Sep
2015

Bacon Pecan Pralines

categories: Bacon, Candy, Desserts
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Bacon Pecan Pralines are a delightful twist on traditional pralines. These sweet treats include BACON, which gives them a sweet and salty flavor – a great combination! Bacon Pecan Pralines are a twist on traditional pralines. These sweet treats include BACON, which gives them a sweet and salty flavor - a great combination!
I recently made these Bacon Pecan Pralines for a “BACON” themed dinner my husband and I went to, with two other couples. Every course of the dinner had to include some type of bacon.

Since I was in charge of desserts, I made several. Included were these yummy pralines, which included salty bacon. Sweet and salty… a great combination! They were really good! Remember… everything is better with bacon. Even bacon pecan pralines, right?

I had never made Pralines before this, but I plunged right in, and managed to pull this one off!

Scroll Down For A Printable recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Important Tip When Making Bacon Pecan Pralines

The only thing I would do different next time when making these pralines is to use a larger cooking pan. The one I used was medium sized.

I THOUGHT the medium sized pan was big enough, but I was wrong. There were a couple moments of near panic as the mixture nearly boiled up and out of my pan.

The hot praline mixture never did boil over, but please, listen to my advice here. Use a LARGE and DEEP saucepan when you prepare this recipe. You won’t have to frantically stir to keep the candy from boiling over the top of the pan… and yes, you will thank me for this important tip!

How To Make Bacon Pecan Pralines

In a LARGE and DEEP saucepan, mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, corn syrup, baking soda and salt. Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture.

Cook mixture on medium heat, until it reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.

This will take about 20 minutes or so. Mixture will be VERY hot. Stir mixture often while it cooks to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pan. The mixture will turn a rich caramel color near the end of the cooking time.

Candy thermometer in boiling sauce for bacon pecan pralines.Candy thermometer in saucepan full of bacon pecan pralines sauce.
Once mixture reaches 235 degrees, remove pan from heat. Immediately add the butter, vanilla, chopped pecans, orange zest, and cooked bacon crumbles.

Adding chopped pecans for bacon pecan pralines to saucepan

Crumbled, cooked bacon pieces are added to praline mixture in pan.

Beat the bacon pecan praline mixture with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thoroughly combined. WARNING: The praline mixture will be very, very hot. Be very careful so you don’t burn yourself!

Hot bacon pecan pralines mixture, in saucepan after cooking.

Drop pralines by teaspoonfuls onto a sprayed baking sheet , a silicone mat, OR onto buttered parchment paper. Leave space between each of the pralines, as they will spread a bit while hot.

Dropping spoonfuls of bacon pecan pralines onto round baking pan, to cool.
Let the bacon pecan pralines sit and cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The pralines will firm up as they cool. When completely firm, they are ready to be served. Carefully remove from pan.

Serve pralines by themselves, as a small treat, or as I did for our Bacon Night, on the side of a scoop of Candied Bacon Ice Cream. YEP! Bacon overload!

Bacon pecan pralines were served with a scoop of candied bacon ice cream!
If you’re looking for an interesting, yet amazingly good dessert treat, I hope you will consider making these yummy bacon pecan pralines! Have a great day!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://www.framedcooks.com/2011/06/buttermilk-bacon-pralines.html

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Bacon Pecan Pralines
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Bacon Pecan Pralines are a twist on traditional pralines. These sweet treats include BACON, which gives them a sweet and salty flavor - a great combination!

Category: Candy
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bacon pecan pralines, pralines
Servings: 20
Calories Per Serving: 142 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
  • 4 bacon slices , pre-cooked crisp, then crumbled
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Place the granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, corn syrup, baking soda and salt into a large and deep heavy saucepan. Stir to combine. Insert a candy thermometer into mixture, attaching it to the side of pan. Heat on medium heat until the mixture reaches 235 degrees F on the candy thermometer, stirring often to prevent candy from burning on the bottom of pan.
  2. Once thermometer reads 235 degrees, carefully remove pan from heat. Be careful... it will be HOT!
  3. Add butter, vanilla extract, chopped pecans, orange zest, and bacon to the hot praline mixture. Beat ingredients together, using a wooden spoon, until all is combined.
  4. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a sprayed baking sheet, a silicone mat, OR onto buttered parchment paper. Leave space between each praline, as mixture will spread while hot.
  5. Let the pralines cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, until totally cooled and firm all the way through. Serve and enjoy! (Pralines may be stored in refrigerator).
Nutrition Facts
Bacon Pecan Pralines
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 142 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 114mg5%
Potassium 46mg1%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 85IU2%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Bacon Pecan Pralines are a twist on traditional pralines. These sweet treats include BACON, which gives them a sweet and salty flavor - a great combination!

 

 

 

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Aug
2015

Apple Crumb Muffins

categories: Apples, Breads, Breakfast, Muffins
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Apple crumb muffins with streusel topping, are moist, delicious, easy to make and will become a family favorite breakfast treat!Apple crumb muffins with streusel topping, are moist, delicious, easy to make and will become a family favorite breakfast treat!

This past weekend we have had quite lot of wind and heavy rain hit us here in Portland. The temperature has dropped quite a bit from the consistent HOT temps we’ve been experiencing all summer long.

To celebrate what FEELS like Fall, I made these Apple Crumb Muffins! Apples and cool, rainy weather just seem to go together well! So does a hungry tummy and these yummy muffins! 

I found the recipe for these delicious, easy-to-prepare muffins on a blog site that I enjoy, called “Heather’s French Press”, and decided to give ’em a try.

These apple crumb muffins are SO EASY to make… really! Here’s how you make them:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Apple Crumb Muffins

First you whisk together flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt and cinnamon. You have to use cinnamon to make any good apple recipe a hit, right?

Flour and spices in bowl

Next, whisk together one egg, some milk and a bit of melted butter. Whisk it up good, then pour it into the flour mixture.

Egg, milk and butter with whisk in bowlPouring muffin batter into dry ingredients in bowl

Stir to combine the ingredients (just until blended in), then fold in the chopped apples.

Muffin batter with apple chunks in bowl

Time To Fill the Muffin Tins!

Fill paper-lined muffin cups with the apple mixture. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Now it’s time to bake the muffins.

PLEASE IGNORE my totally ancient/much-abused, horrible-looking muffin pans that have seen a LOT of use over the years! They are a little worse for the wear, but “work” just fine, so I can live with that.

Batter in paper-lined muffin cup tins

Now it’s time to make the crumb/streusel topping. Easy. Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl, then distribute the streusel over the top of each muffin.

Batter with streusel on top in muffin tins

Bake The Apple Crumb Muffins!

Bake the muffins at 400°F. for about 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. The streusel topping on the muffins will be golden brown in color.

You can check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done!

Transfer the muffin tin to a wire rack and let the muffins cool slightly (2-3 minutes) before removing the muffins and serving.

Serve The Apple Crumb Muffins

Remove the muffins from the pan and serve these delicious breakfast or snack treats to those you love. See how nice the streusel topping looks?

Two muffins close up with apple on plateBaked apple crumb muffin on a paper towel

Here’s an apple crumb muffin that has been cut in half. See those apple chunks inside the muffin? YUM.

You can see the apple chunks inside the muffin!

These apple crumb muffins also freeze well, if wrapped securely! Sure hope you will find some time to give this recipe a try! I’m sure you will LOVE these muffins!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More MUFFIN Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page! I have lots of muffin recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://www.heathersfrenchpress.com/2015/08/apple-streusel-coffee-cake-muffins.html

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Apple Crumb Muffins
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Apple crumb muffins with streusel topping, are moist, delicious, easy to make and will become a family favorite breakfast treat!
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple crumb muffins
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories Per Serving: 202 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For The Muffins:
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 4 Tablespoons butter , melted
  • 2 cups apples , peeled, and diced
For The Crumb Topping:
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 Tablespoons butter , melted
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk and melted butter (cooled) together.
  4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir this until is is just barely combined.
  5. Add the diced apples; fold them into the batter.
  6. Spoon the mixture into paper-lined or spayed standard sized muffin cups.
  7. In separate small bowl, mix together the crumb topping ingredients. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top of each of the muffins. Use all the topping mixture.
  8. Bake the muffins at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Apple Crumb Muffins
Amount Per Serving (1 muffin)
Calories 202 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 157mg7%
Potassium 126mg4%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 19g21%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 225IU5%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 48mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Apple crumb muffins with streusel topping, are moist, delicious, easy to make and will become a family favorite breakfast treat!

 

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Aug
2015

Chili Mac With Summer Squash

categories: Beef, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern
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Chili Mac with Summer Squash is a budget friendly, easy, delicious meal, with ground beef, pasta, fresh veggies and great Southwest flavor!Chili Mac with Summer Squash is a budget friendly, easy, delicious comfort food meal, with ground beef, pasta, fresh summer veggies and great Southwest flavor!
Well, if you’re looking for an inexpensive, easy to prepare “Comfort Food” kind of meal… this “Chili Mac With Summer Squash” is it!!  I made this Southwestern flavored recipe up as I went along (really), but it is loosely based on the goulash recipe (Italian-flavored) my Mom used to make for us kids when we were growing up.

I fixed this EASY PEASY yummy dish for my husband and I for dinner recently, and it filled us up!  It’s pretty amazing what you can do with a pound of hamburger meat, some fresh veggies from the garden (or store), elbow macaroni, and some tasty Southwestern spices! The recipe serves 4-6 depending on serving size, so all in all, it’s a lot of bang for your hard earned money! Here’s how to make this:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Meat 

First, brown one pound of ground beef with chopped onions and a bit of diced jalapeno. When it is nearly done, add minced garlic.

Ground beef, onions, garlic and jalapeno are cooked for chili mac
Drain off the grease (discard), then add one small can of diced tomatoes, a little water, some taco seasoning, salt, and pepper to the beef. (I used 3 large Tablespoons of my homemade taco seasoning mix:  “Make Your Own Taco Seasoning Mix”).

Canned tomatoes and chili spices are added to ground beef mixture
Time To Add The Summer Squash!

Stir well, then add zucchini and yellow squash (cut in quarters). I used my homegrown veggies (yay for my garden). Stir again to combine, then cover the skillet and let it all cook for 9-10 minutes. Only cook long enough to cook the squash, but not let it get “smooshy”.

Sliced summer squash is added to chili beef mixture

Summer squash is cooked with ground beef, tomatoes and spices
To Save Time: While the meat and veggies are cooking, cook the elbow macaroni separately in a large saucepan. Once the meat and veggies were done cooking, I uncovered the skillet to take a photo to show what it will look like.

Summer squash is finished cooking with chili beef
Finish Making The Chili Mac with Summer Squash

Once the pasta noodles have finished cooking, drain the water from them. Put the drained macaroni noodles back into the large pot they were cooked in.

Macaroni noodles are cooked, then drained.
Immediately pour the entire skillet of hot meat and veggies into the pan of cooked/drained macaroni.

Summer squash, chili beef and tomatoes are poured over cooked macaroni
Stir it all together, then heat it another minute or two to make sure it is hot… then taste-test it to make sure it is seasoned with enough salt.

Pasta, beef and summer squash are stirred to combine.
Time to EAT!

Ladle the Chili Mac into serving bowls while it is piping hot!

Chili mac with summer squash is placed into bowls for serving
Sprinkle each bowl with a small amount of grated cheddar cheese, then serve it! There ya have it… a tasty one-dish meal that has meat, pasta, AND yummy veggies!

Chili mac is sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese to serve.
All that’s left to do is grab a fork and dig in! Chili Mac with summer squash is quick, easy, totally inexpensive to make, and really good. How good, you ask? The kind of good where you want to “put on stretchy pants and hang out on the couch watching a great movie while you eat this on a rainy day good”.

Sure hope you will give this recipe a try! The leftovers are amazingly yummy, as well- (speaking with first-hand knowledge!)  I think you’ll like this comforting dish as much as we do, and will LOVE how easy it is to prepare!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious featuring pasta, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a GREAT day!

Author's signature

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Chili Mac With Summer Squash
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
9 mins
Total Time
24 mins
 
Chili Mac with Summer Squash is a budget friendly, easy, delicious comfort food meal, with ground beef, pasta, fresh summer veggies and great Southwest flavor!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: chili mac
Servings: 5 servings
Calories Per Serving: 562 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound hamburger meat
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 small jalapeno pepper , (de-stemmed and seeded), chopped finely
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning or 3 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 green zucchini , sliced, then cut into quarters
  • 1 yellow squash , sliced, then cut into quarters
  • 2 cups elbow macaroni (cooked per package directions)
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • Additional salt (to taste)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Before cooking the hamburger meat, bring a large saucepan full of water to a boil (to cook the macaroni in)
  2. In large skillet, brown the hamburger meat, chopped onion and jalapeno. Right before meat is fully cooked, add the minced garlic. Drain grease off meat when fully cooked. Return skillet to stove.
  3. Add tomatoes, taco seasoning, water, salt and pepper, zucchini, and yellow squash. Stir to combine. Cover skillet, then continue to cook on medium-low for approximately 9 minutes. Do not let squash get smooshy!
  4. While meat mixture is cooking, prepare macaroni noodles in a large saucepan, according to package directions. When done, drain macaroni, then return noodles to large saucepan.
  5. Add in the hot meat/squash mixture. Stir to combine. Heat quickly (uncovered) on medium-high for a minute or two, stirring constantly, to heat dish thoroughly. Taste test. If it needs more salt, add it now.
  6. Spoon mixture into individual serving bowls. Top with grated cheddar cheese, and serve hot!
Nutrition Facts
Chili Mac With Summer Squash
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1/5 of total))
Calories 562 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 88mg29%
Sodium 809mg35%
Potassium 767mg22%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 515IU10%
Vitamin C 24.1mg29%
Calcium 231mg23%
Iron 3.7mg21%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chili Mac with Summer Squash is a budget friendly, easy, delicious comfort food meal, with ground beef, pasta, fresh summer veggies and great Southwest flavor!

 

 

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Aug
2015

Mom’s Marinated Cucumbers

categories: From Our Veggie Garden, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Quick and easy, cold and crisp, Mom’s marinated cucumbers in vinaigrette provide a sweet crunch to salads, and are just as good eaten right out of the bowl!Quick and easy, cold and crisp, Mom's marinated cucumbers in vinaigrette provide a sweet crunch to salads, and are just as good eaten right out of the bowl!
When I was growing up, my Mom occasionally made batches of marinated cucumbers. We either could add them to a green salad, OR (as she preferred to do),  eat them… crispy and cold, right out of the container with a fork! Since I’ve been growing lots of cucumbers in our garden this year, it’s a perfect way to use some of our abundance.

This amazing little side dish is totally easy to prepare. Basically you mix up the marinade, slice up cucumbers, chop some red onion, mix it all together, then refrigerate for several hours so that the flavors come together beautifully!

That’s it! See how easy it is to make Mom’s marinated cucumbers? And these cucumbers are crisp, slightly sweet, and delicious! I’m glad to have so many from our little backyard garden!

Cucumber on vine in garden

Making Mom’s Marinated Cucumbers

To make mom’s marinated cucumbers, first peel and slice the cucumbers, then put them in a container that has a lid. Finely chop some red onion, and add to the cucumbers. This step only takes a few minutes.

Cucumber is peeled and sliced (on yellow cutting mat)
Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. This takes about a minute to prepare.

Marinade for cucumbers in metal bowl
Pour the marinade on top of the cucumbers, then stir well to combine.

Marinade poured over sliced cucumbers in container
Refrigerate, Then Enjoy Mom’s Marinated Cucumbers!

Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, stirring a couple of times to make sure cucumber slices are covered. When ready to serve, or gobble up, remove from refrigerator and go for it!

Mom's marinated cucumbers, in bowl in refrigerator

They are tasty right out of the container OR served on a crisp, green salad!  They are GOOD!!!!  Bet ya can’t eat just one of these!

Looking For More SIDE SALAD Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some yummy side salad recipes you might want to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: My Mom

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Mom's Marinated Cucumbers
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Quick and easy, cold and crisp, Mom's marinated cucumbers in vinaigrette provide a sweet crunch to salads, and are just as good eaten right out of the bowl!
Category: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Mom's marinated cucumbers
Servings: 8 4 cups total (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 146 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon (each) Salt & Pepper , to taste (guessing I would say about 1/4 teaspoon each)
  • 3 large large cucumbers , peeled and sliced
  • 1/4 medium medium red onion , finely chopped
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Peel and slice cucumbers; place in a container that has a lid. Finely chop red onion; add to cucumbers.

  2. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until sugar is dissolved. Pour marinade over the cucumbers. Stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate cucumbers for at least 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

Please note: The 10 minute prep time is "active" prep time. I did not include the 3-4 hours "inactive" refrigeration time necessary for all flavors to permeate and come together. Please plan accordingly.

Nutrition Facts
Mom's Marinated Cucumbers
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cups)
Calories 146 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Sodium 75mg3%
Potassium 147mg4%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Sugar 20g22%
Vitamin A 75IU2%
Vitamin C 3.6mg4%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Quick and easy, cold and crisp, Mom's marinated cucumbers in vinaigrette provide a sweet crunch to salads, and are just as good eaten right out of the bowl!

 

 

 

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Aug
2015

Boysenberry Pie

categories: Desserts, Pies/Tarts
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Enjoy the flavor of summer berries with homemade Boysenberry Pie! Serve a slice topped with vanilla ice cream for a classic, delicious dessert!Enjoy the flavor of summer berries with homemade Boysenberry Pie! Serve a slice topped with vanilla ice cream for a classic, delicious dessert!

When I was growing up in Southern California, I LOVED to visit my Great-Aunt’s home in the summer, because she grew boysenberries in her backyard. We could pick them right out of her garden and eat them.

Sometimes we would get lucky and she would bake a Boysenberry Pie for us! This is one of my all-time FAVORITE pies… and talk about delicious!!!! Oh My!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

I Grew Up Enjoying Boysenberry Pie At Knott’s Berry Farm

Another reason I love homemade boysenberry pie is due to family trips to Knott’s Berry Farm in Southern CA as I was growing up. Our family always stopped into their restaurant for their famous Fried Chicken Dinner and, of course, their FAMOUS Boysenberry Pie for dessert. YUMMO!!! What a delicious treat!

This is a fresh picked boysenberry... my FAVORITE!

I  LOVE to go to a local U-Pick Farm each summer and pick boysenberries while ripe, and store them away so I can make a Boysenberry Shortbread Tart, a cobbler, or this Boysenberry Pie any time I want to during the year.

The recipe I am posting is for a 9-inch boysenberry pie, but I’ve included quantity instructions for an 8 inch pie in the Notes section of the printable recipe.

This Boysenberry Pie Recipe Is An Oldie, But A Goodie!

The recipe I use for my Boysenberry Pie is one I have been using for nearly 40 years. It is straight from the pages of a cookbook I received as a wedding present YEARS AND YEARS AGO. The recipe is as easy as making (or buying) a double pie crust, mixing up the pie ingredients, adding it to the pie crust, then baking.

I use this recipe from my blog to make pie crusts: DIY – Mom’s Pie Crust.  Always makes a flaky, great crust.  I either make a double crust pie or I make a lattice-weaved crust pie.

Preparing the pie crust to make a boysenberry pie.

Whether you make your own crust OR buy it, this pie is delicious! Here are picture of both ways I make my crusts for this pie. The first photo is a traditional double crust boysenberry pie.

Boysenberry Pie, with a traditional double crust.

This boysenberry pie was made with a lattice-weaved crust. We sure love this pie!

Boysenberry pie, with a lattice crust.

I hope you will consider making this classic dessert!  The recipe is also adaptable for using blackberries, too!!  I use fresh berries whenever they are available, but it is also fine to use unsweetened frozen berries (thawed before adding to pie).

Serve Boysenberry Pie A La Mode!

Homemade boysenberry pie is a delicious dessert… especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!), and for me, brings back sweet memories of childhood, spent in the company of my wonderful family!

Boysenberry Pie, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Hope you enjoy a wonderful day, full of sweet memories! Hope you make this delicious dessert!

Looking For More PIE Recipes?

You can find all of my pie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few family favorites include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signaturePie Recipe Source: “The New Pillsbury Family Cookbook”, copyright 1973, the Pillsbury Company, page 149.

Pie Crust Recipe:  http://www.thegratefulgirlcooks.com/diy-moms-pie-crust/

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Boysenberry Pie
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Enjoy the flavor of summer berries with homemade Boysenberry Pie! Serve a slice topped with vanilla ice cream for a classic, delicious dessert!
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: boysenberry pie
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 368 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the pie crusts:
  • 2 Two pastry pie crusts (one for top, one for bottom-homemade or store bought)
For the Pie Filling (a 9 inch pie):
  • 4 cups boysenberries (fresh)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

  2. In a large bowl, gently mix together the boysenberries, sugar, all purpose flour and cinnamon. Pour the fruit mixture into a pastry lined pie pan. Cut the butter into small pieces; dot the top of the fruit with the butter.

  3. Top the pie with the second crust; completely seal and flute the edges to make the crust. Make a slight cut with a knife in the middle of the top crust to vent the pie. If you wish to have a shiny/sugary top crust, brush the top crust with a tiny bit of milk (using a pastry brush), then sprinkle with granulated sugar).

  4. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until the juices are bubbly in the center and the crust is golden brown.
Recipe Notes

For an 8 inch pie, measurements are as follows: 3 cups fresh fruit, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 Tablespoon butter. Same time for baking.

Nutrition Facts
Boysenberry Pie
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 368 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 7mg2%
Sodium 199mg9%
Potassium 138mg4%
Carbohydrates 57g19%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 29g32%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Vitamin C 2.1mg3%
Calcium 26mg3%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy the flavor of summer berries with homemade Boysenberry Pie! Serve a slice topped with vanilla ice cream for a classic, delicious dessert!

 

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Aug
2015

Mahi Mahi with Corn & Avocado Salsa

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood
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Easy to prepare, healthy AND delicious, baked Mahi Mahi seafood dish, served on a bed of Corn and Avocado Salsa is sure to please your taste buds!Easy to prepare, healthy AND delicious, baked Mahi Mahi seafood dish, served on a bed of Corn and Avocado Salsa is sure to please your taste buds!
Want to try a fantastic, delicious, healthy and EASY seafood meal? Then look no further. This Mahi Mahi with Corn & Avocado Salsa is the dinner for YOU. Seriously wonderful.

I made this delicious dish for my husband and I the other night for dinner. We both LOVED it! I used frozen mahi mahi fillets that we purchased in a large bag at Costco, then thawed the pieces we needed to make the recipe.

The fish is lightly spiced, and the corn and avocado salsa (that you place the fish on top of when done) is crunchy, creamy and amazing! So quick and easy to prepare, as well!! Winner, winner! This is a perfect meal to serve that’s ready in a flash!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Seasoning For The Mahi Mahi

The first thing I did was mix up the seasoning for the fish. Took all of about 1 minute. Whew. I know it was hard to not work up a real sweat, but you did it!

Seasoning for mahi mahi, in metal bowl
Brush all sides of the uncooked Mahi Mahi with the seasoning sauce. I lined a baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch drips), then sprayed a wire oven-safe rack with non-stick spray.

Bake The Mahi Mahi

Place the fish on the wire rack, then put the rack on top of the foil-covered baking sheet and place it in the oven. You will need to bake the mahi mahi at 375° F for 18-20 minutes.

Sauce brushed onto mahi mahi fillets, on blue matTwo pieces of mahi mahi on wire rack
Make The Corn And Avocado Salsa While Mahi Mahi Bakes

While the fish is baking, it is easy to make the corn and avocado salsa in no time at all. Again… this step is very EASY.

Corn and avocado salsa in bowl
Serve The Mahi Mahi with Corn And Avocado Salsa

When the Mahi Mahi was done baking, I spooned a bed of the salsa onto our individual dinner plates, then placed the baked Mahi Mahi on top. Voila! Quick AND healthy!  The mahi mahi and the fresh, delicious salsa looks good and tastes even better!

Mahi Mahi on corn and avocado salsa, with watermelon wedge on side
Sure hope you will give this healthy entree a try… I will most DEFINITELY be preparing this mahi mahi with corn and avocado salsa again!  Have a fantastic day, friends.

Looking For More SEAFOOD Recipes?

You can find all of my seafood recipes (there’s a lot!) in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few family favorites include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://laughingspatula.com/easy-grilled-mahi-with-avocado-and-corn-salsa/

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Mahi Mahi with Corn & Avocado Salsa
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
18 mins
Total Time
28 mins
 

Easy to prepare, healthy AND delicious, this baked Mahi Mahi seafood dish, served on a bed of Corn and Avocado Salsa is sure to please your taste buds!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mahi mahi
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 333 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the Mahi Mahi:
  • 4 mahi mahi fillets - thawed
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Salsa:
  • 2 fresh ears of corn , (approx. 2 cups-cut from cob)
  • 1 small jalapeno pepper , seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 firm and ripe avocado , cut into cubes
  • 1/3 cup red onion , finely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place aluminum foil onto a cookie sheet. Spray a wire rack with a non-stick spray. Place the fish fillets onto the wire rack over the foil (this will make cleanup a snap!). Place cookie sheet with wire rack and fish into oven. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes or until fish is done.
  3. While fish is baking, prepare the salsa:
  4. Mix all the salsa ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.
  5. When the fish is done baking, create a "bed" of salsa on the serving plate, then top with a piece of the hot fish. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes

FYI --Original recipe serves 4. When I made this I only cooked TWO Mahi Mahi fillets, but kept all other ingredients the same... We liked having a large amount of the fresh salsa under the fish.

Nutrition Facts
Mahi Mahi with Corn & Avocado Salsa
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (w/ corn salsa)
Calories 333 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 82mg27%
Sodium 703mg31%
Potassium 920mg26%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 825IU17%
Vitamin C 13.4mg16%
Calcium 36mg4%
Iron 2.7mg15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Easy to prepare, healthy AND delicious, baked Mahi Mahi seafood dish, served on a bed of Corn and Avocado Salsa is sure to please your taste buds!

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Aug
2015

Grilled Summer Veggies

categories: For The BBQ Grill, From Our Veggie Garden, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Grilled Summer Veggies, with zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, onion, green and red peppers and green beans are cooked on BBQ, then topped w/ Parmesan cheese!Grilled Summer Veggies, with zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, onion, green and red peppers and green beans are cooked on BBQ, then topped w/ Parmesan cheese!

The HOT summer continues here in the great Pacific Northwest! We are still using our BBQ grill a lot, as we try to keep our kitchen (and home) cool! Today I want to share a recipe I make quite frequently in the summertime- Grilled Summer Veggies!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making Grilled Summer Veggies Is EASY

This recipe is really, really easy.  All that is involved in the prep work for this delicious side dish is slicing and cutting up the veggies. I even was able to use some homegrown veggies from our garden as part of this dish (yee haw!)

 

Summer veggies are sliced, and ready to be grilled.Once the veggies are sliced and chopped, put them into a large bowl. I used zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, green and red pepper, green beans (even a few yellow fillet beans from the garden), and baby carrots.

You can certainly add in additional veggies to make this dish “your own”. That’s the best way, right? You’ve got to like what you’re cooking!

Cut veggies are placed in large bowl to mix with seasonings.Time To Season The Veggies

Season the veggies with olive oil, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Give them a good toss, to fully coat the veggies with the seasoning.

Summe veggies are seasoned with olive oil, Parmesan cheese and Italian spices before grilling.

Use A BBQ Grill Safe Basket

After the veggies and seasonings are combined, put them into a BBQ-safe grill pan (we got one for about $8 at a home improvement warehouse). NOTE: If you don’t have access to a grill pan, use a cast iron skillet on your BBQ to cook these, but watch out… the skillet will get REALLY hot!).

The grill pan we used has a handle to carry it that detaches once you get it on the BBQ grill, then reattaches to lift pan off the grill once done. Pretty handy to use!

Veggies are placed into a BBQ-grill pan for cooking.Cook the veggies on a medium-hot grill for about 15 minutes or so, stirring often. My husband was the “Grill-Meister and Stirrer-Extraordinaire” for this dish!

Grilled Summer Veggies on the BBQ, being stirred while they cook.Some of the veggies will get a nice char on them or get slightly golden brown… that’s great! Just remember to stir them occasionally so they don’t burn! We love cooking veggies on our Weber grill, cause the smoky smell permeates the vegetables, and gives them such a wonderful flavor!

Summer veggies grilling on the BBQ.Serve The Grilled Summer Veggies

Once the veggies are done (fork-tender), we bring them inside and top them with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve them up, straight out of the grill pan! YUM!

Grilled Summer Veggies are sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese before serving.Sure hope you will give this EASY recipe a try. These grilled summer veggies are a wonderful accompaniment to most meat dishes. I think you and your family will love them! You might also like to see how to grill corn on the cob on the BBQ! That’s another easy way to cook veggies!

Have a great day!  Thanks for stopping by today, and come back soon. May you find beauty all around you today. Hope you’re looking for it!

Looking For More VEGGIE Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a great variety of vegetable dishes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Grilled Summer Veggies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Grilled Summer Veggies, with zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, onion, green and red peppers and green beans are cooked on BBQ, then topped w/ Parmesan cheese!
Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: grilled summer veggies
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 163 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 zucchini , sliced
  • 1 yellow squash , sliced
  • 3 slices red onion (then quartered
  • 1/2 green bell pepper , cut into chunks
  • 1/2 red bell pepper , cut into chunks
  • green beans (I used about 10), ends trimmed and beans cut in half
  • 6-8 baby carrots , cut in half lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons Grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish once veggies are cooked)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Prepare all veggies. Place into a large bowl.  Add seasoning ingredients: Parmesan cheese (shaker can kind), salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, Mix well to combine.

  2. Place veggies into a sprayed BBQ grill saute pan or into a cast iron skillet. Place pan onto a medium high BBQ grill. Cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally so the veggies don't burn.  When done, remove from heat (if using cast iron skillet it will be HOT... be careful!).

  3. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top of the hot vegetables, and serve.  Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Grilled Summer Veggies
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 163 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 6mg2%
Sodium 156mg7%
Potassium 364mg10%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 2855IU57%
Vitamin C 49.3mg60%
Calcium 125mg13%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Grilled Summer Veggies, with zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, onion, green and red peppers and green beans are cooked on BBQ, then topped w/ Parmesan cheese!

 

 

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Aug
2015

Cobb Salad

categories: Bacon, Chicken, Main Dish Salads, Main Dishes, Salads
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Cobb Salad is a delicious “all in one” meal, with chicken breast, chilled salad greens, bacon, avocado, bleu cheese crumbles, and crunchy veggies!Cobb Salad is a delicious "all in one" meal, featuring chicken breast, chilled salad greens, bacon, avocado, bleu cheese crumbles, and crunchy veggies!
This past week I made a Cobb Salad for my husband and I for dinner. Cobb Salads are one of my favorite meals, because of all the chopped veggies, chicken, bacon, etc. that go into it. It’s an entire meal… we are always full when done eating, that’s for sure!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Cad At The Bottom Of the Page

Making A Cobb Salad

The majority of work involved in making this chopped Cobb Salad is simply that… chopping! Chopping up cooked, crisp bacon, grilled chicken breasts, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumber and avocados.

The prep work is not so bad… it’s easy!  Once you have THAT done, all that is involved is layering the ingredients onto the cold crisp salad greens, adding your favorite dressing and enjoying this great salad!

Cobb salad, with chicken, bleu cheese, bacon and avocado!
If you have already have cooked chicken (I used leftover grilled chicken breasts!) and hard-boiled eggs, then this salad comes together very quickly!

The recipe makes enough for two meal sized salads. It could easily be adapted to make 4 smaller salads as a side dish.  You know what else I like about this yummy salad?  It not only TASTES good, it LOOKS good!

Chunks of chicken, avaocado, cucumber and bacon on cobb salad
Once you’ve “assembled” this cobb salad, all that is left to do is add your favorite salad dressing, grab a fork, and dig in!!! Sure hope you will give this salad a try. I really think you will LOVE it!

Salad dressing is drizzled over cobb salad, ready to serve!

I hope you have the chance to make and enjoy this delicious Cobb Salad. Have a fantastic week, friends. May God bless the work of your hands as you journey through each day you are given!

Looking For More SALAD Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful salad recipes that include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a GREAT day!

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Cobb Salad
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Cobb Salad is a delicious "all in one" meal, featuring chicken breast, chilled salad greens, bacon, avocado, bleu cheese crumbles, and crunchy veggies!

Category: Entree Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cobb salad
Servings: 2 entree salads
Calories Per Serving: 701 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • Iceberg Lettuce and assorted Spring Greens
  • 4 slices bacon , cooked until crispy, then crumbled
  • 2 grilled or cooked skinless , boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
  • 1 medium tomato , chopped
  • 2 hard boiled eggs , chopped
  • 1 medium cucumber , peeled and cubed
  • 1 avocado , cubed
  • Salt and pepper to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Place mixed chilled salad greens on serving plate.
  2. Place layers (lines) of remaining ingredients on top of salad greens in any order you wish, remembering to divide all ingredients in half (half for each salad).
  3. Top with your favorite salad dressing; serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes

FYI-The prep time does not include time for boiling the eggs or cooking the chicken. It's really quick and easy to throw this salad together when those are already pre-cooked.

Caloric calculation is based on TWO salads. If recipe is divided into 4 servings, the calorie count will be cut in half.

Nutrition Facts
Cobb Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 main course salad)
Calories 701 Calories from Fat 450
% Daily Value*
Fat 50g77%
Saturated Fat 16g100%
Cholesterol 313mg104%
Sodium 969mg42%
Potassium 1514mg43%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 46g92%
Vitamin A 1400IU28%
Vitamin C 25.1mg30%
Calcium 248mg25%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Cobb Salad is a delicious "all in one" meal, featuring chicken breast, chilled salad greens, bacon, avocado, bleu cheese crumbles, and crunchy veggies!

 

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Aug
2015

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

categories: Bacon, Candy, Chocolate, Desserts
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Chocolate-covered bacon is both sweet and salty, incredibly easy to make, and is a very unique, but DELICIOUS crispy treat you will LOVE!Chocolate-covered bacon is both sweet and salty, incredibly easy to make, and is a very unique, but DELICIOUS crispy treat you will LOVE!!
A couple years ago, my husband tried a piece of Chocolate-Covered Bacon at a little bakery, while out of our area on business. He said it was fantastic (I had my doubts). Now, don’t get me wrong… I love bacon, but chocolate covered bacon seemed a bit wonky to me. That is, UNTIL I MADE MY OWN! Wowzers! It’s fantastic, and EASY to make!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

My husband and I recently attended a THEMED dinner party with dear friends. The theme this time was BACON. All parts of the meal had to include some form of bacon. Everything. Beverages, appetizers, entrees (3), and desserts. All bacon inspired. Here’s our menu for the bacon-themed dinner:

Menu for bacon-themed dinner

Here’s a collage of some of the bacon dishes we enjoyed… everything from prosciutto risotto to candied bacon ice cream!

Collage of bacon themed dishes from our bacon themed dinner

I was in charge of the desserts, (as I typically am). One of the desserts I made was chocolate covered bacon strips. YUM! Even after being coated in semi-sweet chocolate, the bacon was crispy inside. The chocolate actually is a perfect counter balance to the saltiness of the bacon.  You can also see my Bacon Pecan Pralines, Maple Bacon Pecan Truffles, and Candied Bacon Ice Cream in the collage photo above.

It really was easy to make this chocolate-covered bacon. I didn’t have a “recipe”; I just used the technique I use for dipping truffles in chocolate. My fingers got a bit messy, but that’s no big deal. Here’s what I did.

How To Make Chocolate-Covered Bacon

First I fried the number of bacon strips I wanted. This recipe is for 8, but you can easily alter recipe to accommodate the number of strips you want to make.  I cooked the bacon strips until they were very crispy, then drained them on a paper towel to absorb the grease.

Bacon is fried until crisp.
I let the bacon cool completely. Then I melted semi-sweet chocolate chips with a heaping Tablespoon of vegetable shortening in my microwave. (30 seconds, stir. 30 seconds stir).

Chocolate chips and shortening are melted together to coat baconDipping the Bacon

The next thing I did was carefully (the bacon is crisp, remember?) dip one piece of bacon at a time in the chocolate.  I used a spoon to help cover about 3/4 of the piece on both sides with chocolate, then carefully flipped it over and did the remaining bit on both sides.

I used a spoon to spoon the chocolate into nooks and crannies that needed help to be covered. I let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.

Crisp bacon is dipped in melted chocolate until fully covered.
After each piece was completely covered in chocolate, it was carefully placed on a piece of aluminum foil to let the chocolate firm up.

Chocolate dipped bacon is left to dry until chocolate firms up
Once the chocolate had firmed up, I melted some white chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup) with a small amount of shortening (1 teaspoon), then decoratively drizzled it over the bacon slices. I even had some green colored chocolate chips from a bag of Christmas colored ones, so I also drizzled that over, for contrast (optional).

Ready For Some Chocolate-Covered Bacon!

At our bacon dinner that evening, one of my friends wondered if I had put mint flavored drizzle (the GREEN chips) on the bacon. No way… just used a different colored semi-sweet chocolate chip!

Chocolate covered bacon is drizzled with white and green chocolate
When I was done being “creative” (ha ha), I let the chocolate-covered bacon slices firm up completely before attempting to remove them from the aluminum foil. I then placed them in a single layer in a sealed plastic container, and kept them in the refrigerator until ready to serve later that evening.

The truffles you see in the picture (with the bacon strips) are another creation I made for bacon night. Here’s the recipe for these Maple Bacon Pecan Truffles. (they were yummy, too!)

Close up photo of chocolate-covered bacon strips
That’s it! It’s really not hard to make chocolate-covered bacon, at all! Hope you will give it a try. Bacon just seems to make everything better… even chocolate! Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon. Don’t forget to check out ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a GREAT day!

Chocolate Covered Bacon / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

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Chocolate-Covered Bacon
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Chocolate-covered bacon is both sweet and salty, incredibly easy to make, and is a very unique, but DELICIOUS crispy treat you will LOVE!!
Category: Candy
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate covered bacon
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 301 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • Bacon (I used 8 strips)
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 HEAPING tablespoon vegetable shortening
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips + 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening (for drizzle)
  • 1/2 cup colored chocolate chips + 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening (for drizzle... totally optional!)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Cook bacon until very crisp. Remove from skillet to paper towels to absorb extra grease. Let cool completely.
  2. Place 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Add the shortening. Cook on high power for 30 seconds. Remove. Stir. Place bowl back in microwave. Cook on high power for 30 seconds. Stir well, to fully combine. If mixture is not fully smooth, place it back in microwave on medium high power for 15 seconds (I usually don't have to do this, but you might, depending on the wattage of your microwave). DO NOT BURN THE CHOCOLATE!
  3. Carefully coat all sides of the bacon strips with melted chocolate. Using a spoon to help get the chocolate onto the bacon works great! Place coated bacon strips onto aluminum foil, and let sit, undisturbed until chocolate has set.
  4. Melt white chocolate chips and shortening in the exact same way as described above. Decoratively drizzle the mixture over the chocolate covered strips. Let sit until chocolate is completely firmed up, then place bacon strips in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate-Covered Bacon
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 301 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 149mg6%
Potassium 234mg7%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 25IU1%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chocolate-covered bacon is both sweet and salty, incredibly easy to make, and is a very unique, but DELICIOUS crispy treat you will LOVE!!

 

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Aug
2015

Grilled Lime-Cilantro Shrimp Kabobs

categories: For The BBQ Grill, Main Dishes, Seafood
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Delicious marinated and grilled lime cilantro shrimp kabobs, with peppers and onions are an easy, healthy and flavorful dish you’ll enjoy!Delicious marinated and grilled lime cilantro shrimp kabobs, with peppers and onions are an easy, healthy and flavorful dish you'll enjoy!
We’ve been grilling a lot of our evening meals outside this summer, because of the “above average” heat we’re having here in the Pacific Northwest. Who wants to bake and heat up the house at the end of a long day when it’s this hot? NOT THIS GIRL! That’s why I made these Grilled Lime-Cilantro Shrimp Kabobs for dinner this week.

I found the recipe for the marinade on Pinterest, then decided to add onions, plus red and green pepper slices, threaded them all onto skewers and threw ’em onto our trusty Weber BBQ grill. In practically no time at all we were enjoying these tasty shrimp kabobs and veggies! Who doesn’t like a good kabob? All in all, a QUICK, EASY, HEALTHY and DELICIOUS dinner on a very HOT evening!

Here’s how easy they are to make… honestly, the most time these took was the 30 minute marinating time. Other than that, they were a cinch!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Shrimp

Clean, shell and de-vein all of the shrimp, and place them in a bowl. Discard the shells and veins, etc.

Shrimp are cleaned, shelled and de-veined before making kabobs.

Use a microplane or a fine grater to add the zest of one lime to the shrimp in the bowl.

Lime zest is added to the raw shrimp in bowl.

Now add the juice from the entire lime to the shrimp. The lime juice should be about the equivalent of about 1/4 cup liquid.

Fresh lime juice is added to the shrimp.

Marinate The Shrimp For The Kabobs

Add oil, chopped cilantro, finely chopped jalapeno, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to the shrimp. Stir, to fully cover the shrimp with the marinade ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the shrimp marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

The shrimp is marinated in the lime and cilantro sauce.

While the shrimp is marinating, cut up the red and green bell peppers and onion. When the shrimp is finished marinating, add sliced veggies to the bowl. Give them a quick stir, to coat with the marinade.

Make The Lime Cilantro Shrimp Kabobs

Thread the veggies and shrimp onto 4 skewers for grilling. Make sure to alternate colors and veggies with the shrimp. Note: I used metal skewers; if you are using wood skewers, be sure to soak them in water for about 30 minutes prior to using, so they won’t burn on the grill.

Red and green peppers and onions are mixed with the marinated shrimp.Shrimp kabobs are placed onto skewers before grilling.

Time To Grill The Shrimp Kabobs

Cook the shrimp kabobs on a hot BBQ grill (medium-high heat). We grilled them about 3 minutes per side (maybe just a tad more, to ensure the veggies got some heat, too). Turn the shrimp kabobs at least once during the grilling time, to ensure all sides cook evenly.

Grilling lime cilantro shrimp kabobs on the BBQ.

Serve And Enjoy

When done, remove the shrimp kabobs from the grill, and serve them right away while they’re hot! Each serving is 2 skewers of shrimp kabobs.

Grilled shrimp kabobs on a plate with rice on the side.I served the kabobs with my Fresh Corn Sauté with Red Pepper and Onions, some rice, and a couple slices of fresh tomatoes from our garden on the side. YUM!

The shrimp is removed from the skewers and served with some corn on the side.These grilled shrimp kabobs sure were good! Hope you’ll give these a try, too! I’m sure they would be just as good grilled on your indoor stovetop grill OR under a broiler (if you don’t have a BBQ grill).

This would also be a great recipe to take on a family camping trip. Just make everything up ahead of time (chopping veggies, marinating shrimp), then skewer them and cook over a campfire grill! The recipe I made (and am posting) serves two people, but can EASILY be doubled!!! Have a great day!

Looking For More KABOB Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few kabob recipes you might enjoy include:

Interested In More Recipes?

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Author's signatureShrimp Marinade Adapted From: http://www.closetcooking.com/2014/07/cilantro-lime-grilled-shrimp.html

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Grilled Lime-Cilantro Shrimp Kabobs
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Marinating
30 mins
Total Time
46 mins
 

Delicious marinated and grilled lime cilantro shrimp kabobs, with peppers and onions are an easy, healthy and flavorful dish you'll enjoy!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: shrimp kabobs
Servings: 4 kabobs
Calories Per Serving: 87 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound shrimp , cleaned, shelled, and deveined
  • 1 lime (zest AND juice)
  • 1/2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon cilantro , chopped
  • 1/4 medium jalapeno , finely chopped
  • 1/2 clove minced garlic
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1/2 medium red bell pepper , cut into wedges (about the same size as the shrimp)
  • 1/2 medium green pepper , cut into wedges (about the same size as the shrimp)
  • 1/4 medium brown onion , cut into wedge slices (about the same size as the shrimp)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a medium sized bowl, marinate the cleaned, shelled and deveined shrimp in the lime zest, lime juice, vegetable oil, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Stir well, to combine and cover the shrimp with the marinade. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate shrimp and marinade for 30 minutes
  2. While shrimp is marinating, cut up the red and green bell peppers, and the brown onion. Cut them into wedges about the same size as the shrimp.

  3. When shrimp has marinated for 30 minutes, add the peppers and onions to the bowl. Toss to coat. Thread the shrimp, peppers and onions onto 4 skewers, alternating items on the skewers.

  4. Grill on a medium-high heated BBQ grill (or under broiler, or on a stovetop grill). Cook shrimp about 3 minutes on each side, or until done. Serve while hot, and enjoy this simple dish! Each serving is 2 kabobs.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is EASILY doubled to serve 4!

Nutrition Facts
Grilled Lime-Cilantro Shrimp Kabobs
Amount Per Serving (2 kabobs)
Calories 87 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 142mg47%
Sodium 442mg19%
Potassium 129mg4%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 520IU10%
Vitamin C 39.7mg48%
Calcium 88mg9%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Delicious marinated and grilled lime cilantro shrimp kabobs, with peppers and onions are an easy, healthy and flavorful dish you'll enjoy!

 

Save

Save