I gotta tell ya – I love a good jalapeno popper. The mix of the spicy with the creamy is just so super good. While I do enjoy the deep fried variety – I also really like it smoked, and wrapped in bacon! And that is why my very favorite kind of popper – Smoked Jalapeno Poppers are a game changer! Speaking of games…these are the perfect game day snack too!
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
When you are picking your peppers for this, you want to use a little bit of care. Don’t pick ones that are too curved – it makes them hard to wrap with the bacon. If you want these to be really spicy – select peppers that have lots of little lines (they almost look like stretch marks). They are also called Heat Cracks and the more cracks you have the spicer the pepper is going to be.
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
As for the bacon -you really want to use a thick-cut bacon for this particular recipe. If you use a regular or thinner bacon, it will not hold up to the smoking and broiling. You can play with applewood or hickory smoked or peppered bacon as you like. Just make sure it’s on the thicker side of the bacon scale. This is smoker recipe – so it does require some sort of smoking unit. I, of course, love my Traeger for all my smoking needs. If you do not have a whole smoking unit – you can turn almost any grill into a smoker using a smoker box.
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
These are perfect as an appetizer at your next party or backyard bbq. They are also great for game day parties, showers and potlucks! I do like to have these with a little bit of ranch – like my Homemade Ranch – or you could got for a blue cheese dressing as well.
In a small bowl, add cream cheese, shredded cheese, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Spoon mixture into each of the halved jalapenos. Then wrap each with a half of bacon strip. Secure with a toothpick.
Add prepped poppers to an aluminum baking tray and cover with foil. Place in smoker at 200degF for two hours.
Preheat broiler on oven.
Remove poppers from the smoker and carefully transfer each to baking rack over a baking tray covered with parchment. Place in oven and broil for 5-7 minutes (until bacon is to desired crispiness).
Remove toothpicks and serve.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to the weekly Home Matters Linky Party #515
A great place to come, share your blog posts and make new friends.
We are so glad you are here with us each week.
I am so excited to be a part of the Home Matters Linky Party Team! I have been participating for quite some time and am eager to make some more contributions to this party. A little about me – I’m a WFH Wife and Mom. My husband, four kids, 5 dogs and 15 chickens all currently live in the PNW, but we are embarking on a cross country move to Big Sky Country over the next 3 months to live out our dreams of being Homesteaders! Like the name implies – I love to make homemade meals every night of the week for my family. I care about what types of things we are eating and I like to try new things. This blog is all about sharing those journeys and adventures with you.
Now on to this week’s party! I can’t wait to see you there.
Please take some time to poke around and visit some of the other links.
Please take some time to check out your hosts and co-hosts on social media.
We appreciate the variety of blogs on the www; however, the Home Matters Party is for links on matters of the HOME. Please link accordingly.
We ask that you do not add other Linky Parties, Blog Hops, or Giveaways–unless you begin the party with a new project, recipe or post.
On the same note, please do not add links of an extremist, political or strong controversial nature. (The hosts and co-hosts read each and every blog post linked and will contact you directly if you have linked something that does not fit into the realm of the party.)
With your help, we can continue to grow the Home Matters Party! Thank you!
We are looking for Co-Hosts. Help us Rock this party! If you are interested, please contact Donna at radforddesignstudio@gmail.com.
Link Up!
By joining the Home Matters Linky Party you are giving permission for all hosts and co-hosts to use and share any part of your post, including pictures, for party promotion, as featured posts, in party photo collages, on blogs, across social media, etc. All credits will be given to the original source.
Thank you for joining in the fun and excitement at the Home Matters Linky Party. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We look forward to chatting with you in the comments.
Rice bowls are one of those staples of weeknight meals. You can make a large variety of cuisines just starting with a simple bowl of rice. It can be the types of proteins you put on top, the types of veggies, the sauces or even the way you season the rice. For this rice bowl I have put together a sauce with a Korean BBQ twist that is used to both marinate and glaze the chicken. KBBQ Chicken Rice Bowls are going to be a real hit on your dinner table.
KBBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
The one ingredient of the KBBQ sauce that might be a little outside your normal pantry items is the gochujang sauce. This is a red chili paste that has a spicy and sweet flavor to it. Made from fermenting red chili paste, glutinous rice, and soy bean paste. The spicy comes from the chilies while the sweetness comes from the starchiness of the rice. While it used to be difficult to find this product, most grocery stores carry it now. You can usually find it in the condiments aisle or in the Asian section of the International foods aisle. If you cannot find it, you can substitute Sriracha.
KBBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
As I mentioned above, part of making a rice bowl fit all the way into this dish, you want to make sure to season it. The vinegar is a big part of the flavor you want from this type of rice. The garlic and ginger powder also give a depth of flavor that you will really enjoy. I have selected broccoli, carrots and white onions as the veggies but you could use a whole variety of veggies. Bean sprouts, cauliflower, snap peas, bok choy, cabbage….these would all work.
KBBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
This is a pretty filling dish, with all the bases covered. If you need to stretch this a little further or want leftovers for lunches – you could add some Crispy Fried Wontons on the side. Speaking of leftovers, you could also make a whole batch of this specifically for meal prepping. You can divy the rice, chicken and veggies up into some meal prep containers and let them come to room temperature. Then cover and store in the refrigerator. They will reheat nicely in the microwave.
Combine sauce ingredients. Add half of the sauce to a zippered gallon bag along with chicken. Let marinate for at least 4 hours (up to overnight). Cover the remaining sauce and keep in refrigerator until ready to prepare the rest of the meal.
In a pot over medium heat, add rice, water, vinegar, salt, ginger and garlic. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat but do not remove the lid.
Remove chicken from zippered bag. Pour remaining sauce into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the additional sauce from earlier. Allow to simmer while preparing the rest of the meal.
Add chicken breast to a grill pan over medium high heat. Cook for 7 minutes then baste with sauce and flip. Baste again with sauce and let cook for another 7 minutes. Check with meat thermometer and remove from heat once it has reached 165degF.
Add the broccoli, carrots and white onions to the same pan, along with half a cup of sauce. Saute until fork tender.
Add a portion of rice to the bottom of a shallow bowl. Then add a portion of the mixed veggies. Slice each chicken breast into strips and add to rice. Spoon more KBBQ sauce over the top and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to this week’s Weekly Wrap-up and Blog Link-up.
It’s a new year at the Pit Stop and it’s time to vroom-vroom to all the great posts that everyone is creating all around the the blogosphere! Scroll down to check out my Weekly Wrap-up along with my Featured posts from the previous Pit Stop!
What’s been going on at Homemade on a Weeknight?
‘ve had a few folks inquiry about our Chicken Flock – and let me tell y’all, do not fret over our chickens! They are living their best(-ish) life here in rural Montana. While their actual coop may have shrunk in size, they are free to range over several acres of our land. Eventually, we will build them a much larger space, as well as add to their flock size. One day we hope to be raising turkeys, geese, and quail. And we will, of course, get ducks back in our flock. It’s a whole new world for us all and we are all taking to it pretty well. The weather is posing the biggest hurdle, but we are learning and growing and managing. Now that it’s been a few weeks, we are starting to get some fresh eggs again. I think we can safely say the girls have survived the move!
What have you been up to this past week?
One of this last week’s most popular recipe was: Quick Breakfast Wraps– these make a great on the go meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Quick Breakfast Wraps
In case you missed it, here are the recipes that I shared to the blog this week:
Have you had a chance to check out the new Facebook group Yum Hungry Hangout & Giggles? It is a place to share your foodie finds, funny facts and in general hangout and get to know each other more through out shared love of food. Please feel free to check it out and maybe join in the fun!
By joining the Senior Salon Pit Stop, you signify permission (EsmeSalon privacy policy) to share your posts and images here and receive an email reminder when our next Senior Salon Pit Stop is LIVE.
Show off your feature by adding the “I was featured at the Senior Salon Pit Stop” image to your post. Use this code:
A few simple rules for the Senior Salon Pit Stop Link Party:
For every post that you share – make one comment on someone else’s post. Help make their day a bit brighter.
Unlimited sharing limit BUT we ask that you visit one other blog post for each link you share.
Posts can be on any subject that is family-friendly.
Posts with direct sales, shops, or affiliates must contain relevant post content.
That’s it! Come and join the fun and let’s make it worthwhile!
If you are looking for more fun places to link up your posts – check out our Ultimate Handy Linky Party List – check back often as it’s always growing. And if we have missed your Linky Party – please send me a message and we will get it added in!
Another week means another week of dinner plans need to be made. While it can sometimes be a daunting task, once you have established it as a habit, it becomes something to look forward to. You will find yourself coming up with ideas throughout the week and thinking ahead to how you can utilize ingredients in different ways. While I would be thrilled to find out that you are using all seven recipes shared here, if you only use a couple to fill in your own dinner plans, that would be great too. When it comes to menu planning, I do have a little secret. I have a handful of recipes that I ALWAYS have the ingredients to hand to make. This is basic spaghetti, homemade pepperoni pizza, chicken & rice and Ham & Grilled Cheese. You should have a collection of things that your family will always eat, and are easy to make.
I also like to check in with the family to see if they have anything they have been specifically craving or wanting to try something new. Sometimes this is a fruitful ask and sometimes I get bupkitz. But I still try to ask because I also get the ‘don’t forget I’m going to dinner with a friend this night’ or ‘just please no more rice/pasta/whatever’. This is all valuable info for making a dinner menu plan for the week ahead. I also like to use a menu planner with a grocery list – like this one – to make things that much easier.
Tools You May Need
To have success with the recipes this week – here are few items that I think you may consider adding to your kitchen if you do not already have them.
A Grill Pan – I use this to give those beautiful grill lines to sandwiches, meats, and tortillas. It’s just that something extra.
Here is my plan for the week ahead. I have included the links to the original posts (you can find more info about substitutions, and processes in the full posts), as well as the full menu right here so that you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.
MONDAY
Spaghetti & Meatball Soup – I didn’t think you could make the classic comfort food of Spaghetti & Meatballs even more homestyle – but turns out you can! Spaghetti & Meatball Soup is like a warm hug in a bowl of hearty goodness. The mini meatballs are the perfect addition to this tomato broth, along with some bell peppers and pasta. So if you are looking for an extra comforting, feels like home meal, this is the one for you.
Homemade mini meatballs with spaghetti and a delicious tomato broth.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword beef broth, beef meatballs, bell peppers, green bell peppers, ground beef, ground beef recipes, hearty soup, meatballs, red bell peppers, soups, spaghetti, spaghetti soup, tomato, white onion
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
2tbspOil
½White Oniondiced
1Red Bell Pepperdiced
1Green Bell Pepperdiced
1tbspMinced Garlic
2tspOregano
2tspBasil
1tspSalt
1tspPepper
1½qtBeef Broth
315oz canTomato Sauce
2tbspHoney
1lbSpaghetti broken into fourths
For the Meatballs
1½lbGround Beef
½cupBread crumbs
½cupParmesan Cheesegrated
1tbspMinced Garlic
1tspRed Pepper Flakes
1tspBasil
1tspOregano
1tspSalt
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375degF.
In a large stock pot over medium high heat, add oil, onions and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes then add bell peppers, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute another 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low and add beef broth and tomato sauce. Let simmer while meatballs cook.
Start water boiling for the pasta. Salt as desired.
In a bowl, combine meatball ingredients. Using a 1inch scoop, portion out the meat mixture. Roll each into a round ball between the palms of your hands. Line them out on a baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Place in over to bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately add to soup.
Add broken pasta to boiling water and cook to desired doneness. Drain in colander.
To serve, add portion of pasta to bottom of a shallow pasta bowl. Then ladle soup mixture over top of pasta. (Approximately 8 meatballs per bowl).
TUESDAY
Crispy Korean Beef Tacos – If you have been here for a while, you know that I’m celebrating #TacoTuesday basically every week. And you know that my tacos are not always traditional. This goes around. I’m making some Korean bulgogi inspired tacos with these Crispy Korean Beef Tacos. The marinated them fried beef strips have so much flavor and meld so well with the veggies and homemade spicy mayo.
Combine ingredients for steak marinade into gallon sized zippered bag. Add sliced steak. NOTE: If you slice the steak when it's slightly frozen, you can get thinner and more uniform strips. Let marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours (up to overnight).
Combine ingredients for spicy mayo. Transfer to squeeze bottle if desired.
Add enough oil for ½ inch depth in a saute or frying pan. Heat to 350degF.
Add cornstarch to zippered bag with marinating steak. Smoosh around evenly coat and combine. Once oil is hot, start adding individual strips to oil in batches and fry for 45-60 seconds on each side. Remove to wire rack over paper towel covered pan. Repeat until all steak is fried.
In another frying pan over medium high heat, toast up each side of each tortilla for about 45 seconds.
Build the taco by add portion of coleslaw mix and red onions to toasted tortilla. Next put 4-5 strips of crispy beef. Drizzle with spicy mayo and garnish with cilantro and jalapenos.
WEDNESDAY
Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese– My family loves my homemade Mac and cheese, so sometimes I try to make a while meal out of it. This time, I added in some roasted chicken and Buffalo hot sauce to kick things up a notch. What’s best about this recipe is how easy it is to put together on a weeknight. Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese needs to be on your next week’s menu plan
Delicious roasted chicken added with buffalo hot sauce to a classic mac & cheese
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword buffalo chicken, buffalo hot sauce, cheddar cheese, mac & cheese, mac and cheese, ranch seasoning, roasted chicken
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
1½lbElbow Pasta
6Chicken Thighsbone-in, skin-off
2tbspRanch Seasoningsee recipe below
1tbspOil
3stalksGreen Onionchopped
For the Cheese Sauce
4tbspButter
1tspGarlic Powder
1tspOnion Powder
4tbspFlour
2cupsMilk
1tspSalt
1tspPaprika
1tspGround Mustard
1cup Heavy Cream
3cupsSharp Cheddar Cheeseshredded
1tbspRanch Seasoning
½cupBuffalo Hot Sauceplus more for garnish
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400degF.
Add chicken thighs to a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat then sprinkle with ranch seasoning. Toss again. Line out on a baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Add to oven and roast for 40 minutes.
Start water boiling for the pasta.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. Drain in a colander and return to pot away from heat.
In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add butter, onion powder and garlic powder. Once melted whisk in flour. Let cook for two minutes then whisk in milk and let cook for two minutes then whisk in remaining seasonings and cook another two minutes. Add in hot sauce then whisk in heavy cream and cook another two minutes. Then add in cheese, a handful at a time, whisking until it's melted in.
Remove chicken from oven. Remove meat from bones and then chop chicken.
Add cheese sauce to pasta and stir to thoroughly combine. Then add chopped chicken and stir again.
Add portion of mac & cheese to serving bowl. Drizzle with hot sauce (if desired). Top with green onions.
Notes
Ranch Seasoning
THURSDAY
Ham & Potatoes au Gratin – Whether you are looking for a recipe to use up holiday ham or just a simple casserole for a weeknight dinner, you have come to the right blog post. This casserole is super easy to put together but packed with flavor. Ham & Potatoes au Gratin combines a simple cheese sauce with golden potatoes, and ham chunks for a great casserole.
A creamy and velvety homemade cheese sauce over thin sliced potatoes and chunks of ham.
Course Casserole, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword casseroles, cheese sauce, cheesy potatoes, golden potatoes, Ham, potato
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
8Medium Golden Potatoespeeled and thin sliced
4tbspButter
1tspGarlic Powder
4tbspFlour
2cupChicken Broth
1cupHeavy Cream
3cupCheddar Cheeseshredded, divided
1½cupMozzarella Cheeseshredded, divided
2tbspDried Minced Onion
1tspParsley Flakes
¾lbHamthick sliced and rough chopped
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Prepare all of the ingredients. Preheat oven to 350degF.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and garlic powder. Once melted, whisk in flour. Cook for 3 minutes then whisk in chicken broth. Cook for 2 minutes then whisk in heavy cream. Cook for 2 minutes then whisk in 2 cup of cheddar, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Once fully melted in, whisk in dried onion. Then stir in ⅔ of the chopped ham.
In a 13×9 baking dish (or 2 8×8 baking dishes), pour ⅓ of the cheese sauce into bottom. Add half of the sliced potatoes in a even layer. Pour ⅓ of the cheese sauce over the potatoes. Add second half of potatoes in a even layer. Pour remaining cheese sauce.
Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and ham. Sprinkle with parsley flakes. Place in oven and bake for 60 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving.
FRIDAY
Spicy Chicken Sandwiches – Sometimes you just a need a big ol’ chicken sandwich for dinner (or lunch). I like to layer a crispy fried chicken breast with some fresh veggies on toasted bun. This particular chicken sandwich has got a real kick from both the spicy chicken breast and the homemade spicy mayo. This recipe for some Spicy Chicken Sandwiches is sure going to add a little fun to your weekly menu plan.
Set up a dredging station – Tray 1: one cup of flour, half a teaspoon of chili powder, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon pepper. Tray 2: eggs, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon pepper. Tray 3: remaining flour, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder. Coat each piece of chicken (tray 1, then 2, then 3).
Preheat oven to 400degF.
In a large frying pan over medium high heat, add enough oil to be half an inch deep. Fry each chicken breast for 3 minutes on each side. Place on baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Once all pieces are fried and on the rack, place in oven to bake for 20 minutes.
On a separate baking sheet, split each hoagie roll and layout face up. Place in oven for last 5 minutes of chicken baking. (You can spray with oil or melted butter if you want extra crispiness).
In a small bowl, combine coleslaw mix with pickle juice.
Spread each side of the roll with spicy mayo, top with chicken, tomato, coleslaw mix, and pickles.
A perfectly spicy mayo for your burgers, wraps, sandwiches and even as a dip!
Course Dip, Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword mayo, sandwich spread, spicy mayo
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Servings 1cup
Ingredients
¾cupMayonnaise
¼cupSweet Chili Garlic Sauce
1tspPaprika
1tspSalt
½tspCayenne Pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a sealable container. Use right away or store (sealed) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
SATURDAY
Cheesesteak Burritos – If you’ve been around the blog for a bit, you know how much I love to turn any classic flavor profile into a burrito – or taco or burger or sandwich for that matter. There are so many quintessential flavor combos that work no matter what. I already turned the Philly Cheesesteak into a Pasta and then a Lasagna and now I’m turning it into a burrito. My recipe for Philly Cheesesteak Burritos is going to blow your mind.
Combine ingredients for marinade in a gallon zipper bag. Add in sliced meat. Seal bag and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours (8 is better). NOTE: If you cut the steak when it is still partially frozen, you can get much thinner pieces.
In a small bowl, combine mayo ingredients thoroughly. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to build burritos.
In a medium bowl, combine peppers, onion, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat.
In an large saute pan over medium high heat, add steak strips. Cook for about 8 minutes (or until desired doneness), while stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add vegetable mixture to same pan and saute for 5-10 minutes and remove from pan.
Place tortilla on flat surface. Add 3 slices of provolone to the center. Spread with horseradish mayo. Then add a portion of steak followed by a portion of vegetables. Fold the sides of the tortilla into the middle then roll the tortilla from the bottom up. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spray each with cooking spray.
Heat grill pan to medium-high. Once hot, grill each tortilla (starting on the seam side), for roughly 3 minutes on each side. Let rest for a few minutes before cutting in half to serve.
SUNDAY
BBQ Pork Meatloaf – When you are looking for some Sunday Supper recipes, meatloaf almost always lands near the top of the list of ideas. And while a classic ground beef meatloaf is always good – I wanted to try something a little different. That is how I came up with this BBQ Pork Meatloaf recipes. It has such a great flavor and goes perfectly with some smashed potatoes and garlic roasted green beans!.
In a mixing bowl, add pork, seasonings, egg, crushed fried onions and ½ cup of BBQ Sauce. Use hands to thoroughly combine.
Press meat mixture into 9×9 glass baking dish. Spread remaining BBQ sauce evenly over the top. Cover with foil and place in oven for 50 minutes.
In the last 10 minutes of bake time, remove the foil. Once times up, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting up and serving.
Do you have any tips for making a dinner menu plan each week? Which one of these recipes do you plan to add to your dinner menu plan this week?
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Putting together your own spice blends is a key to making your meals taste and feel more like real home cooking. I like to play around with blends and rubs as you can easily adjust the flavors to feature which parts of it you like the most. I also like to make spice blends that are very versatile and can be used for meats as well as making sauces and marinades and rubs. This recipe for a Garlic Dill Spice Blend is just that! You can dry rub or add oil, water and vinegar to it make a marinade or even a quick salad dressing.
Garlic Dill Spice Blend
When it comes to purchasing dried herbs and spices, I usually go for the bulk bins. This way you can get exactly the amount that you need, especially when it is a type that you don’t use often. It is also much more cost effective than buying small jars of it. You can also go to your local restaurant supply store or “chef store” to buy the much larger containers. Some day, I hope to be able to make all my own dried herbs and spices, but we aren’t quite there yet.
Garlic Dill Spice Blend
As I mentioned above, this blend works for a number of uses. You can just dry rub it on chicken (bone-in or boneless), pork chops, pork roast, turkey breast, etc. You can also add it to equal parts water, oil and vinegar to make a marinade or salad dressing. Or you can add it to a combination of sour cream, heavy cream and mayo for a creamy dressing or veggie dip (it’s delish with chicken wings!)
Garlic Dill Spice Blend
My most popular use of this blend is on chicken leg quarters. I give them a very liberal coating of the spices and then spray over the top with cooking spray. Lay them out on a baking rack over a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper). Place in a preheated 325degF oven for 45 minutes. It makes for a wonderful meal with some homemade mac & cheese and buttered corn.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl or jar. Use right away or store in an airtight container.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to the weekly Home Matters Linky Party #514
A great place to come, share your blog posts and make new friends.
We are so glad you are here with us each week.
I am so excited to be a part of the Home Matters Linky Party Team! I have been participating for quite some time and am eager to make some more contributions to this party. A little about me – I’m a WFH Wife and Mom. My husband, four kids, 5 dogs and 15 chickens all currently live in the PNW, but we are embarking on a cross country move to Big Sky Country over the next 3 months to live out our dreams of being Homesteaders! Like the name implies – I love to make homemade meals every night of the week for my family. I care about what types of things we are eating and I like to try new things. This blog is all about sharing those journeys and adventures with you.
Now on to this week’s party! I can’t wait to see you there.
Please take some time to poke around and visit some of the other links.
Please take some time to check out your hosts and co-hosts on social media.
We appreciate the variety of blogs on the www; however, the Home Matters Party is for links on matters of the HOME. Please link accordingly.
We ask that you do not add other Linky Parties, Blog Hops, or Giveaways–unless you begin the party with a new project, recipe or post.
On the same note, please do not add links of an extremist, political or strong controversial nature. (The hosts and co-hosts read each and every blog post linked and will contact you directly if you have linked something that does not fit into the realm of the party.)
With your help, we can continue to grow the Home Matters Party! Thank you!
We are looking for Co-Hosts. Help us Rock this party! If you are interested, please contact Donna at radforddesignstudio@gmail.com.
Link Up!
By joining the Home Matters Linky Party you are giving permission for all hosts and co-hosts to use and share any part of your post, including pictures, for party promotion, as featured posts, in party photo collages, on blogs, across social media, etc. All credits will be given to the original source.
Thank you for joining in the fun and excitement at the Home Matters Linky Party. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We look forward to chatting with you in the comments.
It has been a bit since I shared a smoker recipe. It is not because I have fallen out of love with my smoker by any means. Quiet the contrary, it is just that I have been making a few things on repeat as we have been in this state of transition for a few months. And one of those things is this Smoked Teriyaki Chicken. A simple marinade of bone in chicken (I use drumsticks, but you can use thighs too – just adjust the cook time to add more to be sure it’s cooked through) and then slow smoked before grilling a glazing for a sticky delicious teriyaki chicken.
Smoked Teriyaki Chicken
Once thing I have learned about Smoker Recipes, is that it very much depends on the type of smoker you have to determine the exact cook time. The specifics temperatures and cook times of this recipe are for my unit – a Traeger – but can be easily adjusted to your own smoker. I will say chicken cannot take on tooooo much smoke, as it has such a mild flavor on its own. The marinade does help to counter that, but it’s the marriage of the two that really makes this a winning chicken recipe.
Smoked Teriyaki Chicken
The last few times I’ve made this – Egg Fried Rice has been the desired go to. You can also do the Simple Chow Mein. Another really go variation to use this chicken is to cook it as directed, then remove the chicken from the bone. Pour any remaining sauce over the top of the shredded chicken. Then serve on a toasted brioche bun with a Crunchy Asian Slaw, or wrap it all up in a tortilla!
In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the sauce, whisking thoroughly.
Add chicken to a gallon sized zippered bag and pour sauce contents over the top. Seal the bog (pressing out as much air as you can. Squidge sauce all over the chicken and then place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours (up to 24hours).
Based on your smokers own methods, prepare it to smoke at a temperature of 250degF.
Remove chicken from zippered bag and place in the smoker. Pour remaining sauce into a small sauce pan and place on stove over medium low heat and let simmer.
Allow chicken to smoke for 90 minutes. Then increase heat to 400degF. Baste each piece of chicken with simmered teriyaki sauce, then let cook for 15 minutes.
Turn each piece of chicken and baste again with sauce, let cook for 15 minutes more (or until center has achieved 165degF in the thickest part of the meat.
Baste the chicken on last time (on all sides) with sauce and then serve.
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
Welcome to this week’s Weekly Wrap-up and Blog Link-up.
It’s a new year at the Pit Stop and it’s time to vroom-vroom to all the great posts that everyone is creating all around the the blogosphere! Scroll down to check out my Weekly Wrap-up along with my Featured posts from the previous Pit Stop!
What’s been going on at Homemade on a Weeknight?
The Montana landscape is nothing short of breathtaking. We are so incredibly blessed to have found the most amazing piece of land that we can really turn into the homestead that we truly want it to be. It’s been a busy few weeks as we are celebrating finally moving the last of our belongings out of Oregon and no longer straddling the two states. This also means we were able to convert one of the enclosed trailers we had been using to move things into a temporary prep kitchen. This has been a game-changer for sure. With our full pantry and extra large chest freezer, we are able to get back to making the types of meals our family thrives on. I also have much more space to spread out and prep the food properly, make doughs and even get some sweet treats in. We had another big life milestone, with my second son turning 18! Hard to believe half of my children are technically ADULTS now! I will probably ask this many many many more times – but do you have any “tiny kitchen” or camper meals for a big family that you can share with us?
What have you been up to this past week?
One of this last week’s most popular recipe was: Kicked Up Patty Melts– a fun twist on a the dinner classic, perfect for a weeknight meal
Kicked-up Patty Melt
In case you missed it, here are the recipes that I shared to the blog this week:
Have you had a chance to check out the new Facebook group Yum Hungry Hangout & Giggles? It is a place to share your foodie finds, funny facts and in general hangout and get to know each other more through out shared love of food. Please feel free to check it out and maybe join in the fun!
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If you are looking for more fun places to link up your posts – check out our Ultimate Handy Linky Party List – check back often as it’s always growing. And if we have missed your Linky Party – please send me a message and we will get it added in!
Planning out the week’s meals is something I do every Sunday for my family. I do this for a few different reasons – one it helps me get into the mindset of a new week ahead. Two it gives me the opportunity to look through the freezer, fridge and pantry to see what might need to be used up, what do I already have on hand, and what do I need to get from the store. I also try to think ahead of how can a double prep something one night to use another night, or say when a recipe calls for half an onion – I make sure to make something that needs the other half within a few days.
I also like to check in with the family to see if they have anything they have been specifically craving or wanting to try something new. Sometimes this is a fruitful ask and sometimes I get bupkitz. But I still try to ask because I also get the ‘don’t forget I’m going to dinner with a friend this night’ or ‘just please no more rice/pasta/whatever’. This is all valuable info for making a dinner menu plan for the week ahead. I also like to use a menu planner with a grocery list – like this one – to make things that much easier.
Tools You May Need
To have success with the recipes this week – here are few items that I think you may consider adding to your kitchen if you do not already have them.
A Grill Pan – I use this to give those beautiful grill lines to sandwiches, meats, and tortillas. It’s just that something extra.
Here is my plan for the week ahead. I have included the links to the original posts (you can find more info about substitutions, and processes in the full posts), as well as the full menu right here so that you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.
MONDAY
#Onepan Cheesy Sausage Pasta – Weeknight cooking is centered on the idea of simplicity while still being packed with flavor. You shouldn’t have to slave over the stove all day to make a delicious family meal. One pan meals are always a great way to build flavor because when you cook it all together you get a cohesive final dish. This particular recipe for #OnePan Cheesy Sausage Pasta checks all the boxes – it’s simple and flavorful.
In your largest saute pan over medium high heat, add oil, onions and garlic. Saute about 3 minutes then add sausage chunks. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then reduce heat to medium.
Add pasta, milk, chicken broth, broccoli and seasonings. Add enough eater to fully submerge everything. Bring just to a bubble, then cover pan and let cook for 20 minutes.
Remove lid and add heavy cream and cheese. Stir until fully combined. Let cook another 5 minutes. Then let rest away from heat for 5 minutes before serving (sauce will thicken up.)
TUESDAY
Bacon Cheeseburger Smash Tacos – We have all been there – we can not decide what to make for dinner because you have two things in mind. This recipe came from exactly that situation. I wanted bacon Cheeseburgers and Tacos in equal measure so I merged them and came up with Bacon Cheeseburger Smash Tacos and they were amazing.
In a large bowl mix patty ingredients. Place a large layer of parchment paper on the countertop. Add half of the tortillas in a single layer. Using a 2oz food scoop, place a portion of patty mix to center of each tortilla. Cover with another layer of parchment paper. Use a burger press (or small frying pan) to flatten out each scoop of patty mixture on to each tortilla. Repeat with remaining tortillas. **Meat should be pressed all the way to the edge , and even over hanging. It will shrink up while cooking.
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add bacon. Cook until crispy and remove to paper towel covered plate. Allow to cool some before chopping into bites. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan.
In a small bowl, combine special sauce ingredients.
Begin frying patty/tortilla, patty side down, in same pan bacon was fried in. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on patty side, then flip and cook for 2 minutes on tortilla side. Add slice of cheese and remove from pan. Repeat with remaining smashtacos.
Add portion of bacon to smashtaco. Sprinkle with romaine, tomato and onion. Drizzle with special sauce. Repeat with remaining smashtacos.
WEDNESDAY
Mexican Breakfast Bowls– Since we raise chickens, we always have a lot of eggs. So often, I find meals to utilize a large amount of eggs for dinner to make sure none go to waste. This recipe accomplishes just that – uses up a large amount of eggs and still counts as dinner. With the combo of beans, pork, bell peppers, cheese, and eggs, you are going to love this recipe for Mexican Breakfast Bowls.
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add ground pork and half of the taco seasoning. Cook until no longer pink.
In a bowl toss onions, garlic and bell pepper with oil. Add to pan with pork. Let cook a few minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Then add rinsed beans and remainder of taco seasoning. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
In a separate pan over medium heat, add beaten eggs. Let cook – untouched for about 2 minutes. Then gently move the eggs around to allow to continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper and 1½ cup of shredded cheese, then fold in. Remove from heat once cooked to desired doneness. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, add portion of bean mixture. Add portion of eggs on top. Then add dollop of sour cream, sprinkle of green onions and a drizzle of Mexican gravy. Serve with tortilla (warmed if desired).
Notes
Taco Seasoning
THURSDAY
Cheesy Mushroom & Rice Bake – Classic weeknight cooking is often a casserole or bake style meal. You put all of the ingredients (some partially prepared) into a baking dish and let it all bake it all up in the oven. These are ideal for busy weeknights as you do a very small amount of active time in the kitchen, and then oven does all the rest. Chicken and rice is a great starting point for a bake and this recipe adds in some delicious mushrooms and cheese. Your family is sure to really enjoy this Cheesy Mushroom & Rice Bake.
In a saute pan over medium high heat, add oil, onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes then add rice. Toast for 3 minutes more. Transfer to 13×9 baking dish. Add chicken broth, mushrooms, and chicken.
Preheat oven to 400degF.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter, onion powder, and garlic powder. Once melted, whisk in flour and let cook for 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth and paprika and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and cheese. Cook another 3 minutes. Then add to baking dish. Stir to thoroughly combine.
Cover baking dish with foil and place in over to bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil from baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese and parsley. Bake for another 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
FRIDAY
Meat Lovers Pizza – Pizza is a staple in our home. Even made from scratch – most of our family can prepare the dough to have time to rise before making from dinner. Because it really is that easy. But sometimes that simple – yet delightful – pepperoni pizza occasionally needs to be stepped up a notch. This recipe for Meat Lovers Pizza gives you that one extra pop that #pizzanight really needs.
In a frying pan over medium high heat, add bacon. Cook until crispy and remove to a paper towel covered plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan.
In the same frying pan, add Italian sausage. Cook and crumble until no longer pink. Remove to a paper towel covered plate.
In a sauce pan over medium heat, add ingredients for the sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce to low and let simmer while dough cooks.
Add cheeses to a bowl and toss to combine.
Once the pizza dough is completed as listed in the recipe below, start building the pizzas.
Remove pizza crusts from oven. For one pizza, spread half of sauce over top of crust. Evenly sprinkle with 2 cups of cheese mixture. Layer with a single layer of pepperoni then sprinkle with half of each of the ham, bacon, and sausage. Sprinkle with ½ cup of cheese mixtures. Repeat on second pizza. Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove and let cook for 5 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Italian Seasoning
SATURDAY
Chicken Tortellini Soup -Full of flavor hearty soups are the perfect cold weather weeknight meals that the whole family will enjoy. This recipe for Chicken Tortellini Soup is fairly simple to put together, with not a ton of active cooking going on. What makes this particular soup special is that it has not one but TWO unexpected ingredients – Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco Sause. You get that deep earthly flavor from the Worcestershire and a pop of heat from the tabasco for a great bite.
In a large stock pot over medium high heat, add butter. Once melted add garlic, onion, carrot, celery and half of poultry seasoning. Let saute until onions are mostly translucent.
Add broth and chicken breast. Bring just to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium and let cook for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred. Return to pot and reduce heat to medium low.
Add lemon juice, remaining poultry seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and tabasco. And let cook for 30 minutes more.
Increase heat to medium, and add tortellini. Cook for a final 15 minutes (or until tortellini are all floating).
Notes
Poultry Seasoning
SUNDAY
Mongolian Beef – This popular Chinese-American menu mainstay is another favorite in our family. Crispy steak pieces with bell pepper, and onion in a delicious ginger soy sauce makes for a truly great weeknight dinner. Mongolian Beef does have a bit of a kick to it (there is Sriracha in the sauce) but nothing crazy. You can serve this with Simple Chow Mein or Egg Fried Rice
Combine all sauce ingredients a small sauce pan. Bring just a bubble over medium-high heat. Then reduce to medium low and let simmer.
In a medium mixing bowl, add bell pepper. onion, and sesame oil.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt and ginger. Add steak strips to bowl and toss to evenly coat.
Add enough oil to a frying pan to be about ½ inch deep and put over high heat. Once up to at least 375degF, start add coated pieces of steak (shake a little to separate). Do not over crowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove to a baking rack over paper towels on a baking sheet. Repeat till all steak is cooked.
In a separate frying pan over medium high heat. add pepper mixture. Saute for about 5 minutes.
On a large serving dish, add pepper mixture to bottom in a mostly single layer. Pile crispy steak on top. Then pour sauce over top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with rice or noodles.
Do you have any tips for making a dinner menu plan each week? Which one of these recipes do you plan to add to your dinner menu plan this week?
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
