JenI’ve been a little MIA lately – still working on simplifying other things in my life! 😊 I chose bacon for the challenge this week with no particular idea in mind on how I was going to use it. I found this recipe for bacon cheeseburger pasta, and it turned out really good. It definitely goes in the “keep” pile!! And it was pretty easy too. ZaneNikitaOddly enough, we don't eat a lot of bacon in our house. So for this week's challenge, I decided to upgrade the bacon and buy it from the meat counter versus the vacuum-sealed brand packs. The thick-cut Black Pepper Bacon was giving me some side-eye, so I bought a pound of it with the intent of making my homemade Baked Beans. Fast forward a few days and my girlfriend gave me a beautiful selection of homegrown tomatoes that were ripening quickly. THAT'S when the challenge became a no-brainer. BLTs hopped on the menu for a very special lunch. Nothing too special going on here except fancy bacon, homegrown maters, crisp lettuce, and mayo on toast. It was simple. It was crunchy. It was delicious. GeorgiaMmmm.. Bacon... Meat candy! So I don't normally keep bacon in the house unless I have something specific I'm going to make something using bacon. So I used it in meals. The first was for breakfast. A bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. The second was dinner. Bbq chicken wrapped in bacon grilled to perfection. Or slightly above perfection CammyI did Saturday bites this week without even realizing it. Just as I was thinking "Oh Crap, I forgot again," I realized that I made this Apple Bacon Cheddar Frittata for dinner one night. Win, Win! Especially since it ended up tasting really good in spite of burning it on the bottom! MandyWho doesn't LOVE bacon?
Nevermind. Ain't nobody got time for people like that in our lives. Until next week, Jen, Zane, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy and Mandy
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JenZaneGeorgiaChimichurri.. What a great challenge. To be honest, I've never made a homemade chimichurri The original recipe made this with chicken. But I made my way to our local meat market and bought a couple of nice filets. So the chimichurri recipe. Fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, cumin & red pepper flakes. Grilled to perfection. Served with a salad. CammyMandyUntil next week,
Nikita, Jen, Zane, Georgia, Cammy and Mandy CammyIt's ridiculously hot and humid here in NY right now. IT's the perfect time for cold soup! This Chilled Cucumber Melon Soup did not disappoint! I added some non-fat Greek Yogurt with the extra cantaloupe when serving. MandyJenZaneNikitaThis challenge was perfectly timed because we are approaching 115F as our daily highs here in Phoenix. It's just too hot to do anything outside. Turning on the stove or oven seems unbearable because the house is already warm enough, and you can hear the air conditioner unit kick on every half hour trying to beat the heat. So - this week, we ate Cold Cucumber Soup with homemade toasted ciabatta. The soup WAS flavorful with lots of garlic, dill, parsley and cukes. BUT--> it wasn't my favorite. I pureed it as best as I could with my immersion blender and got it rather smooth, but the texture of the soup was still not appealing to me. Fun challenge; however, I probably won't be saving this recipe. You win some. You lose some, and that's the fun of the challenge. GeorgiaGeorgiaSo the hubs was the one who suggested torte as this weeks food challenge. And by torte he meant that ^^^. Okay. So not even what I would consider a classic torte it was still pretty tasty. I feel like I may need to bake or make a real torte one of these days. Cammy
MandyJenNikitaOk, how many of ya'll googled "torte" and sooooo many options came up. I saw general cakes, pies that looked like thick tarts, and then MERINGUE! Because lemon desserts give me all the happiness in the world, I looked specifically for a Lemon Torte and came across this recipe. It's made up of four meringue disks stacked with lemon curd and whipped cream between each layer. The meringue disks remind me of large macarons except no cute macaron feet. I used almond flour and crushed almonds in lieu of cashews because that is what I had in the pantry. After it was assembled, I froze it and we ate it the following day. TIP: Remove from freezer and let it stand for 15 mins before serving. It tastes so much better when it's not hard as a rock. The chewy almond meringue layers balance the tart lemon curd and fluffy whipped cream. The perfect treat on a hot summer day! Enjoy! ZaneSavory, sweet and over the top.
Until next week, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy, Jen, Nikita and Zane NikitaThis week I chose to cook with beer! To make an easy dinner on the grill, I managed a Beer Can Chicken that was the most moist whole chicken I have ever made. Literally, smear the seasons all over the chicken and shove a beer can half full into the carcass. The most difficult part was getting the chicken to balance on the grill grates, so the chicken wouldn't fall over thus spilling the beer everywhere. BUT - I figured it out with some MacGyver moves. This is a MUST DO! GeorgiaBoy am I glad to be back on the east coast where you can buy Yuengling! And now a food challenge with beer! Heck yeah! So fun GA booze fact. You can't buy alcohol before 9am. So this lovely just came out of the oven. What a great beer find.. Not as good as beer brownies. But dang.. Delish The best part.. A yummy meal AND beer in the fridge. Win win CammyCan anyone say 'Beer Brownies?' I'm very much surprised at the fact that these are absolutely delicious! I will have a great deal of trouble not eating them all at one time! MandyJenZaneI feel like.. We need more beer challenges.
Until next week, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy. Jen and Zane ZaneClassic Chicken Tikka Masala for dinner and leftovers with garlic naan for breakfast NikitaTikka Masala is a BIG WIN in our house, and we eat it several times a year. The recipe I am sharing today is one that I found a few years ago, and it's a real winner! The downside to this recipe is that it can be very involved between marinating the chicken (which is a must!), grilling the chicken and cooking it in the sauce to absorb the flavor. But in the end, you'll appreciate your work with such a delicious dinner and leftovers for lunch. Thanks for the challenge! GeorgiaWhat a fun challenge and what a good time trying to find new ways to prepare a classic dish. The chicken was amazing, but the real star of this dish was the roasted cauliflower and red onions. Sheet pan dinners makes this an any time of the week meal. Which I'm sure it will become CammyMandyJenUntil next week when Nikita has thrown down the beer challenge,
Zane, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy and Jen Jen
ZaneNikitaGeorgiaTacos.. We like tacos.. And by like I mean LOVE. How much do we love tacos? One year when Savannah was with us for 2 weeks, we did the 2 week taco challenge. We ate tacos every single day for 2 weeks. It can be done. So for this recipe I replaced the pork with chicken. How was the peach-lime salsa? Surprisingly good. Would I make it again? Yes, yes I would. CammyOk, so these aren't quite tacos but they are still taco meat in shells and they were sooooooooo incredibly tasty! Just like regular stuffed shells, they are a bit of a pain to fill and certainly time consuming. Still, I think they were worth it! Meet 'Easy Cheesy Mexican Stuffed Shells!' They are the new 'taco' in our house! Every day is a good day for tacos!
Until next week, Jen, Zane, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy & Mandy CammyIt was my week to choose this week. I always seem to struggle with making a decision. It was pretty easy this time around though. This is the first week of the month of May and also the month we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Those men and women would likely have eaten more than just one or two of these C-rations, K-rations or MREs. I remember the Meals Ready To Eat (MRE) from my Air Force days. Every once in a while you would hit the jackpot and get a halfway decent tasting one, but not very often. The MREs in my day were far better than the old C or K rations of WW2, the Korean War or Vietnam. Still, most left much to be desired. The best thing out of any of them was the peanut butter or the gum. I never personally came across the Creamy Spinach Fettuccine so I have no clue how edible it was. I happened to find a recipe by the same exact name. This recipe seems quite similar with the exception of no mushrooms. We had some freshly picked asparagus so I threw that in with the spinach. Overall, it was quite yummy and actually fairly healthy. I think that, should I make it again, I would add bacon. Bacon would be quite tasty in this but then it wouldn't be nearly as healthy. This time I served it with some Tuscan Style Meatballs. MandyJen
ZaneFor my MRE I went with the US Army MRE Menu #10. The main meal is Chili Mac (made my own with some melty cheese and Spring Onion on top). The set comes complete with veggie crackers, Jalapeno Cheese Spread (Homemade Jalapeno cheese spread passed down through Morgan's family. Got the recipe from her grandmother 😀), Teriyaki beef sticks (went jerky...because jerky.), Lemon Pound Cake, Cherry Twizzlers Bite Size, accessory packet, and the magical elixir known as Orange Beverage Powder, Carbo-electrolyte. The only thing I knew could match that awesomeness is the one and only Tang! Happy early Memorial Day everyone! NikitaThis week's challenge was a tough one at first thought. I have zero experience with MREs or anything military related. BUT I know food. And this week, I happened to receive a Mother's Day gift a little early thanks to Amazon's determination to ship their products in labeled boxes thus ruining any desired surprise effect. LOL! So I had to figure out how to tie together this week's challenge and my strong temptation of playing with my new Instant Pot. Spaghetti and Meatballs seemed like a good place to start. In this picture, you'll find my homemade meatballs and marinara sauce. I made a huge batch about 2 months ago and froze it. After defrosting my marinara sauce, I followed the pinned recipe to help get the timing right in the pressure cooker. The meatballs went into the pot frozen solid. I was so impressed with how well this meal turned out and there wasn't a huge mess in the kitchen from splattered water or red sauce. I even decided to turn out some garlic cheese bread made with leftover hamburger rolls in the pantry because I had so much extra time. Given the challenge was to make a version of an MRE, I thought I'd ask my dear old brother what his favorite MRE was (even though we know they all probably suck) and he told me "spaghetti." What luck! My brother has been in the National Guard 15+ years and has been deployed 3-4 times over his career. His most recent mission was to secure our southern border. I love his stories and pictures which allow me to experience the life he has lived thus far, and I'll never forget when my son saw a picture of his uncle holding a badass "knife-gun" -- a gun with a bayonet on the end. He was so amazed and brought it up anytime I mentioned Brandon's name. Now my son is 15 and less impressed about everything. Sorry Brandon. LOL! GeorgiaNot gonna lie. I was not excited about this challenge and the husband was even less excited. I'll always tell him what the challenge is and ask if there is anything he would like. This challenge got a big fat no. He didn't like them when he was in the Army. I will say. I made some homemade spaghetti and meatballs earlier in the week that was a big big hit. Forgot to take a pic. So enjoy our little adventure on the water. Ran's first time in a kayak This month we celebrate all those who have served and died. God bless all of them and the families they left behind. They sacrificed everything so we can have the luxury to live a blessed life.
Until next week, Cammy, Mandy, Jen, Zane, Nikita and Georgia GeorgiaThis week I choose noodles. Because.. Well noodles. So last Friday while I was working I hear some stirring around upstairs (home office is in the basement). I make a mad dash upstairs and there in my living room (and one of the bedrooms) is Zane and Morgan. They went shopping at one of the closest Asian markets and were sweet enough to think of us. So I used several of the ingredients they got for us. Fresh noodles and yakisoba sauce. Sautéed some chicken and veggies. How good was this? Well it made a YUGE pot. I had one bowl and the husband had the rest. ALL of it. A yummy meal that was wrapped in love from Zane and Morgan. A total win CammyMandyNoodles - Pad See Ew was the recipe I tried this week. It was delicious! So fast to put together, but felt like we were eating takeout. Nothing too fancy in the ingredients, found most of them at our grocery store. Could not find Chinese broccoli, so I used broccolini instead. The whole family loved it. We doubled the recipe and fed 6 people without any leftovers. Can’t wait to make this again. Mandy JenZaneBreakfast of champions! Marinated pork belly with yakisoba NikitaNoodles.. Pasta.. Carbs.. All good
Until next week, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy, Jen, Zane and Nikita NikitaWe just upped our Eggs Benedict game. This right here is Crab Cake Eggs Benedict with a 2-minute Hollandaise Sauce. Seriously, the hollandaise took 2 mins. It was served with tomato, arugula, and (of course) the poached egg. I tried a new technique poaching the eggs using a muffin tin in the oven. It worked out.....ok. I would probably just stick to the swirling water technique going forward. GeorgiaWhen I told the hubs that eggs benedict was this weeks food challenge the first request he had was a country style eggs benedict. And so it was.. Instead of the classic English muffin, canadian bacon, poached egg and Hollandaise,. I made mine with a biscuit, sausage, poached egg (scrambled actually works better) and sausage gravy If anyone asks. It was tasty. Would I make it again. No. I prefer classic Eggs Benedict CammyMandyJenZaneEggs are THE best comfort food. Plus there are so many different ways to prepare them.
This week we all poached in the most positive sense of the word. Until next week, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy, Jen and Zane ZaneJapanese Nikuman or Baozi Had a fun adventure to H-Mart with Morgan and Ember, got all the ingredients fresh. The buns are filled with pork belly, ground pork, shitake mushrooms and fresh ginger among other things NikitaWow! What a challenge - steamed! Obviously, I could have steamed up some veggies and called it a day, but I truly wanted to challenge myself by trying something new. And this was WAYYYYYYYYY outside of my comfort zone, but hey - that's how we grow, right? Honestly, I can't remember what these were called except "Pan-fried Steamed Buns." They are filled with a vegetarian mix of zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, scallions, and a plethora of asian seasoning like soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and more. SO - the flavors were totally YUM! But - mistakes were made. First, I rolled the dough out too thin before I stuffed them. This caused the dough to take on the texture of a steam dumpling rather than a bun. I also think I may have taken the lid off just a smidge too soon. It looked like the water had evaporated, but I noticed the small amounts of leftover water after I had taken the lid off. It was too late by then. The whole family decided we want to see these again, so I'll get another chance to get it right. GeorgiaSo I had some very ripe bananas that I needed to do something with. And this weeks food challenge was steamed.. How on earth can I mix those two together.. If there's a will there's a way. Actually when I was looking up different steamed recipes I found that you could steam most anything. So I thought. What the heck. What do I have to lose other than a couple of over ripe bananas and a handful of perfectly good chocolate chips. I used the steam setting on my instant pot and steamed them for the same length that it called to bake them. The verdict? I actually liked better than baked. Maybe it was just the muffins because muffins tend to be a little dry and these were not at all, CammyMandySteamed. What a great idea. Found some crab legs on sale and thought let’s do it. Treat Yo Self, right? What a wonderful treat it was! JenSteamed!
A brand new food challenge for us. Until next week, Zane, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy and Jen CammyEaster traditions change over the years. As we get older, they become more and more meaningful. I think we kind of lost sight of Easter traditions or maybe I'm just getting more and more forgetful of years past. I don't recall last year at all. Michael says we had Easter with mom, but honestly, pretty much all of last year was a blur. I'm pretty sure he is right. Afterall, he usually is. This year we didn't really verbalize any specific plans so we did something slightly different than years past. The menu consisted of the recipes in the links below. I prepped it all and then we loaded it, pans and all, in the truck and showed up with it at mom's where I cooked the meal. It was fun and it felt really darn good. Mom was surprised and, as always, very grateful. Mom also encouraged us to watch Passion of the Christ. Oh my word. As mom said, watching that particular movie on Easter Sunday really brings home the true reason we celebrate Easter.
Best Spiral Ham Recipe - How To Cook A Spiral Ham (delish.com) - I've always liked ham though I've never bothered with the glaze. I'm here to say that I will never forego the glaze again. I didn't have any apricot preserves so I used some Stonewall Kitchen Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam. It blended well with the Kentucky Maple Bourbon. I'm sure that just about any flavor preserves would work well. The red pepper flakes are a must! I think I've decided that this will be our new traditional Easter meal. The cannoli cupcakes I baked for Sunday Bakery were the perfect dessert as well as they were so light and tasty. GeorgiaWe had a low key Easter. Had dinner with friends and hung out on the front porch taking pics. New find in our yard is a Purple Finch Giving thanks for the greatest gift to ALL mankind. We are Easter people JenNikitaThis year, we offered to host Easter dinner (lunch) at our house. The traditional Ham, Brussels, Carrots, and Pineapple Casserole were on the menu, but I was stunned by these Homemade Dinner Rolls that I turned out. The recipe was easy to follow and the soft pillowy buns were exceptional. Everybody raved about them. We used the leftovers to make Cubano Paninis for lunch the following week. And there was lots of Hawaiian Pizza from all the ham and pineapple leftover. Lots of fun, and it was a true blessing to enjoy this time with family. I don't know who decided ham was the official ham of Easter.. But Thank You!!
Until next week, Cammy, Georgia, Jen, Nikita, Zane and Mandy JenMy challenge this week had to do with using up a bunch of potatoes!! Not sure if I’ve never made a hash before, but this steak and egg hash turned out really good. Saving this recipe to make again. And I still had more potatoes, so everyone got a baked potato on their plate too! 😂 ZaneGeorgiaNo recipe per se for this. Just potatoes, onions, ham and eggs. I microwaved the potatoes first for a few minutes so they would cook and brown up quicker in the pan. After a few minutes I diced them, chopped the onion and ham. Browned up the potatoes with the onions in olive oil. Added the ham. Pre-heated the oven to 350. Made 4 wells in the hash, cracked the eggs in the wells and baked in the oven for 15 minutes. The eggs were cooked a little too well for my taste. Next time I would bake for only 10 minutes Because the ham is so salty I didn't add any additional salt. And to be honest the ham added enough flavor that I didn't add any spices at all. Hash is a tasty way to use up leftovers. Ad let's be honest. Cracking an eye on anything ALWAYS makes it better. CammyWho knew there were so many varieties of hash? I sure didn't. I'd only ever had corned beef hash. I suppose that, just by definition, nearly any mixture of foods could be called hash. Most of the recipes I found included potatoes of some sort. I gravitated to this one with sweet potatoes. Oh my word it is soooooooo yummy! Since I'm the only one who eats sweet potatoes in this house, I cut the recipe in half, well only so far as the sweet potatoes and the bacon went. I still used the same amount of cinnamon and maple syrup because, I mean, cinnamon and maple syrup! Why wouldn't you keep those the same? NikitaThanks Jen for the creative pick this week! I took it upon myself to FINALLY invest in a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet to make this delicious Southwestern Skillet Hash. First - the meal taste amazing! And the soft eggs added a creaminess to the turkey and skillet-fried potatoes. BUT - I definitely scorched the heck out of this meal the very first time I used my new pan. The bottom was so black that I could see the different variations of black from the pan to the burnt bottom. What I learned is these cast iron pans retain ALL the heat they absorb. I left my stove eye on "HIGH" because it generally takes longer to heat up my nonstick pans, and I wanted a good sear on the potatoes. By the time I got the sear I wanted, it was too late, and the skillet was scorching hot. Afterwards, I had to strip my brand new pan and re-season it with two coats of Grapeseed Oil and 500F in the oven. I'll certainly try using it again but have a lighter hand on the heat next time. What a fun and tasty food challenge Jen threw down this week.
Until next week, Jen, Zane, Georgia. Cammy, Nikita and Mandy NikitaI chose crepes this week and then the week totally got away from me! So here it is Sunday morning and I'm making a savory crepe pocket! It's a standard crepe with no sugar which is wrapped around a fried egg and cheese. I've done this before with spinach and ricotta too. Also, fun tip for a quick breakfast - MICROWAVE YOUR BACON! I had a few strips of bacon left over, so into the microwave they went! Nice and crispy in 3 minutes. JenZaneGeorgiaWere these crepes delicious? Yes Did the hubs LOVE them? Also Yes Were they the prettiest you've ever seen? Nope, not even close. But these lovelies were oh so yummy. How yummy you ask? At one point I look over at the hubs and he has the bowl with a giant spoon eating the leftover creamy filling. On a side note. These turned out much nicer this time around because I used a different pan to make them in. A round cast iron griddle to be exact. CammyMandyLooks like I'm the only one who got into the crepe challenge!
Until next week Nikita, Jen, Zane. Georgia, Cammy and Mandy CammyI was going to make my traditional Irish dish on St. Patrick's Day, but work totally got in the way. Oh well, a day late didn't change how good it was. Fortunately, there was enough left over that I can have it again for my Friday lunch. Bangers and Mash is a very simple and straightforward meal that is wonderfully easy to prepare. I used Johnsonville Brats as my bangers. I have never baked brats before and wondered how they would turn out. They were actually nearly as flavorful as grilled. I will do this more often. JenThe cabbage was cooked a little too long while waiting for potatoes to finish in the oven, but overall, the flavor was great. Mixed reviews from my family: Me: loved it Husband: ate without complaining, but he told me after that he doesn’t like cabbage Jade: thought it tasted great, but didn’t like the texture Jetta: hated it I guess the leftovers are mine. 😊 Jetta was my cute little leprechaun for the day – she helped cook the dinner, and also “helped” shred some papers for me. And then I had to sweep. Lol GeorgiaIrish food? Heck yeah!! This is how we celebrated St. Patrick's Day. With Shepherd's Pie The hubs said this might be his most favorite thing I've ever made. Which means we will not be waiting for St Patrick's day to make it again. NikitaNikita made a very traditional corned beef and cabbage with a homemade Irish Soda Bread March 17th. The day everyone is Irish.
Hope you made the most of it! Jen, Cammy, Georgia, Nikita, Zane and Mandy CammySometimes meals just need to be simple. Ok, most of the time! I had nothing in particular in mind when I chose dipping and dunking for the challenge this week. I came across a ton of appetizer dips, but not a whole lot that would be considered a main course. Perhaps I just didn't look hard enough or use the right search term. In any case, I had this step-grandmother when I was young (think elementary school) who had this herb garden. I'm sure there were some lovely herbs in that little circular bed of herbs. There had to have been. There was also an herb that totally ruined the carrots one night. I typically was not allowed to leave the table until I'd "cleaned" my plate. On one night, when she used whatever herb that was in the carrots, I couldn't control my reaction and quite literally said the carrots were nasty and that I was not going to eat them. Well, complaining about the taste of food was like a cardinal sin in that house. I was sent to my room without being able to eat any of the rest of my dinner. I distinctly remember that this was a great blessing! I got to read and not eat those carrots! I have to say that most of the food she cooked was pretty good. Carrots have nothing to do with my dipping and dunking except for the fact that I recalled that it was this woman who also introduced me to French Dip, which is quite savory and delightful. I also consider it to be a very quick and simple meal to throw together. I knew the basics of what was involved, but, as I had never made it before, I went in search of a recipe. I don't recall the French Dip I had in the past ever having onions, but, I have to admit, they were a wonderful addition! In search of just the right recipe for this week, I came across multiple dip recipes for appetizers. They all looked pretty incredible. I'm not much of a fan of chicken, which is a long story. This buffalo chicken dip was pretty tasty though. I'm patting myself on the back for being thoughtful and not sprinkling the blue cheese over the entire dish. I'm the only one in this house who will eat it, however, I'm likely the only one that will eat the dip to begin with. I suppose I can always put some more on and just throw it back into the oven for a few minutes. I apparently couldn't make a choice this week, even after I'd already made a choice! So, I have dinner dip, appetizer dip and now, I have snacking dip! This sweet and salty combination is perfect for my Friday night book reading or movie watching, whichever it ends up to be! The only thing I would change in this dip, is to perhaps add just a smidge more powdered sugar. :) Happy dipping and dunking everyone! MandyJenZaneZane was a little busy this week as his family grew by one. Ember Annalise made her grand appearance on March 8th NikitaThis week's choice was dipping and dunking! I opted to test a fruit dip that I can use for our upcoming Easter dinner celebration. We are hosting this Easter at our house now that we're back in the US. The dip is a combination of cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, yogurt, vanilla, & citrus zest. Easy to make and delicious! Will definitely make for Easter. GeorgiaI saw this dip and thought,, Heck yeah! I substituted honey for the maple. Not overly sweet. We used our homemade yogurt. Super simple and oh so yummy I think the only thing I would change next time. Apples.. We were dipping and dunking this week. And who doesn't love to dip their food in something yummy?
Next week is St Patrick's day! Until then, Cammy, Mandy, Jen, Zane (and baby Ember), Nikita and Georgia GeorgiaMy twist.. A gnocchi lasagna So the recipe calls for you to put your lasagna together and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. It was not heated all the way through. So if I make it again I'd probably add about 15 minutes to bake time Otherwise, it was pretty tasty. A fun, messy version of a classic lasagna CammyI'm guessing that part of the idea of this challenge was, perhaps, to make the new twist a more healthy version of the old dish. I don't really know how much healthier this is, but either way, both the old and the new are quite delicious! This recipe does an excellent job of changing a summertime fruit salad into a year round on the go smoothie! I made both with the same fruit, adding grapes to the mix as well. The differences are no marshmallows in the smoothie, coconut milk instead of heavy whipping cream. I was making up the ambrosia salad as I went along. I forgot to add any sugar to the heavy whipping cream before whipping it. It really could have used a pinch! MandyJenZaneZane's twist was a caprese grilled cheese sandwich Nikita
Well.. There you have it.
4 very different twists Until next week when Cammy has us dipping and dunking Georgia, Cammy, Mandy, Jen, Zane and Nikita Nikita
GeorgiaI LOVED this challenge. Okay.. I loved the challenge and LOVED looking through the years. There were so many fun and delicious recipes to choose from, I ended up making a smoothie.. I know. So many fantastic recipes and I make a smoothie. The hubs got one of those ninja bullet thingies and I've been making smoothies for my lunch. But.. It was a great smoothie and very filling. This was Amy's Chunky Monkey Smoothie she made all they way back in 2017 Cammy
MandyHappy Anniversary Saturday Bites! So glad to cook along with a great group of people. I know I didn’t make it in time this week but I did cook along. I made Jen’s Italian Sausage Soup from February 2018. It was so good! It was the prefect meal on all these cold days we’ve been having. Already had all the ingredients in my freezer and pantry. I love that! I did add kale because I had some that needed to be used before it expires. Thanks for the great recipe! Have a great week! Mandy Jen
ZaneZane went with the noodles challenge.. What a fun 5 years it's been and like we often do. Everyone managed to find a completely different recipe to make.
5 fun years.. 100's of challenges.. Recipes from all over. Looking forward to Nikita throwing down the 10 year challenge,. Until next week, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy, Jen and Zane Jen
NikitaQuick & Easy is my specialty! With soccer season in full swing, it seems we are always on the go between games, trainings, and the heavy reffing schedule. This pan comes together in 10 mins and bakes for about 25 mins depending on the size of your pork loin. AND we had leftovers for lunch! WIN - WIN GeorgiaI am all about the 30 minute meal. Much more than that and I've lost interest before I get started. So when Jen threw down the Quick and Easy challenge I was in.. I don't know what I loved best about this quick, easy and healthy salad. The toasted chickpeas? The tahini dressing? The ease of putting it all together? How about all of the above. FYI.. Making your own testy dressing is much easier than you think. CammyIt's freezing and snowing here, but what else is new? This is definitely chili weather. There's not too much easier than browning some mild and hot sausage, adding seasonings, onions, peppers, beans and tomatoes then letting it simmer all afternoon. I think it's best topped with cheese and sour cream, but that's just me. MandyI really miss Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizzas. It was really the only item I ordered when we went there. Maybe one day they will return to the menu. Until then here is a copy cat version. It really is simple, fast and easy. You don’t even have to cook the tortillas. You can buy them crispy right in the grocery store. Even better. Not the same but it was delicious. Mandy ZaneIt seems like we all have busy days. Quick and easy recipes make it possible to still make your family a homecooked meal. Stop by tomorrow to see what Zane and I were up to this afternoon. Until next week when Nikita throws down the 5 year challenge! Jen, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy and Zane MandyThis week I tried a vegetable lasagna. I didn’t mix the eggplant and zucchini into the sauce but layered them between the noodles. I did learn that this makes the lasagna watery. As I pulled a piece from the dish it fell apart. Lesson learned for next time. Although the photo may not be pretty it was a great meal. Mandy JenNikitaWe LOVE veggies in this house often eating meatless Mondays many times during the week. This recipe is a family favorite - Spinach & Mushroom Gnocchi. No, the gnocchi is not hand-rolled but still very light & plump. Paired with a side salad to lighten up the meal, this dish is nothing but veggies! And some cream..... LOL! Give it a try. GeorgiaVeggies in our home is usually some kind of salad. This week was no different. We probably had salad at least 3 times this week. Here is perhaps the most unusual, unexpected salad. I'm not a huge green pepper fan so I substituted red, orange and yellow. Well worth it. I personally liked this dish. The flavor, texture and raw veggies vs cooked meatballs with the tzatziki sauce.. Really tasty. The hubs on the other hand.. Not a favorite. He liked the meatballs and tzatziki sauce.. The veggies not s much.. CammyThere are way too many veggies to choose from.I can only guess as to why I went with the standard and not anything fancy. This was good for being chicken. I wish the sauce wasn't so runny. If I make it again, I'm likely to add some corn starch to it. ZaneFried eggplant, with creamy parmesan polenta and balsamic glazed peppers and onions 6 veggies if if you count the cornmeal. We have a newbie to Saturday Bites! Our first male.. Nikita's brother, my nephew Zane! And it looks like he's bringing his A Game.. Until next week, Mandy, Jen, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy and Zane CammyI chose potatoes for this week having no clue what I was going to make. I bought red potatoes and fingerling potatoes. They are still sitting in the kitchen anxiously awaiting my attention. Ok, maybe not anxiously. What happens on Friday after work when you realize you forgot all about the potatoes and you absolutely have no energy to cook anything? You order delivery of Shepherd's Pie from one of your favorite local restaurants! The rest of the potatoes will be cooked at some point this week. MandyJenNikitaI had some leftover frozen hashbrowns that wasn't enough to make a casserole but was too much for frying up. So I found these Hashbrown Egg Nests to enjoy. They are little pockets of bacon, egg, cheddar, and parsley encased in a potato nest. This made for a beautiful breakfast alongside some fresh pineapple chunks and OJ. YUM! GeorgiaThis recipe called for a pinch of cinnamon.. As luck would have it.. I had the perfect measuring spoon for it.. Years ago someone gave me some the above measuring spoons. A pinch, smidge and a dash. Anywho.. The recipe. A quick and flavorful homemade ragu served with potato gnocchi (not homemade, because.. Time) A very simple yet flavorful dish.. That comes together in about 30 minutes. Potatoes are the best comfort food.. Change our mind.
Until next week, Cammy, Mandy, Jen, Nikita and Georgia GeorgiaWhy did I choose peanut butter? I mean other than why not? January 24th was National Peanut Butter Day! So why not? True statement. Very seldom do I have any idea what I'm going to make and more often than not I'll ask the hubs what he would like.. So when I said peanut butter, he said peanut butter frosting. So the story behind the peanut butter frosting. His grandmother was a huge sweets fan and could make a mean peanut butter frosting. I normally prefer shying away from trying to recreate a childhood memory because it never compares.. But.. Apparently this one did. So the frosting was spot on. The cupcakes are very light and airy.. Not dense in any way.. But they are also pretty crumbly.. The verdict? Frosting added to my saves. Cupcakes added, but will continue hunting for the perfect one. CammySo sorry Georgia, but you just forced me to make one of my all-time favorite lunchtime sandwiches! I've always been a fan of PBJs, but it really takes it up a notch when you exchange the J for Honey and Banana. If you decide to try this, make sure to spread the honey well, either into the peanut butter or onto the bread so it doesn't all drip out onto your plate! (Sometimes I learn from experience!) This is simple and healthy, especially when using a 6g net carb bread! MandyJenNikitaOk, Peanut Butter is such a favorite between Matt and myself that we bought many jumbo Sam's Club sized containers and shipped them to Bulgaria last year. The Bulgarians just don't understand what good peanut butter really is. Because of our early departure from Europe, we decided to give our unopened peanut butter containers to friends for further enjoyment. Just a luxury that Americans take for granted. Although it has a lot of sugar in it (depending on what brand you buy), it can be considered healthy for the fats and protein in the nut. These Peanut Butter Protein Balls have been in our weekly routine because Matt and Christopher are working hard to meet their goal of transforming their bodies to be something reminiscent of Fabio in his modeling years. JK...jk...they just want to look healthier and more fit. So protein has been in a lot of our food conversations lately. Now if I could just cut back on the baked goods.........LOL! Easy to make and yummy to eat! From easy to moderate.. From sweet to savory.. From the best sandwiches to protein balls. Peanut Butter is remarkably versatile.
Until next week, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy, Jen and Nikita NikitaCHEEEEESSSSSSE! Couldn't you just watch that all day? I have rediscovered my America's Test Kitchen Cookbook recently; it's more of a kitchen bible for those who really enjoy creating delicious food and don't mind how much time it might take to make it. What I really love about the book is the scientific explanation of why the recipe works and is the best. This Classic Macaroni & Cheese was the perfect side dish for our celebratory Meatloaf dinner. (I also tried the meatloaf from the book, and Matt stated it may be his most favorite meatloaf recipe ever. But we're here for the Mac n' Cheese right now.) This recipe came together in under 30 minutes and primarily cooks on the stovetop. It only made it into a casserole dish for the panko bread topping that browns in the oven. This was definitely a 10/10, but we'll need to see how the leftovers turn out. GeorgiaBeef Chili Mac & Cheese with Bell Pepper is mac & cheese? Right? Well it is now.. We stepped outside our normal menu with this recipe and it was oh so worth it. It was just as good the next day for lunch. One substitute. I'm not a fan of green bell peppers so we used the red, orange, yellow combo. CammyMandyJenMy husband loves food in general, but mac & cheese is one of his favorite things! I wanted to try making some in the instant pot, and he chose the recipe. It was good. Not amazing, just good. Definitely better than regular boxed mac & cheese. I’m hoping the leftovers hold up well since that’s my main complaint about boxed mac – leftovers are bleh. We’ll find out! And in other news, I’m still working my way through the bag of lemons from a neighbor! I made a one pot chicken and rice soup this week that was amazing! Half the recipe made plenty. I substituted extra onion and a bit of dill for the celery so I didn’t have to run to the store. Love the touch of lemon in it. So good! And my daughter was appreciative of the soft food after a trip to the orthodontist earlier that day. 😊 Who doesn't LOVE mac & cheese?
What's your favorite mac & cheese recipe and what do you normally serve it with? Until next week, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy, Mandy and Jen (who shared yet another yummy lemon recipe) JenNikitaLove me some lemons! We use them regularly each week in salad dressing, turmeric tea, muffins, pancakes, etc. I could go on and on. This week, I was focusing on high-protein and low-carb dinners for my family, and salmon happened to fit the criteria. I think I overcooked the salmon by a few minutes, but the boys really like it well done. However the flavors from the butter, lemons, and parsley were magnifique! This cooked was done in under 30 minutes start to finish. Super easy dinner. Georgia
Cammy I completely forgot about this week's lemony goodness challenge until Thursday. Then, as is typical for me, I realized I had no lemons in the house at all and absolutely no clue what to make! After getting lost in lemon internet bliss, I finally narrowed my choices to three possible recipes and then did a late evening grocery order. Friday morning began with Lemon Blueberry goodness. These are a keeper for certain. I probably made the glaze a smidge too thin but that's ok by me. Being as thin as it was, added a smidge of sweetness while allowing the lemon and blueberries to merge into a wonderfully flavorful explosion with each and every bite.
Lemons are always a great challenge. So much you can do with them. From drinks, to desserts, to your main dish. Oh.. And don't forget breakfast.
Looks like we covered most.. Until next week, Jen, Nikita, Georgia, Cammy and Mandy Mandy Happy New Year! This week I made a Shrimp Caesar Salad. I know it’s nothing new and challenging, but I’ve never tried it with shrimp. The dressing did worry me a little because it is made with raw egg. It turned out light and creamy. I am glad I didn’t add salt because the shaved parmesan and the shrimp make up for that. Skipped the croutons and ate the leftover baguette we had, that was crunchy enough. Also, great for mopping up the dressing. Will definitely have future Caesar Salads with shrimp. Jen Nikita We love a good salad in the Hays House! This week, I tried to take the challenge to new heights rather than making the same fan favorites. This Roasted Winter Veggie Salad raised the bar for us! Roasted baby potatoes (I used the medley with the purple ones for color), Carrots, Parsnips, Butternut Squash, & Red Onion over a bed of Arugula and served with a Balsamic dressing smothered in fresh parsley, basil, & cilantro. SOOOOOOO FRESH with the comforts of winter. Georgia I actually made a few different salads this past week and this is the only one I remembered to take a pic of. It's a pretty hearty vegetarian salad that I promptly added grilled chicken too! This salad is chock full of goodness. Romaine, spinach, grape tomatoes, chickpeas, green onions, hard boiled eggs, avocado and the grilled chicken was added afterwards. Drizzled Or drowning for the hubs) in a red wine vinaigrette. Cammy This was my week working in the office. I just couldn't think of salad. I needed a huge pick me up. Jellooooooo........... :) I normally make this with strawberry Jello and fresh strawberries. I'd never seen it made this way, but I love all things pineapple and oranges so I've given it a shot. Yes, it works for me (even though it technically isn't a salad)! I love the contrast between the salty and sweet. Jello pretzel salad? I'm down..
Starting year 5 off eating healthy.. Well.. Mostly.. Until next week, Mandy, Jen, Nikita, Georgia and Cammy! |
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