Your Best Main Dishes

[Hank Hanover]

I would like to hear about your absolutely favorite dishes.

Here are the guidelines:

The flavor is primo! You and your family look forward to it.

Prep and active cooking time not to exceed 90 minutes. Unattended cooking time doesn't count.

Required cooking skill should be no higher than intermediate.

It has to be a main dish, not a side dish, not a dessert.

It would be wonderful if you could include a link to a recipe or the recipe but not mandatory.

I have 5 or 6:

Chicken Marsala
Swiss Steak
BBQ Pork Tenderloin
Pulled pork
Lasagna
a Porterhouse or Ribeye steak
Salmon
Scampi

I have others but none that live up to these.

Do you have some you can share?

[KrumTx]

Lots of great ideas in this thread. Thanks, Hank. (Edit: I was in Austin last week for state basketball tourney. WOW, your city has grown in the 12 years since I've been there.) Here's my list:

Cajun meatloaf (Paul Prudhomme)
Shrimp and andouille jambalaya (same)
Roast chicken - atop root vegetables (Ina Garten)
Spaghetti and meatballs - meatballs with a little gelatin (CI)
Chicken or beef enchiladas - grew up on Tex Mex
Turkey sausage & spinach lasagna (Bon Appetit)
Shrimp pad Thai (CI with lots of tweaks)
Crunchy oven fried fish - usually cod - really simple (CI)

[MamaCrunch]

Cold months:
Vegetable soup
Black bean chili

Warm months
Various grilled veggies
Black bean burgers with mango salsa

Chickpea tacos all year round

[Dansky]

Duck with Orange Sauce
Coq au Vin
Boeuf Bourguignon

[LP808]

I am ashamed to admit that the only classic French dish I have had from your list is Coq au Vin, and even that was not a TRUE Coq au Vin. So obviously you need to teleport some to my dining room table for my midnight snack since they are your best dishes ;)

[EM23]

Chicken and Pork cutlets: Saltimbocca; Francese, Piccata and Parmigianino
Chicken Milanese w/ chopped salad
Sausage, peppers, onions and mushrooms
Fake “sausage”, peppers, onions and mushrooms – made with pork tenderloin and Penzey’s Italian sausage seasoning
Pan-roasted bone-in pork chops and NY strips with roasted green beans and cinnamon sweet potato fries
CI’s penne alla vodka http://urbandrivel.blogspot.com/2007/01/cooks-illustrated-perfecting-penne.html
Lidia’s Scampi alla Buzara http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/jumbo-shrimp-buzara-style
Bolognese(Marcella Hazan’s recipe
)Crespelle with bechamel and tomato sauce
Quiche and butter lettuce salad w/ Pepin’s mom’s favorite dressing
Sole francese with real French fries
Pappardelle in a tuna & tomato cream sauce http://thesecondpancake.typepad.com/the_second_pancake/2008/11/fresh-pasta-vs-dried-pasta.html
Refried beans with fried eggs and yellow rice
Pan-roasted prosciutto-wrapped halibut in a wine sauce http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ty...

[ChristinaMason]

Oh my, I think I've found my new CH food crush. So many good things there. I saw Ina Garten do a spin on (I think) Tyler's halibut recipe in her "Restaurant Rules" episode recently. It looked delicious. Or maybe it was from Bobby Flay. She wrapped seasoned halibut fillets in proscuitto and baked until cooked through, then served with a rosemary butter sauce and roasted root veg.

[EM23]

Everything tastes good when wrapped in prosciutto, Julie:) That Tyler Florence recipe is really delicious - give it a try!

ETA Sorry to call you Julie, Christina - I'm fb'ing with my cousin Julie at the same time as I'm reading here.

[LP808]

Very delicious list. Item that I loved most was (in my opinion) the simplest (I love simple and tasty for weeknights) - refried beans/fried egg/yellow rice.

That is always my leftover lunch whenever I have any sort of beans and rice. Well. When I don't switch it up and make an omelet.

[EM23]

Yes! to the refried bean love. It has just made its way back in to the dinner rotation because of Lent. I made a big batch of the beans and rice, froze them in single servings, and just take a couple out of the freezer in the morning so they defrost in time for dinner. Total comfort food.

[WhatsEatingYou]

Herbed Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
Pasta with Greek Style Meat Sauce

[iL Divo]

Beef Stroganoff
Chili Con Carne
Spaghetti Bolognese
Baked Chicken

[pinehurst]

Can you please tell me how you do your baked chicken? Thanks in advance!

[iL Divo]

happy to pine.......
I'll do some next week and at that time, I'll take a photo and post.
husband likes this the best.
his mom an excellent cook, simple flavors nothing fancy.
me, I'm not simple in my ingredients so this for me is very easy and very delicious.
I like to do thighs&breasts best, bone in.
this is also how I do a whole clucker.
rinse and pat dry chicken.
combine butter and olive oil rub into/onto all parts of chicken. mix kosher salt/confetti peppercorn/tiny bit poultry seasoning together then from way high up sprinkle on all parts of chicken, top and bottom.
place on rack over sheet pan with sides.
start at preheated oven 425° bake 1/3 time on that heat, then reduce to 375° and finish. (use thermometer)
very crisp top < hubby's favorite, and very moist chicken.
I do it probably 3 times a month and at least once every time we're in the motor home on vacation. the leftover meat is wonderful in chicken salads or vegetable chicken barley soup or creamed chicken crepes.

[Querencia]

When I read your query the first thing that popped into my mind was chicken with soy sauce, garlic, and pineapple. Even picky-eater children like it and it's quick and easy. Anoint chicken pieces generously with soy sauce and garlic powder. Pour a can of crushed pineapple over. Sprinkle on some more soy sauce and garlic powder. Bake. Serve with rice.

[Jeanne]

Requested by my family -

Shrimp and Grits
Jambalaya
Beef Stroganoff
Artichoke chicken
Achote pulled pork
Aunt Mamie's baked beans

[Berheenia]

Is there a recipe for Artichoke chicken? I would love to see it if you have one. Sounds like something wonderful I ate in a Greek White tablecloth place back in the day.

[valerie]

Yes, me too...love artichokes!

[deet13]

My most requested recipes...

Skillet cornbread
Pulled pork
Smoked mullet
Sausage, grits, and cheese casserole
Crab/Crawfish (Low Country(?)) Boil
Deep Fried Catfish/Specks/Bluegill fillets
Collard Greens
Steamed Clams
Also my wife now has me making choucroute garnie platters for our big gatherings.

[Terrie H.]

I think my best main dishes for company are osso bucco, pot roast with dijon mustard and white wine, spare ribs in red sauce, and a slightly complicated chili in the winter, and jerk chicken, a coriander grilled chicken recipe from the Barbecue Bible, pulled pork, and Old Bay spiced shrimp in the summer.

[ChristinaMason]

Terrie,

Is this the recipe for the coriander bbq chicken? That sounds great! http://www.food.com/recipe/bademiyas-...

[Terrie H.]

That's the one, and it is absolutely great. Even my "I hate Indian food" people love this. I always put a few slashes into the meat to rub the seasoning in. I hope you try it because it's a big hit for me.

[ChristinaMason]

I will. Thank you very much!

[juliejulez]

I saved this too, looks great! Will definitely try it once grilling season rolls around (yes, I do not grill when it's 30 degrees with 40mph winds)

[pine time]

ChristinaMason: thanks for the link! Will get this on next week's menu. Probably would be good with some cucumber raita and naan (homemade, also tossed on the grill for some char).

[ChristinaMason]

Nice, let us know how it goes on the What's For Dinner thread. I'll try to make it next week, too!

[iL Divo]

Ok Terrie, one day I'm actually going to make a pot roast that excites me, so far, they elude me except for a standard easy version I make without much enthusiasm.

"pot roast with dijon mustard and white wine,"
please post and if you don't mind, please be precise.
I'm kinda thick ;:-/ ................need a pot roast to knock my husband and the kids' socks off. TIA

[Terrie H.]

Sorry, Divo, I just saw your request. This is generally how I do it. It's from Patricia Wells' At Home in Provence.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/mem...

I always use chuck, and don't use the whole bottle of wine and evaporate, as she instructs. Instead, I use about 2 cups, and just bring to a boil (more sauce that way); and increase the mustard to about 3 tablespoons. I also use those petit diced tomatoes and drain the juice, as I prefer it less tomatoey and more winey. Lastly, I always add a few tablespoons of capers.

I hope that gives you an idea. Would like to know how you like it if you get a chance to make it.

[LP808]

Very quick and easy dinner we had Saturday night was roasted shrimp and broccoli+cauliflower. I used this recipe http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_w... but you could use any spice blend you want. Husband wants me to make it with old bay next time. I roasted lemons with it as well to squeeze on top of the dish.

[fldhkybnva]

This looks great. I used to be notorious for C-curled overcooked shrimp and so this kind of scares me. Do you find 10 minutes is a good time estimate for not-overcooked shrimp?

[Hank Hanover]

I'm going to step on LP's question here.... hopefully he won't disagree. 10 minutes would be a maximum. Generally you cook them until they turn pink and then get them off.

I sometimes cook shrimp and just put a skewer them on top of a dish. When I do that i put them under a broiler for 3 minutes each side.

[LP808]

It depends on the size shrimp you are using. I primarily use 16/20 count. In 10 mins they were all still very juicy, great color (dark pink) and were far from the "Oh-crap-over-cooked-O"-shape. If you are using smaller shrimp, you may want to check at 7mins. YMMV depending on your oven.

PS Hank, I'm a lady!

[fldhkybnva]

Thanks, I will certainly give this a try.

[fldhkybnva]

Any details on your salmon, scampi or pulled pork?

[Dcfoodblog]

Pork and tomatillo stew
Chicken Cutlets with an arugula salad
Quiche
Frittattas of all kinds
Crab cakes
Kimchee Fried Rice
Ca Kho - Vietnamese Caramel Catfish
Asian Marinated Salmon
Pork burgers

[mcel215]

Hi D,

Could you please share your recipe for Kimchee fried rice?

www.saffron215.blogspot.com

[Baskerville]

This is a toughie. I'm still a fledgling cook, but I think I definitely have a few winners up my sleeve:

Prime rib with horseradish cream sauce
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/12/perfect-prime-rib-beef-recipe.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/horseradish-cream-sauce-recipe/index.html

Slow-roasted pork shoulder with oven-crisped skin

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/20...

Braised oxtails (chuck roast is also a viable substitute, though not as delicious

)

No recipe here. I'm experimenting with varying amounts of ingredients/different braising liquids. Turns out nice every time. Slow cooking + tough chunks of beef with loads of melty fat and and gelatin and the like? Yes please.

[alliegator]

Most requested buy the mr, and I can probably make it in my sleep is chicken piccata.
Others are:
pork larb
shrimp scampi
filet mignon with twice baked potato
chicken parmigiana
crab fried rice

[Hank Hanover]

I knew someone would come up with chicken piccata and upstream someone came up with Chciken paprikash or chicken paprika.

I'm sorry what is pork larb?

[alliegator]

Larb is a Thai dish with ground or finely shredded meat, lots of lime and chili, and some other good stuff. Sometimes served with lettuce to eat as a wrap, sometimes served as is:

http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/...

[Terrie H.]

This is also a favorite of mine and people love it, even if they think they don't like Thai food. I've even made ground chicken meatballs with all the flavorings and wrapped them in a little lettuce as an appetizer. Great addition to the list!

[alliegator]

I love the little meatball idea, I'll have to give it a try!
If your a thai food fan, the same site I linked to above has a great crab fried rice recipe. It's my absolute favorite fast dinner:
http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/...

[LMAshton]

I checked out the link. I can so definitely get behind that. Thanks! :)

[iowagirl]

Chicken with bell peppers and olives
My easy version of ma po tofu
Fajitas
Roasted salmon with herb sauce

Whenever I tell hubby that one of these is for dinner - he's happy!!

[mcel215]

Hi iowagirl,

Could you share your version of ma po tofu please?

www.saffron215.blogspot.com

[laliz]

meatloaf
artichoke, bacon, and new potato hash
spaghetti and meatballs
artichoke and pea lasagne
enchiladas suizas
baked eggplant

[laliz]

O forgot BBQ Brisket

[ChristinaMason]

Alright, I'll go. Some of our favorites include:

-Turkey/chicken paprikas
-Updated family recipe for beef vegetable soup
-Sweet Italian sausage and fennel ragout w/ white wine
-Bolognese
-Hungarian pörkölt/goulash
-Herbed chicken pot pie
-Lemony roast chicken w/ Moroccan-spiced pan vegetables and olives
-Herbed sweet potato/pumpkin ravioli w/ brown butter and sage
-Israeli couscous salad w/ pesto, aged cheese, and spring veggies
-Ma po tofu
-Jap chae
-Smitten Kitchen's turkey meatballs, made with ground chicken
-Pulled pork (my hubby usually is in charge of this)
-Mexican tacos w/ crock pot mojo pulled pork (we crisp this up under the broiler and call it "carnitas")
-Jerk chicken
-Seared shrimp w/ leek and pastis pan sauce
-Chow's "Spanishy" couscous/quinoa w/ sherried shrimp http://www.chow.com/recipes/29671-spa...
-Beef carbonnade
-Summer corn bisque w/ Cajun shrimp

I recently went gluten free, so some of these recipes will require modification the next time I make them!

[EM23]

What bolognese recipe are you using? Any chance of sharing the beef veg soup and corn bisque?

[ChristinaMason]

Bolognese I kind of hacked together after looking at Hazan, etc. I do the milk and white wine thing, don't add bacon/proscuitto, and add a bit more in the way of tomatoes and herbs than most recipes call for. Maybe it's not Bolognese anymore, but we sure like it.

Dad's Updated Beef Vegetable Soup:

(For a large pot of soup, 8-10 servings)

-1.75 to 2 lb. well-trimmed beef stew meat (chuck), cut into bite-sized pieces
-salt and pepper to taste
-2-3 tbsp. oil
-1 lg. yellow onion, finely chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 bay leaves
-2 boxes beef broth (8 c.)
-1 regular can stewed tomatoes, including juice, crushed
-1 regular can of diced tomatoes, including juice
-2 tsp. beef base or 1 beef bullion cube
-good splash ea. Worcestershire and soy sauce
-1/4 tsp. toasted onion powder, optional
-1 tsp. fresh minced rosemary, or a good pinch of dried crushed rosemary
-1/4 tsp. dried thyme
-1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt or Penzey's Forward! (saltless spice mix)
-4 stalks celery, diced
-3-4 lg. carrots, peeled and diced
-3 small white potatoes, cubed, or equivalent amount of rutabaga (~1.5-2 c.)
-2 c. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-in. lengths
-1 c. frozen green peas, thawed
-1 c. corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
-1/4 tsp. ground allspice (more to taste)

1. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and sear in batches in medium-hot oil in a large soup pot or enameled cast iron. Remove to a bowl. If the brown crusty bits seem like they're starting to burn, deglaze the pot with a little broth, scrape up the bits with a wooden spoon, and pour the fond into the bowl with the meat.

2. Heat a little more oil in the same pot and saute the onions until lightly brown. Add a touch more oil and saute the minced garlic until golden. Turn down the heat to low. Add the bay leaves, 2 boxes of broth, both kinds of tomatoes, the seared meat and its juices, the Worcestershire and soy sauces, beef base, onion powder, seasoned salt, and herbs. Cover and simmer on very low heat for 1.5-2 hrs., or until meat is tender. Add lots of ground black pepper and salt to taste.

3. Add the allspice, chopped carrots, potatoes/rutabaga, and celery and simmer until the vegetables are just tender. Add the green beans and cook 10-15 min. until tender. Leave the pot on the burner but turn off the heat and add the peas and corn. Cover and let sit at least 5 min. Heat through, taste for seasoning, remove the bay leaves, and serve.

[EM23]

Your Dad's soup looks great - thanks so much for the recipe. Toasted onion powder is a new ingredient to me. I just looked it up and see that Penzeys sells it. It sounds like a spice with all kinds of potential.

My Bolognese has morphed over the years too - we prefer it with more tomatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Half pork, half beef, plus some pancetta. The white wine and the milk are essential.

[ChristinaMason]

Ah, right, pancetta, of course, not proscuitto. I knew that was wrong when I typed it, but couldn't think of the alternative!

I like the toasted onion powder quite a bit. It's great in rubs and for adding another layer of flavors to soups, sauces, and braises.

p.s. my dad's version of this soup uses mostly canned vegetables, and he skips the pre-braising of the beef, which I think is essential to get it spoon-tender! And I just use a lot more herbs in my cooking in general than he does. But I loved his soup as a teen, hence the "update."

[EM23]

A nice tribute to your dad.
A few more days and I should have enough room in the freezer to store a new batch of soup. I will report back when I make it.

[iL Divo]

give me a bold and bright beefy vegetable soup recipe like this one and I'm all yours.
sounds incredible CM but then it's snowing right now and I WANT THIS SOUP :)

[ChristinaMason]

Make it! I hope it won't disappoint. We hardly ever have leftovers of this hanging around because we love it so much.

[ChristinaMason]

For the corn soup, I'm sorry, I don't have a full recipe, just a paraphrase of my method:

When I have really good, fresh, sweet summer corn, I like to cut the (raw) kernels off the cobs, roast the cobs in the oven (sprinkling with a touch of sugar if needed to caramelize), then simmer the cobs in homemade chicken broth. Separately, I sweat some onion, shallot, and a little bit of celery in butter in a pot, then add the broth, 3/4 of the kernels, and simmer until the corn is just tender, remove the bay leaf, then puree until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper, heat through, and garnish with a small amount of raw kernels in each bowl.

I've served it topped w/ shrimp cooked shrimp 'n grits style (butter, thyme, a little Old Bay, garlic, cayenne, sherry). I think I once also made cornbread croutons fried in butter to serve on top, which were delicious.

[pine time]

Yum--will save this for this season's home-grown corn. We live in suburban San Diego, and the neighbhors had never seen corn growing! We just grow about 8 plants a year, but for the 2 of us, that produces wonderful eating.

[EM23]

Wow, this sounds delicious! I would never have thought of roasting the cobs in the oven. How long do you let them roast?

[ChristinaMason]

Just til they get a little color on them. Depends on your temperature, but maybe 15-20 min. at 425F?

[EM23]

Thanks! Just 4 more months until the local corn is back - can't wait!

[pine time]

i remember granny roasting corn cobs in the oven when she was prepping to make her corn cob jelly. It was heavenly.

[KitchenBird]

crab cakes
my godmother's lasagna
short rib chili
fish and zucchini "chips"
my grandmother's "company dinner" - beef tenderloin, creamed spinach and scalloped potatoes.

[Lillipop]

I eat a very simple plant based diet now. I cook meats and seafood when my adult children visit...I cook for them and I still do huge holiday meals.
Home made pizzas
Home made baguettes
Spaghetti and meat sauce
Big chunky pork adobo
Rare sirloin steaks
Crispy baked potatoes
Prime rib roast
Roasted turkey
Fish tacos
Chicken with herb dumplings

[ChristinaMason]

Lucky kids. That all sounds fab.

[rawrpie]

I've only been cooking for a bit over a month so just pasta, and vietnamese beef noodles!!

[linguafood]

Whoa. All of them? Alright... here's a selection :-)

- low & slow-roasted pork shoulder
- yuvetsi (my man's dish)
- pretty much all of my pasta dishes (a rare meal in our household, so I make it count) -- bolognese, wild mushroom sauce, carbonara, *real* alfredo, orecchiette with ham & peas, mushroom lasagna, seafood pasta, etc. etc.
- roast leg of lamb
- chicken piccata
- grilled whole trout
- Viennese-style schnitzel (kosher chicken breasts, not veal)

[Seeker19104]

Chicken Cacciatore (similar to Joy of Cooking with onions)
Garlicky Mediterranean-Style Fish
Shrimp Scampi
Lentil Soup (with curry powder)
Vegetable stew with coconut milk
Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

[iL Divo]

Seeker

"Vegetable stew with coconut milk"

recipe? yes please :)

[PHREDDY]

Killer Bologanese with cheese ravioli
Coq Au Vin
Asain flavored marinated Flank steak
Grandma's Meatloaf
Homemade Lobster ravoli with burnt butter sauce
Last but not least; Yellow split pea and parsnip soup.

[chloebell]

Meatballs 'n gravy
Vienna Schnitzel (using pork)
Chicken fried steak
Enchilada's

[Hank Hanover]

I'm a Texas boy so I like chicken fried steak but I learned that breaded pork cutlets were even better and cheaper. I don't pound mine thin and I brine mine but it is good.

Maybe sometime I will try veal cutlets but it is pretty expensive.

[LP808]

Yum! Good tip on the pork cutlets. I never would have thought about trying that (don't usually bread any pork in this house).

[Hank Hanover]

I'm still mad at the restaurant industry for doing away with breaded pork chops. I'm sure breaded are more fattening but give me breaded every time.

[foodieX2]

Well, my 11 year old is going thru a picky phase right now so I only listed those meals that are guaranteed to get him to the table these days!

Chicken stuffed with spinach and gorgonzola in white wine sauce
Lamb burgers with feta and mint
Crispy oven fried chicken
Traditional spaghetti and meatballs
Meatloaf
New England boiled dinner
Roast chicken/turkey
Make your own burritos/soft tacos
Lasagna
A good steak on the grill
Homemade pizza
Carrot ginger soup

[ChristinaMason]

Lots of good things coming out of your kitchen. Could you tell us more about the chicken stuffed with spinach and gorgonzola in white wine sauce?

[Teague]

I make a few things over and over, and they're mostly my evolved versions of family meals my mother made - true test of time :) These are not very gourmand-ish, but they taste good.

Pork chops baked with rice - Short-grain brown rice, in a casserole, topped with sliced canned or fresh tomatoes, sliced green peppers, chopped onion and pork chops. Cover with 50/50 broth and milk. Bake in a moderate to slow oven.

sausage with eggs and green pepper, stuffed into pita bread and eaten as sandwiches - sunday night supper.

Stuffed meatballs: make bread stuffing, I usually use something premade like pepperidge farm. Ground beef or lamb, made into a thin patty and then wrapped around a loose ball of stuffing. Bake in a mushroom cream gravy with lots of (thawed) frozen green beans in it. I sometimes make the cream sauce but Campbell's works. MMM. One pot meal.

Green chile pork or chicken - pork country style ribs or chicken thighs, cover with canned hatch chiles, chopped, a little broth but don't submerge in liquid, cover and cook in a slow oven till falling off the bone. Slightly thicken the chile sauce with some flour. Recombine with shredded meat. Makes great burritos.

[LP808]

Mussels with Garlic Butter
(served with a yummy salad and bread to sop up the butter)
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[Hank Hanover]

So they really are good, huh? Well they certainly seem to be easy to cook.

I'm going to have to try them but it will require a little mental preparation. I find them pretty darn ugly.....far uglier than clams or oysters.

[LP808]

Very quick and easy to cook. Prep is the annoying part, but while the mussels soak I do all my prep and make the salad and get the bread in the oven to warm up. Then it's beard ripping time! I wish I could enlist someone to do that for me.

And a side note on the recipe, I've had to go dairy-free recently, and it's also good subbing olive oil for the butter, but butter, of course, is best.

[Terrie H.]

II also love this, and am considering a new recipe this weekend for a special meal, adding fennel and cream --
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[fldhkybnva]

yes, please!!

[Hank Hanover]

I have a few that are good but I want to work on them to make them a little better. If I am lucky I can elevate them into that upper tier.

They are:
Stirfry
a risotto
jambalaya

I've had rack of lamb before and it was very very good. I could work on that but with the expense, it would be more of a special occasion dish.

[ceekskat]

My#1 food purchase at Costco is lamb. Good quality & best price around.

lamb curry
Ground chicken sheekh kabobs
Alton Brown skirt steak
Chicken enchiladas
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[Hank Hanover]

Along with stirfry, risotto and jambalaya, I definitely want to work on the following dishes to see if I can get them up to the level of the ones i listed in the original posting.

mussels
Rack of Pork
Cajun Pasta
Pasta Carbonera

I'd like to develop a stuffed chicken cutlet but I have to find a stuffing that doesn't include cheese or at least only mozzarella.....E.F. Mama don't eat cheese except for mozzarella.

[ChristinaMason]

Hank,

Here's a stuffed chicken recipe for you. I brine b/s chicken breasts with salt, sugar, Italian herbs (fresh rosemary and thyme, bay leaves, dried basil and oregano, and crushed fennel), cut them into cutlets, pound them thin, and roll them with sliced mozzarella and turkey pepperoni. Secure with toothpicks. Place on a baking sheet, brush with melted butter or olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and your choice of dried herbs. Bake at 375F until the chicken is cooked through, then serve topped with spicy marinara (remove the toothpicks before serving).

[Terrie H.]

Thanks, Christina -- this sounds like a great dish for my man. I have to say that turkey pepperoni has turned out to be a great secret ingredient for weight watchers.

[EM23]

This sounds nice, Christina. How long do you bake the chicken?

[ChristinaMason]

I think they took about 25 minutes, but I can't quite remember, and it depends on how big your breasts are (I halved mine lengthwise for the cutlets). Once juices run clear, you're good! They also continue cooking a little while they sit a few minutes to let the molten-hot contents firm up. I think I got the idea from juliejulez, but she breads hers. Turkey pepperoni is used because it's less greasy than regular :)

[EM23]

Thanks! I have half a ball of mozzarella and some prosciutto that I wanted to use up tonight, so this recipe fits the bill.:)

[ChristinaMason]

Perfect, that sounds good. I'd like to try this recipe with pesto and pine nuts sometime, too. You know, when pine nuts aren't $30/lb.!

ETA: This is neither here nor there, but if you have any leftover chicken, it looks very nice sliced thinly and served cold as part of a cheese/charcuterie plate :)

[EM23]

Yikes! Maybe swap in a different/ affordable nut?
I am going to sauce the chicken in a mushroom marsala sauce tonight, but pesto sounds like a good combo too.

[ChristinaMason]

That sounds great with the proscuitto...

[pine time]

Pine nut price is why I buy mine at Sprout's--well, they're still $20 a lb. there, but if I only need 1/2 cup, that's all I buy. Still expensive, but I don't feel guilty 'cause of the exceptional flavor they add. Oh, plus I extend that flavor by gently toasting them, too.

[ChristinaMason]

I've heard so many horror stories about "pine mouth", I'm afraid to try any with non-European provenance. I see mostly Italian or Spanish pine nuts on the expensive side, and then the cheapos from China at Costco, World Market, etc.

[pine time]

Yeah, I avoid the Costco ones--used to buy them, with no pine mouth, but don't want the risk. Our Sprout's has labels on most of the nuts, with the place of origin, including the pine nuts. Never had a problem there.

[nomnomnoms]

Chicken braised in tomato, tarragon, leeks... A recipe I learned at cooking school, and a winter favorite: http://www.inomthings.com/?p=3204

Buta-kimchi (pork and kimchi stir fry), which I supplement with Chinese chives. Husband wants this at least once a month.

Ginger pork chops. After I pan fry thick cut chops, I deglaze the pan with a mixture of soy sauce, sake, mirin, honey, and grated ginger. Reduce until it lacquer coats the chops, and serve with shredded cabbage and rice.

Pizza. I start the night before I intend to serve it: I ferment the poolish overnight, then make the dough and retard-ferment in the fridge during the day. Simple tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella, some slapped basil to finish.

[EM23]

Your chicken dish looks fabulous, Noms - I can't wait to try it!

[ChristinaMason]

These all sound so good! Could you share the kimchi stir-fry recipe?

ETA, found it on your blog. Thanks!

[LMAshton]

Curried chicken (Sri Lankan)
Spicy fried chicken
Spicy deep fried squid (Yummo! even the nephew who hates squid loves this!)
Deer/goat/lamb/beef stroganoff (I'm meat agnostic)
Crispy fried salmon
Seer fish (also called batang) in spicy tamarind curry (Sri Lankan)
Fried spicy seer fish (also Sri Lankan)
Roast spicy chicken (Indian)
Peppered meat curry (Sri Lankan)
Mustard meat curry (Sri Lankan)

The main theme here is, of course, spicy.

[rawrpie]

Those dishes sound amazing!! Do you have any sri lankan links/recipes? :D

[LMAshton]

Yup. Some of my recipes are on my food blog. Which I really need to update. If there are any recipes in particular you want to see that's not on my blog, let me know. :)

I hope this link is okay. I'm still not entirely clear on acceptable use for blog links here.

Http://food.laurieashton.com

[ChristinaMason]

Thanks for the link, LMA. It looks like a great blog, and I can already see myself getting lost in it for a couple hours! Just a heads up, I'm having trouble getting several of the pages to load (mustard curry chicken, any of the pages aside from page 1). Sad! I'll check back later when hopefully it's resolved.

[LMAshton]

Ah, that's not good.

We*just* changed hosts and he husband, a major geek, had to make all sorts of changes to server settings, and some things weren't working, but he thought he got all the problems resolved. I'll go through things a bit later (I'm still not quite awake) and figure out what's going on.

Thanks for the heads up. And please, let me know if there are any specific recipes you're looking for. :)

[juliejulez]

I couldn't get the naan recipe to come up. Says it is not found.

[LMAshton]

Thanks. Got it sorted. Please try again. :)

[juliejulez]

Great! I'm making naan on Sunday :)

[rawrpie]

Awesome!! thats fantastic! I'm going to have a look right now! Trying to absorb as much cooking info as I can! so much to learn.. lol

[juliejulez]

I don't have a ton in my repertoire as I haven't been regularly cooking for very long, but this Chicken stuffed with Pesto and Cheese is my SO's absolute favorite. I just use seasoned breadcrumbs instead of the almond meal in the recipe. I like it because it's easy and made with things I always have on hand. http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/04/...

[valerie]

This is the recipe that I use. The rolls are browned a bit in a pan before they are baked. I never use toothpicks either. I buy thin sliced chicken cutlets and they hold together pretty well when I saute them.

And I don't add the red pepper...that would be a deal breaker for my husband and son.

http://www.artoflivingwell.ca/recipes...

[juliejulez]

Looks great! I personally would love the red pepper :)

[herby]

Great recipe, JJ! I love that it is made with ground almonds and not breadcrumbs.

[valerie]

Corned Beef with mustard/brown sugar glaze.
Marinated grilled flank steak.
Pesto stuffed chicken rolls...sometimes made with pepperoni instead of pesto.
Shrimp...scampi, grilled, any which way.

[tim irvine]

Pasta puttanesca/grilled eggplant puttanesca
Chicken, pork or veal piccata or saltimbocca
Steak au poivre
skirt steak in red wine reduction
Pork and green chili stew (easy cheating version)
Rack of lamb injected with orange liqueur
Roast chicken
Quick meat sauce for pasta seasoned with fennel, nutmeg, and pepper

No links but if any sound good I will reply with recipe.

[ChristinaMason]

tim, I'd love to hear how you make the following:

grilled eggplant puttanesca
Pork and green chili stew (easy cheating version)

thanks!

[tim irvine]

In a frying pan heat a good bit of olive oil with minced or crushed garlic. Don't burn the garlic. Brush 1/2 inch slices of eggplant. Grill them. In what oil remains sweat minced onion. Add several diced tomatoes, pips and all, bits of olive (I usually have pitted kalamata olives around), capers, red pepper flakes, and white wine. As soon as it is hot, layer eggplant with sauce, adding small slices of mozzarella here and there. Everything is already hot. Grate a little Romano and shred one fresh bail on top. Reheats even better.

Stew, usually done with cubed loin roast. Brown floured cubes in oil, add a can of Green chili enchilada sauce, a little broth, and whatever else trips your trigger, like a can of corn. add seasonings like cumin or more chilies to taste.

Both of these are about 15 minutes of prep time.

[ChristinaMason]

Nice, thank you! I just happen to have a can of enchilada sauce sitting neglected (impulse clearance-price purchase). :)

[tim irvine]

That was what made me try it, too!

[meatn3]

Tim, The rack of lamb sounds wonderful! Could you discuss your recipe a bit?

[jlhinwa]

Beef stroganoff
Sweet &sour meatballs
Salmon
Meatloaf
Spaghetti
Fettucini Alfredo

I am not sure all of those are *that* special, but they are family favorites from the 12-year-old to the 80-year-old, and they are requested often.

[Hank Hanover]

Is your stroganoff made with Beef Tenderloin or what?

[jlhinwa]

My mom's original recipe calls for beef round steak, however I have bastardized it by using ground beef and (gasp) TVP.

[Gail]

Would love to have your stroganoff recipe.
Thanks

[jlhinwa]

Here it is...caveat being I start here but then tweak with seasonings depending on my mood:

2 lbs round steak, cut into finger sized strips
6 tbsp flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 - 4 oz can mushrooms
2 Tbsp worstershire
1 TGIF p
1 can tomato soup
1 cup sour cream

Also, to taste: red wine, balsamic vinegar, white pepper, garlic, and more black pepper and worstershire, those these are deviations from my mom's recipe.

Dredge sliced eat tin flour, salt, and pepper mixture. Brown in oil. Add onion and brown. Add mushrooms with liquid, worstershire sauce, and tomato soup. Simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours over low heat or until meat is tender. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Check to make sure it doesn't burn. :-). Just before serving, stir in sour cream and continue cooking until hot. Sere over brown rice or egg noodles.

Variations: I have a vegetarian husband so will substitute Morningstar beef crumbles for the round steak and skip the dredging in flour. Another variation is to use ground round and skid

[Gail]

Thanks, j. I've just added it to my net cookbook.

1 TGIF p ???

[jlhinwa]

Whoops, sorry! I have no idea what that was supposed to be (typing tired on an iPad last night). All ingredients are present and accounted for so just ignore. :-)

[Gail]

Thanks again, j.
And I thank God on Fridays too. :)

[iL Divo]

Here it is...caveat being I start here but then tweak with seasonings "depending on my mood":

love moody tweakers :)

[pine time]

<love moody tweakers >

Me, too! But Mr. Pine sometimes declares "this is perfect--make it exactly the same next time." Woops, I "wung" it this time, depending on my mood, probably never to be created exactly the same again in this lifetime.

[ahuva]

baby rack of lamb
veal chops
prime rib roast
thanksgiving turkey