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

  • Crab Rangoon Quesadillas with Sweet Chili Crema

    Crab Rangoon Quesadillas with Sweet Chili Crema

    These crispy, golden quesadillas transform the familiar flavors of crab rangoon into an easy appetizer or light meal. Flour tortillas are filled with imitation crab, cream cheese, Monterey…

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  • Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

    Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

    Tender lasagna noodles are layered with seasoned shredded chicken, spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and a rich homemade Alfredo sauce. Gently reducing the cream creates a filling that stays…

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  • California Roll Cucumber and Crab Salad

    California Roll Cucumber and Crab Salad

    This refreshing California roll-inspired salad combines crisp English cucumbers, two textures of imitation crab, ripe avocado, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds with a tangy cream cheese dressing. Yield:…

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  • Whipped Ricotta Caprese Pasta

    Whipped Ricotta Caprese Pasta

    Whipped Ricotta Caprese Pasta combines tender pasta with a silky ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano sauce, sweet oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and a finishing drizzle of balsamic glaze. Lemon…

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  • Smoked Bacon Himmel und Erde

    Smoked Bacon Himmel und Erde

    Rustic Apple-Potato Mash with Bacon, Onions, and Cider Glaze This refined bacon version of Himmel und Erde emphasizes crisp texture and broad appeal. Smoky bacon replaces sausage, while…

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  • Summer No Bake Lasagna

    Tender lasagna sheets are layered with creamy stracciatella, sautéed zucchini, burst cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, Parmesan, and extra-virgin olive oil. These elegant open lasagna stacks are lighter than…

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  • Ultimate Breakfast Egg Quesadilla

    Ultimate Breakfast Egg Quesadilla

    This upgraded breakfast quesadilla combines a crisp, buttery tortilla with fluffy, perfectly cooked eggs, sweet caramelized tomatoes, wilted spinach, melted Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar cheeses, and cool,…

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  • Smoky Chipotle Pickled Eggs

    These smoky, tangy refrigerator pickled eggs combine the rich heat of chipotle peppers in adobo with toasted spices, garlic, charred onion, and a balanced blend of white vinegar…

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  • Coastal Clam Chowder Linguine

    Few pantry ingredients are as surprisingly versatile as a quality can of New England clam chowder. Combined with bacon, garlic, shallots, white wine, and fresh seafood, it transforms…

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  • Imitation Crab Salad

    This restaurant-quality imitation crab salad is cool, creamy, and bursting with fresh flavor. Sweet imitation crab is paired with crisp celery, green onions, fresh dill, parsley, and bright…

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