Taste of Home Magazine's 2021 Recipe of the Year Contest

 I found out last night, by accident, that my "Chiles Rellenos Croque-Madame" (pictured in the top left) is one of 10 finalists in Taste of Home Magazine's 2021 Recipe of the Year Contest!! It's kind of weird that I wasn't even notified or anything but it's official nonetheless

If you have a spare moment and wouldn't mind, I'd love a quick vote to help me come out on top! Also, reviews and views of the actual recipe link also help in the scoring. Thanks so much!!

Here is the link to vote: HERE

Also, any visits to the recipe link, ratings or comments on it will be counted in determining the winner!

Chinese BBQ Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls with Sweet Chili Cilantro Sauce

I am taking part in “The Serious Foodie Blogger Recipe Challenge” and I have to say that I have been blown away by the products they sent me to work with! These spices and sauces pack some serious flavor and I have really enjoyed working with them! First up is my Appetizer entry -  "Chinese BBQ Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls with Sweet Chili Cilantro Sauce". Flaky buttery puff pastry surrounds a Chinese BBQ spiced sausage that is completely addictive thanks to brown sugar, sesame, ginger, star anise, sichuan chili, tangerine zest and loads of other spices that will make your house smell amazing. After a dunk in the sweet, spicy and tangy Vietnamese Sweet Chili Hot Sauce you'll wish you made 2 batches!

Chinese BBQ Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls with Sweet Chili Cilantro Sauce

1 pound ground pork

½ pound ground chicken

1/3 cup finely minced shallot

1/3 cup plus ½ teaspoon The Serious Foodie Chinese BBQ Spice Rub

2 eggs, divided

1 box puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed but still cold

2 Tablespoons minced cilantro

1 (6 ounce) jar The Serious Foodie Vietnamese Sweet Chili Hot Sauce

Preheat oven to 400˚F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix the pork, chicken, minced shallot, 1/3 cup Chinese BBQ Spice Rub and 1 of the eggs together.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg with a few tablespoons of water.

Gently unfold the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured board and cut each piece in half lengthwise.

Place ¼ of the meat mixture in a log shape along the bottom long sides of each of the puff pastry sheets.

Brush the top long sides with egg wash and roll, sealing the sausage mixture inside and letting the egg wash act as the glue.

Cut each roll into 8 equal sections, place on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the remaining egg wash.

Sprinkle with the remaining Chinese BBQ Spice Rub and place in the oven to bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown on top and the meat is cooked through.

In a small serving bowl whisk together the cilantro and Vietnamese Sweet Chili Hot Sauce.

Serve the rolls hot with dipping sauce.

You can follow The Serious Foodie on their website  on Facebook  on Instagram  and Twitter

#SeriousFoodieRecipeChallenge #SeriousFoodie #BitesAroundTheWorld

Italian Pesto Mexican Pizzas

Mexican Pizzas have to be one of the most popular items on Taco Bell’s menu, right?  I know, on the rare instances I found myself in the drive through after a long night out, that’s what I was ordering. No need for a drive through or a late night to enjoy my Italian spin on a fast-food favorite!

Italian Pesto Mexican Pizzas

 12 flour tortillas

½ cup bottled Italian vinaigrette salad dressing

1-pound hot Italian sausage

1 (15.5 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

7 ounces jarred roasted garlic alfredo sauce

1 (4 ounce) jar Foraged & Found’s Sea Asparagus Pesto 

3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

6 teaspoons parmesan cheese

1/3 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped

  

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Lay half of tortillas on each cookie sheet and brush each side of the tortillas generously with the salad dressing. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, or until the tortillas look golden brown. Flip the tortillas over and return to the oven, for another 3-5 minutes, or until both sides are fully crisp.

In a medium skillet brown the sausage over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until cooked through and well crumbled.

In a small food processor, puree the cannellini beans and ½ cup of the alfredo sauce until smooth.

Spread some of the bean puree on half of the toasted tortillas. Top each equally with the crumbled Italian sausage and drizzle with half of the pesto sauce.

Place the remaining toasted tortillas on top of the meat and bean layered tortillas.

Spread about 1 Tablespoon of the remaining alfredo sauce over the top of each of the stacked tortillas and sprinkle each evenly with the cheeses.

Bake for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Drizzle the tops with the remaining pesto sauce, diced tomatoes and basil.

Cut into fourths and serve immediately.

You can follow Foraged & Found on their website, Facebook and Instagram

#foragednfoundak #eatwild #wildalaskanprovisions 

Garlic Bread Pesto Chicken Taquitos

I am one of 30 bloggers competing in "The Foraged & Found Blogger Recipe Challenge" for the $1,000 Grand Prize and I am so excited to share my first entry! 

Do you love taquitos as much as I do? They're super easy to make and I've never met a person who didn't like them. I chose to put an Italian spin on these with creamy Ricotta cheese, melty mozzarella, Foraged & Found’s Sea Asparagus Pesto and - best of all - a garlic butter baked crispy shell! 

 Garlic Bread Pesto Chicken Taquitos

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 (4 ounce) jar Foraged & Found’s Sea Asparagus Pesto  

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

10 fajita size flour tortillas  

1 teaspoon garlic salt

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 

Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir the chicken, ricotta cheese, Foraged & Found’s Sea Asparagus Pesto, mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning until well combined.

Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each tortilla and roll it up very tightly. Lay seam side down on the prepared baking sheet and continue with the remaining tortillas and filling. 

Whisk together the garlic salt, melted butter and minced parsley in a small bowl.

Brush the taquitos generously with the butter mixture. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. 

You can follow Foraged & Found on their website, Facebook and Instagram

#foragednfoundak #eatwild #wildalaskanprovisions

Mushroom Marsala Meatball Skillet

This 20 minute, one skillet dish is my second entry in the Rosina’s Everything Italian Recipe Contest.

A quick Marsala Mushroom Sauce makes these little meatballs completely delicious on their own with some good bread to soak up all the yummy sauce with or serve it over mashed potatoes, pasta or rice for a full entrée. Either way, they might be my family's new favorite!

 Mushroom Marsala Meatball Skillet

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup diced yellow onion

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 pound baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoons pepper

3/4 cups Marsala wine

2 cups chicken stock

1 (26 Oz.) package Rosina Italian Style Meatballs

1 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the butter.

Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and sauté about 10- 12 minutes. Once the mushrooms have softened, sprinkle them with the flour, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the Marsala wine and cook for 3 minutes, or until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Add the chicken stock and meatballs and allow to cook for 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are completely heated through.

Stir in the balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with parsley. 

These are delicious served as an appetizer by themselves, or on pasta, mashed potatoes or rice.

Garlic Bread Artichoke Meatball Sliders

 Have you ever seen frozen meatballs look so good?! Brioche slider buns get toasted with garlic butter and layered with a quick and creamy lemon aioli, meatballs, jarred artichoke tapenade and baby arugula for a slider that looks like a million bucks, but only takes 20 minutes to make! I think these will be my go-to app for homegating, tailgating, Friendsgiving and holiday parties!

 This is my entry for the Rosina’s Everything Italian Recipe Contest

Garlic Bread Artichoke Meatball Sliders

Lemon Aioli:

½ cup mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, finely minced

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

 

1 (26 oz) bag frozen Rosina Italian Style Meatballs

 

Garlic Bread Slider Buns:

16 Brioche slider buns

2 Tablespoons melted butter

½ teaspoon garlic salt

 

1 ¼ cup jarred Artichoke tapenade spread

2 cups baby arugula

 

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

To make the Lemon Aioli whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, black pepper and lemon juice.

Prepare the meatballs as directed on the package.

Lay the tops of the slider buns on a foil lined cookie sheet. Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the garlic salt. Place on the oven’s top rack and bake, until slightly browned and toasted, about 5 minutes. Once toasted, spread lemon aioli on the cut, untoasted sides of the bun tops.

Spread the bun bottoms with artichoke spread, top with baby arugula leaves, meatballs, and the toasted bun tops. Serve immediately.

Roasted Garlic Muffuletta Dip

 

New Orleans has been heavy on my heart lately, and this dip is a take of one of my very favorite sandwiches from where I grew up. I have always liked Muffulettas, and growing up in the New Orleans area, I have had my fair share of them. I'm pretty sure almost every single wedding, shower or party I went to growing up had some form of them served. Whether it was the huge whole loaf version cut into wedges or the cute little mini ones, they were always available. It combines so many things I love together- carbs, cheese, salty briny olives and a few delicious Italian cold cuts. It wasn't until I was in college that I had my first toasted Muffuletta and ever since then I don't want mine any other way! 

Roasted Garlic Muffuletta Dip

¼ cup Hellmann’s Roasted Garlic Sauce

4 ounces room temperature cream cheese

¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ cup shredded provolone cheese

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 ounces finely minced ham

2 ounces finely minced peppered salami

¼ cup giardiniera (jarred pickled Italian vegetables), chopped

¼ cup green olives, chopped

¼ cup black olives, chopped

1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the Hellmann’s Roasted Garlic Sauce, cream cheese and Italian seasoning until smooth and well incorporated. Stir in the shredded cheeses, ham, salami, giardiniera, green olives and black olives until well mixed. 

Place the mixture in an oven safe dish and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the dip is warmed through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with sesame seed crostini or any fresh crunchy vegetable (celery sticks, carrots, radish slices, cucumber rounds, bell pepper strips)

Sesame Seed Crostini

1 package sesame seed buns or 1 sesame seed baguette

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. 

Slice the bread into ¼ inch thick slices and lay on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. Spray each side with olive oil cooking spray and bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp. Flip each piece over, return to the oven and continue to bake for another 5 minutes, or until evenly toasted. 

#minichallenge #deliclubdippin  #hellmannsdeliclub

Chicken Salad Crispy Wonton Cups

Anything bite sized and this cute is always fun to serve to guests. These crispy wonton shells are so easy to make and can be made ahead of time if needed!

Chicken Salad Crispy Wonton Cups

16 wonton wrappers

2 Tablespoons Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi Mayo

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds

2 cups romaine lettuce, sliced thinly

1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Gently press the wonton wrappers into the mini muffin pan and bake until the edges of the wontons just start to brown; about 5-8 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and set aside to cool. 

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi Mayo, honey, rice wine vinegar and olive oil until smooth. Add half of the sesame seeds, the lettuce and chicken to the bowl and toss gently to evenly coat in the vinaigrette. 

Spoon a heaping Tablespoon of the salad mixture into each wonton cup. Sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds and serve immediately.

You can follow Lucky Foods on their website, Facebook and Instagram

#eatluckyfoods #luckyfoodsrecipechallenge

Korean Style Shrimp Po-Boys with Kimchi Pickles

I have really enjoyed working with the delicious sauces that Lucky Foods sent me and this is my second entry for Lucky Foods' Blogger Recipe Contest!

Have you ever had Bang Bang Shrimp? They're crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy, sweet sauce that is absolutely addictive. That was my inspiration for this dish. Y'all know I love a po-boy too, so the idea for this recipe came together for me in no-time. I also need you to know that my son ate 3 of these in one sitting last night, so let that be your proof of how yummy these are!

Korean Style Shrimp Po-Boys with Kimchi Pickles

½ cup Lucky Foods Seoul Vegan Original Kimchi

½ cup sliced dill pickle chips, drained well

¾ cup Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi Mayo

¼ cup sweet Thai Chili Sauce

2 Tablespoons honey

6 cups canola oil for frying

2 pounds large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup cornstarch

2 (15 inch) French bread loaves

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

4 small tomatoes, sliced

2 Tablespoons sliced green onion

In a small mixing bowl stir together the kimchi and pickles. Set aside to marinade.

In a separate small mixing bowl whisk together the Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi Mayo, Sweet Thai Chili Sauce and honey.

Pour the canola oil into a small Dutch oven fitted with a candy thermometer and place over medium high heat. Bring the heat to 375 degrees.

While the oil is heating, place the shrimp and the buttermilk in a small mixing bowl and toss so the shrimp are evenly coated. Remove the shrimp from the buttermilk, allow the excess to drain off and coat in the cornstarch. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until lightly brown, about 3-4 minutes, and place on a cooling rack placed in a large cookie sheet to drain the excess oil.

Once all the shrimp are fried, add them to a large mixing bowl along with 2/3 cup of the Kimchi Mayo mixture. Toss to coat the shrimp evenly. 

Slice the bread loaves in half, lengthwise and spread a thin layer of the remaining Kimchi Mayo mixture on both sides. Top each evenly with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and a generous amount of the shrimp. Sprinkle with green onions, slice into 6 portions and serve immediately with the kimchi pickles on the side.

You can follow Lucky Foods on their website, Facebook and Instagram

#eatluckyfoods #luckyfoodsrecipechallenge

Texas Seoul Chicken Fajitas with Cucumber Sesame Salsa and Gochujang Crema

This recipe won "Best Entrée" and $500 in the Lucky Foods' Blogger Recipe Contest

I'm taking part in Lucky Foods' Blogger Recipe Contest and this is my first entry. I took the delicious Korean sauces that they sent me to work with and gave them a Tex-Mex twist. Kalbi marinated grilled chicken is served in warm tortillas alongside charred poblano peppers and onions, topped with a cool sesame and cucumber salsa and drizzled with a creamy spicy Gochujang sour cream sauce. 

These Korean tacos may sound fancy, but I promise they're absolutely perfect for a weeknight dinner and take only 30 minutes of hands on time to make. The Lucky Foods Seoul Kalbi Sauce makes the chicken sweet and savory with no work - just marinate it over night and grill it when you're ready! When it's time to eat, serve it family style and let everyone make their own fajitas!

 Texas Seoul Chicken Fajitas with Cucumber Sesame Salsa and Gochujang Crema

2-pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 bottle (13.2 oz) Lucky Foods Seoul Kalbi Sauce

¾ cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 Tablespoon Lucky Foods Seoul Gochujang 

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup diced English cucumber

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

½ cup diced red onion

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 large poblano pepper, seeds removed and cut into strips

1 large white onion, halved and sliced

1 teaspoon salt

12 tortillas, warmed

½ cup minced cilantro 

1 lime, cut into wedges

Place the chicken in a large storage container and cover with the Lucky Foods Seoul Kalbi Sauce. Stir to be sure the chicken is evenly coated and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight, to marinate.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature, about 1 hour. 

Heat a gas grill or cast-iron grill pan over high heat. 

While the grill heats, whisk together the sour cream, lime juice, Lucky Foods Seoul Gochujang and honey in a small mixing bowl. 

In another small mixing bowl stir together the diced cucumber, jalapeno, diced red onion, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 5 minutes, flip and grill another 3-5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165. Remove the chicken from the heat and cover in foil. Season the sliced poblanos and onion with salt and grill until charred and softened, about 5 minutes. Once the vegetables are charred slice the chicken into bite sized pieces.

To assemble, top each tortilla with grilled vegetables, sliced chicken, and cucumber sesame salsa. Drizzle with gochujang crema and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Serves 6

You can follow Lucky Foods on their website, Facebook and Instagram

#eatluckyfoods #luckyfoodsrecipechallenge

Hatch Chile & Roasted Corn Beignets with Hatch Cilantro Ranch

This is my entry for Melissa's Produce Hatch at Home Contest! It’s Hatch Chile Season and they are looking for the best Hatch Chile recipe out there. The chiles are the star of the show in this one. First, they are stirred into the batter along with roasted sweet corn and fried until golden and gorgeous and impossibly fluffy. Then they are pureed into the best ranch dip you’ll ever have. Seriously, if you don’t have time to make the Beignets, please make the ranch. It will be on repeat at my house until further notice!
 

Hatch Chile & Roasted Corn Beignets with Hatch Cilantro Ranch

¾ cup roasted, peeled, seeded and diced Hatch Chiles

½ cup packed cilantro leaves

1 cup ranch dressing

 

2 cups flour

½ cup cornmeal

6 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 large (about 4 Tablespoons) sliced green onion

1 cup roasted, peeled, seeded and diced Hatch Chiles

1 cup roasted corn kernels

 

Place the Hatch Chiles, cilantro and ranch dressing in a small blender and puree until smooth. Set in the fridge to chill.

 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, eggs, green onion, Hatch Chiles 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 Hatch Cilantro Ranch for dipping.

Makes 40 beignets