Main Dishes Archives

Category: Main Dishes

01
Jan
2023

Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup

21 Shares

Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup is a filling and delicious soup, with shredded chicken, onions, jalapeño, lime, and avocado in seasoned broth.

If you’re looking for a low calorie, yet delicious and flavor-filled meal, how about this recipe for Southwestern chicken lime soup? Packed with shredded chicken and full of TexMex flavors, this is a tasty soup I really believe you’re going to enjoy!

This recipe, as written, makes 4 servings, and is a perfect dish for any time of the year! Whether it’s cool, hot, pleasant, or downright freezing outside, this hearty soup will fill you up and satisfy your hungry stomach! Here’s how to make this flavorful soup!

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

Season And Pan-Sear The Chicken Breasts

This recipe calls for one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I’ve found that using 3 medium sized chicken breasts usually works out perfectly. On average they will weigh about one pound, give or take a bit.

First, pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, to remove excess moisture. Trim off as much of the visible fat as possible. Sprinkle the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and black pepper, to lightly season.

Heat oil in a large saucepan on Medium heat, until very hot, but not smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer, and cook until browned on both sides. You do not need to cook the chicken all the way through, because that will happen later as the soup cooks.

You only will need to make sure to get both sides of the chicken nicely browned! This will take about 2-3 minutes per side. NOTE: The chicken will not be cooked all the way through, as this will happen later, once added to the soup. Transfer the chicken out of the pan onto a plate, cover it, and then set it aside.

Sauté The Aromatics!

Using the same saucepan, cook chopped onions for 3-5 minutes, or until they become tender and translucent. Stir often as they cook. Add diced jalapeño and minced garlic to the onions. Cook, stirring often, for about 45 seconds, making sure to not burn the garlic!

Okay- Let’s Make This Soup!

Place chicken broth, water, lime juice, oregano and cumin into the saucepan, and stir to combine. Now add the three chicken breasts back into the pan. Increase the heat to High, and let the broth come to a boil. If any foam accumulates on the surface of the soup, skim it off and discard.

Once the liquid begins boiling, turn the heat down to Medium-Low. Put a lid PARTIALLY on top of the pan (leave part uncovered). Cook the Southwestern chicken lime soup on Medium-Low heat for 30 minutes. The chicken will finish cooking during this step, so don’t cut corners on the time!

Shred The Chicken!

Transfer the cooked chicken out of the pan to a cutting board, but let the soup continue to simmer on the stove. Use two forks to shred the chicken into small pieces (or use a kitchen aid stand mixer to do this, as well).

Once the chicken has been shredded, carefully place it back into the hot soup, and stir, to combine. Continue to cook for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken and soup have been heated through. Now the Southwestern chicken lime soup is ready to garnish and serve

Serve The Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup

To serve, ladle the hot soup into individual bowls. Garnish each serving with 1-2 lime wedges, diced avocado, and fresh cilantro sprigs. Serve the Southwestern chicken lime soup while hot, and enjoy this delicious, flavor-filled meal. We enjoy this soup served with warmed corn tortillas or crusty sourdough bread on the side. YUM!

I hope you have the opportunity to make this filling, healthy and delicious soup. Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of soup recipes I’m confident you’ll enjoy, including:

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Recipe adapted from the book- “Food Meets Faith”, by Isabel D. Price, page 90, published by LiveSmart Solutions, LLC in 2019

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 1 vote

Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

50 mins

Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup is a filling and delicious soup, with shredded chicken, onions, jalapeño, lime, and avocado in seasoned broth.

Category: Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Southwestern

Keyword: Southwestern chicken lime soup

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 274 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts approx. 3 small chicken breasts
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (or other neutral cooking oil)
½ medium yellow onion peeled, chopped
1 medium fresh jalapeño pepper diced
4 garlic cloves minced
2½ cups low sodium chicken broth
1½ cups water
1 lime (juice of)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cumin

For Garnish:

1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced
1 lime cut in 8 wedges
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Trim off as much visible fat as possible. Lightly season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in large saucepan on Medium heat until very hot, but not smoking. Add chicken in a single layer; cook only until well browned on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Chicken will NOT be all the way cooked through! Remove chicken from pan; transfer to plate; cover and set aside.
In same pan, cook onions, stirring often for 3-5 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add jalapeños and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 45 seconds, making sure not to burn the garlic!
Add broth, water, lime juice, oregano and cumin to pan; stir to combine. Transfer chicken to pan. Turn heat to High; let broth come to a boil. Skim/discard discard foam that appears on top of soup. Once broth boils, turn heat down to Medium-Low. Put a lid PARTIALLY on top of pan (leave part uncovered). Cook soup for 30 minutes. Chicken will finish cooking during this time.
Transfer chicken out of the pan to a cutting board, but let soup continue to simmer. Use two forks (or a Kitchen Aid) to shred chicken into small pieces. Transfer shredded chicken back into soup. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken and broth are heated through.
To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with 1-2 lime wedges, diced avocado, and fresh cilantro. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Southwestern Chicken Lime Soup

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

Calories 274 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.03g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 73mg24%

Sodium 477mg21%

Potassium 874mg25%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 237IU5%

Vitamin C 20mg24%

Calcium 47mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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19
Dec
2022

Chicken Enchilada Meatballs

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern

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Make a dozen cheesy, baked Chicken Enchilada Meatballs in about 30 minutes! Serve them on a bed of rice for a simple, delicious meal.

Today I want to share a recipe I created for yummy Chicken Enchilada Meatballs. One day I thawed out a pound of ground chicken, but didn’t quite know what I wanted to make with it. I put on my “thinking cap”, and came up with this recipe for Chicken Enchilada Meatballs! It was fun playing around with ingredients I thought would work well, and we loved the results.

I love meatball recipes (beef, chicken or pork), because they’re very budget friendly. To be able to get four servings out of a pound of chicken, ground beef or pork is a win-win in my book! Of course, this recipe would also work perfectly with ground beef instead of ground chicken, but I was going for lower calories, so the ground chicken won out!

The meatballs come together VERY EASILY, are quickly browned in a skillet, then bake for 20-25 minutes before serving. Chicken Enchilada meatballs not only have cheddar cheese inside, but they’re covered with enchilada sauce and more cheese before baking! They are only a tiny bit spicy, but if you prefer your food less spicy, simply use less of the chili powder and ground cumin called for in my recipe! Here’s how to make this dish:

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

Let’s Make Some Meatballs!

Place one pound of ground chicken, a large egg, and 2 Tablespoons of chunky salsa in a large bowl. Stir, to combine these three ingredients well. It will be a very “wet” meat mixture.

Measure finely crushed tortilla chips, grated cheddar, garlic powder, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and salt into a SEPARATE bowl, and stir to combine. Add these “dry” ingredients to the ground chicken mixture, and stir well, to fully incorporate these ingredients.

Divide the seasoned ground chicken mixture evenly into 12 portions, shaping each portion into a meatball by rolling mixture between your hands. Place each meatball (after forming) on a piece of wax paper or foil. Continue until all the meatballs have been formed.

Pan-Sear The Chicken Enchilada Meatballs

Heat oil on Medium-High heat in a large, non-stick skillet until very hot, but not smoking. Add the meatballs carefully to the hot oil in a single layer and let them cook for 1-2 minutes before turning. Let the meatballs brown on all sides and be cooked through before removing them from the skillet. This usually takes about 5-6 minutes.

Prepare The Meatballs For Baking

Pour enough red enchilada sauce into a 2 quart baking dish to just lightly cover the bottom. Place the browned/cooked meatballs on top of the sauce in a single layer. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top, making sure to cover all the meatballs.

Sprinkle the top of the meatballs with additional grated cheddar cheese, to cover. Now the chicken enchilada meatballs are ready to be baked!

Bake And Serve the Chicken Enchilada Meatballs

Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake the chicken enchilada meatballs in a preheated 350°F. oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly around the edges, and the cheese has melted. We especially enjoy these meatballs served on top of hot, steamed rice. We portion out three meatballs per serving, which will provide you with 4 total servings. When served with the rice, it is a very filling meal.

Leftover meatballs reheat very well in the microwave, so we always make a full batch and then enjoy leftovers for our lunches. Store leftover meatballs and sauce, covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.

I hope you enjoy these delicious meatballs! Thanks for taking the time to stop by today, and I invite you to come back again, for more delicious, family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More MEATBALL Recipes?

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

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0 from 0 votes

Chicken Enchilada Meatballs

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Make a dozen cheesy, baked Chicken Enchilada Meatballs in about 30 minutes! Serve them on a bed of rice for a simple, delicious meal.

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken enchilada meatballs

Servings: 4 (3 meatballs per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 367 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons chunky salsa or picante sauce
⅓ cup grated cheddar cheese
⅓ cup finely crushed tortilla chips
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt

For Rest Of Recipe:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil or other neutral oil
10 ounces canned red enchilada sauce
⅓ cup grated cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place ground chicken, egg, and salsa in large bowl. Stir, to combine.
In SEPARATE bowl, combine crushed tortilla chips, ⅓ cup grated cheddar, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and salt. Add to chicken mixture. Stir well, to fully incorporate ingredients.
Divide chicken mixture evenly into 12 portions, shaping each portion into a meatball. Place each meatball (after forming) on wax paper.
Heat oil on Medium-High heat in a large, non-stick skillet until very hot, but not smoking. Add meatballs carefully to hot oil, in a single layer. Cook 1-2 minutes before turning. Cook meatballs until browned on all sides and cooked through before removing them from skillet (approx. 5-6 minutes total).
Pour enough enchilada sauce in a 2 quart baking dish to lightly cover the bottom. Place meatballs on top of the sauce in a single layer. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top, covering the meatballs. Top with additional grated cheese.
Cover baking dish with foil. Bake at 350°F. for 20-25 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly around edges, and cheese has melted. Remove from oven; serve meatballs on top of hot, steamed rice, if desired. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Enchilada Meatballs

Amount Per Serving (3 meatballs)

Calories 367 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 5g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 163mg54%

Sodium 1058mg46%

Potassium 678mg19%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 845IU17%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 164mg16%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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01
Dec
2022

Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites

categories: Beef, Main Dishes

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Make Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites for 2 in only a few minutes! Use tri-tip or other steak, pan-sear, then cover with garlic butter sauce.

If you’re looking for a simple, yet delicious dinner for two, I hope you’ll take a look at this recipe (found online a while back)! This meal can be cooked and ready to eat in well under 20 minutes from start to finish! Easy garlic butter steak bites require only a few ingredients, and they’re ridiculously EASY to make!

To make this dinner for two you will need a one pound steak, which you will split between the two servings. You can use tri-tip, ribeye, sirloin steak, etc. to make this delicious dish. My husband and I enjoy tri-tip because it has great flavor and is typically less expensive than other types of steak. Bottom line, you can make this dish with several different types of steak, so use what you can afford, what you have, or what you really enjoy. Here’s how to make this meal for two:

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

Prepare The Steak For Pan-Searing

I typically use tri-tip steak when preparing the steak bites, but other choices of meat to use include sirloin, ribeye or even strip steak, to name a few. Basically you will want a one pound, nicely marbled steak to make this dish to serve two people.

Cut the meat into bite-sized chunks, keeping in mind that they will decrease slightly in size as they cook. Larger pieces will obviously take longer to cook than smaller pieces, so keep that in mind, as well. If there’s a lot of fat on the edges, simply trim it off.

Pat the steak bites very dry, by blotting them with several paper towels to absorb the moisture. This is an important step, because if the meat is too “wet”, that moisture will steam the meat instead of searing and browning it well. Season the steak bites with salt and pepper, and you’re ready to cook the meat!

Time To Cook The Steak Bites

Heat a heavy skillet on High heat until very hot, but not smoking (I like to use cast iron). Add a Tablespoon of olive oil, and heat this in the skillet. Place the steak bites into the hot oil in a single layer. Once you put them in the skillet, don’t move them so they can begin pan-searing. You want that high heat and hot oil to crisp and brown the steak bites quickly.

Let the steak bites cook, without moving them, for 2-3 minutes until the bottom side is well-browned, then turn each piece to the other side. Continue to cook, making sure all sides are crusty and browned. The amount of time it cooks will entirely depend on the size of the steak bites you are cooking, and how you enjoy your cooked steak.

On average, if you typically enjoy your steak cooked to MEDIUM, then you’ll want to cook the steak bites for about 5-6 minutes total time. RARE? About 4 minutes total time. MEDIUM-RARE? About 5 minutes total. Just keep an eye on the steak bites to ensure they’re cooked to your personal preference.

Finish The Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites And Serve!

When the steak bites reach the doneness you wish, quickly remove them from the skillet, and transfer them to a plate or bowl, Cover to keep warm. Turn the heat down to Medium, and immediately add butter to the same hot skillet. Once the butter has melted, add minced garlic and cook for only 30-60 seconds, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn (and become bitter).

Put the cooked steak bites back into the skillet, and toss to coat them with the garlic butter sauce. Cook this only until reheated, then the easy garlic butter steak bites are ready to serve. Garnish the meat with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot!

We enjoy serving easy garlic steak bites with mashed potatoes on the side. This time we enjoyed them with crispy green bean fries served alongside, too! YUM! The steak bites have a LOT of flavor, and truly are a CINCH to make! My husband and I love this meal for two, but the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to suit your needs!

I hope you enjoy this super simple recipe for easy garlic butter steak bites, and trust you’ll like them as much as we do! Thank you so much for stopping by, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More BEEF Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious meals with beef as the main ingredient, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

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Original recipe source: Melissa Stadler, at https://www.modernhoney.com/garlic-butter-steak-bites/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

6 mins

Total Time

16 mins

Make Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites for 2 in only a few minutes! Use tri-tip or other steak, pan-sear, then cover with garlic butter sauce.

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic butter steak bites

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 595 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound tri-tip steak (or ribeye, sirloin, strip steak, etc.)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic peeled, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley rough chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Trim fat from edges. Pat steak dry with paper towels to absorb moisture. Season meat with salt and pepper.
Heat a heavy skillet on High temp. until very hot, but not smoking (I use cast iron). Add olive oil, swirling to coat bottom of skillet; heat this in the skillet. Place steak bites into hot oil in single layer. Once you put them in the skillet, don't move them. You want high heat and hot oil to crisp/brown steak bites quickly.
Let steak bites cook, without moving them, for 2-3 minutes until well browned on bottom. Turn each piece to the other side. Continue to cook, making sure all sides are well browned. **Amount of time it cooks will depend on the size of the steak bites, and how you enjoy your steak. If you typically enjoy a MEDIUM steak, then cook steak bites for about 5-6 minutes total time. RARE? About 4 minutes total time. MEDIUM-RARE? About 5 minutes total. Just keep an eye on the steak bites to ensure they are cooked to your personal preference.
When the steak bites reach desired doneness, quickly remove them from skillet to a plate or bowl, Cover to keep warm. Turn heat down to medium, and immediately add butter to the same hot skillet. When butter has melted, add garlic; cook for only 30-60 seconds, stirring often so garlic doesn't burn..
Put steak bites back into skillet; toss to coat with garlic butter. Cook only until reheated, then it's ready to serve. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot!

Nutrition Facts

Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 of total))

Calories 595 Calories from Fat 387

% Daily Value*

Fat 43g66%

Saturated Fat 19g119%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 19g

Cholesterol 195mg65%

Sodium 836mg36%

Potassium 760mg22%

Carbohydrates 2g1%

Fiber 0.3g1%

Sugar 0.1g0%

Protein 47g94%

Vitamin A 696IU14%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 75mg8%

Iron 4mg22%

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

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22
Nov
2022

Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

9 Shares

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Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies is a meatless pasta dish with garlic, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and Parmesan. It’s ready in 20 minutes!

If you’re looking for a meatless main dish that is full of flavor and takes practically no time at all to prepare, I think you’ll enjoy this tasty meal! Penne pasta is paired with a light garlic, Parmesan and veggie sauce.

This dish includes garbanzo beans (chickpeas) for added protein, fresh tomatoes, baby spinach and garlic, which bring color, texture, and flavor to the pasta.

It’s a cinch to make, and is ready in 20 minutes, because you make the sauce and veggies while the pasta cooks! How’s that for convenience? Let me show you how to make this meal:

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

Cook The Penne Pasta

The first thing you’ll need to do is cook the penne pasta in boiling water, according to the directions found on the package.

While the pasta is cooking you prepare the rest of this dish, so it’s ready when the pasta is done! Once the penne is done cooking, drain the water off of the hot pasta.

Prepare The Garlic Sauce And Veggies

While the pasta cooks, make the simple garlic sauce and veggies. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the hot oil.

Stir to combine, and sauté them, stirring often for 30-45 seconds. Be careful to not burn the garlic or it may become bitter in taste (and you do NOT want that!).

Add chopped fresh tomatoes and a can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) that have been rinsed and drained to the skillet.

Stir to combine, and continue to cook and stir on medium heat for 2 more minutes.

Place the fresh baby spinach and salt into the skillet, and cook, stirring often until the spinach leaves have wilted from the heat.

This is the garlic and veggie sauce you will add to the hot penne pasta, once it is done cooking. See how simple that was?

Serving The Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies

Once the penne pasta has finished cooking, drain it and immediately add it to the skillet full of veggies. Add grated Parmesan cheese, and then toss the garlic penne pasta and veggies, to combine.

Because there is not a thick sauce coating everything, the pasta will cool fairly quickly, so serve the pasta immediately while hot. If desired, you can add additional Parmesan cheese to the top as a garnish for serving.

I hope you have the chance to make this delicious dish for those you love, and trust you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More PASTA 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 wonderful pasta recipes for you to enjoy, including:

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Original recipe source: Doris Heath, via “Taste of Home Magazine”, Oct./Nov. 2022 edition, page 26, published by Reiman Publications

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Garlic Penne Pasta and Veggies

Prep Time

20 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Garlic Penne Pasta And Veggies is a meatless pasta dish with garlic, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas and Parmesan. It's ready in 20 minutes!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: garlic penne pasta and veggies

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 353 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

12 ounces uncooked penne pasta
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more if you like it spicy
15 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes , seeded, cut in ½" pieces
9 ounces fresh baby spinach
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish, if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook pasta in boiling water, according to directions on the package. Once pasta is done cooking, drain water off pasta.
While pasta cooks, prepare sauce, so it's ready when pasta is done! Heat olive oil on medium heat in large skillet. Add garlic/red pepper flakes to hot oil. Stir to combine; cook stirring often for 30-45 seconds (don't let garlic burn or it becomes bitter).
Add tomatoes and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Stir to combine. Continue to cook and stir on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add spinach and salt to sauce; cook, stirring often until spinach has wilted from the heat. Sauce is now ready for hot, drained pasta.
Once pasta is done, drain; immediately add it to skillet with veggies. Add grated Parmesan cheese; toss well, to combine ingredients. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Garlic Penne Pasta and Veggies

Amount Per Serving (1 (1½ cups per serving))

Calories 353 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 4mg1%

Sodium 408mg18%

Potassium 584mg17%

Carbohydrates 57g19%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 4401IU88%

Vitamin C 19mg23%

Calcium 126mg13%

Iron 3mg17%

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

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08
Nov
2022

Classic Turkey Croquettes

categories: Holidays!, Main Dishes, Turkey

208 Shares

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Use leftover turkey to make Classic Turkey Croquettes! An old diner favorite, with turkey, potatoes and spices, baked and topped with gravy.

After Thanksgiving has come and gone, and all the turkey sandwiches have been enjoyed, do you ever glance at the remaining turkey meat leftover and wonder what to do with the rest of it?

Well, today I want to share with you a recipe for classic turkey croquettes, that are a perfect solution for that leftover turkey!

What Is A CROQUETTE?

First let’s talk about what a “croquette” is, ok? Many countries have their own version, but the word “croquette” has French origins, and comes from the word “croquer” which means “to crunch”. There are recipes for croquettes that date back to the 17th century!

Croquettes typically contain meat, seafood or veggies, mixed with a thick “binder” to hold it all together, like potatoes, bread or sauces. They can be shaped into balls or oval disks, and are usually breaded and then deep fried. *Info source credit here.*

Apparently, croquettes started becoming popular in the U.S. in the early 1900’s and were a common, but popular diner meal.

I originally found this printed recipe taped onto an index card in an old recipe box. There was no mention on the card of the source, so I am grateful for whoever came up with this yummy recipe originally.

These turkey croquettes are good old comfort food at its best! Here’s how to make classic turkey croquettes.

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

Prepare Potatoes For The Filling

The first thing I do when preparing this recipe is to preheat the oven to 350°F. and cook the potatoes. Now… if you just happen to have 2 cups of mashed potatoes lying around, by all means use them! I typically don’t, so I make them from scratch.

You’ll need 2 cups of mashed potatoes for this recipe, which is the equivalent of about 3 medium-sized russet potatoes. Peel the potatoes, then cut them into small chunks. Place them in a large saucepan and cover them with water.

Bring the water to a full boil on medium-high heat, and then cook the potatoes until they’re tender. This usually takes about 15 minutes, and you can check for tenderness by inserting a knife into a potato chunk. It should glide right into the potato, if tender.

Drain the potatoes, then mash them, without adding any butter or milk. Mash by hand or by using an electric mixer until the potatoes are lump-free. Set aside.

Prepare The Croquette Ingredients

Place the leftover pieces of turkey into a food processor and pulse about 6-8 times or until the meat become minced into very small pieces.

If you do not have access to a food processor, finely mince the turkey meat by hand with a sharp knife. Place 2 cups of the minced turkey in a large mixing bowl.

Add chopped onions, Italian bread crumbs (reserving part for later), salt, pepper, tarragon, sage, Worcestershire sauce and an egg to the turkey.

Stir these ingredients well, to fully combine them. Once combined, add the mashed potatoes to the mixture, and fold (or gently stir) them in, until fully incorporated.

Final Step

After folding in the mashed potatoes, the turkey croquette mixture will be mostly “bound together”, but might still be a bit crumbly. This is where you need to add a small amount of turkey or chicken stock, ONLY UNTIL THE MIXTURE BINDS TOGETHER.

The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of stock, but it usually does not take all of it to bind the ingredients together.

Add a little bit of the stock at a time, and stir after each addition. You need the meat mixture to easily be formed into a meatball shape, where the ingredients will hold together.

Shape The Turkey Croquettes

Form the turkey croquettes into a meatball shape, by scooping out a generous heaping Tablespoon of the meat mixture and shape it into a ball using your hands to roll and form it.

Place each croquette onto wax paper, and continue until all the turkey mixture is used. The recipe, as written, will yield somewhere between 16-20 meatballs, but I usually get 19!

Place the reserved bread crumbs on a small plate, and roll each of the turkey croquettes around in it, until all sides are coated with the bread crumbs.

Ready To Bake

Place the bread crumb-coated turkey croquettes onto an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.

Bake the croquettes at 350°F. for 28-30 minutes (mine usually take 30 minutes!) Please note that the baked croquettes will not brown a lot, so don’t expect that!

TIP: If you want to freeze some of the classic turkey croquettes for later use, do this BEFORE baking. Place the bread crumb-coated croquettes on a baking sheet and freeze for several hours until solidly frozen.

Remove them from the baking sheet and place them in a freezer bag, label with oven temps, etc., and save for another day!

Serving Classic Turkey Croquettes

Classic turkey croquettes are always topped with hot chicken or turkey gravy to serve. Please note that I have not included a gravy recipe in the written recipe below.

You can use your own homemade chicken or turkey gravy, OR you can use purchased bottled gravy or mix at the grocery store. The type of gravy you use is entirely YOUR CHOICE, but just know that you really will want that delicious, hot gravy on top!

Place the hot croquettes on each plate, then spoon gravy over the top of each one, to serve. If you prefer store bought or making your own, by all means, use it! Whatever is the most convenient and the easiest for you, is the best plan! No judgement here.

We enjoy eating classic turkey croquettes served with fresh green beans (from our garden!), and Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams on the side. This meal “felt” like Thanksgiving, with all those great colors and flavors. YUM YUM!

I hope you will consider trying these classic turkey croquettes, and trust you will enjoy them like we do! They can easily be reheated in the microwave, which makes perfect for a quick lunch the next day or two!

We eat part of them for dinner, have a few leftovers for lunch the next day or two, plus I freeze about half of them (before baking) to use for later meals. It’s really easy on the ol’ budget that way, too!

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you with much to be thankful for, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More TURKEY Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some truly delicious recipes using turkey, including:

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Original recipe source: unknown

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Classic Turkey Croquettes

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Use leftover turkey to make Classic Turkey Croquettes! An old diner favorite, with turkey, potatoes and spices, baked and topped with gravy.

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: classic turkey croquettes

Servings: 6 (3 per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 277 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups cooked turkey meat minced
1 cup yellow onions chopped
2 cups Italian bread crumbs (or plain) DIVIDED USE!
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning (or ground sage)
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
1 large egg lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon salt and pepper (EACH)
2 cups mashed russet potatoes approx. 3 medium
½ cup turkey or chicken stock use only enough to bind meat

Top croquettes with your choice of homemade or purchased turkey or chicken gravy (heated)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Peel potatoes; cut into small chunks; place them in a large saucepan/cover with water. Bring to full boil on medium-high heat. Cook until they're tender (approx. 15 min.). Check tenderness by inserting knife into potato (should glide right into potato). Drain potatoes, then mash, by hand or mixer until lump-free. Set aside.
Place cooked turkey into food processor; pulse 6-8 times or until turkey is minced into small pieces, OR mince turkey by hand with a sharp knife. Put turkey in large bowl. Add onions, 1½ cups bread crumbs (reserving ½ cup for later), salt, pepper, tarragon, sage, Worcestershire and egg to bowl. Stir well, to combine. Add mashed potatoes; fold (or gently stir) them in, until fully incorporated.
Add turkey/chicken stock a little bit at a time, stirring it into turkey mixture ONLY until turkey mixture binds together (usually doesn't take all of it to bind the ingredients together.
Scoop a generous heaping Tablespoon of turkey mixture and shape it into a ball using hands to roll/form it. Place croquette onto wax paper; continue until all turkey mixture is gone. **Recipe (as written) yields between 16-20 croquettes.
Place reserved ½ cup bread crumbs on a small plate. Roll each turkey croquette in it, until coated on all sides with bread crumbs.
Put croquettes on ungreased baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake at 350°F. for 28-30 minutes. Note that baked croquettes will not brown a lot. **TIP: If you want to freeze some croquettes for later use, do this BEFORE baking. Place bread crumb-coated croquettes on foil-lined baking sheet. Freeze several hours until solidly frozen. Remove croquettes from foil; place in a freezer bag, label with oven temps, etc., and save for another day!
To serve: Classic turkey croquettes should be topped with turkey or chicken gravy to serve. Use your own homemade or purchased gravy for this. Place baked croquettes on serving plates. Spoon hot gravy over each croquette to serve.

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation was made using 3 croquettes per serving. Gravy to top croquettes was not included in the Caloric calculation, as different varieties may be used.

Nutrition Facts

Classic Turkey Croquettes

Amount Per Serving (1 (3 croquettes))

Calories 277 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 63mg21%

Sodium 756mg33%

Potassium 504mg14%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 151IU3%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 102mg10%

Iron 3mg17%

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

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29
Oct
2022

Spaghetti Squash Italiano

categories: Italian, Main Dishes

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Enjoy delicious (and filling) Spaghetti Squash Italiano, with Italian sausage links, roasted spaghetti squash, tomatoes, garlic and basil.

Spaghetti Squash Italiano is a delicious meal that uses strands of roasted spaghetti squash to act as a low carb (and low calorie) substitute for traditional pasta. If you want to enjoy a meal with delicious Italian flavors but are trying to cut calories, may I suggest this delicious main course?

The only “downside” is that it takes about an hour to roast a medium-sized spaghetti squash, but if you’ve got the time, this is a GREAT recipe to try! You can use either traditional Italian PORK sausage OR Italian CHICKEN sausage (use chicken if you want to cut out even more calories!). It’s your choice, and either type of Italian sausage will be fabulous in this Italian dish. Here’s how to make Spaghetti Squash Italiano!

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

Roast The Spaghetti Squash

Preheat your oven to 375°F before starting. Rinse the spaghetti squash, then pierce the skin (on all sides) a total of about 8-10 times using a sharp knife. Place the spaghetti squash on a parchment paper (or silpat lined) baking sheet. For this recipe I use a medium-sized spaghetti squash.

Bake the spaghetti squash for 1 hour at 375°F, or until it can easily be pierced with a sharp knife. Baking times might be shorter or longer depending on the size squash you’re using and taking into account the temperature variations in various ovens. Know that if the squash can EASILY be pierced with a sharp knife stuck deep into it, it is done.

Pan Sear The Italian Sausage Links

While the spaghetti squash is roasting, cook the Italian sausage links. I have prepared this meal using traditional Italian sausages (hot or mild) AND have also used Italian flavored chicken sausage links. Both taste wonderful in this dish, but I find that traditional Italian sausage links are more readily available in our local grocery stores.

Cook the sausages (you need 4 links, not 5 as shown below) in a little bit of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Cook the sausages on Medium-Low heat, turning to cook all sides, per package instructions, until fully cooked through. Let the sausages cool, then cut them into thin round slices. Set aside.

Prepare The Sauce

NOTE: Try to prepare the tomato sauce about 15 minutes before the spaghetti squash is done cooling. That way the sauce is HOT when the squash is shredded for serving.

Heat a large skillet on Medium-Low heat until quite hot. Add 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the skillet, and once it becomes hot, add 2 finely minced garlic cloves. Stir, and cook the garlic for about 30-45 seconds, then add fresh, chopped tomatoes.

Stir well, to combine, then add dried oregano, a pinch of red chili pepper flakes, salt and black pepper to the tomato mixture. Cook on Medium-Low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will enable the tomatoes time to cook down into more of a sauce-like consistency.

Stir thinly sliced, fresh basil leaves and cooked sausage slices into the tomato sauce, until well combined. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and the basil leaves have wilted.

Prepare The Roasted Spaghetti Squash For Serving

After the spaghetti squash has cooled for about 30 minutes, cut a thin slice off of both ends, then carefully slice the squash lengthwise. Use a large spoon to remove all the seeds and pulp from the center of each squash half (and discard).

Use a fork to gently scrape the squash lengthwise, which will remove the strands of spaghetti squash. Remove as many strands as you can from both halves, without breaking through the outer skin. Keep the spaghetti squash warm, and prepare the dish for serving.

Serve The Spaghetti Squash Italiano

To serve, place a portion of the warm spaghetti squash strands onto each serving plate (recipe serves 4). Top each portion with the hot tomato and sausage mixture. Sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with a fresh basil sprig on top (if desired). Serve while hot, and enjoy this wonderful meal!

I hope you have the chance to try this recipe for yourself and for those you love. It’s really quite delicious, and full of great Italian flavor! Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more delicious, family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day.

Looking For More ITALIAN 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 Italian recipes for you to choose from, including:

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Recipe adapted from: Live Smart digital magazine, volume 1, page 35, New Life Promise by isabeldprice.com

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Spaghetti Squash Italiano

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 10 mins

Total Time

1 hr 20 mins

Enjoy delicious (and filling) Spaghetti Squash Italiano, with Italian sausage links, roasted spaghetti squash, tomatoes, garlic and basil.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: spaghetti squash Italiano

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 348 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash
½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for sausages
4 links Italian chicken sausage OR Italian pork sausage (see note below)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for squash
4 medium fresh tomatoes diced
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch red chili flakes
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 cup fresh basil leaves cut in thin strips

For Garnish (optional but good): Grated Parmesan Cheese and fresh basil leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper OR silpat.
Prepare Squash: Rinse squash; pierce its skin (on all sides) a total of 8-10 times using sharp knife. Put squash on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour at 375°F, or until it can easily be pierced with a sharp knife. Baking time may vary depending on the size squash. and oven temperature variations. Remove from oven; let cool 30 minutes.
Cook Sausages While Squash Bakes: Cook Italian sausages in ½ T. olive oil on Medium-Low heat in a large skillet, turning to cook all sides until fully cooked. Remove sausages, let cool; cut into thin round slices. Set aside.
Make Sauce (15 minutes before squash is done cooling): Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large skillet on Medium-Low heat. When oil is hot, add minced garlic. Stir and cook garlic for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes. oregano, red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, on Medium-Low heat for 10 minutes. Stir basil leaves and sausage slices into the sauce, until combined. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and basil leaves wilt.
Shred Squash: After squash has cooled 30-40 minutes, cut slice off of both ends; slice squash lengthwise. Use large spoon to remove seeds and pulp from each half (discard). Use a fork to gently scrape squash lengthwise into strands of spaghetti squash. Remove squash strands from both halves, without breaking through outer skin.
To Serve: Divide squash strands onto individual plates (recipe serves 4). Top each portion with hot tomato sauce and sausage mixture. If desired, garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve hot, Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: I have used both Chicken and Pork Italian sausages at times, for this recipe. The caloric calculation indicated for this recipe was made using Italian CHICKEN sausage links. If PORK Italian sausage links are used, the caloric calculation would be approx. 550 calories per serving.

Nutrition Facts

Spaghetti Squash Italiano

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

Calories 348 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 1112mg48%

Potassium 578mg17%

Carbohydrates 26g9%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 1940IU39%

Vitamin C 25mg30%

Calcium 83mg8%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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21
Oct
2022

Szechuan Chicken

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Szechuan Chicken is a delicious, easy to make stir-fry with chicken, bell peppers, green onions and nuts cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce.

If you enjoy making delicious, classic meals at home for a fraction of the cost of what a restaurant would charge for the same dish, may I suggest this recipe for Szechuan chicken? The recipe requires using two chicken breasts, a red and green bell pepper, green onions, and some chopped nuts. Cook them in a simple Asian sauce, combine them, and serve over rice or noodles. BOOM! You just made a tasty, classic Chinese dish for 4 people!

We enjoy this dish, and because it is made using only one skillet, I find it pretty easy to make, when we get hungry for Chinese food! I have no recollection of how or when I got this recipe, but found it in an old recipe box years ago, where the recipe was cut out and taped onto a 3×5″ index card. So I truly don’t know who I can give credit to for this yummy dish… BUT, I think you’re going to love it! Here’s how to make it.

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

Prepare The Chicken For Marinating

You will need two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The recipe calls for 16 ounces of chicken, so two large 8 ounce breasts will be perfect. Slice the chicken breasts across the width of the breast, holding a sharp knife almost parallel to the surface (angled at a slant). Cut each chicken breast into 1/4″ slices, then put the slices into a medium-sized bowl, and set aside.

Now it’s time to make the sauce which is used to marinate the chicken. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, ginger, sugar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir until the sauce is smooth, with no lumps.

Pour the sauce over the chicken slices, and toss until the chicken slices are coated with sauce. Once fully coated, set the chicken aside to marinate in the sauce while you pan-sear the other ingredients.

Preparing The Pan-Seared Veggies And Nuts

Slice six green onions (bulb and stalk) into 2″ long pieces. Remove the stem and seeds from the bell peppers, and cut them into “bite-sized” pieces. Heat ONE Tablespoon of oil over Medium-High heat in a large (10-12 inch) skillet. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, add the green onions and bell peppers to the skillet.

Stir often until the veggies are “tender-crisp” in texture. This usually takes only about 2 minutes! Transfer the veggies out of the skillet into a bowl, using a slotted spoon (so excess oil can drip back into skillet).

Add 2 more Tablespoons of oil to skillet and heat until hot once again on Medium heat. Add chopped cashews (or dry roasted peanuts if using) to the hot oil, and cook (stirring frequently) only until the nuts are lightly browned. Transfer the browned nuts to the bowl of cooked veggies using a slotted spoon.

Cooking The Szechuan Chicken

Now it’s time to quickly cook the marinated chicken and sauce. You will use the same skillet for this (and any leftover oil in the skillet). Heat remaining oil in skillet over high heat until HOT but not smoking. Add the chicken mixture to the hot oil, and cook, stirring frequently. Continue to cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes, or until it is cooked through and no longer pink in color.

Quickly add the veggies and nuts (plus any accumulated juices in the bowl) back into the skillet, and stir to combine. Heat on medium heat until all ingredients are heated through (a couple minutes). When thoroughly heated through, the dish is ready to serve!

Serving Szechuan Chicken

We really enjoy serving the Szechuan chicken on top of a bed of steamed rice! TIP: If you begin cooking the rice at the beginning of your prep time for this recipe, it should be ready to go when you’re ready to serve. The bed of rice is optional, but I highly recommend it, as it pairs very well with this chicken dish!

Transfer the Szechuan chicken to individual plates, then lightly sprinkle the surface of each portion with sesame seeds, if desired, for a nice finishing touch! Serve the Szechuan chicken immediately (while hot), and enjoy this tasty dish! I really hope you enjoy it, because it has great flavor and color! It’s not too spicy and really tastes amazing!

I hope you have the opportunity to try this delicious Asian-style main dish. If you have any leftovers, they can be refrigerated for 2-3 days and easily reheated in a microwave. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More ASIAN-STYLE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of Asian-style recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Original recipe source: unknown (found recipe cut out & taped onto a 3×5 card in an OLD recipe box)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Szechuan Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Szechuan Chicken is a delicious, easy to make stir-fry with chicken, bell peppers, green onions and nuts cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce.

Category: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Szechuan chicken

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 354 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

16 ounces chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) = approx. two 8 oz. chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
6 green onions
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil DIVIDED USE
½ cup chopped cashews can substitute dry roasted peanuts
sesame seeds (OPTIONAL) sprinkle as garnish, if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice chicken across the width of the breast, using a sharp knife almost parallel to the surface (angled at a slant). Cut each chicken breast into 1/4" slices; put slices in a medium bowl; set aside.
Make sauce: In separate bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, ginger, sugar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir until smooth (no lumps). Pour sauce over chicken; toss until slices are coated with sauce. Set chicken aside.
Slice green onions (bulb and stalk) into 2" pieces. Remove stem/seeds from bell peppers, then cut into "bite-sized" pieces.
Heat ONE Tablespoon oil on medium-High heat in a large (10"-12") skillet. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, add green onions/bell peppers. Cook, stirring often until veggies are "crisp-tender" (about 2 minutes). Transfer veggies from skillet to a bowl, using slotted spoon (so excess oil can drip back into skillet).
Add TWO Tablespoons of oil to skillet and heat on Medium heat. Add cashews (or dry roasted peanuts) to hot oil. Cook (stirring frequently) only until nuts are lightly browned. Transfer nuts to bowl of cooked veggies using slotted spoon.
Heat remaining oil in skillet on high heat until HOT but not smoking. Add chicken mixture and cook, stirring frequently. Continue to cook chicken for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink in color. Quickly add reserved veggies and nuts (plus any juices) back into the skillet; stir to combine. Cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes or until all ingredients are heated through. Once fully heated, the dish is ready to serve!
We enjoy serving Szechuan chicken on top of a bed of steamed rice! The bed of rice is optional, but I recommend it. Transfer Szechuan chicken to individual plates, then lightly sprinkle each portion with sesame seeds, if desired, Serve immediately, and enjoy

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation does NOT include rice or noodles that may be served with the chicken.

Nutrition Facts

Szechuan Chicken

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

Calories 354 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 8g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 73mg24%

Sodium 430mg19%

Potassium 721mg21%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 1292IU26%

Vitamin C 67mg81%

Calcium 35mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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07
Oct
2022

Air Fryer Crusted Mahi Mahi

categories: Air Fryer Recipes, Main Dishes, Seafood

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Air Fryer Crusted Mahi Mahi is a delicious, easy dish! Mahi Mahi fillets are coated in seasoned Panko breadcrumbs and air fried until crispy!

Today I want to share a recipe for air fryer crusted mahi mahi (its Hawaiian name) that we really enjoy! Boneless fillets of this firm white fish are covered with a seasoned panko breadcrumb topping, and then cooked in an air fryer until browned and crispy!

The recipe could not be more simple, and if you happen to own an air fryer you’ll appreciate how easy is to prepare this crispy fish.

We love mahi mahi! It does not have a “fishy taste”, but is a mild flavored piece of fish. Frozen individually wrapped fillets can be found in the frozen food department of many grocery stores (or Costco), and whole fillets can often be found at a local fish market.

The prep time for this is only about 5 minutes, then the mahi mahi cooks in the air fryer, with only a quick flip over, about halfway through the cooking. That’s it!

Perhaps you are unfamiliar with this delicious piece of seafood. If you’re interested in learning more about this type of fish, be sure to check out the information HERE, which tells you the origins of this fish, where it is commonly found, and lots of other cool facts! Here’s how to make air fryer crusted mahi mahi.

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

Prepare The Panko And Spice Topping

NOTE: Before making the topping for the fish, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. The prep for this dish only takes a few minutes, so you want the air fryer hot, in order to save time!

Combine panko breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper in a shallow bowl or dish. Stir to fully combine these ingredients.

This is the panko topping that will coat and season the mahi mahi. The crispy panko breadcrumbs are what will give the fish its crunchy texture on the outside!

Prepare The Fish Fillets

Use several paper towels to pat each of the mahi mahi fillets dry. Use a pastry brush to coat all sides of each piece of fish with olive oil.

Please note that we only used three fillets this time instead of four, as the recipe calls for.

Add Breadcrumb Seasoning To The Mahi Mahi

Place the mahi mahi fillets (one at a time) onto the breadcrumb seasoning mixture. Press the breadcrumbs on gently, to help adhere them to the fish. Coat all sides of the fish with the seasoned panko.

Place each coated fillet onto a large plate, then lightly spritz the top and bottom of each piece of fish with additional olive oil. This will help the panko breadcrumb coating to become very crisp on both sides.

Cooking The Mahi Mahi Fillets

Place the breaded/sprayed mahi mahi fillets (in a single layer) in the basket of the air fryer. Cook at 400°F. for 6-7 minutes, then gently turn the fish fillets over to the other side.

They should be nicely browned on the surface. Continue cooking for an additional 6-8 minutes until cooked through. The panko crust on the fish should be nicely browned and crispy, as well.

Be careful to not overcook the fish. Because mahi mahi is a very lean fish, if overcooked, it runs the risk of being dry, and we don’t want that, do we?

Serve The Air Fryer Crusted Mahi Mahi

Transfer the air fryer crusted mahi mahi to individual serving plates. Garnish each piece of fish with a lemon wedge or two (for squeezing) and fresh parsley for additional color and flavor.

We also love to add peach/mango salsa (which we get at Costco), and lightly spoon it over the top of each piece. That is optional, but oh so good!

The air fryer crusted mahi mahi pairs well with a great variety of side dishes. When I made the dish this time, I served it with Pineapple Topped Sweet Potato Puff. That was a unique pairing, but they actually ended up complimenting each other very well!

I hope you have the chance to try this delicious seafood recipe, and trust you’ll enjoy it as much as we do. If you enjoy mahi mahi, be sure to try Easy Baked Mahi Mahi, or Mahi Mahi with Corn & Avocado Salsa,too!

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 GREAT day!

Looking For More AIR FRYER Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious air fryer recipes for you to enjoy, including:

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Recipe adapted from Samantha at: everydayfamilycooking.com/air-fryer-mahi-mahi

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Air Fryer Crusted Mahi Mahi

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

13 mins

Total Time

18 mins

Air Fryer Crusted Mahi Mahi is a delicious, easy dish! Mahi Mahi fillets are coated in seasoned Panko breadcrumbs and air fried until crispy!

Category: Entree-Seafood, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer crusted mahi mahi

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 285 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1½ pounds Mahi Mahi fillets (4 fillets)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + additional for spritzing
1¼ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

OPTIONAL: Lemon wedges, fresh parsley sprigs, and/or salsa, to serve

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
Combine panko breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in shallow bowl or dish. Stir to combine.
Pat mahi mahi fillets dry with paper towels. Use a pastry brush to coat all sides of each fillet with olive oil.
Lay fillets (one at a time) on breadcrumbs. Press breadcrumbs onto fish to adhere and coat each with breadcrumbs on all sides. Place each coated fillet onto a large plate; lightly spritz top and bottom sides of each fillet with additional olive oil. This helps panko breadcrumb coating to become very crisp.
Place fish in a single layer in air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F. for 6-7 minutes, then gently turn fish over to the other side. Continue cooking for 6-8 minutes. Fish should be fully cooked; breadcrumb crust should be crisp and browned when done. Be careful to not overcook the fish (or it can become dry).
Transfer mahi mahi to individual serving plates. Garnish each piece with lemon wedges (for squeezing) and fresh parsley., if desired. Also can spoon salsa over the top of each piece, for additional flavor (optional). Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Crusted Mahi Mahi

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

Calories 285 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 124mg41%

Sodium 579mg25%

Potassium 766mg22%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 554IU11%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 64mg6%

Iron 3mg17%

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

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24
Sep
2022

Coney Dogs

categories: Beef, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes

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Looking for an easy meal for your family? Make Coney Dogs! Learn how to make this simple, flavorful meat sauce for your favorite hot dogs.

Coney dogs have been around since the early 1900’s, in one version or another. There has always been some disagreement regarding how Coney dogs became popular in the United States.

Years ago I found this recipe in one of my old cooking magazines, and knew I had to try it out. My husband wasn’t sure he would like it, but he (and I) ended up loving this sauce and our Coney dogs!

Coney Dog History

I grew up thinking Coney dogs got their name because originated in Coney Island, New York, but according to historians, that may not actually be the case. I

f you are interested in the history of this classic hot dog and sauce, check out this article from the Smithsonian magazine here. It is quite fascinating to read about its origins, and is a quick, easy read!

Coney Dogs Flavor Profile

If you enjoy traditional chili dogs, then you will most likely enjoy Coney dogs, as they share some similarities, but have a slightly different flavor profile (slightly sweet).

The sauce for Coney dogs is incredibly EASY to prepare, using ground beef, onions, celery, brown sugar, tomato sauce and spices, etc.

When this sauce is used to top your favorite hot dogs, I’m confident you’ll enjoy them! Here’s how simple it is to prepare Coney dogs!

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

Cook The Ground Beef

Cook ground beef, chopped onions and celery in a large skillet on Medium heat. Break the beef up until it is in small pieces.

Stir often, and continue cooking the beef until fully cooked through. Once the meat is done cooking, drain off any accumulated grease in the skillet and discard.

Let’s Make The Sauce For The Coney Dogs!

Now it’s time to make the Coney sauce for the hot dogs. Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, yellow mustard and salt to the ground beef mixture.

Bring the sauce to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to LOW. Let the sauce simmer UNCOVERED on LOW heat for 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally while it cooks.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the hot dogs according to the instructions on the package or by using your favorite method (boil, grill, oven broil, air fryer, etc.).

Plan your time so that the hot dogs will be ready when the sauce is finished cooking!

Once done, the Coney dog sauce will have thickened considerably, and most of the liquid will have been absorbed.

Once this occurs, and the meat is fully heated through, the sauce is ready to serve as a topper for the hot dogs!

Who’s Ready For Some Coney Dogs?

Place the cooked hot dogs into hot dog buns, and then spoon some of the sauce onto each hot dog. A lot of folks enjoy eating Coney dogs just like this (only adding the sauce), but add your favorite condiments, as well.

My favorite way to enjoy a Coney dog is to add diced fresh onion and yellow mustard on top of the sauce. My husband enjoys adding chopped onions and shredded cheddar cheese to his.

Serve the Coney dogs hot, and enjoy their wonderful flavor! This recipe makes enough sauce to top 8 hot dogs.

Any leftover Coney sauce can be frozen for later use when sealed in an airtight freezer bag or container.

I hope you enjoy this simple meal. We really do, because it is so simple to prepare, and is a nice change from plain hot dogs or traditional chili cheese dogs!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will come back for more family friend recipes again soon. Take care, and have a great day!

Looking For More EASY LUNCH or DINNER Recipes?

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

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Original recipe source: “Taste of Home” magazine, June/July 2005 edition, page 54, published by Reiman Publications

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Coney Dogs

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Looking for an easy meal for your family? Make Coney Dogs! Learn how to make this simple, flavorful meat sauce for your favorite hot dogs.

Category: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: coney dogs

Servings: 8 coney dogs

Calories Per Serving: 84 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Coney Sauce:

½ pound ground beef
¼ cup chopped yellow onions
2 Tablespoons chopped celery
8 ounces canned tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar light or dark
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2¼ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
¼ teaspoon salt

For Hot Dogs (these items not included in caloric calculation as varieties/brands of hot dogs and buns may vary greatly):

8 hot dogs/weiners
8 hot dog buns

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook beef, onions and celery in a large skillet on Medium heat. Break beef up until it's in small pieces. Stir often; continue cooking beef until fully cooked through. Drain off any accumulated grease in skillet and discard.
Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, mustard and salt to ground beef mixture. Bring sauce to a boil on MEDIUM heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to LOW. Let sauce simmer UNCOVERED on LOW heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally while it cooks. NOTE: While sauce is simmering, cook hot dogs according to pkg. instructions or use your favorite method (boil, grill, oven broil, air fryer, etc.). Plan ahead so hot dogs will be ready when sauce is finished cooking!
When done, the sauce will have thickened considerably, and most liquid will have been absorbed. The sauce is now ready to serve as a topper for the hot dogs!
Place cooked hot dogs into warm hot dog buns. Top each one with sauce. Enjoy the hot dogs with just the added coney sauce OR add additional condiments like cheese, yellow mustard, chopped onions, or other condiments you enjoy.
NOTE: This recipe makes enough sauce to top 8 hot dogs. Any leftover meat sauce can be frozen for later use when sealed in an airtight freezer bag or container.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Hot dogs and buns were not included in caloric calculation, as varieties/brands/calories of hot dogs and buns will vary greatly. Caloric calculation is for the coney sauce (1/8th portion of total sauce).

Nutrition Facts

Coney Dogs

Amount Per Serving (1 serving sauce)

Calories 84 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 19mg6%

Sodium 257mg11%

Potassium 204mg6%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 189IU4%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 15mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

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

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13
Sep
2022

Smoked Whole Turkey

categories: Main Dishes, Traeger Grill Recipes, Turkey

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Make a delicious 20 lb. smoked whole turkey (with butter and a variety of dried spices) in about 6 hours, using a pellet grill or smoker.

The first time I ever cooked a whole turkey was a LONG TIME ago (I was 20 years old). I won’t bore you with the details, but I’ll just say my husband and I had some single friends over for Thanksgiving and it wasn’t pretty! It ended with a turkey that was cooked and pretty on the “outside”, but the middle/insides of that bird were an entirely different story. UGH.

True story- and we all ended up having a good time, and lived to tell the tale… ha ha! After that disaster I learned how to perfectly roast a turkey in our oven, and have never had a problem since, thank goodness.

My husband and I received a FREE 20 lb. turkey last Christmas, and decided to smoke it on our pellet grill, and this is the “recipe” we used. The finished turkey, covered with melted butter and lots of spices, had great seasoning and smoky flavor! Here’s how we make a smoked whole turkey on our pellet grill. We enjoy making smoked turkey outside, because it doesn’t heat up our kitchen cooking it all day, especially during our Summer heat!

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

Preheat The Smoker

The prep time to get the turkey ready to cook is minimal, so the first thing you need to do is preheat your smoker or pellet grill according to the manufacturers instructions. Once preheated, set the temperature for 250°F. This is the temperature you will smoke the turkey at for the first half of the cooking time (low and slow!).

While the smoker preheats, make the spice mix and prep the turkey (it only takes a few minutes). You can use whatever type smoker pellets you prefer, but we love using mesquite or applewood.

Make The Spice Mix For the Turkey

The ingredients for the seasoning mix are simple to prepare. Measure dried Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper, rosemary, celery seed and garlic powder in a small bowl. Stir to combine these ingredients, and your spice mix is done. See how easy that is?

Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan, and then stir in the seasoning mix until completely combined. Remove the pan from the heat.

Remove the giblets from the inside cavity of the turkey. Pat the turkey dry on all sides, using paper towels to absorb the moisture, then set it on a small wire rack (to slightly elevate the turkey) in a large roasting pan.

Brush the butter seasoning mixture over the entire surface of the turkey, including inside the turkey cavity. Try to get some seasoning under the skin of the breast, as well. Use ALL of the seasoning mixture on the turkey.

Time To Smoke The Turkey!

Once the smoker grill has reached 250°F. and the turkey has been seasoned, it’s ready to cook! Place the roasting pan in the smoker, then insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the turkey.

Let the turkey cook UNCOVERED until it reaches an internal temperature of 100 – 110°F. Once it begins cooking, don’t open the grill… just be patient, and let it smoke away. It typically takes about 3 hours to reach this temperature for a turkey this size, but keep an eye on the temp, because we know the temps in various smokers can vary quite a bit!

Halfway Point

Once the turkey reaches an internal temp of 100 – 110°F., remove the turkey pan from the grill. Baste the turkey with any accumulated juice on the bottom of the pan. Add 3 Tablespoons of additional butter to the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, then place the pan back on the grill.

TURN THE HEAT UP TO 300°F. and continue cooking the turkey (covered) for another 2-3 hours, OR until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. We have found that on our smoker (a Traeger), this second half of the cooking time usually takes somewhere between 2½ – 3 hours.

Obviously if you are cooking a much smaller weight turkey, your cooking time will be considerably less. Remember- your cooking time might vary, depending on the size turkey you’re using, model of smoker you’re using (and other conditions), so keep an eye on that internal temperature! The temperature probe is your friend!

Serving The Smoked Whole Turkey

Once the turkey is done, remove it from the smoker, and let it rest (covered) for 25-30 minutes before carving. The turkey will continue to cook slightly as it rests. This resting time allows the juices time to redistribute inside the turkey. After the turkey has rested, baste it again with the accumulated juices from the bottom of the pan, then slice and serve.

We enjoyed the smoky flavor of the well-seasoned meat, and served our turkey slices with steamed broccoli and a delicious Sweet Potato Apple Bake, which complimented the meat well.

I hope you have the opportunity to make a smoked whole turkey for yourself and those you love. We really enjoy having lots of leftovers when we cook a large turkey, which we use for sandwiches, Turkey Fiesta Casserole, and Turkey Tortilla Soup!

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

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You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of Smoker Grill Recipes, including:

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Recipe adapted from: https://anaffairfromtheheart.com

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0 from 0 votes

Smoked Whole Turkey

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

Total Time

6 hrs 10 mins

Make a delicious 20 lb. Smoked Whole Turkey (with butter and a variety of dried spices) in about 6 hours, using a pellet grill or smoker.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: smoked whole turkey

Servings: 16 (8 oz. servings) approx.

Calories Per Serving: 328 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

20 pound turkey giblets removed
½ cup butter = ½ cup or 8 T.
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons butter additional to be added later

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat smoker or pellet grill according to manufacturer instructions. Once preheated, set temperature for 250°F.
Combine Cajun seasoning, salt, basil, rosemary, oregano, Italian seasoning, celery seed, black pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Melt a stick of butter in saucepan; add seasoning mix; stir until combined. Remove pan from heat.
Pat turkey dry, using paper towels. Set turkey on small wire rack (to slightly elevate turkey) in a large roasting pan. Brush butter mixture over surface of turkey (all sides), including turkey cavity. Put some seasoning under skin of the breast, as well. Use ALL of the seasoning mixture.
Place roasting pan in smoker; insert temperature probe into thickest part of turkey. Cook UNCOVERED until it reaches an internal temp. of 100° - 110°F. It typically takes about 3 hours to reach temperature. Keep an eye on the temp, because smoker temps can vary! When turkey reaches an internal temp of 100° - 110°F., remove pan from grill. Baste turkey with any accumulated juices in bottom of the pan. Add 3 Tablespoons more butter to the pan. Cover pan with aluminum foil; place pan back on the grill.
TURN THE HEAT UP TO 300°F. and continue cooking turkey (covered) another 2-3 hours, OR until internal temp. reaches 165°F. Remember- your cooking time might vary, depending on the model of smoker (and other conditions), so keep an eye on that internal temperature!
Once done, remove pan from the smoker; let turkey rest (covered) for 25-30 minutes before carving. Turkey will continue to cook slightly as it rests. Resting time allows juices to redistribute in turkey. After resting, baste turkey again with juices from pan, then slice and serve.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: A 20 pound turkey will yield approximately 8½ - 9 pounds of white and dark meat after cooking. The caloric calculation listed is an approximation that uses both dark and white meat in the total per serving. Your caloric amount will vary depending on portion size, and type of turkey meat consumed (white or dark meat).

Nutrition Facts

Smoked Whole Turkey

Amount Per Serving (1 (8 oz. portion))

Calories 328 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 151mg50%

Sodium 484mg21%

Potassium 422mg12%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 0.3g1%

Sugar 0.2g0%

Protein 39g78%

Vitamin A 473IU9%

Vitamin C 0.04mg0%

Calcium 31mg3%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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