Crazy Good Swiss Steak (Recipe 82 of 125)

Photo from Savory Tooth

This recipe really feels like a recipe you would have seen in the 70's. It uses a relatively inexpensive, and tough, piece of meat and could really serve a small crowd. 

I was curious why it is called "Swiss Steak". Having lived in Switzerland I had never seen this there and so was very confused.  Turns out...

Swiss steak is a method of slow-cooking a relatively tough cut of beef, such as a round steak. The meat is browned, and then braised in a tomato sauce. ... The "Swiss" in Swiss Steak has nothing to do with Switzerland, but refers to the process of tenderizing a tough cut of meat.

So there you go. 

Overall, this recipe was delicious. I'd make this again for sure. In fact, it'd be a great Sunday dinner recipe. 

I did make some modification, but only one. I didn't use beef round cut. I wasn't really sure what beef round cut was - top round? Bottom round? who knows? So I used cubed steak again. Cube steak needs to be braised too, so it was a good choice.

Otherwise I changed nothing! Oh wait...I did change one more thing. I didn't cook this on the stove top because my flat top stove doesn't really every cook on "low". So I dropped this bad boy in a 300F oven for two hours. Worked like a charm.

Crazy Good Swiss Steak

Recipe from Savory Tooth.com

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 pounds beef round cut
• 1/2 c diced onions (1/4-1/2 onion)
• 1/2 c diced carrots (1-2 carrots)
• 1/2 c diced celery (1-2 stalks)
• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T chopped fresh parsley

Trim the beef of any excess fat, and cut into round slices about 1/2 inch thick. Pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine all dry seasonings and stir to mix well. Add sliced beef and all seasonings to a resealable bag. Toss until the beef is well-coated.

Heat olive oil in a 4 quart or larger dutch oven or pot over medium to medium-high heat for a few minutes until hot. Working in 2 batches: add beef slices in a single layer and brown for about a minute, flip to brown the other side, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot. Cook for a few minutes until aromatic, stirring frequently.

Add diced tomatoes (including liquid in the can), Worcestershire sauce, and 2/3 cup water. Stir together until well-mixed. Return the beef slices and any bowl drippings to the pot, snugly arranging the beef on top of the vegetables. Evenly distribute mushrooms on top.

Cover with a tightly fitting lid. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender and nearly falling apart.

Uncover and turn off the heat. Transfer only the beef slices onto serving plates. Stir together the vegetables and sauce in the pot, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom, and spoon them over the beef. Top with parsley and serve.

Chicken Marsala (Recipe 81 of 125)

Photo from Cook's Country

I've probably made 50 Chicken Masala recipes. I can most definitely make one without a recipe. Still, I like to try different recipes to see if one is ever better than another. The bottom line is this, I like the masala flavor, so it's hard to say if one's better than another. 

Cook's Country - which is part of the Cook's Illustrated. Usually Cook's Illustrated recipes have a thousand steps to them, and it's always worth it. This recipe had normal steps. 

This is a solid recipe. I wouldn't change a thing about it. And I'll add it to my list of chicken masala recipes. 

Chicken Marsala

Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 4

• 5 thin cut boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
• 1/4 c flour
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 3 T unsalted butter
• 1/2 small onion, chopped fine
• 8 oz button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 c marsala wine
• 1/2 c low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 T minced fresh parsley

Pat cutlets dry and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour to coat; shake off excess. Heat 1 T oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Add 4 cutlets and cook until golden brown, 2 21/2 minutes per side. 

Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

Heat 1 T butter in empty skillet over med-high heat until foaming. Cook onion and mushrooms until browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant; about 30 seconds. Transfer to a med bowl and cover with foil. 

Add marsala wine and broth to empty skillet, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced by 1/2c, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, return chicken and accumulated juices to skillet and turn chicken to heat through, about 1 minute. 

Transfer to serving platter. Off heat whisk in remaining butter and lemon juice. Pour over chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

John's BBQ Chicken (Recipe 80 of 125)

Welcome to another edition of Recipes from Mom's Gray Tin Box. Today's recipe is from someone...no idea who "John" is. I have a feeling it's John Ortiz who was a good friend when we lived in Lancaster. He frequented our house on Friday nights for dinner. Anyhow, I suspect this might be from him. 

This recipe uses reconstituted lemon juice - which I read as frozen lemonade. I couldn't find anything else that said "reconstituted lemon juice". The frozen lemonade added not only a tart flavor, but a hint of sugar too. It was a nice touch. I took the frozen lemonade out the night before so it would be all liquified by marinade time. 

VERY easy recipe and really good. 

What would I do different: 

1. I wouldn't add 1/2 c vegetable oil. I'd add just 1/4 c instead. The marinade was too greasy. 
2. I took about 1/4 c out and set it aside for the basting. I'm not a fan of basting with marinade that raw chicken was sitting in. 
3. I'd add salt. The recipe calls for garlic salt, but it wasn't salty enough. 

Overall, great recipe. I grilled it - shocking I know. It'd be a good recipe to make and have chicken for salads all week. 

John's BBQ Chicken 
Recipe from Mom's Gray Tin Box

Serves 4

• 1 Fryer chickn (3.5 lbs), cut up
• 1/2 c reconstituted lemon juice
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp oregano leaves
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all the ingredients together (except chicken) in a mason jar and shake to combine. 

Put chicken in shallow dish. Pour marinade over it. 

Marinade for 6 hours or overnight. Grill or broil. Turn the chicken and baste with remaining marinade.

Steak and Gravy with Onion (Recipe 79 of 125)

Photo from Deep South Dish

This was sooo similar to mom's chicken fried steak that it made me think of her throughout dinner. The
recipe and the ingredients are not even close to her recipe, but man it sure reminded me of her. 

This recipe called for an ingredient I've never used before; Kitchen Bouquet. I didn't have a clue what it was. I vaguely remember a bottle of it being in mom and dad's pantry, but don't recall every using it. 

So, what is it? According to the interwebs: 

Kitchen Bouquet is a browning and seasoning sauce primarily composed of caramel with vegetable flavorings. It has been used as a flavoring addition for gravies and other foods since approximately 1873. 

It does have a flavor, but it's mild. It felt like it was being used more for coloring, than flavor. 

At any rate, this is a comfort meal if there ever was one...at least for me. Super easy. I made a few modifications. You can see them below. 

Steak and Gravy with Onion

Recipe from Deep South Dish

Serves 4

• 3 T cooking oil (canola, vegetable)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 pounds beef bottom round steak, or other braising steak [JW Note: I couldn't find this at all so I used cube steaks.]
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 c all-purpose flour [JW Note: I didn't bother with the flour for the steak. See note below.]
• About 1/4 c water for deglazing
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 soup can water
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
• 1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have caramelized, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Remove onion and garlic from pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, season the meat lightly on both sides with salt and pepper and pound with a meat mallet to tenderize. Cut into 6 to 8 serving sized pieces, and dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. [JW Note: I didn't dredge it in flour. It didn't seem necessary.]

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same skillet you cooked the onion in over medium heat, and brown the steak on both sides in batches, setting the pieces aside as you brown them and adding additional oil as needed.

Deglaze the pan by adding in about 1/4 cup of water to the empty skillet, simmering and scraping up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Meanwhile combine the cream soup, water, thyme and Kitchen Bouquet in a small bowl. Add half of the soup mixture to the pan juices and stir until blended. Return the meat to the skillet, turning to coat each piece and top with the caramelized onions.

Pour the remaining soup mix over the top, cover, reduce heat and low simmer, stirring and turning occasionally, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is very tender.

Transfer meat to a platter or on individual plates and pour the gravy over the meat. Serve with homemade mashed potatoes or rice and a green salad or vegetable, like southern style green beans with bacon and onion.

Korean Beef and Dirty Rice (Recipe 78 of 125)

I've recently found my tolerance for spicy food has gone up. Not to where it burns your face off, but spicy, I'm finding, is kinda nice. 

This recipe will be one that finds itself in the Hall of Favorites. SUPER easy, and very delicious. I only made one small modification. I used Sriracha instead of red pepper flakes. 

Korean Beef and Dirty Rice
Serves 4

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T sesame oil
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red peppers (depending on how spicy you like it)
• 2 c cooked rice
• 1 bunch green onions (diced)

Get your rice started. 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown beef with garlic in the sesame oil.

In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper flakes. Or in my case Sriracha. 

Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar and soy sauce, mixture. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.

Toss the cooked rice with the beef mixture. Top with green onions.

20-Minute Honey Sesame Chicken (Recipe 77 of 125)

Recipe from 12Tomatoes

I made the same mistake with this recipe I make with every Asian type recipe that has a sauce. I used regular soy sauce!! It was too salty for me. I'll make this again and split the soy with water or use low sodium soy sauce.

This is an easy recipe and super flavorful (aside from the too salty part). 

20-Minute Honey Sesame Chicken

Recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Serves 4

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 T sesame oil, divided
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 2 T honey
• 1 tsp sriracha
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T sesame seeds
• Scallions, chopped, for serving
• White rice, for serving
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, sriracha, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, season the chicken with salt and pepper and toss with cornstarch.

Heat a large skillet over high heat at least 2 minutes. Add oil and chicken to pan and stir fry until golden brown, 5-6 minutes.

Add sauce and let simmer until thickened and sticky, 3-4 minutes.

Serve over white rice and sprinkle with scallions and more sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!

Cheddar, Beef, and Potato Casserole (Recipe 76 of 125)

Our family has a meal called "Hunter's Stew". It's basically ground beef and a bunch of canned veggies then you add dumplings on top. It's delicious. It's simple. Think Shepherd's Pie (or Cottage Pie if you're using beef).

This recipe is a spin on Shepherd's Pie. The 8X8 that it goes into will easily feed 4 + people if you're feeding them with a salad or something - or if they are teenage boys.

If it's just you and maybe one other, you'll have plenty for leftovers. It's a nice, comforting meal.

Cheddar, Beef, and Potato Casserole

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Serves 4

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef (90 percent lean)
• 3 T cornstarch
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 10 ounces frozen classic mixed vegetables
• 3 ounces cheddar, grated
• 8 ounces frozen shredded potatoes or hash browns

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a dry large skillet over medium-high heat, cook onion and mushrooms with 1 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their moisture, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil and beef. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat, until no longer pink but not cooked through, about 3 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk together cornstarch, Worcestershire, and 2/3 cup water. Stir into skillet with frozen vegetables. Cook until vegetables are just thawed, about 1 minute. Season to taste; transfer to a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Top with cheese.

Toss potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season generously with salt and sprinkle over beef mixture. Bake until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Switch oven to broiler; broil until potatoes are golden brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; serve.

Keto Green Chile Chicken (Recipe 75 of 125)

Photo from CastIronKeto

So...I have to admit I took a perfectly good low carb recipe and added carbs. Hah. I thought this would be good with pasta, so that's what I added. 

And I was right! I added about a half of cup of heavy cream to loosen up the sauce...and it made the meal. I also added the Monterrey Jack into the sauce to melt. Delicious!

There wasn't anything about this recipe that was bad...I just felt I needed carbs tonight. This one will be a keeper for sure...with the carbs. 

Keto Green Chile Chicken

Recipe from Cast Iron Keto

Serves 4

• 1 T oil avocado, coconut, lard, or tallow works great
• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 ounces canned green chilis
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 c Monterey jack cheese grated

Heat oil in a 10.5″ skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with spices then sear 3-4 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside.

Add the onion and green chilis to the skillet, cook 3-4 minutes until onion has softened. Add in the cream cheese, and chicken along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate.

Top the chicken with the jack cheese and cover for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted. Top with cilantro and serve.

Hamburger Patties with Creamy Tomato Sauce (Recipe 74 of 125)

Welcome to another episode of "Jenn Learns to Pan Fry without Burning it". In this episode Jenn tries to pan fried burger patties without burning them, and actually cooking them completely. Will she succeed? 

In fact, she did. Now that I've learned to be patient, and lower the temperature, I think I have a handle on this pan frying thing. 

This recipe will be marked as a favorite. I bought Gorgonzola instead of Feta - for reasons I can't explain - and frankly, I think it was better. I also opted to not use the full tsp of salt because Gorgonzola has enough salt. The tomato sauce that goes with it was off the charts. 

I made a caprese salad and steamed broccoli on the side. 

Hamburger Patties with Creamy Tomato Sauce 

Recipe from Diet Doctor

Serves 4

Hamburger patties

• 1½ lbs ground beef
• 1 egg
• 3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 oz. fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 T olive oil, for frying
• 2 T butter, for frying

Gravy

• ¾ c heavy whipping cream
• 1 oz. fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• 2 T tomato paste 
• salt and pepper

Add all ingredients for the hamburgers to a large bowl. Blend it using a wooden spoon or your clean hands. Don't over mix since that can make your patties tough. Use wet hands to form eight oblong patties.

Add butter and olive oil to a large frying pan. Fry over medium-high heat for at least 10 minutes or until the patties have turned a nice color. Flip them a few times for even cooking.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste and cream. Add this mixture to the pan when the patties are almost done. Stir and let simmer for a few minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle chopped parsley on top before serving.

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast (Recipe 73 of 125)

Photo from The Novice Chef

Last night was book club. And not just book club...but IN PERSON book club! Woot. Finally. I knew I wouldn't have too much time to cook before the ladies arrived so I opted for pot roast. 

My dad LOVED pot roast. We had it at least monthly. I'm always on the lookout for a good pot roast recipe...and yet, every time I try a new one, I think my original recipe is just fine. 

This one was ok. Not any better or worse than any other recipe. I won't make it again because, again, my regular pot roast recipe is fine and better. 

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Recipe from The Novice Chef blog

Serves 8

4 (1 oz) packets McCormick Brown Gravy Mix

3 T corn starch

1 c brewed coffee

8 oz red wine (cabernet)

1/2 c reduced sodium soy sauce

3 T Worcestershire sauce

8 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

2 T oil

3 lb bottom round roast

1 large bag carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 large sweet yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 c sliced Portobello mushrooms

In a large bowl, whisk together McCormick Brown Gravy Mix and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in coffee so there are no lumps. Then whisk in wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and black pepper. Set aside.

In a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat, add oil. Add meat and quickly sear on all sides. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

Top meat with carrots, onion and mushrooms. Pour gravy mix on top and place lid on slow cooker.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove roast from slow cooker, shred with forks. Stir gravy and vegetables to combine.

Serve roast topped with gravy and vegetables over mashed potatoes.

Chicken Milanese (Recipe 72 of 125)

Photo from Food Network

Wanna know a secret? I suck at pan frying things. I tend to put the heat too high and burn the outside before the inside is done. Because I have a love for crunchy fried things - I mean who doesn't - I decided it was time to learn how to do this correctly. 

I've read a few articles, and as expected, my heat has been too high. I found this recipe of Food Network and it explicably says medium low heat. 

The next step is to make sure your butter and oil are hot. If they aren't and you put the meat in it'll just soak up the oil and be soggy. Not at all what you want. So be patient. Wait for the oil / butter to get hot enough. Place the meat slowly into the pan and then be patient some more. You know that's hard for me right?

These two cutlets turned out perfect. Crispy and done! And the recipe is basic and delicious. 

Chicken Milanese

Recipe from Pioneer Woman

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 c whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 T butter
• 2 T olive oil

Place your palm flat against the top of each chicken breast and carefully slice each piece in half horizontally; you'll be left with 4 thinner chicken breast pieces. Place each chicken cutlet between 2 sheets of waxed paper and use the smooth side of a mallet (or a rolling pin) to pound them until they're very thin. If you think they're thin enough -- pound 'em a few more times! The thinner the better.

In a dish, whisk together the milk and eggs. Place the flour in another dish and mix in some salt and pepper. Place the breadcrumbs in a third dish. Set the 3 dishes aside.

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken pieces, then dredge them 1 at a time in the flour, then quickly dunk both sides in the egg mixture and then coat both sides in the breadcrumbs. Lay each piece on a plate until you're ready to cook them.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. When it's melted and hot, add 2 pieces of the breaded chicken and cook, flipping once, until the breading is golden brown and the chicken is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Add the other tablespoon of butter and oil to the skillet and cook the other 2 pieces of chicken.

Old School Baked Chicken and Rice (Recipe 71 of 125)

Photo from Dinner at the Zoo

Chicken and rice dishes always take me back to my childhood. It was a cheap, quick way for mom to feed us. Dad loved chicken and rice dishes, so it was a no brainer when we needed something in a pinch. 

This one is your traditional type with Cream of "something" soup. It's good. The Cajun seasoning added a nice flair to it and a little heat. 

Old School Baked Chicken and Rice

Recipe from Deep South Dish

Serves 4

• 3 pounds whole, cut up chicken or bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and legs
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 2 (10-1/2 ounce) cans condensed cream soup (Cream of Chicken, Mushroom, Celery, etc)
• 1 c chicken broth
• 1 c uncooked long grain rice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine seasonings and set aside. Whisk together the cream soups and water or broth with 1/2 teaspoon of the seasoning blend. Remove 1 cup and set aside.

Add remaining soup blend to rice, mix and place into greased 9 x 13 (4 quart) casserole dish. Top with chicken pieces. Evenly distribute the salt and remaining seasoning blend on top of chicken.

Dollop reserved cup of soup blend over and around chicken and carefully spread. Cover casserole tightly with two layers of aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned on top, juices run clear and internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 170 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.

Barbecue Round Steak (Recipe 70 of 125)

Sherrie came over for dinner last night on a whim. Thankfully I had plenty. I had made this without the flour anyhow, cuz I really don't think it adds to it. So her lack of gluten self could eat it without issues. 

This was good. I couldn't find "bottom round" at my store, so I bought cube steaks. It worked out pretty well I think. I also didn't have bacon fat - which I'm sure would have made the flavor more smokey, but it wasn't missed by me. 

Barbecue Round Steak

Recipe from Deep South Dish

Serves 4

2 to 3 pounds bottom round steak (NOT top)

1/4 c all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp seasoned salt (like Lawry's)

2 T bacon fat, vegetable or canola oil

1 c chopped onion

1/2 c chopped green bell pepper

1/4 c chopped celery

2/3 c ketchup

1 c water

1 T lime juice

2 T brown sugar

2 T Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 T  yellow mustard

Splash of hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut round steak into serving sized pieces.

Combine the flour and seasoning salt and rub on both sides of each piece of steak. Use a meat mallet to tenderize.

Heat fat in a large skillet and brown the meat in batches on both sides; remove and place into a baking dish. To the same skillet, add the onion, bell pepper and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables on top of the meat in the baking dish.

Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients and pour over the steaks. Cover tightly and place in preheated oven. Bake, covered at 350 degrees F, for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until tender.

Serve with a side salad or green veggie and rice or potatoes.

Green Enchilada Chicken Soup (Recipe 69 of 125)

MAKE THIS RECIPE! Well, make it if you want too AND only if you can stand a little heat. This recipe was so freaking fantastic. It's rare that when I taste a new recipe I have to stop and think, 'Is it really that good? It can't be." Second taste..."OH Lord it is!"

A couple of things...

1. I don't think the cream cheese is necessary at all. It causes an odd texture to me and really didn't add much flavor.
2. Don't salt it until the end. I added zero salt and I'm glad I didn't. The enchilada sauce and the salsa has enough for me.
3. I complete forgot the cumin, which is ok for me as I'm not a huge cumin fan, but it would definitely add to the flavor.
4. I didn't bother with the corn tortillas either. I had some left over low carb flour tortillas and I used those as a "bread". 
5. Add the Monterrey Jack cheese a little at a time. I learned this when making mac and cheese. It doesn't clump and melts much nicer. Keep stirring too because the cheese could stick to the bottom of the pan. 

Green Enchilada Chicken Soup

Recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Serves 6

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 c chicken broth
• 1 (28 oz) can green enchilada sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 c heavy cream
• 2 c Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c salsa verde
• 2-4 corn tortillas, halved and cut into strips
• Fresh cilantro, for serving.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Add chicken breasts and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until chicken can be easily shredded with a fork. Remove chicken and shred.

Return chicken to pot, along with enchilada sauce, cumin, heavy cream, cream cheese, salsa verde, and Monterey Jack. Cook, stirring often, until cheese has melted.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in tortilla strips, serve with cilantro, and enjoy!

Ranch Grilled Chicken (Recipe 68 of 125)

Getting flavor into chicken, and making it something new, is two huge goals for this cook. Chicken
equals B-O-R-I-N-G to me. Without a marinade or something it just makes me yawn. 

This marinade is chocked full of flavor. I'll admit I've never used ranch dressing in a marinade before. I've put ranch season packets on chicken with oil, but never used the actual made dressing in a marinade. 

I made no adjustments to this recipe. I will make it again and, personally, I think a tablespoon of powdered ranch dressing would really "ranch" this up. If I did that, I'd keep the salt out though. 

Ranch Grilled Chicken

Recipe from That Low Carb Life

Serves 4

½ c ranch dressing

½ c avocado oil

2 T Worcestershire sauce

2 T buttermilk

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 T chopped parsley

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp salt

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Add everything but the chicken to a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.

Add the chicken breasts to a 9x13 baking dish or gallon zip top bag and add the marinade. Stir well to coat the chicken.

Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be.

Heat the grill to a medium heat.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting much of it drip off the chicken, and add it to the hot grill.

Grill for 5-10 minutes per side, until cooked through, depending on the thickness of your chicken.

Ham and Bean Soup (Recipe 67 of 125)

What do you do when you have a left over ham bone? You make soup. Dad used to make navy bean soup all the time after we'd have ham. It's something I crave once in a blue moon. I'm so glad I made it tonight. Felt like a little bit of dad was in the kitchen. 

The one piece of advice for this recipe... DO NOT SALT ANYTHING until the end. Ham has a ton of salt and salting layers as you go will make this salty. I did not remember that. This soup was a bit salty. I'll fix it tomorrow by adding more chicken stock to it to thin it out a bit. 

Ham and Bean Soup

Recipe from Art and the kitchen

1 ham bone I leave meat on the bone while it cooks

4 c leftover ham

2 c dry navy beans

2 c celery chopped

2 c carrots chopped

1 large onion finely chopped

3 cloves garlic finely minced

4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dry

¼ c fresh parsley or 1 tbsp. dry

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

8-9 c chicken stock

1 T olive oil for sautéing vegetables

Prepare dried beans by soaking them in cold water for 8-10 hours, then drain and rinse. (I do this the night before).

In large pan heat oil and sauté celery, carrots, onions and garlic until tender.

Add chicken stock, ham bone and ham. Transfer to larger pot if necessary.

Add beans, parsley, thyme and pepper.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 2-3 hours.

Chop up large pieces of ham before serving

Millionaire's Ham (Recipe 66 of 125)

You know...I've never baked a ham. Ever. Dad did it all the time and man with the ham left overs he'd do green beans and ham or navy beans and ham. Yum. 

At Easter I decided I'd do ham for the family. I bought a good size ham to feed a small Wraspir army. Then slowly that army dwindled to just me and Janet. The ham would be too much. So I froze it. 

Yesterday the Pantry Goat and Janet came over to help me power wash my deck (it looks so good), so I decided the ham should come out. Having never made one,  I decided I'd follow this recipe from the Food Network. 

This recipe was delicious. I got a pre-sliced ham and wish I hadn't. I think the whole ham would have allowed for a deeper diamond slice to put the glaze in and soak up. Regardless it was fantastic and so very easy. 

The best part are the left overs. Ham and Beans will be on the menu tonight. 

Millionaire's Ham

Recipe from The Food Network

8-10 lb bone in fully cooked ham

3 1/2 c packed light brown sugar

1 3/4 c orange juice

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and the rack of a roasting pan with foil. Place the rack inside the roasting pan.

 

With the fatty side facing down, use a sharp knife to cut 3/4-inch long diagonal lines about 1-inch deep all over the surface of the ham. Working in the opposite direction, cut more 3/4-inch long and 1-inch deep diagonal lines to create diamond shapes. Turn the ham over so the fatty side is facing up. Create the same diamond shape placing any pieces of ham that fall off back onto the ham. Place the ham, fatty-side up, on the rack and cook, rotating the pan halfway through, until warm in the center and the fat starts to crisp up, about 2 hours. 

 

Meanwhile, mix 3 cups sugar, 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Remove the ham from the oven and carefully brush one-third of the glaze all over the ham. Bake the ham for 20 minutes. Brush with another third of the glaze and bake for 20 minutes more. Brush the remaining third of the glaze over the ham and cook until the glaze is shiny and the skin is dark golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes more. 

 

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and a generous amount of pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has reduced by about half, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve with the sauce on the side.