Shepherds Pie

With it being the month of March, many people start looking forward to celebrating St. Patrick's Day.  Wearing of the green, eating corned beef & cabbage...those are just a couple of the traditions surrounding this holiday.  However, I'm not here to talk about those things.  I'm here to tell you that you can enjoy at least one of the traditions associated with St. Patrick's Day all year around!!

Smoked Queso Dip

We love our smoker.  Summer, winter (or in between), there's always a reason to use them!  Slab of ribs...a pristine Boston butt...simple burgers or porkchops...even veggies on skewers...they ALL taste better after being cooked on a smoker.  We keep several types of wood chips handy for smoking, too...pecan, hickory, apple, peach...there are SO many choices, and they each give a distinct flavor profile.

Smoking, at a low-and-slow temperature, leaves meats super tasty and so tender they'll practically fall off the bone!!  BUT...I'm not here today to tell you about smoking meats.  Instead, I'm going to offer you a recipe that will leave you (and your family/friends) clamoring for more.  Today's offering is Smoked Queso Dip (courtesy of my sister Emily... thank you SO much)!!

Chicken Marsala

I love chicken.  It's a fairly lean meat, an excellent source of nutrition, and lends itself well to SO many dishes.  Of course, there's always the normal debate...white or dark meat.  Some types work better in certain recipes than others.  Chicken Marsala is a delectable way to use white meat without the worry of it being "dry".

Authentic Ramen Soup

There probably isn't a person alive that hasn't, at SOME point, eaten Ramen.  It's simple...it's cheap...and it's filling. The problem?  It's not very healthy.  There, I said it.  IT'S NOT HEALTHY!!!  Those little packages that are so convenient are chock full of everything except nutrition (the salt content alone is staggering).

Today, that's gonna change.  Making a fresh, healthy Ramen bowl isn't hard...it really isn't.  Yes, it takes a little time, but honestly, what meal worth eating doesn't?  If you want to change your view on how to eat, this recipe can do that.  The real beauty of it?  It's SUPER versatile!!

Cheese-Stuffed Manicotti

We LOVE Italian food.  Pizza, lasagna, spaghetti, alfredo...it's pretty much an anything goes when it comes to Italian food. No...it's not exactly "diet" food.  But, considering the fact that millions of Italians have lived on this food for centuries and they still have relatively LOW stats for obesity and heart disease, it's always going to be served in our house!

Jalapeno Popper Hasselback Potatoes

Potatoes are a norm in our house.  They're versatile...they're cheap...and they are handy for filling out a nice meal.  But, like so many things out there, they can become boring.  Baked...fried...mashed...pretty much every recipe calls for one of those methods of cooking.  So, what to do?  Well, perhaps, instead of trying to figure out another way to cook them, we should be looking instead to ramping up how they TASTE!!

No-Knead Skillet Bread

Making bread used to be normal in virtually every household in America.  In fact, it was commonly made every day!  Sadly, not as many bake their own bread anymore (though, that has improved over the last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic).  The primary reason I hear as to WHY freshly baked bread isn't the go-to?  The time and work involved...after all, making bread can be a chore.

Today, however, is going to change your life.  I have a recipe for scrumptious, freshly-baked bread that doesn't involve as much work, but delivers ALL the flavor!!  With only 5 simple ingredients, this bread will make you forget about store-bought bread completely.  All you need is 2 bowls, 1 large skillet, an oven, and a little patience (and that's only for the rise time)! Extra notes for variations (and even a short Q & A) are included at end of recipe.