Baked Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce (Recipe 45 of 150)

I like salmon. And there are so many ways to cook salmon. But I am a salmon purest. I prefer my salmon simply baked with some S&P and maybe a little lemon. Every know and then, though, I like to break out of my comfort zone and get "crazy" with the salmon.

Ok ok. This recipe is not that crazy. It is however, simple and delicious. 

The dill sauce was not my favorite. It lacked flavor to me. And maybe that was the plan. Maybe the salmon was to be the star. Still, I had to adjust the dill sauce. I added about a T of dill pickle juice and some salt and pepper. That did the trick. Still I was glad I didn't pour it over my salmon. I just did the fork dip into the sauce and stabbed a piece of salmon. It was perfect. 

Baked Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

Recipe from Thekitchn.com

Serves 4

2 cloves garlic

4 (6-ounce) skin on or skinless salmon fillets

1 medium lemon

2 T olive oil

3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 small bunch fresh dill

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, marinate the salmon and make the sauce.

Mince 2 garlic cloves and place in a baking dish large enough to fit the 4 salmon fillets in one layer with a bit of room in between each piece. Halve 1 medium lemon and squeeze the juice from one half into the baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and whisk with a fork to combine. Add 4 salmon fillets, turning them over gently a few times to evenly coat in the lemon-garlic mixture. Arrange in a single layer skin-side up if there is skin. Cover and refrigerate.

Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon half into a small bowl. Set aside a few fresh dill sprigs for garnish if desired, then finely chop more dill until you have 2 tablespoons. Add the chopped dill, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the bowl and whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When the oven is ready, uncover the salmon and roast until cooked through and easily flaked, 8 to 12 minutes. An instant-read thermometer into the middle of the thickest fillet should register 120°F to 130°F for medium-rare, or 135°F to 145°F if you prefer it more well-done. Serve topped with the creamy dill sauce. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Steak & Ale Soup with Potatoes (Recipe 44 of 150)

Photo from Cuisine at Home

This might be the last soup of the season. And yes, there's a season for soup. At least according to the Laws of Jenn. As the weather gets warmer, soup/stews are not something I crave. They are reserved for cold fall/winter nights. Not that tonight was cold or anything. In fact, it was sunny and beautiful out. NO matter. Soup is what the random generator came up with. So soup is what I made. 

This was a delicious soup. I halved it like I do all my recipes. I'm sure this will be a good left over, but only one. 

If I made this again I'd get a stronger tasting ale. I used Stella because that's what was in my fridge. 

I also added more Worcestershire sauce. I like that savory flavor to permeate. A bowl of this with a side salad was just was the dr. ordered. It's quick. It's easy. And it's delicious. 

Steak & Ale Soup with Potatoes

Recipe from Cuisine at Home Oct 2019

Serves 6

• 3 T olive oil, divided
• 1 lb rib eye steak, thinly sliced, cut into bite size pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 c peeled and diced russet potatoes (Jenn's Notes: I used 1 Yukon Gold. I find they don't get as mushy in soup as russetts)
• 1 c diced onion
• 1 c diced carrots
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 T minced fresh garlic
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1 bottle amber ale (12 oz)
• 4 c beef broth
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat 1 T oil over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook until brown, 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. 

Add remaining 2 T oil to same pot and heat over medium. Stir in potatoes, onions, carrots, flour, garlic and tomato paste; cook until onions begin to soften; 3 minutes

Deglaze pot with ale, scraping up any brown bits. Add broth, W sauce, and steak to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Kung Pao Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Recipe 43 of 150)

Photo from Damn Delicious

Every time my BFF and I go to PF Changs I order Kung Pao Chicken and we order the lettuce wraps as an appetizer. So when I saw this recipe I thought, "Best of both worlds". And I was not wrong. 

This is a SPICY recipe. I didn't put in all the chili paste and I'm glad I didn't. Whoa! 

The overall flavor is good. It was a little too vinegar-y for me. I added a bit more brown sugar (low carb brown sugar too) to balance out the vinegar. That seemed to help a little. Regardless, this was a solid low carb meal. Well, I made it low carb by using the low carb brown sugar. 

Looking for a quick, flavorful meal without a ton of calories? This is it.

Kung Pao Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 head butter lettuce
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, optional

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, dry sherry, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sesame oil and 1/4 cup water; set aside.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.

Stir in garlic and zucchini until softened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce mixture until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style, garnished with peanuts, if desired.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef Tip Steaks (Recipe 42 of 150)

Well, this recipe did not start out well. Even though the title says "slow cooker" my brain did not

Photo from The Mom100

connect that it needed to actually get into a slow cooker. So I had to improvise. 

I got it on the stove around 3:30 (which 4 hours in the slow cooker would have me eating way too late). I decided to just slow cook it on the stove for a couple of hours. I'm not sure it made one bit of difference. 

I did not put the corn starch in when I put it on the stove. I added a little water too just to give it some braising room. I cooked it at a low simmer for about 2.5 hours. 

This might be a better recipe in the slow cooker. The sauce was too thin and it did need some cornstarch to thicken it up. I felt like this teriyaki sauce needed something. I just don't know what. 

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef Tip Steaks

Recipe from Themom100.com

Serves 6

• 1 T cornstarch
• ½ c less sodium soy sauce
• ¼ c light or dark brown sugar
• 2 T finely minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3 T mirin rice wine; optional
• 2 T vegetable or canola oil divided
• 2 pounds beef tip steaks cut into 2-inch pieces
• ½ c chopped onion
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• Hot cooked rice brown or white, to serve
• Thinly sliced scallions for garnish optional

In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, cornstarch, and mirin, if using. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the steak for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and add them to the slow cooker. In the same skillet add the remaining tablespoon of oil and turn the heat to medium. Sauté the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes, until slightly softened. Stir the sauce and add it to the pan, and stir to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour the sauce over the meat in the slow cooker, and then set the slow cooker to high for 4 hours.

Serve the beef teriyaki over the rice, with the scallions sprinkled on top if desired.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Recipe 41 of 150)

Chicken! So boring. I get so tired of chicken, but when one is trying to cut back on calories, one must endure the chicken. And so, when I cook chicken, I need flavor! Big bold flavor. If chicken is the protein on the plate, solo - as in not in a stir-fry or something - then it has to have flavor. 

This recipe was NOT on the menu for this week. I had thawed chicken and wasn't at all sure what I was going to do with it. FB answered that question today. 

This recipe was spot on. The star is the parmesan. It adds a nice, nutty, flavorful coating on this chicken. 

Make this recipe. You won't regret it. The carb count is 3g! THREE grams! Protein is 69g. It's a killer recipe for low carb life. 

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Recipe from Cincyshopper.com

Serves 4

• 2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1 Egg
• 1 T Water
• 1 tsp minced Garlic
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 c Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 4 T Butter
• 2 T Olive Oil

Cut each breast in half and pound to about 1/2" thick.

Beat egg and water in a shallow bowl until blended.

Add garlic, salt and pepper and whisk to blend.

Place parmesan in another shallow bowl.

Dip each piece of chicken in egg mixture making sure to coat.

Allow excess egg to drip off.

Place in parmesan. Sprinkle more parmesan over top. Gently press, then turn and repeat on other side. Shake off excess. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Place butter and oil in a large skillet over high heat.

Place chicken and do not move until edges brown (so that cheese sticks to chicken, about 3 minutes).

Lightly press with spatula then turn over and again do not move until browned.

Lightly press with spatula and remove to serving plate.

Asian Chicken Salad (Recipe 40 of 150)

I have not met very many Asian Chicken Salads I didn't like. And this one is no different. So good. So filling. I made extra because I plan on eating it for lunch tomorrow. 

The marinade for this one is very typical. The Asian flavors in this are in most of the other Asian salads I've had. I marinaded the chicken for 2.5 hours. That was the perfect time for me. And it added enough flavor all around. 

I chopped the chicken into bite size pieces and put them on a skewer. My theory is in small cubes more marinade per bite. 

Asian Chicken Salad

Recipe from Tastesbetterfromscratch.com

Serves 4

Marinade and Dressing:

1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce

2 T fresh chopped ginger

1/4 c olive oil

2 T hoisin sauce

1 T sesame oil

1/2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce , or more, to taste

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c red wine vinegar

2 green onions , finely chopped

2 boneless, skinless breasts

For the Salad:

1 large head romaine or green leafy lettuce , chopped

2 c chopped red, green or napa cabbage

1/2 English cucumber sliced

1 carrot , shredded

1/2 c sliced almonds or cashews 

11 ounce can mandarin oranges drained

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro

For topping:

Handful Crunchy chow mein noodles or wonton strips , optional

Make marinade: 

Whisk together the soy sauce, chopped ginger, olive oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and salt.

Add 3 tablespoon of the marinade to a bowl or large ziplock bag (the rest will be reserved for the dressing). Cut the chicken breasts in half, lengthwise (butterfly), to create 6 thin chicken breast halves. Add to the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3-4 hours.

To the remaining marinade, add red wine vinegar and sliced green onions, to make a dressing for the salad. Refrigerate.

For the salad:

Add lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, carrots, almonds, bell peppers, mandarin oranges and cilantro to a large bowl.

Grill the chicken on medium high heat, cooking for about 3 minutes on each side, flipping once, until cooked through.

Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the chicken against the grain and add to the salad.

Pour desired amount of dressing on top and toss to combine. Garnish with crunchy wonton strips or chow mein noodles, if desired.

Cheeseburger Sliders (Low Carb) (Recipe 39 of 150)

Cheeseburgers are, I think, part of my DNA. My mom LOVED cheeseburgers and I do too. I'm sure
this is more nurture than nature. I'm sure she fed me cheeseburgers immediately when I was a baby. 

We all know cheeseburgers have carbs. The bun. I love the bun. But in an attempt to lower my carb intake (I'm not doing great at this) I decided to try this recipe. And you know what? I didn't miss the bun at all. 

I've had this two nights in a row. It's super easy to put together and super fulfilling. I still get the cheeseburger part of the cheeseburger without a bun. Oddly, for real cheeseburgers I don't eat pickles or lettuce on mine. I hate hot lettuce. Blech! This recipe I actually chopped up the lettuce in bite size pieces, pickles in bite size pieces and cherry tomatoes. I drizzled the dressing over the lettuce. Each bite I had was meat and veggie. Perfect bite. 

Cheeseburger Sliders (Low Carb)

Recipe from SkinnyTaste Air Fryer cookbook

Serves 4

Sliders Ingredients

1 lb 90% lean ground beef

1/4 c shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Special Sauce

2 Tbsp light mayonnaise

2 tsp ketchup

1/2 tsp yellow mustard

1/2 tsp dill pickle juice

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp sweet paprika

For Serving

4 large outter leaves iceberg lettuce, each halved lengthwise

8 1/4-inch-thicslices tomato (from 2 small tomatoes

2 slices red onion, from 1 small, rings separated

8 dill pickle chips

For the Sliders

In a large bowl, combine the beef, cheddar, mustard, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Gently form the meat into 8 equal patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Press your finger in the center of each patty to create a dimple (this will help maintain their flat shape when they cook).

For the special sauce

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika and mix until smooth.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 F.

Working in batches, arrange a single layer of sliders in the air fryer basket. Cook, flipping halfway, to your desired doneness, 8 minutes for medium.

To serve, place 2 lettuce halves on each plate and top each with a slice of tomato, a slider, onion, special sauce, and pickles. Serve immediately!

Bistec Borracho (Recipe 38 of 150)

Estoy borracha!! No, not really. But I could be. 

I am addicted to this vlogger Simply Mama Cooks on YouTube. I've been watching and rewatching her videos. She cooks mostly authentic Mexican and I LOVE that she makes it so simple and not "chefy". Check her out, you won't regret it. 

Man, I went to the YouTube to get the link and that was an hour ago. I started watching her videos. 

Anyhow, this recipe was good. I didn't use thin sliced steak because I'm trying to eat out of my freezer. So I found a steak and sliced it thin vertically.

The beer I used was Modelo Especial. I felt like Julia Child. I took a drink or two, then used the rest in the marinade. 

Bistec Borracho

Recipe from Simply Mama Cooks

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs thin beef for milanesas or bistec

12 fl oz beer

juice of 2 to 3 medium limes

1 medium onion 

fresh cilantro

4 clove of garlic

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

2 1/2 to 3 cups beef broth

Watch the video. 

Layer the meat, onion, juice of one lime, cilantro, onion power, garlic powder, salt, pepper and paprika in two layers. 

Pour the beer over it. Let it marinade for more than an hour. 

Fry in a pan to get crispy. Add beef broth one cup at a time to "stew" the meat to make it more tender. Let all the liquid evaporate. 

Dice and put into tortilla. 

Bistek (Beef Marinated with Calamansi, Soy and Onions) (Recipe 37 of 150)

Photo from The Kitchn

I'm not sure what I expected of this recipe. The photo made it look delicious, but it was just ok. 

I couldn't find Calamansi - in fact I didn't even have a clue what it was. The Interwebs told me this: 

Calamansi is one of those ingredients that makes Filipino and Malaysian dishes taste truly authentic. The flavor is something like a sour orange or a slightly sweeter lime, and it has a fragrance to match.

Wait! A fruit that could be both sour and sweet? I was confused. 

The recipe said I could lemon juice, lime juice or orange juice. I chose lemon juice, but wish I had selected lime. It's much nicer flavor to me. Maybe I'll try this again but with lime. 

Bistek (Beef Marinated with Calamansi, Soy and Onions)

Recipe from Thekitchn.com

Serves 4

1 pound boneless ribeye steak

1 large yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

1/2 c tamari or soy sauce

1/2 c calamansi extract or juice (or 3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, or 2 tablespoons orange juice)

4 bay leaves

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 T canola oil, divided

Cooked rice, for serving

Freeze 1 pound boneless ribeye steak until the steak is half frozen, about 1 hour. (Alternatively, thaw completely frozen steak at room temperature about 3 hours.) Meanwhile, peel 1 large yellow onion, then cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Thinly slice 4 garlic cloves. Place both in a large bowl.

Add 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup calamansi juice, 4 bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the bowl. Thinly slice the steak across the grain into 1/8-inch thick slices. Add the steak to the bowl, toss to combine, and marinate 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Transfer the bay leaves and onions, keeping the rounds intact, to a plate. Fit a strainer over a medium bowl. Using tongs, transfer the meat to the strainer. Reserve the marinade.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the bay leaves and onions, arranging the onions in a single layer (it will bubble and steam). Cook undisturbed until the bottoms of the onions are deep golden brown, 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. Flip the onions and cook until the second side is deep golden brown and caramelized, about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes more.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of the marinade. Cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and discard the bay leaves.

Wipe any dark bits from the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil to the pan and heat on high until it begins to smoke. Add the steak and cook, stirring to break up the pieces, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.

Add the remaining marinade, along with the strained marinade, to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the marinade is thickened slightly, about 6 minutes. Add the onions to rewarm. Arrange the onions on top of the steak and drizzle with the sauce. Serve with rice.

Chicken Piccata Pasta (Recipe 36 of 150)

Chicken piccata is one of my all time favorites. Usually a nice light, lemony chicken dish. When I saw
this recipe I thought of the lovely piccata flavors and figured why not give it a try. 

Somehow I did not have capers though, and sadly, I think that ruined the dish for me. Capers are one of the things I look forward to with chicken piccata. Still, the overall experience was a good one. I give it for solid stars. ****

Besides not having capers, I made zero modifications to this recipe. 

Chicken Piccata Pasta

Recipe from Chefdehome.com

Serves 4

• 1/2 lbs Pasta (Penne or Farfalle)
• 1 lbs Chicken (chicken breast. See Note 1)
• 3 T Olive Oil
• 1/2 c White Wine
• 5 Garlic (cloves, thin sliced)
• 2 T Unsalted Butter
• 3 T Capers (drained)
• 1/4 tsp Chili Flakes
• 2 Lemon (2 tbsps juice, rest thin sliced)
• 1/2 c Heavy Cream
• 1 Bouillon Cube (chicken bouillon)
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Thyme (dried or 4-5 sprigs fresh)
• 1/3 c Parmesan Cheese (grated)
• Garnish
• Fresh Herbs (parsley or basil, chopped)

Slice chicken into bite size pieces. Thin slice garlic and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Season with salt. Add pasta and cook until al dente; according to pasta package's cooking directions.

Heat a wide large sauté pan on medium heat. Add half of olive oil. Season diced chicken with all black pepper and half of salt. Add seasoned chicken into the pan. Cook stirring few times until chicken is no longer pink and starts to develop some color (3-4 minutes).

Once chicken is no longer pink, add sliced garlic, white wine, chili flakes (if using), thyme, and capers to pan; cook 2 minutes to cook off wine. 

Microwave a cup of water in microwave safe container, mix in chicken bouillon. Stir to dissolve. Add to the pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 5 minutes. 

Stir in heavy cream and remaining olive oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat or until sauce slightly starts to thicken.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in lemon juice, and butter. Taste and add little or all of remaining salt per taste.

Add drained cooked pasta into the pan with Piccata Sauce. Top hot pasta with parmesan cheese. Toss gently to mix pasta and cheese into the Piccata Sauce. Garnish with fresh herbs and sliced lemon. Serve while hot. Sprinkle more parmesan on top before serving. (optional) Enjoy!

Pork Carnitas (Recipe 35 of 150)

This recipe was just ok. It was definitely citrus-y and that I liked. It just lacked more flavor. Flavors I'm used to with carnitas. I was very careful with the salt this time, so maybe that was part of it. It could also be one of those recipes that suffers when you cut it in half. Sometimes these low and slow recipes don't like it when you shift the measurements. 

Anyhow, it wasn't horrible, but wasn't great. My other carnita recipe is way better.

Pork Carnitas

Recipe from My Kitchen Escapades

Serves 6

• 4 pound boneless pork butt, fat trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 2 c water
• 1 medium orange, juiced and keep the spent halves

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat to 300 degrees. Combine all the ingredients in a large Dutch oven, including the spent orange halves and juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered. Once it simmers, cover pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook until the meat falls apart when prodded with a fork, about 2 hours.

Remove the pot from the oven and turn on the broiler. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and place it on a large foil-lined jelly roll pan. Remove and discard everything from the pot except for the cooking liquid. Place pot over high heat on the stove and boil until it thickens and syrupy, about 20 - 30 minutes. You should have about 1 C of liquid remaining when it is finished.

While the liquid is reducing, use two forks to pull each cube of pork into three equal sized pieces. Once the liquid has reduced, gently fold in the pieces of pork into the pot. Try not to break up the pork any further. Taste and add additional salt and pepper.

Spread the pork back onto the foil lined pan and evenly spread the meat around so there is a single layer of meat. Place the jelly roll pan on the lower middle rack of the oven and broil until the top of the meat is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, flip the pieces of meat and broil the other side until well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately in a tortilla with all your favorite toppings.

Hot Muffuletta Dip (Recipe 34 of 150)

Photo from Spicy Southern 
Kitchen

As I mentioned in my other post for today, tonight is Sunday dinner. But before we get to dessert we have to get through all the appetizers that are coming. The theme is Favorite: Appetizer, Dessert, Cocktail and wine. We are not going to starve. 

When in NOLA back in 2010 Muffuletta sandwiches were my favorite thing (next to beignets). I love a good salami and put that on a sandwich with an olive spread, you are speaking my language. 

So when I saw this recipe, I thought this might fill that muffuletta size hole in my heart. 

I will heat this up later tonight, but the "cold" version of this is fantastic. It could be served cold too if you'd prefer. 

I doubled the cream cheese for this recipe and really didn't measure the rest. I just tossed it in and waited until I thought it looked to my liking. 

Hot Muffuletta Dip

Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Serves 12

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Cajun or creole seasoning
• 1/2 c chopped green olives with pimentos
• 1/2 c chopped roasted red peppers, blotted dry
• 1/2 c chopped giardiniera
• 1/2 c diced salami
• 1/2 c diced mortadella
• 1/2 c diced ham
• 2 c shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 green onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch baking dish.

Place cream cheese, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer (or wooden spoon) to beat it until smooth.

Add next 7 ingredients and stir to mix.

Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle green onions on top.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark (Recipe 33 of 150)

Tonight is Sunday dinner and the theme is Favorite Appetizer / Favorite Dessert / Favorite cocktail /Favorite Wine. A lot of favorites. Most of the guests are bringing both an appetizer and a dessert, so we won't go hungry. 

I'm made a Muffaletta Dip for my appetizer. It wasn't a "favorite" because this is the first time I've made it, but it is a favorite now. 

This recipe was super easy. I am not a sweets person (savory is my game) so I thought this sugar free dark chocolate would be sweet enough. And since I licked the spoon after, it is exactly that. I used Lily's sugar free dark chocolate like the recipe suggests. It's good chocolate. 

If you're looking for something sorta sweet and trying to stay "healthy", this might be the recipe for you.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark

Recipe from SkinnyTaste

Serves 8

8 ounces Lily's sugar free dark chocolate baking bar*, from two 4 ounce bars

2 T creamy peanut butter

a few pinches of coarse sea salt, such as Maldon

Line a small 9 x 13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Chop the chocolate with a knife. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring the chocolate every 30 seconds to help avoid seizing. Once melted and smooth, set aside. This took me about 1 1/2 minutes, but will vary with every microwave.

Melt the peanut butter in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each increment, until completely smooth, about 4o seconds.

Pour chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading with a rubber spatula into a smooth layer.

Drizzle melted peanut butter mixture in parallel lines on top of chocolate. Run a toothpick or knife through to form swirls.

Top with a pinch or two of coarse sea salt.

Allow the bark to set completely in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.

Once hardened, break into pieces as large or as small as you want.

Keep bark stored in an airtight container refrigerated or in a in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week.

Beef Teriyaki Kebabs with Peppers and Zucchini (Recipe 32 of 150)

Photo from The Mom 100

YUM! This was a yummy, yummy marinade. Very similar to every other Asian marinade that I've made. It's a flavor I love and could eat all the time. 

I marinaded this 2 hours. It could have gone for more easily. I then grilled it - cuz that's how you're supposed to cook beef. I didn't put the cornstarch in it either since I was grilling these. 

Finally, I didn't use the peppers (blech) and the zucchini. I had a different veggies I needed to eat. 

Beef Teriyaki Kebabs with Peppers and Zucchini

Recipe The Mom 100

Serves 4

½ c less sodium soy sauce or tamari

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 T finely minced fresh ginger

2 tsp minced garlic

2 T mirin optional

3 T light or dark brown sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

1 ¼ pound filet mignon cut into 1½-inch cubes

1 large red bell pepper

1 large yellow bell pepper

2 small zucchini

1 T gochujang paste

Hot cooked rice to serve

8 12-inch wooden skewers

1 lime wedges to serve

Preheat the broiler. Place the wooden skewers in a shallow container and cover them with water. Let them soak for at least 20 minutes to prevent them from burning.

Place the soy sauce, vegetable oil, ginger, garlic, mirin, brown sugar, and cornstarch in a shallow bowl and stir to combine. Add the steak cubes and toss to coat well. Let marinate in the fridge for 2 to 8 hours (if you don’t have time for this, 15 minutes at room temperature will still add nice flavor).

Lightly oil a baking sheet. Cut out and discard the stems, ribs and seeds of the bell peppers, then cut them into 1-inch squares. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, then cut each half into ½-inch slices. Remove the beef from the marinade, transferring the marinade to a small saucepan. Skewer the vegetables and the beef onto the wooden skewers, alternating to create a nice pattern on each (knowing there will be many more vegetables than pieces of meat. Place the skewers on the baking sheet as you go.

Broil the kebabs for about 4 minutes on one side, then turn the skewers and broil for about another 4 minutes until the teriyaki glaze caramelizes and the meat is cooked to your liking (4 minutes on each side should get you to medium rare).

Meanwhile, add any part or all of the gochujang paste to the marinade in the saucepan (if desired; depending on the level of heat you want) and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and let the marinade simmer until it is slightly thickened and reduced, about 1 minute.

You can serve this all on one big serving platter with the kebabs over the rice, or dish up individual plates with a scoop of rice and a few kebabs on top. Drizzle the spicy (or mild) simmered marinade as desired over individual portions of the rice and skewers. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Mojo Chicken - Pollo Asado (Recipe 31 of 150)

Oh cumin...why? Why? WHY? 

This recipe could have been a contender! But no, the amount of cumin in it ruined it for me. 

Cumin and I are not friends. A little bit goes a long way for me. I stupidly followed the instructions (against my better judgment I might add) and put the whole 2 tsp amount in. Blech. 

It overpowered all the other flavors. 

I will try this one again I think. The citrus flavors combined are really on point for me. But that damn cumin. Grrr

Mojo Chicken - Pollo Asado

Recipe from Deep South Dish

Serves 4

3-4 pounds chicken thighs and/or legs

1/2 c water

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

2 lemons, zested and juiced

2 limes, zested and juiced

1 large orange, zested and juiced

1 T fresh minced garlic

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican preferred)

1 envelope Sazón with Coriander and Annatto

2 T chili powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken into a non-reactive bowl or zipper storage bag. Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Seal and refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to overnight.

Grill using your favorite method or use this indirect heat method by preheating with all burners on grill to 400 degrees F. Brush grates with a little cooking oil and sear chicken on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes, then turn half of grill off, and move chicken to cooler part of grill. Continue to cook chicken over indirect heat, turning several times, until fully cooked through, about 30 minutes total or until internal temperature in thickest part reaches 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Total time will depend on size and type of pieces.

Cook's Notes: Sazon with coriander and annatto is a common all-purpose seasoning used in Hispanic cooking and gives a beautiful color to dishes. You can find it in most big box and grocery stores, however it does usually contain MSG in addition to salt, dehydrated garlic, cumin, coriander and annatto. Make a homemade substitute if you prefer, or simply omit. Grilling over direct heat will cook faster, though it tends to dry the chicken out and char the skin as well. Keep an eye on it. Mexican oregano is more robust and less sweet than traditional Mediterranean style, but either will work.

Variation: If you'd got great access to chilies, certainly substitute for the chili powder. Use a rehydrated ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and rinsed, a chipotle chile in adobo, or your favorite chile, finely minced or pureed.

To Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place chicken in a single layer into a baking dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, reads 165 degrees F. Total time will depend on size and type of pieces.

Small Batch Pico de Gallo: Mix together 2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes, juices retained, with 3/4 cup diced red or yellow onion, 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, ribs removed and minced, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Baked Chicken-Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy (Recipe 30 of 150)

I really like chicken fried steak. I mean, what's not to like? This recipe was good, but I didn't follow it completely. 

First off, canned mushrooms? I don't think so. I sautéed up some button mushrooms and used those instead.

I sautéed the mushrooms and onions together, then fried the steaks. That way made more sense to me. the rest I followed. 

It's a good recipe. It could braise a bit longer honestly. 

Baked Chicken-Fried Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Recipe from Skinny and Tasty

Serves 6

• 1 c peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• 6 (4 ounces) cube steaks
• ⅔ c finely diced onion
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• ½  can water, or as needed
• 1 (10.75 ounces) can of condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 pinch seasoned salt, or to taste
• 1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 pinch black pepper, or to taste
• 2 (4.5 ounces) cans sliced mushrooms with juice

Prepare the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Apply cooking spray in a 9x12-inch baking dish.

Sprinkle flour in a shallow dish. Add the steaks into the flour and toss until well coated. Shake off any excess. Place a skillet on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add peanut oil and allow it to become hot.

Add the steaks and fry each side for about 5 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Arrange 3 fried steaks to the bottom of the greased baking dish. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the steaks.

Arrange 1/3 cup of onion slices on top of the steaks. Repeat the process until everything is arranged in layers.

Add the soup into a mixing bowl. Add the drained canned mushrooms into the bowl with the soup. Stir until well mixed. Pour the mixture on top of the steaks and spread it evenly.

Cover the baking dish and bake the steaks for about 30 minutes.

Turn the heat down to 300 degrees F, then bake for another 30 minutes or until the texture of the gravy becomes thick.

Shish Tawook (Recipe 29 of 150)

There's this little restaurant in Kirkland called Mediterranean Kitchen. Their Shisk Tawook is what dreams are made of. I love it. I hardly ever get to Kirkland these days, but I always have the craving for this meal. 

I found this recipe in a magazine and hoped it would stand up against that of Med Kitchen. It did not. BUT, it was still delicious. 

The tomato paste makes it a little sweet. I'd add salt and pepper this time. It wasn't in the recipe so for some reason I didn't season the chicken. 

Shish Tawook

Recipe from Clean Eating Magazine

Serves 4

• 1/2 c Balkan yogurt or whole milk yogurt (do not use greek)
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 T honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp each ground ginger and salt
• 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 in cubes

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, toss to coat. Marinate in yogurt mixture in the fridge for up to 4 hours. 

Divide chicken among skewers. Grill on a medium high heat for 10-12 minutes, turning once half way through. 

Chipped Beef Cheese Ball (Recipe 28 of 150)

Friday night was book club night. This group of ladies are so much fun and pick some interesting books. Some I've like. Some are just ok. And some are OMG sooo good. This book was that type of book. 

But I'll talk about that on the other blog. This is about the appetizer I brought. 

Chipped beef! I haven't seen, thought, or had chipped beef for a thousand years. Grandma Spaid used to make chipped beef gravy that we'd put over toast (some people call that SOS, but their wrong. SOS is hamburger gravy over toast. So says I.)

This is a good appetizer. Super simple and feeds a crowd for sure. I cut the recipe in half because it was only 4 of us and we barely put a dent in it. 

Pro note: Chipped beef is SALTY. Do not be an idiot like me and add any salt. 

Chipped Beef Cheese Ball

Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Serves 12

• 1 (4.5-ounce) jar dried beef
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 c chopped toasted pecans

Place dried beef in a bowl of warm water for 3 minutes. Drain and blot dry with paper towels. Chop into little pieces.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and blended.

Add dried beef and cheddar cheese and mix in.

Stir in half the green onions.

Shape mixture into a ball and cover in plastic wrap. refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Roll cheese ball in green onions and toasted pecans and serve with crackers.

Tomato Salad with Steak Sauce Vinaigrette (Recipe 27 of 150)

Photo from Rachael Ray

I've had this recipe for a minute or two. I always wanted to make it for an "occasion" and it never seemed to come to mind when any "occasion" came up. 

So when it filtered through my "random" selection last week, I decided to just do it.

This vinaigrette is fantastic. Tangy with a little bite, and so good with tomatoes. 

Roma tomatoes are hit and miss to me. This time of year especially. I wanted to use an heirloom tomato but couldn't find them. And the beef steak tomatoes looked sketchy. I opted for the heirloom cherry tomatoes for this. 

Here's a little weird Jenn knowledge: I am not a fan of tomatoes IN a lettuce salad. But am happy to eat a side of tomatoes. Weird, right? 

Make this! You won't regret it. 

Tomato Salad with Steak Sauce Vinaigrette

Recipe from Cuisine at Home 2014

• 1/3 c purchased steak sauce (I used A1)
• 3 T olive oil
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp prepared horseradish
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 5 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/4 c fresh parsley

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grate with oil. 

Whisk together steak sauce, oil, vinegar, horseradish, and Dijon; season with salt and pepper. 

Brush onion slices with additional steak sauce and grill, covered, until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Chop. 

Place tomatoes and onions in a bowl and drizzle with vinaigrette, and garnish with parsley.