Top 16 Recipes of 2016

Ah, long time, no see everyone!

Yes, it's the 2nd to last day of our Oregon trip and I've finally found a few moments to write. It has been Busy with a capitol B! We've been going non-stop, but man, it has been fun. I'll save pictures for when I do my Oregon or December wrap-up but we've basically been on what I like to call a "Food and Drink Tour" of Oregon. Seriously! We've travelled to Southern Oregon to dine at a couple of places in Ashland. We've stopped at a restaurant in Eugene. We've traveled to Portland to visit family and wine-taste with friends. There was a boozy breakfast in Albany. We saw "Holiday Office Party" in Corvallis. Drove the backroads through Independence. Had a wine-and-hor-dourves night with some of my biggest blog fans (Hello Glaeser family!) I can safely say I've seen the entire I-5 corridor of Oregon on this visit 😁

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Zoodles

After the sheer insanity of last weekend, this weekend promises to be a bit calmer. The hubby is scheduled to work today and tomorrow (boo!), and the weather is rainy. It's as if I woke up this morning and the universe told me to take it easy. Stay inside, read a book. Bake yummy carbohydrate-laden pasta into something comforting, take pictures of it. Put on Gilmore Girls and grab a mugful of tea. 

Recipe Redux: Chile Garlic Shrimp

Ah, the shrimp. That tasty little crustacean that usually lives at the bottom of the ocean. 

Shrimp has always been, and will probably always be one of my favorite foods. It was tradition in our family home growing up to have a shrimp ring on special occasions. I can still remember sneaking into the kitchen, gazing into the fridge, grabbing a few of those suckers, and devouring them on the spot. Of course, growing up in Oregon and 60 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, there was way more access to fresh shrimp than here in landlocked Kentucky. I depend on frozen shrimp here, which isn't technically my favorite but I take what I can get. Not to mention that shrimp is expensive, so it's a once-in-a-while treat too.

I take it when I can get it, and I love it.

25 Rice Recipes

Rice. I love rice. It's a simple, affordable, and versatile grain product that's very familiar to most Americans. You can fry it, and come up with fried rice or even pan-fried rice cakes. You can bake it inside stuffed peppers, or casseroles loaded with veggies. You can serve it with a saucy stir fry with the sole intention of using it to soak up that sauce. One of my favorite ways to eat rice? In a bowl with a little soy sauce drizzled over it. Simple. Yet delicious. I credit rice with helping our budget when we first moved to Kentucky. Due to its low price, I added rice to a ton of dishes and served it often in our first years in the bluegrass state. We still eat a lot of it, even though things are much different these days. I wish I could get the hubby to enjoy brown rice, but you can't win all the battles :-)

Shrimp Pad Thai

It's the first recipe post of 2016! Yahoo!

You guys. Do you know how many Asian recipes I posted last year? 

This is embarrassing...

It was 2. Yep, you read that right. A Ginger-Soy Glazed Mahi Mahi in January of last year and a Shrimp and Broccoli Lo Mein in March. This is just crazy to me. When I was first learning to cook, Asian was my mainstay. But last year was a bonafide melee of Mexican and Italian. That just has to change. 

25 Pasta Recipes

Hey-o!

Happy Day-After Christmas folks! Did everyone have a great holiday with lots of friends and family? We sure did! Due to the holiday festivities yesterday, there was little time for blogging. The hubby and I have been go, go, GO! for the last couple of days. I'm definitely feeling it, and am ready for life to slow down just a bit. We've got our niece and nephew staying the night with us tonight, but come Monday, I should have some alone time. We aren't even planning anything for New Year's Eve, thank goodness. At the top of the list of my least favorite holidays you would have New Year's Eve. I'm always so-done with the holidays and usually 5 lbs overweight by the time it rolls around. This year, we are staying in. The more you progress into your 30's, the less you care about going out. Missing out on something. Not being in the pictures the next day. All the things that mattered so much in your 20's? Eh. I take em' or leave em' now.

Recipe Redux: Shrimp & Artichokes Over Rice

Let's go back in time my friends-

To February, 2012. I'd been blogging for a very short time, less than a year. The hubby and I had been living in Kentucky for almost a year and a half, in our run-down rental in Ashland. The hubs had been working a new job for all of 3 months, and we'd begun to house-hunt. The hubby is required to live within 30 miles of the office, so Ashland wasn't cutting it. We'd been house-hunting for months, and finding zilch. Houses that needed to be gutted. Houses at the base of hills, that very obviously needed thousands of dollars of mold abatement. Houses on busy roads. Houses where you could reach out and touch your neighbors house. It was soul-sucking, to say the least.

Shrimp and Broccoli Lo Mein

Oh, hello Monday. 

I can't believe we are at the start of another week. I can't believe it's the end of March already. 2015 is, in my opinion, flying by. I'm behind on my reading, my running, you name it, I'm behind on it. Between the avalanches of snow we've received in our area, the inexplicable customer service nightmare that was getting a new transmission for my car, and this unpleasant tweak to my back, I've never gotten back to my routine post-holidays. And by routine, I mean normal, consistent exercise. For the mind, as well as the body. Now that I know the vacuum is at least a trigger for my back injury, I'll be avoiding that this month. I'm hoping April will be all about getting back to normal. 

25 Super Bowl Snacks, Treats, and Meal Ideas

Good morning, and happy Tuesday!

I meant to publish a post yesterday, but the morning ended up being way too hectic. The hubby and I had to leave the house at 7 am yesterday to drive my car about an hour away to the Nissan dealership. It was not the best day for travel (thank you, East Coast Blizzard!), not to mention the problems I was already having with the drivability of the car.

Seafood Stew

Unbelievably, this is a leftover dish.

Yes, it's true! I had a handful of frozen bay scallops in the freezer, waiting for something to be used in.  I had one, lonely cod filet also hanging out in the freezer. And then, after the Ducks won the Rose Bowl (woot woot!), I had leftover shrimp. The last clue to this puzzle? An extra can of clams from making clam dip. 

25 Easy Mexican-Inspired Recipes

Happy Friday! And Halloween!

I'm feeling a bit better today. The cold moved extremely steadily throughout the normal progression that colds do. After waking up on Day 1, and knowing it was coming, it was here by 1 pm. It fully overtook my nose, the running and all the stuffiness. Sore throat. On Day 2, it was entirely in my head and by the end of the day, out of my nose. On Day 3, it had completely left my head and made its way into my chest. Now, Day 4, I'm feeling way better but still left with a nasty cough. One more day of taking it easy, and I'm hoping I'll be on the mend. I'm ready to start running again, as it has been 2 weeks since I last ran. Man, I hate saying that. I know I've lost a lot of progress, but I won't know how much till I get back out there. 

Anyhoo, it's Halloween! While I make the same meal every Halloween (my dad's chili- it's tradition), Mexican food isn't far from my mind. After all, it's been little Mexico all week here on the blog. I figured, why not wrap up this week with some of my absolutely favorite latin-inspired recipes? Mexican food is so much more than the standard ground beef and taco flavoring packet. I love everything about it- avocados, salsa, cilantro, tortillas, spanish rice, beans, cheese, the spices... It all works for me. I've rounded up 25 of my best Mexican recipes to share with everyone today. I hope you all enjoy!

Black Bean Flautas with Avocado Dipping Sauce

Chicken Burritos with Spanish Rice and Fresh Salsa

Chicken Taco Soup

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Lime Sour Crema

Fresh Guacomole

"Mangling" Margaritas

Mango Avocado Salsa

Chicken, Peach, and Pepperjack Quesadillas

Pulled Pork Taco Casserole

Red Bean and Rice Tacos

Easy Homemade Salsa

Seviche-Style Shrimp and Avocado Tacos

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice Soup

Ancho Chile Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri

SW Chopped Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Turkey Taco Casserole

Blackened Tilapia Tacos

Homemade Double Decker Tacos

Shredded Beef Entomatadas

Quinoa Taco Salad

Shredded Beef Tacos

Spanish Orzo

Tortilla Soup

And there you have it! Step out of your comfort zone and try one tonight!

Happy Halloween! I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday today!

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday, Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party, Treasure Box Tuesday

10 Summer Perfect Salads

It's Monday again. Hard to believe I've been away from the blog for a whole week. You would think a week was enough time to prepare a post, but then you would discover the reason school and I didn't get along. And the reason for that would be procrastination. I was lazy all weekend, so lazy I couldn't bother to point and shoot with that camera thingy. So here it is, Monday morning. I'm bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with no material to write on. The great thing about being a food blogger is that I've got troves of recipes to bring forth from the archives. Well, maybe not troves, but you get the idea. So I'll slink off into the shadows with my camera, to practice with my photography light. With any luck, I'll have new material for tomorrow. Without further adieu, lets jump right in!

Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella Salad- This is one of my favorite summer salads. It's a great way to use those summer bounties of tomatoes and cucumbers. Fresh mozzarella gives this salad a creamy twist, and you'd never know the dressing is simply lime juice and olive oil. This salad is a house favorite around here.

Buffalo Chicken Salad- Why wouldn't you want to eat this salad? Crispy, pan-fried chicken, brushed with spicy buffalo sauce. Paired with a creamy blue cheese dressing, this main-dish salad is also man-friendly. 

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad- A combination of 2 of my favorite food items- pasta and Caesar salad. Making your own Caesar dressing out of Greek yogurt makes for a flavorful salad minus the calories and heavy-handed preservatives. Adding chewy pasta to this salad makes it unforgettable. 

SW Chopped Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing- Let me make this clear- I heart cilantro. I love it! There's something so magical about that first chop into a bunch of freshly picked cilantro. The smell that's released is fresh, delicious, and decidedly Latin. This creamy dressing really ties together this colorful, crunchy salad.

Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad- Do you like chicken? Bacon? Avocado? Blue cheese? Raspberry vinaigrette? Put all of these ingredients together, and you have a salad you'll be thinking about for days. Did I say thinking? I meant craving :)

California Cobb Salad- There's no reason not to make this main-dish salad. It's full of of the good stuff. Lots of protein from lean chicken breast and hard-boiled egg. Good fats from the avocado. Plenty of tomato and lettuce. And just enough bacon bits to make life interesting. Tie all of this together with a tangy Italian dressing, and I'll guarantee you won't be hungry after dinner. 

Mediterranean Falafel Salad- Break out of the box. Falafel is healthy, flavorful, and extremely affordable. Pair falafel patties with this Mediterranean salad for a meal-time adventure. Once you're a falafel convert, try it in pitas as a sandwich!

Chicken and Black Bean Salad- This is my Taco Salad without ground beef. This salad has a decidedly Mexican flair with its lime vinaigrette flavored with coriander, chili powder, and cumin. Flavorful chicken, creamy black beans, crunchy peppers and lettuce... I'm starting to get hungry :)

Greek Salad with Shrimp- What's a salad list without Greek salad? The hubby often asks if I could visit anywhere in Europe, where would I like to go? I often reply Greece. Gorgeous beach views, Mediterranean-inspired weather, a plethora of history, and Greek food? Yes, please!  Cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, pepperoncinis, feta, and succulent shrimp- only the best combination ever. I'll keep making this until I can experience true Greek food for myself.

Apple Walnut Salad with Poppyseed Dressing- This will become your go-to salad dressing if you make it. I promise you it will. We consistently have a bottle of this in our fridge at all times. It's the most amazing and flavorful homemade dressing I've ever made. I can't talk this dressing up enough, you must try it for yourself. Pair the dressing with this salad, or heck, pair it with any salad. The dressing is extremely versatile, it works with almost any ingredient you can think of to throw on a salad. Just trust me on this one. 

Hopefully I've given everyone some salad ideas. In the meantime, I'll be channeling my energy towards producing some new photographs. In between making cookies,  of course, since that's on my agenda as well. My house, cookie-less, just doesn't feel the same.

Happy Monday friends! Have a great week!

Linked to: Treasure Box Tuesdays

Shrimp & Artichoke Pasta Salad

This pasta salad was totally born out of laziness.

I didn't want to go to the store. I didn't want to do much more than boil some pasta and some shrimp. I did not want to spend quality time with my knife and cutting board.

I was willing to raid the pantry and freezer. I was willing to boil water. I was willing to do a couple of chops. And do those things I did...

I must say, this pantry salad turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. I used a recipe from a Japanese blog as inspiration, and put my own spin on it. I was very hesitant to put salami in a salad with shrimp, it just seemed weird. Have no fear, weird it is not. This is one of those salads that has to be served completely cold. I was not fond of it when it was warm, or at room temperature. Straight from fridge to plate for me. I also found that it needed a mandatory chilling period after making to allow the flavors to mellow and blend. Absolutely mandatory. Do not skip it. 

If you are a pasta salad fan, you are going to love this salad. It's colorful, perfectly salty thanks to the kalamata olives and brined artichokes, and it keeps well in the fridge. I ate this most of last week for lunch. Pasta salads are one of my favorite make-ahead lunches. If you don't mind eating the same thing for lunch a couple days in a row (like me!) a pasta salad is the perfect dish to have in the fridge for a quick, delicious lunch. Of course, it could just be that insane love of pasta I have.

Now, I'm going to give you all a preview of what I've got on tap for next week...

Next week is going to be "Smoothie Week" here on the blog! After my brother and sister-in-law went home, I was left with a surplus of fruit and yogurt. Some of that fruit was bananas that were getting riper by the day. Can you guess where they went? Straight into the freezer, you are correct! So I have fruit, frozen bananas, yogurt... What else would be crossing my mind? I'm really excited, I've already completed 2 out of the 5 smoothies. They were so yummy, I can't wait to make the rest and share with everyone! I think the little blogging break did me well, I'm full of food-bloggy ideas now. Bloggy just happens to be the latest word I made up :)

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all have a fantastic week!

Ingredients:

2 tsp kosher salt

10 oz dried rotini pasta

1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and tails removed

1/8 cup red onion, finely minced

1 (14.5) oz can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved

1/3 cup salami, thinly sliced

1 tomato, deseeded and diced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

3 tbsp parsley, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

garnish- shredded asiago cheese

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring water to boil. When water is about to boil, add salt. Once boiling, add pasta to water. Cook according to package directions. Remove from water with a pasta scoop, placing in a stainer, leaving salty water in the pot to boil the shrimp. Run pasta under cold water. Once cool, add to a large salad bowl. Add shrimp to boiling water. Boil 90 seconds to 3 minutes, until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove shrimp to strainer, run under cold water. When cool, add shrimp to salad bowl.
2. Add red onion through tomato to the salad bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, and mustard. Drizzle dressing over salad. Add parsley to bowl. Toss salad to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.
4. Divide pasta salad among bowls. Top with asiago cheese. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Foodjimoto

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday