Category: Working Wednesdays – meals that practically cook themselves!

Honey Chicken Stir-Fry

The combination of honey and chicken is truly one of my favorites! And fried chicken strips, drizzled in honey, with a sprinkle of seasoned salt, is yuh-umm! Well, this stir-fry combines the two bang up flavors, in a healthy, not fried, get your veggies, kind of way, and it is delicious! And definitely something to feel good about.

1 to 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken strips
4 T. honey, divided (can be warmed a little in the microwave to make it more able to flow and be mixed well with the egg mixture.)
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c. plus 1 T. water, divided
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. dried oregano
1/8 t. dried marjoram
2 T. vegetable oil
1 T. cornstarch
1 (16 oz.) package frozen stir-fry vegetables
1/4 t. salt
Cooked rice

Combine chicken (I season mine with a little salt to start with), 2 T. honey, the egg, 1/3 cup water, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings; set aside. (Don’t feel like you have to use the exact seasonings either. Any mix of what you have on hand will make for flavorful honey chicken, even if it is just salt alone!)

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken a few pieces at a time; cook and stir until golden. Remove chicken from wok; keep warm.

Mix cornstarch with remaining honey and water; set aside.

Add vegetables to wok; sprinkle with salt. Cook over medium heat until vegetables begin to thaw; drizzle with cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender; stir in chicken and heat through. Serve with rice.
Serves 4-6.

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Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

Today, I needed something simple to throw together for supper. It was a day of playing “catch up” and a day that we all needed to have a home cooked meal. We’ve been running every which way preparing for the holiday, so we’ve been grabbing takeout and nothing sounded better to me than ribs. Meaty ribs and mac and cheese. And it was one of those days, that who has time for ribs and mac and cheese?? Well, thanks to the good old crock pot, elbow macaroni, velveeta, and a bag salad, all of my dreams ended up coming true. I need to follow my dreams more often…. cook more ribs in a slow cooker! They tasted great and nothing could have been easier!

2 T. brown sugar
1 T. paprika
1 T. table salt
5 lb. baby back ribs
3 cups BBQ sauce, like Sweet Baby Rays

Mix the dry ingredients together and rub them on the meaty side of the ribs. Place the ribs in the slow cooker. Cover all sides of the ribs with the BBQ sauce.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Wallah. Dinner is done.

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Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

This recipe is a super simple, crave-worthy shrimp pasta! Comforting pasta and the bright fresh flavors of lemon and shrimp are a classic. This is a simple meal to entertain with or enjoy it on a much needed “eat at home, but it needs to be easy” kind of night. That checks off two awesome boxes in my book! Ina Garten wrote this recipe and it is from her Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook.

Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds linguine
6 T. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
5 T. good olive oil such as Olio Santo
3 T. minced garlic (9 cloves)
2 pounds large shrimp (about 32), peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some vegetable oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 T. of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Since this involves delicate shrimp that cooks in a hurry, I recommend having your ingredients prepped and ready to go before starting.

In a large (12 – inch) skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. It will turn bitter tasting if it burns! Eeep! Next, add the shrimp, 1 T. kosher salt, the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve with crusty garlic bread and good salted butter. Delish!

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Vegetable Beef Soup

I’ve been out of town for several days and the trip included lots of eating out. Eating out is definitely what I would call a hobby of mine and I loved every second of it, but even a girl whose passion is to explore food can get ready to hole up at home and eat simply. If I’m not craving a good old hamburger after a long trip, this soup runs a close second. This recipe is also a sweet reminder of the family reunions I grew up going to in the summers. The first week of June, every year, we would gather with my mother’s 4 sisters and their families for a 10 day family reunion at Lake Stamford. We camped in campers and had a lake house that we would all eat our meals in together. One of the meals was this soup and it was always a favorite of mine! It brings back back the sweetest of memories for me! Top it with shredded cheese and a sprinkling of Lawry’s seasoned salt. MMM, MMM good.

1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh black pepper, to taste
2 (10.5 oz.) cans Campbell’s soup beef broth
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn
1 (14.5 oz.) can green beans
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 small russet potatoes, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1/4 head of cabbage, chopped

Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef, minced garlic and diced onions. After breaking the meat up and stirring everything good, season with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and a bit of fresh ground pepper. Once the meat is browned, add the rest of the ingredients, including the juices from the canned ingredients. At this point, you can add a little water if it looks like it needs more liquid for the soup. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a nice simmer. Cook for about an hour or until all of the vegetables are tender. Adjust the seasonings and serve with shredded cheese for topping.

Spaghetti alla Ceci

I absolutely adore this recipe because it reminds me that the simplest and most humble of ingredients can make for the best dish. The smell of the garlic cooking in the olive oil is amazing. Pour yourself a glass of wine or a big glass of sweet tea, relax and cook on a Sunday night. This is a definite go-to Sunday night dish. Or any weeknight, for that matter! By the way, ceci are chickpeas in Italian. Rachael Ray is one of my favorite chefs and has taught me so much about food and cooking. This is her recipe.

Salt
1 pound spaghetti
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas, drained
1/2 tsp.dried thyme
Black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to pass at the table

Bring a big pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt it and cook the spaghetti to al dente.

While the spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to a fine chop. Add the chickpeas to the skillet with the garlic and season them with the thyme, salt, and pepper. Saute them for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine or stock and cook down for 30 seconds or so, then stir in the tomatoes and adjust the seasoning. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Top the pasta with the parsley and grated cheese.

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Quick Jambalaya

For a quick and comforting weeknight meal, this recipe can’t be beat. I love the combination in Jambalaya of the rice, smoked sausage, and shrimp. It is so flavorful and sure to please! Serve with french bread and butter, and a green salad.

1 (8 oz.) box red beans and rice mix
1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 T. olive oil
1/2 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. Louisiana-style hot sauce, optional

Cook red beans and rice mix according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute sausage and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add the shrimp, tomatoes, brown sugar and hot sauce if using.

Cook for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Stir in rice mixture.
Yield: 4 servings.

Slow-Cooker Beef Brisket

Brisket is one of my favorite cuts of beef. The flavor is… well, just so beefy! …I’m cracking myself up here! Anyway, what could be better than a nice cut of beef simmering away all day while you decorate for Christmas or are out shopping and know you have this to come home to? When it’s done, serve with simple ingredients like tortillas, shredded cheese and salsa. While this is easy to serve, it’s easy to pile on the couch with. My gift to you…Merry Christmas! Ps. Don’t be afraid of the cilantro here. My kids love this meat and they can sniff out cilantro with the best of them!

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (2-3 lb.) beef brisket
2 tsp. table salt + an extra sprinkling of kosher salt if you have it
1 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper chile flakes or ground chipotle chile powder (original recipe calls for the chile powder)
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) fajita-size flour tortillas

Toppings: Shredded Pepper Jack cheese (I use Mozzarella), sour cream, salsa, additional chopped cilantro, lime wedges

Place first 3 ingredients in a 6-qt. slow cooker.

Trim fat from brisket; cut brisket into 3-inch pieces. Rub brisket pieces evenly with salt and chipotle chile powder or the red pepper flakes, and place on top of vegetables in the slow cooker. Top with 1 cup cilantro.

Cover and cook on HIGH 6 to 8 hours or until brisket pieces shred easily with a fork.

Remove brisket from slow cooker, and cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred meat into bite-size pieces. Return mixture to slow cooker. Serve in flour-tortillas with desired toppings and lime wedges.

Note: I used red pepper flakes because it was what I had on hand and I loved how it turned out! Not too spicy and good flavor, but follow your gut on this. Use less pepper flakes or follow the original recipe. You can’t go wrong! Also, the book says to select a brisket that is uniform in thickness to make shredding the meat easier. (Somehow, I always forget that part, but I’ve never had a problem. Although, I’m sure it really would be helpful!)
Serves 6
Hands-On Time 15 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes

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Chicken Enchilada Soup

This recipe is perfect for a chilly fall night and I love that it is very simple to throw together, especially if it has been a long day! Your loved ones will be so happy with the smells coming from the kitchen. My friend, Nelda Harris, shared this soup recipe with me. She had many of us to her beautiful cabin in Ruidoso, NM for a watercolor art retreat. It was so much fun and she fed us the most delicious food as well! Thanks for the good memories, Nelda!

2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 pound boneless chicken, cut into bitesized cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10oz.) can mild Rotel
1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups water
1 T. A1 steak sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp.ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3/4 pound Mexican Velveeta cheese
Garnishes:
diced avocados
paprika
crushed tortilla chips

In a dutch oven, saute onion, garlic, and chicken in 2 T. hot oil. (Tip: add a little chicken fajita seasoning to the meat as it cooks to add extra flavor to the chicken.) Add the rest of the ingredients except the Velveeta, chips, avocado and paprika.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer. After 30 minutes to an hour, add the cheese; simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes. Serve the soup over crushed tortilla chips and top with diced avocado and a sprinkle of paprika.

Ritzy Chicken Casserole

A dear college friend of mine introduced me to this yummy casserole. She would whip this dish up in nothing flat and we would gobble it up, just as fast! This casserole can be dressed up or down so to speak. For really ritzy chicken, add the optional ingredients. For ritzy chicken, roll without the add-ins. But regardless which road you take on this one, you are going in the right direction! That’s the beauty of this simple chicken casserole, it can be suited to your family’s tastes and turns out delicious!

2 pkg. boneless chicken breasts (about 8), cooked and diced
3 tubes Ritz crackers, crushed
3 sticks margarine, melted
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper

Optional add-ins:
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix your margarine and crushed crackers together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, sour cream, soups, (this is where you toss in your add-ins as well, if using) and salt and pepper to taste.

Layer half of the buttered crumbs in your dish, pour chicken over it, then top evenly with remaining, cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Sunday Pot Roast

My mom always would prepare pot roast on Sunday, as it was, and hopefully still is, the tradition in many southern homes! This has to be my favorite meal. My daughter Fallon, has been asking for “pot roast beef” from the time she could talk. And I do believe this is her favorite meal as well. And did I mention my niece Jodi? She asks for this on her birthday. See where I’m going with this?

4 lb. chuck roast
Lawry’s Salt
kosher salt
pepper
2 cups water
3-5 potatoes, peeled
3 onions, peeled and quartered
5-6 carrots, peeled

Season the pot roast well with Lawry’s season salt, salt, and pepper. Place in a dutch oven sprayed with cooking spray. Add 2 cups water, surrounding your roast, and place your carrots, potatoes, and onions on top. Sprinkle vegetables with a little more salt and pepper. Place the lid on your dutch oven and roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 3-4 hours, depending on the size of your roast. After it is fork tender, it is done.

Remove the meat and vegetables from your dutch oven to a platter to make your gravy with the drippings left in the pan.

Add 2 to 3 heaping T. of flour, whisking well to remove lumps. Add salt and pepper and around 1 cup of milk (give or take some). This always varies for me, depending on how many drippings are in the pan and how much flour actually lands in there. So the milk can be eyeballed, so to speak. Too much milk and not enough flour will be too thin of gravy. Too much flour and not enough milk will be too thick. So go with your instincts! Stir and heat over medium until your gravy starts bubbling and is thickened. Serve alongside your meat and veggies.

Serves 4 with leftovers