Category: Recipes

My girlfriend, Jess, tagged me in a post for this recipe and I couldn’t wait to give them a try. My husband and I host an annual Christmas party and I was anxious to add these to my menu. My guests are used to me making the same thing every year. In fact, they look forward to the food all year long. So, I wasn’t sure how this new addition would go over. I have NO idea why I was concerned. They were a HUGE hit and GONE! All 48 of them; within minutes! Of course, I had to play around with the recipe and tweak it to my liking. I used my guacamole recipe and my taco seasoning recipe. I hope you’ll give these a try. They are so easy and SO good! I’m making them again, tomorrow night, for Christmas Eve.

You will need:

6 large flour tortillas

2 T butter, melted

1 lb of jumbo shrimp (16-20 count), shelled and deveined (I prefer wild caught, Key West shrimp. And, this recipe calls for 24, so if you use the jumbo, you will need a little over 1 lb. You could use 21-25 count, but I wouldn’t go smaller than that.)

1/2 of my guacamole recipe (or make it all and serve the leftovers with chips. You can find the guac recipe under the ‘Appetizer’ tab)

1-2 T of my taco seasoning recipe (you will find ‘no more store bought spice packets’ under the ‘Tips’ tab)

2 cloves of garlic minced

the juice of 1/2 of a lime

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter each side of the tortillas and cut them into even quarters, making 24 pieces. Place one piece into each cup of a muffin tin and push down to create a cup. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crisp.

Prepare the guacamole in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the shrimp, taco seasoning, garlic and lime juice. Cook, in a sauté pan, over medium heat for 8 minutes. Set aside.

Assemble the cups by placing a couple of spoonfuls of guacamole in the toasted cup. Place a shrimp on top and serve. If you’d like, you can also add a dollop of sour cream.

#yumola

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So, I can honestly say I had never even heard of pumpkin pie until I was well into my teens. I grew up eating sweet potato pie and that’s probably why I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin pie. I do like other things made with pumpkin. In fact, I posted a really good recipe for pumpkin cream cheese muffins. But, I digress. It’s all about what you grew up eating and your family traditions.

My Mom’s sweet potato pie recipe has been passed down for generations and is delicious! However, in true Kimmie Bee fashion, I had to play around with it a bit ☺️, and we really do love this recipe. Want a more traditional pie? Omit my ‘Kimmie Bee’ additions. You’re a fan of pumpkin pie? Give this a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

You will need:

1 pound of sweet potatoes (approximately 2 potatoes)

1 stick of butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup of evaporated milk

2 eggs beaten

1/2 t ground nutmeg

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1 t vanilla extract

1/8 t ground ginger (Kimmie Bee addition)

1/8 t ground allspice (Kimmie Bee addition)

1 – 2 unbaked pie crust (see recipe under ‘Tips’ or use a store bought pie crust)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the sweet potatoes on a foil lined cookie sheet for approximately 40 minutes or until tender. Cool, remove the skin, place into a mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher. Add the butter and incorporate with the potato masher. Add the sugar, vanilla, spices and egg. Slowly add the evaporated milk and beat, on low speed, until smooth. Pour into your prepared pie crust. This recipe will make two regular pies or one deep dish pie. Bake on 350 degrees for approximately 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

#yumola

In honor of Thanksgiving, I thought it only fitting to share my favorite dressing (also known as stuffing) recipe. This recipe is very close to the one my maternal grandmother used to make. Although I do love my Mom’s recipe, which is the one I grew up eating, this one is my all time favorite. It’s simple and delicious.

I ALWAYS use homemade cornbread; never store bought croutons or breadcrumbs. You can also add in fresh herbs, sausage, chestnuts, seafood or … the options are endless.

You will need:

1 pan of cornbread (see the recipe under sides)

3-4 pieces of your favorite bread, toasted & crumbled (challah or country white are my go tos)

4 ribs of celery, chopped (use the leafy green tops as well)

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper,, chopped

1 stick of butter (yepper, 1 whole stick)

3-4 cups of chicken stock (or use the stock from boiling the turkey neck/giblets)

2 t of ground sage

1 T poultry seasoning

1 t of kosher salt

1 t of freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Saute the vegetables in the butter until translucent. Crumble the cornbread in a large bowl and add the toasted; crumbled bread. Pour the cooked veggies over the bread mixture. Add the spices and chicken stock a little at a time. The dressing should be a little on the ‘wet’ side before going into the oven. You may not need all of the stock. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add the eggs and put into a baking dish. Cook on 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

#yumola

 

 

I tried this recipe, last Christmas, after seeing Tia Mowry make it on her cooking show. I normally make lasagna, salad and garlic bread for Christmas dinner. But, I wanted to make something different and this totally fit the bill. I made the usual; scrumpdiliocious lasagna, too, just in case my family wasn’t feeling the tenderloin. You’ll find that recipe also posted under main dishes. However, the tenderloin was a HUGE hit! It is DELICIOUS and you will look like a rockstar! Such a beautiful presentation! I served it alongside my roasted brussels sprouts (mhmm, that recipe is posted under side dishes) and garlic mashed potatoes. That was one BIG meal with lots of leftovers.

For the beef tenderloin, you will need:

6 T fresh parsley, chopped

6 T fresh rosemary, roughly chopped

6 T fresh thyme leaves

6 garlic cloves

1 T kosher salt

olive oil

one 5-6 pound trimmed whole beef tenderloin; tail end tucked under and tied every 2 inches

1 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Place the parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic and salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and pulse to make a thick paste.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Lightly brush the tenderloin with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Sear on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.

Rub the tenderloin with the herb mixture and place the pan into the oven. If it’s easier for you to apply the rub, remove the tenderloin from the pan onto a board and apply the rub. Then, place it back into the pan.

Place the pan into the oven and roast until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees for medium or approximately 35-40 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the string, slice and serve with the horseradish cream sauce.

 

 

For the horseradish cream sauce, you will need:

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 T prepared horseradish

2 t Dijon mustard

1 t kosher salt

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper (or white pepper if you prefer)

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before serving.

I promised to post the recipe for these a few days ago and then the Cubbies and the NBA and …. well … life happened. But, I promise you, they are worth the wait. I’m not sure if they are ‘authentic’, but I am POSITIVE they are SCRUMPDILIOCIOUS! You can adapt this recipe to your liking (use ground turkey or ground beef … the options are endless). I will give you the recipe for my two favorites. The first we will call ‘green’ and the second one ‘red’.

For the green empanadas, you will need:

Two pie crusts (see ‘pie crust 101’ under the Tips tab)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

a drizzle of grape seed oil or your oil of choice

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small can of diced green chiles

2 cloves of garlic minced

2-3 t of ground cumin

2-3 t of chili powder

1 tsp of kosher salt

1 t of freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

the juice of a lime

1 egg, beaten with 1 t of water to use as an egg wash

approximately 2 cups of Chihuahua cheese or sharp cheddar or a combination of both, shredded

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Heat a saute pan on medium high. Drizzle with grape seed oil. Add the chicken and all of the ingredients except for the cilantro and lime juice. Cook on low until the chicken is tender and is easy to pull apart (approximately 15 minutes). Then add the cilantro and lime juice and cook another minute. Remove from the heat and shred the chicken with two forks. Set aside.

Roll out the dough and cut with a round pastry cutter (about the size of a margarita glass) or use a glass. This should make approximately 24 circles. Place about a tablespoon of the chicken mixture on one side of the circle. Add about a tablespoon of cheese and fold over. Seal with a fork. Poke holes in the empanadas, with a fork.  Brush, lightly, with the egg wash and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown

     

For the red empanadas, you will need:

Two pie crusts (see ‘pie crust 101’ under the Tips tab)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

drizzle of grape seed oil or your oil of choice

1 -2 T of my taco seasoning (see recipe under ‘no more store bought spice packets’ under the Tips tab)

14 oz can of roasted tomatoes (stewed tomatoes or chopped tomatoes)

approximately 2 cups of Chihuahua cheese or sharp cheddar or a combination of both, shredded

1 egg, beaten with 1 t of water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Heat a saute pan on medium high. Drizzle with grape seed oil. Add the chicken and add all of the ingredients. Cook on low until the chicken is tender and is easy to pull apart (approximately 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and shred the chicken with two forks. Set aside.

Follow the directions above for rolling, cutting; filling the dough and baking the empanadas.

#yumola

As a child, I didn’t know store bought pancake mixes existed. No, really, I’m serious. I LOVED when my Mom (known as Granna to my two angels) made pancakes. And, when she made them for lunch or dinner, man oh man was I excited. Nothing beats breakfast for dinner! I liked mine with maple syrup, but my Mom and sisters preferred Alaga syrup (and still do). Anyone remember that? Or, better yet, still buy it? The ‘add in’ options are endless with these light and fluffy gems. To the basic batter, you can add bananas, cinnamon, pecans, pumpkin or sweet potato puree, walnuts … whatever you’d like. And, you can top them with fruit, granola, powdered sugar, nuts, syrup or whipped cream. These pancakes are SO good and SO easy to make. Try them. I guarantee you that you will not buy store bought mixes again.

You will need:

2 cups of all purpose flour

3 tablespoons of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of salt (I use kosher)

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

2 heaping tablespoons of baking powder

2 eggs

1/4 cup of butter, melted

1 3/4 cups of milk or buttermilk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Sift the flour, sugar salt, nutmeg and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the melted butter. Mix the eggs, milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl with a whisk. Pour into the well and mix with a spoon or whisk just until combined. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes before cooking on a hot; buttered griddle.

#yumola

 

So, remember when I posted the recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts the other day? And, I promised to post the lasagna recipe? The one that I make every Christmas Day for dinner? The one that I will be making this year along with the herb crusted beef tenderloin (look for that recipe this week) and roasted sprouts? Well, HERE IT IS! I have several recipes for lasagna: my own veggie lasagna, one using a béchamel sauce and my Mom’s recipe … But, this recipe is honestly MY FAVE! Partly because it’s easy to put together with minimal chopping and prepping. But, you cannot skimp on the quality of ingredients or make all sorts of changes like subbing dried herbs for fresh. FOR REAL. Or, don’t go saying you got the recipe from me. HA! I saw Ina Garten making this lasagna, years ago, on Barefoot Contessa. And, okay, I admit I altered it the first time and it was good. But when I followed it to the letter, it was AMAZING! YUMOLA, even.

You will need:

2 T olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds of sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (you can use 1/2 sausage and 1/2 ground turkey OR use sweet Italian pork sausage or a combo of pork sausage and ground beef)

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1 6oz can of tomato paste

1/4 cup of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 t kosher salt

1 t freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb of lasagna noodles

15 oz of ricotta cheese

4 oz of creamy goat cheese, crumbled (YES, goat cheese and NO, don’t skip this)

1 cup of FRESHLY grated parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the sausage and break up with a fork or spatula. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink. Add the tomato paste and stir; cooking for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with HOT tap water. Add the noodles (unless you’re using no bake) and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, the remaining salt and pepper AND … okay, I add 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and it’s not in Ina’s recipe, so I didn’t include it in the list of ingredients above. You can omit it, but if you want to ‘Kimmie-fy’ it, add it in.

Now, it’s time to assemble. Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 x 12″ rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then, add the layers as follows: 1/2 of the pasta, half of the mozzarella, half of the ricotta and 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta and end with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the 1/4 cup of remaining parmesan and bake for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling.

#yumola

Onion sautéed in olive oil makes EVERYTHING better. This recipe is no different. It’s SO simple and really tasty. The onion caramelizes, a bit, bringing out this delicious sweetness in the squash. Mmmm Mmmm. You can serve it alongside almost anything! Today, I served it with my Easy Chicken and Bowtie Pasta (see recipe under ‘Main Dishes’).

You will need:

1 large yellow squash, sliced about 1/4″ thick

1 large zucchini squash, sliced about 1/4″ thick

1 onion, sliced

3 T of grape seed oil

1 t kosher salt

1 t freshly ground black pepper

Heat a saute pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and let heat for 30 seconds. Add the onion and zucchini, salt and pepper and let it cook for 3 minutes without touching. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.

#yumola

So, today was one of those days that I DID NOT feel like cooking.  Yah, I have those days too. But, dinner still must get on the table. And, I didn’t feel like take-out. So, what did I do? I asked my son what he wanted for dinner and he responded with, “PASTA … bow tie pasta.” I took a look in my fridge and pantry. I had already taken out some boneless; skinless chicken breasts (they had been brining for 2 hours), so I was ahead of the game.  I grabbed the pasta out of the pantry along with some other staples; checked the fridge to see what veggies I had readily available and put together this chicken and bowtie pasta with sautéed yellow and zucchini squash (you will find that recipe under ‘Side Dishes’, just in case you’d like to know my method). The end result? A YUMOLA; kid friendly, easy and quick meal. SUCCESS!

You will need:

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in 1/2 lengthwise & cubed (brine the chicken … see method under ‘Tips’)

3 tablespoons of grape seed oil (or your oil of choice)

1 onion, chopped

1 t kosher salt

1 t freshly ground black pepper

1 lb box of bow tie pasta

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic (mmhmm, i take shortcuts too ☺️)

3 cans of water (use the soup cans)

Heat a skillet on medium high. Add the oil and let heat for 30 seconds before adding the chicken. Let the chicken cook, without touching, for 4 minutes. This will allow it to start browning. Add the onion and stir. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent.

Add the pasta and stir. Add the soup and water; stirring to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer until the pasta is tender. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.

#yumola

These meatballs are rustic and delicious! They can be simmered in this simple tomato sauce and served over your favorite pasta. Or, they can be served on a fresh; crusty Italian sandwich roll and you’ve got yourself one yumola meatball sandwich. You can follow the recipe as written or use all ground beef or even ground turkey. And, they are even better, the next day!

For the meatballs, you will need:

1 1/2 lbs of ground beef

1/2 1b of ground pork

2 cups of plain bread crumbs

1 cup of romano cheese

4 cloves of garlic; minced

2 eggs; beaten

1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley; chopped

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 t  of kosher salt

2 t  of freshly ground black pepper

approximately 1 cup of water

Oil for frying the meatballs (for best results, but could be baked in the oven on 375 degrees for 10 minutes; then added to the sauce to finish cooking)

Combine all of the ingredients and add the water a little at a time. The mixture should be moist, but still be able to hold the shape of a meatball. You may not need all of the water. Roll into your desired size meatballs and place on a platter or baking sheet pan. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate while you are prepping the sauce. Once the sauce has simmered for 2 hours, remove the meatballs from the refrigerator and brown in olive oil over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. Make sure to brown on all sides. The meatballs will not be cooked all the way through. Add them to the sauce (that has been simmering for 2 hours) and simmer for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.

For the sauce, you will need:

4 large cans (28 oz) of Italian tomatoes or crushed tomatoes

1 small can (6 oz) of tomato paste

2 onions, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 T of olive oil

2-3 t crushed red pepper flakes

1 t kosher salt

1 t freshly ground black pepper

If you are using whole tomatoes, use a mill to break up the tomatoes into a bowl. You could also use a potato masher or your fingers. There is no right or wrong way to do it. You just want to break up the tomatoes so that they will cook down.

Heat a large dutch oven or stock pot on medium high heat. Add the olive oil and chopped onion. Saute until translucent. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook an additional minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste and cook for one minute while stirring. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Lower the heat to low and simmer for two to three hours, stirring occasionally. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.

I had such a ball demonstrating this recipe to a group of budding chefs. Get your kids in the kitchen with you for this one. They will have fun and feel so proud when the meal is served. Be sure to invite over some friends. You will have enough to feed an army!

#yumola