Category: Appetizers

Bacon Filled Cherry Tomatoes

Bacon Filled Cherry Tomatoes

Bacon Filled Cherry Tomato

What can you say about bacon that hasn’t been said……..it simply makes everything better!

It’s the Holiday Season…….so loopty lou, and loopty lie, and don’t forget about the pumpkin pie, it the holiday season………sorry……… too much Christmas music already…….sometime you just have to burst into song…..tee hee!

But, it is the Holiday Season is here and that means parties are here. Parties need food, finger food to be exact. Finger food with bacon………Bacon Filled Cherry Tomatoes. These little gems are a pop in your mouth taste treat. Like a mini BLT……… with out the L ……..and no bread……..but they are loaded with bacon!

I started making these years ago, and they were my go to appetizer for a looooong time. This is another recipe that was originally from one of those little cookbooks from the check out lane at the grocery store. If I would have in my wildest imagination thought I would write a food blog someday, I would have written down where I got the recipes from so I could give credit where credit is due.………oh wait, when I first started buying these little books, no one knew what a food blog was….LOL……..the times they do change.

Bacon Filled Cherry Tomatoes 3

 They are really quite simple to make, fry up and crumble bacon, add green onion, basil, some parmesan cheese, and Miracle Whip ………sorry but I do not like mayo, but if you do please use it in place of the Miracle Whip…….if you really want too……….mix all together and stuff into hollowed out cherry tomatoes. A melon baller makes this process a breeze.

I made these for Tim the first time last week. He does not care for just a tomato, so I wasn’t sure how he would like these…….enter bacon……he loved them……..enough said!

Not only are these Bacon Filled Cherry Tomatoes a treat for your taste buds, they are pretty, and red, with a little green and Christmasy……….hence…..the perfect party appetizer!

Bacon Filled Cherry Tomatoes Collage

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Bacon Filled Cherry Tomatoes 2

Bacon Filled Cherry Tomatoes

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆ No reviews
  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 24 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Combine
  • Cuisine: American
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
  • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup miracle whip
  • 24 cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine bacon, green onion, basil, parmesan cheese, and miracle whip.
  2. Slice a thin piece off the top of each tomato, enough to expose the inter flesh. Using a melon baller, or a small spoon, scoop out the inside of the tomatoes.
  3. Invert the hollowed tomatoes on paper towels to drain.
  4. Fill with bacon mixture and garnish with extra parmesan cheese or basil if desired.

Keywords: cherry tomato, bacon, green onion, appetizer, parmesan cheese

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Carne Asada Nachos

Carne Asada Nachos

Carne Asada Nachos

I have a new toy……I have a new toy …..and you-u don’t……….but you should, if you don’t this thing is AWESOME!!! I am happy dancing………why dancing you may ask……..my new toy helped me make my Carne Asada Nachos!

What is my new toy you ask??? It a Pressure Cooker, thats also a crock pot, and a rice cooker. Pressure CookerIf it just went to the grocery store, it would be the perfect appliance! LOL …….Oh wait…..it keeps the food warm after the programed cooking time…….it IS the perfect appliance!

Since returning from Vegas and having the carne asada tacos at Hecho En Vegas, I have been dying to try and recreate the carne asada. My new little toy made this a breeze. The flavor is not exactly like Hecho’s but it’s close. My meat was a little more done……first time with the pressure cooker ……..I wasn’t sure how long to cook it,so mine was falling apart, while Hecho’s was chunkier.

Now, what to do with this luscious, juicy,spicy meat……….Carne Asada Nachos……..of course! Nachos need cheese sauce. Neither Tim nor I really like the nacho cheese sauce,so how about queso blanco……hmmmmm. The recipe for the queso sauce couldn’t be easier, one bowl, it cooks in the microwave………one of the best inventions…..ever!! And in five minutes or less……. creamy and cheesy, easy queso blanco sauce.

Carne Asada Plate

I would like to be all homemadey but I bought some good restaurant style chips at the store instead of making my own. Hey……it was Sunday afternoon and there were football games that needed to watched……by Tim not me.

Now ,I had a plan…….heat the chips in a cast iron skillet in a 400* oven for about 5-7 minutes, until until they were warm and extra crispy. top with the carne asada, drizzle….ok, ladle the queso sauce on, then top with tomatoes, avocado, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño slices, and a crumble of queso blanco cheese……the amount of toppings you put on these is up to you. OMG….these were fabulous!!!!! Crispy chips, juicy spicy meat, cool toppings……the perfect Carne Asada Nachos.

Carne Asada Chip
Since Tim and I have been married, I have a long drive to work, 40 minutes each way…….thank goodness for audio books……..but getting home late does not = time for making dinner and eating before 7 or 8 at night…….not good! But, with my new toy, the process can be sped up greatly. So, if time is of the essence for you too, look for one of these nifty toys for yourself. Looking to make a recipe now………. so I can play with my new toy.

Carne Asada Nachos Collage

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Carne Asada Nachos

Carne Asada Nachos

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: Tex Mex
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Ingredients

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  • 2 pounds flank steak
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 large jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup beer

Instructions

  1. In a skillet over medium high heat sear the flank steak in the coconut oil. Just a quick sear for color.
  2. Place flank steak and remaining ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook on high for 30-35 minutes following instructions on your pressure cooker. If you do not have a pressure cooker you can use a crockpot. Adjust cooking time to your crockpot.
  3. Remove meat from cooker and use for tacos,burritos, or nachos.

Keywords: flank steak, Instant Pot, nachos,

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Carne Asada Nachos

Queso Blanco Sauce

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Marty Boyd
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Ingredients

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  • 1/2 pound White American Cheese, cut into chunks
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green chiles
  • 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno slices, diced fine
  • 1 tablespoon juice from the pickled jalapenos
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup beer
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes and stir.Continue microwaving at minute intervals until smooth. Allow to cool slightly and serve as a dip or over your favorite Mexican foods.

Notes

Be sure to use white American cheese not white cheddar cheese. The white cheddar will not melt they way that is needed for this sauce.

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Chicken Kenny

Chicken Kenny

Kenny Chicken
Com’n listen to a story ’bout a man named……Kenny…….oh wait, wrong show!

Chicken Kenny is a story linked to the Cosby Show……so, lets start the story…..

Tim, as I have mentioned before is an identical twin, and when he and Tom were small ,they had an Uncle who could not tell them apart so, he called them both “Bud”……… a nickname that has stuck for both of them to this day.

Tim worked at Moonlight Bay Marina when Cosby Show was very popular. Now, if you have seen the Cosby Show, you know that the character of Rudy had a little friend who she called “Bud”.

When you first meet “Bud”, Rudy brings him home to meet the family. Bud, has a heart to heart with Mr. Huxtable, who discovers that Bud’s name is really Kenny. Rudy continued to call him Bud to which he would reply……my names not Bud its Kenny!

In a way, this is one of those you had to be there stories, but one of our friends Carol started calling Tim Kenny instead of Bud. The phrase……my names not Bud its Kenny was heard frequently.

During this time Tim made a mustard dipping sauce at the Marina, and it became………wait for it…………Kenny Mustard.

I have hear this story many times, but until the other day Tim had never made me Kenny Mustard. My recipe, for what is now going to know as Chicken Kenny starts with the Kenny Mustard. I used it as the binder for the crust for my Chicken Kenny.

I wanted to try and cut the calories in a chicken strip recipe by baking and not frying. I wanted it to have a crunchy crust……..pretzels…….they go with mustard………Kenny Mustard………Chicken Kenny!!!

Chicken Kenny Dip

 It was super easy too……..just coat the chicken strips with the mustard and roll in crushed pretzels and bake. Easy peasy and they turned out AWESOME…………

Add them to your next Sunday football snack list, or make them for dinner. Kids will love them too!

Just be sure to save half the sauce for dipping!!

Chicken Kenny Collage

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Kenny Chicken

Chicken Kenny

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound chicken tenders
  • 2 cups crushed low-fat pretzels
  • 1 recipe Kenny Mustard(see below)
  • Kenny Mustard1/2 cup mayo or Miracle Whip
  • 1/3 cup regular yellow mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon tabasco or sriracha sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400*
  2. Crush pretzels in a ziploc bag with a mallet or rolling pin. Place on a plate. Prepare mustard sauce according to recipe reserving half for dipping.
  3. Dredge chicken strips in Kenny mustard and roll in crushed pretzels. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  5. Serve with reserved Kenny Mustard Dipping Sauce.
  6. Kenny MustardBlend all ingredients throughly. Use as a dipping sauce or a sandwich spread.

Keywords: pretzels, chicken tenders, mustard, bake

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