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Chicken tamale bake with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream

Chicken tamale bake recipe

    If you have a craving for a delicious Mexican style casserole why not give this chicken tamale bake a try. Homemade cornbread is topped with enchilada sauce and shredded chicken and then loaded with cheese. You can use the meat from a rotisserie chicken to save a good amount of time. You will certainly want to top this casserole off with anything that you like on taco dishes such as sour cream, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and olives. Enjoy.

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    Smoky Mac and Cheese

    Smoky Mac and cheese recipe

      Smoky Mac and Cheese
      There are a lot of different ways to make homemade macaroni and cheese but the smoky version is always a good option to go with dinner. What exactly makes this mac and cheese smoky you might ask? We are using two different types of cheeses– smoked Gouda and smoked cheddar. Preparing this dish is simple enough and it certainly beats anything that you will find in the store. It starts out with a little flour and butter being cooked in the pan and then milk is added and cooked until thick and bubbly. After that just add some cheese and seasonings, mix it with the pasta and this delicious side-dish is ready. Enjoy.
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      Baked Bone-in Chicken Breasts

      Baked bone-in chicken breasts recipe

        Baked Bone-in Chicken Breasts
        Baked bone-in chicken breasts have a lot more flavor than boneless skinless breasts. I have started using split breasts that are bone-in with the skin-on more and more lately. This chicken is cooked in the oven to perfection. A lot of the flavor in this dish comes from garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper. The chicken is easy to prepare and you can serve it with a variety of different side dishes. You can pound the chicken with a heavy cast iron skillet to thin it out a bit so it will reduce the cooking time. If you can find chicken breasts that are smaller, that would be a good option. Enjoy.
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        Dirt Cake

        Dirt cake recipe

          Dirt Cake
          Dirt cake is a simple and delicious cake to prepare for Halloween. This cake consists of crushed Oreo cookies layered with a chocolate pudding mixture. You can also add gummy worms if you want. The chocolate pudding mixture consists of chocolate pudding, cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and cool whip. You can crush the Oreo cookies in a food processor or crush them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag. Enjoy.
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          Slow Cooker Pork Ragu

          Slow cooker pork ragu recipe

            Slow Cooker Pork Ragu
            A delicious meat sauce to serve over cooked pasta is pork ragu. You can prepare pork ragu on the stovetop but I prefer the slow cooker. Just simply throw all of the ingredients into the crock pot, let it cook, shred the meat and it is ready to serve. The ragu gets a lot of flavor from red wine, tomatoes, garlic, carrot and onion. You can use whatever type of pasta you want to this recipe but I used pappardelle. I like to serve this recipe with garlic bread on the side. Enjoy.
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            Tomato Soup

            How to make tomato soup

              Tomato Soup
              If you have ever wondered how to make tomato soup it is actually very easy. This recipe uses tomato puree, tomato sauce and tomato paste for the base of the soup as well as whole milk and chicken broth. A lot of the flavor in this recipe comes from garlic and onion. A little bit of sugar is added for at ouch of sweetness. This soup is simple to prepare and I love eating it with a grilled cheese sandwich. Enjoy.
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              Chicken caesar sandwich on cutting board

              Chicken Caesar BLT recipe

                Chicken Caesar BLTS are great to prepare for lunch or dinner. The chicken is seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder and then either grilled or baked. You can use your favorite brand of Caesar dressing for this recipe. The sandwiches are loaded with the grilled chicken, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato and parmesan cheese. I like to serve these sandwiches with chips. Enjoy.

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                Chicken tetrazzini casserole topped with a golden cheese layer

                Chicken tetrazzini recipe

                  Chicken tetrazzini is a casserole consisting of linguini, chicken, and a white sauce topped with cheese. This is a very easy casserole to make. The sauce is basically just a combination of cream of chicken soup, sour cream and chicken broth. This recipe calls for cooked chicken and is a great way to use up leftover chicken or you can also use the meat from a cooked rotisserie chicken. The cheeses are mozzarella and parmesan. I like to serve this casserole with garlic bread. Enjoy.

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                  Carnitas Street Tacos

                  Carnitas street tacos recipe

                    Carnitas Street Tacos
                    Why spend money on expensive street food when you can make something just as delicious right at home in the slow cooker. These Carnitas street tacos taste amazing just like from your favorite food truck. To make this recipe a pork roast is rubbed with a seasoning and added into the slow cooker which ingredients such as orange juice and lime juice and then cooked and shredded. The shredded meat is placed onto a baking sheet and broiled until brown and a little crisp. The meat is served on corn tortillas with queso fresco cheese, cilantro and green onion. Enjoy.
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                    Hot Dogs with Onion Rings

                    Hot dogs with onion rings recipe

                      Hot Dogs with Onion Rings
                      These hot dogs with onion rings are great to serve for the upcoming NFL season and can easily be prepared on the grill. The hot dog are topped with onion rings, coleslaw and bbq sauce. This is more of an idea than a recipe and you can use whatever type of BBQ sauce you like, as well as whatever coleslaw you enjoy. I like to serve these hot dogs with French fries. Enjoy.
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                      Chorizo Omelets

                      Chorizo and potato omelet recipe

                        Chorizo Omelets
                        Chorizo and potatoes make the perfect omelets for breakfast or dinner. You can buy the chorizo from the store but I highly recommend making your own. Most of the time I find the stuff from the store to be a little bit too spicy for my taste. The potatoes are cubed and then fried in a bit of oil. You can use whatever type of cheese for these omelets you prefer, some good choices are cheddar or Monterey jack. You can top these omelets with additional ingredients such as salsa and cilantro if desired. Enjoy.
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                        Gyro Brat Hoagies

                        Gyro brat hoagies recipe

                          Gyro Brat Hoagies
                          The NFL preseason is upon us and that means it is that time of year again for gameday food. These gyro brat hoagies are a perfect recipe to serve for game day. The brats are first grilled and then sliced and placed on toasted hoagie rolls with sauce and onion and tomato. The sauce is a combination of sour cream, cucumber, garlic and parsley. I like to server these gyro brat hoagies with French fries. Enjoy.
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                          Ground Beef Taquitos

                          Ground beef taquitos recipe

                            Ground Beef Taquitos
                            Using ground beef in taquitos is a so much quicker than making them with shredded beef and they still taste amazing. The ground beef is seasoned with a homemade taco seasoning and then spooned into corn tortillas along with Monterey jack cheese. These taquitos are baked in the oven. You will want to warm the corn tortillas up before trying to roll them otherwise they will break apart. You can use a microwave or a skillet to warm them. You can top these taquitos with any of your favorite taco ingredients such as lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and guacamole. Enjoy.
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                            Santa Fe Chicken

                            Santa Fe chicken recipe

                              Santa Fe Chicken
                              Santa Fe Chicken is marinated grilled chicken topped with sundried tomatoes, black beans, cheese and cilantro. The chicken is marinated for only about 10 minutes in lime juice, seasoned with salt and pepper and then grilled. If you don’t have a grill you can also cook this on the stove top. Enjoy.
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                              Carnitas burrito bowl with rice and veggies

                              Carnitas burrito bowls recipe

                                Carnitas burrito bowls combine all of your favorite ingredients from a carnitas burrito only without the wrap. This is a delicious and healthy Mexican dish that is great to prepare for dinner or lunches. These bowls consist of shredded pork, corn, black beans, cilantro lime rice, and guacamole. You can also add cheese if you want, I prefer queso fresco. The carnitas is prepared in the slow cooker and get a lot of flavor from ingredients such as lime juice, orange juice, and garlic. Enjoy.

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                                Cajun Shrimp Wraps

                                Cajun shrimp wraps recipe

                                  Cajun Shrimp Wraps
                                  If you are looking for a seafood wraps that is a little spicy than this recipe is perfect for you. These Cajun shrimp wraps consist of Cajun shrimp, cheese, rice, lettuce, and garlic aioli. The shrimp is sprinkled with Cajun seasoning and then fried in the pan. The garlic aioli is a combination of mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. For the wraps you can use whatever flavor you like, I would recommend either plain or sun-dried tomato. I like to serve these wraps with chips. Enjoy.
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                                  Grilled chicken street taco with onions, cilantro, and lime wedges

                                  Grilled chicken street tacos recipe

                                    These grilled chicken street tacos are a perfect dinner to prepare on the grill during the summer. This recipe consists of marinated grilled chicken, cilantro, and red onion on corn tortillas. You can add additional ingredients such as black beans and queso fresco cheese. A squeeze of lime juice tops these tacos off nicely. The marinade gives the chicken a lot of flavor from ingredients such as vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, and ancho chili powder. I would recommend marinating the chicken for at least 6 hours for a good amount of flavor. Enjoy.

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                                    Balsamic Dijon Pork Chops

                                    Balsamic dijon pork chops recipe

                                      Balsamic Dijon Pork Chops
                                      Pork chops are an easy and inexpensive dinner to prepare on the grill during the summer. These balsamic Dijon pork chops are grilled and then brushed with a sauce. The sauce is a combination of balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and a few different spices. I like to use boneless pork chops but using bone-in is fine as well. I like to serve this recipe with a cold pasta salad. Enjoy.
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                                      Hawaiian sticky chicken recipe

                                        This Hawaiian sticky chicken is a recipe that is delicious to prepare for dinner. Hawaiian sticky chicken is very similar to many Chinese chicken recipes. In this recipe pieces of chicken are coated in cornstarch and then fried and mixed with a sauce and vegetables such as onion and red bell pepper. The sauce is just a simple combination of pineapple juice, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, and tomato paste. I like to serve this chicken on a bed of white rice. Enjoy.

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                                        Mexican Street Corn

                                        Mexican street corn recipe

                                          Mexican Street Corn
                                          I have always wanted to try Mexican street corn so I decided to prepare it on the grill. Mexican street corn is very easy to make and has a delicious flavor. I prepare to husk the corn before grilling so that it gets nice and brown on the grill. The corn grills for about 10 minutes and then is brushed with mayonnaise and garlic powder and topped off with cotija cheese, chipotle chili powder and chopped cilantro. If you don’t want a lot of spice you can use smoked paprika instead of chipotle chili powder. A squeeze of lime juice adds additional flavor. Enjoy.
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                                          Smoked Chicken

                                          Shredded smoked chicken recipe

                                            Smoked Chicken
                                            I have always had an interest in the delicious flavor of smoked meats, so when I got my hands on a Traeger wood pellet grill I knew had to prepare a couple of smoked chickens. I used 2 whole 4lb chickens for this recipe. First I prepared a spice blend and then mixed it with butter and rubbed it under the skin and all over the outside of each chicken. I then placed the chicken onto the pellet grill and smoked the chickens at 350 degrees F. for about an hour and 30 minutes. The flavor of the pellets that I used to cook this chicken were the hickory bbq hardwood pellets.
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                                            Shredded Chicken Tostadas

                                            Shredded chicken tostadas recipe

                                              Shredded Chicken Tostadas
                                              Shredded chicken tostadas taste great and are a perfect Mexican dish to serve for dinner. These tostadas do require a bit of work but the end result is well worth it. The tostada shells are made from corn tortillas, and topped with shredded Mexican chicken, guacamole, refried beans, pico, lettuce and cheese. You can save a lot of time by purchasing premade guacamole and pico. You can also purchase tostada shells if you want but making your own tastes so much better. You can add any of your favorite Mexican ingredients to this recipe. Enjoy.
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                                              Balsamic Steak with Mushrooms

                                              Balsamic steak tips with mushrooms recipe

                                                Balsamic Steak with Mushrooms
                                                These balsamic steak tips with mushrooms are great to serve for dinner. The steak is marinated in ingredients such as balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper and then fried in the pan. The mushrooms are cooked and then mixed with butter and balsamic vinegar. You will probably have to fry the steak tips in batches depending on how big your frying pan is. You can serve this recipe with rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy.
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                                                Slow Cooker Beef Stew

                                                Slow cooker beef stew recipe

                                                  Slow Cooker Beef Stew
                                                  This delicious beef stew is prepared in the slow cooker and is great to serve for dinner. The meat is browned and then added into the crockpot with ingredients such as beef broth, garlic, onion, mustard, beer and many other ingredients. If you don’t want to use beer, just add extra beef broth instead. You can skip the browning of the meat if you want and just add it into the slow cooker. You can add extra vegetables if you want such as carrots. This stew goes great served with egg noodles. Enjoy.
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                                                  Grilled Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs

                                                  Grilled bacon wrapped hot dogs recipe

                                                    Grilled Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs
                                                    These grilled bacon wrapped hot dogs are an excellent recipe to prepare on the grill during the summer. The hot dogs are wrapped in strips of bacon and then grilled until the bacon is crisp. The buns are toasted and then topped with BBQ sauce, the grilled hot dogs, Velveeta cheese sauce, jalapeno peppers, lettuce and tomato. You can use whatever type of hot dogs you want for this recipe but I used the natural casing hot dogs. You can serve this dish with cold salad or French fries. Enjoy.
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                                                    Grilled Chicken Lo Mein

                                                    Grilled chicken lo mein recipe

                                                      Grilled Chicken Lo Mein
                                                      This chicken lo mein is a little different because it includes grilled chicken instead of the typical stir-fried chicken. The flavor of the grill helps to make this chicken lo mein unique. The chicken is marinated in hoisin sauce and then placed onto the grill, cooked, and sliced. The lo mein gets a lot of flavor from the sauce which consists of ingredients such as chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce and hoisin sauce. If you cook a lot of Chinese food, you probably already have a lot of these ingredients on hand already. Enjoy.
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                                                      Kansas City BBQ Sauce

                                                      Kansas city BBQ sauce recipe

                                                        Kansas City BBQ Sauce
                                                        No one does BBQ like Kansas City. This is a BBQ sauce that is Kansas City Style. This sauce consists of many ingredients and all of them come together to create a delicious sauce for the grill. The sauce is simply prepared on the stovetop and simmered for about 30 minutes. Most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand. You can use this BBQ sauce for a variety of different meats but I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. Enjoy.
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                                                        Grilled chicken breasts topped with cilantro and served with lime wedges

                                                        Chili cilantro lime chicken recipe

                                                          This chili cilantro lime chicken is marinated and grilled to perfection. The marinade consists of a few simple ingredients such as lime juice, zest, cilantro, red chili flakes, cumin, and honey. You will want to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes but I recommend a bit longer than that. I think I marinated it for about 6 hours. This recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts but you can use thighs as well. You can use the chicken for tacos or burritos or just serve it as is with some rice on the side. If you are looking for a delicious chicken marinade, give this one at try. Enjoy.

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                                                          Grilled Lobster Tails

                                                          How to grill lobster tails

                                                            Grilled Lobster Tails
                                                            Another great option for summer grilling is lobster tails. Lobster can be a bit expensive where I live so I only prepare it occasionally but when I do it is a real treat. If you have wondering how to grill lobster tails, the truth is, it is very easy. If you have access to fresh lobster, that’s perfect but if you live in a place like I do, you will probably have to get it frozen. You will want it thawed when grilling. I just left mine in the refrigerator overnight. The lobster tails are cut in half and then brushed with a garlic butter sauce and grilled. Just be careful not to overcook the lobster. Enjoy.
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                                                            Grilled Steak with Blue Cheese Butter

                                                            Grilled steak with blue cheese butter recipe

                                                              Grilled Steak with Blue Cheese Butter
                                                              Grilled steaks are one of my favorite meats to prepare on the grill and when you add a blue cheese butter, things become even better. The steaks are simply seasoned with salt and pepper and then grilled to your liking. You can use whatever type of steak you want for this recipe but I recommend a cut that is good on the grill such as New York strip or ribeye. The blue cheese butter is a combination of chives, blue cheese, garlic, butter, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Enjoy.
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                                                              Garlic Butter Grilled Shrimp

                                                              Garlic butter grilled shrimp recipe

                                                                Garlic Butter Grilled Shrimp
                                                                Garlic butter shrimp is easy to prepare on the grill. The combination in this recipe of garlic, butter and lemon juice goes great brushed on shrimp. The sauce gets additional flavor from pepper and paprika. You will want to make sure that you don’t overcook the shrimp. You can use wooden or metal skewers for this recipe. If you are using wooden you will want to soak them in cold water first. I like to serve this recipe with wild rice on the side. Enjoy.
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                                                                Lemon and rosemary roasted chicken recipe

                                                                  I love making roasted whole chicken in the oven for dinner. Roasted chicken is great when you add the flavors of butter, garlic and lemon to it. In this recipe the chicken is coated with butter, olive oil, parsley and garlic and then a little bit of lemon juice and white wine is added for even more flavor. The chicken is then stuffed with ingredients such as whole lemons, garlic and rosemary. You can serve this recipe with side dishes such as mashed potatoes or flavored rice and a salad. Enjoy.

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                                                                  Crunchy French toast slices with raspberries and syrup

                                                                  Crunchy French toast recipe

                                                                    You can easily make french toast that is flavorful and crunchy with the use of crushed corn flakes. This French toast is prepared very similarly to how you would make regular French toast but it is first dipped into the batter, then coated with cornflakes and fried in the pan. You can use whatever type of bread you want for this recipe but I recommend Texas toast. The batter gets a lot of flavor from ingredients such as cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar. Serve with maple syrup. Enjoy.

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                                                                    Beer brats with slaw recipe

                                                                      Beer Brats with Slaw
                                                                      The warmer weather is coming up soon and that means it’s time to fire up the grill again. A great way to start off the grilling season is with beer brats. These brats are cooked in beer and then placed onto the grill to finish cooking. A delicious slaw is also added to these brats. The slaw is mainly oil and vinegar based (no mayo) and really adds a nice flavor to these brats. Enjoy.
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                                                                      Italian lasagna recipe


                                                                        Italian lasagna is always a great choice if you need a dish to prepare for dinner that will serve several people or can be eaten as leftovers. This lasagna is layered with a meat sauce, mozzarella cheese and a ricotta cheese mixture. The sauce is an Italian Bolognese that gets a lot of flavor from celery, onion, carrots, and garlic. A little bit of red wine is added into the sauce for amazing flavor. The sauce uses two meats—ground beef and pork. The ricotta layer gets a lot of flavor from fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Preparing lasagna does require a good amount of work but it is well worth it. You can serve this recipe with garlic bread on the side. Enjoy.
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                                                                        Ricotta meatballs recipe


                                                                          One ingredient that can make meatballs moist, tender, and delicious is ricotta cheese. In this recipe the ricotta cheese is mixed right into the meatballs. The meatballs get a lot of flavor from ingredients such as garlic, ricotta cheese and breadcrumbs. You can serve these meatballs with whatever type of pasta that you like. Enjoy.
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                                                                          Meatball casserole recipe


                                                                            This meatball casserole is a simple Italian dish that is perfect for dinner any night of the week. This dish consists of meatballs, spaghetti sauce and cheese. You will probably want to serve this dish with some type of pasta—I used linguini. The meatballs are Italian style and use ground beef and get a lot of flavor from ingredients such as garlic, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and oregano. The meatballs are first baked in the oven and then placed into the casserole to finish cooking. Enjoy.
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                                                                            Chorizo and potato tacos recipe

                                                                              Chorizo sausage goes great on tacos and when you add potatoes and onions, it is even better. This recipe is very easy to prepare and you can use store bought chorizo to save time but if you want, I would suggest making your own! You can even add scrambled eggs and salsa to these tacos if you want. I would suggest using corn tortillas but you can of course use flour instead. You can also add some shredded cheddar cheese if you want. If you are interested in making our own chorizo please see my recipe for homemade chorizo sausage. Enjoy.
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                                                                              Mississippi roast recipe


                                                                                I am not sure why this recipe is called Mississippi roast but it is a fantastic recipe to prepare in the slow cooker. This beef roast gets a lot of its flavor from au jus and ranch dressing seasoning packets. Additional flavor comes from pepperoncini. To prepare this recipe simply add everything to the slow cooker and let it cook for 8 hours and then shred the beef and it is ready to serve. I like to serve this roast with mashed potatoes and use the sauce in the crockpot as a gravy. Enjoy.
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                                                                                Oven roasted chicken breast with seasoned potatoes

                                                                                Oven roast chicken breast recipe

                                                                                  A lot of the time I will settle for boneless chicken breasts but the truth is, roasting bone-in chicken breast with the skin on in the oven is far more flavorful and delicious. The chicken in his recipe is coated with seasoning and then fried in a pan for a few minutes and finished cooking in the oven. You can cook these fully in the oven if you want but the cook-time will be a little longer, so make sure that you check the chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure that it is fully cooked. Frying the chicken breast in the pan helps to get the skin crispy. I like to throw in a few cut up red potatoes cover in olive oil with a little salt and pepper. It is delicious. Enjoy.

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                                                                                  Chorizo nachos recipe


                                                                                    Chorizo sausage goes great on nachos. These nachos are great to serve for the Super Bowl. Tortilla chips are loaded with chorizo, a Monterey jack cheese sauce, cilantro and chives. The cheese sauce is a combination of Monterey jack cheese, white wine and lemon juice. If you would prefer you can make your own chorizo right at home to use for this recipe. Enjoy.
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                                                                                    Wisconsin fried cheese curds recipe


                                                                                      Real Wisconsin fried cheese curds are a delicious appetizer. These cheese curds are dipped in a beer batter and then fried. The batter uses ingredients such as flour, beer, milk, and eggs. You can fry these in a deep-fryer or a large pot. This recipe is easy to prepare and the flavor is amazing. You can serve these cheese curds with ranch dressing. Enjoy.
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                                                                                      Slow cooker kielbasa bites recipe


                                                                                        These slow cooker kielbasa bites are an excellent appetizer to prepare for the super bowl. This appetizer is very easy to prepare. The kielbasa is sliced and placed into the crockpot with bbq sauce and sweet chili sauce. You can also just prepare this in a saucepan if you are short on time. I like to serve these on toothpicks. Enjoy.
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