Grillin' Like A Villian

In a previous post, I talked about my love for football. Even during the off season, it's not unusual to find me watching the NFL Network, waiting for any updates on the Green Bay Packers, or any team in general. 

Weird, I know. Whatever.

Even though I miss football, I love the warmer weather that spring brings. It's not unbearably hot (I'm looking at you Oklahoma summer) and the evenings are always so nice.

And that is why I love grilling and spring food. It's so fresh and delicious.

This recipe I'm about to share with you is a perfect addition to any grilled meat. It's easy to pull together and tastes delicious.

Plus, it's just so pretty. 




















All you have to do is cook up some pasta, pour it in a colander and let it cool.
















While it's cooking and cooling, make the pesto. You can use store bought pesto, but where is the fun in that? I followed this recipe for the pesto.

Then, I drained and chopped up a jar of roasted red peppers.

While I was chopping up the peppers, I drained some black olives in a colander

Then I mixed the cool pasta, red peppers and olives together in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, I took 1/3 cup of the pesto and 1/3 cup of Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing and whisked it together.

Next I poured the pesto and dressing mixture over my pasta and stirred it all together.

At this point, I went ahead and took a few bites. It needed more salt, so I sprinkled some kosher salt. I also added a few more spoonfuls of pesto. You don't have to. I just love pesto.

Next, put in in a pretty bowl, cover and in saran wrap and pop it in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Right before you serve it, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

• 12 oz. Quinoa pasta
• 2 cans of sliced black olives
• 1 jar of roasted red peppers
• 1/3 cup pesto
• 1/3 cup Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing
• Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package. Drain and let cool

2. While pasta is cooking, make pesto

2. Drain sliced black olives

3. Drain and chop up roasted red peppers

4. Add black olives and red peppers to cooled pasta. Mix

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together pesto and dressing

6. Pour pesto mix over pasta and stir. Adjust salt and pesto to taste

7. Cover and store in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.

8. Right before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

***

We had this pasta salad with some grilled pork chops. We really enjoyed it. However, I made the salad too early so it sat in the refrigerator for 6 hours. That was a little too long, so I would definitely keep it around 1-3 hours. 

This would be good with grilled steak, chicken, fish, etc. It was really light and fresh.

You can also use whatever pasta you'd like. It doesn't have to be gluten-free.

Another great thing about this pasta is that you can put whatever you'd like in it. Tomatoes would be a great addition. My dad said he would like green olives in it. Whatever you want to add would probably be really good.

Enjoy!

Kaci

How Sweet It Is!

A few weeks ago, I spent some time in Boise, Idaho. It's a beautiful city and I am praying that everything falls into place so I can call Boise home. 

The only thing that Boise doesn't have is really good sweet tea. I think I've been spoiled living in the south. You can go anywhere and get some awesome sweet tea. 

I decided that I better come up with some kind of method to get good quality sweet tea no matter where I live. So, I took my mom's iced tea maker and did some experimenting. 

In my opinion, this stuff is better than Red Diamond and McAlister's. But, I may be biased. Who knows.




















First, pour in the specified amount of water. On the pitcher, there is a line that is marked "water." If you don't have an iced tea maker, I don't have a substitute. Yet. I will work on a recipe for sweet tea using another method.




















Then fill the pitcher with ice, up to the "ice" line.

Next, pour between 3/4 cup - 1 cup sugar over the ice. This is the amount that works for me, but you might need more or less.

Then in the top attachment, place 4 iced tea bags. I use Luzianne Decaffeinated Tea. I'm pretty sure I got it at Sam's Club.

Put the lid on and press the on button. When the light goes off, take a glass of cold water and pour over the tea bags.

Squeeze out the excess water from the tea bags. Now you can throw the tea bags away.

Once all the water has drained through the top attachment, stir really well to dissolve the sugar.

Southern-Style Sweet Tea

• 4 Luzianne Decaffeinated Iced Tea Bags
• 3/4 cup - 1 cup sugar

* I also use this method to make raspberry sweet tea. To do this, all you do is add 3 raspberry flavored tea bags to the 4 Iced Tea Bags.

***

This is the perfect warm weather treat.  I definitely recommend bringing it to every single BBQ/party/get together you attend this spring and summer.

Like I said, if you would like to know how to make sweet tea and you do not have an iced tea maker, then leave a comment below letting me know. I would love to help out!

Enjoy!

Kaci

When Life Gives You Bad Bananas...

You know those days where something really bad happens and your day is ruined and all you want to do is crawl in your bed and sleep for a week straight? 

Then someone close to you tells you to look for the good in the situation and honestly, it kind of ticks you off, even though you know they are right.

Know what I'm talking about? 

That's kind of like the recipe that I'm sharing today. 

Okay, not really. 

Anyways, 

Enter the bad bananas.















Poor bananas. They no longer have a purpose. They are brown and squishy. Nobody wants them. Except you.

You want them.

At least you will by the time you're finished reading this.

Mash up 3 of your abandoned bananas like so...

Toss them into a mixture of sugar, margarine and eggs.





















It will be kind of clumpy and that's okay. Throw in some flour, vanilla, baking soda and salt.
Mix.





















Once it's all mixed, pour batter into cupcake tins.

*BAKING TIP: Use an ice cream scoop to put batter into tins. It's the perfect amount and it's so easy!





















Bake until they are a gorgeous golden brown.





The bananas in the background? Total coincidence. Promise. 

While your reject bananas turn into golden brown deliciousness, make some cream cheese frosting y'all.*
*something as decadent as cream cheese frosting deserves to be made while adopting a Paula Deen accent. 

Throw in a soft cream cheese and a soft stick-a-butta y'all. 

4 cups of powdered sugar (!!!) and a little bit of vanilla later, you have the most luscious cream cheese frosting this side of the Mississippi, y'all.

Wow. I just annoyed myself. 

I apologize. 

Moving on.

When the golden brown babies are cool, spread the cream cheese goodness on the top.

I actually cannot eat these anymore because of the flour, but my mom has been making these all my life, so I can tell you that these are outstanding. They are easily in my top 5 of desserts ever consumed.

And...just because I can't eat the bread part, doesn't mean I can't partake in the frosting. Not saying that I did, though.

Banana Bread Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
*Yields 24 cupcakes

• 1/2 cup margarine, soft
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 pinch salt

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter, soft
• 1 - 8oz. cream cheese, soft
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla

1. Mix bar ingredients and scoop into lined muffin tin.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and the toothpick comes out clean.

3. While baking, mix up the frosting ingredients.

4. Allow cakes to cool completely and frost. Store in airtight container.

***

Enjoy!

Kaci

Eat Your Colors, Please.

I don't like processed food. I like colorful, whole ingredients. I like to know what's in my food. 

That is probably why I don't like to eat out. The food can sometimes be sketchy and it is usually pretty expensive. Maybe that's why I like to cook so much. I can control what goes in my food and I have a lot of fun while doing it. 

Recently, I have become obsessed with burrito bowls from restaurants like Chipotle, Qdoba and Freebirds. They are gluten-free and so yummy. However, they are pretty expensive. 

I found a recipe for burrito bowls and tweaked it. 

I highly recommend making these. They are amazing. Amen.

First, take 2 thawed chicken breasts. Brown on each side, not cooking all the way through. While they are browning, season with chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder and garlic salt on both sides. When brown, move to a cutting board and cut into pieces. 

Then do the same with the sirloin steak. 

Then transfer all the meat back to your pan.

Let it cook.

While it's doing its thing cooking, whip up some brown rice. When that is done, throw some butter in it.





















Then add the juice of 1 lime, salt and cilantro



















In a small saucepan, add 1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained), water, chili powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper. Set that over medium heat. You're just trying to warm them up.



















By now, your meat should be done.



















Assemble into bowls and top with whatever you want.

Homemade Burrito Bowls

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats
* Serves 4-6

Meat:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 sirloin steak
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Oregano
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Salt

Rice:

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 3 cups Minute brown rice
• 3 tbsp. butter
• Salt
• Juice of 1 lime
• Cilantro

Beans:

• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup water
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Oregano
• Cayenne Pepper

1. Season and brown both sides of chicken and steak in a pan with olive oil. Move to cutting board and chop into pieces. Throw all the meat back into the pan. Cook.

2. Meanwhile, cook up brown rice according to package. Then add butter, salt, lime juice and cilantro.

3. In a small saucepan, add drained and rinsed black beans, water, and seasonings. Set over medium heat to warm.

4. Assemble into a bowl, add toppings and serve.

***

It wouldn't be fair if I just left you with that. You've got to have some killer things to put on top of these things. 

So, behold a glorious recipe for pico de gallo.

First, chop up 5 Roma tomatoes

Add 1/2 of an onion

Then 2 1/2 jalapenos. I take all the seeds out, but if you want a spicier pico de gallo, then leave some in.

Add cilantro, salt and juice from 1/2 a lime.

Stir and try not to devour in one sitting.

Pico de Gallo

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

• 5 Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 large onion
• 2 1/2 jalapenos
• Cilantro
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• Salt

You can serve this immediately after you make it, but I recommend putting it in the refrigerator for a few hours. This lets all the flavors intensify and makes it much better.

***

Another great topping is corn salsa. It's super easy to make and it tastes heavenly.
 

Corn Salsa

Adapted from CopyKat Recipes 

• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1/2 jalapeno
• 1/2 juice of a lime
• Kosher salt
• Cilantro

Thaw corn. Chop up jalapenos and add all the ingredients together. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

***

These burrito bowls would be a great for a crowd. Set up all the ingredients buffet-style and let people customize their own. You could even provide tortilla shells so that real burritos can be made. 

There are so many other toppings that could be added. Here are a few I can think of:

• Shredded cheese
• Tortilla chips
• Queso
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Guacamole

These also make excellent leftovers, so make a huge batch and you'll be set for lunches and dinners for the week.

If you're into colorful food, whole ingredients and the absence of weird chemicals, then this is the dish for you.

There are so many different flavors going on here, but they all come together so well. My mom even said, "my taste buds are dancing."

Go ahead and let your taste buds dance.

Enjoy!

Kaci

Let's Get Together!

There is something I feel you should know about me.

I don't like chocolate. 

I know. You don't have to say it.

I can eat a little chocolate every once and a while and I think it tastes great, but I don't crave it. I don't need it to survive. I could live without it.

That's why when I came across this recipe for Lemon Muddy Buddies, my heart skipped a beat.

Let me break this down for you:

If lemon bars and muddy buddies got together, this would be the result.

In my opinion, these are so much better than the original muddy buddies.

Trust me. These will rock your world. 

Start with Rice Chex in a large bowl

Then in a smaller bowl, combine margarine, white chocolate chips, lemon zest and lemon juice.

After the mixture is melted, pour over the cereal and stir well.

Pour mixture into a bag and add powdered sugar. Shake well to coat.

You need to make this immediately.

I love that these are gluten-free and I can make them easily, unlike gluten-free lemon bars.

Lemon Muddy Buddies

Adapted from Smashed Peas & Carrots

• 9 cups of Rice Chex
• 1 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup margarine
• zest of a lemon
• juice of a lemon
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Put chocolate chips, margarine, lemon zest and lemon juice in a microwaveable safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir and put back in the microwave for approximately 30 more seconds. Stir until melted.
* Carefully (it's hot!) test the lemon mixture and make sure it suites your taste. I usually add another splash of lemon juice.

2. Pour mixture over cereal and coat well.

3. Transfer cereal to a bag and add in powdered sugar. Shake until coated.

4. Consume.

***

Give these a try. I promise you won't be disappointed. They are phenomenal.

Make sure to store them in an airtight container overnight. However, they probably won't last that long. 

Enjoy!

Kaci