Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Another slam dunk for the Super Bowl party.  I know slam dunk is the wrong sports metaphor, but.. what's the point.  These were great leftovers, too.

Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
from Just A Pinch

1 lb sausage, uncooked
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups Bisquick mix
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400F.  Mix all ingredients until well combined.  Roll into one-inch balls.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until brown.  Eat plain or serve with a dipping sauce.

Grilled Pork Chops with Honey-Jalapeno Marinade

So good, so summery.  I cooked these on my grill pan, but I will make them again this summer on the grill.

Grilled Pork Chops with Honey-Jalapeno Marinade
from Culinary Hill

1 cup vegetable oil
Juice of 2 lemons or limes
1/4 cup honey
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 pork chops, bone-in or bone-less, trimmed of fat

In a small bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, lemon/lime juice, honey, garlic, jalapeno, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.  In a large resealable bag, pour marinade over pork chops and rub in to the pork through the bag.  Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature, turning occasionally, or in the refrigerator overnight.  If refrigerated, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling.  Preheat grill or grill pan for direct grilling over medium-high heat.  Remove the pork chops from the bag and lay on paper towels.  Pat dry to remove excess marinade.  Grill the pork chops over medium-high heat, turning often, until browned, about 3-4 minutes total.  Transfer to a part of the grill that's low-medium hot and cover, cooking until they internally register 155F.  Transfer to a platter and cover loosely with foil.  Let the chops rest 3-5 minutes before serving.

Baked Butternut Squash & Apples

I got this recipe off the side of the package of pre-sliced butternut squash.  So delicious.  It tastes so overly indulgent.

Baked Butternut Squash & Apples
from the packaging

1 pkg - 20 oz butternut squash
2 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and add the squash and apples.  In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients and mix by smashing with a fork.  Sprinkle over squash and apples.  Cover with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes, until squash is tender and topping is brown.

Spicy Hawaiian Chicken Burgers

Oh my burger, I love this!  If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be this burger.  Just... go make it.  And then we'll talk about it.

Spicy Hawaiian Chicken Burgers
halved from The Girl Who Ate Everything

4 pineapple rings, sliced 1/2 inch thick
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 hamburger buns
1 lb ground chicken
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 clove garlic, minced
optional for topping: red onion, chipotle mayo

Combine the ground chicken, soy sauce, paprika, chili powder, seasoning salt, cumin, and garlic in a large bowl.  Lightly mix with your hands and divide into 4 large even balls.  Form patties.  Refrigerate about 30 minutes.  Preheat grill to medium heat.  Coat grates lightly with oil.  Grill burgers over medium heat about 6 minutes per side until done.  Top with cheese for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time to melt.  Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.  Add the pineapple rings to the grill and cook about 2 minutes per side.  Assemble burgers by topping the burger and cheese with pineapple, onion (optional) and chipotle mayo.

Crock Pot Creamy White Chicken Chili

I confess again that I don't eat the soups I make, because I don't like soup.  But I hear that it was really good.  It pretty much disappeared not long after it was finished.

Crock Pot Creamy White Chicken Chili
from Jamie Cooks It Up

4 (15 oz) cans white beans
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
1 (14.5 oz) can diced Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
1/2 cup salsa
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 chicken breast
1 chicken thigh
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin

Drain the juice from the cans of beans and rinse in cold water.  Place all the beans in a large crock pot.  Add the green chilies, tomatoes, salsa and taco seasoning.  Stir and combine completely.  Place the chicken pieces in the pot.  Scoop some of the bean mixture over it so they're covered.  Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 7 hours, or on high for 4.  Remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred with two forks.  Toss it back into the pot.  Stir in sour cream, whipping cream, oregano and cumin.  Stir well to combine.  Cook on high for 15 minutes or until all ingredients are heated through.

If you have leftovers, add a little bit of milk when heating up.

Chicken Fajita Queso Dip

I've been on the quest for the perfect football dip.  Requirements:  meat, cheese, has to be warm.  This fit the bill perfectly!  And it was pretty well devoured during the Super Bowl.  

Chicken Fajita Queso Dip

adapted from Inside BruCrew Life

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken

3 tbsp fajita seasoning mix

1 lb Velveeta, cubed (16 oz)

1 can Ro*Tel diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 oz. undrained)

Heat the oil in a skillet on the stove top.  Add the diced peppers and onion and cook until tender.  Stir in the chicken and fajita seasoning.  Meanwhile, add the Velveeta and Ro*Tel to a crockpot.  Stir in chicken fajita mixture.  Turn the crockpot to high and cover.  Stir frequently until cheese is completely melted and heated through (about an hour).  Serve with tortilla chips.

Ruth's Chris New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp

I give 100% credit to a Facebook friend who shared this recipe and I totally stole it without saying anything.  We often do our birthdays at Ruth's Chris over the past 8 years (we have 3 within our general area), but I've only ever had filet mignon, OBVIOUSLY.  So next time we go, maybe we'll share this or something, so I can compare to what I made.  Holy butter sauce.  It was so tasty.  I hope Ruth's Chris is as good as mine!

Ruth's Chris New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp
from Just a Pinch

20 large (16/20) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 oz canola oil
2-3 tbsp green onions, chopped
2 oz dry white wine
1 tsp chopped garlic
4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp paprika
2 full sticks of salted butter

Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add oil and then shrimp and cook until they are almost done.  Remove shrimp and set aside.  Add green onions to the oil and cook for 1 minute.  Add white wine and simmer until it's reduced by half.  When reduced, add garlic, Worcestershire, Tabasco, cayenne and paprika.  Shake the pan and cook for 1 minute.  Reduce heat to low.  Cut butter in small chunks and slowly add to pan, shaking to melt butter.  Add the shrimp back to the pan and heat through. Serve hot.

Cheesy Sweet and Sour Pomegranate Thai Chicken Enchiladas

Well, I tried something new and really different and it was... okay.  I guess when you're used to more "Mexican" flavored enchiladas and someone is expecting that flavor, this is the total opposite.  I thought they were good while I was eating them, but I probably wouldn't make them again unless I thought I could eat a whole pan by myself or I knew the person eating them would love the flavor.  I'll just have to stick to my original and rotate chicken, ground beef and shrimp.

Cheesy Sweet and Sour Pomegranate Thai Chicken Enchiladas
from Half Baked Harvest

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups sweet Thai chili sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp ginger, grated
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp pepper

Enchiladas:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (about 1 lb)
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1 orange pepper, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
8-10 flour tortillas
for serving: diced avocado, pomegranate arils, chopped cilantro, green onions, queso fresco (all optional)
1/2 cup mozzarella for topping

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a 9x13" baking dish with non-stick spray.  Make the sauce:  combine all of the ingredients in a medium sauce pan.  Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly.  Remove from heat and set aside.  While it simmers, place the shredded chicken, sliced peppers, and mozzarella in a medium size bowl.  When the sauce is done, add about 3/4 cup of it to the bowl of chicken and mix well to coat.  Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-60 seconds.  Hold a tortilla in your hand and spoon a little of the mixture down the center, tuck the edges and roll up.  Place the roll seam-down in the baking dish.  Repeat until you run out of chicken mixture.  Pour the remainder of the sauce over the enchiladas evenly.  Sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella.  Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted.  Remove and top with whatever toppings you like.

Crockpot Pork Carnitas

I've made this a couple of times for dinner and it's come out perfectly every time.  It's so easy.  It usually makes a nice Sunday dinner and then almost a full week of lunches.  It's so versatile.  I've put it on salads, in wraps, in tacos, etc.  I have a feeling it will go into the recipe box of all the long-term recipes I recycle often.

Crockpot Pork Carnitas
from Jo Cooks

2 lb pork shoulder
1 large onion, sliced in big pieces
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
1 whole cinnamon stick
1 cup orange juice
1 beer
vegetable oil for searing the meat

In a small bowl, mix together garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Cut the pork into large chunks.  Rub the meat with the spice mix thoroughly, making sure each piece of meat is fully covered.  In a large skillet, heat some oil and sear the meat on all sides.  Sear the meat until it has a nice brown color to it.  Place the onion pieces in the bottom of the crockpot, followed by the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.  Add the meat on top of the onion, pour the beer and orange juice in the crockpot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  After that time, remove the meat from the crockpot with a slotted spoon and place it on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Take two forks and shred the meat into smaller pieces.  Pour some of the leftover liquid from the crockpot over the meat.  Turn on your broiler and place the meat under the broiler on high, for about 5-10 minutes.  Don't burn it!  Flip the meat and broil again for about 5 minutes.  Serve on whatever you'd like.

Spicy Chicken Burgers

This was interesting.  I don't know that it's my favorite burger, but it wasn't bad.  I should have played around with different toppings, but I was hungry.  In my search for this recipe I found a bunch of other burgers that I want to try!  Stay tuned.

Spicy Chicken Burgers
from Eat Good 4 Life

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 onion, cut in quarters
2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil.

In a food processor, add all ingredients except olive oil and onion.  Pulse until the chicken in minced, about 1 minute.  Add the onion and pulse for another few seconds until onion is chopped.  With your hands, form 5 burger patties and place them on a plate.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the burgers.  Cook on each side for about 4-5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and serve as desired.

Lemon Garlic Potatoes

This recipe comes on the package for some kind of mini white potato in the grocery store.  I haven't seen them in a while, but I'm glad I wrote down the recipe.  It's a favorite in this house.

Lemon Garlic Potatoes
from a bag of potatoes

1 bag mini white potatoes, halved
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.  Place the potatoes in a greased 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish.  Pour the melted butter over the potatoes, sprinkle the garlic, salt and lemon juice.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes more.  Make sure the potatoes are tender.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan.