Sheet Pan Fajitas

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1.5 – 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 large bell peppers (or 3 small/med ones), sliced
3–4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
handful of cilantro
1 lime
optional for serving: sour cream, guacamole/avocado, tortillas, rice and beans, etc

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Have a large sheet pan ready (cover with foil or parchment for easy clean-up).

In a small bowl mix salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.  Place sliced chicken, onions, and peppers in an extra large mixing bowl.  Drizzle on oil and seasonings. Toss to coat.

Spread chicken and pepper mixture out evenly on baking sheet and place in oven.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.  If desired, place under broiler for a quick minute to brown.

Remove from oven and if desired, sprinkle cilantro over everything and give it a big squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Serve with tortillas and traditional fixings, or over a bed of salad or veggies or rice and beans, etc.

Notes:
I made these the week they were posted back in January and have not made another fajita recipe since (even our beloved and much-made fajitas that I posted here many many moons ago).  I doubled the recipe to feed all the Blanchards in North Carolina this summer, and in that case, we ended up cooking it all in a couple of giant frying pans on the stove.  It worked fine that way, too, but I just love the hands off ease of the sheet pan meal.  This one is so flavorful, so easy and so quick I don't think you'll ever need another fajita recipe again!

Frying pan style - you do what ya gotta
do when cooking in a stranger's kitchen.
;)

Spaghetti Sauce

Source: My momma

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef
1 large onion, diced
3 15 oz cans Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 heaping Tablespoon flour
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 teaspoons basil
1-2 teaspoons oregano
1-2 teaspoons chili powder (I never measure the spices - I just kind of eyeball and shake)

Directions:
In a large saucepan, Brown the ground beef and onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add one can tomatoes, undrained.  Stir flour in corner until pasty (this is to avoid lumps).  Blend remaining two cans tomatoes until smooth.  Add blended tomato "juice" and tomato sauce to pot.  Season with basil, oregano and chili powder.  Simmer for a while.  Serve over hot spaghetti noodles, with plenty of cheese on top.

Notes:
Oh yum!  This is one of my favorite homey comfort foods ever.  It was my favorite growing up (according to my Dr. Suess's Book About Me entry (seen below)) and I am thrilled to find out that I can make it taste like my mom's, even when I don't use her home-bottled tomatoes and tomato juice.  We always ate it with green beans growing up (which was not my fave, also seen below), but the garlic bread (I should definitely post that recipe, huh?) certainly made up for those.  This freezes great, too.  If you have so many leftovers you don't know what to do.

Roasted Veggie and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

Source: Our Best Bites (are you noticing a theme here? if it's not from Mel, it's from OBB!)

We ate it before I could take a good "final" pic!  (If that's not
a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!)

Ingredients:
1 12-14 ounce package smoked sausage, cut into 2″ slices (I like to use turkey smoked sausage to cut the calories and fat just a bit)
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
1 pound sweet potato, cut into 3/4″ chunks (the smaller the better so they cook quicker)
1/4 cup extra virgin lemon olive oil (or 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + zest of 1 lemon) (I always do the oil + zest, but I never have lemons, so I use limes instead)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dry parsley)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pomegranate arils (really fun and different and delicious, but not necessary if you don't have them)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the sausage, sprouts, and sweet potato on the baking sheet and set aside.

Whisk together the olive oil (and lemon (or lime - seriously, give it a try) zest, if using), garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper and drizzle over the sausage/sprouts/sweet potato mixture. Toss to combine. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then use a spatula to flip the sausage mixture and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and, if desired, season with additional salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Ready to toss with oil and spices.

Just needs pomegranate arils! (Or not!)
(Also, you can see I scrapped the foil - I don't have patience
for the stuff when I'm tossing and flipping and ripping it to shreds.)

Notes:
I first made this in 2016, shortly after it was posted by OBB, and it instantly became a family favorite.  And I became an instant fan of sheet pan dinners and sought out and pinned about a million the next day - but I always come back to this one over and over and over.  It's just so GOOD.  We love it with the pomegranate arils for a little pop of color and sweetness, but I don't always have them or use them.  Also, the veggies and sausage are totally customizable - get creative!  You could use regular red/gold potatoes, zucchini, green beans, peppers, onions, even grape tomatoes!  Same goes for the sausage - I just buy the cheapest smoked turkey sausage I can find at the store, but there are all kinds of flavors and brands available these days, so use what you like!

Update 3/6/2019: I made it with sweet potatoes and sausage,
like usual, but subbed asparagus for the sprouts and added
some onion and cauliflower - so yummy!  So versatile!

Pepperoncini Beef (or Pork) Sandwiches

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1/2+ teaspoon kosher salt
1/2+ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive or cooking oil
3 lb. beef roast, trimmed of excess fat (OR, and I might even like this better: ~3 lbs boneless pork ribs)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 16-oz. jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained  (these come in various heat levels - apparently the jar that looks exactly like this but is labeled "mild pepper rings" are the ones I need to look for next time for Callie's zero heat tolerance level)
Optional: 1 small packet dry Italian dressing
Crusty sandwich rolls (my fave are ciabatta rolls)
Sliced provolone cheese
Mayo

Directions:
Heat oil in a pot or high-sided skillet over high heat. While the oil is heating, combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the meat. Add more if necessary. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy.  (Or you can just skip the searing part like I do - especially when I have frozen pork ribs - I just toss them in the bottom of the crock pot and sprinkle the salt and pepper on top.)

Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and add the minced garlic and the entire jar of pepperoncinis and dressing mix if using. If possible, cook on high until the liquid comes to a boil and then turn it to low and cook until the roast shreds easily with a fork, for a total cooking time of about 6-8 hours. If not possible, cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef is fork tender.


For sandwiches, slice the rolls and spread lightly with mayonnaise and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place open face under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.  Place the top of the bun on the melted cheesy/meat side.  Serve immediately. Makes 12 large sandwiches.  Leftovers freeze wonderfully and are especially good in Creamy Baked Taquitos, or on salads, nachos, burritos, etc.

Notes:
I made this first for my birthday dinner a few years ago and have made it occasionally since (when my mom has generously gifted me a frozen beef roast, usually - this is my favorite way to make roast beef).  But recently I when I was craving it and all I had in my freezer was pork ribs, I decided to try it that way (the idea was sparked by a commenter in the original post, so thank you to that anonymous person!).  I made the sandwiches the same way as described and was licking my lips the whole meal.  And the few meals that followed.  And then I mixed the leftovers into our favorite taquito recipe instead of shredded chicken and about died all over again.  Seriously.  Fave status, for sure.

Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce {aka "White Sauce" at our house}

Source: the one and only Mel

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 6 pieces (you can use regular or low fat)
1 cup milk (anything from 1% to whole works great)
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup) (I only ever have that "fake" powdery stuff in the green can, so I use about 1/2 cup of that, and then set the rest on the table for people to add more as garnish if they want)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste, if needed
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (my own addition)

Directions:
In a medium pot or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, taking care not to let the garlic burn.

Add the cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. It will look curdled at first, but with constant whisking for 2-3 minutes, it should come together to form a smooth, creamy paste.

Add the milk gradually, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking quickly and constantly until each addition is incorporated fully into the sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is the desired consistency.

Cook for 2-3 minutes for a thicker sauce or remove right after the cheese is melted for a thinner sauce. Serve immediately over hot, cooked noodles.

Notes:
One of Cal and Sam's favorite meals of all time is "White Sauce with Noodles". (Grandma B. gave Sam a box of dinosaur shaped noodles in his Christmas stocking and this how he requested we eat them).  We make it at least monthly and for some reason we always have steamed broccoli on the side.  (I tell you what, this sauce spooned over the cooked broccoli is mighty fine, too!)  If we happen to have leftovers (which isn't super common), I like to use it on pizza with chicken and tomatoes and mushrooms and cheese.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese (can use low-fat) (I always up this to 4 oz (half a brick) just because)
1/4 cup green salsa (I always use La Victoria brand, medium heat)
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (these are also really delicious with leftover pepperoncini pork or cafe rio pork too)
1 cup grated pepperjack or monterey jack cheese
20 small flour (or corn, but I like flour best) tortillas (look for "fajita size")
kosher salt
cooking spray or olive oil

Directions:
For the filling:
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)

For the taquitos:
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll.

Place 2 Tablespoons (don't overfill or it will all ooze out and it might do that anyway) of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges.

Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another. Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Dip in sour cream, salsa, or our favorite: Creamy Lime Cilantro Ranch (we call it "green sauce" and it is THE BEST!).

For the freezer:
Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Notes:
I'm trying to get back to posting here on the ol' recipe blog.  (I feel like I've said this before, and I probably will say it again. New Year's Resolutions and all that.)  BUT, I definitely want to share some of my all-time favorites that I've been making the past couple of years.  I won't post every single new thing I make like I used to.  But I absolutely want to get the ones that we come back to over and over again shared here.  And these taquitos definitely fit in that category.  They are AMAZING and a big-time favorite at our house.  And they're easy!  The hardest/longest part is rolling them up, but that isn't even that hard/long.  So don't delay!  Give them a try!

Crock Pot Lasagna

Source: my momma

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef (you can use more if you like, but this is plenty for me - Italian sausage would be tasty, too)
3 15 oz cans Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp dried basil (or more?  I don't ever measure)
1 tsp dried oregano (same as above)
1 tsp garlic powder (see above spice notes)
1 tsp onion powder (ditto)
1 lb (maybe more) shredded cheese (I use a mix of mostly mozzarella and some cheddar, and again, I didn't really measure so this is an estimate and more cheese can only make it better ;)
1 box regular lasagna noodles (you won't need the whole thing, and just keep them dry/uncooked)

Directions:
Brown your meat in a medium-large sauce pan, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  While it's browning, blend two cans of stewed tomatoes until smooth (I suppose you could also use canned tomato juice - my mom always used home-bottled tomato juice, but I never have either of those things, so I blend the tomatoes).  Drain the meat and then add the tomato puree or juice, tomato sauce, one can of tomatoes, and spices.  Let that simmer for a few minutes while you grate your cheese.

Add a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of your large crock pot insert.  Cover the sauce with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking them up as needed to fit into the space allotted.  Cover the noodles with another thin layer of sauce, and then a layer of cheese (you can be generous here).  Repeat with another layer of noodles (broken to fit as needed - I like to switch directions of my noodles on each layer so if I went long-ways on the bottom, I'll go short-ways on the next layer, etc, etc), sauce, then cheese.  Keep going until your sauce runs out (I think I can usually get about 3 layers of noodles).  The last layer should be sauce topped with cheese.

Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 3 hours (or high for about an hour).  (I didn't time it very well, but when I made this last I had it on high at 2:00 pm and the lasagna was done around 3:00 or 3:30, so I turned it down till we were ready to eat at 5:00.)

Enjoy!

Notes:
This is one of my all-time favorite meals.  My mom used to always make it in a Dutch oven in the oven, but when it's hot she switches to the crock pot.  (I love that it doesn't have to heat up the whole house.)  I never made it for years because I never had my mom's home-bottled tomatoes or juice, but just recently I discovered the blending note listed above and it has changed my life.  Haha.  I'm sure it's flexible, so feel free to add other kinds of cheese or spices/meats you like to your sauce.  I think they key is to keep the sauce a bit on the runny side so that the noodles have enough liquid to cook since they aren't cooked beforehand.

Smothered Pork Chops with Bell Pepper Gravy

Source: P-Dub

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning (I didn't have any, but I found this handy-dandy substitution)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
black pepper to taste
8 whole thin bone-in breakfast pork chops (I had boneless loin chops, which were great, but I think I cooked them a bit too long, which is easy to do with that kind of chop)
1/4 cup olive oil
7 Tablespoons butter
1 whole large onion, peeled and sliced
1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and sliced (I used a combo of colors of peppers, but only about 2 whole peppers worth and it was very bell peppery, so I don't think three is necessary, personally)
1 whole yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth, more if needed for thinning

2 Tablespoons cream (I used milk because that's what I have)

Directions:
Whisk together the flour, seasoned salt, lemon pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a pie plate. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture. Heat the olive oil and 4 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry the pork chops in batches until well browned, 2 to minutes per side. Remove the chops from the skillet and keep warm.

Add the onions and peppers to the same skillet and cook them, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove them to a plate and set them aside.

To the same skillet, add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons flour. Whisk it into a paste. Stir and cook until the roux turns dark golden about 2 minutes. Whisk in the stock a bit at a time, working out all the lumps, then add the cream. Add more stock if the gravy is too thick. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Add the onions and peppers, coating them in the sauce.


Serve pork chops on a plate with the gravy spooned over the top and chow down!

Notes:
This were gooood.  Maybe it's because I get sick of my usual chicken breasts or ground beef options when it comes to meat, but pork chops just speak to my soul.  Ha.  Okay, so maybe that's a bit dramatic.  But I love 'em.  And these were fantastic.  A little "fancier" than my normal weeknight fare, but actually not a ton harder to put together.  We ate them with mashed taters and had a heavenly feast for a Thursday.

Grilled Lemon Herb Pork Chops

Source: allrecipes.com (after a google search for pork chops + lemons)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 (4 oz) boneless pork loin chops (I don't know how much mine weighed - I'm guessing they were a bit bigger than 4 oz each - but I only had three and left all the above ingredients as is and it worked out great)

Directions:
In a large resealable bag, combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. Place chops in bag, seal, and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Turn bag frequently to distribute marinade.  (Someone in the comments suggested massaging the chops in the bag every so often, so when I remembered, I'd give 'em a squeeze and flip 'em over.  I think they were in the marinade for 6-8 hours?)

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Remove chops from bag, and transfer remaining marinade to a saucepan. Bring marinade to a boil, remove from heat, and set aside.  (I skipped the boiling the extra and just tossed it with the ziplock.)


Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill pork chops for 5 to 7 minutes per side, basting frequently with boiled marinade, until done.  (No basting necessary - just cook 'em and eat 'em.)

Notes:
As I mentioned before, I had some pork chops in the freezer and some lemons on the counter and I needed something that could combine the two together.  I opened the computer, visited my good friend google and two minutes later I was prepping these bad boys.  I thought they were delicious!  Callie said she didn't really like them (they were a bit on the tart side at first taste), but she ate what we gave her, so take that with a grain of salt.  I served them with a side of yummy rice pilaf (which I had made in my rice cooker) and it was a fantastic, easy and surprisingly quick midweek meal.

Honey-Orange Glazed Ham in the Crock Pot

Source: here

Ingredients:
1/2 cup apple juice (I didn't have any apple juice so I just left it out - I had plenty of liquid)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 ham, bone-in or boneless, spiral or not, probably the most important key is that it fits in your crock pot

Directions:
Place ham in the crock pot.  Cover with juices, sugar and honey.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, brushing with glaze occasionally.

Notes:
Couldn't be easier than that.  We had this for Christmas dinner with a good ol' hash brown casserole (i.e. funeral potatoes), rolls, and a green salad.  Simple, hearty, leftovers for days (the ham freezes great and can be used in soups, sandwiches, pizzas, whatever you want).

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or chicken tenders
16-ounce package sliced bacon, thick cut or regular
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (I went with the larger amount on each of these ranges)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If you have it, place an uncoated metal cooling rack inside a foil-lined large rimmed baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. If not, line a baking pan or broiling pan with foil and lightly grease with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut the chicken breasts into large bite-sized pieces. If using chicken tenders, cut them in half (you can fold over the chicken tender pieces when wrapping so they'll be thicker). Place the chicken pieces in a medium bowl and toss with the salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and red pepper. Let it hang out while preparing the rest of the ingredients (you can cover and refrigerate up to a day).

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and chili powder together. Cut the entire slab of bacon into thirds.

Wrap each chicken piece with small strip of bacon and holding tightly, dredge them in the brown sugar/chili powder mixture. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet (or rack set inside the baking sheet). If the bacon isn’t staying put, you can secure with a toothpick.  (I made mine ahead of time and stored the pan in the fridge for most of the day till it was time to cook.  So when it came time to cook them, they took closer to 30-40 minutes to cook since everything was so cold.)

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and the chicken is cooked through. Flip it once if the chicken is laying directly on the baking sheet. Serve immediately.

Notes:
I was looking for new appetizer recipes that I could serve for Christmas Eve or New Years Eve or just your average Thursday Eve.  And of course, Mel came through for me again.  These were delicious!  I loved the slight spicy-sweet coating that came from the brown sugar-chili powder dusting over the top of these little delights.  My only complaint is that the bacon never really got crispy.  I don't know if it's supposed to, but I guess I was expecting it to, so when it stayed pretty soft and chewy, I was a little bit bummed.  But, they were delicious.  And they actually warmed up great in the microwave for the next few days as we ate them for lunch.  We even sliced them in half and used them as the meat in a sandwich, which was really quite delicious.

Salisbury Steak in the Slow Cooker

Source: allrecipes.com, via Pinterest

Ingredients:
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (I used cream of mushroom soup instead, as per some suggestions)
1 (1 ounce) packet dry au jus mix
3/4 cup water
a handful of mushrooms, chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion soup mix, bread crumbs, and milk using your hands. Shape into 8 patties.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the patties in flour just to coat, and quickly brown on both sides in the hot skillet. Place browned patties into the slow cooker stacking alternately like a pyramid. Add chopped mushrooms.  In a medium bowl, mix together the cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup, au jus mix, and water. Pour over the meat. Cook on the Low setting for 4 or 5 hours, until ground beef is well done.

Notes:
This was really great.  My only complaint is that it is quite salty.  Not sure how to overcome that with all the packaged salt (basically) that you add, but just be aware.  Other than that, this made a yummy, warm, easy Sunday dinner served over mashed potatoes with some mixed steamed veggies.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Source: My mom

Ingredients:
2 lbs pork roast or boneless pork ribs, cut into 1 inch cubes (I used one fairly large pork chop - but it wasn't close to 2 lbs, I'm guessing)
1 20 oz can pineapple chunks (do not drain)
2 green peppers, cubed (I used one green and one yellow - but I should have used red since the pineapple is yellow ;) - also, I've made it with one pepper and one onion and that's yummy, too.)
1 cup beef broth
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (I used a touch less than 1/2)
salt, black pepper, garlic powder and a dash or two of hot sauce
cornstarch mixed with water (to thicken) (I used 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch in a drizzle of water - probably could have used a bit more since it didn't get super thick; my most recent time making it I used 2 TB in 1/3 cup water, but that probably was too much because it got thicker than I was expecting.  1 TB is probably just right.)
1/2 - 3/4 cup vinegar (I used ~1/2 cup)
soy sauce to taste (I used a few shakes - I don't really have any idea how much it was; up to 1/4 cup tastes good to me)
steamed rice (to serve)

Directions:
Season pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Brown in stock pot on medium heat (I used a little bit of oil).  Cook until well browned.  Add beef broth, sugar, juice from pineapple, hot sauce and vinegar.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add green peppers, pineapple chunks and desired soy sauce.  Cook until meat is very tender (this will take about 30-40 minutes).  Add more beef broth or vinegar and sugar while cooking if needed (I didn't need to the first time, but my most recent time I added 1 cup water as it was cooking).  Mix water and cornstarch together then slowly add to sweet and sour mixture.  Cook until thick.  Serve over rice.  Serves 6-8.

Notes:
I've made sweet and sour chicken dishes many, many times - it's one of our favorites and pretty regular in the ol' meal rotation.  But there was a pretty good sale on pork chops this week and instead of buying my usual chicken breasts, I bought pork instead.  Yum!  What a pleasant change!  Good stuff here!

Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (12- to 16-ounce each) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture and use the rest to rub over the pork tenderloin on all sides.

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it is rippling and hot. Add the pork tenderloins in a single layer and cook the pork until browned on all sides, 5-7 minutes total (flipping as needed). Transfer the pork to an aluminum-foil lined baking pan and bake until the meat registers 140 degrees at the thickest part, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter or plate and tent with foil, letting it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

In a bowl, combine the reserved spice mixture, ketchup, vinegar and sugar and brush over the cooked pork. Slice the pork and serve.

Notes:
This was my first attempt at cooking a pork tenderloin.  I've seen (and pinned) tons and tons and tons of recipes, but had yet to try one until our local City Market had a sale on a roast that I couldn't pass up.  I think, because it was my first time working with this cut of meat, and because my tenderloin was closer to 3 1/2 pounds instead of the smaller ones suggested in the recipe, I overcooked mine.  Sad.  I cut it into four pieces, hoping to approximate the thickness of a smaller loin, but even still, I kept cooking it because my meat thermometer hadn't reached 140 degrees yet.  Maybe I just need a newer/better thermometer?  Anyway, it did turn out a little bit tougher than I was imagining, but it definitely wasn't inedible.  On the contrary!  And I've been loving it sliced thinly on sandwiches for leftovers for days now.  :)

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Source: my mom, Peggy (I think she said it came from an old ward cookbook from years ago)

Ingredients:
1 cup rice (not cooked - yet)
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 - 1/2 green pepper, diced (optional - suggested by by sister) (I went with them)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 6 oz can mushrooms (optional) (I opted for the mushrooms)
1/4 cup pimento (optional) (I left these out)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional) or cracker or bread crumbs (I went with bread crumbs)
1 1/2 cups light cream or milk (I used evaporated milk + 1% milk)
chicken broth (see directions)
3 cups cooked diced chicken (I used probably 2 cups for a double batch)
2 Tablespoons parsley

Directions:
Cook rice.  Cook onion (and green pepper, if using) in butter until tender.  Remove from heat.  Stir in flour.  Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid.  Add enough chicken broth to liquid to measure 1 1/2 cups.  Gradually stir into flour mix.  Add cream.  Cook and stir until thick.  Add rice, mushrooms, chicken, pimento, parsley, salt and pepper.  Place in a 2 quart casserole dish.  Sprinkle with almonds or crumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Notes:
My mom always made a double batch of this casserole and froze one to have on hand to take to someone in need in the ward when she served as Relief Society President.  She even made it for us when she came to visit/help after Callie was born, and boy was it tasty then!  Our Relief Society President recently had a baby, so I decided to bring her this comforting, warm, delicious casserole as a dinner for her and her family.  I, too, doubled it, keeping one for us.  It comes together pretty quickly and it really hits the spot.  Another variation by my sister is to leave out the mushrooms and pepper and add broccoli instead.  Sound delish!

(Notes for me for the future: when I doubled the recipe, I used 1 can evaporated milk + 1% milk to make it 3 cups; mushroom liquid + 1 can chicken broth + water from boiling chicken to make it 3 cups.)

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta {Mel's Version}

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
for the seasoning:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you want to up the heat) (my kids thought it was too spicy even when I used only 1/4 teaspoon - so use as much as you can handle!)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

for the chicken and pasta:
2 teaspoons oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch strips
2 bell peppers, any color (I prefer red and orange), sliced into thin strips (I only had one - a red one - and it seemed to be plenty)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin half moon slices
12 ounces fettuccine noodles (I decided to use a whole pound package because I hate having half-open pasta bags in my cupboard just hanging out)

for the sauce:
1 Tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I skipped the broth and just upped the milk to 2 cups total since I used more pasta than she called for)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix together all the seasoning spices in a small bowl and toss all but 1 teaspoon of the mixture with the chicken pieces, reserving the 1 teaspoon for later.  (Since I had already made up a very similar Cajun spice mix a long time ago, I just used ~1 Tablespoon of that for the chicken and 1 teaspoon for later.)

Bring a large pot of salted (I never salt my water - am I a bad pasta maker?) water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package directions.

While the noodles are boiling, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer and cook until golden on each side and cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside, leaving as much liquid in the pan as possible.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the peppers and onions. Sprinkle the reserved spice mixture over the top and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are softened. Scrape the veggies on top of the chicken.

Return the skillet to the heat and make the sauce by adding the butter and garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds or so until the garlic is fragrant. Add the cream cheese in large pieces and whisk or stir until smooth and thick.

In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, broth and cornstarch until well combined.

Gradually pour this mixture into the skillet, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste (I'd suggest about 1/4 teaspoon each and work up from there as needed).

Add the chicken, peppers and onions and stir to coat with sauce. Remove from the heat.

Once the noodles are finished cooking, drain and return to the pot. Pour the sauce mixture over the top and toss to coat the noodles with sauce. Serve immediately, garnishing with green onions, if desired.

Notes:
I had made a different version of Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta a long time ago and we really enjoyed it then and the handful of other times I have made it since.  I liked the flavor and creaminess and the relative ease of the dish, but when I saw Mel post her own version, I knew I had to give it a try.  And I knew that I wouldn't ever go back to my old ways once I did.  That's sort of the way it goes with her recipes.  She's just that good.  I really liked the extra creamy-factor from the cream cheese, but I actually thought the pasta was better the second day (reheated, of course) after it had a chance to really meld together in the fridge overnight.  Good stuff here.  And although the recipe looks long, it really isn't too involved and is actually pretty quick to whip together.

Kielbasa Tinfoil Dinners

Source: inspired by a photo on pinterest that had no recipe to go along with it

Ingredients:
1 lb kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2 discs
1 green pepper, cut into chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
4 red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 medium sweet potato, cut into chunks (are you noticing a theme here?)
1-2 Tablespoons butter
salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley, to taste

Directions:
Even though I originally intended to make this as a foil pouch meal and cook it on the grill, I actually ended up just tossing everything into a 9x13" baking dish, adding a couple dollops of butter on top, and seasoning to taste with whatever I grabbed from the spice cabinet.  Then I covered the casserole with tinfoil and baked at 375 degrees until the potatoes were tender.  I honestly can't remember how long it took; probably 30-45 minutes, I'm guessing.

Notes:
I love tinfoil dinners, but I normally make them with a ground beef patty, sliced potatoes, and carrots and onions, with a squirt of ketchup for moisture and seasoning.  When I saw this photo pop up in my pinterest feed, I knew I had to give it a try.  It was fantastic!  So flavorful and delicious.  We all loved it.

Enchilada Zucchini Boats

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini, halved
8-12 ounces lean ground turkey or ground beef (depends on how meaty you want this dish to be)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed (I tried a new trick ala Pioneer Woman and grated mine on a microplane zester - it worked okay, but I don't know if I'll ever do it again - kinda messy!)
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds and membrane removed if you want less heat)
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (didn't have this so I just upped the cumin to 2 1/2 teaspoons)
15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (or a combination)
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Scoop out the center of each zucchini, discarding the seeds and leaving the outer zucchini flesh about 1/4-inch thick, forming little zucchini boats. Sprinkle the cut side of each zucchini with a little bit of salt (a pinch for each zucchini half). Set aside while preparing the filling.

In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook the ground turkey or beef over medium heat with the salt and pepper, breaking the meat into little pieces as it cooks. Once cooked all the way through, drain any excess grease, except for 1-2 teaspoons, and scrape the meat to a plate.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onion, garlic and jalapeno. Cook the mixture until the onion has softened and turned translucent, 4-5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, and coriander. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle in about 1/3 cup of the sauce and spread across the bottom of the pan.

Stir the cooked meat and beans into the remaining sauce in the skillet.

Scoop an even amount of the meat and sauce mixture into each zucchini boat, piling it on.

Cover the baking dish with a layer of lightly greased foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and layer the cheese over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes more until the zucchini is fork tender.

Sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top and let the zucchini enchilada boats rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:
I've never made zucchini boats (nor have I ever eaten them, I don't recall), but the ones I've seen or heard about always seemed to have a little Italian flair - marinara sauce, Italian sausage, etc.  I love me some enchiladas, so when Mel posted this one, I knew I had to give it a whirl as my first foray into zucchini boat goodness.  I'm hooked!  (Though I actually thought these tasted more like chili on top instead of enchiladas - it's all the same sort of spices, right?)  And I think Gregg and Callie are fans, too.  (Callie gobbled up an entire boat herself for dinner and Gregg ate 3, with another as a late night snack before bed!)  These are yummy!

Teriyaki Burgers

Source: Kay Lynn Larsen (who I don't know, but it's her name that appears next to this recipe in my mom's old ward recipe book that this came from)

Ingredients:
1 egg, partially beaten
2 slices bread, torn up (I usually like to use the heels of a loaf - they're always left behind and work perfectly in this recipe!)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl (don't be afraid to use your hands and just mix it all together!).  In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, mix the remaining ingredients.  Then pour liquid over meat mixture and mix till everything is incorporated.  Mold into patties (I usually make mine heart shaped - I'm a nerd - and can get 5 to 6 decent-sized patties from a batch) and place on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Broil just until they hold together, and then turn over.  (Do not overcook.)  (I don't always broil them - sometimes, if I'm making sweet potato fries to go with them, which is pretty much every time I make them, I just cook them alongside my pan of sweet potatoes at whatever temperature I decide to cook them that day - anything from 375 to 415 usually works great, depending on when I started dinner and how soon we need/want to eat it!)  Serve with ketchup and/or horse radish for dipping.  (We don't eat these with buns like normal burgers; instead we eat them more like meatloaf or something - just by themselves with sweet potato "fries" on the side.)

Notes:
This is a recipe I remember having a handful of times growing up and for some reason just always loved.  It makes quite a regular appearance in our dinner rotation these days.  Callie LOVES them and can eat a whole patty herself!  If you have a cookie sheet that you don't care too much about, these can also been cooked out on the grill (on the cookie sheet - they're really moist and don't hold up well on a grate) when it's too hot to heat up the oven inside.

Chicken Pillows

Source: a mix of Mel's Kitchen Cafe and my friend, Marcy, plus some additions and alterations based on what I had/needed

Ingredients:
for the filling:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 - 1 1/2 pounds) (I actually probably had less than this - all I had in the freezer were two puny little breasts and it worked.)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 green onion, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

for the rolls and coating:
1/2 batch buttery crescent rolls (I used Mel's Buttery Cornmeal Crescent Roll Recipe - and they were amazing! I actually made a whole batch, but only used half for this recipe and the other half I formed into crescents and froze before their second rise - now when I need rolls I'll just pop them out of the freezer a few hours before, let them thaw and rise, and bake as usual.)  (Note: you don't have to make homemade dough if you don't want to/have time to - just use a couple cans of refrigerated crescent rolls from the store - I won't tell.)
1/4 cup (half stick) butter, melted
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

for the sauce:
1 can cream o' chicken soup
~2 Tablespoons sour cream (I just sort of eyeballed this)
~1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (I just sort of eyeballed this)
~3/4 can water (just use the chicken soup can and add until the sauce is the consistency you want)

Directions:
Make the buttery crescent rolls according to the recipe, but pause after the first rise.

While the dough is rising, cook and shred the chicken (or use already cooked, shredded chicken). In a medium bowl combine the chicken, celery, green onion, cream cheese, garlic powder and salt and mix until well combined. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

Once the dough has doubled in size, deflate the dough and separate into two pieces (if you made a full batch - if you halved it from the beginning, just use all the dough you've got). Roll each piece of dough into a 13X20-inch rectangle and cut each rectangle into 12 pieces (cutting lengthwise in half and then each half into six pieces).  One by one, flatten each dough piece slightly and spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken/cream cheese mixture into the center. Fold up all the sides and pinch them together to seal well.  (Mine turned out horrible looking, but after all was said and done, they actually looked fine and tasted even better.)

When all the chicken pillows have been formed, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl or flat dish (like a pie plate). One by one, dip the top of each chicken pillow in the melted butter and then in the crumb/Parmesan mixture. Place seam side down (whoops - didn't do it that way!) about 2 inches apart (and mine were much closer together, but they were totally fine) on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes, until the chicken pillows are lightly golden brown and the dough is baked through.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan or microwave safe bowl, mix the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheese and water to desired consistency and temperature.  Stir well - it should be creamy and smooth and hot.

Serve the rolls warm from the oven with the sauce drizzled over the top.  Makes ~12 chicken pillows (I only got 11 filled rolls with my filling, but I think with a titch more chicken it would have been 12 for sure).

Notes:
I had tried these before with the store-bought crescents in a tube, and they were great, but after my sister mentioned she had made this particular recipe and I remembered that I had pinned it a long time ago, I decided to finally give them a whirl.  Oh yum!  I would have made the sauce in Mel's recipe had I had enough milk, but alas, it's grocery day and last night all I had was the 2 cups needed for the roll dough.  (Next time, for sure!)  The cream o' soup was a fine replacement, though.  And these little leftover pillow pockets of goodness will make a mighty fine lunch for me today.  (Can't wait!)