36: July 2013

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Hawaiian Dogs

I'm not much of a hot dog eater - but having young children pretty much obligates me to make them on occasion. I don't really do boring dogs at our house .... I like to come up different kinds of toppings to make them fun and more tolerable for me (although my kiddos are quite content with just the regular ol' ketchup and mustard!). I love the idea of having a sweet, spicy and salty combo - so I came up with these Hawaiian Dogs.
If I were a betting person, I'd bet they don't necessarily eat stuff like this in Hawaii .... but just go with me here - mmmkay?!
The dogs are wrapped up in bacon and grilled (carefully - you'll wanna watch those flames with the bacon grease!) - and then they are topped off with a spicy pineapple salsa. Mayo or BBQ sauce would be good condiments to add if you're so inclined - although, they're just as good without it! ;)

Hawaiian DogsPrintable recipeYield: 8 servings
1 pkg. (16 oz.) hot dogs8 slices of bacon8 hot dog buns1 can (8 oz.) pineapple tidbits, drained¼ cup red onion, chopped1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped2 tbsp. lime juiceSmall handful of cilantro, choppedBBQ sauce or mayo, if desired
In a medium bowl, combine the pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro. Mix well. Refrigerate until serving time.
Preheat grill.
Wrap each hot dog in a slice of bacon, overlapping slightly. Secure the loose end with a toothpick. Grill, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the hot dog is heated through.
To serve, remove the toothpick from the hot dog. Place a hot dog in a bun and top with the pineapple salsa. Serve with mayo or BBQ sauce if desired.

Deli-Style Chicken Salad

{Copycat} Maid-Rites
I hope you enjoy! Shared at thesefun parties!
Featured at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Don't forget to share and comment ♥Copyright © Love Bakes Good Cakes 2012-2013 All Rights Reserved

Pork & Zucchini Pasta Ragu

I don't know about your family, but Italian food and pasta, ranks pretty high on my family's list of favorite foods. Brian would probably say it is his favorite! Although we could eat our fair share of spaghetti or lasagna or baked ziti or whatever, sometimes, I like something just a little bit different. This Pork & Zucchini Pasta Ragu is a quick and simple family meal that's sure to please!
I know I'm a little late getting this post out today .... it's been one of "those" weeks. Nothing seems to be going right, there's a hundred million things to do and never enough time - don't ya hate days like that?!
School will be starting here in Arizona next week, and truthfully, I am more than ready - not because my kids will be gone (we homeschool) but because we need the structured environment that lacks in the summer. Anyone who knows me will tell you I have tons of lists and I am a very, very organized person - in a very OCD sort of way. Some of our structured life gets pushed to the wayside in lieu of summer fun and lazy days .... just like most families. I think the lack of structure makes me feel like a dog chasing his tail - and at least for me, it's fun for a little while but I just can't do it long term. I find my kiddos wanting the structure too.

Anyways, the only reason that stuff is remotely important is because we all know that with back-to-school, comes the need for quick and easy meal ideas. If you're looking for something a little different that won't keep you stuck in the kitchen, be sure to give this Pork & Zucchini Pasta Ragu a try! Enjoy!

Pork & Zucchini Pasta RaguPrintable recipeYield: 6 servings
1 lb. penne1 tbsp. olive oil1-1½ lb. boneless pork chops, cut into bite-sized cubes1 small onion, chopped1 can (29 oz.) stewed tomatoes1 can (16 oz.) tomato sauce2 tsp. Italian seasoning2 medium zucchini, cut into ¼-in. slices
Cook pasta according to the package directions
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the oil. Cook the pork and onion over medium heat until it is no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and cook for 7 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Stir in the zucchini and cook 3-5 minutes or until the zucchini is tender-crisp. Serve.

Italian Sausage & Alfredo Pasta Bake

Meaty Pasta Bake
I hope you enjoy! Shared at thesefun parties!
Featured at Chocolate, Chocolate and More

Don't forget to share and comment ♥Copyright © Love Bakes Good Cakes 2012-2013 All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

All My Bloggy Friends #57

Welcome to All My Bloggy Friends! I'm so glad you stopped by! Feel free to link up anything family-friendly ... or just browse all the great stuff my bloggy friends share! Either way, thanks for being here! :)

Just a reminder, all of the features will be pinned to my Pinterest board as well as shared on Facebook, Twitter and Google+!

Without further ado ... onto the features from last week! Drum roll .....

The most viewed link was:

Loaded Oven Chili Dogs from Mostly Homemade Mom

My 3 personal faves -

Cream Puffs from Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Extra Tender BBQ Ribs from This Silly Girl's Life

Bacon Maple Doughnuts from Nosh My Way

**Don't forget to stop by With A Blast to see Linda's faves as well :)

If you're new to the party or if you were featured and you would like a button, you can find them HERE.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Enchilada Stuffed Shells

School starts here in a little over a week ..... it's bittersweet - I'm ready for the structured schedule of the school year - even though I will miss sleeping in until 7 am. Yes, 7 am is sleeping in at my house! During the school year, I am usually up somewhere between 5 - 5:30 am. The problem I foresee, I haven't been going to bed lately until midnight or later ....... it's going to be a hard habit to break - and I may require more coffee than usual! ;)
With school literally days away, I am starting to focus on easier menus and recipes. Maybe some of y'all are too? I don't think easy should mean sacrificing flavor .... or should mean resorting to eating cereal for dinner. (Although, I have been known to feed my family cereal for dinner from time to time!)
These Enchilada Stuffed Shells are easy and kid-friendly! We like to have ours with a green salad on the side and maybe some fresh fruit. While the shells are baking, you can prep the salad and cut any fruit!

Enchilada Stuffed ShellsPrintable recipeYield: 6 servings
1 box (12 oz.) uncooked jumbo pasta shells1 lb. lean ground beef1 small onion, chopped1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce¼ tsp. chili powder¼ tsp. dried basil¼ tsp. dried oregano¼ tsp. ground cumin1 cup refried beans1 roma tomato, chopped1½ cups (6 oz.) Cheddar cheese, shredded
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, cook the beef and onions over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the enchilada sauce, seasonings, refried beans and tomatoes. Fill each pasta shell with some of the mixture. Place in a 13x9-in/ baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Cover and bake for 25-30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Bean Tostadas

Chicken Enchilada Soup
I hope you enjoy! Shared at thesefun parties!
Featured at Ms. enPlace and Posed Perfection

Don't forget to share and comment ♥Copyright © Love Bakes Good Cakes 2012-2013 All Rights Reserved

Let's Get Social #31

Happy Sunday, y'all! I hope you will help us welcome Lisa from Cooking with Curls to our line-up of hosts!
Just a reminder - Lets Get Social Sunday will be on 9 different blogs every week! That means maximum exposure for you :)

Welcome to Let's Get Social Sunday!

This party is for bloggers who wish to make new friends and gain new followers. It is also an opportunity to link up all your social media sites to gain more followers for blogging opportunities and it increases traffic to all your sites.

Please:)

(1) Follow your hosts and co-hosts in as many ways as possible. We are the first 5-9 link-ups in each category.

Hosts

Diane @ Mamal Diane
Evelyn @ My Turn for us

Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes

Joy @ Yesterfood

Linda @ With A Blast

Lisa @ Cooking with Curls

Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile

and meet our co-hosts this week:

Ang @ The Juggling Act Mama

and

Cathy @ A Peek Into My Paradise

(2) Grab our button and share it on your blog

(3) Let us know if you followed in the comments, so we can return the follows!

(4) Find some new blogs to follow and let 'em know you found them from the Let's Get Social Sunday party.

*Just a note - If you would like to co-host, we are accepting spots in the future for co-hosts. Please, email us at letsgetsocialsunday@gmail.com and we will send you the information on scheduling. :)

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.lovebakesgoodcakes.com/" title="Let's Get Social Sunday" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumui2uH3jKzrz9AUvkNaqomdTb5u_9tT-Pz-cqk-7S47DM2o2k7aZiD57N4pWbYy8R9YoRZmF04tfaWKIFaFOjCCmVFzc19MuHy244NPd8FGk73fbTXEO0GM8wzVq9hYYsWfhtwBalKM/s1600/let's+get+social+2+button.jpg" alt="Let's Get Social Sunday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Not a requirement, but we appreciate the love - If you enjoy this party, would you mind hitting the tweet button to help spread the word? Or share on your favorite social media! Thanks y'all :)

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Don't forget to share and comment ♥

Friday, July 26, 2013

Weekend Round-Up {7-27-13}

MelissaAndDoug.com- Over 2,000 Unique and Exciting Toys for Children of All Ages! Click here!

I've realized something in the last week - since Google Reader went away earlier this month, I have really tried to find a suitable replacement .... so far, I think I like Feedly the most. The problem is, when I knew Google Reader was closing, I put off finding a different RSS source until I really had no choice. Because of this, I get some of my blogs in my email .... and others are only over on BlogLovin' ... while others over over on Feedly. I realized the other day that there were a whole bunch of blogs I just hadn't seen updates from for quite awhile! I have slowly been trying to go through my emails and BlogLovin' to make sure I am following everyone over on Feedly. I sincerely apologize if I haven't been stopping by and if I haven't seen your posts! :/ Once everything is sorted out, I will probably just delete everything and start fresh ..... it has been so frustrating. Have you handled Google Reader leaving well? Did you procrastinate like me?!
Last year, I hosted an "It's Fall Y'all linky party" and got such a great response from it. I decided I wanted to do it again this year, but this time, with co-hosts! I've rounded up a great bunch of ladies to help and I am so excited to start! Be sure to keep an eye out for when it will be starting in September - anything and everything Fall related is welcome! Recipes, DIY, crafts, printables, decorating, etc .....
Here's a look at what happened around my little spot of the blogging world this week:

Let's Get Social Sunday #30 - Don't forget to join us tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 6 am Eastern time when the next party goes live! We are on 9 different blogs every week, so this is a super great opportunity! Were also introducing Lisa from Cooking with Curls as a permanent host! We're so excited to have her on board with us - Be sure to stop by tomorrow and meet some other bloggers and make new friends!

Classic Fried Fish .... Nothing fancy here, just plain and simple goodness!

All My Bloggy Friends #56 - the party is still live and closes at 11:59 pm Eastern time tonight (Saturday)! Don't forget to join us every Tuesday morning at 7 am Eastern time when the party goes live! I'd love to see you there! :)

This Taco Pasta Salad is da bomb .... do people even say that any more? It's easily my favorite pasta salad - so, so yummy!

Everyone loves these {Copycat} Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits - you will love how easy they are to make at home!

Need a new burger twist? Try these Pineapple Teriyaki Burgers!

__________________________________________________________

Five things I pinned this week that you should see too:

1. Indian Curry Turkey Meatballs from A New York Foodie - so flavorful!

2. Can I Get You A Drink - 17 Ideas from Family Home and Life - great round-up of drinks!
3. Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry from Diddles & Dumplings - This just sounds delicious!
4. Mediterranean Piccata from Memories by the Mile - I had to pin this for Brian! I know he would love this!
5. Greek Orange and Olive Salad from Cooking with Curls - A simple salad!

Some blog stats from this week:
Most popular post this week: {Copycat} Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Biggest referring site this week: PinterestBlog that referred the most people: Lady Behind the CurtainMost searched phrase: alfredo sauceFacebook fans: 7,806Twitter followers: 1,100Pinterest followers: 12,377Instagram followers: 63Average visit duration: 4:25

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Pineapple Teriyaki Burgers

Who's the grill master at your house? At our house, I am. Burgers are always popular in the summertime and I love changing it up and making different kinds. We have burgers about once every two weeks from about May until September sometime .... which means I need lots of variations! Of course, we eat them throughout the year, just not as frequently as in the summer. One of our favorites is this Pineapple Teriyaki Burger. I hope you enjoy it as well!

Pineapple Teriyaki BurgersPrintable recipeYield: 8 servings
2 lb. lean ground beefSalt and pepper to tasteTeriyaki sauce, to baste8 Pineapple rings8 Hamburger buns (toasted, if desired)Shredded lettuce8 Cheddar Cheese slicesMayo

Preheat your grill (direct grilling over high heat).

Divide the ground beef into 8 equal portions. On waxed paper, flatten each portion into thin patty shapes. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill the pineapple slices a few minutes on each side until it has grill marks.

Meanwhile, place the burgers on the grill and grill for approximately 4-5 minutes. (Use your best judgement here - all grills are different!) Carefully flip and continue to cook the patties for another 3-4 minutes or until the meat is cooked through (cook to 160°). **Whatever you do - DO NOT USE A SPATULA TO PRESS THE BURGER - not with this burger or any burger!! Just my two cents! I'm sure the burger police will come after you if you don't heed my advice!** Using a basting brush, brush the burger with teriyaki sauce. Allow to cook for an additional minute or two - and baste with teriyaki sauce again. Top each burger with a slice of cheese and cook until cheese melts - about 1-2 minutes. Remove the burgers from the grill and allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving. (Now is a great time to toast your buns if you like them toasted!)

Top each bun with a bit of mayonnaise. Add a burger patty, pineapple slice and shredded lettuce. Serve!

Beef Sliders

BBQ Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Stuffed Burgers