Category: PROTEINS

KUNG PAO CHICKEN

I looked everywhere for hot chile paste. I have no idea what it is. I haven’t found it at my local grocery stores so when I decided to make this recipe that called for hot chile paste, I just subbed hot red pepper spread. It’s super spicy by itself but delicious in sauces. It worked. This was awesome. I’ll for sure make it again.

I’ve made several versions of Kung Pao chicken recipes but this is my favorite. I also cut WAY down on the peanuts. Kung Pao chicken is known for having a lot of peanuts in it. This recipe called for 4 oz. Well, 4 oz. of peanuts was more calories than the chicken so I decided just to put in a few. Again, it worked and it seemed fine. You are welcome to add more peanuts if you’d like. My husband ate this over rice and as usual, I chose to put it over broccoli. While it had a wonderful flavor, it wasn’t overly saucy so if you want a lot of sauce, go ahead and double the sauce. It was fine for me, I enjoyed it. The egg roll was just from Asian Sensations. I love egg rolls.

Kung Pao Chicken
1 pound boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoon white wine, divided
2 tablespoon soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon hot red pepper spread (or hot chile paste)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoon brown sugar
4 green onions
1 tablespoon
chopped garlic
1 can water chestnuts
3 tbsp chopped peanuts

To make marinade: 

  • Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch water mixture and mix together. 
  • Place chicken pieces in plastic bag and add marinade for about 30 minutes.
To make sauce: 

  • In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chile paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together.
  • Add green onions, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. I
  • n medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic. 
  • Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in large skillet until meat is done. 
  • When sauce is done, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens. 
  • Serve over rice or broccoli.
Total calories = 1015
3 servings = 338 calories

CRY BABY BURGERS & ROASTED PAPRIKA POTATOES

CRY BABY BURGERS
1 pound ground chuck
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 small can jalapenos, drained and chopped (save a small amount for the mayo)
1 small can green chiles, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 slices pepper jack cheese
jalapeno mayo (small amount of minced jalapenos whisked into mayo)
caramelized onions – 1 small Vidalia onion, thinly sliced

  • Combine ground chuck, jalapenos, green chiles, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce until well blended.
  • Form into 3 patties. Refrigerate for several hours.
  • Whisk together mayonnaise and minced jalapenos.  Refrigerate until chilled.
  • Sear and brown patties, turning frequently until cooked through.
  • While cooking the patties, melt a small amount of butter in another pan and caramelize onions to desired doneness.
  • When burgers are done, top with cheese, mayonnaise and caramelized onions.
  • Enjoy!

ROASTED PAPRIKA POTATOES
2 pounds baby red potatoes
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Hungarian paprika
1/4 cup melted butter

  • Scrub potatoes.
  • Boil for 10-15 minutes.
  • Drain the potatoes until cool enough to handle.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Spray a 9×9 shallow baking dish with PURE.
  • Place potatoes on bottom in an even layer.
  • Smash each potato slightly.
  • Evenly sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.
  • Pour melted butter evenly over top.
  • Bake 30 minutes until crunchy and bubbling.

      TURKEY MILANESE

      8 turkey cutlets, pounded down to about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness
      Salt and black pepper
      1 cup flour
      2 eggs, lightly beaten
      1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
      1 cup panko crumbs
      1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
      1 teaspoon dried basil
      1 teaspoon dried oregano
      2 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley
      2 tablespoons butter
      Oil for frying

      • Generously season the turkey cutlets with salt and pepper and set aside.
      • Sift together the bread crumbs, panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil oregano and parsley until well blended.
      • Set three shallow bowls side by side on your counter.  Fill the first one with the flour, the second one with the beaten eggs and the third one with the bread crumbs mixture.
      • Dredge cutlets, one at a time, first in the flour, then in the egg and finally, in the bread crumb mixture. Shake off any excess crumbs and reserve on another plate.
      • Chill the cutlets in the freezer for about 15 minutes.  This will help the coating stay intact when you fry it.
      • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to come up about 1/4-inch high.  Add butter.  Add cutlets and fry until cooked through and golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.  Do NOT crowd the pan.  If necessary, do this step in batches.  As each cutlet is cooked, transfer to a platter.   You can keep the cutlets warm in a low oven.
      • Serve with rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, buttered parsley noodles or some lemon wedges.
      • Top with minced parsley.
      • Serves 4.

      TURKEY MILANESE

      8 turkey cutlets, pounded down to about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness
      Salt and black pepper
      1 cup flour
      2 eggs, lightly beaten
      1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
      1 cup panko crumbs
      1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
      1 teaspoon dried basil
      1 teaspoon dried oregano
      2 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley
      2 tablespoons butter
      Oil for frying

      • Generously season the turkey cutlets with salt and pepper and set aside.
      • Sift together the bread crumbs, panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil oregano and parsley until well blended.
      • Set three shallow bowls side by side on your counter.  Fill the first one with the flour, the second one with the beaten eggs and the third one with the bread crumbs mixture.
      • Dredge cutlets, one at a time, first in the flour, then in the egg and finally, in the bread crumb mixture. Shake off any excess crumbs and reserve on another plate.
      • Chill the cutlets in the freezer for about 15 minutes.  This will help the coating stay intact when you fry it.
      • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to come up about 1/4-inch high.  Add butter.  Add cutlets and fry until cooked through and golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.  Do NOT crowd the pan.  If necessary, do this step in batches.  As each cutlet is cooked, transfer to a platter.   You can keep the cutlets warm in a low oven.
      • Serve with rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, buttered parsley noodles or some lemon wedges.
      • Top with minced parsley.
      • Serves 4.

      SPICY CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

      Spicy Chicken Spaghetti adapted from So Are You To Me
      2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; diced
      8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
      1/2 OF an onion, chopped
      1 bell pepper, chopped
      2 cloves garlic, minced
      1 can Hot Rotel
      1 can cream of mushroom soup
      6 oz. Velveeta
      1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
      salt and pepper to taste
      olive oil

      Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Mean while, saute diced chicken breasts, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until chicken is no longer pink, drain and set aside.  Drain the pasta and return to pan. Stir in diced Velveeta, Hot Rotel, cream of mushroom soup, and the cooked chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper.  Pour into a baking dish and top with sharp cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

      Modifications:
      -I used cream of chicken soup.

      Here’s what you’ll need:
      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

      Dice up a green pepper, mince 2-3 garlic cloves, and dice up 1/2 of an onion

      Cut up the chicken breasts and cook in olive oil.  Add the green pepper, garlic, and onion (forgot to take a picture)

      Cook the spaghetti until al dente.  Drain and add the cut up Velveeta.
      Add the soup.

      Add the can of Ro-Tel.

      Add the chicken mixture.

      Put the spaghetti mixture in a greased 9×13 baking dish.  Spread the cheese over the top and pop into the oven.
      What you’ll end up with:

      This dish was so good . . . how could it not be?  It has Velveeta and Ro-Tel so it is basically cheese dip with spaghetti.  YUMMY!

      Fire Day Friday: Fight Night Ribs

      There truly was no way of knowing that I would become as big of a boxing fan as I have become.  You see, Chris is a huge fan of boxing.  Did I say huge?  I mean HUGE!!!  If there is a fight on, you can pretty much guarantee he’s watching it.  When we first started dating, I thought, “crap, how will I ever truly enjoy this?  Ugh..I could easily become a boxing widow”.  But alas, that did not happen.  A strange phenomenon occurred, actually, I found myself looking forward to certain fights.  I found myself being able to hold actual conversations with people who knew the sport.  I found that at times, I actually enjoyed boxing.  It was a strange feeling to say the least.  Now, I’m one to think that boxing is a pretty brutal sport and there are times where I have to leave and go watch Shaun of the Dead in another room (lol), but for the most part, I have not become a boxing widow, but more like a boxing mistress 🙂

      So why am I telling you all of this? Well, Saturday nights are usually fight night and I usually try to make something that goes well with boxing.  And let me tell you, ribs and boxing (and beer) are a match made in heaven!!  And these ribs…well, I hate to sound cliche but… they’ll knock your socks off!
      The rub is one of my creations, but the BBQ sauce for the ribs…that delicious finger-licking good sauce is a slight adaptation of the notorious Pioneer Woman.  The two combined are magic!

      Fight Night Ribs
      Rub created by Jenn’s Food Journey, sauce adapted from The Pioneer Woman
      Printable Recipe 
      Ingredients:
      1 teaspoon cocoa powder (I used black onyx but any will really do)
      1 Tablespoon paprika (I used Hungarian Sweet)
      1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
      1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
      1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
      1 rack baby back ribs
      1/2 cup ketchup
      2 Tablespoons brown sugar
      1 Tablespoon white vinegar
      1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
      1 Tablespoon molasses
      2 Tablespoons adobo sauce (the sauce that chipotles are packed in)

      Directions:

      In a small bowl, mix together the cocoa, paprika, ancho chili powder, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper.  Rub the mixture over both sides of the ribs.  Wrap ribs in plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator for 8 hours. (OK, you can do it 4 but I recommend more)
      In a sauce pan over medium heat, mix the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, molasses and adobo sauce together and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
      Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack over top of it.  Spray the rack with non-stick spray.  Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes.  Carefully remove the pan from the oven, brush the ribs with a little of the bbq sauce, and cover with foil – be careful, remember that pan is hot!!  Place back in the oven, turn down the heat to 200 degrees and continue to cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
      Remove from oven and allow to sit covered while you preheat your grill to 350 degrees F.  Brush the ribs with some sauce and place directly over the fire.  Grill for 5-8 minutes per side.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them.  Enjoy!

      SHREDDED CHICKEN VEGETABLE EGG ROLLS

      SHREDDED CHICKEN VEGETABLE EGG ROLLS
      2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken or pork pieces
      1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
      1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
      1 large carrot, finely chopped
      1 tablespoon minced garlic, jar
      1 tablespoon sugar
      1 teaspoon sea salt
      1 teaspoon pepper
      1 tablespoon sesame oil
      4 tablespoons canola oil
      egg roll wrappers (I use Melissa’s)

      • Heat skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onion, garlic, celery and carrots, Saute’ until tender.
      • Drain, retaining oil.
      • In a large mixing bowl toss meat pieces with sesame oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Add vegetables and blend well.
      • Cool 5-10 minutes.
      • Fill center of each wrapper with 2 tablespoons of filling.
      • Fold 1st corner towards the center. Then fold each edge towards the center. With a pastry brush wet the exposed triangle of dough and roll the bulk onto it.
      • Add oil back into pan and add the additional 2 tablespoons and bring to medium heat.
      • Cook egg rolls on all 4 sides until golden.



      BLACKBERRY PINEAPPLE DIPPING SAUCE
      1/2 cup Blackberry Pineapple Jam
      2 tablespoons honey
      2 tablespoons soy sauce

      • Heat jam in microwave for 20 seconds to warm and thin.
      • Whisk in honey and soy sauce.
      • Set aside.

      CREAMY CHICKEN RICE with VEGGIES

      Creamy Chicken Rice with Veggies Recipe
      4 Chicken Breasts
      1 can cream of chicken
      3/4 cup of water
      1 teaspoon garlic salt
      1 teaspoon onion salt
      1 teaspoon paprika
      1/2-3/4 bag of frozen mixed veggies
      1 small can of mushrooms stems and pieces
      1 1/2-2 cups of colby jock or your fav cheese
      3/4 cup of White or Brown Long Grain Rice (Not Instant)
      2 chicken bouillon cubes

      • Preheat 375. 
      • Measure just over 3/4 cup of water and drop in 2 bouillon cubes in water and microwave for 2-2 1/2 minutes. 
      • Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil 13×9 inch dish. 
      • Mix cream of chicken soup, water, garlic salt, onion salt, veggies, mushrooms and rice and put in baking dish. 
      • Top with Chicken (cut into pieces to speed up cooking time). 
      • Sprinkle chicken with paprika or any other herb mixture you prefer. 
      • Bake uncovered at 375 for about 45 min or until chicken is to 165 degrees. 
      • Top with cheese and stick back in oven for about 5 more minutes to melt.

      Modifications:

      -I think that you could probably add a onion soup mixture to the cream of chicken soup and cut out the garlic salt and onion salt.
      -You could trade out chicken stock for the bouillon cubes.

      Here’s what you’ll need:
      Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
      Place 2 chicken bouillon cubes in 3/4 cups of water.  
      Pop it in the microwave for 2 1/2 minutes.
      Spray down a 9×13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
      Next, place all of the ingredients into a bowl . . .
      1 can of cream of mushroom soup
      1 can of mushrooms stems and pieces
      about 3/4 of a bag of frozen vegetables
      3/4 cup of brown rice (not instant)
      paprika
      garlic salt and onion salt
      Next, add the chicken bouillon stock and stir.
      Put everything into the baking dish.
       
      Place 4 chicken breasts on top of the mixture.
      Top the chicken with some Home Seasoning.
      Cover it with foil and pop it in the oven for 45 minutes.
      After 45 minutes, top each piece of chicken with some cheese.
      Here’s what you’ll end up with:

      CHICKEN QUESADILLAS


      Place a Tortilla Shell on Microwave Safe Plate
      Add~
      Refried Beans
      Cooked Chicken
      Shredded Cheese
      Place Another Tortilla Shell on Top
      Cook on High for 40 Seconds
      Cook on High for Another 30 Seconds or Until Cheese is Melted

      Cut Into Slices With Knife or Pizza Cutter

      Serve With Chips, Corn, Chilli and Your Favorite Toppings

      Happy Eating…

      TROPICAL GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN

      MOTHER’S DAY IN STYLE
      TROPICAL GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN

      2-3 pound pork tenderloin
      1 cup apricot pineapple preserves
      1 1/2 cup brown sugar
      1/2 cup pineapple juice

      • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
      • Whisk together brown sugar and pineapple juice.
      • Blend in preserves.
      • generously salt and pepper the pork loin.
      • Spread a small layer of the glaze on the bottom of the roasting pan.
      • Lay the pork loin on top and spread the remaining glaze on top and along the sides.
      • Baste as necessary
      • Bake 45-60 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.

      Fire Day Friday: Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Mayo

      Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to find exciting new recipes that I forget about the simpler things in life….like sandwiches.  Sandwiches are so versatile and simple.  What’s not to love about that?  With a busy schedule and less and less time in the kitchen this week, I wanted to make something that would be filling and yet still make it seem like I worked hard to create a fantastic dinner 🙂  Enter the steak sandwich.  Simple, true, but add a little chimichurri mayo and, well, suddenly your steak sandwich is anything but simple.  It’s flavorful, it’s a tiny bit spicy, and it’s fresh tasting.  Definitely a great alternative to your usual sandwich spread.

      I kept the steak marinade very simple, I knew the mayo would have a great flavor and I didn’t want that to be over shadowed.  You can marinate your steak in anything you want though, or even just drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, steaks don’t usually need much, they are usually so flavorful in themselves.
      Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Mayo
      Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers
      Ingredients:
      1 lbs. top sirloin (or any steak really)
      1/2 cup beer (I used Bud Light)
      1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
      1 Tablespoon Sambal Oelek (chili paste)
      5 Tablespoons mayonnaise
      1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
      1 garlic clove, finely minced
      1 teaspoon dried oregano
      1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
      1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
      4 hoagie buns, french rolls, or thick cut crusty bread
      Lettuce (optional)
      Tomato (optional)
      Cucumber (optional)

      Directions:
      In a bowl, mix together the beer, Worcestershire, and Sambal Oelek.  Place steak in a resealable bag and pour marinade over it.  Let marinate for at least 4 hours.

      Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes until smooth.  Add the parsley and stir to combine. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use. 

      Preheat grill to 400 degrees.  Place the steak directly on the grill grates and grill until cooked to your liking.  I prefer medium rare so I put my steak on for about 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness.  Remove from grill and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing thin against the grain.   Slather some of the chimichurri mayo on the bread (I toasted my buns first..yum!!), arrange steak on bun and top with lettuce, tomato, and/or cucumber.  Enjoy!