2020 COOKATHON #3B

I started Tuesday’s cookathon with a little backbeat to set the tempo ;-)

Bob bought this boombox for me 17 years ago, to set the tempo for me while I worked in my veggie and flowers gardens … and it still works fine ;-)

Today’s menus will be using a Pot Roast (from my ‘Betty Crocker New American Cooking’ cookbook), Ground Beef  (from my Betty Crocker’s Hamburger Cookbook’ cookbook), Bay Scallops (from my Weight Watchers ‘Slim Ways With Pasta’ cookbook), Fish Fillet (from my ‘Weight Watchers Quick Start Program’ cookbook), Chicken (from my ‘Betty Crocker New American Cooking’ cookbook), Pork Chops (straight from the freezer & pantry), & Cubed Steaks (from the ‘Woman’s Day/September 1977’ magazine page): everything was chosen to work as quickly as possible in the kitchen to beat the heat before it really sets in. I really cooked a LOT of meals this time because I don’t want to be in the kitchen at all – especially around a hot stove – during August.

The Cookathon #3A (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020/07/2020-cookathon-3a.html) & #3B Combo meals should skate me right on through the month of August.

That’s the plan anyway :-D

The first meal I got busy with is a 2-step meal, but that’s okay: kitchen time is minimal, and cooking it will be easy, as it will go into the crockpot after marinating. Easy-peasy ;-)

As usual, I adapt the recipes to fit my needs … recipes are a guide, not the gospel. If I have all the necessary ingredients, I feel I’m ‘good’ to go :-D Also, there is just 1 of me now, so I half the recipes when I make them; posting the recipes in their entirety for larger families.

So, what I turn out may not look “picture prefect”, but it suits me; and my taste buds.

==POT ROAST w-PEPPERS

I believe in eating meat – meat is healthy and necessary for a well-functioning holistic body. This recipe is a good source for protein, niacin, and iron.

POT ROAST w-PEPPERS ~ 8 servings

3- to 4-pound beef arm, blade, or cross rib Pot Roast * 2 large cloves Garlic, crushed * ½ cup dry Red Wine * ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar * 2 Tablespoons Olive OR Vegetable Oil * 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce * 1 teaspoon dried Rosemary leaves * 1 teaspoon dry Mustard * 2 Tablespoons Olive OR Vegetable Oil * 2 large green Bell Peppers * 1 large Red Onion, cut into halves, and thinly sliced * 2 Tablespoons Olive OR Vegetable Oil * 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar * 1 teaspoon dried Oregano leaves * ¼ teaspoon Salt * dash ground Black Pepper

Roast w-Peppers; ingredients.

Pierce surface of beef with a fork. Place beef in rectangular baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches, or a glass bowl. Mix garlic, wine, ¼ cup vinegar, 2 Tablespoons oil, soy sauce, rosemary, and mustard. Pour over beef; cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours – but no longer than 24 hours.

Marinade Injector.

Pepper and Onion Side Dish Ingredients.

Peppers and Onion Side Dish Ingredients; placed in ‘fridge with roast until ready to cook the next day.

Remove beef from wine mixture; reserving wine mixture. Cook beef in a 4-quart Dutch Oven in 2 Tablespoons oil until browned; add reserved wine mixture. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beef is tender – about 2 hours. Cook and stir green peppers and onion in 2 Tablespoons oil until crisp-tender – 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 Tablespoon vinegar, the oregano, salt and pepper; serve with beef.

**If cooking in a crockpot: place beef and wine mixture in crockpot. Set temperature to High, and bring to a boil – then reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking 4 to 6 hours depending on how your crockpot cooks. Make side dish as directed**

The SPANISH RICE w-BEEF was posted to my Blog in 2017; so I just posted a link to the recipe. Of course, things have changed … I am a widow now, so I cook and portion my meals in widow servings.

==SPANISH RICE w-BEEF ~ 6 (1 cup) servings (http://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/02/spanish-rice-w-hamburger.html).

Spanish Rice w-Beef; ingredients.

Spanish Rice w-Beef & Black Olives & Mandarin Oranges. Ready for the freezer

==GINGER SCALLOPS w-CHINESE NOODLES

This recipe combines scallops with delicate angel hair pasta (super skinny spaghetti noodles) coated in a richly flavored sauce. Supe quick.

GINGER SCALLOPS w-CHINESE NOODLES ~4 servings

¼ cup Scallions, minced * ¼ cup low-sodium Chicken Broth * 2 Tablespoons dry White Wine * 1 teaspoon Cornstarch * ¼ teaspoon granulated Sugar * dash ground White Pepper * 2 Garlic cloves, minced * ¼ teaspoon Salt * 2-3/4 cups fresh Green Beans, cut (I used canned – it’s what I had on hand) * 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil * 2 teaspoons grated fresh Ginger * 10 ounces Sea OR Bay Scallops * 3 ounces Angel Hair Pasta, cooked and drained

Ginger Scallops w-Chinese Noodles; ingredients.

In a small bowl, combine scallions, broth, cornstarch, sugar, and pepper; set aside.

Sauce prep.

Spray a large non-stick skillet or wok with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic and salt; stir-fry 1-2 minutes, until garlic is tender. Add beans; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water and continue cooking 3-4 minutes, until tender. Remove bean mixture to medium bowl.

Garlic frying; noodles cooking in background.

Garlic & Green Beans.

Heat sesame oil in same skillet; add ginger and stir-fry 2 minutes.

Ginger frying.

Add scallops; stir-fry 5-6 minutes, until scallops turn opaque.

Ginger & Scallops.

Add beans and scallion mixture to skillet; heat 1-2 minutes, until mixture thickens and coats scallops.

Garlic, Beans, Ginger & Scallops.

Place pasta in a serving bowl; add scallop mixture, and toss to mix well. Serve.

Finished.

Ginger Scallops w-Chinese Noodles & Mandarin Oranges. Prep for freezer.

==FILLET DIABLE ~serves 2

2 teaspoons Margarine * 1 teaspoon all-purpose Flour * ¼ cup Water * 2 Tablespoons dry White Wine * 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard * 1 teaspoon drained Capers * ½ teaspoon grated lemon Rind * 1/8 teaspoon White Pepper, divided * 2 fillets of Sole (I used Tilapia), 5 ounces each * 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Fillet Diable; ingredients.

In a small saucepan, heat margarine until bubbly and hot. Sprinkle with flour and stir quickly to combine; cook over low heat, stirring constantly – for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in water, wine, and mustard. Return to heat and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened. Stir in capers, lemon rind, and dash of pepper; remove from heat and keep warm.

Sauce cooking.

Sprinkle fillets with lemon juice and remaining pepper. Spray rack of broiling pan with nonstick spray; transfer fish to rack and broil until fish flakes easily when tested with fork prongs – about 5 minutes. Sprinkle fillets with salt, then transfer to serving platter.

Fish fillets broiling.

Spoon sauce over fish.

Fillet Diable. Prep for freezer.

==CHICKEN w-VEGETABLES

Good source of protein and niacin

CHICKEN w-VEGETABLES ~7 servings

2½ to 3-pound broiler/fryer Chicken * 1 teaspoon Salt * 1 teaspoon Paprika * 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil * 1 can (16½ ounce) whole-kernel Corn, drained * 3 medium Tomatoes, cut into wedges * 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped * 1 medium Zucchini, cut into ¼-inch slices * 1 medium Onion, chopped (about ½ cup) * 1 teaspoon dried Oregano leaves * 1 teaspoon Chili Powder * ½ teaspoon ground Cumin

Chicken w-Vegetables; ingredients.

Cut chicken into pieces; cut each breast half into halves and remove skin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and paprika. Cook chicken in oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven or 12-inch skillet over medium heat until light brown – 15 to 20 minutes; reduce heat. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook until zucchini is crisp-tender and veggies are heated through – 5 to 10 minutes. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon; serve with chicken.

Chicken & zucchini.

Chicken w-Vegetables & Corn on the cob. Prep for freezer.

==PORK CHOPS

I just browned the chops until there was no more blood draining from them; mixed the boxed potatoes, and placed the chops on top – baking the whole thing according to the boxed instructions.

Pork Chops browning; with peppers & onions cooking for the Roast w-Peppers meal.

While the chops cooked, I started cooking the peppers and onions for the pot roast meal (recipe posted above).

When the chops were cooked to my satisfaction, I set them aside while I prepared the scalloped potatoes; then I placed them on top … and slipped the casserole into the oven.

Pork Chops w-boxed scalloped potatoes.

While the pork chops and potatoes baked, I put the sliced pot roast and pepper-onion mixture in their freezer containers – leaving them unlidded until the scalloped potatoes came out of the oven; some of the potatoes would go into the roast meal.

Sliced roast & vegetable side, waiting for scalloped potatoes.

Roast Beef w-Peppers & Pork Chops w-Scalloped Potatoes. Prep for freezer.

==EASY SPANISH STEAK SKILLET DINNER ~serves 4

4 Cubed Steaks * 3 Tablespoons Oil * 3 medium Onions, sliced thin (about 2½ cups) * 2 large Garlic cloves, crushed * 1 Tablespoon Flour * 2 teaspoons Chili Powder * 1 teaspoon Sugar * ½ teaspoon Salt * 2 cans (16 ounces EA) * 1/3 cup thinly sliced Stuffed Olives * 4 ears of Corn, husked and halved crosswise

Easy Spanish Steaks; ingredients.

Heat large skillet over low heat until hot. Add steaks and brown each side quickly over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside.

Browning the steaks.

Add oil to drippings and heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until lightly browned and tender.

Sautéing onions & garlic.

Stir in flour. Chili powder, sugar and salt; add tomatoes and olives. Cook and stir until thickened.

Sauce cooking.

Add browned steaks and corn (I omitted the corn here – and added a cob of corn to my freezer meal container). Bring to a boil; cover and simmer util corn is tender – 10 or 15 minutes; turning corn occasionally.

I serve this meal with mashed potatoes.

Steaks added to the sauce.

Boil the potatoes while the steaks finish cooking.

Easy Spanish Steaks Meal with corn & pears.

Easy Spanish Steaks Meal. Freezer Ready.