Bubble Up Enchiladas

Ah, Pinterest. How I love thee. I re-pinned this recipe from my sister's "Food Glorious Food" board and we all love it! The original post came from a Weight Watchers board but I found it on: http://livingachangedlife.blogspot.com It's a little different flavor and texture than your standard beef enchiladas. The biscuits cook through and taste like little mexican dumplings. Yum!

1 lb ground beef

2-3 T taco seasoning (make your own: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/taco-seasoning-i/)

1 10oz can enchilada sauce (mild or hot)

1 small can tomato sauce

1 can biscuits (I used Great Value 10 ct. Texas style buttermilk)

1 c shredded cheddar (shred your own it melts better!)

sour cream, black olives, cilantro, etc. for garnish

Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large deep skillet, brown ground beef and drain. Return beef to pan and stir in taco seasoning, enchilada sauce and tomato sauce. Cut each piece of biscuit dough into 4 pieces and gently fold into meat sauce. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan (don't use a smaller, deeper pan because the biscuits won't cook through.. I learned this the hard way). Bake 25 minutes then top with shredded cheddar and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with any garnish you like. Serves 6 (at least) Enjoy!

Chicken Parmigiana

This meal is a crowd pleaser! I found the original recipe on www.thepioneerwoman.com years ago and have adjusted the portions to feed 2 people (plus leftovers). This is definitely one of Drew's most requested dinners.

6 chicken breast tenderloins, pounded flat

1/2 c flour

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 c olive oil

2 T butter

1/2 c onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c red wine

28oz can crushed tomatoes

1 T sugar

1 T dried parsley

1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese (buy the chunk and grate it yourself!)

1/2 pound thin spaghetti, cooked

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl and dredge chicken pieces. When skillet is hot, fry three pieces of chicken at a time until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.

Without cleaning skillet, add onions and garlic and stir gently for 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping any brown bits from pan, and cook down to reduce wine by half (about 3 minutes). Add crushed tomatoes, stir well, add sugar, and salt to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, boil your pasta and drain just before serving. Once sauce is ready, stir in parsley.

Lay chicken breasts on top of sauce and top with grated cheese. Put the lid on the skillet and simmer on low until chicken is heated and cheese is melted. 

Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken on top and serve. Serves 2-3. Enjoy!

Whole Hog Potato Salad

If you've never had potato salad from Whole Hog Cafe then you are really missing out! It is the best potato salad I've ever eaten. It's not mustard based but rather Ranch based. Who doesn't love Ranch? I found this recipe years ago and have made a few modifications over time. Hope you like it as much as we do!

2 lbs red or gold potatoes

1 cup mayo (not Miracle Whip)

1 cup sour cream

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t black pepper

1 T Hidden Valley Ranch mix (powder)

1/2 t dried parsley

1/2 t kosher salt

2 t sugar

splash of vinegar

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup crumbled bacon (packaged is fine)

Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for about an hour or until tender. Cool slightly and cut into chunks. Meanwhile combine mayo, sour cream, spices, vinegar, onion and bacon in a large bowl. Mix well then gently fold in potato chunks. Cover and refrigerate. The longer it sits the better it tastes. Serves 6-8 Enjoy!

Spaghetti al Tonno e Limone

This recipe is from my friend Ashley who lived and studied in Italy. She shared it with me a few years ago and it quickly became one of my favorite summer dishes. I love to use the fresh basil and tomatoes that I grow in my container garden. Don't let the "tuna" scare you away, it is divine!

2 T olive oil

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 handfuls cherry tomatoes (or a medium fresh tomato, seeded and diced)

1 can tuna packed in olive oil

handful toasted pine nuts

1/3 pound thin spaghetti

2 lemons

handful fresh basil

parmigiano-reggiano

Caramelize onion in olive oil over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. This can be a time consuming process.. about 20-30 minutes. Add sliced garlic and tomatoes to brown at the end of the caramelization process. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti and leave it in the water (don't drain). Turn the heat on the onions and garlic down and add toasted pine nuts and salt to taste. Then add the tuna (don't drain olive oil- it belongs in the sauce!) to the pan to warm- it's fine if it browns a bit, just don't burn the garlic. When the pasta is cooked, add it to the pan and squeeze the juice of 1-2 lemons over the pasta. Then, add basil and stir well. The sauce should be light, but definitely there, so that the pasta is pretty wet. If the pasta seems dry, add a little bit of the pasta cooking water. Taste and salt some more if necessary. Grate fresh parmigiano-reggiano over the top. This is a great summer dish. It may take you a few times to decide what flavors are the best to emphasize. Serves two, amply. Enjoy!

Asian Pork Tenderloin

I found the original recipe for this Asian Pork Tenderloin on Pinterest and was directed to For the Love of Cooking. I love her site! The recipe has become one of my go-to meals for pork. I serve it over fried rice with steamed veggies. 

2/3 c low sodium soy sauce (the regular stuff is WAY too salty for this marinade)
1/4 c sesame oil
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 T fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb pork tenderloin
green onions for garnish


Combine the first six ingredients and pour over pork tenderloin in a gallon size baggie. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning a couple of times. 


Heat oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking pan and/or skillet with non-stick spray. Heat skillet to medium high heat. Remove pork from marinade and discard (or transfer marinade to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil and use it as a sauce.. I skipped this step). Sear pork on all sides for a total of about 5 minutes. Place skillet in oven (or transfer seared pork to baking pan if your skillet isn't oven-safe) and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing into medallions. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serves four. Enjoy!

Fried Rice

Fried Rice can be made into a meal by itself or cooked as a side dish for grilled or roasted meat. The recipe below is just a place to start. Add your own diced chicken, shrimp, beef, scallops, etc. to make it a meal in one pan. The key to Fried Rice that isn't sticky is the rice you use. Minute Rice or boiled long grain rice can clump and gaum up. BUT Success Rice is parboiled then portioned into boil-in-bags so that the grains stay separate. Genius! 

2 bags Success Rice
2-3 T butter
1/4 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 eggs
soy sauce to taste
black pepper to taste 
sesame oil to taste
toasted sesame seeds
chopped green onions for garnish

Cook the rice according to package directions and allow to drain for a couple of hours. You want the rice to dry out a little in its plastic bag. If you're in a hurry you can always go ahead and use it but I like the results of letting it sit for a while. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet or sauté pan. (Add-ins would go here before the veggies) Add in onions and garlic and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Break in eggs, one at a time, and stir well to scramble them a bit, cook for about a minute. Dump all of the rice into the skillet and toss it with the veggies and eggs. Season with a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce and turn the heat to medium high. Toss it every couple of minutes but also give it time to cook and make a crust in parts. You want the rice to get a little browned in areas. The crunchy parts have great flavor! When it's browned to your liking drizzle in a couple teaspoons of sesame oil and a couple of dashes of sesame seeds and toss. There's no "wrong way" to do it! Serves two as an entree or four as a side dish. Enjoy!

*Optional add-ins:
Cubed, raw chicken
Cubed, raw steak
Peeled, raw shrimp
(sauté in the butter before adding the veggies)

Diced zucchini
Diced carrots
Edamame or green peas
chopped, steamed asparagus
chopped, steamed broccoli
(sauté in the butter before adding the egg and rice)

Chocolate Gravy

Don't let the word "gravy" scare you.. it's basically warm chocolate pie filling! (Drew was skeptical too). My Grannie Bonnie made this for breakfast every time I stayed the night at her house. I LOVE it with hot, buttered biscuits and a cold glass of milk. 

4 T cocoa powder

4 T flour

1 c sugar

3 c milk

Combine dry ingredients in saucepan. Stir in milk with whisk until smooth. Over medium heat, bring to simmer until thickened, stirring constantly. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve hot with butter and hot biscuits. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Swiss Cheese Chicken & Stuffing

My friend Jennifer made this for a Christmas party a few years ago and we loved it so much I had to get the recipe! It's an easy way to have Chicken and Dressing any night of the week. I usually serve it with green beans and hot rolls.

8 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
Lawry's seasoned salt and black pepper
4 slices baby swiss cheese, halved
1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup
1/3 can milk
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 c warm water
1 small box Stovetop Chicken stuffing mix

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange chicken in pan and season to taste with seasoned salt and black pepper. Top each tenderloin with a 1/2 slice of cheese. Combine soup and milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour soup over chicken to cover tenders entirely. Combine melted butter and Stovetop in a small bowl (moisten a little more with more warm water if it seems too dry) and scoop over top of chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Chicken & Spinach Enchiladas

At the request of several friends: Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas! As usual, it's a combination of a few different recipes that I've used over the years. I like to add spinach to boost the veggie rating :)

10 corn tortillas 
3 T vegetable oil 
6 pieces chicken breast tenderloin 
1 T olive oil 
1/2 c onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped 
3 handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped 
1/4 t salt 
1/4 t ground cumin 
1/4 t chili powder 
1/4 t black pepper 
1 c shredded cheddar cheese 
1 c sour cream 
2 T butter (not margarine) 
2 T flour 
1 1/2 c chicken broth 

Fry corn tortillas in vegetable oil, about 15 seconds per side, and drain on papertowels. Pour extra oil from skillet and set aside. In a med saucepan, cover chicken pieces with water, bring to boil and cook over med heat until cooked through, about 10 minutes. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. While chicken cooks, heat olive oil in skillet over med heat and sauté onion about 3 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno and spinach to skillet and sauté another 3 minutes. Transfer cooked veggies to mixing bowl. 

Once chicken is cooked, shred into small pieces and add to veggies in mixing bowl. (I usually lay the chicken on a cutting board one piece at a time and shred it using two forks, pulling in opposite directions). Season the chicken and veggies with salt, cumin, chili powder and pepper (I eyeball it with my spices but 1/4 t is a good place to start.. add more to your liking.. add a dash of cayenne if you like things spicy). Add in 1/2 c of shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup sour cream and mix well. Assemble echiladas by scooping 1/4 c (approx) into the center of each tortilla. Roll over and place seam side down in a greased (or sprayed with Pam) 9x13 pan. 

In a small saucepan, melt butter over med heat. Add flour and stir well, cook about 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and bring to boil. Once the broth has thickened remove from heat and stir in 1/2 c shredded cheddar and 1/2 c sour cream until smooth. **If you want to make this part easier on yourself you can always substitute a can of warm Cream of Chicken soup mixed with 1/2 c sour cream.. it eliminates the butter, flour, broth step.

Pour sauce over enchiladas (sprinkle with a little more cheese if you have it) and bake 20-25 minutes until bubbly. 

The Best Green Bean Casserole

I always enjoy Green Bean Casserole at holiday meals but rarely think to make it as a side dish at home.. until now! The original recipe is from Paula Deen (y'all) but my sister Angela tweaked it a little bit this Christmas and I am IN LOVE. *Warning it is NOT fat-free and is highly addictive.

2 T butter
1/2 c onion, chopped
1 c fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 cans cut green beans, drained
1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken
1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom
1 2.8 oz package french-fried onion rings
black pepper and garlic powder to taste (a couple of dashes)
1 c grated cheddar cheese


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a small skillet and sauté onions and mushrooms until tender and golden. In a large bowl, combine the soups, seasonings, french-fried onions, and sautéed veggies. Fold in the drained green beans. Pour into greased baking dish. Bake 20 minutes, add shredded cheddar to top and bake an additional 10 minutes. Makes 8 servings. Enjoy!


*The cost to make this dish is approximately $8

Fiesta Lime Chicken

This is my favorite Copycat recipe EVER! I love Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken so much I had to search it out on the internet. I've used this recipe for over ten years and it's great. The Mexi-Ranch dressing is the best part.. I like to spoon extra over my rice and dip chips in it too. I could eat this once a week :)

1/3 c teriyaki sauce
1/2 lime, juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t liquid smoke
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground ginger
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 12 tenderloins)
1/3 c mayo (not Miracle Whip)
1/3 c sour cream
2 T chunky salsa
1 t Old Bay Cajun Blackened Seasoning
1/4 t dried parsley
a few dashes Louisiana Hot Sauce
1/4 t dill weed
1/4 t cumin
1 c Colby Jack cheese, shredded
2 c tortilla chips, crumbled


For the marinade, combine first 6 ingredients in a one-cup glass measuring cup. Fill the cup the rest of the way with water. Pour over chicken in a large ziplock baggie and marinate 3-4 hours in refrigerator. 


For the Mexi-Ranch, combine the next 8 ingredients in a small bowl and chill until needed.


Heat grill to high and oil the grates. Remove chicken from marinade, blot with paper towels to dry and discard reserve marinade. Grill chicken until cooked through. If you use tenderloins they only take 2-3 minutes per side. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil. Remove chicken breast to baking pan, top with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce, then cheese. If using tenderloins, place three side by side and top with sauce and cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve over crumbled tortilla chips with a lime wedge and some fresh pico de gallo (recipe follows). I usually serve it with Spanish Rice (Uncle Ben's ready pouches are a huge time-saver). Serves four. Enjoy!


Pico de Gallo:


2-3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 c white onion, minced
1/2 fresh jalapeño, seeded and minced (or a few pickled rings, chopped)
sea salt to taste
a squeeze of lime juice


Combine ingredients in a small bowl, cover and chill until ready to use.


*The cost to make this dish is approximately $12

Swedish Meatballs

Swedish meatballs have a completely different flavor than Italian meatballs.. the seasonings are warm and nutty. It's a great winter-time meal. While these are not EXACTLY like the Köttbullar (pronounced "shot-bull-ar") I had in Sweden, they're pretty darn good! Don't hesitate to add the raspberry jam to the sauce.. it sweetens it a little and really completes the dish.

1/2 c onion, minced 
1 T butter
2 slices bread
1/4 c milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
1 t pepper
1 lb ground beef
3 T butter
3 T flour
2 c beef broth
1/4 c sour cream
1-2 t raspberry jam (lingonberry if you have it)
egg noodles or mashed potatoes for serving


Sauté onion in 1 T butter about 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, tear bread into pieces and process in a small food processor with the milk. Allow it to sit for a few minutes. It will be goopy but that's what makes these meatballs really moist. If you don't have a food processor just make sure the pieces are very small. Add bread and onions to a large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, nutmeg, ginger and pepper to combine and then fold in the ground beef with your hands. Don't over-mix it or the meatballs will be tough. Roll mixture into 1 1/2" balls. I made about 18 meatballs with this amount.


Melt 3 T butter in a large skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides in batches. Be careful not to smash them (or overcrowd them) or they won't brown properly. You don't have to cook them through yet, just brown them and set aside. After all meatballs are browned and set aside add the flour to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the roux is the color of coffee with cream. Gradually whisk in the warm beef broth and stir until it's thickened a little. Salt and pepper to taste. Add in the meatballs and cover. Cook about ten minutes to finish the meatballs. Cook your egg noodles while the meatballs simmer. To finish the sauce, remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon (again) and stir in the sour cream and raspberry jelly. Add meatballs back into the sauce until ready to serve. Serves 2-3. Enjoy!

Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread dressing is a family tradition for our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. I can remember helping both my mom and dad make it on Christmas morning. These days, I make it the day before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. It tastes just as good and saves time when you have other dishes to prepare for a big meal! It goes great with turkey, ham or chicken. I'm ready to eat!

4 8-inch skillets of yellow cornbread (I use Martha White)   

1/2 c butter                         

2 c onion, chopped                         

2 c celery, chopped

5 c chicken broth

Salt & pepper to taste 

Rubbed sage to taste

4 large eggs, beaten    

Prepare cornbread according to package instructions. You can use any cornbread recipe you like but I like to make four small skillets because there's lots of crusty edge to flavor the dressing. Allow the cornbread to cool, crumble it up and set aside. Sauté onions and celery in butter until tender. Combine sautéed vegetables, cornbread crumbles, broth and seasonings in a large bowl. For sage and pepper, adjust to your taste (I usually start with one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of pepper and three tablespoons of sage). Add the eggs in after you've achieved the flavor you want. Pour into greased 9x13 pan (it will be soupy, don't worry it will firm up) and bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. I like to turn on the broiler at the end to brown the top. Serves 8-10. Enjoy!

               

Chicken Bryan

If you've never had Chicken Bryan from Carrabba's Italian Grill you are missing out! It's my favorite dish on the menu. I searched online for a copycat recipe and found a few to choose from. I've used different combinations of fresh basil, basil paste (tube of Gourmet Garden found in the veggie section), sliced sun-dried tomatoes or jarred (with herbs in olive oil). This is my favorite rendition:

6-8 chicken breast tenderloins
sea salt & pepper 
olive oil
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 c white wine
8 T cold butter, cut into 1 T pats
1/2 jar julienne sun-dried tomatoes (California brand, 8oz jar)
2 T basil paste (only because it's winter and fresh isn't as available) 
sea salt & pepper to taste
3 oz goat cheese, softened to room temp (Capricorn brand, 6oz logs in the cheese case)


Season chicken with salt & pepper and brush lightly with olive oil. Grill over med-high heat about 3 minutes per side. Set aside to rest and keep warm while you make the sauce.


For the sauce, melt 2 T butter in skillet and sauté garlic and onion a couple of minutes. Stir in lemon juice and wine, reduce heat to med-low and simmer to reduce liquid by half. Whisk in one pat of butter at a time until it's all melted and frothy. Stir in the drained sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and salt & pepper.


To serve, top the chicken with a dollop of softened cheese on each piece. Spoon the butter sauce over the chicken. Serves two plus leftovers. Enjoy!

Christmas Wassail

One of my favorite things about going to Silver Dollar City during Christmastime is the Wassail booth. It's the only time of year they offer mugs of the hot, fruity, cinnamon goodness. Wassail SMELLS like Christmas! I serve it at my Christmas parties and love to keep a batch in the fridge to heat up by the mug. 

1 gallon apple cider
3 c orange juice
1 1/2 c pineapple juice
2 T brown sugar
1 t lemon juice
two handfuls cinnamon Redhot candies
a few dashes ground cloves




These are just the basic measurements. You can adjust them according to your taste! Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot and simmer over low for an hour. Serve hot. Makes about 16 servings. Enjoy!