Smoky Bacon Campfire Beans

 YUM!  I am to provide baked beans for my Dad's birthday dinner.  So, I did a search on Tastefully Simple and found this recipe.  Just took a sample taste and this is fantastic!  Tastes just like baked beans should taste.

I did some modifications to the recipe :

• 99% Ground turkey breast instead of the ground beef
• Turkey bacon instead of regular bacon
• Cannelloni beans instead of lima beans
• low salt/no added sodium on the kidney & black beans
• ran out of chili powder so I used Tastefully Simple's Wahoo! Chili Seasoning
• crock pot instead of the grill/oven - low heat for 5 1/2 hours

Here's the original recipe:

1 lb 85% lean ground beef

8 bacon slices (about 1/2 lb), chopped

1/2 c chopped onion

1 (16 oz) can mild chili beans

1 (15.25 oz) can lima beans, rinsed & drained

1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed & drained

2/3 c firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 c Smoky Bacon BBQ Sauce

1/2 c ketchup

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1.  Prepare grill to medium indirect heat.  Place a cast-iron Dutch oven or oven-safe large saucepan over direct heat side of grill.  Add ground beef, chopped bacon and onions.  Cook and crumble until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes.  Carefully drain off grease.

2.  Move pan to indirect heat side of grill.  Add remaining ingredients; stir until well combined.

3.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 1-2 hours.

Makes 12 servings.

Bake Option:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare step 1 on stovetop over medium-high heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients, cover and transfer to oven.  Bake 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Crockpot:  Prepare step 1 on stovetop over medium-high heat.  Transfer to crockpot.  Add remaining ingredients; stir until well combined.  Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, 4-6 hours.

Freezer to Oven: Honey Teriyaki Chicken & Rice

 Oh my!  This is a great home-made take-off of Asian Teriyaki Chicken & Rice dishes you get at your favorite Asian restaurants like Panda Express.

I did some slight variations like used a little over 2 pounds of chicken and two 12 ounce packages of frozen stir fry vegetables.  I also used a tri-blend rice instead of jasmine.  Also, I used Avocado Oil instead of olive oil.  And I did the No Freeze Option.  This is supposed to make 6 servings but I ended up with 8.  I froze the leftovers.

Here's the original recipe and directions:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 Tbsp Onion Onion Seasoning

1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt

1 (16 oz) package frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend

4 c cooked and cooled jasmine rice (1 1/3 c uncooked)

1 bottle Honey Teriyaki Sauce

1.  In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken, Onion Onion Seasoning and Seasoned Salt.  Sauté until chicken is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.  Cool.

2.  In a greased freezer to oven-safe 13x9-inch baking dish, combine chicken with remaining ingredients.  Toss to coat.

3.  Cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.  Seal well, label and freeze.

4.  To bake from frozen, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Remove foil and plastic wrap.  Loosely replace foil.  Bake 1 hour.  Remove foil; stir.  Recover and continue baking 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer.

Serve with Asian-style green salad.

No Freeze Option:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Prepare through step 2.  Cover with foil.  Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Nutrition Per Serving:

Calories: 450

Total Fat: 7g

    Sat. Fat: 1g

Cholest: 85mg

Sodium: 1,550mg

Carbs:  62g

Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 22g

Protein: 35g

Freezer to Oven: Mama's Creamy Chicken Penne Bake

 

It's been awhile since I posted recipes.  Oh was this so delicious!  I did some modifications to the original recipe - used gluten free pasta and did not include the baby spinach leaves nor the optional items.  Actually, I did sprinkle a little bit of grated mozzarella & cheddar cheese.   Also, I didn't use as much of the Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix due to its spiciness.  I did the no-freeze option and dished up the leftovers to put in the freezer.

Here's the original ingredients:

12 oz penne pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 (8 oz) pkg sliced fresh baby bella mushrooms
2 tsp Garlic Garlic Seasoning
1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt
4 c chopped fresh baby spinach leaves
1 (15 oz) jar four cheese Alfredo pasta sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 c Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix
3/4 c plain panko bread crumbs, optional
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese, optional
2 Tbsp butter, melted, optional

1.  Prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking 1 minute less that al dente.  Rinse with cold water and drain well.  Place in a greased freezer to oven-safe 13x9-inch baking dish; set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add next 4 ingredients.  Saute until chicken is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.  Stir in spinach; remove from heat and let spinach wilt.  Cool; add to pasta.

3.  In medium bowl, combine Alfredo, undrained tomatoes and Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix.  Add to pasta; toss to coat.  If desired, in small bowl combine remaining 3 ingredients; sprinkle over pasta.

4.  Cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.  Seal well, label and freeze.

5.  To bake from frozen, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Remove foil and plastic wrap; loosely replace foil.  Bake 45 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant read food thermometer.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with green salad.

No Freeze Option:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Prepare through step 3.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Active Time:  30 minutes
Total Time:  1 3/4 hours
Makes 6 servings

Nutrition per Serving (excludes optional toppings):

Calories:  420
Total Fat: 9g
   Sat Fat: 3g
Cholest:  75mg
Sodium: 1,130mg
Carbs: 57g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 9g
Protein: 28g

Enjoy!  Products can be purchased from my website.

Protein Power: Balsamic Herb Chicken

 Another delicious dinner.  Very similar to the Pork Chop except this had chicken and it used mustard.  Since I didn't have any Dijon on hand, I used regular yellow mustard.  Also, instead of cooking on the grill, I used a skillet on the stove.

Here's the ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

1 Tbsp Rustic Herb Seasoning

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 6 pieces 

 And here is how you prepare/cook it:

1. In a storage container or gallon freezer bag, combine first 4 ingredients; salt as desired.  Add chicken.  Seal well and refrigerate 2 hours or up to overnight.
2. 
   Prepare grill to medium heat.  Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.
3. Place chicken on grill.  Grill, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer, about 10-12 minutes.

You can Make Ahead & Freeze by doing step 1.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 2.

You can also use an Air Fryer:  Prepare step 1.  Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.  Place in a greased air fryer basket or on a greased rack in second position of air fryer.  Set air fryer to 375 degrees F (do not preheat).  Air fry until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer, about 12-14 minutes.

Or you can Bake:  Prepare step 1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.  Place chicken on a greased large baking sheet.  Bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer, about 15-20 minutes.

This makes 6 servings and the Nutritional Information per serving is:

Calories:  180

Total Fat:  8g

     Sat Fat:  1g

Cholest:  73mg

Sodium:  409mg

Carbs:  1g

Fiber:  0g

Sugar:  1g

Protein:  24g

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Protein Power: Grilled Balsamic & Herb Pork Chops

 

Another delicious dinner last night.  I'm enjoying trying out these recipes from our Spring/Summer 2023 booklet.  However, this one you can fix anytime as the products are from our standard line.  I didn't do any substitutions but you are welcome to do so.

Here's what you need:

1/3 cup Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Moderna

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons Rustic Herb Seasoning

6 boneless pork loin chops (about 2 pounds)

And here's how you fix it:

1. 
   Combine first 3 ingredients in a gallon freezer bag.  Add pork; seal well and toss to coat.  Refrigerate 2 hours or up to overnight.
2. Prepare grill to medium heat.  Remove pork chops from marinade; discard bag with marinade.
3. 
   Place pork on grill.  Grill, turning occasionally, until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer, about 10-15 minutes.

I didn't grill them on a grill but in a skillet on stove top.  

As  you can tell from the  photos, we had steamed green beans (fresh) and fried potatoes (I used Tastefully Simple's Infused Garlic Oil and Seasoned Pepper).  You can use your own sides like a green salad.

Here's the nutritional information per serving.  The recipe makes 6 servings.

Calories:  222

Total Fat:  12.5g

Sat Fat: 3g

Cholest:  62mg

Sodium:  271mg

Carbs:  2g

Fiber:  0g

Sugar: 2g

Protein:  25g

 

On WW program this amounts to 10 points.

You can make ahead and freeze this as well.  That is what I did with the remaining pork chops.  You prepare step 1.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 2.

Protein Power 10-Meal Kit: Creamy Garlic Chicken

 Wow - didn't realize it's been awhile since I last posted on my Tastefully Simple Blog.

I decided this morning that I wanted to try some different recipes - getting tired of fixing the same ole chicken and ground turkey meals.  So, I picked out a few meals from our Protein Power 10-Meal Kit.  As I make them, I'll post them here.

Tonight's dinner was Creamy Garlic Chicken.  Guess what!  No substitutions were made.  Very delicious.  Although, I did not pound the chicken breast pieces.  Probably should have - they wouldn't have taken as long to bake in the oven.

Now, here's the ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 6 pieces, pounded thin

3/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (I used sour cream)

3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 Tablespoons Garlic Garlic Seasoning

3/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

This takes only 15 minutes to assemble and about 25 minutes to cook.

1. 
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place chicken in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish.
2. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Spread evenly over chicken.
3. Bake until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read food thermometer, about 20 minutes.  (Note:  since I didn't pound the pieces, it took longer to bake - about 5-8 minutes).  Turn broiler on HIGH (I only have one temp for my oven).  Broil, until bubbly and golden brown on top, about 2-3 minutes.

The recipe booklet says to serve it with a low-carb green salad.  We had broccoli with butter and seasoned using Seasoned Pepper.

You can make ahead and freeze by placing the chicken in a quart freezer bag.  Place the Parmesan cheese, Garlic Garlic Seasoning, and Seasoned Salt in a quart bag.  Place both bags in a gallon freezer bag.  Seal well, label, and freeze.  Thaw completely.  Continue with step 1.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories:  242

Total Fat:  11g

Sat Fat:  5.5g

Cholest:  93mg

Sodium:  525mg

Carbs:  6g

Fiber: 0g

Sugar:  0g

Protein:  31g

Number of Servings:  6

I was going to let you know what it comes out to point wise on WW but I'm not finding how to login on the desktop.  So, I'll let you know later.

Update:  The WW app doesn't have the Tastefully Simple products but similar products were noted in the recipe and the points came out to 5 per serving.

What's Happening?

I've been so busy  that I haven't had the opportunity to try new recipes and post them on this site.  However, that will change starting next month.

We have a new season of products that is available as of now.

Returning from prior seasons:

• Ah, Sugar Sugar! Cookie Mix
• Chocolate Ugly Cake Mix
• Creamy Wild Rice Soup Mix
• Nashville Hot Seasoning
• Oh My! Chai Drink Mix
• Peanut Butter Bliss Cookie Mix
• TS House Sauce
• Wahoo! Chili Seasoning

New this season:

• Applewood Smoked Cheddar Cheese Ball Mix
• Bold Berry Sauce
• Brown Sugar Vanilla Syrup
• Caramel Roll Quick Cake Mix
• Carmelita Bar Mix
• Chicken Parmesan Warm Dip Mix
• Chicken Tortilla Soup Mix
• Cinnamon Apple Seasoning
• Classic Ranch Mix
• Creamy Chocolate Fudge (avail 10/1)
• Everything Bagel Seasoning
• French Onion Skillet Sauce
• Maple Walnut Fudge (avail 10/1)
• Salted Butterscotch Cheese Ball Mix
• Salted Caramel Pancake Mix
• S'mores Frozen Drink Mix
• Tuscan Starter Sauce

Limited Time Offers - some of these were from prior seasons:

• Pumpkin Bread & Maple Glaze Mix
• Prickly Pear Cooler Drink Mix
• Orange Pepper Sauce
• Jalapeno Lime Hot Sauce (medium spice)
• Bloody Mary Mixer
• Caribbean Heat Wing Sauce (medium spice)

We have some interesting assortments, collections, and kits including:

• 5-Day Reset Kit
• Air Fryer 10-Meal Kit
• Breakfast for Dinner 5-Meal Kit
• Cutting Carbs 10-Meal Kit
• Healthy Swaps 5-Meal Kit
• My Main Dish 10-Meal Kit
• Skillet Dinners 5-Meal Kit
• Soups On! 5-Meal Kit

Watch for future postings as I check out some of these kits (I don't have an air fryer) that use seasonal and standard products.

Don't forget to check out my website.