Oct
2018

Tortellini Bacon & Peas Skillet

categories: Bacon, Italian, Main Dishes, Pork
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Tortellini Bacon & Peas Skillet is a simple, quick dish to make in about 20 minutes! Seasoned with onions, Italian spices and Parmesan, it’s a delicious meal!
Tortellini Bacon & Peas Skillet is a simple, quick dish to make in about 20 minutes! Seasoned with onions, Italian spices and Parmesan, it's a delicious meal!

Ever have those days when you need to cook dinner, but are out of ideas?  Believe it or not, I sure do!  This recipe for Tortellini, Bacon & Peas Skillet came about as a result of wracking my brain to come up with a dinner plan recently.

I raided my pantry and found dried tortellini pasta.  Next, I raided my refrigerator and came up with bacon and and onion.  An idea started forming in my head… hmmm. Then I found a bag of frozen petite peas, and BAM… I knew what I would cook for our dinner, and created this dish!

The recipe is very simple to make in only a few steps. It only took about 20 minutes from my pillaging in the kitchen, until we were eating this delicious meal! Not too bad for a quick and delicious weeknight meal, if I do say so myself!

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

Here’s How To Prepare The Tortellini, Bacon & Peas Skillet

One of the ingredients in this dish is cooked and crumbled bacon. The first thing I did was to cook the bacon. I cooked the onion along with the bacon. The easiest way I have found to cook bacon quickly is to stack bacon slices, then thinly slice them into small pieces.

NOTE: Use a large skillet to cook bacon and onion. The tortellini will be added to the skillet later, so it needs to big enough to hold it all!  Once the small bacon strips (and chopped onion) are added to the skillet, they will cook very quickly, with minimal stirring!

Slicing the bacon up thin to cook, in order to add to tortellini dish.

Once the bacon (and chopped onions) are finished cooking, remove them from skillet with a slotted spoon. Place the bacon mixture on a paper towel, to finish draining. Set bacon aside. IMPORTANT: Keep the bacon drippings in the skillet (do not discard). It will be used when the dish is put together and will add additional amazing flavor to the tortellini!

Bacon is cooked until crumbly and drained before adding it to tortellini.

Which Kind Of Tortellini Should I Use?

I used dried cheese tortellini for this recipe.  However… you can easily substitute refrigerated cheese tortellini found in the deli section at most grocery stores, if that is more convenient for you!

Cook cheese tortellini in salted, boiling water, according to package directions. The great thing is that you could, in theory, cook the tortellini ahead of time. That way, if pressed for time to get dinner on the table, it will take even less time to throw this meal together later!

If using dried tortellini, you will need 1½ cups dry tortellini to cook. However, if you will be using refrigerated tortellini, you will need a total of 3 cups cheese tortellini.

Tortellini boiling in water, for tortellini bacon & peas skillet.

When done cooking, drain the tortellini.

Cheese tortellini is cooked then drained before adding it to skillet.

To Assemble Tortellini Bacon & Peas Skillet

Pour a teaspoon of olive oil into pan that has the reserved bacon drippings in it. Turn heat to medium. Once oil/bacon drippings are hot, add the cooked and drained tortellini. Add cooked crumbled bacon/onion mixture, thawed peas (thawed frozen peas won’t be as mushy as canned peas), salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.

Stir to combine, and cook on medium heat until mixture is heated through. Taste test a small bite. If necessary, add more salt/pepper, to suit your personal taste.

To Serve:

Once heated thoroughly, remove pan from heat. Add grated Parmesan cheese (optional, but GOOD) to top of dish, and serve hot!

All ingredients are added to the tortellini in skillet before topping with Parmesan cheese.

That’s it!  I really hope you enjoy this quick, satisfying (and quite tasty) Tortellini, Bacon & Peas Skillet! We sure did. Hope you have a wonderful day, and thank you for stopping by. Come back soon!

Looking For More TORTELLINI Dishes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

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

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Tortellini Bacon & Peas Skillet
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Tortellini Bacon & Peas Skillet is a simple, quick dish to make in about 20 minutes! Seasoned with onions, Italian spices and Parmesan, it's a delicious meal!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: tortellini
Servings: 3 servings (approx 1 cup each)
Calories Per Serving: 640 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces dry tortellini pasta (can sub. 3 cups fresh tortellini)
  • 3 slices bacon , drippings reserved after cooking
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas , thawed
  • 1/4 cup onions , chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon (each) salt and pepper , plus more, to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese , for garnish (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Use a large skillet to cook bacon and onion. The tortellini will be added to the skillet later, so it needs to big enough to hold it all! Once the bacon (and chopped onions) are finished cooking, remove them from skillet with a slotted spoon. Place the bacon mixture on a paper towel, to finish draining. Crumble. Set bacon aside. IMPORTANT: Keep the bacon drippings in the pan (do not discard). It will be used when the dish is put together and will add additional amazing flavor to the tortellini!

  2. Cook cheese tortellini in salted, boiling water, according to package directions. When done cooking, drain the tortellini.

  3. Pour a teaspoon of olive oil into the skillet with reserved bacon drippings in it. Turn heat to medium. Once oil/bacon drippings are hot, add the cooked, drained tortellini. Add cooked bacon/onion mixture, thawed peas, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine, and cook on medium heat until mixture is heated through. Taste test a small bite. If necessary, add more salt/pepper, to suit your taste.

  4. Once heated thoroughly, remove pan from heat. Add grated Parmesan cheese on top to garnish dish (optional, but GOOD), and serve hot! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Tortellini Bacon & Peas Skillet
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total))
Calories 640 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 88mg29%
Sodium 1211mg53%
Potassium 121mg3%
Carbohydrates 70g23%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 21g42%
Vitamin A 415IU8%
Vitamin C 10.6mg13%
Calcium 211mg21%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Tortellini Bacon & Peas Skillet is a simple, quick dish to make in about 20 minutes! Seasoned with onions, Italian spices and Parmesan, it's a delicious meal!


Oct
2018

How To Can Pears

categories: Canning And Preserving
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Preserve summer’s fruit bounty for long term storage in the pantry by learning how to can pears (fresh and ripe) using a water bath canner!
Preserve summer's fruit bounty for long term storage in the pantry by learning how to can pears (fresh and ripe) using a water bath canner!

Do you know how to can pears?  It’s a great skill to learn, especially when you find yourself with a wonderful surplus of delicious home grown pears! Canning pears is a very economical way to stock up the pantry with jars of delicious ripe summer fruit, to enjoy year round!

Some of our neighbors recently blessed us with some fresh picked Anjou pears from their backyard pear tree. Wow. Free pears! Aren’t they gorgeous? I received twice as many as shown in this photo, and made several spinach pear salads, dehydrated some pear slices, and canned several jars of pears for our pantry!

Fresh picked Anjou pears, ready to be canned for long term storage!

Several years ago, another friend blessed us with lots of Asian pears (much crisper than a traditional pear, like an apple), from their yard.  I used this same processing method to can those pears, as well.

Fresh Asian pears, ready to be canned for long term storage.

Asian Pears have been canned and are ready for the pantry!

In order to learn how to can pears, you will need to have a piece of equipment called a water bath canner, which is a very large covered pot, with an elevated rack inside to hold jars off the bottom of the pot. You will also need canning jars, with flat lids and screw bands.

You can purchase water bath canners, jars and lids online. Some grocery stores and department stores sell them, as well.

How To Can Pears

Prepare the pears by peeling. Cut the pears in half and remove the core. I like to use a small melon baller scoop to remove the core.

Pears are peeled and core is removed before canning.

Treat the pears with a product like Fruit Fresh to prevent browning. I use another option, typically, because I tend to not have any Fruit Fresh laying around.  I use this option on apples, as well.

Another Option To Prevent Pears From Browning

Another option (my preferred method) is to place the cored, halved pears into a large bowl of water and lots of salt (that has dissolved). I put about 1/4 cup salt into the water, and let it dissolve.

Once finished peeling and coring pears, add them to the water. This salty water bath will keep them from browning too much. When ready to place in jars, drain water and rinse pears very well, to remove salt. You won’t taste the salt, honest! If canning pear halves, they will look like the photo below before rinsing.

Pears are treated before canning to ensure they stay light in color.

Make A Light Syrup For The Pears

A light canning syrup is made with granulated sugar and water which is brought to a boil in a large pot, to dissolve the sugar. Once pears (halves or slices) have been completely rinsed free of salt, they are placed into the warm syrup (single layer at a time) and heated through on low heat (about 5 minutes). The pears will need to be done in batches.

The photos below show both pear halves and pear slices in the light syrup (made with sugar and water). Preserving pears in a very light syrup helps preserve the fresh fruit flavor through the canning process, and long term storage.

Pear halves are heated in a light syrup before canning.

Peach slices are heated in light syrup before canning.

Prepping Jars, Lids, Etc.

While the pears are being prepped, you will also want to be simmering the canning jars in water on a rack in the canner to get them prepared for the hot fruit. This is to prevent the jars from cracking once the hot fruit is added to them. You will also need to prepare the jar flat lids and screw bands according to package instructions.

Glass jars are heating in water bath canner before pears are added to hot jars.

Filling The Jars

Remove hot jars from canner. Drain. Ladle the pear halves or slices into hot jars. Using a canning funnel will help this step to be less messy! If using pear halves, layer them cavity side down into the jar, overlapping layers. If canning pear slices, pack them into jars. Leave about 1/2 an inch or so from the top of the jar.

Ladle the hot syrup into each jar. Using a canning funnel will again help this be less messy! The pears will need to be covered with syrup. Make sure to leave 1/2 inch headspace in each jar.

Pear slices are added to jars, along with light syrup.

Use a plastic utensil and slide it down into sides of each jar a couple times to remove trapped air bubbles. If necessary, add or remove syrup, to ensure a 1/2 inch headspace.

Air bubbles are removed from can of pears by inserting plastic utensil into jar.

Wipe the rims of each jar with a wet cloth (or paper towel) to make sure there is no syrup of food residue on jar rim. This is done to ensure a good seal. Place a hot flat lid on top, then screw on the screw band (jar ring) to fingertip tightness.

How To Can Pears

Carefully place the jars in a upright position on the rack in the water in canner. Jars should be completely covered with water (by at least an inch over top of jars). Put lid on canner. Bring the water in canner to a gentle boil.

Jars of pears with lids are placed onto elevated rack in simmering water in canner.

How Long Do I Process The Jars In The Canner?

Process pint jars for 20 minutes AFTER it reaches a boil. Process quart jars for 25 minutes AFTER water comes to a gentle boil.

Learning how to can pears involves learning how to use a water bath canner to process jars.

Once the processing time is done, turn off heat. Remove the canner lid.  Wait for 5 minutes, then carefully (with canning tongs) remove the jars to a dish towel on the counter. TIP: Do not place boiling hot jars directly on kitchen counter, as temperature variations on surface could cause hot jars to crack.

Once Done With The Canning Process

You should hear the jars make a “pinging” sound as they seal. Let the jars cool completely (8-10 hours), then check to ensure they have properly sealed. To check, press lightly in the center of each lid. There should be NO resistance.

If jars sealed properly, wipe the outside of jars (in case any sticky syrup leaked out during processing), label jars, and store in pantry. Normal canning guidelines suggest you remove the screw bands from the jars before storing in pantry. Do not stack jars on top of each other. If any jars do not seal properly, refrigerate, and eat within a few days. Canned pears will last a year or longer in the pantry, if properly sealed and processed.

After processing, jars of canned pears cool on dish towel before labeling and storing.

I hope you will consider learning how to can pears with this easy recipe. It’s wonderful to have jars of this delicious fruit in the pantry year round!

Looking For Other Canning Recipes?

If you enjoy preserving food in this way, you might also be interested in some of my other canning recipes for Apple Butter, Bread and Butter Pickles, Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce, Cilantro Lime Enchilada Sauce, or Sliced Peaches.

There are a a lot of canning recipes for jam listed in my Recipe Index (shown in the menu toolbar at the top of each blog post), including Boysenberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, Bing Cherry, Peach, Raspberry, Blueberry, Orange Marmalade, and more! Hope you will check them out!

Have a GREAT day! May you find beauty all around you today. Sometimes you may have to look a bit harder to find it… but it’s out there!

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signature

Original Recipe Source: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, published by Jarden Corporation, copyright 2006 and 2012. Pages 142, 145.

5 from 1 vote
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How To Can Pears
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
Preserve summer's fruit bounty for long term storage in the pantry by learning how to can pears (fresh and ripe) using a water bath canner!
Category: Canning and Preserving
Cuisine: American
Keyword: can pears
Servings: 8 pint jars (or 4 quart jars)
Calories Per Serving: 379 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 8-12 pounds ripe, but firm pears
For Light Syrup
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • 5½ cups water
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Prepare water bath canner according to manufacturer instructions. You will need enough simmering water in canner to completely cover jars once placed on rack.

  2. You will also want to simmer the canning jars in water on rack in canner to prepare them for adding hot fruit. This will prevent jars from cracking once hot fruit is added. You also need to prepare the jar flat lids and screwbands according to package instructions.

Make Light Syrup:

  1. Bring granulated sugar and water to a boil on medium high heat until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to LOW, and keep syrup warm until ready to use. Do NOT let the syrup boil down.

Prepare Pears:

  1. Peel, core, and half or slice pears.  Treat with Fruit Fresh OR place in large bowl with 1/4 cup salt dissolved in 6 cups water. If using salt/water method, keep pears submerged until ready to drain, rinse and pack jars.

  2. Once pears (halves or slices) have been rinsed free of salt, place them into syrup mixture (single layer at a time). Heat pears through (about 5 minutes). This will need to be done in batches.

To Can Pears:

  1. Remove hot jars from canner. Drain. Ladle pears into hot jars, through a canning funnel. If using pear halves, layer them cavity side down into the jar, overlapping layers. If canning pear slices, pack them into jars. Leave about 1/2 an inch or so from the top of the jar. Ladle hot syrup into each jar. Using a canning funnel will help this be less messy! The pears need to be covered with syrup. Make sure to leave 1/2 inch headspace in each jar. Use a plastic utensil and slide it down into sides of each jar a couple times to remove trapped air bubbles. If necessary, add or remove syrup, to ensure a 1/2 inch headspace.

  2. Wipe the rims of each jar with a wet cloth (or paper towel) to make sure there is no syrup of food residue on jar rim. This is done to ensure a good seal. Place a hot flat lid on top, then screw on the screwband (jar ring) to fingertip tightness.  Carefully place the jars in a upright position on the rack in the water in canner. Jars should be completely covered with water (by at least an inch over top of jars). Put lid on canner. 

  3. Bring the water in canner to a boil. AFTER water reaches a gentle boil, process pint jars for 20 minutes. Process quart jars for 25 minutes. Once processing time is done, turn off heat. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then carefully (with canning tongs) remove hot jars to a dish towel. TIP: Do not place boiling hot jars directly on kitchen counter, as temperature variations could cause jars to crack.

  4. You will hear the jars make a "pinging" sound as they seal. Let jars cool completely (8-10 hrs.), then check to ensure they have properly sealed. To check, press lightly in the center of each lid. There should be NO resistance. Wipe the outside of jars, label, and store in pantry. Remove screw bands from jars before storing in pantry. Do not stack jars on top of each other (this can cause lid to unseal). If any jars did not seal properly, refrigerate pears, and eat within a few days. Canned pears will last a year or longer in the pantry, if properly sealed.

Nutrition Facts
How To Can Pears
Amount Per Serving (1 pint jar of pears)
Calories 379
% Daily Value*
Sodium 4mg0%
Potassium 526mg15%
Carbohydrates 100g33%
Fiber 14g58%
Sugar 75g83%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 115IU2%
Vitamin C 19.5mg24%
Calcium 41mg4%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Preserve summer's fruit bounty for long term storage in the pantry by learning how to can pears (fresh and ripe) using a water bath canner!

 


Oct
2018

Lemon Herb Couscous Salad

categories: Lunch - Quick and Easy, Salads
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Lemon Herb Couscous Salad, with cucumbers, raisins, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, fresh herbs, tossed in a light lemon dressing is an easy to make, tasty side dish!
Lemon Herb Couscous Salad, w/ cucumbers, raisins, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, fresh herbs, tossed in a light lemon dressing is an easy, tasty side dish!

I found this recipe for Lemon Herb Couscous Salad online a while ago, and on a whim, decided to make it!  Whoa! This recipe uses Israeli Couscous (also called Pearl Couscous). It is different in shape and texture from traditional couscous. You can read about the differences here.

My husband and I loved this easy to prepare salad. We had it with dinner, then enjoyed the leftovers for days afterwards (recipe serves 8). We would both sneak into the refrigerator and grab a few bites for lunch or a quick snack. It’s SO GOOD!

The flavors in the lemon herb couscous salad seem to get better day by day, as the fresh herbs mingle. That’s great news, because this salad will keep for several days in the refrigerator, if covered well.

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

How To Make Lemon Herb Couscous Salad

One of the things I find helpful is to prep the veggies and pecans before beginning. Once the veggies (English cucumber, tomatoes and fresh herbs) are chopped and diced, the recipe is easy peasy!

Vegetables are chopped and cut, ready to make lemon herb couscous salad.

How To Toast The Pecans Or Walnuts For This Salad

The pecans (or walnuts, if using) are very easy to “toast” before adding to the lemon herb couscous salad. Simply place chopped nuts into a dry skillet.

Cook the pecans on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they become fragrant. This will take about 5-6 minutes. If you want to save time, you can cook the nuts while the couscous is cooking.

Pecans are lightly toasted in skillet before adding to lemon herb couscous salad.

Pearl couscous (also known as Israeli couscous) is used in this recipe.  To cook it, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add couscous; and then continue to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Couscous is cooked in water in pan for lemon herb couscous salad.

Make The Salad Dressing

While the couscous is cooking, make the lemon dressing. Whisk the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.

The salad dressing contains olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, honey, salt and pepper. It is simple to make in about a minute, and has a very light, fresh taste!

The salad dressing is mixed together for lemon herb couscous salad.

Dress The Lemon Herb Couscous Salad

Once the couscous is finished cooking, drain it in a strainer. Immediately pour the warm couscous into a serving bowl, and pour the lemon salad dressing onto couscous.

The lemon herb couscous salad will absorb more of the salad dressing if combined while still warm. Stir, to fully combine the ingredients.

After pearl couscous is cooked, it is drained before adding to lemon herb salad.

Lemon herb salad dressing is poured over warm cooked couscous.

Put The Rest Of The Lemon Herb Couscous Salad Together

Once you have added the salad dressing, and mixed it in, it is time to add the other ingredients. Add diced tomatoes and English cucumber to bowl. Also add the toasted pecans, dried cranberries, raisins, and fresh chopped herbs.

The recipe for this lemon herb couscous salad calls for 1/2 cup of fresh chopped herbs. I used flat leaf parsley, basil (3-4 leaves), dill (2 Tablespoons) and 4 mint leaves.

You can use any combination of fresh herbs that you prefer, adding up to 1/2 cup total.

All ingredients have been added to lemon herb couscous salad. Time to mix it all together!

Once the lemon herb couscous salad is mixed together, it is ready to serve!  I transferred the salad to a pretty bowl, and garnished it with a sprig of fresh dill.

Is This Salad Eaten Hot Or Cold?

This lemon herb couscous salad can be eaten warm OR cold! The first night we ate it at room temperature with our dinner. Excellent!

I refrigerated the leftovers and we ate it cold for lunch the next day! Guess what?  It tastes GREAT both ways… warm or cold! 

The leftovers last for a few days, if refrigerated, and the flavors get even better with time!

Close up photo of lemon herb couscous salad in white bowl.

Lemon herb couscous salad in white bowl, with fresh dill garnish on top.

Time To EAT!

My husband and I absolutely LOVED this lemon herb couscous salad!  We had it as a side dish to accompany our dinner of Pan-Seared Creole Salmon and garlic bread. It was fantastic!

The salad is full of flavor, with chewy raisins. dried cranberries, and crunch from the English cucumber and toasted pecans.  Plus, the herb combination really makes this salad shine!

Lemon herb couscous salad is served with Creole salmon and garlic bread.

I hope you will consider making this Lemon Herb Couscous Salad for yourself! We really enjoyed it very much! If you enjoy it, too, be sure to check out my recipe for Cranberry Orange Israeli Couscous and Asian-Inspired Couscous. They are so good!

Have a wonderful day. May it be full of hope, joy, encouragement and blessings!

Interested In More Side Salad Recipes?

Be sure to check out my Recipe Index at the top of each page, to find ALL my recipes and more salad dishes like this one. The list includes recipes for Southwest Quinoa Salad, Tuna Pasta Salad, Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad, 4-Bean Salad, and Broccoli Salad, to name a few!

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

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

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

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Author's signature

Original Recipe Source: Adam and Joanne Gallagher at  https://www.inspiredtaste.net/12689/lemon-and-herb-couscous-salad-recipe/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
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Lemon Herb Couscous Salad
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Lemon Herb Couscous Salad, w/ cucumbers, raisins, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, fresh herbs, tossed in a light lemon dressing is an easy, tasty side dish!
Category: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon herb couscous salad
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 219 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Salad Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 4 Tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Salad:
  • 1½ cups dried Israeli Couscous (also called Pearl Couscous)
  • 1 medium English cucumber , diced
  • 1 large tomato , diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, mint, basil) , combined to make 1/2 cup total)
  • 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans (or walnuts)
  • 1/8 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/8 cup raisins
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Dice cucumber, tomato, and herbs, Toast chopped pecans by placing them into a dry skillet. Cook pecans on medium heat, stirring, until they become fragrant. This takes 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat when done (to save time, you can toast pecans while couscous is cooking).

  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add couscous; continue to cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. While couscous is cooking, make the lemon dressing.

  3. Make salad dressing by whisking olive oil, Dijon, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, and honey in a medium sized bowl.

  4. Once couscous has finished cooking, drain it (but do not rinse). Immediately pour warm couscous into a serving bowl. Pour salad dressing onto couscous. (the salad will absorb more of the salad dressing if combined while warm). Stir to fully combine.

  5. Add diced tomatoes, cucumber, toasted pecans, cranberries, raisins and chopped herbs to salad. NOTE: The recipe for this lemon herb couscous salad calls for 1/2 cup total of fresh chopped herbs. I used flat leaf parsley, basil (3-4 leaves), dill (2 Tablespoons) and 4 mint leaves. You can use any combination of fresh herbs that you prefer, adding up to 1/2 cup total. 

    Once the lemon herb couscous salad is mixed together, it is ready to serve!  Garnish salad, if desired, sprig of fresh dill or parsley. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Herb Couscous Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 (1 cup serving))
Calories 219 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 158mg7%
Potassium 121mg3%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 345IU7%
Vitamin C 8.8mg11%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Lemon Herb Couscous Salad, w/ cucumbers, raisins, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, fresh herbs, tossed in a light lemon dressing is an easy, tasty side dish!


Oct
2018

Fruit Smoothie Popsicles

categories: Breakfast, Desserts, Ice Cream/Frozen Treats
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It’s EASY and ECONOMICAL to make yummy homemade fruit smoothie popsicles! Enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie, popsicle style! You and your kids will love ’em!
It's EASY and ECONOMICAL to make yummy homemade fruit smoothie popsicles! Enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie, popsicle style! You and your kids will love 'em!

Summer was a hot one, here in good ol’ Oregon. We had less rain than usual, and many days were above 90 degrees.  One of the things we enjoyed having in our freezer were fruit smoothie popsicles! Best part? These are not summer only treats…you can make them ANY time of year!

I tend to drink a lot of fresh fruit smoothies in the summer, so it was only natural that I started making popsicles out of them. The beauty of making fruit smoothie popsicles is that you can tailor make them to your own preferences! How great is that?

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

What Ingredients Are Used To Make Fruit Smoothie Popsicles?

The ingredients were quite simple… fresh fruit, milk (of choice – I used coconut milk for this batch), and Greek vanilla yogurt. The best part is that you can make YOUR favorite smoothie, any flavor, into a popsicle!

For this recipe for fruit smoothie popsicles I used bananas, and blueberries and strawberries! I even was able to use homegrown blueberries and strawberries from our garden in the backyard!

Ingredients for fruit smoothie popsicles (strawberries, banana, blueberries, coconut milk, Greek vanilla yogurt)

Several years ago I paid around $8 for these “GROOVY” pop molds, and I have gotten so much use out of them! They make popsicle creating so easy (and NO, I don’t receive compensation from them, just thought I’d show what I used to make these fruit smoothie popsicles!).

Popsicle molds used to make fruit smoothie popsicles.

Making fruit smoothie popsicles could NOT be any easier!  You simply add the ingredients (again… YOUR choice) to a blender, just like making your smoothie normally.  Blend together for a couple minutes until mixture is smooth.

Once fully blended, pour the liquid into your popsicle molds. Make sure the plastic popsicle holders are securely standing in the base unit to secure them.  Fill the popsicle molds about 3/4 of the way full.

What If I Don’t Own A Popsicle Mold To Make Fruit Smoothie Popsicles?

If you do not own a popsicle mold, you can also make the fruit smoothie popsicles this way. Pour the smoothie mixture 3/4 of the way into a small paper dixie cup. Place in freezer on baking sheet. After the smoothie has partly frozen (thickened up), insert a popsicle or wood craft stick into the cup.  Freeze popsicles overnight, then simply tear off the paper cup to reveal the popsicle.

Fruit smoothie is made with ingredients blended in blender.

Fruit smoothie is poured into popsicle molds.

Here you can see the holder that securely anchors the popsicle molds for filling.  Once molds are filled, snap on and firmly secure the lids (with handles) onto tops of containers.

Popsicle molds are filled with fruit smoothie mix.

Fruit Smoothie popsicles, with lids on, ready to freeze!

Freeze smoothies overnight, and BOOM!  You’ve just made fruit smoothie popsicles!  See how easy that was? When you are ready to enjoy one, simply hold the popsicle mold under some running warm water to loosen popsicle from sides of the container, then carefully slip popsicle out… and ENJOY!

If you used the “paper cup” method (mentioned above), simply tear off the paper cup, and enjoy your fruit smoothie popsicles! Now you have a fruit-filled and protein-enhanced (Greek yogurt) “snack” for the kids after school, or an after dinner creamy frozen fruit smoothie popsicle for YOU!

Frozen fruit smoothie popsicle, ready to eat!

Using Other Smoothie Recipes To Make Popsicles

There are so many choices of flavors for fruit smoothies, including Orange Julius, PeachBerry, Triple Berry Banana, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Blueberry Kale, Strawberry, etc. Have fun making your very own flavor combinations for fruit smoothie popsicles!

thanks for stopping by. Be sure to check out ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, 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 (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

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Fruit Smoothie Popsicles
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Freezing Time (inactive)
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 5 mins
 
It's EASY and ECONOMICAL to make yummy homemade fruit smoothie popsicles! Enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie, popsicle style! You and your kids will love 'em!
Category: Frozen, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fruit smoothie popsicles
Servings: 6 popsicles
Calories Per Serving: 59 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup coconut milk (dairy) , or milk of choice
  • 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
  • 1 large banana
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 8-10 strawberries
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until ingredients become smooth, approximately 2-3 minutes.

  2. Pour smoothie into popsicle molds, securely attached to holder/stand. Fill each container about 3/4 of the way full.  Cover with lid securely, then move entire holder with popsicle molds (vertically standing) to freezer. Freeze overnight, of for 6-8 hours.

  3. When ready to serve, hold a popsicle mold (still sealed) under warm running water, turning, until it has loosened from sides, and can easily slip out of the plastic mold.  Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

No plastic popsicle molds? You can make these popsicles using small paper dixie cups. Pour smoothie into paper cups, place cups on baking sheet, and let firm up a bit in the freezer. Insert a wooden popsicle or craft stick into cup, and let the popsicles finish freezing overnight.

Nutrition Facts
Fruit Smoothie Popsicles
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 59 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 6mg0%
Potassium 132mg4%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 15IU0%
Vitamin C 12.5mg15%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's EASY and ECONOMICAL to make yummy homemade fruit smoothie popsicles! Enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie, popsicle style! You and your kids will love 'em!


Sep
2018

Spicy Roasted Garbanzos

categories: Appetizers
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Looking for an easy, healthy, crunchy snack? You’ve got to try these spicy roasted garbanzos (chickpeas)! They’re a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy!
Looking for an easy, healthy, crunchy snack? You've got to try these spicy roasted garbanzos (chickpeas)! They're a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy!

I found the recipe for these spicy roasted garbanzos online, and thought it sounded quite interesting!  Garbanzo beans are also highly nutritious and filling.  I had all the ingredients, so quickly whipped up a batch (easy peasy)!

Garbanzo beans are lightly tossed with olive oil, then roasted. Once they are crunchy, and hot straight from the oven, they are tossed in a dry spice mix that is only a bit spicy and a bit sweet, to cover. The best part? The taste and the fact it is a fairly low calorie, nutritious snack!

Spicy roasted garbanzos (chickpeas) are BEST when eaten right after roasting… they tend to lose a bit of the crunch factor after sitting for awhile. I like to think of them as an alternative to hot popcorn, except without all the carbs and butter! Popcorn is always best right after popping, too!

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

How Do I Make Spicy Roasted Garbanzos?

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.  While your oven is preheating, open, drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas). Pat the garbanzos dry. I used a dish towel to remove most of the moisture.

Once garbanzos are dry, place them on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with a Tablespoon of olive oil, then gently toss, to coat. Spread the garbanzos out on the baking sheet, then bake in preheated 450 degree oven for approximately 15-20 minutes. When done, they should be crunchy on the outside and golden brown in color.

While the garbanzos are roasting, mix together the spices in a small bowl or cup.

When the garbanzos were done roasting, I placed them in a small bowl while they were still hot. The spice mix was then sprinkled over the hot garbanzos, and they were tossed together until the roasted garbanzos were covered with spice mix.

Time To Enjoy Some Spicy Roasted Garbanzos!

Serve the spicy roasted garbanzos hot and fresh! You can snack on them just like popcorn! A single serving (approximately 1/2 cup) has under 150 calories! Remember- this healthy snack is at it’s very crunchy BEST when served hot and fresh!

The spicy roasted garbanzos are a wonderful snack! They are only a little bit spicy, and you do taste a little bit of the sweetness from the small amount of brown sugar! They taste so good, it’s a safe bet to say that it will be hard for you to stay out of them!

Hope you enjoy these spicy roasted garbanzos!  I can hardly wait to make some more to snack on. You might also enjoy a few other of my snack recipes for Tex Mex Party Nuts, Coconut Candied Cashews or Candied Orange, Cinnamon Clove Spiced Pecans!

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon. Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Have a FANTASTIC 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 (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Recipe Source: Larisha, at https://wereparents.com/bbq-roasted-chickpeas-recipe/

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Spicy Roasted Garbanzos
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Looking for an easy, healthy, crunchy snack? You've got to try these spicy roasted garbanzos (chickpeas)! They're a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy!
Category: Appetizer/Snack
Cuisine: Southwest
Keyword: spicy roasted garbanzos
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 132 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 15.5 ounces garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
For Spice Mix:
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.  While your oven is preheating, open, drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas). Pat the garbanzos dry. 

  2. Once garbanzos are dry, place them on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with a Tablespoon of olive oil, then gently toss, to coat. Spread them out on the baking sheet, then bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes. When done, they should be crunchy on the outside and golden brown in color.

  3. While the garbanzos are roasting, mix together the spices in a small bowl or cup. When garbanzos are done roasting, place them in a small bowl while hot. Sprinkle spice mix over hot garbanzos, and gently toss until roasted garbanzos are covered with spice mix.

Nutrition Facts
Spicy Roasted Garbanzos
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 cup serving))
Calories 132 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Sodium 308mg13%
Potassium 158mg5%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 4g17%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 175IU4%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Looking for an easy, healthy, crunchy snack? You've got to try these spicy roasted garbanzos (chickpeas)! They're a little bit sweet, and a little bit spicy!


Sep
2018

Citrus Marinated Swordfish Kabobs

categories: For The BBQ Grill, Main Dishes, Seafood
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Citrus Marinated Swordfish Kabobs, with onions and red and green bell peppers are quick and easy to prepare, and can be grilled on a BBQ outside, or inside on a griddle.Citrus Marinated Swordfish Kabobs, with onions and red and green bell peppers are quick and easy to prepare, and can be grilled on a BBQ or an inside griddle.

My husband bought a small swordfish steak. ONE. There are two of us. Go figure! Swordfish can be a bit expensive (one 7 ounce piece of swordfish cost just under $10), so I needed to figure out something to do with just one piece of fish (cause I sure wasn’t going back to the store for another).

Then it came to me… kabobs! By cutting it into smaller pieces and adding vegetable chunks, there would be plenty for BOTH of us! Aha!

I have used swordfish before, including in my recipe for Swordfish in Lemon Garlic Sauce, but I wanted to try something different. I recently had made a citrus Dijon salad dressing for a mixed green salad. It was so good I decided it would be a PERFECT sauce to make with swordfish kabobs, so I decided to go for it!

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

How To Make Citrus Marinated Swordfish Kabobs

Cut the swordfish steak into 16 bite sized cubes (4 used per skewer).

Swordfish steak cut into cubes for kabobs.

Cut the red and green bell peppers and the red onion into approximate 2″ pieces (about the same size as the swordfish cubes).

Purple onion, red and green bell peppers are cut for kabobs

Threading The Kabobs

Thread the swordfish and vegetable pieces onto skewers, alternating vegetables and fish.  If you are grilling indoors on flat surface / griddle, there is no need to treat skewers.

NOTE: If grilling the citrus marinated swordfish kabobs outside using wood skewers, you will need to soak the wooden skewers for 30 minutes fully submerged in water. Do this step prior to adding the fish and veggies, to prevent burning the skewers up, once over an open flame.

Swordfish and vegetables are threaded onto skewers for kabobs.

Mix together the ingredients for the citrus marinade. Brush sauce onto the kabobs, covering both swordfish and veggies. Turn kabobs to brush both sides with sauce.

Let the kabobs “marinate” in the sauce for a bit, while you get your outside BBQ started, or heat up your griddle.

Swordfish kabobs are brushed with citrus sauce before grilling

Cooking The Kabobs

Heat the griddle (or outside BBQ) with a tiny bit of oil on medium high heat.  Once the grill is hot, add the kabobs. You should hear them sizzle when they hit the hot grill.

Citrus marinated swordfish kabobs are cooked on griddle.

Cook for several minutes, then rotate kabobs to other side. Continue cooking (turning to cook all sides), and basting with additional sauce, until swordfish is seared on the outside, and cooked through (6-8 minutes).

TIP: If a piece of the fish isn’t fully touching the griddle, simply use a fork to lightly press it down, to ensure a crisp seared exterior. Sometimes the chunks of veggies prevent a few pieces of swordfish from being seared on outside; this is the best way I’ve found to solve that issue.

Swordfish kabobs are turned as they cook on griddle.

Pressing down on kabobs with fork to ensure all sides brown.

Time To EAT!

Once citrus marinated swordfish kabobs are fully cooked through, carefully remove them from the grill, and serve while they are hot!

Each serving is two skewers of swordfish and veggies! I served them with steamed broccoli, yellow squash and carrots, and rice on the side. YUM.

Two citrus marinated swordfish kabobs on plate with vegetables and rice on side.

I really hope you will enjoy these citrus marinated swordfish kabobs… we sure do!  By using only ONE swordfish steak between the two of us, it saved some money, too!

It was a great way to eat a lot of veggies and healthy fish; all in all it was a very light, DELICIOUS meal! Have a fantastic day!

Looking For More SEAFOOD Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a great variety of seafood recipes you might enjoy, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Citrus Marinated Swordfish Kabobs
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Citrus Marinated Swordfish Kabobs, with onions and red and green bell peppers are quick and easy to prepare, and can be grilled on a BBQ or an inside griddle.
Category: Main Course, Seafood
Cuisine: American
Keyword: citrus marinated swordfish kabobs
Servings: 2
Calories Per Serving: 364 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 swordfish steak (approx. 7 ounces)
  • 1 small red bell pepper
  • 1 small green bell pepper
  • 1/4 small red onion
For Citrus Marinade:
  • 2.5 Tablespoons orange juice (fresh squeezed)
  • 1.5 teaspoons orange zest
  • 3/4 Tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2.5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons poppyseeds
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cut the swordfish steak into 16 bite sized cubes (4 used per skewer). Cut the bell peppers and onion into approximate 2" wedges (about the same size as the swordfish cubes). 

  2. Thread swordfish and vegetables onto skewers, alternating vegetables and fish.  If you are grillng indoors on flat surface, no need to treat skewers. If grilling outside and using wood skewers, you will need to soak the wooden skewers for 30 minutes, (fully submerged in water) prior to adding fish and veggies, to prevent burning once over an open flame.

  3. Mix together the ingredients for the citrus marinade. Brush sauce onto the kabobs, covering both swordfish and veggies. Turn kabobs to brush both sides with sauce. Let the kabobs sit and "marinate" in the sauce for a bit, while you get your outside BBQ started or heat up your griddle.

  4. Heat griddle (or outside BBQ) with a tiny bit of oil on medium high heat.  Once hot, add kabobs. You should hear them sizzle once they hit the grill. Cook for several minutes, then rotate kabobs to other side. Continue cooking (turning to cook all sides), and basting with additional sauce, until swordfish is seared on the outside, and cooked through (6-8 minutes).  TIP: If a piece of the fish isn't fully touching the griddle, simply use a fork to lightly press it down, to ensure a crisp seared exterior. Sometimes the veggies prevent a few piecesfrom being seared on outside; this is the best way I've found to solve that issue.

  5. Once kabobs are fully cooked through, carefully remove them from the grill, and serve! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Citrus Marinated Swordfish Kabobs
Amount Per Serving (1 (2 skewers))
Calories 364 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 16g100%
Cholesterol 65mg22%
Sodium 236mg10%
Potassium 621mg18%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 1455IU29%
Vitamin C 89.7mg109%
Calcium 43mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to in on your Pinterest boards!Citrus Marinated Swordfish Kabobs, with onions and red and green bell peppers are quick and easy to prepare, and can be grilled on a BBQ or an inside griddle.


Sep
2018

Rigatoni Sausage Mushroom Ragu

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Pork
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You’re gonna enjoy rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu, an easy to make, one pot Italian meal that you will want to make again and again, because it is SO GOOD!
You're gonna enjoy rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu, an easy to make, one pot Italian meal that you will want to make again and again, because it is SO GOOD!

I found a recipe for a vegetarian ragu pasta dish online and thought it sounded interesting!  Just in case you’re wondering – no… this Ragu is not a brand of spaghetti sauce found in the jar on a grocery shelf.  Well, actually it is that, but the recipe I am sharing today is a homemade ragu sauce!

I made a couple changes to the original recipe, such as adding Italian sausage and beef broth, and ended up with an amazing rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu!

Don’t let the long ingredient list stop you from trying this dish… if you look closely, you will see that many of the ingredients are common ingredients or spices you probably already have in your home!  This hearty, delicious ragu tastes amazing, and I hope you will read on… and make this dish!

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

How To Make Rigatoni Sausage Mushroom Ragu

Before starting the actual cooking, be sure to have the veggies chopped ahead of time, and the rest of the ingredients ready to go!. You will thank me later. No… really! Note that half of the mushrooms are sliced, the other half are chopped. You will add them to the dish at different times. The chopped mushrooms will help add thickness to the sauce.

Mushrooms, onions, red pepper, celery and Italian sausage are used to make ragu sauce.

Put Italian sausage (taken OUT of the casings), butter and vegetable oil into a large stockpot (or skillet). Heat on medium heat, stirring often, until butter has melted. Add chopped onions and celery to the pot.

Cook them for a few minutes, stirring often, until the sausage has fully cooked, and the veggies have softened.

Italian sausage, mushrooms and celery are cooked in butter and olive oil for ragu sauce.

Add chopped red bell pepper and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, for two minutes.

Red bell pepper and garlic added to ragu sauce in pot.

Add sliced mushrooms; cook for 1 more minute, stirring as they cook. You are slowly adding in layers of flavor!

Sliced mushrooms are added to ragu sauce in pot.

Add the chopped mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute.  Add red wine to pan. Heat, and let the wine gently boil for 2 minutes.

Chopped mushrooms, red wine, and broth are added to make ragu sauce.

Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock (or vegetable stock), and spices. Stir to combine all ingredients.

Canned tomatoes and spices are added to make ragu sauce.

Time To Add The Rigatoni Pasta

Bring the sauce to a boil.

Sausage mushroom ragu sauce is cooking in large pot.

Once sauce is boiling, stir in the dry rigatoni noodles, to combine.  Put a lid on the pan (or cover with aluminum foil), and turn the heat down to LOW.

Rigatoni pasta is added to sausage musroom ragu sauce.

Let the pasta cook for 13-15 minutes (mine took 15), or until the pasta is cooked all the way through. Give the pasta a stir a few times while it is cooking, then put lid back on pan.

TIP: If at any time, the rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu looks like it is getting too dry (if heat was too high), then just add several spoonfuls of hot water to pan, and stir in, to combine.

Rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu is ready to be served.

Time To Serve Rigatoni Sausage Mushroom Ragu!

When the rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu is fully cooked, it is time to serve! Give the pasta a stir, then portion it out into serving bowls. Bowls seem to hold the sauce better than on a plate.

Garnish top of each bowl of pasta with some roughly chopped flat leaf parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve… and enjoy! This rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu tastes AMAZING!

Rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu is garnished with flat leaf parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu is served, garnished with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

And there you have it! Rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu for dinner! It tastes DELICIOUS, and I sincerely hope you will give this recipe a try!

If You Enjoy Pasta Recipes

If you enjoy pasta dishes, be sure to check out my recipes for Simple Chicken Sausage Pasta, Butternut Squash Ravioli with Browned Butter Sage Sauce, Vegetarian Spicy Noodles in Peanut Sauce, Shrimp and Penne Pasta Alfredo, or Florentine Lasagna Roll, to name a few!

ALL of my recipes are listed in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I’m sure you will enjoy them, as well. Have a wonderful 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 (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Recipe adapted from Nicky at: https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/one-pot-mushroom-ragu-with-pasta/

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Rigatoni Sausage Mushroom Ragu
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
You're gonna enjoy rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu, an easy to make, one pot Italian meal that you will want to make again and again, because it is SO GOOD!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu
Servings: 5
Calories Per Serving: 484 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 links Italian sausage (mild or hot) , casings removed
  • 1/2 pound mushrooms ,1/2 sliced, 1/2 chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium red bell pepper , de-seeded and chopped
  • 1 medium onion , finely chopped
  • 1 stick celery , finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes , 2 cans (14 oz.)
  • 1½ cups beef stock (or vegetable)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 8 ounces rigatoni pasta
  • 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley , roughly chopped (for garnish)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Put Italian sausage (taken OUT of the casings), butter and vegetable oil into a large stockpot (or skillet). Heat on medium heat, stirring often, until butter has melted. Add chopped onions and celery to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until the sausage has fully cooked, and veggies have softened.

  2. Add chopped red bell pepper and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, for two minutes. Add SLICED mushrooms; cook for 1 more minute, stirring as they cook. You are slowly adding in layers of flavor! Add CHOPPED mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute.  Add red wine to pan. Heat, and let wine gently boil for 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock (or vegetable stock), and spices. Stir, to combine all ingredients. 

  3. Bring sauce to a boil. Once sauce is boiling, add dry rigatoni noodles; stir to combine.  Put a lid on the pan (or cover with aluminum foil); turn heat down to LOW. Let pasta cook for 13-15 minutes (mine took 15), or until pasta is cooked all the way through. Give pasta a stir a few times while it is cooking, then put lid back on pan. If at any time, the rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu looks like it's getting too dry (if heat was too high), add several spoonfuls of hot water to pan, and stir in, to combine.

  4. When the rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu is fully cooked, it's time to serve! Give the pasta a stir, then portion it out into serving bowls. Bowls seem to hold the sauce better than on a plate. Garnish top of each bowl of pasta with some roughly chopped flat leaf parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve... and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Rigatoni Sausage Mushroom Ragu
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/5 of total))
Calories 484 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 47mg16%
Sodium 1068mg46%
Potassium 990mg28%
Carbohydrates 50g17%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 18g36%
Vitamin A 1505IU30%
Vitamin C 55mg67%
Calcium 135mg14%
Iron 4.8mg27%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You're gonna enjoy rigatoni sausage mushroom ragu, an easy to make, one pot Italian meal that you will want to make again and again, because it is SO GOOD!

 

 

 


Sep
2018

Kung Pao Zoodles

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals
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Kung Pao Zoodles is a low calorie (under 300), low carb dish using spiralized zucchini noodles, cooked in a sweet/spicy Asian sauce, and it can be made with or without chicken.
Kung Pao Zoodles is a low calorie (under 300), low carb dish using spiralized zucchini noodles, cooked in a sweet/spicy Asian sauce, w/or without chicken.

I’ve got to be honest here… this recipe totally surprised me! I purchased a spiralizer recently, to essentially make “noodles” out of a lot of different vegetables. I’d been wanting one for a while, and finally bought a fairly inexpensive one ($29).

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

What If I Do Not Have A Spiralizer?

If you do not have access to a Spiralizer, it IS possible to make zucchini noodles by hand. The best video I’ve seen to describe how to do this is on YouTube, which demonstrates three easy ways to make your own “zoodles” (with box grater, vegetable peeler, or mandoline). I recommend watching it! Here’s the link to the short video, from Kelly Senyei at “Just A Taste”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETgPaDQh9S4 This was the first recipe I made using it, and my expectations were fairly low for what Kung Pao Zoodles would taste like. Zoodles is a word commonly used to describe Zucchini Noodles!

Whoa! I’m NOT KIDDING… I totally LOVED this dish!  This dish can also be a healthy/delicious meatless meal, by simply omitting the chicken breast.  It only took a couple minutes to turn two medium sized zucchini into gorgeous pasta like strands of veggie goodness!  Once cooked with the amazingly easy Asian inspired sauce, this dish made me GIDDY with excitement with my first bite!

This recipe for Kung Pao Zoodles is very easy to prepare. If there is one tip I can give you, it is to HAVE EVERYTHING PREPPED AND READY TO GO BEFORE BEGINNING COOKING! The dish comes together very quickly once started, so be prepared!

How Do I Make Kung Pao Zoodles?

Cut ends off both zucchini, then spiralize them into spaghetti-like noodles, catching them as they come out into a medium sized bowl. If using a Spiralizer, cut the noodles with kitchen shears into 7 or 8 inch strips (cut long zoodles right in the bowl a couple of times- snip, snip!). Set aside.

Zucchini being spiralized into noodles to make Kung Pao zoodles.

Stir or whisk Asian sauce ingredients together in a small bowl (soy or tamari sauce, balsamic vinegar, hoisin sauce, water, sriracha, sugar and cornstarch). Set sauce aside.

Asian sauce is mixed in bowl for Kung Pao Zoodles.

If You Are Preparing Kung Pao Zoodles WITH Chicken:

If adding chicken to this dish, season lightly with salt and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Place chicken cubes into large skillet; cook until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside (or drain on paper towel).

Chicken breast cubes are cooked for Kung Pao Zoodle dish.

Prepare The Rest of This Dish

Turn the heat down to medium and add sesame oil, minced garlic and grated fresh ginger to skillet. Stir and cook for 30-45 seconds, being careful to not let the garlic burn.

Sesame oil, garlic and ginger cooking for kung pao zoodles.

Add chopped red peppers, then stir in the Asian sauce. Bring sauce to a quick boil, then turn heat down to LOW, and cook for a minute or so until sauce is bubbling and has thickened.

Asian sauce and red bell peppers are added to skillet for kung pao sauce.

Add zucchini noodles (zoodles) to skillet.  Stir while cooking until the zoodles are coated with sauce.  Cook for two minutes, stirring often. As the zucchini noodles cook, they will release water, which will help to blend the sauce together with the noodles.

Zucchini noodles (zoodles) are added to skillet.

Zoodles (zucchini noodles) are cooked in the Kung Pao sauce.

Time To Eat Some Kung Pao Zoodles!

When done, add the cooked chicken pieces (if using) to the skillet, and stir to combine. I found using tongs worked great at getting everything mixed together. Divide Kung Pao zoodles between two serving bowls, and garnish each with chopped dry roasted peanuts and sliced green onions.

Bowl of Kung Pao Zoodles garnished with chopped peanuts and green onions.

Serve these delicious Kung Pao zoodles and enjoy! I absolutely LOVED this dish…there is so much yummy flavor! This meal is filling (as each serving is about 2 cups), it tastes amazing, and it so low in calories! Winner, winner… ZOODLE dinner!

Kung Pao Zoodles with a pair of chopsticks... ready to serve!

Chopsticks lifting up a bite of Kung Pao Zoodles!

I really hope you will try making these Kung Pao Zoodles!  If you prefer the more traditional version of Kung Pao Chicken, I hope you will check out that recipe, as well.

Looking For More SPIRALIZED FOOD Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Recipe Source: http://recipestotry.ca/kung-pao-chicken-with-zucchini/

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Kung Pao Zoodles
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Kung Pao Zoodles is a low calorie (under 300), low carb dish using spiralized zucchini noodles, cooked in a sweet/spicy Asian sauce, w/or without chicken.
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: kung pao zoodles
Servings: 2 (approx. 2 cups per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 281 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Zoodles:
  • 2 medium zucchini , ends trimmed
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil **if adding chicken
  • 6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast **cut in 1/2 inch cubes (if adding chicken)
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper , to taste
  • 1/2 medium red bell pepper , cut into 1/2" pieces
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped dry roasted peanuts (for garnish)
  • 2 Tablespoons thinly sliced green onions (for garnish)
For Asian Sauce:
  • 1½ Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)
  • 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2½ Tablespoons water
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Sriracha sauce
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cut ends off both zucchini, then spiralize them into spaghetti-like noodles,. Cut noodles with kitchen shears into 8 inch strips. Set aside.

  2. Stir or whisk Asian sauce ingredients together in a small bowl (soy or tamari sauce, balsamic vinegar, hoisin sauce, water, sriracha, sugar and cornstarch). Set sauce aside.

  3. If adding chicken to this dish, season lightly with salt and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. Place chicken cubes into large skillet; cook until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside (drain on paper towel).

  4. Turn heat down to medium and add sesame oil, minced garlic and grated fresh ginger to skillet. Stir and cook for 30-45 seconds, being careful to not let garlic burn. Add chopped red peppers, then stir in Asian sauce. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn heat to LOW, and cook for a minute or so until sauce is bubbling and has thickened.  Add zucchini noodles to skillet.  Stir while cooking until zoodles are coated with sauce.  Cook for two minutes, stirring often. As the zucchini noodles cook, they will release water, which will help to blend the sauce together with the noodles. When done, add cooked chicken pieces (if using), and stir to combine. I found using tongs worked great at getting everything mixed together.

  5. To serve, divide Kung Pao zoodles between two serving bowls, and garnish with chopped peanuts and sliced green onions. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation of 281 per serving includes chicken and vegetable oil to cook it in.  If preparing this recipe as a MEATLESS meal, the calorie count would be approximately 167 calories per (2 cup) serving.

**Weight Watchers - Points+ = 7 points (with chicken).

Nutrition Facts
Kung Pao Zoodles
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 281 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 54mg18%
Sodium 724mg31%
Potassium 976mg28%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 1410IU28%
Vitamin C 78.6mg95%
Calcium 42mg4%
Iron 1.6mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Kung Pao Zoodles is a low calorie (under 300), low carb dish using spiralized zucchini noodles, cooked in a sweet/spicy Asian sauce, w/or without chicken.


Sep
2018

Easy Chicken Caesar Salad

categories: Chicken, Main Dish Salads, Main Dishes, Salads
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Easy Chicken Caesar Salad is a light, yet filling entree, with grilled chicken breast on crisp romaine lettuce, with Parmesan cheese, croutons, and bottled dressing!Easy Chicken Caesar Salad is a light, yet filling entree, with grilled chicken breast on romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and bottled dressing!

Do you enjoy Chicken Caesar Salad?  We sure do, in our home!  We have one for dinner every couple of weeks (especially in the summer), and it continues to be a family favorite meal.

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

How Do You Season The Chicken For The Caesar Salad?

Whenever we grill chicken and use my Mom’s trusty chicken basting sauce (been using her recipe for over 40 years), I always try to grill two extra breasts to put aside for this salad! That way, the chicken is ready to go, any time we want to have this salad for dinner!

Basting sauce used for grilling chicken for caesar salad.

Having the chicken already grilled makes this a very quick meal to make… BUT… whether you use leftover chicken breasts, or grill them on an indoor grill, in the skillet, or on your BBQ, simply make sure you have a cooked, lightly seasoned chicken breast for each salad!

Many ways to cook chicken for a caesar salad.

When you are ready to make the chicken caesar salad, slice a head of romaine lettuce into thin strips. I typically buy romaine hearts (these have a lot of the darker outside leaves taken off) for this salad, but it really doesn’t matter.

Okay… So How Do I Make The Chicken Caesar Salad?

If using romaine hearts, one whole one should be enough for two entree salads. Place thinly sliced romaine into large bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over lettuce, catching any seeds that try to jump in!

Slicing romaine lettuce for chicken caesar salad.

Fresh lemon juice brings out the flavor in a chicken caesar salad.

Now, I have seen so many recipes to make homemade Caesar dressing, with anchovies, etc. in it, but when you want a quick dinner, what I use is bottled salad dressing!

We have used Cardini’s Caesar dressing for many many years. Caesar Cardini is the man who is known for creating Caesar salads, and we have found this dressing to be the very best tasting one on the market! Obviously you can use whatever Caesar dressing you wish, but we give this one, found in most grocery stores (or Amazon) a thumbs up, for sure!

Add the Caesar Salad Dressing

Pour the desired amount of salad dressing over the lettuce in the bowl, then mix it, to combine.

Romaine lettuce is topped with Caesar dressing.

I use the original Caesar Cardini dressing on this salad.

TIP: After the lettuce has the salad dressing on it, THEN add grated Parmesan cheese!  Because the lettuce has salad dressing on it, the cheese will stick to the romaine and not fall to the bottom of the bowl. Best tip I’ve ever found for a caesar salad! Mix to fully combine ingredients.

Shredded Parmesan cheese is added to caesar salad.

Serving The Salad

Portion salad into 2 serving bowls or plates.  Place croutons on top, and add a couple thin slices of lemon to dish as a garnish. Adding lemon slices looks good, and each person can squeeze additional lemon juice on their salad, if desired.

Croutons and lemon slices are added to caesar salad.

Slice the precooked grilled chicken breasts into thin slices.  Place the sliced chicken on top of the salad, slightly fanning out the slices across the salad. The chicken can be hot or chilled… we serve it both ways.

Garnish your chicken Caesar salad with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve, and enjoy this absolutely YUMMY entree salad!

Grilled chicken breast is sliced, then fanned out on top of caesar salad before serving.

I really hope you enjoy this classic grilled chicken Caesar salad, and trust you will enjoy it as much as we do! If you enjoy this salad, chances are you will also enjoy my recipes for Grilled Chili & Lime Chicken Fajita Salad or Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken (YUM). Don’t forget to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Have a wonderful 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 (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

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Easy Chicken Caesar Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Easy Chicken Caesar Salad is a light, yet filling entree, with grilled chicken breast on romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and bottled dressing!
Category: Entree Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken caesar salad
Servings: 2 main course salads
Calories Per Serving: 530 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts , pre-grilled or baked
  • 1 head romaine lettuce (I use romaine hearts)
  • 1/2 large lemon
  • 1/4 cup Caesar salad dressing
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons croutons , for garnish
  • 4 thin slices lemon , for garnish
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. NOTE: Having the chicken already grilled makes this a very quick meal to make... BUT... whether you use leftover chicken breasts, or grill them on an indoor grill, in the skillet, or on your BBQ, simply make sure you have a small, cooked, lightly seasoned boneless chicken breast for each salad!

  2. Place thinly sliced romaine into large bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over lettuce, catching any seeds that try to jump in!  Pour desired amount of salad dressing over lettuce, then mix to combine.

  3. After the lettuce has the salad dressing on it, THEN add grated Parmesan cheese!  Because the lettuce has salad dressing on it, the cheese will stick to it, and not fall to the bottom of the bowl. Mix to fully combine ingredients.

  4. Portion salad into 2 serving bowls or plates.  Place croutons on top, and add a couple thin slices of lemon to dish as a garnish.

  5. Slice precooked grilled chicken breasts into thin slices.  Place chicken slices on top of salad, fanning out the slices across the salad. The chicken can be hot or chilled... we serve it both ways.  Garnish salad with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve, and enjoy this absolutely YUMMY entree salad!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Caloric calculation is approximate, based on a 4 ounce chicken breast per serving. Caloric count will vary, due to weight of chicken and amount / type of salad dressing used.

Nutrition Facts
Easy Chicken Caesar Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 530 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 101mg34%
Sodium 1067mg46%
Potassium 1243mg36%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 40g80%
Vitamin A 27490IU550%
Vitamin C 14.9mg18%
Calcium 436mg44%
Iron 4.9mg27%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Easy Chicken Caesar Salad is a light, yet filling entree, with grilled chicken breast on romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and bottled dressing!


Sep
2018

Turkey Ranch Rollups

categories: Lunch - Quick and Easy, Sandwiches
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Turkey Ranch Rollups are wrap sandwiches with turkey breast, roma tomatoes and baby spinach leaves, with a cream cheese ranch spread. They’re EASY to make, and perfect for school or work lunch boxes!
Turkey Ranch Rollups are wrap sandwiches with turkey breast, roma tomatoes and spinach with a cream cheese ranch spread. EASY to make; perfect for lunch boxes!

Well… school just started back in our area. We live several blocks away from the local elementary and middle school, so there were kids everywhere today, carrying their lunches in lunch boxes and backpacks!

This totally EASY quick recipe for turkey ranch rollups is perfect for lunches (kids OR adults… hint, hint). Make several up the night before, wrap them tightly, and the next morning the rollups are ready to drop into that favorite lunch box! Here’s how simple they are to make:

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

How To Make Turkey Ranch Rollups

Spread whipped (or softened) cream cheese onto a flour tortilla. Spread almost all the way to the edges. Add a teaspoon of ranch dressing; spread over cream cheese.

Flour tortilla is spread with cream cheese and ranch dressing to make rollups.

Place two thin slices of deli style turkey breast on one side of tortilla (you can see these turkey slices were fairly wide). Add roma tomato slices (thinly sliced). Season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste.

Turkey slices and sliced roma tomatoes are place on flour tortilla for rollups.

Top with those HEALTHY (shhh, don’t tell the kids) baby spinach leaves. If you want, place a thin slice of the cheese of your choice on top of the spinach, trimmed to fit (optional). And for goodness sake, modify these rollups to make them your own. Simply add what you or your kids would enjoy (alfafa sprouts, bell peppers, etc). You really can’t hurt this rollup!

Baby spinach leaves are added to turkey ranch rollups.

Roll It Up And Refrigerate

TIGHTLY roll up the sandwich, tucking turkey, etc. in, as you roll. You want to get it tight and not loose. As soon as you get it rolled up, place it in plastic wrap, and seal, keeping it TIGHTLY rolled up. Repeat with additional turkey ranch rollups.

Place the plastic wrap sealed rollups in refrigerator. They are BEST if stored overnight in refrigerator. The cream cheese/ranch spread acts kind of like “glue” to hold the wrap together, once refrigerated.

Turkey ranch rollups are rolled tightly, then wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated.

Time To Eat Turkey Ranch Rollups

When ready to eat, either serve as one whole rollup (perfect for lunch boxes- leave them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap), OR unwrap, slice in half on a diagonal, and serve!

Turkey ranch rollups are cut in half, and are served with chips and apples.

Turkey ranch rollups - close up photo.

That’s it! Remember to tuck an ice pack of some kind in your child’s lunch to keep rollups (with meat and salad dressing) chilled! You probably already knew that, but it’s safe to remind everyone once again.

Hope you enjoy these delicious, easy to make lunch rollups. It’s so easy to make these up in the evening before bedtime. that way they are ready for you to grab for lunches for school or work the next day! Have a wonderful day.

Looking for More SANDWICH Recipes?

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

Interested In More Recipes?

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

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
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Turkey Ranch Rollups
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 
Turkey Ranch Rollups are wrap sandwiches with turkey breast, roma tomatoes and spinach with a cream cheese ranch spread. They're EASY to make, and perfect for lunch boxes!
Category: Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Keyword: turkey ranch rollups
Servings: 2 rollups
Calories Per Serving: 179 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 flour tortillas
  • 2 Tablespoons whipped cream cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Ranch salad dressing
  • 4 slices deli turkey (thin slices)
  • 6 slices roma tomato (thin slices)
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
  • cheddar cheese (OPTIONAL)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. For each rollup: Spread whipped (or softened) cream cheese onto a flour tortilla. Spread almost all the way to the edges. Add a teaspoon of ranch dressing; spread over cream cheese.

  2. Place two thin slices of deli style turkey breast on one side of tortilla. Add roma tomato slices (thinly sliced). Season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with baby spinach leaves. If you want, place a thin slice of the cheese of your choice on top of the spinach, trimmed to fit (optional).

  3. TIGHTLY roll up the sandwich, tucking turkey, etc. in as you roll. You want to get it tight and not loose. As soon as you get it rolled up, place it in plastic wrap, and seal, keeping it TIGHTLY rolled up. Repeat with additional rollups.  Place plastic wrap sealed rollups in refrigerator. They are BEST if stored overnight in refrigerator. The cream cheese/ranch spread acts kind of like a "glue" to hold the wrap together once refrigerated. When ready to serve, slice each rollup in half! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Turkey Ranch Rollups
Amount Per Serving (1 rollup)
Calories 179 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 523mg23%
Potassium 140mg4%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 900IU18%
Vitamin C 2.1mg3%
Calcium 53mg5%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Turkey Ranch Rollups are wrap sandwiches with turkey breast, roma tomatoes and spinach with a cream cheese ranch spread. EASY to make; perfect for lunch boxes!