Category Archives: main dishes

May 15 2013

Teriyaki Chicken Burgers with Sesame-Grilled Pineapple

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On Saturday, we’ll be hosting a Soy Vay Turn Up the Flavor House Party for some of our friends and family. If you’re not familiar with House Party, it’s a word-of-mouth marketing site where you can apply to host parties featuring certain products. When you’re chosen as a party host, you get a party pack of freebies, samples or promotional products to help make the party special. It can be a lot of fun!

The party pack for the Soy Vay party features their Teriyaki sauce. Now, I’ve bought it before and not liked it so much. We used it for a stir fry and I just wasn’t a fan. So, before I was going to feed it to my guests, I wanted to work up some recipes that would definitely be a hit.

I’ve had this recipe bookmarked forever, so Mark and I whipped it up one night to see how it worked with Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce – it was fantastic! I really, really loved these burgers – they’re probably one of my new favorites. And, I though the sesame seeds in the Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce were a nice touch, since there was also sesame oil in the burger and on the pineapple.

Ultimately, we won’t serving these at the party on Saturday – we opted for a different dish that would be easier, logistically, for what we’re doing. I’ll be sharing that recipe sometime in the next week or two, but I really wanted to share this one too. It’s the best “reject” recipe I’ve had in a long time!

Teriyaki Chicken Burgers with Sesame-Grilled Pineapple
(adapted from The Other Side of Fifty)
Serves 4

1 T.  olive oil
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 medium onion, diced
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. teriyaki sauce + more for basting (we used Soy Vay)
2 t. sesame oil, divided
1 T. Montreal steak seasoning
1 lb. ground chicken
8 pineapple rings (we used fresh)
Potato hamburger buns, for serving
Lettuce leaves, for serving

In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the red pepper, onion and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for an addition 30 seconds, until fragrant.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked vegetable mixture, 1 T. teriyaki sauce, 1 t. sesame oil, steak seasoning and ground chicken. Mix with your hands until well combined and then dived into four patties.

Grill over medium-high heat until cooked through, approximately 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. During the last two minutes of grilling, baste wih additional teriyaki sauce.

While the burgers cook, rub the pineapple slices with 1 t. sesame oil. Grill over low heat until grill marks appear and they’re slightly caramelized.

Serve on potato rolls with lettuce.

Disclosure: As a host of a Soy Vay Turn Up the Flavor House Party, I received a free party pack of Soy Vay products via House Party. All opinions are my own.

May 8 2013

Crispy Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

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I’ve made a lot of slow cooker meals and I don’t think any of them could have been described as “crispy”. When I ran across this recipe, that word alone got me. The trick here is to do a quick broil after the pork is cooked to crisp up the edges. It only takes a few minutes more than you’d spend just shredding the pork, and it really makes this feel different from other slow cooker dishes.

The meat is also really versatile. We made it into tacos, but it’d be great in any Tex-Mex dish.

Crispy Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
(from Gimme Some Oven)
Serves 6

1 T. vegetable oil
1 (4-5 lb.) lean boneless pork roast, excess fat trimmed, cut into 3-inch chunks
8 oz. beer
1 large white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle in adobo sauce
2 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper

In a large skillet over high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the pork to the pan and sear on each side until browned (about 2 minutes per side). Once seared, transfer the pork to the slow cooker.

Add remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the pork is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork.

After the pork is cooked, preheat your broiler to high heat and prepare two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Shred the pork into bite-sized pieces and use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the prepared baking sheets, spreading it out evenly in a single layer. Reserve the remaining broth from the slow cooker.

Place one sheet under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the edges of the pork begin crisping up. Remove the sheet, and use a spatula or tongs to carefully toss the pork. Ladle about 1/4 cup of the remaining slow cooker broth over the pork. Broil for an additional 5 minutes to get the meat more crispy. Then remove and ladle an additional 1/4 cup of broth over the crispy pork.

Repeat with the other baking sheet of pork.

May 3 2013

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

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This weekend is Cinco de Mayo! Tex-Mex meals make our dinner rotation regularly, but I never miss an opportunity to theme a meal - no matter how frivolous the holiday. I’ll be spending the afternoon with my book club, so I’m anticipating a Tex-Mex themed big-out session!

If you’re looking for something to make to mark May 5, these are a great option - a fun mix of bar food meets Mexican. . I’ve made them a few times – they’re a huge hit in our house.

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
(from Prevention RD)
Serves 4-6

8 tortillas
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 c. red enchilada sauce
1/3 c. buffalo wing sauce
1 c. Mexican blend cheese, shredded
3 oz. gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and buffalo wing sauce. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix together shredded chicken and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Pour in about a 1/2 cup of enchilada/buffalo sauce and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour a little of the enchilada/buffalo sauce in the baking dish, just enough to coat the bottom. Divide chicken mixture between tortillas. Roll each up and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Pour remaining enchilada/buffalo sauce on top of tortillas and add remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

After baking, add crumbled gorgonzola on top and garnish with the green onions and cilantro and serve.

Apr 29 2013

Indian Spiced Roast Chicken

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Most of the Sunday dinners I’ve been making have been classic American food or Italian dishes. I was looking for something a little different when I ran across this recipe that I had bookmarked months ago. I don’t normally cook many Indian dishes, but this looked too good to pass up!

For just a few ingredients, this packed a really flavorful punch. A simple cucumber salad and garlic flatbread rounded out the meat.

Since it was just the two of us, we ended up with quite a bit leftover – the extra chicken was great on salads and in tortillas and quesadillas throughout the week.

Indian Spiced Roast Chicken
(from Simply Delicious)
Serves 4-6

1 3-4 lb. whole chicken
1 c. plain yogurt
3 T. curry paste
2 T. garam masala
2 t. salt
Juice of  2 limes
1 t. sugar

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, curry paste, garam masala, salt, lime juice and sugar.  Smear mixture all over chicken and under skin. Spoon remaining mixture into the chicken’s cavity.

Place the chicken on a roasting rack and roast for 45 minutes.

Turn heat up to 450F degrees and roast for another 30-45 minutes, until a meat thermometer shows it’s done. If the skin starts getting too dark, cover the chicken in foil.

Let rest for 5 minutes before carving.

Apr 26 2013

Chicken Diablo

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I wasn’t always a fan of spicy dishes. You’d never know it now – they make regular appearances on our weekly menu, but there was a time when I’d avoid them at all costs. I’m now making up for lost time.

When I started browsing Kylee Cooks for the latest Blogger’s Choice Swap, this caught my eye immediately. It looked spicy and creamy and just, well, really good. It totally delivered, too. I really loved the spicy diablo sauce over it. I’m planning to use the leftover as a dip for crunchy chicken nuggets.

Chicken Diablo
(from Kylee Cooks)
Serves 2

1/4 c. Frank’s hot pepper sauce
1/2  c. sour cream
1/4 c. ketchup
1/8 c. honey
1/2 t. sweet paprika
1/2 t. ground cumin
2 chicken breasts, pounded out thinly
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 c. sliced scallions
1 c. cooked brown rice, for serving

In a small bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, sour cream, ketchup and honey. Stir in paprika and cumin until well combined. Pour half of the sauce into another bowl and add chicken – turn to coat. Refrigerate and let marinate at least two hours, or overnight. Refrigerate remaining sauce in a separate container.

When ready to cook, heat oil in a frying pan until shimmering. Add garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the marinated chicken the pan and cook for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway.

In a small saucepan, heat the sauce from the separate container until just simmering.

Serve the chicken over rice, topped with warmed sauce.

You can check out what other bloggers made for the swap below. As always, thanks to Sarah for hosting!


Apr 24 2013

BBQ Pork Enchiladas

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While I usually size my recipes down to make a manageable amount for just the two of us, I always end up making a ton of pulled pork. It usually means that I have to reinvent the leftovers a bit. This is one of my favorite ways to use up extra pulled pork.

I’ve made this a few times with pork from a few recipes – they all work well. These are Mark’s favorite of all the enchiladas I make – and I make a lot, so that’s quite a title!

BBQ Pork Enchiladas
(from Branny Boils Over)
Serves 4

2 c. pulled pork, prepared with your favorite barbecue sauce
1 c. frozen corn
1 onion, diced
1 t. oil
1 c. black beans
1 1/2 c. red enchilada sauce
1 c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
8 8″ whole wheat tortillas

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

In a medium frying pan, heat the oil over medium until shimmering. Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in corn, pulled pork and black beans. Cook until warmed through.

Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Divide pork filling between tortillas and roll up, placing seam side down in the baking dish.  Pour enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove cover, top with cheese and bake for 10 more minutes.

Apr 22 2013

Grilled Buffalo Chicken Wraps

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This is yet another quick and easy dinner. It was on the table about ten minutes after I walked in the door, which is about all I can handle after a day of work, errands and the gym.

I’m on a spicy kick so I added a little more buffalo sauce to these. You can definitely use more or less depending on your preference. We paired these with chips and carrot sticks.

Grilled Buffalo Chicken Wraps
(from Lisa’s Dinner Time Dash)
Serves 4

1/3 c. ranch dressing
2 T. buffalo sauce
2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 rib celery, chopped
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Pepper, to taste
Fresh baby spinach
4 large tortillas

Preheat a grill pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ranch dressing and buffalo sauce. Stir in shredded chicken, chopped celery and shredded cheddar until well combined. Season with pepper to taste.

Divide chicken mixture between tortillas and top with spinach. Wrap tightly and grill until crispy. Serve hot.

Apr 12 2013

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

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After a few days of almost summer-like weather, we’re back to soup weather. It’s in the 50s and raining. I miss the warm weather already! Although, this soup is helping make the day a little brighter and warmer.

I tried out this recipe as part of the latest recipe swap – the theme was chicken. Chicken pot pie is such a comfort-food staple and this soup really captures the flavors of it.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
(from Dough See Dough)
Serves 4

For the crust:
2 c. all purpose flour
2/3 c. shortening
1 t. salt
1/3 c. milk

For the soup:
2 t. olive oil, divided
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced or shredded
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 c. all purpose flour
5 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
Salt and pepper, to taste

To make the crust: In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until well blended and mixture is crumbly. Gently stir in the milk with a fork and mix until just combined. Pat dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425F degees. Roll the dough out on a well-floured surface to 1/8″ thick. Cut into 3″ circles with a biscuit or cookie cutter. Lay dough on a lined baking sheet and bake for 12 – 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Set aside.

To make the soup: Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add  the potatoes, celery, carrots, and onion to the dutch oven and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.

Stir in the flour to coat vegetables well. Slowly stir in thechicken broth,1 cup at a time. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until soup thickens then add in corn, peas and chicken. Stir and cook until peas are heated through.

Serve soup hot with pie crust.

You can see what the others bloggers made for the swap below. Thanks, Sarah, for hosting!


Apr 10 2013

Horseradish-Crusted Beef

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This was another one of our Sunday dinners. It was also the first time I’ve made a beef roast.

Unless it’s ground beef or in the slow cooker, I don’t cook beef that oven. Usually, the task falls to Mark – and nine times out of ten that means steaks on the grill. I’ve wanted to try a roast but they’re fairly expensive and, honestly, I was afraid of screwing it up.

When they were on sale Easter week, I decided it was time to tackle making one – and to my surprise it was really easy. I’d go as far as to say this recipe is relatively fool-proof. Not to mention, absolutely delicious.

Horseradish-Crusted Beef
(slightly adapted from Women’s Day)
Serves 8

1/4 c. prepared horseradish
1/4 c. whole-grain mustard
1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 (4-lb.) boneless beef rump or rib roast, at room temperature
Kosher salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together the horseradish, mustard and parsley.

Place the beef in a large roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Rub with the horseradish mixture.

Roast for 80-90 minutes, or until reaching desired doneness, 130F degrees for medium-rare.

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for at least 15  minutes before slicing.

Apr 3 2013

Spinach Prosciutto and Mozzarella Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

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I love the idea of Sunday dinners. There’s something so comforting in the idea of sitting down as a family to a nice meal at the end of the weekend. A few years ago, I tried to make Sunday dinners a thing for us, but eventually we got busy/lazy and it fell by the wayside. For the last month, though, Sunday dinners have made a reappearance and I’m totally loving it.

I made this pork dish for one of our recent Sunday dinners. This is fancy enough for a special dinner, but it’s simple enough to easily tackle on a weeknight. It was so, so delicious. Mark and I couldn’t get enough – we kept slicing ourselves “just one more piece”. I’m sure this will be a repeat when the garden starts overflowing with spinach.

Spinach Prosciutto and Mozzarella Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
(from Skinnytaste)
Serves 4

3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. olive oil
1/4 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin
2 oz. thin sliced prosciutto
2 oz. reduced fat mozzarella cheese
2 c. fresh baby spinach
Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.

Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil and black pepper.

Butterfly the pork tenderloin and pound thin. Spread half of the mustard mixture over the pork Layer the prosciutto, mozzarella and spinach on top of the pork and roll it jelly roll style. Tie up the pork with cooking twine to keep it rolled.

Rub remaining mustard mixture over the pork. Place on a rack in a baking pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160F degrees. Broil for 5 mins and then transfer to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.