baked lemon salmon with creamy dill sauce... 25 minutes

the goods:

4 salmon fillets

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

zest from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

creamy dill sauce:

1/3 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

3 tablespoons milk

1/3 teaspoon honey

Make dill sauce: In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, dill, honey, and milk. Season with salt and pepper and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and place salmon fillets in dish. Season tops of salmon with salt and pepper and then flip. Drizzle evenly with lemon/oil mixture and gently rub all over salmon, then season with salt and pepper. Flip back over and let rest at room temperature 10 minutes, then bake in preheated oven 12-16 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through. Serve topped with creamy dill sauce.

chicken in creamy parmesan and sun-dried tomato sauce... 25 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup white wine

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped

1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated

1 cup baby spinach, stems removed

1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook until lightly golden on both sides and completely cooked through, about 5 minutes per side; set aside.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and deglaze the pan. Add the broth, cream, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, add the spinach and let sauce simmer about 3-5 minutes to allow sauce to thicken. Add chicken back to pan along with any juices, season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat and stir in basil. Serve over pasta or rice.

pineapple teriyaki pork chops... 25 minutes (plus marinating)

the goods:

fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into rings
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 boneless pork chops
1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped

In a large zip-top bag, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and ground ginger. Place pork chops in bag and mush around to combine. Place bag in refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight. Turning the bag whenever you happen to open your fridge.
Remove pork chops to a plate and pour marinade into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring marinade to a boil Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 15 minutes until it thickens, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and place in a small bowl.
Heat grill to medium-high heat. Clean and lightly oil grates. Place pork chops on grill and brush often with marinade sauce while cooking. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Add pineapple slices to grill and cook for 2 minutes on each side while pork chops rest.
To serve, place pineapple slices on top or pork chops and sprinkle with chives.

cheesesteak sandwiches... 30 minutes

the goods:

1 rib-eye steak, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 portobello mushroom, sliced
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
2 sub rolls, sliced in half (but not all the way through)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place each of the sub rolls on their own piece of aluminum foil. Set aside.
In a large skillet, saute onions and green peppers for about 5 minutes, add in the mushrooms, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Place in a bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet, cook the steak, until it is all cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and peppers back to the skillet and toss together. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble the cheese steaks: open a sub roll and fill with meat and peppers then top with provolone cheese. Repeat. Tightly wrap each sub in aluminum foil then place directly on oven rack for 15 minutes. Carefully unwrap and enjoy!

pork chops with apples and grits... 1 hour and 15 minutes

the goods:

grits:
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cups stone-ground grits
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
dash of cayenne
1 and 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

pork:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 boneless pork chops
2 gala apples, cored and diced
1/2 cup white wine
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup pure maple syrup

Make the grits: In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon and onion until bacon becoms chewy and onion is translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Pour in the grits and the chicken broth. Stir together and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and cayenne and stir to combine. Continue to cook over very low heat, covered, for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't stick.
Cook the pork: Melt butter and olive oil together in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook them in the skillet until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side (for thin pork chops). Remove pork chops to a plate, then add apples to the pan. Pour in the wine and the vinegar and cook the apples for 5 minutes, until the liquid reduces. Pour in the maple syrup, stir, and allow it to bubble. Add the pork chops to the pan, reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for another 20 minutes. Just before serving, stir cheese into the grits and season with salt and pepper. Serve pork chops over a helping of grits topped with apples and sauce.

herb-roasted pork tenderloin with roasted vegetables... 30 minutes

the goods:

1/2 pound golden potatoes, diced

3 parsnips, peeled and diced

6 carrots, peeled and diced

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 pork tenderloin

1/4 cup herbes de Provence

barbecue sauce, for serving

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss diced vegetables with oil and salt and pepper, then push them to the outside edges of the pan.  Place tenderloin in the middle of the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper then herbes de Provence. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Allow pork to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

mini taco-stuffed peppers... 40 minutes

the goods:

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix

3/4 cup water

1 bag of mini bell peppers

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

cilantro cream sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice 1/3 of the peppers off lengthwise (peppers naturally have one side that is straighter than the other, when slicing off the tops, try and see what side it sits best on before you slice). Seed the peppers. Take the tops you sliced off and dice them up.

In a large skillet, cook beef and diced peppers over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, breaking up beef as you cook. Drain meat and add taco seasoning and water. Cook over medium heat 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let mixture cool slightly. Fill each pepper as full as possible with the beef mixture and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake peppers for 13-15 minutes.

While peppers are baking, make the cilantro cream sauce. In a food processor, pulse the sour cream, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice until smooth. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Remove peppers from oven and top with cheese. Return to the oven for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Drizzle with cilantro cream sauce and serve!

firecracker chicken with broccoli... 1 hour and 5 minutes

the goods:

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

cooked rice, for serving

chopped scallions, for serving

sauce:

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup buffalo sauce (I use Frank's)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place broccoli in baking dish and set aside.

Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, wish together sugar, buffalo sauce, vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon water; set aside.

In a large bowl season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cornstarch and gently toss to combine. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet. Working one at a time, dip the chicken into the eggs and then add to the hot oil. Cook until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate; discard excess oil.

Add chicken to prepared baking dish, top with buffalo sauce mixture, and toss chicken and broccoli in sauce to combine. Place into the oven and bake until the sauce has thickened, about 45 minutes, turning halfway through to coat the chicken.

Serve over rice. Top with scallions.

chicken enchilada soup... 20 minutes

the goods:

homemade red sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon oregano

2 cups chicken stock or broth

soup:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small white onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup masa harina
3 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I took mine off a rotisserie chicken)
1 and 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (recipe included)
1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
1 teaspoon salt
toppings: tortilla strips, sliced avocado, grated cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro

Make the sauce: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for 1 minute. Stir in the seasonings, then gradually add in the stock/broth, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thick. Set aside.

Make soup: Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute until fragrant. Stir in the masa harina and cook for another minute. Pour in half of the chicken stock/broth, and stir to combine. Add in remaining chicken stock.broth and stir to combine, Immediately add the chicken, enchilada sauce, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, salt, and cumin; stir to combine. Continue stirring until the mixture reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the cheese, one handful at a time, until combined. Serve soup with desired toppings and additional salt if needed.