Garlic Chicken

Chicken is my go to meal if I am in need of something to cook.  I keep tons of chicken recipes on hand for nights when I am racking my brain over what to cook.  I found this recipe on pinterest and it is great!  It is so simple and easy and made with ingredients I always keep in my kitchen.  Hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F Line a baking dish or cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil.

In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.

Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Add additional herbs and spices as desired.

Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes, or until juices run clear. Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your chicken.

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

Ingredients:

1 pound Bacon, Cut Into Thirds

1 pound Smokies

1 stick Butter

2 cups Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut the bacon into thirds and wrap each smokie. Place all the wrapped smokies in a single layer in a baking dish. Then melt the stick of butter and then 1 cup of brown sugar and stir until mixed well. Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture on the smokies and bacon. Then take the other cup of brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the smokies. Bake them for about 15-20 minutes and then turn the heat up to 400F for about 5 minutes or longer until the bacon becomes crispy.

Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

One of my favorite things to cook is a pork tenderloin.  My all time favorite recipe is on another post on my blog.  I came across this recipe and had to try it and it was delicious!  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did!! :)

Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes.

Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 Pork Chops

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine ingredients and rub on pork chops.  Place pork chops on grill and grill them about 5-7 minutes per side or until desired doneness.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients
■3 pounds Cube Steak (tenderized Round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
■1-1/2 cup Whole Milk, Plus Up To 2 Cups For Gravy
■2 whole Large Eggs
■3 cups All-purpose Flour
■Seasoned Salt
■1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
■LOTS Of Black Pepper. Lots.
■Canola Oil, For Frying
■Salt And Pepper, For Both Meat And Gravy
Preparation Instructions
Begin with an assembly line of dishes for the meat: milk mixed with egg in one; flour mixed with spices in one; meat in one; then have one clean plate at the end to receive the breaded meat.

Work one piece of meat at a time. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dip in the milk/egg mixture. Next, place the meat on the plate of seasoned flour. Turn to coat thoroughly. Place the meat back into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat. Place back in the flour and turn to coat.
(So: wet mixture/dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture.) Place breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with remaining meat.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. Cook meat, three pieces at a time, until edges start to look golden brown; around 2 to 2 1/2 minutes each side.

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm. Repeat until all meat is cooked.

GRAVY:

After all meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the pan, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup grease back to the pan. Allow grease to heat up.

Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix flour with grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Keep cooking until it reaches a deep golden brown color. If paste seems more oily than pasty, sprinkle in another tablespoon of flour and whisk.

Whisking constantly, pour in milk. Cook to thicken the gravy. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Add salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until gravy is smooth and thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.

Serve meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!

Paula Deen Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken:
4 quart water
1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed cream of celery or cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 bay leaves
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 2 1/2-pound chicken

Dumplings:
2 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup ice water

Directions

Chicken:
Cut up chicken, but do not remove skin. The skin and bones can be removed later. Place chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, bouillon, and House Seasoning in water and cook at a low boil for 30 to 45 minutes, until meat begins to fall off the bones. Remove skin and bones at this point, along with bay leaves. Return chicken to pan. Prepare dumplings and set them aside for a few minutes. Add cream soup to chicken and continue to boil. If desired, you can thicken the stock at little by mixing 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and adding it to the stock. Drop dumplings into boiling stock. Never stir dumplings. Shake the pot gently in a circular motion to submerge dumplings in stock. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook.

Dumplings:
Put flour in a mixing bowl. Beginning in center of flour, dribble small amount of ice water. Work mixture with fingers from center of bowl to sides of bowl, incorporating small amounts of water at a time. Continue until all flour is used up. Batter will feel as if it is going to be tough. Knead dough and form into ball. Dust a good amount of flour onto dough board and rolling pin. Roll out dough, working from center. Dough will be firm. Roll to 1/8 inch thinness. Let it air-dry for a minute or two while you return your attention to the boiling pot at the point at which you add the canned soup to the chicken mixture. Cut dumplings into 1-inch strips. Working with one strip at a time, hold strip over pot, pull it in half, and drop into the boiling stock. Remember, so not stir Mixtures after dumplings have been added to pot.

Note: Frozen dumplings are available in most supermarkets if you don’t have time to make them.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce ( I used one Garlic and Onion and one Sausage)
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced ( 9 rounds)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
2. In a large skillet, brown onion and sausage (or beef ) over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for a minute or so. Add spaghetti sauce and Italian seasonings, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, 1/2 sauce mixture, Provolone cheese, sour cream, remaining ziti, remaining sauce mixture and then mozzarella cheese. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted. You may want to cover it for the first 20 minutes with foil and then let the cheese melt and brown for the last 10 minutes.