Pepperoni Chicken Roll-Ups

I LOVE food and will eat just about anything but I know there are still picky eaters out there. I have one friend who will ask me for recipe advice from time to time but this friend is the pickiest eater I've ever met! Most of the suggestions I give are not included on the small list of items he eats so I'm usually at a loss for what to suggest. Until now! My Pepperoni Chicken Roll-Ups are a combo of Pizza and Chicken Parmesan- two dishes he will eat. The flavors are basic enough for a picky eater yet perfect for your foodie friends.

BBQ Grilled Vegetables and Chicken

Happy Memorial Day! Time to kick off summer on the right foot! The right foot to me? BBQ Grilled Vegetables and Chicken. I've been fighting the urge to make BBQ Chicken since I've been experimenting with grilling but BBQ is one of my favorite things so I couldn't hold out long. Instead of just having a the chicken I decided to dress up my favorite vegetables with my BBQ seasoning and grill those as the perfect accompaniment to the chicken. This dish is easy enough to make for yourself or a crowd and puts a new meaning to a one dish meal!  

Pea, Pesto, Sausage Pasta Salad

With cookout season just beginning it's time to starting putting together some new recipes that I can share with my friends and family. This past weekend I decided to make my Lemon Pesto Pasta Salad with an updated twist. I decided to take the base of the pasta salad and update it with peas and sliced Italian sausage. It was a crowd favorite at the last cookout I was at and I've been enjoying the leftover for lunch. This can even double as a dinner if you want to serve it hot. 

Raspberry Vinaigrette

I've been enjoying my Roasted Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Shrimp for lunch a lot lately so I wanted to change it up a bit. I really LOVE roasted vegetables in my salad so I decided I'd make a different dressing to update my meal. I came up with a Raspberry Vinaigrette! I'm not a big fan of this style dressing when it's from a bottle and never really thought of making my own until I had a homemade version at a baby shower. I was really surprised with how delicious it was. It's a lot thicker than any dressing I've seen in the store. I prefer my dressings to be tangy so if you like more sweetness just add more honey or some sugar. I'll be pairing this dressing with my Lemon Parsley Grilled Chicken to have in salads with roasted vegetables and sliced strawberries.

Lemon Parsley Grilled Chicken

After using the grill for the first time last week I couldn't wait to do it again! The chicken was juicy and moist and it stayed that way even after I reheated it! This week I wanted to do something a little more basic as far as my marinade since I would be eating the chicken in salads for this weeks lunches. Even with a basic marinade the chicken came out full of flavor. The chicken is great with just the marinade or with the addition of your favorite sauce!

Lemon Raspberry Berger Cookie Trifle

If you're from Baltimore, you know what Berger Cookies are! The thick chocolate fudge topped cookies are a staple when showcasing the delicious treats the area has to offer. Instead of having a plate piled with the cookies I used these fudge topped confections as the base for my Lemon Raspberry Berger Cookie Trifle! This dessert is perfect for all your summer cookouts and parties. It's easily served in a larger container or in small individual dishes. It's a very rich dessert so I recommend the individual portions. 

Spicy Honey Lime Chicken

Today I attempted my first grilling experience and I knocked it out of the park! I've dabbled in grilling here and there but have only cooked the occasional hot dog or hamburger. Today I wanted to try grilling chicken. Simple as it sounds, I've had more dried out grilled chicken than juicy succulent chicken in my lifetime. Be that as it may, I wanted to see if I could do it. Instead of the traditional cook-out favorite of BBQ chicken, I wanted to do a twist to tequila lime chicken and came up with my spicy honey lime chicken. The marinade and glaze gave the chicken a lot of flavor. I served the chicken with my Avocado Salad and cilantro, lime rice. I was really impressed with how it turned out and can't wait to get out there and grill again!

Avocado Salad

Happy Cinco de Mayo! In a nod to this festive holiday I've made my Avocado Salad. It's not quite a salad and it's not quite guacamole but it's tasty! You can eat this as is, with chips or as a topping for grilled proteins or on tacos. I made this as a salad and as a side to my Spicy Honey Lime Chicken. The cool, creamy avocado and crunchy vegetables are a great compliment to hot, sticky-sweet chicken. Toss in a margarita and you're ready to celebrate!