Chicken Flautas

I'm back! I've got a new recipe planned every day 'til Friday. I should have several new posts this week for you! On the menu tonight was Mexican food. I can never serve Nate enough Mexican food. I saw this idea a few weeks ago over at Lindsay's Menu and I've been thinking about them ever since. One of Nate's favorite dinners is taquitos, and these are very similar, these flautas are pan fried where my taquitos are baked. Enjoy!


Yields 14 flautas.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded*
2 jalapenos
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used monterey jack)
14 small flour tortillas (I used fajita size, but next time I want smaller tortillas)
salt and pepper
vegetable oil
toothpicks
toppings/garnishes like salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, etc.

Preparations:
First you'll need to roast your jalapenos. I didn't want to fire up the grill for 2 jalapenos, so I broiled them instead. Line a baking sheet with a little tin foil and broil your jalapenos for about 2 minutes each side or until skin is charred. Remove from oven and put them in a small ziploc bag. Let them steam in the bag for a few minutes and then remove the charred flesh and then the seed. Finely chop. Add jalapenos, chicken, cheese, and salt and pepper as needed and mix. Warm tortillas so that they are pliable and easier to work with. Scoop some filling onto the bottom third of the tortillas then roll up and seal with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining tortillas. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil. Pan fry the flautas in the hot oil, rotating so that both sides get golden brown and crisp. It took me about 4 minutes per batch. Drain cooked flautas on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Serve hot with your favorite Mexican garnishes.


*This is our favorite Mexican flavored rub to use on chicken.
2 tsp. chile powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Mix all of those really well. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on chicken breasts and then add some of the seasoning and cook your chicken. I baked mine at 400 degrees for 32 minutes, let rest for 10 minutes then shred.




I shared this recipe over at Chef in Training and Mandy's Recipe Box.

Smoky Grilled Pork Chops

We planned dinner at the last minute, but I still wanted to try something new. Nate and I jumped online to find a quick rub. I found this idea over Allrecipes. This is easy pork chop recipe and you should have everything on hand already. Now get grilling!

Ingredients:
4 pork chops, 1/2" - 3/4" thick
1 Tbsp. Lawry's seasoned salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper (I used Lawry's seasoned pepper)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. paprika (I used smoked paprika)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 - 1 tsp. liquid smoke flavoring, depending on how much smoke flavor you like
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation:
In a bowl, mix together the seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, smoke flavoring, and oil until thoroughly combined. With your hands, massage the spice rub into the meat; allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Grill the chops over indirect heat until no longer pink inside, about 12 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Allow chops to stand for 10 more minutes before serving.

We Love You Grandma

We love you Grandma Durfee. Thanks for your love and example. You will be missed.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Roll Ups

One of Nate's favorite dinners is chicken cordon bleu. I saw this variation over at Plain Chicken and knew I had to make it for Nate. We had his two youngest siblings over today and I thought this would be a fun dinner for them too. They all enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
1 tube crescent rolls (mine had 8 in it)
mustard
swiss cheese slices
deli ham
fully cooked, frozen chicken strips

Preparation:
Separate the crescent rolls into triangles. Spread a little mustard on each then top with a half slice of swiss cheese. Then add a piece of ham. Finally add a chicken strip (I cut some of my chicken strips in half so they were a better size). Roll up the crescent and place on foil lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining crescent rolls. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Twice Baked Potatoes

This is one of Nate's favorite ways to eat potatoes. I don't make them very often, especially not in the heat of the summer, but we needed some comfort food today. I even upped the ante and added some bacon today. I like the potatoes nice and full, so I always make more potatoes than I end up serving. So if I'm serving four potatoes, I'll bake up six so I have lots of filling. I hope that makes sense.

Ingredients:
makes 4 servings (8 potato halves)
6 small/medium baking potatoes
milk
butter
salt
chives
pepper
shredded cheddar cheese
cooked, crumbled bacon (optional)

Preparation:
Wrap potatoes in tin foil, poke with a knife, and bake at 425 degrees for an hour or until tender.
Once potatoes are finished baking, unwrap and slice in half length-wise. Let cool on a foil lined baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the middle with a spoon. You'll want to end up with 8 halves. Peel the remaining potatoes and add them to the rest of the potato scoopings. Add some butter, milk, salt and pepper, and chives to potatoes and mash until your desired consistency. Add some shredded cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles and fold into the potatoes.
Fill potato shells with generous amounts of the mashed potato filling. Top with a little more shredded cheese and bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese on top is melted. Serve hot. Enjoy!



I shared this recipe over at Chef in Training and Mandy's Recipe Box.

Savory Grilled Chicken Marinade

I hope you have tried my savory wing recipe. If so, tonight's recipe is one I know you'll love! It is quick and easy and super tasty. You most likely have the ingredients on hand too. Nate has really been into chicken thighs lately, so that's what we used. We marinated them for about 4 hours and then grilled them up. A perfect weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs. chicken (we used thighs)
2 cups Italian dressing (we used fat free)
1/2 cup soy sauce (we used low-sodium)
1 Tbsp. lime juice

Preparation:
Whisk together dressing, soy sauce, and lime juice. Pour over chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Grill away!

Macaroni Chicken Salad

Okay, this dish is from Zak and Domonique. They brought to a family cookout over Memorial Day weekend. Everyone liked it, especially baby Jack!

Here's what they used:
macaroni noodles
diced sweet peppers
quarter of a diced onion
diced cucumber
diced celery
ranch and mayo to taste
garlic salt
Tony Chachere's
pepper
canned or shredded chicken

Grilled Mesquite Pork Chops

I so enjoyed these. I really like the bold flavors and yet not overpowering or too spicy. These tasted like a blend of Mexican and southwestern flavors. So good! These are definitely a new favorite for us. I really can't wait to make these again. Nate and I really like this grilling website Nibble Me This, and that is where we got this recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 pork chops, center cut, bone in, 3/4 to 1" thick (we used boneless)
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. ground corriander
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flake
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:
Preheat a grill to 350f. Mix the spices together. Mix the oil, worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp. of the spice mix. Season the pork chops on both sides with the remaining spice rub. Grill the pork chops for 5 minutes per side. Brush carefully with the basting oil and grill until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145f (about another 1-3 minutes).

Hasselback Potatoes

I have had these potatoes bookmarked forever! It's about time I got around to trying them. It's a new variation on potatoes for me. The name makes me think of David Hasselhoff though. It's a simple change from a normal baked potato, and I do like the crispness of the skin. I saw the idea over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
5-6 medium baking potatoes
4 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic pressed or finely minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the potato on a cutting board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, making thin slices.
Arrange the potatoes on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle some salt over the potatoes and then sprinkle the garlic in between the slits. Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper over the potatoes.
Bake the potatoes for about one hour or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

Korean Barbecue Chicken Marinade

Oh this marinade is so so good! This is some of the best chicken I've made in a while. It is phenomenal! I saw this marinade on Allrecipes and just tweaked a couple things for our tastes. The marinade has the perfect combination of savory, salty, sweet, and spice. This is definitely a new family favorite! If you like this recipe you should also try our Korean Barbecue Beef Kabobs.

This makes enough for 2 lbs. chicken.

Ingredients:
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. hot chile paste (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)

Preparation:
Whisk together all ingredients and marinate chicken in refrigerator. We made 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs and they marinated for about 90 minutes.

I shared this recipe over at Mandy's Recipe Box and Chef In Training.

Homemade Vegetable Rice a Roni

I'm always on the hunt for good side dishes. For some reason it is much easier for me to pick out the main dish than the side dishes. Once I learned that rice a roni is basically rice and broken spaghetti noodles, I knew I do it myself. I also packed this with tons of veggies. I always feel good about getting vegetables into Nate's diet! Now, I haven't had rice a roni in probably a decade, so I don't know how close this is, but here's my version.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup basmati rice
1/3 cup spaghetti noodles, broken into small pieces
1/2 green pepper, finely diced
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chicken bullion (I use the Better Than Bullion brand)
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. butter
salt to taste

Preparation:
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add rice, broken spaghetti noodles, and veggies to skillet. Sautee for a few minutes or until rice is a light golden brown. Add water, salt, and bullion to a pot. Add rice and veggie mixture to water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce here and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Fluff rice and serve.

I shared this recipe over at Mandy's Recipe Box and Chef In Training.

Corn Muffins

Okay, this is a recipe that Katie and Stephanie made tonight. They served it alongside some taco soup. Supposedly this is the same recipe for corn muffins that Marie Calendar's serves. Enjoy!

2 c. dry yellow cake mix
1 c. flour
1 c. yellow corn meal
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt

Sift dry ingredients together. Then add:

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. honey (or 1/2 c. sugar)
3 eggs

Pour into pan or scoop into muffin tin. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Tin Foil Dinner

Have I really only posted two recipes this month? Oh goodness, I'm sorry! My handsome husband and I have been having too much fun and I've been away from the kitchen. We've been busy enjoying ourselves camping and fishing, two graduations, and playing with visiting family. I've got new recipes planned for the rest of this week so keep your fingers crossed that they turn out yummy so I can share them with you!

Speaking of camping, here is the tin foil dinner that I made during our last camping trip. It's not a true recipe, just more of an idea for you. You do the majority of the cooking before you wrap them up, so 20-30 minutes in the coals is just right. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
hamburger patties - We made each hamburger patty about 1/3 lb. You're always hungry after setting up camp. Nate seasoned them with some steak seasoning and grilled them to about medium. That way they'll finish cooking in the fire without drying out.

potatoes - I used my Garlic and Butter Roasted Potatoes recipe. Potatoes are the item that take the longest to cook in a tin foil dinner, so I go ahead and cook them all the way. That way they only need to heat up at the campsite.

veggies - I sliced up some onion and carrot, sauteed them in a tiny bit of olive oil with a dash of salt and pepper. I just cooked them for a couple minutes. They will finish cooking in the fire. I also used some canned green beans. You don't need to cook those at all beforehand.


Preparation:
There's a method to building your tin foil dinners. You want to put the items with the longest cook time on the outside and the more tender, faster cooking items in the middle. Here's the order I stacked mine: potatoes on bottom, then carrots and onions, then green beans, and the hamburger patty on top. Tear off 2 good sized pieces of heavy duty tinfoil. Spray the top piece with a bit of cooking spray, then layer your ingredients in the above order. Wrap and seal up the tin foil dinner, then wrap it again with the second piece of tin foil. Repeat for each dinner. That's it! You're ready to go camping. Just place the tin foil dinner in the coals of your fire for about 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally for even cooking.

Okay, I had a question about adapting these for the oven. Here is my best estimate. If you pre-cook the tin foil ingredients, then just throw the packets in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until nice and piping hot! If you don't pre-cook anything I would dice the potatoes very small, like o'brien style and be sure you spray with non-stick spray and I would add some liquid like gravy or barbecue sauce. Then bake them at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until veggies are tender and meat is cooked through. Hope that helps!

I shared this recipe over at Mandy's Recipe Box and Chef In Training.


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3 Packet Pork Roast

Awesome! This roast was so moist, tender, and flavorful! I have made 3 Packet Crock Pot Chicken and 3 Packet Pot Roast, so I figured the same idea would work with pork. I was right! This is such an easy recipe, throw everything in the crock pot and then pull it out when you're ready for dinner. You can't go wrong with this recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2-3 lb. pork roast
1 packet Italian dressing mix
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 packet pork gravy mix
1 cup water

Preparation:
Whisk together water and seasonings. Place roast in the crock pot and then pour seasoning mix over top. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Let roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing. You can serve the juices over the top of the meat like gravy.

I shared this recipe at Chef In Training and Mandy's Recipe Box.

We're hoping to adopt, check our profile out at http://adoption.com/profiles/nksmithfamily-1800 and feel free to pass it along!

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

Can you believe I've never made chicken parmesan? I know, I can't either. I came across this slow cooker recipe over at Six Sisters' Stuff and figured it was worth a shot. I used my homemade marinara sauce and this dinner was really good. Nate rated it a 10.5! I omitted the mozzarella cheese just to save on calories. Here's another easy Italian dish for you!

Ingredients:
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese (I left this out)
favorite jarred marinara sauce (23 oz.) (I used my homemade marinara sauce)

Spread the olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert. Beat the egg with a fork in a separate bowl. Mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the Parmesan cheese in another separate dish. Dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings. Place the chicken breast pieces in the bottom of the crockpot. Layer 2-3 slices or 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese on top, depending on how much cheese you like. Cover chicken and cheese with entire jar of marinara sauce. Close lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Not the greatest pictures, but you get the general idea.

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Tonight was a breakfast for dinner night. It's really the only time I make Nate breakfast. I had come across these bad boys at Mormon Mavens and knew Nate would love them. They were so simple and so good. We both enjoyed them. These would be so fun for kids too. We topped ours with the icing that came with the cinnamon rolls, but you could also use syrup if you'd like. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
tube of cinnamon rolls

Preparation:
Heat your waffle iron. Once hot, place a cinnamon roll in each segment of your waffle iron. Cook for a few minutes or until cinnamon rolls are a nice golden brown and cooked through. Serve hot with icing drizzled over the top.

No, they're not burnt in the middle, that's the cinnamon swirls.

Marinara Sauce

So good! I lost track of the times Nate said, "This is so good!" during dinner. He said it is by far the best marinara sauce he has ever had. I used this sauce in a lasagna last night and Nate declared it to be the best lasagna he's ever had. We also dipped our bread in the sauce. So I'd say this marinara sauce is a keeper! I made an 8x8" lasagna and had sauce leftover to freeze. Next time I'm going to double the recipe so I have more to freeze. I felt like a little Italian grandma with my sauce simmering away and making my house smell so good. I adapted this recipe from one over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe and according to the site, the sauce freezes well for up to six months. We loved this sauce!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 (28-ounce each) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 Tbsp. dried basil
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and green pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until all the vegetables are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, garlic bread seasoning, bay leaves, and parmesan cheese and simmer, covered, on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to make sure the sauce isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook sauce until slightly thickened and the vegetables are completely tender. Taste the sauce. Add salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaves. In a blender or food processor, blend the sauce (in several batches, if necessary) until it is smooth. The sauce can be frozen once it is cooled completely in freezer-safe ziploc bags for up to 6 months. Enjoy!

Turkey French Dip Sandwiches

These sandwiches are heavenly! They were so good, I enjoyed every bite, and I can't wait to make them again! In addition to tasting great, these sandwiches are so easy to prepare. We had Nate's brother Zak and his wife Domonique over for dinner, and we all really enjoyed these sandwiches. The turkey turned out so moist and tender, and the au jus was great. I saw this idea on Kelsey Nixon's cooking show, and I just adapted it to our preferences. Make this soon!

Ingredients:
3 lb. turkey breast or turkey roast (I used a roast so we had both white and dark meat)
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, roughly chopped
seasoned pepper
baguette

Preparation:
Add the chopped onions to the bottom of the crock pot, add the chicken broth and the Worcestershire sauce. Top with some seasoned pepper. In a small bowl mix together the butter and garlic bread seasoning. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey, if you're using a turkey breast with skin, get some butter under the skin too. Place the turkey in the crock pot, on top of the onions. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees. Once it reaches that temperature, remove from crock pot and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Reserve the juices in the crock pot for your au jus dipping sauce. To make your sandwich, gently toast sliced baguette under to broiler until it is a nice golden brown. Top with turkey and any desired condiments and dip in au jus! You will love this!

Onion Strings

We love onion rings in our house. Our favorites are these baked onion rings, so good! Since I recently purchased a beautiful blue dutch oven, I now have the capacity to deep fry. Since we were having company for dinner, I thought we could splurge and enjoy some onion strings. These are a super thin cut version of onion rings and we all really enjoyed them! They were a good accompaniment to our turkey french dip sandwiches tonight. I got this idea from The Pioneer Woman, and they did not disappoint!

Ingredients:
2 large yellow onions
buttermilk (or regular milk)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/2-1/2 tsp. seasoned pepper
vegetable or canola oil

Preparation:
Slice onions very very thin. Place onion strings into a baking dish, cover with milk, and let soak for an hour. Whisk together flour, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot to 375 degrees. Take handful of soaked onions and coat in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour and careful drop into hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until a nice golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate to absorb and extra oil. Repeat with remaining onions. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce. We used fry sauce. You could also use these onions as a topping on sandwiches or burgers. Enjoy!

Mini Butterfinger Cheesecakes

Nate's favorite dessert is cheesecake. It's not something I make too often though. Since we were having company over for dinner tonight, I knew it was a perfect opportunity to make cheesecake. I just came across this idea over at Favorite Family Recipes, a few days ago. I'm happy to report they were a big hit! They are a fun little bite-sized dessert that is not too hard to make.

Ingredients:
Crust-
1 c. ground vanilla wafers (I used the reduced fat kind), just pulse these in your food processor and they're ready in no time flat
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
Filling-
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter (I used reduced fat)
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
Topping-
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3 Fun Size Butterfinger, crushed


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie crumbs, sugar, butter and salt into a bowl; mix to combine. Spoon mixture into bottoms of a mini muffin tin and press. Bake for 8-10 minutes and remove from oven.
Reduce heat to 300 degrees. In a stand or electric mixer, beat cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Beat sugar, egg, cream and salt until well combined. Spoon batter over baked crust. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Let cool for 2 hours, then remove from pan.
Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth. If needed, return back to microwave for 15 seconds or so until smooth. Spoon over tops of cakes then sprinkle crushed butterfinger over top.

Shepherd's Pie

This dinner is full of memories for me. This is a super easy dish, one I've made since I was very first married, before I really learned to cook. I remember my mom making this on cold winter nights when I was growing up. We always looked forward to Shepherd's Pie. My mom always put a sprinkle of paprika over the top, so I did too. I'm sure everyone has their own version of this dish, but here is mine.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can green beans, drained
1/2 onion, diced
mashed potatoes (Nate prefers instant mashed potatoes, so I just use one package of Idahoan brand butter and herb potatoes)
shredded cheese, optional
steak seasoning
salt and pepper
smoked paprika

Preparation:
In a skillet, cook ground beef and onions. Season with steak seasoning a small amount of salt and pepper. Once beef is cooked and crumbled, reduce heat to low and add tomato sauce. You may not need the full can. You want enough to generously coat the meat, but you don't want it really soupy and runny. Spread meat mixture into the bottom of a glass 8x8" baking dish. Top meat with green beans, and then with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the top of the mashed potatoes with a small amount of paprika. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. The potatoes should have a nice light crust. Remove from oven and top with a bit of cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted (if you want cheese). Enjoy!

General Kim's Chicken

This dish is my take on General Tso's Chicken, so Nate renamed it General Kim's Chicken. It's a great base recipe, you could easily turn this dish into orange chicken or sweet and sour chicken, just adjust the sauce. I had several different recipes that I reviewed prior to making this, it's a compilation of those recipes and personal preferences. One of our favorite couples, Sarah and Mike were my guinea pigs for this dinner and they both, in addition to Nate, ensured me it was a yummy recipe.

Ingredients:
Chicken-
2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bit sized cubes
2 eggs
salt
pepper
cornstarch
vegetable oil

Sauce-
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. powdered ginger
5 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. sweet chili sauce
1 tsp. sriracha sauce (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup cold water
red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation:
Heat 6 cups vegetable oil in a large dutch oven or deep fryer to 360 degrees. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper. Add chicken and stir to coat evenly. Take each piece of chicken and dip into cornstarch. Coat entire piece of chicken and shake off any excess cornstarch. Repeat with remaining chicken. Fry in small batches for about 3 minutes or until golden brown and chicken is cooked through. I always do a test batch with 2 or 3 pieces to work out any issues. Drain chicken on a paper towel-lined plate.
Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, whisking well. In a bowl combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha. Add in cornstarch slurry, again whisking well to make sure everything combines. Pour sauce into a hot wok, stirring constantly until sauce thickens to desired consistency. Then add chicken to wok and stir to evenly coat chicken.
Serve immediately over hot basmati rice. Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes if you like things nice and spicy!

Pepperoni Pasta Salad

Believe it or not I've never made or eaten pasta salad. I don't really care for salad dressing so I've never bothered to try it. We had a sibling dinner tonight and we were asked to bring pasta salad and drinks. I gave this easy salad a try. I simply used less dressing and I actually really enjoyed this dish. I modified a recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff and I was very pleased with the results.

Ingredients:
1 lb. rotini pasta
8 oz. Italian dressing
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 small can sliced olives
20-30 slices turkey pepperoni, chopped
5 oz. colby jack cheese, cut into small cubes

Preparation:
Boil pasta until al dente, rinse, drain, and cool. Refrigerate. Dice up veggies and pepperoni. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl making sure everything is well incorporated. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until ready to serve.

Breakfast for Dinner Casserole

Nate and I went up to Idaho to visit my grandparents Easter weekend. Saturday morning my super cute grandma made us a breakfast casserole. This dish is really similar to what she made and it is perfect for breakfast for dinner.

Ingredients:
6 eggs
10 oz. shredded hash browns (if you're using frozen, make sure to thaw them first)
1/2 lb. cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup milk
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
salt
pepper

Preparations:
Whisk together eggs and milk. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in all other ingredients. Pour into a greased 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until eggs are cooked through and set. Serve warm.

Grilled Asparagus

The best asparagus I've ever had! I love asparagus, and this was the most delicious preparation. I will be making this over and over again. We had my mother-in-law over for dinner last night and my husband really wanted some steak. I asked if he'd be willing to throw some asparagus on the grill. Nate cooked it perfectly. The asparagus got some great grill marks and picked up a bit of the steak flavoring. It was my favorite part of the meal last night!

Ingredients:
asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed
olive oil
kosher salt
pepper

Preparation:
Toss asparagus with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Grill for about 8-9 minutes, flipping once. We have an electric grill, so time may vary if you have a gas grill. You just want your asparagus at that nice tender-crisp stage. Nate cooked our asparagus in the same spot he had grilled our steaks so they picked up some of that great steak flavor. So good! Enjoy!