Pineapple Teriyaki Skewers

What You’ll Need for Skewers:

• (1) Red Pepper, seeded & cut into 1″ pieces
• (1) Yellow Pepper, seeded & cut into 1″ pieces
• (1) Fresh Pineapple, cored & cut into 1″ pieces
• (1) Onion, peeled & cut into 1″ pieces
• (6) Chicken Breasts, cut into 1.5″- 2″ pieces
• Salt & Pepper

…for Sauce:

• 1 c. + 1/4 c. Water
• 1/2 c. Soy Sauce
• 1/4 c. Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 2 tsp. Minced Ginger
• 2 tbsp. Honey
• 2 tbsp. Cornstarch

Directions for Sauce:

1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan EXCEPT for 1/4 c. water and cornstarch
2. Mix together 1/4 c. water & cornstarch in a small separate dish
3. Begin heating ingredients in sauce pan, then add cornstarch/water mixture
4. Heat until sauce thickens – let cool before using as a marinade

Directions for Skewers:

1. I marinaded my chicken breasts in teriyaki sauce over night – a few hours will do or baste occasionally while cooking
2.  Start layering peppers, onions, pineapple and chicken on skewers
3. SEASON generously with salt & pepper
4. Grill for approx. 20 minutes, turning occasionally – until
   chicken is cooked through

Have you ever wondered how some restaurants get the perfect grilled cheese put on your plate? Wonder no more, I am going to show you ALL the TRICKS!

📍 Pin HERE for later!

Say Cheese! Cheese, Cheese, & More CHEESE. Use different types of cheese, and lots of it!

Mayo is the Secret! Usually you make a traditional grilled cheese with butter… BUT did you know most restaurants use (real) MAYO instead? It’s TRUE! If you think about it… mayo is really just oil and eggs! (Trust me you don’t taste the mayo once it gets toasted up)

You missed a little right there! Make sure to spread the mayo (or butter) EDGE-to-EDGE! This is crucial for an even golden brown.

Turning the heat up! Preheat your pan. This will help both sides cook evenly. You don’t want your pan scorching hot but a nice little sizzle when you put the bread on is PERFECT! (A medium-high heat will works best)

Listen for that sizzle! Place your bread MAYO side down once & now put the cheese on. Layer upon layer, upon layer.. YUM! Once it is golden brown, FLIP IT!

What, WATER? In order to create that perfect melty center steam the inside (Do not fear, this will not make your soon-to-be perfect grilled cheese soggy). Place a couple of teaspoons of water on the hot pan with the grilled cheese, it will SIZZLE & that it fine! Quickly cover with a large pan lid or metal bowl (something that is high heat safe – that won’t melt of course)

Let’s Eat! Look at this, oyey-goey-melty-cheesy-goodness, YUM!

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Prep.: 5-mins.
Cook Time: 25-mins.Yields: 2.5-cups.

Ingredients:

• 2-tsp. Cracked Black Pepper
• 2-tbps. Minced Garlic
• 4-tbps. Butter
• 1/4-c. Parmesan Cheese
• 2-oz. Cream Cheese
• 2-c. Heavy Cream

Steps:

1. In a large sauce pan, over medium/low heat melt butter.
2. Once butter is melted, add minced garlic. Saute garlic until starts becoming translucent.
3. Slowly add heavy cream, whisking constantly until butter is incorporated into cream.
4. Add cracked black pepper and cream cheese, let simmer for 15-minutes. Stirring occasionally.
5. When done simmering add parmesan cheese.

Tips: Serve with pasta and chicken or portobello mushrooms!

Mini Cream Cheese & Fruit Danishes

Prep. : 10 mins.
Cook Time: 15 mins.
Yields: 10 danishes (approx.)

Ingredients:

• Crescent roll dough
• 5-oz. Cream Cheese, softened
• ¹/3-c. Sugar
• ¹/3-c.  Powdered Sugar
• 2-tsp. Milk
• ¹/8-tsp. Vanilla Extract
• Cherry Pie Filling

Steps:

1. Cut crescent rolls in to circles (do NOT unroll them)
   
2. Use something with a flat bottom (ex: measuring cup) and press the crescent rounds down to about a ¹/4-inch thickness
   
3. Press down the center of dough, to create an edge to hold the filling in
   
4. Mix together cream cheese, vanilla and sugar. Add a small amount to the danish (fill about half the inner circle of the dough)
   
5. Add cherry filling
   
6. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 15-minutes (or until done & golden brown). Let Cool
   
7. Mix milk and powdered sugar together, drizzle glaze over the top & ENJOY!

TIPS: 1. Use a “flakey” crescent dough. 2. Spray your knife with pan before cutting the dough
You also do not have to use cherry pie filling, you could use peach or blueberry, or maybe you just want a cream cheese danish… THAT’S FINE TOO!

One Skillet Ranch Ham Pasta

Prep. Time: 10-mins. (approx.)
Cook. Time: 20-mins. (approx.)
Yields: 12-servings (approx.)

Ingredients:

• 6-c. (48-oz.) Diced Ham
• 3-c. (24-oz.) Sour Cream
• 2.5-c. Milk
• 16-oz. Penne Pasta
• 1-c. Italian Blend Shredded Cheese
• ¹/2-c. Shredded Parmesan Cheese
  
• 3-tbsp. Flour
• 3-tbps. Butter
• 1-tbsp. Garlic Salt
• 1-tbps. Lemon-Pepper
• 1-tpbs. Dill Weed
• 2-tsp. Garlic Powder
• ¹/2-tsp. Black Pepper
  
• ¹/2-tsp. Onion Powder
• ¹/4-tsp. Minced Onion, dried
  

Steps:

1. Cook pasta according to directions on package (for Al Dente pasta)
2. In a large skillet, melt butter. Once melted, add flour and cook for a few minutes…. stirring FREQUENTLY (this is a rue, helps thicken the sauce)
   
3. Add milk to the rue, SLOWLY and stirring until completely combined. + add in all the spices
   
4. Still stirring frequently, let the flour-milk-spice mixture simmer, for about 2- 3-minutes. Then remove from heat
5. Stir in sour cream, put back on heat and add ¹/2-c. Italian cheese and ¹/4– Parmesan cheese
   
6. Add in ham and penne, stir until sauce is coating ham and pasta. Let simmer for 10-mins.
   
7. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over top and let melt (about 3- 5-minuts) & ENJOY!
   

TIP: try adding sauteed mushrooms or spinach to add another level to this dish. This dish is also very good made with chicken instead of ham!

Copycat “Restaurant Style” Salsa

This salsa tastes just like the salsa you would get at Cozumel or Chili’s, SO YUMMY! It is even very similar to the salsa at Applebee’s!

Prep. Time: 10-mins. (approx.)
Yields: 6 ¹/2-cups

Ingredients:

• 28-oz. can Whole Tomatoes, do NOT drain!
• (2) 10-oz. cans Rotel (I used original)
• 2 Jalapenos, seeded & diced
• ¹/2-c. Onion, diced
  
• 1-tsp. Garlic Salt
• 1-tsp. Cumin
• 1-tsp. Sugar – to make this low carb, omit the sugar or use replacement
• Juice from half a lime

Steps:

Put everything into a blender, including juices from canned tomatoes and rotel

Blend (blending time will depend on how chunky or not-chunky you like your salsa. I made mine a tad on the thinner side)

Chill. The longer this sits in the fridge the better is tastes!

TIP: If you want a little more of a flavor profile you can add cilantro or even garlic (try it roasted!)

Looking for More Appetizer Ideas? Check Out These Suggestions:

• Crab Rangoon Dip
• Frickles – Deep Fried Ham Rolls
• Mini Tortilla Pizzas

Apple Dijon Pork Chops

Prep. Time: 20-mins. (approx.)
Cook Time: 6-hours
Yields: 6-servings

Ingredients:

• 6 (1-inch) Boneless Porkchops
• 2- 3 Apples
• 1 Onion
• ¹/2-c. Honey
• ¹/2-c. Dijon Mustard
• 1-tbsp. Lemon Juice
• Salt & Pepper

Steps:

1. Peel and dice apples and onions
2. Mix together apple, onion, lemon juice, mustard and honey
   
3. Place pork chops on bottom of crock pot, season with salt & pepper
   
4. Pour apple-mustard mixture over pork chops
   
5. Cook on low for 6- 8-hours & serve with your favorite sides!!

Spooky Spider Cookies

Prep Time: 15-mins.
Cook Time: 20-mins.
Yields: 2-Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1-pouch Betty Crocker Cookie Dough
• 24 Milk Chocolate Lindour Truffles, unwrapped
• White Chocolate Melting Wafers
• Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers
• Sugar

Steps:

1. Mix together the cookie dough by following the directions on the back of the package
2. Roll cookie dough into 1-inch sized balls and roll in sugar to coat the outside
   
3. Place on a cookie sheet and bake by directions on package
4. When done cookies, take them out of the oven and press down the centers – I used the back of a melon baller, it worked PERFECT!
   
5. Once cookies are cool, melt chocolate wafers (in different bowls) and put into Ziploc baggies
6. Use the dark chocolate and pipe chocolate “spider legs” onto the cookie, also put a small amount in the bottom of the “hole” we made – as glue for the Lindour
7. Put the Lindour on the cookie, let set for just a couple minutes until the wafer chocolate hardens
   
8. Use the melted white chocolate wafers and dark chocolate to draw eyes onto the Lindours

TIPS: If you do not want to draw the eyes with chocolate, you can buy the candy eyeballs in the baking isle.
VARIATIONS: If you do not want to make Spiders, you can create any design – like this one here:

“No Crack” Cheesecake

Prep. Time: 15-mins. (approx.)
Cook Time: 35-mins. (approx.)
Yields: 8-servings

Ingredients:

• 2 (8-oz.) packages of Cream Cheese, softened
• 8-oz. Sour Cream
• 1-tbps. Vanilla Extract
• ⅔-c. Sugar + more for graham cracker crust
• 2-eggs, slightly beaten
• 1-tsp. Salt
• Keebler Graham Cracker Crumbs
• Butter

Steps:

1. Prepare graham cracker crumbs/crust with directions on box (needs sugar & butter).
   
2. Blind bake crust for about 9-mins at 350 degrees in a GREASED 9’inch spring form pan.
   
3. With an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, sugar and eggs. Beat until FLUFFY.
   
4. Pour cheesecake mixture into baked&cooled graham cracker crust (reserve about a cup to a cup and a half of the mixture)
5. “Drop” cheesecake on the counter a few times to get all the air bubbles out (as this is what causes cracks; so as long as you see those little bubbles coming to the surface, keep “dropping” your cheesecake)
6. Put cheesecake on a cookie sheet, and put a couple cups of water onto the cookie sheet to create a water bath for the cheese cake.
   
7. Bake for 25-minutes at 350 degrees, then add the rest of the batter on top (as evenly as possible, be careful not to burn yourself). Bake for another 10-minutes.
   
8. Do NOT stick a toothpick in the center to check “done-ness,” as this ALSO causes cracks in cheesecakes. Use your best judgement, and make sure the cheesecake center is no longer “jiggly.”
9. Put cheesecake in the fridge, let refrigerate overnight.

SUGGESTIONS: put foil around the bottom of the spring form pan before putting water in the cookie sheet to insure no water gets into the bottom of your cheesecake
TIP: Top with your favorite pie filling or a chocolate and caramel drizzle

“3” Ingredient Poke Cake

Prep. Time: 10- 15-mins.
Cook Time: May VaryYields: 10-servings

Ingredients:

• 1-box Yellow Cake Mix
• 2-small boxes Vanilla Pudding
• 1-container Chocolate Frosting

Steps:

1. Bake cake as directed, let cool.
   
2. Once cool, poke holes in the cake with the back of a wooden spoon (or something similar)
   
3. Mix pudding as directed, let is sit and set for just a few minutes!! Make sure it is still “pourable.”
   
4. Go over holes with pudding, this is tedious because the pudding will continue to sink and soak into the holes. but continue this until the holes are “filled.” Pour the rest of pudding over the cake and spread evenly.
   
5. While the pudding soaks in, REMOVE the foil/wrapper/lid from the frsoting and microwave in 10-second intervals. Stirring between everyone, until pour able. Pour over cake.
   
6. Refrigerate until chocolate has “set.” & eat.