Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon (68 of 150)

Fish is something that's really hard for me to get into my meal planning. I don't have too many fish recipes, so when one comes up, I take full advantage of it. 

Salmon is one of my favorite fish to eat. I do like it cooked well though. Tonight was the first time I put it in the air fryer. Pro tip: make sure the skin side is also oiled. If not, the skin is going to stick to the air fryer and make it harder to clean. 

Ahem. 

I tossed some broccoli in olive oil and lemon pepper and added it into the basket half way through. 

This is an easy, and delicious recipe. Lemon and salmon are a good paring. 

Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon

Recipe from Sweet C Designs

Serves 4

• 4 6 oz salmon filets
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Italian herbs

In a large bowl, drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over salmon and rub to make sure the salmon filets are evenly coated.

Season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian herbs.

Arrange salmon filets in air fryer basket, making sure they don't touch too much (don't over crowd the basket, so air can move around salmon easily).

Arrange lemon slices on and around salmon in air fryer basket.

Set air fryer to 400 degrees and cook for 10 minutes for salmon with a little bit of red in the middle.

Cook for 12 minutes for salmon with no red in the middle, 14 for well done salmon or thicker salmon filets.

Serve and enjoy!

Hamburger Soup (67 of 150)

It's the hottest day of the year here in Seattle, so far. So making soup for dinner wasn't the best choice. But when I selected this a week ago it was wet, rainy and cold. Ah well. 

I've made other soups like this one. Nothing different or special about this one really. It was yummy and super easy to make. 

I opted to not add the potatoes since I'm trying to keep the carbs low. And I didn't miss them at all. I did miss a nice piece of garlic bread to go with it. 

This recipe will likely make it into the rotation when the fall comes back. It's a nice, comforting, hearty soup.

Hamburger Soup

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 12

2-1/2 pounds Ground Chuck

1 whole Large Onion, Diced

2 stalks Celery, Diced

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 can (14.5 Ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes

3 c Beef Stock Or Beef Broth, Plus More As Needed

4 whole Carrots, Peeled And Sliced On The Diagonal

5 whole Red Potatoes, Cut Into Chunks

3 T Tomato Paste

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (more To Taste)

1/2 tsp Black Pepper, More To Taste

2 tsp Dried Parsley Flakes

1/2 tsp Ground Oregano

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (more To Taste)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the meat with the onion, celery, and garlic. Remove the pot from the heat and drain off as much fat as you can. (Discard the fat once it cools.)

Return the pot to the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, then cover the pot and simmer the soup for 15-20 more minutes, until potatoes are tender but not overly mushy.

Soup should be somewhat thick, but if you'd like it to be more "soupy," add 1 to 2 cups more broth OR hot water and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed.

Serve with crusty bread!

Hawaiian Chicken (66 of 150)

Photo from Carlsbad
Cravings

It's beautiful outside today. And a perfect day to grill. Though, I'd argue that any day is a great day to grill. I've never understood the "grilling season" idea. All year is grilling season to me. But there is something special about grilling on a sunny, spring day. 

This was a delicious marinade. I cut the chicken into chunks and then marinaded for 5 hours. I saved some marinade to baste the chicken while grilling. That was a good call. 

I'd make this again. You should make it. You'll like it. I promise. 

Oh I should mention I was out of ketchup. So I added in some tomato bouillon to give it that tomato taste. It was pretty tasty with that.

Hawaiian Chicken

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Serves 4

• 1/2 c canned pineapple juice*
• 1/3 c olive oil
• 1/3 packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 c reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 c ketchup
• 1/4 c Asian sweet chili sauce like Mae Ploy
• 1 T Asian chili sauce
• 1 tsp EACH ground ginger, onion powder, garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp EACH paprika, salt, pepper
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a large freezer bag or bowl. Remove ¼ cup to baste chicken while grilling.

Add chicken, remove excess air, seal and turn to coat. Marinate 4-24 hours (marinate up to 12 hours if using chicken breasts).

Heat grill to medium-high heat (375-400 degrees F), clean and grease. Add chicken and cook 6-8 minutes per side, or until no longer pink and the chicken registers 165-175 degrees F. Baste the chicken with the reserved ¼ cup marinade the last 3 minutes.

Hawaiian chicken is especially delicious with fresh grilled pineapple and cilantro lime rice.

Air Fryer Breaded Cubed Steak (Bistec Empanizado) (65 of 150)

Ask anyone who knows me what I'll order for breakfast - almost every time? And they'll tell you
Chicken Fried Steak. My heart does a pitter pat for chicken fried steak. But if I continue to eat it my heart won't be doing any pitter patting at all. So, I must find a skinnier version. 

This recipes must have come from my favorite town "Crunchville". But, the crunch didn't come from the bread crumbs. Nope, I swapped those bad boys out for pork rinds again. It really does have a good crunch to it. 

I also used season salt instead of boring old salt. I'm not sure if that makes a difference at all, I'm trying to use it up you see. 

Air Fryer Breaded Cubed Steak (Bistec Empanizado)

Recipe from SkinnyTaste

Serves 4

• 4 pieces cubed steak (beef round sirloin), 16 ounces total
• 3 large eggs, with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs*
• olive oil spray
• white rice and lime wedges, optional for serving

Season the beef with salt on both sides.

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl with water.

Dip the beef in the egg, then into the breadcrumbs, patting it with the back of a fork so it sticks.

Transfer to the air fryer basket in batches as needed.

Spray the top of the beef with oil then air fry 400F in a single layer 5 minutes on each side, spraying the other side when you flip. Serve with rice and lime wedges, if desired.

Fish Sticks (64 of 150)

During my days in Jenny Craig, one of their meals was my all time favorite. Their fish and chips. I know. I know. It's not the "real" thing, but when you're trying to keep your stomach from getting larger than Texas, it's a way to curb that craving. The two VERY little fish sticks were served with 5 VERY SMALL wedge potatoes. But there was something about them. 

I do like me some fish and chips. And as I mentioned above about Texas, they just aren't in the cards these days. But, there's no reason I can't take a fish stick recipe and make it healthy, right? 

This is a very basic, very common recipe for fish sticks in the air fryer. The key to the crunch is panko - which is not on my low carbish list. So I decided to try the old stand by - pork rinds. Yes, that's a thing in low carb eating. Swapping crushed pork rinds for panko. It's oddly similar. You don't get that pork rind flavor, just the crunch. 

The secret to crunchy in the air fryer is spraying the meat with a PAM or something similar before you put it in. 

I served these with my homemade cocktails sauce. I made this up during the Jenny Craig Fish n Chip days. It's basically a couple of hefty squirts of ketchup (sugar free of course), a tsp or so of horseradish and a Tablespoon or so of mayo. I got a little heavy handed with the horseradish tonight...spicy! Cleared out my sinuses though. 

You could also bake these in a traditional oven. You'd have adjust the time a little. 

Fish Sticks

Recipe from Centennial Kitchen Air Fryer Recipes

Serves 4

• 4 (6oz) cod fillets
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 c panko
• 1 T Old Bay Seasoning

Cut each cod fillet into 4 sticks. Pat dry with paper towels.

Set up a dredging station. First bowl mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper. In second, beat eggs. In third mix breadcrumbs and old bay seasoning.

Coat fix in flour, then egg, then panko. Pressing panko to adhere.

Spray sticks with cooking spray. Place sticks in air fryer basket. Cook @ 400F for 10 minutes; turning once halfway through. 

Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy (63 of 150)

I'm not exactly sure why I thought this would be a good recipe. I suck at making meatballs. I tend to get them too "wet" and they don't stay together. 

So, I gotta admit, this time I completely cheated. I didn't make my meatballs from scratch *gasp! I mean the meat department does such a good job and all the ingredients are the same, so why would I waste my time? I'll admit, though, I kinda wish I had and mixed pork and ground beef. I am not a huge fan of ground pork and the meatballs I bought were all pork. Don't get me wrong, I like ground pork, but I like to cut it with either chicken or beef. 

Ahem.

That aside, this recipe was good. The gravy needed a bit more savory for me so I added a dash (very small dash) of Worcestershire sauce. 

Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Serves 6

For Meatballs:

• 2 pound ground pork
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 3 T fresh dill (chopped)
• 2 eggs
• ¾ c bread crumbs
• ¼ c buttermilk
• 1 T hot sauce (I used Sriracha sauce)
• salt and pepper to taste
• vegetable oil

For the mushroom sauce:

• ½ pound cremini mushrooms (sliced)
• 4 T unsalted butter
• ¼ c all-purpose flour
• ¼ c white wine
• ½ c heavy cream
• 1 c chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine the meatballs: Add all the meatball ingredients (excluding the vegetable oil) to a large bowl and mix well using your hands. Shape into 1 inch meatballs. You should get about 40 to 50 meatballs.

Prep for cooking: Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Add some vegetable oil to a large skillet, about 1/4 cup and heat it over medium-high heat.

Cook the meatballs: Add meatballs to the skillet and cook. If not all meatballs fit in the skillet you will have to do this in a couple batches. Cook the meatballs on all sides, adding more oil if needed in between batches. Remove meatballs from skillet to prepared baking sheet, to soak up the oil.

Saute the mushrooms: Discard any leftover oil from the skillet and add the butter and melt. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and saute for about 5 minutes until they start to brown.

Create the sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir, cook for about 1 minute to remove the raw taste of flour. Add the white wine, heavy cream and chicken broth. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken and reduce a bit. If the sauce is too thick add a bit more heavy cream or chicken broth.

Finish the dish: Add the meatballs to the mushroom sauce and toss them around making sure they're covered in the sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes until they heat through, then garnish with fresh parsley or dill. Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

Southern Smothered Pork Chops (62 of 150)

I try to get more pork and more fish into my meals, but I find it so hard to cook pork. I always ... ALWAYS over cook chops. 

Tonight I made these chops and I had two bone-in chops that were cut to at least 1 1/2 in thick. I thought, "Surely I can't over cook these." Hah. I did. But, I know why, so at least there's that. 

Because they were so thick I just couldn't imagine them cooking in the pan like they suggest below. So instead, I skipped the dusting of flour, but seared them in a pan, then popped them in a 350F oven while I cooked the sauce. 

I had a timer on and I was sure I wasn't going to over cook them. Alas, I did. I got distracted by cleaning the kitchen after I made the sauce that I ended up leaving them in after the timer went off. Gah! 

Aside from them being overcooked, they were still tasty. The sauce is a salty, savory, luscious, slightly creamy gravy that coats the chops perfectly. 

Southern Smothered Pork Chops

Recipe from 12Tomatoes

Serves 4

• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3-4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops (1 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
• 3/4 c all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 T  extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 T unsalted butter
• 2 c chicken broth
• 1/3  heavy cream

In a small bowl, stir together the salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Season pork chops liberally with spice mixture on both sides.

Take 1/2 cup of the flour and spread out on a large plate or shallow dish. Dredge each pork chop in flour on both sides and shake off excess.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, brown pork chops until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add onion to skillet and cook until soft and starting to caramelize, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Push onion and garlic to one side of the pan and add butter to empty side. Once melted, mix remaining flour into butter. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden, 1-2 minutes.

Gradually add chicken broth to flour mixture, whisking constantly. Once combined, stir together with the onions and garlic, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until thick, about 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and whisk in heavy cream. If sauce is too thick, you can thin with addition cream or chicken broth. Nestle pork chops in sauce, cover, and cook until a meat thermometer registers at least 145°F in the thickest part of the pork chop. This should take between 15 and 25 minutes depending on the size of your chops.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas (61 of 150)

Photo from Love and Lemons

As I'm learning to eat healthier, I'm forever on the hunt for a crunchy snack to replace chips. This doesn't replace chips entirely, but it's a nice, crunchy snack. 

I used Lemon pepper as my spice of choice. I also rinsed the chickpeas first. There's a starch around the beans when you used canned, so rinsing them just makes them less starchy. I placed them out on a paper towel and let them dry for about 30 minutes.

In the oven they went. My oven is sketchy with the temperature so mine were in for 30 minutes before they were crispy enough for me. I checked them every 10 minutes and shook the pan to rotate the chickpeas so all sides can be crispy. 

Next time, I'm gonna try them in the airfryer.

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Recipe from Love and Lemons

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Sea salt
• Paprika, curry powder, or other spices (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. Remove any loose skins.

Transfer the dried chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of salt.

Roast the chickpeas for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Ovens can vary, if your chickpeas are not crispy enough, keep going until they are!

Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices, if using.

Store roasted chickpeas in a loosely-covered container at room temperature. They are best used within two days.

Honey-Balsamic Steak Bites (60 of 150)

It's official. I do not like steak pan seared. Grilling! That's the only way for me. 

Wasn't a fan of this recipe. The sauce was too sweet for me. I'm a more savory gal, and this just wasn't it for me. 

If I made it again I'd 1) grill the bites and 2) use 1/2 of the honey.

Honey-Balsamic Steak Bites

Recipe from The Kitchn

Serves 4

• 2 T honey
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 2 medium scallions
• 2 pounds (1 to 1 1/2-inch thick) New York strip steaks
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 T olive oil

Whisk 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl. Thinly slice 2 medium scallions (about 1/4 cup). Cut 2 pounds New York strip steak into 1-inch cubes, then season them with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the steak cubes and sear until browned, flipping them halfway through, 6 to 8 minutes total. Add the honey and balsamic vinegar mixture and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and garnish with the scallions.

Tandoori Chicken (59 of 150)

Tandoori chicken is one of my favorite meals to order at Indian restaurants. The vibrant flavor is one that feels comforting to me. Tandoori chicken is usually baked in a "tandoor" oven. A clay oven that's popular in Indian cooking. I've never actually seen one or have witnessed chicken being baked in it, but it feels like something I need to check out. 

The spices in tandoori chicken are warm and savory. The garam masala gives it the unique Indian flavor that's familiar to me and one of my favorites. 

This was an easy recipe and pulling the air fryer out was a treat. It's been awhile. You don't need the air fryer to make this. You could easily grill or bake this chicken as well. 

Tandoori Chicken

Recipe from The Air Fryer Cook Book

Serves 4

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 c plain whole yogurt
• 4 tsp lime juice
• 4 5 oz bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

Combine garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, chili power, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl and microwave until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside to cool. Then stir in 1/4 c yogurt and 1 T lime juice. 

Pat chicken dry. Poke skin side of chicken 10-15 times. Add to bowl with yogurt and toss to coat. Let marinate for 10 minutes. While chicken marinades, combine remaining yogurt and remaining 1 tsp lime juice in a clean bowl; season with salt and pepper. 

Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, arrange chicken skin side up in air fryer basket. Place basket in air fryer and set temp to 400F. Cook until chicken is well browned and crispy  and registers 195F, 20-30 minutes, rotating halfway through. 

Transfer chicken to serving platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with reserved yogurt / lime mixture.

Perfect Tomato Salad (58 of 150)

Mmm tomatoes! I only wish they tasted like fresh tomatoes off the vine. Is there anything like that in the world? I think not. 

Lacking tomato plants and the right season, I suffered through some store bought cherry tomatoes. In all fairness, the little multicolored cherry tomatoes from Mexico work fine for now. 

This is a nice salad. Refreshing. The vinaigrette is a standard mustard vinaigrette. I'd make this again - especially this summer when tomatoes are at their best. 

Perfect Tomato Salad

Recipe from The Salt Marshmallow

Serves 6

• 2 c Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1 T Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Clove Garlic Minced
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• Salt & Pepper To Taste
• ¼ c Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Wash the cherry tomatoes. Slice them in half, and place in a large serving bowl.

In a small bowl or mason jar with a tight fitting lid, shake together the oiive oil, balsamic, garlic, mustard, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste until well combined.

Stir the dressing into the cherry tomatoes.

Top with parmesan cheese as desired.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Slow Cooker Thai Beef Curry (57 of 150)

Last night was April Sunday dinner. Our theme was Thai. This was a tough theme for me. All the things I would normally make for Thai were taken. That left me with having to do some research in my recipe database to see what I have for "thai". I didn't want to make chicken (we already had two chicken dishes coming). I opted for beef. 

This meal turned out way better than I thought it would. The flavor was not spicy, but had a good red curry flavor. I was worried it'd be too spicy considering the amount of red curry paste that went into it. 

The green beans added a nice crunch to the dish. 

Overall, I'd give this dish a solid 4 stars. 

Slow Cooker Thai Beef Curry
Recipe from Eating Well

Serves 8

• 1 T canola oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• ½ c unsalted beef stock
• ¼ c Thai red curry paste
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1 T light brown sugar
• 1 (10-oz.) yellow onion, sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
• ¾ c well-shaken canned full-fat coconut milk
• 8 ounces haricots verts (French green beans), halved crosswise
• ½ c loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 9 ounces fresh spinach (about 9 cups)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add beef, and cook in 2 batches, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. 

Place browned beef in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add stock to skillet, stirring and scraping to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet; transfer mixture to slow cooker. 

Add curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, and onion; stir to loosely combine. 

Cover, and cook on low until beef is very tender, about 8 hours.

Add coconut milk and haricots verts to slow cooker.

 Increase heat to high; cook until haricots verts are tender, about 12 minutes. 

Turn off heat; add cilantro leaves, spinach, and lime juice. Stir gently until spinach starts to wilt. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Citrus Bbq Grilled Chicken (56 of 150)

I've tried many many chicken marinades. And I have many many more to try. Chicken is mostly boring to me without a marinade of some sort...mostly. 

This marinade I wouldn't recommend. It's just "ok", but not great. The BBQ sauce actually added flavor that it didn't seem to have (I only put BBQ on half of the chicken tenders). The tenders without the BBQ needed salt and pepper. They just tasted meh. 

Citrus Bbq Grilled Chicken

Recipe from Plain Chicken

Serves 4

½ c orange juice

1 tsp minced garlic

¼ c lime juice

1 T Knorr chicken bouillon

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

⅓ cup BBQ sauce

Place chicken in a gallon Ziplock freezer bag.

Whisk together orange juice, minced garlic, lime juice, and chicken bouillon. Pour over chicken and refrigerate a few hours to overnight.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook on the grill until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. A few minutes before taking the chicken off the grill, brush both sides with BBQ sauce.

Can use the marinade on any cut of chicken – breasts, tenders, thighs, wings, or legs.

Easy Hibachi Steak and Fried Rice (55 of 150)

Have you ever had a meal that you just cannot forget? I had one back in college at a restaurant with Mom and Dad. I don't remember the restaurant, but I do remember I ordered hibachi steak. It was to die for. It was savory, a little salty and so tender. You'd think I would have found a recipe to make on my own.

I also didn't really know what Hibachi means, so Wikipedia told me this: 

The word hibachi means “fire bowl” and refers to the cylindrical shape of the container, which has an open top and is designed to burn wood or charcoal. Hibachi containers are made out of wood or ceramic and are lined with metal. 

Tonight I made this recipe and it was oh so delicious. It definitely reminded me of the steak I had in college - at least I think it does. I'd make this steak again. The marinade has all the flavors I love and then some. In all transparency, I did not use 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil - that's too much sesame oil for me. I used 1 T and it was perfect. 

As for the fried rice, amazingly delicious. I did not add the peas and carrots cuz I think those are gross in rice. The basmati makes the rice extra special. I'd make this again for sure. 

Easy Hibachi Steak and Fried Rice

Recipe from Hungry Happens

Serves 4

Steak:

• 1½ lbs NY Strip Steak
• 2 T low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
• 2 T sesame oil (or olive oil)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T ginger paste
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T honey (optional)

Fried Rice:

• 6 c cooked + cooled Basmati rice
• 2 T sesame oil (or olive oil)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 eggs
• 12 oz bag frozen vegetables, thawed
• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 2 T butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T ginger paste
• 1 T sesames seeds

Steak:

Whisk together the soy sauce, oil, garlic, ginger, Worcestershire and honey in a small bowl.

Slice your steak into small 1½ inch cubes. Transfer to a bag or bowl and toss to coat all. Marinate for at least an hour in your fridge.

Fried Rice:

Heat a griddle or use two pans separately on HIGH for 4 minutes. You want it really HOT. Add the sesame oil, rice, onion and eggs and cook for 3 minutes tossing and mixing with your spatula. Next stir in the vegetables to distribute. Now, mix in the soy sauce, butter, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want a golden brown crust to form on the rice.

Push the rice over to the other side of your griddle and add the steak to the heat. Spread out and cook a few minutes per side.

Garlic Parmesan Cheese Tortellini (54 of 150)

Photo from Butter
Your Biscuit

Happy Easter! Hope everyone had the easter meal they dreamed of. I wanted something simple and carby to round out the CARB Mother Load weekend. Yesterday I ate way too many carbs and I decided to just keep it going with tortellini. 

Asparagus is a nice addition to this recipe. I highly recommend using asparagus that's a little bigger than a pencil in diameter. I used the smaller asparagus and it was over cooked by the time I put it all together. 

And to top off that, I neglected to put the garlic into this Garlic Parmesan Cheese Tortellini. Ugh. I chopped it. It was ready. I just got distracted when sauteing the asparagus that I just forgot. 

Be sure to use half and half and not heavy cream. This is a pretty thick sauce and if you're using the flour, the heavy cream really thickens up (she says from experience).

I dropped a dollop of pesto into the cream sauce. I had some left over pesto that I needed to use up. There was just enough to add some extra flavor.

Garlic Parmesan Cheese Tortellini

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 6

• 1 pkg 20 oz cheese tortellini *see notes
• 2 T butter
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 T flour
• 1 3/4 c half n half
• 1/2 c Parmesan freshly grated
• 6 pieces bacon
• 1/2 lb asparagus chopped washed trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 c frozen peas
• salt/pepper to taste

Cook tortellini according to pkg directions, drain and set aside

In a large skillet cook bacon until crispy, remove and on a paper towel

In the same skillet add asparagus and sauté until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add butter, and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes Whisk in flour and cook another minute. Add in half n half, whisk until combined, and reduce heat to medium low, bring to a low simmer. Add in Parmesan and stir until melted.

Stir in tortellini, peas, asparagus, and bacon mix until combined.

Serve!

3-Ingredient Marinated Chicken (53 of 150)

I had a faux pas tonight in that I counted how many recipes I needed for this week. I was off by one. Tonight's dinner. 

I had options. I considered eating out. But that always means poor choices for me. I had some things I could thrown together that would have been better choices, but not great choices. So I went to my list of recipes. 

This recipe couldn't be any easier. I had some Italian dressing from another recipe I've made recently. And I always have soy sauce on hand. 

This wasn't a great recipe. It had flavor, but not FLAVOR. It was good for a last minute toss together, but I won't be making it again.

3-Ingredient Marinated Chicken

Recipe from Plain Chicken

Serves 4

• 1 c Italian dressing
• 1 c low sodium soy sauce
• 4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Whisk together Italian dressing and soy sauce. Pour over chicken and refrigerate at least one hour to overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade and grill 12 to 15 minutes until done.

Baked Pimento Cheese Dip (52 of 150)

For book club this month, I opted to bring the appetizer. I have a LIST of appetizers that I want to make and it seems book club is the only opportunity I have. 

Pimento cheese dip is a dip that brings back some vivid memories of summers with my Grandma Spaid. She used to buy these little jars or pimento dip. When she was done with the dip, shed' wash the jar and use it for her daily wine. 

I've had Pimento Cheese dip in the south before a couple of times. It varies slightly from place to place, but the general idea is what this recipe is about to me. 

Delicious recipe. I didn't bake it because, well, I just didn't. I like it better without baking. We gobbled it right up though. I'd make this again in a heart beat.

Baked Pimento Cheese Dip

Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Serves 12

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 c mayonnaise
• 1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 (8-ounce) package pepper Jack cheese grated
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
• 2 (4-ounce) jars diced pimientos, drained
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and both cheeses. Use a wooden spoon to mix them together well.

Place red peppers and pimientos on paper towels and pat out excess moisture. Roughly chop the peppers and add them along with pimientos to bowl.

Add hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper and stir everything together.

Spoon into prepared baking dish, place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

One Pan Chicken Kebab with Potatoes and Broccoli (Recipe 51 of 150)

American's Test Kitchen recipes rarely let me down. So when I come across one that inspires me I feel compelled to make it. Their flavors in most their recipes are not complex and they provide enough instructions to make anything difficult seem easy. 

This recipe was a head scratcher for me. First I have to say I didn't make the potatoes and broccoli. For some odd reason I didn't buy either of them when grocery shopping. I really need to sharpen my attention to detail skills when it comes to making grocery lists. 

Ahem. 

I love red curry. It's one of those flavors I dream about. I especially love it in a coconut sauce poured over rice. But in my attempt to eat at least a little better, I thought this recipe would give me the red curry flavor that I love. And I was right. 

This recipe is NOT spicy. It calls for 2 tablespoons of red curry paste and Greek yogurt. I think the yogurt tames it a bit. In hindsight, I wish I had made the "sauce" portion of this recipe for the actual marinade. See, not only did I forget to get potatoes and broccoli, but I only got 1 Greek yogurt and I used part of it in another recipe this week. 

It needed a little more flavor to it. Lime juice would have been a great addition. 

One Pan Chicken Kebab with Potatoes and Broccoli

Recipe from American Test Kitchen / Cook's Country

Serves 4

Chicken

• 1/2 c plain Greek yogurt
• 2 T red curry paste
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 (6-8oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 2" chunks

Sauce

• 1/2 c plan Greek yogurt
• 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 T lime juice
• 1 T water
• 1 tsp red curry paste
• salt and pepper

Veggie

• 1 1/2 lb small red potatoes, unpeeled/halved
• 1/4 c vegetable oil, divided
• 1 lb broccoli, cut into 2" florets

FOR THE CHICKEN: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Whisk yogurt, curry paste, oil, salt, and pepper together in medium bowl. Add chicken and stir to combine. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Thread chicken onto four 12-inch metal skewers; set aside.

FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl.

FOR THE VEGETABLES: Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss potatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together on prepared sheet. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, around outside of sheet. Bake until bottoms begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove sheet from oven and heat broiler. Toss broccoli, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Place broccoli in center of sheet. Place kebabs around perimeter of sheet on top of potatoes. 

Return sheet to oven and broil until chicken is lightly charred on top, about 8 minutes. Flip kebabs and continue to broil until lightly charred on second side and chicken registers 160 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes longer. 

Serve kebabs with vegetables and sauce.

Chicken Kawarma with Lemon Sauce Over Hummus (Recipe 50 of 150)

I wasn't sure about this recipe when I read it and now having made it I'm still unsure. 

See the problem is Allspice and cinnamon. I'm not a fan of cinnamon in a savory dish. I prefer it in a cinnamon bun. Allspice is not a favorite flavor either and as it turned out I didn't have Allspice in my spice rack - which is odd because I knew I had it at one point. 

At any rate, this recipe was just ok. It lacked something for me, but I really can't pin point it. 

I ate this on a Middle Eastern flat bread. I had them from a previous recipe so I wanted to use them up. And I forgot all about the sauce, even through I made it. I don't think that would have made a difference. 

Chicken Kawarma with Lemon Sauce Over Hummus

Recipe from The Mom 100

Serves 8

For the Lemon Sauce:

• ½ c chopped fresh parsley
• Zest of one lemon
• ½ c fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ tsp finely minced garlic
• 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
• ½ tsp coarse or kosher salt

For the Chicken Kawarma

• 3 pounds skinless boneless thighs
• ¾ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• ¼ T chopped fresh mint
• ¼ c chopped fresh parsley
• Coarse or kosher salt to taste
• 2 T olive oil divided
• 1 recipe Hummus with Sesame Oil or 1 16-ounce store-bought container
• To Serve:
• Caramelized Onions see Note
• Toasted Sesame Seeds
• Pomegranate seeds

Make the Lemon Sauce: In a small bowl combine the parsley, lemon zest and juice, garlic, jalapeno, and salt. Set aside.

For the Chicken Kawarma, dice the chicken. In a large bowl combine the pepper, allspice, cinnamon, oregano, vinegar, mint, parsley and salt. Add the chicken, toss to coat and let marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or in the fridge for about 2 hours.

In a large skillet over medium high heat add about 2 teaspoons of the oil. When hot, add about 1/3 of the chicken mixture and sauté for about 4 minutes, until the chicken is just barely cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 teaspoons of oil, and 1/3 of the chicken. Add that to the first batch of cooked chicken. Repeat with the rest of the oil, and the spiced chicken.

Meanwhile, spread the hummus in a thick circle, with the edges a bit higher than the middle (like a rimmed plate made of hummus). You can do this on individual plates if you’re feeling sophisticated,or on a large platter. Pile the chicken mixture into the center of the circle(s) of hummus, drizzle the sauce generously over the chicken, and sprinkle with any desired toppings.

Perfect Machaca (Recipe 49 of 150)

I've never had Machaca before. In fact, I didn't even know what it was. I thought, after reading the recipe, that it was a simple stewed beef. Turns out it's a lot more than that. 

According to the website Serious Eats; 

Machaca is a Northen Mexican type of dried meat, often made from beef. Slices or strips of beef are traditionally marinated with ingredients like salt and garlic, then left to dry under the hot desert sun. This natural drying process can take several days and, when it's ready, the meat looks and tastes like jerky. 

But what makes it machaca is what happens next: The dried meat is pounded or crushed, typically by hand, with a large, coarse mortar and pestle, until it's broken into small fluffy pieces. At that point, the machaca can be saved in a zip-lock back for later use, whether that's folding it into scrambled eggs to make the Sonoran dish machacado con huevos, throwing it into a braise to rehydrate and soften, or adding it to simmering tomatoes and onions for a burrito filling.

So there you have it. This is NOT how this recipe was made. First, we don't have hot sun here and second, who has time for that?

This was a simple, throw into the crock pot, type of recipe. I left it on low for 8 hours hoping the meat would be easy to shred and tender. I couldn't find chuck roast (which was shocking) so I used a rump roast. It doesn't have as much fat so it wasn't as flavorful as a chuck roast would have been. 

I also didn't marinade the meat over night. This is because I didn't read the recipe until today. oops. I am not sure that would make much difference to the flavor. If I made this again, I'd make a little extra of the spice rub and toss that into the crock pot with the tomatoes, broth and onions.

Perfect Machaca

Recipe from The Salty Marshmallow

Serves 12

• 3 lb Chuck Roast
• 1 T Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp Oregano
• 1 tsp Paprika
• ½ tsp Cayenne
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 3 T Vegetable Oil
• 1 15 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
• ½ c Beef Broth
• 2 Onions, sliced
• 2 Jalapeños, sliced
• Juice of Two Large Limes

In a small bowl mix together the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.

Season the roast evenly with the spice mixture. Cover the roast with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the roast and sear until browned on all sides.

Add the roast to the crockpot. Pour over the diced tomatoes, broth, bell pepper onion, jalapenos, then squeeze over the lime juice.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve immediately with your favorite toppings! This meat is great for nachos, burritos, tacos, or salad!

Tortellini with Prosciutto and Peas (Recipe 48 of 150)

Photo from
Modern Honey

Blueberry came to dinner tonight and I know she loves pasta as much as I do. I don't cook tortellini much and I'm not sure why. It's so good. Add it with a tomato cream sauce and prosciutto and - BAM instant deliciousness. 

The recipe author suggests that if you want a creamy sauce to blend the tomatoes and cream together in a blender first. I took 1/2 of the tomatoes and blended that with the cream. I still wanted some texture with the tomatoes. It was a nice combination. 

I'd make this again. It was easy and flavorful. 

Tortellini with Prosciutto and Peas

Recipe from Modern Honey

Serves 4

• 18 - 20 ounces Cheese Tortellini (fresh refrigerated tortellini)
• 3 T Butter
• 3 Cloves Garlic minced
• ¼ pound Prosciutto cut into thin strips
• 2 c Heavy Cream
• (1) 14.5 ounce can Petite Diced Tomatoes
• ¾ c Parmesan Cheese
• ½ to ¾ c Frozen Peas
• ¼ c Fresh Basil thinly sliced
• Salt + Pepper to taste

Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Generously salt water before adding pasta.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add prosciutto and cook for 3-4 minutes, until slightly crispy.

Add heavy cream and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. If you prefer a creamy tomato sauce, you can blend the heavy cream and tomatoes before adding to skillet.

Stir in peas and let cook for 3-4 minutes longer. Stir in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (reserving ¼ cup for garnish). Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook longer if you desire a thicker sauce.

Toss tortellini and tomato cream sauce together. Top with remaining Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Basil ribbons.