Lunch

Sticky Asian Blood Orange Chicken

This Sticky Asian Blood Orange Chicken is a fantastic twist on the classic Chinese take-out, Orange Chicken. Drumsticks or thighs are marinated and then basted with a sweet, spicy, sticky sauce infused with Blood Orange juice, garlic, ginger, chili, honey, and jalapeno. An explosion of flavor does not even cover it!

Updated with new pics 1/14/19! Enjoy!

I feel like I only really discovered Blood Oranges this year and I’m not quite sure why that is. Part of it has to do with the fact that they are only available from around December to May. Part of it is that I tend to primarily buy oranges only for the kids and they prefer the little, easy-peal cuties. And I think I always assumed they would be grapefruitish. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

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Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps are easy and delicious!

Quick sauteed, tender chicken tidbits in a mouth watering stir-fry sauce with hints of peanut, soy, and ginger, cupped in a cool, crisp lettuce leaf. This easy dish is a favorite appetizer or a perfect weeknight, simple supper.

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Spicy Shrimp Toasts with Lemon Garlic Butter

Spicy Shrimp Toasts with Lemon Garlic Butter – Is it an Appetizer or an Entree…You decide!

Succulent, quick sauteed Shrimp with a light Cajun Spice served on toasted French Bread with a luxurious drizzle of Lemon Garlic Butter are seriously delicious.

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Oven Roasted Asparagus

Simplicity at it’s best. Oven Roasted Asparagus shows off these tender, crisp spears to perfection.

One of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables is to roast them. The flavor and texture of vegetables roasted in the oven or on the grill may surprise even a picky eater. The combinations are endless, and the preparation is simple.

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Shrimp Dumplings

Oh Shrimp Dumplings, how I adore you! The perfect medley of mouth watering shrimp, cabbage, green onion, ginger, sesame oil, and garlic all magically wrapped up in a delightful dough steamed to tender perfection with a crispy edge. Dipped in a salty-sweet soy sauce, it’s a little bite of heaven.

Is it wrong to admit that sometimes the motivation behind making Shrimp Dumplings is simply that I love them so much that I want them for dinner? Not as an appetizer, but sometimes that is ALL I wanted for dinner.

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Grilled Sweet Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro Lime Chimichurri

Grilled Sweet Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro Lime Chimichurri has a smokey-hot, brown sugar wet rub that is also basted on the meat as it barbecues and develops into a divine crust. The fresh, tartness of the Cilantro Lime Chimicurri is the perfect accompaniment when it is served on slices of the pork tenderloin.

When you have one of the most perfect Spring days so far this season, the BBQ grill calls. At least, that’s how it happens at my house.

Am I going to run out and buy a pork steak and smear on some bottled barbecue sauce? Heck NO! Way to simple and boring. The first day in the 70s deserves creating something magnificent while wearing flip flops and shorts!

So, Grilled Sweet Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro Lime Chimichurri. Totally Spring celebration worthy.

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Pork Belly Tacos with Pickled Onion, Roasted Pineapple, and Avocado Lime Sour Cream

Pork Belly that is slow cooked in Beer with a brown sugar and ancho chili rub, quick pickled Red Onions, brown sugar and chili roasted Pineapple, fresh Avocado chunks, and an Avocado, Lime, and Cilantro Sour Cream create one of the tastiest tacos I’ve ever had. Try these Pork Belly Tacos with Pickled Onion, Roasted Pineapple, and Avocado Lime Sour Cream tonight!

Pork Belly is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. It’s delightfully rich and decadent and when cooked properly, should be fall apart tender with a crispy, flavor-packed skin, also called crackling. Braising and slow roasting are the best ways to cook pork belly for optimal results and I’m especially happy with how using a combination of the two turned out.

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Shrimp Cakes with Corn Salad and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

These Shrimp Cakes with Corn Salad and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce are so delicious!

In my last post, Asian Shrimp Cakes with Mango Chutney and Honey Sriracha Sauce, I described the very entertaining dilemma of how to get a crispy cake full of fantastic, seafood flavor with a tender, flavor packed interior when crab is just not available. The answer is SHRIMP!

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Asian Shrimp Cakes with Mango Chutney and Honey Sriracha Sauce

Asian Shrimp Cakes with Mango Chutney and Honey Sriracha Sauce are so bright and flavorful, you will want to make these again and again!

It’s funny sometimes how a recipe can come about. I really had a hankering for crab cakes. Well, crab is definitely rather limited in the Midwest unless you want to buy it in a can and who wants to do that? So the question became how to get that perfect bite of seafood cake that is crisp on the outside and bursting with fresh seafood flavor on the inside. …

Crunchy Apple and Bacon Salad with Candied Pecans

This Crunchy Apple and Bacon Salad with Candied Pecans is seriously scrumptious!

One of the things I love about this Crunchy Apple and Bacon Salad with Candied Pecans is that it can be made year round. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love finding my dinner inspiration from a trip to the farmer’s market. But what do you do in the dead of winter when you are craving a huge bowl of something fresh and just bursting with flavor?

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