Category: Main Dishes


Dec
2021

Creamy Chicken Primavera

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes
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Creamy Chicken Primavera is an all in one dish, with chicken breasts, pasta, zucchini, carrots and onions in a velvety Parmesan cheese sauce.Creamy Chicken Primavera is an all in one dish, with chicken breasts, pasta, zucchini, carrots and onions in a velvety Parmesan cheese sauce.

Years ago I bought a cookbook in a used bookstore. This particular cookbook was over 600 recipes for chicken that were submitted by “celebrities” from around the world. The recipe for creamy chicken primavera was contributed by Connie Chung, a famous news anchor from NBC News (back in the day).

I made a few changes to her original recipe, and we enjoy this delicious, all in one chicken meal. How can you go wrong with pasta, chicken, veggies and cheese in a creamy sauce. Right? Anyways, the recipe is fairly straightforward and simple to prepare, but has great flavor! Today I want to share the recipe for this yummy meal with you. Here’s how to make it:

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

Prepare The Chicken And Pasta

Cut three boneless, skinless chicken breasts into cubes, about 2″ each. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and set aside, while you begin cooking the pasta.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cut into bite-sized cubes.

Cook the spaghetti noodles in a large saucepan in boiling water, according to the time given in the package instructions.

Spaghetti noodles are cooked in boiling water per package instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, you can finish preparing the rest of the dish. Heat oil in a medium skillet until very hot, but not smoking. Add the chicken cubes and cook in the hot oil, turning to cook on all sides. the chicken is done when heated through and light golden brown in color. Stir in minced garlic and continue cooking, stirring often, for about 30 seconds.

Add white wine, onion, and sliced zucchini and carrots to the skillet. Cook only until the zucchini is tender (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and keep warm until pasta is done cooking.

Cubes of chicken breast are cooked in hot vegetable oil until lightly browned.Garlic, onion, zucchini and carrot slices are added to the cooking chicken pieces.

Time To Put This Dish All Together!

When the pasta is done cooking, drain the water off in a colander, but don’t rinse the pasta. Place the hot spaghetti back into the large saucepan, then add the chicken and veggie mixture from the skillet.

Top the pasta with grated Parmesan cheese, pimientos (optional), and half and half. Mix well using tongs, until all ingredients are evenly distributed and covered with the creamy sauce. Cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes, tossing often, only until heated through and cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then it’s ready to serve.

Spaghetti noodles are cooked, drained and then placed back into large saucepan.Chicken mixture, Parmesan cheese, pimiento and half and half are added to the pasta.After ingredients are combined and cheese melts, creamy chicken primavera is ready.

Serve The Creamy Chicken Primavera

Place portions of the creamy chicken primavera into individual serving bowls. Top each portion with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired, for extra flavor. Serve the creamy pasta primavera immediately while hot!

A bowl full of creamy chicken primavera with veggies, ready to eat.A close up photo of the creamy chicken primavera in the bowl.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have the chance to make this delicious all in one dish, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do. Take care, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious chicken recipes you will enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If 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

Recipe adapted from the cookbook: “Celebrity Chicken”, page 177, contributed by Connie Chung, published by Celebrity Cuisine, 1987.

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Creamy Chicken Primavera
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
11 mins
Total Time
26 mins
 

Creamy Chicken Primavera is an all in one dish, with chicken breasts, pasta, zucchini, carrots and onions in a velvety Parmesan cheese sauce.

Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy chicken primavera
Servings: 5
Calories Per Serving: 537 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3 medium chicken breasts (boneless/skinless) cut into 2" cubes
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3 Tablespoons white wine
  • 1 medium zucchini thinly sliced
  • 1 medium carrot peeled/thinly sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled/chopped
  • ¾ pound spaghetti pasta =12 ounces
  • 1 cup half and half
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish, if desired
  • ¼ cup diced pimiento (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cut chicken breasts into 2" cubes. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; set aside.

  2. Cook pasta in boiling water in large saucepan, following package instructions.

  3. While pasta cooks, prepare rest of the dish. Heat oil in a medium skillet until very hot, but not smoking. Add chicken; cook on all sides until chicken is cooked through and light golden brown. Stir in minced garlic; continue cooking, stirring often, for about 30 seconds. Add wine, onion, zucchini and carrots to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, only until zucchini is tender (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat; keep chicken warm until pasta is done cooking

  4. When pasta is done cooking, drain in a colander, but don't rinse the pasta. Place hot pasta back into saucepan. Add chicken/veggie mixture. Top with Parmesan, pimientos (if using), and half and half. Mix well using tongs, until all ingredients are evenly distributed and covered with sauce. Cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes, tossing often, only until heated through and cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  5. To serve, place portions in individual bowls or on plates. Sprinkle each portion with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately while hot!

Nutrition Facts
Creamy Chicken Primavera
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/5 of total))
Calories 537 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 70mg23%
Sodium 268mg12%
Potassium 660mg19%
Carbohydrates 58g19%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 2395IU48%
Vitamin C 11mg13%
Calcium 197mg20%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Creamy Chicken Primavera is an all in one dish, with chicken breasts, pasta, zucchini, carrots and onions in a velvety Parmesan cheese sauce.


Nov
2021

Mexican Shredded Chicken (crock pot)

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes
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Make Mexican Shredded Chicken in a crock pot to use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, taco salads, enchiladas, etc. It’s easy to make and delicious!
Make Mexican Shredded Chicken in a crock pot to use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, taco salads, enchiladas, etc. It's easy to make and delicious!

Today I want to share a recipe I use often for Mexican shredded chicken. There are only a couple simple steps to prep the chicken before adding it to a slow cooker to finish cooking. The meat is seasoned well, and adds great flavor to quite a variety of dishes! You should end up with enough shredded chicken for at least 8 servings (depending on how you choose to use it)

I’ve made shredded chicken this way for years now. I love it’s simple added ingredients that I almost always have in my kitchen. This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can make it with a combination of breasts and thighs, if that’s what you have. The recipe can also be easily doubled, and it freezes well! Here’s the way I make Mexican shredded chicken:.

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

Prepare And Pan-Sear The Chicken

Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into cubes, about 2″ in size. Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry (drying the chicken helps it brown quickly instead of steaming it). Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet.

Add the dried chicken pieces, and quickly sear them until browned on all sides. You do not have to cook them all the way through, because the crock pot will do that. You just want the outside of the chicken pieces to be nicely browned. 

Chicken breasts are cut into cubes, then dried on paper towels before cooking.Boneless, skinless chicken breast cubes are lightly browned in hot oil in a skillet.

Into The Crock Pot It Goes!

When done, transfer the chicken pieces from the skillet into a crock pot. Reserve the remaining liquid in the skillet. Add a half cup of water to the “drippings” in the skillet, and cook for about a minute. This helps de-glaze the skillet and adds in any little browned bits of chicken to help flavor the sauce. Pour this liquid over the chicken pieces in the crock pot.

Water is added to skillet to help deglaze the pan after browning chicken.Water and pan drippings are poured onto the browned chicken pieces in crock pot.

Add The Seasoning Sauce Then Cook!

Now it’s time to make the easy seasoning sauce. Combine soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chopped green onions, red pepper flakes, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Stir well, until the brown sugar has dissolved and the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Once combined, pour the seasoning sauce into the crock pot. Stir well, to coat the chicken with the sauce. Put the lid on the crock pot and cook the Mexican shredded chicken for 4-5 hours on LOW heat, OR  for 3 hours on HIGH heat.

A seasoning sauce is mixed together and poured over the chicken in the crock pot.Mexican shredded chicken is cooked in a crock pot for several hours.

Time To Shred The Cooked Chicken

Once the chicken has finished cooking, transfer the chicken to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. There will still be quite a bit of liquid left in the crock pot. Hang on to that, because you can use some of it, okay?

Shred the cooked chicken using two forks. It should shred very easily and only takes a couple of minutes. Add a couple spoonfuls (or more, if desired) of the reserved crock pot sauce to the chicken. This will help ensure your Mexican shredded chicken is juicy (and not dry). Now the shredded chicken is ready to be used in your favorite recipes.

Two forks are used to pull apart the Mexican shredded chicken after it has been fully cooked.Mexican shredded chicken is now ready to use in a favorite dish like tacos, burritos, etc.

Serving Mexican Shredded Chicken

There are LOTS of ways to use Mexican shredded chicken. You can use this well-seasoned chicken for enchiladas, tostadas, flautas, taco salads, burritos and chimichangas. Some of our favorite ways to enjoy this shredded chicken are pictured below. The chicken is the featured ingredient in our chicken taco salad bowls, quesadillas and tacos.

Mexican Shredded Chicken is featured in a Taco Salad Bowl.A chicken quesadilla is served, using the shredded chicken inside.The Mexican shredded chicken can be used to fill tacos for a quick dinner.

I hope you have the chance to try this recipe for Mexican Shredded Chicken. Once made, it is very versatile and can be used in a multitude of dishes. The shredded chicken also freezes well (if wrapped well and stored in an airtight container). Thanks for visiting my blog, and I hope you will come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Have a good day!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a LOT of yummy chicken 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 so.  If 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

Original recipe source: unknown (written down years ago on a piece of paper-no original source noted)

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Mexican Shredded Chicken (crock pot)
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 45 mins
 

Make Mexican Shredded Chicken in a crock pot to use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, taco salads, enchiladas, etc. Easy to make and delicious!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Mexican shredded chicken
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 185 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts approx. 2 lbs.
  • ⅓ cup water
Seasoning Sauce:
  • ⅓ cup light soy sauce
  • 1 Lime Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 stems green onions (scallions) sliced (green + white parts)
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cut chicken into 2" cubes. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken; quickly sear until nicely browned on all sides. Do not cook them all the way through (crock pot will finish).

  2. Transfer browned chicken from skillet into crock pot. Reserve remaining liquid in skillet. Add water to "drippings" in skillet; cook/stir for one minute. Pour this liquid over chicken in crock pot.

  3. Make the seasoning sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir well, until brown sugar has dissolved and ingredients are fully incorporated. Pour seasoning sauce into crock pot. Stir well, to coat chicken with sauce. Put the lid on the crock pot. Cook for 4-5 hours on LOW heat, OR 3 hours on HIGH heat.

  4. Once done cooking, transfer chicken to large bowl using a slotted spoon. There will still be liquid left in the crock pot. Shred chicken using two forks. Add a couple spoonfuls (or more) of reserved crock pot liquid to the chicken. This helps ensure the shredded chicken is juicy (and not dry). Now the shredded chicken is ready to be used in your favorite recipes. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Mexican Shredded Chicken (crock pot)
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total))
Calories 185 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 73mg24%
Sodium 678mg29%
Potassium 463mg13%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 115IU2%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make Mexican Shredded Chicken in a crock pot to use in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, taco salads, enchiladas, etc. Easy to make and delicious!


Nov
2021

Crock Pot Mongolian Beef

categories: Beef, Main Dishes
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Crock Pot Mongolian Beef is a delicious, easy meal you’ll love! Strips of beef are cooked in Asian sauce until tender, then served on rice!Crock Pot Mongolian Beef is a delicious, easy meal you'll love! Strips of beef are cooked in Asian sauce until tender, then served on rice!

Looking for a delicious, hearty dish you can whip up in a few minutes and then throw in the slow cooker? Try this yummy recipe for crock pot Mongolian beef! It’s SIMPLE to prepare, and then your handy dandy slow cooker does the rest of the work for you! If you don’t have a lot of time to prepare dinner (busy days, right?), this dish is a perfect solution.

Strips of beef (I use flank steak) are cooked low and slow in a delicious Asian-inspired, slightly sweet sauce. The beef strips, once cooked, are coated in a thick, lip-smackin’ sauce and are incredibly tender. We enjoy the beef and sauce served on rice, with a veggie on the side. It’s a delicious and hearty meal you’re going to love! Here’s how simple it is to make:

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

Prepare The Meat

For this recipe you will need 1¾ pounds of flank steak. It is usually packaged as a long, flat strip of meat. You will need to slice the beef into thin (about ½”) strips. TIP: If you freeze the flank steak for about 15 minutes, it will be much easier to slice.

Put the strips of beef into a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add cornstarch to the bag, and shake well, to cover the beef strips with cornstarch. The cornstarch will help to thicken the sauce for this recipe. Set the bag aside once the meat is fairly well-coated.

Flank steak is sliced into thin strips on a cutting mat.Strips of flank steak are coated with cornstarch in a large plastic bag.

Make The Sauce

Okay… now it’s time to make the sauce. It’s EASY! The sauce ingredients can be added directly to your crock pot. To make the sauce you will need water, low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, minced garlic, and grated carrots.

Add the sauce ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir well, to fully dissolve the brown sugar and combine the ingredients.

All ingredients for the Asian-inspired sauce are combined in a slow cooker.Sauce for the Mongolian beef is stirred to combine, before adding meat.

Ready, Set… Cook!

Add the prepared beef strips to the slow cooker and stir, to combine with the sauce. Now the crock pot Mongolian beef is ready to cook. See how easy that was?

There are two choices for how long you want to cook this dish. You can either cook it on HIGH for 2-3 hours OR you can cook it on LOW for 4-5 hours. I usually cook it on a low setting, because then I can simply not think about it, and go about my business. Towards the end of the cooking time I make a pot of rice (and a veggie) to serve with this dish.

Strips of beef are added to the crock pot with sauce and cooked several hours until tender.

When done, the sauce will have thickened, and the beef strips will be incredibly tender. This means the crock pot Mongolian beef is ready for serving. Whoo Hoo!

When done cooking, Crock Pot Mongolian Beef will be tender and coated in a thick sauce.

Serving Crock Pot Mongolian Beef

To serve this meal, I lay down a base of steamed rice on each plate, and spoon the crock pot Mongolian beef (and sauce) on top. At this point, this meal is ready to eat, but if you want to “fancy it up” just a bit, why not make it “pop” a bit more? We eat with our eyes first, so I enjoy making it LOOK GOOD, too!

I like to garnish each serving with a few grated carrots and chopped green onions. It gives this dish color (and even more flavor!). When served with a nice green veggie (we enjoy steamed broccoli), this becomes a very pleasing to look at meal! Just wait until you taste it, though. It is DELICIOUS!

Crock pot Mongolian beef is served on rice, with a garnish of chopped green onions.Steamed white rice and broccoli are served with the crock pot Mongolian beef.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have the opportunity to try this meal, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do. Have a great day, and please come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care!

Looking For More CROCK POT Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several slow cooker recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If 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

Recipe adapted from Alyssa at: http://therecipecritic.com/2015/08/slow-cooker-mongolian-beef/

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Crock Pot Mongolian Beef
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
 

Crock Pot Mongolian Beef is a delicious, easy meal you'll love! Strips of beef are cooked in Asian sauce until tender, then served on rice!

Category: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: crockpot Mongolian beef
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 369 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1¾ pounds flank steak
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¾ cup water
  • ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • ¾ cup brown sugar dark or light
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • chopped green onions/grated carrots, for garnish OPTIONAL, but GOOD
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Slice beef into strips (about ½") . TIP: If you freeze meat for 15 minutes, it's easier to slice. Put beef strips of beef in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add cornstarch. Shake well, to coat beef strips with cornstarch. Set bag aside once meat is well-coated.

  2. Add water, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, carrots and garlic to crock pot. Stir well, to dissolve brown sugar and combine ingredients.

  3. Add beef strips to crock pot; stir, to cover with sauce. Cook on HIGH (lid on) for 2-3 hours OR you can cook it on LOW (lid on) for 4-5 hours. When done, sauce will have thickened and meat will be very tender.

  4. Serve the beef (and sauce) on top of rice. If desired, garnish each serving with additional shredded carrots and chopped green onions. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Crock Pot Mongolian Beef
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))
Calories 369 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 79mg26%
Sodium 803mg35%
Potassium 598mg17%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 28g31%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 3564IU71%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 64mg6%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Crock Pot Mongolian Beef is a delicious, easy meal you'll love! Strips of beef are cooked in Asian sauce until tender, then served on rice!


Oct
2021

Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood
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Looking for quick dinner ideas? Try a delicious Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl, with chives, lemon and peas, and on the table in 30 minutes!
Looking for quick dinner ideas? Try a delicious Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl, with chives, lemon and peas, and on the table in 30 minutes!

We happen to love salmon in our home. Years ago I didn’t like it… in fact we almost never had it. Then a switch was flipped with my taste buds, and I began to enjoy it. Now for the past 10-15 years we try to eat salmon about once a week, and I LOVE it! Who knew that your taste buds can really change, after all? I even have lots of salmon recipes on my blog now, to prove it!

Today I want to share a really yummy all-in-one meal that features salmon fillets and pearl couscous, topped with a drizzling oil with lemon and chives. Throw in some peas, garlic and shallots for more flavor, and this is a great meal that’s ready to serve in 30 minutes. I found the recipe in one of my beloved cookbooks, and knew I had to share the recipe on my blog. Here’s how to make this delicious 30-minute meal:

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

TIP: Before beginning- preheat your oven to 200°F. Place an empty, oven-proof baking dish (large enough for 4 salmon fillets) in the oven (on a middle rack) while it preheats.

NOTE: The recipe (as written in recipe card below) makes 4 servings. My photos reflect only the amounts used for 2 servings, just so you know. 

Cook The Salmon Fillets

Okay… while the oven preheats, prepare the salmon fillets. Pat each one dry using paper towels, and then lightly season the top with salt and pepper. NOTE: The reason to pat the salmon dry is because excess moisture tends to “steam” the salmon. You want them dry so the salmon can be pan-seared and crispy brown.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. When the skillet is really hot, but not smoking, carefully place salmon, seasoned side down into the hot skillet. Cook the salmon (without moving them) in the skillet for about 5 minutes, until the bottom side is nicely browned.

Once the bottom has browned well, transfer the fish into the baking dish that has been heating in the oven, with the browned side of the salmon facing up. Bake the salmon (uncovered) at 200°F. for approx. 15 minutes. When done, the salmon will turn a bit opaque, and will flake easily.

Salmon fillets are patted dry, then seasoned with salt and pepper before cooking.The salmon fillets are pan-seared, seasoned side down in hot oil in a skillet.Browned salmon fillets are baked in the oven after pan-searing.

Cook The Pearl Couscous While Salmon Bakes

While the salmon bakes, prepare the couscous. Wipe the skillet (you used for the salmon) clean with paper towels. Put another 1 Tablespoon of oil in the skillet, and heat it on medium-high. Measure the pearl couscous into the hot oil in the skillet. Lightly cook, stirring often, until the couscous turns a light golden brown color. This usually takes only a couple minutes.

Add the lemon zest, minced shallot and garlic to the couscous. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds (don’t burn that garlic!).

Pearl couscous is lightly "toasted" in a hot skillet until golden.Shallots, garlic and lemon zest are added to the skillet with toasted pearl couscous.

Immediately add 3 cups of water to the couscous, and stir to combine. Continue to cook on medium-high heat, stirring often, until the couscous becomes soft, tender to the bite, and the liquid has been absorbed (approx. 11-12 minutes).

Water is added to the pearl couscous and it begins cooking in skillet.Water has been absorbed into the pearl couscous in the skillet.

Make The Lemon Chive Drizzling Oil While The Couscous Cooks

While the couscous is cooking, make the quick and easy drizzling oil for the finished salmon. Place the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil in a small bowl, then add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons of chopped chives. Whisk well, to fully combine these simple ingredients. Set aside.

A small bowl, holding the lemon chive drizzling oil to top the salmon fillets.

Final Steps To Finish This Dish

Now we’re ready for the final steps! As soon as the couscous is tender and the liquid is absorbed, remove the skillet from the heat source. Add frozen peas to the couscous, put a lid on the skillet, and allow to remain undisturbed for 2 minutes. The heat from the couscous will heat the frozen peas through!

After 2 minutes, take off the skillet lid. Stir in the rest of the chopped chives (2 Tablespoons) and lemon juice (1 Tablespoon). Toss gently, to combine these ingredients with the hot couscous. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Frozen peas are added to the skillet of hot pearl couscous.Chopped chives and lemon juice are added to the peas and pearl couscous for seasoning.

Serving The Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl

To serve, spoon about one fourth of the couscous into each serving bowl. Carefully place a salmon fillet on top of the couscous, re-stir and then drizzle one fourth of the lemon chive oil over the top of the salmon. Repeat for each serving.

Serve the salmon and pearl couscous bowl while all ingredients are hot, and enjoy this delicious, all-in-one meal! The salmon is nicely browned and should be flaky all the way through. The pearl couscous has a nice light flavor, and the lemon/chive drizzling oil brings it all together in every bite! Hope you enjoy it!

A Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl is served with lemon chive drizzling oil on top.The salmon fillet in the Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl is fully cooked and flaky.

Thank you for stopping by today. I sincerely hope you will come back again soon, to discover more family-friendly recipes to make for those you love. Take care, and have a wonderful day, friends.

Looking For More SALMON Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of yummy salmon recipes you can check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If 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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Original recipe source: “The Best 30-Minute Recipe” cookbook, page 129, published in 2006, by the Editors of Cooks Illustrated

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Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Looking for quick dinner ideas? Try a delicious Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl, with chives, lemon and peas, and on the table in 30 minutes!

Category: Main Dish, Seafood
Cuisine: American
Keyword: salmon pearl couscous bowl
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 551 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 salmon fillets (approx. 4 ounces per fillet) , 1¼" thick, skinless
  • salt and pepper , to lightly season salmon
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil , DIVIDED USE
  • 1½ cups Israeli pearl couscous , uncooked
  • 1 shallot , peeled/finely minced
  • 3 garlic cloves , peeled/finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest , = finely grated lemon peel
  • 3 cups water
  • ¼ cup chopped chives , DIVIDED USE
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice , DIVIDED USE
  • ½ cup frozen peas , frozen, NOT thawed
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. TIP: **Before beginning recipe... preheat oven to 200°F. Place an empty, oven-proof baking dish (large enough for salmon fillets) in the oven on the middle rack while the oven preheats.

  2. COOK SALMON- Pat salmon dry with paper towels; season top lightly with salt/pepper. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil on medium-high heat in a large, non-stick skillet. When oil is really hot, but not smoking, carefully place salmon, seasoned side down into skillet. Cook (without moving fillets) about 5 minutes, until bottom side is well browned. Transfer salmon into heated baking dish with browned side facing up. Bake salmon (uncovered) at 200°F. for 15 minutes.

  3. PREPARE COUSCOUS- While salmon bakes, make the couscous. Wipe salmon skillet clean with paper towels. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to skillet; heat on medium-high. Measure couscous into skillet. Cook, stirring often, until couscous turns golden brown (2-3 minutes). Add lemon zest, minced shallot and garlic. Stir/cook only about 30 seconds (don't burn garlic!). Immediately add 3 cups of water; stir to combine. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring often, until couscous is tender to the bite, and liquid has been absorbed (approx. 11-12 minutes).

  4. MAKE DRIZZLING OIL- While couscous cooks, make drizzling oil. Put remaining 2 Tablespoons oil in small bowl. Add 1 T. of lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons of chopped chives. Whisk well, to fully combine Set aside.

  5. TO FINISH- When couscous is tender and liquid absorbed, remove skillet from heat. Add frozen peas; put a lid on skillet; let sit undisturbed for 2 minutes (heat from couscous will heat frozen peas through). After 2 minutes, remove skillet lid. Stir in remaining chives (2 T.) and lemon juice (1 Tablespoon). Toss gently, to combine with couscous. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.

  6. TO SERVE- Spoon ¼ of the couscous into each bowl. Carefully place a salmon fillet on top of the couscous. Re-stir lemon/chive/oil mixture; drizzle ¼ of it over top of salmon. Repeat for each serving. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 551 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
Monounsaturated Fat 13g
Cholesterol 62mg21%
Sodium 68mg3%
Potassium 752mg21%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A 294IU6%
Vitamin C 13mg16%
Calcium 48mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Looking for quick dinner ideas? Try a delicious Salmon and Pearl Couscous Bowl, with chives, lemon and peas, and on the table in 30 minutes!


Sep
2021

Ham and Cheddar Gnocchi

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Pork
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Ham and Cheddar Gnocchi is a delicious, creamy, easy, one skillet meal, with ham, potato gnocchi, green beans, cheese, onions and garlic!
Ham and Cheddar Gnocchi is a delicious, creamy, easy, one skillet meal, with ham, potato gnocchi, green beans, cheese, onions and garlic!

Do you enjoy eating gnocchi? I sure do… those little fluffy potato bundles can be combined with a number of sauces and/or meats for a delicious meal. Over the past few years I’ve enjoyed using them for a number of recipes, because they are easy and quick to cook!

I found the original recipe for the ham and cheddar gnocchi online, and made several changes to suit our taste buds! This recipe is pretty straightforward in that you add ingredients to a skillet, cook, add more ingredients, and cook again. Cover it all with a blanket of cheddar cheese then eat. You get the picture. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make this yummy all-in-one-skillet dish! Here’s how to make it:

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

Ready, Get Set… And Go!

You will need a large, oven-proof skillet for this dish. Melt a Tablespoon of butter over medium heat in the skillet. Add two cups of chopped onions to the butter, and sauté them for approximately 4-5 minutes, or until they become tender and are golden brown.

Toss in the diced or shredded ham, and stir to combine. Cook the ham, onions and butter until heated through, approx. 2-3 minutes.

Chopped onions are cooked in melted butter in a large skillet.
Shredded (or cubed) ham is added to the cooked onions in the skillet.

Stir in the water and the chicken broth, and bring this mixture to a simmer. Once the liquid is simmering, add the gnocchi and sliced green beans. Stir everything well, then put a lid on the skillet.

Cook (covered) on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice during the cooking time. When done, the green beans AND the gnocchi should be tender to the bite.

Chicken broth and water are stirred into the skillet with ham and onions.Potato gnocchi and sliced green beans are added to the skillet.

Finishing The Ham And Cheddar Gnocchi

Turn on the broiler in your oven. to preheat. Add garlic powder, and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Stir in the half and half (or whipping cream, if using), then stir to combine these ingredients.

Sprinkle the gnocchi with grated cheddar cheese. If you don’t enjoy cheddar, you can use the cheese of your choice (such as Pepper Jack, Swiss, etc.). I use cheddar, because we always have it around, and it adds nice color to the dish. 

Put the skillet on a rack, positioned about 4-5 inches from the broiler heating element. Let the ham and cheddar gnocchi heat under the broiler about 2-3 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is bubbly on top. Be sure to keep an eye on it, so you don’t burn it! When done, remove from the oven and it’s ready to serve!

Seasonings and half and half are added to the ingredients for ham and cheddar gnocchi.Grated cheddar cheese is added to ham and cheddar gnocchi, then skillet is put under a broiler.

Serve The Ham And Cheddar Gnocchi

Serve the ham and cheddar gnocchi straight from the skillet. It is a rather rustic presentation, but it works! Besides, who needs one more serving dish to wash, right? Just grab a large spoon and dish it up onto individual serving plates Enjoy this flavorful all in one skillet meal!

Ham and cheddar gnocchi has been removed from broiler nd is ready to eat.A close up photo of the ham and cheddar gnocchi, ready for serving.

I really hope you enjoy this dish. We sure do, and enjoy how simple it is to make. The leftovers can be easily reheated using a microwave. Thank you for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Have a wonderful day, friends.

Looking For More Recipes Using GNOCCHI?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several delicious gnocchi recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If 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

Recipe adapted from: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/ham-and-cheese-gnocchi/

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Ham and Cheddar Gnocchi
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

Ham and Cheddar Gnocchi is a delicious, creamy, easy, one skillet meal, with ham, potato gnocchi, green beans, cheese, onions and garlic!

Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: ham and cheddar gnocchi
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 593 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 2 cups diced yellow onion (approx. 1 large)
  • 12 ounces ham (diced or shredded)
  • ¾ cup water
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 16 ounces potato gnocchi (1 pound pkg.)
  • ¾ cup sliced fresh green beans
  • ¼ cup half and half (or substitute heavy whipping cream)
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (sharp or mild)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Melt butter over medium heat in a large (ovenproof) skillet. Add chopped onions to skillet; sauté approx. 4-5 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Stir in diced or shredded ham. Cook 2-3 minutes until heated through,

  2. Stir in water and chicken broth; bring this mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, add gnocchi and sliced green beans. Stir well, then put a lid on the skillet. Cook (covered) on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. When done, green beans AND gnocchi should be tender. Remove skillet from heat. **Turn on oven broiler to preheat while you finish making the gnocchi.**

  3. To gnocchi add garlic powder, and then salt and pepper (to taste). Stir in half and half (or whipping cream, if using), combining all ingredients. Sprinkle gnocchi with grated cheddar cheese.

  4. Put skillet on a rack, positioned about 4-5 inches from the broiler heating element. Broil 2-3 minutes, or until cheese has melted and is bubbly on top. Be sure to keep an eye on it, so you don't burn it! When done, remove skillet from oven, serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Ham and Cheddar Gnocchi
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 593 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 96mg32%
Sodium 1616mg70%
Potassium 479mg14%
Carbohydrates 51g17%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A 568IU11%
Vitamin C 9mg11%
Calcium 278mg28%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Ham and Cheddar Gnocchi is a delicious, creamy, easy, one skillet meal, with ham, potato gnocchi, green beans, cheese, onions and garlic!

 


Sep
2021

Smoked Macaroni And Cheese

categories: Meatless Meals, Side Dishes, Traeger Grill Recipes
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Smoked Macaroni And Cheese is a tasty side OR main dish, cooked on a Traeger or smoker grill. The cheese sauce is easily made from scratch!
Smoked Macaroni And Cheese is a tasty side OR main dish, cooked on a Traeger or smoker grill. The cheese sauce is easily made from scratch!

Do you enjoy homemade macaroni and cheese? It is a favorite “comfort food” of ours. Most of the time we make an EASY version on the stove top in our kitchen (recipe here on my blog). However, we also enjoy it when we use our smoker grill to make it, which imparts a unique smoky taste we really like. I came up with this recipe to in order to use our Traeger to make this handy dandy, beloved pasta dish. 

That is the recipe I am sharing here today. We tend to make this as a side dish when we are smoking meat low and slow on our Traeger grill. This smoked macaroni and cheese is smoked at a low temperature, and tastes wonderful once done. The cheese sauce and the pasta are pre-cooked inside, then combined to put on the smoker grill. Topped with sharp cheddar and bread crumbs, this is one delicious side dish OR main dish! You can make it ahead, and then smoke it when ready, which is definitely convenient. Here’s how to make it:

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

Prepare The Cheese Sauce

TIP: While making the cheese sauce, cook the macaroni pasta in another saucepan, but cook it for 2 MINUTES LESS than the package instructions say. This will give you time to cook and drain the macaroni before adding the hot, completed cheese sauce.

To make the cheese sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Gradually whisk in the all purpose flour and dry mustard powder, being sure to whisk constantly. Cook for approx. 2 minutes, whisking constantly, to ensure the butter does not brown. Slowly whisk in the milk, and continue to mix until the sauce is slightly thickened and smooth.

Butter, mustard powder and flour are cooked in saucepan to begin making the cheese sauce.Milk is whisked into the flour/butter sauce, and cooked until slightly thickened and smooth.

Stir the Velveeta cheese OR American cheese chunks into the hot sauce in the saucepan. Stir until the cheese has melted. If you feel the sauce is too thick once done, simply add a small amount of milk to thin it out just a little bit.

TIP#1: I’ve also made this sauce using 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar. That will also make a nice, creamy sauce. TIP #2: If you are a real cheese lover, you can substitute a full pound of Velveeta or American cheese in the sauce (instead of the 12 ounces called for in the recipe). It is delicious, too!

American or Velveeta cheese is added to the creamy sauce mixture and cooked until melted.The creamy cheese sauce is seasoned, then is ready to add to cooked macaroni noodles.

Preparing The Macaroni And Cheese For The Smoker Grill

When the macaroni has finished cooking, drain the water, but do not rinse the noodles. Place the hot noodles in a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot cheese sauce over the top, then stir well to fully combine the ingredients. 

Macaroni pasta is cooked, drained, then placed in a large mixing bowl.Cheese sauce is added to the cooked pasta, and stirred until combined.

Take a quick taste, and add salt and pepper to suit your personal taste, if desired. Spray the baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (or coat with melted butter), then add the macaroni and cheese. Spread it out evenly in the pan.

Evenly sprinkle the surface with grated cheddar cheese. Next sprinkle with the bread crumbs, followed by a few sprinkles of paprika. Now your smoked macaroni and cheese is ready for the smoker grill.

Macaroni and cheese is placed into a greased or buttered baking pan.The macaroni and cheese is topped with shredded cheddar, bread crumbs and paprika.

Time For The Smoker Grill

Preheat your smoker grill to 225°F, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once at temperature, place the smoked macaroni and cheese pan onto the grate, leaving the pan uncovered. Close the lid of the smoker. Smoke the macaroni and cheese (pan uncovered) for 20 minutes.

After the first 20 minutes, cover the pan securely with aluminum foil, and continue cooking for another 25-30 minutes (we usually do 30), or until heated through and the cheese on top is melted.

Ready To EAT Some Smoked Macaroni And Cheese!

Now it’s time to enjoy your smoked macaroni and cheese! Serve this dish hot, grab a fork, and dig in. It has a subtle smoky taste (which we love) and tastes wonderful! This dish will yield approximately 8 small servings (can be served as a side OR a main dish. I hope you enjoy it!

Smoked macaroni and cheese, straight from the Traeger grill, hot and ready to serve.

Thank you for stopping by today. I truly hope you will come back again for more family-friendly recipes you can make for those you love. Have a great day, friends.

Looking for More Traeger Or Smoker Grill Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of recipes utilizing a smoker grill 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 so.  If 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

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Smoked Macaroni and Cheese
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

Smoked Macaroni And Cheese is a tasty side OR main dish, cooked on a Traeger or smoker grill. The cheese sauce is easily made from scratch!

Category: Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: smoked macaroni and cheese
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 516 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Pasta:
  • 2½ quarts water =10 cups water
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
For Cheese Sauce:
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 cup milk + more to thin sauce, if desired
  • 12 ounces American cheese (or Velveeta) , cut into small chunks
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup dried bread crumbs
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
Melted butter or cooking spray to grease the baking dish (bottom and sides)
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Cook Pasta- Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add macaroni. Cook macaroni for 2 MINUTES LESS than the package instructions say. If you cook the pasta while making the cheese sauce in a separate pan, it will save you time.

    2. Make Cheese Sauce- Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Gradually whisk in all purpose flour and mustard powder, being sure to whisk constantly. Cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly, to ensure butter does not brown. Slowly whisk in milk; continue to whisk until sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly. Stir Velveeta OR American cheese chunks into sauce. Stir until cheese has melted. If sauce is too thick once done, simply add a small amount of milk to thin it out a bit.

    3. When macaroni has finished cooking, drain off water, but do not rinse noodles. Place drained macaroni in a large bowl. Pour cheese sauce over the top, then stir well to fully combine ingredients. Taste, then season with salt/pepper to suit your taste. Spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (or coat with melted butter), then add the macaroni and cheese, spreading evenly in pan. Sprinkle top with grated cheddar, then bread crumbs, followed by a few sprinkles of paprika.

    4. Preheat smoker grill to 225°F, according to manufacturer's instructions. Once at temperature, place macaroni and cheese pan onto the grate, LEAVING PAN UNCOVERED. Close the smoker lid. Cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover the pan securely with aluminum foil. Continue cooking another 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese on top is melted. Remove from grill; serve hot.

    Recipe Notes

    TIP#1: You can make sauce using 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar. 

    TIP #2: If you're a cheese lover, you can add a full pound of cheese to the sauce (instead of the 12 ounces called for in recipe). 

    Nutrition Facts
    Smoked Macaroni and Cheese
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total))
    Calories 516 Calories from Fat 225
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 25g38%
    Saturated Fat 15g94%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 7g
    Cholesterol 74mg25%
    Sodium 890mg39%
    Potassium 255mg7%
    Carbohydrates 51g17%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 21g42%
    Vitamin A 807IU16%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 604mg60%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Smoked Macaroni And Cheese is a tasty side OR main dish, cooked on a Traeger or smoker grill. The cheese sauce is easily made from scratch!

     


    Aug
    2021

    Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

    categories: Chicken, Italian, Main Dishes
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    It’s so easy to make Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs! Mix and bake delicious, healthy meatballs to serve as is, or with a favorite sauce.
    It's so easy to make Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs! Mix and bake delicious, healthy meatballs to serve as is, or with a favorite sauce.

    Today I want to share a quick and easy recipe for Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs. The recipe is simple to prepare, and the Italian-seasoned meatballs are really yummy, whether you enjoy them plain (even though there’s nothing “plain” about them!), or with a favorite sauce!

    I found the original recipe in a book I purchased from the New Life Promise healthy eating plan (from Isabel D. Price), and have made them quite a few times since. After a few minor tweaks (and adding more spices) to her original recipe, my husband and I fell in love with these meatballs. Honestly, they are seasoned so nicely, you can simply eat them straight out of the oven, and forget the pasta OR sauce. 

    So, if you are trying to eat a little more “healthy”, I would love to recommend these Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs to you. This recipe makes 4 servings, but I suggest doubling the recipe, because these little beauties freeze very well. Here’s how easy they are to make:

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

    Combine All The Ingredients

    Preparing the meatball mixture could not be any easier! Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and then mix them well, until fully combined. It is a bit messy, but I’ve found the easiest way to do this is to use my (clean) hands, and just get in there, and mix up the ingredients! You can also use a fork to do this… just sayin’.

    The recipe calls for almond flour (which is gluten-free), but if that is not available, you can certainly use all purpose flour. Once the ingredients are well-combined, you will have a bowl of well-seasoned ground chicken, ready and waiting for you to shape into meatballs.

    Ingredients for the Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs are placed in a large bowl before combining.After combining the ingredients, the ground chicken mixture is ready to form meatballs.

    Time to Form The Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

    Now it’s time to make Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs! Again, using your hands, roll the ground chicken mixture into 12 evenly shaped, round meatballs.

    Place the meatballs onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving a small space in between each of them. Now they’re ready to bake! See how easy they are to make?

    Twelve meatballs are placed on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to bake.

    Time To Bake!

    Place the baking sheet (and meatballs!) into a preheated 350°F. oven on a middle rack. Bake the Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs for approximately 22-25 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned on top. Oven temperatures vary, so you might want to check them at the 22 minute mark.

    If you would like them browned a bit more after they’re done baking (we do!), simply switch the oven to the broiler setting. Place the baking sheet about 3-4″ from the broiler element, and broil the meatballs for 1-2 more minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through the broiling time. TIP: KEEP AN EYE ON THEM SO THEY DON’T BURN!

    Once baked, the Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs will be golden brown on top.A close up of one of the Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs on a spatula.

    Ready To Eat Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs!

    When done, immediately serve the Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs while hot. If you want to go the all healthy route, simply place 3 meatballs per serving on a plate, and serve alongside a cool, crisp mixed green salad, or a favorite vegetable.

    You can also serve these delicious, healthy meatballs with your favorite sauce and pasta. It’s your choice! However you choose to serve them, I think you are gonna love these delicious meatballs. They also freeze well, so you can save a few for another meal, if desired.

    Three Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs on a plate with a mixed green salad on the side.

    I really hope you enjoy this simple recipe. We sure do! The meatballs are easy to make, so they are perfect for a busy day! Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will come back again soon, for more family friendly recipes. Take care, and have a wonderful day.

    Looking For More MEATBALL Recipes?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several meatball recipes you might enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If 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

    Recipe adapted from: The book “Food Meets Faith- Total Trifecta of Weight Loss”, by Isabel D. Price, page 78, New Life Promise, published by Live Smart Solutions, LLC, 2019

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    Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    22 mins
    Total Time
    32 mins
     

    It's so easy to make Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs! Mix and bake delicious, healthy meatballs to serve as is, or with a favorite sauce.

    Category: Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
    Servings: 4 (3 meatballs per serving)
    Calories Per Serving: 261 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1 pound ground chicken
    • 1¼ cups chopped, fresh spinach leaves
    • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • ⅓ cup all purpose flour can substitute almond flour for gluten-free
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 large egg lightly beaten
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional, but good)
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

    2. Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix ingredients well (you can use your hands or a fork), until they're fully combined.

    3. Using your hands, divide and roll ground chicken mixture into 12 evenly shaped, round meatballs. Place meatballs onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving a small space between each one.

    4. Place baking sheet into preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake meatballs for approx. 22-25 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned on top. Oven temperatures vary, so check them at the 22 minute mark. TIP: If you would like them browned a bit more after they're done, simply switch oven to the broiler setting. Place baking sheet about 3-4" from the broiler element. Broil meatballs for 1-2 more minutes. Rotate pan halfway through broiling time. TIP: KEEP AN EYE ON THEM SO THEY DON'T BURN!

    5. Remove from oven, and transfer the meatballs from baking sheet to plates. Serve as is, or with a favorite sauce or side dish. Enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: Caloric calculation made using all purpose flour

    Nutrition Facts
    Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
    Amount Per Serving (1 3 meatballs)
    Calories 261 Calories from Fat 117
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 13g20%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Cholesterol 151mg50%
    Sodium 514mg22%
    Potassium 699mg20%
    Carbohydrates 10g3%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 26g52%
    Vitamin A 1059IU21%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 125mg13%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's so easy to make Italian Chicken Parmesan Meatballs! Mix and bake delicious, healthy meatballs to serve as is, or with a favorite sauce.


    Aug
    2021

    Smoked Brisket Of Beef

    categories: Beef, For The BBQ Grill, Main Dishes, Traeger Grill Recipes
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    Enjoy smoked brisket of beef, cooked on a smoker grill. Cut the brisket in slices to serve, or shred and add BBQ sauce for a great sandwich!
    Enjoy smoked brisket of beef, cooked on a smoker grill. Cut the brisket in slices to serve, or shred and add BBQ sauce for a great sandwich!

    We enjoy using our Traeger grill, especially in the summers when we don’t want to heat up the kitchen, and it’s nice outside. This recipe for smoked brisket of beef is a delicious meal, and any leftovers make great BBQ brisket sandwiches, too! I got the original recipe from Trager grills website, so I knew it would be a good one!

    My husband asked me to get a beef brisket at the store, using a free gift certificate we had received. I was wondering how the two of us could eat an entire brisket, but since the certificate got us a free 12 pound brisket, I obliged. I knew any leftover meat could make several meals for us, which meant less cooking! A win-win!

    For this smoked brisket of beef, you will need to plan ahead. The beef is well seasoned, and then it needs to be refrigerated overnight before you can put it on the smoker. As long as you can do that step , the rest is smoking it low and slow for best flavor. Here’s how to make this smoked brisket of beef:

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

    Make The Seasoning Mix For The Smoked Brisket Of Beef

    The seasoning mix is very simple to make, and adds great flavor to the beef brisket. Place sea salt, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl, and stir to combine. The next thing you will need to add to the spices is garlic paste.

    You can easily make your own garlic paste by chopping fresh garlic (2 T. for this recipe). Take 1 T. of sea salt and put it on a cutting board. Using the FLAT side of a large knife, rub the salt and chopped garlic together over and over. When done, the salt breaks down the garlic a bit and it becomes thick, like paste. Stir the garlic paste into the spices until combined.

    Spice rub for the beef brisket is combined in a bowl, and is ready for garlic paste to be added.Making garlic paste involves smashing chopped garlic cloves with coarse salt using flat side of a knife.

    Season Then Refrigerate Brisket Overnight

    After trimming the fat on the beef brisket to about 1/4″ thick, it is time to season the beef with the spice rub. This fat trimming will reduce the overall weight of the brisket. Place the brisket onto a large baking sheet to do this.

    Cover the entire surface of the brisket liberally with the rub, patting it onto the surface of the meat to adhere. Use all the spices to cover top, bottom and sides of the beef. Cover the meat with foil, and refrigerate the brisket overnight (at least 8 hours).

    Covered in spice rub, the beef brisket is ready to put on the smoker grill.

    Ready To Smoke The Beef Brisket

    Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and let it sit for about 45 minutes to take the chill off before smoking the meat. Once you’re ready to go, fire up your smoker according to manufacturer instructions. Preheat smoker to 225°F. with the lid closed (for about 15 minutes). For this recipe we used mesquite pellets in the hopper- hickory pellets are great for this brisket, also. I also like to add a pan full of water on the top shelf (creates moisture/steam as the brisket cooks-optional)

    Put the brisket onto the grate, with the fat side facing down, in the center of the grill. Smoke the brisket of beef for approx. 4½ – 5 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°-165°F. Temperatures tend to vary or fluctuate on various smokers, so be sure to check the internal temperature occasionally.  By the way… see those smoked chocolate chip cookie skillets? Uh huh. YUM!

    The smoked brisket of beef is cooked for several hours uncovered on the smoker grill.

    Once the meat registers that temperature internally, take the brisket off the smoker. Wrap the entire brisket securely in aluminum foil (or butcher paper). Place it back onto the gill, and let it continue cooking.

    The smoked brisket of beef will need to cook for approx. another 4 hours or so, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 203°F. The total smoking and cooking time will end up being between 8½-9½ hours. Of course, temperatures fluctuate on smokers as we all know, so your final cooking time may vary.

    A temperature probe is used to gauge an internal temperature of 203°F in the beef brisket.

    Let The Smoked Brisket Of Beef REST!

    After removing the brisket from the grill, you will need to let the meat rest for 1 hour before slicing. Slicing the meat too soon can result in a lot of the juices running out of the meat. Letting it sit allows time for the juices to redistribute throughout the beef. After all your work cooking the beef, you want it to be nice and juicy, right? Here are two options for this:

    OPTION #1: Keep the brisket tightly wrapped in foil and  let it sit, undisturbed on the counter, or OPTION #2: Keep meat tightly wrapped in foil and let it rest in a covered cooler. You know, the kind of insulated cooler you take to the beach. It helps insulate and keep the meat nice and warm. Your choice.

    The smoked brisket of beef is unwrapped and rests for awhile before slicing.

    Time To EAT!

    After the smoked brisket of beef has finished resting, slice it against the grain. Cut each slice about 1/4: thick, place the slices on a platter and serve. The brisket is really good, served with coleslaw and some fresh fruit  or baked beans on the side. YUM.

    We also enjoy shredding the brisket leftovers, adding a good quality bar-b-que sauce, and serving it on toasted hamburger buns! If I’m going to shred the beef, I put some of the leftover slices in a slow cooker with bbq sauce for a few hours to SUPER tenderize it BEFORE shredding it. That way we can have an entire other meal from the original brisket.

    Slices of smoked brisket of beef on a cutting board, ready to enjoy.Smoked brisket of beef has been shredded then heated in bbq sauce for a delicious sandwich.

    I hope you’ll have he opportunity to try this recipe for smoked brisket of beef, and trust you will enjoy it, too! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon. Have a wonderful day.

    Looking For More SMOKER GRILL Recipes?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of Traeger grill recipes you might be interested in, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If 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

    Original Recipe Source: traegergrills.com/recipes/chef-brisket

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    Smoked Brisket Of Beef
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    8 hrs
    Total Time
    8 hrs 10 mins
     

    Enjoy smoked brisket of beef, cooked on a smoker grill. Cut the brisket in slices to serve, or shred and add BBQ sauce for a great sandwich!

    Category: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: smoked brisket of beef
    Servings: 10
    Calories Per Serving: 732 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 12 pound whole packer beef brisket fat trimmed to ¼"
    • ⅓ cup sea salt
    • 2 Tablespoons garlic paste See Notes Section, below
    • 2 Tablespoons onion powder
    • ⅓ cup Black pepper
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Combine sea salt, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Add garlic paste; stir until combined. See NOTE below to make your own garlic paste.

    2. Trim fat on brisket to about 1/4" thick. Season beef with spice rub. Place the brisket on large baking sheet to do this. Cover top, bottom, sides of brisket liberally with spice mix, using it all. Pat it onto surface of meat to adhere. Cover meat with foil; refrigerate overnight (or at least 8 hours). After refrigerating, remove brisket from refrigerator. Let it sit for about 45 minutes to take the chill off, before adding it to grill.

    3. Preheat smoker to 225°F. with lid closed (approx. 15 minutes), according to manufacturer instructions. Put brisket directly on grate in center of grill, with the fat side facing down. Smoke (lid down) approx. 4½ - 5 hours, or until it reaches an internal temp. of 160°-165°F. Temperatures tend to vary or fluctuate on various smokers; be sure to monitor internal temperature.

    4. Once internal temp. is at temp., take brisket off smoker. Wrap entire brisket securely in aluminum foil (or butcher paper). Place it back onto grill; continue to cook approx. another 4 hours or so, or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 203°F. The total smoking/cooking time will end up being between 8½-9½ hours. Of course, temperatures fluctuate on smokers, so your final cooking time may vary.

    5. Once done, remove brisket from grill; let meat rest for 1 hour before slicing. Letting it sit allows time for juices to redistribute throughout beef. Here are two options for this: OPTION #1: Let it rest on counter, still covered in foil OR OPTION #2: Keep meat in foil and let it rest in a covered cooler (the kind you'd take to the beach). Sealed cooler helps insulate and keep meat nice and warm.

    6. After the smoked brisket of beef has finished resting, slice it against the grain. Cut each slice about 1/4" thick, place the slices on a platter and serve.

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: Make garlic paste by chopping fresh garlic. Take 1 T. of sea salt; put it on cutting board with garlic. Using FLAT side of large knife, rub salt and garlic together quite a few times, pressing as you go.. When done, salt breaks down the garlic and it becomes thick, like paste. 

    Nutrition Facts
    Smoked Brisket Of Beef
    Amount Per Serving (1 g)
    Calories 732 Calories from Fat 306
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 34g52%
    Saturated Fat 12g75%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 16g
    Cholesterol 281mg94%
    Sodium 4134mg180%
    Potassium 1628mg47%
    Carbohydrates 7g2%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 95g190%
    Vitamin A 43IU1%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 71mg7%
    Iron 10mg56%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy smoked brisket of beef, cooked on a smoker grill. Cut the brisket in slices to serve, or shred and add BBQ sauce for a great sandwich!


    Jul
    2021

    Smoked Smothered Pork Chops

    categories: Main Dishes, Pork, Traeger Grill Recipes
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    Smoked Smothered Pork Chops are tender, delicious and covered in onion gravy. They’re prepped on a stove, then cooked until tender on a smoker grill.
    Smoked Smothered Pork Chops are tender, delicious and covered in onion gravy. Prepped on a stove, then cooked until tender on a smoker grill.

    We love smothered pork chops, and typically we bake them. However, when it is summer and it’s really hot, I don’t want to heat up our kitchen by using our oven. That’s where our smoker comes in handy! We do the prep work for these smoked smothered pork chops on the stovetop for several minutes, then transfer them to our Traeger grill to cook low and slow!

    I made a couple tweaks to a recipe I posted on this blog a few years ago, by doubling the ingredients (to serve 4) and adapting it to be cooked on a smoker grill. They turned out wonderful! Delicious and tender, this is an easy way to slow cook pork chops on a HOT summer day, without using the oven!

    The long cooking time (1 hour, 45 minutes) on the smoker gives bone-in pork chops a chance to be infused with flavor and they always turn out really tender! The pork chops are “smothered” in a simple onion gravy while they cook away! YUM! Here’s how to make smoked smothered pork chops.

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

    Season The Pork Chops

    Place paprika, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine these dry spices. Pat the pork chops dry using a paper towel, then sprinkle both sides of the pork chops evenly with the spice mix. Press the spices into the meat, so it adheres.

    A simple spice mix is combined to use on the smoked pork chops.Four bone-in pork chops are coated with spices on both sides before cooking.

    Prepare The Smoked Smothered Pork Chops

    Before cooking the pork chops on your smoker, you will need to quickly pan-sear and brown them. Heat vegetable oil in a large oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat, until very hot, but just barely smoking.

    Add the seasoned pork chops to the skillet in a single layer, and cook each side 3-4 minutes, until well browned. Transfer the pork chops from the skillet to a plate (once browned), and keep them warm. Do NOT clean out the skillet!

    Seasoned pork chops are browned in a skillet before putting them on the smoker.Both sides of the pork chops are browned well in a large skillet.

    Caramelize Onions To Smother The Pork Chops

    Add butter to the same skillet, and let it melt on medium heat. Add the onion slices, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well browned. Stir in thyme and minced garlic, and cook for about 30 additional seconds.

    Add 1 cup beef broth to the skillet (reserving remaining 2 Tablespoons broth for later use). Toss in the bay leaf, and stir well, scraping up the browned bits (lots of flavor) from the bottom of the skillet while it cooks.

    Bring this mixture to a simmer, then transfer the pork chops back into the skillet. Spoon some of the sauce and onions over the top of each piece, then remove skillet from the stove and cover it with aluminum foil.

    Sliced onions are cooked in butter until well browned.Smoked smothered pork chops are covered with gravy and cooked onions.

    Ready For The Smoker Grill

    Preheat your smoker to 300°F according to manufacturer’s instructions. Once it is ready and at temperature, carefully place the foil-covered skillet onto the grill grate. Close the lid, and let the smoked smothered pork chops cook, (undisturbed) for 1 hour and 45 minutes, until the pork chops are tender.

    Smoked smothered pork chops are cooked on a Traeger grill in a foil-covered skillet.

    Last Step Before Serving The Smoked Smothered Pork Chops

    When done, remove the skillet from the smoker, and carefully transfer the smoked smothered pork chops (meat only) to a plate. Cover them with foil to keep them hot. Place a large strainer on top of a medium-sized bowl.

    Pour the sauce and onions from the skillet through the strainer. The sauce will run through strainer into the bowl below. The onions will remain in the strainer. Discard the bay leaves, and place the onions in a small bowl. If desired, remove any accumulated fat from the surface of the sauce.

    Measure out 2/3 cup of the sauce, and place it back into the skillet. Bring the sauce to a low simmer. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the reserved 2 Tablespoons beef broth and the cornstarch until smooth. Add this to the sauce in the skillet, and whisk to combine. The sauce will slightly thicken as it cooks for about a minute. Once thickened, add the onions back into the sauce, and stir to combine. **If desired, season gravy with additional salt and pepper, to suit your taste.

    Onions and juices are separated by straining juice over a bowl.Some of the onion sauce is used to make a gravy.The onions are added back into the gravy and cooked until gravy thickens.

    Time To Eat!

    Now it’s time to serve the smoked smothered pork chops! By this time you should be more than ready to enjoy this dish. Place a pork chop onto each plate, and then generously spoon some of the onion gravy over the top of each piece.

    We always enjoy having mashed potatoes with the pork chops, and like to add a bit of the “gravy” to them! Serve, and enjoy these tender and delicious smoked smothered pork chops. I think you will really enjoy them!

    A serving of smoked smothered pork chops, with mashed potatoes and broccoli on the side.A thick onion gravy tops the smoked smothered pork chops.

    I hope you’ll have the opportunity to try these pork chops, because they are really yummy. You can also check out my original recipe for BAKED smothered pork chops (for two) here. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes.

    Looking for More PORK CHOP Recipes?

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

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If 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

     

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    Smoked Smothered Pork Chops
    Prep Time
    20 mins
    Cook Time
    1 hr 45 mins
    Total Time
    2 hrs 5 mins
     

    Smoked Smothered Pork Chops are tender, delicious and covered in onion gravy. They're prepped on a stove, then cooked until tender on a smoker grill.

    Category: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: smoked smothered pork chops
    Servings: 4
    Calories Per Serving: 441 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon (each) salt and pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 4 bone-in pork chops , approx. 8 ounces each, (¾-1" thick)
    • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 2 Tablespoons butter
    • 2 large yellow onions halved, sliced thin top to bottom
    • 2 cloves garlic , minced
    • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced , OR ¼ tsp. dried thyme
    • 1 cup PLUS 2 Tablespoons low sodium beef broth , divided use
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Place paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Stir to combine. Pat pork chops dry using paper towel; sprinkle both sides of meat with spice mix, pressing spices into meat to adhere.

    2. Heat oil in large oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat, until very hot. Add pork chops in single layer; cook each side 3-4 minutes, until well browned. Transfer pork chops from skillet to a plate & keep warm. Do NOT clean out skillet!

    3. Add butter to same skillet; melt on medium heat. Add sliced onions; cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well browned. Stir in thyme and minced garlic; cook for 30 additional seconds. Add 1 cup beef broth to skillet (reserving remaining 2 Tablespoons for later). Add bay leaves and stir well, scraping up the browned bits from bottom of skillet while it cooks. Bring to a simmer; transfer pork chops back into skillet. Spoon sauce and onions over pork chops. Remove skillet from stove; cover it with aluminum foil.

    4. Preheat smoker to 300°F according to manufacturer instructions. Once at temp., place foil-covered skillet onto grill grate. Close smoker lid; let cook, (undisturbed) for 1 hour and 45 minutes, until pork chops are tender.

    5. When done, remove skillet from smoker; transfer pork chops (meat only) to a plate. Cover with foil to keep them hot. Place a large strainer on top of a medium-sized bowl. Pour sauce and onions from skillet through strainer. Sauce will run through strainer into bowl below. Onions will remain in strainer. Discard bay leaf. Place onions in small bowl. Remove any accumulated fat from surface of sauce. Place ⅔ cup of the sauce back into the skillet. Bring to a low simmer. In separate bowl, whisk reserved 2 Tablespoons beef broth and cornstarch until smooth. Add to sauce in skillet; whisk to combine. Sauce will slightly thicken as it cooks for about a minute. Once sauce thickens, add onions; stir to combine. **If desired, season gravy with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

    6. Place a pork chop onto each plate, and generously top each one with onion gravy. Serve, and enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Smoked Smothered Pork Chops
    Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop and gravy)
    Calories 441 Calories from Fat 252
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 28g43%
    Saturated Fat 14g88%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 8g
    Cholesterol 132mg44%
    Sodium 548mg24%
    Potassium 835mg24%
    Carbohydrates 9g3%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 37g74%
    Vitamin A 389IU8%
    Vitamin C 7mg8%
    Calcium 59mg6%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Smoked Smothered Pork Chops are tender, delicious and covered in onion gravy. Prepped on a stove, then cooked until tender on a smoker grill.


    Jul
    2021

    Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

    categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals
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    Easy tomato basil pasta is yummy, and is a CINCH to make! Marinate fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic & spices, then add to cooked pasta, to serve!
    Easy tomato basil pasta is yummy, and is a CINCH to make! Marinate fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic & spices, then add to cooked pasta, to serve!

    As I write this blog post, we are in the middle of a record-shattering heat wave here in our part of Oregon. Temps yesterday were 113°F., and they are “expected to hit 115° F today. Even though we have air conditioning (most in the Portland metro do not), we are trying our best not to use the oven, or even cook a lot of hot food. That’s where this recipe comes in handy! I am making this again tonight for my husband, and my sister-in-law (who is staying with us and our air conditioning during this heat wave, to stay cool).

    I found this recipe (source unknown) many years ago in an old recipe box I’ve had for over 30 years. Not sure where I got the original recipe, but it’s a KEEPER! I’ve made it a few times way back when, but decided recently to make it again, photograph it, and post the recipe on the ol’ blog! Now you can enjoy it, too!

    It is totally simple meatless main dish, and light enough (yet filling) to enjoy on a hot OR cold day!. If you can boil spaghetti noodles, you can make this delicious pasta dish! I’ve now made this pasta twice in the past two weeks, and it is yummy! Here’s how to make easy tomato basil pasta.

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

    How To Make Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

    In a medium sized bowl, combine chopped fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced fresh basil, minced garlic, and salt and pepper. Give them a good stir to fully combine ingredients together, and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for one hour (or more, if you have the time). Do NOT refrigerate the tomato mixture, and give it a stir a couple of times during the “marinating”.

    Chopped tomatoes, basil, garlic and spices are combined in a bowl.After stirring, the tomatoes and other ingredients sit undisturbed for at least an hour.

    After the tomato basil mixture has marinated for an hour, you will notice that the tomatoes have released some of their juice. That is perfect, and just what you want them to do. Set the tomato mixture aside while you cook the pasta.

    After resting for an hour, the ingredients for the tomato basil pasta are ready to use.

    Cook The Pasta

    Cook the spaghetti (or angel hair pasta) in boiling, lightly salted water according to the package instructions until done. Immediately pour the hot pasta into a colander to drain off water, BUT DO NOT RINSE! You want the pasta HOT.

    Spaghetti noodles (or angel hair pasta) is cooked in boiling water

    As soon as the water is drained, pour the hot pasta noodles back into the cooking pan. Immediately add the room temperature tomato/basil/garlic mixture. YES, you add it (uncooked) to the hot pasta. Toss the pasta and tomato basil mixture (including all the accumulated juice) until fully combined. 

    The pasta is drained and immediately placed back into the cooking pan.The easy tomato basil pasta ingredients are combined and tossed until fully integrated.

    Garnish, Then Serve Easy Tomato Basil Pasta

    While it is still hot, portion out the easy tomato basil pasta into serving bowls or onto plates. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top of the pasta, and garnish with a couple fresh basil leaves, if desired. Serve immediately!

    The tomato basil pasta is garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and basil leaves before serving.A serving of easy tomato basil pasta in a white bowl is garnished and ready to enjoy!

    We love this simple pasta dish, and it truly tastes wonderful! I hope you have the opportunity to try this recipe, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do. If you like meatless pasta, be sure to check out my recipe for Garlic Penne Pasta and Veggies! Thanks for stopping by, and I trust you will come back again soon! Take care, and may God bless you throughout this day.

    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 lots of yummy pasta recipes I think you’ll enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If 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

    Original recipe source: unknown

    0 from 0 votes
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    Easy Tomato Basil Pasta
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    10 mins
    RESTING TIME (inactive prep)
    1 hr
    Total Time
    1 hr 15 mins
     

    Easy tomato basil pasta is yummy, & a CINCH to make! Marinate fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic & spices, then add to cooked pasta, to serve!

    Category: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: easy tomato basil pasta
    Servings: 4
    Calories Per Serving: 249 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 2 cups diced, fresh tomatoes , approx. 2 large tomatoes
    • 2 teaspoons fresh basil , thinly sliced or chopped
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 8 ounces spaghetti or angel hair pasta
    • 4 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese , for garnish
    • 8 leaves fresh basil , for garnish
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. In a medium bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, chopped or thinly sliced basil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to fully combine ingredients. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for one hour (or more). Do NOT refrigerate tomato mixture; give it a stir a couple times during the "marinating". After mixture has marinated for an hour, you will notice the tomatoes have released some juice. That what you want them to do. Set the tomato mixture aside while you cook the pasta.

    2. Cook spaghetti (or angel hair pasta) in boiling, lightly salted water according to package instructions until done. Immediately pour hot pasta into a colander to drain off water, BUT DO NOT RINSE! You want the pasta HOT.

    3. As soon as water has drained off, pour hot pasta back into cooking pan. Immediately add room temperature tomato mixture. YES, add it (uncooked) to the hot pasta. Toss the pasta and tomato basil mixture (including accumulated juice) until fully combined.

    4. While still hot, portion pasta into serving bowls or onto plates. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top, and garnish with a couple fresh basil leaves, if desired. Serve immediately!

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Tomato Basil Pasta
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
    Calories 249 Calories from Fat 18
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 2g3%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 4mg1%
    Sodium 375mg16%
    Potassium 323mg9%
    Carbohydrates 46g15%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 10g20%
    Vitamin A 720IU14%
    Vitamin C 11mg13%
    Calcium 82mg8%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Easy tomato basil pasta is yummy, and is a CINCH to make! Marinate fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic & spices, then add to cooked pasta, to serve!