Caramelized Green Beans

1 lb. (actually, just a little bit more…maybe 1 1/8 lb.) fresh green beans
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper

Begin frying the bacon in a large skillet. Start boiling a large pot of water. Place beans in a colander and rinse them well. Then snap the ends off and snap them in half.

Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl.

Make sure your onions are sliced, garlic is pressed (or minced…but I think if you don’t have a garlic press, the Easter Bunny needs to bring you one this year), and everything is ready to go. Hold on tight…it’s a crazy, crazy ride.

Remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel. If you feel like it, you can crumble it now or wait until it’s cooled off a little. Pour bacon drippings out of pan (I keep an empty tin can around for this very purpose).

Now…if you want to be naughty (and who doesn't??), return a couple tablespoons of bacon drippings to the pan. Otherwise, just use some olive oil and heat pan to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot…

–Add onions and garlic. Give them a quick stir and then…

–Add beans to boiling water. Place colander in a clean sink. Boil for one minute; you’re not cooking them until they’re done, just blanching them to take the edge off. Meanwhile, stir the onions and garlic so they don’t scorch. After one minute, drain beans in the colander in the sink.

–Once beans have been drained, add them to the onions and garlic. Stir fry 2-3 more minutes.

–Give your sauce a quick stir and then pour on top of the beans. Keep stir-frying until the beans get kind of glazy. Yeah, I make up words. Do this (stir fry, not make up words…you don’t have time to make up words right now!) for another 2 minutes.

–Add crumbled bacon and lots of freshly-ground pepper to the beans. Keep stir frying until the sauce sticks to the beans and the bacon. Transfer to a serving dish and allow to stand a few minutes so the beans cool down a bit and the glaze thickens up a little.

Sloppy Joes

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 teaspoons brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Sloppy Joes

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 teaspoons brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Caramelized Green Beans

(From OurBestBites.com)

1 lb. (actually, just a little bit more…maybe 1 1/8 lb.) fresh green beans
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper

Begin frying the bacon in a large skillet. Start boiling a large pot of water. Place beans in a colander and rinse them well. Then snap the ends off and snap them in half.

Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl.

Make sure your onions are sliced, garlic is pressed, and everything is ready to go. Hold on tight…it’s a crazy, crazy ride.

Remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel. If you feel like it, you can crumble it now or wait until it’s cooled off a little. Pour bacon drippings out of pan.

Now…if you want to be naughty, return a couple tablespoons of bacon drippings to the pan. Otherwise, just use some olive oil and heat pan to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot…

–Add onions and garlic. Give them a quick stir and then…

–Add beans to boiling water. Place colander in a clean sink. Boil for one minute; you’re not cooking them until they’re done, just blanching them to take the edge off. Meanwhile, stir the onions and garlic so they don’t scorch. After one minute, drain beans in the colander in the sink.

–Once beans have been drained, add them to the onions and garlic. Stir fry 2-3 more minutes.

–Give your sauce a quick stir and then pour on top of the beans. Keep stir-frying until the beans get kind of glazy. Yeah, I make up words. Do this (stir fry, not make up words…you don’t have time to make up words right now!) for another 2 minutes.

–Add crumbled bacon and lots of freshly-ground pepper to the beans. Keep stir frying until the sauce sticks to the beans and the bacon. Transfer to a serving dish and allow to stand a few minutes so the beans cool down a bit and the glaze thickens up a little.

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
skewers
Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.

Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

from Allrecipes.com

Chicken with Bacon and Feta

4 slices bacon
1/2 cup crumbled feta
4 chicken breasts
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. dried basil
2 cloves garlic

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain, cool, then crumble into small pieces. Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook until chicken cooked through, about 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high. Serve with pasta.

African Chicken-Peanut Soup

1 ½ c. cubed peeled sweet potato
½ c. chopped onion
½ c. diced red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 c. chopped cooked chicken
1 c. salsa
½ t. cumin
2 16 oz. cans chicken broth
2 15 oz. cans chicken & rice soup
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
1/3 c. creamy peanut butter

1. Sauté sweet potato, onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno for 5 minutes in small amount of oil.
2. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil. Simmer on low 10 minutes. Add peanut butter and cook 2 minutes.

Salsa Verde Braised Pork

February 08 Sunset Magazine

3 ½ lbs. bone-in pork shoulder or tenderloin
1 bottle (15 oz.) salsa verde
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 t. each cumin seeds and coriander seeds
1 t. dried oregano
½ c. chopped fresh cilantro, plus some leaves
Salt

Trim excess pork fat. Put meat in a large casserole or Dutch oven with salsa, onion, broth, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375˚. With 2 wide spatulas, transfer meat to a rimmed baking pan. Bake until richly browned, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, skim and discard fat from pan juices. Boil juices, stirring, until reduced to 2 ¾ c., 8-10 minutes.

With two forks, tear meat into large shreds. Add to pan with juices and stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt. Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Serve with flour tortillas.

You can also prepare this in a slow-cooker. Put trimmed pork in a slow cooker (5-6 quart) and turn heat to high. In a pan, bring salsa, onion, broth, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and oregano to a boil. Pour over pork, cover, and cook until meat is very tender when pierced and registers at least 165˚ on an instant-read thermometer, at least 7 or up to 9 hours. Continue recipe with the 'oven' step, using a large pot for boiling down the juices.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

25-30 Precooked Meatballs (I used Costco)
2 cups diced zucchini
2 medium tomatoes
1 chopped onion
3-4 cloves garlic
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Cook on stovetop until meatballs are heated through and vegetables are soft. Serve over spaghetti.

Chicken Ranch Fajitas

chicken strips from 2-3 large chicken breasts
1 onion, cut
2-3 bell peppers
1 packet of Ranch dressing mix
tortillas
sour cream
shredded cheese

Cook chicken in a skillet on the stove top until cooked through. Add onions, peppers, and Ranch dressing mix. Cook until vegetables are tender. Serve on tortillas with sour cream and shredded cheese.

Cowboy Dinner

Beef Mixture:
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups salsa (jarred or homemade)
1 can (15 ounce) black, pinto or white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cornbread Topping:
½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.

In a large 12-inch skillet, brown the ground beef and onion, adding the salt and pepper, over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the pan. Stir in the corn, salsa, and beans. Pour the beef mixture into the prepared 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.

For the cornbread, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, beaten eggs and milk. Whisk together until just moistened and no dry spots remain.

Sprinkle the cheese over the beef mixture and pour the cornbread batter over the cheese and beef mixture. Gently spread the cornbread to the edges of the pan, evening it out over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are bubbly and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Creamy Chicken and Chile Enchiladas

1 lb. chicken breasts
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles
tortillas
2 10 oz. cans Old El Paso green chile enchilada sauce

Boil chicken until cooked through. Combine hot chicken, cream cheese, and chiles in mixer with whisks on. Mix until chicken is shredded and everything is mixed well. Pour a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan. Spoon chicken filling onto tortillas. Top with cheese, roll up and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour rest of enchilada sauce on top and between each enchilada. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees until hot and cheese is melted.

Crock Pot Greek Pitas

4 chicken breasts
Salt
Lemon pepper
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Pitas

Place chicken in crock pot. Sprinkle with salt and lemon pepper. Add onion. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4 hours. Take meat out and shred with a fork. Put back in pot and add oregano and yogurt. Mix and add to pitas.

Margarita Chicken Wraps

Basting Sauce

1/2 tsp. lime zest
1/4 c. lime juice
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in saucepan with medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring to thicken. Broil chicken 10-15 min. or grill. Baste with sauce for last 5 min. Drizzle remaining sauce over chicken. Cut into strips and serve on tortillas with tomato, avocado, and Cilantro Sauce.

4 chicken breasts
4 tortillas
Tomato, diced
Avocado, diced
Lime - if desired for garnish

Cilantro Sauce

1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 Tbsp. sour cream
1 7 oz. can Tomatilla salsa
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 bunch cilantro
1 Tbsp. lime juice

Combine everything in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.

Simple Country Ribs

2 1/2 pounds pork spareribs
2 (18 ounce) bottles barbeque sauce
1 onion, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place spareribs in a large stock pot with barbeque sauce, onion, salt, and pepper. Pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a low boil, and cook approximately 40 minutes.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil grate. Remove spareribs from the stock pot, and place on the prepared grill. Use the barbeque sauce in the saucepan to baste ribs while cooking. Grill ribs, basting and turning frequently, for 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Notes: In the reviews for this recipe, many people said they did the initial cooking in the crock pot instead of stove top. They also said you can bake the ribs instead of grilling. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes covered, and 10 minutes uncovered.

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce

From Food Network

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)
Arrabbiata Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Yield: approximately 6 cups

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

4 chicken breasts
1 can diced chilies
1/4 cup water
1 tsp chicken bullion
1/2 cup salsa
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 can pinto (or black) beans-drained.

Throw all into crockpot 6 hours on high. Take out chicken breasts and shred using two forks. Put back into crockpot and mix well.

Serve on tortillas, top with cheese, and any other ingredients desired (lettuce, tomatoes).

Baked Chicken Nuggets

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch size pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Mix well. Put melted butter/margarine in a bowl or dish for dipping.
3. Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter/margarine first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place well coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Swiss Steak

1/4 c. flour
salt, pepper to taste
1 1/2 lb. round steak, cut
3 Tbsp. oil
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, shredded
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Mix flour, salt, pepper. Coat steak. Heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Saute celery, onion, and carrots for 5 minutes until tender. Set aside. Cook steak pieces until lightly browned. Place steak and veggies in crock pot with tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over potatoes. (You can include potatoes in the crock pot if desired.)

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables and Chicken with Black Pepper Marinade

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
(Note: The original recipe from Barefoot Contessa used eggplant instead of asparagus, but it works well with about any vegetables)

Ingredients:
1 small bunch asparagus, 1-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne (or 1 tsp. dried)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the asparagus, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the pine nuts, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

Chicken with Black Pepper Marinade
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
Salt

In a shallow glass baking dish combine fresh lemon juice with olive oil, garlic and crushed peppercorns. Mix together with a fork. Place chicken breasts in baking dish and turn several times to coat with mixture. Let marinate for 30 minutes. Heat an indoor iron grill pan or outdoor grill until very hot. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.