EASY JERK LINGUINE ALFREDO WITH SHRIMP

Spice up pasta Alfredo with jerk seasoning! This creamy linguine and shrimp dish has a nice amount of heat, and zhooshed up store bought Alfredo sauce makes it perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

    

I love seafood and pasta dishes. They are filling, always satisfy, and can usually be on the table quickly. This has linguine in a creamy semi-homemade sauce consisting of onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, jarred Alfredo sauce, Jamaican jerk seasoning, and shrimp.

BANANA BERRY COFFEE CAKE

Moist, tender, and bursting with banana and berries goodness is what this coffee cake has to offer. Topped with a buttery crumb coating, it’s perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

    

This coffee cake is perfect for mornings when you don’t have time for a big breakfast or when you just want to grab and go. It’s also a great way to use up bananas that would have gone to waste otherwise. 

FARRO SALAD WITH RED WINE VINAIGRETTE

This farro salad is loaded with veggies and makes a healthy, fresh side to accompany most any meal. It’s simple and customizable. Great for making ahead and holds up well stored in the fridge.

Serve along with these chicken leg quarters or grilled steak for  an easy dinner.

    

Farro salad is a dish I typically make at the beginning of the week to serve as a side for several meals for my son and me. I’ll keep it real and confess the hubs won’t eat it. Even though he doesn’t mind any of the ingredients individually, he refuses to have them as a unit. The bright side is there’s more for the rest of us!

CRISPY CHICKEN TENDERS WITH SWEET PEPPER RELISH DIP

These chicken tenders are coated with cracker crumbs and fried until crispy. No doughy coating here, just light and crunchy goodness! The sweet pepper relish dip couldn’t easier to make. You will want to slather it on everything!

Try with Roasted Black Pepper Caesar Salad with Pancetta for a tasty lunch or dinner.

    

They say the third time is a charm, and I hope it’s true. Why? It’s because I’m publishing this post for the THIRD time! The previous update was made when I did some photo editing to improve the image quality. However, I was still have not been satisfied with the composition. This is my final tweak, then I’ll call it quits. I promise! 

GEORGIAN CHEESE BREAD (ADJARULI KHACHAPURI) WITH BROCCOLI

Adjaruli Khachapuri is a bread boat filled with hot bubbling cheese and runny egg. It is a beloved Georgian comfort dish and total food porn. My take on it also contains broccoli and red pepper flakes for heat. 

     

I’m sucker for anything with a runny egg. Khachapuri, with its runny yolk and hot oozy cheese served on top of a bed of bread, always has me swooning! This cheese bread has been called the national dish of Georgia. Heck! I think it should be the supreme dish of the world!!

First of all, if you’re not familiar with the geography of Georgia the country, it is located in the Caucasus region at the intersection Western Asia and Eastern Europe. And khachapuri (the K is silent) comes from the word khacho which means “cheese curd” and puri which means “bread”. Variations of the dish exists from one Georgian region to the next, differing in presentation and ingredients. The commonality among them are bread and cheese. Adjaruli (or Adjarian) Khachapuri comes from the Adjara seaside region on the Black Sea. The locale is the inspiration for the canoe-like shape, and the yellow egg yolk symbolizes the sun. 

CORNED BEEF PALMIERS

These corned beef palmiers are easy to make and easy to eat finger foods. Not only are they perfect for St. Patrick’s Day but they are also great as appetizers and party food anytime of the year. So good with a nice cold beer too!

     

With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, these savory palmiers are the perfect addition to the celebration menu. They are made with flaky puff pastry, store bought corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese. The combination of salty, briny, and sour along with the mild and nutty flavor of the cheese is fantastic! Oh yeah, it’s the kind of food that goes amazingly well with beer. I’m not a beer drinker, but when I eat this, I just want to grab a cold one to enjoy with it.

SEAFOOD LASAGNA

This decadent and delicious seafood lasagna is full of crab, shrimp, and scallop. It is a seafood lovers’ delight and perfect for a special occasion or for entertaining.

     

This post was published on April 2013. I updated the content, photos, and made minor changes to the original recipe.

My family always get excited over seafood lasagna. We all love shrimp, scallop, and crab. This dish delivers all three in one scrumptious pasta dish. The seafood is sandwiched in between layers of lasagna noodles, Parmesan cheese sauce, and shredded mozzarella cheese. 

SWIRLED CANDIED APPLES

Candied apples are delicious treats that should be enjoyed year round. These are dipped and swirled in pink and white candy melt and decorated with sugar sprinkles. Wouldn’t your Valentine be delighted to get these this year?

       

I love to create swirls with candy melt! I did it with these marshmallow pops and with these strawberries. The effect is impressive yet deceptively easy to achieve. I’m back at it again and tried it with apples. The result is beauteous, I must say.

Candied apples are so pretty, but you don’t see them much other than during the fall. I think they would make beautiful, not to mention tasty, Valentine’s Day treats. They also add little bit of nutrition to a day that is known for pure indulgence.