Category: PROTEINS

PARMESAN MUSHROOM CHICKEN

PARMESAN MUSHROOM CHICKEN
4 thin skinless, boneless chicken steaks
seasoned flour (I use Wondra with salt & pepper)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Asiago Parmesan

  • Combine WONDRA flour with salt and pepper – mix well.
  • Dip chicken in the buttermilk and then dredge in the flour mixture.
  • Heat butter and saute’ chicken until golden.  Remove from skillet and keep warm.
  • Add olive oil.
  • When oil and butter are well mixed and heated through add mushrooms, thyme and garlic sauteing until golden.
  • Add wine to deglaze pan being sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Slowly add the heavy cream, stirring constantly until well blended.
  • Add Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted.
  • Plate chicken, serving with rice pilaf or mashed potatoes and top with mushroom sauce.

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CARAMELIZED LEMON & GREEN CHILE VERDE WHITEFISH

CARAMELIZED LEMON & GREEN CHILE VERDE WHITEFISH
4 white fish (cod, snapper etc…) 6 ounce fillets
1 large bunch green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lemon, sliced about 1/8-1/4 inch thick
2 teaspoons sugar divided
2 tablespoons green chile verde sauce
fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

  • Melt coconut oil and butter in skillet over medium high heat.
  • Saute onions a few minutes until tender.
  • Add lemons around the edge of the pan.
  • Sprinkle lemons with 1 teaspoon of the sugar.
  • Generously salt and pepper the fish fillets and place in the center of the pan.
  • Cook 3-4 minutes (depending on thickness) until opaque and then turn.
  • Turn the lemons and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
  • Add chile verde sauce over the lemons.
  • Add lid to the pan and cook another 3-4 minutes.

CAST IRON SKILLET CHICKEN

I menu plan.  I cut coupons.  I read sale ads.  Being a Virgo I tend to be controlling too, but the best thing you can do for yourself, your family and your budget is to stay a bit flexible too. When I run across a fantastic sale, I adjust, adjust and adjust to accommodate it into my menu planning.

Do you like those rotisserie chickens from the market?  I do, but on average they are only 2-3 pounds and cost anywhere from $5-$8 or even more.  My local grocer ran a unadvertised special the other day and I got this 5.86 pound beauty for 97 cents a pound.

Now an almost 6 pound chicken will get us a minimum of 4 meals!  So this one even with the additional items of butter, preserves and syrup will cost us around 75 cents per person maybe less if we get more than 4 meals.

I love my cast iron skillet too!  There is nothing better for even cooking heat!  I like to roast my chicken in it so the sides are always radiating an even heat to the whole chicken.

CAST IRON SKILLET ROAST CHICKEN

5-6 pound roasting chicken
3-4 tablespoons butter, softened
salt & pepper
1/2 onion, wedged small
1 cup apricot pineapple preserves
1/4 cup PURE maple syrup
  • Wash chicken and dry.
  • Spread butter along the inside of the cast iron pan and all over the chicken.
  • Generously salt and pepper the chicken.
  • Place onions along side the chicken.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the preserves and syrup.  Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
  • Roast at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
  • With a pastry brush spread preserve mixture all over the chicken every 10-15 minutes until skin is crisp and chicken is cooked through. This should be from 30-45 minutes based on the actual weight of your chicken.

DURANGO CHICKEN

DURANGO CHICKEN
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can diced green chiles, drained REALLY well
1 green onion per chicken breast, minced
1 1/2 slices thin swiss or jack cheese
8 ounce package Old El Paso Roasted Tomato Mexican Cooking Sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter per chicken breast, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh fine bread crumbs
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Crush together the bread crumbs, chili powder and garlic salt until you have fine crumbs.
  • Add Parmesan cheese and blend well.  Set aside.
  • Pour sauce into bottom of baking dish.
  • Flatten chicken breasts – I like to put them in a large ziploc bag and use a rolling pin.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add a single layer of cheese on chicken breasts.
  • Top with green onions and green chiles.
  • Carefully roll chicken breasts, securing with baking bands. DO NOT USE RUBBER BANDS.
  • Roll each breast in butter and then the crumb mixture.
  • Place on top of sauce.
  • Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  • Plate chicken.
  • Ladle sauce over chicken.
  • Enjoy.

STICKY GLAZED PORK CHOPS

WHY IT WORKS: LET’S SEE, it’s sticky, it’s sweet, it’s savory, it’s glazed, it’s juicy and IT’S YUMMY! Oh AND the glaze works on pork, chicken, beef and veggies too! It’s also quick and easy, but looks like it was super involved.

STICKY GLAZED ANYTHING
Protein of choice for 2 or veggie combo (I used broccoli and carrots with pork chops)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 large green onion, sliced thin on an angle
4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon Bragg’s amino acids
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons avocado oil
salt and pepper to taste
sesame seeds

  • Heat avocado oil over medium high heat in cast iron skillet.
  • Season your protein. If using vegetables, season and saute’ just until beginning to soften.
  • Generously season your protein of choice.
  • Sear your choice of meat 3-4 minutes per side, set aside and keep warm.
  • Add sweet chili sauce, Bragg’s amino acids, honey and 1 tablespoon of water to pan, whisking combine.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil and then immediately reduce to a simmer.
  • Add protein or veggies back in and coat well with sauce.
  • Turn frequently and cook until glazed well and sauce has thickened.
  • Top with green onions and sesame seeds.

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BEEF STROGANOFF

WHY THIS RECIPES WORKS – This recipe is full of simple, but comfort oriented ingredients that makes for a quick week night dinner that is completely satisfying.  Just add a green salad or vegetable and you’re ready!

BEEF STROGANOFF

1 1⁄2 lbs beef, sliced thin or chopped small
2 tablespoons baking soda
1⁄4 cup room temperature water
3 tablespoons avocado oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped small
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1⁄2 lb mushrooms, sliced thin
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
LARGE pinch sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
1 1⁄2 cups sour cream
cooked wide egg noodles

  • Slice beef very thinly across the grain, or cut into bite size pieces and place in ceramic or glass bowl.
  • Whisk together the baking soda and 1/4 cup water. Pour it over the beef. Stir well and let sit for 15 minutes.
  • Melt butter into oil and sauté onions on low heat for about 10 minutes until golden. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook another 10 minutes (add a little wine for moisture if needed).
  • Remove the beef from the bowl and rinse well under running cold water in a colander; let drain.
  • Add well-drained beef to the cooked mushroom mixture and sauté another 10 minutes. When you add the beef it will make the sauce foam – DON’T PANIC — this is to be expected and will subside.
  • Sprinkle flour in and stir until everything is coated.
  • Add the broth plus the Worcestershire, bay leaf, wine, paprika, and white pepper to the meat mixture.
  • Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, tasting it periodically until any “floury” taste is gone.
  • When you are close to serving, take it off the heat and add the sour cream, careful not to curdle, and stir well.
  • Remove the bay leaf.
  • Serve over cooked buttered noodles.NOTE: The BIG “secret” in this recipe that makes it PERFECT is soaking the meat with the baking soda mixture. It ensures a wonderfully tender and velvety beef.

PAN SEARED COD with SOUR CREAM SAUCE

WHY IT WORKS: The crushed red pepper in the crust gives you a bit of a bite while the sour cream sauce tempers it smoothly.

PAN SEARED COD with SOUR CREAM SAUCE
1 cod fillet per person
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 small shallot, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2-4 tablespoons rice flour
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons Avocado oil

  • Whisk together the sour cream, shallots and salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice as desired.
  • Heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add flour, salt and pepper to a plate.
  • Pat dry the cod fillets.
  • Dredge cod fillets in flour and add to sizzling oil.
  • Cook 4 minutes on the first side and then flip for another 2 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
  • Serve over rice or with potatoes.

 

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FONTINA STUFFED CHICKEN

WHY IT WORKS: This recipe is light and refreshing while ALSO being crisp and savory. This makes a great “company” meal.

FONTINA STUFFED CHICKEN
1 tablespoon avocado oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even 1/4 inch thin pieces
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/4 cup FRESH chopped Italian Parsley
1/4 cup julienne cut sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained, dried and chopped
2 large eggs
FRESH ground Himalayan pink salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups Panko crumbs
1 teaspoon paprika

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • In a medium mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, fontina cheese, bacon pieces, green onions, parsley and sun dried tomatoes until well blended.
  • Season cheese mixture with salt and pepper.
  • Whisk egg with salt and pepper.
  • Spread cheese mixture over chicken breasts.
  • Roll chicken up from the shortest side and secure with toothpicks.
  • Add paprika to Panko crumbs.
  • Dip chicken in egg mixture and then in Panko crumbs.
  • Place chicken rolls seam side down in a greased baking dish.
  • Drizzle tops with the oil.
  • Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown and chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove toothpicks and serve.

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BBQ BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS

This is one of those fun facebook recipes that actually worked the way it was supposed to! See the how to video here. I did make a couple changes that we like better.

BBQ BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS – makes 12 metballs

1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup bread crumbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ onion, minced
⅓ VERY loosely packed cup minced parsley
1 egg
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
4-6 small/medium-sized onions
4 ounces cheddar cheese (small block), cubed
16-24 pieces of bacon
1 bottle BBQ sauce (King”s Hawaiian Original)

  • Preheat oven to 425˚.
  • Cut onions in half root to tip.
  • Save onion shells suitable to wrap meatballs. Use smaller inside pieces for the minced onion inside the meat mixture.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt, bread crumbs, garlic, onion, parsley, egg, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and honey until evenly combined. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Remove meatball mixture from refrigerator.
  • Stuff each meatball with a cube of cheddar cheese and form into golf ball-sized meatballs around it.
  • Wrap each meatball in two onion shells and then wrap each meatball with 2 pieces of bacon until meatball is completely covered. Secure with toothpicks.
  • Submerge each meatball into the BBQ sauce before transferring it to a parchment-lined baking tray.
  • Bake for 45 minutes, brushing again with BBQ sauce every 15 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

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TAIWANESE CHICKEN

WHY IT WORKS: This recipe is savory and spicy with a chile sauce and tempered by fluffy Jasmine rice. The crispy shallots add a crisp bite to meld all the textures together and tempt your palette.

TAWAINESE CHICKEN
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 pound red cabbage, sliced thin
2 tablespoons rice flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 shallot
2 tablespoons Bragg’s Amino Acids
1 dried chile de árbol
2 + 1 tablespoons Avocado oil
1/2 cup Jasmin rice
1 + 1/2 cup water
Cilantro , for garnish

  • In a small saucepan heat 1 cup water with a BIG pinch of salt and the rice to boiling.
  • Once it boils, cover and reduce heat to low.
  • Cook 12-14 minutes until rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed.
  • Remove from heat and fluff rice with a fork.
  • Drizzle with avocado oil and set aside.

 

  • While the rice is cooking, prepare the sauce.
  • In a saucepan combine the Bragg’s amino acids, sugar, water and as much of the chile as you desire and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved and the sauce has reduced by half.
  • Remove the chile.
  • Pour sauce into a large mixing bowl.

 

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat.
  • Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Add chicken and cook 5 minutes and then flip to second side and cook 5 minutes more until both sides are browned well.
  • Remove chicken to cutting board for shredding.
  • Shred chicken pieces and add to bowl with sauce.

 

  • Add a scant 1/2 cup water to pan and warm.
  • Add cabbage to the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Stir occasionally and cook until wilted and water has been absorbed.

 

  • Slice shallot into thing rings.
  • In a mixing bowl toss the shallot rings with the rice flour, separating the rings into individual pieces.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add shallots in a single layer to sizzling oil.
  • Stir frequently until browned and crispy, 2-4 minutes.

 

  • Divide the rice between 2 plates.
  • Top with cabbage.
  • Top with shredded chicken.
  • Top with shallots and cilantro.

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BUFFALO CHICKEN & POTATOES

WHY IT WORKS: This recipe works because it is simple, week night friendly, flavor packed and PURE comfort food. It also makes a great addition to a backyard BBQ or church pot luck supper.

BUFFALO CHICKEN & POTATOES
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenders, cut into 1 inch strips
1/3 cup Frank’s Original Hot Sauce
6 cups diced hash brown potatoes, thawed*
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup seasoned Panko crumbs**
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 bunch green onions, sliced

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the chicken strips and hot sauce, tossing to coat well.
  • In a LARGE mixing bowl whisk together the undiluted soup and ranch dressing.
  • Fold potatoes into the soup mixture.
  • Spoon potato mixture into baking dish.
  • Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer on top of potatoes, drizzling any excess sauce evenly over top.
  • Evenly top with grated cheese.
  • In a small bowl combine Panko Crumbs and butter until a coarse mixture.
  • Sprinkle Panko crumbs mixture over chicken pieces.
  • Cover and bake 30 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake 20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through.
  • Top with green onions.
  • Cool slightly and serve warm.

NOTE 1: * The original recipe called for a southwestern style hash browns.  Tater tots in a single layer work in a pinch also, but make sure everything is COMPLETELY thawed and drained of all moisture.

NOTE 2: ** The original recipe called for corn flakes crumbs.

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CRAB AND CORN CAKES WITH LIME SOUR CREAM

WHY IT WORKS: Classic crab cakes, but with a TEX-MEX flair by adding the corn, hot sauce, red pepper and cilantro with the lime sour cream to the mix.

CRAB AND CORN CAKES WITH LIME OUR CREAM
1 pound crab meat, picked and cleaned
1 1/3 cups Panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 cobs)**
2 large eggs PLUS 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup FRESH chopped cilantro
FRESH ground salt and pepper
1 large lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Frank’s Original hot sauce
Shredded lettuce
Shredded carrots

  • In a large mixing bowl combine the crab, Panko crumbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
  • Gently add the eggs.
  • With gloved hands mix and form 8 tight patties about 3/4 inch thick.
  • Place patties on plate – place in freezer for 5 minutes.
  • Toss together the lettuce, shredded carrots and cilantro. Divide between plates.
  • In a small mixing bowl, juice the lime and fold in the cilantro and sour cream.
  • Add hot sauce, whisking until you have a pourable sauce.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
  • Add 4 crab cakes at a time, flipping once until both sides are golden brown.
  • Serve over shredded lettuce mixture with sauce and lime wedge.

NOTE: If you like, canned corn works, but I prefer the small white shoepeg corn. It is a much more tender corn.

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