order online
weekly specialsAuthor Archives: Laura Youngquist
March 21, 2023
Brunching
Brunch is a widely popular weekend activity. Who doesn’t love meeting up with friends and family to enjoy some wonderful breakfast food and maybe a cocktail or 2? With spring right around the corner and Easter coming up, I thought it would be fun to share some of my new breakfast recipes, and perhaps get you out of the winter slumber and motivated to host a get-together. Here are the recipes I’ve been working on: Pepperjack Baked Eggs Pepperjack Baked Eggs Breakfast Sandwich Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake Sheet Pan Cheesy Hash Browns All are relatively easy to make and taste aaaaaamazing! I’ll walk you through how to make each recipe and give you some tips along the way. Pepperjack Baked Eggs are my new obsession. They are loaded with pepperjack cheese and have a little kick. Don’t worry, they aren’t spicy by any means, but you will taste a little heat in every bite. Think elevated … Continue reading
March 16, 2023
Chicken Bacon Ranch Meatloaf
Meatloaf is a wonderful comfort food and if you’re from the Midwest…it’s a bit of a staple. It’s one of those meals you either love or hate. If you hate it, you probably ate it too much as a kid 😊 but I think you should give it one more chance and try my Chicken Bacon Ranch Meatloaf. I’m a chicken-bacon-ranch fan and consider myself to be somewhat of a CBR (chicken-bacon-ranch) connoisseur. If it’s available at a restaurant in some capacity, chances are I’ll order it. I think it’s delicious and love the flavor combination. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard size loaf pan with parchment paper. This will help you lift the meatloaf out of the pan after cooking, making it easier to slice and serve. Open the jar of bacon bits and reserve ¼ cup. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, dried minced … Continue reading
March 11, 2023
Shamrockin’ Food
St Patrick’s Day is next week, and in an effort to get everyone excited about the holiday, I want to share some of my favorite St Patty’s Day recipes. All are easy to make, themed for the holiday, and taste amazing. The 4 recipes I’m going to cover in this blog can be standalone meals/appetizers or could be combined into one big SPD feast! Here are the recipes: Irish Nachos Guinness Pulled Chicken Sandwiches Lucky Charms Marshmallow Bars Drunk Leprechaun Irish Nachos are a fun twist on traditional nachos because they are essentially the same thing, but you use potatoes in place of tortilla chips. The potatoes are sliced thin and baked until they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They are topped with melted cheese, crumbled bacon, green onion, sour cream, etc. It’s a crowd-pleasing appetizer or side dish that is perfect for your St Patrick’s Day party. The recipe can be … Continue reading
March 6, 2023
Caprese Ravioli Salad
Caprese Ravioli Salad is the pasta salad of summer…. or winter…. whenever you are looking for something light and refreshing. It’s ready in about 20 minutes or less and is packed with fresh flavors of basil, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic glaze. This recipe can be served as a side dish or main course. If serving as the main course, add a garden salad or some fresh veggies and hummus on the side. The ravioli is coated in a wonderful oil and herb dressing. You can use cherry or grape tomatoes. I recommend cheese ravioli or perhaps cheese tortellini (if you can’t find ravioli). Use fresh basil, it’s way better than dried basil. And use mozzarella pearls or fresh mozzarella slices that are cut into smaller chunks. The keyword here is FRESH! You will really notice a difference in the taste and texture of the dish if your ingredients are fresh. The recipe can be found here. Start by … Continue reading
March 1, 2023
Sun Dried Tomato & Scallop Pasta
Sun Dried Tomato & Scallop Pasta is an easy to make yet incredibly delicious weeknight meal. It’s a recipe that sounds like you ordered if from a local restaurant when in fact you whipped it up in no time at home. I think scallops pair well with a cream sauce and pasta so it’s the perfect combination. The pasta is tender and coated in a lovely mozzarella, sun dried tomato sauce. The scallops have a nice sear and good texture. And there is good heat from the red pepper flakes. The best way to cook scallops is to sear them on the stovetop in a skillet with some oil or butter. You want a golden crust on the top and bottom and the inside to have a soft texture. You can use fresh or frozen scallops. I tend to use frozen so I don’t have to worry about cooking them so soon after purchasing but you will have to ensure … Continue reading
February 24, 2023
Asian Cuisine: Ground Chicken Meals
Every so often I’m looking for a simple weeknight meal that is filling, flavorful, and doesn’t require a lot of effort or groceries. One thing we both like is Asian cuisine and the wonderful variety of flavors and sauces (some homemade and some store-bought) you can use to create meals and elevate your recipes. A favorite in our house is to prepare ground meat and serve it over a bed of rice. It’s simple, you can change up the flavors for each recipe, so you aren’t eating the same thing over and over, and we often already have all the ingredients on hand, so the recipes are easy to whip up. I’d like to share a few recipes with you that are favorites of ours: General Tso’s Ground Chicken Ground Orange Chicken Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls General Tso’s Ground Chicken is sweet, sour, and spicy all at the same time. It’s a very popular … Continue reading
February 17, 2023
Mardi Gras Grub
Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, February 21 this year. It’s traditionally celebrated on “Fat Tuesday” which is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. It’s a wonderful celebration filled with plenty of food and drink…New Orleans style! We like to celebrate Mardi Gras every year with a fun and festive meal at home. Sometimes we are with friends and family and sometimes it’s just us. Either way, the drinks are flowing, and the food is plenty. Any reason to make a themed meal, right? I like to have a big entrée that allows us to have plenty of leftovers. This year we are making Spicy Gumbo. To keep us lubricated, we’ll be enjoying a cocktail while we cook. And for an appetizer and dessert, we’ll be snacking on a simple themed treat. It’s an easy menu that I’ll walk you through how to make! Mardi Gras White Chocolate Covered Pretzels – These are a wonderful finger food … Continue reading
February 15, 2023
Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf
Chicken Parmesan is a classic dish and meatloaf is a family tradition shared by many so why not combine the 2? The result is Stuffed Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf. It’s a wonderful dish for a cold winter night or when you are looking for an elevated weeknight meal. The chicken is tender and perfectly seasoned, it’s stuffed with lots of cheese, and served with marinara sauce to coat every bite. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. This will make removing the meatloaf from the pan easier once done baking. Add the ground chicken, ¼ cup marinara sauce, 4-5 minced garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder, 2 Tsp salt, and black pepper to a mixing bowl. Mix to combine then divide into 2 equal portions. To a separate mixing bowl, add the ricotta, ½ cup mozzarella, ½ cup parmesan, 2 … Continue reading
February 9, 2023
Cupid’s Cocktails & Confections
Valentine’s Day is a few short days away. Do you have plans or know how you’re going to celebrate? A lot of people have set traditions each year and like to go out to dinner or prepare a fun meal at home with their friends and/or loved ones. We prefer staying in and making a meal at home. We feel less rushed, it’s fun to cook together, and we can make something special to celebrate the holiday. Two things I like to focus on when creating new Valentine’s Day recipes is desserts and cocktails. Both will enhance your dinner and make the event more memorable and are required to complete the meal (in my opinion). So, let’s walk through my new recipes and hopefully something will catch your eye to prepare for Valentine’s (or Galantine’s) Day! I’m going to start with the cocktails because 1) they are easy to make, 2) they are delicious, and 3) you need … Continue reading
February 5, 2023
Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf
Meatloaf is the epitome of comfort food. And this time of year, we are all looking for something warm, hearty, and comforting to beat the cold temperatures. What’s better than meatloaf? Try Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf. It has the traditional texture and shape of meatloaf but is made with ground chicken. The hot sauce or buffalo sauce brings the heat, but it’s balanced by creamy blue cheese. This is a dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal and makes great leftovers. If you are buffalo sauce fan, I recommend you give it a try! The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Alternately, you can line the loaf pan with parchment paper to make removing the meatloaf easier. Add the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, celery, blue cheese, and onions to a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined and set aside. I’m not the biggest … Continue reading
Recent Comments