Bacon Wrapped Pepper Jack & Jalapeno Stuffed Hot Dogs - 100th POST!!

Wow!! 100 recipes down 70898032 million more on the "To Try" list! I love food! I love cooking! Thank you to my readers - I hope you've found a few recipes you've tried and love too!

My friend Jolene posted a picture of these dogs she made and I knew I had to try them. HAD to. I looked at her Facebook picture like 20 times. Drooling. They were freaking AMAZING. Jolene may be borderline genius.

I REALLY wanted to try these on the grill but Mother Nature ruined those plans. So I threw them in the oven. I can't wait to try them again on the grill.

The options are ENDLESS! The other night I dreamt of a hot dog stuffed with chili and cheese and wrapped in bacon. Doesn't that sound wonderful?! So if you don't like spicy try just cheese (what I did for our girls) or bell peppers and onions, or even relish and cheese!

Bacon Wrapped Pepper Jack & Jalapeno Stuffed Hot Dogs

1 packages of hot dogs (I used Oscar Mayer wieners!)
8 strips bacon
4 oz shredded pepper jack cheese
4T pickled jalapeno slices - finely chopped
16 toothpicks (soak them in water an hour or so before cooking so they don't burn!)

Make a slit in the hot dogs. Don't go all the way to the ends and don't go all the way to the bottom!
Gently open up the hot dogs. Evenly stuff the dogs with the cheese and jalapenos.

Wrap each dog with a slice of bacon, using a toothpick to secure the ends. Bake at 425* for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
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Baked Chicken Chimichangas with Green Chile Sauce

Holy crap these were good! We scarfed them down like we hadn't ate in a month. Perfect amount of spice, a nice cheesy and creamy filling and they are baked instead of fried so in Girl Math that means you can eat twice as many! They also heated up really well the next day.

Baked Chicken Chimichangas with Green Chile Sauce

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can diced green chiles
1 jalapeno - chopped (remove the seeds to tone down the heat)
2T lime juice
2C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 package taco seasoning
8oz cream cheese - softened
1lb shredded cooked chicken (2-3 breasts)
8 flour tortillas
sour cream and lettuce for serving

Pour the soup, green chiles, jalapeno and lime juice into a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and heat over low until heated through.

In a large bowl stir together the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese and taco seasoning until well blended. Fold in the chicken. Evenly divide the mixture among the 8 tortillas. Fold in sides and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9x13 glass baking dish that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until golden and crisp.

To serve ladle the warm sauce over the chimi and garnish with lettuce and sour cream. 1

Meatballs in Red Wine Sauce (with PICKLES!?!)

When I saw this red sauce recipe had pickles in it I HAD to try it! I couldn't image what it would taste like but I love pickles so I figured it couldn't be to bad. It was GREAT!! This red sauce is full of flavor! It's a bit labor intensive but not too bad.  A perfect Sunday supper! You could even just use frozen store bought meatballs if you wanted! I also used egg noodles but any wide, flat pasta would work. And as always ANY TIME you cook with wine - use a wine you would drink!

Meatballs in Red Wine Sauce

For the meatballs:
1lb ground beef
1tsp garlic powder
1T dried parsley

Mix together and roll out 12 golf ball sized meatballs. Bake in a 425* oven on a baking sheet until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

For the sauce:
2C beef stock
2T butter
2T flour
2 slices bacon - sliced
1 onion - finely chopped
1 large carrot - peeled and chopped
1 rib of celery - chopped
1T tomato paste
3/4C red wine
1T dried thyme
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
1T dried parsley
2T finely chopped cornichons (tiny little cocktail pickles - I used dill)
2T capers - finely chopped

In a large skillet fry the bacon over medium high heat. When the fat has begun to render add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook until the bacon is crisp and the veggies are tender. Remove everything from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside for later use. Add the butter to the pan. When the butter has melted, sprinkle in the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until you have a paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and slowly whisk in the beef stock. Add the tomato paste and red wine. Stir until well combined. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and return the veggie mixture back to the pan. Add the thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and parsley. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Place a fine sieve over a medium saucepan and pour the contents of the sauce through the sieve. Discard the veggie mixture. Add the cornichons and capers to the sauce. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and heat through.
Serve over warm pasta. 1

Buffalo Chicken Pizza Bread

My little brother is currently in San Diego going through a fun little summer camp known as Marine Corps Boot Camp. I miss him. A lot. This recipe instantly made me think of him - he loves buffalo wing and Buffalo chicken dip. He would love this bread! We did! Even the little ones - which I made it not so spicy since they were eating it too. It's sooooo easy to make. And you can easily add more or less hot sauce to suit your personal taste!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza Bread

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1tsp olive oil
1 tube premade pizza dough
2C shredded mozzarella
1/2C hot wings sauce (I used Frank's Wing Sauce)
1/3C ranch dressing


Preheat oven to 425*.
Heat the olive oil in the skillet. Cut the chicken in to small bite size pieces and add to the skillet. Cook the chicken completely and add 1/4 cup of the wing sauce. Stir to coat the chicken and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
On a well floured surface, spread the pizza dough into a long rectangle. Mix together the ranch dressing and remaining wing sauce. Spread it evenly across the dough.
Sprinkle the chicken over the the sauce mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese. Roll the dough like a pinwheel until you reach the end. Tuck in the ends while you are rolling.
Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray. Place pizza bread seam side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting.
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Balsamic Parmesan Penne

My girls LOVED this. Zero leftovers. And it's ready in the time it takes the pasta to cook! You could easily add some grilled chicken to make it a little heartier. Add a dinner salad and some garlic bread and boom - dinner is served!

Balsamic Parmesan Penne

1 box penne pasta (any tube shaped will work, I used rigatoni)
1 stick of butter (recipe is Paula Deen approved)
1/3C grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2C balsamic vinegar
1/2tsp brown sugar

Cook pasta according to package directions..
While pasta is cooking, pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan Simmer over medium high heat until it has reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Stir in the brown sugar. Remove from the heat. Stir in 2T of the pasta cooking water.
Drain the pasta and pour into a large bowl. Stir in the balsamic mixture, butter and cheese. Stir well, until butter is melted. Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. 1

Asian Fish Tacos with Cold Sesame Noodles

Grilled fish - how scary right?! Soooooo easy!!! Or at least that's what the hubs said! I freaking love fish tacos. And I'm trying to branch out and experiment with not so common ingredients. So this recipe was a perfect fit! And it was VERY good! The fish was so full of flavor and the crunch from the coleslaw as perfect on the taco.

Asian Fish Tacos

2lbs firm white fish (we used tilapia) - cut into slices
2/3C mirin (our store didn't have this, I used white whine with sugar added to it)
2/3C soy sauce
1T grated lime zest
3T grated ginger
tortillas (8 small ones)

Mix together the mirin, soy sauce, lime zest and ginger. Pour over the fish and marinate for 30 minutes. Heat the grill to medium high heat. Spray with non stick cooking spray (or lay foil down and spray that). Cook for 4 minutes on one side and then turn. Cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the fish was firm and opaque.

Asian Slaw

1/2 bag of coleslaw mix (time saver!! or you can shred some cabbage and carrots)
1/4C mayo
1T soy sauce
1T sesame oil
2T rice vinegar

In a small bowl whisk together the mayo, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar. Stir in the cabbage. Chill in the fridge while the fish cooks.



The girls LOVED these noodles! They were a great addition to our Awesome Asian meal!

1lb spaghetti noodles
1T crushed red pepper flakes
1/4C canola oil
1/2C sesame oil
6T honey
6T soy sauce
2 carrots - shredded
1T dried cilantro

In a small saucepan heat the canola oil, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Once it is heat through, allow to cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile cook the pasta according to package directions.
Remove the oil mixture from the heat. Whisk in the honey and soy sauce.
Place the noodles in a large bowl. Pour the oil mixture over top and mix well. Stir in the carrots and cilantro. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight.*

Oops. I didn't read this until I was making it, which was for supper, that night. I just rinsed the noodles in cold water and let the oil mixture cool a bit. It's good warm or cold! 1

Mexican Lasagna

My husband is a carnivore. If a meal doesn't include some kind of meat, he always asks - "where's the beef?". This some times includes chicken dishes too. Me, I won't ever turn down a perfectly grilled fillet, but meat free isn't the end of the world. That being said, he didn't even notice this dish didn't have meat in it! It's very hardy and filling. You could very easily add some browned hamburger to this though if you wanted too. I'd season it with some taco seasoning and omit one can of refried beans if you do!

Mexican Lasagna

1/2 large green bell pepper - chopped
1/2 large red bell pepper - chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 large onion - chopped
12 corn tortillas
2 cans refried beans
1tsp chili powder
1/2tsp cumin
1 can black beans - drained and rinsed
2 C shredded monterey jack
1 can enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 375*.

In a skillet saute the peppers, garlic, jalapeno and onion for about 3 minutes or until softened. Set aside.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the bottom  with a layer of corn tortillas. Make sure you cover the entire bottom.

Spread half the refried beans (they spread easier if warmed up first) evenly over the tortillas. Cover with half the pepper onion mixture, half the seasonings, have the black beans and half the cheese.

Add another layer of tortillas and repeat the layers of ingredients. Cover with a final layer of tortillas. Pour the enchilada sauce over top. Cover and back for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

*I used a smaller baking dish (8x8) so I had several layers. We served this with extra enchilada sauce and sour cream on the side!

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Steak Kabobs + Steak & Pepper Frittata

I love kabobs! They are so colorful and relatively healthy (after the ranch potatoes and Tequila chicken the night before we needed healthy!)

This recipe was roughly 100 times better then I thought it was going to be! This might be my new favorite steak marinade. It had a great sweet under tone and the meat was so tender! It would work great with chicken too. And you can change up the veggies a million different ways...mushrooms, onions, pineapple (I know, not a veggie)...

Tip: Soak your wooden skewers in water for at least 4 hours. This will help them to not catch on fire while you are grilling!

Steak Kabobs

1/2C red wine vinegar
1T lime zest
1/4C lime juice
1/4C lemon juice
1/4C packed brown sugar
4 cloves garlic - chopped
1  LARGE sirloin steak (or any cut you'd like)

In a medium bowl whisk together the ingredients for the marinade. Cut the steak into roughly 1 inch pieces. Put the steak in a zip lock baggie and pour the marinade over it. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 summer squash
1 zucchini
1/4C olive oil
1T dried parsley
1T lemon pepper
1tsp garlic powder

Cut the vegetables into roughly 1 inch pieces. Mix together the olive oil, parsley, lemon pepper and garlic powder. Toss with the veggies.

Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Thread the veggies and meat onto the skewers.Grill for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until you reach your desired doneness.

 *Tip: keep veggies on their own skewers and meat on their own, that way everything can cook evenly and you won't end up with over cooked meat!

We had one skewer of steak and one of veggies leftover. So threw them all together today and made a frittata. Or at least what I call a frittata!

Thinly slice the leftover steak and finely chop the leftover veggies. Saute them in a little olive oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat, until the meat gets a good char on it.

Whisk together 6 eggs and 3T of milk. Pour over the meat/veggie mixture. Sprinkle with 1C shredded cheddar cheese. Let cook on the stove top for 5 minutes. Place pan in a 325* oven and bake until egg is set, about 20 minutes. Flip onto a plate and slice to serve.

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Tequila Grilled Chicken with Jalapeno Cream Sauce

My husband is not a fan of chicken. There has been one chicken dish he loved. I didn't make it, Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill did. But sorry Mr. Flay, your 40 Spice Chicken has been bumped to #2 on Dustin's favorite chicken dishes. This is #1!!!! It was soooo good! The chicken was tender and full of flavor. The sauce was so creamy and just the right amount of spicy. And if you wanted to lighten it up, the chicken is great even with out the sauce. But I never pass on cheesy cream sauces!

Tequila Grilled Chicken with Jalapeno Cream Sauce

Chicken:

2 T olive oil

1/8 c. finely chopped red onion

1 1/2 T ground cumin

1/4 tsp. chopped garlic

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Juice from 1/2 of a lime, or about 1 Tablespoon

2 T. finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 oz. Tequila

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 breasts sliced in half to make 4 equal portions)

Sauce:

3/4 c. milk

4 oz of cream cheese

1/2 of a seeded and diced Jalapeno Pepper

1 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese

a few shakes of granulated chicken bouillon (approx 1/2 tsp)

For the chicken:

Combine all ingredients except chicken and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice in a Ziploc bag to make a marinade. Add chicken and marinade for about 1 hour.

Grill Chicken on an outdoor grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side or until meat is no longer pink. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of additional lime juice.

For the sauce:

Add milk to a small saucepan over low heat. When milk is warm add cream cheese. Slowly bring heat to medium low and stir to combine, making sure all lumps are gone. Add Jalapeno, Bouillon, and Monterey Jack cheese, stirring until melted and smooth.

Where I got the recipe!

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Crockpot Bacon Ranch Potatoes

The potato is my favorite food. It is my desert island food. And I dip every thing in ranch dressing. And bacon is a gift from the heavens. So yes, I enjoyed this recipe. And it is soooo simple to make! Perfect for a potluck too.

If you are watching your figure, skip this recipe now! I'm anti fat free, low fat substitutes but you could probably try it. Just don't tell me about it :-)

Make sure you spray your crockpot really well with non stick cooking spray or use one of those fancy crockpot liners.

Crockpot Bacon Ranch Potatoes

10 small to medium red potatoes - diced
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4C sour cream
4 strips bacon - cooked and crumbled

In a large bowl combine the ranch dressing mix, soup and sour cream. Stir in the potatoes. Pour into the crockpot and cook on low 4-6 hours or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Right before serving stir in the bacon. 1