Main Dishes Archives

10
Sep
2014

Make Your Own Taco Seasoning Mix

categories: Mexican / Southwestern, Mixes (spices, etc.), Sauces and Dressings

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It’s easy to make up a large batch of taco seasoning mix- perfect Mexican spices for ground beef, chicken or pork to use in tacos, taco salads, etc.
Years ago I got tired of buying the packages of commercially prepared seasoning mixes and started adding my own spices to ground beef, pork or chicken when we ate tacos or taco salads. Today I’d like show you how to make your own taco seasoning mix very easily.

I used to haul out various jars of spices each time I made it and then haul them all back to the cupboard when I was done. Then I found a “copycat” recipe (a copycat version of Lawry’s Taco Seasoning mix) in one of my “Top Secret Recipe” books by Todd Wilbur (I have several of his books and LOVE them).

I took his basic “recipe” for the mix, multiplied it by 12 and ended up with quite a nice supply of taco seasoning, which I store in an old spice canister. Since we eat tacos quite often (they’re my FAVORITE), it’s handy to have a ready supply of seasoning mix around whenever I need it.

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

How Do You Season Meat With The Taco Seasoning Mix?

It’s easy, because all you do when you want to use it is to add 2/3 cup water to 3 Tablespoons of the mix and the pound of meat, cook for 7-10 minutes and bam! You’re done… and the meat tastes GREAT!

How easy is that? Sure is great to mix this taco seasoning mix all up ONCE and not have to haul all the spices out of the cupboard each and every time we have tacos! Hope you give it a try. It will save you some bucks and valuable time in the long run (and quite possibly a trip to the grocery store!) My photo is a bit blurry, but it’s the only one I took of the seasoning spices before mixing. Oh well.

How Do You USE This Taco Seasoning Mix To Season Taco Meat?

Add 3 Tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix to browned/drained meat. This photo is using hamburger meat, but the taco seasoning mix is delicious on shredded chicken or pork, too!

Add 2/3 cup of water. Cook the taco mixture for 7-10 minutes, until the water has cooked down and been absorbed into the meat. Now your taco meat is fully seasoned and ready to use!

Use Taco Seasoning Mix On A Variety Of Meals

Ready to eat! This time we used the taco mix seasoning to make the seasoned ground beef for taco salads.YUM!

We use the taco seasoning mix all the time when we fix our tacos! The seasoning on the meat is wonderful, and I’m confident you’ll enjoy it, too.

I hope you will consider making up a batch of this taco seasoning mix to have around YOUR home. Truthfully, I’m pretty sure you will NOT regret it!

Looking For Other SPICE MIX Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A couple favorite spice mixes 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 (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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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Recipe Source: “Even More Top Secret Recipes”, by Todd Wilbur, published by the Penguin Group, 2002 (pages. 118-119)

**The recipe I am posting is the original recipe for enough seasoning mix for one pound of meat. Multiply it for the quantity you wish to have on hand. I found it easiest to make a whole bunch (for 12 meals) at one time.

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Make Your Own Taco Seasoning Mix

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

5 mins

It's easy to make up a large batch of taco seasong mix... perfect Mexican spices for ground beef, chicken or pork to use in tacos, taco salads, etc.

Category: Seasonings

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: taco seasoning mix

Servings: 1 (3 Tablespoons)

Calories Per Serving: 59 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground oregano

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
To prepare: Brown hamburger meat in a skillet until fully cooked. Drain the grease.
Add the spice mix (or use 3 Tablespoons if you prepared quite a bit of the mix).
Add 2/3 cup water to the meat and spice mixture. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low setting and cook, uncovered for 7-10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Remove from heat. Spoon the seasoned meat into warm tortillas, taco shells, or onto a salad.
Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Quantity listed is equivalent to one envelope of store bought mix. Ingredients as listed when added to a pound of meat (hamburger meat, shredded pork or chicken) will make enough seasoned meat filling for 12 tacos (3 Tablespoons meat each).
*I multiplied the quantity by 12 to get a large quantity of seasoning mix.

Nutrition Facts

Make Your Own Taco Seasoning Mix

Amount Per Serving (1 (3 Tablespoons))

Calories 59

% Daily Value*

Sodium 1781mg77%

Potassium 144mg4%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 1785IU36%

Vitamin C 2.8mg3%

Iron 1.8mg10%

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

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04
Sep
2014

Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties

categories: Breakfast, Turkey

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It’s EASY to make eight delicious Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties for breakfast from scratch, using ground turkey or pork!
So… in my never ending quest experimenting with new recipes, I decided to try making Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties from scratch. I found the recipe via Pinterest via Martha Stewart via Lucinda Scala Quinn’s book “Mad Hungry”. Did ya get all that? Ha Ha… it takes a village.

When I was growing up my Mom used to make eggs and sausage for us about once a week. She always made sausage patties by hand (using a one pound “chub” from her favorite “name brand”). As a “busy” adult, I usually end up buying link sausage instead of patties, the kind you simply “brown and serve”.

But, when I saw this recipe, I decided to see what making homemade breakfast sausage patties “from scratch” was all about. I knew I could control the ingredients and leave out some of the unpronounceable “add ins” typically found in mass produced name brand products for longer life.

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

Okay… How Do I Make Homemade Breakfast Sausage?

The original recipe called for ground pork (which is my personal favorite), but I had a pound of ground turkey that I was itching to use, so I substituted turkey in this recipe for a healthier version. The sausage patties turned out very good, and I would definitely make this recipe again. Hope you will give it a try!

First things first… get all the ingredients (spices) together to add to the ground meat. Let’s do this!

After mixing the ingredients, form the sausage patties (with clean hands, of course!). Place them onto foil or wax paper after making each one.

Cooking Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties

Place the homemade breakfast sausage patties in a lightly oiled, hot skillet. I cooked several sausages at a time, then repeated the process for the remaining sausage patties.

Carefully turn the patties over about half way through cooking time and continue cooking until the homemade breakfast sausage patties are cooked all the way through..

Once done, transfer the cooked sausage patties to a paper towel so any extra grease is absorbed. Once they drain a bit, they are done, and ready to eat!

I prepared these homemade breakfast sausage patties one fine morning, and ended up using them to make sausage, egg and cheese biscuits. The sausage patty was added to a fluffy biscuit, along with sliced cheddar cheese and a fried egg. It was delicious!

If you enjoy breakfast sandwiches, I hope you will check out my recipes for:

How Many Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties Does This Make?

The recipe made 8 small sausage patties and only took about 25 minutes or so to make from start to finish! I ended up freezing half of the cooked sausage patties, to save for another breakfast.

Hope you will give this easy recipe for homemade breakfast sausage a try. The calorie calculation was based on using ground turkey for the sausage. The recipe is easily adapted for using ground pork, but the calorie count will be slightly higher. Have a fantastic day, and be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

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.

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

Recipe Adapted from: http://www.marthastewart.com/341904/simple-homemade-sausage-patties

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Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

25 mins

It's EASY to make eight delicious Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties for breakfast from scratch, using ground turkey or pork!

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade breakfast sausage

Servings: 8 sausage patties

Calories Per Serving: 72 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey or ground pork
1 clove garlic , minced
1 Tablespoon dried sage , crumbled
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried fennel , crushed
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (for cooking the sausage patties in)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium sized bowl, combine all the ingredients except vegetable oil. Mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl; refrigerate for 15 minutes.
To make the patties: Rinse your hands in really cold water (this helps to make it easier to make the patties without it sticking as much). Divide the meat into 8 patties. Shape each patty into a 2 1/2 inch wide disk.
If you don't want to cook all the patties at once, you can refrigerate the patties or freeze them until you want to use them.
If cooking immediately, heat a large skillet or griddle over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and continue heating. Place the sausages in hot skillet or griddle. Fry them about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Carefully turn patties over and repeat until cooked through and lightly browned on both sides.
When done, remove sausages to paper towels to briefly drain. Serve immediately.
Cooked sausage patties can be cooled and wrapped and frozen for use at another time, if desired. Microwave sausage patties (in paper towels) to re-heat

Recipe Notes

NOTE:**Caloric calculation was based on the use of ground turkey.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties

Amount Per Serving (1 sausage pattie)

Calories 72 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Cholesterol 31mg10%

Sodium 471mg20%

Potassium 178mg5%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 30IU1%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 11mg1%

Iron 0.7mg4%

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

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03
Sep
2014

Asian Lemon Chicken Strips

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Asian Lemon Chicken Strips are cooked until crispy, then coated in an Asian-inspired, sweet and sticky, lemon glaze in this delicious, restaurant-quality dish!
Oh my goodness! I recently found a FANTASTIC recipe for Asian Lemon Chicken Strips on Pinterest, and had to share it with you! Don’t they look scrumptious???? I made these for my husband and I last night for dinner, and they were fantastic.

WOW, WOW, WOW!! They are absolutely lip-smackin’ delicious! To quote my husband: “Wow, these really look and taste like something you’d order at a Chinese restaurant”.

The recipe itself is pretty straightforward. Directions are easy to follow and can be prepared (4 servings) in as little as 40 minutes! Crispy chicken strips coated in a sweet, sticky, lemon glaze… yet not too lemony, not too sticky, not too sweet. How can you go wrong? And did I mention just how delicious they are (repeat as needed)???? No, seriously…you need to make these. You won’t be sorry!

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

Prepare The Chicken Strips

Here’s how easy they are to prepare: I used 3 large chicken breasts and cut them in long strips. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper.

Dredge each of the chicken strips, one at a time into flour to coat, then dip into buttermilk, then back into the flour to coat. Set aside, and continue until all pieces of chicken are coated.

Make The Asian Lemon Glaze For The Chicken Strips

Make up the sauce mixture and heat it in saucepan while you are cooking the chicken strips. It’s as easy as putting the Asian inspired sauce ingredients in a pan, and cooking it for a short time!

Cook The Chicken Strips

Heat oil in a large skillet until it is very hot (but not smoking). Carefully place the chicken pieces into the hot oil. You should hear them sizzle when they hit the oil.

Cook the chicken strips, turning after a few minutes, until lightly browned on all sides and cooked all the way through.

Drain the cooked chicken strips on paper towels.

Transfer the hot, thickened Asian lemon glaze to a skillet, then add the chicken strips, one at a time. Gently turn to coat with sauce on all sides. Use a spoon and tongs to fully coat chicken pieces.

Time To Serve The Asian Lemon Chicken Strips!

Removed Asian lemon chicken strips to serving dish, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and some chopped green onion, and VOILA! Time to eat!

I really hope you will give this easy-to-prepare delicious recipe a try…I think you’re gonna LOVE it! Have a great day, and come back soon for more yummy recipes.

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious recipes for chicken, 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.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: http://damndelicious.net/2014/02/15/asian-lemon-chicken-tenders/

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Asian Lemon Chicken Strips

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Asian Lemon Chicken Strips are cooked until crispy, then coated in an Asian-inspired, sweet and sticky, lemon glaze in this delicious, restaurant-quality dish!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Asian lemon chicken strips

Servings: 4 servings (2 strips per)

Calories Per Serving: 375 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For the chicken strips:

1 cup vegetable oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut lengthwise into strips
Salt and pepper , to season
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk

For the lemon glaze:

1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup brown sugar , packed
Juice of one lemon (I added the zest from the lemon to the sauce, also)
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For garnish:

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 sliced green onion (green stem only)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Stir to combine. Heat on medium; bring sauce to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture will slightly thicken. Cook the sauce while cooking the chicken strips.
Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken strips, (one at a time) in flour to completely cover. then dip the strip into buttermilk to cover. Let the excess buttermilk drip off, then dredge the chicken strip in the flour again, making sure the flour fully coats the chicken. Set strips aside on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining strips.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet until very hot (but not smoking). Once the oil is hot, add the chicken strips to the skillet. You may have to cook 3-4 at a time due to space limitations. Cook, then turn chicken after a few minutes on each side, to ensure all sides are golden brown. Once the chicken is golden brown and fully cooked, transfer the chicken strips to paper towels to drain. Continue with rest of chicken until done.
Transfer the sauce into a clean skillet. Carefully (using tongs) place chicken strips (one at a time) into the hot sauce, turning gently to coat all sides. Remove chicken to serving dish. Repeat with next chicken strip. When all chicken strips are done, sprinkle tops with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion stems. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Tip:: To "toast" sesame seeds: Place about a teaspoon into a dry skillet. Heat on medium, stirring constantly for a few minutes until the seeds turn a light brown. Remove from skillet to cool.

Nutrition Facts

Asian Lemon Chicken Strips

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 375

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

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20
Aug
2014

Kung Pao Chicken

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes

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Who needs takeout when you can make amazing tasting Kung Pao Chicken in your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!
One of my favorite Chinese food entrees is Kung Pao Chicken. I almost always order it when we get take-out, or when I’m enjoying a meal at our favorite Chinese restaurant. What’s not to love? Chicken, roasted peanuts, and the little kick of heat my taste buds get when eating this dish. I don’t know where this particular recipe originated, but I got it on a 3×5 card from my Dad about 25 years ago.

I recently found the recipe card and was feeling rather nostalgic and missing my Dad (he passed away 8 years ago – I miss him dearly!) He used to love finding new recipes, and always had fun taking a turn at cooking occasionally for my Mom, myself, and my two younger sisters. So I decided to make this dish, in honor of my amazing Dad.

This particular recipe is very easy to prepare and I it tastes GREAT! Who needs take-out when you can just make this recipe (4 servings) for a fraction of the price? Hope you enjoy this recipe for Kung Pao Chicken…I know I sure did… and you can be certain I will be making this again! Here are a few pictures to show you the process:

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

How To Make Kung Pao Chicken

First, measure out the raw peanuts (no skins).

Toast the peanuts in a bit of oil in a skillet, stirring often, until golden brown (just a few minutes).

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small chunks.

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Marinate the chicken cubes in this sauce for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. I usually use a large plastic resealable bag and pour sauce over chicken.

Put the dried red chili peppers on a cutting surface.

Snip the stem end off of the peppers. Remove all the seeds (they are the HEAT packers). Cut the red chili peppers into 1/2 ” long pieces. Set aside (discard seeds!).

Mix together ingredients for seasoning sauce. Set aside.

Cooking Kung Pao Chicken

Stir fry chicken in hot oil for a couple of minutes, until light golden brown, and cooked through. Remove chicken to paper towels to drain when done. Wipe skillet clean.

Stir fry the red chili peppers until dark in color and blistered from the heat.

Add fresh grated ginger to the darkened red chili pepper pieces.

Building Layers Of Flavor

Add the cooked chicken back into skillet with the red chili peppers and ginger. Add the seasoning sauce to the skillet, and cook until the sauce thickens.

Add the toasted peanuts to the skillet, and cook until the kung pao chicken is heated through, and then this dish is ready to serve.

Garnish the kung pao chicken with sesame seeds and chopped green onion slices. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

It’s really not too hard at all to make this great kung pao chicken from the comfort of your own kitchen! Hope you will consider making this yummy dish! Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you will come back soon.

Looking for More ASIAN-INSPIRED Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful Asian-inspired 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 (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.

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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Kung Pao Chicken

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Who needs takeout when you can make amazing Kung Pao Chicken from the comfort of your own home? Serve this classic Chinese dish with rice for a great meal!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: kung pao chicken

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 302 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound boneless chicken breasts (about 2 large)
5-6 pieces dry red chili pepper
1/2 cup raw peanuts (no skin)
1 teaspoon ginger , minced
1/4 cup , plus 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)

For Marinade:

1 egg white , lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon cornstarch

For Seasoning Sauce:

2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons cooking sherry
2 teaspoons white vinegar
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

For Garnish:) optional)

1 teaspoon sesame seeds
green onion slices

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare marinade. Mix well in medium sized bowl. Cut chicken into 1" cubes. Add to marinade. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes in refrigerator.
On a cutting board, remove stem top and seeds from the dried red chili peppers. Discard stems and seeds. Use scissors to cut each chili pepper into 1/2" long pieces.
Heat a large skillet. Add 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil. Stir fry raw peanuts until they are light brown. Remove from heat,, remove from skillet and let cool.
In a small bowl, mix together ingredients for the Seasoning Sauce. Set aside.
Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in skillet until very hot (but NOT smoking...). Add the chicken. Stir fry chicken for 2 minutes, then remove. Drain oil from skillet and wipe clean with paper towels.
Add 2 Tablespoons oil back into the skillet. Add the dried red chili peppers and stir fry until they turn dark. Add the minced ginger and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Turn heat to high; add chicken back into skillet. Add the Seasoning Sauce, and cook until sauce has thickened and dish is heated through. Turn off heat. Remove skillet from stove. Add toasted peanuts to skillet. Mix to combine.
Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired. Serve Kung Pao Chicken on a bed of rice. ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts

Kung Pao Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 302 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 72mg24%

Sodium 546mg24%

Potassium 589mg17%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 365IU7%

Vitamin C 1.7mg2%

Calcium 16mg2%

Iron 1.2mg7%

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

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13
Aug
2014

Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches And Goat Cheese

categories: Main Dish Salads, Main Dishes, Pork, Salads

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Looking for a filling salad? You’ll love Grilled Ham Salad on spring greens, with fresh peaches, goat cheese, toasted pecans, and balsamic dressing.

One of the gifts I received for Mother’s Day this year was a subscription to Food Network Magazine. That’s where I discovered this recipe for Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches and Goat Cheese. I was thumbing through the September 2014 issue that recently and saw the recipe for a grilled ham salad, with peaches. It got my attention), because it sounded so different from other salads I’ve made.

The combination of ham and fresh peach slices sounded interesting to me. Guess what? They go WELL together! Who knew? Plus… just about ANYTHING with fresh peaches has to be wonderful, right?

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

Well, my curiosity got the best of me and I ended up making this salad for dinner for my husband and myself a couple of nights ago. Even as I was making it, I truthfully wasn’t sure we would like it… but guess what? We both LOVED it! It was WAY better than I thought it would be, and THAT was a great surprise!

What’s IN A Grilled Ham Salad?

The grilled ham salad is a filling entree for dinner. You’ve got your meat (ham), dairy (creamy goat cheese), peaches (fruit), toasted pecans and lots of lettuce (veggies). Top it off with a homemade balsamic dressing and how could you NOT love a salad like this?

I only tweaked the original recipe just a bit. This grilled ham salad is quick to throw together, easy on the eyes, and completely delicious! I hope you will give this delicious salad a try.

Is This Grilled Ham Salad Hard To Make?

The answer is no. This grilled ham salad is not difficult at all to prepare. Ham slices are quickly grilled (indoor or outdoor), peaches are sliced, dressing is whisked together, and a delicious salad is created! It truly is a very easy salad to make!

Here’s a photo of the grilled ham salad with peaches and goat cheese (shown below), ready to eat. YUM! Sometimes just taking a chance on a new recipe ends up being a great decision when you find a GREAT tasting meal! This grilled ham salad would be a wonderful dish to serve on a hot day!

Hope you will consider making this grilled ham salad. I think you will be surprised with how good it tastes! Have a great day, and thank you for stopping by. Please come back again soon.

Looking For More MAIN COURSE SALADS?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few main course salads you might enjoy 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 (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.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Recipe Adapted From: Food Network Magazine, September 2014 issue, pg. 82

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Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches And Goat Cheese

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

6 mins

Total Time

26 mins

Looking for a filling entree salad? You'll love this Grilled Ham Salad on spring greens, with fresh peaches, goat cheese, toasted pecans, and balsamic dressing.

Category: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: grilled ham salad

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 649 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1/2 cup pecans , chopped
1/3 cup olive oil (plus more for grill)
2 - 1 inch thick slices ham (approx. 7 oz. each)
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tablespoons Chives , chopped
1/2 Tablespoon Tarragon (I used dried)
1 shallot , finely minced
3 fresh peaches , peeled, pitted, and sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
8 cups fresh spring greens
1 pinch Salt and black pepper , to taste
4 ounces goat cheese , crumbled

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat a grill to medium heat. (I used an indoor grill to prepare the ham)
Brush the grill lightly with olive oil. Place the ham slices on the grill; heat through (about 2-3 minutes per side). Remove the ham when heated through; set aside to cool, then slice into 1/2 inch strips. Set aside.
Lightly toast chopped pecans over medium high heat in a dry skillet. Stir pecans occasionally, until toasted (about 5-6 minutes). Be careful to not let them burn. Set pecans aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, herbs and shallot. Slowly whisk the olive oil into the mixture; Mix until emulsified.
Place salad greens, pecans, ham, and peaches in salad bowl. Add the salad dressing and GENTLY toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange salad onto serving plates, and top with crumbled goat cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

**Original recipe uses 2 Tablespoons of sherry vinegar or white balsamic vinegar (instead of the regular balsamic vinegar I used).**

Nutrition Facts

Grilled Ham Salad With Peaches And Goat Cheese

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 649 Calories from Fat 450

% Daily Value*

Fat 50g77%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Cholesterol 74mg25%

Sodium 1344mg58%

Potassium 742mg21%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 1655IU33%

Vitamin C 27.6mg33%

Calcium 82mg8%

Iron 3mg17%

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

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03
Aug
2014

Grilled “THAI” PB&J Sandwich

categories: Asian, Sandwiches

514 Shares

A Grilled “Thai” PB&J Sandwich is a delicious, grown up, gourmet version of the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sounds strange, but tastes GREAT!

Look at this Grilled THAI Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich. What kind of crazy, weird sandwich is that anyways? A REALLY GOOD ONE. YES. It’s really THAT good.

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

How I First Discovered this Amazing Sandwich

The first I ever heard of such a crazy sounding sandwich was when my sister Joni (who was visiting from California) ordered one at our local Farmer’s Market last summer. One of the food vendors were selling these sandwiches, along with a few other gourmet grilled sandwiches.

Truth is, It sounded horrible to me, UNTIL she forced me to try a bite of her sandwich. I didn’t think it would be good a all. GULP… Here is the actual picture I took of her handing me the grilled Thai PB&J sandwich to taste for the first time (shown below).

May I just tell you truthfully that this grilled “Thai” PB&J sandwich was absolutely 100% AMAZING!!!!! That’s right… you heard me. Who ever would have believed that an ordinary old PB&J sandwich could go from “normal” to “over the top” just by adding a few…interesting…Thai-inspired ingredients!

So What Exactly Is IN This Grilled Thai PB&J Sandwich Sandwich?

Because I was curious, I decided to try and make a copycat grilled Thai PB & J sandwich myself in the comfort of my own kitchen and so I did! We have a WINNER! I have made this sandwich MANY times now, for friends and family, and they have always been surprised at how good it is!

Here’s the partial cast of characters: Peanut Butter, Orange Marmalade, Curry Powder, Sriracha Sauce, and fresh Basil. I know…weird, huh? Sounds like some definite Thai inspired flavor combos going on. You will also need some good bread and some butter for grilling, of course!

Crazy, huh? But trust me, this is an absolutely delicious “Gourmet Grown Up Version” of the traditional PB&J Sandwich that you will LOVE if you like Thai flavors. You just have to try this at least once. This is definitely NOT YOUR MAMA’S PB&J sandwich!!!!

Making it is super easy (the pictures aren’t glamorous, but how do you class up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Here’s how:

How To Make A Grilled Thai PB&J Sandwich

First, spread one piece of bread with butter on one side, then coat the other side of the bread with peanut butter. Spread some of the sriracha sauce on top of the peanut butter. Place the bread, butter side down, in a large skillet on medium heat.

Lightly sprinkle on some curry powder. I never measure it. Just be careful to sprinkle lightly. You don’t need a lot.

Roll up a couple of large fresh basil leaves into a tight roll like this…

Then slice the rolled basil into thin strips. The technical term for this is to “chiffonade” the basil.

Add Basil And Marmalade!

Evenly sprinkle the basil over the peanut butter side. Spread a layer of orange marmalade (I used my own homemade marmalade!) over the basil. The photo below shows the marmalade halfway spread on the sandwich. Spread the entire slice of bread with the marmalade.

Ready To Grill!

Butter one side of the second piece of bread and place it on top of the sandwich, butter side up. Grill the sandwich on both sides (just like you would a grilled cheese sandwich). I usually grill it on medium-low heat.

Grill until both sides of the sandwich are toasted and golden brown. Transfer the sandwich from the skillet onto a serving plate.

Time To Eat!

Slice the Grilled Thai PB&J Sandwich diagonally across to form two triangles. Yes, it might be a bit messy…but that’s great, because the sandwich is so GOOD! Take a bite, and enjoy this delicious sandwich.

It’s still hard to believe that this crazy sounding grilled “Thai” PB&J sandwich is so amazingly GOOD, but it’s true! I’ve made this sandwich at least twenty times since I took that first tentative bite, and it never fails to be ridiculously delicious! I hope you will give it a try.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you will be able to come back again soon for more recipes. Don’t forget to check out the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page to see ALL of my recipes. Have a great day.

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.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Grilled "THAI" PB&J Sandwich

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

10 mins

A Grilled "Thai" PB & J Sandwich is a delicious, grown up, gourmet version of the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sounds strange, but tastes GREAT!

Category: Sandwich

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: thai pb&j sandwich

Servings: 1 sandwich

Calories Per Serving: 366 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 slices good quality bread
butter (to spread on one side of each piece of bread)
peanut butter (enough to cover one piece of bread
orange marmalade (enough to cover one slice of bread)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (hot chile sauce found in Asian section of grocery store)
curry powder (I don't measure...just light sprinkle over one side of bread)
2 large , fresh basil leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Spread one side of one piece of bread with butter. Place butter side down in skillet.
Spread peanut butter on top of the slice of bread in skillet to cover. Spread sriracha sauce over the peanut butter evenly. Lightly sprinkle with curry powder. Roll and slice the fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle evenly over peanut butter. Carefully spread orange marmalade over sliced basil leaves. Butter one side of the second piece of bread. Put on top of marmalade, butter side up.
Grill sandwich on medium heat, turning during cooking. Grill until each side is toasted and golden brown. Remove hot sandwich to serving plate. Cut on the diagonal, and serve! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Grilled "THAI" PB&J Sandwich

Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)

Calories 366 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 21mg7%

Sodium 576mg25%

Potassium 222mg6%

Carbohydrates 47g16%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 250IU5%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 77mg8%

Iron 2.3mg13%

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

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21
Jul
2014

Caprese Salad

categories: Appetizers, Italian, Salads

323 Shares

Caprese Salad is an easy to make Italian classic, with fresh ripe tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

Well, I’ve made this Caprese Salad two nights in a row for my husband and myself. Truth! It is so refreshing and delicious, especially with peak of season tomatoes and basil! With very few ingredients, you can make this delicious salad. We enjoy it as a side salad OR as a main dish on a hot summer night.

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

Inspiration Hits

It all started innocently enough… I happened to see a post on my friend Elizabeth’s Facebook page. She made a Caprese Salad for her family…so I got to thinking that I should make one for my husband and I, too! I didn’t have an official recipe, but how hard could it be, right?

I have basil and tomatoes growing in our garden. Hmmm. All I need is some fresh mozzarella. Hmmm. This would be a great light summer appetizer or salad…Hmmm. (you realize, of course, that those “Hmmms” are me, putting on my thinking cap, right?).

Caprese Salad… For the WIN!

Caprese salad is such a easy dish to prepare, and you can make it as large or small as you wish! My husband and I had late lunches the past couple of days, so two nights ago, we just sat out on our deck. We enjoyed this simple dish, along with a glass of wine, for our dinner. Sooo deliciously tasty on a hot, summer night!

Last night, the same story. Late lunch, and we weren’t really hungry for a “normal” dinner, so I ran out to our garden, picked some basil and fresh tomatoes, and made another Caprese Salad for dinner. Yee Haw! When you have the flavor of homegrown tomatoes, this salad SHINES!

So what exactly is a “Caprese Salad”, you ask? Wikipedia defines it: “Caprese Salad is a simple salad, made of sliced fresh mozarella, tomatoes and basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. It was made to resemble the colors of the Italian flag: red, white, and green.”

I also added pepper, and drizzled some balsamic vinegar on top (along with the olive oil). Perfect! I’ve made caprese salad so many times now I’ve lost count!

Hope you will give this easy salad a try. The flavors of the fresh tomatoes and basil combined with creamy fresh mozzarella is wonderful!

Hope you enjoy this delicious caprese salad! It is REALLY easy to prepare, and is absolutely delicious! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so. If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (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.

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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Caprese Salad

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Caprese Salad is an easy to make Italian classic, with fresh ripe tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

Category: Salad

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: caprese salad

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 272 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

Fresh mozzarella cheese , room temp, sliced in 1/2 inch slices (2-3 slices per person)
Fresh tomatoes , sliced in 1/2 inch slices (2-3 slices per person)
Fresh basil sprigs ( one for each slice of cheese and tomato)
Sea salt (to taste)
Cracked pepper (to taste)
Olive oil (enough to drizzle over the top of the salad)
Balsamic vinegar (enough to drizzle over the top of the salad)

Instructions

Layer the serving platter with slice of cheese, then a slice of tomato. Repeat, until you have as much on the platter as you desire.
Lightly salt and pepper the salad.
Lightly drizzle the salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Place a sprig or two of fresh basil leaves on, or in between each slice of tomato and cheese. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Caprese Salad

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

Calories 272 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 67mg22%

Sodium 547mg24%

Potassium 292mg8%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 1545IU31%

Vitamin C 13.2mg16%

Calcium 446mg45%

Iron 0.8mg4%

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

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20
Jul
2014

Sweet N’ Sticky Polska Kielbasa

categories: Beef, Main Dishes, Pork

7.2K Shares

Sweet n’ Sticky Polska Kielbasa only has TWO ingredients, and is an EASY and delicious family friendly recipe, using pork or beef kielbasa sausage!

Yep…you heard me right, friends. This recipe for sweet n’ sticky polska kielbasa only has 2 ingredients, and is very budget friendly to make! How cool is that?

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

What Does Polska Kielbasa Mean?

Did you know that Polska Kielbasa means Polish Sausage? It is one of the most traditional foods served at Polish weddings. There are many different varieties available in grocery stores throughout the United States, and most are fairly inexpensive. You can read more about this common sausage here.

How We First Tried This Recipe For Polska Kielbasa

Almost 30 years ago my husband and I rented a room in our home to a college age friend of ours, named Kip. One night he offered to cook us dinner, and this polska kielbasa is the dish he cooked for us, along with mashed potatoes.

When I heard what “secret” ingredient he was going to cook the sausage in, I couldn’t believe my ears! It sounded completely crazy to me…but guess what? This sweet n’ sticky polska kielbasa was absolutely delicious!

So What Is The Secret Ingredient For Sweet n’ Sticky Polska Kielbasa?

Want to know what the secret ingredient is? COKE or PEPSI. Yep. The sugars in the cola transform into a sticky sweet glaze that coats the kielbasa slices. So good… and we’ve been making it ever since… true story.

This recipe only has two ingredients. Kielbasa (beef or pork) and Coke (or Pepsi). The only really important thing to remember is to never use a diet soda for this recipe because you have to use real, sweetened soda so the sugars in the soda will caramelize and coat the meat slices.

Can you believe it? This might possibly be the world’s simplest dinner. The caramelized sweet n’ sticky coating on the kielbasa is truly wonderful! And talk about easy? Unbelievable, but true.

Look How EASY It Is To Make Sweet n’ Sticky Polska Kielbasa

First you will need to cut the polska kielbasa into 1/2″ slices. You can use either beef or pork kielbasa to make this dish. This ring of polska kielska only cost us $2.50 on sale. Since the only other ingredient is one can of cola, you can see how INEXPENSIVE this meal can be to feed four people!

Here is the polska kielbasa all sliced, and ready to go into a hot skillet! See how very easy this is so far?

Brown The Kielbasa

Cook the sliced polska kielbasa in a large skillet, on medium high heat. Cook until it starts to brown on all sides, stirring often. Make sure both sides of the sausage get lightly browned. Once the kielbasa is lightly browned on both sides, pour in 3/4 can of regular cola (NOT DIET!).

Why Do I Have To Use REGULAR Cola And Not Diet Cola?

The reason you want to use REGULAR cola is because the sugar present in this drink is what caramelizes during cooking. This caramelization is what coats the polska kielbasa with a sweet n’ sticky glaze. This adds wonderful flavor to the sausage!

How Long Do I Cook The Polska Kielbasa?

Continue to cook the kielbasa and cola on medium heat, stirring often. Continue to cook until the sauce has reduced, thickened, and coated the sausage pieces with a syrupy glaze. There should be almost no liquid left in skillet, once done. This usually takes about 20 minutes to finish.

Now it’s ready to serve! See how shiny that kielbasa looks? It’s that yummy sweet n’ sticky glaze coating each piece of the polska kielbasa. YUM.

Time To Eat Some Sweet n’ Sticky Kielbasa!

Serve this sweet n’ sticky polska kielbasa with mashed potatoes and a veggie, and you’ve got yourself a scrumptious, family-friendly dinner! Best part besides how it tastes? It is SO VERY EASY to double this recipe, in case you have a large family!

Hope you’ll try this sweet n’ sticky polska kielbasa dish. Everyone I’ve made it for always loves it! It REALLY tastes good, and is very convenient to fix when you don’t want to mess with a long, complicated recipe after a long day! If you enjoy polska kielbasa, be sure and check out my recipes for Apricot Pineapple Kielbasa Bites and Smoked Sausage Veggie Rice Skillet! It’s really good, too!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon. Be sure to check out ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. Have a GREAT day!

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.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original Recipe Source: Kevin (Kip) Ecton

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Sweet N' Sticky Polska Kielbasa

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Sweet n' Sticky Polska Kielbasa only has TWO ingredients, and is an EASY and delicious family friendly recipe, using pork or beef kielbasa sausage!

Category: Dinner, Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: polska kielbasa

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 393 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound package polska kielbasa (beef or pork)
9 ounces cola (3/4 of 12 ounce can) (regular, sweetened cola, NOT diet!)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice the entire kielbasa into 1/2 inch wide slices. Place them in a skillet and sauté on medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the both sides of the kielbasa begin to lightly brown.
Pour 3/4 of the can of cola into the skillet (total of 9 ounces). Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has reduced, thickened, and glazed the meat (about 20 min.). All the liquid should be gone from the skillet.
Remove kielbasa from skillet and serve hot, alongside a serving of mashed potatoes and a veggie. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Sweet N' Sticky Polska Kielbasa

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 393 Calories from Fat 288

% Daily Value*

Fat 32g49%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 79mg26%

Sodium 995mg43%

Potassium 268mg8%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin C 1.2mg1%

Calcium 14mg1%

Iron 1.7mg9%

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

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17
Jul
2014

Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta

7 Shares

Ravioli with Mushrooms and Snap Peas is a unique and delicious pasta dish, flavored with Parmesan cheese, pistachios, fresh sage and lemon zest.

We’ve been experiencing a bit of a heat wave here in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been avoiding turning on our oven at all costs, to keep our kitchen cool. We’ve been grilling almost all of our dinners outside! Last week I decided to try a new meatless recipe for Ravioli with Mushrooms and Snap Peas! Thankfully no oven was necessary, because this dish was made on our stove top.

My husband and I loved this ravioli with mushrooms, even with a few slight changes to the original recipe! I added additional Parmesan to the sauce, and used pistachios instead of hazelnuts, and regular milk instead of evaporated.

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

Use Packaged OR Homemade Cheese Ravioli For This Recipe

The recipe calls for a package of refrigerated ravioli. I always make my own from scratch, but know that buying fresh ravioli is a real timesaver. Either type of ravioli can be used flawlessly for this recipe. The original ravioli with mushrooms recipe was found on Pinterest, via Taste of Home magazine. It sure sounded good, so I set out to try it!

What is the verdict? A delicious, unique and filling main dish. The sauce on the ravioli with mushrooms is mild, yet full of flavor. I’ve never added snap peas to any pasta recipe before, but found the crunchy texture was a welcome addition to this dish, along with the fresh sage, lemon, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese!

I Had Fun Making The Ravioli From Scratch!

Typically I make my own ravioli…so I did! I ended up making a batch of cheese/spinach ravioli for this recipe. See? I really made the ravioli from scratch, with the help of my handy dandy pasta machine. It’s lovingly referred to as my own little pasta making factory!

It was fun to be able to use some of the fresh sage leaves from our garden in this recipe!

How To Make Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas

Cook the mushrooms, garlic and onions in a large skillet. They smell wonderful as they cook down and soften. These flavorful ingredients will be part of the sauce that tops the ravioli later on.

Finely grated lemon peel and sliced sage leaves are prepped, and are now ready to season the sauce for the ravioli with mushrooms!

Cook The Mushrooms For The Sauce

Cook the mushrooms down, and now it’s starting to smell really good in the kitchen, because of the onions and garlic!

The ingredients for the sauce have been added to the mushroom mixture. Now the lemon peel and the sage leaves are added to the sauce, for extra flavor!

Cook The Ravioli WITH The Snap Peas

Let the ravioli cook for just a few minutes in boiling water. Snap Peas (from our garden-yay!) cook in same water for a couple minutes, then they are drained.

Add the cooked and drained raviolis and snap peas to the sauce in the skillet, and then gently mix it all together!

Serve The Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas

And now it is time to dish this meal up! We sure think it looks good enough to eat! Chopped pistachios and grated Parmesan cheese make a great garnish for the ravioli with mushrooms!

Here’s a close up look at these delicious ravioli with mushrooms! Yum!

Hope you will give this great dinner with ravioli and mushrooms a try! I think you will really enjoy it! Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my pasta recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few pasta recipes you might want to check out are:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so. If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (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.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Recipe Adapted From: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ravioli-with-snap-peas—mushrooms

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Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Ravioli with Mushrooms and Snap Peas is a unique and delicious pasta dish, flavored with Parmesan cheese, pistachios, fresh sage and lemon zest.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: ravioli with mushrooms

Servings: 8

Calories Per Serving: 387 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 package (20 ounces) refrigerated cheese ravioli (or make your own!)
1 pound fresh sugar snap peas , trimmed
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 pound (8 ounces) sliced fresh mushrooms (I used baby portobellas)
3 shallots , finely chopped
3 garlic cloves , minced
2 cups milk (original recipe calls for evaporated milk - I used regular)
8 fresh sage leaves , thinly sliced (or 2 teaspoons dried sage - I used fresh)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (for sauce)
1/4 cup shelled and chopped pistachios , for garnish (original recipe used roasted hazelnuts)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (for garnishing each dish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the ravioli per package instructions, in a large saucepan. During the last 3 minutes, add the sugar snap peas to the water. When done, drain pasta and snap peas.
While the pasta cooks, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Cook this until the mushrooms become tender.
Stir the milk, sage slices, grated lemon peel, lemon pepper, black pepper into the mushroom mixture; bring the ingredients to a boil. Add the 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 2-3 minutes or until sauce has thickened up a bit.
Gently add the cooked and drained ravioli and snap peas to the sauce; gently mix to combine and heat through.
When ravioli is hot, place portions on each serving plate. Garnish each serving with additional grated parmesan cheese, followed by chopped pistachios. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Ravioli With Mushrooms And Snap Peas

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 387 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 56mg19%

Sodium 625mg27%

Potassium 380mg11%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 855IU17%

Vitamin C 35.8mg43%

Calcium 221mg22%

Iron 9mg50%

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

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08
Jul
2014

“Not Outta the Box” Macaroni And Cheese

categories: Casseroles, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta

12 Shares

“Not Outta The Box” Macaroni And Cheese is a delicious baked pasta dish, with creamy, cheesy sauce and a bread crumb topping.

Comfort food and macaroni and cheese go together like bad singing and Christmas caroling. Always good, no matter what! By the way, I nominate this for the worst intro ever for “Not Outta The Box” Macaroni And Cheese”. You’re welcome…*cough, cough.

So, here’s the back story. I grew up in your typical, average, All-American household. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we were well-fed. Our Mom often fed us macaroni and cheese out of a lovely blue and gold box (go ahead – insert nationally known name brand here!), and we loved it!

Yes… we loved it…and I have to admit that my hubby and I occasionally STILL eat it when we want something quick cheesy. Truth. We can’t help ourselves, because it’s in our family genes, I guess. The recipe I am sharing is for a BAKED version of this creamy and very cheesy pasta dish.

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

Sometimes I crave a homemade version of those cheesy macaroni noodles and don’t want to use a box mix, filled with orange cheese-like substances. I wanna go full out and make it FRESH! I found this easy and very tasty recipe on Pinterest (my “go to”) for quick recipe searches. We tried it, and loved it. End of story. Oh yeah…they all lived happily ever after, their little tummies filled with homemade “not outta the box” macaroni and cheese.

Bake And Serve “Not Outta The Box” Macaroni And Cheese

Now wasn’t that a nice little story? Well, here’s the nice little recipe. My photos of this dish are not some of my best, but don’t let that mess with your head. This is a great recipe for “not Outta The box” Macaroni And Cheese. Hope you enjoy it!

Hope you enjoy this recipe. It really is good (despite my horrible photos).Thank you for stopping by, and have a great day.

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Recipe Source: http://www.iheartnaptime.net/homemade-macaroni-and-cheese/

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"Not Outta the Box" Macaroni And Cheese

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

45 mins

"Not Outta The Box" Macaroni And Cheese is a delicious baked pasta dish, with creamy, cheesy sauce and a bread crumb topping.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: macaroni and cheese

Servings: 6 servings

Calories Per Serving: 873 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 lb. elbow macaroni noodles
1/4 cup (1/2 cube) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup whipping cream (I used heavy)
1 Tablespoon yellow table mustard
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese , grated
1 cup medium cheddar cheese , grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning (or you may substitute seasoning salt)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup additional grated cheddar cheese (to top dish with prior to baking)
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (for topping - optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the elbow macaroni noodles according to package directions. Remove and drain once macaroni is cooked.
In a separate large saucepan, melt the butter on low heat. When melted, whisk in the flour. Cook these two ingredients together for 3-4 minutes. Stir constantly while these are cooking.
Add the salt, pepper and creole seasoning (or seasoning salt) to the flour mixture.
Add the milk, whipping cream and mustard. Whisk these ingredients until they are well combined.
Add the sharp and medium grated cheddar cheese. Stir these as they melt. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
Add the drained macaroni to the cheese mixture; stir it to combine.
Spray a 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into this dish. Add the additional cheese on top, followed by the bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and the dish is beginning to turn golden brown on top. Serve and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts

"Not Outta the Box" Macaroni And Cheese

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 873 Calories from Fat 450

% Daily Value*

Fat 50g77%

Saturated Fat 31g194%

Cholesterol 152mg51%

Sodium 1083mg47%

Potassium 210mg6%

Carbohydrates 70g23%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 1660IU33%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 781mg78%

Iron 2.4mg13%

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

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