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weekly specialsAuthor Archives: Laura Youngquist
February 23, 2019
Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler
Laissez le bon temps rouler! Aka “let the good times roll” is frequently heard during Mardi Gras. It’s a celebration of music, parades, costumes, excitement, and most importantly, food. Typical food styles are Cajun and Creole. I have a few recipes to help you get into the spirit and feel like you are in the French Quarter of New Orleans. First up is Cajun Chicken Lazone Pasta. Chicken Lazone is a New Orleans favorite and is a combination of Cajun chicken and comfort food. You start by coating the chicken in a homemade rub. It’s pretty simple to make so don’t let this scare you. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, dip the chicken into the mixture, and set aside. Next, you heat a skillet and cook the chicken until done. Then, make the sauce by adding the remaining mixture to the pan with some heavy cream and allowing … Continue reading
January 31, 2019
Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe’s
When was the last time you ate a Sloppy Joe? It’s not a common meal in my house but there is something about a Sloppy Joe that reminds me of family dinners as a child. I wanted to create a new version of a Sloppy Joe that combines another favorite food of ours – buffalo chicken. The result was a Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe. It was amazing! These Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joe’s have enough heat without being too spicy and veggies hidden within the meat that add great flavor. I recommend drizzling some ranch or blue cheese dressing on top to offset the heat. And because who can enjoy buffalo sauce without ranch or blue cheese? It really completes the sandwich! The recipe can be found here. Let’s get cooking! Start by doing all the prep work. I like to chop my veggies, measure out my dry and liquid ingredients, … Continue reading
January 29, 2019
Chicken Taco Soup
Is anyone else questioning why they live in MN with the weather we are having this week? If you are looking for a quick 30-minute meal, that is also warm and hearty, to get you through the cold weather I have the perfect solution. It’s Chicken Taco Soup. The soup is loaded with chicken, beans, corn, and tomatoes, and is packed full of flavor. Most of the item you probably already have in your pantry, so it’s easy to whip together during the week. It’s the perfect hot meal on a cold winter night! The recipe can be found here. I like to turn this into a one-pot meal (who wants to do more dishes?) so I use a large soup pot for all ingredients. Start by cooking the ground chicken until done. Drain any excess water. I like to use a paper towel to absorb some of the water. … Continue reading
January 5, 2019
Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
Do you ever crave those soft, chewy, irresistible smelling soft pretzels you get from street vendors or mall kiosks? If so, you’re in luck! I have a recipe for Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites that is a perfect replica. These Homemade Pretzel Bites have a perfectly doughy center, crispy crust, and buttery and salty flavor. They are fun to make and fun to eat. Great for dipping – the perfect finger food! A bit of work is required to make these but it’s worth it. They are SO good right out of the oven. The recipe can be found here. Start by preparing the dough. I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one. You can mix the dough by hand, but your arms will be quite sore! Add the water, brown sugar, yeast, and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 5 minutes. Add … Continue reading
January 3, 2019
Bailey’s Banana Colada
While on vacation over Thanksgiving I had THE BEST drink at one of our favorite restaurants and have been talking about it ever since (seriously). I wanted to recreate the drink for a special occasion and thought New Year’s Eve would be the perfect time (although, I could drink this every day and not just on special occasions) … It’s called a Bailey’s Banana Colada and is the most amazing alcoholic shake-like beverage I’ve ever had. Be warned – there isn’t a lot of booze in this drink, so the alcohol flavors won’t be overpowering. It’s more like a chocolate banana shake. But it’s delicious. Here’s how you make it: Ingredients 2 Ripe Bananas, broken into chunks 6 fl oz Banana Liqueur 6 lf oz Bailey’s Irish Cream 6 fl oz Coconut Cream, room temperature 4 Cups Ice Directions Add the banana chunks and banana liqueur to a blender … Continue reading
December 22, 2018
Sliders
For many years I thought the word “slider” meant a tiny hamburger, but boy was I wrong! Sliders are small sandwiches made with slider rolls that come in a variety of flavors, and they are all the rage. Think meat and cheese melted together in the oven on a crisp roll – yum! I can attest that all the recipes I’m about to share with you are not only delicious but easy to make. You can even customize for various occasions – Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders for a Kentucky Derby Party, Apple Turkey Cheddar Sliders using the apples you purchased at the Apple Orchard, Chicken and Waffle Sliders when hosting brunch, etc. You get the idea 
Ham and Swiss Sliders are probably the most common slider (in my world at least). These are filled with juicy ham and Swiss cheese nestled in a Kings Hawaiian Roll. The tops of … Continue reading
December 17, 2018
Holiday Hosting with Appetizers
Friends and family will be coming together with Christmas right around the corner. Are you ready for all the festivities? Are you hosting a party? It can be stressful preparing for a get-together with a house full of guests, but it doesn’t need to be. Some people have multiple places to stop in one night while others have one stop to make. Whether your guest are coming and going or staying for the evening, you can serve a simple menu of appetizers. I think this is a great idea because 1) your guests can eat as much or as little as they like, 2) you can have a large variety of options to choose from, and 3) you spend more time socializing with your guests than you do in the kitchen. Here’s what I plan on serving: Burrata with Cranberries and Ciabatta Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes Chicken Parmesan … Continue reading
December 8, 2018
Christmas Confections
I love baking any time of year but baking for Christmas is something special. There so many themed recipes, fun cookie cutter shapes, and festive decorations to choose from. Whether you are baking treats for your coworkers, participating in a cookie exchange, or stocking up to have plenty of sweets on hand for family, the creativity and effort put into baking this time of year is appreciated by all. I would like to share with you 4 new recipes that can easily be added to your cookie platter. I think they will be a hit! Christmas Light Sugar Cookies These sugar cookies are super simple to make and even more fun to decorate! I used store-bought sugar cookie dough but if you have a favorite recipe you can definitely use that instead. Store-bought dough is nice when you don’t have a lot of time or don’t want to make a … Continue reading
December 6, 2018
Christmas Cocktails
Christmas Cocktails are needed to help get you through the holiday season. Well…they might not be “needed” but they definitely enhance the experience And, cocktails should be as important as the food served at any party. A themed cocktail is fun for guests and creates another focal point of the night. I have three cocktails to warm you up when (baby it’s) cold outside. First is a Mistletoe Cocktail. This cocktail is appealing to the eye and something you (or your guests) can enjoy while socializing before dinner. The ginger beer (non-alcoholic) gives this drink a spicy flavor while the sugar rim adds a sweet aftertaste. I said non-alcoholic, but this drink does contain vodka. The ginger beer is what is non-alcoholic, so if you want to skip the vodka and perhaps add a splash of Sprite instead, you can serve this to your underage guests. The recipe can … Continue reading
November 24, 2018
Thanksgiving Leftovers
Is anyone else still full from Thanksgiving? I for sure am…but it was worth every bite! Depending on your point of view, Thanksgiving leftovers are either a good thing or a bad thing. In my opinion, they are a great thing! You can enjoy the same delicious meal a second time around, or third, or forth…you get the picture. Or, you can put those leftovers to good use and create something new. Think of Thanksgiving as the holiday that keeps on giving. If you use the leftovers wisely, you can have a different meal each day of “leftover week”. I have three different recipes to share with you today. I still had plenty of leftovers in addition to these recipes, so I filled in the meal by also using the leftovers as a side dish. So, the meal included a “new” leftover creation with a side of “traditional” leftovers (aka … Continue reading
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