Italian Red Potatoes

I love zesty Italian dressing mix.  Yum.  When I saw this recipe on Pinterest and that it called for a packet of it, I was excited to try it.  Here's the recipe.... (very simple):

Red potatoes cubed with skin left on, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, coat with a package of zesty Italian dressing mix and stir to coat, add minced onion for flavor, salt and pepper to taste. Cook 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until tender. Top with grates Parmesan cheese.

I made this exactly as the recipe calls for it to be done, and I loved it!  It was a nice change to my usual red potato recipe and I loved how flavorful it was.  My husband liked it too (although not as much as I did).  :-)  I will definitely use this recipe again.

This recipe also inspired me to maybe even put Italian dressing mix on veggies.  Mmmm.... 

Meatball Lasagna

This was the first time I have ever attempted to make lasagna.  I know it's not a super hard dish to make, but it just seemed like a lot of work when Stouffer's usually does the trick just fine.  :-)  Then I saw this recipe, and it looked so unique and yummy.  I had to try it.  Here's the recipe:

12 lasagna noodles

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 t Italian seasoning

2 cups favorite pasta sauce ( I use Aunties Spaghetti Sauce, here)

24 meatballs (I use my turkey meatballs found here, but frozen is fine)

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions and then lay flat on wax paper until ready to use. 

For the filling, mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.

To assemble, spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. On top place a layer of lasagna noodles. Then arrange a single layer of meatballs over top of noodles. Pour  more sauce over top of the meatballs. Then layer with another layer of noodles. Then spread the ricotta cheese mixture over top, then some more sauce and then about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Then another layer of noodles. Finish it off with the rest of the sauce and the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and browned, about 40 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

So I thought that this would be amazing, but it wasn't.  The meatballs were good, (I used a frozen kind from Trader Joe's) but that's about it.  :-)  It wasn't gross, but it's not something I'll make again.  

I also found out that my husband isn't a huge fan of ricotta cheese, which is a big ingredient in this recipe.  (and most lasagna recipes!)  My sister-in-law told me that she uses cottage cheese as a substitute and that it's really good, so I am going to have to try that... because I'm not ready to give up on lasagna. 

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

There's a place here called Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and they have super delicious wraps.  On the rare occasion that we eat out and choose to eat at Tropical Smoothie, I almost always order the Buffalo Chicken Wrap.  Super delicious, although my one complaint is that sometimes they put in too much buffalo sauce.  I love that buffalo flavor, but if you overdo it, it can totally ruin the meal.  So, when I saw this recipe I was excited because I could make it with exactly as much sauce as I wanted.  

 Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Modified from Bev Cooks

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 pinch freshly ground pepper
1 pinch coarse salt
1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce, divided
1 pound chicken tenders
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
2-3 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 large flour tortillas



Combine the butter, black pepper, salt and 1/4 cup Frank’s in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate for however long you want to. An hour or more.

Heat an indoor grill over medium-high and coat with cooking spray. Add the chicken tenders and grill until cooked through with nice grill marks on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove from grill and roughly chop.

Heat up the tortillas in the microwave. Layer some chicken in the center, followed by romaine, tomato, blue cheese dressing, scallions, cheddar, and a few more good glugs of Frank’s. Mix up the filling with a spoon or your fingers so the dressing evenly coats all of the ingredients. Roll up the wrap and tuck in the corners (I suggest searching YouTube for a video as seeing someone do it is the best way to learn).

Looking over this recipe, I knew I was going to change it quite a bit.  (Scallions?  No.)  I made this by cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts in Frank's hot sauce and then putting the chicken, lettuce, tomato, and mozzarella cheese into the burrito-sized tortilla, rolling it up, spraying the outside of the tortilla with cooking spray, and tossing it on the skillet (turning it around to brown all sides) for a few minutes.  

They actually turned out awesome.  I know it doesn't seem like very many ingredients, but it was perfect. (Feel free to add more if you think other stuff sounds good).  My husband was a huge fan as well.  As much as I like Tropical Smoothie's wraps, I just might have to make my own from now on.

Seven Layer Bean Dip

I love chips and salsa, but sometimes I want something else to dip my chips in.  Usually guacamole will do the trick, but every now and then I like something with a lot of variety, like seven layer bean dip.  This was my first time making it.  I got the recipe from here.  

Ingredients

• 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch chopped green onions
• 1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.
3. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives.

 I changed the recipe slightly by taking out the lettuce, pepper, and onions, but I mostly stuck to the recipe with everything else.

The recipe was pretty easy, but I didn't LOVE it. I tried to half the recipe but I think I used too much cream cheese, which actually made it taste weird.  I would've liked more beans and cheese.  This wasn't horrible, and me and my husband ate it, but I've had better.  I'll definitely be on the lookout for a new seven layer bean dip recipe.

Man- Pleasing Chicken

Whenever I cook chicken, I almost always use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  They seem to work with almost anything, are pretty cheap, and are oh so delicious.  However, the lady who is the brains behind this recipe insisted that using chicken thighs was the way to go for this recipe, so I got out of my comfort zone and used thighs.  Good for me.  ;-)  Here's the recipe:

• Chicken thighs- 1 package
• Dijon mustard- 1/2 cup
• Maple syrup- 1/4 cup
• Rice wine vinegar- 1 tablespoon
• Fresh rosemary

To make this chicken, preheat your oven to 450ºF. Then, mix together 1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. 

Put a 1.5 pound package of chicken thighs into a foil-lined, oven-proof baking dish. I used boneless, skinless thighs. Six came in my package, which made enough to serve 3 people. Then, salt and pepper the thighs. Pour your maple mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated. 

Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165ºF. Baste the tops of the chicken with more sauce half way through.I find that a meat thermometer is essential in cooking because it allows me to check for doneness without cutting into the meat and losing its precious juices. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Plate the chicken, making sure to spoon some extra sauce over the top. Sprinkle over some fresh rosemary. If there is ever a time to use fresh herbs, THIS IS IT! The flavors are just so good together. Enjoy the savory goodness of this meal!

I didn't follow this recipe exactly because I used honey instead of maple syrup, and I also didn't use FRESH rosemary.  :-)  I actually thought that this recipe was great, although the flavor is definitely different and unique, so if you have a family of picky eaters, I wouldn't recommend it.  My husband loved it though and I think we'll use this recipe again.

Oh, and I thought that using thighs was definitely good for this recipe.  It made the chicken more tender, I think.