Balsamic Pork Scaloppini

A couple of week's ago, I went into Publix and smelled the most wonderful meal cooking at the Apron's meal demonstration. I already had dinner plans that night, but picked up the recipe card to use another time. I made it last week and it was delicious!

I'm getting sort of lazy about typing up recipes so follow the link--------->

I didn't follow their directions for the Tomato Buttered Noodles, but made my own version by just adding butter and sun-dried tomato pesto to cooked noodles.

Pierogi Bake

Pierogi [peer-OH-gee] - A Polish specialty, pierogi are half-moon-shaped noodle dumplings filled with a minced mixture, the most common being pork, onions, cottage cheese and seasonings. Mushrooms, cabbage, potatoes and rice are also used as filling ingredients. After the pierogi are cooked in boiling water, they're sometimes sautéed briefly in butter and topped with toasted bread crumbs. They can be served as a first course or side dish. - THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Pierogi - Like a ravioli, but with mashed potatoes and onion inside. - Beth

I have seen this recipe several places. The original here (this one has nutrition info), but also seen here and here!

(Follow the links to recipe)

Pyszne! (Google Translate says this is Polish for delicious)

Chipotle Chicken Sausage Pasta

You can see from this blog that I do a lot of cooking from recipes. I rarely just throw things together and make a dinner. But, that is just what I did with this meal. I bought the chicken sausage with no real plans for it, scoured the pantry, found black beans and tomatoes. Then I sort of copied the sauce from another recipe.

I'm really proud of this! It was delicious!


CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SAUSAGE PASTA
Not a Real Housewife Original

8 - 10 ounces linguine
12 ounces Johnsonville Smoked Chicken Sausage with cheese and chipotle peppers, sliced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can fire roasted Tex Mex style diced tomatoes (similar to Ro-tel), drained well
2/3 cup milk
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon Cajun/Creole seasoning (like Zatarain's or Tony Chachere's)

Cook linguine according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cook the chicken sausage in a little oil until browned.

Mix together milk and cream cheese (I heated this mixture in the microwave just enough to melt the cream cheese). Add this to the browned sausage. Add black beans and tomatoes. Stir and heat until warmed throughout.

Add the pasta and stir carefully.

Yield: 4 servings

Bourbon - Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

Wow! Another new recipe in the same week. Can you tell I'm not really studying very hard right now?

I love putting the husband to work on the grill! We had really nice weather to sit outside on the deck for dinner. Eddie grilled the pork loin and squash (with a little olive oil spray, salt and pepper). I made the mashed potatoes and sauce for the pork.

BOURBON – BROWN SUGAR PORK TENDERLOIN
recipe from Southern Living

2 pounds pork tenderloins
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup minced green onions
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine brown sugar and next 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; add pork. Seal bag, and chill 8 to 18 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade.

Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Grill pork, covered with grill lid, 8 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°. Remove from grill, and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine reserved marinade and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Cut pork diagonally into thin slices, and arrange on a serving platter; drizzle with warm sauce. (Or drizzle sauce on each serving)

MASHED POTATOES WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

1 (24 ounce) package Ore-Ida Steam n' Mash cut russet potatoes
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onions oil or butter to sauté onions
salt and pepper

Microwave potatoes according to package directions.

Meanwhile, sauté onions in a little oil or butter until caramelized.

When potatoes are done, add milk and butter; mash to desired consistency. Stir in onions, salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken with Pecan Sauce

This is a new recipe I tried for the first time last night. It turned out great, really delicious.

I have changed the recipe below to reflect how I will make it next time. The sauce was so good, I wanted more, so I doubled all of the sauce ingredients. Next time, I should have sauce for the chicken and some extra to spoon over rice or pasta.

CHICKEN WITH PECAN SAUCE
recipe from Southern Living

1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup butter, divided
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts , pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons cider vinegar (if you don't love cider vinegar as much as me, maybe just use 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Heat pecans and 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Remove from skillet.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Cook chicken in hot oil in skillet over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with pecans.

Add chicken broth to skillet, and cook 5 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Add brown sugar, vinegar, and thyme, and cook 6 -8 minutes or until sugar is melted and sauce is slightly thickened. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Serve sauce over chicken.

Yield: 2 chicken breasts and enough sauce to cover chicken and some rice or pasta

Acapulco Shrimp Cocktail and Fish Tacos

So, I wanted a special side dish to go with my Fish Tacos... I usually serve black beans with them, but wasn't in the mood for that this time. I loooooovvvvvve avocados, so when I ran across this recipe, I knew I would love it. And I did!

ACAPULCO SHRIMP COCKTAIL
recipe found at What's Cookin Chicago?

1 pound cooked shrimp
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, diced

Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add the lime juice.

In a small bowl, mix the ketchup, hot sauce, Worcestershire, onion and cilantro. Mix well; then pour over shrimp and stir.

Carefully fold in the diced avocado. Divide into 4 to 6 serving dishes.

You can find the recipe for my Fish Tacos here.

By the way, I am back to school tomorrow. That means less cooking and posting here, but I'll give it my best effort.

Pulled Pork with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

I made this Pulled Pork and Chipotle Barbecue Sauce a few weeks ago and didn't take any pictures at the time. But that's okay, I knew I would be having it again because it made a lot and I had frozen some of it to eat later.

I mixed the sauce in with the shredded pork before freezing it into small portions. So, this past Friday, I just had to thaw and re-heat the pork. I served it on small slider buns with a couple of dill pickles.

PULLED PORK

recipe from the National Pork Board

4-5 pounds boneless pork butt
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

Combine all seasoning in a small bowl and rub evenly over pork. Place meat in a 6 quart slow cooker. Add water. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Place pork on a large cutting board or platter and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Pull apart into shreds. Mix with barbecue sauce and serve on buns.

CHIPOTLE BARBECUE SAUCE

from a magazine I can't remember

1 (10 ounce) can tomato puree
1 1/2 cups root beer
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/4 light brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup cider vinegar

Stir together all ingredients in a 2 quart saucepot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until sauce thickens.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Chicken with Pumpkin Grits

I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It was a reader submitted, prize winning recipe. You can see a prettier picture here. I made some little changes - only 2 chicken breasts for us, same amount of grits for a larger serving size, no fresh sage in mine.

Yummy!

CINNAMON CHICKEN WITH PUMPKIN GRITS

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
cooking spray
salt
black pepper
cinnamon
2 cups water
2/3 cup quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 /2 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Arrange chicken breast halves in a small baking pan. Spray chicken with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt, pepper and cinnamon (both sides).

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Stir in grits until combined. Stir in pumpkin, sage, and salt to taste. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

To serve, spoon grits onto dinner plates and top with chicken breast halves.

Yield: 2 servings

Chicken Bruschetta

This is a delicious Cooking Light recipe that I found on myrecipes.com.

CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 (8-ounce) package pre-sliced mushrooms
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup chopped red onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped plum tomato (or quartered cherry tomatoes)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Combine garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle chicken with garlic powder mixture.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the chicken over medium-high heat, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add mushrooms, zucchini, onion, remaining salt and minced garlic; sauté 3 - 5 minutes to suit your taste. Add 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, tomato, basil, and vinegar; sauté 3 minutes.

Serve the vegetable mixture over chicken; sprinkle with cheese.

Note: The original recipe called for 4 chicken breasts, the veggies served as just a topping. I used only 2 chicken breasts and cooked the same amount of veggies so there would be enough to count as a vegetable side dish as well. I served with orzo pasta.

Creamy Cheese Tortellini with Asparagus

This recipe was in Gourmet Magazine posted on Epicurious.com, but came to me recommended by a friend.

I made a few changes to the recipe and updated the times. For instance, the recipe said to start with 4 cups of broth, boil and reduce to 1 cup in 6 minutes. I was pretty certain that it would not reduce that fast. I started with 3 cups and it took 20 minutes to reduce to 1 cup.

Anyway, it turned out really good!

Be careful not to cook the asparagus for too long - the more it cooks, the less it will taste like fresh aspaagus and the more it will taste like yucky canned asparagus. (I really hate the canned stuff!)

CREAMY CHEESE TORTELLINI W/ ASPARAGUS

3 cups chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (2 x 1 inch) strips lemon zest
1 (20-25 ounce) package frozen cheese tortellini
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 bunch asparagus (3/4 pound), trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Boil broth with garlic, thyme, pepper and lemon zest in a large saucepot until reduced to about 1 cup, about 20 minutes. Discard garlic pieces and zest.

Meanwhile, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain.

Stir cornstarch into cream, then whisk into broth. Bring to a simmer, whisking, then continue to simmer about 3 minutes. Add asparagus and simmer until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and tortellini and cook, gently stirring, until heated through.

Yield: 4 main dish servings

Barbecue Shepherd's Pie

BARBECUE SHEPHERD’S PIE

1 pound ground beef
1 cup diced onion
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce ) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained well
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (sweet, smoky variety)
2 tablespoons diced pickled jalapenos
1 (24 ounce) package refrigerated mashed potatoes (Simply Potatoes brand)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
salt and pepper

Brown meat with onion in large skillet. Drain well, return to skillet. Add beans, tomatoes, barbecue sauce and jalapenos. Spoon meat mixture into baking dish. Heat potatoes according to package directions and then mix with sour cream, 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese, salt and pepper until well blended. Cover meat mixture with potato mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top.

Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 30 - 40 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 6 servings

Confessions: I didn't drain the tomatoes. It was a little runny for my taste, so next time I'm draining the tomatoes really well. I also used instant mashed potatoes this time, a four cheese flavored variety. That's because WalMart didn't have the Simply Potatoes brand, I guess I usually get those at Publix. Anyway, the recipe above is the way I wanted to make it and will be the way I make it next time. And there will be a next time, it was superdelicious!

This is a combination of about twelve recipes I found around the internet. I made a long list of possible ingredients, then Eddie helped to choose the ingredients we wanted to include.

Product Recommendation - Stir-Fry Vegetables

I really like these frozen stir-fry vegetables from WalMart, so I wanted to share!

They come in the two varieties you see below (Asparagus and Sugar Snap) and also Broccoli Stir-Fry (not shown). All of them have a variety of other veggies included. They seem to be good quality, always nice and fresh.


I used the Sugar Snap variety in my Kung Pao Chicken stir-fry last night.



I used bottled Panda Express Kung Pao sauce (also purchased at WalMart) and added chopped peanuts.

Cheeseburger Pizza

Nothing really special here. This is just me copying a pizza we get sometimes at one of those pizza buffets.


I started with a Mama Mary's thin whole wheat crust and added roasted garlic tomato sauce from a can. I drizzled yellow mustard over the sauce. The pizza is topped with about 1/2 pound ground beef, cooked and drained. Then add raw onion slices, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and top with a few dill pickles. Classic cheeseburger ingredients! Cook according to crust package directions.

In the background - that's a version of this Veggie Pizza.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

Another great recipe I found at Cassie Craves. That girl knows what I like to eat!

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU BAKE

2 cups cooked chopped chicken (about 2 large boneless breasts)

8 ounces diced ham

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

1 box stuffing mix for chicken

butter and water called for on stuffing box

Cook stuffing according to package directions; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, ham, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Go light on the salt, since the cream of chicken soup and ham are pretty salty on their own.)

Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

Sprinkle cheese evenly over the chicken mixture. Carefully add stuffing in an even layer on top of the cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Yield: about 6 servings

Orzo Beef Stew

I believe this was a recipe from Publix Apron's Simple Meals. It's kind of 'semi-homemade', using several convenience items. That makes its quick and simple. And it feels nice and homey when the weather is cooler.




ORZO BEEF STEW

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup diced onions
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup matchstick carrots
1/4 cup cooked crumbled bacon (or packaged bacon pieces)
1 (17 ounce) package fully cooked beef roast au jus (Hormel)
1 (14 ounce) can Italian green beans, drained
1 cup beef broth (or 1/2 cup beef broth and 1/2 cup red wine)
1 cup orzo

Cook onions, mushrooms, carrots and bacon in olive oil in a large saucepan. Cook several minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and begin to brown. Stir in meat, breaking it up with a spoon. Add green beans, broth and orzo. Stir. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Roasted Pear Salad

I found this Roasted Pear Salad in Publix Grape Magazine. It's very similar to this salad that I've been making for years.


ROASTED PEAR SALAD

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper

Mix in a small jar and shake it up to mix. This dressing covers 2 side dish salads generously. (Publix says it covers 4 salads, I don't think so.........)

Salad:

Lettuce
Roasted pear slices (directions below)
Crumbled blue cheese
Pecans, chopped

Place lettuce on plates or in bowls. Top with pears, blue cheese, pecans and dressing.

Roasted Pears: Line a baking pan with foil. Place peeled and sliced pears on pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix it up and spread out on pan. Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes.


We had this salad with Seared Scallops and Seasoned Cheese Grits.

Indonesian Chicken

This is a recipe I found on myrecipes.com. It's kind of spicy, but very flavorful. In other words, it doesn't burn your mouth, and you can taste all the different flavors from the marinade.

INDONESIAN CHICKEN

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Remove from marinade and grill. (That's all I can say about the grilling, Eddie is in charge of that part!)

Mexican Jambalaya

This recipe came from Family Circle Magazine. They called it Mexican Brown Rice Caserole. I've renamed it because it reminds me alot of Jambalaya but with Mexican flavors.

The magazine suggested Aidells chicken sausage with habaneros. I used Bistro Sensations chicken sausage with habaneros and monterey jack cheese.

MEXICAN JAMBALAYA

1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 cup brown rice
11/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 package (12 ounces) chicken sausage with habaneros, cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons
1 1/2 cups water
chopped cilantro
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese

Stir together onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, rice, chili powder, oregano, jalapeño, sausage and water in slow cooker bowl. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 ½ hours or LOW for 5 hours.

Stir in cilantro; serve with sour cream and cheddar cheese, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

French Dip Sandwich

This is a quick and simple version so that you can enjoy a French Dip sandwich at home.

I use an Au Jus seasoning packet (in the store with all the gravy, stew, chili seasoning packets). Prepare according to package directions (just mix with water and heat it).

Add thinly sliced deli roast beef to the au jus and simmer just until it's heated.

Meanwhile, slice up an onion and cook in a little olive oil until caramelized.

I like a nice firm submarine roll - toast it under the broiler a minute or two. Top both cut sides with cheese (Provolone this time, Swiss sometimes) and a little Italian seasoning, broil until cheese is melted.

Top one side of cheese coated bread with roast beef (pull out of Au Jus with tongs) and then caramelized onions. Top with other piece of cheese coated bread. Pour extra Au Jus into cups for dipping.

The packet of Au Jus makes enough for about 6 sandwiches. I like about 1/4 pound of meat per sandwich.

Asian Chicken Salad

No real recipe here, just a combination of ingredients that I use to make an Asian style chicken salad.

Lettuce
Cucumber
Red bell pepper
Green onion
Pineapple tidbits (canned)
Mandarin oranges (canned)
Cashews
Chicken marinated in Teriyaki sauce and grilled
Dressing made by combining Ginger dressing and Poppyseed dressing (see below, doesn't have to be citrus poppyseed, regular/plain poppyseed is actually my usual for this)