Ma What's For Dinner?

Move over CPK!  This one is a keeper.

It’s quick, easy, and sooooo delicious.

Don’t feel like calling out for pizza tonight?

Stay in and make this one yourself.

Keegan told me that this was his best dinner ever.

Give it a try and let me know if your kids think so as well.

Serves: 8  Prep time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1  T olive oil, divided

S&P

4 slices bacon chopped

1/2 small onion chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 t dried thyme

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup ketchup

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 t dried mustard

1 T molasses

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 store bought pizza dough

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced thin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 shallot sliced thin

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Drizzle your chicken with 1/2 T olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 20 minutes at 425.  Meanwhile get started on your BBQ sauce.

In a medium saucepan heat remaining 1/2 T of olive oil over medium heat.  Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp.  Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel.  Set aside.

Pour off all but 1 T of bacon fat.  Add in your onions and allow to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute or two.  Season with salt and pepper and thyme.  Deglaze the pan with the vinegar being sure to scrap up all the good browned bits on the bottom.

Next add in your ketchup, tomato sauce, mustard, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce.  Turn the sauce down and allow to simmer until your chicken is ready.

Once the chicken is done remove it from the oven and slice it thinly.  Lay out your pizza dough and stretch it to fit a baking sheet.  Spread a think layer of sauce leaving a one inch border around the dough.  Arrange your chicken neatly around the pizza dough.  Then arrange jalapeno (I only put this on half so you get a half spicy half wimpy pizza) and shallots evenly around the dough.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.  Top with plenty of cheese and bake at 425 for 17-19 minutes.  Top with cooked bacon and more cilantro if desired.  Enjoy!

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Serves: a big ol’ crowd Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time:  1 hour 25 minutes

3 lbs ground beef

2 medium onions, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 beef bouillion cubes

1 cup hot beef broth

2 (28 oz) cans baked beans with molasses

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup prepared mustard

3 garlic cloves minced

S&P

1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 scallions diced

In a dutch oven over medium high heat cook your beef until browned.  Add in your onions and celery and cook until tender.  Drain off excess fat.  Dissolve your bouillon in warmed beef stock and add to meat mixture.  Stir in beans, ketchup, mustard, garlic, and S&P.  Mix well.  

Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 60-70 minutes.  Stir and top with bacon and scallions.  Serve alongside corn bread and honey butter.  Mmmm good.

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Serves: 6  Prep Time:  15 minutes  Cook time:  1 hour 10 minutes

For the meatloaf:

1 lb       ground beef

1/2 lb   ground veal

1/2  lb ground pork

2 T water

1                                    egg, bean

1 clove                                    garlic, chopped

½ c                                    bread crumbs

2 T                                    Worcestershire sauce

¾ c                                    chili sauce (you can use ketchup too)

½ c                                    onions, finely chopped

½ c                                    mushrooms, finely chopped

8 strips cooked bacon roughly chopped

6 oz cubed sharp cheddar cheese

½ c                                    canned fried onion strips

S&P

for the topping:

1/4 cup ketcup

2 T mustard

1 T mayonnaise

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Place all the ingredients for the meatloaf in a large mixing bowl.  Using your hands, mix the ingredients gently until well combined being sure not to overhandle it, you don’t want to end up with tough meatloaf!

Place the meat into a baking dish and shape into a loaf.  Some people place the meatloaf on top of sliced bread to catch all the grease but I look at that as a waste of bread!  I mean that’s a sandwich or two for the kids right?

In a small bowl mix the ketchup, mustard and mayo.  Spoon it out on top of the meatloaf.  This will create a yummy crust on top, and you like this on your bacon cheeseburger right?

Bake at 375 for an hour and 10 minutes then allow to rest on the counter for 10 minutes before serving.

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Serves 4  Prep Time: 5 minutes  Cook Time: 20 minutes

4 large bone in pork chops

1 T olive oil

S&P

1 1/2 t garlic powder

1 t paprika

1 cup good maple syrup

2 T spicy brown mustard

1 T ketchup

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a large cast iron skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Sprinkle S&P, garlic powder and paprika over the pork chops on both sides.  When pan is hot, add in your pork chops.  Allow first side to sear and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Once the first side is seared nice and brown flip the pork over to the other side and transfer pan to the oven.  Allow to cook on 375 for 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and replace on stove.  BE CAREFUL, the pan will be screaming hot so be sure to use your oven mitts (I am constantly burning myself when I pan roast this way.)  Return pan to medium high heat and pour in your syrup.  Allow syrup to cook for 2 minutes and get hot then stir in your ketchup and mustard.  Allow the sauce to bubble away for about 5 minutes being sure to coat the pork chops well.  Remove from heat and serve immediately.

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