Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo over Linguini

I’ve been known to take shortcuts when it comes to cooking. When I have time and I’m in the mood to take that time and spend it in the kitchen making from scratch recipes, I do it. But there are times I am so busy running in different directions and I just don’t have the time. So I add store bought ingredients and make it all taste homemade. Nothing wrong with that.

For example: This creamy Chicken Broccoli Alfredo over Linguini brings you tender broccoli, crispy chicken, and a rich sauce in under 30 minutes. You say, how can that be? We’re talkin’ frozen chicken nuggets, frozen broccoli florets, pasta and a jar of rich and creamy Alfredo with Garlic sauce. And what do you get? A dish that tastes like one of Olive Garden’s chef specialties!

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo over Linguini

1 small bag frozen broccoli florets

2 cups Tyson fresh cooked or frozen breaded chicken nuggets

1- 9 ounce bag of fresh linguini or fettucine

1 jar of Bertoli Garlic Alfredo sauce

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for about for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain very well and put pot back on the stove with heat off.

Place frozen broccoli in air fryer basket and roast at 400°F for 10 minutes. Remove and add to the pot of pasta.

Cook frozen chicken nuggets in air fryer at 400°F for 12 minutes. Set aside. Drain on paper towels and then add to the broccoli and pasta.

Add the jar of sauce to the pasta, broccoli and chicken and toss well to coat everything.

Serve on a platter or large bowl and finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of lemon juice. Add a little black pepper or red pepper flakes for heat if you want. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

NOTES:

Chicken: Feel free to swap frozen chicken with fresh raw cubed chicken breasts or thighs. Salt and pepper them and add them to a large non-stick skillet with olive oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy. If using refrigerated nuggets that are not frozen, air fry for only 5 minutes.

Broccoli: I use a bag of frozen broccoli however; you can buy a head of broccoli and cut the florets off. Toss them in olive oil, salt and a teaspoon of garlic powder and roast them until tender.

Pasta: Any favorite pasta works just fine! I like fresh but you can buy dried pasta in a box and follow package directions.

Parmesan Alfredo Sauce: I use Bertolini Alfredo sauce for all my recipes that I want to make in a hurry. It is as close to homemade alfredo sauce as you can get. Creamy and rich and delicious and a real time saver. However, if you want to make your own, see my easy recipe for homemade Alredo Sauce on the blog.

Lemon Juice: The acidity brightens up the creamy sauce and makes the whole dish pop.

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

Beef Tips and Mushrooms over Buttered Egg Noodles

I have to say this is one of my favorite comfort foods. Tender beef paired with savory mushrooms and smothered in a gravy so smooth and rich you can drink it with a straw! I love this dish and make it often. It gets better with each day. Serve it over mashed potatoes or my favorite, buttered egg noodles!

Beef Tips and Mushrooms over Buttered Egg Noodles

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds chuck roast cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, diced small

2 cups button mushrooms, sliced

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste

2 cups full-sodium beef broth

1 Worcestershire sauce

3 cups (or 12 ounces) medium egg noodles

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons garlic salt

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Pat the beef cubes with a paper towel to remove moisture. Toss them in flour, salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot enough, cook the mushrooms until moisture is gone and mushrooms are golden brown.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and sear the meat for about 2 minutes per side. Keep moving around so it doesn’t burn.

Add the flour and stir in with meat. Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. Add sour cream, whipping cream and garlic salt to meat mixture and stir well.

Meanwhile, cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain well when done.

Add noodles to a platter and serve warm beef mixture over noodles. Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired and serve warm.

NOTES:

You really want to sear the meat so make sure you have plenty of space in the skillet or the meat will steam and toughen the beef. Sear the beef in batches if needed.

Store leftovers in airtight containers and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove- top or in the microwave. Add a splash of beef broth if the sauce needs loosening.

What cut of beef is best for beef tips?

I start with a nice small chuck roast and remove all visible fat. While it’s impossible to remove all fat from the chuck roast, any remaining fat melts away creating amazing flavor and fork tender beef. My favorite cut of beef for this recipe is a chuck roast. I prefer to cut my own beef into similar sized pieces but feel free to use stew meat from your butcher shop.

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

Friday, October 23, 2026

Brown Sugar Cracked Pepper Salmon

I Love this recipe. As a matter of fact it has become my favorite way to make salmon. In the summer I make it on the grill and in the colder months I make it in the oven. Either way it turns out wonderful!

Brown Sugar Cracked Pepper Salmon

2 pound salmon Fillet
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons cracked pepper seasoning

Oven method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat salmon dry with paper towel and set aside. Mix the cracked pepper and brown sugar together and generously coat the salmon with the mixture.

Spray a baking dish with non stick spray and lay salmon fillet. Bake on center rack at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until salmon flakes easily and the temperature reaches 130 degrees.

Grilled Method

The first time I ever grilled this salmon using a cedar plank I knew it would be an all time favorite that I would make again and again. The sweetness of the brown sugar paired with the smokiness from the plank makes it truly the best salmon you'll ever have.

Follow the directions above and coat the salmon well with brown sugar and cracked pepper mixture.

Soak a cedar plank large enough to hold a 2 pound salmon fillet in warm water for at least 20 minutes

Clean grill with a wire brush. Arrange salmon on plank and rub with brown sugar/pepper mixture evenly over fillets until very well coated. Place plank with salmon on grill and close lid. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 12 minutes or until temperature reaches 130 degrees.

Salmon is done when you can flake the center or thickest part with a fork. Another way to tell is when you see little white beads of liquid protein seeping out of the fish. Not too much...that means you over cooked it. Just a small amount.

Remove from grill and allow to rest for about 2 minutes before serving.

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Beer Battered Cod with Garlic Potatoes and Broccoli

Beer Battered Cod with Garlic Potatoes and Broccoli

This beer battered fish has that tender, crispy, light crunch and the inside is so moist and flaky! I could eat an entire plate of these! You can use any meaty fresh white fish such as cod fillets, Halibut, Haddock, Pollock, or Whiting. I’ve even used frozen Cod and you couldn’t taste the difference. So good!

Beer Battered Fish

6 cups vegetable oil

1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-2 pounds of meaty white fish, skinned with bones removed. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

In a 5 quart pot or Dutch oven, heat oil to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, pour in 1 bottle of beer. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour into the bowl, whisking in gently until just combined, stir in salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Pat fish dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper and coat the fish in the beer batter. Dredge the pieces of fish in 1/2 cup of remaining flour and slide into oil.

Fry fish, turning over frequently, until deep golden and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.

Fry remaining fish in batches, returning oil to 375 degrees between batches.

Serve fish with garlic mashed potatoes or french fries, and if desired. Add tartar sauce and/or ketchup, and lemon wedges.

Sunday, October 18, 2026

My 10 Minute Homemade Chili

I woke up to 37 degrees this morning and knew exactly what I wanted for lunch today. I went to the pantry and had all the ingredients on hand…don’t you love when that happens! This is a perfect recipe for an easy weeknight dinner but it’s also great for entertaining. I make it with the classic ingredients: ground beef, beans, seasonings and top it with fresh shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. And it only takes 10 minutes to throw together. If you’re not a big fan of chili you will like this one. It has the perfect mix of seasoning, beef, beans, creme fraiche {or sour cream}, fresh shredded cheddar cheese.

My 10 Minute Homemade Chili

1 lb ground chuck

½ - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you want it

1 tablespoon dried onion (minced)

16 ounces chili beans or red beans or pinto

8 ounces beer (or use beef stock) if you like it thinner use 12 ounces.

season to taste with salt and pepper

4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded

4 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche

In a skillet over medium high heat, cook ground beef. Drain any grease, adding crushed red pepper and dried onion when there is very little pink remaining. Next add the bean and stir to combine.