Salisbury steak meatballs

 

Ingredients

• 32 oz. bag frozen fully cooked meatballs
• 1 packet brown gravy mix
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• 1 packet of dry Ranch seasoning mix 
• 2 cups beef broth 
• 1 sliced onion 
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil of any kind.

Instructions

• Place sliced onions in a pan with the oil and saute for five minutes.
• Place frozen meatballs in a large pan that has a lid. The same pan
  
• Add brown gravy, onion soup mix, ranch and broth  to the pan and stir until well combined and powder has dissolved.
  
• Make sure the meatballs are submerged in the liquid. Cover the pan and set stovetop to medium heat. Heat meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes making sure to stir frequently.
  
• Once meatballs are starting you can now prepare your side, I love to make mashed potatoes, I make the boxed potatoes and add milk and butter.
• Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.
• When I get home from work who has time to make real mashed potatoes 😳

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

 

Ingredients

Lemon-Herb Chicken

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced into cutlets
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp.  paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 3/4 tsp. Seasoned salt
• 3/4 tsp. black pepper

Creamy Lemon Pasta

• 1 lb. pasta of choice (I chose Bow tie but you can use something long and twirly, such as bucatini, spaghetti, pappardelle, or fettuccine)
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp.  salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (plus more for garnish
• 1 Tbsp. lemon zest plus 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Optional add-ins- optional 

• Fresh baby spinach or arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted broccoli, sautéed mushrooms

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
  
• Meanwhile, prepare chicken. Place chicken in a bowl and combine with olive oil, lemon zest, and spices. Toss well to thoroughly coat both sides of chicken in seasoning.
  
  Heat a large high-sided skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Arrange chicken in pan and cook until nicely golden and internal temperature reaches 165ºF, about 7 to 10 minutes, per side depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. What I like to do with my chicken breast is cut them in half and pound them into thin pieces and they cook quickly in 10 minutes. Five minutes per side.
  
• If your water is boiling at this point, begin cooking pasta until just shyof al dente (the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
  
  Prepare sauce. Add butter to the pan (no need to wipe clean) along with chopped yellow onion. Cook over medium heat until the onion softens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until aromatic.
  
  Add heavy cream, broth, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until the mixture slightly thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  
  Stir in parsley, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice.
  
• Add pasta to the pan with sauce, along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Increase the heat to medium-high, and toss vigorously with a pair of tongs. Continue cooking and tossing constantly, until the pasta is glossed in a thick sauce, about 2 minutes.
  
  If the sauce becomes too tight, add another splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again. When the sauce is nicely thickened and glossy, turn off heat.
  
• Thinly slice chicken and place on top of the pasta. Garnish with extra chopped fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
  

Notes

• If you plan on adding any veggies, add them to the sauce right after stirring in the parsley, Parmesan, and lemon. 
• To Store. Place leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Stuffed peppers w/Rice

 

Ingredients

• 4 sweet bell peppers, any color
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. ground beef
• ½ cup finely diced onion
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese, divided
• Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or basil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise, discarding seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut side up, in a microwave-safe 13x9-inch baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the dish. Lightly cover with parchment paper. Microwave until peppers begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.*
  
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion; cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir in cooked rice, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add ½ cup of cheddar and ½ cup of Monterey Jack or mozzarella. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
  
• Season the inside of each pepper with salt and pepper. Stuff peppers with beef mixture and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with foil.
• Bake until tender and heated through, about 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of cheddar and remaining ½ cup of Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
  
• Bake, uncovered, until cheese melts, about 10 more minutes. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
  

Notes

*Alternatively, you can pre-bake the peppers in the oven instead of in the microwave. To do so, fill a baking dish large enough to fit peppers with about ½ -inch of water. Place peppers cut-side down in water, cover with foil, and bake for about 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 of a stuffed pepper | Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 2g| Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2349IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 2mg