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Look below to see my recipes for meats and other main dishes.
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Turkey Pot Pie
Turkey Pot Pie
My family always makes sure there is turkey leftover from holiday dinners because they can’t wait to have my comforting Turkey Pot Pie. It's also easy enough to pull off for a weeknight.
Ingredients:
- Two crust pie crust
- 1 small pkg frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped fine
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped fine
- 2 cups grated cheddar
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 cups diced turkey
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Line deep dish pie pan with 1 pie crust.
- In a large bowl, mix turkey, vegetables, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne and two tablespoons flour.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt butter. Add 4 tablespoons flour and stir until flour is cooked and a roux is formed, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in milk and chicken broth. Continue whisking until mixture is smooth and starts to thicken. Whisk in garlic and mustard. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted.
- Pour over turkey and vegetable mixture. Stir until coated. Pour into deep dish pie pan lined with crust. Add top crust. Cut slits into top crust for venting. Brush to top with milk. Bake in 425 F oven for 45 minutes.
- Let rest at least 20 minutes before serving to allow filling to set.
Additional notes: This is a great way to use canned chicken too. Rinse and drain the canned chicken first. For a change, I have also made it with canned tuna.
Veal Marsala and Veal Piccata
Veal Marsala
Just pick the sauce you are craving. The preparations are very similar.
Ingredients:
- 4-6 Veal cutlets
- ½ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter (more may be needed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (more may be needed)
For Marsala Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot, chopped ( you can substitute ½ small onion)
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup Marsala wine
- ¾ cup beef broth (you can use chicken broth)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Preparation:
- For veal to be the most tender, it is best to pound it into a ¼ inch thick piece. I usually start by placing plastic wrap over the countertop, placing the veal slices onto the plastic wrap and then covering with another piece of plastic wrap. Using a meat hammer or rolling pin, pound the veal starting from the center until it is even and about ¼ inch thick.
- Season the veal with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Shake off the excess flour. Place the veal on a plate.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Don’t crowd the meat in the pan. Cook about 1 ½ minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to serving platter and loosely cover. Repeat with remaining veal, adding more butter and oil as needed.
- Once all the veal is cooked, add 1 tablespoon butter, the shallots and mushrooms to the pan cook until mushrooms are soft , about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 1 minute. Add marsala to the skillet to deglaze the pan. Be sure to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking on medium high heat the wine is reduced by half ~ 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil, boil for about 8 minutes til it is reduced by half. Add heavy cream and parsley, bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat. Place cooked veal back into pan and turn to coat with sauce. Transfer the veal to the serving platter and pour the sauce over the top.
Veal Picatta
Ingredients:
- 4-6 Veal cutlets
- ½ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter (more may be needed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (more may be needed)
For Picatta Sauce:
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons butter
Preparation:
- For veal to be the most tender, it is best to pound it into a ¼ inch thick piece. I usually start by placing plastic wrap over the countertop, placing the veal slices onto the plastic wrap and then covering with another piece of plastic wrap. Using a meat hammer or rolling pin, pound the veal starting from the center until it is even and about ¼ inch thick.
- Season the veal with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Shake off the excess flour. Place the veal on a plate.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Don’t crowd the meat in the pan. Cook about 1 ½ minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to serving platter and loosely cover. Repeat with remaining veal, adding more butter and oil as needed.
- Once all the veal is cooked, add the wine to the skillet to deglaze the pan. Be sure to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking on medium high heat the wine is reduced by half ~ 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and lemon slices and bring to a boil, boil for about 8 minutes til it is reduced by half. Add 2 Tablespoons butter, lemon juice, capers and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat and gently stir the butter into the sauce until it is melted and blended into the sauce.
- Place cooked veal back into pan and turn to coat with sauce. Transfer the veal to the serving platter and pour the sauce over the top.
Slow Cooker Pork and Apricots with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Pork and Apricots with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks
- 3 ½ to 4 lbs boneless pork shoulder roast
- 1 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed
- 1 ½ tsp fennel seed, crushed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbs cooking oil
- 12-16 oz kielbasa or other smoked sausage links, halved lengthwise and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 14oz can chicken broth
- 1/2 cup plus 1/4 apricot nectar, divided
- ½ cup dried apricots
- 4 tsp cornstarch
Preparation:
- Place sweet potatoes in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Trim fat from pork roast. Combine the tarragon, fennel seed, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub onto pork roast.
- In a very large skillet, brown roast on all sides in hot oil. Drain off fat. Place meat on top of sweet potatoes in cooker. Add sausage. Pour broth and ½ cup of the apricot nectar over all.
- Cover and cook on low heat setting for 7-9 hours or on high heat setting for 3 ½-4 ½ hours, adding dried apricots for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- With a slotted spoon, transfer pork, sausage, and apricots to serving platter.
- Transfer sweet potato chunks to a large bowl; mash with a potato masher.
- Strain cooking liquid into a glass measuring cup. Skim fat from liquid; discard fat.
- Reserve 2 cups liquid i(f necessary add chicken broth to equal 2 cups).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup apricot nectar and the cornstarch. In a medium saucepan, combine cooking liquid and the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; cook 2 minutes longer.
- Serve with pork and mashed sweet potatoes.
Sometimes you need easy and delicious. Don't skip the browning step- it adds flavor and color.
Herbed Chicken Meatballs with Meyers Lemon Sauce
Meyers Lemon Herbed Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ¾ cups bread crumbs, plain
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, removed from stem, chopped very fine*
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped very fine*
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped very fine*
- 1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped very fine*
- 1 leek, white part only, chopped very fine*
- 2 scallions (green onions), chopped very fine*
- Zest from 1 Meyers Lemon
- ½ cup sour cream
Sauce:
- Juice from 1 Meyers lemon
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 ½ cup chicken stock
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Ensure that all ingredients are very finely chopped.
- Place all ingredient for the meatballs into a large bowl and blend until just mixed together.
- Make 1 inch meatballs – either by rolling them with your hands or using a small scoop.
- Place about 1 inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet and place in 375 F oven for 20 minutes.
- While meatballs are cooking. make the sauce.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add flour to melted butter and stir until flour is cooked , about 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the liquid (wine, lemon juice and chicken broth) while whisking briskly. Cook for ~ 5-8 minutes until sauce thickens and reduces.
- When meatballs are ready, place into skillet with the sauce and run to coat evenly. Place meatballs in serving bowl and pour remaining sauce over the top.
*You can substitute dried herbs for the fresh herbs, the taste will not be as delicate.
Enjoy these meatballs and lemony sauce over pasta and spinach.
Apple Cider Chicken
Apple Cider Chicken
Just put everything in a casserole dish, cover and roast for 4 minutes in the oven.
Ingredients:
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 1 tsp thyme ( I used fresh Thyme but dried is fine)
- 1 cup sliced carrots (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup sliced Parsnips (you can substitute carrots)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup apple cider
- 2 Tbls oil – Olive, corn, or vegetable
- Salt and pepper to taste
Note: if you do not have apple cider – then 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and ½ cup apple juice is a great substitute.
Directions:
- Lightly coat a 9 x 12 rectangular casserole dish with oil.
- Salt and pepper chicken breast on both sides.
- Put 2 Tbls oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown chicken breasts on each side.
- Place carrots and parsnips into casserole pan.
- Place browned chicken on top of carrots.
- Mix apple cider and chicken broth.
- Deglaze skillet that was used to cook chicken with chicken broth and apple cider. Add thyme and stir.
- Pour over chicken and carrots in the casserole dish.
- Tightly cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.
Everything in one dish!
Pork Loin with Cherry Sauce
Pork Loin with Cherry Sauce
Notes:
Cooking time varies based on the weight of the pork loin
~25 minutes per pound at 350 F, internal temperature 160 F.
Marinate overnight.
Ingredients:
Marinade:
- I cup dry sherry
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp pepper
For the Pork Loin ( 2-3 lbs)
- 2 Tbls Olive Oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, whole
- 1 leek, the white part only, chopped and washed thoroughly
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup dry sherry
- 1 cup dried cherries
Pan Sauce:
- 2 Tbls Cherry Jam
- 1 Tbls cocoa powder
- 2 Tbls butter
Preparation:
- Mix all ingredients or the marinade and pour over pork loin. Seal tightly and let marinate overnight or up to 48 hours. The longer, the better flavor.
- After the pork loin have been marinated, remove pork from marinade and throw away the marinade.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a large dutch oven or skillet with a lid, heat olive oil on high.
- Pat loin dry and sear on all sides.
- Remove from heat, add remaining ingredients – except those for the Pan Sauce.
- Cook 25 minutes per pound of pork loin. Remove from pan and cover with foil. Allow meat to rest while completing pan sauce.
- In the pan, add cocoa powder and cherry jam to pan juices. Cook on medium heat until it thickens ~ 10 minutes.
- Remove foil from pork and slice. Serve with the pan sauce and your favorite sides.
Pork Chops with Marsala Sauce
Pork Chops with Marsala Sauce
Ingredients:
4 ½ thick pork chops, you can use thin cut, but the cooking time changes
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste, about 1 tsp each
2 Tbls Olive oil for browning pork chops
1 Tbls butter for browning pork chops
½ cup chicken stock
Optional: 1 Tbls Smoked Paprika
Sauce:
2 Tsp Butter
¾ c Marsala wine
¾ c Chicken broth
½ cup sweet onion, chopped fine (or another type of onion if you don’t have a sweet onion available)
2 Tbls chopped parsley – if you don’t have fresh you can use dried
Optional: 1 cup sliced mushrooms
Optional: 1 clove of Garlic, chopped fine
Preparation:
- Mix flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika in a shallow bowl.
- Dredge each pork chop in the flour mixture, shake off excess flour.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When oil is hot, add 2 pork chops and brown – 5-7 minutes per side. Pull out of the pan and place on a warmed plate, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat with other two pork chops.
- In the same pan melt 2 Tbsp butter, add mushrooms and onions stir for 3-4 minutes until brown. If using, add garlic and saute 1 minute. Pour in broth and marsala – let simmer 5 minutes. Add pork chops to the pan and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Serve it With
Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients:
lb chicken breast
1/2 cup flour
4 Tbsp butter, divided
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 c soy sauce
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 to 1 tsp red peeper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Cut chicken breasts in half along the flat part to make two thin pieces. Season with Salt and pepper. Add red pepper flakes to flour in a flat bowl. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess. Heat 2 Tblsp butter and oil in skillet on medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5 minutes then turn to brown on both sides, continue cooking 5 minutes. Add garlic and remaining butter to pan. Stir until garlic is fragrant. Add soy, honey and vinegar to pan. Cook 2 minutes, turn chicken to coat and remove from heat.
Indian Butter Chicken
Indian Butter Chicken
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tbs butter
- 8 ounces tomato paste
- 2 1/2 lbs boneless chicken cut into cubes
- 1 ½ lbs boneless chicken cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
Butter Chicken Spices:
- 1/4 cup yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 2-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbs ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp red curry spice
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Directions:
- Heat oil in pan - add onion & garlic - cook 2-3 mins
- Stir in butter, chicken stock, tomato paste and spice mix. Bring to simmer over low heat.
- Stir in chicken and cook 15 mins (make sure chicken is coated).
- When chicken is done,stir in lemon juice and then stir in cream and heat through (2 minutes)
Honey Butter Chicken
Honey Butter Chicken
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup red chili (pepper) sweet sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup honey
- Finely chopped - 2 cloves garlic
- Finely chopped - 1 small onion
- Finely chopped - 1 stalk celery
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Put into sauce pan and simmer
Chicken:
- 1 lb chicken, cubed (salt & pepper to taste)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Tbsp brown sugar
Saute chicken until browned then add brown sugar to pan.
Saute until sugar is liquid.
Add sauce to pan.
Simmer 20 minutes
Add 1 cup peas
Serve over egg noodles.