Category: Main Dishes


Feb
2019

Sweet and Sour Pork

categories: Asian, Main Dishes, Pork
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Who needs takeout when you can make this delicious Sweet and Sour Pork (with pineapple, onions and bell peppers) at home in about 30 minutes?
Who needs takeout when you can make this delicious Sweet and Sour Pork (with pineapple, onions and bell peppers) at home in about 30 minutes?

Recently I was taking an inventory of a freezer we have in our garage and found several thick boneless pork chops. I started searching for a “new” recipe I could make to use them, and stumbled upon this one for sweet and sour pork on Pinterest.

Note: If you don’t have the boneless pork chops, you can use a pork butt to make this dish, as well!

The original recipe came from Sabrina, on the blog “Dinner Then Dessert”, and I thought it sounded wonderful, since I have always LOVED sweet and sour pork!

Off into our kitchen I went, and in no time at all, we had this wonderful meal for dinner! The recipe is straightforward, easy to prepare, and absolutely DELICIOUS!

It’s fun to be able to share this recipe for sweet and sour pork with you today. If you are interested in reading a few legends about the origins of this favorite Chinese dish, you will want to check out this article.

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

Make The Sweet And Sour Pork Sauce

Making the sauce for the sweet and sour pork couldn’t be any easier.  Place pineapple juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, cornstarch, soy sauce and food coloring (if using) in a medium sized dish. Whisk the sauce ingredients together until smooth. Set sauce aside.

NOTE: Notice the color of the sweet and sour pork sauce. I used the recommended 3 drops of food coloring which helped deepen the color of the sauce. If you choose to NOT use food coloring, that is totally okay, but remember… the sauce will have a bit less color to it!

The sauce for sweet and sour pork is easily made by whisking ingredients together in dish.

Preparing The Pork For Cooking

Prepare 3 bowls with the ingredients necessary to coat the pork pieces before cooking. One bowl, has corn starch, one has all purpose flour, and one has slightly beaten eggs.

Pork cubes and bowls with corn starch, eggs, and flour are ready to make sweet and sour pork!

Dredge the pork pieces in cornstarch (a couple pieces at a time), then dip in egg to cover, and then coat the pieces in flour.  As you finish each of the pieces of pork, place them onto a baking sheet.

Note: This step is fairly messy, as you dip each piece. Just keep at it! I try to use the same hand for dipping, and occasionally rinse or wipe some of the coating off that gets stuck on my fingers as I go!

Pieces of pork are coated in corn starch, then egg, and flour to make sweet and sour pork.

Pieces of pork are fully coated and are now ready to fry, to make sweet and sour pork.

Cooking The Sweet And Sour Pork

Pour oil into a large skillet to a depth of about 2-3 inches. Heat the oil on medium high heat until it is very hot (but not smoking).

TIP: You will need to cook the pork in batches, reheating oil in between batches! Don’t overcrowd the skillet, because you want the pork to cook evenly on all sides.

Carefully add the coated pork pieces into the hot oil.  Cook the pieces of pork for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until the meat is cooked through, is golden brown, and crispy on the outside.

Once done, carefully remove the pork with a slotted spoon (so oil drips back into skillet), and place onto a baking sheet.

The pork pieces for sweet and sour pork are fried in hot oil until browned and crispy.

To Finish The Sweet And Sour Pork

In a separate large skillet, add 2 Tablespoons oil, and heat on medium high. Once oil is hot, add the pineapple, bell peppers, and onion.  Cook the veggies, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. The veggies should still be tender, but still slightly crisp when done.

Pour the sweet and sour sauce into the skillet. Stir to combine, and continue to heat through.  The sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks.  Right before you are ready to serve, add the pork back into the skillet, and stir to combine.

Heat only until the pork is heated through, and then the sweet and sour pork is ready to serve!

Pineapple, onions, bell peppers and sauce are heated to coat the sweet and sour pork.

Arrange a bed of rice onto each serving dish, and then top it with some of the sweet and sour pork!

The finished sweet and sour pork is served in a bowl, on rice, with chopsticks on the side.

There you have it! Sweet and Sour Pork, for the win!  Sure hope you enjoy this delicious Chinese meal! Grab some chopsticks and dig in! It tastes wonderful!

Sweet and Sour Pork is served on top of rice, and is ready to eat.

My husband and I really enjoy this meal. The Asian-inspired sauce permeates everything with wonderful flavor, and the veggies and pork are so good! Hope you will consider making this delicious classic “takeout” dish for those you love! Have a great day!

Looking For More Asian-Inspired Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe Source: Sabrina, at https://dinnerthendessert.com/sweet-and-sour-pork/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Sweet and Sour Pork
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Who needs takeout when you can make this delicious Sweet and Sour Pork (with pineapple, onions and bell peppers) at home in about 30 minutes?
Category: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: sweet and sour pork
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 458 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Sauce:
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 drops red food coloring (optional-I used it)
For Remainder of Dish:
  • 1½ pounds boneless thick cut pork chops (or pork butt) , cut into 3/4" chunks
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 2 large eggs , slightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • vegetable oil for frying pork (2-3" deep)
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying veggies)
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
  • 1 red bell pepper , cut in 1" pieces
  • 1 green bell pepper , cut in 1" pieces
  • 1/2 yellow onion , cut in 1" pieces
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Make the sauce: Place pineapple juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, cornstarch, soy sauce and food coloring (if using) in a medium sized dish. Whisk ingredients until smooth. Set sauce aside.

  2. Prepare 3 bowls with ingredients to coat the pork pieces. One with corn starch, one with flour, and one with slightly beaten eggs. Dredge the pork pieces in cornstarch (a couple pieces at a time), then dip in egg to cover, and then coat the pieces in flour.  As you finish coating each piece, place onto a baking sheet.

  3. Pour oil into a large skillet to a depth of 2-3 inches. Heat oil on medium high heat until very hot (but not smoking). TIP: You will need to cook the pork in batches, reheating oil in between batches! Don't overcrowd the skillet, because you want the pork to cook evenly on all sides. Carefully add the coated pork pieces into hot oil.  Cook pork for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until cooked through, golden brown, and crispy on the outside. Once done, carefully remove the pork pieces with a slotted spoon (so oil drips back into skillet), and place onto a baking sheet. Repeat until all pork is cooked.

  4. In a separate large skillet, add 2 Tablespoons oil; heat on medium high. Once oil is hot, add pineapple, bell peppers, and onion.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Veggies should be tender, and slightly crisp when done. Add sauce to skillet. Stir to combine, and heat through.  Sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks.  Right before you're ready to serve, add browned pork back into the skillet; stir to combine. Heat only until the pork is heated through, and then the sweet and sour pork is ready to eat! Serve on top of rice. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation made based on the use of pork butt.

Nutrition Facts
Sweet and Sour Pork
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 458 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 138mg46%
Sodium 290mg13%
Potassium 724mg21%
Carbohydrates 58g19%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 39g43%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 895IU18%
Vitamin C 55.2mg67%
Calcium 66mg7%
Iron 2.8mg16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Who needs takeout when you can make this delicious Sweet and Sour Pork (with pineapple, onions and bell peppers) at home in about 30 minutes?


Jan
2019

Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles

categories: Asian, Main Dishes, Seafood
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Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles, with shrimp in an Asian-inspired sauce on spiralized zucchini noodles, is a delicious, low calorie dish!
Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles, with shrimp in an Asian-inspired sauce on spiralized zucchini noodles, is a delicious, low calorie dish!

Since receiving a spiralizer appliance with a gift card I was given, it’s been fun to search and try some new recipes using spiralized veggies. We really enjoyed a couple recent meals which featured Kung Pao Zoodles and a delicious Spiralized Carrot Salad in Lemon Ginger Dressing!

This recipe for sweet chili sesame shrimp zoodles was a wonderful experiment for me. Using zucchini noodles instead of pasta cuts down on the carbs, and significantly reduces the total calories of this meal.

The large shrimp are a delicious low calorie source of protein, and the amazing Asian inspired sauce only has three ingredients! This recipe is totally EASY to prepare, and tastes GREAT! Here’s how to make this dish:

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

How To Prepare The Zoodles

To make this dish, you will first need to spiralize the zucchini to make the noodles. If you have a spiralizer, process the zucchini using a spaghetti blade, for long noodles.  NOTE: If you do not own a spiralizer, you can use a vegetable peeler to peel the length of each zucchini, and slice into thin strands (spaghetti sized), if desired.

Place the “zoodles” into a colander, which is set on top of a large bowl.  Lightly sprinkle the zoodles with salt, and gently mix to combine.  Place the colander of zoodles (and bowl) into a refrigerator. Let the zoodles drain off their excess liquid for about 30 minutes.

When done, remove the zoodles from the fridge. Spread them out on a large dish towel. Blot the zoodles dry with another dish towel (or paper towels), trying to absorb most of the extra moisture. Set aside.

Zucchini is spiralized then patted dry to sweet chili sesame shrimp zoodles.

Make The Sweet Chili Sauce For The Sesame Shrimp Zoodles

The sweet chili sauce is VERY easy to make!  In a medium sized bowl, combine the sweet chili sauce (I used Mae Ploy), sesame oil, and low sodium soy sauce.

Whisk these 3 ingredients together until fully blended. Measure out 1/2 cup of the sauce, and transfer to another dish, to save for later!

Sweet chili sesame sauce is used to marinate shrimp for sesame shrimp zoodles.

Prepare The Shrimp

Rinse, peel and de-vein the shrimp (removing tails, as well). Drain well, then add the shrimp to the sweet chili sauce in the medium sized bowl. Toss the shrimp, to ensure they become fully coated with the sweet chili sauce.

Shrimp is cleaned, tails removed, then marinated in sweet chili sesame sauce for zoodles.

Cooking Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles

Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray, and turn heat to medium temperature. When the skillet is hot (but not smoking), add the shrimp in a single layer. NOTE: If making extra quantities of this dish, you can cook the shrimp in batches, re-spraying skillet between each batch.

Cook the shrimp on medium heat for 2 minutes, then turn the shrimp over and continue to cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Spoon some of the sweet chili sauce over the top of each shrimp (the cooked side). Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate, and cover, to keep warm.

The sesame shrimp is cooked in skillet, then removed from pan.

Turn the heat on the stove up to medium-high, and add the spiralized zucchini to the same skillet you cooked the shrimp in.

Cook the zoodles for 1 minute, then add the 1/2 cup of reserved sauce into the skillet. Give the zoodles a toss, to mix the sauce with the zucchini. Cook this mixture for 2 more minutes, tossing occasionally. Add the cooked shrimp to the skillet, and toss, to combine. Cook the sweet chili sesame shrimp zoodles until heated through ( a minute or two).

Zoodles are added to skillet, along with sesame shrimp and Asian sauce.

To Serve Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles

When the sweet chili sesame shrimp zoodles are heated through, they are ready to serve!  Use tongs to place zoodles and shrimp onto individual plates, or into serving bowls. Spoon any of the leftover sauce in the skillet onto the sesame shrimp zoodles, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Sweet chili sesame shrimp zoodles, served with green onion garnish, in white bowl.

Sesame seeds and green onions garnish the sweet chili sesame shrimp zoodles.

I really hope you will consider trying this delicious recipe for sweet chili sesame shrimp zoodles! We really enjoyed this meal, and trust you will, too! Have a wonderful day, friends.

Interested In More SHRIMP Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe Adapted From: https://iowagirleats.com/2017/06/14/sweet-chili-sesame-shrimp-and-zoodles/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
27 mins
 
Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles, with shrimp in an Asian-inspired sauce on spiralized zucchini noodles, is a delicious, low calorie dish!
Category: Dinner, Seafood
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: sesame shrimp zoodles
Servings: 2
Calories Per Serving: 391 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3 medium zucchini , end trimmed
  • 7 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce , I used Mae Ploy
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce , or Tamari sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons sesame oil
  • 3/4 pound large shrimp , peel, deveined, patted dry
For Garnish (optional):
  • 1 stem green onion (scallion) , sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Spiralize the zucchini to make noodles. If you have a spiralizer, process the zucchini using a spaghetti blade.  NOTE: If you don't own a spiralizer, you can use a vegetable peeler to peel the length of each zucchini, and then slice into thin strands (spaghetti sized). Place zoodles in a colander, set on top of a large bowl.  Lightly sprinkle with salt; gently mix to combine.  Place the colander of zoodles (and bowl) into refrigerator. Let the zoodles drain their extra liquid for about 30 minutes. When done, spread zoodles onto a dish towel. Blot dry with another dish towel (or paper towels), trying to absorb any extra moisture. Set aside.

  2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, and low sodium soy sauce. Whisk them together until fully blended. Measure out 1/2 cup of the sauce, and transfer to another dish, to reserve for later! 

  3. Rinse, peel and de-vein shrimp (removing tails, as well). Drain well, then add them to the sweet chili sauce in the medium sized bowl. Toss the shrimp, to ensure they become fully coated with the sauce.

  4. Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray, and turn heat to medium. When skillet is hot (but not smoking), add the shrimp in a single layer. NOTE: If making extra quantities, you can cook shrimp in batches, re-spraying skillet between each batch. Cook shrimp on medium heat for 2 minutes, then turn shrimp over and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Spoon a little bit of the sweet chili sauce over the top of each shrimp while cooking (cooked side). Transfer shrimp to a plate; keep warm.

  5. Turn the heat on stove to medium-high. Add zucchini noodles to the skillet you cooked the shrimp in. Cook for 1 minute, then add the reserved sauce. Give zoodles a toss, to coat with the sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes, tossing occasionally. Add cooked shrimp to the skillet, and toss, to combine. Cook until heated through (1-2 minutes), then transfer to serving plates.  Spoon any leftover sauce in the skillet onto the shrimp, and garnish dish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

I used 2 green zucchini, and 1 yellow zucchini for this dish.

Nutrition Facts
Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 391 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 428mg143%
Sodium 3002mg131%
Potassium 960mg27%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 36g40%
Protein 40g80%
Vitamin A 590IU12%
Vitamin C 59.6mg72%
Calcium 309mg31%
Iron 5.5mg31%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Sweet Chili Sesame Shrimp Zoodles, with shrimp in an Asian-inspired sauce on spiralized zucchini noodles, is a delicious, low calorie dish!


Jan
2019

Dover Sole Fillets with Mango Avocado Salsa

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood
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Dover Sole Fillets with Mango Avocado Salsa is an easy, quick (under 25 minutes) and low-calorie meal, with seasoned pan-seared fish topped with a light, fresh salsa!
Dover Sole Fillets with Mango Avocado Salsa is an easy, quick (under 25 minutes) meal, with seasoned pan-seared fish topped with light, fresh salsa!

Recently I was on the phone with my sister Julie, who lives in Florida. She told me about about a spice mixture for fish she had seen (and used) in a recipe for tilapia with papaya salsa. She read me the 4 easy ingredients for the spices from her cookbook, and I jotted them down.

We chatted a bit about fruit salsas using papaya or mango to top the fish, and it started me brainstorming once our call ended. I decided to create a recipe pulling this information together, but with a couple tweaks!

My slight twist was to use Dover sole (instead of tilapia) for the fish, and mango (instead of papaya) as the primary fruit for the salsa.

I’ve made FRUIT salsa several times over the years, so I used that as my inspiration. This recipe for Dover sole fillets with mango avocado salsa is the result! YUM!!!

The recipe itself is incredibly EASY to prepare. Dover sole fillets are lightly seasoned, pan-seared in a skillet, and then served with an absolutely delicious mango avocado salsa on top! This dish is quick to fix, low in calories, and huge in flavor! Here’s how easy it is to make!

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

Prepare The Mango Avocado Salsa For the Dover Sole Fillets

To make the salsa, you will first need to place all the salsa ingredients except the mango and avocado in a medium sized bowl. These ingredients are mango (cut into cubes), avocado (cut into cubes), cilantro, red onion, bell pepper, lime juice, and jalapeño.

How To Cut A Mango Into Cubes For The Salsa

Mangoes have a very large pit in the center, so you need to cut from top to bottom on either side of the pit.

Once you have the mango cut, take a paring knife and carefully slice “grid lines” through the fruit, being careful to not cut all the way though the skin.

Once the cubes are cut, turn the mango inside out (the middle photo below), by holding both ends and flipping it with your fingers.

You can then easily cut the mango cubes off the skin, and add it to the salsa ingredients in bowl.

Cutting mango into cubes to make salsa for dover sole fillets.

How To Cut An Avocado Into Cubes For The Salsa

Slice the avocado from top to bottom. Remove seed (you can do this by carefully smacking a knife blade into the seed, then turning to twist and remove seed from avocado.

Using a paring knife, carefully cut gridlines both ways in each avocado half, being careful to not cut all the way through to the peel. Slice top to bottom, and side to side.

Once you have the gridlines cut both ways, take a large spoon, and carefully go around the edges of the avocado, and scoop out the cubes. Add them to the mango salsa in the bowl.

Cutting avocado into cubes to add to mango salsa for dover sole fillets.

Give the mango avocado salsa a stir. The photo below shows what the mango avocado salsa (for the dover sole fillets) looked like once combined.

Mango avocado salsa, which will top the cooked dover sole fillets.

Prepare The Dover Sole Fillets

Combine the spice mix for the Dover sole fillets in a small bowl.  The spice mix only has four ingredients: Salt, ground coriander, paprika, and a tiny bit of cayenne pepper.

Spice rub is mixed together to season dover sole fillets.

Lay the Dover sole fillets out, and blot them dry with a paper towel.

Dover sole fillets are patted dry before adding the seasoning.

Sprinkle each of the Dover sole fillets lightly with the spice mix.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), carefully add the fish..

You can cook the Dover sole fillets in batches, if necessary, because they will cook quickly. After a couple minutes you’ll see the bottom edges of the fish are getting golden and crispy.

Carefully turn the fish over. Continue cooking the other side until done (this will only take a couple minutes).

The lightly seasoned dover sole fillets are pan-seared in skillet.

Dover sole fillets are carefully turned over to cook the other side, once browned.

Ready To Serve And EAT!

When the Dover sole fillets are cooked through, remove from skillet, and transfer to individual serving plates.  Top each serving with a good sized portion of the mango avocado salsa, and serve!

The mildly seasoned Dover sole fillets pair really well with the creamy avocado, the sweet mango, and the other flavorful salsa ingredients!  Every bite of this dish tasted wonderful, and we enjoyed it with some steamed rice on the side!

Dover sole fillets with mango avocado salsa are served, with rice on the side.

The cooked dover sole fillets are topped with mango avocado salsa to serve.

I really hope you will try this delicious recipe for Dover sole fillets with mango avocado salsa! May you, and those you love, enjoy this “made with love” meal! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SEAFOOD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful seafood dishes to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe Adapted From: The cookbook titled “Favorite Brand Name Recipes-All New Low Carb”, Volume 7- #27, Published by Publications International, LTD, 2003, page 42

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Dover Sole with Mango Avocado Salsa
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
7 mins
Total Time
22 mins
 
Dover Sole Fillets with Mango Avocado Salsa is an easy, quick (under 25 minutes) meal, with seasoned pan-seared fish topped with light, fresh salsa!
Category: Entree-Seafood
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Dover sole fillets
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 198 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Mango Avocado Salsa:
  • 1 large mango , peeled, cubed
  • 1/3 cup cilantro , chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion , chopped
  • 1/4 cup green bell pepper , chopped
  • 1/2 medium jalapeno , seeded, finely chopped
  • 1/2 large lime (juice of)
  • 1 avocado , peeled, cubed
For Fish:
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil , to cook fish in
  • 4 (4 oz. each) Dover Sole fillets (skinless)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper , or more if you want heat
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Prepare the mango avocado salsa, by gently mixing all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. (see blog post for tips on cubing the mango and avocado). Set aside.

  2. Combine the spice mix (paprika, salt, cayenne, coriander) in a small bowl.

  3. Blot fillets dry with paper towels. Sprinkle each fillet lightly with the spice mix, and pat down.  Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium. Once oil is hot (but not smoking), carefully add the fish. Cook the fish in batches, if necessary, because they will cook quickly. After a couple minutes the bottom edges will be golden in color and crispy. Carefully turn the fish over. Continue cooking the other side until done (this will only take a couple minutes).

  4. When the Dover sole fillets are cooked through, remove from skillet, and transfer fish to individual serving plates.  Top each serving with a good sized portion of the mango avocado salsa, and serve! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Dover Sole with Mango Avocado Salsa
Amount Per Serving (1 fillet with salsa)
Calories 198 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 776mg34%
Potassium 467mg13%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 505IU10%
Vitamin C 13.6mg16%
Calcium 30mg3%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Dover Sole Fillets with Mango Avocado Salsa is an easy, quick (under 25 minutes) meal, with seasoned pan-seared fish topped with light, fresh salsa!


Jan
2019

Sesame Chicken Salad with Ginger Dressing

categories: Chicken, Main Dish Salads, Main Dishes, Salads
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This simple, delicious Asian-inspired Sesame Chicken Salad features pan seared sesame crusted chicken breasts, on mixed spring greens, topped with homemade ginger salad dressing!
Delicious Asian-inspired Sesame Chicken Salad features pan seared sesame crusted chicken breasts, on spring greens, topped w/ a ginger salad dressing!

Wow… this sesame chicken salad with homemade ginger dressing tastes AMAZING! I found the original recipe in one of my OLD Weight Watchers cookbooks, while looking through it a couple weeks ago, and KNEW I wanted to try it!

This salad was a huge hit with my husband and I when we first tried it! Talk about quick and easy meals… this one has it all! The entirely EASY sesame chicken salad (and ginger dressing) was prepared in under 30 minutes, had GREAT flavor, and filled us up!

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

Make The Ginger Dressing For The Sesame Chicken Salad

The yummy ginger salad dressing for this salad is incredibly simple to make, in only a few minutes! Place the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, minced ginger, mustard powder, sesame oil and crushed red pepper into a small saucepan, and whisk to blend.

Bring the ginger salad dressing ingredients just to a boil, on medium heat. Once it begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat. Set the pan aside, until you’re ready to serve the sesame chicken salad. See how easy that was?

Ginger salad dressing is cooked until blended for sesame chicken salad.

Prepare The  Chicken Breasts For Sesame Chicken Salad

Place the sesame seeds, salt and pepper onto  a large piece of wax paper. Mix them with your fingers, to blend the ingredients. Spread them out on the wax paper.

Lightly coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the sesame seed mixture, one at a time. Set chicken aside once coated. Repeat, until all chicken breasts are covered. NOTE: I found that I needed to use more sesame seeds to cover all 4 chicken breasts. Just mix up another quick batch, if you find you will need more topping.

Spices and sesame seeds are used to coat chicken breasts for sesame chicken salad.

Cook The Sesame Chicken

Heat the vegetable oil in a large, non-stick skillet on medium heat. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the chicken breasts. Once the chicken hits the pan, do not disturb while it cooks.

Cook the sesame chicken for about 4-6 minutes, then carefully turn over and cook the other side 4-6 minutes.  The chicken should be cooked through, and the outside should be golden brown, when done. Once the chicken is done, place the pieces onto a cutting board, and let the chicken “rest” for 3-5 minutes. Slice each chicken breast into diagonal slices (about 4-6 slices per breast).

Boneless chicken breasts, coated in sesame seeds are pan seared for sesame chicken salad.

Serve The Sesame Chicken Salad With Ginger Dressing

Arrange cold, mixed salad greens on individual serving plates or in bowls. Use a spatula and transfer each sliced chicken breast onto the top of each salad. Be sure to keep the chicken slices for each breast all together! Lightly sprinkle sliced green onions over the top of each piece of sesame chicken.

Salad greens arranged in bowl, then topped with sliced sesame chicken and green onions.

Drizzle the ginger salad dressing over each sesame chicken salad, and that’s it! You are ready to serve this delicious dish! Serve immediately. Seriously – Grab a fork, and DIG IN! I really think you will LOVE this delicious meal!  There is a lot of flavor, the chicken is tender, and this sesame chicken salad is quite satisfying!

Sesame chicken salad with ginger dressing, served in a white bowl.

A side view of the ginger chicken salad with ginger dressing in white bowl.

My husband and I enjoyed this dinner, AND we liked it so much we had another sesame chicken salad (with the leftover chicken and dressing) the next night for dinner, too! That means it REALLY was good!

Hope you will try this delicious main course salad… it is truly easy and delicious! Have a GREAT day, and please come back again soon for more yummy recipes!

Looking For More MAIN COURSE SALAD Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

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

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Original Recipe source: One of my cookbooks titled “Weight Watchers – Great Cooking Every Day”, published 2001, by Weight Watchers International, Inc., page 45

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Sesame Chicken Salad with Ginger Dressing
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
22 mins
 

Delicious Asian-inspired Sesame Chicken Salad features pan seared sesame crusted chicken breasts, on spring greens, topped with a ginger salad dressing!

Category: Main Course Salad
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: sesame chicken salad
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 237 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Ginger Dressing:
  • 2 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger peeled, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil (dark)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
For The Chicken And Salad
  • 3 Tablespoons sesame seeds (white) , or more, as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 4 chicken breast halves (1/4 lb. each) boneless, skinless
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 6 cups spring greens mix (or romaine) , rinsed, shredded
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions , optional (for garnish)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To Make Ginger Salad Dressing:

  1. Place soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, minced ginger, mustard powder, sesame oil and crushed red pepper in a small saucepan, and whisk, to blend. Bring to a boil, on medium heat. Once it begins to boil, remove pan from heat. Set aside.

To Prepare/Cook Chicken:

  1. Place sesame seeds, salt and pepper onto a piece of wax paper. Mix with your fingers, to blend. Spread them out on the wax paper. Lightly coat chicken on both sides with the mixture. Repeat process until all chicken breasts are covered. NOTE: I found that I needed to use more sesame seeds to cover all 4 chicken breasts. Just mix up another quick batch, if you find you need more.

  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large, non-stick skillet on medium heat. Once oil is hot (but not smoking), add the chicken. Once the chicken hits the pan, do not disturb while it cooks. Cook chicken for 4-6 minutes, then carefully turn over and cook the other side 4-6 minutes.  The chicken should be cooked through, and the outside should be golden brown, when done. Once done, place chicken on a cutting board, and let it "rest" for a couple minutes. Slice each chicken breast into diagonal slices (about 4-6 slices per breast).

  3. To Serve: Arrange mixed salad greens on individual plates or in bowls. Use a spatula and transfer each sliced chicken breast onto the top of each salad, keeping the slices for each breast together! Sprinkle sliced green onions over chicken. Drizzle ginger dressing over each salad, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Sesame Chicken Salad with Ginger Dressing
Amount Per Serving (1 salad with dressing)
Calories 237 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 707mg31%
Potassium 565mg16%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 755IU15%
Vitamin C 15.3mg19%
Calcium 72mg7%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards! This delicious Asian-inspired Sesame Chicken Salad features pan seared sesame crusted chicken breasts, on spring greens, topped w/ a ginger salad dressing!


Jan
2019

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole

categories: Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern
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You’ll love this easy to make Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rigatoni noodles, chicken, corn, black beans, and cheese, baked in a Southwestern flavored sauce!
You'll love this easy Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rigatoni, chicken, corn, black beans, and cheese, baked in a Southwestern flavored sauce!

Can I get a shout out for the humble, yet delicious casserole dishes that have made mealtimes easier for home cooks everywhere? This Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole is a perfectly simple but absolutely lip-smackin’ delicious casserole that will leave you smiling!

I found the original recipe on Pinterest, and loved that you can use pre-cooked (think rotisserie or leftover) chicken. By using pre-cooked chicken, and canned corn and black beans, you’ve already saved yourself some time!

Making this fiesta chicken pasta casserole recipe is as simple as cooking pasta, whisking together a simple Southwestern flavored sauce, stirring in the rest of the ingredients, then baking it! The recipe is really quite simple. Let me show you how to make this yummy meal!

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

How To Make Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole

The first thing you will need to do is spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray, then set the dish aside.  Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cook the rigatoni pasta in 4 quarts of lightly salted water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

NOTE: No rigatoni? No problem! You can easily substitute rotini (spiral) pasta or penne pasta in this dish!

Cooking rigatoni for the fiesta chicken pasta casserole.

While the pasta noodles are cooking, mix together salsa, light sour cream, garlic powder, ground cumin, and onion powder in a medium sized bowl.

Mixing together the Southwestern sauce used in the fiesta chicken pasta casserole.

Building The Casserole

When the pasta is done cooking, drain it well, and pour it into a large mixing bowl.  Add the sauce to the pasta in the bowl, and give it a good stir to mix it together. Once the sauce and pasta are combined, add the drained corn, black beans, cooked chicken (shredded or cubed), and ONE CUP of grated cheddar cheese.

Reserve the remaining cup of grated cheddar cheese to use later. Gently stir the fiesta chicken pasta casserole together, until all ingredients are coated with sauce and are thoroughly combined.

Sauce, corn, black beans, cheese and chicken is added to the fiesta chicken pasta casserole.

Time To Bake The Casserole

Pour the fiesta chicken pasta casserole ingredients evenly into the baking dish, and spread out, to cover. Evenly distribute the remaining cup of grated cheddar cheese across the top of the casserole. 

Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 25 minutes. About 10 minutes before the cooking time is done, remove the foil and finish cooking the fiesta chicken pasta casserole.

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole is covered with grated cheese, then baked.

Once the casserole is finished cooking, remove it from the oven. The cheese will be melted, and the casserole will be slightly bubbly around the edges.

Fiesta chicken pasta casserole, right out of the oven, after baking.

To Serve Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole

Garnish the fiesta chicken pasta casserole with some sliced green onions (or chives, as shown), and chopped tomatoes. If desired, you can also add avocado slices for flavor and color. The casserole is now ready to serve! The recipe serves 8 (modest portions), or 6, if serving larger portions!

The baked fiesta chicken pasta casserole is garnished with tomatoes and chives before serving.

The only thing left to do is dig into this absolutely delicious fiesta chicken pasta casserole! It has WONDERFUL flavor, and is not too spicy… trust me! The black beans add additional protein, and together with the corn, help to make this a well-rounded, nice and filling meal! It is SO GOOD!

An individual portion of fiesta chicken pasta casserole is served in a white bowl.

I really hope you will consider trying this fiesta chicken pasta casserole. My husband and I LOVED it! Guess what? The leftovers tasted fantastic, too! I really think you will love this easy to make recipe, too! 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 a nice variety of casserole 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: https://togetherasfamily.com/fiesta-chicken-casserole/

5 from 1 vote
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Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
You'll love this easy to make Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rigatoni noodles, chicken, corn, black beans, and cheese, baked in a Southwestern flavored sauce!
Category: Entree - Casserole
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: fiesta chicken pasta casserole
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 385 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2¼ cups uncooked rigatoni pasta (can substitute spiral or penne pasta
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 cup light sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 15 ounces whole kernel corn (1 can) , drained
  • 15 ounces black beans (1 can) , drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breasts , shredded or cubed
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese , divided
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, then set aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

  2. Cook pasta in 4 quarts of lightly salted water. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

  3. While the pasta is cooking, mix together salsa, light sour cream, garlic powder, ground cumin, and onion powder in a medium sized bowl.

  4. When pasta is done, drain, and pour it into a large mixing bowl.  Add the sauce; stir to combine. Add drained corn, black beans, cooked chicken (shredded or cubed), and ONE CUP of the grated cheddar cheese. Reserve remaining cup of grated cheddar cheese to use later. Gently stir, until all ingredients are coated with sauce and are thoroughly combined. Pour into the baking dish, spreading to cover. Sprinkle remaining cup of grated cheddar cheese across the top of the casserole.  Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes. About 10 minutes before the cooking time is done, remove the foil and finish cooking.

  5. Remove finished casserole from oven. Garnish with sliced green onions (or chives), and chopped tomatoes. If desired, you can also add avocado slices. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation was calculated based on using light sour cream. Regular sour cream will work perfectly, but will increase calorie count for each portion.

Nutrition Facts
Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total))
Calories 385 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 69mg23%
Sodium 657mg29%
Potassium 597mg17%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 680IU14%
Vitamin C 5.2mg6%
Calcium 285mg29%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love this easy Fiesta Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rigatoni, chicken breast, corn, black beans, and cheese, baked in a Southwestern flavored sauce!


Jan
2019

Eggplant Parmesan

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals
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Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian meatless dish, with breaded eggplant slices baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian meatless dish, with breaded eggplant slices baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Do you enjoy eggplant parmesan?  Lots of people love this classic Italian dish, and today I am going to show you how you can make it at home! You can read some interesting information about this dish’s origins here.

I found the original recipe on Pinterest, and made this meatless dish for my husband and I several months ago. Every now and then I love to make meatless dishes, and thought this one sounded really good, so I bought a gorgeous eggplant at our local Farmer’s Market.

Eggplant Parmesan has layers of lightly breaded eggplant slices, topped with marinara sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. The eggplant slices are lightly browned, then layered in casserole dish with the sauce and the cheeses.

Eggplant parmesan is baked until cooked through, and all that gooey cheese is melted throughout. Here’s how to make this dish:

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

How To Make Eggplant Parmesan

The first thing you will need to do is let excess water drain from the fresh eggplant. This step helps to reduce “sogginess” in the eggplant slices, by pulling out moisture before cooking.

Cut a large eggplant into 1/2″ thick slices.  Salt BOTH sides of each slice. Put the salted eggplant slices in a large colander in the sink, or over a bowl.

Let the eggplant slices sit and “drain” or “sweat out” the liquid for 45 minutes. Once done draining, lightly brush off the excess salt.

Eggplant is sliced, then liquid is drained out of it before cooking Eggplant Parmesan.

Preparing The Eggplant To Make Eggplant Parmesan

Preheat your oven to 375°F, and place two (shallow) plates on the kitchen counter. Spread the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs out, on one plate. Place the 3 slightly beaten eggs and milk on the other plate. Lightly whisk the eggs and milk together, until blended.

Dip each eggplant slice (one at a time) into the egg/milk mixture, making sure to cover both sides. Let excess liquid drip back onto plate. Dip the eggplant into the breadcrumbs, until both sides are covered, letting excess drop back onto plate.

Continue this step until all eggplant slices are breaded. Place breaded eggplant onto a paper towel covered 9×13 baking sheet in a single layer.

Eggplant slices are dipped in egg, then seasoned breadcrumbs, to make eggplant parmesan,

Browning The Eggplant

Put one Tablespoon of oil into a large skillet. Heat the skillet on medium high heat until hot, but not smoking.  Once the skillet and oil are hot, add a few slices of eggplant at a time to the skillet. I was able to cook 4 at a time.

Cook eggplant on both sides, until they are lightly browned. Once browned, transfer them from the skillet to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Continue this step for all the slices, adding one Tablespoon oil for each group of eggplant slices that are browned.

Eggplant slices are cooked on both sides to prepare them to make eggplant parmesan,

Assembling The Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

Now you are ready to assemble the eggplant parmesan! Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. The first layer to go in is the eggplant slices. I used a 2.5 quart casserole dish, so I was able to get about 4 eggplant slices in each layer.

Once you have a layer of eggplant slices, add a spoonful of marinara sauce to the top of each slice. Don’t drown the layers in sauce! Top the sauce with a layer of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. This time I used shredded Parmesan cheese, and  slices of mozzarella cheese into my dish, but you can just as easily substitute grated mozzarella (instead of slices), if desired.

Repeat this process for a couple more layers (or until you run out of eggplant!). Make sure to reserve some of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses to top the entire dish of eggplant parmesan, before baking.

Eggplant parmesan has layers of sauce, eggplant, and cheeses,

Baking Eggplant Parmesan

Bake the eggplant parmesan for approximately 20-25 minutes at 375°F.  When done, all that yummy cheese on top should be melted, golden brown and bubbly! Mine was done at 25 minutes.

NOTE: If you want the cheese to be more golden brown in color, you can always put it under the oven broiler for a couple minutes, if desired. Remember to keep a close eye on it, if you do this step! Nobody wants burned cheese on top, right?

Remove eggplant parmesan from oven, and let it sit for a couple minutes (to let the cheese solidify a bit). The only thing left to do is slice up a piece, serve it hot, and enjoy this classic Italian dish! You can also garnish the casserole with fresh, chopped basil, if desired.

Eggplant parmesan, freshly baked, with gooey melted cheese on top.

I hope you enjoy this dish! For me, it’s always fun to experiment in the kitchen, and try new recipes.  If you enjoy eggplant, be sure to check out my recipe for Baby Eggplant Mozzarella Bites! They’re delicious, too!

Have a wonderful day, please come back again soon, and thanks for stopping by!

Looking For More MEATLESS Meal Recipes?

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

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Author's signature

Original recipe source: https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/eggplant-parmesan/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Eggplant Parmesan
Prep Time
1 hr 10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 
Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian meatless dish, with breaded eggplant slices layered and baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Category: Meatless Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: eggplant parmesan
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 624 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 large eggplant , cut in 1/2" slices
  • 2 Tablespoons salt
  • 1½ cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 3 large eggs , lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil , or vegetable oil
  • 3 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 cups mozzarella , shredded or slices
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese , shredded
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cut a large eggplant into 1/2" thick slices.  Salt BOTH sides of each slice. Put the salted slices in a large colander in the sink, or over a bowl. Let the eggplant sit and "drain" or "sweat out" the liquid for 45 minutes. Once done draining, lightly brush off excess salt.

  2. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Place two (shallow) plates on kitchen counter. Spread Italian breadcrumbs on one plate. Place eggs and milk on the other plate. Lightly whisk eggs and milk together. Dip each eggplant slice (one at a time) into egg/milk mixture, covering both sides. Let excess liquid drip back onto plate. Dip eggplant into breadcrumbs until both sides are covered, letting excess drop back onto plate. Continue this step until all eggplant slices are breaded. Place breaded eggplant onto a paper towel covered 9x13 baking sheet in a single layer.

  3. Put 1 Tablespoon oil into a large skillet. Heat the skillet on medium high heat until hot, but not smoking.  Once skillet and oil are hot, add a few slices of eggplant at a time to the skillet. Cook eggplant on both sides, until lightly browned. Once browned, transfer them from the skillet to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Repeat this step for all slices, adding one Tablespoon oil for each group of eggplant slices that are browned.

  4. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce on bottom of casserole dish. The first layer is eggplant slices (I used a 2.5 quart casserole dish, and was able to get about 4 eggplant slices per layer). Onto that layer, add a little marinara sauce to the top of each piece (approx. 1/4 cup). Top the sauce with a layer of shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Repeat this process for two more layers (or until you run out of eggplant). Make sure to reserve some of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses to top the dish off with, before baking.

  5. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes at 375°F.  When done, the cheese on top should be melted, golden brown and bubbly!  Note: If you want the cheese to be more golden brown in color, you can always put it under the oven broiler for a couple minutes, if desired. Remember to keep a close eye on it, if you do this step!  Remove eggplant parmesan from oven, and let it sit for a couple minutes (to let the cheese solidify a bit). The only thing left to do is slice up a piece, and serve it hot! Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note that 45 minutes of the prep time listed is INACTIVE time (while zucchini drains).

You can also garnish the finished eggplant parmesan with chopped, fresh basil, if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Eggplant Parmesan
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 624 Calories from Fat 324
% Daily Value*
Fat 36g55%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 64mg21%
Sodium 5817mg253%
Potassium 817mg23%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 1505IU30%
Vitamin C 14.1mg17%
Calcium 719mg72%
Iron 4.6mg26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian meatless dish, with breaded eggplant slices layered and baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.


Jan
2019

Chicken Noodle Soup

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes, Soups
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Delicious, homemade chicken noodle soup, made with leftover rotisserie chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, onions and spinach, will warm you up on a cold day!
Delicious, homemade chicken noodle soup, with leftover rotisserie chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, onions and spinach will warm you up on a cold day!

We recently bought a rotisserie chicken at Costco. They always seem to have the best roasted chicken! After a couple days of enjoying it, we were left with a mostly picked over whole chicken in our fridge. About 75% of the meat was gone off the bones, and we had the “skeletal remnants” in the fridge.

A lot of folks would throw out the rest of the chicken, at that point. But did you know the bones and tiny bits of chicken left hanging on for dear life can make an incredible tasting chicken noodle soup? YEP!  I decided not to waste the leftovers, and make a big pot of soup for our rainy night dinner!

The results? A wonderful tasting homemade chicken noodle soup that we enjoyed for a few more days, for dinner and a couple lunches! So the next time you have a leftover roasted chicken  (or have some leftover pre-cooked chicken and chicken broth in your kitchen), make soup! It’s EASY!  Here’s how:

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

Making Chicken Noodle Soup Using Leftover Roasted Chicken

The photo below shows you what was left of our rotisserie chicken. Poor thing never had a chance! Most of the meat had already been eaten, but there was still some attached to the bones. This is PERFECT for making a delicious broth for the soup!

So, to make a good broth for the chicken noodle soup, place the chicken (or what’s left of it) into a large soup pot, and cover it with water.

Leftover rotisserie chicken in pot of water to make chicken noodle soup.

Add sliced carrots, celery, chopped onions and two smashed cloves of garlic to the pot. The carrots, onion, and celery are considered the holy trinity of cooking, because they impart so much flavor. They will be perfect to flavor the chicken noodle soup base!

Celery, carrots, garlic and onion added to chicken in water, for chicken noodle soup.

Add salt, pepper, and two large chicken bouillon cubes to the soup pot. Bring the water to a boil on medium high heat. Cook for about 35 minutes, then remove from heat. Carefully remove whole chicken from pot, and let it cool a bit.

Once it has cooled some, pick off all the pieces of chicken you can get from the bones, and add them back into the pot. Believe it or not, I ended up with about 2 cups of shredded chicken! Discard the bones once finished. Skim any accumulated grease off the top of the soup, and remove the two smashed garlic cloves.

If NOT Using A Whole Chicken To Make This Chicken Noodle Soup

NOTE: If NOT using a whole chicken, simply cook the veggies for about 15 minutes (to soften), then add two cups of cooked, shredded chicken into the pot. Make sure to add THREE large chicken bouillon cubes to the water, for flavor.

Timesaving Tip For Making Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I made this soup to use up our rotisserie chicken leftovers. HOWEVER… IF YOU WANT TO SAVE TIME, simply use 4 quarts of store bought chicken broth with your veggies and precooked chicken. Then there is no need to make your own chicken broth, and it will still have lots of flavor!

It will end up costing you a bit more to make the soup, but will save you time, if that’s an issue!

Holding a ladle full of chicken soup (without noodles)

Put the chicken noodle soup back on the stove on medium high heat. Bring the soup to a full boil, then add the uncooked rotini pasta. If you don’t have rotini pasta noodles, add your favorite! Stir, and cook the noodles for the time stated on package (typically this is between 11-13 minutes).

Uncooked rotini pasta is added to boiling chicken noodle soup in pan.

Chicken noodle soup in a ladle is almost done cooking.

When the noodles are finished cooking, add 1 Tablespoon of butter to the pot. Stir in the thawed and drained chopped spinach. Continue cooking the soup for a couple minutes, until chicken noodle soup is heated through. Take a small taste, and add salt and/or pepper, as desired.

Spinach has been added to chicken noodle soup in pot.

A ladle, full of the finished chicken noodle soup.

And there you have it! Instead of throwing away the remnants of a whole rotisserie chicken, you have used it to make a delicious pot of homemade chicken noodle soup!

A big pot, full of homemade chicken noodle soup.

Who’s Ready To Eat Some Chicken Noodle Soup?

All that’s left to do is ladle up a bowlful of hot soup, and serve it to those you love!  It’s really quite easy to make a delicious, filling pot of chicken noodle soup very inexpensively! The best part is that this soup, filled with chicken, pasta, spinach, carrots, onions, celery and a wonderful tasting broth TASTES SO GOOD!

A bowl of hot chicken noodle soup is ready to eat!

Sure hope you will consider trying this recipe for homemade chicken noodle soup! I think it’s fun to get a huge pot of delicious soup using only a few simple, common ingredients!

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Have a wonderful day!

Author's signature

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Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
Delicious, homemade chicken noodle soup, with leftover rotisserie chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, onions and spinach, will warm you up on a cold day!
Category: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken noodle soup
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 152 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked chicken
  • 4 quarts water , to cover chicken
  • 2 cubes chicken bouillon , large cubes
  • 2 large carrots , peeled, sliced
  • 1/2 cup onion , chopped
  • 2 stalks celery , chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , peeled, smashed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1½ cups uncooked rotini pasta , or pasta of choice
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup chopped frozen spinach , thawed & drained
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
If Using Rotisserie Chicken Carcass (to make soup base)

  1. Place the chicken carcass (what's left of it) into a large soup pot, and cover it with water. Add sliced carrots, celery, chopped onions and two smashed cloves of garlic to the pot. Add salt, pepper, and two large chicken bouillon cubes. 

  2. Bring the water to a boil on medium high heat. Cook for 35 minutes, then remove pan from heat. Carefully remove chicken carcass from pot, and let it cool a bit. Once it has cooled some, pick off all the pieces of chicken you can get from the bones, and add them back into the pot. Discard bones, once finished. Skim any accumulated grease off the top of the soup, and remove the two smashed garlic cloves.  

  3. Put the soup back on the stove on medium high heat. Bring the soup to a full boil, then add uncooked rotini pasta. Stir, and cook the noodles for the time stated on package until done (typically this is between 11-13 minutes).

  4. When noodles are finished cooking, add 1 Tablespoon of butter to the pot. Stir in the thawed, drained chopped spinach. Continue cooking soup for a couple minutes, until it's heated through. Take a taste, and add salt and/or pepper, as desired. Serve, and enjoy!

If Using Pre-Cooked Chicken And Store Bought Chicken Broth (TIMESAVER)

  1. Cook the veggies (carrots, onions, celery, garlic) in the boiling broth (4 quarts) for 15 minutes, then add shredded chicken and pasta (etc.) and cook per instructions above. Once noodles are cooked, add butter, spinach, and season with additional salt/pepper as desired. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation is based on "made from scratch" method (using leftover chicken and bones).

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Noodle Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total))
Calories 152 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 220mg10%
Potassium 264mg8%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 5410IU108%
Vitamin C 3.4mg4%
Calcium 45mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Delicious, homemade chicken noodle soup, with leftover rotisserie chicken, celery, carrots, garlic, onions and spinach, will warm you up on a cold day!


Dec
2018

Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

categories: Chicken, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern
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You’ll love this easy, tasty, grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn, and cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.
You'll love this easy grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn & cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

I don’t know about you, but we LOVE Mexican food in our home. We especially love tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas!  Sometimes people tend to think of quesadillas only as melted cheese on a flour tortilla, and call that a quesadilla.

While that type of quesadilla tastes okay, we like to serve them loaded with more ingredients at our house, to really make it a MEAL!  We’ve enjoyed these so many times over the years I can’t even begin to count! The cooking process for cooking a plain or loaded quesadilla is the same. I really think you’re gonna like eating this filling chicken black bean quesadilla a whole lot MORE than a plain one!

Occasionally I change up the recipe a bit, depending on what we have in the pantry at the moment. However, the core recipe I came up with over 30 years ago almost always stays the same.  I am glad to share it with you today!

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

How To Make This Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

Quesadillas are simple to make, taste absolutely delicious, and are a super simple dinner to throw together after a busy day! You can save time by using leftover cooked chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken!

For each chicken black bean quesadilla, place grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and cooked chicken breast chunks onto ONE HALF of the flour tortilla. Once you have all the filling ingredients ready to go, it’s amazing how quickly you can throw several of these quesadillas together!

Cheese, chicken and green onions are placed on a flour tortilla half for chicken black bean quesadilla.

Evenly distribute the corn, black beans and a spoonful of the salsa verde sauce to each chicken black bean quesadilla.  Remember to leave one half of the tortilla bare.

Black beans and corn are added to tortilla for chicken black bean quesadilla.

Green sauce (salsa verde) is added to chicken black bean quesadilla.

Grilling The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

The empty half of the flour tortilla is folded up and over the toppings for the quesadilla. Each of the quesadilla halves are placed onto a lightly oiled grill (or large skillet) on medium low heat. NOTE: If using a large skillet, you may need to cook these in batches.

Cook each chicken black bean quesadilla for a few minutes on medium low heat until golden brown on the bottom.

Carefully turn each quesadilla to the other side using a spatula. Continue cooking until the bottom side has turned nice and golden brown as well. When done, the cheese should be melted and the other fillings should be heated through.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is folded in half and place on griddle to cook.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is turned to other side when golden brown during cooking.

Slicing The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla

Once the chicken black bean quesadilla is done cooking, carefully remove two halves (at a time) to a cutting board or surface.

It’s been my experience that a pizza cutter (or a really sharp knife) works really well to slice the quesadilla into serving portions. Slice the quesadilla similar to how you would cut a pizza, into 3 slices per half.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla is sliced using a pizza cutter, when done.

Each chicken black bean quesadilla half is sliced into three pieces.

Garnishing The Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla For Serving

In the photo below I placed 2 quesadilla halves on a plate all together, to garnish and photograph the finished meal. It sure looks GOOD once it is “prettied up” a bit, right?

The grilled, sliced chicken black bean quesadilla is garnished with additional grated cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes, salsa verde sauce, and a dollop of sour cream! A typical serving would be 3 slices per person, but if you’re REALLY hungry (and don’t mind the extra calories), go for the whole thing!

Chicken black bean quesadilla is garnished with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and salsa verde.

You can see the chunks of chicken breasts, melted cheese and black beans inside a slice of the chicken black bean quesadilla! This is one great tasting quesadilla, whether you pick up each slice like pizza OR use a fork for each bite! Yum!

Side view of a slice of chicken black bean quesadilla.

I really hope you will give this recipe for a delicious chicken black bean quesadilla a try! The quesadillas are really easy to make, and they sure do taste GREAT! Have a fantastic day, friends. Make it a good one!

Looking For More Tex-Mex Recipes?

You can ALL of my recipes using the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Some of our favorite Tex-Mex recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature

Recipe Source: my hungry brain…

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 1 vote
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Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
16 mins
 
You'll love this easy grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn & cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken black bean quesadilla
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 394 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts , pre-cooked
  • 1 stalk green onions , white and green parts
  • 6 Tablespoons whole kernel corn (canned) , drained
  • 6 Tablespoons black beans (canned) , drained
  • 4 Tablespoons salsa verde sauce , or substitute red salsa
  • cooking spray or vegetable oil , for grill or skillet
For Garnish (OPTIONAL):
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1/2 cup fresh tomato , diced
  • 4 teaspoons salsa verde sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons sour cream
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. For each quesadilla, place grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and cooked chicken breast chunks onto ONE HALF of a flour tortilla. Evenly distribute corn, black beans and a spoonful of the salsa verde sauce to each quesadilla.  Leave one half of each tortilla bare.

  2. Fold empty half of tortilla up and over the toppings. Place each quesadilla half on a lightly oiled or sprayed flat grill (or large skillet) on medium low heat. NOTE: If using a large skillet, you may need to cook these in batches. Cook for a few minutes on medium low heat until golden brown on the bottom. Carefully turn each quesadilla to the other side, and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown. When done, cheese should be melted and filling heated through. 

  3. Transfer each quesadilla to a cutting board. Slice each half into 3 pieces. Garnish with cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa verde, and a dollop of sour cream! Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation is for three quesadilla slices, and includes all garnish toppings (salsa verde, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream).

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla
Amount Per Serving (1 (3 slices))
Calories 394 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 84mg28%
Sodium 822mg36%
Potassium 507mg14%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 795IU16%
Vitamin C 4.4mg5%
Calcium 368mg37%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love this easy, tasty, grilled Chicken Black Bean Quesadilla with salsa verde, corn, and cheddar cheese, served with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.


Nov
2018

Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Pork
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Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi in a creamy Alfredo sauce, is a simple, delicious Italian comfort food dish that can be ready to eat in about 20 minutes!
Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi in a creamy Alfredo sauce, is a simple, delicious Italian comfort food dish that can be ready to eat in about 20 minutes!

Do you like gnocchi? We have really enjoyed trying this little “potato pasta” with several different recipes over the past couple of years. They are known primarily as Italian potato dumplings. Did you know the word “gnocchi” actually means “lumps” in Italian? Yep. There are numerous ways to use gnocchi. These little “lumps” of potatoes and flour can be baked, fried, boiled, etc., and taste amazing when paired with a variety of sauces!

A couple months ago I bought a package of gnocchi at the grocery store (usually found in the pasta aisle).  I decided to create my own recipe for Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi, and used a sauce I’ve made a bazillion times to tie all the ingredients together!

The Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi ended up tasting wonderful. Creamy alfredo sauce was the perfect sauce to coat the pillowy soft gnocchi, bacon and fresh baby spinach leaves! The added bonus is that it was a very simple (and quick) dinner to make!

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

How To Make Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

The first thing you need to do is to cook the bacon.  If you cut the raw bacon into thin strips, it will cook a lot faster (thanks, kitchen scissors)! Cook the bacon in a skillet until it is fully cooked and crispy.

Remove the crisp bacon from the skillet; transfer to a paper towel to drain. Leave any bacon drippings in the skillet (there shouldn’t be too much!). This will help give flavor to the sauce!

Bacon is cooked until crisp for the Bacon Parmesan Spinach Quiche,

Cooked bacon for bacon parmesan spinach quiche draining on paper towel.

Making The Sauce For Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi

Using the same skillet (undrained), add the butter and cook on medium low heat until melted. Once the butter has melted, add the heavy whipping cream and garlic powder. Stir well, to combine the ingredients. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce in the skillet. Whisk or stir the sauce until the ingredients are fully blended together.

Continue to cook the sauce on medium low heat, until the alfredo sauce has thickened slightly and is heated through. Be careful to not let the sauce come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat once the sauce has thickened.

Butter and whipping cream in skillet to make sauce for bacon parmesan spinach quiche.

Parmesan cheese is grated into the sauce for bacon parmesan spinach quiche.

The alfredo sauce for the bacon parmesan spinach quiche has thickened.

Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling water according to the package instructions. Once the gnocchi is cooked, drain it well in a colander or strainer. Do not rinse the gnocchi.

Gnocchi for the bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi has cooked and then is drained.

Finish The Gnocchi For Serving

Place the drained, hot gnocchi back into the saucepan. Pour the alfredo sauce, fresh baby spinach leaves and crumbled bacon back into the pan.

Stir the ingredients well, to fully coat everything with the alfredo sauce. Turn the heat to low, and continue to heat the bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi until it’s heated through. It only takes a couple minutes to heat through, and the spinach will wilt down as it cooks.

Cooked gnocchi, sauce, fresh spinach and bacon is mixed for bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi.

Bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi, on a wooden spoon, ready to eat!

Once the bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi is heated all the way through, it is ready to serve!  Portion out the gnocchi to individual serving bowls or plates. Top each serving with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve the bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi while it is hot… and enjoy every bite!

Bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi is served in a white bowl.

We truly did love this Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi! The creamy flavorful gnocchi is Italian comfort food at it’s best!  I sincerely hope you will give the recipe a try, because I think you’re gonna love it, too! Have a wonderful day.

Looking For More Recipes Using Gnocchi?

I have a few recipes using gnocchi on my blog that you might also enjoy! They include:

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

0 from 0 votes
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Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi in a creamy Alfredo sauce, is a simple, delicious Italian comfort food dish that can be ready to eat in about 20 minutes!
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: bacon parmesan spinach gnocchi
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 742 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 strips bacon , cooked until crispy
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
  • 17.5 ounces gnocchi
  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves (fresh)
  • Parmesan cheese , optional for garnish
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cook bacon in skillet on medium heat until fully cooked/crispy. TIP: If you cut the raw bacon into thin strips before cooking, it will cook a LOT faster! Remove crisp bacon from skillet; transfer to a paper towel to drain, then crumble (if not already cut into small pieces). 

  2. Using the same skillet (undrained), add butter; cook on medium low heat until melted. Once the butter melts, add heavy whipping cream and garlic powder. Stir well, to combine. Add grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce in skillet. Whisk or stir sauce until the ingredients are fully blended together. Continue to cook sauce on medium low heat, until it has thickened slightly and is heated through. Be careful to not let the sauce come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat once the sauce has thickened.

  3. Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling water according to package instructions. Once the gnocchi is cooked, drain it well in a colander or strainer. Do not rinse the gnocchi. Place the drained, hot gnocchi back into the saucepan.

  4. Pour the alfredo sauce, fresh baby spinach leaves and crumbled bacon into the pan of gnocchi. Stir well, to fully coat everything with the sauce. Turn heat to low, and continue to heat gnocchi until heated through. It only takes a couple minutes to heat through; the spinach will wilt down as it cooks. Once gnocchi is heated all the way through, it is ready to serve! Transfer gnocchi into individual bowls or plates. Top each serving with more grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve hot... and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 742 Calories from Fat 477
% Daily Value*
Fat 53g82%
Saturated Fat 31g194%
Cholesterol 166mg55%
Sodium 1256mg55%
Potassium 200mg6%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 3g13%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 3120IU62%
Vitamin C 4.7mg6%
Calcium 438mg44%
Iron 5.1mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Bacon Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi in a creamy Alfredo sauce, is a simple, delicious Italian comfort food dish that can be ready to eat in about 20 minutes!

 

 

 


Nov
2018

Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup

categories: Beef, Main Dishes, Soups
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Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup is a delicious, flavor-filled dish, with baked ground beef meatballs and pearl couscous, in a simple garlic/shallot broth.
Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup is a delicious, flavor-filled dish, with baked ground beef meatballs and pearl couscous, in a simple garlic/shallot broth.

A couple of weeks ago, I tried a new soup recipe that I recently found on Pinterest.  The recipe was for a Moroccan meatball couscous soup, and I thought it sounded really interesting, due to the spices used in the tiny meatballs.

Do you like meatballs in soup? We do! One of our favorite soups with meatballs is my Albondigas Soup, which has traditional Southwestern flavors. I wasn’t too sure how this Moroccan meatball couscous soup (using pearl / Israeli couscous) would turn out, but thought I’d give this unique sounding soup a shot!

WOW!  We LOVED this simple soup!  Tiny meatballs, made with ground beef or lamb (I used ground beef), are mixed with a variety of Moroccan spices. The spices include turmeric, cinnamon, chili powder, curry powder, and several more.

Those little meatballs are baked, then added to a simple chicken or vegetable broth, which has been flavored with garlic and shallots. The end result? A wonderful tasting Moroccan meatball couscous soup that will knock your socks off! The soup is very easy to make – here’s how:

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

How To Make Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup

The first thing you will need to do is preheat your oven to 375° F, and line a 13×9 inch baking sheet (with edges) with parchment paper. Place a rack in the middle of the oven.

Mix together the spices for the meatballs in a small bowl. Place the ground beef (or ground lamb) in a medium bowl.  Add the spice mixture and tomato paste to the meat in the bowl. Mix thoroughly (with clean hands), until all ingredients are completely blended.

Blending spices and ground beef to make Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup.

For each meatball, use a rounded teaspoon of meat. Roll meat between your hands to form a small meatball. Place meatballs onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the meat is gone. I ended up with 43 little meatballs out of this mixture.

Place meatballs into the oven (on the middle rack). Bake at 375° F. for 10-12 minutes, until they are fully cooked through. When done, remove baking sheet from oven, and set aside.

Forming meatballs and baking them for Moroccan meatball couscous soup.

Preparing The Couscous

While the meatballs are baking, you can cook the Israeli (pearl) couscous. For this recipe the couscous is lightly “dry toasted” first, then cooked. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium heat in a saucepan. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the pearl couscous. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally while it lightly “toasts”. Lightly “toasting” the couscous, helps develop a slightly nutty flavor.

Add 1¾ cup water, and a tiny pinch of salt to the toasted couscous. Let the water come to a full boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pan. Cook the couscous for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the water has been fully absorbed. Remove pan from heat once done. Set aside.

Toasting then cooking Israeli couscous for Moroccan meatball couscous soup.

Putting The Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup Together

Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil  on medium high heat, in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.  Add the minced garlic and 3 chopped shallots to the hot oil. Cook, stirring often, for one minute.

Add the chicken (or vegetable) broth to the pot, along with 2 more cups of water. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and carefully add the meatballs and the cooked couscous to the hot broth.

Shallots, garlic, chicken broth, & meatballs added to Moroccan meatball couscous soup.

Simmer the Moroccan meatball couscous soup (uncovered) on low heat for 10 minutes.  See how nice and plump the pearl couscous is?

Moroccan meatball couscous soup cooking in broth.

Time To EAT!

Once the Moroccan meatball couscous soup is finished cooking, remove the pot from the stove. Taste test the broth. If you find more salt or pepper is necessary to suit your taste, add it now. Ladle the hot soup into individual serving bowls. To serve, garnish each bowl of Moroccan meatball couscous soup with some chopped fresh flat leaf parsley.

Moroccan meatball couscous soup, served with parsley garnish.

That’s how simple it is to make this delicious soup!  I wasn’t sure I was gonna like it at first (being honest), but my husband and I ended up loving it!  The leftovers were fabulous for lunches, too! YUM.

Moroccan meatball couscous soup, served in white bowl, with fresh parsley garnish.

I really do hope you will consider trying this scrumptious Moroccan meatball couscous soup recipe. You will be surprised at the wonderful flavors in the meatballs and in the broth!  Have a wonderful day, friends.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe Source: littlespicejar.com/moroccan-meatball-couscous-soup/

0 from 0 votes
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Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup is a delicious, flavor-filled dish, with baked ground beef meatballs and pearl couscous, in a simple garlic/shallot broth.
Category: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Moroccan
Keyword: Moroccan meatball couscous soup
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 360 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Meatballs:
  • 1½ pounds ground beef (or lamb)
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For Soup:
  • 8 ounces Israeli (pearl) couscous
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil ,for toasting couscous
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil ,for cooking shallots/garlic
  • 8 cloves garlic ,minced
  • 3 shallots , finely chopped
  • 4 cups chicken broth ,may substitute vegetable broth
  • 3¾ cups water , divided
  • chopped flat leaf parsley ,for garnish - optional
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F, and place a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 13x9 inch baking sheet (with edges) with parchment paper. 

  2. Mix spices for the meatballs in a small bowl. Place the ground beef (or lamb) in a medium bowl. Add the spice mix and tomato paste to the meat. Mix thoroughly (with clean hands), until completely blended. For each meatball, use a rounded teaspoon of meat. Roll meat between hands to form a small meatball (40-45 total). Place meatballs onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until meat is gone. Place meatballs into oven (on middle rack). Bake at 375° F. for 10-12 minutes, until fully cooked through. When done, remove baking sheet from oven, and set aside.

  3. While meatballs bake, cook the couscous.  Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium heat in a saucepan. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the pearl couscous. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally while it lightly "toasts".  Add 1¾ cups of water and a pinch of salt to the toasted couscous. Let water come to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, and cover the pan. Cook couscous for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the water has been fully absorbed. Remove pan from heat and set aside when done.

  4. Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil  on medium high heat, in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.  Add minced garlic and chopped shallots to the hot oil. Cook, stirring often, for one minute.  Add the chicken (or vegetable) broth to the pot, along with 2 more cups of water. Bring liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to low; carefully add meatballs and cooked couscous to the hot broth. Simmer the soup (uncovered) on low heat for 10 minutes. Once the soup is finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat. Taste test the broth. If you find more salt or pepper is necessary to suit your taste, add it. Ladle the hot soup into individual serving bowls. To serve, garnish each bowl of soup with chopped fresh flat leaf parsley. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 360 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 57mg19%
Sodium 667mg29%
Potassium 449mg13%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 60IU1%
Vitamin C 10.1mg12%
Calcium 36mg4%
Iron 2.8mg16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Moroccan Meatball Couscous Soup is a delicious, flavor-filled dish, with baked ground beef meatballs and pearl couscous, in a simple garlic/shallot broth.