Category: vegetables

Mexican Street Corn Side Dish Or Chip Dip

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What You Need For The Corn:

4 cups of frozen corn

1-2 tablespoon of olive oil

1 bell pepper any color you like, probably not yellow though

1 bunch of fresh cilantro chopped finely with a few leaves left out for garnish

1 jalapeño or Serrano pepper finely chopped

1/2 red or white onion chopped

2/3 cup of Mexican cheese (look for cotija or queso fresco) crumbled up

What You Need For The Dressing

3 tablespoons of sour cream

2 tablespoons of miracle whip (I prefer miracle whip over Mayo. It just has a different flavor to me)

2-3 limes for squeezing

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of chili powder

Steps:

1. Start by heating the olive oil on medium high in a skillet. Add the corn and cook until lightly charred. 7 to 10 minutes, once charred add to a large bowl.

2. Add the chopped bell pepper, jalapeño or Serrano pepper, cilantro, and onion to the large bowl with the charred corn.

3. In a small bowl add the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.

4. Add the dressing to the large bowl with the corn and mix well. Add 1/2 of the crumbled mexican cheese. Taste, and add additional lime or salt if needed.

5. Garnish with the remaining cheese and cilantro and serve. Or cover and place in the fridge for up to 8 hours.

Enjoy!

Easy Oven Roasted Tomato And Garlic Bisque

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What You Need:

20 oz of cherry tomatoes

1/2-3/4 of a large yellow or white onion cut in chunks

3/4 cup of chicken broth

3/4 to 1 cup of heavy cream

1-2 handfuls of fresh basil

1 whole head of garlic cut in half

6-7 tablespoons of olive oil roughly (don’t be shy with the olive oil)

Salt and pepper for taste

A few pinches of sugar

Steps:

1. In a 9×13 glass dish place your tomatoes, fresh basil, onion, and garlic heads face down. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil back and forth a few times. Dash a few times with salt and pepper.

2. Bake at 400 for 40 to 45 mins. Or until tomatoes are soft.

3. Squeeze out your garlic in a medium sized bowl and add the rest of the contents. Add your chicken broth and blend with a hand mixer.

4. Once completely blended add to medium sized pot. Bring to a simmer and add 3/4 to 1 cup of heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper and add a few pinches of sugar. Allow to simmer for 15 mins.

5. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and a drizzle of heavy cream. Serve with a yummy, crispy, gooey, grilled cheese sandwich. Enjoy!

Easy Roasted Asparagus

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Servings: 2-4 people

What You Need:

1 bundle of asparagus

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper (measure with your heart)

Italian breadcrumbs (measure with your heart)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 and line a cooking sheet with foil.

2 Place asparagus on the pan, drizzle with olive oil, dash with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

3. Get your hand in there and mix it up! Place in the oven and bake for 25 mins.

Enjoy!

Chicken And Mushroom Pasta In A Heavy Cream Sauce

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Servings: 6-8

What You Need:

1 12oz bag of wide egg noodles

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped white onion

1-2 teaspoons of garlic (fresh or jar)

1 small package of mushrooms

3/4 cup of chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper for taste

2 cups of sharp white cheddar cheese shredded

2 cups chopped chicken or 1 rotisserie chicken shredded

Chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish (optional)

Steps:

1. Boil a medium to large pot of water. When water is boiling add a few dashes of salt and then cook pasta according to directions. Reserving 3/4 cup of pasta water.Set aside when done.

2. In a large skillet melt butter and sauté onion and garlic until tender.

3. Add mushrooms and continue to sauté until cooked and tender.

4. Add chicken stock, heavy cream, cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and cheese is completely melted.

5. Stir in the chicken and pasta in the sauce and add the pasta water. Turn off heat and mix well, allowing to sit for little for sauce to thicken.

6. Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

Enjoy!

**** This taste amazing the next day too! ****

Your Guide to Making Fried Rice

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Making fried rice is actually super easy! I don’t know why I was ever intimidated. Follow this guide and feel free to get creative!

We served this rice with some grilled teriyaki chicken but having made this rice I really think some shrimp would be delish with it.

What you Need:

1 recipe of basic rice click here

4 eggs cooked and scrambled

1 – 2 cups of mixed veggies (I used snack carrots chopped up, frozen peas, fresh cabbage, and frozen corn) proportion it however you like

1/4 of a white onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon of minced garlic (I just used garlic from the jar)

Vegetable oil or canola oil on hand for sautéing and frying

Salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Cook the rice following my basic rice recipe. Once rice is cooked set aside.

2. Heat up your skillet, add about 2 tablespoons of oil and scramble your eggs. Seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Add another 2-3 tablespoons of oil to the same skillet and sauté the onion and garlic. Once the onions are soft and the aroma is sweet add the rest of the veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft. Set aside

4. Add 1/4 cup of oil to the hot skillet, add the rice, and begin fry (add one tablespoon at a time if you feel it needs more oil) Ensure the rice is evenly coated in the oil mixing constantly at a low medium heat. Add additional salt and pepper if needed. Careful not to over fry your rice. Taste until your liking.

5. Add the veggies and egg to the rice and mix well.

Add some soy sauce and enjoy!

Chicken Poblano

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What You Need:

4 poblano peppers

1 cup of heavy cream

1/4 cup of sour cream

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Salt and pepper for taste

1/4 of an onion chopped

1/2 tablespoon of garlic

1/2 cup of corn

1 lb of cooked chopped chicken recipe (link below)

https://thewildgems.com/perfect-chopped-chicken-on-the-skillet-never-overcook-again/

Steps:

1. On a sheet pan, lay out some foil and place your peppers on it. Set your oven on broil and broil the peppers until they are roasted on both sides. (They are ready when they have a charred look)

2. Once the peppers are done in the broiler place them in a large ziplock bag immediately. Close the bag and allow to steam for 10 mins.

3. While the peppers are steaming cook your chicken and set aside. (The recipe above cooks your chicken in 6 minutes)

4. The peppers should be done now. Peel the skin and remove the seeds. Cut in strips. If some strips are really longer just cut the strip in half.

5. Now we are ready for the sauce. In the same skillet you used the chicken, sauté the onions and garlic with a little bit of butter or oil. Once onions are soft add the heavy cream and sour cream. Mix well. Then mix in the cheese until all combined. Add the poblano strips and corn and allow to simmer for 5 to 8 mins. Seasoning with salt and pepper.

4. Once the sauce is warm and bubbly add in your chicken and serve immediately with a side of rice. The rice mixed with the sauce is so delish.

Note: if you want more sauce just add extra heavy cream, sour cream, and cheese. Simple! And if you don’t want chicken chunks I would suggest shredding the chicken.

Rice recipe (click here)

Enjoy!

Tio’s Shrimp Cocktail

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Servings 10 to 12

What You Need:

4 lbs of shrimp peeled and deveined

2 cucumbers chopped

1 Serrano pepper finely chopped

3 large tomatoes chopped

2 celery sticks (1 chopped)

6-7 limes juiced

1 qt of calamato juice or half of a 2qt bottle

1/2 white onion finely chopped

1/4 of white onion un-chopped

1 teaspoon of pepper

3-4 teaspoons of salt

1 tablespoon of cilantro chopped

Steps:

1. First prep your veggies. Add your chopped pepper, onion, tomato, cucumber, cilantro, and celery in an extra sized large bowl. Cover and set aside in the fridge.

2. Prep your shrimp, removing the skin and devein (optional). Once the shrimp are done (can be like forever. Have someone help you!) place in a kitchen pot. Cover with water, add the 1 celery stick, 1/4 of an onion and bring to a boil, removing the foam. Boil for 1 minute. Reserve a cup of the shrimp water.

3. Remove the veggies from the fridge and add the shrimp once cooled. Then add the lime juice, Clamato, shrimp juice, salt, and mix well. Add additional salt, pepper, extra cilantro and lime juice if needed or until desired taste.

Enjoy!

Serve with tostadas or Tortillas chips. Add in hot sauce and freshly diced avocados!

Add 1 celery stick and 1/4 of an onion. Bring to a boil and boil only for 1 minute. Even when you see the shrimp begin to turn pink, wait till the water is boiling and boil for 1 minute. Then set aside to cool.
Allow the shrimp to cool before adding to the veggies.
Reserve some the shrimp water from boiling. You will add this to the shrimp cocktail. About 1 cup.
How small to chop the onion and pepper
How small to chop the tomato.
This is all the cilantro we used. Chopped up makes about 1 tablespoon.
This is the hot sauce we prefer with it but anything is good!
So yummy!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Raw Honey

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What You Need:

4 sweet potatoes cut into cubes with skin

1/4 cup of raw honey

Salt, pepper, and cinnamon for seasoning

Olive oil (3-4 tablespoons)

Steps:

1. Lay out foil (optional) on a baking sheet. Scatter your sweet potatoes and drizzle on the olive oil and honey. Season the potatoes with the salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

2. Mix it all together and ensure all the potatoes are evenly coated with the oil, honey, and seasonings.

4. Bake at 375 for 30 to 45 mins.

Pairs so deliciously with chicken breasts covered in a hearty pesto sauce! Trust me!

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!

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.