Quick Pasta Bake July 31, 2011

This is one of those “grab whats in the cupboards and fridge” recipes. Can easily substitute in whatever you have. Makes a quick and yummy meal.

Ingredients:

• 1lb box pasta (I used rigatoni)
• 1 jar pasta sauce (I used spinach Florentine tomato)
• 1lb ground beef
• 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta till al dente. Meanwhile, saute beef and garlic until browned. Add pasta sauce and red pepper flakes. Stir in the pasta and transfer to a baking pan. Cover with Parmesan cheese and bake about 25 minutes until golden brown.

Feel Better Chicken Noodle Soup July 29, 2011

The hubs wasn’t feeling that good so I made a big pot of chicken noodle soup from scratch. It tasted so very yummy.

Ingredients:

• 1 Whole chicken, 4-5 lbs
• 2 (32oz each) boxes chicken stock
• 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1lb bag egg noodles
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place chicken in a large stock pot. Cover with broth. Add water if the broth will not cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and cook until the chicken meat is falling off the bones (this takes about 45 minutes). Remove the chicken from the stock and allow to cool. Skim any excess fat off the top of the stock.

Once cool, shred the chicken removing any bones and skin. Bring the stock back to a boil. Add the noodles, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until the noodles are almost done. At the last minute add in the vegetable and chicken, heating until warmed through.

Chicken Tacos and Black Beans July 27, 2011

I love homemade black beans, when I cook some up I make sure to make as large a pot as possible for leftovers. The chicken tacos were using another Grill Mates packet and were very tasty.

Ingredients:

Black beans

• 1 lb dried beans
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 3 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp garlic salt
• 1 tbsp cayenne sauce (or less if you want less heat)
• water

Tacos

• 2lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Flour tortillas
• Queso Fresco
• 1 Packet McCormicks Grill Mates Mexican Fiesta
• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp vinegar

Directions:

Place black beans in a large bowl, cover with water and let soak overnight. Combine chicken, Grill Mate, Oil, Water and vinegar in a container making sure to coat the chicken and refrigerate overnight.

Drain beans. Add to a deep pot with jalapeno, garlic and 1 tbsp garlic salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are soft. This takes about two hours. Taste and add additional garlic salt and cayenne sauce as needed.

Grill the chicken over a medium-low flame for 15-20 minutes until no longer pink. Chop and serve with taco shells, black beans, Queso Freso and and other desired toppings.

 

 

Tomato Basil and Balsamic Chicken with Smoked Mozz Pasta July 7, 2011

Smoked mozzarella has a very distinct flavor. I happen to enjoy it so that is why I used it, but it can very easily overpower the dish. The hubs was not a big fan and would have preferred I used regular mozzarella.

Ingredients:

Chicken:

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 package McCormick Grill Mates Tomato, Garlic, Basil Marinade
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

Pasta:

• 1 lb pasta, any medium shape
• 1 jar pre-made pasta sauce (I used fire-roasted tomato)
• 1/3lb smoked mozzarella cheese, cubed
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

Mix all the chicken ingredients together in a reusable container or plastic bag, making sure to cover the chicken completely. Allow to marinade overnight.

Preheat an oven to 375. Parboil the pasta for 6-8 minutes until it is slightly undercooked.  In a sauce pan, heat the pasta sauce, water and red pepper flakes until hot but not boiling. Add in the pasta and toss to coat completely. Fold in the mozzarella cubes but do not stir a lot as you want them to melt while baking, not in the pot. Dump the pasta mixture into a pan and put in the oven for 25 minutes.

While the pasta is baking, grill the chicken breasts over medium-low heat. Do not baste with the leftover marinade. Chicken should take ~20 minutes.

Luau Pork and Broccoli Slaw July 5, 2011

Our new house has an awesome grill and I love McCormick’s GrillMates seasoning packets. I whipped this up in no time and it was delicious.

Ingredients:

Broccoli Slaw:

• 1 package broccoli slaw mix
• 3 Tbsp slaw dressing
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp Mirin

Luau Pork:

• 1 package McCormick GrillMates Hawaiian Luau Marinade
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 Pork Tenderloin

Directions:

Start by mixing all the pork ingredients, minus the tenderloin, in a large plastic bag or reusable container. Mix well until thoroughly incorporated.  Add in the pork and marinate for at least 4 hours, if not overnight. Rotate the meat occasionally to make sure all parts are evenly coated.

Next, mix all of the broccoli slaw ingredients together at least one hour before serving. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge until you are ready to heat.

Grill the pork over medium-low for ~25 minutes, until the inside is no longer pink but the pork is still juicy (this will vary depending on the thickness of your tenderloin). Baste with the marinade before each turn.

I like to serve this meal with plain white rice.