I always order Mongolian Beef from my favorite Chinese food restaurant when I am visiting my parents, but in between visits I make this version to ease my cravings. I made it with chicken this time and it was delicious.
Olive Oil 1 small onions, diced About a 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 1/3 c soy sauce 1/2 c water 1/2 c brown sugar 1/2 tbs red pepper flakes 2-3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces 1/4 c corn starch 3 green onions
In a sauce pan, heat about a teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add ginger and garlic and cook for about a minute, but be sure not to let it burn. Add soy sauce, water, sugar, and pepper flakes. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes until sauce is thickened.
In a medium sized bowl, add corn starch and chicken. Toss to coat chicken in corn starch. In a large pan or wok, heat about a 1/4 cup of oil until very hot. Add chicken and cook until chicken is brown and slightly crispy, about 7 minutes. Cut a piece of chicken to make sure it is no longer pink. Remove the chicken to a plate lined with a paper towel. Drain excess oil from pan and put the chicken back in. Add sauce and simmer for a minute. Add green onions.
Sesame Chicken This is a recipe from the website AsianSupper. Go there to check out some yummy Asian inspired dishes including this one.
2 skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1 inch slices 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice cooking wine 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper vegetable oil or peanut oil for frying 3 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon cornstarch or rice flour 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (this is pretty spicy stuff, so use less or more depending on what kind of a fire eater you are) 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (I subbed in Soy Vay Garlic Hoisin because... well that's all I had) 1/8 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons water Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish In a medium bowl, marinade the chicken in the soy sauce, rice cooking wine, sesame oil, sugar, salt and pepper. The chicken needs to marinade for at least 1 hour. I like to marinade it for about 2-3 hours.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, rice flour/cornstarch. mix int he chicken so that all the chicken pieces are coated with the flour mixture.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or deep-fryer heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot. Fry the chicken, in small batches, until golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken using a wire mesh strainer and drain on paper towels.
In a small sauce pan, mix together the Sriracha sauce, ketchup, honey, oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce and water. Bring it to a slight simmer and add the chicken. Gently toss the chicken until it is evenly coated with the sauce.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken. Serve with warm rice.
Again, this recipe is from http://asiansupper.com/recipe/sesame-chicken.
Ginger Carrots This is my own little creation. I was stuck because we had used up all our almost all our veggies for the week and salad just doesn't seem right with Chinese food. Luckily we always have an abundance of carrots, so carrots it was!
4 carrots, peeled and then shaved with a peeler or sliced very thin 3 cloves of garlic, minced about 1/2 inch of a root of fresh ginger, graded with a lemon zester or a fine cheese grader 1 tbs hoisin sauce
Heat a pan with a lid over medium-high heat and add about a tsp of olive oil. Toss in carrots and two tbs of water and cover with a lid. Cook for about 5 minutes or until water has evaporated. Add in garlic and ginger and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in hoisin and cook for a bout 3 more minutes, or until the carrots are very soft.
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti 3 chicken breasts, sliced 1 large zucchini, shaved (use a veggie peeler) 1 c grape tomatoes, halved 2 cloves garlic Olive Oil Parmesan Cheese
Cook pasta according to packaging.
In a large pan, heat a little olive oil and add chicken. Cook until cooked through and lightly browned. Turn off heat and add zucchini, tomatoes, and garlic, toss to combine. Drain spaghetti and drizzle with a little olive oil. Put some spaghetti on a plate and top with the chicken and veggie mix. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan and serve.
I hate cleaning up after cooking. I mean I REALLY hate it. I have learned to clean as I go, but I still end up with a mess of cleaning after I am done. So I love one pot or one pan meals. This one is great, it all goes in at one time and cooks at the same temp. If you are cooking for more than 3 or 4, or you don't have big baking sheets, you may have to split it between two pans, but it can still all go in at the same time. If you have never made sweet potatoes this way before, you should try it, it brings out the sugars and caramelizes the side that touches the pan... it's crazy good.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/3 c honey mustard 2 tbs white wine 1 c Italian bread crumbs 2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch chunks 2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch chunks 3 or 4 small sweet potatoes or yams
Preheat your oven to 375 and coat a large baking pan with a thin layer of olive oil.
Sick the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork and put them in the microwave for about 6 minutes to soften up and start cooking, otherwise they will take too long for a one pan meal. Meanwhile, mix the mustard and wine in a bowl and pour out the bread crumbs onto a plate. Dip each chicken breast in the mustard mix until coated and then roll in the bread crumbs. Place on one end of the pan, but don't crowd the breasts. Next, arrange the zucchini and carrots in the middle and around the chicken if there is room, the veggies can be a little crowded. Sprinkle the veggies with a little salt and pepper. Last, take the potatoes out of the oven and slice in half, lengthwise. Arrange those flesh side down on the remaining area of the pan. Bake for about 25 minutes, checking the chicken to be sure it has reached 165 degrees or is no longer pink.
For the pitas: 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes 1/2 cup low fat or fat free plain Greek yogurt 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 1 tsp paprika 1 medium to large tomato, cut into small wedges 1 cucumber, cut in half and sliced 1 onion, cut into small wedges 4 pita breads 1 recipe tzatziki sauce (see below)
Preheat broiler to high (500 degrees or higher, depending on your oven). Place chicken pieces on a few wooden skewers. Mix together yogurt, salt, pepper, and paprika and brush onto chicken. Place chicken on a broiler pan and cook for about 8 minute, turning halfway.
While chicken is cooking, heat a dry pan over medium/high heat. Add a pita and cook for a minute or so on each side. You can also microwave a couple at a time for about a minute.
Place a few pieces of cooked chicken on pita and top with some of the tomato, cucumber, and onion. Top with a couple tablespoons of the tzatziki and serve with more for dipping.
Tzatziki Sauce
1 1/2 cups plain, low fat or fat free Greek yogurt Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1 clove garlic, 1 cucumber, cut in half, seeded (use a spoon and scoop out seeds), and diced 1 tbs fresh mint, diced salt and pepper to taste
Set diced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle on a tsp of salt. Let stand 30 minutes to draw out extra liquid.
In a food processor, add cucumbers, lemon juice, garlic, and mint. Pulse until smooth. If there is a good deal of liquid, feel free to pour off a couple of tablespoons. Place yogurt in a medium sized bowl and stir in cucumber mixture. Season with salt a pepper to taste and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Will keep for 3 days, draining off extra liquid each time you use it.
Hey all... if I still have any followers, that is. I have been a complete slacker and I have only higher education to blame for that. When I am not doing schoolwork or managing my home life, I am usually on my butt watching The Real Housewives of Wherever the Hell They Are Filming Now, so my blog has taken a backseat. I am going to start posting again regularly, I promise, and I have some great recipes saved up.
I do have something yummy to share tonight. This would be a perfect Sunday dinner (or Tuesday dinner, as it was for us tonight). It was so flavorful and really easy, plus you have to love the easy, one pan cleanup!
Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Chicken With Carrots and Potatoes (serves about 4 with some leftover chicken)
1 roasting chicken, around 4 lbs 2 full heads of garlic 2 tbs butter, softened 1 tbs dried rosemary (or 2 sprigs of fresh), chopped 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks 1 tbs Olive Oil 1/2 tsp of paprika Salt Pepper
Preheat Oven to 400.
Remove the insides from the chicken. Rinse well and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large roasting pan.
Separate one of the heads of garlic into two pieces. Take one half and peel and mince or press all the cloves into a small bowl. Add the butter, rosemary, and about 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper and mix to combine and spread the butter mixture all over the chicken. Now take the remaining whole head of garlic, cut off about 1/4 of the top. Stuff both parts into the cavity of the chicken.
Peel and crush the remainder of the first head of garlic. You can keep the cloves whole, just whack them with your knife to remove the papery peel and open them up a bit. Place the carrots and potatoes in a large mixing bowl along with the garlic, paprika, and 1 tbs of olive oil. Add another 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Place the carrots and potatoes on one end of the chicken in the roasting pan. Add 1 cup of water to the opposite side of the chicken (you don't want to wash away the oil).
Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken and turn heat down to 375. Baste every 20 minutes for about and hour and a half. Chicken will be done when the juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180 in the thigh.
And if you so desire...
Low(er) Fat Gravy 3 tbs of drippings from the chicken pan 2 tbs flour 1 and 1/3 cup fat free or low fat milk salt and pepper to taste
In a small saucepan over medium/high heat, add drippings and flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk and allow to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2 chicken breasts 1 tbs chili powder 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp paprika dash of cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbs olive oil 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips 1 green bell pepper seeded and cut into strips 1 onion, cut into strips tortillas toppings such as cheese, salsa, and avocado or guacamole
Preheat a grill. Mix together chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and olive oil and brush or rub all over chicken breasts. Place on a hot grill and cook for 8-10 minute each side. Meanwhile, in a large pan heat a little oil and add peppers and onion, cook until soft.
4 grilled chicken breast 1 tbs olive oil Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1/2 tsp oregano A couple dashes salt and pepper
Place all of the above in a large plastic baggie and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Preheat an indoor or outdoor grill and grill chicken on each side for about 8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear and inside is no longer pink.
Tomato and Avocado Salad I came across these gorgeous little heirloom cherry tomatoes at a farmers market and had to get them. They were sweet and juicy and perfect along side avocado.
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halving the larger ones 1 firm, but ripe avocado 1 tbs red wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste
Combine above and serve over chicken.
For the quinoa: Combine 2 cups water and 1 cup quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until grain is soft and germ ring is visible.
This sauce is usually served over pasta, but I thought it might be nice over polenta. It is spicy and full of flavor and the polenta balances that out with it's creamy, salty flavor.
2 chicken breasts 1 carrot, diced 2 celery stalks, diced 1 onion, diced 1 tsp salt 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 small can of tomato paste 3/4 c red wine 1 32 oz can whole tomatoes 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp basil 1 tsp red peper flakes (use less if you don't like spicy) 1 recipe Perfect Polenta
In a saute pan over medium high heat, brown chicken on all sides. Remove chicken and add carrot, celery, and onion. Cook until just softened. Add to crockpot and add garlic, tomato paste, wine, tomatoes, and herbs. Turn crockpot to high for 3 1/2 hours or low for 6. After cooking for 3 hours (if cooking on low, 5 if cooking on high) remove chicken and shred, return to crockpot and break up tomatoes. Allow to finish out cooking time. Serve over polenta.
I threw this dinner together when some great friends came to town. It was easy enough and I got to spend some time with them, rather than in the kitchen. Plus it allows my husband to contribute because he is the grill master. I served these dishes with my go to green salad.
Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs 8 chicken thighs 1/4 c honey 1 tbs lime juice 1/8 tsp salt A few dashes Cayenne pepper 1 clove garlic, minced
If you bought chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on, peel off the skin and take the bone out by running your thumbs along the bone until it comes free, you may need scissors. Trim any extra fat. Rinse, then pat dry.
Mix together honey, lime juice, salt, pepper, and garlic. Place chicken into a glass dish and then pour honey mixture over. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.
Heat grill and grill thighs for 8-10 minutes on each side. Allow thighs to rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking.
Hasselback Potatoes
4 Medium Russet Potatoes, scrubbed 2 tbs butter 1 tbs olive oil sea salt pepper paprika
Preheat oven to 425. Place butter and oil in a metal pan with sides. Put pan in oven until butter is melted.
Using a sharp knife, slice potatoes width wise, about 1/8 in in between slices, and be careful not to cut all the way through. Put potatoes in the pan and turn to coat. Place potato cut side up. Sprinkle with some sea salt, pepper, and paprika.
Bake in oven for about an hour or until skin is browned and crispy and the potato is soft.
The chicken is insanely moist, the carrots are full of flavor, and the potatoes are crispy... What more could you ask for?
Balsamic Glazed Chicken This is a recipe I picked up about 5 years ago from Williams Sonoma, it is a keeper, for sure.
1/3 c Balsamic Vinegar 1 1/2 tbs brown sugar 2 tbs Worcestershire 2 tbs honey or dijon mustard 1 tbs oilve oil 1 medium sized roaster (4-5 lbs), innards removed and rinsed
Preheat oven to 375. In a small sauce pan, combine vinegar, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and olive oil.
Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan. Liberally brush chicken with sauce and put in oven. Continue brushing another 2 or 3 times. Roast for 30 minutes and reduce heat to 350 for about 50 minutes or until thermometer reads 170. Let sit in oven for 10 minutes.
Tarragon Carrots 4 Carrots, sliced 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tbs tarragon 2 tbs butter Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a saute pan. Add carrots, tarragon, and garlic. Saute over medium heat until carrots are soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
Fried Potatoes 4 large yukon gold potatoes, chopped unti 1 inch cubed 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbs butter Salt and pepper to taste
Place pepper in a medium sized pot and cover with water. Cover and boil until potatoes begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Drain.
Melt butter in a large saute pan. Add potatoes and stir to coat in butter. Cook over medium high heat for about 15 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking until potatoes are soft on the inside and crisp on the outside., about 5 minutes.
Soup 2 chicken breasts 3 large carrots, sliced 3 or 4 sticks of celery, sliced 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced 1/8 tsp dried basil 1/8 tsp dried oregano 2 or 3 dashes thyme 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste 1 32 oz container of chicken broth 4 c water
Heat a little oil in a large soup pot. Add veggies and saute for about 5 minutes. Add in herbs and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add whole chicken breasts and cover with broth and water (liquid will cook down some). Keep on medium high heat for about 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and keep soup hot. Shred chicken breasts (use to forks and pull away from eachother). Add chicken back into pot. Cook for another 10 minutes and taste broth, add more salt and pepper if needed. Turn soup up to a boil.
In a bowl combine bisquick, parsley, and garlic powder. Add milk and stir to form soft dough.
Drop dough by spoonfulls onto boiling soup. The dough should make around 10 dumplings. Boil soup without a lid for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes until dumplings are no longer doughy looking.
½ tsp dried mustard or 1 tsp honey or Dijon mustard
½ tsp of chili powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp bullion, beef or chicken
½ ground ginger
2 tbs red wine
Combine all ingredients, but wine.Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.Add wine and bring to a low boil and let thicken until desired consistency.
Super Easy Loaded Baked Beans
3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 large cans prepared baked beans (extra fat and salt pork removed)
½ cup BBQ sauce
2 tbs honey mustard
2 dashes cayenne pepper
¼ tsp chili powder
dash of dried mustard (if you have it)
Place ingredients in a crock-pot and cook on low for 3 hours or until veggies are soft.
Mock Onion Rings
I saw similar onion rings made on The Rachael Ray Show, theirs were made with whole wheat flour and whole wheat panko bread crumbs, but I didn’t have those on hand so I improvised.They certainly aren’t your golden brown, batter dipped, fried O-rings, but they are pretty tasty.
2 onions, sliced into 1 inch rings
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups flour
3 egg whites, beaten until soft peaks form
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 350.Soak the onions in the milk for at least 20 minutes.Working in batches, dip onion pieces into the flour and then into the egg whites, and then coat them with breadcrumbs.Coat a baking pan with non-stick spray and place onions in a single layer on pan.Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Barbecue Baked Chicken
2-4 chicken breasts (one for each person)
1-2 cups BBQ sauce
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking pan with tin foil.Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in baking pan.Pour sauce over breasts and turn to coat.Bake in oven for 45 minutes.
Here are my recent creations! I also wanted to include some things I do to make recipes healthier and cheaper. Grocery shopping on a budget can be hard, but once you learn a few tricks, you can cut your bill by quite a bit. I'm always open to suggestions on this topic as well!
Money Saving Tips:
*Buy whole carrots, rather than baby carrots, they are ½ the price and are just prettier in dishes than baby carrots
*If you aren’t going to use your bacon right away, or chose to buy it in bulk, freeze it! Either put a few strips into a plastic baggies with a few drops of water and thaw when ready, or freeze it use a sharp knife than you ran under very hot water to slice the bacon crosswise (one slice crosswise is about equal to one regular slice).
*Buy your dry goods in bulk. If you live anywhere near a WINCO, check out their bulk foods section… it will change your life!
*If it is on sale and you use it a lot, stock up. That might be a simple bit of advice, but people rarely do this. Freeze meat, cleaned and cut fruit and veggies, even bread!
*Use broth instead of wine if you aren’t a wine drinker, otherwise you will just waste the lefover wine.
To Make These, Or Any Recipes Healthier:
*Use low fat or fat free dairy products (I almost always do, and my recipes turn out great)
*Always use whole grain options
*Look for meat without much marbling or cut off any extra (the fat is what gives the flavor though, so you don’t want to get rid of all of it, plus a lot of it cooks off anyway)
*Get to know spices, they will add flavor when you take away the fat
*Add less fat! I find most recipes call for more oil or butter than you need. When I am looking at a recipe that seems to call for a lot of butter or oil, I will try using less to see how it works. Often time, it is fine. This does NOT work for baking though, baking is much more exact and you can’t mess around with ingredients like with cooking.
Beef Stew
1/8 c olive oil, plus more for roasting veggies
1 c flour
Salt and Pepper
1 lb stew meat or chuck roast, cubed into 1 in cubes
3/4 c red wine
4 cups chicken broth or beef broth (beef is best, but chicken works too, if that is what you have on hand)
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 c carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 onion, cut into ½ inch pieces
1c celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small red pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 russet potato (or the equivalent or red, new, or Yukon) cut into ½ to 1 inch pieces
1 sprig of fresh thyme or a dash of the jarred kind
1 dash of cayenne pepper
1 dash of paprika
Preheat oven to 350. Drizzle oil on a baking sheet and spread veggies on pan, season with salt and pepper. Cook in oven until veggies are soft, checking after about 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium high. Season flour with salt and pepper, toss in meat and stir until meat is coated, remove from extra flour, shaking each piece to remove any excess. Carefully place the floured meat in the oil and brown on all sides. Add wine to pot and make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan and get all the yummy cooked on bits off. Cook until wine reduces by half. Add in veggies and stir. Pour in broth and add spices. Stir to combine and reduce to medium. Let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the meat is very soft and the stew is thickened.
Perfect Polenta
I love polenta, but it needs to be creamy and smooth. I have worked on making it perfect for a while, and I am proud to say, I think I have perfected it.
4 c water
1 c dry polenta
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 tbs heavy cream, milk, or half and half (whatever you have on hand)
Up to 2 tsp (Add by ½ tsp and taste after each addition)
Pepper to taste
A handful of good Parmesan
Boil 3 cups of the water in a medium pot. Whisk in polenta and turn down to medium heat. Once polenta begins to thicken, add another ¼ c of the remaining water and stir in quickly, allow to thicken again. Repeat until you have added the remaining cup, stirring frequently. This will help the polenta become soft and creamy. Once all the water is in and the polenta is full cooked (this should take about 20-30 minutes) stir in the garlic, cream, and salt. Season with pepper and toss in the parmesan.
Chicken With Tomato Basil Sauce
This is based on a sauce my mom makes. The Cherry tomatoes are so full of flavor, and it is a really refreshing sauce.
1 tsp olive oil
2-4 chicken breasts (one per person)
½ onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 and ½ pints cherry tomatoes
¾ c of white or red wine
A handful of fresh basil, chopped
A handful of Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high. Season chicken breast with some salt and pepper and cook on each side for about 4 minutes, until browned. Throw in onions and garlic and cook until fragrant and translucent. Add wine and stir. Cook until slightly reduced. Add tomatoes to the pan and simmer until tomatoes begin to burst. Using a fork, stab the tomatoes to pop them. Add basil then add Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve over Perfect Polenta or pasta. Top with a little extra Parmesan if you want.
Heavenly Pasta
It’s part Primavera, part Carbonara and completely divine
3 strips bacon, cut into small pieces
1 small to medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into ½ inch pieces
1 small red pepper, cut into thin slices
½ cup of frozen peas
1 small zucchini, cut in half length wise and then sliced into ¼ inch pieces
1 small head broccoli, cut into small pieces
½ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
½ cup white wine
1 tbs butter
1 tbs flour
1 cup milk
2 tbs heavy cream
1 wedge of lemon for juice
A handful of basil, chopped
A handful of Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dash of paprika
Dash of garlic powder
1 lb penne pasta, cooked and drained
Fry bacon in a large pan or skillet, until just crisp. Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon, leaving the fat behind in the pan. Pour all but a tablespoon of the grease into a jar or can or however you get rid of your grease. Throw in the onions and cook for a minute, then add garlic. Cook until fragrant and translucent, but not too soft. Add the remaining veggies except peas and cook until tender crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove veggies from heat and cover to keep warm.
In a medium saucepan melt butter and whisk in flour until smooth, add the wine and cook until it thickens up. Add the cream and milk slowly while stirring. Keep over medium high heat, and stir frequently. If sauce begins to boil heavily, reduce heat some. Cook until well thickened, about 10 minutes. Squeeze in lemon juice and add in basil and Parmesan. Stir in basil and sun dried tomatoes. Sprinkle in the paprika and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the veggies and add peas. Stir together and cook until sauce begins to bubble. Crumble bacon up a bit and add. Add pasta and stir together.
Adapted From The Pioneer Woman's Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich
I love the PW, I check her blog often and use her recipes a lot. She great at making super yummy recipes, she is just not so great for my waistline. So when I take a recipe I do my best to skinny it up a bit. This sandwich is a man pleaser for sure, even when it is lower fat. The original recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter, mine only calls for about 3 tbs. Also, I didn’t have seasoning salt, so I just used spices… and I added garlic powder, because it’s just who I am.
3 pats of butter
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, halved and sliced
1-2 lbs cube steaks (about a 1 steak per person)
½ tsp paprika
A couple of good grinds of salt and pepper
A dash of cayenne
A good dash of garlic powder
½ cup Worcestershire
5-10 drops hot sauce, depending on how much you like heat (she calls for Tabasco, but we only had Tapatio)
Good rolls
Melt one pat of butter and 1 tbs olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until slightly browned and mostly softened. While onions are cooking, slice the steaks, about ½ inch thick, against the grain of the steak. Season the steak with the spices. Remove onions and add another pat of butter to the pan. Put steak strips into the pan in a single layer and let brown for a minute, flip and brown again on the other side. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce. Cook until sauce thickens a bit.
Melt a pat of butter on a skillet and place rolls cut side down. Toast until lightly browned. Turn over and heat a bit more.
Spoon meat and onions onto a roll and add some sauce. Serve with a big green salad.
