• love in the oven

    When someone asks me what my favorite meal is one of my top answers is roast and potatoes.  This French Onion Roast is a super yummy version of my classic recipe, and you won’t believe how easy it is. What makes this so special? Three words…French Onion Soup Mix (sorry it is 4 words). Add in this little envelope of goodness and the result is AMAZING!!  It has the perfect mix of spices, salt, and onion bits giving this roast just that little something extra.  You know what I am talking about that little something that makes people ask what your secret is. Who knew you secret could be so…

  • stack it up

    It is Monday!!  Where did the weekend go?  Also, did you know that simmer is also over?  Yay…it is crazy school starts in 2 weeks. Monday needs easy…EVERYTHING When Monday rolls around I know I love it when I can feed my peeps something yummy and EASY…because lets be real who wants to slave away for hours in the kitchen on Monday. When I was growing up my mom loved making casseroles…and now I love them so much.  They are perfect for a family, as they can feed a lot.  They make great leftovers…meaning you can have meals for a couple of days (always a plus) and you can usually…

  • Grill the weekend away…

    What are your plans this weekend?  Are you taking a little time away?  Hanging out with friends and family?  Are you grilling?  In my house we will be grilling for sure…and who knows what else. Whats on the grill? Are you doing burgers (like these sliders)?   How about those fries I posted yesterday?  Maybe some BBQ chicken or fish?  The possibilities are really endless, including the beginning of a delicious dessert like these grilled pineapples. This last week The Hubby branched out a bit and threw some veggies and sausage links on the grill…and it was AMAZING!! Sausage? The Hubby and I love Costco.  We get everything from meat…

  • simple, grilled salmon that is so good

    Simple is sometimes so, so good.  You know like an apple on a hot day, or just a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream…sometimes simple really is best. Salmon can be simple? Sure it can be, but it is a special simple.  This salmon is seasoned with a favorite little blend, giving it a ton of flavor while still letting the fish be the star.    You could definitely use some fresh herbs or additional spices if you wish, but this is a favorite blend for us. Grilled?  Why? Why not? I mean it’s summer here in SE Texas and that is grilling weather.  Anytime we can cook outside and…

  • grilled BBQ chicken at it’s best…

    Cooking on the grill is one of my most favorite things ever!  Let me be clear…when The Hubby cooks on the grill it is one of my most favorite things…especially when it is this chicken!! Start it off right I start this BBQ chicken off with my most favorite marinade.  I find it gives the chicken a lot of flavor and also helps to tenderize the chicken a little. If you do not have time to marinade, thats ok, just make sure to season it well. What cuts are best? With chicken there are so many options.  You could grill chicken breasts, drumsticks, thighs to the whole leg quarter.  Whatever…

  • The BEST Chicken Marinade

    Marinades…oh let me tell you I love me a good marinade.  They can be the make or break to a meal. What makes this the BEST marinade? First it is the combo of seasonings and fresh ingredients.  There are your basics of salt & pepper, but then I also added in some paprika, cumin & chili powder for some extra flavor.  Next comes some depth with Worcestershire sauce…this is my favorite ingredient to add that little extra something that will make you smile.  Next comes the fresh ingredients…the fresh chopped onions, fresh parsley and fresh garlic.  The combo alone with he olive oil is great, but wait there is something…

  • It’s time for a BBQ

    As I have mentioned before we grill a lot around here.  If it were up to me we would grill every meal in the summer, but I will settle for several in a week. For Friends and Family When The Hubby and I entertain the grill is normally on and many times you can find pork being grilled,  (like this teriyaki version).  Pork is perfect for grilling, it is quick and very versatile.  It is always so fun to get everyone around the grill while enjoying a drink (or two) while enjoying the wonderful aroma only a grill can give. The Hubby and I also enjoy grilling for just the two…

  • maple loving good

    Pork chops are a go to dinner for The Hubby and I.  I just love how versatile it is and how EASY it is to prepare. The other white meat… Those commercials always made me laugh so hard.  This one still makes me laugh…I don’t know that I have ever danced in excitement over pork…but these people do!  I will say though after having these pork chops, I might have done a little booty shake out of shear enjoyment…I’m just saying maybe I did. I LOVE versatility One of the best things about pork is it’s versatility.  You can grill them, roast them, marinate them, dry rub them, top with sauces, eat…

  • it’s a nacho weekend

    I LOVE NACHOS!  There you go, I admit it.  They are one of my favorite items to order and make when I am craving tex-mex. Now a nacho is not just a nacho, there are tons of varieties of nachos you can have but this one is a favorite for sure. meat or NO meat? Now if you were to ask The Hubby he would say meat, and his choice would be seasoned ground beef.  Honey (my mom) would say meat, and her choice would be beef fajita meat.  My nephew is a no meat kinda toddler, and me…well I am up for any of the above. One of my…

  • creamy, cheesy goodness

    I cannot even begin to tell you how much I LOVE a creamy mac-n-cheese.   I am not a picky mac-n-cheese eater.  I will throw down the blue box or a homemade pot of cheese and noodles anytime, anywhere and be so HAPPY! Noodles, noodles and more noodles… Now there are a ton of noodles you can choose from for your mac-n-cheese.  You can use the traditional macaroni, or a corkscrew noodle like fusilli, or a even a penne.  I typically use a short cut pasta, I just feel it makes for a better cheese to noodle ratio, but use a long pasta if you would like. As much as…