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May 14th, 2012
It’s getting to be that time of year… the first signs of summer! Summer is by far my favorite season. (And not just because I’m a teacher!) I long all year for the sunny days, slower pace, and even the hot temperatures.
It seems like May is the kick-off to all the summer festivities, filled with potlucks and cook-outs. Mother’s Day, graduation parties, and Memorial Day are all great reasons to get together with friends and family to share a great meal. Today, I’ve got a great new side dish for you to bring to your next get-together!
Loaded Baked Potato Salad - Think all the best parts of a loaded baked potato, but in potato salad form. Crisp bacon, cool sour cream, crunchy green onions, and sharp cheddar cheese are all mixed up with red potatoes and a hint of ranch seasoning.
Now, I’ll admit, I’m usually not a huge fan of potato salad. At all. But this stuff? Oh, man. I always need just one more bite. And then another. An another. And then I state profoundly “I’ll put away the leftovers!” (So that I can secretly steal more bites as I put the potato salad safely away in the fridge. Don’t tell me you’ve never done that.)
The “sauce” is super simple – sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch seasoning mix. Start with one packet, and taste as you go. If you want more ranch flavor, add in some or all of the second packet. (I usually use about 1 1/2 packets.)
Then, the potatoes. Just a 3-lb. bag of red potatoes, diced and boiled until tender.
The good stuff comes last. Thick-cut bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and green onions.
Mix it all up, and let it chill in the fridge before serving.
The best part? Lots of leftovers. That is, unless you let me clean up the kitchen. 
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Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Servings/Yield: 10-12 servings
- 3-lb. bag red potatoes
- 1-1½ cups sour cream, (reduced fat is fine)
- ½-¾ cup mayonnaise, (light is fine)
- 1-2 packages ranch seasoning mix
- 1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 5 green onions, chopped
- 10-12-oz. package thick-cut bacon, cooked & crumbled
Method
Wash potatoes and dice into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Bring a large pot of water to boil; place potatoes in pot. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes are just tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
When potatoes are cool, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch seasoning mix. (If you like a lighter potato salad, use the lesser amount. If you like more dressing, use the greater amount.) Add potatoes and stir to coat. Add cheddar cheese (fresh grated if you can!), green onions, and bacon and stir until mixed thoroughly. Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Source: original recipe
Tags: bacon cheddar potato salad, loaded baked potato salad, potato salad, ranch potato salad
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May 7th, 2012
One of the best holidays came and went this past Saturday, Cinco de Mayo. Although, I might be a bit biased because May 5 is also my birthday. 
To celebrate, I wanted to cook up a fiesta. (I know, most people absolutely do not want to cook on their birthday. I’m the exact opposite. Dishes though? Noooo way. Thankfully my husband helped me out there.)
Instead of the traditional beef tacos, chicken fajitas, or quesadillas, I decided to incorporate one of my other favorite foods into the Mexican genre. Buffalo chicken wings happen to be one of my favorite foods ever, so after a bit of research, I discovered Buffalo Chicken Tacos. Yes… crispy pieces of chicken tossed in buffalo sauce, with toppings galore. Co-jack cheese, crumbled gorgonzola, ranch dressing, green onions, and cilantro, the whole she-bang.
Start off with some boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-size pieces. Combine some cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl, and toss the chicken pieces in it. This creates a very light coating, just enough to give the chicken that crispy buffalo wing texture without being too heavy.
While the chicken is cooking up, assemble your toppings. For cheeses, we went with shredded co-jack and crumbled gorgonzola. Veggie toppings included green onions and cilantro. And you can’t forget the ranch! (However, if you’re more into bleu cheese, I suppose that would work.)
After a quick pan-fry in some olive oil and tossing with buffalo sauce, the chicken’s ready to go!
For assembly, start with the chicken, then the cheese (so it melts a bit), then the veggies and ranch on top.
And dig in! The flavor combination is out of this world – spicy and cheesy chicken, with the crisp green onions and cool ranch. The chewy corn tortilla is the perfect vehicle for getting all that deliciousness into your mouth. The only thing that might make these even better would be bacon. Between my husband, his brother, and myself, we pretty much devoured the whole recipe, if that says anything. Happy Cinco de Mayo!
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Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Servings/Yield
10-12 tacos
4 servings
- For the chicken
- 1-1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch cayenne pepper
- ⅓-½ cup buffalo wing sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- For the tacos
- 10-12 6-inch corn tortillas
- shredded co-jack cheese
- crumbled gorgonzola cheese
- chopped green onions
- chopped cilantro
- ranch or bleu cheese dressing
- optional: bacon, diced avocado
Method
In a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add chicken pieces and cook until brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Add additional olive oil as needed throughout the cooking process. Once the chicken is done, set it aside in a bowl and toss with the buffalo wing sauce.
To assemble tacos, fill tortillas with chicken pieces, co-jack, gorgonzola, green onions, cilantro, and a drizzle of ranch dressing.
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April 30th, 2012
When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time with my grandpa. During the school year, I would spend the afternoons at his house, and in the summer, we were together a lot. One thing I do remember is that he always had a patch of rhubarb growing in the back yard. I can’t remember him baking much, except for a couple delicious rhubarb desserts, Rhubarb Cobbler and Rhubarb Crumb Pie.
One time, I remember him making Rhubarb Cobbler with me, teaching me each and every step along the way. It wasn’t until after it came out of the oven that we realized we had used baking soda instead of baking powder! No wonder it didn’t rise properly. However, I’m pretty sure we still devoured it.
Today, I’m sharing with you an adaptation of my grandpa’s Rhubarb Crumb Pie with the addition of strawberries. Nothing is quite like the combination of strawberries and rhubarb! If you’ve never tried it, you’re in for a treat. The sweet strawberries balance the tangy rhubarb quite perfectly, if I do say so myself. Top it off with a crumb topping and you’ve almost got the perfect dessert. All that’s needed is a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Start with the fruit – 2 cups of diced strawberries and 2 cups of diced rhubarb. If you can’t find fresh rhubarb, frozen works just fine! Just be sure to thaw it and squeeze out the extra moisture.
Combine the fruit with a little lot of sugar (this is not for low-sugar diets!), a bit of flour, and some eggs to hold it all together. Pour it into the crust, and then make your crumb topping.
For the topping, combine a bit of flour and brown sugar and cut in the cold butter until it’s crumbly. You can use two knives, a pastry cutter, or even just rub the butter with your fingers until it becomes crumbly. (Which in my opinion is the easiest.)
Spread the topping over the crust, and after 50 minutes in the oven, you have pie perfection!
My recommendation? Serve it warm, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Pie and ice cream… life can’t get much better.
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Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Pie
Servings/Yield
8 servings
One 9-inch pie
- 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
- 2 cups diced rhubarb
- 2 cups diced strawberries
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ⅓ cup flour
- dash salt
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons cold butter
Method
Preheat oven to 400*F. Roll pie crust into pan and up the sides; flute edges. In large bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, flour, salt, and eggs. Pour into prepared pie crust.
To make crumb topping, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over pie. Bake in preheated oven 50-55 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Source: Adapted from a family recipe
Tags: rhubarb, rhubarb crumb pie, rhubarb pie, strawberry, strawberry rhubarb crumb pie, strawberry rhubarb pie
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April 23rd, 2012
It’s getting to be that time of year again… the temperatures rising, the days are getting longer, and the sun is shining! (Except for this past weekend. Where did those 40*F days come from?! I’m ready for summer!)
I don’t know about you, but as the seasons change, so does my palate. In the warmer months, I start to crave colder foods – smoothies, fruit, salads, ice cream. Oh, who am I kidding, I crave ice cream all year round. It’s just much easier to convince my husband to run up to the Dairy Queen in the middle of July than in December.
Since strawberries are just oh-so-juicy and delicious right now, I’ve got a light and refreshing Strawberry Spinach Salad for you today. Tender baby spinach leaves, topped with chicken fresh off the grill, sweet strawberries, toasted almonds, and tangy feta cheese. All tossed together in a simple sesame vinaigrette.
And you all know the best part about eating a salad for dinner? You can totally justify that carb-o-licious side dish. Grab a loaf of tasty Artisan bread from the bakery section or indulge in my latest obsession, Bacon Cheddar Scones.
Now, for the salads.
Start with the toasted almonds. Just melt down a tablespoon of butter, add the sliced almonds and sugar, and cook over medium-high heat until they have lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. They’ll start smelling really good when they’re done; that’s how you can know when to take them off the heat.
Once you’ve got the almonds done, go ahead and start the chicken on the grill. (Or if you want to make it even easier, pick up a rotisserie chicken! They’re on special this week, just $5.99!)
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the dressing. Minced onion, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, sesame seeds, paprika, sugar, and olive oil! I like to use an old peanut butter jar (cleaned out of course) because then I can just screw the lid on tight, and shake it all up! Then it’s already in a nice little container to pop in the fridge. (Again, if you’d rather go simple, pick up a bottle of your favorite salad dressing. Poppyseed would be delicious!)
 Mmm... salad dressing.  Shake, shake, shake!  Ready to go!
After you’ve got the dressing mixed up, slice the strawberries and set aside. Slice up the chicken and get a nice little assembly line ready.
For each salad, just plate up some spinach, strawberries, almonds, chicken, and feta cheese. Drizzle it all with as much dressing as you like, and dig in!
My husband and I enjoyed these salads outside on the patio. Here’s to hoping that warm weather comes back to stay!
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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken
Servings/Yield
4 entree servings, 8 side dish servings
- For the almonds
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- For the salad
- 1 bag baby spinach leaves
- 1 quart strawberries
- 4-oz. crumbled feta cheese
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt & pepper
- For the dressing
- ¼ cup finely minced sweet onion
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- pinch paprika
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Method
For the almonds, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and sugar, and cook, stirring occasionally until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
For dressing, combine all ingredients in a jar or sealed container; shake vigorously to combine.
To prepare the salads, grill the chicken. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper and grill over medium-high heat until done. (Alternately, you could cook on an indoor griddle or on the stove.) Wash strawberries and cut into thin slices.
To assemble, place baby spinach leaves on plate. Top with grilled chicken pieces, sliced strawberries, toasted almonds, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with dressing, and serve!
Tags: sesame seed vinaigrette, spinach salad, strawberry spinach salad, summer spinach salad, toasted almonds
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April 16th, 2012
Breakfast isn’t a meal that I cook often. Yes, we eat breakfast, but it’s usually a toasted bagel or bowl of instant oatmeal. Not so exciting. It’s hard when you’ve got to be out the door by 7:30am during the week! (I can’t even imagine throwing kids into the mix.)
So, one of my favorite things to do on the weekends is to actually cook breakfast. I love to whip up a batch of fresh-baked scones or cinnamon rolls. If I’m feeling really motivated, I’ll mix up some pancakes or French toast. Which leads me to today’s recipe.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast.
A few months ago, my husband and I visited our favorite bed & breakfast up in Michigan, and they served this awesome strawberry stuffed French toast. After “mmmmm”-ing through the whole entire meal, I was bound and determined to re-create it.
For this special French toast, thick Italian bread slices are stuffed with a sweet strawberry-cream cheese mixture, and grilled to perfection. It’s crisp on the outside, and tender and chewy with a pop of sweet cream cheese on the inside. It might just be the best breakfast I’ve ever made.
Start off with some good bakery bread. Rays and Chief Supermarkets have some great artisan breads to choose from – I chose an Italian loaf, but French or sourdough would be great as well.
Cut it into thick slices; you should get between 6 and 8 total. I cut my middle slices in half because they were really big.
Then, you want to cut a slit into each of the bread slices. Don’t cut all the way through, but cut enough so you can spread the filling around in there.
For the filling, combine some softened cream cheese, strawberry jam, and diced fresh strawberries that have soaked in sugar for a bit.
Now here comes the tricky part. Spoon a bit of the cream cheese mixture into each bread slice, spreading it evenly to every nook and cranny. You might get a bit messy, but that’s ok!
Now it’s time for the egg mixture. Combine a few eggs, milk, cinnamon, and almond extract in a shallow bowl. (Better for soaking the bread in.)
After a quick dip in the egg mixture and a few minutes on the griddle, it’s ready to be devoured!
Garnished with some fresh strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup, this is the perfect decadent weekend breakfast. (Hint, hint – Mother’s Day is just around the corner!)
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Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast
Servings/Yield
4-6 servings
- 1 loaf French or Italian bread
- 4-oz. cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons strawberry jam or jelly
- 1 cup diced fresh strawberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1-2 tablespoons butter
- maple syrup, for serving
Method
Place diced strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with the sugar to allow the juices to come out. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Slice bread into 2-inch thick slices. (You should get between 6 and 8 slices.) Cut a slit in each of the thick slices, making a pocket in which to put the filling.
For the filling, combine softened cream cheese with strawberry jam and sugared strawberries. Place a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture into each bread pocket, spreading it to the corners.
For the coating, combine eggs, milk, almond/vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a shallow bowl until thoroughly mixed. Coat each side of the bread for about 5-10 seconds, until it has soaked up some of the egg mixture.
Preheat a griddle to medium-high heat, and coat it with butter. Cook French toast 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve immediately with maple syrup.
**Leftovers taste great heated in a 400*F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Tags: french toast, mothers day breakfast, strawberry, strawberry cream cheese stuffed french toast, strawberry stuffed french toast, stuffed french toast
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April 9th, 2012
It’s getting to be that time of year, where cook-outs, family get-togethers, and potlucks are around every corner. While getting together with friends and family is always fun, sometimes it can be a bit difficult to decide what side dish to bring to share. No worries… I’ve got the perfect potluck pleaser. This Glazed Strawberry Fruit Salad is a always a hit!
Fresh strawberries, blueberries, bananas, pineapple, and mandarin oranges all combine with a citrusy glaze for a delicious addition to any menu. You could even switch it up a bit, and mix-and-match your favorite fruits.
For as long as I remember, we’ve had this fruit salad at almost every family get-together, especially my birthday. One year, for my 11th birthday, my parents threw me a “cooking class” birthday party at the local kitchen store. I got to invite several friends and choose the menu of what we would prepare, and we were taught a hands-on cooking class by one of the professional chefs. How fun! Well, of course, I chose this delectable fruit salad as one of the recipes, and as always, it was delicious. I even remember officially naming it “Yummy Fruit Salad.” So creative, I know. (What can I say, I was only 11!) I’ve changed the name now to reflect the best parts about the fruit salad – the glaze and the fresh strawberries!
 The goods... except I forgot to put the bananas in the picture! Doh!
It starts off with a simple glaze that is made by heating cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix with mandarin orange juice and pineapple juice until it’s thick and bubbly.
After letting the glaze cool, you simply pour it over the fresh fruit and mix to combine. That easy!
Take advantage of the sweet, fresh strawberries and give this recipe a try!
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Glazed Strawberry Fruit Salad
Servings/Yield: 8 servings
- 1 large box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding
- 1 large can pineapple chunks
- 2 cans mandarin oranges
- 2 quart strawberries, quartered
- 1 pint blueberries
- 4 bananas, sliced
Method
Drain pineapple and one can mandarin oranges, reserving juices. Heat juices and dry pudding mix in saucepan over medium heat until thick and bubbly. When cool, stir in remaining fruits and chill.
Source: family favorite
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April 2nd, 2012
This week’s recipe has a bit of a story behind it… so here we go!
I went to a very small college – only about 1000 students. Only a few of those students majored in math education, myself included, so let’s just say I took the majority of my classes with the same six or so people and the same professor. Fortunately, I loved the professor and got along great with my fellow math education majors. One of the other math ed majors, Alissa, and I were also on the track/cross country teams together, so we were pretty close friends.
My college was located in a super small town, full of down-home friendly people. One time, our math professor invited all his students over to his house to learn cake decorating from his mom. (His mom also happened to be the campus gardener. She could always be seen around campus planting flowers here and there, along with her two little Yorkshire Terriers. So cute.) Anyway, many people were invited to learn to decorate cakes, but guess who were the only ones who showed up? Yes… myself & Alissa. Let’s just say we got a lot of one-on-one instruction from this sweet lil’ old lady. All was going well, but when it was time to learn how to make buttercream roses, we didn’t do such a great job. And she wasn’t afraid to let us know! I know I’ll never be able to decorate a cake again without thinking of sweet Ella Peters.
So what does this story have to do with Hawaiian Wedding Cake? The recipe comes from Ella Peters herself! It’s a moist banana-pineapple cake, topped with cream cheese frosting. The cake comes together all in one bowl, which makes it perfect when you’re in a time crunch or just don’t feel like doing dishes. (And who does?)
Let’s get baking!
Start by mixing up the batter. Flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda, salt, mashed banana, and crushed pineapple with juice. Add chopped pecans if you’re a nut person. (I am definitely a nut person.)
Then it’s ready to bake! Into a 350*F oven for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
While it’s cooling, whip up the cream cheese frosting. Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a bit of whipping cream, whipped together until it’s light and fluffy.
Once the cake’s cool, frost away!
I got a lil’ fancy with my piping bag, but it tastes just as good if you spread it with a spatula. Promise!
 Just look at those chunks of pineapple! Yum! I’m thinking this might just be the perfect dessert for Easter next Sunday! Happy baking!
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Hawaiian Wedding Cake
Servings/Yield
12-15 servings
13×9-inch pan
- For cake
- 2¼ cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- dash salt
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 large smashed banana
- 20-oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
- 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
- For cream cheese frosting
- 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 4 tbsp. heavy whipping cream (or milk)
Method
Combine all cake ingredients in a bowl; mix by hand. Pour into a greased & floured 13×9-inch pan. Bake at 350*F about 40-50 minutes until spongy. (It should bounce back when pressed.) Let cool.
For frosting, beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until well-blended. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until completely incorporated. Add whipping cream until you reach the desired consistency; beat on high until light and fluffy.
Frost cooled cake with cream cheese frosting. Store in refrigerator.
Tags: banana, cream cheese frosting, easter dessert, pineapple, pineapple banana cake, spring dessert
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March 26th, 2012
When my husband and I moved to Lima two years ago, we had quite a bit of fun trying out new (to us) restaurants around town. We moved from a small town in Illinois that basically had fast food and an Italian place, so the options in Lima seemed endless! (I know some of you might be thinking otherwise…)
In my first few weeks of teaching at Lima Senior, we were invited out to dinner by some fellow teachers to eat at Thai Jasmine. Thai food? Never had it before, but I was willing to try it. And I absolutely loved it. Sesame peanut noodles? Delicious. Crunchy spring rolls with sweet chili sauce? So tasty. Thai Jasmine is now one of our favorite restaurants… we’re there at least once a month. (What will I do when they close down for the month of April to go to Thailand?!)
Anyway, when I saw a recipe for Thai Chicken Pizza, I knew it had to be good. Take pizza (one of the best foods on the planet) and put a twist on it with Thai flavors? Yes, please.
A little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and a lot of fresh flavor make this pizza a winner. You might want to make two. (Considering the fact that my husband and I polished off the entire pie in one sitting. Whoops.)
Start with your favorite pizza crust. (I love this recipe.) Or a pre-made crust works fabulous as well.
Top with some sweet Asian chili sauce. (This can be found in the ethnic foods aisle.)
Then, the veggies – thinly sliced zucchini & green onion. Make sure it’s sliced really thin so that it cooks all the way through.
Then comes the shredded chicken, about a cup and a half. White meat, dark meat, your pick. If you want to make it easy on yourself, pick up a rotisserie chicken and use some of the breast meat. (Just leave the skin off the pizza.)
Sprinkle with a bit of shredded mozzarella, and pop it into the oven! 10 minutes until pizza perfection.
While the pizza bakes, get the toppings ready – chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and fresh basil. Yes, peanuts on pizza sound weird, but they make the pizza. Don’t leave them off!
As soon as the pizza comes out, sprinkle with the peanuts, cilantro, & basil, and dig in!
This pizza has quickly become one of our favorites… next time you’re doing ‘pizza night’, give it a try! You won’t be disappointed.
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Thai Chicken Pizza
Servings/Yield
One 12-inch pizza
- 1 batch pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- ½ cup sweet Asian chili sauce
- 1 green onion , thinly sliced
- ½ zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups cooked & shredded chicken, (2 chicken breasts)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Method
Preheat oven to 500*F with pizza stone inside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the pizza.
Sprinkle cornmeal over a piece of parchment paper. Roll out pizza dough to a 12-inch diameter (or stretch it out with your hands) and place it onto the cornmeal-topped parchment paper.
Spread with sweet Asian chili sauce; then, top with green onions and zucchini. Top with shredded chicken. Sprinkle cheese all over pizza. Remove (hot) pizza stone from oven and slide the parchment paper with pizza directly onto the stone. Place back in oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and basil. Slice and serve!
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March 20th, 2012
It’s that time of year… March Madness! Unfortunately, I didn’t fill out a bracket this year. Time escaped me, and before I knew it, the tournament had begun! Although – my method of choosing the team names that sound prettier might have actually proven successful, with all the upsets there have been so far.
I’m not a huge sports-watcher (unless it’s long-distance running… I could watch that for hours!), but I do love a good sports game on TV. As long as there are appetizers are involved, hehe. These BBQ Bacon Jalapeno Poppers are sure to be a hit the next time you’re watching the game on TV. Or ya know, any time you have a craving for something smoky, cheesy, and a bit spicy.
It all starts with half a jalapeno pepper, which is stuffed with a cream cheese-green onion-cheddar cheese mixture. It’s then wrapped in bacon, covered in barbecue sauce, and baked until the bacon is bubbly and brown. Every time I have prepared these jalapenos, they have all been gobbled up in a matter of minutes. Even if it’s just my husband and me. (Although, if it’s just the two of us, I do usually scale the recipe down a bit.)
If you do happen to have any leftovers, these would be awesome on top of a grilled burger or chicken breast sandwich. Can you imagine?
Let’s get started. Start by cutting the jalapenos in half.
The trickiest part is probably getting the seeds out of the jalapenos. If you can’t take the heat, get as many of the seeds out as possible. (I like to remove the seeds completely on all but one. And then watch very carefully as I figure out which friend got the super spicy one. And just pray it isn’t me. Hehe.)
Then, mix up the cheesy filling. Just cream cheese, green onions, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Scoop a bit of filling into each jalapeno half.
Wrap with the jalapenos with the bacon, secure with a toothpick, and top with a bit of barbecue sauce!
50 minutes later… yum!
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BBQ Bacon Jalapeno Poppers
Servings/Yield
36 appetizers
- 18 jalapeno peppers
- 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 package bacon
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- 36 toothpicks
Method
Preheat oven to 300*F. Cut jalapenos in half, and scoop out seeds and membrane, and discard, leaving only the jalapeno shell. Lay out jalapenos on a baking sheet. (You should have 36 total.)
In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions. Evenly spread the cheese mixture into each jalapeno shell.
Cut bacon slices in half, and wrap each half around one jalapeno. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining bacon and jalapenos. Brush evenly with barbecue sauce.
Bake in 300*F for 50-60 minutes until bacon is done. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tags: appetizer, bbq bacon jalapeno, jalapeno popper, march madness
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March 14th, 2012
Hi all! My name is Sara Anderson, and I’ll be sharing weekly recipes for you to enjoy using some of Rays & Chief’s best seasonal ingredients! Residing in Lima, Ohio, I am a high school math teacher by day, and an avid baker and culinary connoisseur by night. I am excited to share one of my favorite passions with each and everyone of you. Let’s get started!
You know it’s that time of year… when you can’t seem to escape the little girls on every corner selling those oh-so-delectable Girl Scout cookies. And who would want to say no?
If you’re a fan of the crispy cool Thin Mint cookies, then this pie is definitely for you. A crispy chocolate crust, with a creamy cheesecake filling loaded with chopped Thin Mints. One of the best parts about this recipe? It’s no-bake, meaning you don’t even have to turn on your oven!
And don’t worry… if you can’t track down any Girl Scouts, you can still enjoy this pie! Keebler makes their own version called Grasshopper cookies. Just get your hands on a couple packages, and you’ll be good to go!
Start with the crust… take 40 Thin Mint cookies (or Grasshoppers) and grind them up in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, no big deal! Put ‘em in a gallon-size zipper bag, seal it up, and go at it with a rolling pin until they’ve turned into small crumbs.
Combine the crumbs with a bit of melted butter, and press evenly into a pie pan. This’ll go into the fridge to set up while you prepare the filling.
First things first, take 24 more cookies, and coarsely chop them into large chunks. (Shhh… I won’t tell if a few chunks slip into your mouth. Best part of being the chef!)
Next, take a package of cream cheese and a bit of sugar; blend until smooth. Then you’ll fold in a container of whipped topping. Fold in those yummy cookie crumbs and you’re almost done!
Just spread it into the crust, and chill for a few hours.
Mmmmm… light & fluffy Thin Mint filling with a crispy chocolatey crust. Delicious!
Need an even better reason to make this pie? It’s 3/14! Pi Day! That magical number that represents circumference divided by diameter, 3.1415926535897932384… and so on. The math teacher in me can’t help but get excited about a holiday that celebrates Pi! We’re definitely celebrating in my classroom with a few pies today.
Enjoy!
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Thin Mint Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie, 6-8 servings.
For the crust
40 Thin Mint cookies or Keebler Grasshopper cookies
5 tablespoons butter, melted
For the filling
8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup sugar
8-oz. package frozen whipped topping, thawed
24 Thin mint cookies or Keebler Grasshopper cookies
Method
For the crust, place 40 cookies in a food processor and process until finely ground. Or, place into gallon-size freezer bag and crush into fine crumbs using a rolling pin. Combine cookie crumbs with melted butter and press into a lightly greased pie pan. Place in refrigerator while preparing filling.
For the filling, beat softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth and fluffy. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Coarsely chop remaining 24 cookies and fold into filling. Spread filling into prepared crust. Refrigerate pie at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with additional whipped topping and/or cookies. Store pie covered in refrigerator.
Source: Adapted from My Baking Addiction
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