BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 44 oz ketchup
  • 3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 12 fl oz molasses
  • 1.5 TBSP Crushed Red Pepper
  • 1.5 TBSP Course Ground Black Pepper
  • 1.5 TBSP Powdered Garlic
  • 1 TBSP Dry Mustard
  • 2.5 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 sticks butter

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients in pot except butter.  Then add butter in sticks.  Cook over medium heat.  Stir frequently to keep from burning on the bottom of the pot.  Turn off heat after butter has melted and sauce begins to bubble.  Let sit for 45 minutes to an hour before putting into jars or bottles.  

Makes approximately 2 quarts.

Nana’s Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 large can chicken broth (or you can use water)
  • 1/3 to ½ cup mayonnaise (or more to taste)
  • 1/3 to ½ cup Miracle Whip (or more to taste)
  • 1/3 to ½ cup sour cream (or more to taste)
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp dried dill (or more to taste)                   
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cup chopped celery (more or less)
  • 3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted in oven or under broiler (watch carefully!)

Directions:

Wash chicken breasts under cool water, pat dry and remove tendons as needed.  Simmer gently in chicken broth and enough water to cover for about 20 minutes, or until white and cooked all the way through.  Cool slightly, then slice into cubes or, using slicing blade in food processor, slice.  (May need to chop by hand a little more after slicing.)

While chicken is cooking, in medium-size bowl, combine mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, sour cream, lemon juice, dill and salt and pepper.  Stir to mix.  Add celery, almonds and chicken pieces.  Stir gently together and chill until ready to serve.  (Add more mayo, MW or sour cream if mixture seems too dry.)

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Hash

Ingredients:

  • Avocado oil
  • 3 sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 onion
  • 3-4 slices bacon
  • 1 lb chorizo
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 2 cups spinach
  • Eggs, 1 per person (3-4)

Directions:

  • Peel sweet potatoes and chop into small cubes
  • Chop 1/4 white onion
  • Take out skillet and add about 2-3 TBSP avocado oil on medium heat
  • Add sweet potatoes and onion to skillet and cook until soft (stirring often)
  • Cook bacon and then crumble into bacon bits and set aside
  • When the sweet potatoes are soft, top with salt and pepper
  • Add chorizo to skillet and cook all the way through
  • Add spinach and mix until cooked
  • Remove hash and put into individual bowls/plates for eating
  • Cook eggs (1 per person) in the same skillet and flip (I like mine over easy)
  • Top each hash with 1 egg
  • Sprinkle bacon bits on top.
  • Top with salsa verde, avocado, cilantro or hot sauce if desired. Enjoy!
  • Serves about 4 people.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

  • 5-6 Chicken Breasts
  • Eggs (for Egg Wash)
  • Panko Bread Crumbs
  • Ragu Traditional Tomato Sauce
  • 1 8oz package Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 450
  • Take raw chicken breasts and cover in egg wash
  • Place both sides of chicken breasts in panko bread crumbs and cover
  • Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in skillet on stove on medium heat
  • Cook chicken on skillet until brown on each side
  • Remove from skillet and place in baking dish
  • Pour tomato sauce over each chicken breast until covered
  • Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over each chicken breast until covered (or as desired)
  • Bake 450 for 15-20 min until cooked all the way through.
  • Serve with spaghetti noodles or without. We like it with our roasted asparagus and cheese.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

  • Two 10oz cans mild green enchilada sauce
  • One 10.5oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • One 8oz container sour cream
  • 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • One 4oz can diced green chiles
  • 3.5 cups grated mozzarella cheese
  • Ten 10in soft flour tortillas
  • Toppings if desired: 1 vine ripe tomato, fresh cilantro, fresh lime wedges

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Spray 9×13 in baking dish with vegetable oil
  • In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of sauce in bottom of baking dish. Set aside remaining sauce.
  • In medium bowl, combine chicken and chiles.
  • Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on tortilla, then add some shredded chicken and chile mixture.
  • Tightly roll up tortilla and place it seam side down in pan.
  • Pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top
  • Bake until cheese is melted. About 15 minutes.
  • Top with chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and/or lime wedges at table.
  • Serve with mexican rice and beans.

Original recipe available here.

Tortilla Soup

*Courtesy of Magnolia Blog. Original recipe available here.
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients

+ Three 32-ounce cans chicken broth or 12 cups Homemade Chicken Broth (page 216 of Magnolia Table)
+ 1 vine-ripened tomato, cut into ½-inch dice
+ One 15.25-ounce can corn kernels, drained
+ ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
+ 1 ½ jalapeño (ribbed and seeded if desired), minced
+ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
+ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
+ One 5.4-ounce pouch Mexican rice mix, or a similar mix
+ 4 cups shredded meat from 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken or Perfect Roast Chicken (page 203 of Magnolia Table)
+ 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

Optional Toppings

+ ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
+ 1 or 2 Hass avocado(s), pitted, peeled, and cut into ½-inch dice
+ One 13-ounce bag tortilla chips, crushed
+ 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, combine the broth, tomato, corn, onion, jalapeño, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and then add the shredded chicken. Simmer until heated through.

2. Stir the rice mix into the soup. Add the cumin (if using) and simmer for 15
minutes to cook the rice and let the flavors meld.

3. Place the cilantro, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, and mozzarella in separate
serving dishes. Ladle the soup into bowls and pass the garnishes at the table.

4. Store leftover soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Avocado Lime Salmon

The best Salmon you’ve ever had!

Ingredients (for 4 people):
2 lbs salmon, cut into 4 pieces
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper

Avocado salsa:

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
3 mild hot peppers, seeded and deveined, diced or sliced
Juice from 2 limes
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs finely chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Suggested sides – Rice and patacones
Preparation:
  1. Mix the salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together, rub the salmon fillets with olive oil and this seasoning mix, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Pre-heat the grill.
  3. Combine the avocado, onion, hot peppers, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.
  4. Grill the salmon to desired doneness.
  5. Serve the salmon topped with the avocado salsa, and with rice and patacones or thick green plantain chips on the side.

Original recipe available HERE.

Best Lasagna Ever

Thanks Tiffany for this delicious meal! Amazing!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-1/2 pound Ground Beef
  • 1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage
  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
  • 2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
  • 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
  • 2 whole Beaten Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles
  • (add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water)
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.

In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble:
Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.

Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.

Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

Original recipe available here.

Stuffed Shells and Cheese

The best shells and cheese you will ever have. Thanks Jess!

These restaurant-quality, cheese-stuffed shells come together effortlessly and make feeding your family or a large holiday crowd easy.

  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yields: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces Mueller’s® Jumbo Shells
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 containers (15 ounces each) ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups spaghetti sauce

Directions:

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°F; spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
  • Cook Jumbo Shells for 15 minutes; drain well, cover and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly, then add in ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, and salt. Stir well to combine.
  • Spoon about one tablespoon of cheese mixture into each shell and arrange filled shells in a single layer in the baking dish. Top with spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165-185°F.
  • Cook’s Tip: Use any of your family’s favorite sauces, including those with Italian sausage or ground turkey to make this dish heartier.

Veggie Enchiladas

It’s Monday… which means the start of another week and the need for some easy weeknight meals. A fun fact.. I used to be a vegetarian.. for about 2 years… for health reasons. It was a huge adjustment for us as we were newlyweds and I was trying to figure out how to cook yummy meals for my new husband each night. My husband who loves meat. Loves it. And so I began the quest to find yummy vegetarian meals that would satisfy us both – even the toughest meat-eating critics. Here is one of our favorites that I recreated again tonight.

Screen Shot 2016-06-11 at 9.04.30 AM

Ingredients

  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1 small green pepper, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium organic black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium organic corn, rinsed and drained
  • fresh cilantro 
  • 6 low carb multi-grain tortillas (8 inches)
  • 1 can enchilada sauce (or homemade)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
 

Directions

  • In a large skillet, saute the onion and green pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the beans, corn, cumin and cilantro; cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
  • Spoon 1/2 cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese.
  • Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes or until heated through. 
  • Yield: About 8 enchiladas.
 Original recipe available here.