S'mores Cookies (Recipe 150 of 150)

Tomorrow is the December Sunday dinner. As is tradition, we are having a cookie exchange. I like to make a new cookie, and a cookie that is a little different. Enter S'more Cookies!

This is a fun cookie to make. It really is very simple. They smell amazing while they are cooking. I haven't tasted one yet because, well, there's only 12 for tomorrow's dinner. Though I suppose I should taste one just in case they're gross. Unlikely, but it seems like the right thing to do. 

Hold on.

Phew. Ok. They're DELICIOUS! The toasted marshmallows on the top really is what makes this cookie. So good. 

The only thing I did different is I didn't bother buying large marshmallows for the top. I figured the small ones would work just fine as well, and they did. When you put them in under the broiler DO NOT WALK AWAY. They go quick.

I just reread the recipe and realized I didn't put the honey in! They still taste great, but honeyless.

S'mores Cookies

Recipe from Pioneer Woman

Makes 12 large cookies

• 1 c salted butter, melted
• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 c honey
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c graham crumbs
• 1 T kosher salt (yes one tablespoon)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 c milk chocolate chips
• 1 c mini marshmallows
• 2 milk chocolate bars
• 6 large marshmallows, halved

Mix the butter, sugar, honey, vanilla and egg in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, graham crumbs, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and combine thoroughly using a spatula. Fold in the milk chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.

Using a 1/3-cup scoop, roll the mixture into 12 large balls. Place onto 2 parchment paper-lined sheet pans, spacing them evenly, and push a square of the milk chocolate bar into the top of each. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove the cookies and switch the oven to broil, letting it preheat for a couple minutes.

Add a halved marshmallow, cut side down, to the top of each cookie. Return to the oven and broil for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the marshmallow toppings. Remove and let cool slightly before enjoying.

Pesto Mushroom Chicken (Recipe 149 of 150)

Photo from The Girl who
Ate Everything

Pesto!  MMMM. A friend and colleague moved to another state over the summer. In their attempt to get rid of food they had been hoarding, he asked if I wanted to take some of their pantry and freezer food. Of course I did. So I went over to his house and walked out with several grocery bags of really useful food. In those bags were three...count them THREE...jars of Kirkland brand Pesto (Costco's brand). He had frozen them so they'd keep. I, in turn, dumped them in my freezer. 

Since I've been trying to eat through my freezer I pulled out a jar last week for another recipe. And, well, since it's out, I gotta use it up. 

Enter this recipe. I searched my recipe list for "pesto" and came up with several. This one looked the simplest and sounded yummy. 

And it was yummy. The only thing I didn't do was put the provolone cheese over the chicken. I didn't have provolone so I used mozzarella instead and I think it was WAY better. 

I served this with a side of spaghetti noodles drenched in pesto. 

Pesto Mushroom Chicken

Recipe from The-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Serves 6

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 c butter , melted
• 1/2 c Italian breadcrumbs (or regular)
• 1/4 c prepared basil pesto
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
• 6 slices provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Brush chicken with butter and coat completely with bread crumbs.

Place chicken in baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

While chicken is baking heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté mushrooms until they give up their juice.

After 20 minutes of baking, spoon pesto sauce evenly over chicken breasts and top with mushrooms.

Cover each breast with a slice of provolone cheese and bake in the oven for an additional 10-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Serve with a side of pasta tossed in additional pesto if desired.

Green Beans with Bacon-Balsamic Vinaigrette (Recipe 148 of 150)

It's not often my new recipe is a vegetable recipe. I tend to just do the boring old standby of broccoli or

Photo from My Recipes

asparagus. I like green beans, but they have a weird texture to me. I can usually get past that texture by using the French green beans (haricoverts - or as I like to call them "harry armpits"). The thing is, it's hard to find them without having to go to two different stores (Trader Joe's always has them. Safeway does not).

The BFF took me to the grocery story on Friday and we went to Fred Meyer by our houses. Not my favorite store. In fact, I hate it. But they have French green beans. So maybe I'll have to swing by to get the green beans. 

This was a good recipe. I overcooked the green beans (bad timing with the tritip on the grill). And I burnt the shallots (see previous comment about timing). All that being said, the balsamic is the star of the flavor here. I didn't have white balsamic. I thought I did but turned out it was Sherry vinegar. 

Now thinking about everything that went wrong with this recipe, I wonder if I'd like the real recipe. I might have to try this again. 

Green Beans with Bacon-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe from MyRecipes

Serves 8

• 2 pounds green beans
• 2 bacon slices
• 1/4 c minced shallots
• 3 T coarsely chopped almonds
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1/4 c white balsamic vinegar

Cook green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well; set aside.

Cook bacon in a small skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet. Crumble; set aside. Add shallots to bacon fat in skillet; sauté 1 minute. Add almonds; sauté 1 minute. Remove and let cool. Add sugar and vinegar; stir until sugar dissolves. Add crumbled bacon.

Pour vinaigrette over beans, tossing gently to coat.

Master Steak Marinade (Recipe 147 of 150)

It snowed on Tuesday. And I still have snow on my deck and on my grill. But that didn't stop me from grilling. No mam. It was freakin' freezing outside, but gill I must. 

I LOVED this marinade. Loved it. It's going into the favorites for 2022. Something about the chili sauce and mustard made it so savory. Really, I can't even explain how good it is. You just have to make it for yourself. 

I marinaded my steak for 5 hours. I cut this recipe in half since I was just making a single steak. It's pretty versatile in that regard. 

Master Steak Marinade

Recipe from Plain Chicken

Serves 4

⅓ c red wine vinegar

¼ c chili sauce

2 T vegetable oil

1 T soy sauce

2 T Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 steaks

Whisk together red wine vinegar, chili sauce, oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, pepper and garlic.

Place steaks in a resealable ziplock bag. Pour marinade over steaks. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Remove steaks from marinade and grill to desired doneness.

Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Skewers with Coconut-Peanut Sauce (Recipe 146 of 150)

Photo from Once Upon a Chef

Another chicken marinade. Scratch that...another delicious chicken marinade. This one was definitely flavorful and really well balanced. 

I did NOT make the peanut sauce though. I figured it was not something extra I needed to worry myself about. I'm sure it's delicious, but when you cook for 1, those type of sauces are difficult to cut down. 

Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Skewers with Coconut-Peanut Sauce

Recipe from Onceuponachef.com

Serves 4

FOR THE CHICKEN:

• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 3 T dark brown sugar, packed
• Zest of one lime
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 - 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

FOR THE COCONUT-PEANUT SAUCE:

• 1 (13-oz) can coconut milk (do not use low fat)

1/4 c peanut butter

• 1/3 c dark brown sugar, packed
• 1-1/2 T soy sauce
• 1 T red curry paste
• 3 T fresh lime juice, from 2 limes

FOR SERVING

1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness between two pieces of wax or parchment paper. Cut the breasts into 1-1/2" pieces and set aside.

Make the marinade by combining the soy sauce, dark brown sugar, lime zest, vegetable oil, garlic, curry powder, ginger, cardamom and salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix until chicken is evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Make the sauce by whisking together the coconut milk, peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce and red curry paste in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Add the fresh lime juice. Set aside.

Preheat the grill to high heat. Meanwhile, thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Grease the grill. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning once, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken skewers with the Coconut-Peanut Sauce and lime wedges, if desired.

Mexican Rice (Recipe 145 of 150)

Mexican rice is one of the recipes I'm forever chasing to find the "perfect" recipe. I've come close and have several recipes I like. This recipe will be added to the list. 

It was flavorful and Damn Delicious (hahah I couldn't resist - that's the name of the blog I got it from). 

So, I didn't add any of the veggies - except the onion, but I don't count that as a vegetable. I'm not a fan of veggies in my Mexican rice. 

Mexican Rice

Recipe from Damned Delicious

Serves 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in rice until toasted, about 2 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce and vegetable broth, and bring to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Stir in corn, carrots, peas, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked through, about 13-16 minutes. Stir in tomatoes.

Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired.

Al Pastor Kabobs (Recipe 144 of 150)

Oh man. These kebabs are delicious. I should say, they are with my few modifications. 

First, I'm not a huge fan of pineapple, and especially cooked pineapple. Blech. So I didn't put pineapple or the peppers on my skewers. Just the pork, mam.

The other thing I did different is charred the peppers. I don't find it makes much of a difference in the overall flavor. These chilis are already dried, so I don't bother. I cleaned, and de-seeded the chiles before I steeped them. 

This may look like a pretty involved recipe, but I assure you it is not. And the prep is 100% worth it. Such a wonder, well rounded flavor. 

One note from the original author: 

"CANNED Pineapple Juice. Please use only CANNED pineapple juice! Canned pineapple juice will infuse your pork with flavor without leaving it mushy if it’s not marinated too long. Fresh pineapple juice still contains enzymes that could break down your pork and more likely to leave it mushy in a short amount of time."

Al Pastor Kabobs

Recipe from Carlsbad Craving

Serves 4

SKEWERS

• 1 ½ – 2 pounds pork tenderloin cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 pineapple cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 red bell pepper sliced into 1 1/2” chunks
• 1 green bell pepper sliced into 1 1/2” chunks
• 1 large onion sliced into 1 1/2” chunks
• 5 T olive oil divided

MARINADE/SAUCE

• 4 dried Guajillo chiles
• 1/3 c canned pineapple juice*
• 1/3 c orange juice
• 1 onion peeled, halved
• 4 garlic cloves peeled
• 3 T apple cider vinegar
• 2 T achiote paste (see notes)
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 chopped chipotle pepper from can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 T dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt

CHILES

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add guajillo chiles and toast until blistered in spots and fragrant, turning occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer peppers to a cutting board. Once cool, cut tops off chiles, cut in half and remove seeds, taking care not to touch your eyes. Add chiles back to skillet and cover with water. Simmer 3-5 minutes until softened.

MARINADE

Remove softened chilies to blender along with all Marinade ingredients and blend until smooth.

Add pork to a shallow dish or freezer size bag. Add 1 cup marinade and 3 tablespoons olive oil, stir to combine. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-6 hours.

Add pineapple, bell peppers and onions to a separate bowl. Add ¼ cup marinade and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover and refrigerate. (You can prep veggies at any point – they don’t have to marinate.) Refrigerate remaining marinade separately.

ASSEMBLE

NOTE: Soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes in water before grilling or broiling.

When ready to cook, thread pork, pineapple, bell peppers and onions onto skewers. Dab off excess marinade from pork so it can char.

Grease and preheat grill to high heat. Grill skewers until lightly charred all over, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. You can check a pork cube for doneness if desired. 

Let rest 5 minutes before serving. 

Smothered Pork Chops (Recipe 143 of 150)

Cook's Country recipes never let me down. They're a spin off of Cook's Illustrated and those never let me down either. As long as you follow their directions, you're guaranteed a good meal. 

I had a couple things different in this recipe. I had pork chops in the freezer and wanted to use those. They were thinner than this recipe requires. They still turned out fine, but I think a thicker chop would be more pork flavor. 

I completely forgot the vinegar at the end. I was hungry and I thought I had read the recipe thoroughly. THIS is why I should always get all the ingredients out and measured before I start cooking. It's a new goal of mine and here I am skipping it. 

I'd make this recipe again. It's easy and delicious. It's got a nice onion flavor without being overwhelming. 

Smothered Pork Chops

Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 4

• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 bone-in blade-cut pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
• 1 ½ T vegetable oil
• 1 T unsalted butter
• 2 onions, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ¾ c plus 1 T beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp cider vinegar

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine onion powder, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in small bowl. Pat chops dry with paper towels and rub with spice mixture.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chops, 3 to 4 minutes per side, and transfer to plate. Melt butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Cook onions until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in ¾ cup broth and bay leaf, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to boil. Return chops and any accumulated juices to pan, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook until chops are completely tender, about 1½ hours.

Transfer chops to platter and tent with foil. Discard bay leaf. Strain contents of skillet through fine mesh strainer into large liquid measuring cup; reserve onions. Let liquid settle, then skim fat. Return 1½ cups defatted pan juices to now-empty skillet and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes.

Whisk remaining broth and cornstarch in bowl until no lumps remain. Whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce and simmer until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in reserved onions and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Crock Pot Cubed Steak with Gravy (Recipe 142 of 150)

I feel like I've made a recipe very similar to this on before. I searched the blog and, indeed, there are several recipes involving a slow cooker, gravy and beef.

I've never used French Onion soup out of a a can before. In fact, didn't even know you could buy French Onion soup in a can. 

This is a fix it and forget it meal. Easy, easy, easy. And super budget friendly. Cube steak is somewhat inexpensive.

Crock Pot Cubed Steak with Gravy

Recipe from The Country Cook

Serves 4

• 1 packet au jus gravy mix
• 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10.5 oz) can French onion soup
• ½ c water
• 1 ½-2 pounds cube steak (about 3-4 cubed steaks)
• To thicken gravy:
• 3 T cornstarch
• 3 T cold water

In the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, combine cream of chicken soup, French Onion soup, packet of au jus and water. Stir well.

Put cubed steak in slow cooker with gravy mixture.

Cover slow cooker and cook steak on low for 6-8 hours.

After cooking, it's time to thicken gravy. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water. Stir mixture into crock pot.

Turn the setting to high and cook for 30 minutes (until gravy is thickened.)

Homemade Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (Recipe 141 of 150)

Alfredo is a super easy recipe for me. I've made it so many times I can do it without actual measurements. Like many things, it can be made to taste. 

This recipe was good. I didn't change up really anything. I didn't use fettuccini because I had tagliatelle on hand so I used that. Really you could use any pasta - except elbow. That's just weird and reserved exclusively for man n cheese and mac salad.

Homemade Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 4

For the chicken:

• 2 large chicken breasts, (1.5 pounds)
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons oil, vegetable, canola, or light olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

For the fettuccine:

• water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for pasta water
• 12 ounces fettuccine

For the Alfredo sauce:

• 3/4 cup butter, (1 and 1/2 sticks)
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
• 2 cups heavy cream*
• 1 & 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adds flavor not heat
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 & 1/2 cups FINELY shredded block Parmesan cheese
• To garnish:
• extra parmesan cheese, to garnish
• chopped parsley, to garnish

Prepare the chicken. Use a sharp knife to slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, to create a thin cutlet. Or you can buy chicken already cut into cutlets. 

In a small bowl, combine 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Pat the chicken with paper towels on both sides until it is very dry. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over the chicken on both sides, and rub in. [JW note: I rarely cook chicken like this. I prefer my chicken to be bite size already so I don't have to deal with a knife. Lame? Maybe. If you choose to do that, just sprinkle the seasoning over the pile of diced up chicken.]

Heat a 12-inch sauté pan over medium high heat for at least 3 minutes. When it is hot, add 2 tablespoons oil. Swirl to coat. The oil should shimmer right away.

Carefully place the chicken in the pan. Once it touches the pan you can't move it, so arrange accordingly. Do not crowd the chicken. If your pan isn't big enough, do it in batches. Do not touch, poke, or move the chicken at all. It needs to stay put to get a nice sear.

Once all the chicken is in the pan, lower the heat to medium. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes. 

Use tongs to flip each piece of chicken, swirling the pan as necessary to coat with oil. Immediately add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and swirl the pan as it melts. (The butter helps the chicken to brown, and brings flavor.) Cook the chicken on the second side for about 2 minutes, until the other side is a deep golden brown and a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Leave all juices in the pan.

Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine according to the package instructions. Drain when done.

Make the alfredo sauce. In the same pan that you cooked the chicken in, add 3/4 cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks) over medium heat. Let it melt and bubble a bit (don't let it brown), then add 5 cloves of smashed and minced garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.

Slowly add 2 cups of cream while stirring. Its really important your cream is at about room temp. Take your time. Add 1 and 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.

Let the cream mixture cook over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until you see gentle bubbles on the side of the pan. Do not bring to a full boil; your sauce will break (meaning it will look curdled instead of smooth). Lower the heat to medium low.

Finely shred 1 and 1/2 cups parmesan cheese using the finest grater. I do not recommend using pre shredded parmesan (and definitely not the powdered stuff). Pre-grated cheese will not melt as well, and your sauce will be clumpy. [JW note: The recipe is not wrong, don't use pre-grated parmesan. It's got too many fillers and doesn't melt as nicely. Spend the time to grate your own. You'll appreciate it. I promise it.]

Add the cheese to the sauce just a few tablespoons at a time. Sprinkle some in and stir for a bit to help it melt, then add a bit more cheese, stir, etc. This will help the cheese to melt more thoroughly, making a smooth sauce.

Once all the cheese is added in, taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as you like.

Add the noodles in batches so that it all gets coated well in sauce. Add in about 1/3, stir to coat, the next 1/3, and so on.

Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the chicken into strips against the grain. You can either plate the pasta and arrange the chicken on top to serve, or add the chicken to the pasta in the pan and stir it all together.

Top each serving with extra parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley!

Crockpot Beef Stew (Recipe 140 of 150)

Just 10 more recipes to hit my goal. I'll be half way there by the end of this week! 

It's stew and soup season to me and that means I try to make a stew or a soup (or both) in a week. It is a leftover I'll eat for sure - at least once. 

I have made stew a thousand times over the years and I've never made it quite like this one. And truthfully, this one is going to be a favorite from now on. 

See, I like my stews to have a thick sauce and not a loose, thin sauce. This recipe guarantees a thick sauce. It was perfect. 

Now, I kinda didn't have all the ingredients. Well, one main ingredient...the can of crushed tomatoes. I used that can earlier when I made Ropa Vieja and didn't get to the store to get another can. But I have this "tomato bouillon" and I figured that would suffice for the tomato flavor and it did. You gotta be careful with bouillon though because it can get salty. So watch your seasoning and maybe season later in the cooking process. 

Crockpot Beef Stew

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Serves 6

BEEF STEW

• 1 T Vegetable oil
• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast cut into bite size pieces
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4-5 medium red potatoes, chopped (about 1 pound)
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 stalks celery, sliced thick (1/4”-1/2”)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf

BEEF GRAVY BROTH

• 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 10.5 oz. can beef consommé **
• 1 15 oz. can low sodium beef broth
• 2 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 1/3 c all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp beef bouillon
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp EACH ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme

Chop meat into bite size pieces. While meat is still on the cutting board, toss it with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add half of the beef to the very hot skillet and let cook undisturbed for approximately 2 minutes, or until nicely seared on one side, then continue to cook while stirring until beef is browned all over but not cooked through. Remove beef to 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Repeat with remaining beef.

Add all of the vegetables and garlic to the slow cooker and toss with the beef.

Add all the the Beef Gravy Broth ingredients to the now empty skillet (wipe out excess grease but leave brown bits). The flour will be lumpy at first but will dissolve as you cook and continue to whisk. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened to the consistency of gravy. Add to slow cooker and toss to combine. Add bay leaf. The Gravy will be very thick but will thin to the perfect consistency as moisture is released from the vegetables as they cook.

Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or on LOW for 8-10 hours or until vegetables and beef are very tender. Discard bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Hot Jezebel Dip (Recipe 139 of 150)

Photo from 12 Tomatoes

I've been waiting and waiting to make this recipe. It's spicy and I have a couple of friends who don't like spicy. But tonight's Sunday dinner is my golden opportunity. Small group and most are ok with spicy. 

I did not use 2 T or 3 T of horseradish. I used a heaping tablespoon and it was just right. It still cleared the sinuses. 

The sweet and spicy combo of this with the cool cream cheese is really yummy. I have visions of baking chicken in this sauce at some point (sans the cream cheese). 

Hot Jezebel Dip/Sauce

Recipe from 12tomatoes.com

Serves 8

• 1 (18 oz) jar apricot preserves
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 2-3 T horseradish
• Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• ritz crackers or chips

In bowl, whisk together apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons horseradish, and black pepper. Add more horseradish and black pepper to taste.

Chill overnight OR serve immediately poured over top of cream cheese.

Curried Cauliflower Gratin (Recipe 138 of 150)

Photo from Cooking Light

Cauliflower is an under-used veggie I think. You don't see it too often on menus and rarely do you have it served to you at someone's house. Or at least that's been my experience. 

I happen to really enjoy cooked cauliflower. It's disgusting raw. I have several friends who aren't a fan of it, but I try to feed it to them anyhow. 

Tonight is Sunday dinner. It's being hosted by some British/Scottish friends. He's making a roast and I wanted to bring a unique and a bit different veggie side dish. Enter Curried Cauliflower Gratin.

Y'all this recipe was so freaking delicious. It's being added to the favorites for 2022. Make this side dish!

Curried Cauliflower Gratin

Recipe from Cooking Light

Serves 4

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 4 c cauliflower florets
• 2/3 c light coconut milk
• 1/4 c lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3 T chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 T sliced red Fresno chilis

Heat olive oil in a 9-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add curry powder, grated peeled fresh ginger, and thinly sliced garlic cloves. 

Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. 

Stir in cauliflower florets, light coconut milk, cup lower-sodium chicken broth, and kosher salt. 

Bake at 450°F until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Turn on broiler to high; broil until browned, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and sliced red Fresno chiles.

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Recipe 137 of 150)

Whoa. It's been over a month since I made a new recipe. I think that's the longest I've gone in several years without making something new. There are a lot of reasons and you can find out by hopping over to the other blog for more details. 

Ropa Vieja! It's a Cuban recipe and it's so delicious. I never order at a Cuban restaurant because they use bell peppers in it and, well, blech. I've made it a couple of times too. Here is the most recent this year. And then again in 2017. Then one other time in 2011. All of them are slightly different, but all of them are basically stewed meat. 

This one was good. Flank steak was WAY too expensive to use so I bought a tritip roast which was, surprisingly, about $10 less than the flank steak. I think you could use a chuck roast for this and get just as good results. You might want to cut it into chunks though to allow more flavor into the meat. I cut the tritip in half. 

I didn't buy capers for this either. Capers are expensive little buggers and for a tablespoon of them I just didn't think it was necessary. 

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja
Recipe from Martha Stewart

Serves 6

• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, cut into thick slices
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thick slices
• 3 large cloves garlic, cut into thin slices
• 1 jalapeno (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired), cut into thin slices
• 1 T whole cumin seeds
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1/2 c small Spanish olives
• 1 T capers, drained, plus 1 tablespoon brine
• Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
• Cooked white rice and plantain chips, for serving

Preheat a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Season steak generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high. Add steak and cook until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeno, and cumin seeds; season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over steak in slow cooker; cover and cook on high until very tender, 5 hours (or on low 10 hours).

Transfer steak to a platter; cut in half crosswise. Using two forks, shred meat. Transfer sauce to skillet; cook over high heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in shredded meat, olives, and capers with brine; cook just until heated through, 2 minutes more. Top with cilantro and serve, with rice and plantain chips.

Tater Tot Chili Dog Casserole (Recipe 136 of 150)

Photo from The Salty
Marshmallow

Oh man this one takes me back. Mom used to make this, or something similar, with her leftover chili. She'd make a VAT of chili (cuz why not). We'd have a meal with it, then she'd freeze the rest. Sometime later that month she'd pull that chili out and she'd make this. This was one of the first recipes I ever tried on my own. Daring, I know. 

This recipe has everything you probably remember in the 70's for casseroles. Everything premade/store bought and thrown together with minimal effort to feed a house full. 

Oh and the left overs of this casserole are to die for. Well, at least the leftovers from Mom's were. This one, I'm sure will be equally as delicious. 

Tater Tot Chili Dog Casserole

Recipe from The Salty Marshmallow

Serves 6 easily

10 Hot Dogs Sliced

42 oz canned chili

1 ½ c Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Package Frozen Tater Tots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together the sliced hot dogs, one cup of the cheese, and both cans of chili.

Pour the chili mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Top the mixture with an even layer of tater tots.

Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Top with remaining cheese and bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole (Recipe 135 of 150)

Photo from Lauren's Latest

Tonight is Sunday Dinner. The theme? Casseroles! Usually when we do casseroles we have so much food it's not even funny. Tonight, I'm 100% sure we're going to have too much food that is is funny. 

I'm making two casseroles. Why? I couldn't decide which one to make. One is a good side dish. The other is a funny take on a childhood casserole my mother used to make. 

This recipe was outstanding. The real recipe says it'll feed 4. I think that's only if you're eating this. If you use it as a side, it'll easily feed 6-8. I'm planning on it helping to feed 7. And I am SURE there will be leftovers. 

I have two gluten free people coming tonight so I had to swap out the cream of chicken soup for sour cream. Frankly, I like it better than how it might have tasted with cream of chicken. Those cream soups are often used in casseroles as a binder. Turns out sour cream does as well. So that's what we went with. 

Go light on the salt since you're putting ham in this dish. I never salt until everything is all together. Taste it and adjust. 

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

Recipe from Lauren's Latest

Serves 6 

• 2 T butter
• 1/2 medium onion diced
• 1 large carrot peeled & diced
• 1 ear yellow sweet corn
• 2 c steamed broccoli florets
• 4 oz. deli ham diced
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 pinches ground thyme
• 1 c Long grain white rice
• 2 c water
• 1 1/2 c medium cheddar cheese grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking dish and set aside. {Use a 9x9 square dish or one that is slightly larger.} JW note: I think mine was 9X12 give or take. It wasn't the large 9x13 - that held the other casserole. 

Place large skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Sauté onions, carrot, corn, and ham 5-7 minutes or until veggies start to soften. Stir in broccoli and cream of chicken soup.

Once soup starts to melt into the veggies, add in seasonings, rice and water. Stir to incorporate and remove any lumps

Melt cheese into mixture and pour entire contents of skillet into prepared baking dish. Bake 40 minutes or until rice is completely cooked and no liquid remains. Serve hot.

Sweet and Sour Baby Back Ribs (134 of 150)

Oh man. These were fantastic. The recipe didn't make sense to me completely so I kinda made it up as I went along. Rereading it now I'm not sure what was so confusing. 

Ahem. 

I didn't use baby backs - they were too expensive. I used country style instead. I think either works fine. Because I was using country style, I put them in a casserole dish and spooned the sauce over it. I let them cook for 2.5 hours at 325F. They were delicious. 

Sweet and Sour Baby Back Ribs

Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Serves 4

Sauce

1 c orange juice

1/2   packed brown sugar

1/3   apple cider vinegar

3 T ketchup

2 T soy sauce

1 1/2 T cornstarch

1 T Worcestershire sauce

2 T vegetable oil

2 jalapeno peppers, sliced into thin rings

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger

Ribs

2 (2-pound) racks baby back ribs, silver skin removed

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 green onions, sliced

In a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add jalapeno slices, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 1 minute.

Add orange juice mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set a wire rack inside the baking sheet.

Sprinkle both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper. Place them meaty side up on the wire rack.

Measure out 1/2 cup of sauce and set aside the rest. Brush the ribs with the 1/2 cup of sauce.

Place in oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Brush ribs with some of the remaining sauce. Place back in oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Reheat the remaining sauce. Place ribs on a serving platter and pour the remaining sauce over them.

Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Caesar Green Bean Salad (Recipe 133 of 150)

Photo from Cook's Country

This was a fantastic recipe. At least half of it was. I loved the homemade Caesar vinaigrette over the green beans was so delicious. 

I didn't make the croutons because Sherrie was over and she's gluten free so why not keep them out all together. I may make it some day with the croutons, but doubt it. Cuz by themselves it was yummy.

Caesar Green Bean Salad

Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 4

Dressing and Green Beans

1 ½ T lemon juice

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T Dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 anchovy fillets, minced to paste

Salt and pepper

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ pounds green beans, trimmed

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler

Croutons

3 ounces baguette, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp pepper

FOR THE DRESSING AND GREEN BEANS: Whisk lemon juice, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, anchovies, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl until combined. Slowly whisk in oil until emulsified; set aside.

Line baking sheet with clean dish towel. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add green beans and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, return to boil, and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain green beans in colander and spread in even layer on prepared sheet. Let green beans cool completely.

For the croutons: Meanwhile, toss baguette, oil, and pepper in large bowl until baguette pieces are coated with oil. Transfer to 12-inch nonstick skillet (reserve bowl). Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Return croutons to reserved bowl.

Transfer dressing, green beans, and half of Parmesan to bowl with croutons and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Serve.

Italian Chicken Marinade (Recipe 132 of 150)

This was an interesting recipe. I wasn't at all sure what to expect with it and the bottom line was it was pretty darn good. 

A couple of things; be careful what pesto you buy. I usually make my own pesto, but laziness won out and I bought a bottle of Barilla pesto. Not the greatest pesto. In fact, it made this recipe very salty. I wish I had tasted the pesto before I put in the salt.  

I also almost didn't put in the tsp of basil. It seemed like the basil would have had enough basil. 

This was a good recipe, but again, not one I'd likely do again. Too many to try. 

Italian Chicken Marinade

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Serves 3

• 3 medium chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
• 1/2 c basil pesto
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1 T balsamic vinegar (may sub red wine vinegar)
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 tsp EACH dried basil, onion, powder, garlic powder, salt, dried oregano, dried rosemary (crushed)
• 1/2 tsp EACH paprika, pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a freezer bag or glass bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 12 hours (the longer the better).

When ready to cook, remove chicken from the refrigerator and let rest 20-30 minutes before cooking.

TO GRILL CHICKEN:

Preheat grill to 400 degrees F with the lid closed, clean and grease grates.

Grill chicken undisturbed with the lid closed for 5-7 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through. (Cook to 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, then allow to rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F.) Brush with additional pesto if desired.

TO COOK CHICKEN ON THE STOVE:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes, or until deeply golden on one side.

Flip chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked to 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, then allowed to rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F. Brush with additional pesto if desired.

TO BAKE CHICKEN IN THE OVEN:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add chicken in a single layer to a lightly greased baking dish.

Bake the chicken for 14 to 16 minutes (for small/medium breasts that are about 5-6 ounces), 16 to 20 minutes (for medium/large breasts that are 7 to 9 ounces), or 20 to 25 minutes (for larger breasts). As always, I recommend using an instant read meat thermometer for the most accurate/juiciest chicken. Cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, then allow to rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F. Brush with additional pesto if desired.

Chicken and Mushroom Marsala Rotelle (Recipe 131 of 150)

Extra! Extra! This just in! I am not a fan of big pasta. I had a feeling it wasn't my favorite, but last night's dish solidified my theory. Big pastas are too much pasta to nibbles ratio. 

That said, this recipe needed some help. It didn't have that great of flavor with just the marsala wine and the garlic as the sauce. 

My first change is that I don't like reheated chicken so I sautéed chicken pieces, then did the mushrooms. 

After adding the chicken, mushrooms, marsala and garlic, the sauce just didn't taste great. I tossed in about a quarter cup half and half. Ah hah! A cream sauce. That's what it needed. 

I also had a couple of spears of asparagus that I had to use up. I dropped it into the pasta right before I drained it. 

I doubt I'd make this recipe again. Too many others to try, but you should give it a try if you like chicken marsala. It definitely had that marsala flavor. 

Chicken and Mushroom Marsala Rotelle

Recipe from The Mom 100

Serves 6

• Kosher salt to taste
• 1 pound rotelle or another short chunky pasta
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ c dry marsala wine
• 1 pound cleaned mushrooms
• 4 c diced or slivered or shredded cooked chicken
• ¼ c chopped fresh parsley plus more to serve if desired

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Salt the water generously, and let it return to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook accordingly to package directions, stirring occasionally. Before you drain the pasta make sure to remove a cup of the cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute until it starts to turn golden, then add the mushrooms, turn the heat to medium-high and sauté for 8 minutes until they are browned. Add the marsala and chicken and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine reduces by half, about 2 minutes.

Drain the pasta, adding ½ cup of the reserved cooking water to the pan with the chicken. Return the pasta to the pot, and add the chicken mixture to the pasta, along with the parsley, and toss to combine. Add more of the reserved cooking water if needed to moisten. Serve hot, with the additional parsley if desired.