italian meat and spinach pie

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1 recipe pastry for a 9-inch pie crust
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound mild or hot turkey italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 10 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 cup chopped, seeded plum tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

Recipe

Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ready Time: 2 hrs 15 mins


• line a 9-inch pie pan with the pastry and press the edges of the crust with a fork to seal it to the pie dish. cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the sauce.
• heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef, turkey sausage, and 1 clove of minced garlic. cook and stir until the meat is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. drain and discard any excess grease. add the onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent and the mushrooms have given off their liquid, about 5 minutes. add the remaining garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• stir in the tomato paste, water, salt, basil, and oregano and bring the sauce to a boil. reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. remove from heat and set aside.
• preheat an oven to 450 degrees f (230 degrees c).
• line the chilled pie crust with a double thickness of aluminum foil. bake for 9 minutes. remove the foil and continue baking until the bottom of the crust is set, about 7 more minutes (see editor's note for tips). remove from the oven and set aside. reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• combine the spinach, ricotta, and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. spoon the filling into the baked crust. top with the meat mixture. cover the edges of the pie crust with foil to prevent over-browning, place the pie on a baking sheet, and bake for 45 minutes.
• remove the pie from the oven. top the meat mixture with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, chopped tomatoes, and sliced olives. return it to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff I

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 pound cubed beef stew meat
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 ounces cream cheese

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ready Time: 8 hrs 10 mins


• in a slow cooker, combine the meat, soup, onion, worcestershire sauce and water.
• cook on low setting for 8 hours, or on high setting for about 5 hours. stir in cream cheese just before serving.

Slovak Sauerkraut Christmas Soup

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 (32 ounce) package sauerkraut, chopped
• 2 1/2 quarts chicken broth
• 6 black peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 cups dried forest mushroom blend
• 3/4 pound hungarian style dry paprika sausage
• 3/4 pound smoked ham
• 3/4 cup chopped pitted prunes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sweet hungarian paprika
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sour cream

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ready Time: 2 hrs 15 mins


• place the sauerkraut, chicken broth, peppercorns, bay leaves, salt and mushrooms into a large pot, and bring to a boil. add the sausage and whole piece of ham. let it simmer over medium heat for 1 1/2 hours. add the prunes after the first hour.
• remove the meat from the soup, and set aside. remove bay leaves, and discard.
• heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add the onion, and fry until clear. sprinkle the flour and paprika over the onion; cook and stir for a minute. gradually stir in the water with a fork so that no lumps form. bring to a boil, and allow to thicken. pour into the soup pot. cube the sausage and ham, and stir into the soup. bring to a boil, and cook for another 10 minutes.
• to serve, ladle into bowls, and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Hoppin' John

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 cups dry black-eyed peas
• 1 pound ham hocks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ready Time: 2 hrs 15 mins


• in a large pan place the peas, ham hock, onion, red pepper, salt and pepper. cover with water and bring to a boil. reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
• remove ham hock and cut meat into pieces. return meat to pot. stir in the rice, cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. season to taste with salt and pepper. sprinkle shredded cheese over top, if desired. serve

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff I

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 pound cubed beef stew meat
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 ounces cream cheese

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ready Time: 8 hrs 10 mins


• in a slow cooker, combine the meat, soup, onion, worcestershire sauce and water.
• cook on low setting for 8 hours, or on high setting for about 5 hours. stir in cream cheese just before serving.

Hoppin' John

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 cups dry black-eyed peas
• 1 pound ham hocks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ready Time: 2 hrs 15 mins


• in a large pan place the peas, ham hock, onion, red pepper, salt and pepper. cover with water and bring to a boil. reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
• remove ham hock and cut meat into pieces. return meat to pot. stir in the rice, cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. season to taste with salt and pepper. sprinkle shredded cheese over top, if desired. serve

Southern Collard Greens

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 quarts water
• 1 1/2 pounds ham hocks
• 4 pounds collard greens, rinsed and trimmed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ready Time: 3 hrs 10 mins


• place the water and the ham hock in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. bring to a boil. lower the heat to very low and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
• add the collards and the hot pepper flakes the pot. simmer covered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• add the vegetable oil and simmer covered for 30 minutes.