CHICKEN FAJITAS

This is an easy and flavorful meal the whole family can make together. Using just a few ingredients you can put dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Nothing to prep ahead of time and nothing complicated.

This recipe uses three large chicken breasts and can easily serve six adults. Heat up some refried beans, some rice and you have a complete meal. If you have any leftovers, they're great for lunch!

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Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1 Tablespoon oil

1 medium bell pepper

1 medium onion

3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 large tomato or several cherry/grape/pearl tomatoes

salt & pepper

cayenne pepper

ground cumin

1/2 cup dry white wine

Garnish / Toppings:

grated cheese (Cacique Queso Quesadilla, cheddar, jack, etc.)

fresh cilantro leaves

sour cream

guacamole

Directions:

Prep chicken: wash and pat dry; trim any fat; cut across grain in 1/2 inch slices then across again in bite size pieces. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and cumin. Set aside.

Peel and slice onion. Wash and slice bell pepper. Wash and slice tomato.

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in large skillet. Use the largest pan you have. It needs to be wide and deep to hold all the ingredients without crowding. Heat on medium-high and throw the seasoned chicken into the hot oil and stir around.

Reduce heat to medium and allow chicken to start to brown. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat pan to medium-high again and throw in the onions and peppers. Add more oil if necessary. Sprinkle with salt. Stir to prevent sticking and cook until the vegetables are softened a bit.

Once the vegetables are softened add the cooked chicken back to the pan and turn the heat to high. Now add the tomatoes and garlic and stir everything together. Pour in the wine and allow the liquid to reduce to nearly nothing.

Now grab a tortilla and fill it with this tender, spicy and sweet combination! Top with cilantro, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, etc. Pair with some refried beans, rice or a salad and enjoy this fast and easy feast!

MEATLOAF

With just a few basic ingredients you can create a meatloaf for dinner and use the leftovers for sandwiches. The recipe is the same as the Meatball recipe but is shaped into a loaf and covered with a tomato relish.

DO AHEAD: mix everything together, shape into loaves the day before, chill in the refrigerator and pop into the oven for dinner the next night. Add 10 minutes to the baking time to compensate for the colder meat mixture, or set the uncooked loaves out for a few minutes before baking and bake at the times listed below.

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For a printable version of this recipe without photos click here.

MUSHROOM QUICHE

Light and savory Mushroom Quiche. Not just for special occasions, easy to make and versatile enough for everyday. The basic quiche recipe remains constant, but you can add your own twist to it. This time, I had lots of mushrooms so that's what I made. Next time, who knows? Maybe asparagus...

To make shopping easier, use my handy printed shopping list. Click on the Shopping List tab above and you can print the pdf document.

For a printable version of this recipe without photos, click here.

SALAD DAYS

Fresh, crisp and full of flavor! Salads just seem to taste better in the summer. Take a trip to your local Farmers Market and pick up some beautiful greens, ripe tomatoes and succulent vegetables. Put them all together and enjoy a salad you create yourself.

For this salad, prepare and assemble your ingredients:

• lettuce and other greens (spinach, arugula, etc.)
• 
  
  red or green onions
• 
  
  cherry or grape tomatoes
• 
  
  avocado

Add protein:

• 
  
  hard boiled eggs
• grated cheeses
• ham, turkey, chicken, etc.
• crisp, crumbled bacon

Add other vegetables and toppings depending on your preferences:

• 
  
  cauliflower, broccoli
• cucumber
• sprouts
• sesame seeds
• edamame
• tofu
• croutons

Dressing:

Use any dressing you prefer or offer a selection if you are serving to guests.

What is your favorite salad topping? Which dressing do you prefer for a mixed salad like this one? Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

TENDER BAKED MEATBALLS

So easy to make and versatile to use in many different ways. This recipe makes 36 meatballs that are two inches in diameter. Make a batch of these and freeze some for next time. Good in pasta dishes with a red sauce, on a meatball sandwich, as an appetizer with a marinara dipping sauce, sliced on a pizza or what ever you like.

To make shopping easier, use my handy printed shopping list. Click on the Shopping List tab above and you can print the pdf document.

For a printable version of this recipe without photos, click here.

BAKED HAM

Easter time is a great time to find a wide assortment of inexpensive hams. This one is about 10 pounds, butt cut, bone-in.

Thaw your ham if necessary. Rule of thumb is 4-6 hours per pound. So if your ham is 10 pounds, allow about 2 days to thaw in the refrigerator. Never thaw ham out on the counter. There is too much risk of bacterial growth. Your refrigerator is the best place to thaw any food.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

CORNED BEEF & VEGETABLES

Every year, corned beef is traditionally served for Saint Patrick's Day on March 17th. As much as I love tradition, I love a bargain even more! If you like corned beef, you can find it for a very low price the week before Saint Patrick's Day. I buy several and freeze the extras for later in the year.
Here is a very easy, basic dinner of corned beef, onions, potatoes, carrots and cabbage. It might also be called a New England boiled dinner, except, this is California and I put it all in a slow cooker.
Use your slow cooker for these types of meals and you'll not only save yourself time and effort, but it's economical as well. Next time, substitute a cut of roast beef or pork, instead of the corned beef, and you'll have a hot, delicious dinner waiting for you at the end of the day!

For a printable version of this recipe without photos, click here.

OLD FASHIONED MAC & CHEESE

Who can resist this warm, cheesey goodness? With the cold, rainy weather, I always turn to comfort food recipes. This mac and cheese casserole is so satisfying. Don't we all have a mac and cheese story? The best you ever tasted or the worst? Do you remember the first time you tried to make this dish? How did it turn out? I have searched for and experimented with all kinds of mac and cheese recipes and found this one to be the easiest and tastiest basic recipe. Try it yourself and let me know how it turns out.

To make shopping easier, use my handy printed shopping list. Click on the Shopping List tab above and you can print the pdf document.

For a printable version of this recipe without photos, click here.
   

JAMBALAYA with Chicken and Andouille Sausage

Every cook has his or her own special recipe for Jambalaya. We each put our own spin on it and you can too. One of my favorite childhood memories was when our friends, Irene and Lucien, came to visit. They were a lovely, warm, sweet, generous couple and every time we visited with them, the house was filled with incredible scents of exotic food. They were originally from Louisiana and Lucien had been a professional cook all his life. I remember him as a very tall and serene gentleman. He didn't talk much, and I remember seeing him standing in the kitchen, calmly creating masterpieces of flavorful food. Irene was my idol. She was tiny, fearless and full of energy. She never let anyone get away with any bull and she didn't take nonsense from anybody. We shared the same birthday, September 22nd, although we were decades apart in age, we had a special connection.

I cherish memories of sitting down to a meal that took days to prepare. Nothing fancy, nothing fussy, just really good, down-home cooking! I treasure the recipes from those days and have one here that you can make at home.

Last weekend I put together a pot of Jambalaya in honor of Irene and Lucien, Mardi Gras and the Saints winning the Superbowl. Seemed like a perfect reason to cook. (but, then what isn't?)

So here is my version of Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare this recipe. Allow at least 3 hours before you want to eat. This is not a difficult recipe, but it does take time. Get everyone involved! Share the preparation and share the love! Put your own twist on this recipe. Write and let me know how it turned out!

For a printable version of this recipe click here.
 

BAKED CHICKEN PIECES

Follow these simple, step-by-step directions and you will enjoy a delicious chicken dinner tonight! Bake more chicken than you need for one meal and you can use the leftovers for another dish. Try it cold on a salad or sandwich, add to a soup, a stir fry or mixed with vegetables for a pot pie. You have lots of delicious choices!

This recipe works best with pieces of chicken, not a whole chicken. That’s another recipe and uses a different technique.

First, determine how much chicken you have or want to bake. This recipe is for approximately 5 pounds. Adjust the ingredients and cooking time proportionately if you have more or less chicken.

For a printable version of this recipe without photos: click here