Bacon, Jalapeno and Pepper Jack Cheese Grilled Burger

So it's been awhile! I pretty much gave up on this blog because my life got so busy and I could no longer see spending time sitting at the computer and typing away recipes, which I'm pretty sure nobody looked at anyway. But then yesterday happened! I really don't like red meat, but I got a craving for a hamburger (which is weird to start with because I eat like one hamburger every couple of years) and it wasn't going to be satisfied until I actually ate a burger. Then I decided that just having any old burger wasn't going to do it either. So off to the store we went to purchase everything I needed to make this bad boy! I wasn't even going to put this on the blog, but this blog is a way for me to keep  my recipes organized and refer back to them in an easy manner. So if you are craving a grilled bacon, jalapeno and pepper jack cheese burger, this ones for you!

 *Makes 2 very large and filling burgers

Sesame Kaiser rolls
2 Angus beef patties (pre shaped and seasoned at the grocery store)
4 Pepper Jack cheese slices
1/2 lb bacon
3 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and deveined ( I left some seeds in for some extra heat)

I can't tell you that there is actually a recipe for this burger. Just grill your favorite hamburger meat with the seasonings you like.While it is grilling, slice your jalapenos into strips. Saute in a pan with a little bit of butter until the jalapenos are tender, but not mushy. Fry up all the bacon until it's crisp. Place a few strips of bacon and 2 slices of cheese onto each patty toward the end of the cooking time, so the cheese will melt. (Place the bacon under the cheese so it stays put) Meanwhile, grill the buns with a little bit of butter on each side. Place the cooked hamburger onto a grilled bun. Top with the sauteed jalapenos and the rest of the bacon. Top with the other bun and enjoy!!

Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers

It's not too often that I post a recipe that includes red meat. It's just not my favorite thing at all. I usually avoid it like the plague! So when my fitness trainer suggested this recipe to me, I kind of thought I would just make it for my hubby and I would make something else for myself. But as I was making it, it smelled so good and I actually got anxious to taste it. When it came out of the oven and I saw that hot bubbly cheese all over the top, I decided to give it a try. Oh boy am I glad I did! This meal was wonderful and it will definitely be made over and over again at this house. This summer, when my red bell peppers are ripe in my garden, I will try making it with those also. So thank you Randi, for the recipe suggestion. This one is a keeper!!

Right before I stuffed the peppers

Right after they came out of the oven. Gotta love all that cheesy goodness!

 Recipe Source: http://www.workoutbox.net/?p=497


Makes 3 servings

1 lb top sirloin steak, very thinly sliced
6 slices provolone cheese (you can use extra slices on top if you want yours extra cheesy)
3 large green bell peppers
1 red onion, sliced
8 oz white mushrooms sliced
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt/ pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°
Slice the top off each pepper and remove the ribbing and the seeds. Slice up the onions and the mushrooms.
In a large skillet, heat butter, olive oil, salt and pepper. When it's hot, add the sliced onions and sliced mushrooms. Continue to cook on low-med until the onions are caramelized, about 25-30 min.

Salt and pepper your steak slices. In a separate skillet, cook the steak in just a small amount of olive oil, for about 5 minutes, just until it's no longer pink. Add the steak to the onion, mushroom mixture and stir together.

Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of Provolone cheese. (see first picture above if needed). Fill each cheese lined pepper with steak, mushroom mixture until they are very full and overflowing. Top each filled pepper with a slice of Provolone cheese. Bake in 400° for approx 15 minutes or until the cheese on the top is a golden brown.
Serve warm.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Jalapeno Chimichurri

Since I'm not a red meat fan, I wasn't sure of what my reaction to this recipe would be. Well, I guess as long as there is a sauce on red meat to cover the flavor of the meat, then I must be ok with it. I loved this chimichurri sauce! I literally drowned my meat in this sauce haha. I have made chimichurri sauce many times before, but I haven't ever made it with jalapenos. This will definitely be my new "go to" chimichurri" sauce reipe. So even if you are not a huge fan or red meat, give this a try. I'm sure this sauce would be good on anything.

Recipe Adapted From:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/05/ted-allens-grilled-steak-with-roasted-jalepeno.html

2 jalapenos 

2 cups cilantro 

2 cups Italian parsley 

2 cloves garlic (2 tsp minced garlic) 

Juice of 3 limes 

3Tbsp cooking sherry 

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the steak

salt/pepper to taste 

2 lbs skirt steak

Preheat the grill.
Char the jalapenos on the stovetop with a gas burner or on a grill until the outsides are charred. Place them in a paper bag or a small bowl covered with a plate or towel and allow the skins to steam and loosen. Peel, stem, and seed the chilies.

In a food processor or blender, combine the jalapeños, cilantro, parsley, garlic, lime juice, sherry, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse (or blend) until the mixture is a coarse puree. Taste and adjust for salt and blend again if needed.

Rub the steaks with olive oil and season very generously with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked to your eatin preference (medium well for our family)
Remove to a plate and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Slice the steak across the grain with the knife at a 45 degree angle. Arrange on a serving plate and spoon some chimichurri over the steak. Serve with the extra sauce.

Tequilla Lime Flank Steak Salad wtih Chili Lime Vinaigrette

The hubby and I just finished eating these salads. Mine was way smaller and of course because I am always watching my calories/carbs etc.....mine had no avocado, no tortilla chips and way less steak, since I am not much of a red meat eater) Do you see why I took a  picture of his salad? I did take a bite of  his with all the "goodies" on it so I could give you all an honest opinion. Here is my opinion...WOW!!! Mine was even good without all those extra goodies, but the crunch from the chips and the smooth texture and taste of the avocado, only made it that much better. Next time I will make mine with chicken as that just sounds even better to me. But boy oh boy, I'm glad I tried this recipe.

Recipe Adapted From: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2013/02/tequila-lime-flank-steak-fajita-salad-with-chile-lime-vinaigrette/

For the Steak:
1 (2 pound, 1-inch thick) flank steak
1/3 cup tequila
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
zest of 2 limes

 For the Peppers:

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Pinch of salt and pepper

For the Salad: 

1/2 head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn

2 cups Spinach leaves, washed and dried

1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup corn salsa (recipe follows)
5 slices Colby Pepper Jack cheese, thinly sliced
1 avocado, sliced

1/4 cup green onions, diced
Tortilla chips for topping

For the Chili Lime Vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 Tbsp chile oil (you can usually find this in the Asian section of your local grocery store)
2 tsp honey
Juice of 2 limes
pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper

For the corn salsa: 

1 (12 oz) bag of frozen corn, defrosted and drained
2 medium-sized jalapenos, seeded and chopped (leave in some seeds for more heat if desired)
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2  limes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

 To make the corn salsa:  
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix.. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Set aside.
 

 To make the Chili Lime Vinaigrette: 

 Combine all ingredients in a mason jar, shaker bottle or large bowl and shake/whisk until combined. Set aside.    


To prepare the meal:

Whisk tequila, olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and lime zest in a bowl until combined. Place your flank  steak in a shallow baking dish or a large Ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the top of the steak. Marinate for 2 - 24 hours, making sure to flip the steaks over in the marinade every few hours. 

When you're ready to make the salads, turn the broiler onto the highest setting. Place the oven rack on the highest rack under the broiler. Broil steak for 5 minutes, flip and broil for another 5 minutes. Let it rest out of the broiler for about 5-10 minutes. (If you wish to not have pink in your meat at all, then cook it for a little extra time). Slice thin strips at an angle. Set aside.

While the steak is cooking and resting, heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add peppers with a pinch of salt and pepper, tossing to coat and cook for 5-6 minutes, until slightly soft. Set aside

To assemble the salad:  

Place lettuce and spinach on the plate or in a bowl. On top of the lettuce, place the flank steak, black beans, corn salsa, peppers, cheese, avocado, green onions and tortilla chips. Top with dressing and toss!

Spaghetti and Meatballs (Homemade Sauce and Meatballs)

For years, I used to buy jarred spaghetti sauce. I'm not really sure why except that convenience won out over taste. A long while back, I stumbled onto a new spaghetti sauce recipe on Pinterest. After tweaking it quite a bit to suit our families taste, I am so  happy with the results. This is super easy, super quick and trust me, it puts any jarred sauce to shame! I'm ashamed that I ever bought jarred sauce, after realizing how quick and easy it is to whip up your own. I also don't know why I have never posted the recipe before this. I guess I just figured  everyone makes  their own sauce. Well....after having a conversation with a friend about how truly easy it is to make your own sauce, she asked me to please post the recipe! So here it is....enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: 
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Di-Palos-Spaghetti-and-Meatballs?cmpid=pin

For the spaghetti sauce:
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp dried basil
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
Salt/Pepper to taste
1/4 cup sugar (you can use less if you like your spaghetti sauce less sweet)

For the meatballs:
10 oz hot Italian sausage
10 oz ground beef
1/3 plus 1/8 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
3/8 cup (1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup) grated fresh parmesan cheese
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 eggs, slightly beaten
Salt/Pepper to taste

To make the sauce:
Heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil and 3 cloves of the garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, basil, tomatoes,  salt and pepper. Cook for 30 min. Add the sugar and cook another 30 minutes.

To make the meatballs:
While the sauce is cooking, mix the remaining 2 cloves of chopped garlic, Italian sausage, ground beef, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Form into 8 (2 1/2 inch) meatballs.
Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 meatballs to the oil. Cook until they are browned on all sides. This takes about 10 minutes and you must turn the meatball to a new side about every 2 minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate. Repeat these steps with the last 4 meatballs.
When all 8 meatballs have been browned and are on the plate, transfer all the browned meatballs to the spaghetti sauce. Cover each meatball with sauce and cook for 30 minutes, until all the meatballs are cooked through. Serve meatballs and sauce over spaghetti.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

After a week of excruciating humidity (well humid for So Cal) and heat, I had been so lazy about cooking and preparing much for dinner. Dollar tacos at the local Mexican restaurant, salads and well...just about anything that didn't require me being in the hot kitchen, was what we were eating. Last night, I finally snapped out of it, bit the bullet, (ok not literally or I wouldn't be able to be sitting here typing this) and made us something to eat. Scouring my Pinterest boards to come up with a recipe that sounded good, I decided on this Spicy Sausage Pasta. Can I just say "wow?" This pasta is so amazing, spicy just how I like it and super easy to prepare. If you are having company for dinner and they like a little bit of zip or spice to their foods, this would be a great meal to make for them.

Recipe Source:
http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/spicy-sausage-pasta.html

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage
1.5 cups diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup Jack cheese, grated
1/3 cup green onions, sliced

Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a large skillet. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, heavy cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the jack cheese. Transfer from the skillet into a greased 13 X 9 pan. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with green onions. Broil until cheese is melted, slightly brown, and bubbly.

Meat and Cheese Filled Biscuits

The web site where I found this recipe calls these "Meatball Bubble Biscuits". (The recipe can be found at http://kathiecooks.blogspot.com/2010/08/meatball-bubble-biscuits.html)
I decided to just title them "meat and cheese filled biscuits" because my grand daughter plays with bubbles so much and I've seen the face she makes when she eats the bubbles that are flying! That face reminds me that any food with the name bubbles in it might conjure up a soapy foul taste and a delightfully funny face. Thankfully these tasted great and it didn't matter what the name was. These are a snap to make and went great with our spaghetti dinner tonight. My grand daughter is trying to say "sketty betty" instead of spaghetti. It's adorable and I can't help but smile when I think of it. So next time you make "sketty betty" try these fun little biscuits on the side.

 *Makes 20 small biscuits

1 can refrigerated biscuit dough (slice or pull apart layers on each biscuit to make two sections)
10 Italian style meatballs, cut in half (just buy the frozen kind and thaw them first)
2 sticks string cheese (cut each stick into 10 equal pieces)
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese (use fresh grated)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
(Optional....marinara sauce for dipping)

Preheat oven to 375°

 Cut or separate biscuits into two layers. Place 1 meatball half and one piece of cheese into each biscuit. Wrap dough around it and seal all the edges. Place the filled biscuit, seam side down, into a greased, 9"round cake pan or a pie tin. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Bake for 18-20 min or until golden brown.

Chili Colorado Burrito

All week I had been waiting for the motivation to strike for me to get this house cleaned up. I know, I know.......those of you that know me are laughing right now and thinking "yeah right, Joni's house not clean?" Ok, Ok, so I clearly have OCD and  my idea of "not clean" clearly isn't as bad as most peoples, but regardless, in my mind, it was unclean. So after spending quite a bit of time cleaning and gardening, I was so happy to know that this meal was going to be so easy to throw together, because the meat had been cooking all day in the crock pot.
Earlier in the week, I found a recipe that I was going to follow, but I wound up changing it so much that it almost wasn't like the original at all. But if you want to know where the original recipe was...I found it at http://food-pusher.blogspot.com/2010/08/chile-colorado-burritos.html

2 lb roast of your choice ( I put mine in frozen right into the crock pot)
salt/pepper to taste
1 fresh jalapeno, diced (leave out the seeds if you don't want the extra spice)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large onion, diced (save a few pieces to put on top of the burrito when it's done)
2 tsp beef bullion powder
1 (28 oz) can red enchilada sauce
1 cup cilantro, chopped (save 1/4 cup of the cilantro to put on top of the burrito when it's done)

 Flour tortillas ( I use whole wheat)
 1/2 cup sliced black olives
 Grated cheddar cheese



sour cream for topping

 Turn your crock pot on to the high setting. Put in the roast,  salt, pepper, jalapeno garlic, onion, bullion powder, enchilada sauce and cilantro. Leave on high for 6 - 8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to shred. When it's done, take out the meat and place it on a cutting board and shred it up. Place the meat back into the crock pot. Stir to combine the juices back with the meat. Put the crock pot on the "keep warm" or "low" setting until time to serve. When it's time to serve, lay out a tortilla and fill it with as much meat as you like. Place olives on top of the meat. Roll up the burrito and place it on an ovenproof dish. (I find it's easier to put it onto the actual dish you will be serving the burrito on, since it's very hard to transfer once you are done putting it under the broiler) Spoon extra sauce from the crock pot over the burrito. Place grated cheese on the top and place the entire burrito under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is completely melted. Once the cheese is melted, take it out of the oven and top with the extra cilantro and onions. Top with sour cream.

Stuffed Peppers

The word "stuffed" seems to have been a big part of my vocabulary today. Earlier, the hubby asked me where something was and I said "It's probably stuffed into the bottom of my purse." After having lunch I said to my friend "I'm stuffed." So I guess it was very fitting to serve "stuffed" peppers tonight. I have made many different versions of these and I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I can't say this is the healthiest version, but I can say it tasted great!

*This is not a super spicy dish, but you can adjust to your liking

1 cup, cooked, brown rice
3 red or green peppers
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 or 2 jalapenos, diced ( you can use just 1 or take the seeds out of them to make this less spicy)
2 tsp olive oil
3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
8 oz mild Italian sausage ( I buy it ground so I don't have to remove the meat from the casings)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
Grated Mozzarella cheese for the topping


Heat oven to 375°
Cook the brown rice and set aside.

Cut the top off your peppers and set the tops aside to chop later. Remove any seeds or membranes from the insides of your peppers. Place your peppers in a small square baking dish that you have sprayed with Pam. If they topple over, just trim a very small amount off the bottom so they stand upright.

Chop the caps of the peppers that you removed. Be sure to not include the stems or any white membranes when you chop them. Set the chopped caps aside.

Chop the onion, garlic and the jalapenos. 

In a skillet, heat the olive oil. When it is hot, throw in your chopped peppers, onion, garlic and jalapenos. Cook for just a few minutes until they soften. Don't brown them. Place the pepper mixture into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, cook your bacon and set aside. Drain any grease from the pan.
In the same skillet again, cook the Italian sausage until browned, but it does not have to be cooked completely.

Put your bacon into the pan with your sausage and add your onion mixture. Add the oregano, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Cook for just a few minutes on med heat.

Toss in the parmesan cheese and the brown rice. Stir together. Cook for 1-2 minutes to blend the flavors.

Stuff each pepper with a lot of the mixture. Press it down to pack it in. Bake at  375° for about 30- 35 minutes. Take the peppers out of the oven and cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake again for about 10-15 minutes or until mozzarella is completely melted.

Crockpot Shredded Beef for Tacos

This morning I got up with every intention of cooking this shredded beef when I got home from work today. I get home early enough that I thought it would be a piece of cake. Well, good thing I checked the recipe this morning as it calls for cooking it 6-8 hours on low in the crockpot. This is where you can cue the "drama music" that should be playing while I tell you that I ran, yes  literally ran, through my house getting ready for work this morning. I not only managed to get ready, but I managed to get the roast defrosted in the microwave, all the sauce made, and managed to get it in my crock pot before I left for work. *cue applause*
After work I picked up my daughter and grand daughter and  came home to a wonderful smelling kitchen. We were all anxious to try this tonight in our tacos. Oh let me tell you...I am SO glad I made this. It tasted fantastic, was fairly easy (of course it would have been easier if I weren't running around like a maniac before work trying to prepare it) and everyone loved it. It even got my grand daughters seal of approval. For an almost 2 year old, that's saying A LOT!

Recipe Source: www.mykitchenaddiction.com

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
2 pounds beef (boneless chuck roast) 
1 teaspoon chili powder 
1/2 teaspoon cumin 
1/2 teaspoon paprika 
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste 
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1/2 large sweet onion, diced 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
Flour or Corn tortillas
Favorite taco toppings

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix onto the beef, covering each side evenly. Once the oil is hot, place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side. Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Leave the pan on the heat, and add the beef stock, tomato paste and minced chipotle and whisk together. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. 
Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker.  Pour the pan sauce down over the onions, garlic, and beef.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours .

Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Add the beef back to the slow cooker and keep warm until serving. Serve in a tortilla with your favorite taco fixins!

Enchilada Casserole

It's not too often when I have a day that I'm not looking forward to cooking dinner. Well, today was definitely one of those days! With my mind on many of life's issues, I just didn't have it in me to create anything new myself or to make an elaborate recipe. So, this is the kind of day that just screams out "CASSEROLE." As it turns out, I'm really happy it was a casserole kind of night. This was a delicious dinner, easy to prepare and it filled our bellies well.
*Sorry for the "twisted to the side" pan in the picture. I obviously didn't even realize it was like this until I saw the picture....AFTER we had consumed the meal, so there was no going back haha. 

*Recipe adapted from the original recipe found at: justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef 
1 large onion, chopped
26 oz jar of salsa
1 (15 oz can) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (powder)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6- 8 corn tortillas, (Depending on the size dish you use) ( I used a 2 qt dish and only had room for 6)
1 1/4 cups of frozen corn 
1/2 cup  sour cream 
2 cups, grated, pepper jack cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, Drain.
Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, sour cream, corn, taco seasoning and cumin.
Spoon a layer of meat mixture on bottom of a well greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Place a corn tortilla on top of meat mixture. Repeat as many layers as you can to use up the meal, tortillas and cheese.
Place a layer of grated cheese over the top of the casserole. Cover with foil that has been sprayed with pam or other and bake at 400° for 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro.

Pesto and Lime Tilapia with Tomatoes and Bacon

As I was pondering how to fix the Tilapia I had laid out for dinner, the thought hit me.....people say bacon makes everything taste better. Well, not being a huge bacon lover to begin with, I toyed with the idea of some bacon wrapped Tilapia. Been there done that was the thought that followed. So I began looking through my refrigerator to see what I could come up with. I gathered a few ingredients, said a prayer that they would go together and got to cooking. What turned out was a great meal that I can't wait to repeat. I guess it's true in this case, bacon did make this taste great!

2 pieces Tilapia
1-2 fresh limes
Salt/Pepper
Pesto Sauce
Chopped fresh tomatoes
1 Jalapeno, chopped
4 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cook the bacon, crumble it and set aside. Place your tilapia into a baking dish you have sprayed with Pam. Squeeze lime over the fish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread pesto sauce over the fish. (I'm not exactly sure how much I used, but just put as much or as little as you like). Bake at 375 until fish is flaky and tender. While the fish is baking, chop your tomatoes and your jalapeno together in a small bowl. When fish is done baking, top with the tomato/jalapeno mixture and add the crumbled bacon to the top. Serve!