My spinach
is typically one of the very first crops to harvest in my early spring garden.I love it fresh, canned or cooked in one of
my favorite dishes such as this one.Chicken
and Spinach Alfredo is an easy, carefree dish that is just delicious, tender
and juicy.Combined with the fresh herbs
I grow it is a meal I am proud to serve too. This dish is for four people 4 Chicken leg quarters 1/2 cup olive oil 4 Cups fresh Spinach 3 oz Cream Cheese 2 tablespoons fresh chives 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon fresh basil 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano
4 cloves fresh garlic minced 2 cups rice prepared as directed salt and pepper
Heat oil in skillet. Split let quarters by making a slit directly between thigh and leg bone. Bend until bones are separated and cut through remaining meat. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Place in hot oil and brown 2 to 3 minutes on both sides. Remove from skillet and place pieces in baking dish. Place in oven and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Cook uncovered at 300 for 1 hour.
Cook spinach in boiling water. Place all herbs in a chopper and grind. Add herbs to spinach and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in Cream Cheese until melted.
Remove chicken from pan. Place spinach in baking dish and top with chicken. Cover baking dish and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until spinach begins to bubble at 350. Serve over cooked rice seasoned with salt and pepper.
Even a rainy Summer afternoon can call for a little bit of comfort food. This really turned out to be more than I expected. Trying to come up with something different and tasty my mind started twirling around a Pork Steak Pie, Along the lines of say a Pot Pie, but I wanted something different. This dish has a rich, creamy gravy and a flaky golden crust that practically melts in your mouth. This will make one 9" pie.
Preheat oven to 350
2 lb pork loin steak (or roast) cut into cubes
3 cups water
4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS Salt and 1 TBS Pepper
1 1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower
1 1/2 cups chopped white mushrooms
1/4 cup melted butter flavored with 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup flour mixed with 1/2 cup cold water
Place first ingredients in a large dutch oven and simmer for one hour stirring occasionally.
While the meat is cooking prepare the pie crust as below (or simply buy two pre-made pie shells if you prefer).
After pork has become nice and tender add the remaining vegetables and let simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Continue to stiff occasionally. Thicken broth with flour and water mixture stiring briskly while adding to avoid lumps
Once vegetables are tender, but still firm remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
This makes 2 Pie Crusts
3 cups flour
additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour (as needed)
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add oil and butter blending with a pastry cutter, or fork until mixture is slight moist and looks crumbly. Add milk a little at a time until dough is just right (slightly moist, and not to dry. It should stick a little to the side of the bowl). You may not need to use the entire amount of milk. Place doug on a counter that has been coated with additional flour. Kneed the dough into the flour until it becomes stiff and forms a solid ball, adding more of the flour as needed. Split dough in half and roll each half to about 1/4" thickness.
Place one rolled pie shell in the bottom of a 9" pie dish that has been sprayed with cooking oil. After cooled for 15 minuts pour Pork Steak filling into shell and spread evenly. Place additional shell on top. Move around the top edge and roll the bottom and top crust together (to prevent pie from spilling over). With a fork poke four chris-cross indents along the length of the shell to allow air flow inside. Brush 1/2 of the garlic over the top shell, including the edges. Place in oven preheated to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and coat the top with the remaining garlic butter. This process will help to make the crust very flaky. Bake an additional 30 minutes or until crust is flaky and a nice golden brown. Let set 10 minutes before cutting.
I know, it sounds a slight bit out of sync to actually indulge in a Meatloaf anymore. But, I for one find it hard to resist on occasion. Meatloaf is one of those versatile dishes that will work well with anything. With the price of beef I find it important to revitalize any leftover dish. For breakfast topped with an over easy egg, or for lunch serve as a panini. It adds delicious to any meal. This particular dish made one bread pan loaf and served two for four meals.
1 LB lean ground beef
1/2 LB Italian sausage
1 small onion minced
2 large eggs
2 cups dried bread crumbs
1 medium green pepper chopped
4 large garlic cloves minced
1 medium jalapeno minced (optional)
4 TBS chili powder
salt and pepper
1 16 oz can original marinara sauce
Blend meats together in a large bowl until well mixed. Fold in eggs and bread brumbs until dough is stiff and not sticky. Add all vegetables and seasonings and continue mixing until the meatloaf is smooth and all vegetables are evenly distributed for flavor. Place the meatloaf in a large baking pan, such as a deep pie dish, or large bread pan. Lightly cover with 1/2 of the marinara sauce and bake for thirty minutes. Check the meat loaf after about 15 minutes and remove any grease that is sitting in the pan. After 30 minutes top with remaining marinara and return to oven for another 30 to 45 minutes, until completely done. Meatloaf is done when the center is no longer pink. Check frequently for any grease that will need to be removed so that the meatloaf remains solid and firm.
I don't like spending money on things I don't have to. When my husband requests some Hamburger Helper for dinner I just make my own. It's easy when you've got a little imagination and the right ingredients to work with. Best of all it's so much better than those prepackaged products with a seasoning packet full of who knows what. Don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking them. In a real pinch they come in pretty handy.
2 lbs uncooked ground meat (beef, turkey or chicken)
1/2 cup fresh chopped onion
1/2 cut fresh chopped green onion
2 tbs garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups fresh beef broth
2 cups tomato sauce with roasted garlic and chili's
4 cups elbow macaroni
1 lb Colby jack cheese cut in cubes
Brown ground meat in a large dutch oven until there is no pink visible. Add onion and green pepper and stir for 2 minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Pour in broth and tomato sauce and cover. Once broth begins to boil add macaroni and cover again. Stir occasionally cooking covered for 20 minutes or until macaroni is done. Add more water if necessary. Once macaroni is done remove from heat and stir in cheese a little at a time until melted. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow broth to fully thicken.
Fish is just one of those foods that is so right. The benefits are so numerous. It doesn't take a whole lot for me to enjoy the flavor. I don't like to put any meat in a rut, so I'm always looking to change things up. When I can create a dish packed full of great things from my harvest and an abundance of healthy benefits I'm reminded why I enjoy my garden so much. This will serve four, and it pairs very well with these Southern Biscuits for one delicious and simple dinner.
4 cups fat free chicken broth
1 cup each of the following-chopped:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Carrots
Red Pepper
Green Onion
Cabbage
2 TBS Knox Tomato Chicken Bullion
1 TBS Kosher Salt
1 TBS Fresh Ground Pepper
3 cups chopped cat fish fillets
2 1/2 Cups cooked white rice
In large pan heat chicken broth on medium. Once broth is boiling gently stir in all chopped vegetables, bullion, salt and pepper. Simmer vegetables for no more than ten minutes so that they are still slightly crisp. Add fish and cooked rice. Cover and cook on medium low for another 10 minutes or until fish is flaky and done.. Remove from heat and let set for five minutes before serving.
I guess it's true. I tend to lean heavily toward old fashioned comfort food. My favorite dishes include one's with potatoes. Mashed, baked, soup...it doesn't matter. It's the main reason I do my best to grow my own. Home grown potatoes have so much more flavor. Start this dish in the crock pot and it's almost done by dinner time. Any cut of pork will do. Just be sure to pick one that is lean. I like to visit my supermarkets discount rack and pick up bone in pork steaks at more than half the normal cost This will serve 4 to 6.
Pork Chops with Mushrooms
3 Lbs. Pork
2 16 Oz. Packages White Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tsp. Liquid Mesquite Smoke
1 1/2 Cup Minced Onion
4 Cloves Minced Garlic
3 to 4 cups of water
Salt and Pepper to taste
Place pork in an oblong slow cooker so the meats sits easily on the bottom. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove meat carefully (it will tend to fall apart) and pull both ends using two forks to cut the meat into chunks. Leave remaining broth in crock pot for now.
Creamy Potatoes
6 Medium Russet Potatoes
1 16OZ Container French Onion Dip
3 Tbs. Margarine
Salt and Pepper to taste
Scrub and dice potatoes leaving skin on. Boil on medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or unit they are tender enough to stick a fork through. Remove from heat and drain all water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. On low speed begin to whip the potatoes with a mixer. Add butter and French Onion a little at a time until potatoes are the consistency you like. If too dry add additional dip. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Mushroom Gravy
Broth
1 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Cups Cold Water
Pour all broth and mushrooms left in crock in a large pan and heat on high. Once broth begins to boil rapidly mix flour and water in a bowl whisking briskly to remove any lumps. Slowly stir mixture into broth in intervals stirring constantly until gravy is as thick as you like. You may not need to use the entire bowl of flour and water. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Place a large helping of potatoes (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups) on a large dinner plate. Leave an empty well in the center by spreading potatoes to the outside. Fill the well with meat. Cover meat and potatoes with gravy.
If you keep with any of my recipes you know we enjoy grilling outdoors any time of the year. I try to be creative and come up with something different every once in a while. This chicken is so moist and tender. The pineapple really infused it with flavor. I take advantage of fresh pineapple when it is on sale. I can part of it, and freeze part of it in slices. You can use store bought and it will be just as tasty. Just be sure to omit the honey since it is presweetened.
When my husband and I began dating he invited me to his place for lunch one day. I only lived five minutes away from work, and he lived in the same apartment building that I did. It was nice to get away and join him, but what he made me was a big surprise. It wasn't just that he could cook. I had never tasted anything quite like Calabacina Y Carne Gumbo in my life. I knew that was a big moment for me! To this day every time he makes this overwhelming dish of deliciousness I'm reminded of that day sitting at his breakfast nook enjoying this amazing meal with him. Even though this makes on very large kettle full be prepared. The leftovers never stick around long.
1 Small Onion
1 Medium Green Pepper OPTIONAL
1 Large Yellow Squash Shredded Cheese
1 Large Green Squash Sliced Jalapeno
3 Garlic Cloves Minced Sour Cream
2 TBS Salt
1 1/2 TBS Lemon Pepper
2 TBS Oregano
Dice Pork into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Heat oil in frying pan, add pork and stir constantly until golden brown about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and add to a large soup kettle. Add chopped onion, chopped green pepper and minced garlic to oil and cook until slightly tender abut 5 minutes. Add to kettle. Quarter Sausage link and slice adding to kettle. Add tomato Sauce, water, salt, pepper and Oregano. Simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes. Slice green and yellow squash add to Carne and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Make sure shrimp is thoroughly clean, deveined and rinsed in cold water. Toss into Gumbo. Cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
Top with Cheese, Sour Cream or Jalapeno if desired. Serve with fresh flour tortillas.
This has got to be the best burger I've ever had. After doing a stuffed chicken breast I wonder "why not a hamburger. I brain stormed trying to come up with the best combination of flavors to stuff it with. I'm sure this would work just as well cooked up in a frying pan, or even in the oven. You want to get the best flavor possible so I definitely recommend sticking with an open grill. Just remember, if my filling does not appeal to you toss together what ever sounds the best to your taste. Either way, you'll be completely awed at how good it is. This recipe will make four 1lb hamburgers.
3lbs Hamburger
3 Tbs Weber's Mesquite seasoning
1/4 TSP Mesquite smokey flavoring
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 bakery style deli bun
1 1/2 Cup shredded Colby Jack Cheese
FILLING: 3 Slices Bacon cooked crisp and chopped
1/4 Cup Minced Onion
1/4 Cup Minced Green Pepper
1/2 Cup Chopped Mushrooms
4 Small Garlic Cloves Minced
Mix meat very well with Mesquite Seasoning, Smokey flavoring, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Divide meat into four equal portions and set aside. Cook bacon crisp and crumble in mixing bowl. Add onion, green pepper, mushrooms, garlic and cheese. Flatten one portion of the meat into a round patty about 1/4" thick. Place 1/4 of the filling on the right side and fold the meat over. Carefully mold the meat back into a round shape. Follow same procedure for remaining hamburger.
Place patties on heated grill and cook ten minutes on each side, longer if you prefer. Toast the buns if you like. Place hamburger on bun and add your favorite toppings.
Wow! This is so good and full of amazing flavor. I dug into the vegetable drawer and started chopping just about anything I had in it. When the sausage was added the whole house smelled delicious. Turned out to be one really delectable dinner. This recipe will serve four.
1 Cup Canola Cooking Oil
4 Medium Potatoes Sliced
1 Green Squash Sliced
1 Yellow Squash Sliced
1 8oz Pkg Mushrooms Sliced
1 Medium Green Pepper Sliced
1 Small Onion Chopped
3 Cloves Garlic minced
2 LBS Smoked Sausage Sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional)
Heat oil in a skillet and toss in potatoes sprinkled with salt and pepper. Cook uncovered for fifteen minutes flipping often to brown both sides. Add squash, mushrooms, green pepper, onion and garlic. Cook an additional ten minutes continuing to flip. Add sausage and maintain cooking while flipping until sausage is brown. I served with tortillas, but biscuits are good too. Top with shredded cheese if desired.
It seems I'm always trying to watch what I eat. My husband on the other hand can eat just about anything and never gains a pound. I'm always trying to come up with something that will satisfy both of our appetites. This dish made with lean beef and broccoli does just that. It's easy to make, filling and full of flavor. I use the Bow Tie Pasta because it has the perfect texture for this dish. Don't know if you could ask for much else. This recipe serves four, and freezes very well for a quick brown bag lunch. It'll make your co-workers envious.
2 LB Lean Thick Beef Sirloin Steak cut in chunks
1 TBS Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic Minced
2 Cups Diced Onion
1 Tablespoons Chili Peppers
1/4 Cup Teriyaki Sauce
2 TBS Soy Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Cups Water
3 Cups Bow Tie Pasta (Uncooked)
3 Cups Broccoli chopped
Brown beef in olive oil. Slowly add garlic, onion and peppers allowing to blend well with meat, tender but not overcooked. Add the peppers and stir in vigorously with Teriyaki and Soy Sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add water and pasta allowing to lightly simmer for 25 minutes, or until pasta is done. Last 5 minutes of cooking stir in broccoli so it remains firm, but tender.
Wow! That's all can say about this. The flavor was is as good as it looks. This dish is not only delicious, but it is packed with a nutritious kick. There are several options for making this dish. The easiest and quickest choice is to simply grab some fajita seasoned chicken breast at the grocery store. I prefer to season the meat myself. To do this you can simply purchase 2 packages of Fajita Seasoning Mix, or make your own mix using these ingredients:
Stir Fry
4 Lbs Chicken Breast or Thighs cut into strips
2 Peppers (red, green, yellow or orange) sliced into strips
One Medium Onion sliced into strips
1 10 oz package fresh mushrooms sliced
Add 1/4 cup oil to Fajita seasoning in mixing bowl. Add chicken and cover. Chill in refrigerator for 2 or more hours.
Place chicken in Wok, or large skillet with 2 tablespoons of marinade. Stirring chicken frequently allow to cook until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add fresh vegetables and continue to stir for an additional 10 until vegetables are tender, but not over cooked.
You can serve this the way my husband enjoyed it, with flour tortillas. You can also serve it over white rice. Either way you'll enjoy this dish for sure.
We love fideo at our house and enjoy experimenting with a lot of new ideas to prepare it. This is what a call a plate full of comfort with a great kick to it. So easy it will compliment any Sunday night meal. So quick you'll want to try it on a cold fall evening. This will serve four.
8 Chicken Legs and/or Thighs
2 TBS Olive Oil
1 16oz package Fideo noodles
1 Bunch (apx 6) Green Onions chopped
2 Garlic Cloves Minced
1/4 Cup Chopped Hatch Chilies
2 Tsb Oregano
1 8 oz Can Tomato Sauce
2 Cups Chicken Broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
In larges skillet brown chicken about 10 minutes on each side until slightly crispy. Remove Chicken from skillet and add onion, garlic and chilies. Cook for five minutes until blanched. Add Fideo to vegetables and stir constantly until noodles look cream colored. Add tomato sauce and chicken broth in to mixture blending well with salt and pepper. Return Chicken to pan with Fideo. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until noodles are done stirring frequently. Serve with warm tortillas.
These chicken strips need no dipping sauce. They are tender, juicy and full of flavor. I oven backed the breasts, but frying is a great option also. This recipe will serve 4.
1 Cup Flour
1 Tablespoon Garlic Salt
1 Tablespoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
2 Cups Buttermilk
2 Eggs
Wash breasts and pat dry with a paper towel leaving no water intact. Slice chicken into 1 1/2 inch strips about 3 inches long. Pound each strip with a tenderizer or anything you may have appropriate to slightly flatten the stips. This will help the meat coat and cook evenly. You will need three mixing bowls. In the first mix flour salt, pepper and onion powder. In the second bowl mix buttermilk with beaten eggs. Tip: If yu have no buttermilk add 1/8 cup lemon juice to 2 cups regular milk and let sit for 10 minutes. Using a rolling pin flatten Pringles Stix while still in package rotating often to crush completely. Line the three bowls on a counter. Dip strips in flour, douse in egg and milk, and coat with Pringles. Follow same procedure for each piece and place on coated baking sheet in 350 oven. Allow to bake for 20 minutes and turn chicken cooking other side an additional 15 minutes.
This is a quick and easy one dish recipe. Serves 4 to 6 people
6 Medium pork chops
1 16 oz can Rotel tomatoes
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
11/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
dash dried cilantro
2 cups quick cooking rice
1 package flour tortillas
Rinse pork chops and pat dry. Place in 13 X 9 baking dish that has been treated with cooking spray. Mix Rotel with water and spices pouring over meat. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle rice in with meat, cover and cook an additional 30 minutes or until rice is done. Serve with heated tortillas.
Beer can chicken is just so fun, juicy and tender. It's not that difficult to do, but it does require time to allow the rub to set and about 2 hours to slow cook on a grill or in an oven and 4 hours in a smoker. The roaster that holds the chicken can be found at many stores and are not expensive. However, if you do not have one don't fret. Just place the chicken over a 32 oz beer can and secure with string. Serves 4 to 6.
1 Roasting chicken
1 32 oz beer with at least 2 cups of beer left
Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. Make a rub (I used the following) and and add roughly 1/4 cup to beer in can. Place chicken over beer can tying legs together and pining wings to breast.
Rub:
3/4 cup sweet paprika
3/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin 1 1/2 tsp celery powder
2 tsp red pepper
2 tablespoon garlic salt
2 tablespoon lemon pepper
Stand chicken in a deep dish baking pan and brush lightly with olive oil (any oil will do). Layer remaining rub generously over chicken . Set the pan with the chicken in the fridge and loosely cover with plastic wrap so not to disturb the rub. Let chicken rest for six to eight hours. Cook in oven at 350 or on a medium set grill for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until done checking frequently. Occasionally drizzle outside with additional beer to keep moist.
We are big fans of BBQ, not only for the flavor. The savings is well worth the effort. This Pork Roast is so juicy and tender and a lot easier than you would imagine. The rub is so tasty, but full free to invent your own touch.
South Texas Rub:
1/2 C Sweet Hungarian Paprika
1/2 C Chili Powder
1/4 C Mesquite Seasoning
2 Tbs Garlic Powder
2 Tbs Onion Powder
1/2 Tsp Red Pepper
1/2 Tsb Celery Seasoning
Mix all dry ingredients until blended thoroughly.
1 2lb Pork Roast slight trimmed
Leave a moderate amount of fat for flavor and to prevent dryness. Lightly coat roast with olive oil. Place a sheet of aluminum foil in a deep dish cake pan . Toss in rub and add roast coating generously with rub. Wrap in foil and let set in fridge for 4 to six hours, longer if desired.
Place on grill and maintain a low to medium heat for 45 minutes to one hour. Occasionally check for progress and spritz with water if necessary.
Who doesn’t like chicken strips? These golden, easy, restaurant style goodies are so pleasing. You’ll be proud you made these beauties. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce incluing ranch dressing, honey mustard, BBQ Sauce or homemade country gravy.
Four ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into strips approximately 6 inches long and 1 inch wide
1 ½ cups butter milk or 1 ½ cups milk mixed with ¼ cup lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tbs baking powder
1 ½ tsp salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
Place cut strips in a bowl and cover with butter milk. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Place grease in fryer and allow to heat. I use a deep fryer, but any skillet will do. Remove strips from refrigerator and coat one strip with flour. Return strip to milk lightly coating on all sides. Recoat strip with flour and place in hot grease. Leave untouched for at least five minutes so coating remains in tact. If using a fryer place no more that four at a time in pan to avoid over spills. Fry for seven minutes or until golden brown. If using a skillet fry for five minutes on each side or until golden brown.
