One-Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni (Recipe 33 of 125)

A recipe titled "One-Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni" seems like a recipe that I'd like. This is the third recipe I've tried over the years that is similar. And I gotta say, it's really not my jam. All the ingredients I like, but putting them all together? Not so much. 

This recipe has a lot of steps, but it's all pretty easy. I cannot emphasize enough the instruction about adding the cheese to the milk/flour mixture on low heat. Low heat helps the cheese melt evenly and smoothly. 

I also didn't use one pot...for some reason my brain missed that part of the title. Also, don't over salt anything. The cheeses add enough salt. I seasoned the beef, but that was it. It didn't need any additional salt. 

One-Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni

Recipe from Taste and See

Serves 12

FOR THE MEAT MIXTURE:

1 T olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1½ pounds lean ground sirloin

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder (or hot chili powder if you like it spicier)

3 T tomato paste

FOR THE MAC AND CHEESE:

1 pound short pasta, such as elbow macaroni

3 c whole milk, warmed

3 T butter

¼ c flour

2 tsp mustard powder

8 ounces finely chopped American cheese (2 cups) *See Note

12 ounces grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (3 cups)

2 ounces grated Parmesan (1 cup)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Add olive oil, chopped onion, ground beef, and seasonings to a large pot and sauté until the meat is fully cooked and the onions are translucent. Thoroughly mix in tomato paste, sauté for 2 minutes, then transfer the meat mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Use the same pot to cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. While pasta is cooking, warm the milk in a separate pot.

Drain pasta once cooked, ***reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water.***

Return the empty pot to the stove over medium heat and add butter. When butter melts and foams, add flour and whisk until darkened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mustard powder and whisk to combine.

Slowly whisk in the warm milk and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring consistently to prevent the flour from burning or overcooking, for about 3 – 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add cheese in 3 batches, starting with American cheese. Whisk to fully combine, then follow with cheddar and Parmesan (whisk to fully combine after adding each cheese). Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Fold the meat mixture into the cheese sauce, then fold in the pasta, and serve.

Tennessee Whisky Pork Chops (Recipe 32 of 125)

Tonight was another episode of "Dinner with Paul & Suzanna" in which Paul and I swap favorite recipes and we make them, get on a Facetime call and chat. 

Paul selected this and suggested stuffing as a side, so that's what I did. 

First thing, this recipe requires a glaze be created. The thing about making a glaze is you're reducing liquid down and if you look away it goes from liquid to burnt in a heart beat. I know this. I've done this. And tonight, I did it again. I unloaded the dishwasher and while my back was turned it went from liquid to burnt. I  had to start the glaze all over again. 

Overall rating for this is delicious. That whisky flavor really is delicious. And it coupled with the apple flavor is a winner winner - ah pork dinner. 

Tennessee Whisky Pork Chops
Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 4

• 1/2 c Jack Daniels or 1/2 c Bourbon
• 1/2 c apple cider
• 2 T light brown sugar
• 1 T Dijon Mustard
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tsp cider vinegar
• 4 bone in, center cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 T unsalted butter

Whisk whisky, cider, brown sugar, mustard, cayenne, vanilla and 2 tsp vinegar together in a bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup of mixture to gallon size ziploc, add pork chops, press out air and seal. Turn to coat chops. Refrigerate 1-2 hours. Reserve remaining whisky mixture separately. 

Remove chops from bag, pat dry and discard marinade. Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Season chops with salt and pepper and cook (partially covered) until well browned on both sides. Transfer chops to plate and cover tightly. 

Add reserved whisky mixture to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. cook until reduced to a thick glaze, 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to med-low add remaining tsps vinegar, whisk in butter and simmer glaze until thick and sticky, about 3 minutes. 

Return chops to the skillet and let rest in pan until sauce clings to the chops. Turning the chops occasionally to coat both sides and chops are done. Transfer to a platter and spoon glaze over the chops.

Starbucks Lemon Loaf (Recipe 31 of 125)

Starbucks breads (Banana, pumpkin and lemon) are so delicious that I find myself craving them all the time. Their Lemon Loaf is what dreams are made of. Though it was always just a little too sweet for me. 

I found this recipe online a couple of months ago and decided to make it. It's WAY less sweet than Starbucks. And I didn't put the glaze on it which helps with lowering the sweet.

I'd make this again for sure. I definitely think you should make it.

Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Recipe from Amandascookin.com

Serves: 12ish

• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c sugar
• 2 T butter softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp lemon extract
• 1/3 c lemon juice
• 1/2 c canola oil
• 3 large eggs room temp
• zest of one lemon

Glaze

• 1 c powdered sugar
• 2 T whole milk
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

With mixer on medium speed, beat together sugar, butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon juice and oil with a mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add in dry ingredients and beat until well combined. Fold in the lemon zest.

Pour into loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

To make the glaze, whisk together ingredients and drizzle over cooled loaf.

Expert Tips & FAQs

Take eggs and butter out of the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before making this recipe.

Make the glaze right before adding to the cake, otherwise the sugar will begin to crystalize on top.

Enchilada Casserole (Recipe 30 of 125)

I have very strong opinions about enchiladas. Mostly that my Mom's enchiladas are the standard by
which all are measured. I remembered times when mom didn't want to roll enchiladas so she'd just pop them into a casserole dish like a Mexican lasagna. 

This recipe reminded me of that. It's just layering what you would normally roll. I made it low carb by using low carb tortillas and to thicken the sauce I let it just boil down. Losing my patience, I finally added cornstarch. 

As I was eating this I kept thinking of all sorts of things to add to make this even better: corn, black beans, and olives. You can really make this very hearty. 

If I made this again, and I probably will, I'll use corn tortillas. Flour tortillas just get too soggy for me and I am never a fan of them in enchiladas. 

Enchilada Casserole

Recipe from MyRecipes.com

Serves 4

1 pound ground sirloin

1 c chopped onion

1 T butter

1 T minced garlic

1 1/2 T all-purpose flour

1 c lower-sodium beef broth

1 T taco seasoning mix

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

4 (8-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas

1/3 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion to pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture to beef mixture; reserve 1/2 cup tomato mixture.

Place 1 tortilla in a 9-inch pie plate. Top with 1 cup beef mixture. Repeat layers, ending with tortilla. Spread reserved tomato mixture over tortilla. Top with cheese. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cool slightly. Cut into 4 wedges.

Sunny's Easy Beefy Texas Chili (Recipe 29 of 125)

Chili is one of those recipes for me that has two things required: 1) beans and 2) Fritos. The only time mom made chili was for Frito Lollies. But chili is a hearty, warm, comfort food that I really do enjoy.

Photo from Food Network

Last night I made a recipe I've had my hands on since 2006ish. It's a chili from a Food Network personality Sunny Anderson. As I read the recipe I was immediately struck with two things: 

1. No Beans
2. And use Pumpkin Pie Spice as an ingredient in chili?

Chili without beans leaves me very confused. And I've never EVER used pumpkin pie spice in a chili. Ever. I was sure it was going to be odd, but it turned out to add a nice warming flavor to it.

Bottom line, this was tasty. I'll add it to my favorite list and most likely will add a can of beans next time. 

Sunny's Easy Beefy Texas Chili
Recipe from Sunny Anderson

Serves: 6

Spice mix: 

• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 T ancho chile powder
• 2 tsp dry Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chili Makings: 

• 3 T olive oil
• 1 pound chuck beef or stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 c finely chopped onion
• 1 c chopped red bell pepper
• 3 T tomato paste
• 2 T hot sauce, such as Frank's
• 3 cloves garlic, grated on a rasp grater or finely minced
• 1 pound ground chuck (80/20)
• 1 1/2 c beef stock
• 1 1/2 c red wine (any cheap Chianti will do) or lager beer [JW Note: I used wine just out of curiosity on how it would taste and it was surprisingly good]
• 2 T fine cornmeal
• Sliced scallions, shredded yellow Cheddar and tortilla chips, for serving

In a small bowl, mix the cumin, chile powder, oregano, pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, beef cubes and half of the seasoning blend. Cook until the beef is browned on all sides but not cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Add the onion, bell pepper, tomato paste, hot sauce, garlic and a pinch of salt to the pot. Cook, stirring, until everything turns a dark reddish brown, about 8 minutes.

Add the ground beef and sprinkle over the remaining seasoning blend. Cook, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the reserved beef chunks back to the pot along with the stock, wine or beer and cornmeal. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the chili is thick and the liquid is reduced, 40 to 45 minutes.

Spoon the chili into bowls and serve with sliced scallions, shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

Bangin Good Shrimp (Recipe 28 of 125)

Photo from SkinnyTaste

Back when we went into the office, a couple of friends of mine and I would frequent Bone Fish Grill for lunch or for happy hour. They have this amazing Bang Bang Shrimp as an appetizer. I've been craving it and not in a good way. 

I decided to search through my recipes to see if I had anything similar and sure enough Bangin' Good Shrimp seemed pretty close. The flavors are the same. The biggest difference is these aren't deep fried covered in batter. 

These were tasty. The only mistake I made was I over cooked the shrimp. Which I'm not surprised about, I do that on a regular basis. Those little buggers cook so quickly. 

Bangin Good Shrimp
Recipe from SkinnyTaste

Serves: 4

• 5 T light mayonnaise
• 3 T Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
• 1 tsp Sriracha (to taste)

For the Shrimp:

• 1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined (weight after peeled)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp canola oil
• 3 c shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 c shredded purple cabbage
• 4 T scallions, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha. Set aside.

Combine lettuce and cabbage and divide between four plates. Set aside.

Coat shrimp with cornstarch, mixing well with your hands.

Heat a large skillet or wok on high heat, when hot add oil. When oil is hot add the shrimp to hot pan and cook tossing a few times until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Remove from pan and combine with the sauce coating well.

Place shrimp on lettuce and top with scallions.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Steak Tips (Recipe 27 of 125)

Photo from Cook's Country

I think I've mentioned it before, but one of the reasons I love to work from home is I can do slow
cooker meals during the week. 

This recipe is a keeper for sure. Such flavor. It's simple and delicious. The two things I love most about recipes.

The only changes I made for this was to make it low carb. I used sugar free ketchup and low carb brown sugar replacement. The sweetness from the ketchup you'd expect is there. You won't miss the sugar at all.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Steak Tips
Recipe from America's Test Kitchen

Serves 6

• 3 T soy sauce
• 3 T tomato paste
• 3 T dark brown sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 3 1/2 pounds beef flap meat, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 T vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 c tomato sauce
• 1 c ketchup
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp hot sauce

Combine soy, tomato paste, brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon pepper in 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Pat steak dry with paper towels and thread onto skewers.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown 3 skewers on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to baking dish with soy mixture and turn to coat. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining skewers.

Add onion, remaining oil, and ½ teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until onions are browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and ½ cup ketchup and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until very thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.

Set inverted metal steamer basket in slow cooker. Following photo 3, place skewers on steamer basket, scraping soy mixture over meat. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 5 to 6 hours (or cook on high 4 to 5 hours).

Transfer skewers to serving dish, slide steak off skewers, and tent with foil. Pour juices into bowl, let settle, then skim fat. Transfer 2½ cups defatted juices and remaining ketchup to medium saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to 1½ cups, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 1 cup sauce over steak tips. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table. (Steak tips can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days.)

Keto Meatballs Alla Parmigiana (Recipe 26 of 125)

Photo from
Ibreatheimhungry

I haven't made very many meatballs in my life. I can probably count on one hand how many times. Meatballs really are simple to make. They're basically mini, round meatloafs right? 

This flavor combo is very traditional for meatballs for an Italian meal. Almond flour in place of bread crumbs. I used milk instead of water. The meat, once combined, is relatively wet, but makes a nice flavored meatball.

The topper is, well, the topper. The little bit of marinara (I used Rao's) with cheese really made these taste like I was eating a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs, sans the spaghetti. 

Keto Meatballs Alla Parmigiana

Recipe from Ibreatheimhungry.com

Serves 4

For the meatballs:

• 1.5lbs ground beef (80/20)
• 2 T fresh parsley, chopped
• 3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 c almond flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried onion flakes
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 c warm water

For the Parmigiana:

• 1 c easy keto marinara sauce (or any sugar free store bought marinara)
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese

Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

Form into fifteen 2″ meatballs.

Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 20 minutes.

For the Parmigiana:

Place the cooked meatballs in an oven safe dish.

Spoon approximately 1 T sauce over each meatball.

Cover with approximately 1/4 oz of mozzarella cheese each.

Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 20 minutes (40 minutes if meatballs are frozen) or until heated through and the cheese is golden.

Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Chicken Parmesan Caprese (Recipe 25 of 125)

Photo from SkinnyTaste
Cookbook

Caprese salad is one of my favorites. I was first introduced to it at TASIS and ate my way through Italy
on Caprese salads.  I make caprese salads frequently during the summer when tomatoes are at their best. 

Caprese type salad coupled with air fried chicken...winner winner chicken dinner. 

Easy, super easy, meal that is jammed packed with flavor. 

Chicken Parmesan Caprese
Recipe from SkinnyTaste Air Fryer Cookbook

• 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 large garlic cloves, slightly smashed
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Chicken:

• 2 8oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• Pepper to taste
• 1 T pesto 
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 c seasoned bread crumbs 
• 2 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil spray
• 4 oz mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 2T balsamic glaze
• chopped fresh basil

Preheat air fryer to 400F.

For the tomatoes: in a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oil, salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Transfer to the air fryer basic at cook for 4-5 minutes, shaking the basket a few times, until the tomatoes are soft.  Set aside and wipe out the basket with a paper towel. 

Meanwhile, for the chicken: half each chicken breast horizontally to make a total of 4 cutlets. Pound the chicken to a 1/4 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper and evenly coat with the pesto. 

Place the egg in a shallow bowl. Combine the bread crumbs and parmesan in a separate shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the egg, then coat in bread crumbs mixture, gently pressing to adhere. Spray both sides with oil. 

Working in batches: place chicken in air fryer. Cook 7 minutes, flipping halfway until golden and cooked through. Top each cutlet with 1 oz of mozzarella and one quarter of the tomatoes. 

Return to air fryer cook for another 2 minutes until cheese melts. 

Remove from the air fryer, drizzle with the balsamic glaze, top with basil and serve.

Quick Chicken Marsala (Recipe 24 of 125)

MMMM chicken marsala. Among my favorite combination of flavors. I rarely order it out though, but love to make it at home. I have several recipes for it that I've tried in the past. All of them, including this one, are basically the same. 

I only made one modification to this recipe, and I'm not really sure why. I added about 2T of heavy cream to the sauce when it was done. It doesn't need it, I just added it because I thought it would make it a bit more rich. And it did. If you don't do that, you won't miss out. 

Quick Chicken Marsala
Recipe from Cooking Light

Serves 4

• 2 T olive oil, divided
• 4 (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
• 3/4 tsp black pepper, divided
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 (8-oz.) pkg. presliced button mushrooms
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 T all-purpose flour
• 2/3 c unsalted chicken stock
• 2/3 c Marsala wine
• 2 1/2 T unsalted butter
• 1 T chopped fresh thyme (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to pan; cook until done, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan (do not wipe out pan).

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add mushrooms and thyme sprigs; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

Add stock and wine to pan; bring to a boil. Cook until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in butter, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to pan, turning to coat. Discard thyme sprigs before serving. Sprinkle with chopped thyme, if desired.

Pork and Chinese Cabbage Filling

For our company's holiday party we did virtual cooking class with Tom Douglas. You can read more about it here. I counted the cucumber salad as a new recipe because it was the one thing we did have to make. The rest had the ingredients already put together for us, mostly. All we had to do for the dumplings is put the filling in, fold them and cook them. 

I know this looks like a long set of instructions, but I assure you it's pretty easy to do. If I can do them, anyone can. The folding can be a bit tricky. I didn't see how he did it so I made up my own fold. After the class I found this YouTube video that helps explain folding. 

These were so gosh, darn, dang delicious! The best part of them though might be the dipping sauce. That's all the way at the bottom of this blog, don't miss it. You'll want to drink it I swear.  I burnt the first round because I lost focus. The second round turned out just fine. The burnt ones were delicious despite the crispier outside.

Pork and Chinese Cabbage Filling
Recipe Hsiao-Ching Chou, Chinese Soul Food

Makes about 1 ¼ pound filling, enough for 45-50 dumplings

• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 ½ cups, loosely packed, finely chopped Chinese cabbage
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 stalk green onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, optional

In a medium bowl, combine the pork, cabbage, soy sauce, onions, ginger, oil and pepper, and mix well. Set the filling aside.

Folding Dumplings

The simplest way to seal a dumpling is to fold the wrapper over the filling into a half-moon shape. Match the edges together and press as if you were sealing an envelope. There is no need to dab homemade wrappers with water. There is enough moisture in the dough that the edges will seal when pressed. Holding the sealed edge of the dumpling between your fingers, set it on its spine and gently wiggle it as you are pushing down so that the dumpling will stand up. Place the completed dumpling on a baking sheet dusted with flour or lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

Storing Dumplings

Once you have made all the dumplings, you can cook them immediately or freeze them. If you freeze them, place the baking sheet of dumplings in the freezer for about 30 minutes to harden enough so they don’t stick together. Then, transfer the dumplings to a Ziplock bag and place them in the freezer to store for up to two or three weeks. You can cook them from frozen. Do not defrost or you will get a gooey mess. If you are cooking the dumplings immediately, proceed to any of the following cooking methods.

To Steam Dumplings

Set up the steamer. Line a steamer basket with steamer paper or perforated parchment paper, and place the prepared dumplings in a single layer in the basket, leaving about 1 inch between dumplings. Place the steamer basket on top of the pot, and steam, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the wrappers puff up. The cooking time will depend on the filling; meat fillings take longer. If you are cooking frozen dumplings, steam them for 1 to 2 minutes more.

To Panfry Dumplings (Pot Stickers)

Preheat an 8- or 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute. (If you have a bigger or smaller skillet, that’s fine. Adjust the oil amount as needed.) Avoid high heat, which can cause the nonstick coating to deteriorate. Add enough vegetable oil to generously coat the entire surface of the pan and create a slight pool of oil (about 1/8 inch deep). This may seem like a lot of oil, but it will help you create that telltale crispy pot sticker crust.

Carefully arrange the dumplings in a single layer in the skillet, at side down. Add ½ cup water to the skillet and cover immediately. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the bottoms of the dumplings have reached a golden brown. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on your stove. Frozen dumplings may need 1 minute more to cook. Adjust the heat as needed.

If you have leftover dumplings, store them in the refrigerator and eat within a couple of days. To reheat, place them in a lightly oiled pan over medium-low heat and let the filling come to temperature. This will refresh the crispiness of the crust. Or you can eat them cold, as I sometimes do.

SOY-GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

MAKES ABOUT ½ CUP

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce (optional)

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, onions, garlic, cilantro, ginger, and chili sauce. Set aside on the counter for at least 30 minutes, if possible, to let the flavors meld together. The longer the mixture rests, the more intense the flavor becomes. You can store the dipping sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Smacked Cucumber Salad - Virtual Cooking Class (Recipe 23 of 125)

Today we had our company holiday party...I know it's past the holidays. We moved it because it was, well, easier to do it later...you know how December gets crazy. Anyhow, today was a virtual cooking class with Tom Douglas. If you don't know who he is, he's a Seattle chef who has a metric crap ton of restaurants. 

Ahead of today's class we received a box of goodies that had all the ingredients we'd need for today. Some were already put together for us some were not. The theme of today's class... DUMPLINGS!! aka Potstickers. The recipe for the dumplings is here.

I'll put all the recipes below but am only counting one as a new recipe. The cucumber salad recipe we did actually have to make ourselves and since two out of the three containers that came for this recipe burst in the package, I had to actually measure out the ingredients. Thank heavens I had them. 

This recipe was delicious. I love cucumbers, they just don't love me. I burp just thinking about them. The flavor of this recipe was dead on. I'm going to make it again for Saturday with the niece and family dinner. 

I didn't "smash" my cucumber. I just couldn't. My OCD self just couldn't do it. So I did what Tom suggested I cut it in half lengthwise, then quartered the halves, then sliced them on a diagonal. We made it first and then let it sit for 30 minutes or so. I couldn't eat it all because of how many dumplings I ate... so I tossed them in the fridge. They'll make a great breakfast.

Smacked Cucumber Salad

Recipe from Hsiao-Ching Chou (she a chef who works with Tom and he gushed about her the whole time - so she is all that and a slice of bread)

Serves 4

2-3 English cucumbers, skins on

1 T soy sauce

1/2 T balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Pinch of pepper flakes

Trim the ends off the cucumber. Starting at one end of the cucumber, place the flat of your knife on top of the cucumber. Gently but firmly strike the blade with the heel of your palm to smash the cucumber into pieces. (I have to admit I had images of Gallagher with this). Repeat this for the rest of the cucumbers. If there are any large sections, you can cut through them. 

Put the smashed cucumbers in a medium bowl. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic and red pepper flakes, and mix well. Cover and let the cucumbers marinate on the counter for at least thirty minutes before serving. Store the cucumber in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days. 

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken (Recipe 22 of 125)

Finally a low carb meal that I actually kept low carb! This recipe felt like it needed a carb though. This delicious, creamy sauce really needed pasta! I didn't have any pasta in the house, thank God, or I would have added it. 

If you're looking for an easy, delicious recipe, this is it. The heavy cream and parmesan does not disappoint. I mean, really a combo of mushrooms, chicken, cream and parmesan...how can you go wrong?

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken
Recipe from Diet Doctor

Serves 4

• 1½ lbs boneless chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves
• avocado oil
• 1½ c heavy whipping cream
• 1 c chicken broth
• 2 oz. parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp fresh parsley

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Cook in a frying pan or skillet until browned and cooked through; Remove chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon, reserving juices in the pan.

Add garlic to the frying pan and stir-fry until soft; add mushrooms and sauté until softened, for about 5-7 minutes.

On low heat, add chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring well. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes stirring often. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Add chicken back into skillet and coat with sauce. Serve garnished with parsley.

Serving suggestions

Serve with a fresh side salad or steamed low carb vegetables like broccoli, spinach, or asparagus.

Brown Sugar Bourbon Steak Tips (Recipe 21 of 125)

Y'all...its rare that  recipe makes me speechless. This recipe...oh man...I'm almost drooling just thinking about how good this recipe was. It IS a keeper for sure and WILL be in the rotation for Sunday dinner (when/if we ever get to do Sunday dinner again). 

You must make this. The flavor was amazing...and you could taste the bourbon...you've been warned. 

When I make it again, I might spend a little more on a higher quality bourbon. I bought Jim Beam - which is good, but not great. Now that I know how much the bourbon flavor stands out...it'd be worth a nicer quality bourbon. 

I marinated the steak tips for 6 hours. And then grilled them to a perfect medium rare to medium. I COMPLETELY forgot to put the onion in...I was so blown over by the flavor of the marinade I think I blacked out. 

Brown Sugar Bourbon Steak Tips
Recipe from Newengland.com

Serves 4

• 1/2 c bourbon
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings
• 2 pounds sirloin steak tips or flank steak
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together bourbon, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and soy sauce. Pour into a large zip-top bag; add onion and steak.

Seal, squeezing to expel any air, and let meat marinate for 2 hours.

When ready to cook, drain and season meat with salt and pepper.

Set up your grill for direct high heat. To grill meat, sear on one side until nicely browned, 4—6 minutes. Turn meat and grill until it reaches desired doneness (4—6 minutes more for medium rare).

Cook onions in a grill pan, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Or cook onions directly on grill grates away from direct heat, carefully turning once, for 8—10 minutes total cooking time.