meat and seafood

31 Quick Dinner Ideas for Easy Summer Nights

This list of 31 quick dinner ideas will have you in and out of the kitchen (or manning the grill) with plenty of time left to chill out on any hot summer night of the week.

Hello August = Hello end of summer. Please! Say it isn’t so!

There’s no time in what’s left of the quickly dissipating summer schedule for cooking all day in the kitchen. Suntans still need to be worked on. Outdoor activities must be conquered. So with summer readying to sing it’s swan song, laid back summer eats are what’s called for now.

But what should you make for dinner on a hot summer night? Make it real, make it good, and make it happen fast.

This list of 31 favorite summer dinner recipe ideas will put the savor in your last days of summer. So sit back, relax, and chill out with these easy seasonal summer eats.

continue to the recipe… about 31 Quick Dinner Ideas for Easy Summer Nights

BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

This creamy, easy pasta salad recipe is loaded with tomatoes, arugula, and avocado, plus crispy bacon that’s all topped with a super simple Ranch-style dressing made healthier with a combo of Greek yogurt and mayo.

You could say my collection of pasta salad recipes here on the blog are my children, and just like any mother of kids, it’s nearly impossible to choose just one as my most favorite. But, if you’re a fan of a creamy pasta salad, or an ultra easy-to-make pasta salad that’s loaded with healthier goodness (plus bacon!), this avocado and bacon pasta salad is for you.

Once the garden tomatoes come into harvest, BLT sandwiches are a staple at our house. And the only thing that makes them even better is adding avocado for them to become BLATs. Bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwiches that are now a BBQ pasta salad staple.

So when my daughter requested I make a pasta salad that included her beloved bacon in the BLT mix, avocado was an obvious addition to make.

continue to the recipe… about BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil bring summertime flavors to a classic dinner of Shrimp Scampi Pasta.

Fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil. Three ingredients that magically transform into very special recipes when a few simple additions are made. Add toasted bread and you have Bruschetta. Add mozzarella and you’ve just made a classic caprese. This recipe for shrimp scampi pasta takes those simple, classic flavors and with a twirl of a fork wrapped around slinky angel hair pasta puts the fresh taste of summer smack dab on your dinner table.

When the summer temps hit 95 degrees and up, as they do from July through August since I live in the desert mountains of the West, you won’t usually find me in the kitchen cooking over a hot pot on the stove. I’m much more of a grill girl when it comes down to dinnertime in the summertime.

Correction: I’m much more of a watching my guy grill when it comes to dinnertime. That’s why if we’re having shrimp, it’s usually been seasoned and skewered and lit up on the charcoals. But a summer of grilling isn’t always what I’m craving when I’m chilling.

The essence of summer was what I was craving when I saw shrimp at the grocery store and had a bunch of ripe tomatoes on my counter. Toss in some fresh chopped garlic, a handful of basil from the garden and I was on my way to a summer dinner wonderland.

I made this with low-carb pasta, which requires less time to cook than traditional pasta, making it an even quicker cook than usual. Getting me out of the kitchen and back to summertime chilling.continue to the recipe… about Shrimp Scampi Pasta

German Potato Salad

Hot red potatoes dressed in a warm bacon, mustard and vinegar dressing are what make this traditional German potato salad a family favorite.

I can taste the pucker now. It’s the telltale sign of the ultimate German potato salad. That vinegar punch mixed with spunky, grainy mustard in a bacon-studded dressing. The unexpected zing that makes me wonder who could possibly pass up a mayo-less ‘tater salad?

Not this German girl.

Although when I just asked Smudge her opinion on which photo to use as the main for this post, she said, “That’s potato salad? I didn’t know it was potato salad when we have it. I always thought it was just hot cooked potatoes.”

I suppose hot potato salad served in a frying pan threw her for a BBQ-side-dish-loop. Surprise is good for her. And for all of us when it comes to giving traditional dishes a try. Leave it to the Germans who originated Christmas, Legos, Nutella and the VW bug to hand down yet another classic.continue to the recipe… about German Potato Salad

How to Make the Best Chimichurri Sauce

This Argentinian chimichurri sauce is a fresh parsley and cilantro salsa that gives grilled steak, chicken, fish and vegetables a garlicky kick.

Firing up the grill is a summer habit I’ll never get enough of. The smokey flavor and char of any protein or veg is something I crave all year long. But I also crave the tangy ying to grilling’s savory yang, which is why I totally dig a zesty, herb-infused chimichurri sauce.

Adding flavor to foods that hit the hot grill grates is usually accomplished with marinades like this versatile Greek marinade or adding a simple spiced dry rub. But when I want to keep things super simple, my secret to the best flavor bomb is adding loads of that favorite vinegar/garlic/herb flavor AFTER simply grilling my steak, chicken, pork, fish or vegetables.

And that’s when I am very generous with spoonfuls of classic chimichurri sauce.continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Chimichurri Sauce

The Secret to Grilled Baby Back Ribs

The trick to making perfect grilled baby back ribs every time is to cook them low and slow in the oven before grilling them. Trust me, it works!

The Best Grilled Ribs Recipe

This weekend we’re packing the coolers, loading up the truck with big boy toys and heading out of town with friends to the mountains. It’s one of our favorite weekends filled with deep breaths in the stunning outdoors, leisurely morning coffee time on the aspen tree-lined deck, and way too much laughter. More than most could possibly bear.

After all, we’re a funny and sarcastic group. Or at least we think so.

Besides hanging, hiking, and harassing, it’s the perfect occasion to get together and cook. Our grocery list takes precedence over the contents of our weekend-packed bags. Memorial day calls for chillin’ and grillin’ and nothin’ says grillin’ like RIBS!

My husband has spent many a day trying various methods to create the most succulent pork baby back ribs to suckle and savor upon. So what’s his big secret?

Take them to the oven before they ever hit the fire. Most think baby back ribs need to be cooked over an open grilled flame, but using the grill as a finishing agent instead of your main cooker is the key.

We season then refrigerate, and bake the ribs low and slow until its time for an introduction to the open flame. Sounds like most dating gigs right?

What’s in Grilled Baby Back Ribs?

This grilled ribs recipe requires a handful of ingredients, many of which are spices. The key ingredients are the pork ribs, apple cider, barbecue sauce, and the pork rib rub.

This pork rub is from my brother-in-law, a Virginian cum Texan with a penchant and passion for grilling and smoking. We first tasted this pork rib rub over Easter two years ago and it’s been a go-to for us ever since. I think my husband dreams of this rub as he covets my brother-in-law’s ultimate smoker.

How to Cook Ribs on the Grill

If you’ve never grilled ribs before, don’t be scared! It’s a straightforward process anyone can master. Simply whisk together the homemade pork rub and rub it liberally over the surface of the ribs. Refrigerate the ribs for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Once the ribs have chilled, place them on a high edged baking sheet that’s been lined with a wire rack. Pour 1 cup of apple cider into the baking sheet and bake the ribs low and slow for 90 minutes. Add more apple cider to the ribs and bake for another 90 minutes before grilling them.

You’ll need to grill the ribs over medium-high heat for roughly 10 minutes per side. Remember: you’re just looking to get some color on them, they don’t need to cook any longer.

Can I Use Pork Spare Ribs Instead?

Most likely, yes. Pork spare ribs aren’t as thick as baby back ribs, so you may need to reduce the amount of time the ribs are in the oven. You’ll know the ribs are ready to be grilled when the meat easily pulls away from the bones.

What Barbecue Sauce Should I Use?

You can use your favorite barbecue sauce in this recipe. It doesn’t matter what style of barbecue sauce it is as long as you love the taste! If you’re itching to make your own barbecue, try making my Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce.

Tips for Making Ribs on the Grill

Make sure you’re using apple cider and NOT apple cider vinegar for this grilled ribs recipe. You want non-alcoholic cider that hasn’t been flavored with cinnamon or other spices.

It’s also important that you place a wire rack in the baking sheet, as you want some of the fat to drip off the ribs. Plus, you don’t want them cooking directly in the apple cider.

Finally, when grilling the ribs, heat them on the grill first, then baste with sauce. If you add the sauce too early you’ll be sure to end up with blackened crusty outtards thanks to the potential for burning the sugar in the barbecue sauce rather than the savory and delicious variety we all crave.

More Easy Grilling Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.

4.6 from 20 votes

Grilled Baby Back Ribs

The trick to making perfect grilled baby back ribs every time is to cook them low and slow in the oven before grilling them. Trust me, it works!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled ribs, ribs

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 20 minutes

Chill Time 4 hours

Total Time 7 hours 25 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

4 racks baby back pork ribs 9 to 12 pounds
2 cups apple cider*
¼ cup sweet paprika
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons pepper
1 tablespoon chile powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons celery salt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Your favorite barbeque sauce

Instructions

Combine all dry ingredients and generously rub over surface of ribs. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place room temperature ribs on high edged baking sheet lined with wire rack. Pour 1 cup apple cider in baking sheet, place ribs on rack and cook for 1 ½ hours. Add another 1 cup cider and cook for another 1 ½ hours or until meat pulls apart from bones.
Preheat grill to medium high. Grill ribs for 7-10 minutes each side, basting with barbeque sauce. Remove and serve.

Recipe Notes

*Make sure you're using apple cider and NOT apple cider vinegar for this grilled ribs recipe. You want non-alcoholic cider that hasn't been flavored with cinnamon or other spices.
Recipe from Ardie Davis and Paul Kirk

Summer Side Dishes to Make

Ribs, they’re the main event, right? But we all need a little somethin’ extra to complement the Q. Here’s a complete Q-fest menu, ready to be prepped, rattled and rolled into your awaiting belly.

Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Filled with herbs, veggies, and grilled shrimp, these fresh shrimp spring rolls take some patience to assemble, but they’re so flavorful!

One of the things I’ve read in self-help business books, absorbed from my favorite podcasts and basically just learned along the way of life is that the most successful people are the ones who delegate.

Delegation = Getting Shit Done.

Once upon a time I fancied myself a great delegator. I could look at a situation, see the vision of what needed to get done, figure out the most efficient path to achieve it and direct the peeps in my camp to go forth and prosper. But lately, I feel like I’ve lost my knack in finding the track. And it’s left me feeling a little defeated and floundering like a fish out of water.

That said, my husband will still say I’m bossy. I prefer to call it delegating to others by educating them in my view of efficiencies. Okay, I admit it, I’m a nag. So why is it so hard to let others help? To not just do it all yourself? To share those details you’ve learned in the school of hard knocks? Hey, it’s okay to stop being the martyr!

One of the best and worst parts of working as a solopreneur behind the curtain of a 27-inch HD computer screen is exactly that: you work by yourself. You do the drudge work, you own the good with the bad.

But you can also find yourself reverting to that 6-year-old who has to learn how to share—all over again. Because when you share, good things happen.continue to the recipe… about Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Salad

A fresh and flavorful Mediterranean tomato salad serves as a salsa when it tops juicy grilled pork chops for a 30-minute, quick and easy dinner or BBQ meal.

It’s finally summer, so who wants to spend all day cooking? Not it. Who’s ready for fast and easy? #raisinghand

One of my favorite secrets to easy, flavorful cooking is to take a basic cooking method and dress it up with a fresh and easy recipe topper. Have you tried my Mediterranean grilled balsamic chicken with olive tapenade? Or marinated flank steak with Asian chimichurri sauce? They’re prime examples of easy to create flavor, just like this fast pork chop recipe you’ll soon be making all summer long.

Does this recipe look somewhat familiar? I hope so! Last week I shared my husband’s mastered and always juicy grilled pork chops plus this recipe for a super simple Mediterranean tomato salad. Today I’m sharing how to make two small tweaks and marry the two.

Together they create one healthy and delicious summer dinner that can be prepped ahead or made on the fly, for a dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes.

This summer is shaping up to be the best flavored yet. Let’s go!

continue to the recipe… about Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Salad

The Best Juicy Grilled Pork Chops

Lean grilled pork chops come out juicy and tender every time thanks to a simple sprinkling of pork dry rub for a dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes.

Pork chops have long been known as a working man’s meal. They’re economical, lean and healthy, and cook up quick. They also have a history of coming to the dinner table dry as shoe leather.

But no more! Today is the day to banish that belief because tough, dried out pork chops are about to be expelled from your vocabulary.

My husband has made these simple grilled pork chops so many times he’s figured out the secrets. Whether bone-in or boneless, these pork chops turn out tender, juicy, a little bit smokey, and far from any mode of foot fashion.

Even better, these grilled pork chops don’t need a marinade or a brine, so they go from package to grill to dinner in 30 minutes.

Here’s how to make juicy grilled pork chops every time. continue to the recipe… about The Best Juicy Grilled Pork Chops

Memorial Day Recipe Ideas: Here’s What I’m Cooking

Celebrate the beginning of summer and Memorial Day weekend with a few favorite recipes made especially delicious when shared with friends and family.

Hello and happy Saturday!

3-day weekends bring on all of the desires of wanderlust, relaxation, and deciding what’s on the menu.

I was on a phone call with a client yesterday. After talking shop I couldn’t wrap things up before asking the most pressing question of our whole conversation: What are you cooking for Memorial Day?

His answer was unexpected of sorts, and a reminder of why we’ve come to celebrate this 3-day weekend with food. “Meat. Lots of meat.” He was joining his wife’s family at his father-in-law’s home where every year for Memorial Day they celebrate the life of her brother who was killed in action. He explained more, “My father-in-law spends days preparing and grilling so much meat for 40-50 people. I don’t know how he does it every year, but it’s important to him that he does.”

Memorial Day is a special holiday where we shouldn’t forget the real reason it was established: to honor our fallen patriots. And like so many traditions, it’s food that brings us together to do so. And so with a very grateful heart and a full stomach, we salute you and the families who’ve loved and lost.

continue to the recipe… about Memorial Day Recipe Ideas: Here’s What I’m Cooking

How to Make the Best Grilled Salmon

Follow these easy grilling tips for the best simple grilled salmon recipe that’s about to become your new favorite healthy summertime dinner.

This recipe is brought to you by Weber Grills

There may not be another summertime recipe that hits our grill more often than this one, and that alone has made my husband the master of his domaine: cooking salmon on the grill.

My main man GDawg (aka my husband) has years of experience perfecting the recipe for grilling a simple, bare-bones salmon. Although to be honest, it isn’t as much a recipe as it is method. Either which way, this salmon truly is the best because it’s easy, fast, healthy and flavorful.

No matter what skill level of griller you claim to be, my man’s tips make it easy to take command of the charcoal and serve up a moist and silky salmon dinner that won’t turn chalky and overcooked or leave half your fillet stuck to the grill.

Here’s how he does it.continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Grilled Salmon

How to Make the Best Tartar Sauce

This homemade tartar sauce recipe with capers, mayonnaise, and a splashy tang of pickle juice is the perfect topper—and dipper—for fish fillets of every flavor.

A naked fish fillet is exactly that: naked. Whether it’s a healthy-ish fried fish sandwich, every kid-at-heart’s favorite fish stick, or a more adult-ish grilled salmon fillet, fish is meant to have a saucy topper, and there’s no more classic a dipping sauce for fish than a tangy tartar sauce.

I’ve shared plenty of times here on the blog that my husband and I met as servers at a seafood restaurant. You could say our fate was sealed while falling in love with each other and the best clam chowder, steamed clams, and tartar sauce we dished out daily to the hungry crowds.

This tartar sauce recipe is the same they still serve at our old stomping grounds of Market Street Grill, and it’s the one we find ourselves lavishing on fish dinners time and time again. continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Tartar Sauce

31 Plant-Based Recipes That Aren’t Salads

There’s no need to go fully vegan or vegetarian to take advantage of the benefits of a plant-based diet, and there’s no better time than now to start adding more of them into your diet with gusto.

The two main reasons we as humans eat are a) for health and b) for taste. Food is what makes life possible, and that much better, and so much more tasty and delicious.

But eating for health doesn’t have to mean sacrificing all of the things that make food so enjoyable. But with so many popular elimination diets out there right now (that often contradict each other), balancing this issue can seem complicated.

But it doesn’t have to be!

continue to the recipe… about 31 Plant-Based Recipes That Aren’t Salads

10 Ways to Waste Less and Save Money at the Grocery Store

These 10 helpful tips for how to grocery shop smarter will not only save money, but waste less food at home so you’ll eat healthier too.

This post is sponsored by Kroger

I hate wasting food and yet I do it almost every week. I’m one of those shoppers who has grand aspirations to cook every meal, and then life gets in the way, plans change, and I don’t. I see my veggies languish in the crisper or watch bread go moldy in the pantry. I’m guilty of buying too much and not using what I have.

If you’re like me, you’re probably asking how can I spend less money and shop smarter at the grocery store? It starts by answering the question, how can I stop wasting food?

That’s why I’m changing my food wasting ways by thinking about the end result first, before I even start my grocery shopping.continue to the recipe… about 10 Ways to Waste Less and Save Money at the Grocery Store

How to Serve a DIY Bagels and Lox Brunch Bar

Wondering what to serve a crowd at your next party? Make it easy on the hostess with this breakfast and brunch buffet idea: Serve a DIY bagels and lox brunch bar.

Last year when my niece Chandler announced she was engaged, I knew I wanted to host a bridal shower for her. With her wedding date set for early May, coming up with spring shower ideas would be perfect timing.

So this past weekend with 20 to 30 guests arriving for her bridal shower party (why doesn’t anyone RSVP anymore???) something totally unexpected happened, and it pretty much blew my mind.

For probably the first time in my hostessing career, I didn’t freak the freak out while prepping for the party.

Why didn’t I have my usual pre-party hostessing melt down? Because you guys convinced me to make it easy on myself and create a build your own bagel and lox brunch bar as the centerpiece of our day.continue to the recipe… about How to Serve a DIY Bagels and Lox Brunch Bar

31 Spring Chicken Recipes to Make Now

Seasonal ingredients and fresh flavors have arrived on the spring scene to liven up any weeknight chicken dinner recipe situation.

It’s spring! With the warming sun begging for baskers to break out of the house and go to the park and play, who wants to be inside cooking all day? Cooking a full-blown, multi-course dinner can be a challenge to fit into spring’s busy days when soccer practices, kite flying, and garden-prepping take center stage.

If there’s one request I get time and time again, it’s for new recipe ideas using everyone’s favorite protein staple, the almighty chicken. Just like your favorite basic white t-shirts, you can never have too many simple-to-prep chicken dinner recipes on hand. continue to the recipe… about 31 Spring Chicken Recipes to Make Now

Breakfast Tacos Recipe

Shredded beef, sweet peppers and scrambled eggs make this breakfast tacos recipe a family favorite for breakfast, brunch or brinner in under 30 minutes.

This recipe post is sponsored by the makers of HORMEL^® Taco Meats because we all have #TacoGoals, and this is one of the easiest ways to meet them.

If you’re a regular follower of the blog, you know I’m a fan of scratch cooking. But sometimes reality takes over. Life gets in the way. And when my man and my Smudge decide in the afternoon that tacos sure would fit tonight’s meal-ticket-bill, making a whole roast to serve our shredded taco cravings is simply out of the question.

But it doesn’t have to be. In fact, when Hormel Foods asked me to create a recipe using their shredded beef taco meat, I discovered it can actually be quite simple to meet our taco goals.

My husband is a Mexican food fanatic. If Taco Bell had frequent flier miles, by now we’d probably have been able to fly to Europe and back. That’s a lot of burrito supremes with crispy beef taco(s) on the side.

So today we’re curing all of our cravings and making tacos for breakfast, or better yet, let’s make them for brinner. Olé!

There’s nothing quite like shaking things up at dinner and serving breakfast instead. My dad used to do this when we were kids and he was in charge of dinner. That’s when we had Grandma’s Eggs. They’re still a favorite around here.

So breakfast tacos with eggs, beef and beans are a natural transition from breakfast to dinner for us. And this one is ready in under 30 minutes.

My husband doesn’t limit his Mexican addiction to the standards, and one of his favorite meals is a machaca burrito. This breakfast taco recipe is our riff on that Mexican classic beef of shredded beef with sautéed peppers and onions, but in taco form. Personally I prefer the taco version because I’m far more at ease eating one manageable taco, instead of half of a burrito the size of my head.

Let’s keep things in reality. In under 30 minutes. Check!

continue to the recipe… about Breakfast Tacos Recipe

Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Peas

This healthy recipe for pasta with turkey sausage and peas makes a fast Italian skillet dinner for any night of the week.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

My dad loves sausage. My husband loves sausage. I love sausage. What is it about the comforting flavors of sausage and pasta that feels like a big family hug in a bowl?

But sometimes that big sausage-ey hug can feel a little too tight, a little too snug; just like my jeans. That’s why I’m lightening things up where I can and making small changes toward a healthier diet. For me, my husband, my dad, and you.

Subbing ground turkey for pork sausage is an easy switch to make, and it’s one that’s not even noticed because I have the secret to losing the fat but keeping all the flavor, and it’s all thanks to adding the same herbs and spices to ground turkey that make regular sausage taste so good.continue to the recipe… about Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Peas

Slow Cooker + Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

You can cook it fast or cook it slow, but either way this corned beef and cabbage creates tender, fall-apart chunks of beef thanks to braising it in the crock pot or Instant Pot with beer and vegetables for an unbelievably easy and delicious one-pot dinner.

When asked whether corned beef is actually good for you, I say it may not be something to eat each and every day of the year, but I feel it’s totally fine when you eat it just like everything else you should—say it with me—in moderation!

But is corned beef actually Irish or not? Sure it’s traditionally served in the U.S. each and every St. Patrick’s Day and while you won’t likely find it served at the local pub in Ireland, it IS Irish-American.

I make corned beef and cabbage every single year around St. Patrick’s Day. Because like many of you, it’s a tradition that just can’t be ignored. It’s a ritual. And I’m good with that.

In fact I will cook a whole corned beef just so I can make my favorite Reuben sandwiches loaded with sauerkraut, that delicious sauce and melted cheese piled high on grilled rye bread, because seriously…who can say no to a killer reuben??

continue to the recipe… about Slow Cooker + Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

30+ Lucky St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

Sometimes hearty, sometimes boozy, whipping up St. Patrick’s Day recipes is the perfect excuse to gather friends for a potluck, brunch, and yes, even if you’re in the mood for easy green food ideas.

There are many reasons traditional St. Patrick’s Day recipes are so beloved. If you’re wondering what to serve or how the Irish actually celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, this list of recipes has you clovered. (See what I did there?)

There’s always my classic slow cooker corned beef and cabbage for the main meal or 20 different stout recipes for dessert, but don’t leave out these fun Irish brunch ideas below like potato pancakes to whiskey ice cream for dessert, and find the lucky dish to make your day complete.

continue to the recipe… about 30+ Lucky St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice

This easy Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice dinner has just the right amount of spice from jalapeño and ginger to flavor this creamy coconut sauce for a simple all-in-on meal.

Thai Comfort Food: Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice

“Make it with extra sauce!” my husband always says.

Those are the words I hear ringing in my ears every time I cook any of my Thai recipes made with coconut milk like Shrimp in Thai Coconut Sauce or Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup. He’s a saucy kind of guy and simply can’t get enough of the Thai flavor-infused coconut flavors. And since every month those two recipes are in the top 10 recipes readers make from my site, it’s obvious you love them too.

The sauce is one reason why this creamy ginger and coconut chicken recipe has been a favorite of ours literally for years. I originally tore it out of a 2006 issue of Real Simple magazine, and like any magazine addict who also has a penchant for ~~saving~~ hoarding, I’ve kept it all these years.

The recipe page is now a little kitchen war-torn and splattered so it was high time to add it to the blog so I could refer to it more easily. See, this blog isn’t just a place for me to make recipes for you, it’s a place for me to keep track of my many favorites.

And hopefully like this Thai chicken recipe, you’ll love ’em and make them all as much too.continue to the recipe… about Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice

15 Air Fryer Recipes to Try Right Now

If you’re wondering if the air fryer is worth it and hesitant to jump on the trend, this list of 15 air fryer recipes proves this cooking appliance is more than just a lot of hot air for making fried food without the added fat.

Every now and then new kitchen appliances come out that promise to make our lives easier, only to get used twice and put into storage. I’m finding this isn’t the case with my air fryer.

The air fryer is a great option for anyone who craves the crispness of french fries, chicken nuggets, and melty crisped mozzarella sticks but wants to avoid the guilt and calories from the extra oil and fat the deep fryer or seems to sadly miss the mark when baked in the oven.

But, there’s even more reasons to hop onto the air fryer oil-less cooking trend.continue to the recipe… about 15 Air Fryer Recipes to Try Right Now

Garlic and Herb Rub Pork Tenderloin

Fast dinners don’t come together much quicker than this garlic and herb rubbed pork tenderloin recipe that’s seared on the stove then finished in the oven for a lean and juicy main dish cooked in just 30 minutes.

How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

Low-fat and healthful meals are my jam. And when they’re simple to prep with minimal steps to follow or time to allow, it’s even easier to add them to my weeknight recipe rotation.

This pork tenderloin is the latest addition to my stash of dinners that can be ready in a flash and fits right in with my love of flavors in the Mediterranean diet where pork can become the main protein.

The other bonus of this recipe is it leads a double life of looking a whole lot fancier than it its humble roots, making it a reliable recipe to prepare for a party of two or twelve.

So who’s ready for dinner? Let’s cook.continue to the recipe… about Garlic and Herb Rub Pork Tenderloin

10-Minute Maple-Crusted Salmon

In this maple glazed salmon, a spicy sweet rub tops salmon fillets that are broiled then drizzled with maple syrup to create a caramelized crust for a healthy, easy dinner ready in under 10 minutes.

Featuring a lifestyle that’s a little bit healthy with a whole lot of clean eating, we’ve been smitten with the pint-sized Boston blogger Lexi Kornblum of Lexi’s Clean Kitchen ever since we enjoyed a girls weekend in her hometown of Boston, MA where we were immediately drawn to her her ambition, passion and throaty, deep-voiced laughter that puts Scarlett Johansson to shame.

For Lexi, what started out as a spur of the moment Instagram account to document the changes she made in her diet to combat chronic health issues has evolved into a full-fledged blog where we can’t get enough of her healthy, beautifully photographed, and approachable recipes that work for everyone in the family (try her Slow Cooker Thai Curry Chicken), and it’s looking good that you’ll feel the same.

“I truly believe in the power of food,” Lexi writes in her new cookbook. And that motto shines bright on each and every page with recipes just like this fast to the table 10 minute maple salmon you’ll find at the end of this post.continue to the recipe… about 10-Minute Maple-Crusted Salmon

How to Make a Bouquet Garni

How do you make a bouquet garni and what do you use it for? This little fresh herb packet is all part of the flavor building game for soups, stews, stocks and more.

A bouquet garni is literally a bunch (or bouquet) of fresh herbs and spices wrapped in a piece of cheesecloth and tied with twine to make into a little purse or bag.

Used as a flavoring for soups, stews, stocks, and roasts, bouquet garnis are used for recipe you want to add fresh herbs and/or spices for flavor but don’t want to fish the spent herbs out of the finished dish one by one once the cooking is done. These herb purses keep your spices all in one place and can be added to a recipe whole so no extra work of chopping, mincing, or grating involved.

It’s really as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4 :).

Here’s how to make a bouquet garni.continue to the recipe… about How to Make a Bouquet Garni

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Crunchy Slaw

If you’re feeding a crowd, there’s not many recipes easier or more beloved than slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches topped with a simple, crunchy, vinegar-dressed slaw.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Whether it’s summer get togethers or a laid back game day gathered ’round the TV, there’s no better option for easy eats like pulled pork sandwiches. They’re simple to make, easily customizable, and it’s rare I don’t hear enthusiastic, “Oh, that sounds so good” from those I’m making them for.

These sandwiches start with my slow cooker pulled pork that seriously tastes even better the longer it sits in the fridge, making it perfect for make-ahead menus and weekly meal planning.

And in the world of recipe making, how many can claim that distinction?!

continue to the recipe… about Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Crunchy Slaw

Slow Cooker Hatch Green Chile Verde

Your slow cooker does all the hard work for you in this pork green chili recipe. Hatch green chiles are the star of this soup, but jalapeños can be used if needed!

Searching for Hatch Green Chile Recipes

Here is the thing about eating seasonal: You eat it while it’s fresh and you eat it ’til it’s gone.

I’ve pretty much been living this mantra all week long thanks to a batch of Hatch chiles I was gifted that resulted in an unofficial Hatch chile week in my kitchen, on my dinner table, and here on the bloggity blog.

I was gifted these pretty little peppers by my friend Amanda, who brought them to me from New Mexico where Hatch chiles are authentically grown. Because it’s hard to get them fresh and locally here in Utah, I was thrilled! What a great hostess gift for a heat seeking foodie, don’t you think?

With so many options of how to put these chiles to work, I took to my Facebook page and asked you what recipes you wanted to see. Along with the favorites chile-topped cheeseburgers, chile rellenos, and enchiladas, here’s what you had to say:

Lisa said: “Green chile stew. I use the recipe from the Santa Fe school of cooking. Delish!” (I’m freezing some chiles so I can make Amanda’s version of this in the slow cooker this winter after a chilly ski day.)
Heather asked for: “Salsa verde!” Check that! Get my recipe for Hatch Chile Salsa Verde here. (P.S. You’ll need it for this recipe, too!)
Faye requested: “Hatch Chili and Chorizo Frittata.” I’m putting it on a to-make list.
Desiree commented: “I made a Hatch chile pull-apart bread,” and doesn’t it look good!
Christopher may have been the most adventuresome of the group and a dyed in the wool Hatch chile lover. He said: “I roasted 25lb. I use them in eggs, smoothies, ice cream, hot and sour soup, stews, rice and bean burritos. I go through about a 1lb every week.” The man likes it spicy.

In then end, I had some great ideas to work with. But my husband ended up trumping them all with his request for a homemade Chile Verde, aka pork green chili.

Creating This Pork Green Chili Recipe

Chile verde is one of those recipes that for some reason has escaped me because I haven’t been able to figure out the secret to make it taste like my favorite restaurant-style staple. I’ve searched my recipe books, perused the archives and more archives of my hoarding of food magazines and yes, did some serious research online.

I also asked my brother-in-law—who is somewhat famous in the family for his green chili recipe—what his secret is. “Lots of salsa, and other green stuff like green enchilada sauce.” Whew. He didn’t say he used cream of chicken soup.

While researching online, I discovered plenty of similar renditions of what to use as my main ingredients. Green enchilada sauce. Jarred salsa verde. A variety of spices. And even chicken thickened with corn starch. Hmmph. Let’s give it a spin.

My initial test in creating this pork green chili recipe was a fail. I wanted to make this recipe one that’s a true, one-pot-slow-cooker-meal. One that doesn’t dirty a bunch of other pans. That cooks in one step.

But to develop the flavors into the thick mix my husband loves to top his tortillas, my throw it all in a pot attitude didn’t pan out. Literally. My onions were too hard. The sauce too soupy. And even though I browned my pork (that I cut too big) in a light coating of flour and sizzled it up in a pan, I was missing the simple, pork-infused flavor we were seeking.

More research ensued. More testing that still wasn’t quite right. So I went to the source.

I went to the little homestyle Mexican restaurant we buy our chile verde for our Chile Verde Huevos Rancheros.

I bought a side of their chile verde to taste test. Man, that stuff is good! Then I asked. Sometimes you just have to ask.

Her recipe is simple. No herbs, no broth and absolutely (she emphatically said NO!) no corn starch for thickening. It all starts in the oven with a roast of fresh tomatillos, chiles, onions and garlic.

I had already roasted my Hatch chiles (find out how I roast chiles here) and so I got started on her salsa verde recipe that is the base to this recipe that I shared here.

What’s in This Pork Green Chili?

For all the effort I put into perfecting this chili verde recipe, it wound up being a straightforward recipe with just 10 ingredients (yes, 10!). To make this flavorful and deceptively simple green chili recipe, you’ll need:

Tomatillos
Yellow onion
Garlic
Hatch chiles
Fresh cilantro
Pork sirloin roast
Olive oil
Butter
Kosher salt
Pepper

How to Make Pork Green Chili

First, you’ll need to roast the onion, garlic, and tomatillos until they just start to brown. Carefully transfer the roasted veggies to a blender and pulse until smooth. Add the cilantro leaves and kosher salt and pulse a few more times until mixed.

Then cut the pork into small bites, season it generously with kosher salt and pepper, and brown it in a pan. By using both olive oil and butter, I was able to raise the temperature to sear the pork rather than steam it (the combo results in a higher burn point). Note that I also cooked the pork in two batches so not to crowd the pan.

Then, the pork and salsa verde goes into a slow cooker and cooks for a few hours until the pork is tender and its juices infuse the sauce with exactly the flavor we were looking for.

What? No chicken broth? No liquidy salsa? NOPE! One of the rules of cooking anything in the slow cooker is that the juice you add will most likely be the same at the beginning of the cooking time as it will at the end.

There’s no place for the liquid to evaporate since it’s covered the whole time. That’s why there’s no need for extra liquid in this recipe.

Can I Make This on the Stovetop?

Yes, but you’d want to add about a cup of chicken stock to the chili verde and add more throughout the cooking process as needed. Use a heavy bottomed saucepan and keep the lid on the entire time this chili is simmering on your stovetop.

Can I Freeze Pork Green Chili?

Yes, let it cool completely before freezing it in freezer-safe containers or bags. If you freeze this chili verde in medium-sized mason jars, you can reheat them one at a time any time you need an individual serving of soup.

Tips for Making Pork Green Chili

Adjust the amount of hatch chiles in the sauce according to your own heat index. My chiles were pretty spicy this time around, but that may not be the case next time.

And if you don’t have fresh Hatch chiles, roast 1 or 2 jalapeños with the tomatillos, onion and garlic, then blend together. And at the end of the dish, if you’re craving more heat, simply add a few more chopped roasted chiles to kick it up.

Also note that you need to buy tomatillos for this recipe and NOT green tomatoes. They look similar, but they have very different flavors and textures.

More Hearty Chili Recipes to Make

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.

4.36 from 14 votes

Slow Cooker Pork Green Chili

Your slow cooker does all the hard work for you in this pork green chili recipe. Hatch green chiles are the star of this soup, but jalapeños can be used too!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chili, hatch chile, pork green chili

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Servings 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds tomatillos husked and rinsed
1 medium yellow onion peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
2-4 roasted hatch chiles or one fresh jalapeño, stemmed
1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 pounds pork sirloin roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the tomatillos, quartered onion and garlic cloves on the baking tray. If using a jalapeño, add it to the baking tray with the other vegetables.
Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes flipping the vegetables at the 10 minute mark. The tomatillos should be lightly charred and the onion beginning to brown.
Transfer the roasted vegetables and roasted Hatch chiles (or jalapeño) and any remaining juice on the baking sheet to a food processor or blender. Blend until almost smooth. Add the cilantro leaves and kosher salt and pulse a few more times until mixed. Set aside or place in the refrigerator until .
Cut the pork roast into 1/2-inch by 1-inch pieces of pork. Season well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter. Transfer half of the pork to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, turning once or twice until the pork is browned on all sides. Transfer to a slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.
Add all of the cooked pork and any bits and juice to the slow cooker. Pour all of the salsa verde on the pork and cover with lid. Set slow cooker to high and cook for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
Serve warm with tortillas or use as sauce for enchiladas.

Recipe Notes

If you're looking to add more heat, add extra chopped chiles as a garnish.

More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes You’ll Love

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Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow cooker pulled pork is one of the easiest, foolproof recipes to make in the CrockPot. Since it makes plenty of leftovers, it should be a staple for every home cook’s meal prep plans.

Pulled Pork in the CrockPot

Whether serving to a crowd to cheer for on game day, or adding to your weekly meal prep plans, slow cooker pulled pork made in the CrockPot is one of those meals that keeps the masses happy. And since it’s so easy to make, it’s a natural favorite of the cook in the kitchen, too.

Next to classic baked chicken breasts, pulled pork is pretty much the gold standard for batch cooking. It’s plentiful in portions yet still leaves enough for leftovers to be turned into loads of different recipes stemming from just one base.

With just a few basic rules to follow, the method for making CrockPot pulled pork is a cinch to master:

Choose the right cut of meat
Layer your flavor builders
Low and slow is the way to go
And finally, shred it like you mean it

You can also take these same methods and cook this pulled pork recipe in the oven.

Let’s do this.

continue to the recipe… about Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Just Like Taco Bell Tacos Recipe

Forget the drive thru, this is how to make a beef tacos recipe that tastes just like Taco Bell tacos for an easy Taco Tuesday dinner at home any night of the week.

You Quiero Taco Bell Tacos

“So, where did you have lunch today?”

It’s pretty much the same question I ask my husband every day. I mean, there’s only so much stimulating conversation to be had when documenting our day to day after all these years of marriage. And pretty much every day for the past 20 years he has the same answer. “Taco Bell.” If he was a guy who was into tattoos, it’s likely he’d have, “Yo quiero Taco Bell” emblazoned somewhere on his body.

And I have to say, I can’t blame the man for loving his tacos, because say what you will about fast food—I’m not much of a fan—but Taco Bell tacos are pretty much the cat’s meow when it comes to drive thru Mexican food.

I blame my mother in law for creating my man’s Taco Bell taco obsession. Because my MIL makes the best homemade beef tacos ever, and while it took me a while to realize it, one of the reasons they are so good is because they taste eerily similar to the beloved Taco ala Bell.

Years ago I ditched my own taco recipe in favor of hers, and today I’m finally sharing the secrets to these homemade tacos that make them taste so good they could very well curb your drive thru habit too.

continue to the recipe… about Just Like Taco Bell Tacos Recipe

Daddy’s Baked Hamburgers and Friday Faves

Yep, you read that right! These baked hamburgers are a breeze to make and come together in about 15 minutes. You’ll definitely want seconds!

Hamburgers in the Oven

With The Super Bowl blowing up television screens and beer kegs nationwide, there will be plenty of eyeballs glued to the screen. Will they be watching the game? Shhushing fellow T.V. watchers during the commercials? Or anxiously awaiting to judge the lip syncing skills of Beyonce? You go girl.

Sure that’s all part of the fun, but for wayyyyy more of us it’s all about the food. Americana at its gluttonous best with antacids and Ibuprofen on stand-by, ready to remedy too much revelry when the San Francisco 49ers come home with the ring. That’s right. My team is coming home with the big V.

The recipe for Daddy’s Hamburgers is an homage to the 49ers in a way. My grandparents immigrated to San Francisco, the only place they lived besides communist Germany, and it’s where my dad was born and raised until he came to Utah to play college basketball and, much to my mom’s distress, stayed because of the great hunting in Utah and Idaho. SF is in my family’s blood, it’s one of my favorite cities, and the niners were always a special connection with my dad, the ultimate T.V. sports fan.

Watching 49er games with D was a ritual, not in a weird get dressed in a jersey way—which my husband has done for each game this season—but in a let’s get behind this team and show we care way. Somehow I married a niner’s fan, it was where we took our first trip together, and it’s now Smudge’s favorite team too. What a surprise, she’s such a daddy’s girl.

These baked burgers are my dad’s specialty, one that when I called him to get the recipe, he had made just the night before! When my dad cooks, he is very precise, making even cuts of cheese squares to top basic hamburgers with french rolls or ciabatta. We still call them hamburgers even though they’re topped with cheese, because that’s how my dad has always done it.

It all looks way too simple to taste as delicious as it does. The secret is the pat of butter atop each oven baked hamburger that melt down into the burger meat co-mingling with Worcestershire sauce to create a juicy, lickable drip down each side of your cheering for the 49er’s game face. (Please win. Please win.)continue to the recipe… about Daddy’s Baked Hamburgers and Friday Faves

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The Best Grilled Ribs Recipe

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Grilled Baby Back Ribs

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How to Make Pork Green Chili

Can I Make This on the Stovetop?

Can I Freeze Pork Green Chili?

Tips for Making Pork Green Chili

More Hearty Chili Recipes to Make

Slow Cooker Pork Green Chili

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes You’ll Love

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You Quiero Taco Bell Tacos

Hamburgers in the Oven

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