~Grilled Pineapple Country Ribs~

~Grilled Pineapple Country Ribs~

Ingredients

For the ribs

•  3–4 lbs boneless country-style pork ribs

For the pineapple marinade

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple)
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• Juice of one lime (you had "line")
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for a kick)

For the glaze

• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water

For grilling

• 1 (20 oz) can of pineapple slices or chunks

Instructions:

1. Make the marinade: In a bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients until fully combined.

2. Marinate the ribs: Toss the pork ribs in the marinade until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.

3. Prepare the slurry: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Set aside.

4. Make the glaze: Pour the used marinade into a small saucepan. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the glaze thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Preheat the grill: Set up your grill for two-zone cooking — direct heat on one side, indirect heat on the other (about 300°F on the indirect side).

6. Grill the pineapple: Thread pineapple chunks onto skewers (soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes) or use a grill basket. Grill over direct heat for 15–20 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly charred. Move to the cooler side to keep warm.

7. Sear the ribs: Place the marinated ribs over direct heat. Sear for 3–5 minutes per side, until nicely browned with a bit of char.

8. Slow cook the ribs: Move the seared ribs to indirect heat. Close the grill lid and cook for 30–60 minutes, basting occasionally with the pineapple glaze, until the internal temperature reaches 185–190°F for tender, juicy ribs. Cooking time will vary based on thickness.

9. Finish with glaze: In the last 15 minutes of cooking, brush the ribs generously with the remaining glaze to caramelize the surface.

10. Rest and serve: Remove the ribs and pineapple from the grill. Let the ribs rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing. Serve with grilled pineapple and any extra warmed glaze.

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Notes:

• 185–190°F is a great internal temp for shoulder-style ribs like these; it breaks down connective tissue and gives a more tender, rich texture.

~Slow Cooker Tropical Chicken~

~ Slow Cooker Tropical Chicken (Pureed Sauce Version) ~

Ingredients:

• 1.5 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

• 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained

• 2 large mangoes, peeled and cut into chunks

• Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Optional Add-ins for more flavor:

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions:

1. Prepare the fruit: Reserve the juice from the canned pineapple and set it aside. Divide the pineapple chunks and the mango chunks into two equal portions.

2. Make the sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine one-half of the pineapple chunks, one-half of the mango chunks, and the reserved pineapple juice. Blend until smooth.

3. Prepare the slow cooker: Place the chicken at the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

4. Combine ingredients: Pour the pureed fruit mixture over the chicken. Then, add the remaining pineapple and mango chunks (the un-pureed half) the pineapple juice from the can, and the lime juice.

5. Season: Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and any optional spices you choose over the top.

6. Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is very tender.

7. Shred and serve: Once cooked, use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker, mixing it with the pureed sauce and fruit chunks. Serve over rice or with your favorite sides.

~Baked Pork Chops with Apple-Stuffing Casserole~

 ~Baked Pork Chops with Apple-Stuffing Casserole~

 

Servings: 2–4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
    • 2–4 bone-in or boneless pork chops
    • 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
    • 2 cup Apple Cider
    • 1 box (or \~2 cups prepared) stuffing mix
    • 1 tablespoon butter or oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Using the apple cider instead of water, prepare the stuffing according to package directions. Set aside.
3. Season pork chops with salt, pepper.
4. Sear the pork chops (optional but adds flavor): Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with butter or oil. Sear pork chops for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Remove from heat.
5. Assemble the casserole:
    In a greased baking dish, layer the apple slices evenly on the bottom. [Okay, I changed that... the apples goes on the top, I found that under the pork chop they get too mushy]
    Place the seared pork chops over the apples.
    Spoon the stuffing over the pork chops, covering them completely.
    Add the rest of the apple cider if you want more moisture.
6. Bake covered for 30–40 minutes, or until the pork reaches 145°F (63°C) internally. For crisper stuffing leave uncover and bake until the stuffing is golden on top.
7. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Options:

Using chicken instead of pork.

Cranberries

~Slow Cooked BBQ Country Ribs~

~Slow Cooked BBQ Country Ribs~

Super simply recipe.

Ingredients:

• One package of country ribs
• One cup of BBQ sauce
• ¼ cup of brown sugar
• ½ cup of apple cider vinegar

Directions:

• Place the ribs in the slow cooker and put about a ¼ inch of water in the bottom, cover and cook on high for an hour.
• While that is cooking mix the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar together.
• After an hour drain off the water and add the BBQ sauce mix until it covers the ribs with it. If there is not enough of the BBQ sauce mixture, mix some more up.
• LOW: 7 HOURS / HIGH: 3 HOURS — Ribs that are soft but stay on the bone (as shown in the video below).
• LOW: 9 HOURS / HIGH: 4-5 HOURS — Tender, fall apart in your hands ribs that melt in your mouth like butter (as shown in the image below).

Options:

• Add Yukon potatoes, carrots, and onion.
• Serve with rice. I like wild rice.

~~Stuffed Shotgun Shells~~

I was at a party where they had Stuffed Shotgun Shells and they were great! So my mind started working… how can I make them?

In the recipes that I looked at there are two fixed ingredients: manicotti shells and bacon. The stuffing had three ingredients: some kind of meat, some kind if cheese, and some kind of peppers.

So….

Ingredients:

• 1 box Manicotti Shells (Options: cannelloni pasta or large shells)
• 1 lbs. Bacon
• Dry meat rub
• BBQ sauce

Meats: any of the following as long as the total adds up to a little over a pound,

• 15% to 20% fat hamburger meat
• Sweet sausage meat
• Hot sausage meat
• Pepperoni 

Cheeses: any of the following as long as the total adds up to a little over eight ounces of cheese,

• Cream cheese
• Pepper jack cheese, shredded
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Peppers: any of the following finely diced peppers,

• Green or red peppers
• Jalapeno peppers*
• Habaneros peppers (If you want to go hog-wild on the spicy)*

*It is advised to wear gloves when handling hot peppers.

Directions:

• Pre-boil them first. Boil the manicotti shells for 3-4 minutes until the exterior is slightly soft, but they should still be firm and hold their shape.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat, cheese, and peppers together.
• Stuff the manicotti shells with the sausage, cheese, and pepper mixture.
• Wrap the shells in bacon. Ensure that the entire manicotti shell is covered by bacon. This will help to prevent the edges from getting too crispy.
• Apply a generous amount of your favorite rub evenly over the bacon wrap stuffed shells. Make sure to cover it completely.
• Allow to rest for four hours or overnight.
• Cooking...
• Oven: Preheat your oven to 275°F. Place the shotgun shells on a parchment lined sheet pan or baking sheet and cook on the middle rack for 60 minutes.
• Air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is nice and crispy.
• Smoker: Preheat your smoker to 275°F. Smoke for 60 minutes.
• Grill: Preheat your grill to 275°F. Cook for 30 minutes.
• Check for an internal temperature of 165 – 170°F.
• Coat the shotgun shells with the BBQ sauce be sure to coat the shotgun shells well on all sides and the ends. The BBQ sauce will keep the noodles soft, so lather it on thick, and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Let them cool and cut them into one inch pieces.

Tips:

• The ones that I had were a little on the dry side, so it is important to use high fat content meats and if you are using pork you have to make sure you do not over cook them and make sure you cover them completely in BBQ sauce.
• To store them, let the shotgun shells cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat them in an oven-safe dish and heat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes. You can also heat them in the microwave or the air fryer.

~~ Lemon Saltimbocca ~~

I like chicken and not veal because of the inhumane way veal calves are treated, the are not allowed to move around because that will develop muscles so I only make chicken Saltimbocca.

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast1 (Option - 4 Veal cutlets)
• 1/2 lb. prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 8 Sage leaves
• 12 Slices Swiss cheese
• 4 Tsp. Flour
• 1 Tsp. Panko
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 1 Lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds
• 1/2 Lemon, juiced
• 1/2 lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds
• 1 Shallot, minced (Or a green onion)
• 1/4 Cup minced garlic
• 1 Cup Dry white wine
• 4 oz. Chicken stock (Beef stock for the veal)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Cut the chicken in to 1/2 inch thick cutlets and pound the chicken into thin scaloppini (If using veal, pound the veal into thin scaloppini).
• Mix the salt and pepper, panko and flour together. Then coat both side of the scaloppini in the flour mixture.
• Then place a slice of prosciutto top of each scaloppini, press together firmly and then add two sage to each scaloppini. Pin them using toothpicks to the prosciutto and the scaloppini chicken.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Sauté the meat for 2 minutes on each side. Then remove them from the pan.
• Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
• Add the shallot, wine, lemon juice, lemon slices, and stock simmer for 3 minutes. Add the rest of the flour mixture to the sauce, stirring it in. Then add the chicken and place a slice of Swiss cheese on top of the chicken. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove to a serving dish and pour the sauce over the top.

Sides:

• Angel hair pasta
• Wild rice
• Lemon & herb risotto
• Mashed potatoes

~~Pollo Piccante in Salsa di Panna di Diana~~

(Spicy Chicken in Cream Sauce by Diana)

Ingredients:

• 1 Chicken breast
• ¼ lbs. prosciutto
• 1 Shallots diced
• 1 Jalapeno pepper diced
• A few dried spicy hot Calabrian Diavoletti Rossi, Small Dried Spicy Hot Chili Peppers chopped (Warning: these are HOT)
• ¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes or an 8 ounce jar sun dried tomatoes (Drained)
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup of whipping cream
• 1 tbs. butter
• Fresh parsley
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Note: When handling the jalapeno and the Dried Spicy Hot Chili Peppers wash your hands in soapy water to get the capsaicin. Do not wipe your eyes when handling the peppers.
• Preparing the chicken: Cut the chicken in to 1/2 inch thick cutlets and pound the chicken into thin scaloppini. Place the prosciutto on top of the chicken and roll up pinning it closed with toothpicks. 
• In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat then add the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, and onions. Cook over medium heat, tossing regularly, until the onions have softened and turned a light golden brown (manage your heat to make sure the garlic does not burn). 
• Add the chicken prosciutto roll and brown on all sides
• Stir in the tomato paste.
• Add the cream and bring to boil, then lower the heat to low and cover the pan. Stirring regularly allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes or so until thickened.
• You can serve over your favorite crusty bread, pasta, or rice, I like it over brown rice or wild rice.

Options:

• You can add corn or zucchini
• You can substitute shrimp, scallops, or pork for the chicken. I think lobster would also go good!

Serving suggestions:

• Over Spanish Rice, Long-Grain Rice, and Brown Rice
• Over Pasta Fettuccine, spaghetti, or thin egg noodles

~~ Tuscan Chicken in Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce with Gnocchi ~~

I bought one of those store rotisserie chicken and I had a half a breast left on the chicken and I though, hmm…

Ingredients:

• Dice a chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes
• 1 package of gnocchi
• 3 packed cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 crushed roasted garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon each dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme
• ½ cup julienned sun dried tomatoes, (they come in a jar packed with oil, be sure to drain excess oil)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup half and half, or heavy cream (use heavy cream for a thicker, creamier sauce!)
• ⅔ cup shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese for topping
• fresh basil or thyme, for topping
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. 
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add the chicken and gnocchi, cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. Set aside the the chicken and gnocchi.
• Add garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, sun dried tomatoes, chicken broth, and half and half or heavy cream to pan the you cooks the chicken with the already melted butter that you cooked the chicken and the gnocchi in and stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil, and continue to stir periodically until thickened and creamy (5-7 minutes).
• Add the chicken and the spinach to pan and stir the mixture for a few minutes..
• Top with cracked black pepper, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh thyme or basil, and serve.

Variations:

• Shrimp instead of  chicken
• Scallops instead of chicken
• Pork instead of chicken
• Mushrooms
• Cherry tomatoes slice in half
• Add Kalamata olives (Pitted) and use olive oil instead of butter for a more of Mediterranean cuisine
• Instead of the gnocchi you use fettuccine.

~~Mom’s Meatloaf~~

I consider meatloaf as one of the basic comfort foods, low cost, easy to make and there are an endless number of recipes. This was the one that I liked growing up.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (My mom used ground meat with a high fat content, it adds favor to the meatloaf.)
• 1 can (10 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup (Do not mix with water or milk)
• ¾ cup chicken-flavored bread stuffing mix (such as Kraft® Stove Top®)
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt to taste (I’m on a low salt diet so I don’t add salt.)

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 350°F.   
• While the oven is heating, season the beef with salt. Thoroughly mix the beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl by hand. Do not over mix!
• Mix the stuffing on slightly the dry side and place stuffing on the bottom of a 9x5x3-inch baking pan (non-stick or grease the pan) and press in shape firmly into the pan.
• Place the beef mixture on top of the stuffing and pat down (The idea is that the juices from the meat will be adsorbed by the stuffing.
• Spread the condensed tomato soup on top (Don't not add water or milk, just the straight condensed soup) You might not need the whole can of soup.
• Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
• Allow to cool in loaf pan for 5 minutes, then slice and serve!

Variations:

• Use another condensed soups like Cream of Mushrooms or Cream of Celery
• Add chopped cooked bacon
• Substitute dry onion soup & dip mix for the onion, and Worcestershire sauce.

~~Apple Smothered Short Ribs~~~

Okay, this recipe idea come out of wondering how to use up food in the refrigerator because I will be closing up the cottage in a month.

I have some short ribs in the freezer, slow cook them in barbecue, naw did that last week. A friend left an apple… Could do something with those two?

Google: Slow cooker, short ribs, apple

Up came: Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions

Hmm… this has possibilities!

Slow Cooker Apple Butter Pork Chops

This also looks good.

This calls for a Mashup of the two recipes!

Ingredients:

• 2 short ribs
• 1 1/2 cup apple butter*
• 1 yellow onion sliced
• 2 Granny Smith apples peeled and sliced
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar (packed)
• 2 Tsp. Butter
• Cinnamon 

Directions:

• Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onions and caramelize them. Put aside the caramelized onions.
• In the slow cooker place the ribs and cover with the caramelized onions.
• Add the apple butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl and fold them together.
• Pour over the ribs.
• Cover and turn on the slow cooker (low = 4 to 5 hours, high = 3 to 4 hours), just before it is done add the sliced apples about 20 minutes before severing. 

~~~~~~~~

*Apple Butter can be made from apple sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ to ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

• In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes. 
• Remove from the heat; cool and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

~~Stuffed Peppers~~

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold water
• ½ cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 1 pound ground low fat beef
• 6 medium green bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 can concentrated tomato soup
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring water and rice to a boil in a covered saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Mix the ground beef and Worcestershire sauce, in a skillet over medium heat add the ground beef and Worcestershire sauce, mixture and cook until evenly browned and crumbly, 7 to 9 minutes.
• Hollow out bell peppers by removing and discarding the tops, seeds, and membranes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (parboil) and cook the bell peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes (parboil); drain. Sprinkle salt inside each bell pepper and set aside.
• Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward and add a little water to the bottom of the pan.
• Prepare filling by mixing cooked beef, cooked rice, salt, and pepper. Spoon an equal amount of filling into each hollowed pepper.
• Spoon the concentrated tomato soup on top of the stuffed peppers and and cover with the shredded Cheddar cheese
• Bake in the preheated oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until peppers are tender, about 1 hour.

Variations:

• Add sausage to the ground beef.
• Add sun dried tomatoes.
• Add chopped onions.
• Use tomato paste instead of concentrated tomato soup.
• Use different types of cheeses.
• Use brown rice or wild rice.
• Spice it up with hot peppers.

 

~~ Skillet Tuscan Shrimp in Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce ~~

Ingredients:

• 6 shrimp person (You can also substitute scallops, chicken breasts, or a pork chops per person*)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 Diced shallots
• 2 Diced jalapeno peppers
• ½ teaspoon each dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme
• ½ cup julienned sun dried tomatoes, (If they come in a jar packed with oil, be sure to drain excess oil)
• ½ cup half and half, or heavy cream (use heavy cream for a thicker, creamier sauce!)
• ⅔ cup shaved or shredded parmesan cheese for topping
• fresh basil or thyme, for topping
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Option: add fresh spinach
• Option: roasted garlic cloves instead of minced garlic (The last time I made this I tossed in a couple of roasted garlic cloves, it added nice taste to it.)

Directions:

• In a frying pan, melt the butter and add the diced garlic, shallots, and jalapeno, stir until the shallots turn translucent.
• Add the dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until the and half and half or heavy cream to pan and stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil, and continue to stir periodically until thickened and creamy (5-7 minutes).
• Add the shrimp to pan and stir the mixture until the shrimp is cooked.
• Top with cracked black pepper, grated parmesan cheese and serve over pasta.

Severing suggestion: serve over fettuccine or spaghetti.

Options:

• Add gnocchi, you can add the gnocchi when you add the shrimp.
• Serve over fettuccine or spaghetti.

*When using chicken or pork chops:

• Frist in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add chicken or pork and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. 

~~Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs~~

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs - BBQ Sauce & Wine

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. country ribs
• 1 c barbecue sauce
• 1 c wine (I'm going to try it with a cup of Bourbon some day.)
• 1 c chopped onions
• 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• Hot sauce (Optional)

Directions:

• Place your ribs in your crock pot
• Mix the other ingredients and pour your mixture over your ribs
• Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours (On high for 4 to 5 hours)* or until ribs are tender.

I like to add Yukon Gold potatoes to the ribs, they come out really nice.

* I use a mix of low and high settings. First I set the heat to high, when it starts to boil I turn it down to low heat. It cuts the cooking time down and stops the torture of having to smell the ribs all day.

~~ The Best Hamburger ~~

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. 80% - 85% lean hamburgers meat*.
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Unseasoned bread crumbs (Panko bread crumbs)
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. Seasoning (you can get creative with the seasoning; McCormick’s Montreal Steak seasoning, Old Bay, salt & pepper, or your favorite seasoning)

Directions:

• Mix all the ingredients together, press into hamburger patties.

That’s it.

You can also stuff you hamburgers with cheese (Feta, or blue cheese, or American cheese, or brie, or any other type cheese), or onions and peppers, or hot pepper relish.

When I cook the burgers on a grill I do it with high heat to sear both side of the burger and then move it to medium heat.

*I think that the secret is in the high fat content and the bread crumbs because the fat is what adds the taste and the bread crumbs hold the savory juices in the burger. The egg acts as a binder and the Worcestershire sauce and Montréal steak seasoning are for seasoning so you can play around with those ingredients for your own taste.

~~ Diana’s Chicken Cordon Bleu ~~

 Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 6 thin slices cooked ham
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spray with no-stick cooking spray; set aside
• Butterfly the chicken by slicing each chicken breast 3/4 quarters of the way through and open them up
• Pound chicken breasts to flatten them to about a 1/4 inch thick.
• Place the a slice of Swiss cheese and a slice of ham on each breast and then fold them over and put a toothpick through them.
• Brush the chicken with mayonnaise, then coat in bread crumbs.
• Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from oven and remove the toothpicks. 

~~ Chicken Margarita Fajitas ~~

 Ingredients:

• 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast halves (or your favorite steak), cut into 2 x 1/2 inch strips
• 1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 fresh lime + lime zest from the lime
• 1/4 cup tequila (1/4 cup water optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 2 minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 8 low-carb flour tortillas
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1  green bell (or 2 Cubanelle pepper) pepper, cut into thin strips
• flour or corn starch
• refried beans (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• green chili salsa (optional)

Directions:

• Place chicken, 1/4 cup of the oil, lime juice, tequila, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, garlic, cumin and lime peel in a plastic bag and marinate, refrigerated, 4 hours or overnight.
• Drain chicken, save the marinade
• Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook onion 3 minutes, until softened.
• Add pepper strips and cook 2 minutes, until crisp-tender.
• Transfer vegetables to a bowl.
• Warm the tortillas
• Add chicken to skillet and cook about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through (add more oil if necessary).
• Stir in vegetables and add the marinade and discard the rest of it
• Cook, stirring, 2 minutes more (you can deglaze the pan with a little bit more tequila).
• Stir in remaining cilantro.
• Remove the chicken, onions and peppers, thicken the marinade with the flour or corm starch
• To serve, spoon chicken mixture and thicken marinade onto the warm tortillas and top with refried beans, sour cream and salsa, if desired.

Total Carbohydrate = it is that of the tortillas

~~ Saltimbocca ~~

The first time that I had this was at a restaurant in town with my parents and I liked it so much that I looked up the recipe. I like chicken and not veal because of the inhumane way veal calves are treated, the are not allowed to move around because that will develop muscles so I only make chicken Saltimbocca.

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast1 (Option - 4 pork tenderloin or 4 Veal cutlets)
• 1 LB prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 12 Slices Provolone cheese
• 4 TSB Flour
• 1/2 Cup minced garlic
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 2 TBS Ground Sage
• 2 TSB Chopped parsley
• 1 Shallot, minced (Or a green onion)
• 1 Cup Dry white wine
• 4 oz. Chicken stock (Beef stock for the veal)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 2 Tbs. Lemon juice

Directions:

• Cut the chicken in to 1/2 inch thick cutlets and pound the chicken into thin scaloppini ( If using veal, pound the veal into thin scaloppini).
• Mix the salt and pepper and flour together. Then coat the meat in the flour mixture.
• Sprinkle each piece with sage and garlic, 
• Then place a slice of prosciutto top of each scaloppini, press together firmly. 
• Heat the butter and oil in a large frypan. Sauté the meat for 2 minutes on each side. 
• Add the parsley, shallot, wine, and stock (You can add the lemon juice here for more of a lemon sauce.) and simmer for 2 minutes and after the 2 minutes cover the meat with a slice of provolone cheese.
• Remove to a serving dish and pour the sauce over the top.

I usually make a little extra sauce because I like a lot of it to pour on the meat.

Hint: For a side dish wild rice.

~~ Diana's Honey Sesame Chicken Kabobs ~~

 Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup Tahini marinade - See below
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes (You can use any type of meat cut into cubes)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 doz. Cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• Skewers

Directions:

• In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, tahini and pepper. 
• Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better, I usually marinate them for 24 hours.).
• Preheat the grill for high heat.
• Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables into a saucepan. Add the cornstarch and stir until smooth. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside.
• Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.

(Hint: I found some 1/4 inch wide skewers or use two skewers instead of to prevent the chicken and vegetables from rotating)

(Hint: put the chicken and vegetables each on spate skewers, that way you can take each vegetable off the grill when they are done)

Baste with honey glaze. Grill 4-6 minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear, turning and basting frequently.

========================

~~Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste) Recipe~~

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/3 cup tepid water

Directions:

• Place sesame seeds in a blender or food processor and grind until smooth. 
• Add sesame oil. 
• Process until combined. With the blender running, add the water in a very slow, steady stream and blend until smooth.

~~ Chicken Scallopini with Piccata Sauce ~~

Ingredients:

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1/4 Cup Flour
• 1 TSP Salt
• 1/8 TSP Pepper
• 2 TBS Butter
• 1 Cup Sliced fresh mushrooms ( Optional - if you are like me and hate mushrooms )
• 1/4 Cup Dry Sherry
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 2 TBS Chopped chives
• 1 TBS Lemon juice
• 1 TSP Rosemary, tarragon or marjoram
• 3 TBS Capers

Directions:

• Cut the chicken in to 1/4 inch thick cutlets and pound flat (Scallopini).
• Combine the flour, salt and pepper and coat the veal with the seasoned flour. 
• In a large fry pan, brown both sides of the veal in the hot butter until golden brown. 
• Add the rest of the ingredients (Piccata Sauce) and simmer covered for 10 minutes. 
• Remove to a serving dish and pour the sauce over the top.

Side dish suggestions: Rice Pilaf 

~~ Slow Cooker Sunday Chicken & Dumplings ~~

 Ingredients:

• 4 Skinless, boneless chicken breast ( Option - 8 pork chops )
• 1 Can Campbell's Cream of Celery Soup (or Cream of Chicken)
• 1 Can Chicken Broth or 10 oz. White wine (I also have used 5 oz. of chicken broth and 5 oz. of wine)
• Potatoes - As desired 
• Carrots - As desired 
• Onions - As desired
• Corn - As desired
• Paprika, salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup Bisquick

Directions:

• Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and place them into a crock pot. 
• Combine the soup and chicken broth and pour over the chicken. 
• Cut the vegetables into cubes and add them to the crock pot. 
• Cook for 6 -8 hours on low heat or 4 - 6 hours on high heat. 
• About a half hour before being done mix the Bisquick according to instructions on the package for dumplings and spoon the dough on top of the chicken and vegetables.

Options:

• Serve it over rice instead of dumplings.
• Serve it over egg noodles