Baked Orange Chicken

 Do you like Orange Chicken from Chinese restaurants?  Well, this matches it with one exception - it has some heat.  And I didn't use the full jar!  I didn't serve it over rice like the recipe indicates.  Oh, did I make a mess in the kitchen!  Warning - you need at least an hour to make this.

Here's the original recipe on our website.  Yes, I did some substitutions and other modifications based on our dietary needs.

• Liquid eggs (egg substitute)
• eliminated the salt
• Avocado Oil - reduced the amount for frying.
• snow peas instead of the red bell pepper
• reduced the Orange Pepper Sauce to about 3/4 of the bottle

If you don't like spiciness - then I would recommend using the Sweet & Sour Pineapple Sauce.

I was a little late on taking the pictures.  This is what remained of the chicken breast that was cut up into bite sized pieces.

Dredging the chicken pieces in cornstarch.

Then dipping them in the egg & Garlic Pepper Seasoning mixture.

Frying the chicken pieces.

Draining the fried chicken on a paper towel.

Placing the cooked chicken and the snow peas on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet.  Covered with the sauce.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

The recipe says it serves 8 - I didn't dish up very well - had 2 servings leftover and we didn't have seconds!

We did enjoy it - even though there was a party going on in our mouths!

Bayou Bourbon Pork Stir-Fry - Fix it Fast Meal Collection #5

I love our Fix it Fast collection . . . great for those weekdays when I've been working 9 hours and have to come home to cook a meal.  Do you have days like that?  Well, this is perfect!.  You can substitute other meats for the pork.  You can use fresh vegetables instead of frozen.  I used Tastefully Simple's Garlic Pepper Seasoning instead of the salt & pepper and I used their Avocado Oil instead of the olive oil.


Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, thinly sliced, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 Tbsp Onion Onion Seasoning
1 (16oz) pkg frozen California blend vegetables
1/2-3/4 C Bayou Bourbon Glaze, divided
3 C cooked white or brown rice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c peanuts

Instructions:

1.  In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add pork and Onion Onion Seasoning.


2.  Stir-fry until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes; remove from skillet.  Add vegetables to skillet; stir-fry 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Stir in 1/2 cup Bayou Bourbon Glaze and pork.  Simmer 3-5 minutes.

3.  Serve over rice; drizzle remaining 1/4 cup Bayou Bourbon Glaze over pork and rice, if desired.  Garnish with green onions and peanuts.

Makes 6 servings.  Serve with crusty bread.

Variation:  serve over cooked egg noodles.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine step 1 ingredients in a gallon freezer bag.  Place Bayou Bourbon Glaze in a quart freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze with vegetables.  Thaw completely, leaving frozen vegetables in freezer until ready to use.  Continue with step 2.

Grilled Salmon

Okay . . . it was a short break from the meal solution kits.  But look what you can do with your extra seasonings!  We enjoy eating fresh salmon.  There are so many different ways of seasoning it before grilling or broiling.

I used the following Tastefully Simple seasonings:

Garlic Garlic Seasoning
Garlic Pepper Seasoning
Dried Tomato Garlic Pesto

I sprinkled them on the salmon fillets (about 1/2 Tbsp to 1 Tbsp each spice on each half).  Grill or broil the salmon fillets until done.

Balsamic Marinated Chicken - Hearty Meal Solution #10

The last recipe from the Hearty Meal Collection.  This was a fun collection and this recipe is no different.  The recipe actually called for chicken thighs.  However, we don't care for dark meat, so used boneless, skinless breasts.  Turned out delicious.  I love finding different ways to season chicken.

Ingredients:  


1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 c Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
1/4 c Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
1 tsp Ultimate Steak Seasoning

Instructions:  Combine all ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag, turning to coat.  Place bag in a shallow dish and refrigerate 30 minutes or longer.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove chicken from plastic bag, making sure the chicken is well coated with marinade; discard remaining marinade.  Place into a greased 9x13 baking pan.  Roast uncovered until browned or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine all ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely and prepare as directed above.

Serve with cheesy biscuits and a garden salad.  Makes 6 servings.

Pork Chop & Potato Casserole - Hearty Meal Solution #9

I fixed this for our Sunday dinner over a week ago.  It was delicious.  An interesting combination of flavors.  I didn't make any substitutions.  However, we decided that the next time we make it we will use cream of mushroom soup instead of the nacho cheese soup.  I also will use more potatoes (or make my own instead of using the frozen stuff).

Ingredients:

28 oz pkg frozen potatoes O'Brien with onions & peppers, thawed
1 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning, divided
6 boneless pork chops
1 Tbsp Rustic Herb Seasoning
1 10.75 oz can fiesta nacho cheese soup
1/2 c milk

Instructions:




Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Layer half the potatoes in a greased 9x13 baking dish; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning.  Layer remaining potatoes and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning.  Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with Rustic Herb Seasoning and place over potatoes.  Whisk together soup and milk in a small bowl.  Pour over pork chops and potatoes.  Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes.  Remove foil; continue baking 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature of pork reaches 155 degrees on an instant read food thermometer.


Make Ahead & Freeze:  Assemble in a 9x13 baking dish or disposable pan.  Freeze.  Thaw and bake as directed above.

Ground Meat Patty

Leftovers??? Not really.   Sort of . . . we had about half pound of ground deer meat remaining from the previous meal.  Not much to do my usual meals but wait . . . it's enough for patties!  hmmm . . . oh, I have some Tastefully Simple Smokey Bacon BBQ Sauce.  Pour that in and mix it up.  Let's add some seasonings like Onion Onion, Garlic Garlic and Salt-free Seasoning.  Mix it up and let it marinade.  

mmmm . . . looks like there's still some sauce left in the bottle.  Pour it on . . . mix it up.  Now put it on the grill.  Oh, let's add some cheese.

How about some potato fries?   Cut the potato into wedges, coat with Roasted Garlic Infused Oil and Salt-free Seasoning.  Grill.

Dinner's ready.

Mushroom & Swiss Balsamic Burgers - Hearty Meal Solutions #7

We love our burgers and I love finding different ways to fix them.  Otherwise they get boring and who wants boring.  As I'm cutting down on carbs, I prefer to eat my burgers as a patty (similar to what we did when I was growing up).  However, my husband likes to have them as a sandwich.  So we both get our wishes with Tastefully Simple meals.  We used ground elk meat instead of beef and I used Onion Onion in lieu of the fresh onions.


Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter
6 oz pkg portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning, divided
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 Tbsp Ultimate Steak Seasoning
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c chopped onion
6 slices Swiss cheese, folded in half
1/2 c mayonnaise
3 Tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
6 crusty buns
2 c baby spinach


Instructions:  In large skillet over medium heat combine butter, mushrooms and 1/2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning.  Saute mushrooms until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Remove from skillet and cover with foil.  In a large bowl combine ground beef, Ultimate Steak Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and onions.  Form into 6 burgers.  Place in skillet and cook to desired doneness.  
Top with mushrooms and cheese.  Cover skillet until cheese melts.  Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and 1/2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning.  Place burgers on bun bottom, top with mayo and spinach.  Makes 6 servings.  Serve with sliced tomatoes drizzled with oil and seasoned with salt & pepper.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Place ground beef, Ultimate Steak Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and onions in a gallon resealable  freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw and prepare as directed above.

Soft Shell Steak Tacos - Hearty Meal Solutions #6

We love tacos.  However, we prefer them made with ground meat instead of steaks.  So, we just had the steak.  That's what I love about our meals, you can make them fit your tastes.  We also used sirloin steak instead of the flank steak.  The steak was tender and oh so delicious.  Here's the original recipe:

Ingredients:


1 1/2 lbs beef flank steak
1/4 c Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
1 pkt Red Bell Pepper Hummus Mix
8 8-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
2 c chopped lettuce
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 c sour cream
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

Instructions:  Pierce each side of the steak with a fork.  Combine next 3 ingredients in a small bowl.  Coat both sides of steak with mixture; place in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Place bag in a shallow dish and refrigerate 30 minutes or longer (we did over 10 hours).  Remove steak from plastic bag making sure the steak is well coated with marinade; discard remaining marinade.  Grill or broil to desired doneness.  Let steak rest 5 minutes; slice steak across the grain into thin strips.  Assemble tacos using tortillas and desired toppings.  Serve with fresh fruit.  Makes 6 servings.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Pierce each side of the steak with a fork.  Place steak and next 3 ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely and prepare as directed above.

Parmesan Honey Pork Roast - Hearty Meal Solutions #3

Loved this!  I can imagine it on other types of roast or even meatloaf.  So many ideas and this was so basic!  I didn't make the gravy as we didn't have potatoes.




Ingredients:


2 1/2 lb pork loin roast
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/3 c honey
3 Tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
1 Tbsp Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
1 Tbsp Rustic Herb Seasoning
1 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water

Instructions:    Place pork roast in a greased slow cooker.  Combine next 6 ingredients and pour over pork.  Cover; cook on low 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 hours.  Whisk cornstarch and water in a small bowl.  Strain slow cooker juices into a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil; gradually whisk in cornstarch mixture to desired consistency.  Serve roast with gravy.  Makes 6 servings.  Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Make ahead & freeze:  Combine first 7 ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  Thaw completely and prepare as directed above.

Chicken Stir-Fry with Almonds - Hearty Meal Solution #2

We love stir-fry and this was perfect!  Delicious and quick!  Even though this came from our Fall/Winter Meal Solutions, these products are still available.  Hubby doesn't care for peppers so I substituted broccoli. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
1 tsp Ultimate Steak Seasoning
2 Tbsp Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water
20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained reserving juice
11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
3 c cooked brown rice
1/2 c slivered almonds


Instructions:  Season chicken with Garlic Pepper Seasoning and Ultimate Steak Seasoning.  Heat Roasted Garlic Infused Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; saute chicken until nicely browned.  Stir in red bell pepper, Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, soy sauce, brown sugar and 1/2 cup of reserved pineapple juice; simmer for 1-2 minutes.  Whisk cornstarch and water; stir into stir-fry to thicken.  Gently stir in pineapple and oranges to warm; serve over rice and sprinkle with almonds.  Makes 6 servings.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Season chicken with Garlic Pepper Seasoning and Ultimate Steak Seasoning; place in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label, and freeze.  Thaw completely and prepare as directed above.

Three-Bean Turkey Chili - Hearty Meal Solution #1

Wow . . . my next meal solution kit arrived this past month.  It has lots of good recipes.  So, today was a depressing weather day so what better way to have a healthy meal but a bowl of chili.  This chili is so easy to make.  I did a couple of substitutions and  you can too.  We are not crazy about tomatoes in our chili so I used only 1 can of regular diced tomatoes (should have added another can of beans).  I also did not have enough cans of tomato sauce so I used a can of tomato paste with water.  I did not use chili powder as there was enough seasoning already  (hubby does not like real spicy meals).


Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
1 lb ground turkey
2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
28 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 pkt Red Bell Pepper Hummus Mix
1-2 Tbsp chili powder (optional)

Instructions:  


Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add next 3 ingredients; cook until turkey is browned and no longer pink.  Combine remaining ingredients; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Makes 6 servings.  Serve with garlic cheese bread.

Tip:  Feel free to substitute your family's favorite beans.

Make Ahead & Freeze:  Combine first 3 ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Place remaining ingredients in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal bags, label and freeze.  Thaw completely and prepare as directed above.

Order your Tastefully Simple products at my website.

Garlic Peppered Chicken - #13 TS Eatwell Choices pack

Tonight's dinner was chosen by my husband.  So easy to make - prep probably took about 10 minutes then it went on the BBQ for 15 minutes grilling.   Moist, cut with regular knife.  Yummy!




Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
Garlic Pepper Seasoning

Instructions:  brush oil on the chicken breasts.  Season to taste with the Garlic Pepper seasoning.  Grill until done.

Side dish:  corn on the cob, buttered and seasoned with Garlic Pepper Seasoning.

original recipe can be found on TastefullySimple.com.  Products can be ordered at tastefullysimple.com/web/mbelles1

Stuffed Apricot Pork Tenderloin

This is the second meal from the TS Eatwell Choices Product Pack.  Unfortunately, the pack is no longer available.  However, you can still purchase the individual items.

As always, feel free to do substitutions.  With it being so hot, I didn't want to cook in the house.  So, we grilled it on the BBQ.


Moist, tender, full of flavor . . . yummy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs pork tenderloin
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 Tbsp + 1-2 tsp Chipotle Seasoning, divided
1/3 c chopped dried apricots 
3 Tbsp hot water
1 lime, cut in half
3 oz Greek yogurt cream cheese or light cream cheese
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Assembly Instructions:  Cut tenderloin horizontally to open like a book, not cutting through all the way.  Sprinkle with 3/4 Tbsp Chipotle Seasoning (I only used 1/2 Tbsp and it was still too spicy for hubby, so feel free to use less) and fold shut.  Pepper the outside of tenderloin and place in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Seal well, label and freeze.  (I didn't freeze it but went on to the cooking instructions).

Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Stir together the apricots, hot water and juice from half a lime.  Let stand 15 minutes; drain.  In the meantime, stir together cream cheese, green onions and remaining Chipotle Seasoning (here again I only used 1 tsp but you can use less if you are sensitive to spicy heat).  Fold open tenderloin, place the apricot mixture on one side and cream cheese mixture on the other side.  Fold shut; double-wrap in foil and place on baking sheet; bake for 40 minutes.  Unwrap and bake an additional 20-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.  Squeeze some of the remaining lime juice on top of tenderloin.  Slice and serve.  Makes 6 servings.

As you can tell from the photo, we didn't use the green onions either.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops

Our dinner tonight was another freezer meal from the Practically Paleo workshop.  Oh my, was it delicious.

Just imagine, the aroma of Dijon mustard and pineapple baking in your oven.





Ingredients:

6 boneless pork chops
1-2 Tbsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
12 slices bacon (I used Turkey bacon)
20 oz can chunk pineapple, drained and reserving juice
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard


Assembly Instructions:

Rub seasoning on both sides of chops.  Wrap each chop with 2 slices bacon.  Place into gallon freezer bag.  Add the pineapple.  Squeeze out air & seal.

In a quart freezer bag combine the mustard and pineapple juice.  Mix and squeeze out air.  Seal.

Place both bags inside another gallon freezer bag.  Label with name & date.


Cooking Instructions:

Thaw completely.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place chops in baking pan, bake 35-40 minutes uncovered.  Remove and brush chops with mustard and pineapple juice mixture (I just poured it over the top) and bake an additional 15-25 minutes until chops are pull-apart tender.  Makes 6 servings.

If your family doesn't like pork chops, you can use chicken breasts.

You can order products from my website at www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mbelles1.  Just add to any open party.

Enjoy!

Herb & Lemon Roasted Chicken

This is another meal from our Practically Paleo Freezer Meal Workshop.

This uses a whole chicken.  However, you can use just chicken pieces - I will probably use breasts next time.  Flavor is really good and I'm using the leftover to make a big pot of soup.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Rustic Herb Seasoning
2 tsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
3 1/2 - 4 lbs whole chicken
1 lemon, cut in half
2 Tbsp oil (to use when cooking)
salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Assembly Instructions:

Rub first two ingredients on to chicken and place cut lemon inside chicken.  Place chicken in a gallon resealable freezer bag.  Freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Thaw completely.  Grease slow cooker with oil, cook chicken on low for 5-6 hours (ours took longer because it weighed 5 lbs) until tender or bake covered in a 350 degree oven for 2-2 1/2 hours until tender.  Makes about 6 servings.  If baking in oven, uncover the last 30 minutes of baking time to brown.

If you use a whole chicken like I did, you can cook the meat off the bones by keeping it in the crock-pot, add 4 cups of water (or broth), cook on low heat for at least 8 hours.  Remove skin & bones.  Add carrots, mushrooms, celery, rice, & bouillon (if you didn't use broth).  Continue cooking on low until rice & vegetables are done.  Add additional seasonings if necessary.