Tag: easy meals

Food

Cheeseburger Sliders

meghanewhite

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Sometimes a cheeseburger just hits the spot, and these sliders are no exception. They may be small, but still pack a punch with loads of flavor. Big things can come in little packages. Like the great taste of a savory burger with melted cheddar cheese delivered in a smaller size. This means you can eat more of them.

These sliders are simple, delicious, and a great way to feed a group, like your family. Any leftovers are easy to heat up. I decided to use the classic ketchup and mustard combo on some of the sliders, and chipotle aioli on the others for a spicy option. Both are so tasty! You can customize the burgers to your liking. Here is how I made them. Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3

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Cheeseburger Sliders

Yield: 24 

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground beef

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 to 2 onions, diced

24 Hawaiian rolls, or slider rolls

12 slices medium cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Optional toppings:

ketchup

mustard

chipotle aioli sauce 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. 
  2. In a 15 x 10 inch baking pan, place the ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well with your hands. Press the beef mixture evenly into the bottom of the baking dish, to fill the pan. Bake the ground beef in the oven for 20 minutes.
  3. While the beef is in the oven, cook onions over medium heat in a skillet with a little oil until the onions are translucent.
  4. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or foil. Place the rolls on the baking sheet. Slice them in half, cutting the tops off, and placing them to the side.
  5. Put ketchup and mustard on half of the roll bottoms, and chipotle aioli sauce on the other half. 
  6. Cut the cooked beef in half, and place each half on the two separate slider roll bottoms. 
  7. Spread the cooked onion on top of the cooked beef halves, then place 6 slices of cheddar cheese across the top of each half. 
  8. Place the roll tops on the cheese. Brush melted butter across the rolls. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over the butter.
  9. Cook the sliders in a 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the rolls are browned. 
  10. Slice into individual sliders. Enjoy!

Notes:

*After the beef is cooked, take it out of the baking dish and place it on some paper towels to absorb some of the fat. Do this before you place it on the roll bottoms. This will help the rolls from getting soggy.

* The ketchup, mustard, and aioli are not required. You can just as easily leave those out, but I highly recommend a little topping. It adds another delicious component.

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Food, mustard seed sentinel

Fettuccine Alfredo

meghanewhite

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Nothing says comfort food like pasta. When you add a rich creamy Alfredo sauce it’s like getting a warm hug from your Italian grandma. I don’t have an Italian grandma but I can just imagine one cooking all the best food with love. 

In Italy this same dish is just pasta with some butter and parmesan. The version we all know and love with heavy cream is an American take on ordinary Italian food. Both versions are equally delicious. 

This heavenly sauce comes together quickly, and beats anything store bought. If you love fresh ground black pepper like I do, then add a lot. The more pepper the better. I also tend to add extra garlic because why not. 

Fettuccine Alfredo is a simple delicious pasta dish that makes a great weeknight dinner. It’s worth the few extra minutes involved to make your own rich creamy sauce. This mouthwatering recipe will satisfy your hunger and make you smile.

Happy Eating!

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29 

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Fettuccine Alfredo 

Ingredients 

1 lb. fettuccine pasta

½ cup salted butter

2 cups heavy cream

4 crushed garlic cloves 

2 ¼ cups grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

fresh ground black pepper to taste 

Yield: 6 servings 

Directions

  1. Cook fettuccine pasta according to the package. 
  2. In a medium pot melt butter over low heat. Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Keep stirring and don’t let it boil. Milk can curdle if it boils. 
  3. Add the cheese and garlic. Stir with a whisk over low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened.
  4. Stir in the parsley and black pepper.
  5. Toss the pasta and sauce together. Enjoy!

Notes

*The key to this sauce is low heat. 

*You need low heat to prevent the milk from curdling and low heat to melt the cheese and not make it grainy. 

*Keep stirring while the milk and butter are simmering.

*Keep stirring while the cheese is melting.

*Be generous with the black pepper. 

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Go to Mustard Seed Sentinel, Meghan’s Corner to get all of my monthly recipes and more.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-fettuccine-alfredo

 

Food, mustard seed sentinel

The Best Pasta Salad

meghanewhite

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Have you ever been to a potluck where you took a scoop of some random person’s pasta salad, and it was mushy and flavorless? I have, and it was not a good experience. You take a bite, and then move on to whatever else is on your plate. The days of boring pasta salad are over. Today is an exciting day for pasta salad fans everywhere.

Even if you are not a fan of pasta salad, you will be after having this incredible one. This salad has no official name, so I have named it The Best Pasta Salad. It has wonderful flavors and texture. Cashews and celery add some delightful crunch. Red grapes, pineapple, and mandarin oranges create bursts of sweetness. The tangy dressing is subtle. 

There are ten ingredients, not including the dressing, for The Best Pasta Salad. It is a lot, but they all work together beautifully to create a flavorful salad. The chicken makes this recipe hearty. It really should be called a main dish because it’s so filling. 

This pasta salad has been used for baby showers, bridal showers, potlucks, barbeques, parties, and family meals. The original recipe I was given makes enough for at least twenty people. Cut the recipe in half if you do not want to eat pasta salad for a month. If you need a large dish for an event make the full recipe. It can feed an army, and there will still be leftovers. 

I am so pleased to share one of my all time favorite recipes with you. When I bring The Best Pasta Salad to any party I always get asked for the recipe. Now you can do the same, and pass it on to your friends and family. We are changing lives here, one delicious recipe at a time. 

Happy Eating!

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 

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The Best Pasta Salad

1 (16 oz.) farfelle pasta 

1 (16 oz.) rotini pasta 

Cook and drain well

20 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained

2 cups finely chopped celery

4 green onions chopped

1(5 oz.) package dried cranberries

2 cups red grapes cut in half

1 (10 oz.) package whole cashews

1 large can mandarin oranges, drained

6 cooked chicken breasts shredded or chopped

Dressing:

1 (16 oz.) Kraft Coleslaw Dressing and 1 cup mayonnaise mixed together.

There’s no exact order when making the pasta salad. The simplest thing to do is add the pasta and dressing first. Then add all the other ingredients and mix well.

Notes:

  • This recipe makes about 7 quarts.
  • Use a large bowl when making the full recipe.
  • Add the oranges last since they are the most fragile.
  • Cut this recipe in half for a smaller group. 

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Go to the link below to get this article and all my recipes at Mustard Seed Sentinel, “Meghan’s Corner”.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-the-best-pasta-salad

Faith, Food, Uncategorized

Sheet Pan Italian Chicken

meghanewhite

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It’s easier to find some chicken at the stores right now than toilet paper. Though I hope you have plenty of both. I also hope and pray that you and your family are healthy and well. These are uncertain times, but God is bigger than coronavirus. He will get us through this. 

And yes, people are going a wee bit crazy. Panic buying. We’ve all seen the empty toilet paper shelves, among other essentials. Let’s all take a collective deep breath together. That’s better. We are going to make it, by the grace of God. Yes, it’s tough right now with so many unknowns, but God knows. We can trust God completely. So, keep your head up, your hope fixed on Jesus, and know this will end. 

You may be cooking more than usual lately, and I want to help you out. This super simple chicken dinner is fantastic. Veggies and meat are cooked together in one pan. Easy and nutritious.  Your kids will love it. Your spouse will love it. Your family will praise you for making such yummy food. 

If you’ve already got some chicken in the freezer then all you will need is some fresh green beans and Roma tomatoes. Or, you can swap out the vegetables for ones you’ve got on hand. I’ve been able to get fresh produce at my local grocery store, and I hope you can as well. The fresh veggies make this dish so appetizing. 

Get your kids involved by having them trim the ends of the green beans, or help measure the ingredients for the marinade. My youngest son, who’s fourteen, usually cuts the green beans for me. Add a salad, some potatoes, or rice, and your meal is complete. Have fun with this one.

Happy Eating!

 

The Lord is my light and my salvation—

    whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—

    of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

 

 

Sheet Pan Italian Chicken

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

6 Roma tomatoes

1 lb. fresh green beans

 

Marinade

1 cup olive oil

⅓ cup balsamic vinegar

6 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. Basil

1 tsp. salt   

½ tsp. black pepper

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425° and spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl whisk together the ingredients for the marinade. Set aside.
  3. Trim the ends off the green beans and slice the tomatoes lengthwise into 4 to 6 pieces each. Place the vegetables in a large freezer bag.
  4. Place the chicken in a large freezer bag. Pour half the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and move the chicken around to give it an even coat. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours. 
  5. Pour the remaining marinade over the vegetables and let that sit on the counter. (Place the vegetables in the refrigerator if you plan to cook several hours later).
  6. Set your chicken on the counter for about 20 minutes before you put it in the oven.
  7. Place chicken on the sheet pan first, then fit the veggies around the chicken. Throw out the excess marinade. Sprinkle salt and pepper on everything before it goes in the oven. 
  8. Bake for 35 minutes.

 

Notes

  • Use cherry tomatoes instead of Romas.
  • Experiment with different vegetables.
  • Add fresh parsley when it comes out of the oven.

 

 

Get this delicous recipe and all of my recipes at Mustard Seed Sentinel. Go to the “More” tab and scroll down to “Meghan’s Corner”.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-sheet-pan-italian-chicken

Faith, Food, Uncategorized

One Pot Lasagna

meghanewhite

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My mom made the best lasagna. As kids, we would request her famous lasagna for our birthday dinners. I attempted my mom’s lasagna once, when I was first married. She stayed on the phone, and talked me through each step. It turned out delicious. I made a second attempt on my own, and it wasn’t so great. I didn’t make it again.

Several years ago I came across one pot lasagna. It has everything I love. It’s Italian, simple, and my family will actually eat it. I cautiously gave it a try, and was surprised by the results. The lasagna turned out well. How could something so simple be so delicious? I didn’t stand at the stove cooking sauce for hours. There is no boiling of lasagna noodles, and then laying them out separately, before you even begin assembling your lasagna. Did I actually make a scrumptious, savory, edible lasagna? Yes! I did. And you can too. 

Just like the title says, it really only uses one pot. Honestly, this recipe holds up against traditional lasagna quite well. It may even be better. I can’t believe I just said that. I’ve had lasagna where the sauce cooked for twenty four hours, and it was very good. One pot lasagna is just as good, in my opinion, and way easier to make. 

Give your family a hearty satisfying meal with this fantastic lasagna.

 

Happy Eating!

 

Now these three remain:

faith, hope, and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

 

One Pot Lasagna

 

1 to 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ medium yellow onion, chopped

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. mild Italian sausage

8 Oven Ready lasagna noodles (broken into pieces)

1 (28oz.) can crushed tomatoes

1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce

3 to 5 cloves of crushed garlic

½ cup water

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 (7.5oz.) ricotta cheese

6 oz. shredded Mozzarella

 

  1. In a large skillet (at least 12”), saute onions over medium-high heat in olive oil until translucent.
  2. Add in ground beef and Italian sausage. Once the meat is cooked, drain off fat.
  3. While the meat is cooking, add the crushed tomatoes in a large bowl with the tomato sauce and the ½ cup water. Season the tomato mixture with sugar, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.
  4. Add lasagna noodles that have been broken into large pieces on top of the drained meat mixture. Do not stir. Just make an even layer of the noodles.
  5. Pour sauce mixture over the broken up noodles. Do not stir. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  6. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and gently stir. Separate any noodles that are stuck together.
  7. Replace the lid, and simmer an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. After the second 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove the lid, stir well and separate any stuck noodles.
  9. Put spoonfuls of ricotta cheese evenly over the top. Cover and let it sit, off heat, for 5 minutes.
  10. Sprinkle mozzarella on top and place under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.

 

Notes

* You can use plain ricotta cheese or you can add herbs for more flavor.

* Make sure to use a large oven safe pan.

* To save time, mix up your tomato sauce before you begin cooking.

* Adjust the spices to your taste.

* Break the dry lasagna noodles into approximately 2 inch sized pieces. 

 

 

Check out my monthly column at Mustard Seed Sentinel. You can get this recipe and more. Go to the “More” tab and scroll down to Meghan’s Corner.

https://www.mustardseedsentinel.com/post/meghan-s-corner-one-pot-lasagna