Sunday Dinner

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Goat Cheese and Salami-Stuffed Dates

Butterflied Roast Chicken with Warm Bread and Arugula Salad

Tarte au Citron

This is a 3-C Sunday dinner: cheese, chicken, and chocolate citrus. Tonight, I will focus on sharing the middle C with you. Most of you know about my love for a good Roast Chicken, and this recipe definitely gets a 💗 vote from me. It was inspired by San Francisco's  Zuni Cafe's popular dish. I keep the overall salad components (chicken, bread, and arugula) the same, but I use my own vinaigrette recipe because that is how I like it.

Butterflying a chicken is a simple process.  You need a good pair of poultry shears to cut away the backbone (save the backbone for homemade stock) and a strong hand to press the breastbone when it is skin-side up. This flattens the breasts to the same thickness as the legs, allowing the chicken to roast in a shorter amount of time with even browning all over. 

The neat part about this recipe is that the bread pieces are placed under and around the chicken while it roasts.  This allows the bread to soak up all of those tasty chicken drippings. Once the chicken is done, the bread cubes will be somewhat crunchy but mostly warm and soft. As delicious as that is, I prefer a crunchier texture, so I place the cubes back into the oven while the chicken rests. I like to use my Homemade No-Knead Country Bread for the bread cubes, but any quality country bread will work well.

I must point out the method for the chicken.  It is a dry brine. That means the skin is gently separated from the meat and seasoned. The salt penetrates and tenderizes the dark and white meat, keeping it moist and juicy.  The skin, in return, stays nice and crispy. (I shared images of the skin separation process on a whole turkey in the first three step-by-step photos post HERE.)  It is preferable that the dry brining of the chicken be done 24 hours ahead, but if you are short on time, you will still get excellent results by dry brining the bird for at least 2 hours. 

I use baby arugula for the salad, and although it is widely available in the markets these days, you could substitute it with another sturdy green like Lacinato kale, curly kale, or even baby spinach. (Remember to massage the kale with the vinaigrette to soften the leaves!) They will all work nicely with the vinaigrette, a simple red wine vinaigrette flavored with garlic and shallot. However, I like to take the flavor profile of the vinaigrette to the next level by adding any accumulated chicken juices from the cutting board after it has rested. This is another winner-winner chicken dinner! Happy Sunday!

Leek and Chicken Soup with Parmesan Dumplings

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As I type this post and recipe, it is currently 4° F outside with a real feel of -3° F. Frigid and bitterly cold don't even describe what that temperature does to your body. This recipe will help melt all of those body woes and warm the soul. It is a simple soup of leeks, chicken broth or stock, and lovely little clouds of parmesan dumplings that steam and puff when placed on top of the hot soup.

For the Chicken

I make my own Roast Chicken and use the carcass to make a Quick Chicken Stock, but a store-bought rotisserie chicken and stock or broth work in a pinch (just freeze the carcass to make stock later). Whether you roast your chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken, the weight will vary, but all you need is three cups of shredded chicken (leftovers can be used for sandwiches or other meals.

For the Leeks

The recipe calls for 1 pound of whole leeks, using only the white and light green parts.  Since this will yield a smaller weight, look for leeks that have a higher ratio of white and light green parts to the dark green parts. But don't throw away the dark green.  Use them or freeze them to make homemade stock or broth.

For the Dumplings

These are straightforward to make with just a few ingredients you probably have on hand.  Parmesan cheese is the star flavor component of these dumplings.  Other hard dry cheeses like Grana Padano, Dry Jack (which is aged, not a soft Monterey Jack), American Grano, Asiago, or Pecorino could be substituted.  When scooping the dumpling batter, I like to use a #60 ice cream scoop, but you can also use two spoons. Having said that, you could also save yourself even more time by using store-bought gnocchi, which has a similar chewy texture to the homemade dumplings. Or you could simply omit the dumplings altogether and serve it with some No-Knead Country Bread. This rustic soup is that good all on its own!  

The recipe serves four, but when there are only two of us, I know I will have leftovers.  Therefore, I do not break up the dumplings before serving the soup.  Instead, I remove the dumplings and place a few on top of the soup. That way, we can "break" up our own, and I can store the leftovers in a separate container so they do not dissolve into the stored soup.

A finishing touch of fresh lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley brightens the flavors and makes this a perfect and comforting soup to serve on a cold winter night.

Teriyaki Chicken and Mushroom Lo Mein

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Noodles, veggies, and leftover roast chicken all in one bowl? This is my kind of jam! Not only is this dish packed with flavor, but it is also easy on the wallet.  

When reading the recipe, you might think that 3/4 cup of soy sauce is too much.  Trust me, it is not. It is the main seasoning agent, so salt is not needed in this recipe,  but make sure that you use low-sodium soy sauce.  The soy sauce is the base of the "sauce" that, once cooked until thick, is divided in half.  Half of the sauce is mixed with water for the noodles to bathe in, and the other half of the sauce is used to toss all of the goodness together. Yum!

The original recipe called for a 1-pound bag of coleslaw mix, but I am not a fan. There is something off-putting to me in the color and smell. So, I take a few extra minutes to shred some cabbage on a mandoline. Having said that, feel free to use the coleslaw mix if you are short on time. The carrots, however, I do buy pre-shredded 😊. I also like to add mushrooms for a savory umami flavor that helps balance the sweetness of the added sugar.  Choose which ones you prefer.  I have used white, Baby Bella, and Shiitake with great reviews.  (Still short on time? Buy them pre-sliced.) I sauté the mushrooms with white and light green parts of the scallions and season them with sesame oil for another layer of flavor. 

Garnish the Lo Mein with slices of scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds (optional, but good). Then hit it with some Sambal Oelek for a "fake-out take-out" meal! Happy cooking!

Quick Creole Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

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I know I said stay tuned for more sugar, but with Mardi Gras just around the corner, I wanted to share this dish first.  

Long time readers should recall that I spent part of my childhood on the North shore of Lake Ponchartrain in Mandeville, Louisiana.  Good times and good eats were had all year long, but the season of Mardi Gras still stands out in my mind.  One of the dishes that stands out is jambalaya. I have talked about it previously when I shared my version of Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, so please take a moment to read about the different versions of jambalaya. Today, I share another version; the QUICK one.  

Typically a quick jambalaya is called a "white jambalaya" because the rice is cooked separately from the meat/s and veggies and then it is all mixed together.  It does save quite a bit of time with still great flavor. This particular recipe was originally called Quick Chicken Jambalaya, but I knew I could do the name and recipe a little make over. So, here goes...

The original recipe parboiled the rice before adding it to the meat and veggies, but I stayed true with a quick jambalaya and cooked the rice separately. Also, this is my preferred method of cooking rice.  The only change to the liquid is that I use chicken broth to bump up that meaty flavor, but you can certainly use water instead.

Now, as far as the meats. This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They are tender with loads of chicken flavor and are more economical than chicken breasts and there are no bones, so that quickens the cooking time.  The other meat is andouille chicken sausage.  I used Gilbert's Craft Sausage.  The sausages are filled with chicken, roasted red and green bell peppers, onion, roasted garlic, celery powder, cayenne and other spices.  So basically, lots of flavor. The original recipe called for 8-ounces of sausage, but this particular brand has four links for a total of 10-ounces, so I used all four links.

On to the veggies...Now this is where things initially looked off to me.  The only fresh veggies are green bell peppers and scallions. What?? Where was the Holy Trinity; bell peppers, onion and celery? Well, there is one more critical mixture that can help answer that question.  After cooking the rice, meats and veggies separately, you bring it all together with a mixture of Worcestershire, tomato paste and ketchup. It seems completely weird, but it makes total sense.  I'll explain.

Worcestershire lends so much flavor including garlic and onion. The tomato paste and ketchup stand in for tomatoes that are traditionally used in a creole jambalaya.  Combine that with all of the flavors in the sausages, and you will find all the flavors of the Holy Trinity.  Throw in a few more herbs and a good dash hot sauce and BOOM! You've got a quick and flavor skillet full of grub that tastes like you spent hours over the stove.

I truly hope I didn't bore you with that lengthy explanation, but I feel that some recipes need to be broken down, especially if one is not familiar with its roots. And now you might understand why I renamed this Quick CREOLE and Chicken Sausage and Jambalaya instead of Quick Chicken Jambalaya.

This makes a great weeknight meal all by its self, but is well received to serve for a gathering. I like to serve this with my Creole Cabbage Salad, New Orleans French Bread, and something sweet to end the meal. Now about that something sweet...

Buffalo Chicken Chili

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If you follow my FB page, you might recall that I was trying out a new recipe for dinner.  Well, here is said recipe and wow, was it a winner-winner-chicken dinner!! Combining two American classics in one pot and you'll get a new contender for the next chili cook-off.  I mean, this was a "why didn't I think of that" recipe.

My only change to the original recipe was adding an onion because I like onions and I think they go hand in hand with any type of chili or stew.  And speaking of hand in hand, the accompaniments (sour cream and blue cheese) do just that; they complete the entire dish.  Cornbread crackers and tortilla chips are also welcome to the party😋.

Portillo's Chopped Salad

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A little over four weeks ago, I dropped off my first born child, Jack, to The University of Missouri. Man, oh man, was that ever tough.  I told my husband that it was a good thing that he was there because I would've had to stay in a hotel in Columbia for a week just to compose myself before driving home.  I think I lost 5 pounds in tears alone😭.  But on the bright side, the move-in went well, he was happy and excited, and I was going to see him in three weeks!!

So last weekend, my husband and I drove back down to Columbia to see our first SEC football game, Missouri Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks.  Woohoo! Actually, it was just an excuse to hug him one more time😉.  It was so much fun!!  Friday we took him out for Shakespeare's Pizza with his roommate and a friend. Their Panda Pepper pizza is the bomb!  Saturday we saw SEC Nation show live with Tim Tebow, then my husband and I headed over to Glenn's Café for some fried oysters and bloodies that were made with Absolut Peppar vodka. Yummy!  Then we walked and walked and walked some more.  Next, we met up with Jack again and my husband's cousin who was the former SID (sports information director) for the Gamecocks and then we might have had a few beers (Jack had a coke) while we were catching up on our lives.  Later that day we walked down Stadium Blvd. and watched South Carolina beat Mizzou 31-13.  Minus the score for the Mizzou fans, it was a beautiful day!  

But before we headed back down to Columbia, I asked Jack if there was anything he would like me to bring from home.  It was also his birthday weekend, so he most certainly asked for a batch of my cupcakes, but he also requested Italian beef and gravy from that quickly expanding American restaurant chain serving up Chicago-style foods, a.k.a Portillo's. You got it, babe! Since then, I have had Portillo's on my mind, but the weather has been unusually warm for me to sink my teeth into an Italian Beef. So I pulled out an old recipe for the Portillo's Chopped Salad to satisfy my craving.

This salad is a meal!  Pasta✓ Chicken✓ Bacon✓ Veggies✓ Greens✓ Cheese✓ Seriously, what more could you want?  Well, maybe a super yummy sweet Italian vinaigrette to bring it all together 😋.  Like most salads, it is also very versatile.  In my version, I marinate the chicken breast in some of the vinaigrette, then I grill the chicken for a nice charred flavor.  However,  you can simply sauté the chicken or you can leave it out all together and serve it as a side salad for a large crowd.  I also use Radicchio instead of red cabbage because I like the bitter taste of it with the sweet dressing.  You can also add as much or as little of the tomatoes and the pungent blue cheese to your liking.  Whatever your variation turns out to be, I guarantee it will be good.  This salad also keeps pretty well.  It was easy to pack for school/work lunches and it was very nice to come home to on my lunch break this week.

Back to the weekend...on Sunday, we took Jack out one more time for breakfast at The Broadway Diner.  I don't think it has ever taken me that long to eat breakfast.  I just didn't want the weekend to end and leave my baby.  He wanted to walk back to his dorm room, so we said good-bye in the parking lot and...yes, I cried again 😢.  But it wasn't as bad as the first time.  You see, I get to see him again in two and a half weeks!!  Doin' my happy dance! This is one of the few times I am more than happy to travel more than 8 hours for soccer games in Kansas City because we will drive right through Columbia and have dinner with our boy!

Sunday Dinner

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Goat Cheese Toasts with Garlic and Herbes de Provence

Roast Chicken

(I really need to retake a picture of my roast chicken)

Pommes Anna

Bibb Lettuce Salad with House Vinaigrette

Lemon Cloud Tart

This is one of those Sunday's that I do not have a new recipe to share.  In fact, I have shared each and everyone of the recipes on our dinner menu tonight.  The menu is a variation of one of our favorite Sunday meals; chicken, potatoes, and a green salad.  The only thing that changes seasonally is the appetizer and dessert.  Although I don't have a new recipe to share, I do have something quite beautiful to share that I captured with my camera just a little bit ago.

My next door neighbor texted me that there was a Robin's nest in the peach tree in my fruit and vegetable garden.  I called to my children, grabbed my camera and flew up the stairs to my son's bedroom window.  We spotted the nest immediately and waited for to see if Momma bird came. Moments later, the most beautiful thing happened--a momma feeding her babies ❤️. Happy Spring Sunday!

Cinco de Mayo Eats

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I apologize for the last minute round-up of Cinco de Mayo fare, but I think it is safe to say that many of you might need some last minute ideas, will be celebrating through out the weekend, or need some recipe inspirations to use up the leftovers.  All those good eats can be found below!

To Start Your Day (or the next morning😉)

Pineapple-Mango Smoothie

To Start Your Evening

Blackberry Margaritas

A Few Snacks and Condiments

Ceviche Verde

Chile con Queso

Fire-Roasted Tomato Salsa

Pickled Jalapeño Salsa

Pico de Gallo

Traditional Guacamole

Tomatillo and Poblano Guacamole

Shrimp with Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Sweet Potato Chips with Lime Salt

Soups and Salad

Albóndigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Black Bean Salsa

Southwest Grilled Chicken Tortilla Salad

The Main Event

Chicken Chilaques

Chicken Flautas in a Roasted Tomatillo Broth

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

(I can't find the picture so, just click on the link above to see the post)

Chicken and Spinach Tortilla Pie

Easy Chicken Tacos

Fiesta Chicken and Rice

Grilled Steak Fajitas

Grilled Steak Fajita Sheet Pan Pizza

Complimentary Sides
Homemade Flour Tortillas

Mexican Red Rice

Refried Pinto Beans

Sunday Dinner

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Smoked Pimento Cheese with Bacon

Nashville-Style Hot Fried Chicken

Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

Sliced White Bread

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Lemonade Pound Cake

I have had fried chicken on the brain for quite sometime now.  And with a road trip to "the home of country music" right around the corner for a little culture, good eats and maybe a college tour of Vanderbilt University (I can't believe I'm getting ready to send my first born off to college this fall and my middle child to college next year 😩), I thought it would be fun to put a Tennessee twist on my go-to southern fried chicken recipe.  If there is something you need to know about that spicy, Nashville-style chicken, you serve it on a thick slice of white bread with...pickles.  

This recipe for pickles could not be any easier. You can make it well in advance (like a month in advance) and you don't have to mess with any canning or preserving.  They are briny, crunchy, and have just the right amount of sweetness.  Our favorite way to enjoy them is with a slice of aged white cheddar on top of a buttery cracker, but tonight...they are hanging out with the cluck and I couldn't be more excited!

*Note--Make sure you use the right variety of cucumber to achieve the best results.  This recipe calls for Kirby or pickling cucumbers.  They are smaller in size with fewer seeds than a traditional cucumber or English hothouse cucumber.

Printable Recipe

Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

makes about 1 quart

2 cups white distilled vinegar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons dried dill 

5-6 kirby cucumbers, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and dill in a large jar or container.  Place a lid tightly on the jar and shake vigorously until the sugar and salt have dissolved.  Add the sliced cucumber, pressing them tightly into the jar.  Place the lid on the jar, shake it well, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 month.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Fresh Everyday, by Sara Foster

Barbecued Pulled Chicken

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Well, I found my blogging britches...sort of.  But they are in dire need of some cleaning and repairs.  Actually, I could use a fresh new pair for a new look, but I'll have to make do for now.  One would think with summer vacation underway, I would have more time to blog.  Not!  Twice this week I had intentions to write this post, but instead I was busy with, "Mom, what are we going to do today?" and "Mom, can we paint my room?" and "Mom, we need new clothes" and "Mom, can we brush the dogs' teeth?"(--say what? Yeah, we have two dogs).  Not to mention driving to and from friends' houses and soccer practice (yep, still going) around a town where it seems that every other street is either blocked or closed due to construction and a weekend festival going on (grrr--sorry for the venting)!  And it probably didn't help that any free time that I did have it was spent with my nose in a book-- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is a twisted good read.

Anyway, here I am sharing a recipe because I need to, I want to, and because it is really darn good!  You know that I am a big fan of smoked meats.  But sometimes that whole process of smoking can be quite labor intensive (which is why I usually make it in large batches and freeze it).  However, this recipe is not.  Tender, dark chicken leg quarter meat is smoked with wood chunks instead of logs.  The whole cooking process takes about an hour, unlike the 9 to 11 hours that other smoked meats can take.  Bonus for a weeknight dinner or when you just want to enjoy all the outdoor weekend festivities.  Pile up the finished product on some good homemade or bakery buns and serve with some creamy coleslaw, a few chips or even some sweet summer corn-on-the-cob.  This is a meal fit for a king-- the king of the house for Father's Day that is!

Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Red Peppers and Red Onion

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Last week I was finally able to uncover my grill and prepare it for the grilling season!! The weather was positively pleasant, so I grilled out on two nights.  One night we enjoyed grilled strip steaks and the other night we enjoyed these kebabs.  

If you are a longtime reader you might recall that I have problem with cooking vegetables and meat together on one stick.  It seems that when the meat is done, the vegetables are still not cooked enough.  And to cook the vegetables further, you run the risk of over cooking the meat.  I am a big fan of just meat kebabs, like these Barbecue Chicken Kebabs with Bacon Rub (oh yum) or just vegetable kebabs.  Having said that, I have been converted with this recipe.  I think the keys to cooking the meat and vegetables properly are to have the pieces the same size and to skewer them the right way on the stick.  The onion in this recipe is skewered around the chicken so that it becomes soft and tender.  But what really makes this recipe stand out is the marinade for the chicken.  Yogurt is the primary ingredient in the marinade. It is joined by olive oil, garlic, and herbs.  I like to use 2% Greek yogurt, which provides its rich taste to the party of flavors.  Once grilled to perfection, the kebabs are brushed with a lemon-basil dressing which really adds a nice, fresh flavor to both the chicken and the veggies.

Sunday Dinner

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Pimento Cheese

Brunswick Stew

Sweet Corn Bread

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Dream with me for a moment... A warm and sunny summer day, sitting in the backyard, sipping a cold beverage, and tending fire to my grill.  The image almost brings a tear to my eye.  Or maybe that tear is because I am using up the last of my hickory smoked pulled pork from the freezer.  Or maybe it's because I know I won't be smoking any meat anytime soon because my grill is still covered in several feet of snow!  Yeah... the latter is the tear jerker.

The only thing that can make me feel better at this point is a Sunday dinner that is reminiscent of summer barbecues and flavors.  Cue the southern classic-- Brunswick Stew.  It is a thick vegetable stew with various meats.  It is more commonly served as a side dish, but with all those veggies and meats, I like serve it as a main dish.  The meats can range anywhere from chicken to squirrel.  I'm not quite so sure about the squirrel, but I do use chicken and I raided my freezer for the last of the pork.  As far as the vegetables, I use the traditional tomatoes, lima beans, and corn.   What really makes this recipe stand out is the addition of hickory barbecue sauce to the base.  It makes it very rich in flavor and helps thicken the sauce.  Season with some good hot sauce to taste and keep dreaming of those warm summer days with every bite.

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two years ago

Sunday Dinner three years ago

Fiesta Chicken and Rice

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The busy weeknight schedules are in full force.  If we can all sit down together at the table before 7:30 in the evening, that's a win.  And with limited time to prepare the meal once I get home, this recipe is also a win.  Like the Skillet Lasagna, this is a one pan meal that can come together in about a half an hour. To make it even easier, I make sure I have all the ingredients prepped ahead of time.  So when I walk in the door, I can get right to cooking without having to peel, chop, or drain.

I swapped out the green bell pepper for Poblano peppers and kicked up the spice and heat with some adobe sauce. (See my tip here for storing chipotle peppers and adobe sauce.)  Serve with lime wedges, sliced avocado, and a few tortillas for a winner-winner-chicken-dinner.

Sunday Dinner

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 Chicken Liver Pâté

Toast Points

Wiener Schnitzel

Braised Red Cabbage

Spätzle

Bourbon-Caramel Pumpkin Tart

My youngest daughter was doing a segment in class about ancestry this past week.  As the older two kids took the Polish and Norwegian parts of their all-over-the-map European heritage for their ancestry projects a few years back, I suggested that she use the German part of her background.  I'm glad I did, because it inspired this menu.

The livers are soaked in buttermilk prior to use. This step serves to round off the sharp and bitter taste of the liver, making for a milder impact on the palette. The apple in the mix lends a welcome note of sweetness. 

This paté is a perfect appetizer for nights this time of year when it gets dark at 5pm.  A piece of toast with liver pate and a beer or glass of wine makes for happy hour bliss.  

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two years ago

Sunday Dinner three years ago

Stir-Fry Cashew Chicken

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As much as I love spending time in the kitchen on most weekends preparing for Sunday dinner, the weeknights don't allow me that luxury.  I am usually shuffling to or from soccer practice, basketball games, and bowling matches for my three children, so I have limited time to get dinner on the table. But rather than pick up some take-out on the way home, I pull out recipes like this one.  Fake-out take-out is what I call it.  It is quick, fairly easy, and very satisfying after a busy day for me and my family.

My oldest son Jack, can't handle the heat like the rest of us can, so rather than using red pepper flakes in the stir-fry, I like to serve it with Thai chili garlic paste on the side to taste. Not only does it add some kicked-up heat, it also elevates the flavor of the overall dish.  Serve as is or over steamed white rice.  This recipe will have you reconsidering that dialed-up take-out meal.

Sunday Dinner

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Hot Onion Soufflé Dip

Coq au Vin

Parslied Potatoes

Rustic Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

Sunday Dinner Post Take II...  For those of you who receive e-mail subscriptions or if you just randomly clicked on my site this morning, you'll know what that means.  I inadvertently hit the publish button yesterday when I was typing up the post. So please disregard that recipe, since it had yet to be edited.

Funny-- looking back on Sunday dinners past.  We had Coq au Vin more than once on the same weekend.  It must be programmed in my head to serve it at this time of year.  There are several steps to this recipe, but hey it's Sunday (not a busy weeknight) and it's worth it.  Chicken braised in an enriched red wine sauce enhanced with the flavors of bacon and pearl onions gets my cooking motivation in gear.  Potatoes are all you really need, but I like the addition of turnips and carrots for a heartier meal.  And the sauce, oh the sauce... any leftovers are wonderful on a piece of toast with a simple salad for light and easy weeknight meal.

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two years ago

Sunday Dinner three years ago

Southwest Grilled Chicken Tortilla Salad

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Before I started this blog, I had sheets of white paper with favorite meals and menus under several categories.  This one fell under "Crowd Pleaser".  If you are the cook of the household, you know that it is hard to please everyone's palate (especially when there are kids' palates involved).  So it's a big bonus when everyone can agree and get excited about a meal. 

I wrote the recipe to serve as individual plates, but I actually like to serve it buffet style.  My son likes more meat, one of my daughters likes more veggies and avocado, everyone loves the tortilla strips, and I just eat what's leftover (if there is any)☺.  Everyone's happy, right?

The chicken is marinated in some Southwest Chipotle Ranch Dressing before it is grilled to perfection.  The veggies are also grilled and then diced and tossed with black beans for a veggie salsa to dress the salad.  Some creamy avocado and crunchy fried tortilla strips garnish the plate.  A sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro, a drizzle of dressing, and a squeeze of a lime wedge round out the flavors. Give this salad a try, and I bet you'll be adding this one to your "crowd pleaser" list.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Black Bean Salsa

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How would you like to get all of the great flavors of TexMex cuisine in one warm, hearty, satisfying bowl?  "Yes, I'd like that"-is what I answered to this question that I asked myself the other day.  With the kids back at school, that'll happen to you.  Anyway...you got your chicken, black beans,  hominy, the creamy cheesy--I could go on, but from here I'll just refer you to the recipe.  There is something in this dish to satisfy all tastes.  And it includes the easy ability to serve buffet style with the ingredients in bowls, so everyone can add what they like to the main body of the soup.

Use a spoon or use a chip and dig in!

Chicken and Corn Patties with a Roasted Red Pepper Mayonnaise

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Leftovers.  You either love them or heave them.  With four hungry mouths to feed, I am most definitely in the love category.   Heating up leftovers can come in handy and still be tasty, but-- boring.  When I have a chance, I like to transform them into a completely different meal.  This past Monday, I grilled two Brown Sugar Chickens with the intention of having leftovers.  With some uncooked ears of corn bought for that meal taking up space on my kitchen counter, I knew these tasty cakes were going to be on the menu this week.

Along with the chicken and corn, I add sautéed red onion, some herbs from the garden, lemon juice, and cayenne for a kick.  An egg and panko crumbs are used for binding and breading.  But what really makes these patties crowd pleasers is the red pepper mayo.  Instead of plain ol' mayo, I jazz it up with a purée of roasted red bell pepper and garlic.  It's a simple and flavorful combination.  A little of it goes into the patty mixture and the rest is served on the side.  Serve with a simple salad and some sliced garden tomatoes for a complete weeknight meal.  I made these patties with salvaged parts of another meal, but you can pick up a store bought rotisserie chicken in a pinch because they are definitely worthy of intentional meal status.

Barbecue Chicken Kebabs with Bacon Rub

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I have never been a fan of meat and vegetable kebabs.  Not because I don't like the meat or veggies, but because the vegetables aren't cooked to my liking by the time the meat is done.  If I get just meat or just veggies on one skewer, I am all in, especially when bacon and barbecue sauce are involved ☺.  

This is a great recipe that can easily be doubled or even tripled (I did this recently for a family gathering) to feed a hungry crowd.  You can use breast meat, thigh meat or both, as I do in my house to cater to everyone's oh so delicate palette.

Normally I put the smoke flavor in my barbecue sauce, but in this recipe that great smoky flavor comes from the bacon in the rub.  How do you get the bacon in the rub, you ask?  It is pureed in the food processor until it forms a paste.  Mmm... bacon paste (said in my best Homer Simpson voice). Mix it with some sweet and smoky spices and massage it into the chicken.  It is messy and you might think that it is never going to combine, but keep at it or hand it over to the kids and let them have at it.

These make an excellent meal when paired with the zucchini slaw. Leftovers make for a yummy barbecue chicken sandwich.