The Grateful Girl Cooks!

18
Sep
2024

Italian Vinaigrette

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It only takes a couple minutes to make Italian Vinaigrette from scratch! Drizzle this delicious salad dressing on your favorite green salad!

There are so many recipes for making homemade salad dressings and vinaigrettes out there in this big ol’ world. I love finding great recipes and adapting them to our taste buds!

Over the past ten years I have shared many wonderful recipes for making your own salad dressings. Today I want to share a simple recipe for making Italian Vinaigrette from scratch (in the comfort of your own home)!

It is EASY and DELICIOUS, and I really believe you’ll like it, too! Here’s how to make Italian Vinaigrette… in only a few minutes!

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

What Ingredients Will I Need?

To make this Italian vinaigrette, you will need red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, onion powder, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, mustard powder, dried basil, and sugar.

Note: *Dried basil is not shown in the photo below. If desired, you can substitute dried oregano for this ingredient.*

Make The Italian Vinaigrette

Measure all the ingredients for the vinaigrette into a medium-sized bowl. Use a whisk to fully blend these ingredients.

Oil and vinegar will not “normally” combine and will stay separated (like oil and water), so it is very important to mix them well, until fully incorporated (“emulsified”).

Once the ingredients have become fully incorporated, the Italian vinaigrette is ready to be used to drizzle over a chilled, mixed green salad.

However… I feel the vinaigrette becomes more flavorful as the ingredients have time to “mingle”, so I usually refrigerate it for a couple hours BEFORE using.

Pour the ingredients into a clean jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid. If desired, place a label on the jar, and store in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to enjoy the vinaigrette, shake the bottle or jar very well, to fully re-blend the ingredients, before adding it to a salad.

Enhance A Green Salad With Italian Vinaigrette!

Drizzle the Italian vinaigrette over a favorite mixed green salad, and enjoy this delicious, flavor-packed salad dressing! The vinaigrette also tastes fantastic when used as a dressing for pasta salad!

Remember to tightly seal the bottle after you’re done using it, and store the remaining vinaigrette in the refrigerator.

This is such a delicious, easy to make Italian Vinaigrette, and I hope you (and those you love) will enjoy it, too! It’s so easy to make in only a couple minutes, pop it in the fridge, and it will be there when you’re ready for it!

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 SALAD DRESSING 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 homemade salad dressings to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Recipe Adapted From: “Dining On A Dime Cookbook”, by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper, page 165, published in 2004 by T & L Group

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Italian Vinaigrette

Prep Time

3 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

3 mins

It only takes a couple minutes to make Italian Vinaigrette from scratch! Drizzle this delicious salad dressing on your favorite green salad!

Category: Salad Dressing

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: Italian Vinaigrette

Servings: 24 (1 Tablespoon per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 82 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon mustard powder
¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried basil *can substitute dried oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Measure all ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Use a whisk to fully blend. **Oil and vinegar will not "normally" combine and will stay separated (like oil and water), so it's important to mix them well, until fully incorporated ("emulsified").
The Italian vinaigrette is ready to be used, but for "best" flavor, refrigerate it for a couple hours BEFORE using. To store: Pour vinaigrette into a clean jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid. Label, and store in the refrigerator.
When you're ready to enjoy the vinaigrette, shake the bottle or jar very well, to fully re-blend ingredients, before adding to a salad.

Nutrition Facts

Italian Vinaigrette

Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)

Calories 82 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Sodium 73mg3%

Potassium 5mg0%

Carbohydrates 0.3g0%

Fiber 0.04g0%

Sugar 0.1g0%

Protein 0.1g0%

Vitamin A 1IU0%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 2mg0%

Iron 0.1mg1%

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

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14
Sep
2024

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

categories: Instant Pot Recipes, Pork

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Make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas for taco night! Shredded pork, orange juice, onions and spices flavor this easy, delicious dish (8 servings)!

“Wow… these are SO GOOD” were the first words out of my mouth after taking my first couple of bites of Instant Pot Pork Carnitas! The flavor of the shredded pork was fantastic, and the meat was so tender and juicy! I found this recipe in one of the first Instant Pot cookbooks I ever bought and LOVE it!

Instant Pots are known for quickly pressure cooking many foods, and MEAT always seems to turn out well when cooked in one. This simple recipe produces flavorful, juicy shredded pork for tacos, but the meat can also be used in burritos or enchiladas!

Carnitas is the name given to this Mexican dish (translated it means “little meats”). For this version, a pork shoulder roast (3 pound) is cooked with citrus juice, onions, garlic, and a variety of spices until it is tender.

The well-seasoned pork shoulder is cooked, shredded, and then used to fill taco shells. Carnitas tacos are garnished with cilantro, chopped onions, and hot sauce (optional), and served. They are so good, and I’m confident you’ll love them! Here’s how to make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas.

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

Make The Sauce

Place chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt into the Instant Pot. Add fresh orange juice and stir until the ingredients are combined.

Add The Remaining Ingredients

Add 1 yellow onion that has been cut into wedges, minced garlic and 1 bay leaf (found in the Spice section at the grocery store).

Cut a 3 pound boneless pork shoulder roast into 2″ chunks, and add the pieces to the other ingredients in the Instant Pot.

Stir well, until all the pieces of pork have been coated with the orange juice and spice mixture. Now let’s cook the carnitas!

Cooking The Pork Carnitas

Lock the lid of the Instant Pot in place, and flip the Pressure Release knob to SEALING. Press the MANUAL button and program it for 35 minutes of cooking at High pressure. NOTE: If your machine has a Meat/Stew setting, you can use that (same cooking time/pressure).

Most Instant Pot appliances take between 13-15 minutes to reach full pressure, then the programmed cooking time begins. The pressure button will pop up when the Instant Pot has reached full pressure.

Once done, let the pressure release NATURALLY for 20 minutes. The Instant Pot will keep track of the time as the pressure is naturally released.

After 20 minutes, flip the Pressure Release knob over to VENTING. This will allow any remaining steam to quickly release. The Instant Pot can be safely opened once the pressure button has dropped back down.

Shred The Pork

Transfer the pork to a cutting board or large plate. Use two forks to shred the pork into smaller pieces, then set the pork aside.

Remove as much pork fat (or grease) as possible from the liquid in the Instant Pot. Lift the inner pot out to do this. The pot is very hot, so protect your hands by wearing oven mitts. You can use a fat separator or spoon the grease off the top. Reserve 1 Tablespoon of the fat/grease and set it aside to be used later (discard the rest of the grease)!*

Pour the remaining orange juice/spice liquid back into the inner pot. Add the shredded pork, then stir to fully combine. Place the inner pot back inside the Instant Pot.

TIP: If making this ahead of time, lock the lid in place, flip the Pressure Release knob to VENTING and push the KEEP WARM button. This will keep the pork carnitas mixture warm for as long as 10 hours.

Ten Minutes Before Serving

About 10 minutes before serving, put the reserved Tablespoon of pork grease/fat in a large skillet (use cast iron if you have it). Heat the fat on Medium-High.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shredded pork from Instant Pot into the skillet, spreading it evenly. Heat the pork for 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has browned and become slightly crisp. If the pork starts to dry out too much, add a small amount of the remaining liquid in the Instant Pot, and stir it in.

Prepare the corn tortillas for the tacos. If you’re using store bought taco shells, heat them per the package instructions. When you’re cooking/shaping them yourself, cook them in hot oil, and drain on paper towels.

Time To Enjoy Instant Pot Pork Carnitas!

Fill the taco shells with the carnitas mixture, then top each taco with chopped onions, cilantro (and hot sauce), and serve!

The recipe yields a fair amount of shredded pork, enough for approx. 8 servings (two tacos each). We use small tortillas (5″), but if you use large tortillas (8″), you may only have enough for 6 servings.

We LOVE Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Tacos, because there’s so much flavor in the pork from the onions, garlic, orange juice and spices! I’m sure you’ll love them, too!

I hope you have the chance to make these absolutely delicious pork carnitas! They taste fantastic, and it’s so convenient to make them early in the day. You can keep the meat WARM in the Instant Pot until you’re ready for dinner. YUM!

Thanks 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 wonderful day!

Looking For More INSTANT POT Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I recently began adding Instant Pot recipes to my website (more on the way), and have several published that you might enjoy, including:

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Butter Chicken
Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff
Instant Pot Rice Pudding
Instant Pot Beef Stew

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) 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.
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Original recipe source (highly recommend): “The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook”, by Coco Morante, page 185, published in 2018 by Ten Speed Press

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Natural Release (inactive time)

20 mins

Total Time

1 hr 30 mins

Make Instant Pot Pork Carnitas for taco night! Shredded pork, orange juice, onions and spices flavor this easy, delicious dish (8 servings)!

Category: Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: instant pot, pork carnitas

Servings: 8

Calories Per Serving: 184 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¾ cup fresh orange juice
1 medium yellow onion peeled, cut in wedges
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 bay leaf
3 pound boneless pork shoulder roast cut into 2" chunks

For serving: corn tortillas, chopped onion and cilantro, hot sauce (as desired)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt in the Instant Pot. Add orange juice; stir until ingredients are combined, then add onion wedges, garlic, bay leaf and pork. Stir until all pork chunks are fully coated with sauce.
Lock the lid in place, and set the Pressure Release knob to SEALING. Press the MANUAL button; program it for 35 minutes of cooking at High pressure. NOTE: If your machine has a Meat/Stew setting, you can use that also (same cooking time/pressure). It should take 13-15 minutes to reach full pressure, then the programmed cooking time will begin. *The pressure button will pop up when it's reached full pressure.
Once done, let the pressure release NATURALLY for 20 minutes. The Instant Pot will keep track of the time as the pressure is released. After 20 minutes, flip the Pressure Release knob over to VENTING. This allows any remaining steam inside to quickly release. The Instant Pot can be safely opened once the pressure button has dropped back down.
Transfer the pork pieces (using tongs) to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat, then set the pork aside.
Lift the inner pot out (it's hot, so wear oven mitts!). Remove as much pork fat/grease as possible from the liquid by using a fat separator or by spooning it off the top. **Reserve 1 Tablespoon of the fat/grease; set it aside to be used later (discard remaining fat/grease).** Pour remaining juice/spice liquid back into the inner pot. Stir in the shredded pork until combined. Place inner pot back in the Instant Pot. Lock the lid back in place, flip the Pressure Release knob to VENTING and push the KEEP WARM button. **This keeps the pork carnitas mixture warm for as long as 10 hours (in case you prepare it early in the day).
Ten minutes before serving, put the reserved Tablespoon of pork grease/fat in a large skillet (use cast iron if you have it). Heat the fat on Medium-High. Use a slotted spoon to transfer shredded pork from Instant Pot into the skillet, spreading it out evenly. Cook the pork for 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's browned and slightly crisp. If the pork dries out too much, add a small amount of the remaining liquid in the pot, and stir it in.
Prepare taco shells (your preferred method). Fill taco shells with carnitas mixture, top with chopped onions, cilantro and taco sauce, as desired. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The caloric calculation is for the pork carnitas only. It does not include tortillas and toppings (chopped cilantro/onion/taco sauce), as these amounts will vary per user.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

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

Calories 184 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 70mg23%

Sodium 554mg24%

Potassium 477mg14%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 729IU15%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 38mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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10
Sep
2024

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

categories: Bar Cookies, Breakfast, Desserts

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Make 16 delicious, chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars for family and friends! These granola bars are easy to make and they taste fabulous!

Today I want to share a fantastic recipe for chocolate chip granola bars that we LOVE! These granola bars taste amazing AND they freeze well, so you can keep them around, even if you have a very small family!

Since the recipe as written yields 16 granola bars, it makes it convenient to have them around for lunch boxes, or a quick snack. Making them from scratch (with common ingredients) is actually quite simple!

I’m sure you are going to love these yummy granola bars! Here’s how to make 16 delicious Chocolate Chip Granola Bars from scratch!

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

Make The Granola Bar Dough

Place soft butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl. Use electric beaters to cream and fully mix these ingredients together.

Add an egg, corn syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract to the mixture, and continue to beat, until they’re fully combined.

Add the “Dry Ingredients”

In a separate bowl, combine all purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add these “dry” ingredients, A LITTLE AT A TIME to the butter/egg mixture, beating well after each addition. The dough will be very thick.

Add chocolate chips, old fashioned oats, and finely crushed graham crackers to the dough. STIR these ingredients into the dough, until they have been completely incorporated.

NOTE: I use a combination of ½ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips and ½ cup regular sized milk chocolate chips, but you can use whatever variety you have (for a total of 1 cup chocolate chips).

Prepare The Dough For Baking

Prepare a 13″ x 9″ baking pan. Spray a small amount of non-stick spray on the bottom of the pan (to help hold the paper in place), then place a (larger than the pan) piece of parchment paper on top.

TIP: You want the side edges of the paper long enough so you can hold onto them to lift the granola bars easily out of the pan after baking!

Spray the parchment paper lightly on the bottom and sides with non-stick spray. If you have them, I suggest using “chip clips” to hold the parchment paper in place while adding the thick dough (it helps!)

Add The Dough

Spoon all the dough into the prepared baking pan. Spray or grease your fingers lightly, then firmly press down on the dough and begin distributing it throughout the entire pan.

Keep packing the dough firmly down until it is FULLY covering the bottom of the pan into all four corners. If using, remove the “chip clips” now.

Time To Bake

Bake the chocolate chip granola bars in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. When done, the edges of the bars should be crisp, and the entire pan of bars should be nicely browned on top.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack, and let the bars cool (still in the pan) for 10 minutes (they will firm up as they “cool”).

Using the overhanging edges of parchment paper, carefully lift the entire pan of granola bars up and out of the baking pan. Place the granola bars (still on the paper) back on the wire rack, and let them cool to room temperature before slicing.

Slice The Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

When the bars are at room temperature, they can be sliced into their familiar rectangular shape. First cut the bars in half (top to bottom) using a very sharp knife OR a pizza cutter (my favorite!) You will have 2 halves.

Now slice the bars in half going the opposite direction (side to side). You should now have 4 sections at this point! Slice each section in half (from top to bottom, as shown below in 2nd photo). You should now have 8 rectangles.

The final step is to slice each cut all 8 pieces in half (top to bottom), which will leave you with 16 rectangular chocolate chip granola bars (in 3rd photo below). HOORAY… YOU DID IT!

Serve The Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Now you can enjoy these absolutely scrumptious chocolate chip granola bars! They are slightly crisp on the outside edge, but chewy on the inside.

Wrap all the remaining granola bars individually in plastic wrap, to preserve their freshness. We set them out on a plate once wrapped, and they stay fresh for days. They’re also perfect to add to a lunch box for the kids or take in the car (to munch on while driving to work)!

These chocolate chip granola bars also freeze VERY WELL. After wrapping them individually, place them in a large re-sealable freezer bag or container and freeze. When ready to use them later, simply thaw, unwrap and enjoy!

I really hope you have the chance to make these chocolate chip granola bars! We absolutely LOVE them, and trust you and those you love will, too!

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

Looking For More “Bar Cookie” Style 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 bar cookie recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) 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.

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

Recipe adapted from: “Dining On A Dime Cookbook”, by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper, page 290, published by T & L Group in 2004

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

22 mins

Total Time

37 mins

Make 16 delicious, chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars for family and friends! These granola bars are easy to make and they taste fabulous!

Category: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: chocolate chip granola bars

Servings: 16 bars

Calories Per Serving: 285 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

¾ cup brown sugar dark or light
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup butter , soft
2 Tablespoons honey or light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups old fashioned oats uncooked
1¼ cups finely crushed graham crackers approx. 4-5 rectangular graham crackers
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup milk chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly spray a 13" x 9" baking pan, then place parchment paper on top. TIP: Paper should be long enough to hang over the sides of the pan, so you can lift granola bars easily out, after baking! Spray the parchment paper on bottom/sides with non-stick spray. *If you have them, use "chip clips" to hold parchment paper in place while adding dough.
Cream butter, granulated and brown sugars in a large bowl, using electric mixer. Add egg, corn syrup (or honey), and vanilla. Beat well, until fully combined.
In separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add them (a little at a time) to butter/egg mixture, beating well after each addition. STIR chocolate chips, oats, and graham cracker crumbs into the dough, until combined.
Add dough to prepared pan. Spray/grease fingers lightly, then firmly press down on the dough. Keep packing dough down firmly until bottom of the pan and all corners are covered. *Remove "chip clips", if using.*
Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. When done, edges should be crisp, and bars nicely browned on top. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let bars cool (in pan) for 10 minutes. Using parchment paper edges, carefully lift granola bars out of the pan. Place granola bars (still on the paper) on wire rack; cool to room temperature (they'll firm up more as they "cool").
Cut bars in half (top to bottom) using sharp knife OR pizza cutter. You should have 2 halves. Now slice the bars in half going the opposite direction (side to side). You should now have 4 sections. Slice each section in half (top to bottom). You should now have 8 rectangles. Slice all 8 pieces in half (top to bottom). You should have 16 granola bars. Serve and enjoy.
*Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap to keep fresh and chewy. If freezing, place wrapped bars in airtight freezer bag or container.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If you only have one type of chocolate chips, use that! Make sure you use 1 cup total. The caloric calculation was made using the ingredients listed.

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Amount Per Serving (1 granola bar)

Calories 285 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 28mg9%

Sodium 175mg8%

Potassium 112mg3%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 211IU4%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 35mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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

07
Sep
2024

Maple Glazed Baked Chicken

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes

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Maple Glazed Baked Chicken is an EASY, tasty dish to make! Chicken breasts are covered in a maple syrup, lemon and butter sauce, and baked!

Today I want to share a totally SIMPLE recipe (4 servings) I found awhile ago in one of the cookbooks I own. It only takes about 5 minutes to get this dish ready, then into the oven it goes! How easy is that?

Maple Glazed Baked Chicken is lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, then covered with a sauce made from 3 common ingredients (butter, maple syrup and lemon juice). It is not overly seasoned, which means any leftover chicken you may have can be used in other dishes.

This is such an EASY recipe to make, especially when you’re really busy or your schedule is tight, and need to get a meal on the table! Serve the chicken with a favorite side dish and enjoy this easy meal. Here’s how to make Maple Glazed Baked Chicken.

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

Prep The Chicken

Pat four boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry using paper towels to absorb the moisture. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and black pepper. NOTE: The chicken should be seasoned with enough salt and pepper to suit your taste.

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and place the seasoned chicken pieces in the dish in a single layer. Set the pan aside.

Make The Maple Glaze

Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then add real maple syrup and fresh lemon juice. Stir these ingredients until combined.

Bring this simple, but tasty sauce to a low simmer, and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally as it simmers.

When the sauce has finished cooking, it will be golden brown in color (will look like caramel). The sauce will have also thickened slightly.

Bake The Seasoned Chicken Breasts

Bake the seasoned chicken breasts (WITHOUT the sauce) at 450°F. for 10 minutes. TIP: To save time, put them in the oven while you make the maple/lemon/butter sauce!

AFTER the chicken has baked for 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Spoon all of the sauce over the pieces of chicken, to cover.

Back In The Oven

Once all the sauce has been used to cover the chicken, put the pan back into the hot oven. Continue baking the chicken (uncovered) at 450°F. for an additional 15-20 minutes.

The time it takes to finish baking the chicken breasts will depend on the thickness of the pieces you use. Check on the chicken at the 15 minute mark is my recommendation.

The maple glazed baked chicken is done when it has an internal temperature of 165°F. or when the internal juices run clear from the chicken when pierced.

Let the chicken “rest” for 2-3 minutes to let the internal juices redistribute through the meat. Once it has rested, the maple glazed baked chicken is ready to be served.

As you serve the chicken, be sure to spoon some of the remaining sauce in the pan over each piece, to add additional flavor! Serve, and enjoy this simple dish with your favorite side dishes.

NOTE: The chicken will NOT be heavily browned once finished baking. If you absolutely have to have it browned more, place it under a broiler for a minute or two, but keep an eye on it, so it won’t burn!

I hope you enjoy this easy chicken recipe. Any leftover chicken you may have can be used to top salads or pasta, etc. because it’s not overly seasoned, so it is quite versatile.

Thanks 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 wonderful day.

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

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

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) 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

Original recipe source: “Dining On A Dime Cookbook”, by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper, pg. 204, published in 2004 by T & L Group

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Maple Glazed Baked Chicken

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Maple Glazed Baked Chicken is an EASY, tasty dish to make! Chicken breasts are covered in a maple syrup, lemon and butter sauce, and baked!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: maple glazed baked chicken

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 227 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 5 ounces each
salt and black pepper (season to taste)
1 Tablespoon butter
⅓ cup real maple syrup
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450℉. Lightly spray/grease a baking dish (big enough for 4 chicken breasts to bake in a single layer).
Pat chicken dry, using paper towels to absorb moisture. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper (season to taste). Place seasoned chicken in prepared baking dish in a single layer. Set pan aside.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan on Low heat. Add maple syrup and lemon juice; stir until combined. Bring sauce to a low simmer; continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Bake seasoned chicken breasts at 450°F. for 10 minutes. TIP: To save time, put them in the oven while you make the maple/lemon/butter sauce! AFTER 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Spoon the sauce evenly over the pieces of chicken, to cover.
Put sauce-covered chicken back into the oven. Continue baking the chicken (uncovered) at 450°F. for an additional 15-20 minutes.
NOTE: The time it takes to finish baking the chicken depends on the thickness of the pieces used. Check the chicken at the 15 minute mark for doneness. Chicken is done when it has an internal temperature of 165°F. or when the internal juices run clear when chicken is pierced.
When chicken is done, let it rest for 2-3 minutes so internal juices can redistribute through the meat. Transfer chicken to plates, then serve, remembering to spoon remaining pan sauce over the pieces of chicken. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Maple Glazed Baked Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 227 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 80mg27%

Sodium 156mg7%

Potassium 484mg14%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 0.01g0%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 122IU2%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 36mg4%

Iron 0.5mg3%

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

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04
Sep
2024

Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

categories: Breakfast, Muffins

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Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins are absolutely delicious! Juicy blueberries, lemon juice, zest and poppyseeds are the stars! Makes 12.

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE blueberry muffins! My love for this type of muffin goes way back, and I am always on the hunt for new recipes to try.

I have posted several blueberry muffin recipes on this blog previously (Blueberry Lemon Muffins, Blueberry Crumble Muffins, and several others). Today I am adding a new blueberry muffin recipe to this collection, because we really enjoy this one, too!

I found a cut-out recipe in one of my Mom’s old recipe boxes a while ago, and am finally getting around to sharing it here. It is a very easy recipe to make, and I’m sure you’re going to like it, too! Here’s how to make one dozen blueberry lemon poppyseed muffins.

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Post

Make The Muffin Batter

Before making the batter, preheat your oven to 400°F. and generously spray/grease the bottom and sides of a 12 cup standard-sized muffin pan. The batter comes together very quickly, so you will want the oven hot and ready to go once the batter’s ready!

In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and poppyseeds together until combined. Add COLD butter that’s been cut into small pieces.

Use a pastry blender (or two forks) to cut the butter in, until it is has been reduced to the size of peas. Set the bowl aside.

Lightly beat one large egg, grated lemon rind, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until combined.

Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir the ingredients only until they are blended into a thick batter. Do not overmix.

Add The Blueberries

Now it’s time to add the blueberries. Before adding them to the batter, put them in a small bowl and add 1 Tablespoon of flour. Gently stir until the blueberries are coated with flour.

Add the flour-coated blueberries to the batter. *When the berries are covered in flour, it helps them NOT sink to the bottom of the muffins, but stay suspended in the batter.

Gently fold the berries into the batter until they’re distributed evenly. Now it’s time to make some tasty muffins!

Divide the batter evenly into lightly greased, standard-sized muffin cups. You should have enough batter for 12 muffins. Each muffin cup should be about two-thirds full.

Lightly sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of sugar over top of the batter, dividing the sugar equally between the 12 muffins.

Bake The Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Bake the blueberry lemon poppyseed muffins at 400°F. for 19-20 minutes. The muffins will be golden brown on top. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean and batter-free, the muffins are done!

Transfer the muffin pan to a wire rack, and let the muffins cool for 1 minute, then lift and remove them from the pan with a butter knife (or spatula). Let the blueberry lemon poppyseed muffins cool slightly on the wire rack before serving.

Time To Enjoy A Delicious Muffin!

The muffins are delicious served warm or at room temperature. Our favorite way to eat them is warm, with a tiny bit of soft butter spread on them.

Ooh… they are so good, and the blueberries are juicy and spread throughout the muffins! I think you will love them!

I hope you have the opportunity to make these yummy muffins for yourself, your family and/or your friends. They are so good, and I’m confident you’ll enjoy them!

Thank you for visiting my website today, 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 MUFFIN 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 fabulous muffin recipes to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Original recipe source: unknown (found on a cut out piece of paper in an old recipe box of my Mom’s).

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0 from 0 votes

Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins are absolutely delicious! Juicy blueberries, lemon juice, zest and poppyseeds are the stars! Makes 12.

Category: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: blueberry lemon poppyseed muffins

Servings: 12 muffins

Calories Per Serving: 214 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour **PLUS 1 Tablespoon for blueberries
1 cup granulated sugar **PLUS 1 Tablespoon for muffin topping
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons poppyseeds
6 Tablespoons cold butter
1 large egg
⅔ cup milk
2 teaspoons lemon zest finely grated lemon rind (yellow part only)
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously spray/grease a 12 cup standard muffin pan.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and poppyseeds together. Add COLD butter (cut into small pieces). Use a pastry blender (or 2 forks) to cut the butter in until it's reduced to the size of peas. Set the bowl aside.
Lightly beat egg, grated lemon rind, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until combined. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir only until they are blended into a thick batter. Do not overmix.
Put blueberries in a small bowl; add 1 Tablespoon flour. Gently stir until blueberries are coated with flour. Gently fold the berries into the batter. Batter will be thick.
Divide batter evenly into greased muffin cups. You should have enough batter for 12 muffins. Each muffin cup should be about two-thirds full. Lightly sprinkle 1 Tbl. sugar over the top of the muffins, dividing it equally between all 12 muffins.
Bake muffins at 400°F. for 19-20 minutes. Muffins will be golden brown on top. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean and batter-free, the muffins are done! Transfer pan to a wire rack; let muffins cool for 1 minute, then lift and remove them from the pan with a knife (or spatula). Let muffins cool slightly on wire rack before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Amount Per Serving (1 muffin)

Calories 214 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 31mg10%

Sodium 252mg11%

Potassium 169mg5%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 19g21%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 230IU5%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 76mg8%

Iron 1mg6%

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

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31
Aug
2024

Simple Sugar Cookies

categories: Cookies, Desserts

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Make 3 dozen Simple Sugar Cookies! These old-fashioned cookies are easy-to-make delicious treats your family and friends will enjoy.

I don’t know about you, but I still enjoy good ol’ simple sugar cookies. My mom used to make them when I was growing up, so they bring back great memories of my childhood.

Sugar cookies may sound rather plain and boring to some people, but I think they have great flavor, especially when they’re not overly sweet. I love to gobble them up OR lightly dip them in a mug of hot coffee (like you would a doughnut). That may sound weird, but trust me, they’re really good that way!

This classic recipe is simple and straightforward, and will yield 3 dozen cookies, perfect for a quick snack or lunchbox treat.

I’ve had this handwritten recipe in an old recipe box for many years and don’t have a clue who the original author was or who I got it from. Oh well. Here’s how to make simple sugar cookies, and I hope you enjoy them.

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

Make The Cookie Dough

Using an electric mixer, beat together vegetable shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar for a few minutes until creamy and well-combined.

Add vanilla extract and one egg to the mixture, and beat again, until fully incorporated into the dough batter.

Stir in the remaining ingredients (all purpose flour, baking soda and salt), until they are fully combined. The dough for the simple sugar cookies will be compact, yet slightly “crumbly”.

Time For The Sugar Topping

Now it’s time to give the cookies their trademark sugar topping. First, pour additional granulated sugar onto a flat plate, and grab a flat-bottomed glass from your cupboard (you can use colored sugar, if desired). Set them aside while you shape the cookie dough balls.

Begin forming the dough into balls. Pinch off a small piece of dough, and roll it between the palms of your hands until it is a round ball, 1″ wide. Continue until you have 36 dough balls of equal size.

This dough is very forgiving, so if you need to make the balls smaller in order to make 36 cookies, just pinch some dough off, then re-roll, as needed!

Place the cookie dough balls about 2″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Now add the sugar topping. Lightly moisten the bottom of the glass and dip it into the sugar on the plate. Lightly press the sugar onto each cookie, pressing the glass down slightly so the sugar attaches to the cookie and the dough ball flattens slightly.

NOTE: You will need to re-moisten and re-sugar the glass bottom several times until all the cookies are topped with sugar.

Bake The Cookies

Bake the simple sugar cookies at 350°F for 7-10 minutes. Oven temps can vary quite a bit, so I suggest checking them beginning at the 7 minute mark.

When done, the cookies should be slightly brown around the bottom edges and light golden brown on top. You can see in the second photo below what colored sugar looks like, should you decide to do that for a colorful topping.

Let the simple sugar cookies cool for two minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them onto a wire rack to finish cooling. As they cool, the cookies will continue to get firm.

Time To Enjoy Some Simple Sugar Cookies!

Once the cookies have completely cooled, they are ready to be served and enjoyed! Grab a couple of these yummy cookies and dig in!

These cookies also freeze very well, if they’re wrapped and stored in an airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy them once again, simply thaw and serve.

I hope you enjoy making (and eating) these old-fashioned, simple sugar cookies, and trust you’ll like them as much as we do.

Thanks 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 COOKIE 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 cookie recipes you can check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Simple Sugar Cookies

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

28 mins

Make 3 dozen Simple Sugar Cookies! These old-fashioned cookies are easy-to-make delicious treats your family and friends will enjoy.

Category: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: simple sugar cookies

Servings: 36 cookies

Calories Per Serving: 100 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable shortening
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar light or dark
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

ADDITIONAL GRANULATED SUGAR FOR TOPPING COOKIES (amount may vary)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
Using an electric mixer, beat vegetable shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar for 2-3 minutes until creamy/well-combined. Add vanilla and egg; beat until incorporated.
Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until combined. Cookie dough will be compact, yet slightly "crumbly".
Pour additional granulated sugar (start with ¼ cup) onto a flat plate, and get a flat-bottomed glass . Set them aside while you shape the cookie dough balls.
Begin forming dough into balls. Pinch off a small piece of dough; roll it between your hands until it is a round ball, 1" wide. Continue until you have 36 dough balls of equal size. Dough is very forgiving, so if you need to make the balls smaller in order to get 36 cookies, pinch some dough off a ball, then re-roll, as needed!
Place dough balls 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. For sugar topping, lightly moisten bottom of the glass with water, then dip it into the sugar on the plate. Lightly press sugar onto each cookie, pressing glass down slightly so sugar attaches to the cookie and the dough ball flattens slightly. NOTE: You will need to re-moisten and re-sugar the glass bottom several times until all the cookies are topped with sugar.
Bake at 350°F for 7-9 minutes. Oven temps can vary, so check them beginning at the 7 minute mark. When done, the cookies should be slightly brown around the bottom edges and light golden brown on top.
Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely, then serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Sugar used to top the cookies is not added to the caloric calculation, as this amount may vary per user.

Nutrition Facts

Simple Sugar Cookies

Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)

Calories 100 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 51mg2%

Potassium 14mg0%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 8IU0%

Calcium 4mg0%

Iron 0.4mg2%

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

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27
Aug
2024

Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff

categories: Beef, Instant Pot Recipes, Main Dishes

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Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff is really easy to make and it’s delicious! This one pot meal of beef, noodles and creamy sauce serves 6.

If you have access to an Instant Pot and are craving a simple yet comforting and filling meal that is fairly budget-friendly, I’d like to share this recipe for Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff.

This recipe uses 1 pound of ground beef, and the finished dish (with egg noodles and sauce) will yield 6 delicious servings in under 30 minutes! Half of that time is inactive prep time letting the Instant Pot come to full pressure, so I think that is a great deal.

I have slowly begun to roll out some tried and true Instant Pot recipes onto my blog this summer, and today I want to share one of my favorites! There are still quite a few Instant Pot recipes I’ve already made, still waiting patiently for me to finish writing their blog posts, but for now, here’s another one!

Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff is so easy to make, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Here’s how to make this dish.

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

Cook The Ground Beef

The first thing you will need to do is brown and cook the ground beef. To do this, press the SAUTÉ button (Medium heat). Let the Instant Pot heat up for a minute, then add the ground beef to the inner pot.

Continue to stir the ground beef until it is fully cooked through and there is no pink remaining in the meat. Press CANCEL to turn off the heat, then drain the fat out of the pot (and discard).

Time To Add Other Ingredients

Add dry minced onions, minced garlic, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper to the ground beef in the pot.

Pour uncooked wide egg noodles into the liquid, and then stir well, to combine them with the other ingredients.

Use the back of a large spoon to gently push the noodles down as much as possible into the liquid. Add up to a half cup of water (or additional beef broth), if necessary, to partially submerge the noodles.

Open a can of cream of mushroom soup and spoon it over the top of the noodles in the pan. DO NOT STIR THE SOUP IN! Just spoon or spread it out as best as possible over the surface of the noodles.

Cook The Stroganoff

Lock the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the top pressure knob to SEALING. Push the MANUAL button and cook the ground beef stroganoff for 5 minutes on HIGH pressure.

It will take the Instant Pot 10-15 minutes to come to full pressure, then the pressure button (on top of the Instant Pot) will pop up. At that point the machine will begin cooking and counting down the 5 minute time!

Final Step

When the stroganoff has cooked for 5 minutes, the machine will beep, indicating it is done. Perform a QUICK RELEASE by carefully flipping the pressure knob on top from Sealing to VENTING. This will immediately begin releasing the steam (and pressure) from the Instant Pot.

Once the steam has stopped and the pressure knob (on top of the machine) has dropped back down, the Instant Pot is safe to open. Unlock and open the lid (and set aside).

Stir in the sour cream immediately while the beef stroganoff is really hot. Continue to stir until the sour cream has been fully incorporated into the Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff.

Serve The Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff

Now this delicious meal is ready to be served. Ladle portions (approx. 1½ cups per serving) into bowls or onto plates, then garnish with chopped fresh parsley or dried parsley flakes (optional), and serve hot.

The noodles are perfectly tender, and the beef and creamy stroganoff sauce are wonderfully delicious! We love this meal, and enjoy it with oven-roasted veggies served on the side.

I really hope you have a chance to try this delicious, satisfying meal, and trust you’ll love it as much as we do. It is so easy, and if you have any leftovers, store them in the refrigerator and microwave them to reheat.

Thanks 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 wonderful day.

Looking For More INSTANT POT Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have finally begun adding Instant Pot recipes to my blog (with more on the way). Here’s a few more Instant Pot recipes you might want to check out (they’re delicious!):

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) 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.
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Additional Prep Time (inactive)

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff is really easy to make and it's delicious! This one pot meal of beef, noodles and creamy sauce serves 6.

Category: Dinner

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: instant pot, ground beef stroganoff

Servings: 6 (approx. 1½ cups per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 428 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3½ cups beef broth
½ cup water* *if necessary*
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces wide egg noodles *uncooked*
10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup *canned = 1 can*
1 cup light sour cream
fresh chopped parsley (or dried) as garnish (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Press SAUTÉ button (Medium heat). Let the Instant Pot heat for a minute, then add ground beef to the inner pot. Continue to stir ground beef until it's fully broken up, cooked through and no pink remains. Press CANCEL to turn off heat. Drain fat (discard).
Add onions, garlic, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to the pot. Pour uncooked noodles in; stir well, to combine with other ingredients. Push the noodles down as much as possible into the liquid. Add additional ¼-½ cup water (or beef broth), if necessary, to partially submerge noodles.
Spoon mushroom soup (straight from the can) as evenly as possible over the top of the noodles. DO NOT STIR THE SOUP IN!
Lock the lid and turn the top pressure knob to SEALING. Push the MANUAL button and cook for 5 minutes on HIGH pressure. *It will take 10-15 minutes to come to full pressure, then the pressure button (on top of the Instant Pot) will pop up. The machine will then begin pressure cooking and counting down the 5 minutes!
When it's cooked for 5 minutes, the machine will beep, indicating it is done. Perform a QUICK RELEASE by flipping the pressure knob on top from Sealing to VENTING. This will immediately begin releasing steam/pressure from the Instant Pot. Once steam has stopped and the pressure knob (on top) has dropped back down, the Instant Pot is safe to open. Unlock/open the lid (and set aside).
Immediately stir in the sour cream until fully combined. Serve hot, garnishing each portion with chopped fresh (or dried) parsley. Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff

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

Calories 428 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 110mg37%

Sodium 1.183mg0%

Potassium 672mg19%

Carbohydrates 49g16%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 163IU3%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 109mg11%

Iron 4mg22%

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

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23
Aug
2024

Golden Almond Couscous

categories: Side Dishes

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Golden Almond Couscous serves 4, and is a flavorful side dish cooked with onions and bell peppers, then served with a toasted almond garnish.

Today I want to share a delicious (and simple) side dish featuring couscous, which is a common food in many countries, especially in North Africa.

This protein-enriched food (which consists of tiny granules of rolled semolina) made its way into European and French cuisine (and eventually America) starting in the early 20th century, and has wildly risen in use and popularity.

I found the original recipe many years ago in an old cookbook in my collection. The main change I’ve made is adding colorful bell peppers to the original recipe.

The addition of bell peppers enhances both the flavor and color of this dish, so that is how I make it. Here’s how to make Golden Almond Couscous!

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

A Little Prep Before Cooking The Couscous

The finished couscous is garnished with almond slices that have been lightly toasted. They add great crunch to this side dish and I highly recommend not skipping this!

To toast the almonds yourself, slice the almonds thinly, then place them into a “dry” skillet on Medium-Low heat. Cook, stirring often for 2-3 minutes, OR until they are lightly browned and aromatic. Transfer them from the skillet to a paper towel or plate to cool.

In a separate saucepan, heat 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth on a low simmer. Keep the broth hot until it is added to the couscous later.

Time To Cook The Couscous

Now it’s time to put this dish together! Melt butter on Medium-Low in a large saucepan (big enough to hold the broth and other ingredients).

Add the finely chopped onions and bell peppers. *NOTE: For added color I use a combination of finely chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers (a total of 1/3 cup of peppers), but feel free to use what color of peppers you may have.

Sauté the onions and peppers for 7-8 minutes, or until the onions have become light golden in color and the veggies are tender.

Stir ground turmeric and ground cumin into the cooked onions and peppers. Continue to cook for 1 minute, then add uncooked (“dry”) couscous to the pan.

Final Step

Stir the couscous into the onions, peppers and spice mixture until combined. Add the hot chicken broth, and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Turn off the heat and immediately put a lid on the pan (covering any vent holes). Let the golden almond couscous sit undisturbed (off the heat) for 11-12 minutes. When done, all the broth should have been absorbed.

Remove the lid from the pan after all the broth is absorbed. The grains of couscous will appear to be packed together (as seen below).

Grab a fork, and fluff the grains with it, combining the veggies with the couscous. Season the couscous, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Now this dish is almost ready to be served!

Serve The Golden Almond Couscous

Transfer the couscous immediately to a serving bowl and sprinkle the toasted almond slices over the top. Serve, and enjoy a delicious helping of golden almond couscous!

I hope you have a chance to make this savory side dish, and trust you’ll enjoy Golden Almond Couscous as much as I do. This dish pairs very well with most meats, and has great flavor.

Thanks 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 wonderful day!

Looking For More SIDE DISH 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 side dishes you can choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) 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.

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Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from: “The Flavors of Bon Appetit”, page 61, published by Condé Nast Publications in 2004

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Golden Almond Couscous

Prep Time

13 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Golden Almond Couscous serves 4, and is a flavorful side dish cooked with onions and bell peppers, then served with a toasted almond garnish.

Category: Side Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: golden almond couscous

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 186 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 Tablespoons butter
1½ cups yellow onions finely chopped
⅓ cup bell peppers (combo of green/red/yellow) finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
⅓ cup slivered almonds lightly toasted
salt and black pepper, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Toast Almonds: slice almonds thinly, then place in a "dry" skillet on Medium-Low heat. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, OR until lightly browned/aromatic. Transfer to a paper towel or plate to cool.
In a separate saucepan, heat 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth on a low simmer. Keep broth hot until it's added to couscous later.
Melt butter on Medium-Low in a large saucepan (or large, covered, non-stick skillet). Add onions and bell peppers. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, or until light golden in color and tender. Stir in turmeric and cumin; cook for 1 minute.
Add couscous; stir. Pour in hot chicken broth; stir until incorporated. Turn off the heat; put a lid on the pan (cover any vent holes). Let sit undisturbed (off the heat) for 11-12 minutes. When done, all the broth should be absorbed. Fluff the couscous well, using a fork.
Transfer couscous immediately to a serving bowl. Garnish top with toasted almonds. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*NOTE: For added color I use a combination of finely chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers (a total of 1/3 cup), but feel free to use what color of peppers you may have.

Nutrition Facts

Golden Almond Couscous

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

Calories 186 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 23mg8%

Sodium 124mg5%

Potassium 352mg10%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 656IU13%

Vitamin C 20mg24%

Calcium 52mg5%

Iron 1mg6%

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

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19
Aug
2024

Creole Shrimp and Rice

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood

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Creole Shrimp and Rice is a fantastic meal! Large shrimp are cooked in a flavorful homemade Creole sauce, and served with rice (4 servings).

If you enjoy great tasting shrimp, then may I suggest you check out this recipe for Creole Shrimp and Rice? It is such a delicious shrimp dish, and it’s packed with flavor!

If you are familiar with Creole (or Cajun) cooking, you know that a lot of this cuisine has a slight kick to it, thanks in part to the variety of spices used.

This recipe I discovered online is no exception. On its face, it’s a very straightforward recipe to make (even if it has a long list of ingredients- don’t let that scare you off).

The flavor is all in the SAUCE! Layer after layer of amazing flavor is built into the Creole sauce, a little bit at a time. Shrimp are added during the last couple of minutes to cook, and BOOM! You have this wonderful main dish, which is served with hot rice on the side!

Here’s how to make this restaurant-quality recipe for Creole Shrimp and Rice.

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

Prep The Shrimp

For this dish you will need 1½ pounds of large shrimp (about 16-20 shrimp per pound). Prep the shrimp by removing the peel, deveining them, and removing the tail. Set them aside while you make the Creole sauce.

Make The Creole Sauce

In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over Medium-High heat. Stir in chopped onions, celery and green bell pepper, and then reduce the heat to Medium.

By the way, did you know the addition of onion, celery and bell peppers is considered the “holy trinity” of vegetables in Creole cooking? Yep… this combination is the flavorful, essential seasoning foundation for many Cajun and Creole dishes, so that’s what it is called!

Cook the veggies for 10 minutes, or until the veggies are really soft. Stir often, and lower the heat, if necessary, so the veggies don’t burn.

Add minced garlic, Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne pepper, and one bay leaf, and stir to combine these ingredients with the veggies.

Stir in a can of tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Bring this sauce mixture to a boil on Medium heat. Once it begins to boil, turn the heat down to Low.

Simmer the Creole sauce on Low heat (uncovered) for 8-10 minutes OR until the sauce has thickened considerably.

Time To Add The Shrimp!

When the sauce has cooked and thickened, it is time to add and cook the shrimp. Lay the shrimp in the simmering Creole sauce, placing them in the skillet in a single layer, if possible. The single layer helps the shrimp cook evenly.

Let the shrimp cook (without disturbing them) for 1-2 minutes, then flip them over in the skillet so the other side fully cooks through (1-2 minutes).

Once the shrimp have evenly cooked on both sides, take a small taste of the sauce. Add Tabasco sauce, salt and black pepper (just enough to suit your taste).

Remember to remove the bay leaf from the sauce, and now this dish is ready to be garnished and served with rice!

Serve The Creole Shrimp And Rice

Sprinkle the Creole Shrimp and Rice with some chopped parsley and a couple lemon slices and serve immediately. We enjoy the rice served next to the shrimp and sauce, but you might prefer serving the shrimp on TOP of the rice.

It doesn’t matter HOW you serve it really, but don’t skip the rice, because it’s blandness is a perfect contrast to the slightly spicy shrimp and sauce.

I hope you have a chance to make and try this delicious recipe for Creole Shrimp and Rice, and trust you’ll enjoy it, too!

Thank you 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 SHRIMP 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 shrimp recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Original recipe source (and with thanks to): Carol, at fromachefskitchen.com/best-shrimp-creole/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Creole Shrimp and Rice

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Creole Shrimp and Rice is a fantastic meal! Large shrimp are cooked in a flavorful homemade Creole sauce, and served with rice (4 servings).

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Cajun, Creole

Keyword: Creole shrimp and rice

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 392 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil
1 medium yellow onion peeled/ finely chopped
2 stalks celery finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper deseeded/ finely chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 Tablespoon Creole/Cajun seasoning mix (less or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper *(use ¼ tsp. if you don't like it too spicy!)*
1 bay leaf
15 ounces tomato sauce (canned) = 1 can
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ pounds large shrimp (16-20 count per lb.) peeled, deveined, tail removed
Tabasco sauce to taste (start with 1-2 shakes)
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups COOKED rice (½ cup cooked rice per serving)

Optional Garnishes For Serving: chopped parsley and lemon slices

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat butter and oil on Medium-High. Stir in onions, celery and bell pepper; reduce heat to Medium. Cook veggies for 10 minutes, or until veggies are quite soft. Stir often; lower heat if necessary, so veggies don't burn.
Add minced garlic, Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Stir to combine them with the veggies.
Add tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire sauce. Stir; bring sauce to a boil on Medium heat. Once it is boiling, turn heat down to Low. Simmer Creole sauce on Low (uncovered) for 8-10 minutes OR until it has thickened slightly.
Lay shrimp in the sauce, placing them in the skillet in a single layer, if possible (to help the shrimp cook evenly). Cook shrimp (without disturbing them) for 1-2 minutes, then flip them over so the other side fully cooks through (1-2 minutes).
Take a small taste of the sauce. Add Tabasco sauce, salt and black pepper as needed (to suit your taste). Remove bay leaf from the sauce (discard).
Garnish shrimp and sauce with parsley and lemon slices; serve immediately, with hot cooked rice next to the shrimp or under the shrimp. ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Remember to cook the rice and time it so it's hot and ready to serve when the shrimp has finished cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Creole Shrimp and Rice

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

Calories 392 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 5g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 229mg76%

Sodium 1.587mg0%

Potassium 757mg22%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 1.729IU0%

Vitamin C 37mg45%

Calcium 151mg15%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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15
Aug
2024

Bacon Jam For Burgers

categories: Sauces and Dressings

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Bacon Jam For Burgers is a slightly sweet and salty condiment, easily made in a skillet, and used on hamburgers to add lots of great flavor!

It’s Summer here in good ol’ Oregon, and that means lots of BBQ’d hamburgers! Today I want to share a simple recipe to make Bacon Jam for Burgers!

Wait… WHAT??? Bacon JAM? That was my question several years ago when I first heard of it. Since I make and preserve (can) most of our jams and jellies, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why someone would want to spread bacon jam on an English muffin or toast! Ha Ha!

It turns out to be a completely different case. Bacon Jam is used as a condiment to really jazz up grilled hamburgers! (Oh! Face-palm). Let me tell you… it is absolutely DELICIOUS used in this way.

The recipe is straight forward and simple, and I highly recommend trying it on a favorite burger. Here’s how to make Bacon Jam For Burgers.

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

Cook The Bacon

First, cut 5 slices of bacon in small pieces (I use kitchen scissors to make quick work of it). Place them in a large skillet (cast iron if you have one) and turn the heat to MEDIUM.

Cook the bacon until it is browned and crispy, then remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Place the bacon on several layers of paper towels to absorb excess grease. Set aside. Remove all the bacon grease from the skillet except for ½ Tablespoon.

Cook The Onions

With the heat still on MEDIUM, add chopped onions to the skillet. Cook them, stirring occasionally, until they have caramelized and browned. This will take a few minutes.

Stir in a Tablespoon of minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn (and turn bitter in taste).

Make The Bacon Jam

Add the crispy bacon back into the skillet, then add maple syrup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and a small pinch of cayenne pepper.

Stir these ingredients until fully combined, then turn the heat down to LOW. Let the bacon jam simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes OR until it starts to thicken. Stir the jam often while it simmers, to prevent burning.

Once the bacon jam for burgers has thickened, remove the skillet from the heat, and allow the jam time to cool. You will notice it will thicken a little more while it cools.

Enjoy The Bacon Jam For Burgers

To serve the bacon jam, prepare hamburger or cheeseburger patties as you normally would, whether outside on a BBQ or inside in a skillet.

Prepare the bun (we like to grill or toast them), and add the toppings you enjoy. I “usually” put mustard AND ketchup on my burgers.

However, when I am adding bacon jam, I simply spread mayonnaise on the bottom bun, top with lettuce, a grilled burger patty, spread bacon jam on top of the meat and add the top bun.

There is usually enough bacon jam to top 3 burgers, but the recipe can EASILY be doubled or tripled to meet your needs.

Serve, and enjoy the amazing pop of flavor the bacon jam brings to grilled burgers! It really takes burgers to the next level! I love it, and really hope you will, too!

I hope you have the chance to make Bacon Jam For Burgers for those you love! Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care… and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More CONDIMENT Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a variety of condiments recipes you might want to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) 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

Original recipe source: Jordan Hanger, at: theninjacue.com/easy-bacon-jam

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Bacon Jam For Burgers

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Bacon Jam For Burgers is a slightly sweet and salty condiment, easily made in a skillet, and used on hamburgers to add lots of great flavor!

Category: Condiment

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: bacon jam, burgers

Servings: 3

Calories Per Serving: 229 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

5 slices bacon cut in small pieces
¼ medium yellow onion finely chopped
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 pinch cayenne pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut bacon in small pieces. Place them in a large skillet (cast iron if you have it). Cook bacon on MEDIUM heat until browned/crispy. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon. Place bacon on paper towels to absorb grease. Set aside. Remove all bacon grease from the skillet except for ½ Tablespoon.
Add chopped onions to the skillet. Cook on MEDIUM, stirring occasionally, until they've caramelized/browned (a few minutes). Stir in minced garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring often so garlic doesn't burn.
Add bacon, maple syrup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and a small pinch of cayenne pepper to the onions in skillet. Stir until combined, then reduce heat to LOW. Let jam simmer on LOW heat for 10 minutes OR until it starts to thicken. Stir jam often while simmering, to prevent burning. Once thickened, remove skillet from the heat. Let jam cool (it will thicken a bit more while it cools).
To serve, prepare burgers as you normally would. Spread the thick bacon jam directly on top of the burger patty. Serve with your favorite condiments, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Bacon Jam For Burgers

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total))

Calories 229 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 0.05g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 24mg8%

Sodium 248mg11%

Potassium 145mg4%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 28IU1%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 31mg3%

Iron 0.3mg2%

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

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