How many times do you sit down to decide what is dinner...and...you sit there? Nothing coming to mind. You pencil in a few ideas, get excited and then go to the pantry and fridge and realize you don't have ANY of the ingredients needed.
This happens to (almost) everyone at one point or another. It happens in my house at least once every couple of weeks. So if a major (2 hour, multiple cart) grocery store trip is not in the plans within the days to come, what is a person to do? Well let what you have on hand be the driver of what is for supper.
I intentionally approached a couple of meals in the past week this way and using what I had already at home, along with a couple of Tastefully Simple products which impart great flavor (sometimes allowing you to sub out multiple ingredients) it all worked.
Pork, Veggies and Rice
Ah, the infamous one-pan wonder of a meal! I found some ground pork in the freezer (but can be any ground meat) and browned that using Tastefully Simple's Seasoned Salt. While the meat was browning, I cooked up the rice. When both were done, I combined them into the same pan and poured in Sweet Mesquite Slow Cooker Sauce. While the all of this was simmering on low to allow flavors to come together, I prepared broccoli (again, any veggie would work). Upon the broccoli being ready, I added this to the dish, allowed for 15 minutes more to come together and it was ready to serve.
This dish takes very little time, as you can see involved 5 items I had in the house and took very few steps. When it was done, the ultimate compliment is of course those eating it wanting another serving and it was unanimous there, too.
Chicken Enchilada Soup
Soup is the classic go-to if you have a handful of ingredients that might not seem to go together at first, but can be pulled together to make work. And this is what happened the other night.
I found the following in the fridge: leftover green onions, leftover cilantro, leftover enchilada sauce
I found the following in the pantry: stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, canned chicken
I had the following Tastefully Simple products on hand: Wahoo Chili Seasoning Blend, Corn and Black Bean Salsa
I took the following steps to turn this into a meal: combined it all in a crock pot, let it roll on low for 2 to 3 hours.
If desired, this can be served with tortilla chips, topped with shredded cheese and/or sour cream.
Seriously, this was a soup I started building in my head after scanning my resources. And this dish especially is what I love about cooking.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Slammin' Sammies
Individual EVERYTHING is all of the rage for food right now. Everywhere you look - mini desserts for one; multi-dish sampler platters to start a meal; main course classics taken from a single big serving to numerous smaller servings. And so it goes with our next success in the kitchen of my household with Chipotle Bacon Chili Slammers. Just the name makes one hungry, even if you have just finished a meal.
These small sandwiches feature big taste and 3 Tastefully Simple products - Perfect Parmesan Biscuits, Wahoo Chili Seasoning and the all new Chipotle Bacon Dip Starter. And the even better part, they were almost just as easy to prepare as listing off those few ingredients.
I started with 1 pound of lean ground beef, added 2 Tbsp. Wahoo Chili Seasoning while it started to brown. During the time of the meat cooking, I mixed up the Perfect Parmesan Biscuits (the biscuit mix, water, shredded cheddar cheese), placed them on a baking sheet and popped them into the oven.
The biscuits finished about the time the meat was also getting done cooking. After the biscuits had cooled just enough so they could be sliced in half, I placed a good sized serving of meat on the bottom half, topped with Chipotle Bacon Dip Starter right from the jar to taste and then the top half of the biscuit.
The outcome? Well, the boys had their sandwiches gone almost in the amount of time it took me to make mine and sit down to enjoy with them. So seconds were had!
One of the many things I love about a meal like this is the variations are only limited by your imagination. Jayce chose to have cheese on his; Kayden wanted the full flavor of the dip starter so opted out. You certainly could do these as patties instead of loose meat. Speaking of the meat, obviously ground beef was what we did, but any meat (or non-meat, I am sure just as good with a portabella mushroom) works here.
The main function of meal-time for us is to make it fun, keep it interesting and demonstrating that it might be the same "type" of meal, but there can be variation. Quick, easy, delicious.
Chipotle Bacon Chili Slammers
1 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. Wahoo Chili Seasoning
Perfect Parmesan Biscuit Mix
2/3 cup cold water
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chipotle Bacon Dip Starter, to taste
Brown ground beef with Wahoo Chili Seasoning; prepare Perfect Parmesan Biscuits as directed; once biscuits are cool enough to slice, place ground beef on bottom half, top with Chipotle Bacon Dip Starter and top half of biscuit.
These small sandwiches feature big taste and 3 Tastefully Simple products - Perfect Parmesan Biscuits, Wahoo Chili Seasoning and the all new Chipotle Bacon Dip Starter. And the even better part, they were almost just as easy to prepare as listing off those few ingredients.
I started with 1 pound of lean ground beef, added 2 Tbsp. Wahoo Chili Seasoning while it started to brown. During the time of the meat cooking, I mixed up the Perfect Parmesan Biscuits (the biscuit mix, water, shredded cheddar cheese), placed them on a baking sheet and popped them into the oven.
The biscuits finished about the time the meat was also getting done cooking. After the biscuits had cooled just enough so they could be sliced in half, I placed a good sized serving of meat on the bottom half, topped with Chipotle Bacon Dip Starter right from the jar to taste and then the top half of the biscuit.
The outcome? Well, the boys had their sandwiches gone almost in the amount of time it took me to make mine and sit down to enjoy with them. So seconds were had!
One of the many things I love about a meal like this is the variations are only limited by your imagination. Jayce chose to have cheese on his; Kayden wanted the full flavor of the dip starter so opted out. You certainly could do these as patties instead of loose meat. Speaking of the meat, obviously ground beef was what we did, but any meat (or non-meat, I am sure just as good with a portabella mushroom) works here.
The main function of meal-time for us is to make it fun, keep it interesting and demonstrating that it might be the same "type" of meal, but there can be variation. Quick, easy, delicious.
Chipotle Bacon Chili Slammers
1 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. Wahoo Chili Seasoning
Perfect Parmesan Biscuit Mix
2/3 cup cold water
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chipotle Bacon Dip Starter, to taste
Brown ground beef with Wahoo Chili Seasoning; prepare Perfect Parmesan Biscuits as directed; once biscuits are cool enough to slice, place ground beef on bottom half, top with Chipotle Bacon Dip Starter and top half of biscuit.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Slow cooker for a fast life
It truly has been 2 weeks since I last shared a kitchen success - although I promise, it has NOT been that long since the last kitchen victory. It has simply been that long since I have been able to get back with everyone - which is the point of this entry.
We all are busy. Everyone handles busy differently. Some embrace it, others get overwhelmed. No matter how you feel when you are in your world of maximum busy - you still have to eat. And the slow cooker (or crock pot, choose your lingo) can play a big role in allowing you and your family to still get a home-cooked and hearty meal in the midst of it all.
I know I have sung the praises of how the slow cooker is effective for my family before, and it came into play again last night. Jayce and Kayden each had sports activities soon after work, leaving time to prepare supper down to minimal, if we wanted to eat before 9 p.m. Enter, the slow cooker, a rump roast, carrots and one of the new Tastefully Simple slow cooker sauces for fall - Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce.
With a few easy steps and 9 hours of simply filling the house with a wonderful smell, dinner was available when we were. Check out the steps below, followed by the recipe.
The end result was a tender and easily sliceable cut of meat to enjoy as the center of the meal. We paired it with a lettuce salad for an easy, comfort-food meal on a fall evening.
Irish Stout Pot Roast
3 to 4 lb. beef rump roast
Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce
Carrots, potatoes, other vegetables (all are optional)
Place roast in slow cooker, pour Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce over top ensuring roast is covered (I used about half of the bottle), add vegetables of your choosing. Cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, depending upon size of roast. Slice and enjoy with more Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce, if desired.
We all are busy. Everyone handles busy differently. Some embrace it, others get overwhelmed. No matter how you feel when you are in your world of maximum busy - you still have to eat. And the slow cooker (or crock pot, choose your lingo) can play a big role in allowing you and your family to still get a home-cooked and hearty meal in the midst of it all.
I know I have sung the praises of how the slow cooker is effective for my family before, and it came into play again last night. Jayce and Kayden each had sports activities soon after work, leaving time to prepare supper down to minimal, if we wanted to eat before 9 p.m. Enter, the slow cooker, a rump roast, carrots and one of the new Tastefully Simple slow cooker sauces for fall - Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce.
 |
| I placed a 3 to 4 lb. beef rump roast in the slow cooker. |
 |
| I poured about half the bottle of Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce over the top. |
 |
| I made sure the roast had a good cover of the sauce. |
The end result was a tender and easily sliceable cut of meat to enjoy as the center of the meal. We paired it with a lettuce salad for an easy, comfort-food meal on a fall evening.
Irish Stout Pot Roast
3 to 4 lb. beef rump roast
Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce
Carrots, potatoes, other vegetables (all are optional)
Place roast in slow cooker, pour Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce over top ensuring roast is covered (I used about half of the bottle), add vegetables of your choosing. Cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, depending upon size of roast. Slice and enjoy with more Irish Stout Slow Cooker Sauce, if desired.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Supper prep = family time
Kari and I are big believers in having our boys "own" as much as they can as early as they can in life. This includes the kitchen and meal/food prep. One of the reasons I started as a Tastefully Simple consultant over 6 years ago - when the boys were 5 and 2 - was to have multiple ways to model what a man/husband/father can do to contribute to the household, both as a business owner and contributing in the kitchen.
Food has long been a passion of mine, and the time spent in the kitchen to me is enjoyable. However, family is a bigger passion for me. So, we very intentionally encourage the boys to be involved in whatever areas of the kitchen they feel most comfortable.
I have said before Kayden is for sure a foodie, enjoy the art of coming up new flavors and always willing to try anything put in front of him. Jayce also enjoys helping but more from an angle of just that, helping. I honestly think I have a chef and sous chef on my hands some days.
We recently did taco salads for supper. And when we do taco salads, you can immediately wipe the taco shell bowl from your mind - as we sub in nacho flavored tortilla chips for ease and on some level, maybe not as deliciously greasy and guilty of a pleasure. Notice I did not necessarily say healthier, but it might be. :)
The boys each assisted with the prep of the ground beef - one putting in a healthy dose of Wahoo Chili Seasoning and the other helping getting it stirred in while the meat cooked. Once done, it was time to get the hands dirty as we each went about building our own salad.
Mine started with a bed of torn up lettuce, followed by crunching up some of the nacho flavored tortilla chips, as much meat as you desire, topped by shredded cheese, some garden fresh tomatoes and finally some salsa.
While Kari's resembled mine, the boys each have different ingredients they like to emphasize more than others - and it usually involves less if any tomatoes and sometimes a little more cheese than is needed. In the end though, they eat this meal really well because they had a hand in not only preparing their plate, but also the meal for the family. I have some video clips from this meal prep I hope to post soon as well. For your own taco salad night, the recipe is below.
Taco Salads at Home
2 lbs. ground beef
3 to 4 Tbsp. Wahoo Chili Seasoning Blend
Romaine Lettuce
Nacho flavored tortilla chips
Tomatoes, shredded cheese, salsa, etc. - personal preference for taco toppings
Brown ground beef with Wahoo Chili Seasoning, drain; layer plate with lettuce, chips, meat, the rest of your taco toppings. Enjoy!
Food has long been a passion of mine, and the time spent in the kitchen to me is enjoyable. However, family is a bigger passion for me. So, we very intentionally encourage the boys to be involved in whatever areas of the kitchen they feel most comfortable.
I have said before Kayden is for sure a foodie, enjoy the art of coming up new flavors and always willing to try anything put in front of him. Jayce also enjoys helping but more from an angle of just that, helping. I honestly think I have a chef and sous chef on my hands some days.
We recently did taco salads for supper. And when we do taco salads, you can immediately wipe the taco shell bowl from your mind - as we sub in nacho flavored tortilla chips for ease and on some level, maybe not as deliciously greasy and guilty of a pleasure. Notice I did not necessarily say healthier, but it might be. :)
The boys each assisted with the prep of the ground beef - one putting in a healthy dose of Wahoo Chili Seasoning and the other helping getting it stirred in while the meat cooked. Once done, it was time to get the hands dirty as we each went about building our own salad.
Mine started with a bed of torn up lettuce, followed by crunching up some of the nacho flavored tortilla chips, as much meat as you desire, topped by shredded cheese, some garden fresh tomatoes and finally some salsa.
 |
| My finished product, ready to eat! |
While Kari's resembled mine, the boys each have different ingredients they like to emphasize more than others - and it usually involves less if any tomatoes and sometimes a little more cheese than is needed. In the end though, they eat this meal really well because they had a hand in not only preparing their plate, but also the meal for the family. I have some video clips from this meal prep I hope to post soon as well. For your own taco salad night, the recipe is below.
Taco Salads at Home
2 lbs. ground beef
3 to 4 Tbsp. Wahoo Chili Seasoning Blend
Romaine Lettuce
Nacho flavored tortilla chips
Tomatoes, shredded cheese, salsa, etc. - personal preference for taco toppings
Brown ground beef with Wahoo Chili Seasoning, drain; layer plate with lettuce, chips, meat, the rest of your taco toppings. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Getting saucy for sure
One thing we never get tired of is trying the different combinations of sauces and flavors, and how they work with different types of meat. Generally, what I will do is put a cut of meat in the crock pot or on the grill with some good seasoning. Then, pick out a few sauces to get some opinions and see what is generally enjoyed by most in our "test kitchen". I decided this morning that tonight was going to be one of those nights. After putting pork shoulder into the crock pot, the sauce selection for the night was as follows:
Once the pork was fully cooked, had sufficiently rested to ensure it was as juicy as possible, it was pulled apart for serving. My personal choice was to try the new for fall Plum Teriyaki Sauce first. The balance of subtle sweet and a little tang of teriyaki was a great addition to the meat. Since the meat was being paired with a rice/veggie combo anyway, it was perfect. And yes, some of the Plum Teriyaki did eventually make its way to impart further flavor with the rice and veggies for the last few bites.
I did have a few bites with the other sauces too because, well, I felt I owed it to both the meat and the sauces. All were good. As a general review, the Bayou Bourbon is usually tops in the house no matter what is being served. Tonight the Plum Teriyaki was number two and Pomegranate Chipotle a close third. The complete details on meal prep are below.
Saucy Pulled Pork
4 to 5 lb. pork shoulder
Seasoned Salt to taste (2 to 3 Tbsp.)
Onion Onion to taste (2 to 3 Tbsp.)
Tastefully Simple sauce of choice
Place pork shoulder in crock pot, season well with both seasonings on all sides. With fat cap on top, place lid on crock pot and turn on low for 8 hours. When done, place on cutting board and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove fat cap, pull apart and then, with Tastefully Sauce of choice, pour sauce over meat to serve.
 |
| Would it be the new Plum Teriyaki Sauce or standard go-to's Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce or Bayou Bourbon Glaze? |
Once the pork was fully cooked, had sufficiently rested to ensure it was as juicy as possible, it was pulled apart for serving. My personal choice was to try the new for fall Plum Teriyaki Sauce first. The balance of subtle sweet and a little tang of teriyaki was a great addition to the meat. Since the meat was being paired with a rice/veggie combo anyway, it was perfect. And yes, some of the Plum Teriyaki did eventually make its way to impart further flavor with the rice and veggies for the last few bites.
I did have a few bites with the other sauces too because, well, I felt I owed it to both the meat and the sauces. All were good. As a general review, the Bayou Bourbon is usually tops in the house no matter what is being served. Tonight the Plum Teriyaki was number two and Pomegranate Chipotle a close third. The complete details on meal prep are below.
Saucy Pulled Pork
4 to 5 lb. pork shoulder
Seasoned Salt to taste (2 to 3 Tbsp.)
Onion Onion to taste (2 to 3 Tbsp.)
Tastefully Simple sauce of choice
Place pork shoulder in crock pot, season well with both seasonings on all sides. With fat cap on top, place lid on crock pot and turn on low for 8 hours. When done, place on cutting board and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove fat cap, pull apart and then, with Tastefully Sauce of choice, pour sauce over meat to serve.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Ballpark treat at home
"Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd..." - who knows where this song belongs? Who knows for which major league baseball team did a certain announcer make the song an event?
If you said the song belongs during the 7th inning stretch at a baseball game, followed by the Chicago Cubs then you are spot on.
We are big fans of baseball at our house. The boys both play it, I have been a fan - probably my favorite sport growing up, and continues to this day as one of my top sports to follow - and Kari enjoys watching the boys play it, although she might not watch as much of the pro game as the boys and I do.
Today, Kayden (my 11 year old and resident 5th grade foodie) wanted to jazz up some popcorn for his afternoon snack. His idea - flavor up the popcorn with Creamy Caramel Sauce. As I watched him put together this delicious treat, my thought was immediately to the line in the song above "...peanuts and Cracker Jack...". And then what happened, well, here we go:
Take regularly popped popcorn in a bowl, heat up the jar of Creamy Caramel Sauce for 15 to 20 seconds, pour over the popcorn and gently stir to coat. You have created caramel corn in a couple of very easy steps. To ramp it up to Cracker Jack level, toss in some peanuts and mix well.
If you said the song belongs during the 7th inning stretch at a baseball game, followed by the Chicago Cubs then you are spot on.
We are big fans of baseball at our house. The boys both play it, I have been a fan - probably my favorite sport growing up, and continues to this day as one of my top sports to follow - and Kari enjoys watching the boys play it, although she might not watch as much of the pro game as the boys and I do.
Today, Kayden (my 11 year old and resident 5th grade foodie) wanted to jazz up some popcorn for his afternoon snack. His idea - flavor up the popcorn with Creamy Caramel Sauce. As I watched him put together this delicious treat, my thought was immediately to the line in the song above "...peanuts and Cracker Jack...". And then what happened, well, here we go:
Take regularly popped popcorn in a bowl, heat up the jar of Creamy Caramel Sauce for 15 to 20 seconds, pour over the popcorn and gently stir to coat. You have created caramel corn in a couple of very easy steps. To ramp it up to Cracker Jack level, toss in some peanuts and mix well.
As you can see above, this delicious bite has peanuts and caramel corn - taking one back to a complete ballpark experience. Enjoy this while you sit down to the next family movie night, sporting event or head to your next get-together.
Monday, September 9, 2013
More than just garlic bread
Putting a personal spin on food is what I love to do in the kitchen and Tastefully Simple makes it so easy to do. Take the Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning as an example. While it makes fantastic garlic bread (it better, since that is the name of the product), it also livens up a tomato sauce, turns shredded mozzarella cheese into an Italian delight and I have a good friend who even puts it on her popcorn.
I enjoy using it to season meat. It can be mixed in with ground beef for burgers, meat loaf or meatballs; on chicken in the oven or on the grill; and last night, it was time to try it on pork chops.
I started the grill (remember, I am a charcoal guy, so this allows a little more time than those using the gas method), liberally seasoned the bone-in pork chops with the Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning and let the magic happen while the grill readied itself.
From there, pretty simple - just don't overcook the meat. :) I am glad to say I did not. And when it was done, I sliced it up, put it over some romaine lettuce with fresh tomatoes and dinner was served.
A few simple ingredients - a meal worth serving again.
I enjoy using it to season meat. It can be mixed in with ground beef for burgers, meat loaf or meatballs; on chicken in the oven or on the grill; and last night, it was time to try it on pork chops.
I started the grill (remember, I am a charcoal guy, so this allows a little more time than those using the gas method), liberally seasoned the bone-in pork chops with the Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning and let the magic happen while the grill readied itself.
From there, pretty simple - just don't overcook the meat. :) I am glad to say I did not. And when it was done, I sliced it up, put it over some romaine lettuce with fresh tomatoes and dinner was served.
A few simple ingredients - a meal worth serving again.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Garden fresh on the grill
While we do not have a garden - the lack of direct sunlight ANYWHERE in our green space is not real conducive - we do have neighbors on both sides of us who do have gardens. And we are fortunate enough they are productive gardens and our neighbors are generous people, therefore we do end up with our fair share of fresh garden goodness this time of year.
There has been an assortment of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and fruit to make its way to our kitchen - with the two most prevalent being tomatoes and cucumbers. Recently, while the grill was rolling getting ready to cook some pork chops I decided to treat the cucumbers to a little taste of the open flame.
I sliced 2 cucumbers in half length-wise, sprinkled Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning on the inside portion and then let sit for about 10 minutes. When the seasoning was starting to set into the veggie, I placed them seasoned side down on the grill, over indirect heat for about 15 minutes. I wanted the seasoning to cook through and the veggie to absorb the smokiness of the grill while still maintaining the crunch when biting into it.
The outcome? Take a look for yourself.
There has been an assortment of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and fruit to make its way to our kitchen - with the two most prevalent being tomatoes and cucumbers. Recently, while the grill was rolling getting ready to cook some pork chops I decided to treat the cucumbers to a little taste of the open flame.
I sliced 2 cucumbers in half length-wise, sprinkled Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning on the inside portion and then let sit for about 10 minutes. When the seasoning was starting to set into the veggie, I placed them seasoned side down on the grill, over indirect heat for about 15 minutes. I wanted the seasoning to cook through and the veggie to absorb the smokiness of the grill while still maintaining the crunch when biting into it.
The outcome? Take a look for yourself.
These turned out pretty much how I was hoping. There was satisfying Italian flair to the grilled cucumber experience and paired wonderfully with the rest of the meal. An easy side dish making use of the available opportunities before me - fresh veggies, a rocking grill and Tastefully Simple seasoning.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Falling back in with pizza
While the summer vacation from here was not on purpose, it happened. Welcome back after a few months and it is going to be an exciting fall. Tastefully Simple's new fall/winter catalog debuted last week and has some products and entertaining ideas sure to be a hit leading into the holidays.
One product that has already been requested and delivered multiple times at my house is Warm Pizza Dip.
This is, as always, easy to prepare as directed - simply the dip mix, 8 oz. softened cream cheese and 1 cup shredded Colby-jack cheese. You can either bake the dip in the oven or warm it through in the microwave, serve with pita chips, veggies, beer bread, etc.
We turned the dip into dinner in a few quick additional steps. First, spread the prepared dip on a tortilla or pita bread, layer with topping of choice (we used pulled pork), add shredded cheese and warm through on the grill, griddle, in the oven or even in the microwave.
The outcome is pictured below, along with my youngest - 8 year old Jayce - giving the taste test and approval.
One product that has already been requested and delivered multiple times at my house is Warm Pizza Dip.
We turned the dip into dinner in a few quick additional steps. First, spread the prepared dip on a tortilla or pita bread, layer with topping of choice (we used pulled pork), add shredded cheese and warm through on the grill, griddle, in the oven or even in the microwave.
The outcome is pictured below, along with my youngest - 8 year old Jayce - giving the taste test and approval.
One of many reasons I love Tastefully Simple is the products truly are for every day use. We have moved through many of the new products already and I look forward to sharing more of the quick, easy and family friendly meal solutions soon.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Enjoying chocolate on a Saturday
Chocolate is a BIG word at our house. And not because it is 9 letters and 3 syllables. :) The boys both consider themselves "chocolate stalkers" and while Kari enjoys it - but not on that level - I tend to fall in line with the boys. So, when Mount Vernon (town we live in) hosted the 4th Annual Chocolate Stroll yesterday, exciting times for our house! Even more so when I, for the 3rd year in a row, participated as a vendor of chocolate goods with Tastefully Simple.
I prepared 5 recipes and while all were received well, there were of course unofficial winners on the day, so I listed the recipes below in the order of popularity. As you can see, all recipes are straight from the Tastefully Simple website, a super resource for taking a product into multiple creative uses. Enjoy...and if you begin drooling while reading, it is completely acceptable.
Classy Triple Chocolate Cookies
Submitted by Ginger Griffith (FL)
Ingredients
Classy Chocolate Pound Cake Mix
1 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Directions
Combine all ingredients, drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Optional addition - frost cookies with prepared Very Cherry Cheese Ball. Preparation is cheese ball mix and 8 oz. cream cheese.
Mocha Chip Almond Pound Cake
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef
Ingredients
Absolutely Almond Pound Cake Mix™
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) melted butter
1 cup water
8 Tbsp. (1/2 cup) Mocha Chip Frappé™ Drink Mix
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Cream cheese frosting
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients; stir to blend. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch round cake pan. Bake 48-52 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely. Remove cake from pan; frost top and sides with cream cheese frosting. Makes 8-10 servings.
Truffle Fudge Peanut Butter Oreo Brownies
Submitted by Katie Roose (AZ)
Ingredients
Truffle Fudge Brownie Mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
2 eggs
Creamy peanut butter
40 Oreo cookies
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread peanut butter on 1 Oreo cookie, place a 2nd cookie on top, spread peanut butter on 2nd cookie, place in lined muffin tin. Repeat until a total of 20 are made. Combine first 3 ingredients; stir to blend. Pour mixture over each cookie/peanut butter "sandwich". Bake for 20 minutes until done.
Banana Munch Crunch
Submitted by April Linley (OH)
Ingredients
Nana's Apple Cake Mix®
2 eggs
3 bananas
1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Walnuts
Creamy Caramel Sauce
Directions
Combine first 4 ingredients; stir to blend. Spread into a greased 9x9 baker. Top with desired amount of walnuts and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Cool then drizzle with Creamy Caramel Sauce. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping if desired. Makes about 9 servings.
Frosted No-Bake Bars
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef
Ingredients
Mom's No-Bake™ Cookie Mix
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped cashews, pecans or raisins
½ (16 oz.) container cream cheese frosting
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Prepare cookie mix as directed on package with peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips; stir in cashews, pecans or raisins. Press mixture into a waxed paper or non-stick foil lined 8 x 8 pan; freeze or chill until set. Spread frosting on cool bars; sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Chill until served. For cutting ease, pull bars out of the pan by the waxed paper or foil. Cut into small squares. Makes 10-12 servings.
I prepared 5 recipes and while all were received well, there were of course unofficial winners on the day, so I listed the recipes below in the order of popularity. As you can see, all recipes are straight from the Tastefully Simple website, a super resource for taking a product into multiple creative uses. Enjoy...and if you begin drooling while reading, it is completely acceptable.
Classy Triple Chocolate Cookies
Submitted by Ginger Griffith (FL)
Ingredients
Classy Chocolate Pound Cake Mix
1 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Directions
Combine all ingredients, drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Optional addition - frost cookies with prepared Very Cherry Cheese Ball. Preparation is cheese ball mix and 8 oz. cream cheese.
Mocha Chip Almond Pound Cake
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef
Ingredients
Absolutely Almond Pound Cake Mix™
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) melted butter
1 cup water
8 Tbsp. (1/2 cup) Mocha Chip Frappé™ Drink Mix
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Cream cheese frosting
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients; stir to blend. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch round cake pan. Bake 48-52 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely. Remove cake from pan; frost top and sides with cream cheese frosting. Makes 8-10 servings.
Truffle Fudge Peanut Butter Oreo Brownies
Submitted by Katie Roose (AZ)
Ingredients
Truffle Fudge Brownie Mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
2 eggs
Creamy peanut butter
40 Oreo cookies
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread peanut butter on 1 Oreo cookie, place a 2nd cookie on top, spread peanut butter on 2nd cookie, place in lined muffin tin. Repeat until a total of 20 are made. Combine first 3 ingredients; stir to blend. Pour mixture over each cookie/peanut butter "sandwich". Bake for 20 minutes until done.
 |
| Steps 1 and 2, along with finished product for Truffle Fudge Peanut Butter Oreo Brownies.
|
Submitted by April Linley (OH)
Ingredients
Nana's Apple Cake Mix®
2 eggs
3 bananas
1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Walnuts
Creamy Caramel Sauce
Directions
Combine first 4 ingredients; stir to blend. Spread into a greased 9x9 baker. Top with desired amount of walnuts and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Cool then drizzle with Creamy Caramel Sauce. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping if desired. Makes about 9 servings.
Frosted No-Bake Bars
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef
Ingredients
Mom's No-Bake™ Cookie Mix
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped cashews, pecans or raisins
½ (16 oz.) container cream cheese frosting
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Prepare cookie mix as directed on package with peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips; stir in cashews, pecans or raisins. Press mixture into a waxed paper or non-stick foil lined 8 x 8 pan; freeze or chill until set. Spread frosting on cool bars; sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Chill until served. For cutting ease, pull bars out of the pan by the waxed paper or foil. Cut into small squares. Makes 10-12 servings.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Even better than I thought
Ever been so excited for something that while you were hopeful it would in fact equal how you are envisioning in your mind, it ends up being less than expected or worse? I know, when you realize I am simply talking about a side dish to a weekend meal you are possibly thinking my idea of excitement has a pretty low threshold. Hey, we all have our own definitions, right? Well, the Honey Apple Baked Beans I posted about last week were in fact on that level of expectation (it was pretty high) and in fact, they exceeded it.
They exceeded it in two ways - rave reviews by the entire family sitting down to the meal but even more importantly, they were easier than expected (and I was not planning on a high level of difficulty). Once the grill was started (I am a straight up charcoal griller) and while it took its charmingly sweet time getting ready, I started on the beans. Kari (my wife) suggested we toss the bacon in the oven - and if you have never tried this, highly recommend it for ease, little less mess and sacrifice just a little crispiness, but not much - so she took this on while I worked on the apples. I sliced and diced them up (left them with peel on), tossed them in the pan with the beans, mustard and then the bacon was done. After slicing up the bacon, stirred it all together and then as it began to simmer, in went the Honey Apple Grill Sauce.
From there, a low heat allowed for melding of flavors while I continued to work on the main dish on the grill of burgers and steaks. The final product was a pleasing side to the fresh grilled taste of the top attraction...although Kayden (my 11 year old) was willing to move this item to the feature placing on his plate.
Favorite part of the dish - the apples. The texture and sweet/tart balance they added against the other flavors was great!
They exceeded it in two ways - rave reviews by the entire family sitting down to the meal but even more importantly, they were easier than expected (and I was not planning on a high level of difficulty). Once the grill was started (I am a straight up charcoal griller) and while it took its charmingly sweet time getting ready, I started on the beans. Kari (my wife) suggested we toss the bacon in the oven - and if you have never tried this, highly recommend it for ease, little less mess and sacrifice just a little crispiness, but not much - so she took this on while I worked on the apples. I sliced and diced them up (left them with peel on), tossed them in the pan with the beans, mustard and then the bacon was done. After slicing up the bacon, stirred it all together and then as it began to simmer, in went the Honey Apple Grill Sauce.
 |
| Adding the Honey Apple Grill Sauce |
 |
| Finished product ready to dish up |
Friday, May 24, 2013
Officially kicking off summer - kind of
While the "official" start to summer is still a few weeks away, this weekend is it for many people. School is done for the year for my boys as of yesterday and Memorial Day weekend is upon us. Growing up, as the son of educators, summer started when school ended for all of us, which often times was into the first part of June - so Memorial Day weekend was not the launch to summer it is for our family now. The weather is usually cooperative, and while there is yard work to be done and other stuff to take care of, it is a great opportunity to soak up family time, fire up some BBQ and get down to business.
Since we have the time one of the days of the 3-day weekend (compared to usual dinner time of eating right before heading somewhere or late after getting back from something) I will usually do a main dish that takes a little more work and/or time than usual, something from the "low and slow" philosophy such as ribs or brisket. And round it out with a side dish or two that is traditional with a spin. (You have heard that from me before, haven't you?)
So, to that end, check out this version (recipe under the photo) of beans that will be accompanying whatever route I go with food this weekend, Honey Apple Baked Beans, courtesy of the food blog at tsrecipes.com.
So easy, so simple, so delicious. And there are some other tips and hints to twist the version even more. Enjoy the weekend, honoring those who served our country and starting off your summer!
Since we have the time one of the days of the 3-day weekend (compared to usual dinner time of eating right before heading somewhere or late after getting back from something) I will usually do a main dish that takes a little more work and/or time than usual, something from the "low and slow" philosophy such as ribs or brisket. And round it out with a side dish or two that is traditional with a spin. (You have heard that from me before, haven't you?)
So, to that end, check out this version (recipe under the photo) of beans that will be accompanying whatever route I go with food this weekend, Honey Apple Baked Beans, courtesy of the food blog at tsrecipes.com.
Ingredients
- 5 slices thick-cut bacon chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 (15 oz. cans) baked beans
- 1/2 cup Honey Apple Grill Sauce
- 1 tsp. mustard
- 2 small apples peeled and chopped
Instructions
Using a deep skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, draining off any excess grease. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Simmer over low heat, stirring regularly, about 1 hour – until thick and bubbly.So easy, so simple, so delicious. And there are some other tips and hints to twist the version even more. Enjoy the weekend, honoring those who served our country and starting off your summer!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Sweet, smoky, a touch of spice
I love a flavor balance of sweet, smoky and a hint of spice. And this is why Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce is one of my absolute favorite products from Tastefully Simple. It is the first sauce I can honestly say I tried on a whim prior to becoming a consultant and fell in love with it. The forward notes of the pomegranate lead to the smokiness of the chipotle and then the finish of a little kick to the throat. Yes, that is all good in my book.
Every once in a while, I will make a meal completely centered on a particular flavor or product and most recently, this was about the aforementioned Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce. We fired up the grill for some classic burgers (seasoned simply with Garlic, Garlic and Onion, Onion); cut sweet potatoes into thin slices for a "chip" effect, baked them in the oven with Ultimate Steak Seasoning; and tossed together some romaine lettuce and grape tomatoes. By now you are thinking, where does the sauce come in? That is where it gets real good, the sauce topped each item off!
This was once again a very simple and quick meal to pull together. Burgers: take preferred ground meat for burgers, mix with Garlic, Garlic and Onion, Onion to taste (I used 2 Tbsp of each for 2.5 pounds of ground beef), patty to about 1/3 pound and grill. Sweet potato chips: slice sweet potato into 1/8 inch slices, spray with cooking spray or drizzle with Roasted Garlic Infused Oil, sprinkle Ultimate Steak Seasoning on both sides, bake at 350 degrees until done. For the salad, toss together your favorite ingredients that make a light side to a summer meal. And again, finished each as pictured above, with the Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce.
Every once in a while, I will make a meal completely centered on a particular flavor or product and most recently, this was about the aforementioned Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce. We fired up the grill for some classic burgers (seasoned simply with Garlic, Garlic and Onion, Onion); cut sweet potatoes into thin slices for a "chip" effect, baked them in the oven with Ultimate Steak Seasoning; and tossed together some romaine lettuce and grape tomatoes. By now you are thinking, where does the sauce come in? That is where it gets real good, the sauce topped each item off!
 |
| Complete plate of finished products: a glaze to the burger, as a salad dressing and drizzled on the sweet potato chips. |
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Twisting on an old favorite
There are classic food dishes that exist in every culture, every setting, every meal of the day...and putting a spin on a "classic" is always fun to do. While this idea is not my own, I was inspired by the Tastefully Simple food blog tsrecipes.com who put out a version of a BLT (pictured below) that I will be trying soon, the Raspberry Avocado BLT.
So, what is something you like to put your own signature on? I like taking any BBQ sauce and trying it out as a Sloppy Joe (as detailed in a previous post). I also love to do different versions of meatloaf, meatballs and nachos. I know - nachos. We have successfully coined the terms "deli nachos" and "pasta nachos" in our house. The first being any favorite deli meat, deli cheese, mustard and pickles - heat until melted and enjoy. Pasta Nachos similar with tortilla chips as your base instead of pasta and then a meaty tomato sauce, melted mozzarella on top and call it good.
I look forward to sharing more twists of classics soon!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Treating Mom right
To me, nothing defines a special day more than breakfast prepared with heart and soul, which often means a time committment. Yet so many times, the time committment is a challenge. With Mother's Day approaching this weekend, the boys and I almost always start the day off for Kari with a special breakfast. Some years, there is more time involved than others but planning and executing is always so much fun.
Quiche is one dish that does not have to take a lot of time, but the finished product almost always looks like there was much put into preparing it. A continued strength of Tastefully Simple products is the execution of something delicious, with plenty of thought and preparation put into a meal while also not having to put in the time. You can really have all that you want. So often, quiche will be involved in the breakfast we prepare.
In celebration of Mom - the time she deserves with those close to her and the end result of something special to start off her day, I think the Corn, Black Bean Quiche below (featuring one of my absolute favorite products) is a great way to go.
Corn, Black Bean Quiche
Submitted by Pat Boll (MN)
Ingredients
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 1/2 cups Corn, Black Bean Salsa
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 Tbsp. Fiesta Party Dip Mix™
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
Avocado for garnish
Directions
Bake pie crust for 10 minutes at 425°. Pour salsa into crust; top with 1 cup cheese. Combine Fiesta Party Dip Mix™, eggs and sour cream; pour over filling. Bake at 425° until quiche rises and is set, approximately 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese melts and is brown. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with avocado and addtional salsa. Makes 8-10 servings.
Quiche is one dish that does not have to take a lot of time, but the finished product almost always looks like there was much put into preparing it. A continued strength of Tastefully Simple products is the execution of something delicious, with plenty of thought and preparation put into a meal while also not having to put in the time. You can really have all that you want. So often, quiche will be involved in the breakfast we prepare.
In celebration of Mom - the time she deserves with those close to her and the end result of something special to start off her day, I think the Corn, Black Bean Quiche below (featuring one of my absolute favorite products) is a great way to go.
Corn, Black Bean Quiche
Submitted by Pat Boll (MN)
Ingredients
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 1/2 cups Corn, Black Bean Salsa
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 Tbsp. Fiesta Party Dip Mix™
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
Avocado for garnish
Directions
Bake pie crust for 10 minutes at 425°. Pour salsa into crust; top with 1 cup cheese. Combine Fiesta Party Dip Mix™, eggs and sour cream; pour over filling. Bake at 425° until quiche rises and is set, approximately 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese melts and is brown. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with avocado and addtional salsa. Makes 8-10 servings.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Who wants more soup?
When this question was asked Friday night when I served up my own version of the Chicken Corn Chowder recipe in the post from Friday, it was met with a resounding "ME" by everyone at the table. I did what I love to do - take a recipe proven as good and put my twist on it, thankfully enjoyed by everyone.
Here is what I did differently from the recipe: I used a bottle of beer in place of 12 oz of water; used about 1.5 lbs of chicken boneless, skinless chicken thighs seasoned with Wahoo Chili while cooking and further while they rested in prepping the soup; used 1 cup of cheese instead of 2; added diced red bell peppers right before serving.
My steps: cooked the chicken in a dutch oven with Wahoo Chili seasoning; removed to let rest, seasoned a bit further with Wahoo Chili; drained most of the liquid from the pan but left some for deeper flavor within the soup; added the soup mix, a bottle of beer, 4.5 cups water and cooked as directed; then added the remainder of ingredients, again with only half of the cheese. After letting it further simmer to let flavors come together, dished into bowls and topped with the diced red bell peppers. I would have also added green onions had we had them, but did not.
On the side, I served the below recipe but altered it by using the Savory Wheat Beer Bread Mix and mad them into biscuits instead of baking as a loaf of bread.
Fiesta Party Bread
Submitted by Teresa Ovalle (VA)
Ingredients
Bountiful Beer Bread Mix®
12 oz. lime flavored beer
1 1/2 Tbsp. Fiesta Party Dip Mix™
Obviously, it was a bit of a Cinco de Mayo menu just a couple of days early. And it is one I will be repeating for sure.
Here is what I did differently from the recipe: I used a bottle of beer in place of 12 oz of water; used about 1.5 lbs of chicken boneless, skinless chicken thighs seasoned with Wahoo Chili while cooking and further while they rested in prepping the soup; used 1 cup of cheese instead of 2; added diced red bell peppers right before serving.
My steps: cooked the chicken in a dutch oven with Wahoo Chili seasoning; removed to let rest, seasoned a bit further with Wahoo Chili; drained most of the liquid from the pan but left some for deeper flavor within the soup; added the soup mix, a bottle of beer, 4.5 cups water and cooked as directed; then added the remainder of ingredients, again with only half of the cheese. After letting it further simmer to let flavors come together, dished into bowls and topped with the diced red bell peppers. I would have also added green onions had we had them, but did not.
On the side, I served the below recipe but altered it by using the Savory Wheat Beer Bread Mix and mad them into biscuits instead of baking as a loaf of bread.
Fiesta Party Bread
Submitted by Teresa Ovalle (VA)
Ingredients
Bountiful Beer Bread Mix®
12 oz. lime flavored beer
1 1/2 Tbsp. Fiesta Party Dip Mix™
Obviously, it was a bit of a Cinco de Mayo menu just a couple of days early. And it is one I will be repeating for sure.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Soup sounds good to me
Back in April, I wrote how it was odd to be seeking comfort food in April. Well sure enough, we sit here in eastern Iowa on May 3 and thank goodness I am looking at nothing but 35 degrees and persistent rain. Because in central Iowa (and many other parts where friends and family live) wet and heavy snow to the tune of almost a foot has rocked the start to month number 5 of 2013. Heck, school delays, cancellations and early dismissals are a part of life right now because of weather.
In light of all of this, while soup is never a bad option to me, has it ever sounded so good? So tonight, soup it is. I am thinking Chicken Corn Chowder sounds good. It will make use of chicken we have already in the fridge, will have a little flavor of Mexico - appropriate since Cinco de Mayo is this weekend - and
One of the many great things about Tastefully Simple products is turning them into dinner. With a product or two, an ingredient or two (that usually is on hand or easily obtained from a quick grocery run) and not that much time, dinner is on the table. So hopefully, following the below recipe (not my own but from tastefullysimple.com, thanks Dawn Dean from Georgia), dinner tonight will resemble this:
In light of all of this, while soup is never a bad option to me, has it ever sounded so good? So tonight, soup it is. I am thinking Chicken Corn Chowder sounds good. It will make use of chicken we have already in the fridge, will have a little flavor of Mexico - appropriate since Cinco de Mayo is this weekend - and
One of the many great things about Tastefully Simple products is turning them into dinner. With a product or two, an ingredient or two (that usually is on hand or easily obtained from a quick grocery run) and not that much time, dinner is on the table. So hopefully, following the below recipe (not my own but from tastefullysimple.com, thanks Dawn Dean from Georgia), dinner tonight will resemble this:
I will update this with any personal twists I apply to the recipe and maybe, a photo of my own.
Chicken Corn Chowder
Submitted by Dawn Dean (GA)
Ingredients
Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix
6 cups water
1 lb. chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
11 oz. can mexi corn
4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
Prepare soup as directed on package with water; Simmer 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients;stir to blend. Let simmer until heated through. Makes 6-8 servings.
Submitted by Dawn Dean (GA)
Ingredients
Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix
6 cups water
1 lb. chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
11 oz. can mexi corn
4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions
Prepare soup as directed on package with water; Simmer 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients;stir to blend. Let simmer until heated through. Makes 6-8 servings.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
A fine pork chop indeed
We mixed it up tonight on the grill - away from the red meat we have been favoring of late to nice bone-in pork chops. While this sounds odd to say, it has been a long time since we have had these at our house. True, we eat plenty of pork, but usually in the form of boneless pork loin, pulled pork, butterfly chops, any variations of sausage...you name it, we will enjoy it here. We usually opt for something without the bone for ease of eating with the boys. This time though, we went full on traditional pork chops.
After seasoning with Everyday Grillin' Seasoning, I tossed the chops on the grill and in very short order, a couple of turns, they were ready to roll. I made sure to let them rest before serving them up, preserving the juices. I then finished mine off with Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce. I also tossed my veggies with Everyday Grillin' Seasoning. The finished plate is below.
Both of these items I have used individually on pork previously, but this was the first time together and it was overall a thumbs up at the dinner table. The smokiness of each product complemented each other well. A good dinner for sure!
After seasoning with Everyday Grillin' Seasoning, I tossed the chops on the grill and in very short order, a couple of turns, they were ready to roll. I made sure to let them rest before serving them up, preserving the juices. I then finished mine off with Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce. I also tossed my veggies with Everyday Grillin' Seasoning. The finished plate is below.
Both of these items I have used individually on pork previously, but this was the first time together and it was overall a thumbs up at the dinner table. The smokiness of each product complemented each other well. A good dinner for sure!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Spring is here, SPRING IS HERE...Bacon Cheeseburgers for all!
After a roller coaster of a winter (remember that morning in late January when it was in the low 50's?) and an even stranger March and April (anyone else's furnace STILL on as of last week?) spring appears to have sprung this weekend! Getting weather in the mid-60's to low-70's; sun shining bright; and sunscreen needing be applied, yes, SPRING IS HERE!
While the grill has been out for a number of weeks already - I refuse to let chilly temps keep me away from the magic of charcoal - tonight when it was fired up, it just felt right. And to top it off, we enjoyed Ultimate Bacon Burgers.
The recipe (straight from tastefullysimple.com) follows below but what makes something like this great, is you can make it your own, too. For instance, we chose Pepper Jack cheese instead of Cheddar at our house; we also chose to go without the buns. I finished mine off with sliced red peppers and mustard.
Ultimate Bacon Burgers
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef
Ingredients
2 lb. lean ground beef
2 Tbsp. Ultimate Steak™ Seasoning or to taste
8-10 slices bacon, cooked and drained
6 slices Cheddar cheese
6 hamburger buns
Directions
Combine first 2 ingredients; shape into 6 patties. Grill to desired doneness. Top with cheese; grill additional few minutes until cheese melts. Place burgers on buns; top with bacon. Makes 6 servings
While the grill has been out for a number of weeks already - I refuse to let chilly temps keep me away from the magic of charcoal - tonight when it was fired up, it just felt right. And to top it off, we enjoyed Ultimate Bacon Burgers.
The recipe (straight from tastefullysimple.com) follows below but what makes something like this great, is you can make it your own, too. For instance, we chose Pepper Jack cheese instead of Cheddar at our house; we also chose to go without the buns. I finished mine off with sliced red peppers and mustard.
Ultimate Bacon Burgers
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef
Ingredients
2 lb. lean ground beef
2 Tbsp. Ultimate Steak™ Seasoning or to taste
8-10 slices bacon, cooked and drained
6 slices Cheddar cheese
6 hamburger buns
Directions
Combine first 2 ingredients; shape into 6 patties. Grill to desired doneness. Top with cheese; grill additional few minutes until cheese melts. Place burgers on buns; top with bacon. Makes 6 servings
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Ode to sloppy joe's
Serious goodness we enjoyed last night - sloppy joe's. Growing up, you might have known them as Manwich, sloppy joe's, saucey loose meat burgers...no matter the name, it was all pretty much the same. Grab some ground meat, toss it with some savory sauce, load it on a bun and enjoy! Sometimes, mustard, pickles, ketchup, hot peppers, cheese would also become toppers. My favorite way to enjoy it - in the past - was on a poppy seed bun with sweet pickles and mustard. Notice, I said, in the past. My new favorite was last night and it was a HUGE hit with the family. Making use of 3 Tastefully Simple products, an easy version of these turned out quickly and deliciously.
I browned 1.5 pounds of ground pork with about 2 Tbsp. Everyday Grillin Seasoning. I then mixed in Bacon Bacon (to taste) and Honey Apple Grill Sauce (about 1/2 to 1 cup - again, depending upon how sloppy/saucey you want the meat). I allowed the meat/sauce mixture to heat through, then served. The final outcome - with products - pictured below, followed by the recipe.
Honey Apple Sloppy Joe
1.5 pounds ground meat (personal preference, I used pork)
2 Tbsp. Everyday Grillin Seasoning (which is one black capful)
Bacon Bacon to taste
1/2 to 1 cup Honey Apple Grill Sauce
Bread or buns (optional)
Directions are above. If you choose to not serve on bread or buns, simply serving over rice or as a stand-alone with a side or two works as well!
I browned 1.5 pounds of ground pork with about 2 Tbsp. Everyday Grillin Seasoning. I then mixed in Bacon Bacon (to taste) and Honey Apple Grill Sauce (about 1/2 to 1 cup - again, depending upon how sloppy/saucey you want the meat). I allowed the meat/sauce mixture to heat through, then served. The final outcome - with products - pictured below, followed by the recipe.
Honey Apple Sloppy Joe
1.5 pounds ground meat (personal preference, I used pork)
2 Tbsp. Everyday Grillin Seasoning (which is one black capful)
Bacon Bacon to taste
1/2 to 1 cup Honey Apple Grill Sauce
Bread or buns (optional)
Directions are above. If you choose to not serve on bread or buns, simply serving over rice or as a stand-alone with a side or two works as well!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
More meatballs please
Meatballs are a big hit at our house - no matter the form or fashion with regard to recipe. I experimented with a new-ish Tastefully Simple product (new to many, as last time it was in the line was about 7 years ago at least) - Chunky Artichoke Dip Starter - to make the latest version, which got rave reviews.
I combined italian sausage from Fareway (local grocery store chain, fantastic fresh meats) and ham loaf; mixed in some of the dip starter, along with Dried Garlic and Tomato Pesto, formed into palm sized meatballs and baked for at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.
We served these without sauce, over spaghetti squash and a size of broccoli. The full details are below.
Chunky Artichoke and Pesto Meatballs
2 lbs. Italian sausage
2 lbs. ham loaf
4 to 5 oz. Chunky Artichoke Dip Starter
2 Tbsp. Dried Garlic and Tomato Pesto Mix
Preheat over to 350 degrees; mix all ingredients well; form into meatballs (size is personal preference); bake until done.
I combined italian sausage from Fareway (local grocery store chain, fantastic fresh meats) and ham loaf; mixed in some of the dip starter, along with Dried Garlic and Tomato Pesto, formed into palm sized meatballs and baked for at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.
We served these without sauce, over spaghetti squash and a size of broccoli. The full details are below.
Chunky Artichoke and Pesto Meatballs
2 lbs. Italian sausage
2 lbs. ham loaf
4 to 5 oz. Chunky Artichoke Dip Starter
2 Tbsp. Dried Garlic and Tomato Pesto Mix
Preheat over to 350 degrees; mix all ingredients well; form into meatballs (size is personal preference); bake until done.
Monday, April 15, 2013
The return of 5 products from the past
They are back and better than ever...well, at least as good as they previously were! Garlic Pepper Seasoning, Hoppin Jalapeno and Bacon Dip, Sweet Chipotle Pineapple Salsa, Berry Buckle Cake Mix and Mocha Chip Frappe are back from past catalogs beginning May 1 and available through June. Grab the collection and a free gift of a new product - Strawberry Colada Parfait Mix - is tossed in for added enjoyment.
I truly love when Tastefully Simple brings back products each summer. It is a bonus for party guests, many familiar with the products but also many anxious to try for the first time. It is also a testament to Tastefully Simple truly listening to clients and consultants, who vote in polls and send general feedback to the company on what they want to see return.
Enjoy these while they last (starting in a couple of weeks) as once they retire, we never quite know if or when they will return.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Sunny Saturday - another great week, celebrate with pancakes
After an amazing Spring day to start the week Monday, the weather turned into gray and rain, making it a week to otherwise forget weather-wise. However waking up to brilliant sunshine on a Saturday morning (albeit a bit chilly for mid-April, but who is counting :)), enjoying coffee, talking sports with your oldest while he has once again snagged our favorite section ahead of me, is but an easy reminder of why not to just forget this past week. Having accomplished a lot in many areas of a life I am LIVING (re: to others, busy - to us, not sitting on the sideline watching life go by) - it was yet another great week.
Shuffled boys to baseball and soccer; supported Kari through another tough week of tests and homework for her classes; crossed many projects off my list at work; got in my first training swim of the season followed by 2 great runs and 2 solid indoor bike workouts (not all in one day :)); ate dinner as a family almost every night; ensured Kari had 2 successful classes taught at the gym; balanced touching my Tastefully Simple business every day with meaningful activities; attended a networking group meeting for the community...there might just be something I am forgetting, maybe?
I don't list this to brag, to say I am the busiest person in the world or by doing all of these I am better than anyone. I do it as a way to know I am keeping up with my life mantra.
Today's post is in fact simple - get out there and live your life. Own the ups and the downs. See your dreams and chase them. Empower others along the way. Don't forget, we go around once, MAXIMIZE YOUR LIFE.
And while doing so - eat pancakes!
Shuffled boys to baseball and soccer; supported Kari through another tough week of tests and homework for her classes; crossed many projects off my list at work; got in my first training swim of the season followed by 2 great runs and 2 solid indoor bike workouts (not all in one day :)); ate dinner as a family almost every night; ensured Kari had 2 successful classes taught at the gym; balanced touching my Tastefully Simple business every day with meaningful activities; attended a networking group meeting for the community...there might just be something I am forgetting, maybe?
I don't list this to brag, to say I am the busiest person in the world or by doing all of these I am better than anyone. I do it as a way to know I am keeping up with my life mantra.
Today's post is in fact simple - get out there and live your life. Own the ups and the downs. See your dreams and chase them. Empower others along the way. Don't forget, we go around once, MAXIMIZE YOUR LIFE.
And while doing so - eat pancakes!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Comfort food...in April?
Most of the time, comfort food is associated with fall and winter - certainly not April. Although really, there is never a wrong time for comfort food, as by the simple words, what is implied is what makes you feel good, at ease...you know, comfortable. Anyway, it is oddly and most definitely comfort food weather today from where I type this. Rain all day, temperature did not break 40 and heck, possible mix of rain/snow tomorrow (and all kinds of snow to the north of us). So tonight we served up a nice pot of chili for supper. Other comfort foods I lean on: lasagna, pizza, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, pancakes are certainly at the top of the list. This baked rigatoni would also qualify: http://tsrecipes.com/mama-mia-baked-rigatoni/
I wish you all an enjoyable comfort food meal soon!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Dinner tonight?
Some days, details get away from you and all of a sudden, the thought of "What is for dinner tonight?" arrives in your head. While meatloaf might sound like the need for a grand plan and lots of ingredients/prep time, it does not have to be that way. With a handful of base ingredients - either from your fridge, or easy to grab on the way home at the store - and a couple of flavorful Tastefully Simple items, deliciousness is but an hour away. This recipe requires very little but leaves you wanting more and feeling like it took alot, that is what takes the enjoyment of TS products to another level in our house. Check it out:
So this is the base level - another level -
• Make it “en croute” using a tube of crescent rolls: (above, back photo) o Separate the rolls into triangles.
o Line the inside of a lightly greased loaf pan with the tips hanging over the edges.
o Fill with the prepared meatloaf mixture.
o Wrap the crescent roll tips over the top of the meatloaf and bake as directed above.
This will not be the last time we talk meals! Enjoy the week
Saturday, April 6, 2013
How do you use Garlic Garlic?
Just this week, a friend of mine sent me a note detailing how she had found a recipe on Pinterest and altered it to incorporate using Garlic Garlic. While I use Tastefully Simple products with virtually every recipe I make - whether it is a recipe that calls specifically for a TS product or not - it is great to hear how others use them, too. She added it was a hit with the family and labeled the recipe as a "keeper". I have shared it below - thanks Virginia Roudabush:
Two packages 30-40 count shrimp
1 stick of butter, melted (she noted she would use ½ stick next time)
2 lemons
Garlic Garlic (she didn’t measure, maybe 1 cap full – adjust to taste)
Slice lemons, thin. Spread over jelly-roll pan. Cover lemons with single layer of shrimp. Pour butter over all.
Sprinkle with Garlic Garlic.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Get the grill fired up!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)