Category Archives: Meat/ Poultry

Red Beans and Sausage with Rice

Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, , ,

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I promised my friend Girlie Girl that I would come up with a red beans and rice recipe she could make. I try to keep my promises although I have broken a few in my lifetime. Most of the promises were to myself but still I try to keep promises whether to myself or someone else.

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That being said, I did come up with a red beans and sausage recipe I think she and her hubby will enjoy. Like most of my recipes this one is made to tweak however you want. This can be a strictly meatless dish but I thought I would take it to another level by adding both andouille sausage and smoked sausage. Other Louisiana style recipes I have seen also include sausage or some type of ham. Since my family likes spice and lots of heat in my dishes I added the andouille sausage.

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Girlie Girl is from the mid west but I sometimes think she has the heart of a southerner. She enjoys down home cooking and seems adventurous when it comes to trying different foods. Truth be told I think her hubby does most of the cooking but she likes to eat which I appreciate.

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Red beans and sausage with rice is a great dish that becomes a great meal when you add a little corn bread on the side. Next time your family asks you what’s for dinner tell them red beans and sausage. They won’t be disappointed.

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Red Beans with Sausage and Rice

Ingredients:
1 lb andouille sausage sliced
1 lb smoked sausage sliced
1 smoked turkey leg or 2 smoked turkey wings
2 14 oz cans pinto beans undrained
2 14 oz cans pink beans undrained
1 medium onion diced
1 small green pepper diced
2 stalks celery sliced
4 cups chicken broth

Seasonings
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp Adobo seasoning
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (optional)
1 tbsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4 slices of lemon (seeds removed)
½ jalapeno pepper diced

Place smoked turkey in a pressure cooker and cover with water. Add ½ of a onion sliced. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes to tenderize the turkey. If you are not comfortable using a pressure cooker, cook the smoked turkey in a large pot for 1 to ½ hours until the turkey is tender. Cool the turkey then pull the meat off the bone. Set aside and reserve broth from the turkey to add to the beans.

Add beans, veggies, seasonings, 4 cups of the smoked turkey broth, lemon slices and sausage to a crock pot. Add the turkey meat then stir to combine all of the ingredients. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hrs until the beans are tender and the sausage is cooked. Stir in tomato paste ½ way through cooking.

This dish can also be prepared in a large pot using the same steps as above. Beans and sausage will cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until tender.

Serve with brown or white rice.

 

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Chicken Enchiladas

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , ,

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I was chatting with my youngest son the other day about ideas for the blog and he told I needed to come up with a few ethnic dishes. I already had a few ideas in the back of mind but decided I would try to create an ethnic dish using ingredients I had on hand.

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There are certain staples I keep on hand because I use them in a number of dishes. Things like onions, various hot peppers, fresh salsa and cheese. While I was looking through the pantry and cabinets I realized I could create my own quick version of chicken enchiladas. I happen to have tortillas and pre-cooked chicken that was meant for another dish but that one could wait.

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Although I am mostly a northeastern girl with southern roots, I appreciate and enjoy all types of foods. Hispanic foods are often spicy and always full of flavor which reminds me of the foods I grew up with. Hot sauce was always on the table growing up and hot peppers were infused in a lot of my mom’s recipes that I love.

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Chicken Enchiladas is one of those easy go to recipes you can prepare whenever you have run out of ideas on what to make with chicken for the third time in a week. Try it. I know you will like it.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
10 oz pre-cooked chicken roughly chopped
6 medium sized tortillas
1 large shallot or 1 small onion sliced
4 medium jalapeno peppers sliced thin (remove seeds for less heat)
½ cup fresh salsa
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese or sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bottle of enchilada sauce (Trader Joe’s)
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray long baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a small frying pan then add onions and sliced jalapeno peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Saute veggies until soft. Set aside.

Take one tortilla and layer a small amount of cheese, veggies and chicken in the middle of the tortilla. Gently fold over the tortilla then fold in the sides towards the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla and place seam side down in a long baking dish. Repeat process with remaining tortillas. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas then top with salsa and cheese. Bake for approximately 15 minutes to melt cheese.

 

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Apricot Glazed Chicken

Meat/ Poultry, ,

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If I took a survey about chicken and asked how many times per week do you eat chicken, I would bet it would be at least twice if not more. Having chicken a few times per week means coming up with a number of ways to prepare it. Fried chicken is good but I would not recommend eating it more than once per week. Baked chicken is healthy but can be a little on the boring side.

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We eat a lot of chicken in our family so I try not to repeat the same chicken dish in the same week or couple of weeks. I put baked chicken into my dinner rotation every couple of weeks. The last time I thought about preparing baked chicken I wanted to put a slight twist on baked chicken to keep the dish healthy but packed with more flavor. I decided adding an apricot glaze to the chicken would boost up the flavor and compliment the other seasonings on the chicken.

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Apricot glazed chicken sounds like it could be hard to prepare but really isn’t. The glaze is a simple combination of apricot preserves and butter. If you really what to shake things up, add a little brandy apricot liqueur to the glaze.

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Try making Apricot Glazed Chicken the next time you serve chicken. Yummy will be the main word you all around the dinner table.

Apricot Glazed Chicken

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken drumsticks
1 lb chicken wings
1 medium onion sliced
1 tbsp Adobo seasonings
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp dried parsley
½ tsp cilantro
2 tbsp butter
½ jar Smucker’s apricot preserves
½ cup of water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt apricot preserves and butter in a microwave safe bowl.

Layer bottom of baking pan with onions. Place chicken on top of onions and season with salt, pepper, Adobo and parsley. Sprinkle with with paprika. Pour preserves and butter mixture over chicken. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown and cooked through.

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Black Forest Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , ,

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Every kid at least once during their childhood has eaten a grilled cheese sandwich. Crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Cheddar cheese was usually the center piece of the sandwich and was complemented by tomato soup.

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Remember dipping your sandwich into the soup and letting it soak in the all that tomato goodness? I loved grilled cheese sandwiches back then and I still love them today. Only now I make big kid grilled cheese sandwiches.

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Cheese, of course, remains the center piece of my big kid grilled cheese sandwiches. But, this version uses 3 types of cheese to create the gooey goodness inside. Swiss, Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese (for the extra kick) combine to make a nice creamy tangy sandwich. To top it off I added black forest ham. Now that is a big kid grilled cheese sandwich!

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Since I decided to make a big kid grilled cheese sandwich I decided to also make a grown up soup to go with it. Leek and potato soup.  A thick and creamy soup to go with a wonderful creamy sandwich. You can check out the recipe for the Leek and Potato Soup at dmariedining.com.

Black Forest Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients:
¼ lb black forest ham sliced thin
¼ lb Swiss cheese
¼ lb pepper jack cheese
¼ lb Monterey Jack cheese
4 tbsp soft butter
1 French loaf of bread
cooking spray

Spray a griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.

Spread a generous amount of butter on one side of a slice of bread. Place butter side down on the griddle. Layer bread with 3 cheeses and 2 slices of ham. Spread another slice of bread with butter and place over ham with the butter side up. Brown bread then flip to brown the other side. Repeat with other slices of bread. Serve with chips or your favorite soup.

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Sloppy Joe’s

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, ,

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Loose meat sandwiches. That is what sloppy joe’s were called long ago. The origin of sloppy joe’s is not clear and doesn’t really matter. What matters is that sloppy joe’s were a wonderful creation and has not changed much over the years.

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The great thing about sloppy joe’s is that although the basic recipe remains the same, you can experiment with additional flavors and make it your own. I added hot Italian sausage to the recipe and a few other ingredients to give the dish a little heat to go along with the sweetness of the sauce. I even made a crock pot version so my friend Mr. E could try it out.

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Crock pots are a very useful kitchen tool for when you don’t have time to prepare food and watch it cook. I have to admit that I get a little weird about using my crock pot only because I don’t like leaving it plugged in all day without being able to check on it. Yes, it may seem to defeat the purpose of throwing everything in a pot and letting it cook without having to guard it. But, I like to add a little bit of this or that during the cooking process and still feel like I don’t have to watch it every second.

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Sloppy Joe’s are a comfort food that brings back childhood memories. Sloppy Joe night meant you could eat with your hands, let sauce run down your fingers and not get in trouble for being messy. What kid wouldn’t love that?

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Now when I eat sloppy joe’s I still let the sauce run down my fingers and I won’t get in trouble for being messy.

Sloppy Joe’s

Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork or sirloin
1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
½ cup red peppers chopped
½ cup green peppers chopped
1 large onion diced
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp worcestershire
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard
½ cup ketchup
5 dashes of hot sauce
1 crock pot

Turn crock pot on high.

Place all the ingredients into the crock pot and stir. Let cook for 3 – 4 hours until meat is cooked all the way through. Serve over hamburger or soft kaiser rolls.

If you want to cut down on the cooking time,  try making the sloppy joe’s in a pot on the stove.  Brown the meat and drain then place all of the ingredients into a pot.  Let simmer for 1 hour over medium heat.

 

Crock Pot Roast

Meat/ Poultry, Vegetables, , ,

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I am dedicating this blog to Mr. E who is a family friend. Mr. E has been a faithful follower of dmariedining.com and has attempted to make a few recipes. Recently he asked me if I had any crock pot recipes that would make it easier for him to cook. He admitted he sometimes winds up with burnt food.

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First, I have to commend Mr. E for even trying to cook for his new wife. I wish more men would take up the ladle and attempt to cook for the family. Don’t get me wrong. I know there are a lot of great male chefs but usually they cook for a living. I do have a few men in my family who enjoy cooking for the sake of cooking but not many.

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After my conversation with Mr. E I started digging through old recipes and tried to come up with a few good crock pot meals. One of my friends nicknamed “Doll” helped me out by sharing a recipe she makes for special occasions. It is a pot roast simmered in mushroom and onion soup. I took the liberty of tweaking her recipe and added a few things of my own.

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I think this recipe is simple and will certainly put a smile on both Mr. E’s and his lovely wife’s face.

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One pot wonders are the way to go for aspiring chefs and anyone who doesn’t have time to fuss over a meal.

Crock Pot Roast

Ingredients:
1 medium sized pot roast
1 packet onion soup mix
1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 10 oz packet of frozen peas
2 large red potatoes peeled and cubed
6 carrots peeled and sliced
1 small jalapeno pepper seeded and sliced (keep seeds if you like heat)
1 pint baby portobello mushrooms sliced
1 tbsp parsley chopped
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
½ cup water
1 crock pot

Combine mushroom soup, onion soup mix and ½ cup of water in a small sauce pan. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Season meat with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Place in crock pot. Pour soup mixture over meat and add mushrooms. Cook on high for 3 hours until meat is tender. Add potatoes, parsley, peas and carrots. Cook an additional 45 minutes or until veggies are tender. Serve with a piece of crusty bread to soak up all the wonderful juices.

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Chicken and Waffles with Warm Walnut Syrup

Meat/ Poultry, Uncategorized, , , ,

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Who said you can’t have breakfast at dinner time? Chicken and waffles combines the two foods I love into one delicious meal topped off with a nice sweet treat. On a few desperate nights I have fixed breakfast for dinner but with bacon or sausage. Chicken never crossed my mind as a partner for waffles. The first time I heard of chicken and waffles I thought it was the weirdest combination ever. Now??? I think what took me so long to try this out!

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One of my secrets to making thick tasty waffles is to add a little sour cream to the batter and don’t over mix. A few lumps here and there are no big deal. Besides the lumps will disappear when they hit the griddle.

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Warm. Walnut. Syrup. What more can I say? Sweet, gooey syrup warmed up and mixed with nuts gives the waffles a savory taste.

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Fried chicken. What else can I say? I have not meant anyone who does not like fried chicken. Granted, I sometimes get tired of eating chicken but serve it with waffles and Bam! I love it all over again.  I know the ingredients look like a lot of work but trust me they are not.  However, to make it a little easier on yourself use frozen waffles or use waffle mix.  Otherwise, go with the flow and you will have a nice new dinner idea.

Chicken and Waffles with Warm Walnut Syrup

Ingredients:
4 thin chicken breasts (pound with a rolling pin to flatten out)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup flour
2 cups vegetable oil
½ cup buttermilk
½ tbsp cayenne pepper or hot sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning
2 tbsp butter
½ cup walnuts
½ cup syrup

Waffles Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
½ tsp salt
6 tbsp melted butter
waffle iron
cooking spray

Preheat oven to warm for chicken.

Chicken
In a medium bowl mix flour and seasonings and set aside. In another bowl mix cayenne pepper, buttermilk and egg in a bowl.

Sprinkle chicken with a little salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour then egg mixture then again in flour. Lay chicken out on a piece of wax paper.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Place chicken in hot oil and brown for 3 – 5 minutes on each side. Make sure chicken is cooked all the way through. Place chicken in the oven to keep warm while fixing waffles and walnut syrup.

Waffles
Place dry ingredients in a bowl and add buttermilk. Stir then add eggs and melted butter. Mix well. Makes 4 large waffles.

Syrup
Melt 3 tbsp butter in a non-stick pan. Add walnuts and let warm up. Place walnuts in a small bowl and add syrup. Stir then drizzle over waffles.

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Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Meat/ Poultry, Pasta and Grains, ,

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I am not a huge pasta fan like my family but I am slowly coming around to putting it close to the top of my list. Especially after I came up with a chicken and pasta dish that is slightly creamy with a hint of lemon.

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Usually when I make pasta it is as a side dish unless we are having spaghetti. When I pulled together the chicken and pasta with lemon cream sauce I wanted to create a meal rather than a side dish. I love making one pot meals whenever I can. This one only takes a couple of pots so … that is close enough.

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As my culinary skills continue to grow I have discovered that things I thought were difficult to prepare are relatively easy. The idea of making cream sauce was somewhat intimidating to me until I figured out the sauce really makes itself. With the right seasonings and a little patience you can create a savory sauce that will elevate your meal.

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Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 box rotini pasta
3 small broccoli crowns sliced
1 lb precooked chicken breast cubed
10 oz pkg mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic chopped
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp basil
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup half and half
zest and juice from 2 lemons
1 cup arugula
large bowl of ice water

Bring 4 quarts water with a pinch of salt to a boil. Add broccoli to boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and place in ice bath to stop the cooking process for 5 minutes then drain. Bring water back to a boil and cook pasta according to package. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl. Add broccoli, seasonings and parmesan cheese then set aside.

Add olive oil, butter and mushrooms to a sauce pan over medium high heat and saute until lightly browned. Add garlic and be careful not to let garlic burn. Add heavy cream lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir and let cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium then add chicken and mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour over pasta. Toss pasta until coated with sauce. Add arugula and continue tossing. Arugula will wilt slightly from the heat. Sprinkle with a little more parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

 

Slow Cooked Pork

Meat/ Poultry

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Slow and steady wins the race when fixing slow cooked pork. I know most of my recipes are designed to be quick and easy but this one is just easy.

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After you season the meat and stick it in the oven you can go about your business and not fuss over what to do next. Once the pork is fork tender and pulls apart easily the dish is almost complete.

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Pork, apples and pears. I have always thought the combination of these three foods was a match made in heaven. Add some fennel and it is out of this world. The apples, pears and fennel can be served warm with the pork or as a cool side salad. Depending on which one you choose the seasonings used with the fruit will be a little different. I like making the warm version in the fall and winter and the cool version during hotter weather. Pork? I can eat it any way any time of the year.

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In this case, I will let you be the judge. Try making both the warm and cool version and see which one you like best. You may just be surprised.  Another great way to serve the pork is in chili.  I have a wonderful recipe for Chili with Slow Cooked Pork at dmariedining.com.

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Slow Cooked Pork

Ingredients:
1 small pork shoulder
1 large onion sliced
1 large green pepper sliced
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Layer onions and green peppers in the bottom of a roasting pan. Sprinkle with a little salt. Sprinkle pork with seasonings and place on top of onions and peppers. Pour 1 cup of water into pan. Cover with foil and cook for 3 hours until pork is fork tender and easily pulls apart.

Chili with Slow Cooked Pork

Meat/ Poultry, Soups/ Salads / Stews, ,

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Chili is one of those dishes that packs in everything you need in a meal. Meat, veggies and protein. How can you can wrong? Usually, I make chili using ground turkey but I decided to shake things up a bit and added slow cooked pork instead. My original plan for the pork was to make shredded BBQ pork sandwiches but my family was not in the mood for BBQ. So I figured I would try the pork in a pot of chili to see how it would taste.

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After trying chili with slow cooked pork I am not sure I will ever make chili with ground turkey again. The tenderness of the pork combined with the beans and chili seasonings turned the chili into a delicious flavorful meal. Sports fans would love this chili after any “big” game especially with a side of cornbread.

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Chili with Slow Cooked Pork

Ingredients:
1 small pork shoulder cooked and shredded (see recipe below)
1 28 oz can black beans undrained
1 14 oz can small white beans undrained
1 14 oz can cannellini beans undrained
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 12 oz bottle beer
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 packet chili seasonings
½ tsp cayenne pepper

Add all ingredients to a large pot and let simmer for 1 hour on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Serve with corn bread.

Slow Cooked Pork

Ingredients:
1 small pork shoulder
1 large onion sliced
1 large green pepper sliced
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Layer onions and green peppers in the bottom of a roasting pan. Sprinkle with a little salt. Sprinkle pork with seasonings and place on top of onions and peppers. Pour 1 cup of water into pan. Cover with foil and cook for 3 hours until pork is fork tender and easily pulls apart.