Spinach Artichoke Dip

 

Ingredients 

Servings: 10 people as an appetizer

• 8 oz cream cheese, reduced fat is ok
• 16 oz light sour cream
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• 14 oz quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 4 oz can diced jalapeños, drained
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 2-3 garlic cloves, pressed

Instructions

• In a medium pot over medium heat, melt together 8oz cream cheese, 16 oz sour cream, 1 stick butter and 1.5-2 cups Parmesan cheese, stirring frequently until melted and an even consistency. It should start to bubble.
• Stir in coarsely chopped artichoke hearts, your drained jalapenos and drained spinach (I used my hands to squeeze spinach over the sink to remove excess water). Finally, stir in 2-3 pressed garlic cloves. Serve hot with chips or crackers or toasted baguettes.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken

 

→ Main Ingredients

1½ pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup pineapple juice

4 cloves chopped garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

 

 

Instructions

Get started by placing those juicy chicken thighs in either a large bowl or a gallon-sized Ziploc bag - whatever you've got handy!

In a medium bowl, let's create that mouthwatering marinade! Mix together your soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, garlic, and ginger until that sugar is completely dissolved into this beautiful blend.

Pour your freshly made marinade all over the chicken. If you're using a bag, squeeze out the air before sealing it up. Bowl users, wrap it tight with plastic! Now, let it hang out in the fridge - 4 hours will do, but overnight will give you the best flavor.

When you're ready to cook, grab the chicken but hold onto that marinade! Pour it into a saucepan and let it simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until it reduces slightly and becomes food-safe.

Fire up that grill to medium-high heat! Throw your marinated chicken on there and brush it with some of that hot marinade. Give it about 6-8 minutes per side until you hit that perfect 165°F internal temp and get some nice char marks.

Place your grilled chicken in a baking dish, pour over the remaining hot teriyaki sauce, and serve it up while it's nice and hot!

Notes

1. This Hawaiian-style Grilled Teriyaki Chicken features a perfectly balanced sweet and savory marinade that makes it absolutely perfect for grilling!

 

Better Than Sex Cake

 

• 1 box of chocolate cake mix
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 jar of caramel sauce
• 1 container of whipped topping
• 1 package of toffee bits
• Additional toppings of your choice (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the instructions on the box.
2. Once the cake is baked and cooled, use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake.
3. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, making sure it seeps into the holes.
4. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the cake, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
5. Spread the whipped topping over the cake, covering the caramel layer completely.
6. Sprinkle the toffee bits generously on top of the whipped cream.
7. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

Dolly Parton's Butterscotch Pie

 Dolly Parton's Butterscotch Pie

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust
- Whipped cream
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Mix together the chopped pecans, softened butter, brown sugar and salt using a fork in a medium bowl. Press the mixture into the pie plate evenly over the bottom and up the sides.

Bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes until the nuts are browned and fragrant. Move the pie pan to a cooling rack.

Mix together the brown sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt in a double boiler, then add the butter. Bring water in the bottom pan to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir the ingredients in the top pan until they’re combined.

Slowly whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and water mixture. Whisk in the egg yolks, working quickly so they don’t scramble (this is called tempering eggs). Stir the pudding mixture constantly until it’s smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the pudding mixture into the baked pie crust. Bake it for 15 minutes at 300ºF until the filling is warmed through and firm. Remove the pie to a cooling rack.

The pecans from your crust may float up into the filling and end up on top. That’s OK—the end result is still delicious.

Once the pie has cooled to room temperature, cover it and chill it for several hours or overnight. Serve slices of the chilled pie plain or all Dolly-ed up with whipped cream.

 

 

Shrimp and Grits

 

Grits:

• ▢ 1 cup stone-ground grits
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
• ▢ salt to taste
• ▢ 2 tbsp butter
• ▢ 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• ▢ 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Shrimp:

• ▢ 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• ▢ 8 oz bacon
• ▢ 2 shallots
• ▢ 1/3 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• ▢ 2-3 garlic cloves
• ▢ 3/4 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• ▢ 1/4 cup diced green onion

Instructions

Grits:

• Bring water and chicken broth to boil in a medium pot and season with some salt. Add grits and lower heat to medium-low/low heat. Cover and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
• Once grits is cooked, take it off the heat. Stir in butter and cheeses until melted. 

Shrimp:

• Peel and devein shrimp if needed.
• Prepare ingredients by dicing bacon into small pieces, slicing shallots, green onion, and sun-dried tomatoes, and peeling garlic. 
• In a medium cooking pan, over medium heat, cook diced bacon until brown and crispy. Take out bacon bits only and set them aside. 

  Pour off most of the leftover bacon grease if a lot accumulated, leaving about 2-3 tbsp in the pan.
• Add shallots and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan with bacon grease. Saute until golden. 
• Smash and mince garlic and add it to the pan. Saute until fragrant. 
• Add chicken broth and lemon juice to the pan. Stir and bring to simmer. 
• Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink and opaque on one side. Flip shrimp to the other side and let it cook until that side turns pink and opaque.
• Take the pan off heat. 
• Divide prepared grits among large bowls or deep plates. 
• Divide bacon bits, shrimp with broth, and some green onions among the plates, over the grits.

Notes

• Grits – use stone-ground grits, not instant grits! When cooking it, flavor the water that grits is cooked in. So season water with salt before adding stone-ground cornmeal that way it will soak up the flavor as it cooks. Using water and broth mixture will also increase the flavor.
• Grits takes about 20 minutes to cook so shrimp and bacon can be made at the same time as grits. If you make both parts of this dish at the same time, the dish will only take about 30 minutes.
• Shrimp – make sure to clean and devein shrimp before cooking! If you don’t feel like taking time to do that, you can always purchase shrimp that are already cleaned. It’s best to use large shrimp and if you have access to fresh, never frozen shrimp, that will give you the best results. If you do have to use frozen shrimp, make sure to thaw them completely and drain off all excess liquids.

 

Egg Fu Yung

 

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 pint bean sprouts
• 4 tablespoons scallions
• 4 teaspoons bamboo shoots
• 4 water chestnuts
• 1/2 cup ham
• 1 1/3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons water

Preparation

Mince all the vegetables, and shred the meat.

1. Place the eggs in a bowl and beat slightly, breaking the yolks. Mix in the meat and vegetables and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a small skillet for 30 seconds over medium-high heat.
3. Add 1/3 cup of the egg fu yung batter to the pan and cook like a pancake, flipping once so both sides brown.
4. Place the pancakes on an oven-safe plate, and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remainder of the batter.
5. Mix the water and corn starch together.
6. Add the remaining soy sauce, chicken broth, sugar and vinegar in a sauce pan, and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixture, and continue cooking until the sauce thickens.
7. Serve the egg fu yung topped with the sauce.

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream White Sauce

 

Ingredients

• For the Enchiladas:
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (use rotisserie chicken for convenience)
• 8 flour or corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• For the Sour Cream White Sauce:
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cumin (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare the Filling: In a skillet, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic in a bit of oil until softened (about 3-4 minutes). In a bowl, mix the shredded chicken, sautéed onion, garlic, and 1 cup of shredded cheese.
3. Fill the Tortillas: Spoon the chicken mixture into each tortilla, roll them tightly, and place them seam-side down in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
4. Make the White Sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking constantly until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, diced green chilies, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Assemble the Dish: Pour the white sauce generously over the enchiladas, ensuring they are well-coated. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
6. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.
7. Serve: Garnish with fresh cilantro or sliced green onions, and serve hot. These enchiladas pair well with guacamole, Mexican rice, or refried beans for a complete meal.

Tips

• Make Ahead: You can prepare the chicken filling and sauce up to 3 days in advance and store them in the refrigerator. Just fill the tortillas and bake when ready to serve.
• Customize: Feel free to add other ingredients like black beans, corn, or different types of cheese to suit your taste.
  This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or family gatherings, offering a comforting and satisfying meal that everyone will love! Enjoy your cooking