Simple Yet Gourmet

I love asparagus but it isn't something I ate growing up so I really had no experience in cooking it until the last few years.  We've eaten this veggie a few different ways, but after trying this recipe we rarely make it any other way.  It's really quick to prepare and so yummy with the sweet and salty combo.  You've got to try this.  I'm telling you guys, I've even seen people who say they don't like asparagus go back for seconds.  If that's not a testimonial to its goodness I don't know what is!

We had this chicken for dinner last night and loved it!  It is so versatile- in fact, between the three of us we ate it three different ways.  I had mine in a taco, Aaron had his with a salad, and Brynlee ate hers plain with some veggies on the side.  It was perfect with the usual taco toppings (lettuce, baby spinach, tomatoes, avocados, fresh lime juice,etc) and the Creamy Tomatillo Ranch  D ressing from the Cafe Rio Salads.  Taste aside, I loved that this chicken was so fast to prepare!  No marinating time required.  Just mix up the spices, rub them into the chicken, add a squeeze of lime and you're ready to grill.

     I think this pictures says it all!  I have looked so long for  a brownie recipe that will meet the "Mike" approval.  When it comes to brownies, he likes them "fudge like" not "cake like." When I saw this picture, I saw fudge like, so I had to give it a try.  Man was I happy I did.  These were "fudge like," full of vanilla flavor and just plain divine.  I love a good brownie hot out of the oven.  This recipe is a keeper for sure.  If you have a picky brownie eater like I do, give this recipe a try.        I did not try the frosting for this recipe, I cut up the brownies and layered them with fresh whipped cream and diced strawberries, yum. See what new recipe you can come up with to use these brownies for.       Happy Baking!  

  Wow is all I can say about this salad. When I came across this recipe I knew this was a dish I must try. This is a whole meal, no sides needed for extra fluff, just this amazing salad. Ok, so I sliced up a few apples, but nothing else. I made a separate batch of dressing and doubled it for some extra dressing on the side. For the marinate, I made one batch and didn't add as much sriracha to make it a little more mild. I just kept adding a little at a time until I had what I thought the right amount of heat. The chicken was moist and so full of flavor. I would use this as just a marinate with a salad and baked potato. Maddie is not a meat eater, yet this dish had her coming back for seconds. An amazing dish that I know I will make over and over again!

With a post last week for dinner, I thought I would give you a recipe for breakfast.  These muffins turned out so moist and yummy.  I have my favorite banana muffin that I have had since Maddie was a baby, but it's fun to try a new twist on an old classic.  Once a week I try and make muffins for the kids for breakfast and they do get tired of the same old banana muffin.  These looked fun to make and gave the kids a little chocolate treat swirled for fun.  I'm glad a took a chance and tried something different.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

This recipe and lovely picture comes courtesy of the Pioneer Women.  As promised here is the recipe I told you about earlier this week.  For me, this comes as a surprise to actually like a recipe where red enchilada sauce is used.  I am NOT a fan of it and have tried many recipes to force myself into liking it, yet no success!  Well, that has all changed with this recipe from the Pioneer Women.  The red sauce combined with the chicken broth is out of this world, at least my world. The filling is simple, yet tasty.  There are a few steps to this recipe which some people might think makes this a hard recipe, but don't let that scare you away from giving this a try.  I can safely say, this has become my new favorite Mexican dish!  Like many of you know, I never make something just like the recipe, so we did serve this with diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado and a dollop of sour cream.  Also, I added the green chilies to the meat mixture whic...

I've been meaning to post these for a while, but with the busy holiday season never got around to it.  I didn't forget about them though, in fact I made a batch today.  They are awesome protein and fiber packed treats! Er, snacks.  Brynlee refers to them as cookie bites and thinks I'm the greatest Mom ever when I offer her these for a snack.  I quite enjoy them too and on busy days might just grab a few of these and an apple for lunch.  They are so tasty yet healthy and filling.  If you're trying to eat healthier with the New Year you need to try these!