Stir Fry for One

 This stir fry is quick and easy.  You can make more servings by multiplying the ingredients.  It's one of my favorite dinners.

Stir Fry for One

Ingredients:

4 ounces meat of your choice, very thinly sliced (It's easier to slice it thinly if it's partially frozen): chicken, beef, fish, pork

1 cup mixed fresh or frozen vegetables of your choice, bite sized pieces (I often use frozen Asian mix vegetables)

1 teaspoon cooking oil

1/2 teaspoon ginger, either grated fresh or powdered

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

Heat heavy shallow skillet on medium heat.  Add cooking oil.  Add meat.  Stir and fry until browned.  Add vegetables.  Stir and fry until cooked to crisp tender and heated all the way through.  If it gets too dry add a small amount of water, less than a teaspoon.

When vegetables are crisp tender and meat is cooked through add 1/2 teaspoon Ginger, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce.  Stir and fry for about 30 seconds.  Add 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.  Stir until combined.  Remove from heat and enjoy.  This is delicious with rice or noodles.  Sometimes I add cooked rice to the skillet before I add the ginger and mix it all together.

Calzones

This is one of my family's very favorite meals. Because you make the dough for the crust in the bread machine, it is so easy. You can put the crust on the timer before work and have the dough ready when you get home. You can also brown the sausage the day before and refrigerate it until you get ready to make the calzone. My grandkids often request this for dinner. You can make the dough for the crust by hand if you don't have a bread machine.

Makes 1 - 1 pound calzone (I split it and make two smaller ones.)

Ingredients:
Crust
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon powdered dry milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Filling
3/4 cup pizza sauce
3/4 cup cooked sausage
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:
1. Place water, salt, bread flour, dry milk, sugar, and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle and start. (We’ve doubled it and done it by hand many times.)
2. After cycle ends, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface; shape into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie sheet. Spoon pizza sauce down center of dough; add sausage and cheese for filling. Make diagonal cuts 1 1/2 inches apart down each side, cutting to within 1/2 inch of the filling. Criss cross strips over filling, sealing with water. Brush top with melted butter. (I add pepperoni, green peppers, onions, browned ground beef and anything else I have and want to add.)
3. Bake at 350 degrees F. For 35 to 45 minutes.

Southwest Seasoning Mix

This is a great rub or marinade for chicken or pork. Use it instead of Taco seasoning in the Southwestern Chicken Salad. It's quite spicy. Don't put too much.


1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Garlic (fresh)
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Mix all together and sprinkle or rub on meat and foods as desired.
Will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

Delicioso Pasta

This pasta is yummy - one of my favorites. It can be done in half and hour or less. It tastes great left over and heated up. Be sure not to put too much allspice. You want just a hint. It's a family favorite.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/4 pound pancetta, thick cut, chopped into small bits (Italian cured pork, ask at deli counter)
½ pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup good quality dry red wine (or substitute apple or peach juice)
1 cup prepared beef stock, paper container or canned
2 (32 ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon (a couple of pinches) allspice or cinnamon
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 pounds penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Grated Pecorino Romano, as an accompaniment
Fresh, crusty bread, for mopping

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, bay leaf, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute. Add meats and brown and crumble them for 5 minutes.
Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work. Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.
Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving. Reheated sauce only improves.
Toss pasta with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce. Top pasta with lots of cheese and pass bread at the table.