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Colorful Couscous Salad #sidedishes

Summer is knocking on our doors which means meals start to be in the backyard for our family. Most meals include a protein prepared on the Traeger Grill – so a simple pasta salad that I can make ahead is perfect. It gives me the chance to actually hang out with the family while they work up an appetite in the pool. Pasta salad is a beloved side dish in our house, so of course, I have to play around with it. This time I made a Colorful Couscous Salad – a no mayo pasta salad so full of veggies – it’s like eating the rainbow!

Making your own dressings for pasta and potato salads is what really makes them stand out. When you really think about it – cold salads generally don’t require much “cooking” so the combination of the ingredients is the key. Most people use a mayonnaise based dressing for pasta and potato salads. Which I have no problem with at all, and make that sort too. But I also have 3 kids (so half of my family) that don’t really care for mayo. So I try to alternate making my dressings with and without mayo.

Knife cuts are another big part of making beautiful salads. One thing that I really try to do is cut everything to roughly the same size and shape as much as I can. With a small pasta like couscous (this style is specifically called Pearl Couscous or Isreali Couscous), I went with a dice on the veggies. If you use a short pasta like rotini or penne – you could do a julienne on the veggies.

I served this up with some simply grilled bone-in pork chops (just seasoned with paprika, salt, parsley, and garlic powder) and a homemade Mustard BBQ Sauce. It paired so wonderfully with a light bright couscous salad. This salad also keeps so well. So if you are lucky enough to have any left after dinner – you are going to be enjoying it for lunch all week.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Colorful Couscous Salad

Perfect for every BBQ and potluck – a veggie packed pasta salad.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword bacon, bell peppers, couscous, couscous salad, cucumber, dijon, dressing, Pasta Salad, red onion, Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Servings

Ingredients

1 lb Pearl Coucous
½ lb Bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
1 Yellow Bell Pepper diced
1 English Cucumber peeled, seeded, diced
½ Red Onion diced
½ cup Fresh Parsley chopped
1 cup Cherry Tomatoes quartered
2 Garlic Cloves minced

For the Dressing

¼ cup Avocado Oil
¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Lemon zested and juiced
¼ cup Honey
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
¼ cup Dijon Mustard

Instructions

Prepare all of the ingredients.
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove to paper towel covered plate and let cool.
Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl.
Add the couscous and water to a pan (use measurements as listed on the package). Cook as directed on package (usually covered over medium-high heat). Drain in colander and rinse with cool water. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add bacon, dressing and veggies to bowl with couscous. Toss to combine. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Goat Cheese Pasta

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Simple and delicious are the best ways to describe this pasta dish. Goat cheese has a wonderful tangy bite to it that makes for such a wonderful sauce. Goat Cheese Pasta is going to be a favorite at your dinner table just like it was at mine. This is a perfect weeknight meal because it is easy and quick to pull together.

I used orecchiette pasta, but you can use any small or “short” pasta with this sauce. I like the orecchiette because it holds sauces well. It is also a thicker pasta so it holds up to the richness of this sauce. If you can’t find that particular type of pasta look for something with “ribbing” or texture on them. I don’t like “cooked” spinach – that’s why I add it right at the last moment of making this dish. It does not get slimy or icky at all – keeping its bright green color and flavor.

I made a delicious homemade Rosemary Focaccia (check out my Instagram to see where I got the recipe @homemadeonaweeknight). You could do any sort of breadstick, roll, or go green with a salad – if you need a side dish.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Goat Cheese Pasta

Sausage and spinach in a creamy goat cheese sauce over orecchiette.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword cheese sauce, goat cheese, Pasta, pasta dishes, Sausage, spinach

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings

Ingredients

1½ lb Ground Italian Sausage
2 lb Orecchiette Pasta
1 lb Goat Cheese
1 cup Fresh Spinach chopped
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Tarragon
3 Garlic Cloves minced
½ White Onion minced
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Chicken Broth

Instructions

Prepare all of the ingredients. Start water boiling for pasta.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add sausage. Crumble and cook until no longer pink. Remove sausage from pan, reserving grease. Reduce heat to medium and add onions, garlic and seasonings. Saute for 4 minutes.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water.
Add goat cheese to onions and garlic. Crumble and stir until melted. Stir in heavy cream and lemon juice. Let cook 2 minutes then add chicken broth. Return sausage to pan and combine. Add cooked pasta to pan and toss to evenly coat. Lastly, remove pan from heat and stir in spinach.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Spicy Mango Wings #slowcooker

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I have tried so many ways to make chicken wings in a large quantity (you do need a larger 6 qt slow cooker like this one by Pioneer Woman) without having to fry them. I think this method is the most effective, successful one yet. Using the slow cooker to make sure that the chicken is juicy and completely cooked with flavor-infused all the way through is definitely the way to go. And then finishing them off under the broiler to get a nice crispy skin – these Spicy Mango Wings are going to fly off the plate when you serve them up!

Combining sweet and spicy is something I love to do. They give just the right balance to a sauce. You actually get the flavor of the spicy ingredient and not just the heat. It also makes it so you can use sweet ingredients like fruit in savory preparations. When you are buying mangos, you want to check them sort of like you check a tomato. You want it to be firm but not hard and you want to be able to smell the mango scent from the area of the stem.

I served these wings up with a slightly milder version of mac and cheese – a gouda mac and cheese. This was to help further balance out the spicy wing sauce. I made my usual mac and cheese sauce and just traded out 1 cup of shredded gouda for half of my usual cheddar. Gouda is great for sauce as it melts beautifully and has a subtle yet tasty flavor.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Spicy Mango Wings

A delicious homemade chipotle mango sauce over fall off the bone succulent chicken wings

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bourbon, Chicken, chicken wings, chipotle, mango, slow cooker, wings

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Slow Cook Time 6

Servings

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

2 lb Chicken Wings flats & drummettes
2 Mangos peeled and cubed
1 7oz can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
½ cup Bourbon
3 Garlic Cloves minced
1 9oz can Tomato Paste
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Parsley

Instructions

Add chicken to slow cooker set on low.
In a bowl combine all remaining ingredients and blitz with an immersion blender. Or add to blender and blitz until smooth. Pour sauce over chicken and toss to coat. Secure lid and cook for 6 hours.
Preheat oven to broil. Place a baking rack on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Line out chicken wings on rack. Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley on top, if desired.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Cauliflower Salad #keto #sidedish

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When trying to keep mostly keto – side dishes can become a little hum-drum. Especially at potlucks and backyard BBQs – where you probably have rather limited choices. I really prefer to enjoy my entire meal, not just the main entree. So I started thinking about some of my favorite side dishes and settled on potato salad. Now, you can make potato salad closer to keto, as I did with my Warm Potato Salad, but you will still have a little much in the carb column. That’s where Cauliflower Salad comes into play! You get that great flavor and the parboiled cauliflower gives a very similar texture to any potato salad.

To prepare the cauliflower you want to make sure you do two things – cut them into bite-sized pieces before putting them into boiling water and do not overcook it! If you let it get all the way to fork-tender, it will not hold up for very long. But if you don’t cook it quite enough it will just be raw cauliflower covered in dressing – not exactly what we are going for here.

The dressing is made with Greek Yogurt instead of mayo – which I love! It is a simple dressing that you could use for lots of different things. The red pepper flakes give it a little kick and a little more depth than your typical dressing. You will want to make sure that your bacon is cooked to just crispy and not burnt. If you have too much char it will give the salad an odd color that isn’t all that appealing.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Cauliflower Salad

A beautiful side dish – keto friendly "potato" salad made with Cauliflower

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword bacon, caulfiflower, cauliflower salad, Salad

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Servings

Ingredients

2 heads Cauliflower cut into florets
2 Garlic Cloves minced
½ Red Onion sliced
1 lb Bacon cut into small pieces
3 Scallions chopped

Dressing

1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 tbsp Fresh Dill chopped
2 Garlic Cloves minced
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

Prepare all of the ingredients.
In a large pot, add cauliflower and garlic. Cover with water and put on medium-high heat. Bring just to a boil and cook for 7 additional minutes. Drain and transfer to bowl.
In a frying pan over medium high heat, add bacon. Cook until crispy and remove to paper towel covered plate. Let cool.
Combine dressing ingredients. Add to bowl with cauliflower along with cooled bacon, onions and scallions. Toss to coat and serve right away. Or cover and place in fridge for up to 6 hours.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

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Some rough days just really need a super simple yet super flavorful dinner. Garlic Chicken Spaghetti is the perfect recipe for that. You probably have all of the ingredients already in your house for this one – and it is so fast to put together, you will feel like you didn’t really do anything.

There is a bit of controversy about using pasta water to thicken sauces – but to be honest – it does work. That starch that comes off the pasta really does help to thicken a simple oil sauce. I wouldn’t put it up against a cream or milk-based sauce, but for a light sauce – it’s a win.

I realize it seems like a lot of garlic – but seriously, can you call it Garlic Chicken Spaghetti if it doesn’t have a big garlic flavor? I do use the minced California Garlic – I go through probably 3 jars of it a month. In general – 1 tsp equals one clove of garlic minced. It has great flavor with minimal effort which is so needed for weeknight meals! Be sure to use GRATED and not SHREDDED Parmesan cheese for this dish – you want the flavor but not the big presence. So you want it to mostly dissolve in the oil sauce and not stay in shreds. If you wanted to throw in some ribbons of spinach to get that veggie count in – you could totally do that when you add the cheese.

I didn’t do a side with this, but a crusty bread or side salad would be great. You could also do a simple roasted asparagus. Layout 1.5 pounds of asparagus (bottoms trimmed) on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Bake for 25 minutes at 400deg.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

A super fast, super tasty simple weeknight dinner that is full of flavor

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Chicken, Garlic, Parmesan, Pasta, pasta dishes

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Servings

Ingredients

2 lb Chicken Breast boneless, skinless
1 qt Chicken Broth
6 Garlic Cloves minced, divided
1½ lb Spaghetti
4 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Parsley
1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated

Instructions

Start water boiling for pasta.
In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add chicken, chicken broth and half of garlic. Cook for 20 minutes. Then remove from pan and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Add pasta to water and cook as directed on package. Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water.
In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add oil, remaining garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add cooked pasta and stir for 3 minutes. Add reserved pasta water, chicken and parsley. Cook another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then add cheese and toss to coat.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Tex Mex Chicken Salad Wrap

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Dinner in a wrap is exactly what a weeknight meal should be! What I love about this particular wrap is that you can serve it warm or cold. Which means you can make it ahead of time or right at dinner time. You can also make them up and head over to soccer practice, or get some evening fishing in! Tex Mex Chicken Salad Wraps are full of flavor and going to be a great addition to your rotation.

I learned this new (to me) way of warming up a tortilla from a brewery my husband and I went to recently. I turned up my grill pan all the way, and put the tortilla down on top, gently pressing it flat. As soon as it started to bubble, I pulled it off. Let it cool for about a minute and then fill it up with this chicken salad yumminess. Just be sure not to let it sit too long, it will harden and rip when you try to roll it up. I learned that the hard way when I tried to make all of the tortillas before filling them and lost the first one!

Using Greek Yogurt instead of mayo is pretty common in my household. You get the same creaminess and it holds things together just the same. You also get the added benefits of getting yogurt into the family’s diet and that’s always good! I like to use 5% milkfat Greek yogurt, but you can use whatever kind of plain yogurt you want. Really make sure that you are not using vanilla or some other flavored yogurt by accident – sometimes its a win but usually its a total fail!

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad Wraps

Serve it warm or cold – either way it's going to be a Fiesta in your mouth!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican, Tex-Mex

Keyword Chicken, chicken salad, chicken salad recipes, tex-mex

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Servings

Ingredients

1 15 oz can Black Beans rinsed & drained
1 4 oz can Diced Green Chilies
2 lb Chicken Thighs boneless, skinless
1 qt Chicken Broth
1 Red Bell Pepper diced
½ Red Onion diced
6 Tortillas Burrito Sized

For the Dressing

8 oz Greek Yogurt
1 tbsp Lime Juice
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dried Minced Onion

Instructions

Prepare all of the ingredients.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add chicken broth and chicken. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove chicken and shred. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl combine ingredients for the dressing. Place in refrigerator until chicken is ready.
In a large bowl, combine beans, veggies, and chicken. Add dressing and stir until well coated.
Fill each tortilla (you can warm it up on a grill or griddle, if serving warm) with a portion of the chicken salad and wrap up. Cut on the diagonal.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Orange Chicken & Ginger Rice

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If you haven’t jumped on the #fakeaway bandwagon yet – you are missing out. A huge trend these days is to make your favorite takeaway or take-out dishes at home! I have been doing this for a while but this one really nails it. My version of Orange Chicken & Ginger Rice was gobbled up so fast, I had barely sat down with my own dish when the kids were asking for seconds. You get the delish sweet orange with the tang of ginger over crispy chicken bites.

Fresh squeezed Orange Juice and orange zest are really important to get the right orange flavor for the sauce. If you need a zester – check out this one from KitchenAid (it’s the one I have and love!) If you use a juice from the jug – make sure there is no sugar added – your sauce will become way too sweet. We are super lucky to have some amazing friends that send us fresh oranges from their own orange trees regularly – so we get to have extra fresh flavors from our orange dishes! You also need to use fresh ginger to get the zing.

The breading on the chicken shouldn’t be too thick. If you prefer a more “nugget” like crust – you could certainly do a full dredging station with egg and all. But typically orange chicken just has a light breading to help it be crispy in the sauce.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Orange Chicken & Ginger Rice

The best #fakeaway you will make your family – Crispy Orange Chicken with Ginger Rice

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword Chicken, crispy chicken, orange, rice

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Servings

Ingredients

3 Scallions chopped
1 tsp Sesame Seeds
2 cup Vegetable Oil

For the Chicken

1½ lb Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless cut into ½ inch cubes
½ cup Flour
¼ cup Corn Starch
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Paprika

For the Rice

2 cup Short Grain Rice
1 qt Chicken Broth
1 tsp Ginger Powder

For the Sauce

3 Oranges zested, juiced
¼ cup Honey
½ cup Rice Vinegar
¼ cup Fresh Ginger grated
1 tbsp Seasame Seeds
3 Garlic Cloves minced
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Corn Starch
1 tsp Black Pepper
¼ cup Coco Aminos

Instructions

Prepare all of the ingredients.
In a bowl, combine ingredients for chicken. Toss until well coated.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add ingredients for rice. Cover and cook for 17 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit until ready to serve. DO NOT remove lid.
In a shallow frying pan over medium heat, add oil. Once hot enough to make a drip of water crackle, begin frying chicken in batches. Stir occasionally and let cook for 3 minutes per batch. Remove from oil to a paper towel cover plate.
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add all sauce ingredients. Stir to combine and keep from burning. Let simmer while cooking chicken. Once all chicken is cooked, add to sauce and toss to coat. Let cook for 3 minutes more.
Serve a portion of rice, with a serving of chicken over top. Add a little extra sauce over rice. Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Tomato Risotto w/ Grilled Steak

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Risotto is something that many cooks and chefs are scared of and really shouldn’t be. If you are focused on the dish – you can make it rather easily. The real issue most people have is trying to rush it! If you have the time, you can make a delicious risotto any night of the week. You should also consider making a simple protein to go along with it so that you don’t have to divide your attention too much. That’s why I paired this delicious risotto with a Balsamic Bourbon marinade – such a delicious punch of flavor. Get ready to feel fancy with this Tomato Risotto w/ Grilled Steak.

Balsamic and Bourbon are two flavors that come together like heaven. You are going to love the smooth bourbon with the tang of the balsamic. I want to stress that you need to be sure use Balsamic VINEGAR and not Balsamic VINEGRETTE! You will not get the strong flavor you need for this marinade if you don’t use the vinegar.

The technique of cooking risotto is simple. As long as you keep stirring and don’t add more liquid than the rice can absorb at a time – you will be fine. The tenderness of the rice comes from the gradual rehydration of the grains. That’s really what makes it different from other methods of cooking rice. And, per my usual, I only cook rice and risotto with a stock and not water. You lose a huge opportunity for adding flavor to the dish when you don’t add a stock that compliments the dish.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Tomato Risotto w/ Grilled Steak

A decadent flavor combination that will make you feel all fancy!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Servings

Ingredients

For the Steak

6-8 Steaks I used Top Round
½ cup Balsamic Vinegar
½ cup Bourbon
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Parsley
1 tbsp Minced Onion
2 tbsp Avocado Oil

For the Risotto

½ White Onion finely diced
3 Garlic Cloves minced
3 tbsp Avocado Oil
1 tsp Basil
3 cups Arborio Rice
6 cups Chicken Stock
1 15oz can Tomato Puree
1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated

Instructions

Prepare all of the ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the steak and let marinate (at least 30 minutes).
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add oil, onion, basil, and garlic. Let cook for 3 minutes then add rice. Stir until well coated and rice begins to turn white. Stirring frequently, add chicken stalk half a cup at a time letting it absorb between each addition, until you have added 4 cups.
Preheat grill or grill pan to high. Once hot enough start cooking steaks to desired doneness. Remove from heat and let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting to serve.
Stir tomato puree into risotto and continue stirring. Once absorbed add cheese and return to adding remaining chicken stock half a cup at a time and stirring until rice is cooked through.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Gruyere Mac & Cheese #sidedishes

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Mac & Cheese is on the most well-received side dish list every day of the week! But it can get a little blah for anyone not sitting at the kiddie table. So why not liven it up with – first of all, homemade cheese sauce. Second, play with some different cheese – like this delicious Gruyere Mac & Cheese.

Gruyere cheese is similar to Swiss cheese in that it has a mild, nutty flavor that melts well. Making it perfect for a deliciously decadent cheese sauce over a simple pasta. Making a cheese sauce is really simple once you have the roux down – butter and flour need to be cooked just right to perfectly thicken the sauce without tasting like butter or flour. It’s a balance that, once mastered, can be used to create any flavored sauce you want.

I like to include the crispy bacon on top, but its just an extra. You could totally leave it out if you are vegetarian or looking for a #meatlessmonday dish. When it comes to pasta selection I just like to think about the aesthetic of the dish. I always stick with short or long depending what the recipe calls for. Basically, almost all pasta has the same taste, but it’s about how the pasta holds the sauce and how it stands up to the protein (if there is any).

Oven Fried Chicken w/ Gruyere Mac & Cheese

When I made this, I served it up with my Oven Fried Chicken and it was such a good pairing. The great thing about my chicken is that you marinate it all day in a delicious combination of Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard. You really won’t believe that this chicken is not deep fried but just cooked in the oven for a bit!

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Gruyere Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese for grown-ups!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword cheese, gruyere, gruyere mac & cheese, mac & cheese, pasta dishes, pasta side dish, Side Dish, side dish ideas

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings

Ingredients

½ lb Bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
1½ lb Short Pasta rotini, shells, penne, etc.
4 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Garlic Powder
4 tbsp Flour
1½ cup Chicken Stock
½ cup Heavy Cream
1 lb Gruyere Cheese cut into small cubes
½ cup Parmasean Cheese shredded
1 tsp Parsley for ganish

Instructions

Prepare all of the ingredients. Start water boiling for pasta.
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add bacon. Cook until crispy and remove to a paper towel covered plate.
Add pasta to boiling water. Cook as directed on package. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water. Return to pot, away from heat.
In a sauce pan over medium heat, add butter and garlic powder. Once melted, whisk in flour. Let cook for 3 minutes, then whisk in chicken broth. Let cook for 3 minutes then whisk in heavy cream. Cook for 3 minutes then add cheese, one handful at a time until fully melted.
Pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir to combine. Serve with garnished with bacon and parsely.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Spicy Tomato Relish

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I really love to make burgers! I make one most every week for my family. I love how versatile they are. You can change up the meats, the cheeses, the toppings, and the sauces – it’s the true definition of “the possibilities are endless”. The sauces are maybe the most fun when it comes to burger creations. You can do so much with a great sauce when it comes to a burger. My latest creation is a Spicy Tomato Relish. My son called it “homemade ketchup only WAAAAAAAY better!”

You are going to get a little worried when you make this relish. You will think it’s too watery and never going to come together as a sauce. Just have the faith – let it boil and then let it simmer. You will get this delicious relish to come together so beautifully your family will beg for it over and over.

Let me be clear – this is a SPICY relish – you are going to get a real kick of heat from this sauce. When I put it on the burger I added a avocado mayo & Italian dressing combo to help mellow it out, along with a Monterey Jack cheese. A simple beef burger patty (ground beef, egg, parsley, garlic powder, minced onion, salt, and red pepper flakes.)

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

Spicy Tomato Relish

A simple weeknight sauce – perfect for your burger, sandwich, pizza, steak or chicken

Course Sauce

Cuisine American

Keyword jam, relish, Sauce, spicy, tomato, tomato relish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Servings

Ingredients

2 lb Cherry Tomatoes halved
½ cup Dark Brown Sugar
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp Fresh Ginger grated
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 Garlic Cloves minced
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

Prepare all the ingredients.
In a saucepan over medium high heat, add all ingredients. Bring just to a boil, stirring frequently. Let boil for 10 minutes, gently mashing the tomatoes with spoon.
Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Serve immediately or put in airtight container for up to 10 days in refrigerator.

Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:

AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS

Don’t miss new recipes from Homemade on a Weeknight – subscribe and get an email with every new post!

Colorful Couscous Salad

Ingredients

For the Dressing

Instructions

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Goat Cheese Pasta

Ingredients

Instructions

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Spicy Mango Wings

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

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Cauliflower Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

Instructions

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Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients

Instructions

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Tex-Mex Chicken Salad Wraps

Ingredients

For the Dressing

Instructions

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Orange Chicken & Ginger Rice

Ingredients

For the Chicken

For the Rice

For the Sauce

Instructions

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Tomato Risotto w/ Grilled Steak

Ingredients

For the Steak

For the Risotto

Instructions

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Gruyere Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

Instructions

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Spicy Tomato Relish

Ingredients

Instructions

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