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Posts Tagged ‘Main’

Bacon Cheeseburgers

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , , , , on November 22, 2014| 3 Comments »

C loves a good bacon cheeseburger, even if his arteries do not.  Ha, ha!  I had never attempted to make one because frying and I, well, we just don’t get along.  So in my effort to be a good wife and fix things he enjoys, I got over my fear of frying and cooked this recipe from KevinAndAmanda.com.

The burgers turned out great even after I burned the first batch of bacon I cooked and then managed to smoke up the house while I was cooking the second batch. Oops!

BaconCheeseburger1

1 lb. bacon

1 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix

2 tbsp. A1 steak sauce

1 egg

Montreal steak seasoning

Sliced cheese of your choice

Hamburgers buns

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Cut the bacon in half and fry in a large skillet over medium-low heat about 10 minutes on each side.  Don’t do what I did and turn up the heat trying to make it cook faster.  Please, just don’t. 

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While the bacon is cooking, combine the ground beef with the ranch dressing mix, A1 sauce, and egg.  Mix this together with your hands and form into 6 patties.  Season both sides of the patties with Montreal steak seasoning.

When the bacon is done, leave just enough bacon grease in the skillet to coat the bottom.  Turn the heat up to medium high.  Put the hamburger patties in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side.  While the burgers are cooking, spread a little butter on the buns and toast in a warm oven for about 5 minutes.

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Place the cooked bacon strips and a slice of cheese on each burger and place a lid on the skillet.  Turn off the heat and leave covered just until the cheese melts.  Build your burger and enjoy!

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Italian Meatloaf

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , , on August 9, 2014| 5 Comments »

I hope y’all liked the Italian Burger post from a couple of weeks ago because it was the inspiration for this meatloaf recipe.  I am a sucker for Italian flavors, but had never thought about adding them to meatloaf.  This recipe was a huge success and one I will definitely be making again.

The biggest downfall about this main course is that it is so hard to photograph well.  Meat,you are my photography nemesis!!

Italian Meatloaf 1

1 lb. ground beef

2/3 cup plain bread crumbs

1/2 cup shredded pizza blend cheese

1/2 cup favorite pasta sauce

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. minced onion

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup additional favorite pasta sauce

2 slices Provolone cheese

 

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with a rack on it.  Cover both with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Then poke holes in the foil on the rack for the extra grease to dip through. 

Combine all of the ingredients except the second 1/2 cup of pasta sauce and the provolone.  Shape into a loaf and place on the prepared rack.

 

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Bake for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reads about 155 degrees.  Lay the provolone slices on the baked meatloaf and spread the remaining 1/2 cup sauce over the cheese.  Place back in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Let the meatloaf set for about 15 minutes for the best flavor.

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Italian Meatloaf 2

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Slow Cooker Beef Tips

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , on August 2, 2014| 5 Comments »

Y’all know I love a good slow cooker main dish and this is a great use of stew meat or another cut that might not be quite so tender.  Browning the meat before it goes in the slow cooker gives it great flavor and cooking it low and slow makes it just fall apart. I found this gem at RecipesThatCrock.com and adapted it to suit my ingredients.

Slow Cooker Steak Tips

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

salt & pepper to taste

2 lbs. (approximately) beef tips or stew meat

2-3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup beef broth or stock

1/4 cup Worcestshire sauce

1/8 cup soy sauce

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Combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper in a large bowl.  Put the meat in the bowl and toss to coat.  Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet and brown the meat on all sides.

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In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Place the meat in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the meat.  Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.  This goes great with potatoes and a salad.

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Slow Cooker Steak Tips

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One Pot Baked Rotini

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , , on March 14, 2014| 4 Comments »

Have you visited Plain Chicken yet?  No, well, as soon as you are done here, get yourself on over to their place.  Their recipes are amazing and I have loved every one of them I have tried.  This is another success.  They call it One Pot Baked Ziti, but since I didn’t have any ziti noodles, mine is Baked Rotini instead.

I also used 2 dishes for mine since I was travelling with it so I guess that makes mine TWO Pots Baked Rotini.  No matter what you call it, it is still DELICIOUS!

One Pot Baked Rotini

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 tbsp. minced onion flakes

4 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 cups water

12 oz. rotini (or pasta of your choice)

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

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Cook the Italian sausage over medium heat in an oven safe pan until brown.  Drain off the fat.  Add the onion flakes and garlic.  Cook for about a minute until the garlic becomes fragrant.  Stir in the tomatoes, salt, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning.

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Add the water and pasta.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover the skillet. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.

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Remove the skillet from the heat and add the ricotta cheese and cream.  Cook on low for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat again and add the mozzarella cheese.  Broil in the oven just until the cheese is melted.  This is awesome served with a big salad and garlic bread.

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One Pot Baked Rotini

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Fall Apart Pork Chops

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , on March 8, 2014| 51 Comments »

Who doesn’t love a tender pork chop smothered in a tasty sauce?  No one that I know!  Real Mom Kitchen has found anyone either so she posted this delicious and simple recipe on her blog.  I can’t recommend this enough!

Fall Apart Pork Chops

6 bone-in pork chops

garlic salt to taste

black pepper to taste

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Kroger honey BBQ sauce.)

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(I didn’t have garlic salt so I Just used garlic powder and salt separately.) Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and spray a 13×9” baking dish with non-stick spray. 

Season the chops on both sides with the salt, pepper & garlic powder.  Place the chops in the baking dish no more that 2 chops high.  Pour the sauce over the chops making sure all of them are covered in sauce.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.  You will know that they are done because they will literally fall off the bone.  Yumm!!!

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Slow Cooker Orange Cranberry Ham

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , , , , on January 11, 2014| 4 Comments »

Yes, I know last week’s recipe title started the same way this one is, but I promise this is different.  “This” was my contribution to our last Christmas gathering and it was a hit.  I came home with a little bit left over, but not very much.  This dish was so simple and full of holiday flavor that it will definitely go into the “special occasion” rotation.  I think I do need a bigger slow cooker though.  I had to pull out the bones and cut off a little of the ham for it to fit. That’s just not right.

Slow Cooker Orange Cranberry Ham

1 spiral sliced ham (approx. 8 lbs.)

1 can jellied cranberry sauce

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups additional orange juice

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Combine the cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup orange juice and brown sugar in a small bowl.  Pour the remaining orange juice in the bottom of your slow cooker and add the ham.  Drizzle the cranberry/orange sauce over the ham.  Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or until heated through.  That’s it!!!  How simple is that?

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Slow Cooker Orange Cranberry Ham

I found the original recipe at Add A Pinch and adapted it for the slow cooker.

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Slow Cooker Cranberry Orange Pork Loin

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , , , , , on January 4, 2014| 7 Comments »

I know Christmas is over, but bear with me for a little while because I tried so many new and tasty recipes over the holidays that I can’t wait to share with y’all.  This was the main dish for Christmas Day supper with C’s parents and the flavors went together so well.  I threw this in my slow cooker before we left for Christmas lunch and it was perfectly done a few hours later. 

My recipe is adapted from this Kraft recipe.

Slow Cooker Orange Cranberry Pork Loin

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 boneless pork loin (approx.. 4 lb.)

1 14oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/2 cup Catalina salad dressing

1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup orange juice

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Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the tenderloin in the skillet for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.  Transfer meat to a slow cooker.

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Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the tenderloin.  Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.  Let the loin rest for about 20 minutes then slice and enjoy.

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Slow Cooker Orange Cranberry Pork Loin

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Thanksgiving Tuesday

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , , , , , on November 26, 2013|

I decided to try something a little different this year.  I know I like to search blogs for holiday ideas and I think most of my readers do as well.  This post is a grouping of my recipes that would be perfect for a tasty Thanksgiving meal.  The only thing you won’t find here is a turkey recipe since I am severely allergic so it is always ham for me at holidays. 

Speaking of ham, here are three different ham recipes that I have tried and enjoyed:

Brown sugar honey glazed ham:

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Slow cooker maple ham:

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Citrus slow cooker ham:

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Now that we have a main course, we need a few side dishes:

This sweet potato casserole is my absolute favorite:

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Cornbread dressing:

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Scalloped pineapple:

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Butter roasted potatoes:

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And last, but not least, Italian pasta salad:

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Next, we need some quick and easy dinner rolls and you can’t go wrong with these mayonnaise rolls:

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If you have any room left, it’s time for the dessert course. Yum!  There are so many options, but here are a few of my favorites.

Italian cream cake:

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Apple cinnamon swirl Bundt cake:

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Pineapple upside down cake:

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Perfect pecan pie:

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Turtle cake:

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Orange fluff salad:

Orange Fluff Salad

Watergate salad:

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And, finally, sunshine salad:

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I hope this post gives you a little foodie inspiration for the holidays.  I know I am getting hungry!

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Beef Taco Roast

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , , on November 23, 2013| 6 Comments »

This recipe got rave reviews from my family when I fixed it for Sunday supper a few weeks ago.  It will definitely be a repeat performer because not only is it delicious, it is a slow cooker main dish which is perfect for a lazy Sunday.  The flavor was out of this world and the meat was so tender I almost couldn’t get it out of the cooker without it falling apart. YUM!

Thanks, Awkward Girl Gets Fit, for this great recipe.

BeefTacoRoast

I still can’t photograph meat worth a diddly.  Oh, well, I am still learning.

1 large beef roast

1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

1 tsp. salt (I used kosher.)

Ground black pepper

1 tsp. cumin

4 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 1/2 cups beef broth

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Season the roast with salt and pepper.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl and set aside.

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Put the roast in a slow cooker and pour the stock mixture over it.  Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours until the roast is tender and almost falling apart.  You can sear the roast before putting it in the cooker if you have time, but I didn’t.  I was running late to get ready for church that morning.  It was still mighty tasty even without searing it.

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Taco Pork Chops

Posted in Cooking, tagged , , , , on November 2, 2013| 3 Comments »

Taste of Home is a great resource for all different kinds of recipes from desserts to salads to main dishes such as this one.  We love pork chops around here and when I saw this recipe using taco flavors, I knew it would be right down our alley. 

The original recipe makes four chops, but I just cut it down to two for C and myself.  It would also be easy to scale up if you have more mouths to feed.

tacoporkchops

2 pork chops (I used bone-in because that is what I had in the freezer.)

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1/4 cup medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp. taco seasoning

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In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chops in the oil for about 3 minutes on each side until they are nicely browned.

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In a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce, water, onion and seasoning.  Pour this over the chops and bring to a boil.

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Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet.  Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the chops are cooked through.  Let them stand for about 5 minutes before serving. 

These pork chops were great with oven baked fries and a tossed salad.  These are definitely husband friendly and I think kids would love them as well.

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