Baked Tacos

We really love tacos in this house. We'll turn anything into a taco flavored version of the original - taco pizza, taco salad, you name it! Tonight, we just wanted plain tacos. We've always had soft tacos. For some reason, I've never made hard shell tacos in the entire 10 years Matt and I have been together. Come to find out, the corn taco shells actually have a lot less carbs in them than the soft flour tortillas. I think we'll be making these a lot more often now!

I got the idea to bake the tacos from a friend. And they turned out great! I hope you like them.

Baked Tacos
Makes: 4 servings

8 corn taco shells
1 lb ground beef, turkey, or chicken
taco seasoning
1 cup shredded cheese such as cheddar or Monterey Jack
Taco toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, scallions, salsa, hot sauce, etc.

• First, bake the empty taco shells so they get warm and crispy. Place the taco shells on a baking sheet and bake at 325° F for 5 - 6 minutes.
• While the shells are baking, brown up the meat in a skillet on high heat until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink, about 4 - 5 minutes. Stir in the taco seasoning and remove from the heat.
• Remove the taco shells from the oven, stuff them with the taco meat, then top them all with shredded cheese.
• Place the tacos back in the oven for about 2 - 3 minutes until the cheese is melted.
• Top with your favorite toppings!

Pulled Pork Turn-overs

Here we go with another left-over recipe! If you've ever made pulled pork before, you know that even the smallest roast will make three or four family sized meals. What do to with all of those left-overs? Here's one idea: Loaded Sweet Potato Fries. This particular night, I happened to have some puff pastry in the freezer, hence pulled pork turn-overs were born!

Here's a quick rundown on how to make pulled pork: put a pork shoulder in the slow cooker, top it with an entire bottle of your favorite sauce (barbecue sauce, steak or pork marinade, etc.), cook it on low for 8 hours, remove the bones and shred the meat. It's that easy!

If you've been a reader of my blog for a while, you'll know that I love recipes that you can customize. Everyone's family's preferences are different and it's nice to be able to make a recipe your own that everyone can agree with. That's why I have left the instructions intentionally open as far as the type of sauce or cheese that you can use.

Pulled Pork Turn-overs
Makes: 4 turn-overs

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 1/2 cups pulled pork
1/2 cup sauce (barbecue, sweet chili, buffalo, etc.)
1 cup shredded cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, pepper jack, etc.)

• On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry so that it's about 1/8" thick.
• With a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry evenly into 4 squares.
• Pile 1/4 of the pork onto one half of the puff pastry, top with 2 tbsp of sauce, then top with 1/4 cup of cheese.
• Brush two adjacent edges of the puff pastry with water.
• Fold over the puff pastry in half corner to corner so that it forms a triangle. Be careful to make sure that all of the ingredients stay inside and you have a tight seal. You don't want anything leaking out.
• Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and fillings.
• Transfer the turn-overs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With a sharp knife, pierce two lines into the puff pastry so that the steam can escape.

• Bake at 400° F for 15 minutes.
• Allow to cool at least 5 minutes. The filling will be hot!

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Garlic Hummus

Since I made a really great homemade version of Chiavetta's marinade, I put it to good use by grilling up some chicken for dinner. I turned it into sandwiches with roasted garlic hummus spread on some French bread. It was a really nice, light dinner.

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Garlic Hummus
Makes: 4 servings

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup garlic & vinegar marinade
1 French baguette
1/2 cup roasted garlic hummus
sandwich toppings

• Cut the chicken breasts in half length-wise so that you have four, thinner pieces of chicken.
• Place them in a plastic bag along with the marinade and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, up to four hours.
• Grill the chicken on high for four to five minutes per side until thoroughly cooked.
• Cut the baguette into four pieces, then slice each piece in half for sandwiches.
• Toast the bread on the grill.
• Spread about two tablespoons of hummus on the bottom half of each piece of baguette. Top with a piece of grilled chicken. Finish it off with toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onions, etc.

Homemade Alfredo

Inevitably, whenever someone finds out that I "know how to cook," they will ask me how to make Alfredo sauce. I'm surprised by this one because it's actually one of the easiest sauces you could possibly make. I've seen some people make it (incorrectly) with a flour based bechamel (white sauce), but that's technically a mornay (bechamel with cheese added to it). Alfredo sauce is even simpler than that!

Homemade Alfredo

Makes: 8 servings

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups (16 oz) heavy cream

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the shallot and garlic in olive oil until they are fragrant and become soft, about 2 minutes. It's important to make this in a skillet because it has more surface area which will help to reduce the cream once you add it.
• Add the heavy cream to the pan and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the cream starts to bubble, continue cooking until it has thickened slightly and sticks to the back of a spoon (this is called "reducing the sauce"), about five minutes.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese until they are melted. Technically mozzarella isn't traditionally included in Alfredo, but it just helps the sauce stay nice and smooth.
• Toss hot cooked pasta (fettuccine, linguine, penne, etc) into the same pan with the sauce and stir to coat.

Lola approves!

Variations (you know I love variations!)

Pasta Primavera - add sauteed zucchini, summer squash, broccoli, mushrooms, and grape tomatoes to the finished pasta and sauce.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta - season shrimp with blackened seasoning, saute over medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Using the same pan, make the Alfredo sauce. Toss the pasta and shrimp with the finished sauce. (This could also be made with chicken instead of shrimp).

Chicken & Broccoli Pasta - add steamed broccoli and grilled chicken that has been cut into strips to the finished pasta and sauce.

Spinach & Artichoke Alfredo - add steamed chopped spinach and diced artichokes to the finished pasta and sauce.

The possibilities are endless!

Crispy Pork Chops

If you haven't noticed from my posts, we mostly eat chicken. Matt can't really eat steak because of his braces - poor guy, only 6 more months to go! So tonight I decided to change it up with some pork chops. I shallow fried them with crunchy panko bread crumbs. Something to note about shallow frying, you really shouldn't ever use a non-stick pan for deep frying or shallow frying. Non-stick pans are made for cooking in medium to low heat. The extremely high temperatures achieved by frying with hot oil can cause the non-stick coating to warp and flake off. So make sure you're using stainless steel for this recipe.

Crispy Pork Chops

Makes: 4 pork chops

4 thin boneless center cut pork chops

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 seasoned salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup flour

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

canola or vegetable oil for frying

• Combine the panko, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
• Whip together the egg and milk, set aside.
• With a meat tenderizer, pound the pork chops flat. This will help them cook more evenly and quickly.
• Dredge the pork chops in the flour, then the egg wash, then the panko mixture. Set aside while the oil is heating up.
• Fill a heavy bottomed stainless steel frying pan, heat about 1/2" of oil over medium heat.
• Once the oil is very hot, place the pork chops in the pan. If you're using a medium pan, you may need to do this in batches of two at a time. You don't want to overcrowd the pan.
• Cook the pork chops for about 3 - 4 minutes per side until they are brown and crispy and fully cooked on the inside. Allow to rest for two minutes before serving.
• I served mine on a bed of collard greens. Yum!

Sweet Cheddar Chicken

This is another Cupboard Cleaner. I had some left-over cheddar cheese slices that I wasn't sure what to do with. So I did a little bit of brainstorming and decided that it would taste great with apricot preserves on some chicken. And then, of course scallions make everything taste better!

Sweet Cheddar Chicken
Makes: 4 servings

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp apricot preserves
4 slices cheddar cheese
2 scallions, sliced

• Cut each piece of chicken in half length-wise so that you have 4 thinner pieces of chicken.
• Grill the chicken on high heat for about 4 - 5 minutes per side until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink.
• About 1 minute before the chicken is finished cooking, top each piece with one tablespoon of apricot preserves and one slice of cheddar cheese. You may need to fold the cheese in half if it's a big slice.
• Remove from the grill and top with the sliced scallions.
• These can be served with a side of rice or french fries. Or you could place them on a toasted bun to make a sandwich!

Not sure what to do with the left-over scallions? Check out my recipe for Broccoli Casserole.

Chicken & Vegetables in Thai Peanut Sauce

Peanut sauce is one of the easiest sauces you can make. It's a raw sauce - no cooking required. And it's literally just a combination of peanut butter, water, soy sauce, and a few other goodies. I like to add this to some noodles with stir-fry vegetables and some chicken. I used carrots, celery, and onions because that's what I happened to have on hand. You could also use pea pods, mushrooms, asparagus, water chestnuts, or even a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables! You can also leave out the chicken for Meatless Mondays. This also makes a great make-ahead lunch for the week!

Chicken & Vegetables in Thai Peanut Sauce
Makes: 4 servings

1/2 lb spaghetti, lo mein noodles, or ramen noodles
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 medium onion, cut into 1/2" dice
8 scallions
2 tbsp canola oil or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, very finely minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 1/2 tsp dried, ground ginger)
3/4 cup hot water
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce

• Cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 9 - 10 minutes. Make sure to salt the water well.
• Strain the pasta.
• While the pasta is cooking, cut the chicken into 1/2" cubes.
• Chop the carrots, celery, and onions. Set aside.
• Slice the scallions, add the white part to the carrots, celery, and onions; set aside the green tops for garnish.
•  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high. Add the carrots, celery, and onion mixture. Cook for about 3 minutes until the vegetables just start to soften.
• Add the chicken to the skillet and continue cooking for 5 - 6 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Remove from the heat.
• Make the sauce by combining the garlic, ginger, water, peanut butter, and soy sauce. It's true that you can use powdered garlic and ginger, but I highly recommend using fresh. There's just nothing like fresh ginger. Whisk the ingredients together - the sauce will have a lumpy texture at first, just keep whisking and it will smooth out.
• Add the sauce to the hot chicken and vegetables. Add the pasta then toss it all together.
• Garnish with the green scallion tops.

If you want to make the sauce a little spicy, you could add some Sriracha sauce.

Open-Faced Cowboy Burger

I had to find a way to use the left-over ciabatta bread from my BLAT sandwiches. What a terrible problem to have hehe. Ciabatta bread makes such a nice home for a cheeseburger. And so, the cowboy burger was born!

Open-Faced Cowboy Burger
Makes: 4 burgers

1 lb lean ground beef
salt
cracked black pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
2 ciabatta rolls
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon
barbecue sauce
burger toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc

• Cook the bacon until crispy (see my tip for perfect crispy bacon). Set aside.
• Form the hamburger into four patties. Sprinkle the patties with some salt, pepper, onion, and garlic.
• Grill the hamburgers until well done and no longer pink. Meanwhile, cut the ciabatta rolls in half and place them on the grill to toast.
• Place a slice of cheese on each burger about one minute before they are finished cooking to allow time for the cheese to melt.
• Top each ciabatta roll with desired toppings such as lettuce, tomato, onions, etc. Then top with the cheeseburger, then barbecue sauce, then bacon. Serve!

I know I say this every time I post about hamburgers, but it's because it's important. Click here for an explanation on why you should always cook ground beef to well done.

Honey Lime Chicken

This is another one of those recipes that I just kind of pulled out of thin air. I wasn't sure what to make for dinner so I looked around to see what we had. Honey and lime are a pretty classic flavor combination. You see it a lot in southwestern dishes as well as Thai dishes. I went more in the Asian direction with this one and it was yummy! I made this with chicken breasts, but you could also use chicken thighs or even chicken wings.

Honey Lime Chicken

Makes: 4 servings

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup corn starch

1/2 tsp salt

Marinade:

2 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp honey

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce

• Combine the lime juice, honey, garlic, soy sauce, and chili sauce. Set aside.
• Cut each of the chicken breasts in half length-wise so that you have four thin chicken breasts.
• Pour half of the marinade into a plastic bag with the chicken and marinate it for 10 - 30 minutes. You don't really want to do more than 30 minutes with an acidic marinade like this because it will make the chicken mushy.

• While the chicken in marinating, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade, then toss in the flour mixture. You want just a very thin coating on the chicken. This is going to create a thin, delicate crust.
• Deep fry the chicken at 350° F for 3 - 5 minutes total until deep brown and cooked through. Or cook in a heavy bottomed skillet filled with 1/2" of oil on medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes per side.
• Remove the chicken from the oil and allow to rest.
• While the chicken is resting, heat the other half of the marinate in a small sauce pan over medium heat for 4 - 5 minutes until the sauce bubbles and just starts to thicken. Remove from the heat.
• Plate the chicken then spoon some of the sauce over each piece. There will only be a very small amount of sauce but it's strong stuff so it will be plenty for four pieces of chicken.
• Serve the chicken over white rice, brown rice, rice pilaf, couscous, or quinoa. This dish pairs really well with some bok choy that has been chopped, sauteed until al dente, then tossed with just a little bit of soy sauce.

This was great as is but I can't wait to try it on the grill. I think it will be even more delicious!

Roasted Garlic & Italian Herb Chicken

I had some left-over roasted garlic compound butter from my Broccoli with Roasted Garlic Butter so I decided to put it to use in this chicken dish! The result was really great and it was a super fast meal. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Roasted Garlic & Italian Herb Chicken
Makes: 4 servings

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
pinch of salt
1 tbsp roasted garlic butter, melted
1 egg, beaten

• Cut each piece of chicken in half length-wise so that you have four thin pieces of chicken.
• Mix together the panko, parmesan, Italian seasoning, and salt. Then mix in the melted butter. Set aside.
• Dip each piece of chicken in the beaten egg, then the panko mixture.
• Place the chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 400° F for 20 minutes until completely cooked and no longer pink.
• Serve with pasta.

I made a pasta side dish with the remaining butter. It paired really well with the chicken. You can make this while the chicken is baking.

1/2 lb penne or other tube pasta
2 tbsp roasted garlic butter
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried parsley (or 2 tsp fresh)
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

• Cook the pasta until al dente, about 11 - 12 minutes. Make sure to salt the water well.
• While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saute pan. Once the butter is bubbling, add the pepper flakes then remove from the heat.
• Strain the pasta then add it to the garlic butter. Add the parsley and parmesan and toss until the pasta is coated.

Grilled Pizzadillas

In case you hadn't guessed, a Pizzadilla is a glorious combination of pizza and quesadillas. I first came across this concept on Pinterest - surprise surprise! Then Matt actually had a Pizzadilla at East Coast Wings and Grill. He loved it so much that it was set in stone - I had to try to make them! I thought I would make this recipe my own by making them on the grill. The weather has been warming up here in the Carolinas and I am so ready for spring and grilling and flip flops!

I made a few pepperoni pizzadillas and a few veggie ones. The veggie ones had olives, mushrooms, and green peppers and they were really delicious. I don't like raw veggies on my pizza/in my quesadillas so I sauteed the veggies first with a little garlic. You can do the same if you want or just throw them on there raw, whichever you prefer.

Grilled Pizzadillas
Makes: 6 pizzadillas

6 large burrito sized flour tortillas
6 oz pizza cheese (mozzarella and cheddar blend)
Toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, olives, peppers, onions, etc
14 oz jar of plain pizza sauce

• Preheat the grill on high with the lid down.
• Once the grill is nice and hot, open the lid. Place 3 - 4 tortillas on the grill at a time, depending on how many will fit on your grill.
• Carefully top each tortilla with 1 oz of cheese (about 1/4 cup) then add desired toppings. I quickly learned that I couldn't keep my hand over the grill for longer than about 2 seconds because of the heat. So you should expect to have to add the cheese and toppings in short bursts. If it's easier for you, you can make two at a time so that they don't burn by the time you're able to get all of the toppings on.
• Leave the lid open and allow the pizzadilla to cook. Once the cheese is melted, about one minute, use a grill spatula to fold the pizzadilla in half. Then remove from the grill.
• Cut the pizzadilla into thirds then serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

On the grill!

As I was adding the labels to this post, I asked Matt if this was T1D friendly and he said, "No! God no!" Haha whoops, I guess that answers that question...

Loaded Chicken & Black Bean Burritos

I had some left-over rotisserie chicken from the Buffalo Chicken Blasts that I made the other day so I decided to use it up in these Loaded Chicken & Black Bean Burritos. I also boiled the bones to make chicken stock. Waste not, want not! Anyhow, these burritos are really yummy with chicken, but you can also leave out the chicken for Meatless Mondays.

Loaded Chicken & Black Bean Burritos
Makes: 8 Burritos

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
15 oz can of black beans
4 oz can of green chilies
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/2 medium yellow onion, 1/2" dice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
8 burrito size flour tortillas
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

  

• In a saute pan, cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 - 12 minutes.
• Add the chicken, black beans, green chilies, salsa verde, cumin, cayenne, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir and continue to cook on medium about 5 minutes until heated through.
• Sprinkle about one ounce of cheese on a tortilla then melt the cheese either in the microwave or under the broiler.

• Spread 1/8th of the chicken mixture down the center of the tortilla then roll up like a burrito.

• Serve with sour cream, salsa verde, sliced green onions, etc.
• Note: If you don't want to use a rotisserie chicken, you could bake two chicken breasts at 400° F for 20 - 25 minutes, then chop up.

Pan Seared Sage Chicken

I've been on a big sage kick lately. I have no idea why. I guess it just "feels" right with how cold it's been lately. I made this chicken dish to go along with the Butternut Squash Mashup that I made. One thing that I like to do is keep a common theme in my meal. Since I used sage in the butternut squash, I figured I would add it to the chicken too. It turned out really well. I hope you like it.

Pan Seared Sage Chicken
Makes: 4 servings

Pasta:
1/2 lb penne or other tube pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter or butter substitute
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp rubbed sage

Chicken:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp rubbed sage

Make the pasta:

• Boil the pasta for 11 - 12 minutes until al dente. Make sure to salt the water really well.
• While the pasta is cooking, saute the garlic over medium heat until the garlic becomes fragrant and starts to soften. Remove from the heat.
• Strain the pasta then add to the garlic butter. Add the sage then toss together.

Make the chicken:

  

• While the pasta is cooking, make the chicken.
• Cut each chicken breast in half length-wise so that you have 4 thin pieces of chicken.
• Combine the seasoned salt and sage. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of each piece of chicken.
• Spray a thin layer of non-stick cooking spray into a skillet. Heat over medium until hot.
• Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 3 - 4 minutes on each side until fully cooked and no longer pink.
• You can serve the chicken whole or cut into thin strips. Serve over top of pasta.

English Muffin Pizzas

Ok, so English Muffin Pizzas aren't the most extravagant meal I've ever made. But, I'm a real mom with a real family who likes to eat pizza! These are really fun to get the kids involved in cooking. They're also great because they're customizable and anyone can have the toppings they want.

I don't usually buy English muffins because they are kind of heavy on the carbs (gotta love T1D...). But they were on sale and as soon as I saw them, I thought of English muffin pizzas. Call it an 'impulse purchase' but it worked out really well!

English Muffin Pizzas
Makes: 12 mini pizzas

6 English muffins, cut in half
1 jar of plain pizza sauce
12 oz pizza cheese (mozzarella and cheddar blend)
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
pizza toppings (pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, onions, peppers, etc)

• Place the English muffins on a large baking sheet, cut side up.
• Bake at 400° F for 5 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven.
• Spoon some pizza sauce onto each pizza, then top each with pizza cheese.
• Sprinkle the desired amount of garlic and Italian seasoning on each pizza.
• Add desired toppings.
• Place the pizzas back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nutella & Banana Crepes

Mmmm... Is there anything better than Nutella? I love dipping pretzels and fruit in it and I love spreading it on toast or even a plain shortbread cookie. So far, I haven't been able to get a recipe to work out that actually has Nutella in it (such as cookies for example) but maybe that's just me.

One of the best flavor combinations - in my humble opinion - is Nutella and bananas. These are two very sweet flavors but somehow they go really well together. I actually made these crepes for dinner (I like to live dangerously) but they're also great for breakfast or even dessert!

Nutella & Banana Crepes
Makes: 8 crepes

2 Cups milk
6 Tbsp butter + 2 tbsp for cooking
3 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup flour
3 bananas
Nutella

• Combine the milk and butter in a sauce pan. Heat until the butter is melted but the milk is not boiling.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until they are light and fluffy.
• Very slowly pour a gentle small stream of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking the entire time. (This process is called "tempering." You're slowly bringing up the temperature of the eggs versus just dumping the hot milk right into the eggs which would give you a bowl full of scrambled eggs and milk. Not fun.)
• Add the flour and salt to the egg and milk mixture. Whisk until smooth.
• Heat a saute pan over medium-medium high until very hot.
• Add a small pat of butter to the pan then ladle the crepe batter into the center of the pan. Lift the pan from the heat and swirl it around so that the batter spreads to all edges of the pan.
• Cook for about 30 seconds to one minute until brown. Then flip and cook another 30 seconds until the other side is also brown.
• Repeat with the remaining batter.

 

• Once the crepes are cooked. Spread some Nutella on half of the crepe.
• Then distribute the bananas on one quarter of the crepe (as pictured to the left).
• Fold the crepe in half, then in half again so that you have a triangle shape.
• Repeat with the remaining crepes.
• Top with whipped cream or cool whip if desired.

By the way, just how much is a pinch of salt? It's generally accepted that a pinch is about 1/8 tsp. It's literally so small it's not even worth measuring. You can easily eye-ball a pinch because it will fit into the palm of your hand when you shape your hand into a cup. Like so: 

Black & Bleu Cheeseburgers

Cheeseburgers? Again? Yes!

Cheeseburgers can be a really easy weeknight meal and totally customizable. If you mix up the flavors, it won't seem like you're eating the same thing all the time. Here are a few of my favorite ways to customize a burger.

Add-ins (added right in to the ground beef): onions, garlic, peppers, cheese, worcestershire sauce, steak sauce.
Spices (sprinkled on top of the burgers before cooking): cajun seasoning, steak seasoning, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder.
Toppings: guacamole, avocado slices, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, aioli, mushrooms, onions, peppers, various cheeses (pimiento cheese, bleu cheese, cheddar, havarti, gouda, pepper jack, fresh mozzarella, etc).

Black & Bleu burgers are a favorite of this family.  But if bleu cheese isn't your thing, you can leave it out and the burgers are still great on their own with the cajun seasoning!

Black & Bleu Cheeseburgers
1 lb lean ground beef
4 oz crumbled bleu cheese
1 tsp cajun seasoning (a.k.a. blackened seasoning)
5 slices american cheese
5 hamburger buns

• Mix the crumbled bleu cheese into the ground beef. Be careful not to over-mix or this will cause the burgers to come out dense and dry.
• Form the beef into 5 even patties.
• Sprinkle the cajun seasoning on both sides of each burger.
• Grill on medium high heat until cooked well-done.
• Remove from heat and place a slice of american cheese on each burger.
• Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

I'm almost embarrassed to call that a recipe because it's so ridiculously easy. But it can be easy to get stuck making the same things all the time. I hope this inspired you to revamp some of your go-to recipes.

See this article for an explanation of why you should always cook your hamburgers well-done.

Chicken Parm

Chicken parm is a really simple dish that I like to make during the week. It's fast and everyone loves it. It might seem like something fancy because it's the kind of dish you would order at a restaurant, but trust me it's a lot easier than you think. I guarantee you'll be adding this to your weekly line-up.

Looking back through my posts, I've realized we eat entirely too much chicken haha! What can I say. It's cheap, easy, and everyone likes it.

Chicken Parm

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced super fine

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tbsp olive oil

1 egg, beaten

6 oz shredded cheese (I like the pizza cheese blend)

1/2 lb pasta

1 jar tomato sauce

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Trim any excess fat off the chicken breasts. Then cut each chicken breast in half length wise so that you have 4 pieces of chicken. This will make the pieces thinner which will help them cook faster and more evenly.
• Combine the panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, and olive oil. Make sure that the garlic is minced super fine so that it actually cooks while in the oven. You don't want to bite into raw garlic!
• Dip the chicken breasts into the egg, then the bread crumb mixture. Place in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. If there are any extra bread crumbs, sprinkle them over top of the chicken breasts.
• Bake for 20 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta and heat up the sauce.
• Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven. Top each piece with some shredded cheese. Place back in the oven for 2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
• Remove from oven and serve over top of pasta and sauce.

Walnut Parsley Pesto

I really love pestos. They're so easy, so delicious, and completely customizable. Traditionally when we think of pesto, we think of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. However, you can make pesto out of any combination of herbs, cheese, olive oil, and nuts. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Sun dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
• Roasted red peppers, garlic, oregano, asiago cheese, and olive oil.
• Artichokes, chives, garlic, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
• Arugula, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest, cracked black pepper, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil.

You get the point! Gather some ingredients that taste great together, puree them into a smooth paste, then toss with warm pasta. Today I made a walnut parsley pesto.

Walnut Parsley Pesto
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tbsp dried parsley)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lb linguine (or fettuccine, spaghetti, etc)

• Combine the walnuts, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a food processor.
• Puree until smooth.
• Cook the pasta until al dente making sure to add plenty of salt to the water.
• Once the pasta is cooked, strain it then immediately transfer to a bowl. While the pasta is still hot, add the pesto and toss until all of the noodles are coated.

This makes a great side dish for grilled chicken, steak, or fish. Today I happened to be making this for lunch. I separated it into 4 portions and placed them into plastic containers that I can just grab when I'm on my way out the door to work!

Note: if you only have raw walnuts, you can toast them by adding them to a dry saute pan over medium heat. When the nuts start to release their aroma, swirl the nuts around in the pan. Once they are golden brown, remove them from the pan. You don't want to take your eye off of this for one single second! The nuts could burn in a matter of seconds. And burned nuts smell... bad..

Apple Sage Pork Chops

Cold weather calls for comfort food. Apple sage pork chops are really great comfort food without being too terribly indulgent. This is also a quick weeknight meal to add to your repertoire, especially if you've been stuck in a rut lately. So, if your family is begging you to make anything but spaghetti, give this one a try!

Apple Sage Pork Chops
5 boneless center cut pork chops
2 tsp rubbed sage
2 apples (I used fuji but you could also use golden delicious, granny smith, or any other good baking apple)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper (to taste)

• Peel, core, and slice the apples. Toss with 1 tsp of sage.
• Trim any excess fat off the pork chops. Sprinkle the remaining sage, salt, and pepper on both sides of each pork chop. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425° F.
• Heat an oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is extremely hot, add 1 tbsp of olive oil then add the pork chops to the pan. Sear for about 1 - 2 minutes on each side until they are brown. The pork chops will still be raw in the middle.
• Remove the pork chops from the pan and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Add the apples and toss until the apples begin to soften.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Place the pork chops on top of the apples, then place the entire thing in the oven to finish cooking.
• Bake for 10 minutes until the juices are clear and the pork chops are no longer pink in the center.
• Remove the pan from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

You can serve this with roasted potatoes, rice, couscous, quinoa, or even a nice crusty bread.

Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

On a whim, I decided to get a jar of roasted red peppers. I didn't really plan on what I was going to do with it. It just sounded really good at the time. So today I'm going to grace you with two red pepper recipes!

This first one I made for dinner and it was delicious!

Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

1/2 lb penne or other tube pasta

1 chicken breast, cubed

1 roasted red pepper, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream

2 oz cream cheese (1/4 package)

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• Cook the pasta until al dente, making sure to salt the water well.
• While the pasta is cooking, brown the chicken in a skillet over medium high heat until thoroughly cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Strain the pasta and reserve some of the cooking liquid.
• Saute the peppers and garlic over medium heat in the same pan you used for the chicken.
• Add the milk and cream cheese to the peppers. Stir until the cream cheese has completely melted.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Add the parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
• Toss in the pasta and chicken. If the sauce is too thick, stir in some of the reserved cooking liquid.