Category: PROTEINS

CHICKEN PARMESAN LASAGNA

CHICKEN PARMESAN LASAGNA

3 chicken breasts
2 cups Italian bread crumbs
5 eggs
1 cup flour
24 ounces marinara sauce
15 ounces ricotta
Barilla oven bake lasagna noodles
2 cups mozzarella
2 cups parmesan
Avocado oil
Basil

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Cut chicken breasts in half width wise, pound to 1/4 inch thick and season with salt and pepper.
  • Dredge chicken in flour, beaten egg and then in bread crumbs.
  • Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and fry the chicken on both sides until golden, 3-4 minutes per side. Set aside.
  • In a bowl, whisk one egg into the ricotta, then set aside.
  • In a casserole dish, spread â…“ of the marinara on the bottom, top with lasagna noodles overlapping with each other.
  • Spread half of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles and layer with chicken pieces.
  • Top the chicken with ½ cup of mozzarella and ½ cup of parmesan.
  • Continue layering in the same order and top with remaining cheeses.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes uncovering the lasagna for the last 10 minutes of baking.
  • Sprinkle with fresh basil and enjoy!

CHIPOTLE DR PEPPER SHREDDED PORK

CHIPOTLE DR. PEPPER SHREDDED PORK

Prep Time:  5 Minutes
Difficulty:     REALLY Easy
Cook Time: 6+ Hours
Servings:    18-20 Servings

1 Large Vidalia Onion
5-7 pound Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt
Freshly ground Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
11 ounce Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
2 cans Dr. Pepper
1/3 cup packed Brown Sugar
1 batch Sauce Recipe below **

  • Preheat oven to 300Ëš.
  • Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay onion wedges in the bottom of a large dutch oven.
  • Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan fat side up.
  • Puree the peppers and the juice.
  • Strain the peppers to remove the seeds and skins.
  • Mix together the pureed peppers and  brown sugar.
  • Pour over top of the roast then pour the  Dr. Pepper over it all.
  • Cover and place in oven.
  • Cook for at least six hours, undistrubed.
  • Check meat; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not  falling apart, return to the oven for another hour or until it is.
  • Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat.
  • Drain the meat in a colander and discard all but 1 cup of the liquid.
  • Add warm sauce (recipe below) to meat and coat well. If necessary use the 1 cup of liquid to keep the meat moist and juicy.
  • Keep warm until ready to serve.
  • Serve on warm flour tortillas topped with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa, and whatever else you’d like.NOTE: You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold.  Then heat up the liquid on the stove top and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.

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**BBQ SAUCE
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup Smucker’s apricot pineapple jam
1 tablespoon Bragg’s Aminos
3/4 cup Tabasco Jalapeno ketchup
Fresh ground salt and black pepper

  • In a large sauce pan whisk together all the ingredients and bring to a SLOW boil, stirring frequently.
  • Reduce heat to as low as possible and simmer while the ribs bake.
  • Sauce will thicken during this simmering so stir frequently.

**NOTE:  If you prefer, a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce will work just as well.

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BROWN SUGAR PORK CHOPS

BROWN SUGAR PORK CHOPS

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 boneless pork rib or loin chops, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat.
  • Sprinkle chops with black pepper.
  • Cook pork chops in hot oil for 6 to 8 minutes, until brown on outside and slightly pink in center, turning once halfway through cooking.
  • Remove chops from skillet; cover and keep warm.
  • In the same skillet cook and stir onion over medium heat for 3 minutes or until tender.
  • Push onions around the edges.
  • Lower heat to low and add orange juice, red pepper and brown sugar, stirring for 1 minute or until sugar is completely dissolved and heated through.
  • Stir onions into sauce.
  • Spoon sauce over chops.

CHICKEN CHILI ala SLOW COOKER

QUICK & EASY CHICKEN CHILI
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, frozen
2 cups homemade chicken broth, frozen
1 can cream of potato soup
1 jar dried beef, chopped
1 Williams chili mix package
1 can chopped green chilies
  • Place frozen chicken breasts on the bottom.
  • Pour green chilies over chicken pieces.
  • Top with cream of potato soup.
  • Top with frozen broth.
  • Sprinkle chili seasoning mix on top of chicken broth.
  • Top with beef pieces.
  • Slow cook on high for 2 hours. Reduce to low for 6 hours. Or cook on low 10 hours.
As the slow cooker heats up, the broth will melt absorbing the chili seasoning mix which will then be absorbed by the potato soup and by the end of the day you have a huge bowl of wonderful yummy goodness perfect for a crisp fall evening. Serve with cheddar cheese biscuits.

SHEPHERD’S PIE ~ ITALIAN STYLE

Recipe adapted from “One Dish at a Time: Delicious Recipes and Stories from My Italian-American Childhood and Beyond” by Valerie Bertinelli

SHEPHERDS PIE
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 small sweet mini red peppers
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped (I have also used a shallot or a shallot and part of a red onion)
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound ground pork
2 teaspoons dry mustard
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into equal size pieces
1/2 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Preheat the oven to 375Ëš.
  • Chop the carrot, celery and onion into like size pieces.
  • Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Combine the garlic, bay leaf, carrot, celery, onion in the oil and cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
  • Push the vegetables to the perimeter of the pan and add the lamb.
  • Increase the heat to high and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over.
  • Sprinkle with the mustard, 1 teaspoon of the salt and some pepper, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the tomato paste, fennel seeds and tomato puree and stirring again to blend.
  • Cook for 1 minute more. Turn off the heat and stir in the mint and sage.
  • Remove the bay leaf.
  • Add the potatoes to a saucepan and cover by 2 inches of salted water.
  • Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until a knife releases easily from the potatoes when pierced in the center, 12 to 15 minutes.
  • Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the potatoes.
  • In the same pot, combine the milk, butter, and 1/3 cup of the cooking water and stir together over high heat. Bring to a boil.
  • Work the potatoes through a ricer, then slowly drizzle the hot liquid over the potatoes and stir until light and fluffy.
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Spoon the lamb mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch deep-dish pie plate, spreading it evenly over the bottom.
  • Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, covering completely. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to create a swirled pattern in the potatoes.
  • Bake until the topping turns golden, about 30 minutes.

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PAN SEARED GARLIC CREAM CHICKEN

 

PAN SEARED GARLIC CREAM CHICKEN

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced or pounded thin
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Meyer Lemon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 sprigs Lemon thyme, leaves pulled and stems discarded
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

  • Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
  • Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add chicken, cooking until golden on both sides.
  • Remove chicken and keep warm.
  • Add garlic, stirring to brown until aromatic.
  • Add wine, cream, thyme and tarragon.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring sauce to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and add parsley.
  • Add chicken pieces back in and coat with sauce.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes.

 

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

I quit eating stuffed peppers because green peppers just didn’t agree with us anymore.  Then I started making them in red or orange peppers and only giving us each a  large half – plus they look more attractive to serve in halves.  Now we love them again.
EASY STUFFED PEPPERS
2/3 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
3 green onions, minced
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounce can tomato sauce
2 slices ham
3/4 cup minute rice, prepared
1 large red or orange pepper
2 slices mild cheddar cheese + 1/4 cup grated (I sometimes use mozzarella for a different taste)
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Brown ground beef with onion and garlic.
  • Drain fat.
  • Add in tomato sauce and rice.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Wash, cut in half and clean out pepper.
  • Layer ham slice on inside.
  • Fill with meat mixture.
  • Top with cheese slice and sprinkle grated over casserole portion.
  • Bake 30 minutes.

BAKED SWEDISH MEATBALLS

One of the things I do when making a new recipe is make it EXACTLY the way it is written the first time.  The next time through I make the changes that appeal to my family’s tastes.  I don’t post them until I’ve tried them the second time and plan to make them yet again.  These meatballs were one of those recipes.

BAKED SWEDISH MEATBALLS

  • 1 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, finely crushed
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 slices white bread, no crusts, torn into crumbles
  • 1 3/4 pounds ground sirloin
  • 3/4 pound ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  1. Heat oil over medium high heat.
  2. Add onions, garlic, fennel, salt and pepper sauteing until onion is completely tender.
  3. Add onion mixture to a large mixing bowl and cool completely.
  4. Add bread to onion mixture and blend well.
  5. Add beef and pork, mixing with your hands until the onion mixture is well blended into the meat mixture.
  6. Form into ping pong size balls.  Should make 40 or so. SET ASIDE 2 uncooked meatballs for making your sauce.
  7. Line a jelly roll pan with foil.
  8. Arrange meatballs on foil.  I use a stainless cooling rack inside the jelly roll pan to put the meatballs on so the juices fall below.
  9. Preheat the broiler.
  10. Broil meatballs for 7-10 minutes or until cooked through.
  11. 1 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 4 teaspoons WONDRA flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar*
  1. Heat oil over medium high heat.
  2. Add your 2 uncooked meatballs, stirring and crumbling.
  3. Add flour and all spice, coating and blending the meat.
  4. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and reduce to 1 cup.
  5. Remove from heat and add sour cream, butter and vinegar.
  6. Spoon over meatballs.
  7. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles.

NOTE: *This recipe works well with flavored vinegars if you omit the fennel to change the flavor up a bit.

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WHITE CHICKEN LASAGNA

WHITE CHICKEN LASAGNA
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
14 ounces artichoke hearts, drained VERY well and chopped
16 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 box grape tomatoes, sliced in thirds
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
4 cloves garlic, minced fine
salt and pepper, to taste
1 box Barilla oven ready lasagna noodles

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°.
  • In a large bowl combine chicken pieces, artichoke hearts, Parmesan, 4 ounces of the Mozzarella cheese and half of the tomatoes.
  • In another bowl beat together the cream cheese, heavy cream, garlic, salt and pepper until well blended.
  • Divide cream cheese mixture in half and add one half to the chicken mixture.
  • Using a 9×13 baking dish spread some of the non-chicken cream cheese mixture into the bottom.
  • Top with an even layer of lasagna noodles.
  • Top with one third of the chicken mixture.
  • Top with one third of remaining tomato pieces.
  • Repeat these layers two more times.
  • Spread remaining cream cheese mixture on last layer of noodles.
  • Top with remaining non-chicken Mozzarella cheese.
  • Tent with foil.
  • Bake covered 20 minutes.
  • Remove foil.
  • Bake another 10 minutes until noodles are cooked through.

OPTIONAL: If you prefer a more traditional flavoring, add 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the cream cheese mixture.

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SLOW COOKER MOO SHU CHICKEN

SLOW COOKER MOO SHU CHICKEN 
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons white wine
4 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounce package coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots)
1 bag shredded carrots
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
green onions for garnish

  • Combine Hoisin sauce, water, sesame oil, soy sauce, wine, cornstarch and garlic.
  • In slow cooker place cabbage and carrots on the bottom.
  • Top with chicken pieces.
  • Drizzle 1/4 cup of the Hoisin sauce mixture.
  • Cover and cook on low 6 hours.
  • Stir in remaining Hoisin sauce mixture.
  • Serve over green onion pancakes.
  • Top with green onions for garnish.

GREEN ONION PANCAKES 6 servings
2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/4 cups chopped green onions including tops
fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

  • Sift flour into a bowl and make a well in the center.
  • Pour boiling water into the well.
  • Working quickly, use a wooden spoon and work water into the flour to make a stiff, but not dry dough. Knead lightly into a bowl.
  • Remove dough from the bowl and brush with sesame oil.
  • Invert bowl over dough and let cool 5 minutes.
  • Lightly knead dough until smooth and elastic.
  • Brush again with sesame oil and place in plastic bag.
  • Set aside for an hour.

 

  • Roll dough back and forth to form a log about 10 inches long.
  • Cut into 6 equal pieces.
  • Roll each piece into a ball.
  • Roll out each ball to a 7 inch pancake.
  • Brush with sesame oil.
  • Sprinkle with salt.
  • Top each pancake equally with green onions.
  • Roll into a tight coil.
  • Brush with sesame oil.
  • Using a rolling pin flatten into a thin 5 inch pancake trying to keep the onions on the inside.
  • Use enough coconut oil to make 1inch deep in a shallow skillet.
  • When oil is hot, cook pancakes until golden brown, turning once.
  • Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

MARINATED and SEASONED PRIME RIB

My mom and stepdad will be here tomorrow and we are doing the first of 3 Christmas dinners on Saturday.  This will be the most elaborate of the 3 since it is for the most people and my stepdad specifically asked for prime rib.  I went grocery shopping today to one of my very favorite markets and made my menu around their offerings.

Central Market has the most awesome butchers.  I was going to make my life easy and buy a boneless prime rib, but they didn’t have any the right size so I bought a bone in and the sweet man cut the bones off for me and then tied them back on so we will have AWESOME flavor AND the ease of boneless with a BONUS of the bones for a GREAT stew too.

PLUS this market has some great deals and fun new things to try. There was a demonstrator for these salad dressings and I was really hungry so I tried the salad they were offering and it was really good!  I picked up a couple bottles of two different flavors and put them in my cart.  As I began to leave she called out to me not to forget my free items.  Yep, EVERYTHING besides the 2 bottles of dressings was FREE! A retail value of $26.

This is my go to recipe for prime rib.  It never fails!   

MARINATED and SEASONED PRIME RIB
5 pound boneless beef rib roast
3/4 cup Mad Housewife Merlot wine or Velvet Devil Merlot
1 small Vidalia onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Avocado oil
*2 tablespoons  Savory Spice Shop Hidden Cove Lemon Garlic Blend
*2 tablespoons  Penzey’s English Prime Rib Rub 
*1 teaspoon  Penzey’s OR Savory Spice Shop’s Horseradish powder

  • Whisk together the wine, water and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Place roast in a large plastic bag that has been placed in a shallow baking dish.
  • Pour marinade over roast and seal bag.
  • Marinate 6-8 hours, turning bag occasionally.
  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Place sliced onions in bottom of roaster.
  • Drain roast and discard marinade.
  • Rub roast generously with the avocado oil. Let roast sit on drainboard a moment to allow excess oil to drain off.  At this point wash your hands to remove the excess oil also so the rub will go on better.
  • Stir together the Hidden Cove Lemon Garlic Blend, English Prime Rib Rub and the horseradish powder until well mixed.
  • Sprinkle rub mixture over roast until well coated all the way around.
  • Place roast, fat side up on onion slices.
  • Insert oven thermometer.
  • Roast until desired doneness (we like medium rare which was 135 degrees and about 2 1/4 hours), but no more!
  • Transfer roast to cutting board and immediately tent with foil for 20 minutes before carving. This is the resting phase and mandatory to the perfect prime rib. During this phase your roast will raise another 10 degrees.

*If you want a thicker rub add more spices making sure to keep these proportions.

DO NOT SKIP THE RESTING PHASE!!

BUFFALO CHICKEN PULL-APART BREAD

I found this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Pull-Apart Bread on Facebook, you know one of those that they show you in video form in 30 seconds or less AND looks really scrumptious?  I was thinking of making it as an appetizer when our son and family are here at Christmas time, but needed to test it first.

Well, this recipe did not disappoint.  I made some of my homemade Farmhouse Buttermilk Dressing to go with it and the combination was addicting! Instead of an appetizer we added a salad and made it a meal.

BUFFALO CHICKEN PULL-APART BREAD
2 packages Pillsbury pizza dough (I used 1 recipe of my homemade pizza dough)
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded (I used original recipe Costco Rotisserie chicken)
1 cup Buffalo sauce (I used Frank’s Original Hot Sauce)
1/4 cup scallions, chopped (I used more, about double – we like onions)
2 1/2 cups grated pepper jack cheese (I used regular jack cheese)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 jalapeno, sliced (OPTIONAL – I didn’t use)
Ranch dressing for dipping (I used a batch of Farmhouse Buttermilk Dressing)

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a bowl toss together the chicken, buffalo sauce, green onions and half the cheese.
  • Roll out dough and cut into 3×3 inch squares (about 30 squares total). **SEE NOTE
  • Brush each square with the melted butter.
  • Top each square with a spoonful of chicken mixtures and then a sprinkling of the remaining cheese.
  • Brush loaf pan with butter.
  • Stack each square on top of each other in your loaf pan with the chicken side up.
  • Brush top of bread with remaining butter.
  • Top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake 40-50 minutes until golden and set.

NOTE:  The original recipe had you doing each square one at a time, but I found it much easier to do them all at once and then stack them in the loaf pan while it was standing on end for a more even and less messy build.