Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Hey guys, it's SOUP time again.  The weather has been off and on rain for the past several weeks and that always gets me in the mood for soup.

I have always wanted to make a great tomato soup and I think I finally perfect it with this one.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Every once in a while I decide to do a recipe re-do.  I have revamped this recipe for Broccoli Cheddar Soup with a few new ingredients and a couple of new pictures.

A couple of days ago it finally started getting cooler here in Northern California and I for one am super happy about that because that means soup for me.

Last night I made this for dinner using my original Broccoli Cheddar Soup and making a few changes to it make it even more delicious.

Taco Pizza

Here is the famous Taco Pizza you guys!

As many of you know, we love pizza and we love tacos around here almost more than anything else.

So why not combine the two into a delicious new creation?

Well.....that's exactly what I did.  I took the best of both dishes and made my now famous taco pizza a couple of months ago and have made it a few more times since.

Everyday Grilled Chicken

I probably should have posted this recipe years ago but I'm finally getting around to it today!

This is my "go to" recipe for grilled chicken that I use in a variety of recipes and it is a family favorite, mine especially, because of how quick and tasty it is.

Ginger Orange Honey Grilled Chicken

We do a lot of grilling around here. As long as it's not raining I love to grill.

And because I make a homemade lunch every day for anywhere from 2 - 5 adults I am always looking for something new for lunch.

They say necessity is the mother of invention and that's how this recipe was invented. It was a NECESSITY that I not make another dang turkey sandwich for lunch again! For awhile at least, lol.

This is such a simple marinade for a delicious chicken dish that can be used in salads, wraps, sandwiches, or eaten as the main course.

Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

I found this recipe a few weeks ago on Facebook from Cafe Delites and couldn't wait to try it out.

I made this for lunch and have made the marinade/dressing several times just for the delicious flavor to make wraps and sandwiches.

Parmesan Rosemary Crispy Chicken

I found a new video site on my Roku the other day called iFood and while I was watching several videos I found one for Crispy Parmesan Chicken from Fifteen Spatulas and knew I had to give it a try.

As always I added my own flair to the recipe and am sharing it with you today.

Shepherd's Pie

You don't know how much I LOVE Shepherd's Pie!

And I LOVE that it can be made in individual ramekins or in a large baking dish.  I've been on a "what can I make in a ramekin" kick lately and this worked perfectly.

To me it has the makings of the perfect meal.  Meat, Veg, and Taters!

Skillet Grilled Chicken

If you don't already own a cast iron skillet you need to get one. They are the best for even heating and holding their heat.

I cook in mine everyday for one meal or another.

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Here is another one of those Tasty recipes I adapted to make a delicious and super easy dinner last night.

These are literally the easiest fajitas I've ever made, and so fast to throw together.

Apricot Dijon Pork Tenderloin

I have been making this dish for several years and it has become a family favorite.

I have the same sauce posted on an earlier recipe for Apricot Glazed Pork Roast and have just adjusted the amounts for these pork tenderloins.

I find that tenderloin is the best cut of meat for this recipe and they always turn out perfectly.

Cheese Stuffed Italian Meatballs

There is this recipe all over Facebook lately for Mozzarella Stuffed Slow Cooker Meatballs from Tasty.  They look amazing and everyone I know has been trying them.

I decided to adapt the recipes slightly and make it on the stove top for a faster weeknight meal.

This can certainly still be made in the slow cooker just as easily as the stove top.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

I have been trying my hand at perfecting an assortment of Asian inspired dishes.

After trying several store bought sauces I decided it would be so much better to make some homemade ones.

Sweet and Sour sauce is one of the sauces I worked on for a while before mastering.

Well I've perfected it and boy is this one delicious!

This would pair perfectly with plain white rice, my Fried Rice or even my P.F. Chang's Copycat Garlic Noodles for a quick weeknight dinner.

Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

First let me tell you that I absolutely love Homemade Flat Bread.

When it's hot off the griddle it's like a warm blanket for your tummy.

Flat bread reminds me of a cross between pizza dough and a tortilla.

And what goes better with flat bread than Mediterranean flavored chicken.

So once I perfected my flat bread I decided to make up a batch of Greek Chicken so I could make some Gyros.

Pan Grilled Pork Chops and Healthy Solutions Spice Blends

Many of you know I don't do reviews very often because I like cook as much from scratch as I can.

So when Healthy Solutions Spice Blends asked me to do a review of their product I was completely on board to try these delicious sounding spice blends with my everyday cooking.

Healthy Solutions offers a line of 16 different spice blends made for busy families that prefer homemade meals over fast food.

Italian Beef Dip Sandwiches

I know I've said it a million times but I LOVE pot roast!  There I said it again :)

I think it's because of how versatile this cut of meat is and all the delicious ways I can cook it that makes me love it so much.

Besides actual "Pot Roast" with potatoes and carrots, etc.  I love to make it into shredded beef such as Authentic Shredded Mexican Beef or Chili Colorado Burritos but my new favorite is Italian Shredded beef ~ Oh Yum!

Melt in your Mouth Crock Pot BBQ Ribs

I'm finally back after several months off planning my daughters wedding, whew!

I have missed you guys and blogging so much lately and with the way technology changes with the wind it'll be a miracle if I can even remember how to write a post.

With only three of us living at home most days I decided it was time to get myself a new (smaller) crock pot.  And beings as I LOVE my All Clad 7qt. slow cooker I decided to try the All Clad 4 Qt. Slow Cooker for smaller meals.  Both are available at Williams Sonoma or Amazon.

Chipotle Chicken Salad {Healthy}

I have decided it's time to get in shape and start making better choices on what we eat.

I have been going to the gym now for a few months and we have been trying to follow Clean Eating as much as possible.

But let me just say, I'm not on a diet!  Every time I try a diet all I do is waste time and energy with loosing and gaining weight.

This time I want it to be a lifestyle change to healthier choices and keep eating this way for life.

That doesn't mean I won't still be making cookies and cakes.  I just won't be eating them on a daily basis like I used to.

We also cut out most of the bread products (notice I said MOST, not all) and are eating a lot more fruits & veggies with protein.

I can honestly say, I don't miss eating the way I used to and I feel so much better already.

This is one of my new lunch items I've been eating and it is so delicious that you don't even need to go to the restaurant to get a Chipotle Chicken Salad.

Garlic, Herb, & Cheese stuffed Crescents

I was looking for something new to make as a bread side dish for dinner when I stumbled across this amazingly easy recipe over at Lauren's Latest blog.

She has a great assortment of delicious recipes and this one was perfect for what I needed.

I am always looking for new an inventive ways to serve my family some sort of bread at dinner; whether they need it or not, lol. And I knew as soon as I read the ingredients this one was perfect for my bread and cheese loving family :)

I decided to try them after school and the kids gobbled them up so fast that I ended up making a second batch for dinner!

Chicken Fajitas

I make a lot of Mexican food around here and one of my favorites is Chicken Fajitas.

I have always used the same method the same seasoning and they were fine with everyone.

Then one day while I was making some Perfectly Grilled Chicken to serve on salads I decided to cut some up and put it in a tortilla and boy oh boy was it the best tasting fajita I've ever made!

I will let you know that the Grill Rub I use has some raw sugar in it so it lends a sweet and smoky flavor to these fajitas.

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, isn't it time to try out something new?