Breakfast Burritos & Skillet Potatoes

I got up this morning inspired to make a yummy breakfast for us. While I was prepping everything I enjoyed sipping on this yummy Vanilla Chai tea latte ... yum! My elephant mug makes me happy - it's the simple things in life, right?!

I adapted the recipe from my Cook This Not That cookbook. Apparently, jalapenos are extra spicy at Publix right now because OMG - they are hot. My advice to you is before you go adding any spicy peppers to a recipe take a nibble out of one of them to test the HOTNESS! ha ha. Fresno jalapenos are a less spicy choice and those are my favorite but Q loves jalapenos so I bought those for him. Whoa they were hot, even for him. I've learned if you eat something too spicy, never reach for water - dairy products will aleve the pain. ;-) Here is Q's brave burrito with way too many spicy jalapenos for my tastebuds...

Spicy!

Here's how I made these burritos - you will end up with 4 yummy servings that'll look like this...

ingredients
• non stick spray
• 1 link chicken sausage (I used 1/4 of the horseshoe links of Hillshire applewood smoked chicken sausage. Toss the rest in your freezer).
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 3 eggs, beaten
• Salt & pepper
• cilantro (I didn't have any so I left it out but go for it)
• 4- 10" tortillas (I used Mission brand and the spinach herb flavor)
• 1 cup black beans drained, rinsed and warmed (season these with some salt, cumin, garlic powder & cayenne pepper)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 avocado, diced
• sliced jalapenos (if you are brave!)

directions
1. Spray a skillet with non stick spray and saute the chicken sausage & onion over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
2. Turn the heat to low and add the eggs. Using a spatula stir constantly until eggs are cooked and sausage is incorporated into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the tortillas over an open flame on your gas stove or you can heat them up in the microwave.
4. Spread some beans on each tortillas, then cheese, then the egg mixture, then more cheese. Top with avocado and cilantro if using. Roll each tortillas into a tight burrito and EAT!

I love making these type of breakfast potatoes in my cast iron skillet... they come out perfect every time.  You will need a lid for your skillet to help the potatoes cook evenly though so remember that before you start the process. Here's how to make 'em...

Skillet Potatoes
4 servings

ingredients
• 4-5 baby red potatoes
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• canola oil
• 1/4 jalapeno, sliced
• garlic powder, salt & pepper

directions
1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Once hot add the canola oil and potatoes in an even layer. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Stir and make sure potatoes are still in an even layer, cook another 4-5 minutes and then stir. All the potatoes should have a nice golden brown color all over. Reduce the heat to medium and cook covered with lid cocked to the side to vent for 5 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.
2. Add the onions, peppers and garlic powder and cook for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft (uncovered).

The smaller you dice the potatoes the more quickly they will cook so you may have to adjust the cooking times if they are larger or smaller in size. I've made these potatoes so many different ways, once you get the technique down you can add as many flavors as you want to them!

Enjoy!

Shrimp Lo Mein

Most likely everyone has a favorite take out Asian cuisine joint to order from... and it's great because it's convenient, fast and no too expensive. BUT, even though it tastes amazing, you really don't know what's in it or how it was made do you? At home, you can make your favorite take-out dishes pretty quickly and they are so much healthier in my opinion. That's what this dish is about... we give it an A+!

The original recipe came from my Cook This, Not That cookbook and can be found here:  Shrimp Lo Mein. It's shocking how many calories and fat it shows that a restaurant Lo Mein can have - Yikes! I'd rather not know, thank you. ;-)

Here is how we made this meal...

ingredients

• 12 oz linguine or lo mein noodles (can find in ethnic aisle) 

• 1 tbsp peanut oil

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp grated ginger (fresh)

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 5-6 chives chopped

• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, halved

• 2 medium carrots, sliced thinly

• 1 green bell pepper, sliced (green is way cheaper and still tasty)

• 3/4 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

directions

1. Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on packaging. Drain and rinse the cooked noodles with cold water and set aside. 

2. Using a wok/skillet/dutch oven, heat oil over high heat. Once lightly smoking, add garlic, ginger & onion and cook for 30 seconds (they will be lightly golden in color). Add the rest of the veggies and cook for 3 minutes. Make sure to use a metal spatula and keep the veggies moving around the pan constantly. 

3. Toss the shrimp in and cook until just pink and slightly firm. Add the cooked noodles, oyster/soy sauces and cook additional 2 minutes. The sauce will be thickened and covers the noodles in a light sheen. When serving, garnish with the chopped chives.

A tip I learned a long time ago about not wasting fresh ginger... have you ever bought it for a recipe and had some leftover and then completely forgot about it? Then you go through your produce drawer many weeks later to find a dried up piece of what used to look like ginger root? I have and wasted it by throwing it out... so basically the best way is to peel the skin away with a spoon. Put it in a freezer bag (make sure you take all the air out as much as possible to prevent freezer burn), label the bag and toss in the freezer. Then, when you need it next you just pull it out of the freezer and grate (using microplane grater) right into the dish. I would recommend using an oven mitt to hold the ginger because it will be really cold! 

Enjoy!

Brisket Sandwiches and Potatoes

I like to call sandwiches, "Sammies" for short in case you haven't noticed already in previous posts. These Sammies were kinda special since we used brisket which is a special treat these days for us! The recipe originally came from Cook This, Not That. You can find the original recipe here: Beer Brisket.  I tweaked the original to fit our tastes and decided to make sammies with the meat. Now, Q doesn't "love" when I use beer to cook with... he says it tastes like warm beer to him. So with this meal I subbed the beer with beef broth to see how it would come out. I have to say the meat came out delicious! Since we had 2 leftover Cheesy Horseradish Potato Skins from a meal we made last week, we ate those up tonight. I'm telling ya, you gotta try those!

Here's how I made it...
4 servings

ingredients
• 1.5 lb flat cut brisket
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt & Pepper
• 8 oz low sodium beef broth
• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp honey
• sandwich buns
• caramelized onions

directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix the spices together in a small bowl then rub the mixture all over the brisket with plenty of salt and pepper. Place the meat in a baking dish and pour half of the beef broth over it, then cover tightly with foil. Bake for 2 hours until the meat is very tender.

2. Remove the meat from the oven and uncover. Combine half of the remaining broth with the vinegar, ketchup & honey, brush this mixture over the brisket. Preheat grill over medium high and place brisket over coolest part of the grill. Cook until lightly charred all over, basting with broth mixture as it cooks. This takes about 10 minutes.

3. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 10 minutes, then slice and when ready to serve dip carved meat in the sauce and pile onto warm rolls. Toasting the rolls lightly on the grill as well will make this a perfect sandwich. Top the meat with some caramelized onions.

This meal was sooooo good - even though I refrained from going back for seconds, it was addictively good. I would highly recommend this meal. :) I think next time we make this I would add some dill pickle slices to the sammie as well for an extra tangy kick.

Enjoy!

Chipotle Beef Tostadas

I was pretty excited about making this meal last night (I love mexican style dishes) and adding a few of my own extra touches onto the original recipe. I was curious though because this calls for zucchini which I thought was different. Since we like things spicy I added chipotle peppers in adobo sauce with the seeds left in and they give this dish a spicy & smoky flavor. We wound up with another tasty dinner.  Here's the link for the original recipe:  Chipotle Beef Tostadas.

and here's how we made it...

ingredients
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 large white onion, minced
• salt and fresh pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp chipotle chile flakes (you can also use regular chile powder too)
• 2 chipotles peppers in adobo sauce (leave seeds in if you want it spicy), chopped
• 10 oz can hot rotel (you can also use regular or mild if you don't like it spicy)
• 15 oz can pinto beans drained (don't rinse, just let them sit in a mesh colander in sink until you are ready to use them)
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 cup coleslaw (I buy the precut stuff in bag in produce section)
• Juice of 1 1/2 limes, plus wedges for serving
• Tostada shells
• 1 1/2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (tip: buy the block of cheese and shred yourself - it'll save $ and taste better)
• cilantro leaves for topping

directions
1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add oil once pan is hot. Then add beef, 1/2 onion, salt, chile powder, peppers and cook until meat is browned, about 7 minutes. Break up the meat with a spoon/spatula as it cooks down.
2. Next, add the rotel, beans and zucchini an cook for 6 minutes until zucchini is tender, about 6 minutes.
3. While the meat is cooking, toss the coleslaw mix with lime juice and salt and pepper in a bowl. After about 10 minutes go ahead and stir up again and taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper.
4. Spoon the beef mixture on top of a tostada and top with cheese, onion, cilantro and squeeze a lime wedge over each tostada.

We both really enjoyed this one! Q looked over at me while we were eating and said "Babe, I was a little weirded out by the ingredients when you were cooking this, but it is AWESOME - good job!" Ahhh, I love it when that happens! I love that he is willing to try anything and not a picky eater- Win!

A tip regarding the tostada shells - I think they come 20 to a bag or so.. If you end up with leftovers from the leftovers in this meal, a great use up is to use them for breakfast. They make a great little plate for scrambled eggs with cheese and some avocado on top. Yum :-)

Enjoy!

Summertime Shrimp Chowder

This was a light chowder for summertime and we both really enjoyed it. The original recipe can be found here:  Low Country Shrimp Chowder. After reading through the recipe I found that it might need a little extra love. I added some carrots, fresh herbs, extra corn extra rice, Half & Half and chicken stock to enhance the flavors in this chowder. Here's how I made it...

ingredients
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced and separate the whites from the greens
• 1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red jalapeno (fresno chile), minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp old bay seasoning plus more to taste
• 1.5 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup half & half
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 cup white rice
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 lb peeled shrimp (tail on)
• kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp dry sherry
• 2 - 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• fresh chives and parsley

directions
1. Heat the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, celery, carrots & bell pepper, cook about 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the flour and Old Bay seasoning and cook until the flour is lightly toasted (1 minute). Add the milk, chicken stock and the rice. Bring to a rapid simmer, then reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes or so.
2. Add the frozen corn to the pot and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook about 3 minutes. Season the chowder with salt, pepper and stir in the sherry. Top each serving with the a pinch of old bay, scallion greens, parsley and chives if using. You can also serve some crusty bread, croissant rolls or oyster crackers.

This summertime chowder is on the lighter side and won't be really thick and heavy. I doctored up the recipe adding extra flavors, seasonings and this is what I came up with... if you decide to try the way I made it... I hope you like it.

Enjoy!

Sweet & Spicy Ribs, Cheesy Horseradish Potato Skins & Charred Broccoli

This is a perfect meal for the weekend because it is a bit labor intensive and has a lot of things going on at once and to prep for. So, it was really nice to have Q in the kitchen with me to assist in putting this tasty dinner together! It felt like we were eating out tonight but in the comfort of our own home. Each part of this meal brings a ton of flavors that on the surface may not sound good together to you... but they are! The ribs are sticky, hearty, sweet & spicy and the meat just falls off the bone. The broccoli salad has a nice Asian flair to it and the nutty notes to the sesame oil really bring everything together. The potatoes are comforting and zesty and hit all sorts of different notes on your tongue. The original recipe called for pork ribs but the beef looked so much better to me at the store so I adjusted the recipe for this. The original recipes can be found on here as well:  Sweet & Spicy Beef Ribs, Cheesy Horseradish Potato Skins and Charred Broccoli. Here's how we made it...

Sweet & Spicy Beef Back Ribs
serves 2

ingredients
• 2 lbs (2 small racks) of beef back ribs
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• S&P
• 1/4 cup low sodium beef broth
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 large cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tbsp chipotle Chile powder (I have the flakes & ground them up in my molcajete)
• 1/2 cup sweet Chile sauce (Thai)
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the membrane on the back side of the ribs with a paring knife. Rub the ribs with lemon juice, salt & pepper. Let rest on counter until oven comes up to temp. Place ribs bone side down and pour broth over ribs. Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and place in oven and cook for 1.5 hours. The meat should pull away from the bone very easily by this point.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over high medium/high heat and add the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add Chile powder and cook 1 minute. Stir in the Chile sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes until the sauce is thick and has reduced by about half.
3. Remove the ribs from oven and increase temp to 400 degrees. Uncover the pan and baste the ribs generously with your sauce. Put back in oven and roast for an additional 35-40 minutes. Transfer ribs to serving plates and let rest for 5-10 minutes and then slice before eating. I used the leftover sauce to baste again as soon as the ribs came out of the oven and then again before we ate them. :-)


Cheesy Horseradish Potato Skins
serves 2

ingredients
• 1 russet potato
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated muenster cheese
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 tbsp horseradish
• 1/8 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 1 scallion, finely sliced

directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Poke the potato with a fork several times. Place directly on rack in oven and bake about 1 hour until tender. Let cook slightly or until you can handle.
2. Increase the oven to 450 degrees. Half the potatoes and scoop out the flesh, leaving 1/4 inch thick shell. Reserve the flesh and scoop into a bowl. Brush both sides of potato with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet skin side up and bake until crisp, 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mash up the potato flesh with a fork and mix the cheeses, 2 tbsp horseradish and remaining butter. Stuff the potatoes with the mixture and return to oven for 8 minutes.
4. Mix the yogurt and remaining horseradish in a small bowl, top the potatoes with this and scallions.

These are super tangy and have a big bite to them! I love me some horseradish - NOM NOM NOM!

Charred Broccoli
serves 2

ingredients
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup baby bellas, thinly sliced
• 1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 head broccoli, chopped
• vegetable oil
• 1/2 red jalapeno, sliced

directions
1. Whisk the soy, rice vinegar, honey & sesame oil together in a bowl. Season with salt & pepper. Add the red jalapeno, shallot and mushrooms and toss to coat.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet/pan/griddle over medium-high heat. Toss the broccoli with some veg oil and add to skillet, char the broccoli on all sides. Season with Salt and pepper and add to the bowl with shallot and mushrooms. Season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Bistro Burgers with Potato Salad and Peas

Well I have to say this wasn't my favorite meal but it's mainly because I really don't like well done burgers and that's how they came out. I think if you cook the burgers to medium or however you really like them you will probably love this meal. I also did not like the addition of dijon mustard on the bun either... just didn't taste right to me. Q really enjoyed the flavors in the burger but he agrees that the meat was overcooked. I also think the eggs came out over medium versus over easy so that was another strike for me. It does seem like a really great combination of flavors so here's how we made ours (I took out the instructions for adding dijon to the bun)...

Bistro Burgers
serves 2

ingredients
• 2 fried eggs
• 4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked
• baby arugula
• 1/2 Tbsp dijon
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp bacon drippings
• salt & pepper, spicy montreal steak seasoning
• fresh onion buns
• 1/2 lb ground chuck (it's best to use chuck for burgers b/c of the ratios, it really makes a difference)

directions
1. Make the arugula salad topping:  Whisk dijon, olive oil, shallot, bacon drippings, S&P together. Then toss with the arugula and set aside.
2. Make the eggs: Fry 2 eggs how you like 'em.
3. Make the burgers: Season the beef with S&P, garlic powder and montreal steak seasoning (I used spicy). Form into 2 patties. Preheat grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat and cook burgers on first side 2-3 minutes and flip for another 2-3 minutes for medium.
4. Top each burger with a fried egg and slide onto a bun. Top the egg with arugula salad and the other bun. Serve each burger with some potato salad on the side as well.

The original recipe can be found here:  Bistro Burgers

Potato Salad with Peas
Serves 6

ingredients
• 2 lb chopped red potatoes
• Salt & Pepper
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 12 oz frozen peas
• 3/4 cup mayo
• 3/4 cup greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup each fresh dill & chives

directions
1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and fill 2 inches above the potatoes with cold water, add salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon - don't drain these because they will start to fall apart. Sprinkle with salt and vinegar.
2. Add the peas to the hot water and boil until they are tender. Drain, rinse and add to potatoes.
3. Whisk the mayo, greek yogurt and herbs together. Toss with the potatoes and season to taste with salt & pepper.

It's a good idea to make this first so that you can let it sit together and the flavors meld. This potato salad is really tasty!

The original recipe can be found here as well:  Potato Salad with Peas

Enjoy!

Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Almond Tomato Sauce

This week I am cooking from some Food Network recipes so most of these links you will be able to find online. Here is the original recipe: Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Almond Tomato Sauce. 

If you haven't roasted vegetables you should start - because roasting them brings out a sweet and depth of flavor you wouldn't have just by sauteing them in a pan, etc. This recipe is almost a take on a chunkier pesto with tomatoes and is really bursting with flavor. The meal will make enough for 6 and I went ahead and made the full amount so I had some leftovers to bring to work for lunch. You can substitute regular spaghetti or any kind of pasta really but I used the bucatini because it's hollow, fat spaghetti and it's fun to eat to me for some reason. I find it at World Market or Target and buy it when I'm there so I have it on hand when I have a recipe I want to use it. That way I don't have to make a special trip to one of those stores to get it. But like I said you can use any kind of pasta you want!

I was somewhat apprehensive about both the combination of ingredients and the preparation in this recipe, but I was pleasantly surprised how yummy it turned out! I changed up some of the ingredients and steps from the original recipe and here is how I made it...

ingredients
• kosher salt and pepper, crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup whole roasted & salted almonds
• 2 heads fresh broccoli, florets and a bit of stem, cut int 1 1/2" pieces
• 12 oz bucatini
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 28 oz whole tomatoes

directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Line a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray. Toss the broccoli with some olive oil, salt, pepper & red pepper flakes to taste. Roast in the oven for 7 minutes, toss and roast an additional 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, add almonds to a food processor and process until finely chopped then add the garlic while the motor is running. Drizzle in oil and process until all the ingredients are mixed together well. Add the basil and pulse until combined. Add this mixture to the bowl with the broccoli. 
3. Put tomatoes and half their juice in the food processor and pulse until pureed. Add to the bowl with the broccoli and stir. Add 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to the mixture. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. 

For being meatless, Q loved this meal just as much as I did. And I am so excited to have leftovers! I served twisty bread sticks on the side as well. I would definitely make this meal over and over again. It's spicy and zesty from the raw garlic. If you don't like garlic so much you can dial that flavor back if you want. We love some garlic up in this house though!

Enjoy!

French Pot Roast over Noodles and Strawberry Shortcake

Everyone loves a good pot roast, right? Especially one that the meat just falls apart with the tiniest pressure from a fork... and then the comforting noodles, sauce and veggies that go along with the beef - I say... Yes Please! This version of pot roast is really comforting and I used whole wheat noodles to nest it into. And of course with this special meal, I had to make dessert which isn't too often that that happens around here. I was delighted to find both recipes in one of my Cookbooks (Cook This, Not That) and that they can be made in a somewhat healthier way without giving up lots of flavor. You can find the original recipes here: French Pot Roast & Strawberry Shortcake with Balsamic.

Here's my take on the dinner portion... this will make 4 servings.

ingredients
• 2 strips apple wood thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1/4 cup flour
• S&P
• 2 lb cubed chuck roast (beef)
• 1/2 bottle dry red wine (I used Sepia Reserva Carmenere)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 14.4 oz bag frozen pearl onions
• 8 oz baby Bella mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 cup frozen peas
• fresh parsley & chives, minced
• egg noodles
• croissants or other bread for mopping

directions
1. Add the bacon to a cold dutch oven then turn the stove to medium-high heat. Cook bacon until fat is rendered and crispy. Remove and let drain on a paper towel lined plate.
2. Combine the flour, salt (sea salt if you have it) and pepper in a sealable plastic bag. Working in batches add beef to bag, shake and repeat. Add the pieces of beef to hot pan and brown on all sides. Add the cooked meat to the slow cooker as you go.
3. Once all meat is browned, add 1 cup wine to dutch oven to deglaze and get the yummy bits off the bottom, scraping as you go. Pour this mixture over the beef in the crock pot along with rest of wine, broth, tomato paste, bay leaves and bacon.
4. Cook on high for 4 hours until the beef is tender and falls apart with little pressure from a fork. During last 30 minutes of cooking add onions and mushrooms. Right before serving add the peas and simmer to let them cook through. Discard bay leaves.
5. Cook a package of whole wheat egg noodles according to package directions and serve the pot roast on a bed of noodles in a shallow bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley and chives. Serve some croissant rolls on the side as well for mopping. YUMMMMM!

Now onto dessert...

Strawberry Shortcake with Balsamic
2 servings


ingredients
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• Pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 wedges angel food cake
• whipped cream (optional)

directions
1. Mix strawberries, vinegar and pepper and marinate for 10-15 minutes.
2. Heat a nonstick pan coated with non stick spray. Add the cake slices and cook until caramelized and toasted.
4. Top each cake slice with the strawberries, liquid and whipped cream if using.

Q did not like this dessert because he has a love/hate relationship with vinegar of any kind. He loves it when he can't taste it in a dish and hates it when he can smell it. So, unfortunately he didn't like this dish because all he could smell was vinegar. I loved it though - I was kinda on the fence while I was making it, I mean strawberries with vinegar and pepper? That sounds strange but it was very tasty.

Enjoy!

From our NEW Farm Table to yours....

Approximately 3 months ago Q and I ventured on a quest to "build" our own farm table. We had been eyeing them both online and in stores and couldn't believe how expensive these pieces of furniture were. Then, one day I came across a site that had all the plans for building your own rustic furniture and I got really motivated to do this! Especially since, Q's dad Jeff has all the tools & a shop for us to use to build it! So, we started this endeavor and along the way have learned to have a whole new appreciation of furniture because it's a lot of work! We had zero experience and made some mistakes along the way but hey isn't that how you learn!?!?

After many hours, sweat and brushes, I am proud to say that the final coats of polyurethane went on last week and now the table is nestled into our quaint dining room. We both keep walking by it in amazement that we built this thing! We still have to add a few finishing touches such as chair cushions and 2 chairs for the ends, but it really is beautiful! We created a simple table riser with some leftover wood that we cut wrong at the beginning from the legs - Win! Then I found a really neat lantern, filled it with wine corks and a turquoise candle.

So even though there aren't any recipes on this post I thought it would be appropriate to share our new farm table with you!

Enjoy!

Bourbon Glazed Cocktail Sausages

I made these little guys for Father's Day because my dad and brother (newly a father) really liked them at the last family event. I found this recipe in a BHG Slow Cooker magazine I had and it sounded tasty. Unfortunately, I didn't get them in early enough to let them cook for the recommended 4 hours so the sauce wasn't too thick but the flavor was there.

Here's how it is made:

ingredients
• 1 16 oz package smoked cocktail wieners
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp bourbon (Maker's Mark)

directions
Combine all the ingredients into a small slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Keep warm up to 2 hours after they are done. Serve with toothpicks. Makes 12 servings.

I didn't remember to take a photo this time - sorry. Hope all the dad's out there had a great Father's Day!

Enjoy!

Indian-Style Pizza

Last week we made these tasty pizzas - a little bit different than your usual pizza though. I am still trying to figure out a good way of making pizza dough so once I find a method we really like I will share that recipe with you. Otherwise you can buy pizza dough from the grocery store, pizza joint, french bread, naan bread (you can find this in the bakery section). I don't have the exact measurement for the indian spices I used because I kinda eye-balled it as I went - sorry! :-)

ingredients
• 1 lb pizza dough
• 1/2 cup prepared cilantro pesto (recipe can be found here)
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 large green onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 1/2 tbsp sriracha sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (mild)
• mixture of Indian Spices: Curry powder, ground cinnamon, crushed coriander seed, crushed dill seed
• salt and pepper
• fresh cilantro for garnish
• flour and corn meal

directions
• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meat, season with salt, pepper and indian spices to taste. Let meat get a little crusty by not stirring too often over the hight heat. Once done, drain and set aside.
• Prepare pizza dough by rolling out on a clean surface that has been dusted with a mixture of cornmeal and flour. Roll out into an oval or circular shape.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spread some cornmeal on a baking sheet. Then lay the pizza dough on top of the cornmeal.
• Spoon the pesto over the dough evenly out to the edges. Top with the beef, onions & sauces, then top with cheese. Season to taste with the S&P.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melty and bubbly and crust is crispy underneath. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Top the pizza with fresh cilantro and EAT it up!!!

Enjoy!

Chicken Fried Rice

This is a really healthy way of making fried rice at home... it's full of so many healthy veggies and tasty chicken thighs. So I accidentally picked up skinless, bone in chicken thighs and didn't realize it until the last minute. I googled how to de-bone chicken thighs and it was actually pretty easy so that's good to know next time they go on sale. :-) I cooked 4 cups of rice the night before in a rice cooker so it would be cold. The reason you want it to be cold is so that you can get those crispy edges and the rice doesn't end up being mushy. 

Anyway I used the recipe from Cook This, Not That and here's how I made it...

Chicken Fried Rice

ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

• 2 large scallions, sliced and greens/white separated

• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, thinly sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 zucchini, diced

• 2 carrots peeled & diced

• 1 head broccoli but into florets

• 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

• 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced

• 4 cups cooked brown rice (cook it the day before and keep in fridge so it is cold when you are ready to use it)

• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

• 2 eggs, beaten

directions
1. Using a wok, dutch oven or other large nonstick pan heat oil over medium high heat. Once oil starts to smoke lightly add white parts of onions, ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add all the rest of the veggies and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add the chicken and cook until it is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the rice and soy sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes... let the rice get crispy on the bottom and then stir up so you have bits of crunchy goodness in there!
4. Make an opening in the center of the pan and add the eggs and scramble. Mix all ingredients together and serve with green parts of onion on top.

We both really liked this version of fried rice because it has so many veggies. I started cooking this in  a cast iron skillet and realized, ummm this is not going to be big enough-Yikes! I don't have a wok, so I heated up my dutch oven over high heat while I was cooking the veggies. Once my dutch oven was screaming hot I had Q pour everything into it. Then I added rice, etc. So even though I had a slight mishap halfway through... it came out amazing! I can't imagine how good it would be if it you made it in a wok though.

Enjoy!

Pesto Gnocchi with Green Beans & Tomatoes

This pasta dish is loaded with a variety of ingredients and will leave you feeling very satisfied. You could eat it for lunch or dinner... I made ours for lunch. I would say it makes about 8 lunch size portions. I didn't cut the green beans in half but I wish I would have so I included that below. Don't cut up the tomatoes because they will just disappear when you are stirring and cooking. I adapted a recipe from Cook This Not That and here's how I made this version:

Pesto Gnocchi with Green Beans & Tomatoes

ingredients
• 16 oz gnocchi (found in pasta aisle)
• 1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut in half
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
• handful of sun dried tomatoes, julienned
• 1/2 cup homemade pesto (I used purple pesto with walnuts that I made last year)
• toasted walnuts
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
• grated parmesan
• salt, pepper & crushed red pepper to taste

directions
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook gnocchi according to package directions.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add oil to skillet, once warm add green beans and cook 5 minutes or so then add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are slightly browned. Turn off heat and pour in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add gnocchi, sun dried tomatoes, walnuts, cheese, pesto & spices to the bowl and mix gently until coated. Taste and season if needed.

I made this dish to eat for lunch because it's light and boy was it good! It's meatless so Q wasn't too thrilled to try it but he enjoyed it as always, ha! Anyway, you can eat this warm or cold it just depends on the mood you are in. If you do warm it up the mozzarella will get all gooey and delicious! Lots of good bites in this meal.

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf with Spicy Tomato Chutney & Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This week I'm cooking from the Cook This Not That cookbook. Tonight I prepared the Turkey Meatloaf with Spicy Tomato Chutney. I also made the Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes to go along with the meatloaf. I was able to find the original recipes online for the meatloaf... Turkey Meatloaf. Here's how I made it.

Turkey Meatloaf and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Turkey Meatloaf with Spicy Tomato Chutney
4 servings

ingredients for Chutney
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 large tomatoes, chopped & seeded
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• S&P to taste

ingredients for Meatloaf

• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 small yellow onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 tsp coarse salt

• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1.5 lb ground turkey

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs 

• 1 egg, beaten

directions
1. To make the Chutney:  Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium to high heat. Cook onion & garlic until translucent, then add tomatoes and peppers and cook for 3 minutes (tomatoes should be softened and saucy). Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and pepper flakes, simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season appropriately with salt and pepper until it tastes good in your mouth! Transfer the sauce to a  bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in the same cast iron skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until softened, make sure not to let the garlic burn or it will taste bitter. Transfer to a bowl to let cool and add 1/2 cup of the chutney plus the rest of the meatloaf ingredients. Gently mix with your hands until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, otherwise your meatloaf will come out tough and noone likes dry tough meatloaf - Blugh!
3. Pour the meatloaf mixture into a greased baking dish and form into whatever shape you like - I did the log. Cover with half of the remaining chutney.
4. Bake the meat loaf for 60-90 minutes until a thermometer in the center reads 160 degrees. Pull out of the oven and let rest covered loosely with tin foil for 10 minutes. Slice it up and top each serving with some chutney.

Spicy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
4-6 servings

ingredients
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 chunks each
• S&P
• 1 cup milk & 2 Tbsp butter warmed together in a small pot
• 1 Tbsp minced chipotle in adobo peppers (I leave the seeds in because we like it spicy but feel free to take seeds out before chopping up the peppers)

directions
1. Place the potatoes in a pot filled with salted water and bring to a boil. (remember to use cold water). Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
2. Slowly stir the milk/butter mixture into potatoes and use a potato masher to incorporate the liquid with the potatoes.
3. Stir in Salt, pepper and chipotles. EAT.

The potatoes had the perfect amount of spicy and sweet flavors to create a nice balance of flavors. The meatloaf was moist and and the chutney added a nice twist over the traditional ketchup/ BBQ sauce on top.

Ma - The Meatloaf! Haha just couldn't resist!

Enjoy!

Poblano and Pepper Jack Grilled Pizza

Tonight we prepared some grilled pizza with fresh dough from the market. The dough was extra light and crisp and pretty much came out perfect. The sauce is just a simple green salsa or salsa Verde which you can purchase or find a quick recipe to whip up yourself. Either way it's a really yummy pizza! It is meatless but I'm sure you can add some chorizo or ground beef to it and it would be really good too.

I adapted the meal from Rachael Ray's recipe: Poblano & Pepper Jack Pizzas with Avocados. Now, I was pretty bummed when I forgot that I used up the avocado so we didn't have any and I must say I missed it so if you make this... use it!

ingredients

• 1 lb fresh pizza dough

• 1/2 large red onion, quartered root ends in tact

• 1 large poblano, halved and seeds removed

• 2-3 oz crumbled feta

• 1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• salsa Verde

• chopped cilantro

• 1 avocado, diced

• salt & pepper

• lime wedges for serving

• olive oil

directions

1. Preheat the grill to high heat. Let dough sit on counter for at least one hour to get to room temperature. 

2. Mix some olive oil and cumin in a bowl. Brush this mixture onto the peppers/onions and add some salt/pepper as well.

3. Grill the pepper and onion until softened and lightly charred. Remove and slice, set aside.

4. Roll out dough using flour and cornmeal into a round shape. Brush oil and cumin mixture onto one side of the dough and grill this side first for 3-4 minutes, rotating if necessary to prevent hot spots on the dough (burn marks). 

5. Turn the dough over and off of the grill add a light layer of salsa, the cheese, peppers/onions, garlic powder and some cumin. Place the pizza back on the grill for 5 minutes on the cooler side of the grill until the cheese melts.

6. While the pizza is cooling, add the feta, cilantro and avocado. EAT! 

If you are like us, it'll be so hard to not go back for seconds or thirds - it's soooo good!!!! 

Enjoy!

Cheesy Chile Hash Browns with Spicy Sausage

Over the weekend I wanted to make something comforting, cheesy and not eggs for breakfast. Don't get me wrong, I love eggs I am just kinda sick of them right now for breakfast. This meal satisfied all those needs! YUM! We rolled them up in taco size tortillas to make mini burritos. After some thought and perusing around the Internet/cookbooks... here's my version of this delicious meal!

ingredients

• 2 T butter

• 1 can chopped green Chile

• 2 jalapenos, diced

• 1 poblano, diced

• 2 yellow onions, diced

• 2 lbs frozen diced hash brown potatoes
• S&P
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1 lb hot breakfast ground sausage
• 1 avocado
• taco size flour tortillas

directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brown the sausage in a cast iron skillet over high heat. Remove meat with a slotted spoon onto paper towel lined plate. Add butter to pan.
3. Saute the onions and poblano until translucent and add green Chile, cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the sausage back to the skillet. Add the frozen potatoes and toss off of the heat.
4. Spray a glass baking dish with non stick cooking spray and pour the potato mixture into the dish. Top with the cheese. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an addition 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Warm up the tortillas and serve some of the hash brown mixture in the tortilla. Top with a little extra cheese and diced avocado. Roll and eat!

Enjoy!

Dijon Chicken Kebabs & Rice

Tonight's meal was.... marinated Dijon chicken kebabs stacked with tasty red onion, zucchini, poblano peppers and lemons served with a side of rice. The original recipe (courtesy of RR) can be found here:  Dijon Herb Chicken Kebabs. I don't use herbes de provence very often so when I do I always wonder what the flavor is going to be like because I can't remember! ;-) Anyway, I hope you like this meal as much as we did!

ingredients

• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp herbes de provence, crumbled (you can find this in the spice section of grocery store)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
• salt & pepper
• 1 zucchini cut into half moon shapes
• 1/2 red onion cut into 1" sections
• 1 lemon cut into 8 piece sections and another lemon cut in half
• cooked brown rice

directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar & herbes de provence then whisk in 2 tbsp EVOO. Reserve 1 tbsp of the marinade for the veggies and set aside (in fridge). Add chicken to remaining marinade and let sit in fridge for 8 hours. Remove chicken about 30 minutes before cooking time to come to room temperature.
2. Preheat gas grill until it reaches 400 degrees. Whisk 2 tbsp EVOO and salt/pepper to the reserved marinade. Add the veggies and toss to coat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Thread the chicken, veggies & lemons onto 4 metal skewers. You can also use wooden skewers, make sure to soak them at least an hour in water to prevent them from burning.
4. Grill the kebabs for 5 minutes on the first side, then turn and grill an additional 5 minutes until charred and chicken is cooked through. Also grill the lemon halves for 8-10 minutes while cooking kebabs. Serve the kebabs on a bed of brown rice and squeeze the grilled lemons over the kebabs. This will add an amazing sweet and tangy flavor to the dish!

I will say that many of Rachael Ray's (RR) recipes portion sizes are kinda out of whack meaning they are insanely large at times. I typically make half of her recipes and we still end up with leftovers. This meal even though might be for 4 could really feed 6 if full recipe is made from the link above. Whenever there is a sauce or marinade involved in any recipe, I like to make the entire amount because we like things saucy! For the rest of the recipe I will cut the ingredients in half. This is what I did for this meal as well.

Enjoy!

Spicy, Sweet & Sour Pepper Pasta

This meal I prepared from a recipe I found in my "Everyday" magazine. The recipe can also be found here: Sweet & Sour Peppers & Penne. This pasta dish was sooooo good! I highly recommend it... it's really unique and has so many different flavors combinations that it's a party in your mouth! It is spicy ... but in a flavorful not so overpowering kinda way.

Red bell peppers are insanely expensive and I just can't wrap my mind wrapped around it at times. I did have half of a red pepper leftover from another meal so I used that up and substituted green bell peppers for the rest. I also chose not to use anchovy fillets because frankly they are hairy and gross me out... I prefer using anchovy paste. You can find it in the same section as regular anchovies and the paste is cheaper! You can omit the anchovies in the recipe but honestly they just give the dish a rich, salty flavor and you won't taste the fishiness.

I cooked the entire amount because we love pasta in this house and it will reheat well for leftovers.

ingredients

• salt & pepper
• 1 lb rigatoni rigate
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 oz anchovy paste
• 1 Fresno Chile, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 1/2 bell peppers (green is the cheapest!)
• 1 cubanelle, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh spicy oregano (wait until you are about to add to the pan to chop this so it doesn't turn black)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• grated Parmesan

directions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta according to directions on packaging. Reserve a ladle of the cooking water and set aside. What I like to do is reserve 2 or 3 ladles of pasta water into a glass measuring cup (large) and that way I always have extra water, just in case!
2. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high, then add EVOO, anchovy paste until mostly melted away. Be careful here because it spits out a lot all over the place so I would suggest starting the heat at medium, then moving up to medium high heat when you are about to add Chile and garlic. This way you might avoid the splatter disaster I had.
3. Stir in Fresno and garlic and stir for one minute. Don't let the garlic burn or it will become bitter in taste. Next add the rest of the peppers and onions and season with oregano. Cook for about 15 minutes until veggies are softened.
4. Stir in the vinegar and sugar until evaporated. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. Lower the heat to low and toss the pasta with the sauce and reserved pasta cooking water. Top with fresh parsley and cheese.

Enjoy!

Going Green

This meal was all about going green as in the color! :-) We made grilled pork tenderloin with a garlicky herbacious sauce with a green salad made with zucchini, avocado & fennel. Yum, yum and yum! There is a little extra legwork involved in making the sauce ahead of time as well as the salad so it has time to let the flavors meld and get extra yummy! Both recipes are from Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine and original recipes can be found here: Pork Tenderloin & Zucchini Ribbon Salad.

Pork Tenderloin with Garlic-Herb Sauce
2-3 servings

ingredients
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 1/4 c Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 3/4 teaspoon oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoon finely crumbled
• 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• pinch of crushed red pepper
• sea salt & fresh ground black pepper
• 3/4 lb pork tenderloin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

directions
1. Pulse the parsley in a food processor then add garlic, 1/4 EVOO, 1/4 oregano, vinegar, red pepper 1/4 tsp salt & pepper, pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours for the flavors to marry together.
2. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Remove pork from fridge and let sit on counter for 20 minutes or so to come to room temp. With you hand massage EVOO, salt, garlic powder and crumbled oregano into pork until it is well coated. Grill for 30 minutes, turning every 5 until thickest part registers 145 degrees. Let rest on plate with loose tin foil over it for 20 minutes. Slice and top with the green sauce.

Green Salad
6 servings

ingredients
• 3 zucchini
• 1 medium bulb of fennel
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt & pepper

directions
1. Peel zucchini into thin ribbons & shave the fennel into thin pieces as well. I used a mandolin on the 1/16" setting to peel the zucchini and 1/8" to shave the fennel. Make sure when you use a mandolin you do it away from you - this makes it easier to use and safer!
2. Fold in avocado, lemon zest and Parmesan.
3. Make the sauce: combine EVOO, vinegar, mustard, salt & pepper in a small bowl, then pour over the veggies.
4. Cover the salad and store in fridge until you are ready to eat, preferably at least an hour.

Feel free to use the salt and pepper to taste. After it sets in the fridge taste it and if it needs more salt, then add it. It's all about tasting as you go to get the perfect flavors - yum! I made the full amount of the salad to have leftovers for the rest of the week to go with our sandwiches for lunch - light & fresh, which is perfect for this time of year, right?

Enjoy!

Smoky Beer Can Chicken with Fancy Green Beans

Tonight's dinner was inspired by Rachael Ray - both recipes can be found online: Smoky Beer Can Chicken & Fancy Green Beans. 

Now, we don't have an actual smoker, believe me we want one but haven't had the privilege of owning one just yet! Anyway, I was intrigued by this recipe because it called for wood chips in a propane grill. When I bought the applewood chips, there were instructions on the back of the bag on how to do this on a propane grill as well. All you do is create a packet by using tin foil and leave ends open to allow the smoke to flow through. Seems pretty easy, right? We put our chips in the foil on top of the grate next to the chicken. Ours caught a flame on the end at one point so we closed one end up tighter to prevent anymore flames. We also kept the heat higher over the wood chips and lower under the chicken.

We bought the twin pack of whole chickens at Costco over the weekend and am using one of them for this meal. I followed the recipe in regard to brining and soaking the wood chips. We have one of those can holders that you can set the chicken up on to make this process easier and we set it on a piece of tin foil on the grill to prevent flare ups and the bottom of the bird from getting burnt as well. We kept the grill closed for a good 45 minutes to keep as much of the smoke flavor inside as possible.

Here's how we made this tasty meal...

Smoky Beer Can Chicken 
4 servings

Beer Can Chicken

ingredients
• 4-5 lb whole chicken
• 1/3 cup each of dark brown sugar & kosher salt
• 12 oz bottle Smithwick's Ale
• 3 cups applewood chips
• 1 Tablespoon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• pepper to taste

directions
1. In a large pot, bucket or bowl combine the brown sugar and salt and add 2 cups of hot water, whisk to combine until sugar and salt are desolved completely. Add 6 cups of cold water to the pot. Rinse the chicken and add to the pot as well. Let rest in fridge for 2 hours, during last 30 minutes take out of fridge and rest on counter.
2. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees (I use my oven thermometer and place on top of the grill grates to keep track of the temp).
3. Pour about half the beer in a can (we saved a coke can) and drink the other half!
4. Remove chicken from pot, rinse and pat dry then slide chicken directly over the can.
5. Add olive oil all over the chicken (works best when you do this with your hands) and season with pepper.
6. Prepare the wood chips by soaking them for 30 minutes, drain and create a foil packet or use a smoker box if you have one.
7. Place chicken on the side of the grill where the heat is turned down lower and chips on higher side. Make sure the temperature maintains between 400-425 degrees. Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from grill and let stand at room temp for at least 20 minutes.

This chicken is by far the tastiest, most tender and flavorful beer butt chicken we have ever made. I would highly recommend making this!!! We both love the wings, thighs and drumsticks whenever we make whole chickens so that's what we go for first! I use the 2 leftover breasts to make things like chicken salad, pasta salad or anything that calls for cooked chicken. I also like to use the bones to make homemade chicken stock too so nothing goes to waste.

Fancy Green Beans
2 servings

Green beans with slivered almonds, onion & spices

ingredients
• 1/2 lb green beans, washed and end removed
• 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
• 1/4 minced red onion (or 1/2 large shallot)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• salt, pepper & garlic powder (to taste)

directions
1. Bring a small pot of salted water to a rapid boil, then cook green beans for 3 minutes, stirring. Drain and set in a bowl filled with cold water and ice. This will stop the cooking process and keep the beans firm. Set aside.
2. Once the chicken has been cut up, melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Toast the almonds until light golden brown. Add the onion and green beans and seasonings to taste. Toss until beans are warmed through. Serve on the side with the chicken.

Make sure when you take a bite you include some nuts with the beans I'm telling you it makes all the difference in flavor! ;-)

Enjoy!

BBQ Wings & Homemade Ranch Dressing

Tonight for dinner I made roasted chicken wings in the oven and tossed them in the BBQ sauce we made the week before last. They were soooooo good! I chopped up some fresh celery & carrots into matchsticks to dip in the homemade ranch dressing as well. All my beautiful herbs are growing like crazy right now in our garden so I thought it would be a good idea to incorporate them into this meal - ranch dressing it is! :-)

Fresh from the garden: chives, dill & parsley

At some point I chose to stop buying pre-made dressings at the store. They are loaded with fat and sodium and they tend to expire in my fridge before I can even use the entire bottle. Once you start making dressings yourself, you will probably agree with me and adapt the "just make 'em when you need 'em" philosophy I have. Most of the time the ingredient list is stuff you already have in the pantry/fridge so it's really a no-brainer to me!

Anyway enough blabbing... here's how I made dinn-dinn tonight:

BBQ Roasted Chicken Wings (for 2)

Place wings on wire racks so the heat
circulates around them evenly

ingredients
• 18 chicken wings (flats & drumsticks)
• Homemade BBQ Sauce (click for the recipe)
• salt & pepper

directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire metal rack on top. Spray the metal rack with non stick spray so you aren't cleaning these all night long after dinner. We also soak ours in hot soapy water while we are eating dinner. (Tip: This helps the chicken cook all the way around so you don't have to turn them halfway through cooking and they won't stick to the foil!). 

2. Place wings on top of racks and season with salt & pepper on one side.

3. Bake in oven for at least 45 minutes, an additional 5 minutes if you want them even crispier.

4. While wings are baking, take some BBQ sauce and put in bottom of large bowl that has a lid. Once wings are done to your crispiness liking, remove from oven and put in bowl with BBQ Sauce. Put the lid on and toss until wings are coated. If you open it up and see that you didn't add enough sauce, then just add more and repeat. Easy, right!?!

5. Serve with carrots, celery & ranch dressing for dipping.

BBQ Roasted Wings

And now onto the delicious, addictive ranch dressing...

Ranch Dressing 

Carrots, Celery & Ranch - Oh My!

ingredients
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (or mayo, but greek yogurt is healthier)
• 2 Tablespoons each of fresh dill, parsley & chives, chopped (feel free to add more or less of each depending on your taste buds)
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, garlic powder, pepper
• 2 dashes (or more) of hot sauce

directions
Whisk together all ingredients until smooth and well incorporated. Store in a large mason jar in the fridge. I'd also suggest letting sit in fridge for at least 2 hours to cool and let all flavors meld together. This stuff is addicting and you will love it.

This should store in the fridge for at least 7-10 days, if it lasts that long! I doubled the recipe so I could use it all week for salads, snacking, etc. The recipe was adapted from Food Network's 50 Salad Dressings booklet. 

Enjoy!