Category: Main Dishes


Aug
2014

Kung Pao Chicken

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes
150 Shares
Pin150
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

Who needs takeout when you can make amazing tasting Kung Pao Chicken in your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal! Who needs takeout when you can make amazing Kung Pao Chicken from the comfort of your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!
One of my favorite Chinese food entrees is Kung Pao Chicken. I almost always order it when we get take-out, or when I’m enjoying a meal at our favorite Chinese restaurant. What’s not to love?

Chicken, roasted peanuts, and the little kick of heat my taste buds get when eating this dish.  I don’t know where this particular recipe originated, but I got it on a 3×5 card from my Dad about 25 years ago.

I recently found the recipe card and was feeling rather nostalgic and missing my Dad (he passed away 8 years ago – I miss him dearly!) He used to love finding new recipes and always had fun taking a turn at cooking occasionally for our family. So, I decided to make this dish, in honor of my amazing Dad.

This particular recipe is very easy to prepare, and I it tastes GREAT! Who needs take-out when you can just make this recipe (4 servings) for a fraction of the price?

Hope you enjoy this recipe for Kung Pao Chicken…I sure did and you can be certain I will be making this again! Here are a few pictures to show you the process:

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

How To Make Kung Pao Chicken

First, measure out the raw peanuts (no skins).

Raw peanuts are measured for the recipe.

Toast the peanuts in a bit of oil in a skillet, stirring often, until golden brown (just a few minutes).

Raw peanuts to add to chicken are cooked in oil until golden brown.

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small chunks.

Chicken breasts are cut into cubes to use in making kung pao chicken.

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Marinate the chicken cubes in this sauce for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. I usually use a large plastic resealable bag and pour sauce over chicken.

Marinade is mixed to coat chicken breast cubes with for kung pao chicken.

Put the dried red chili peppers on a cutting surface.

Dried red chili peppers are used in kung pao chicken.

Snip the stem end off of the peppers. Remove all the seeds (they are the HEAT packers). Cut the red chili peppers into 1/2 ” long pieces. Set aside (discard seeds!).

Seeds are separated from red chili peppers before cooking dish.

Make A Quick Seasoning Sauce

Mix together ingredients for seasoning sauce. It’s so simple to make this sauce, yet it has so much flavor! Set the sauce aside.

Kung Pao seasoning sauce is mixed to add to chicken.

Cooking Kung Pao Chicken

Stir fry chicken in hot oil for a couple of minutes, until light golden brown, and cooked through. Remove chicken to paper towels to drain when done. Wipe skillet clean.

Chicken breast cubes are cooked in hot oil until golden brown.

Stir fry the red chili peppers until dark in color and blistered from the heat.

Red chili pepper slices are cooked for kung pao chicken.

Add fresh grated ginger to the darkened red chili pepper pieces.

Fresh minced ginger is added to skillet with chili peppers.

Building Layers Of Flavor

Add the cooked chicken back into skillet with the red chili peppers and ginger. Add the seasoning sauce to the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens.

Chicken is cooked with kung pao seasoning sauce and chili peppers.

Add the toasted peanuts to the skillet and cook until the kung pao chicken is heated through, and then the Kung Pao Chicken is ready to serve.

Toasted peanuts are added to kung pao chicken in skillet.

Serve The Kung Pao Chicken

Garnish the kung pao chicken with sesame seeds and chopped green onion slices. Serve each individual serving on top of a bed of steamed rice. Enjoy!

Kung Pao Chicken is garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, and is served on rice.

It’s really not too hard at all to make this great kung pao chicken from the comfort of your own kitchen! Hope you will consider making this yummy dish!

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking for More ASIAN-INSPIRED Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful Asian-inspired recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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
PRINT
Kung Pao Chicken
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Who needs takeout when you can make amazing Kung Pao Chicken from the comfort of your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: kung pao chicken
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 302 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless chicken breasts (about 2 large)
  • 5-6 pieces dry red chili pepper
  • 1/2 cup raw peanuts (no skin)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger , minced
  • 1/4 cup , plus 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
For Marinade:
  • 1 egg white , lightly beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
For Seasoning Sauce:
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons cooking sherry
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For Garnish:) optional)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • green onion slices
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Prepare marinade. Mix well in medium sized bowl.  Cut chicken into 1" cubes. Add to marinade. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes in refrigerator.

  2. On a cutting board, remove stem top and seeds from the dried red chili peppers. Discard stems and seeds. Use scissors to cut each chili pepper into 1/2" long pieces.
  3. Heat a large skillet. Add 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil. Stir fry raw peanuts until they are light brown. Remove from heat,, remove from skillet and let cool.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together ingredients for the Seasoning Sauce. Set aside.
  5. Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in skillet until very hot (but NOT smoking...). Add the chicken. Stir fry chicken for 2 minutes, then remove. Drain oil from skillet and wipe clean with paper towels.

  6. Add 2 Tablespoons oil back into the skillet. Add the dried red chili peppers and stir fry until they turn dark. Add the minced ginger and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Turn heat to high; add chicken back into skillet. Add the Seasoning Sauce, and cook until sauce has thickened and dish is heated through. Turn off heat. Remove skillet from stove. Add toasted peanuts to skillet. Mix to combine.

  7. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired. Serve Kung Pao Chicken on a bed of rice. ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts
Kung Pao Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 302 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 546mg24%
Potassium 589mg17%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 365IU7%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards! Who needs takeout when you can make amazing Kung Pao Chicken from the comfort of your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!

 

Save

Save


Aug
2014

Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches And Goat Cheese

categories: Main Dish Salads, Main Dishes, Pork, Salads
15 Shares
Pin15
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

Looking for a filling salad? You’ll love Grilled Ham Salad on spring greens, with fresh peaches, goat cheese, toasted pecans, and balsamic dressing.Looking for a filling entree salad? You'll love this Grilled Ham Salad on spring greens, with fresh peaches, goat cheese, toasted pecans, and balsamic dressing.

One of the gifts I received for Mother’s Day this year was a subscription to Food Network Magazine. That’s where I discovered this recipe for Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches and Goat Cheese.  I was thumbing through the September 2014 issue that recently and saw the recipe for a grilled ham salad, with peaches. It got my attention), because it sounded so different from other salads I’ve made.

The combination of ham and fresh peach slices sounded interesting to me. Guess what? They go WELL together! Who knew? Plus… just about ANYTHING with fresh peaches has to be wonderful, right?

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

Fresh peaches being sliced for grilled ham salad.

Well, my curiosity got the best of me and I ended up making this salad for dinner for my husband and myself a couple of nights ago. Even as I was making it, I truthfully wasn’t sure we would like it… but guess what? We both LOVED it! It was WAY better than I thought it would be, and THAT was a great surprise!

What’s IN A Grilled Ham Salad?

The grilled ham salad is a filling entree for dinner. You’ve got your meat (ham), dairy (creamy goat cheese), peaches (fruit), toasted pecans and lots of lettuce (veggies). Top it off with a homemade balsamic dressing and how could you NOT love a salad like this?

I only tweaked the original recipe just a bit. This grilled ham salad is quick to throw together, easy on the eyes, and completely delicious! I hope you will give this delicious salad a try.

Is This Grilled Ham Salad Hard To Make?

The answer is no. This grilled ham salad is not difficult at all to prepare. Ham slices are quickly grilled (indoor or outdoor), peaches are sliced, dressing is whisked together, and a delicious salad is created! It truly is a very easy salad to make!

Here’s a photo of the grilled ham salad with peaches and goat cheese (shown below), ready to eat. YUM! Sometimes just taking a chance on a new recipe ends up being a great decision when you find a GREAT tasting meal!  This grilled ham salad would be a wonderful dish to serve on a hot day!

Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches And Goat Cheese is a filling entree salad.

Hope you will consider making this grilled ham salad. I think you will be surprised with how good it tastes! Have a great day, and thank you for stopping by. Please come back again soon.

Looking For More MAIN COURSE SALADS?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few main course salads you might enjoy include:

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: Food Network Magazine, September 2014 issue, pg. 82

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches And Goat Cheese
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
26 mins
 
Looking for a filling entree salad? You'll love this Grilled Ham Salad on spring greens, with fresh peaches, goat cheese, toasted pecans, and balsamic dressing.
Category: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: grilled ham salad
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 649 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup pecans , chopped
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (plus more for grill)
  • 2 - 1 inch thick slices ham (approx. 7 oz. each)
  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Chives , chopped
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Tarragon (I used dried)
  • 1 shallot , finely minced
  • 3 fresh peaches , peeled, pitted, and sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
  • 8 cups fresh spring greens
  • 1 pinch Salt and black pepper , to taste
  • 4 ounces goat cheese , crumbled
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat a grill to medium heat. (I used an indoor grill to prepare the ham)

  2. Brush the grill lightly with olive oil. Place the ham slices on the grill; heat through (about 2-3 minutes per side). Remove the ham when heated through; set aside to cool, then slice into 1/2 inch strips. Set aside.

  3. Lightly toast chopped pecans over medium high heat in a dry skillet. Stir pecans occasionally, until toasted (about 5-6 minutes). Be careful to not let them burn. Set pecans aside to cool.

  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, herbs and shallot. Slowly whisk the olive oil into the mixture; Mix until emulsified.

  5. Place salad greens, pecans, ham, and peaches in salad bowl. Add the salad dressing and GENTLY toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange salad onto serving plates, and top with crumbled goat cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

**Original recipe uses 2 Tablespoons of sherry vinegar or white balsamic vinegar (instead of the regular balsamic vinegar I used).**

Nutrition Facts
Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches And Goat Cheese
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 649 Calories from Fat 450
% Daily Value*
Fat 50g77%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 74mg25%
Sodium 1344mg58%
Potassium 742mg21%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 1655IU33%
Vitamin C 27.6mg33%
Calcium 82mg8%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Looking for a filling entree salad? You'll love this Grilled Ham Salad on spring greens, with fresh peaches, goat cheese, toasted pecans, and balsamic dressing.

 

Save

Save


Aug
2014

Grilled “THAI” PB&J Sandwich

categories: Asian, Sandwiches
558 Shares
Pin558
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

A Grilled “Thai” PB&J Sandwich is a delicious, grown up, gourmet version of the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sounds strange, but tastes GREAT!A Grilled "Thai" PB & J Sandwich is a delicious, grown up, gourmet version of the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sounds strange, but tastes GREAT!

Look at this Grilled THAI Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich. What kind of crazy, weird sandwich is that anyways? A REALLY GOOD ONE.  YES. It’s really THAT good.

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

How I First Discovered this Amazing Sandwich

The first I ever heard of such a crazy sounding sandwich was when my sister Joni (who was visiting from California) ordered one at our local Farmer’s Market last summer. One of the food vendors were selling these sandwiches, along with a few other gourmet grilled sandwiches.

Truth is, It sounded horrible to me, UNTIL she forced me to try a bite of her sandwich. I didn’t think it would be good a all.  GULP… Here is the actual picture I took of her handing me the grilled Thai PB&J sandwich to taste for the first time (shown below).

My sister offering me a bite of Thai PB & J sandwich from the farmer's market.

May I just tell you truthfully that this grilled “Thai” PB&J sandwich was absolutely 100% AMAZING!!!!! That’s right… you heard me. Who ever would have believed that an ordinary old PB&J sandwich could go from “normal” to “over the top” just by adding a few…interesting…Thai-inspired ingredients!

So What Exactly Is IN This Grilled Thai PB&J Sandwich Sandwich?

Because I was curious, I decided to try and make a copycat grilled Thai PB & J sandwich myself in the comfort of my own kitchen and so I did! We have a WINNER! I have made this sandwich MANY times now, for friends and family, and they have always been surprised at how good it is!

Here’s the partial cast of characters: Peanut Butter, Orange Marmalade, Curry Powder, Sriracha Sauce, and fresh Basil. I know…weird, huh?  Sounds like some definite Thai inspired flavor combos going on. You will also need some good bread and some butter for grilling, of course!

Some of the key ingredients for the Thai PB & J sandwich.
Crazy, huh? But trust me, this is an absolutely delicious “Gourmet Grown Up Version” of the traditional PB&J Sandwich that you will LOVE if you like Thai flavors. You just have to try this at least once. This is definitely NOT YOUR MAMA’S PB&J sandwich!!!!

Making it is super easy (the pictures aren’t glamorous, but how do you class up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Here’s how:

How To Make A Grilled Thai PB&J Sandwich

First, spread one piece of bread with butter on one side, then coat the other side of the bread with peanut butter. Spread some of the sriracha sauce on top of the peanut butter. Place the bread, butter side down, in a large skillet on medium heat.

Peanut butter and sriracha sauce are spread on one side of bread.

Lightly sprinkle on some curry powder. I never measure it. Just be careful to sprinkle lightly. You don’t need a lot.

Curry powder is lightly sprinkled onto peanut butter.

Roll up a couple of large fresh basil leaves into a tight roll like this…

Fresh basil leaves are rolled before cutting to add to sandwich.

Then slice the rolled basil into thin strips. The technical term for this is to “chiffonade” the basil.

Basil is sliced into thin strips before adding to sandwich.

Add Basil And Marmalade!

Evenly sprinkle the basil over the peanut butter side. Spread a layer of orange marmalade (I used my own homemade marmalade!) over the basil. The photo below shows the marmalade halfway spread on the sandwich. Spread the entire slice of bread with the marmalade.

Sliced basil leaves and orange marmalade added to PB&J sandwich.

Ready To Grill!

Butter one side of the second piece of bread and place it on top of the sandwich, butter side up. Grill the sandwich on both sides (just like you would a grilled cheese sandwich). I usually grill it on medium-low heat.

Grilled THAI PB&J Sandwich cooking in skillet.

Grill until both sides of the sandwich are toasted and golden brown. Transfer the sandwich from the skillet onto a serving plate.

Grilled THAI PB&J Sandwich is cooked until golden brown on both sides.

Time To Eat!

Slice the Grilled Thai PB&J Sandwich diagonally across to form two triangles. Yes, it might be a bit messy…but that’s great, because the sandwich is so GOOD! Take a bite, and enjoy this delicious sandwich.

Grilled THAI PB&J Sandwich is sliced in half and served. Messy, but good!

It’s still hard to believe that this crazy sounding grilled “Thai” PB&J sandwich is so amazingly GOOD, but it’s true! I’ve made this sandwich at least twenty times since I took that first tentative bite, and it never fails to be ridiculously delicious! I hope you will give it a try. 

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you will be able to come back again soon for more recipes. Don’t forget to check out the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page to see ALL of my recipes. 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 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

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Grilled "THAI" PB&J Sandwich
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
A Grilled "Thai" PB & J Sandwich is a delicious, grown up, gourmet version of the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sounds strange, but tastes GREAT!
Category: Sandwich
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: thai pb&j sandwich
Servings: 1 sandwich
Calories Per Serving: 366 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 slices good quality bread
  • butter (to spread on one side of each piece of bread)
  • peanut butter (enough to cover one piece of bread
  • orange marmalade (enough to cover one slice of bread)
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (hot chile sauce found in Asian section of grocery store)
  • curry powder (I don't measure...just light sprinkle over one side of bread)
  • 2 large , fresh basil leaves
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Spread one side of one piece of bread with butter. Place butter side down in skillet.

  2. Spread peanut butter on top of the slice of bread in skillet to cover. Spread sriracha sauce over the peanut butter evenly. Lightly sprinkle with curry powder. Roll and slice the fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle evenly over peanut butter. Carefully spread orange marmalade over sliced basil leaves. Butter one side of the second piece of bread. Put on top of marmalade, butter side up.

  3. Grill sandwich on medium heat, turning during cooking. Grill until each side is toasted and golden brown. Remove hot sandwich to serving plate. Cut on the diagonal, and serve! Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Grilled "THAI" PB&J Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 366 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 21mg7%
Sodium 576mg25%
Potassium 222mg6%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 250IU5%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 77mg8%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!A Grilled "Thai" PB & J Sandwich is a delicious, grown up, gourmet version of the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sounds strange, but tastes GREAT!

 

Save

Save

Save


Jul
2014

Caprese Salad

categories: Appetizers, Italian, Salads
323 Shares
Pin323
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

Caprese Salad is an easy to make Italian classic, with fresh ripe tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar!Caprese Salad is an easy to make Italian classic, with fresh ripe tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

Well, I’ve made this Caprese Salad two nights in a row for my husband and myself. Truth! It is so refreshing and delicious, especially with peak of season tomatoes and basil! With very few ingredients, you can make this delicious salad. We enjoy it as a side salad OR as a main dish on a hot summer night.

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

Inspiration Hits

It all started innocently enough… I happened to see a post on my friend Elizabeth’s Facebook page. She made a Caprese Salad for her family…so I got to thinking that I should make one for my husband and I, too! I didn’t have an official recipe, but how hard could it be, right?

Fresh basil leaves in garden are used to make a caprese salad.

I have basil and tomatoes growing in our garden. Hmmm. All I need is some fresh mozzarella. Hmmm. This would be a great light summer appetizer or salad…Hmmm. (you realize, of course, that those “Hmmms” are me, putting on my thinking cap, right?).

Caprese Salad… For the WIN!

Caprese salad is such a easy dish to prepare, and you can make it as large or small as you wish! My husband and I had late lunches the past couple of days, so two nights ago, we just sat out on our deck. We enjoyed this simple dish, along with a glass of wine, for our dinner. Sooo deliciously tasty on a hot, summer night!

Another caprese salad, ready to eat with dinner!

Last night, the same story. Late lunch, and we weren’t really hungry for a “normal” dinner, so I ran out to our garden, picked some basil and fresh tomatoes, and made another Caprese Salad for dinner. Yee Haw! When you have the flavor of homegrown tomatoes, this salad SHINES!

Fresh garden tomatoes will make a wonderful tasting caprese salad.

So what exactly is a “Caprese Salad”, you ask?  Wikipedia defines it: “Caprese Salad is a simple salad, made of sliced fresh mozarella, tomatoes and basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. It was made to resemble the colors of the Italian flag: red, white, and green.”

I also added pepper, and drizzled some balsamic vinegar on top (along with the olive oil). Perfect! I’ve made caprese salad so many times now I’ve lost count!

Two caprese salads, ready to eat!

Hope you will give this easy salad a try. The flavors of the fresh tomatoes and basil combined with creamy fresh mozzarella is wonderful!

Caprese Salad , served on a white platter.

Hope you enjoy this delicious caprese salad! It is REALLY easy to prepare, and is absolutely delicious! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD 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 salad recipes, 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

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Caprese Salad
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Caprese Salad is an easy to make Italian classic, with fresh ripe tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

Category: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: caprese salad
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 272 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • Fresh mozzarella cheese , room temp, sliced in 1/2 inch slices (2-3 slices per person)
  • Fresh tomatoes , sliced in 1/2 inch slices (2-3 slices per person)
  • Fresh basil sprigs ( one for each slice of cheese and tomato)
  • Sea salt (to taste)
  • Cracked pepper (to taste)
  • Olive oil (enough to drizzle over the top of the salad)
  • Balsamic vinegar (enough to drizzle over the top of the salad)
Instructions
  1. Layer the serving platter with slice of cheese, then a slice of tomato. Repeat, until you have as much on the platter as you desire.
  2. Lightly salt and pepper the salad.

  3. Lightly drizzle the salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

  4. Place a sprig or two of fresh basil leaves on, or in between each slice of tomato and cheese. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Caprese Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 272 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 67mg22%
Sodium 547mg24%
Potassium 292mg8%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 1545IU31%
Vitamin C 13.2mg16%
Calcium 446mg45%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Caprese Salad is an easy to make Italian classic, with fresh ripe tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

 

 

Save


Jul
2014

Sweet N’ Sticky Polska Kielbasa

categories: Beef, Main Dishes, Pork
7.3K Shares
Pin7.3K
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

Sweet n’ Sticky Polska Kielbasa only has TWO ingredients, and is an EASY and delicious family friendly recipe, using pork or beef kielbasa sausage!
Sweet n' Sticky Polska Kielbasa only has TWO ingredients, and is an EASY and delicious family friendly recipe, using pork or beef kielbasa sausage!
Yep…you heard me right, friends. This recipe for sweet n’ sticky polska kielbasa only has 2 ingredients and is very budget friendly to make! How cool is that?

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

What Does Polska Kielbasa Mean?

Did you know that Polska Kielbasa means Polish Sausage? It is one of the most traditional foods served at Polish weddings.

There are many different varieties available in grocery stores throughout the United States, and most are fairly inexpensive. You can read more about this common sausage here.

How We First Tried This Recipe

Almost 30 years ago my husband and I rented a room in our home to a college age friend of ours, named Kip. One night he offered to cook us dinner, and this polska kielbasa is the dish he cooked for us, along with mashed potatoes.

When I heard what “secret” ingredient he was going to cook the sausage in, I couldn’t believe my ears! It sounded completely crazy to me…but guess what?  This sweet n’ sticky polska kielbasa was absolutely delicious!

So What Is The Secret Ingredient?

Want to know what the secret ingredient is?  COKE or PEPSI. Yep. The sugars in the cola transform into a sticky sweet glaze that coats the kielbasa slices. So good… and we’ve been making it ever since… true story.

This recipe only has two ingredients. Kielbasa (beef or pork) and Coke (or Pepsi). The only really important thing to remember is to never use a diet soda for this recipe because you have to use real, sweetened soda so the sugars in the soda will caramelize and coat the meat slices.

Can you believe it? This might possibly be the world’s simplest dinner. The caramelized sweet n’ sticky coating on the kielbasa is truly wonderful! And talk about easy? Unbelievable, but true.

Look How EASY It Is To Make This Dish

First you will need to cut the polska kielbasa into 1/2″ slices. You can use either beef or pork kielbasa to make this dish. This ring of polska kielska only cost us $2.50 on sale.

Since the only other ingredient is one can of cola, you can see how INEXPENSIVE this meal can be to feed four people!

Polska kielbasa is cut into 1" slices on yellow cutting mat.

Here is the polska kielbasa all sliced, and ready to go into a hot skillet!  See how very easy this is so far?

The polska kielbasa is all sliced and ready to cook!

Brown The Kielbasa

Cook the sliced sausage in a large skillet, on medium high heat. Cook until it starts to brown on all sides, stirring often.

Make sure both sides of the sausage get lightly browned. Once the kielbasa is lightly browned on both sides, pour in 3/4 can of regular cola (NOT DIET!).

Cooking polska kielbasa slices in a large skillet until lightly browned.

Use REGULAR Cola- Not Diet Cola

The reason you want to use REGULAR cola is because the sugar present in this drink is what caramelizes during cooking.

This caramelization is what coats the polska kielbasa with an amazing, sweet n’ sticky glaze. This adds wonderful flavor to the sausage!

Cola is poured into skillet with polska kielbasa slices.

How Long Do I Cook The Polska Kielbasa?

Continue to cook the kielbasa and cola on medium heat, stirring often. Continue to cook until the sauce has reduced, thickened, and coated the sausage pieces with a syrupy glaze.

There should be almost no liquid left in skillet, once done. This usually takes about 20 minutes for the liquid to fully coat the sausage.

Sweet n' sticky polska kielbasa is cooked until cola caramelizes onto meat.

Now it’s ready to serve! See how shiny that kielbasa looks? It’s that yummy, sweet n’ sticky glaze coating each piece. YUM.

Time To Eat Sweet n’ Sticky Kielbasa!

Serve sweet n’ sticky polska kielbasa with some mashed potatoes and a veggie on the side, and you’ve got yourself a scrumptious, family-friendly dinner!

What’s the best part, besides how it tastes? It is SO VERY EASY to double this recipe, in case you have a large family!

Close up photo of the sweet n' sticky polska kielbasa slices on plate.

Hope you’ll try this dish. Everyone I’ve made it for always loves it!  It REALLY tastes good and is very convenient to fix when you don’t want to mess with a long, complicated recipe after a long day!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking for More Recipes Using SAUSAGES?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several recipes using sausages to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Original Recipe Source: Kevin (Kip) Ecton

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Sweet N' Sticky Polska Kielbasa
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Sweet n' Sticky Polska Kielbasa only has TWO ingredients, and is an EASY and delicious family friendly recipe, using pork or beef kielbasa sausage!
Category: Dinner, Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: polska kielbasa
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 393 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound package polska kielbasa (beef or pork)
  • 9 ounces cola (3/4 of 12 ounce can) (regular, sweetened cola, NOT diet!)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Slice the entire kielbasa into 1/2 inch wide slices. Place them in a skillet and sauté on medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the both sides of the kielbasa begin to lightly brown.

  2. Pour 3/4 of the can of cola into the skillet (total of 9 ounces). Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has reduced, thickened, and glazed the meat (about 20 min.). All the liquid should be gone from the skillet.

  3. Remove kielbasa from skillet and serve hot, alongside a serving of mashed potatoes and a veggie. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Sweet N' Sticky Polska Kielbasa
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 393 Calories from Fat 288
% Daily Value*
Fat 32g49%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 79mg26%
Sodium 995mg43%
Potassium 268mg8%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin C 1.2mg1%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!  Sweet n' Sticky Polska Kielbasa only has TWO ingredients, and is an EASY and delicious family friendly recipe, using pork or beef kielbasa sausage!

Save

Save

Save


Jul
2014

Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta
7 Shares
Pin7
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

Ravioli with Mushrooms and Snap Peas is a unique and delicious pasta dish, flavored with Parmesan cheese, pistachios, fresh sage and lemon zest.Ravioli with Mushrooms and Snap Peas is a unique and delicious pasta dish, flavored with Parmesan cheese, pistachios, fresh sage and lemon zest.

We’ve been experiencing a bit of a heat wave here in the Pacific Northwest.  I’ve been avoiding turning on our oven at all costs, to keep our kitchen cool. We’ve been grilling almost all of our dinners outside!  Last week I decided to try a new meatless recipe for Ravioli with Mushrooms and Snap Peas! Thankfully no oven was necessary, because this dish was made on our stove top.

My husband and I loved this ravioli with mushrooms, even with a few slight changes to the original recipe! I added additional Parmesan to the sauce, and used pistachios instead of hazelnuts, and regular milk instead of evaporated.

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

Use Packaged OR Homemade Cheese Ravioli For This Recipe

The recipe calls for a package of refrigerated ravioli. I always make my own from scratch, but know that buying fresh ravioli is a real timesaver. Either type of ravioli can be used flawlessly for this recipe. The original ravioli with mushrooms recipe was found on Pinterest, via Taste of Home magazine. It sure sounded good, so I set out to try it!

What is the verdict? A delicious, unique and filling main dish. The sauce on the ravioli with mushrooms is mild, yet full of flavor. I’ve never added snap peas to any pasta recipe before, but found the crunchy texture was a welcome addition to this dish, along with the fresh sage, lemon, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese!

I Had Fun Making The Ravioli From Scratch!

Typically I make my own ravioli…so I did! I ended up making a batch of cheese/spinach ravioli for this recipe. See? I really made the ravioli from scratch, with the help of my handy dandy pasta machine. It’s lovingly referred to as my own little pasta making factory!

Homemade ravioli that I made to use in this dish.

It was fun to be able to use some of the fresh sage leaves from our garden in this recipe!

Fresh sage leaves from the garden add great flavor to the ravioli with mushrooms.

How To Make Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas

Cook the mushrooms, garlic and onions in a large skillet. They smell wonderful as they cook down and soften. These flavorful ingredients will be part of the sauce that tops the ravioli later on.

Cooking the mushrooms, garlic and onions for this dish.

Finely grated lemon peel and sliced sage leaves are prepped, and are now ready to season the sauce for the ravioli with mushrooms!

Grated lemon zest and sliced sage leaves to add to the sauce for the ravioli.

Cook The Mushrooms For The Sauce

Cook the mushrooms down, and now it’s starting to smell really good in the kitchen, because of the onions and garlic!

The mushrooms cook down a lot in the skillet.

The ingredients for the sauce have been added to the mushroom mixture. Now the lemon peel and the sage leaves are added to the sauce, for extra flavor!

Sauce and lemon zest is added to the mushrooms in the skillet.

Cook The Ravioli WITH The Snap Peas

Let the ravioli cook for just a few minutes in boiling water. Snap Peas (from our garden-yay!) cook in same water for a couple minutes, then they are drained.

I cooked the snap peas in the same pan as the cheese ravioli.

Add the cooked and drained raviolis and snap peas to the sauce in the skillet, and then gently mix it all together!

Ravioli with mushrooms and snap peas is heated through and ready to garnish, then seve.

Serve The Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas

And now it is time to dish this meal up!  We sure think it looks good enough to eat! Chopped pistachios and grated Parmesan cheese make a great garnish for the ravioli with mushrooms!

Finished ravioli with mushrooms is garnished with chopped pistachios and Parmesan cheese.

Here’s a close up look at these delicious ravioli with mushrooms! Yum!

A close up look at one of the cheese raviolis.

Hope you will give this great dinner with ravioli and mushrooms a try! I think you will really enjoy it! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my pasta recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few pasta recipes you might want to check out are:

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 signatureRecipe Adapted From: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ravioli-with-snap-peas—mushrooms

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Ravioli with Mushrooms and Snap Peas is a unique and delicious pasta dish, flavored with Parmesan cheese, pistachios, fresh sage and lemon zest.
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: ravioli with mushrooms
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 387 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 package (20 ounces) refrigerated cheese ravioli (or make your own!)
  • 1 pound fresh sugar snap peas , trimmed
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 pound (8 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms (I used baby portobellas)
  • 3 shallots , finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 cups milk (original recipe calls for evaporated milk - I used regular)
  • 8 fresh sage leaves , thinly sliced (or 2 teaspoons dried sage - I used fresh)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh finely grated lemon peel
  • 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (for sauce)
  • 1/4 cup shelled and chopped pistachios , for garnish (original recipe used roasted hazelnuts)
  • 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (for garnishing each dish)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Cook the ravioli per package instructions, in a large saucepan. During the last 3 minutes, add the sugar snap peas to the water. When done, drain pasta and snap peas.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Cook this until the mushrooms become tender.
  3. Stir the milk, sage slices, grated lemon peel, lemon pepper, black pepper into the mushroom mixture; bring the ingredients to a boil. Add the 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 2-3 minutes or until sauce has thickened up a bit.
  4. Gently add the cooked and drained ravioli and snap peas to the sauce; gently mix to combine and heat through.
  5. When ravioli is hot, place portions on each serving plate. Garnish each serving with additional grated parmesan cheese, followed by chopped pistachios. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 387 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 56mg19%
Sodium 625mg27%
Potassium 380mg11%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 855IU17%
Vitamin C 35.8mg43%
Calcium 221mg22%
Iron 9mg50%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Ravioli with Mushrooms and Snap Peas is a unique and delicious pasta dish, flavored with Parmesan cheese, pistachios, fresh sage and lemon zest.

 

Save

Save

Save

Save


Jul
2014

“Not Outta the Box” Macaroni And Cheese

categories: Casseroles, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta
12 Shares
Pin12
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

“Not Outta The Box” Macaroni And Cheese is a delicious baked pasta dish, with creamy, cheesy sauce and a bread crumb topping."Not Outta The Box" Macaroni And Cheese is a delicious baked pasta dish, with creamy, cheesy sauce and a bread crumb topping.

Comfort food and macaroni and cheese go together like bad singing and Christmas caroling. Always good, no matter what! By the way,  I nominate this for the worst intro ever for “Not Outta The Box” Macaroni And Cheese”. You’re welcome…*cough, cough.

So, here’s the back story. I grew up in your typical, average, All-American household. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we were well-fed. Our Mom often fed us macaroni and cheese out of a lovely blue and gold box (go ahead – insert nationally known name brand here!), and we loved it!

Yes… we loved it…and I have to admit that my hubby and I occasionally STILL eat it when we want something quick cheesy. Truth. We can’t help ourselves, because it’s in our family genes, I guess. The recipe I am sharing is for a BAKED version of this creamy and very cheesy pasta dish.

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

Sometimes I crave a homemade version of those cheesy macaroni noodles and don’t want to use a box mix, filled with orange cheese-like substances. I wanna go full out and make it  FRESH! I found this easy and very tasty recipe on Pinterest (my “go to”) for quick recipe searches. We tried it, and loved it. End of story. Oh yeah…they all lived happily ever after, their little tummies filled with homemade “not outta the box” macaroni and cheese.

Bake And Serve “Not Outta The Box” Macaroni And Cheese

Now wasn’t that a nice little story? Well, here’s the nice little recipe. My photos of this dish are not some of my best, but don’t let that mess with your head. This is a great recipe for “not Outta The box” Macaroni And Cheese. Hope you enjoy it!

"Not Outta The Box" Macaroni and Cheese after it finished cooking.

Hope you enjoy this recipe. It really is good (despite my horrible photos).Thank you for stopping by, and have a great 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 great pasta 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

Recipe Source: http://www.iheartnaptime.net/homemade-macaroni-and-cheese/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
"Not Outta the Box" Macaroni And Cheese
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

"Not Outta The Box" Macaroni And Cheese is a delicious baked pasta dish, with creamy, cheesy sauce and a bread crumb topping.

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: macaroni and cheese
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 873 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. elbow macaroni noodles
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 cube) butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream (I used heavy)
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow table mustard
  • 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese , grated
  • 1 cup medium cheddar cheese , grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning (or you may substitute seasoning salt)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup additional grated cheddar cheese (to top dish with prior to baking)
  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (for topping - optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cook the elbow macaroni noodles according to package directions. Remove and drain once macaroni is cooked.
  3. In a separate large saucepan, melt the butter on low heat. When melted, whisk in the flour. Cook these two ingredients together for 3-4 minutes. Stir constantly while these are cooking.
  4. Add the salt, pepper and creole seasoning (or seasoning salt) to the flour mixture.
  5. Add the milk, whipping cream and mustard. Whisk these ingredients until they are well combined.
  6. Add the sharp and medium grated cheddar cheese. Stir these as they melt. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
  7. Add the drained macaroni to the cheese mixture; stir it to combine.
  8. Spray a 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into this dish. Add the additional cheese on top, followed by the bread crumbs.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and the dish is beginning to turn golden brown on top. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition Facts
"Not Outta the Box" Macaroni And Cheese
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 873 Calories from Fat 450
% Daily Value*
Fat 50g77%
Saturated Fat 31g194%
Cholesterol 152mg51%
Sodium 1083mg47%
Potassium 210mg6%
Carbohydrates 70g23%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 1660IU33%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 781mg78%
Iron 2.4mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!"Not Outta The Box" Macaroni And Cheese is a delicious baked pasta dish, with creamy, cheesy sauce and a bread crumb topping.

 

 

 

Save

Save

Save


Jun
2014

Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta
9 Shares
Pin9
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes is a delicious dish, cooked in a skillet and topped with Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs!Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes is a delicious dish, cooked in a skillet and topped with Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs!

A few nights ago I made this Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes for our dinner. I found the recipe on Pinterest, and noticed the original recipe was from celebrity chef, Mario Batali (from the TV Show “The Chew”. It sounded good, so I decided to give it a try.

I was happy that two of the main ingredients in the dish were sun-dried tomatoes and arugula. Hmmm…how convenient! Last Fall I dehydrated some of the yummy tomatoes from my garden, and still had some nestled in a jar of olive oil. I am growing arugula in my garden this year, so out to the garden I went to gather the amount needed for this recipe. The original recipe called for spaghettini pasta, but I decided to go with Farfalle (bow-tie pasta), because I had it in my pantry! I made a couple of minor tweaks to the original recipe to suit our taste, then prepared it for dinner! It was really quite good (and TOTALLY easy to make!).

My husband and I loved that this is not a “heavy” pasta dish (AKA “Gut-Bomb”), loaded down with thick sauces. The concentrated flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, paired with the slightly “peppery” taste of the arugula, a touch of white wine, a little Parmesan cheese, etc. makes this a great entree!

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

Prepping Some Of The Ingredients

Here’s how to make this dish: Get your ingredients prepped before beginning. Arugula from the garden. Check. Sun-Dried Tomatoes in oil. check. Minced garlic. Check. Begin cooking the pasta according to package directions, remembering to reserve the starchy cooking water when done.

Arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic, ready to add to the pasta dish.

Making the Sauce

Gently cook the garlic in olive oil. You will notice how it smells pretty good in the ol’ kitchen right now!

Minced garlic is cooked in hot olive oil.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and some red chili flakes to the garlic. Stir well to combine and keep the garlic from burning.

Sun-dried tomatoes and red chili flakes are added to the garlic in the skillet.

Pour white wine and some of the starchy pasta water (from cooking the pasta) into the skillet.. Give it all a good stir to combine these ingredients.

White wine and starchy pasta water are added to the sun-dried tomatoes.

Last Steps

Add the al dente cooked and drained pasta and arugula to the tomato mixture. Use tongs to combine. The heat will wilt down the arugula. The farfalle pasta with arugula is starting to look pretty good, right?

Drained pasta and arugula are added to the skillet.

Sprinkle the pasta with some Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and a little extra salt, to taste. Toss to combine. Now it’s REALLY smelling good in the ol’ kitchen! Make sure the ingredients are heated through, and then the dish is ready to enjoy.

Farfalle Pasta with Arugula is mixed with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

Serve The Farfalle Pasta With Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Divide the farfalle pasta with arugula evenly between serving plates. Garnish each serving with extra bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and serve hot. Easy Peasy.

Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, on a plate, and ready to eat.

See? That wasn’t very hard to make, was it? Trust me- the farfalle pasta with arugula and sun-dried tomatoes really tastes GOOD! 

A serving of Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, topped with bread crumbs. Hope you enjoy this meal!  I enjoyed the simplicity involved with making this dish, and was pleasantly surprised how much flavor was in every bite! I hope you’ll give it a try when you want to get dinner on the table in a short amount of time! The recipe serves 4, so there’s plenty for everyone! Have a great 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 some wonderful recipes featuring pasta, 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 signatureRecipe Adapted From: http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Mario-Batali-Spaghettini-Sun-Dried-Tomatoes-Arugula

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
13 mins
Total Time
23 mins
 

Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes is a delicious dish, cooked in a skillet and topped with Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: farfalle pasta
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 471 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced (or thinly sliced)
  • 8 oil packed sun-dried tomato halves , sliced
  • 1/8 cup dry white wine
  • 1 Tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
  • 3/4 lb. Farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
  • 3 cups baby arugula , trimmed
  • 8 quarts water (to cook pasta)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/3 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (green shaker can variety)
  • Additional salt and pepper , to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Make the sauce: Bring the water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add the Tablespoon of salt to the boiling water.
  2. While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil (medium heat) in a large skillet.
  3. Add the minced garlic to the olive oil and saute it until it is golden brown. This only takes a minute or so. Be careful NOT to burn the garlic!
  4. Add the white wine and the sun-dried tomatoes to the oil/garlic mixture in the skillet. Bring this to a boil, then remove skillet from the heat.
  5. Make the pasta: Drop the Farfalle into boiling, salted water. Cook the past for 1 minute less that the package instructions say. right before the pasta is finished, ladle out 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water (be careful...it's HOT).
  6. Drain pasta, then add pasta and chili flakes to the skillet with the tomato mixture.
  7. Heat on medium heat, stirring the pasta, etc. This liquid will begin to be absorbed into the pasta as it finishes cooking.
  8. Add arugula to the skillet and mix well. Cook for another minute or so, until pasta is nicely coated with the sauce.
  9. Add Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs to top of pasta.
  10. Taste pasta, to determine whether to add additional salt and pepper. We found adding a bit of salt and a little bit extra Parmesan to the pasta made it perfect!
  11. Serve immediately while pasta is hot! Garnish with additional breadcrumbs or Parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 471 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 5mg2%
Sodium 2068mg90%
Potassium 368mg11%
Carbohydrates 73g24%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 570IU11%
Vitamin C 9.3mg11%
Calcium 222mg22%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Farfalle Pasta with Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomatoes is a delicious dish, cooked in a skillet and topped with Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs!

 

 

 

Save

Save


Jun
2014

Chicken Marsala

categories: Chicken, Italian, Main Dishes
12 Shares
Pin12
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

Chicken Marsala, is an Italian dish with chicken and mushrooms, in a Marsala wine sauce. Make this delicious Weight Watchers dish in about 30 minutes!Chicken Marsala, is an Italian dish with chicken and mushrooms, in a Marsala wine sauce. Make this delicious Weight Watchers version in about 30 minutes!

Time for another chicken dish…today’s recipe is Chicken Marsala, and let me tell ya… it is GOOD!! This recipe is a ridiculously EASY Weight Watcher’s version that I made several times while following a WW program.

The recipe takes just  a little over half an hour to prepare! How’s THAT for a quick and easy meal!? This dish is a lightened up version of this very popular Italian main course.  Cooked chicken breasts are covered with a delicious mushroom and Marsala wine sauce

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

Chicken Marsala is Named After The Italian Wine Used In Recipe

According to Wikipedia, Marsala wine is produced in the region surrounding the Italian city of Marsala, in Sicily. It was originally made, and got it’s name as a simple table wine. Marsala wine was later fortified, and produced to endure long ocean voyages (several hundred years ago) to other countries in Europe. That was how this humble Italian table wine became known throughout the world.

How To Serve Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala can be served over rice or noodles. The mushroom and Marsala wine sauce goes equally well with either. Here it is, served on top of cooked egg noodles. The chicken is added to top of rice or noodles. A mushroom/Marsala sauce is then spooned over chicken to serve.

Chicken Marsala is served on a bed of egg noodles, with green beans on the side.

The mushroom wine sauce is wonderful…so yummy. Chicken Marsala is really good served on a bed of rice…the rice is great to “sop up” that tasty sauce!

Chicken Marsala is served on a bed of rice, with mixed vegetables on the side.

This recipe for chicken Marsala makes 4 servings. If you follow a WW program, each serving (minus rice or noodles) has a value of 5 Points Plus. It also comes in under 250 calories! All that said, it is a pretty tasty chicken dish that I enthusiastically recommend, especially if you are trying to cut out extra calories, but want flavorful, easy dishes to eat and enjoy.

Hope you enjoy this simple, lightened up chicken Marsala! It really is delicious! I also have this dish prepared for people following the “21 Day Fix” eating program. You can find the “21 Day Fix” recipe (equally healthy) for chicken marsala here.

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 delicious recipes for chicken 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 signatureRecipe Source: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeId=93721

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Chicken Marsala
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Chicken Marsala, is an Italian dish with chicken and mushrooms, in a Marsala wine sauce. Make this delicious Weight Watchers version in about 30 minutes!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chicken marsala
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 228 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 3 cups fresh mushrooms , sliced
  • 1 pound boneless , skinless chicken breasts (4 - 4 ounce pieces, uncooked)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup Marsala table wine
  • 1 1/4 cups beef broth (reduced sodium), divided
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • Rice or egg noodles, if desired
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet; saute them until they release liquid and are tender (about 5 minutes).

  2. While the mushrooms are cooking, season the chicken breasts (on both sides) with the thyme, salt and pepper.

  3. When the mushrooms are finished cooking, move them to the outer edge of your skillet. Put the chicken breasts into the middle of the skillet; cook chicken breasts until they are golden. This will take about 3 minutes per side.

  4. Add the Marsala wine to the skillet. simmer for 1 minute. Add only 3/4 cup of the beef broth (reserve the other 1/2 cup), and simmer (uncovered) until the chicken breasts are cooked through. this will take 8-9 minutes.

  5. In a separate bowl, dissolve cornstarch into remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth; add this mixture to skillet. Simmer all ingredients until sauce thickens (about 1 minute). Stir constantly and mix mushrooms into the sauce. Remove from heat.

  6. If desired, serve chicken on top of hot cooked rice or egg noodles. Serve the chicken breasts with the mushroom wine sauce spooned over the top. Use all the sauce. (There will be about 1/3 cup of the sauce per chicken breast. Garnish with additional dried thyme, if desired. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation does not include optional rice or egg noodles.

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Marsala
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 228 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 708mg31%
Potassium 716mg20%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 35IU1%
Vitamin C 2.9mg4%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chicken Marsala, is an Italian dish with chicken and mushrooms, in a Marsala wine sauce. Make this delicious Weight Watchers version in about 30 minutes!

 

Save


Jun
2014

Make It Yourself Pepperoni Pizza

categories: Italian, Main Dishes
14 Shares
Pin14
Share
Tweet
Yum
Email

Make it yourself pepperoni pizza from scratch! It’s easy to prepare, easy on the budget, and is absolutely delicious! Makes 2 medium pizzas!
Make it yourself pepperoni pizza from scratch! It's easy to prepare, easy on the budget, and is absolutely delicious! Makes 2 medium pizzas!
True confession: I LOVE pizza…greasy, cheesy, hot, pepperoni pizza! (LOVE being the key word here, folks!)  And you know what? I even like to make it from scratch sometimes!  So today I am sharing how to make it yourself! Pepperoni Pizza. When we want pizza, most of the time my husband or I will simply pick up the phone and call our favorite pizza place and order a large pizza.  It’s CONVENIENT. The hardest part is simply picking out WHICH kind of pizza our family can agree on.

Well, I personally like almost every single kind of pizza (shocking, I know!), but honestly, my all time favorite still is pepperoni pizza…greasy, and dripping with hot, stringy melted cheese.  You know what I’m talkin’ about… the kind that has lots of melted cheese and floppy pepperoni that slide off onto your chin and scald you for life? Yeah…THAT kind.

Several years ago, I decided to try making pizza at home as a way to learn how…and to save money.  I wasn’t sure if I would like the results (can anything taste better than a great take-out pizza?), but I am happy to say that making my own pizza turned out to be fun and tasty!  Oh yeah- the cost is way less than ordering take out.

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

Making Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

This is a recipe for basic pepperoni pizza, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you how easy it is to “make it your own” and add whatever toppings you love.  I’ve morphed this basic recipe so many ways I can’t even count, at this point!  I like to use my bread machine to make the dough, but I’ve included directions for making it using a stand mixer with a dough hook OR by simply kneading it by hand.

First you make the dough. Use either: a bread machine, a dough hook on a stand mixer, or your own hands and brute strength to make it.

Dough is mixed, risen, and ready to make pepperoni pizza!The next thing to do is to roll the dough out on a pizza pan and add the sauce (again, whatever kind floats your boat)…I usually just end up using spaghetti sauce and fancy-ing it up with additional spices like garlic powder, oregano, etc.

Pizza dough is rolled out, then covered with sauce.
Now Add the GOOD Stuff

Add the mozzarella cheese, and follow that up with the pepperoni slices, or other toppings, as desired – whatever YOUR favorite toppings are!

Mozzarella cheese and pepperoni slices are added to pizza.Ready To Bake The Pepperoni Pizza!

Sprinkle the top of the pizza with additional oregano, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and a few other spices (if desired), and into the hot oven it goes. This recipe makes two pizzas, which is great if you have a lot of mouths to feed (or if you just want some tasty leftovers for lunch!). 

The pepperoni pizza only takes about 20 minutes in a hot (400 degree) oven to bake. Before you know it, you’re pulling two hot pepperoni pizzas out of the oven. Yum! I really hope you will give these a try. You can always make the dough early in the day, wrap it up real tight in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you are ready to prepare the pizzas!

Pepperoni pizza, straight out of the hot oven!

I hope you will give this recipe for pepperoni pizza a try! If you are pushed for time and can’t make homemade dough, you can always buy a ball of pizza dough at the store (many stores carry this in the deli section), OR you might have a local pizza place that will sell you their dough. I hope you are successful, so you can see just how easy it is to make homemade pepperoni pizza!

For another interesting way to cook pizzas, you might enjoy looking at my blog post showing how to make grilled pizzas on your BBQ! Sure helps keep the kitchen cool during hot summers!

Looking For More PIZZA Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of pizza recipes, 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

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature Dough Recipe Source: Oster Deluxe Bread & Dough Maker Handbook (c 1994 Sunbeam-Oster Household Products)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
PRINT
Make It Yourself! Pepperoni Pizza
Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
 
Make your own pepperoni pizza from scratch! It's easy to prepare, easy on the budget... and tastes absolutely delicious! Recipe makes 2 medium pizzas!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pepperoni pizza
Servings: 16 slices (2 pizzas)
Calories Per Serving: 262 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the dough:
  • 1 cup , plus 2 Tablespoons warm water (not hot)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil, if desired)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons regular active dry yeast , bread machine yeast, or quick-acting active dry yeast
For the pizza (these ingredients will be split between two pizzas):
  • 1 1/2 cups pizza or spaghetti sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (+ additional 1/4 teaspoon for sprinkling on top of prepared pizza)
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (+ additional 2 Tablespoons for sprinkling on top of prepared pizza)
  • 4 cups Mozzarella cheese
  • 1 package Pepperoni slices
  • Additional toppings , as desired (oregano, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, etc.)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Prepare the dough. IF USING BREAD MACHINE: Place the dough ingredients into the bread pan in the order given. Select white Dough cycle. IF USING DOUGH HOOK ON STAND MIXER: Dissolve the yeast in the water in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes frothy (meaning the yeast is "good"). Add the other ingredients, and mix into the flour. Using the dough hook, mix well for 5 minutes until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Turn out into a lightly sprayed large bowl, cover with a towel and let it sit in a warm spot to rise until nearly doubled in size (about an hour). Punch down the dough, then knead it until smooth on a lightly floured surface. IF MAKING BY HAND: Follow directions for stand mixer, except knead the dough by hand on a clean, lightly floured surface for at least 5 minutes.
  2. When dough is ready, divide it into two pieces. Put each half on a pizza pan (or large cookie sheet). Pat the each piece of dough out (with floured fingers) into a 12 inch circle.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  4. Mix the garlic powder, oregano and basil into the sauce. Spread each pizza circle with half of the prepared sauce.
  5. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese over each pizza.
  6. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese over each pizza.
  7. Sprinkle the tops of the pizza with a little bit of oregano, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, etc. (to garnish).
  8. Cook the pizzas at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (everyone's oven is different, so keep an eye on them for the last couple minutes!). Remove pizzas when the crust is light brown and the cheese is bubbly! Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Make It Yourself! Pepperoni Pizza
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 262 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 35mg12%
Sodium 680mg30%
Potassium 172mg5%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 315IU6%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 187mg19%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make it yourself pepperoni pizza from scratch! It's easy to prepare, easy on the budget, and is absolutely delicious! Makes 2 medium pizzas!

 

 

Save

Save