Mussels de Mexico

1/3 cup diced chorizo
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 plum tomatos, seeded and diced
1 small can of chopped canned green chiles
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup of any mexican beer of your choice
2 pounds mussels, cleaned ( dicard any open ones prior to cooking, they're bad. )
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, to squeeze juice over the cooked mussels

Cook chorizo in a large saucepan over medium heat until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato, chiles, cumin salt and pepper,stirring occasionally, until the tomato begins to break down, about 3 minutes. Pour in beer, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits.
Stir in mussels and return to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook just until the mussels have opened, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat (discard any unopened mussels); stir in cilantro. Serve with the sauce. This can be served as an appetizer pr meal when served with rice and some good crusty bread.

Not Your Sonic Cherry Limeade

1 part UV Cherry vodka

2 parts lemon-lime soda

1 part limeade

Pour over ice and enjoy. Repeat :)

Chicken with a round 2 feature

Yes Folks, I have returned to the blogging world. While this may be short lived my intentions to deliver delicious recipes are always in mind. This simple chicken recipe gives you the opportunity for a round 2 option later in the week. I think we all don't mind taking a break form the, "What's for dinner?" dilemma every evening. So here you go...2 meals with ease. Each meal serves 4.

Round 1: Salt & Vinegar chicken (if you love the chips, you'll love this dish)
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 egg
2 cups of apple cider vinegar
1 cup of vegetable oil
3 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp poultry seasoning

Whisk all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add chicken. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees when ready to cook. Remove chicken from bowl and throw away remaining marinade. Bake in a 13x9 for 30 minutes. Drain excess fluids and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. This can also be cooked on the grill but comes out much more tender form the oven. Serve with your favorite sides. Rice pilaf or roasted potato with veggies work great.



Round 2: Pulled chicken sandwiches
Remaining chicken, shredded
1 sliced onion
1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce

Add ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. Serve on buns with beans and my honey dijon slaw for the perfect meal :)

Potato Packs

I think it's rather funny that my most simple, easy potato recipe gets so many compliments. I'm sure many of you have your own version but here's mine. ( I feel silly even posting it.)

6-8 Yukon gold potatoes, washed and not peeled
season salt and black pepper to taste. ( you know me with the salt though, heavy handed but the crowd loves them!)

Place two over lapping sheets of heavy duty foil on the counter and spray with cooking spray. Slice potatoes into bite size pieces. Place in a medium mixing bowl, coat with olive oil and add season salt and pepper. Mix together and put them on the foil. make a foil pouch/packet and grill for 40 minutes. Wow, that one was a tough one :) and no I don't have any pics of them since I never thought they were worthy :(  Maybe next time!

Black Bean Soup

1 lb. black beans, rinse well and place in a large bowl, cover with water and soak over night.
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped ( save some for garnish )
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. cumin
4 cups of water
2 cups of brewed coffee
1 ham hock
2-3 bay leaves
sea salt and pepper to taste
sour cream ( at least 6 Tbsp.) and cilantro for garnish
Heat oil in soup pot over medium high-heat. Add onions (except some for the garnish), bell pepper, celery, jalapeno, and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Add cumin and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in water, drained beans, coffee and add ham hock. Stir and add bay leaves. Skim off nay foam from the beans from the top. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper. Puree half of the soup in a blender and return to the pot. Trim the meat from the ham hock and stir back into the soup. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, onion and cilantro for garnish. Great fall dish to warm your belly!

Onion Frittata

8 extra large eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
4 large basil leaves, torn
3 sage leaves, minced
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground oregano
black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion, I like Vadalia
1/3 cup whole milk ricotta

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk first eight ingredients in a medium size bowl. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft. reduce heat to low and stir in egg mixture. Spoon dollops of ricotta evenly on top of the mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then place into the oven for an additional 8-10 minutes. Cut into pie wedges and serve.

Sunny Maria

2 lbs. chopped yellow tomatoes
4 jarred pepperoncini as well as 1/4 pickling juice.
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup citrus vodka, chilled

Puree tomatoes in a food processor and strain in cheese cloth over a glass bowl. Press the solids through the cloth until you have about 2 cups of liquid. Chill for 2 hours. Stir together tomato juice, vodka, pickling juice, and lemon juice. Pour into 4 glasses over ice and serve with a pepperoncnini for garnish.

Zucchini Salad

1 medium zucchini cut into 1/2 in. cubes
3/4 cup of feta cheese
1/4 small red onion, sliced thin
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. dill sprigs
1/4 tsp. ground oregano
sea salt & pepper to taste

Zucchini Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze

For the cake:

2 medium zucchinis
3large eggs
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups of flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. of grated orange zest
1 Tbsp. orange juice
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Grate zucchini on the large holes of your box grater. Squeeze zucchini dry in kitchen towels. Stir together eggs and sugar and then add melted butter, zucchini, orange zest and juice. Add flour mixture. Spray bundt pan with cooking spray and add batter. Bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Place cake onto a wire rack and cool before topping with glaze.

For the Glaze:
1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
3 Tbsp. of orange juice, more can be used if needs thinning.
Whisk all ingredients and pour over the cake when cooled.

Key Lime Cookies

Key Lime White Chocolate Chip Cookies from Betty Crocker


Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cups packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 1/3 cups Original Bisquik

6 oz white chocolate chips

1 Tablespoon lime zest (but I would up this to 1 1/2 or even 2 tablespoons

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice



Preheat to 350ºF. Beat butter, sugars, vanilla and egg with electric mixer until well mixed. Stir in Bisquick mix. Stir in lime juice, white chocolate chunks and lime peel.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool 1 minute; slide parchment from cookie sheet to wire rack.