Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Wings
Posted: December 14, 2011 | Author: kat | Filed under: meat recipes | Tags: baked garlic parmesan chicken wings, chicken, chicken wings, food, garlic parmesan, Meat, menu, wings | 11 Comments »These are some of the easiest and quickest wings I have ever made! So easy and quick, that it makes it extremely possible to have wings for lunch.
I love all the wonderful flavors that you get from the dried herbs and seasonings and then when you bite into it, that parmesan taste is just so satisfying!
This is one of those recipes that doesn’t require a lot of babbling, just a whole lotta pictures and drooling! Hehe :)
So let’s get started…
It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it really isn’t! And most likely, all these dried seasonings are already on your spice rack.

INGREDIENTS: chicken wings, olive oil, grated parmesan cheese, garlic, fresh basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary, ground cumin, sea salt, pepper, and Lawry's seasoning salt
Before you start anything, preheat the oven to 425°. This is the one step that I always forget to do at the beginning and always remember to do when I’m halfway done prepping everything. Luckily for me, I am so at doing everything…
Surf & Turf Thanksgiving: Steak with Tomatoes, Red Onions, and Balsamic
Posted: November 30, 2011 | Author: kat | Filed under: meat recipes | Tags: balsamic, food, Meat, menu, red onions, steak, surf and turf, thanksgiving, tomatoes | 4 Comments »Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday! Who’s excited for the upcoming Christmas holiday?? Me, me, me, I am!! Christmas is definitely one of my favorite times of the year! I love everything Christmas has to offer from giving/receiving presents, shopping, decorating, gift-wrapping, baking holiday cookies, gingerbread lattes…I can go on and on :)
Thanks to you guys and a few yummy inspirations from across the web, I went for a very non-traditional surf-and-turf Thanksgiving. Whoever came up with the idea of eating meat and seafood together, is a genius! It’s such a great combo.
Oh by the way, did you guys go grocery shopping the day before Thanksgiving??? It is a madhouse! I’m not just talking about the herds of new faces at my regular grocery store, but also all the emotions! I admit, I had a bit of a mini-meltdown when my grocery store didn’t have any orzo since my menu was specifically “garlic shrimp with basil, tomatoes, and pepper flakes with orzo”. Sigh, I’m not proud but I wanted everything to be perfect, just the way I had planned. You know what I’m saying, right? Anyways, I settled for gnocchi which also had me worried since I’ve never cooked nor eaten it before. Ahhh, what I thought was going to be a stress-free easy breezy cooking day ended up being a somewhat stressful day. Maybe I hyped it up too much and should of just called it “dinner” and not “Thanksgiving dinner”….
Meanwhile in the kitchen, with my bitch face in tow, we googled how to cook gnocchi (just browned butter, hah!) and whipped up a pretty delicious meal!
Check out Part 1 of my surf and turf Thanksgiving below featuring steak with tomatoes, red onions, and balsamic…

STEP 1: Coat and season both sides with olive oil, Lawry's dried oregano, and pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes prior to cooking.

STEP 4: In a large bowl, combine the onions, tomatoes, garlic, basil. Drizzle in some balsamic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
This is such a quick and pretty way to jazz up steaks! All the flavors go so well together. I love doing this! Do you have any ways that you do to pretty your steak? :)
Stay tune for the garlic shrimp with basil, tomatoes, and pepper flakes with gnocchi!
xoxo, kat
ps. Did you vote in my waffle cook-off? The winning waffle will me announced on Friday. I hope you all choose mine, hehe :)
Steak with Tomatoes, Red Onions, and Balsamic (via Skinny Taste)
serving size: more than enough to cover two medium-sized steaks
- steak + seasonings of your choice for the steak (Lawry’s, pepper, dried oregano)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh herbs
- salt
- pepper
Directions:
- Coat steak with olive oil and season generously with Lawry’s, dried oregano, and fresh ground pepper on both sides. Set aside for 10 minutes prior to cooking. Cook steak using preferred cooking method. Set on a plate and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
- In a large bowl, combine onions, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Let onions sit a few minutes with the salt and balsamic to mellow a bit.
- Combine with tomatoes and fresh herbs and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Slice steak on a diagonal; top with tomatoes and serve.
Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes
Posted: November 21, 2011 | Author: kat | Filed under: meat recipes | Tags: baked chicken, chicken, Chorizo, food, Meat, menu, nigella lawson, Potato, spanish chicken | 16 Comments »Oooo nom nom nom! Finally got to have Spanish chicken with chorizo and potatoes for date night!
This is one of those recipes that is very easy to make, but can also leaves a very lasting impression. It’s definitely a recipe that any guy will love because it’s “man food”…meat and potatoes! I just love how all the flavors go so well together, and it’s such a hearty meal.
Of course, I made more than enough for two! Actually, what I made can feed a family of four…but who doesn’t love leftovers, right? :)
Here’s how I made one of the best chicken dinners I’ve ever had…

INGREDIENTS: chicken thighs, chorizo, potatoes, red onion, orange, olive oil, dried oregano, pepper and Lawry's
Before you start anything, preheat the oven to 425°. I forgot halfway in, but it all worked out since I am a very slow preparer :)
Paula Deen’s Lots O’Meat Lasagna
Posted: November 7, 2011 | Author: kat | Filed under: pasta recipes | Tags: food, lasagna, lots omeat lasagna, Meat, menu, Pasta, Paula Deen | 7 Comments »
paula deen's lots o'meat lasagna & garlic bread
Last week’s date night was a hit!!!
This was my first try at making lasagna, and it wasn’t as scary or difficult as I thought it would be. As soon as you get over the fear of the long list of ingredients, everything thereafter is a breeze. The only difficult part is the having the self-restraint to not eat the meat sauce while it’s simmering.
And can I just say that no-boil lasagna noodles are amazing!! Not only is it one less pot to clean, but it’s also one less thing to fuss about…you don’t have to worry about noodle breakage! That was my main concern when it came to making lasagna.
This is the dish that you have to try making if you want to impress that certain special someone in your life. I’m calling this the “relationship sealer” lasagna. It fits every man’s dinner criteria (well, at least my man’s :)…it’s meaty (very meaty), cheesy (extra cheesy), it’s comfort food and reminds them of home. Just trust me on this one, your guy will end up falling in love with you all over again :)
This lasagna is just perfection at it’s best.
Get ready for a picture bloated post!

a very long list of ingredients...
For the meaty part the lasagna, you’ll need ground chuck and ground Italian sausage…

mild italian pork sausages

couldn't find ground italian sausage anywhere, instead I found these little guys!
Pork Pig – Eatocracy – CNN.com Blogs
Posted: November 4, 2011 | Author: kat | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bacon, food, Meat, pig, pork, pork pig, thanksgiving | 9 Comments »T minus 20 – Beyond the bird, a bacon pig – Eatocracy – CNN.com Blogs.
I’m sorry man log, but this is now my Thanksgiving pig… literary. I am speechless. This is a work of art. I will make just for the sake of making. I am in love. Please check it out to see ALL the pics! You will be mesmerized, I promise :)
xoxo, kat
Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Posted: October 27, 2011 | Author: kat | Filed under: meat recipes | Tags: balsamic garlic crusted pork tenderloin, food, Meat, menu, pig, pork, pork tenderloin, Recipe, roasted pork | 6 Comments »
balsamic-garlic crusted roast pork tenderloin
The roasted pork tenderloin that I’ve been talking about for ages is finally here. Ahhh, I can’t even contain my excitement! Oh my goodness, it feels like I haven’t done a recipe post in so long!
I found this recipe on Kitchen Confidante via Pinterest last weekend and just had to make it for date night. In my opinion, this is the perfect recipe for someone like me that hardly cooks any meat because it’s very simple, the ingredients are basic and accessible, and most importantly…it’s foolproof! You really can’t mess this up, especially if you have a trusty meat thermometer at hand.
Although the meat was perfect in every way, I should of made a gravy… Prior to this, I don’t recall ever having pork tenderloin so I was a bit skeptical when my boyfriend suggested we make a gravy. My words were “really?? gravy…who does that?”, and now I feel like a complete idiot and have to listen to him say “I told you so” (ughh why do those words sound so much better when they’re coming from me? :). Eating a slab of meat without any kind of sauce can start to taste kind of bland halfway through the dinner, you know what I mean? Haha.
Anyways, if you have a love affair with garlic and balsamic vinegar then this must be on your list of must-trys!

INGREDIENTS: pork tenderloin, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, s+p

STEP 1: you will need 4-5 garlic cloves (more if you love garlic like me)

finely mince the garlic

STEP 2: in a bowl, combine garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, s+p, and stir; it will turn into a paste-like mixture

pork tenderloin

STEP 3: unwrap the pork tenderloin
KITCHEN TIP: Puncture a few holes into the raw pork tenderloin so that the flavors of the marinade can meld into the meat (courtesy of boyfriend :)

STEP 4: rub the paste all over the pork (can be marinated overnight)
spaghetti and meatballs night, take two!
Posted: September 15, 2011 | Author: kat | Filed under: meat recipes, pasta recipes | Tags: food, Meat, meatballs, menu, Pasta, spaghetti, spaghetti and meatballs | 10 Comments »Remember that delicious pic of spaghetti and meatballs I posted on last week’s Friday faves? It was a pantry raid kind of night, so I decided to make spaghetti and meatballs.
This is an update to my original spaghetti and meatballs post. However, this time around I took a few different approaches. Given the fact that it was pantry raid night, I took the semi-homemade route and used store-bought spaghetti sauce but still made my own meatballs. Also, I cooked the meatballs differently this second time around. Rather than baking the meatballs on a baking sheet like my first try, I baked them with tomato sauce according to How Sweet It Is recommended.
Want to hear a funny reason why I decided to try cooking them with tomato sauce? Well, the first time I did this I used a cookie sheet, but since I STILL don’t have a cookie sheet (ahem hint, hint…) thanks to the cookie sheet snatching duo I had to use my glass baking dish. I’m smart and efficient like that, hehe :)
In my opinion, I did not really notice a difference in taste or texture in the meatballs. On both attempts, the meatballs were moist which I believe comes from the cheese. Don’t get me wrong, cooking meatballs in tomato sauce does have a plus side to it! I love using the leftover tomato sauce from the meatballs and topping it on the spaghetti because it has that nice extra meaty flavor.
Anyways, check out these super delicious meatballs!
Yummy, right? Now imagine it with the spaghetti and some basil!
KITCHEN TIP: I like to warm my sauce in a pot, then add in the spaghetti and sprinkle in some extra cheese to thicken up the sauce. Chiffonade some basil to top it off! Bon Appétit! :)
Baked Meatballs (via How Sweet It Is)
- 1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup romano cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 1/2 teaspoons of pepper
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a large a bowl, add ground beef, egg, oil, cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley. Mix to combine, gently tossing with your hands.
- Spray a large baking dish with non-stick spray and add 2 cups of pasta sauce.
- Roll beef in mini meatballs and set in sauce. Once all meatballs have been added, sprinkle additional cheese and breadcrumbs over top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Serve with additional sauce if desired.
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