• Food

    Cheesy Banana Pepper Dip

    As we get closer to the holidays, what better than a decadent dip with a bit of kick ~ meet my Cheesy Banana Pepper Dip.  You could definitely use any hot pepper like jalapenos or hatch chilis instead of banana peppers, but I have a LOT to use right now from my garden.  If you are going to substitute, try and understand just how hot your peppers are to gauge how many you will want to use in this dip.  If you are using a mild hatch or poblano, you could double up the pepper count, but with the more extreme peppers, you will want to stay with three or…

  • Food

    Easy One Pot Shrimp Boil

    I have been making this shrimp boil for years and it is always easy and delicious. This meal is good for a large gathering or an easy weeknight dinner for the family.  There are some modifications you may want to make if you are serving this to a large group. If there will be a lot of kids I will make one pot mild and let loose with the shrimp boil spices on another pot for the adults. If it’s a big group to feed, I like to serve this with rice made with chicken stock – the flavors are great together. I like to serve with a simple chopped…

  • Food

    Mediterranean Chicken and Veggies

    After our trip to Greece, I’ve been cooking a lot of Mediterranean dishes and this is one of my favorites ~ Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken with Veggies.  Using only a sheet pan, affordable ingredients, and very little work you can create this healthy and delicious feast! Start by marinading your chicken, I use skin on boneless thighs here but you can really use the cut of your choice. Marinade 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 lemons juiced, 6 garlic cloves, 3 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper Marinate chicken for minimum of 15 minutes or up to 2 hours.  While the chicken…

  • Food

    Red Beans and Rice

    Looking for a simple side dish recipe that also can be a main dish, is very inexpensive, delicious, healthy and will please the masses?  Look no further, red beans and rice is my go to side dish when hosting a large group or perfect to make ahead for those busy week nights.  The prepared red beans can be used in my tortilla soup, burrito bowls or taco salads, etc.  You can adjust how much you make by looking at the rice and / or beans label and calculate needed serving size per person. Ingredients 4 cups Dried Red kidney beans 1 yellow or white onion 2 Jalapeños 6 cups Chicken…

  • Food

    Peruvian Chicken Marinade

    This chicken marinade is my families’ all-time favorite chicken recipe.  Ok, I know what you are thinking…grilling in February?  But this is Texas and we grill year round here!  The reason this marinade is so good is because it softens the chicken without destroying the texture but leaves each thigh super juicy and full of flavor.  Plan to marinate 12 to 24 hours before you grill it.  Despite all the spices in the marinade, it is not a spicy chicken just full flavored.   Ingredients 8 chicken thighs 1/2 cup olive oil 8 garlic cloves – pressed 1/2 cup white vinegar 4 lemons – juiced 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon…