I was recently invited to participate in a great blogger recipe challenge for Karoun Dairies to help develop new recipes for some of their popular dairy products. I absolutely love their Mediterranean-style Labne Spread and Dip, which is is a centuries old Mediterranean style spreadable kefir cheese. It has a distinctive tangy flavor and is smoother and thicker than yogurt. and it has a lovely creamy texture with a slight tang that pairs perfectly with spicy dishes.
Since I’m now in San Antonio TX I am obviously obsessed with all things Tex-Mex and spicy food, so I decided to make these Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos for the contest. And I’m so glad I did!!
They’re made with juicy chicken thighs that are marinated in the labne, along with Nashville hot sauce and Nashville chicken seasoning for a few hours.
Then they are grilled to perfection, and drizzled with more hot sauce, fresh lime, shredded Mexican cheese, cilantro and a generous dollop of labne on top, all assembled in a warm, toasted, buttery tortilla that will melt in your mouth!
Spicy, creamy, crunchy, tangy and totally satisfying! These Nashville Chicken Tacos will tantalize your tastebuds and you'll never be the same, I promise!
Ingredients
3.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed, sliced into strips or bite sized pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup Karoun Dairies Original Labne Sauce + Dip, plus extra for garnish
1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
vegetable oil
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese, for garnish
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Fresh limes
6 butter flour tortillas
Instructions
Add buttermilk, labne, and chicken to a large freezer bag.
Mix together the hot sauce and spices in a separate bowl, reserving extra for garnish.
Add the Nashville hot sauce to the chicken in the bag and toss well to coat the chicken.
Place in the fridge for a few hours to soak up the marinade and tenderize the chicken.
Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, shaking off excess marinade and transfer to a large clean plate.
Heat oil over medium to medium-high heat in a large skillet or grill pan; cook 8-12 minutes until chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Set aside.
Prepare toppings by chopping the cilantro, slicing limes and getting the Mexican cheese ready.
Make the tacos by topping the warmed tortillas with the spicy Nashville chicken, additional Nashville hot sauce, shredded cheese, a drizzle of fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a dollop of labne topped with additional Nashville hot seasoning, if desired.
I recently was invited to participate in another fun #Blogger Recipe contest, this time held by Big Mountain Foods… they sent me a few of their tasty #vegan products to play with and use to create a new #recipe. I absolutely LOVE spicy Asian food and noodle dishes and had a craving for it, so I decided to create these Vegan Kung Pao Noodles for the contest and oh my GOODNESS. They are super delish you guys!
Hey, it’s a New Year, so why not try to lighten up a little with some healthier recipes that are meat-free and dairy-free but still have tons of flavor? There’s so many good things in this dish that you won’t even miss the meat, I promise.
Big Mountain Foods is an all women-owned company based out of Vancouver, BC. They offer a superb lineup of fresh, vegan, #plant-based products that are flavorful, #gluten-free and #non-GMO/#organic. I used their Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumbles in this recipe which has a blend of organic lion’s mane, portobello and shiitake mushrooms along with a mixture of other healthy ingredients like carrots, pea protein, yellow split peas, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and coconut oil. They are absolutely delicious and a perfect substitution for ground beef, or ground chicken, with a great umami flavor and nice texture.
Add the Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumbles to the pan and cook a few minutes more until heated through.
Stir in the Kung Pao sauce and let it simmer on low heat for a few more minutes to infuse all the delicious flavors together. Add a little corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce even more.
Toss in the cooked soba noodles and stir to coat. Add in the sesame seeds, peanuts and crispy garlic; mix together into a big pot of sweet and spicy, crunchy goodness.
Serve immediately and enjoy with a glass of white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc).
Feel free to substitute other pasta for the soba noodles: rice noodles, spaghetti or linguine noodles work great. You can also add an extra teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or drizzle Sriracha sauce on top to kick the heat up a notch…(I absolutely did!!)
If you want to experiment with some other veggies, try adding broccoli, carrots, snow peas, or sliced green onions to the stir fried noodles.
If you add more veggies, you may need to make a little extra sauce depending on how much you add, so the noodles don’t get too dry. Just play with it and get it to the consistency and flavor you like.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce (or tamari), sesame oil, apple cider (or rice) vinegar, coconut palm sugar, chili garlic sauce and pour into the skillet with the Mushroom veggie mixture, stir and toss to coat.
Whisk the corn starch and water together and pour into the wok/skillet and mix together well. Let mixture cook for an additional minute or so until the sauce thickens.
Toss in the peanuts, sesame seeds and fried garlic, stir together.
Serve hot immediately, top with additional peanuts and crispy garlic if desired, for garnish.
Notes
Feel free to substitute other pasta for the soba noodles: rice noodles, spaghetti or linguine noodles work great. Add extra tablespoon of chili paste to kick the heat up a notch. You can also add extra vegetables to the stir fried noodles but you may need to make extra sauce so the noodles don't get too dry if adding them.
Any way you make these Kung Pao noodles they are absolutely delish and a #healthy vegan dish to kick off the New Year with!
You can find all of Big Mountain’s products online and also in the fresh section of the grocery store, as well as specialty food stores (Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc.) And check out @bigmountainfoods social media pages and website for more info, a store locator and more great recipes!
This dish is an absolute flavor bomb!!! Featuring spicy grilled shrimp, served over rice noodles sauteed with baby kale and cilantro bathed in a sweet chili sauce.
First I sprinkled the spice rub on the shrimp and let it sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes to infuse the flavors. I grilled the shrimp in a grill pan for about 5 minutes until the shrimp were cooked through and had nice grill marks.
To serve I added some pomegranate seeds for some juicy fruity flavor, and some chopped macadamia nuts for extra crunch, and additional cilantro and chopped chives for garnish.
Serious Foodie, based in St Pete Florida, has a great line of other sauces and rubs too. They created each of their sauces and rubs based on places they have traveled to; featuring the flavors and ingredients from the regions and from the chefs that have shared their secrets with them. You can find their product at over 500 stores in the U.S and online! Check out their website for more info and great ideas for more recipes!
Sooooo easy and so delish… only serious foodies will understand!
The dish is an absolute flavor bomb featuring spicy grilled shrimp, served over rice noodles sauteed with baby kale and cilantro bathed in the sweet chili sauce.Â
To serve top with pomegranate seeds for juicy, fruity flavor, chopped macadamia nuts for extra crunch, additional cilantro and chopped chives for garnish.Â
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon Serious Foodie Spice rub
1 package Shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Serious Foodie Sweet Chile Sauce
2 handfuls baby kale
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1 teaspoon minced chives
Instructions
Spray a grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high heat.
Sprinkle Serious Foodie rub on the shrimp and cook on the grill for 6 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove from the grill and set aside.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add shirataki noodles, stir fry for a minute.
Add the Serious Foodie Sweet Chile Sauce and stir to coat.
Mix in the baby kale and 1 tablespoon of cilantro and cook until the kale is slightly wilted.
Stir the shrimp back in to the noodle mixture and add additional sauce if desired.
Serve on a platter and garnish with additional cilantro, macadamia nuts, pomegranate arils, and minced chives.
Notes
Feel free to sub glass noodles, rice noodles, soba noodle or spaghetti in place of the Shirataki noodles. You can also serve over quinoa or brown or white rice too!
This is such an easy recipe, and perfect for a weeknight at the end of Summer; especially when you have lots of zucchini left over! This Garlic Basil Parmesan Chicken and Zucchini Bake features chicken breasts seasoned with garlic, basil, Trader Joe’s Italian Soffrito, salt and pepper.
Then drizzled with melted butter (or ghee) and Basil Parmesan olive oil (I love Harry and David’s brand!) and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese over the top.
The chicken is roasted together in one pan with chunks of zucchini that get super tender and caramelized in the oven, especially with the baked crunchy Parmesan cheese on top. You guys… this recipe is soooo good…and it’s healthy, #lowcarb and gluten-free too…(bonus!)
To serve, I topped the chicken and zucchini with some fresh parsley, red pepper flakes (optional) and a squeeze of lemon juice to give the dish bright, tangy flavors with a little extra heat just before serving.
It’s perfect served with some crusty bread, mashed potatoes or cauliflower, or pasta to soak up the savory juices, (but just as good served alone!) and you’ve got a delicious end-of-Summer meal that’s fresh, full of flavor and super easy to make!
This is such an easy recipe, and perfect for a weeknight at the end of Summer; especially when you have lots of zucchini left over! This Garlic Basil Parmesan Chicken and Zucchini Bake features chicken breasts seasoned with garlic, basil, Italian soffrito and Parmesan cheese, drizzled with melted butter and Basil Parmesan olive oil and topped with Parmesan cheese; which are roasted with chunks of tender caramelized zucchini.
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1-inch chunks
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Italian Style Soffrito Seasoning
2 tablespoons Harry and David Basil Parmesan olive oil
2 tablespoons melted butter or ghee
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup torn fresh parsley, for serving
2 tablespoons lemon juice, for serving
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, for serving
Instructions
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place zucchini on a rimmed baking pan, and season with a little more salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, combine garlic, dried basil and Italian Soffrito.
Place chicken on the baking pan with the zucchini pieces and brush the melted butter/ghee and olive oil over the top. Sprinkle evenly with garlic, basil, soffrito mixture then top with Parmesan cheese.
Roast in the oven until chicken is cooked through and zucchini is browned and caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, and drizzle lemon juice on top. Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes.
Notes
You can substitute chicken thighs if you wish and also do bone-in chicken, adding an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time.
This recipe serves four people, so just double the ingredients for a larger crowd (making it on two sheet trays instead of one). Feel free to use chicken thighs if you prefer, or bone-in chicken (just add a little extra cooking time to the recipe).Â
Happy Friday friends! I can’t believe this Summer has flown by and we are almost going into Labor Day! Speaking of, I was thinking of some fun appetizers and things to make for the occasion and wanted to try making something with this Kalbi Korean BBQ sauce I received from Lucky Foods for their #Blogger #Recipe challenge.
Kalbi Sauce is a traditional Korean BBQ Marinade and staple in Korean cooking. It has a combination of sweet and savory flavors, with a little extra zingy kick of ginger and sweetness from pineapple juice. It’s often used to marinate short ribs but also good on steak and ground beef.
And because this sauce is so versatile and tastes great you can also use it with short ribs or steak, shredded or grilled chicken and pork… or try tofu, seitan or meatless chicken if you are #vegan/#vegetarian and play with the toppings! Any way you make them I guarantee they’ll be amazing…they’re like crunchy deconstructed Korean BBQ tacos with ALL THE FEELS 🙂
These Kalbi BBQ Beef Tostadas are the perfect mashup of Korean flavors!
The tostada shells are baked and ready in only 15 minutes and then topped with savory BBQ beef, green onions and charred corn with some crispy fried onions and Kimchi Gochujang for extra crunch and a kick of heat!
Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray
8 corn tortillas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound ground beef
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup cooked corn kernels (fresh or frozen, defrosted)
2 tablespoons Lucky Foods Gochujang Chili Paste
1/4 cup Lucky Foods Kalbi BBQ Sauce
1 cup shredded Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Extra corn, for garnish
Extra green onions, for garnish
Crispy fried onions, for garnish
Kalbi BBQ sauce, for drizzling
Instructions
Make the tostadas:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray two large baking sheets with cooking spray.
Lightly spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Lightly season with salt.
Bake for 5 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 5 minutes until the tortillas are crispy and golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle with sea salt and let cool for a few minutes; set aside.
Add the ground beef and half the green onions; season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5-7 minutes until no longer pink. Drain fat and return to the pan.
Stir in half the cooked corn kernels and cook for another minute.
Add the Gochujang chili paste and Kalbi BBQ sauce and stir together until heated through.
To serve:
Top the tostadas with the BBQ beef mixture, shredded cheese, additional corn, green onions and crispy fried onions. Drizzle with extra Kalbi Bbq sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
These are so delicious and the BBQ sauce actually goes with any protein so feel free to sub shredded chicken, or pork, or even tofu!
Summer is in full swing and there’s nothing I love better than some fresh seafood and grilling outside with friends and family. Living in St Pete, Florida, I am spoiled with all of the fresh seafood options here – and one of my favorites is Blackened Scallops, (and any blackened seafood really!). This inspired my recipe  Blackened Scallops with Grilled Basil Butter Corn + Watermelon Jicama Salsa for the Sam’s Salsa Recipe Challenge… and it’s full of fresh, bright, tropical flavors and summertime goodness.
Sam’s Fresh Salsa started in the 70’s on a family farm in New Jersey, and is still going strong making delicious homemade salsas with only the freshest fruits, vegetables and ingredients.
Their salsas have no preservatives or artificial ingredients, and are free of additives too. And they taste just like homemade; the kind you would find in an authentic Mexican restaurant or made fresh at home. They also have several other delicious salsa flavors such as Cantina Medium Salsa and Salsa Verde, and a variety of fresh salsas ranging from Mild to Extra Hot.
I blackened the sea scallops in a hot cast iron pan in some clarified butter for a few minutes on each side to get them nice and browned.
I plated the Blackened Scallops on top of the Grilled Basil Butter Corn and topped the dish with some lovely Watermelon Jicama Salsa and more green onions, fresh basil and a few pieces of chopped watermelon for garnish.
You guys..this dish is a FLAVOR BOMB!!! The spicy scallops over the savory, buttery corn with basil and shallots mixed with a hint of sweetness from the Watermelon Jicama salsa is absolutely SPECTACULAR!!!
Summer on a plate, really. And totally delightful.Â
Sam’s Fresh Watermelon Jicama Salsa, for garnish
Instructions
To make the Grilled Basil Butter Corn, cream the butter (room temp) with fresh basil, lime juice and cayenne pepper/creole seasoning; cover and let sit for 30 mins to let the flavors meld together.
Preheat grill over medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Place the corn on the grill and cook with the cover on for about 20-25 minutes until the corn is charred and tender. You can also grill the corn in a grill pan on the stove or buy frozen pre-grilled corn kernels.
Once corn is done, slice off the corn kernels with a large knife into a large mixing bowl. Toss the corn with the basil butter and sauteed shallots; season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside. Rinse the scallops and pat dry.
To cook the blackened scallops, raise the heat on the cast iron pan to high until it begins to smoke. Brush the scallops on both sides with butter/ghee or oil and season with sea salt. Dredge each side of the scallops in the blackening seasoning in a medium shallow bowl. Place them in the hot pan spice side down. (You may want to have your windows open and fan on because you’ll get some smoke while blackening.)
Cook for 1-2 minutes to get a nice browned crust, then flip scallops over and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. You can also finish the scallops in the oven for 4-5 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Serve scallops over the Grilled Basil Butter Corn and top with the Watermelon Jicama Salsa, green onions, fresh basil and diced watermelon for garnish.
Notes
This would also be delicious made with blackened shrimp or fish (like grouper!)
for another layer of flavor, serve the grilled basil butter corn and scallops over some mashed cauliflower or mashed potato puree.
The #Superbowl is only a couple days away and I’m so excited it’s in #Tampa this year! To celebrate game day, I decided to make these Keto Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders and oh my gosh, they are deeeeelish.
On FIRE, actually! (no pun intended).
My recipe is inspired by the famous Nashville Chicken invented by Prince’s Hot Chicken in #Nashville, Tennessee. Their hot and spicy fried chicken is breaded with lots of cayenne pepper incorporated into the batter and is topped with a fiery-hot spiced oil served with two slices of white bread and kosher dill pickles. You can also get it as a Spicy Chicken Sandwich, which is served on a freshly baked bun with coleslaw, pickles, and either Kickin’ Ranch or Sweet Heat sauce. Their heat levels range from mild, to medium, to XXX hot! Hattie B’s also has an amazing Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich too except they use a Southern Comeback Sauce which is made with ketchup, mayo, chili sauce, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and spices.
My version is #keto-friendly and #lowcarb due to the fact that I decided to pan-sear the chicken with the spices and oil, instead of breading it and frying it (You could also grill the chicken as well). I used a handcrafted, small batch Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning by The Spice Lab, (which I found in Publix and they also sell online at Amazon). You can also make your own by mixing 6 tablespoons cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon paprika.
I also made these delicious homemadeKeto Slider Buns that are made with almond flour, mozzarella and cream cheese, a little salt and baking powder, topped with melted butter and baked to a crispy perfection. They are so good and buttery, they taste like biscuits! Which is perfect with some spicy chicken, of course.
The sliders are topped off with Buffalo mayonnaise, dill pickle slices, Buffalo sauce, and broccoli slaw mixed with Blue Cheese dressing and each one is only about 2 carbs total which is the best part! So here’s how I made these bad boys…
First, I sprinkled the chicken with the Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning on both sides,
added  some buttermilk and hot sauce in a resealable large bag in the fridge to let marinate for a few hours . This lets all the flavors meld together and the buttermilk breaks down the proteins in the chicken to make it super juicy.
Then I made the keto buns by melting the mozzarella and cream cheese together with three eggs, almond flour and baking powder and salt, mixing it together into a dough.
I separated the dough into six balls, and then flattened them a little on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brushed them with some melted butter. Then I baked them for about 12 minutes until lightly browned, and let them cool on a wire rack before slicing.
I made the broccoli slaw by mixing in about 1/2 cup of Marie’s creamy blue cheese dressing and letting it stay cool in the fridge while I made the chicken. You could also use ranch dressing here if you prefer, but I love the tangy, cooling blue cheese with the fiery hot sauce and spices on the chicken.
Next, I took the chicken out of the marinade and discarded that. Heated up some oil over medium-high in a large skillet and sprinkled more Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning on both sides of the chicken, cooking about 8 minutes per side.
Then I sliced the chicken into pieces, and added them back into the pan with some additional oil to coat the chicken with all the delicious spices and brown bits in the pan.
Once the chicken was done, i built the sliders by spreading some Buffalo mayo on the bottom bun, topping it with a few slices of the spicy chicken. Drizzled more Buffalo sauce on top of the chicken, then topped with sliced dill pickles, and blue cheese broccoli slaw.
And you have my friends, a total masterpiece, guilt-free! And perfect for game day on Sunday! Bet you can’t eat just one 😉
These Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders are totally delicious and served on Keto-friendly, low carb buns! Pan-seared spicy buttermilk chicken topped off with Buffalo mayonnaise, dill pickle slices, Buffalo sauce, and broccoli slaw mixed with Blue Cheese dressing. They are so delicious and each one is only about 2 carbs total which is the best part!
4 tablespoons Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning, divided
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup light olive oil or canola oil, divided
Keto buns:
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
3 large eggs
3 cups fine almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
Garnishes:
1/4 cup Buffalo sauce
1/4 cup Buffalo mayo
12 pickle slices
2 cups broccoli slaw
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
Instructions
Nashville Chicken:
Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with 2 tablespoons Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning. Combine the chicken, buttermilk, and hot sauce in a large resealable plastic bag or dish covered in plastic wrap. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours, up to overnight.
Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken breasts from the buttermilk marinade and discard.
Season the chicken with additional 2 tablespoons Nashville hot Chicken Seasoning and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 7 minutes per side.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the mozzarella and cream cheese. Heat on high for 2 minutes until melted.
Add the eggs and stir to combine, then mix in the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
Form the dough into 6 balls, and slightly flatten on to the parchment paper.
Melt the butter and brush over the tops of the slider buns.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until buns are golden brown; let cool slightly before slicing in half.
Make the broccoli slaw by mixing the blue cheese dressing in with the slaw in a medium mixing bowl.
To assemble the sliders, spread the Buffalo mayo on the bottom buns. Top with a few pieces of the Nashville chicken, 2 pickles, drizzle with Buffalo sauce. Add 1/4 cup broccoli blue cheese slaw mixture and the top halves.
Serve immediately with additional hot sauce on the side, if desired.
Notes
I used Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning from The Spice Lab, which you can find on Amazon or at Publix, or feel free to make your own. You could also use ranch dressing on the broccoli slaw if you prefer, and grill the chicken breasts instead of pan-searing them for extra char and flavor.
Hey folks, happy Tuesday! Just another chilly January day here…I had a serious craving for some seriously good chicken today so I made these Savory Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs for lunch. You guys – these are the BOMB. And seriously tasty.
Dale’s Steak Seasoning is my secret ingredient in this recipe – it’s a savory marinade made with a blend of exotic spices, originating in Birmingham AL. I discovered in the early 90’s while living in Atlanta GA when my ex introduced me to it… we were grilling burgers out with some friends and let’s just say I got quite addicted to this delicious sauce verrryyy quickly – it was love at first sight actually. Now I use it on almost EVERYTHING: chicken, steak, pork, burgers, and even grilled lamb or quail! It’s gives such a rich flavor to anything you put it on, really so you don’t need a lot of extra seasonings when using it.
The recipe is super easy too – I poured about 1/4 cup of the Dale’s Seasoning marinade over the chicken thighs into a mixing bowl and then added 2 tablespoons olive oil, a dash of black pepper and red pepper flakes, a tablespoon of dried chives, a little garlic powder…
and then a dash of my other secret ingredient, Trader Joe’s Mushroom + Co Multipurpose Umami Seasoning, which is a blend of porcini and white button mushroom powder, sea salt, dried onion powder, ground mustard seed, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and dried thyme, that add tons of #UMAMIto the dish that I can’t even describe.
You can use my marinade recipe on any protein or veggies you prefer, it’s that versatile and full of flavor. And like I mentioned it’s super delish on grilled burgers too. I can’t even tell you how much I love this stuff. So with that said, here’s the actual recipe below. Feel free to use it on anything and everything and I promise you will never go back to dry, bland, tasteless chicken ever again and you will be as hooked on this stuff as I am..I promise!
This recipe for Savory Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs is my go-to recipe for all around full flavored delicious chicken! Marinated in Dale's Seasoning along with Trader Joe's Umami Seasoning, olive oil, black and red pepper, chives and topped with crispy garlic flakes. Easy peasy and totally amazing.
Pour 1/4 cup of the Dale's Seasoning marinade over the chicken thighs into a medium mixing bowl. Add 1/8 cup olive oil, a dash of black pepper and red pepper flakes, a tablespoon of dried chives, a dash of garlic powder and Trader Joe's Umami Seasoning.
Mush it all together over the chicken and let it marinate in the fridge for 30 mins.
Heat a saute pan or grill over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 5 minutes on each side until crispy and browned.
Top chicken with crispy garlic flakes for garnish. Serve immediately.
Whenever it’s cold outside, I crave a big pot of #soup or stew to warm my bones and forget that its Winter outside…I’m used to the NY Winters I grew up with, but down here in Florida it’s a little crazy for it to be so chilly right now!
So I made a big pot of this #delicious Sausage, Kale and Veggie Soup, which seemed perfect for a major binge-watching session of Bridgerton on Netflix. (Have you seen it yet!? #OMG I am in #love with that show! No time for a full review here but I’ll talk more about that later in my Winter #2021 Things I Love post coming up next week..A must see if you like historical dramas!)
I topped it off with more fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese and went. to. TOWN. And of course served it with a glass of crisp white wine to go with.
Feel free to substitute #vegan sausage, white cannellini beans, sliced baby Bella mushrooms, a few halved baby potatoes or cauliflower florets / cauliflower rice instead of the Italian sausage if you want to make the soup #vegan or #vegetarian…but you might want to add more seasonings and a little more olive oil if not using sausage to amp up the flavors. You can also use ground turkey or chicken instead of sausage if you prefer… (not vegetarian but a little healthier and less fat). And it’s just as delicious with chicken broth or veggie broth too.
Anyway you make it, I hope you enjoyand stay warm! What better way to spend a weekend afternoon than a good show and some comfy soup? 🙂
This is a super delicious and comforting soup for the Winter made with Italian Sausage, Baby Kale, and lots of veggies like carrots, celery, garlic, onions, and zucchini all simmered together into a big pot of goodness. Topped with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese - all you need is some crusty Italian bread and a glass of crisp white wine to make it a healthy meal. Enjoy!
Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic into the same pot with additional tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste), and cook for another 5 minutes until veggies are soft.
Add the cooked sausage back in to the pot and add the broth, sliced zucchini, Everglades seasoning (or seasoned salt), garlic powder, red pepper flakes (if using), tomato paste, Italian seasoning; bring soup to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer the soup over medium-low heat for 10-15 mins. Add two large handfuls of fresh baby kale (about 2-3 large cups), and chopped fresh parsley; simmer another 5-10 mins until the kale is wilted.
Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese at the end and serve hot with a little more cheese on top. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve with a glass of wine and crusty Italian bread, if desired.
Notes
You can sub vegan sausage, white cannellini beans, sliced baby Bella mushrooms, a few halved baby potatoes or cauliflower florets/rice instead of sausage to make it vegetarian...you might want to add more seasonings to taste, and add a little more olive oil if not using sausage for amped up flavors.
You can also use ground turkey or chicken instead of sausage if you prefer. (not vegetarian but a little healthier and less fat).
Hi Everyone! So the New Year #2021 is rapidly approaching (thank God!!) and I decided to celebrate a little with these Spicy Crab Cakes w/ Creole Mayo and some bubbly! They are absolutely delicious and the perfect appetizer duo for the holidays or any special occasion!
I made them with fresh lump crabmeat, crispy applewood smoked bacon, corn, red Chile peppers, parsley, scallions, egg, panko breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, lemon juice and a dash of Tony Chacere’s Creole Seasoning and hot sauce, and served with a side of spicy Creole Mayo for dipping. Talk about a flavor bomb in your mouth…#YUM!
The recipe makes 8 small crab cakes but feel free to make four larger patties if you want to make burgers out of them. Or make 16 really small crab cakes if you want to make them bite-sized with fancy toothpicks on platter!
I brushed them with some oil and baked in the oven for about 30 minutes, but you can also pan-fry them if you prefer. For a larger crowd, I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe because these will be a huge hit and gone before you know it!
They would also be great served on top of some Confetti rice or Cajun/Creole pasta..or try them in some lettuce leaves or on top of a salad for a lighter fare if you’re watching your carbs. I know I will be after the holidays are over. Enjoy and indulge for now – and Happy New Year! #2021 couldn’t come any sooner 🙂
These delicious crab cakes are the perfect appetizer for the holidays or any special occasion! Made with fresh lump crab, crispy applewood smoked bacon, corn, red chile peppers, parsley and a hit of Creole seasoning and hot sauce served with a Creole Mayo for dipping.
For a larger crowd, double or triple the recipe because these will be a huge hit and gone before you know it!
Ingredients
CRAB CAKES
1 lb. lump crabmeat
1/3 c. Panko bread crumbs
1/3 c. mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 green onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 teaspoon Tony Chacere’s Creole seasoning
Dash of hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 c. corn
2 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1/2 red chile pepper, chopped (or sub bell pepper for less heat)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced, plus extra for garnish
1 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
......
CREOLE MAYO
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tony Chacere’s Creole seasoning
Instructions
MAKE CRAB CAKES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together crabmeat, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, egg, green onions, and lemon juice. Add Creole Seasoning, hot sauce and black pepper. Stir in corn, Chiles, bacon and parsley. Mix well with hands or a fork until mixture is combined.
Form into 8 patties and place on nonstick greased baking sheet. Brush oil on top of the crab cakes.
Bake until golden brown about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Alternatively you can pan fry them for 3-5 minutes per side in a skillet over medium high heat.
Garnish with more fresh parsley or green onions; serve with side of Creole Mayo.
MAKE CREOLE MAYO
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce and Creole seasoning. Adjust amounts to your liking (less or more spicy).
Serve sauce with Crab cakes on top or on the side.