Jalapeno Lime Ranch

Every year, I make a Mexican Fiesta for my mom's birthday. We started this tradition years ago...Mexican food is actually its own food group in my family. I make a spread that covers our island and stove and everyone can make whatever they want...tacos, salad, nachos or a "sampler platter" (ha!)

A few years ago, I added this Jalapeno Lime Ranch and it took the whole meal up a notch. I'm not sure what it is...dressing, dip, a sauce to pour over everything on your plate? Whatever it is, we love it. And here's how I make it (plus a list of everything I make every year...no need to reinvent the wheel!).

Jalapeno Lime Ranch 

1 (1 oz) packet dry Ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup EACH: mayonnaise, some cream & buttermilk 

Juice 1 Lime

1 whole garlic clove

1/2 bunch cilantro leaves  

4 oz. Can diced jalapenos, not drained 

Place all ingredients in the food processor and pulse until chopped and thoroughly mixed. Cover and chill for a few hours. Serve with chips, tacos, rice...anything really. 

Everything I serve for our Fiesta meal:

Shredded lettuce 

Taco beef

Mexican Crockpot Chicken

Rice

Tortillas 

Tortilla chips

Queso

Red salsa

Black Bean salsa 

Sour cream

Monterey Jack cheese (Shredded by hand...yes it matters...)

Sour cream

Guacamole 

Sliced picked jalapenos

Jalapeno Lime Ranch

Monster Bars

My mom always made monster cookies when I was little. Such remembered flavor  - peanut butter, oats, M&Ms...

A few years ago, I had these Monster Bars and loved them! All of the same flavors in bar form. Easy to make, updated with Mini M&Ms (minis are my fave!!!). It's the little things in life (pun intended).

Go forth and make these. They make a nice big pan so share with your friends (or don't. I'm not here to judge).

One word of caution: do not, I repeat DO NOT overbake these. Your life will not be right if you do. I bake mine for 8 minutes. EIGHT. That's not very long. But you want them BARELY cooked long enough to hold together.

Oh! And one more thing. You're reading the recipe correctly: there's no flour. They wouldn't be monster otherwise!

Monster Bars

1 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 T vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups quick-cook oats
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
10-12 oz. Bag mini M&Ms (reserve 1/2 cup for the top)

Beat the butter with sugars until combined. Add peanut butter, vanilla and mix. Add eggs and combine. Add remaining ingredients and combine. Spread into a 10x15 inch baking sheet lined with parchment and sprayed with baking spray. Press to spread the dough evenly. Sprinkle the remaining M&Ms on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting (or eat them warm out of the pan. You won't be sorry.)

Apple Blue Cheese Salad

We just got home from the lake with Matthew's extended family. It was wonderful. Good, clean fun in the sun. Jet skis, boating, tubing, swimming, fireworks, cousins. All the things that make you eat a good dinner and sleep hard at night.

I made this salad at the lake. Adults and kids alike enjoyed it.

True to form, I like more "stuff" than actual lettuce in my salads. So this is choc full of the good stuff! Modify proportions as you see fit. 

Apple Blue Cheese Salad

3 apples, chopped (I like honeycrisp or granny smith apples for this salad)

1 cup Craisins 

1 cup blue cheese, crumbled (the stinkier, the better!)

1 cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted

1 bag bagel chips, broken in half (I like Stacy's brand)

6 oz. Spring mix

12 oz. Bottle Briana's poppyseed salad dressing (on the dressing aisle; there's also a good poppyseed dressing with the refrigerated dressings in the produce section)

Toss the ingredients together and with the dressing in a large bowl. Serve immediately. 

Salted Caramel Brownies

These brownies. They should be called killer brownies. Or amazing brownies. But I decided to be boring and just call them Caramel Brownies. Descriptive but not nearly enough pizzazz for these brownies. They are so so delicious!

So here's what you're going to do. It all starts with a cake mix. The traditional method uses German chocolate cake mix, which is good, but I took a right turn and use devil's food cake mix. And by the way, German chocolate is named after a MAN named German not the country named Germany. You're welcome.

And on that topic, they're CANADA geese. Not Canadian. Because they're named after a MAN named John Canada, not the country Canada.

But why am I talking about geese when we need to be talking about brownies. But since I'm talking about geese, it makes me think of ducks, and the ducks we raised this spring.

In case you're not aware, ducks grow FAST.

In other news, ducks can also be trained to lay on their back. Ask my 5-year-old for her training tips.

Back to brownies. Press in most of the brownie batter into a 9x13 dish. Bake it for 6 minutes. Let it cool. Pour over the cooled caramel. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips and the salt. Dot on the remaining brownie batter. Cook it for a few more minutes. Try to use self-control while the brownies cool. You must let them cool or you'll end up with a molten dish of salted caramel brownies.

Caramel Brownies

1 package devil's food cake mix
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
2 T flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 11 oz. packages Kraft caramel bits
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp kosher salt

Stir together the cake mix, butter, flour, vanilla & evaporated milk. Spread 2/3 of the batter in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 6 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.

Meanwhile, melt together in a medium saucepan the 1/2 cup evaporated milk and the caramel bits. Allow it to mostly cool.

When the brownie base is cool, pour over the melted (but mostly cool) caramel. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Sprinkle the kosher salt on top of that.

Cover the top with the remaining batter. It won't cover it completely; that's ok. Just spread it out with your hands and cover the top the best you can.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-11 minutes. Optional: sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Cool completely before cutting (otherwise it's just a molten mess!).

Mediterranean Tacos with Greek Chicken and Quick Tzatziki

Hi friends. I wrestled with what to call this recipe. Mediterranean chicken? Greek platter? Chicken Gyros?

But, since I like the idea of fusion food, I settled on Mediterranean Tacos. It's fun, don't you think?

Plus, I used naan bread instead of pita bread so it's really THREE fusions in one! I better stop now before I break the internet.

I need to disclose a few items first.

• I don't always love chicken breasts in the crockpot. Sometimes it can be tough and flavorless. NOT THESE. I assure you. This Greek chicken is a winner. 
• Eat this any way you please. Make a taco. Make a salad. Put all of the components on a plate and stir them up. Eat them all separately. However you do it, you will be glad you did.
• I used to make tzatziki many years ago. As in, before plain Greek yogurt in a big tub even existed. So I had to drain the yogurt to make tzatziki. Not anymore, people! It's so easy now because I just use the big tub of Greek yogurt. You want full-fat, trust me. And you want the brand Greek Gods yogurt. You really do.
• Matthew and I went to Greece. Before we had children. It was amazing. It was also a lifetime ago.

Greek Chicken

4-5 large chicken breasts (about 2 lbs - frozen or thawed, it doesn't matter)

Juice of 3 lemons

1 cup water

1 1/2 T dried oregano

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced (or a big spoonful of jarred minced garlic)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Place all ingredients in crockpot, turn on high and cook for about 4 hours. You'll know it's done when the chicken shreds easily. Shred with 2 forks, mix it well with the juice and set it to warm until you're ready to eat.

All the Fixins'

Red onion, sliced very thin

Grape tomatoes, sliced in half

Thinly sliced cucumber

Kalamata Olives

Feta cheese

Hummus

Quick Tzatziki

24 oz. tub plain Greek Yogurt (you want full-fat) (I highly recommend Greek Gods brand)

1 English cucumber, peeled and grated into a bowl

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

Juice of 1 lemon

2 T white wine vinegar

2 T minced fresh dill

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 tsp pepper

Grate the cucumber into a bowl. Squeeze out the excess water. You don't need to squeeze it all to pieces but just get the majority of the water out. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend. Eat on your gyro or with pita chips. Or with carrots. Or with a spoon. It's that good.

Paleo Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hi friends. I just rediscovered my blog. And I found this recipe! I have no idea when I wrote it, when I made or when I ate it. But it sounds good, doesn't it?

I also have no pictures of it. So use your imagination! Or just follow the recipe and see for yourself what it looks like when it's ladled up in a bowl.


Paleo Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 T olive oil
3 carrots, chopped small
3 stalks celery, chopped small
1 large sweet onion, chopped small
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock
10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes
15 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
2-3 cups chopped (or shredded) cooked chicken (optional)
1 bunch cilantro, minced
Juice of 1 lime
Topping: avocado slices

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat and saute carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper until soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes or so. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add stock, tomatoes and seasonings (salt, pepper, chili powder & cumin). Stir well and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Add chicken (if using) and heat through. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime. Top with avocado slices.

Hamburger Soup

This soup is in our monthly wintertime dinner rotation. It is so delicious! It is a twist on traditional vegetable soup. Very simple and very satisfying.

We always put cheese on top because we can.

Hamburger Soup

2 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 bell peppers, chopped (I use an assortment of red, orange & yellow)
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
One pound carrots, chopped
28 oz can diced tomatoes, not drained
4 cups beef stock (homemade chicken stock is good too)
small can tomato paste
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

In a large pot over medium high heat, brown the beef with onions, peppers, celery and the carrots, crumbling the beef as it cooks. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 45 minutes.

Chocolate Cake with Fudge Buttercream

It's my middlest middle baby's birthday today. He requested chocolate cake with chocolate icing. I made him this cake. It's so good, so easy and did I mention it's delicious? Moist chocolate cake topped with fudgy chocolate buttercream. You should make it, even if it's no one's birthday.

You'll be glad you did.

Chocolate Cake with Fudge Buttercream

1 cup canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tap baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup hot water

Icing:
1.5 sticks butter, softened
6 T whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
6 T cocoa powder
5 cups powdered sugar

For the cake, combine the oil, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk together in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except hot water, and whisk until combined. Do not over mix. Pour in the hot water and mix until just combined. Pour into a greased 9 by 13 baking dish and bake on 350ﾟfor about 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the middle comes out clean or with just a few crumbs sticking to it. Allow it to cool.

 For the icing, beat together the Butter, milk and vanilla. Add the cocoa and powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Spread evenly over the cooled cake.

Cauliflower 'n Cheese (Keto)

Well, instead of Mac 'n Cheese, this is Cauliflower 'n Cheese. Matthew and my daddy especially loved it. (The rest of us enjoyed it too, but they were scraping the dish.)

It's simple to make, it only requires a small saucepan and a dish to bake it in. I'm a minimalist when it comes to dishes these days. My daily challenge is to only run my dishwasher ONCE a day. I'm not always successful. But tomorrow is a new day!

So all you do is mix the sauce together in a saucepan (just to get the cheese melty and the cream cheese to incorporate completely). Toss it together - in the baking dish - with the RAW cauliflower (I'm into eliminating cooking steps whenever possible, too), cover it with foil and bake. When the cauliflower is done, take the foil off, sprinkle a little more cheese on top and bake for a few more mins. That's it! Easy. Delicious. Keto. Yum.

Cauliflower 'n Cheese

7.5 oz. tub onion & chive cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar-jack blend cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together the cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, half-and-half and salt & pepper. Stir until just combined (no need to cook it; we're just melting it here).

Spread the cauliflower in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce on top and mix well. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350, remove the foil, sprinkle the other half cup of cheese over the top and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork and the cheese is bubbly.

Garlic Green Beans

I made these for dinner on Friday. I'm making them again for dinner tonight (it's Monday in case you wondered). They were delicious. My family loved them. My 4-year-old scarfed them down and asked for more.

Garlic Green Beans

1 lb. string beans (or any green beans will work)
1/4 cup water
2 T butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 T minced garlic

Place the water and green beans in a saucepan with a lid. Steam them until tender (but not falling apart), about 10 minutes or so. Drain. If needed, at this point you can set the green beans aside until you're ready to saute them right before you serve.

Add the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, green beans, salt & pepper. Stir around and saute until heated through. Serve immediately.