Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans

Sometimes in the blog world you need a little help from your friends. Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans was a recipe I found over at Simply Recipes.

Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans
If you follow me you know I am the Food Service Director for a small town in Northern Illinois. School started this week. Can you say crazy busy??

So, I after visit to a local produce cart and purchased some really nice green beans, I needed a recipe. But, with my mind on school lunch, it was hard to focus on anything other than chicken nuggets, and school pizza. I really needed a recipe!

Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans

My go to Pinterest led me to Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans from Simply Recipes. Simply delicious and simply simple.

Blanch the green beans, which takes only minutes, once the water boils…..oh hum!

Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans

Give the cooked beans a quick dip in some icy water to stop the cooking process. This method gives them a beautiful green color, and a crisp snap.

In a small bowl the “dressing” is 3 simple ingredients, orange marmalade, soy sauce, and Tim’s favorite Sriracha. Spicy ketchup. It adds a little kick to the recipe.

Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans

Drain the beans and toss with the sauce……lol, I’m a poet!!

Serve at room temperature. They are the perfect side for anything grilled, or would be a nice on a Crudite Platter. Fancy French word for veggie tray.

Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans

A big thanks to Simply Recipes for giving my over worked blog brain a rest so I could focus on the busy business of feeding the future leaders of the world a nutritious breakfast and lunch!

Have some green beans to use? Try Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans.

Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 pound to 1 pound of green beans, snipped
  • Salt
  • 1/3 cup sweet orange marmalade
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sriracha

Instructions

  1. Blanch beans in boiling water to which you added 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the green beans are just tender.
  2. Place cooked beans into a bowl of ice water to quick cool them. Drain and place in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl mix the orange marmalade, soy sauce, and Sriracha
  4. You can adjust the spice to your taste.
  5. Add the orange sauce to the cooked green beans and toss to coat.
  6. Serve immediately.

 

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

It has been HOT!!!! Let’s not heat up the house with the oven…….let’s GRILL.   Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms.      Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

Grilled stuffed mushrooms, full of gooey cheese, crispy bacon, and spinach. What’s not to love?????

I don’t know about anyone else, but when its ubber hot like it was last week, the last thing on my mind is cooking indoors. Outdoors is another story. No need to heat up the house and over tax your AC…thank you Mr. Carrier for inventing the best thing since sliced bread.

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

Sometimes the grocery store has a pre made item that will catch the eye. Such was the case of some stuffed mushrooms. They were stuffed with cheese and we were grilling so we threw them on the grill.

Other than the fact that they were probably not the healthiest things in the world. I recently have issue with too much pre-packaged foods, maybe because we have been eating too much of it. But they were little bites of heaven.

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

My mission was clear……to make my own version. Stuffed mushroom are pretty straight forward to make and you can stuff them with most anything.

I knew I wanted to use cheese,a given and cream cheese makes things super rich and creamy, besides every recipe I researched had cream cheese. They all couldn’t be wrong!

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

If all else fails, bacon is your friend. I swear it could make the worst thing take great. O.K. maybe not liver, but most anything else. So, a veggie would be nice, spinach. A nice green color, good for you, and tastes great with bacon.Everything gets all mixed up and stuffed in the mushroom cap.

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

For my money, baby bellas are the best stuffing mushrooms, but any nice sized mushroom will work. Be sure to remove the stem and wipe them clean with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush.

I had a mushroom brush at one time and I don’t know what happen, but it disappeared. I can hear my Mom saying “Well it didn’t grow legs and walk off”……I sure do miss my Mom. But for cleaning mushrooms they are a great gadget to have.

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

The cool part of stuffed mushrooms is, you can make them in advance and cook them at your leisure. Outside, on the grill, with your choice of beverage.

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms make a great appetizer, or can be a side dish for grilled meat. Give them a try for your next cookout!

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Appetizer/Side Dish
  • Method: Grill
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 pieces bacon, cooked crisp, reserving 2 tablespoons for topping, reserve
  • 1 tablespoon bacon fat
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 16 oz whole mushrooms
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese mix
  • Salt and Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare grill.
  2. Using a damp paper towel or mushroom brush wipe mushrooms of any visible dirt and remove stems.
  3. In a small skillet, heat reserved bacon fat over medium high heat. Add shallots and sauté just until translucent. Add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.
  4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, Panko crumbs, 1 cup cheddar cheese mix, egg, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
  5. Add spinach and bacon to the cheese mixture. Mix until evenly incorporated.
  6. Place mushroom caps onto a small sheet that will fit your grill or use a grate made for the grill.
  7. Fill mushroom cups with cheese mixture I used a small ice cream scoop and then pressed down lightly so you can get more filling in.
  8. Sprinkle each stuffed mushroom with a little bit of reserved cheese and bacon.
  9. Grill about 20 minutes.
  10. Alternately you can bake in a 350* oven for the same amount of time.

Keywords: bacon, mushrooms, spinach, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, appetizer, side dish, grill

 

Poppyseed Power Salad

Super salads are …..….super!! Poppyseed Power Salad is a super delicious salad!!

Poppyseed Power Salad

What makes a salad super you might ask???? Well for me these are the 7 key components to build a super salad ……..

  1. Start with a really great mix of lettuce or green……..I love baby…..any green…..spinach, romaine, red leaf, ……the darker the color the better.
  2. You need some crunchy stuff……in this salad brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, carrot and kale. Nuts or seeds are a great addition……I used almonds.
  3. You need a colorful ingredient…….I used dried cranberries but, colored peppers, red onion, tomato, avocado, even shredded beets.
  4. Add a punch of protein……beans, meat, fish, eggs, or cheese….I used goat cheese.
  5. Fruit adds a fresh element. Apples, or berries, the choices are really endless. Be careful with dried fruits, they tend to have a higher sugar content so a little goes a long way. Less sugar options are also available….I use those.
     
  6. Leftovers can add any of the above ingredients, and are a good way to stretch your food dollar.
  7. Use a good dressing……preferably homemade. You can control the fat and sugar. Oil, vinegar and citrus make the best healthy dressings. Dress salads lightly.

Poppyseed Power Salad

I have salad several time a week, the more the better. I came across a bagged mix……let me say this about that………if you have access to a Farmers Market, or have a garden of your own……make that your first choice. Having said that, there are many great organic and non organic pre-made mixes that can save you time and money and still give you all the benefits for a super salad.

Mann’s is a brand name of veggie that I use often.
They have a large line of products that make eating your veggies easy. Their Powerblend mix with brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, broccoli, carrots, and kale that I adore…….is what I used in this recipe.

Poppyseed Power Salad

Crunchy, nutritious, and full of vitamins…….and bonus ……it’s already ready already! I added some baby spinach to bump the green power and, cause I had some leftover.

I think fruit in a salad is a nice sweet surprise, and dried cranberries are an easy salad add in. As I said above, dried fruits do have more sugar so go lightly, and if possible buy a reduced sugar version.

Poppyseed Power Salad

If I had to chose a favorite nut……and had to exclude Tim…….lol, I would chose almonds. To me they have a light, delicate flavor that won’t overpower a dish. They are great in either sweet or savory dishes and are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber…..they are kinda super too!

Goat cheese……love it or hate it……I love it. So beautifully white, with a creamy mild and distinct flavor. It is not everyones cup of tea, but give it a try……it was the only choice for this salad.

Poppyseed Power Salad

Poppyseed dressing, I have made several varieties over the years, those is one of the best. Fresh and light, lemony, with a touch of sweetness. Lemon juice, olive oil, honey, dijon, and apple cider vinegar make the perfect dressing for Poppyseed Power Salad.

This salad does not have meat but you could add a nice grilled chicken and make it a main course. I must confess, that even thought it does not go with the healthy theme to the salad, I put leftover bacon on top when I took the leftovers of this salad for my lunch the day after I made it. It was bacon……what can you say….it was deliciousPoppyseed Power Salad

Poppyseed Power Salad is a perfect side or main dish salad.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Poppyseed Power Salad

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 10 ounce package Powerblend Salad Mix
  • 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 cup reduced sugar dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup almonds ( whole, slivered or sliced )
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
  • Dressing
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup organic honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon poppyseed

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine all of the salad ingredients, toss to combine.
  2. Place all dressing ingredients except poppyseed in a blender or a jar with a tight fitting lid, blend or shake until emulsified. Add poppyseed and mix until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. When you are ready to serve give the dressing a shake, top the salad, and serve.