Category: Main Dishes

Spanish Rice

It’s easy to make delicious Spanish Rice from scratch, with bell peppers, diced tomatoes, onion, and spices. Perfect side dish for most Mexican foods.Spanish Rice / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Mexican cuisine is my favorite type of food to eat, if given the choice. I really enjoy making tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas, tamales, refried beans and Spanish Rice. For years I bought and cooked a “name brand” version of Spanish Rice to serve with our Mexican dinners.

Why Not Make Spanish Rice From Scratch?

A few years ago, I decided to try to make my own version, so I could control what ingredients went into this dish. I don’t know what took me so long to make Spanish rice from scratch! Typically I have all the ingredients necessary, already in my pantry. I love that I don’t have to purchase a pre-boxed, shelf stable version (with some interesting ingredients) to prepare!

The best part is I can make it myself, with FRESH ingredients in just about the same time as the box mix! Spanish Rice is simple to make, and it’s delicious! Serve this delicious Spanish Rice as a side dish with a couple of tacos or enchiladas, and BOOM! You’ve got a great meal!

Spanish rice is a great side dish when serving tacos.

Sure hope you’ll give this recipe for Spanish rice a try! The rice is and easy to make, filling side dish. I think you will like it, especially served with some yummy tacos or enchiladas! Enjoy!

Looking For More MEXICAN FOOD Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorite Mexican or Southwest inspired recipes are:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signatureRecipe Source: My brain, and my Mexican food hunger pangs.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Spanish Rice
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
It's easy to make delicious Spanish Rice from scratch, with bell peppers, diced tomatoes, onion, and spices. Perfect side dish for most Mexican foods.
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: spanish rice
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 176 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • 2 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup brown onion , finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green pepper , chopped finely
  • 14 ounces diced tomatoes (canned-do not drain) (one 14 ounce can)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin
  • cilantro for garnish , if desired
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions and green pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until onions are softened and translucent.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan (except for cilantro). Stir until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  3. Bring mixture to a quick boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover pan and cook rice on low simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking time, until liquid has all been absorbed into the rice.
    Check on the rice at the 20 minute mark. If rice needs more cooking time to absorb more liquid, continue cooking. Keep an eye on it, so that you don't burn the rice. When rice is done, place it into serving dish and garnish with cilantro, if desired.  Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Spanish Rice
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 176 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Sodium 684mg30%
Potassium 217mg6%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 220IU4%
Vitamin C 17.6mg21%
Calcium 34mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make delicious Spanish Rice from scratch, with bell peppers, diced tomatoes, onion, and spices. Perfect side dish for most Mexican foods.

 

 

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BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs

You’ll enjoy yummy baked BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs, with cheddar and spinach, glazed with a homemade sweet, tangy sauce.
You'll enjoy yummy baked BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs, w/ cheddar and spinach, glazed with a homemade sweet, tangy sauce.
Almost 20 years ago my husband and I were served this recipe for BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs at our friend Carla’s home in Central California. We thought they tasted incredible, and I’ve been making them ever since! True story! I don’t know where she got the original recipe. All I know is that my handwritten 3×5 recipe card is stained from nearly 20 years of making this dish.

The recipe is also fairly economical, because 1½ pounds of ground beef makes about 15 good-sized meatballs which can make several servings. Ground beef is mixed with spinach, grated cheddar cheese, onions, and spices, formed into individual portions, and browned in a skillet. They’re then baked in the oven with a homemade BBQ glaze coating them. 

They come out of the oven amazingly delicious! The meatballs are simple to make, and taste GREAT, served over steamed rice. Our sons are grown men and no longer living at home, so when I make this meal for myself and my hubby, I make extra rice, so we can enjoy another meal of leftovers! Here’s how to make these BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs:

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

Make The Meatballs

Seasonings, ground beef, cheese, onions and spinach are place in a large bowl, and then you will need to mix them together. I use a fork to combine the ingredients.

Hamburger meat, cheese, onion and spinach in bowl

Okay… now that all of the ingredients are mixed, it’s time to shape the mixture into cute little meatballs!

Beef is mixed with other ingredients in bowl

Shape the meat mixture into a ball, rolling them between the palms of your clean hands! Each meatball should end up being about 2 inches in diameter.

Beef shaped into a meatball being held in a hand

Brown The Meatballs

You can make about 15 meatballs from the ground beef. Place them on aluminum foil as you make each one, before browning them in a skillet.

Meatballs formed on aluminum foil

Here are the meatballs, browning in the skillet. If you do not have a large enough skillet to hold all the meatballs, no problem! You will simply need to brown them in two batches.

Meatballs cooking in a skillet

Brown the meatballs on all sides, but be sure NOT to cook them all the way through. They will finish cooking all the way through in the oven.

Browned meatballs in skillet

Dip Browned Meatballs Into Flour

Once the meatballs have been browned, remove them from the skillet. Place them, a couple at a time, into a small bowl of flour. Turn the meatballs gently,  and cover them on all sides with flour.

Browned meatballs coated in flour in small bowl

When the meatballs are coated with flour, place them into the baking dish. Now they’re ready for the BBQ sauce!

Flour coated meatballs in glass baking dish

Make the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, and then pour it over the tops of the meatballs. Now the BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs are ready to bake!

Sauce covering meatballs in dish

Bake The Glazed BBQ Cheese Spinach Meatballs

When the meatballs are finished baking, remove them from the oven. Here is what they look like hot, and right out of the oven. They smell so good right about now!

BBQ glaze covered meatballs out of oven

Time To Eat BBQ Glazed Cheese Spinach Meatballs!

Place a few meatballs on each individual plate. Drizzle the tops of the meatballs with some of the BBQ sauce. Garnish with a bit of parsley flakes, and serve the glazed BBQ cheese spinach meatballs on a bed of steamed rice. Grab a fork, and dig In!

Glazed meatballs on top of cooked rice

This dish is especially delicious served with a side of rice, and a yummy salad or veggie.  If you enjoy this dish, you might also enjoy my recipes for Meatballs Stroganoff, Mom’s Swedish Meatballs and Rice, Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice, or Easy Meatballs For Spaghetti! I sure hope you will give them a try… I think you’re gonna love ’em!

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Thanks for stopping by, and I truly hope you will come back soon for more delicious dishes. Have a great day!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signatureRecipe Adapted from: My friend Carla Merrill

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0 from 0 votes
BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

You'll enjoy yummy baked BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs, w/ cheddar and spinach, glazed with a homemade sweet, tangy sauce.

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ glazed meatballs
Servings: 15 meatballs
Calories Per Serving: 226 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Meatballs:
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 package frozen chopped spinach , thawed completely and drained well
  • 1 small brown onion , finely chopped
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 Tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 Tablespoons oil
For sauce:
  • 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 6 Tablespoons ketchup
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Pinch dried parsley , for garnish (if desired)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

  2. In large bowl, combine ground beef, thawed and *drained spinach* (see note), onion, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and grated cheddar. (*Note: Make sure the spinach is drained very well. Press the spinach between paper towels to absorb a lot of water!) Completely combine ingredients.

  3. Using both hands, roll/shape meat into 2" balls (make approx. 15). Set meatballs onto non-stick paper or foil while making the rest.

  4. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. When hot, add meatballs. Don't move them the first couple of minutes (so they won't break apart). Brown all sides (but do not cook all the way through). Remove them to paper towels to drain. Place flour in a small bowl. Gently roll each meatball in flour. Once covered on all sides with flour, place them in an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. Set aside. 

  5. Make The BBQ Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, mustard, butter, ketchup, and brown sugar. Simmer 2-3 minutes on low heat until butter melts and ingredients are combined. Pour sauce over the top of meatballs (spoon it up to cover them all).

  6. Bake uncovered, at 325°F for 45-50 minutes. When done, transfer pan to wire rack.  To serve, place meatballs on top of steamed rice (if using); spoon sauce from pan over top. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.  Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

If you want to make more than 15 meatballs, use 2 pounds of hamburger meat. Everything else in the recipe remains the same. You should be able to get about 20 meatballs this way. A serving size is 3-4 meatballs.

Nutrition Facts
BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs
Amount Per Serving (3 meatballs)
Calories 226 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 46mg15%
Sodium 444mg19%
Potassium 241mg7%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 2400IU48%
Vitamin C 2.1mg3%
Calcium 88mg9%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll enjoy yummy baked BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs, w/ cheddar and spinach, glazed with a homemade sweet, tangy sauce.

 

 

 

 

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Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon

Teriyaki Salmon is marinated in a ginger, garlic, honey & brown sugar sauce, then baked for 15-30 minutes in this easy, delicious seafood dinner!Salmon is marinated in a teriyaki, ginger, garlic, honey & brown sugar sauce, then baked for 15-30 minutes in this easy to prepare delicious seafood dinner!
Do you enjoy salmon? My husband and I certainly do… and we really enjoyed our dinner a few night’s ago when I made Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon. I found the recipe on Pinterest,  while searching out salmon recipes. I’ve been preparing Pan-Seared Creole Salmon for years and we absolutely LOVE it, but wanted to bust out of my “rut” and try a NEW recipe. Shocking, right?

Anyways, I found this recipe from Monique at Ambitious Kitchen, and gave it a try… I heartily recommend it! The flavor of the salmon was delicious! I served it with a side of garlic quinoa, and my recipe for Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry, and I gotta be honest, this was an awesome meal. I will definitely be making this dish again!

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

Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon Is EASY To Prepare!

The teriyaki salmon is so easy to prepare. Salmon is marinated in a wonderful ginger teriyaki sauce, then baked (to perfection), garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds and served. I made the sauce early in the day and let the salmon marinade in it all day. In the evening, all I had to do was bake the salmon, sprinkle a garnish on it, and serve it!

Sure hope you will give this a try! I think you’re gonna enjoy some amazing tasting salmon! Here’s how it is prepared: The sauce is really easy (and quick) to make.

Preparing the marinade for the salmon.

Pouring that sweet ginger teriyaki sauce over the piece of salmon… see how easy the prep is so far???

Teriyaki marinade is poured over the salmon to cover.

Salmon has marinated… and now it’s ready to bake!

Now the marinated salmon is ready to bake in the oven.

Time To Bake The Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon!

The teriyaki salmon is baked for 15-20 minutes, and then it is removed from oven. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro leaves, then serve. This fish tastes delicious!  See how easy that was?

Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon is served with veggies and quinoa on the side.

I truly hope you enjoy this seafood dish. It truly IS easy to prepare, and is incredibly tasty! If you enjoy seafood, be sure to check out some of my other salmon recipes such as Salmon in a Lemon-Butter Herb Sauce, Orange and Rosemary Glazed Salmon, Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon, or Garlic and Herb Baked Salmon (to name a few).

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon. Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Have a wonderful day.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signatureRecipe Adapted From: http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2012/07/sesame-ginger-sweet-teriyaki-salmon-with-garlic-quinoa-stir-fry/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Marinating Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 28 mins
 

Teriyaki Salmon is marinated in a ginger, garlic, honey & brown sugar sauce, then baked for 15-30 minutes in this easy, delicious seafood dinner!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: teriyaki salmon
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 347 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For The Marinade:
  • 1 cup teriyaki sauce
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • 3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless , skinless salmon (or 4 salmon "steaks")
For Garnish:
  • 1 Tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro , chopped
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, mix together the teriyaki sauce, grated ginger, garlic cloves, brown sugar, honey and olive oil, until sugar has dissolved and ingredients are well combined.
  2. Put the piece (or pieces) of salmon in a covered container or a large Ziploc bag. Add the marinade to the container, and coat the salmon on both sides. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 1 hour (I marinated mine all day). Turn the salmon over several times during refrigeration (if using a container).
  3. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place into cooking pan. (If you are using salmon with the skin ON, then place in baking pan, skin side down.
  4. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Times will vary, due to different thicknesses of salmon. When done, the salmon should flake easily. (Our salmon took 20 minutes to reach that point) Serve, with a side of rice or quinoa, and a great veggie. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Sweet Ginger Teriyaki Salmon
Amount Per Serving (1 fillet)
Calories 347 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 825mg36%
Potassium 493mg14%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 100IU2%
Vitamin C 2.6mg3%
Calcium 43mg4%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Teriyaki Salmon is marinated in a ginger, garlic, honey & brown sugar sauce, then baked for 15-30 minutes in this easy, delicious seafood dinner!

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Pork Tamales

Homemade Shredded Pork Tamales topped with a “made from scratch” California chile sauce, are a delicious classic Mexican dish that you will LOVE!Homemade Shredded Pork Tamales topped with a "made from scratch" California chile sauce, are a delicious classic Mexican dish that you will LOVE!
So… this year for Christmas Eve, I came up with a plan to try making pork tamales. I didn’t have a backup plan in case I failed miserably, but that didn’t stop me from taking the plunge into the big, daunting world of “homemade pork tamales”.

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

Whose Crazy Idea Was This Anyways?

Why I had the hair-brained idea of breaking from our Christmas Eve traditional Italian meal and attempting to make tamales for the FIRST TIME is anybody’s guess. Oh well. I am happy to report that we DID NOT have to eat at a fast food place on Christmas Eve. These tamales turned out to be incredible (what a relief!).

I was definitely out of my “comfort zone” in the kitchen, but one thing I am constantly learning (thanks to my friend Shari, who inspires me always!), is to become more “fearless”. This has taught me to experiment more with new recipes and foods. This is one “experiment” I am thrilled to have tried.

I found a recipe for shredded pork tamales on Pinterest, and thought it sounded good. The author of the recipe said she was given this “authentic” recipe by a woman she met at an international market in the Mexican foods aisle (how bad can that be, right?). The recipe sounded good to me, so I decided to give making tamales a try. I actually cooked the pork roast in my crock pot and made the chile sauce the day before I made the tamales, so a large part of the prep was done ahead of time.

Making Pork Tamales Was A Fun Challenge For Me

The recipe is fairly easy to follow. Truthfully I think the hardest part was trying to tie the tamales up at the end before steaming them. Since I have mastered the art of tying my shoelaces, I found it amazing that it was “harder than I thought it was” to wrangle those tamales!  I persevered, fought the good fight with strands of corn husks and finally managed to get those beautiful tamales tied up. Yippee, and Olé!!! (Note: you don’t have to tie them, if you don’t want… I just think it holds them together much better while they are cooking!)

I hope you will give these a try. They are truly, wonderfully delicious. The recipe makes 16-18 tamales. We ate some, had more for leftovers, and froze some for another meal. I DEFINITELY recommend this recipe, and will be making these again. Here’s a few pictures from the process:

Some Photos Of the “Process”

First thing I had to do was purchase corn husks and masa at the local grocery store in the Mexican food section. Easy peasy!

Corn husks and masa for pork tamales

I cooked the pork roast, onion, garlic & spices in a slow-cooker for 6 hours the day before I made the tamales. Here it is right at the beginning of the cook time.

Pork roast is cooked with onions and garlic

Once the pork is fully cooked, it must be shredded. Here is some of the fully cooked, seasoned, shredded pork ready to put into tamales.

Shredded pork ready for filling tamales

Making The Chile Sauce

The chile sauce is made using dried California chile pods. This was kind of cool. This mixture turned a dark color once it was done cooking.

Cooking California chile pods to make sauce for tamales

After the chile sauce has been cooked, cooled, and strained, it is added to shredded pork. Sour cream is then added to the leftover sauce, turning it into a light brown color.This will be used to spoon over the finished tamales once they have been removed from their husks. (Sorry for the photo quality…)

Sour cream has been added to chile sauce for tamales

Getting Ready To Cook The Pork Tamales

Pork tamales are filled, the bottoms folded up and under, and the husks are secured with a long pliable strand of corn husk. I think they look cute! The one in the middle escaped and had to be re-tied.

Stuffed Pork tamales are filled and tied before cooking

The tops of the tamales remain open, and the  tamales are then placed standing upright into a steamer basket in a large stockpot, and are steamed for 1 hour.

Pork tamales are steamed for one hour

Time To Eat Pork Tamales!

When the tamales are done cooking, you remove the husks, place them on serving plates and spoon some of the chile sauce over the tops. Muy delicioso!!!!!

Shredded pork tamales are served with chile sauce on top

I’m not kidding you when I say these shredded pork tamales were absolutely delicious!  I felt very accomplished to have made these for the first time, and plan to make many more.  I was even able to tightly wrap some of them and freeze them for another day (and they were still good!).

It is a bit of a process to make these pork tamales, but honestly, it was worth every single minute! We LOVED them! I hope you will consider trying this recipe.

Looking For More Mexican-Inspired Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a great day!

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Real-Homemade-Tamales/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=real%20homemade%20tamales&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1

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0 from 0 votes
Pork Tamales
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
7 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs
 
Homemade Shredded Pork Tamales topped with a "made from scratch" California chile sauce, are a delicious classic Mexican dish that you will LOVE!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: pork tamales
Servings: 16 tamales
Calories Per Serving: 194 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Tamale Filling:
  • 1 1/4 pounds pork loin or pork roast
  • 1 large brown onion , chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
For Chile Sauce:
  • 4 dried California chile pods (found in Mexican food aisle in most grocery stores)
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
For Tamale Dough:
  • 2 cups masa harina
  • 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup lard or shortening (I used vegetable shortening)
  • 1 (8 ounce) package dried corn husks
  • 3/4 cup sour cream (add this to extra chili sauce and drizzle over tamales once removed from husk)
Instructions
  1. Place the pork into a Dutch oven or into a crock pot with the onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder and water. IF USING DUTCH OVEN, make sure pork is covered with water. bring water to a boil, reduce heat and cook pork on simmer for about 2 hours, or until the meat is cooked all the way through. IF USING CROCK POT, add about 1 1/2 cups water and cook for 6 hours on high. When meat is done, remove to plate and set aside to cool slightly.
  2. While meat is cooling, make the sauce: Wearing rubber gloves, remove seeds and stems from dried chile pods (trust me, you want to wear gloves). Put the de-seeded chile pods into a small saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer the chiles for 20 minutes, uncovered. Remove pan from heat; let cool. Place the chiles and cooking water into a blender or food processor and blend until it becomes smooth. Run the sauce through a strainer to remove any leftover chile pods. Stir the salt into the sauce, then set the sauce aside (If making the sauce ahead of serving, refrigerate it overnight, then bring to room temp before serving!).
  3. Using 2 forks, shred the cooked pork into a bowl. Add 1 cup of the chile sauce to the meat. Mix.
  4. Soak the corn husks in a large tub or pan of HOT water. Let them soak for at least 15-20 minutes, so they become pliable. While they are soaking, make up the Tamale dough:
  5. In a large bowl, or the base of a stand mixer, mix the shortening (or lard) with 1 Tablespoon of the beef broth. Mix this until it becomes fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the masa harina, salt and baking powder. Stir these dry ingredients into the shortening. Add a more beef broth, a little at a time, and continue stirring until the dough becomes "spongy" (kind of like a thick peanut butter consistency.
  6. Fill the tamale husks one at a time. Remove corn husk from water, dry it off, then spread the dough over the corn husks. Dough should not reach the bottom or the top of the husk ( I left about 2 inches on bottom, 2 inches on top, and 1/2 inch on each side. The dough should be between 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness. I kind of made a rectangle shape out of the dough (wetting my fingers to spread it out was a big help!). Once the dough is spread evenly onto the husk, spoon 1 heaping Tablespoon of shredded pork filling into the center, lengthwise (like filling a burrito) Fold the sides of the husk together in towards the center, fold the bottom part under and back, then tie the bottom part of the tamale with a long strand of another moist corn husk.

  7. Repeat process with each tamale. Carefully stand the tamales up on top of a steamer basket in a large stockpot. Steam them (covered) for 1 hour. Remove from heat.
  8. While tamales are cooking, mix the extra chile sauce with 3/4 cup sour cream until creamy; set aside (do not refrigerate).
  9. To serve: Remove the tamales you are serving from their husks and place on serving plate. Spoon the chile sauce over the tops of the hot tamales. Serve.
Recipe Notes

Note that the cook time shown is for crockpot cooking of the pork roast. Time is dramatically cut if you cook it in dutch oven. Freeze or refrigerate extra tamales in their husks. I totally recommend cooking the meat the day prior to making the tamales. Then all you have to do is make sauce, dough, assemble tamales, and cook.

Nutrition Facts
Pork Tamales
Amount Per Serving (1 tamale (w/ sauce))
Calories 194 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 387mg17%
Potassium 240mg7%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 120IU2%
Vitamin C 0.7mg1%
Calcium 50mg5%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Homemade Shredded Pork Tamales topped with a "made from scratch" California chile sauce, are a delicious classic Mexican dish that you will LOVE!

 

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Coq au Vin

You will LOVE Coq au Vin, a classic French dish, featuring braised chicken, served in a creamy wine sauce filled with bacon, onions, mushrooms and garlic!You will LOVE Coq au Vin, a classic French dish, featuring braised chicken served in a creamy wine sauce filled with bacon, onions, mushrooms and garlic!

Well, the New Year has started, and the first NEW recipe I’ve tried in 2015 is this one for Coq au Vin (Chicken and Wine).  And let me tell you, this was a fantastic dish! My husband is still raving about it (he studied French, so I had to ask HOW to pronounce the name of this dish)!

Coq au Vin (pronounced “kawk aw van”) is usually cooked in burgundy wine, but in one region of France (Alsace), it is typically cooked with Riesling (a white wine). This is THAT kind of recipe, and I love the color of this sauce, when paired with the browned chicken. The recipe is fairly easy… just a matter of following the steps in order, until you have this wonderful entree!

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

Coq au Vin Smells Amazing While It Cooks!

When I cooked this for dinner a couple of days ago, our house smelled absolutely incredible! I mean… how can you not love the smells of braising chicken, cooking away in a creamy wine sauce, complete with bacon, garlic, onions and mushrooms? Seriously ridiculous!

A few hours AFTER dinner, my husband went outside to get something out of our car, and when he came back into the house, he said, “Oh my gosh… the house smells soooo good! Yeah… trust me, it smells THAT good!

How To Make Coq au Vin

Here’s a few pics I took while making it:  First you melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet, and get the pan really hot.

Olive oil and butter melting in skillet for coq au vin.

Into the hot skillet go the chicken pieces (for this batch I used 4 thighs, 4 drumsticks). Let them sear (without moving them) for 3-4 minutes on each side, then remove from skillet.

Chicken pieces are seared in olive oil and butter.

The next thing to do is sauté the onions and bacon until the fat from the bacon has been rendered.

Chopped onions and bacon are cooked until fat is rendered.

Cook the sliced mushrooms in the leftover bacon fat.

Sliced mushrooms are cooked in bacon drippings in skillet.

Add The Chicken Back Into The Skillet

Now add the chicken and the cooked onions, bacon, and garlic back into the skillet… you will begin to smell this dish right about now!

Chicken, onions, garlic are added back into coq au vin sauce.

Add the white wine, then cover the skillet while the coq au vin continues cooking. The alcohol in the wine will dissipate as it cooks, but the flavor it adds to the dish is wonderful!

Wine is added to skillet for coq au vin sauce.

After 15 minutes of covered cooking, the whipping cream is added to the skillet and mixed in. Let the chicken continue to cook, uncovered for the remainder of the time. Now the coq au vin REALLY smells good, and looks good enough to eat!

Whipping cream is added to coq au vin sauce.

Serve the Coq Au Vin

The coq au vin is finished by sprinkling the tops of the chicken pieces with a handful of chopped parsley. Now this amazing dish is ready to serve!

Coq au vin is served, garnished with chopped parsley.

YUM! Serve this chicken and sauce (coq au vin) up with a side of rice or pasta… STAT! Be sure to spoon some of the amazing sauce over the dish, too!

Coa au vin is ready to serve!

I found this recipe on Pinterest a while back, and finally got around to trying it as my first “newbie” recipe of the New Year! I am positive I will be making this again. Not only does it taste wonderful, but it smells AMAZING, and looks rather elegant, also!  Sure hope you will give this delicious recipe for coq au vin a try. I think you are gonna love it!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of fantastic chicken recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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Author's signatureRecipe slightly adapted from: http://simply-delicious-food.com/2013/06/26/nigel-slaters-coq-au-riesling/

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0 from 0 votes
Coq au Vin
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
You will LOVE Coq au Vin, a classic French dish, featuring braised chicken served in a creamy wine sauce filled with bacon, onions, mushrooms and garlic!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: French
Keyword: coq au vin
Servings: 8 servings (or 4 if having 2 pieces each)
Calories Per Serving: 533 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium brown onions , finely chopped
  • 3 slices bacon , sliced into thin strips about 2" long
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced
  • 8 chicken pieces (with bone in) (I use 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks)
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (white button or mini portabella)
  • 2 cups dry white wine (I used a Riesling)
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • salt & pepper (to season raw chicken with, and to taste, when chicken is complete)
  • handful of chopped parsley , for garnish, if desired
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter and the oil. Heat skillet to medium-high.
  2. Lightly season pieces of chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken pieces into a very hot skillet. Do not move the pieces once you first put them in skillet. Let them sear on each side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes per side). Once chicken is browned on all sides, remove to a plate and set aside.
  3. Add the finely chopped onions and the bacon pieces to the hot skillet. Let them both cook about 5 minutes or so, until onions become translucent and the bacon has rendered out it's fat. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, then remove & drain the mixture from the skillet, leaving the bacon grease in the pan.
  4. Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the onion/bacon mixture and the browned chicken back into the skillet. Add the wine. Allow the liquid to come to a boil. Turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover the skillet. Let the chicken cook for 15 minutes.

  6. After 15 minutes, remove the lid. Turn up the heat. Pour in the whipping cream. Stir, to combine. Let the chicken cook for another 10-12 minutes, uncovered, spooning up the sauce over the chicken pieces as they cook.

  7. When chicken is cooked through and is ready to serve, add the chopped parsley to the tops of the chicken pieces, and serve (1-2 pieces per person). Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Serve this tasty chicken with rice, pasta, along with a nice loaf of crusty bread.
This recipe makes 4 adult servings; you will have more servings if children are only having one piece of chicken. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Coq au Vin
Amount Per Serving (1 1 piece)
Calories 533 Calories from Fat 369
% Daily Value*
Fat 41g63%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Cholesterol 148mg49%
Sodium 202mg9%
Potassium 403mg12%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 775IU16%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 48mg5%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You will LOVE Coq au Vin, a classic French dish, featuring braised chicken served in a creamy wine sauce filled with bacon, onions, mushrooms and garlic!

 

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Pinto Beans And Ham

Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!
Well, here’s my first post in 2015. Nothing fancy or glamorous, but this meal is sure inexpensive, FILLING, and delicious! If you’ve ever had extra ham or ham bones left over after a meal, then this recipe for Pinto Beans And Ham is perfect for you!

This dish (besides being quite economical) is also totally easy to prepare, so consider that a win-win! Only a few ingredients are necessary to make a big soup pot full of these tasty, filling, tender pinto beans and shredded pieces of ham, flavored with salt/pepper, cumin, onion and garlic!

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

Make A Pot Of Pinto Beans And Ham With Leftover Ham

I prepare this meal often, usually any time we have leftover ham (always after a holiday like Christmas or Easter, and in the cold winter months). The recipe makes about 8 servings, so there is always enough left over for other meals.

Leftover ham is perfect to use in this soup.

If you have a large ham bone from a ham hanging around (with pieces of meat still attached), that’s PERFECT! If not, then just use slices of ham, cut into small chunks. The long cooking time will help the meat to be pulled off the bone or shredded easily!

Pinto beans can be found in just about every single grocery store in the country, and are quite cheap. Buy dry pinto beans (in a bag). They will cook and soften during the cooking process.

Dried pinto beans are used to make this recipe.

Why The Beans Need To Cook for So Long

The long cooking time helps the beans to soften. Find another activity to do while they are cooking, and just check on them every hour or so to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, and give them a good stir!

During the last part of the cooking time, the liquid will begin to thicken. This is a GOOD thing! The ham also becomes very tender, so it is easy (especially if you added big chunks), to pull it apart into smaller pieces or shreds.

Pinto beans and ham is served!

Your house will smell GREAT while these pinto beans and ham are cooking! We love to eat this thick bowl of “soup” with some Copycat Marie Callender’s Cornbread or warm, buttered flour tortillas on the side… yum!

Cornbread goes perfectly with pinto beans and ham

When all is said and done, you will end up with a nice sized pot of pinto beans and ham, and not have to sped a lot on it, especially if you start with leftover ham!

If you like pinto beans or need other ways to use dried pintos, be sure and check out my blog post on how to can dried beans or how to make refried beans in the crockpot. Both recipes start with dried pinto beans!

Hope you’ll give this humble recipe for pinto beans and ham a try. I think you’re gonna love them! Sometimes simple can be so good! Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon. Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signature

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0 from 0 votes
Pinto Beans And Ham
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 5 mins
 
Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pinto beans and ham
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 289 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 bag pinto beans (regular sized - about 2-3 cups)
  • 1 large leftover ham bone (with meat attached), OR 2 cups chopped cooked ham
  • 1 medium brown onion , chopped
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Water
  • Additional Salt/Pepper , to taste (I usually have to add more before serving)
Instructions
  1. Rinse the pinto beans in a strainer. Place beans into a large stockpot. Cover completely with water.
  2. Add ham bone (or chopped ham). Add additional water, if necessary to more than cover the beans and ham.
  3. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin.
  4. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low heat. Let beans cook for approximately 4 hours. For first half of cooking time, keep a lid on the beans, but with lid vented. After about 2 hours, remove the lid and continue cooking, uncovered for remainder of time. As water level begins to reduce, add a bit more water back into the pot so that beans remain submerged during cooking time.
  5. Check beans to make sure they are fully softened. Remove ham bone from pot; remove any ham meat from bone and add the ham back into the pot.
  6. Taste test the beans when fully cooked. Mixture will thicken slightly as the amount of water reduces through the long cooking time. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
  7. Serve hot with some cornbread or tortillas on the side, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Pinto Beans And Ham
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1/8th of total))
Calories 289 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 671mg29%
Potassium 1028mg29%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin C 5.9mg7%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 3.9mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic!

 

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Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole

It’s easy to make this yummy layered chicken enchilada casserole, filled with chicken, corn tortillas, creamy sauce, onions, green chiles, and cheddar cheese.It's easy to make this yummy layered chicken enchilada casserole, filled with chicken, corn tortillas, creamy sauce, onions, green chiles, and cheddar cheese.
I received this recipe for a Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole from my Mom’s best friend over 35 years ago. It is a family favorite meal to this day. It’s a recipe I have made countless times over the years, and during my 30+ years of heading to work every day, really appreciated how quickly it can be assembled, cooked, and enjoyed!

I love Mexican food, and typically eat enchiladas with the traditional red sauce. However, this recipe has a white sauce, with onions and green chiles, so the very first time I made it years ago, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it. I was wrong. This is a hearty casserole that can easily serve 8-10 people. It’s not too spicy, but has a wonderful flavor from the layers of chicken, corn tortillas, green chiles, onions, white sauce, and cheese. It is absolutely delicious (especially the second day, for leftovers!), and is a snap to prepare.

Since the baking time is only 30 minutes,  it is easy to prepare early in the day, cover and refrigerate it until ready to cook, then slam it (such a nice verbal picture, huh?) in the oven, and enjoy it a short time later. Here’s a few pics to show you the “ho-to’s of making this easy casserole:

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Preparing The Sauce

Cook the onions and green chiles in a large skillet to begin making the sauce for this casserole.

Onions and green chiles are cooked to make sauce for casserole

The remaining sauce ingredients are added to the skillet, and now the sauce is cooking happily.

Chicken enchilada casserole sauce cooks until thick and creamy.

Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole Is Assembled, One Layer At A Time

3 layers are added, consisting of tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheddar cheese. Once fully layered, the casserole is ready to bake! This layering is easy to do, because you don’t have to fill and roll the tortillas, as you need to do with traditional enchiladas! You just have to tear the tortillas into pieces and LAYER them!

Layers of tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheese in pan, ready to bake.

Here is the layered chicken enchilada casserole ready to eat, with a small salad on the side. Cheesy, chicken enchilada casserole… for the win!

Layered chicken enchilada casserole served with side salad.

Hope you will give this layered chicken enchilada casserole a try. It’s EASY and DELICIOUS. I REALLY think you will like it, and the leftovers can be EASILY reheated, too!

Looking For More CASSEROLE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several casserole dishes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Have a wonderful day!

Author's signatureOriginal recipe source: Sandy Rohrbacher

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5 from 3 votes
Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
It's easy to make this yummy layered chicken enchilada casserole, filled with chicken, corn tortillas, creamy sauce, onions, green chiles, and cheddar cheese.
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican, Southwestern
Keyword: chicken enchilada casserole
Servings: 10 servings
Calories Per Serving: 228 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) , boiled and cubed (save the broth!)
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
  • 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
  • 4 ounce can diced green chiles
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 small brown onion , chopped
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
Instructions
Make the sauce:
  1. Melt the tablespoon of butter in large skillet. Add the chopped onion and green chiles. Saute these for 3-4 minutes, or until onion is translucent and tender. Add the chicken broth and the contents of both cans of soup to the skillet. Mix well to combine. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
Make the casserole:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Layer the ingredients in this order: 1) 4 tortillas, torn into small pieces, 2) 1/3 of the chicken pieces, 3) 1/3 of the sauce, 4) 1/3 of the grated cheese.
  3. Repeat the layers 2 more times, ending with the grated cheese.
  4. Bake casserole, uncovered for 30 minutes or until heated all the way through.
  5. Remove casserole from oven. Let stand for approximately 5 minutes or so, to enable the cheese to firm up a bit (this will make cutting it and serving it up MUCH easier!)
  6. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

A whole rotisserie chicken can also be used as a substitute for the cooked chicken breasts, if you're pinched for time. Easy!

Nutrition Facts
Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/10 of total))
Calories 228 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 55mg18%
Sodium 349mg15%
Potassium 295mg8%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 2g8%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 290IU6%
Vitamin C 6.8mg8%
Calcium 199mg20%
Iron 0.9mg5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make this yummy layered chicken enchilada casserole, filled with chicken, corn tortillas, creamy sauce, onions, green chiles, and cheddar cheese.

 

 

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Classic Beef Stew

Classic Beef Stew, a “comfort food” soup filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, is a hearty and filling meal on a cold day!Classic Beef Stew, a "comfort food" soup filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, is a hearty and filling meal on a cold day!

My husband and I just returned home after an 11 day road trip to San Diego for Thanksgiving.  It was freezing cold when we returned to our home in Oregon, so I decided to make some Classic Beef Stew for our first dinner home.

I found the recipe for this stew in one of my old copies of Taste of Home magazine years ago. I had cut out the recipe and saved it, but had never made this particular recipe before. I grew up in a home where my Mom made beef stew all the time, and that has been the recipe I have used for years, but decided to try this one, this time.

It turned out wonderful!  This classic beef stew is baked over a couple of hours time, so the entire house smelled so amazingly good! My husband and I enjoyed this beef stew; it was easy to make, and since it yields 6-8 servings, we have leftovers for another meal!

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

How To Make Classic Beef Stew

Here is how you make this hearty stew.  Start by browning the stew meat in an ovenproof baking dish.

Beef stew meat is browned in ovenproof pan.

Pan seared, browned stew meat is used to make classic beef stew.

Time To Bake The Beef Stew

Add chopped onions, tomatoes, beef broth, garlic, and spices to the stew meat in the pan. Give it all a good stir, to mix it together.

Tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices are added to classic beef stew in pan.

You will need to transfer the mixture to an ovenproof baking dish, if not already using one, then bake the stew (covered) for 1½ hours. Pretty positive you are gonna love the smell in your kitchen as this classic beef stew bakes!

Classic Beef Stew is baked for one and a half hours in oven.

Remove Stew From Oven, Add Veggies And Bake Again

Remove the hot stew pan from the oven. Add potatoes, celery, carrots, and green beans to the classic beef stew. Mix well, to combine. Bake for an additional hour (covered).

Carrots, potatoes, celery and green beans are added to classic beef stew, then baked.

Classic beef stew goes back into oven after veggies are added.Time To Serve And Eat Classic Beef Stew

When done baking, carefully remove the baking dish from oven, because it will be HOT. Dish this classic beef stew up into individual bowls, to serve!  I’m pretty sure you will be surprised at how tender the meat is!

Classic Beef Stew comes out of the oven, and is now ready to eat.

I sure hope you will give this classic beef stew a try! We love it, served with some crusty sourdough bread on the side. Hope you enjoy this perfect winter meal!

Looking For More STEW Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a couple delicious stew recipes you will enjoy, like West African Chicken and Peanut Stew, or a vegetarian friendly Lentil Stew. They’re both delicious and I highly recommend them!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signatureRecipe slightly adapted from: Taste of Home Magazine (year unknown), pg. 55, by Alberta McKay, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma

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0 from 0 votes
Classic Beef Stew
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 45 mins
 
Classic Beef Stew, a "comfort food" soup filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, is a hearty and filling meal on a cold day!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: classic beef stew
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 349 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat (or chuck roast), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes, with liquid
  • 1 can (10-1/2 oz) beef broth, undiluted
  • 3 Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca (or whisk in 2 Tablespoons flour)
  • 1 1/2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 medium carrots , cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 medium potatoes , peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup sliced celery , cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 can green beans , cut into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a dutch oven or large pan, heat the oil until very hot. Add the beef cubes, and cook until all sides are browned. Drain the oil from pan.
  3. Add the onion, tomatoes, beef broth, tapioca (or flour), garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring this mixture to a boil, then remove pan from the heat.
  4. Cover pan (or transfer to an ovenproof large baking dish). Bake mixture in covered dish at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven.
  5. Stir in carrots, potatoes, celery and green beans. Bake, covered, 1 hour longer, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. (mine took about 15 minutes longer). Remove bay leaf before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Classic Beef Stew
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 349 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 88mg29%
Sodium 527mg23%
Potassium 927mg26%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 35g70%
Vitamin A 8090IU162%
Vitamin C 20.5mg25%
Calcium 79mg8%
Iron 6.2mg34%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Classic Beef Stew, a "comfort food" soup filled with meat, potatoes, carrots, beans, and tomatoes, is a hearty and filling meal on a cold day!

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Vegetarian Spicy Noodles in Peanut Sauce

Vegetarian or not, you’ll enjoy these spicy noodles in peanut sauce! Pasta with water chestnuts, peanuts, cilantro and carrots in a creamy Thai sauce!Vegetarian or not, you'll enjoy these spicy noodles in peanut sauce! Pasta with water chestnuts, peanuts, cilantro and carrots in a creamy Thai sauce!
The recipe I am posting today is for Vegetarian Spicy Noodles In Peanut Sauce.  The recipe is yummy, and is SO EASY to make! The plus side is that it is a vegetarian entree, for my friends and family who choose to not eat meat. However, it’s fabulous and filling for meat lovers, also!

A couple of years ago, our youngest son (a big steak and burger loving guy),  decided to become a vegetarian. We were surprised, but respect his right as a grown man to eat or not eat whatever he chooses. I’ve had to adjust my menus when he comes over for a meal, but that’s really no big deal for the most part. Well, THIS recipe for spicy noodles in peanut sauce is one he would LOVE!

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

Spicy Noodles In Peanut Sauce Are EASY To Make!

The Thai-inspired peanut sauce is easy to make, full of flavor and coats the noodles well. This dish is on the table in a flash (20 minutes), and is a cinch to make. The recipe uses angel hair or spaghetti pasta for quick cooking noodles, AND will delight your taste buds, even if you are not a vegetarian.

You will make a simple peanut sauce by mixing the ingredients together, and use it to coat cooked pasta noodles, carrots and water chestnuts. Each serving of spicy noodles in peanut sauce is also garnished with chopped peanuts and cilantro. 

Peanut sauce is mixed together in a small bowl before adding to noodles in peanut sauce.

Trust me- even though I don’t have lots of photos, this recipe for spicy noodles in peanut sauce is GOOD! Hope you’ll give it a try, and I bet you will be surprised how very easy it is to make.

 

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

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Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
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Author's signatureSauce recipe source: http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com/pasta/thai-chicken-pasta/

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Vegetarian - Spicy Noodles in Peanut Sauce
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

Vegetarian or not, you'll enjoy these spicy noodles in peanut sauce! Pasta with water chestnuts, peanuts, cilantro and carrots in a creamy Thai sauce!

Category: Main Course, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: noodles in peanut sauce
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 674 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the Peanut Sauce:
  • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 3 tsp. chili paste (also may substitute 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce)
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 limes , juiced
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 1 clove of garlic , minced
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
For the Pasta,etc.:
  • ½ lb. spaghetti or angel hair pasta
  • 1 large carrot , julienned (matchstick cut)
  • 1 small can water chestnuts , drained
  • Handful of roasted peanuts , chopped for garnish
  • ½ bunch of cilantro , chopped (stems discarded) Save small amount for garnish on top of dish.
Instructions
  1. Make the sauce: Put all sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisk or mix until fully combined. Cover and store in the refrigerator until needed (can be made ahead).
  2. Blanch the sliced (matchstick) carrots in boiling water for approximately 3 minutes, pulling them out and draining while they are still bright and crisp.
  3. Cook pasta noodles per package directions. Place drained, hot pasta in a large bowl with the carrots, water chestnuts and cilantro (save a bit of cilantro for garnish!).
  4. Pour the peanut sauce over the cooked pasta and toss well, to coat. To serve: Top pasta with additional cilantro and the chopped peanuts. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Vegetarian - Spicy Noodles in Peanut Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 674 Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Sodium 1180mg51%
Potassium 795mg23%
Carbohydrates 84g28%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 28g56%
Vitamin A 2630IU53%
Vitamin C 12.2mg15%
Calcium 68mg7%
Iron 3.3mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Vegetarian or not, you'll enjoy these spicy noodles in peanut sauce! Pasta with water chestnuts, peanuts, cilantro and carrots in a creamy Thai sauce!

 

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Fully Loaded Potato Soup

Fully Loaded Potato Soup is thick and creamy, filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions…tastes like a fully stuffed baked potato! Fully Loaded Potato Soup is thick and creamy, filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions...tastes like a fully stuffed baked potato in SOUP form.
Do you love to make soup when it is cold outside? I sure do! One of the things I love about the crisp and cool weather in Fall is making Potato Soup… Fully Loaded Potato Soup!

Fully LOADED Potato Soup is packed with all the good things you would stuff a baked potato with, given the chance. Bacon, cheese, chives, sour cream… well, you get the picture! A hot bowl of this flavor-packed potato soup on a cold day is just what you need to satisfy a growling stomach.

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

Trying Out This Soup Recipe On Friends

A couple of years ago I had about 9 ladies from a Bible Study group I was in, over for lunch. I made a big pot of fully loaded potato soup. No recipe was used, I just put it all together (had made it many times from scratch!) and it was wonderful! I received several compliments on the soup. My friend, Judy asked me where I got the recipe, and told her I just made it up as I went along. I couldn’t even give her the recipe because I didn’t write anything down as I cooked. Epic FAIL.

Sooo… it’s now two years later and I finally remembered to document with PHOTOS the making of this delicious and filling, fully loaded potato soup. I made a big batch recently on a rainy, cold, dismal day (aren’t those the BEST days for making a big pot of soup?)

It’s easier than you think to make fully loaded potato soup… and IT IS YUMMY! Perfect for a cool evening’s meal (very filling) and lunch leftovers the next day! Hope you will give this recipe a try… I am confident you will LOVE it!

Making Fully Loaded Potato Soup

Chop peeled Russet potatoes into planks, then cut into small cubes. Smaller potato cubes will cook a lot faster than large chunks!

Cubing potatoes for fully loaded soup

Cook the potatoes with green onions, salt, pepper, and part of the bacon pieces until the potatoes become tender. Let me tell you, it sure smells GOOD, because of those onions and bacon!

Potatoes are cooked with green onions, bacon, etc. for soup

Add a little bit of flour to the cooked potatoes. The ingredients will continue to cook and soften. This flour will act as a thickening agent for the fully loaded potato soup, making it thick and creamy!

Flour is added to potatoes to act as a thickening agent for soup.

Time To Turn The Ingredients Into Fully Loaded Potato Soup!

Pour milk and whipping cream into the pan with the fully loaded potato soup. Once the soup has thickened, add grated cheddar cheese. Continue to cook the fully loaded potato soup, and the cheese will melt into the thickened soup. This will add another layer of flavor and creaminess.

Milk, whipping cream and cheddar cheese are added to potato soup.

Here you can see the thickened fully loaded potato soup, with the bacon and potato chunks! It looks so good, but is not quite finished!

Fully loaded potato soup is thick and creamy.

Right before serving, stir sour cream into the hot, thick fully loaded potato soup! The sour cream will add yet another layer of flavor and creaminess to the soup.

Sour cream is added to fully loaded potato soup just before serving.

Serve The Fully Loaded Potato Soup

Ladle the hot, fully loaded potato soup into individual serving bowls. It looks good just like that, but the garnishes for the soup is what helps put it over the top! Garnish each bowl of soup with crispy bacon pieces, additional cheddar cheese, and chopped chives. That REALLY pretties this soup up, and adds even more flavor! ENJOY!

Fully Loaded Potato Soup is garnished with crisp bacon, cheddar and chives.

This fully loaded potato soup is one of our family’s all time favorite soups. I hope it will become one of your favorite soups, too! Have a great day!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, at the top of the page. A few of our favorites include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Fully Loaded Potato Soup
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
Fully Loaded Potato Soup is thick and creamy, filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions...tastes like a fully stuffed baked potato!
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fully loaded potato soup
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 478 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 5 large Russet potatoes , cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • Salt and Pepper , to taste
  • 2 heaping Tablespoons flour
  • 5 pieces bacon
  • 5 green onion stalks , sliced (green stem and white bulb),
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (reserve a bit for garnish)
  • 5 cups milk
  • 3/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tablespoons chives , chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
  1. Cook bacon in skillet. When half way cooked, remove 2 slices. Chop into small pieces and place into a large soup pot. Continue cooking the 3 pieces of bacon remaining in the skillet until crispy. Drain, crumble, and set aside (2 slices will go into the soup later, one will be used for garnish),
  2. Melt 3 Tablespoons butter in the soup pot with the 2 slices of chopped, half-cooked bacon. Add cubed potatoes, and chopped green onions,, and stir to combine. Cook potatoes, stirring frequently for about 7-8 minutes, or until softened slightly.
  3. Generously salt and pepper the potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with 2 heaping Tablespoons of flour. Stir well to combine..
  4. Add milk to soup pot and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
  5. Add whipping cream (do not boil), cheddar cheese, and 2 slices crispy, (chopped) bacon. Stir to combine.
  6. Simmer on low for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
  7. Right before you serve the soup, add the sour cream and mix well.
  8. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, and garnish with a bit of crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, and the chopped chives. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

**I usually add 2 slices of halfway cooked bacon to the soup pot to cook with the potatoes for extra flavor, BUT If you prefer, you can cook ALL the bacon until crispy. Add all but one piece to the soup at one time (saving one slice to crumble for garnish!)

Nutrition Facts
Fully Loaded Potato Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 478 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Cholesterol 93mg31%
Sodium 352mg15%
Potassium 872mg25%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 1075IU22%
Vitamin C 9.7mg12%
Calcium 384mg38%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Fully Loaded Potato Soup is thick and creamy, filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onions...tastes like a fully stuffed baked potato!

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