I’m BACK! Wow, what a crazy couple of months we have had. After recovering from my broken leg and helping my Mom after her surgery we were ready to tackle Christmas.  However, two days before Christmas our small dog Zelda slipped a disk in her back leaving her unable to walk. Not the best way to start the holiday, but after two emergency vet visits, 6 weeks worth of medicine and two months of her resting, (the best a dog can rest)  I am happy to report that Zelda is now walking unassisted and is back to her playful self. Although she still is unable to tackle stairs she has done amazing!
I have still been tracking all my recipes and pictures so I have so many to share with you! The first recipe I am sharing is Seafood Nachos.  These were delicious! I have been wanting to make this dish for a while now as each summer we do a lot of camping with friends and family and always have a huge lobster/clam bake.  So I thought it would be fun to have a seafood nacho dish one night! This recipe will be made a number times this summer! I used lobster meat, scallops, and shrimp so this can be an expensive dish BUT also a very impressive dish. You can make a couple of shortcuts with this recipe by purchasing already cooked lobster meat as well as cooked, deveined and tails off shrimp if you wanted to. I chose to roast the shrimp myself and pan sear the scallops adding a beautiful color and texture to the scallops. For the lobster, I simply cooked two lobster tails according to the package instructions as they were frozen tails. This recipe is enough for 4-6 hungry people as an appetizer.

INGREDIENTS
1 large bag of tortilla chips
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1 Tablespoon Of butter
2 teaspoons roasted garlic
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off
2 lobster tails, cooked and meat removed and chopped (not too small)
1/2 pound scallops, muscle removed
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan
1 cup grated asiago cheese
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of salt
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

SERVE WITH
Sour cream
Pico de gallo
Pickled jalapeño

DIRECTIONS
For the shrimp – place the shrimp on a baking sheet drizzle with olive oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix to combine. Place in a 400-degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside.

For the scallops – place a tablespoon Of butter in a frying pan, let the butter melt and pan heat up. Add the scallops to the hot pan and let sear until turning a golden brown, turn the scallops and do the same for the second side. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the lobster – I bought frozen lobster tail and followed directions on package. Remove cooked meat from shells and set aside. Or purchase already cooked and shelled meat.

In a large sauté pan add the heavy cream, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper. Allow the cheese to melt. When the cheese has melted and is creamy add the lobster meat to the sauce, cut the scallops in half and add to the sauce, add the shrimp cutting in half if they are large shrimp. Stir to combine and warm the seafood through.
Meanwhile, on a large baking sheet spread the tortilla chips over the pan, add the cheddar and pepper jack cheese covering the chips and bake in a 350-degree oven for 2-4 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add a layer of the shredded lettuce over the cheese and top with the seafood sauce.
Serve warm with sour cream, pico de gallo and pickled jalapeño.

Enjoy!

 

 

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I’m always looking for new ways to make chicken, especially for Robby as chicken is not his favorite thing so I know when I am making it for him it really needs some good flavor. This dish is super simple, the maple has lots of sweet flavor, but the pinch of cayenne pepper brings a little heat to the dish. I served this with a side salad.   The next day we sliced the chicken up for sandwiches.  No matter how you serve it, I’m sure your family will enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Pinch Of cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Chicken thighs or breasts (I used boneless skinless breasts)
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat an ovenproof pan over medium heat. Mix the olive oil, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a bowl or Ziploc bag. Add the chicken and coat the chicken with the olive oil and seasoning mixture. Fry the chicken in your heated skillet for 3-4 minutes on each side drizzle with the maple syrup and place the pan in the preheated oven until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the chicken. The chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear when pierced in the thickest part of the meat.

Enjoy!

 

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This is hands down the most flavorful marinade I have ever had. Chef Michael Symon made this on The Chew one day and all the co-hosts raved about how good it was.  I knew I had to give it a try and I’m so glad I did as it became one of my favorite steak marinades all summer long. Absolutely delicious!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1/3 cup Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Steak of your choice, skirt steak, flank steak or hanger steak

DIRECTIONS
Season the steak with salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, rosemary and chili flakes. Add about 1/3 cup of olive oil. Place steak in a resealable bag and pour the marinade over the steak.  Marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or up to overnight.
Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat grill to medium-high heat, wipe off any bits of the marinade from the steak, drizzle with olive oil and grill steak to your desired doneness.   Serve warm.

Enjoy!

 

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While I was still recovering with my broken leg, I was looking for a fast simple dinner to get on the table and this was it. I had all the ingredients on hand and I baked up some fries and added a salad to go alongside the chicken.  Dinner was on the table in no time. I made these using chicken tenders as that’s what I had, but you can certainly use chicken breasts as well. These can be simply fried in the pan as I did or baked at 350 degrees until fully cooked through.

INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breasts or 1 package of chicken tenders
1 orange
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

DIRECTIONS
Squeeze the juice of the orange into a bowl and add the maple syrup and soy sauce. Add the chicken, coating all of the pieces. I fried my tenders in a large pan over medium heat until cooked through and turning halfway. If baking,  preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

 

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I’m finally feeling better from the broken leg, but the separated ankle injury is taking its time in the healing process.  But, I am back in the kitchen and enjoying it! These loaded potato bites were one of our favorite things through the summer we made them many times, and they disappeared quickly! Great as a side dish or an appetizer!

INGREDIENTS
5 – 6 baby red potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
olive oil to brush potatoes
Sprinkle with salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped
3 Tablespoons of chopped chives

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, brush both sides of the potatoes with olive oil and place on a single layer on the sheet pans.  Sprinkle with salt and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, flip the potatoes over and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top with the cheese, bacon, and chives. Put the baking sheets back in the oven to back for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm!

Enjoy!

 

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