Blue Cheese Bacon Sliders

These sliders are compliments of my fabulous sister-in-law Brandi!!  With an extra shout out to Our Best Bites.  These sliders are creamy, salty, crunchy, and satisfy just about every area on the tongue!!  Despite what the recipe may show, it is pretty easy to throw together, and you can adjust to serve just your family, or even a crowd.  SO GOOD!!!

Blue Cheese Spread
1/2 c Mayo
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp. Red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic finely pressed
1/4 c crumbled blue cheese

Mix all ingredients together and store in the fridge until you are ready to use.

BBQ Bacon Sliders
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 c BBQ sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8-10 white rolls, or Hawaiian sweet rolls if your local grocery store carries them (I live in Japan so I use frozen Rhodes rolls and it turns out great!)
Blue cheese spread
8-10 crisp lettuce leaves
8-10 slices bacon, cooked crisp
Crispy shoe string onions (slice onions thin, toss in flour, and fry in hot veggie oil: optional)

Heat a grill pan.  Mix the beef, BBQ sauce, salt and pepper, and portion out into 8-10 patties (same size as the buns)

Cook the burgers on the grill pan until cooked through.  While burgers are cooking, brush with BBQ sauce. 

To assemble burgers, lightly spread the buns with the blue cheese spread on both sides and layer with a burger patty, a piece of lettuce, a strip of bacon and extra BBQ sauce if desired.  You can add the crispy onions if you decided to make them too :)

Enjoy!!  Serves 4.

Fajitas

These fajitas are just like in the restaurant...besides the prep, cooking, and the cleanup...but hey, you don't have to tip and it's a fraction of the cost.  The DIY seasoning mix is better than any packet we have ever tried and I had all the ingredients on hand.  No more artificial colors, preservatives, or gunk for this family!  This recipe can be adapted to use seafood, chicken, or steak, just use whatever you have on hand.  Make sure if you are using chicken or steak to cook through before you add the veggies. 

DIY Seasoning:
1 tbsp. Cornstarch
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp crushed chicken bouillon cube
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust according to desired spice level)
1/4 tsp cumin

Mix all ingredients together and store leftovers in an air tight container.  This recipe in enough for 2 fajita meals :)

2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Yellow onion sliced
1 Red pepper sliced
1 Green pepper sliced
1 Large tomato chopped
3 tbsp. Fajita seasoning
1 lb shrimp, chicken, or steak



I like skipping the tortilla and just eating the fajitas in a romaine lettuce cup!!

In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, heat your olive oil.  Make sure it is searing hot before you add your chicken or steak (if you are doing shrimp then add it after the veggies).  Cook meat for 3-4 minutes per side or until the meat is cooked through.  You want a char on the meat, so resist the urge to check it or flip it prematurely.  You could also cook the meat on the grill.

Once the meat is cooked, remove it and place on a cutting board.  Tent with foil and let it rest.  Add the onions and peppers to the hot pan and let them cook without stirring too much.  Again, you want the veggies to char and that won't happen if you stir them around too often.  After a minute or two, add 1 tbsp. of seasoning and toss the veggies to coat them. 

At this point, slice your chicken or steak into fajita size pieces and add back into the skillet.  If you are using shrimp, then add them now.  Add another 2 tbsp. seasonings as well as the chopped tomatoes.  Let it cook only until the shrimp is cooked, and then remove from the heat.  Serve immediately.

Serve with corn or flour tortillas, sour cream, queso fresco, pico de gallo, guacamole, tapatio, lettuce, and any of your other favorite toppings!!  Enjoy!!!  Serves 4

Banana Bread

This is one of those recipes that is so simple yet so amazingly good, that you keep thinking there has to be more to it. It's hard to mess up sweet breads like this, but this is the best of the best. There is something magic in its simple ingredients, and when I experiment with it, I always find I still like the original best!

This recipe makes 12 muffins, or one big loaf.  I like to do the muffin route because it makes for a quick grab and go breakfast that the loaf style just doesn't cater to.

1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c (about 3) over ripe bananas, mashed
2 c flour
1/2 c nuts (optional...like pecans)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar

Cream butter, sugar & eggs. Add salt & baking soda; mix well. Beat in the bananas. Add the flour. Stir in nuts if using. Sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar over the top of the muffins/loaf as evenly as you can.           

 

Pour into greased muffin tins about 2/3 full, or a LARGE buttered loaf pan (mine measures 4 1/4" x 8 1/4" on the bottom, 5 1/2" x 9 1/2" on the top, 2 3/4" tall.) If pan is not big enough, it will not cook all the way in the center. If you have a smaller pan, don't use all the batter in one pan.           

 

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45- 60 min., until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool 5-10 minutes before loosening sides and inverting, letting it cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.           

 

Great out of the oven, even better the next day, if it doesn't get eaten first! Wrap up after it cools completely to keep it moist.