Ruby Lemonade Punch

Anything having to do with lemonade reminds me of picnics and summertime. Since Nate was smoking a pork shoulder outside most of the day I decided to round out the barbecue with some fun summery punch. I saw this idea over at Meals with the Muirs. It has a great color and has a bit of tartness to it which I loved. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
8 cups cranberry juice cocktail
4 cups (1 liter) sprite (I used diet sprite)
lemon slices for garnish, optional

Preparation:
Pour everything into your punch bowl and gently stir. Serve over ice.

Chicken Enchilada Roll Ups

Yep, more Mexican food! What can I say? I make Mexican food at least once a week and so I'm always looking for new ideas. I saw the basic idea over at Six Sisters' Stuff but used different ingredients and made it suit Nate's and my taste. One of Nate's favorite meals is ham and cheese roll ups so I knew this Mexican variation would be a hit with him.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 flour tortillas
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1/4 cup salsa
shredded cheese (I used cheddar jack)
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
olive oil
salt and pepper
taco sauce or enchilada sauce or zesty Mexican tomato sauce
toothpicks

Mexican Chicken Rub:
2 tsp. chile powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper


Preparation:
First prep the chicken. Mix together the rub ingredients. Drizzle some olive oil on both sides of the chicken breasts and then season with some of the rub. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-33 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes and then shred. Set aside.
Dice bell pepper and onion. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once hot add veggies with a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until tender-crisp. Set asaide.
Next make the refried beans. In a small pot heat the refried beans, 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning, and 1/4 cup of salsa over medium-low heat. Once heated through, set aside.
Okay, now it's time to assemble the roll ups. Lay out a tortilla and then spread some refried beans all over. Top that with some shredded cheese. Next is a sprinkling of the sauteed veggies and then the chicken. I made mine nice and hearty, so don't be afraid to skimp on the chicken. Now you'll roll up the tortilla. Start at the bottom and carefully roll it up then secure with toothpicks. Space the toothpicks evenly apart. Now cut the rolled tortilla in between each toothpick. Set the cut roll ups on a tin foil lined baking sheet. You can make the roll ups as big or small as you like. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Now pour a small amount of sauce over the top of each roll up and then top with a bit of shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until tortillas get a nice little crisp on the outside and the cheese is all melted. Pull out all the toothpicks before serving and enjoy!

Bean and Cheese Burrito Bites

These were so much fun! We really enjoyed these for dinner last night. We never get tired of trying new Mexican dishes and we'll definitely be making these again and again. These totally work for a vegetarian meal or for a fun appetizer. Nate told me he'd even enjoy this dish as a full size burrito. I saw this idea over at Sweet Treats and More. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) can of refried beans (we used fat free)
1 1/2 Tbsp. of taco seasoning
1/4 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese (you could do cheddar, pepper jack, monterey jack etc.)
4 uncooked flour tortillas
toppings/dips of choice - salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, etc.

Preparation:
In a small pot combine and heat refried beans and taco seasoning over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once hot, stir in salsa and shredded cheese. Continue to cook and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Cut each tortilla into four triangles. Place a heaping tablespoon (I used a cookie scooper) of the bean mixture on the tortilla triangle near the point. Roll the tip up, then fold in the sides, and finish rolling (like you would a burrito). Place the burrito bite seam side down on a tin foil lined baking sheet that's been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Repeat with remaining tortilla triangles, you may have a little bit of leftover bean mixture, I did. Bake the burrito bites at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until a light golden brown, flipping burrito bites halfway through. They may ooze a bit, but you've lined your baking sheet, so it's all good! Serve hot with your favorite dipping stuff/toppings. Have fun!

Simple Focaccia Bread

Focaccia bread has to be one of my most favorite versions of bread. I love it! I can't believe it's taken me this long to make it. Bread making is not my forte my any means, but this recipe really is easy. I found this idea over at Semi Homemade Mom and just adjusted a couple things. It's definitely a keeper for us. I served it with this Island Chicken, so good. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you may need to adjust flour amounts slightly depending on your climate)
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) rapid rise yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cup warm water
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2-3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
shredded Parmesan cheese (I omitted this just to save a few calories)

Preparation:
In the bowl of a mixer combine flour, sugar, and yeast. Mix well. Add salt, water, and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Use dough hook attachment and mix for a few minutes or until well combined. Dough will be just a bit on the sticky side. Grease a glass 9x13" baking dish and stretch out dough to fit bottom of dish. Cover with saran wrap or a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until dough had doubled in size. After rising, uncover and use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke some holes in the top of the dough. Brush top with remaining olive oil and then sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Recover and let rise an additional 30 minutes. Bake focaccia bread in a 375 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until it has a nice light golden brown coloring on top. I think it is best served warm.

Chicken Bundles

So good! I can't wait to have this again. Both Nate and I really enjoyed this main course and loved how flavorful and healthy it was. I saw this idea over at Caramel Potatoes. This is definitely easy enough to make on a weeknight, but nice enough to serve company. You can also make a quick pan sauce to ladle over if you'd like. Make this soon, you'll love it!

Ingredients:
4 chicken cutlets cut in half or thin sliced chicken breasts *(can use 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts prepared as below)
2 carrots
1 large red bell pepper (the green ones looked better at the store so that's what I bought)
1 bunch thin asparagus
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup Italian dressing
McCormick's rotisserie chicken seasoning
salt
pepper

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for 1-2 hours. Peel carrots and julienne carrots and bell pepper into strips about 3-4" long. Wash and then cut asparagus to the same length. Steam vegetables for a few minutes (3-4) or until tender/crisp. Immediately run under cold water stop cooking. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper and set aside. Lay out chicken strips and both sides with a little bit of rotisserie chicken seasoning. Place a small handful of veggies on one end of chicken and then roll up. Seal with a toothpick. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat (well, just past medium). Once hot, all the chicken bundles seam side down and cook until browned. Rotate chicken on all sides until evenly browned and chicken is cooked through. It should take about 15-20 minutes depending on how thin your chicken is. Once cooked remove chicken from pan and take out all the toothpicks. Serve hot and enjoy!

*If you are using 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, you will need to slice each in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets. With a meat tenderizer, gently pound out each cutlet in between some saran wrap until it is thin and as even as possible. Cut each cutlet into 2 strips.

Zesty Mexican Tomato Sauce

So last night I made Taco Stuffed Shells and I decided I wanted a really flavorful sauce to top them. I am not a fan of canned red enchilada sauce, it always tastes bitter to me. So feeling adventurous, I decided to wing it. This is what I came up with and both Nate and I really enjoyed it. I'll definitely make this again and again. You can use this sauce as a replacement for enchilada sauce in lots of dishes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup salsa
2 Tbsp. zesty Italian dressing (I used fat free)
2 Tbsp. taco sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
In a large skillet over medium heat add the tomato sauce, salsa, Italian dressing, taco sauce, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir well to combine. Bring sauce to a simmer and let simmer, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Use sauce in your favorite Mexican dishes. Enjoy!

This is how I used the sauce last night.

Asian Slaw

Nate's family is in town and one of the dinners I made was shredded teriyaki chicken sliders topped with this Asian slaw and pineapple slices. I think it was a hit. Several people commented on the slaw and that they really enjoyed it. I based the recipe on one I saw at East Village Kitchen. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (14 oz.) package coleslaw mix
1 package ramen noodles, crunched up (toss the flavoring packet)
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. sunflower seed kernels
3 Tbsp. butter

Dressing-
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce


Preparation:
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Then add the sesame seeds, sunflower kernels, and crunched up ramen noodles. Stir frequently and cook until golden brown. Once finished, spread onto a baking sheet to cool. Mix up dressing. Add dressing slowly to coleslaw mix, tossing as you go. You may not need all the dressing. Once the dressing is mixed in add the sesame seed/sunflower kernel/ramen noodle mixture. Serve immediately. This doesn't keep well, so make it just before you intend to serve it.

Bunny Buns

You know how I love a good festive recipe! These are no exception. I knew I had to make these in time for Easter. They come from the Rhodes webiste and they turned out great. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but not risen (I used the Texas sized rolls)

Preparation:
Cut a small piece off of one roll for a tail. Roll remaining piece into a 12-inch rope with pointed ends. Twist top of rope together. Place on a large sprayed baking sheet and pull pointed ends apart for ears. Roll small cut off piece into a ball for the tail and add on top of the bottom loop. Repeat with remaining rolls. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and allow to rise 30-45 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 15-20 minutes or until a faint golden brown. We had them fresh out the oven, yum!

Grilled Asian Pork Kabobs

You know by now that we love Asian food around here, so it's no surprise that I'm posting another Asian inspired recipe. The weather here has been so nice the last two weeks, we have busted out our beloved grill. Nate had been wanting to grill some kabobs with his new skewers and so this is what we had for dinner last night. We both loved it and will definitely be making this again. I saw this idea over at Allrecipes and just tweaked a few things (like usual). The pork has a great Asian/teriyaki flavor without being too salty or too sweet, you could also add some red pepper flakes to add heat. This was so good, make it soon!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork, cut into 1" cubes (I just used some really thick pork loin chops and cut them up)
5 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper

Basting Liquid-
2 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger


Preparation:
Prepare marinade by combining 5 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, 3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic, chili powder, paprika, and pepper. Pour marinade into a gallon sized ziploc bag and add the cubed pork. Seal up the bag and place it in a mixing bowl or large tupperware container in case of leaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Prepare the basting liquid. Dissolve cornstarch in beef broth and add that and 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ground ginger to a small pot. Heat over high heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Set aside. Get your marinated pork onto skewers. Remember if you use bamboo skewers you'll need to soak them in water for 30 minutes first. We used metal. Once your grill is hot cook your pork kabobs, basting every couple minutes. Cook until pork is at your desired doneness. Enjoy hot with your favorite Asian sides.

Spicy Sesame Asparagus

I love, love, love asparagus! Such an awesome vegetable. I look forward to it being in season each spring. I saw this asparagus variation over at My Name Is Snickerdoodle and it was a definite hit with last night's dinner. We'll definitely use this recipe again and again. It has just a subtle hint of heat, not too much that I can't handle it, but feel free to add more sriracha if you like lots of spice! Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 bundle fresh asparagus
1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced (I forgot to buy an onion, but I'll definitely include this next time)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (I used Lawry's teriyaki marinade)
1/2 - 2 tsp. sriracha (an Asian hot sauce found in the ethnic aisle of most any grocery store, I used a heaping 1/2 tsp.)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds

Preparation:
In a small bowl prepare sauce. Combine teriyaki sauce, sriracha, garlic, ground ginger, and sesame seeds and set aside. Wash asparagus and cut off the woody end, about 1/4 off the bottom of the stalk. Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Once hot add in asparagus and onions. You'll saute them for 4-5 minutes, or until they get just shy of your desired tenderness, stirring occasionally. Pour sauce over asparagus. Mix to coat all the asparagus, and make sure you scrape off any bits from the bottom of your pan. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened, garlic cooks, and your asparagus reaches your desired tenderness. Serve immediately.

Pizza Chicken

This was another winner recipe. It's been on my list to make for weeks now and I'm so glad we finally tried it. Nate and I both really enjoyed this dish.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup Italian dressing
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
1 (24 oz.) jar marinara sauce
12 slices pepperoni, cut into fourths (we love Hormel's turkey pepperoni)
1/2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
hot cooked pasta

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in the Italian dressing for 2-3 hours. Once marinated, bake chicken at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. While chicken is baking, dice veggies and cut up pepperoni slices. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add diced veggies and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Return skillet to stove and turn heat to low, add marinara sauce and 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning. Combine and heat through. Once chicken is finished baking, remove from oven and transfer to a clean baking sheet/dish. Spoon some sauteed onion and peppers over the top of each piece of chicken, then spoon on some sauce. Top that with pepperoni pieces and finally the mozzarella cheese. Broil smothered chicken on the top rack until cheese is melted through. Place some pasta on each plate, top with a little bit of marinara sauce and then the chicken. Enjoy your dinner!



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

Taco Cups

Such a great variation of tacos! We love Mexican food at our house (especially the man of the house) and so I always love a good Mexican recipe. I saw this idea over at my favorite food blog, Mel's Kitchen Cafe and knew we had to try it. We weren't disappointed, we loved this dinner. I served these with a green salad and some corn, yum!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 taco seasoning packet plus the water it requires (or your favorite homemade mix)
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
12 small fajita sized flour tortillas
toppings- shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, olives, salsa etc.

Preparation:
First lightly grease a muffin tin. Cut out about 4" circles out of each of your tortillas, I just used one of those hospital mugs. I flipped it upside down and then cut around it with a paring knife. Place a tortilla into each muffin well and set aside. In a skillet start to brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Halfway through cooking add the diced pepper and onion. Once finished cooking add taco seasoning packet and water and cook according to packet instructions. Once that's done add the tomato sauce and cook over medium-low heat for a couple minutes. After the meat is done cooking, spoon some into each of the tortillas. Nate topped his with some queso and sriracha before baking. You can add your shredded cheese now or after baking. Bake at 375 degree F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the tortilla cups are a nice light golden brown. Serve and top with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!

Smoky Asian Barbecue Chicken

We really enjoyed this chicken. We are always on the look out for good chicken recipes and this is definitely a keeper. We'll definitely be making this again and again. I saw the idea over at Allrecipes, and just adapted for our tastes. The marinade makes enough for 8 chicken thighs or 4 medium chicken breasts. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
chicken thighs(we like to use boneless, skinless) or chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. black pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation:
Whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken. Place chicken in gallon size ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Place marinade bag in a dish and let marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Once finished marinating, cook on the grill over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with your favorite Asian or barbecue side dishes.

Copy Cat Lo Mein

I loved this dish! It was so good. Asian is always a top favorite of mine. This is a great side dish for Asian meals, and bonus, it's quick and easy to prepare too. I saw this idea over at Favorite Family Recipes. It's a copy cat version of Panda Express' chow mein. This version tastes so much better than Panda Express! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (7 oz.) package refrigerated Yaki Soba noodles (found in the produce section of my grocery store)
1/3 cup celery, sliced diagonally (about 1 stalk)
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Preparation:
Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Set aside. Open Yaki Soba noodles, throw out seasoning packet. Place noodles in a colander, rinse well and drain. Set aside. Over medium heat, heat oil in a wok. Once hot, add celery and onion and saute for a couple minutes until they start to soften, 2 - 3 minutes. Add cabbage and then saute another minute or so. Add in Yaki Soba noodles and sauce, toss well to combine. Cook for another few minutes until noodles are heated through and at your desired consistency. Taste and add any additional soy you like. Serve immediately.

Caramel Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies

These were such a hit! I'm so glad I tried them. Everyone who ate them loved them. This is definitely a keeper recipe. I saw the idea over at Lauren's Latest. The only change I made was to add a tiny bit more flour to get my cookies to the right consistency. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour (in my climate I usually have to add a tiny bit more flour to get to the right consistency)
1 1/3 cups chopped Hershey’s Caramel Kisses

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, whip butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and eggs. Scrape sides and mix again. Slowly incorporate all dry ingredients until combined. Stir in chopped Hershey’s caramel kisses. Scoop by the teaspoon full onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes (mine took 10 and were perfect) or until the edges are barely golden and the middle looks like it’s not quite done.{You may have the urge to keep them in longer–don’t! Unless you want crunchier cookies in which case you should then leave them in a minute or two longer… but I like mine chewy so I pull them out sooner.} Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Store in airtight containers.

Look at that cute Easter plate my mom gave me!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Mmm... I love Italian food. Nate is not a big fan of pasta, but he really enjoys chicken parmesan. This dish is a good fit for both of us because it doesn't have pasta but it does have great Italian flavors and a great breadstick topping. It was really good, we both enjoyed it a lot. I'll warn you, it smells so good while baking that it's hard to wait for it to finish! This is definitely a keeper recipe for us. I saw the idea over at Betty Crocker and totally tweaked it to suit our tastes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian dressing (I always use fat free)
1 (12 oz.) tube Pillsbury pop 'n fresh plain breadsticks
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
12 slices pepperoni (I always use Hormel brand turkey pepperoni)
1 1/2 - 2 cups of your favorite marinara or pasta sauce (the amount of sauce is flexible, just add however much you like)
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup + shredded mozzarella cheese (again, the amount is really up to your preference)
grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
Dice onion and pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat, once hot add diced veggies and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes. Set aside. Cut pepperoni slices into fourths. Set aside.
Cut marinated chicken into 1" cubes. Heat olive oil in a skillet (just use the same one you used for veggies) over medium high heat. One hot add chicken pieces. You aren't cooking the chicken all the way, you just want to get a nice golden brown on the outside.
Once chicken is seared, add the chicken to an 8x8" glass baking dish that's been misted with non-stick spray. Add sauteed vegetables over the chicken. Stir in 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning with your marinara/pasta sauce. Next pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies. Top that with the cut up pepperoni slices and then the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. butter. Pop open and lay out breadstick dough onto flat surface. Brush with some of the melted butter. Use a pizza cutter and cut the breadsticks into 1 inch pieces. You won't need all the breadsticks, only about 2/3 (use the remaining breadsticks to make cinna-sticks for dessert). Place breadstick pieces, butter side down, on top of the casserole. Once it's all covered, brush with some melted butter and then sprinkle remaining garlic bread seasoning over the top. Finally dust the top with some Parmesan cheese.
Bake loosely covered in a 375 degree F oven for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the breadstick topping is a nice golden brown. Serve hot with a nice green salad.





I shared this over at Chef In Training and High Heels and Grills.

Mini Cinnamon Monkey Breads

So yummy! These were such a good dessert tonight. I rarely make dessert and I'm so glad I did tonight, we loved these! Is there anything better than the smell of cinnamon and sugar baking?! I saw these today over at Life As A Lofthouse and knew we had to have them immediately. Nate's favorite treat is anything with cinnamon and sugar. We'll definitely be making these again and again! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
12 Rhodes Dinner rolls, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon (I highly recommend McCormick's Saigon cinnamon)
Vanilla Icing- (we didn't ice ours)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2-3 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, melt butter. In a seperate bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Cut each thawed roll into 6 equal pieces. Dip each piece of roll into the butter and then into the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place all 6 coated pieces into a well greased cup of a 12-cup muffin tin. Repeat with all remaining rolls. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove rolls from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before removing rolls from tin. If you don't let them cool slightly they will fall apart. Nate and I agreed, they are so good warm we don't care if they fall apart! While rolls are slightly cooling, make vanilla icing. Stir all of the icing ingredients together in a medium bowl, using more or less milk to reach desired thickness. Spoon over rolls and enjoy.

Mashed Potato Topped Pork Chops

It's another installment of Comfort Food Wednesdays at our house. I had some red potatoes that needed to be used and some pork chops in the freezer and so this was an easy choice for dinner. It definitely fits the comfort food bill too. I adapted the idea from The Sisters Cafe and it's something we will make again. Very good!

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops (ours were not too big, and were about 1/2 inch thick)
8 red potatoes, diced into cubes
6 Tbsp. butter
3-4 Tbsp. milk
seasoning salt
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
steak seasoning

Preparation:
Boil red potatoes until soft. Drain water and mash with 4 Tbsp. butter, milk, and salt to taste. While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the onions, and Worcestershire sauce, in 1-2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat until onions are transparent, 5-8 minutes, add minced garlic during the last minute or two of cooking. Fold sautéed mixture into mashed potatoes and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. Season both sides of the pork chops with steak seasoning. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear pork chops on both sides. Place pork chops into a glass baking dish lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Spoon mashed potatoes over each pork chop (I had leftover potatoes). Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until pork chops are cooked through. Time will depend on thickness of the chops. Once cooked through, uncover and broil for just a minute or two to get a nice golden brown crust on the potatoes. Serve hot. I also made some gravy to serve with this dish. Makes 4 servings.

Nate's Spicy Roasted Red Potatoes

My husband loves spicy food. He seriously adds sriracha hot sauce to everything! We were making these garlic and butter roasted red potatoes the other night and he decided to make half of the potatoes spicy. He loved them and informed me they were nice and hot, so I didn't dare try them. :) Here's what he came up with.

3 good sized red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1/8 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 - 2 tsp. chili powder
1 - 2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 - 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning

Preparation:
Mix the diced potatoes, melted butter, and seasonings. Spread evenly into a glass baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 - 45 minutes or until soft. Serve hot.



I shared this over at High Heels and Grills.

Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce

I have had this recipe saved to try for nearly two years! I finally got around to making it. This is only the second time I've cooked short ribs and they were so good. This is definitely an indulgent meal, not one to make on a regular basis, but I definitely will be making it again. I saw the idea over at The Pioneer Woman. She always has winner recipes. I changed up just a couple things and both Nate and I really enjoyed this meal.

Ingredients:
6 beef short ribs (my store didn't have any out so I asked the butcher for some, he gave me some of the biggest short ribs I've ever seen! we would have had more than enough with 4 ribs)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 (28 oz.) can whole or diced tomatoes
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
salt and pepper
hot cooked pasta
Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
In a large dutch oven pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season short ribs with salt and pepper on both sides. Once the oil is hot, sear the short ribs on all sides. You want them to get a nice crust. Remove and set aside. Carefully pour out excess oil. Turn heat down medium and add diced onion. Cook for a minute or two and then add the minced garlic. Cook for another minute or so stirring often. Add beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those nice brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic bread seasoning, and any additional salt you like. Stir well to combine. Place the short ribs back in the pot, making sure to submerge them as much as possible. Cover and place dutch oven pot in the oven. Cook at 275 degrees F for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Your short ribs should be nice and tender and falling off the bone. I checked my sauce halfway through cooking to taste and adjust any seasoning. Serve short ribs and sauce over some hot cooked pasta topped with some Parmesan cheese.

*There will be a bit of a fat layer after cooking, be sure to spoon it off before serving, or The Pioneer Woman gives these optional instructions once ribs are done cooking. "Remove ribs from pot. Allow to cool, then wrap tightly and refrigerate. Allow pot of sauce to cool a bit, then place pot into the fridge for several hours or overnight. Remove hardened fat/grease from the top. Discard fat. Return ribs to pot, then return pot either to stove top or oven and warm it up."

Cowboy Style Salisbury Steaks

Salisbury steak holds such a tender spot in my heart. This creamy salisbury steak was the first "new" recipe I tried on my quest to become a better cook. It was such an instant hit with Nate and I, and it sparked my desire to learn about recipes and cooking and improve my skills. Since we love salisbury steak so much, I knew I had to try this recipe when I saw it over at One Lovely Life. Now, you'll have to picture this dish smothered in sauteed onions. I cut into my onion and it was not up to par so I had to omit it. This dish is a nice rich and hearty meal, great for cold winter nights. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/2 packet Lipton's beef onion soup mix
1 egg
1/4 cup crushed saltines or breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. McCormick's hamburger seasoning (optional, anytime I make ground beef I add some of this)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups beef broth (I used low-sodium)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Preparation:
To make the steaks, combine ground beef, soup mix, hamburger seasoning, a bit of salt and pepper, garlic powder, egg, saltines, and 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce in a medium sized mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix, but don't over-mix or it will become tough. Divide and shape the meat into 4 equal sized patties. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter. Once hot sear the patties on both sides. Once browned, place the patties in a lightly greased 9x13" glass baking dish. Reduce the heat on the stove to medium and add the sliced onions and a bit of salt and pepper. Sautee for 3-4 minutes or so, until onion starts to soften. Spoon cooked onions over the salisbury steaks. Return pan to stove, keeping the heat on medium. Add remaining Tbsp. of butter and melt. Once melted, add minced garlic and sautee for a 30-60 seconds, stirring often so as not to burn the garlic. Add flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Add beef broth and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce to pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often until sauce reaches your desired consistency. Pour gravy mixture over beef patties and onions. Cover baking dish with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, flipping patties halfway through. Serve hot with mashed potatoes.

Again, picture the onions on top :)

Lite General Tso's Chicken

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday :). Nate and I stayed in tonight and cooked dinner together and have a great date planned for tomorrow evening. I always have so much fun cooking with Nate. Chinese is one of our favorite cuisines and this dish turned out to be really quite light. We really enjoyed this dish, it's quick and easy to make and tastes great. This dish is adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe that I saw here. We made this chicken with basmati rice and garlic soy broccoli. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup chicken broth (I used reduced-sodium)
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried onion flakes
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Preparation:
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together chicken broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, and onion flakes. Set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium high heat. Once hot, add chicken and cook until browned all over, about 4-5 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken and simmer until chicken is finished cooking and sauce has thickened, another 3 or so minutes. Serve chicken over cooked white rice with your favorite Asian side dish.

This is Nate's plate. He loves topping almost any dish with sriracha hot sauce.

Cajun Pork Chops

This was such a nice change up for a weeknight pork chop dinner. It doesn't take long to prepare and tastes great. Nate was a huge fan, he even ate the vegetables, which is always a sign of a winner recipe. I saw the idea over at Betty Crocker and just made it my own. Nate is really excited to have leftovers for his lunch tomorrow.

Preparation:
4 boneless pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
1 small onion, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (if you really like spicy things you could use a can of Rotel)
2 Tbsp. butter
Cajun seasoning
salt

Preparation:
Season both sides of pork chops with a bit of salt and some Cajun seasoning. My Cajun seasoning was salt-free, hence I added salt, if your seasoning has salt in it, you shouldn't need extra salt. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once hot add the onion and bell peppers to the pan. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and Cajun seasoning over the veggies. Let saute for about 2 minutes. Push veggies to side of pan an then turn up heat to medium-high and add the pork chops. Brown the pork chops for 2-3 minutes, flipping half way through. Pour in diced tomatoes, stir to mix all the ingredients and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until pork is cooked through. Serve warm over some rice (I'd recommend Zatarain's yellow rice). Enjoy!

Parmesan Ranch Chicken

Nate gobbled this chicken right up! We both really enjoyed this chicken. It was nice and moist, with a great flavor and crust. It was great weeknight entree with these fancy dinner rolls and a green salad.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup crushed cornflakes
1 1/2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. ranch dressing mix
3 Tbsp. melted butter
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Mix together crush cornflakes, Parmesan cheese, and ranch dressing mix. Dip each chicken breast into melted butter. Then season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Finally dip into cornflake mixture, making sure it's evenly coated. Place chicken onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 32-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Let rest for a few minutes before eating. Enjoy!

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

Fancy Dinner Rolls

First of all, congrats to Sarah and Mike on their newest addition! Now onto carbs, mmm... carbs. So good, yet so bad for my diabetes. I rarely make bread or rolls with our dinner. Tonight was a rarity. These rolls are so delicious, and so light and fluffy, and such a cinch to make! I saw the idea over at That's Some Good Cookin' and we will definitely be making these again. You start with a simple Rhode's roll and jazz it up a bit, and I'd say these are definitely nice enough for company. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
frozen rolls (I used Rhode's brand)
melted butter
salad seasoning (I used McCormick's Salad Supreme)

Preparation:
Thaw the rolls. After they've thawed, shape the rolls into knots. Roll each roll into a rope that's 8-10" long. Cross the ends and tuck one end up and through the loop and the other underneath. There are step-by-step photos and instructions here. Place the rolls on a baking sheet that's been sprayed with non-stick spray. Also lightly spray the tops of the rolls to prevent the plastic wrap from sticking. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and then stick the baking sheet in a warm place and allow the rolls to rise until they double in size. Once risen, brush the rolls with a little bit of melted butter and then sprinkle some salad seasoning over the tops. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until a light golden brown.