Homemade Tartar Sauce

Threw together some tartar sauce tonight because i hate the sweet store bought stuff.  If you like your tartar sweet get a bottle at the store.  If you like it tasting like Captain D's (or another non-sweet kind)... here you go.  Sorry, in advance but i didn't measure this recipe either... did all "to taste"  - I'm old school like that.  I'll measure next time..

Real Mayonnaise   (a few table spoons - it was just me and my husband)
Dill Relish - NOT sweet relish (you can use sweet if you like that sort of thing)
Garlic Powder (a generous shake)
Old Bay Crab Boil Seasoning (optional)
Onion, chopped
Salt/Pepper, to taste.


Directions:  Mix all.  :)

dip, side, sides, snack, snacks,

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Mac Daddy Mac n' Cheese

I was looking for the perfect mac n' cheese recipe to take to an Easter shindig, and I came across Guy Fieri's Mac Daddy Mac n' Cheese recipe.  Boy am I glad I stumbled on this recipe.. so far everyone has liked it (that's 3 different families so far).  It's unique but not so unique that people think its weird and are afraid to try it.  

Guy Fieri's Mac Daddy Mac n' Cheese as seen on Foodnetwork.com

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place shallots and garlic in a small aluminum foil pouch and drizzle with olive oil. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender.  Pan fry your bacon and reserve the bacon fat.

 Remove shallots and garlic from foil and chop.  

Saute in saucepan with bacon fat until tender (about 1 min).

 Add flour and stir for 1 minute. 

Whisk in heavy cream and thyme. Reduce by a third.

 2 cups cheddar, 1 cup pepper jack

 Stir in cheeses until melted, creamy and thickened. 

 Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and gently stir in pasta. 

 In a small bowl, mix together diced bacon, bread crumbs, butter and parsley.

 Pour mac n cheese into a casserole dish 

(I had halved the recipe in these pics, you'll want to use a 9x13)

 Top Mac n Cheese with Panko mixture and bake uncovered at same heat until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes.

Ingredients

2 shallots, peeled

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 pieces bacon, diced, cooked, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat

2 tablespoons flour

4 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound penne pasta, cooked

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp. melted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Place shallots and garlic in a small aluminum foil pouch and drizzle with olive oil. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from foil and chop. 
3. In a large sauté pan, reheat reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Add roasted shallot and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. 
4. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in heavy cream and thyme. Reduce by a third. 
5. Stir in cheeses until melted, creamy and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
6. Remove from heat and gently stir in pasta. Place in a 9X13 casserole dish. 
7. In a small bowl, mix together diced bacon, bread crumbs, butter and parsley. 
8. Top Mac n Cheese with Panko mixture and bake uncovered at same heat until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes.

Guy Fieri's Mac Daddy Mac n' Cheese: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/mac-daddy-mac-n-cheese-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Note from Mrs. Scales:  I've made this 3 times and have realized I prefer to chop the shallots before roasting with the garlic in the foil pouch.  Its kind of difficult and slippery to cut up after they are cooked.  :)

comfort food, dinner, side, sides,

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Banana Pineapple Smoothie

Just made a banana pineapple smoothie. 

1 small vanilla yogurt,
1 1/2 bananas, handful of frozen pineapple (or fruit of your choice)
about a 1/4 c of milk OR fruit juice
about ten ice cubes - all in blender till desired consistency


Also Try:

Skinny Caramel Frappacino (Starbucks Copycat)
Starbucks Chai Tea (+ Low Carb Option)
Fat Burning Metabolism Boosting Detox Tea

dinner, drinks, easy, sides, sweet,

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Homemade Blue Cheese Macaroni

Whipped this up spur of the moment yesterday.. twas  yummy.


Ingredients:

2 cups macaroni (or any other pasta)
2/3 cup heavy cream (or milk)
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
a 3 finger (and thumb) pinch of packaged shredded chese mix of your choice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Top with:
Sprinkle of the packaged shredded cheese mix
Crumbled bacon (optional)
Green onion chopped (optional)


Directions:

Boil macaroni/pasta til done. Drain.

While pasta is cooking, mix all remaining ingredients (except for toppings) in a sauce pan and melt together.  If you want it thinner add a little more milk.  Heat and mix till all melted and smooth.  Pour pasta into the cheese sauce and mix well.

Top with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.

Other yummy pasta dishes:
Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
Chicken Spaghetti
Shrimp Scampi Linguini

comfort food, dinner, sides,

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Mexican Rice

 In my search for perfect mexican rice, of course grabbing the Rice-a-Roni version was an option - but no, I found a home made mexican rice recipe... which I changed up.. as I usually do..  I like to give things my own Mrs. Scales flavor.. and usually it turns our flavorful and yummy.    Here goes.. the recipe originally from www.foodnetwork.com but changed and modified by moi..

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups water

1 can Rotel (original or spicy)

1 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded Cheddar

1 tsp olive oil

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice, onion powder, garlic powder, and minced garlic. Cook until the rice is browned. Stir in the water, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 15 to 17 minutes. Stir in the cheese and olive oil and transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve with Chimichangas (pictured below) or Enchiladas... or pretty much any mexican dish.  :)

 

 

mexican, side, sides,

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Sausage Cheese Balls

1 c Bisquik
2 c Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 lb sausage (jimmy dean or other;  spicy, breakfast, or regular)
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (unless you're using spicy sausage)
1/2 tsp seasoning salt

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix all together in bowl with your hands.  Form into 1 inch balls by rolling in your hands, you know, like you used to do with play-dough.  Assemble on a greased cookie sheet, lined with foil if you dont want extra mess.  Cook at 375 for 20 min or until golden brown.

Sauce:

Mix together
1 tbsp mustard
1/2 cup mayo


























Other great appetizers to try:
Blue Cheese Bacon & Chive Kettle Chips
Grilled Veggies
Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dip (Chuy's Copycat)
Pico De Gallo
Cream Cheese Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos (Low Carb)
Jalapeno Fudge (Low Carb)
Jalapeno Bacon Wrapped Shrimp (Low Carb)
Scotch Eggs (Low Carb, Gluten Free)

appetizer, sausage, sides, snacks,

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Cheesy Garlic Bread

Given the creamy italian salad dressing in this recipe, I was unsure if it would be good.  Much to my surprise, it worked! This recipe from The Goose Berry Patch turns out was a perfect compliment to the Olive Garden 'Copy Cat' Chicken Scampi dish I made last night. 

 

Ingredients

• ½ c. butter, softened
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ to 1 c. creamy Italian salad dressing
• 1 loaf Italian bread, halved lengthwise
• 2 c. shredded Cheddar, mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese (I used cheddar & parmesan)
• 2 t. dried parsley

Instructions

1. Blend butter, garlic and salad dressing together in a small bowl.
2. Place bread on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Spread butter mixture over both halves.
3. Top with shredded cheese and parsley.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
5. Slice each half into 8 pieces; serve warm.

dinner, italian, sides,

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Grilled veggies

So yum. Put veggies in a bag. Toss with parmesan, cayenne pepper, seasoning salt, minced garlic, and pepper. Wrap veggies in foil. Put on the grill for a half hour or until as tender as desired.

Eat.

easy, sides,

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Copy Cat Chuy's Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dip

Copy Cat Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dip

If you have ever been to Chuy's tex mex restaurant then you know the deliciousness that is the Creamy  Jalapeño Ranch dip. 

After searching around I found a basic recipe that I changed to make it taste as close to Chuy's version as possible. It's very similar and 2 people have said that my version actually has more flavor and they prefer  it but they are close  in taste. 

I hope you enjoy.  

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk (whole milk)
• 1 packet hidden valley ranch dressing mix (the dry stuff)
• 1/2 sliced fresh jalapeno (no seeds if you don't want really spicy; i add the seeds)
• 1/2 cup pickled jalapeno pepper slices
• 4 finger pinch of cilantro
• generous pinch of salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder to taste
• 1 tsp of lime juice (Optional)

Directions:

Throw EVERYTHING in the blender.

Blend on low for 45-60 seconds. (The longer you blend the runnier it gets.)
Refrigerate
 

Serve with tortilla chips.  Perfect opener for delicious Chicken Enchiladas.

Let me know what you think! :)

appetizer, copy cat, dressing, easy, quick, sides, spicy,

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Pico De Gallo

I always reference it in my recipes.. so rather than say how to make it in each of those recipes, I'll just post the quick how to right here.  This is how I make pico de gallo.

You need:

1 onion
1 tomato
cilantro (to taste)  can sub parsley
1 scoop minced garlic
1- 2 dashes of seasoning salt
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Chop onion and tomato.  Mix all together in a bowl.  Dash some seasoning salt, salt and pepper.  Stir and that's it.  You can refrigerate it and use it for tacos, salsa, etc.

mexican, sides,

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Jalapeno Cream Cheese Bacon Wrapped Shrimp (Low Carb)

Delicious for low carbers and non low carbers alike!  Bacon, jalapenos, cream cheese, shrimp..melt in your mouth.  Things like this make low carbing not bad at all :)


Serves 4-5 (2 skewers ea.)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds of colossal shrimp, raw, de-veined, and shelled  (i used precooked, jumbo, deveined/shelled)
Believe me you don't want to use smaller shrimp!  
• Cream Cheese
• 3 jalapeno peppers
• 2 regular packages of bacon
You'll use a package and a half. Don't buy the nice thick cut kind, it will take too long to cook around the shrimp.
• skewers - soaked in water (dont soak in water if using the deep fry option)
• Optional: a light sprinkle of your favorite seasoning.

Directions:

Cut the tops off of the jalapenos, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon, then cut the halves into slivers.

Remove paper wrapper of bacon, leave on the plastic one, and take a sharp knife to cut packages of bacon in half.

Get ingredients together and ready for assembly.


Put a sliver of jalapeno down into the back side of the shrimp, where the vein has been removed.  

Put cream cheese over jalapeno.

Hold in place, and wrap with 1/2 piece of bacon. Secure by putting them on a skewer (4 per).  Or one toothpick each.

If using a gas grill, heat to high, then turn down to low. Grill until bacon is done to your preference. If using charcoal or wood, grill over warm coals.

If using oven, preheat 400.

If deep frying, 375.

Grill: about 10 minutes or until bacon is done.  (Has a definite grill flavor. Very good, very flavorful, can taste much of the cream cheese because alot melts out. )

Oven: 20 min or until bacon is done. (Took way longer than other methods but the cream cheese flavor stuck best.  Very good)

Deep Fry: 2 minutes or until bacon done.  (quickest method and tasty.  Couldn't taste cream cheese)
 
less than one carb!

 From the grill.  I used toothpicks instead of skewers.  I forgot to soak them first.  you can see the burnt toothpick.  Still delicious though.  

From the oven

appetizer, low carb, seafood, sides,

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SCOTCH EGGS! (Gluten Free, Low Carb)

I found this recipe a couple places, both very similar to each other.  I ended up adapting from this one here. I changed it a little though, as I usually do.  

These were better than expected. Hubs really liked them.  And they are quite filling.  A burst of breakfast flavor.  mmm.  I brought one for lunch today. lol.  Im excited about it.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 32 mins

Total time: 47 mins

Ingredients

• 6 pre hard boiled eggs ( cooled, peeled, and dry)
• 1 lb lean ground breakfast sausage
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 Tbsp gluten free Worcestershire sauce ( can be omitted)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ Tbsp Cajun seasoning mix
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used Monterrey Jack and a little Mexican blend)
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning (I used Johnny Seasoning Salt instead)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

*if you dont care about carbs, you can throw in 1/4 - 1/2 cup panko or regular bread crumbs (like progresso or similar)

Instructions

1. Preheat oil in deep fryer to 365.
2. Put sausage in a bowl add: Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and mozzarella cheese.
   
3. Mix it all together.
4. Then in a separate bowl beat an egg.
5. In another bowl mix: Parmesan cheese (and bread crumbs if you're using them), salt and pepper.
6. Now separate your meat mixture into 6 patties.
7. Place your cooled, peeled, and dry hard boiled egg on a meat mixture patty, and roll in hands around your egg until covered and ball shaped.  (this was a little difficult but it eventually comes together)
8. Dip and roll in egg wash mixture, Then roll in Parmesan mixture till covered.
   
9. Repeat with other eggs.
10. Deep fry a couple at a time for 5 minutes. 
11. Serve with favorite dipping sauce, hot sauce or Mustard.

If you don't want to deep fry you can bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

You can also pan fry in oil turning ever 2 or 3 minutes until golden brown.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 egg Approx.
Nutrition info:
Calories: 241
Fat: 13
Carbohydrates: 3
Protein: 24








 

appetizer, breakfast, gluten free, low carb, sides,

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Delicious Chicken Strips

Chicken Strips!  Yay.  For this recipe you can use just one cheese if you want but there is a handy Ramano/Parmasean/Asiago mixture in the deli/cheese/salami section of the grocery store.    That is what I use and its TASTY.

6 chicken tenderloins - boneless and skinless

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg

2 Tablespoons water

1 cup Panko

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmasean/Romano/Asiago cheese mix (you can find this in the cheese section of your grocery store pre-shredded)   Alternatiely you can use grated parmesan.

1. Combine Panko and cheese in a bowl. Put flour into another bowl and mix the egg and water in yet another bowl until well blended.
2. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add several tablespoons of oil to the pan. Oil that is not hot enough will absorb into the chicken and oil that is too hot will smoke.
3. Working quickly, coat each piece of chicken in flour - shaking off excess, and then in egg wash and lastly in Panko and cheese coating. Make sure there are no bare spots on each breast.
4. Fry each coated filet in the heated oil until golden brown, turning once during cooking -- 5 minutes on each side.
5. Drain well on paper toweling and serve immediately with your choice of sauce

 

Mix the panko and cheese.

 put flower in one bowl, mix your egg and water in another. Chicken first goes in the flour, then the egg wash, the cheese/panko mix then into your oil.

 Cook in hot oil, about five minutes each side.

These would actually taste really good if used as the chicken for Chicken Scampi (Olive Garden Copycat)

appetizer, chicken, dinner, side, sides,

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Easy Fried Rice

Fried Rice

Serves 5-6

4 cups rice, prepared
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked (You can use chicken from the Pineapple Chicken! or any left over chicken)  (Chicken/Meat optional)
1 cup peas & carrots, frozen
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
3 tablespoons cooking oil (sesame, vegetable, canola)
1/4 cup soy sauce

Prepare rice according to package instructions to yield 4 cups cooked rice. Heat sesame oil in a Wok or large skillet on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, peas, and carrots.  Stir fry until tender. Crack eggs into pan and scramble, mixing throughout vegetables. 

Add rice, cooked chicken, and soy sauce to pan.  Stir in soy sauce and cook and stir for about a minute, remove from heat.

 Heat oil in pan, cook onion, garlic, peas & carrots until tender.

 Add egg, scramble.

 Add rice, chicken & soy sauce.

 Stir and cook for 1 minute, remove from heat.

asian, chicken, quick, sides,

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