Thai Chili “Vings”

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One of my favorite restaurants in the Phoenix area is a restaurant called The Vig near downtown Phoenix.  From the outside the restaurant doesn’t look like much; it’s a small, non-descript building that one could easily pass by if they didn’t know what they were looking for.  But inside The Vig, it’s a different story.  It’s cool, casual but slightly trendy- a great place to people watch.  They have a fabulous patio and often have live music.  And if you go on Sunday…you’ll get half off all bottles of wine!! Yes, you read that right-half off!!! If that isn’t reason enough to go then I don’t know what is!

Besides the great atmosphere, the food at The Vig is Fan-Freaking-Tastic!! There is nothing on the menu I’ve tried that I don’t like.  But one of my favorite menu items is the Thai Chili “Vings” on the appetizer menu.  I’m telling you, these things are perfect!  They are crispy on the outside, yet they aren’t coated in flour, and they are tender and juicy inside. And the sauce….well, I just stopped typing for a second because I was dreaming about the sauce.  These wings truly are a treat.

So, I decided to attempt to re-create these divine morsels in my own kitchen.  After several experiments, I think I have a pretty tasty version of them, although they pale in comparison to the awesomeness of the real “Vings”.  Seriously, if you’re ever in Phoenix, AZ, you MUST go to the Vig…preferably on a Sunday (I mentioned half off bottles of wine on Sunday, right?)

Making these “Vings” is a three step process; it takes a little time but it’s worth it!

Thai Chili “Vings” 

One large package of chicken wings-approximately 28 pieces (I just buy the frozen bag of party wings)

One packet of ranch dressing seasoning mix

Approximately 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Peanut or Canola oil-enough to fry the wings in a large skillet-you’ll need to fill the skillet about 1 inch full with oil

4-5 Green Onions, diced (for garnish)

For the Thai Chili Sauce: 

2 Cloves garlic, minced or grated

1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1/4 Cup Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

1 Tablespoon Hot Chili Oil (reduce to 1 teaspoon if you want the sauce to be less spicy)

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Sriracha Sauce

3 Tablespoons Peanut Oil

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat peanut oil or canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Fill the skillet with about 1 inch of oil for frying.  When the oil is hot enough to fry, add the wings to the oil.  Itest to see if the oil is hot enough by inserting the handle of a wooden spoon in the center of the skillet; if the oil bubbles, it’s ready.  I know, real scientific isn’t it.  :)

Fry the wings in the oil for about 5-7 minutes.  You aren’t cooking the wings through; when they are golden in color and a little crispy on the outside, remove them from the oil.  Place the wings in a 9X13 baking dish and use a paper towel to pat extra oil from the wings.

Sprinkle the wings on both sides with the ranch seasoning, then sprinkle a small amount of cayenne pepper (no more than 1 teaspoon for all of the wings). Place the wings in the oven and bake for one hour.

While the wings are baking, prepare the Thai Chili Sauce by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Heat a gas grill to 350 degrees or a grill pan over medium high heat.  Brush some of the Thai Chili Sauce on the wings, then grill over indirect heat for about 10 minutes.  With this step, you’re just caramelizing the sauce and adding a little more crispness to the wings.  Turn the wings at least once, and brush them liberally with the sauce while you grill.

Brush any remaining sauce on the wings, garnish with green onion, and enjoy!

Peach Nectar Mojitos

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Welcome to the next installment of Mojito Madness!!  I’ll warn you in advance…these are some pretty fantastic Mojitos!  I thought the Blackberry Mojitos were tasty, but these Peach Nectar Mojitos are my new favorite! But, I have a feeling that every Mojito recipe is going to become my new favorite.

I think the one word that best describes these Mojitos is….nectarous.  The dictionary defines the word nectarous as “extremely pleasing to the taste; sweet and fragrant”, and “a delicious and invigorating drink”.  Yep, this drink is definitely nectarous.  It’s especially nectarous because it’s made using real peach nectar!

I know you may be thinking that a drink using real fruit nectar is going to be time consuming, but trust me, it’s super easy!  I found a great recipe for peach nectar on Queen of the Castle Recipes blog; it took me less than an hour to make enough peach nectar to make lots of Mojitos!  Not that I made lots of Mojitos…but I could have. :)

Peach Nectar Mojitos

2 Oz light rum (I use Bacardi Light)

12 fresh mint leaves

A splash of simple syrup, approximately 2 tablespoons if you’re into measuring (simple syrup is just equal parts sugar and water-you can add the sugar to boiling water for about 5 minutes or until dissolved, or just add the sugar to hot water if you’re short on time)

Juice from 1/2 lime

About 2 splashes of peach nectar, or approximately 4 tablespoons (folllow the link to Queen of the Castles above for the peach nectar recipe)

Club soda

Splash of 7UP

Place the mint, simple syrup, lime, and peach nectar in a glass.  Using a muddler, gently muddle the ingredients together.  Add ice to the glass, then add the rum.  Fill the glass almost to the top with club soda, then top with a splash of 7UP.  Garnish with a lime, and enjoy this nectarous cocktail!

I have some ideas for my next installment of Mojito Madness, but I’d love to hear your suggestions!! Feel free to submit ideas!!!

Buffalo Chicken Wontons with Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

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Adapted from a recipe by The Black Peppercorn

Let me first start by saying that these tasty little treats are  so addicting!  I have longed for them ever since I made them for the first time last week, so I had to make them again last night.  I’m already dreaming of the next time I’m going to make them…

Chef PickyKid even loved these morsels of goodness…well sort of.  She tried wontons for the first time!  But…she ate them with peanut butter instead of Buffalo Chicken (which was actually pretty good!).  At least she tried something new, right?!

I found this recipe on a fellow blogger’s site and changed it up just a little. Be sure to check out The Black Peppercorn’s blog-there’s lots of great recipes!  Since I’m a huge fan of all things “Buffalo Style”, these were a must-make.  I love this recipe because it’s easy to make, it’s great to serve as an appetizer, and it’s pretty darn cute as well.

Buffalo Chicken Wontons with Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons of olive oil (approximately-I took about 2 turns around the pan)

18-24 wonton wrappers, depending on how fat you stuff ‘em!

cooking spray (I use olive oil cooking spray)

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stock, finely chopped

1 small onion or 1/2 large onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced or grated

salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup (approximately 1/2 the bottle) Franks Buffalo Wing sauce-this isn’t the regular Frank’s Hot Sauce, it’s a buffalo wing Sauce.  The wing sauce is much thicker than hot sauce and goes great in “Buffalo” recipes.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat  with the olive oil.  Once the pan is heated, add the chicken and cook in the skillet until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute with the chicken until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the butter to the skillet and allow it to melt.  Add the buffalo wing sauce and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the sauce thickens, about 8-10 minutes.

While the chicken is simmering, prepare your wonton wrappers.  You’ll need a regular sized muffin tin.  Place one wonton in each muffin, forming a cup.  Spray the wontons lightly with cooking spray and bake for 7-9 minutes.  I baked my first set of wontons for 9 minutes and they were a little too browned for me, so I reduced to 7 minutes, but if you want extra crispy wontons, go for 9 minutes. Remove your wontons from the muffin tin and set aside.

 Next you’ll need to prepare the Blue Cheese Sauce.  You can also prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate until you need it.  Here’s what you’ll need for the sauce:

For the Blue Cheese Sauce:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup blue cheese dressing

1/3 cup cream cheese, softened

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a large bowl, and use a mixer to combine until it’s thickened and creamy, almost like a frosting but not quite as thick.

Once all your ingredients are prepared, it’s time to put it all together!  Place about a tablespoon of your Buffalo Chicken in each baked wonton, top with a small dollop of the blue cheese sauce, then eat up!  Trust me, you’ll eat a whole bunch!

Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels

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I’ve recently come across a lot of recipes that use crescent roll dough to make pinwheel-style appetizers.  They are a perfect finger food or appetizer because they’re tasty, versatile, and super easy to make.  Plus, you can use almost any ingredient you like to make the pinwheels.  I decided to make pinwheels for a recent family and friend get-together.  It didn’t take long for me to decide on the main ingredient.  I think this photo sums it up best:

Yep,that’s right.  You’re looking at bacon themed home decor.  This lovely little plaque was given to me as a gift from a friend.  Does this mean I’m bacon-obsessed?

I once heard a friend say that ”bacon is not a seasoning”.  While it isn’t technically a seasoning, you have to admit that it is a pretty tasty addition to lots of recipes. Contrary to what you may be thinking, I don’t cook with bacon that  often.  Unfortunately it isn’t the  healthiest thing in the world.  But, all things in moderation…

Here’s what you’ll need for Bacon Cheddar Pinwheels:

1 tube of crescent roll dough

5-6 strips of cooked bacon

1 8 oz container of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese (approximately-I just used a large handful)

4 green onions, sliced

Directions: 

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions. Set aside.

Once you’re done combining the ingredients, you’ll need to prepare the crescent roll dough.  Open the crescent rolls and separate the dough into two rectangles.  The dough is already perforated into two rectangles, so this will be pretty easy.  Once you have two rectangles,  pinch together the perforations on each rectangle.  This is important because it will prevent the pinwheels from splitting apart when you’re slicing them.

Now you’re ready to make your pinwheels.  Divide your bacony cheese mixture in half, and spread it evenly over each of the rectangles.  You’ll want to be sure the mixture is spread over the entire rectangle.

Once your mixture is spread, you’re ready to roll!  Grab the dough at the long end of the rectangle and roll it up tight.  Repeat this step with both rectangles.

Using a sharp knife, slice each roll into thin circles (aka pinwheels).  You should end up with about 8 pinwheels per roll, give or take.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the pinwheels on the sheet, leaving enough room for the pinwheels to expand as they bake (you might even need 2 cookie sheets to leave enough room).

 

Bake the pinwheels for about 12-13 minutes or until the pinwheels are golden brown.  Allow them to cool slightly before serving.

As you’ve probably noticed, this is not an incredibly difficult recipe, but it’s great for quick appetizers.  When I served this at my get-together, I thought it was cool that as we enjoyed these tasty treats, everyone had great ideas for variations on the pinwheel ingredients.  What a tasty conversation starter!

 

Blackberry Mojitos

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I’ve recently been inspired by the Mojito cocktail, and I’ve decided that Mojitos are going to be my new signature drink.  A Mojito is a crisp, refreshing and versatile cocktail…the perfect summer drink!  My vision is to create lots of fun new Mojito varietals for my  your drinking pleasure, so it’s going to be a busy summer… :)

I was a bartender throughout my college years, so I had many different signature drinks during my mixology career,  but I never really got into Mojitos; mint in drinks just didn’t sound like a good combination.  But after recently receiving a super classy muddler as a gift from a friend, I’ve been obsessed with drinks that involve muddled ingredients.  Seriously, I’ve been a muddling maniac lately.  So, I decided to give Mojitos a whirl, since they involve a whole lot of muddling.  To my surprise, I loved the Mojito goodness!!

I’ve been working hard to develop a perfect Mojito recipe…I know, it’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it!  After several experiments, I think I’ve found it.  Now, it’s on to the concoctions!!

Here’s  my first recipe for Mojito Madness…Blackberry Mojitos!

I make my Mojitos by the glass rather than by the pitcher, but if you prefer to make a pitcher, you can quadruple the recipe; a pitcher typically makes four drinks (lessons learned from my bartending days).

For a Blackberry Mojito, you’ll need the following ingredients:

2 Oz  Light Rum (one shot if your using a shot glass, measurer or jigger).  Use a decent quality rum for this-it doesn’t have to be top of the line but don’t buy the rum on the bottom shelf of your favorite liquor buying establishment. You can also use vodka if you prefer-I’ve used vodka and I think it tastes good too.

12 Fresh Mint Leaves

Juice of one lime- I think fresh lime is a MUST for a really good Mojito.  It takes a little extra work, but it’s worth it!

4 Tablespoons simple syrup(or a good “splash”  or two if you aren’t in to measuring).  Simple syrup is just equal parts sugar and water. I usually just mix 2 cups of each; that will make more than enough simple syrup. If you’re in a hurry you can just mix the sugar with hot water and stir or shake really well, but if you have a few minutes, place the sugar and water in a saucepan and boil for about 2-3 minutes.  Allow the simple syrup to cool before you use it.

3 Blackberries,

Ice

Club Soda

Splash of sprite or 7-Up

Place the mint leaves, blackberries,  juice of one lime,  and simple syrup in a glass.  Using a muddler, muddle all the ingredients really well; you’ll want the blackberries to pretty much be pulp.  Add ice to the glass, then add the rum.  Fill the glass almost to the top with club soda, then add a splash of Sprite or 7-Up to the top.  Stir it up a little…are you singing Bob Marley to yourself right now?  I am…Stir it up…little darlin’ stir it up….

Garnish your Blackberry Mojito with a lime wedge and blackberry if you’d like, and enjoy!

 

Doesn’t that look lovely?! My husband said this picture reflects the sun setting on Spring and welcoming the beginning of Summer.  Wow, that’s deep.

Be sure to stay tuned for more Mojito Madness!!

 

 

Creamy Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

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I originally found the inspiration for this recipe from a low-fat cookbook I bought many, many years ago…pre-Chefpickykid times.  I liked the essence of the original recipe, but it was pretty bland.  Not a whole lot of flavor, and it used fat free cheddar cheese.

Warning: I’m about to head off on a tangent-just want you to be prepared.

My apologies to fat free cheese lovers, but I’m not a big fan of fat free cheese. I know we’re all trying to cut back on calories and fat, but let’s be honest, fat free cheese just doesn’t have a lot of flavor, and when it melts it is similar to the consistency of cement.  I probably shouldn’t be so hard on fat free cheese.  Many people like it and I’m sure it has its uses; it’s just not for me.

Sorry,  I got a little off track.  I guess I’m just passionate when it comes to cheese. I’m good with many other fat-free alternatives to food (many of them are used in this recipe and take nothing away from the overall flavor),  but I’m of the opinion that if I’m gonna use cheese, I’m gonna do it right.  I’m a big believer in the term “all things in moderation”.  Besides, I’ve found that if I use sharper or more flavorful cheeses, I can use less cheese; essentially I get more bang for my buck.

Back to the recipe….since I was a little disappointed in the original recipe, I’ve been working on a tastier alternative to this recipe for many years.  I think I’ve come up with a pretty good one, and even though it doesn’t use fat free cheese, it’s still a relatively healthy recipe.  I’m still experimenting with ways to make it a little spicier (keep in mind I’m a big fan of super duper spicy food), but I like this recipe; it’s tasty and easy to make.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Small yellow onion, chopped

2 Cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped

1 16 Oz can green chile enchilada sauce

1 Cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1 Cup shredded cheddar

1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup (I use the 98% fat free for this one…I don’t have a passion for soup. :) )

1 Cup of sour cream (I also use light sour cream for this one)

1 Can of diced green chilies (7 oz can)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Flour tortillas-this recipe should make 10-12 enchiladas depending on how fat you stuff them.  You can also use corn tortillas if you prefer.  See my recipe for Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas for tips on using corn tortillas.

Pre-Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is heated, add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion becomes translucent; about 5-7 minutes.  Add the enchilada sauce and bring to a boil.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the boiling sauce.  Cover the skillet and allow it to simmer until the chicken is cooked through-this should take about 20-25 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the creamy enchilada sauce.  Mix together the sour cream, cream of chicken and diced green chilies  Set the sauce aside for now.

When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and allow it to cool enough to handle.  Don’t throw away the sauce yet!  Once the chicken has cooled, shred it with two forks and place it in a large bowl.  Add the pepper jack cheese and half  the enchilada sauce and stir to combine.  Season with a little more salt and pepper, if you’d like.

Now it’s time to prepare the enchiladas! Spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Place a tortilla on a plate and fill it with about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and roll up tightly.  I prefer to leave the ends open on my enchiladas, but you can also fold each end first, then roll up the tortilla to keep the ends closed. 

Place the enchiladas close together in the baking dish, and when they’re all packed in, top your enchiladas with the creamy green chili sauce you prepared.  Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of the enchiladas, cover and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.  I didn’t do it this time, but I also like to sprinkle a little chopped green onion or cilantro on top before I bake to add a little extra flavor and color.

By the way, these also make great leftovers! I even like to eat them cold the next day!  Confession- I love cold leftovers, so I’ll eat just about any leftover food cold! :)

Cherry Smoked Pork Ribs and Food Fails

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I debated about whether or not to post this recipe, because well…it didn’t really turn out the way I’d hoped.  My first inclination was not to post it, because who wants to read about a failed recipe?  But then I realized that the best way to improve is to learn from my mistakes.  And the best way to learn is by sharing my  mistakes with all of you.  :)

I recently found a blog called Smoked N Grilled on Pinterest; it’s a site devoted to recipes for all things smoked and grilled (hence the name).  You should really check it out if you’re into grilling or smoking meats-there’s some fantastic recipes!  Anyway, as I was looking through the recipes, I got inspired.  I’ve always been a huge fan of Grillin’ and BBQ’in, but I’ve never really delved into smoking meats; mostly because I don’t have a smoker and I’m not sure I’d use one enough to warrant the cost of buying one.  But these recipes looked tasty, so I thought to myself… I can totally  do that!

So, I used the power of Google to find tips on using my gas grill as a smoker.  I’m sure all you hard core grillers out there will scoff at this idea, but I really wanted to try my hand at smoking meat, so I decided to give it a go.  And I have this great recipe for Cherry Cola Glazed Ribs, so I thought, HEY! I could try the Cherry Cola Ribs smoked on my makeshift smoker and smoke them with cherry wood!  Sounds like a fantastic idea, right?!   It was a fantastic idea!  But implementation…well…therein lies the fail.

Here’s a list of my Recipe Fail Lessons Learned:

Fail #1-I Googled  ”How to smoke meat on a gas grill”, and in my meat smoking haste, I read the first one I came across. It seemed reasonable, so I didn’t  look around any further. Turns out it wasn’t the best resource after all-there weren’t enough details and the instructions were incorrect.  Lesson Learned: Take the Time…Do Your Research.

Fail #2-I I found a great recipe for smoked ribs from the before-mentioned website Smoked N Grilled and I used it as my guide for smoking my Cherry Cola Ribs.   The problem is,  I didn’t read the recipe completely.  I just skimmed through it. I neglected to notice that the ribs would take approximately 4 1/2 hours to complete-a fact I would have noticed had I reviewed the entire recipe.  I read “two hours” and stopped there.  Two hours is actually the point at which you first check on your smoking meat.  Apparently I thought I was some sort of expert because I learned everything there is to know about smoking meat from reading one reference from Google. (see Fail #1).  As a result I started this process entirely too late in the day.  Epic Fail.  Lesson Learned: Read the recipe, especially when you don’t know what you’re doing.

Fail #3-Because I started this process too late, I became impatient, so I ended up increasing the heat, which of course caused the meat to cook too fast.  The whole point of smoking meats is to cook it slooowwwlllyyyy (you’d think I would have caught on to that when I was reading the recipe…oh wait…I didn’t read the whole recipe…go figure).  As a result, the meat was not the fall-off-the-bone varietal I’ve come to know and love. Uber Fail.  Lesson Learned:  Patience is a virtue (as I often tell ChefPickyKid), and understanding the process is helpful too.

Fail #4-Now for this one, in my defense, I was sure I had one of these.  I always have one.  Who doesn’t have one?? Well apparently, I didn’t.  What is this magical item, you ask?? Wait for it…. a meat thermometer. The most important tool you’ll need for smoking meat besides the grill.   And I didn’t have one.  Are you kidding me??   And by the time I realized I didn’t have one, it was too late for me to get one.  And of course, being the One Google Resource Expert that I am, I decided I didn’t need one. Which of course led the meat to being overcooked.  Massive Fail.   Lesson Learned: Be sure you have the right tools for the job-before the job begins.

Now, all fails considered, the ribs really didn’t turn out all that bad.  The marinade/glaze was great, and the cherry wood smoked with the ribs left a wonderful flavor.  They just didn’t turn out the way I envisioned them to be; they were over cooked and a little tough.  But, I know that I have learned from my fails , and next time this recipe will be even better.

 

Cherry Smoked Pork Ribs

See my recipe for Cherry Cola Glazed Ribs for the ingredients for this recipe. For the smoked ribs I doubled the ingredients (not the meat, just everything else)  and divided it.  I marinated the ribs in the same ingredients as the glaze, and then created the glaze to finish the ribs.

Combine all the ingredients from the glaze recipe in a large glass pan or large bowl (don’t cook it over the stove as the recipe mentions; just mix the ingredients together-you’ll make the glaze later)  Marinate the ribs, refrigerated, overnight.

Remove the ribs from the marinade about 1/2 hour before you’re ready to begin cooking.  Pat the meat dry and rub it generously with your favorite meat rub.  I’ve made many homemade spice rub recipes, but for this one I used a pre-made Chicken and Pork Rub from a local company called Penzey’s Spices .  Leave the meat out of the refrigerator so it can come to room temperature (or close to it) before you begin smoking it.

I’m not going to describe how I smoked the meat on my gas grill (see Fail #1), but I did find another resource that has very helpful information on using your gas grill as a smoker.  I’m going to try this method next time.

How to Smoke Meat on a Gas Grill

I based my smoking time and method on a recipe I found on SmokedNGrilled.com.  This recipe is for Peach Smoked Ribs; I didn’t use the ingredients, just the smoking time and temperature (well, I should have, but I didn’t-See Fail 2) .  I used cherry wood chips for my recipe because I thought it would taste great with the Cherry Cola Glazed Ribs.

While my ribs smoked on the grill, I prepared the Cherry Cola Glaze according to the original recipe.  When the ribs were about 10 minutes from removing from the grill, I basted them with the Cherry Cola Glaze and served the remaining glaze on the side.

 

I’m not sure this was a recipe so much as it was a kitchen confession, but I hope that while you were laughing at me  with me, you learned a little something, or at least had a laugh over your own Food Fails.

 

Easy Peasy Pasta Salad

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I’m looking through my blog posts and I realized that I haven’t posted my go-to pasta salad recipe!  This recipe has been a staple in my house for years…it’s a great summertime, BBQ, feed a bunch of people kind of recipe.  What I love most about this pasta salad is its versatility; you can pretty much make this recipe however you like.  I also love the colors in the salad, with the Rainbow Rotini and fresh vegetables…it reminds me of summer and good times with family and friends.  Oh, and did I mention it’s ridiculously easy to make (hence the title)?

 

This is actually my husband’s original recipe.  My husband is not a big fan of cooking…his meals usually consist of Kraft Mac and Cheese, although he has become quite the griller as of late (is griller even a word?? Meh, whatever!).  My Mother-in-Law used to make this recipe when my husband was a kid, and he made it for me a long, long time ago.  We’ve made a lot of variations of this recipe; we’ve omitted the olives and bacon and added jalapenos, cilantro and pepperjack cheese (thanks to my friend Chi Chi for that idea!), and we’ve also added extra vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower or cucumber.  You can add whatever you think sounds tasty!  The only requirement for this recipe (according to my husband) is that you MUST use Newman’s Own Italian Dressing. According to him, no other dressing tastes quite the same.  I haven’t tested his theory, but I trust him.  :)

I make this recipe in large quantities because it makes great leftovers the next day.  If you don’t want to make bucket loads of pasta (okay, it’s not really bucket loads, but it does make a lot of pasta salad), just cut the recipe in half.

 

 

 

 

Here’s the recipe:

2 Packages of Rainbow Rotini pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions

1 Package of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 Red bell pepper, chopped

1 Yellow bell pepper, chopped

1/2 Medium red onion, diced or finely chopped

5-6 Slices of bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled (you can also use bacon bits if you don’t have time to cook bacon, but I prefer the real deal)

1 Can sliced black olives

1 Bottle of Newman’s Own Italian Dressing

2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar (approximately-I just eyeball it)

1 Teaspoon garlic powder

1 Teaspoon seasoned salt

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1/2 Cup (about a handful) of parmesan cheese

There really aren’t a lot of instructions for this recipe; just throw everything into a bowl and mix it up!  I like to chill the pasta salad in the fridge for a few hours in order to serve cold, but it’s also good served room temperature or even warmed.  I sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the pasta salad right before serving.

 

 

 

Spicy Spanish Rice

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Okay, time for a confession…rice has not always been my strong suit when it comes to cooking.  For some reason, I’ve always had a tough time with rice.  I’m not talking about the steamed rice boiled in a pot; I can handle that.  I’m talking about Spanish Rice, Rice Pilaf, and similar varietals.  Ever since giving up Rice-A-Roni and attempting to make it on my own, I just haven’t been able to get it right.  It’s either under/over seasoned, too dry, too soggy, undercooked and crunchy, or a hot, mushy mess.  When I attempted to serve rice to friends and family I usually served it with a disclaimer of “well, I made rice, but don’t feel obligated to eat eat”.  Yikes.

Well, I’m happy to say that I’ve finally gotten it right.   I know, it isn’t  rocket science, but after many years, I

have figured out a way to make Spanish Rice that I don’t have to serve with a disclaimer.  And that makes me happy…

So, here’s my recipe for Spicy Spanish Rice.  It’s really quite simple, but it’s tasty.  I recently served it with

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos; it was a great side dish and made good leftovers too.

1 Cup of long grain rice-I prefer white rice for this dish.

2 Tablespoons of butter

1 Medium yellow onion, chopped

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced

1 Can Ro-Tel tomatoes-I used the “hot” Ro-Tel, and it was pretty spicy.  If you’re not into extra spicy food, you might want to choose the mild or medium

1 Cup water

1 Cup chicken stock

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the butter has melted, add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion starts to soften and turn translucent, this should take about 5 minutes.   Once the onion begins to soften, add the rice and cook it until it browns, stirring frequently.  Once the rice is browned, add the water, stock, and Ro-Tel and bring to a boil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover the skillet tightly with a lid, reduce heat to low and simmer the rice for 20 minutes.

You can add lots of other stuff to the rice if you want to get creative.  I’ve added chili powder and cumin, cilantro, fresh tomatoes, or green onion, so experiment with ingredients and find what you like!

Another picture with the fancy camera…nice isn’t it?

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

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So before I begin to talk about this recipe, I have to share with all of you that I finally got the fancy camera I’ve been longing for!  You have no idea how excited I am!  Now I can finally start taking some respectable pictures of my recipes…now I just need to figure out how to work the fancy camera.  :)   A big thank you to Mom and Dad for helping to make my dreams come true with an early birthday gift!

Anyway, on to the topic at hand.  Everyone loves crock pot recipes…what’s not to love?  Nothing is better than throwing a few items into a crock pot in the morning before you go to work, and knowing that you will have an effort-free meal waiting for you when you get home.  Crock pot recipes also seem to be one of the most popular recipes on my blog, and since Pinterest is loaded with tons of great recipes, I’ve been getting a lot of inspiration for new crock pot recipes.

I found this recipe on Pinterest (have I mentioned lately how much I love Pinterest?  It has literally changed my life!), and changed it up just a bit because I like to use my own spices, rather than taco seasoning.  It turned out super tasty and made great leftovers too!

Wanna see the picture I took with my fancy new camera?  I’m obviously still learning the ins and outs of the camera as well as general photography techniques, but it’s a heck of a lot better than my point and shoot digital.  Wow!  What a difference it makes!

What do you think?? Not too bad huh?

Anyway, enough about the camera and onto the recipe.  The best thing about this one is that you probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen right now!  Here’s the recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Tacos:

Inspired by the recipe Crock Pot Chicken Tacos by Chocolate Therapy

6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1 16 Oz jar of salsa, whatever kind you like

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 Teaspoon garlic powder

1 Teaspoon onion powder

1/2 Teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 Teaspoon black pepper, plus extra for seasoning the chicken

Salt, to taste

Heat a large skillet  with one tablespoon of olive oil (about one turn of the pan)over medium-high heat until the pan is super hot and the oil is smoking.  While the skillet heats, season the chicken with salt and pepper.  When the pan is hot enough, add the chicken to the skillet and brown on both sides; this shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes per side.  You aren’t cooking the chicken through, just cooking enough to brown.  You don’t necessarily need to do this step if you’re short on time-you can just throw everything in the crock pot and be on your way, but I like to brown meat first when I’m making crock pot recipes; I find that the meat comes out more flavorful and tender (rather than mushy) when I brown it first.

Once the chicken is browned, place it in the crock pot and add the remaining ingredients.  Cook the chicken in the crock pot for 5-6 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high.  Once you’re ready to serve the chicken, remove it from the crock pot and shred it with two forks; the meat will be very tender so it won’t require much effort.

You can serve these tacos with just about anything, and they’re great with either corn or flour tortillas.  When I made them, I served them with lettuce, tomato, cheese, green onion, cilantro, and sour cream.  I also served these with Spicy Spanish Rice.

I’m off to take more photos now…I think I’m going to have to make every recipe on my blog again so I can take new photos.  :)

Enjoy!