Main Dishes Archives

Category: Main Dishes

30
Jan
2018

Grilled Patty Melt

categories: Beef, For The BBQ Grill, Main Dishes, Sandwiches

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Make a classic grilled patty melt from the comfort of home! Seasoned beef, rye bread, caramelized onions, and gooey cheese create a delicious grilled sandwich!

Do you enjoy a good Patty Melt? I sure do – YUM! Sometimes when we go out for hamburgers, I opt for a grilled patty melt, because I love the simplicity of this sandwich and I LOVE the taste! Did you know it’s EASY to make them from the comfort of your own home?

Seriously… I love grilled onions, I love cheese and I love burgers, so how could I not enjoy this simple classic grilled sandwich? A patty melt features all of those ingredients, and is a popular menu item at diners and Mom and Pop restaurants around the country!

Now, please note that I didn’t say they are the HEALTHIEST meal option, but I do believe life (including food choices) is all about balance. Every now and then, a grilled patty melt with perfectly caramelized onions and gooey cheese on buttered rye bread makes me deliriously HAPPY.

I enjoyed eating this grilled patty melt. Every single bite… THEN I went for a 237 mile walk to work off the calories… Ha Ha!

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

How To Make A Grilled Patty Melt

Patty melts are easy to make. They do take a little bit of prep time, because you need to caramelize and brown the sliced onions really well!

Slice the onions thin, then cook low and slow in a little butter for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you are a multi-tasker, you can grill the patties at the same time.

You can also prepare the onions for the patty melt ahead of time, if you want. This could save you time later on when everyone is ravenous and starving.

Lightly season the ground beef with salt, pepper, a touch of garlic powder and some Worcestershire sauce, then shape the meat into patties.

Make the patties slightly oblong to fit better on a piece of Rye bread (the “traditional” bread used to make this sandwich).

Cooking The Beef For A Patty Melt

Grill the beef patties on both sides on medium-high heat until they reach the desired doneness (I am a medium-well gal, myself). I cook the meat on an indoor cast iron grill, but they are just as easily cooked on a BBQ grill.

Make sure the grill or pan you use is very hot before adding the meat. This helps to create a crusty “sear” on the outside.

Once ready to cook the grilled patty melt, spread butter on one side of each slice of bread (like making a grilled cheese sandwich).

Place the cooked meat patty onto the non-buttered side, then pile on the caramelized onions.

NOTE: If you want a LOT of cheese, place a piece of Swiss cheese on the bread before placing the patty on, then add another one to the top. I wanted just a small amount of cheese, so I put it only on top of the onions.

Top With Another Slice Of Bread

Place another slice of bread on top of the cheese (buttered side out). If you wish to add Thousand Island dressing (a lot of restaurants serve it with this), spread it onto the unbuttered side of the top slice of bread.

Cook the patty melt as you would a grilled cheese sandwich. Once the bottom slice of bread is golden brown and toasty, carefully flip the sandwich to the other side.

Continue cooking the grilled patty melt until the bread is crusty and golden brown, the cheese has melted, and the sandwich is heated through.

Time to EAT!

Once done, carefully slice the patty melt in half, and serve with additional Thousand Island dressing or ketchup for dunking!

And, if you want MORE calories (cough, cough), add some fries! French fries are VEGETABLES, right?

That’s it! See how easy it is to make this classic sandwich? Now you can make a delicious grilled patty melt in the comfort of your own home!

The secret is getting the onions cooked just right, along with crispy rye bread, a well-seared beef patty, and ooey gooey melted cheese! This simple meal always make me happy!

I hope you will consider making these yummy sandwiches for lunch or dinner for friends or family! Have a fantastic day!

Looking For More SANDWICH Recipes?

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

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Grilled Patty Melt

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Make a classic grilled patty melt from the comfort of home! Seasoned beef, rye bread, caramelized onions, and gooey cheese create a delicious grilled sandwich!

Category: Entree, Sandwich

Cuisine: American

Keyword: patty melt

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 804 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 onions , peeled, sliced thin
1 Tablespoon butter
1½ pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4-5 dashes Worchestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons butter
8 slices rye bread (can substitute sourdough)
4 slices Swiss cheese (use more, if desired- can also substitute American cheese)
Thousand Island dressing (optional, if desired)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Trim ends off onions, peel, then slice thin. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in skillet. Cook onions slices on medium heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, the caramelized onions should be softened and light brown. Set aside.
Season ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Worchestershire sauce. Mix well. Shape meat into 4 slightly oblong patties (to fit shape of rye bread). Grill beef patties on grill or in skillet on medium-high heat (spray skillet with non-stick spray or use melted butter) until cooked through to your preferred done-ness. Make sure the grill or pan you use is very hot before adding the meat. This helps to create a quick, crusty "sear" on the outside. When done, set beef patties on paper towel to drain excess grease.
When ready to cook sandwich, spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place cooked meat patty onto the non-buttered side, then piled on the caramelized onions. Top with slice of Swiss cheese. NOTE: If you want a LOT of cheese, place a piece of Swiss cheese on the bread before placing the patty on, then add another slice to the top.
Place a slice of buttered bread on top of the cheese (butter side out). If you wish to add Thousand Island dressing, spread it onto the unbuttered side of the top slice of bread. Cook patty melt on low heat as you would a grilled cheese sandwich. Once the bottom is golden brown and toasty, carefully flip the sandwich (with a spatula) to the other side, and continue cooking until golden brown, cheese has melted, and sandwich is heated through. Once done, carefully slice patty melt in half, and serve with additional Thousand Island dressing or ketchup for dunking! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Grilled Patty Melt

Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)

Calories 804 Calories from Fat 468

% Daily Value*

Fat 52g80%

Saturated Fat 23g144%

Cholesterol 169mg56%

Sodium 1222mg53%

Potassium 667mg19%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 42g84%

Vitamin A 495IU10%

Vitamin C 4.3mg5%

Calcium 311mg31%

Iron 5.4mg30%

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

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

15
Jan
2018

Southwest Chicken Salad

categories: Chicken, Main Dish Salads, Main Dishes, Salads

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You’ll love this Southwest chicken salad with marinated chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, and lettuce, topped w/ a creamy lime cilantro dressing!

If you enjoy flavor-filled main dish salads, you will love this Southwest Chicken Salad. It is a wonderful main dish salad, full of flavor!

I found this recipe for Southwest chicken salad on Pinterest, and it not only sounded HEALTHY, but DELICIOUS! The original recipe serves 4, but I very slightly modified it to make two servings, for my husband and I to enjoy!

OH MY GOODNESS- this delicious salad is amazing, and I mean it is “we ate every single bite” amazing! Here’s how to make it.

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

Making The Marinade

I made the marinade early in the day, and let the chicken “bathe” in it for hours, to soak up great flavor! When I was ready to fix dinner, all I had to do was grill the chicken on my stove top and assemble the salad. EASY!

To make the marinade, combine the marinade/salad dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, EXCEPT FOR THE YOGURT! Mix together until all are well blended.

Pour HALF of the marinade (set aside the other half) into a rimmed dish and add the pieces of chicken.

Marinate The Chicken

Turn the pieces of chicken over in the dish, to coat all sides of the meat well. Cover the chicken and place the dish in a refrigerator for 2 hours (or more, if time allows).

Cover the remaining half of the marinade and keep it refrigerated until it’s ready to be used.

When you’re ready to assemble the salad for your meal, remove the reserved marinade from refrigerator. Blend in the Greek yogurt, until it’s fully incorporated and the sauce is creamy.

Cook The Marinated Chicken

After the chicken has fully marinated, remove it from the refrigerator. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a skillet or on a grill on medium-high heat until very hot, but not smoking.

Sear the chicken on the first side (without moving it in the pan) until the bottom is golden brown and crispy. Flip the chicken over and cook other side until it is fully done (internal temp. of 165°F).

I typically use an indoor cast iron grill to cook the chicken, and it takes about 8-10 minutes per side. If the chicken pieces are very thin, your cooking time may be less.

Once done, remove the chicken from the dish (and discard the chicken marinade). Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes so the juices can redistribute internally, then cut each piece into thin slices,.

Assemble The Southwest Chicken Salad

When you are ready to assemble salad, fill individual bowls or plates with cold, chopped romaine lettuce. Divide the corn, beans, and cherry tomato halves between servings.

Top each Southwest chicken salad with avocado and chicken slices. It looks quite decorative if the chicken and avocado are fanned out slightly..

My husband wanted an entire half an avocado sliced on his salad, as you can tell from the 2nd photo below… ha ha!

Time To EAT The Southwest Chicken Salad

Drizzle the salad with the prepared cilantro lime salad dressing. Serve, and enjoy this absolutely amazing tasting meal!

NOTE: I made 2 large entree size salads for us. If making 4 large salads, increase chicken to 4 pieces, and double the amount of corn, beans, cherry tomatoes, and add additional lettuce. You will not need to double the marinade.

We absolutely LOVED this Southwest chicken salad; we were very full and completely satisfied after eating! The grilled chicken had great flavor, thanks to the lime cilantro marinade, and the low fat flavor-filled dressing made this dish shine!

I sincerely hope you will consider trying this recipe and trust you’ll love it as much as we do! Southwest Chicken Salad is totally delicious, filling, and very colorful!

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

Looking for More MAIN COURSE SALAD Recipes?

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

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Recipe Adapted From: Karina, at https://cafedelites.com/southwestern-chicken-salad/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Southwest Chicken Salad

Prep Time

2 hrs

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 20 mins

You'll love this Southwest chicken salad with marinated chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, and lettuce, topped w/ a creamy lime cilantro dressing!

Category: Dinner

Cuisine: Southwest

Keyword: Southwest chicken salad

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 468 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 large chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

For Marinade/Salad Dressing:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (approx. 2 large limes)
1 teaspoon lime zest
4 Tablespoons fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 garlic cloves , minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin (ground)
1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (THIS IS USED FOR DRESSING ONLY!!!)

For Salad:

4 cups romaine lettuce (torn or chopped)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
1/2 avocado , thinly sliced
1/2 cup canned black beans (drained, rinsed)
1/2 cup canned whole kernel corn (drained, rinsed)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium sized bowl, combine all marinade/salad dressing ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE YOGURT! Mix together until well blended. Pour HALF of the marinade (set aside the other half) into a rimmed shallow dish and add the chicken. Toss to coat well. Cover chicken and place in refrigerator for 2 hours (or more, if time allows). Cover remaining marinade and refrigerate until ready to use.
After chicken has fully marinated, remove it from refrigerator. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a skillet or on a grill on medium-high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Cook chicken on first side until bottom is golden brown and crispy, then flip and cook other side until chicken is fully cooked throughout. (I used an indoor cast iron grill and it took about 10 minutes per side). Once done, remove chicken, and let it rest so juices can settle internally. After chicken has rested for 5 minutes, cut each piece into thin slices. Discard chicken marinade.
When ready to assemble salad, remove reserved marinade from refrigerator. Blend in the Greek yogurt, until completely incorporated and creamy.
To assemble salads, fill individual bowls or plates with chopped romaine. Divide corn, beans, and cherry tomato halves between servings. Place avocado and chicken slices decoratively on top of salad. Drizzle each salad with reserved creamy cilantro lime dressing. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*NOTE: I made 2 large salads for us. If making 4 servings, increase chicken to 4 pieces, and double the amount of corn, beans, cherry tomatoes, and add additional lettuce, as desired. (Use same amounts written for marinade/dressing).

Nutrition Facts

Southwest Chicken Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 main course salad)

Calories 468 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 108mg36%

Sodium 1525mg66%

Potassium 1092mg31%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 8670IU173%

Vitamin C 32.1mg39%

Calcium 101mg10%

Iron 3.5mg19%

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

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02
Jan
2018

Southwest Quinoa Salad

categories: Meatless Meals, Salads, Side Dishes

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Southwest Quinoa Salad is a healthy side or vegetarian dish featuring quinoa, tomatoes, corn, beans, peppers, avocado, and a flavorful cilantro lime dressing!

Happy New Year! If you’re like many others, you’ve started the year with a determination to eat healthier or lose some weight! This Southwest Quinoa Salad is a delicious, healthy recipe solution for you! It features quinoa, black beans, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, and avocado, topped with a scrumptious cilantro lime dressing! YUM!

This is my first official blog post of 2018, and I’m so grateful to be able to share this recipe with you from our newly remodeled kitchen. I don’t know about you, but we managed to eat quite a bit of Christmas goodies and take-out over the holidays (due to my husband and I loving sweets AND having no kitchen to cook in for the past 2 months).

Now we have begun the year determined to make wiser choices. Say hello to this quinoa salad. It’s a flavor-filled healthy “meatless” dish is perfect as a light side dish or a quick lunch!

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

Here’s How To Make Southwest Quinoa Salad

Put the uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with water (this helps clean the quinoa). Place the rinsed quinoa, water and salt in a saucepan; bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and put a lid on the pan. Cook quinoa for approximately 17-20 minutes (or until all liquid has been absorbed). Remove pan from heat, set aside, and let quinoa cool down to room temperature.

Place cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, bell peppers, avocado and room temperature quinoa into a large salad bowl. Set aside. TIP: An easy tip for cubing an avocado is to cut it in half, remove pit, then use a knife to slice grid lines into avocado lengthwise, then horizontally, without cutting through peel. Once cut, slide a large spoon around the inside of the peel, and the avocado cubes should fall out!

Make The Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

To make the simple cilantro lime dressing, whisk together olive oil, light sour cream, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper and cilantro in a small bowl . Be sure to mix well.

Pour all of the dressing over salad, and stir well, to combine all ingredients thoroughly. The quinoa will absorb all the delicious Southwestern flavors from the dressing and will really make this dish shine!

Southwest Quinoa Salad Is Ready To Enjoy!

Garnish the Southwest quinoa salad with a sprig of fresh cilantro, and serve it as a side dish. Since it is so filling, this salad (even without meat), would be a quick vegetarian meal or “take to work” packed lunch! The salad tastes good served at room temperature OR chilled!

Here’s a close up of some Southwest Quinoa Salad goodness. Yum! I love the fact that it not only tastes wonderful, but is quite colorful and good for you!

New Beginnings

I served this Southwest Quinoa Salad with roasted turkey breast and steamed broccoli, for a healthy New Years Day dinner! My husband and I really enjoyed it, and it was FUN to prepare my first recipe for 2018 in our newly remodeled kitchen.

This was after 2 months of not being able to cook in there! Yay for our new, updated kitchen, appliances and counter tops! We still have some work to do, but I’ve begun cooking in my kitchen once again. Yay!

I want to wish you again a Happy New Year from our home to yours! The arrival of a new year brings with it an infinite number of opportunities to encourage and serve others. Opportunities will also arise to grow as a person, create great memories, and cook delicious meals for yourself and those you love!

Hope you will join me in rising to the occasion, and as always, thank you for visiting The Grateful Girl Cooks. I appreciate each one of you. Have a great day!

Looking For More Recipes That Use QUINOA?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious recipes that feature quinoa 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 (1^st and 15^th) 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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Recipe Source: http://togetherasfamily.com/2017/05/fiesta-quinoa-salad/

0 from 0 votes

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Prep Time

8 mins

Cook Time

17 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Southwest Quinoa Salad is a healthy side or vegetarian dish featuring quinoa, tomatoes, corn, beans, peppers, avocado, and a flavorful cilantro lime dressing!

Category: Salad

Cuisine: Southwest

Keyword: Southwest quinoa salad

Servings: 8 side servings

Calories Per Serving: 218 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Salad:

1¼ cups uncooked quinoa
2½ cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 can corn , drained (standard sized can)
1 can black beans , drained and rinsed
1 orange bell pepper , chopped (I used a combination of red, orange and green)
1 avocado , peeled and cubed

For Cilantro Lime Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream (can substitute plain non-fat yogurt)
Zest and juice from 1 lime
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Put the uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with water (this helps clean quinoa). Place the rinsed quinoa, water and salt in a saucepan; bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and put a lid on the pan. Cook quinoa for approximately 17-20 minutes (or until all liquid has been absorbed). Remove pan from heat, set aside, and let quinoa cool down to room temperature.
Place cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, bell peppers, avocado and cooled quinoa into a large salad bowl.
To make cilantro lime dressing, in a small bowl whisk together olive oil, light sour cream, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper and cilantro. Be sure to mix well. Pour all of the dressing over salad, and stir well to combine all ingredients thoroughly. Serve as a side dish or as a healthy meatless meal, and enjoy! (Store leftovers in a covered container in refrigerator).

Nutrition Facts

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 218 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 2mg1%

Sodium 307mg13%

Potassium 367mg10%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 660IU13%

Vitamin C 25.9mg31%

Calcium 32mg3%

Iron 1.7mg9%

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

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

21
Dec
2017

Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells

categories: Beef, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern, Pasta

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Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells, with seasoned beef, cheese and onion, are baked and topped with cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, and sour cream!
Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells are a delicious twist on traditional stuffed pasta. Ground beef, cheese and onion filled pasta shells are baked in enchilada sauce, then topped with cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, and garnished with a dollop of sour cream, for a flavor-filled dinner!

Last Spring I made Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Stuffed Shells and we really enjoyed them. Now fast forward to about 4 months later when I started thinking about how much my husband and I absolutely LOVE Mexican food. A light bulb went off in my head and I decided to experiment and make more stuffed shells, but this time create a recipe with a Mexican twist! We really enjoyed them, so am sharing the details on the ol’ blog today.

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

How Do You Make Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells?

These Mexican stuffed pasta shells are really easy to prepare. Start by cooking 1 pound of ground beef with sliced green onions in large skillet on medium heat. Once the meat is cooked, drain grease from pan (discard grease). Add one taco seasoning packet and cook according to seasoning package instructions.

When the meat has been cooked and seasoned, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 4-5 minutes. Add 3 Tablespoons of enchilada sauce, grated cheddar and jack cheeses; and stir to combine. Set aside.

Cook The Pasta Shells

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the jumbo pasta shells according to package directions. When the pasta shells are finished cooking, drain them well. Place the drained shells in a single layer on wax paper or parchment paper.

Prepare The Filled Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells For Baking

Place several heaping spoonfuls of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a baking dish (enough to just barely cover the bottom of dish). Fill the cooked pasta shells with the ground beef mixture, then place them into a baking dish in a single layer.

Once all shells are filled and in the baking dish, spoon the rest of the enchilada sauce over the shells to cover. Sprinkle with the remaining half of the cheddar and jack cheeses.

Bake The Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells

Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes total. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking. Sauce and cheese should be bubbly when done. Remove dish from oven.

Garnish And Serve The Stuffed Shells!

To serve, top with additional cheese, tomato, cilantro and green onions, for a great splash of color (and added flavor)! This dish will not only taste good… it will look good, too!

Place 2-3 shells onto each individual serving plate, and top each shell with a small dollop of sour cream. Serve… and enjoy!

Hope you will consider making these flavor-filled Mexican stuffed pasta shells for an upcoming meal. I served them with a simple mixed green salad on the side, and they were quite filling. Have a great day!

Looking For More Mexican-Inspired Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious, Mexican-inspired recipes you might want to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

0 from 0 votes

Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells, with seasoned beef, cheese and onion, are baked and topped with cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, and sour cream!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Mexican stuffed pasta shells

Servings: 6 servings (3 shells per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 445 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
2 green onions (sliced, use green stalk and white bulb)
1 envelope taco seasoning
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese , DIVIDED
1/2 cup grated jack cheese , DIVIDED
1 can (19 ounces) red enchilada sauce
Approx. 1/2 box jumbo pasta shells (I used 18 shells)

For Garnish (use as little or as much as you desire)

Chopped tomato, green onion, cilantro, grated cheddar, and sour cream

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place several large spoonfuls of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a baking dish (enough to just cover the bottom). Set aside.
Cook ground beef with chopped green onions in large skillet on medium heat. When meat is cooked, drain and discard grease. Add taco seasoning packet and cook according to seasoning package instructions. Once meat has finished cooking, transfer it to a bowl, and let cool down for 4-5 minutes. Discard grease from pan. Add 3 Tablespoons enchilada sauce and HALF of the grated cheddar and jack cheeses to the meat; stir to combine. Set aside.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook jumbo pasta shells according to package directions. When pasta is done cooking, drain, then place shells in a single layer on wax paper or parchment paper. Fill cooked pasta shells with the ground beef mixture, then place into baking dish (on top of sauce) in a single layer.
Once all shells are filled and in baking dish, spoon the rest of the enchilada sauce over shells to cover. Sprinkle with the remaining half of the cheddar and jack cheeses.
Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes total. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of baking. Sauce and cheese should be bubbly when done. Remove dish from oven.
To serve, garnish with additional cheese, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro, and green onions, for a great splash of color and flavor! Place 2-3 shells onto each person's plate; top each shell with a small dollop of sour cream. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 445

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

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15
Dec
2017

Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

categories: Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta

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Easy Stovetop Macaroni and cheese is a creamy, delicious, family-friendly comfort food – quick and easy to make in 15 minutes!

A friend of ours had surgery recently and I was grateful for the opportunity to take her family dinner once she returned home from the hospital. My husband grilled some chicken and one of the side dishes I made was this easy macaroni and cheese. I really hoped her two children would enjoy this creamy, cheesy side dish!

A second batch was made for my husband and I because it tasted so GOOD (Yep… I sampled it when I made it for my friends… quality-control)! The recipe is incredibly simple to make, and if you enjoy satisfying comfort foods, you’ll enjoy this mac and cheese.

My theory is that you can never go wrong with a basic cheese sauce and pasta! Creamy, cheesy, satisfying and delicious are words used to describe this family-friendly recipe for macaroni and cheese! Here’s how easy it is to make this simple dish!

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

How To Make Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

Cook elbow macaroni (or other small shaped pasta) according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, in a separate sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour, salt, onion and garlic powders until well blended.

Add milk to pan. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring (or whisking) often, until the mixture comes to a boil. Turn heat down to low, and continue to simmer (stirring often), until the sauce has thickened. This should take about 2 minutes.

Once sauce has thickened, remove pan from heat. Immediately stir in the grated cheddar cheese and a couple dashes of hot pepper sauce (or more if you like the heat). Stir until cheese has completely melted.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain, then immediately place hot pasta back into the pan you used to cook it.

Time to Add the Sauce

Pour hot, thickened cheese sauce over the hot drained pasta, and stir well to combine.

Taste test…add additional salt (and pepper), if desired. I added an extra handful of cheddar cheese at this point, as well (but that is completely optional… we are big cheese lovers!). Stir well to make sure the easy stovetop macaroni and cheese is fully coated with the yummy sauce.

That’s all there is to it! Serve the macaroni and cheese while it is hot… and enjoy a bowl of this creamy, satisfying comfort food! If you like mac and cheese, perhaps you would also be interested in a Pasta, Ham and Gruyere Cheese Casserole (baked), or a Cheesy Ham, Spinach and Macaroni Bake.

NOTE: The leftovers are really good, too. Store in an air-tight container in refrigerator. Before you reheat, you might need to add a tiny bit of milk and stir, to “re-vitalize” it!

I hope you can see how EASY it is to make this side dish OR main dish in no time at all! If you cook the pasta at the same time you’re making the sauce, the whole “cheesy” meal can be ready in about 15 minutes… perfect for a main course, a side dish, or a quick lunch!

I hope you will consider giving this recipe a try! Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. Have a great day.

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Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Easy Stovetop Macaroni and cheese is a creamy, delicious, family-friendly comfort food - quick and easy to make in 15 minutes!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: macaroni and cheese

Servings: 6 small servings

Calories Per Serving: 449 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups low-fat milk
1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
couple dashes of hot pepper sauce (approx 1/8 teaspoon)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook elbow macaroni (or other small shaped pasta) according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, in a separate sauce pan, melt butter; stir in flour, salt, onion and garlic powders until well blended. Add milk to pan. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring (or whisking) often, until mixture comes to a boil. Turn heat down to low; continue to simmer (stirring often), until sauce has thickened. This should take about 2 minutes. Once sauce has thickened, remove pan from heat. Immediately stir in grated cheese and a couple dashes of hot pepper sauce (or more if you like the heat). Stir until cheese has completely melted.
When pasta has finished cooking, drain, then immediately place pasta back into the pan you used to cook it. Pour the hot, thickened cheese sauce over the hot drained pasta, and stir well to combine. Taste test...add additional salt, if desired. I added an extra handful of cheddar cheese at this point, as well (but that is optional. Stir well to make sure pasta is fully coated with cheese sauce. Serve the macaroni and cheese while it's hot... and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Serving size is about a cup. If you wish to make this dish lower in calories, consider substituting fat-free skim milk and low-fat cheddar cheese for the ingredients listed.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 449 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 40mg13%

Sodium 524mg23%

Potassium 293mg8%

Carbohydrates 60g20%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 420IU8%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 313mg31%

Iron 1.4mg8%

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

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01
Dec
2017

Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Shrimp

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Seafood

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Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Shrimp is a 30 minute, easy to make dish, with pan-seared shrimp and fettucine noodles in a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Shrimp is totally DELICIOUS! I found the recipe for the pasta sauce on Pinterest, and because it was fairly similar to the sauce I usually make, I decided to try it. Pan-seared shrimp were added to the pasta, for a bit of protein and all around flavor!

Once you’ve quickly pan-cooked the shrimp, the rest of the dish is cooked in one pan on the stove top. And guess what? It’s scrumptious! Here’s how easy it is to make this dish:

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

Pan-Sear The Shrimp

Peel and de-vein the shrimp, and then season them lightly with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat, and add the shrimp.

Sear the shrimp on both sides of olive until done, turning to cook both sides. This will take about 3-5 minutes total, and they will turn pink as they cook. Set the cooked shrimp aside and cover.

Make The Garlic Parmesan Sauce For The Pasta

Heat olive oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Add the minced garlic to the hot oil, and cook for about a minute, stirring often to prevent burning. Now add the butter, chicken broth and milk, and whisk these together while the butter melts.

Add UNCOOKED Fettucine to The Sauce

Place the uncooked fettucine noodles into the sauce, in the skillet. I used my fresh homemade pasta, made from scratch (yippee!). Season to taste, with salt and pepper. Stir in the noodles and simmer (on medium-low heat) until the pasta has completely cooked through. This will take about 15-18 minutes for commercially prepared pasta).

Stir the pasta and sauce occasionally while it cooks! Once the pasta is cooked through, add some fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Stir well, to combine. If you find the sauce has thickened too much, simply add a bit more milk, until it’s the thickness you desire.

Add The Cooked Shrimp To The Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Add the cooked shrimp to the pasta and sauce in the skillet. Stir to combine, and cook only until the shrimp are heated through (1-2 minutes).

Time To Serve The Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Shrimp!

Sprinkle fresh or dried parsley on top of dish before serving, and serve it immediately, while very hot!

The sauce is very creamy, with a wonderful garlic and Parmesan flavor, and the pan-seared shrimp adds delicious flavor AND protein to this dish! We really enjoyed it, and I hope you will give this dish a try!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Pasta recipe adapted from: http://damndelicious.net/2014/10/11/one-pot-garlic-parmesan-pasta

0 from 0 votes

Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Shrimp

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Shrimp is a 30 minute, easy to make dish, with pan-seared shrimp and fettucine noodles in a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: parmesan pasta and shrimp

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 506 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Shrimp:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound large shrimp , peeled, de-veined (lightly seasoned with salt/pepper)

For Pasta and Sauce:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic , minced
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup milk (or more, if needed to thin out sauce later)
2 cups chicken broth
Salt/Pepper , to taste
8 ounces uncooked fettucine pasta
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon Chopped fresh or dried parsley flakes (approx. 1 T. for garnish, if desired)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in large skillet on medium heat. When oil is hot, add shrimp. Cook on both sides until done (approx 4-5 minutes total time). Transfer shrimp from skillet when done. Cover/keep warm.
To make pasta sauce, heat olive oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Add minced garlic to hot oil; cook for about a minute, stirring often to prevent burning. Add butter, chicken broth and milk; whisk together while butter melts. Season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
Stir in the UNCOOKED noodles and simmer (on medium-low heat) until the pasta has completely cooked through (this will take about 15-18 minutes for commercially prepared pasta). Stir mixture occasionally while it cooks!
Once pasta is cooked through, add fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Stir well, to combine. If you find the sauce has thickened too much, simply add a touch more milk until it's the thickness you desire. Add the cooked shrimp to the skillet, stir to combine, and cook only until shrimp are heated through. Garnish hot pasta with a sprinkle of fresh or dried parsley before serving, and serve hot!

Nutrition Facts

Garlic Parmesan Pasta and Shrimp

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 506 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 356mg119%

Sodium 1497mg65%

Potassium 437mg12%

Carbohydrates 45g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 36g72%

Vitamin A 380IU8%

Vitamin C 14.4mg17%

Calcium 346mg35%

Iron 3.9mg22%

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

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17
Nov
2017

Hoisin Sriracha Chicken

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Chicken thighs get an easy, Asian-inspired twist with sweet, mildly spicy Hoisin Sriracha Chicken! Chicken is quickly marinated, then pan-seared to finish.

I found this Hoisin sriracha chicken recipe on Pinterest and it sounded quite good, so I decided to try it! YUM! This delicious dish only takes about 25 minutes to cook!

Hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, and Sriracha sauce, garlic and ginger form the base for a slightly sweet, slightly spicy marinade for plump chicken thighs. Once marinated for 15 minutes, chicken is pan-cooked until done. That’s it! See how easy this recipe is? And wow, it sure tastes GOOD!

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

How To Make Hoisin Sriracha Chicken

Bone-in and skin on chicken thighs were used for this recipe, but you are welcome to use boneless, skinless if you want. Usually I remove the skin from chicken, but found that for this particular recipe, the skin crisps up nicely and really added to the flavor!

If you are using boneless thighs, the cooking time might be a bit less, so keep that in mind while cooking the chicken!

Make Marinade For The Chicken

The Hoisin sriracha marinade is mixed up, and chicken is covered with the sauce. Let the chicken marinade in the sauce for at least 15 minutes. TIP: Short on time at the end of the day? Mix up the marinade ahead of time. Let hoisin sriracha chicken marinate all day, to make it easier and quicker to prepare this dish at dinner time!

If you’re interested, you might also want to check out my blog post on how to make Homemade Hoisin Sauce (it’s easy, also!). I used it in this recipe!

Cooking Hoisin Sriracha Chicken

Heat oil on MEDIUM heat in a large skillet. Once oil is very hot, remove the chicken from the from marinade, and let the excess drain off. NOTE: MAKE SURE TO SAVE THE MARINADE!

Add the marinated Hoisin sriracha chicken thighs to the hot skillet, with the skin side facing DOWN. Cook the chicken on both sides, making sure the skin side gets browned very well.

Add Reserved Marinade To the Skillet

Once both sides of the hoisin sriracha chicken have browned, turn the heat on stove down to LOW. Pour the reserved marinade back into your skillet. Spoon this sauce over the chicken thighs, and continue to cook. As the hoisin sriracha chicken cooks, the sauce will slightly reduce in volume and thicken up a bit.

Cook hoisin sriracha chicken until fully cooked through or reaches an internal temp. of 165° F. If using bone-in thighs, the cooking time will be approximately 25 minutes total. The time is slightly less if you’re using boneless thighs. Occasionally spoon some of the sauce over each piece of chicken during the cooking process.

Serve The Hoisin Sriracha Chicken

Once chicken is done, remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the chicken to individual serving dishes. Sprinkle each piece of chicken with white sesame seeds, to garnish.

Serve immediately while hot, and enjoy the wonderful Asian-inspired flavors of this Hoisin Sriracha Chicken! We enjoy it with steamed brown rice and veggies on the side. YUM!

I really hope you will consider making Hoisin Sriracha Chicken. The dish was easy to make and was REALLY tasty! I’ve added the Weight Watcher Smart Points per serving in the Notes section of the printable recipe below, for those following their nutrition plan.

We really did enjoy this meal! Hope you and your family do, too! Have a wonderful day.

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Recipe Source: http://rasamalaysia.com/hoisin-sriracha-chicken/

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Hoisin Sriracha Chicken

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Chicken thighs get an easy, Asian-inspired twist with sweet, mildly spicy Hoisin Sriracha Chicken! Chicken is quickly marinated, then pan-seared to finish.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: hoisin sriracha chicken

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 314 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

4 large chicken thighs , with bone in and skin on (optional-see note)
1½ Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1 Tablespoon honey
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled, minced)
1 pinch salt
1 Tablespoon oil
White sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix hoisin, soy, sriracha, honey, garlic, ginger and salt in a medium bowl; stir to fully combine ingredients. Add chicken to marinade and turn to fully cover; let chicken marinate for 15 minutes.
Heat oil on MEDIUM heat in a large skillet. Once oil is very hot, remove chicken from marinade (**MAKE SURE TO SAVE THE MARINADE), and add to hot skillet with the skin side facing down. Cook chicken on both sides; make sure the skin side gets browned very well.
Once both sides of the chicken have been browned, turn the heat down to LOW. Pour the reserved marinade into skillet. Spoon sauce over chicken thighs, and continue to cook. As chicken cooks, the sauce will slightly reduce in volume and thicken up a bit. Cook until chicken is fully cooked through, or reaches an internal temperature of 165° F. If using bone-in thighs, cooking time will be approximately 25 minutes total... slightly less if no bone. Occasionally spoon a bit of sauce over each piece of chicken during the cooking process.
Once chicken is done, remove pan from heat, and transfer chicken to individual serving plates. Garnish chicken with white sesame seeds, if desired. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Boneless, skinless thighs may be substituted. Cooking time will be slightly less. Cook to internal temperature of 165 degrees (approx. 20 minutes).
Weight Watchers? Bone in with skin = 11 Smart Points per serving. Boneless skinless = 7 Smart Points

Nutrition Facts

Hoisin Sriracha Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 piece)

Calories 314 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 110mg37%

Sodium 479mg21%

Potassium 250mg7%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 90IU2%

Vitamin C 1.9mg2%

Calcium 13mg1%

Iron 0.9mg5%

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

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10
Nov
2017

BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza

categories: Chicken, Italian, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes

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You’re gonna LOVE this BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza! Chicken, BBQ sauce, red onion, cilantro and cheese on a baked flour tortilla make a yummy thin crust pizza!

If you enjoy thin-crust pizza, chances are you will LOVE this BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza! That’s right… the crust is a baked flour tortilla! Tender chunks of chicken, sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, red onions, cilantro and cheeses combine to make this one amazing tasting dish!

Recently I had an idea to try using a flour tortilla to make a pizza. I also knew I wanted to make a BBQ sauce based pizza with chicken, red onion, etc. There was no recipe for me to use, but I just made it up as I went along.

Guess what? This BBQ chicken tortilla pizza turned out ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! I’m not kidding, we LOVED this pizza! Who knew? Here’s how to make this yummy meal:

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

How To Make A BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza

Begin by baking medium sized flour tortillas at 350 degrees on the middle rack of an oven until they are fairly crisp all over. This will take about 10 minutes. Make sure to flip each one over halfway through baking to ensure each tortilla is crisp all over, including in the middle.

Turn the oven to broil. Place the crisp tortillas on the middle rack, about 6 inches from the broiler for 1 minute to slightly brown them.

Assembling The BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza

Once the tortillas are crisp, spread each tortilla with BBQ sauce (about 1½ to 2 Tablespoons sauce per tortilla). Spread the sauce to within an inch of the edge of the tortilla. This is the BBQ sauce I used to make the BBQ chicken tortilla pizza (photo below), but your favorite BBQ sauce will be just fine!

Place thin slices of cooked chicken and red onion slices on top of the BBQ sauce. I used leftover cooked chicken breast for the pizza (thighs would also be fantastic).

Sprinkle grated Mozzarella cheese and some sharp cheddar cheese on top of each BBQ chicken tortilla pizza, then garnish with a few cilantro leaves.

Bake The Pizza

Put the pizzas on a large baking sheet on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake the BBQ chicken tortilla pizza for 5-6 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Carefully slide the pizzas off of the baking sheet, and slice each one into 4 pieces with a pizza cutter. Now the BBQ chicken tortilla pizza is ready to EAT!

We gobbled them up like little piggies because they were sooooo good! The slices will hold their shape easily if the tortillas are nice and crisp before baking. Go ahead… grab a slice!

The slightly sweet and spicy taste of the BBQ sauce lends itself well to chicken, red onions and cilantro. My husband and I were both completely thrilled with the taste of this crazy tortilla pizza!

I really hope you will consider trying this simple recipe… for me it was ridiculously easy and super quick to make, due in part to leftover cooked chicken and extra flour tortillas! I can hardly wait to make these again for a quick dinner! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More Pizza Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. You may enjoy a few pizza recipes I have published on my blog, including:

Make It Yourself-Pepperoni Pizza
English Muffin Mummy Pizzas ( a kids treat for Halloween)
Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
Apple Pie Dessert Pizza

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

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BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

15 mins

You're gonna LOVE this BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza! Chicken, BBQ sauce, red onion, cilantro and cheese on a baked flour tortilla make a yummy thin crust pizza!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: bbq chicken tortilla pizza

Servings: 2 servings

Calories Per Serving: 484 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 medium flour tortillas
3-4 Tablespoons BBQ sauce , divided
1 large COOKED chicken breast , seasoned with salt/pepper, cut in thin slices, divided
thin slices red onion (as many as desired)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese , divided
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese , divided
1/4 cup (approximately a handful) cilantro leaves, divided

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake flour tortillas on middle rack of oven until fairly crisp all over (approx 10 min) Flip over halfway through baking to ensure each tortilla is crisp all over (especially the middle). Put them under broiler for 1 minute to slightly brown (keeping them on the middle rack not too close to heating element).
Once crisp, remove from oven. Spread each tortilla with BBQ sauce to about an inch from the edge (about 1½-2 Tablespoons sauce per tortilla, or more if desired). Add thin slices of cooked chicken and red onion slices, add grated Mozzarella and cheddar cheese, then sprinkle with a few cilantro leaves.
Place pizzas on a large baking sheet on middle rack of oven; bake at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes, until cheese has melted. Remove from heat, and cut into slices. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

May substitute two cooked chicken thighs thinly sliced, for chicken breast.

Nutrition Facts

BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza

Amount Per Serving (1 pizza)

Calories 484 Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 96mg32%

Sodium 1085mg47%

Potassium 397mg11%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 36g72%

Vitamin A 820IU16%

Vitamin C 1.2mg1%

Calcium 657mg66%

Iron 1.7mg9%

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

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06
Nov
2017

Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern

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Enjoy this yummy chicken fajita rice bowl, with seasoned chicken, bell peppers, onion, avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro and lime juice on a bed of brown rice.

I recently made a Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl… it was amazing, so I want to share the recipe with you! I’m sure you’ll love this Weight Watchers meal, too! My favorite type of food is Mexican, so you can imagine how excited I was to try this chicken fajita rice bowl (with a few minor tweaks of my own!). The best part? Knowing that a delicious, healthy meal can also be loaded with flavor, as this chicken fajita rice bowl is. It’s an entire meal in one bowl! We truly LOVED this dinner.

Seasoned chicken breast, grilled onions and bell peppers, avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice on a bed of brown rice really puts this chicken fajita rice bowl over the top! Yum! There is a LOT of flavor going on here! The recipe has a few steps, but can be easily shortened by using leftover chicken breast and store bought salsa (in place of the homemade pico de gallo).

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

How To Make A Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl

Lightly spray a skillet with non-stick spray. Sauté the bell pepper and onion on medium-high heat; cook for 4-5 minutes, or until tender.

Prepare brown rice according to the package directions and set aside, once fully cooked. If you have leftover rice, go ahead and use it (another timesaver!).

Mix the Southwestern spices for the chicken in a small bowl. These spices include chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the spices evenly over the chicken slices, and toss to coat. Make sure the chicken is lightly seasoned with the spices on each side.

Cook The Seasoned Chicken

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in skillet on medium heat. When the oil is very hot, add the chicken strips. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, turning occasionally. Cook the chicken nicely browned on all sides, and is cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, and set aside.

Make The Pico de Gallo

Prepare pico de gallo (if making homemade or NOT using salsa). I make a simple vesion easily by chopping tomatoes, brown onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice. I season this mixture with salt and pepper, and it only takes a couple minutes to make.

TIMESAVER TIP: Looking to save a little time fixing this dish? Simply use store-bought chunky salsa or pico de gallo.

When you’re ready to put the chicken fajita rice bowl together, gather the ingredients. You should have grilled peppers and onions, pan-seared chicken, brown rice, pico de gallo (or chunky salsa), avocado, cilantro, diced green chiles, and lime!

Assemble Each Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl In This Order

Divide brown rice between two bowls.
Top each with half the bell pepper and onions, and 1/4 of the avocado chunks.
Top each bowl with half the chicken and 1 teaspoon chopped green chiles.
Garnish each bowl with pico de gallo (or salsa), a couple lime wedges, and a couple sprigs fresh cilantro.

Time To Eat!

That’s it! Serve the chicken fajita rice bowl immediately, and enjoy this amazing tasting dinner entree! Doesn’t it look delicious?!

This chicken fajita rice bowl tastes GREAT! Even better is knowing that this meal is a fairly low calorie one bowl meal, with chicken, rice and veggies! If you follow a Weight Watchers plan, this Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl (when prepared as written) has a Smart Point total of 7! You can’t beat that, especially when you see and taste how fantastic this dish really is!

Hope you enjoy your chicken fajita rice bowl, because we sure do. Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More ENTREE SALAD Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious main course salad recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

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

Recipe Adapted From: https://cmx.weightwatchers.com/nui/explore/details2/WWRECIPE:58c0753485fb70cc179c5fb6

0 from 0 votes

Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Enjoy this yummy chicken fajita rice bowl, with seasoned chicken, bell peppers, onion, avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro and lime juice on a bed of brown rice.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Southwestern

Keyword: chicken fajita rice bowl

Servings: 2 servings

Calories Per Serving: 326 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 large boneless , skinless chicken breast, halved horizontally, then cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon olive oil

Spices For Chicken:

1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For Salad:

1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup thinly sliced brown onion
1/4 cup EACH uncooked red and green bell pepper , chopped
1/2 Hass avocado , diced
2 teaspoons diced green chiles
1/2 medium fresh lime , cut into 4 wedges
1/2 cup pico de gallo OR fresh salsa
4 sprigs fresh cilantro

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Lightly spray a skillet with non-stick spray. Saute the bell pepper and onion on medium-high heat; cook for 4-5 minutes, or until tender.
Mix spices for chicken in a small bowl (chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper). Sprinkle evenly over chicken slices, and toss to coat. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in skillet on medium heat. When oil is very hot, add chicken. Cook chicken 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until done and nicely browned. Transfer chicken to a plate. Set aside.
Prepare pico de gallo (if making homemade or NOT using salsa). I made some very easily by chopping tomatoes, brown onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Looking to save a little time? Simply use store-bought chunky salsa.
Assemble bowls like this: 1) Divide brown rice between two bowls. 2) Top each with half the bell pepper and onions, and 1/2 of the avocado chunks. 3) Top each bowl with half the chicken and 1 teaspoon chopped green chiles. 4) Garnish each bowl with pico de gallo (or salsa), a couple lime wedges, and a couple sprigs fresh cilantro.

Recipe Notes

If you follow a Weight Watchers plan, this Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl (when prepared as written) has a Smart Point total of 7!

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 326 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 36mg12%

Sodium 1083mg47%

Potassium 619mg18%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 1585IU32%

Vitamin C 41.8mg51%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 1.6mg9%

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

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02
Nov
2017

Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger

categories: Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals

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Looking for a flavorful “meatless” burger? Try this marinated Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger, with grilled onions, bleu cheese, and creamy Dijon sauce!

You’ve gotta try this delicious Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger! The “meatless” sandwich is easy to make, and tastes wonderful. Your “Meatless Mondays” will never be the same, with this recipe in your toolbox!!

Now I have to start this blog post by saying that I have never had a portobello burger before. Ever. I’ve had my fair share of of meatless burgers, like black bean (thanks to one of our sons who is a vegetarian), but never a burger patty made out of a huge portobello mushroom. I love portobello mushrooms, and yes, they are known for their “meaty” taste, but until I tried this recipe, the concept had eluded me. Until now.

I found the recipe on Pinterest for the basic burger part of the recipe, then tweaked the recipe a bit to let me marinate the mushroom before cooking, which gave it additional flavor! I’m a traditional beef burger girl all the way, but was open to trying a meatless version. The result? A tasty burger, which my husband and I really enjoyed! Even if you’re not a vegetarian, you will probably enjoy this flavor-filled sandwich.

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

Make The Sauce For The Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger

The first thing you will need to do is make a sauce for the finished burgers. In a small bowl, combine plain Greek yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic cloves, dijon mustard, dried basil, parsley and salt. Mix the ingredients well, then cover the bowl and refrigerate the portobello bleu cheese burger sauce until you’re ready to use it. Easy!

Prepare The Mushrooms

Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Remove stems and gills from underside of mushroom. Clean the gills out by carefully running a small spoon around the underside of the mushroom. Discard the stems and gills, because you won’t need them!

This is what the portobello mushroom caps looked like before they were marinated. Each mushroom is about 4 inches wide (which is perfect size for a standard hamburger bun)!

Make The Marinade For The Portobello Mushrooms

Make a simple marinade for the mushrooms by mixing together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt. Pour the marinade over prepared portobello mushrooms, turning to cover, and let them sit in the marinade for 20 minutes (with mushroom top face down in the marinade most of the time).

Cook The Portobello Mushrooms

Heat a large skillet on medium-high. Lightly brush the skillet with olive oil. Add the marinated mushrooms and red onion slices to the hot skillet. Cook the mushrooms for approximately 4 minutes per side, until they are tender and they begin to release their juices. Cook the onions until they are tender and lightly browned.

While the mushrooms cook, split and lightly butter each half of the hamburger buns. Grill them, butter side down in a skillet, until toasted and lightly browned.

Assemble The Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger

To assemble each portobello bleu cheese burger, spread a Tablespoon of the herb sauce on the bottom side of a toasted bun.

Top the bun with the cooked red onion. Place the cooked mushroom on top of the onions with the top (smooth side) down.

Sprinkle with some of the bleu cheese crumbles, then cover with a lettuce leaf. Cover the top with the bun, and this delicious portobello bleu cheese burger is ready to eat!

Hope you enjoy this delicious portobello bleu cheese burger. It is a tasty alternative to a traditional beef burger! We really enjoyed it and were pleasantly surprised by it’s great flavor! Have a great day.

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Recipe Adapted From: https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/recipes/grilled-portobello-burgers-with-blue-cheese-creamy-dijon

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Looking for a flavorful "meatless" burger? Try this marinated Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger, with grilled onions, bleu cheese, and creamy Dijon sauce!

Category: Dinner, Vegetarian

Cuisine: American

Keyword: portobello bleu cheese burger

Servings: 2 burgers

Calories Per Serving: 532 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 large portobello mushrooms (wiped clean, stems and gills removed)
2 slices red onion
1½ Tablespoons olive oil
2 kaiser rolls (or hamburger buns)
Butter (for toasting buns)
1/4 cup bleu cheese (crumbled)
2 Romaine lettuce leaves

For Mushroom Marinade:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

For Burger Sauce:

1 Tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1½ cloves garlic , minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch of salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the sauce for the finished burgers. In a small bowl, combine plain Greek yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic cloves, dijon mustard, dried basil and salt. Mix well, then refrigerate (covered) until ready to use.
Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Remove stems and gills from underside of mushroom. Clean the gills out by carefully running a small spoon around the underside of the mushroom. Discard gills. Make marinade for mushrooms by mixing together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried basil, garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Pour marinade over prepared portobello mushrooms, turning to cover; let them sit in marinade for 20 minutes (with mushroom top face down in marinade most of the time).
Heat a skillet on medium-high. Lightly brush skillet with the olive oil. Add mushrooms and red onion slices to hot skillet. Cook mushrooms 4 minutes per side, until tender. Cook onions until tender and lightly browned.
While mushrooms cook, split and lightly butter each cut side of hamburger buns. Grill them, butter side down in a skillet, until toasted and lightly browned.
To assemble burgers, spread a Tablespoon of the dijon sauce on the bottom side of a toasted bun. Top with cooked red onion, then put the cooked mushroom on top of onions with the top (smooth side) down. Sprinkle with bleu cheese crumbles, then cover with lettuce leaf. Top with bun, and it's ready to eat!

Nutrition Facts

Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger

Amount Per Serving (1 burger)

Calories 532 Calories from Fat 360

% Daily Value*

Fat 40g62%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 28mg9%

Sodium 547mg24%

Potassium 511mg15%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 2745IU55%

Vitamin C 3.4mg4%

Calcium 192mg19%

Iron 2.7mg15%

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

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Make The Sauce For The Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger

Prepare The Mushrooms

Make The Marinade For The Portobello Mushrooms

Cook The Portobello Mushrooms

Assemble The Portobello Bleu Cheese Burger

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks