Big as Texas BBQ Bloody Mary

When I saw that Smithworks Vodka was hosting a Bloody Mary contest, I knew I had to enter! Part of the fun of a Bloody Mary is the garnishes and I loaded my Big as Texas BBQ Bloody Mary with a Chicken Fried Steak Slider, a Deviled Egg, Fried Chicken Wing, celery stick (can you even have a Bloody Mary without one?), jalapeno garlic stuffed olives, pickle and a marinated artichoke heart! 

Big as Texas BBQ Bloody Mary 

1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce

1 Tablespoon BBQ seasoning

 1 cup Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix

3 ounces Smithworks Vodka

1 Tablespoon BBQ sauce

Juice of ½ a lime

Splash of EACH: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, pickled jalapeno brine, soy sauce, olive juice

 Top with the best snack/skewer/toppers that ever did exist: Chicken Fried Steak Slider, Deviled Egg, Fried Chicken Wing, celery stick, jalapeno garlic stuffed olives, pickle, marinated artichoke heart

 Dip the rim of 2 glasses into the BBQ sauce, then the BBQ seasoning. Fill with ice.

 In a pitcher stir together the Bloody Mary Mix, Smithworks Vodka, BBQ sauce, lime juice, and a splash of EACH: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, pickled jalapeno brine, soy sauce, olive juice. Pour the mixture into the glasses, top with snack/skewer/toppers and enjoy!

Loaded Muffuletta Fries

Loaded Muffuletta Fries!! It was the first Saints game of the season yesterday and I think my entry for the Grown In Idaho “Super Fry Fan Recipe Challenge” was the perfect snack to have while watching the game! 

Super Crispy Crinkle Cut Fries are loaded down with a provolone and mozzarella cheese sauce, crispy fried salami cubes, ham, olive salad mix and green onions – it’s all the flavors you love about the traditional muffuletta but piled on top of crispy fries!!

Loaded Muffuletta Fries

 Mixed Olive Salad:

½ cup mixed olives, coarsely chopped

½ cup giardiniera (pickled mixed vegetables), chopped

¼ cup Italian dressing

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Provolone Cheese Sauce:

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

2 cups whole milk, warmed

2 cups grated provolone cheese 

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese 

1⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

1 bag Grown in Idaho Super Crispy Crinkle Cut Fries

½ cup diced salami

½ cup diced ham

¼ cup sliced green onions

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the chopped mixed olives, giardiniera, Italian dressing and parsley. Set in the fridge to chill.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until all the lumps are gone and the sauce has thickened (about 5 minutes). Toss the cheeses with the cornstarch. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cheeses, salt and pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth. 

Prepare the Super Crispy Crinkle Cut Fries according to the package directions. 

Place the cubed salami in a small frying pan over medium high heat. Cook until crisp and set aside. 

When the fries are crisp and hot, pour the cheese sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the crispy salami, ham, olive salad and green onions. Serve immediately.

Cilantro Lime Crema Deviled Eggs

I have super exciting news AND a new recipe to share today. First off, my “Mexi-Cajun Jambalaya Arancini with Cilantro Lime Crema” won this week’s “Most Creative Entry” prize of $100, lots of foodie goodies from Don Pancho Foods and Pork Barrel BBQ It’s always so exciting to hear that your recipe was appreciated and I was so honored to read the judges comments! Now here’s hoping I make it to the Grand Prize win next week!! 

Even though I can’t enter any more recipes in the Don 

Pancho recipe contest, I couldn’t keep these to myself. They’re just too good not to share and would be the perfect addition to your Labor Day menu!!

Who doesn’t love deviled eggs? They’re always welcome at my house and they’re always the first plate emptied! I took this Southern staple south of the border today with this super simple twist! Cilantro Lime Crema and avocado is the base for my deviled egg filling and it makes the most delicious easy appetizer!

Cilantro Lime Crema Deviled Eggs 

12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced in half 

1 large ripe avocado, peeled and pit removed 

1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt 

¾ cup Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema 

1 small jalapeno, sliced thinly 

Place the egg yolks, avocado, garlic salt and ½ cup of the sauce in a medium mixing bowl and mash with the back of a fork until the mixture is completely smooth. Place the filling in a quart sized plastic bag and cut the tip of the bag off. Pipe the filling into the egg whites. Drizzle the filled eggs with the remaining sauce, top each egg with a slice of jalapeno and serve.

Honey Harissa Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lemon Mint Crema

 Today I'm sharing my third and final entry into the Stella Rosa recipe contest. My Honey Harissa Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lemon Mint Crema are so fresh and full of flavor! Sweet and spicy grilled chicken is topped with quick pickled onions, crunchy cucumbers and a greek yogurt mint sauce and they're served in grilled tortillas (I like mine super charred)

Why should Tuesday have all the fun? Let's start our week off with taco night!

Honey Harissa Grilled Chicken Tacos with Lemon Mint Crema

¼ cup honey 

2 tablespoons harissa paste 

1 teaspoon coriander 

1 teaspoon cumin 

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

2 teaspoons garlic salt 

1 ½ pounds chicken breast, cut into 2 inch cubes 

1 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar 

1 tablespoon sugar 

½ teaspoon caraway seeds 

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 

1 small red onion, thinly sliced 

Zest of 1 lemon 

½ cup plain Greek yogurt 

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise 

¼ cup mint, chopped 

¼ teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon pepper 

10 corn tortillas 

1 English cucumber, cut into small sticks 

½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

 

In a large bowl combine the chicken, honey, harissa paste, coriander, cumin, apple cider vinegar and garlic salt. Stir the mixture around until the chicken is evenly coated and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably, overnight.

Bring the water, apple cider vinegar and white vinegar to a boil in a small sauce pot and place the sliced red onions in a glass jar or bowl. Whisk in the sugar, caraway seeds and salt until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour the mixture over the onions and set aside to cool.

Place the lemon zest, yogurt, mayonnaise, mint, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Place in the fridge to chill.

 Pre-heat a grill to medium high heat and remove the chicken from the fridge, allowing it to come to room temperature. Working in batches, cook the tortillas on the grill until brown and charred around the edges. Once charred, remove the tortillas from the grill and wrap in foil to keep them warm. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers and grill for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and continue to cook until the chicken is fully cooked, and juices run clear, about 3-5 minutes more.

To assemble the tacos, break apart the chicken with two forks creating bite sized chunks. Fill each tortilla with an even amount of cucumber sticks, shredded chicken pieces, pickled onions, chopped cilantro and drizzle with the lemon mint crema.

Grilled Spinach Feta and Kalamata Chicken Patties with Creamy Harissa Sauce

This is my second entry for the Stella Rosa wines recipe contest and it is a stunner! Super simple to make, only 12 ingredients and BIG on flavor! Lean ground chicken is packed with fresh spinach, crumbled feta and kalamata olives then grilled and served with grilled lemon and a spicy creamy sauce. What's not to love?! 

These are fabulous as-is but equally good next to a salad, with rice or wrapped in a tortilla. I always make the mixture and form the patties in the morning and place them on a wax paper lined cookie sheet so they're ready to be cooked when we are but they're so quick to throw together they can easily be made and cooked in less than 30 minutes!

If you're not familiar, harissa is a North African chile paste that happens to be one of my favorite new finds! If you can't find it, no worries, just sub sriracha or chili garlic paste but I promise you, if you make the effort to get some it'll be well worth it!  

Grilled Spinach Feta and Kalamata Chicken Patties with Creamy Harissa Sauce

4 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped 

1 cup feta cheese crumbles 

½ cup diced kalamata olives 

2-pounds ground chicken 

1 teaspoon garlic salt 

1 teaspoon pepper 

1 Tablespoon harissa 

½ cup marinated roasted red bell peppers 

½ teaspoon cumin 

1/3 cup mayonnaise 

1/8 cup Greek yogurt 

1 lemon 

Heat a gas grill to medium high heat.

 In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, feta, olives, ground chicken, garlic salt and pepper. Form into 8 equal sized patties and set on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet to chill in the fridge.

 In a mini food processor or blender puree the harissa, roasted red bell peppers, cumin, mayonnaise and Greek yogurt until smooth. Set in the fridge to chill.

 Slice the lemon in half and place on the hottest part of your grill, cut side down. Allow the lemon halves to get well charred and remove from the heat. Place the patties on the grill, cover and allow to cook 5-6 minutes, flip and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until patties are fully cooked through.

 Squeeze the grilled lemon over the patties and serve with dipping sauce.

Grilled Charcuterie Panzanella Salad

Charcuterie boards are really having a moment right now and I am so here for it! I always, without fail, have a charcuterie board out when entertaining. It's so easy, can be made ahead and has a little something for everyone! Anything goes when I'm putting together a board - clean out your fridge, pantry and veggie drawer! Cheeses, meats, crackers, bread, olives, pickles, veggies, fruit- it's all delicious and really beautiful when placed together making you look impressive with very little work put into it.

When I saw that Stella Rosa wines was hosting a recipe contest looking for grilled dishes to be paired with their wine I knew what I was doing! Grilled Charcuterie Panzanella Salad - it's all of your favorite items from a fabulous charcuterie platter grilled to give it a little extra crisp and smoke and then mixed into this gorgeous salad that pairs perfectly with wine!

If you're not familiar with Panzanella, don't be scared by the name. It's just a traditional Italian salad made with bread, tomatoes and basil. So instead of going the traditional route, I grilled everything and loaded it with all the best from a charcuterie platter! Whether you use it as a side dish, or the main event, I promise you'll love it! Cheers! 

Grilled Charcuterie Panzanella Salad

2 Tablespoons fig preserves

2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar

4 Tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces ciabatta bread

½ cup jarred marinated artichokes, with 1 Tablespoon of the marinade

2 thick slices (3 ounces total) Italian hard salami

1 (6 ounce) ham steak

½ cup mini mozzarella balls

½ cup cubed manchego cheese (or any other sharp firm cheese)

1 cup mixed olives

½ cup cornichon, cut into ¼ inch pieces

4 Tablespoons golden raisins

½ cup multicolored baby tomatoes

3 Tablespoons fresh chopped basil

 

 Heat a grill to high heat.

 Whisk together the fig preserves, sherry vinegar and olive oil in a large mixing bowl.

Brush both sides of the bread slices with the marinade from the artichokes. Place the bread slices on the hot grill for 2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning. Flip the bread over and allow the other side to toast and get grill marks. Remove from the heat and cut into ¾ inch cubes.

Place the ham and salami on the grill and allow them to cook and get grill marks on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and cut into bite sized pieces.

Add the grilled bread, salami and ham chunks to the vinaigrette and toss to evenly coat. Add the artichokes, mozzarella, manchego, olives, cornichon, golden raisins and tomatoes and stir. Pour the mixture onto a serving tray, sprinkle with basil and serve with lots of wine. Cheers!

 4-6 servings

  

Corn & Andouille Beignets with Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema

Here's my entry for the Don Pancho “I put Cilantro Lime Crema on EVERYTHING.” recipe contest! They are looking for creative ways to use their delicious Cilantro Lime Crema  for a chance to win a grand prize package worth more than $600!

My first entry is a combo of two of my favorite things - Cajun flavors and Tex-Mex. As many of you know, my dog's names are Roux and Beignet, so I obviously have a soft spot for the pillowy fried treat.

 This time, instead of going sweet, I went savory and created my "Corn & Andouille Beignets with Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema" which uses the crema in the batter and as a cool dip to dunk them in. Sweet corn, spicy andouille and the cilantro lime crema combine in a crispy on the outside, light on the inside fried ball of goodness. Be sure to have plenty of Cilantro Lime Crema and I think you'll like them as much as my family did!

Corn & Andouille Beignets with Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema

2 cups flour

½ cup cornmeal

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

6 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema

2 large eggs

1 large (about 4 Tablespoons) sliced green onion

1 cup diced andouille sausage 

1 cup roasted corn kernels

1 cup Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema, for dipping

In an electric fryer or large high sided skillet fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the oil up to 360 degrees over medium high heat.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, cajun seasoning and baking soda. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema, eggs, green onion, andouille and corn. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just barely combined. 

Once the oil is hot, using a small cookie scoop carefully drop balls of batter into the oil. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel lined cookie sheet and allow to drain. Serve immediately with Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema for dipping.

Makes 40 beignets

Cheesy Skillet Meatball Gnocchi

Well, it's happening. virtual school is starting tomorrow for my kids in what will be the continuation of the weirdest year ever. I think we're all a little nervous about how it'll pan out but I continue to be amazed at how resilient my kids can be, so here's to hoping it all goes smoothly!

No matter how tomorrow goes, I think we could all use a ridiculously easy, delicious one pan supper that will make you look like a rockstar while only taking less than 30 minutes to put together in our back pocket. Here's my "Cheesy Skillet Meatball Gnocchi" - little cauliflower potato dumplings from the freezer section are crisped in a skillet then topped with frozen meatballs, your favorite marinara sauce and loads of cheese. Bake until gooey and dig in! Literally couldn't be simpler.

I can guarantee you that this will disappear fast. If you are feeling extra fancy, throw a loaf of french bread or a green salad on the side!

Cheesy Skillet Meatball Gnocchi

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (10 ounce) package frozen cauliflower gnocchi

30 frozen fully cooked (1 inch) meatballs, thawed

1 cup jarred marinara sauce

8 ounces Frigo Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

2 Tablespoons Frigo Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is very hot, add the oil and spread the gnocchi out in an even layer and allow them to sit undisturbed for 3 minutes. Once the bottoms are browned and crisped, flip the gnocchi over and cook for 3 more minutes.

Once the gnocchi have crisped on both sides add the meatballs to the pan, nestling them in between the gnocchi. Spoon dollops of the sauce evenly around the pan and place in the oven and for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and top with the mozzarella slices. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese gets soft and melty. Sprinkle with the basil and Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Watermelon Greek Salad Salsa

Hi there! It’s been a mess for a hot minute, but I am finally getting it together and I am beyond excited to be back in the kitchen creating new recipes and contest entries! The lovely folks at The Watermelon Board are looking for new twists on recipes from their site, so I decided to take their recipe for Watermelon Greek Salad and put a twist on it! Here’s my “Watermelon Greek Salad Salsa”

The sweetness of the watermelon is fantastic with the briney olives, salty feta crumbles and fresh mint! It’s so refreshing, cold and delicious it will help you forget that it’s 1,752 degrees outside!! 

 

Watermelon Greek Salad Salsa

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

2 cups watermelon, cut into small cubes

1 cup diced English cucumber

½ cup diced red onion

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, chopped

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Pita chips, for serving

 

Whisk the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, garlic salt and chopped mint together in a large mixing bowl. Gently stir in the watermelon, cucumber, red onion and olives. Pour the mixture into a serving bowl, top with feta and serve with pita chips.

 

 #WatermelonRecipeContest #recipecontest #chipsandsalsa #watermelonrecipes

Pickle Baked Chicken Tenders with Creamy Chili Honey Sauce

Thanks to Hellmann’s 100% Recycled Plastic Bottles and the “Real Taste, Less Waste” challenge I get to share with you a kitchen hack that I have used for years! I call it a “Crumb Catcher” and I used it to create this kid approved, super easy and delicious dish - Pickle Baked Chicken Tenders with Creamy Chili Honey Sauce!

 

Here’s the deal. A Crumb Catcher is an airtight container I keep in my pantry that I fill with whatever I have at the bottom of the bag of allllll the chips, snacks and crunchy things I’m already buying. Once it’s full I dump it in a food processor and make crumbs out of the mix. Then it can be used to bread chicken, pork chops or fish, top casseroles, or in place of breadcrumbs for meatloaf or meatballs!! The options are endless when it comes to what can be used in this. Literally anything crunchy and salty would work! Here are some ideas of what usually ends up in mine: pretzels, taco shells, Goldfish, tortilla chips, potato chips, croutons, cheese crackers, rice krispies, bagel chips, corn flakes.

I know most of you have had this happen just like me. I buy a pack of taco shells but two are broken. I buy goldfish crackers and there’s only a handful left in the bag and the kids won’t eat them. You make nachos but ¼ of the bag is crumbs at the bottom. Or, every mother’s favorite, you buy a Costco size box of pretzels only for your kids to decide ¾ of the way through that they suddenly don’t like pretzels anymore. You’re already buying these snacks, so why throw ¼ of what you paid for away just because it’s broken or not enough to make a full snack or meal with?! Less food waste = budget friendly!

While we’re at it, I’m going to use the juice left in my empty pickle jar for the world’s easiest brine for chicken instead of just throwing that away! These chicken tenders are perfectly seasoned thanks to the pickle juice and stay ultra-juicy because of the Hellmann’s mayonnaise that’s holding onto all the crispy crunchy coating on the outside. Dipped in the Creamy Chili Honey Sauce and it’s a winner!

Pickle Baked Chicken Tenders with Creamy Chili Honey Sauce

2 pounds chicken (either tenders or boneless skinless breasts sliced into strips- get what’s on sale!)

2 cups pickle juice

½ cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise

2 cups Crumb Catcher mix crumbs (see notes below for suggestions)

½ cup Hellmann’s Creamy Chili Honey Sauce

Place the chicken tenders or sliced chicken breast strips in a large bowl and cover with pickle juice. Allow the mixture to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours, but preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain the pickle juice off and evenly coat the chicken with the mayonnaise.

Pour the contents of the Crumb Catcher into a small food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Measure out 2 cups of this mix. If what you have isn’t enough to make 2 cups add enough plain breadcrumbs or plain panko to reach that amount.

Dredge the chicken in the crumb mixture and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Spray the tops of the chicken as well and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken over and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.

Serve the chicken tenders with Creamy Chili Honey Sauce for dipping.

#RealTasteLessWaste #ContestEntry #Hellmanns

Little's Lunches

 Is anyone else dragging from the ridiculous time change like I am? We had a busy weekend and I ended up waiting to make lunches until this morning and it totally reinforced why I always make lunch boxes the night before! I am not a morning person anyway so I'm moving slower at 6am than I am in the evenings. I did not love the idea of messing up the whole kitchen and having to pull so much stuff out of the fridge in the morning. After dinner, when all the food is already out that's when I pack up what I can of the leftovers and fill in the rest with fresh fruits and veggies. What's your best time saving tip for packing lunch boxes?

 Monday:  celery and cucumber sticks, orange slices, cheddar cheese cubes and pepperoni, garlic bagel chips, ranch, roasted corn salad

 Tuesday: pepperoni, pretzel sticks, cucumber slices, orange slices, ranch, fresh mozzarella

 Wednesday: celery and carrot slices, garlic bagel chips, sliced strawberries, radish and cucumber slices, ranch, oranges

 Thursday: pretzel sticks, ham cubes, green beans, celery sticks, ranch, sliced strawberries

Friday: my daughter has 2 wiggly teeth so she requested all soft foods! applesauce, avocado cubes, cooked sliced carrots, hard boiled egg