Beef Stroganoff

 

1 lb. top sirloin, tenderloin, or flank steak
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. real butter, divided
8 oz sliced brown cremini mushrooms
¾ cup diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup warm water
1 tsp. beef bouillon granules or 1 bouillon cube*
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ cup sour cream

Extra wide egg noodles, or rice, for serving

Slice steak into thin ¼-inch strips.  Slice against the grain of the meat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add mushrooms, onion, and garlic to pan.  Sauté for 5-8 minutes until mushrooms are browned and onions are very tender.  Remove mushrooms, onions, and garlic from pan and set aside.

Slightly increase heat on pan and melt the remaining Tbsp. of butter.  Add beef and sauté, stirring, for 3-5 minutes or until pink is no longer visible.

While beef is cooking, whisk water, bouillon, flour, and Worcestershire sauce together until smooth.  Add this mixture to the beef and return the mushroom mixture to the pan as well.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes to thicken.  Remove pan from heat and stir in sour cream.  Add additional salt and black pepper to taste.  Serve over egg noodles or white rice.

This recipe can be found here.

Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs

 

1½ lbs country style pork ribs (boneless)

½ tsp. each, salt & pepper

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

½ cup+ BBQ sauce

 

Preheat your oven to 350° and trim any excess fat cap (an even layer of thick fat) from your boneless country style pork ribs as needed.

Season both sides of the country style ribs with salt and pepper, then arrange them on a couple of sheets of aluminum foil (large enough sheets to wrap around your pork ribs and seal securely). Place the foil with the ribs into a baking dish or onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Create the 'pouch' around your seasoned country style ribs, pulling up the sides so it will hold in the liquid, then pour the apple cider vinegar over the ribs. Seal the aluminum foil securely.

Bake at 350°F for 2 hours or until your pork ribs are fork tender.

Remove from the oven and open the aluminum foil carefully (vent the steam away from your body!). Transfer the pork ribs to a clean sheet of aluminum foil and drain the fat from your baking dish or sheet pan, then discard the used aluminum foil.

Move the ribs back into your baking dish and coat all sides of the pork ribs generously with the BBQ sauce. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven when done and allow the pork ribs to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Slather with more BBQ sauce if desired.

This recipe can be found here.

No Bean 30 Minute Chili

 

2 lbs ground beef

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

30 oz canned diced tomatoes

6 oz tomato paste

2 cups beef stock

1½ Tbsp. chili powder

1½ tsp. paprika

1½ tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

4 Tbsp. garlic, minced

 

Add your ground beef to a large stock pot. Use your spatula to crumble the beef. Add in your chopped green pepper and onion. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned.

Drain the grease before moving on to the next step.

Once your ground beef is cooked it's time to add the other ingredients to the pot. Stir. Cover and let simmer for 20 - 25 minutes.

Taste. Add extra salt or pepper if that's your preference. Top with green onions, avocado, cilantro, or onion. Enjoy!

This recipe can be found here.

Spanish-Style Braised Chicken and Almonds

 

8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

⅓ cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped fine
2 hard-cooked large eggs, yolks and whites separated, whites chopped fine
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Pinch saffron threads, crumbled
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1½ tsp. lemon juice

 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300°. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown thighs, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer thighs to plate and pour off all but 2 teaspoons fat from skillet.

Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until just softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in two-thirds of garlic, bay leaf, and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar and water; cook, scraping up any browned bits, until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and tomatoes and bring to simmer. Nestle thighs into skillet, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook until chicken registers 195 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes.

Using potholders, remove skillet from oven. Being careful of hot skillet handle, transfer thighs to serving platter, discard skin, and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

Discard bay leaf. Transfer ¾ cup cooking liquid, egg yolks, almonds, saffron, and remaining garlic to blender. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of jar as needed. Return almond mixture to skillet along with 1 tablespoon parsley and lemon juice. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, whisking frequently, until sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and egg whites. Serve.

This recipe can be found here.

Roasted Cornish Game Hen

1 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. lemon-pepper
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 Cornish game hens, about 1 1/2 pounds each, rinsed and dried thoroughly
1 green bell pepper, large dice
2 stalks celery, large dice
1 onion, large dice

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil and poultry seasoning. Rub olive oil all over the hens and season each with the salt mixture. Place the hens on a baking sheet pan with plenty of space between them. You may need to use 2 pans. Loosely stuff the cavities of each hen with some green bell pepper, celery and onion.

Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165° and the juices run clear.

Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.

Enchilada Casserole

1 can (16 oz) kidney beans or pinto beans

¾ cup scallions, sliced

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. minced garlic; 1 tsp cumin

6 six-inch corn tortillas

1 can (11 oz) corn, undrained

1½ cups cheddar cheese, grated

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

1 can (14½ oz) pasta style stewed tomatoes

sour cream

Drain beans, reserving 1 Tbsp. liquid.  Put in medium sized bowl with scallions and spices.  Mash to make a chunky puree.

Cut tortillas in half.  Line the bottom of a 8 X 8 pan, with 4 tortilla halves, longside against the sides.  Spread half the bean mixture on top.  Top with 4 more tortilla halves.  Spoon corn on top.  Sprinkle with half the cheese and all the chilies. Top with remaining tortilla halves.  Spread remaining bean mixture.  Spoon tomatoes over beans and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover tightly with foil.  Bake at 350° for 50 – 55 minutes.

Serve with sour cream.

Baby Back Ribs

1 rack baby back ribs (about 2-2.5 pounds)

3 c. pineapple juice

1½ c. brown sugar

1½ tsp. mustard powder

1/3 c. ketchup

1/3 c. red wine vinegar

1½ Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

½ tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. ground ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

Your favorite barbecue sauce

Using a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears, cut each rack into about 4 portions (it ends up being about 3-4 rib bones each).  Place in crockpot.

Mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard powder, ketchup, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, cloves, ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Pour over ribs and cover. (This step can be done the night before.) Set to low for 6-7 hours.

Remove ribs from liquid and heat grill to medium. Place ribs on the grill, brush one side with barbecue sauce, and close the lid for 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn the ribs, brush other side with sauce, close the lid, and wait another 3-4 minutes. Repeat.

Serve immediately.

This recipe can be found here.

Stuffed Pork Chops

1 lb. uncooked lean boneless pork chop(s), four chops (1/4-lb each) trimmed  

3 Tbsp. dried plain breadcrumbs  

½ rib celery, finely chopped  

½ small onion, finely chopped  

1 egg  

1 tsp. parsley  

 1 tsp. sage

 black pepper, to taste  

Cut a large, deep pocket in the side of each chop with a very sharp knife.

Combine the bread crumbs, celery, onion, egg, parsley, sage, and pepper in a medium bowl. Fill the pocket of each chop with the mixture; skewer the edges with toothpicks to hold them together, if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spray a 1-quart shallow baking pan with cooking spray.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add the stuffed chops and cook, turning once, until golden brown on each side.

Transfer to the baking pan; cover with foil, and bake until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables in the stuffing are tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue baking until the stuffing is golden and slightly crispy, 10 minutes more.

This recipe can be found here.

Mix and Match Meatloaf

1. Pick Your Meat

Preheat the oven to 350°. Put 1½ lbs. ground meat in a large bowl (choose 1 or a combination).

Ground beef

Ground turkey

Ground veal

Ground pork

2. Choose a Binder

Add 1 cup to the bowl with the meat (choose 1).

Breadcrumbs

Instant rice (uncooked)

Cornflakes

Crackers or croutons, crushed

Fine bulgur (uncooked)

Oats (quick cooking or regular)

Instant potato flakes (use ½ cup)

Quick-cooking barley (uncooked; use ½ cup)

3. Pick a Vegetable

Prepare 1 to 2 cups (choose 1); add to the bowl.

Carrots, shredded

Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Swiss chard or kale, finely chopped

Bell peppers, finely chopped

Mushrooms, finely chopped

Zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry

Celery, finely chopped and sautéed

4. Choose a Mix-In (Optional)

Add ½ cup total (choose up to 2).

Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Cooked bacon, chopped

Pickles or gherkins, chopped

Canned green chiles or pickled jalapeños, chopped

Walnuts, chopped

Roasted red peppers, chopped

Shredded cheese (up to 1 cup)

5. Bake the Meatloaf

Add 1 cup grated onion, ½ cup ketchup, 2 Tbsps chopped herbs (parsley, chives, basil and/or thyme), 2 eggs, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 minced garlic clove, 1½ tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper and mix with your hands until just combined. Shape into a 9-by-5-inch oval loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with strips of bacon, if desired. Bake about halfway, 30 minutes.  (I use mini loaf pans and cut the baking time.  Check the temperature!)

6. Make a Glaze

Brush the top and sides of the meatloaf with a glaze and continue baking until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°, about 25 more minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Classic

Mix ¼ cup ketchup, 2 tsp. brown sugar and 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce.

Garlic-Herb

Mix ¼ cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp. brown sugar, 1 grated garlic clove and ½ tsp. Italian seasoning.

Spicy Barbecue

Mix ¼ cup barbecue sauce, 2 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder and 1 tsp. cider vinegar.

Tangy

Mix ¼ cup ketchup, 2 Tbsp. apricot preserves, 2 tsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. rice vinegar and 1 tsp. ground ginger.

This recipe can be found here.

Braised Italian Chicken

1½ -2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6-8 thighs)
½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
fresh cracked black pepper
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 
1 cup diced onion
¼ cup shredded carrot
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, divided
2-3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°
To prepare chicken, rinse all pieces in cold water and use a pair of kitchen shears to snip off any remaining fat.  Blot dry on paper towels.  Season one side of chicken with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and several cracks of black pepper.
Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat.  When hot, add olive oil and make sure it spreads across bottom of pot.  Place chicken salt side down and cook for 2-3 minutes.  While it’s cooking, sprinkle remaining ¼ tsp. salt plus a few cracks black pepper on other side of chicken.  Flip chicken pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Remove chicken and place on a plate.
Add onions and carrots to pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.  Add can of diced tomato (with all the juices), tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and ½ Tbsp. balsamic vinegar.  Stir ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Add chicken and all accumulated juices from plate.  Cover chicken with sauce and cover pot with lid.
Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and remove lid.  Use 2 forks to gently shred chicken into large chunks.  Add remaining ½ Tbsp. balsamic vinegar and chopped basil.  Add additional kosher salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over pasta, rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables, or on french rolls or slider buns and garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.

Nutritional Info (3/4 cup shredded chicken with sauce, and 1 tablespoon fresh Parmesan):
Calories:  201, Fat: 14g, Protein:  20g, Carbs: 8g, Fiber: 2g

This recipe can be found here.

Carne Asada

1 jalapeno, minced

1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 limes, juiced

1 orange, juiced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

½ cup olive oil

2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine.

Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy.

Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

This recipe can be found here.

Black Bean Burger

2 cans (14.5 oz.) seasoned black beans or 28 oz. of black beans

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

¼ cup grated white onion

1 egg

½ tsp. chili powder

salt and pepper

hot sauce

sliced swiss cheese

olive oil

butter

4 hamburger buns

Drain, but do not rinse, the black beans. Place them in a bowl and use a fork to mash them. Keep mashing until they're mostly broken up, but still have some whole beans visible.

Add the breadcrumbs, onion, egg, chili powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Stir until everything is combined, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil with an equal amount of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Form the bean mixture into patties slightly larger than the buns you're using (the patties will not shrink when they cook.) Place the patties in the skillet and cook them about 5 minutes on the first side. Flip them to the other side, place 2 slices of cheese onto each patty, and continue cooking them for another 5 minutes, or until the burgers are heated through. (Place a lid on the skillet to help the cheese melt if needed.)

Grill the buns on a griddle with a little butter until golden. 

This recipe can be found here.

Italian Sausage Lasagna

1 lb sausage

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp basil

1 can (16 oz) tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

12 lasagna noodles

1 carton cottage cheese

½ cup parmesan cheese

1½ tsp oregano

2 cups mozzarella, grated

Cook sausage, onion and garlic in skillet; drain.  Stir in sugar, basil and tomatoes; break up tomatoes.  Heat to boiling; simmer uncovered 45 minutes.

Cook noodles; drain.  Mix cottage cheese, ¼ cup parmesan and oregano.

Spread 1 cup sauce in 9X13 pan.  Top with 4 noodles.  Spread 1 cup cheese mix, then 1 cup sauce.  Sprinkle with 2/3 cup mozzarella.  Repeat.

Cover and bake 30 minutes @350°.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.  Let stand 15 minutes.