Category: dinner

Quick Method Frijoles (Pinto Beans)

The Wild Gems2 Comments

What you need:

1 lb of pinto beans

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

1. Rinse beans in cold water and discard any broken pieces.

2. In a large pot add your beans and cover with water. At least 2 inches above the beans.

3. Bring the pot of water with beans to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.

4. Once the two minutes are complete, cover beans with a lid immediately, remove from stove, and allow to sit for 1 hour uninterrupted.

5. After the 1 hour, drain the beans. Refill pot with water covering the beans completely.

6. Bring pot of beans to boil and then lower to a 1 or 2 on stove and allow to simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Mix often and add 1/4 cup water at a time if necessary. You want to make sure it’s constantly at a soft, low simmer.)

7. Add the salt 30 minutes before beans are done and add the fresh cilantro. Mix well.

*you can add bacon to the beans, or onion, peppers, etc, all optional*

Mash or serve as is with eggs, tacos, enchiladas, carnitas, anything!

Enjoy!

Try Bean And Cheese Tacos

Place corn tortillas on some foil, add a little bit of olive oil to each tortilla and rub it all over, turn over the tortillas and place your beans and cheese, fold over, and bake at 350. 10 minutes on each side.

Easy Jambalaya With Beef Smoked Sausage And Bell Peppers

The Wild Gems1 Comment

What You Need:

2 bell peppers of your color choice chopped

1/4 to 1/2 of an onion chopped

1 can of fire roasted tomatoes undrained

Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Hillshire farm beef smoked sausage (12oz) sliced into 1/2 inch thick

1 box of Goya Jambalaya Rice

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Steps:

1. Sauté the sausage in the olive oil for about 5 mins until the sausage is a little crisp on each side.

2. Add the bell peppers and onion and sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until veggies are soft.

3. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and the fire roasted tomatoes undrained to the skillet with the veggies and meat. Add the contents from box (rice and seasonings). Cover with a lid and cook for 25 mins.

4. Once all the water is absorbed garnish with fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Raw Honey

The Wild Gems3 Comments

What You Need:

4 sweet potatoes cut into cubes with skin

1/4 cup of raw honey

Salt, pepper, and cinnamon for seasoning

Olive oil (3-4 tablespoons)

Steps:

1. Lay out foil (optional) on a baking sheet. Scatter your sweet potatoes and drizzle on the olive oil and honey. Season the potatoes with the salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

2. Mix it all together and ensure all the potatoes are evenly coated with the oil, honey, and seasonings.

4. Bake at 375 for 30 to 45 mins.

Pairs so deliciously with chicken breasts covered in a hearty pesto sauce! Trust me!

Spinach And Cheese Tortelloni With Roasted Broccoli, Salami, Parmesan Cheese, And Olive Oil

The Wild Gems3 Comments

Had one of those nights where I really just needed to use what I had. Threw all of this together and it was so flavorful and delicious!

When it comes to the ingredients you can always had less or more. You want more Parmesan cheese, add more! More garlic? Garlic it up! This is just the gist! Get creative and have fun!

What You Need:

1 family size bag of spinach and cheese tortelloni (20 oz found in the frozen food aisle)

2 heads of broccoli chopped and broken into smaller pieces

A handful of salami cut into strips (snack size work just fine)

1 tomato diced or a handful of cherry tomatoes (whatever you have)

Jarred minced garlic (3-4 tablespoons)

Parmesan cheese (1/4 to 1/2 cup)

Salt, pepper, chili flakes, fresh rosemary (fresh is best)

Olive oil

1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Steps:

1. Place chopped broccoli on a pan sheet with foil. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red chili flakes. Add 2 tablespoons of garlic. Mix well until all combined. Add more olive oil if necessary. Bake at 400 for 15 mins.

2. Cook the tortelloni as directed.

3. Once the broccoli is done, add the salami strips and tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 mins. Just so it’s warm and a little soft.

4. Place the tortelloni in a large bowl and add the butter. Once melted add the roasted broccoli mixture. Next add Parmesan cheese, fresh rosemary, and drizzle some more olive oil. (I also added just a bit of sea salt.)

Enjoy with a glass of red wine! Some crusty bread with butter would be so good with this too!

This is what the bag looks like. It’s so good!
About to go into the oven. Olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
A lot going on, but believe me so many good flavors!

Enjoy!

Perfect Chopped Chicken On The Skillet – Never Overcook again

The Wild Gems3 Comments

What You Need:

1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast or tenders chopped up

Steps:

Here’s the secret:

1. Turn the skillet on low/med heat. Between a 2 and 4. Allow it to heat up while you chop your chicken up.

2. Once completely heated add your chopped chicken and makes sure it’s laid out evenly on the skillet. Allow the chicken to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. (Set your timer, I’m serious.)

3. Once the timer goes off, grab your spatula and move around the chicken gently for 4 mins (once again, set your timer) .

4. Once the timer goes off immediately move your chicken to a plate to rest and then check it. Perfection!

White Enchilada Sauce With Green Chiles

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It’s all in the sauce. This enchilada sauce is so delish. There’s a bonus to this recipe as well. It can also make a great cheese dip for tortilla chips.

Typically I’ll use left over chicken or rotisserie chicken and mix in corn to use as the enchilada filling. If I don’t have chicken I’ll use white beans mixed with corn or spinach as the filling.

Once the sauce is complete, take about a cup of the sauce and mix it with your chicken filling or bean filling until all combined.

Roll your enchiladas in corn tortillas and pour the entire sauce over the enchiladas. Top with jack cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Pan suggestion: a glass 9×13

Servings for: 10-12 enchiladas

What You Need:

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/4 chopped sweet onion

1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic

8 oz block of monterey jack cheese shredded

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

8 oz of cream cheese

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup of heavy cream

(2) 4oz cans of green chilies

Salt and pepper for taste

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro

Steps:

1. Begin with a medium sauce pan on a low heat (between a 2 and 4) and melt the butter. Add in your onion and garlic and sauté until onions are soft.

2. Add your heavy cream, milk, and cream cheese. Mix until cream cheese is completely melted.

3. Next add the parmesan cheese and add 3/4 cup of the jack shredded cheese. Once melted in, add both cans of green chiles.

4. Season with a couple of dashes of salt and pepper. Add the paprika and 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Mix continuously on low for 5 to 7 mins.

5. Reserve a cup of the sauce and mix with your enchilada filling.

6. Once your enchiladas are rolled up and placed in your 9×13 pan, pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top the enchiladas with the remaining Monterey Jack cheese and chopped cilantro.

7. Bake your enchiladas at 350 for 25 mins.

Hope you enjoy the sauce!

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

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What You Need:

1 carton of chicken stock (Swanson 32oz)

4 cups of water

4-5 carrot sticks cut and peeled

7-8 garlic cloves peeled (optional to cut)

2 celery sticks chopped

1/4-1/2 of a sweet onion chopped

2 tablespoons of chicken flavor bouillon (I use knorr)

1/2 teaspoon of fennel

1 stick of unsalted butter

Salt and pepper for taste

1/2 bag of egg noodles

Half of Rotisserie chicken shredded

Steps:

1. In a large pot add the stick of butter with onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until soft.

2. Add chicken stock, 4 cups of water, and chicken seasoning, and fennel. Bring to a boil.

3. Add egg noodles to soup and allow to cook. For about 15 mins. Next add in the shredded chicken and allow to simmer for an additional 5-8 mins.

4. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot.

Easy Alfredo Sauce

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This Alfredo sauce is so yummy! Enjoy!

What You Need:

2 cups of Parmesan Cheese

1 (8 tablespoons) stick of unsalted butter

1 cup of heavy cream (8oz)

A few dashes of salt and pepper

1 teaspoon of fresh parsley finely chopped and a little extra chopped for garnish

Steps:

1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on medium heat, once butter is melted add heavy cream. Allow to simmer while mixing for 2 minutes seasoning with salt and pepper.

2. Add Parmesan cheese and parsley. Add a few dashes of milk or pasta water to thin sauce out a little. Allow to cook and very low heat until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken Thigh Dry Rub Recipe – Taste So Good On the Grill

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This recipe only requires a few ingredients and it’s delicious. I’ve only ever used this dry rub on chicken thighs, hence the title.

I prepare the dry rub, then rub it all over the chicken really good. Afterwards I allow the chicken to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Then, we grill it. This dry rub with the smokey flavor from the grill really provides a great flavor.

What You Need:

1 tablespoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

2 teaspoons of salt

(Dry Rub Recipe good for 1.5 to 2 lbs of chicken)

Steps:

Mix all seasoning together in a bowl and then rub all over the chicken thighs. Be sure to open the thighs and really make sure it’s rubbed all inside as well.

Suggested Ways To Serve:

We enjoy making chicken tacos or nachos with this recipe. You can also enjoy with rice or potatoes on the side.

Chopping up for nachos

Enjoy!

Naked Pasta With Grape Tomatoes, Spinach, And Rotisserie Chicken

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Servings: 4-6

What You Need:

6 tablespoons of A Hearty Olive Oil

1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic

2 generous handfuls of grape tomatoes cut into halves

A bouquet of fresh spinach chopped lightly (the Spinach will shrink)

About 8oz (half of a 16oz packet) of thin Spaghetti (I used ‘American Beauty’)

Salt, pepper, and rosemary for taste

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (give or take)

Note: use my measurements as a guide. If you want less, do less. If you want more, do more. Cooking is about experimenting and getting creative!

Steps:

1. Fill a pot with water and turn on to a high-medium heat. In the meantime add 2 tablespoons (two times around the pan) of olive oil with minced garlic and grape tomatoes in a skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are soft and garlic becomes caramelized on a medium high setting. Add tomatoes and garlic to 2 1/2 qt dish. Keep stove on.

2. When water begins to boil, add a few good shakes salt into the water (at least 1 tablespoon. It is possible to over salt pasta water) break pasta noodles in half and add to simmering pot.

3. Add spinach to skillet with leftover garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until just a little wilted. Will begin to shrink fast, watch closely. Add spinach into dish with tomatoes.

4. While pasta is still cooking, shred the rotisserie chicken and add to dish with tomatoes, garlic, and spinach.

5. Once pasta is complete (no white in the middle of the noodle) drain, and add noodles to dish.

6. Add remaining olive oil, add Parmesan cheese and mix well. Top with Rosemary.

Suggested Sides: Caesar salad and toasted French bread with olive oil and garlic.