Loaded Baked Potato Salad

I am a huge fan of baked potatoes but now that spring has finally arrived (or so it seems) they just aren’t something I cook. I hate heating up the oven and the house once the warm weather hits and I avoid it at all cost. So what do I do when the craving strikes? Make up this loaded baked potato salad! It provides all the delicious taste of a loaded baked potato without having to heat up the oven. Plus, it’s chilled and refreshing which helps beat the heat.

There really isn’t anything not to like about this potato salad. Cheese, bacon and ranch are always a winning combination! This would be a great side dish to bring to a summer bbq or just to whip up on a weeknight with a yummy grilled steak.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad
recipe slightly adapted from Key Ingredient

4 large russet or Yukon gold potatoes
1/4 cup light mayo
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. dry ranch seasoning
8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste

1. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo and sour cream. After thoroughly combined, stir in cheese, ranch seasoning, salt and pepper.

2. Chop potatoes into bite size chunks (you can peel them if you want, I was lazy and didn’t). Boil potatoes for 10-20 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Drain potatoes and allow to cool a bit.

3. Mix potatoes and 3/4 of the bacon into sour cream mixture. Top with remaining bacon and chill until ready to serve.

Cucumber Tomato Salad

So, I know I have already shared a couple cucumber salad recipes with you all (here and here) but Noah and I are big cucumber fans and we go through quite a few every week. Because of this, we are always looking for new ways to eat them and this is our current favorite. My mom whipped this up one night when we were over for dinner and it was amazing and so simple.

And the ingredients are ones I almost always have on hand. I don’t think I have to tell you how much I love those kinds of recipes!

The recipe recommends making this two hours before you are going to serve it but it is soo much better the next day so if you have the time, mix it up the night before so that it has time to marinate and soak up the delicious dressing.

This is going to be my official summer side dish. Delish!

Cucumber Tomato Salad

3 English cucumbers, washed and thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes, washed and diced into bite size chunks
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vinegar (I used plain ‘ole white but red wine vinegar would be really tasty too)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup oil (veggie or canola)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. course ground pepper

Place cucumbers, tomatoes and onions in a medium sized bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, water, oil, salt and pepper to a mason jar or some container with a tight seal. Shake until thoroughly combined. Pour over veggies and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

Crock Pot Refried Beans

So for the life of me, I hadn’t been able to make good refried beans. Every attempt had come out bland, thick and pastey…definitely not what you want in refried beans. But, no worries because I finally found the one! Sometimes it takes a lot of time and many epic fails to find the recipe that will wow you. And it was definitely worth the wait.

The onion, bouillon and butter lended so much flavor to the beans and really put them over the top for me. Plus, the fact that they are made in the crock pot meant I could throw in all the ingredients and check on them occasionally rather than having to keep a close eye on them on the stovetop like I did in the past.

Ever since making them I have been trying to think up reasons to make them. I even bought a bag of dried pinto beans as big as your head so I don’t have to worry about not having beans when the craving strikes. They were incredible on their own, topped with a little cheese as well as smeared on a tostada with some delish Cafe Rio Chicken. I will be attempting this recipe with black beans too. I’ll let you know how they turn out!

Crock Pot Refried Beans
recipe from Chef in Training

Approximately 3 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed*
Water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
1/2 medium sweet onion (peel off skin but do not chop)
1/2 cup butter

1. Place beans in crock pot then fill it nearly to the top with water. Add in bouillon cubes, garlic salt and onion half. Cook on high until beans are soft (took 5-6 hours for me).  Stir occasionally during cooking process. You may have to add more water as beans absorb water.

2. Strain beans or pour off juice, saving the juice in a separate bowl and removing the onion. Add butter and a small amount of juice that beans cooked in. Use a hand blender to mash beans. Add juice and blend to obtain desired consistency.  You want to leave beans a little runny as they will set up quite fast.

*This is assuming you are using a 5 qt. crock pot. If you are using a smaller one, fill it up about 2 inches with dried pinto beans.

Mexican Rice

Mexican food is one of our favorites and we eat it quite a bit when we go out and at home. I don’t mean to brag, but I make some killer and super easy shredded beef tacos (which I surprisingly haven’t shared here yet). I have also whipped up my fair share of quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos and more. But the one thing I just haven’t gotten the hang of is Mexican rice. Until now!

I have tried several recipes in the past and they were just never quite right. Whether it was the texture or the spice or the prep/cooking time, I didn’t like them and they didn’t taste authentic. This recipe though is a whole different story. Not only does this rice taste great, but it’s really quick and easy and it involves ingredients I always have in the kitchen. I served this alongside those delicious Crispy Chicken Black Bean Tacos and it was the perfect combination.

Mexican Rice
recipe from Mexican Food Recipes

1 cup uncooked rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cold water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
¼ cup tomato sauce
Roma tomato, chopped into 8 pieces (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin powder (or seeds crushed into powder)
1 chili pepper, sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Put the oil into a medium saucepan and heat to a medium temperature. Add the rice and brown it in the oil while stirring.

2. Add the garlic when the rice is nearly browned. Add the water, then the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Cover, with a small air escape, and turn the heat down to medium low.

3. Cook the rice for 20 to 30 minutes but check after 20 to see if it is ready.

4. You do not need to stir the rice or lift the lid while it cooks. It is ready when the rice is fluffy, all the water is gone, and the grains are split open (because of the browning).

5. If it is still sauce-like rather than dry, cook a few minutes more. Adjust the spices and serve hot as a side dish with tacos, enchiladas, or burritos.

Maple Glazed Carrots

I never really liked carrots as a kid but after forcing myself to eat them recently I have actually grown to enjoy them quite a bit. I prefer them raw but I like them cooked too. Especially when they are simmered in butter, brown sugar and pure, delicious maple syrup.

These sweet, glazed carrots are the perfect side dish for your upcoming Thanksgiving feast. Not only are they quick and easy but they only require 4 ingredients, 3 of which I’m sure you already have in your kitchen. I almost always have baby carrots in the fridge for snacking on so I can whip up these carrots with dinner anytime!

Maple Glazed Carrots
recipe from The Country Cook

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1 pound baby carrots (or whole carrots chopped into chunks)

1.  In a medium skillet, heat the butter, sugar, and maple syrup over medium heat, stirring until smooth and the butter is melted.

2. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender and glazed.

Twice Baked Cauliflower

Ok, I have to admit this isn’t the most appetizing looking dish but it tastes absolutely amazing. It’s seriously one of the best things I have made in a long time. When I told Joel I was making it for dinner he was quite skeptical and wondered why I didn’t just make it with potatoes. I told him to buck up and deal with it and that he would like it. And I was totally right. It was creamy, cheesy and tangy, a bit salty and crispy. It was deliciousness.

I’m excited to make and share this at Thanksgiving this year. Although when we have Thanksgiving at Joel’s family, corn casserole is usually the top request from my recipes. I guess I kind of have a thing for cheesy vegatables.

Twice Baked Cauliflower
recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen

1 large head cauliflower
4 oz. low fat cream cheese
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
1/4 cup minced green onions
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (If you only have finely grated Parmesan, use a bit less)
6 slices reduced fat bacon, cooked until very crisp, fat blotted with paper towel and then crumbled
1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut out stem and core from cauliflower, and cut into small pieces. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until cauliflower is tender, but not overly soft. Drain well and mash with potato masher, leaving some chunks. Mix in light cream cheese, light sour cream, green onion, Parmesan, and 3/4 of the crumbled bacon.

2. Spread evenly in a medium-sized glass casserole dish. Sprinkle with low-fat cheddar cheese and reserved bacon. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Quinoa Mac-n-Cheese Bites

I have been bringing you all lots of yummy, delectable football snacks (spinach dip, potato skins, peanut butter pretzel bites) but they have been belly busters to say the least so I thought today I would bring you something lighter for this week’s game. The original recipe was simply for quinoa mac-n-cheese but I thought it would be way more fun, portable and snackable in bite size form. Plus, I always love the crispy edges of baked mac-n-cheese so this way there is more crispy surface area. They are filling, cheesy and packed with protein. I made up a big batch of these then layered them in a crockpot kept on the warm setting. And what’s best is you don’t have to feel guilty for enjoying a couple of these babies!

Quinoa Mac-n-Cheese Bites
recipe from Moni Meals

2 tsp olive oil
1 med. leek white and pale green parts halved and sliced (1 cup)-OR chives are fine too
1/2 cup diced tomato or red/green pepper (or any veggie really, I used finely chopped broccoli)
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained (OR you can just use pre-cooked and cut back on the water and cooking time)
good pinch of salt
a few grinds of seasoning salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups of water (or stock)
2 large eggs
1 cup skim milk, or milk of choice
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, more for sprinkling NOTE: (You may find you need more cheese, BUT I use this amount to still keep the dish ‘lighter’ yet very flavorful.)

1. Heat oil in med. saucepan over med. heat. Add leek and tomatoes (or bell peppers-or any veggies you want really); cover and cook 5 mins or until tender. Stir in quinoa and garlic, and cook, uncovered, 3-4 mins, or until grains start to turn opaque (they will not fully be cooked yet).

2. Add 3 cups water (or stock) and season with salt and the seasoning salt. Cover and reduce heat to med-low and simmer 15-20 mins or more, (depends and also what kind of quinoa you use) or until most liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 mins.

3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Liberally coat two 12 cup muffin pans with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese (if you feel you need more cheese, add here.) Stir very well and let some of the cheese melt. (Will seem a little “soupy,” do not worry, it will all mold together.)

4. Transfer to prepared muffin cups and if using Panko crumbs or Bread crumbs, add now. You can also sprinkle a bit more cheese on now if you prefer for topping. Bake 25-35 mins, (or until browned around edges).

The Perfect Baked Potato!

We had a crazy and super fun weekend. Saturday started by meeting a friends’ sweet new baby! She is such a doll and we were so happy to get in some cuddle time! After our visit, we headed about an hour and a half out of town to go to an indoor water park for a belated birthday celebration for Noah. We had been talking about it all week and he was so incredibly excited. Every day before nap time it was all “water slide, bucket splash, slides weeee, tube.” Just a bit pumped, right? Needless to say, we had a great time splashing, slipping and sliding! We stayed there that night then headed home on Sunday. We also switched cell providers and I finally moved out of the darkness and got a smart phone! Whoo-hoo!

Onto the food!

I don’t know about you but I absolutely love a baked potato….especially when it’s topped with butter, cheese and bacon. It really is the perfect companion to a juicy grilled steak. I have the perfect way to bake up a steak house worthy baked potato at home.

The key to the perfect baked potato is for the inside to be tender and fluffy while the skin is seasoned and crispy. Making sure the potato is dry then rubbing it with oil will ensure a crispy outside. Taking the time to bake it at a somewhat low temperature for about an hour will produce the perfect texture.

Pair this perfect baked potato with marinated steak for a steak house dinner on the cheap!

The Perfect Baked Potato

1 large Russet Potato
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil (depending on size of potato)
1 tsp. kosher salt
Preferred toppings

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Scrub potato well then dry. Poke holes in the potato with a fork to allow any steam to vent.

2. Rub clean, dry potato with olive oil then sprinkle with kosher salt. Place directly on oven rack and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the skin is crispy and the flesh is soft.

Smoked Corn on the Cob

We recently had some friends over for dinner to catch up and break out the smoker. We made delicious pulled pork and planned on grilling some corn on the cob for one of the sides. Well, unfortunately the Minnesota wind had a different plan for us. It was ridiculously windy that day which meant no grilling and smoking the meat in the garage red neck style. I didn’t want to just boil the corn so Joel suggested throwing it in the smoker. I searched the internet a bit and found that it is possible to smoke corn.

Turns out it was super delicious! Joel, who normally doesn’t eat corn on the cob, devoured it. The corn had a slightly smoky flavor and was great slathered in butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper. This was a simple recipe and the part that took the longest was shucking the corn and removing the silk…..ugh, I hate that part.

Smoked Corn on the Cob

6 ears of corn
6 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Butter

1. Peel back husks of corn but do not remove them from the corn; remove all the silk. Soak the ears of corn in water for several hours.

2. Dry corn then brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Pull husks back over the corn then place in a smoker heated to 225 degrees F. Cook for about an hour and a half. Remove from smoker and remove husks. Serve with butter.

Recipe linked to Mangia Monday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Cast Party Wednesday and Full Plate Thursday.

Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots

We have been all about carrots lately. They are a great vegetable to have on hand since they last forever and you can prepare them in all kinds of ways. My mom has always hated cooked carrots and her grandma always told her “cooked carrots will kill you.” It’s been a running joke throughout our family forever so she always gives me a hard time when I tell her we are having cooked carrots with dinner.

I love the sweet and tangy taste that the sauce lends to the carrots. And they really couldn’t get much easier. Have you noticed a trend of ease with the recipes I share? I’m all about easy meals for weeknights as I’m sure many of you are too.

For hot, summer days I am considering placing all the ingredients in a foil packet and throwing them on the grill.

Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots
recipe from So Wonderful So Marvelous

2 lbs. carrots {peeled, washed and cut into chunks}
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
Herbs and Seasonings {I used salt, pepper and thyme}
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss carrots with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and herbs/seasonings of your choice. Place in a 13 x9 and roast for 20-25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar. After the 20-25 minutes, remove carrots and evenly toss with the honey mixture. Return them to the oven for another 5 minutes.