Top 5: Dinner Edition

I am always looking for new dinner ideas so I thought I would share my top 5 meals that I am currently recycling!  I often post recipes on Facebook and share with friends anyway, so if you've seen some of these before, well... maybe you should actually try making them!!  Ha!

In no particular order.

5.  Cumin Chicken with Black Beans

This is one of Stephen's two favorites, it's super flavorful AND super healthy.

I change some things up just so it makes more sense, like using cans instead of cups, or an entire bag instead of cups.  Then you don't have like 1/2 a can of beans left, or something like that...

My Notes:
use 1/2 red onion.  
1 can black beans (you can always try two).  
1 12 oz bag frozen corn kernels, thawed.  
3 or 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar.  
Must add salt!  about 1 tsp.

This is great with tortillas, in a burrito or taco, with tortilla chips or margaritas : )  Ole!

4.  Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff makes me think:  Meh.  or yuck.  But when I read the ingredients and saw it has mustard, I had to try it!  Also, I've never made anything in a crockpot that came out bad.

It's SO good!  I left out the mushrooms, because Stephen and I eat like toddlers, but the steak was so good!  Nice, substantial pieces of meat... mmmm!  

3.  Chicken and Dumplings

This is one of those recipes where you can make it a hundred different ways and it will always turn out amazing.  Definitely read the reviews.

My Notes:

Saute 2-3 carrots, 2 sticks celery, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic.  

Then add stock, cooked chicken and 2 can's cream of _____ soup.  

Make sure you have plenty of liquid, add water if needed.  

I use Bisquick pancake mix to make the dumplings.  Follow the biscuit recipe.  Make large-ish golf ball size balls of dough and drop them in.  Let them sit and cook, turning once.  You Don't have to cook all the dumplings at once, just the ones you're going to eat, save the rest for left overs!

This is Stephen's other favorite meal.  Definitely mine too!

2.  Spanish Rice

So this isn't a main dish, though for some it could be!  It doesn't matter, because it makes the meal!  I was afraid of making rice, I just stuck to my trusty rice maker, but we had this at a get-together and I knew I had to try it.  It took a little adjusting each time I made it, but now it's perfection.  We eat this as a side dish, or my favorite, I cook meat (Chicken, ground beef, turkey), mix the meat with refried beans, then put it with the rice in a burrito.  I ALWAYS follow the suggestions of the first reviewer, always. Only.  Make this.

1.  Slow Cooker BBQ

Again, you can't beat anything slow cooked, it also doesn't get any easier than this!  I took the suggestion of a reviewer and always use an 'eye round roast', it's a lean cut of meat so your dish doesn't turn out all greasy.  I just through the meat in, add garlic salt, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Cover with favorite BBQ sauce and let it look 6-8 hours (8 is better, the meat falls apart more easily). After cooking, shred the meat with two forks, add more BBQ sauce and let cook a little longer (and hour is plenty, less is fine) so the meat can soak up the sauce and it can warm up again.

BONUS!

Bourbon Chicken

I totally forgot about this amazing dish!  I wish I had a picture!  Just imagine your favorite chinese dish.

Like this!

 

Only the bourbon chicken is darker because you use soy sauce.  Here's the recipe.  Don't be afraid, most of this stuff is in your house anyway... well... it's in mine : )  And if you don't keep ginger in your freezer, just do it!

2 lbs bonless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Heat oil in large skillet and drop in the chicken pieces. Cook chicken until browned. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring everything to a boil. Let everything sit at a hard rolling boil for a couple minutes to get the sauce sticky and not soupy. Reduce heat and let simmer for a few minutes.

This is best served over basmati rice. It tastes like you ordered take-out from your favorite Chinese place...only without all the dark meat and MSG!  Add whatever veggies you like, broccoli or sugar snap peas sound good to me, or even water chestnuts.  If you are a baby like me, just cut back on the red pepper flakes.  If you can take the heat, by all means, amp it up!

ENJOY!!!