Garden Monkey Bread

Nate totally loved this bread! It's a super easy and fun alternative to rolls for dinner. We'll definitely be making this again. I saw the idea over at Goodness Gracious. I cut the recipe down for just the two of us so this is baked in a 6 cup bundt pan. I served this garden monkey bread alongside some do it all marinated chicken and a green salad.

Ingredients:
2 (7.5 oz.) cans of biscuits
3 Tbsp. green bell pepper, diced
3 Tbsp. red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled (optional, we left it out)

Preparation:
Slice each biscuit into thirds. In a mixing bowl combine biscuit pieces, cheese, and diced peppers. Toss gently and mix well. Grease your bundt pan and add the biscuit mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a light golden brown. Remove from bundt immediately and serve warm. Enjoy!

Chicken Fajita Kabobs

Such a hit! We loved these kabobs! Kabobs are a personal favorite of ours, they say fun summer grilling to me. I'd seen versions of these floating around the web and knew I had to make some. I used two chicken breasts and we got four huge kabobs. I served this dish with salsa rice a simple green salad. A perfect summer meal!

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper, chopped into bite sized squares
1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite sized squares
1 small onion, chopped into bite sized squares
our favorite Mexican chicken rub
4 large skewers (we used metal*)

Rub Recipe:
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. Store in an airtight container.


Preparation:
Wash and chop vegetables. Cut chicken breasts in 1" square chunks. Season chicken with some rub on all sides. Now it's time to assemble the kabobs. If you're using wooden skewers, you'll need to soak them for 30 minutes first. Alternate chicken and vegetables along the skewer. Heat your grill to medium heat. Once warm add your kabobs. Our skewers come with a rack that has them sit just above the grill grates which we love because then they don't stick and pull the kabobs apart. They grilled for 12-14 minutes being turned occasionally. If your kabobs are directly on the grill they will cook a bit faster. Just grill until all the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately and enjoy!




*Here's the link the kabob skewer set we use. I love it because it helps the more delicate kabobs stay together since it sits them just above the grill grates.
http://www.basspro.com/Charcoal-Companion-Kebab-Set/product/10214100/?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&om_mmc=shopping_googleproductextensions&kpid=10214100

Savory Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Yep, another marinade recipe. What can I say, we love 'em, and we love using our grill. I really like pork tenderloin, it's so lean and tender. Definitely a favorite in our house. I saw this basic idea over at Pillsbury. I do think this marinade would also be great on some thick cut pork chops.

Ingredient:
2 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin (mine was in two pieces)
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. sriracha hot sauce (found in the Asian aisle)

Preparation:
Whisk together soy, garlic, olive oil, oregano, sugar, and sriracha. Pour marinade into a large ziploc bag. Add pork tenderloin. Squish out all the air and seal bag. Place bag in a dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours, turning occasionally. After marinating, heat grill to medium-high heat. Once hot add pork to the grill and cook for 18-20 minutes turning a few times until internal temp reaches a minimum of 145 degrees F. Our tenderloin was in two pieces so if yours is one large piece it will take longer to cook. We like ours a little more done so we cooked it to just over 150 degrees F. Let the pork tenderloin rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and then serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!

Cheesy Taco Dip

This is one hearty dip. We ate it for dinner last night and it is super filling. We have lots of leftovers. Nate and I decided it needs to be eaten with friends! This recipe is really quick and simple to throw together and then it bakes and gets nice and bubbly. I loosely based this recipe on one from Just Get Off Your Butt and Bake. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cups salsa
2 envelopes taco seasoning (or 6 Tbsp. of homemade, divided)
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese (more or less depending on your tastes)
sliced olives, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, sour cream, hot sauce etc. for topping if you'd like

Preparation:
Brown and crumble the ground beef. Halfway through cooking add the diced onion. After beef is finished browning add 1 packet (3 Tbsp.) taco seasoning and the water it requires. Reduce heat and finish cooking per packet instructions. After the beef mixture is finished add salsa, Italian dressing, frozen corn, refried beans and remaining taco seasoning. Mix well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture is nice and hot. Add half the mixture to a glass 8x8" baking dish. Top with half the cheese. Add remaining beef mixture and then top with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until nice and bubbly hot and cheese is all melted. I recommend putting a baking sheet below the dish in case things bubble over! Serve with your favorite toppings and tortilla chips.

I know, I know, terrible photo.

Parsley Rice

This is such a simple side dish. Both hubs and I really enjoyed the flavor, it was savory and not overpowering. It was a great accompaniment to our grilled simple marinated chicken. Nate commented on how it was nice and light tasting, a good side dish for summertime. I saw this idea over at Taste of Home. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked long grain rice (I use basmati)
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt (really it's to taste, I used low sodium chicken broth so I did need the 1/2 tsp. salt)

Preparation:
Add chicken broth, butter, salt, and parsley flakes in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling stir in rice, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand still covered for 5 minutes. Fluff and serve.

The Best Garlic Steak

Have you ever been to the restaurant Tucano's? Well it's a favorite of the husband and he loves their garlic sirloin. I saw this copy cat recipe online and knew we had to try it. It was so good! We made some filet mignons with it instead of kabobs, but I think this would be great on any cut of steak. We'll definitely make this time and time again. I was nervous at first when I saw the amount of garlic salt but we followed the recipe and it turned out great. I saw the idea over at Like Mother Like Daughter.

Ingredients:
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. steak
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. kosher salt

Preparation:
Melt butter. Mix together butter, garlic, garlic salt and salt. Brush butter mixture onto both sides of the steaks. Heat grill to high and add steaks when hot. Cook over direct high heat for 10-12 minutes for medium doneness, flipping once. Our steaks were about an inch thick. I like my steak a little more done so we cooked it just a little longer. During cooking baste meat with garlic butter mixture. We basted 2 times. Grill steaks to desired doneness, let rest for 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Bacon and Onion Fingerling Potatoes

This is a re-post of a recipe from late 2010. It's so good and I finally got a semi-decent picture so I think it warranted a re-post.

Oh goodness, these are good. This recipe is a special occasion recipe at our house. We made these potatoes as part of our anniversary dinner. My husband loves these potatoes, I mean they have bacon, what's not to love? I saw this idea over at Picky Palate. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
3 lbs. fingerling potatoes (my store didn't have any fingerlings so I used Dutch baby potatoes that I cut into quarters)
½ lb. bacon, sliced into ½” pieces
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. reserved bacon drippings
½ cup onion, diced
kosher salt to taste
black pepper to taste
½ - 1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

Preparation:
Wash and cut potatoes. Add potatoes to pot then add water to cover. Bring pot to boil and boil potatoes for about 10 minutes or just until fork tender.
Cook bacon until crispy in a deep pan. When browned and crisped transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard all but 3 Tbsp. of bacon drippings. Place the 3 Tbsp. back into the pan at medium heat, add the butter and melt. Add onions; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add sliced potatoes, cooked bacon, salt, pepper and parsley. Stir then reduce heat to low to keep warm. Taste check the seasoning and adjust as needed.

Ham and Cheese Calzoncini

Of course when I saw these mini calzones I knew I'd be making them for the husband. He's such a fan of my ham and cheese roll ups that I knew these would be an instant hit. You could fill the calzoncini with virtually anything, pizza ingredients, sloppy joe meat, leftover roast or chicken with onions and green peppers, lots of possibilities. I saw the idea over at Pretty Elements, enjoy! This recipe made 10 calzoncini.

Ingredients:
1 ball pizza dough (I cheated and used Pillsbury instead of homemade)
ham
shredded cheddar jack cheese
pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
1 egg

Preparation:
On a prepared surface, roll out the dough to an even 1/4" thickness. Use a glass or circle cookie cutter to cut out circles. I got 20 circles out of my dough which makes 10 calzoncini. Sprinkle some pepper over all the circles. Place some ham and cheese in the center of half the circles. Take a plain dough circle and top a filled circle. Carefully pinch the edges together so none of the filling bubbles out during baking. Repeat with remaining calzoncini. Place the prepared calzoncini on a prepared baking sheet. Whisk egg in a small bowl. Brush a small amount of the egg wash over the top of the calzoncini. Bake at 350 degrees F for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy.

Football Fries

This is a great way to jazz up boring old french fries. It only takes an extra minute or two, but really makes a difference. I think you'll really enjoy these, and like the name implies, these would be great for watching football. I saw the idea over at Ma What's For Dinner.

Ingredients:
1/2 bag Ore Ida steak fries (or whatever kind of french fry you like)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp. steak seasoning
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt (if your steak seasoning doesn't have any salt in it)

Preparation:
Whisk together olive oil, steak seasoning, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Add frozen french fries and toss well to coat evenly. Spread out fries on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 17-20 minutes or until they've got a nice gold brown crust (or however the bag instructions direct). Serve up with your favorite condiments for dipping.

Easy Crock Pot Chicken in Gravy

This is definitely Nate's kind of comfort food. Chicken, gravy, potatoes, all things he loves. In fact, he's the one that got it started in the crock pot for me. It was perfect to throw in before church and then enjoy for dinner. I saw the idea over at Quick and Easy Recipes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 packets low-sodium chicken gravy mix
poultry seasoning (we used McCormick's rotisserie chicken seasoning)
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Season chicken with some poultry seasoning and salt and pepper. Add chicken and broth to crock pot. Cook on high 4-6 hours. Remove chicken from crock pot, let stand for 10 minutes and then shred. Prepare gravy using 2 cups of liquid from the crock pot instead of water. Once gravy is ready, add and stir in the shredded chicken. Serve over hot mashed potatoes.

Grilled Chicken Burritos

These are the best! We totally loved them last night and Nate can't wait until lunchtime today to have leftovers! They are ridiculously simple and so so flavorful. I know they'd be a hit with anyone. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 burrito sized flour tortillas
homemade pico de gallo
the best Mexican chicken rub
shredded cheddar jack cheese

Preparation:
Prep your pico de gallo and set aside. Generously season both sides of your chicken pieces with the rub, let stand for 10-15 minutes and then grill until cooked through. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting into bite-sized pieces. Lay out flour tortilla, sprinkle some shredded cheese onto the bottom third of your tortilla. Place a generous helping of chicken on top of cheese and then top that with some pico de gallo. Roll up tortilla like a burrito (fold sides in and then roll). Spray a skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat. Once hot place burritos seam side down and cook until golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy with a nice green salad.



I shared this over at High Heels and Grills.

Grilled Ranch Chicken

This is a perfect summer grilling recipe. We really enjoyed it. The chicken had great flavor and my husband is so good at grilling. This is definitely a recipe we'll make again and again. I never eat salad dressing on salads, I don't like it. However, I love using salad dressings in marinades. I always have several bottles in my food storage. So try this out, and soon! This is a recipe I adapted slightly from one I saw over at Not So Perfect Mom, enjoy!

Ingredients:
2-4 chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup ranch dressing
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. pepper

Combine all the ingredients (except chicken) in a gallon size ziploc bag. Make sure they are mixed well. Add the chicken breasts and squish all the air out of ziploc bag and seal. Refrigerate and let marinate for 4-6 hours. I always place the ziploc bag in a mixing bowl in case of leaks. After they're finished marinating grill 'em up until done and juices run clear. Our chicken breasts were on the thicker side so Nate grilled them about 8 minutes per side. Serve with your favorite summer sides.

Taco Pot Pies

Nate is still talking about this dinner! He loved it! This is definitely a different twist on taco night and one we'll definitely make again. I saw the idea over at Plain Chicken. Nate can't wait to have these again.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning plus the water it requires
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 can refrigerated pizza dough (we used Pillsbury)
4 large ramekins
shredded lettuce
hot sauce
sliced olives
tomato
salsa
sour cream

Preparation:
In a large skillet brown the ground beef. Halfway through cooking add the diced onion and bell pepper. Once browned add the taco seasoning and the water it requires, reduce heat and finish cooking according to packet instructions. Once beef is all finished mix in the black beans and salsa. Keep burner on medium low heat and continue to cook until mixture is nice and hot. Spray ramekins with non-stick spray including the outside rim. Roll out pizza dough and cut out 4 circle of dough that are about an inch larger than the ramekin. Sprinkle some shredded cheese into the bottom of each ramekin. Next scoop in taco meat (we had just a little leftover). Top each one off with a little more shredded cheese. Place a dough circle on each ramekin and let it drape over the edge. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Flip each pot pie upside down on a place and carefully lift off ramekin. Top your taco pot pies with some shredded lettuce, sliced olives, taco sauce, etc. and enjoy!

Garlic Herb Potato Wedges

This was a great side dish to the pulled pork Nate made on Saturday. He did such a great job and it was his very first time using that smoker! When Nate makes up his mind to try something new, he puts 110% into it. I lucked out, Nate did the main part of the meal and I had to do was side dishes. We had these potato wedges and a green salad with the pork. I saw this idea here, and I just used herbs that Nathan and I like. They had a nice crisp exterior and were soft on the inside, so good!

Ingredients:
4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried chives
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt (I used Lawry's seasoning salt)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the olive oil and all the seasonings in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Cut each half, lengthwise, into 4 equally sized wedges. Add the potatoes to the mixing bowl and toss really really well so that everything gets well coated. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Arrange the potato wedges skin side down on the sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown with crisp exterior and soft interior. Serve hot and enjoy!


Here's a pic of the awesome pulled pork Nate made.

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.