Easy Dinner Recipes
Easy Dinner Recipes Week Three

In the third week of easy dinner recipes we include easy dinner recipes ranging from elegant chicken cordon bleu to game day barbecued beef sandwiches. We also have the side dishes listed on each day's menu, making it seven more days of stress-free, mouthwatering easy dinner recipes!

Day One Easy Dinner Recipe

BLUE RIBBON CHILI
BUTTERED CORNBREAD

Blue Ribbon Chili:

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 (8 ounce) jar salsa
4 tablespoons chili seasoning mix
1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans
1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the ground beef and the onion and sauté for 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain grease, if desired. Add the ground black pepper, garlic salt, tomato sauce, salsa, chili seasoning mix and kidney beans. Mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour.

Cornbread:

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine corn meal and milk; let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

Day Two Easy Dinner Recipe

PENNE AND VODKA SAUCE
TOSSED SALAD
ITALIAN BREAD

Penne and Vodka Sauce:

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 pound thinly sliced pancetta bacon, chopped
1/3 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta, and sauté until lightly browned. Add vodka and stir until it is reduced by half, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir every few minutes. Stir in pasta, and heat through. Serve with Parmesan cheese, tossed salad and warm Italian bread.

Day Three Easy Dinner Recipe

EASY CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
BUTTERED WHITE RICE

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu:

1 cup milk
1 cup dry bread crumbs
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
salt and pepper to taste
6 slices cooked ham
6 slices Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place milk and bread crumbs in two separate shallow bowls. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on each piece of chicken; roll, and secure with toothpicks. Dip each chicken roll into milk, and then into breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown rolled chicken on all sides. Arrange the chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a small saucepan over medium heat, blend soup and cream; season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the chicken.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Day Four Easy Dinner Recipe

BARBECUED SHREDDED BEEF ON KAISER ROLLS
BAKED FRENCH FRIES

Barbecued Shredded Beef:

3 pounds beef roast
2 onions, chopped
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles beer
6 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
salt to taste
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 275 degrees (135 degrees C). Place roast in a large roasting pan and scatter chopped onions over.

In a large bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour in beer, stir and add to roasting pan. Add water to the top of beef. Cover and cook in oven at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) for 4 to 5 hours. When meat is cooked, shred meat with 2 forks, add barbecue sauce and mix well.
Serve with baked French fries (made from frozen French fries).

Day Five Easy Dinner Recipe

HONEY GLAZED HAM
BAKED CORN
DINNER ROLLS

Honey Glazed Ham:

1 (10 pound) fully-cooked, bone-in ham
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup honey
1/3 large orange, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place ham in a roasting pan. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, pineapple juice, honey, orange juice, orange zest, Dijon mustard, and ground cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside. Bake ham in preheated oven uncovered for 2 hours. Remove ham from oven, and brush with glaze. Bake for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, brushing ham with glaze every 10 minutes.

Baked Corn:

1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
3/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 (8.5 ounce) package dry corn muffin mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine the whole-kernel corn, cream-style corn, sour cream, melted butter or margarine, eggs and corn muffin mix. Mix well and pour into one 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

IRISH CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Irish Chicken and Dumplings:

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
3 cups water
1 cup chopped celery
2 onions, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
5 carrots, sliced
1 (10 ounce) package frozen green peas
4 potatoes, quartered
3 cups baking mix
1 1/3 cups milk

In large, heavy pot, combine soup, water, chicken, celery, onion, salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat about 1 1/2 hours. Add potatoes and carrots; cover and cook another 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot, shred it, and return to pot. Add peas and cook only 5 minutes longer. Add dumplings. To make dumplings: Mix baking mix and milk until a soft dough forms. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto BOILING stew. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, then uncover and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE PEPPERS AND ONIONS
THIN SPAGETTI WITH TRADIONAL SAUCE

Italian Sausage Peppers and Onions:

6 (4 ounce) links sweet Italian sausage
2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup white wine

Place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown on all sides. Remove from skillet, and slice.

Melt butter in the skillet. Stir in the yellow onion, red onion, and garlic, and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in red bell pepper and green bell pepper. Season with basil, and oregano. Stir in white wine. Continue to cook and stir until peppers and onions are tender. Return sausage slices to skillet with the vegetables. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until sausage is heated through. Serve with thin spaghetti with red sauce.

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