J is for Jambalaya...

   When you live in Texas, you like things hot. I think because we are bordered by Mexico and Louisiana,that we get the best of both foods here. We love seafood. After all we also live on Gulf of Mexico. So here is a seafood recipe of my Mother's with a Cajun flavor.












Seafood Jambalaya

Ingredients:

1 clove   garlic, chopped
½ lb       cleaned shrimp
1 Tbs     oil
1 (1lb) can tomatoes
1 (9oz) package french green beans with sautéed mushrooms
2/3 c      water
1 tsp       salt
1/8 tsp    thyme
1/8 tsp    pepper
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
2/3 cup   minute rice

Directions:

   Saute garlic and shrimp in oil in a skillet just until shrimp turns pink.  Add remaining ingredients except rice.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.  Stir in rice.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes longer.

Makes 4 servings. (recipe may be doubled or tripled)

Mexican Chicken...

   Here is a quick and easy chicken skillet meal.  If you like your chicken with a little heat to it, dice up a couple of Jalapeño peppers and add to the skillet.  You can make this dish as hot or as mild as you like it.

Image by Pamela Jo

Mexican Chicken

 Ingredients:

1 chicken, cut up into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup onion, minced
2 green peppers, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup rice
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 can chicken broth

Directions:
   Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  In large skillet, brown chicken in oil.  Remove chicken and set aside.  Add onion and green pepper to hot oil, cook until tender.  Add rice, garlic, tomatoes, chicken pieces and chicken broth.  Cover skillet and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is done.

Image by Pamela Jo

Beef Royal

   This recipe is a good one to use with the less expensive cuts of meat.  The longer cooking time gives the meat time to tenderize.  Serve this over steaming rice and you have your self a really good meal.  Good enough for Royalty or at least your friends.













Beef Royal

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs steak
dash of black pepper
flour
2 cups water
¼ tsp paprika
1 green pepper
1 package onion gravy mix
oil or shortening

Directions:
   Flour steak and brown in skillet in small amount of oil or shortening.  Remove steak and cut into small squares.  Return steak to skillet.  Mix gravy mix, water, black pepper and paprika.  Pour over steak in pan and simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours.
   Cut green pepper into strips and add to steak for the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

Chili

   Fall is just around the corner, with cooler days and even cooler nights.  I can't wait.  Friday night football games and fall festivals.  What goes really good with a little nip in the air?  Chili... Here is a quick chili you can make up in less than 30 minutes.  Serve with warm cornbread fresh from the oven.  Just the right meal for fall nights.

Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger meat
1 Tbsp shopped dry onion, or ½ fresh onion, chopped
1 can tomatoes
1 can pinto beans
2 Tbsp chili quick, rounded
dash of black pepper

Directions:


   Brown hamburger meat and onions (if using fresh onion) in skillet.  Drain excess fat from skillet.  Add remaining ingredients to skillet and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.  Keep adding enough water to keep from sticking, while cooking.

              What can I say...I'm from Texas...Part Aggie...Part Longhorn...

Franks 'n Beans Skillet Supper

   Here is a twist on Franks and Beans.  This on is made with green beans with the addition of bacon to help bring out the flavor.  This supper cooks up so easy and fast it may become your new favorite franks and beans recipe.  So bring out the skillet and lets get cooking.

Franks 'n Beans Skillet Supper

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon
6 frankfurters
½ cup onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ cup water
1 or 2 cans potatoes
1 can green beans


Directions:
   In skillet cook bacon.  Remove bacon and crumble.  Cut each frankfurter into thirds, brown in skillet with onions.  Stir in soup and water.  Drain beans and potatoes.  Cut potatoes into slices.  Add beans and potatoes to skillet and heat thoroughly.  Garnish with crumbled bacon.

Skillet Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

   This is a really good recipe for cooking a roast on the stove. You need a heavy skillet with a lid for this one, possible a cast iron skillet.  This is a one dish meal, and it is easy but I wouldn't say it is quick.  But we all know good things come to those who wait, right.  Roast with potatoes and carrots is one of the ultimate comfort foods, and makes the house smell so good.   











Skillet Roast with Potatoes and Carrots


Ingredients:

2 lbs steak, cut in cubes
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
Water to cover
Potatoes, cubed
Carrots,  1 inch cubes

Directions:
   Brown steak in heavy skillet. Pour off grease.   Add soup mix and water to cover steak.  Cover skillet and bring to a simmer.  Add carrots and potatoes.  Return to simmer, and cook for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.  Add additional water as needed to keep it from going dry.

Lipton Meat Sauce And Lipton Chopped Beef Stroganoff

   I decided to do a Tuesday Two-fer.  Here are two quick recipes made with Lipton dried soup mix and hamburger.  Shh, don't tell the cows.  Bring out the skillet and get cooking.  Throw pasta or rice in a pot of boiling water.  Toss together a salad, and you got a quick meal that tastes great.












Lipton Meat Sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb Hamburger meat
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 can tomato sauce or puree
1 cup water

Directions:
   Brown hamburger meat in skillet. Pour off fat.  Add soup mix, water, and tomato sauce.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Serve on pasta or rice.






Lipton Chopped Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb hamburger meat
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3 Tbsp flour
1 small can tomato puree
2 ½ cups water
½ cup sour cream

Directions:
   Brown hamburger meat in skillet. Pour off fat.  Add soup mix, flour, puree, and water.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in sour cream.  Serve over egg noodles.

Alright. How told the cows?

Egg Noodles with Ground Beef...

   Egg noodles, Ground beef and cheese, what could be better.  Slice up a loaf of bread.  Toast it with a little butter and sprinkled with cheese.  A salad served on the side.  Pour yourself the drink of your choice.  And you have got yourself a great meal.  To think it only took one skillet...less dishes to wash. Woo Hoo...  Okay I'm a little corny...Hey, I bet cornbread would be great with this recipe too.













Egg Noodles with Ground Beef

Ingredients:

1 lb Ground Beef
1 medium Onion
½ green pepper
1 can (14 ½ oz) can tomatoes or 6 oz can tomato paste
½ cup water or enough to keep noodles from sticking together
1 tsp Chili powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated cheddar cheese to top.

Directions:
   Brown ground beef, onion, and green pepper in large skillet. Pour off grease.  Add in tomatoes or tomato paste, seasonings, water and egg noodles.  Cook until noodles are soft.  Add more water if noodle start to stick together. Top with grated cheese and let melt.
   Serve.

Lipton Campfire Bean Dinner

   Today's recipe is another quick skillet meal.  When I look at the title I can just picture cowboys sitting around a campfire, stirring a cast iron skillet or dutch oven.  In the background you can hear the cows and an occasional horse. .... Okay drifted off there for a second, sorry.

Lipton Campfire Bean Dinner

Ingredients: 


1 ½ lb. Ground Beef
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup mix
1 can (14 oz) Red Kidney Beans
1 can (14 oz) White Beans
¼ cup Chili Sauce
1 ½ cups water

Directions:
   Brown ground beef in large skillet. Pour off grease. Add soup mix, beans, chili sauce, and water.  Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Serve.


                           

                                 So their not cooking... they still look good.

Western Hash

   My mother had to feed a family of 6 on very little money.  She collected a lot of quick skillet meal recipes.  This was before Hamburger Helper came along.  Back when a mom's best friend was a pound of hamburger, a good skillet and a can opener.  I pretty sure a new hamburger recipe made the rounds faster than the call your mom got when you did something wrong.  I really hated those calls.

Western Hash

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 cup green pepper, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
1 can (14 ½ oz) Tomatoes, juice and all
½ cup uncooked rice
½ tsp chili pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated cheddar cheese


Directions:
   Brown ground beef, peppers, and onions in large skillet. Add in tomatoes, rice and seasonings. Stir to combine.  Simmer 25 minutes, add water if necessary.
   Top with grated cheese and let melt.
   Serve.