Good morning, friends! Happy first Monday of this new normal for all of us. Since most of us have full houses this week, I thought a roundup of the most popular recipes I’ve posted on this site would be helpful. Most of these dishes can be made with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions! Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m ready to help!
Balsamic Pork and Vegetables
This recipe serves 4, but I doubled it for my crew and it was inspired by EatWell101.
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 1 pound Brussel sprouts, rinsed and halved
- 1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (I purchase the pre-cubed squash that you can find in the produce section at your grocery store)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Parmesan cheese for garnish
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 450. Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper.
- Whisk or blend the following in a food processor to make the sauce: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary leaves, Italian seasoning, honey, and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork tenderloin and cook, turning frequently until brown on all sides, about 10-12 minutes.
- In the meantime, line a sheet pan with tin foil. Spread Brussel sprouts and diced butternut squash, season with salt and pepper and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil. Push veggies to the side to make room for the pork tenderloin.
- Once browned, transfer the pork tenderloin to the sheet pan. Baste the tenderloin with half the balsamic sauce and drizzle on the Brussel sprouts with the sauce as well. Roast in oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the pork is done and Brussel sprouts are nicely browned.
- Cut the pork tenderloin into thick 1/2-inch slices and serve with the other half of the balsamic sauce on top. Sprinkle the roasted Brussel sprouts with Parmesan. Garnish the whole dish with chopped parsley.
I served this with a side of brown rice.
Baked Parmesan Chicken and Grandma’s Onion Rice
Parmesan Chicken Ingredients and Instructions:
- Chicken breasts or thighs (as many as you need to feed your crew, but for this recipe I will assume 6)
- 1 stick of melted butter
- 1/2 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 T. basil
- 1 T. garlic powder
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken breasts on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Coat chicken breasts in melted butter and then bread crumbs. Sprinkle garlic powder, basil, and shaved parmesan cheese on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until chicken has that nice crusty, brown top. I’ve even been known to do this with frozen chicken breasts and then just use the Convection setting on my oven at 350 for just a little bit longer…maybe 35-45 minutes total.
For a side, Grandma’s rice casserole is the best.
Rice Casserole Ingredients and Instructions:
- 1 cup regular rice
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1 can French onion soup
- 1/2 stick butter
I usually double this recipe for my crew.
Combine these ingredients in a casserole dish and bake at 350 for one hour.
I serve this dish with a side of asparagus and a mixed greens salad.
One-Pot Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice
This is another recipe from my pal Courtney at @alifefromscratch. I did double the following recipe for my crew and there wasn’t even a little bit left.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1/2 zucchini, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups salsa verde
- 1 cup long grain rice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime juice, for serving
- Avocado, radishes, and jalapeno (if you like a little heat!) sliced for topping
Instructions:
- Get a pot going on medium heat with the butter. Add in the chicken and cook for 5 minutes or so, until browned. Add in the veggies and cook another few minutes.
- Pour in the stock, salsa, rice and bring to a boil. Cover and lower to low heat for 20-25 minutes or so, until the rice has absorbed most (if not all) of the liquid.
- Season with salt and pepper. Stir in your fresh cilantro and lime juice. Top with avocado, radishes, jalapeno, and more cilantro. Enjoy!
Easy Chicken Stir Fry
Adapted from SkinnyTaste.com, this dinner was quick to make, healthy to eat, and a hit with everyone at my table.
Ingredients (this recipe serves 4)
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon canola oil divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 pound chicken breast (sliced very thinly)
- 2 cups zucchini (cut 1/4 inch thick half moons)
- Sesame seeds and scallions for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the soy sauce, chicken broth, corn starch, mirin, sugar, and sesame oil and whisk until everything is completely dissolved.
- In a large skillet, add one teaspoon canola oil on medium high heat and cook half the chicken until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside on a plate.
- Repeat with the second half of the chicken and an additional teaspoon of oil. Remove the chicken to the plate.
- Add in the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil, garlic, and ginger and cook for 30-45 seconds until very fragrant but not browned.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger and add in the sauce, whisking well. Cook the sauce 1 minute, then add in the zucchini and cook for 2 minutes more, until thickened and the zucchini is tender crisp. Remove from heat, add in the chicken, and stir well to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions if desired.
I served this dinner over brown rice to fill up my crew.
Chicken Pot Pie
This pot pie is something my family could eat on repeat. The beauty is that you can use whatever veggies you have on hand.
Ingredients:
- 1 rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup chopped asparagus
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 1/2 cup sliced celery
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon tarragon
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 (9 inch) pie crusts
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease pie dish and place one of the pie crusts at the bottom. Place shredded chicken in the bottom of the pie crust.
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions, carrots, mushrooms, and asparagus (or whatever veggies you like…green beans or peas are good too!) until softened. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, celery seed, and tarragon. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid over mixture. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over mixture. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. If you’re feeling fancy, you can brush the top crust with butter and/or an egg wash.
Bake in the preheated oven from 35 to 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
I hope these recipes are helpful! Hang in there!
xo,
