Southwestern Chicken Skillet

12  oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed 

1 T oil 

15 oz salsa

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 t cumin

1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup sliced ripe olives

1 cup quick-cooking  rice*

1/2 cup cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir in hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. 

    Stir in salsa, chicken broth, bell pepper, and olives. Bring to boiling. Stir in uncooked rice. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes or until rice is tender. 

    *I use regular rice. One cup of rice can be cooked and added with all the other ingredients and simmered until the liquid cooks down.

Individual Tamale Pies

This is a quick and easy dinner when you are in a hurry!!

1 lb lean ground beef

1 cup green sweet peppers, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

2 t chilli powder

1 15-oz can tomato   sauce

1 cup corn

4-oz can diced green chili peppers

1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives

81/2-oz pkg corn muffin mix*

egg

milk

1/2 t ground cumin

Chili power

    Cook ground beef, green sweet peppers, and onion in a large skillet until meat is no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir in the 2 teaspoons chili powder; cook and stir 1 minute more. Stir in tomato sauce, corn, half of the chili peppers, and the olives. Bring to boiling. Divide mixture evenly among six 10-to 16-oz individual casseroles. (I divide this between 2 casserole dishes. We eat one when I make it and freeze the other).

    Prepare corn muffin mix according to package, using egg and milk as directed. *I make my own cornbread because to me the mix is too sweet for this recipe. (I use roughly 1 cup self-rising cornmeal, 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg). Stir in remaining chili peppers and the cumin. Spoon mixture evenly over the hot ground beef mixture in the casseroles. Sprinkle the top with a little chili powder. Cook and serve or freeze.

    Preheat oven to 375F. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes.

John Wayne Casserole

1 pound ground beef           

1/2 large onion

1 1/2 T taco spice

1 can rotel

1 can corn (I use frozen)

2 cups Bisquick mix(give or take)

1 cup water

1/2 cup mayonnaise

7 1/2 oz chive & onion whipped cream cheese

1/8 t garlic powder

salt and pepper

1 cup sharp cheddar

1 cup mozzarella cheese

    Brown the ground beef and onion. Stir in spice, rotel and corn. Mix in a small bowl the Bisquick and water. The dough will be sticky. Spread into a prepared casserole dish and top with meat mixture. Mix cream cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dollop and spread over meat and top with both cheeses. Bake at 325F for roughly 40 minutes. Top with sour cream and diced tomatoes.

Herb and Garlic Pork Roast

    This is a new recipe for us. We really enjoyed it. During our meal my husband must’ve said four times that this meat is “really good”. This one would be good for company.

                                             

 

1/2 cup kosher salt 

1/4 cup brown sugar

8 cups cold water

3 to 3 1/2 pounds center cut pork loin

3 tablespoons oil

4 slices bacon cut into 1 inch pieces (uncooked)

1 tablespoon apricot preserves 

2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs

3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons butter, melted 

    For brine, in a large bowl dissolve salt and sugar in 8 cups of water. Transfer roast to brine, making sure to fully submerge. Cover and refrigerate eight hours or up to two days.

    Remove roast from brine and blot dry with paper towels. In a skillet brown all sides of the pork in hot oil, taking about 10 minutes. Set aside 5 to 30 minutes to cool slightly.

    In a food processor purée uncooked bacon* to a smooth purée. Transfer half the bacon to bowl. Stir in apricot preserves, garlic, and 2 teaspoons of chopped rosemary.

    Place cooled pork on waxed paper. Spread thinly with bacon purée.(This is how the recipe reads. I assumed that meant to spread the purée on the roast 🤔) In a separate bowl mix breadcrumbs, remaining rosemary, parsley, melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper. Toss well to mix. Press crumb mixture on to roast (except ends) applying enough pressure for crumbs to adhere.

    Position the oven rack in its lowest position; preheat oven to 425°F. Put the roast on a wire rack in a foiled lined baking dish or roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F. Roast 45 minutes more or until thermometer registers 145°F. If crust begins to brown too deeply tent with foil. Remove pork from oven, tent with foil and allow to rest 15 minutes.

    *this amount of bacon is necessary for blades to process. For an easy appetizer, spread the remaining bacon purée on toasted baguette slices, then broil until golden. 

    I also had too many bread crumbs. I froze them and will use them later.

    Whoever has the son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:12

    

Beef and Bean One Pot Dinner

½ to 1 lb ground beef

¾ lb bacon, cut in small pieces

1 cup chopped onion

2 31-ox cans pork and beans

16-oz can kidney beans, drained

16-oz can butter limas, drained (I use black beans or pintos)

1 cup catsup

¼ cup brown sugar 

1 T liquid smoke

3 T white vinegar 

1 t salt 

dash of pepper

Brown ground beef; drain off fat and put beef in Crock Pot. Brown bacon and onions; drain off fat. Add bacon, onions and remaining ingredients to Crock Pot. Stir together well. Cover and cook on Low 6 to 9 hours.

 This can also be cooked in an oven at 275° F for 5 to 6 hours.

Beef and Potato Stove Top

2-3 potatoes, diced

1 onion, diced

1green bell pepper, diced

1 lb ground beef

1 T minced garlic

8 oz tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 bay leaf

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

Salt and pepper

    Cook potatoes until almost done. Brown beef add peppers and onion. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 8-10 minutes with a lid then 8-10 minutes without a lid.

    Serve with rice or noodles.

Chicken Marbella

This recipe came from my good friend Elizabeth.           

                                                                          

 8 lbs chicken parts

1 head garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 cup dried oregano

course salt and fresh pepper to taste

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup pitted green olives

1/2 cup capers w/a bit of juice

6 bay leaves

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white wine

1/4 cup Italian parsley or coriander(cilantro),            finely chopped

    In a large bowl combine chicken, garlic, oregano, pepper and salt, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

   Arrange chicken in a single layer in a large, shallow baking pan. Spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

    Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices.

    With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley. Put remaining juices in a bowl and serve with chicken.

    This can also be served at room temperature.

Chicken Tetrazzini

1 5lb chicken or 3-4 cups breast meat, cubed 

2 T butter

4 T flour

2 t salt

2 cups milk

1 green onion, chopped 

1 small can(jar) pimento

One cup sliced mushrooms (1 small can)

4 oz Cheddar cheese, graded

4 oz (Approximately) Spaghetti, cooked

    Boil chicken, cube.  Make a white sauce from butter, flour, salt and milk. Add to the sauce green pepper, pimento, chicken, mushrooms and cheese. In the meantime cook the spaghetti in chicken stock. When tender, add to sauce mixture and place in a casserole dish. Top with more cheese. Bake at 375°F until brown (about 25 to 30 minutes).

Easy King Ranch Casserole

1 chicken (3-4 cups), cooked & cubed

1 medium

   bag Regular Doritos

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can ro-tel

1 pound cheddar cheese grated

1 t Chili powder

1 Cup sour cream

    Mix together all of the ingredients except 1/2 of the cheese. Pour into baking dish. Put the remaining cheese on the top and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes.

Taco Chicken

 Smallish boneless skinless chicken breast 

Taco spice packet

Salsa

Sour cream

    Pat dry the chicken breast. Dredge them in the taco spices. Place in baking dish and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and put about 2 tablespoons of salsa on each chicken breast. Bake for 20 more minutes. Add a large dollop of sour cream on top.

Ginger Chicken

 3T Dry Sherry

2 T Soy Sauce

2T Hot Bean Sauce or Bean Paste (Optional)

1T Water

1t cornstarch 

2 Whole chicken breast (1 1/2 pounds total), skinned and boned

2 T oil

1T grated ginger root

1 cup sliced carrots

3 1/2 cups boo Chou or chopped Chinese cabbage

2 cups fresh pea pods, tips and strings removed

3 green onions, 1” bias-sliced

    If you prefer a milder dish, omit the bean sauce or bean paste.

    Stir together Sherry; soy sauce; bean sauce, if desired; water, and cornstarch. Set aside. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into thin bite-size strips. Preheat walk or large skillet over half heat; add 1 tablespoon of oil (add remaining oil as necessary during cooking.) Stir-fry ginger root in hot oil for 15 seconds. Add carrots; stir-fry for two minutes. Add bok choy for cabbage, Pea pods, and onions; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from wok.

    Add chicken to wok; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes till no longer pink. Push chicken from the center of the wok. Stir soy sauce mixture; add to center of work. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to wok; stir to coat with sauce. Cook and stir about one minute or till heated through. Serve on rice.

Keep yourselves in Gods love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Jude 1:21 

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Open Sesame Noodles

• 2 ounces whole-wheat thin spaghetti 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar 
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 Tablespoons scallions, rinsed, roots trimmed, 

peeled and thinly sliced

Optional

• 3 ounces cooked, diced chicken breast
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

Directions

step 1Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a 1 1/2-quart pot and cook spaghetti according to package directions. When the spaghetti is done, pour it into a colander, rinse, strain well and then place it in a medium-size bowl.

step 2Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl (including the chicken breast and red pepper flakes if using) and mix well.

step 3Transfer to a medium-size Ziploc® Brand Snap 'n Seal Container and refrigerate for up to three days until ready to eat. Or serve immediately on a platter with chopsticks or forks.

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This sauce (all ingredients except pasta and optional chicken and red pepper flakes) also makes a very nice dip for chopped veggies.

Bar -B-Q Pork

4-5 lbs. pork                                                    1c. vinegar

1 med. onion chopped                                   11/2 c.water

3 T. dry mustard                                              1/2 c ketchup

3 T. brown sugar                                             1/2 c Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t. black pepper

Cover and cook at 350F for 4-5 hours. Dip off  grease about 1 hour before B-B-Q is done.

Cornbread Salad

 Cornbread crumbled

1 Onion

2 Tomatoes

1 Bell pepper

2 cups Pinto beans

2 cups Mayonnaise

1 cup Dill pickle juice

6 or 7 slices of bacon

Layer the first five ingredients. Mix the mayonnaise and pickle juice and spread over pinto beans. Sprinkle crispy bacon over salad.

Pork Tenderloin!

 

Option 1:

Ketchup

Soy Sauce

Brown Sugar

Mix the 3 ingredients to the consistency of ketchup. Spread these on the tenderloin generously. This meat can be grilled or broiled or roasted. In my opinion grilling is the best.

Option 2:

Just sprinkle Montreal steak seasoning on the meat. Grill, roast or broil. Both options take 30 to 40 minutes to cook.

Hamburger Barbecue

                       

1 T veg. oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 lb. ground chuck

1 t. salt

Dash of pepper

½ c plus 2 t catsup

½ c sweet pickle relish

1 t prepared mustard

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 t chili powder

          Heat oil and add onions and meat. Cook until brown. Add salt and pepper. In bowl mix catsup, Pickle relish mustard, Worcestershire and chili, stir into meat.

Ground Beef Casserole

                                 

8 oz. Noodles

2 cans cream of mushroom soup 

1⁄2 pound grated sharp cheese

1⁄2 cup chopped onion

2 lbs. Ground beef

Cook noodles and drain. Brown meat lightly. Add onion, salt and pepper/ Drain grease. Add soup to meat mixture and stir until blended. Put in large, greased casserole, adding alternate layers of noodles and ground beef and cheese. Bake at 350 about 30 minutes or until hot and bubblely. Serves 6 to 8 . Can be prepared ahead or frozen before baking.

As an alternative I sometimes just mix it all up and bake.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 lg. onion chopped

3 or 4 garlic cloves minced

1/2 bell pepper (optional) chopped 

1 -28 oz can crushed tomatoes 

2 -14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes 

8 oz tomato sauce 

3 T basil

2 1/2 T oregano

Salt and pepper

Brown and chop(tiny) ground beef, cook until the pink is not quite gone then add onion (and bell pepper). Cook until the onions are translucent then add garlic and cook for a couple more minutes. Add all the tomatoes and spices, salt and pepper. Simmer for a short time.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Tex-Mex Lasagna

 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup bottled salsa

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes

1 (8-ounce) can no salt-added tomato sauce

Cooking spray

 6 precooked lasagna noodles (such as Barilla or Vigo) 

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients; spread 2/3 cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with 1/2 cup corn and half of beans. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese; top with 2/3 cup sauce. Repeat layers once; top with remaining 2 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Cover and bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with onions.

Country Fried Pork Chops

 

Place pork chops one at a time in a plastic bag with flour and salt and pepper. Shake until covered well. Place in a frying pan with a small amount of heated oil. Brown on both sides. Mix 2 or 3 Tbsp flour with about 1 cup of water. Pour the water over the pork chops and cover pan. Allow the chop to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Add extra water if needed.