Lemon Sugar Cookies

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Want a dessert recipe that just screams SUMMER!? Lemon is the ingredient that can do that for you, and since these cookies contain lemon in both the batter AND the topping, well, they're screaming SUMMER! And with summer just a few short weeks away (yay!) I'm sure that's something we can all appreciate!

These cookies were gone before I knew it. I couldn't put them down (I have a serious control problem when it comes to sweets…especially warm, homemade, delicious sweets). Sugar cookies themselves are melt-in-your-mouth good since the main ingredient is butter, but adding lemon makes them bright and it gives them a fresh flavor. Perfect for summer! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Zest of one large lemon
• Juice of one large lemon, about 1 1/2 tbsp.

For sugar coating:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• Zest of one large lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

Cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and mix until well-combined.

Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, lemon zest from one lemon and lemon juice. Allow to sit for about 3 minutes to allow lemon flavor to develop.

Scoop cookie dough by the tablespoon full and roll into a ball.

Make the sugar coating by combining sugar and zest in a large bowl.

Place each ball of cookie dough into the bowl of lemon sugar and roll to coat well. Place cookie dough onto baking sheet, spacing about 1½-inches to 2 inches apart. Lightly press each cookie down. 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Source: Adapted from Add a Pinch

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef

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This past Tuesday morning, which happened to be Cinco de Mayo, I casually asked Chris if he wanted a Mexican-themed dinner. Without skipping a beat, he replied, "Barbacoa." Guess he's had some time to think about it.

So off to the store I went to buy a chuck roast to make my hard-working husband some barbacoa beef. This recipe was exceptionally simple since I just threw everything in the crockpot and went about my day. The tender, shredded beef was mouth-watering and I really enjoyed it because we had a choice to use it in tacos, enchiladas, a quesadilla or on a salad. The possibilities were endless! The night I made this I seriously made the best quesadillas I've ever had and the next night I made equally as delicious tacos. So amazing. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. chuck roast (fat trimmed), cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 chiptoles in adobo sauce, cut in half, seeds removed and chopped (can keep seeds in if you want it extra spicy)
• 1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1/2 cup beef broth

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily when shredded with a fork.

Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces inside of the slow cooker. Toss the beef with the juices, then cover and let the barbacoa beef soak up the juices for an extra 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to serve the barbacoa beef.

If not using immediately, refrigerate the barbacoa beef with its juices in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Source: Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti

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One day I had an epiphany. Whenever I order Chicken Parmesan from a restaurant, it comes with some sort of pasta with marinara as a side. They're two of the best types of Italian food, so of course they accompany each other on a plate. But what if they came mixed together? As a casserole. A super quick and easy and delicious casserole. Genius.

You could go the long route for this recipe and making homemade chicken cutlets and marinara sauce to use in this dish, but sometimes you just don't have the time. That's when store-bought chicken nuggets and jarred pasta sauce come into play. Baked ziti with breaded chicken in it? That's a no-brainer. This was delicious and extremely hearty. Our type of dinner! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 15-20 frozen chicken nuggets
• 1 (12 oz.) box ziti or penne pasta
• 1 (25 oz.) jar your favorite pasta sauce
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Basil leaves, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Cook chicken nuggets according to package directions. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut each nugget into thirds lengthwise and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13" baking dish and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to a large bowl.

To the bowl with the pasta, add the pasta sauce, 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella, Parmesan and cut chicken nuggets. Gently stir to combine.

Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove and sprinkle with basil, if desired. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Pound Cake with Pineapple Whipped Cream and Berries

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We had one of Chris' friends and his new girlfriend over for dinner last week, and Chris decided he was going to grill for everyone while I made dessert. Oh, but what does it decide to do that day? Rain. Thunder. Lightening. All of the above.

So now who was in charge of dinner? This girl. But I didn't mind one bit. You know the kitchen is my favorite room in the house :)

Since I now had to prepare a whole meal AND dessert last minute, I decided to take a short-cut on dessert. I still wanted something that tasted amazing and had a bit of a homemade touch to it, so I made a version of this Angel Food Cake with Pineapple Whip Cream and Berries, but instead of Angel Food Cake I used Pound Cake and cut it into individual portions. Then I dolloped each piece of cake with the whipped cream mixture and sprinkled some fresh berries on top. I had a fresh, delicious dessert that was done in less than 10 minutes and was super pretty (and yummy!). Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapples, drained
• 1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip
• 1 (3.4 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 store-bought pound cake
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced thin
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

In a large bowl, mix the drained pineapples, cool whip and vanilla pudding mix. Let chill until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, cut the pound cake into 1-inch slices. Place the cake pieces on individual plates. Spread about 1/4 cup of the whipped cream mixture over each piece and sprinkle with strawberries and blueberries. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Marinated Grilled Ribeye with Caramelized Onions

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We have a very standard go-to steak marinade that belongs to one of Chris' friends, but we use it every chance we get. All it is is pineapple juice, soy sauce and garlic powder, but it's amazing. Last time I bought rib-eyes, my instinct was to use our famous go-to marinade, but once I got home I realized we were out of soy sauce. So to Google I went.

This marinade really gives our go-to marinade a run for its money. Not only is it absolutely amazing, but I (98% of the time) always have all the ingredients on hand so it's super convenient as well. The rib-eye was very tender and each bite was packed with bold flavors, plus the caramelized onions were a perfect slightly sweet compliment. I see myself making this recipe again VERY soon. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the marinade:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup Coca-Cola or water (see note)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup A-1 Sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp. black pepper

Other ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ribeye, trimmed of fat
• 2 large onions, cut into vertical strips
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine ketchup, Coca-Cola/water, sugar, oil, vinegar, Worcestershire, A-1 and black pepper. Whisk to combine. 

Place ribeye steaks in a large ziplock bag. Add marinade ingredients and massage into steaks. Place in the refrigerator and allow to sit for 4-24 hours.

When ready to eat, in a medium sauté pan over low heat, add butter and olive oil. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes or until onions are caramelized but not cooked down too much. 

When the onions are almost done, start cooking steaks. Remove rib eyes from the bag and reserve marinade. Pour all of the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until reduced by half.

When you are ready to grill, heat a ribbed grill pan over extremely high heat or heat your outdoor BBQ grill to the highest setting.

Lightly spray pan/grill and place beef onto pan/grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes (depending on how thick they are and how hot your grill or stove gets, the timing will need to be monitored). If you are not certain, cut into one and check for doneness. Turn once and cook for another 1-2 minutes for medium rare. Remove to a platter and serve with the caramelized onions and reduced, cooked marinade for dipping (if desired).

Source: Adapted from A Family Feast