Russian Vegetable Pie

(from The Vegetarian Epicure via tastebook.com)

Crust

1-1/4 c flour

1 t sugar

1 t salt

4 oz softened cream cheese

3 T butter

Filling

3 cups shredded cabbage

1/2 lb (8 oz) fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, peeled and chopped

3 T butter

4 oz softened cream cheese

4 – 5 hard-boiled eggs

Basil, marjoram, tarragon, salt and pepper to taste

2 T dried dill weed (the leaves, not dill seed)

Make a pastry by sifting together the dry ingredients, cutting in the butter and working it together with the cream cheese. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and line a 9” pie dish. Roll out the remaining pastry and make a circle large enough to cover the dish for the top crust. Put it away to chill. (Or you can use two purchased pie crusts. Leave the second one out for a bit to soften, then roll out flat to use as a lid for the pie.)

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and cabbage and sauté for several minutes, stirring constantly. Add at least 1/8 teaspoon each of the marjoram, tarragon, and basil, and the salt and pepper. Stirring often, allow the mixture to cook until the cabbage is wilted and the onions soft. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan and sauté the mushrooms lightly for about five to six minutes, stirring constantly. Spread the softened cream cheese in the bottom of the pie shell. Arrange the egg slices in a layer over the cheese. Sprinkle them with the dill weed, then cover them with the cabbage mixture. Layer the mushrooms on top, then cover with the circle of pastry or the second crust. Press the pastry together tightly at the edges, and flute them. (Or use the tines of a fork to press them together, going all around the flat rim of the pie pan so the two crusts are pressed tightly together.) With a sharp knife, cut a few short slashes through the top crust. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is light brown.

Hamburger Veggie Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 c chopped celery

1 lb baby carrots, sliced

8 oz mushrooms, washed and sliced

8 oz cabbage, shredded

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can green beans

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 t oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef, onion, garlic and celery. Drain the fat off if you want to; I seldom do. Add the rest of the ingredients, plus a tomato can of water that you use to rinse out the can. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the carrots and cabbage are done.

Joe's Special

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

8 oz mushrooms, washed and sliced

½ t oregano

6 eggs, beaten (or not - I almost never beat eggs before I add them to anything)

Dash nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have exuded their liquid and it has evaporated. Add the ground beef and garlic and cook until the meat is browned. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach is done. Add the eggs, nutmeg and salt and pepper and scramble it all together, cooking it until the eggs are as done as you like them.

Honey Mustard Chicken and Apples

(foodnetwork.com)

8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (2 to 2-1/2 lbs)

Salt and pepper

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, cut into large chunks

2 cooking apples, cut into chunks

1 c low sodium chicken broth

2 to 3 T honey mustard

1-1/2 t butter, softened

1 T flour

1 to 2 T roughly chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 more minutes, then transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings.

Add the onion and apples to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Mix the broth with the mustard, then add to the skillet and bring to a boil. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, in the skillet. Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mix the butter and flour to form a paste. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken, apples and onion to plates. Bring the pan juices to a simmer, whisk in about half of the butter-flour mixture and boil to thicken, 2 minutes. Continue to cook, adding more of the butter-flour mixture as needed to make a slightly thick gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Spiced Beef with Apples

(southernfood.about.com)

2 lbs beef stew meat in 1” cubes

2 T cooking oil

1-1/2 c water, divided

1/4 c lemon juice

2 c onions, sliced

1-1/2 t curry powder

1/4 t ground cloves

1/4 t cinnamon

1 t salt

3 c tart apples, cored, peeled and in 1” wedges

Hot cooked rice, for serving

Brown beef cubes in hot oil in heavy skillet. Add 1 cup water, lemon juice, onion, and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add apple and remaining water, mix and cook an additional 45 minutes, or until meat is tender. Serve over rice.

Maple and Apple Baked Chicken

(modified slightly from a recipe at kraftrecipes.com, including reviews)

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb)

½ c sliced onions (red is best, but whatever you have)

2 red cooking apples, sliced

½ c maple or maple-flavored syrup

1/3 Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing (or whatever Italian dressing you have)

Heat oven to 350. Spray large ovenproof skillet with cooking spray. Cook chicken in skillet over medium high heat three minutes on each side or until evenly browned. Remove from heat. Top chicken with onions and surround with apples. Mix syrup and dressing and pour over chicken. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is done and apples are tender. Drizzle with syrup mixture from bottom of skillet.

Notes:

If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, cover the handle of your regular skillet (not electric) with several layers of foil before using as directed.

Substitute honey for the syrup and/or apple cider vinegar for the dressing.

Chicken and Apples in Creamy Sauce

(based on a recipe at foodnetwork.com)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 apple, cored and sliced (peeled or unpeeled)

¼ c butter

½ c heavy (whipping) cream or sour cream

½ c white wine or ½ c apple juice

1 t thyme

Pan fry chicken in half the butter just until no longer pink in the middle, turning once to brown both sides. Remove chicken from pan and keep in a warm place or cover with foil. Add the rest of the butter, apples and thyme and fry until the apples are as crisp or tender as you like. Pour apples over the chicken and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with wine, cider or juice, scraping all the browned bits off the bottom.