Homemade Corned Beef Hash! St. Patrick's Day Leftover Makeover!! Noreen's Kitchen

Since St. Patrick's Day is a couple of days away, I knew I had to make some homemade corned beef hash to share with you all!  This was made from my home canned corned beef.  You can see how I did that here:  http://bit.ly/2mOtaVr  I will also be using some of the potatoes that I baked in my slow cooker in my recent video which you can check out here:  http://bit.ly/2mERlpl.  If you are a fan of corned beef, corned beef hash is the perfect way to use up leftovers from your St. Paddy's day meal!  

I have used my home canned corned beef.  Three pints of it to be exact, so this came to about six cups of meat once drained.  When meat is canned it can be easily flaked.  I broke this corned beef up with my fingers so it looks like shredded beef.  If you prefer, you can take the time to chop it up into a very small dice, but I see no point, when it will shred super easy.  I also used three large potatoes that I baked in my slow cooker.  I removed the skins and cut them up into dices.  I also chopped a medium onion which ended up being about two cups.  Enough to fill a pint jar.  I also added a bit of butter for flavor as well as to get everything going.  You can use oil if you prefer.

Corned beef hash is super quick and easy to make it is budget friendly and tasty too boot!  The work comes from the chopping or the preparation.  In French, the word "Hasche"  pronounced Hash-shay, means to cut into small pieces.  So the word for hash as used in corned beef hash or roast beef hash or vegetable hash is indicative of the true French meaning of the root word.  I love word etymology, don't you?  Well now you know.  

I like to melt some butter in a large skillet and add the onion to cook for a while over a medium low heat.  This will allow it to caramelize just a bit before tossing in the meat and the potatoes.  Once the onion is ready, I added the meat and allow this to saute for at least five minutes, stirring occasionally to be sure that all the meat is heated through and has rendered a bit of the fat, if any into the pan for flavoring the dish.  

Once the meat is heated, I added in the diced, cooked, potatoes and stirred those in.  This is the hardest part of making corned beef hash.  The waiting.  I like to mix well then flatten with a spatula.  I like to allow a bit of a crust to form on the bottom of the pan, this will help created nice browned bits that will mix in with the hash and pop with flavor.  Sometimes I like to add about a half cup of water to the pan then pop a lid on to steam everything through and get it nice and hot.  This will also moisten the mixture making it easier for all the flavors to combine.

I must be honest, as a family, we love old fashioned corned beef hash from a can and we have it from time to time for dinner or breakfast with fried eggs and toast.  It is just something that hearkens back to my childhood.  A happy memory of days gone by.  Scrapple is the same way for me.  Just don't look at the ingredients or if you do, be very brave cause there is no turning back!  This homemade version is very delicious and does not compare to the canned version.  In fact, they are not even in the same category, other than in name.

When the crust has developed to your liking and everything is heated through, you are ready to serve.  We like ours with over easy eggs, with good runny yolks along with some toasted homemade bread.  Biscuits are great too if you prefer.  No matter how you make this, just make it.  You will love it!  

I hope you give homemade my version of homemade corned beef hash a try!  Even if you don't have home canned corned beef you can use leftover or even the corned beef from a can sold near the luncheon meat.  I won't tell!  You use what you like!  

I hope you try it and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video here:

Fresh and Flavorful!! Orange Citrus Vinaigrette Salad Dressing!!

Today I wanted to share with you this delicious, orange, citrus vinaigrette salad dressing that was used in our chicken and citrus super food salad that we shared a couple of days ago!  Vinaigrette dressing may be a foreign thing to some people and maybe you just never thought about making your own dressing.  I am here to tell you that this fancy sounding delight is not only easy, but you won't ever want to buy bottled dressing again!  

Basic vinaigrette starts with a simple ratio.  All you have to remember is this.  2 to 1, oil to vinegar.  I have used 1/2 cup of white wine vinegar and 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil.  From there it is up to you.  Yes, you can simply sprinkle some salt and pepper in there and be done.  However vinaigrette can be so much more.  With the proper building blocks you can go just about anywhere.  Every cuisine has their own version of this simple and delicious dressing.

Today we are going a bit more Mediterranean with our dressing.  We are adding the juice and zest of one small orange along with about a tablespoon each of honey and Dijon mustard.  We are seasoning the dressing with a good pinch of salt, cracked black pepper and dried tarragon.  This will give things a delicious herbaciousness that will amplify the flavor profile and stand up to the sturdy flavors in the salad I intend to use this on.  

Don't limit yourself to what I have shown here.  You can switch out the white wine vinegar for red wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar or balsamic.  You can switch up the olive oil for a more neutral oil like sunflower or safflower or even grapeseed oil or light sesame oil.  You can switch out the orange for a lemon, lime, grapefruit or if you are brave and daring, pick up a Buddha hand and squeeze that!  You can use bottled yuzu juice if you like or even the juice and zest of a pomello.  The possibilities are endless.  Make this dressing to suit your preferences and your likes.  Don't like tarragon?  Add basil, oregano, parsley, or a bit of Italian seasoning or Herbes De Provence.  You can add salt and pepper to taste.  You can change the sweetener.  I used honey, but you can use regular sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, molasses, maple syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup or, no sweetener at all. I find that the dressing needs a bit of sweet to offset the bold acid nature it has, but you be the creator of your dressing.  Just be sure to taste as you go to be sure it is what you like.

I hope you give this simple and delicious orange citrus vinaigrette dressing a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

A printable version of this recipe is available here: http://bit.ly/2iuvBfo

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video here:  

Noreen's Kitchen

Orange Citrus Vinaigrette

Ingredients

½ cup white wine vinegar 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ¼ cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh orange zest ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Step by Step Instructions

Place all ingredients into a pint jar.  Place the lid on the jar and shake well.

Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

This dressing is great on salad or as a marinade for meat or as a dip for crusty bread as an appetizer. 

Quick and Easy Leftover Makeover: Chicken and Stuffing Casserole!

We are continuing on with our "Budget Buster, Bulk Cooking - Chicken Edition" series and using up some of the leftover chicken we roasted in a previous video!  Today we are making a delicious chicken and stuffing casserole. 

This casserole is quick to make and only uses two cups of chopped, roasted chicken.  I used one thigh, from which I removed the skin and bone and half of a breast.  This made the two cups I needed.  I sauteed some celery, onion and carrot along with a generous 8 ounces of fresh Crimini mushrooms in some butter.  When they were  just a bit soft and the onion was just a bit translucent, I removed it from the heat and added the poultry seasoning, chicken and one can of cream of celery soup along with 1/2 cup of milk.  At this point you can choose to add whatever else you like.  Be it a bag of frozen mixed veggies, some frozen peas or anything you like.  It is up to you.  

*A note about "cream of" soup:* I seldom use canned creamed soups in my recipes.  However there are some that I do use them in.  I prefer to make my cream soup from scratch, however this recipe is intended to be a quick weeknight meal and getting this on the table after a busy day is more important to me than making cream soup from scratch.  You have to pick your battles.  I make no apologies for using this convenience ingredient.  I don't use them often so I am perfectly comfortable using it here or in my tuna casserole or any other number of recipes that can be put on the table quickly.  That being said, If I were going to be doing a month's worth of bulk cooking and were going to need, for instance, cream of mushroom or chicken soup for several recipes, I would indeed make my own and use it for those casseroles to be prepared for freezing.  If I were going to make three of these chicken and stuffing casseroles, along with a few sour cream enchilada casseroles as well as some tuna casseroles then I would make the soup from scratch.  You need to do what is best for you.  I have recipes on my channel for homemade cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli and cream of celery soups.  You can easily find them by doing a quick search using the search option at the top of my channel page.

When the mixture is well blended it was poured into an 8x8 baking dish.  I topped mine with some leftover stuffing mix that we prepared when we made the chicken.  I made two boxes on purpose so I would have enough leftover for the casserole.  You can make a box of your favorite stuffing mix or if it is after a holiday, you can use your homemade stuffing as a topping for this.  I prefer to use a leftover stuffing because it is much easier to break up and "spread" on top than a hot stuffing.  You use what you have available and just plop it on in little spoon fulls on top of the chicken mixture and it will be fine.  

This was baked, uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and a bit crispy on top.  Then we allowed it to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.  It was delicious!  This recipe is a pretty standard throwback to my youth and many people still enjoy this today in one form or another.  A Thanksgiving leftover meal would not be complete in our house without this dish.

So we now add one more recipe using our chicken to our budget buster bulk cooking series.  I plan on getting at least three or four more meals out of those two chickens.  I am up to the challenge.  You will be amazed at what you can do with just a little bit of meat!  

I hope you give this chicken and stuffing casserole a try and I hope you consider doing some bulk cooking of your own and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

You can get a printable copy of this recipe on my website here: http://bit.ly/2i5WzF7

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

Noreen's Kitchen

Budget Buster Bulk Cooking

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole

Ingredients

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup onion, diced 1 cup celery, diced 1 cup carrot, diced 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 can cream of celery soup ½ cup milk 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 3 cups leftover stuffing or 1 box prepared stuffing mix.

Step by Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a skillet.

Sautee all vegetables until tender crisp and onions are just beginning to turn translucent.

Remove from heat and add chicken and poultry seasoning and stir well to combine.

Add cream of celery soup and milk and stir well, being sure to evenly incorporate into a cohesive mixture.

Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into an 8x8 inch baking dish/pan.

Top with stuffing.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and the stuffing is a bit crispy on top.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for five minutes before serving.

NOTE:  You can use any kind of cream soup that you like.  Cream of mushroom, onion, celery, chicken, chicken and mushroom or chicken an herb would be good choices. 

Mama Mia That's A Saucy Sauce! Pantry Shelf Marinara Sauce Recipe!!

When I was a kid, coming home to a house filled with the smell of marinara sauce that had been simmering all day long over a low flame was an exciting indication that Spaghetti was on the menu.  There was possibly nothing more wonderful to my 10 year old self, than knowing that I would soon have a plate of delicious pasta set before me by my mother along with crusty bread and a salad.  My favorite childhood meal, to be sure.  As it was for many of you without a doubt.  

Today, I want to share with you a great recipe for a quick and easy, pantry shelf marinara sauce that you can make with ingredients you have on hand or, if you are planning ahead, ingredients that can easily be found in any market.  This sauce comes together quickly, simmers slowly for just about an hour and it is ready to use for whatever you like.  

This sauce is a great base for a lasagna or baked manicotti, stuffed shells or just serving over delicious pasta.  You can use this to simmer your meatballs or sausages for a great version of Sunday gravy or you can just have it on hand for lots of delicious recipes.  This is a great option for those of you who prefer not to purchase store bought sauce.  You can also use this basic marinara as a base to make your own Arrabiata, Vodka, garden or mushroom sauces. 

I have started with simple, pantry stable ingredients.  canned crushed, pureed and diced tomatoes along with tomato paste and some flavorings.  You can use what you like.  I used some sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, Italian seasoning, extra basil and red pepper flakes.  You could also add dried oregano, marjoram, rosemary, thyme whatever you like!  If you like red wine, add that too!  You be the master of your marinara!

I started my sauce by sweating and caramelizing a bit of onion as well as several cloves (the number is up to you) of fresh garlic.  This will add richness and sweetness to the sauce and the onions and garlic are going to disintegrate into the sauce and you will only have their delicious flavor.  Cooking them to the point of melting is the key.  

Simmering is another secret!  Low and slow, but not for too long.  This sauce comes together in just about an hour and is perfectly thick and rich.  It is delicious and not acidic and perfectly balanced.  You are going to love this sauce for just about anything!

Because I know people will ask, this sauce is not suitable for canning.  This is not a safety tested recipe.  Should you wish to can your own marinara sauce, I suggest you refer to the Ball Blue Book or the website for the National Center for Home Food Preservation as a guide for safety tested recipes that are safe for home canning.  I will be freezing my extra sauce for use at a later time.  This will easily keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.

I hope you will give this kitchen basic, pantry shelf marinara sauce a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

Get the recipe on my website:  http://bit.ly/2cLyMc7

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video here:

Noreen's Kitchen

 Pantry Shelf

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

2 – 28 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes 2 – 28 ounce cans pureed tomatoes 2 – 28 ounce cans of crushed, seasoned tomatoes 1 – 18 ounce can tomato paste 1 large onion, chopped  6 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Step by Step Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  At least 8 quarts.

Add onion and garlic and sweat until they are slightly browned and very soft.  This will take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes.

Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot.  Stir well and simmer uncovered for an hour, stirring occasionally. 

I sometimes like to add a parmesan rind to my sauce while it simmers.  This will give a deep salty edge to your sauce and also give it amazing flavor.  This is optional, but if you can find some parmesan rinds, I highly recommend it.

When the sauce has finished and is thick and rich, you can remove it from the heat and enjoy over pasta or as a base for lasagna, stuffed shells or any other pasta bake.

You can also use this as a base for other sauces such as arrabiata, vegetable, vodka, mushroom or any other type of tomato based pasta sauce you love!

This recipe is not appropriate for canning. 

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to three months. 

Enjoy!

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Dinner on the Fly! Southwestern Pork Tenderloin Quick Roast!!

Here is a great idea that you can use to make a super quick supper using the smoky southwest seasoning that we made in our previous video!

I simply sprinkled a liberal amount of the seasoning mix over a thawed pork tenderloin and baked it at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.  This was a super succulent and flavorful protein to serve my family for our evening meal.  I paired this with a baked sweet potato with compound cinnamon, brown sugar butter as well as steamed green beans for a complete dinner.

This is a great meal to get on the table quick.  Those evenings when you are in a rush, forgot to thaw or plan something for your dinner or just have no idea what to cook, this is an option for you.  The meat roasts quickly and while it is in the oven you can get your veggies steamed and your potatoes cooked quickly in the microwave.  Your family is going to love this meal!

I hope you give this southwestern quick roast pork tenderloin a try sometime soon and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

You Do Have Time For Breakfast! Microwave Omelette In A Mug ~ Back To School Breakfast Hacks!!

Today we continue with our back to school breakfast hacks!  This one is going out to all my dorm dwellers!  Folks who live in dorms.  If you are away a college, in the military or in a situation where you are required to live on site for work or any other reason.  This is for you!  Omelette in a mug is simple, quick and delicious and you can make this just about anywhere!

The first trick is to make sure you have a good quality porcelain mug.  I have a stoneware soup mug that I will be using to make my omelette.  A heavy tempered glass mug or even a small bowl will work as well.  Just don't use plastic here.  You, of course can also use a microwave omelette maker if you choose.  I have one, but for today's demonstration I will be using my soup mug.  

What do you like in your omelette?  That is the question!  You make your omelette the way you like it.  Today I am going to start out by spraying my mug with a bit of coconut oil spray and then adding my eggs.  Do you like two or three?  Use the number you like best!  I am cracking in two eggs and a splash of milk or cream, then adding some mix ins that are my favorite for this type of omelette.  

I have prepared a couple tablespoons of mushroom, diced bell pepper, chopped Roma tomato,  and sliced green onion for the veggies.  I am also adding a couple of sliced brown and serve sausages along with about 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.    Go ahead and toss it all in there and mix it up well with the egg mixture. 

Give everything  a good pat so that it is all submerged and pop this into the microwave for 1 minute on high.  Then take it out and stir it well with the fork and return it back to the microwave for another minute on high.  Stir again, if needed.  Then if it is not cooked all the way cook for 30 second intervals, inspecting in between for doneness.  My omelette took 3 minutes total.  Then I allowed it to sit in the mug for one minute before removing it to a plate to enjoy.

You can leave your omelette in the mug and enjoy it that way with a little more cheese, a bit of salsa and sour cream or you can remove it to a plate and toast a bagel and enjoy it like I did with some sliced avocado.  You can also cut this in half and wrap it in a warm tortilla or even stuff it into a pita or stack it on an English muffin with a slice of cheese for an awesome breakfast on the go!  Don't forget that this is just a great meal in general!  This omelette is a great option for breakfast, lunch or dinner!  Whenever you are craving a good meal but don't want to go out for it, make this and be happy!

These are easy to prep and you can do a bunch of chopping, slicing and dicing all at one time an either portion in sandwich bags or keep them in a container in your fridge.  When you are ready to mix them up bam!  Omelettes are done!  

So, if you are living in a situation where your only method of cooking is a microwave, pony up!  Make yourself one of these delicious omelettes and go crazy with your own original combinations!  What leftovers do you have?  Make it yours!  How about a B.L.T. omelette?  Or a pizza omelette?  Leftover spaghetti and meatball omelette?  Grilled chicken and veggie omelette?  So many choices!  Eggs are a great source of protein and they are cheap!  They are easy to find and you have room for them in your tiny little fridge that your microwave sits on top.    Even if you don't have to cook it in the microwave, give it a try because I think the results may surprise you!

I hope you do try this microwave omelette in a mug and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

You can see how I made this in my YouTube Video:

Back On Track For Back To School! On the Go Breakfast Cookies!!

Today I am participating in a "Back to School Breakfast Treats" collaboration with my friend Gretchen from Gretchen's Bakery channel!  If you are not familiar with Gretchen's channel, please be sure to pop over and watch her homemade apple pop tarts video when you are done here and be sure to hit that subscribe button!  Gretchen is truly amazing!

My contribution for this collab is going to be a protein and fiber packed breakfast cookie that will take you from morning till lunch and give your body what it needs to keep on going when those late nights and early mornings of the back to school schedule begin to catch up with you!  

These cookies are egg free, dairy free, gluten free and they can be vegan if you sub out the honey I used here for more maple syrup, molasses, brown sugar or even agave nectar.  You choose.  

I have used almond butter in my cookies but you can use peanut butter, cashew butter or sunflower butter if you prefer.  I have used lots of oats, golden flax sunflower and hemp seeds to bulk up the fiber and protein.  Then for crunch and sweetness I have added chopped dates and chopped pecans.  For moistness I added mashed bananas and coconut oil.  

Your imagination is your only limit here.  You can change these up to suit your tastes by adding dried fruits or nuts of any kind, shredded coconut, even a cup of chocolate chips would be nice.  I can think of several combinations that would be just as delicious!  This recipe is so versatile I know once you try it you are going to love it!

This recipe makes 24 cookies, if you drop them using the #16 disher which is approximately 1/4 cup in size.  Just make sure to flatten them slightly with a wet spoon before placing in the oven to bake.  These were perfectly done in just about 18 minutes in my oven.  Yours may differ.

These cookies are perfect for grabbing on the go.  Toss a couple in your bag and you are ready for the day along with your big mug of coffee or tea.  Ready to face whatever the day may bring, body nourished and caffeinated!  I prep these cookies by putting each one into a separate sandwich bag and place them in an airtight container on the counter.  If you don't think you will eat these inside of a week, then place them in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months.  These can thaw on the counter overnight for early morning enjoyment.

I hope you will take the time to go on over to my friend Gretchen's channel and subscribe and enjoy all the delicious homemade bakery treats that she shares every week.  The homemade apple pop tarts look amazing, simple and delicious and I know you are going to want to try them!  Be sure to use the links above!

I hope you give these breakfast cookies a try and I hope you love them!

Happy Back to School and Happy Eating!

You can find the printable version of this recipe for my cookies here:  

http://bit.ly/2aZeCtX

You can see how I made these in my YouTube Video:

You can see how Gretchen made here awesome Apple Pop Tarts in her YouTube video here:

Noreen's Kitchen

 Back To School

Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup mashed banana 1 cup peanut butter or nut butter 1/2 cup honey** 1/2 cup pure maple syrup 1/2 cup coconut oil, liquified 3 cups rolled oats 1 cup whole wheat flour or gluten free flour 1/2 cup ground flax seed 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1/4 cup hemp seed

1/2 cup protein powder* (see note below) 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup dried fruit such as      cranberries      cherries      dates or raisins 1 cup chopped nuts such as      almonds      pecans or walnuts (optional)

Step by Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, stir together the banana, coconut oil, peanut butter, honey, maple syrup and vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, flax seed, sunflower and hemp seeds,  protein powder, cinnamon, and baking soda.

Stir dry mixture into wet mixture until combined. Stir in dried fruit and nuts.

Drop dough onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Using a metal spatula dipped in water, press each mound of dough into a cookie approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2 an inch thick.

Bake, one sheet at a time, for 13 t 15  minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on the pan for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container or zip top  bag for up to 5 days.  These can be stored in the fridge if you live in a super warm area.  This will prolong their freshness.  You can also freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw on counter before serving.

*NOTE:  If you don't have protein powder you can increase the flour by 1/2 cup

*NOTE: If you wish for these cookies to be vegan, sub out the honey for molasses, agave or golden syrup.