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Category: Main Dishes

main dish recipes

  • Garlic Lime Fajitas (from McCormick’s Recipe Inspirations)

    This recipe came from McCormick’s Recipe Inspirations and we decided to make it when a friend gave us a package containing the ingredients pre-portioned. This meal is perfect for a busy weeknight when all you need is a few ingredients and a few minutes…

    1/4 Cup fresh lime juice
    1/4 Cup fresh orange juice
    1 Tsp garlic powder
    1 Tsp cumin
    1 Tsp onion flakes
    1 Tsp black pepper
    1 Tsp cilantro
    1 Tsp oregano
    1 Cup sliced onion
    1 Cup sliced peppers (pick your favorite colors)
    1 Large chicken breast, sliced

    Combine seasonings and lime/orange juice in a mixing cup and stir and set aside.

    You can cook the chicken and onion/peppers using a regular skillet, an iron skillet or using the barbecue. We used a stove top cast iron grill and it worked great.

    Start by grilling the chicken and add 1/2 of the seasoning to the chicken as you grill. Cook the chicken until it is almost done, (6-7 min) and set aside momentarily.

    Add peppers and onions to the grill and cook until nearly done (3-4 min). Add chicken back to the grill and stir in the remaining seasoning and cook for another 3 min and remove from the grill and cover.

    Using the hot grill (or your preferred method) warm tortillas and serve on the side.

  • Caprese and Egg White Breakfast Sandwich

    Bread is optional, if you are looking for a low carb and low cal breakfast try without the bread or bun! In this version we used bagel thins.

    1/2 Pint of grape tomatoes, halved
    1 Tbsp butter
    1 Clove of garlic, crushed
    1 Tbsp chopped basil
    1 Cup of egg whites
    2 Tbsp of shredded mozzarella
    4 Slices of bread/roll of choice

    Saute tomatoes, garlic and basil in melted butter over medium heat. When tomatoes are soft, add egg whites and fold ingredients together to ensure even distribution. Cook until eggs are done and remove from heat. Remember egg whites cook quickly, so keep an eye on them. Add cheese to the hot eggs so that it melts slightly. Load eggs onto bread, cut and serve!

    Caprese and Egg White Breakfast Sandwich
    Caprese and Egg White Breakfast Sandwich

  • Linguine Carbonara

    6 Chopped bacon slices or 1 Cup of diced pancetta
    2 Tbsp olive oil
    4 Crushed garlic cloves
    1/2 Tbsp minced rosemary
    1 minced/seeded jalapeno (optional)
    2/3 Lb cooked linguine
    3 Eggs
    3/4 grated Parmesan/Agiago/Pecorino cheese blend
    2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
    Pinch of pepper

    Combine first five ingredients and 1/4 cup of water in a skillet. Cook over medium-high heat so the water evaporates and the bacon/pancetta crisps; about 12 minutes. If using pancetta, you may want to crisp it slightly before adding the water and other ingredients just to give it a head start.

    Add cooked linguine to the skillet and toss. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, cheese, parsley and pepper together and whisk in 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. Toss with pasta until creamy.

  • Basil and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

    1 1-1.5 Lb Pork Tenderloin (for 2)
    1 Tbsp chopped garlic
    3/4 Cup chopped basil
    3/4 Cup crumbled goat cheese
    1 Tsp lemon pepper
    1 Tsp salt
    1 Cup of grape tomatoes
    Cooking twine or bamboo skewers for roast

    Pre-heat oven to 375. Cut tomatoes in half, toss with (olive oil – pinch of salt/pepper) and arrange on cookie sheet or roasting pan. Once the oven is ready, place the tomatoes in the over for about 10 – 15 minutes or until nicely roasted.

    Butterfly pork tenderloin using a sharp knife. Place sheet of wax/parchment paper over the butterflied pork and use a mallet to flatten out the roast. Be sure to flatten the roast evenly so when you roll the roast together with the filling inside the meat will cook evenly.

    Combine the garlic, basil, goat cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

    Spoon mixture evenly into the middle of the flattened pork roast and roll the meat until the roast is evenly closed and the mixture is sealed inside. Place the meat in a roasting pan and bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for a few minutes and top with roasted tomatoes.

  • Beef Roast Tacos

    This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence’s “Mexican Pot Roast Tacos” from Dinner at My Place

    2-3 Lbs of beef roast
    1 Tsp Kosher salt
    1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
    1 Large onion, cut into wedges
    3 Cloves of garlic, smashed
    1 28-Oz can of whole, peeled tomatoes
    1 Dried jalapeno
    1 Tbsp ground cumin
    1 Tbsp smoked paprika
    1 Tsp ancho chile powder
    1/2 Bunch fresh cilantro
    2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
    8 Corn tortillas
    1/2 Bunch fresh cilantro
    1/3 Lb of Cotija cheese, crumbled
    2 Limes cut into wedges

    Salt and pepper beef roast on all sides. Set pot on range and heat to medium-high with a drizzle of olive oil in the bottom. Brown roast on all sides until there is a nice brown crust – roughly 2 min a side. Add garlic and onion to the bottom of the pan while browning the roast so they begin to caramelize slightly. Once browning is complete add tomatoes and juice to the pot. Also add cumin, ancho chile, smoked paprika, dried jalapeno and cilantro. Also add about 2 cups of water and lower heat to low and simmer for 2 hours – until beef is fork tender. Once cooked, use a fork or spoon to break apart the roast and allow some time for beef to soak up the juices.

    To prepare the tortillas, ideally, use a cast-iron piastra on the stove top and warm the corn tortillas on each side. If you don’t have a piastra, a cast-iron skillet will work. If not a regular skillet will work just fine!

    Once you are ready to plate the tortillas, scoop the beef into the tacos and sprinke with Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.
    Browning the Roast
    Adding Tomatoes and Cilantro

  • Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Thyme and Garlic

    This recipe is a simple and delicious way to roast/bake a chicken with lemon, thyme and garlic cloves.

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

    1 Cleaned and prepped roasting chicken (roughly 4 – 5 lbs)
    4-6 garlic cloves
    4 Thyme sprigs
    2 Lemons, halved
    1 Pinch of salt
    1 Pinch of pepper
    1/4 Tbsp of Italian seasoning

    Place chicken in a roasting pan and ensure the cavity is emptied of the neck and other chicken parts. Add the garlic, lemon and thyme in sets of 2 and try to ensure a even distribution so the flavors work evenly in the roasting process.

    Sprinkle salt, pepper and Italian seasoning evenly over the top of the chicken. Place the chicken in the oven and bake at 400 for 60 – 70 minutes. Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes prior to carving.

  • Baked Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic

    5 Cups peeled and chopped apples (preferably Braeburn or Gravenstein)
    1 Tsp chopped fresh sage
    1/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
    1/8 Tsp ground nutmeg
    4 Cloves of garlic, chopped
    1/2 Tsp salt
    Cooking or olive oil mister
    8 Chicken thighs
    1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper

    Preheat oven to 475

    Combine apples, sage, cinnamon. nutmeg and garlic. Add salt and stir. Spread the apple mixture on the bottom of a pyrex roasting pan coated with olive oil or cooking spray.

    Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and arrange on the top of the apple mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done and apples are tender. Remove chicken and set aside; use potato masher to slightly mash the apple mixture and serve with the chicken.

    Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples
    Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples

  • Sesame and Orange Cedar Plank Pork Tenderloin

    1 to 2 Lb pork tenderloin
    Zest of 1 medium orange
    Juice of 1 medium orange
    1 Medium shallot, diced
    4 Garlic cloves, diced
    1/3 Cup soy sauce
    3/4 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
    1/4 Cup brown sugar
    2 Tbsp garlic powder
    1-2 Sprigs of rosemary
    1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme

    Soak cedar plank for at least an hour before grilling. Wash meat, pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

    For the marinade, combine the orange zest, orange juice, shallot, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, rosemary and thyme in a resealable plastic bag. Mix well and then add the meat. Be sure to gently move the tenderloin around so the meat is completely covered with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, ideally overnight.

    Remove the meat from the refrigerator around 30 minutes before grilling to allow the meat to come to room temp.

    Prepare the cedar plank by placing the plank on the hot grill. After about 1-2 minutes flip the plank over and place the meat on the side that was facing down. Close lid and grill for about 20 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads between 150 and 160 degrees. Remove meat from the grill and allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes.

  • Grilled Chicken with Cucumber-Melon Salsa

    4-6 (6 oz) Skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs
    4 Cups of buttermilk

    For Salsa:
    1 Cup Cubed honeydew melon
    1 Cup cubed cantaloupe
    1/2 Cup Diced peeled English cucumber
    1/2 Cup diced onion
    1/4 Cup chopped fresh mint
    1 Tsp lime zest
    2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
    2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    2 Tsp diced jalapeno pepper
    1 Tsp light agave nectar
    3/4 Tsp kosher salt
    1/2 Tsp fresh ground black pepper

    Pre-soak chicken in buttermilk for an hour or so. Buttermilk helps chicken retain moisture while cooking and ensures a rich flavor.

    Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Combine ingredients for salsa stirring in 1/4 Tsp salt and 1/4 Tsp pepper.

    Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 Tsp salt and 1/4 Tsp black pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk and grill 5-7 min on each side until done. Serve with salsa; garnish with mint sprigs if desired.

  • Grilled Chicken with Lemon, Garlic, Rosemary and Sage

    2 Bone-in chicken breasts (with skin)
    2 Sprigs of rosemary (or one large one halved)
    1 Clove of garlic
    1 Sprig of sage
    1 Fresh lemon
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1/4 Tsp kosher salt
    1/4 Tsp freshly ground black pepper

    Prepare the chicken by trimming off excess fat. Slightly separate skin from flesh and lightly brush both breasts on the flesh with olive oil. Add salt, pepper and coarsely chopped garlic. Slice lemon into whole rings thin enough to slide under the skin. Insert rosemary and sage sprigs between the skin and the flesh and then add one to two lemon slices, press the skin and all ingredients to the flesh slightly to secure. Refrigerate for several hours if possible to increase flavor.

    Prepare charcoal for medium to medium-high heat or pre-heat your gas grill to medium or medium-high heat. Place breasts on the grill bone side down, positioning the thicker part of the breasts over the hotter portion of the grill. After about 5-7 minutes flip the breasts so they are skin side down and position the breasts so the thicker portion is still over the hotter portion of the grill. The skin should be fine, but in case it creates flare-ups it may be good to keep a spray-bottle full of water nearby to extinguish flare-ups. After 6 Minutes flip the breasts back to bone side down position and continue to grill them for another 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. On average you will need to grill medium sized bone-in breasts for 22-25 minutes. If the meat is charring slightly you can move the meat toward the cooler sections of the grill. Remove meat from the grill and let rest for several minutes. Remove skin before serving, leaving lemon and rosemary for presentation.