Ranch Dip/Dressing

Being from Upstate New York, I grew up consuming a LOT of Buffalo wings, which were normally served with blue cheese dressing on the side. Flash forward many years… and now, when I do eat wings, I usually dip them in Ranch. However, I don’t keep Ranch dressing in my fridge, so decided to make my own the other day since I recently made some delicious drumettes. I’m no Ranch dressing connoisseur, but I think this easy recipe is incredibly tasty!

The consistency of this is more of a dip, so if you desire it thinner to use on a salad, eliminate the sour cream.

Ingredients

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. sour cream
1/8 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. dried chives
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried dill weed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder
Generous pinch of seasoned salt
Generous pinch of ground black pepper

Directions

Combine mayo & buttermilk in a bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients, and whisk well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

* Tip: If you’re a blue cheese person, simply add 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire to the recipe and some gorgonzola, and voila… blue cheese dressing!

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Sweet and Spicy Baked Chicken Wings

On a recent episode of The Chew, Daphne Oz and Mario Batali had a chicken wing cook-off, and after seeing Daphne’s ingredients (and that hers were baked), I had to try them right away. Needless to say, they did not disappoint. I love the fact that the marinade on these babies caramelize while baking, which makes them a bit crispy. Oh, and the dipping sauce… yummy!!! Since I’m a huge fan of anything sweet, the sauce was perfect for me, but if you’d like it with a little more twang, reduce the half cup of honey by a couple of tablespoons (1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons).

Ingredients

For the Wings:

2 dozen chicken drumettes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves (minced)
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dipping Sauce:

1 tbsp. sambal chili paste
1/2 cup Honey
2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. grated ginger

Directions

Combine all the ingredients for the drumettes in a bowl and toss the wings to coat.
Place in the refrigerator and marinate a minimum of two hours and preferably over night.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove drumettes from the marinade and season with salt and pepper.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the drumettes so they are not touching. Brush generously with the leftover marinade.
Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until deep golden brown, rotating the tray half way through and flipping the wings over.
While chicken is baking, combine all of the dipping ingredients and whisk together.
Serve the drumettes with the dipping sauce.

Shown with my guiltless blue cheese dressing.

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Avocado Cilantro Hummus

What can I say about hummus… it’s yummy, healthy and now I know, super easy to make at home. There are so many variations to suit your taste buds, the possibilities are almost endless. Sweet potato, pumpkin, black bean, sun-dried tomato, roasted rep pepper… you get the idea. I think this recipe is great as is, but if you’re more of a lime person, feel free to substitute lime juice instead of lemon.

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 ripe avocado, pitted & roughly chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 1/2 tbsp. Tahini
Juice from 1 lemon
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. sea salt
2-3 tbsp. water
Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
Ground pepper, to taste

Directions

In a food processor, combine garbanzo beans, avocado, cilantro, garlic, Tahini, lemon juice, and salt. Process until smooth.
With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube in a slow steady stream, then add water, 1 tbsp. at a time until oil is incorporated and mixture is very creamy.
Add cayenne, if using, and pepper to taste, and stir well.
Serve with pita bread, chips and/or vegetables.

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Quick & Easy Microwave Hollandaise Sauce

As you may (or may not) know, I have a great light Hollandaise Sauce already on here, but decided to give you another one that I’ve been using for a while and only takes five minutes to make, if that. And, this one has even fewer calories than my other recipe! Score! While it’s not as creamy as the other recipe, since there isn’t any heavy whipping cream, I still think it’s delicious and really great if you’re short on time. This recipe yields one serving so double/triple it, if necessary.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. butter
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. lemon juice
White pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard

Directions

Put butter in a coffee cup (if making one or two servings) or a bowl (if making three or more servings), and microwave for about 15 seconds, until just melted.
Separate egg white & yolk, and add yolk to cup.
Stir together well with a fork (or a whisk if using a bowl).
Add lemon juice and white pepper, and stir.
Put into microwave and set the time to 30 seconds (although you probably won’t need that much time). When the timer shows 22 seconds, open the door (pausing the microwave), remove cup and stir the hollandaise sauce vigorously with the fork. Return cup to the microwave with the hollandaise sauce and press “Start” again. Allow only about 7-9 seconds to pass, then repeat: open the microwave, remove the cup and stir the hollandaise sauce vigorously. Continue to stir and cook until the hollandaise sauce is light and fluffy.
Remove from microwave and add mustard, stir well.
Taste, and adjust seasonings of lemon juice and pepper, if desired.
Serve over your food and enjoy!

15.9 g fat / 157 cal / 1.1 g carb / 2.8 g protein per serving

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Unsloppy Joes

I saw a commercial a few days ago for Pillsbury Grands Biscuits and this recipe, and knew I had to try it since Sloppy Joes were a staple when I was growing up (thanks Mom!). I still love them, but nowadays, I make them from scratch… most of the time. If I’m pinched for time, or simply being lazy (it happens), then I turn to my trusted Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce. With that being said, this old-school recipe taken to a new level, uses the canned sauce so it can prepared in a flash, which makes it perfect for a weeknight or when time is of the essence.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom for an additional way to make these 🙂

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef, cooked, drained
1 can (15 oz) Manwich sloppy joe sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 oz)

Directions

Heat oven to 375° F.
In large skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain.
Stir in sauce and chili powder; simmer 5 minutes.
Cut biscuit in half and press bottom into 6-inch round.
Spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture and about 1 tbsp. cheese onto center of each round.
Take top half of biscuit and press it out so it’s approximately the same size as the bottom, and place over filling; press sides to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

* If you want it saucier, use only 3/4 lb. beef. To add a little heat, if you so desire, add a skosh of cayenne pepper to the sauce. Also, feel free to add a bit of onion and/or garlic powder while cooking the beef.

Another idea, which I think is really cute & just came up with, is making this a muffin. Simply cut the biscuit in half, spread the dough out enough so when you put it in the muffin tin, the sides go up to the top, then fill with sloppy joe and top with some cheese.

If you have any leftover Sloppy Joe, put it into muffin cups, stick the pan in the freezer until frozen, remove from pan, place into a ziplock bag & return to freezer. Each frozen sloppy joe “muffin” should be equivalent to a single serving when defrosted and reheated.

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Steak (or Chicken) Fajitas

I’m a huge fan of Mexican food, and can eat a boatload of chips and salsa. However, my true love really lies with tacos and fajitas. Here’s a quick & delicious recipe which I made last week that is sure to please. This would be equally as tasty as a vegetarian dish by omitting the meat and substituting black beans.

Ingredients

3/4 lb top sirloin steak
1 onion, cut lengthwise & cut into strips
2 small sweet peppers of your choice (green, red, or yellow), cut into strips
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. hot pepper flakes
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
8 flour tortillas

Directions

Slice steak into thin strips.
In bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, hot pepper flakes, black pepper & salt.
Add beef strips and stir to coat, set aside.
Wrap tortillas in foil and place in 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
In large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat remaining tablespoons of olive oil.
Add onions & peppers stirring for 3-4 minutes, until softened; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Add beef to skillet, cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until they lose their red color.
Return onions and peppers to skillet; stir for about one minute.
To serve, spoon a portion of the beef mixture down the center of each tortilla, top with your desired toppings (salsa, shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, etc.), fold bottom of tortilla up over filling, and fold the sides in, overlapping.

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Easy & Delicious Cornbread

Cornbread is another southern food I discovered while living in Georgia, which I truly enjoy. There are numerous variations of this dish, but this one is my go-to recipe since it’s quick and so very tasty!

Ingredients

1 cup Albers® White or Yellow Corn Meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.
Combine meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
Combine milk, oil and egg in small bowl; mix well.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Serve warm.

Source: Albers®

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Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John

If you’re not familiar with Hoppin’ John, it is a dish served in the Southern United States consisting of black-eyed peas (or field peas) and rice, with chopped onion and sliced bacon, seasoned with a bit of salt. Some people substitute ham hock, or country sausage for the conventional bacon; a few use green peppers or vinegar and spices. In the southern United States, eating Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck. The peas are symbolic of pennies or coins, and a coin is sometimes added to the pot or left under the dinner bowls. Collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, chard, kale, cabbage etc. along with this dish, are supposed to also add to the wealth since they are the color of money. Another traditional food, cornbread, can also be served to represent wealth, being the color of gold. On the day after New Year’s Day, leftover “Hoppin’ John” is called “Skippin’ Jenny,” and further demonstrates one’s frugality, bringing a hope for an even better chance of prosperity in the New Year.

I made this yummy dish last year, and thought for sure I has posted it right afterwards, but my bad for not doing so. This recipe contains bacon, so if you’d like to make it vegetarian, simply omit that and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken stock. This can be served as a stew or you can use a slotted spoon to drain it. Some people like to have the “sauce” on the side to dip their cornbread in.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Black Eyed Peas
4 oz. bacon, cooked & chopped
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 bunch of carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, cut in half lengthwise
32 ounces low-sodium chicken stock/broth
3 bay leaves
2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 sprig fresh Thyme
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 bunch Collard greens, leaves stripped from stem

Directions

Rinse the peas under cold water and pick out any stones or discolored peas. Bring the peas to boil in a medium saucepan full of cold water. Boil the peas for 10 minutes. As the beans cool, start chopping the vegetables. If you are planning to simmer the stew all day, skip boiling the peas.
Cook bacon in a skillet or the microwave, set aside.
Combine peas, diced bell pepper, onion, carrots, garlic, jalapeño halves, stock and seasonings in a slow cooker. Cook for at least 4 hours on low.
About an hour before you are ready to serve, prepare the collards by cutting the leaves into strips and add them to the stew.
Add the reserved cooked bacon at this time. Cook the stew for another 40-60 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves, thyme stems, and jalapeno halves.
Serve alone or over of your favorite rice. If desired, can top with cheddar cheese, scallions and a drizzle of white vinegar.

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Cornish Game Hens

I decided to go a little non-traditional this Thanksgiving, and make cornish hens instead of turkey. I’ve never made them before, and am so glad I did… they were truly incredible. Seriously. I combined two recipes, one was for a turkey breast, and have to say, it’s a brilliant combo. I will tell you there are a lot of ingredients, but don’t shy away because of that… there’s a rub for the bird, in addition to what’s put in the cavity, so it’s really pretty straight forward. I’m giving you the recipe to make two hens, so if you just want to make one, simply divide everything in half.

Ingredients

For The Cavity

4 cloves garlic (2 for each hen) + 8 additional cloves garlic for arranging around hens
2 cinnamon sticks (1 per hen)
1 small onion, cut in half (1/2 onion per hen)
4 lemon wedges (2 per hen)
2 sprigs rosemary (1 per hen)

Herb Rub Mix

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder

For Basting

1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Season hens with salt and pepper.
Stuff hens with cavity ingredients.
Generously rub herb mix all over hens and underneath skin.
Arrange 8 garlic cloves around hens in small roasting pan (you don’t need a rack).
Add some chicken broth to pan. I didn’t measure but made sure the bottom of pan was covered.
Roast in oven for 25 minutes.
Combine wine, chicken broth and olive oil in a bowl.
Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. and pour basting liquid over hens.
Baste every 10 minutes, and continue roasting for 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear.

* To make a gravy/sauce, transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a saucepan, and boil until liquid reduces to a sauce consistency, about 8 minutes.

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Maple Glazed Carrots

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope today finds you blessed with an abundance of love, happiness, and of course, food. This year, I’m having a very low-key day by celebrating the holiday at home with just my pet family, but I’m still planning on having a scrumptious dinner with the traditional fixin’s. I always make carrots as one of my side dishes, and usually cook them with some honey, but decided to try them with maple syrup last night. I only taste-tested a couple, as I’m saving them for today’s “big” feast, but they were amazing. And, the fact that there’s only four ingredients and are super easy to make, is an added bonus!

Ingredients

Approximately 25 baby carrots
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

Directions

Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain & set aside.
Combine butter, 1/4 cup water, and maple syrup in large skillet over medium-low heat.
When butter is melted, mix in carrots and cover. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.
Cook until most of liquid evaporates, stirring frequently, approximately 8 minutes.
Uncover, stir, and cook one more minute.
Enjoy!

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