I’ve had this broccoli salad recipe for years, and I’m not sure how it’s never made it on the blog before now.  I’m not even sure where I got the recipe from at this point, but I do remember making it over and over when I first found it. It was my first year out of college and I was just learning to like cooking. This was one of my favorite recipes to make for get togethers. It’s very easy to make, takes relatively few ingredients, and it’s perfect for potlucks and picnics.  Everyone always loved this recipe, and I felt like a gourmet cook, when really all I’d done was chop and mix – perfect! If I was on top of things, I would have shared this recipe before Labor Day so you could make it for your cook-out, sorry for the bad timing!  According to my CSA, however, broccoli is still in season around here, so there’s still time to give this recipe a try! 🙂

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli - chopped into small florets
1/2 red onion - diced
8 pieces of bacon, fried crisp and broken into pieces
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 cups mayonaise
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the broccoli, red onion, bacon and cheese. In a separate bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar until well blended. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the broccoli mixture and stir well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Would you believe I’ve never had frozen taquitos from the grocery store? I feel like that’s one of those freezer foods everyone always talks about, and I was starting to wonder if I was missing out. Then, this past weekend, I made my own homemade taquitos and now I don’t care if I ever taste the pre-packaged ones from the freezer aisle.  These are so quick to make and I can’t imagine the store-bought version comes anywhere close to as good as these taste. They’re crispy on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside, and completely delicious. Best of all, they’re very freezer friendly. I made a double batch so that we could keep some in the freezer for future quick meals.

What about you? Have you ever had the pre-packaged frozen taquitos? Ever made your own? Either way, try these and let me know the results! 🙂

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Yield: 10-12 taquitos

Ingredients:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup salsa
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1-2 green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc. would also be good)
10-12 6-inch flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, spices, cilantro, green onions, chicken and shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Place the tortillas on a plate and microwave for approximately 20 seconds to make them easier to handle. Place a tortilla on a work surface. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up tightly around the filling. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, spacing the assembled taquitos evenly on the baking sheet. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

*Note: These work great as a freezable meal! Before baking, freeze the taquitos in a single layer on the baking sheet for 30-60 minutes. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few additional minutes to the original baking time.

from Our Best Bites, via Annies Eats

I’m going to go ahead and say it – this is one of the best things I have ever made. Mike and I were in Pennsylvania for Mother’s Day a few weekends ago, and this fontina and herb flatbread was on the menu for our Mother’s Day lunch. I found the recipe in a cookbook I got out of the library – Martha Stewart’s Dinner At Home (loving it so far!), and it did not disappoint. The flatbread smelled absolutely amazing as it came out of the oven, golden and bubbling. My dad was hovering around the kitchen waiting to try some, and after his first bite, I could tell by his reaction that it was a success. The second clue was when he said “This is more of an appetizer than part of the meal, don’t you think?” and grabbed another piece. Everyone else loved it as well, and at the rate we devoured it, I’m lucky I had a chance to snap some pictures! Thankfully we made two because the first one was gone before dinner even started.

You really can never go wrong with bread, cheese and herbs, but there’s something about the combination of the fontina cheese and sweet shallots that is just wonderful on this bread. I could have eaten this as my whole meal – and in fact, I’m planning to make it again next week served alongside a big salad. Now that will be a wonderful dinner. Try this bread, please. You won’t regret it.

Fontina and Herb Flatbread

Ingredients:

4 oz pizza dough, thawed if frozen (I used approximately 1/4 of this recipe, but you can use whatever recipe you want, and I’ve even heard that many stores sell packaged pizza dough in the freezer section)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh herbs (such as marjoram, oregano, or thyme) OR ~2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
4 oz Fontina cheese, shredded
1 shallot, thinly sliced into rings
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Allow dough to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to an 8x16 inch oblong. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Brush the top with oil and sprinkle evenly with herbs and cheese. Scatter shallot rings over the cheese and season liberally with salt and pepper.

Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until golden and crisp, 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

from Martha Stewart’s Dinner at Home

Sliders are one of those categories of foods that is just fun to eat. I’d rather eat 2 or 3 small sandwiches than one big one any day. I’m not sure Mike agrees with me on that point, but regardless, he absolutely loved these turkey pesto sliders. We’re both big fans of anything involving basil or pesto, so I knew these sandwiches would be a big hit. They’re really simple to make – so simple that you have a hard time believing just how good they taste.

I made these sliders for my sister-in-law’s bachelorette party and everyone loved them. Friends kept asking me how I made them, and then couldn’t believe it when I told them how easy they are. They make a great party food – either as an appetizer or part of a light meal. You can even assemble these sandwiches ahead of time and then just bake them right before serving. Paired with a salad or other side, these make a great lunch or dinner as well. I have a feeling these sandwiches will be a summer staple in our house!

P.S. Using homemade slider buns (a.k.a. French Bread Rolls) are the way to go with this recipe!

Turkey Pesto Sliders

Ingredients:

• 6 slider buns
• 6 slices of turkey deli meat
• 6 slices of provolone cheese
• 3 Tbsp pesto
• 3 Tbsp mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat.
2. Split the slider buns and lay a folded slice of turkey on the bottom half of each bun. Add a slice of provolone on top of the turkey. Spread a small amount of both the mayonnaise and the pesto on the inner side of the top half of each bun. Replace the top bun over the cheese to assemble the sandwiches.
3. Bake 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sandwiches are warmed through. If you find the tops of the buns are getting too crusty in the oven, you can brush them with melted butter before baking.

from Annies Eats

 I am really learning to love skillet meals. They tend to be quick and easy, flavorful, and best of all you only use one pot! A skillet meal is perfect for busy nights when you don’t have much time to cook. My mom sent me this recipe after she and my dad tried it and liked it, and I’m so glad she did. I actually ended up making it twice in one week because it was so easy and so good!

This dish has a lot of flavor from the combination of chicken broth, wine, and parmesan cheese. Plus, anytime you combine chicken, cheese and pasta, chances are it’s going to be a good meal. The second time I made it I used pre-cooked rotisserie chicken I had stored in the freezer and the meal came together in about 20 minutes! It was great re-heated as leftovers as well, and I know this easy dish will make its way into future menu plans.

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, and Penne

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed and sliced thin
1 medium onion, minced
Salt
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
½ cup dry white wine
8 oz penne pasta
8 oz broccoli florets (approximately 3 cups)
2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (approximately 1 cup), plus more for serving
Ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, break up any clumps, and cook without stirring until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl, cover with foil, and set aside.

Add another Tbsp of oil to the skillet along with the onion and 1/4 tsp salt and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, water, wine, pasta, and ¼ tsp salt. Increase the heat and cook, stirring often, for 12 minutes. Add the broccoli and continue to simmer until the pasta and broccoli are tender and the liquid has thickened, about 5 minutes longer.

Return the chicken to the skillet to warm through. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.

adapted from The Best Chicken Recipes

Cheesecake is something that has always made me nervous. I think it has something to do with the idea of a water bath, the potential for huge cracks, and the stories you hear of failed cheesecakes. I’ve made one in my life before this one and it was covered with blueberries so it didn’t matter if there was a huge crack in it. But when my mother-in-law specially requested cheesecake for her birthday I knew it was time to figure it out.

Honestly, the process was intimidating. I put all that hard work into the cheesecake, and then you’re asking me to put it into a pan filled with boiling water? It definitely wasn’t a perfect experience. The water leaked into the bottom of the cheesecake (see the recipe below for a solution to this!) and I took polls of my friends as to how much they thought the water leakage would hurt the final outcome. I was afraid to take the sides of the springform pan off to check and I went to bed that night convinced that it had been a failure and I would have to buy a cheesecake in the morning.

Imagine my relief when the cheesecake actually came out perfectly! Not only did it look beautiful, but it tasted absolutely amazing. It was rich and creamy with a mellow lemon flavoring.  I would recommend this to anyone as their first cheesecake, and I think it’s good enough to be your go-to recipe. I served it with a black raspberry coulis on top and the tart black raspberries paired perfectly with the sweet cheesecake. Does anyone else want a cheesecake for their birthday? I’m already looking for an excuse to make this again!

Rich and Creamy Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp graham cracker crumbs
2 lbs cream cheese
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp lemon zest from 1 small lemon, minced
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 9-inch springform pan with foil, tuck foil underneath pan bottom, assemble pan, then pull foil around side of pan. (*I'm not sure this is a necessary step, but I left it in just in case!) Brush bottom and sides with butter. Sprinkle crumbs over bottom. Tilt pan in all directions to coat evenly with crumbs. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil (*An alternative to this is to use an oven bag, like for baking ham, and wrap it around the outside of the pan, leaving the top exposed. This is what I'll try in the future) and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil for water bath.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down after each addition. (If you don't scrape down the bowl after each egg it could cause lumps in your batter.) Add zest and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the cream and sour cream.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan (illustration 2, below). Bake until perimeter of cake is set, but center jiggles like Jell-O when pan is tapped, 55 to 60 minutes. Turn off heat and leave oven door ajar, using a long-handled kitchen fork or spoon to hold it open for 1 hour longer. Remove springform pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. (Can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)

For the black raspberry coulis, I simply blended some black raspberries until completely smooth. I added sugar to taste and water until I got the consistency I wanted. I strained the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to get the seeds out and refrigerated until ready to serve. It was similar to this recipe for a strawberry coulis.

from Cooks Illustrated

Recently I’ve been trying to focus on simple unique meals that will hopefully keep us from getting in a dinner rut. When I was approached by Sargento, asking if I would like to highlight one of their recipes, these cheddar, broccoli and bacon stuffed potatoes were the first things to catch my eye. I love cheddar cheese, and happen to think it pairs perfectly with baked potatoes. Add in bacon and broccoli and it can only get better. Serve these cheesey stuffed potatoes with a salad on the side, and you’ve got a great simple meal that’s anything but boring.

The recipe might seem time-consuming because you have to bake the potato first. If you’re like me, and want to make these after work, you can either bake the potatoes in advance or use the time-bake function on your oven to bake them and have them ready right as you get home from work. After that, this is a 30 minute meal!  And really, nothing goes better with a potato than cheese, broccoli and bacon. Unless it’s sour cream, which we added at the end. 🙂 Mike loved this dinner and would willingly eat it multiple times a week. Actually, I think his exact quote was “oh my gosh, these are amazing!”

Cheddar, Broccoli, and Bacon Stuffed Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 large baking potatoes
1 Tbsp butter
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup small broccoli florets, cooked crisp-tender
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2-3/4 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheesesour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Bake potatoes for 1 hour, or until soft; cool 10 minutes. Slice off the top of each potato (lengthwise) and scoop out the insides with a spoon, leaving 1/4-inch thick shell.

Place the scooped out insides into a bowl and mash with the butter. Mix cheese and bacon in a small bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup and stir the rest into the mashed potatoes along with the broccoli, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Mound the potato mixture into the reserved potato skins. Place in a shallow baking pan. Sprinkle with reserved cheese mixture.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with sour cream.

adapted from Sargento

*Note: Sargento compensated me for writing this post. However, as always, I chose the recipe and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve posted this chili once before (and just updated the pictures because oh my gosh were they terrible), but it definitely deserves a re-post. Especially this time of year, when it’s cold and snowy and the superbowl is right around the corner. (What is it about chili that makes it such a good football food? I couldn’t come up with anything, but when I asked Mike he came up with 4-5 different reasons. Maybe it’s because he actually watches football.)  We love this chili. And even though I’ve never eaten it while watching football, I think that you should.

Things that I love about this chili:

1. Chipotle Seasoning – One of my favorite flavors, this seasoning gives the chili a great smoky flavor and a spicy kick!
2. It’s made with ground turkey! That makes it healthy, right?
3. It is incredibly simple to make – a 30 minute meal.  I was telling Mike how I made it and he said “wow, I could even make that.” True, but I don’t think we’ll be seeing it anytime soon.
4. Black beans – I don’t like kidney beans at all, so any chili that calls for black beans immediately gets a higher rating in my book. And the corn.  I know there are different ideas out there about corn in chili, but in this chili it just seems to work.
5. It seriously tastes amazing. Serve it with some cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips, and I can’t get enough of this stuff!

p.s. For a great cornbread recipe to go with your chili, check out the original chili and cornbread post! Definitely the best cornbread I’ve had!

Chipotle Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey
1 small onion chopped
2-3 stalks of celery chopped
2 pablano peppers chopped
2 cloves of garlic smashed and minced
1 teaspoon dried chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder or to taste
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 packet of chili seasoning mix
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can (12 oz.) crushed tomatoes
2-3 cups chicken stock
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of corn, drained or about 2 cups of frozen corn
sour cream and cheese for topping

Directions:

Heat a large soup pot to medium-high. Add ground meat and a little salt and pepper (and a little oil if using all white meat) and cook, stirring and breaking up, until there are no pink spots left in meat (about 5-8 minutes). Remove meat to a bowl or platter. In the same pot add the onion, celery, pepper, garlic and a little more salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the meat back in. Then add the chili seasoning mix, chili powder, cumin, and the dried chipotle pepper. Stir all ingredients until blended. Add the can of crushed tomatoes and stir. Add chicken stock to desired consistency. Bring to a simmer; cook about 10 minutes, then taste. Add a few dashes of chili powder and/or salt if needed. Add the canned beans and corn. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve in a bowl or mug with sour cream and cheese on top and tortilla chips on the side.

from Ellen Swaney

I have great memories of macaroni and cheese. As a kid, most of the time my mom served me the Kraft variety (which I still love…shh…), but on special occasions, my mom went all out and made homemade baked macaroni and cheese.  The recipe came from an old Betty Crocker cookbook and is still one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes. When I got married and moved out, my mom actually searched ebay to buy me the exact same Betty Crocker cookbook that she always cooked from, and macaroni and cheese was the very first recipe I made.

Of course, even the best recipes can be made just a little bit better. One of my husband’s favorite meals is margarita pizza – a thin crust pizza with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. We have it at least once a week when tomatoes are in season. The idea of combining the two recipes appealed to me – maragarita macaroni and cheese? Yum!

Of course I started with my beloved Betty Crocker recipe, but with a few alterations. I added some extra ingredients to give it a margarita pizza flavor, and played around with the best way to prepare it. The end result was warm cheesy macaroni combined with the wonderful flavors of tomato, basil and mozzarella. It was absolutely delicious. My husband agreed and proceeded to eat multiple servings. I think it’s safe to say that this recipe ranks right up there with my traditional favorite.

Margarita Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

6 to 7 ounces elbow macaroni
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil (or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus extra for serving)
2-3 cups mozzarella cheese
1 can diced tomatoes, drained.

For sauce:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375. Cook macaroni as directed on the package. While macaroni is cooking, prepare the sauce.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute. Set aside.

Drain pasta and mix with the drained diced tomatoes. Place half of the macaroni in an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with half the salt, pepper, basil and cheese. Repeat with remaining macaroni, salt, pepper, basil and cheese. Pour sauce over macaroni. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer. Serve with fresh basil.

adapted from Betty Crocker

I was asked to create a recipe for the 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese blog with my own twist on macaroni and cheese. I was compensated for my ingredients and time, but all opinions are my own.

Please tell me – am I the last one to discover the pure comforting bliss of a bowl of chicken stew with dumplings? How have I never tasted this before? Seriously, I took my first bite (straight out of the pot – quality control!) and said to myself “oh my goodness, this is good.” Then I took another bite and shouted into the other room to Mike: “you’re going to be so happy about this!” I hid it pretty well in the picture below, but if you look carefully you might be able to see that one of the dumplings is actually half missing. That’s because I couldn’t stop “taste-testing” the finished result. (I promise, I only do this when it’s just for me and Mike!)

This recipe comes from a Williams Sonoma cookbook and seriously couldn’t be easier. It’s in the 30 minute meal section, and while I initally had my doubts, this actually came together really quickly. There are no crazy ingredients and the result is hands down one of the best comfort foods you can make in such a short time period. It’s warm, creamy, and will have you eating dumplings straight out of the pot. If you’re looking for something to make for dinner tonight, please try this. Then come back and tell me how much you loved it.

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Ingredients:

Stew:

• 1 1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bit-size pieces
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 4 cups chicken broth

Dumplings:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Melt 2 Tbsp of butter in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add the pot. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften and the chicken is cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Add in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Gradually add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of peas. Add the milk and cheese and stir until combined. Knead a few times until the mixture forms a soft dough.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough over the top of the boiling stew. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the dumplings have nearly doubled in size, 8-10 minutes.

from the Williams Sonoma One Pot Cookbook