Tag: #delish

Classic Sloppy Joes

Welcome to September! I know it’s not quite fall yet, but I’m eager for the fall temperatures! Summer is actually my least favorite season unless I’m on a beach or sitting by a pool and drinking a margarita! Anyways, fall and winter are perfect season for comfort food. That’s exactly what this recipe is! Pure and simple comfort food! This meal takes most people back to their childhood, kids love an excuse to get messy!! That’s the fun part!

I love this recipe because it’s quick, delicious and case easily be spiced up! If you like heat, add some cayenne pepper and hot sauce or even some jalapeños! This recipe is a perfect freezer meal, too! Make extra and put in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months! Just thaw and add to a sauce pan and heat on low! Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it!

Ingredients:
1.5 lb ground beef (I use 90% lean)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbps olive oil
3 tbps tomato paste
1 tbps light brown sugar
2 tsp lite soy sauce
15 oz can tomato sauce (I use no salt added)
1 tbps Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water, more if needed

Seasonings:
1 tbps chili powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic & herb seasoning, (optional)
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1 tsp salt or to taste
2 tsp salt or to taste

Or: Sloppy Joe seasoning packet

Directions: Heat a large deep skillet on high heat. Add in the olive oil and let heat 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook till fragrant. Next add in the pepper and onion and cook till tender and the onion is translucent. Add the ground beef to the pan and brown, breaking up while it cooks. (See Amazon items below for the best tool for breaking up ground meat) Add the seasonings above or the seasoning packet and mix well. Stir in the brown sugar. Add in the water, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce and mix well. Let simmer on medium low heat 10 minutes (this step is completely optional it just helps the flavors come through, but you can eat as soon as it’s completed.) If the sauce becomes to thick and you want a really sloppy Joe, add more water.

Spoon the Sloppy Joe mixture over a bun and either eat like a sandwich or eat it opened faced! Enjoy!

Hamburger Meat Chopper https://www.amazon.com/shop/garlic_and_oliveoil_veins

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Air Fryer Oreos

I’m still loving my air fryer! It was probably one of the best items I’ve purchased recently. I love kitchen items, obviously! But this gadget is awesome! I decided to give Oreos a try in the air fryer. I personally don’t like the idea of the ones with crescent dough. I feel like it would be a little on the doughy side for me. I made mine with pancake mix and I loved the way they came out. Do they taste like a fried Oreo you get a carnival or state fair… probably not. BUT these are delicious nonetheless! If you are looking for a “fried” treat with no guilt this is it! Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Air Fryer Oreos

Ingredients:
1/2 cup complete pancake mix
1/3 cup water
10 Oreos (or other chocolate sandwich cookes)
cooking spray
powder sugar, to taste

Directions: Preheat air fryer. (Mine preheats at 400 for 4 minutes) In a small bowl mix together pancake mix and water until combined. If the mix seems to wet you can add more pancake mix. You want it to be thicker and not to runny. Spray the air fryer rack with cooking spray. Dip the cookie in the pancake mix and make sure it’s fully covered. Lay on the air fryer rack. Complete with all Oreos and make sure they are not touching. Place in the air fryer and cook at 400 for about 7-8 minutes flipping halfway through. Remove from air fryer and sprinkle with powder sugar. You can use parchment paper for a smoother bottom! I just put on the rack vs using the parchment paper.

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Easy Italian Pasta Salad

It’s so sad Summer is almost coming to a close. I can’t believe we are already halfway through August. WOW! No clue where 2021 has gone. I figured I better share this recipe before the snow hits the ground so here goes! This easy Italian Pasta Salad is quick it make and is always a hit! It’s best to make this in advance so the flavors can marry!! Give this a try and you won’t regret it!

Easy Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1lb multi-color pasta, cooked
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 green pepper, diced
1 can black olives, cut in half
8 oz block mozzarella, diced (I usually add extra as cheese is the my favorite)
1-2 cups bottled Italian dressing
1/2 packet dried Italian dressing packet
salt/pepper to taste

Directions: In a large bowl mix cooked pasta with the dressing. dressing packet, olives and green peppers, refrigerate. Add in the tomatoes and cheese about 2 hours before serving. The longer this sits the more flavor it will have. This salad is easily customizable. Switch up the cheese for fresh mozzarella or you’re favorite kind. Add diced or sliced salami or pepperoni for an extra kick. Add onions, or red peppers for other veggies you may like. I made this for a family gathering at my brother’s house and he doesn’t like onions. I love them so this salad would be great with some red onions or green onions!

Note: You may need to adjust the seasoning and dressing once the salad sets and is refrigerated. Add more or less depending on taste.

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Cheesy Mushroom Chicken

Hi all! I just got back from an amazing vacation and I’m trying to dedicate more time to my cooking as it is such a huge passion. My new job has been super busy still, but I’m getting a new partner soon so hopefully things will get to normal and I can be more active with this blog! Don’t worry I’m cooking, I’m just not able to get the recipes shared!!

Anyways….back to the food. I made this super basic chicken recipe tonight. I say basic as it’s really got only a few ingredients and it’s great for a weeknight meal. It’s relatively healthy and can easily be turned into a low carb/keto dish. I’ve been trying to keep things a little more simple during the week so that’s where this recipe came from. Give it a try!

Cheesy Mushroom Chicken

Ingredients:
4-6 thin chicken cutlets
1/2 cup flour
16 oz sliced mushrooms (any kind)
1 cup aged white cheddar, grated (I used a rustic bigger grater)
3-4 T olive oil
2 t garlic powder
2 t onion powder
1 t salt
1 t pepper

Directions: Heat a large sauté pan on high heat. In a medium bowl add in the flour and season with 1 t garlic powder, 1 t onion powder, half the salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the chicken and dredge in the flour and shake off excess flour and set aside. Complete with all chicken cutlets.

Once pan is heated add 1-2 T of olive oil to pan and let heat 2 minutes swirl the oil around in the pan. Add in the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. About 3 minutes on each side on medium heat. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add in another tablespoon of oil and add in the sliced mushrooms. Season with the remainder of the spices, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Cook these mushrooms till as much of the water is cooked out as possible most. TRUST ME you will be happy you did. The mushrooms will get golden brown in color and the flavors will really come through. Remove mushrooms from the pan and add the chicken back in.

Top the chicken cutlets with the golden delicious mushrooms and sprinkle over the aged white cheddar. You can use as much and as little as you like. I was trying to be a little healthier and used less cheese but honestly I should have smothered it with cheese! Turn pan on low and cover until cheese is melted.

Remove from the pan, serve and enjoy!

Notes: Adjust the cooked time based on the thickness of the chicken you are using. The chicken should be cooked to 165°. The flour can easily be omitted for low carb lifestyles.

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Scallop Gratin with Crispy Prosciutto

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. In my family we always do seafood on Christmas Eve. We are Italian and it’s been a tradition for as long as I can remember. I made this scallop dish and it was a hit and super delicious and rather simple.

Scallops are one food item I have gotten a lot of questions about. People are worried about overcooking the scallops. That’s a common thing actually. If you are searing them, it’s a hot pan for 2-3 minutes on each side. You want the inside glistening when you cut into it. For these they are baked an take a little longer. There is so many different ways to use scallops. Check my recipes for seafood and you’ll find the scallop tacos. They are to die for as well.

For now, check out this upscale simple recipe!

Scallop Gratin with Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients:
4 oz prosciutto or par-cooked bacon, minced or rough chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2- 2lbs bay scallops, rinsed, dried and mussel removed

Topping:
1 stick butter, soften
¾ cup plan panko breadcrumbs
3 T fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
3 T olive oil
2 medium shallots, small diced
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 t garlic powder
2 t onion powder
2 t kosher salt
1 t pepper

Directions: Heat oven 425°. In a medium baking dish add the wine and top with the scallops. In a medium bowl add all ingredients for the topping and mix well till incorporated. I used a fork to mash the butter and get everything fully mixed. Add mixture evenly on top of the scallops. Sprinkle with prosciutto or bacon. Bake in oven 12-16 minutes. Serve hot. Feel free to serve with bread for dipping in butter mixture.

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White Chicken Chili

The weather has turned colder the last few weeks and I’m loving it.  I love the fall weather.  This is a perfect time of year for chili.  I’m not a huge fan of chili.  I just never liked all the beans and it never really appealed to me.  Several years back my sister in law made chili and I actually really enjoyed it.  She used smaller beans and since then I’ve only used those beans.

Over the years I’ve grown to really enjoy it and I’ve started to change up the recipe and just try different flavors.  That’s where this Chicken Chili came from.  I love chicken and I really enjoy this chili.

This is perfect for a lazy Sunday of football or relaxing.  Give it a try!

White Chicken Chili

Ingridents:
4 T butter
3 T flour
1 T oil
4 cups chicken broth, no salt
2 15.5 oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed (any kind)
4 ½ cups cooked chicken, chopped (rotisserie or any kind, I used boneless skinless chicken thighs)
1 cup frozen white corn
1 cup half and half
1 cup shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack)
2 jalapeños, seeds removed and diced
1 large onion, diced
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
2 t paprika
2 t chili powder
2 t salt
2 t pepper

Directions:  Heat a medium pot on high heat. Add in olive oil.  Add in the jalapeños and onion and let cook down, about 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add in butter and flour and mix to create a roux.  Let cook 4 minutes.  Add in chicken broth and mix well.  Cook another 2-3 minutes.  Add in frozen corn, white beans and chicken and mix well.  Season with the spices.  Let simmer on medium low heat 20 minutes stirring once.  Once the time is up, slowly mix in shredded cheese and half and half.  Let simmer on low another 10 minutes, stirring once.  Seasoning with the salt and pepper to taste and serve.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese. Enjoy!

Notes:  This is a very quick chili.  You can use any chicken you’d like.  I simply made chicken thighs in the crockpot and then added to the chili.  Feel free to change up the vegetables inside. Add some other bell peppers or even some celery.  This freezes well.  You can freeze with the cream and cheese in the chili or you can remove some of the chili to freeze prior to adding the cheese and cream.  Would even be good with a splash of hot sauce. I just needed it to not be spicy.

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