Main Dishes Archives

06
Mar
2014

Copycat Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad

categories: Asian, Chicken, Copycat Recipes, Main Dish Salads, Main Dishes, Salads

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Make a copycat version of Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad in the comfort of your own home. You’ll love this delicious main course salad!Applebee’s Restaurant describes their signature salad as “Crisp Oriental greens topped with chunks of crunchy Chicken Fingers, toasted almonds and crispy rice noodles, tossed in a light Oriental vinaigrette”.

Over the years I have enjoyed finding “copycat” recipes from restaurants and then challenging myself to see if I can duplicate the same thing at home. I have found that sometimes you can make the recipe for half the price of what a restaurant charges. This copycat recipe for Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad is a definite keeper! It’s so good, and I have made it countless times!

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

How I Got This Recipe

I love the “Top Secret Recipe” cookbook series, by Todd Wilbur. My sons gave me a couple of his books for Mother’s Day years ago. I’ve bought a couple of others, and they are wonderful. Basically, the author tries to identify what ingredients are in a restaurants food (he orders it, then “dissects” it in his lab to determine the ingredients.

Then he experiments to re-create the recipe until it is as close to the original as he can get. I love this because HE does all the dirty work, and I benefit from his efforts. Awesome! It works for me (heh heh heh)!

Making The Salad Is Fairly Simple

I have never taken a lot of photos of making this salad, unlike my other recipes. But the salad is fairly easy to make. An Asian-inspired salad dressing is whisked together, chicken is breaded, fried and cut into pieces, and the green salad is assembled, then topped with the chicken and the salad dressing..

Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks! — Making the delicious Asian-inspired salad dressing is easy!

I’ve Made This Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad SO MANY Times

This is a salad I have made MANY times over the past 15 years. I’ve made it for my husband and I, AND for as many as 25 hungry co-workers at a staff retreat, all with great results and compliments each time. Honestly, this entree salad is fairly easy to make. It just takes a bit of time to do the “prep” work. My tip: Do the prep work early, then after school or work, cook the chicken and throw it all together. Boom!

I hope you like it! If you want to serve 4 with this recipe, just split all the ingredients into 4 smaller sized servings (including the chicken… just cut it into chunks and divide it on 4 salads!) We love this filling salad’s great flavor, and think you will, too! Enjoy!

Looking For More MAIN DISH SALAD Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious entree salads 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

Recipe Source: The book “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes”, by Todd Wilbur, published 1997, by The Penguin Group, pages 31-32

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Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Make a copycat version of Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad in the comfort of your own home. You'll love this delicious main course salad!

Category: Salad or Main Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: oriental chicken salad

Servings: 2 large servings

Calories Per Serving: 1431 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For the Oriental Dressing:

6 Tablespoons honey
3 Tablespoons white vinegar
8 teaspoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoons sesame oil (find this in the Asian food section of the grocery store)

For the Chicken:

1 cup vegetable oil , for frying (you want the skillet to have about 1/2 inch deep of oil)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (or you can substitute crushed cornflake crumbs)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 (3 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the salad:

6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped purple cabbage
2 cups chopped napa cabbage
1 carrot , julienned or shredded (I grated mine)
2 green onions , sliced (use entire stalk-green and white parts)
2 TBSP sliced , toasted almonds (saute them on low in dry skillet for 3-4 minutes to toast-stir to prevent burning)
2/3 cup chow mein noodles

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the salad dressing and chicken: Using a whisk or an electric mixer, blend together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until it is well chilled and you are ready to serve the salad.
Preheat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. The temperature of the oil should be around 350 degrees before cooking the chicken (an electric skillet or a temperature gauge is helpful to get the oil at the right heat). The right amount of heat is necessary for a crispy brown crust!
In a small bowl, mix together the eggs and milk until well combined.
In another bowl, mix the panko crumbs (or cornflake crumbs) with the flour, salt and pepper.
Cut the chicken breasts into 4 or 5 long strips. Dip each chicken strip into the egg mixture first, then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely. Carefully place chicken pieces into the hot skillet (remember, you preheated it, right?) Fry the chicken fingers for approximately 5 minutes, turning and cooking until the coating on all sides has darkened to a golden brown.
Assemble the salad: Prepare the salad by tossing the romaine lettuce with the purple cabbage, napa cabbage and shredded carrot. Place on individual serving plates.
Sprinkle the green onions on top of the lettuce mixture.
Sprinkle the almonds over the salad, then the chow mein noodles.
Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks (that's the authentic way)...sometimes (like in the picture) I just leave the strips on top and let everybody cut up their own...whatever- I'm usually in a big hurry to eat the salad, and don't want to bother cutting it all up into chunks!) Anyways...back to the recipe: Place even amounts of the chicken on top of each salad, placing the chicken in a pile in the middle. Serve the salad dressing on the side. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

You can easily make this salad into 4 smaller sized portions. Just cut the chicken into chunks, divide the chicken chunks and salad into 4 portions, and you're good to go!
Recipe Source: The book "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes", by Todd Wilbur, published 1997, by The Penguin Group, pages 31-32)

Nutrition Facts

Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 large salad)

Calories 1431 Calories from Fat 405

% Daily Value*

Fat 45g69%

Saturated Fat 22g138%

Cholesterol 232mg77%

Sodium 3612mg157%

Potassium 1657mg47%

Carbohydrates 204g68%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 70g78%

Protein 56g112%

Vitamin A 19190IU384%

Vitamin C 82mg99%

Calcium 423mg42%

Iron 11.4mg63%

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

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28
Feb
2014

Marinated Grilled Pork Chops and Portabella Mushrooms

categories: For The BBQ Grill, Main Dishes, Pork, Sauces and Dressings

24 Shares

My husband is the “Grill-Master” in our family. He recently grilled these Marinated Grilled Pork Chops and Portabella Mushrooms, and the dish was outstanding!

Marinated Grilled Pork Chops and Portabella Mushrooms / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

When the weather is decent (in Oregon that means “not raining heavily”), he loves to grill on our Weber BBQ. He’ll stand out there (yes, sometimes even in the rain) with the smoke pouring out of that BBQ into his eyes and permeating his clothes…and grill our dinner! While I love to prepare the food, I am so grateful he loves to GRILL the food! Yay!

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

I found this simple marinade recipe for pork chops online; then decided to use half of the marinade for the pork chops, and the other half to make a reduction sauce to saute baby portabella mushrooms in (to top the grilled pork chops with). Yum. If you don’t eat mushrooms, then use the entire marinade for the chops. Fantastic, either way!

The Grill Master, busy at work (Should I tell him the lighter fluid goes on the briquets?)- ha ha.

Hope you give these yummy pork chops a try. They are such a simple and delicious entree! Have a great day.

Looking For More PORK CHOP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some really yummy pork chop 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

Marinade Recipe adapted from: http://www.cooks.com/recipe/rc9vt5im/marinade-for-grilled-pork-chops.html

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Marinated Grilled Pork Chops and Portabella Mushrooms

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Marinating Time

4 hrs

Total Time

5 hrs

Marinated grilled pork chops, with portabella mushrooms in a delicious sauce.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: marinated grilled pork chops

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 544 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For The Marinade:

1 medium onion , finely chopped
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
4 large pork chops , bone in
1 package baby portabella mushrooms , sliced
1 Tablespoon butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the first 6 ingredients (onion, oil, pineapple juice, garlic powder, soy sauce, and brown sugar) in a bowl. Whisk ingredients until fully blended. Pour HALF of the sauce over the pork chops to marinate. To marinade the chops, I use a gallon sized plastic resealable bag (you can also use a covered pan).
Set aside the remaining 1/2 of the sauce (to cook the mushrooms in later).
Marinate the chops in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better), turning several times to make sure the chops are fully coated. Once BBQ is ready to go, grill chops until done, basting occasionally with sauce (from the bag or pan).
While pork chops are cooking, add the reserved marinade (that you set aside earlier) to a skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute on medium low for approximately 5-8 minutes. Sauce should reduce a bit as it cooks. Stir to coat the mushrooms. About a minute or so before the mushrooms are done, add the Tablespoon of butter to the sauce. Stir in and keep the sauce warm.
When pork chops are done, place on serving plates and spoon some of the mushrooms and skillet sauce over the top of each chop. ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

PLEASE NOTE: Almost all of the prep time in INACTIVE prep time while the pork is marinating.

Nutrition Facts

Marinated Grilled Pork Chops and Portabella Mushrooms

Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop)

Calories 544 Calories from Fat 324

% Daily Value*

Fat 36g55%

Saturated Fat 21g131%

Cholesterol 124mg41%

Sodium 1188mg52%

Potassium 910mg26%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 38g76%

Vitamin A 90IU2%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 51mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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26
Feb
2014

Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice

categories: Beef, Main Dishes

4.6K Shares

You’ll love Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice – ground beef meatballs, with pineapple, red and green bell peppers in sweet and sour sauce, served on a bed of rice.

When my husband and I were newlyweds (over 36 years ago) he decided to cook dinner for us one evening. He made Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice, with pineapple chunks, red and green bell peppers in a sweet and sour sauce. It was love at first sight. This is the recipe he used. Needless to say I was impressed with his “culinary skills” and by the fact that he prepared a delicious meal for us. Ah…young love!

Well…fast forward to many, many years later, and we STILL have this meal for dinner occasionally. I still love him, but now I am the one who cooks our meals. Neither of us remember where he found the original recipe, so I dug through my recipe box , pull out my trusty handwritten 3×5 index card I wrote down the recipe on ages ago… and off I go into the kitchen to make this dish.

We had these meatballs and rice two nights ago… so delicious! The sweet and sour sauce that coats the meatballs, along with the green and red peppers and pineapple is fantastic! It really is a quick and easy recipe to make.

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

How To Make Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice

Tip: It would be very easy to pre-cook the meatballs and pre-make the sauce (throw them both in the refrigerator); then pulling this recipe together at the end of a long day would be a snap. Here’s how to make this dish: Drain the pineapple, making sure to reserve the juice. Set the pineapples (and the saved juice) aside.

Mix up the sweet and sour stir fry sauce in a medium sized bowl… easy!

Chop up the red and green bell peppers, and set them aside with the pineapple chunks.

Make The Meatballs

Mix up the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Once the ingredients are fully combined, form the meat into 2″ meatballs, by rolling them between your hands.

Heat oil or shortening in a large skillet. Brown the meatballs on all sides, and cook until fully cooked through.

Remove the cooked meatballs from skillet; transfer them to drain onto paper towels.

Finishing The Hawaiian Meatballs

Add the reserved stir fry sauce to the skillet you cook the meatballs in, and cook until it thickens. Stir the sauce occasionally while it cooks.

Once the sauce has thickened, add the bell peppers and pineapple back into the skillet.

Add the Hawaiian meatballs back into the skillet, and gently stir to combine all ingredients (and coat them with the sauce). Cook only until the dish is heated through.

Time to Eat Some Hawaiian Meatballs And Rice

Serve the Hawaiian meatballs on top of a bed of rice. Spoon any leftover sauce over the top, and enjoy this delicious meal!

Sure hope you will give these delicious Hawaiian meatballs a try in your own kitchen. They are absolutely delicious! Thanks for stopping by today, and please come back soon.

Looking For Recipes Featuring MEATBALLS?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious recipes featuring meatballs, 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: unknown (been making them for over 40 years)

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Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

35 mins

You'll love Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice - ground beef meatballs, with pineapple, red and green bell peppers in sweet and sour sauce, served on a bed of rice.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Hawaiian meatballs

Servings: 5 servings (3 meatballs per)

Calories Per Serving: 524 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup onion , finely chopped
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup milk
1 Tablespoon shortening or oil (for browning meatballs)

For the sauce:

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 - 13 oz can pineapple chunks (drain the chunks over a bowl-save the pineapple juice!!)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (I usually mix red and green peppers - the colors are nice in the sauce!)
*OPTIONAL* Original recipe also calls for 1 small can mandarin oranges.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make sauce: Drain pineapple, reserving juice (set pineapple chunks aside). In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and brown sugar together. Add pineapple juice, vinegar, ground ginger, and soy sauce to brown sugar mixture. Stir until smooth. Set bowl aside.
Chop red and green peppers and set aside (with pineapple chunks).
Make meatballs: In a large bowl, mix ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, salt, ginger and milk until thoroughly blended (I use a fork to mix). Using your hands, shape mixture into meatballs (approx. 12-15 -2" meatballs). In large skillet, heat shortening (or oil) on medium heat. When skillet is very hot, add meatballs, one at a time. Cook meatballs, making sure to turn so that all sides brown. When fully cooked (5-6 minutes), remove meatballs from pan; place on paper towel lined plate to absorb grease. Keep meatballs warm.
Drain oil from skillet after removing meatballs. Wipe skillet with paper towel to remove grease or leftover "crumbles". Over medium heat, add sauce to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly until it thickens and boils for 1 minute. Add pineapple, peppers and meatballs back into skillet; gently stir until meatballs are evenly coated with sauce. Cook only until heated through (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat.
Serve meatballs and sauce on top of steamed rice. ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts

Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice

Amount Per Serving (3 (meatballs + sauce))

Calories 524 Calories from Fat 279

% Daily Value*

Fat 31g48%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 130mg43%

Sodium 973mg42%

Potassium 480mg14%

Carbohydrates 32g11%

Sugar 23g26%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 120IU2%

Vitamin C 12.8mg16%

Calcium 77mg8%

Iron 3.4mg19%

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

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26
Feb
2014

Italian Stuffed Zucchini

categories: Beef, From Our Veggie Garden, Italian, Main Dishes, Vegetable Dishes

67 Shares

Baked Italian stuffed zucchini is a large zucchini, halved & filled with Italian sausage, tomato sauce, spices, Parmesan & mozzarella cheese.

I love to grow our own vegetables in my raised bed garden. Zucchini is one of my favorites, but sometimes they hide under the leaves until they have grown quite large. This recipe for Italian Stuffed Zucchini uses those great big zucchinis…which is why I love it!

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

A fairly large zucchini is necessary for this dish. You know, the big zucchini you find you overlooked in your garden, or buy at your local Farmer’s market. It also might be the kind a friend gives you in a grocery bag after their harvest. You want a BIG one, so you have plenty of room for the delicious Italian filling!

I received this recipe for Italian stuffed zucchini from a friend of mine named Shannon. I worked in a school office with Shannon for many years and love her dearly. She was one of my early inspirations for starting a veggie garden (for which I remain grateful!).

What Is In Italian Stuffed Zucchini?

I’ve made stuffed zucchini several times over the years. The pairing of a large garden-grown zucchini stuffed with Italian sausage, garlic, Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses adds up to a delicious and quick dinner! Italian stuffed zucchini is so easy to prepare, and is an all-in-one meal- meat AND veggies! See how big the zucchini is in the photo below?

Here is a side view of all that melted Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top! YUM!

Have a great day. I hope you will consider trying this recipe for stuffed zucchini, and trust you will enjoy it, too! Thank you for stopping by, and I sincerely hope you will come back again soon.

Looking For More Recipes That Use ZUCCHINI?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A couple recipes with zucchini you might also 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 given to me by Shannon Newton. Original Recipe Source: Unknown

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Italian Stuffed Zucchini

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Baked Italian stuffed zucchini is a large zucchini, halved & filled with Italian sausage, tomato sauce, spices, Parmesan & mozzarella cheese.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: italian stuffed zucchini

Servings: 6 (if using really big zucchini)

Calories Per Serving: 710 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 large zucchini
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage (or use 2 links with casing removed)
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 medium onion , finely chopped
1/4 teaspoons oregano
salt & pepper (to taste)
2 cloves minced garlic
6 ounces can tomato sauce
3 Tablespoons butter , melted
1 pound mozzarella cheese , grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (Kraft "green container" Parmesan works great)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Saute hamburger meat, Italian sausage, onion and garlic until cooked. Drain grease. Put meat mixture in large bowl.
Add breadcrumbs, oregano, salt, pepper and tomato sauce to meat mixture. Mix well.
In a skillet, par boil zucchini in water till tender. Remove zucchini and cut in half-length-wise. Remove seeds with a spoon, creating out a "tunnel" indentation in the zucchini (this will hold the filling-see photo below). Poke holes in zucchini with fork, then brush melted butter all over surface of the zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Place zucchini halves in a 9x13 baking dish.
Stuff both the carved "tunnels" with the hamburger mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven. Uncover.
Divide grated Mozzarella cheese in half. Sprinkle across top surface of both halves. Place pan back into the oven (uncovered) and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
Remove from oven and cut into serving sizes (can usually get 2-3 servings per half, but it depends of course, on the size zucchini you are using). Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Italian Stuffed Zucchini

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

Calories 710 Calories from Fat 468

% Daily Value*

Fat 52g80%

Saturated Fat 25g156%

Cholesterol 162mg54%

Sodium 1336mg58%

Potassium 605mg17%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 41g82%

Vitamin A 970IU19%

Vitamin C 10.3mg12%

Calcium 543mg54%

Iron 3.5mg19%

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

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22
Feb
2014

Pasta Carbonara

categories: Bacon, Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta

72 Shares

Enjoy classic Pasta Carbonara, an Italian dish with pasta cooked in a creamy bacon and onion sauce, with grated Parmesan cheese. It tastes FANTASTIC!

If you love bacon and you love pasta, then you’re going to LOVE this Pasta Carbonara recipe! I love recipes created by Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, because I love her cooking, photos, and sense of humor. This recipe is adapted from her version of this classic pasta dish. I only made a couple of changes to suit our taste buds.

This pasta carbonara recipe is RIDICULOUS! I’m not kidding – the smell of bacon, onions, and garlic is amazing as they cook. I made this (again!) for us last night and my husband and I both LOVED it. We might have even exclaimed several times “Oh my gosh- this is so good!” Honestly, this dish is quite simple to make, economical, and if that’s not enough, it’s incredibly delicious! I’ve made it with spaghetti noodles (as in pic above) and fettucine noodles. Any pasta will do!

This recipe makes enough for 6 small servings or 4 generous servings. Since our sons are grown and it is now just the two of us at home, we always have LEFTOVERS! Yes…this pasta dish is truly a good thing. Here’s how to make it:

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

How To Make Pasta Carbonara

Bring water in pan to a boil to cook the pasta. While the water is coming to a boil, fry the bacon in a large skillet, until crisp. Drain out the bacon grease, but leave about. 2 Tablespoons grease still in the skillet. Remove and drain the bacon strips on paper towels. When it has cooled, crumble the bacon into small pieces.

Return the skillet you cooked the bacon in back to the stove. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook over medium-low heat until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Carefully add the garlic and crumbled bacon, and continue cooking/stirring for one minute.

Time To Make The Pasta Carbonara Sauce

Now it’s time to make the pasta carbonara sauce. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, whipping cream, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes together. Now it’s time to “temper the eggs”.

IMPORTANT – “Temper” The Eggs

Because there are fresh eggs in the sauce, you will want to “temper” them. All this means is introducing hot liquid very slowly into the mixture so when you add the hot pasta to the sauce, the eggs won’t scramble. Okay? It’s EASY. Don’t freak out… here’s what you do:

Take 6 Tablespoons of the hot, starchy water from your pasta (when it is about half way cooked). SLOWLY add the water, by drizzling one Tablespoon at a time to the egg mixture, stirring continuously while adding. Repeat until all 6 Tablespoons of hot starch water have been added. This helps warm up the egg mixture and “tempers” the eggs.

Turn the heat on the skillet to low. Slowly pour the mixture back into the skillet with the bacon mixture. Stir continuously, until the egg mixture is fully blended in with the bacon mixture.

Now the pasta carbonara sauce is ready to go! The next step is to add the cooked pasta to the sauce! Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well, to fully combine the pasta and the sauce. Once everything is heated through, the pasta carbonara is ready to serve!

Serve The Pasta Carbonara

When ready to serve, place portions of the pasta carbonara onto each plate. If desired, garnish the pasta carbonara with additional bacon crumbles, parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese. This is optional, but it looks (and tastes) good. Dig in, and enjoy this hearty pasta dish! I bet you will love it!

Hope you enjoy this pasta carbonara dish, because it really tastes fantastic! Have a wonderful day, friends. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon.

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

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

Recipe Adapted From: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/05/pasta-carbonara/

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Pasta Carbonara

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Enjoy classic Pasta Carbonara, an Italian dish with pasta cooked in a creamy bacon and onion sauce, with grated Parmesan cheese. It tastes FANTASTIC!

Category: Entree, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pasta carbonara

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 557 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

6 slices thick cut bacon
1/2 medium onion , chopped finely
4 mushrooms , chopped (optional-I added them)
2 garlic cloves , minced
3 whole eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese ,or 1/2 c. fresh and 1/4 c. Kraft "green" can)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt (add more later, to taste!)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 lb. pasta fettucine, spaghetti or other pasta you enjoy

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

While water is coming to a boil for pasta, fry bacon until crisp. Drain most of the grease from skillet, but leave approx. 2 TBSP bacon grease in the skillet. Remove and drain bacon on paper towels. When cool, crumble bacon into small pieces.
Return skillet to stove. Place onions and mushrooms in skillet w/ bacon grease; cook on medium-low until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Add garlic and crumbled bacon; continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring often.
In a small bowl, beat eggs, whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes together using a whisk or fork. Because there are fresh eggs in the sauce, you need to "temper" them. This means introducing hot liquid slowly into the mixture so when you add hot pasta to the sauce, the eggs won't scramble. It's EASY. Here's how (see next step):
Cook pasta according to pkg. directions. When pasta is halfway cooked, measure out 6 Tablespoons of the starchy water. SLOWLY add this water, ONE TABLESPOON AT A TIME, drizzling it slowly into eggs while stirring continuously. Once hot starchy water has been added, the eggs are "tempered". Slowly pour egg mixture back into skillet (on Low heat) with bacon mixture, stirring continuously until egg mixture is fully incorporated.
When pasta is done cooking, drain, then add it to the sauce, stirring while adding. Cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes (do not boil) until pasta and sauce are heated through. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and bacon crumbles, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Pasta Carbonara

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

Calories 557 Calories from Fat 288

% Daily Value*

Fat 32g49%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Cholesterol 157mg52%

Sodium 673mg29%

Potassium 322mg9%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 725IU15%

Vitamin C 1.5mg2%

Calcium 188mg19%

Iron 1.4mg8%

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

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20
Feb
2014

Flour Tortillas DIY

categories: Breads, Mexican / Southwestern

118 Shares

It’s EASY to make homemade flour tortillas with only a few common ingredients, and no special equipment! Great for quesadillas, enchiladas, or tacos!Our family LOVES Mexican food! (It’s my favorite!) I am routinely cooking tacos, enchiladas or quesadillas, and we never seem to get tired of them. Today I want to show you how to make flour tortillas, because it’s fairly easy!

I’m curious by nature, and love to try and figure out how to make things myself. Because of this, my quest to find a recipe for good homemade flour tortillas began a few years back.

It’s really true that fresh flour tortillas taste better than store-bought (plus you can control what is in them)! These flour tortillas are very easy to make. Why not experiment and give them a try, because there is no fancy equipment needed?

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

Make The Dough For The Flour Tortillas

Make a simple dough for the flour tortillas by mixing flour, baking powder, shortening, salt and hot water. The photo below shows the dough, mixed and ready to knead.

The tortilla dough is then formed into 8 balls, all about the same size.

Each of the dough balls is rolled out into a tortilla shape, and then it is ready for the hot skillet, to cook.

Cook the Flour Tortillas

Cook the tortillas in a skillet, one at a time. When small bubbles appear on the surface, flip the tortilla over, to cook the other side.

This batch of tortillas was used to make shredded chicken quesadillas. My only regret (see photo below) is that I apparently cannot cut a straight line… ha ha!

It’s actually very simple to make homemade flour tortillas from scratch. I really hope you will give it a try sometime! Have a wonderful day, and please come back again soon for more yummy recipes.

Looking For More Recipes Using TORTILLAS?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few recipes that use tortillas 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 Source: http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2013/02/homemade-flour-tortillas.html

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Flour Tortillas DIY

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

17 mins

Total Time

27 mins

It's EASY to make homemade flour tortillas with only a few common ingredients, and no special equipment! Great for quesadillas, enchiladas, or tacos!

Category: Bread

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: flour tortillas

Servings: 8 tortillas

Calories Per Serving: 170 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup hot water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Whisk the flour, baking powder & salt together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until crumbly. Pour in the hot water, a little at a time with a fork, and mix until the dough comes together. (I also have made this in the food processor with the dough blade on...works well, also!)
Place dough on a lightly floured work surface, and knead a few minutes until smooth dough ball is formed (use your food processor for this, if using)
Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for approx. 45 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces; roll it with your hands; shape into a ball. Cover the dough balls with plastic wrap.
Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6-7 inch circle. Don't freak out...they do not have to be "perfect" circles... (that gives them their personality!) You can cook one tortilla while you roll out the next one, if you want.
Preheat your skillet (non-stick or cast iron-done it both ways...cast iron is my preference) on medium high heat. DO NOT ADD OIL.
Place tortilla in the hot skillet; cook till small bubbles appear on the surface before flipping the tortilla to the other side. You will end up cooking each side for about a minute (typically).
Stack and cover the cooked tortillas (with a tea towel) as you remove them from the skillet until all the tortillas are cooked.

Recipe Notes

Once done, you are ready to use them for your favorite recipe. They are even good served hot off the grill, with butter (just sayin'). These tortillas can be frozen to use later. If freezing, be sure to wrap them in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil for best storage.

Nutrition Facts

Flour Tortillas DIY

Amount Per Serving (1 tortilla)

Calories 170 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 219mg10%

Potassium 58mg2%

Carbohydrates 23g8%

Protein 3g6%

Calcium 16mg2%

Iron 1.5mg8%

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

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19
Feb
2014

Pan Seared Creole Salmon

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood

42 Shares

Make delicious, lightly seasoned, pan seared Creole salmon fillets, using only a few ingredients, and have it on the table in under 15 minutes!
If you are looking for an EASY and DELICIOUS way to prepare salmon…look no further. I debated whether even to post this Pan Seared Creole Salmon as a “recipe”, but decided to preserve it on my blog for all time. This is my “go to” way to prepare salmon fillets. Seriously- this is THE way I have prepared salmon fillets in our home for the past several years. It is so easy to prepare this delicious seafood.

One of my dearest friends (who happens to be a fantastic cook) said it was fantastic after being served this for dinner in our home recently. In the summer my husband loves to grill salmon on a cedar plank on our Weber BBQ (when it sunny and dry outside!), but this truly is how we cook salmon 9 times out of 10. We LOVE it!

I sure hope you will give it a try. Salmon is so good for you, and this recipe only takes 15 minutes, from start to finish! EASY! Here’s how to make this yummy dish:

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

How To Make Pan Seared Creole Salmon

Lightly sprinkle the creole seasoning onto one side of the salmon fillets. I used skinless fillets.

This is the seasoning I use (shown below) in case you were wondering. NO, I do not receive any compensation for this product. If you do not have access to this seasoning mix, I recommend my recipe for homemade Cajun seasoning mix. It is a great substitute, and is very easy to make!

Pan-Sear The Salmon Fillets

Heat oil on medium high heat in a large skillet. Place the salmon fillets, seasoned side down, into the hot skillet.

When half of the way done, carefully turn the salmon to the other side and continue cooking until the salmon is done. Depending on the size of the salmon used, it “usually” only takes about 8-9 minutes total to cook the fillets.

Baste Pan Seared Cajun Salmon With Melted Butter

After turning the fillets to the other side, butter is added to skillet. Let the butter melt in the skillet. Continue cooking side 2 of the salmon, and spoon the melted butter up and all over the salmon continuously while it finishes cooking. As the salmon cooks, the butter browns, and will add GREAT browned butter flavor to the salmon!

Once the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, this pan seared Creole salmon is ready to eat. See just how EASY it is to make? Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this delicious pan seared creole salmon. We LOVE it! Have a good day, and I hope you will come back soon.

Looking For More SALMON Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few salmon 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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Pan Seared Creole Salmon

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Make delicious, lightly seasoned, pan seared Creole salmon fillets, using only a few ingredients, and have it on the table in under 15 minutes!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Cajun

Keyword: pan seared Creole salmon

Servings: 2 servings

Calories Per Serving: 353 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 Skinless salmon filets (we've used salmon with skin on, it's ok, but messy to remove at serving time).
Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (I'm sure any Cajun or Creole seasoning will work)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Lightly (do not put too much seasoning on!) sprinkle the surface of ONE side of each of the salmon filets.
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is very hot (but not smoking), place the salmon in SEASONING SIDE DOWN. It should sizzle.
After 3-4 minutes (depending on thickness of filets), carefully turn salmon over; continue cooking. After 2-3 minutes (when salmon is right on the verge of being done, add the butter to the pan.
Once the butter is melted, continually spoon up the melted butter and pour over tops of salmon. Continue to "baste" the salmon with butter for a couple of minutes. Remove salmon from skillet and serve!

Nutrition Facts

Pan Seared Creole Salmon

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 353 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 108mg36%

Sodium 124mg5%

Potassium 833mg24%

Protein 33g66%

Vitamin A 245IU5%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 1.4mg8%

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

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13
Feb
2014

Italian Sausage and Spinach Quiche

categories: Breakfast, Main Dishes, Pork

311 Shares

This delicious Italian sausage spinach quiche (with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses) is a meal you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Nothing like a great piece of Italian Sausage Spinach Quiche to satisfy your hunger pangs, right? I think it’s going to be a great day! It’s a great day to make a yummy Italian Sausage Spinach Quiche!

I woke up this morning with such peace and anticipation about what God will bring into my life today. I am so grateful He has proved Himself over and over through the years to be completely worthy of my trust and whole heart. “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth”. (Psalm 121:1-2). I sure do love that Bible verse.

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

Breakfast For Dinner!

Sometimes I feel like having “breakfast” for dinner. Do you ever feel that way? Yesterday I asked my husband for his input on choices for dinner. One of the ideas I gave him was quiche, but I really didn’t think (i.e. never dreamed) he would choose this option. But he did! He constantly surprises me. Hmmm… breakfast for dinner (I know some think of quiche as a lunch entree, but for us it’s been a breakfast option). This sounded like a good plan to me.

So… in the afternoon I checked out the ol’ refrigerator to see what my options were. I also found my old “faithful, tried and true” Quiche Lorraine recipe (handwritten on a 3×5 card), that I’ve used for over 25 years, but since I didn’t have any bacon or Swiss cheese in the fridge (bummer!), I decided to experiment with my original recipe a bit and make a quiche with what I DID have!

Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention, Right?

This monumental decision was influenced by the fact that 1) I was sick, 2) I remembered my car battery had died (again…ugh) during our recent snowstorm and 3) my husband was away working on inspections for the afternoon. I knew I wasn’t going to be headed to the grocery store any time soon.

So…being the determined woman I am, I decided to make our quiche with Italian sausage, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and spinach. Sounded promising…I mean, really…how bad could THAT be? Right?

One More Mouth To Feed!

Success! It turned out to be quite delicious. Our oldest son, the same one who asked me a few weeks ago to teach him how to make quiche since he was craving it, but our schedules never came together, happened to drop by after work. He was surprised we were having quiche for dinner.

I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled to have an extra mouth to feed. Perfect! It was wonderful to have him join us. We really enjoyed the quiche, and even had seconds (yep…it WAS good)! I promised him I would put the recipe on my blog so he could make one, also! So here ya go, Michael…this one’s for YOU! Hope you enjoy it! Love, Mom.

Preparing The Italian Sausage Spinach Quiche

Cooking the Italian sausage and onion…

Spinach and garlic added to Italian sausage and onion…

Pie crust is pricked, and is ready to add the ingredients for quiche.

Ingredients added to pie crust… now for the egg filling…

Whipping cream/egg mixture is added to pie shell, and ingredients are gently mixed together. In to the oven it goes!

Hot and straight out of the oven!

Time for a delicious slice of Italian sausage spinach quiche!

Hope you enjoy this Italian sausage spinach quiche! Have a great day.

Looking For Other QUICHE Recipes?

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

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Italian Sausage and Spinach Quiche

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

This delicious Italian sausage spinach quiche (with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses) is a meal you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Italian sausage quiche

Servings: 8 servings

Calories Per Serving: 484 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 unbaked deep dish pie crust (make sure it is a deep-dish crust/pan)
2 links mild Italian sausage , sliced 1/2 " thin, then quartered (**slice while sausage is still partly frozen...makes it so much easier to slice. You can also remove sausage casing and crumble the sausage, if you prefer!)
1/3 cup onion , finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (the real stuff)
2 Tablespoons grated Kraft Parmesan cheese
1/2 box frozen chopped spinach (thawed, cooked according to pkg. and drained well)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
small pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. While oven is preheating, cook the Italian sausage and onion in a non-stick skillet, till completely cooked through. (5-10 minutes approx.). Drain grease.
In a separate saucepan, cook the spinach per pkg. instructions. Remove from heat, and drain really well to get excess moisture out. Add the cooked/drained spinach and the minced garlic to the skillet with sausage/onion mixture and mix well. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Prepare the unbaked pie shell by piercing shell with the tines of a fork - (this is to prevent the crust from creating air pockets and puffing up too much while baking)
Add cooked sausage, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, garlic, onions, and spinach to the unbaked, prepared pie crust.
In a separate bowl, whisk together whipping cream, eggs, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes, until well blended.
Pour egg mixture on top of the sausage/spinach/cheese mixture in pie crust. Gently mix ingredients together (I use a fork-be careful not to mix too hard or you will damage the crust. Just enough to blend the ingredients evenly together!)
Carefully put quiche into the preheated 425 degree oven. Don't spill it!
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes. (quiche is done when a knife comes out clean).
Remove quiche pan to a wire rack. Let it cool a bit, slice, serve... and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Italian Sausage and Spinach Quiche

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 484 Calories from Fat 396

% Daily Value*

Fat 44g68%

Saturated Fat 21g131%

Cholesterol 194mg65%

Sodium 720mg31%

Potassium 189mg5%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 1110IU22%

Vitamin C 1.6mg2%

Calcium 170mg17%

Iron 1.4mg8%

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

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12
Feb
2014

Orange Glazed Pork Roast

categories: Main Dishes, Pork

184 Shares

You’ll really enjoy this delicious Orange Glazed Pork Roast, with dry rub spices, baked until tender, coated and served with a sweet citrus glaze.
Today’s recipe is for an Orange Glazed Pork Roast I made recently for the first time. We loved the flavor the pork receives from the orange sauce… totally scrumptious!

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

Why I Decided To Try This Recipe For Orange Glazed Pork Roast

So here’s the “back story”… My husband and I shop at Costco occasionally when we feel the urge to buy a 20 pound jar of peanut butter or some other “can’t live without this” product.

This was the case recently when we decided to buy a 4 pack of pork roasts. The price was right, so even though it’s usually just the two of us here for dinner, we grabbed a package and threw it into the cart. Can you believe it? FOUR roasts for TWO people.

What On Earth Do You Make With FOUR Pork Roasts?

Then the fun of figuring out new ways to cook 4 pork roasts began for me. Hmmmm. Well, let’s see- the first one I threw in the crock pot with seasonings. This was used for shredding, for pork enchiladas. The next roast was used to make BBQ pork for sandwiches.

Now for the one I pulled out of the ol’ family freezer this morning. I’ve been sick for a week now and snowed in. Really snowed in. I needed to fix something that would taste good with food items we already had around the house. Dinner needed to be not too hard…not too fancy…but tasty. I searched online for recipes and came up with this one to try.

A Dry Rub And Orange Glaze Give This Pork Roast GREAT Flavor!

A dry rub on the pork (garlic, ginger, brown sugar, thyme, etc.) gives GREAT flavor to the roast. The real star is the the orange flavored glaze that is “brushed” onto the meat for the second half of cooking! Orange marmalade and juice in the citrus glaze is a perfect flavor addition for this orange glazed pork roast.

My husband and I totally enjoyed our dinner, and look forward to the leftovers! Hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as we did. My husband declared it “A KEEPER”! It is delicious!

Prepare The Pork Roast

A small pork roast is coated with a dry rub mix (including garlic!), then it is baked. The original recipe calls for a 4 pound roast, but I used a 2.5 pound roast, with no problem.

While the pork roast is baking, a simple orange glaze is mixed together. The glaze is simmered on the stove top while the pork bakes.

Orange Glaze Is Added To Pork During Baking Time

After the first 2 hours of baking, the glaze is brushed onto the pork roast. The glaze is brushed on, in 15 minute intervals for the rest of the baking time. The slow baking time ensures this orange glazed pork roast is tender and juicy. Who wouldn’t want that, right? As an added benefit, your kitchen will sure smell good while it bakes!

Here’s a photo of the first time the orange sauce was added to make this a true orange glazed pork roast!

Continue to glaze the pork roast with the orange sauce every 15 minutes. Think of it as adding layer upon layer of delicious orange flavor! The pork roast is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Orange Glazed Pork Roast Is Ready To Eat!

Here is the finished orange glazed pork roast! The roast is golden brown on the outside, and rests for a few minutes before being sliced.

To serve the orange glazed pork roast, place a couple thin slices of pork on plate. Spoon some of the orange glaze over the top. Once that is done, all that is left to do is dig in! I served the pork slices with mashed potatoes and garden peas on the side. It tasted so GOOD! the pork was very juicy, full of flavor, and quite tender!

I really hope you enjoy this delicious recipe for orange glazed pork roast! We sure did! Hope you have a wonderful day, full of encouragement and good things!

Looking for More PORK Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I hav lots of great pork 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

Recipe Adapted from: Cookingwithdoyle.com/index.php/orange-glazed-pork-roast

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Orange Glazed Pork Roast

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

3 hrs

Total Time

3 hrs 10 mins

You'll really enjoy this delicious Orange Glazed Pork Roast, with dry rub spices, baked until tender, coated and served with a sweet citrus glaze.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: orange glazed pork roast

Servings: 8 servings

Calories Per Serving: 358 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

4 lb. boneless pork roast

For the rub:

1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic , minced
1/4 teaspoon thyme (dried)
1/4 teaspoon ginger (dried)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the orange glaze:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup orange juice (I use fresh squeezed)
1/3 cup water
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used Dijon - original recipe calls for spicy brown)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce (I added this just because I thought it would be good.)
2 Tablespoon orange marmalade ( I added this to original recipe)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub this mixture over the entire pork roast; then place the roast in a baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 2 hours.
While roast is cooking, make the orange glaze. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar and cornstarch, then stir in the remaining glaze ingredients. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for two minutes, then remove pan from the heat. The mixture should have thickened a little bit. Set aside 1/3 of the glaze to drizzle over the meat slices when you serve them.
After the roast has cooked for the first two hours, remove it from oven. With a pastry brush, "paint" the rest of the glaze (the non-reserved) over the roast every 15 minutes for another 60-90 minutes, or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees (check in the thickest part of the meat with a meat thermometer). Once the internal temperature of the roast has reached 160 degrees, remove it from oven. Let it stand for 10 minutes before slicing (if you cut into it too soon, all those great juices will run out...be patient).
When meat has rested for 10 minutes, slice and serve, with additional glaze spooned over the slices of roast. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: I used a smaller 2 1/2 lb. roast and adapted the baking times to match, but have kept the recipe as originally written for a 4 lb. roast. I also used the glaze and rub ingredients in the amounts as originally written.

Nutrition Facts

Orange Glazed Pork Roast

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 358 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 142mg47%

Sodium 494mg21%

Potassium 919mg26%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 51g102%

Vitamin A 60IU1%

Vitamin C 15.8mg19%

Calcium 22mg2%

Iron 1.4mg8%

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

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09
Feb
2014

Fiesta Rice

categories: Meatless Meals, Mexican / Southwestern, Side Dishes

31 Shares

Fiesta Rice is a totally EASY, hearty, and delicious side dish made with white rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and lime juice.
This fiesta rice just might be one of the easiest side dishes ever created. Really. It’s almost too easy to call it a “recipe”, but yet it is! Guess what? It is DELICIOUS!

I discovered the recipe on Pinterest, and found it to be a perfect accompaniment for Taco Night! The flavors in the fiesta rice are a refreshingly nice change from my recipe for Spanish Rice that I have made and served over the years.

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

Fiesta Rice Is So Easy To Make

Basically to make fiesta rice, all you will need to do is cook rice, and then add the remaining ingredients and mix them all together. That’s it!

This rice is so good, I suppose you COULD just eat it right out of the bowl before it gets to the table. Not that I would ever do such a despicable thing (*cough, cough). Didn’t take photos other than the finished product, because, honestly, it’s SO EASY!

Fiesta rice is a great side dish, and it’s super easy if you already have leftover cooked rice to use. This would be delicious paired with chicken, pork, shrimp.

You could also morph it into a yummy burrito bowl, and add some barbacoa shredded beef, etc.! Hope you enjoy it!

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Recipe Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/04/fiesta-lime-rice.html

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Fiesta Rice

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Fiesta Rice is a totally EASY, hearty, and delicious side dish made with white rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro and lime juice.

Category: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: fiesta rice

Servings: 6 servings

Calories Per Serving: 295 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked , long-grain rice
1 can black beans-rinsed and heated
1 cup corn (canned or frozen), heated
1 large tomato , diced
1 large scallion , finely diced
2-4 Tablespoons chopped cilantro (I used 4)
1 heaping Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (I added an extra Tablespoon)
Salt (to taste)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the rice.
In a large serving bowl, mix the hot rice with the remaining ingredients (salt to taste).
Toss and Serve.
The End. Wasn't that EASY? Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Fiesta Rice

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 295 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 5mg0%

Potassium 437mg12%

Carbohydrates 61g20%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 330IU7%

Vitamin C 6.4mg8%

Calcium 35mg4%

Iron 2.1mg12%

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

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Fiesta Rice Is So Easy To Make

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

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

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

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

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

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

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