Salmon with Black Bean, Corn and Mango Salsa

If you are a friend of mine on Facebook, then you already know how excited I am this week. A week long vacation for my husband, plus a trip to Alaska, means that I now have just under 100 pounds of wild caught halibut and wild red/sockeye salmon in my freezer. I am so happy with the abundance that I have already filled several notebook pages with cooking ideas!

Fresh corn, mangoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions combine with a slight kick from jalapenos to make this a great salsa (almost a salad) on it's own. Served with chips, rice or fish, this salsa was cleaned off of every plate at the table last night. The kids especially loved the bites of mango, and so did I. I made the salsa 24 hours in advance, however it was a great blend of flavors from the start when I tossed it together.

Black Bean, Corn and Mango Salsa
recipe slightly adapted from The view from Great Island

1 ripe mango, peeled
2 ears corn, quickly sauteed (or blanched) just until crisp
12 cherry tomatoes, diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 red onion, very finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, very finely diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 teaspoon rice or sherry vinegar
juice of 1 lime, approximately 2 tablespoons
1 handful cilantro leaves, about 1/4 cup minced
kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over grilled or broiled salmon. Enjoy!


Simple Broiled Salmon

1.5 pounds salmon
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to broil and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the fillets skin side down on the foil and drizzle lightly with oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Turn the fillets skin side up prior to placing them in the oven. Broil for just 2-3 minutes and then flip the salmon over (skin side down). Broil for a few more minutes. A general rule for cooking salmon is approximately 8 minutes total cooking time per 1" of thickness.

Cook the fish 2 minutes less than your estimated time, then check for doneness. You can always pop it back in the oven, but you can’t fix an overcooked piece of fish. The most important thing to remember is that the fish will continue to cook for a few minutes after it is off the heat, so you have to remove it just before it is done to your liking. Salmon is best warm and flaking, but still a bit translucent even after resting. Serve the salmon topped with the mango salsa. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Grilled Steak and Corn - Made by My Man

Baked Peach Oatmeal Cups

Peaches and cinnamon pair so perfectly with oatmeal, I'm surprised I haven't baked a pan of oatmeal this way before now. Anytime I bake peaches into something it reminds me of peach cobbler. So, the fact that I loved this breakfast really shouldn't come as a surprise. Of course, the fact that I want to make another pan of it tomorrow morning just goes to prove my addiction to the fresh peaches that are finally in season.

Baked Peach Oatmeal Cups
Yield: 12 muffin cups or an 8x8 or 7x10 pan

3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 large peach, sliced thinly and diced, about 1 cup
optional: cinnamon or nutmeg to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease the muffin cups or pan with butter. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and drizzle with the warm butter, stir to combine. Add the eggs, stir and then add the milk. Stir to combine everything and then stir in about 2/3 of the peaches, reserving a few peaches for the top of the oatmeal.

Scoop the mixture into the muffin cups or pour it into the pan. Bake the muffin cups for about 20 minutes, until an inserted knife comes out with only moist oatmeal crumbs. (A full pan of oatmeal will take about 35 minutes.) Serve warm and Enjoy!

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Homemade Scented Playdough

Caramel Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake Smoothie

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream is one of my boys' favorite easy treats. When I made caramel sauce the other day, I couldn't resist making a milkshake that would include all of those ingredients in a quick and easy dessert. It was delicious and a huge hit with every member of the family.

Caramel Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake Smoothie
Yield: (4) 10 ounce servings

2 cups milk
4 frozen bananas
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 heaping tablespoon caramel sauce
additional caramel sauce for drizzling

Layer the first four ingredients into the blender as listed above. Puree until smooth. Pour into glasses and drizzle with additional caramel sauce. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Caprese Skewers with Balsamic and Olive Oil

Kitchen Tip: How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Cooking bacon in the oven just might be the best cooking tip I was ever given. It is so simple and it comes out perfectly every single time. I've been cooking bacon in the oven for several years now and I'll never go back to stove-top bacon. No grease splatters across the stove, no splatter burns, no effort at all and we have a plate of perfect bacon ready to eat!

Watch the bacon very carefully the first time you cook it in the oven. Oven temps vary and the bacon can go from perfectly cooked to burnt in under a minute.

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Bacon
Aluminum foil
Large baking sheet

Line the baking sheet with foil. The foil is not required, but it does make cleanup very simple! Spread the bacon strips out across the sheet and place in a cold oven. I usually slice our bacon in half and a full pound fits on a baking sheet. (In this photo, I was only cooking half a pound.)

Place the bacon on the middle rack of a COLD oven. Set the temperature to 400 degrees and then walk away. Set a timer for 16 minutes and check the bacon. Remove it from the oven when it is as crisp or crunchy as you like. I remove ours at 18 minutes and it's a great balance of chewy crunch. If you like your bacon crispy enough to crumble, you will probably want to cook it another minute past that. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Enjoy!

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Crisp Garlic Oven Fries with Purple Potatoes

Spicy Chicken Tamale Pie

Red chile, green chile and chipotle peppers are all combined in this dish and then topped with a unique tamale crust. With fresh corn, black beans, plenty of chicken and loads of great Mexican spice; this had a good bit more heat than I expected. My whole family loved this, even my non-spice eater requested seconds. (Apparently, he has now decided that his aversion to spicy heat is only with green chile filled dishes.) If you aren't accustomed to spicy foods, I would recommend using about half the can of chipotle peppers instead of the full amount listed below.

When Sue posted her version of this recipe last week, I immediately decided to make this for dinner that same night. My family eats a lot of Mexican food, but this was a different kind of flavor than I expected. Smokey, spicy heat flavored every bite of this meal.

When I tasted the filling as it was simmering, I couldn't resist how delicious it was. I dished up the above serving over some leftover rice and we snacked on that as we waited for the pie to finish cooking. It was so good that I almost didn't bother making the crust, but I'm glad I did. Both versions of this meal were delicious. Thank you for the excellent recipe, Sue!

Spicy Chicken Tamale Pie
recipe adapted from The View from Great Island

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 tablespoon coconut oil or light flavor olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped small
1 green bell pepper, chopped small
1 cup red chile enchilada sauce
7 ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped with sauce
10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chile
1 cup dark Mexican beer
1 tablespoon NM red chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, black pepper would be fine here as well
2 ears of corn, kernels removed or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon masa harina dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Saute for 7-8 minutes, until the begin to soften. Add the enchilada sauce, chipotle peppers, tomatoes, beer, chile powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and add the chicken. Stir again and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the corn and beans, simmer for another 15 minutes and then taste to check the seasonings. Add the masa/water mixture to the sauce and stir. This should slightly thicken the sauce. Cook for a minute or two more and then remove from the heat. Serve over rice and enjoy as is OR pour the chili into a casserole dish at this point and make the topping below.

Tamale Topping

1 cup masa harina
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup butter, very soft
3/4 - 1 cup hot water, I used about a cup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the masa and the salt and blend the butter into it with a wooden spoon. The mixture should be dry and crumbly. Stir in enough very warm water to make a smooth and spreadable dough. Keep adding water until the mixture is spreadable. (If you do not add enough water, the topping will not spread smoothly across the casserole and it will not cook evenly.) Spoon the masa topping across the casserole and then spread it out as evenly as possible to prevent the filling from bubbling out while it cooks.

Place the casserole dish into a larger baking pan and then pour very hot water into the larger pan up to about halfway up the sides of the casserole dish. Cover the entire casserole, outside pan with water too, as tightly as possible with foil. This creates the steam that will cook the masa topping.

Very carefully move the hot water bath and the casserole to the middle rack of the oven. Cook for about an hour, until the topping is cooked through. Remove the foil and cook about 5 more minutes just to barely brown the top. Serve warm with sour cream if desired. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chicken Salad Wraps

Homemade Caramel Sauce

I am absolutely thrilled to have finally found a recipe for making smooth and creamy, buttery sweet caramel sauce. When I've made caramel sauce in the past, it has turned hard and crystallized after a bit of time in the refrigerator. This sauce is quite thin when it finishes cooking on the stove and thickens as it cools. Straight from the refrigerator, it is still soft and scoop-able. The sauce warms easily and is pourable when it is room temperature. I served the caramel warm, drizzled over fresh peaches and vanilla ice cream. It was heavenly!

Homemade Caramel Sauce
recipe adapted from Fifteen Spatulas and Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

1 cup sugar
1/4 water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of kosher salt

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Stir to combine and then cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves; about 4-5 minutes. There is no need to stir, simply swirl the pan over the burner occasionally as the sugar dissolves.

Raise the heat to medium high and cook the sauce, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is amber colored; about 7-8 minutes. Add the butter, be prepared for it to bubble and sputter, lightly stir or swirl to melt, do not scrape the sides of the pan or splash sauce up the sides of the pan. (This will cause crystallization, if you scrape the uncooked sugars back into the sauce.)

Once the butter is melted, remove from the heat and add the vanilla, heavy cream and salt. It will bubble again, but will calm quickly. Stir to combine (again, not scraping sides of the pan) and then let cool before transferring to a jar and refrigerating for storage. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Chipotle Ranch Chicken Bites with Broccoli

Steaming hot bites of chipotle ranch flavored chicken, dipped into cold ranch dressing made for a fun and fast dinner. I tossed the broccoli into the pan right after the chicken (much like I did with this zucchini) and it absorbed the spices and sauce as it cooked. The total cooking time for this meal was less than ten minutes. That is my kind of summertime dinner!

Chipotle Ranch Chicken Bites with Broccoli

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, I have used breasts and thighs, thighs are my favorite though
1 small bunch fresh broccoli, separated into smaller sections
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 cup homemade ranch dressing, or your favorite ranch dressing
1 tablespoon coconut oil, or light flavored olive oil
Optional: Ranch dressing or ranch dip for serving

Dice the chicken into 1/2" pieces, removing any fat as you dice. Place the diced chicken in a gallon size ziploc bag. Place three chipotle peppers on the cutting board and chop them until they are finely minced. Scrape the peppers and any juices into the bag with the chicken. Add the ranch dressing and seal the bag, pressing any air out of the bag. Squeeze the bag to thoroughly combine the chicken and the marinade. Let rest on the counter for half an hour.

Warm the oil in a very large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and stir or toss with tongs as it cooks. This only takes a few minutes. Immediately remove the chicken from the skillet as soon as the pieces are cooked through. If you leave them in the skillet or cook them too long, the chicken will dry out.

As soon as the chicken has been removed from the skillet, slightly reduce the heat to medium high and add the broccoli to the remaining juices and chipotle bits. Toss constantly while it cooks. It will turn bright green and then start to soften. I wanted a crunchier broccoli this time, so I took it out of the pan just a minute or two after the color brightened. Let it cook just until it is as soft as you like and then remove it from the hot pan. Serve with cold ranch dip on the side while the chicken and the broccoli are piping hot. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Parmesan Panko Baked Zucchini with Marinara

Glass Noodles with Mushrooms, Snow Peas and Sprouts

This was a meal completely inspired by this morning's trip to the produce market. I saw the snow peas, my middle son begged for a mushroom dish (strange six year old, right?) and I found myself wondering if bean sprouts would translate to a bit of crunch in a stir fry. I really enjoyed this combination of flavors and my son was beside himself with joy over the mushrooms. Just about any variation on Jap Chae is likely to me smile, but the bean sprouts in this dish were a  really fun twist with their unexpected crunch.

Glass Noodles with Mushrooms, Snow Peas and Sprouts

4-6 ounces dang myun noodles a.k.a. glass noodles or sweet potato noodles
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil, or light flavored olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups thinly sliced crimini mushrooms
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup snow peas, halved
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
optional: sesame seeds, toasted

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and remove from the heat. Let them sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Immediately drain into a colander and rinse them under cold running water until they are cool. Let the noodles drain in a colander for a few minutes and then use your kitchen shears to cut the noodles into smaller pieces. I simply lift handfuls of the noodles up and chopped them into roughly 8-10" lengths over a separate bowl. (You can also toss the wet noodles onto a cutting board and roughly chop them once or twice.) Drizzle the cut noodles with the sesame oil, toss and set them aside.

Please note: This is a FAST stir fry method. This means high heat and constantly tossing your ingredients with a wooden spoon or tongs. The entire cooking process will take less than 5-6 minutes, so you need to have everything set to go before you turn on the heat.

In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce and the sugar. Set that aside near the stove. Set the mushrooms in a bowl near the stove as well. Combine the bean sprouts and snow peas in another bowl near the stove. Set the cooked and cooled noodles near the stove as well.

Place the coconut oil and the garlic into a very large skillet or wok and set the heat to high (adjust as necessary, if your oil begins to smoke, turn it down just slightly). When the cooking oil is hot, stir lightly and let cook about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat them with the garlic and oil. Cook for about a minute, just until the mushrooms start to soften. Stir constantly.

Add the bean sprouts and snow peas and stir fry that for about 2 minutes, just until the bean sprouts start to turn clear and soften just barely. Add the noodles and the soy sauce mixture, tossing constantly to combine, stir fry for just 2-3 minutes*, until the noodles are cooked through and hot. Turn off the heat and add sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!

*Side note: I pull my pan off the heat for about a minute while I add the noodles. I'm new to rapid stir frying like this and I just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to burn before I manged to combine it all thoroughly. Simply add another minute or so to your time if you do the same.

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Marinated Strawberries with Dessert Crepes

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Last week, when I finally triumphed over Gluten Free Pancakes, I wanted to make them extra special. I had fresh raspberries in the refrigerator and I decided to whip some cream for a special treat. Subtly sweet, richly vanilla flavored and slightly melted into the fluffy pancakes: this was an immediate favorite pancake topping for the whole family. I'm trying to talk myself out of making more tonight. My youngest called it "ice cream" and we all thought the flavor was a perfect match for our favorite Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 vanilla bean
1 slightly heaped tablespoon powdered sugar

Place a large metal bowl and the beater for your mixer in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. Using a small paring knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise. Use the tip of the knife to scrape the seeds from both sides of the bean. (Do not throw away the pods! They can be used to make extract or flavored sugars.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream, vanilla seeds and powdered sugar. Set your mixer to medium (with the whisk attachment for a kitchenaid, or regular beaters for a standard mixer) and whip the cream just until peaks form. If you whisk it too long, the mixture will turn to butter (with this recipe, you'd be left with a strange sweet vanilla butter, but butter nonetheless). Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Loaded Vegetable Quesadilla

Light and Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes

My family has been spoiled to light and fluffy pancakes for a whole lot of years. I've waited to post a gluten free pancake recipe until I was truly thrilled with a gluten free version of our favorite pancakes. (In case you didn't already know it, there are some absurdly complicated pancake recipes out there in the gluten free world!) This is truly the best gluten free pancake I could have imagined. It easily rivals our favorite whole wheat and AP flour pancakes. (I'm including directions for both regular and GF versions below.)

My husband walked into the room and sampled one as I was making them. When he used the words "phenomenal pancakes,"and I knew that I had a winner. From the light and fluffy texture to the barely sweetened flavor, every single thing about these pancakes is exactly how I want my pancakes.

Light and Fluffy Gluten Free Pancakes
Yield: 12 medium size pancakes (I double this recipe for my family.)

3/4 cup brown rice flour *
1/4 cup tapioca starch *
1/4 cup potato starch *
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice)
2 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
* if you do not need a GF version of this recipe, simply substitute 1 1/4 cup AP flour for the items marked with an *

Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a smaller bowl, lightly whisk the egg and then add the buttermilk. Add the wet to the dry ingredients, whisk for just a moment and then add the butter. Whisk to combine and then let rest while the griddle or pan heats.

Butter the pan or griddle if desired and then pour about 3 tablespoons (or a scant 1/4 cup) of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Let cook until they begin to bubble on top and they are lightly browned on the bottom. Flip and cook second side just until golden brown. Serve warm with the toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Pineapple Orange Julius Smoothie (and one of my favorite kid pictures!)

Coconut Pineapple Smoothie Ice Cream

Thick enough to eat with a spoon; this was a deliciously creamy smoothie with pineapple and coconut flavors and just a hint of banana. If I'd been smarter, I would not have let my kids taste this smoothie. I easily could have eaten the entire recipe all by myself! Lighter in flavor and not as filling as smoothies made with dairy, this was the perfect snack and we all enjoyed it.

Coconut Pineapple Smoothie Ice Cream
Yield: (3) 8 ounce smoothies

1 cup coconut water
1 banana, frozen for a thicker consistency
1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple, roughly chopped into large chunks
dash of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Layer ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth and creamy. With the blender turned off, use a spatula to scrape the sides as needed. Scoop into glasses or bowls and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Vegetable Omelets - Made by My Man

Chicken, Fresh Corn and Three Bean Enchiladas

Served soft and gooey when piping hot from the oven or cooled and sliced a little later; these enchiladas were loaded with chicken, beans and vegetables in every bite. With great flavor from all the green chile and not all that much heat, this is a great dish for people that aren't accustomed to spicier foods. If you aren't accustomed to very much heat in your cooking, reduce the Mexican spices by half and be sure to buy a mild green chile.

Chicken, Fresh Corn and Three Bean Enchiladas

2 lbs chicken, cooked and shredded, I used a mix of light and dark meat
3 cups cooked beans of your choice, I used a cup each of white beans, black beans and pinto beans (feel free to use 2 cans of whichever beans you like best for the same amount total)

1 medium sweet onion, chopped small
1 green bell pepper, diced small
2 ears corn, kernels removed

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
14 ounce frozen roasted and chopped green chile, mild or hot depending on taste

1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups green chile sauce, divided

8 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoon Mexican spice mix or taco seasoning
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15-20 white corn or flour tortillas
Optional: fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Optional: sour cream for topping

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, peppers and corn and saute until almost tender. Salt and pepper as this cooks. Add the beans, green chiles, and all of the spices. Add the chicken, sour cream and 1/2 cup of the green chile sauce. Toss or stir well to combine thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour a small amount of green chile sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 dish, turn the dish in your hands, just to coat the bottom with the sauce. Warm the tortillas just slightly in the microwave and then loosely wrap them in a towel on the counter. (Warm tortillas will fold and roll much more easily without cracking.) Combine the two cheeses in a bowl next to the tortillas.

One at a time, holding a single tortilla in your hand, place a generous scoop of the chicken mixture in the tortilla and then a sprinkling of cheese. Fold the sides in and then place the roll seam side down in the bottom of the pan. Repeat until the pan is tightly packed with rolled tortillas. I typically fit 12-14 tightly packed corn tortillas in the bottom of the 9x13 pan or approximately 8 flour tortillas. When all the mixture has been rolled into the tortillas, pour the remaining cup of green chile sauce (and any remaining chicken mixture or sauce left in the pan over the rolled tortillas and top generously with the rest of the cheese.

At this point, the pan of enchiladas can be covered with foil and refrigerated until ready to eat. If you do refrigerate the dish, simply add an additional 20-30 minutes to the covered baking time.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the cheese is completely melted. Let rest 10-20 minutes on the stove-top prior to serving. It will firm up and be much easier to slice after it has cooled a bit. Garnish individual servings with cilantro and sour cream just before serving. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Marinated Tomatoes

Kitchen Tip: Removing Corn from the Cob

With sweet corn in season, I've been buying several ears almost every time I'm at the produce market. As I was scraping kernels off the cob earlier today, I decided to show you my favorite way to easily remove them. (I have three different recipes with corn coming up in the next week or two. I love fresh corn!)

I used to scrape the kernels off the cob onto a cutting board; just dealing with the kernels that sprayed across the counter and the ones that inevitably wound up on the floor. A few years ago, a friend told me that she scrapes her corn into a bundt pan. Just stick the end of the cob in the center of the bundt pan and scrape away. It works great!

After following that method for a long time, I switched to this one and I love it even more. I don't have an extra pan to wash in the end, because I typically use the mixing bowl for the rest of the recipe. Simply turn a small bowl upside down inside a large mixing bowl and balance the corn on the upside down bowl. Scrape the kernels directly into the mixing bowl. Easy as can be!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Milk and Honey French Toast

Bacon and Egg Chipotle Taco Salad

With more chopped vegetables, bacon, egg and cheese than there was lettuce in the salad, this is my favorite kind of salad. I love it when a bite of salad results in loads of great flavor with just a small amount of lettuce to tie it all together. Last week, I was craving a taco salad and this recipe is the result of a rummage through the refrigerator over the weekend.

I loved the slight heat from the chipotle sauce and the bits of egg and bacon made it just unusual enough to make me smile. The whole family enjoyed this for lunch and my non-spice loving son declared it great even without the dressing.

Bacon and Egg Chipotle Taco Salad

1 head green leaf lettuce, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced into 1" matchsticks
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 roma tomatoes, chopped bite size, about 1 1/2 cups chopped
2 large carrots, peeled, chopped thin and bite size
1 can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 can large black olives, chopped or sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
4 slices bacon, chopped into 1" pieces, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup Chipotle sauce or ranch dressing of your choice
1-2 cups tortilla chips, crushed to bite size pieces

Place all of the vegetables in a very large bowl and toss to combine. Add the beans, olives, eggs, bacon and cheese and toss again. (If you are unlikely to eat all of this salad in one meal, this is a good time to set aside a portion for another day.) Add the chips and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss well to coat the salad. Add more dressing as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Wrap

Nutty Raisin Oatmeal

My family's love of oatmeal is a well documented thing. As I wrote this post, I checked the recipe index for this site and realized that I've posted a dozen different oatmeal recipes over the past year. Baked, Slow Cooked, Soaked, and in the Crockpot are just a few of the ways that we love oatmeal.

Traditional stove top oatmeal is still the most frequently served oatmeal in my home. A while back, I started adding nuts to our usual bowls of oatmeal with raisins. The nuts add a soft bit of crunch with the creamy oats and the chewy raisins. The whole family enjoys this combination very much and even my non-oatmeal loving son has decided that if oatmeal is made this way, it is delicious.

Nutty Raisin Oatmeal 
Yield: 4 servings

2 cups old fashioned oats
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup raisins, I used half golden and regular raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
tiny pinch of salt
brown sugar, honey or maple syrup, to taste
butter, as desired
splash of milk, as desired

Place the oats, salt and water in a small saucepan. Cover with lid and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Immediately uncover, stir and reduce heat to lowest setting. Let it simmer just until the water is absorbed and the oats are as creamy or chewy as you like. This should only take a few minutes. Stir in the nuts and raisins and scoop into bowls. Stir in the sweetener of your choice and butter if desired. Add a splash of milk, if desired and serve immediately. Enjoy!


Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Honey Dijon Roasted Potato Salad

Chinese Lemon Chicken

The moment I saw Nami's review of this recipe from Bee's cookbook, I could hardly wait to try it. I expected a flavor similar to the traditional Orange Chicken that we all love, but this was different. The lemon sauce is tangy, sweet and a bit more tart than I expected; we all really liked it and there wasn't a drop of sauce leftover after the meal.

If you aren't familiar with deep frying, do not be intimidated by this recipe. It was much easier than I expected and it required far less oil than I anticipated. I simply used a small saucepan with a couple inches of oil. The chicken turned out beautifully! I can't believe I didn't think to snap a picture of all of the chicken when it was finished cooking. It was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The whole family declared the chicken delicious. Once it was drizzled with sauce, there was a very quiet table for our dinner as everyone was focused on eating every simple bite!

Chinese Lemon Chicken - Gluten Free substitutions included
recipe adapted from Just One Cookbook and Easy Chinese Recipes

1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders, this was 9 chicken tender pieces
2 large eggs, beaten
Coconut oil, for deep frying (or flavorless oil of your choosing)
Optional: 1 cup white vinegar **
Marinade Ingredients:
1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamarind if GF version is desired)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
2 teaspoons sherry cooking wine
Coating Ingredients:
1/2 cup AP flour *
1/2 cup arrowroot or cornstarch *
2 teaspoons baking soda
* Gluten Free substitutions: 1/2 cup brown rice flour + 1/3 cup potato starch + 1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch - combine all three of these and substitute for the flour and cornstarch combination listed above
Sauce Ingredients:
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, this was the juice of 2 large lemons
1/4 cup plum sauce, this can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores
1 rounded tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch
pinch of salt, to taste

Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken tenders in a gallon size ziploc bag. Press the air out and squeeze the bag gently to ensure that all the pieces are coated in the marinade. Let rest on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Whisk together the coating ingredients in a pie plate or a flat bottom dish or bowl and set aside. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and set aside next to the coating. In a small saucepan, over medium low heat, combine all the sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. This should only take a few minutes. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and set aside.

Heat 2-3 inches of the oil in a small, but deep (to avoid splattering) saucepan until it is 350 degrees. I didn't test the temperature of my oil, I simply set it to medium high on my stove and it was ready when it barely bubbled, after a few minutes of heating. If the oil smokes, it is too hot.

Dip the chicken in the egg, then dredge well in the coating. Turn it a couple of times to evenly coat each piece. Shake off the excess coating and then gently drop the chicken into the oil. I was able to easily cook 3 chicken tenders at a time in the oil. Fry the chicken until it is golden brown, this took about 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oil using kitchen tongs and drain on paper towels.

When all the chicken has been cooked, slice each tender into bite size pieces and serve drizzled with the Lemon Sauce. Enjoy!

** Setting a cup of vinegar in a small open bowl next to the stove, works to eliminate the vast majority of the odors associated with frying foods. It really does work (Thanks, Leesa!) and there isn't a vinegar smell that remains later either. Simply toss the vinegar down the drain when you are finished cleaning up after the meal.

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Whole Wheat Waffles with Waffle Sauce

Spicy Spinach Fruit Salad with Strawberry Grape Vinaigrette

Strawberry Spinach Salad is one of my family's favorite salads. Now that berries are in season at last, we've been enjoying it at least once a week. I wanted to make something a little different this time and so I played with the recipe a bit more than usual. This simple salad of baby spinach leaves, slightly tart green grapes, sweet berries, crunchy onions and almonds is topped with spicy strawberry and grape vinaigrette creating a very different salad that my husband, my oldest son and I absolutely loved. My younger boys were quite happy to avoid the spice in this version with a simple plate of fruit for themselves.

This salad was completely gone within minutes of tossing it with the dressing for our lunch. I loved the added crunch and slight heat that the spicy almonds added to the salad. The cayenne pepper made the dressing an unexpected surprise of cool fruit flavors with just a slight lingering heat. The grapes were a fun addition as well and a great way to remind myself that there is more to salad eating than just our favorites.

Spicy Spinach Fruit Salad with Strawberry Grape Vinaigrette

Salad Ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach leaves
10-12 strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1/2 cup green grapes, halved
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Sweet and Spicy Cayenne Roasted Almonds, or the nut of your choice

Dressing Ingredients:
6 large berries, stems removed
10 large green grapes, about 1/4 cup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, plain balsamic will work as well, add more as desired
 tiny pinch of kosher salt
generous dash or two of cayenne pepper, adjust to taste, I liked it pretty spicy

Place the berries and grapes for the dressing in the blender, add the oil and vinegar and puree until smooth. Should only take a few moments, scrape the sides as needed. Add the salt and cayenne pepper and pulse to combine. Taste and adjust as desired. Pour into a jar and chill until serving.

Place the almonds in a ziploc bag, press the air out and seal. Crush into a crunchy powder with a few whacks of a wooden spoon. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, berries, grapes and onion. Toss to combine and drizzle with as much dressing as desired. (I only used about 1/4 of the dressing for this salad. The rest will keep well in the fridge for at least a week.) Toss to coat the salad with dressing and then top with the crushed almonds. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Whole Wheat Tortillas

Peanut Butter Banana Spinach Smoothie

With your eyes closed, you would never guess this is a green smoothie. I'm a huge fan of green smoothies and I make them more frequently than any other kind. However, even I was surprised by the way the bananas and peanut butter disguised the spinach in this particular smoothie. This smoothie was thick, creamy and absolutely delicious.

Peanut Butter Banana Spinach Smoothie

1 cup milk
2 cups baby spinach
2 frozen bananas
2 generous tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Layer ingredients into the blender in the order listed. Puree until smooth. Enjoy!

Makes (3) 8 ounce smoothies

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Balsamic Tomato Salad with Trottole and Mozarella

Tangy Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Peppers and Olives

In the summertime, we tend to eat as light as possible on the hottest days of the year. While we aren't yet to the hottest days, a storm came through this week and created a lovely muggy 108 degrees. After a crazy day of indoor activities with restless kids, I couldn't even imagine turning on the oven of the stove for anything more than the pasta.

This salad turned out light and flavorful with a great balance of tanginess from the vinegar and a slight bite from the onion and olives. The pasta was even more delicious the next day.

Tangy Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Peppers and Olives

1/4 cup very thinly sliced and chopped red onion, about 1/4 of a large onion
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 large can of black olives, quartered
1/2 large green pepper, sliced very thinly and then chopped bite size
6-8 ounces pasta of your choice, I used a brown rice fusilli
4 ounces of Monterrey Jack cheese, diced small
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta according to directions, removing from the heat and rinsing immediately with cold water, until the pasta is cool. Set aside in colander. Place the onions in a small dish and cover with the olive oil and vinegar. Let rest while preparing the rest of the vegetables.

In a large bowl, combine the prepared vegetables, pasta and cheese. Add the onions with the vinegar and oil and toss well to coat thoroughly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

* If preparing a day in advance, add a splash more vinegar and oil as needed right before serving.

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Slow Cooked Banana Walnut Oatmeal - In the Crockpot

German Apple Pancake

I made this for dinner last week and liked it so much that I have already made it again. My family loves German Pancakes; traditional, grain or gluten free. However you make them, German Pancakes are always delicious.

This version is one of my favorites. Sweet enough from the apples, all the finished pancake required was a light dusting of powdered sugar. I tried a bite with maple syrup and it was delicious, but I still liked it best on its own.

* I tripled this recipe for my family and it easily served six for a dinner or a breakfast. I baked ours in both a pie plate and a 9x13 dish.

German Apple Pancakes - Gluten Free or Not
Yield: 2 servings

1/3 cup flour (see note below for GF version)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup milk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
1 small apple, cored and very thinly sliced
slightly heaped tablespoon light brown sugar
dash of cinnamon
scant 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. In a  small saucepan, combine the apples, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. While the
apples are cooking, whisk together the flour, salt and milk. Add the eggs, whisk again and set aside. Place the butter in a glass pie plate and melt in the oven.

When the butter has melted, carefully remove the hot dish from the oven and turn to coat bottom and sides with the melted butter. Add the cooked apples to the butter and then pour the pancake mixture over the apples.

Return the pan to the oven and reduce heat to 425 degrees. Bake for 18 minutes; the sides of the pancake will rise over the rim of the pie plate and brown slightly. Using hot pads, remove from the oven and place a large plate on top of the pancake. Invert the pie plate over the plate to release the pancake. Dust with powdered sugar, slice and serve. Enjoy!


Gluten Free Flour: Mix together 2/3 cup brown rice flour and 1/3 cup tapioca starch. Use 1/3 cup of this flour for each batch of pancakes that you make. Store the extra flour in the freezer and use wherever a small amount of flour is called for in a recipe.

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Onion Crusted Tilapia

BBQ Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Tender bites of barbecue chicken, stuffed into a fluffy baked potato with a perfectly crispy skin, this was a truly delicious meal! While visiting my sister last week, she made these potatoes for us. Perfectly simple, filling and sure to be repeated soon in my own home.

BBQ Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes
recipe from my sister, Jenny

6 large russet potatoes
olive oil
kosher salt
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped bite-size
2 cups barbecue sauce (add more as desired) I love this spicy sweet homemade sauce
Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scrub the potatoes to remove all dirt and then rinse and dry thoroughly. Poke several holes into each potato with a fork and then place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle the potatoes lightly with oil. Generously sprinkle each potato with salt and then place in the oven. Bake for just over an hour, until fork tender. They should be crisp on the outside and tender inside.

When the potatoes are almost finished baking, place the cooked and chopped chicken in a medium size saucepan and cover with barbecue sauce. Stir gently to combine and warm over low heat until steaming hot, this should take less than 10 minutes. Add more sauce as desired, until the chicken is as saucy as you like.

When the potatoes are finished, remove from the oven and slice each one down the center and fluff with a fork. Top each potato with the barbecue chicken mixture. For ease of serving, you can also simply chop a baked potato onto a plate and top with the chicken. Garnish with cheese, sour cream and chives as desired. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Five Minute Marinara Sauce (This is still my all-time favorite sauce!)

Chocolate Chip Pecan Blondies

Chocolate Chip Blondies have become a favorite dessert for most of my extended family. The texture of a brownie with the awesome blondie flavor loaded with pecans and plenty of chocolate chips. These bars are my immediate thought when I haven't planned dessert in advance or when we have unexpected company.

I've been making this recipe for years now and we all love it. When I started adapting it for gluten free flours, I played with a few different options. This is my favorite version and I've made these at least six times now. I made a triple batch for our trip last weekend and they were a huge hit.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Blondies - Gluten Free or Not

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups brown rice flour *
1/3 cup tapioca flour *
1/3 cup potato starch *
1 teaspoon xantham gum *
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 cup reserved
3/4 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup reserved
* if you are not in need a GF version of this recipe, simply substitute 2 cups AP Flour for the items marked with an *.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or foil and grease very well. (You do not need to grease the parchment paper.) Whisk together the flours, xantham, salt, baking powder and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating until smooth and fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and stir to combine. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add the chocolate chips and nuts.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the reserved chocolate and nuts. Bake for 25-28 minutes, just until an inserted toothpick has moist crumbs. They should be slightly browned along the edges and about a brownie consistency in the center. Cool them in the pan for at least 20 minutes and then lift the brownies out by the foil/paper and remove to wire rack to finish cooling before storing in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chicken and Bean Nachos

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies

Chewy blondies filled with macadamia nuts and white chocolate are a quick and easy dessert that tastes much more impressive than it honestly should. In the time it takes to preheat the oven, these blondies are ready to bake. I love a simple dessert that can be put together in the time it takes to rinse off the dinner dishes. These were originally intended for my family's camping trip; however, none of them actually made it to the freezer. Oops. Maybe next year.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies - Gluten Free or Not
Yield: 16-18 servings

1 1/3 cup brown rice flour *
1/3 cup tapioca flour *
1/3 cup potato starch *
1 teaspoon xantham gum *
1/2 teaspoon salt
scant 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 baking powder
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

* If you do not need a GF version, you can substitute 2 cups AP flour for the items marked with an *.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or grease the pan very well with butter. In a medium size saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then add to the mixture in the saucepan. Stir to combine. Add the chocolate chips and the chopped nuts and stir again to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 21-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool completely before slicing into bars, or serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Spicy Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers

Coconut Chews - Gluten Free or Not

Chewy coconut filling layered onto a buttery shortbread crust; this recipe is so simple to make I have been making it since I was a child. This is my grandmother's recipe and if you are a coconut purist, these can not be beat. I hadn't made these bars in years and when I baked this GF version and took them to some friends and family they were an enormous hit.

Coconut Chews - Gluten Free or Not

Crust Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 brown rice flour *
1/3 cup potato starch *

Filling Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons brown rice flour *
1 cup shredded coconut

* If you do not need a gluten free version, substitute 1 cup AP flour in the crust and 2 tablespoons AP flour in the filling for the items marked with an *.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a buttered 8x8 pan or line the pan with parchment paper. (Doubling this recipe will perfectly fill a 9x13 pan.) Bake for 10 minutes, (15 minutes for a doubled recipe) remove from oven and let cool while finishing the rest of the recipe.

Mix together the filling ingredients and pour over the crust. Bake 20 minutes more (25 minutes for the doubled recipe). Let cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

Camping Meals

When my extended family goes camping, we typically share our meals family-style, taking turns with making the breakfasts and dinners throughout the long weekend. This way, each family is only responsible for a single meal for the group of 30+ people.

We have always been responsible for our own lunches though. This year, because one of my sons has a recent sensitivity to wheat, I needed to think beyond the usual sandwiches. I decided to try something new and I packed regular meals instead of sandwich makings. This was the best idea I've had in a long time!

A few days before our trip, I made our absolute favorite Chicken and Bacon Stir Fry; let it cool, bagged the entire meal in a gallon size ziploc and then froze it. I also made enough rice for my family to eat with it, let the rice cool and froze it in it's own gallon size ziploc. When I was packing the coolers, I simply placed the frozen meal into the cooler, where it stayed almost frozen until we were ready to eat it. (As an added benefit, my cooler stayed much colder than when we use ice alone.)

When we were ready to warm the meal, I placed the very cold and barely thawed meal into a large skillet and warmed it over low heat on the camp stove, stirring it while it heated. Same procedure for the rice, although I added a bit of water to the rice as it was heating. It tasted absolutely delicious and we all agreed that it was about the best camp meal we could imagine.

Italian Black Bean and Spinach Soup is one of my family favorites as well and it reheats beautifully from frozen. I wait for it to cool completely and then freeze it flat in a gallon size ziploc. Pack the frozen meal and when ready to eat, let it thaw enough to break it up into a soup pot on the camp stove. It reheats perfectly every time. We also took the Chicken White Bean and Green Chile Corn Chowder that I posted last week. Same method for freezing and reheating as well.

Breakfast Potatoes were delicious alongside simple scrambled eggs and they took me almost no time to prep before the trip. I simply roasted them while the oven was on for a different meal and then let them cool. Placed them in a plastic container (to avoid a ziploc being smashed) and then refrigerated until we were packing the coolers. When ready to use them, I simply warmed them in a large skillet with a bit of butter until they were hot and crisped on the edges.

Snack foods are a requirement when sitting around playing table games during the day and into the nights. I prepped a whole lot of vegetables and we packed them in snack size bags. Along with a few containers of our current favorite Chipotle Dip and Classic Ranch Dip, it was a great addition to the chips that we enjoyed as well.

For the past few years, in lieu of preparing a breakfast or dinner for the entire group, my family has voted that I should bring plenty of desserts along to share at night. 6 varieties of cookies and 4 other desserts later, I packed an almost absurd amount of treats for our camping trip. Because of all that baking, I'll be posting a handful of new cookie and bar recipes over the next few days. (Gluten Free and Regular versions will be included for all of them.)

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Dark Chocolate Coconut Blondies

Family Camping Trip

Helping cook oatmeal for breakfast

My family has been getting together for our annual camping trip at Woods Canyon Lake every summer for over 20 years now. My mom very happily makes the following year's reservation when we leave each year. We've grown from the original group of about a dozen people to a much larger group of siblings, spouses, children, grandchildren and even more family members when we are lucky enough to have them. There were 30 of us this year (plus 8 dogs) and it was a fantastic weekend.

A few of my awesome sisters - great sports for a picture on Day 3

The escape from the heat of the valley is reason enough for most of us to look forward to the trip. Adding in volleyball, hiking, endless hours of tabletop games, fishing, boating, creek play and more, made it a fantastic weekend. For some of my family, this is the only time we'll see each other all year. Even those of us who do not truly enjoy tent camping still look forward to this trip all year long.

I was sad to see the last of my family leave this morning. So, I am indulging myself with just a few pictures and a whole lot of great leftovers instead of cooking tonight.

Cousins working hard to relocate an enormous log from the creek.

As I flip through the handful of pictures I remembered to take, I realize that it really would be nice to take more than a few pics next year. We all tend to get so caught up in the fun of the trip that pictures are forgotten until we are headed home.

Have you ever attempted to get three two year olds to face the camera at the same time?! This is the only shot I have of the three of them standing in the same picture! We spent most of the weekend chasing them.

Consider yourself warned, family members. I'll be bringing a fully charged cell phone, camera and a spare camera battery next year!

Everything tastes better when eating outdoors!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal with Dried Apples and Cranberries