Food

June 16, 2018 By Jason

French Inspired: Appetizers and Cocktails featuring Pinnacle Vodka

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This post is sponsored by Pinnacle® Vodka

French Inspired: Appetizers and Cocktails featuring Pinnacle® Original Vodka

Ever since my first visit to France many years ago, I have had a slight obsession with the country. My favorite thing to do was just to visit all of the little shops featuring all of my favorite things. The butcher, the cheese shops, the chocolatier and the bread; we truly loved them all and our goal was to bring back a little France with us. We are partnering with Pinnacle® Vodka to host an elegant French-themed party look. They even sent authentic serving pieces from France, traditional snacks and of course, French vodka. We hope that you find inspiration with this French Inspired: Appetizers and Cocktails featuring Pinnacle Vodka post.

About Pinnacle® Vodka

Pinnacle® Vodka is known for their exceptional quality. Created with the finest French ingredients and distilled five times in the Cognac region of France, you get an incredibly smooth and clean taste. Pinnacle® Original Vodka, the most awarded French vodka, has won 19 awards since 2013 (for taste and quality) and is ultimate combination of both value and quality. Pinnacle is truly the most perfect go-to Vodka for parties, special occasions or for everyday.

How to Host a Party Like the French

Short of trotting out some French poodles and getting an Eiffel Tower replica, we want to give you an idea of exactly what you need to host a French themed party without going too overboard.

Take it outside.

The French love to immerse themselves in the outside. A party is instantly elevated by the rustic look and feel of the outdoors.

Less is more.

If you look at parties the French throw, you will notice that place settings and tables are never overdone rather they revel in their simplicity. Keep your decor and the items on your table to a minimum.

Serve small bites.

The French love to nibble on hors d’oeuvres. Rather than having a heavy seated dinner, consider a charcuterie board, delicious French cheeses and fresh baguette breads. Add dips, fruit and nuts for a complete table.

Create a signature drink with Pinnacle® Original Vodka.

That is exactly what we did and our drink is amazing if we do say so ourselves. Check out the recipe below.

Watermelon Refresher Cocktail Recipe with Pinnacle® Original Vodka

Ingredients

3/4 cup cubed watermelon
1 lime
honey
1 1/2 parts Pinnacle® Original Vodka

Directions

Take the watermelon and muddle it well with a wedge of lime in a large glass.
Add about 1/2 teaspoon of honey (or more if you like it sweet).
Add 1 1/2 parts of Pinnacle® Original Vodka (the big side of jigger).
Add Ice and shake well.
Strain, garnish and drink.

What we love about Pinnacle® Original Vodka is that it is the ultimate combination of quality and value, making it our go-to vodka for everyday cocktails or special gatherings with our friends. Pinnacle® Original Vodka’s French heritage, award-winning quality and value make it the perfect go-to Vodka for everyday or

special occasions. We hope that you enjoyed our French Inspired: Appetizers and Cocktails featuring Pinnacle® Vodka post and are inspired to try your hand at French-entertaining. Visit Pinnaclevodka.com to find Pinnacle® Original Vodka near you.

Get social with Pinnacle® Vodka

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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May 15, 2018 By Jason

Rice Krispies Coated Oven Baked Cod Recipe

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Rice Krispies Coated Oven Baked Cod Recipe

Let’s talk fish today. I have the toughest time ever getting my kids to eat fish. They will eat chicken, steak and pretty much anything else but no matter what I do, they never seem impressed enough to eat the fish. I mean they might try it and then eat everything else on their plates but most of the time, my wife and I are the only ones who eat the fish. Enter Rice Krispies. This cereal is a little sweet on its own and it makes your fish taste amazing. You’ll get a delicious, crunchy batter that even the kids love. We did have to tell them it was coated in cereal and once they tried it, they loved it. SCORE! We hope that you enjoy this Rice Krispies Coated Oven Baked Cod Recipe.

Rice Krispies Coated Oven Baked Cod Recipe

Ingredients

2 – 4 Cod fillets, 4 – 6oz
2 c Rice cereal
2 Eggs, whisked
½ tsp Garlic powder
½ tsp Seasoned salt
½ tsp Pepper
1 tsp Thyme, dried
2 tsp Lemon pepper seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 375
Season the fillets with 1 tsp of lemon pepper seasoning and salt, set aside.
In a sandwich bag, place the cereal, along with the garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper, thyme, and remaining lemon pepper seasoning.
With a mallet or the bottom of a heavy glass, crush the cereal into a powder (with some small chunks of cereal remaining)
Dip the fillets into the whisked eggs, and then drop each fillet separately into the crumb mixture. Coat well.
Place all fillets onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Spray the fillets lightly with non stick cooking spray. This helps in the browning process and is optional.
Bake the fillets for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked thoroughly and golden brown.
Enjoy!

We hope that you are inspired to try our Rice Krispies Coated Oven Baked Cod Recipe.

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March 5, 2018 By Jason

Instant Pot maple oatmeal recipe

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Instant Pot maple oatmeal recipe

Oatmeal has got to be one of the heartiest meals that you can make for breakfast. Breakfast is one of my wife’s favorite meals so I am constantly coming up with new recipes and looking for inspiration wherever I can find it. I spend a lot of time making certain that the recipes we choose appeal to all of the people that live in our home including my mother-in-law. My wife keeps oatmeal in the fridge at all times so she has a quick snack. Our kids really love oatmeal as well so whatever I make never lasts for long. We also have tried several different oatmeals. We hope that you enjoy this Instant Pot maple oatmeal recipe post.

Instant Pot maple oatmeal

Oatmeal lovers will love how easy and versatile tis recipe is to make. You can change it around to add your favorite fruit or even add some brown sugar like my wife does. No matter what you do, bookmark this incredibly easy recipe so that you can come back to make it your own.

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned or rolled oats (do not use quick oats)
2 ¼ cups of your favorite milk
¼ cup of pure maple syrup

Directions

Add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot and stir well.
Place the lid on the IP and make sure the vent is set to Sealing.
Select the Manual mode for 6 minutes, the IP will beep when it has finished.
Very carefully cover the vent with a damp cloth and adjust the valve to venting. This will quick release (QR) the rest of the steam. Remove the lid when it unlocks and stir well.
Top with your favorite fruit, seeds, nuts, honey or maple syrup.

We hope that you enjoyed this Instant Pot maple oatmeal recipe post.

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February 5, 2018 By Jason

Slow cooker ginger peach pork recipe

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Slow Cooker Ginger Peach Pork Recipe

If the show This is Us did NOT cause you to throw away your crockpot, then we have an amazing recipe for you. By the way, we will accept all Slow Cooker donations in this because seriously…the Crock Pot rocks. We love it and use it just as much as our Instant Pot. While both appliances have their virtues, there are just times that using a slow cooker is exactly what you need. I am particularly fond of Crockpot cooking because you can easily adjust your recipe at any time by adding more spices, water, wine, etc. The flexibility of slow cooker recipes means that I can change and adapt the recipe to fit my life. I might add a little more spice if it’s just the wife and I because we love spicier food. I can add more fruit because that is what our kids love. We hope that you love this Slow Cooker Ginger Peach Pork Recipe.

Slow Cooker Ginger Peach Pork Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb pork, fat removed and cut into 1” chunks
1 c peach slices, cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp ginger, minced
½ c chicken stock
½ onion, sliced in large pieces and layers separated
½ – 1 c snow peas, ends cut and sliced in half
1 sweet pepper, seeds removed and cut into bite size pieces
½ tsp dried chili flakes
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/8 tsp allspice
as desired salt and pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

Directions

Place pork and chicken broth into the slow cooker bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 4 – 5 hours.
In a small bowl, combine the peaches, chili flakes, cinnamon, brown sugar, vinegar and allspice. Mix well.
Pour that mixture into the slow cooker bowl. Add the onions and sweet peppers. Cook another hour.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water. Add it to the slow cooker bowl with the snow peas. Let it cook and thicken a half hour.
Serve alone or on rice. Enjoy!

Let us know what you think of our Slow Cooker Ginger Peach Pork Recipe.

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January 5, 2018 By Jason

Blueberry cranberry bread recipe

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Blueberry cranberry bread recipe

From our Quick Apple Pull Apart Bread to our Rolled Maple Cinnamon rolls. We are definitely lovers of breads and pastries in this home. You could say that there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for a freshly made pastry. Well within reason, of course. Our middle child is the same way as she loves any and all kinds of bread. We bake a lot around here and our 1968 oven definitely gets a workout some weeks; even more so during the holidays when we make some fun gifts for teachers and friends. Also I really need to brag because pretty much everyone in the house loves baking and we are all pretty good at it. We are always on the lookout for fun, new recipes and this delicious breakfast bed does not disappoint. We hope that you enjoy this Blueberry cranberry bread recipe.

Blueberry cranberry bread recipe

Ingredients

about 2.5 cups frozen organic blueberries
about .5 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
zest from one full lemon (washed first)
1 tablespoon flax seeds (optional)
¾ cup brown or coconut sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
almond milk (optional)
1.5 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Preheat to 340 degrees and grease a bread pan with coconut oil.
Mix 1 tablespoon flax meal (ground flax seeds) with 3 tablespoons almond milk and let sit for about 5-10 minutes. (Or use one egg).
Combine the flax meal, almond milk and let sit. Then stir together the fruit, chia seeds, sugar, vanilla and flax meal mixture. Slowly start to mix in the flour, baking soda and sea salt. Stir only until just combined then transfer into the bread pan.
Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes depending on the size of your pan and how your oven runs. The bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool before
cutting into and enjoying.

We hope that you love our Blueberry cranberry bread recipe.

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December 20, 2017 By Jason

Pork loin rotisserie recipe

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Pork loin rotisserie recipe

I love pork and I love creating recipes that utilize pork. It truly is a utilitarian meat because it works so well in many different ways. Think about it. Pork works with so many flavor profiles. BBQ? BBQ ribs? Not a problem. Or maybe you are looking for a nice, juicy cut that features herbs? Maybe earthy flavors are your thing? How about spicy? Sweet? It doesn’t matter, pork does it all, and it does it well. I mean, can you even imagine a world without bacon? I shudder at the thought (must go to my happy space). One of my favorite ways to enjoy pork is this recipe right here. Tender pork loin is marinated in honey and fresh thyme, and the cooked rotisserie style with a grill. It truly is to die for…well, don’t actually do that. But it is quite good. We hope that you love this Pork loin rotisserie recipe.

Pork loin rotisserie recipe

Ingredients

Two pork loins
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon raw honey
1-2 teaspoons thyme
sea salt and pepper to preference

Directions

The night before planning to cook this I like to marinade the loins in a mixture of the honey, olive oil, thyme, sea salt and pepper.
When ready to cook, heat the grill to about 425 degrees or medium heat. Carefully place the pork loins in the rotisserie basket and turn on. Cook until the meat hits 145 to 160 degrees, you can decide what the best fit is for you. (USDA recommends 160 degrees though most chefs note 145 is ideal for a fully cooked and moist pork loin).
Very carefully remove from the grill and basket, lightly cover with tin foil and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
The honey caramelizes and you get a tinge of sweet and savory at the same time, perfect year round dish! We enjoyed this with steamed broccoli and sautéed summer squash.

We hope that you love this Pork loin rotisserie recipe. Bon apetit!

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November 20, 2017 By Jason

Instant Pot white bean chicken chili recipe

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Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili

Chili is one of our favorite winter meals and in fact, we tend to make a lot of thick, hearty soups around here because they are pretty easy and come together quickly. The kids love soup and so does my mother in law. I love that I can make extra and keep it in the fridge for snacks or last minute dinners. Sometimes the kids even heat up the soup and take it for lunch. I can make fresh bread and serve it with the chili as well or just grab some of our favorite Sister Schuberts rolls. The beauty of the Instant Pot is how quickly you can make absolutely anything. While I still love my crockpot, our slow cooker days of the winter might be coming to end because of the quickness and versatility of the InstantPot. We hope that you love our Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe.

Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients

1.5 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
5 cups chicken broth
2 tsp garlic
½ medium onion, diced
2 cups romano beans
15 oz white beans (navy or white kidney beans)
4 oz green chilies
1 – 2 tsp chili powder, (to your taste)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
salt and pepper as desired

Directions

Put all ingredients into the Instant Pot except the beans, cornstarch and water.
Press the manual button and adjust it for 13 minutes
After cook time is finished, do a quick release and remove the lid when the pin falls back into place.
Remove the chicken and shred it completely. Add it back to the pot, along with all the beans and the slurry of cornstarch and water.
Taste for salt and pepper seasoning at this point. Adjust if necessary.
Press “saute” and let it simmer for 15 minutes to thicken.

Serve with rolls or rustic bread. Enjoy!

Do you really not have an Instant Pot yet? Grab yours today!

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October 20, 2017 By Jason

Braised chicken drumsticks recipe

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Braised Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

For the longest time, if you weren’t eating white meat chicken, there was something wrong with you. I remember thinking people were crazy because drumsticks were so insanely delicious and very versatile. As long as you fully cook the chicken, the key is a good sauce or recipe to truly make it into a meal. I absolutely love making recipes using thighs, breasts and wings along with these drumsticks. You could say that I am an equal opportunity chicken lover. We hope that you love this Braised Chicken Drumsticks Recipe as much as we do.

Braised Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

Ingredients

Braised drumsticks
2 pounds quality chicken drumsticks
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1 large winter radish (or if not using, add in more pepper)
zest from half a lemon
dash of paprika
¼ cup smoky barbeque sauce
1.5 cups chicken stock (we used homemade that was still a little bit frozen, that is what looks a pinch
slushy in the third image-but store bought definitely works)

Directions

Coat the drumsticks with the salt, pepper, zest and paprika then place in the Dutch oven and chill for a few hours. Allow the Dutch oven to come back to room temp before heating it up-or chill the chicken in a separate dish/bag.
Wash the winter radish and slice into ¼ inch thick rounds, set into the dish around the chicken.
Add the liquid to the Dutch oven and give a quick mix.
Cook on low for about 1.5 hours or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
At this point, carefully remove the chicken and place on a tin foil lined tray.
Leave the liquid in the Dutch oven and turn the heat up to high, reduce the liquid by at least half then pour over the drumsticks. Broil for just a couple minutes to crisp up the outsides.

NOTE: This was a great dinner but could also be a fantastic appetizer.

If you need to buy chicken, consider Zaycon Fresh where you can use promo code NEW22 to save 22% off your FIRST order or use promo code FIRST25 to save $25 off your FIRST order of $99.

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August 22, 2017 By Jason

Instant Pot chicken turnovers recipe

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Instant Pot chicken turnovers recipe

This is one of the best uses of chicken or leftover chicken. Everyone in my family loves chicken and it is always our go to when meal planning for the week. The kids are just as involved in our meal planning and chicken is their favorite as well. Plan to follow our classic Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe here to cook the chicken and then the steps below for the turnovers. We hope that you love our Instant Pot chicken turnovers recipe.

Instant Pot chicken turnovers recipe

Ingredients

a 3 pound whole chicken, all natural and organic if available
4-6 carrots
1 medium-large onion
a few cloves of garlic
fresh thyme the more the merrier
salt and pepper to taste
6 to 8 ounces of cream cheese or similar alternative spread (to your preference)
2 boxes of your favorite pre made pie crust (so 4 rolled dough pieces total)

Directions

Cook the chicken and vegetables according to our post here.
When the chicken is completely done and has cooled enough to handle, remove from the bones and place in your stand mixer along with as many onions as you can scoop out, a few tender carrots and the cream cheese. Turn the mixer to medium speed to quickly shred the chicken and combine the ingredients.
Pre head the oven to 375 degrees and roll out the pie crust. We used a 3.5 inch cookie cutter to make tops and bottoms for the turnovers. Put some of the chicken filling into the center of half of the circles and, top with a second piece of dough. Press the edges closed with a fork, poke a few holes in the top to release steam. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes. The final cook time will completely depend on the size of your turn overs and temperature of your oven so keep a close eye on the first batch to know how long to set the timer for on the remaining trays.
These are fantastic out of the oven or can be wrapped in tinfoil and will freeze incredibly well and make for a perfect last minute lunch option! We tend to make larger batches to make sure we have some on hand. We hope that you loved our Instant Pot chicken turnovers recipe.

Get your own Instant Pot here.

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July 24, 2017 By Jason

13 Steak Recipes

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13 Steak Recipes

So there is no question around here that we are meat lovers. I am a carnivore through and through. In fact, it’s not really a meal to me unless meat is involved and I know a lot of people who feel the exact same way. Are you looking for easy steak recipes? These grilled steak recipes include several simple steak recipes and ribeye steak recipes. Meat really makes a meal. More often than not, the meat I serve is steak. It’s one of my favorites and it is so incredibly versatile that you could eat steak every single night of the week and never have the same thing twice. We hope that you love these 13 Steak Recipes.

13 Steak Recipes

1. Italian Stuffed Flank Steak
2. Savory Skillet Steak Sandwiches
3. Parmesan Steak N Shrimp Recipe
4. Tuscan Steak with Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
5. Creamy Steak and Potatoes Crockpot Recipe
6. Fall Off the Fork Tender Swiss Steak
7. Orange Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls
8. Stuffed Baked Steak
9. Healthy Steak Stir Fry
10. Slow Cooker Cheese Steak Recipe
11. Apricot Glazed Steak Recipe
12. Cast Iron Steak Recipe
13. Pepper Steak Recipe

Got knives? Now that you have the best steak recipes, don’t use those dull butter knives that some relative passed down when you got your new place. Don’t treat steak like that. Get this great starter set of steak knives or if you are the “go big or go home” type, get these amazing steak knives for foodies. All steak enthusiasts need a good cast iron skillet to start so get yourself one asap.

Do you know how to cook steak and shrimp in the oven or steak and potatoes in oven or why put butter on steak? When cooking, next time try a beef steak marinade, steak bites dipping sauce, beef steak marinade, grilled steak marinades and more. We hope that you love these easy steak recipes on the stove and are inspired by these 13 Steak Recipes to make a tasty steak dinner. Happy grilling!

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