We are trying to use up food we have in the freezer to get ready for the move to Tennessee (more on that later).  We had some pinto beans in there that I made a while ago and I remembered I tweaked and toned some bean dip recipes to make a killer dip.  So I got it out and decided I wanted to make the bean dip but I also wanted to have a nice table salad with it so we could pick what we wanted to have on top. 

We went to Trader Joe's yesterday and got some avocado, green onions and tomatoes.  I already had some onions to grill, purple onion and black olives so all that became the table salad.

It was tremendous so I wanted to share it with you.

​The recipe is under Apps and Snacks.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Fried Rice is something everyone needs to know how to cook, it's fairly easy and is always a crowd pleaser.  I make it different every time depending on what food I have on hand to put into it.  You need to have rice that is already cooled or else it won't work.  Cut up the veggies ahead of time and you're doing well.  This is a little time consuming but after you do it a couple of times it gets really easy.  You can add any meat you happen to have on hand.

Do Ahead:
1.  Cook the rice and cool.  Needs to be cooled.
2.  Prep the onions and carrots
3.  Scramble the eggs

What You Need:
3-4          c.           Cooked Brown Rice
2             TB         Oil – or less if you want
1                           Onion – Diced
2-3          cl.          Garlic
3                           Carrots – Sliced Diagonally (Or Whatever)
1              c.          Peas or Snow Peas
1             TB         Soy Sauce
1 ½         tsp.        Sesame Oil
3-4                       Eggs – Scrambled

What You Do:
1.  Heat a Wok or large pan big enough to mix stuff around in.
2.  Pour oil in Wok and let get hot.
3.  Add the Onions and cook about 5 min.
4.  Add the Carrots and cook another 5 min. or so
5.  Add the Garlic and Peas and cook another 5 min. or so
6.  Add the Rice, Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil and stir all around.
7.  Add the Scrambled Eggs and then serve.

Here is the link to the Recipe for Fried Rice

Chicken thighs deliver a lot of flavor and the sauce adds just the right amount of punch.   We made this for dinner and fell in love with it.  It is extremely easy and you can serve it over anything you want.  The original sauce called for Hoisin but I didn’t have any so I just substituted with Orange Marmalade ‘cause is sounded good.  And it was.


What You Need:
2          TB        Maple Syrup
3          TB        Hoisin Sauce ( I used Orange Marmalade)
2          TB        Olive Oil
2          TB        Soy Sauce
1 ½      tsp.      Dijon Mustard
1          tsp.      Minced Garlic
½         tsp.      Red Pepper Flakes
2          lbs        Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs
¼          tsp.      Salt
¼          c.         Water
2          TB        Cornstarch or Arrowroot

What You Do:
1.  Whisk the 1st 7 ingredients together
2.  Salt the Chicken and place in slow cooker.  Pour sauce over Chicken.
3.  Cook it on low for 5 hours
4.  Remove Chicken with slotted spoon.  Turn it on high.
5.  Whisk Cornstarch and water and pour into sauce.  Whisk until thickened.
6.  Serve over whatever you want to serve it over


Chicken thighs deliver a lot of flavor and the sauce adds just the right amount of punch.   We made this for dinner and fell in love with it.  It is extremely easy and you can serve it over anything you want.  The original sauce called for Hoisin but I didn’t have any so I just substituted with Orange Marmalade ‘cause is sounded good.  And it was.