Southern Smothered chicken

 Ingredients

• 3 chicken legs and 3 chicken thighs with skin
• ½ cup oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 chicken bouillon
• 2 ½ cup cold water
• ½ cup milk
• 3 tablespoon of the seasoned flour mentioned below

SEASONING THE FLOUR:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• ½ teaspoon all spice powder
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
• ¼ teaspoon heaped ginger powder

Instructions

• Mix all the flour seasoning together, take three tablespoon from this mix and keep aside.
• Wash the chicken and pat dry. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour and keep aside.
• In a pan, heat the oil and add the chicken. When the bottom of the chicken turns golden flip to the other side and cook until golden.
• Remove the chicken from the oil when both sides are golden. At this point, the chicken is not completely cooked.
• Keep around 4 tablespoon of oil in the pan, add the chopped onion and fry until light brown.
• Add three tablespoon seasoned flour to the onion and stir for at least two minutes on medium heat.
• Pour the cold water over the onion and flour mixture in one go and keep on stirring. Add the chicken bouillon and continue stirring.
• Now add the milk and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chicken to the sauce.
• Cover the pan and let the chicken cook for 20 – 25 minutes or until completely cooked. Stir occasionally.
• Serve with rice or mashed potato… you know we love rice in this house ❤️❤️

Lasagna Rolls

 INGREDIENTS

  

• 12 lasagna noodles (cooked to instructions)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoon olive oil (2 x 1 tablespoons divided)
• 24 ounces marinara spaghetti sauce
• ½ cup yellow onion (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese (finely shredded)
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese (2 x 1½ cups divided)
• ¼ cup parsley (chopped)

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
  
• In a large skillet, over medium high heat add 1Tbsp of olive oil. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking apart with a spatula or spoon. 3-4 minutes. Add ⅓ cup of yellow onions and cook until transparent. 3 minutes. Add ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, 1 tsp black pepper, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt and garlic. Mix well and saute for 1 minute. Pour in 24 oz of your favorite marinara sauce, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.
  
• In a large pot bring water to a boil and add 1 tsp off salt and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Cook lasagna noodles to al dente according to directions listed on package. Then drain noodles and put them back in the pot and cover with cold water.
  
• While pasta is cooking prepare the cheese mixture. By adding ricotta cheese, 1 large egg, ½ Parmesan cheese, 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese and parsley to a large bowl. Mix until fully incorporated.
  
• Lay out cooked lasagna noodles and divide ricotta cheese mixture over noodles and spread evenly. Add a large spoonful of meat mixture to each noodle and spread evenly. Spread ⅓ cup of meat sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Roll noodles up jellyroll style and place seam side down in baking dish.
  
• Cover roll-ups with remaining meat sauce then sprinkle remaining 1 ½ cups Mozzarella cheese over roll-ups.
  
• Cover with foil and bake for 38 minutes in preheated oven. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 2 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley.

Strawberry shortcake icebox cake

 

INGREDIENTS

  

• 2 cups crushed vanilla sandwich cookies, I used 20 Golden Oreos
• 6 tablespoons crushed freeze-dried strawberries
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 cups heavy cream, very cold
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup strawberry preserves, I used Smucker's brand
• 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
• 11 ounces vanilla wafer cookies
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced (¼-inch slices)

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Divide the crushed vanilla sandwich cookies evenly (1 cup in each bowl) into two small mixing bowls.
• Add the crushed freeze-dried strawberries and 3 tablespoons of melted butter to one of the bowls of cookies. Stir to combine.
• To the second bowl of crushed vanilla sandwich cookies, stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of the melted butter until evenly coated.
• Combine the strawberry-coated crushed cookies with the plain crushed cookies to create a strawberry shortcake crumble topping. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the very cold heavy whipping cream. Using a handheld mixer, starting on low, beat the heavy whipping cream for 1 minute. Gradually increase the speed on the mixer up to high, and beat the heavy cream for another 2 to 3 minutes or until it reaches soft peaks.
  
• Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip your heavy cream. Your whipped cream should be soft but able to hold its shape on the tip of your beaters. Set aside.
• In another large mixing bowl, add the room temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed, using a handheld mixer, for 2 minutes until the cream cheese is fluffy and smooth.
• To the bowl of beaten cream cheese, add the strawberry preserves and strawberry extract and beat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until you have a nice creamy strawberry cream cheese mixture.
  
• Add half of the whipped cream to the bowl of the strawberry cream cheese mixture. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese until you have a light and fluffy strawberry cheesecake filling and you no longer see streaks of whipped cream. Reserve the other half of the whipped cream.
• To the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish, add half of the strawberry cream cheese filling to the bottom of the dish and spread it into an even layer.
• Using 42 to 44 vanilla wafers (about half the box), cover the bottom layer of the strawberry cream cheese filling so that you have a single solid layer of cookies.
  
• Layer the sliced fresh strawberries over the top of all the vanilla wafer cookies so that they are in a single layer.
• Spread the remaining strawberry cheesecake filling evenly over the fresh sliced strawberries being careful not to disturb the fresh strawberry layer. Top this layer with the remaining half box of the vanilla wafer cookies in a single layer.
• Spread the other half of the homemade whipped cream evenly over the top of the final layer of vanilla wafer cookies.
• Finally, top the homemade whipped cream with an even layer of the reserved strawberry shortcake cookie crumble.
• Chill the strawberry shortcake icebox cake in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours or up to overnight.

Mexican Breakfast burrito

 

• 1 (8-oz) package Mexican chorizo
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 8 eggs, whisked
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 10 ounces shredded potatoes (see note)
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or cilantro, optional
• 6-8 Fajita sized flour tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the chorizo, breaking it apart with a spatula, for eight to ten minutes or until it’s cooked through. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Remove the chorizo from the pan (leaving the reserved fat in the pan) and transfer it to a bowl.
2. In the same pan, melt one tablespoon of butter. As it melts, stir to combine it with the reserved fat from the chorizo. Pour the whisked eggs into the pan and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook the eggs, frequently stirring, for about ten minutes or until the eggs are cooked but still very soft. Add the shredded cheese and stir until it melts into the eggs. Transfer the cooked eggs to a bowl.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the chorizo, breaking it apart with a spatula, for eight to ten minutes or until it’s cooked through. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Remove the chorizo from the pan (leaving the reserved fat in the pan) and transfer it to a bowl.
2. In the same pan, melt one tablespoon of butter. As it melts, stir to combine it with the reserved fat from the chorizo. Pour the whisked eggs into the pan and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Cook the eggs, frequently stirring, for about ten minutes or until the eggs are cooked but still very soft. Add the shredded cheese and stir until it melts into the eggs. Transfer the cooked eggs to a bowl.
3. To roll, fold the edge of the tortilla over the top of the filling and tuck in the sides. Roll the burrito up. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
4. Wrap the burritos in tin foil and place them on a baking sheet. Pop them in a warm oven for five to ten minutes to warm them through before serving .
5. Chile this can be meal prep . They will last all week in the freezer when you make them Sunday night. 

Turkey sausage, beans and rice

 

Beans Sausage and rice

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

6 slices bacon, chopped

1 lb. bag Pinto Beans

2 tsp. chicken bullion

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

Pinch of salt and pepper (more depending on taste)

8 cups water

1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced , I used Turkey sausage in this recipe.

Optional: diced jalapeno, chopped cilantro

2 cups rice

4 cups water

Top with diced green onions 

Instructions

1. Fry onion and bacon in skillet.
2. Rinse beans.
3. Add beans, seasonings, onion and bacon with the grease, and water to the Crock Pot.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
5. 30 minutes before serving add sliced sausage and optional diced hot pepper.
6. Stir in cilantro just before serving if desired.
7. While beans are cooking prepare rice on stove top according to package directions.
8. Serve pinto beans over rice.

Patty melt

 

Patty melt

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ pounds ground beef
• 2 teȧspoons Worcestershire sȧuce
• 1 teȧspoon kosher salt
• ½ teȧspoon ground blȧck pepper
• 12 slices sourdough breȧd
• ½ cup Secret Sauce
• 3 medium Vidȧliȧ onions, thinly sliced
• 6 slices Cheddar cheese
• 8 tȧblespoons unsȧlted butter

Secret sauce :

• ¼ cup Dijon mustȧrd
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tȧblespoon barbecue sauce
• ½ teȧspoon hot sauce
• In a small bowl, stir together mustȧrd, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 3 dȧy

Blackened salmon

 

Blackened salmon 

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Fresh parsley for garnish chopped

Instructions

• In a small bowl, add paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried, salt and pepper. Mix all together well.
• Brush ½ tablespoon of olive oil on top of salmon fillets.
  
• Sprinkle the spice mix on the flesh side of the salmon only. Using your fingers, tap the spicy mix on top of the salmon (on the flesh side).
  
• In a non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Wait 2 minutes and then add the salmon fillets and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Time will depend on the thickness of the salmon fillets. Reduce the heat to medium-low and flip the salmon fillets over and cook for more 3-4 minutes.
  
• Before serve, garnish with parsley. Serve it with steamed broccoli, mashed cauliflower , Rice or roasted veggies. Enjoy!

Crispy chicken Alfredo

 

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon paprika 
• Flour for dredging
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter divided
• 8 ounces uncooked Rotini noodles 
• 4 ounces cream cheese (I used 1/2 block of Philly) softened
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 large cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Take the cream cheese out of the fridge to soften up at least 30 minutes (or longer) prior to starting the recipe, or microwave it for 20-30 seconds. Grate the parmesan cheese. I prep other ingredients while I'm going along.
  
• Boil a large, salted pot of water for the noodles . Cook it al dente according to package directions.
  
• Meanwhile, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have 4 thinner cutlets. Sprinkle them with the garlic powder and salt & pepper and paprika on both sides. Coat them in flour. 
  
• In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the pan is hot, cook the chicken for 5 minutes/side or until golden and cooked through. Take the pan off the heat, and remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
  
• Wipe out the skillet/give it a quick rinse if there's a lot of extra grease (no need to wash it unless you really want to). Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the cream cheese, cream, chicken broth, and garlic. Return the pan to the burner over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the pan has heated up, use your spoon to help the cream cheese melt into the sauce. This will take a couple of minutes.
  
• When the cream cheese has been incorporated into the sauce, let it gently bubble for 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced somewhat. You can give it the occasional stir. Slice the chicken into bite-size strips while it's cooking.
  
• Stir the parmesan into the sauce. Let it cook for about a minute. The sauce should be thick enough by now, but if you want to reduce it further, let it cook for a little longer. If at any point the sauce gets too thick, simply add a splash of the hot pasta water to it. Give it a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.
  
• Drain the noodles 
• and add it to the skillet and toss with the sauce. Dish it up with the chicken on top (or mix it in) and grate on more parmesan cheese as desired. 
• Top with parsley flakes to make it look pretty 😍 

Jerk chicken w/ beans & Rice

 

Jerk chicken 

1 medium onion roughly chopped

6 green onions roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic peeled

2 habanero peppers stem removed (see notes)

1 inch piece ginger peeled and roughly chopped (see notes)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2  limes juiced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

3 teaspoons allspice

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 ½ –3 lbs. bone in skin on chicken legs or thighs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the onion, green onions, garlic, habanero peppers, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper in a food processor.  Pulse several times to combine the ingredients.
2. Pour into a heavy duty seal bag and add the chicken legs and thighs to the bag.  Place the bag in the refrigerator and marinate for 3-4 hours.
3. Preheat the grill to medium high heat.  (Or bake in a pan on 400 degrees for 60 minutes. )Using tongs remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill over direct heat. Discard any remaining marinade. Cook until slightly blackened and charred.  Move the chicken to indirect heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

NOTES

• Let the chicken marinate for 3-4 hours to absorb some of those delicious flavors.  You can even go as far as overnight but not much more than that or the acid in the marinade will start to change the texture of the chicken.
• You can substitute 2 tablespoons ginger paste for the ginger.
• Habanero Peppers are hot so wear gloves when handling them and wash your hands thoroughly after handling them and the marinade.
• You can substitute Scotch Bonnet, serrano, or jalapeno peppers.  Please be very careful when handling these peppers. I recommend using food prep disposable gloves. The peppers will be tamed down a little when mixed in the marinade but precautions should still be taken not to touch your face especially your eyes or nose.
• Grill the chicken over direct heat until the skin is blackened and slightly charred.  Then move to indirect heat and finish cooking until the juices run clear and the internal temp reads 160 degrees.
• This recipe is traditionally made with bone in skin on chicken thighs and legs but it is also delicious with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Pinto beans and rice 

Ingredients

• 1 lb pinto beans, sorted, debris removed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeds removed, chopped small
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
• 10 oz can Rotel™
• 32 oz vegetable broth
• 4 cups cooked rice

Instructions

• Sort beans and remove any debris. Place beans in a large pot and cover with water 2 inches above the beans. Let soak overnight. Drain water. 
  
• Lightly spray a 6 quart crock pot with a non stick spray. 
  
• Add beans, onions, garlic, jalapeños, seasonings and broth to crock pot. Stir.
  
• Cover and let cook for 6-8 hours on high.
  
• Cook rice according to package directions. 
  
• Serve beans over a bed of rice .

Goulash

 2 pounds lean ground beef

2 large yellow onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups water

1 cup beef broth

Two 15-ounce cans tomato sauce

Two 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon oregano

3 bay leaves

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon seasoning salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon pepper

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

In a Dutch oven, or large deep skillet, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat, until no pink remains. Break up meat while sauteing; spoon off any grease.

Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and one cup beef broth, along with the tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot and simmer until pasta is al dente, about 4-5 minutes. Pasta will cook a bit more when you remove from heat. IMPORTANT: be careful not to cook your pasta too long, mushy goulash is not good! Ever !!

Remove from heat, remove the bay leaves. Serve warm and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Chicken Egg Rolls

 Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
• Seasoning salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded cabbage ( I use the Cole slaw mix in the bag)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 green onion thinly sliced
• 14 egg roll wrappers
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoons water
• 1 quart Vegetable Oil for frying

Instructions

• In a large, deep skillet add the quart of oil. Heat oil over medium-low heat until it reaches 375 degrees F.
• In a separate large skillet, over medium-high heat, add ground chicken, fresh garlic and ginger. Crumble and brown chicken until thoroughly cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
  
  Add the shredded cabbage, carrots and sliced green onion to the chicken and stir to combine. Continue to stir-fry for 5 minutes or until mixture is heated. Turn off heat and remove skillet from burner.
  
• In a small bowl, mix together the flour and water to create a paste. (This paste will help seal the egg rolls before frying)
• Take one egg roll wrapper and lay it on a flat, clean surface, with one corner pointing towards you. Place 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture into the center of the wrapper. Take the bottom corner and fold up over the filling. Fold the two side corners over the center and continue to roll up. Brush a little of the flour paste on the top corner to help seal the egg roll. Repeat process until all egg rolls are wrapped.
• Carefully place 2-3 egg rolls at a time into the hot oil. Fry rolls for 2-3 minutes, using tongs to turn them so they evenly cook on all sides. They are done when they are golden brown. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. Serve with sweet and sour sauce.
• 
  

Pepper Steak

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil divided use
• 1 red bell pepper cored, seeded and cut into strips ( optional) I like using green only sometimes 
• 1 green bell pepper cored, seeded and cut into strips
• 1 1/4 pounds flank steak thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup of oyster sauce 

Instructions

• Heat 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large pan.
• Add the peppers and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Remove the peppers and onions from the pan and place on a plate.
• Add the remaining oil to the pan. Season the flank steak with salt and pepper to taste.
• Increase heat to high. Add the steak to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Add the garlic and ginger, then cook for 30 seconds.
• Place the peppers and onions back in the pan with the steak.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 cup water and cornstarch and oyster sauce . 
• Pour the sauce over the steak mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce has just thickened, then get ready to eat !