Helpful Tips for the Best Grilled Vegetables
Grilling vegetables couldn't be easier. There's hardly anything to it but I recommend upgrading them with seasonings, fats or herbs like we've done here.
The main idea is just knowing which vegetables work well for grilling, following the simple straightforward prep method, cooking the vegetables on a preheated grill, and following the cook times directed.
Crisper vegetables will take longer to grill to a tender texture, while softer vegetables will obviously cook faster.
I also like to get a decent char on certain vegetables like the corn and peppers so put these vegetables in the areas of the grill that have hot spots (usually towards the back of the grill, or some grills like the Weber Genisis I have include a sear zone burner).
Then only put many vegetables on your grill that you can fit in a single layer. If you need to work in batches that's just fine. You can keep them warm on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven if needed.
This is a great option for a side to pair with pulled chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, pan seared steak, baked chicken thighs and so much more! Or keep it vegetarian and serve the veggies over a grain boil with a dressing of your choice.
Either way you can't go wrong here! So much fresh goodness in every bite.
]]>
A Must Have Baked Salmon Recipe!
Do you have those days where you don't mind cooking but more than anything you just don't want to clean up the mess? I have them all the time, dishes are never ending around here. So, when there's an easy recipe out there that requires minimal prep and clean up I'm all over it!
This baked salmon in foil really couldn't get any easier and the method of cooking it all together in a foil pouch seals in moisture and keeps the flavors intact. It's also a very versatile recipe, you can use other veggies that need using up. I love how foolproof this recipe is, even if you have minimal experience in the kitchen you can easily make this salmon!
Once you try these salmon foil packets, you'll likely turn to this method time and time...and time again. I know I will. Salmon is one of my favorite dinners and this is one of my favorite ways to prepare it.
]]>
Quick Ravioli Recipe
Who doesn't love a super easy, perfectly comforting and satisfying semi-homemade meal? Come Thursday and Friday I'm always looking for the quickest, simplest dinners.
Something that will still be flavorful and my family will eat and enjoy, but I want something that doesn't require a lot of effort on my part. Because life just happened through the week and now we're tired and want to relax right?
So here we have the perfect easy dinner (that is actually fitting for any night of the week). It's so delicious and perfectly hearty. And who wouldn't love it??
Ingredients You'll Need for this Recipe
- Store-bought four cheese ravioli
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Asparagus
- Grape tomatoes
- Garlic
- Fresh basil
- Fresh parsley
- Parmesan cheese
- Walnuts
- Balsamic Vinegar
- And of course, salt and pepper
How to Make this Delicious Ravioli Recipe
- First you'll boil the ravioli according to package instructions (usually about 7 minutes).
- While that's cooking you'll melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet.
- Then you'll saute the asparagus until it's tender and add tomatoes and garlic and saute to warm tomatoes through.
- Now you'll pour in a splash of balsamic vinegar (hello flavor!).
- To finish it all off you'll pour the cooked and drained ravioli in to a large bowl along with that asparagus mixture, the walnut, fresh herbs, and season with salt and pepper to taste and give it a good toss.
- And finally finish it off with a large handful of shredded parmesan. Because what's a good pasta dish without parmesan?
This post has been sponsored by Cache Valley Creamery, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love the layers of flavor in this recipe. You get this perfectly pan seared and golden-brown skillet herb chicken and it's paired with a side of sautéed garlicky asparagus. Then you smother everything with a rich provolone cheese sauce and crispy salty bacon.
Talk about a delicious dinner! Everyone in my family loved this chicken recipe!
For the cheese sauce I used one of my favorite cheeses - Cache Valley Creamery Provolone Cheese Slices. I’ve long used Cache Valley Creamery cheese products - you always get a reliable product you can count on as well as a perfectly delicious flavor!
Cache Valley Creamery has been producing top-quality cheese for Utahns and surrounding areas for over 75 years. So, in other words, I love that this is a brand that goes way back, since it means they've been doing things right for a long time.
]]>
Easy Balsamic Chicken and Veggies
The flavor of this one pan chicken and veggies is spot on delicious, and it has just enough versatility going on to keep things interesting. And the flavor? With the word balsamic in the title you know it's got to be good right? This balsamic chicken is so good! Who knew a dinner that was so easy could taste so incredible?
This is a dinner or lunch I'm definitely adding to my rotation. I loved everything about it, the flavor, appearance, simple prep and of course the easy clean up! All around win with this one!
Want to see how easy this one pan balsamic chicken is? Watch the video!
[wprm-recipe-video]
]]>This is a perfect weeknight chicken dinner, definitely a recipe you'll want to hang on to.
Basil Pesto Chicken
Homemade pesto makes any meal incredible doesn't it? And it's just so easy to make, the food processor does most of the work.
You get tender bite size pieces of chicken paired with fresh sweet tomatoes, nutritious asparagus, crunchy walnuts and it's all covered with a super flavorful pesto.
Here I like to cook the chicken with some of the pesto so the flavors have time to soak into the chicken, then I also like to add more at the end to get that really bright fresh flavor.
One of the main highlights of this sheet pan chicken dinner (which we may not think would be a highlight but they are) are those perfectly crunchy and buttery walnuts. I absolutely love walnuts!
]]>
Teriyaki Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry
You know I love that teriyaki sauce, but it wasn't until now that I tried it with shrimp and I'm hooked! The flavors all just blend so well, and when served with brown or white rice it's a perfectly hearty and satisfying meal.
I'm so glad that the majority of my family has come around to loving shrimp because I'm a full fledge shrimp fan now. Five years ago, I never would have thought I'd be making teriyaki shrimp for dinner, but here I am making it for dinner allll of the time.
What took me so long? I was definitely missing out, not only on the tastiness of shrimp but that three-minute cook time for shrimp. You just can't beat that.
And when it's covered generously in a sweet, salty and tangy homemade teriyaki sauce then sprinkled with those little crunchy flecks of sesame seeds and paired with perfectly crisp-tender asparagus like so, you know it's going to be straight up delicious! This is how you do weeknight dinners!
Asparagus and Teriyaki Shrimp Ingredients
- Low sodium soy sauce
- Honey
- Brown sugar
- Fresh ginger
- Garlic
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Cornstarch
- Shrimp
- Canola oil
- Asparagus
How to Make Teriyaki Shrimp Stir-Fry
- In a saucepan whisk soy sauce, 5 Tbsp water, honey, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and rice vinegar.
- Bring to a light boil. Whisk together cornstarch with remaining 1 Tbsp water, then add to saucepan.
- Boil 1 minute while stirring.
- Saute asparagus in skillet until tender, transfer to plate.
- Cook shrimp in skillet about 3 minutes, turning once.
- Add in asparagus, pour in teriyaki sauce and toss everything to evenly coat.
Can I Substitute Another Vegetable?
This would also be delicious with broccoli in place of the asparagus (you'll just need a little more oil when sautéing), I'll be trying that out next. Snow peas would be another great choice, as would bell peppers and matchstick carrots.
Do I Use Raw or Pre-Cooked Shrimp for This Recipe?
You want to use raw (thawed if frozen) shrimp in this recipe. If you use the pre-cooked frozen shrimp that comes in bags, you'll wind up cooking the shrimp twice and the texture of this dish will be off.
Tips for the Best Teriyaki Shrimp
- Trim the ends of the asparagus before adding it to the skillet. The ends are quite woody and don't taste good!
- Fresh ginger is key in this simple teriyaki shrimp and asparagus stir-fry. If possible, avoided powdered ginger for the best flavor.
- Watch the shrimp carefully while it cooks. You'll know it's ready to eat when it turns a bright pink color.
More Teriyaki Recipes You'll Love:
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Teriyaki Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Teriyaki Grilled Chicken and Veggie Rice Bowls
- Honey Teriyaki Salmon and Veggies in Foil
More Stir-Fry Recipes to Try:
- Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry
- Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry
- Egg Roll Skillet Stir-Fry (AKA Ground Turkey and Cabbage Stir-Fry)
- Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus
Teriyaki Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry
This is a simple yet perfectly flavorful shrimp recipe that is sure to please. Tender pieces of shrimp are coated with a sweet and tangy sauce that will leave you craving more!
- 5 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 7 Tbsp water, ( divided)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar ((light or dark))
- 2 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil (,optional)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/4 lbs large ((21/25) shrimp)
- 2 Tbsp canola oil or olive oil
- 1 lb asparagus ((preferably thicker spears), woody ends trimmed, diced into 1-inch pieces)
- Sesame seeds, (for garnish (optional))
-
In a small saucepan whisk together low-sodium soy sauce, 6 Tbsp of the water, honey, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and rice vinegar.
- Bring mixture to a light boil over medium-high heat. Whisk together cornstarch with remaining 1 Tbsp water, then add to sauce mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat slightly and allow to boil 30 seconds - 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add asparagus and saute until tender, about 4 - 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in skillet, add shrimp. Cook on first side about 1 1/2 minutes then flip and cook on opposite side until cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add in asparagus, pour in teriyaki sauce and toss everything to evenly coat. Serve warm over white or brown rice, garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
- You'll know the shrimp is ready to eat when it turns a bright pink color.
- Recipe source: Cooking Classy, adapted from my Teriyaki Chicken Bowls recipe
Grilled Shrimp in Foil!
It's recipes like this grilled shrimp in foil (and these Shrimp Boil Foil Packets and these Shrimp and Couscous Foil Packets with Avocado Salsa) that finally made me into a shrimp lover. When it's flavored right and cooked right, sign me up!
Let's just put it this way, you neeeeed these Shrimp and Asparagus Foil Packs with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce in your life! The flavors are spot on delicious and clean up couldn't be easier!
The way the rich and tangy lemon butter sauce is the perfect compliment to shrimp, and the fresh asparagus too.
]]>
Puff Pastry Baked Eggs
Here we have some serious layers of deliciousness going on. It begins with a nicely crisp and flakey, buttery puff pastry then you top that with and egg and par-roasted veggies and bake it to a soft-set perfection. It's a beautifully colorful, special occasion brunch entree that's set to impress.
For this recipe I used my favorite red pepper flakes. I'm shaking those things on everything! But honestly I use them a lot because my kids don't like much heat on their dish (whatever it may be) so I just bring them to the table in sprinkle it all over my serving (think spaghetti, pizza, eggs, tacos etc). How I love a good kick to my food.
Then, another ingredient I used in this recipe, which is a go-to dry herb blend for me, is a dried Italian seasoning blend. I love love love the flavor it gives the veggies here especially when paired with their roasted flavor and the parmesan cheese.
And if you like garlic I'd suggest using a little garlic powder to sprinkle over the veggies. Totally delicious!
One thing I noticed when I made these is that the white does start to become opaque over the egg yolk near the end so just before it set I sort of peeled it back. It's not a step listed in the recipe but for me I'm not only about the flavor of the recipe but also about the look so there's a little tip you may find useful.
And when in doubt add more cheese :). You can never go wrong with extra cheese (and I actually put the mozzarella under everything to let the colors shine). Now add them to your holiday menu and try them out for yourself!
More Breakfast Dishes You'll Love
Puff Pastry Baked Eggs
These pastry baked eggs are sure to impress! They're easy to make and they have such a delicious flavor! Great for a weekend or holiday breakfast or brunch.
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, (thawed (1/2 of 17.3 ounce package))
- 1 small yellow onion, (chopped)
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1 cup asparagus pieces ((1-inch pieces))
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Italian Seasoning
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 tsp McCormick® Red Pepper, (Crushed)
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place thawed pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 squares.
- Place squares on one side of large, shallow baking pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray. Prick top of pastry squares all over with fork. Set aside.
- Toss vegetables with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese and 1/4 tsp salt; toss again to coat well.
- Spread vegetables on other side of pan next to the pastry squares. Bake 10 minutes or until puff pastry is lightly browned. Remove pan from oven.
- Make an indentation with back of large spoon in center of each pastry square. Place vegetables evenly around indentations, making sure to cover edges of pastry squares.
- Sprinkle squares with mozzarella cheese. Break an egg into each indentation. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and salt.
- Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until eggs are softly set.
- Recipe source: recipe from McCormick
The bright lemony flavor mixed with the herbs and garlic makes this simple chicken dinner taste like it's not so simple. Sheet pan chicken is pretty much an easy cheater meal, but hey what's not to love?
Easy Lemon Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
I've already made this sheet pan dinner two other times. Each of those times I made this with green beans and I also added a little oregano which adds another herby flavor if you like that. This time around, I decided to go with asparagus because they roast up with a prettier tone of green - the color of the green beans just dies out. Both taste delicious though so if you'd like you can go with green beans since they are cheaper this time of year than the asparagus. You could also try broccoli! And don't skimp on the fresh herbs if you have them.
One key here, as I mentioned with the other Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner I just posted, is to be sure to take the temperature of the chicken so you don't overcook it. Chicken cooked past 165 dries out quickly so let's not go there. Also, work to keep the chicken pieces cut up the same size and in a single layer so they all bake evenly. You don't want itty bitty pieces that cook up way before some big pieces may. I mean they definitely don't need to be exact, just close. This is one reason chicken thighs or bone-in chicken cuts can be a little tricky with pan meals.
I've always loved lemon chicken and I just love how simple it is here. The lemon slices are so pretty, plus I love that I get my veggies cooked with it at the same time. I might even try sprinkling a little feta cheese over the finished dish! Add this to your easy dinners list—it tastes great and it's something you can feel great about eating!
Lemon Chicken Asparagus and Potato Sheet Pan Dinner
This dinner is so easy to throw together, it only takes about 15 minutes prep and the oven does the rest. It's a healthy, hearty and satisfying one pan meal that's packed with fresh ingredients! The bright lemony flavor mixed with the herbs and garlic makes this simple chicken dinner taste perfect.
- 1 1/2 lb baby red potatoes, (diced into small pieces (about 1-inch))
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, (divided)
- 1 1/4 lbs thin asparagus, (tough ends trimmed, remaining chopped into 2-inch pieces*)
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, (skinless chicken breasts, diced into even bite size pieces (about 1-inch))
- 4 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice ((zest it first and set the zest aside))
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary, (crushed)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place potatoes in a mound in center of baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 1/2 Tbsp of the olive oil then toss to evenly coat. Spread into an even layer then roast in preheated oven 20 minutes (meanwhile cut and prep other ingredients).
- Remove baking sheet from oven, add asparagus over potatoes then chicken over asparagus. Drizzle remaining 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and lemon juice over the top.
-
Sprinkle evenly with garlic, thyme, rosemary, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Toss (with a spatula, pan may be hot) to evenly coat, spread into an even layer (don't overlap chicken pieces).
- Return to oven and roast, tossing once halfway through, until chicken is cooked through (center should register 165 on thickest pieces), about 16 - 22 minutes longer. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with parsley and lemon zest and serve warm.
- *If you don't want to buy two bunches 1 lb of asparagus would work fine too. I've also made this with 12 oz of trimmed and chopped fresh green beans in place of the asparagus but I prefer to start them roasting with the potatoes so they aren't crunchy in the end, green beans take longer to cook than the asparagus does.