I can chow down on some pimento cheese!!! These days, it just isn’t something you spread on crackers. I see restaurants putting it on burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches. It has become quite the star! Everyone should have a trusty pimento cheese recipe in their possession should the occasion arise for a party, tailgate or fancying up a backyard burger!

No need to fear, my sister shared hers with me and now I am sharing it with you after bragging to anyone I know that her pimento cheese is just the damn best! Have I mentioned that my sister is a non-criminal Martha Stewart? Because she totally is. I keep telling her she needs to open her own catering and cake decorating business.

Anyways, without anymore babbling from me, here is the recipe!!! You can always add or tweak things to change it up. Some people want something really spicy, I would add a pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce. My sister throws in sunflower seeds from time to time. My favorite addition to any pimento cheese recipe? Splash of Worcestershire sauce. It really adds something!

What You Need

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese (softened)

2 1/4 cups of extra sharp cheddar

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 (4 ounce) jar of pimentos (rinsed and drained)

1/4 tsp of garlic powder

1/2 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce

What You Do

–Use a mixer to blend cream cheese until smooth.

–Add in the extra sharp cheddar cheese and keep using the mixer.

–Mix in the mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.

–Stir in the pimentos.

–Place in a bowl with a lid or cover with saran wrap and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Enjoy!!!

You guys, I love a good Asian dish!!! Unfortunately, when you eat out there tends to be way more sodium than one should ever consume. Maybe some MSG too! I like to play around with soy sauce and some other items to recreate my favorite Asian dishes at home. I made this last week, I loved it and it was  husband approved!

What You Need:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 bell pepper, diced (I prefer red or orange or half of each)

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1/2 cup of cashews, crushed (I prefer to put these in a baggie and crush them with a meat mallet but you could do them whole)

1 tbsp arrow root powder (for paleo folks) or cornstarch

a pinch of salt

coconut oil (about 1 -2 tbsp – you could use olive oil if that is what you have on hand)

For the Sauce:

1/3 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos (for paleo)

1/4 cup rice vinegar or coconut vinegar (for paleo)

3 cloves minced garlic

3 tbsp palm sugar or honey or brown sugar (whatever you have on hand, palm sugar for paleo)

2-3 tbsp no salt added tomato paste

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground ginger

What You Do:

–Heat coconut oil on medium heat and add the pepper. Cook for about 3-5 minutes to soften. While that is cooking, dice your chicken, and mix with the salt and arrow root powder. Set aside the bell pepper in a small bowl, and add the chicken to the skillet.

–Cook the chicken through, about 10-12 minutes.

–While the chicken is cooking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside. Crush  your cashews.

–Once the chicken is cooked through, add your sauce, green onions and cashews and simmer on low for five minutes.

I like to serve this with a side of “fried rice” (brown rice and egg cooked in a wok with olive oil) or stir fried veggies.

This meal is so easy and delicious and comes together quickly on a week night!

What is your favorite Asian dish?

I had to buy a bag of  regular (not baby cut) carrots at the grocery store a few weeks ago and I was determined to put them all to use. My sister mentioned that she makes fries with hers and I thought that sounded like a great idea!!!

Now I have to admit, I pulled a little trickery on my husband. If I would have told him we were having carrot fries, he probably would have turned up his nose at them. I have determined over the last six years that carrots aren’t his favorite vegetable. He is more of a green beans or potato kind of guy.

I decided to go ahead and make these and wait until he had a few to ask what he thought. This is how the conversation went….

Me: So what do you think of the fries?

Chris: These are really good! You did something different with them, a new seasoning or something?

Me: Close. Instead of using potatoes, I used carrots.

**crickets for a few seconds**

Chris: Carrots?

Me: Yup. They are pretty good, huh?

Chris: I like these better than regular fries! I am calling my mom and telling her you tricked me in to eating some carrots.

And there you have it folks, these carrot fries are husband approved!!!

WHAT YOU NEED

10 carrots

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

pepper, sea salt, garlic powder and thyme

WHAT YOU DO

Cut the carrots into thin strips, about a half inch wide and 3-5 inches long.

Place carrots in a bowl and drizzle the olive oil. Season with pepper, salt, thyme and garlic powder and mix around until the seasoning and olive oil is distributed evenly on to all the carrots.

Lay out in a single row on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. I flipped them half way through so that they cooked evenly.

Enjoy!!!