WIBW 13 News at 4, Feb. 13, 2013

This is a Hy-Vee recipe that is easy to create, luscious, and requires only 2 pans!

Serves 6

1 (16 oz) box Hy-Vee fettuccine

1 lb peeled, deveined raw Gulf shrimp

2 tsp Tony Chachere’s™ Creole seasoning

1 tbsp Hy-Vee unsalted butter

1 (15 oz) jar Bertolli™ Alfredo sauce

1 tsp chopped parsley

    1.  Cook fettuccini according to package directions.

2.  Meanwhile, toss shrimp gently with Creole seasoning to coat. 

3.  Melt butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.   Add shrimp; sauté 2 minutes or until slightly opaque.

4.  Stir in Alfredo sauce and simmer over medium-low heat while fettuccine cooks.

5.  Drain fettuccine to skillet and gently toss with Creole shrimp sauce. 

6.  Let stand 2 minutes; top with parsley and serve with warm, crusty bread.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 480 calories, 16 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 140 mg cholesterol, 920 mg sodium, 61 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 22 g protein.

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Firecracker Shrimp

This is the recipe that I was serving from the sales floor when cooking at Hy-Vee Topeka last week. Please note that I have tweaked the recipe just a bit since then by adjusting the spice amounts called for below.

Spices: 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1/2 Tbs. dried oregano, 1/2 Tbs. paprika, 1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1 Tbs. evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 sweet red bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth

½ cup bottled Caesar salad dressing (I love to use Cardini’s)

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce (woozy)

½ -1 tsp. chipotle sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 lbs. large raw shrimp

French bread, sliced thick, toasted

Bloom spices in a large, dry non-stick skillet over medium heat for a few seconds, just until fragrant.  Add evoo to spices in pan, then stir in onion and pepper; cook for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened and translucent; add garlic and cook just until fragrant, approx. 30 seconds longer. Stir in wine to deglaze pan, bringing up any bits of fond attached to the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to medium high; add bay leaves, dressing, woozy and chipotle sauce; bring to a high simmer; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add shrimp and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, cooking just until shrimp turn from gray to pink in color; remove from heat. Serve at once using the grilled bread to sop up the sauce.  Delicious served over rice or polenta!

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Bacon-Pork Chops with BBQ Glaze

Bacon-Pork Chops with BBQ Glaze

Recipe from PorkBeInspired.com

Prep Time: 5 minutes prep, Cook Time: 20 minutes cook

4 6-ounce boneless top loin pork chops, cut 1-inch thick
1 teaspoon coarse salt
4 slices bacon, preferably maple-flavored
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1/2 cup lager beer, (or non-alcoholic beer)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup chicken broth, reduced-sodium

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Season pork with salt. Wrap bacon around the edges of the pork and secure with a wooden toothpick. Mix together barbecue sauce and beer.

Heat oil in ovenproof large skillet over medium-high heat. Stand chops bacon side down in skillet, leaning against the side of pan if needed. Using tongs, in sequence, turn and stand chops along bacon-wrapped edges to lightly brown bacon, about 3 1/2 minutes (allow about 45 seconds to brown each section). Place chops, wide flat side down, in skillet and cook until underside is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Turn chops over. Spread equal amount of barbecue sauce mixture over top of each chop, letting excess run into skillet.

Place skillet with chops in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer each chop to a dinner plate and let stand while making sauce.

Meanwhile, pour out fat from skillet, leaving browned bits in skillet. Heat skillet over high heat until hot. Add broth and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon, and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Top each chop with a spoonful of sauce and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with roasted potato wedges or smashed sweet potatoes.

Nutrition per serving of pork and glaze.

Nutrition:

Calories: 350 calories
Protein: 51 grams
Fat: 11 grams
Sodium: 1120 milligrams
Cholesterol: 130 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 3 grams
Carbohydrates: 7 grams

Quinoa, Sausage, and Sweet Potato Skillet

Amber's Quinoa, Sausage and Sweet Potato Skillet

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 large onion, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1/4-inch cubes

 1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup water or unsalted chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
12 oz. pkg chicken sausage, I use aidell’s chicken & apple dinner sausage
8 ounces baby spinach
Directions:

1.        In a medium saucepan heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the sweet potatoes and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the quinoa and toss until the grains are slightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

2.        Add the water or broth and salt, bring to a boil, stir once, cover, reduce to low and let cook undisturbed until the water is absorbed and the quinoa and sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

3.        When the quinoa and sweet potatoes are cooked, stir in the spinach and sausage and cook until the spinach is wilted and the sausage is heated through.

4.       Serve with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 340 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 675 mg sodium, 600 mg potassium (helps lower blood pressure), 36 g carb, 5 g fiber, 17 g protein, 100%DV Vitamin A and good source of Vitamin C