Bald Guy Chicken

I saw the name of this chicken and had to make it.  I love the story that came along with the original post.  This chicken was awesome.  I like barbecue chicken and I like Italian dressing chicken, so it's perfect that they're combined in the marinade.  This is going to be my new go-to dinner when I don't feel like making anything.

Bald Guy Chicken
from Tastes of Lizzy T

1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup Kraft Tuscan House Italian Dressing
4 chicken breasts

Combine the barbecue sauce and Italian dressing in a small bowl.  Pierce the chicken breasts two or three times with a knife and place in a large resealable bag.  Pour in the marinade and seal.  Marinate overnight in the fridge.  Preheat the grill to medium high heat and grill the chicken until chicken reaches 160F.

Sweet and Sticky Shrimp

This recipe was really good, although I wish I had cooked them on skewers.  I put them on foil on the grill and they got a little overcooked and shrunken.  It would also be nice to have a little bit of honey to drizzle over at the end of cooking.  Also something that would be good is coating the shrimp in cornstarch and then marinating.  So many ideas....

Sweet and Sticky Shrimp
from The Novice Chef

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup honey
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
chopped cilantro as garnish

In a large bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Toss shrimp in sauce and allow to marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours (covered in the fridge).  Heat grill to medium-high heat.  Thread shrimp on to skewers, in through the head, out through the tail.  Lightly oil the grill with cooking spray.  Grill for 6-7 minutes, flipping half way through cooking, until cooked through.  Remove to a platter and top with chopped cilantro.

Rosemary Balsamic Chicken Skewers

This was so delicious.  I've written before about how bad I am at making balsamic reduction, so I bought a bottle of Roland Balsamic Glaze and it's been a godsend.  Yep, totally cheating, but it's delicious.  This was a great recipe for it.

Rosemary Balsamic Chicken Skewers
from Anytime Health

2 large chicken breasts (I used a pack of thin sliced chicken breasts), sliced in 1" wide strips
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp rosemary
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1 cup balsamic vinegar - for reduction

Preheat grill to 400F.  Stick a skewer through each strip and place on a large plate.  Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic salt.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the chicken.  Place a sheet of foil on the grill and spray with cooking spray.  Place the chicken skewers on the foil and cook for about 5 minutes.  Flip and cook for 3-5 minutes, until cooked through.  While the chicken is cooking, make the balsamic reduction and serve alongside chicken skewers.

Maple Bourbon Flank Steak

Well, I didn't like this steak at all.  It tasted way too much like alcohol.  I hate when the alcohol flavor sticks around a dish after it's cooked.  I guess it's because of the marinade.  Not interested, but if it sounds like your kind of thing, be my guest!

Maple Bourbon Flank Steak
from A Sunshiny Day

1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1-2 lbs flank steak

Mix the marinade ingredients together.  Place the meat in a large resealable bag.  Pour the marinade over the steak and marinate in the fridge for 8-24 hours.  Heat the grill to medium heat.  Place the meat on the grill and cook until it reaches 130-135F.  Remove to a cutting board and cover with foil for 5-10 minutes.  Slice in thin slices against the grain of the meat.

Hawaiian Tacos

This was pretty different from the stuff we normally eat, so that makes it fun.  It was a really flavorful taste combination and I really enjoyed it.

Hawaiian Tacos
from Taste and Tell

1 lb ground pork
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
juice from 1 lime
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1 avocado diced
1 mango, diced
1 package taco shells

In a large skillet, cook ground pork over medium-high heat, breaking up with the spatula as it cooks.  When browned and cooked through, add the barbecue sauce and mix together and cook until warmed through.  Make the salsa:  in a bowl, combine the red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, pineapple, avocado and mango.  Season to taste with salt.  Spoon the pork into the taco shells and top with the salsa.

Jalapeno Popper Cauliflower Casserole

There's nothing about this that you can disagree with.  It was an awesome flavor and also really interesting.  I love that a lot of the cooking takes place in the microwave, but it does take a decent amount of time to prepare, in my opinion.  Then again, I just like making marinades and grilling things.

Jalapeno Popper Cauliflower Casserole
from I Breathe... I'm Hungry

Puree:
1 head of cauliflower
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tbsp raw jalapenos, chopped
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Cream cheese layer:
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup salsa verde

Topping:
3/4 cup colby jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup raw jalapenos, sliced and seeded

For the puree:  Clean and trim the cauliflower, breaking into medium sized pieces.  Place in a microwave safe bowl with 2 tbsp of cream and 1 tbsp of butter.  Microwave uncovered on high for 10 minutes.  Stir to coat cauliflower in cream and butter.  Microwave another 6-8 minutes on high.  Remove from the microwave and put into a blender or food processor along with the cheddar, jalapenos and garlic powder.  Puree until smooth.  Season generously with salt and pepper.
For the cream cheese layer:  Put the cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to soften.  Add the shredded cheddar and salsa verde, mixing thoroughly.  It should be very soft and spreadable.
To assemble to casserole: In an 8x8" baking dish, spread out the cauliflower puree across the bottom of the dish.  Spread the warm cream cheese mix on top of the puree.  Top with a layer of shredded colby jack cheese and the sliced jalapenos.  Bake at 375F for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted.

Stuffed Taco Peppers

I bought giant green bell peppers at the farmer's market last week and I happened to have a pack of ground turkey.  Our neighbor also dropped by that week with some zucchini from her garden.  I've been meaning to post my stuffed peppers recipe, but this was way better.

Stuffed Taco Peppers
from Oh Sweet Basil

2 green bell peppers
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 packet taco seasoning (I used about half, but could have tolerated more)
1 small zucchini, diced
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Salsa
Fat-free sour cream

Heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Add a little olive oil and saute the zucchini until tender, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the ground turkey.  Cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking apart the meat as it cooks.  Add the taco seasoning, stir to combine and allow to cook through, another 2-3 minutes.  Heat the oven to 400F.  Cut each pepper in half lengthwise and clean out the seeds and rib meat.  Fill with taco meat, zucchini and top with cheese.  Bake 15-20 minutes and remove from oven.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Paleo Chicken Salad with Herb Dressing

I made this on a Sunday and ate it all week for lunch (when I didn't order sushi) on lettuce with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.  It's the first time I've ever had chicken salad and it wasn't bad.  Keep in mind, the recipe is really time consuming.  It took a little over 2 hours to prepare.

Paleo Chicken Salad with Herb Dressing

from Bravo for Paleo

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 bay leaves

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 cup unsalted, roasted almonds, finely chopped

1/2 large red onion, diced

1/2 bunch of asparagus, roasted and diced

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 roasted bell peppers (I used red), skin removed and diced

salt and pepper to taste

Mustard Herb Dressing

1/3 cup fresh parsley, tightly packed

1/3 cup fresh basil, tightly packed

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

fresh ground pepper to taste

Make the chicken: Put the bay leaves and chicken broth in a large pot with a lid and bring broth to a simmer.  Add the chicken and return the broth to a simmer.  Cover the pot, turn off the heat and let chicken steep in the broth for about an hour.  When done, remove to a large cutting board.  Shred chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks.

Roasting Bell Peppers: Preheat oven to 450F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Cut the peppers in half and clean out seeds and rib meat.  Place them on the baking sheet skin side up.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  When the skins are brownish-black, remove from the oven and immediately place the peppers in a large resealable bag.  Seal the bag and let them sit for 20 minutes, until peppers have had time to cool and "sweat."  Once they have cooled, pull the skins off, discard. Dice the meat that's left over.

Roasting Asparagus:  Toss asparagus with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast in the 450F oven for 5-10 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool, then cut into small pieces.

Dressing:  Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until combined.

Chicken Salad:  In a large bowl, combine chicken, garlic, roasted almonds, red onion, asparagus, basil, parsley, bell peppers, salt and pepper.  Cover with Mustard Herb Dressing and toss until completely coated.

Citrus-Marinated Chicken

I loved this and made yummy noises through my whole meal.  I made chicken thighs for me and boneless skinless chicken breasts for the man.

Citrus-Marinated Chicken
adapted from Marin Mama Cooks

2 lbs chicken - your choice
3 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp orange zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from one big orange)
1/4 cup soy-sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp coarse kosher salt (you can use way less... mix the rest, then taste and add to taste)

Combine all the ingredients but the chicken in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  Set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade.  In a large resealable bag, add the chicken and the remaining marinade.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, up to 2 hours.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat and place the chicken skin side down on the grill.  Cook until skin starts to get bubbly and flip to cook the rest of the way, until juices run clear.  Serve and top with reserved marinade.

Honey, Lime and Sriracha Chicken Skewers

More stuff on a stick!  It's still summer, so I'm still grilling.  I got these adorable tiny sweet peppers at the farmer's market and, as I was eyeing them, a lady nearby said, "You know what I do with those??  Kebabs!"  She's a genius.  Then I had to find the perfect partner for them and I chose this chicken.  I was not disappointed at all.  I picked up another quart? pint? of them this week, but I'm going to use them as a snack for work with some ranch dip.

Honey, Lime and Sriracha Chicken Skewers
adapted from Once Upon a Chef

3 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp lime zest, from one lime
3 tbsp fresh lime juice, from 2 limes
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 chicken breasts, cut in 1" pieces


In a blender, combine soy sauce, honey, oil, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, ginger, sriracha and salt.  Blend until completely smooth.  Pour 1/2 cup of the marinade in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Combine chicken and remaining marinade in a large resealable bag and seal tightly.  Marinate 6 hours to overnight.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread on skewers.  Heat grill to medium high heat and grease the grill.  Grill the chicken skewers about 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through.  Transfer skewers to a platter and drizzle the reserved marinade over top.

Grilled Bacon Scallops

I keep telling you how I don't like to overdose on scallops and only really have them once a year, yet I've made them three times since January.  Probably for the sake of this "blog" and mixing it up.  Otherwise it would only ever be chicken, meatballs, shrimp, burger, chicken, pork, meatballs, chicken, shrimp, burger.  Plus when the second ingredient is bacon, I'm all over it.  This recipe is really just bacon wrapped scallops.

Oh, and do these look charred to you?  That's because I set my entire grill on fire and that temperature gauge went way past 600F and scared the crap out of me.  I screamed bloody murder until the man heard me and came running.  It was really embarrassing.  Lesson learned, which I pass on to you:  go easy on the olive oil.

Grilled Bacon Scallops
adapted from Framed Cooks

16 large sea scallops (I found a bag of frozen, dry sea scallops at the store)
8 strips of bacon, cut in half
olive oil
fresh ground pepper
lemon juice
balsamic vinegar

Cook the bacon until halfway cooked (you can do this in a 400F oven for 5 minutes, or in the microwave for 3 minutes).  Let cool until you can handle them safely.  Wrap each scallop in a half piece of bacon.  Thread scallops onto skewers.  Brush the scallops on all sides with a little bit of olive oil and grind fresh pepper on top.  Heat the grill to medium high and place the skewers bacon-side down.  Cook for 4 minutes and then flip to the other bacon side.  Cook another 4 minutes until bacon is cooked through.  If the scallops aren't done and opaque by the time the bacon is done, place the skewers scallop-side down on the grill for a minute or two.  Put on a platter when done and drizzle with fresh lemon juice, chives and balsamic vinegar.

Quick and Easy Tarragon Chicken

I've posted a couple of "World's Best" chicken recipes, but, to me, this is the World's Best Chicken.  I LOVE this chicken and I used to make it all the time, but someone else who lives in my house got a little sick of it.  The sauce is just amazing.  I sometimes throw in some thin sliced mushrooms which also soak up the sauce.  I love to pair it with green beans and slop the sauce on them, as well.  This might not be your idea of "World's Best," but I hope you enjoy it.

Quick and Easy Tarragon Chicken
from 365 Ways to Cook Chicken

2 tbsp butter/margarine
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 chicken breasts, pounded to even thinness
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large frying pan, melt butter in oil.  Add chicken and cook on both sides until lightly browned and starting to cook through.  Remove to a plate and set aside.  Add wine to the pan.  Bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits.  Stir in mustard, salt, pepper and tarragon.  Whisk in cream and bring to a boil.  Cook until the mixture thickens up a bit.  Return the chicken to the pan and cook, covered, another 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  Turn regularly to coat the chicken in the sauce.  Serve with sauce spooned over.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

I make the best wings.  So much so, I won't order them when we go out.  Plus, these wings are baked and reasonably healthy and CRAZY delicious. 

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
by, I can't remember

20 chicken wings, cut up, little end bits discarded
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
wing sauce

Combine flour, cayenne, garlic powder and salt in a Ziploc bag.  In groups, add the wings and shake up to coat.  Place flour-coated wings on a greased rack on a baking sheet.  Refrigerate uncovered at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 400F.  In a large bowl, add the wings in groups and coat in wing sauce.  Place back on the greased rack on the baking sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes, flipping half way through.

Dijon Rosemary Chicken

I am skeptical about recipes that claim to be the World's Best Chicken, but I feel compelled to try them all just in case they might, in fact, be the World's Best Chicken.  I haven't yet posted the chicken I consider to be World's Best, but I have tried this one, and it was very good, but not necessarily worthy of the title, in my opinion.  This one is also very good, but World's Best?  You be the judge.

Dijon Rosemary Chicken
from Half Assed Kitchen

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used thin cut)
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 400F.  Cut chicken breasts in half, or thirds vertically, or use thin-sliced chicken breasts.  Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and spread chicken in a single layer in the dish.  In a small bowl, mix together mustard, syrup, and vinegar.  Pour over the chicken.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary.  Bake 30-40 minutes or until cooked through.

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

I love pork tenderloin and my go-to recipe is Buffalo Pork Tenderloin.  But we can sometimes get overloaded on the Buffalo flavor (I know, sounds crazy), so I tried to switch it up.  It was really tasty.  What I think is funny is it doesn't actually include any teriyaki sauce, but the flavor is there.  I ended up cooking it similarly to the way I cook my other pork on the grill, rather than the original recipe directions.

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
adapted from The Kitchn

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp mirin or sake
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 whole pork tenderloin (mine was about 2 lbs)

Combine the soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, mirin, sesame oil, ginger and garlic in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Place the pork in a resealable bag and cover with the mixture.  Seal and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight.  Pull the pork from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking and allow to warm up to room temperature.  Heat the grill to medium-high (400F).  Fold up the four sides of sheet of aluminum foil to create kind of a basket.  Spray is with some cooking spray.  Place it on the grill and add the pork and the marinade.  Grill for about 45 minutes, basting with surrounding marinade often, until cooked to 145F inside.  Let rest about 10 minutes on a cutting board and slice and serve.

Pineapple Shrimp Skewers

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe yet.  I guess because every time I've made it, it's been eaten too quickly for pictures.  I LOVE it.  And you know I've been obsessed with pineapple this summer, on my burgers and pork.  This shrimp is so delicious!

Pineapple Shrimp Skewers
from Taste of Home

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lg green pepper, cut in 1" pieces
fresh or canned pineapple pieces

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey and garlic.  Set aside 1/3 cup for basting.  Thread shrimp, pepper and pineapple on skewers and place in a large resealable bag.  Add the large portion of marinade to the bag.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Preheat grill to high heat and grill about 6-8 minutes a side, basting with reserved marinade, or until the shrimp is cooked through.

Coconut Cilantro Grilled Chicken

I had most of a can of coconut milk left over from when I made Boozy Pina Colada Pork Chops and I really hated to waste it.  So I also made this in the same week.  It was okay.  I didn't think the flavors really got into the chicken, so maybe using flatter, thinner chicken breasts or the chicken thighs as recommended in the original recipe would work out better.  The marinade was really tasty (tasted before I added the chicken), so I'm not sure where it really went wrong.

Coconut Cilantro Grilled Chicken
adapted from iFoodReal

2 bonesless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 handful of fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
jalapeno to taste (I used 4-5 jarred slices)

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except chicken and pulse until smooth.  Pierce clean, dry chicken breasts with a fork or knife.  Place chicken in a resealable bag and pour marinade over.  Seal the bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.  Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.  Grill indirectly about 20 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Buffalo Chicken Deviled Eggs

I've said before that I am a former picky eater.  One of the things I convinced myself I didn't like was deviled eggs.  Probably because most of the times they're served, you're at something outdoors and they're all droopy and soupy.  Once I started making them for myself, things got better.  And then I came across this recipe and now I'm back to not messing with the "regular" ones anymore.  After you try these, you will never be able to cross back over that line.  They are SO. GOOD.

Buffalo Chicken Deviled Eggs
adapted from Baked by Rachel

7 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled (make 7 in case one comes out weird or doesn't peel nicely)
1/4 cup cooked chicken, shredded
3 tbsp blue cheese dressing
1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (Frank's)
Blue cheese crumbles

Cut the eggs in half and place the yolks in a bowl.  Mash the yolks up with a fork.  Add to the bowl the chicken, blue cheese dressing and buffalo sauce and mix well.  Put the mix in a Ziploc sandwich bag and seal it.  Cut a bottom corner off and squeeze into egg halves.  Let them set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  Garnish with blue cheese crumbles and a dash of hot sauce for serving.

Kale Turkey Meatballs

Almost every week at the farmer's market I get a huge bunch of kale for nearly nothing and I'm always at a loss to use it all up.  So I tried this recipe and I was pretty disappointed.  They're not even turkey meatballs, more like turkey lumps.  Meatballs really need to have some kind of filler breadcrumbs to stand up.  I guess one thing I could do is incorporate kale into my usual, love of my life turkey meatballs.  It would make tasty lunches during the week.  I also used these meatballs as an excuse to make my mom's red sauce, which came out great!!  I froze a bunch of it in double servings for the fall.

Kale Turkey Meatballs Lumps
from Brooklyn Farm Girl

2 cups uncooked chopped kale
1 lb ground turkey
pinch each of dried rosemary, parsley, oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 egg

Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a pan over medium high heat.  Add kale and herbs.  Cook until kale is wilted.  Put kale mixture and garlic into a food processor and pulse until chopped.  Add turkey and egg and pulse until it's all combined.  Form the mixture into 1" balls.  Add another tbsp of olive oil into the pan, turn to medium high heat and add meatballs.  Cook until browned on all sides.

Baked Avocados

Holy crap, what an amazing idea.  It's like a baked potato, but better!  Once the outside cooled a little, I mixed everything up in the shell and it was the best thing EVER!  These will be a side dish we have often, or even a weekend daytime snack.

Baked Avocados
from Lamberts Lately

3 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
juice of 1-2 lemons
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 tbsp chili sauce (or more if you want it hotter)
5-6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 425F.  Take the avocado halves, and with a spoon, scoop out a little bit more of the meat to make the hole a little larger.  Drizzle halves with a little bit of lemon juice.  Place the avocado halves on a baking sheet, hole-side up.  Put the extra avocado meat in a bowl and add to it the mayonnaise, chili sauce and bacon; combine completely.  Divide the mayo mixture among the avocado halves.  Bake 12-15 minutes until mayo mixture is crispy on top and the avocado meat is just starting to get soft.

Honey Lime Tilapia

I have to remember that just because I like some fish now, I don't like all fish.  I thought by making tilapia this way would make me like it, and it didn't.  But, if you like tilapia, this recipe might be just the one for you, and I'm happy to have shared it with you.

Honey Lime Tilapia
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Fish and marinade:
4 tilapia filets (a little over a pound)
2 tbsp lime juice
zest of one lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Coating and cooking:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Whisk together marinade and pour over fish in a large resealable bag.  Marinate for 1-4 hours.  Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Dredge the fish in the flour mixture.  Place fish in the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until juices run clear and fish is white.

Crescent Cinnamon Rolls

This took me way back to when my mom would make us cinnamon rolls either while we were on vacation at the beach, or when my dad was traveling on the weekends.  "I want the middle one!"

 


















Crescent Cinnamon Rolls
from The Hungry Housewife

1 tube (8 count) Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, unrolled and separated

Filling:
5 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Glaze:
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out the crescent triangles.  In a small bowl, mix together the filling ingredients.  Evenly spread the butter mixture on each triangle and roll up.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  In another small bowl, mix together the glaze ingredients.  Place in a resealable bag.  When the rolls are done, snip a corner off the resealable bag and drizzle the glaze over the rolls.

Italian Hassel-Back Zucchini

I was craving something delicious and different for lunch one day, when I was working from home.  I happened to have some enormous zucchini from the farmer's market and threw this together.  It would also be great, in sections, to serve with dinner.

Italian Hassel-Back Zucchini

adapted from the dinnervine

1 enormous zucchini

jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil

fresh basil leaves

extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup dry white wine

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325F.  Wash and dry zucchini.  Chop about 3 tbsp of sun-dried tomatoes, chop basil, mince garlic.  On a large cutting board with a very sharp knife, slice the zucchini hassle-back style, cutting horizontally almost all the way through, but leaving all slices attached to the base, making the slices about 1/4 inch wide.  Prepare a baking dish with cooking spray and add the zucchini.  With a basting brush, oil the zucchini liberally, making sure to get in between all the slices.  With your fingers, stuff the garlic, tomatoes and basil into each of the slices.  Pour some white wine around the base of the zucchini.  Bake for 25 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake about 5 minutes more, until cheese is slightly melted.

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I've made this several times and it never disappoints.  It's a good meal for when I'm working from home because it only needs 4 hours in the slow cooker.  This is also the recipe I use when I'm shredding chicken for other recipes and didn't bother with a store-made rotisserie.  This is going to be one that sticks around for a long, long time.

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
adapted from Skinnytaste

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
16 oz. fat-free low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (Frank's)
Boston, Bibb or Iceburg lettuce leaves

In a crock pot, combine chicken, onions, garlic and broth (enough to just cover the chicken).  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.  Remove chicken to a cutting board and use 2 forks to shred.  Reserve 1/2 cup broth from crock pot and discard the garlic and the onions and leftover broth.  Return the chicken to the crock pot and combine with 1/2 cup broth and 1/2 cup hot sauce.  Set on high for another 30 minutes.  Serve on lettuce leaves with blue cheese dressing, crumbles, shredded carrots, chopped celery - whatever your preference.

Boozy Pina Colada Grilled Pork Chops

Nothing says "Summer!" like Pina Coladas!  Actually, it really screams "VACATION!" to me, but I'm not getting one of those any time soon.  So this definitely helped me imagine I was in the Dominican Republic or Riviera Maya...

Boozy Pina Colada Grilled Pork Chops
from Bev Cooks

4 tbsp coconut milk
4 tbsp pineapple juice
2 tbsp dark rum
2 1-inch thick pork chops (boneless or bone-in)
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, pineapple juice and rum.  Transfer to a small sauce pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Season the pork on both sides with salt and pepper.  Preheat grill to high heat.  Place the pork chops on the hottest part of the grill, searing for 2 minutes on each side.  Then move the pork chops to the cooler part of the grill and cook an additional 4 minutes per side, basting when you turn them.  Remove from grill when internal temperature is 145F and let rest a few minutes.

Spicy Buffalo Black Bean Dip

I'm usually not a big fan of black beans, but this made it really interesting.  I served with chips, crusty bread and veggies.  It was a really nice alternative to a lot of the "usuals" that get put out at parties!

Spicy Buffalo Black Bean Dip
from Little Leopard Book

1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp buffalo wing sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes or until combined well.  Serve!

Crunchy Nacho Crescent Dogs

Considering nine out of ten recipes that I post are pretty healthy, I feel like it's okay to sprinkle in something totally gross and bad for you once in a while.  This was dinner one night and it was gobbled up instantly.  I could only imagine if you're a household with kids, fighting over who gets the last one.  These are nuts.

Crunchy Nacho Crescent Dogs

adapted from Bev Cooks

1 tube of crescent rolls

4 slices American or cheddar cheese (I used cheddar)

4 hot dogs

1 tbsp milk

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 375F.  Prepare a baking sheet with parchment or foil and spray with cooking spray.  Unroll crescents onto a floured surface and form 4 rectangles.  Pinch all the perforated edges together.  Lay the cheese in the center of the rectangle and lay the hot dog on top of the cheese.  Fold the short edges over the ends of the hot dog.  Then roll them up, pinching the dough together to cover the cheese.  Lightly brush each roll with milk, then roll in the crushed tortilla chips.  Place on the baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and dough is cooked through.

Grilled Lime and Chipotle Pork Chops

It's the beginning of August and it feels like late September outside.  It's making me nervous that grilling weather is going to fade!  But I'm really determined not to use the oven too much, and continue to take advantage of the warm weather while we have it!  I've been trying to mix pork chops into our weekly meals, and I'm always looking for new recipes to make it interesting.  This was really nice to marinate the night before for an easy weeknight meal.

Grilled Lime and Chipotle Pork Chops
adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

4 pork chops, fairly thin-cut, boneless or bone-in
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tbsp dried cilantro
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder
1 tsp ground cumin

Arrange pork chops in a single layer in a large resealable bag.  Mix mayo, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, onion powder, chipotle powder and cumin and pour over pork chops.  Seal the bag and marinate at least 6 hours to overnight.  Before cooking, allow pork chops to rise to room temperature.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Lay the pork chops on the grill and cook 5-6 minutes per side, flipping once or twice.  Grill until 145F inside.  Remove and let rest 3 minutes to raise internal temperature.

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Skewers

You know I love myself a good summer kebab!  I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that after I prepare the food, I don't actually have to cook it.  That's the man's job at my house!  This recipe was awesome and brought together some favorite flavors.  Actually, I just thought of something that would make it even better!  Either adding a chunk of ham, or wrapping the chicken in bacon!  There will be a next time... very soon!

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Skewers
from Real Mom Kitchen

2 large chicken breasts, cubed
1 red bell pepper, cut in 1" slices
1 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided
salt and pepper to taste

Thread skewers with peppers, chicken and pineapple.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.  Brush with 1 cup of barbecue sauce on both sides.  Discard any of that cup of barbecue sauce that might be leftover.  Grill the skewers over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink and cooked through.  Remove and brush with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce.

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp

I've made this a bunch of times and I guess I didn't realize it was a Pioneer Woman recipe.  I've served it as a meal with some rice or pasta, and as an appetizer on top of bread.  It makes for great leftovers, too!  It would be great on a salad... I could go on and on about how versatile this recipe is!

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp
from Tasty Kitchen

2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cups fresh parsley
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 whole lemon, juiced

Preheat oven to 375.  Arrange shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet.  In a food processor, combine butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley and red pepper flakes.  Pulse until combined.  Sprinkle cold butter crumbles over shrimp.  Bake about 20 minutes or until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly.  Serve with crusty bread.

Thai-Curry Marinated Grilled Shrimp

This shrimp was SO good!  I was shoveling it into my mouth and then I finally I looked down and it was gone.  I ate all of the shrimp in the picture.  I would have eaten more if I'd had some.  The flavor is amazing!  Can't wait to make it again soon.

Thai-Curry Marinated Grilled Shrimp
from Wayfair

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp red curry paste
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, finely sliced

Whisk together everything in a bowl but the shrimp.  Reserve about 1/3 cup for serving.  Pour the marinade over the shrimp and let it marinate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.  If you're using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.  Skewer the shrimp and preheat the grill.  Cook about 3 minutes a side, until the shrimp is cooked through.  Serve with the extra sauce.