Category: Main Courses

Dixon Charles’ North Carolina Brunswick Stew

Dixon’s hearty Brunswick Stew is great comfort food for a cool evening!Ingredients 3 lbs. chicken 1 lb. beef 3 med. onions 4 28oz. cans tomatoes 5 Tbls. worchestershire sauce 1 20oz. bottle ketchup 1 Tbls. Tobasco 2 bay leaves 1/2 bottle chili sauce 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/2 stick butter 2 cans butter beans 2…

Instant Pot: Chicken Paprikash

Serve this delightful chicken with a side salad and warm crusty bread.Ingredients 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp olive oil 2 lb. chicken, diced (I use a mix of breast and thighs) 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper 2 tbsp sweet paprika 2 bay leaves 1½ cup chicken stock 1 cup…

Beef Burgundy

Ingredients 3½ tablespoons olive oil 3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 carrot, diced 1 onion, diced Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons flour 2 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhone, Bordeaux, or Burgundy) 2 to 3 cups brown beef stock 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 cloves mashed…

Miriam’s Mexican Casserole

2 small or one large package yellow rice (Vigo…..with saffron) 1 lb ground beef 1 15oz can diced tomatoes 1 package taco seasoning mix 1 cup shredded cheddar 1 cup milk 1 can cheddar cheese soup (Campbells) Make rice according to package directions brown meet and add taco seasoning Stir in tomatoes (undrained) bring to…

Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash

Ingredients 1 lb chuck, cut into bite size cubes 1 tbsp flour Salt and pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp sweet paprika 2 tsp crushed caraway seeds 1 onion chopped 2 cups chicken stock Optional: 1 carrot and 1 parsnip, peeled and diced to bulk it out 1 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped…

Evelyn’s Turkey Salad

This recipe came from Rick’s mother, Evelyn Tucker, who made Turkey Salad every year from leftover turkey after Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. This is Rick’s best recollection of the recipe; it wasn’t written down anywhere. Ingredients Leftover turkey, both white and dark meat (I prefer half-and-half), cut into oblong pieces about 1/2 to 3/4…

Fish Pie Picardie

Ingredients 1½-2 lbs haddock or other firm white fish 8-10 large scallops 12-15 medium/large shrimp 1 cup milk 2 Tablespoon butter 2 Tablespoon canola/vegetable oil (not olive oil) 1 cup cider  (you can replace the cider with 1 cup white wine or 1/3 cup sherry or calvados and 2/3 cup water) ¼ cup flour ½ teaspoon salt…

Beans and Greens

Ingredients Bunch kale, stemmed and washed in two changes of water 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 2/3 cups white beans (¾ pound) or dried lima beans, picked over and soaked for at least four hours and drained 1…

Shrimp Creole

Ingredients 2 lbs. peeled and deveined shrimp or mixed seafood (frozen shrimp or seafood may be substituted but it should be thoroughly thawed and drained) 2 Tablespoons butter 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 ribs of celery, finely chopped 1 small green pepper, finely chopped 2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning 2 Tablespoons tomato paste 2…

Beans and Greens

Ingredients 1 bunch kale, stemmed and washed in two changes of water 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 2/3 cups white beans (3/4 pound) or dried lima beans, picked over and soaked for at least four hours and drained…

Jambalaya

Ingredients Protein—one or both of the following: 2½–3 lbs boneless chicken, cut up 3 teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon pepper about 1 lb of raw, deveined shrimp with tail off 1 lb. smoked sausage, andouille or otherwise 1 cup rice 32 oz. stewed or diced tomatoes 1 to 1½ cups of sliced okra (optional) Spices ¼…

Bertucci’s in Old Town Alexandria

We enjoy eating at Bertucci’s wherever they are located.  The food is always fresh and tasty. But we find ourselves often heading to the Bertucci’s in Old Town Alexandria at 725 King Street because they’re close and we can eat outside with our dogs, and they’re very friendly and accommodating (like eating outside after the…

Grilled Swordfish with Couscous

I’ve always said that if swordfish is on the menu at a restaurant, I’ll order it!  Swordfish has been a top-notch favorite of mine for as long as I can remember.  There were some years in the 1970s or thereabouts when swordfish wasn’t readily available due to mercury poisoning.  Thankfully, it’s readily available now, and…

Serbian Beef

Ingredients 1 lb. beef (top/bottom, round), cubed 1 onion, chopped 2 cups, rice 4 cups, water or beef broth 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons parsley 3 tomatoes (or 1 can tomatoes for cooking) 1 small can mushrooms ½ teaspoon each salt, curry, garlic, pepper Tabasco sauce to taste Preparation Put 2 tablespoons oil…

Porcupine Meat Balls

Ingredients 1 can condensed tomato soup 1 lb. ground beef ¼ cup uncooked rice 1 egg, slightly beaten ¼ cup minced onion 2 tablespoons minced parsley 1 teaspoon salt 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon shortening 1 cup water Preparation Mix ¼ cup tomato soup with beef, rice, egg, onion, parsley, and salt. Shape…

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients ground beef (or other meat) chili sauce 1 egg (optional) ½ green pepper, chopped green pepper, whole Italian-seasoned bread crumbs garlic salt Preparation In bowl, mix ground beef, chili sauce (to moisten), egg, chopped onions, chopped green peppers, bread crumbs, and garlic salt. Cut out top of each green pepper and remove seeds. Stuff…

Johnny Mazolla

(pronounced: JON-ee ma-ZO-lee) Ingredients ground hamburger chopped onions garlic powder salt 1 can, tomato soup parmesan cheese macaroni, cooked Preparation Cook macaroni in boiling water.  Drain. Place hamburger, chopped onions, garlic powder, and salt in pan.  Brown hamburger.  Drain fat. Combine macaroni, hamburger, and parmesan cheese, and warm.

Turkey Florentine Roll-up

Also known as Boopie’s Birdie Bake! Ingredients 1 to 1½ lb. ground turkey ½ bag spinach, washed, and stems removed 12 oz. fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced olive oil salt pepper ½ cup bread crumbs garlic worcestershire sauce nutmeg Preparation Sauté spinach in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 5-8 minutes (spinach will shrink dramatically…

BBQ Beef

Ingredients 3-4 lbs chuck roast 3 cups water ¼ cup soy sauce 20 oz. ketchup ½ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon dry mustard Preparation Put chuck roast, water, and soy sauce in dutch oven (or equivalent) at 325°F until meat falls apart Shred meat with fork in…

Rick’s Beef Stew (for clay cooker)

Ingredients 1¾ lbs cubed beef for stew 1½ cups of red wine ¼ cup brandy 4 stalks celery, cut up 3 turnips, cut up into cubes 1 tomato, cut up into cubes 2 carrots, cut up ½ large onion, cut up into cubes 1 green pepper, cut up into one-inch square pieces 1 bay leaf…