Carter Family Recipes

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Main Courses

A main course gives a meal its center, whether that is a piece of meat, a seafood preparation, pasta, or a vegetable-based dish. Casseroles, sandwiches, rolled dishes, and filled tortillas bring different serving styles to this collection. Begin with an ingredient or dish type, then choose a preparation suited to the table you are planning.

Browse the posts below, or choose a subcategory when available.

  • Barbecue

    Chicken thighs with white barbecue sauce, glazed thigh rolls, and a layered barbecue pie offer different expressions of barbecue flavor. Browse these dishes for the cooking method and serving style described in each recipe.

  • Beef

    Beef carpaccio, stuffed cabbage rolls, steak preparations, and other dishes bring different cuts and cooking methods into this collection. Choose a beef main course by its texture, accompaniments, and preparation.

  • Burritos

    Filled tortillas become a portable meal or a portion to slice in these burrito preparations. Breakfast wraps, Thai peanut chicken, and shrimp Alfredo variations offer different fillings within a rolled form.

  • Casseroles

    A casserole brings several ingredients into a dish that can be portioned at the table. Poblano chicken, chiles rellenos, and barbecue pie offer different flavors and layers within the collection.

  • Egg Dishes & Entrées

    Eggs can anchor a meal beyond breakfast through an omelette, a sandwich filling, or another savory preparation. These dishes offer ways to bring a familiar ingredient into an entrée.

  • Enchiladas

    Sauced tortillas and baked layers are at the center of these enchilada recipes. Mother’s cheese enchiladas, chicken casseroles, and sausage-gravy breakfast variations offer different ways to bring a warm tortilla dish to the table.

  • Freezer-Friendly Meals

    Croissant breakfast casseroles, meatball pasta bakes, and stuffed shells offer dishes to prepare with freezer storage in mind. Follow each recipe’s directions for freezing, thawing, and reheating the finished meal.

  • Lamb

    A raspberry-balsamic and pecan-crusted rack of lamb represents this small collection. Fruit acidity and a nut coating offer contrasts around the lamb in this main-course preparation.

  • Pasta

    Orzo, noodles, and other pasta forms carry sauces and accompanying ingredients in different ways. Browse pasta dishes from a shrimp preparation to chicken and noodle recipes with contrasting cooking styles.

  • Pork

    Pork chops, stuffed cabbage, and tenderloin Wellington bring different cuts into the main-course collection. Browse by the cut, cooking approach, and accompaniments that suit the meal you want to prepare.

  • Poultry

    Chicken, turkey, and pheasant provide several starting points for a poultry meal. Skillet dishes, smoked preparations, pies, and rolled servings give this collection a range of methods and textures.

  • Quesadillas

    A crisp tortilla and a warm filling give quesadillas their appeal in this collection. Egg, crab rangoon, and cheese preparations offer different flavors within a folded or layered tortilla dish.

  • Roulades

    A roulade gathers filling and an outer layer into a rolled serving. Turkey with ricotta and spinach, steak pinwheels, and porchetta offer different approaches to shaping and slicing the main course.

  • Sandwiches

    Egg salad, chicken Parmesan, and other fillings turn bread into the center of a meal. Browse sandwiches for the combination of bread, filling, and sauce that suits the serving you want.

  • Seafood

    Shrimp chowders, salmon preparations, and other fish and shellfish dishes bring seafood into the main course. Browse by ingredient and cooking method for a dish with the texture and accompaniments you want.

  • Tacos

    Jerk shrimp, Kung Pao chicken, and chipotle shrimp offer different fillings for tacos. The collection includes adaptations and fusion dishes alongside other preparations built around a tortilla and its toppings.

  • Tamales

    Vegetables, cheese, and green chiles provide fillings for these tamales. The collection includes calabacitas con queso and poblano preparations, with the method shaping each wrapped serving.

  • Vegetarian

    Vegetable rollatini, butter beans, and pasta dishes offer main-course ideas with a vegetarian direction. Browse by the ingredients and method, checking the full recipe for the suitability you need.

In this collection

  • Mashed Potato Gratin

    Cheesy, creamy mashed potatoes topped with garlic parmesan potato gratin – this truly is the ultimate side dish! Ingredients For the Mashed Potatoes 1.5kg / 3.3lb baking potatoes,…

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  • German-Inspired Pasta Skillet

    German-Inspired Pasta Skillet

    This German-style pasta skillet, reminiscent of Käsespätzle, combines bowtie pasta with smoked sausage, sautéed onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a creamy, cheesy sauce. A cozy, one-pan meal perfect…

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  • Chicken Dressing Casserole

    Chicken Dressing Casserole

    A delicious Southern-inspired comfort dish that combines tender chicken, savory cornbread stuffing, and a creamy sauce, all baked into one hearty casserole. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or…

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  • Traditional German Spaetzle

    Perfect texture and perfect flavor, these traditional German Spaetzle are just like you know and love them from the Swabia region of Southern Germany! Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose…

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  • Pimento Cheese

    Pimento Cheese

    Ingredients 2 cups freshly grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1” cubes and softened at room temperature 4 ounces pimento peppers, well drained and…

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  • Pillsbury Crescent Roll Taco Bake

    Ingredients 1 (8-ounce) can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 1 pound lean ground beef (at least 80%) 3/4 cup Old El Paso Thick ‘n Chunky salsa 2 Tablespoons Old El…

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  • Peanut Butter Noodles

    Peanut Butter Noodles

    This nutty midnight pasta is a dream to cook, as it requires just a handful of pantry staples and one pot. Peanut butter (the less fancy, the better) anchors a…

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  • Blackened Salmon Stuffed with Spinach and Parmesan Cheese 

    Blackened Salmon Stuffed with Spinach and Parmesan Cheese 

    Ingredients 4 salmon fillets (skinless, about 6 oz each) 2 cups fresh spinach 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 garlic cloves, minced 1…

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  • Amish Onion Fritters

    Amish Onion Fritters

    Craving something crispy and full of flavor? These Amish Onion Fritters are the perfect golden bites! Simple ingredients, fried to perfection, and topped with a dollop of sour…

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  • Creamy Double-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

    Creamy Double-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

    Roasted garlic is the secret to these deeply flavored mashed potatoes with a lively crunch from garlic chips. This dish takes a little more planning and prep than…

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