Category: recipes

Spinach And Cheese Tortelloni With Roasted Broccoli, Salami, Parmesan Cheese, And Olive Oil

The Wild Gems3 Comments

Had one of those nights where I really just needed to use what I had. Threw all of this together and it was so flavorful and delicious!

When it comes to the ingredients you can always had less or more. You want more Parmesan cheese, add more! More garlic? Garlic it up! This is just the gist! Get creative and have fun!

What You Need:

1 family size bag of spinach and cheese tortelloni (20 oz found in the frozen food aisle)

2 heads of broccoli chopped and broken into smaller pieces

A handful of salami cut into strips (snack size work just fine)

1 tomato diced or a handful of cherry tomatoes (whatever you have)

Jarred minced garlic (3-4 tablespoons)

Parmesan cheese (1/4 to 1/2 cup)

Salt, pepper, chili flakes, fresh rosemary (fresh is best)

Olive oil

1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Steps:

1. Place chopped broccoli on a pan sheet with foil. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red chili flakes. Add 2 tablespoons of garlic. Mix well until all combined. Add more olive oil if necessary. Bake at 400 for 15 mins.

2. Cook the tortelloni as directed.

3. Once the broccoli is done, add the salami strips and tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 mins. Just so it’s warm and a little soft.

4. Place the tortelloni in a large bowl and add the butter. Once melted add the roasted broccoli mixture. Next add Parmesan cheese, fresh rosemary, and drizzle some more olive oil. (I also added just a bit of sea salt.)

Enjoy with a glass of red wine! Some crusty bread with butter would be so good with this too!

This is what the bag looks like. It’s so good!
About to go into the oven. Olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
A lot going on, but believe me so many good flavors!

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Apple Bread

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Makes 1 9×5 loaf of bread

What You Need:

1/3 cup light brown sugar plus two tablespoons

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

2 green apples peeled and chopped

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 

2 large eggs 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 

Steps:

  1. First mix 1/3 cup of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a bowl; then set aside. In another bowl toss apples with the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  2. Beat the butter and the 2/3 cup of white sugar together in another medium bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; mix well.
  3. Whisk the flour and baking powder together in another bowl, then add to the butter mixture and beat until blended. Mix 1/2 cup milk into batter until smooth.
  4. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan then add half of the chopped apple mixture.
  5. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture on top of the chopped apple layer.
  6. Pour the remaining batter, and top with remaining chopped apples, then the remaining brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
  7. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a knife or spoon.
  8. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Note: comes out more of cake texture but still incredibly delicious!

Goes perfect with that morning coffee
What it looks like before going into oven
Fresh out of the oven.

Enjoy!

After School Oatmeal Muffins With Flax Seed And Mini Chocolate Chips

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Servings: 20 to 24 muffins

Pan suggestion: original muffin pan size or mini muffin pan size with muffin liners

What You Need:

1 1/2 cup of oatmeal

1 cup of whole milk

1/2 -3/4 cup of brown sugar (light or brown)

1/2 cup of unsalted butter melted (1 stick)

1 cup of flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 eggs beaten

1/4 cup of flaxseed

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips

Steps:

1. In a medium bowl add the oatmeal and milk. Mix together and allow to sit and absorb for 30 mins.

2. In a separate mixing bowl add your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flaxseed. (The dry ingredients)

3. Once the milk and oatmeal have sat for a bit, add the beaten eggs, melted butter, and brown sugar. Mix well. (The wet ingredients)

4. Add your dry ingredients with your wet ingredients, combining your two bowls. Once everything is mixed together, add your mini chocolate chips.

5. Pour evenly into mini muffin pans or regular size muffin pans. Bake at 350 for 8 – 15 mins.

Note: the mini muffins cook a lot quicker. I set the time for 8 mins. While the regular size muffins cook in about 15.

White Enchilada Sauce With Green Chiles

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It’s all in the sauce. This enchilada sauce is so delish. There’s a bonus to this recipe as well. It can also make a great cheese dip for tortilla chips.

Typically I’ll use left over chicken or rotisserie chicken and mix in corn to use as the enchilada filling. If I don’t have chicken I’ll use white beans mixed with corn or spinach as the filling.

Once the sauce is complete, take about a cup of the sauce and mix it with your chicken filling or bean filling until all combined.

Roll your enchiladas in corn tortillas and pour the entire sauce over the enchiladas. Top with jack cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Pan suggestion: a glass 9×13

Servings for: 10-12 enchiladas

What You Need:

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/4 chopped sweet onion

1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic

8 oz block of monterey jack cheese shredded

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

8 oz of cream cheese

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup of heavy cream

(2) 4oz cans of green chilies

Salt and pepper for taste

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro

Steps:

1. Begin with a medium sauce pan on a low heat (between a 2 and 4) and melt the butter. Add in your onion and garlic and sauté until onions are soft.

2. Add your heavy cream, milk, and cream cheese. Mix until cream cheese is completely melted.

3. Next add the parmesan cheese and add 3/4 cup of the jack shredded cheese. Once melted in, add both cans of green chiles.

4. Season with a couple of dashes of salt and pepper. Add the paprika and 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Mix continuously on low for 5 to 7 mins.

5. Reserve a cup of the sauce and mix with your enchilada filling.

6. Once your enchiladas are rolled up and placed in your 9×13 pan, pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top the enchiladas with the remaining Monterey Jack cheese and chopped cilantro.

7. Bake your enchiladas at 350 for 25 mins.

Hope you enjoy the sauce!

Muffin Frittatas

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Servings: 12 muffin frittatas

What You Need:

8 eggs

1/2 cup of whole milk

4-5 pieces of chopped deli meat

1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1-2 tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped

Steps:

1. In a medium size bowl whisk all ingredients together.

2. Spray a muffin tin pan with cooking spray and pour egg mixture into pans evenly.

3. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins until slightly bubbly and a little golden on top.

Enjoy! Great to get your kids involved in and also kid approved. I like to enjoy these with a little salsa or hot sauce as well.

Spinach Artichoke Dip With Green Chiles

The Wild Gems1 Comment

What You Need:

10oz of fresh spinach

2 14oz cans of artichoke hearts (rinsed and drained)

1 1/2 cup of whole milk

8oz of cream cheese softened

1/2-3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

2 cups of shredded pepper Jack cheese or Jack cheese

Salt and pepper for taste

1/4 cup of minced garlic (jarred is fine)

8 tablespoons of unsalted butter

2 4oz cans of green chilies

Steps:

1. In a large skillet melt 4 tablespoons of butter with the garlic. Add spinach, season with salt and pepper and sauté until spinach is wilted. Transfer to a strainer.

2. In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the artichoke harts. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 7 mins. Transfer artichokes to strainer as well.

3. Keeping the same skillet, add the remaining butter (2 tablespoons), the milk, and cream cheese . Once cream cheese is melted add the pepper Jack cheese (leaving a little left out to top it off with) and Parmesan cheese. Cheese mixture will become a little curd like. Add the green chilies and turn on low heat, while watching carefully and mixing.

4. Chop up the spinach and artichokes, then add to the cheese mixture. Turn off heat and mix well until all combined.

5. Pour into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish, top with additional pepper jack cheese and bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins until cheese is bubbly and a little golden on top.

Enjoy with tortilla or pita chips!

Easy Alfredo Sauce

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This Alfredo sauce is so yummy! Enjoy!

What You Need:

2 cups of Parmesan Cheese

1 (8 tablespoons) stick of unsalted butter

1 cup of heavy cream (8oz)

A few dashes of salt and pepper

1 teaspoon of fresh parsley finely chopped and a little extra chopped for garnish

Steps:

1. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on medium heat, once butter is melted add heavy cream. Allow to simmer while mixing for 2 minutes seasoning with salt and pepper.

2. Add Parmesan cheese and parsley. Add a few dashes of milk or pasta water to thin sauce out a little. Allow to cook and very low heat until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken Thigh Dry Rub Recipe – Taste So Good On the Grill

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This recipe only requires a few ingredients and it’s delicious. I’ve only ever used this dry rub on chicken thighs, hence the title.

I prepare the dry rub, then rub it all over the chicken really good. Afterwards I allow the chicken to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Then, we grill it. This dry rub with the smokey flavor from the grill really provides a great flavor.

What You Need:

1 tablespoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

2 teaspoons of salt

(Dry Rub Recipe good for 1.5 to 2 lbs of chicken)

Steps:

Mix all seasoning together in a bowl and then rub all over the chicken thighs. Be sure to open the thighs and really make sure it’s rubbed all inside as well.

Suggested Ways To Serve:

We enjoy making chicken tacos or nachos with this recipe. You can also enjoy with rice or potatoes on the side.

Chopping up for nachos

Enjoy!

Arroz Con Leche – ‘Mexican Rice Pudding‘

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What You Need:

7 cups of water

1 cup of white rice

1 teaspoon of cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

1 12oz can of evaporated milk

1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 cup of whole milk

1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Steps:

1. In a medium/large simmering pot bring the water, rice, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to a boil or the cinnamon stick. Boil for 18 minutes, uncovered.

2. Drain the liquid from rice and add the milks and vanilla extract to the pot. Keep the stove on a medium heat and mix for 20 mins consistently until thick and creamy.

3. Pour the rice pudding into a round 2 1/2 qt dish. Mix in the rest of the cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon) and continue to mix while still hot.

4. Serve right away warm or chill for 2 to 4 hours. Dash some more cinnamon on top for appeal. Enjoy!

Naked Pasta With Grape Tomatoes, Spinach, And Rotisserie Chicken

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Servings: 4-6

What You Need:

6 tablespoons of A Hearty Olive Oil

1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic

2 generous handfuls of grape tomatoes cut into halves

A bouquet of fresh spinach chopped lightly (the Spinach will shrink)

About 8oz (half of a 16oz packet) of thin Spaghetti (I used ‘American Beauty’)

Salt, pepper, and rosemary for taste

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (give or take)

Note: use my measurements as a guide. If you want less, do less. If you want more, do more. Cooking is about experimenting and getting creative!

Steps:

1. Fill a pot with water and turn on to a high-medium heat. In the meantime add 2 tablespoons (two times around the pan) of olive oil with minced garlic and grape tomatoes in a skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are soft and garlic becomes caramelized on a medium high setting. Add tomatoes and garlic to 2 1/2 qt dish. Keep stove on.

2. When water begins to boil, add a few good shakes salt into the water (at least 1 tablespoon. It is possible to over salt pasta water) break pasta noodles in half and add to simmering pot.

3. Add spinach to skillet with leftover garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until just a little wilted. Will begin to shrink fast, watch closely. Add spinach into dish with tomatoes.

4. While pasta is still cooking, shred the rotisserie chicken and add to dish with tomatoes, garlic, and spinach.

5. Once pasta is complete (no white in the middle of the noodle) drain, and add noodles to dish.

6. Add remaining olive oil, add Parmesan cheese and mix well. Top with Rosemary.

Suggested Sides: Caesar salad and toasted French bread with olive oil and garlic.