Some of my stand-by recipes
I've been meaning to do this, based on a couple requests that have been posted. Here are a few of the meals that I always tend to fall back on. All are pretty cheap/easy. :)
Roasted chicken with garlic-mashed potatoes in a rosemary au jus sauce
1 Tyson whole roasted chicken (already cooked)
1 packet, Betty Crocker instant garlic mashed potatoes
1 can, chicken broth
Fresh spinach (about 12 spinach leaves)
2 roma tomatoes, diced
3 Fresh sprigs, rosemary (do not use dried!)
Minced garlic
Cook/heat the chicken according to package directions. Heat olive oil in non-stick skillet and saute garlic (be careful not to burn the garlic!). Add can of chicken broth and 2-3 sprigs of rosemary (leave them whole). Heat to boiling, then reduce heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes while chicken is cooking. About 5 minutes before the chicken is done, prepare the potatoes according to package directions (be careful, because the pot WILL boil over if you don't watch it!). Add fresh spinach leaves and tomatoes to chicken broth mixture. The spinach will wilt,
To serve, spoon mashed potatoes in the center of the plate. Top with chicken (when it's just me and Josh, I just give each of us a 1/2 chicken, although we NEVER finish it all!). Spoon 'au jus' with the spinach and tomatoes on the top of the chicken and mashed potatoes.
Slow Cooker Italian Roast Beef
If you don't have a slow cooker, this recipe is reason enough to go buy one!
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (3-5 pound) rump roast
DIRECTIONS:
Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil. Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.
I serve the first night as French Dip sandwiches with the sauce for dipping. I serve the leftovers as regular roast beef with mashed potatoes and green beans. I thicken the sauce into gravy - just in case people don't know how to do this... Heat the sauce in a small pot. In a separate bowl (I use a 1-cup glass measuring cup), pour a couple tablespoons of water or milk (make sure it is cold!). Add about 1/2 to 1 tsp of cornstarch and mix WELL - I use a wire whisk. Add the cold mixture to the saucepan/pot and heat to boiling. Repeat this procedure until the gravy is the consistency you want - I usually start with small amounts at a time, to make sure it doesn't get too thick. The trick to NOT getting lumps is to mix the cornstarch in a cold mixture before adding to the hot mixture. Never add cornstarch or flour directly into the hot gravy or you are guaranteed to get lumps.
Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Blackened seasoning (Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic is the best)
2 bags - Dole Caesar salad (with the packet of dressing, etc. inside)
Spray the chicken breasts with cooking spray and coat lightly with the blackened seasoning; cook in a non-stick pan until done. I find it helpful to pound the chicken to an even thickness, to help with the cooking time. When done, slice thinly into bite size pieces. Toss with the salad fixings. You can also serve toasted french bread, if desired. This is also good for blackened chicken caesar wraps.
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
BBQ sauce (my favorite is Dancing Pigs from the BBQ Shop in Memphis)
Swiss cheese
Large sandwich/hamburger buns
I poach the chicken breasts (cook them in a large pot of boiling water until done - this works really well for frozen chicken breasts, b/c you can cook them without thawing them first). Shred the chicken with a couple forks. Mix in a generous amount of bbq sauce. Place on bun, and top with a slice of swiss cheese. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted.
Chicken breasts with cheese and bacon
Chicken breasts (however many you need)
Honey mustard dressing OR bbq sauce
Swiss OR cheddar cheese
2 slices of cooked bacon per chicken breast
Cook the chicken in a non-stick skillet, basting/coating with the bbq sauce or honey mustard dressing. Cook the bacon (I use the microwave bacon that comes in the black box in individual bags for cooking - can't remember the name, but it cooks crispy in the microwave). Once the chicken is done, top each breasts with a couple slices of bacon and with shredded cheese. Cover skillet with lid or plate until the cheese is melted.
Mustard/Cheeseburger Loose Meat Sandwiches
This one I created because Josh doesn't like regular sloppy joes.
1 lb lean ground beef
Cheddar cheese
American cheese
Yellow Mustard
Pickle slices
Hamburger buns
Brown the ground beef and drain off fat. Add cheddar and american cheese, as well as a generous amount of mustard. Mix well and cook until cheese melts. Salt/pepper to taste. I've never really measured out the ingredients on this, because I just add stuff until the mixture has a really creamy consistency to it. I would just recommend starting out with 3-4 slices of american cheese, and maybe a 1/2 -3/4 cup of cheddar. I'm guessing I use maybe a 1/2 cup of mustard. Serve on buns and top with pickle slices.
Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded/pulled
1 can, 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
8 oz light sour cream
1/2 packet, sour cream ranch dip mix (Hidden Valley)
3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (I used a mix of hooters and texas pete's)
3 cups, cheddar cheese
Green onions, chopped (for garnish)
6 fat free/low fat tortillas (6 inch/soft taco size)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Mix chicken and wing sauce until fully coated. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream and dip mix. Add cream of chicken soup and mix. Lay tortilla on a plate, layer 2 tablespoons soup mixture, about 1/4 cup chicken, and cheddar cheese. Fold in sides, and place seam side down in the 9 x 13 pan. Repeat for remaining tortillas. Spread remainder of soup mixture over the top of the enchiladas. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for about 40-45 minutes. Remove pan from oven, discard foil, and sprinkle remainder of cheese over the enchiladas. Bake for about 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Roasted chicken with garlic-mashed potatoes in a rosemary au jus sauce
1 Tyson whole roasted chicken (already cooked)
1 packet, Betty Crocker instant garlic mashed potatoes
1 can, chicken broth
Fresh spinach (about 12 spinach leaves)
2 roma tomatoes, diced
3 Fresh sprigs, rosemary (do not use dried!)
Minced garlic
Cook/heat the chicken according to package directions. Heat olive oil in non-stick skillet and saute garlic (be careful not to burn the garlic!). Add can of chicken broth and 2-3 sprigs of rosemary (leave them whole). Heat to boiling, then reduce heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes while chicken is cooking. About 5 minutes before the chicken is done, prepare the potatoes according to package directions (be careful, because the pot WILL boil over if you don't watch it!). Add fresh spinach leaves and tomatoes to chicken broth mixture. The spinach will wilt,
To serve, spoon mashed potatoes in the center of the plate. Top with chicken (when it's just me and Josh, I just give each of us a 1/2 chicken, although we NEVER finish it all!). Spoon 'au jus' with the spinach and tomatoes on the top of the chicken and mashed potatoes.
Slow Cooker Italian Roast Beef
If you don't have a slow cooker, this recipe is reason enough to go buy one!
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (3-5 pound) rump roast
DIRECTIONS:
Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil. Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.
I serve the first night as French Dip sandwiches with the sauce for dipping. I serve the leftovers as regular roast beef with mashed potatoes and green beans. I thicken the sauce into gravy - just in case people don't know how to do this... Heat the sauce in a small pot. In a separate bowl (I use a 1-cup glass measuring cup), pour a couple tablespoons of water or milk (make sure it is cold!). Add about 1/2 to 1 tsp of cornstarch and mix WELL - I use a wire whisk. Add the cold mixture to the saucepan/pot and heat to boiling. Repeat this procedure until the gravy is the consistency you want - I usually start with small amounts at a time, to make sure it doesn't get too thick. The trick to NOT getting lumps is to mix the cornstarch in a cold mixture before adding to the hot mixture. Never add cornstarch or flour directly into the hot gravy or you are guaranteed to get lumps.
Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Blackened seasoning (Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic is the best)
2 bags - Dole Caesar salad (with the packet of dressing, etc. inside)
Spray the chicken breasts with cooking spray and coat lightly with the blackened seasoning; cook in a non-stick pan until done. I find it helpful to pound the chicken to an even thickness, to help with the cooking time. When done, slice thinly into bite size pieces. Toss with the salad fixings. You can also serve toasted french bread, if desired. This is also good for blackened chicken caesar wraps.
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
BBQ sauce (my favorite is Dancing Pigs from the BBQ Shop in Memphis)
Swiss cheese
Large sandwich/hamburger buns
I poach the chicken breasts (cook them in a large pot of boiling water until done - this works really well for frozen chicken breasts, b/c you can cook them without thawing them first). Shred the chicken with a couple forks. Mix in a generous amount of bbq sauce. Place on bun, and top with a slice of swiss cheese. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted.
Chicken breasts with cheese and bacon
Chicken breasts (however many you need)
Honey mustard dressing OR bbq sauce
Swiss OR cheddar cheese
2 slices of cooked bacon per chicken breast
Cook the chicken in a non-stick skillet, basting/coating with the bbq sauce or honey mustard dressing. Cook the bacon (I use the microwave bacon that comes in the black box in individual bags for cooking - can't remember the name, but it cooks crispy in the microwave). Once the chicken is done, top each breasts with a couple slices of bacon and with shredded cheese. Cover skillet with lid or plate until the cheese is melted.
Mustard/Cheeseburger Loose Meat Sandwiches
This one I created because Josh doesn't like regular sloppy joes.
1 lb lean ground beef
Cheddar cheese
American cheese
Yellow Mustard
Pickle slices
Hamburger buns
Brown the ground beef and drain off fat. Add cheddar and american cheese, as well as a generous amount of mustard. Mix well and cook until cheese melts. Salt/pepper to taste. I've never really measured out the ingredients on this, because I just add stuff until the mixture has a really creamy consistency to it. I would just recommend starting out with 3-4 slices of american cheese, and maybe a 1/2 -3/4 cup of cheddar. I'm guessing I use maybe a 1/2 cup of mustard. Serve on buns and top with pickle slices.
Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded/pulled
1 can, 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
8 oz light sour cream
1/2 packet, sour cream ranch dip mix (Hidden Valley)
3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (I used a mix of hooters and texas pete's)
3 cups, cheddar cheese
Green onions, chopped (for garnish)
6 fat free/low fat tortillas (6 inch/soft taco size)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Mix chicken and wing sauce until fully coated. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream and dip mix. Add cream of chicken soup and mix. Lay tortilla on a plate, layer 2 tablespoons soup mixture, about 1/4 cup chicken, and cheddar cheese. Fold in sides, and place seam side down in the 9 x 13 pan. Repeat for remaining tortillas. Spread remainder of soup mixture over the top of the enchiladas. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for about 40-45 minutes. Remove pan from oven, discard foil, and sprinkle remainder of cheese over the enchiladas. Bake for about 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.