Coleslaw

 

Whenever Rudi needs a new bone, we always stop by Tommy G's here in Fairbanks and grab him a yummy beef knuckle bone.  They know when I walk in that Rudi is on duty at home and I'm leaving with a treato for the best boy ever.  Their meats are amazing and we were in the mood for their hot dogs tonight.  It's March and we've already had a couple of fool's Springs this year but that isn't stopping us from firing up the grill.  What better to go with a summer hot dog than homemade coleslaw?  Even if it is only 18 degrees.  This recipe is reminiscent of a KFC Copycat so if a creamy coleslaw is your jam, give this one a try!

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup milk

4 tsp. white wine vinegar

2 tsp. lemon juice

4 tsp. sugar

2 Tablespoons dried minced onion

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 carrot, peeled and grated

4 cups cabbage, grated

In a large serving bowl, combine the mayo, milk, vinegar,  lemon juice, sugar, minced onion, salt, and pepper.  Whisk until all lumps are gone and the sugar is dissolved. 

Add the carrots and cabbage and toss to coat.

Cover and let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

Mushroom Rice

 

This mushroom rice is a huge hit in our house and it's the perfect side dish to go with so many things.  You can also easily double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 baking dish if you need to feed more than 5-6 people.

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice (I like Jasmine)

1 can condensed French Onion soup

1 can beef consommé

8oz. fresh baby bell mushrooms, sliced thin

1/4 cup butter cut into several slices

1 tsp. worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, optional

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.  Coat an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 

In a large mixing bowl combine the rice, French onion soup, beef consommé, mushrooms, and worcestershire sauce.  Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove the foil and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.  Place back into the oven, uncovered for 20 minutes.

Once finished, remove from oven and let stand 2-3 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and enjoy.

Mexican Restaurant Style Rice

 

This is a super subtle addition to any Mexican food night.  It's delicious with tacos, beans, quesadillas, fajitas, and taco salad!

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups long grain white rice

1 medium onion, diced

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 can tomato sauce

1 tsp. taco seasoning

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

4 cups chicken broth

1 can of corn, drained (or 2 cups frozen corn)

Optional toppings: lime wedges, avocado, cilantro

To your instant pot, add the oil and set to the Saute feature.  Allow the oil to heat.

Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly until it's fragrant and golden brown.

Add the onion and cook until slightly softened.  

Add the chicken broth, garlic powder, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, cumin, corn, and salt.  Stir to combine.  

Place the lid on your instant pot, set the valve to Sealing and process on Manual for 6 minutes.  Once the 6 minutes is done, allow the pot to naturally release for 15 minutes.  

Release the remaining steam and fluff with a fork.  Serve with your favorite Mexican dishes.

The Good "Ranch" Dressing

 

Have you ever been to a little local restaurant and it has the BEST Ranch or House dressing?  In Fredericksburg, it's Vinny's.  In Fairbanks, it's Chowder House.  I've been trying for years to crack the code on how to get that perfect Ranch/House dressing and I finally did it.  It's definitely not a "clean" recipe but I can live with that.  And I wish I could say it's "homemade", but it's not.  Again, I can live with that.

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup milk (you may not use it all)

1 packet of Hidden Valley Creamy Dill Dip mix

1/2-1 tsp. salt

In a medium mixing bowl combine the sour cream and dip mix.  Slowly thin the mixture until it's your desired consistency.  I tend to like it a little on the thicker side.

Season with salt until it's just almost too salty to eat on it's own.  I usually do about 1/2 tsp of salt.  When you combine it with all of your salad ingredients, it dilutes to the perfect flavor.  If you get it too salty, just dilute with a bit of milk.

Store in a mason jar with a finger tight lid.

Crab Rangoon

 These crab rangoons are RIDICULOUSLY good!  My family could eat themselves sick on them and then beg for more. They're hot and creamy and cook in seconds.  If your family spots the ingredients in the fridge, they will NOT leave you alone until you make them.  They're seriously better than take out!

1 package Wonton wrappers

2 blocks cream cheese, softened

4 sticks of imitation crab meat (or about half a cup), diced

1/4 cup green onion, chopped (just the green part)

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

pinch of salt

coconut oil or your favorite oil for frying

In a medium mixing bowl combine the softened cream cheese, crab meat, green onion, powdered sugar, and salt.

Take a wonton wrapper and place about 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture into the center of the wrapper.  Dip your finger in some cold water and wet all of the edges of the wrapper.  By wetting the edges, the dough will seal completely when you fold and pinch the edges together.

Now, you can design your rangoon anyway you like.  I made mine like the picture.  Simply fold two opposite corners together and pinch the top to seal.  Then bring the other two corners together and pinch to seal making a little pocket of filling.  Alternatively, you could bring two corners together to make a triangle and seal the edges to look like a paper football.

In a large cast iron skillet (or your favorite vessel for deep frying), melt some coconut oil until you have approximately 1/4 inch of oil in the bottom of your skillet.  I like to sacrifice a wonton wrapper to see if the oil is hot enough.  If you've never worked with wonton wrappers before, it's also a great way to see how quickly they cook.  Gently place an empty wonton wrapper into the hot oil.  If it bubbles and puffs right away, then your oil is hot enough.  (Enjoy a delicious wonton cracker with your tester wrapper!)

Working in batches, carefully place the wontons into the hot oil.  Don't add too many at once.  They cook quickly and it's easy to burn them if you're working with too many.

After a few seconds, you'll see the bottoms beginning to brown.  Turn the wontons into the oil until all sides of the rangoon are golden brown.  Remove from the oil onto a paper towel lined plate.

Serve warm and watch them disappear!  Yields approx. 30 crab rangoons.

Dinner Rolls

 

Y'all.  These are melt-in-your-mouth AMAZING and a bread machine makes them so super easy.  The bread machine does all the work of mixing, kneading, and rising.  All you have left to do is a short knead when the dough cycle is done, portion them out, let them have a second rise, and bake.  

1 cup warm/hot milk

1 tsp. salt

1 egg, room temp is best

3 tablespoons sugar

3 cups flour

2 tsp. yeast

1/4 cup butter, softened but not melted

Place all of the ingredients into the bread machine in the order listed, except for the butter.  Select the Dough cycle and press start.

After a minute or two, open the lid and begin adding the butter 1 tablespoon at a time.  

After another 10-15 minutes, lift the lid again and check your dough.  It shouldn't be wet, but it also shouldn't be dry.  You want a dough that is a smooth ball and just barely sticks to the sides as it kneads.  If it's too wet, add additional flour 1 Tablespoon at a time.  If it's too dry, add additional milk or water 1 Tablespoon at a time.  

When the Dough cycle is finished, the dough should be doubled in size.  Remove the dough from the machine and place onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes and form into a ball.

Divide the ball in half.  Then take each of those halves and divide them into 8 equal pieces each (you should have 16 rolls total).  To make them round and uniform, pull the dough toward the bottom while turning the dough.  

Place the rolls into two greased 8 or 9 inch baking pans, 8 rolls in each pan.  You can use cake pans, pie plates, cast iron...whatever you have.  I place 7 rolls around the perimeter and 1 roll in the center.  Cover with a tea towel and place them in a warm, draft free place until they've doubled in size.  (I preheat my oven to 350 and put the pans on the back of my cooktop.  It gets very warm and allows the rolls to rise nicely.)

Once they've doubled in size, bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  Serve warm with nice salty butter.

*Note: if you're not going to serve all of them at once, remove the rolls from the baking pan onto a wire rack.  The steam they produce can make them soggy if you leave them in the baking pan too long.

Garlic-Herb Butter (Compound Butter)

Garlic-Herb Butter, sometimes called Compound Butter, is something you should *always* have in your fridge or freezer.  It's the best way to add quick flavor to almost anything.  

Some things we use it for are:

Topping our medium-rare steak

Cooking our steak in a cast iron skillet

Melting it into some sautéed veggies (zucchini!)

Add it to any and all seafood

Spread it on freshly baked bread

Use it as a spread for garlic bread

2 sticks grass fed butter (I use a brick of Kerrygold)

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp. fresh minced Rosemary

1 tsp. fresh minced Thyme

2 tablespoons fresh minced Parsley

In a medium sized bowl cream the butter with a fork until smooth.

Add the crushed garlic and herbs and mix well.

Tear off two 12" sheets of wax paper.

Divide the butter mixture in two equal halves.

Place one half on each sheet of wax paper and begin shaping it into a log, as best you can.

Roll the ends of the wax paper like a tootsie roll until tight, continuing to shape it into a log as you go.

Refrigerate for 2 hours prior to use.

Use it on anything you think it sounds good on!  It will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 6 months.

No Bake Macaroni and Cheese

My friend Bree gave me this recipe.  It's her family's recipe and it's SO good.  It's fast and easy and everything you want in a creamy, super cheesy, mac n' cheese.

1lb. short cut pasta (my kids love small shells)

1 stick butter

1/3 cup flour

3 1/2 cups whole milk

1lb. shredded sharp cheddar (make sure it's sharp!)

salt and pepper

Prepare the pasta in salted water according to the box directions and drain.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  

Add the flour and whisk for about 1 minute.

Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly.

Simmer for a few minutes until the milk mixture begins to thicken.

Add the cheese and stir until completely melted. 

Add the pasta and mix until every piece of pasta is well coated in the cheese sauce.

Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.

*If you have any leftover ham from a holiday, cube it up and throw it in there.  Yum!*

Oven Roasted Green Beans

We've been loving some roasted green beans lately.  It's a great alternative just plain canned green beans (which we also love with a little bit of bacon grease...yum!) and you can do all kinds of fun stuff with them.  Our personal favorite is topped with parmesan cheese and sliced almonds!

Bag of frozen green beans (whatever size will feed your family)

extra virgin olive oil

garlic (powder, sliced cloves, minced...whatever you like)

salt

pepper

parmesan cheese (grated or shredded)

sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil.  

Add a generous amount of olive oil to the foil.  

Place your frozen green beans on top of the oil.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Add garlic powder or cloves (if using).

Use your hands and toss it all around with the olive oil.  If you need more oil, add it...it's soooo good and you want to make sure you have a good coating.

Spread the beans out so that they're in a thin layer.

Place in the oven on the center rack and roast for 10-12 minutes.

Remove the pan and rearrange them a bit so that they don't scorch.  I just take some tongs and mix them around.

Place them back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes.

When they're done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and sliced almonds.  Serve hot!

**If I'm serving some sort of Asian dish, I like to add soy sauce and a little bit of crushed red pepper flakes before roasting too...so yum!**

Deviled Eggs

These are, hands down, the BEST deviled eggs EVER.  My aunt makes them for every holiday and they are to DIE for!

1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled

Woeber's Jalepeno Mustard

mayo

salt

pepper

paprika

Split each hard boiled eggs in half, length wise.

Remove the yolks and place in a medium mixing bowl.

Place the whites on a serving platter and set aside.

Take a fork or a whisk and crumble the yolks until they're all in tiny pieces.

Add enough mayo to make it creamy and at least 3 Tablespoons of the jalapeño mustard. (Side note: the jalapeño mustard doesn't make it spicy at all.  So if you're not into spice, no worries, these are NOT spicy AT ALL.  But there's something about that mustard that just sets this recipe apart from the rest.)

Keep stirring and combining the yolks, mayo, and mustard until it's the consistency you like and the yolks are smooth and creamy.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put the yolk mixture into a sandwich baggie and snip the corner off.

Pipe the yolk mixture into the center of the whites.

If you're Team Paprika then sprinkle it on top of all of the eggs.  If you're Team NO Paprika, skip it!

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

I know...how hard can it be to make hard boiled eggs?  Does it really deserve a blog post?  Yes!  If you use your Instant Pot to hard boil your eggs, you absolutely need to know this method.  So many people do the 5-5-5 method or the 6-6-6 method or a 4-5-4 method....blah blah blah.  I'm a busy mama and don't have time to carefully time eggs.  I'll mess it up because there's always something to distract me.  So here's the easiest way AND it doesn't require you to babysit it.

Eggs, room temp (I do a dozen or two at a time)

1 cup water

Place the trivet in the bottom of your instant pot.  Add the water to the pot.  Place the eggs on top of the trivet.  

Secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and process on high pressure for 2 minutes.  THAT'S IT!!  2 minutes!!

Allow the pressure to completely release naturally.  (Read: forget about it while you do other stuff)

Once the pressure has released, take your eggs out and store in the fridge.

Instant Pot Rice

Let's talk rice for a bit.  I've never made *good* rice.  I've never owned a rice cooker which was probably the biggest problem but I didn't make rice enough to justify another appliance to take up precious kitchen space, ya' know?  So my rice game has always been no bueno.  

Until now.

Instant Pot rice is THE BOMB!  Like, restaurant quality, perfect every single time, amazing!  Here's the three methods I use for the three different types of rice we like.  It's so.so.easy.  

First up, Jasmine rice.  It's our white rice of choice.  If we're in the mood for white rice, this is what goes in the pot.  It's super simple to remember how to do too.  Just remember 3-3-3.

-3 cups Jasmine Rice

-3 cups water

-I always add some salt...your call if you want to or not.

-Add your rice, water, and salt to the inner liner of the pot.  Lock the lid on and place the valve on Sealing.

-3 minutes on Manual, High pressure.

-NPR (Natural Pressure Release...meaning let the pressure come down on its own without releasing the steam through the valve).

Once the pin drops, fluff with a fork and serve.  It's perfect every single time.

Next up is Brown Rice.  We always have brown rice in the pantry.  

-2 cups brown rice

-2 1/4 cups water

-Salt if you want.

-Mix all of that together in the inner liner of your Instant Pot.

-Make sure the valve is placed on Sealing.

-Manual, High pressure for 15 minutes with a 10 minute Natural Release.

-Release the remaining pressure.

-Fluff with a fork and ta-da!  Amazing brown rice.  Perfectly done.

And last but not least, Basmati rice.  I don't make Basmati too often just because I always have so much Jasmine and Brown rice on hand, but when I do, this is how it goes.

-2 cups Basmati rice

-2 cups water

-Salt if you want.

-Mix all of that together in the inner liner of your Instant Pot.

-Make sure the valve is placed on Sealing.

-Manual, High pressure for 6 minutes with a 10 minute Natural Release.

-Release the remaining pressure.

-Fluff with a  fork and you're done!  Again...amazing rice!

You can always cut the recipes in half if you won't eat all of this rice at once.  I always do it this way though so I have some for the freezer and we can just pull it out for quick weeknight meals.  

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

My mom makes this for eeeeevery holiday.  It's a staple on our spread and super nostalgic for me and my sisters.  It's simple and a great way to get your broccoli in.  Because cheese.  

2 14oz pkgs. frozen broccoli florets

1/4lb. Velveeta

1/2 stick butter

1/2 stack Ritz crackers

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sauce pan, boil broccoli until soft.  

Drain and return to pot.  

Over low heat, add Velveeta and butter and stir until everything is melted and coating the broccoli.  Pour the broccoli mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.  

Coarsely crush the crackers (I just squeeze several in my hand) and sprinkle over the top of the broccoli mixture. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until the crackers are golden and cheese is bubbly.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

Warning: Pregnancy craving recipe.  Our garden is LOADED with jalapeños this year and that makes mama very happy because now we have endless nights of jalapeño poppers in our future!  Give me all the poppers!

6 fresh jalapeños

4oz (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp. garlic powder

A few dashes of paprika

kosher salt to taste (just a pinch or two)

6 slices bacon, cut in half

toothpicks (if you're having trouble keeping the bacon in place)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up) and place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet.  Set aside. 

Slice the jalapeños in half length wise.  Using a spoon, remove the ribs and seeds and throw 'em out.

In a medium mixing bowl, comine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.  Mix well.  Spoon the mixture evenly among the jalapeños.  

Wrap each jalapeño with half a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick if necessary.  

Bake 25-28 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and the cheeses are melted.  Most of the time, I turn my oven on broil for 1-2 minutes at the end so the bacon gets good and crispy.

Sesame Noodles

These noodles are SO good!  I had never tasted, let alone MAKE, sesame noodles until recently.  This is a PERFECT lunch and it makes leftovers so I can have them again the next day.  They are incredibly addicting.  And if you'd like to make it a dinner entree, add some cooked, seasoned chicken breast!  If you're like me and have never tasted these babies, let me tell ya', they sound weird once you read the ingredients.  If you can, imagine a noodle in a spicy peanut butter sauce.  SO GOOD!

1 (16oz.) pkg. spaghetti

1 (2 inch) piece of peeled, fresh ginger (I never have that so I add 1/4-1/2 tsp. ginger powder)

3 garlic cloves (I use pre-minced.)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons rice vinegar or sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons regular or low-sodium soy sauce

1/2-1 tsp. chili pepper sauce, such as Sriracha or Tobasco

3 tablespoons vegetable, peanut, or canola oil

2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided

thinly sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, fresh cilantro leaves to garnish (all optional)

First, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions using water that has been well salted.  

 

While the pasta is boiling, prepare the sauce.  Place the ginger and garlic in a food processor or blender and run the machine until they are finely minced.  (If you're like me and using ginger powder and pre-minced garlic, just add it to the blender with the rest of the ingredients since there's nothing to chop.)  Add the brown sugar, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, chili pepper sauce, vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil.  Process all of the ingredients until well incorporated and smooth. 
Now, your pasta should still be boiling away.  Carefully, reserve and set aside 1 cup of the noodle cooking water.  When the pasta is done boiling, drain the noodles and rinse them quickly with warm water and drain them again.

Add the reserved pasta water to the sauce and process it again until the water is incorporated.  Place the warm drained noodles in a large bowl and toss them with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, then add the sesame sauce and mix everything until the noodles are well coated.  Taste for seasoning, adding salt if necessary.  Let the noodles cool to room temperature; they will absorb more sauce as they sit.  Garnish with the scallions, sesame seeds, and/or cilantro.

Creamed Peas

Since I'm dealing with gestational diabetes for the next few weeks, a whole new world of recipes has been put in front of me.  Peas are a great way to get some rockin' vitamins and minerals, with a healthy amount of carbs, lots of fiber...and you can have a lot of them!  If you like peas, and have diabetes, this is a great way to fill up.  I usually double this recipe because this IS my carb for the evening meal.  I usually serve it with some sort of carb-less chicken recipe so I can have lots of peas and feel like I've eaten a lot without actually eating a ton of food.  It's all a mind trick!  For those of you counting carbs, there are 14 carbs in 1/2 cup.

1 (10oz) package of frozen peas

1 tablespoon of butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup milk (or for a richer flavor 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup heavy cream)

1 tsp. sugar

Cook the peas according to the package directions.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Once the butter is bubbling stir in the flour, salt, and pepper and stir until blended.  Cook the flour/butter mixture for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to get rid of the "raw" flour taste.  Gradually add the milk and sugar.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until nice and thick.  Drain the peas and return them to their pot. Add the white sauce to the peas and stir until well incorporated.

Grilled Summer Vegetables

I LOVE grilled veggies!  My most favorite veggie in the whole world to have on the grill is zucchini.  That being said, we grill veggies all the time.  My favorite BLEND of veggies to grill is zucchini, yellow squash, onions, and green peppers.  I love that you can add any or omit any veggie in there that tickles your taste buds.  Asparagus, tomatoes, leeks, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers...ANYTHING.  Here is what I do and these amounts feed about 4 people, so adjust accordingly.

2 zucchini, chopped into 1/2 inch slices

2 yellow squash, chopped into 1/2 inch slices

1 large onion, red or white, cut into 1 inch chunks

2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch chunks

olive oil

garlic powder

salt

Heat your grill to high heat.

Chop all those glorious veggies and add to a large bowl.  Drizzle enough olive oil over the veggies to give every piece a light coating.  Generously sprinkle on the garlic powder and salt; to your little heart's desire...and toss it all together.  Place a piece of heavy duty foil over top of your grill grate.  (Otherwise you'll be losing everything through spaces in grill.)   Now, depending on the size of your grill, you may have to grill them in batches.  Every veggie should be able to lay flat on the foil.  You don't want them all piled on top of one another or they'll get mooooshy.  Flip the veggies frequently and grill until you get a nice char on them, but they still have a bit of a crunch when you bite into them.

Skinny Cilantro Lime Rice

Have you ever been to Chipotle and had their rice?  This is a knock-off, skinny recipe for it!  I love all things cilantro and this rice is no exception.  And to make it better, it's "skinny".  One of my favorite sites, Skinny Taste, has come up with an at-home version that you'll make over and over again.  I do.

1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice

1/2 lime, the juice of

2 cups water

1 tsp. salt

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

3 tsp. vegetable oil

In a small, heavy pot add rice, water, 1 tsp. of the oil, and salt.  Boil on high until most of the water evaporates.  When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover for 5-10 minutes.  Turn the stove off and keep covered an additional 5 minutes.  Add your rice to a serving bowl.  Drizzle the remaining oil over the rice, squeeze on the lime juice and add the cilantro.  Toss and serve!

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

Lately I've been in the mood for carrots.  My friend shared this recipe with me and they are SO good.  Carrots are sweet by nature anyway, but when you make them with a brown sugar glaze...oh my!

1 lb. fresh baby carrots

4 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

Steam the carrots until they are fork tender.  In a large skillet, melt the butter.  Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add the carrots to the brown sugar glaze and toss to coat.

Roasted Baby Carrots

Roasting veggies is probably my most favorite way to eat them.  Carrots are delish prepared this way!

1 bag fresh baby carrots
olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, add entire bag of carrots and generously drizzle with olive oil.  Toss to coat, making sure each carrot has a nice coating of olive oil.  Transfer carrots to foil lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until carrots are fork tender.