Sheet Pan Suppers: Asian Pork, Green Beans and Fried Rice

I am continuing to have so much fun experimenting with the new flavor packets from McCormick.  This particular product is labeled One Sheet Pan Glazed Salmon and Vegetables with Garlic, Soy, and Miso. The package suggested pork tenderloin as an alternative for the salmon.  Suggested vegetables are asparagus, zucchini, red onion, cauliflower, or Brussels sprouts.

I prepared fried rice and a sauteed spinach and mushroom dish.  Here are the recipes for all three.

1 package McCormick One Sheet Pan Glazed Salmon

1/3 cup water

2 T. brown sugar

1 lb. salmon fillets or boneless pork

2 - 3 cups of your choice of vegetables

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.   Mix seasoning mix, water, and sugar in a small bowl until well blended.

Place your choice of protein and vegetables on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan which that been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake 15 - 18 minutes and turn the pork chops (or salmon) over and brush with the seasoning mixture.  Drizzle some of the seasoning mixture over the green beans (or your choice of vegetables).  

Bake another 10 - 12 minutes or until the internal temperature of pork is 145 degrees F.

While the sheet pan supper is cooking, prepare the sauteed spinach.

2 T. olive oil

8 oz. your choice of sliced mushrooms

2 t. minced garlic

2 t. grated fresh ginger

1 t. soy sauce

4 cups fresh spinach, packed into measuring cup

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, pour in olive oil. When it shimmers, add mushrooms. Cook, occasionally stirring, until mushrooms brown. Add garlic, ginger, and soy sauce and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add spinach a handful or so at a time, stirring as the spinach wilts. Top with sesame seeds if desired.

Last, but certainly not least, the fried rice!

The Bamboo Chef provided the seasoning packet for this dish.

1 packet The Bamboo Chef Fried Rice Seasoning

2 T. soy sauce

2 eggs

2 T. vegetable oil

3 cups cold cooked rice

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

In a small bowl, dilute seasoning packet in soy sauce. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs until smooth. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan on medium-high heat.

Add eggs to pan and scramble. Stir in rice and vegetables and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add seasoning mixture and stir until well blended.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Bloody Mary New York Strip Steaks served with Asparagus Nectarine Salad

I love trying the recipes, which are the Publix sales papers each week.  As an added bonus, Publix provides the recipe cards along with a small notebook where you can keep your favorites.  This recipe is based on last week's offering.

I jazzed up the marinade a bit and substituted asparagus for green beans in the salad. Choose whichever you prefer.

For the marinade:

Juice of one lemon

1/2 cup spicy V-8

2 T. prepared horseradish

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. celery salt

a few grinds of black pepper

1 - 2 dashes hot sauce

1 t. minced garlic

1 1/2 lb. New York Strip, ribeye, or top sirloin

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour one-half of the marinade in a large zip-top bag. Set remaining marinade aside.  Add steaks to the container; knead to coat and let stand for 15 minutes (or overnight) to marinate.  

Preheat grill or grill pan.

Remove steaks from the bag and discard the marinade.  Grill steaks 3 - 4 minutes on each side or until grill-marked and 125 degrees F. for medium-rare; 130 F. degrees for medium or up to 170 degrees F. for well done.

Let stand 3 - 4 minutes before slicing.  Sprinkle steak slices evenly with cheese.  Serve with reserved sauce on the side for dipping.

Now let's prepare that delicious and healthy salad!

12 - 16 oz. green beans or asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 fresh nectarines, diced

1/2 cup sun-dried julienne cut tomatoes

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 t. salt

slivered almonds (optional)

golden raisins (optional)

1 (7.5 oz.) Blue cheese or Gorgonzola salad kit (it will include a vinaigrette)

Steam or microwave green beans or asparagus. Set aside to cool.  

Place all ingredients in a large salad bowl. Toss to coat and serve.

One Skillet Meal: Creamy Chicken and Vegetables

It's time to try another one of the new flavor packets that McCormick sent to me.  A one skillet meal for chicken and your choice of vegetables.  The flavor profile for this one includes thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.  

The instructions suggested using boneless skinless chicken breasts. I wanted to make this dish as kid friendly as possible, so I used chicken tenderloins and cut them into 1 inch cubes. The chicken browned much faster (so the entire meal was ready to eat in a flash!), and you can choose your family's favorite vegetables.  I used sliced white mushrooms, french cut green beans, and broccoli florets.  

2 T. butter, divided

1 1/2 lb. chicken tenderloins, cubed into 1 inch pieces

2 - 3 cups of your favorite vegetables (I used French cut green beans, mushrooms, broccoli florets)

1 McCormick One Skillet Creamy Chicken and Vegetables spice packet

1 cup milk

Serve over rice or noodles if desired

In a large skillet over high heat, melt 1 T. of butter.  Add cubed chicken and cook until well browned.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium high.  Melt remaining 1 T. butter in skillet and add vegetables.  Stir until tender-crisp (4 - 5 minutes).

Add seasoning packet and milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.

Add chicken back into skillet and let cook for another minute or two.

Ready to serve!

Can't wait to try this one again with a different mixture of vegetables. This was a very easy, but very tasty meal!

Sheet Pan Supper: Farmer's Market Pork and Vegetables

The McCormick Seasoning Company has debuted a new line of sheet pan seasoning packets.  One of the best things about them is you choose which vegetables you'd like.  Suggestions are given on the packet such as bell peppers, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.  Even though this particular item is labeled as for "chicken," pork or salmon were suggested as substitutions.  

The seasoning includes garlic, onion, paprika, parsley, oregano, etc.  It was an excellent blend of herbs and spices.

This is an excellent weeknight meal plan. I know I really stress the importance of weeknight meals.  While the oven was preheating, I chopped my choice of vegetables and when the preheating timer did its ding, I was ready to place the sheet pan in the oven. Thirty minutes later dinner is ready. Seriously, how easy is that?

1 pkg. McCormick seasoning 

3 T. vegetable oil

1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken or pork

4 cups assorted fresh vegetables, cut into 1-inch chunks 

(I used yellow squash, broccoli florets, and asparagus)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Mix seasoning mix and oil in a large bowl.  

Add chicken (or pork) and vegetables and toss to coat.  Place in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet that's been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken (or pork) is cooked through.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

I continue to improve after my hospital stay although I'm still having some not so good days.  The New Orleans grandsons are visiting for a few days and Grandson #1 requested sausage gumbo. I decided today was the day to give it a whirl. I must say, I do believe this is the best gumbo I've ever made.  

You can use your favorite smoked sausage, but my all time forever favorite is Conecuh from Evergreen, Alabama.

6 cups chicken broth

1 - 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts

2 large yellow onions, chopped

3 green bell peppers, chopped

4 ribs celery, chopped (include some of the celery leaves if possible)

1 T. minced garlic

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced

2 t. (or to taste) Cajun seasoning

16 oz. frozen sliced (unbreaded) okra

2 bay leaves

cooked white rice

chopped parsley

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven bring chicken broth to a gentle boil and place chicken breasts in broth. Lower to a simmer and let chicken cook while you prep the vegetables.  After all the vegetables are chopped, place in a large bowl.

Now it's time to make the roux.  In a large skillet (preferably cast iron), add flour and vegetable oil. Set the heat to medium-high and CONTINUALLY stir the flour and oil while it browns. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes. Most of the time for chicken/sausage gumbo the roux is dark brown, almost chocolate colored, but I wasn't up to standing for that length of time, so mine was a nice peanut butter color and it worked just fine!

When the roux reaches the color you want, add all the vegetables at once. Be careful because there may be some splattering of the roux and it will be HOT. As soon as the vegetables are in the roux, stir quickly to coat the vegetables. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 - 5 minutes.

By this time your chicken should be cooked. Remove from broth and place on a plate to cool. Add the roux and vegetables to the broth.

Wipe out the skillet and add the sliced sausage and cook until well browned. Drain well and add to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Lower to a simmer.

Chop or shred chicken and add to the Dutch oven.  Next, add the Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, and okra. Cover and let cook 2 - 3 hours over low heat. Stir occasionally.

Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serve over white rice and top with chopped parsley.