Apricot-Glazed Chicken Thighs

I adapted a recipe I found in Cooking Light - June 2009. I loved how simple and easy this recipe was to make. The chicken thighs were tender and juicy and the apricot glaze was sweet with a nice twang from the vinegar. My kids both ate all of their chicken before eating anything else on their plate - they really loved it. I served this dish with roasted broccoli and brown rice for a healthy and delicious meal.

Apricot-Glazed Chicken Thighs:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe from Cooking Light - June 2009

• 3 tbsp apricot preserves
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Combine the apricot preserves, red wine vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the minced garlic. Mix with a whisk until well combined, set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in an OVEN PROOF skillet over medium high heat. Add the seasoned chicken thighs when the pan is hot and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and pour the apricot sauce evenly over the top of the chicken. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken with the sauce drizzled over the top. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Turkey and Roast Beef Sandwich with Extra Sharp Cheddar

Sandwiches make me happy. I can trace my love for the sandwich back to my childhood and being at my good friend Molly's house. Molly had the most wonderful refrigerator that her mother kept filled with fresh cuts of meat and cheese, tons of vegetables from the garden, homemade bread, homemade pickles, and all sorts of condiments. Molly and I would make ourselves the biggest and tastiest sandwiches and I would enjoy each and every bite. Even though I didn't have homemade bread or pickles, this sandwich reminded me of good times with a great friend.

Turkey and Roast Beef with Extra Sharp Cheddar:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• Sandwich thin (or your favorite bread)
• Mayonnaise
• Sweet hot mustard
• Roasted turkey slices
• Roast Beef slices
• Extra sharp cheddar
• Tomato slices
• Dill pickle slices
• Red onion slices
• Sprouts
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Spread the mayonnaise on one side of the sandwich thin and the mustard on the other side. Layer the bottom sandwich thin with roast beef, turkey, red onion, pickle, tomato, and sprouts. Top with the remaining thin and serve. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Black Bean and Roasted Anaheim Chile and Bell Pepper Soup

I want to say thank you for your sweet comments about my missing rings. I received a phone call on Saturday afternoon from a gentleman who found two of my rings. We discovered that he had my engagement/wedding ring and a silver band that I have worn for 20+ years. I was thrilled, appreciative and so relieved. I am very thankful that an honest and kind person found these very special rings and returned them to me. THANK YOU!

After having a few days of sunny and beautiful weather, it started raining again. I decided to roast some Anaheim chiles and baby bell peppers to make this simple black bean soup extra special. We all loved the flavor of this soup, my kids gobbled it up and my husband and I both really enjoyed it. I love simple, healthy and flavorful soups like this on cold and dreary days.

Black Bean and Roasted Anaheim Chile and Bell Pepper Soup:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• 6-7 baby bell peppers
• 2 Anaheim Chiles
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to tasted
• 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 15 oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to broil. Cut the Anaheim chiles and bell peppers down the middle and clean out the veins, seeds and stems. Lay out on a baking tray coated with tinfoil and sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.

Broil for 2-3 minutes until the skin is blistered and blackened. Place the chiles and peppers into a large zip lock bag and seal. Let the peppers sit in the bag for 10 minutes then carefully peel the blackened skin off. Chop the peppers and chiles then set aside.

Turn the oven to 350 degrees. Cut three corn tortillas that have been coated with cooking spray into very thin strips. Place on the baking sheet covered in tin foil that you cooked the peppers on. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes; season with cumin, oregano, sea salt and pepper, to taste. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 60 seconds. Add broth, black beans, drained diced tomatoes, chopped chiles and peppers, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, stir then simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes. Mix some of the soup with an immersion blender. Taste soup and re-season if needed.

Other Ingredients:

• Tortilla strips
• Cotija cheese
• Cilantro
• Green onions

Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips, cotija cheese, cilantro and green onions. Serve and enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Flank Steak and Avocado Taco Salad

I marinated some flank steak in my favorite marinade then let everyone decide what they wanted for dinner. My husband and daughter wanted steak burritos and my son wanted steak nachos. I decided on a steak and avocado taco salad. While I fed everyone else, I baked a flour tortilla into a bowl then filled it with lettuce, black beans, flank steak, avocados, tomatoes and coitja cheese. I served my taco salad with homemade salsa and sour cream. The steak turned out moist, tender and so flavorful, we all enjoyed our meals.

Flank Steak and Avocado Taco Salad:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• Flour tortilla, baked into a bowl
• Flank steak, marinated for at least 6 hours (see marinade here)
• Lettuce, chopped
• Black beans, rinsed, drained and warmed
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• Cherry tomatoes, diced
• Black olives, sliced
• Red onion, diced
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Green onions, diced
• Cotija cheese, grated
• Salsa
• Sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a flour tortilla with olive oil cooking spray. Place the flour tortilla into an oven proof bowl or tortilla baking dish. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Marinate flank steak for at least 6 hours up to 24 hours. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to cooking. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Once the pan is really hot add the flank steak and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until your desired degree of doneness. Place the steak onto a cutting board; let the meat sit for at least 5-7 minutes prior to slicing thinly against the grain. Slice the meat into bite sized pieces.

Layer the taco bowl with lettuce, warmed black beans, flank steak, avocado, cherry tomatoes, black olives, red onion, chopped cilantro, green onion, and cotija cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

One of Those Days

I went to the park with a girlfriend and our kids yesterday. We decided to incorporate some exercise into our play time at the park. I took my rings off so I could do pull-ups on the monkey bars, then I preceded to do other exercises for a while. We left that park and headed down the path to another park. I left my rings sitting on the wood pole by the monkey bars. I didn't realize that I left them until later that night when I was getting ready for bed. We rushed to the park with flashlights in hand to find my rings missing. We left a flyer at the park this morning but received no phone calls. I love my wedding ring and have worn it for 10 years, I can't believe I lost it. Needless to say, I am devastated and angry with myself.

I don't drink often but a margarita sounded mighty good tonight. We had friends for dinner so we decided to serve pomegranate margaritas. My husband did an outstanding job mixing drinks. It was nice to spend the evening with good friends, good food and a tasty drink.

Pomegranate Margaritas:

Recipe and Photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Created by my husband, Chad

• Margarita salt
• 12 oz glass filled with crushed ice
• 1 shot of tequila
• 1 shot of triple sec
• 1 shot of pomegranate juice
• 3 (or more) shots sweet and sour
• Squirt of fresh lime juice plus more for the glass rim

Run a slice of lime around the rim of the glass then dip the glass into margarita salt. Fill glass with crushed ice, add the tequila, triple sec, pomegranate juice then fill the remainder of the glass with sweet and sour.

Stir drink and serve with a slice of lime. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Chocolate Banana Muffins

My kids and I decided to create some muffins together for breakfast. I had two VERY ripe bananas to use up and I thought that instead of regular banana muffins we would try chocolate banana muffins. They were super easy to make, especially since I had two helpers. They turned out moist and so delicious - both of my kids gobbled them up quickly. I am looking forward to trying different variations of this tasty muffin.

Chocolate Banana Muffins:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup of canola oil
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat a muffin pan with cooking spray. Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl.

Combine the oil, sugars, egg, and mashed banana and mix until creamy. Slowly add the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir until just combined.

Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin pan.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins on a rack. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

We planned to head to the beach in our motor home for the weekend and spend a few days playing in the surf and sand but instead I got a terrible cold so I ended up staying on our couch for the weekend. Thanks to my amazing husband who kept our children entertained and happy while I coughed, sneezed, read and slept. UGH! Thankfully, I am feeling much better now.

I wanted to make something quick and simple for lunch so I decided to try making a barbecue chicken pizza. We all loved this pizza, especially my daughter. My son wasn't a fan of the red onion but enjoyed the pizza after he picked them off of his slice. My husband and I both thought it was terrific.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• Cooking spray
• Corn meal
• 1 pizza dough
• 1 container of pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese (not pictured)
• Leftover roasted chicken
• Barbecue sauce
• Red onions, sliced thinly
• Low fat feta cheese
• Tomato, diced
• Green onions, sliced (not pictured)

Remove the dough from the bag and let it sit on a floured counter for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a pizza tray with cooking spray and a bit of corn meal sprinkled all over the top of the tray.

Place the leftover chicken on a cutting board and drizzle with barbecue sauce; chop the chicken and mix well with the barbecue sauce so it's evenly coated on the chicken.

Flatten the pizza dough onto the prepared pizza tray. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the top of the dough then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Top the cheese with the barbecue chicken, red onions, and feta cheese.

Place into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Top the pizza with diced tomato and green onions. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Waffles

I love getting free samples of different food products, it's one of the many perks of being a food blogger. I was recently sent a few boxes of different Kodiak Cakes products. My kids were really looking forward to trying the flapjack/waffle mix. I was happy to see that Kodiak Cakes use whole grains in their mixes. My kids love vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon added to their pancakes and waffles so I added a bit to this mix. The waffles were light, fluffy and absolutely delicious. My kids and husband all really, really loved these waffles and I must say they were so easy to make! Thanks Kodiak Cakes.

Side note: I'll be taking a three day weekend to go to the beach... see you on Tuesday.

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Waffles:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 cup of Kodiak Cakes waffle/pancake mix
• 1 cup of COLD water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat a waffle iron. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Once the waffle iron is hot, coat it with cooking spray. Pour enough waffle batter onto the waffle iron making sure to cover it but being careful not to let it overflow. Close the waffle iron lid and cook until they are golden brown, 2-3 minutes (depending on waffle iron). Serve with butter and maple syrup. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Corned Beef Hash

One of the main reasons I wanted to make a corned beef was to make corned beef hash. I've never had it but have always wanted to try it. It was better than I imagined! I diced the potatoes, onions and corned beef very small and simply sautéed them with olive oil, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper and garlic powder. It was so easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. My kids really loved it plain (not big egg eaters), while my husband and I really enjoyed it with a steamed egg on top. I will be making this often since it was such a big hit with the entire family.

Corned Beef Hash:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 3 cups of potatoes, diced
• 1 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups of corned beef, diced
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Steamed Eggs, if desired

Boil the diced potatoes in water for 4-5 minutes; drain. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes then add the potatoes. Push the potatoes down in the pan with your spatula and leave along for 3-4 minutes. Flip the potatoes to brown on the other side. Continue to leave the potatoes alone for 3-4 minutes before flipping. Once the potatoes and onions are golden brown, add the corned beef and heat through.

Cook eggs, if desired. Click the link above for directions if needed. Serve your corned beef hash with an egg on top. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Corned Beef, Sautéed Cabbage and Onions, and Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I've never made corned beef before and I was excited to try it out this year. I thought about baking it or roasting it but I decided to go the traditional route and boil it. I have to say, boiling meat seemed a bit strange to me but I was pleasantly surprised when I ate it because it turned out tender, juicy and delicious. I served the corned beef with cabbage, potatoes and carrots. I sautéed the onions and cabbage with olive oil and minced garlic for a simple but flavorful side dish - much better than soggy cabbage. Instead of boiling the carrots and potatoes, I decided to roast them with simple seasonings and olive oil, they turned out perfect. This was a delicious meal that we all enjoyed, my kids especially loved the corned beef. I served the meat with whole grain mustard and sweet and spicy mustard - both were terrific dipping sauces.

Corned Beef, Sautéed Cabbage and Onions, and Roasted Carrots and Baby Fingerling Potatoes:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 2 lb corned beef with seasonings
• 2 cups of shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 sweet yellow onions, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 5-6 carrots, peeled and cut in half
• 10-15 baby fingerling potatoes
• 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

Corned Beef:

Place the pre-seasoned corned beef into a Dutch oven, fat side up, and cover with water. Simmer for 1 hour per pound or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees.

Remove corned beef from water and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thin slices.

Roasted Carrots and Baby Fingerling Potatoes:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil (for easier cleanup) and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Add the carrots and potatoes to the baking sheet and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto veggies then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, toss to coat evenly. Place into the oven and roast for 25-35 minutes, until carrots and potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the oven.

Sautéed Cabbage and Onions:

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes then add the shredded cabbage and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3-4 minutes; add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Fill each plate with slices of corned beef, roasted potatoes, carrots and sautéed cabbage. Top the potatoes and carrots with chopped parsley. Serve the corned beef with whole grain mustard or sweet and spicy mustard for dipping. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Oatmeal, Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was recently sent some products from Kodiak Cakes to try. My family was anxious for me to make the oatmeal and dark chocolate cookie mix and requested extra semi sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips to be added to the batter. I used half the butter the recipe called for and replaced the other half with vanilla yogurt. The cookies were SO EASY to make and turned out fantastic. They were moist and chewy on the inside and filled with chocolate chips. They were a huge hit with the entire family. Thanks Kodiak Cakes for the great cookie mix.

Kodiak Cakes Oatmeal, Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• Kodiak Cakes dark chocolate and oatmeal cookie mix
• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup of low fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat.

Mix the egg and butter together with a mixer on low. Once it's creamy, add the yogurt, Kodiak Cakes cookie mix, semi sweet chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips. Mix until well combined. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet.

Place into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool on a rack. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Bacon Blue Cheese Burger

Bacon blue cheese burgers always make my mouth water when I see them on a restaurant menu but I never order them because they are so fattening. I was craving a juicy cheeseburger, so I decided to make a healthier version of the blue cheese and bacon burger at home. I used lean ground beef, low fat (but still very flavorful) blue cheese, and a piece of really lean bacon to make a fantastic tasting burger. I served this burger with baked steak fries and lower fat fry sauce for a delicious meal. This dinner tasted so much better than the local fast food restaurant and it was much healthier too.

Blue Cheese and Bacon Burger:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 lb of lean ground beef (I used 90/10)
• 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp of onion powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Blue cheese crumbles (I used low fat)
• 4 slices of very lean bacon or turkey bacon, cooked
• Tomato slices
• Lettuce
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 hamburger buns, toasted

Combine the lean ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder together (don't work the meat too much). Form the beef mixture into 4 patties. Season each side of the patty with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Heat a grill pan coated in cooking spray over medium heat. Once the pan is HOT add the patties and cook about 3-4 minutes then flip. Break a slice of bacon in half and add to the burger then top with a bit of blue cheese. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until your desired degree of doneness.

Fry Sauce:

• 1 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup

Combine the ketchup and mayonnaise in a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Place the burger onto a toasted bun and top with tomato, lettuce, and onion. Serve with fry sauce. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Ground Beef and Black Bean Tacos

We had friends coming over for dinner so I decided to make tacos. They are quick and easy to make and it gives me a chance to use my taco baking rack. I grabbed some lean ground beef, cooked it with some onion, lots of seasonings, green chile and black beans. I baked some corn tortillas until they were nice and crispy then filled them up with the beef mixture as well as lots of lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo, and served them with homemade guacamole and salsa. They were a huge hit with my family and our friends too. Healthy, tasty and easy - my kind of meal.

Ground Beef and Black Bean Tacos:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb of lean ground beef (I used 93/7)
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 4 oz can of diced green chiles
• 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break the meat into crumbles. Add the onion as well as the seasonings then cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the drained and rinsed can of black beans to the beef mixture as well as the green chiles then stir until well combined. Set aside.

Other Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas
• Cooking spray
• Black olives, sliced
• Lettuce, chopped
• Cilantro, chopped
• Green onions, chopped
• Cheddar cheese, chopped
• Pico de Gallo
• Guacamole
• Salsa

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the tortillas in a paper towel then microwave for 30 seconds to soften the tortillas. Place the corn tortillas over the baking rack then spray each tortilla with cooking spray; bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. If you don't have a baking rack, fry the tortillas in oil and form into tacos.

Fill each crispy taco shell with beef and bean mixture, lettuce, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese, olives, cilantro, and green onions. Serve with guacamole and salsa. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net