Potato Skins

Potato skins. Seriously who doesn't love em?

6 russet potatoes (small to medium-sized)
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
6 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
4- 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
Sour cream
1 green onion (thinly sliced)

Heat oven to 400.  Scrub and dry the potatoes.  Rub with canola oil and place in the oven directly on the rack.  Bake for 40 minutes to an hour or until the potato is fork tender.  Turn oven up to 450.  Slice the potato and carefully scoop out some of the insides while leaving some attached to the skin.  In a small bowl mix together the melted better and 2 tbsp canola oil.  Brush both sides of the potato skin with the mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then place facing down on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes.  Flip back over and bake for 10 additional minutes.  Remove from oven and top with cheese and bacon, put back in the oven for 5 minutes then broil for 1 to 2 more minutes.  Remove from oven and top with green onion and sour cream if desired. 

Ashley's Black Bean Burgers

This is our current go to recipe and we LOVE it.  It's my friend Ashley's recipe and it's easy and delicious and we eat them like once a week.  I love it because it makes four-six patties and since only 2 people in our house will eat them that means I get to freeze some for later. It all depends on how much you drain off the beans and how much oats you add.

1 15oz can black beans
1 pepper (any color but we prefer red)
1 small to medium size onion
1 to 2 cups ground oatmeal (just process regular oats in your food processor until they are finely ground)
1 tbsp olive oil
buns
toppings: cheese, avocado, tomato, lettuce, etc

Drain some of the liquid off the black beans.  Mash with beans with a potato masher.  Cut the pepper and onion into chunks and process with the food processor.  Drain off the excess liquid and add the onion and pepper to the beans.  Stir in and add oats until the mixture is at a good consistency for forming patties, you don't want it to be too wet but you also don't want it to be crumbly.  Make into thin patties and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.  Once patties are ready place olive oil in the bottom of a pan and place pan over medium heat.  Cook the burgers until browned on both sides.  Toast the buns, add toppings and enjoy!

Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

Ahhh vegetable beef soup.  This reminds me of home and my mom and my grandmother and brings back soooo many good memories.  I love this recipe and it makes A TON so I love that I have tons to freeze, we can eat off of it for days and still freeze tons.  It fills my crock pot.

3 cups beef broth
7 cups tomato juice
1 14 oz bag frozen corn
1 14 oz bag frozen black eyed peas
1 14 oz bag frozen lime beans
2 cans green beans
1 can kidney beans
2 cups diced potato
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 lb ground beef or stewed beef

Put all the vegetables in the crock pot.  Add the beef broth then add the tomato juice.  Stir it together and put the crock pot on high.  Once the soup is warm turn the crock pot to low and brown the beef and add to the soup. Soup will need to cook for 6 to 8 hours total.

Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich

You know when you find something at a restaurant and you just love it.  Yes. This.  This is one of my favorite sandwiches from a chain deli that we go to sometimes...you know, the one with free ice cream. Except I always sub for pepper jack cheese and an onion roll at the restaurant.  Sadly I couldn't find onion rolls but if you can then go for it!

2 chicken breasts (sliced in half) or 4 chicken cutlets
1 cup of marinade (I used a tangy marinade by Wegmans)
4 slices pepper jack cheese
8 slices of bacon (cooked)
4 sandwich rolls
1 cup guacamole
red onion (sliced)
tomato (sliced)
russian dressing

Marinate the chicken breast for a minimum of 1 hour.  Heat oven to 350.  Place the chicken in a baking pan and cook for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove from the chicken from the oven top with pepper jack cheese and bacon, place back in the oven under the broiler until the cheese is melted.  Toast the rolls then place the chicken breast on the sandwich, top with a thin layer of russian dressing, guacamole, tomato slices and red onion slices. 

Sugar Snap Pea and Asparagus Saute

Sometimes the simple sides are the best sides. I really loved this and so did Gray! This recipe is from Weelicious.

1 tabsp olive oil
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 bunch asparagus (cut into pieces)
1/2 tsp salt
juice from 1 small lemon

Place the oil in the pan and heat over medium hight heat. Add the vegetables and toss.  Cook for 3 minutes, stir often while cooking.  Remove from heat, toss with salt and lemon juice.  Serve right away. 

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin

I love a good pork tenderloin and this recipe certainly didn't fail.  Gray and I both thought it was a great recipe with good flavor.  Can't wait to make it again soon! This recipe is from Baking with Blondie.

4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin (trimmed)
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
3/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup water

Heat oven to 375. In a oven proof pan melt together the butter and honey.  Rub the pork tenderloin with black pepper and cajun seasoning.  Brown the pork tenderloin in the honey butter. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked to desired doneness. Remove the pork tenderloin, place on cutting board and let it rest before cutting.  Add water to the pan and mix, bring the liquid to a simmer and let cook for several minutes. Slice the pork tenderloin and serve with the sauce. 

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Not too long ago I hated anything buffalo or hot saucy.  Not sure what changed but now I love it!  Gray is a huge fan of buffalo sauce and spicy food so he is loving the switch.  I adapted this recipe from  A Farm Girl Dabbles.  Also, the picture above is only half of the recipe, we didn't need a whole one since it was just the two of us :)


8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup chunky blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce
1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
2 chicken breast (cooked and shredded)

In a bowl mix together cream cheese, hot sauce, blue cheese dressing, chicken and blue cheese crumbles.  Pour into a baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. 

Yum Yum Chicken

Just typing this out is making me crave this recipe all over again.  I love simple, I love easy, I love warm and delicious!!! This recipe is slightly adapted from Plain Chicken.

1 to 1 ½ lb. chicken, cooked and shredded
8oz sour cream
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 box Cornbread stuffing, uncooked (Stove Top)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 stick melted butter

Heat oven to 350.  Place chicken in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Mix together sour cream, cream of chicken soup and pour over the chicken. Sprinkle cornbread stuffing over the top of the mixture.  Mix together chicken broth and melted butter then pour evenly over the top of the stuffing. Bake for 30 minutes. 

Sugar Crusted Chocolate Chip Muffins

I made these a while back when some friends came into town.  They were delicious and such a fun treat.  The recipe is slightly adapted from Simply Scratch.

2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
3 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 cup Whole Milk
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 egg
3/4 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
3 tbsp White Sugar (for sugar crust)
2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar (for sugar crust)

Preheat oven to 375.  Fill a muffin tin with baking cups.  In a small bowl mix together 3 tablespoons of white sugar and 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar and set to the side.  In a medium size bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, chocolate chips and salt.  In a different bowl mix together the milk, oil, vanilla extract and egg.  Mix the wet ingredients into the dry.  Fill the baking cups 2/3 of the way and sprinkle with sugar topping.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until done.  Cool for several minutes then remove from muffin tin.

Alice Springs Chicken

I'm pretty sure when I made this dinner Gray fell in love with me all over again.  I can't blame him, this was fantastic!!! This recipe is adapted Plain Chicken.


4 chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness
1 bottle Lawry's Original Seasoned Salt marinade
8 slices bacon
1 cup fresh mushrooms (sliced)
2 cups cheddar jack cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup honey mustard dressing (I got some honey mustard from Outback)

Marinate the chicken in Lawry's Original Seasoned Salt Marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes.  Cook the bacon in a skillet and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and saute the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms aside. Grill the chicken or saute the chicken on the skillet for 15 or 20 minutes or until cooked through.  Place on in a pan and top with honey mustard, bacon, mushrooms and cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted.