Holy Yum Chicken

I'm always browsing Pinterest for good recipes to make for dinner. I found this recipe a few months ago and many people have said this is one of the best chicken recipes out there. I finally bought maple syrup and made this for dinner tonight. Not only is this chicken seriously delicious but it's also soooooooo simple to make! Definitely going on our regular monthly rotation for an easy weeknight dinner.

Holy Yum Chicken

(Source: Table for Two)

1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. fresh rosemary for garnish (I used parsely)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 8x8" oven-proof pan with 2 layers of tin foil. In small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Place the chicken thighs in the foil layered pan then pour the mixture on top of it. Turn the chicken around in the sauce to make sure it gets all coated. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let chicken sit for 5 minutes then transfer to a plate. Do NOT discard the liquid. Immediately after plating chicken, whisk in the 1 tbsp. of cornstarch into the liquid in the pan. You'll create a nice, thick sauce to drizzle over your chicken. You need to do cornstarch mixing immediately because the liquid needs to be hot in order for it to thicken properly. If it's still not thickening after 1 tbsp., you can add a little more. Sprinkle rosemary on top before serving.

Serve with rice or potatoes or vegetables.

Chicken Flautas with Avocado Cream Sauce

I absolutely LOVE Mexican food! Love love love loooove it! Needless to say when Dr. Sweetpea and I were in Cozumel earlier this year, I pigged out and ate a ton of it. When we came back to Minneapolis, I was Mexican Fooded out and didn't want any for a while and now my cravings are back. I was looking for some Flauta recipes online when I came across a recipe by Sunny Anderson. I saw it had a ton of amazing reviews and decided to try making them at home, especially since it's so simple to make! Plus, who doesn't love cutting down the cooking process by using store bought Rotisserie Chicken? Anyhow, these flautas are quick to throw together and packed with a ton of flavor. Dr. Sweetpea devoured 4 flautas in one sitting and told me to never lose this recipe!

Chicken Flautas with Avocado Cream 

(Source: Sunny Anderson)

Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat finely shredded

1 cup salsa

1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 cup shredded Cheddar/Monterey jack blend

1 lime, juiced

Salt

16 (5 to 6-inch) flour tortillas

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving

For the Avocado Cream:

1 very ripe avocado, halved, pitted and flesh removed

1 (4-ounce) container sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt

Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach 2 inches up the side of the pan. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reads 375 degrees F. To make the flautas: In a pan over medium heat melt butter and saute onions and jalapenos until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Add chicken and salsa; stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, cheese and lime juice. Let cool slightly. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.Working with 4 tortillas at a time, spread a heaping spoonful along the middle of each tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick. Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt. Keep flautas warm in the oven on a sheet tray while assembling and cooking the remaining tortillas.

To make the Avocado Cream: In a serving bowl, mash avocado, sour cream and lime juice until smooth. Season with salt, to taste. To serve, arrange flautas on a platter of shredded lettuce and serve with Avocado Cream on the side.

If you can bake these instead of frying them by:

Place 3 Tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Goulash

Several years ago, I watched Paula Deen make her famous goulash on the Food Network. It's always been on my "make one day" list but definitely not something I was in a rush to whip up. I wanted something super quick and easy to make over the weekend, and since I had all the ingredients available, I gave her goulash a try. I definitely wish I tried this much earlier because it's really delicious for something so quick! It definitely makes A LOT of food, so be prepared to have a ton of leftovers. If you're looking for something quick to make, this is definitely it! 

Bobby's Goulash

(Source: Paula Deen)

1 tablespoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3   bay leaves

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2   (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

2   (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce

3 cup water

3   cloves garlic, chopped

2   large onion, chopped

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 tablespoon Paula Deen Seasoned Salt

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House Seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.

The Best Spinach Dip

This is the spinach dip that I grew up eating and will remain my ultimate favorite! 

Spinach Dip

(Source: Kraft)

1 (8 oz) pack of cream cheese

1 cup  sour cream

1 (1 oz.) envelope ranch salad dressing mix

1 pkg.  (9 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained

1 can  (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained, chopped

1/2 cup chopped red peppers

Mix cream cheese spread, sour cream and dressing mix in medium bowl until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Almond Toffee Sandies

I'm a huge fan of the Pecan Sandies that are available in grocery stores. I ate them a lot as a child, and still buy a pack whenever I do my grocery shopping. When I saw these Almond Toffee Sandies a few days ago, I knew I had to make them and I was NOT let down! These cookies are SOOOOOOOO easy to make and better than the sandies you get at the grocery store. I'm pretty sure I inhaled five cookies as soon as they came out of the oven. Added bonus? Dr. Sweetpea doesn't like toffee, so I have more cookies for myself :o)

Almond Toffee Pecan Sandies

(Source: Taste of Home)

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 eggs

1 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sliced almonds

1 package (8 ounces) toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in oil and extract. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in almonds and toffee bits. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Marinated Kebobs

Dr. Sweetpea is a huge fan of eating Kebabs in the summer. They're super easy to make and usually very versatile. We found a fantastic Greek Kebab recipe in May and we've made this twice already since the meat is so juicy and flavorful. Personally, I love eating these with big pieces of pita bread drizzled with olive oil. Definitely try making these at home and don't be surprised if your neighbors come out asking what you're making! They smell AMAZING on the grill!

Marinated Kebabs

(Source: Ina Garten)

1 pound plain yogurt (regular or lowfat)

1/4 cup good olive oil, plus more for brushing grill

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

5 tablespoons fresh whole rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds top round lamb (we used boneless short ribs)

1 red onion

Combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large, non-reactive bowl. Add the lamb, making sure it is covered with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals. Spread the coals in one tight layer on the grill. Cut the lamb in 1 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 20 cubes. Cut the red onion in 8 pieces and separate each piece into 3 or 4 sections. Loosely thread 3 or 4 pieces of lamb onto skewers alternately with sections of onion. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb cubes with salt and pepper. Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until the lamb is medium-rare.

Spicy Jalapeno Sliders

When summer rolls around, we love grilling burgers, steaks, chicken, and corn on our balcony. It's definitely easier than making an entire meal in the kitchen and dirtying up tons of plates. I was browsing online for burger recipes last week when I came across this Spicy Jalapeno Sliders recipe on Food Network's website. They're mini burgers and perfect as an appetizer when guests are over or as a meal if each person eats several sliders. These also have a bit of a subtle kick to them because they have Jalapenos but not so much where your mouth is on fire. We LOVED these sliders and will definitely make again before the end of the summer. 

Spicy Jalapeno Sliders 

(Source: Aaron McCargo Jr.)

1 pound ground beef

2 jalapenos, seeded and diced fine, plus whole or sliced, for serving

2 shallots, chopped fine

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated spicy Monterey Jack cheese

Pinch garlic powder

Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus pinch

1 cup creme fraiche

1/4 cup store-bought salsa verde

12 mini dinner rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, add ground beef, jalapenos, shallots, panko, heavy cream, cheese, garlic powder, some salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix together well. Form into small patties and place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, add creme fraiche, salsa verde, pinch of salt and pepper and mix together. Refrigerate until ready to serve with your sliders. Lightly spread creme fraiche on both sides of buns. Place burgers in middle and pick it with a jalapeno.

* We grilled our sliders instead of baking them.

* Instead of mixing creme fraiche with salsa verde, I mixed equal parts of mayo, ketchup, and a dash of cayenne pepper to top off our sliders. 

Famous Dave's Cornbread

Who doesn't love the cornbread you get with your meal at Famous Dave's? It's always moist, tender, flavorful, and baked to perfection. I have searched high and low for their recipe and I FINALLY found it! It's actually from Dave Anderson's food blog and I was so surprised by how simple the recipe is. I made it yesterday for the Fourth of July and I was able to whip everything together in less than 10 minutes. The end result?!? Cornbread like the stuff you get at the restaurant! It was so good that Dr. Sweetpea devoured half of it in one sitting.

Famous Dave's Cornbread

(Source: Dave Anderson) 

2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
2/3 cups Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix
2/3 cups Yellow Corn Meal
1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar Packed
2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Buttermilk
1/4 cup Oil
1 Egg Beaten
1/3 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Clover Honey
1/2 cup Melted Butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 9 inch cake pan greased with butter. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
Pour the wet ingredients together but do not mix. Add the 1/3 cup Hellman’s Mayo to the rest of the wet ingredients and then mix slightly just enough to slightly blend together. Pour Wet ingredients into dry mixture and lightly blend together… do not over mix …blend just enough until the dry ingredients are wet. Whip somewhat soft room temperature butter with honey. Pour into greased cake pan and then bake for 25 minutes until top is golden brown and the center is somewhat firm and a knife when inserted is clean when removed. Immediately after removing from oven brush tops with Honey Butter… serve warm.