Seasoned Rice

 

from africanbites.com, lightly adapted

Ingredients

• 2 cups (277.5 g) uncooked long grain white rice
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) onion powder
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
• ½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons (4 g) bouillon
• 1 tablespoon (4 g) dried parsley
• 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter or coconut oil
• 4 cups chicken broth, plus 4 tbsp water

Instructions

• In a large pan (that has a lid), combine the rice, onion & garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, salt, bouillon, ground black pepper, dried parsley, butter or coconut oil, and chicken broth/water. Stir to combine.
• Place on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat.
• As soon as it starts to bubble, cover and reduce to low heat.
• Simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Do no lift the lid! Let rice rest for 10 minutes. 
• Stir and serve.

Notes

1. Do not open the lid while simmering the rice because the rice will not cook through.
2. The 10 minutes rest time is essential. The rice will stick to the bottom of the pan if you don't follow the 10 minutes resting time.
3. Use a different container when storing the rice. Do not use the one where you let it cool.

Special Stuffing

 

adapted from Costco Connection

Stuffing is not bland or too mushy with this recipe! We loved this flavorful twist on a classic dish.

3 c fresh butternut squash, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper, or to taste
1 lb Italian sausage
1 yellow onion, diced
3 celery sticks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (12 oz) package herb-seasoned cubed stuffing
1 1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped
2 c low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a piece of foil on a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Toss squash with 1 tbsp oil and a little salt. Place squash on cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

In a large skillet, brown Italian sausage, breaking into crumbles. Drain sausage, if needed. Remove sausage from pan and set aside. In the pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until soft and onion is translucent. 

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Put the sausage, onion mixture, stuffing cubes, roasted squash and pecans in dish. Mix. Pour chicken broth over mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 10 servings

Boys say: 2 thumbs up

Cowboy Caviar

Last week I decided to minimize my cookbooks. I went through all of them, kept the recipes I still wanted to try and gave away (or recycled) the rest. It felt great! In that process I found this recipe. It was the perfect timing too because I wanted a tasty side dish to go with the meat we grilled on the 4th of July. Yum!

1 cup black eyed peas

1 cup black beans

1 cup sweet corn

3 avocados, chopped

3 roma tomatoes, chopped

juice from 1 lime

5 green onions, tops only, chopped

1 package Italian Good Seasonings Mix

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

Mix ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips or your favorite crackers.

Brown Rice

In an effort to eat healthier, more nutrient rich food, we have traded white rice for brown rice in many recipes. But brown rice is tricky. It can turn out hard instead of soft and that's just not as fun to eat! I found this recipe and it has worked well for us.

from skinnytaste.com, lightly adapted

• 1 cup natural brown rice (I used long grain)
• 8 cups cold water
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1. Rinse the rice with cold water for 30 seconds.
2. Bring 8 cups water and salt to a boil over high heat in a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid.
3. When the water is boiling add the rice, stir and partially cover (don’t cover complete or it will spill over) and cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
4. Drain the rice by carefully holding the lid away from the rim of the pot just a touch so the water can run out but you don't lose the rice. Then cover the pot tightly for 20 minutes so the steam finishes cooking the rice. (You can also use a strainer and then put the rice back in the pot immediately and cover)
5. Uncover the rice and fluff with a fork.

Super Easy Fruit Salad

The salad doesn't even really require a recipe! Just chop up half a honeydew melon, half a cantaloupe and mix in a bunch of red grapes. It's really that easy. This is a great side dish for a brunch or lunch.

Potato and Zucchini Side Dish

I wasn't sure how this recipe would turn out. Potatoes, zucchinis and a pepper? It had never crossed my mind to put those things together! It's good to try new things! This is an easy tasty recipe.

adapted from allrecipes.com, submitted by Jana

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into large pieces
2-3 medium potatoes, cut into small chunks
1 medium red, orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
paprika to taste
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Directions for baking

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a baking pan toss together the zucchini, potatoes, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.
Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and lightly brown.

Directions for cooking in a skillet

Drizzle olive oil in pan and heat for a minute over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. Stir often for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes and zucchini reach desired tenderness.

My rating: 4 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip

from ourbestbites.com

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (you can use light cream cheese)

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla (you can add more to taste)

Toffee bits (look by the chocolate chips and try and find the chocolate covered ones if you can!)

assorted fruit

Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature. With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla. When ready to serve, stir in about 1/2 a bag of toffee bits.

This dip is so sweet it really is more of a dessert than an appetizer or side dish! I think it's best with apples. 

Boys say: thumbs up!

Smushed Apples and Sweet Potatoes

from allrecipes.com, submitted by ELFINDANCER

Someone with the screen name ELFINDANCER made a recipe with the word "smushed" in it. I had to try it! That just sounds fun! I really couldn't decide weather to include this in the side dishes or dessert files! It is very sweet and yummy. My boys didn't agree. So give it a try and see what you think!

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and sliced
1/8 cup milk

Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. 

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Mix in the sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Add the apple slices, cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes, or until the apples are tender. 

Mix the apple mixture into the drained sweet potatoes along with the milk. Mix well using an electric mixer or just a fork until potatoes are mashed.

Husband said thumbs up, boys said thumbs down

Crispy Roasted Green Beans

lightly adapted from ourbestbites.com

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, washed and ends trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 and line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, toss the beans, oil, and spices until the beans are evenly coated. Spread evenly over the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until crispy but not burned.

My rating: 4 stars 

Boys say: thumbs up

Sweet Potato Hash

from mietusinthekitchen.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 1 lb)
1 T vegetable oil
1  (11 oz.) can Southwestern-style corn with black beans and peppers, rinsed and drained * (see note below)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 T chipotle salsa (or substitute regular salsa)
1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced (or more)
fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped (optional)

chili powder (optional, but looks beautiful and adds a lot to the flavor of the dish)

Instructions:

Microwave or bake sweet potatoes until tender, cool enough to handle, cut into chunks and sprinkle lightly with salt (I use Kosher).

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add potatoes; cook until browned and crisp-tender about 3 minutes. Add corn to skillet. Cook 3 minutes more, or until potatoes are tender and corn is heated through.

Stir together sour cream and salsa.

To serve, divide sweet potato mixture among 4 plates and top each with sour cream, avocado, cilantro and chili powder. 

I don't divide it, I serve it in a shallow, oval, gratin dish. I slice the avocado and fan it on top of the hash. Then I spoon the sour cream in a big puddle to the side of the avocado, and then sprinkle with cilantro and chili powder. Beautiful.

*Note: I use Mexicorn or Del Monte corn and bell peppers mix and then add 1/2 can of drained black beans (per recipe), since my grocery store doesn't carry a combination corn and black bean.

Everyone in our family ate this side dish. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins, beta-carotene and fiber. I love when I am able to get my guys to eat healthy food like this! I served this with Cilantro-Lime Grilled Chicken. Yum!

Husband rating: 4 stars
Boys say: thumbs up

Pork Shoulder Roast

recipe by Stephanie Baldock

2-3 lb pork shoulder roast

1/2 c cinnamon applesauce

1 sweet onion, sliced

2 generous splashes of teriyaki sauce

Apply nonstick cooking spray inside a slow cooker, or use a liner. Place pork shoulder in slow cooker and top with cinnamon applesauce, onion slices and teriyaki sauce. Cook 1 hour on high heat, then reduce heat to low and continue cooking another 4-5 hours or until pork is tender and fully cooked.

I served this with this potato recipe from ourbestbites.com:

Ingredients:
1 potato per person (any kind of potatoes work; for the sake of sentimentality, I’m partial to Russetts, although red and Yukon Gold potatoes are so smooth and delicious)
1/2 small onion per person (the one pictured is a little large because I used some onions in the corn)
1 Tbsp. butter per person, cut into pieces
1/4 tsp. salt per person
Freshly-ground black pepper
Smoked paprika
Aluminum foil

Tear sheets (1 per person) of aluminum foil into about 16″ pieces. Fold each in half into a sqaure-ish and set aside.

Preheat grill. Slice potatoes into pieces about 1/8-1/4″ thick. Slice onions about 1/8″ thick. Place 1 potato in the middle of each foil square and dot with butter pieces.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then sprinkle generously with smoked paprika. Remember, paprika is super mild, so it’s hard to add too much. Top each pile with onions.

Fold edges in and secure tightly. It’s important to get a good seal because the moisture will cook the potatoes and onions and you want all those yummy juices, so if it seems like there’s not quite enough foil, wrap packet in another layer.

Turn heat on grill to low. Place each packet on the grill. Close lid for 15 minutes. Turn and allow to cook for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully open each packet (or, even better, let each person open their own packet–hey, less work for you, right??)

These can also be cooked in the oven at 400 for about 15-20 minutes (just check on them to see how they’re doing) or in a panini press for about the same amount of time.

I think we had a green salad with the pork and potatoes. 

Husband and guest rating: 4 stars
Boys say: thumbs up

Baked Zucchini Fries

from ourbestbites.com

About 1 lb. zucchini
1/2 c. Italian-seasoned panko bread crumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (the crumbly stuff, not shreds)
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Whisk 2 eggs together in a shallow pie plate and set aside.

Cut the ends off the zucchini and then cut the zucchini in half so you have two short, stubby pieces. Set one piece on its end and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut that half in half, making 2 planks. Repeat with the remaining halves (so you’ll get 16 planks per zucchini).

Stack 2 planks on top of each other and cut into strips. Thicker strips will yield “meatier” fries with more zucchini flavor while thin strips will be crispy and taste virtually nothing like zucchini. When all the fries are cut, blot the pieces with a paper towel.

Working with a small handful at a time, dip the zucchini sticks in the egg, shake them to remove any excess, and then roll them in about 2-3 tablespoons of bread crumbs at a time, adding more as needed; you just don’t want to work with all the bread crumbs at once because they’ll soak up moisture from the egg and won’t stick to the zucchini. Place the coated strips on the prepared baking sheet and repeat until all the zucchini strips have been coated.

Bake for 10-12 minutes in the prepared oven then remove from oven, flip the fries, and bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the zucchini is not soggy and the coating is crisp and golden brown. Serve immediately with ranch or your favorite pizza sauce.  

Ourbestbites has many pictures on their site if you want a visual on how to cut the zucchini. 

I give this recipe a thumbs up!  We had it with fresh berries and a smoked pork sandwich.  Costco has a package of smoked pulled pork that is really good.  When you heat that up with Trader Joe's Carolina Gold BBQ sauce and top it with coleslaw you have an easy, TASTY meal!  

Grilled Pork Chops with Moroccan Rub

adapted from rachaelray.com

• 6 pork chops
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin 
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 lemon, wedged

Pre-heat grill pan to high. Brush pork chops with a little EVOO. Combine dry spice blend in a small container; cover and shake to combine. Rub spice blend into the chops on both sides. Grill chops 7-8 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare, 10-12 minutes for medium to medium-well(depending on the size and thickness of your pork chops it may take more or less time). Serve with wedges of lemon.

Orzo with Veggies

from allrecipes.com, submitted by beautifulansuz, slightly modified

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces uncooked orzo pasta 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia®), chopped 1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup chopped green onion 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 teaspoon dried parsley salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the orzo and lemon juice, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink. Transfer the orzo to a large saucepan.
2.	Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the sweet onion, garlic and green onion until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes; stir in the zucchini and squash, and cook until the squash are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir the cooked vegetables into the orzo; season with parsley, salt, and black pepper to serve.

I didn't have yellow squash this time so I used two zucchinis.  

Husband rating:  3 stars

Boys say:  mixed reviews

Tri Tip Steak and Sweet Potato Fries

6 portions of Tri Tip Steak
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp kosher salt
pepper to taste
little olive oil

I mixed everything listed above, except the steak, and rubbed it all over the steak.  We cooked that on the grill.

For the Sweet Potato Fries I mostly followed a recipe from ourbestbites.com for their Oven Steak Fries:

2 sweet potatoes, skin removed and cut into large fries

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Mix spices in a medium bowl. Add olive oil and combine well.

Add potato wedges to seasonings and toss to coat.

Lightly crumple some aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and then arrange potato wedges on foil. This makes cleanup easy because your potatoes won’t stick and it also ensures they’re cooked evenly.

Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes.  Increase the oven temperature to 425 and cook for another 20 minutes or until the fries are as crispy as you'd like.  

Ours were still a little soft for my liking so I'll have to play with the temp and time next time we try this.

Husband rating:  4 stars
Boys say:  thumbs up

Dumplings and Fried Rice

My boys like to watch the show "Kung Fu Panda."  On that show Po loves to eat dumplings.  The boys kept asking me what dumplings were and if we could try them.  I looked up some recipes and knew I didn't have the time to make them from scratch last week.  So I dropped by the store and found chicken as well as pork potstickers or dumplings.  They weren't round like the show, but the boys said that was okay!  They were easy to cook and a novelty for the kids.  I've discovered any food that can be dipped in a sauce scores big points with little boys!  

I also made fried rice.  Here is the recipe for that:

Chinese Fried Rice

from Six Sisters' Stuff

3 cups cooked white rice (I used Minute Rice)
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce

On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated.

Husband rating:  3 stars

Boys say:  thumbs up

Curry Chicken

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Priscilla

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup butter, melted 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup Dijon-style prepared mustard

4 teaspoons curry powder 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a medium bowl combine the melted butter/margarine, honey, mustard, curry powder and cayenne powder. Mix well. Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour honey/mustard mixture over chicken. Cover and place in refrigerator. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3.	Remove dish from refrigerator and bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove cover and bake about 10 minutes more, or until done and juices run clear (baking time will depend a little on how thick your chicken breasts are). I like to cut the chicken breasts in half so they cook a little faster.  Even so, ours needed a little longer than the recipe calls for.  I also cut out the butter and it was still great.  I may double the sauce next time so I can put more on the chicken after cooking or even put it all on rice. Oven Roasted Potatoes from allrecipes.com, submitted by MakeItHealthy INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). 2. Combine oil, garlic, basil, rosemary, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt in a large bowl. Toss in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet. 3. Roast in preheated oven, turning occasionally, until potatoes are brown on all sides, 20 to 30 minutes. I don't see any reason to peel the potatoes.  You can omit the red pepper flakes if you have eaters who don't like spicy food.  Also, dried herbs work well if you don't have fresh ones.  As a general rule, cut the amount given in thirds when using dried herbs. Husband and boys rating:  I honestly don't remember so you'll just have to give it a try!

Honey Mustard Chicken and Red Potatoes

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Carol Alter

INGREDIENTS: 1 (4 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 3 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons apricot jam DIRECTIONS: 1. Sprinkle chicken with paprika, pepper, and curry powder. Place in a roasting pan. 2. Combine mustard, honey, and jam in a small bowl. Pour over chicken, and marinate for 1 hour or overnight. 3. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour, basting often. We used boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Next time I'm going to try doubling the sauce and putting the chicken and sauce over rice. Red Potatoes 6 red potatoes, cubed 2 tbsp olive oil 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic 1/4 c grated parmesan 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tbsp rosemary pepper to taste Preheat oven to 425.  Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray, such as Pam.  Place all ingredients in a bowl or plastic bag.  Mix.  Spread potatoes in dish.  Bake in oven about 40 minutes. Husband rating:  4 stars Boys say:  thumbs up

Seasoned Pork Chops and Rice Pilaf

I had the opportunity to live in Spain during college.  I remember going to the Corpus Christi celebration in Toledo, one of my favorite cities in Spain.  During this celebration rosemary and thyme were thrown in the streets.  When I make this dish I think about being there and the beauty of that country.

Seasoned Pork
pork chops
dried rosemary
dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

There are no measurements for the spices because I just sprinkle some on.  You can start with a little bit and increase it the next time if it wasn't flavorful enough for you.  I usually season one side and then throw them in the pan seasoned side down and then season the other side.  You could cook these in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the pork.  It's also easy to put them under the broiler for 6-8 minutes on a side, again, depending on the thickness of your pork chops.  Better yet, toss them on the grill!

We used a rice pilaf mix from a box and steamed some broccoli.  If you haven't cooked broccoli before here's how I do it most of the time:  I put the broccoli in my 8x8 glass dish.  I put 1/4 cup water in the dish.  I cook it in the microwave (covered with a paper towel) for 4 minutes.  I mix it up and cook it for another 4 minutes.  Then I drain the water, add a little butter, salt and pepper and it's ready to go!

Garlic Parmesan Chicken

from allrecipes.com, submitted by Carol

INGREDIENTS: 2 teaspoons crushed garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). 2. Warm the garlic and olive oil to blend the flavors. In a separate dish, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip the chicken breasts in the olive oil and garlic mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture. Place in a shallow baking dish. 3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

I doubled the bread crumb/parmesan mixture.  I baked the chicken for closer to 25 minutes.

Husband rating:  4 stars
Boys say:  thumbs up

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Onions

from allrecipes.com, submitted by USA WEEKEND columnist Jean Carper

INGREDIENTS:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks 2 medium Vidalia or other sweet onions, cut in 1-inch chunks 3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup amaretto liqueur 1 teaspoon dried thyme Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
2.	Toss first 6 ingredients in a shallow medium-sized baking dish.
3.	Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with almonds, bake 20 minutes more.

I didn't have amaretto liqueur so I used a few tbsp of orange juice and a little brown sugar.  

The Balsamic Steak Recipe can be found here.  Salad Recipe is here.

Husband Rating:  4 for steak and salad (try not to burn yours like I did on the edges of mine!) and 3 for the sweet potatoes

Boys say:  thumbs neutral