Main Dish Recipes

Spanish Rice

  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 t cumin
  • 1 t pepper
  • 2 t salt
  • 4 t chili powder
  • 1 1/2 T minced garlic
  • 2 C long-grain rice
  • 3 C water
  • 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute 3 minutes. Add the peppers and saute until soft. Add the meat and cook until no longer pink. Drain grease; return to pot. Stir spices in with the meat and then add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes or until rice is tender.

Adapted from “The Mr. Food Cookbook”

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Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken

  • 1 1/2 t salt
  • 1/2 t black pepper
  • 1/2 t garlic powder
  • 1/2 t dried thyme
  • 1/2 t dried parsley
  • 1/2 t cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 t onion powder
  • 1/8 t paprika
  • 2 T butter
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 3/4 pounds chicken breasts
  • 1 T garlic powder
  • juice of one lime

In a small bowl mix together the spices (through paprika). Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about six minutes on each side.

Mix 1 T garlic powder with lime juice and sprinkle it over chicken. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Serve with brown rice.

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Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna

  • 3 T coconut oil
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
  • 1 large green or red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 48 oz spaghetti sauce
  • 12 oz lasagna noodles
  • 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 24 oz small curd cottage cheese
  • 9 oz. fresh spinach (or 6 cups packed)
  • 12 oz shredded cheese of your choice

In large skillet, saute onion in oil on medium-high. Add garlic halfway through.  Add zucchini and pepper.  Cook on medium heat until tender.  Stir in spaghetti sauce; lower to simmer for 5 minutes.  Set aside. Cook noodles following package directions, soaking in water till ready to use.  In bowl, mix together eggs and cottage cheese.  Oil bottom of 2 (13″ x 9″) glass baking dishes.  Start layering lasagna with a little sauce on bottom, then half the noodles, half the cottage cheese, half the spinach, half the sauce mix, and half the cheese.  Repeat.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Serves 10

This is a time consuming recipe; great to make ahead and bake later.  A side fruit and fresh bread is all that’s needed to complete the meal.

(slightly adapted from The Maximum Energy Cookbook)

Gluten-free version (half recipe):

1 1/2 T coconut oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
25 oz. spaghetti sauce
6 oz. spiral noodles
3 C (packed) fresh spinach (4 or 5 ounces)

Saute onion in oil on medium-high. Add garlic halfway through. Add zucchini and pepper. Cook on medium heat until tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce; lower to simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside. Cook 6 ounces of noodles according to instructions. Oil a baking dish. Place a little sauce in the bottom. Add the noodles and top with spinach. Spread sauce mix on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

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Stormy Beans

  • 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans
  • 1 (15 oz.) can great northern beans, drained
  • 1 (15 oz.) can red beans, drained
  • 1 (15 oz.) can organic corn (or 2 C frozen)
  • 1 (10 oz.) can Ro-tel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  • sweet onion, chopped
  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream
  • rice

In a pot, saute onion in a small amount of olive oil, then add beans, corn, and tomatoes.  Simmer and serve with rice, topping with shredded cheese/sour cream/salsa.

(Betty Jo got this recipe from her friend Stormy.)

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Stuffed Pepper Pot

  • 6 large green (or red) peppers
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 4 C cooked rice
  • 32 oz. spaghetti sauce, plus extra to spread on top
  • 1/4 t pepper
  • sliced cheese

Cut thin slice from stem end of pepper.  Remove seeds with teaspoon; discard.  Cook ground beef in skillet over medium heat, adding the onion half way through, and cooking meat till brown.  Drain and rinse.  Add rice, spaghetti sauce and pepper.  Stuff peppers with mixture and place in 13 x 9 inch pan, putting extra mixture around the base of the peppers.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, topping with extra cheese for the last 10 minutes. Serve heated sauce on the side.

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Stuffed Peppers

  • 6 bell peppers
  • olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small jalapeno, finely diced
  • 4 green onion, chopped
  • 1/2 C cilantro, chopped
  • 2 t lime zest
  • 3 T lime juice
  • 2 t cumin
  • 2 t coriander
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/2 t cayenne
  • 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 1/2 C cooked corn kernels
  • cheddar cheese, grated
  • avocado slices or guacamole for serving
  • tortilla chips

Slice the peppers in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and membranes, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Discard any liquid that pools inside the peppers. Set the peppers aside.

In a large bowl, mix 3 T olive oil and other ingredients through cayenne. Fold in the black beans and corn. Fill the peppers with this mixture. Top with cheese and broil for 3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and browned. Alternatively, bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Serve with the avocado slices and tortilla chips.

adapted from: Costco Connection, January, 2024

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Suzie’s Sloppy Joes

This is delicious served with potatoes, or as shown above with Whole Wheat Pita Bread.
  • 3 lbs. ground beef
  • onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/4 C ketchup
  • 1 C water
  • 1 C chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 T sucanat (or brown sugar)
  • 1/3 C soy sauce
  • 3 T vinegar
  • 3 T mustard
  • 2 t chili powder

Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in large skillet. Drain and rinse.  Place meat mixture and other ingredients in slow cooker on low for the afternoon.

(from Favorite All Time Recipes)

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Sweet Chicken Chilli

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 C finely chopped green pepper
  • 4 cans (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cans (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 T yellow mustard
  • 4 T chili powder
  • 2 T cumin
  • 2 t salt (use 1 T if using organic beans)

Heat oil in large pan.  Cook chicken, adding next three ingredients halfway through.  Drain after chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Return to pan and add the remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or add all ingredients to the slow cooker on low for the afternoon.

Excellent with tortilla chips and sour cream.  (The original recipe called for ground turkey.)

www.cozi.com

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Sweet Potato Burrito Bowl {one skillet}

IMG_7303

1 pound (heaping 2 cups chopped) sweet potatoes
3 Tbs olive oil, separated
1 red bell pepper (or color of choice)
1 cup white rice (Jasmine)
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans, drain & rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
2 Tbs lime or lemon juice (optional)
Optional Toppings: tortilla chips,shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa, chopped cilantro, chopped tomato, avocado or guacamole

Instructions:

  1. Chop the sweet potato into small pieces.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine two tablespoons olive oil with all of the sweet potatoes. If you don’t like any amount of crunch to your sweet peppers, add them after the sweet potatoes have been cooking for about 6-8 minutes.
  3. Saute the sweet potatoes for 8-10 minutes or until pretty tender. Add in remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the rice.
  4. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes at medium heat.
  5. Add in the diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, and vegetable or chicken broth (add peppers if not been added already). Give everything a really good stir, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat.
  6. Cover the skillet with a lid and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
  7. Remove the lid and stir in the lime juice. Serve with optional toppings & enjoy!

Recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron

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Sweet-Sour Chicken

  • 3 pounds chicken breasts (skinned and boned)
  • crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 T tapioca starch
  • 1 T water
  • 1/2 C honey
  • 1/2 C soy sauce
  • 1/4 C vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 t ginger
  • 1/4 t paprika

In small saucepan, combine tapioca starch and water. Add remaining ingredients, except chicken and pineapple. Cook, stirring often over medium/high heat till the sauce bubbles and thickens. Place chicken in a parchment-lined pan and brush with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Serve over rice, and top with pineapple and dry-roasted peanuts.

(I cook 4 pounds of frozen oriental vegetables.)

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book from the 70s😃

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