Homemade Corn Dogs

Corn dogs can be found at any fair and if you have a craving you can use this easy recipe to make them at home! 

When I make a recipe there are always extras.  They are great for leftovers for school lunch or frozen for reheating another time. 12- 15 minutes in the oven will crisp them up and still be pretty tasty. Fresh is best but homemade frozen corn dogs are way better than store bought.

Homemade Corn Dogs                                                                    Printable Recipe

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup cornmeal

2/3 cup flour (3 T more if using Einkorn flour)

1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package hot dogs

Chiles Rellenos - Poblanos Stuffed with Cheese

Have you ever tasted chiles rellenos? If you haven't, let me try to describe it to you! They are poblano chiles (some spice but it is a manageable heat) softened with roasting, then peeled, stuffed with cheese, battered with a fluffy egg batter and fried until crispy. A Mexican version of comfort food. 

The restaurant we eat them at serves it with white cheese sauce drizzled on top. I serve mine with a tomato sauce. It helps to cut all the richness of the cheese that is stuffed inside the pepper.  I use my Restaurant Style Salsa recipe for the sauce.  I'll give you more information below on how to adapt it.

Have your sauce ready then fry up the chiles rellenos. You can keep the rellenos on a cooling rack on a jelly roll pan in a 200* oven so you can enjoy them all at once or your family can eat them as you fry them. 

Chiles Rellenos                                                                     Printable Recipe

4 large poblano peppers
2 cups shredded Chihuahua quesadilla cheese (or a mix of other cheeses that melt, like Monterey Jack and Cheddar)
1/4 to 1/3 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
5 egg whites at room temperature
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
lard or canola oil (1/2-3/4" depth in skillet)

Carl's Crazy Skillet Meal

My husband throws together some crazy concoctions.  They aren't always my favorite but my kids seem to like them. This one, though, I do!  Since he came up with the dish I'll give him the credit and name it after him. 

It's a pretty simple dish to throw together and until the ground beef is ready to be broken up the dish is hands off.   If you or your kids aren't big fans of chunky veggies, whack them up a little more before you cook them.   Feel free to change them up as well.  These are what we had on the hand the day he took over the stove top!

Carl's Crazy Skillet Meal                                                                            Printable Recipe

10-12 medium carrots, cleaned (peeled if needed) and cut into 1/4" slices
2 small onions, chopped
3 cups water
2 pounds ground beef

2 cups whole sweet corn (or 1 can drained)

salt and pepper to taste
Mayonnaise
Parmesan

50+ Recipes for Leftover Ham

Most families have ham for Easter and there always seems to be leftovers.  Sure, you could eat it plain but I think the best way to have the leftovers is in a new dish.  Running low on ideas to use it up? I'm here to the rescue with over 50 delicious recipes to use up your leftover ham!!

Chicken Parmesan and Spaghetti Squash Bowls

I've been making this dish ever since I shared my Chicken Parmesan recipe and had spaghetti squash from the garden.  Some years the squash seem to be never ending.  If kept in a dry, cool place they are available during the winter as well as fall.  This dish is great if you are trying to cut down on carbs or want a change up from pasta.

The next time I make this recipe I'll make a batch of my Garlic Cream Sauce to layer with the marinara sauce.  I love the added creaminess of it!

If you are wondering what happened to the other half of my "boat" -- my family is what happened.  They are usually a bit more patient when they know I need photos but my husband was "starving" and started whacking away!!

Chicken Parmesan and Spaghetti Squash Bowls                                Printable Recipe

8-10 boneless chicken tenders

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 beaten egg

1 cup breadcrumbs *

Jar of your favorite pasta sauce ( I used my own Roasted Marinara)

1-2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Breaded Pork Tenderloins

 A tasty tender fried pork tenderloin sandwich is a staple here in Iowa. Almost every small town has a restaurant who will claim to have the best or the biggest tenderloin sandwich.  There is even a “Best Tenderloin in Iowa” contest every year.  My friend, Cristen, from Food and Swine has been a judge before. 

I debated sharing this recipe until I could have a proper blog worthy photo.  It's 3 beautifully fried breaded Iowa pork tenderloins laying on a plate.  Exciting, right?!  My family thought they were so they snatched them off the plate faster than I could say, "These are hot - be careful!"

It is what it is and I am going to keep it real on this post - for now anyway.  I may change it up when I get more time.  I like nicely posed photos that grab your attention but some meal times are jammed up and busy and this night it was and they were hungry.  

 I'd also like to point out that my tenderloins are not the size of the plate.  Some restaurants tout that they have the largest tenderloins.  Personally, I want to taste the pork and not just feel like I am eating sandwich made of breading. Loins are all similar size and even in a large hog the size isn't going to change all that much.  Your butcher or meat counter can run it through their tenderizer or you can beat it with a meat mallet.  I prefer it tenderized not beat up.

Shall we fry? Speaking of frying, we had our hog rendered and we used our own lard.  Yep, sure did!

Breaded Pork Tenderloins                                                                  Printable Recipe

1 cup flour (divided)

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Approximately 1/2 sleeve saltine crackers (crushed)

3-4 boneless pork loin chops, tenderized

lard (or canola oil) - enough for about 1/2 to 3/4" in bottom of pan

Set up your breading stations.  One with 1/2 cup flour, one with the egg and milk mixed and the other with the crackers and other 1/2 cup of flour mixed. You can season your breading if you like but salt, that's good enough for us.

Dip your tenderloin in the flour (See those lines?  That is the tenderizer machine's cuts.)

Coat on both sides.

Dip in egg/milk mixture.

Coat with cracker/flour mixture, gently pressing into the tenderloin so it sticks. 

Fry in hot oil/lard approximately 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through.  

Drain on paper towels. Serve on buns with desired condiments .  Mustard, mayonnaise, dill pickle chips, ketchup, sliced onion, lettuce and tomato are all welcome to the party.  They can also be cut into strips and dipped in ketchup or eaten as a sandwich with Romaine lettuce strips as the "bun."

Hungry for more Pork Tenderloin Sandwich ideas?  Check out these recipes from other 

Iowa Bloggers!

Food and Swine's Pork Tenderloins and Pig Twigs

The Gingered Whisk's Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

City Girl Rockin' the Kitchen's Spicy Tenderloin Sliders

Marinated Steak Bites

When asked a restaurant if he needed steak sauce, my dad always said, "If the steak is done right, I don't need sauce."  He would say it just needs a little seasoning.  At a restaurant it would be salt and pepper.  At home Nature's Seasoning and/or Lawry's.  I bucked his system a little bit with this marinated steak.  It helps break down the tougher steaks and adds a load of flavor.  

The first time I made it I served it with caramelized onions and perfectly pan fried potatoes.  This time I served with with steamed veggies.

Marinated Steak Bites                                                                         Printable Recipe

1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon A-1 sauce
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/4 cup water

Sirloin or round steak (or 2 pounds of beef tips)

In a gallon bag mix together all but the steak.

Cut up steak into 1 to 1-1/2 pieces, removing large pieces of fat and any grisly parts. My steak was about 2 pounds when I was finished cutting it up and discarding the junk. Dump the steak pieces into bag and mix to coat.  Marinate for 6-12 hours. 

You can cook the meat in a cast iron skillet or on the grill (you won't get as much caramelization on the meat if you use a pan.) Since the meat pieces are small you will need to use a BBQ grill tray or basket to hold the meat as they would just fall through your grill grates.  I like the wire style trays since they have holes large enough to let the heat and fire through.   (Sorry I forgot to take a photo! I bought mine through Pampered Chef.)

Cook for just a few minutes on each side, rotating to cook meat to your liking.  You can always test a piece or two while you are cooking (no one will know!)

Swedish Meatballs (with Gluten Free Options)

Recently we have been butchering our own hogs and so I've had ground pork on hand.  Right now it's quite a bit cheaper than ground beef so I am looking stretch the beef a little.  Nothing beats homemade meatballs smothered in a creamy gravy sauce.  It's even better if you make your own broth!

I cook the onions to mellow out their flavor and lose the crunch.  For me, a raw onion can ruin a dish in a hurry.  While you are at it, double or trip the batch and roll up some extra meatballs.  Throw them in the freezer for another time. 

Swedish Meatballs (with Gluten Free Options)                         Printable Recipe

Makes 18 meatballs

1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil (divided)

1/2 small onion, grated

3/4 pound ground beef

3/4 pound ground pork

1/2 cup quinoa flakes

1 egg

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice (or 5 whole allspice)

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour (or a gluten free flour of your choice)

3-1/2 cups beef broth (approx 2 cans or use homemade beef broth)

1/2 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Crock Pot Chipotle Beef Barbacoa

I don't use my crock pot a lot (personal preference) but for a roasting meat it's a good choice.  Even the toughest meats will be tender and juicy after the hours spent cooking.  This recipe has just a little kick that says "Hello." in a soft voice.  If you want it louder or to give a shout add more chipotles.  I like it nice and easy so I can taste all of the flavors I've stuffed into my tortilla shell.

Whether you like crispy or soft, flour or corn, any tortilla shell will work well with this meal.  I'll tell you below which toppings  I used but feel free to change the up to suit your taste!

Next time I make this beef recipe I will double or triple it and have extra for the freezer! I could also use a pork roast and it would be awesome as well.  

Crock Pot Chipotle Beef Barbacoa                                                      Printable Recipe

1 round steak (approx 2 pounds)

salt

olive oil

1 chipotle in adobo sauce

1/2 Tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Unstuffed Pepper Soup

If you saw my Unstuffed Green Peppers recipe you learned that I prefer my green peppers chopped up rather than used as cups.  One day here recently I thought that I would try it with a bit more liquid and made it in a soup.  It's a nice change up from the casserole style meal.

The canned tomatoes and sauce can be salty it was good to use my homemade broth where I can control the salt.  You can use water (which I have done in a pinch and it is still delicious) or use a lower sodium broth.

After eating it as a meal and making lunch portions with what was left there weren't any for the freezer.  Next time I will double the recipe and put some away for quick meals. Another afterthought I had was to use the crock pot next time.  I'll work on that and update this when I do!

Unstuffed Pepper Soup                                                                          Printable Recipe

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

2/3 chopped green peppers

2/3 cup chopped onion

28 ounce can diced tomatoes

8 ounce can tomato sauce

1-1/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire

1-2 cups beef broth (or water)

1/2 cup instant brown rice (I used Uncle Ben's)

Crock Pot Chicken Chili with Rice

In October I met up with 9 other bloggers to learn about corn.  I am familiar with sweet corn and use it in many of our dishes.  I love the crunch and sweetness it adds.  It is also a good source of fiber, antioxidants and Vitamin Bs.

 I prefer it fresh but when I can't have it fresh I use what I have that I froze during the summer months. You can read all about how I preserve it here.  Want to know more about our Iowa Corn Quest?  This link will show you more! #iacornquest

Crock Pot Chicken Chili with Rice                                                       Printable Recipe

1-1/2 pounds chicken tenders*

1/2 small onion, diced

15 ounce can black beans, drained (not rinsed)

14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes (not drained)

1 cup whole corn, drained if needed (thawed if frozen)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2-4 dashes cayenne pepper

salt (to taste)

2 cups cooked brown rice

sour cream

shredded Mexican blend cheese

Chicken Parmesan

An Italian classic with a little twist. I start with a light pan fry and finish cooking it in the oven.  This lessens the need for all of that oil that gets absorbed when you fry. Baking the breaded chicken alone as opposed to smothering it in the sauce let's the crunch of the bread crumbs come through. I love that it's creamy and crunchy all in one dish. 

You can purchase your marinara sauce but make your own garlic cream sauce.  It's easy - if you can make a white sauce or gravy you can make it - and it's delicious with just a few ingredients.  Use the extra to dip breadsticks in!

Chicken Parmesan                                                                                      Printable Recipe

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 beaten egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
olive oil
6 ounces of spaghetti
Jar of your favorite pasta sauce ( I used my own Roasted Marinara)
One recipe Garlic Cream Sauce
Chopped basil for garnish

Sweet Swine Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes are one of our favorite meals to eat.  We eat it on buns, on rice or scoop the meat up with chips.  It's your call on how you eat them! I have always made sloppy Joes with beef but this week I stepped out of the box and went with some local grown ground pork.  Then I threw in some pineapple.

I had a flashback to the first time I had ham and pineapple pizza.  I was dating my then boyfriend, now husband and he wanted ham and pineapple toppings.  Frankly, I thought he was nuts to put pineapple on his pizza but, hey, when your are in love, right?  So I tried it, it was pretty good.  It became my favorite way to eat pizza. That and spicy sausage and pepperoni is not a very good combo for dating breath!

Let's get to cooking!

Sweet Swine Sloppy Joes                                                                            Printable Recipe

1-1/2 pounds ground pork

1 small onion, finely chopped

8 ounce can tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 Tablespoon A1 sauce

Couple drops liquid smoke (optional)

8 ounce can pineapple tidbit, drained

salt and pepper

buns

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Pork wrapped pork...yep, had to do it!! Thanks so much for the inspiration Chef Terrie! It's super easy to put together.  It looks fancy and you'll impress your guests with a dish that looks like you slaved away. Season it with your favorite seasoning or sauce.  Bacons come in a multitude of flavors too so use your  favorite! If it still isn't enough bacon for your meal, try my Parmesan Risotto with Bacon and Tomato for a side. 

Everything's better with bacon so let's get to wrapping!

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin                                                          Printable Recipe

2- pork tenderloins (size varies from 1 to 1-1/2 lbs)

8-10 slices bacon (depends on size of tenderloin and length of bacon)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Baked Chicken with Honey and Soy Sauce Glaze

For a quick, effortless meals boneless skinless chicken thighs are a great meat to use.  No bone to eat around and the meat is always juice and tender. Chicken is a very versatile, taking on any seasoning or flavor you pair it with. 

This marinade is a little sweet and little salty.  Serve it with your favorite side dish, salad or vegetable to round out the meal.

Baked Chicken with Honey and Soy Sauce Glaze                          Printable Recipe

1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons soy sauce (or 4 Tablespoons fauxy sauce - a homemade no-soy sub)
5 Tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Hutspot met Wurst en Jus (Hotchpotch with Wurst and Gravy)

This is a simple yet hearty dish we had in Amsterdam.  Hutspot means hotchpoth in Dutch.  In English it is hodgepodge, which means mixture.  The vegetables reminded me of my Crock Pot Pot Roast veggies if I mixed them together. It’s a really great way to get those picky eaters (which includes myself) to eat the cooked carrots.  Onions disappear in the mash as well. 

I realized after make a plain beef broth gravy that it needed something more so I sprinkled in onion powder.  Much better! An even better flavor would be to use real onions, of course. The gravy is a brown onion gravy much like our jäger sauce we use for schnitzel.  Their sauce didn't have any onion bits to show so you would either want to blend it or strain the onions out.  Personally, I just leave them rather than go to extra work. You could use a brown gravy mix from a packet but it's so simple you can make it fresh.

I made these pork cheddar bratwurst myself in a cooking class with Steven from The Sausage Foundry of Cedar Rapids.   If you aren't game to make your own you can find many varieties to try at his shop at NewBo Market or buy your favorite from your local store or meat locker.

 Hutspot met Wurst en Jus (Hotchpotch with Wurst and Gravy) 

 Printable Recipe

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes
1/2 pound carrots
1 small onion
2 Tablespoons of butter
Splash of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
5 bratwurst
Brown onion gravy (see Jäger sauce)

Creamy Chicken and Rice

This dish is another one pot meal making for easy clean up.  Although, if you want to amp the flavor (and color) up a bit grill your chicken instead and then add to the cooked veggies.  The dish seemed a little lacking so I added carrots as an afterthought so you won't see them in my step by step photos.

Creamy Chicken and Rice                                                                 Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" hunks
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
1 cup instant brown rice*
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
Few pinches dry parsley (or 1/4 cup chopped parsley)
Salt and pepper (as needed)

Mexican Chorizo, Rice and Bean Skillet

This dish is full of flavor and just the right amount of spice for our family.  If you are an adventurous one you can add cayenne, chilies in adobo sauce and/or sprinkle jalapenos on top to kick it up.  This skillet meal can be made in less than 30 mins so it is on the table quickly and it only uses one pan so there is a smaller mess to clean when the meal is done.   I had plenty for the family to eat and some for leftovers for lunches so I packed them up and tossed them in the freezer.

Mexican Chorizo, Rice and Bean Skillet                                      Printable Recipe

7 ounce tube Mexican Chorizo

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

3/4 cup uncooked instant brown rice

1 cup water (more or less as needed*)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups sweet corn

15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup Mexi blend cheese, Chihuahua or even mozzarella would work

Small handful of chopped cilantro

Sour cream

Crock Pot Ham and Beans

Every time I make a Glazed Ham on the Grill there is a hunk of it I just can't get sliced nice off the bone.  I put it in a zip shut bag. I have a plan for it's use but won't want a ton of ham for a while so in the freezer it goes.

This "recipe" is simple.  So simple there is only one step by step photo and only two ingredients if you don't count the water!  You can certainly cook this on the stove.  That is how I grew up eating it at home.  Throwing it all in the crock pot is even simpler than that!

Crock Pot Ham and Beans

Leftover ham chunk
1 pound bag dried Great Northern beans
6 cups water

Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

One pan and one bowl, that is all this recipe needs so clean up is minimal.  It is also quick.  You can have this meal on the table in just a little over 30 minutes.  Using chicken thighs means your meat will stay tender.  You can change your chicken pieces or use bone-in but you may need to up your baking time so make sure you cook your chicken through.

Variations can also be made by using different seasonings that suit your taste.  This is a very versatile dish and you can make it your own!

Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables                                              Printable Recipe

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, chunked
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used Just Bare)
1 pound Roma tomatoes