Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pasta (one skillet)

Ingredients:

6 strips bacon, uncooked (or 3 Tblsp bacon grease + 1/2 cup bacon crumbles)
3 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/8 cup Ranch seasoning mix

16 oz. penne pasta, uncooked

6 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)

1/2 brick cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or similar)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

4 Tblsp. dried parsley

Preparation:

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy.

2. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, but leave bacon grease in skillet.

3. Cook chicken in bacon grease, turning frequently, until chicken is completely cooked.

4. Add Ranch seasoning to chicken, and stir to coat it.

5. Leaving checking in skillet, add pasta and chicken broth. Stir.

6. Bring broth and pasta to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.

7. Cover and cook pasta, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until pasta is soft. 

8. Add cream cheese, and stir until melted.

9. Crumble bacon. Add bacon and parsley to chicken pasta mixture.

10. Stir in mozzarella cheese and half of the cheddar cheese until melted and well combined.

11. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top of the pasta, then cover and allow cheese to melt before serving.

Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

10 ounces dry pasta, penne suggested

Chicken:

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tsp garlic powder (approx.)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (approx.)
1 tsp paprika (approx.)
Salt and pepper

2 Tblsp. olive oil

Sauce:

3+ cups skim milk

1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup shredded or grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1 Tblsp. garlic powder

1 Tblsp. Italian seasoning

2 tsp. onion powder

Salt and pepper

1 Tblsp. butter
4 Tblsp. minced garlic

1 cup diced tomatoes
2 cups spinach (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta to desired level of tenderness while completing rest of recipe preparation. Drain and set aside.

2. Season both sides of chicken breasts with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook chicken breasts until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside, covered to keep them warm.

4. While chicken is cooking, thoroughly mix the water and flour.

5. In a saucepan, heat the skim milk and flour mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, to make a roux. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add additional skim milk as needed to get roux to the consistency of heavy cream.

6. Once the chicken is cooked, add Parmesan cheese to the roux. Stir or whisk constantly over medium-low heat until all cheese is incorporated smoothly. 

7. Add the seasonings to the cheese sauce; adjust to taste, then remove sauce from heat.

8. In the same pan where the chicken was cooked, add the butter and garlic. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

9. Add the tomato and spinach to the skillet (if desired). Cook 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

10. Gently stir the cheese sauce into the skillet and stir until vegetables and butter are fully incorporated. Turn heat to low/simmer.

11. Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces or thin slices.

12. Add chicken pieces to sauce and stir to mix evenly.

13. Gently add pasta to sauce and chicken mixture, and fold in pasta until it is thoroughly covered with sauce and vegetables and chicken are evenly incorporated. 

14. Serve immediately. Can garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

Spicy Korean Chicken

Ingredients:

1/3 cup gochujang sauce
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 Tblsp. sesame oil
4 Tblsp. rice vinegar
4 Tblsp. light brown sugar, packed
4 tsp. ground ginger
4 Tblsp. minced garlic
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite sized pieces
2 Tblsp. olive oil
2 Tblsp. cornstarch
4-6 Tblsp. cold water
1/2 cup green onions, thinly chopped

3 Tblsp. sesame seeds, if desired

Optional: 

Thinly sliced onions, red/yellow/orange peppers, carrots, celery, zucchini, etc.

Additional olive oil

Preparation:

1. Combine gochujang sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger and garlic in a bowl to make a marinade.

2. Set aside 1/3 of the marinade if cooking the optional vegetables.

3. Take the remaining marinade and mix the chicken into it, stirring thoroughly to ensure the chicken pieces are fully covered with the marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least an hour in the sauce.

4. If cooking vegetables, heat some olive oil and the remaining marinade in the skillet. Add vegetables and stir. Cook vegetables on medium heat (covered, if tenderness is desired; uncovered, if crispiness is desired), then remove from skillet and keep warm.

5. Heat 2 Tblsp. olive oil in a large skillet (can use the same skillet). Cook chicken on medium-high in skillet with marinade. Flip/stir to ensure even cooking.

6. While the chicken cooks, mix cornstarch and water.

7. Once chicken is fully cooked. move it to one side of the pan, leaving the marinade in the other side. Turn the heat down to very low.

8. Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet, and quickly stir it into the marinade to thicken the sauce. If the mixture is too think, add a little water slowly until it is to the desired consistency.

9. Once the sauce is thickened, gently mix the chicken into the sauce. If vegetables were cooked, add them to the mixture.

10. Turn off the heat, then add the green onions and sesame seeds.

11. Serve over rice, if desired.

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)

Ingredients:

1 16-oz jar grape leaves in brine (usually about 60-70 leaves)

2 cups short grain rice

Extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 large yellow onions, finely chopped

2 lb lean ground beef (or lamb, or a mixture)

Kosher salt

Black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. cumin

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (can substitute dried)

3/4 cup chopped fresh dill (can substitute dried, 2 Tblsp)

4+ cups chicken broth

Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/2 cup)

Preparation:

1. Wash and separate all grape leaves. Spread out on counter.

2. Put rice in water to soak.

3. Chop onion and spices (if using fresh).

4. Juice lemons.

5. Cook onions in small amount of olive oil.

6. Add meat to onions, and cook until browned. Break meat up while cooking. If meat is very fatty, drain (but do not rinse) meat, once it is done cooking.

7. Add salt, pepper and spices (but not parsley and dill) to meat. Use salt and pepper to taste - over season just slightly, because rice will absorb the flavor.

8. Remove meat from heat and cool completely (but do not refrigerate). 

9. Drain rice.

10. Mix rice, meat and herbs, then add olive oil. Add enough oil to moisten mixture throughout, but not make mixture oily. Amount of oil varies based on type of rice used and how much fat is in meat.

11. Brush heavy pot with olive oil.

12. Lay several grape leaves in bottom of pot, being sure to cover entire bottom.

13. Stuff leaves: place leaf on counter or board, with textured side facing up. Use approximately one heaping tablespoon of filling, and place it in the center of the leaf. Fold sides of leaf over filling, then roll. Roll snugly, but not too tightly, as rice will need room to expand when cooking.

14. Place rolled leaves, seam side down, in pot, lining them neatly with sides touching but not tightly packed. Alternate directions for each layer of leaves.

15. Once all leaves are placed in pot, place an inverted plate over all of the rolls, to hold them in place.

16. Boil chicken broth, then pour over leaves (leave plate in place) until all leaves are completely covered.

17. Cover pot with lid.

18. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, or until most of liquid has been absorbed. If liquid is absorbed before 30 minutes has passed, add about 1/2 cup of hot water to pot and continue cooking.

19. Once most liquid is absorbed (around the 30 minute mark), remove plate and add lemon juice.

20. Continue cooking, covered but without the plate, for 30 to 45 more minutes on medium to low heat. Check for doneness by ensuring rice is very soft and grape leaves have cooked to a very tender stage. 

Ryan’s Favorite Burrito

Ingredients:

1 large flour tortilla

1/3 cup seasoned and cooked taco meat (taco seasoning, cumin)

2 Tblsp sour cream

6-8 slices pickled jalapeños 

3 Tblsp diced white onions 

2 Tblsp medium salsa

3 Tblsp shredded Mexican-blend cheese 

Black pepper

Preparation:

1. Spread sour cream down middle of burrito. 
2. Add onions, jalapeños and meat and cheese (in that order). 
3. Microwave burrito (open) until cheese is starting to melt. 
4. Add salsa on top of melted cheese, then add black pepper. 
5. Roll up burrito and wrap in foil for serving. 

Southwest Chicken and Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
4 Tblsp. bacon grease

4 medium raw chicken breasts, cut into small bite-size pieces
1 medium onion
4 sticks celery
1/2 cup flour
4 Tblsp. minced garlic
8 cups chicken broth or stock
2 cans fire roasted corn
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 large Russet potatoes, peeled 
1/2 package Walmart Southwest Chicken Seasoning (or equivalent seasoning equal to 4 Tblsp.)
Salt & pepper to taste
Scallions and bacon, chopped, optional for serving

Preparation:
1. Put onion and celery into food processor and puree until smooth. Add a bit of chicken broth if needed to smooth it out.

2. Dice potatoes. (I use a french fry cutter to slice them, then cross-cut them after, to get cubes.)

3. Heat bacon grease in large stockpot on medium heat.

4. Once grease has melted, add the onion and celery puree, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring as needed to keep it from burning.

5. Stir in the flour, and cook for about a minute, stirring nearly constantly, to keep flour from clumping.

6. Add garlic, followed by the chicken broth. Stir well to make sure flour dissolves and nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

7. Add chicken, corn (do not drain), cream, potatoes and seasoning. 

8. Over medium heat, slowly bring the soup to a boil. Stir frequently to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom.

9. Once the soup has reached boiling, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer, so it's only gently/barely boiling. 

10. Continue cooking until the potatoes are done (about 15-20 minutes). Stir every so often. The soup will thicken as it cooks. If it gets too thick, add chicken broth in 1/4 cup increments until it thins to your taste.

11. Season the soup with salt, pepper and even hot sauce, as needed. 

12. Soup can be garnished with scallions and bacon, if desired. 

Easy Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

2 cans (10 oz each) red enchilada sauce (or make your own, see below)

1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles

1 package 6” flour tortillas for soft tacos 

1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)

 

Enchilada sauce

1 can tomato sauce

1 ½ tsp Goya seasoning

1 tsp cumin

 

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. 

2.  Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish or pan with cooking spray.

3. Cook beef, stirring occasionally and chopping as desired, until thoroughly cooked, then drain. 

4.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce and the chiles.

5. Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly in baking dish. 

6. Spread 1/4 cup beef mixture down center of each tortilla.

7. Sprinkle beef mixture with 1 tablespoon cheese. 

8. Wrap tortillas tightly around filling, placing seam side down in baking dish. 

9.  Top with remaining enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

10. Cover with foil, and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

11. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.