Every summer we have a boat party.  We spend two hours on the water them head back to the house for dinner.  This summer I decided to let our guests build their own tacos. To make sure that I got to enjoy the party and not get stuck in the kitchen all night I did
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This chicken recipe is quite easy to put together. The smokiness of the spices and the zest of the limes works wonderfully together.  I usually do not use chicken thighs when making chicken dishes, but for this meal I think it is a must.  I chopped it up and served it for tacos but it
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This was a quick dinner to throw together. I used frozen brussel sprouts.  I like using frozen veggies because I can always have them on hand and I can use as much or as little as I like.  They also cook up more quickly once they are defrosted.   For the pasta I used store
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This is another quick version of my homemade spaghetti sauce. Simple add a tablespoon of butter and 1/2 cup of cream makes a great sauce.  

This is a great rice that can be served as a side dish or as the main meal. It is even better the next day once the flavors have had a chance to mingle. Just make sure the you don’t over cook the shrimp. What You Need: 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 Tablespoon Minced Ginger
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For the 4th of July this year we decided to do a spin on burgers and hot dogs.  Everyone always thinks that these parties take me a lot of time so this time I decided to time myself.  I worked for about an hour on Wednesday and another hour and a half on Thursday.  On
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These are so easy to throw together.  I usually make 2 or 3 of them and freeze them for a quick week night meal anytime.  Another nice part to this meal is that there is usually left over taco meat that I like to use to make a taco salad for lunch the next day.
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For this steak I cheat a little and use a peppercorn sauce for the market. I have found that it is cheaper and quicker this way.  I then add more crushed peppercorns to kick up the flavors.  And depending on the brand that I pick up at the store, I might add worcestershire sauce and/or a
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I love this dish.  It is a nice spicy change to traditional spaghetti.  Puttanesca is a spicy sauce full of olives, capers, and crushed red pepper flakes. I usually just add these things to my already made spaghetti sauce and let it simmer for about 30 minutes to let all the flavors mingle. What You
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Recently I was given a package of flour tortillas straight from Mexico.  We made quesadillas, bean burritos, and simply ate them with a little butter.  I then decided to make enchiladas.  I always use corn tortillas for my enchiladas but thought this would be a yummy way to use some of those tortillas. What You
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Today was a busy day.  I was so happy that I had had the presence of mind to take out one of my pre made frozen meals!  Enchiladas!!  When ever I make enchiladas for dinner I like to make a couple extras to freeze for a later date. That way, on days like to day,
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I really like that at any moment I can grab a frozen bag of sauce and meatballs and have a fresh homemade pasta dinner in no time.  I like to store my sauce in 2 cup servings so that there is just enough for my husband and myself.  If I know we are going to
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It’s hockey time!  That means no time to slave away in the kitchen for me.   I keep pizza sauce at the ready in the freezer in one pizza sized servings. So all I need to do is defrost, top, and bake. I found these frozen crusts at the market.  They were okay, a little
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This was a quick and yummy lunch to throw together.  I had some cooked chicken and an open can of black beans so it was really quick to make.   What you Need: 1/4 Cup Cooked Chicken 1/4 Cup Black Beans 1/4 Cup Shredded Cheese Chopped Green Onions Tortillas What To Do:  Place tortilla on
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This is a great meal.  It takes a little bit of time, even if you make the meatballs and sauce ahead of time, but I think it is worth it, especially if you are making it for a big group. It can be made up to 4 hours ahead of time so all you have
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This is such a great dish.  It works for small or large groups.It is good hot or at room temperature and it freezes!  When ever I make this one I always make a pan or two extra to freeze.  Just don’t add the bread crumbs until you are ready to bake it.Look for this in
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In the past I have always made my enchiladas with corn tortillas. But last week one of my student’s parents brought me hand made flour tortillas from Mexico. Oh my, they were so good!  they were so good in fact, I had to hide them under the lettuce in the crisper so that my husband
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This is a yummy dinner that freezes beautifully.  I always make 2 or 3 batches and freeze them for those nights when there is no time to cook.   I think about 3 shells per person works well. With my make ahead tricks this can be thrown together fairly quickly. What I Make Ahead of
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This is a quick marinade that really adds a lot of flavor to steak. I like to add it to tougher types of beef. The vinegar helps tenderize the meat as well as give it a little zing.  The amounts below are for one steak ( I make my husband share) , but the recipe
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This is a delicious and easy pork dish. What You Need: 4 Pork Chops Salt and Pepper 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 4 Tablespoons Butter 1/4 Cup Parsley 1 teaspoon Sage 2 Tablespoons Honey Mustard   What To Do: Salt and pepper the pork chops.  Heat olive oil in pan. Add pork chops and cook until
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