Stovetop Chili Mac

1 lb. extra-lean (93%) ground beef or turkey
1 med. onion, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. coriander
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 c. V8 juice
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 c. water
8 oz. macaroni or other small pasta
1 can pinto beans, drained
4 oz. cheddar cheese
1/3 c. chopped green or red onions
1/2 c. chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat a 12″ skillet that has a lid over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until about halfway cooked. Add onions, garlic, and pepper as well as the seasonings and cook until the meat is cooked through and the onions are tender.

Add the V8 juice, tomato sauce, and water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and stir to combine and then cover, reduce heat, and cook for 15-ish minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Add the beans and heat through. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese, and replace the lid for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with onions and serve immediately.

from: Our Best Bites

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

15-ish white corn tortillas
Cooked & shredded chicken (can use rotisserie if desired)
1 jar mild Salsa Verde
Mozarella & Cheddar cheese, shredded

Spread some of the salsa in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish - just enough to loosely cover.

Wrap a stack of the tortillas in a towel & warm in the microwave for 30 seconds. Fill each tortilla with shredded chicken and a little bit of cheese, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish.

Spoon more salsa over the top of the enchiladas, sprinkle with cheese & cover with foil & bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to brown the cheese.

Audrey's little note: This is pretty light/healthy, depending on how much cheese you use. To lighten up even more, limit or omit the cheese inside the enchiladas & sprinkle the top with queso fresco. Serve with desired toppings (sour cream, chopped cilantro, salsa) & a side salad.

adapted from: Skinnytaste & Pinch & Swirl

Moist Crockpot Roast Chicken

1 (5 lb) roasted chicken
½ c. butter
2 c. chicken stock
½ onion, sliced thinly
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp lemon pepper
Sprinkle of Montreal Chicken seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the roaster chicken in the crock pot, then rub chicken down with butter. Season with all spices, sprinkling liberally. Pour in stock and then drop in sliced onions. Allow the chicken to cook on high for 5 hours in the crock pot.

from: Community Table

Hearty Chicken and Rice Soup

10 c. chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 c. sliced celery
1 c. sliced carrots
1/4 c. snipped parsley
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
3/4 lb. chicken, cut into cubes
2 c. cooked rice
2 Tbsp. lime juice
Lime for garnish

Combine chicken broth, onion, celery, carrots, parsley, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until the onion and celery begin to soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir chicken into the simmering broth; cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir rice and lime juice into the broth; cook and stir just until rice is hot and grains separate, about 1 minute. Garnish with lime slices.

from: Allrecipes

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls

Chicken:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. adobo sauce, from a can of chipotles in adobo
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. honey mustard
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, minced

Lime Quinoa:
1/2 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, or even water
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 lime, juiced and zest freshly grated
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Salad Bowls:
6 c. spring greens
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. torn fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. honey

Add the chicken breasts to a baking dish or ziploc bag and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, adobo, honey, mustards, cilantro and garlic. Pour the marinade over the chicken, covering it evenly. Place it in the fridge and marinate for at least 2 hours
.
When you're ready to make the meal, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tiny bit of olive oil and add the chicken, then cover the skillet and cook until the chicken is deeply browned on both sides and cooked in the center, about 6 minutes per side.

To make the quinoa: Add the quinoa and stock (or water) to a saucepan over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the coconut oil (you can swap butter), lime juice, zest, salt and pepper.

To make the salads, add the greens in a large bowl and toss them with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the chicken on top along with the quinoa, the tomatoes, cilantro, green onions and avocado. Drizzle the bowl with the lime juice, olive oil and honey. Serve!

from: HowSweetEats

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

2 lbs ground chicken

3/4 c. panko breadcrumbs (gluten free panko will work fine)

1/4 c. minced onion

2 tbsp. minced parsley

2 cloves garlic, minced

zest of 1 small lemon, about 1 teaspoon

2 eggs

3/4 c. shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 qt. spaghetti sauce (marinara)

4-6 oz. mozzarella, freshly sliced

 

Preheat oven to 400°, setting the rack in the upper third of the oven. In a large bowl, combine everything except the sauce and the cheese. Lightly mix together, using your hands or a large spoon. Scoop and shape into small meatballs and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Place the meatballs fairly close together on the tray to make them fit. Spoon about a half tablespoon of sauce over each meatball. Bake for 15 minutes.

 

Remove meatballs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to broil. Spoon an additional half tablespoon of sauce over each meatball and top with a small square of mozzarella. (I cut the thin slices into pieces about 1" square.) Broil an additional 3 minutes, until the cheese has melted and turned golden. Serve with additional sauce.

 

from: Barefeet in the Kitchen

Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground turkey
½ yellow onion, grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup whole wheat (or regular) panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the turkey, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir to mix well.

Using a scant 2 tablespoons per meatball (a medium cookie scoop works well), form meatballs by rolling the turkey mixture between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and apple cider. Brush the meatballs with the honey mixture. Bake for additional 2 minutes. Serve.

from: Cookin Canuck

Greek Tacos

2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 cup diced red onion (divided)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 lb ground turkey
1 tbsp + 1 tsp oregano (divided)
1 ½ tsp black pepper (divided)
1 tsp kosher salt (divided)
½ cup sun dried tomatoes
1 cup cherry tomatoes (quartered)
1 cup cucumber (diced)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 pita breads
½ cup feta cheese crumbles
1 tbsp fresh mint (chopped)
1 lemon (sliced into 6 wedges)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add 1 tbsp olive oil.

Sauté ½ cup of onions in the olive oil for 4-5 minutes, add the garlic, saute 1 minute, add the turkey. Cook the turkey through, drain any grease, then add 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tsp black pepper, ½ tsp kosher salt and sun dried tomatoes. Simmer on low for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, combine the remaining ½ cup of onions with the cherry tomatoes and cucumber.
In a small bowl whisk the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil with the red wine vinegar, lemon juice and remaining 1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp black pepper and ½ tsp kosher salt. Pour this mixture over the tomato cucumber salsa and toss to combine.

Warm the pita bread in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30-60 seconds on each side.

Add the cooked ground turkey to the pita bread, top with the cucumber tomato salsa, feta cheese and fresh mint. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the tacos.

from: whitneybond.com

Coconut Lime Chicken

6 halves skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp canola oil
zest of 1 large lime
1 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 - 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp curry powder
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Place chicken in a gallon zip top bag and flatten them uniformly with a meat pounder.

In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients together: oil, lime zest, cumin, soy sauce, salt, sugar, curry powder, coconut milk, and lime juice. This marinade may taste pretty salty to you right now, but once we put it over the chicken and rice, it will balance out. Pour the marinade over the chicken in the zip top bag, squeeze the air out and allow to marinade at least 30 minutes, or preferably up to 2 hours in the fridge.

After marinating, grill the chicken over moderately high heat in a pan with a bit of cooking spray or canola oil in it. Get the pan really hot before you add the meat - you want it to sear. Allow to sit without moving it for several minutes on each side until just cooked. The time will depend on the thickness of the meat. While cooking the meat,  add the marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a full boil for at least 2-3 minutes. (This is sufficient to kill the bacteria in it.)

Serve the chicken and a drizzle of the sauce over rice with chopped cilantro and fresh lime wedges.  This is a very important part, as these flavors bring balance and brightness to the dish.

Note: I served this with Coconut "Rumbi" Rice, so good!

Note #2: This recipe also works with SHRIMP!! 

from: Menu Musings

Bison Bacon Chili

6 oz uncured bacon
1 lb grass fed bison
½ onion diced
2 large carrots
1 bell pepper
2 T chili powder
½ T cumin
½ T paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
sea salt and pepper to taste
15 oz can tomato sauce (no sugar added)
15 oz can diced tomatoes
½ cup GF chicken broth

Heat pot to medium high and add chopped bacon. Stir occasionally until crispy. Remove with slotted spoon onto paper towels.

Add chopped onion, carrots, bell pepper, and jalapeno to bacon fat; cook for 7 minutes.

Add bison to veggies and break apart. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add spices and garlic and mix well, add broth, tomatoes, and sauce and stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

When ready to serve, stir in 3/4 of cooked bacon. Garnish with remaining bacon, chopped avocado and cilantro (optional).

Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lbs extra-lean ground turkey
1 tsp clove garlic, minced
½ cup onions, diced
1 ½ cup sweet potato, diced
Salt and pepper
A pinch of chili pepper
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh parsley for garnishing

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and garlic. Stir occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes. Add onions and cook until onions are gold brown. Add the sweet potato, chili pepper, salt and pepper.

Cover the skillet and cook until they are tender. Don’t forget to stir occasionally. If necessary, add more olive oil or a little bit of water to cook the sweet potato.

While the sweet potato is cooking pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. When the sweet potato is tender, add shredded mozzarella cheese and bring the skillet to the oven to melt the cheese. When the cheese melts, remove from the oven and garnish with parsley.

from: Primavera Kitchen

Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets

16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp panko
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 425°.

Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken. Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat, then on the baking sheet.

Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray then bake 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over then cook another 4 - 5 minutes or until cooked though.

from: Skinnytaste

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut or pounded ½ inch thick
½ cup dill pickle juice
¼ cup olive oil
pepper
garlic powder
12 dill pickle slices
6 sandwich buns
lettuce
tomatoes

Slice or pound chicken into ½ inch sandwich size servings. Place in a container with lid or Ziploc bag and cover with pickle juice and olive oil. Marinate for a minimum of 4 hours up to 24. Discard marinade and sprinkle chicken with pepper and a dash of garlic powder. Cook on a preheated oiled grill or grill pan over medium high heat until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, approximately 10 minutes. Assemble sandwiches with favorite toppings and enjoy.

Audrey's little note: Perfect with Coleslaw and Oven Fries, serve with copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce: honey mustard + BBQ sauce + a little bit of mayo!

from: Dash of Reality

Hamburger Gravy: Baked Potato Topping

1 1/2 lbs ground round
3 tablespoons margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
hot cooked mashed potatoes

Brown ground round. Drain any grease. Add margarine and flour. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat. Add milk. Increase heat and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the cayenne pepper.

Serve over baked or mashed potatoes.

from: food.com

Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, (cut into bite-sized pieces)
1/4 c. flour
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
6 oz can tomato paste
32 oz beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups baby carrots carrots
4-5 small potatoes,cut into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon oregano

Crock Pot Method:

In a large bowl, toss the beef with flour, salt & pepper to coat evenly. Brown in the olive oil.

Combine beef, celery, carrots, onion, potatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and tomato paste in the crock pot. Cook on LOW for 10 hours or on HIGH for 6-7 hours.

Quick Cook Method (Electric Pressure Cooker):

In a large bowl, toss the beef with flour, salt & pepper to coat evenly. On the 'Brown' setting, warm the oil and brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the meat to a bowl.

Add the broth to the cooker and bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Add the beef, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, tomato paste and spices, stir to combine. Cover and cook on high pressure setting for 20 minutes. When done cooking, release the pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions.

adapted from: family fresh meals and williams-sonoma

Baked Ravioli aka Lazy Lasagna

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, or oregano
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 pounds store-bought frozen ravioli
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 5 1/2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water just until they float to the top (pasta will continue to cook in oven). Drain pasta; return to pot.

Toss sauce with pasta. Pour pasta into a large gratin dish or 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with cheeses. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

from: Martha Stewart

note: I usually replace the tomatoes & spices with a jar of spaghetti sauce. Quick & easy!!

Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp natural honey
1 tbsp vegetable oil
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp garlic powder (OR 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the above ingredients.

Place chicken in a glass dish and pour the marinade over top. Flip chicken so that is is evenly coated on both sides. Let marinate for at least an hour, or up to a full day (if you can!).

When ready, grill on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until no longer pink on the inside.

Serve with brown rice and your favorite veggie side!

from: running to bake

Chinese Pork Tenderloin with Noodles

2 (1-lb) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1/4 c. lower-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. tomato sauce
1 t. sugar
1 t. grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. seasoned rice vinegar
1 t. dark sesame oil
8 c. hot cooked Chinese-style noodles (about 16 ounces uncooked)
1 c. matchstick-cut carrots
3/4 c. diagonally sliced green onions
1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 c. chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts or cashews
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
9 lime wedges

Place tenderloins in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through garlic); drizzle over tenderloins. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker, and place in a large bowl, reserving cooking liquid in slow cooker. Let pork stand 10 minutes.

Strain cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl. Cover and keep warm. Shred pork with 2 forks.

Return cooking liquid to slow cooker; stir in remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Cover and cook on HIGH 10 minutes. Turn slow cooker off. Add pork, noodles, and next 3 ingredients (through cilantro leaves), tossing to coat.

Spoon noodle mixture into bowls; sprinkle with peanuts and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

from: myrecipes.com

Hamburger Potato Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
2 large potatoes (4 small), peeled & cut into bite-size pieces
1 - 1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled & cut into bite-size pieces
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
2/3 c. milk
Onion
Salt & pepper
1-2 T. Butter

In large frying pan, melt 1-2 T. butter, add potatoes & carrots, add salt & pepper to taste, cover, & cook until tender. Stir frequently.

While vegetables are cooking, brown hamburger. I use dried, minced onions and add them to the beef while it's cooking. Also salt & pepper to taste.

Place the browned ground beef in casserole dish. Top with vegetables. Mix the soups and milk together and pour over the casserole. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes.

from: Preston family favorites

Baked Potatoes with Broccoli & Homemade Cheese Sauce

baking potatoes, scrubbed
fresh broccoli
bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper

Bake the potatoes until tender. I poke holes in them and wrap them in foil,  bake at 400 degrees for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Cut the broccoli in florets and steam in a pan until tender-crisp.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Gradually whisk in the warm milk, let it cook until it begins to thicken a bit. Stir in the cheese, letting it melt into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Split the baked potatoes open, top with broccoli, bacon and cheese sauce.
from: eatathomecooks.com