Category Archives: Uncategorized

Grilled Chicken Caprese is an Italian-inspired chicken dish that is perfect for summer!  It’s made with tender, juicy chicken that’s topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a lovely balsamic glaze.  This dish can be prepared in a variety of ways, but my preference is to grill it. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Spray with cooking spray.  You can also use your outdoor grill if you prefer. Combine the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Season both sides of the chicken. Grill for 6-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through and an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese.  Loosely place tin foil over the grill pan to act as a cover to melt the cheese (or close your actual grill over to … Continue reading

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A Pimento BLT Sandwich is not your ordinary, run of the mill sandwich.  It’s an elevated BLT because of the Pimento Cheese spread.  If you aren’t familiar with Pimento Cheese, it’s a creamy, cheese, and tangy spread that is often referred to as the pâté of the South.  It’s made with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, pimento peppers (which are sweet and mild), and mayonnaise.  You can adjust the spicy by adding cayenne pepper and other seasonings.  It’s best when homemade but you can usually find a jarred variety at your local grocery store.  It goes well with crackers, vegetables, or spread on a sandwich, which is what we are doing today. BLTs are crisp, fresh, flavorful, and can be a delicious sandwich on their own but I like to add a little something extra to mine.  I always think something is missing so I like to add avocado, egg, or in this case, Pimento Cheese.  It’s a BLTP … Continue reading

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Pizza Grilled Cheese combines 2 of my favorite things…pizza and grilled cheese.  It’s the ultimate mash-up meal!  And it’s something the kids will absolutely love!  Think mounds of melted cheese and spicy pepperoni sandwiched between 2 slices of buttery, garlicky bread.  Dip it in your favorite marinara sauce before each bite and you will be in heaven. The sandwiches are somewhat customizable too.  Use turkey pepperoni vs traditional pork/beef pepperoni, add crumbled sausage, etc.…you get the picture, so each family member can easily create their own yummy sandwich. The recipe can be found here. Start by adding 3 Tbsp unsalted butter to a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds or until melted.  Add the parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.  Stir to combine and set aside.  If you prefer to use salted butter, simply skip adding any additional salt. Add 1 Tbsp unsalted butter to a skillet or griddle and melt over medium heat. Place the 4 slices of … Continue reading

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Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts.  It comes in a variety of flavors, can be fruity or sweet, and is usually a crowd pleaser.  Mini cheesecakes are fun for a party or holiday because you can make a few different varieties, or perhaps make one plain batch but let your guests add their own toppings and have a simple yet delicious dessert. One of the recipes I want to share with you today is for Mini Salted Caramel Cheesecakes.  If you like cheesecake and caramel, these are for you!  The crust is a homemade graham cracker crust.  The cheesecake has a creamy texture, sweet taste that might be considered a little rich to some, with a slight tanginess, which comes from the cream cheese.  The mini cheesecakes are then doused in a generous amount of caramel sauce and sprinkled with salt.  SO GOOD! The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 … Continue reading

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Puff Pastry Breakfast Pizzas are a quick breakfast or brunch idea that are easy to make and will be a fan favorite.  These aren’t your traditional pizzas with marinara sauce and pizza toppings.  They are completely made up of “breakfast food” items.  The crust is puff pastry so it’s incredibly light, flakey, and buttery.  You combine Havarti and parmesan cheese to get this creamy, melty, cheesy goodness in every bite.  I like to use maple bacon because I love the maple flavor and think it pairs well with the salty elements in this recipe, but you could substitute any flavor of bacon or even use Canadian bacon or sausage.  The eggs are cooked to your liking (whether you want a hard yolk or runny yolk).  I haven’t tried this recipe with scrambled eggs but I’m sure they would yield a similar result. This is going to be a breakfast meal you will love and want to make … Continue reading

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Summer is fast approaching and one thing I look forward to eating more of is salads.  There is something about a big bowl of leafy greens with all the fixings that screams summer.  It’s a healthy meal and is light and refreshing on a hot day.  You also don’t often feel like you overate with a salad, and you can customize the ingredients to match your tastes. I want to share 4 of my favorite salad recipes with you: BLT Chicken Chopped Salad Grilled Chicken Arugula Salad with Strawberries & Feta Doritos Taco Salad Spinach Salad with Fruit & Maple Dressing   All are simple to make, delicious, and large enough to feed a family of 4.  If you leave the dressing off, you can portion out the ingredients to have lunches prepared for the week or dinner a couple night during the week (just add the dressing when you are ready to serve). … Continue reading

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We were watching a cooking show recently where they made Sheet Pan Quesadillas.  They not only looked amazing but seemed very simple to make so we thought, let’s grab some of our favorite ingredients, play around with different seasonings, and give it a try!  The result is Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas. These are fabulous!  You get tender chicken and loads of beans and veggies in each bite, it’s perfectly seasoned, and has plenty of melted cheese.  We use onion, bell pepper, black beans, and corn for our recipe but you can easily customize the “filling” to your liking.  Add mushrooms, green onion, etc.  Substitute the chicken breast for ground beef or pulled pork, etc.  You can really make this meal your own and cater to individual tastes.  I mean, you do have an entire sheet pan of quesadillas, so go ahead and make one side to your liking and the other side to your kids liking. And don’t … Continue reading

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There is nothing better than deep-dish pizza, especially when it’s homemade!  I love the fresh marinara sauce, fresh herbs, mounds of melted cheese, soft dough, and plethora of toppings.  It’s one of those meals you crave because you probably only have it 1-2 times each year and it’s most likely when you’re traveling to a city known for deep-dish pizza…  Well, you’re in luck!  I want to share my recipe for Homemade Cast-Iron Deep-Dish Pizza with you. The recipe can be found here. The dough is Chicago-style, meaning it not only covers the bottom of the pan but also stretches up the sides of the pan.  The dough isn’t overly complicated to make, but does need time to proof and rise, so plan for additional time.  It’ll be worth it!  The crust is layered with cheese and other toppings first – the sauce goes in last.  This is very important because it helps the crust say crispy and … Continue reading

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Slow cooker meals are great for any time of year.  Simply set it and forget it and you have a tasty meal that is hearty, filling, and will feed the whole family.  That’s what my recipe for Slow Cooker Shredded Thai Curry Chicken is…. simple but delicious.  The chicken is braised in a coconut-curry mixture and is moist and tender.  The coconut-curry is Thai style with a base of coconut milk, onions, peppers (spicy), sugar (sweet), fish sauce (tangy), and lime juice (citrus)…it’s like a flavor explosion in your mouth.  You then finish the dish with fresh herbs and serve it over a bed of rice. The recipe can be found here. Start by placing the chicken in the bowl of the slow cooker.  Top with the coconut milk, curry powder, fish sauce (or you can substitute soy sauce), lime juice, brown sugar, green onions, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger. Cover and cook on LOW … Continue reading

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Instant Pot Jalapeno Popper Shredded Chicken Sandwiches are a fun twist on a classic appetizer.  Think of your favorite jalapeno poppers, then think about what they would taste like when paired with shredded chicken…sounds good, right?  This is a comfort food recipe and it’s packed with flavor!  Plenty of tender, juicy chicken, a little heat from the jalapenos, a rich and creamy sauce, and crispy bacon make up this sandwich.  It’s a hearty and satisfying meal you’ll want to put into your weekly rotation. The recipe can be found here. Start by cooking the bacon according to package instructions.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate to cool, then chop and set aside. Next, slice the jalapenos and green onions, and set aside. Place the chicken in the bowl of the Instant Pot.  Add the chicken broth, jalapeno juice, chopped jalapenos (from jar), fresh sliced jalapenos, ranch seasoning, and black pepper. Chopped jalapenos in a jar … Continue reading

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