A Simple Sprinkle

Happy Monday!  Are y'all ready for Thanksgiving?! Or are you making last minute preparations and trips to the grocery store like me?!  I'm not hosting Thanksgiving at my house, but I can tell you I'll wait 'til the 9th hour to head to the grocery store and grab everything I need for my dinner contributions and then I'll be saying all sorts of unkind words about the insanity that is the market the day before a holiday.  Whew.  

In other news, this is my current view...

The boys have the week off, my baby niece arrives in the morning, and I'm going to stuff my face FULL on Thursday.  You could say I'm JOLLY as all get out :)

The house is officially decorated and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Since we spend quite a bit of time out of town over the holidays I love to decorate early so we have lots of time to enjoy it all.  Last year at this time I was hosting Christmas Week here on the blog.  I posted some of my favorite Christmas traditions, some Elf on the Shelf Ideas, Christmas decor, and a little Gift Guide.  Since my mind is focused on my new niece (arriving tomorrow morning!!!!) and Thanksgiving festivities, I'm going to hold off on Christmas Week and wait until Monday, 11/30, to start.  Here's how we'll kick off the holiday season...

If y'all are planning on doing some shopping this week, I'll be back with a few gift guides on Wednesday.  I think this is the first year I have lots of gifts already purchased.  The women in my families are all taken care of and Mr. Spouse will tackle all the men.  We haven't started shopping for the boys yet, but that won't take long.  We like to go by this gift rule:  something you want...something you need...something to play with...something to read.  Plus a few stocking stuffers and a traditional Christmas Eve gift from mom and dad.  Our families always do so much for the kids so Santa only delivers a few things.  Nothing crazy!  

In honor of my sister who is currently in her last few hours of pregnancy, I wanted to share with you the shower I helped host for her at the beginning of the month.  The theme was "Sprinkled with Love" because we were really just giving her a "sprinkle" and not a full blown invite everyone kind of baby shower.  She already has one little man so she didn't need anything huge, but since she's having a girl this go-round we did want to sprinkle her with a few girly things she doesn't have already :)

As you can see, the decor was super simple.  Her sprinkle was a week after Halloween and I didn't have time to decorate for Christmas, so I took down all the Halloween, kept all the white pumpkins out, and then strung together the pennants for baby Olivia's banner and hung it from the mantle. 

You can't really tell from the picture, but in the middle of the mantle is a set of 4 candle holders (from the Dollar Tree) filled with sprinkles and a tea light.  Couldn't have been easier!!!

Hobby Lobby carries the wooden pennants by letter.  I think they come in black and white, too.  They're $2 per pennant, but only a dollar if you wait 'til they're marked half off.  #winning

This is the table you see when you walk in the front door and we kept that as simple as possible.  I did a little chalk art and then set out a couple more sprinkle filled candle holders with tea lights.

Speaking of "sprinkle", here's what we did for the statement decor.  I made those very sad looking tissue paper clouds and the raindrops (using a pack of assorted pink cardstock).  I hung the clouds using fishing wire and did the same for the raindrops, too.  I wish I would've gotten a picture of the table completely decked out with food and whatnot, but this is as good as it gets.

I tried to mimic the same feel in the kitchen next to the drink station using balloons (for clouds) and those same raindrops.  I just taped the balloons and strands of raindrops to the curtain rod.  I'm not ashamed to tell you that there's still a rogue strand hanging from the curtain rod 3 weeks later.  #lazy

You might be able to see a chalkboard display in the picture above.  Here's how that looked up close

I just strung a few pieces of jute around the chalkboard and then attached mini clothespins to it.  I found those little kraft envelopes at Hobby Lobby and then cut the white pieces of cardstock to fit.  I set out a little pitcher of pens and labeled all of the envelopes with baby Olivia's name.  The idea behind this display was to have each of the guests write a little love note to Olivia...maybe a favorite scripture, a piece of advice, or whatever they wanted.  Then they put their notes in the kraft envelopes and hung them on the chalkboard using the clothespins.  After everyone had a chance to write a note to Olivia, my sister chose one note off the board, read it aloud, and then that guest got to take home a door prize (a chalkboard with the verse, "every good and perfect gift is from above" and a $5 Starbuck's gift card).  I wanted all the envelopes to have matching handwriting so that it would be fair :)

Speaking of gifts, here's what we gave to our guests....

These darling little test tubes full of "sprinkles" :)  We tried to find bath confetti, but dear Lord...it was an exercise in futility.  I couldn't find any anywhere.  Even Amazon failed me.  Instead we used the chiclets gum for the sprinkles and it was a perfect fit.  And let's be real...there probably wouldn't have been many party guests who would actually put the bath confetti to good use, so I think the gum was a great substitute!

Last but not least, we decorated my little buffet with a "Ready to POP!" bar.   I found the cutest little confetti sprinkled goody bags at Hobby Lobby and set those out so that our guests could fill their bags with whatever they wanted....popcorn with sprinkles, blow pops, ring pops, and bubble gum. 

This was a hit with the kids (are you surprised?! Ha!)

The shower/sprinkle was at 1 in the afternoon, so we served a light lunch and drinks.  Here's how the menu panned out...

DRINKS

Iced Tea

Pretty in Pink Party Punch

LUNCH

Aunt Gina's chicken salad served with crackers and croissants

Ham & Cheese Sliders

Sara's Favorite Pasta Salad

Fruit Salad

Chips and Spinach Dip

DESSERT

Cupcakes with Sprinkles

Donuts with Sprinkles

Sprinkle Cookies

Hard to believe that I'll be holding that sweet little sack of sugar by this time tomorrow!!!!  My heart is full!!!

Let's Get Poppin'

Happy Monday!

We're currently in recovery mode from a weekend full of family fun and way too much food!!!  I absolutely LOVE when Adam's family comes to visit.  The boys are always beside themselves.  The only problem is that they never stay long enough.  The visit goes by in the blink of an eye.  Let me just say we're way too far from Indiana.  We cherish these family visits and wish we were able to spend more time together more often.  The time we did spend together this past weekend was just perfect.  

As I said before, it was filled with lots of food....

A new Mexican restaurant and some DQ for dessert!  YUM!!!

But more importantly, lots of family time!!!  We can never get enough of that!!!  

An unxpected visit to the San Jacinto Monument after lunch.  The boys got a little history lesson (and they weren't impressed.  But they did enjoy chasing each other around the battleground).

Grandma helped the boys build this little gem and Landon excitedly named it.  Kid writing is my FAVORITE!!!!  Oh, to be 7 years old again!!!!  

Before our family arrived on Friday, Mr. Spouse put his handiwork to good use and hung these letters in our little outdoor seating area by the pool.  Kind of loving that galvanized tin!!!  And just in time for the weekend :)  

I love it when family comes to visit because I really do love to host.  I get to cook for more than just myself and my boys and that's always fun.  I made these delicious enchiladas on Friday night and subbed the shrimp for rotisserie chicken instead.  HELLO!!!!  SO good!!!  And there were no leftovers, so I considered that a good sign!

We also snacked on our new favorite dip all weekend long.  I served this on Easter Sunday as well and there wasn't a bite left in the dish halfway through the day.  It's so creamy and sinfully delicious.  If you're hosting guests or need a dip to take to a party, this is a must try!!!!  It's got a little bit of a kick, but nothing too outrageous.  Just the perfect amount!  Did I mention it's delicious?!  Just don't expect any leftovers!!!!

JALAPENO POPPER DIP

via Taste of Home

2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz. each), softened

1 cup of mayonnaise

1 (8 oz.) can of chopped green chiles

1 (4 oz.) can of diced jalapeno peppers

1/2 cup of shredded colby & monterry jack cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup - 1 cup of panko bread crumbs

This dip really couldn't be any easier to prep and bake!

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayo, green chiles & jalapeno peppers.  The original recipe calls for less chiles and jalapeno peppers, but after reading through the reviews and comments, I decided to add the full amount in each can.  SO glad I did!!  

Fold in the shredded cheese and grated parmesan.  (I switched this up too from the original recipe)  Mix until well combined.  Transfer the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes.

Serve with pretzel thins, Ritz crackers, wheat thins, or tortilla chips.  We LOVE this with the El Milagro brand tortilla chips!!  SO delicious!!!  

As if I didn't get enough of this dip this past weekend, I'll be taking it to bible study tonight, too!  We're starting this one tonight and I'm SO excited.  This has been on my list for quite some time!  God's word, fellowship, and food!  These are a few of my favorite things ;)

Let the Finger Food Season Commence!

I love this time of the year.  High school football games {because in Texas, that's sort of a thing}, festivals, tailgating, parties...I just love it all.  Actually, I could do without the high school football.  It's not my favorite.  I don't get to see Mr. Spouse much during these next few months, so I could definitely do without high school football. {Does that make me less of a Texan?!}  I do, however, love all the get-togethers.  Really...I love all the food at those gatherings.  This is the season of finger foods.  Getting stuffed off of grazing without having a full fledged meal and boy do I love to graze.  

My dear friend, Amy, always makes the best finger foods.  She introduced me to the most irresistible trail mix and my favorite summer cocktail.  When she brought this little number to our last girls night in, I was instantly hooked...and it absolutely couldn't be easier!!  

Girls nights...in or out...would definitely qualify as my most favorite gathering.  I'm glad I have girlfriends who love to eat as much as I do :)

TAILGATE CHIPS

1 large bag Kettle Brand Crinkle Cut Chips {Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper}

1 large tub of pico de gallo {or you could make your own}

1 tub of Feta Cheese

I'm pretty sure this needs no explanation, but if you're anything like me, you have trouble toasting bread.  So hear goes...

Spread out a layer of chips on a long serving dish.  Now top that with some pico...and then some feta.  Now another layer of chips...pico...and feta.  

BOOM.

You might even want to pick up an extra tub of feta and pico depending on how flavorful you like your chips. 

When Amy made this for our girls night in, she sprinkled bleu cheese on the top instead of feta.  Not gonna lie...I don't like bleu cheese at all.  Shockingly, I ate it up when Amy made it, but when I recreated the dish I had to 86 the bleu stuff and use the feta instead.  

OH.MY.YUM.

I can't tell you how many times I've made this since our girls night.  It's too easy NOT to make.  

Your chips will get a bit soggy after a while if they're sitting out for too long.  You can pop 'em in the oven at about 200 for a few minutes to soak up the moisture.  Plus, that adds a nice little texture and heat for something a smidge different.  In all honesty, you won't have to worry about that....they'll be gone in NO time!

This is definitely a finger food I could eat through every season!!!

Just In Time For The Weekend

There’s nothing I love more than the weekend.  Technically, since I’m a teacher, there’s nothing more I love than summer.  But back to the weekend.  I love being a l-a-z-y cook on the weekend.  By lazy, I mean hittin’ up the drive thru or ordering take out :)  I really try to get motivated in the kitchen, but if it isn’t easy, it’s just not happenin’.  Maybe that’s why easy apps and simple dips are tops on my weekend menu.  Here’s a dip that couldn’t get any easier if it tried.  Simple.  Gooey.  Simple. Delicious. Simple. Warm. Ummm…did I mention simple!?!!?  I’ve made this several different times and each time I’ve whipped it up it hasn’t made it longer than a few hours.  It’s definitely a crowd pleaser and takes no time to prep.   So go ahead and get to dippin’!

 

WARM BEAN DIP

recipe via Life as a Lofthouse

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 {16 oz, each} cans of refried beans

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 cup {8 oz.} sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded monterrey jack cheese

 

This is ALL you’ll need…

In a large bowl, mix together softened cream cheese, beans, and sour cream until well blended. 

Now add the packet of taco seasoning and mix well.

 

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and spread the bean mix evenly on the bottom.

Now sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the top of the bean mix.  I’ve switched up the cheese combo a few times and while I LOVE the monterrey/cheddar mix, I gotta say that 4 cups of the fiesta taco blend shredded cheese is equally as yummy :)

Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and gooey.  Serve with the chips of your choice.  I LOVE this dip with Frito’s or the Mission round tortilla chips.  SO good!

An easy, warm dip full of way too much cheese?!?!?!  Seriously, people.  What’s not to love?!?!?

RO-tel It On The Mountain

When we moved to our new digs a few weeks ago, I couldn’t wait to get cookin’ in my new-to-me kitchen.  I LOVE our little kitchen.  In particular, the stove that came with it.  It’s got a handy double oven that I’m sure I’ll put to good use when we entertain.  A couple of weeks after we “settled” in {far from it, actually}, I hosted a little family birthday party for my oldest.  We provided all the food and fixin’s and my menu consisted of several new finger foods.  This one called for bacon, cheese, mayo, and Rotel.  The ingredients had me at hello.  And when I took my first bite of these little bits of heaven, it had me singing!  Trust me, you’ll wanna “RO-tel it on the mountain” when you take your first bite, too!

ROTEL CUPS

adapted via kendallboggs.com

3 pkgs. mini fillo shells {in the frozen aisle}

1 can Rotel, drained almost all the way {I used Mild}

1 bag real bacon bits

1 1/2 cups shredded colby & monterrey jack cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

C’mon people.  For an appetizer, it doesn’t get any easier. 

In a large bowl, mix together almost fully drained Rotel, bacon bits, and mayo until blended.

Add in the cheese and stir until mixed.

Now go ahead and fill your shells.  Don’t be too generous with the filling or you’ll end up with lots of unused shells at the end.  And you DON’T want any of them to go to waste!  I filled each with a partially filled tablespoon and then went back and added more to some of the cups that didn’t get their fair share of tastiness. 

Are you worried about the combo of mayo/bacon/cheese/& Rotel?  DON’T!!!!!!!!!!  Just keep goin’.  Pop these in the oven and cook at 350 for about 15-20ish minutes.  They’ll be all golden and bubbly when they’re ready to come out.

Hands down, these little cups are one of my most FAVORITE appetizers ever!!!  They’ve definitely found a permanent place in my app repertoire.  I can’t tell you how tasty they really are!  This recipe made A TON and there wasn’t one leftover by the night’s end.  That was due in part because of my disturbing consumption, but I couldn’t help it…you seriously can’t eat just one…or even 10 for that matter.  Try these out at your next get together and you’ll see why they have me singin’!!!  I’m pretty sure you’ll belt out a little tune, too!

Bite Sized Brilliance

I'm pretty much a fan of anything that's bite-sized.  I'm the girl that hovers over the snack table at parties, shoveling little bite sized pieces of deliciousness into my mouth by the handfuls.  This little number is the perfect little bite-sized dish.  I pretty much think it's the perfect appetizer!  Tacos in a cup?!  That's bite-sized brilliance if you ask me!! {Thank you, Pinterest!}

TACO BITES

Wonton wrappers

1 lb. ground beef, browned

1 pkg. taco seasoning

Toppings {optional}

Cheese

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Sour Cream

Cilantro

Before you do anything, I BEG YOU to spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray.  I foolishly neglected to do so on my first go 'round with these little taco bites and I had to throw away my pan.  Dangit.  Once your pan is all nice and greased, place one wrapper in each cup.

 

Brown meat and drain.  Return to pan and add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.  Scoop a tablespoon of taco meat into each cup.  I went ahead and added cheese to mine before putting them in the oven. 

Bake at 425 for about 8-10 minutes or until wrappers are golden brown around the edges.  Be careful though because those wrappers can burn if you're not paying attention!  I started watching them around the 8 minute mark and then took 'em out around 9{ish} minutes.  I know every oven is different, so just keep your eye on 'em so they don't scorch!!!!

Remove from pan and add toppings as desired!  I served these as an appetizer at one of our recent parties and set out all the toppings so our guests could choose what they wanted....sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, etc.  Whatever the heck you want.  I'm tellin' y'all, these are the PERFECT little bite-sized party food!  And with party season here in full swing, you might wanna add these to your arsenal of goodies....just sayin'.

PS:  If you're thinking these cups look a little scary, you're right.  They're *slightly* burnt, but after a few rounds of cocktails, our party guests didn't seem to notice ;)  Not a crumb left on the plate by the end of the night!

Slide, Slide, Slippety Slide

I hope the tune to Coolio's 1994 hit...Fantastic Voyage...is runnin' through your head right about now. You can thank me for that later ;) Speaking of slide, these ham & cheese sliders that are blowin' up the Pinterest boards are absolutely to die for...a fantastic voyage of flavors if you will.  If y'all can't tell by now, Pinterest is the source of pretty much ALL my recipes these days. I've had these little sliders pinned for a while & couldn't wait to make them. Our little Ugly Sweater Party seemed like the perfect occasion!!! Now, I have to admit that I'm not much of a ham & cheese kinda gal. I prefer turkey or roast beef {especially if I'm dining at Subway}. These little sandwiches were nothing short of amazing, ham and all. If you're on the fence, jump off and don't wait a second longer to make these. They were SO dang easy, too!!!! Easy & tasty all wrapped into one...that's MY kind of recipe!!!!

 

HAM & CHEESE SLIDERS

24 white dinner rolls {I used Sara Lee, in the bread section}

24 slices of ham {I used Boar's Head, cut at the deli}

24 slices of swiss cheese {I used Boar's Head, cut at the deli}

1/3 cup mayo

1/3 cup Miracle Whip

{I definitely think the quality of the ham & cheese will affect the tastiness of this particular recipe, so you *might* want to be a little picky!}

Poppyseed Sauce

1 tbsp. poppyseeds

1&1/2 tbsp. yellow mustard

1 stick butter {half cup}, melted

1 tbsp. minced onion

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

 

First things first. You'll wanna go ahead and slice your dinner rolls in half {crosswise}. This will make things go SO much faster! Mix up the mayo and Miracle whip and spread a little on both the top and bottom of each roll. Now place one slice of cheese and one slice of ham on the bottom of each roll and put the top of the roll on to close 'er up.

Don't forget to make the poppyseed sauce!!! And don't skip on this. This is what makes the slider!!! Whisk together, poppyseeds, mustard, melted butter, minced onion, and worcestershire in a small bowl. You'll want to make sure you place the sliders on a baking sheet with edges and place them real close together all snug as a bug. Take the poppyseed sauce and pour it evenly over all the sliders once they're arranged on the baking sheet nice and tight. Let this sauce sit for about 10 minutes {ish} to give the butter a chance to set.

Cover the sliders with foil and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes {or until cheese is melted}. Uncover and bake for an additional 2-5 minutes or until tops are golden and crispy.

Let me just tell y'all that these are little bite sized pieces of heaven. I think that's saying a lot considering ham & cheese isn't one of my favorite combos. These got RAVE reviews all the way around. This recipe is a definite keeper!! It's the PERFECT party food, but they'd definitely be amazing for lunch or dinner, too. In my opinion, they're best served warm, but they taste pretty dang good when they've had a chance to cool off, too. They even heat up pretty dang well the next day! I made about 3 dozen for our party and we only had a handful leftover at the end of the night. Don't worry, though. I scarfed those down before heading to bed {which might explain my random dreams that night}. With Christmas parties/New Year's/& the Superbowl right around the corner, you'll definitely want to keep this recipe in mind!!!!  Just make sure to have the wet wipes nearby...these little sliders are a little messy!!

Addiction.

I'm *slightly* addicted to bread. I'm not ashamed to admit that I could polish off a loaf in one sitting. Now, I'm not talkin' about Mrs. Baird's {albeit delicious}...I'm talkin' 'bout nice, fresh, WARM rolls of French bread or something of that nature. I'm especially fond of ciabatta with a little olive oil and cracked pepper dip. Salivating right now...I need to move on. Here's another Pinterest find. Any kind of bread that involves cheese, bacon, and butter has to be insanely amazing and this IS. People. Trust me when I tell you that you need to RUN to your store and get these ingredients immediately. Just make sure you have someone to help you eat it...not because you'll need the help, but you just don't need the guilt from consuming the entire loaf all at once. It's called "crack" bread for a reason!!!!

 

CHEDDAR BACON RANCH PULLS {AKA: CRACK BREAD}

1 unsliced loaf of sourdough bread {I used the round loaf...you'll want to also!!}

8-12 oz. cheddar, thinly sliced

3 oz bag Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tbsp. Ranch dressing mix

 

Let's get busy. I don't want y'all wasting any time.....you need this on your taste buds IMMEDIATELY.

First, cut the bread going both directions. You'll need to use a sharp bread knife for this and make sure you DON'T cut through the bottom crust. It should still be in one piece!

Now place the slices of cheese in between the cuts of bread. Then sprinkle the bacon bits on top making sure they fall in between the cuts, too. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter and ranch mix and whisk until blended. Pour the butter/ranch mix over the bread and wrap the entire loaf in foil. Place on a baking sheet {with edges} and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Unwrap and discard foil. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Now place on a platter and dig in...or if you're like me, don't wait for all that and just eat it right off the pan. I need an intervention because I'm seriously addicted. I couldn't step away from the snack table when I made this. I was hovering all night. As glad as I was that our party guests were enjoying the fare, I got a little upset when I'd see them picking at my bread. Now go 'head and getcha some and see what I'm talkin' about!!!

Pinwheel, Pinwheel Spinning Around

Do y'all remember that show Pinwheel that used to air on Nickelodeon back in the day?? That was one of my absolute FAVORITE 80's shows. This recipe has NOTHING to do with that show other than having the word "pinwheel" in it's name. Every time I hear that word, it takes me back to that dang show!! Anyway, these pinwheels are pretty much amazing in every sense of the word...especially if you like savory foods as much as I do!!

CHEESY SAUSAGE PINWHEELS

1 roll of sausage {I used Jimmy Dean, HOT}

1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1 egg, beaten

1 can crescent rolls {I used Pillsbury, original crescents}

 

Now, pretty much anything that comes in crescent form is a winner in my book and this one is no exception. Start by cooking your sausage until brown, then drain. In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Add sausage, asiago, mozzarella, and thyme. Mix well until combined.

Now here's where things can get a little shady. I'm not gonna lie to you. I had one heckuva time putting these together. I let my crescents sit out too dang long so they were all sticky and doughy by the time I had to work with them. Darnit. Place two crescents together to form a rectangle and press seams together so that they don't split apart....seal 'em up real good!

You should have 4 rectangles. Divide the sausage mixture & spread evenly among the 4 crescents. Make sure to leave a 1/4 inch edge on all four sides of the rectangle. You'll want to start with the shortest sides and roll each crescent jelly roll style, pinching the seams to seal. The original recipe said to cut each roll into 6 slices prior to baking. Ummmm...that was a giant disaster, so I stopped before I got too far. I baked 'em jelly roll style and it worked PERFECT.

Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until the crescents are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Once mine were cool enough, I cut each crescent into 6 slices. It worked perfect! infact, I'm pretty sure I'll do this same thing next time I make them!!!

These little pinwheels were a HIT!!!! Aside from my little episode of having to deal with sticky crescent dough, prepping this little number took NO time at all. They were insanely YUM and gone before I really got to dig in. I doubled the recipe to make two batches and had a little bit of filling leftover when it was all said and done. I sure ate that straight from the bowl. My thighs thanked me the next day. Another great party food I can't wait to make again!!!!

A Little Goes A LONG Way

We’ve all heard the old adage, “a little goes a long way”.  As a teacher, I can tell you that’s true…especially when it comes to using glue :)  As a cook, I don’t always abide by the same way of thinking.  In my kitchen, there’s no such thing as a little…the more spice/sugar/butter, the better.  However, when I’m cooking with shrimp, I feel like a little makes a lot.  Instead of buying large shrimp, I like to buy it little.  I just feel like I get a lot more food, even though I know that’s not really the case.  I like to psych myself into believing it’s true.  And when I make myself a plate of food, I always serve myself on a salad plate.  That way it looks like I’m eating more than I really am.  I guess it doesn’t really make a difference whether I serve myself on a salad plate or not…I always go back for seconds, so I’m pretty sure that defeats the purpose!  HA!  This little recipe is the prime example of how a little can go a LONG way :)

CHIPOTLE LIME SOFT TACOS

Chipotle chili in adobo sauce, chopped {I only used one!  Those suckers are H-O-T!!!!}

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp. cumin

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 lime {juice & zest}

2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped

1 lb. shrimp; peeled and deveined

 

CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALSA

3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. white sugar

1/2 tsp. black pepper {I always use coarse ground black pepper}

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1 {15 oz.} can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 {15 oz.} can sweet corn, drained

1 red pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded & diced

2 green onions, diced

 

Alrighty.  There are two recipes because that’s what this dinner calls for.  Trust me when I tell you that you absolutely DO NOT want to skip out on the corn & black bean salsa.  As good as the shrimp turn out, you don’t wanna eat ‘em without the salsa.  Let’s do this.

Here’s what you’ll need for the tacos…

As you can see, I grabbed a pound of the SMALL frozen shrimp.  I seriously felt like I’d get more for my money, I guess?!?!  Whatev.  You can make it with small, medium, or large shrimp…whatever your preference!  And if they’re fresh, even better!!

Now, go ‘head and chop up that chipotle pepper.  Gosh dang…these things bring the HEAT.  For real. Don’t go rubbin’ your eyes after you touch this thing.  I speak from experience.  Ouch.

Now toss the pepper into a bowl and add the olive oil, cumin, brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro.  Mix it up real good and let it marinade for about 20 {ish} minutes.  Then go ahead and add your {thawed} shrimp to this little marinade and let it sit for about another 20 minutes.  Or if you’re like me, and you have ZERO patience, go ahead and throw your shrimp in the marinade as soon as it’s made and let it sit for about 20{ish}. 

If you have a Foreman, pull it out and dust it off.  You’ll learn real fast that I LOVE to use mine.  If you use small/medium shrimp for this recipe, you’ll have no choice.  You’ll HAVE to use the Forman.  But if you’re a big girl, and you aren’t afraid of the BIG grill {the one only my husband is allowed to touch}, then go ahead and get the LARGE shrimp and put ‘em on {soaked} skewers for grillin’.  If you’re takin’ the easy way out and using the Forman, fire it up and get ready to “grill”.  Once it’s nice and hot, throw on your marinated, baby shrimp and let ‘em cook.  It took mine about 4-6 minutes until they were ready.

Right about now, you’re DYING from the smell.  Amazing.  For real.  And if you’re anything like me, you’re sneaking bites straight from the Forman…before they even have a chance to cool off on a plate.

 

Okay, so before you can make your tacos, you’ll need the corn & black bean salsa.  I HIGHLY recommend you make this while your shrimp is marinating.  You’ll want it to be ready to go when  your shrimp come off the grill.  Here’s what you’ll need…

In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, olive oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, and cumin.  Chop up your cilantro, green onion, red pepper, and jalapeno and toss it into a separate, medium bowl.  Now you’ll wanna go ahead and add the corn and black beans to the cilantro/onion/pepper/jalapeno.

Mix it up ‘til it’s nice and pretty and pour the vinegar/olive oil mix on top and stir around ‘til mixed well.

YUM!!!!!!

Now you’ve got your salsa AND your shrimp all ready to go.  Make sure your tortillas {preferably homemade…aka: Kroger flour tortillas made in-store} are nice and heated.  Spread a helping of the corn & black bean salsa down the center of the tortilla and top it with a generous helping of the shrimp.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS??!?!?!  Hands down, one of the BEST shrimp taco recipes I’ve EVER tasted!!!!  It scored a big fat 10+ from Mr. Spouse.  He was all, “I could eat these EVERY night!!!!”  True story!!!  Like I said before, the shrimp are amazing on their own, but the salsa makes the taco.  Don’t skip that part!!  If you don’t wanna spend time chopping and mixing while your shrimp marinades, make the salsa the night before.  You could even make it at the beginning of the week and serve it with several different dishes throughout the week.  You’ll see what I mean when you make it for yourself!!!

Get excited people!!!  Hook yourself up with some chipotle lime soft tacos and get to eatin’!  And go ahead and skip the salad plate.  You’ll wanna serve yourself on a regular sized plate because you’ll be eating A LOT.  And you won’t wanna waste any time stopping to go back into the kitchen to serve yourself seconds/thirds/fourths/whatever.  SO flippin’ YUM!!!!