Main Dishes Archives

Category: Main Dishes

18
Apr
2021

Skillet Grilled Rockfish

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Skillet Grilled Rockfish is an easy, tasty dish that’s ready in 15 minutes! Well-seasoned fish fillets are cooked in butter until browned.

A couple of years ago, my husband brought home some rockfish from the grocery store. Since we had never ever had rockfish before, it took a few minutes to come up with a plan on how to fix it. My recipe for pan-seared rockfish with fresh herbs was my first try, and we really loved it! We are big fans of rockfish, and love it’s delicate, mild flavor.

Nowadays we keep a package or two in our freezer, and have found it be be delicious, versatile, perfect for grilling, stovetop cooking or baking, and yummy on fish tacos! This recipe (as printed below) is for two servings, but the recipe can EASILY be doubled or tripled. Let me show you how easy it is to make this version of skillet grilled rockfish!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Spice Mix For The Fish

The spice mix for the rockfish is made using several common ingredients. They are flour, cornmeal, onion powder, basil, garlic powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper. You can combine them in a small bowl or place the ingredients directly into a re-sealable plastic bag (and mix them together).

The spice mix gives the fish a nice flavor, but it’s not overpowering AT ALL. The flour and cornmeal help to form a nice crust on the fish after cooking in melted butter (it browns nicely), and the variety of spices make it taste good!

Lightly pat the rockfish fillets semi-dry on paper towels, then place them into a plastic re-sealable bag with the spice mixture inside. Gently shake or flip the bag over several times until the fish has been coated with the spices.

Time To Make Skillet Grilled Rockfish!

Now that the rockfish has been seasoned, it’s time to cook them. Melt butter in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is really hot (but not smoking), place the rockfish into the skillet. Let the fish cook for 5-6 minutes, without moving them in the pan. This will allow it time to form a nicely browned crust on the bottom.

Once you can see that the bottom of the fish has a nice browned color to it, carefully turn the fish over to the other side. Continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes.

NOTE: The cooking time may vary a tiny bit, due to varying thicknesses of fish being used. Once done cooking, both sides of the fish should be crusty and browned. The fish should also flake easily with a fork.

Time To Eat The Skillet Grilled Rockfish!

And just like that… the skillet grilled rockfish is done, and ready to eat! See how easy this dish is to make? Transfer the fish to serving plates, and garnish with a lemon wedge, if desired. Serve immediately, and enjoy your easy, delicious seafood dinner!

I really hope you will have the opportunity to make skillet grilled rockfish for yourself or your family. We sure enjoy it, and hope you will, too. Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More ROCKFISH Recipes?

You can find all of my seafood recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several recipes featuring rockfish, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

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Recipe adapted from: “Taste of Home” magazine, June/July 2005 edition, page 40, published by Reiman Publications, Inc.

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Skillet Grilled Rockfish

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Skillet Grilled Rockfish is an easy, tasty dish that's ready in 15 minutes! Well-seasoned fish fillets are cooked in butter until browned.

Category: Entree-Seafood, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: skillet grilled rockfish

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 331 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Spice Mix:

⅛ cup all purpose flour
⅛ cup cornmeal
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
⅛ teaspoon (EACH) salt and pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Fish:

12 ounces rockfish fillets (two 6 ounce fillets)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 lemon wedges (for garnish-optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine spice mix ingredients in a small bowl OR place directly into a re-sealable plastic bag (and mix them together).
Lightly pat fish dry on paper towels; place fish into bag with spice mix. Gently shake/flip bag several times until fish is covered with spices. Tip: only season TWO pieces of fish at a time.
Melt butter in large skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium heat. Once melted, and skillet is hot (but not smoking), put rockfish in skillet. Let fish cook for 5-6 minutes, without moving them in the pan. This allows time to form a nicely browned crust on the bottom. When bottom of fish is nicely browned, carefully turn fish to other side. Continue to cook for 5-6 more minutes. NOTE: Cooking time may vary a bit, due to different thicknesses of fish. When done, both sides of fish should be crusty/browned, and should flake easily with a fork.
Transfer fish to plates. Serve immediately, with a lemon wedge on top of fish, if desired. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Skillet Grilled Rockfish

Amount Per Serving (1 fillet)

Calories 331 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 115mg38%

Sodium 373mg16%

Potassium 749mg21%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 438IU9%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 44mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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09
Apr
2021

Orange Cashew Chicken

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Orange Cashew Chicken is a yummy twist on a Chinese classic! Chicken, veggies and cashews are cooked in a thick, Asian-inspired orange sauce.

Many, many years ago… long before I ever even had the remotest thought of starting a blog, I jotted down a recipe on an index card and filed it away in an old wooden recipe box of mine. Back in the days before Pinterest… and before I even had a computer! Recently I stumbled upon this old recipe, and decided to share it here on the blog, because it is soooo good! I don’t even know who to properly credit for the old original recipe, but this orange cashew chicken sure tastes great!

The recipe is INCREDIBLY EASY to make, and it’s not an understatement to say I LOVE IT! When I make it, I do the prep work ahead of time (cut the veggies/chicken, and make the sauce (easy peasy). Then when I’m ready to cook our meal all that is needed is to stir-fry the chicken and veggies for about 8 minutes, add the sauce, and cook 2 more minutes to let the sauce thicken. That’s it!

If you enjoy traditional cashew chicken, you can check out my recipe for that, too. But… you’ve just got to try this one for orange cashew chicken. I truly think you will love it! Here’s how easy it is to make:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepping First Is The Key!

If you prep the ingredients first, this dish is a cinch to cook in only about 10 minutes! Pat boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. TIP: The reason you want to dry them this way is so that when they hit the hot skillet, the extra moisture doesn’t “steam” the chicken. You want the chicken to “sear” and brown slightly.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1″ cubes. Thinly slice two medium carrots, and roughly chop up the celery until you have 1/2 cup. Set aside (or refrigerate, if saving for later in the day) until ready to prepare this dish.

In a small bowl, combine the orange sauce ingredients, and whisk or stir together until fully combined. The sauce ingredients are orange juice (fresh or commercially prepared work well), cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, and ginger (fresh or dried). Set aside.

Stir-Fry The Chicken And Veggies

When ready to cook, heat 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Let the oil get really hot (but not smoking) before adding anything to the skillet. This will allow the chicken to brown nice and quick.

Add the chicken, carrots and celery to the hot oil. Cook the chicken and veggies for about 8-9 minutes, stirring often. When done, the chicken will be lightly browned, and the veggies will be tender. Once done, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add The Orange Sauce

Give the orange sauce a good stir, then add it to the skillet with the chicken mixture. Stir to combine, and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly as the sauce will quickly thicken in the skillet.

Once the sauce has cooked for 2 minutes, add the cashews to the skillet. Stir, to coat everything very well with the thickened sauce.

At this point, the chicken, veggies and cashews should be hot, and the sauce will be nice and thick. That means the orange cashew chicken is ready to serve! See how easy that was?

Time To Serve The Orange Cashew Chicken!

Orange Cashew Chicken is best when served on top of a bed of steamed rice. I highly recommend serving this dish with rice (a perfect pairing)! Sprinkling the chicken with sliced green onions and sesame seeds is a nice garnish and pop of color for this dish as well, but that is optional.

The chicken and veggies are tender, and the thick orange sauce is… wonderfully scrumptious! All the flavors of this orange cashew chicken “play well together”. I truly feel you and your friends or family will love this dish, too!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog today. I hope you have a great day, and trust you will come back soon for more great recipes like this one! Take care, and may God Bless You.

Looking For More “Asian-Inspired” Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few recipes for Asian-inspired foods, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: unknown (found my handwritten recipe card in an old recipe box from many years ago-no source noted)

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Orange Cashew Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Orange Cashew Chicken is a yummy twist on a Chinese classic! Chicken, veggies and cashews are cooked in a thick, Asian-inspired orange sauce.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: orange cashew chicken

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 410 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use 2 LARGE breasts)
2 medium carrots peeled
½ cup chopped celery
2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
½ cup roasted cashews

For Orange Sauce:

¾ cup orange juice fresh or commercially prepared
¼ cup honey
3 Tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium, if available)
2 Tablespoons corn starch
¼ teaspoon dried ginger (or 1 tsp. fresh, finely grated ginger)
½ teaspoon orange zest (finely grated peel) OPTIONAL

For Serving (Optional): Hot steamed rice, sesame seeds and sliced green onions

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut chicken into 1" cubes. Thinly slice carrots, and roughly chop celery. Set aside (or refrigerate, if saving for later in the day) until ready to cook.
Make Sauce: In small bowl, whisk or stir sauce ingredients together until combined. Set aside.
Heat oil on medium-high heat in large skillet until really hot (but not smoking). Add chicken, carrots and celery to hot oil. Stir-fry for 8-9 minutes, stirring often. When done, chicken will be lightly browned on all sides, and veggies will be tender. Once done, reduce heat to medium-low.
Stir sauce, then add it to chicken mixture. Stir to combine; bring sauce to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Once sauce has thickened, add the cashews,; stir to combine with chicken, veggies and sauce.
Serve orange cashew chicken on top of hot, steamed rice. If desired (optional), sprinkle the top of each serving with sesame seeds, and a few sliced green onions. Serve hot... and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The caloric calculation does not include rice (optional for serving with this dish).

Nutrition Facts

Orange Cashew Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))

Calories 410 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 73mg24%

Sodium 567mg25%

Potassium 774mg22%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 5279IU106%

Vitamin C 27mg33%

Calcium 37mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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26
Mar
2021

Lemon Pasta And Peas

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Lemon Pasta and Peas is an easy, delicious, meatless dish. Pasta and peas, with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and Parmesan will be a big hit!

I received two new cookbooks from my family this past Christmas to add to my cookbook collection. Both cookbooks were written by the same couple (Steve and Kathy Doocy), and had been on top of the best seller list at one time or another. It was fun to read the stories behind the foods and mark some of the recipes I wanted to try.

This recipe for lemon pasta and peas is the first one I tried from “The Happy In A Hurry Cook Book”. The Doocy’s originally got the recipe from their friend Madeleine (it’s her “go to” pasta dish). It is a simple, meatless dish, can be made quickly (under 20 minutes), and has wonderful flavor. We enjoyed it with a slice of rotisserie chicken on the side (my hubby wanted some protein).

Once the pasta is almost fully cooked, you add frozen peas to the pasta water in the pan (which quickly cooks them!). The remaining ingredients (the flavor factor) are then added to the cooked, drained pasta and peas. That’s it… see how EASY this meal is to make?! Here’s how to make this simple dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Pasta And Peas

The first thing you need to do is bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil, add the pasta to the pan, and cook. TIP: You will need to cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the pkg. directions tell you for al dente.

Add the frozen peas (yes, still FROZEN) to the pan of boiling pasta. Let them cook for 2 more minutes right in there with the pasta. NOTE: The recipe calls for using one (12 oz.) bag of frozen peas. If you would prefer LESS peas in this dish, simply add HALF the bag.

Remove one cup of the hot pasta water, and set it aside for later. Pour the pasta and peas into a strainer or colander, and drain the remaining water from the pan, but do not rinse. Return the hot drained pasta and peas to the pan, and immediately begin seasoning the dish (off of the heat).

Seasoning The Lemon Pasta And Peas For Serving

While the drained pasta is still hot, add olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic, tossing to coat the pasta and peas well. Once combined, add the grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and give it another good toss to combine.

Now you will add a little bit of the reserved hot starchy pasta water. Give the pasta good stir as you add the water. This will help the pasta to not be dry, and help to melt the Parmesan cheese. You won’t need to use all of the pasta water… just use enough to coat the pasta to your liking, ok?

Time To Enjoy Lemon Pasta And Peas

Now the lemon pasta and peas are ready to serve (while they’re still hot). If you find that the pasta has cooled down too much, simply reheat it quickly in the microwave. Serve immediately, and enjoy this easy, delicious pasta dish!

Don’t Want It To Be Meatless?

If you want to add protein to the dish, add a slice or two of rotisserie chicken on the side. You could also add cooked, cubed chicken or pork into the pasta as well. Whatever makes you happy! My hubby asked for some protein with his, so I added a slice of rotisserie chicken breast on the side.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for lemon pasta and peas. Any leftovers will keep for several days in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container, and can be reheated easily in a microwave. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my blog recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious pasta recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: “The Happy In A Hurry Cook Book”, by Steve and Kathy Doocy, page 163, published by William Morrow, 2020

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Lemon Pasta and Peas

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Lemon Pasta and Peas is an easy, delicious, meatless dish. Pasta and peas, with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and Parmesan will be a big hit!

Category: Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: lemon pasta and peas

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 449 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti pasta
12 ounces frozen sweet green peas
½ cup fresh lemon juice approx. 2-3 lemons
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves minced
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil on medium-high heat. Once water boils, add pasta and cook. Note: cook pasta for 1 minute less than pkg. directions tell you for al dente. Add frozen peas (yes, still FROZEN) and let them cook 2 minutes, in with the pasta.
Remove 1 cup of hot pasta water; set aside. Pour pasta/peas into a strainer; drain remaining water from pan. Do not rinse pasta. Return hot drained pasta/peas to pan (off the heat).
Add olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic to pasta, tossing or stirring to coat. Now add Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and toss to combine. pour in a little bit of reserved hot pasta water; stir, then add more as needed, to melt cheese and help pasta to not be dry. You won't need to use all of the pasta water.
Serve immediately while hot, and enjoy this easy, delicious pasta dish!

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Pasta and Peas

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 449 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 11mg4%

Sodium 393mg17%

Potassium 350mg10%

Carbohydrates 67g22%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 544IU11%

Vitamin C 31mg38%

Calcium 173mg17%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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18
Mar
2021

Navy Bean Soup

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Soups

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Navy Bean Soup is delicious and filling! Slowly cooked dried navy beans, carrots, garlic, celery, onion, broth & spices create a robust soup.

Do you enjoy soup? We really do, especially in the cold of winter when a big bowl of piping hot soup takes the chill off the day! Today I want to share with you a recipe that I originally found in an old Italian cookbook of mine (from Williams-Sonoma). It is really tasty, warming, and filling.

The recipe uses dried navy beans, so the only “downside” (if there is one), is that it will take some time to soak and cook the beans until they have slightly softened. Typically I soak the beans early in the day, then add them to the soup later and then let the soup cook low and slow to infuse the beans with flavor, and to soften them perfectly! It’s inactive prep time, so you do other things while they soak!

So… as long as you plan ahead a little bit, you will have no problems making this absolutely DELICIOUS navy bean soup. Yes… it will take a bit of your time on your part, but it is worth it! Don’t forget, a lot of the time involved is inactive time (soaking, cooking, etc.) Let me show you how to make navy bean soup:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Navy Beans

Bags of navy beans can be found in most grocery stores, and are a very economical main ingredient for the soup. Because this recipe calls for dried navy beans, that means you’ll need to plan ahead to soak them (which helps soften them). I usually do this step early in the day, so the beans have several hours to soak.

To do this, first rinse the navy beans in a strainer. Once rinsed, place the beans in a large bowl and completely cover with water. Let them soak for at least 3 hours, and then drain.

Ready To Cook the Navy Bean Soup

Okay… the beans have soaked. Now it’s time to start making the soup. Place olive oil into a large soup pot, and let it get warm (on medium heat). Add chopped celery, carrots and onion to the pot, and cook for about 8-10 minutes (stirring occasionally) until the veggies have softened.

Once the veggie have softened, add minced garlic and minced fresh rosemary to the pot, and stir to combine. Cook this mixture for a couple minutes, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Add the chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and the drained, softened navy beans to the pot. Stir to combine, and then bring it to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to LOW, and let the navy bean soup simmer for about 1½ hours, uncovered. You will know it is done when the beans are soft to the bite, and the liquid has reduced in quantity. Let the soup cool for 5 minutes.

Thickening The Navy Bean Soup

Now you’re ready for the last step… thickening the navy bean soup for eating! It’s EASY. Remove about 1/3 of the bean mixture and place it in a blender (or food processor). Process the bean/soup mixture until it becomes a puree, smooth in texture.

Return the pureed bean mix to the soup pot, and stir well, to fully incorporate the puree into the soup. This will really help thicken the soup! Gently reheat the soup until it’s hot enough to serve. Season the navy bean soup with salt and black pepper, to suit your personal taste.

Garnish, Serve, and Enjoy!

Once you have the soup seasoned to your liking, it is time to serve/ Ladle the navy bean soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish each portion with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve piping hot, and enjoy this thick, creamy and delicious soup!

I really hope you have a chance to make and enjoy eating this soup. We sure enjoy it, and trust you will, too! Thank you for stopping by, and sincerely hope you will come back soon. Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious soup recipes, including:

Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings (my #1 pinned recipe)
Albondigas Soup
Southwestern Chicken Soup
Fully Loaded Potato Soup

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: The cookbook “Williams-Sonoma Italian Favorites”, page 22, published in 2004 by Oxmoor House and Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

0 from 0 votes

Navy Bean Soup

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Inactive (Bean Soaking Time)

3 hrs

Total Time

4 hrs 40 mins

Navy Bean Soup is delicious and filling! Slowly cooked dried navy beans, carrots, garlic, celery, onion, broth & spices create a robust soup.

Category: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: navy bean soup

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 332 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1½ cups small navy beans (dried)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion , finely chopped
1 large carrot , peeled/finely chopped
1 stalk celery , finely chopped
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary , minced
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth , or vegetable broth
salt & pepper, to taste

To Garnish:

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley , chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse beans in a strainer. Once rinsed, place beans in large bowl; cover completely with water. Let beans soak at least 3 hours; drain.
Once beans have soaked at least 3 hours: Place olive oil into a large soup pot; heat oil until warm on medium heat. Add celery, carrots and onion; cook 8-10 minutes (stirring occasionally) until veggies have softened. Add garlic and rosemary; stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often, so garlic doesn't burn.
Add chicken stock (or vegetable stock or water) and the drained beans. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to LOW; simmer soup gently for 1½ hours, uncovered. It is done when beans are soft to the bite., and liquid has reduced. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Remove about 1/3 of the bean mixture; place in a blender (or food processor). Process bean/soup mixture until it becomes a smooth puree. Return puree to soup; stir well, to mix puree into soup. Gently reheat soup until hot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Garnish each portion with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If you do not have access to chicken or vegetable broth, you can substitute 7 cups water. However... the flavor will be much better using the broth.

Nutrition Facts

Navy Bean Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 332 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 7mg2%

Sodium 227mg10%

Potassium 950mg27%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 13g54%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 2108IU42%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 193mg19%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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09
Mar
2021

Corned Beef And Cabbage

categories: Beef, Holidays!, Main Dishes

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What’s more Irish than Corned Beef and Cabbage? Baked with cabbage, red potatoes, carrots and onions, this St. Patrick’s Day meal is yummy!

Top of the morning to ya! (said in my most perfect Irish brogue-ha ha!). Today I want to share the recipe for a simple, classic meal of corned beef and cabbage. With a few red potatoes, carrots and onions tossed in for good measure, this really is an all in one holiday meal. It’s also very easy to prepare.

Over the years I have used the directions on the package of corned beef to prepare this dish, and have made only a couple very minor changes to this traditional Irish dinner.

The best part? You don’t even have to be Irish to enjoy it! You can “pretend” for the day with this simple meal. My husband really enjoys this meal and asked me to make it again last year, so I grabbed my camera and took some photos as I cooked it!

The trick is to cook it low and slow, for tender corned beef. Here’s how to make this simple recipe for corned beef and cabbage:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Corned Beef

This recipe calls for a “standard-sized 3 pound piece of corned beef. Most packages of corned beef come with a cute little spice packet. If yours does not, you can use a Tablespoon of pickling spice (found in spice section at grocery store).

Place the meat on a large sheet of heavy duty foil inside of a large baking dish (9″ x13” works well).

Sprinkle the meat with the spices. NOTE: The meat will be cooked with the fatty side up. It is fairly common to sprinkle the spices on the fat side, however I have found I prefer it sprinkled on the meat side, with only a tiny bit sprinkled on the fat side. It is your choice.

Baking The Corned Beef And Cabbage

Once the meat has been seasoned, place it fat side UP in the foil, and seal the foil packet tightly. Place the baking dish with the foil-wrapped corned beef on the middle rack of a preheated 300°F. oven.

Bake the corned beef for 1½ hours, then remove the pan from the oven. Carefully open the foil pouch, and place carrots, onion wedges and whole, unpeeled red potatoes around the edges of the corned beef. Seal the pouch back up, and cook for 30 more minutes.

Remove the pouch from the oven again, and add the 4 quartered pieces of cabbage around the edges of the corned beef. Re-seal the foil pouch, and place it back in the oven. Bake for another 1½ hours, or until the corned beef has an internal temperature of of 145°F.

Remove the corned beef and cabbage from the oven, carefully turn the corned beef over so the meat side is UP, and then let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Serving The Corned Beef And Cabbage

After the meat has rested 5 minutes, slice the meat (fat side down), and serve with the carrots, potatoes, and onions on the side. You can cut the cabbage wedges in half (for 6+ servings), if desired, or serve the whole quarter piece (for 4 servings).

Spoon some of the accumulated juices over the meat and vegetables, for extra flavor. Season the veggies to taste with salt and pepper.

And there you have it… a simple meal in honor of St. Patrick’s Day… corned beef and cabbage. Hope you enjoy it!

I hope you have the opportunity to make corned beef and cabbage some day. It’s fun to celebrate the St. Patrick’s Day holiday with traditional Irish foods.

Why not start the meal of with a delicious appetizer? Guinness Baked Cheese Dip is a great place to start! Next, serve the corned beef and cabbage with delicious Irish Colcannon With Bacon and slices of warm Irish Soda Bread on the side.

While you’re at it, what would a good feast be without dessert? Finish off your Irish dinner with easy, decadent Irish Chocolate Pots de Creme for a delectable, sweet treat!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy this recipe, and trust you will come back soon for more family recipes. Have a GREAT day!

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Recipe adapted from: a store-bought bag of corned beef

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Corned Beef And Cabbage

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

3 hrs 30 mins

Total Time

3 hrs 45 mins

What's more Irish than Corned Beef and Cabbage? Baked with cabbage, red potatoes, carrots and onions, this St. Patrick's Day meal is yummy!

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: corned beef and cabbage, St. Patrick's Day

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 647 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 pounds packaged corned beef (+ spice packet) (see note below)
6 medium red potatoes , do not peel
20 baby carrots , or 3 large peeled carrots-cut into 2" chunks
1 large yellow onion
1 medium green cabbage , cut into quarters

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Place corned beef on aluminum foil inside of a large baking dish (9" x13" works well). Sprinkle meat with contents of spice packet (or substitute 1 T. pickling spice). NOTE: meat is cooked fat side up. It is fairly common to sprinkle spices on the fat side, however I prefer it sprinkled on the meat side. It's your choice. Place seasoned meat on foil, fat side UP; seal foil packet tightly. Place baking dish on middle rack of oven.
Bake for 1½ hours, then remove from oven. Carefully open foil pouch; place carrots, onions and potatoes around the outer edges of the corned beef. Seal the pouch, and cook for 30 more minutes. Remove baking dish again; add cabbage wedges around the corned beef. Re-seal foil; place dish back in oven. Bake for 1½ hours, or until corned beef has reached an internal temperature of 145°F. Remove dish from oven; turn corned beef over so meat side is UP; let meat rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Slice corned beef (fat side down); serve with carrots, potatoes, onions, and cabbage on the side. *Cut cabbage wedges in half (for 6+ servings), or serve the whole quarter piece (for 4 servings). Spoon accumulated juices in foil packet over the meat and vegetables, for extra flavor. Season veggies to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If corned beef did not come with a spice packet, use 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice as a substitute.

Nutrition Facts

Corned Beef And Cabbage

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 647 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 122mg41%

Sodium 2829mg123%

Potassium 1947mg56%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 40g80%

Vitamin A 721IU14%

Vitamin C 137mg166%

Calcium 105mg11%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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05
Mar
2021

Quiche Lorraine

categories: Breakfast, Main Dishes, Pork

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Quiche Lorraine is delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Easy to make, and filled with bacon, eggs, and cheese… you’re gonna love it!

Quiche Lorraine is a versatile, easy and delicious dish, which can be enjoyed as a main dish or as a side dish! I’ve always wondered “just WHO is Lorraine, and why is HER quiche so famous?” So I did a little bit of research to find out the history of this yummy dish.

Quiche Lorraine’s Origins

Turns out, LORRAINE isn’t a woman (who knew?). It is a region in France that borders Germany. The story goes that in medieval times, this region (originally called Lothringen) was under German rule, and a recipe for a savory cake was created there.

The French word “quiche” is derived from the German word “kuchen”, which basically means “cake”. Many years later, after the region had returned to French rule, the “Quiche Lorraine” recipe was “enhanced”, and became the name of this beloved dish.

There are multitudes of quiche recipes with a variety of ingredients created throughout the world, but the Quiche Lorraine remains the most famous and loved. Apparently chef Julia Child is often credited for exposing America to this classic dish, which typically includes pie crust, eggs, bacon (or other meat), and cheese.

We love this dish because it is so EASY to make, and tastes absolutely wonderful! This is my “go-to” favorite quiche, and I’ve been making it for over 40 years! Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

A Word About The Pie Crust

For this recipe you can use a homemade 9″ pie shell OR a purchased deep-dish pie shell. Either type will work just fine for this recipe.

Obviously a purchased pie shell is quicker and more convenient, but I like to use my Mom’s recipe for homemade pie crusts.

Arrange the prepared pie dough in a 9″ pie pan, and crimp the edges to form a crust. Use the tines of a fork to prick the bottom and sides of the crust (as shown below).

Making The Quiche Lorraine Is EASY!

Preheat your oven to 425°F., and then begin putting this quiche together. It’s EASY! Place the cooked, crumbled crispy bacon on the bottom of the pie shell, spreading to cover. Add the chopped onions, and then top it off with grated Swiss cheese.

Whisk whipping cream, eggs, sugar, salt and cayenne pepper together in a medium bowl, until they’re fully combined. Pour this liquid over the ingredients in the pie shell. The pie shell will be very full!

Carefully give the ingredients a tiny bit of a stir, bringing some of the bacon, onion and cheese up to the surface. You don’t have to mix it up real well, just enough to combine the ingredients. Now it’s time to bake your Quiche Lorraine!

Baking The Quiche Loraine

Carefully place the Quiche Lorraine on the middle rack of a preheated 425°F. oven. Be careful to not slosh it around, because it will be full (just a helpful tip!). Bake at 425°F. for 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 300°F. and continue cooking it for 30 more minutes.

You’ll know it’s done when the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer the quiche to a wire rack to cool down a bit (still in pie pan). You’ll be able to see how puffy the quiche is, from the hot air inside.

The top of the quiche will “flatten” as the air dissipates inside while it cools, and that is what it is supposed to do!

Ready To Eat!

Once the top of the quiche has flattened and it has cooled for 10-15 minutes, it’s ready to slice and enjoy! The Quiche Lorraine can be eaten hot, warm, cold, OR at room temperature, whichever way you prefer.

Slice the quiche into 8 portions (or 6 if you want larger pieces!), serve, and enjoy! It’s filled with GREAT flavor, lots of cheese, and yummy bacon. We love this quiche, and have it for breakfast, lunch OR dinner!

Cover and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. You can easily microwave leftover pieces of quiche to bring them back to the temperature you prefer!

I really hope you will try this quiche, because it is so good! It is by far the most famous of all quiches, and is a great dish to have around, for a delicious dinner, lunch or breakfast!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and I hope you have a great day.

Looking For More QUICHE Recipes?

You can find all of my blog recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I recommend all of my quiche recipes, which include:

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I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Original recipe source: unknown (had the handwritten recipe for over 40 years- no author noted)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Quiche Lorraine

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Quiche Lorraine is delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Easy to make, and filled with bacon, eggs, and cheese... you're gonna love it!

Category: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: quiche lorraine

Servings: 8 slices

Calories Per Serving: 388 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 9" deep dish pie shell (uncooked) (homemade or store-bought)
8 slices cooked bacon (cooked crisp/crumbled)
⅓ cup yellow onion (finely chopped)
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 large eggs
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Use a homemade 9" pie shell OR a purchased deep-dish pie shell. Arrange pie dough in a 9" pie pan; crimp edges to form crust. Use the tines of a fork to prick bottom and sides of the dough. Place cooked, crumbled bacon on bottom of pie shell, spreading to cover. Add onions and Swiss cheese.
In medium bowl, whisk the whipping cream, eggs, sugar, salt and cayenne pepper until combined. Pour over ingredients in pie shell (it will be full). Carefully give ingredients a stir, bringing some bacon, onion and cheese up to the surface.
Carefully place quiche on middle rack of preheated oven. Bake at 425°F. for 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 300°F. and continue cooking it for 30 more minutes. It's done when the top is golden brown and knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer quiche to wire rack to cool (still in pan). Quiche will be puffy, from the hot air inside. The top of the quiche will "flatten" as air dissipates inside while quiche cools.
After cooling 10-15 minutes, it's ready to slice. Quiche can be eaten hot, warm, cold, OR at room temperature, whichever way you prefer. Slice into 8 portions (or 6 if you want larger pieces), serve and enjoy! Cover leftovers well; can refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. Reheat quiche slices in microwave (to temp. you prefer).

Nutrition Facts

Quiche Lorraine

Amount Per Serving (1 slice *1/8 of total))

Calories 388 Calories from Fat 333

% Daily Value*

Fat 37g57%

Saturated Fat 20g125%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 201mg67%

Sodium 448mg19%

Potassium 144mg4%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 1143IU23%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 162mg16%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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19
Feb
2021

Garlic Lime Chicken Thighs

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes

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Garlic Lime Chicken Thighs feature bone-in, skinless thighs, coated in spices, baked in a simple broth, and garnished with lime and cilantro.

We tend to eat more chicken than any other meat in our house. How about you? There are so many great chicken recipes out there, and I never get tired of finding new ones to try. Especially if they taste great, like these garlic lime chicken thighs, for example.

I discovered the original recipe in an old cookbook called “The Best Of Cooking Light”. It features lighter calorie meals, so I thought I would give it a try, and my husband and I really enjoyed this dish.

It is easy to make, the chicken has lots of flavor, and the meat is very juicy after baking. I hope you’ll consider trying it… it’s GOOD! Here’s how to make it, step by step:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Spice Rub For The Chicken Thighs

The spice mixture for the chicken is very EASY to make. In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Add 1 Tablespoon (HALF of the total amount) of fresh squeezed lime juice, and stir these ingredients, until fully combined.

Rub the spice mixture onto four (6 ounces each), bone-in, skinless chicken thighs. Make sure to add the spices to all sides of the chicken, using all of the mix.

Place the four chicken thighs into an oven-proof skillet (cast-iron works GREAT!). In a separate bowl, mix together chicken broth, the remaining Tablespoon of lime juice, and white vinegar. Pour this liquid over the chicken thighs in the skillet.

Bring the liquid to a boil on medium heat on the stovetop, then remove the skillet from the heat. Cover the skillet with a lid, or with aluminum foil.

Bake The Garlic Lime Chicken Thighs

Now it’s time to bake the garlic lime chicken thighs. Place the covered skillet on the middle rack in a preheated 350°F. oven. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180°F.

When done, remove from oven, and transfer the chicken thighs out of the skillet to a platter (and cover, to keep them warm). Keep the accumulated juices in the skillet.

Cook the juices remaining in the skillet on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to about 1/4 cup. The sauce will be used to spoon over the pieces of chicken when serving. Now you’re ready to enjoy this delicious main course!

Serve The Garlic Lime Chicken Thighs

Place the chicken thighs onto a serving platter (or individual plates). Each serving is 2 pieces, so this recipe will serve two people (or more, if you only want to eat ONE piece).

Spoon some of the reduced sauce in the skillet over each piece. Garnish each piece of chicken with chopped cilantro, and a thin slice of lime. We enjoyed the garlic lime chicken thighs served with green beans and delicious potato wedges on the side.

I really hope you will consider making this delicious chicken dish, which is low in calories, yet big on flavor! Have a great day, and thank you for stopping by. Come back soon for more recipes.

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my chicken recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of them you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: The book “The Best Of Cooking Light”, page 221, published by Oxmoor House, Inc., 2004

0 from 0 votes

Garlic Lime Chicken Thighs

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Garlic Lime Chicken Thighs feature bone-in, skinless thighs, coated in spices, baked in a simple broth, & garnished with lime and cilantro.

Category: Entree, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic lime chicken thighs

Servings: 2 (2 thighs per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 270 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Spice Rub:

1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (divided use)

Remaining Ingredients:

24 ounces chicken thighs (bone-in, skinless) (4 six oz. thighs)
3 Tablespoons low sodium chicken broth
1 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro OPTIONAL garnish
2 thin lime slices (each cut in half) OPTIONAL garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Stir in 1 Tablespoon (HALF the total amount) of fresh lime juice.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub spice mix onto all sides of the chicken, using all of the mix. Place chicken thighs into an oven-proof skillet in a single layer.
In a bowl, mix together chicken broth, remaining Tablespoon of lime juice, and white vinegar. Pour liquid over the chicken thighs in skillet. Bring liquid to a boil on medium-high heat on stovetop, then remove skillet from heat. Cover skillet with a lid or aluminum foil.
Place covered skillet on middle rack in preheated oven. Bake chicken for 30 minutes, or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 180°F. When done, remove skillet from oven; transfer chicken thighs to a platter (and cover, to keep them warm). Keep accumulated juices in the skillet. Cook the juices in the skillet on medium-high heat on the stovetop for 3-4 minutes, or until liquid reduces to about 1/4 cup.
To serve: Spoon some of the reduced juices in the skillet over each piece. If desired, garnish each piece of chicken with chopped cilantro and a thin slice of lime. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Garlic Lime Chicken Thighs

Amount Per Serving (2 thighs)

Calories 270 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 194mg65%

Sodium 483mg21%

Potassium 603mg17%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 41g82%

Vitamin A 93IU2%

Vitamin C 7mg8%

Calcium 58mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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05
Feb
2021

Cheesy Italian Meatloaf

categories: Beef, Main Dishes

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Cheesy Italian Meatloaf is easy to make, and with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese in the middle and on top, it’s a delicious meal!

I came up with this meatloaf recipe after experimenting in our kitchen several months ago. I had decided I wanted to try making an Italian-inspired meatloaf, so I thought about what ingredients I wanted to incorporate, and came up with this recipe. It’s easy to make, and yields between 6-8 servings, depending on how thick you slice it.

I’ve made meatloaf for years and years, but wanted to try something “different”. I pulled together some of my favorite ingredients… Italian sausage, ground beef, onions, garlic, Italian spices, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and marinara sauce, and launched from there. This layered, cheesy Italian meatloaf is the result… and it is quite yummy! Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Meatloaf

Place ground beef, Italian sausage, garlic, milk, Panko crumbs, eggs, onion, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning into a large mixing bowl. Using your clean hands or a large spoon, thoroughly mix these ingredients together. I usually just get in there with my hands… seems to get mixed together quicker!

Once mixed, divide the meatloaf mixture into two equal sized halves. Place one half of the meat mixture onto wax paper, and use your hands to shape it into a rectangle, about 9-10 inches long and 5 inches wide.

Brush 7 Tablespoons of marinara sauce over the top of the meatloaf half, evenly dividing it over the surface. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.

Finish Making The Meatloaf

Use the remaining half of meatloaf mixture to cover the top of the meatloaf. I apply it in small “clumps” of meatloaf mixture, then gradually spread it out to mirror the bottom half in size. The cheese should be fully covered with this top layer of meatloaf mixture. Now you should have a bottom layer of meatloaf, a filling of sauce and cheese, and a top layer of meatloaf mixture, okay?

Spoon enough of the remaining marinara sauce (a few Tablespoons) into a 11 x 7″ OR a 9×13″ baking pan to lightly cover the bottom. Carefully lift the meatloaf and transfer it (minus the wax paper) to the baking dish. Brush the remaining marinara sauce over the top and sides of the meatloaf.

Baking The Cheesy Italian Meatloaf

Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake the meatloaf in a preheated 375°F oven for 1 hour. Remove the meatloaf from the oven, and immediately cover the top with the remaining 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese. Place the meatloaf (uncovered) back into the oven and let it cook for 10 more minutes.

When done, the meatloaf should have an internal temperature of 165°F. The cheese will have melted all over the top of the meatloaf, and be beautiful and bubbly! Let the cheesy Italian meatloaf “rest” for 2-3 minutes, then slice and serve!

Time To Eat Some Cheesy Italian Meatloaf!

We enjoy the cheesy Italian meatloaf served with creamy mashed potatoes and a veggie. As you can see in the photo below, there is a middle layer of melted cheese, and lots of marinara sauce and cheese on the top.

The ground beef and Italian sausage combination is a winner, along with all that sauce and cheese! YUM! When I eat this, it reminds me of eating Italian meatballs!

A Way To Use Leftover Cheesy Italian Meatloaf!

I have found that if we have leftover cheesy Italian meatloaf, it can be re-purposed to make a new meal with little to no effort. A couple days after we had the cheesy Italian meatloaf, I cut a couple slices into small bite sized pieces, and added it to homemade pasta sauce.

Once again, the spices, cheese, ground beef and Italian sauce flavor in the meat paired perfectly with spaghetti! Yahoo! What a great tasting way to enjoy “LEFTOVERS”.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a chance to try this yummy meatloaf recipe. You might also want to check out my recipe for “Really GOOD Meatloaf“, which has been our “go-to” meatloaf recipe for many, many years. Have a great day… and come back soon!

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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0 from 0 votes

Cheesy Italian Meatloaf

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 10 mins

Total Time

1 hr 25 mins

Cheesy Italian Meatloaf is easy to make, and with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese in the middle and on top, it's a delicious meal!

Category: Beef, Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cheesy Italian meatloaf

Servings: 8

Calories Per Serving: 555 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 pounds hamburger meat
1 cup mild Italian sausage approx. 3 links, crumbled
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 large eggs lightly beaten
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons minced garlic
⅓ cup milk
1½ Tablespoons Italian seasoning
⅓ cup yellow onion finely chopped
2 cups marinara sauce
1½ cups grated mozzarella cheese divided use

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place ground beef, Italian sausage, garlic, eggs, milk, Panko crumbs, onion, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning into a large mixing bowl. With clean hands or a large spoon, thoroughly mix these ingredients together.
Divide meatloaf mixture into two equal-sized halves. Place one half on wax paper, and use your hands to shape it into a rectangle, about 9-10 inches long and 5 inches wide. Brush about 7 Tablespoons of marinara sauce over the top of meatloaf half, spreading over the surface. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella evenly over the top.
Use remaining half of meatloaf mixture to cover top of the meatloaf. (I add small "clumps" of meatloaf mixture, then gradually spread it out to mirror the bottom half in size). Cheese should be fully covered with this top layer of meatloaf mix. You should have a bottom layer of meatloaf, a layer of sauce and cheese, and a top layer of meatloaf mixture. Spoon a few Tablespoons of the marinara sauce into a 11 x 7" OR a 9x13" baking pan (to lightly cover bottom). Carefully lift meatloaf and transfer it (minus the wax paper) to baking dish. Brush the remaining marinara sauce over the top and sides of the meatloaf.
Cover dish with foil; bake in 375°F oven for 1 hour. Remove meatloaf from oven (discard aluminum foil); immediately cover top with remaining cup of grated mozzarella. Place meatloaf (uncovered) back into oven; cook 10 more minutes. When done, meatloaf should have an internal temperature of 165°F. The cheese will have melted, and be beautiful and bubbly! Let meatloaf "rest" for 2-3 minutes, then slice and serve! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Italian Meatloaf

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 555 Calories from Fat 360

% Daily Value*

Fat 40g62%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Cholesterol 167mg56%

Sodium 925mg40%

Potassium 685mg20%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 36g72%

Vitamin A 550IU11%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 310mg31%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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22
Jan
2021

Pasta in Wine and Garlic Sauce

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Make delicious pasta in wine and garlic sauce in under 15 minutes! SIMPLE to make, then garnish with Parmesan cheese for a tasty main dish!

Do you enjoy pasta dishes? We sure do… especially my husband! Today I want to share a super simple, but “oh so tasty” recipe for Pasta in Wine and Garlic Sauce. It is sooo good, and I’m confident you’re gonna enjoy it as much as we do.

I love this recipe, because while fresh (or dried) pasta is cooking, you whip up a flavorful, EASY sauce to coat the pasta with as soon as it is finished. We try to have a meatless meal about once a week, and this one is pretty amazing! The sauce truly only takes a couple minutes to make while the pasta cooks, so the recipe definitely is “LOW MAINTENANCE!”

That’s why this is such a great recipe. This pasta (and sauce) tastes wonderful, and is the perfect solution when you don’t have much time, motivation or energy to make dinner. We’ve all been there, right? You can even add cooked shrimp or chicken to this pasta if you need some added protein! Trust me, you really can’t hurt this dish!

Do I Have To Use Fettucine Noodles For This Recipe?

No. You do NOT have to use fettucine pasta. Use whatever type of pasta you have, fresh or dried. For these photos I used homemade fresh fettucine, but the recipe works perfectly with any type of fresh or dried pasta. I recently used a Christmas gift card to purchase pasta rolling attachments for my stand mixer, so I made some fettucine pasta to try the attachments out to “show off” this simple pasta in wine and garlic sauce recipe. Here’s how easy it is to make this dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Pasta

Cook the pasta you will be using (dried or fresh) in boiling, heavily salted water, according to package directions. Continue until the pasta is cooked al dente. Please remember that fresh pasta takes less time to cook than dried pasta. You can make the sauce quickly while the pasta is cooking.

Make The Wine And Garlic Sauce While Pasta Cooks

Using a large saucepan or skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. To the oil, add minced garlic, and red pepper flakes, and stir to combine. Cook this mixture for one minute, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Add butter (cut into chunks), white wine, salt and black pepper. *NOTE: Use any type of dry white wine you want, including chardonnay, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, etc.

Stir well as the butter melts, to combine the ingredients. Cook the sauce for two minutes on medium heat, and then remove the pan from the heat. BOOM! It’s DONE!

Time To Serve The Pasta In Wine And Garlic Sauce

As soon as the pasta is done, drain off the water, and then pour the hot pasta back into the saucepan or skillet. Immediately pour the wine and garlic sauce over the hot pasta, and toss really well, to coat the noodles with the sauce.

The pasta will not be “swimming” in the sauce- just make sure it’s all coated, so mix it well. Place the pasta in wine and garlic sauce into (or onto) serving bowls (or plates). Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley to garnish. If desired, you can also sprinkle on a few more red pepper flakes (if you want more “heat”), but that is optional!

Because the pasta is not “doused” in sauce, it will tend to cool fairly quickly, so serve it immediately. TIP: Once pasta has been garnished with Parmesan and parsley, I like to put each portion into the microwave for 20-30 seconds to make sure it is served HOT!

I sure hope you enjoy this delicious pasta dish. We really do, and my husband loves to request this for dinner. What more could you want in a simple, meatless recipe? Full of flavor, filling, and easy to make in a flash… it’s a keeper!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few pasta recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: julieblanner.com/white-wine-sauce/

0 from 0 votes

Pasta in Wine and Garlic Sauce

Prep Time

3 mins

Cook Time

4 mins

Total Time

7 mins

Make delicious pasta in wine and garlic sauce in under 15 minutes! SIMPLE to make, then garnish with Parmesan cheese for a tasty main dish!

Category: Main Course, Meatless Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pasta in wine and garlic sauce

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 488 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Sauce:

¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (fresh or jarred)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 Tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
½ cup dry white wine (chardonnay/pinot grigio/sauvignon blanc)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For Pasta:

1 pound pasta (fresh or dried, any type) See NOTE below.
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook pasta (dried or fresh) in boiling, heavily salted water according to package directions. Continue until pasta is cooked al dente.

Make Sauce While Pasta Cooks:

Heat olive oil on medium in a large saucepan or skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to the oil; stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often so garlic doesn't burn. Add butter (cut in chunks), white wine, salt and black pepper. Stir as butter melts, to combine ingredients. Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat, then remove pan from heat.

To Serve:

When pasta is done, drain off water; pour pasta back into saucepan/skillet. Immediately pour sauce over hot pasta; toss well to coat pasta with sauce. Portion pasta into (or onto) serving bowls (or plates). Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. You can also sprinkle with a few red pepper flakes (if you want more "heat"), but that's optional! Serve hot, and enjoy. *Store any leftover pasta in a sealed container for up to 5-7 days. Reheat in microwave.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Fresh pasta cooks the quickest, and is reflected in the cooking time. Dried pasta (any type may be used) will take longer to cook to al dente firmness, but is perfectly okay to use!

Nutrition Facts

Pasta in Wine and Garlic Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6th of total))

Calories 488 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 30mg10%

Sodium 566mg25%

Potassium 210mg6%

Carbohydrates 58g19%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 600IU12%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 89mg9%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

15
Jan
2021

Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

categories: Mexican / Southwestern, Sauces and Dressings

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Make a batch of Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce in 10 minutes to use to make your favorite enchiladas, with this step by step EASY tutorial.

Do you like enchiladas? We sure do in our family! I typically keep a large can of store-bought enchilada sauce (for backup) in our pantry, but many times I forget to buy another one once it’s gone. If you’re like me, you don’t want to stop everything and run to the grocery store for one item (especially during Covid-19, right?). Have no fear!

It is so very simple to make it right at home. It’s a cinch to make 4 cups (32 ounces) of easy homemade enchilada sauce in only a few minutes! A LARGE can of enchilada sauce at the store is 28 ounces, so this recipe will give you a bit more that that (and it freezes well), so it’s a win-win.

Today I want to show you, step by step, how EASY it is to make this flavorful enchilada sauce. I found the handwritten recipe in my old recipe box, but there was no source noted to give credit where it is due! I’ve had the recipe for many years, and let me tell you, this is one great tasting red enchilada sauce! Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe At The Bottom Of The Page

What Ingredients Will I Need To Make The Sauce?

The ingredients you will use to make this delicious enchilada sauce are olive oil, flour, cocoa, tomato paste, sugar, water, and fresh garlic. You will also use the following spices to add the perfect flavor: chili powder, salt, oregano, basil, thyme, and ground cumin.

How To Make Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium-low heat. Add flour, cocoa powder, salt, chili powder, sugar, minced fresh garlic, oregano, basil, cumin and thyme into a large saucepan. Stir these ingredients together until blended.

The mixture will be very thick and will be dark brown in color. Perfect! Cook for 1 minute on medium-low heat, stirring often.

Whisk or stir a small (6 oz.) can of tomato paste and 3 cups of water into the mixture until fully combined. Cook the easy homemade enchilada sauce on medium heat (uncovered) for 5-6 minutes. Stir often while it cooks. The enchilada sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks.

Once the sauce is slightly thickened, it is ready to be put to good use in a favorite enchilada recipe. That’s it! See how easy it is to make this sauce?

Time To USE Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce!

I like to use a good flavored red sauce for my Easy Cheesy Enchiladas, and this sauce is perfect for that! Simply pour a base of the sauce on the bottom of the dish, add rolled filled enchiladas, and top them with more sauce, cheese and onions before baking. YUMMO!

After baking, I serve enchiladas (made with my easy homemade enchilada sauce) with dollops of sour cream and some chopped fresh cilantro. They’re delicious, and this wonderful homemade sauce plays a large part of that.

I hope you will consider trying this easy to make homemade enchilada sauce. It really does taste GREAT! Any leftover sauce freezes well, so even if I only make 4-5 enchiladas for my husband and myself, I know I always have sauce ready for another round in our freezer.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful day, filled with love, laughter, and encouragement. Please come back for another visit soon to find more delicious recipes to make for those you love.

Looking For More MEXICAN-INSPIRED Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few Mexican-inspired recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: unknown (old recipe found written on a recipe card from years ago)

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EASY Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Make a batch of Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce in 10 minutes to use to make your favorite enchiladas, with this step by step EASY tutorial.

Category: Sauce

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: easy homemade enchilada sauce

Servings: 12 (1/3 cup per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 66 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
6 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
1 Tablespoon chile powder
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons sugar
6 ounces tomato paste (canned)
3 cups water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat olive oil on medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add flour, cocoa, salt, chili powder, sugar, garlic, oregano, basil, cumin and thyme to pan. Stir until blended. Mixture will be thick and dark brown in color. Cook for 1 minute on medium-low heat, stirring often.
Whisk or stir tomato paste and water into the mixture until fully combined. Cook sauce on medium heat (uncovered) for 5-6 minutes. Stir often while it cooks. The enchilada sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks.
Once sauce has slightly thickened, remove from heat, and use in your favorite recipes. Sauce may be frozen, if stored in a sealed, airtight container. Thaw fully before using.

Recipe Notes

The recipe makes approx. 4 cups enchilada sauce. Caloric calculation is made based on using 1/3 cup per portion.

Nutrition Facts

EASY Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 cup portion))

Calories 66 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 708mg31%

Potassium 169mg5%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 414IU8%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 12mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!