Chicken Bacon Ranch Lettuce Wraps

This hardly feels like a "new" recipe, but since I've technically never made a chicken lettuce wrap in this house, I'm counting it. 

I modified it every so slightly by making it a BBQ chicken bacon ranch lettuce wrap. OMG it turned out so good. 

My ranch dressing got a little out of control on the squeeze out of the bottle. I'd go lighter on that tomorrow for lunch for sure. 

These were delicious and I think they may become a constant for lunch. It'd be easy to prep and have ready.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Lettuce Wraps

Recipe from Life in the Loft House

Serves 4

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 4 slices cooked bacon chopped
• 4 Romaine lettuce leaves
• Ranch dressing

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.

Cook and stir chicken for about 10 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Divide the cooked chicken and bacon between the four pieces of Romaine lettuce leaves. Drizzle desired amount of Ranch dressing on each lettuce wrap. Enjoy!

Mexican Beef Stew

The house smelled amazing while this cooked. Which is my favorite part of cooking longer stews and soups. It feels comfy, homey, delicious.

Sadly, the aroma was as good as this stew gets. I really am not sure where it went wrong. It had a funky taste to it that I'm going to assume were the poblanos. I've cooked with them before, but not in a long cooking sort of way. 

Two things I forgot: 

1. I forgot to put the potatoes in. That "might" have made it better. 

2. I made the lime creme then forgot to put it on. I do this with parsley all the time too. I cut it to put it on the food at the end, then forget. 

Mexican Beef Stew

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 6

• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped
• 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chunky salsa (medium heat)
• 1 can diced green chiles
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 bottle Mexican lager beer
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon beef base or bouillon
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Hot sauce to taste (optional)

For the Lime Crema:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
• Pinch salt

Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and beef base. Cook for 1 minute.

Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the beer, beef broth, canned tomatoes, salsa, green chiles, and poblano peppers. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

Cover and simmer until the beef is tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Stir in the potatoes and continue simmering uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes more.

Meanwhile, make the lime crema. Stir together the sour cream, lime zest, and salt in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Stir the cilantro into the finished stew. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Serve the stew in bowls with a dollop of lime crema on top. Enjoy!

Steak Marinade

Another steak marinade. 

This one had something I don't use often in marinades, Sweet Chili Sauce. It says it's optional, but I used it and boy was I glad I did. It really added a nice sweet, spicy element to the marinade. 

I'd make this again and, in fact, I think it'd be great on chicken.

Steak Marinade

Recipe from Just a Pinch

Serves 6

• 1/4 c Montreal steak seasoning
• 1 c olive oil
• 2 - 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2-3 Tbsp Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce, optional

Mix the ingredients with a whisk until thickened or emulsified.

Place the steaks in a resealable plastic bag or casserole dish. Pour the marinade over the steaks. If you are using a good rib eye or New York strip, a couple of hours is sufficient. If you are using a leaner, less expensive cut, marinade overnight for a tender juicy steak. While the steaks are marinating, flip them a few times or massage them if they are in a baggie.

When you are ready to cook, pull the steaks out of the marinade and place them on a hot grill. Rub them around in the marinade before cooking. Don't scrape off the marinade. That's it! It's also great for a roast.

Antipasto Salad

I like salads that have a lot of viddles in them. You know, viddles. A bunch of other stuff in a salad besides lettuce. 

And I happen to like Italian subs.

This recipe combined my love for viddle full salads and Italian subs without the carbs. I had to make a few adjustments because there are some items I don't care for or forgot.

1. No pepperoncini for me. Not a fan.

2. I forgot to buy tomatoes and a red onion so those got left out as well. Which is a bummer because I think the red onion would have really added to this salad.

3. Somehow my brain thought black olives instead of green olives so I used those. I think either would be fantastic in this salad. 

4. Artichoke hearts...blech

And additional note, I really liked the dressing. While I made a salad for one, I made the dressing for 6 so I'll be using it all week.

Antipasto Salad

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Serves 6

SALAD

1 large head Romaine lettuce chopped (about 8 cups)

4 oz. Genoa Salami chopped

4 oz. sliced pepperoni

1 c cherry tomatoes halved

1 c artichoke hearts drained, patted dry, roughly chopped

1/2 c kalamata olives halved

1/2 c green olives

1/4 c sliced red onion

2 T chopped pepperoncini

8 oz. fresh mozzarella balls halved

4 ounces provolone cheese cut into bite size pieces

DRESSING

3/4 c olive oil

1/4 c red wine vinegar

2 T lemon juice

1/4 c finely freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, paprika, pepper

1/2-1 tsp sugar or more to taste

DRESSING: Add all the ingredients to a mason jar, cover and shake vigorously OR combine add all ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

SALAD: Add lettuce to a large bowl followed by the rest of the salad ingredients. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss to combine OR dress individual plates if expecting leftovers. Serve immediately. (You will probably not use all of the dressing.)

Salad ingredients: can be chopped 24 hours in advance and stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. I will add the vegetables to separate paper towels, fold up the paper towels around the contents and place in sandwich bags – this keeps excess moisture away from the veggies to keep them fresh.

Croutons: can be made up to 2 weeks ahead of time and stored in a resealable plastic bag with as much air removed as possible or in an airtight container at room temperature.

Dressing: can be made up to 2 weeks ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If making ahead, take care not to use fresh garlic or herbs because they will only last a day or so in the refrigerator.

Chicken Shawarma

Some day I'll have a shawarma that is like the one we had in Saudi. Though that one had a cold French fry in it and Mom's had a pickle no French fry. <shrugs>. 

This recipe was NOT it. I felt like this recipe had all the good things to it, but something went terribly wrong, somewhere. 

The chicken had a weird texture, I blame it being marinated for too long. The recipe says 8-24 hours, but that is way too long for an acid like lemon and chicken for me. So I only marinaded it for 4 hours and I think that made the chicken mushy. 

It was also WAY too salty. That was my fault though. I halved the recipe for everything but the salt. Don't ask. I'm not sure why I thought 2 tsp salt for 6 is also 2 tsp salt for 3. Again <shrug>.

I won't likely make this recipe again. I have a dozen more shawarma recipes to try. Maybe the next one will remind of me the one from Saudi.

Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Serves 6

CHICKEN MARINADE

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs pounded to an even thickness
• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T EACH ground cumin, ground coriander
• 2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, ground cardamom, salt
• 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder, ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp EACH cayenne pepper, allspice, pepper

CILANTRO YOGURT SAUCE

• 1 c Greek yogurt
• 1/3 c packed cilantro
• 1/3 c packed parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp EACH ground cumin, salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

FOR WRAPS

• 6-8 pitas
• Romaine lettuce chopped
• Roma tomatoes sliced
• cucumbers thinly sliced
• red onions thinly sliced
• 1 recipe hummus (or store-bought, optional)

MARINATE CHICKEN

Whisk all of the Marinade ingredients together in a large bowl or freezer size plastic bag. Add chicken and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 to 24 hours. Let chicken sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking.

YOGURT SAUCE

Make the yogurt sauce and prep your toppings while the chicken is marinating. Add all of the Sauce Ingredients to a blender and blend until the herbs are chopped, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. If you would like a thicker sauce stir (don’t blend) in additional yogurt. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN ON THE STOVE

Heat one tablespoon vegetable oil a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Working in batches, add chicken in a single layer and cook for 4-5 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook approximately 3-5 additional minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN ON THE GRILL

Grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375-450°F. Grill chicken, covered for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN IN THE OVEN

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken to baking sheet in a single layer so they aren’t touching. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

ASSEMBLE WRAPS

Top warmed pitas with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, chicken and Cilantro Yogurt Sauce.

Onion Wrapped Flying Dutchman Burger

Photo from Insanely
Delicious Recipe

It's an In N Out thing...apparently. Honestly, it would never cross my mind to have a burger without the bun. 

This treat is a protein packed burger with melted cheese and a saucy sauce. It's touted as a "messy" burger and had I actually picked it up, it might have been. I ate it with a fork and knife. Easier.

I had to look up why it was called the "flying Dutchman" and the Interwebs did not disappoint. 

"The name for this dreamy dinner comes from the legendary ghost ship – fitting for a burger that floats without traditional anchors (aka buns)."

The  In-N-Out secret menu hack, and let me tell you – the thick, golden-brown onion “buns” hugging two juicy patties and melty cheese are pure genius. And ever so delicious.

The onion was the trickiest part. The blogger says to "keep your onion together" which was the plan, but upon flipping they didn't want to stay together. No matter, it was tasty. 

My one and only change was to swap the sugar in the sauce out for a low carb substitute. 

Onion Wrapped Flying Dutchman Burger

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 4

For the Burger Sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2-3 tablespoons relish, to taste
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• For the Patties:
• 1 pound 80/20 lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Burgers:

• 2 large onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 slices American or cheddar cheese

Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and white sugar until smooth and well combined. Cover and refrigerate.

Make the Patties: In a large bowl, gently combine the beef, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Divide into 8 even balls (2 ounces each), flatten slightly, and set aside.

Make the Onion Buns: Cut the onions into 8 thick rounds, about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and sugar on both sides.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5-8 minutes per side or until slightly crispy at the edges and soft in the middle.

Remove from the pan and set aside. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high.

Cook and Assemble: Add the patties to the hot skillet and smash to about 1/2-inch thick. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and add a slice of cheese to the top. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the burger is cooked through. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

To assemble, place one caramelized onion round on a plate as the “bottom bun.” Stack one cheesy patty on top and add a dollop of sauce. Top with another patty and more sauce, followed by another caramelized onion round as the “top bun.”

Serve the burgers with the remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Steak and Potato Pie

It's Sunday dinner day! I have been getting a little bored with Sunday dinner meals. I always seem to think "grill" or something similar. 

I stumbled onto this blog and found this recipe and KNEW it had to be a Sunday dinner recipe. 

The prep has begun. I've got two BIG pots of this stewing on the stove. Stay tuned for how it turns out. 

***Post Sunday Dinner***

SUCCESS! This dish is a winner! Enough leftovers for one meal for me. Sent others home with leftovers and they reported back that they were even more delicious the next day. 

Steak and Potato Pie

Recipe from Dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk

Serves 5

Filling

2lb Steak/Beef suitable for slow cooking (see notes)

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

3 tbsp Olive Oil

9oz Carrots, diced into chunks

1 large White Onion, roughly diced

2 large cloves of Garlic, finely diced

1/4 cup Plain Flour

3/4 cup Dry Red Wine (see notes)

3.5 cups Beef Stock

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp Tomato Paste

crumbled (sub 1 heaped tsp Bouillon powder if you don't have cubes)

2 Bay Leaves (dry or fresh)

Topping

2lb Baking Potatoes,

3 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 heaped tsp finely diced Fresh Rosemary

1 clove of Garlic, finely grated

1/2 tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Black Pepper

Dice the beef into fairly large bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large deep heavy-based pot over high heat. Once hot, spread out half of the beef and fry until brown all over (don't try and cook it right through). Remove and repeat with the second batch. Don't overcrowd the pot or the beef will steam and stew. Add more oil if needed.

Lower heat to medium-high and add the remaining 2 tbsp oil. Fry the carrot and onion until they soften and begin to very lightly brown, then fry the garlic for a further 30 seconds or so.

Lower the heat to medium and stir in the flour. Pour in the wine and give it a really good stir until it thickens to a smooth paste. Gradually add in the stock, stirring as you go to avoid lumps forming. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, Oxo cube, bay leaves and cooked beef (along with all of the resting juices).

Bring to a simmer, then pop on the lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow to gentle bubble away for 1 hour and 30 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 30 mins, or until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened to a gravy-style consistency (see video). Keep in mind it'll thicken more in the next step. Adjust seasoning if desired.

Pour the filling into a large baking dish and allow to cool for at least 30 mins, until a skin forms across the top. Meanwhile, melt the butter and combine in a small mixing bowl with rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Very thinly slice the potatoes (approx 3-4mm or 1/8") and pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F.

Layer 1/3 of the potatoes across the top. Brush with 1/3 of the butter, then repeat two more times, ensuring you layer the potatoes in a way that reduces as many gaps as possible.

Tightly cover in foil then bake in the oven for 40mins. Remove the foil, increase the oven temp to 200C/400F and bake for a further 20-25mins, or until the potatoes are knife tender. You can flick on the grill to brown them further if you'd like.

Allow to cool for a few mins, then serve up and enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff

I have a stroganoff recipe that I had been fixing and tweaking for years until I fell onto the PERFECT combination of ingredients. It started with Mom's stroganoff recipe and I changed up a few things. 

Even with the PERFECT recipe, I like to try new recipes, to go back to the basics if you will. 

This recipe is the very basic of stroganoff recipes, in my opinion. Any beginner cook can make this with ease. It is really what you'd expect if you ordered stroganoff at a restaurant. 

Beef Stroganoff

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 6

• 1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced into strips
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• cooked egg noodles or rice, for serving
• fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Cut the steak (1.5 lbs) into 1/3-inch thick slices against the grain. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large skillet, melt the butter (4T) over medium-high heat. Add the beef in batches, searing each side for no more than 20-30 seconds. Remove the steak from the skillet and set aside to rest.

In the same skillet, cook the onions (1 med) until soft. Then, add the garlic (2 cloves) and stir until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms (8oz) and sauté until they turn golden.

Sprinkle the flour (3T) into the skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Then, slowly add the beef broth (2c) and continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens.

Reduce the heat to low, add the Worcestershire sauce ( tsp), sour cream (.5 c), and mustard (1 tsp), and stir gently. Cook for 4-5 more minutes until smooth and blended.

Return the seared steak to the skillet and cook for 1 minute.

Serve the beef stroganoff over egg noodles or rice. Garnish with parsley, and enjoy!

Spanish Olive Pimiento Cheese Spread

Phot from Melissa's Southern
Style Kitchen

It was book club this week and my turn to bring an appetizer. I found this lovely spread and thought it would be perfect for the girls. 

I had a hard time imagining this dip though with JUST mayo. That seems odd to me. I think this may be a take on pimiento spread, but I needed it to have something extra. So, I added 8 oz of cream cheese. It was perfect. 

Spanish Olive Pimiento Cheese Spread

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Serves 3

• 1 lb sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 3 oz jar pimento stuffed green olives, drained well and roughly chopped (Reserve 1 Tbsp juice)
• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 2 green onion finely chopped

Shred the cheese, set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, reserved olive juice, garlic powder, onion powder and dry mustard.

By hand mix-in the shredded cheese, chopped olives and green onion. Mix until fully combined.

Place into an airtight container and chill for 3 hours or overnight.

Serve with sesame crackers, crostini or pita triangles.

Dutch Oven Pot Roast

Photo from The Big
Man's World

I'm a big fan of pot roast. It was my Dad's favorite meal and so when I have it I think of him. This recipe would be right up his alley. He'd love this. 

I made one small mistake ... I bought stew meat instead of a chuck roast. I somehow thought this recipe was for stew and not pot roast. And the chuck roast was SUPER expensive. A 3 lb roast was $30. No thank you. 

Having now read the recipe thoroughly, the chuck roast would have been a better bet. I mean the stew meat was fine, but it would have been real pot roast had I used the chuck roast. Lessons Learned.

Overall, this was a simple, quick recipe. It was tasty too! 

Dutch Oven Pot Roast

Recipe from The Big Man's World

Serves 8

• 3 pounds beef chuck roast boneless
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta or bacon
• 2 large onions sliced into wedges
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup beer or extra beef broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup tomato sauce passata
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 large carrots chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 3 large potatoes

Preheat oven to 350F.

Season the beef with salt and pepper.

Add oil to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sear on all sides until no longer pink. Transfer it to a plate.

Add the pancetta to the same pot and cook for 1-2 minutes, followed by the onion and garlic. Add the beef broth, beer, water, tomato sauce, thyme, bay leaves, and brown sugar, and bring to a boil.

Add the vegetables, followed by the beef, and cover. Remove from the stovetop.

Transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the beef is tender.

Hoisin Chicken Udon Noodles

I don't think I've said the following words, "this might be the best recipe I've ever made."

And I'm not joking. Where has Udon noodles been all my life? How come none of my "foodie" friends ever told me to try them? Man a live are they delicious. Very little "flavor" but chewy and perfect. 

This recipe was super simple to make. Really, it's just sauteing chicken and mushrooms and tossing in a liquid. The sauce though, Lord! Talk about flavorful. Full of a rich umami flavor, with some spice and a just a little hint of sweet. So good. 

I've also never cooked with Dark Soy sauce. I think that is what really made this sauce come alive. Do not skip using it. 

Where to find Udon noodles? I'll admit this took me a bit to find them. Mostly because I wasn't sure what I was looking for. But MOST grocery stores have an area where they put refrigerated Asian items. This is where you'll find them. At least the one's I found were "mostly" cooked. Not dried like you'd find pasta. I found these at QFC (Kroger store). I've also seen them at Central Market (aka Town & Country).

Make this meal! You won't regret it. In fact, I'd be surprised if it didn't become one of your all time favorites. 

Hoisin Chicken Udon Noodles

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Serves 4

• 16 ounces udon noodles (fresh, (2 8 oz pkg))
• 1 T olive oil
• ¾ pound chicken breasts (boneless and skinless, cut into small)
• 4 white mushrooms (sliced)
• 3 green onions (chopped)

Sauce

• 1 T sesame oil
• ⅓ c soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1 T dark soy sauce
• 1 T sriracha sauce
• ¼ c hoisin sauce
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp ginger (freshly grated )
• ½ c chicken broth (low sodium)
• black pepper (to taste)

Cook the noodles: Blanch udon noodles in boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes or if using dry noodles cook according to package instructions. Drain well and immediately rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Make the sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients together to a bowl and whisk until combined.

Sauté the sauteables: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or a wok. Add the chicken pieces and cook until chicken is no longer pink and starts to brown slightly. Add the mushrooms and cook for a couple more minutes until mushroom are starting to brown.

Finish the dish: Add the udon noodles and prepared sauce to the wok, toss everything together well and cook until the noodles are heated through. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Indian Butter Chicken

I do not make much Indian food. And, honestly, I don't eat it out very often either. But back in the day when I worked at CM, there was an Indian buffet up the street we'd frequent for lunch once a month, give or take. They had the VAT of butter chicken and I was hooked. That's the ONLY reason I'd go to lunch there.

And because it was a buffet, I'd waddle away afterwards in need of a serious nap.

It very much reminds me of Tikka Masala chicken too. Though Tikka Masala has a few different spices and Greek yogurt. Still, it ends up be a creamy sauce that just BEGS to have Naan dipped in it. I didn't have Naan, so I ate it over rice. 

This is a solid recipe. It's spicy, but not too spicy, flavorful and full of very Indian flavors to me. I'd make it again for sure. 

Indian Butter Chicken

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 4

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream [JW note: I used half and half instead of heavy cream. It turned out fine.]

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly golden, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the chicken, tomato paste, garam masala, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Pour in the heavy cream and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.

Serve the butter chicken over basmati rice or with naan bread. Enjoy!

Carne Guisada (Puerto Rican Beef Stew)

I'm a fan of latin flavors. I lived in Mexico for a semester and I'm convinced that was what has led to me love of Mexican food. I mean, I Mexico, they just call it food. And their "Mexican" food is very different from what we eat here in the US. Still I'm a fan. 

I'm also a fan of stews and soups during the fall/winter months. Something about a stormy, rainy day that just screams stew to me. 

I've made five different recipes for Carne Guisada. Some I loved, some just ok and some were yuck. 

This one was advertised as a "Puerto Rican" version. None of the others used Sazon. I've used Sazon in other recipes and always forget how good (and salty) it is. I should also mention I did not use sofrito. It has nasty bell peppers in it, so I suspect if I ever ate guisada in Puerto Rico, I might not like it. 

I really liked this stew. I think it may be one of the favorite guisadas I've made. 

I cooked my stew for 2.5 hours. I used stew meat and that is not usually tender after cooking only 30 minutes. Plus I think the flavors meld better. I put the carrots in after 1.5 hours. And then the potatoes when 30 minutes were left. 

Carne Guisada (Puerto Rican Beef Stew)

Recipe from Latina Mom Meals

Serves 6

• 2-3 pounds of beef chunks 2 inch chunks
• 3-4 tablespoons of Badia Sazon Complete seasoning*
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ onion chopped
• ⅓ cup of white wine
• ⅓ cup of homemade sofrito optional
• 8 oz of tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
• 1 packet of beef bullion seasoning
• 2 cups of water
• 1 ½ cups of baby or chopped carrots
• 3 large potatoes peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup of cilantro chopped

Season beef (2-3 lbs) with Badia seasoning (3-4 tbsp) (or see note) and minced garlic (2 tbsp). Set to the side.

Warm olive oil (2-3 tbsp) over medium high heat, add in beef chunks in batches, and brown sides.

Add in onions (1 half; chopped) and white wine (1/2 c), allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.

Next, add in sofrito (1/2 c), beef bullion (1 packet) , and tomato sauce (8oz), cook an additional 1-2 minutes before adding in water (2c), and carrots (1 1/2 c).

Cook ten minutes before adding in potatoes (3 large, chopped) and cilantro (1/4 c). 

Taste for seasoning and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes on medium, cover with a lid with a slight opening.

Vegetable Beef Stew

Photo from Dinner
Then Dessert

Its stew and soup season. I like to have at least one soup or stew a week, if possible. They make great leftovers for me. It's one of the few leftovers I'll eat, so that's a bonus. 

This was an average recipe. Good and simple. Nothing fancy or special about it. A solid, foundational type of stew recipe. 

I cooked it longer than 30 minutes. Chuck roast, to me, needs more time to tenderize. I cooked this for about 3 hours on low. Turned out to have a very tender beef then.

Vegetable Beef Stew

Recipe from Dinner Then Dessert

Serves 8

• 3 pounds chuck roast , cut into 2" chunks
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 yellow onion , chopped
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 carrots , cut into 2 inch chunks
• 2 Yukon potatoes , chopped
• 1 cup corn
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup green beans , fresh or frozen
• 1 cup frozen green peas

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and season the beef chunks with salt and pepper before dredging in flour.

Put the butter and canola oil in a large Dutch oven on medium heat and brown the beef on all sides in batches (3-4 minutes per batch) until it is browned very well.

Remove the last batch of the beef and add in the onions, garlic and carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly caramelized before adding the potatoes and corn in along with the broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme and Worcestershire sauce and stirring to combine.

Add the beef back into the pot, cover and cook in the oven for 2:30 hours, then add in the green beans and peas for the last 30 minutes before removing the the oven.

Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Granola Clusters (Low Carb)

I've not made too many granolas in my lifetime. Mostly because when I want granola I just buy it. But in an attempt to eat a little lower carb, I thought this recipe would be a good one to try.

Turns out it was a GREAT on to try. This recipe is so good. It's immediately going into the favorites!

This was an easy recipe to pull together. 

Two things I'd do differently next time I make it:

1. I'd use slightly less butter. 1/2 c was a bit too much butter taste and made it a little greasy

2. I'd keep out the coconut. I got the unsweetened coconut and while it's good, it didn't really add to the granola. 

WARNING: Put this away as soon as you can. The more you leave it out the more likely you are to eat it all while it's "cooling". 

Granola Clusters (Low Carb)

Recipe from All Day I Dream About Food

Serves 8

• 1 c pecan halves
• 1 c flaked coconut
• 1/2 c almonds
• 1/2 c pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c butter
• 1/4 c Swerve Brown
• 1/4 c powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or maple extract

Preheat the oven to 300F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine the pecans (1 c), coconut (1 c), almonds (1/2 c), pumpkin seeds (1/2 c), and salt(1/2 tsp). Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. A few larger pieces are okay.

In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the butter (1/2 c) and sweeteners (1/4 c brown and 1/2 c powdered). Whisk until the butter is melted and the sweeteners are mostly dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract (1/2 tsp).

Stir in the nut mixture into the butter mixture until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly. Top with waxed paper or parchment and press down firmly and evenly to a uniform thickness.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely, then break into large chunks with your hands.

Store on the counter in an airtight container for up to a week.

Cube Steak with Onion Gravy

Every October my mom and I would make chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn for dinner. We made it when dad went hunting for a week. It was a tradition that I still do today with the Crab Ladies. 

In that "recipe", Mom used to brown the cube steaks and put them in the oven, covered, with water for about an hour. It never really made sense to me why. Until tonight. 

Photo from Butter
Your Biscuits

Clearly it was to make the cube steaks more tender. I don't know why I never made the connection until tonight. I mean just because a cube steak is tenderized, does not mean it's gonna be tender. And let me tell you, the one's I made tonight were not. My jaw got an extra work out. 

Overall, this was a simple and delicious recipe. When/if I make it again, I'd brown the cube steaks and put them in the oven with water for an hour or so. THEN make the onion gravy. 

I did not use "Kitchen Bouquet" because I don't think it adds any flavor and only adds color. No need. 

Cube Steak with Onion Gravy

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuits

Serves 4

• 4 cube steaks (1 ½ pounds)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 T all purpose flour
• 3 T olive oil

FOR THE ONION GRAVY:

• 2 T butter
• 1 large yellow onion sliced into ½ inch slices
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 T all purpose flour
• 3 c beef stock
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Kitchen Bouquet

Place your steaks on the counter and let them come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

In a small bowl mix all your spices together.

Sprinkle all sides with the spice mixture and 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour evenly.

Heat a skillet with olive oil on medium-high heat. Once the pan is really hot place the steaks in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Then remove them to a plate and set them aside.

In the same pan lower the heat to medium and add the butter and sliced onions and let cook about 15-20 or until desired softness.

Add in the diced garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.

Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and cook another 30 seconds.

Pour in the beef stock and simmer just until thickened. Place steaks back into the gravy and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or white rice.

Low Carb Greek Yogurt Chicken

Let me first start by saying, I followed this recipe completely with zero deviations. And the end result? Not a fan. 

I'm really unsure what went wrong with this recipe, but the chicken was flavorless. I expected more out of the Greek yogurt and parmesan - I mean - who wouldn't? 

Bottom line, I won't be remaking this one, despite it sounding so good. 

Low Carb Greek Yogurt Chicken

Recipe from What's In the Pan

Serves 4

• oil spray
• 5 oz. plain Greek yogurt 
• 2 T mayonnaise
• ½ c grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1.5 lb. chicken tenders (whole) or chicken breasts (cut in quarters)
• Parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 12 inch oven proof pan or 9×9 baking dish with nonstick oil spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add chicken into the bowl with yogurt mixture and coat the mixture all over the chicken.

Move chicken to a baking dish (or oven proof pan). Chicken should be thinly coated with the yogurt mixture. Don't put too much or any additional mixture leftover.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Turn the oven to broil and place the pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on top.

Pink Sauce

What feels like a thousand years ago (really around 2000 ish) Sherrie and I lived together. She had some German sausage from Odessa in the freezer and she wanted to use it up. While she was cooking her dinner, I was making packaged Parma Rosa from Knorr. 

We had a "Your chocolate is in my peanut butter" moment where we put the German sausage into the Parma Rosa sauce and our favorite pasta dish was born. 

We made that meal so many times. It was cheap and easy and made leftovers for us. Back when I ate more leftovers. 

To this day, whenever I see a pink sauce - which is basically what Parma Rosa is - I have to put sausage in it. While I didn't have German sausage tonight, I did have a pack of Polish Sausage in the freezer. 

BAM! 

This was a good pink sauce. Flavorful and full of the flavor I want with a creamy tomato sauce.

Pink Sauce

Recipe from To Simply Inspire

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 15 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
• 1 ½ cup water
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup fresh basil roughly chopped
• ¼ cup parmesan
• Pasta of choice

Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Then add the diced onion and sauté until tender and translucent.

Next, add the tomatoes, water, paprika, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Then reduce to heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid reduces.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta per the package directions to just al dente.

Stir in heavy cream and the fresh basil leaves and simmer for another five minutes. [ Jenn Pro tip: Heat your heavy cream before adding it. If you add it cold it may curdle with the tomato sauce.}

Remove the pan from the heat and add the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.

Drain the pasta into a colander in the sink and then add it to the sauce and toss gently to coat the pasta in the sauce.

Serve immediately and garnish with extra parmesan and fresh basil.

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Photo from The Food
Charlatan

It snowed here in Seattle. Not a lot, just a dusting, but enough to make me feel like I need comfort food. Stroganoff is perfect for this type of weather.

The was an amazing recipe. Using a chuck roast and a slow cooker really made this delicious. The addition of red wine - which I almost skipped - put it over the top in flavortown. Sherrie was over to scrapbook and we ate this for dinner. We were silent for the first couple of bites. It was THAT good. 

Here's what I did different:

1. Sherrie's GF so I didn't want to use pasta. Instead I put this over mashed potatoes. And Y'all this might be my new way to eat stroganoff. 
2. I shredded my beef and then put it back into the sauce. 
3. I added about 1/2 c sour cream to the stroganoff instead of a dollop on top like they suggest. It needs to be in the sauce for me. 

Make this meal. It's delicious. And I'm adding it to my 2025 Favorites. 

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast, chopped into 2 inch chunks
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, I used light olive oil
• generous salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, (half stick)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 to 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon garlic, smashed and minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1 to 2 cups sour cream, to add after cooking
• 12-16 ounces pappardelle pasta, plus water and salt
• fresh parsley, to garnish
• fresh chives, to garnish

Cut the chuck roast into 2 inch chunks and dry them all over with paper towels.

Salt and pepper the pieces. Be generous. I used at least 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat.

Place about 1/3 of the pieces of beef into the pan, one by one. Leave at least an inch or two of space in between. Let the meat sear for about 1-2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each piece. When you see nice brown edges on both sides, transfer the meat to your slow cooker.

Continue searing the rest of the beef in one or two more batches, depending on space. Remove all the meat to the slow cooker, but don’t clean out that pan. We need all those gorgeous brown bits.

Turn the heat off if you need to take a moment to chop your onion and slice your mushrooms if you haven’t already.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium high heat in the pan you seared the meat in. When it’s melted, add the chopped onion and quartered mushrooms. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, and 1 tablespoon dried parsley. Sauté for 5-8 minutes, until onions and mushrooms are soft.

Add 1 tablespoon smashed and minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons tomato paste.

Add 1/2 cup red wine and 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. Let the mixture come to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for another 5-7 minutes until it has reduced a bit.

Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker , adding in every last drop. Stir it together with the beef.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Add some pasta to a serving plate. Top with beef stroganoff. The chunks of beef may be big, but it’s so fork tender your guests can take care of it themselves at the table.

Add a big dollop of sour cream to each plate. Top with fresh parsley and fresh chives.

Cowboy Soup

Soups! Soups! Soups! I cannot get enough soups during the fall and winter. Every single time I make soup I think of my dad who loved soup. He'd eat soup any chance he got. 

This was a pretty good soup. It felt lacking of something to me but I can't pin point what. It's a hearty soup that really does hit all the right notes for me. 

I couldn't find Ranch Style beans at my grocery store so I used pinto beans. I suspect there may be something in the ranch style beans that would have added to the flavor and maybe that's what was missing.

Cowboy Soup

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 6

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 (15-ounce) cans Ranch Style beans, undrained
• 2 (14-1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 (15-ounce) can mixed vegetables, drained
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the ground beef and onions, and stir continuously. Be sure to break the beef into smaller crumbles while cooking it. When the meat browns, add the minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute.

Drain the grease from the Dutch oven. Leave the meat and onions inside.

Add all of the remaining ingredients. Pay special attention to the directions about which cans need to be drained and which don’t. Stir.

Allow the soup to come to a boil. Then, reduce the heat so that it gently simmers. Put the lid on the Dutch oven and allow the soup to simmer for another 10-15 minutes. (The potatoes should be tender enough to cut with a fork.)

Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowls. Enjoy!