Grilled Lemon Shrimp Kabobs

Today I am sharing one of my husbands favorite shrimp recipe. The first time I made them he shouted “these are way better than Red Lobster!” and “This is the only way anyone should ever eat shrimp!” I’d call that a success. For all shrimp lovers AND shrimp haters, this recipe will blow your taste buds! Note that this recipe feeds 2 people so double, triple etc!


Grilled Lemon Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients :

•     1 pound of jumbo shrimp (deveined, raw)
•     Salt/Pepper to taste
•     2 TBSP Olive oil
•     Skewers

Lemon Butter Sauce Ingredients:

•     1/4 cup lemon juice
•     3 TBSP butter
•     2 cloves of garlic
•     1/4 teaspoon dried basil
•     1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
•     1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

Read More : Grilled Lemon Shrimp Kabobs

Mongolian Beef (PF Chang’s copycat)

I’ve seen recipes for PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef all over Pinterest for some time and since PF Chang’s is one of my favorite restaurants, I knew I had to try making Mongolian Beef at home.

Usually when we go to PF Chang’s, I am all about the Kung Pao Scallops, but Mongolian Beef is also a favorite of mine.

Crispy but tender pieces of beef coated in a thick, sweet and a little salty sauce. It’s almost like eating beef candy! Add some red pepper flakes if you want to balance the sweetness with some heat.

We don’t go to PF Chang’s often since it is a little pricey and the drive can take a lot of time when there’s traffic. So I am thrilled to be able to make this dish at home and it is so easy!

You don’t have to eat at PF Chang’s to enjoy a fabulously delicious Mongolian Beef. It’s easy to make at home and can be served over white rice for a meal that is sure to become a family favorite.

And your kids will think you have suddenly developed restaurant chef skills.



Mongolian Beef (PF Chang's copycat)

Homemade Mongolian Beef is so easy to make! Tender pieces of beef coated in a sweet and salty sauce. It's like beef candy!

Prep Time : 20 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Total Time : 40 mins
Course: Main Dish
Servings: 4
Calories: 625 kcal


Ingredients :

•     1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
•     1-2 teaspoons minced ginger
•     1 tablespoon minced garlic
•     1/2 cup soy sauce
•     1/2 cup water
•     3/4 cup dark brown sugar
•     1 cup Vegetable oil
•     1 1/2 pounds flank steak
•     1/2 cup cornstarch
•     1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
•     1 bunch green onions, cut on diagonal into 2-inch pieces

Read More  : Mongolian Beef (PF Chang’s copycat)

Super Easy Lemon Bars – 5 ingredients

Super Easy Lemon Bars. With only 5 simple ingredients and an incredibly easy recipe you can bake these luscious lemon bars that all who try,  just rave about!

Great lemon bars are an absolute baking classic and when I came home from school yesterday I found the house filled with the scent of these easy-to-make yet simply irresistible cookie bars.

Easy is the operative word in this recipe with a simple 3 ingredient crispy shortbread bottom and a simple whisked together lemon custard top. By the end of the day, the entire batch had disappeared.

With only 5 simple ingredients, these lemon bars are sure to become a new stand by recipe in your house like it did in mine. Once you see how fast and easy it is to throw together a batch of these incredibly tangy and delicious lemon bars, you’ll never waste another lemon again.

For lime lovers check out the Lime Bars version of this fantastic, easy recipe.


Super Easy Lemon Bars Recipe


Using only 5 simple ingredients & a very quick preparation time, this is the easiest & best lemon bar recipe I've ever tried in almost 40 years of baking.


Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 125 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 52mg 2%
Potassium 23mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 11g
Protein 1g 2%
Vitamin A 3.7%
Vitamin C 3.9%
Calcium 0.7%
Iron 2.7%

Prep Time : 20 mins
Cook Time :40 mins
Total Time: 1 hrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: North American
Servings: 36 cookie bars
Calories: 125 kcal


Ingredients:

For the pastry base

•     1 cup cold butter cut in small pieces
•     1/2 cup sugar
•     2 cups flour

For the lemon layer

•     1 1/2 cups sugar
•     1/4 cup flour
•     4 eggs
•     zest of two lemons very finely chopped
•     juice of 2 lemons about 2/3 to 3/4 cup juice

Read More : Super Easy Lemon Bars

Chicken with Bacon Mustard Sauce

Chicken Breast in a Creamy Mustard Sauce with Bacon – an absolute comfort food! Chicken breast is moist, tender, and flavorful because it’s smothered in the most delicious sauce ever!

This whole dinner takes only 30 minutes to make! First, make the simple mustard sauce by mixing Dijon mustard with paprika, salt and pepper. Spread the mustard sauce over 3 chicken breasts and set them aside
In a large skillet cook chopped bacon just until browned
Remove the bacon and add the chopped onions to the same skillet with bacon fat and cook until softened

Remove the onion from the skillet, and cook chicken breasts just a little bit on each side (you’ll continue cooking them in the next step)
Finally, add the rest of the ingredients to the skillet, add back the bacon, cooked onions, and the chicken, and cook for 20 minutes until chicken is done:

Chicken with Bacon Mustard Sauce


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 3 servings


Ingredients

•     1/3 cup Dijon mustard
•     1/4 tsp paprika
•     1/4 tsp salt
•     1/8 tsp pepper
•     8 strips of bacon, uncooked, chopped
•     1 cup chopped onion (1/2 of large onion)
•     1 tablespoon olive oil
•     3 chicken breasts, 2 lb total, boneless, skinless
•     1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth

Read More :  Chicken with Bacon Mustard Sauce

Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

If you’ve never made Strawberry Shortcake homemade from scratch before it’s actually quite easy! This recipe makes a sweet crumbly biscuit style pastry with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. While some people use white cake or angel food cake in strawberry shortcake, I think the biscuit style tastes the best!  Of course strawberries are the traditional topping but you can certainly add any kind of fruit into shortcake including blueberries, raspberries or even peaches.

Whether in a Strawberries & Cream Pie or if they’re being stuffed with cheesecake or chocolate cheesecake, sweet fresh strawberries are the perfect dessert.  (And they can be made into beautiful strawberry roses in no time at all).  But of course at the top of the list is a Classic Strawberry Shortcake!

This shortcake is light, fluffy and has just a hint of lemon flavor.  I make this in a food processor but it can also be made by hand using a pastry cutter.   It’s important to make sure your butter is cold when cutting it in which keeps these light and fluffy.     For the best results, add the liquid all at once and mix just until combined.

You’ll want to mascerate the strawberries (which is just a fancy word for adding sugar so they release their juices).  I add a bit of fresh lemon juice because I just love the brightness lemon adds to strawberries.  If you have enough you can certainly add some lemon zest as well or even orange zest.  Leave the strawberries at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (longer is better) to make sure you get more liquid creating a delicious syrup to spoon over the shortcakes.


Buttermilk Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake is one of our favorites desserts!  Light and delicious it’s the perfect way to end a meal.


Ingredients:

•     1 1/2 cups flour
•     2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•     2 tablespoons sugar
•     lemon zest
•     pinch of salt
•     1/2 cup buttermilk
•     4 oz cold unsalted butter
•     coarse sugar

Topping

•     3 cups fresh strawberries , sliced
•     2 tablespoons sugar
•     1 tablespoon lemon juice
•     lemon zest
•     Whipped Cream

Read More : Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole

This Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner! It can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for later. This is a great dish for overnight guests. Mix it up the night before and bake it in the morning. SO easy!

Tater tots, sausage and cheese - you can't go wrong with that combination. I didn't thaw the tater tots before mixing up this casserole. I just threw them in there frozen.


Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole Recipe


Total time: 1 hours and 10 mins
Cook time: 1 hour
Prep time: 10 mins


Ingredients : 

•     2 lb hot breakfast sausage
•     1 (30-32oz) bag frozen tater tots
•     1 tsp salt
•     1/2 tsp pepper
•     1/4 tsp garlic powder
•     1/4 tsp onion powder
•     1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
•     1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
•     8 eggs

Read More :  Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Avocado Tuna Salad (No Mayo)

Are you ready for your new favorite lunch recipe?  This Avocado Tuna Salad is made with no mayo!

Do you know if you’re getting enough omega 3 fatty acids?  For me, the omega 3s available in plant foods, ALA, are much easier to get in my diet than the ones found primarily in some fish, EPA and DHA. Unfortunately, the ones that are harder for me to get are the ones I need more.

EPA helps control inflammation, DHA is vital for our nervous system, including brain function (and development in children), and both are important for our heart health.  These omega 3 fatty acids are probably one of the most important nutrients we can feed our bodies, yet many of us aren’t getting enough.

I’ve been turning to this Avocado Tuna Salad for one way to help me get those essential fatty acids into my body.  I took the traditional mayonnaise out and added avocado in its place. This isn’t a revolutionary recipe, but I’ve been eating it for lunch every week, so I thought I’d share.

It’s not that I don’t like mayo.  I like it a lot, actually.  It’s just difficult to find a mayonnaise with healthy oil. Most have soybean oil, which I mostly avoid, and even the healthier varieties are made with canola oil, another one I prefer to limit.  Sure, I could make my own mayonnaise, but who has time for that? Not this mama.
This Avocado Tuna Salad recipe is made with no mayo! This makes a great high-protein, low-carb lunch idea! Great paleo lunch recipe.
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Avocado is a perfect stand-in for mayonnaise in this recipe.  I add carrots and celery for crunch and extra veggie goodness.  For a different twist, I also add just a touch of smoked paprika.  I love the flavor of it and it makes this avocado tuna salad a little different than traditional tuna salad. You can definitely leave it out if you don’t have any or don’t love the smoky flavor of it.

I use Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna, which is only cooked once (many tuna brands are cooked twice which diminishes their nutritional content) and is packed without oil, water, or fillers.  According to their website, this tuna is not only rich in omega 3s but also has lower mercury content due to the smaller size of fish they catch.  I highly recommend this brand.  I find this brand at Costco or you can get it on Amazon.

I think this salad is perfect on top a bed of lettuce.  It’s a filling, yet light lunch.  I hope you love it, too!

This Avocado Tuna Salad recipe is made with no mayo! This makes a great high-protein, low-carb lunch idea! Great paleo lunch recipe.


Avocado Tuna Salad (No Mayo)


Recipe type: lunch
Prep time:  5 mins
Total time:  5 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients

•     1 (5 ounce) can wild albacore tuna
•     1 small/medium avocado
•     1 carrot, chopped
•     1 celery stalked, chopped
•     2 tablespoons lemon juice
•     ½ teaspoon dried dill weed⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika

Read More : Avocado Tuna Salad (No Mayo)

Roasted Chili-Lime Cod

Cod filets are rubbed with a flavorful spice mixture before roasting to perfection.  Top this roasted chili-lime cod with a delicious lime-butter sauce and serve over your favorite veggie and rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a simple weeknight meal!

I’m always looking for great ways to enjoy fish that are both quick and easy. Today’s recipe fits the bill in both departments and as an added bonus, it’s full of flavor! Those are the best kind of recipes.. am I right?!

Roasted Chili-Lime Cod starts with a flavorful dry rub using spices that you probably already have in your pantry. Paprika, parsley, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and a little cayenne pepper all combine for a flavor explosion! This rub will work on all kinds of fish, but I used cod because I had some filets on hand. This rub would be great on any white fish, salmon, shrimp, or even chicken!

Once you’ve got your fish slathered in the dry rub, you want to let it marinate for at least 30 minutes – this allows all of the flavors to be absorbed into the fish. You can marinate the fish for up to 12 hours, so it’s great to do in the morning before work – and then you can just pop it in the oven when you are ready for dinner.

While your fish is cooking (it only takes about 12 minutes!) you can prepare the buttery lime drizzle – it’s just lime juice, olive oil, and a little butter! It couldn’t be any easier, but it really packs a punch on top of the fish. After 12 minutes your fish is done -drizzle with the buttery lime mixture and get ready to be wowed. Who knew fish could be so good?

I like to serve this dish over rice and a seasonal veggie. In this case, it’s asparagus, but any veggie you like will work! Zucchini and corn would be great in the summer, broccoli or brussels sprouts in the fall, and sautéed kale in the winter. You can also serve it over brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. I love me a versatile recipe!

Flaky fish, flavorful spices, and tangy lime make for a fabulous meal. You definitely need to make this soon – it’s a great meal anytime of the year, and it’s easy. What is better than that?!


Chili-Lime Cod Fillets Recipe

Serves 2
Fragrant spices and lime come together for a flavor explosion on cod filets. This is a super easy, quick, and healthy meal for busy weeknights!

Prep Time : 5 min
Cook Time :12 min
Total Time : 17 min

Notes
    *This recipe is for 2 servings. If you want more you can adjust the spices as necessary - they are very easy to double. You can even double or quadruple the recipe and store any extra in an airtight container to have on hand. This rub will work on all kinds of fish or poultry - it's a good one to have in your pantry!
    *Make this recipe Paleo & Whole30 friendly by using ghee in place of the butter and serving over cauliflower rice!

Ingredients

•     1 Teaspoon Paprika
•     1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
•     ½ Teaspoon Oregano
•     ½ Teaspoon Chili Powder
•     ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
•     ¼ Teaspoon Cumin
•     ¼ Teaspoon Salt
•     ¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
•     1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
•     2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, divided
•     2 Cod Fillets*
•     1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, or use ghee for Paleo & Whole30
•     Zest and Juice of 2 Limes
•     Cooked Rice, Quinoa, or Cauliflower Rice, for serving
•     Your Favorite Vegetable, for serving

Read More : Roasted Chili-Lime Cod

Healthy and Easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan

You know how everyone’s strictly in summer-mode and has turned their ovens into temporary storage? That is so great.

I just haven’t managed that well. I got this craving, and…anyway, eggplant parmesan (hey, it’s healthy baked eggplant parmesan, but still). I don’t turn down for anything.

Healthy Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe! The secrets on how to make healthy baked eggplant parmesan recipe with panko bread crumbs and fresh mozzarella! 398 calories per serving

So here we go: All the makings of the best baked lighter eggplant parm. I’m taking you through it step by step, with all the ways I choose to cut calories, because I’ve tried it many ways over the years and this is the method that has worked best. No spongey texture, no bitterness in the eggplant, and none of that, “Yeah, it’s good…for baked.” It’s just plain good, I promise.

Salt Your Eggplant

Healthy Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe! The secrets on how to make healthy baked eggplant parmesan recipe with panko bread crumbs and fresh mozzarella! 398 calories per serving

Years ago, I made baked eggplant parm and didn’t salt my eggplant first. It was bitter; it was spongey; it was…yes did I say sponge already? Disaster. Then I talked to my grandmother, who makes an Italian feast on Christmas Eve, and her tip? Salt your eggplant before cooking it.

Salting helps to draw out the liquid in the raw eggplant (much of which carries bitter flavors) and collapses the air pockets in the eggplant’s sponge-like flesh, which prevents it from absorbing too much oil–a great tip if you’re sauteeing the eggplant. (source: Fine Cooking)

The Breading Secret

Healthy Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe! The secrets on how to make healthy baked eggplant parmesan recipe with panko bread crumbs and fresh mozzarella! 398 calories per serving

Breaded eggplant is essential to eggplant parm. One time I ordered an eggplant parm sub in Seattle and when I unwrapped the white parchment, I was flat-out ready to flip a table when I found grilled eggplant.  No breading, just naked, lonely eggplant with sauce and cheese. I have nothing against grilled eggplant–as a side dish. I even love the taste of plain eggplant in eggplant rollatini. But not in my eggplant parm.

I ate a few bites, really tried to find the good in it, but alas, I just couldn’t. I gave up.

Eggplant parm is too nostalgic for me. Whether it’s in a sandwich, a casserole, or simply stacked with sauce and cheese, it has to have some crispiness.

How many bread crumbs is negotiable. I don’t need a lot. I don’t even need it to be fried, which you might expect, given how absolutely out-of-my-mind I’m coming across. I just need a little tradition in place. So the key:

Only bread ONE side of the eggplant: the top. I picked up this tip from my friends at Cooks Illustrated, and thought it was genius. It’s perfect when you want some crispy, bready heft, but don’t need a lot of it to feel satisfied. Breading only the top of the eggplant means I use about half the amount of bread crumbs that I’d typically use, saving us half the calories.

The Must-Haves

Healthy Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe! The secrets on how to make healthy baked eggplant parmesan recipe with panko bread crumbs and fresh mozzarella! 398 calories per serving

1. Great sauce. Now, we all have our sauce preferences–salty, sweet, lots of herbs, plain and simple…but the quality of your sauce stands out here. My favorite is PJ’s. It’s the hands-down best sauce on Earth and anyone who has ever had it, made by him of course, says the same. But if you’re not making your own, it’s absolutely worth the price to spring for Rao’s. I know, it’s $6 or $8 depending on the size of the jar, but it’s the closest thing I’ve found to a homemade, full-of-just-simmered-flavor Sunday sauce.

2. Fresh mozzarella. Is there anything better? A couple months ago, at my little sister’s graduation party, we made a caprese appetizer (that NO ONE ATE WHAT THE HECK?!) and I swear I ate all the mozzarella myself…hours later, standing at the fridge at midnight like Nigella Lawson in the final scene of each of her episodes…only, there wasn’t a sexy thing about it.

The reason I use fresh mozzarella is because it has this gooey, melting quality that stays soft. Because of its higher moisture content, its naturally more tender than the firmer, low-moisture kind you find near the dairy and butter. And I love that, too. Feel free to use it here, but be sure to get a ball or a log of it and slice it or shred it yourself. The pre-shredded kinds you buy in the package–they’re convenient, yes, but they have anti-caking agents added to them to ensure the shreds don’t stick together. Anti-caking agents, like cornstarch, don’t melt well.

One of the best tips I ever learned was to buy blocks of cheese (say, cheddar, for example) and grate them myself. It’s more work, but it’s night and day how well the cheese melts. And even if you’re buying feta, goat, or blue cheese, buy it in the block and crumble it yourself. You’ll notice–especially with the feta–that it tastes an awful lot more like the feta in restaurants: creamier and less chalky. Can you tell I’m passionate about cheese?

Healthy Baked Eggplant Parmesan Recipe! The secrets on how to make healthy baked eggplant parmesan recipe with panko bread crumbs and fresh mozzarella! 398 calories per serving

I’m crazy about this whole meal, from start to finish. Let me know if you try it, and if you love it!

Healthy and Easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Makes: 4 Servings
Serving Size: about 3 slices topped with cheese and 1/2 sauce
Calories per serving: 398
Fat per serving: 24g

You won't believe this baked eggplant parmesan is healthy! It's crispy, flavorful, and cheesy.

Ingredients

•     1 large eggplant (about 1 ½ pounds), sliced into ½-inch thick rounds (12 to 14 slices)
•     2 large eggs
•     ⅔ cup plain panko bread crumbs
•     2 teaspoons dried oregano
•     1 teaspoon dried basil
•     1 teaspoon garlic powder
•     ½ teaspoon salt
•     ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•     cooking oil spray
•     2 cups homemade tomato sauce (or Rao's brand)
•     8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly into as many slices as your eggplant
•     1 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Read More : Healthy and Easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan

The Ultimate Bloody Mary

When you are going to indulge in a Bloody, I say, “Go big or go home.” After all, that’s what they are all about, right? Big, explosive flavors.

These Bloody Marys are bursting with flavor and spice, thanks to a horseradish kick and a few splashes of Tabasco, but you can easily customize them to suit your palate.

I think shrimp lightly dusted with Old Bay seasoning hanging on the glass, in the glass and on the side is a must! But then again, I could eat shrimp for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think THAT is what I will do for myself this Mother’s Day — a shrimp fest!! With a side of Bloody Mary, lol! Honey…kids…are you listening?

The Ultimate Bloody Mary

Recipe type: Cocktails
Prep time:  10 mins
Total time:  10 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients

•     16 oz tomato juice
•     2 TBS fresh squeezed lemon juice
•     1 TBS lime juice
•     ½ TBS Worcestershire sauce
•     a few shakes of Tabasco
•     ½- 1 TBS prepared horseradish (not horseradish sauce)
•     2 teaspoons of pickle juice
•     1 tsp olive juice
•     1 tsp pepperoncini juice (optional)
•     a few shakes black pepper
•     ½ a teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning
•     4-6 ounces of good quality vodka

Garnish ideas: Pickle spear, celery stalk, green olives (plain or stuffed with blue cheese), shrimp, pepperoncini, lemon slice or a lime slice.

Read More : The Ultimate Bloody Mary

Rotel-Style Tomatoes

Rotel tomatoes are canned tomatoes with a little hint of heat. A Southern favorite, the spice comes from green chiles that have been fire-roasted, diced and stirred into the simmering tomatoes. Rotel tomatoes are a vital ingredient in queso and make a delicious addition to tortilla soup.
The only downside to developing a dependency on Rotel tomatoes is that they can often be tricky to find if you live north of the Mason Dixon line, like I do. So I take matters into my own hands and cook up a few jars for my pantry when tomatoes are in season.

Ideally, my homemade version would be made with Hatch chiles (they’re in season right now!). Sadly, they’re pretty hard to source in Philadelphia and so I use the easier to find poblano peppers. If you can get the slightly more delicious Hatch variety, I highly recommend them.
I like to use 12-ounce quilted jelly jars for this recipe because they hold nearly the same volume as you get in the Rotel can, but you can also process them in pints (there’s no difference in the boiling water bath time if you make that swap).

Rotel-Style Tomatoes

Makes 4 (12-ounce) jars

Ingredients : 

• 2 poblano peppers
• 5 pounds Roma or paste tomatoes
• 8 tablespoons bottled lemon juice

Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 12-ounce jelly jars. Place lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.

Preheat your broiler and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the poblano peppers on the baking sheet and roast under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes. Once one side darkens and blisters, turn the peppers, until all sides are blackened. Remove peppers from oven and cover with another sheet of foil. Let them cool until you are able to handle them without burning yourself. Remove the skins and seeds and dice the peppers.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While it heats, remove the cores from your tomatoes and score the bottoms with a shallow "X." Fill a large bowl 2/3 the way with cold water and place near the stove.

Working in batches, blanch all your tomatoes for 1 to 2 minutes. Make sure to give the water a chance to come back up to boiling between batches. If the water isn’t hot enough, you will have a hard time removing the skin during peeling. As each batch is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the bowl of ice water; the cold water stops the cooking and cools the tomatoes down enough for you to peel them.

Once all the tomatoes have been blanched and they are cool enough to touch, remove the skins.

Chop the peeled tomatoes and place them in a pot with as much of the tomato juices as you’re able to capture during the chopping process. Add the diced poblanos and bring to a boil. Cook at a controlled boil for 30 to 45 minutes to cook off some of the watery liquid, stirring regularly to prevent burning.

Take your prepared jars and add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice to the bottom of each jar. Pour the hot chopped tomatoes into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Use a wooden chopstick to remove any air bubbles and adjust the amount of tomatoes if necessary.

Wipe the rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes.

When time is up, slide the pot off the hot burner and remove the lid. Let the jars cool gradually in the water for 10 minutes before lifting them out of the pot and setting them to cool on a folded kitchen towel. This step helps prevent the liquid loss that can occur when you rapidly change the temperature of your freshly processed jars.

When jars are completely cool, test the seals by pressing down on the lids. If they feel solid, the jars are sealed. If there’s any give or wiggle in the lids, they did not seal and should be refrigerated and used promptly.

Read More : Rotel-Style Tomatoes

This Homemade Snack Mix Recipe

This Homemade Snack Mix Recipe is so easy to make and tastes delicious! Cereal, crackers and pretzels are tossed with a little melted butter and seasonings, then baked. Perfect to serve at a party or to munch on when you’re watching the game. 🙂

Football has officially started!! Well, pro football has. Our pop warner football season started a few weeks ago. Every Saturday we have two football games to go to and every Thursday there’s a football game for my oldest son’s high school.

The crazy thing about my oldest’s football games is that they play at 3:00pm. We have no lights on our fields here where we live! Isn’t that nuts? Even the Varsity games are early. We also don’t have any drive-thru restaurants here either. It’s like living in an old-school community, lol!

This Homemade Snack Mix Recipe is so easy to make and tastes delicious! Cereal, crackers and pretzels are tossed with a little butter and seasonings, then baked. Perfect to serve at a party or to munch on when you're watching the game. :)

I was a pommie (aka the girls that have poms and dance with the cheerleaders) when I was in high school but I never learned the rules of football. All I had to know was what offense and defense was. For real. My husband teases me about it all the time! Now as an adult, and also as a mom of four boys, I’ve learned to love the game. In fact, I’m watching a football game right now as I’m typing this out!

I love the fast pace of the game and I love the camaraderie of it as well. Sounds weird but I love the team spirit that football creates. But really one of the best parts of football is having snacks to enjoy while kicking your feet up and watching grown men hit each other. 😉

This Homemade Snack Mix Recipe is so easy to make and tastes delicious! Cereal, crackers and pretzels are tossed with a little butter and seasonings, then baked. Perfect to serve at a party or to munch on when you're watching the game. :)

The snacks can make or break the game, in my opinion. One of my favorite things to make for game day is homemade snack mix. This snack mix recipe is awesome because it takes very little prep time. Basically you toss cereal, crackers and pretzels together in a big bowl and toss with a little melted butter and seasonings, then you bake it. Baking it really makes those crackers, cereal pieces and pretzels crisp up and soak up the seasonings.

It makes a pretty big batch and when kept in an air-tight container, will last you for days. Unless it gets eaten up right away like it does at my house. 😉 This is also great in lunch boxes too. It’s great to serve at parties and really any get together. So yeah, this snack mix recipe can be served and enjoyed just about anywhere, lol!

Homemade Snack Mix Recipe

Homemade Snack Mix Recipe is easy to make & delicious! Cereal, crackers & pretzels tossed with seasonings then baked. Perfect for a party or on game day!
Recipe type: Snack
Serves: approx. 12 cups of snack mix
Prep time : 10 mins
Cook time :1 hour
Total time : 1 hour 10 mins

Ingredients

•     3 cups Corn Chex
•     3 cups Wheat Chex
•     3 cups oyster crackers
•     3 cups pretzel sticks
•     6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
•     2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
•     1 tsp. Lawry's Seasoned Salt
•     ¾ tsp. garlic powder
•     ½ tsp. onion powder
•     ⅛ tsp. pepper
•     ¼ tsp. celery salt
•     ⅛ - ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste

Read More : This Homemade Snack Mix Recipe

Tex Mex Cabbage Beef Skillet Recipe Topped with Spicy Mexican Cheese Blend

Cabbage Beef Skillet Recipe, Tex Mex Style with Mexican Cheese Blend! This low carb flavorful meal is ready in under thirty minutes!

Do you have an cast iron skillet?  It’s the most versatile pan in the house.  There are some healthy benefits too (ten reasons to try cast iron cookware).  Use it to cook up your ingredients on the stovetop, and the same skillet can go straight in the oven!
There is a bonus too!  You will get a good arm workout lugging that skillet around!

No joke.  Cast iron skillets are HEAVY, so factor less time at the gym.

This skillet also retain the heat nicely, so your food will stay warmer longer.  That’s important for cooks.  How many times have you finally sat down to eat with the family and your food is already cool?

Tex Mex cabbage beef skillet is a quick low carb 30 minute meal! #skillet #lowcarb #keto #beef | www.thefoodieaffair.com
This cabbage beef skillet goes from stovetop to oven, and straight to the table to be plated up…nice and warm!

I seasoned the beef with my homemade taco seasoning mix, and instead of dicing up some onion I used a teaspoon of dried onion, and lots of cheese topped the whole dish!!

Simple, simple, and so flavorful!  Most evenings dinner turns into leftovers for lunch, buuuh

There is a BUT coming…

Once we filled our bowls I put the skillet back in the oven and forgot to turn off the oven.  Sigh. Between the skillet retaining heat like a mini oven and the extra cooking time, I was left with a charred cabbage beef skillet meal!

Good thing this recipes calls for half a head of cabbage.  The other portion will be coked up right away!

Tex Mex Cabbage Beef Skillet Recipe Topped with Spicy Mexican Cheese Blend

Prep time : 10 mins
Cook time : 20 mins
Total time :30 mins
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 4

Ingredients

•   ½ head green cabbage, sliced in shreds
•  2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
•  1 pound ground beef
•  3 tablespoons Taco Seasoning Mix
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1½ cups Mexican Cheese Blend
• salt and pepper to taste

Read More : Tex Mex Cabbage Beef Skillet Recipe Topped with Spicy Mexican Cheese Blend

Garlic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

With two kiddos to chase and a full plate of family activities, lunch can be the hardest meal for me to make healthier choices. It’s just a lot easier to snack on the kids meals or make something less than stellar because it is easy and quick.lean cuisine and roasted vegetables

I love grabbing a frozen entree for when I’m short on time and still need want a better-for-myself choice and putting a side of vegetables alongside it. This past week I decided to pair the LEAN CUISINE® Marketplace Spicy Penne Arrabiata with a quick and simple vegetable side dish, Garlic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms for the perfect healthy lunch.

This recipe for garlic roasted green beans and mushrooms is almost as simple and quick as heating a Lean Cuisine. Preheat your oven. Slice the mushrooms and green beans or leave them whole, whatever suits your fancy. Mix olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, toss on veggies. Spread on pan and roast! So easy!

Plus I love the flavor of roasted vegetables! You can get fancy with lots of different kinds of spices, but really the garlic, salt, and pepper can’t be beat. I’m a bit of a salt and pepper snob thanks to my husband. We like to freshly grind ours from Himalayan Pink Salt and Tricolor Peppercorn. That and using fresh, minced garlic help elevate this simple dish to high flavor deliciousness.


Garlic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms

Serves: 4 servings
Prep time10 mins
Cook time25 mins
Total time35 mins

Delicious Garlic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms are a delicious and healthy side dish. This side is simple to make with just a few fresh vegetables and pantry staples.


Ingredients

•     2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
•     2 cups fresh green beans
•     ¼ cup olive oil
•     2 teaspoons minced garlic
•     1 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
•     1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Read More : Garlic Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms

One Pan Cheesy Smoked Sausage & Pasta Recipe

My whole family loved this dish – with the BIG move happening I am trying to cook dishes FAST that I can easily reheat for leftovers

With the whole move I am finding out how much “stuff” I really have — but that is another story…. But SERIOUSLY guys I am never buying anything ever again 😉

I am going to be adding this recipe into my full rotation of meals — what I love is that I can easily change it up as the seasons change — or adding different meats as they come on sale

I really hope you enjoy this recipe ( I know my family did – my mom, dad, and Eric 🙂 )

If I did not mention it before but it seems that my dad has recently ( within the last year become lactose intolerant) so I have been trying to use much lactose free milk as possible I buy it from Walmart or Winco – I also try and avoid heavy cream when I can — so this dish can be made with heavy cream instead of the milk – I personally used lactose free milk because I wanted my dad to enjoy the pasta for lunch

This dish can be gluten free as long as you use gluten free pasta

I did not since I was not planning on eating this dish — since I used pork in the dish — I personally do not eat pork ( Long story but I am willing to cook it )

If you do make the One Pan Cheesy Smoked Sausage & Pasta Recipe please let us know what you think



One Pan Cheesy Smoked Sausage & Pasta Recipe

Ingredients

•     1 Tbsp olive oil
•     1 lb sausage
•     ½ cup diced onion
•     1 Tbsp minced garlic
•     2 cups Chicken Broth
•     1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
•     ½ cup milk
•     8 oz dry pasta
•     ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, each
•     2 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
•     ¼ tsp of Red Pepper Flakes
•     ⅓ cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Read More : One Pan Cheesy Smoked Sausage & Pasta Recipe

Ricotta and Spinach Calzones

A cheesy ricotta and spinach vegetarian calzone to substitute into your pizza routine!

Friday! We made it! I’ve been a total slacker on posting lately – I don’t know what happened, but we all of a sudden got wayyy busier than we’ve been since we moved to Austin. I think it’s good though. We needed a bit of a break after moving to get settled and just take a breath, but now we’re back into the craziness of life and loving it. Well, most of the time. Just not when I don’t get to talk to you guys for a week because I have a hard time finding a few minutes to post these beauties!

If you read my last post or follow me on Instagram, you’ll know we did a 10 day cleanse that ended a few days ago in an effort to reset our eating habits and cleanse our system. We’ve done this same cleanse 4-5 times now and every time I absolutely love it! I regain energy, get back into the habit of drinking lots of water, lose some of my crazy cravings for sweets, and as a bonus, shed a few pounds! We also made a few decisions after ending the cleanse.

1. We eat as healthy as we can during the week and we allow ourselves some splurges on the weekends.

2. We’re going back to not buying meat. We’re at a stopping point right now where we feel uneasy about eating meat that isn’t responsibly raised and we don’t quite have the grocery budget to buy farmers market/local meat on a daily basis, so that means we just do without!

So, the plan is that we’ll eat vegetarian during the week and then on the weekend have our splurge meal with some fresh, local meat. It’s a happy compromise for our bellies and our wallets.

Okay, these calzones. I mean, come on, don’t you just wanna pop the whole thing in your mouth?? I love checking out new cookbooks from our local library and since I need some more vegetarian recipes, I just had to try America’s Test Kitchen “The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook”. I used my favorite pizza dough recipe and stuffed them with all the yummy ingredients they recommend and they turned out perfectly! I’m in complete favor of the meatless calzone because you don’t get all the unnecessary grease from the meat soaking into your calzone bread — it’s just a lighter, but still filling meal!



Ricotta and Spinach Calzones


Prep time:  15 mins
Cook time:  15 mins
Total time:  30 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients

•     10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
•     8 ounces ricotta cheese
•     4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
•     1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
•     1 tablespoon olive oil
•     1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water, plus 1 large egg yolk
•     1 teaspoon garlic powder
•     1½ teaspoons minced fresh oregano
•     ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
•     1 teaspoon salt
•     1 lbpizza dough

Read More : Ricotta and Spinach Calzones

Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe

We survived spring break.  It was a nice week spent with the kids.   On the first day of spring break, my boys woke up and said that they were bored an hour later.  I knew that I would have to get creative this week.  Luckily the weather was nice and we spent a lot of time outside.  We enjoyed spending time together as a family.  It ended on such a beautiful day today on Easter Sunday.  I hope you enjoyed spending it with your family as well!

One of our favorite meals of the week was this Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccatta.  It was amazing.  My favorite part was that it was a one pot meal and ready on the dinner table in 30 minutes!

It is just like the classic chicken piccata dish, but with the added lemon tang.  It gives it such a fresh and delicious taste to this creamy sauce.  The chicken has a delicious breading on the outside and it is perfect served over some pasta.  Everyone in my family loved this meal.  It had such a delicious flavor and will be one that we make again and again!



Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata

A quick and easy one pot meal that is on the dinner table in 30 minutes! Tender breaded chicken in a creamy lemon sauce that the entire family will love!

Prep time : 10 mins
Cook time :15 mins
Total time : 25 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients

•     4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
•     salt and pepper to taste
•     ¼ cup all purpose flour
•     2 Tablespoons Butter
•     2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
•     1 cup chicken broth
•     2 whole Lemons
•     ¾ Cup Heavy Cream
•     ¼ cup capers
•     Chopped parsley, for garnish
•     1 pound Angel Hair Pasta

Get full recipe here Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

Recipe for Cheesy Hamburger Casserole – Just as easy to make as Hamburger Helper and you can control the ingredients. Great weekday meal and the kids love it!

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

Ingredients

•     1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
•     1 large onion, diced
•     1 tablespoon canola oil
•     salt, to taste
•     pepper to taste
•     1/2 teaspoon oregano
•     2 cloves chopped garlic
•     1/2 teaspoon paprika
•     one 28-ounce can pureed tomatoes, or your favorite sauce
•     16 ounce box macaroni noodles
•     1/2 cup each grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses

Read More :  Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

The Last Iced Coffee Recipe You'll Ever Need!

I Love Creamy and Sweet Iced Coffee.

But...

I HATE paying over $4 a glass for it at some fancy-schmancy coffee house!

After literally years of trying, I have found it!

I have figured out how to make the perfect creamy & sweet Iced coffee for pennies a glass!

I'm gonna show ya how!

First...

You have to make your coffee concentrate.

(This is the only part of the process that takes some time)

Don't worry,  the gallon of coffee concentrate you end up with will make enough to last you for a month in the fridge!

You do NOT want to brew a normal pot of coffee for your iced coffee.

You want to cold-brew it.

This leaves you with a smooth, acid-free coffee base that we all love for a refreshing cold drink.

Iced Coffee Concentrate Recipe

Ingredients:

•     1 gallon water (I buy a gallon of drinking water)
•     1 lb bag of your favorite rich coffee (course ground if ya can get it)
•     Coffee filters or several layers of cheesecloth
•     a fine mesh strainer.
•     a large bowl
•     pitcher (big enough to hold a gallon)

Sweet Cream

•     1, 12oz can of evaporated milk
•     1, 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

Read More : Iced Coffee Concentrate