Oh Boy! You will love this Jalapeño Cornbread recipe.  It is easy and delicious.  There is plenty of room to customize it to your heat level.  When we eat jalapenos we want to know it.  Please do not tell me that using your mother’s nasty cast iron skillet that nobody has washed since the 1960s is the only way to make cornbread.  We can agree to disagree on that point.  It is advised, however, that you use a heavy glass or ceramic casserole pan and heat it before adding the ingredients. Agreed? OK, let’s get cooking.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons – Bacon Grease
• 2 Tablespoons – Butter
• 1 Cup – Corn Meal
• 1 Cup – White Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon – Baking Soda
• 2 Teaspoons – Baking Powder
• 2 Each – Large Eggs
• 1.25 Cups – Water
• 4 Each – Large Jalapenos, diced small
• 1/2 Cup – Canned Whole Kernel Corn
• 1 Cup – Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1/2 Teaspoon – Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon – Salt

Preparation

1. Place a 9″ x 9″ ceramic or glass casserole pan in the oven. (or your nasty old cast iron skillet)  Add the bacon grease and butter to the pan.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. You may opt to use rubber gloves for this step. Slice 9 or 12  jalapeno slices to garnish the top of the cornbread from on of the jalapenos.  Chop the remaining 3 1/2 jalapenos into small pieces.
3. Add all of your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl along with the eggs and mix thoroughly, but not too much.
5. Using good oven mittens, rotate hot pan to allow the bacon grease and butter to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
6. Pour the cornbread mixture into the pan.  Garnish with jalapenos.
7. Cook for 20 – 24 minutes.
8. Hey the pan and oven are still hot.  Make another batch!
9. Serve hot along with butter.

Serving suggestions

This simple dish can stand alone for a great winter snack or light lunch, along with a tall glass of iced tea.  The cornbread in this post did just that.  You can also double or triple this recipe, add it to your favorite pot of beans for an easy and hearty meal that will feed a small army.

This easy basic chowder recipe can be used with almost any featured ingredient.  My plan was to make Shrimp Chowder.  Fresh shrimp were in the house.  We invited our friends Bobby and Susan to join our family for Sunday dinner.  Bobby is allergic to shrimp.  We switched gears and used Chicken as the protein and the chowder was wonderful!  You can use clams, shrimp, your favorite white fish or even chicken with this recipe.

Chowder Ingredients

• 1.5 Tablespoons – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Each – Large Onion, diced
• 4 Each – Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 4 Each –  Carrots, diced very small
• 1 Cup – White Wine
• 1/2 Cup – All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon – Salt
• 1 Tablespoon  – Ground Black Pepper
• 1 15.25 oz. Can –  Whole corn
• 8 Cups – Water
• 2 Cups – Heavy Cream
• 3 Large – Russet Potatoes, diced small
• 3 Cups –  Stock (Fish, Chicken or Shrimp)
• 2 Cups – Your favorite protein, diced clams, medium shrimp, fish or cooked diced chicken
• 2 Tablespoons – Fresh or Dry Parsley
• 10 oz. –  Frozen English Peas

Preparation

1. In a very large Dutch oven, saute the onion and carrots in the extra virgin olive oil.
2. As the onions become clear, add the garlic.
3. Stir in the flour.
4. Add the liquid ingredients, seasoning and the whole corn.
5. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes until the carrots become softer, but not too soft.
6. Add the potatoes and simmer until they become soft, but do not break down.
7. Add the protein and continue to cook until the protein is fully cooked.  For the pre-cooked chicken, it can tolerate more heat than the fish.
8. Add the parsley, peas and anything else you decided to throw in the pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with a fresh salad and some hot buttery garlic bread.  Mmmmm!

Serves 6 adults and a bunch of loud kids.  Expect to find a few English peas on a plate or two after the meal.

“Who didn’t eat their peas?”

Try this elegant meal to prepare for your family that will be hearty and delicious!  This is a favorite dish that will taste even better than you remember it.  There are no prepackaged mixes or red and white labeled soup cans, just natural ingredients.  This is Beef Stroganoff the way it was intended to be cooked.

Preparing this meal was special because ALL the cooking was done by my oldest grandson.  He is 12 year old.  I became the coach and he did all the cooking.

Stroganoff Ingredients

• 4-5 Pound – Beef Roast, either chuck roast or arm roast
• 2 Tablespoons – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Teaspoons – Salt
• 1 Teaspoon – Ground Black Pepper
• 3 Tablespoons – Stick Butter
• 1 Each – Large Onion, diced
• 12 Ounces – White Mushrooms, sliced
• 4 Cloves – Garlic, minced
• 1/4 Cup – Flour
• 3/4 Cup – White Wine
• 4 Cups – Beef Broth
• 1/2 Cup – Fresh Parsley Leaves (optional)
• 1/2 Cup – Sour Cream – (optional)

Egg Noodle Ingredients

• 16 Ounces –  Dried Egg Noodles, wide noodles are preferred
• 1 Teaspoon – Salt
• 2 Tablespoons – Stick Butter

Preparation

1. Cut roast into slices and then again into strips so the meat is similar to fajita strips, about 3/8″.
2. Brown the meat on high (or nearly high) heat in a large deep skillet in the 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, along with the salt and pepper.  Initially it will produce liquids that will boil off. Then the heat of the skillet will produce a nice char.  You will need to turn the meat often to prevent burning.
3. Remove the meat. Leave the flavored remains in the skillet.  Add the butter, onions, mushrooms and garlic.  Cook over low/medium  heat until the onions become clear.
4. When the onions are clear add the flour and stir until the onions and mushrooms are coated with flour.
5. Add the white wine and beef broth.  Bring to a slow boil.
6. Return the meat to the deep skillet and cook covered under a lid for approximately 70 minutes, or until meat is very tender, but not falling apart.
7. As the beef is cooking, prepare the noodles according the the package instructions.  Otherwise boil the noodles in a large saucepan of water along the 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of salt. After they become soft, drain the noodles and add 1 teaspoon of butter to the hot noodles to prevent them from sticking and to provide some buttery goodness!
8. Stack the stroganoff mixture over noodles.  Serve with a garnish of sour cream and parsley, if desired.
9. Don’t plan on having any left overs.  Your family will eat until it’s gone!

Serves 6 adults and a bunch of kids.  In this case one kid left with an extra large smile on his face for preparing his first meal.

Ingredients

• 1 quart – Whole Milk
• 1 Quart – Half & Half
• 1 Quart – Heavy Cream
• 3 Cups – Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon – Salt
• 1 Tablespoon – Vanilla Extract
• Ice Cream Salt

Heat the whole milk to room temperature and dissolve the sugar into the milk.  Combine the milk products along with the sugar, salt and vanilla extract in the 5 quart drum.  Fill the surrounding space in the outer drum with ice, adding a generous amount of rock salt in layers.  Plug ice cream machine into the grounded AC outlet.  Monitor it until the motor binds and can no longer turn.  Unplug it immediately.  This will take approximately 30 minutes.

Enjoy!  There is nothing like it!

If you are looking for something different for Sunday dinner this week, give this exciting dish a try.  The combination of flavors produced from the lemon, juice, olives and brine, white wine, rosemary and garlic is incredible!  The flavors are complex, but preparation is very easy.  Your family will LOVE it.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon – Extra virgin Olive Oil
• 12 Each – Fresh Chicken Thighs, with skin and bones
• 2 Teaspoons – Salt
• 2 Teaspoons – Black Pepper
• 5 Cloves – Fresh Garlic, minced
• 2 Each – Small Lemons, quartered and juiced
• 30 Each – Greek Olives, use a variety of green and black olives with pits
• 2 Sprigs – Fresh Rosemary
• 1/4 Cup – White Wine

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add a generous portion of salt and pepper to the chicken thighs.
3. Seer chicken thighs in a medium-hot skillet in the olive oil in a large skillet.  Seer first on the skin side, then on the bone side.
4. 12 thighs will take two cycles with approximately 5-10 minutes on each side.
5. Place thighs in a large casserole pan.
6. Add 1 cup of liquid produced from the skillet
7. Add 1/4 cup of white wine.
8. Add the garlic, lemons and olives. 
9. Bake uncovered for approximately 45 – 55 minutes until chicken is tender to the fork.

Feeds 8 adults and a bunch of young kids that asked, “Why did Papa put twigs on the chicken?”

Tip: I began with a 10 pound bag of leg quarters. That equaled 12 thighs and 12 legs.   I removed the “drumsticks” and prepared them on the gas grill for the young children.  Everyone had exactly what they wanted, and there were only a couple of pieces left over.

Thanks to singer Lucy Kaplansky for the recipe tip and Amanda Jones for the rosemary.

This is an easy and fast dinner for Sunday Night.  If you have never tried a recipe from this site, you have to try this one.  Make it your own!

Ingredients

• 2 Each –  Large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1.5 Pounds – Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1 Each – 28 oz. Can of Green Chili Enchilada Sauce (Verde enchilada sauce)
• 1 Each – 4.5 oz. Can of Green Chiles, chopped
• 8 oz. – Regular Sour Cream
• 21 Each – Corn Tortillas
• Garnish of chopped tomatoes and/or sliced olives

Preparation

1. Boil chicken breasts for approximately one hour until is shreds easily with a fork.
2. Chop shredded chicken into small pieces
3. Combine enchilada sauce, chilis, and sour cream and mix with a whisk
4. Coat the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ casserole pan with a small amount of mixed enchilada sauce.
5. Prepare for 3 layers of the following: flour tortillas, shredded chicken mixed enchilada sauce and cheese.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove foil and lightly brown cheese.
7. Garnish with sour cream, black olive slices and/or tomatoes.

Serves 6 adults and a bunch of kids asking for seconds.

Ingredients

• 2 Pounds – Fresh (never frozen) Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 24 Ounces – 1.5 Pounds of Dry Pasta (Penne or Bow-tie is preferred)
• 4 Tablespoons – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Large – Red Onion, Chopped
• 2 Teaspoons – Dried Oregano
• 2 Cups – Greek Kalamata Olives, drained
• 4 Cloves –  Fresh Garlic, Minced
• 2 – 14 oz Cans of Artichoke Hearts, in Water, drained
• 1 Cup – Fresh Mint, Chopped Finely
• 2 Large – Tomatoes, Chopped
• 2 Cups – Crumbled Feta Cheese
• 1/2 Cup – Fresh Parsley, Chopped
• 2 Each – Lemons, Juiced
• 1 Teaspoon – Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon – Black Pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare pasta according to package instructions, using a generous portion of olive oil in the water to prevent sticking, and a teaspoon of salt. Cook until pasta is al dente.
2. Saute onions and minced garlic in the olive oil in a very large skillet on medium heat until the onions are almost clear.
3. Add chicken and stir often until chicken is fully cooked
4. Add the balance of the ingredients (except for the pasta and 1/2 of the feta cheese) and continue to cook for approximately 10 more minutes.
5. Drain pasta and add to the skillet.
6. Blend the ingredients until all of the flavorful ingredients are coating the pasta.
7. Serve and garnish with the balance of feta cheese.

Add a Fresh Garden Salad and your favorite European bread and you are done.

Serves 8 adults and a bunch of non Greek kids.

Check out our recipe for Chicken Enchilada Casserole here.  Living in Texas, we have grown to LOVE Tex-Mex food.  I love beef enchiladas.  I just don’t like the work involved.  Half of the time the shape of the enchiladas is irrelevant because the serving spatula is slicing through them like any other casserole.  So this one takes just a few minutes to prepare and it tastes great!

Ingredients

• 2 Pounds –  Lean (80/20) Ground Beef
• 1.5 Pounds – Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1 Each – 28 oz. Can of Crushed Tomatoes – Cento brand is preferred.
• 1 Each – 14oz. Can of Rotel Mild Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis
• 1 Each – Large Onion, diced
• 1 Each – Yellow Bell Pepper, diced
• 21 Each – Corn Tortillas
• 4 Cloves –  Garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon – Black Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon – Ground Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon – Salt
• 1 Tablespoon – Chili Powder
• 2 Teaspoons – Granulated Garlic
• Garnish of chopped tomatoes and/or sliced olives

Preparation

1. Brown ground beef and drain the grease.
2. Add the Garlic, onions bell pepper and seasoning, stirring frequently.
3. After onions and bell peppers begin to soften in about 15 minutes, add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes.
4. Continue to cook over medium heat for approximately 45 more minutes until onions and bell pepper are soft and sauce is rich and delicious.
5. Coat the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ casserole pan with a small amount of mixed enchilada sauce. Prepare for 3 layers of the following: flour tortillas, beefy enchilada sauce, shredded cheese.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove foil and lightly brown cheese.
7. Garnish with sour cream, black olive slices and/or tomatoes.

Serves 6 adults and a bunch of kids asking “aren’t enchiladas round?”

Ingredients

• 24 Each – Jumbo Corn Taco Shells
• 2 Pounds – Lean Ground Beef 90/10
• 1/2 Cup – Tone’s Taco Seasoning
• 1 1/3 Cup – Water from the Rio Grande River, or your kitchen
• 2 Each – Medium Tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/4 Head – Iceberg Lettuce, shredded
• 2 Cups – Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1 Cup –  Cilantro Leaves
• 1 Cup – Sour Cream
• 1 Cup – Sliced Black Olives
• 1 Cup – Salsa

Preparation

1. Brown lean ground beef.
2. Drain excess fat, add water and Tone’s Taco Seasoning.
3. Simmer 10-15 minutes.
4. Build a platter of crispy tacos or set out the ingredients and let everyone build their own.  There may be a future for them at Taco Bell!

Feeds 8 adults and a handful of kids that will tilt their heads to prevent spilling the filling.

Serve with rice, beans, chips, more salsa and guacamole. Ole!

Many families associate roasted ham with the premier Christian holidays, Christmas and Easter.  When my mother-in-law arrived for this ham dinner, she asked, “what’s the special occasion?”  At our house, getting together each Sunday and enjoying the fellowship is a special occasion, each week.  This is a super easy dish and your family will LOVE it.

Ingredients

• 1 Each – Bone In Ham, 12- 15 pounds
• 1 Each – Fresh Pineapple
• 10 Ounce Jar – Maraschino Cherries
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 12 Ounce –  Lemon Lime Soda, Sprite(R) or 7 Up(R)
• Tooth Picks

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Place ham in a deep roasting pan.  We used a disposable roasting pan for easy clean-up.
3. Score ham 1/8″ deep in a cross-hatched diamond pattern.
4. Mix 1/2 ounce of lemon lime soda in the brown sugar and pour the thick mix over the ham.
5. Pour the remainder of the can in the pan.
6. Cut the pineapple into strips and place the “saddles” over the ham for maximum contact.
7. Secure with toothpicks and add Maraschino cherries.
8. Cook COVERED with heavy duty foil for 5 hours.
9. Remove foil and cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, being careful not to burn the ham.
10. Allow ham to rest 30 minutes before cutting.

If you have ever had this dish with canned pineapple rings, you will be pleased with the rich, sweet flavor provided by FRESH pineapple.

You will Feeds 15 to 20 adults, and a bunch of kids that want to hang around during the carving stage for samples!

The cooked ham also freezes well.