Margarita Pizza

I'm finally back to blogging!  Our sweet baby girl is here and is 6 weeks old now!  I have just started getting back in the kitchen in the past few weeks after being generously given so many great meals by our friends and family!  I will try and get back to posting, but they may be a little farther between for a little bit as we are still adjusting to life with a newborn!  Check our family blog for updates on Reese!

Lately I'm finding myself making meals with only one arm free or in under 15 minutes.  I think the thing that works best has been prepping the meal earlier in the day and cooking it later.  This meal was so easy and definitely could fit into any of those categories!  I also loved getting to use up some of the many cherry tomatoes and fresh garlic we grew!

1 refrigerated pizza dough
olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
cherry or roma tomatoes, sliced
fresh basil, sliced thin
mozzarella cheese

Lay out dough and brush with olive oil.  Spread out minced garlic then add toppings.  Bake according to dough instructions.  Yummy!

Blackened Fish Tacos w/ Remoulade Sauce

Corey loves fish tacos, so I've tried many different recipes looking for the best one.  I will usually just blacken some light white fish and throw in whatever toppings we have in the fridge, i.e they end up something like this recipe.  This time I wanted to try making a sauce for the fish tacos and came across this one via Pinterest.  This sauce would also be incredible on Shrimp Po Boys (as he suggests).

 

Blackened Fish Tacos w/ Remoulade Sauce

via Closet Cooking

 

3 large fillets light white fish

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon blackened seasoning

6-8 (6 inch) tortillas

mixed greens

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/2 jalapeno (seeded and chopped) (optional)
garlic powder to taste

1 lime (juice to taste)

1 handful cilantro (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

remoulade sauce (see below)

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Dip the fish into the butter, sprinkle on the seasoning and pat it in.  Place the fish in the skillet and cook until it just starts to blacken but not burn, about 2 minutes, flip it and do the same to the other side. 

While fish is cooking mix together pico de gallo (tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, garlic powder, lime juice, cilantro, salt & pepper). 

Assemble tacos with fish, mixed greens, pico de gallo, and remoulade sauce.

Remoulade Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon creole mustard (I just used dijon)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 small clove garlic, minced finely
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon capers (I actually left this out)
1 green onion (chopped) (left this out too)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
hot sauce to taste

Blend everything in a food processor until smooth (or if you're like me just in a bowl).

 

PW's amazing Grilled Chicken

You must absolutely make this grilled chicken ASAP!  It is so fantastic, so flavorful and a little sweet, and who doesn't like bacon?  I don't know how the Pioneer Woman does it, but she always comes up with these amazing recipes.  This chicken did not dissappoint!

PW's Simple Scrumptious Grilled Chicken

via The Pioneer Woman

6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Marinade:
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoons Steak Seasoning (I Used Montreal)

Sauce:
1/4 cup Honey
4 pieces Thick Cut Bacon
1.5 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Hot Sauce

Slice the chicken breasts into thick strips diagonally. Combine marinade ingredients in a plastic zipper bag.  Throw in chicken, seal bag, and marinate in fridge for at least 3 hours (or overnight).

Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Grill chicken on both sides until completely done.

While chicken is grilling, make the sauce: Fry the bacon in a heavy skillet until slightly crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour off and discard grease but do not clean skillet. Set the skillet over medium-low heat and add honey, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Stir to combine and allow to bubble slightly. Crumble bacon, add to the sauce, then remove from heat and set aside.

Place chicken into a big heatproof bowl, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Toss to coat.

Moroccan Salmon Salad

A few months ago I hosted our monthly Alpha Phi girls dinner and my friend Ally brought over a salad with this amazing Moroccan Vinaigrette.  It was sweet but spicy and unlike any vinaigrette I'd had before.  I of couse couldn't forget about it so I decided to re-create the salad Ally brought over and top it with salmon to make a meal out of it and also added some goat cheese.  This salad was incredible, seriously, thanks to Ally for finding such a great vinaigrette!

Moroccan Salmon Salad
vinaigrette via Whole New Mom

2 salmon filets
lettuce of choice, I used mixed greens and spinach
1/2 cucumber, diced
4-6 radisshes, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced or diced2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 ounches goat cheese crumbled (more or less if you'd like)
morrocan vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Roast salmon filets at 375 for 12-15 minutes until flake easily with a fork.  Compile salads in two bowls with lettuce, veggies, and goat cheese.  Top with warm salmon & vinaigrette.  Serve!


Morrocan Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 small clove garlic, finely minced, or a pinch of garlic powder
1 very small pinch cayenne (ground red) pepper
2 tablespoons tightly packed minced fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried parsley)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
lots of freshly ground pepper (optional)

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Taste and adjust seasonings adding more lemon juice or vinegar if you like.  Store unused portion in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Roasted Pesto Potatoes

I have been dying to make these ever since I saw this recipe.  Yes I realize Chelsey posted these over a year ago, but my mind is always thinking cooking and little ideas like this one do not leave my mind :)  While I was a little disappointed after building them up so much, Corey absolutely loved them!  And I think my disappointment had to do with the brand of pesto I bought.  I wish I could find fresh basil somewhere, but it always looks like its on its last limb at the grocery.  And I'm pretty sure this streak of over 100 degree heat is never going to let my poor little basil plants grow.  I will absolutely make these again with a new type of pesto, or with some homemade!

Roasted Pesto Potatoes

via Clean Eating Chelsey

8-10 small red skinned potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 tablespoons pesto

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 (or you can make these guys on the grill!).  Wash and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt & pepper and toss to coat.  Roast potatoes for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until they are tender with a fork and have a nice golden outer crust.  Allow potatoes to cool for a few minutes then toss with pesto until coated.  Serve warm!

Corn on the Cob

Sorry I have been missing!  We were really busy during June and honestly I just kept forgetting to upload pictures to my computer so I could post recipes!  I am back now though, with plenty to share :)

Corn on the cob is so easy to make, but I didn't know how for the longest time, so I thought I would share this simple "recipe"!  There are a number of ways to make it, I shared how to grill it here, but boiling it has to be the easiest way and fresh corn during the summer is so tasty!

How to Boil Perfect Corn on the Cob

you'll need an ear for each person you're serving (plus extra!)

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Peel husks from corn and clean as best as possible.  Add corn to boiling water and cook covered for 5-10 minutes until desired tenderness.  If you like your corn tender, leave it for 10 minutes and it should be perfect!  Remove from water and allow to cool.  Serve with butter and salt & pepper!

Carolina BBQ Ribs & Homemade BBQ Sauce

We made some awesome ribs a couple weekends ago and I have been dying to share the recipe, but have been on vacation and busy since returning!  We bought some ribs on a whim and Corey looked up and found these two awesome recipes for a Carolina rub and a great bbq sauce.  They made the ribs so flavorful!

Carolina BBQ Rub

via about.com

1 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1/8 cup paprika

Mix all ingredients together and rub into meat on both sides.  For our ribs, we grilled them on each side about 10 minutes.

 

Homemade BBQ Sauce

via the Neelys

1 cups ketchup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2.5 tablespoons light brown sugar

2.5 tablespoons sugar

1/4 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 tablespoon onion powder

1/4 tablespoon ground mustard

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.  (We found this recipe right before cooking the ribs, so it only had time to simmer for maybe 20-30 minutes.  I think if it simmered longer it would have cut out more of the bitterness from the vinegar, but to us it gave it a nice kick!).  This is a semi spicy, but sweet, and full of flavor bbq sauce!