Ghost Cucumbers

How SPOOKY are these ghosts?!  :) 

I just used mini cucumbers and then took straws to poke the holes in it!!!

Cheese Broomstick

Such a fun side for Halloween lunch!!! 

Ingredients:

String cheese

Pretzel sticks

Mummy Sandwiches

 So easy for a Halloween lunch!!! 

Halloween Lunch

I'll make Halloween themed lunches as long as my boys let me :)  They loved these!!!

Halloween Bfast

Cute and easy Halloween bfast!!!

Ingredients:

Donuts

Candy eyes

Banana

Chocolate Chips

Vampire teeth

Pumpkin Floats

Evan had his buddies over for some Halloween fun tonight and I needed a little treat/drink for them, and this was perfect!!!

Ingredients:

Orange Crush

Ice cream

Whipped cream

Maple Dijon Pulled Chicken - cook once, eat 3 times!!

A cozy, fall-inspired batch meal that saves you time all week. Cook once, then transform it into 3 delicious dinners with maple, Dijon, and apple flavors.

🍗 BASE RECIPE: Maple Dijon Pulled Chicken

(Use for all 3 meals)

Makes: about 6 cups shredded chicken (enough for 3 family meals)

Prep: 10 min Cook: 4–6 hours slow cooker or 30 min Instant Pot

 Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

• ½ cup Dijon mustard

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Place chicken in slow cooker or Instant Pot.

2. In a small bowl, whisk Dijon, maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings.

3. Pour over chicken and toss to coat.

4. Slow cooker: Cook on low 6 hours or high 3–4 hours.
   Instant Pot: Cook 10 minutes on high pressure + 10-minute natural release.

5. Shred chicken with two forks and stir back into the sauce.

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 Meal 1: Maple Dijon Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Serve on: Brioche or pretzel buns

Ingredients

• 2 cups Maple Dijon Pulled Chicken

• 4 brioche buns

• 4 slices cheddar cheese

• 1½ cups shredded cabbage (green or mix)

• 1 apple, cut into matchsticks

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.

2. Add shredded cabbage and apple, toss to coat.

3. Warm chicken and place on buns, top with cheddar and apple slaw.

Tip: Add pickled onions or a swipe of Dijon for extra tang.

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Meal 2: Fall Harvest Grain Bowl

Build-your-own bowl perfection!

Ingredients

• 2 cups Maple Dijon Pulled Chicken

• 2 cups cooked quinoa or wild rice

• 1 medium sweet potato, diced

• 1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Maple Dijon Dressing:

  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Roast sweet potatoes and Brussels at 400°F for 20–25 minutes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Warm chicken and grains.

3. Whisk dressing ingredients until smooth.

4. Assemble bowls: grain base → veggies → chicken → drizzle dressing.

Optional: Add goat cheese, dried cranberries, or toasted pecans.

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Meal 3: Cozy Chicken Pot Pie Cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups Maple Dijon Pulled Chicken

• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, corn)

• ¼ cup milk

• Salt & pepper to taste

• 1 can (16 oz) refrigerated biscuits or puff pastry squares

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Flatten biscuits and press into muffin tin cups.

3. Mix chicken, soup, milk, veggies, salt, and pepper.

4. Spoon mixture into each biscuit cup.

5. Bake 18–20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 min before serving.

Make-ahead: Freeze unbaked cups and bake straight from freezer at 375°F for 25–28 minutes.

Notes

✅ Freezes great — store extra portions in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months.
✅ Perfect for Sunday batch cooking.
✅ Cozy, protein-packed, and family-friendly.

Grinder Feta Dip

Headed to the cabin and was looking for a new app recipe to try -- this was super easy to make!!  It was good and yummy, but not my all time favorite app I've made.  However, I do like the easy prep so will make again!!!

8 servings - Grilled Cheese Social

Ingredients:

• 12 oz Feta Cheese crumbled
• ½ cup Banana Peppers finely chopped
• ½ cup Red Onions finely chopped
• ½ cup Marinated Roasted Red Peppers finely chopped
• ½ cup Salami finely chopped
• ½ cup Garlic Expressions (or your favorite italian dressing)

• Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss together until combined.
• 
  
• Place back in the feta cheese tub and place the lid on.
• 
  
• • Serve with crackers or crusty bread straight out of the tub.
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Barbecued Chicken

This was delicious and tasted like summer!!!  Found this gem in Better Homes and Garden magazine so had to make it up!!  It was yummy and didn't take long to make at all!!! 

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2/3 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons molasses

4lb meaty chicken pieces (bone in breasts, thighs, and/or drumsticks), skinned

For sauce, in a 2-qt saucepan melt butter over low.  Add onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.  Cook until onion is tender.  Stir in paprika, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; cook and stir 1 minute.  Stir in 1 cup cold water, the cider vinegar, brown sugar, and worcestershire; bring to simmering.  Whisk in tomato paste and molases until smooth.  Return to simmer.  Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionaly, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare grill for indirect heat using a drip pan.  Place chicken, bone sides up, on greased rack ovre drip pan.

Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat until done (165 degrees), 50-60 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling and brushing with 1 cup sauce the last 15 miutes of grilling.  Heat and serve remaining sauce with chicken.

Berry and Brie Flatbread

Um yummy!!!  Rossy was making fun of this meal (since no meat) BUT it was delicious!!  We all LOVED it!!!  Such a quick fix too!!!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 large flatbread such as Trader Joes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons apricot jam exact measurement not needed!
• 8oz round brie cut into slices
• 6 oz Fresh berries raspberries, blackberries, strawberries or any one on its own

For Topping

• balsamic glaze
• fresh basil
• hot honey
• flaky salt or kosher salt

Instructions

• Preheat grill to medium or medium low heat and set up for indirect grilling (meaning there's an area of your grill without flames, if possible). Note: You can replace all grill steps in this recipe with a preheated 425° oven and baking sheet if you'd like to cook this indoors. Have a large cutting board as a work surface next to your grill, as well as a large metal spatula.
• Brush olive oil over flatbread to cover surface lightly. You can place your flatbread directly on grill grates, or use a grill-safe pan if you have one. Place on grill and cook for a minute or two to heat up and start crisping. The timing here greatly depends on your grill so just keep an eye on it. The goal here is to finish with the bottom crispy but not burnt!
• Transfer flatbread to your work surface and spread a very light layer of jam across the top. Top with slices of brie and tuck in as many berries as you like. I like to put some on top and also tuck a few in partially under slices of cheese. Return flatbread to grill, close lid, and cook until cheese is melty and bottom is toasted and crisp, it should only take a few minutes.
• Remove from grill and top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, hot honey if desired. Mince up basil right before sprinkling on top and sprinkle with a little bit of flaky salt.
• Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

Tomato Corn Basil Crostini with Ricotta Cheese

Hood HH at my house tonight and needed a new summer app for the occasion -- this was DELICIOUS!!!  It was refreshing, yummy, and perfect little snack!!

Servings: 36 crostini

Ingredients

• 1 baguette (see recipe below)
• olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or defrosted)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil cut into thin strips
• 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Cook your crostini rounds as per recipe instructions through the link below if not done already. This can be done up to two days in advance and the crostini kept in an airtight bag or container. Make sure the crostini are completely cooled before storing otherwise the trapped heat moisture will re-soften them.
• Zest the lemon and set the zest aside.
• Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place in a small bowl. Add the corn, 1/4 cup fresh basil strips, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Squeeze a half of a lemon into the tomatoes. Stir to combine and set aside.
• In a second small bowl: Make your cheese mixture by combining the ricotta, juice from 1/2 lemon, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup fresh basil, salt, and pepper.
• Chill the cheese and tomato mixtures separately until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, assemble the crostini by spooning approximately 1-2 Tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each crostini. Then add 1-2 Tablespoons of the tomato mixture. Repeat with all crostini pieces.
• Sprinkle the crostini with the lemon zest and additional basil if desired. Serve immediately.

Baguette Ingredients

• 1 baguette
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Slice the baguette at an angle (on the bias) creating discs approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• Spread out the bread slices on a silicone mat lined baking sheet.
• Drizzle the bread with olive oil.
• Place the bread in the oven and toast for 5 minutes. Flip the bread slices over and drizzle with olive oil on the second side if desired. Toast another 5 minutes or until they are just starting to turn a light brown. You may need to cook them longer or shorter depending on your oven and the bread thickness.
• Remove from the oven and scrape a garlic clove against the toasted bread on one side. This step is optional but provides a subtle additional flavor.
• Top with your favorite salsa or crostini ingredients. Crostini can be stored in an airtight bag or container for up to three days.

Jennifer Aniston Cobb Salad

Spent the week at the cabin and wanted something easty and yummy, so figured I would try Jennifer Aniston's viral cobb salad -- it was yummy :)

Ingredients:

Lettuce (Jennifer used butter lettuce but anything works)

1 cup Shredded chicken

2 Eggs (hardboiled)

1 cup Chickpeas

1 cup Bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup Salami or summer sausage

1/2 ciup chopped Tomatoes

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Dressing

2T red wine vinegar

1/2 lemon juices

1 teaspoon italian herbs

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Ranch Bacon Pasta Salad with Veggies

This is such a great summer lunch idea -- you can eat it on the go and it makes enough for a couple days lunches!!!

Ingredients:

Cooked pasta 

Chopped veggies (bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes)

Cubed cheese

Pepperoni

Crumbled Bacon

Ranch dressing

Secret ingredient: McCormick Salad Supreme

Cook pasta and drain.

Cook bacon and crumble.

Toss everything in a bowl and let it chill in the fridge for a bit before serving.  Keeps all week!!!

Skirt Steak with Orzo Salad & Red Pepper Sauce

This was such a yummy meal!!  Rossy said it's his new favorite :)  Evan still wouldn't eat the salad but he liked the steak and seasoning hahaha

Serves 4

Ingrecdients:

• 1 ¾ lbs skirt steak
• 8 large garlic cloves
• ¼ cup + 4 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
• 3 red bell peppers, halved
• 1 red fresno pepper
• 1 red onion, peeled + quartered
• ½ lb orzo
• ½ lb cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (½ lb) cucumber, diced
• ½ cup halved castelvetrano olives
• 2 tbsp minced fresh chives
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ cup oregano leaves
• 

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the skirt steak in a bowl. Grate 6 of the garlic cloves into the bowl. Add the ¼ cup of olive oil, a good pinch of salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to coat. Cover the bowl and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour. Bring the bowl to room temperature and let sit for 30 more minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the halved red peppers, fresno pepper, and quartered red onion on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil to coat. Roast (with the peppers faced cut-side down) for 40 minutes, or until slightly charred and tender. Allow the peppers to cool slightly. Then, peel off the skins and discard the cores. Cut the root off the red onion.
3. While the vegetables are roasting, cook the orzo according to the package’s instructions. Drain the orzo into a colander, rinse under cold water to fully cool, let drain, and pat dry (as dry as possible).
4. Add the orzo, cucumbers, olives, chives, chopped oregano, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a mixing bowl. Toss to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Transfer the peppers and red onion to a food processor. Process until smooth. Grate in the remaining 2 cloves of garlic. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, and oregano leaves. Process again until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
6. When the skirt steak is almost done marinating, heat the grill over high heat. Lightly oil the grates. Grill the steak for about 3 minutes, or until a nice crust forms. Flip and continue to cook to your desired doneness, about 3-4 more minutes for medium.
7. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Sprinkle it with flaky sea salt and serve with the red pepper sauce drizzled over top. Stir the feta into the orzo salad and serve it alongside the steak.

Mini Naan Pizza

I've been on the search for easy and quick lunch ideas - this was perfect!!!  Kiddos can top it with whatever they want and it takes 15 min from start to finish!!!  Perfection!!

Ingredients:

Mini Naan bread (or English Muffins)

Pizza Sauce

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Any toppings: pepperoni, sliced veggies, olives

Spread sauce on the naan/english muffin, sprinkle cheese, and add toppings.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden.

Juicy Marinated Air Fryer Chicken with No Breading

We are always looking for quick and yummy meals during the week nights before baseball and this was perfect!!!

Serves 6

Ingredients

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast or thighs

Instructions

• In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, coconut aminos, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
• Place the chicken in a shallow dish or large zip top plastic bag.
• Add marinade and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to overnight. (Omit the lemon juice if you are marinating more than 4 hours.)
• Preheat your Air Fryer to 400 degrees.
• Arrange chicken in a single layer in the air fryer.
• Cook for 7 minutes.
• Flip and cook for about 7 more minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Oven Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Place chicken on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Sweet Chili Pineapple Chicken Skewers

These are delicious!!!  I love a meal I can prep and then cook time is under 20 minutes!!!  So happy it's back to yummy summer meals!!!

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Skewers

• 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 20- ounce pineapple chunks, canned, in 100% pineapple juice drained, juice reserved
• ¼ cup soy sauce low-sodium
• ½ cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 ½ limes divided
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 bunch green onions chopped

Peanut Sauce

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly minced or ginger powder
• ¼ cup soy sauce low-sodium
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup peanut butter creamy
• ¼ teaspoon red Thai curry paste
• ½ cup coconut milk light is fine

Instructions

Marinate

• Place the chicken pieces in a large zip-top bag and set aside. Juice one of the limes and reserve the other lime for later.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, garlic, reserved lime juice, and ginger. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken pieces, seal, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Grill

• When ready to cook, preheat grill over medium-high heat. Alternately thread the chicken pieces and pineapple onto skewers. Turn grill to medium, lightly oil the grates, and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the skewers and cook for another 4 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the peanut sauce. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Combine the remaining peanut sauce ingredients in the pan and heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
• Using a digital thermometer, cook chicken until it is a minimum temperature of 165°. However, you’ll want to aim for between 170-175° for improved flavor and texture.
• When the skewers are done, transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with reserved ¼ cup of marinade. Juice the remaining half lime over the skewers. If desired, drizzle the peanut sauce over the skewers; otherwise, you can serve it as a dipping sauce. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately.

Notes

• If you'd like to serve these as appetizers, try preparing them on toothpicks or 6" skewers.