Recipes

Simple Shrimp Creole (MK)                                                                                   

I make this for New Year’s Eve every year. Shrimp creole recipes typically call for a roux – a mixture of flour and shortening. I forego the roux to keep it light but still full of freshness and flavor. Don’t be afraid to adjust the creole seasoning and tabasco to your family’s taste. I also put the rice on top and sprinkle it with fresh parsley.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 pounds raw shrimp peeled and deveined
• 2 green bell peppers chopped
• 1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce
• 1-3 tsp creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere’s)*
• ½ tsp Tabasco sauce*
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 2 tsp sugar
• Hot cooked rice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in large dutch oven medium high heat. Add peppers, onion, and celery. Saute until onions are translucent – about 7 minutes. Add garlic. Saute until garlic is fragrant – about 60 seconds.
2. Stir in tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, tabasco, lemon juice, basil, parsley, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in raw shrimp. Cook until shrimp are just pink – being careful not to overcook.
4. Serve in bowls. Top with ½ cup cooked rice.

Serves 8

Pork Mushroom and Spinach Soup(ME)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 boneless pork tenderloins
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 (14 ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 cups spinach

INSTRUCTIONS

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper; transfer to slow cooker. Add onions, mushrooms, garlic and chicken broth.  In a small bowl, whisk together dry sherry, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper.  Cook, covered, on low until meat and vegetables are tender, 5-6 hours.  Add spinach at the very end, stir until spinach wilts.  

Beef with Broccoli (MK)                                                                             

BEEF INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound flank steak sliced 1/4-inch thick against the grain
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp oyster sauce

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cup low sodium chicken stock
• 1 ½ tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1/8 tsp white pepper

STIRFRY INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil divided
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ tsp ginger minced
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 ½ tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water

INSTRUCTIONS

Marinate the beef – in a bowl, add sliced beef, baking soda, and water. Massage beef with hands until all liquid is absorbed. Mix in remaining marinade ingredients: cornstarch, oil, and oyster sauce and add to beef. Set aside.

Prepare sauce – mix together chicken stock, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Set aside. 

Cook beef – heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add beef and sear on both sides until browned about 2-3 minutes. Remove the beef from skillet. Set aside.

Using same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add 1 tbsp oil. Add garlic and ginger if using. Set the wok over medium heat and add another tablespoon of oil along with the garlic and ginger. Stir garlic and ginger for 5 seconds and then add broccoli to pan. Stir to incorporate garlic and ginger with broccoli. Add 2 tbsp water and stir off and on until broccoli is bright green and fragrant.

Push broccoli to back half of pan. Add cooked beef. Stir to incorporate.

Push beef and broccoli mixture to back half of skillet. Add sauce mixture.

Bring sauce to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and water into a slurry. Drizzle slurry mixture into sauce while stirring constantly. Allow sauce to simmer and thicken for about 20 seconds. 

Incorporate everything until combined and sauce coats beef and broccoli.

Serve over steamed brown rice.

Sheet Pan Greek Garlic Chicken and Potatoes (ME)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
• Olive Oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 lemons, 1 halved, and 1 sliced
• 6 chicken thighs or breasts (use similar sizes for even cooking)
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon smoked or regular paprika
• 1 shallot, chopped
• red pepper flakes
• 6-8 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
• 2 cups mixed fresh parsley, oregano, and dill, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 6-8 ounces feta cheese, cubed
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1-2 pepperoncini, chopped
• 3/4 cup Greek olive mix, or green olives, torn

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425° F.

On a large baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the lemon halves. Roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. 

In a bowl, toss the chicken, dried oregano, paprika, shallot, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and nestle the chicken around the potatoes. Arrange the onions, garlic, and lemon slices around the chicken. Return the pan to the oven for 20-25 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through.

To make the dressing. Combine the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, herbs, pepperoncinis, and olives.

Remove the charred lemon slices and garlic cloves from the baking sheet. Finely chop the lemon slices, rind and all, discarding any seeds. Add half of the lemon to the dressing. Chop/mash the garlic into a paste, stir the garlic into the dressing. Season with red pepper and salt. Taste adding more of the lemon as desired.

Break the feta over the chicken, then add the dressing. Top with fresh herbs. Eat and enjoy!

Notes

Chicken: you can use thighs or breasts, bone in or out. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Bone in chicken will need 10-15 minutes additional cooking time, depending on the size of the chicken.

Bell Pepper Rice (MK)                                                                                 

I came up with this recipe when we were preparing to travel for a week, and I needed to clean out the veggies in my fridge. It makes 8 generous servings – you can easily half the recipe or portion out the leftovers for easy meal prep during the week. You can make it a protein packed main dish by adding cooked ground beef or ground turkey stirred in when you add the chicken broth.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 green bell peppers diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper diced
• 1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
• 2 small onions or 1 large onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups raw jasmine rice
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 4 chicken broth or 4 cups water + 3 tsp Better than Bouillion
• ½ tsp sugar
• Salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add rice. Sauté about ten minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring often.

Sprinkle cumin over toasted rice and cook about 60 seconds or until fragrant.

Add peppers, jalapeno and onions. Saute about 6 minutes.

Add garlic. Saute about 60 seconds.

Pour broth over rice mixture. Stir in sugar. Allow to come to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve.

Serves 8

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole (ME)

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bag (12 ounces) stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, carrots, snow peas, etc.) (can be found in the produce section of grocery stores)
• 3 cups cooked brown or white rice

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.

Combine soy sauce, ½ cup water, brown sugar, ginger and garlic in a small saucepan and cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove lid and cook for one minute once boiling.

Meanwhile, stir together the corn starch and 2 tablespoons of water in a separate dish until smooth. Once sauce is boiling, add mixture to the saucepan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken then remove from heat.

Place the chicken breasts in the prepared pan. Then place the veggies all around the chicken breasts. Pour one cup of the sauce over top of chicken and veggies. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Remove from oven. Carefully remove foil and shred chicken while still in the dish, using two forks.

Add the cooked rice to the casserole dish. Add most of the remaining sauce, reserving a bit to drizzle over the top when serving. Gently toss everything together until combined. Return to oven and cook 10 minutes or until everything is heated through. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Drizzle each serving with remaining sauce. Enjoy!

Fried Rice (MK)                                                                    

INGREDIENTS

• 12-16 oz raw chicken breast cut into 1/2 pieces
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 5 green onions chopped
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 10-oz bags frozen riced cauliflower 
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ – 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
• Salt & pepper
• 4 eggs scrambled

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, sprinkle chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Toss until evenly coated. 

Allow to cook 10 minutes, stirring every one to two minutes.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add chicken. Sauté about three minutes on each side until lightly browned.

Add chopped green onions to the center of the pan and stir to incorporate with chicken. Pour fish sauce over chicken and green onions. Sauté about two minutes. Push to the sides of the pan.

Add sesame oil to center of pan. Add cauliflower rice to hot sesame oil and stir to combine with chicken and green onions. Sprinkle sugar, sesame seeds, and Chinese five spice over mixture. Stir to combine.

Once cauliflower rice is crunchy and golden, push to sides of pan, pour in beaten eggs and scramble until eggs are cooked through. Stir to combine with rice.

Taste. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Serves 4

Notes

Any raw protein can be substituted for the chicken – shrimp, pork, tofu. Brown or white rice can also be substituted for the cauliflower rice.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup (ME)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast chopped into large pieces to cook faster
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 1 medium Sweet onion diced
• 1 green pepper chopped
• 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
• 1/2 medium head cabbage chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas no need to thaw
• 14 oz marinara sauce 
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp. garlic Salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• Minced fresh parsley (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or a soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add chicken and cook until golden brown and no longer pink in the inside, about 10-12 minutes. Set aside on a chopping board and shred it with 2 forks.

To the same pot add celery, carrots, green peppers, onions, and stir fry for about 5 minutes.

Stir in shredded chicken, cabbage, marinara sauce, and chicken stock. Stir well and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.

Add in frozen peas, garlic salt, garlic powder, and pepper, mix until well combined. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes more, just until peas are done.

Garnish with fresh parsley, then pour into warm bowls and serve.

Shrimp Fajita Bowls

From: Mary Kathleen                                                                     

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ lime juiced
• 2 tbsp olive oil divided
• 1 onion halved and thinly sliced
• 2 bell peppers any color halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
• 2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa
• Salt to taste

TOPPINGS

• 1 avocado chopped
• ¼ chopped cilantro
• 1 jalapeno sliced
• Green onions chopped
• Greek yogurt
• Lime wedges
• salsa

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Toss shrimp with garlic in small bowl and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and bell peppers and sauté 5-10 minutes until soft and browned. Sprinkle with salt, 2 tbsp water, and stir to scrape up brown bits. Transfer veggies to serving bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. In same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add shrimp and sauté until pink – about 2 minutes per side. Being careful not to overcook. Remove from heat, squeeze lime juice over the top, stir.
4. Assemble bowls.
5. Evenly distribute rice or quinoa among 4 bowls. Top with beans, veggies, shrimp and desired garnishes. Serve.

SERVES 4

Crockpot Pork Loin and Carrots

From: Mary Elizabeth

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag baby carrots
• 2 pork tenderloins
• 1 packet Lipton beef onion soup mix
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (I like Pacific brand)
• 1/3 cup white cooking wine (or any white wine you have)
• 1 package of fresh mushrooms
• ½ cup green onions (optional) 

INSTRUCTIONS

Put a bag of baby carrots in the bottom of slow cooker. Cut up 2 plain pork tenderloins into three pieces each. Place on top of carrots. Mix one packet of beefy onion soup mix, 1 can of mushroom soup and 1/3 of a cup of white cooking wine. Pour sauce over meat and slow cook on high for 4-5 hours. Add one package of fresh mushrooms (rinsed) and green onions if you’d like and cook on low about 4 more hours. Break up meat at 2 hour point on low and mix with sauce so all of the flavors combine. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole 

From: Mary Elizabeth

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix together and place in casserole dish. Top with crushed Ritz.  Cover and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until bubbly.  Uncover and cook for 5 more minutes.  Done!