Flash Back Friday ~ Spaghetti Pie

This recipe was very popular when I posted it back in 2012 so I'm posting it again for Flashback Friday. The original post is here. It is simple and satisfying and will serve 6 people generously.

• 6 ounces spaghetti
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 well beaten eggs
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 of a green bell pepper chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 cup of tomatoes chopped (or canned chopped tomatoes)
• 1 -6 oz. can of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water, drain.
3. Stir butter into hot spaghetti. Stir in Parmesan and beaten eggs. Form spaghetti mixture into a "crust" in a buttered 10 inch round baking dish.
4. Saute the onion and green pepper in a tablespoon of Olive oil until soft and then add the hamburger to the mixture and cook till hamburger is browned. Drain off excess fat. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano and garlic salt. Heat through. Add salt to taste if desired.
5. Spread cottage cheese over the spaghetti crust in the baking dish. Pour and spread the hamburger mixture over the cottage cheese. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake an additional 5 minutes or till cheese melts.

Serves 6-8 depending on appetites.

Here's what I learned from commenters the first time around with this recipe. If you want to use your favorite spaghetti sauce instead of the cup of tomatoes and tomato paste you can substitute 12-14 oz. of sauce. You can use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. Add a cup of cheese on top instead of just a 1/2 cup if your family really enjoys melted cheese.

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pizza

One of my favorite pizzas over the years has been the Chipotle Chicken Pizza at California Pizza Kitchen. Whenever we get down there, I try to get my spicy Mexican fix. This here is my copycat version today. It does not cost a flight and it's pretty good too!

So today I want to make you hungry for this pizza and try the thing that drives me crazy, which is when bloggers use umpteen photos to show the process.

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza crust (I used Lovella's Refrigerator Pizza Dough http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2015/10/shrimp-and-pesto-pizza.html) It makes 4 thin crust pizzas
• Chipotle mayonnaise spread (or a blend of mayo and sambal oelek chili paste)
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups ( 150 g) Monterrey Jack cheese, grated and divided
• 1 cup shredded BBQ'd Rotisserie chicken (I use meat from chicken thighs/legs)
• 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil for pan roasting corn
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 4 Tbsp salsa
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped fine
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 - 3 jalapenos, sliced

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Prepare pizza crust and par bake for about 5 - 7 minutes.
3. In heavy saute pan, melt butter combined with olive oil and cook corn, stirring until starting to brown. Remove from pan.
4. In same pan, cook shallot until soft.
5. In small bowl, mix corn, beans, salsa, cilantro and cumin.
6. Spread pizza crust with Chipotle sauce/mayonnaise. 
7. Layer with half the cheese, chicken and most of the corn/bean/salsa mix (reserving a few spoonfuls for topping once pizza is baked).  
8. Sprinkle with shallot, jalapenos and left over cheese.
9. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until crust is browned to your liking.
10. Top with reserved corn/black bean salsa before serving.

Tip: you might like a thin lime/ yogurt sauce for dipping to cool down the heat.

Salmon in Puff Pastry

I've discovered the ease of taking a favorite dish and wrapping it in puff pastry, be it a nice steak or salmon. The presentation is fun and beautiful for those times you just want to do something a little special. For this recipe I took my favorite salmon topping and then topped that with blanched asparagus.

Ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped fine 
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped fine
• 3 sundried tomatoes (packed in oil) drained and chopped fine (about 1/3 cup, chopped)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 (2-3 lb) skinless salmon fillet
• 1 lb asparagus 
• 1 tsp salt, boiling water and ice water for blanching
• 1 pkg puff pastry (frozen)
• 1 egg for egg wash
• sesame seeds (optional)

Method:

1. Combine garlic, parsley, basil, sundried tomatoes, salt, and olive oil. Set aside.
2. Fill a large pot with a few inches of water and bring to boil with about a tsp of salt. Break off ends of asparagus, where they break naturally- about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom. Place in boiling water. Bring water to boil again and remove asparagus to ice water.
3. Roll out both pieces of puff pastry so that overlapped and combined they are a little longer than the filet and wide enough to wrap over the top, overlapping. (about 20 x 15 inches) You can overlap to combine the two pieces part way through rolling or at the end. Brush with beaten egg.
4. Place salmon fillet in the center, along the length of the pastry.
5. Cover with sundried tomato topping, then lay the cooled asparagus on top lengthwise.
6. Cut strips along the sides of the puff pastry - about 3 inches long. 
7. Beginning on one side bring up a strip, pulling tight, then pull up a strip from the other side to criss-cross over the fish and overlap. Repeat to make a braided look. Pull up ends and tuck in. It's okay to have some natural steam vents. 
8. Brush with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Carefully place on parchment paper lined baking pan. Can be refrigerated at this point until 40 minutes before serving.
9. Bake at 400 F for about 30 - 40 minutes, until crust is golden and fish is at 145 F. Serves 6 - 8

Slow Cooker Brisket

Preparing a brisket in a slow cooker is an easy method and while it is cooking your house will smell delicious.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4-5 pound fresh beef brisket
1-1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup broth or water

Directions:
1. In small bowl mix together brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, celery salt, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Spray the inside of a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place brisket in slow cooker and rub all over with the mixture of spices.
3. In small bowl mix the remaining ingredients together setting aside 3/4 of this mixture for the end of the cooking cycle. Pour all but the 3/4 cup of liquid over the brisket in the crock pot.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
5. Remove brisket to cutting board, let stand 10 minutes.
6. Drain all but 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid from the crock pot.
7. Add the reserved 3/4 cup of ketchup mixture to the 1/2 cup of the cooking liquids in the crock pot and cook on high for fifteen minutes.
8. Cut the brisket, transfer to serving dish and then pour the heated sauce from the crock pot over the meat.

This will serve up to 10 people, more if you use the meat in sandwiches.