Chicken Bacon Ranch Tortilla

                                         Chicken Bacon Ranch Tortilla (Option 1) 

Add to your weekend of summer fun with an easy, easy tortilla. It's flavorful and a filling meal. The needed ingredients are listed, and you decide how many to serve. I had leftover chicken from a recent recipe that I had posted Grilled Chicken Caprese https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2024/07/grilled-chicken-caprese-salad.html the perfect start to build your own meal.

Ingredients:

• Flour tortillas
• Diced cooked seasoned chicken (use thin chicken cutlets)
• Diced avocados
• Diced cherry tomatoes
• Diced red onions
• Chopped Romaine lettuce
• Cooked and crumbled bacon
• Grated Cheese
• Bacon Ranch Dressing

Directions:

• Warm the tortilla and start to build with the first layer of lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cheese, avocado slices, red onion, a drizzle of ranch dressing, and topped with bacon. 

Cooking Tip:

• Season chicken with dried Italian seasoning. Oil grates and grill for 5 minutes a side.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap (Option 2)

Use the same ingredients as listed above but create a wrap sandwich.

Blueberry Peach Galette

Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad

Enjoy a 30-minute high-protein grilled chicken caprese salad for an easy summer meal. It's made with thin chicken cutlets and sliced tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella and basil drizzled with a balsamic glaze.

Another option is to purchase a bottle of balsamic glaze for this salad. The recipe, adapted from skinnytaste.com, serves 4.

Ingredients: 

• 4 chicken breast cutlets
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 6 cups chopped romaine or arugula
• Sliced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil leaves
• Balsamic glaze (recipe below)

Directions:

• Line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange the cutlets on the foil. Sprinkle each cutlet with 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze (recipe below). 
• Grill chicken at 350 degrees for 6 minutes a side. Add cheese to each cutlet and cook for 1 minute more to melt. Let meat rest for 10 minutes.
• Divide romaine or arugula among 4 plates. Place sliced tomatoes over romaine or arugula. 
• Place chicken cutlet over sliced tomatoes. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Top with fresh basil leaves. 

Balsamic Glaze Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons dark balsamic vinegar (good quality) 
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2-1/2 teaspoons real maple syrup
• Dash sea salt and ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil (good quality) 

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and mix well. 
• Divide the balsamic glaze in half. One portion is for grilling chicken cutlets, and the rest is for the salad. 

Cowboy Spaghetti

Cowboy Spaghetti 

ONE POT MEAL

Cowboy Spaghetti is a bold twist on classic spaghetti bolognese. With crispy bacon, ground beef or Italian Sausage, and fire-roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce, I might never go back to traditional spaghetti. Top it off with cheddar cheese, and you have a one-pot meal hearty enough for even a cowboy! The recipe serves 5-6 and was adapted from https://www.allrecipes.com/cowboy-spaghetti-recipe-8634556

It was paired with a fresh fruit cup.
Ingredients: 

• 6 strips bacon
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of each parsley flakes, Italian seasoning, basil 
• 1 pound ground beef or Italian Sausage
• 1- 1/2 cups beef broth or chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
• 1 (10-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Ro-Tel® Original)
• 1 (14.5 ounces) can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 small jar of Marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until slightly crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate. When bacon is cool enough to handle, crumble roughly and set aside.
• Add onion to the same skillet with bacon grease and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add ground beef or sausage and cook until the meat is crumbly and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Move the meat, garlic, and onions to the side and wipe the pan free of grease. Lower the heat to medium-low, and stir in broth, Worcestershire sauce, spices, and cooked bacon.
• Break spaghetti noodles in half. Scatter over meat, making sure noodles are separated. Pour diced tomatoes with green chiles, fire-roasted tomatoes, and marinara sauce over noodles. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat until noodles are al dente. 
• Remove the lid and stir to combine the pasta and sauce. Smooth out the mixture, and scatter shredded cheese evenly over the top to melt for about 5 minutes. 
  
• Serve immediately with salad or fresh fruit. 

Book Review Lila's Journey

 

Author Jane Coletti Perry loves nothing more than digging into history and discovering unique stories unless it’s bringing those stories to life through her writing.  "Lila's Journey” is historical fiction writing at its best. Perry has created an engaging story that transports readers back in time to frontier life in Kansas in 1866. The author skillfully weaves true historical facts and places into the story's context. It's a realistic and well-researched portrayal of life on the Santa Fe Trail.

Lila Bonner, a sixteen-year-old, is the protagonist whose frontier experiences drive the story. Out of fear and desperation, she quickly decides to escape her father. Despite having few resources, Lila boards a Santa Fe Trail stagecoach bound for Council Grove, Kansas. Armed only with courage and determination, she looks ahead with optimism to find a place where she belongs and hopes for new beginnings. A chance encounter with a kindhearted stranger, John Reynolds, during the stagecoach ride bolsters her courage. In Council Grove, Lila finds a succession of jobs, ultimately working in a boarding house. As she carves out a place for herself, she finds unexpected love and support from community members. Facing an epidemic, Indian unrest, and a plot that threatens her life are some of the challenges Lila meets head-on. A one-room schoolhouse offers her a safe haven for her thirst for book-loving. It also becomes a place where she can make a difference in helping students learn. A single poem by Walt Whitman, “I Hear America Singing,” plays a part in the storyline as Lila realizes there is hope, and she has found a kindred spirit with schoolmaster John.

“Lila's Journey” is a coming-of-age story that will interest readers of all ages. It's an emotional journey for Lila to pursue a better life, showing an admirable spirit of independence fortified with a courageous spirit. Perry's writing flows well, keeping the reader engaged at all times. Her use of flashbacks, backstory, and increased tension move the story along. Perry's description of places and landscapes helps make the time period come alive for readers, visualizing what life might have been like for a young woman on her own in pursuit of a better life. 

Award-winning author Jane Coletti Perry’s second novel, Lila’s Journey, will be released in the summer of 2024. Her short story “Lila’s Song” won the Women Writing the West LAURA Award (2021) and is the prequel to Lila’s Journey. Her previous historical fiction novel, "Marcello’s Promise" (2019), was inspired by her family’s immigrant story. Perry graduated from Iowa State University as an English major and participates in writer’s workshops, conferences, and local writing groups.

When she’s not writing, Jane is singing in a choir, exercising in some fashion, or soaking up nature from a shady spot in the yard with a good book. She and her husband live in Kansas and have two children and six grandchildren. She treasures time spent with their far-flung family and still entertains the fantasy of appearing on Dancing with the Stars for Grandmas, although the clock is ticking. . .

Jane is a member of Women Writing the West, Western Writers of America, and Wyoming Writers, Inc.

To learn more about her books and follow her blog, go   https://janecolettiperry.com/

Smoked Salmon Versatility

Slow the pace down with two easy, no-fuss recipes. 

 Smoked Salmon Citrus Salad

Cook's Notes: This recipe has two pluses: it's healthy and can be put together in 15 minutes. The salad ingredients are listed, and you decide how much to use depending on the number of servings needed. 

Note: The dressing is enough for four salads and can be made a few hours ahead and refrigerated in a screw-top jar. Be sure to shake well before using. Recipe adapted from Southern Living Magazine February 2018
Salad Ingredients:

• One piece of smoked salmon, chopped in chunks or flaked
• Radishes, sliced
• Orange segments, halved or clementine segments
• Avocado, chopped in small chunks
• Mixed greens or torn butter leaves
• Optional: Roasted red peppers, sliced almonds

Directions:

• Mix all salad ingredients and drizzle with citrus dressing 

Citrus Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons good quality white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup good quality olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Citrus Dressing Directions:

Mix well in blender and taste test to balance ingredients. 

Store in a screw-type jar until needed.

Ever Ready Special Avocado Salmon Sandwich

An easy breakfast, brunch, or lunch item which gives you more time to spend outdoors.
Cook's Notes: Ingredients are listed for what you need for each sandwich.
Ingredients:

• Smoked salmon or sliced salmon
• Bagel suggested flavors include: onion, everything bagel, sesame seeds
• 1 container Garlic Herb Cream Cheese
• Red onions
• Lettuce or spinach
• Avocados, sliced
• English cucumbers, sliced

Directions for one sandwich:

• Slice the bagel in half. Spread with cream cheese and add the rest of the toppings.

Cooling Off With Ice Cream Treats

Keep cool and add more fun to your holiday weekend with some ice cream treats.

ICE CREAM TACOS

 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/06/another-sundae-funday-with-twist.html

ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Make these sandwiches using store-bought or homemade cookies with your favorite flavored ice cream.

Make a sundae bar with a waffle bowl and ice cream, then add your favorite toppings.

Hula Pie is a signature dessert in Kauai, Hawaii. It's so easy to recreate at home.
https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2013/03/kauai-unforgettable-trip.html

Last but not least, another charcuterie board for your consideration for the holiday weekend. It was made by my friend Toni's granddaughter Natalie and her friend Bianca Purdy. It's so easily made with just three ingredients and looks scrumptious. 

A Fiesta for the 4th

A fiesta meal might not be your traditional dinner for the 4th holiday, but wow, it has explosion flavors that can't be beat no matter which day you serve it. Flank Steak Tacos, aka Carne Asada, is perfect for a flavorful, protein-packed meal without much fuss. Citrus flavors plus a little heat and sweetness add up to a winning recipe. It's a customizable meal serving a variety of condiments. I found these fun taco holders on Amazon. They were highly rated. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FBNFPHG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Each stainless steel stand holds 3 tacos and is oven, baking, dishwasher, and grill safe. The recipe serves 4-6. Flour tortillas support the filling better than corn tortillas, which tend to tear easily. Spanish rice was served with tacos, and for a sweet finish, M & M cookies and ice cream sandwiches were served. 

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs. flank or skirt steak
• flour tortillas (6 inch)
• Sliced onions and red and yellow mini peppers 

Marinade 

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• juice of 2 limes
• juice of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
•  2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon  cumin
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• Salt and pepper

Suggested condiments

Chopped cherry tomatoes, shredded lettuce and cheese, diced avocados or guacamole, grilled onions and peppers

Directions: 

• In a blender, add all marinade ingredients and mix well.   
• Pour all ingredients into a zip-lock bag. Add meat and seal. Place bag in a bowl and refrigerate for one hour, turning a few times during the hour.  
• Grill the meat with peppers and onions at 325 degrees. The meat should be a little pink. It's better to have the meat undercooked. Cover the cooked meat and let it rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing.
• Warm tortillas one at a time using a non-stick pan. 

  Best Way to Warm Tortillas

One of the best ways to heat corn or flour tortillas for street tacos is by using a dry skillet or griddle. Here’s a step-by-step guide to achieving warm and pliable tortillas that are ready to be filled with your favorite ingredients:
1. Start by preheating your skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
2. Place a tortilla on the hot surface and let it heat for about 10-15 seconds or until it slightly puffs up.
3. Flip the tortilla using tongs or a spatula and heat for another 10-15 seconds on the other side.
4. Remove the tortilla from the skillet and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel.
5. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas, stacking them and covering them with a towel to retain their heat and moisture.

Ice Cream Sandwiches made with M & M Cookies

Baking tip: Freeze M&Ms so they will not bleed when added to the cookie dough. Bake cookies more on the crisp side so they hold up better with ice cream.