Williams Sonoma Copycat Peppermint Bark

This was DELICIOUS! And super simple. I will definitely be making this again. I might even make it a holiday staple. So easy! 

• 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 12 oz white chocolate
• 1 tsp pure peppermint extract
• 3/4 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment paper. Melt the semisweet chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave (remember: short bursts of heat, stirring often). Pour the chocolate into the prepared pan, smooth it with a spatula and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.

Melt the white chocolate in the same way. Stir in the peppermint extract. Pour the white chocolate over the prepared chocolate layer. Gently spread the white chocolate with a spatula. 

Sprinkle the white chocolate layer with crushed peppermint candies. Press the candies into the chocolate gently. Allow the bark to harden at room temperature for at least an hour. One set, break the bark into pieces with your hands or cut with a knife and store in an airtight container.

Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes, plus 90 minutes cooling

Recipe from Taste of Home

Fried Breakfast Potatoes

I modified this recipe to make for a brunch event, to make it easier to make in a large pan instead of a skillet. The written instructions for this were definitely not the greatest so I'm going to clarify where I can. I hope I remember what I did because it got a lot of compliments! 

• 12 slices bacon
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 6-8 medium Idaho potatoes (about 2 lb), peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups smoked sausage, sliced (I used 12 oz Johnsonville)
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 Tbsp chives, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Add bacon to non-stick skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy texture, about 5-7 minutes, stirring a few times. Remove from the skillet onto a paper towel lined plate. Leave 1 Tbsp bacon grease in skillet, but remove the rest.

Add butter and sliced potatoes to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat until cooked through and a nice golden color, about 10 minutes, flipping with a spatula periodically. Meanwhile, cut cooled bacon into bite size pieces.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In an ungreased 9x13 inch pan layer potato, half the bacon and half the sausage. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and 1/2 cup cream. Pour over the potatoes in the pan. Sprinkle with half the chives. Add remaining bacon and sausage and then sprinkle with the cheese. 

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until egg is cooked through. Garnish with remaining chives. If desired, you can prep everything except the eggs and baking the night before, just be sure to cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator.

NOTES: Make sure your potatoes are as thin as you can get them because the thicker they are, the longer they take to cook. 

Serves 8

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Recipe from www.MunchkinTime.com

Greek Style Shrimp with Creamed Corn

Meh? If you read my notes at the end you'll see how I would have changed this. I think part of the meh-ness was my fault, but not all of it. I may try this again some day, but with so many other great recipes, it will probably be near the bottom of my priorities. 

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups fresh yellow corn kernels (from 5 medium ears)
• 1/2 cup lower sodium chicken broth
• 2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 lb extra large raw shrimp, peeled, and deveined
• 1 tsp Greek seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh chives, tarragon, basil, and/or oregano

Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Add corn and chicken broth; cover and cook over medium, undisturbed, until corn is tender and stock is reduced by half, 5-6 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add Parmesan and heavy cream, stirring constantly until cheese is melted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Cover and set aside while preparing shrimp.

Place shrimp, Greek seasoning, and garlic powder in a large bowl, and toss until shrimp are fully coated in spice mixture. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Once oil is hot, add shrimp in an even layer; cook until shrimp just turn pink and opaque, about 2 minutes, flipping shrimp once halfway through cooking time. Stir in lemon juice, pepper, and salt to taste. Remove from heat. 

Scatter shrimp on top of creamed corn; sprinkle with herbs. Serve immediately. 

NOTES: So when I made this, it wasn't corn season. I tried to make it with 2 cans of corn instead and I think the moisture content was too much, even when I drained it. If I tried this again, I'd still do the 2 cans of corn, drained, and then use a bouillon-like seasoning with none of the added water from the broth. The corn is already softened from the water in the canned corn, it just needs the chicken broth flavor.

Also, I would have added more cheese and had zero fresh herbs on it. The herbs did nothing for the flavor and, from what I know of my tastebuds, I think I would have liked it better without.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe from People magazine 

Caesar Salad - BHG

I love a good Caesar salad, but let's face it: there are a LOT of different styles of them. I'm partial to the creamy ones but this was a bit lighter. I also felt like the dressing was bland. Could have used some umph. Not mad, just not my favorite. 

• 4 cloves of garlic, divided
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 hard-boiled egg yolk
• 10 cups torn romaine (I used 5 heads)
• 2 cups garlic Parmesan croutons
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

For dressing, in a blender or food processor combine 3 garlic cloves, the anchovy fillets, and lemon juice. Cover and blend or process until mixture is nearly smooth, stopping scape down the sides as needed. Add oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cooked egg yolk. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Cover surface with plastic wrap; chill for 2-24 hours. 

Cut remaining garlic clove in half. To serve, rub inside of a wooden salad bowl with cut edges of the garlic; discard the clove. Add romaine and croutons to bowl. Pour dressing over salad; toss lightly to coat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top; toss gently. Sprinkle pepper over salad.

Serves 6 (side-dish size)

Total Time 15 minutes plus dressing chilling

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Pancetta

This was ok for something a little different, but I don't think I'll be making it again. The chiles were really tough and I felt like I just ate around them. They didn't seem to add much. I expected the sauce of the brown sugar and pancetta to be thicker, but it sort of just made things soupy.

• 1 1/2 lb shredded brussels sprouts, about 9 cups
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 dried ancho or guajillo chiles (1/2 oz each), stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips or rings
• 12 oz pancetta, cut into small cubes
• 6 Tbsp packed light brown sugar or piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar)
• 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together brussels sprouts, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until brussels sprouts are slightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Add chiles to baking sheet; toss with brussels sprouts using tongs. Continue baking until chiles are fragrant and crisp, 5-6 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, place pancetta and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until pancetta is cooked through and fat has rendered, 5-6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large baking sheet; let cool about 3 minutes. Stir in chopped thyme.

Transfer brussels sprouts mixture to a large serving bowl. Add pancetta mixture; toss to combine well. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

NOTES: We bought a large bag of brussels sprouts and used the slicing blade on our food processor to get the shredded consistency.

Serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe from People magazine

Baked Eggs with Avocado and Feta

This would be a fancy-looking breakfast dish for some, however it was a little bland to me. I think I would switch it up with something like everything bagel seasoning, or at the very least, some garlic or onion powder. I wouldn't be opposed to making it again with those modifications. 

• 4 eggs
• 1 avocado
• olive oil or non-stick spray for gratin dishes
• 2 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Break eggs into individual ramekins and let the eggs and avocado come to room temperature for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, put the gratin dishes on a baking sheet and heat them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. 

After the eggs and avocado have come to room temperature, peel the avocado and cut each half into 6 slices. Remove gratin dishes from the oven and spray with olive oil or non-stick spray. Arrange the sliced avocados in each dish and very carefully tip two eggs into each dish.

Sprinkle with crumbled feta and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake 12-15 minutes, until the whites are set and the egg yolks are done to your liking. Serve hot.

Serves 2

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe from kalynskitchen.com

Cacio e Pepe Caesar Salad

I'm a fan of Caesar salads but I have rarely made one from scratch. I've gotten into a few recipes recently and most have been pretty good. Doug has really been on a black pepper kick with things so this was a great variation. The dressing was a nice, bright flavor and I didn't need to add a lot of pepper to get good flavor. 

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped garlic (from 2 medium garlic cloves)
• 1 Tbsp chopped anchovy fillets (from 1 2-oz can)
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp minced yellow onion
• 2 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
• 2 oz pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup), plus a handful of shavings to serve
• 3 romaine lettuce hearts (1 1/2 lbs total), trimmed and leaves separated
• 1 1/2 cup seasoned croutons
• lemon wedges for serving

Whisk together egg yolks, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chopped garlic, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, onion, black pepper, dry mustard, and 1/2 cup of the oil in a large bowl until creamy.

Whisk together water and remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl; whisk in butter until creamy and smooth. Whisk butter mixture and cheese into mayonnaise mixture until combined. Season dressing with additional pepper to taste. 

Place romaine leaves in a very large bowl. Add croutons and 1 cup dressing; toss until leaves are evenly coated. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and shaved cheese. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 6

Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe from People magazine

Marinated Olives

If you have met my husband, Doug, you know he can be an olive fiend when out at restaurants. If they have some kind of olive plate or charcuterie board, watch out! He will eat ALL the olives before you can even think about it so this recipe was for him. This is a very simple way to fancy up some less expensive ingredients for your next get together. 

• 2 cups large pimiento-stuffed green olives, drained
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, drained
• 1 cup pitted medium ripe olives (black), drained
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 4 cloves garlic, slivered
• pepper to taste

Place olives in a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl; pour over olives and stir. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days before serving, stirring several times each day.

Olives may be refrigerated for 2 weeks. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Serves 8

Total Time: 5 minutes plus marinating

Recipe from Taste of Home

Mal's Shadow Spare Ribs

Ribs aren't really my thing. Not bad, but usually just too messy to eat. And I think a lot of it ends up coming down to the sauce that's on them, so are the ribs really necessary? 

These were ok. You can tell they got a bit burned on the outside. Again, nothing special in my opinion, but not bad. Not worth the marinating and long cook time to me. 

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice wine
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 lb beef short ribs or pork spareribs

Combine all the ingredients except the ribs in a plastic bag or bowl. Add the ribs and let marinate in the fridge for around 12 hours, or overnight.

When ready to cook, heat the oven to 350 degrees and set the ribs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake them slow for 1 1/2 hours, basing occasionally with the marinating juice. Serve hot.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus overnight marinating

Recipe from Firefly: The Big Damn Cookbook by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Jalapenos

If you know me, you know I'm not a spicy foods person. I really like the flavor of jalapeno, but if it's spicy, I die. I saw this item on a menu in Orlando and it just sounded too amazing so I had to try it and it did not disappoint (though it was, in fact, spicy). My variation turned out pretty well though it has been so long since I tried the original that I don't remember how close they tasted. What I can say is that their plating was way prettier than mine. 

• 1/4 cup tequila
• 4 slices uncooked bacon
• 4 jalapenos
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 1/3 cup cilantro 
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 5 cloves garlic
• Balsamic vinegar for drizzle

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, soak the slices of bacon in the tequila. Meanwhile, rinse the jalapenos and split in half lengthwise. Remove stem and seeds, taking care not to touch your face after handling the pepper.

Divide the cheese among half the slices of jalapenos and stuff it down the center as best you can. If needed, you can stuff all halves of jalapeno to use all the cheese. Place the halves of jalapenos back together, wrapping in bacon to hold in place.

Arrange jalapenos on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. While baking, assemble the cilantro garlic salsa. Using a blender, mix cilantro, mayonnaise, and garlic until smooth. Drizzle over cooked jalapenos with a little balsamic. Serve warm.

Serves 2

Total Time: 25 minutes

Recipe from Agave Azul Cocina

Honey Chipotle Chicken Rice Bowls

Considering the title of this recipe, I expected more honey. Depending on your preference for a honey flavor, you may find yourself increasing that ingredient. 

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 Tbsp of sauce
• juice from 1 1/2 limes, additional wedges for garnish
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, additional for garnish
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup grilled fresh corn or defrosted frozen corn
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and vein removed, finely diced
• 2 cups cooked rice
• crumbled queso fresco or Cotija cheese

Whisk together olive oil, chipotle, adobo sauce, juice from 1 lime, honey, garlic powder, 1 tsp cumin, 2 Tbsp cilantro, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Divide in half, reserving half for stirring into the rice and moving half to a large zip top bag. Add chicken to the freezer bag. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken. Let the chicken marinate for at least an hour, up to 4 hours.

Preheat grill or skillet to medium-high heat. Oil the grates or skillet and add the chicken breasts. Cook about 5-6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes before dicing it.

In a bowl, add corn, avocado, jalapeno, 1 Tbsp cilantro, juice from 1/2 a lime, 1/2 tsp cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together.

Divide rice evenly among bowls and stir in extra marinade. Top rice with chicken, salsa, and cheese. Garnish with extra cilantro and a lime wedge.

NOTES: My notes say that the rice was the overwhelming flavor. To counter that, double the marinade and pour that over the rice. Therefore, I've modified the recipe to state that. Since we didn't do that originally, Doug tried to add soy sauce to the rice and said it helped add some flavor.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes plus marinating

Total Time: 45 minutes plus marinating

Recipe from Recipe Runner

Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad with Creamy Baja Catalina Dressing

This is one of those semi-convoluted recipes because it's actually a combination of two different ones. I'll try to merge them as well as I can here, but it may look like a lot. Don't freak out. It's got some really good flavors!

Cilantro Lime Chicken

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness
• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and stems
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

Dressing

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 Tbsp sugar, to taste
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp reserved cilantro lime marinade

Salad

• 1 large head romaine lettuce chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (or 2 Roma tomatoes chopped)
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• corn from 2 ears sweet corn, raw
• 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 avocados, chopped
• tortilla chips, slightly crushed

Add all cilantro lime chicken ingredients except chicken, to food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scaping down sides several times. Remove and reserve 2 Tbsp: 1 for basting and 1 for dressing. Put remaining marinade in a shallow dish or Ziplock bag and add chicken. Turn to coat. Marinate in refrigerator for 2-10 hours. When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

While chicken is marinating, make dressing. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Store in refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

After chicken is done marinating, remove chicken and pat off excess sauce. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, or until nicely browned on one side. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 4-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to cutting board and baste with 1 Tbsp reserved marinade. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Assemble salad using remaining ingredients, topped with chicken and dressing. Toss to combine.

NOTES: My dressing was lumpy. It was like the mayo didn't want to blend. I don't know if I didn't try hard enough or what, but it didn't look super appetizing. Also, the recipe doesn't say if the chicken should be skinless, but I made the assumption and updated the ingredients.

Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus marinating and chilling

Total Time: 25 minutes, plus marinating and chilling

Recipe from Carlsbad Cravings

Shrimp Tacos with Sauce

I wouldn't say there's anything particularly special about these tacos; nothing that made me say I'd rush out to make them again tomorrow, but the original called them tacos with the "best shrimp taco sauce." I definitely wouldn't go that far. The store also didn't have smaller shrimp so we actually made these with jumbo and sliced the shrimp into thirds. It worked well. 

Shrimp Prep

• 1 lb medium or large shrimp, raw
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce

• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp Sriracha sauce, or to taste

Toppings

• 8 white corn or flour tortillas (6" diameter) or hard taco shells
• 1/2 small purple cabbage (2 cups shredded)
• 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 4 oz Cotija cheese (1 cup grated)
• 1/4 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Pat dry shrimp with paper towels and place in a medium bowl. Add seasonings and garlic; stir to combine. Place a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and add shrimp in a single layer. Sauté 1-2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.

If using corn tortillas, toast over open gas stovetop flame on medium-low heat about 10 seconds per side, until lightly charred. For flour, heat in microwave about 20 seconds.

Whisk all sauce ingredients together. Build tacos with tortillas, shrimp, toppings, and sauce.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe from Natasha's Kitchen

Vodka Cream Tomato Sauce

I love a good vodka cream sauce for my pasta. This one was ok, however, I don't know if it was worth the effort of making it versus buying it premade (sorry!). Sure, it's nice to try homemade once in a while, but I didn't think it was as flavorful as others I've had that are store-bought. Maybe you have ideas on how to improve and I'm open to them. Let me know! 

• 1/2 cup diced white onions
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• dash of red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put onions and garlic on parchment-lined baking pan. Moisten with olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Cook about 15 minutes, or until softened.

Place drained tomatoes, onions, garlic, and basil in blender. Blend until smooth. 

Melt butter in medium sauce pan. Add tomato mixture and cook 5 minutes. Add cream and vodka. Cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parmesan. Stir till creamy. Adjust seasoning with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Serve over mushroom or seafood ravioli.

Makes about 2 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Recipe from the kitchen of Mom!

Turkey and Cheddar Burgers

First up, a little tip: the instructions definitely say to use a skillet to cook, and this is what you should do. Do not attempt to cook these on the grill because they will crumble and fall apart.

Next up: the sauce was SPICY. I didn't even do half of what the recipe called for and it was insanely hot (for this white girl). So make that with caution, depending on your tolerance. The burgers themselves were very good.

• 1 lb ground turkey (white and dark meat)
• 4 oz white cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup), divided
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise, divided
• 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder, divided
• 1 1/4 tsp chili powder, divided
• 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 4 medium scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp hot sauce (optional)
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp neutral cooking oil (such as canola)
• 4 hamburger buns
• 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together turkey, 1/2 cup of cheese, 1/4 cup of the mayonnaise, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp chili powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a large bowl until just combined. Add scallions and stir gently to combine. Shape into 4 1/2-inch thick patties.

Stir together remaining 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp chili powder with hot sauce (if using) and lime juice in a small bowl. Set burger sauce aside.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high for 1-2 minutes. Add oil and swirl to coat hot skillet evenly. Add patties to skillet; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on 1 side, 4-5 minutes. Flip patties, and cook until golden brown all over (about 4-5 minutes), and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees with a thermometer inserted into center of patties. Top patties with remaining 1/2 cup cheese after 2 minutes of cooking.

While burgers cook, place buns on a baking sheet; bake in preheated oven until warm, 4-5 minutes. Remove from oven.

Toss lettuce with 2-3 Tbsp of burger sauce and remaining 1/8 tsp salt. Spread remaining burger sauce on the buns. Top buns with patties, lettuce mixture, and your desired toppings like sliced tomato and red onion.

Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Recipe from People Magazine

Festive Shrimp Appetizer Spread

I'm not really sure why it's call "festive" other than it's green, white, and red, which could look Christmas-appropriate at a party? The cocktail sauce made it a little runny so it was hard to just dip chips in it. I ended up spooning the dip onto a cracker.

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp minced onion
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 4-oz cans shrimp, drained
• 1 cup seafood cocktail sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, seeded, chopped

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, onion, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Spread evenly in a 10-inch round shallow dish.

Top with the shrimp. Spread cocktail sauce over the top and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Top with with green pepper, green onion, and tomato.

Chill, covered, for several hours. Serve with assorted crackers and/or fresh vegetables.

NOTE: There is a small amount of minced onion at the beginning of the recipe and then 3 more green ones mentioned later. I didn't want to buy a whole other onion (probably white) for this recipe so I just used green onion for the whole thing. It tasted fine.

Serves 32 (about 8 cups)

Total Time: 10 minutes, plus chilling

Recipe from The Pampered Chef The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home Cookbook

Pepper Lime Chicken

I'm not sure why the recipe calls for chicken breast halves instead of leaving them as whole, other than maybe just getting them cooked through is harder? Anyway, the chicken was pretty tough because it was so thin. It tasted alright, but we needed a steak knife to cut it.

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 tsp finely shredded lime peel
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 3 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme or basil, crushed
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• bottled salsa, optional
• lime wedges, optional

Place chicken breast halves in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, stir together lime peel, lime juice, oil, thyme or basil, pepper, salt, and garlic. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

Preheat broiler. Drain chicken, reserving the marinade. Place chicken on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat about 6 minutes, or until light brown. 

Turn chicken and brush lightly with reserved marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Broil for 6-8 minutes more or until chicken is no longer pink. If desired, serve with salsa and lime wedges. 

Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes plus marinating

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Garlic and Herb Shrimp Saute

I love me some good shrimp. What I love more is shrimp and pasta! So I combined this recipe with some pasta with a lemon caper sauce and it was amazing! Will definitely make it all again. Not to mention, the caper sauce can be made in a larger batch and frozen for future use! 

• 1.5 lb shrimp with tails, peeled and deveined 
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced leek (1 medium) or thinly sliced green onion (3)
• 1/2 tsp dried basil, oregano, or tarragon, crushed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp dry white wine or dry sherry
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley

Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels and set aside. In a large skillet cook and stir shrimp, leek, basil, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 2-4 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Carefully add wine, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to skillet. Cook and stir just until heated through. Stir in parsley.

Serves 4

Total Time: 25 minutes

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Lemon Caper Sauce

We used this sauce on plain old pasta and topped it with garlic and herb shrimp sauté. It was amazing and I would definitely recommend. All pieces of that recipe were so quick to make.   

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp capers, drained
• 1 tsp finely chopped parsley
• kosher salt to taste 

Melt the butter in a small skillet or over low heat. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and capers. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking over low heat for about 30 seconds. Add the chopped fresh parsley and salt to taste. Stir and remove from heat. Immediately drizzle over cooked shrimp, fish, chicken, pasta, or potatoes. 

NOTE: I tried making extra and freezing it in a mason jar. When I thawed it months later, it looked...weird. Like it somehow got moldy. In the freezer?

Serves 2

Total Time: 5 minutes

Recipe from SauceFanatic.com

Broccoli Salad

This recipe is one Doug's grandma used to make for him growing up. We found this in an old family cookbook so I agreed to make it for him (even though I'm not a fan of broccoli). He said it was just as he remembered! 

• 1 bunch broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 lb bacon, fried, crumbled
• 1 cup raisins

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar

Combine first 5 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Place all dressing ingredients together in a blender and blend until well mixed. Pour over salad and mix. 

NOTES: The recipe originally called for a full pound of bacon and, believe it or not, it was WAY too much. 

Serves 10-12

Recipe from Buena Vista School Holy Cow Cookbook from Tulare, CA