roasted corn & poblano salad with lime vinaigrette

Memorial Day cookouts are and should be a summer side dish extravaganza. Pasta salads, potato salads, coleslaw, vegetable platters, chips and salsa, chips and ranch dip, fruit salad, fruit pizza, watermelon... You name it and you will probably find it alongside a hamburger or hotdog this weekend. I got to admit I kinda love that about cookouts. I love taking a bite or two from every dish and trying it.  I love seeing the mix of flavors and foods and colors that guests bring to the table. 

This year, we are heading to a beach house for Memorial Day weekend and I wanted to have a side that wowed my family.  My mom is a pretty fantastic cook and it's hard to impress her, but I'm pretty sure this roasted corn and poblanosalad will do the trick.  Chocked full of veggies and drizzled with a tangy lime vinaigrette, it is the perfect, light side dish to bring to any cookout. Plus, it's served cold, which is kinda perfect for muggy, beach weather.

This really is an easy dish to make.  Roast corn and peppers in the oven.  (The poblano keeps the flavor pretty mild, but if you want some more kick toss in a jalepeno or two.)  Stir in fresh tomoatoes, cilantro, onions, and black beans. Whisk together your dressing and mix it all together. BAM! Impressive, simple, cheap, and the perfect thing to bring to a summer party. 

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Weeknight Wonders: Chipotle Pulled Pork with Tangy Mustard Coleslaw

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day weekend.  We did.  On Thursday, we had a cozy dinner with my mom and on Sunday we had a leisurely after-church brunch with Jason's.  Both were lovely!  We got our moms necklaces from Etsy that said "Grandma".  After the baby is born, we can have the baby's name engraved on a separate little charm.  Fun stuff, and I'm so glad they liked them. :)  I was also very surprised to wake up Sunday to find art supplies and flowers waiting for me from Jason.  Fresh brushes, canvas, and an easel... now I can attempt to paint something for our flat. His parents also got me a gorgeous necklace and my brother, Steve, bought me flowers.  I felt very spoiled and very loved.  I really wasn't thinking of this year as my first mother's day, but I guess it really is.

 Sometimes, it's the little, unexpected things that brighten your week. 

And, sometimes, an unexpected ingredient can transform a recipe.  Dr. Pepper is the secret to crock pot pulled pork. I've tried time and time again to cook pork with bbq sauce, and I think it's cause I'm gone for about 9 hours most days, but every stinking time it ends up burned to a crisp.  Even on low.  Dr. Pepper, however, works like a charm. It keeps the pork moist, juicy, and caramelizes during cooking to lend a sweet, rich flavor to the dish.  It really is a bit surprising, but key to this Chipotle Pulled Pork.  This roast takes about 5 minutes of prep time, cooks for 8 hours, and is absolutely delicious.  It makes a great sandwich, although I have made carnitas with the same recipe before. The smoky chipotle pepper really makes this barbecue a whole different animal... It's different from Carolina BBQ or Texas Brisket, but equally delicious.  

I like to serve it with my mom's tangy mustard coleslaw.  I'm not a big fan of coleslaw, but this one is tart, savory, and light, but not sweet, making it the perfect companion for the smoky bbq sandwiches. Enjoy and I hope you had a lovely weekend! 

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weeknight wonders: chipotle shrimp quinoa bowls

Hello there!  Hope you had a great weekend.  We got sushi (mine was cooked), hung out with family and friends, and worked on the nursery.  We are 23 weeks Wednesday!  I can't even believe how fast this pregnancy is going... I feel like our little love will be here before I know it. More on that later though, right now let's talk dinner.  

Health food should taste incredible if at all possible.  I mean, if your going to eat superfoods like kale and quinoa, don't you want it to taste as good as it is for you?  Thankfully this chipotle marinade makes pretty much makes everything taste AMAZING.  Chicken, shrimp, tofu, steak, veggies... you douse it with this stuff and I'll clean my plate every time.   And these clean burrito bowls are chock full of goodness. Quinoa and shrimp are packed with protein. Quinoa, black beans, and corn provide complex carbs.  And, the avocado is a healthy fat that gives the dish that creamy flavor most burrito bowls need dairy for.  And kale is basically a wonder veggie.

It is so nutrient dense, that a small serving goes a long way.  It really doesn't need a side dish or salad to go with it, which makes it a prefect weeknight meal.  It does take a little prep work.  I usually marinade the shrimp the night before, but the whole meal comes together in about 30 minutes.  Perfection.  If seafood isn't your thing, you can sub chicken.  (See the note at the bottom of the recipe.) Enjoy and happy Monday!! 

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