Category: PROTEINS

GREEN CHILE CHICKEN COBBLER

This is one of those recipes that I cut out of a magazine and then never got around too, but also kept changing it LOL 😀 before I ever even made it.  When I finally got around to making it EVERYONE loved it!!!

GREEN CHILE CHICKEN COBBLER
TOPPING
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup powdered Parmesan cheese
¼ cup FRESH grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons COLD butter, cut into small cubes
scant ½ cup heavy cream

  • Preheat oven to 450°.
  • Line a cookie sheet with a sheet of foil and LIGHTLY spray with non-stick spray.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and powdered Parmesan cheese.
  • Cut in butter until coarse crumbs form.
  • Cut in grated Parmesan cheese until well distributed.
  • Crumble mixture into a layer on the foil.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes until light golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and set aside.
  • Reduce heat to 350°.
  • Spray 9×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

CASSEROLE
3 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
½ cup Daisy sour cream
10 ounce can green enchilada sauce
1 can cream of Campbell’s chicken herb soup *
1 LARGE bunch green onions, chopped small
8 ounces chopped green chiles, only slightly drained
3 cups chopped or shredded rotisseries chicken pieces
2 cups grated Mexican cheese combo (pepper jack and cheddar), divided 1 ½ + ½

  • Whisk together the cream cheese and sour cream.
  • Add in enchilada sauce, soup and green chiles blending until well incorporated.
  • Fold in onions and chicken pieces until well distributed.
  • Transfer baking dish.
  • Top with 1 ½ cups of the cheese.
  • Toss the other ½ cup of cheese with the cooled topping mixture and sprinkle on top of baking dish.
  • Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes until heated through and bubbling.

NOTE: Soup Substitute recipe can be found here.

BAVARIAN MEATBALLS ala SLOW COOKER

These meatballs make a GREAT appetizer, are also GREAT on a sandwich or served over rice or pasta. But the most preferred method is with mashed potatoes so there is spot for the YUMMY gravy!

BAVARIAN MEATBALLS ala SLOW COOKER
MEATBALLS
1 pound ground chicken
½ pound ground pork
1 LARGE egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

GRAVY
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup PACKED brown sugar
1 envelope LIPTON onion soup mix
12 ounces beer or ginger ale
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (optional – best on sandwiches)

  • Mix everything together until well blended.
  • Form into 1 inch meatballs. It will make about 36.
  • Coat the slow cooker insert with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Place meatballs in the slow cooker.
  • Combine the onions, brown sugar, onion soup mix, and beer. Pour over and around meatballs.
  • Cook on low 3-4 hours until meatballs are cooked through.
  • Serve over rice, pasta or on hoagies*.
  • Top with cheese.

NOTE*: 

  • If serving on hoagies, place split buns on baking sheet, place meatballs on buns and top with cheese. Broil 4-6 inches from heat source for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and golden.
  • If making the “LOAF” mix EVERYTHING (except the cheese) together and add 1 cup Panko crumbs.  Press mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Top with cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

GINGER ALE CHICKEN

GINGER ALE CHICKEN
2 pounds bone in chicken thighs
½ cup avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon garlic powder
3-6 ounces ginger ale

  • Pour a VERY shallow amount of ginger ale into the bottom of baking dish.
  • Sift together the salt, pepper, brown sugar, paprika, ginger, cinnamon and garlic powder until well blended.
  • Rub chicken thighs with oil.
  • Sprinkle each thigh with spice mixture and place skin side up in a single layer in baking dish.
  • Bake 1 hour.
  • Coat with glaze.
  • Cover with foil and rest 10 minutes.

GLAZE
12 ounces ginger ale
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated FRESH ginger
¼ teaspoon FRANK’s original hot sauce

  • Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until glaze is reduced to ½ cup.

NOTE:  If serving with mashed potatoes, use a cornstarch slurry on the sauce and you have a GREAT gravy!

SCALLOPED HAM & POTATOES another ANTIQUE RECIPE

I’ve been experimenting with more of my “ANTIQUE” recipes and having GREAT success.  This recipe is also a blank canvas for getting creative.  I had a large jar of pimientos that was opened by accident that I drained and added to the layers.  I was also out of sweet onions so I used shallots and I used the cheese I had on hand which happened to be a garlic pepper cheddar and Gruyere.

SCALLOPED HAM & POTATOES another ANTIQUE RECIPE
5 medium potatoes
1 ham steak*
1 medium sweet Vidalia onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons WONDRA flour
1 ¼ cups milk, warmed, but not scalded
½ cup grated cheddar
½ cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon Paprika

  • Preheat oven 350°.
  • Peel and soak potatoes for one hour.
  • Drain and dry potatoes.
  • Trim ham steak of fat and discard. Cut steak into diced size pieces.
  • Spray baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
  • Arrange one third of the potatoes in the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Top with half of the onions and garlic.
  • Top with half of the ham pieces.

  • Repeat layers, ending with potatoes.
  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
  • Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and turns golden, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a SLOW boil.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
  • Stir in grated cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with the Paprika.
  • Pour over potato and ham layers.
  • Top with Gruyere cheese.
  • Bake one hour until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden.

*NOTE – ham steaks tend to be on the salty side so use salt sparingly until you taste test.  They also tend to be very watery.  If using a packaged ham steak, be sure to “press” excess water from steak before trimming and dicing.

CREAMY CHICKEN & VEGGIES

When I first saw this recipe, the tomatoes are what intrigued me the most and the baby spinach the least, but we tried it anyway.  It was really quite good, except hubby really hated the tomatoes.  Next time we will be using mushrooms instead of tomatoes.  We also had the rice, but will do mashed potatoes next time.  I also used my wok and will add a bunch more veggies like broccoli and snow peas.

CREAMY CHICKEN & VEGGIES
2 teaspoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ Vidalia onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin or minced
1 teaspoon minced FRESH thyme
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons WONDRA flour
1 ½ cup chopped baby spinach
1 SMALL lemon, juiced and zest
Prepared rice, mashed potatoes or pasta

  • Heat oil and butter over medium high heat in a large skillet.
  • GENEROUSLY season chicken pieces with your FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add chicken to skillet searing 4-5 minutes until golden brown before turning.
  • Flip chicken and add tomatoes, onion, garlic and thyme. Cook 3-4 minutes until onion begins to soften.
  • Whisk together the chicken stock and flour. Add to skillet, stirring to mix. Be sure to scrape all the tasty tidbits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a SLOW boil until sauce thickens.
  • Add spinach, lemon zest and lemon juice, stirring to mix well.
  • Serve immediately over prepared rice, mashed potatoes or pasta.

MEXICAN SOFRITO

I wanted to use what I had on hand so made a Mexican version of my Beef Ragu.  Naming it was an entirely different story! 

I found tons of words to replace ragu like goulash, pot-au-feu, gumbo, suey, cassoulet, chowder… You get the idea, but I couldn’t find a word in Spanish.  Finding a word for word translation of RAGU was challenging. 

Turns out there isn’t a DIRECT word for translation so I read until I found an acceptable translation for this Mexican version of my Beef Ragu recipe. The word soffritto is still Italian, but I found the same word with a single f and single t (sofrito) used for Puerto Rican and Latin American recipes.  Close enough for me! 

A Ragu is meat based with a little sauce added.

MEXICAN SOFRITO ala SLOW COOKER
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, sliced paper thin
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 ½ -3 pound chuck roast
1 tablespoon House Seasoning (see below)
28 ounces crushed tomatoes, with cumin and chili powder to taste
1 large can chopped green chiles
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
Cotija cheese

  • Spray a large slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Arrange the onions, garlic, green chiles and bacon pieces in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Generously season roast with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper on both sides.
  • Arrange roast on top of the onion mixture.
  • Sprinkle the carrots on top of the roast.
  • In a medium bowl, blend together the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, red wine vinegar and cilantro.
  • Pour over the roast.
  • Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours until the beef is EXTREMELY tender and falls apart.
  • Skim any fat from the top.
  • Use 2 forks to shred the beef.
  • Stir beef into the sauce.
  • Adjust seasonings.
  • Re-cover and cook for another hour to allow the flavored to meld together.
  • Serve with corn tortillas and top with Cotija cheese sprinkles.

This is an adapted version of my Beef Ragu recipe.

PINEAPPLE CHILI MEATBALLS

This recipe makes 70 meatballs making it perfect for a crowd, tailgating party, church potluck or freeze in batches for quick weeknight meals.

HONEY GARLIC GLAZED MEATBALLS
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup PANKO bread crumbs
2 LARGE eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons each FRESH sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup finely diced Vidalia onion
3 LARGE cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon butter

SAUCE
1/2 cup Smucker’s Pineapple Preserves
1/3 cup Sweet Red Chili Sauce
6 ounces orange juice
3 tablespoons Teriyaki sauce

  • Spray baking racks with non-stick cooking spray and place on baking trays. Set aside.
  • Whisk together the milk and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
  • Crumble ground beef over milk mixture and combine well.
  • Shape into ping pong size balls.
  • Place each meatball on a baking rack.
  • Baked uncovered 12-15 minutes until cooked through.

While meatballs are baking start sauce.

  • Whisk together all the ingredients and bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes more.
  • Add meatballs to sauce, gently turning to coat.
  • Cook for 5-10 minutes.

HONEY GARLIC GLAZED MEATBALLS

This recipe makes 70 meatballs making it perfect for a crowd, tailgating party, church potluck or freeze in batches for quick weeknight meals.

HONEY GARLIC GLAZED MEATBALLS
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup PANKO bread crumbs
2 LARGE eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons each FRESH sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup finely diced Vidalia onion
3 LARGE cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup jalapeno ketchup
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons BRAGG’s liquid aminos

  • Spray baking racks with non-stick cooking spray and place on baking trays. Set aside.
  • Whisk together the milk and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
  • Crumble ground beef over milk mixture and combine well.
  • Shape into ping pong size balls.
  • Place each meatball on a baking rack.
  • Baked uncovered 12-15 minutes until cooked through.

While meatballs are baking start sauce.

  • Melt butter in a LARGE sauce pan.
  • Add garlic, cooking until aromatic.
  • Whisk in the ketchup, honey and liquid aminos.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes more.
  • Add meatballs to sauce, gently turning to coat.
  • Cook for 5-10 minutes.

CHICKEN TAMALE PIE

This is a great recipe that is a super easy casserole replacement for the time consuming task of stuffing tamale husks.

CHICKEN TAMALE PIE

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Place a 10 inch cast iron pan on a baking sheet and place in oven to warm.

FILLING
3 cups chopped FRESH tomatoes
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced into a paste
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Wondra flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Pulse together 2 cups of the tomatoes, onions and garlic until ALMOST pureed.
  • Heat the avocado oil in a skillet.
  • Stir in the chili powder and flour.
  • Whisk in the broth and tomato puree mixture and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Cool.
  • Reserve 1/2 cup of sauce.
  • Add in chicken and remaining tomatoes.

TOP CRUST
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon FRESH ground sea salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 LARGE egg
1 can SHOEPEG corn, drained
1 small can green chiles, drained
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 cups shredded cheese (combination of cheddar and jack)

  • Combine the cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
  • Whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter and egg.
  • Fold in dry ingredients to the wet ingredients JUST until combined.
  • Gently fold in corn and green chiles.

ASSEMBLY

  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
  • Add the butter to the cast iron pan.
  • Carefully pour the batter into the pan and bake 20 minutes.
  • Poke holes in cornbread.
  • Spread reserved sauce over the cornbread.
  • Top with chicken mixture.
  • Sprinkle cheese over chicken mixture.
  • Return baking sheet to oven and bake 10 minutes until cheese melts.

 

HARVEST STUFFED PORK CHOPS

HARVEST PORK CHOPS
8 boneless pork loin chops, 1 inch thick
2 cups small chopped celery
1 small red onion, chopped small
1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
2 cups crispy bread cubes for stuffing
2 cups chicken broth
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup pineapple jam
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons avocado oil

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Carefully cut a pocket into each pork chop.
  • Combine the celery, onion, parsley, bread cubes, chicken broth, melted butter and cranberries until well blended.
  • Add a large scoop of stuffing to each pork chop and close with a toothpick.
  • Spread remaining stuffing mix into baking dish.
  • Generously season each chop with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Sear each pork chop on each side and place on top of stuffing in baking dish.
  • Cover with foil.
  • Bake 30 minutes.
  • Heat jam and remaining cranberry sauce for 30 seconds in microwave.
  • Uncover chops and spread sauce mixture over top.
  • Return to oven and and bake another 10 minutes until chops reach 160°.

NOTE: Dried cranberries can be substituted, but you’ll need to increase the chicken broth by 1/4 cup for additional moisture.

CHILI TAMALE PIE

CHILI TAMALE PIE
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
2 1/2 cups mild enchilada sauce
1 can shoepeg corn, drained
12 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar and Jack)
1 Jalapeno pepper, optional

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Spray 2 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Start browning ground beef in large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add onions, garlic, chili powder and salt cooking 5 minutes or so, stirring often.
  • Add beans and half of the sauce, bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
  • Add corn and return to simmer 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Spread half of the remaining sauce in the baking dish.
  • Top with 4 tortillas, overlapping as needed.
  • Top with half the cheese followed by half the filling mixture.
  • Add 4 more tortillas.
  • Repeat layering with 1/2 cup cheese and remaining filling.
  • Top with last 4 tortillas, remaining sauce, remaining cheese and jalapenos if using.
  • Grease one side of a sheet of foil and place greased side on top of baking dish.
  • Bake 20 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake 5 more minutes.

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN IN WINE

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN IN WINE
2-3 pounds chicken thighs
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 can Cream of chicken soup or soup substitute
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 potato per person, halved and quartered into bite size pieces.
2 cups baby carrots
Chopped Parsley, garnish

  • Whisk together the broth, wine and soup.
  • Spray slow cooker insert with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Pour soup mixture into slow cooker insert.
  • Generously season chicken thighs.
  • Place chicken thighs in soup mixture and cover.
  • Cook on high 4-6 hours.
  • Add potato pieces and carrots.
  • Recover and cook 1 hour more on low.
  • Serve over rice pilaf or mashed potatoes.

NOTE: If sauce is too thin when you add potatoes and carrots add a quick corn starch slurry.