• Sweet & Spicy Bacon

    Bacon is always a good thing in my world… but this bacon is AMAZING!!! Bake it Baby! The trick to this bacon is baking it…do you normally bake it?  I started baking mine a while ago…not only does it make perfectly crisp, but still tender & it is so much LESS messy.  There is no grease spattering up to burn you and you can let it bake while you work on something else such as eggs or gravy, making breakfast a breeze and so YUMMY!   Spice it up! For this recipe I sprinkled it with a spice combo that is a little sweet with a little heat making for a perfect piece…

  • a new chili night…steak chili

    Growing up in Texas I have had my fair share of chili.  The traditional chili with beef (no beans) and loaded with spices, turkey chili, white chicken chili and of course chili with beans…but sometimes you just have to take a favorite to the next level. Just trust me Ok now I know you might be shaking your head at me and asking “why go and mess up something and make it weird” but trust me this chili is everything you love about your favorite traditional chili, only elevated!   It is loaded with tons of spices (some that are a little surprising) and big chunks of meat making this a…

  • red rice for dinner tonight…yes, please

    Over the last few years I have become quite the fan of rice.  We did not eat it a ton growing up but lately I can’t get enough of it. Red rice..LOVE, LOVE, LOVE The Hubby and I LOVE anything Mexican.  I mean anything…nachos, enchiladas, tacos (in all forms), burritos, fajitas…all of it.  One thing that goes great with all these dishes is rice, and especially red rice. Red rice is one of our new favorites for sure.  It is loaded with tons of flavor, but it is super easy to make, making this a dish perfect for a busy week. What makes it so special? First off I almost always…

  • No taco packets needed for this!!

    OK so I am the first to admit that I am a fan of the packaged spice mixes.  I mean lets be honest they are so easy and can make an ordinary dish a super star in no time.  Well as much as I am a fan I decided to break out on my own and make my own taco seasoning. Why, you ask? So I was in a hurry one time and grabbed the super spicy taco mix at the store.  Unfortunately I didn’t look at the package when I got home and added it to my ground beef. Well as you can imagine when The Hubby took his first bite…

  • Homemade is so much better

    I could eat some type of Mexican food EVERY meal.   Given how much I love Mexican food I have been working on a staple in my kitchen…enchilada sauce.  Finally I have created one that I LOVE and that is perfect for all my casseroles, soups and of course, enchiladas. Homemade is worth it First off…look at the color.  Isn’t it beautiful?  I love the deep reddish, orange color with the bits of spices and herbs running through it.  It adds a beautiful color to your dishes for sure. Secondly the taste.  This sauce has a little heat from the chili powder, but not too much.  It also has a…

  • An Update for Taco Tuesday

    Does your family have Taco Tuesday every week?  I love the idea and just may have to make it a weekly deal in our home…especially is this taco skillet was on the menu. No Mess… I don’t know about you but one of my least favorite things about hard (& some soft) tacos is how messy they can be.  Don’t get me wrong I am a fan of messy food (sometimes the messier the better) but not when all the yummy is in the mess and not in my mouth. You know what I’m talking about…when you take the first bite of the taco and all the best parts (the…

  • potatoes without the oven…YES I promise

    I just can’t stand turning on the oven in the summer.  It is just too hot here in Texas.  I mean the heat index today was like 110 degrees or something crazy like that.  Thank you Jesus that I work inside!! Even though it is summer… Even though it is summer The Hubby still wants his meat and potato dinners.  I am a fan of meat and potatoes, but it is so hot outside.  Can you hear the whine in my voice?  Yes, I am whining.  Since it is so hot outside I just can’t stand turning on my oven, especially to bake a potato…so it is time for the…

  • mashin’ up a sweet tater

    A sweet tater (or potato if your not my dad) is God’s gift to the land of yummy starches…at least in my opinion.  I just love the bit of sweet (or sometimes a lot of sweet) and the bright orange color and of course all the delicious dishes you can make with these little orange treats. OK, now I know some of you might be thinking that a sweet tater dish is for the holidays, like in this sweet potato casserole, or as a side to your burger in fry form…but trust me this mashed sweet potato recipe is a must make that will make everyone fall in love with sweet potatoes…

  • brownies always make for a sweet finish

    Sweets are a must have for Cinco de Mayo…after indulging in something cheesy and yummy I have to finish it off with something sweet and its even better when there is a little kick involved.   Truth be told…I also love to have a margarita or two as well, but since I can’t have alcohol right now (it doesn’t mix with pain meds evidently) I will have a double dose of brownies instead. Now these brownies are not your ordinary box brownies, or these caramel brownies or even these oreo brownies they are super fudgy with a little kick.    Ok I hear ya…brownies with a kick?  What kind of…

  • sweet & spicy…oh so good pineapple!

    It is no secret that we love to grill here in Texas.  I mean c’mon we kinda live on grilled everything in the spring & summer.  We will grill anything that will sit still on the grill (or not fall through the grates)….fruits such as pineapple. The obvious favorites are of course, steak (like this steakhouse steak), chicken, pork anything, veggies…but another big favorite is fruit!  Yes, I said fruit.  There is just something so yummy about fruits that have been charred a little…it really brings out the sweetness of the fruit while intensifying the flavor immensely.   I love grilled peaches for sure but my favorite grilled fruit is pineapple.  It’s so funny, I…