Summer is finally here and now it’s time to look ahead to the 4th of July.  Can you believe it’s only a week away?  We plan on celebrating with family and friends – backyard bash, BBQ, yard games, drinks, the whole shebang!  If you are as unprepared as I am, you are probably in need of a few quick and easy food options 🙂 First up is Buffalo Chicken Firecrackers.  These are fun to assemble and a great themed food for your spread.  Feel free to use your favorite homemade Buffalo Chicken Dip if you prefer but I like to order fresh from the deli.  Saves me some time and effort, and it’s delicious!  Plus, any leftovers can be set out to enjoy with the rest of the food. Start by laying out wonton wrappers on the counter.  Place a spoonful of the Buffalo Chicken Dip on each wonton wrapper.  Then … Continue reading

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Margarita Chicken is one of my new favorite dishes.  It’s quick and easy to make, healthy, and a tasty meal you can enjoy all year round.  The chicken is grilled to perfection, then topped with melted cheese, pesto, tomatoes, and basil. The recipe can be found here. Here’s how you make it: Start by combining the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning in a bowl.  Add the chicken and toss to coat. In a separate bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil and lemon. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat.  Cook the chicken on each side for about 8-10 minutes.  I like to cook the chicken low and slow, so I don’t burn the meat if the chicken breasts are thick.  You can always cover the skillet to help evenly distribute the heat.  If you are better with a grill it’s OK to cook the chicken that way too! … Continue reading

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If you are having a hard time deciding what to make for St Patrick’s Day, I can help!  There are some really great recipes out there whether you are hosting a party or enjoying a quiet meal at home.  I want to share my take on St Patrick’s Day and the menu I plan on serving. I’m sticking with a “green theme” for my menu and serving mostly food that is…green.  The menu is not necessarily traditional Irish food but is fun and festive for the occasion! The menu consists of the following: Avocado Ranch Dip with Veggies Reuben Sandwich Rachel Sandwich Decorative Pretzel Rods Frozen Grasshopper, for the adults Mint Green Shake, for the kids   The Avocado Ranch Dip is delicious!  It’s light, tangy, and perfectly salted.  You combine the ingredients in the food processor until smooth and serve with veggies.  I only plated green veggies to keep … Continue reading

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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

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Some of our fun Valentine Showcase – We’ve got everything from meals, to desserts, and even flowers.  Check out our entire ad to see what specials we have available this week for Valentine’s Day! If  you are looking to cook with or for your Valentine, we’ve got a number of specials this week for you including our Special Rib Eye Sweetheart Steak or our mini Seafood Sale – featuring, crab, lobster, shrimp, scallops and more!   We’ve got our Mini Sweeheart Cakes for Two – Available in-store or to reserve online here! We’ve also got Red Velvet Heart Cakes and Curly Cakes – both Classic Chocolate and White Vanilla Bean!     In-store we’ve got a variety of treats for you including Frosted Brownies (without nuts), Cream Puffs, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries ( February 12-14th ONLY)   We’ve got all sorts of cupcakes for you as … Continue reading

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If you are looking for a recipe that is a little on the lighter side, we’ve got something that just might interest you – Thai Peanut Salad (follow the link to skip right to the recipe)- The recipe calls for flank steak but we decided to try it with chicken as well to have as an alternative.  Here is what you are going to need: 1 Flank Steak Spinach or mixed greens 1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced 1 Orange Bell Pepper, sliced 1/2 Cup Sliced Red Cabbage 2 Avocados, sliced 1 Carrot, sliced thin 1 Cucumber, peeled and sliced 1 Jalapeno, sliced Sesame Seeds 1/2 Cup Cilantro, chopped 1/2 Cup Peanuts, chopped 2 Tablespoons Green Onions, sliced 1 Avocado, sliced First step once  you’ve gathered your ingredients – Prepare the Thai Peanut Sauce by combining the ingredients. 1 Cup Peanut Butter 2 Tablespoons Sriracha 1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice 1/4 Cup … Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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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

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