Category Archives: Main Dish

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

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Yum! Frying is something I don’t do very often so it’s definitely a treat for us. Everyone enjoyed it – even my pickiest eater. I love panko breadcrumbs because the texture creates the perfect, crunchy crust on whatever you stick it too. I have used it to top macaroni (twice), chicken parm, and mahi-mahi. I don’t even buy regular breadcrumbs anymore. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is easily modified if your family prefers more or less spice. Next time I might try more cayenne pepper or maybe I’ll add my homemade blackening seasoning to the panko. Oh, and if you don’t want to bother with pounding the chicken, you could use cutlets or chicken tenders and adjust the cooking time. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Crispy Chicken Sandwiches – Mom Makes…

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (I had 3 large)
  • 1 cup AP flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups panko
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • kosher salt and ground pepper
To finish the Sandwich:
  • sandwich rolls
  • pepper jack or your favorite cheese
  • Plum tomatoes, sliced
  • Romaine leaf lettuce
  • barbecue sauce, honey, ketchup or your preferred condiment
  • pickles
Directions –
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees and place a wire rack on top of a half sheet pan. Place chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag. Pound with the flat side of meat mallet until flattened to 1/2  inch thick. Once your chicken is pounded, cut each breast in half ( I ended up with 6 pieces). I did this so the chicken would fit better on the bun and also for easier cooking.
2. In a small bowl or shallow dish, season the flour with salt and black pepper, and lightly beat the eggs in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs with oregano, garlic, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
3. Dredge pieces in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the floured chicken into the egg and then coat with the panko mixture. Place on a plate to rest. Repeat with remaining pieces.
4.  Heat 1/ 2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, sprinkle a little flour over it. If it sizzles its ready. Fry chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
5. Once the chicken is done, place on the rack lined baking sheet and lightly salt while still hot then place the sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Assemble your sandwich and enjoy!

Salmon Baked in Foil

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Sockeye salmon was on sale at Publix this week. My family loves it and it’s definitely considered a treat so I wanted to find a recipe that was simple and had flavors that we could all enjoy. I have used this method of cooking salmon several times before. It’s so versatile and I usually season the fish with kosher salt, pepper, butter and lemon slices – it’ as easy as that.

Verdict: Yum – this was quick, easy and so flavorful. Baking salmon in foil is one of my favorite ways to cook fish, and the cleanup couldn’t be easier. Adjust the baking time based on the size of your fish because it’s really easy to over cook the fillets. Even though mine were a little over done (18 minutes for mine) they still tasted great. Tomorrow I’ll share the cheesy orzo we enjoyed with this, thanks for reading, enjoy!

Salmon Baked in Foil – adapted from Food Network

  • 4 (4 ounces each) salmon fillets
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 chopped shallots
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Directions –

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir the tomatoes, shallots, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Place a salmon fillet, oiled side down, atop a sheet of foil. Wrap the ends of the foil to form a spiral shape. Spoon the tomato mixture over the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and tomato mixture, covering completely; seal the packets closed. Place the foil packet on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat until all of the salmon have been individually wrapped in foil and placed on the baking sheet. Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Spaghetti Shrimp Scampi

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This was a quick and easy dinner that the whole family enjoyed. I didn’t change a thing about it either, but next time I may add a little more butter and lemon juice. If you like really saucy pasta dishes, you might find this too dry for you but that is easily remedied. Overall this was a light and flavorful dish that I will make again. Simple ingredients, simple steps equaled a new family favorite – you can’t beat that! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Spaghetti with Shrimp Scampi – adapted from Food Network

  • Kosher salt
  • 3/4 pound spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 lemon, zest grated
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
  • 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
  • 1/3 cup frozen peas (optional)
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Directions
In a large pot of boiling water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Pizza Bites

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This recipe has been on my list for a long time now. Today was a great day to try it because I had all of the ingredients sitting in the fridge – bits of mozzarella, already opened pepperoni and only one 18 ounce ball of dough (left over from calzone night). M was away golfing, so I decided to treat the kids and I to a fun dinner. How cute are these? And they’re so easy to put together. I divided my dough ball into 18 equal pieces, cut up cubes of mozzarella and cut my giant slices of pepperoni into thirds. These little bites would also make a perfect party appetizer.

Verdict: These were so yummy – the kids loved them too. The only problem is that 18 isn’t enough for the four of us, but lucky for them I wasn’t super hungry. Next time I’d double the amount, or make sure we eat a salad along with this. These will be in our rotation for sure, and I know that these would be well received at any party.

Pizza Bites – adapted from Annie’s Eats

  • 1 -18 ounce ball of dough, divided into 1 ounce pieces
  • 4 ounces mozzarella, cubed into 18 pieces
  • 6 large slices of pepperoni, cut into thirds
Topping –
  • Parmesan, Pecorino Romano
  • Pizza seasoning or oregano
  • olive oil
Directions –
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a pie dish with olive oil. For easy clean-up I use plastic wrap to cover my work surface 🙂
Flatten a piece of dough with the palm of your hand, place a slice of pepperoni and a cube of mozzarella cheese on top of the dough. Pull the dough around the filling and pinch closed. Place the ball seam-side down into the pie dish. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
2. Lightly brush the tops with olive oil, sprinkle with pizza seasoning and cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with pizza or marinara sauce if desired.

Shredded Pork Tacos

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This pork couldn’t be easier to prepare and it’s so flavorful. I love crock pots for this reason – set it and forget it. I haven’t made this recipe in at least a year and a half, but pork shoulder was only $1.77  a pound at Downtown Produce – dirt cheap! I love a good deal 🙂
I seasoned this the night before, wrapped it in plastic wrap and let it chill out overnight. I started it pretty early in the morning so it could cook for at least 8 hours, and shredded it with two forks once it was done. After cooking, I took out about 2 cups of the liquid just to make serving this less messy.
Verdict: So good – tender and flavorful. I served this with my taco/burrito go to “orange” rice and fresh pico de gallo. The leftovers will be even better and this makes a ton. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Pulled Pork Tacos – adapted from feasting.in
  • pork shoulder roast (mine was almost 3 pounds)
  • 4 tbsp. paprika (I used half smoked, half sweet)
  • 2 tbsp. black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tbsp. cumin
  • 2 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. oregano
  • 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
Directions –
1. Prep the night before – Mix up the seasoning well and liberally coat your pork roast, wrap in plastic and store in the fridge.
2. Place the roast and enough water to come up half the side of the meat. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Shred with two forks and enjoy with your favorite taco or burrito fixin’s.

Individual Calzone

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I’m on a mission to make sure my husband has good stuff to eat for lunch besides your basic sandwich, and this meal is a step in that direction. Unlike the giant one  I made before, this one will be meant for one person to enjoy. He requested sausage, bacon and olive (ick – I don’t like the last ingredient, but I love him so what the heck?)

These came together really easily, especially because I kept all the toppings in separate bowls. I rolled out the 8 ounce dough balls into 8 inch diameter circles and topped it with sausage, pepperoni, bacon, mushroom, tomato, cheese – not all in each though. Be sure not to roll out your dough to thin so you don’t end up with a tasty mess later. I vented the tops of each calzone and lightly coated them with olive oil for browning.

Verdict: Everyone loved these and I was reminded why I love this pizza dough recipe – it’s perfect! These will be a repeat in our house for sure. Next time, I’ll use less dough per kiddie sized calzone, probably 6 ounces instead of 8. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Mini Calzone – Mom Makes

  • 5 – 8 ounce balls of pizza dough
  • 1 cup cooked sausage
  • 2 ounces pepperoni, chopped
  • 3 strips of chopped bacon
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 4 baby Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 Roma tomato, chopped
  • sauce to dip in (we used marinara)
Directions –
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Roll out your dough 8 inches in diameter, place your favorite toppings on half of the dough and leave a good 1/2″ or more empty space around the edge. Fold into a half and crimp the edges to seal well. Cut some slits to vent and lightly brush the top with olive oil if desired. Place on a Silpat-lined (or foil) cookie sheet. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully place each calzone on a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich on Rosemary Focaccia

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Quick Post: Oh, this was so good! I think this focaccia is my favorite savory bread to date, and thankfully it’s my husband’s too. The last time I made it I baked two loaves off in a 9 inch cake pans; we used one for something that I don’t remember and the other one was stashed in the freezer. I marinated chicken cutlets in my favorite marinade, grilled it, fried up some bacon, sliced a perfect avocado and Roma tomato. I sliced and toasted the focaccia, placed baby swiss on each slice, topped it with a spring mix, and the rest of the toppings. It was the perfect sandwich 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Simple Marinade for Chicken – Mom Makes

  • 2 pounds chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness (or use chicken cutlets)
  • Juice of one lemon (adding the zest would be a nice touch)
  • 4-6 TBSP olive oil (depends on how much lemon juice – more acid vs. oil will cook the chicken)
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • oregano, parsley or your other favorite herb mixture – dried or fresh
Directions –
1. Place your prepared chicken in a Ziploc bag or some other sealable container.  Combine all marinade ingredients thoroughly, and pour over top of your chicken. Place the chicken into the fridge to marinade for 1 to 5 hours.

Super Nachos

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Quick Post:  This came together quickly, but I wish that I had more pepper jack to add to the queso sauce. It really could have used another cup of shredded cheese. I would also add more seasoning to the meat because that was kind of bland too. Overall, I wasn’t too impressed with this as is, but it can be easily tweaked to suit our tastes. So, it wasn’t a complete flop, but a good starting point for me to doctor up. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Super Nachos – adapted from Food Network
  • 1 large bag of tortilla chips
  • Homemade Pico de Gallo or salsa
Beef and Bean Topping –
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dark chili powder
  • 1 1/2 ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce, giving you medium to hot heat level
  • 1 can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Cheese Sauce –
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 3/4 pound pepper jack cheese, shredded, about 2 1/2 cups
Additional Toppings –
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped scallions
  • Chopped black olives
  • Diced pimento
  • Sliced avocado, dressed with lemon juice
  • Hot pepper sauces
Directions –

Arrange a mixture of 2 varieties of corn chips on a very large platter or use your broiler pan as a platter.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic, onion and peppers to the pan and saute 2 minutes, then add meat and crumble with wooden spoon. Season meat with salt, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper sauce. Cook meat 5 minutes, then stir in beans and reduce heat to low.

In a medium sauce pot, melt butter and add flour to it. Cook flour and butter 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat, then whisk in milk. When milk comes to a bubble, stir in cheese with a wooden spoon. Remove cheese sauce from the heat.

Pour cheese sauce evenly over the massive spread of chips and top evenly with beef and beans and the pico de gallo. UBER NACHOS! Serve immediately as is or, garnish with your choice of extra toppings from the toppings list

Creamy Chicken Taquitos and Tomatillo Salsa

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What do you do when you have lots of leftover roast chicken sitting in your fridge? You can make these for starters. I discovered this one over a year ago at Our Best Bites. They’re quick, easy and delicious and I don’t know why I haven’t shared these with you all before. These have some of my favorite flavors all rolled up in one package. I like to make my own tomatillo salsa for these because it’s so much more fresh and flavorful. It’s simple to make and always cheaper than store bought. I always omit the green onion cause M wouldn’t touch it, and I usually double this recipe because the leftovers are just as tasty.

Verdict: So good – or “yum” as my son put it. We enjoyed these with the leftover tomatillo salsa and our favorite tomato salsa. Oh, I used soft taco sized flour tortillas and we ended up with seven taquitos. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Tomatillo Salsa – Mom Makes

  • 8 to 10 small tomatillos, husked, rinsed and dried
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic with paper on
  • 1/2 small onion, paper off and cut into thirds
  • 1 jalapeno, stem cut and sliced in half from top to bottom
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 lime
  • cumin to taste
  • kosher salt to taste
Directions –
Turn on your broiler and while it’s heating, prepare your tomatillos, jalapeno, garlic and onion for roasting. Slice the tomatillos at the equator and place them on a foil lined baking sheet. Add the rest of your prepared vegetables to the baking sheet and place under the broiler – about 5 or 6 inches from the heating element. I roasted mine for about 10 minutes, but if you prefer more char on yours you can leave them in a little longer. Just keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Take them out and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack until they’re easier to handle. Take the paper of your garlic cloves in preparation for blending.
Using a food processor or blender, carefully place all the contents – including the juices into the work bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lime over all, sprinkle your cumin and salt, then add your cleaned cilantro leaves. Place the lid on and pulse until your desired consistency is achieved.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos – adapted from Our Best Bites

  • 1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
  • 1/4 C green salsa
  • 1T fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 t cumin
  • 1 t chili powder
  • 1/2 t onion powder
  • 1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
  • 3 T chopped cilantro
  • 2 T sliced green onions
  • 2 C shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 C grated pepper jack cheese
  • small flour or corn tortillas
  • cooking spray or vegetable oil
  • kosher salt (optional)
Directions –
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, and roll them up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

BBQ Chicken & Bacon Pizza

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This is M’s fave. He loves the smoked Gouda with our fave barbecue sauce and roasted chicken combo – oh, and I can’t forget the cilantro or the bacon. I baked of some thick cut bacon for this (400 degrees for 25 minutes) and it was perfectly crispy. When I need shredded chicken, I always buy chicken breast with skin and rib bones which I then roast at 350 for 30-35 minutes. I simply season them with olive oil, kosher salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper – it’s perfect and juicy every time. This time I tried fresh mozzarella (the kind packed in water) and it was nice and creamy. I recommend letting the cut pieces dry a little on some paper towel before you put it on the pizza. I was reminded why this was his favorite, it was so good; and the flavors are wonderfully complimentary to each other, It’s a party in your mouth, people! Just try it 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza –

    • 1 – 15 ounce ball of pizza dough, I always use this recipe
    • 1/3 cup of store bought BBQ sauce, I used this
    • 1/2 cup smoked Gouda cheese
    • 3 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese, torn
    • 1/8 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
    • 4 – 6 ounces shredded, cooked chicken – sauced with a few tablespoons of BBQ and ranch dressing – trust me on this one!
    • 3 slices of crispy bacon, sliced
    • Fresh cilantro (optional)  if you have it
    • Pizza seasoning and dried oregano (optional)

Directions –

*Preheat your oven to 475 about 15 minutes before you make your pizza. I use a pizza stone and place it on the lowest rack of my oven.

1. On a piece of parchment paper, shape the pizza dough into the desired diameter. I use a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Work from the inside out, and gradually move your hands away from the center of the dough. You could also do this with a rolling pin – I happen to love using my hands for the job. Once you’ve achieved the size you want, take a fork and poke the tines all over the surface of the dough.

2. Spread the bbq sauce all over, making sure to leave about an inch around the circumference. Next, take your torn mozzarella and place on top of the sauce. Because it’s fresh mozzarella, you can leave lots of empty space because this type of mozz melts beautifully and spreads itself nicely when heated. I love the stuff!  Add some smoked Gouda and top with your roasted chicken, bacon, more cheese, cilantro leaves and dried seasoning if desired.

3. Carefully transfer the pizza – still on its parchment paper to an upside-down sheet pan. I use it like a pizza peel to move it to the stone in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes. Using the sheet pan again, remove the pizza from the oven and place the parchment paper and all onto a cooling rack.