First off let me explain why I’m posting my first grilling recipe in December.  I’ve been wanting a bbq grill for a while, so my husband got me one for our anniversary (which is in October).  Being the busy people that we are (I like that better than “procrastinators”), we just recently set it up a few weeks ago.  So, that, combined with the fact that our oven broke (and, being the busy people that we are, we haven’t made time to find our warranty information), our dinners have been made either on the grill (who cares if it’s snowing right?), or by using my friend Jess’ oven who lives two houses up from me (I’m probably the most annoying neighbor/friend that anyone’s ever had but what can I say?  That warranty information is hiding from me!).

Anyway, so that’s why you’re getting my grilling advice now.  :)  Here is one of my favorite ways to save time on dinner during the week:  cook something once and use it twice.  Here’s one way I cooked once and ate twice this week.  Now I know this isn’t an amazingly unique or impressive way, but hey it saved me time:

BBQ Chicken & Chicken Tacos (cooked once, eaten twice)

• Defrost some chicken (enough for two dinners); if desired, cut into strips (to make cooking time faster)
• Separate into two bowls:  in one bowl mix some bbq sauce with the chicken.  In the other bowl add olive oil, lime juice, salt & pepper, & worcestershire sauce.
• Marinade both at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat grill to medium heat.  Grill both the bbq and the lime marinated chicken at the same time.
• Eat the bbq chicken that night (we had it with mashed potatoes and salad).

• The next night, heat up the lime marinated chicken; cut into cubes.
• Heat up some flour tortillas; fill with chicken; top with black bean and corn salsa (I had some leftover that I had made for a party that weekend).

There you have it, two simple but delicious weeknight meals!  You could also serve the bbq chicken with rice, and serve the chicken tacos with the leftover rice, but make Emerald Rice with it…that way you’re cooking the whole meal once and using it twice!

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The only thing I’m going to say about this recipe is BEWARE…once you try this recipe you’re going to want it on a weekly basis.  I’ve made this salsa for many a party…this salsa is so popular in my family that anytime I’m thinking about making this for a family party I call everyone first to make sure that they’re not making it also, because twice I’ve shown up to a family party with this salsa and another family member also made it!  But guess what…they both got eaten up so I guess it wasn’t that big of a disaster!

This is probably my favorite snack ever.  I made it for my friends and we ran out of chips, so my friend’s husband started eating it with a spoon!  This is also great over chicken tacos.

Shanelle’s Salsa

• 1 can black-eyed peas, drained but not rinsed*
• 1 can white corn*
• 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 avocados, diced
• juice from 2 limes*
• cilantro to taste (I use a whole bunch!)
• 1 green onion, sliced small (the green and the white part)
• Italian dressing packet
• oil & vinegar for dressing packet
• salt, pepper, & garlic powder to taste
• Tostidos hint of lime chips

1. Mix up Italian dressing according to package directions.
2. Combine all other ingredients (except chips) in a bowl.
3. Pour dressing over salsa.
4. Add salt, pepper, & garlic powder to taste.
5. Serve over Tostidos hint of lime chips.  No other chips will do.  You must eat this with those lime chips, or you’re not doing the salsa justice.

Recommendations:

• Black-eye peas: Normally, I rinse canned beans before using this (I heard it helps you not get gas from them!).  I tried that once with this recipe and it made it taste different to me.  I think it’s because the starchy liquid leftover on the beans after you drain them kind of helps thicken this salsa and bind it together.  So I wouldn’t recommend rinsing the beans for this.
• White corn:  You should be able to find white corn in any grocery store.  Be careful though, because if you ask someone that works there they’ll most likely point you to hominy (that has happened to me twice when I’ve looked for it in a store, as well as to 3 of my friends!).  The white corn in this recipe is NOT hominy.  It is VERY different than hominy, so if you can’t find white corn don’t substitute hominy for it, just substitute plain canned corn for it, although it won’t come out as good.  White corn is similar to normal yellow corn, but it’s smaller, softer, and sweeter.  Like I said, most groceries carry it, but they usually only have one row of it so look hard.
• Limes: Roll them on the counter or put them in the microwave for 10 seconds to get the most juice out of them.
• Chips:  Seriously, you’re going to want to get those lime chips for this!

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This is another one of my go-to recipes.  It’s perfect for those times that you’re invited to someone’s house for dinner and don’t know when to bring, when you have unexpected visitors stop by, when you want to bake something easy for a little thank you gift for your friend, or when you’re just in the mood for something chocolate but you don’t have anything in your house because you told yourself you’re going to eat healthier (I know you know what I’m talking about!).

I’ve always gotten a lot of compliments on these.  If you’ve never made homemade brownies, you HAVE to make these, you won’t believe the huge difference between these and boxed brownies.  They’re just as easy as boxed brownies and you’ll probably already have all the ingredients on hand (you might have to buy cocoa powder if you don’t already have that but it’s not very expensive and definitely worth it!).

Brownies

• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. margarine or butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. cocoa
• 1/2 c. coconut, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips (optional but recommended!)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix together sugar & margarine.  Add eggs & vanilla; mix well.
3. Add all other ingredients (except coconut, nuts, or choco chips).
4. Pour into baking dish.  Sprinkle coconut, nuts, or choco chips on top (my favorite is coconut!).
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
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After I posted my Emerald Rice posting, it got me to thinking of some other great side dishes.  Here’s another one I love: 24K Carrots.  It has all the elements of a great side dish:  it’s fast, it’s simple, it’s made with ingredients you always have, it’s delicious, but still simple enough that everyone likes it.

With the holidays coming up, and with family coming to visit, I plan on making this side dish quite a few times.  This is another one of my go-to recipes.  If we’re invited over to someone’s house for dinner and they haven’t given me a specific assignment, a lot of times I’ll bring this side dish.  Even kids like this recipe…and the word on the street is that kids aren’t usually all that fond of veggies!  So, here you go!

24K Carrots

• 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced (I just used whole baby carrots)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 2 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger (this is what makes it special!)

1. Cook carrots until tender.
2. Melt butter; add brown sugar & ginger, stirring to blend.
3. Add sauce to carrots and stir to coat.
4. Yes, it’s THAT simple and you have a SIMPLE, delicious, and versatile side dish!

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There’s a newer show on the food network called Simply Delicioso.  I haven’t watched it a ton because it’s not my typical type of food that I like to make, but I watched it a while ago and she made a thing called emerald rice.  It’s a really good way to dress up rice.  I really like it because I’m all about cooking something once and using it twice…so recently when I’ve been making a dish that you eat over rice like Chicken Divan, Katie Couric’s Lemon Chicken, or Stir Fry I’ll make extra rice and use it to make this Emerald Rice as a side dish later that week.  It’s surprising how much you can spice up simple rice with this recipe with ingredients that alot of times you already have on hand!

I’m not usually a huge fan of rice, but I really love this dish!  It’s called Emerald Rice because it has cilantro and parsley in it so it has pretty green flecks all through it.  Then you broil it with parmesan cheese on top so it comes out with a golden crust.  So not only does it taste delicious but it’s a pretty looking little side dish too!

Emerald Rice

• 2 c. cooked rice
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves*
• 1/4 c. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 1/4 c. finely grated Parmesan (I use more!)
• s&p

1. Preheat your broiler to high.
2. Place the rice and butter in a 8×8 pyrex dish and heat in the microwave until it’s warmed through.
3. Mix in the cilantro, parsley, lime zest, and s&p.
4. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan.
5. Place the dish under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is browned.

Recommendations:

• I know a few people that don’t like cilantro (I don’t understand why!), so if you don’t like cilantro, or if you don’t have any on hand I’m sure you could use all parsley.  I’m sure it would still be great because the main components of this dish are just the fact of having fresh herbs and the Parmesan crust on top.

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My aunt and uncle gave me the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook when I graduated from high school and went to college.  I got this stir fry recipe out of it my first year in college (simple and cheap!) and I’ve been using it ever since.  Like a lot of the recipes I love it’s made with ingredients that you’ll always have on hand, and it’s very versatile.  I’ve used it with chicken, beef, tofu, and it’s perfect to use up leftover meat and veggies.  This is a perfect recipe to have on hand for those super busy weeknight meals: just grab some leftover meat, a bag of frozen veggies, some minute rice and throw together this sauce…you’ll have dinner faster than you could run to McDonalds!

Stir Fry Sauce

• 2 Tbsp cold water
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 2 tsp sugar
• any meat and veggies you have on hand
• rice

1. Combine cold water and cornstarch well.  Stir in soy sauce, orange juice, sugar, and dash pepper.  Set aside.
2. Stir fry meat and veggies in olive oil (med high heat) in wok or skillet until cooked through (or if using leftover/cooked ingredients, heat through in wok/skillet).
3. Push meat and veggies to side of wok/skillet.  Stir sauce; add to the center of wok/skillet; cook and stir till thickened and bubbly (just takes a few minutes).
4. Stir to coat meat and veggies with sauce.  Cook and stir 1 minute or till all heated through.
5. Serve over rice.

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Now that it’s WINTER I’m kind of in a fight with the world.  Well maybe not somewhere like Australia where it’s warm right now, but I’m DEFINITELY in a fight with Utah!  Anyone who even remotely knows me knows that I hate winter…I hate the cold and I hate hate HATE the snow!  So to try to ease my pain just a bit I try to make soup and chili once in a while.

My husband and I had a Halloween party at our house and I made chili for it.  A few of the girls asked me for the recipe, so I thought I’d just post it on here for everyone.  I think everyone needs a good homemade chili recipe.  It’s so comforting on a cold day, and it’s so versatile!  Try eating it with sour cream or cheese on top, or have the leftovers over rice or cornbread.  Here’s my recipe for you (got it from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook a few years ago and I’ve refused to make any other chili recipe since), if you don’t already have one this is a good simple recipe that everyone likes.  Oh, and my cookbook says that it’s low-fat which is kind of hard to find with a good hearty winter recipe like this one.

Chili

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 c. chopped onion (1 large)
• 1/2 c. chopped green sweet pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14 oz) can tomatoes, cut up (undrained)
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2-3 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
• 1/4 tsp pepper

1. In a large saucepan cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper & garlic till meat is brown & onion is tender.  Drain fat.
2. Stir in undrained tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and seasonings.
3. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover & simmer 20 minutes.
4. Makes 4 servings.

**To make in crockpot:

1. Follow step one as above.
2. Mix all ingredients in crockpot & cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5.

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I found this recipe a couple months ago on allrecipes.com and knew I’d love it because it has two of my favorite things in it…artichokes and mayonnaise.  I tried it the day after I found the recipe and fell in love!  I’ve made this a couple times when we’ve had company over and each time they’ve asked for the recipe.  If you don’t love mayo don’t be afraid of this recipe…the combination of ingredients make for a deliciously creamy dish.  The chicken ends up moist and flavorful.

The other thing I like about this recipe is that is has ingredients that I always have on hand, so that’s always a plus!  You just mix the ingredients, put it in a baking dish, and 25-30 minutes later you have a VERY delicious dinner!  This is a great weeknight meal (like I said just stir it up put it in the oven and move on with your life), but it’s also perfect for a weeknight or entertaining.  I REALLY hope you try this one, I know you’ll love it!

Artichoke Chicken

• 1 (15 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pinch garlic pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, and garlic pepper. Place chicken in a greased baking dish, and cover evenly with artichoke mixture.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear.

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So I was watching the food network the other day (what? really?) and Guy Fieri’s live show came on.  I don’t usually watch him, most of his recipes I’ve seen are kinda out there, but I was bored so thought I’d give him a chance.  As usual, the stuff he was making wasn’t really my cup of tea, but then he started talking about this “malty strawnana.”  I had just gotten a blender from my brother and sis-in-law for a belated birthday present (that’s what happens when we live 500 miles away!) so it got my attention.  A malty strawnana is probably just what you’d expect: a vanilla shake with malt, strawberries and bananas.  I got the stuff for it that night, and it’s so good…just the perfect classic shake.  So…enjoy, I know we did!

Malty Strawnana

• 2 c. good quality vanilla ice cream (I always buy Breyers)
• 1/4 c. milk, add half in first, remainder if necessary
• 5 Tbsp malt (a.k.a. Ovaltine)
• 1 1/2 c. strawberries (he said to use fresh but let’s be honest…it’s December so they’re expensive right now.  I used frozen and it came out great!)
• 1 small ripe banana or 3/4 of a large one

1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

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So, again, once of those recipes that I had at a friend’s house when they had us over for dinner (thanks Emily!), begged for the recipe, and argued with her because I wouldn’t believe it’s that easy! It sounds like a typical chicken casserole, but believe me, the few variations on ingredients (aka curry and mayo…in a casserole? Believe me on this one…delicious!!). Seriously, you GOTTA try this one…it’ll be a new staple in your house!

Chicken Divan

• 2 pkg. frozen broccoli spears, slightly cooked
• -OR-
• 1 pkg. frozen broccoli spears, slightly cooked and 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (see recommendations, below)*
• 3 cooked chicken breasts*
• grated cheese

Sauce:

• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp curry powder

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Put broccoli in bottom of 9×13 pan. If using, put rice on top of broccoli. Place chicken on top of rice/broccoli.
3. Mix sauce ingredients together. Pour evenly over top of chicken.
4. Spread grated cheese over top.
5. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

Recommendations:

• Rice: So the original recipe that my friend gave me called for the 2 packages of broccoli. But after I made this a couple times, I thought that it would taste really good with rice to soak up all the DELICIOUS sauce, and to give it some more filling power. So, last time I made it, I made it with throwing some leftover rice in the bottom of the casserole dish, and I really liked how it turned out (like I said, just made it more filling…and none of the amazing sauce is put to waste!). So that’s definitely how I’m gonna make this from now on.
• Chicken:  I think the recipe calls for them whole, but I dice mine before I put them in.

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