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Ranch Chicken Thighs

Crispy, tangy baked Ranch Chicken Thighs are a delicious, easy dinner great for kids and adults alike, and are ready in under an hour.

Crispy, tangy baked Ranch Chicken Thighs are a delicious, easy dinner great for kids and adults alike, and are ready in under an hour.

 

Amanda is seven now, and still an incredibly picky eater. I shouldn't be surprised, she is just like me! Well, almost. She won't eat mashed potatoes, or sauce on spaghetti, and I don't think that's normal. But, I digress.

Two things she has always loved is chicken and ranch dressing, but she never had them together in a recipe until I made these oven baked Ranch Chicken Thighs. I love it when I find something new that we all agree is good! My husband will eat pretty much anything, but I can't count how many times Amanda has barely taken a bite of something new and decided she hated it. Not this time! These chicken thighs with ranch seasoning quickly became her new favorite.

Ranch Chicken Thighs

Crispy, tangy baked Ranch Chicken Thighs are a delicious, easy dinner great for kids and adults alike, and are ready in under an hour.

 

Normally when we have chicken, Amanda insists on rice with it. This time I wanted her to try red quinoa, and she ate it. Of course, she kept calling it rice even though I told her what it was, but I got her to eat something that she normally wouldn't, and is healthy.  This dinner was definitely a win!

The Ranch Chicken Thighs, which were inspired by Carrie's Experimental Kitchen  use bone-in, skin-on thighs, coated in canola oil, with a dry ranch seasoning rub. Bake them in a casserole dish at 375 F for about 45 minutes. They come out with a crispy browned, tangy skin (you can easily remove it if you don't want the fat, and the chicken is still amazing) and juicy, flavorful chicken.

Need more unique chicken recipes? Try these:

12 Best Chicken Recipes 

Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites 

Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken Legs

Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry

WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM MYSELF AND MY FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS? FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, OR FACEBOOK, WHERE I SHARE NEW RECIPES DAILY. YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL TO GET NEWLY POSTED RECIPES FOR FREE!

Photo of four baked Ranch Chicken Thighs in a square baking pan
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4.09 from 56 votes

Ranch Chicken Thighs

Crispy, tangy baked Ranch Chicken Thighs are a delicious, easy dinner great for kids and adults alike, and are ready in under an hour.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: MAIN COURSES/ENTRÉES
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked ranch chicken recipe, chicken thigh recipe, chicken thighs with ranch seasoning
Servings: 4
Calories: 479kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs skin-on chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 2 ounces powdered Ranch dressing mix (two packets)
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • In a shallow bowl combine the ranch dressing mix, parsley, salt and black pepper, mix well.
  • Place the chicken thighs in a deep casserole dish, pour the oil over the chicken and turn to coat. Rub the chicken with the ranch mixture, turning and coating all sides.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until it reaches 165 on a meat thermometer.

Notes

Adapted from Carrie's Experimental Kitchen 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1319mg | Potassium: 296mg | Vitamin A: 115IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

 

 

Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #AD #Tailgreatness #CollectiveBias Cheesy, spicy Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip made with cheddar and cream cheese is perfect for a group tailgating at the game or at home! I think I might turn away some readers because of how many spicy recipes I share here. The truth is, I LOVE spicy food, and probably always will! I know that some people avoid spicy foods because it gives them heartburn, but I recently learned that frequent heartburn can be prevented with the help of Nexium® 24HR. Nexium® 24HR is for people who suffer from frequent heartburn, and can help you get ready for #Tailgreatness with 24-hour protection after just one pill a day for 1-4 days when used as directed. It takes a few days to start working, but it keeps working long after you take it.

Cheesy, spicy Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip is perfect for a group tailgating at the game or at home!

 

Trust me, you need this Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip during your game! After picking up a box of Nexium® 24HR Tablets 42 count package at Walmart, you will have nothing to worry about. I also picked up most of the ingredients for this dip at Walmart.

Nexium® 24HR

 

The jalapenos came from my freezer, grown in my garden this summer.

Diced Jalapenos

 

I used freshly cooked Mexican chorizo sausage,

Cooked Mexican Chorizo

 

topped with a mixture of freshly shredded cheddar cheese and cream cheese,

cheese-topped-chorizo

 

then topped that with buttered seasoned Panko breadcrumbs for crunch.

Panko Topped Chorizo Dip

 

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until nice and bubbly.

Baked Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip

 

I served the dip with tortilla chips while hot, and it was a huge hit during last Sunday's game! We normally watch at home, but that's no reason not to have great tailgating food.

Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip

Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip

 

Yes, this dip is cheesy, meaty, and SPICY! Don't let that stop you, when you can stop heartburn with Nexium® 24HR. It is the #1 choice of doctor's and pharmacists who suffer from heartburn themselves ( among those who use a name brand over-the-counter PPI).

Nexium 24 HR

You can sign up for savings today!

May take 1 to 4 days for full effect. Use as directed.

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Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip

Cheesy, spicy Mexican Chorizo Jalapeno Popper Dip made with cheddar and cream cheese is perfect for a group tailgating at the game or at home!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican/American
Servings: 8
Calories: 651kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bulk Mexican seasoned beef chorizo
  • 16 ounces mild cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature*
  • ¼ cup diced jalapeno pepper (with or without seeds depending on desired heat)
  • 1 cup seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted plus extra softened butter for greasing casserole dish

Instructions

  • Brown the chorizo in a large frying pan over medium-high heat; turn off the heat and stir in the diced jalapeno. Set aside without draining.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a medium size casserole dish with softened butter.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the shredded cheddar and cream cheese, stirring with a wooden spatula until well blended.
  • In a small bowl combine the Panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter, mix well.
  • Spread the cooked chorizo/jalapenos onto the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with the cheese mixture, spread evenly with a spatula. Finally, top with the buttered breadcrumbs.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15-25 minutes, or until the cheddar is melted and bubbly. Serve hot with tortilla chips or crackers.

Notes

*Soften cream cheese to room temperature for about 1 hour.

Nutrition

Calories: 651kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 1235mg | Potassium: 342mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1110IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 456mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Vegan Mushroom Florentine

Baby portabella mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes in a flavorful vegetable broth make up this Vegan Mushroom Florentine that is perfect as a side dish or a vegan main dish!

Baby portabella mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes in a flavorful vegetable broth make up this Vegan Mushroom Florentine that is perfect as a side dish or a vegan main dish!

 

A few weeks ago I mentioned that my vegan "niece" is living with us now. When she and her sister were little I was a live-in babysitter for them, and cooked for them often. I would always try to make them a vegan version of what the non-vegans were having. I made her this Vegan Mushroom Florentine the night I made us Veal and Crab Florentine.  I made it as her dinner, but it would also be excellent as a side dish for pasta, steak, or chicken. It would also make a great topping for pasta instead of sauce if you chopped the mushrooms fine. Oh, now I want to do that! Or pizza!

Vegan Mushroom Florentine

Baby portabella mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes in a flavorful vegetable broth make up this Vegan Mushroom Florentine that is perfect as a side dish or a vegan main dish!

 

Let's face it, mushrooms aren't pretty. I promise it tastes much better than it looks! As with the Veal and Crab Florentine, I used thawed frozen spinach in this recipe, and I think fresh cooked spinach would look better. For the broth, I chose a non-tomato based vegetable broth. Marissa loved it!

Before I give you the recipe, it's time for a short, one word answers survey:

1. Do you want more pumpkin recipes this year?

2. Do you need Thanksgiving dinner main course recipes?

3. Are you looking more for Christmas treats or Christmas dinner ideas?

Please leave your answers in the comments, or you can email me at [email protected] if you have more than a one word answer to add, would like to see something else, or have any questions on any of the recipes you find here. Your answers will help me decide what to write about over the next several months and I appreciate your input.

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Vegan Mushroom Florentine

Baby portabella mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes in a flavorful vegetable broth make up this Vegan Mushroom Florentine that is perfect as a side dish or a vegan main dish!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Italian/American
Servings: 2
Calories: 261kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, cleaned
  • ¾ cup thawed frozen spinach, squeezed dry (or 1 cup fresh spinach)
  • 1 tomato seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup vegetable broth (garden, non-tomato based)
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 tablespoons vegan butter or margarine
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Melt the vegan butter or margarine in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, parsley, and garlic powder. Saute for 2 minutes.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth, reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 760mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 8625IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1.6mg

 

Cheesy Mexican Chorizo Puff Pastry Tarts

 Cheesy Mexican Chorizo Puff Pastry Tarts are a spicy, cheesy, flaky appetizer great for munching on during the game or for a party!

Cheesy Chorizo Puff Pastry Tarts are a spicy, cheesy, flaky appetizer everyone will love!

 

Over the last 4 ½ years I've shared a lot of appetizers that are great for snacking on while watching football. Let's kick off this season with Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry and Cheesy Mexican Chorizo Puff Pastry Tarts. I love how easy these are to make!

Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry

 

The Puff Pastry comes from the freezer section of your grocery store. Once it is defrosted, it can be used for lots of things, from flaky, gooey desserts to appetizers like this. You can even make a delicious breakfast like a Cheesy Egg and Bacon Tart I made once upon a time.

I used a pizza cutter to cut the defrosted Puff Pastry Sheets into squares,

Puff Pastry Squares

 

and baked them for 10 minutes. I let them cool for a few minutes, then I topped each square with a little shredded mozzarella cheese,

Cheese Topped Puff Pastry

 

followed by some cooked Mexican Chorizo sausage

Chorizo Topped Puff Pastry

 

and finally more cheese. More cheese is always good!

Cheese and Chorizo Topped Puff Pastry

 

In the world of food, I always seem to live in an alternate universe than my foodie friends. I've never even seen chorizo sausage links in my grocery stores, only bulk Mexican seasoned chorizo, which I can only find during certain times of the year. I know I can make my own, but I haven't yet. That one is in my plans for this year. If you can only find the links, just remove the casings and crumble the meat before cooking.

Cheesy Mexican Chorizo Puff Pastry Tarts

Cheesy Mexican Chorizo Puff Pastry Tarts are a spicy, cheesy, flaky appetizer great for munching on during the game!

 

Visit Pepperidge Farm® to find more recipes for inspiration and try Puff Pastry Sheets for your next gathering. Sign up for the Puff Pastry newsletter for even more recipes, tips and exclusive offers every month.

WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM MYSELF AND MY FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS? FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, OR FACEBOOK, WHERE I SHARE NEW RECIPES DAILY. YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL TO GET NEWLY POSTED RECIPES FOR FREE!

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3.67 from 3 votes

Cheesy Mexican Chorizo Puff Pastry Tarts

Cheesy Mexican Chorizo Puff Pastry Tarts are a spicy, cheesy, flaky appetizer great for munching on during the game or for a party!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican/American
Servings: 15
Calories: 322kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 2 Pepperidge Farm® puff pastry sheets defrosted for no more than 40 minutes at room temperature
  • 1 pound bulk Mexican chorizo sausage
  • 3 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Crumble the chorizo as much as possible (I've found it easiest to to by hand), then brown in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Set aside and allow to cool in the pan juices.
  • Unfold the defrosted puff pastry sheets and cut into 9 equal size squares per sheet. Place the squares on baking sheets, prick each piece all over with a fork and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave the oven on. Let cool for a few minutes, then flatten each square down with the back of a spatula.
  • Top each piece with a little shredded mozzarella, then equal amounts chorizo, and a final layer of cheese. Bake for 10 minutes more or until the cheese is melted and the tarts are sizzling.

Nutrition

Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 624mg | Potassium: 139mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 1.4mg

 

Veal and Crab Florentine

Fine dining restaurant quality Veal and Crab Florentine, perfectly cooked veal topped with spinach, flaked crab, and sliced tomatoes in a seasoned broth made at home!

Veal and Crab Florentine, perfectly cooked veal topped with spinach, flaked crab, and sliced tomatoes in a seasoned broth made at home!

 

Did you ever eat something at a restaurant one time and the memory of it stuck with you for years? It was that way with me and this Veal and Crab Florentine! I first tried it on Valentine's Day in 2013. I had written a review of the restaurant back then, unfortunately it closed permanently shortly afterwards. In my review I wrote:

"My Veal and Crab Florentine was fabulous! Perfectly cooked veal topped with spinach, flaked crab, and sliced tomatoes in a seasoned broth that I can only assume was made with veal stock."

I thought about making it myself many times, but never did until this past week. The only thing I could say I did wrong was I used a package of frozen spinach instead of fresh and I flaked the crab too much.

When I make it again (and trust me I'm not waiting over 3 years again!) I will use fresh spinach, but frozen is fine if you happen to have it. It sounds like a lot of ingredients, but it's really not and it's faster to prepare than it looks. This delicious, 5-star quality meal can be ready in under an hour! If you thaw the frozen spinach ahead of time or under running water, that is.

Last week I mentioned that my "niece" that is a vegan moved in with us. I made her a completely vegan version of this using mushrooms instead of the veal that I will be sharing with you next week. Next week, I am also taking part in #PumpkinWeek on Monday and Friday, I can't wait to share those recipes. Here's a hint, one of them has my favorite ingredient, bacon!

Veal and Crab Florentine, perfectly cooked veal topped with spinach, flaked crab, and sliced tomatoes in a seasoned broth made at home!

Veal and Crab Florentine, perfectly cooked veal topped with spinach, flaked crab, and sliced tomatoes in a seasoned broth made at home!
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5 from 1 vote

Veal and Crab Florentine

Fine dining restaurant quality Veal and Crab Florentine makes a great elegant dinner you can make easily at home!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Italian/American
Servings: 4
Calories: 551kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds thin veal cutlets
  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach (or 16 ounces frozen, thawed and drained)
  • 8 ounces fresh or refrigerated crab meat (claw or jumbo)
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste, for seasoning the crab,spinach, and tomatoes
  • ¾ cup all-purpose white flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil enough to coat the bottom of the pan
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • small pinch black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  • Thaw the spinach in a colander and squeeze as much water as possible out of it. Pick through the crab for shells. In a medium bowl combine the spinach and diced tomatoes, fold in the crab. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Coat each piece of veal in the flour. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Brown the veal in the oil for about 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Remove from the pan to a plate. Add the beef stock, parsley, garlic powder, and pepper to the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the veal back to the pan, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes, turning once or twice.
  • Melt the butter in a separate pan, add the crab mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
  • Divide the veal between plates, top evenly with the crab, spinach, tomatoes, and a small amount of the broth. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 1118mg | Potassium: 1189mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3690IU | Vitamin C: 20.8mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 4mg

One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper

Do you need a quick and easy meal with almost no cleaning up to do? Then One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper is for you! Made with lean ground turkey, sharp cheddar cheese, and your favorite egg noodles, you can have dinner ready in 30 minutes or less.

Do you need a quick and easy meal with almost no cleaning up to do? Then One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper is for you! Made with lean ground turkey, sharp cheddar cheese, and your favorite egg noodles, you can have dinner ready in 30 minutes or less.

 

Everyone loves quick and easy meals, and not having to a ton of dishes, right? I sure do! I also love it when I can make something we all like. Amanda loves noodles and ground turkey, but I wasn't so sure how she would handle the sauce. She usually only wants butter on her pasta. When she does eat something I'm not expecting her to I get that old Mikey Life cereal commercial in my head, "She likes it, she really likes it!" That's exactly how it was with this dinner!

One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper

One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper

It's been awhile since I mentioned my "nieces", one of my best friends kids. The younger one moved in with us this past week. She's going to stay here while she's in college and working part-time. Both her and her sister have PKU, which pretty much makes her a vegan, but with even more restrictions. I have been cooking for her since she was a baby, and as long as she stays here for awhile, I'm sure I'll be sharing some vegan recipes.  Trust me, I'm not moving to all vegan, she doesn't even eat here all that often.

Do you need a quick and easy meal with almost no cleaning up to do? Then One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper is for you! Made with lean ground turkey, sharp cheddar cheese, and your favorite egg noodles, you can have dinner ready in 30 minutes or less.

 

Alright, I'm rambling. The truth is I don't know what else to say about this quick, easy, little clean-up One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper besides it is delicious! It's exactly like the boxed stuff, only healthier because it doesn't have all the flavorings and preservatives. The sauce thickens as it sits, and it's even better the next day. I didn't add salt or pepper in the recipe, but I did add it at the table. I've been trying to keep salt out of my recipes unless absolutely necessary. If you want to add it while cooking, I would use ¼ teaspoon.

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One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper

Do you need a quick and easy meal with almost no cleaning up to do? Then One Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Helper is for you! Made with lean ground turkey, sharp cheddar cheese, and your favorite egg noodles, you can have dinner ready in 30 minutes or less.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 704kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 15 ounces tomato sauce
  • 30 ounces milk
  • ½ cup chopped yellow onion (recommended) or ½ tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8 ounces shredded sharp white cheddar (I used Cabot's Seriously Sharp)
  • 6 ounces egg noodles (about ¾ of a package)

Instructions

  • Brown the ground turkey with the chopped onions (if using) in a deep saute pan or large pot over medium-high heat until cooked through. Add the tomato sauce, milk, onion powder (if not using chopped onions), garlic powder, and parsley flakes. Bring to a boil then add the egg noodles. Stir, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 11 minutes. Uncover and slowly stir in the cheese until completely melted. Turn off the heat and let sit to thicken the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 1163mg | Potassium: 1121mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1105IU | Vitamin C: 8.9mg | Calcium: 597mg | Iron: 3mg

 

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are bursting with flavor! Pork shoulder simmered with the perfect blend of seasonings, onions, and garlic simmered in orange juice and lime juice, then quickly fried. You won't want to wait for Taco Tuesday for these!

These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are bursting with flavor! Pork shoulder simmered with the perfect blend of seasonings, onions, and garlic simmered in orange juice and lime juice, then quickly fried.

 

Our daughter has been really into doing Taco Tuesday every week. Amanda always wants the crispy taco shells, so if I use flour tortillas I just give her tortilla chips instead. Her "tacos" are always made like nachos.  Since my husbands heart attack I don't normally make ground beef tacos anymore, or if I do I use 97% extra lean ground beef. Instead, I switch off between ground chicken, turkey, pork, or more rarely fish. Sometimes I get tired of regular tacos, though, and that's where Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas come in. The flavor of the orange juice and lime juice stands out, but isn't overpowering. It isn't really spicy, either, at least not to me. Most importantly, I love that they are easy to prepare!

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

 

I had corn tortillas that I wanted to crisp up, but I didn't want to add a lot of fat, so I had the idea to spray each tortilla with cooking spray, sprinkle them lightly with salt, and fry them until they were golden. I was still able to bend them without breaking, they were lightly crispy, not too greasy, perfect!

These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are bursting with flavor! Pork shoulder simmered with the perfect blend of seasonings, onions, and garlic simmered in orange juice and lime juice, then quickly fried. You won't want to wait for Taco Tuesday for these!

 

The pork cooks in the slow cooker for on high for 4-5 hours, then take it out and shred it, put it back in the slow cooker with the juices and seasonings for half an hour more. After that, the pork is removed from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and fried in a small amount of oil until slightly crisp. The result is melt-in-your-mouth, flavorful pork! Top with your favorite taco toppings; I used spinach because we were out of lettuce (and we like it!), diced tomatoes, diced avocado, and shredded Mexican cheese.

This recipe is adapted from The Food Network.

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Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

These Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas are bursting with flavor! Pork shoulder simmered with the perfect blend of seasonings, onions, and garlic simmered in orange juice and lime juice, then quickly fried. You won't want to wait for Taco Tuesday for these!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 hours 40 minutes
Total Time5 hours 50 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican/American
Servings: 12
Calories: 216kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ pound bone-in pork shoulder (or 3 pound boneless, trimmed of excess outer fat)
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, membrane and seeds removed, minced
  • 1 cup no pulp orange juice
  • ½ cup lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons dried cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • vegetable cooking spray
  • salt

Instructions

  • Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker and top with the chopped onion, garlic and jalapeno. In a two cup measuring cup or a bowl combine the orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, oregano, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper; mix well. Pour the mixture over the pork shoulder, cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, or on LOW for 8 hours.
  • Remove the pork from the slow cooker to a large cutting board and shred. Place back in the slow cooker, cover and cook for ½ hour more.
  • Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. With a slotted serving spoon, transfer just enough pork to the pan to cover the bottom. Press the pork into the oil and fry for about 2 minutes, Stir once, cook for about 1 more minute, or until the pork is slightly crisp. Serve on corn tortillas that have been sprayed with cooking oil, lightly salted and fried over medium high heat, one at a time, for two minutes on each side until golden and lightly crisp.

Notes

Leftovers may be frozen and then thawed in the refrigerator. Reheat in a saute pan with oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 16.4mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1.7mg

 

 

Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce, more flavorful than store-bought with fresh cayenne peppers, jalapenos, hot cherry peppers and garlic, so easy to make!

Hot and spicy Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce, more flavorful than store-bought and so easy to make!

 

Oh my gosh! I just realized this is my first new recipe in over a month. I knew it had been awhile, just not quite that long. We just spent the last month having our house painted, room by room. This house was built eight years and we moved in with only primer on the walls. Over the years I would tell my husband we need to paint at least a few times a year, but the only room that was ever painted was Amanda's before she was born. Eight years later, and he hires his cousin and her boyfriend to do it. The whole process was basically like moving, cleaning out rooms, moving furniture, throwing out garbage, donating toys and clothes. I will NEVER do that again!! They finally finished on Sunday, and I'm back to work!

Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce

 

Reality check- I made this Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce weeks ago, and now I can tell you how to make hot sauce.

This hot pepper sauce will keep in the refrigerator for months, you just need to shake or stir it well before using. The vinegar separates a lot more here than with store bought. I used mostly fresh cayenne peppers that we grew in the garden this year, along with a few jalapeños and hot cherry peppers, and a few cloves of garlic to add even more flavor.

 

Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce 

Hot and spicy Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce, more flavorful than store-bought and so easy to make!

 

Since I made it, I've used it on chicken wings, put a few drops in tomato juice, gave some away to a hot sauce loving friend, and had my husband tell me he was surprised at how good it is (huh, has he met me??).  I'm sure my kid would never come near it, but if you are like me, and put hot sauce on everything, then this is for you!

Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce

 

This is not a canning recipe, it will keep in the refrigerator for at least 6 months.

You can use Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce in or on these recipes:

5 Ingredient Taco Soup

Award Winning Chili

Semi-Homemade Refried Beans

Baked Eggs with Spinach Bacon and Avocado 

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Photo of Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce in a mason jar on a white cloth with cayenne peppers scattered around the mason jar
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4.34 from 45 votes

Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce, more flavorful than store-bought with fresh cayenne peppers, jalapenos, hot cherry peppers and garlic, so easy to make!
Prep Time7 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Total Time29 minutes
Course: Sauces
Cuisine: American
Keyword: hot pepper sauce, how to make pepper sauce
Servings: 144 1 teaspoon servings (approximately)
Calories: 3kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • ¼ pound fresh cayenne peppers, stems removed
  • 2-3 jalapenos, stems removed
  • 2 hot cherry peppers (or pepper of your choice, keep in mind the heat level)
  • 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and hard tips cut off
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups white vinegar (or just enough to cover the peppers)

Instructions

  • Place the peppers, garlic, and salt in a medium pot with a lid. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Carefully pour the contents into a blender, place the pot on the side, and puree until smooth (about 2 minutes). Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Pour back into the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat off and allow to cool before pouring into containers to refrigerate.

Notes

Keep refrigerated. Keeps for at least 6 months. Shake or stir well before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 3kcal | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 16mg | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg

 

Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HogWildThrowdown #CollectiveBias Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs, first simmered in coffee, then rubbed with cocoa, coffee, brown sugar, garlic, and onion before grilling. These ribs are full of flavor, easy to make, tender, and great for a special occasion or anytime!

Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs

Do you remember back in June when I made Grilled Cajun Blueberry BBQ Ribs? I loved them, and so did my husband, but I think I love these more! This time I went back to my tried and true way of simmering the ribs first before grilling, only this time I simmered them in coffee instead of water. A full pot (12 cups) of coffee just barely covered the ribs in a large soup pot, so I just made sure they were meat side down.

Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs

Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs

 

Like last time, I used Smithfield Ribs that I purchased at Walmart. This time I chose Smithfield Extra Tender Back Ribs. They are hand-trimmed and juicy, perfect for cooking on the charcoal grill.

Smithfield Ribs at Walmart

 

After I simmered the ribs, I patted them dry, and rubbed them with the mocha blend.

Mocha Spice Blend

 

This blend would be great on steaks, too! Then I put the rubbed ribs on our grill, which I had brushed the grates with olive oil. Guess what, the day I made these was the first time I ever lit charcoal myself! My husband was always around before!  When cooking ribs on the grill, you'll want to do it under indirect heat, so place the charcoal on one side, place a fire-proof pot filled with water on the side with the charcoal (this helps to keep the ribs from turning dry) and place the ribs on the other side.

Mocha Rubbed Pork Ribs on the Grill

 

These Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs were just perfect for me! Almost fall of the bone, melt in your mouth, and a great change from regular BBQ ribs. Looking for even more change? Check out celebrity pitmaster Moe Cason's recipe for sweet and spicy back ribs.

 

Moe Cason and Tuffy Stone are ambassadors for Smithfield's HogWild Throwdown Contest, where you could win one of two Ford F-150's! That sounds great to me.

Right now you can save a dollar on Smithfield® ribs with a rebate through Ibotta.

Ibotta Rebate

So, now that I've made ribs several different ways, I think I can say for certain that Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs are my favorite! I hope you enjoy them, too!

Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs

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Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs

Mocha Rubbed Grilled Pork Ribs, first simmered in coffee, then rubbed with cocoa, coffee, brown sugar, garlic, and onion before grilling. These ribs are full of flavor, easy to make, tender, and great for a special occasion or anytime!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 785kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ pounds Smithfield Pork Back Ribs (1 package)
  • 12 cups fresh brewed strong coffee
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 packed tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Cut the ribs into 3 equal sections. Place the ribs in a large, deep pot, pour the coffee over the ribs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for one hour.
  • Combine the instant coffee, cocoa powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl, mix well.
  • Remove the ribs with tongs to a cutting board or clean work surface, Let sit for about 10 minutes while you light the coals on the grill. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels, then sprinkle liberally with the mocha rub on both sides, rubbing it into the ribs. Once the grill is ready, place the ribs on the oiled grates cover and cook for 45 minutes. Turn the ribs, cook for 45 minutes more, or until they reach 180 degrees and are nicely charred.

Nutrition

Calories: 785kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 66g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 1152mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 2.9mg

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes

A summertime favorite, these Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes are made with Panko breadcrumbs mixed with garlic, onion, and a little kick of cayenne pepper. It's my favorite fried green tomatoes recipe!

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes

 

I didn't like fried green tomatoes the first time I tried them. It took me awhile to figure out I like a fried green tomatoes recipe without cornmeal. To be honest, I don't like a cornmeal batter on many things.  I prefer to use Panko bread crumbs for frying, I love how they make chicken, fish, and everything else crispy.

The other thing I didn't like about classic fried green tomatoes the first time was how they didn't have any flavor, so I add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and cayenne pepper to my Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes.

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes

 

I love to make fried green tomatoes towards the end of the growing season, but part of the reason I made these this time was because I have a lot of large green tomatoes in my garden that just weren't turning red. It turns out they weren't turning red because it's been too hot, who knew? I looked it up and found out that tomatoes need temperatures between 75-80 to turn red, not the above 90 we had 9 days in a row! Good thing I love it hot!

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes- A summertime favorites, these Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes are made with Panko breakcrumbs mixed with garlic, onion, and a little kick of cayenne pepper.

Need more ideas to use the tomatoes in your garden? Try these recipes this summer:

Bacon Cream Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes 

Bacon Mozzarella and Tomato Stuffed Zucchini Boats 

Homemade Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce 

Italian Tomato Ricotta Pie 

WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM MYSELF AND MY FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS? FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, OR FACEBOOK, WHERE I SHARE NEW RECIPES DAILY. YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL TO GET NEWLY POSTED RECIPES FOR FREE!

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4.09 from 24 votes

Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes

A summertime favorite, these Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes are made with Panko breakcrumbs mixed with garlic, onion, and a little kick of cayenne pepper.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best recipe for fried green tomatoes, fried green tomatoes recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 533kcal
Author: Bernadette Martin

Ingredients

  • 3 large green tomatoes, cored and sliced ½ inch thick
  • salt and pepper
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup unseasoned Panko breadcrumbs
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper)
  • avocado oil or canola oil, for frying

Instructions

  • Sprinkle the sliced tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to draw out moisture.
  • Using three shallow bowls, place the flour in one bowl, the beaten eggs in another, and the Panko, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne in the last bowl. Mix the Panko mixture well.
  • Working one slice at a time, dredge the tomatoes in the flour, then the eggs, and finally coat well with the Panko. Shake off excess.
  • Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the tomatoes, working in batches if needed, for 2-3 minutes, turn and fry for an additional minute or two. Turn the heat down if the tomatoes are browning too fast. Remove from the oil with tongs, draining excess oil, onto a paper towel lined oven safe plate or sheet pan. Keep warm in a 215 degree F oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 765IU | Vitamin C: 21.6mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2.3mg