Chicken Sloppy Joes

Now my friends, this is a recipe that you should make right away!  I have been making these sandwiches for a long time, and let me tell you, they are delicious!  It's a healthier alternative to ground beef, and it takes no time to put together. In fact, you can probably have this on the table within 30 minutes - even with a screaming toddler hanging on your leg. (Trust me – I know!)  I usually serve this with (don’t judge me) Funyons or regular chips.  A healthier alternative would be chips/salsa or carrot sticks/celery with a side of fruit.  The sandwiches themselves are so good that you won’t need a fancy side to steal the attention away. Enjoy!

chicken sloppy joes

Ingredients
1 lb. Ground chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1/2 (4oz.) canned tomato sauce
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Seasoning blend by McCormick)
1 tbsp. hot sauce
2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable or canola oil  into the oil and add chicken. Crumble and brown meat 3 to 4 minutes then add in the garlic and onion. Add 1 tablespoon smoked paprika and 2 tablespoons of grill seasoning to the chicken. Continue to cook over medium-high heat.
Mix hot sauce, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, mustard in a small bowl then stir into the meat and reduce heat to low. Stir in about 1/4 cup of water to keep the mix loose as it simmers. Simmer gently 10 minutes. Serve on toasted bakery rolls.

Slightly adapted from Rachael Ray

Creamy Broccoli Pesto

What's your favorite vegetable? We love broccoli in our house, we have it at least once a week. I usually steam it with a little garlic, butter, salt and pepper. While searching for new ways to cook broccoli I stumbled upon this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, if you have not seen her blog I highly recommend it, she is amazing!

I have to admit I was a little nervous to make this dish, I was worried it would taste like broccoli soup but I it did not taste that way at all!! This was a very tasty dinner, Jacob and Lucy ate it up! It was also really quick to prepare, plus if you use the same pot to cook everything, as instructed, you only have to clean the pot and the blender or food processor! Enjoy!

creamy broccoli pesto

Ingredients

1 pound broccoli

1 pound dried pasta

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced 

1/2 teaspoon table salt

Freshly ground black pepper 

A pinch of red pepper flakes

4 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup Grated parmesan, to serve

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for your pasta.

Remove broccoli florets from stems and chop into medium florets. Peel stems with a vegetable peeler and slice them into 1/2-inch segments.

Add the broccoli and stems to the boiling water (you can also use a steam basket cover with a lid for 5 to 6 minutes) or par-boil (for 3 to 5 minutes) your broccoli florets and stems until just tender.  Using a slotted spoon remove the broccoli and set aside.

Add pasta to water and cook 6 to 8 minutes until al dente. Before draining pasta, reserve a cup of pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain pasta.

Return the pot to the stove melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add the onion and reduce to medium-low, sauteing it until tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add steamed broccoli, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper turn the heat back up to medium-high, cooking it with the onion and garlic until broccoli is warmed through. Pour cream over mixture and let cook for 30 seconds.

Transfer broccoli mixture to a blender or food processor and blend in short bursts until it’s finely chopped and a little sauce. Add all of the cream add the reserved pasta water little at a time until desired consistency. 

Add the broccoli sauce and drained pasta back to the pot to combine. Cook over medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing the mixture so that it evenly coats. Add the parmesan cheese before serving.

Slightly adapted from: Smitten Kitchen

Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

If you grew up in the 80's like me then I am sure you are familiar with the phrase "It's Time to Make the Doughnuts.”  When I watched Ree Drummond, aka "The Pioneer Woman," make these on FoodNetwork, I knew I had to try them!!   I will admit I have always been intimidated to make my own doughnuts, but watching her make them made me feel 100% confident that I could do it! 

The doughnuts were delicious! They had the right amount of sweetness once glazed. I ended up making a chocolate glaze as well, and those were my favorite!  I urge you to give these a try!  Enjoy!

homemade glazed doughnuts

Ingredients
Doughnuts

1-⅛ cup Whole Milk, Warm

¼ cups Sugar

2-¼ teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast

2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten

1-¼ stick Unsalted Butter, melted

4 cups All-purpose Flour

¼ teaspoons Salt

Shortening

GLAZE

1½ cups confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup half-and-half, plus more as needed

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze

2 oz. finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

¼ cup half-and-half

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions

To Make the Dough:

Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.

Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.

Add yeast into a small bowl.

Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.

Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won’t be overly hot.

Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter’s not too hot for the eggs.

Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.

With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture.

Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it’s thoroughly combined.

With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.

Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes.

After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl.

Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds.

Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge.

Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

To Make the Doughnuts:

Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.

Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc.

Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.

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Korean Barbecue Steak

My first official blog post!  I have been dreaming about starting a blog for a very long time now and I have finally decided to take to plunge and do it!  I wanted to make it perfect but then quickly realized that ain't happening!  My goal is to create a blog where people can get good recipes a few laughs and mainly inspiration to cook!  Thanks for coming along for the ride.

This is a recipe that I have made many times and it has always been delicious!  The recipe calls for Flank Steak but Skirt Steak was on sale at my local grocer and that's what I used.  I can honestly say I could not tell the difference one bit.  Please run out and make this soon before grilling season comes to an end!  Enjoy!

Korean Barbecue Steak

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend (recommended brand McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning)

• 1/4 cup Tamari dark soy

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes, divided

• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped, divided

• 2 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil, eyeball it

• 2 scallions, finely chopped

• Vegetable oil, for drizzling plus, 2 tablespoons, twice around the pan

• 2 pounds flank steak

Directions
In a shallow dish, combine grill seasoning, dark soy sauce, honey, hot red pepper flakes, chopped garlic, sesame oil, scallions and a drizzle of vegetable oil.  Coat the flank steak in the mixture and let stand for at least 20 minutes.

Preheat stove top grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high.  When the grill pan or grill has heated, add meat and cook for 5 on each side for medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes on each side for medium well doneness.

inspired by Rachael Ray