Soul Food Sundays

There's nothing like a good Southern-style, home cooked meal on a Sunday afternoon. For my first Sunday "Soul Food" meal in our new home, I decided to serve up baby lima beans, creamy macaroni and cheese, buttermilk fried chicken, and cornbread. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

I didn't follow any particular recipe for this meal. I just cooked it based on my past how I was taught and my past experience with it.

Here's a look at how it turned out...

Meat and Potatoes Man

My hubby is definitely a meat and potatoes man. So when I found this recipe online, I knew he'd love it...and love it he did! It's a very simple recipe and super easy to make and it's quite tasty. Give it a try for your next game night. =)

Nacho Spuds



Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes (1.5 pounds total), sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
1/2 lb. lean ground beef sirloin
2 1/2 tbsp. E.V.O.O.
1 - 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
1 - 8 oz. package shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
Salt & Pepper
Sour cream and shredded lettuce, for serving

Directions

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.

2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp. olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp. olive oil and the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Mix in the beans, taco seasoning, and 2 tbsp. water. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes.

5. Transfer the potatoes to an ovenproof platter. Sprinkle half of the cheddar on top, spoon on the meat mixture, then top with the tomatoes and remaining cheddar.

6. Place in the oven and turn off the heat. Let stand until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Serve with the sour cream and lettuce.

Date Night Meal

For our first date night in our new house, I wanted to make a romantic Italian dish featuring a savory sauce and fresh herbs and spices. So I found this recipe on the Food Network site. It was quite a hit with the hubby!

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Tomato Herb Chicken
Recipe by: Gina Neely

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 chicken thighs, skinless
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
Hot buttered rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turning once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to reserve.

3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan.



4. Add onion to the pan and sauté until tender, roughly 3 minutes.



5. Add the stock and wine and stir, scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.



6. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the dried herbs and lemon pepper.



7. Add the chicken thighs back in. Cover and cook on medium low for 40 minutes.

8. Remove chicken from liquid and serve on hot buttered rice. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

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Notes: I made this dish with Fettucini noodles instead of buttered rice.