Main Dishes

Grilled Santa Fe Burgers

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Here is a really tasty burger recipe.  Yeah, I don’t eat burgers much any more, either, but this is a “framily” favorite at cookouts at our house. I keep getting requests to make them so an opportunity just presented itself yesterday.  It so happens that I am in charge of supper down at the beach for 23 family members so I am making these as sliders, and siding it with a double batch of  Mom’s Potato Salad.  Oh heck to the yes!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) Mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup salsa, divided
1/4 cup crushed tortilla chips
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 t. ground cumin or chili powder
1/2 t. garlic salt
4 hamburger buns, split or sourdough bread
Lettuce
Tomato slices
1.  Combine ground beef, 1 cup cheese, 1/4 cup salsa, tortilla chips, green onions, cumin and garlic salt in medium bowl.  Shape into 4 patties, 4 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick (if you are doing sliders, just make the patties the desired size.  I have a slider maker so I can press 5 at a time).

2.  Preheat grill or broiler.  Grill patties, 5 minutes per side for burgers and just watch closely for sliders.  We grilled some over charcoal, and did some on a George Foreman grill since we had so many to do.

3.  Grill or lightly toast hamburger buns.  Place burgers on buns; top with remaining salsa; sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Serve with lettuce and, if desired, tomato.

Source:  torn from a magazine, but it is from Sargento.

Chicken Cordon-Bleu Casserole

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I love this casserole, I especially love that it doesn’t have any condensed soups in it!

6 cooked chicken breast
      -I bake mine in the oven @ 350 for about 40 min, the first 20 of which the pan is covered.
6 slices cooked ham
6 slices Swiss cheese
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
2 Cups milk
1/4 tsp thyme (I use my Penzeys Poultry Seasoning in place of this and love it)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. melted butter

Place the chicken breast in a 9X13 baking pan.  Place the ham on top of the chicken and the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.  In a mixing bowl combine milk, thyme, salt, pepper, and egg.  In a medium sauce pan melt the butter then add the flour and whisk until smooth.  Add milk mixture and cook on medium heat until thick and bubbly.  Pour over the chicken/ham/cheese evenly.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top then drizzle the butter over the bread crumbs.  Cook at 350 for about 30 mins.  Serve over rice.

Source: My amazing friend Kym Wood

Asian Style Dumpling Soup

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This recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen. 
It is rich and full of Asian flavors. Using store bought dumplings helps it come together quickly. I also use pre-cooked bacon crumbles to save even more time (and to prevent bacon smell all over the house.)
Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (or use pre-cooked bacon crumbles)
3 green onions, white and green parts separated, sliced thin on bias
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger (I use the kind in a tube-again, to save time.)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 oz, shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin (I used dried shiitakes that I re-hydrated and chopped)
6 C. chicken broth
16 oz. frozen Asian-style dumplings or potstickers
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Directions:
Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp, six to eight minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but two tablespoons of fat from the pan and return the pan to medium heat. Add the whites of the green onion, ginger, and pepper flakes and cook until green onions have softened, about two minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown, about five minutes. 

Add broth and bring to a boil. Add the dumplings or potstickers and simmer over medium-low heat until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fish sauce and lime juice. Serve, sprinkled with the greens of the green onions and bacon.

Meatball Bubble Biscuits

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Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) can Pillsbury Grands Jr. Golden Layers refrigerated buttermilk or flaky biscuits
10 frozen cooked Italian-style meatballs (about 5 oz.), thawed, each cut in half
2 sticks (1 oz. each) string cheese, each cut into 10 pieces
1 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. Italian seasoning
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 c. marinara sauce, heated

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Separate dough into 10 biscuits.  Separate each biscuit into 2 layers.  Press each biscuit layer into 3 inch round.

2.  Place 1 meatball half, cut side up, and 1 string cheese piece in center of each dough round.  Wrap dough around meatball and cheese, pressing edges to seal.  In ungreased 8 or 9 inch round cake pan, place seam side down in single layer.

3.  Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

4.  Bake 20 -25 minutes or until golden brown and biscuits are no longer doughy in center.  Serve warm biscuits with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Source:  pillsbury.com

Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake

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Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) box Penne pasta noodles
2 (10 oz) containers Alfredo sauce
1 c. sour cream
1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta cheese
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 c. cooked, diced chicken
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 t. dried parsley
1 t. Italian seasoning
2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1.  Boil Penne pasta in a large pot of water, according to package directions.  Drain water and then return pasta to pot.

2.  Add all the remaining ingredients, except for the mozzarella cheese.  Stir together to combine and then pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

3.  Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Enjoy!

Source:  life-in-the-lofthouse.com

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin

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So, years ago, before Pinterest, I started collecting recipes from my Better Homes and Garden’s magazines and Martha Stewart’s FOOD magazine. I have them in a binder and finally tried this one the other day. It was sweet and tangy and moist. A simple marinade that could work with a
                                                      variety of proteins. 

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenerloin

2 pork tenderloins (about 12 oz each), trimmed of excess fat
1 Tbps. olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 jar (10-12 oz) apricot jam (about 1 Cup)
1/4 C. spicy brown mustard

1. Heat broiler; set rack 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Rub pork with oil; season with salt and pepper Broil 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together jam and mustard. Cook over med. heat til jam melts. Transfer half to a small bowl for brushing. Cover pan to keep remaining sauce warm.
3. Remove pork from broiler; brush with reserved sauce. Continue broiling until pork is blackened in spots and registers 150 degrees F, 5-10 minutes more.
4. Cover pork loosely with foil; let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve drizzled with warm sauce.

*Note: My broiler is currently out of service, so I set my lower oven to 500 degrees F. To get a nice sear on the meat, I rubbed with oil, S&P and then browned it in a hot (oven-safe) skillet. Then I just continued baking it in the same skillet til it reached the desired temp. It does not have the dark char marks that it would have, had I used a broiler. Still really tasty though.

Quick and Easy BBQ Chicken

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This is the most tender, juicy chicken, and it SO EASY!
 

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts (as many as you need to serve your family)
Pepper
BBQ Sauce (your favorite bottled sauce, or homemade)

Directions:
1. Cut up chicken breasts into 3-4 pieces each, depending on the size of the chicken breast and the size you would like each cooked piece to be. (I make sure to trim off any fat.)

2. Put them in a casserole or baking dish. Put pepper on them if desired.

3. Pour on your favorite barbecue sauce. WE LOVE the Kraft Sweet and Spicy Chipotle Barbecue Sauce. I just put on enough barbecue sauce to cover the top of the chicken. Do not add water. Cover with tin foil.

4. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is done. (Check the center piece and make sure it is not pink! The chicken should be white and have clear juices.) When I am feeding a large crowd and have 2 pans full of chicken in the oven, it will take about an hour to cook through. 

Note:
This can also be done in a crock pot!

Pictures:

Cut up chicken and place in pan.
 
Pour on your favorite barbecue sauce. We really like Kraft Sweet and Spicy Chipotle Barbecue sauce. 
 
 
Spread out the sauce. 
 
 Cover with tin foil and bake until chicken is done. (About 30 minutes.) Then ENJOY! You will love how it is so tender!



Itialian Lentil Soup

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This is a family favorite. Healthy and delicious. Can be made over the stove or thrown in the crockpot. I have done both ways, just depends on what’s going on. It is so easy to throw in what you have. I have used fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, frozen grape tomatoes, it is such a forgiving recipe. I have also made it with real Italian pork sausage (I don’t like it that way, too greasy), chicken sausage links that I cooked and cut up, and with ground Italian style chicken sausage (my favorite.)

Italian Lentil Soup

1 lb. package Italian style chicken sausage
1 onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
2-3 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 C. chicken or vegetable stock
tomatoes (one can diced or a couple fresh diced or a bunch of grape tomatoes, whatever you have or want to use.)
1-1/2 C. Dry lentils
Italian seasonings (Basil, thyme, oregano) or and Italian seasoning blend
1 (10 oz pkg) spinach or a bunch of kale, roughly chopped
1/2 C. cream (optional)

In a large dutch oven, brown the chicken sausage over med. high heat.
Add the veggies and cook and stir for a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Pour in the liquid and add the tomatoes.
Add the dry herbs. I usually just sprinkle in some basil, oregano and thyme. Add salt and pepper if needed.
Bring the soup to a low boil, add the dry lentils and turn soup down to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the lentils begin to soften (about 15-25 mins.)
Stir in the spinach or kale and the cream, if using. Cook til greens are wilted.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

*If using a crock pot, cook the chicken and then dump in all the ingredients except the spinach and cream. Cook on low for a few hours, until lentils are soft. Then stir in your greens and cream, if using. 

Barbacoa Pork Taquitos

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This recipe is a combination of 2 of my family’s favorites. 
One of my favorite things is a barbacoa pork quesadilla. It is what I order if I ever go to Cafe Rio. It’s made with sweet pork and colby jack cheese. It’s what I make when I cook my own sweet pork at home. 
One day I had a light bulb go off in my head and decided to make my favorite taquitos with the pork and colby jack, rather than chicken and pepper jack.
Barbacoa Pork Taquitos

1/3 C. (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C. green salsa
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions
2 C. prepared Barbacoa Pork
1 C. grated colbyjack cheese
small flour tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add pork and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)

Place 2-3 T of pork mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.  Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another.  Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.  Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, or your favorite dipping sauce.

I normally triple this recipe and freeze a bunch. Just fill and roll your tortillas and place them on your baking sheet. Omit the spray and salt. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the taquitos are frozen. Then transfer them to a plastic freezer bag. To cook them, just put them on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for about 25 mins. 

Hamburger Lentil Soup

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    This is a dish that is hearty, inexpensive, and delicious! It is one of my hubby’s favorites. It is also a good crockpot dish. You should try it while the weather is still wintery!

Hamburger Lentil Soup                                      
1 lb. ground beef
1 46 oz. can tomato juice (or puree about 3 cups of diced tomatoes, I use one jar of home-canned)
4 c. hot water
1 1/2 cups dried lentils (rinsed and sorted)
1 c carrots, chopped
1 c celery, chopped
1/2 c. onion, minced or use dried minced onion
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. minced green bell pepper (I’ve never added this)
1 tsp salt (don’t skimp, I think it needs the whole tsp)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 c brown sugar

Cook hamburger until browned.  Drain fat.  Add juice and water and bring to a boil.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil again.  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or cook in a Crockpot all day on low or half a day on high.  Serves  8.

Source: Julie Roberts