Dinners

Brisket
Ribs
Scalloped potatoes
Chow Mein
Smoked chicken
Scalloped potatoes 2
Pork
Short rib
Chicken Pizza

Brisket

Ingredients

1 first-cut brisket about 5 pounds

For the Rub

For the Sauce

Instructions

1) If the brisket has a thick layer of fat, trim it down to ¼-inch. Mix together rub ingredients. Rub all over brisket, wrap it in plastic wrap or place in in a sealable container and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

2) Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the brisket in a roasting pan and cover the baking pan with a lid, or seal it well with foil. Bake for 3 hours.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add the cayenne, vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, broth and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes until it reduces slightly. Remove from the heat.

3) Take the brisket from the oven, turn it over, and pour the half of the sauce into the pan over the brisket, recover the pan (if using foil, cover the pan tightly, using towels to protect your hands from the hot pan). Reserve the rest of the sauce in the pot. Continue cooking in the oven for another 2 hours or so, or until the meat is just about fork tender. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes until the outside of the brisket has browned up and gotten a bit crusty.

4) Remove from the oven, take the brisket out of the pan, and let it sit on a cutting board tented with foil (with a little moat to catch the juices!) for 20 minutes before slicing across the grain. If there is any sauce left in the pan, skim off the fat and add it to the remaining sauce in the pot, and heat it again before serving the brisket with the additional sauce for people to drizzle over their meat if they like. If you want a smother sauce you can strain out the solids, or puree it with a blender.

Ribs

https://cookinginthemidwest.com/blog/smoked-baby-back-ribs/

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours hours
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Baby Back Ribs, Smoked Ribs, Smoker Recipe
Servings: 4
Equipment

    1 Smoker

Ingredients

    Baby Back Ribs
    Yellow Mustard
    BBQ Rub - I’m using Strawberry’s
    BBQ Sauce - I’m using Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
    1 12 oz can Cherry Coke or Root beer
    Pats of Butter
    Brown sugar
    Honey

Instructions

    Remove the membrane from the ribs and cover the ribs in yellow mustard. Season with a BBQ Rub. Add the mustard and bbq rub to both sides of the ribs.

Cook on a smoker at 250 degrees uncovered for 3 hours. After they’ve been smoking for 1 hour start spraying them with cherry coke in a spray bottle about every 30 minutes for the remaining 2 hours.

Lay out a large sheet of aluminum foil. Add a few pats of butter, a sprinkle of brown sugar, a drizzle of honey, and more BBQ Rub to the foil. Add ribs to the foil meat side down, wrap them up tightly in the foil, and put back on the smoker for 1 more hour meat side down.

Take ribs out of the foil, brush on BBQ sauce, and put them back on the smoker (without the foil) for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Cut ribs and serve! Enjoy!
These baby back ribs cooked for a total of about 4 1/2 - 5 hours.

BBQ rub recipe

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)

Scalloped potatoes

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup vegetable broth
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced ⅛-inch thick
½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1½ cups grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute, then slowly add the milk followed by the vegetable broth, whisking continuously. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.
Layer half of the potatoes at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half the onion, then half the sauce and 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining potatoes, onion, sauce, and ½ cup cheese.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the cheese on top is browned. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe from: https://www.loveandlemons.com/scalloped-potatoes/

Chow Mein

Recipe found here: https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-chow-mein/

Recipe video above. A great Chow Mein that truly rivals Chinese restaurants comes down to the sauce! Make this with your protein of choice (Note 1). Have all the ingredients ready to go before you start cooking because it's done in 5 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time5 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Course: Noodles
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: chicken chow mein, chinese noodles, Chow Mein, Thai stir fried noodles
Servings: 2 -3
Calories: 554cal
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Ingredients

    200g /6 oz chicken breast or thigh fillets , thinly sliced (Note 1 tenderise option)
    4 cups green cabbage , finely shredded (Note 3)
    1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or other cooking oil)
    2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
    200g /6 oz chow mein noodles (Note 2)
    1 carrot , julienned
    1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
    3 green onions , cut into 5cm/2" pieces
    1/4 cup (65 ml) water

Chow Mein Sauce:

    2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
    1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce , all purpose or light (Note 4)
    1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (sub Hoisin)
    1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin (Note 5)
    2 tsp sugar (reduce to 1 tsp if using Mirin)
    1/2 tsp sesame oil
    White pepper (sub black)

Instructions
Sauce:

    Mix together cornflour and soy sauce, then mix in remaining ingredients.
    Alternative: Use 1/3 cup Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce, if you have some in stock.

Chicken & Noodles

    Marinate Chicken: Pour 1 tbsp of Sauce over the chicken, mix to coat, set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
    Noodles: Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions (my pack says soak in boiled water for 1 minute), then drain.

Cooking:

    Heat oil in wok or large fry pan over high heat.
    Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds or until it starts to turn golden - don't let it burn!
    Add chicken and stir fry until the surface gets a tinge of browning but inside is still raw - about 1 minute.
    Add the cabbage, carrot, and the white pieces of shallots (i.e. from the base of the stalk). Stir fry for 1 1/2 minutes until the cabbage is mostly wilted.
    Add the noodles, Sauce and water*. Stir fry for 1 minute, tossing constantly.
    Add bean sprouts and remaining shallots/scallions. Toss through for 30 seconds or until the bean sprouts just start to wilt.
    Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Notes
1. Chicken - I prefer making this with thigh because it's juicier, but it can be made with breast or tenderloin. If using breast, option to tenderise using the Chinese method so it's super tender and juicy like you get at Chinese restaurants - see How to tenderise chicken the Chinese way (Velveting)
Can also Velvet Beef.
Other proteins: Sub with sliced pork, beef or turkey, whole prawns/shrimp or even ground meat (still marinate, crumble into chunks and cook like that).
2. Chow Mein noodles are sold at Asian grocery stores and also at Woolworths in Australia (Fantastic noodles brand, fridge section). See in post for photos and description.
3. Cabbage - I use any type of green cabbage, Chinese cabbage or savoy etc. I even use purple cabbage! Once cooked, you can barely tell the difference in flavour / texture.
4. Soy Sauce - This recipe requires ordinary all purpose soy sauce OR light soy sauce. All purpose soy sauces just say "soy sauce" on the label, Light Soy Sauce is labelled as such. I use Kikkoman. Do not use dark or sweet soy sauce. Tamari is a suitable gluten free substitute.
5. Chinese cooking wine - aka Shaosing / Shaoxing wine. Essential for Chinese cooking, it's the key to making home cooking truly taste like restaurants. Now sold at supermarkets in Australia - Asian aisle!
Substitutes: Mirin (reduce the sugar to 1 tsp) or dry sherry. If you really can't use alcohol, use chicken stock/broth in the sauce instead of the Chinese cooking wine AND replace the water with chicken broth.
6. GENERAL TIPS:

    Garlic - don't use mincer/garlic press or jarred garlic, they burn too quickly. Finely chop it.
    Skillet is fine, just use a big one so the noodles don't go flying when you toss.

7. NUTRITION is for 2 servings which are BIG servings. I actually think this recipe is more like 3 servings - but I say 2 servings just to be safe!
Nutrition
Serving: 428g | Calories: 554cal | Carbohydrates: 46.5g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 31.2g | Saturated Fat: 5.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1089mg | Fiber: 5.4g | Sugar: 9.2g

Another great recipe by recipetineats.com

Smoked chicken

https://www.hungryhuy.com/smoked-chicken-thighs/

Ingredients

Chicken thighs

1 ½ lbs chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on
olive oil

Dry rub

Equipment Used

Instructions

Use paper towels to dry off the chicken thighs and, place them on a plate or sheet pan, set aside.
In a bowl, combine all the dry rub ingredients until blended together.
Use a spoon to peel the center of the skin and meat to make a pocket. Place a teaspoon of the dry rub into this pocket and spread it thoroughly.
Thoroughly coat the chicken thighs with the dry rub, including in between the skin and meat.
Place the chicken thighs on the plate and refrigerate for at least four hours (and no more than 12 hours) uncovered. Remove them from the fridge and place them on the counter to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes up to an hour before smoking.
Preheat the smoker for ~5 minutes or according to your manufacturer's suggestion. My Traeger needs about 5 minutes with the lid on. Afterwards, crank the temp knob to 225 °F.
Drizzle the chicken with olive oil lightly to coat the skin.
Smoke the chicken directly over the grates until it measures 160 °F at the thickest part near the bone with an instant-read thermometer.
Raise the temperature to 400 °F and continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature measures 175 °F and the skin is crispy.
Remove from the smoker and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Scalloped potatoes 2

3 tablespoons butter

1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock

2 cups whole milk (or half and half)

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided

4 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds

2 cups freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese*, divided (feel free to add more cheese if you’d like)

1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Instructions

Prep oven and baking dish: Heat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.

Sauté the onion and garlic: Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the flour until it is evenly combined, and cook for 1 more minute.

Simmer the sauce: Gradually pour in the stock, and whisk until combined. Add in the milk, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme, and whisk until combined. Continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sauce just barely begins to simmer around the edges of the pan and thickens. (Avoid letting it reach a boil.) Then remove from heat and set aside.

Layer the potatoes: Spread half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Top evenly with half of the cream sauce. (I usually strain out all of the onions and add them here too.) Then sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and all of the Parmesan cheese. Top evenly with the remaining sliced potatoes, the other half of the cream sauce, and the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

Bake: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. The sauce should be nice and bubbly around the edges. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through.

Cool: Transfer the pan to a cooling rack, and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of thyme and extra Parmesan.

Serve: Serve warm.

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/scalloped-potatoes-recipe/

Pork

Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Perfectly cooked in a garlicky butter sauce, this garlic butter pork tenderloin recipe is going to have you reaching for seconds. Simple enough for a quick weeknight dinner but looks fancy enough for a holiday dinner.
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword garlic butter pork, Pork Tenderloin, pork tenderloin recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
0 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 303kcal
Author Olivia Ribas

Ingredients

    2 pounds pork tenderloin
    Salt and pepper to taste
    ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley plus additional for topping
    1 tablespoon fresh thyme remove leaves from the stem
    2 cloves garlic minced
    ½ teaspoon onion powder
    1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pat pork dry with paper towels.
Season all sides of the tenderloin with salt and black pepper. Set aside

In a small bowl add butter, parsley, thyme, garlic and onion powder. Mix well to combine all the ingredients together. Set aside.

In a cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

Add the pork to the skillet and sear for 2-3 minutes each side. This part is important to give the pork a brown crust.

Remove skillet from the heat. Using a fork or spoon, spread the garlic butter mixture over the top of the pork.

Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
Slice pork into 1-inch thick slices and serve.

https://www.primaverakitchen.com/garlic-butter-pork-tenderloin/

Short rib

https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/braised-short-ribs/

Chicken Pizza

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHB0t-EyR4F/?igsh=MWZzaDR1cTFqcm1law==