Category: Main Dishes


Jun
2020

Brown Sugar Pork Chops

categories: Main Dishes, Pork
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Brown Sugar Pork Chops are an easy and delicious dish, featuring seared pork chops baked in a simple garlic, butter, spices and brown sugar sauce!
Brown Sugar Pork Chops are an easy and delicious dish, featuring seared pork chops baked in a simple garlic, butter, spices and brown sugar sauce!

Do you enjoy pork chops? We do, even though we don’t eat them too often. We used to prefer thick boneless chops, but have slowly gravitated back toward using bone-in chops in most of my recipes.

It’s good (for those who love to cook) to keep a few wonderful, “tried and true” recipes in “the old kitchen tool belt”. THIS is definitely one of those kind of recipes, so I’m happy to share it with you, and hope you enjoy it.

Brown sugar pork chops are a favorite way we enjoy “the other white meat”. They are simple to prepare, and taste wonderful!

Basically what you will do is brown the pork chops, make a simple sauce, and then bake the sauce-covered pork chops. It’s all so easy (and ready in about 35 minutes), so here’s how to make them:

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

Season And Pan-Sear The Pork Chops

For this recipe you can use either bone-in or boneless pork chops (about 1″ thick). We prefer the bone-in, because the meat seems to stay a bit more juicy. Regardless of which type (bone-in or boneless) you decide to use, you’ll still enjoy these yummy pork chops!

NOTE: This recipe makes 4 pork chop servings- I was only making them for my husband and I this time, which is reflected in these photos.

The first thing you will need to do (after preheating your oven) is to season and pan-sear the pork chops. Pat the chops dry with paper towels, then lightly season BOTH sides with salt and ground black pepper.

Pork chops are seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides before pan-searing.

Heat the olive oil on medium-high heat in a large oven-proof skillet. Once the oil is very hot (but not smoking), carefully add the pork chops in one layer. They should sizzle when they hit the hot oil in the skillet. The hot oil will serve to give the chops a nicely browned exterior.

Cook the chops (without moving them) for 5-6 minutes. They should be well browned on the bottom. Carefully turn them to the other side, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Transfer the pork chops to a plate or platter, and cover with foil to help keep them warm while you make the sauce. Do NOT clean out the skillet, because any little browned bits left in there will help flavor the sauce!

The meat is seasoned and then pan-seared in olive oil in a hot skillet.The pork chops are seared until browned, and then flipped to cook the other side.

Prepare The Brown Sugar Sauce

Now it’s time to quickly make the brown sugar sauce for the pork chops. Add butter to the skillet you cooked the pork chops in, and melt it on low heat.

Once melted, add the brown sugar, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic. Stir well to combine, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, so the garlic doesn’t burn.

The brown sugar sauce will bubble quite a bit, but keep stirring! After one minute, add the pork chops back into the skillet, and turn off the heat.

Melted butter, garlic, brown sugar and Italian seasoning combine to make sauce for pork chops.Brown sugar sauce for pork chops is cooked before adding pork chops.

Bake The Pork Chops

When the pork chops are back in the skillet, spoon enough of the sauce over each one to cover the top. Pop the skillet into a preheated 400°F. oven, and bake the chops (uncovered) for 12-15 minutes.

The pork chops are safely cooked through once they reach an internal temperature of 145-160°F.

Chops are added to sauce, and covered with sauce before baking.

Serve The Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Once the brown sugar pork chops are done baking, they’re ready to be served. Spoon more of the pan sauce over the top of each chop, and then garnish with lemon wedges, chopped chives (or parsley), if desired.

Brown sugar pork chops are garnished with chives and lemon wedges before serving.

Our favorite way to enjoy these yummy brown sugar pork chops is to serve them placed on top of a bed of mashed potatoes. The meat and slightly sweet sauce taste wonderful when paired with creamy, buttery potatoes!

You can also serve these tasty chops with buttered orzo pasta or egg noodles, but mashed potatoes remain our favorite choice! We enjoyed fresh steamed asparagus served on the side, too! Gotta get those veggies in!

My husband told me that this recipe for brown sugar pork chops is one of his favorites, and that makes me happy! I suspect these fantastic tasting pork chops will make your taste buds happy, too.

The brown sugar pork chops are served on mashed potatoes, with asparagus on the side.

Thanks for stopping by today. I sincerely hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious dish for yourself and those you love. Also, if you have an air fryer, be sure to try my recipe for Air Fryer Pork Chops For Two, a quick and delicious recipe you’ll love!

Take care, and have a great day. A complete, printable recipe card is located below, for your convenience.

Looking For More PORK CHOP Recipes?

You can find all of my pork recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few pork chop recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Original recipe source: dinneratthezoo.com/brown-sugar-pork-chops/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

4.5 from 4 votes
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Brown Sugar Pork Chops
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Brown Sugar Pork Chops are an easy and delicious dish, featuring seared pork chops baked in a simple garlic, butter, spices and brown sugar sauce!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brown sugar pork chops
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 420 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 bone-in or boneless pork chops , approx. 1" thick
  • salt and pepper , enough to lightly season chops
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Optional Garnish: chopped chives (or parsley), lemon wedges
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels; lightly season BOTH sides with salt and pepper.

    2. Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large oven-proof skillet. Once oil is very hot (but not smoking), carefully add pork chops in one layer. They should sizzle when they hit the hot oil. Cook chops for 5-6 minutes, without moving them. Turn them over, and continue cooking the other side for 5 minutes. Transfer pork chops to a platter, and cover with foil to keep them warm. Do NOT clean out the skillet.

    3. Make the sauce: Melt butter on low heat using the same skillet. Add brown sugar, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic. Stir well, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, so the garlic doesn't burn. Add pork chops back into the skillet, and turn off the heat.

    4. Spoon enough sauce over each pork chop to cover. Place skillet into 400°F. oven and bake (uncovered) for 12-15 minutes. The pork is safely cooked once the chops reach an internal temperature of 145-160°F. When done, they are ready to be served.

    5. To serve, spoon pan sauce over pork chops; garnish with lemon wedges, chopped chives (or parsley) if desired. Serve chops on a bed of mashed potatoes, orzo pasta, or egg noodles. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Brown Sugar Pork Chops
    Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop)
    Calories 420 Calories from Fat 234
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 26g40%
    Saturated Fat 11g69%
    Cholesterol 140mg47%
    Sodium 171mg7%
    Potassium 603mg17%
    Carbohydrates 10g3%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 35g70%
    Vitamin A 262IU5%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 55mg6%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Brown Sugar Pork Chops are an easy and delicious dish, featuring seared pork chops baked in a simple garlic, butter, spices and brown sugar sauce!


    Jun
    2020

    Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger

    categories: Air Fryer Recipes, Beef, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes
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    Learn how easy it is to make a juicy good Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger, using this appliance. Can’t get outside to grill? Use an air fryer instead!
    Learn how easy it is to make a juicy good Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger, using this appliance. Can't get outside to grill? Use an air fryer instead!

    When it’s raining outside and we can’t grill burgers on our BBQ, we make ’em in our air fryer! My husband and I have made air fryer bacon cheeseburgers quite a few times now, and guess what? They’re really GOOD! They are also very easy to prepare with super heated hot air.

    Now that we have this recipe in our air fryer cooking tool belt, even the weather can’t stop us from enjoying a great burger whenever we want one. Here’s how we make ’em:

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

    Toast The Buns (optional)

    Before cooking the hamburger patties, if you would like to toast the hamburger buns, simply lightly spread each half with butter and cook on low heat in a large skillet until golden brown. We love them toasted, which helps keep the buns from getting too soggy. Set the buns aside once toasted. This is completely optional, but it makes an air fryer bacon cheeseburger even better, in our humble opinion.

    Hamburger buns, after being lightly toasted with butter in a skillet

    Season The Hamburger Patties

    We used 1/4 pound ground beef patties. To season the hamburger patties for air fryer cooking, lightly brush each patty on one side with melted butter and a tiny bit of liquid smoke flavoring. The liquid smoke is optional, but we find it really helps provide a smoky taste to the meat (like outside grilling does). Lightly sprinkle the patties on one side with salt and Montreal steak seasoning. You can substitute your own favorite seasonings, if desired, to suit your personal taste.

    Have the slices of cheddar (or American) cheese AND the precooked bacon nearby. Did you know you can even cook bacon in an air fryer? Yes you can… and it is fabulous! For each cheeseburger I use a strip of precooked bacon that has been cut in half. You will add these right at the end of the air frying time, so will need them nearby, ready to go!

    Hamburger patties are seasoned with spices, butter, and liquid smoke before cooking.Pre-cooked bacon and cheddar cheese slices ready to add to cooked burgers.

    Cooking An Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger

    Preheat your air fryer to 360°F. This will take 3-4 minutes typically. Place the patties in the air fryer basket, seasoned side down. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn the patties over, and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Our burgers were medium-well once done.

    NOTE: Because air fryer temps for different models of air fryers, your cooking time may be a tiny bit less or a tiny bit longer. Check for your preferred done-ness. Once done, TURN OFF THE AIR FRYER (and quickly do the next step)!

    Burgers are cooked in air fryer, then flipped and cooked some more.

     

    Once the air fryer is turned off (but still really HOT), immediately place a slice of cheese onto each burger patty. Lay the bacon strips on top of the cheese (2 halves per burger). Close the air fryer and let the patties sit, in the still hot (but powered off) air fryer. After 2 minutes, remove the burger patties from the air fryer.

    The heat will have melted the cheese and re-heated the bacon. My husband decided at the last moment to leave the cheese off his air fryer bacon cheeseburger (how dare he!), and ate the cheese by itself, instead. Jeepers.

    Bacon slices, cheddar cheese added to air fryer bacon cheeseburger.Cheese has melted and bacon is hot. Time to build a burger.

    Build Your Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger and Eat!

    Place the burger patties onto toasted (or untoasted) buns. Add your favorite condiments, along with lettuce tomato, and pickles. We LOVE our air fryer bacon cheeseburgers with fresh avocado slices, too. YUM. Serve, and enjoy these delicious burgers.

    Air fryer bacon cheeseburger is assembled before eating.A juicy, hot air fryer bacon cheeseburger, ready to devour.

    We’ve made these air fryer burgers quite a few times, since we get our fair share of rain here in Oregon. We love to grill burgers outside on our Weber BBQ, but also love making them in our handy air fryer when rainy or snowy weather prohibits it!

    Hope you give this air fryer bacon cheeseburger recipe a try, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do. Take care, and have a great day.

    Looking For More AIR FRYER recipes?

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

    Interested In More Recipes?

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

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

    Author's signature

    5 from 1 vote
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    Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    7 mins
    Total Time
    12 mins
     

    Learn how easy it is to make a juicy good Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger, using this appliance. Can't get outside to grill? Use an air fryer instead!

    Category: Dinner, Entree, Lunch
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: air fryer bacon cheeseburger
    Servings: 2
    Calories Per Serving: 399 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 2 medium hamburger buns , pan-toasted with melted butter (if using toasted buns)
    • 2 slices bacon, pre-cooked
    • 2 slices cheddar cheese (or American)
    • ½ pound ground beef burger patties ,two patties - 1/4 pound each
    • 1 teaspoon butter, melted
    • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring, divided (optional)
    • salt and Montreal steak seasoning to taste , or preferred seasonings
    • Condiments and Burger Toppings, as desired
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Before cooking hamburger patties, if you'd like to toast the hamburger buns, simply spread each half lightly with softened butter. Cook on low heat (butter side down) in a large skillet until golden brown. Set aside.

    2. Season hamburger patties by lightly brushing each on one side with melted butter and a tiny bit of liquid smoke flavoring. Lightly sprinkle patties with salt and Montreal steak seasoning. You can substitute your favorite seasonings, if desired, to suit your personal taste. Have cheese slices AND precooked bacon nearby. You will quickly add these at the end of the air frying time, so you'll need them close.

    3. Preheat air fryer to 360°F. This takes 3-4 minutes. Place patties in air fryer basket, seasoned side down. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn patties over, and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. NOTE: Because air fryer temps vary quite a bit, your cooking time may be a bit less or a bit longer. Once done, TURN OFF THE AIR FRYER! Immediately place a slice of cheese onto each burger patty. Lay bacon strips on top of the cheese (2 halves per burger). Close the air fryer and let the patties sit in the hot (but powered off) air fryer. After 2 minutes, remove the patties from the air fryer. The residual heat will have melted the cheese and heated the bacon.

    4. Place burger patties onto prepared buns, and garnish with your preferred condiments and toppings. Serve, and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    Caloric calculation was made using untoasted hamburger buns, lean ground beef, bacon and cheese for the burgers. No additional condiments or burger toppings were calculated as they may vary, by personal choice.

    Nutrition Facts
    Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger
    Amount Per Serving (1 burger (without condiments))
    Calories 399 Calories from Fat 162
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18g28%
    Saturated Fat 9g56%
    Cholesterol 101mg34%
    Sodium 553mg24%
    Potassium 487mg14%
    Carbohydrates 22g7%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 36g72%
    Vitamin A 233IU5%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 207mg21%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Learn how easy it is to make a juicy good Air Fryer Bacon Cheeseburger, using this appliance. Can't get outside to grill? Use an air fryer instead!


    May
    2020

    Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta

    categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Seafood
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    Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta is a delicious, Italian-inspired meal of pan-seared shrimp, broccoli, and pasta noodles w/ Parmesan, olive oil & spices.
    Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta is a delicious, Italian-inspired meal of pan-seared shrimp, broccoli, and pasta noodles w/ Parmesan, olive oil & spices.

    If you enjoy shrimp and pasta dishes, may I suggest trying this delicious recipe for Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta? My husband and I love this dish, and truly hope you will enjoy it, as well! I’ve been making it without any recipe, in one form or another for years, improvising as I went along with spices, ingredients, etc. This is the final version of this recipe from all my kitchen “experimenting”, and it sure is GOOD!

    Lightly seasoned, pan-seared shrimp are complimented with pasta, coated with olive oil, butter, Parmesan cheese and Italian-inspired spices. Toss in some healthy broccoli, and you’ve got a wonderful, all-in-one meal I am confident you will enjoy.

    Basically you will cook shrimp, cook broccoli, cook pasta, and then mix it all together with spices, cheese, butter and olive oil. It’s pretty easy to make (in just a few steps), so I want to share this yummy recipe with you.

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

    Season And Pan-Sear The Shrimp

    The first step is to make sure your medium shrimp are peeled, and deveined. Place the shrimp in a medium sized bowl, and lightly season with Italian seasoning and garlic powder. The link is to my recipe for making Italian seasoning at home, if you do not have any.

    Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the seasoned shrimp, and cook in a single layer for 2-3 minutes, and then turn the shrimp over to the other side. The shrimp should be golden brown. Cook for 1-2 additional minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through.

    Set the skillet with the shrimp aside, and cover, to keep the shrimp warm. Do not clean the skillet out, because you will use all the browned butter and leftover “crispy bits” later for added flavor!

    Shrimp are lightly seasoned, then pan-seared in butter in a skillet.

    Cook Pasta, Steam Broccoli, And Mix Pasta Seasoning

    Okay… now you need to prepare the pasta in boiling water, according to package directions (approx. 12-13 minutes). TIP: Typically I start the pot of water heating while I cook the shrimp. That way, when I’m done cooking the shrimp, the water will already be boiling for the pasta (which saves time).

    Fettucine pasta is cooked until al dente in boiling water.

    While the pasta is cooking, quickly steam the broccoli. Place the broccoli florets in a steamer basket over 2 inches of boiling water in a saucepan, and cover. Steam the broccoli for 4 minutes. Remove the florets from the basket, and add to the cooked shrimp set aside in the skillet (and keep warm).

    Broccoli florets are quickly steamed before adding to the pasta.

    While the pasta is still cooking, take a minute to also mix together the spice ingredients for the pasta in a small bowl. The spices are onion powder, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

    Spices are mixed together before adding to the pasta.

    Putting The Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta Together

    Now it’s time to put this meal together! As soon as the pasta is fully cooked, quickly drain it in a colander (but don’t rinse!). Place the butter and olive oil in the bottom of the empty pasta pan, and then pour the HOT drained pasta back in, on top. This will help to melt the butter underneath. Quickly add the spice mixture and grated Parmesan cheese to the pasta.

    The herb mixture, butter, oil and Parmesan cheese are added to cooked pasta.

    Now add the cooked shrimp and broccoli to the hot pasta, and gently toss it all together. The melted butter, olive oil, spices and Parmesan will flavor the pasta, along with the broccoli and seasoned shrimp. Give the pasta a quick taste, and add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Now the herbed shrimp broccoli pasta is ready to be served.

    Cooked shrimp and broccoli are added to the pasta, then gently mixed together.The herbed shrimp broccoli pasta is gently tossed before serving.

    Time To Serve Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta!

    Place portions of pasta onto individual serving plates or bowls (I use tongs). Try to position the shrimp on top of each portion to make it look appealing. Add additional grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, if desired.

    Note: Because this pasta dish is not fully coated with a thick sauce (like spaghetti sauce, for example), it will tend to lose heat rapidly . This is why it is important to serve it up fairly quickly… just sayin’.

    A serving dish of herbed shrimp broccoli pasta, ready to enjoy!A close up of herbed shrimp broccoli pasta, with a fork on the side.

    Hope you enjoy this delicious all-in-one pasta dinner! We always do and trust you will, too. Thanks for stopping by, and hope you will visit again soon. Take care, and have a great day.

    Looking for more PASTA recipes?

    You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

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

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

    Author's signature

    0 from 0 votes
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    Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta
    Prep Time
    25 mins
    Cook Time
    0 mins
    Total Time
    25 mins
     

    Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta is a delicious, Italian-inspired meal of pan-seared shrimp, broccoli, and pasta noodles w/ Parmesan, olive oil & spices.

    Category: Dinner, Entree
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: herbed shrimp broccoli pasta
    Servings: 3
    Calories Per Serving: 600 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Shrimp:
    • 18-20 medium shrimp , peeled, deveined
    • 2 Tablespoons butter
    • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    For Pasta:
    • 7 ounces fettucine pasta , cooked according to pkg. directions
    • 1½ cups broccoli florets , lightly steamed
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons butter , room temp.
    • 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper (EACH)
    • 1 pinch (generous) red pepper flakes
    • ¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese , plus more for garnish, if desired
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Prepare shrimp: Place shrimp in a bowl; sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder; toss to coat. Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook 2-3 minutes; turn shrimp over and cook other side for 1-2 more minutes until cooked through. Set skillet of shrimp aside; cover, to keep warm. Don't clean skillet- you will use browned butter and leftover "crispy bits" later for added flavor!

    2. Prepare pasta according to package directions. TIP: Start pot of water heating while cooking shrimp in Step #1. When done cooking shrimp, water should be boiling for pasta (which saves time).

    3. While Pasta Cooks: #1: Steam broccoli. Place broccoli florets in a steamer basket over 2 inches of boiling water in a saucepan and cover. Steam for 4 minutes. Remove broccoli from steamer; add to shrimp set aside in skillet. #2: Mix together spices for the pasta (Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes) in a small bowl. Set aside.

    4. When pasta is done, immediately drain it in a colander (but don't rinse!). Place butter and olive oil on the bottom of the empty pasta pan, and then pour HOT drained pasta back in, on top. This melts the butter underneath. Add spice mix, Parmesan cheese, shrimp and broccoli to pasta.

    5. Gently toss all ingredients together until fully combined. Taste pasta; add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Immediately serve (while still hot), and enjoy.

    Nutrition Facts
    Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total))
    Calories 600 Calories from Fat 306
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 34g52%
    Saturated Fat 11g69%
    Cholesterol 181mg60%
    Sodium 727mg32%
    Potassium 355mg10%
    Carbohydrates 53g18%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 22g44%
    Vitamin A 840IU17%
    Vitamin C 42mg51%
    Calcium 221mg22%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Herbed Shrimp Broccoli Pasta is a delicious, Italian-inspired meal of pan-seared shrimp, broccoli, and pasta noodles w/ Parmesan, olive oil & spices.


    May
    2020

    JB’s Homemade Lasagna

    categories: Italian, Main Dishes
    93 Shares
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    Enjoy delicious homemade lasagna (serves 12), with Italian sausage, ground beef, mozzarella, ricotta & Parmesan cheese, tomatoes & Italian spices.
    Enjoy delicious homemade lasagna (serves 12), with Italian sausage, ground beef, mozzarella, ricotta & Parmesan cheese, tomatoes & Italian spices.

    About 40 years ago as a young bride I started making homemade lasagna from an old recipe I had been given. I made quite a few changes to the original classic Italian recipe, loved the results, and have been making lasagna this way ever since!

    JB’s homemade lasagna is comfort food at its best. Layers of pasta, meat sauce, spices and lots of ooey gooey cheese make this a well loved meal in our home.

    Many people think lasagna is too complicated to make, but truthfully, it is fairly easy. There are several steps involved to get the ingredients “ready”, but once that’s done, it’s just a matter of layering and baking! Here’s how to make this dish:

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

    Prep #1: Prepare The Meat Sauce

    The first thing to do is to prepare the meat sauce, because it needs to cook for awhile to develop great flavor. In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic powder in hot oil (medium heat) until the onions become tender (3-4 minutes).

    Add crumbled Italian sausage, ground beef and salt to the skillet. Stir, and continue to cook until the meat is cooked through and browned. Discard any grease that accumulated, and then put the skillet back on the heat.

    Onion, garlic powder, ground beef and Italian sausage are browned in large skillet.

    Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning to the lasagna meat sauce, and stir, to combine. Cook the meat sauce on medium heat for about 50 minutes (stirring occasionally), to help develop the wonderful Italian flavor of the sauce. When done, remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

    Tomatoes, sauce and spices are added to the meat in the skillet and cooked.

    Prep #2: Prepare The Ricotta Cheese Filling

    While the meat sauce is cooking, I make the ricotta cheese filling. It’s EASY, and only takes a minute! Place ricotta cheese, garlic powder, dried parsley, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl, and stir well, until fully incorporated. Set the ricotta filling aside.

    Ricotta cheese is mixed with garlic powder, dried parsley and Italian seasoning.

    Prep #3: Cook The Lasagna Noodles

    Now it’s time to cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook according to package directions until al dente. Once done, drain the water, and place hot pasta into a strainer/colander, and rinse with cold water.

    Once rinsed, lay the cooked pasta on paper towels to slightly dry, making sure each sheet of pasta doesn’t stick to the others.

    A box of lasagna noodles is cooked and then drained.

    Time To Assemble JB’s Homemade Lasagna

    Now it’s time to create your homemade lasagna, by layering on the ingredients! Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9″x13″ baking pan. Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce to cover (about 5).

    Place dollops of the ricotta filling (half of the ricotta filling) over the pasta, as shown in the photo below.

    Gently spread out the ricotta filling with a spoon or spatula, to cover most of the lasagna noodles. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over the top of the ricotta filling to cover. This is shown in the second photo below.

    First layers of lasagna are sauce, then noodles, and then ricotta filling.Ricotta filling is spread over noodles, then topped with shredded Parmesan and mozzarella..

    Repeat Layers Then Bake

    Spread another 1/3 of the meat sauce on top of the shredded cheeses. Add pasta noodles to cover, then add the remaining ricotta filling to cover. Sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan cheese, and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese (saving remaining 1/3 of mozzarella cheese for final topping).

    The final “to do” is a layer of meat sauce (use it all up). Top the meat sauce with the remaining mozzarella cheese, and now your homemade lasagna is finished and ready to bake!

    Bake JB’s homemade lasagna at 350°F for 50 minutes. When done, the top should be golden brown, the cheese melted, and the lasagna should be bubbling around the edges.

    Layers of the lasagna are repeated - sauce, noodles, ricotta, then shredded cheeses.Final layer is sauce, then mozzarella cheese to top, and then lasagna is baked.

    Getting Homemade Lasagna Ready To Serve

    Once done, remove the HOT lasagna from the oven. Let it rest for 5 minutes, to let the hot gooey cheese firm up a bit, which will make cutting it a LOT easier.

    While you wait, take a good sniff of that lasagna. YUMMO… it sure smells good! Once the lasagna has “cooled” slightly, cut it into 12 portions, and serve.

    JB's homemade lasagna is done baking in 50 minutes, when bubbly around edges.A close up of the lasagna cooling for a couple minutes before slicing.

    Time To Eat Some Homemade Lasagna

    We really enjoy this delicious homemade lasagna, and it is full of flavor! There is a lot of sauce, cheese and meat, and it truly is a great meal. The leftovers are delicious, too!

    Leftovers can be stored (tightly covered) in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Just pop a piece of leftover lasagna in the microwave to reheat, and you’ve got yourself a quick meal.

    Our favorite way to enjoy my homemade lasagna is with garlic bread and a mixed green salad on the side. This scrumptious recipe has stood the test of time in our home, and I’m glad I finally got around to posting the recipe. Hope you enjoy it, too.

    You can see layers of meat and cheese in JB's homemade lasagna after slicing.A piece of homemade lasagna served with green salad and garlic bread on the side.

    Thank you for spending some of your valuable time stopping by today. Hope you will consider trying this delicious recipe in your home, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do.

    It’s a wonderful way to serve a large family, or have quite a few servings, if made for a smaller group. Take care, and have a great day.

    Looking For More ITALIAN recipes?

    You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. We love Italian food, so there are quite a few Italian recipes there, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

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

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

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    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: unknown (been making lasagna this way for over 40 years)

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    JB's Homemade Lasagna
    Prep Time
    1 hr
    Cook Time
    50 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr 50 mins
     

    Enjoy delicious homemade lasagna (serves 12), with Italian sausage, ground beef, mozzarella, ricotta & Parmesan cheese, tomatoes & Italian spices.

    Category: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: homemade lasagna
    Servings: 12
    Calories Per Serving: 619 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Meat Sauce:
    • ¼ cup oil
    • 1½ cups brown onion , chopped
    • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 pound Italian sausage , crumbled
    • ½ pound ground beef , crumbled
    • 29 ounces canned whole tomatoes
    • 32 ounces canned tomato sauce
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1½ Tablespoons Italian seasoning
    For Ricotta Cheese Mixture:
    • 24 ounces ricotta cheese
    • 1 teaspoon parsley (fresh or dried)
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
    For Rest Of The Lasagna:
    • 1 pound lasagna noodles , cooked/drained per pkg. directions
    • 1 cup Parmesan cheese , shredded
    • 1 pound mozzarella cheese , shredded
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. MAKE MEAT SAUCE- In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic powder in hot oil (medium heat) until they become tender. Add crumbled Italian sausage, ground beef and salt to skillet; continue cooking until meat is cooked through and browned. Discard any accumulated grease. Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning, and stir to combine. Cook sauce on medium heat for 50 minutes (stirring occasionally), Remove from heat; set aside.

    2. MAKE RICOTTA FILLING- Place ricotta cheese, garlic powder, dried parsley, and Italian seasoning in medium bowl, and stir well, until fully incorporated. Set aside.

    3. COOK PASTA- Cook lasagna noodles according to directions until al dente. Once done, drain water, and place pasta in a strainer, and rinse with cold water. Lay pasta on paper towels to dry slightly, making sure pasta sheets don't stick together .

    4. ASSEMBLE LASAGNA- Layer #1: Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan. Place a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce. Place dollops of ricotta (half of ricotta) over pasta. Gently spread ricotta filling to cover lasagna noodles. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over ricotta to cover.

      Layer #2: Spread another 1/3 of the meat sauce on top of shredded cheeses. Add lasagna noodles, then remaining ricotta filling. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, and another 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese (save remaining 1/3 of mozzarella cheese for final topping).

      Layer #3: Add layer of remaining meat sauce. Top sauce with the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Now lasagna is ready to bake. Preheat oven to 350°F.

    5. Bake lasagna at 350°F for 50 minutes. When done, the top should be golden brown, cheese topping is melted, and lasagna should be bubbling around edges. Remove from oven, let sit for 5 minutes to let cheese firm up a bit (makes cutting easier). Cut into 12 portions, and serve. Enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    JB's Homemade Lasagna
    Amount Per Serving (1 g)
    Calories 619 Calories from Fat 324
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 36g55%
    Saturated Fat 19g119%
    Cholesterol 100mg33%
    Sodium 1589mg69%
    Potassium 751mg21%
    Carbohydrates 41g14%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 34g68%
    Vitamin A 917IU18%
    Vitamin C 14mg17%
    Calcium 576mg58%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy delicious homemade lasagna (serves 12), with Italian sausage, ground beef, mozzarella, ricotta & Parmesan cheese, tomatoes & Italian spices.

     


    Apr
    2020

    Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken

    categories: Chicken, Main Dishes
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    Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken features pan-seared chicken breasts, topped w/ a buttery lemon cream sauce with tarragon & green onions, served on rice.
    Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken features pan-seared chicken breasts, topped w/ a buttery lemon cream sauce with tarragon & green onions, served on rice.

    Looking for an easy to prepare, super yummy chicken recipe? Well then, you should give this recipe for creamy lemon tarragon chicken a try. It’s delicious, and is super simple to make, without a ton of ingredients! The sauce has lots of flavor, thanks to fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, dried tarragon, cream, butter, and sliced green onions. It is soooo good.

    When I took the photos for this blog post, I had my husband do the cooking. We changed it up a bit so we could BOTH be in the kitchen cooking together (I did some of the prep work and plated it). He did a fabulous job cooking the creamy lemon tarragon chicken, and we both LOVED this dish. Here’s how to make it:

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

    Prepare The Chicken Breasts

    The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You will need to “pound them” with a meat mallet (or heavy skillet like cast iron) until they are about 1/4″ thick. To do this, place plastic wrap on a surface. Lay one chicken breast on the plastic, then cover with another sheet of plastic wrap, and seal edges.

    Use the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet to pound the chicken out. Once the chicken is flattened out to 1/4″ thickness, set it aside. Repeat with the other chicken breasts. Once all have been flattened, slice each piece of chicken in half, length-wise, then cut each half into 3 pieces.

    Chicken breasts are pounded until 1/4" thick between pieces of plastic wrap.Pieces of chicken breast are cut into halves, then into thirds before cooking.

    Cook The Chicken

    Sprinkle the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet, and then add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat. When the bottom of the chicken is golden brown, turn chicken to the other side, and cook 2-3 more minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.

    The photo below is the only picture I got of this step, but you can see my hubby busy cooking the chicken. Once the chicken is done, remove the chicken pieces from the skillet to an oven-proof dish, cover with foil, and keep the pieces warm.

    TIP: We put the covered, cooked chicken in a 200 degree oven to keep warm. The chicken needs to stay warm while you make the sauce. **DO NOT CLEAN OUT THE SKILLET (you will use the leftover butter and little browned bits in it to make the sauce!).

    Pan-searing the chicken breast portions in butter.

    Make The Creamy Lemon Tarragon Sauce

    Now it’s time to make the creamy sauce that will cover the chicken. Sauté the green onions on medium-low heat in the leftover butter in the skillet until they become tender (a couple minutes). Add freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and dried tarragon to the skillet and stir, to combine. Measure and pour the whipping cream into the skillet.

    Lemon juice, zest, green onions and seasonings are cooked in skillet.Heavy cream is added to the sauce for creamy lemon tarragon chicken.

    Whisk or stir the sauce well, while continuing to cook on medium-low heat. Cook the sauce until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook sauce 4-5 more minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly, and is fully heated through. Remove the sauce from the heat.

    The creamy lemon sauce is stirred and cooked until slightly thickened.

    Serve The Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken

    Once the sauce if fully heated through, your creamy lemon tarragon chicken dinner is ready to be plated for serving! Place a portion of cooked white or brown rice onto each dinner plate. Spread the rice out so it becomes the base for the chicken and sauce.

    Place 3-4 pieces of warm chicken on top of the rice, and then spoon the hot creamy sauce over each piece to cover. You should have enough yummy sauce to cover all the chicken pieces, so be generous with the sauce. And that’s it… see how simple it was to make this creamy lemon tarragon chicken dish? Hope you enjoy it! It really is quite delicious.

    Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken is served on rice, with zucchini on the side.Thick creamy lemon sauce covers the pan-seared chicken pieces on top of rice.

    Thanks for visiting. I hope you will come back again soon, and trust you will have consider making this creamy lemon tarragon chicken recipe for yourself and those you love. Take care, and have a great day.

    Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

    You can find all of my chicken recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I’ve got LOTS of them, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

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

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
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    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: unknown (found written on 3×5 card in one of my really old recipe boxes)

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    Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    6 mins
    Total Time
    21 mins
     

    Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken features pan-seared chicken breasts, topped w/ a buttery lemon cream sauce with tarragon & green onions, served on rice.

    Category: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: creamy lemon tarragon chicken
    Servings: 4
    Calories Per Serving: 505 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1½ pounds chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) , about 3 large
    • Salt & black pepper , to lightly season chicken
    • ¼ cup butter (= 4 Tablespoons)
    • 2 Tablespoons green onions (scallions) , thinly sliced
    • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest , finely grated
    • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • white or brown rice , pre-cooked, hot
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Prepare Chicken: Flatten chicken breasts by placing one chicken breast at a time between sheets of plastic wrap. Use the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet to pound the chicken out. Once the chicken is flattened to about 1/4"thickness, set it aside; Slice each flattened piece of chicken in half length-wise, then cut each half into 3 pieces. Season chicken with salt/pepper.

    2. Cook Chicken: Melt butter in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until bottom side is golden brown; turn chicken over; cook for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove chicken to oven-proof plate, cover, keep pieces warm (we used 200°F. oven). **DO NOT CLEAN THE SKILLET OUT (will use it to make sauce)

    3. Make Sauce: Sauté sliced green onions in leftover butter in skillet on medium-low heat until they become tender (about 2 minutes). Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and dried tarragon to skillet and stir, to combine. Pour whipping cream into skillet. Whisk or stir the sauce well, while continuing to cook on medium-low heat. Cook the sauce until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook sauce 4-5 more minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly, and is fully heated through. Remove the sauce from the heat.

    4. To Serve: Place prepared rice onto each dinner plate. Spread the rice out, so it becomes the base for the chicken and sauce. Place 3-4 pieces of warm chicken on top of rice, and spoon hot creamy sauce over each piece to cover. Enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: The caloric calculation does NOT include the rice, as different types or portion sizes might be used.

    Nutrition Facts
    Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
    Calories 505 Calories from Fat 342
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 38g58%
    Saturated Fat 22g138%
    Cholesterol 221mg74%
    Sodium 322mg14%
    Potassium 689mg20%
    Carbohydrates 3g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 38g76%
    Vitamin A 1331IU27%
    Vitamin C 7mg8%
    Calcium 56mg6%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken features pan-seared chicken breasts, topped w/ a buttery lemon cream sauce with tarragon & green onions, served on rice.

     

     


    Apr
    2020

    Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich (copycat)

    categories: Chicken, Copycat Recipes, Main Dishes, Sandwiches
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    Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl’s Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile, & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!
    Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!

    Well… we’ve entered another week of “stay-at-home”, due to current coronavirus guidelines. I made my husband and I delicious chicken sandwiches for dinner last week, using a recipe I was given many years ago.

    The recipe is a copycat for one of Carl’s Jr. restaurants chicken sandwiches, which we used to order! Honestly, I’m not even sure if they still have this sandwich on their menu. All I know is… it’s GOOD, and we really enjoy these sandwiches!

    I knew I had 99% of the ingredients in our kitchen, so I decided to make these sandwiches again (it’s been a while!). The recipe calls for teriyaki sauce (and that was the ONE thing I was out of)! Since we are trying NOT to go to the grocery store too much (social distancing), I used my recipe for homemade teriyaki marinade (easy) to marinate the chicken! Problem solved. HOORAY!

    The sandwiches were (as always) a big hit, so I’m sharing the recipe here, so you can enjoy it, too. Here’s how to make Santa Fe Chicken Sandwiches:

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

    First – Marinate The Chicken

    The recipe (as written in printable recipe below) makes 4 sandwiches, but since I was only making them for my husband and I, my photos reflect the fixings for TWO! Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag or container (with a lid).

    Add teriyaki sauce to the chicken, and turn to fully cover the chicken with the sauce. Let the chicken marinate (covered or sealed) in the refrigerator for thirty minutes, so the flavors can permeate the meat. Use the time the chicken is marinating to prepare other parts of the recipe.

    Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are marinated in teriyaki sauce.

    Prepare The Southwestern Sauce – EASY!

    Making the Southwestern sauce for the sandwich is incredibly simple.  Measure the mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, and curry powder into a small bowl.

    Stir well, until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Set the bowl aside. This will be the sauce you put on the sandwich! See how EASY that was?

    Southwest-inspired spices are mixed together with mayonnaise to make sauce.The sauce for the sandwich is mixed, and is ready to spread on.

    Prepare The Canned Green Chiles- EASY!

    Open and drain the green chiles. Below you can see the type of chiles I used. There should be 4 whole ones in the can. Carefully slice them open, and remove the seeds with a butter knife or spoon. Each sandwich requires one of these mild chiles. Pat the chiles dry with a paper towel. Now you can set them aside until you’re ready to build the sandwiches.

    Whole green chiles are split open and seeds are removed before adding to sandwich.

    Cook The Marinated Chicken

    Once the chicken breasts have marinated for 30 minutes, remove them from the container (or bag), and let the excess sauce drip off the chicken. Discard the sauce. Grill the chicken on an outdoor grill, or in a lightly oiled pan or indoor grill on medium-high heat. I use a cast iron grill on my stove top to cook the chicken (see photo below).

    When the chicken is nicely browned on the bottom after 6-7 minutes, carefully turn the chicken over, and continue grilling the other side for an additional 6-7 minutes. The time it will take to cook the chicken will vary, depending on the thickness of the chicken you use, of course. When done, the chicken should be cooked all the way through (internal temp of 165°F.), and be nicely browned on all sides.

    Marinated chicken breasts are grilled for the sandwich.The marinated chicken breasts are grilled on both sides until done.

    Time To Build Your Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich!

    Okay… now it’s time to put the sandwiches together. Lightly toast the hamburger buns. I’ve found the easiest way is to lay them open on a lightly buttered skillet or griddle, and let them “toast” on low heat for a minute or two.

    Spread the Southwestern sauce onto both sides of each of the toasted buns. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom bun, and then top it with one of the green chiles.

    Southwestern sauce is spread on both top and bottom of toasted bun.Lettuce and a whole green chile is added to the toasted buns with sauce.

    Now lay the warm marinated, grilled chicken breast on top of the chile. Add a slice of American cheese (or thin cheddar, if using) to the top bun, and place it on the chicken.

    Now your Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich is completely ready to enjoy! The heat from the toasted bun and the chicken will help to slightly melt the cheese, too!

    Repeat the steps for each Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. All that is left for you to do after that is serve and enjoy these delicious, flavorful chicken sandwiches. Hope you enjoy them… we sure do!

    Marinated grilled chicken and cheese are added to the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich.

    A Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich is served on a plate, with sliced apples on the side.

    Thank you for stopping by. The printable recipe is shown below, in case you would like to make these at home. Stay safe, and be an encouraging friend and family member to those around you who might be hurting.

    God bless you, and I sincerely hope you have a GREAT day. There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for, right?

    Looking For Other SANDWICH Recipes?

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

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

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

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

    Find Me On Social Media:

    Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Pinterest:     The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: unknown (I received it many years ago from a friend and wrote it down- original source unknown)

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    14 mins
    Marinating Time (Inactive-included in total time)
    30 mins
    Total Time
    49 mins
     

    Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!

    Category: Dinner, Lunch, Sandwich
    Cuisine: Southwestern
    Keyword: Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
    Servings: 4 sandwiches
    Calories Per Serving: 441 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Chicken:
    • 4 medium chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) (the thinner, the better!)
    For Teriyaki Marinade: (can also use purchased teriyaki sauce or marinade instead of making homemade sauce)
    • ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
    • 2 Tablespoons honey
    • 2 Tablespoons water
    • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar light or dark
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    For Southwest Sauce:
    • ¼ cup mayonnaise (regular or light)
    • ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon curry powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 pinch kosher salt
    • 1 pinch ground black pepper
    For Sandwich:
    • 4 hamburger buns lightly toasted
    • 4 lettuce leaves
    • 7.5 ounces canned whole green chiles (1 can has about 4 chiles)
    • 4 slices American cheese or thin sliced cheddar
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. MAKE TERIYAKI SAUCE: Combine teriyaki marinade ingredients in medium bowl; whisk together until combined.

    2. MARINATE CHICKEN: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts into resealable plastic bag or a container (with lid). Add teriyaki sauce; turn to fully cover chicken with sauce. Let chicken marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

    3. PREP #1-MAKE SAUCE: Measure mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper and curry powder into a small bowl. Stir well, then set bowl aside. PREP #2-PREPARE CHILES: Open can; drain green chiles. Carefully slice chiles open. Remove seeds. Pat chiles dry with a paper towel. Set aside.

    4. COOK CHICKEN: After marinating 30 minutes, remove chicken breasts from bag (or container); let excess sauce drip off the chicken. Discard sauce. Cook chicken on an outdoor grill, or in a lightly oiled pan or on indoor grill pan on medium-high heat. Cook for approximately 6-7 minutes. Turn chicken over; continue grilling other side for an additional 6-7 minutes. The time it takes to cook depends on the thickness of chicken you use, of course. When done, chicken should be cooked all the way through (internal temp of 145-150°F), and be nicely browned on all sides. Remove from pan or grill. Keep chicken warm.

    5. TOAST THE BUNS: Lightly toast the hamburger buns. Easiest way is to split and lay them open on a lightly buttered skillet. Let them "toast" for 1-2 minutes on low heat, until golden brown.

    6. TO BUILD EACH SANDWICH: Spread sauce onto both sides of each toasted bun. Place lettuce leaf on bottom bun; add a green chile, followed by the chicken breast. Add a slice of American (or cheddar) cheese to the top bun, and place it on the chicken. Repeat with other sandwiches, serve warm, and enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    Caloric calculation was made using light mayonnaise and 1/4th of the marinade's total calories, as marinade is only used to flavor meat and total amount of marinade is not fully consumed.

    Nutrition Facts
    Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
    Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
    Calories 441 Calories from Fat 135
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 15g23%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Trans Fat 0.3g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 4g
    Cholesterol 96mg32%
    Sodium 2187mg95%
    Potassium 748mg21%
    Carbohydrates 41g14%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 16g18%
    Protein 36g72%
    Vitamin A 2176IU44%
    Vitamin C 25mg30%
    Calcium 333mg33%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!


    Mar
    2020

    Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs

    categories: Chicken, Main Dishes
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    Delicious Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are pan-seared, then covered in a cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to serve!
    Delicious Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are pan-seared, then covered in a cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to serve!

    If you’re looking for a delicious chicken recipe, may I suggest THIS ONE? It is so good! In a nutshell, you brown seasoned chicken thighs, make a quick sauce with milk or cream, mushrooms, garlic, herbs and cheese, then cover the chicken with sauce, and serve! We LOVE this dish!

    The sauce is creamy, thanks in part to using either whipping cream, half and half OR canned evaporated milk. It’s your choice! I use evaporated milk for less calories, but if calories don’t matter, go for the whipping cream or half and half. YUM! Several of the spices used double up, meaning the same spices are used to season the chicken AND the sauce.

    The recipe is easy to follow, and I recommend serving the finished chicken on top of brown or white rice, or egg noodles, for a filling main course! Hope you enjoy it! Here’s the “play by play” on how to make this wonderful dish:

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

    Season The Chicken Thighs

    The first thing you will need to do is make the seasoning mix for the chicken. It’s EASY! Simply stir together garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and rosemary, along with salt and black pepper.

    Pat the boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and trim off any extra fat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the chicken thighs, and pat gently to adhere the spices.

    A dry spice mix is made to season chicken thighs.Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are seasoned with spices and are ready to cook.

    Brown The Chicken

    Measure 2 Tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet. Heat on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully add the chicken spice side down, in a single layer. Once they are in the skillet, do not move the chicken. Sear the thighs in the hot oil about 7-8 minutes, or until browned.

    Carefully turn the chicken to the other side, and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the chicken thighs used, this may take a minute or two longer. Cook until second side is browned, and the center of the chicken is no longer pink. Once the chicken is cooked, remove thighs from the skillet, transfer to a plate, and cover to keep them warm while you make the sauce.

    NOTE: If you have to cook the chicken in batches, due to skillet size, cook each batch in 1 Tablespoon oil (half of the total amount).

    Seasoned chicken thighs are pan-seared in hot olive oil in skillet.The chicken thighs are cooked on both sides until golden brown.

    Prepare The Creamy Mushroom Garlic Sauce

    Now it’s time to make the creamy sauce. Use the same skillet you used to cook the chicken in, but do NOT clean it. All the brown bits on the bottom will help to flavor your creamy mushroom garlic sauce!

    Melt the butter in the skillet (medium heat), and then add the sliced mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for about 2-3 minutes until they soften. Now add minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and parsley to the skillet. Stir to combine, and cook for one more minute, stirring often, so the garlic doesn’t burn.

    Sliced mushrooms are first cooked in skillet to begin creating a sauce.Garlic and herbs are added to the cooked mushrooms in skillet

    Finish The Creamy Sauce

    Pour in the whipping cream, half and half, OR evaporated milk (your choice). Any of those three will work perfectly. NOTE: I used evaporated milk (less calories) in the sauce, and it was delicious! Bring the liquid to a simmer (on medium heat). Once it is simmering (but NOT boiling), reduce the heat to LOW.

    Keep on cooking the sauce until the liquid has reduced in volume a bit, and has thickened slightly. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and stir to combine. Continue cooking for about 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Add the chicken thighs back into the skillet and spoon sauce over the top of each piece.

    Cream or evaporated milk is added to the mushrooms to make a sauce.Cooked chicken thighs are added back into sauce and covered.

    Finish The Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs!

    Cook the chicken and sauce until heated through (this will take a couple minutes). Stir and spoon sauce over the chicken while it reheats. Taste test the sauce, and add additional salt and pepper, to suit your taste.

    Right before serving, sprinkle the top of the creamy mushroom chicken thighs with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley, if desired. This is optional, but it sure looks great!

    Grated Parmesan cheese and parsley are added to garnish creamy mushroom chicken thighs.

    Ready To Serve Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs

    Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving platter and spoon any of the sauce left in the skillet over the pieces. Serve each piece of chicken on top of a bed of white or brown rice (or egg noodles), top with sauce, and enjoy!

    Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are served on a white platter.The chicken thighs were served on brown rice, with green beans on the side.

    I really hope you will consider trying this delicious recipe for creamy mushroom chicken thighs! The sauce is delicious, and the chicken tastes WONDERFUL! May you find moments of great joy as you go throughout your day. God Bless You.

    Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

    You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a lot of chicken recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

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

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

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: Karina, at cafedelites.com/chicken-thighs/

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    Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    20 mins
    Total Time
    30 mins
     

    Delicious Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are pan-seared, then covered in a cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to serve!

    Category: Dinner, Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: creamy mushroom chicken thighs
    Servings: 6
    Calories Per Serving: 327 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Chicken/Spice Mix:
    • 6 medium chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    For Mushroom Sauce:
    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (button)
    • 4 cloves garlic (minced) (or 1 Tablespoon minced)
    • 1 Tablespoon parsley (fresh, chopped)
    • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1½ cups evaporated milk (canned)* *can substitute whipping cream/half and half)
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese , grated
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Stir together garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and trim off any extra fat. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over chicken, and pat gently, to adhere spices.

    2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully add chicken (spice side down), in a single layer. Once in skillet, do not move chicken. Sear the thighs for 7-8 minutes, until browned on bottom. Carefully turn chicken to other side; cook another 7-8 minutes. Depending on chicken thickness used this may take 1-2 minutes longer. Cook until second side is browned, and center of chicken is no longer pink. Once done, remove thighs from skillet, transfer to a plate, and cover them to keep warm. NOTE: If you have to cook chicken in batches, due to skillet size, cook each batch in 1 Tablespoon oil (half of the total amount).

    3. Make sauce: Use the same skillet, but do NOT clean it. All the brown bits in the skillet will help flavor sauce! Melt butter (medium heat), and then add mushrooms. Cook 2-3 minutes until they soften. Add minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Stir to combine; cook for 1 minute, stirring often so garlic doesn't burn.

    4. Pour in evaporated milk, whipping cream, OR half and half (your choice). Bring liquid to a simmer (medium heat). Once simmering (but NOT boiling), reduce heat to LOW. Continue cooking until liquid has reduced in volume and thickened slightly (1-2 minutes). Add grated Parmesan cheese; stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes, or until cheese melts. Add chicken thighs back into skillet and spoon sauce over each piece. Cook until chicken is heated through (2-3 minutes).

    5. Serve chicken on a bed of steamed rice or egg noodles, topped with additional sauce. Serve and enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs
    Amount Per Serving (1 thigh + sauce)
    Calories 327 Calories from Fat 162
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18g28%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Cholesterol 137mg46%
    Sodium 516mg22%
    Potassium 613mg18%
    Carbohydrates 9g3%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 31g62%
    Vitamin A 360IU7%
    Vitamin C 4mg5%
    Calcium 279mg28%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Delicious Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are pan-seared, then covered in a cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to serve!

     

     

     


    Mar
    2020

    Bacon Broccoli Pasta Casserole

    categories: Casseroles, Main Dishes, Pasta, Pork
    29 Shares
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    Enjoy bacon broccoli pasta casserole, a cheesy, family-friendly baked dish with bacon, Parmesan, mozzarella, mushrooms, carrots, onions and broccoli.
    Enjoy bacon broccoli pasta casserole, a cheesy, family-friendly baked dish with bacon, Parmesan, mozzarella, mushrooms, carrots, onions and broccoli.

    Do you enjoy casseroles? We do, and I especially enjoy having leftovers, which are fantastic to have around for lunches or another dinner. Today I want to share with you a recipe I came up with “on the fly”. I simply used food items I found in my pantry and refrigerator, and experimented with, until I ended up with a wonderful tasting dish!

    The casserole is fully prepped on the stove top in a large saucepan (or Dutch Oven), and then it is finished by baking for 15 minutes. It has great flavor, and is fairly simple to prepare. Here’s how:

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

    Cook the Bacon, Carrot And Onions

    The first thing you will need to do is to cook the bacon, chopped onions and grated carrots. Stack the bacon slices on top of each other, and then cut into 1″ wide pieces. This will allow the bacon to cook faster.

    Place the sliced bacon in a large saucepan (or Dutch Oven), and cook it on medium-high heat, stirring often to separate bacon pieces.  Once the bacon has cooked for a 2-3 minutes, add the butter, chopped onions and grated carrots to the pan. Stir to combine, and continue to cook until bacon is cooked through (approx. 5 minutes).

    Bacon pieces, chopped onions, are grated carrots are prepped then cooked together.

    Add Liquids, Mushrooms And Pasta

    Pour a can of cream of mushroom soup, a can of mushroom slices (drained), and water into the saucepan with the bacon, etc. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring this to a boil on medium heat.

    Once the liquid is boiling in the pan, add four cups of dry bowtie pasta, and stir to combine. Once the pasta has been added, turn down the heat to LOW, and cover the pan. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until pasta is fully cooked. Stir occasionally.

    Mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, water and seasoning cook in large saucepan.Bow tie pasta noodles are added, to cook in the liquid in saucepan.

    Add Broccoli And Cheeses

    After the pasta is fully cooked, add cooked broccoli, mozzarella and part of the Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup) to the pan. Stir and cook for 4-5 more minutes, so the cheeses will melt into the pasta.

    Cooked broccoli, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses are added to the saucepan.

    Time To Bake The Bacon Broccoli Pasta Casserole!

    Spray a casserole dish with non-stick baking spray. Pour the bacon pasta casserole into the dish, and spread to cover. Sprinkle the top with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese, and then cover the pan with aluminum foil.

    Bake the bacon broccoli pasta casserole in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes. When done, remove the casserole from the oven, and serve.

    Bacon broccoli pasta casserole is placed in baking dish and topped with Parmesan to bake.Here is the hot casserole after being removed from the oven.

    Portion out the bacon broccoli pasta casserole into individual serving bowls or onto plates, and then dig in! There are a lot of flavors to enjoy in this tasty dish!

    A bowl of the bacon broccoli pasta casserole, ready to eat.A close-up look at the pasta casserole, before it is eaten.

    I really hope you enjoy this bacon broccoli pasta casserole. Yes, there are a few prep steps involved, but the end result is a lovely pasta casserole you (and those you love) can enjoy! Have a wonderful day.

    Looking for More CASSEROLE RECIPES?

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

    Interested In More Recipes?

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

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

    Author's signature

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    Bacon Broccoli Pasta Casserole
    Prep Time
    30 mins
    Cook Time
    15 mins
    Total Time
    45 mins
     

    Enjoy bacon broccoli pasta casserole, a cheesy, family-friendly baked dish with bacon, Parmesan, mozzarella, mushrooms, carrots, onions and broccoli.

    Category: Casserole, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: bacon broccoli pasta casserole
    Servings: 6
    Calories Per Serving: 386 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 6 slices bacon
    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    • ⅓ cup brown onion chopped
    • 3 medium carrots grated
    • 10½ ounces cream of mushroom soup (canned)
    • 4 ounces canned mushrooms (sliced) , drained
    • 2½ cups water
    • ½ teaspoon salt and pepper ( ½ tsp. each)
    • 4 cups bow-tie pasta (12 ounce box)
    • 1 cup broccoli , pre-cooked and cut into small florets
    • ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
    • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided (reserve ½ C. for topping)
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Stack bacon slices on top of each other, and cut into 1" wide pieces. Place bacon in a large saucepan (or Dutch Oven); cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring often to separate pieces.  Add butter, chopped onions and grated carrots to pan. Stir to combine, and continue to cook until bacon is cooked through (approx. 5 minutes).

    2. Add cream of mushroom soup, mushroom slices (drained), and water into the saucepan with bacon, etc. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Once boiling, dry pasta; stir to combine. Turn down heat to LOW, and cover pan. Cook (covered) for approx. 15 minutes, or until pasta is fully cooked. Stir occasionally. While this is cooking, preheat oven to 350°F.

    3. Add cooked broccoli, mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese to the pasta. Cook 3-4 minutes on low, stirring often, until cheese has melted.

    4. Spray an oven-proof casserole dish with non-stick baking spray. Pour pasta casserole into dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, and cover dish with aluminum foil.

    5. Bake the bacon broccoli pasta casserole at 350°F for 15 minutes. When done, remove casserole from oven, remove foil, and serve.

    Nutrition Facts
    Bacon Broccoli Pasta Casserole
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))
    Calories 386 Calories from Fat 162
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18g28%
    Saturated Fat 8g50%
    Cholesterol 38mg13%
    Sodium 1047mg46%
    Potassium 394mg11%
    Carbohydrates 39g13%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 18g36%
    Vitamin A 5398IU108%
    Vitamin C 16mg19%
    Calcium 202mg20%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy bacon broccoli pasta casserole, a cheesy, family-friendly baked dish with bacon, Parmesan, mozzarella, mushrooms, carrots, onions and broccoli.


    Mar
    2020

    Easy Potato Chowder

    categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Soups
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    Make four servings of yummy, filling, easy potato chowder in about 30 minutes, from start to finish, using a few simple and common ingredients!
    Make four servings of yummy, filling, easy potato chowder in about 30 minutes, from start to finish, using a few simple and common ingredients!

    My mom used to make this easy potato chowder for our family as I was growing up. The recipe is incredibly EASY, inexpensive, and can be made fairly quickly (about 30 minutes) with common pantry items. It is a delicious, filling soup, which tastes wonderful on a chilly day!

    The end result is a creamy chowder with cubes of tender potatoes, celery, and onions, seasoned with salt, pepper, butter, and a few green onions for garnish. These simple ingredients, along with milk, make up this delicious potato chowder! Here’s how easy it is to make!

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

    Prepare The Veggies

    First things first… prepare the veggies! Chop onions, thinly slice celery, and peel and cut the potato into small 1″ cubes. Don’t make the cubes of potato too big, so they will cook fairly quickly. NOTE: I used Russet potatoes, but other varieties can be easily substituted.

    Melt butter in a large saucepan, and then add the chopped onions and sliced celery. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes, until the onions and celery have softened.

    Chopped onions and celery are cooked in butter to tenderize.

    Add the cubed raw potatoes to the saucepan, and stir to combine. Continue to cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. The small cubes of potato will begin to soften as they cook.

    Cubed raw potatoes are added to onions, celery and butter in pan to cook and soften.

    Season Veggies And Add Flour To Thicken Chowder

    After the potatoes have cooked for 10 minutes (and have become tender), remove the pan from the heat. Season the veggies with salt and black pepper. Add the all purpose flour to the pan, and stir to fully combine. The flour coats the vegetables, and will act as a thickener for the chowder, once the milk has been added.

    The potatoes are seasoned with salt and pepper.Flour is added into the potatoes to thicken soup as it cooks.

    Time To Turn This Into Easy Potato Chowder!

    Now it is time to add the milk to the saucepan! Slowly pour 4 cups of milk into the saucepan. I used 1% milk, but feel free to use any kind you prefer. Stir well, once all the milk is in, to fully combine the ingredients.

    Return the pan to the stove top and cook on medium, bringing it up to heat slowly. Be careful to not let the soup boil after adding the milk. Just bring it up to a very hot serving temperature slowly. As it cooks, the soup will thicken.

    Milk is added to the pan to thicken and cook into the soup.

    When the easy potato chowder has thickened and is very hot (but not boiling), taste test a potato cube to make sure they are tender. At this point, adjust the seasoning to your taste by adding more salt and pepper, if desired.

    Want Your Chowder Even Thicker?

    If at the last minute you decide you want the chowder to be even thicker (a personal choice), here’s a little secret tip I’ve used a couple of times to do that: Once the chowder is at serving temp, simply stir in about 1/2 cup of instant potato flakes! Yep… give them a stir into the soup, and instant thickener! This is completely OPTIONAL, but it does work!

    The potato chowder has thickened, is heated through, and is ready to serve.

    Serve The Easy Potato Chowder

    Once the soup is heated to serving temp, ladle it out into individual serving bowls. Sprinkle some thinly sliced green onions over the top, if desired, and grab a spoon! Go ahead… dig in!

    The easy potato chowder is delicious, and we love to serve it with warm bread or rolls on the side. We usually get about 4 good sized bowls of chowder from this recipe (as written), but it can EASILY be doubled! Hope you enjoy it!

    Sliced green onions are added to the easy potato chowder, right before serving.You can see the chunks of potatoes in the finished chowder.

    Well, this really is an easy soup to make for lunch OR dinner! Sure hope you have the opportunity to try it soon, and trust you will enjoy it, too. Have a wonderful day, and thank you for visiting.

    Looking For More Potato SOUP Recipes?

    You can find all of my soup recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few of our favorite soups that include potatoes are:

    Interested In More Recipes?

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

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

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: My Mom

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    Easy Potato Chowder
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    15 mins
    Total Time
    30 mins
     

    Make four servings of yummy, filling, easy potato chowder in about 30 minutes, from start to finish, using a few simple and common ingredients!

    Category: Dinner, Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: easy potato chowder
    Servings: 4
    Calories Per Serving: 309 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • ¼ cup butter (½ stick or 4 Tablespoons)
    • 1 cup brown onion , finely chopped
    • ½ cup celery , thinly sliced
    • 1¾ cup potatoes (approx. 2 medium) , peeled and cut into 1" cubes-I used russets.
    • 1½ teaspoons salt ( + more to taste as desired)
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ⅓ cup all purpose flour
    • 4 cups milk
    • ½ cup instant potato flakes (OPTIONAL) (if desired for thicker soup)
    • 1 stem green onion (green part) (OPTIONAL GARNISH) , thinly sliced
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Chop onions, thinly slice celery; peel/ cut potato into small 1" cubes. Small potato cubes are important, so they cook quickly. Melt butter in a large saucepan; add the onions and celery. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes, until onions/celery have softened.

    2. Add potato cubes to the pan; stir to combine. Cook on medium for 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove pan from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour to the pan; stir to combine.

    3. Add 4 cups of milk into the pan. Stir well, to fully combine ingredients. Return pan to the heat and cook on medium, bringing it up to serving temperature slowly. Don't let soup boil after adding milk. As it cooks, the soup will thicken. Taste test a potato cube to make sure they are tender (if not tender, let chowder cook a couple more minutes). Adjust seasonings to your taste by adding additional salt and pepper, if desired.

    4. Once chowder is heated to serving temp (and potatoes are tender), ladle it into individual bowls. Sprinkle thinly sliced green onions over the top, if desired. Serve, and enjoy!

    5. OPTIONAL TIP: Want Your Chowder Even Thicker? When chowder has thickened and is very hot , if you decide you want the chowder to be even thicker (a personal choice), here's a little tip I've used a couple of times: Simply stir in about 1/2 cup of instant potato flakes! Yep... give them a stir into the soup, and instant thickener! This is completely OPTIONAL, but it does work!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: Caloric calculation was made using 1% milk, and NO instant potato flakes.

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Potato Chowder
    Amount Per Serving (1 g)
    Calories 309 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 9g56%
    Cholesterol 42mg14%
    Sodium 1092mg47%
    Potassium 730mg21%
    Carbohydrates 36g12%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 15g17%
    Protein 11g22%
    Vitamin A 874IU17%
    Vitamin C 7mg8%
    Calcium 321mg32%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make four servings of yummy, filling, easy potato chowder in about 30 minutes, from start to finish, using a few simple and common ingredients!


    Feb
    2020

    Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff

    categories: Beef, Main Dishes
    38 Shares
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    Looking for a quick, inexpensive dinner that tastes good? Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff can be made in about 25 minutes from start to finish!
    Looking for a quick, inexpensive dinner that tastes good? Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff can be made in about 25 minutes from start to finish!

    My husband and I love beef stroganoff. Most of the time I make classic beef stroganoff, with beef tenderloin (or occasionally stew meat), which needs to cook longer, to fully tenderize the meat.

    Occasionally when I want the taste of the original recipe, but am pressed for time, or want to take the easy way out, I make this EASY ground beef stroganoff! Today I want to share this simple recipe with you.

    This recipe can be cooked and on the table in under 30 minutes, and has great flavor! It’s also very easy to make, which is always a win-win! Using ground beef tends to be a fairly inexpensive way to feed 4 people. Here’s how to make this easy ground beef stroganoff!

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

    Cook The Ground Beef And Onions

    Sauté the ground beef and chopped onions on medium heat in a large skillet. Continue to cook until meat is browned and cooked through.

    This will only take a few minutes. Once the meat is fully cooked, remove the skillet from the heat, and drain any accumulated grease from the pan.

    Ground beef and chopped onions are pan-seared until fully cooked.Browned ground beef and onions have cooked, and grease has been drained.

    Stir in the mushroom pieces, cream of mushroom soup, red wine (or beef broth or water), salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover the skillet and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

    Mushrooms, red wine, and mushroom soup are added to ground beef stroganoff mixture.

    Prepare Egg Noodles In Separate Pan

    While the stroganoff is cooking, prepare the egg noodles in a separate saucepan, according to the package instructions.

    When the noodles are done cooking, drain, stir in butter, and keep the noodles warm until you’re ready to dish this meal up.

    Egg noodles are cooked, drained, then buttered before topping with stroganoff.

    Hot, buttered noodles are a wonderful classic base for this dish, but you can also substitute steamed rice under the stroganoff, if you prefer.

    Finish The Ground Beef Stroganoff

    After the easy ground beef stroganoff has cooked (covered) for 15 minutes, remove the lid from the skillet. Add the sour cream, and stir this mixture well, to fully blend it in.

    Heat this meat mixture, uncovered, on medium-low heat until heated through. DO NOT LET IT BOIL AFTER ADDING SOUR CREAM.

    Sour cream is added to the ground beef stroganoff.The ground beef stroganoff is heated through before serving.

    Time To Serve Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff

    Divide the hot, buttered egg noodles on each plate. Top the noodles with some of the beef stroganoff. You can sprinkle the dish with fresh or dried parsley for garnish, if desired.

    Hot, buttered egg noodles are topped with the ground beef stroganoff to serve.

    We enjoyed my yummy broccoli corn casserole alongside the stroganoff. The ground beef stroganoff, hot buttered noodles, and a veggie dish made this a well-rounded and filling meal.

    Easy ground beef stroganoff on noodles, with broccoli casserole on the side.

    Thanks for visiting my blog today. I appreciate your time, and hope you have the opportunity to try this simple, but delicious recipe! It is really good, and I hope you enjoy it.

    Don’t forget to check out my yummy recipes for classic beef stroganoff or meatballs stroganoff! Have a wonderful day, and may God bless you!

    Looking For More Recipes Using GROUND BEEF?

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

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

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

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

    Find Me On Social Media:

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

    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: unknown (found handwritten on a recipe card in a very old recipe box)

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

    0 from 0 votes
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    Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    15 mins
    Total Time
    25 mins
     

    Looking for a quick, inexpensive dinner that tastes good? Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff can be made in about 25 minutes from start to finish!

    Category: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: ground beef stroganoff
    Servings: 4
    Calories Per Serving: 454 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1 pound ground beef
    • 1 small brown onion , chopped
    • 4 ounces mushroom pieces (canned) , drained
    • 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup , one small can
    • ¼ cup red wine, water or beef broth , whichever you prefer (I used red wine)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon (each) black pepper and garlic powder
    • ½ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
    • 2 cups dry egg noodles , cooked according to pkg. directions
    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Sauté ground beef and onions on medium heat in large skillet. Cook until meat is browned and cooked through. Remove skillet from heat, and drain accumulated grease from pan.

    2. Stir in mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, red wine (or beef broth or water), salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover skillet and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

    3. **While the stroganoff is cooking, prepare egg noodles in a separate saucepan, according to package instructions. When noodles are done cooking, drain, and stir in butter. Keep warm.

    4. After it has cooked (covered) for 15 minutes, remove lid. Add sour cream, and stir well, to fully blend it in. Cook on medium-low heat (uncovered), until heated through. DO NOT LET IT BOIL AFTER ADDING SOUR CREAM. To Serve: Place egg noodles on plates. Top with beef stroganoff. Sprinkle with fresh or dried parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: Recipe caloric calculation was calculated using red wine, and light sour cream. 

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
    Calories 454 Calories from Fat 234
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 26g40%
    Saturated Fat 11g69%
    Cholesterol 114mg38%
    Sodium 1064mg46%
    Potassium 617mg18%
    Carbohydrates 23g8%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 29g58%
    Vitamin A 182IU4%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Calcium 74mg7%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Looking for a quick, inexpensive dinner that tastes good? Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff can be made in about 25 minutes from start to finish!