Watermelon and Feta Salad

 As a native Texan, it is only natural that I love big things, especially big flavor and big food!  Watermelon, being one of the biggest fruits I have ever encountered, is of course one of my favorite big things.  Now here is the weird thing, I do not really love watermelon by itself, I know this is crazy.  But I do love it paired with Feta Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.  I think I could love most any food that involved Feta Cheese and/or Balsamic vinaigrette dressing.  I got inspired to make this yummy salad after I received a coupon for a free organic watermelon at one of our local grocery stores.  You know the saying “if it’s free, it’s for me”, well I do love some free food! Once I got to the store, I perused the big crates of watermelon’s they had and I chose one that I thought was just perfect...and of course possibly the biggest one they had.  I got it home and got to cooking.  I love this recipe so much because on a hot day it is so nice to eat something chilled and fresh!  I hope you enjoy this big recipe too!

Watermelon and Feta Salad

What you will need:

Watermelon, sliced into small pieces

1 pkg Feta Cheese, crumbled (I prefer the reduced fat kind)

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Okay, so this quite possibly could be THE easiest recipe I have so don’t blink or you might miss it!

In a large mixing bowl, add your Watermelon pieces, Feta Cheese crumbles, and cover it with about 1/3 to ½ cup of Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.  Mix it all together then cover it with saran wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more. 

When you are ready to serve it just mix it up again and serve!  Easy peasy!  Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry

A few nights ago we threw a pork tenderloin on the grill, not realizing it was only going to end up being two of us eating this huge piece of meat.  We ended up with a ton of leftover pork tenderloin and after eating it for lunch the next day, I decided that for dinner I was going to change it up a bit.  I knew that I had some ingredients for making a stir-fry and even though I have only ever used chicken or steak I decided that I was going to try to make Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry. As usual with any recipe concoction that I am unsure of, I always check to make sure I have a pizza in the freezer just in case the new recipe is a disaster.  After a quick look I saw the pizza and decided to trudge forward with my Stir-Fry.  I kept grabbing things out of the refrigerator and cabinet until I was satisfied that I had the ingredients I needed to make this “soon to be” yummy dish.    What I ended up with was a surprisingly delicious treat!  I think that I might have enjoyed the Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry more than I do when I use Chicken!  I was so excited that it turned out great that I just had to share it with you!  I hope that if you ever find yourself in the dilemma of having crazy amounts of Pork Tenderloin leftover that you will find solace in knowing you can just whip up a quick stir-fry to delight your palate.  Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry

What you will need:

Pork Tenderloin (cooked and diced into small pieces), enough for 2 people

1 bag of Brown Rice (I used Uncle Ben’s Instant Rice), ½  a bag per person

1 can of Stir Fry Vegetables, drained (yes, they actually sell this, how easy huh?)

1 can Bamboo Shoots, drained

1/3 Onion, cut into strips

1/3 Bell Pepper or Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips

Stir Fry Sauce (any kind you like)

Sriracha Sauce (for added kick if you like spicy things)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

a Wok or big saute pan

What you can do first to make it super easy on you is go ahead and get your water boiling for the rice according to the package instructions. 

Next grab your Wok and put in on the stove and add about 2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Heat the oil on medium to high heat and add the drained can of Stir Fry Vegetables, Onion, Bell Pepper, and Bamboo Shoots.  Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently so the veggies don’t stick. 

While the veggies are cooking, add your rice to the boiling water and follow the instructions on the box. 

Once you veggies are cooked, add your chopped Pork Tenderloin and mix through.  Then add about 3-4 tbsp of your stir-fry sauce, just kind of eye it so it is not too dry and add more if needed.  If you like spicy you can drizzle a bit of the Sriracha sauce on it.  Mix it all together and cook on low heat for another 5 minutes or so. 

Now, put some rice on a plate and top it with a couple scoops of the Stir-Fry and you are ready to eat!  Enjoy!

Goat Cheese Bruschetta

On Sunday night I decided to make an easy dinner but wanted something really yummy.  I was originally planning on making Chicken Fettucini Alfredo and Feta Bruschetta (recipe is one here for you :).  When I went to the grocery store to get some ingredients I found Crumbled Goat Cheese by the Feta and decided to give it a whirl.  What happened later was delicious!  I had so much fun making these two really simple dishes.  I poured a glass of my new favorite Red Velvet wine by Cupcake Vineyards and got to cooking.  It was so nice to be in and out of the kitchen in under an hour and able to just relax, eat, and watch a movie...my ideal Sunday night!  You should try it, really!

Goat Cheese Bruschetta

What you will need:
1 pkg Crumbled Goat Cheese
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 Roma Tomatoes diced
6-7 Green Onions chopped
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Greek Seasoning
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Sea Salt
Wheat French Bread

This is really just a tiny variation from my Feta Bruschetta that I have previously written about.  Both are so tasty that I can't even decide which one I like better.  The biggest difference is obviously the cheese, Goat Cheese verses Feta but another difference is the textures and softness of the two cheeses.  The goat cheese is way softer so I decided to mix all of the ingredients in a bowl first and then put them in a shallow dish to chill in the fridge and marry all the flavors together.

First, pour olive oil into your dish so it covers the entire bottom...just enough to cover the bottom will work great.  Shake several dashes of the greek seasoning all over the olive oil.

 

Next you can begin dicing your tomatoes into small pieces and add them to the olive oil as you go.  No need to stir yet.  Chop your green onions into small pieces and add them to the dish.  Now you can put the entire package of Goat cheese crumbles on top of the tomatoes and green onions.  

Now for the spices, I used several more dashes of the greek seasoning and several dashes of Tony Chachere's seasoning.  I then used about 1 tsp of black pepper and a couple dashes of sea salt.  Do a few sprinkles of garlic powder and onion powder and then mix it all together.  Stir gently because the goat cheese has a tendency to mush and become very creamy.  Move the mixture into a shallow dish so the flavors have a chance to marry together.

After you have placed the mixture in the dish, cover it with saran wrap and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour or more.

When the bruschetta was ready I scooped a heaping spoonful onto each piece of freshly toasted Wheat French Bread.

I served this dish as both an appetizer and a side dish to my yummy Chicken Fettucini Alfredo. They were awesome together!

I hope you enjoy it!

Chicken Fettucini Alfredo, Easiest Ever!

I absolutely love figuring out dinners to make that are super fast and easy yet still delicious!  To me, Chicken Fettucini Alfredo is one of the fastest and easiest things that I make.  Don't get me wrong, I love spending lots of time in the kitchen but sometimes I don't have the luxury of having all that time so I like to have "go to meals" that I can just whip up in a flash.  This meal literally has 4 main ingredients and then 2 garnishes if you desire.  How easy is that?!  I loved serving this with my Goat Cheese Bruschetta (recipe to follow)!  It is super hearty and comforting!  We love having a relaxing Sunday night to start the week! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Chicken Fettucini Alfredo


What you will need:
1 pkg Chicken Breasts (thin sliced worked great because it cooked faster)
1 jar Bertolli Mushroom Alfredo, or any jar of Alfredo sauce that you prefer
3 servings of Fettucini Noodles
Tony Chachere's Spice N' Herbs Seasoning

Suggested Garnishes: chopped Green Onions and Diced Tomatoes

First thing to do is to lay your chicken breasts out on a plate where they are not overlapping.  Sprinkle Tony Chachere's Spice N' Herbs Seasoning generously over all the pieces.  Using a fork, flip each piece of chicken over and sprinkle the other side generously as well.   We decided to grill the chicken in "The Big Green Egg" grill for fun but you can sauté it in a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Either way you choose, it will turn out delicious.

While the chicken is cooking, cook your noodles according to the package instructions.

After your chicken and noodles are cooked.  You can warm up about 1/2 to 2/3 jar of the Alfredo Sauce on low in a sauce pan on the stove.  It doesn't take long to warm so be sure to watch and stir it. Then cut your chicken into strips or however you prefer to serve it.

Then serve a nest of noodles with the Alfredo sauce on top of it and top it with your chicken breast.  I love to sprinkle on a few pinches of green onions and tomatoes.  I hope you enjoy!

American Cancer Society Chili Cook-off

On Saturday, I was honored to be part of a team competing in the 23rd Annual American Cancer Society Chili Cook-Off in Mobile, Alabama.  What an amazing cause to cook for!  We had a great time cooking all morning and fellowshipping with old friends and making new friends.  The team that I got to join used my Cream Cheese Chicken Chili Recipe and we had people coming back for seconds, thirds, and even fourths!  Tons of people kept coming by and telling us that they had heard that they needed to come try our chili because it was the best!  How cool is that?!  We even ran out of 18 gallons of chili by 1pm and we only started serving around 11am!  We had such a great time!  Our team placed in the top 20 but didn't win when it came down to it, but it was such an honor to be in the top 20 that winning didn't seem to matter!  I had to increase my recipe by 18 because my normal recipe yields about 1 gallon of chili...that meant we had 36 chicken breasts in there! Crazy huh?  Below are some fun pictures from the day.

Above is the pot after we added all the veggies but before the chicken and cream cheese

Lots and lots of cream cheese went into this!

This is after the cream cheese had started to melt :)

Looking delicious!  Cream cheese was almost melted!

It was such a hit that we completely ran out!  

Chicken Piccata

I absolutely love Chicken Piccata so I wanted to try and make it at home...which by the way I found to be much healthier than when you order it at a restaurant.  This is such a fresh dish with all the lemon taste and the light sauce.  I really like the taste of lemon so this dish is certainly full of it but don't worry, you can tone it down a bit if you'd like.  I served this with the Feta Bruschetta recipe that I have on here and it was a delicious compliment to this yummy dish.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Chicken Piccata


What you will need:
3 chicken breasts
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp Butter
2-3 lemons juiced
1 cup Chicken Broth (I prefer the reduced sodium and less fat kind)
5 tbsp of Capers (drained)
Flour
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Linguini Noodles

First, cut your chicken breasts into thirds then grab a large cutting board, saran wrap, and a meat tenderizer.  Place 3-4 pieces of chicken with about 2-3 inches of space between them onto the cutting board.  Completely cover them with saran wrap leaving excess saran wrap around the edges.  Take the meat tenderizer and beat the chicken to make it flat and thin.  You do not have to beat it a lot, just so it spreads out and is flat so it can cook quick.  Place the beaten pieces of chicken onto a plate and repeat the process until all of your chicken has been thinned out.

  

In a medium sized bowl, pour about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of flour in and add 1 tsp of Ground Black Pepper, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Onion Powder.  Next grate the rind of one lemon into the bowl so you get the zest.  Mix it all together with a fork.

Now you can put a piece of chicken into your flour mixture and coat thoroughly on both sides.  After you have it coated, place the piece of chicken onto a plate and repeat the process of coating the chicken with flour until all of your pieces are coated.  Set this aside.

Next place a large sauté pan on the stove top and add 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Turn your heat on medium-high and grab the plate of coated chicken.  After the oil is hot but not burning, add pieces of chicken with tongs or a fork one by one until you cover the pan's surface.  I usually have to do 2 batches of chicken.  Let the chicken cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side and then flip them over using tongs or a fork and cook for 3-4 more minutes.  After the chicken is cooked, remove each piece and set onto a large clean plate.  Repeat this process until all of the chicken is cooked.  I usually add more olive oil to the pan for each new batch.  Once you have pulled all of the chicken out, you can turn the burner onto low/simmer for the next step.

Now grab a sauce pot and begin boil your linguine noodles using the directions on the box.  The great thing about noodles is that you can let them be and you can go back to cooking your chicken.

Go back to your sauté pan and add 1 cup of Chicken Broth, 2 tbsp Butter, Juice from 2-3 lemons (love lemons? use 3), and 5 tbsp Capers.   Be sure to mix it all up while scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the browned pieces left from cooking the chicken.  Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for about 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes your sauce should be a little thicker.  Now add all of the chicken back to your sauté pan with the sauce.  Let this cook together covered on low for about 5 more minutes.

By now your noodles should be ready and you can drain them and you are ready to serve!  Place a nest of noodles about the size of your fist on a plate and then place 2 pieces of chicken on it.  Next you can drizzle the sauce over it and serve.   This dish makes enough for about 4-6 people.  I served this with the Feta Bruschetta as an appetizer and a glass of Cupcake Vineyards' Red Velvet Wine.  I hope you enjoy this delicious meal!

Garden Markers

Last year we planted an awesome garden full of tons of different kinds of vegetables and herbs.  When we would have guests over I loved taking them out to the garden to show them all of our "treasures" and where some of the ingredients in our dinner were coming from.  Well, here's the problem...we planted so much at once that I forgot where everything was.  Was that where I planted the cilantro or the parsley?  Is that were the cucumbers or the watermelons are planted?  Of course when everything started growing you could tell what was what but I decided that this year, we would put Garden Markers to identify our various veggies and herbs.   Below are all the simple instructions you need to make these super cute, cheap, and easy Garden Markers.  I have already begun using some of mine since we still have our Collard Greens from last year growing, yummy carrots are finally growing big enough to eat, and we planted some more yummy veggies on Sunday afternoon!  I hope you have fun making these!

Garden Markers

What you will need:

Wine Corks...I save mine after we finish the bottle b/c they are super handy for all kinds of things
Bamboo Barbecue Skewers (they make it easy to put in the cork b/c they are sharp on one end)
Acrylic Paint
Super Fine Point Paint Brush

First you will need to insert the Barbecue skewer into the cork where it already has a hole from the cork screw.  No need to push far in, as I found that it tends to be kind of difficult, but just enough that the cork is secured onto the skewer.

Now get whatever paint color of your choosing.  I chose to coordinate the color with the color I think of for each plant.  Squirt a tiny dab of paint onto a paper plate or any throwaway surface.  Next dip your paint brush into the paint and then begin writing on your cork.  Don't worry about being precise, it looks fun when it is not perfect.  I painted the name of the plant on two sides of the cork and then put the first letter of the plant on the top of the cork.

 

To let them dry, you can stick them in the ground, garden, or another potted plant you have so they do not roll around and smudge.

When they are dry, stick them in the garden or pot with the corresponding plant and voila, you know what is planted where!

How simple is that?

Feta Bruschetta

I came across a recipe the other day for a dip that used feta, tomatoes, green onions, and olive oil and thought that it sounded yummy.  As I was preparing it, I did my usual and added a zillion different spices that I like to spruce it up a bit.  I served it on Wheat French Bread and it was a hit!  I ate so much of it that I could have just made my meal out if it alone.  I definitely recommend this recipe for any time you need to just throw something together and have an appetizer ready or when you need to take an appetizer or side dish somewhere.  I know I am going to be making this a staple for dinners.  It is absolutely incredible!  And just as good the next day!

Feta Bruschetta


What you will need:

Tupperware or dish that is 8"X8" or a bit larger (see image below)
3-4 large Roma Tomatoes (I like roma's because they are denser and have less seeds)
3-4 green onion bunches (about 7-8 of the long green parts)
1 package Feta Cheese Crumbles...I love the reduced fat kind
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Tony Chachere's Seasoning
Greek Seasoning
Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Wheat French Bread

First, pour olive oil into your dish so it covers the entire bottom...just enough to cover the bottom will work great.  Shake several dashes of the greek seasoning all over the olive oil.

Next you can begin dicing your tomatoes into small pieces and add them to the olive oil as you go.  No need to stir yet.  Chop your green onions into small pieces and add them to the dish.  Now you can put the entire package of feta cheese crumbles on top of the tomatoes and green onions.

Now for the spices, I used several more dashes of the greek seasoning and several dashes of Tony Chachere's seasoning.  I then used about 1 tsp of black pepper and a couple dashes of sea salt (not too much though because the feta already has a sort of salty taste).  Do a few sprinkles of garlic powder and onion powder and then mix it all together.  The below picture is what it will look like when it is all mixed together...getting hungry yet?

After you have it all mixed together, cover the dish and put it in the refrigerator.  I let mine sit in there for about an hour while I cooked the main course for dinner, which was yummy Chicken Piccata (recipe to come soon!).  I then served a spoonful of the mix onto warm freshly toasted wheat french bread.  I hope you enjoy this super easy and delicious recipe as much as we did!

Taco Soup w/ Mini Cheese Quesadilla's

Taco Soup is one of my favorite cold weather treats!  I would be lying though if I said I only eat it when it is cold outside...I love it year round!  It is so easy to throw together and let it cook while you go about doing other things around the house.  You could easily use this recipe and throw it in the crockpot all day too.  I always have thought that Taco Soup is like making Chili but with a Tex Mex flare so since I eat grilled cheese sandwiches with my Chili, I thought why not make the Tex Mex version of a grilled cheese, which to me is cheese quesadilla's, to go with my Taco Soup?  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!  This made so much that I had plenty of leftovers to take to work for lunch and to eat for dinner again.  You can also freeze this in a freezer bag for another time when you don't feel like cooking.


Taco Soup


What you will need:
**Do not drain any of your cans!  You will want to use the sauce and all!

1 deep cooking pot (this recipe makes a lot!)
1 package Ground Turkey (about 1.2 lbs)
1 packet Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch mix
2 packets Taco Seasoning
2 cans of Black Beans (reduced sodium if you can find it)
1 can Navy Beans
1 can Whole Kernel Corn
2 cans Rotel (or diced tomato's with green chili's)
1 28 ounce (large can) of Whole Tomato's
1 Red Onion (medium sized)
1 Green Bell Pepper
Messina's Cajun Creole Season (from New Orleans)
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

First, put your ground turkey in a skillet and let it brown slowly.  Add in a few dashes to your liking of the Messina's Cajun Creole Seasoning and 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder and Cumin.

While the ground turkey is cooking you can start chopping your onion and bell pepper.  Add it to your big pot (not the skillet with the meat) and put about 1 tbsp of Olive Oil in and let it sauté on medium.  You will want to stir this often as the veggies have a tendency to stick to the bottom.

After the veggies are sautéed, you can add in your browned ground turkey.  Add one packet of the Taco Seasoning and mix it around well with the meat and onion and bell pepper.

Next, add your Black Beans, Navy Beans, and Whole Corn.  On top of those sprinkle the packet of Fiesta Ranch and the other packet of Taco Seasoning.  On top of that add your Rotel and Whole tomato's.  Now you can sprinkle on some dashes of garlic powder and cumin and more cajun seasoning if you like spicy :)
Now mix it all together and let it cook on low for about an hour or more.  The longer you let it cook on low, the more the flavors combine.  I cooked mine for about 2 hours.  Be sure to stir it often so nothing sticks to the bottom.

When you are ready to eat you can serve this with a dollop of sour creme and Mini Cheese Quesadillas if you'd like.  I hope you enjoy it!

Mini Cheese Quesadilla's (makes 2 servings)

Shredded Cheese (I prefer sharp cheddar or mexican blend)
2 tortilla's

You will want to sprinkle plenty of cheese onto one side of the tortilla that you can already have sitting in a skillet to be browning on medium heat.  Top it with another tortilla and let it cook for about 1-3 minutes on each side.  Just keep checking it with a spatula and look for a golden brown color.  When the bottom side is cooked, flip it over carefully because the cheese tends to make the tortillas move around and put the uncooked tortilla side down on the skillet.  Cook for about 1-3 more minutes.  When it is golden brown and the cheese is melted, with a spatula remove it from the skillet and place it directly on a cutting board and cut it in half and then half again and then half again to form 6 triangular pieces. Serve immediately with your Taco Soup.

Goat Cheese Tomato Basil Puffs

I am always looking for fun little side dishes or quick and simple appetizers to make with dinner when I am having family and friends over.  This was one of my favorites from late summer that I made with fresh tomatoes from our garden.  While perusing the deli's cheese section of my grocery store I got inspired to make something using my fresh tomatoes and goat cheese.  I love goat cheese, especially the flavored ones and they just so happened to have it on sale.  I am a sucker for a sale so I bought a little log of Garlic and Herb Goat Cheese and set off through the grocery store to find my other ingredients.  I already had the tomatoes so I decided to grab some fresh basil and a package of crescent rolls.  I got home and began making these fun treats and realized I was onto something...I had found a super quick and yummy appetizer that was so simple to whip up!  I hope you enjoy it!

Goat Cheese Tomato Basil Puffs


What you will need:

1 pkg Crescent Rolls (I use the off brand reduced fat kind)
2 large Ripe Tomatoes (diced)
Fresh Basil
Goat Cheese (I used garlic and herb flavored)
Cooking Spray

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees

First, take the entire roll of crescents out of the package/tube.  Place it on a large cutting board and unroll it, try to not separate it even though they have already perforated it.  Next you will go along the perforated spots and try and pinch them together slightly so your end result will be one big sheet of crescent roll dough.  Next, with a sharp knife, cut the dough into small 3" X 3" squares or whatever size you prefer.

On a separate cutting board, chop your fresh tomatoes and set aside.  Now chop your basil leaves into small pieces.  Combine the tomatoes and the chopped basil together.

Next, spray Cooking Spray on a cookie sheet.  Place the crescent roll dough squares about 1-2 inches apart.  Top each square with a spoon full or so of the goat cheese.  Then layer on the tomatoes and basil mixture.

Place the cookie sheet on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.  You will want the pastry to be a little golden brown. After the pastry is done you can pull the pan out of the oven and set aside to cool.  After a few minutes, using a spatula remove the puffs from the cookie sheet and place on your serving dish and serve!  Super fast huh? Enjoy!

Chicken and Chips Casserole

I absolutely love throwing ingredients together in a pyrex dish and baking them which is one reason why I enjoy making this casserole so much!  Even though it is super simple to make, it tastes incredibly delicious! I love making this for dinner and then taking the leftovers to work for my lunch.  I always serve this with a side of black eyed peas or hoppin' john (which is jazzed up black eyed peas).  I hope you enjoy this yummy comfort casserole!

Chicken and Chips Casserole


What you will need:

11" X 7" Oven Safe Baking Dish
3 Boneless Chicken Breasts (cooked and shredded)
1 can Water Chestnuts sliced (you will chop them later)
1/4 cup Green Onions (chopped)
1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1-2 tbsp Dijon or Spicy Mustard (depends on which you prefer)
2 hearty scoops of Sour Creme...about 1/4 cup
4 hearty spoonfuls of Mayonnaise...about 1/2 cup (I use the kind with Olive Oil that is reduced fat)
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded...you can also use white cheddar or swiss
Lay's Potato Chips...the old school regular thinly sliced kind
Garlic Powder
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
Black Pepper
Sea Salt

If you haven't already, you will begin by cooking your chicken.  For this casserole I prefer to boil the chicken in water for about 30-45 minutes.  If you cut the chicken breasts in half you can boil them for just 30 minutes.  Be sure to watch the water though because chicken has a tendency to get a little foamy and boil over.  After the chicken is cooked (it will have no pink in the center) you can pull the pieces out of the water and set them aside to cool.  After cooling, you will want to shred your chicken with a fork but leave it a bit chunky.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

After the chicken is cooked, you will want to rinse your green onions with water then place them on a cutting board and chop them into about 1/2 centimeter pieces.  Then de-seed your bell pepper and cut it into small pieces as well.  Next you will get your water chestnuts and chop them up into fourths.  You do not have to be precise about it because it is yummy to get some bigger pieces mixed in.

Next, place the shredded chicken in a mixing bowl along with the green onions, bell pepper, and water chestnuts.  Now you can get a spoon and scoop two hearty scoops of sour creme and about 4 hearty scoops of mayonnaise and add them to the mixture in the bowl.  On top of that you will add your mustard and Lemon Juice.  Next, sprinkle on a few dashes of garlic powder, Tony Chachere's, black pepper, and sea salt.

After you have everything in the mixing bowl, be sure to mix it all through really well.  Now scoop the mixture into your 11" X 7" baking dish and spread it evenly. Top the mixture evenly with shredded cheese.  Next top the cheese evenly with the potato chips that you can crush with your hands over the casserole dish until you have completely covered the cheese and you have your desired amount of crunchiness :)

Put the dish in the oven and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes.  You want the chips to be golden brown and the mixture and cheese to be bubbling.  After you pull the dish out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes then serve with black eyed peas.  Enjoy!

I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light's "Hot Chicken and Chips Retro"...below is the link

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/easy-chicken-recipes-00412000068136/page13.html

Easy Grilled Chicken Tacos

I love this recipe because it is such a great change from regular grilled chicken served with vegetables.   You get to have the fun of grilling the chicken outside on the grill mixed with the comfort food that is tacos.  We have a ton of beautiful days here in the south with nice temperatures and lots of sunshine so it is always nice to enjoy the weather and throw something on the grill and have friends and family over.  I can't think of many things I would rather do enjoy the day or evening outside with friends and family.

This recipe is also great if you have leftover grilled chicken as you can warm it up quick and add these ingredients and you are set.  I hope you enjoy these yummy tacos!  

What you will need:

Grilled Chicken (for this recipe you could do a dry rub of cumin, sea salt, Tony Chachere's, and garlic powder or you could marinate the chicken in lime juice and olive oil to give it a Tex-Mex flare)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cilantro Lime Rice (*recipe on previous blog entry)

1 Tomato

Verde Salsa

Sour Creme

Flour Tortillas

What I love about this recipe, and really most taco recipe's that I make, is the simplicity of making it yet you get extraordinary taste results!  

Pull your chicken off the grill and set aside to cool.

Cut your tomato with a knife into small pieces and place them into a serving bowl.  Now shred your cheese.  I love sharp cheese so I usually use Extra Sharp Cheddar.  Other variations that are tasty are monterey jack, pepper jack, and colby cheese.

Next, put the Grilled Chicken on a cutting board and shred it with a fork.  You can either shred it finely or leave it chunky just whichever you prefer.

Now, arrange your tortillas in a stack and place them on a microwave safe plate.  Get a sheet of paper towel and run it under the faucet then ring it so it is damp.  Cover your tortillas with the damp piece of paper towel and microwave for about 20-30 seconds.  Depending on how many tortillas you are cooking you may want to flip the stack over half way through heating them.  

Now for the fun part:  Place your tortilla on a plate and layer on a layer of Cilantro-Lime Rice, Chicken, Tomatoes, Sour Creme, Cheese, and Verde Salsa.  Now you are ready to eat!  Enjoy!  

Cilantro-Lime Rice

  I absolutely love this recipe! It takes no time to make and is so simple! I have found myself using this over and over again for all sorts of things.  I have made this rice as a side dish for many of my mexican food entree's as well as have used in in other recipes.  One of my favorite ways I have used it in another recipe was with my Bean and Cheese Quesadilla's (recipe to come soon).  If you like spicy things then I think you will love this rice...if you do not like spicy you can simply omit most of the Sriracha sauce.  I hope you enjoy this yummy rice!

Cilantro-Lime Rice

What you will need:

1 bag of Instant Rice
1/4 cup Cilantro (finely chopped)
1 Lime (try to find a large one)
1-2 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
Sea Salt
Ground Chipotle Pepper
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

Cook the Rice in a pot using the directions given on the box.

While the rice is cooking, chop your cilantro into fine pieces.  I prefer to only use the leaves of the cilantro and not any of the stems.  You can use a food processor if you'd like to get the cilantro really fine.

Next you will want to get a mixing bowl and squeeze your fresh lime on both sides to give you about 4 tbsp of fresh lime juice.  If you do not have a fresh lime you can substitute for 4 tbsp of concentrated lime juice.  Add the cilantro to the lime juice and mix it through.

When your rice is done cooking, add it to the mixing bowl with the cilantro and lime.  Next add about 1-2 tbsp of Sriracha sauce...less for mild, more for hot.  If you really like spicy go for the 2 tbsp.  Now, sprinkle a few dashes of Chipotle Pepper, Sea salt, Tony Chachere's, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder.   Mix all of this thoroughly and serve.  Easy huh?  Enjoy!

This rice saves well in the refrigerator.  Just be sure to put it in a tupperware with a lid.  When you are ready to serve it again you can just add a bit of water and microwave for about 30-45 seconds then mix and serve.