Chicken Cacciatore

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Chicken Cacciatore is full of flavor and very versatile. It can be eaten as is or on rice or noodles. I even chop up some of the leftovers the next day and put it on some greens for a salad at lunchtime.

You can use thighs or breasts, bone-in or boneless, whatever you happen to have, just remove the skin if it is still on the chicken. This time around I had 2 bone-in thighs and 1 chicken breast that I cut in half.

First gather and prep all your ingredients. The next steps go fast so you want to have everything ready.

Remove the skin from the chicken, chop the veggies, mix the flour and seasonings and make sure you have chicken stock.

Heat the pan with the oil, dredge your chicken in the flour and seasoning mix and add it to the pan. Brown it on both sides, then remove from the pan. Don’t worry about any flour or chicken bits that may be left in the pan.

Lower the heat and add a little more oil then the onions, peppers, and mushrooms.Scrape the brown stuff off the bottom of the pan as you are sauteing the veggies for a few minutes. Don’t worry if you don’t get all the brown stuff off the bottom, you’ll get it in the next step.

Now add your red wine or vinegar, chicken stock and garlic. This is when you want to make sure you really scrape the bottom of the pan to get anything off.

Now add the diced tomatoes, parsley, capers and Italian seasoning. Mix all of this together.

Now add the chicken back to the pan and get it all sunken into the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Flip the chicken, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. It should be done about now, but check to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Now it’s time to enjoy! Depending on my mood or how hungry I am I might have this on rice, in which case I’ll start cooking that before I start anything with the Cacciatore recipe. Or if I want it on noodles, I’ll cook those while my chicken is simmering. Sometimes I’ll just make some garlic toast to go with it.

Chicken Cacciatore means Hunter’s Chicken. In which case I think you could really add any vegetable you want to this and turn it more into a stew. Any way you make it and serve it, Chicken Cacciatore is very delicious!

Print Recipe

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore is an easy, yet delicious meal to make. You can serve it with just some garlic toast or put it on a bed of rice or egg noodles, topped with some Parmesan cheese.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Cacciatore, Chicken
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 200kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • 4 to 6 quart stainless steel deep pan
  • Cutting board and knife

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 4 pieces chicken thighs bone-in, skinless or 2 chicken breasts cut in half
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Veggies and Sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup red onion or shallot, diced
  • 1 each bell pepper chopped
  • 2 cups mushrooms sliced
  • 1 tbsp garlic fresh, minced
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or red wine
  • 15 ounce can diced tomatoes in sauce
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp Italian parsley chopped
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • Combine the flour and seasonings and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. On medium high heat, heat a deep, wide bottom pan (a 4 quart pan will do) and add the olive oil. Add the chicken to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes – add more oil if you need to.
  • When the chicken is brown, lower heat to medium and remove chicken from the pan. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and the onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Sauté for a couple minutes then add the red wine vinegar, chicken broth, and garlic. Scrape all the brown stuff off the bottom of the pan (this is flavor and thickener for the sauce).
  • Reduce heat to medium low and add the diced tomatoes, parsley, capers, and Italian seasoning to the pan and combine. Return the chicken back to the pan, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Flip chicken over, cover and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove the lid, flip the chicken one more time, leave the lid off and simmer another 10 minutes to reduce sauce and finish cooking the chicken. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it reached 165 degrees.
  • Serve with a side of pasta in marinara sauce or on top of some cooked rice or egg noodles, and some garlic toast.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 723mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg

Hazelnut Crusted Pork Medallions

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This past year has been a challenge, everything from how we work or learn to going out and special occasion dinners. Valentine’s Day is approaching and if you are unable to order a to-go meal from a local restaurant or have kids at home but you still want a nice meal, Hazelnut Crusted Pork Medallions happen to be quick to prepare and easy to make.

You are going to want about 1 pound of pork trimmed of fat. It can be boneless chops, loin, or tenderloin. I happened to have a pork loin this time so I cut it into 4 slices, then cut each slice in half.

I put the pork slices between 2 sheets of plastic wrap in order to prevent any kind of contamination of my counter or anything surrounding it while I flatten the medallions a little bit.

Use the flat side of your meat mallet and pound the medallions down to about 1/4 inch thick.

Remove the top layer of plastic wrap and sprinkle both sides of the pork with sea salt, black pepper, and granulated garlic.

In a small food processor, chop the hazelnuts until fine. You don’t want to turn it into powder. Put them in a bowl and chop your rosemary and parsley. You could certainly hand chop everything. Then combine with the hazelnuts.

Take each medallion and press it into the hazelnut mixture. Make sure they are well coated. As I coat them, I set them aside on a piece of parchment paper.

 

After they are all coated, press each one with the palm of your hand, ensuring the hazelnut coating is well pressed into the pork. If you have any leftover coating in your bowl. sprinkle it on the medallions and press in.

On medium to medium low heat, heat a large skillet and add the olive oil. I like to use a non-stick skillet for this. Add your pork medallions and cook, about 4 minutes per side, checking from time to time to ensure it isn’t burning. The pork should be at 145 degrees.

These are tasty as is, make a quick brown gravy to top them off, or turn your Hazelnut Crusted Pork Medallions into a fancy meal by making Mushroom Demi Glace and serve them with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction.

Print Recipe

Hazelnut Crusted Pork Medallions

These restaurant quality pork medallions can be easily and quickly made at home to enjoy a nice meal with your loved ones.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Hazelnut Pork, Hazelnuts, Pork Medallions
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 405kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Cutting board and knife
  • Meat Mallet
  • Large saute pan
  • Small Food Proccessor - Optional

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork loin or pork chops or tenderloin
  • 1 cup hazelnuts raw
  • 1 1/2 tbsp rosemary fresh
  • 2 tbsp parsley fresh
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic

Instructions

  • Trim fat off pork and cut into 4 even slices. Cut each slice in ½. If using a pork tenderloin, cut into 8 even slices.
  • Place pork in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, lightly pound pork down to about ¼ inch thick.
  • Pull top sheet of plastic wrap off and sprinkle both sides with a little salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Set aside.
  • In a food processor (or with a knife) fine chop the hazelnuts, and put in a bowl. Chop the rosemary and parsley and add to the hazelnuts.
  • Press hazelnut mixture into both sides of the pork medallions.
  • On medium to medium low heat, heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the medallions to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes, turn and cook another 4 minutes. The pork will be done when it reaches and internal temperature of 145ºF.
  • Eat as is or top with a quick gravy or Mushroom Demi Glace.
  • Pairs well with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes , Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction, a steamed vegetable, or green salad.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 654mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 199IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg

Mushroom Demi Glace

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I good gravy can go a long way to completing a meal. Demi Glace is a gravy on its own or a base for another sauce. I love mushrooms, especially in gravy so I generally add them to all my gravies. This time I had button mushrooms but oyster mushrooms work great in this too! If you don’t like mushrooms, just skip past that and make the demi glace.

Prep time for this is simple. I like to use shallots, but you could certainly use red or yellow onions. You could also add a teaspoon of minced garlic if you desired.

For the beef stock, you can certainly use already made stock or some you made. I keep jars of Better Than Bouillon on hand. I love this stuff and it comes in many different varieties. This way I can make any variety of stock I need in any amount I need. I have found it at just about every grocery store I have shopped and on Amazon. It’s usually by the packaged gravies, but I have also found it in the soup aisle.

You are going to need at least a 4 inch deep sauce pan. Heat the olive oil and had the mushrooms and shallots. Cook until the mushrooms start browning. Then remove them from the pan and set aside. Don’t worry about anything that might be left on the bottom of the pan, this will add flavor in the next steps.

Put your pan back on the element and make the rue. Melt your butter; whisk in the flour. Brown the flour a little bit, whisking the entire time. You can see the little brown chunks that were stuck on the bottom of my pan that got whisked into the rue.

Next you will slowly add the beef stock. Whisk in about 1/2 cup at a time. Make sure to do this for about the first 2 cups. Whisk in between adding and try to incorporate it all and get out the lumps. If you dump all the stock in at once, you risk a lumpy gravy. If your gravy is looking fairly lump free after the first couple of cups, go ahead and dump in the rest of the stock. Then whisk in the tomato paste and granulated garlic.

Once your sauce comes to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer away. Whisk every so often, and reduce your sauce by at least 1/2. This will take about an hour.

If I am making this to go with Hazelnut Crusted Pork Medallions, this is when I start working on those. Or I make this a day or so in advance of when I need it and just heat it up.

In the last 5 minutes, add your cooked mushrooms and shallots into your gravy.

Enjoy!

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Mushroom Demi Glace

Easy to prepare; it takes time to simmer, however, this demi glace is a rich gravy that is worth the wait.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Condiments, Gravy, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Demi Glace, Mushroom Gravy, Steak Topping
Servings: 4 peop;e
Calories: 180kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Cutting board and knife
  • 6 to 8 quart sauce pan
  • Whisk

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups mushrooms sliced
  • 2 tbsp shallots minced
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 quart Beef stock for vegetarian use mushroom or veggie stock
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat a 4-inch deep stainless steel pan on medium heat. Add olive oil, mushrooms, and shallots. Sauté until mushrooms are browned and shallots are translucent. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Add butter to the hot pan, melt, and whisk in the flour. Cook until butter and flour have browned – do not burn. Slowly whisk in beef stock making sure to whisk out all the lumps, then add granulated garlic, and tomato paste.
  • Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently. Gravy should be reduced in half. Add mushrooms and shallots in the last 5 minutes.
  • Top steaks, Hazelnut Crusted Pork Medallions, or grilled portobello caps with gravy or demi glace. It's also very good on mashed potatoes.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 703mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 297IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

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Roasting potatoes is a quick way to prepare a side dish for that rushed, weekday dinner. It doesn’t involve a lot of steps or prep time, and you can season them however you like. I used rosemary on these, but feel free to switch that out with thyme or another favorite flavor. Of course fresh herbs taste better, but not too many of us have them there for everyday use.

Start by cutting your potatoes. I slice them lengthwise in half, then each half into 3 or 4 wedges. If you have time, put them in a bowl of ice water for about 30 minutes. This step isn’t necessary, but with help give you a crispier potato. Either way, as you are slicing them, put them in ice water.

It’s probably time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Drying your potatoes before seasoning and cooking is an important step. This also helps give you a nice, crispy potato. Make sure to drain and dry them really well.

Dry the bowl you had the potatoes in, put them back in the bowl and add the olive oil, rosemary, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss and lay out on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Try to space them out so they aren’t touching (this time around I used red potatoes).

I recommend using fresh herbs for this recipe. 1 teaspoon dry herbs equals 1 tablespoon fresh. However, they are expensive and usually go bad before you can use them up. So, if using dry herbs, make sure to muddle them with a mortar and pestle or crush them up in your hand to release the flavor of the dry herb.

Bake them for 30 minutes, flip them over and return to the oven.

After I bake them for 25 minutes more, I like to push them together on the pan and sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Of course if there are dairy allergies, just cook for another 30 minutes after flipping them over.

This time around, I served them with my Breaded Pork Bites that I made in my air fryer and some steamed chard.

Whatever you serve them with, I hope you enjoy!

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Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

This is a very easy side dish that can be quickly prepped for small or large groups.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Potatoes, Roasted Potatoes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 102kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Bowl with Ice Water
  • Sheet Pan
  • Cutting board and knife

Ingredients

  • 4 each russet potatoes small to medium
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp rosemary fresh, chopped
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 1/3 cup shredded parmesan optional
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, optional

Instructions

  • Clean and then slice potatoes lengthwise into wedges and put them in a bowl filled with ice water. Let sit for 30 minutes, drain and pat dry with a clean towel. Put back into a dry bowl.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Drizzle in the olive oil over and sprinkle in the rosemary and some salt and pepper – do not add too much salt as the parmesan will add more salty-ness. Toss this to get the potatoes evenly coated and place in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
  • Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and bake another 25 minutes. Sprinkle the parmesan over the potatoes and bake another 5 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle on the chives or parsley
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg

Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction

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Asparagus is a very versatile vegetable that pairs well with a wide variety of main courses and meats. It cooks within a couple of minutes and can be as fast as doing a quick steam or sauteed with butter, salt, and pepper, or fancied up a bit with some sauteed mushrooms and a balsamic reduction.

As usual, start by gathering and prepping your ingredients. To trim the asparagus, I grab a hold of the bottom of the asparagus in one hand and the other hand I grab on the stem about 2 inches from my first hand. Then bend the asparagus and it will snap where the “woody” part stops and the stem becomes tender. Most of the rest of the bunch of asparagus will match up to the same length, so line up the one you snapped off with the rest and cut off the ends. Or you can snap each individually.

Slice your mushrooms, chop your garlic – if you don’t have a jar of minced garlic in your refrigerator, and make sure you have shredded Parmesan and bacon bits. I chop up a package of raw bacon and cook it, drain the grease, put it in a resealable bag in my freezer so it is ready any time I want bacon bits. I also buy large bags or tubs of shredded Parmesan cheese and keep it in my freezer for when I need it.

Heat a large stainless steel pan and add the oil and mushrooms. You can certainly use a non-stick pan, but the mushrooms won’t brown as well. Saute until the mushrooms are brown.

Then add garlic and balsamic vinegar and a few turns of your pepper grinder. Simmer until the vinegar is reduced in half – this will only take about 5 minutes.

Add the asparagus, cover with a lid and simmer for another 2 minutes, tops. If you wanted you could cut the asparagus into bite size pieces before adding it to the mushrooms and vinegar. When you add cut asparagus, stir it into the sauce for a minute or 2.

It is ready to eat. Top it with bacon bits, shredded Parmesan cheese, even some chives or toasted walnuts taste great too.

Enjoy!

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Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction

I love the time of year when asparagus is in season. Add some sauteed mushrooms, balsamic, little bacon and parmesan cheese and you have a great vegetable side dish to go with about any meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Asparagus
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 153kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Large stainless steel saute pan

Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus trimmed
  • 4 cups mushrooms sliced
  • 2 tsp garlic fresh, minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Black pepper
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp bacon bits
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, stainless steel sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and saute until brown, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and give it a stir, then add the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of black pepper. Simmer the vinegar until reduced in half, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the asparagus, cover with a lid and simmer for another 2 minutes.
  • Put it on a plate and top with the bacon bits and parmesan cheese. You can also add some fresh chopped parsley or chives.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 558mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 877IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg

Sweet Orange Sriracha Glazed Wings

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These spicy, yet slightly sweet and tangy are a must try for anyone who loves sriracha sauce.

They are quite simple to make and don’t require a deep fryer. I bake them most of the time, but they do turn out great in an air fryer if you have that option.

First toss your wings in some vegetable or canola oil, sea salt, and black pepper. You can do this in a bowl or in a closable bag. It can be done the day before or right before you are ready to bake them.

Then lay them out flat on a parchment-lined sheet tray.

Silicone baking mats work great, but for things that are going to produce some liquid, like grease, I use parchment paper to keep it from oozing onto my pan.

I happened to be making my Firecracker Wings at the same time so I used the same sheet tray.

In a 400 degree oven, bake the wings for 30 minutes. Flip them over and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until they are crispy.

If you have an air fryer, cook at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, flip them over and cook at 400 degrees for another 8 to 12 minutes, until crispy.

While your wings are cooking, put the orange juice, honey, and sriracha in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Mix your cornstarch with the water and whisk into sauce. Simmer until thickened. (Sorry, no fun pictures for this step.)

When the wings are crispy, toss in the sauce or put wings on a plate and pour sauce over the top. Sprinkle some chives or green onions on top.

Enjoy!

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Sweet Orange Sriracha Glazed Wings

I love wings of all kinds and they are very easy to make at home without a deep fat fryer, and a tad healthier too. The sweetness of the honey and tanginess of the orange juice pairs well with the spicy sriracha sauce.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Drummies, Wings
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: 61kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Sheet tray lined with parchment paper
  • Sauce pan and whisk

Ingredients

  • 12 each wings and/or drummies
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup OJ I prefer freshly squeezed oranges
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 - 3 tbsp Sriracha*
  • 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp cold water

Instructions

  • Toss wings in the oil, sea salt and black pepper. Lay flat on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake at 400° oven for 30 minutes. Flip over and bake another 15 – 20 minutes until crispy.
  • While baking, combine the OJ, honey and Sriracha in a sauce pan and melt the honey. Thoroughly mix the arrowroot or cornstarch in the water. While whisking the OJ sauce, slowly drizzle the cornstarch water into the sauce. Simmer until thickened.
  • When the wings are crispy, remove from oven and add them to the sauce. Toss well. Garnish with some sliced green onion and/or some orange zest.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

*If you don’t like a lot of spiciness, reduce the amount of Sriracha to 1 or 2 tablespoons. You can start with 1 and taste, add more until it is hot enough for your tastes.
If you have an air fryer and want to use it instead of the oven, put your wings in at 400 degrees, cook for 12 minutes. Flip them over and cook at 400 degrees for another 8 to 12 minutes - it all depends on how big are your wings and drummies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg

Jalapeno Popper Bites

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The regular season of the NFL is over and playoffs will be underway, then the Superbowl finale. While I won’t have the parties this year like in years past, there is no reason not to enjoy some of the more traditional Superbowl food.

Jalapeno poppers are good any way you make them. Most of the time I stick to the more traditional home method of hollowing out a jalpeno pepper, stuffing it with cream cheese and wrapping it in bacon. In restaurants you will get a cream cheese stuffed jalapeno, breaded and deep fried. These Popper Bites combine the 2 methods, and they hold up in the freezer so you can enjoy them when you have the popper craving.

Start by chopping up 2 slices of bacon and crisping in a pan. Drain off grease, and pat dry.

Or, if you’re like me, I cook up an entire package of bacon at a time and freeze the cooked, leftover slices to use at a future date. If this is the case, all you need to do is pull 2 slices out of the freezer and chop them up.

A note for my vegetarian friends and followers: as long as you eat cheese, omit the bacon or use vegetarian bacon bits so vegetarians and non-vegetarians can enjoy these! The vegetarian bacon bits have come a long way in flavor over the years and are probably healthier for you anyway.

In a large bowl, add room temperature cream cheese, shredded cheese, crispy bacon bits, a minced jalapeno (remove seeds and ribs or keep them in, whatever your spice level can handle), and a dash of chili powder.

Mix this all together using the back of a firm spoon or a firm rubber spatula.

Now it’s time to get ready to build your popper bites.

Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and spray it with cooking oil.

Beat your eggs or put the milk in a bowl. Put your bread crumbs in another bowl.

Get a small dish and add some cold water to it.

Open your package of wonton wrappers.

Lay out 4 to 6 wraps at a time, with 1 corner pointing toward you. Wet all around the edges with water. I use the tips of a finger or 2, works better for me than a pastry brush.

Put a dollop or cheese mixture (about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons) in the center of each wrap.

Get ready to roll!

Fold the corner that is pointing toward you in over the cheese mixture.

Now fold the 2 side corners in over each other.

For the final roll, you may need to brush some more water on the flap before rolling it over. This will make sure all edges stick and you will be less likely to have your poppers ooze out while you are baking them.

Put these on your lined sheet tray and continue rolling until cheese mixture is used up. You’ll get about 35 bites, give or take a few.

Now, let’s add the breading. You can certainly skip this step, but it adds texture, flavor, and makes them a little more like restaurant quality.

Roll a bite in the milk, or egg, then in the bread crumbs and return to the sheet tray.

Continue until they are all breaded.

Now put them in the freezer for at least an hour. This is key. If you cook them before they are frozen, you will end up with a pile poppers that have all oozed and lost their cheese.

Once your popper bites are frozen, you can bag them up and cook them later, cook them all, or cook just a few.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Pull your popper bites from the freezer, spray them all around with cooking spray, and put them directly into the oven. Cook for 5 minutes, flip them over and cook another 5 – 7 minutes. They should be golden brown at this point. If you cook much longer you run a greater risk of cheese oozing out.

I like to serve these as an appetizer with some veggie stick and ranch dressing.

I also freeze any leftovers and heat them up in my toaster oven.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Jalapeno Popper Bites

Jalapeno poppers are very popular and fairly easy to make at home. This recipe takes all the ingredients and puts them into a wonton wrapper that you bread (like the poppers you get in a restaurant). They are the perfect, slightly spicy bite. Goes well with veggie sticks and ranch or bleu cheese dressing and they freeze well too.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Jalapeno Poppers
Servings: 35 bites
Calories: 31kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup shredded cheese co-jack, cheddar, or mozzarella
  • 1 each jalapeno no seeds or ribs, minced
  • 2 slices bacon cooked, cut into bits (optional or use vegetarian bacon bits)
  • ¼ tsp chili powder
  • 35 each Wonton wrappers or egg roll wrappers cut into 4ths with a pizza cutter
  • ½ cup milk or 2 eggs*
  • 1//2 cup bread crumbs Italian seasoned tastes great

Instructions

  • Combine cheeses, jalapeno, bacon bits if using, and chili powder. I use the back of a spoon to mash it all together.
  • Beat the egg, if using, or put the milk in a bowl. Put the bread crumbs (they can be seasoned bread crumbs) on a plate or a bowl. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil. Put some water in a small container.
  • Spread out wonton wrappers (4 – 6 at a time). Dampen edges with water. Put about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of the wrapper.
  • Fold 1 corner over the cream cheese mixture. Then fold over the 2 opposite sides, and roll it up. Make sure all edges are sealed against the wonton wrapper – you may need to brush more water on the wonton for the last fold to adhere. Place on a parchment-lined sheet tray (spray parchment first). Finish the rest of the cream cheese mixture.
  • Roll a jalapeno popper bite in the milk or egg then in the bread crumbs and return to the sheet tray. Continue until all are done. Freeze flat for at least 1 hour, until frozen through.**
  • Heat oven to 400°F. Spray each popper bite evenly with cooking spray. Cook for 5 minutes, flip over and cook another 5 to 7 minutes, no more or they tend to explode.
  • Serve with veggie sticks, ranch, and bleu cheese dressing.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

*I personally liked the texture of the finished bites with the milk instead of the egg, but both work. The egg seemed to make them a little more chewy.
** They need to be cooked frozen or they will be more likely to ooze. You still may get 1 or 2 that oozes. Once frozen you can bag them up and cook later. Make a big batch and pull out a few at a time when you want some.

Nutrition

Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Breaded Pork Bites

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I originally started making this recipe using whole pork chops, which you can do, just follow all steps except cutting up the pork chops. After a friend tried it, she suggested cutting the pork chop into smaller bites so there was more crunchy breading to enjoy. Once I started cutting the pork chops down, I haven’t gone back. These are great as a main course or an appetizer, dipped in marinara sauce, or just eat them as is.

This is a very quick and easy recipe to make; quick enough to throw together on a busy week night. Just mix the marinade ingredients together – olive oil, mayonnaise, Dijon, and Worcestershire sauce. Cut your pork chops into cubes, or not, and marinate the pork for about 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry, marinate long enough to get your bread crumb mixture ready and your air fryer out.

Next, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. If there are allergen issues, there are gluten-free bread crumbs available and if it’s a dairy issue, omit the Parmesan or use a dairy-free Parmesan. Remove the pork from the marinade and roll around in the bread crumb mixture, pressing it into the pork. I like to set the breaded pork on a rack for another 30 minutes. This helps the breading stick to the pork after it’s cooked and you cut into it. Again, this step is not 100 percent necessary, or you can do everything up to this point and put your breaded pork, uncovered, in your refrigerator overnight.

Now it’s time to pull out that air fryer. Spray the bottom of the pan with non-stick cooking oil. Arrange the pork so it is not touching each other – you may have to do this in 2 batches. If you are making 4 whole pork chops, you will probably be able to fit all 4 in at once. Spray the tops with the cooking oil. Turn on your air fryer and set it to 360 degrees for 4 minutes and cook. Turn everything over and repeat – 360 degrees for 4 minutes. I’ve made these many times and they are done at this point, but check the temperature and make sure they have reached 155 degrees.

If you have to do this in 2 batches, put the first batch on a pan lined with parchment paper in a warm oven or a warm toaster oven until the second batch is done.

I usually eat this as a dinner, not an appetizer, generally serving it with Rosemary Parmesan Roasted Potatoes and a vegetable. I steamed some chard this time around.

Print Recipe

Breaded Pork Bites

Marinating and breading pork, then cooking it in an air fryer gives you moist, tender, crispy, and delicious bites of pork. These are great as an appetizer dipped in marinara sauce or as the main part of your meal.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Resting Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 28 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Air Fryer, Pork
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 320kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients

  • 4 each pork chops
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 4 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 tsp mayonnaise
  • 1 cup bread crumbs Italian seasoned
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Mix together Worcestershire, olive oil, mustard, and mayonnaise. Cut pork chops into bite size pieces and mix into marinade. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
  • Remove pork bites from marinade and toss a few at a time into bread crumbs and parmesan. Set aside on a wire rack for 30 minutes (not completely necessary but the drying out process will help the breading stick to the pork when it is cut).
  • Get air fryer ready by spraying the bottom of the basket with cooking spray.
  • Arrange pork bites in bottom of the basket taking care to not over-crowd the basket. You may have to cook in 2 batches. You can put your first batch in a warm oven or toaster oven to keep hot while you are cooking the second batch.
  • Set air fryer to 360 degress and cook for 4 minutes. Turn pork bites over and cook at 360 degrees for another 4 minutes. They should be done and crispy at this point. Double check by making sure the pork has reached an internal temperature of 150 degrees.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1each | Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 219mg | Iron: 2mg

Blended Beet Soup

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I know you don’t like beets. They definitely aren’t for everyone, but I happen to love them. The nutritional benefits alone should be enough to convince you to at least give them a try. In this soup, I cut the beets with carrots and potatoes to remove some of the earthy flavors and add a little natural sweetness.

First, gather and prep all your ingredients. Depending on the size chunks you cut your vegetables in will depend on the cooking time, so smaller chunks equals less cook time. I also use beef stock instead of vegetable stock only because I like the flavor better, but use vegetable stock to keep this soup vegetarian, if that is your desire.

Prepping the vegetables is the hardest part of this soup. Once ready, add a little olive oil to a large, hot stock pot and add your onions. Saute for a couple minutes until they turn translucent, then add the garlic and saute for another minute or 2.

Add the rest of the vegetables, the stock and seasonings plus a little sea salt and black pepper. You can add more salt and pepper at the end if necessary.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are fork tender, probably 30 to 45 minutes depending on what size you cut your vegetables.

Now it’s time to blend. If you don’t have a stick blender, I recommend investing in one. You’ll be amazed how much easier these are to use than a food processor for many different blended foods. When deciding on one to purchase, make sure the blades are metal.

If you don’t have a stick blender, use a food processor or a stand blender. Just be careful not to overfill, the soup is hot!

Blend until you reach your desired consistency. I prefer not totally pureed, it needs to have some thickness, and a few chunks don’t hurt.

Taste it to see if you need more salt or pepper. I also like to stir in a few handfuls of greens, beet greens, kale, spinach or arugula. It doesn’t matter, just whatever I have on hand. This adds extra nutrients, texture, and flavor.

I like to blend a little prepared horseradish and black pepper with sour cream and top my bowl of soup with a dollop of the sour cream mixture and some fresh parsley or chives.

Any leftovers, I freeze in portion size containers.

A word of caution – don’t be alarmed the next day after your morning constitutional, beets turn things red!

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Blended Beet Soup

Beets are a hard sell for many people. By adding some potatoes and carrots to the beets, they cut the earthy taste and give this soup a little sweetness. Top it with some sour cream seasoned with horseradish and black pepper and you have a wonderful tasting and healthy fall/winter soup.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beets, Dairyfree, Glutenfree, soup, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 116kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Large Stock Pot
  • Stick Blender or Food Processor

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup yellow onion diced
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced, fresh
  • 2 cups beets peeled and diced
  • 2 cups potatoes diced (russets, yellow or red work)
  • 1 cup carrots diced
  • 4 cups vegetable stock or beef stock
  • 1 tsp thyme dry
  • 1 tsp oregano dry
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot heat olive oil. Add onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Add in the vegetables, stock, and seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are fork-tender. The time will vary depending on how big you cut your veggies.
  • Remove from heat and using a stick blender, blend until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.
  • I like to stir in a few handfuls of the beet greens if I have them or some spinach or kale. The heat will wilt the greens.
  • Serve with a dollop of sour cream mixed with prepared horseradish (to taste) and sprinkle on some parsley or chives if desired.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

If you do not have a stick blender you can use a blender or food processor. Just be careful not to overfill, the soup is hot!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3913IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

Garlic Cheddar Dinner Rolls

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There is nothing better than homemade bread fresh out of the oven, well almost nothing, maybe chocolate, but fresh bread is way up on the list. These rolls are easy to make and well worth the wait.

Start by putting yeast, sugar, olive oil, and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. A few things to note in this step:

   – do not add the salt in this step, sugar activates yeast and salt kills it;

   – your water should be around 110 – 115 degrees, any cooler it will take longer to activate, if at all, and any warmer risks killing the yeast, I use my wrist to temp the water but until you get used to the feel, use a thermometer;

   – a stand mixer makes life easy, but if you don’t have one, just use a large bowl and a hefty wooden spoon to mix or a dough hook on a hand mixer.

Once your yeast is nice and bubbly, it’s time to add the rest of the ingredients. Add the garlic, salt, cheddar cheese, and 1 cup of flour. Mix until just combined. Add the other 2 cups of flour and mix for about 3 minutes. If it doesn’t for a ball, add more flour and little at a time until the dough forms a ball. Remove dough from the bowl, spray it with cooking spray and return dough to bowl. Cover and set aside.

After about an hour the dough should have about doubled in size and is nice and airy looking. Punch down the dough and put it on a clean, floured surface and mound it into a wide log.

Cut into 8 equal chunks. Just eyeball it, no need to get out a kitchen scale. I cut the dough log in half, each half in half, and each quarter in half. It usually comes out fairly even but it’s ok if they aren’t all exactly the same size. Roll each chunk into a ball.

Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of a 12 inch cast iron pan and spread it around the bottom and sides using a brush or a paper towel works too. Place the dough balls evenly around the pan, spray the top of the rolls, cover with some plastic wrap and set aside for about 30 minutes, until doubled.

When almost doubled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

When the rolls are ready for the oven, remove the cover and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the rest of the cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes until nice and golden brown.

Remove from oven to a raised wire rack or a wool hot pad. Learn from my mistake and don’t put a hot cast iron pan on a cotton or polyester hot pad, it will start it on fire!

Print Recipe

Garlic Cheddar Dinner Rolls

Dinner rolls can be simple to make, especially when using a cast iron pan. Add a couple of different flavor ingredients, in this case, garlic and cheddar cheese, and you have a quick and tasty roll to add to your dinner.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bread, dinner rolls, rolls
Servings: 8 rolls
Calories: 304kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • 12 inch Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water 110-115 degrees
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese grated
  • 3 cups bread flour

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer with a dough hook add yeast, sugar, 1 tbsp olive oil, and water. Let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes until the yeast is bubbly. Add the granulated garlic, sea salt, 1 cup cheddar and 1 cup of flour – mix until combined. Add the other 2 cups of flour and mix for 3 minutes. If needed, slowly mix in more flour to form a soft dough. Remove from bowl.*
  • Spray mixing bowl with cooking spray and place dough back in your bowl, cover and let rise until doubled – about 1 hour.
  • Punch down dough and put on a floured surface. Shape into a log, using a pastry knife, cut into 8 equal pieces. I cut the log in half, then each half in half, then each quarter into half – this gives me fairly equal pieces.
  • Put 1 tbsp olive oil in the bottom of a 12 inch cast iron pan and spread around the bottom and sides.
  • Roll each dough piece into a ball and place evenly around the pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in size (about ½ hour – may take longer depending on how warm you kitchen is).
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Remove cover from rolls and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add remainder of the cheddar cheese. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
  • Remove from oven to a raised baking sheet or place on a wool hot pad or a turret suitable for holding a hot cast iron pan. Let sit for about 15 minutes before removing from pan and eating.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

I have used whole wheat bread flour in this recipe and it turns out great, the only problem is I’ve had a difficult time finding whole wheat bread flour. But if you can get it and like whole wheat bread, I would recommend using it.
*If not using a mixer with a dough hook when doing the original mixing, place dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic – about 6 – 8 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 425mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 212IU | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 1mg