Main Dish

What’s for dinner? What time will dinner be done? You know those typical 5 o’clock questions. With five growing kids in this house I can’t get dinner on the table fast enough. FYI some of these recipes take time to prepare and cook. Hope you enjoy making these as much as I did.

Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Ingredients:

Italian sausage links (sweet, hot, or some of each)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 green bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips

1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2 to 3 inch long strips

1 bell pepper of another color (yellow or orange or purple), sliced into strips 2-3 inches long

4 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers

1 large sweet or yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons

1 small (15 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes

1 Tbsp of dried oregano

½ cup Marsala or red wine (optional)

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt to taste

Directions:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that has a lid. When the oil is hot, add the sausages and brown them slowly. If they sizzle and crackle too much, turn the heat down. You want a gentle browning, not a sear. Cook for several minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown on all sides. When the sausages are browned, remove from the pan and set aside. Increase the heat to high and add the onions and peppers. Toss so they get coated with the oil in the pan and sear them as well as you can, stirring every so often. You want some blackening. Once the onions and peppers soften, sprinkle some salt on them. Once you get some searing on the onions and peppers, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Marsala or red wine if you are using, and with a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pan to release all the browned and blackened bits. Let the wine cook down by half. Add the tomatoes, oregano and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir well to combine. Add the sausages back in. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft the sausages are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Savory Garlic Marinated Steaks

Ingredients:

½ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp liquid smoke flavoring

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 (½ pound) rib-eye steaks

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper. Place steaks in a shallow glass dish with the marinade, and turn to coat. For optimum flavor, rub the liquid into the meat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Preheat grill for medium-high to high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Discard leftover marinade.

Italian Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 lg egg

1 pkg onion soup mix

½-1 cup parmesan cheese

1-2 tbsp parsley flakes

1 cup bread crumbs

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 cups marinara sauce

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350⁰. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients but marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Place in ungreased loaf pan. Place marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese on top. Bake 1 hour or until internal temperature of the meat reaches 160⁰.

Crockpot Pork Sirloin Roast with Fall Fruit

Ingredients:

4 lbs Pork Sirloin Tip Roast

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 apples

4 pears

1 cup apple cider (or juice)

¼ cup orange juice

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with extra virgin olive oil and turn heat to Medium High. Season your pork roast(s) generously with salt and pepper to taste. When the oil is hot, sear the meat on all sides until brown and crisp. Remove from heat. Chop the apples and pears into slightly larger-than-bite size pieces and add them to the bottom of the crockpot insert. In a small bowl, mix together the apple cider or juice, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Place your pork roast on top of the fruit. Pour the liquid mixture over the pork and fruit. Set the crockpot to low and cook for 8 – 10 hours or until the internal meat temperature is 150⁰.

BBQ Comfort Meatballs

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1-1/2 pound Ground Beef

3/4 cups Oats

1 cup Milk

3 Tablespoons Very Finely Minced Onion

1-1/2 teaspoon Salt

Plenty Of Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Cooking Meatballs:

1 cup All-Purpose Flour (coating For Frozen Meatballs)

Canola Oil

Sauce:

1 cup Ketchup

2 Tablespoons Sugar

3 Tablespoons Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire

4 Tablespoons (to 6 Tablespoons) Onion

1 dash Tabasco

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes. After 5 minutes, remove meatballs from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour. Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish. Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta

3 cups cooked diced chicken breast

1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce

1 (10 ounce) container refrigerated Alfredo sauce

½ cup milk

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than cooking time on package (the pasta will finish cooking in the casserole). Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine both containers of Alfredo sauce with the milk; heat until mixture begins to bubble. When pasta is almost cooked, add to sauce along with chicken and half of the Parmesan cheese. Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour food into the dish and top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover casserole and bake for 15-20 minutes longer or until casserole is bubbly and cheese melts and begins to brown.

Campfire Chicken Packets

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless

Mini prewashed carrots

Half ears of corn on the cob

Canned mushrooms

Sliced onions

Garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Margarine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400⁰. Lay out enough strips of aluminum foil for each serving. Butter and garlic the aluminum foil. Place one chicken breast on top of butter. Arrange remaining vegetables on or around chicken. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on everything then add a dollop of margarine to the top and fold foil to close. Place on cookie sheet and cook for 45 minutes to an hour until chicken is done. Open packets and enjoy. Recipe may also be cooked on a grill or on a campfire....hence the name Campfire Chicken

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (2 lb) skinned, boned, and shredded deli-roasted chicken

2 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

¾ cup chicken broth

1 (10 ¾ oz) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 ¾ oz) can cream of chicken soup

2 (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp Mexican-style chili powder*

3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 cups coarsely crumbled lime-flavored white corn tortilla chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350⁰. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add bell pepper and garlic, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup, and next 5 ingredients. Cook stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Layer half of chicken in a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Top with soup mixture and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Cover with half of corn tortilla chips. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*1 tsp chili powder and 1/8 tsp ground red pepper may be substituted for Mexican-style chili powder.

Oven BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

3 cups Your Favorite BBQ Sauce

½ cup Peach Preserves

1 clove Garlic

Hot Sauce, Optional

12 whole Chicken Thighs, Bone-in, Skin-on

Olive Oil for Brushing

Directions:

Combine BBQ sauce, peach preserves, garlic, and hot sauce in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, or until nice and hot. Set aside. PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES. Drizzle olive oil on 2 rimmed baking sheets and place chicken thighs skin side down in the pans. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven briefly, brush sauce all over the thighs, then use a spatula to flip them over to the other side, being careful not to tear the skin. Brush the tops with more sauce and return to the oven for 7 minutes. Remove from oven, brush on more sauce, and return to the oven for another 7 minutes. Remove from oven, brush on sauce, and turn up the temperature to 425 degrees. Continue roasting for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the sauce is starting to brown around the edges and the thighs are totally cooked through. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.