Category: PROTEINS

CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE

I’ve been making this recipe for many years. It’s a really easy and delicious meal that can be pulled together quickly! It’s really great comfort food for a cool evening – warm, tasty, creamy AND crunchy!  My copy was handed down by grams and was probably a Campbell’s Soup label recipe originally that was shared by her grandmother’s club.  I’ve been seeing versions of it pop up around social media and pinterest A LOT lately.  My version has been changed up A LOT, but hubby ALL but licks his plate when I make it.

WEEKNIGHT CHICKEN CASSEROLE
3 cups of diced rotisserie chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup or soup substitute
2½ cups cooked rice
½ cup sliced almonds or cashews
½ cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce (optional)
¾ cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3/4 cup crushed potato chips (see notes) OR corn flakes, crushed into small pieces
2-3 tablespoons butter, melted

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Toss chicken pieces with hot sauce.
  • Place carrots in a microwave safe bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water.  Cook 1 minute so carrots begin to soften.
  • Combine all ingredients together a spread into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
  • Combine the crushed chips with the melted butter and sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until casserole is heated through.

NOTES:

  • You can really change up the flavor by using different flavored rotisserie chicken or different flavored potato chips. I also like to use sweet potato chips 😀 or sometimes, crushed saltines or rice krispies or ANY combo of the above!
  • We like to serve it with either shoepeg corn or green beans to round out the veggies 😀

WHISKEY BBQ CHICKEN

WHISKEY BBQ CHICKEN
12 chicken legs, Bone-in, Skin-on
2 tablespoons avocado Oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 Vidalia onion, halved and sliced
1-1/2 cup Seagrams Whiskey* see notes
1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce* see notes
12 ounce jar SMUCKER’S peach preserves* see notes
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced

  • Preheat oven to 300°.
  • Heat oil and butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add chicken legs, DO NOT CROWD THE PAN. Brown both sides 5-6 minutes, then remove to a plate and repeat until all chicken is browned.
  • Pour off half all but 1 tablespoon of the oil and return pan to stove.
  • Add onions to pan and stir, cooking for 3-4 minutes, until beginning to caramelize.
  • Add garlic and stir another minute or so.
  • Pour whiskey into the pot, careful of open flames.
  • Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, allowing whiskey to reduce for a minute or two.
  • Pour in barbecue sauce, peach preserves, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Return chicken to pan.
  • Cover and place in oven for 90 minutes.
  • Serve pieces of chicken over rice or mashed potatoes.
  • Sprinkle sliced green onions over the top.

NOTES:

  • I like Seagrams, just my whiskey of choice, but use whatever your favorite is.
  • Make your own or use your FAVORITE bottled BBQ sauce.
  • I prefer SMUCKER’S jams, but you can make your own or use another brand. I also use what I have on hand and sometimes that is apricot-pineapple which adds a GREAT flavor change.

PORK ROAST with APPLE PEAR CREAM SAUCE

PORK ROAST with APPLE PEAR CREAM SAUCE
ROAST
3 pound boneless pork roast
1 Vidalia onion, halved and sliced
2 tablespoons butter
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Place butter and onion slices in bottom of shallow roaster.
  • Generously season pork roast and place on top on onions.
  • Roast for 1 1/4- 1 1/2 hours until 165°.
  • Rest 10 minutes while finishing sauce.

SAUCE
2 Japanese pears, peeled, cored and chopped
3 large green onions, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon creamed horseradish
1/2 cup heavy cream

  • Melt butter in sauce pan.
  • Add onions and pears cooking over low heat 20-25 minutes until pear pieces are very tender.
  • Transfer mixture to food processor.
  • Add the cream, horseradish and season with FRESH ground salt and pepper, blending until smooth.
  • Return to sauce pan and reheat until cooked through.
  • Serve over prepared rice.

HORSERADISH POTATO CRUSTED BEEF STEW

Another RECIPE SCRAP recipe wins!  The horseradish and cheddar cheese combo is AWESOME! and really elevates a basic stew to the next level.

HORSERADISH POTATO CRUSTED BEEF STEW

STEW
1 1/2 pounds lean stew meat, diced small bite sized
1 cup blended red wine
1/2 cup Moscato white wine
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
1 orange, sliced
1/3 cup Wondra
1 large Vidalia onion, quartered and sliced
4 carrots, sliced into thick chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup beef bone broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • Place half the orange slices the bottom of a non-metallic bowl.
  • Top with beef pieces.
  • Generously season with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Top with the remaining orange slices.
  • Whisk together the wines and caraway seeds.
  • Pour over beef, cover and marinade over night or at least 4 hours.

 

  • Preheat oven 325°.
  • Drain the beef WELL, discard oranges, but reserve the marinade.
  • Heat the oil over medium high heat in dutch oven.
  • Generously season the beef with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Dredge the beef in the Wondra.
  • Sear the beef pieces.
  • Add the onions, garlic and carrots and simmer 5 minutes or so.
  • Add mushrooms.
  • Whisk together the cornstarch with the beef stock and marinade, whisking until blended. Stir into stew.
  • Season to taste.
  • Cover and cook in oven 45 minutes.

CRUST – prepare potato crust so it is ready at the 45 minute mark
1 1/2 pounds YUKON potatoes, grated
1 tablespoon Avocado oil or 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons creamy horseradish
2/3 cup grated SHARP cheddar cheese
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste

  • Blanch the grated potatoes for 5 minutes in boiling water.
  • Drain well.
  • Use a cheesecloth to squeeze any remaining liquid from the potatoes.
  • Stir in avocado oil, horseradish, cheese and season to taste.
  • Layer potatoes evenly over the stew.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 400°.
  • Cook 30 minutes more until the potato crust is crisp and golden brown.

CREAMSICLE CHICKEN – PAN SEARED CHICKEN with CREAMY ORANGE SAUCE

This recipe is tender, juicy, looks elegant and pairs wonderfully with any green vegetable.  It is truly my intention to try AT LEAST 1 recipe a week from my RECIPE SCRAPS.  I now have one more scrap of paper gone!

CREAMSICLE CHICKEN – PAN SEARED CHICKEN with CREAMY ORANGE SAUCE serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see notes)
3 tablespoons brandy
1 1/4 cups orange juice (see notes)
4 green onions, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounce orange yogurt (see notes)
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
scant tablespoon avocado oil
Orange slices for garnish
Jasmine rice, prepared per package

  • Heat avocado oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat.
  • Generously season chicken pieces with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Saute’ chicken breasts 2-3 minutes per side until golden.
    Remove chicken to plate, tent with foil and keep warm.
  • De-glaze pan with brandy.
  • Add orange juice, garlic and green onions.
  • Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to simmer 2-3 minutes.
  • Whisk together cornstarch with water.
  • Whisk cornstarch mixture into yogurt.
  • Whisk yogurt mixture into pan sauce and adjust seasoning.
  • Simmer until thickened and cooked through.

NOTES:

  • If you prefer 8 thighs can be substituted easily.
  • I sometimes use a pineapple orange juice to alter the flavor a bit.
  • YOPLAIT orange cream works beautifully.

CHICKEN BLT CASSEROLE

CHICKEN BLT CASSEROLE serves 6
12 ounces Barilla cellentani or rotini pasta
6 slices bacon, chopped, cooked until crispy
3 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
2 cups alfredo sauce (homemade or jar** – your choice)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups micro arugula
2 large green onions, sliced thin
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray 3 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Cook pasta al dente per package directions. Drain well.
  • In a large mixing bowl toss pasta with chicken pieces.
  • Add alfredo sauce and toss until well coated.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Fold in green onions, bacon pieces and tomatoes.
  • Cover and bake 25 minutes.
  • Top with cheese and return to oven uncovered for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Enjoy.

NOTES:

  • This recipe is good leftover. BUT is BEST FRESH because of the lettuce and tomato. 
  • RAGU makes a basil alfredo that is super yummy!

ITALIAN DEVIL CHICKEN & TOMATO POTATO CASSEROLE

These two recipes go hand in hand for us.  The marinade on the chicken makes it sooooooooo tender and flavorful too. The tomato potato casserole is good, but add the sauce and it ALL comes together as GREAT & YUMMY! 😀

ITALIAN DEVIL CHICKEN & TOMATO POTATO CASSEROLE

ITALIAN DEVIL CHICKEN
1 pound Chicken tenders
2 ounces avocado oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
2 tablespoons Frank’s Original Hot Sauce
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
Wondra flour for dredging
1 tablespoon butter

  • Whisk together the avocado oil, lemon juice, garlic and hot sauce.
  • Season chicken tenders generously with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken pieces to a shallow dish and pour marinade over top.
  • Cover and chill 4-8 hours or overnight.

 

  • Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.
  • Drain marinade off chicken pieces.
  • Dredge chicken pieces in flour and add to skillet.
  • Sear chicken pieces 2-3 minutes each side until golden and cooked through.
  • Remove chicken pieces and keep warm while preparing sauce.

SAUCE
4 ounces tomato pesto
1 cup Marsala wine

  • In the same skillet add wine being sure to scrape up all the browned bits.
  • Whisk in tomato pesto and simmer on medium high 5-6 minutes until heated through and slightly reduced.
  • Serve sauce over chicken pieces.

TOMATO POTATO CASSEROLE
potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
Italian Roma tomatoes, sliced thin
Vidalia onion, sliced thin
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
Parmesan Cheese, grated
FRESH basil leaves, torn, to taste
5-6 tablespoons Avocado oil
1/4 cup water

  • Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Arrange potatoes in a layer, followed by a layer of onions and then a layer of tomatoes.
  • Sprinkle with basil leaves, to taste.
  • Season each layer to taste.
  • Repeat layers ending with the Parmesan cheese.
  • Sprinkle oil over cheese layer evenly.
  • Pour water over top.
  • Bake covered for 30 minutes.
  • Bake for another 30 minutes or until tender and cheese is golden.

CHICKEN CONTINENTAL – YET ANOTHER VERSION

This is yet another version of my grams old recipe.

CHICKEN CONTINENTAL
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
1/3 cup seasoned flour
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups minute rice (white or brown)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
4 large mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons butter

  • Pre-heat oven to 375°.
  • In a large skillet, heat butter until sizzling over medium-high heat.
  • Dredge chicken pieces in seasoned flour.
  • Quick sear chicken pieces for 1-2 minutes on each side, set aside.
  • Add onions to butter in skillet and saute’ until beginning to soften.
  • Add mushrooms and saute’ a minute or so more.
  • Whisk together the soup and broth. Add to skillet and stir well.
  • Stir in rice.
  • Season to taste.
  • Add the majority of the rice mixture to a greased shallow baking dish.
  • Layer chicken on top in a single layer.
  • Top with remaining rice mixture.
  • Cover and bake 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender.

NOTES:  Sometime I add chopped carrots, garlic and bacon pieces.  If I add the bacon I cook it first and trade out some of the bacon grease for the butter to add in the flavor.

WINTER PORK ROAST – CRANBERRY ORANGE

WINTER PORK ROAST

3 pound boneless pork loin roast
avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 + 1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
8 ounces sweet orange marmalade or apricot pineapple jam
8 ounces whole cranberry sauce (canned is okay, but I prefer fresh)*
FRESH cranberries, for garnish
sliced oranges, for garnish

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Pat pork roast dry.
  • Rub with avocado oil.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper on all sides.
  • Sear each side over high heat for 2 minutes per side.
Place in roasting pan.
  • While searing the pork, start your sauce.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup orange juice, apple cider vinegar, apricot pineapple jam or orange marmalade, and cranberry sauce.
  • Pour sauce over the pork.
  • 
Roast for 60-80 minutes (140°-145° in the most central part of the pork), basting every 20 minutes with the sauce mixture.
  • Remove from oven and place pork on a foil tented plate to cool/rest for 10 minutes.
  • While pork is resting, add remaining 1/4 cup orange juice to the juices left over from cooking to a saucepan.
  • Bring sauce to a boil and then reduce to a simmer while pork rests.
Slice and serve pork, drizzled with more sauce and garnished with orange slices and fresh cranberries.
  • Enjoy!

NOTES: * I always make a HUGE batch of homemade cranberry sauce over the holidays so I have some in the freezer. Cranberries are hard to come by the rest of the year.

MONGOLIAN BEEF ala INSTANT POT

MONGOLIAN BEEF serves 6

2 pounds flank steak, sliced into thin strips across the grain
1/3 cup cornstarch
2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
3/4 cup soy sauce (I used low sodium)
1 cup water
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
1 cup shredded or julienned carrots
Sliced green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish
Cooked white rice

  • Place flank steak strips in a 1 gallon resealable bag.
  • Add cornstarch, seal bag and shake to coat evenly.
  • In a medium bowl, add ginger root, garlic, soy sauce,  water, brown sugar and Hoisin sauce stirring well to combine.
  • Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting.
  • Add olive oil.
  • When olive oil is heated, add beef and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Pour mixture over beef and stir to combine.
  • Add carrots and stir again.
  • Turn Instant Pot off.
  • Place the lid on and lock.
  • Steam release knob should be set on “sealing”.
  • Cook on manual setting (high pressure) for 10 minutes.
  • Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
  • Carefully remove lid and stir.
  • Serve over cooked white rice and top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

NEW ENGLAND STYLE BAKED STUFFED CLAMS

One of the wonderful things about living near the coast is FRESH seafood!!  Start with steamed clams and mix them with the veggies and seasoned crumbs. They bake to perfection every time!

NEW ENGLAND STYLE BAKED STUFFED CLAMS
8 LARGE quahogs or cherry stone clams
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 Vidalia onion, finely diced
1 LARGE clove garlic, minced
1/4 red pepper, finely diced
1 cup FRESH seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons finely minced FRESH parsley
Juice of 2 lemons, divided
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/8 teaspoon sweet Paprika

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Wash the clams free of any grit.
  • Steam clams in around 1 inch of boiling water until they open up, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove clams from the water (reserve a couple tablespoons of clam water).
  • Allow the clams to cool before taking them out of the shell – if the “foot” gets stuck, don’t worry about it since it’s not as tender anyway.
  • Split the shells open and keep 8 of them for stuffing.

 

  • Heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat until onion is soft.
  • Add the garlic and peppers cooking another minute before adding the breadcrumbs.
Add the bread crumbs and blend well.
  • Add parsley, 1/2 of the lemon juice, Parmesan and paprika mixing well.
  • Add a tablespoon or two of the clam water to bind the mixture.
Divide the mixture between the 8 shells you held back and press it so it holds together.
  • Put them in a baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes until they gently brown on top.
  • Drizzle with lemon juice just before serving.

NOTES:

  • If clams don’t open on steaming, don’t use them, this means they were already dead.
  • When I make the bread crumbs I start with 2-3 slices of buttered sourdough sprinkled with lemon pepper, baked to toast in the oven and then ground in a food processor.

BBQ APRICOT PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

BBQ APRICOT PINEAPPLE  CHICKEN adapted from Carrie at Northwoods Scrapbook

BBQ SAUCE
Avocado oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1 small onion)
1 tablespoon minced Fresno chile, seeds removed (1 chile)
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
13 ounce jar apricot-pineapple jam
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (1 large orange)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup jalapeño ketchup
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the chile and garlic; cook an additional 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the jam; cooking until the jam melts, 3 to 4 minutes more.
  • Add the orange juice and cider vinegar, bring to a simmer.
  • Add the ketchup, honey and Worcestershire.
  • Adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 10-15 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.
  • Add salt to taste.
  • Remove 1 cup for basting the chicken; reserve the rest for serving.

CHICKEN
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon each FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
16 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Avocado oil
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

  • Preheat the oven to 375°.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
  • Pat dry chicken breasts.
  • Coat chicken breasts on both sides with avocado oil.
  • Generously sprinkle both sides with seasoning mix.
  • Place the chicken thighs on two foil-lined baking sheets.
  • Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 35 minutes.
  • Turn the oven to broil.
  • Generously baste the chicken pieces with BBQ sauce and broil until the sauce has caramelized and chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove to a platter, let rest for 5 minutes
  • Sprinkle the chicken with parsley.
  • Serve with the reserved BBQ sauce.