• fajita skewers please…

    Who is ready for grilling season…I AM!!  There is just something so great about getting outside and cooking over an open fire (or having The Hubby do it) and experiencing the great flavors that come with it.    It just seems to make everything taste better, even the stuff that isn’t cooked on the grill….and especially these fajita skewers. Living in SE Texas definitely has its perks and one of the big ones is almost year round grilling and these fajita skewers are a must make.  Fajita’s are a favorite when we go out to one of our favorite Tex-mex restaurants but they can be loaded with extra fat and…

  • stirrin’ things up with some stir fry

    So how do you feel about stir fry?  This was a question posed to me not too long ago and to be honest I didn’t have much of an answer.  I mean I have had my fair share of stir fry, ok maybe not my fair share but at least a couple here and there and they were always ok.  Probably my favorite was this one that I fixed last year (yes, I don’t fix stir fry that often) but for some odd reason I was craving a little stir fry. I was at the grocery store when the craving hit me and I immediately went back to the produce…

  • all day beans…pinto beans

    I don’t know about you but this weekend is going to be all about finishing up some around the house projects and enjoying the nice weather we are going to be having…nice like in weather in the low 80’s with a nice breeze.  This is one of the many reason I love living in SE Texas in February…now of course ask me how I feel about it in the summer and I might be singing a different song then…but for now I will take this crazy nice weekend and enjoy a nice pot of beans when all the work is done.   So you might be asking why would would…

  • takin’ it slow with pork chops

    Happy Monday and Happy (day after) Valentines Day.  I hope your weekend was something to remember.  We had a busy one here in…my uncle came in for my Mammaw’s 89th birthday, we had a birthday party for her (recipes from the party will be coming soon), we played her favorite marble game and then yesterday The Hubby treated me to a special dinner and then a little chocolate treat after…it was truly a special weekend that we will treasure for a long, long time. Now that all the fun is over (at least for now) it is time to start getting back on track and this slow cooker pork chop…

  • a memory remade for my love from veracruz

    Do you and your love go out to eat on Valentines Day or do you stay home and enjoy a quite night without all the crowds.  The Hubby and I have done both, and we both agree staying home is really nice.  You can fix exactly what you want (like this tilapia veracruz) and then you can watch your favorite romcom and call it a night…it is a win win for everyone. Now most Valentines Day that we stay home The Hubby will grill steaks and I will fix some sides that we both love, such as twice baked potatoes, creamed spinach and then something yummy for dessert…but this year…

  • bringing the sassy with salmon

    Is there ever a wrong time to add a little a sass to your dinner table.  Ok, now I am not talking about sassy back talk from your tween’s or teenagers, but how about a little sass on the table with a super delicious salmon dish? Now a sassy dish could be anything that you take to the next level and make it special but last week sassy was all about a new salmon dish that turned out super delicious.  The Hubby and I love salmon, and we normally have it once a week at least but I wanted to change it up a bit without adding a ton of…

  • oh so good…skinny chicken and rice

    Even when I am trying to eat lighter and make better choices there is one thing that I must have…CHEESE.  Now I know this is not the best must have, I mean obviously must having veggies are a better option but as long as I can have some cheese every now and then I am a much happier “skinny” eater & this chicken and rice casserole makes me happy for sure. Casseroles are also a must have…they are so easy, and if done right it can be balanced and full of flavor without a ton of guilt with some veggies & protein thrown in for good measure.  Growing up my mom made…

  • Lightened-up enchilada soup? Yes, its good

    Enchilada soup is one of my most favorite soups of all time.  There is just something about the chicken with the spices and the broth with the cheese that makes my life oh so happy! So one of my favorite enchilada soups of all time is at the restaurant Chili’s.  It is rich, creamy, cheesy with the perfect amount of spice and I have made that recipe several times, but lately I have been obsessed with green chilies so I decided it was time to change up my favorite soup a bit…and voila here we have the Green Chile Enchilada Soup.   MJ 12 servingsGreen Chile Enchilada SoupA creamy and…

  • starting 2016 with a bang & spaghetti

    Don’t let the name of this dish fool you…this cream cheese spaghetti is still an under 400 calorie dinner that is perfect for your busy nights. It is no secret that I love my slow cooker but I especially love it when it involves pasta.  I think I could eat pasta everyday and this dish would be at the top of the list for sure.  It is rich and creamy, but without a ton of guilt which makes it even better.  To start with I used ground turkey, which I love to use in my pasta dishes…it gives the same texture of ground beef but with a lot less fat and…

  • A special treat…beef tenderloin

    In my family beef is always on the menu for special events and this Peppercorn Crusted Beef Tenderloin is quite the treat.   As I have mentioned before my Mammaw is in a memory care facility and sometimes leaving there can be difficult for her (especially in the evening) so to make Christmas special for her we did an early Christmas lunch at our home.  To make this super special I decided to make this beef tenderloin and boy oh boy was it AMAZING! After researching several different cooking methods and seasoning  combos I decided to keep it simple, in my opinion simply seasoned beef really seems to be best…