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Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus is made with fresh garlic, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and ground pepper in a short 10 minutes in the air fryer for an easy side dish you can do with any entree.

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

The days of boiling vegetables is way behind me, Roasting gives so much more flavor and crunch. The air fryer lets you cook vegetables just like you would roasting but with less time and mess so huge fan over here! Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus has a nice kick of lemon with your desired amount of salt and pepper (I like mine salty) and the Parmesan cheese just adds that little extra special something when it finishes cooking but is actually completely optional. They taste great with just a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice! So good that even the kids eat their whole serving.

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus, air fryer vegetable, how to cook asparagus in the air fryer,
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Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus is made with fresh garlic, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and ground pepper in a short 10 minutes in the air fryer for an easy side dish you can do with any entree. 
Servings 4 servings
Author Amber

Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • salt
  • ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Wash and either cut or snap off each end. Discard the ends. 
  • Toss on olive oil, garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Squeeze half a lemon on and toss together to fully coat each asparagus. 
  • Place in air fryer for 9-10 minutes on 390 degrees. 
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve. 

Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Broccoli is made with fresh broccoli florets, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, cracked pepper and olive oil.

Roasting vegetables is my jam. You can see how to roast green beans with this Roasted Green Beans recipe or try some Roasted Lemon Asparagus. Tossing some vegetables in the oven with some olive oil and seasonings is just so easy and so tasty! These Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Broccoli are no exceptional.

Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Broccoli have a nice flavor of lemon with the freshly squeezed lemon and after baking, get tossed in with some shredded Parmesan cheese for a nutty note. You can makes this side dish with ANY entree you like! I recommend the Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken with mashed potatoes and this yummy broccoli.

Tips & Tricks

Don’t overcook the broccoli- keep green and crisp to ensure you are getting all the nutrition from the vegetable. After all, broccoli is said to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet full of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Folate (that’s just the beginning). Loaded with fiber for digestive health and could even help lower your risk of cancer. You should be feeding your family this stuff regularly!

Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Broccoli, side dish, how to roast broccoli, parmesan broccoli, how to cook broccoli
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Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

Roasted Lemon Garlic Parmesan Broccoli is made with fresh broccoli florets, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, cracked pepper and olive oil. 
Course Side Dish
Keyword broccoli
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Amber

Ingredients

  • 1 pound broccoli florets
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • ground pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
  • Rinse your broccoli and chop into bite sized pieces. Place on a baking sheet. 
  • Drizzle with olive oil. 
  • Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon). 
  • Minced garlic and add on top. Mix all the ingredients together so each broccoli is covered. 
  • Sprinkle on a little black pepper and cook in the oven for 14-16 minutes, flipping half way through cooking. 
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 
  • Serve. 

Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole is a delicious side dish made with hash browns, onion, garlic powder, condensed soups, sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Hash Brown Casserole is one of those dishes everyone has probably had at one point or another. Cracker Barrel makes a delicious one and it is a frequent favorite for gatherings, pot lucks and holidays. We even like to make this side dish with a Sunday ham and eat leftovers through the week! Everyone should also have a good recipe to make a Hash Brown Casserole because it is a great go-to and so cravable!

Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole is really creamy and cheesy.  This recipe makes 12 servings but you could even push it to feed a few more people so it is perfect for feeding a large crowd.

Tips & Tricks

This Hash Brown Casserole is so easy to make that any could toss it together! The only tip I have is that if you cannot find a cream of cheddar, you can substitute it for another can of cream of chicken.

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Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole is a delicious side dish made with hash browns, onion, garlic powder, condensed soups, sour cream and cheddar cheese. 
Course Side Dish
Keyword hash brown casserole
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 servings
Author Amber

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces frozen hash browns defrosted
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 10 ounces cream of cheddar
  • 10 ounces cream of chicken
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1/2 onion finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • parsley garnish optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
  • Dice the onion. 
  • In a large bowl, mix cream of cheddar, cream of chicken, diced onion, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese together. 
  • Add the melted butter and hash browns. Mix thoroughly. 
  • Place the mix into a large casserole dish and sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over top. 
  • Bake for 45-55 minutes. The cheese on top should just begin to brown. 
  • Let cool for 5 minutes and serve. 

 

Air Fryer Bacon

amazon

Bacon! BACON! BACON! Always a good idea and perfect addition to so many dishes. You can cook your bacon so easily and without a mess in the Air Fryer to make life a little easier. Here’s how!

Air Fryer Bacon

Can we just dive right into this one?

Place 5 slices of bacon into the airy fryer (you may be able to fit more if you have a larger air fryer). Set the temperature to 390 degrees. Cook for 10-12 minutes depending on the crispiness level you like. 11 minutes is perfect for me where it is crunchy but still has great flavor.

To clean the air fryer after cooking bacon, drain the fat into a mug and let that thicken up. Once thickened, dispose in the garbage. Wipe the inside of your air fryer clean. No bacon splatter to clean up! Amen. 

Take note that I am using thick cut bacon which I always recommend buying. If you have a thin cut bacon, reduce your time.

What can you use bacon with?

The short answer is anything. Some ideas include with waffles for breakfast, in a BLT for lunch, on a salad, on top of a cheeseburger, make crumbles for potato soup or eat as a snack.


how to make bacon in the air fryer, air fryer recipe, air fryer bacon, crispy bacon
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Air Fryer Bacon

Bacon! BACON! BACON! Always a good idea and perfect addition to so many dishes. You can cook your bacon so easily and without a mess in the Air Fryer to make life a little easier. Here's how!
Author Amber

Ingredients

  • 5 slices bacon thick cut

Instructions

  • Line the bacon slices into the air fryer basket side by side. 
  • Place the temperature to 390 degrees and cook for 10-12 minutes depending on how crispy you like your bacon. 
  • Place on a kitchen napkin to absorb any excess grease and serve. 
  • Repeat. 

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda are a delicious appetizer perfect for a crowd made with crescent roll dough, cocktail sausages, Gouda cheese and poppy seeds paired with a honey mustard dipping sauce.

The holidays are HERE and that means there are many gatherings with friends, family and coworkers right around the corner. I’m not sure if any gathering is complete without some delicious Pigs in a Blanket as a simple appetizer that everyone loves. These Pigs in a Blanket are just like the original but we added in some Gouda cheese for extra flavor and sprinkled some poppy seeds to the top.

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda

I usually don’t get excited over sausage links (there are a few exceptions) but there is just something about Pigs in a Blanket. They are additive and it is that dish you will see me hovering over at parties.

 

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Unroll the the sheets of crescent and cut along the perforated edges. Cut each of those 8 sections in half.
  3. Roll a mini sausage and a small slice of Gouda in each of those triangular sections and place onto a baking sheet. Your slice of Goua should be thin and the same length as the cocktail wiener.
  4. Melt some butter and brush onto the top of each roll.
  5. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes of until golden brown.

 

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

  1. As the Pigs in a Blanket bake, make the dipping sauce using 1/4 cup of both Dijon and mayonnaise, plus 3 tablespoons honey. Mix well.
  2. Serve the Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda as an appetizer warm out of the oven with honey mustard sauce on the side.

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda
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Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda cheese and honey mustard dipping sauce, feed a crowd, cocktail sausages, party recipe, appetizer, crescent recipe

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda are a delicious appetizer perfect for a crowd made with crescent roll dough, cocktail sausages, Gouda cheese and poppy seeds paired with a honey mustard dipping sauce. 

Yields: 32

  • Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda
  • 2 crescent rolls containers
  • 12 once package mini sausages (cocktail wieners)
  • 8 ounce block smoked Gouda cheese (you only need about half the block)
  • poppy seeds
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Unroll the the sheets of crescent and cut along the perforated edges. Cut each of those in half to make 32 triangles among the 2 containers.
  3. Roll a mini sausage and a small slice of Gouda in each of those triangles and place onto a baking sheet.
  4. Melt the butter and brush onto each roll.
  5. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes of until golden brown.
  7. As the Pigs in a Blanket bake, make the dipping sauce using 1/4 cup of both Dijon and mayonnaise, plus 3 tablespoons honey. Mix well.
  8. Serve as an appetizer warm out of the oven with honey mustard sauce on the side.
  • Preparation time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes

Are Pigs in a Blanket one your go-to appetizers also? Have you ever tried them Gouda or do you have another way you like to bake yours? Let me know in the comments below.

Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

amazonThe airy fryer is making egg cooking way easier and more convenient than traditional methods. These Air Fryer “Hard Boiled” Eggs take only 20 minutes without any water to boil or pan to clean.

There can be some adjustment needed on the time and temperature depending on what air fryer you have. I use the Midea Air Fryer. Here are some other options below if you are in the market to purchase one.


Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

Hard boiled eggs are a go-to food for me and my kids in the morning to get some protein without eating too much. We all have a hard time eating in the mornings so eggs are perfect. Eat after a workout or put on salad for lunch. Lot’s of possibilities.

Place 4-6 eggs into the air fryer basket. Close and put temperature to 275 degrees. Place the timer on 20 minutes and let cook. If you like the eggs less done,  reduce time by 2 minutes.

I recommend testing out a couple batches with a single egg to get a feel for your air fryer and how you like your eggs. Note that the more eggs you put into the air fryer, the more time you will have to add for them all to cook thoroughly.

When the timer goes off, place the eggs into a bowl full of ice and water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, peel and eat. I like just a pinch of salt and cracked pepper on mine!

Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs
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The airy fryer is making egg cooking way easier and more convenient than traditional methods. These Air Fryer “Hard Boiled” Eggs take only 20 minutes without any water to boil or pan to clean. 

  • 6 eggs
  • water
  • ice
  1. Place 6 eggs into air fryer.
  2. Set temperature at 275 and timer for 20 minutes.
  3. Place into an ice bath when timer goes off.
  4. Peel and eat.

How to Perfectly Grill Corn

How to Perfectly Grill Corn

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TUMSSugarFree #PassTheTUMS #CollectiveBias

Summer is officially here and grilling season has begun! Today, I am sharing my tips on How to Perfectly Grill Corn every time and sharing how I combat heartburn with TUMS* Sugar-Free for all of this seasons grilling.

WHAT IS HEARTBURN?

Heartburn is an irritation of the esophagus caused by stomach acid that can lead to pain in the chest and throat. There are many triggers for the discomfort you feel from heartburn including consuming particular foods, medications prescribed, physical changes or conditions, and daily habits.

For a full list of symptoms, you should see the TUMS label for symptoms of heartburn.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF HEARTBURN?

Foods

A common heartburn trigger is some of the foods you eat. Many of your favorite summertime grill out foods are on this list from onions, tomatoes, meat, tea, and spices. Some other foods include:

  • Fried foods
  • Carbonated drinks
  • Citrus fruits and juices
  • Alcohol
  • Garlic
  • Chocolate

Medications

Medications can trigger heartburn. If you live with frequent heartburn and are on medication, make sure to speak to your doctor or pharmacist to see if a medication is the source of your discomfort.

Habits

Daily habits may also be a trigger to heartburn. I am guilty of eating too quickly which can lead to heartburn and it is a hard habit to break! You may be guilty of some of these other habits:

  • Eating large meals.
  • Eating before bed. Lying down after eating can bring on heartburn so make sure to eat a few hours before bedtime.
  • Working out right after a meal. No, this doesn’t get you out of exercise but make sure to eat a small meal or let the food settle before a workout.
  • Tight clothing around midsection may cause pressure on the stomach that triggers heartburn.
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Smoking

WHY IS TUMS SUGAR-FREE MY HEARTBURN RELIEF SOLUTION?

I won’t let my heartburn stop me from eating my favorite foods so I turn to TUMS Sugar-Free to provide fast relief of occasional heartburn. New TUMS Sugar-Free Melon Berry has all the extra-strength power of TUMS, without the sugar. Plus, it tastes great!

I found my TUMS Sugar-Free at Target next to the Pharmacy. TUMS Sugar-Free is also available at Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, and Amazon.

CLICK HERE TO SNAG A COUPON FOR ANY TUMS PRODUCT!

Printable coupon is good all year.

HOW TO PERFECTLY GRILL CORN

Now that we talked about heartburn and how to get relief, let’s get to the good stuff – GRILLING! Today, we are grilling up some seasoned steak kabobs with onion, bell peppers, and tomato with fresh corn as a side with a garlic butter. A tall glass of iced tea with a lemon slice completes the meal. You can go ahead and count how many heartburn inducing foods are being consumed. Yea, it is a lot but TUMS Sugar-Free is on hand to go to work in seconds so let’s us get cooking, starting with the corn where I am sharing my tips on How to Perfectly Grill Corn.

Begin by prepping the fresh corn. Place the corn into water for a minimum of 30 minutes. Many people like to remove to husks before cooking, but leave the husk on. Trust me. The husk will trap water inside to help steam the corn while on the grill.

Put the corn onto the upper rack of the grill for 25 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Your grill should be at a medium-high heat (450 – 500 degrees).

Remove corn from grill and carefully remove husk. A simple way to remove the husks is to cut the corn on the end where the husk is attached and then pull out the remaining husk. Spread butter over the corn while still hot and serve. We made a garlic butter today with loads of garlic, parsley, lemon juice and spices that are so delicious!

Whether you are grilling steaks, juicy hamburgers or loaded hot dogs, grilled corn is always the perfect side. Don’t forget to grab the #1 Pharmacists recommended antacid brand, TUMS, to get to work on heartburn relief so there is no reason to skip out on these beautiful grilling days ahead!

*Refer to the TUMS bottles for full directions, and use as directed.

Roasted Lemon Asparagus

Roasted Lemon Asparagus

Roasted Lemon Asparagus made with fresh lemon, olive oil and just a pinch of salt and pepper for a really simple side dish to any entrée.

We are right in the middle of asparagus season and my family definitely eats their fair share of the vegetable. This Roasted Lemon Asparagus is fresh, crisp, quick and so easy to toss in the oven.

To prepare : Preheat the oven to 425 degrees as you give the asparagus a rinse and trim the ends by 1/2 inch. Lay the asparagus on a baking sheet and grab a small bowl to mix the olive and lemon juice. Cut the lemon in half and use half as juice and the other half is sliced for garnish. Pour the olive oil and lemon juice mixture over top and make sure to thoroughly cover each asparagus. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lay the lemon slices over top. Roast in the oven for about 9 minutes and serve.

How to pick the best asparagus from your grocery: 

  • Make sure the stems are not dried out. Often, asparagus is stored in shallow water at the store.
  • The stems should be firm and not limp.
  • The tops should not be mushy.
  • They should have a rich green color with some white at the bottom and purple hues at the top.

If you are storing your asparagus a couple days before cooking, make sure to trim the ends and wrap in a wet paper towel or in a jar filled with a bit of water to keep fresh.

Roasted Lemon Asparagus
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Roasted Lemon Asparagus, how to bake asparagus

Roasted Lemon Asparagus made with fresh lemon, olive oil and just a pinch of salt and pepper for a really simple side dish to any entrée.

Yields: 4 servings

  • 1 lemon
  • 1 pound asparagus
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Wash and trim the asparagus. Place on a baking sheet.
  3. In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon olive with juice from half the lemon (about 1 tablespoon, more for a stronger lemon flavor). Mix together.
  4. Pour lemon juice/olive oil mixture over asparagus. Make sure to coat the asparagus thoroughly.
  5. Season with just a pinch of salt and pepper.
  6. Slice the other half of the lemon. Place lemon slices over asparagus.
  7. Place in oven for 9 minutes.
  • Preparation time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 9 minutes

Roasted Lemon Asparagus, how to bake asparagus

Pork and Kimchi Fried Rice

Pork and Kimchi Fried Rice

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Pork and Kimchi Fried Rice is made with ground pork, mint, garlic, ginger, scallions, delicious and flavorful kimchi topped with a fried egg.

You haven’t been seeing as many new recipes from me recently but I am back in full swing and have a whole lineup of great recipes waiting to be shared! Starting with this Pork and Kimchi Fried Rice.

Long story short of where I have been – we decided to sell the house, we rushed and rushed and rushed some more to finish up all those little projects we started and never completed, painted the whole darn house… even put down new flooring. Then, we decided to stay. At least I have a freshly painted house and no projects for the moment!

Back to what’s really important – the food! This Pork and Kimchi Fried Rice comes from Recipes Swap Club where I was tasked this month with The Schizo Chef. I love this website! There are so many awesome recipes from all around the world. I didn’t grow up learning how to make Asian, Caribbean or African foods so a lot of recipes on the site are really foreign to me which is cool because I get the opportunity to learn a new recipe, new cooking techniques and discover new ingredients. Then, I get to share all that with you!

I chose to recreate the Kimchi Fried Rice recipe and Mireille shares her tips to the perfect fried rice! See the tips and entire post by clicking HERE.

I have made fried rice plenty of times but my fried rice making skills go as follows: have leftover rice, throws it into wok with some oil and soy sauce, scramble up an egg , tosses in whatever vegetables happen to be laying around, done. I won’t lie- this works pretty well but today, I am sharing a Korean fried rice that is so flavorful with the kimchi, hearty and packed with protein. I did do a couple of things differently than the original recipe by opting out of shrimp, adding more pork and using mint instead of perilla leaves so make sure to also check out the original recipe.


Pork and Kimchi Fried Rice
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Pork and Kimchi Fried Rice is made with ground pork, mint, garlic, ginger, scallions, delicious and flavorful kimchi and topped with a fried egg.

Yields: 8 servings

  • 1 tablespoon oil (I used olive oil)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 16 ounce jar kim chi, rough chopped
  • 2 cups long grain rice, cooked and chilled (I used jasmine)
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 3 mint leaves, thinly sliced
  • 1 fried egg per bowl, sunny-side up
  1. Prepare all the ingredients- beat 2 eggs, mince garlic, chop ginger, mint, scallions and roughly chop kimchi.
  2. In a wok, heat olive oil.
  3. Add garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
  4. Add ground pork and cook until browned.
  5. As the pork is cooking, cook your fried eggs on a medium-low heat in an oiled pan for 2 minutes or until the whites are cooked through. Set eggs to the side once cooked.
  6. Add eggs and mix. When they start to cook, add kim chi.
  7. Stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds.
  8. Whisk together the soy sauce and sesame oil in a bowl on the side.
  9. Add rice and wet ingredient mixture, a little at a time, until well absorbed.
  10. Cook for a few more minutes until rice is well coated with the kimchi.
  11. Add scallions and mint and stir.
  12. Add a fried egg to each bowl of fried rice.
  • Preparation time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes

Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice is made with basmati rice, freshly squeezed lime, chicken broth and cilantro for a simply delicious side dish for any night of the week.

Let’s get cooking!

Cilantro Lime Rice
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Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice is made with basmati rice, freshly squeezed lime, chicken broth and cilantro for a simply delicious side dish for any night of the week.

Yields: 6 servings

  • 1 cup long grain rice, basmati rice recommended
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
  • .5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 lime, juiced
  1. Place the rice and chicken broth into a pot on the stove top.
  2. Add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
  3. Cook accroding to packaged directions on rice bringing to a simmer and covering for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
  4. Roughly chop your cilantro.
  5. Squeeze in fresh lime juice and the cilantro. Stir.
  6. Serve.
  • Preparation time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes

What entrée will you pair this Cilantro Lime Rice with?