Burrito Pie

Stacked layers of cheese, taco meat, salsa and tortillas create a satisfying Mexican dish.  It is made in a pie plate for a fun twist on taco night.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cooked white rice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
4 10 inch flour tortilla shells
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups cooked taco meat
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Add the rice, lime juice, cilantro, and salt to a medium mixing bowl and stir well to combine
• Place one flour tortilla in the bottom of a deep dish pie plate
• Spread tortilla with 2 tablespoons of sour cream
• Top with 1/2 cup of prepared rice and 1/2 cup of taco meat
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of salsa over the top
• Sprinkle on 1/2 cup of cheese
• Repeat layers 2 more times, pressing down the tortilla stack each time you add a new tortilla
• Add a final layer of tortilla, sour cream, salsa, and cheese to the top
• Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and melted

Serve with all of your favorite taco toppings, such as diced tomatoes, guacamole, hot sauce, etc.

Tupps Tidbits:  You can cook the rice and make up the taco meat the day before to save time at dinner...make sure to spray the bottom of the pie plate with cooking spray

This recipe was wonderful!  Spicy and delicious and very filling. This is a serious winner for a quick family dinner. This recipe is a KEEPER IN OUR HOUSE!

Where did we find this?  www.bunsinmyoven.com

Lasagna Stuffed Chicken

 Lasagna Stuffed Chicken is all the flavors you love from lasagna stuffed inside a chicken breast and it's smothered in cheesy, saucy goodness.  What's not to love?

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup whole ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 tsp. Italian seasoning, dived
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• additional salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Butterfly chicken breasts and place into a lightly greased baking dish.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, egg, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and I cup mozzarella cheese.
3. Spoon about 1/2 cup of sauce onto one half of each chicken breast. Spread ricotta mixture on top of the sauce and fold chicken breasts over to close.
4. Drizzle remaining marinara sauce over chicken.  Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle with remaining Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake in a 400 degree over for 20 - 25 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Stuffed chicken is a great way to shake up traditional lasagna. It was very tasty and if you use the low fat ricotta cheese and reduced fat mozzarella cheese you could make this pretty low carb and low fat but still taste like you are having lasagna!
This recipe is a KEEPER in our house!

Where did we find this?  thestayathomechef.com

Slow Cooker Beef and Potato Au Gratin

This recipe came up in one of those Facebook adds and I had to try it. It looked so yummy and hearty! I can eat au gratin potatoes by the plate full.

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
3 lbs. peeled potatoes, sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 7 cups after being sliced)
1 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cups shredded sharp cheese
1/2 cut chicken broth(or beef broth)

Instructions:

1. Brown the ground beef on the stove top. Add a touch of salt and pepper to season. 
2. In a small bowl combine the paprika, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. 
3. Add half of the potatoes in the slow cooker. Sprinkle over half of the onions, half of the seasonings, half of the meat and half of the cheese. Repeat layers again. 
4. Drizzle broth evenly over the layers. 
5. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Do not open lid during the cooking time or the potatoes will not get soft. 

Tupps Tidbits:  Good idea to line the crock pot for easy clean up!

We really enjoyed this recipe. We took it over to friend's house and served with a warm french loaf of bread that was dabbed with butter and garlic. The potatoes in the slow cooker came out perfect.I like them without the skins. Go heavy on the salt and pepper and also add a bit more garlic powder. This is also Gluten Free!!!  This recipe is a KEEPER in our house!


Where did we find this? www.themagicalslowcooker.com

Bacon-Wraped Applle Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

We really love simple dishes especially during the  summer,  when we do not like to spend too much time cooking.  You could even do this one in the slow cooker and in the end just broil it quick so the bacon gets some color. Quick, easy, and perfect for any occasion.  

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
Salt and pepper
300 g bacon slices
Filling
1/2 lb apples, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small portobello mushroom, stem removed and diced
1 tbsp. freshly chopped sage leaves
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup white wine

Instructions

1. Add butter to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. 
2. When bubbling, add in mushrooms and onion. Cook for 5 minutes, or until onions begin to color. 
3. Stir in garlic, sage, and apples. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. Continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes. 
5. Pour in wine to de-glaze. Cook for 2 more minutes, or until wine has dissipated. 
6. Remove from heat.  

Assembly:

• Butterfly pork tenderloin and pound flat. Season with salt and pepper. Pour filling into center of meat. Carefully roll the meat up. Secure by wrapping bacon slices around the meat one at a time, working from one end to the other.
• Place into preheated 400F oven and cook for 15-18 minutes. 
• Finish by broiling bacon until crispy (and internal temperature reaches 145F.)
• Move meat to cutting board and cover with aluminum foil to rest for 10 minutes.
• Slice and serve!

Tupps Tidbits:  Cook time will vary on thickness of meat, pork loin is really easy to overcook so be careful!

We were not a fan of this one.  It really lacked flavor. We are giving it a thumbs down and NOT A KEEPER at our house!

Where did we find this? www.thecookiewriter.com

Soy Dijon Pork Tenderloin

Some dinners are more difficult to get together during the week than other.  For us, it's really tough to find the time for meals with tons of ingredients and prep work.  But sometimes with a little advance work, you can whip up a quick but delicious entree that just makes it seem like you took a long time getting it ready.  I think this pork tenderloin fits exactly that mold.  This is kind of a fancy recipe, It's super easy to make.

 Ingredients

1.3 pounds pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 clove garlic minced
10 cranks freshly cracked pepper

Pan sauce (optional) or use some of the marinade to make the pan sauce
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup  vegetable broth

Instructions

1. Stir together the Dijon mustard, soy sauce, 2 tbsp. olive oil, brown sugar, pepper and minced garlic in a bowl. Place the pork tenderloin and prepared marinade into a zip top bag. Massage the bag to make sure the marinade covers all the surface of the tenderloin. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Preheat oven to 400. Remove tenderloin from the marinade, add the tenderloin to the skillet. Cook the tenderloin for about 5 mins on each side.
3. Transfer the browned tenderloin to a baking sheet covered in foil. Bake the tenderloin in the preheated oven for 30 mins.
4. While the tenderloin is baking, prepare the pan sauce. Using the same pan you browned the tenderloin in. Either add 1/4 cup of the marinade with 1/2 cup broth or add the butter, Dijon, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup broth. Over medium heat simmer until the volume has reduced by about half. NOTE: Never re-use the raw uncooked marinade.
5. When the tenderloin is finished, aloow it to rest for 5-10 mins before slicing. Spoon some of the sauce over the top and slice into 12-16 pieces. Serve with more pan sauce.

Tupps Tidbits:  We roasted carrots & sweet potatoes and they took the same amount of time to roast as the pork, making it an easy meal

Pork tenderloin is one of our favorite go-to weeknight meals. It's affordable, delicious & fairly lean. This seems to have too much soy sauce flavor. We could try adding some lemon juice or more brown sugar to balance it out. I am going to say THIS IS A KEEPER meal in our house but needs some tweaking next time!

Where did we find this? www.budgetbytes.com

Raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce

Summer is here and so is grilling season! This Sweet, tangy and spicy sauce looks easy to make and packed with flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 med yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 8 oz. tomato Sauce
• 1 c raspberry jam
• 1/4 c cider vinegar
• 1 pepper + sauce chipotle peppers in adobo

Directions:

1. Finely dice the onion and garlic. Cook both in a sauce pan with vegetable oil over medium heat until soft. Meanwhile, roughly chop one chipotle pepper and reserve 1 Tbsp of adobo sauce from the can.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir everything well and bring up to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 45 mins. Allow the sauce to cool after simmering (It will thicken upon cooling)

Tupps Tidbits:  The left over chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can be frozen.  Divide the pepper and adobe sauce up into small portions and freeze. 

Even though this was inexpensive to make in comparison to Sweet Baby Ray's you might want to stick with paying the higher sticker price.  We tried this on ribs and chicken and we are not a fan.  We did not like the chipotle peppers.  Maybe replace them with jalapenos?  This was not a hit in our house and this recipe it NOT A KEEPER!

Where did we find this? www.budgetbytes.com

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is an Italian-American dish made from chicken cutlets, mushrooms and Marsala wine. It is an economical dish to make. The fundamental rules of making a good pan sauce apply here. Also there is not heavy cream in this recipe to keep the calories down.

Ingredients

Boneless and skinless chicken breasts (cutlets)
2 cups onions
2 cups mushrooms
1 cup all purpose flour for dredging
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup Marsala wine
1 tbsp. olive oil
1-2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion power

Directions:

1. In a glass dish combine the flour with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Mix well. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and set on a plate.
2. In a deep skillet, over moderate heat add in the 1 tbsp butter and olive oil. Let this come up to heat where you see the butter start bubbling. Add the chicken to the pan and cook a couple of minutes on each side until nice golden brown. Remove to a platter and process all the cutlets the same way. 
3. To the same pan add 1 tbsp. butter add in the onions garlic and mushrooms. Stir well and cook for about 4-5 mins.
4. Add the wine and de glaze the pan. Stir well. Allow this to cook for about 4 minutes to let the alcohol burn off. Add in the chicken broth, stir well and cook until you have reduced the broth by 1/3.
5. Add the chicken back to the pan. Coat the chicken and cook for about 6 mins. Serve with vegetable or pasta.

Tupps Tidbits: You can buy thin boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets, or you can buy normal boneless skinless breast and pound them down to about ¼ inch thick.

Quick and easy, this Chicken Marsala was packed with flavor. This was a good alternative to restaurant Chicken Marsala and very simple to make. I think by using fresh grated garlic and sprinkling some Parmesan on top would make this dish perfect. This recipe is a KEEPER at our HOUSE!

Where did we find this? Cooking on a budget - www.pattyandersonsblog.blogspot.com

Fig-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots

If you like to experiment with unique flavors and try to make food look photo-worthy as well, this one is for you!  One unique ingredient in this recipe is fig preserves. Figs can be eaten fresh or dried and used in jam-making.  You may know figs from such cookies as "fig newtons".  The widely produced fig newton cookie with a filling made from figs.

Ingredients:

2-3 carrots
8 oz Brussels sprouts
2 shallots
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lbs)
1/2 cup red cooking wine
1/4 cup fig preserves
1 oz goat cheese
olive oil

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Peel, trim, and cut carrots into 1/4 pieces on an angle
• Trim bottoms off Brussels sprouts and halve
• Peel and slice shallots into 1/4 inch rounds, mince a few slices, resulting in 1 Tbsp. minced
• Pat pork tenderloin dry, and season all sides with salt and pepper
• Toss carrots, Brussels sprouts, and shallot rounds with 2 tsp. olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper on a baking sheet that has been covered with foil and cooking spray. Roast 7 minutes in preheated oven.
• While vegetables are roasting, place a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and pork tenderloin to hot pan. Sear until lightly browned on all sides, 2-3 mins per side. transfer pork to baking sheet with vegetables. Reserve pan; no need to wipe clean.
• Place vegetables and pork in oven and roast until vegetables and tender and pork reaches a internal temperature of 145 degrees, 8-12 minutes. Remove from oven and rest pork 5 minutes.
• Over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tsp. olive oil and minced shallot to hot pan and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add red wine and fig preserves and cook until it thickens into a thin syrup, 3-5 minutes. Remove pan from burner.
• Slice pork tenderloin into 1/2 inch slices. Place vegetables on plate and garnish with goat cheese (breaking up with your hands if needed.) Add sliced pork and spoon red wine-fig glaze over pork.

Tupps Tidbits:  We used feta cheese instead of goat cheese. Feta cheese and goat cheese are both made from the milk of goats. The difference is that feta is also made using sheep's milk.
FYI - We found the fig preserves at Walmart - who would have guessed! Ha!

This was a beautiful dish!  It looked so fancy bu the taste was just "ok",  edible but nothing to brag about. I was hoping for more of a sweet and tangy glaze.  It's super simple to make with a few ingredients which is perfect for weeknight cooking. I doubt we will make this recipe again..so it is NOT A KEEPER in our house.

Where did we find this?  www.homechef.com

Cheddar, broccoli, and rice casserole

I  challenge the "title" of this recipe because normally a casserole involves meat and vegetable proteins and carbohydrates in every pan.  A casserole is a complete and packed meal in itself. This is definitely not a not a Minnesota "hot dish"  because it does not use any potato  base, like potato chips, hash browns, tater tots or any type of cream soup.  This is just a hearty side dish! We paired it with oven roasted chicken breasts.

1 shallot
5 oz Broccoli
1 oz Cheese and Garlic Croutons
1/4 cup Parboiled White Rice
3 fl. oz Heavy Whipping Cream
3 oz cheddar Cheese.

• Peel and slice shallot.
• Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces.
• Crush croutons in to coarse crumbs.

Place a small pot over medium heat. Add 1 tsp. olive oil and shallots to hot pot. Cook until slightly softened, Add rice and 3/4 cup water to pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until rice is tender, 12-15 mins. Stir in cream and 1/3 cup water. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Add broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3-4 mins. Removed from burner and season with 1/4 tsp salt. cut cheddar in to small pieces and stir into pot until melted.

Tupps Tidbits: Don’t text and broil. Pay close attention while the broccoli casserole is in the broiler.

We both enjoyed this side dish. It was not over creamy, which was good.  It will pair well with lots of different meals and probably a good one to bring to Thanksgiving or Christmas.  This recipe is a KEEPER at our house!

Where did we find this?  homechef.com

Easy Oven Fajitas

A fajita is a term found in Mexican cuisine, commonly referring to any grilled meat usually served as a taco on a flour or corn tortilla. Popular meats today also include chicken, pork and shrimp.  In restaurants, the meat is usually cooked with onions and bell peppers and offer sour cream, guacamole, cheese, salsa and pico de gallo on the side.  What I love about this recipe is you bake it all in one pan!

Ingredients

FAJITA SEASONING

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• ½ Tbsp paprika 
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper 
• 1 tsp sugar 
• ½ tsp salt 

FAJITAS

• 2 small (or 1 lg.) onion 
• 3 bell peppers (any color) 
• 1 lb. chicken breast
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1 medium lime
• 8 (6-inch) tortillas
• ½ cup sour cream (optional)
• ¼ bunch cilantro (optional) 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix all of the spices for the fajita seasoning in a small bowl and set aside (chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, sugar, and salt).
2. Cut the onion and bell peppers into ¼-inch wide strips. Place them in a large 13x15-inch casserole dish or a large baking sheet. Slice the chicken breast into very thin strips and add it to the casserole dish with the vegetables.
3. Drizzle the vegetable oil over the chicken and vegetables, then sprinkle the fajita seasoning mix over top. Use your hands to toss the ingredients until everything is well coated in oil and seasoning. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, stirring once half way through. Squeeze the juice from half of the lime over top of the meat and vegetables after they come out of the oven.
4. While the fajita mix bakes, toast each tortilla in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, until lightly browned on each side. Scoop a small amount of meat and vegetables into the center of each tortilla. Top with a few sprigs of cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, and an extra squeeze of lime if desired.

Tupps Tidbits:  instead of making the fajita seasoning you can buy a container/packet of fajita seasoning in the store

I loved this meal! Flavorful, mouthwatering and it all went together in one dish in a snap.  This recipe is definitely a KEEPER in our house!

Where did we find this?  https://www.budgetbytes.com

Steak House Mushrooms Marsala

Last week we blogged about the steak in this picture but we also made the mushrooms. When going out to eat, mushrooms are normally offered as a side dish with steak and also cost extra. Most people love them and could eat them alone!  I am not a huge fan of canned mushrooms so I was ready to try this one and it looked like it was packed with flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 -10 oz. pkg. white button mushrooms
• 1/3 Cup Marsala wine
• 2. tbsp butter
• 1 tsp. fresh Thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. Grave Master
• salt and black pepper to taste

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat your skillet over medium high heat. Let pan get hot then add in the butter
2. When the Butter foams up add in the mushrooms and toss in the butter
3. Next, add in the gravy master and carefully roll the mushrooms around in it and then turn the heat down to medium.  Add in the fresh thyme, some salt and pepper to taste.
4. De-glaze the pan with the Marsala.  Stir the Marsala.  Stir the mushrooms and cook them for just a few minutes until softened and the Marsala reduces a bit.

Tupps Tidbits: Cook mushrooms in a pan with a lot of surface area. You want to be able to spread the mushrooms out in a single layer to maximize their contact with the hot pan and allow moisture to evaporate quickly. A skillet or sauté pan is best.

Not the best sauteed mushrooms we have had.   All we could taste was an oily mess on our mushrooms and a"off-taste"...not exactly a good flavor!  This one is NOT a keeper in our house!

Where did we find this?  Cooking on A budget https://pattyandersonsblog.blogspot.com

Cattlemans Beef Marinade

Summer is approaching quickly and for a lot of people that means get ready to break out the grill! Marinating steaks is not only important for helping meat develop a wonderful flavor, but also making tougher cuts of meat become tender. Marinate your steaks overnight for the most flavor.

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
5 garlic cloves - crushed and chopped
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. McCormick's Monteal Seasoning

• Place all ingredients in a glass dish and whisk together.
• Add in the Steak and marinate for 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally
• Fire up your grill and grill the steak over HIGH heat. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Tupps Tidbits: Grill over high heat to get a nice sear on the beef. Make sure you let the meat rest before slicing.

Marinades are the simplest, healthiest way to take a bland diet and make it brilliant.   The truth is, this marinade rarely did much good.   Moral of the story...if you want to make a tough cut of meat more tender, it's better to simply slice it thin, either before or after grilling.  This was NOT A KEEPER at our house!

Where did we find this? Cooking on A budget https://pattyandersonsblog.blogspot.com

Cheesy Hamburger Potato Soup

We picked this recipe because it looked simple, easy, inexpensive and something anyone would love.  Also, it appears, comforting and warm on a cold winter night. Add some fresh bread or a tossed salad and you have a simple meal.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ – 1 pound ground beef (or less)
1 medium onion, finely chopped, or 2 teaspoon onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon parsley
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups milk
1/3 cup flour
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese*
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
*If you use mild cheddar, you will need to use more of it to get the same amount of cheesy flavor.

DIRECTIONS:

• In a medium-sized pot, combine the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Add the potatoes, carrots, basil, parsley and broth.
• Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Combine milk and flour in a blender. Blend until smooth (this only takes a few seconds in my Vita-Mix). Gradually pour the mixture into the soup, stirring constantly.
• Cook and stir until soup is thickened and starting to boil. Add cheeses and continue cooking until cheese is melted (another minute or so). Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.

Note: This is a soup you don’t want to cook too long as the potatoes will start getting mushy.

Tupps Tidbits:  use a large pot, this makes a big batch of soup

This is a great recipe! It kinda like a loaded baked potato soup.  This recipe is definitely a KEEPER at our house!

Where did we find this?  moneysavingmom.com

Korean Pork Medallions with Sriracha marinade and crunchy rice vinegar slaw

We found this recipe on the Home Chef web site.  Home Chef is a meal delivery service.  They deliver restaurant caliber meals kits  that even include include portioned out oils and spices for two people right to your door. There is no need to go to the grocery store when you order from them. We decided instead of "ordering" the meal we would just make it.  The only "extra" ingredient we did not have was the Sriracha.  

2 Garlic Cloves
2 Green Onions
1 Red Fresno Chile
1 Pork tenderloin
2 fl. oz. Soy Sauce
2 fl. oz. Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1/2 oz. Light Brown Sugar
1 fl. oz. Sriracha
1 Tbsp. Chopped Ginger
1/2 fl. oz. Toasted Sesame Oil
8 oz. Slaw Mix

Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper

Prep:  Mince garlic. Trim and thinly slice green onions on an angle. Stem, seed, and slice Fresno chile into thin rounds. Rinse pork tenderloin and pat dry. On a separate cutting board, slice tenderloin into 8-10 medallions, 1/2"  - 3/4" thick.

Make the Marinade:  In large mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, half the rice vinegar(remainder for slaw dressing), brown sugar, Sriracha (to taste), ginger and garlic.  Place pork medallions in marinade, toss to coast evenly, and let sit at room temperate 10 minutes before cooking.

Prepare the Dressing:  In another large mixing bowl, combine remaining rice vinegar, sesame oil, half the green onions (reserve remaining for garnish), and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Dress the Slaw:  Add slaw mix to mixing bowl with dressing and toss to coat.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cook the Pork:  Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a medium non-stick pan over medium heat.  Remove pork from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve marinade. Add pork to hot pan and cook, 3-4 minutes per side.  During last minute of cooking, add remaining marinade to pan and continue cooking until pork is coated with sticky glaze.

Plate the Dish:  Place a serving of slaw in the middle of plate and serve pork medallions and sauce next to slaw.  Garnish with remaining green onions and Fresno chile round (to taste).

Tupps Tidbits: Instead of a bagged slaw mix, we used fresh cabbage.  We could not find Fresno chile, but replaced it with jalapeno.

Loved this! The pork was tender and its sauce was delicious! It was packed with flavor. The plated final picture does not due this dish justice. The coleslaw was tangy and additive. It did make you feel like an accomplished chef with ease! Sriracha is today's hot sauce..it has a garlicky - chile flavor. Use a little or omit. This recipe is definitely a KEEPER at our house!

Where did we find this?  homechef.com

Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes - Gluten Free

I love potatoes!  Basically anything with potato and cheese. This recipe uses basic ingredients that we keep around, also, it does not require canned soups like many hash brown casseroles dishes. I am guessing this will be a perfect side dish to accompany a lot of our meals.  Also it is gluten-free!

Makes a 9x13 pan

Ingredients:

• 8-9 medium large potatoes OR 2 lbs. frozen shredded hash browns
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or any kind of cheese or mix of cheesed you prefer)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

If using whole potatoes scrub potatoes: Place whole unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of boiling water. Boil for about 15 minutes, or just until starting to get tender.

Rinse in cold water and peel (the skins will fall off with just i little bit of pressure). Let cool and dry the potatoes. Once dry, grate them to resemble hash browns.

Place shredded potatoes or frozen hash browns in a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with shredded cheese ans stir lightly to combine.

Heat milk, butter and salt in a separate pan until butter is melted. Pour over potato/cheese mixture. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 mins, or until cheese is browned. Let Stand 5 min before serving.

Tupps Tidbits:  The amount and kind of cheese can be adjusted according to your personal taste.

We used skim milk and potatoes (not hashbrowns) and this dish turned out wonderful! Definitely needs a little salt and pepper added but that is it.   It also tastes great for several days as leftovers in the fridge.  Very flexible - you could added a couple of more potatoes or more cheese to stretch it a little further too. KEEPER in our house and going to be made again and again.

Where did we find this?  moneysavingmom.com

Orange Chicken

If you are a fan of Orange Chicken  from the Chinese restaurants, then I am hoping this homemade version is going to bring a smile to our face.  I would love to be able to make it at home.  In the restaurant it normally consists of chopped, battered, and fried pieces of chicken coated in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce, which thickens or caramelizes to a glaze.

Ingredients
Canola Oil for frying
2 tsp sesame oil
1 egg
1/3 cup corn starch
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 lbs boneless chicken

For the Sauce:
1 1/2 tsp fresh orange zest
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp canola oil
1 1/2 tsp minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, finely minced

For the Garnish:
sliced green onions 
orange slices

Instructions

Pour 1 to 2 inches of canola oil in a small deep fryer or heavy bottomed pot and heat to 375 degrees F.  In a large bowl combine the sesame oil, egg, 3 tbsp soy sauce and 1/3 cup corn starch until a thin batter forms. Toss in the chicken pieces and let sit for a few minutes while the oil heats up. Fry the chicken in batches and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.





For the sauce, combine the orange zest, orange juice, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp water, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar (or dry sherry), 1/3 cup chicken broth and 2 tbsp corn starch in a bowl and set aside.

Once chicken is finished cooking, heat 1 tsp canola oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat. Toss in the ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce and cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Once thickened (about 3 to 4 minutes) add the chicken to the wok and stir to coat with sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and orange slices and serve over hot steamed rice if desired.

Tupps Tidbits: When frying don’t overcrowd the pan – you want to fry the meat, not steam it. Fry in batches if necessary.

Well this left a horrible taste in my mouth, right away. It ruined all the effort Tupps put in to making it. It was a smooth texture sauce and it sticks right to the chicken and did give it a gorgeous shine but the taste was horrible. Definitely needs more orange zest.
 
NOT a Keeper in our house and not the best homemade orange chicken!

Where did we find this?  www.iwashyoudry.com

Cheaters Fried Ice Cream

Just in time for your next Fiesta night!  Fried ice cream is a dessert made from a breaded scoop of ice cream that is quickly deep-fried creating a warm, crispy shell around the still-cold ice cream.  It is mainly associated with the Mexican cuisine. Recently we had some friends over for a Mexican theme night and decided we would try this.

Ingredients

• 5 cups corn flakes cereal
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Vanilla bean cream, firm enough to shape but just soft enough to scoop
• Optional servings suggestions:  honey or caramel sauce, chocolate fudge sauce, sweetened whipped cream, cherries 

Directions 

• Pour cornflakes into a large Ziploc bag, seal bag and use a rolling pin to crush cornflakes.
• Melt butter in a non-stick 10-inch fry pan over medium heat.   Once butter is melted, stir in crushed corn flakes and cinnamon and increase heat slightly. Cook mixture stirring constantly until golden brown and fragrant (color will deepen and begin to smell lightly toasty and corn flakes should be crisp), about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, pour mixture in a shallow dish and allow to cool slightly. Use a form to break mixture down if desired.
• Remove ice cream from freezer, scoop out desired serving size. Shape into ball with clean hands. Immediately drop shaped ice cream ball into corn flake mixture and roll to evenly coat, while pressing corn flake mixture around the outer surface for a thicker coating as desired.  Serve immediately topped with optional toppings, or place in freezer in an airtight container (without toppings) and chill until serving.

Tupps Tidbits:  Trick to success with this recipe is the time in the freezer, I think, which allows the ice cream to freeze until it's completely solid.  If you can make it the day or night (without toppings) before is best.

The taste turned out quit good.  We served it with warm honey drizzled on top with whipped cream and cherries.   It looks fabulous and impressive when you serve it.  Next time, I would add a bit more cinnamon to the ice cream. This recipe is a KEEPER in our HOUSE! YUMO!


Where did we find this?  www.cookingclassy.com