My kids LOVE these little sandwiches. The pickle brine makes the difference.

Chick Fil A Sliders PRINT

• 1 Package of Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)
• Bread crumbs (I prefer panko)
• 1 Package of Kings Hawaiian Slider rolls
• Pickle chips
• Butter

Remove chicken breasts from the package and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut those pieces to fit on your slider rolls. I typically get 4 pieces per chicken breast. If they are really thick, I’ll pound the thicker pieces in a ziploc bag so they are all the same thickness.

Put your chicken breasts in a large ziploc bag and pour 1 cup of pickle brine over the breasts to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.

Heat skillet over medium, butter your cut slider rolls and lightly toast them in skillet. Set aside.

Cover bottom of pan with olive oil, heat over medium high heat.

Coat your chicken breasts with panko crumbs, shake off excess.

Fry chicken in batches, until chicken coating is browned nicely (3 minutes per side works for me) and keep each batch warm in a low oven while cooking the remaining chicken.

Assemble sammies with a slice of pickle secured to top with a toothpick, or inside sandwich. So good!

My daughter, Mary, is a very intuitive cook. She’s very smart about what flavors go together and how to use up what we have on hand instead of buying all new ingredients, which my pocketbook appreciates! She came up with these roasted tomatoes that we eat like bruschetta. Her grandmother saw the picture I posted on Facebook, and asked for the recipe. Mary texted me the recipe to share with everyone and I decided to keep it here exactly in her own words 🙂 Love my sweet, smart, and thrifty girl.

Mary Zick’s famous roasted tomatoes and garlic. Fabulous!

Oven like at 400
Cherry tomatoes, sometimes half em sometimes I don’t

chop up however much garlic you like (I like a lot)

put it on the sheet pan.

Sprinkle on red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning salt pepper and olive oil and toss it (don’t put basil cause it normally burns on me)

Bake for like 10 minutes just depending on how many tomatoes you used

They should be wrinkled but still have their shape and I normally just smush them put some basil on top and put it on bread

Ever find yourself needing a quick appetizer and you don’t have time to run to the store for provisions? This is one I always have the ingredients for in my fridge. I can whip them up in no time, and put in the fridge to chill while I shower and get ready. Slice and plate before walking out of the house! So easy and always a hit.

Easy Ham Roll Ups

• 3 Slices cooked ham from the deli
• 4 oz. cream cheese; softened
• 3 green onions; cleaned and trimmed

Bring cream cheese to room temperature.

Lay the ham slice flat on a cutting board.

Spread 1-2 Tablespoons of softened cream cheese over the ham slice.

Place green onion on the short end of the deli meat and roll tightly.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Place on a plate and cover with saran wrap. Put in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and cut each ham roll into bite-sized slices.

Printable recipe can be found here: Easy Ham Roll Ups

Christmas cookies are my favorite tradition for the holiday season. When I lived in Osceola, Arkansas one of my friends hosed a cookie swap. My sweet friend Layne Rayder, who sadly passed away earlier this year, brought these and they were so buttery and rich. We made them in her honor this year.

Scotch Shortbread by Layne Rayder

• 3/4 cup Unsalted butter ; not margarine
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Cream butter and sugar. Slowly add flour until incorporated. Add vanilla. Chill dough. Anytime dough becomes difficult to work with, chill for 15-20 minutes. Roll out and cut into favorite shapes. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a rack and decorate with colored sprinkles and colored sugar. Makes 24 cookies.

I made these in mini form for my annual Girl Nosh Dirty Santa Party and they were a hit! I googled an easy aioli recipe to top them and then sprinkled on some chives for a beautiful presentation. Served on my 3-tier Russell Wright serving tray! Simple, clean flavors and an easy preparation but makes a big impact!

Crab Cakes

• 1 Egg
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 ounce Mustard
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Parsley; chopped
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 ounce Green onion; diced
• 2 ounce Red pepper; diced
• 1 pound Fresh lump Crabmeat
• 3/4 cup Bread crumbs

Beat egg. Add all ingredients except crab. Add crab and mix gently by hand. Shape into patties. Refrigerated 20 minutes. Heat 2 T. Oil in a medium-high heat skillet and fry until lightly browned.

Printable version here: Print

Tis nearly time to gather with the family to open presents, eat yummy food and enjoy one another. Maybe you need a little alcohol to help with the celebration? Try this beautiful punch, makes a bunch and is super easy! My Dirty Santa Party girls loved it!

Christmas Punch

• 1 large bag of ice
• 5 cups 100% cranberry juice* 40 ounces, NOT cranberry juice cocktail
• 2 bottles very dry sparkling wine (750 ml bottles) , such as champagne, cava, or Prosecco (I used a brut Prosecco)
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 1/2 cups diet ginger ale (12 ounces) (from 1 can or poured from a liter bottle)
• 1 1/2 cups dark rum or brandy (12 ounces)
• 2 oranges thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 cup fresh cranberries

Instructions 

• Make sure all of the ingredients are well chilled. Fill a large punch bowl with ice. Top with the cranberry juice, sparkling wine, apple cider, ginger ale, and rum.
• Stir gently to combine. Top with the orange slices and fresh cranberries. Enjoy!

Source: Well Plated

Nigella could do or say anything and I’d go for it. Luckily, this recipe from cheeky Nigella is delicious. It’s her version of pasta alla puttanesca, and it’s got a bite! I love the saltiness that works perfectly with the spaghetti, and the light sauce is perfect for a simple meal. I heartily recommend it.

Slut’s Spaghetti

Source: Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced, crushed or grated 

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or 1 to 2 tablespoons jarred or canned jalapeno peppers (preferably red), drained, sliced, and diced, or to taste 

Salt

1 pound spaghetti

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 1/4 cups chopped drained pitted black olives

2 tablespoons small capers, well rinsed and drained

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish, optional

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water, for the pasta, to a boil over medium heat, though you don’t need to get started on the sauce until the water is pretty well boiling.
2. Pour the oil into a wide, shallowish frying pan, Dutch oven, or wok, and put it over medium heat.
3. Add the anchovies and cook for about 3 minutes, pressing and pushing with a wooden spoon, until the anchovies have almost “melted”. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes or jalapenos and cook, stirring, for another minute.
4. This is probably the stage at which you will want to salt the boiling water and adding the spaghetti to cook, following the package instructions.
5. Going back to the sauce, add the tomatoes, olives, and capers to the pot with the anchovies and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and again, by which time it will have thickened slightly. Taste for seasoning.
6. Just before the pasta is ready, remove and reserve about an espresso cupful of cooking water.
7. When the pasta is cooked as desired, drain and add the spaghetti to the tomato sauce, adding a little reserved pasta water, if needed, to help amalgamate the sauce. Scatter with chopped parsley, if there’s some to hand, and serve in slatternly style, preferably with an unfiltered cigarette clamped between crimson-painted lips.
8. Make Ahead Note:
9. The sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Transfer the sauce to a nonmetallic bowl to cool, then cover and refrigerate as soon as possible. Reheat gently in large saucepan, frying pan, or wok, stirring occasionally, until piping hot.
10. Freeze Note:
11. The cooled sauce can be frozen in a resealable container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above.

When I say easy, I mean easy. For real. 3 ingredients! I serve these when I make tacos…from a box. We all have nights when we just need to get dinner on the table and aren’t feeling particularly creative, right?

EASY REFRIED BEANS

• 15 ounces refried beans
• ¹⁄₂ cup salsa
• 1cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until bubbly and warm.