Banana Crumb Muffins

I'm always looking for different things to make for breakfasts on the weekends.  These muffins are outstanding! It's a great way to use those overripe bananas that are sitting on the counter.  The cinnamon and brown sugar crumb topping is what makes these so good.


Banana Crumb Muffins
Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease muffin cups or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.  In another bowl, beat together the bananas, sugars, eggs and oil.  Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.  Spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.  Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes & Suggestions:

These are best served the same day.  The topping starts to soften once they are stored in a container.  They are still tasty, just no longer crunchy on top.  

Walnuts could also be added to the muffin mixture or the topping mixture as well.

You could also use this batter to make banana bread.  One batch will make 2 mini loaves.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  

Chicken Spaghetti for a Crowd

Every year over Labor Day weekend, my extended family has a big get-together at the beach.  Each family is in charge of a dinner on a particular night.  This year I decided to make chicken spaghetti.  It's easy, makes a ton and it freezes well, which allowed me to make it ahead of time.  Also, it's very economical to make for a large group.  I was able to feed about 25 people for under $15.

Chicken Spaghetti for a Crowd

Adapted from this recipe on TasteofHome.com

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
• 2 cans (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 2 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 lb. Velvetta, cubed
• 1 package (12 oz.) spaghetti, cooked and drained
• 1 can (2 1/4 oz.) sliced olives, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and celery in 2 tbsp. of butter or olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the sauteed veggies, cooked chicken, mushroom soup, chicken broth, parsley, salt, pepper and Velvetta over medium low heat.  Stir until cheese has melted.  Add the spaghetti, and olives is desired.  
3. Pour into a greased 11 x 13 baking dish.  Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 10 minutes.

Notes & Suggestions:

I used my Boiled Chicken recipe to make the chicken for this.  I was also able to reserve 2 1/2 cups of the chicken broth from the boiled chicken to use in this recipe.  I used the rest of the chicken broth to cook the spaghetti in, which gave it a lot of flavor.

I used 1/2 the amount of Velvetta the recipe called for because I had some people in the crowd that weren't big cheese lovers.  You can use any other kind of cheese if you don't like Velvetta.  It just may not be as creamy.

For a little kick, you can add in 1 can of Rotel.

This can be frozen for up to 3 months.  Make as directed but don't bake.  Freeze, then thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  Bake as directed.

Ice Cream Freezer Pops

I made these for my niece's 1st birthday party a few weeks ago.  They were a bit hit with the kids (and the adults).  You could make so many variations of these using different candies, cookies and even fruit.  The possibilities are endless!


Ice Cream Freezer Pops

Inspired from this recipe on FoodNetwork.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 8 Oreo cookies, crushed
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• 8 (3 oz.) paper cups
• 8 wooden popsicle sticks

Directions:

1. Add a spoonful of crushed Oreos to the bottom of each paper cup.
2. Place the ice cream and remaining crushed cookies into a large mixer bowl.  Mix gently with a paddle attachment until combined.
3. Spoon ice cream mixture into the cups and insert a popsicle stick into each cup.
4. Freeze until the ice cream is completely frozen.
5. Tear off the paper cups and serve.

Notes & Suggestions:

I also made an M&M version of these.  I used 1/4 cup mini M&M's with 2 cups of ice cream for 8 servings.   

I found that it works best if the ice cream is really soft (almost runny).  It makes scooping it into the cups a lot easier.  

For bigger kids or adults, you could use bigger paper cups.

Perfect Brown Rice

I love, love, love rice.  Recently, my husband and I started eating healthier, so we have made the switch to brown rice.  I tried several different methods to try to get it to cook up like white rice, but it was either not cooked enough (still crunchy) or too cooked (mushy).  So frustrating!  But then I came across this method. Success!


Perfect Brown Rice
Adapted from this recipe on Saveur.com

Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Makes 2 cups


1 cup short, medium or long-grain brown rice
4-5 cups water


Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds.  Bring the water to a boil in pan with a tight-fitting lid over high heat.  Add the rice, stir once, and boil uncovered for 30 minutes.  Pour the rice in the strainer and drain for 10 seconds.  Return the rice to the pan, off the heat, and cover.  Set aside to allow the rice to steam for 10-15 minutes.  Uncover, fluff with a fork, and season with salt.

Fluffy French Toast

After using the same french toast recipe for a few years, I have now found a new favorite.  The flour is the secret.  Top with powdered sugar and maple syrup.  Soooooo good!


Fluffy French Toast

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time:  10 minutes
Serves:  12

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• Pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 12 thick slices of bread

Directions:

1. Place flour in a large mixing bowl and slowly whisk in milk.  Whisk in egg, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and sugar.
2. Heat a lightly buttered griddle or skillet over medium heat.
3. Place bread in the egg mixture and let soak briefly.  Cook bread on each side until browned.

Notes & Suggestions:

We used French bread, but this also works great with Texas Toast type bread.

Make sure you keep the egg mixture stirred up because the cinnamon will float to the top and the flour will sink to the bottom.

Place any leftover pieces in between pieces of wax paper and freeze.  For a quick breakfast, pop them in the toaster until heated through.

We like to add the zest of 1 medium orange to the egg/milk mixture.  It gives it a great orange taste.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

This is a wonderful Southern inspired dish that is sure to spice up the dinner table.


Cajun Chicken Pasta

Adapted from this recipe on ThePioneerWoman.com

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time:  15 minutes
Serves:  6


Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 3 tsp. Cajun seasoning
• 1 lb. fettuccine or linguini
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 large red onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.
2. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning over the chicken pieces and toss to coat.  Heat 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet over high heat.  Add half the chicken pieces in a single layer (do not stir).  Cook for about 1 minute or until brown.  Flip and brown on the other side for an additional minute.  Remove and place on a clean plate.  Repeat with remaining chicken.  
3. With pan still on high heat, add remaining tbsp. of butter and olive oil.  Once heated, add peppers, onions, mushrooms and garlic.  Sprinkle with remaining Cajun seasoning.  Cook over very high heat, stirring gently for 1 minute.  Try to get the vegetables as brown as possible.  Add tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds.  Remove from the pan.
4. Pour the wine and chicken broth into the pan and cook on high heat for 3-5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add in the cream, whisking constantly.  Cook for a few minutes, until mixture starts to thicken.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne.   
5. Add chicken and vegetables to the sauce, including all the juices from the plate.  Stir and cook 1-2 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add fettuccine or linguini and toss to combine.

Notes & Suggestions:

If you don't want to mess with cooking the chicken, you could use 3-4 cups of chicken from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.  Just season it with the Cajun seasoning and add it in at the end.

Personally, I thought a pound of pasta was too much, so next time I will just make 3/4 of a pound.

I had a problem getting my sauce to thicken up so I had to add some flour to it.  I also added more Cajun seasoning to spice it up some more.  I like my food spicy!  :)

Boiled Chicken

This is a great basic recipe for boiled chicken.  It's so easy because there's not much prep involved.  My grocery store has whole chickens on sale for $.77/lb. about once a month, so I stock up my freezer.  I use boiled chicken for all kinds of casseroles and dishes, and as a bonus, I get several cups of chicken stock that I freeze for later use.


Boiled Chicken

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time:  1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
• 1 large onion, halved
• 3 carrots, cut into chunks 
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into chunks
• 2 whole cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. whole peppercorns

Directions:

1. Remove any giblets from inside the chicken.  Rinse the whole chicken well.
2. Place chicken in a large pot along with the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt and peppercorns.  Add water to cover.  
3. Cover pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is falling off the bone.  
4. Remove chicken, cool and remove meat from the bone. 
5. If desired, strain broth, cool and freeze for later use.

Notes & Suggestions:

Usually the chickens I buy are 4-5 lbs. so I just add 1 extra carrot, celery stalk and clove of garlic, along with an extra 1/2 tbsp. salt.   

This recipe also works well if you just want to boil chicken breasts or thighs and not a whole chicken.  

A hint - to ensure your chicken stays juicy and doesn't dry out, cool it in the broth before picking the meat off the bones.  

I usually measure out the chicken broth in 1 cup portions and then freeze either in small containers or Ziplocs. Then whenever a recipe calls for chicken broth, I defrost whatever I need.  It has so much more flavor than the box stuff.  

Tip: A Cool Way to Separate An Egg Yoke

Not only would this be handy in the kitchen, it also looks like it would be a great party trick.  :)

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Simply delicious and easy!  Perfect for a quick summer dinner.


Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 lbs. fresh shrimp, peeled & deveined

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, vinegar, basil, salt and cayenne.  Add the shrimp to the bowl and stir until coated.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  
2. Preheat the grill to medium heat.  Thread the shrimp onto skewers, piecing once near the tail and then near the head.  Discard marinade
3. Grill shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Notes & Suggestions:

I use ketchup instead of the tomato sauce, instead of opening a whole can of tomato sauce just for 1/4 cup.

I let these marinate for about an hour.  If you don't have time to let them marinate, just brush the shrimp with the marinade while they're grilling and they will still have a wonderful flavor.

Simple Smoothie

There are tons of smoothie recipes out there, but I have noticed that a lot of them have weird stuff in them, like flaxseeds or protein powder.  There's nothing wrong with that stuff...it's just not my thing.  So I was happy when I found this simple, straightforward recipe.  I love making these for a quick breakfast.  They're thick and creamy, kinda like a fruity milkshake.


Simple Smoothie

Inspired by this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 6 frozen strawberries
• 1 small banana
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp. sugar, honey or artificial sweetener

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine the strawberries, banana, milk, yogurt and sugar.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  

Notes & Suggestions:

This recipe is so versatile.  You can use any kind of fruit.  Strawberry & banana is just one of my favorites.  If you can find a frozen tropical fruit mix, that is really yummy too.  I usually just throw in a handful of whatever frozen fruit I get.  Fresh fruit works great too, but I have found that the smoothie doesn't seem to come out as thick.  Adding a few cubes of ice does help though.  

I like to use Greek yogurt (I prefer Chobani brand) because it's thicker and has lots protein, which keeps you fuller longer.  I first tried using plain yogurt but I didn't like the tartness of it.  Then I discovered the vanilla. Much tastier!  

Smothered Pork Chops

There's nothing better than food smothered with lots and lots of gravy.  This is great Southern comfort food.


Smothered Pork Chops

Adapted from this recipe from Foodnetwork.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 4 bone-in pork chops, 3/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Put the flour in a shallow dish and add the onion power, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper.  Mix with a fork to mix evenly.  
2. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and dredge them in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the oil.  When the oil is hot, add the pork chops and fry for 3 minutes per side or until golden brown.  
4. Remove the pork chops from the pan and add the onions and mushrooms (if using).  Saute for 3-5 minutes or until onion is translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  
5. If needed, add 1-2 tbsp. more oil (or butter).  Stir in 2 tbsp. of the leftover seasoned flour to the pan drippings.  Stir the flour around and cook for about a minute then pour in the chicken broth.  Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
6. Stir in the buttermilk and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce.  Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through.  

Notes & Suggestions:

I used boneless pork chops because that's what I had in the freezer.  Make sure you season the pork chops before you flour them (I used Emeril's Original Essence, but just salt and pepper works great too).  Even though the flour has seasoning in it, the meat will be bland if it's not seasoned.

I doubled the amount of chicken broth and buttermilk because we like lots of gravy.  I had to add another tbsp. of flour (mixed in with a little water to make a slurry) to the gravy before I added the pork chops back in because the gravy was a little too thin.  It ended up thickening as it simmered with the pork chops.

This recipe can also be made with chicken.     

This is great served with mashed potatoes or rice.

Baked Dijon Salmon

Up until a few years ago, I rarely ate fish because I didn't like the fishy taste you sometimes get.  This was the very first salmon recipe I tried, and I've been hooked (no pun intended) on fish ever since.  The pecan and bread crumb topping gives the fish a nice crunch.  I served this with Southern Green Beans and Garlic Bread.

Baked Dijon Salmon

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 3/4 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 4 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 4 (4 oz.) salmon filets
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, mustard and honey.  Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans and parsley.
4. Brush each salmon filet with the honey mustard mixture and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top.
5. Bake salmon 12 to 15 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork.  Season with salt and pepper.

Notes & Suggestions:

The first thing I usually do is season the fish.  Otherwise, it will be bland.  I like to use either Old Bay or Tony's.  

Also, I like to use Panko bread crumbs because it really makes the topping nice and crunchy.  

Southern Green Beans

These green beans are fantastic!  The chicken broth really gives them a great flavor.

Southern Green Beans

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed & snapped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 -1 cup chicken broth
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until evenly brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain the bacon pieces on a paper towel.
2. Cook the onions in the bacon grease, adding 1 to 2 tbsp. butter if needed, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  
3. Stir in the cooked bacon, green beans, garlic and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat until green beans are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Notes & Suggestions:

I ended up using 1 cup of chicken broth because 1/2 cup didn't seem like it would be enough.  After 15 minutes, the beans were perfectly tender.  If you like them a little crunchy, try 10 minutes.

Next time I think I'll add in a small amount of red pepper flakes, just to give it a kick, and add in another clove of garlic (since we're garlic lovers).    

For another variation and to make this more of a hearty dish, you could add in 8 diced red potatoes with the green beans and simmer until tender.  

  

Garlic Bread

Garlic bread goes great with just about any kind of meal.  This is a dressed up version of a much-loved classic.

Garlic Bread
Adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food Cookbook

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 6 tsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp. parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
• 1 tbsp. fresh chives, minced
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 loaf Italian bread, split

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 450 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mash together the butter, garlic, Parmesan, basil, chives and salt until well blended.
3. Divide the mixture evenly and spread onto both cut sides of the bread.  Place the bread halves cut side up on a baking sheet.
4. Bake about 10 minutes or until the bread is toasted.  Cut crosswise into slices and serve hot.

Notes & Directions:

Be sure to use fresh herbs.  It makes all the difference in the world.  It's so easy to grow your own herbs and it's much more cost effective than buying the small packages of them at the store.

For garlic cheese bread, sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or Gruyere cheese on the bread before putting in the oven.  

For another version, use roasted garlic.  It has a sweet, mellow flavor.  Slice a head of garlic in half crosswise, place on a piece of aluminum foil, and drizzle with olive oil.  Wrap up the garlic in the aluminum foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes.  Squeeze the cloves of garlic out of their paper shells and mix into the butter mixture.

The garlic butter freezes very well.  Here's the best way I've found to do this:

After mixing up the butter mixture, spoon onto a piece of plastic wrap.  Roll the butter into a log shape and place into the fridge until it's firm.

Take it out of the fridge and cut into slices, about 1/4" thick or so.

Then you can place the butter slices into a Ziploc and freeze.

So whenever you want some garlic bread, take out a slice of butter (1 slice per piece of bread), thaw, spread on the bread and broil in the oven for a couple of minutes, or until golden.  Quick and easy!

I also keep a Ziploc full of french bread slices in the freezer as well.

Do You Know What the Color Tie Tags on Bread Mean?

I didn't know the different colored tie tags on bread actually meant something.  I just thought they were for decoration.   :)

The color actually designates the day of the week on which the loaf was baked.

(I guess they don't bake bread on Wednesday and Sundays)


An easy way to remember this - the color run is in alphabetical order.  So the earlier they appear in the alphabet, the earlier in the week the bread was baked.  Monday = (B)lue, Tuesday = (G)reen, etc.

From what I read on this, it's not a universal thing and varies by region and bread company, so it's always best to go by the "sell date" or the "squeeze test."

I just thought this was interesting and wanted to pass it along.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

We used some leftover Unbelievable Chicken and made a chicken spinach salad with this dressing. Yummmmmm!

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing 
Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1/2 cup raspberry wine vinegar (or 1/2 cup raspberry preserves + 1/4 cup red wine vinegar)
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, oregano and pepper in a jar with a lid.  Shake well and serve.

Notes & Suggestions:

I couldn't find the raspberry wine vinegar at my grocery store, so I substituted it with 1/2 cup raspberry preserves plus 1/4 cup red wine vinegar.  You could also use fresh raspberries and puree them in a blender with the red wine vinegar.  

I also added a little extra oil because the dressing was a little too thick.

Unbelievable Chicken

This chicken definitely lives up to it's name.  So juicy and tender!


Unbelievable Chicken

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12-16 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp. coarse ground mustard
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp. juice)
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 1 tbsp. juice)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 6 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustards, garlic, lime juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil.  
2. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken.  Place in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
3. Grill over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Discard marinade.  

Notes & Suggestions:

The longer you marinate the chicken the better.  I usually try to marinate it overnight, but sometimes I only have time to marinate for a few hours.  It still turns out great!

I use whole grain mustard instead of the coarse ground mustard since it's what I usually have on hand.

Make sure you use fresh lime and lemon juice.  The bottled stuff is very concentrated and may be too overpowering.   

This chicken is also great on top of salads.  We usually use the leftovers to make a big chicken salad for dinner the following night.  

Raspberry Oatmeal Cookie Bars

I was looking for a quick dessert to take for a family dinner, so I decided to try these bars.  Everyone loved them!  They are buttery, moist, crunchy and sweet.  It's hard to believe they take very little effort and only a few ingredients.


Raspberry Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Makes 9 bars

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup raspberry (or your favorite flavor) jam or preserves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and oats.  Using your hands or a pastry cutter, work in the butter to form a crumbly mixture.  Press 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the pan.  
3. Spread the jam to within 1/4 inch of the edge.  Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top and lightly press into the jam.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly brown.  Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Notes & Directions:

I doubled the recipe and used a 9 x 13 glass baking pan.  Good thing I did because they were gone in no time!  

I added 1 tsp. of lemon zest to the raspberry preserves to enhance the flavor.  I baked these for 35 minutes and they came out perfect.  

Next time, I think I will use more than 2 cups of the mixture for the crust because I had way more than I needed for the topping.  

If you're using cold jam, warm it up in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.  It will be easier to spread.  

Make sure you don't spread the jam too close to the edge of the pan.  It will spread as it bakes and it might melt over the edge and be hard to get out of the pan.  Also, it takes a little time to work in the butter to the sugar/flour mixture.  But this is key to the bars not coming out too crumbly.  

You could top these with nuts or drizzle with white chocolate.  

These are also great for breakfast and go great with coffee.

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

This is one of our favorite go-to recipes.  It's great served with garlic bread and a salad.

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

Inspired by this recipe on Kraftfoods.com

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
• 1 package (9 oz.) fresh spinach leaves
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 package (10 oz.) of fresh sliced mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook pasta as directed on package.  One minute before the pasta is done, add the spinach to the boiling water.  
3. While pasta is cooking, saute the chicken in 1 tbsp. olive oil a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.  Remove and place in a bowl.  
4. Add the onions, red pepper and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  
5. Add the chicken back in the pan with the vegetables.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and cream cheese.  Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for 3 minutes or until the cream cheese has melted.  
6. Drain the pasta mixture and return to pan.  Add the chicken mixture and stir until combined.  
7. Spoon into a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
8. Bake 20 minutes.

Notes & Suggestions:

In order to same some time, you can use leftover Perfect Roasted Chicken or pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken from your grocery store.  Just pick the chicken off the bones and use 2 - 2 1/2 cups of the shredded chicken in place of the chicken breasts.  I do this with a lot of casserole dishes to make it faster and easier.  Make sure you season whatever chicken you use.  Otherwise, it will be bland.  

For a healthier version, you can use whole grain or whole wheat pasta, Neufchatel cheese (low-fat cream cheese), and 2% mozzarella cheese.  

Sloppy Joes

Kids big and small love sloppy joes.  I discovered this recipe a few years ago and will never go back to the canned stuff.  This makes a great weeknight meal because it's quick and easy.

Sloppy Joes

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 - 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper 
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp. yellow mustard
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 tsp. brown sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the beef, onion and bell pepper.  Drain off any liquid.
2. Stir in the ketchup, mustard, garlic powder and brown sugar and mix thoroughly.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve on hamburger buns.

Notes & Suggestions:

I usually need to add a little water to the sloppy joes while they're simmering because they tend to thicken up. If you like them really sloppy, you may want to double the sauce.

It's also great with cheese on it (as shown in the photo).  

Another variation you can try is to reduce the ketchup to 1/2 cup, omit the brown sugar and add 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.   

You can also double the recipe and freeze the extra for a quick lunch or dinner.  Fill up the cups in a muffin pan and freeze.  Once frozen, pop them out and store them in a Ziploc in the freezer.  Each one is a perfect single serving.

Perfect Roasted Chicken

Up until a couple of years ago, I had never roasted a chicken in my life.  It seemed a bit intimidating, but I followed this recipe and it actually ended up being really easy.  I was so impressed with the results!  It doesn't involve a whole lot of prep and you end up with a whole meal in one pan.  The oven does all the work for you. Now I make this at least once a month.  So simple and delicious!


Perfect Roast Chicken

Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours
Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) whole chicken
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots, cut into 1/2" chunks
• 8 red potatoes, quartered
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp. flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 425 degrees.
2. Remove the giblets from the chicken and discard.  Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.  
3. Place the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan or large glass baking dish.  Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. 
4. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.  Place the lemon halves, bunch of thyme and all the garlic inside the chicken.  
5. Brush the outside of the chicken with the melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.  
6. Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hour.  Spoon 2 tbsp. of the pan drippings into a small cup.  Cover the chicken with foil while you prepare the gravy.
7. Add the chicken stock to a pan and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes.  Combine the flour with the 2 tbsp. of pan drippings.  Whisk the mixture into the chicken broth.  Boil for a few minutes until thickened.  
8. Slice the chicken and serve with gravy and vegetables.

Notes & Suggestions:

When I first started making this recipe, all I had was my mom's old turkey roasting pan.  So I used it a couple of times and noticed that my veggies kept burning.  So I started using a large glass baking dish instead, and I waited to add the veggies to the pan after the chicken had roasted for 1/2 hour.  That seemed to solve my burning problem.  

Make sure you season the chicken and the veggies well.  Along with salt and pepper, I also use Emeril's Chicken Rub (you can find it in the spice aisle of your store).  

A variation of this recipe I make every now and then involves adding bacon on top of the chicken while it roasts.  After you coat the chicken with melted butter and season it, cover it with slices of bacon.  I usually use 5-6 slices.  After the chicken roasts for 45 minutes, remove the bacon (otherwise it will burn) and continue roasting for another 45 minutes.  Great flavor and very juicy!

You can also roast the chicken (without the veggies), take the meat off the bone, freeze it and use it in casseroles (such as Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake).  

Red Skinned Potato Salad

You can't have a summer BBQ without potato salad.  The bacon is what makes this soooo good.


Red Skinned Potato Salad

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 1 hour
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds red potatoes
• 6 eggs
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 onion, finely chopped, or 3 green onions
• 2-3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
2. Place eggs in a small pot and cover with cold water.  Bring water to a boil, remove from heat and cover.  Let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from the hot water, cool, peel & chop.
3. Place bacon in a larget skillet and cook over medium heat until brown and crispy.  Drain and crumble.
4. Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving the skins on.  Put in a large bowl and add the eggs, bacon, onion and celery.  Add the mayo and salt and pepper to taste.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes & Suggestions:

I decided to cut the potatoes before boiling them.  I'm terrible about overcooking potatoes when I make potato salad, so I boiled them for 10 minutes and they were perfect.  Tender, but still just a little firm so they hold together.  

Make sure your bacon is crispy.  Otherwise it will get soggy in the potato salad.  We had leftovers the next day, and the bacon was still nice and crispy.  

The great thing about this recipe is that you customize however you want.  I added a big squirt of mustard, just to give it a little tang.  You can also add in some shredded cheddar cheese, relish or chopped pickles, or reduce some of the mayo and add in some sour cream.  

This does take some time to prep, but the good thing is that it can be made way ahead of time.  Plus it's so worth the time!

A Tip on Freezing Bacon

My husband and I love bacon, but we only seem to eat it on the weekends for breakfast or for the occasional BLT for dinner.  I usually buy a 1 1/2 lb. package of bacon, and it doesn't take it long to go bad once it's opened.  So I found a handy way to freeze it.

Roll up each piece of bacon (like a pinwheel) and put them on a cookie sheet.  Put the cookie sheet in the freezer, then once the bacon is frozen, put it in a resealable plastic freezer bag.  That way you can grab however many pieces you need out of the bag, defrost them in the microwave and you're good to go.

Oh, and don't forget to label your bag with the date. According to www.foodsafety.gov, bacon only last 1 month in the freezer, but I've kept it twice as long as that and it was perfectly fine.

Fluffy Pancakes

This is the best pancake recipe!  Light and fluffy pancakes with the perfect texture.


Fluffy Pancakes
Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Makes 6 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup buttermilk (or 3/4 cup milk + 2 tbsp. vinegar)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

1. If using buttermilk, go to step 2.  If using milk, combine milk & vinegar in a medium bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes to "sour."
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.  
3. Whisk egg, melted butter and vanilla into buttermilk (or "soured" milk).
4. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk just until all lumps are gone.  Be sure not to overmix.  Let batter sit while skillet/griddle is heating up.  
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat (or a griddle to 350 degrees) and coat with cooking spray.  Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto skillet or griddle.  Cook until bubbles appear, then flip and cook until browned on the other side.  

Notes & Suggestions:

We absolutely love these pancakes!  I rarely have buttermilk on hand so I make the "soured" milk.  I was a little apprehensive the first time I tried it, but it doesn't make anything taste sour at all so don't worry.  It's just a way of making buttermilk if you don't have any.  

The batter comes out pretty thick, so we usually add 2 tbsp. of extra milk (or buttermilk) to thin it out and make it easier to pour.  

Once you make the batter, let it sit while your skillet/griddle is heating up, and resist the urge to stir it again.  It gets a little foamy as it sits and that's what gives the pancakes their fluffy texture.

We usually serve these with a maple butter syrup.  We just mix 1 tbsp. of melted butter with 1/4 cup maple syrup.  But these would also be great with strawberries and whipped cream or any other kind of fruit topping. Yum!!!

  

Grilled Chicken Taco Pizzas

Tonight we made some grilled chicken taco pizzas.  Since it's summer, we like using our grill a lot, and we were looking for something different and fun to make.  We have tried these pizzas once before, but since it was so long ago, we didn't remember how they turned out.  So we decided to give them a try again.  They were delicious!!!


Grilled Chicken Taco Pizzas
Adapted from this recipe on FoodNetwork.com

Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3

Ingredients:

  For the taco seasoning:

• 2 tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. ground black pepper

 For the pizzas:

• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (16 oz.) tube pizza dough
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 avocado
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. diced red onion
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Mix all the taco seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Mix 2 tbsp. of the taco seasoning and the canola oil in a shallow bowl or small baking dish.  
3. Pound chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap until they are both the same thickness, roughly 1/2".  
4. Add the chicken to the bowl, turning to coat.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Preheat gril to medium high heat.  Grill the chicken for about 5 minutes per side.  Let cool, then cut into bite-size pieces.
6. Divide the pizza dough into 3 pieces.  Roll out each piece onto a floured surface until you have an 8" circle.  Brush each side with canola oil and sprinkle with taco seasoning.  Grill 3-5 minutes or until crisp.  Remove from the grill.
7. Mix the cheese in a bowl then sprinkle on the crusts.  Top with chicken.  Return to the grill, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  
8. Mix the avocado, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and red onion.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  
9. Top the pizza with the avocado mixture, salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Notes & Suggestions:

I made the pizza crust from scratch instead of using the store bought kind (only because I wanted to try making it from scratch).  Boy was it worth the little bit of extra time!  I will include the pizza crust recipe in this post as well.  

On the taco seasoning, I only used 1/2 tsp. of the cayenne pepper.  If you have little ones, you may want to use a little less because the pizza crust was a bit spicy.  The recipe makes about twice as much as you need, but you can always use it for other recipes, or to make tacos.  :o)

I let the chicken marinate for a couple of hours, instead of the 30 minutes.  While my husband was grilling the chicken, I rolled out the 3 pieces of pizza dough into 8" circles (about 1/4" thick) and got them ready for the grill. We weren't real sure how they were going to hold up on the grill, but they ended up grilling up beautifully.  

I think next time we will try pico instead of salsa.  It seems like it will go better because it's in small chunks like everything else.  Also, we thought we could use more avocado mixture because there was only enough for 2 of the 3 pizzas.  

All in all, it was very yummy!  It was a little bit of work and it got a lot of dishes dirty, but it was definitely worth it. This one will go in our favorite recipes binder for sure!

Thin Crust Pizza Dough

Adapted from this recipe on Williams-Sonoma.com

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3/4 cup warm water (105 degrees)
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 cup plus 3 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, sugar and water.  Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a food processor bowl, combine the cake flour, all purpose flour and salt.  Pulse 3-4 times to mix.
3. Whisk 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in the yeast mixture.
4. With the food processor running, slowly add the yeast mixture a little at a time to the flour mixture, allowing each addition to be mixed well before adding more.  After all the yeast has been added, pulse 10-15 times to knead the dough.  The dough should clean the inside of the bowl but still be a little sticky.  
5. Coat the inside of a large bowl with the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Dust your hands with flour and remove the dough.  Form dough into a ball and place in the bowl.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, place in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.  Divide the dough in half and roll out as directed in the pizza recipe.  Makes two 10" pizzas.

Notes & Suggestions:

I followed the recipe exactly as written.  I was surprised how easy the dough was to make, as well as how easy it was to handle and roll out.  I'm not very good at rolling out any kind of dough, but I didn't have any problems with this one at all.  Very impressed!  

When making the chicken taco pieces, I just separated the whole dough ball into 3 pieces and it worked out to be just the right amount for that recipe.  

If you have the extra time, I would suggest trying this pizza dough.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

Chipotle Crusted Pork Tenderloin & Yellow Squash Casserole

Tonight we tried a new pork tenderloin recipe.  Pork tenderloins don't go on sale very often, so when they do, I buy a couple, vacuum seal them and throw them in the freezer.  (I try to do this with other types of meat that are on sale as well).  I have a handful of favorites recipes for pork tenderloin (I will share these in future posts), but I wanted to try something new.  I came across this recipe, and It turned out really yummy!  

Chipotle Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 3/4 tsp. onion powder
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin

Directions:

1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle chili powder, salt and brown sugar.  Put the pork tenderloin in the bag and shake to coat evenly.  Refrigerate 10-15 minutes (or longer if desired).
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400-425 degrees).  Cook pork tenderloin for 4 1/2 - 5 minutes per side (for a total of 18-20 minutes), depending on desired doneness.  
3. Let meat rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Notes & Suggestions:

Before putting the rub on the pork tenderloin, I marinated it in pineapple juice (a 6 oz. can).  After a couple of hours, I drained it, put the rub on for another 2 hours.  About 15-20 minutes before grilling time, I took the meat out of the fridge so it can warm up a bit.  We do this to any type of meat before we grill it because it allows the meat to cook more evenly.  If the meat is really cold, it won't cook as well in the middle.  Another tip is to use tongs and not a fork when you're grilling any kind of meat.

My husband grilled the pork tenderloin for 4 minutes and 45 seconds per side, and it was still a little pink in the middle, which is the way we prefer it.  Remember to always let any meat rest after grilling before you cut into it. It keeps the juices in and keeps it from drying out.  Plus once you cut into it, it cools quickly so don't cut it until you're ready to eat.  

We both liked this recipe a lot.  My husband thought it needed some type of sauce, but I thought it was great the way it was. It is a little spicy, but not so hot that you can't eat it.  If you don't like a lot of spice, just cut back on the chili powder.  The whole tenderloin was plenty for the 2 of us, with enough leftover for one of us for lunch.  We also made the following squash casserole to go with it.

Yellow Squash Casserole

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 large yellow squash, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 35 buttery round crackers, such as Ritz or Town House
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp. salt
• ground pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
• Place squash and onions in a large skillet with 1-2 tbsp. olive oil.  Saute over medium high for about 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Saute another minute or until squash are tender.
• In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese.  Stir half of the mixture in with the cooked squash and onions.  
• In a small bowl, mix together the eggs and milk.  Add to squash mixture.  
• Stir in melted butter.
• Spread mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and spread with remaining cracker mixture.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Notes & Suggestions:

I used my mandoline to slice the squash into 1/4" pieces.  While I was sauteing the squash, I seasoned it with 1 1/2 tsp. of Tony Chachere's instead of the salt.  I've made this dish a couple of times before and it never seems to have enough seasoning, so I figured I'd try that.  If you don't want to saute the squash and onions, you can also steam them.  Place them in a large skillet, add a small amount of water, cover, and cook until squash are tender, about 5 minutes.  You can also substitute zucchini for the squash as well.

The squash still turned out a little bland, so next time I will add some salt as well as the Tony's.  This doesn't make very good leftovers because when you reheat it, it becomes mushy.  So I would suggest cutting the recipe in half if you're only serving 2-4.