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

  • Bubble Shrimp with Orange Glaze

    These restaurant-style Bubble Shrimp feature succulent jumbo shrimp encased in an incredibly light, airy shell that puffs into delicate golden bubbles during frying. The crisp potato starch coating…

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  • Steakhouse Shrimp & Crab Rockefeller Bake

    Inspired by the signature seafood dishes served in America’s finest steakhouses, this Steakhouse Shrimp & Crab Rockefeller Bake combines succulent shrimp, sweet jumbo lump crab, tender spinach, and…

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  • Creamy Chicken Piccata Penne

    Creamy Chicken Piccata Penne

    Creamy Chicken Piccata Penne combines juicy, golden-seared chicken with perfectly cooked penne, tender baby spinach, and a luxurious Parmesan cream sauce accented by bright lemon, garlic, and briny…

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  • Slow-Smoked Maple-Cured Bacon Ribs

    Slow-Smoked Maple-Cured Bacon Ribs

    These Bacon Ribs combine the smoky richness of thick-cut bacon with the tenderness of perfectly smoked St. Louis-style ribs. A carefully balanced cure of maple syrup, honey, garlic,…

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  • Miso Orzo with Crispy Shiitakes

    Miso Orzo with Crispy Shiitakes

    This rich, silky pasta combines browned butter, sweet white miso, earthy shiitake mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese into a luxuriously creamy sauce that coats every piece of orzo. Inspired…

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  • Cowboy Candy Pickled Eggs

    Cowboy Candy Pickled Eggs

    Cowboy Candy Pickled Eggs combine two Southern favorites into one irresistible snack: tangy pickled eggs and sweet-heat candied Jalapeños. As the eggs rest in the brine, they absorb…

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  • Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs

    Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs

    The Instant Pot is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to make hard-boiled eggs. Pressure cooking produces tender whites, creamy yolks, and eggs that peel beautifully.…

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  • Lemon Orzo with Shrimp, Feta & Fresh Herbs

    Lemon Orzo with Shrimp, Feta & Fresh Herbs

    This bright, Mediterranean-inspired one-pan meal combines tender shrimp, toasted orzo, fresh spinach, creamy feta, and vibrant lemon for a dish that feels both comforting and elegant. A combination…

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  • Marry Me Shrimp Orzo

    Marry Me Shrimp Orzo

    Tender jumbo shrimp are seared in butter and sun-dried tomato oil, then nestled into creamy Parmesan orzo with garlic, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian herbs. Finished with fresh…

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  • Ginger Chicken Meatball

    Ginger Chicken Meatball

    Tender ginger-infused chicken meatballs tucked into warm bread with crisp cucumber, fresh herbs, creamy mayo, and spicy chili crisp create a handheld meal bursting with Vietnamese-inspired flavors. Fresh,…

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