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Main Dish

Salsa Chicken Spaghetti

Salsa Chicken Spaghetti

I love a new twist on a classic dish and that is exactly what my Salsa Chicken Spaghetti is. Don’t get me wrong. I adore a classic tomato sauce spaghetti dinner, but who can resist salsa and cheese? Definitely not this girl!

For this dish, I chopped up some chicken breast and cooked it in a skillet in a little oil. Then I added in some vine ripe tomatoes, chopped up. I also added garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder. (some of my favorite flavors!)

Lastly, I added salsa and let it simmer just a bit. Then, I added my tasty salsa chicken to my cooked spaghetti noodles and finished it off with some shredded cheddar. Just a quick word on the cheddar. I realize how EASY it is to grab shredded cheese at the store, but it falls a little short when it comes to flavor. Grab yourself a block of solid cheese, and take two minutes to shred it. It is truly worth it, I promise.

Pasta is so delicious. I don’t know if it is my Italian blood, or just the fact that I adore carbs (have I mentioned my love of rice?!), but I can’t say no to a yummy pasta dish.

Keep this recipe close by for all those nights that you are:

1. Craving pasta.

2. Craving Mexican food flavors.

3. Looking for a quick dinner idea that will please everyone.

Okay, now go get cooking!

Salsa Chicken Spaghetti
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Salsa Chicken Spaghetti

A flavorful pasta dish featuring chicken, salsa, cheddar, and pasta, seasoned with garlic, cumin, and chili powder.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, Main Dish, Pasta, salsa
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author Katie from Katie’s Table

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package instructions
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 2 medium vine ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 cup mild salsa
  • 1 cup cheddar, shredded
  • 1 tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Cook the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions, while you start the chicken. When the noodles are finished cooking, drain, and return to pot. Add 1 tbsp. butter, stir to mix in, and set aside, covered. (leave off heat)
    For the chicken:
    Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
    Add the vine ripe tomatoes and cook for 5 additional minutes.
    Add seasonings and salsa. Stir well to mix in. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
    Add mixture to the pot with the spaghetti, and add cheese and salt. Mix in well. Serve with extra cheese if desired.

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Citrus Pork Chops and Potatoes

Citrus Pork Chops and Potatoes

Today’s recipe for Citrus Pork Chops and Potatoes is an easy recipe that gets baked in the oven and is, as the title would suggest, filled with bright, fresh citrus flavor.

The details

I used little baby yellow potatoes, which are the perfect size when cut in half.

For the citrus, I used lime and caracara orange, but you can use any orange variety you have on hand. I did use fresh squeezed orange juice, but if you don’t have whole oranges, any orange juice can be substituted.

There is a fun ingredient in this dish that you probably did not see coming. A small amount of cinnamon gets added to the citrus butter mixture and gives the potatoes SO much flavor. I adore cinnamon in certain savory dishes. It just really adds a certain warmth without the typical spiciness that is often associated with cinnamon. If you haven’t tried cinnamon in a savory dish, I can’t wait for you to try this! It’s so different from the effect of cinnamon in a pumpkin pie or carrot cake, for instance.

You’ll use bone-in pork chops for this recipe. Pork chops can be a bit tricky to keep from getting tough. These chops stay pretty tender baked this way and are pretty hard to mess up.

I’m so excited for you to try this one. I hope you enjoy Citrus Pork Chops and Potatoes as much as we do!

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Citrus Pork Chops and Potatoes

Fresh squeezed lime and orange juice, garlic, and a hint of cinnamon give these oven-baked pork chops and potatoes their unique, bright flavor.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Citrus, Main Dish, Pork, Potatoes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 3 people

Ingredients

  • 3 Bone-in pork chops
  • 12 baby yukon gold potatoes, sliced in half
  • 4 tbsp. butter,melted
  • juice from 1 lime about 1 1/2-2 tbsp.
  • juice from 1 orange 1/4 cup.
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1/8 tsp. lime zest
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    Whisk together in a small bowl or measuring cup: butter, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, lime zest, pepper, cinnamon, and salt.
    Lay the pork chops in a baking dish, and place the potatoes around them. Pour the citrus mixture over everything, making sure to drizzle the mixture over all the potatoes and pork chops.
    Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
    Then, remove from the oven and spoon the liquid in the pan over the potatoes and pork chops. Cover again and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
    Again, spoon liquid over everything. Leave uncovered and broil on high for 5 minutes to give the potatoes a nice golden look. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
    Serve with fresh lime wedges and spoon the citrus liquid over everything when serving.

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Sausage Broccoli Rice Bake

Sausage, broccoli, and rice baked with butter, chicken broth, heavy cream, and seasonings.

This Sausage Broccoli Rice Bake is sure to be a favorite one-pan dinner!

It includes Italian sausage (for the BEST flavor), broccoli, rice, onion, chicken broth, butter, heavy cream, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and a little water.

You’ll saute the onion in a little oil, and then just mix everything up in the baking dish. Cover, bake, set a timer, and forget about it. Those are the best dinners, aren’t they?!

The Broccoli

I used frozen broccoli florets for this recipe, but you could use fresh. I would definitely steam it just a little bit first if you use fresh. Since the cooking time for this was figured using broccoli that has already been slightly cooked, that will ensure your broccoli gets cooked properly and isn’t crunchy.

About the Sausage and Onions

For the sausage, you’ll add it in uncooked and let it cook with the rice and everything else. I think it adds more flavor to allow it to cook from start to finish IN the rice, instead of browning it first and then adding it.

The onions are the complete opposite. I cook the onions first before adding them in. Cooking them up in a skillet alone brings out more flavor than just letting them heat up in the dish while it bakes.

Many recipes similar to this include lots of cheese, and this Sausage Broccoli Rice Bake does not. This makes it a little bit lighter in a way. That being said, it does include butter and heavy cream, so it really isn’t LIGHT. It won’t feel as heavy when you’re eating it though. I LOVE things that include cheese, but I was going for something a little different here. However, if you decide to add cheese to this, I’m sure it would be delicious! I did sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top partly for looks, and a little for flavor, so feel free to include that or leave it, as you wish!

Sausage, broccoli and rice baked with seasonings, butter, chicken broth, and heavy cream.
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Sausage Broccoli Rice Bake

Sausage, broccoli, and rice baked with seasonings, onion, chicken broth, butter, and heavy cream.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword broccoli, Main Dish, one pan, rice, sausage
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author Katie from Katie’s Table

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Italian sausage, loose
  • 1 12 oz. bag frozen broccoli
  • 2 cups jasmine rice, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    In a skillet, heat the oil, and cook the onion about 5 minutes until cooked through.
    In a greased baking dish (9 by 13), combine the rice, salt, garlic, powder, pepper, sausage (break up into small pieces), onion, and butter. Mix well. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and water. Mix well. Add the broccoli on top. Cover with with foil and bake for 1 hour.
    Garnish with parmesan as desired.

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Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

These Chicken Sandwiches make the easiest weeknight dinner

Chicken Baked in a creamy pesto sauce topped with melted cheese and layered with fresh tomato on a toasted sandwich roll.
Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

Today I’m sharing my recipe for Pesto Chicken Sandwiches with you! This chicken is so easy, stays really juicy, and packs a huge flavor punch.

My husband is a huge proponent of sandwiches for dinner. I tend to get tired of sandwiches and am especially not a big fan of COLD sandwiches. But I do enjoy a really great hot sandwich, and if it includes a piece of chicken or a burger, then yes, I’ll eat it ANY day.

For this recipe, I used boneless skinless chicken breast. I cut the breasts in half, then cut the thick half of the breasts in half horizontally. (I didn’t do this to the other half of the breast) This way the chicken pieces were a perfect size, and I got 3 pieces of chicken out of each breast.

Next, I mixed up a super simple creamy pesto sauce with pesto, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. I poured this over the chicken, covered it with foil, and baked it for 30 minutes. At the end of the 30 minutes, I uncovered it, put a slice of provolone cheese on each piece of chicken, and popped it back into the oven uncovered. I let it bake another 15 minutes and then it was done! While it finished baking, I buttered my sandwich rolls, toasted them in the oven for about 10 minutes, and sliced my tomato for the sandwiches. These sandwiches could not be any more simple!

Chicken breast baked in a creamy, pesto sauce, served on a toasted sandwich roll with fresh tomato.
Chicken breast baked in a creamy, pesto sauce, served on a toasted sandwich roll with fresh tomato.

Look at that gooey cheese!

I used pesto sauce from Aldi for this recipe, but you can use whatever you like. Imagine a homemade pesto sauce and tomatoes from your garden for this recipe! This is truly perfect for summer. I hope you enjoy these sandwiches as much as we do.

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Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

Chicken breast baked in a creamy, pesto sauce, topped with cheese, and served on a toasted sandwich roll with fresh tomato.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, pesto, Sandwich
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author Katie from Katie’s Table

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half, then slice the thick half in half again lengthwise. (makes 6 pieces total)
  • 3 tbsp. pesto
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tsp. grated parmesan cheese
  • 6 slices provolone cheese
  • 1 tomato, sliced thin
  • 6 sandwich rolls, buttered

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Lay the pieces of chicken in the baking dish.
    Mix the pesto, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese well. Pour over the chicken pieces. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
    Remove from the oven, remove foil, and put a piece of provolone on each piece of chicken. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.
    Toast the sandwich buns in the oven on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes or until golden. (this can be done while the chicken finishes baking)
    Serve the chicken on the buns, with fresh tomato.

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Need another summer recipe?

This Sesame Chicken Cabbage Salad is a popular one!

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Lemon Chicken Piccata

BRIGHT and buttery
Bright Lemon Chicken Piccata

This Lemon Chicken Piccata is a little different from traditional piccata, in that it doesn’t include capers. I’m just not a fan of them, but if you are, feel free to add them to this dish! If you are unfamiliar with them altogether, they come from the caper bush, and their flavor is often compared to the flavor of a green olive. They are pickled and real small- about the size of a pea.

THE METHOD

The chicken breasts get cut in half lengthwise to make 4 thin cutlets. Then, they get lightly coated with flour and fried in a skillet to a golden brown in a mixture of butter and oil. You will add some fresh garlic to the skillet as well.

WHY MIX BUTTER AND OIL? WHEN PAN FRYING WITH JUST BUTTER, THE BUTTER WILL BROWN AND THEN BURN WAY TOO QUICKLY. MIXING SOME OIL IN WITH THE BUTTER, PREVENTS THE BUTTER FROM BROWNING SO QUICKLY. YOU STILL GET A BUTTERY FLAVOR, BUT WITHOUT THE INEVITABLE BURNING.

Next, the lemon juice gets added to the skillet where it works it’s deglazing magic! This creates a nice, buttery, super bright lemon sauce. Um, what is not to love?!

I like to serve Lemon Chicken Piccata with mashed potatoes or with pasta. So, if you are looking for a great mashed potato recipe, my recipe for Browned Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes is tried and true, and would be fabulous with this!

This is one of the cheeriest chicken dishes you’ll ever make. I know cheery is a weird way to describe chicken, but it just fits. Once you try it, then I think you’ll know what I mean. The lemon flavor is so bright and tangy! So, whether you need a summery chicken dish or something to feed your family when they get hit with colds, this is a good go-to!

When life hands you lemons, make Chicken Piccata.

Lemon Chicken Piccata
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Lemon Chicken Piccata

Golden skillet fried chicken breast in a bright, lemony, butter and garlic sauce.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken, Lemon, Main Dish, Piccata
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Katie Burdge

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise to make 4 cutlets
  • 4 tbsp butter, divided
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 3 tsp minced garlic
  • juice from 2 lemons
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • parsley for garnishing

Instructions

  • Place flour in a zip lock bag and add the chicken pieces. Shake and toss to coat the chicken.
    In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp, of the butter and the 2 tbsp. of oil. When the butter and oil begin to bubble, the skillet is hot enough. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag and add them to the skillet. Salt the first side of the chicken with 1/2 tsp. salt. (the other side will get salted when you flip it)
    Fry for 5 minutes, and then flip the chicken. Salt that side with the other 1/2 tsp. of salt. At this point, add the garlic to the skillet. Fry for 5 more minutes. Check your chicken to make sure it is done at this point. It should be fully cooked.
    Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Keep the skillet over medium heat and add the lemon juice. Whisk vigorously until all the little browned pieces from the bottom of the skillet have released and the sauce is smooth. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter and whisk in until smooth. Add the chicken pieces back into the skillet. Spoon the lemon butter sauce over the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes more. Add pepper and parsley. Enjoy!

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Italian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

This Italian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes dinner recipe is pretty, tastebud pleasing, and comes together easily in one skillet.
Italian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

I have a NEW skillet dinner recipe for you today! This Italian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes is so easy to make, and far from boring. I can’t tell you how much I love ONE-PAN dinners. Every time I make a one-pan dinner, I wonder why I don’t do it more often. Seriously, clean up is such a breeze.

What’s in it

This dish is made with bone-in chicken thighs, although you definitely could use boneless. If you use boneless, you will need to adjust the cooking time a little since boneless thighs require less cooking time, but the substitution can be made. It also includes sweet potatoes diced up small, diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, some oil for frying the chicken, some butter for cooking the sweet potatoes, various seasonings, and parmesan cheese.

Pretty

I absolutely love the color of this dish. Sweet potatoes are just the prettiest! The tomato gives it a nice little pop of color and adds to the flavor too. The parmesan cheese plays double duty. The flavor it adds is the most obvious benefit, but it also improves the look of the chicken. Chicken can be a tough one. I mean, there really are not a whole lot of good looks in a plain old chicken thigh.

The method

This Italian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes is cooked in a skillet from start to finish. The whole thing gets popped into the oven at the end to quickly broil the parmesan cheese, but it gets cooked fully on the stove top.

You’ll start by frying the chicken in a skillet, then deglazing the pan with some apple cider vinegar. Adding the ACV to the hot skillet basically gathers up all the little brown bits in the bottom of the pan and loosens them so they can be a part of the dish. Then you’ll add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, seasonings, water, and butter, and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Spread the sweet potatoes out around the chicken in the skillet, so they can cook evenly. Lastly, add the parmesan cheese, and give it a quick broil to give the parmesan a nice, golden color. Look at those colors!

  • Italian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

So, just a few pantry basics, some chicken, and 45 minutes of your time, and you have a complete and tasty dinner. Eating well doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. This recipe is proof that it can be simple and appealing.

Italian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
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5 from 1 vote

Italian Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

A skillet dinner consisting of chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes cooked in Italian seasonings and topped with parmesan cheese.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Chicken, Italian, Main Dish, Sweet Potato
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Katie Burdge

Ingredients

  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, diced small about 5 very small sweet potatoes
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes un-drained
  • 1/2 tsp ground fennel
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Dry chicken thighs with a paper towel, and salt both sides. (use 1/2 tsp. salt to salt one side, and the other 1/2 tsp, to salt the other side)
    Heat the 4 tbsp. of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs. Fry for about 7 1/2 minutes per side, for a total time of 15 minutes.
    While the chicken is cooking, peel and cube the sweet potatoes.
    After the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, drain off about half of the grease. Return the skillet to the burner and add the 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar to the skillet and stir and scrape the bottom of the skillet to deglaze the pan. This will gather all the little brown pieces of goodness that are struck to the bottom of the pan.
    Add the sweet potatoes, garlic, diced tomatoes, fennel, pepper, rosemary, water, and butter to the skillet. Stir everything to mix the seasonings in well, and cook on medium-high for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally throughout the 30 minutes. (Time can be adjusted as needed, and a little more water added if needed.) At the end, you want the sweet potatoes to be tender, most of the liquid to be evaporated, and the chicken to be cooked to 165 degrees F in the center.
    At the end, sprinkle parmesan cheese over everything, pop into the oven, and broil for just a few minutes till the parmesan is golden.

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    Crispy Sweet Potato Burritos

    A filling vegetarian burrito packed with sweet potatoes and black beans, lightly fried till golden and crispy.

    It’s a common myth that vegetarian dinners have to involve a salad that leaves you hungry, and my Crispy Sweet Potato Burritos go to prove it. I’ve discovered that there are so many great options for meatless dinners when it comes to the world of Mexican inspired dishes and foods! And there are so many options for dinners that will really satisfy and fill you up.

    See my Baby Bella & Zucchini Tacos recipe!

    To make these Crispy Sweet Potato Burritos, you’ll start with diced sweet potatoes, onions, and some garlic powder and salt. You’ll fry them up in a skillet with a little oil until the sweet potatoes are soft. Then, you’ll add in some butter, salsa, black beans, corn, cumin, and chili powder, and cook for a few minutes more. Next, you’ll divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas and top with cheese. Lastly, you’ll roll the burritos up, sides folded in and lightly fry till crispy and golden. Serve these with sour cream and some guacamole or avocado if you have it, and you will be a star.

    • Crispy Sweet Potato Burritos

    One of the biggest benefits of having a couple meatless dinner recipes on the back burner is simply convenience. Have you ever left for work for the day, and realized that you forgot to pull your meat for dinner out of the freezer? I cannot be the only one who has done this. Having a couple dinners that don’t require a long drawn out process of defrosting meat when you get home are WINNERS. These dinners have come to my rescue quite a few times. So while meatless dinners might not be a part of your regular dinner routine, you’ll be happy to have a few of these for extra hectic days, or maybe just to switch up your routine.

    Crispy Sweet Potato Burritos
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    Crispy Sweet Potato Burritos

    Burritos stuffed with sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, salsa, cheese, and seasonings, and lightly fried till golden.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Keyword burrito, Main Dish, mexican, vegetarian
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Frying Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 5 people
    Author Katie

    Ingredients

    • 3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced small about 3 1/2 cups
    • 2 tbsp. oil
    • 1/4 cup diced onion
    • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1 cup salsa
    • 1 tbsp. butter
    • 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1/2 cup frozen corn whole kernel
    • 1 tsp. cumin
    • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
    • 5 large flour tortillas
    • oil for frying
    • shredded or sliced cheese – mozzarella is recommended 2 slices per tortilla

    Instructions

    • In a large skillet, heat the 2 tbsp. oil. Add the sweet potatoes, onion, garlic powder, and salt. Fry on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender. (about 15 minutes)
      Add: salsa, butter, black beans, corn, cumin, and chili powder. Stir everything together and continue cooking about 5 minutes more.
      Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas. You'll use a really full 2/3 cup of the mixture, roughly, for each tortilla. Place the mixture in the middle of the tortilla, top with cheese, fold the sides in, and roll tightly.
      Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. (about 1/4 inch deep)
      Lightly fry the burritos, about 1 minute per side, or until golden. Serve with sour cream and additional toppings as desired.

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    Honey Basil Beef

    Honey Basil Beef is a sweet, Thai inspired dish that is best served over Katie’s favorite carb. (rice)

    Honey Basil Beef

    I have been trying to create a dish like this Honey Basil Beef for quite a while. Sweet, herb-y, unique in flavor, and insanely YUMMY. I love to use honey in my cooking. I love a little sweetness, and I despise the idea of adding white sugar to a dinner recipe. I’ll add brown sugar in moderation if it’s needed, but I struggle to add white sugar. Maybe it’s just me. But honey is by far my preferred method of sweetening up a dinner dish.

    So, as you can imagine, this Honey Basil Beef is sweet, and it has basil. Basil is such a good friend! It’s seriously so complimentary in so many things. Pesto, Pad Thai, Italian food, spaghetti sauce, salads, dressings, you name it! There are so many good foods out there that include basil!

    Super quick

    I think this Honey Basil Beef is one of my quickest recipes to make. I couldn’t believe how little time it took when I was timing myself while making this. It is definitely a walk-in-the-door-and-throw-it-on kind of meal. If your ground beef is not fully thawed out it won’t be quite as speedy, so you would benefit by having your beef defrosted.

    Pairings

    Rice

    I would recommend eating this dish with rice. It is made for rice, and tastes the absolute best with a super flavorful rice. My personal favorite is this Jasmine rice, which I buy at Aldi in a huge bag.

    Sauteed Cabbage

    I sauteed some cabbage and served that with it as well. That was super tasty. I just thinly sliced about 1/4 head of green cabbage and stir fried it in a skillet with 2 Tbsp. of oil, 2 tsp. sesame seeds, and about 1 tsp. salt. It was a little on the salty side, so I would recommend about 1/2 tsp. for the salt. You can always add more later if you want to. (I add a lot of extra salt to my food because I need higher amounts of sodium than most people, but I think the full tsp. is probably too much for most people.) Just saute everything in the skillet on medium heat for roughly 5 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender-crisp.

    Other Vegetables

    Steamed broccoli, green beans, and snow peas are other veggies that would also go well with this dish.

    The Recipe

    Now that you have an idea of what to make to go with this, you have a complete dinner and you’re all set! Enjoy this recipe for my Honey Basil Beef. Love, Katie

    Honey Basil Beef
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    Honey Basil Beef

    A sweet, Thai inspired beef dish that is best served with rice.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword beef, DInner, honey, Main Dish
    Prep Time 3 minutes
    Cook Time 22 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 4 people
    Author Katie

    Ingredients

    • 1.25 lbs. ground beef
    • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
    • 2 tsp. minced garlic
    • 1 Tbsp. dried basil
    • 1/4 tsp. yellow curry powder
    • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
    • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
    • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 1/2 cup cold water
    • 2 tsp. cornstarch

    Instructions

    • In a large skillet, combine the beef, onion, garlic, basil, curry powder, and chili powder. Mix well and fry for 12 minutes on medium to medium-high heat, or until the beef is cooked through.
      Add the tomato pasta, soy sauce, and honey. Mix the cold water and cornstarch in a separate bowl until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add it to the skillet. Continue stirring and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

    Sesame Chicken Cabbage Salad

    A dinner salad that’s crunchy, tangy, and sweet
    Crunchy cabbage salad with chicken and a sweet, sesame dressing.

    We are officially headed into salad season, ya’ll! I love a good main-dish salad, especially during warmer months. For this Sesame Chicken Cabbage Salad, I grilled the chicken and would recommend that if you have a grill. If you don’t, you can bake it in the oven, or cook it in a skillet on the stove-top.

    WHAT’S IN IT

    This salad is surprisingly filling, but doesn’t leave you feeling heavy. It’s packed with all kinds of crunchy things: cabbage, broccoli, carrots, spring onions, and almonds. It also includes sweet mandarin oranges, grilled chicken, and a delightful sweet and tangy sesame dressing. You’ll toast the sesame seeds before adding them to the dressing to really bring out their flavor. You’ll also toast the almonds in the oven, with a little oil, salt, and pepper. I literally eat them by the handful when I make them – they’re that good!

    THE RECIPE SIZE

    My Sesame Chicken Cabbage Salad holds up really well the next day, so you can definitely pack it for lunches, or eat as leftovers the next day. This recipe makes what looks like a HUGE amount of salad. That is for three reasons:

    #1. It is a dinner salad, meaning it is the MAIN part of your dinner, so naturally you’re going to eat quite a bit of it. Typically you can eat a pretty large mass of salad before you really fill up, although this salad does fill you up much more quickly than a lettuce based salad would. So to summarize, you require more mass when it comes to a dinner salad, than you would if you were eating steak and potatoes. Pretty basic, right?

    #2. I like leftovers. Not because I just love the taste of food the second day (except for spaghetti- it’s WAY better the next day), but because I like the extra time it gives me if I can cook once and get two meals (or more) out of it! I wanted this recipe to make enough that Ian and I could eat it for lunch the next day. So, I wanted to essentially get FOUR meals out of it (I did end up getting more than that) and it’s a dinner salad, so I figured large.

    #3. I wanted this to be a recipe you could easily take to a picnic or potluck without having to double or triple everything. Salads like my sesame chicken cabbage salad are fairly crowd-pleasing, so I wanted this to be a larger recipe for that reason as well.

    THE SERVINGS

    That being said, if you want to downsize this recipe, feel free to cut everything in half. As I mentioned, if you’re taking this recipe to a potluck or picnic, it’s the perfect amount and obviously it will go a lot, lot further than if you’re making it for dinner and eating it as the main part of your meal. And if you’re having dinner guests and serving this, you might want to double or triple this recipe depending on the number of people. So, just be thinking about that when you are considering how many this recipe feeds.

    Crunchy cabbage salad with chicken and a sweet, sesame dressing.
    WHY I LOVE THIS SALAD

    Besides the crazy delicious flavor that this Sesame Chicken Cabbage Salad has, cabbage has so many health benefits too. This article by Medical News Today discusses the health benefits of cabbage in greater detail.

    As I mentioned earlier, I grilled the chicken for this salad, so I only had to turn my oven on for a short time to toast the sesame seeds and almonds. This is perfect for those hot summer months when you don’t want to have your oven on much.

    Crunchy cabbage salad with chicken and a sweet, sesame dressing.
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    Sesame Chicken Cabbage Salad

    A crunchy cabbage salad with grilled chicken and a sweet and tangy sesame dressing
    Course Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Chicken, main course, salad, sesame
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Servings 6 people
    Author Katie

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 head cabbage, chopped in small pieces about 6-8 cups
    • 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets about 3 cups
    • 3 green onions, sliced use the green part too (about half of it)
    • 1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots
    • 1 15 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained well
    • 6 oz. raw almonds, slivered
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/8 tsp pepper
    • 2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in half lengthwise to make 4 cutlets

    Chicken Marinade

    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp minced garlic
    • 1 tbsp honey

    The Dressing

    • 1/2 cup oil
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 2 tbsp mayo
    • 1 tsp yellow mustard
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp sesame seeds, dry roasted
    • 3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar regular rice vinegar could also be used

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375. 
      Toast the sesame seeds and almonds at the same time, on separate baking sheets/dishes. 
      FOR THE ALMONDS: Lay them out on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Toss and mix them with a spoon or your fingers, to evenly coat the almonds with the oil, salt, and pepper. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn your pan around, and toast for 3 minutes more. They should be an even, dark golden color. Set them aside to cool.
      FOR THE SESAME SEEDS: Lay them evenly in a baking dish or on a baking sheet, and toast them dry (no oil) in the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside and let them cool. 
      FOR THE CHICKEN: Heat your grill to medium heat (about 400 degrees F). Mix the chicken marinade and pour over the chicken breast pieces. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes while the grill heats up. Grill about 8 minutes, flip, and grill for 8 minutes more. (If your chicken breast is at all frozen, it may take some additional grilling time. Chicken should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F before eating) When chicken is done, set aside to cool, then chop up into bite sized pieces for the salad.
      FOR THE DRESSING: Vigorously whisk together all the dressing ingredients in the order listed. (A blender can also be used)
      FOR THE SALAD: In a large bowl, mix the cabbage, broccoli, carrots, spring onions, and mandarin oranges. Add the chopped chicken, the toasted almonds, and the dressing. Mix well until the dressing has covered everything evenly. 

    Check out these other delicious recipes!

    Mushroom Cheeseburger Penne

    This mushroom cheeseburger penne captures the flavor of a burger in a delicious, easy-to-make pasta dish that comes together quickly.

    Mushroom Cheeseburger Penne

    Burger fans everywhere, this one is for you! I love that this Mushroom Cheeseburger Penne has simple, clean ingredients, and that by nature it is a favorite for all ages.

    Picky eaters…

    Are you a mom that feels like she ends up making 4 different dinners every night because of picky eaters? I’m not a mother yet, so I don’t deal with this battle, but I hear moms talk about how frustrating mealtime can be because of this very thing. One kid won’t eat chicken, the next kid has an epic meltdown due to the fact that he is offered pizza, and the next kid won’t have anything to do with mac & cheese. Moms, I’m tired just thinking about this! Of course you have to do what is best for you and your kids, and however you work that out for mealtime, that’s up to you and you alone.

    I do hope however, that this mushroom cheeseburger penne recipe will be one that will please picky eaters too. You need a few recipes that you can rely on to please everyone. I know that mushrooms are not universally loved by all, so if you need to omit those, that’s okay. They do get chopped up pretty small, so you aren’t staring at a big glaring mushroom slice. However just a heads up in case you have mushroom- hating family members. I do like them on burgers and in other things, so they are included in this recipe. But that doesn’t mean you have to.

    • Mushroom and beef pasta that captures the flavor of a delicious burger
    • Mushroom and beef pasta that captures the flavor of a delicious burger
    Simple Ingredients

    My Mushroom Cheeseburger Penne has simple ingredients:

    1. Ground beef
    2. Fresh mushrooms
    3. Onion
    4. Mozzarella cheese
    5. Milk
    6. Flour
    7. Tomato paste
    8. Worcestershire sauce
    9. Ground mustard
    10. Salt & pepper
    11. Onion powder

    You probably have most of these ingredients already on hand. It’s good to have a couple recipes like this on the back burner, so that you can whip something up without having to make a trip to the store. Then, you’ll have more time to focus on dinner and less time spent running like a crazy person!

    I haven’t tested this with gluten free pasta or without the flour. If you need to be gluten free, feel free to make substitutions as necessary. I just have not tried it, so I can’t tell you exactly how it will turn out with those changes.

    I hope you enjoy this dish and how easy it is to put together. And if somehow this recipe makes your mealtime battles a little easier, I will be overjoyed. Enjoy it my friends!

    A mushroom and beef pasta dish that captures the flavor of a good burger.
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    Mushroom Cheeseburger Penne

    A mushroom and beef pasta dish that captures the flavor of a delicious burger. 
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword beef, cheeseburger, Pasta
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes
    Author Katie Burdge

    Ingredients

    • 1.25 lbs. lean ground beef exact ground beef weight can vary between 1 lb. and 1 1/4 lb.
    • 1 small box fresh mushrooms, diced into small pieces
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp pepper
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 3 tbsp tomato paste
    • 2 tsp ground mustard
    • 3 tsp worcestershire sauce
    • 2 1/2 cups milk
    • 3 tbsp flour
    • 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
    • 1 box penne pasta

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
      Prepare the Penne pasta according to package directions, and cook Al Dente. (slightly under-cooked)
      In a large skillet, combine ground beef, mushrooms, onion, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Cook until ground beef is fully cooked through.
      Add: ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Mix in well.
      Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir to mix it in until there are no lumps.
      Add milk and turn heat up to med. high. Stir constantly, being careful not to burn. Continue stirring until hot, then mix in 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Turn to low and let the sauce thicken up. Keep stirring as needed to prevent burning. 
      Drain pasta in a colander and add back to the pot it was cooked it. Pour your cheesy hamburger mixture over the pasta and mix in till the pasta is well coated. Transfer to a greased baking dish, topped with remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, and bake for 20 minutes. 

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