The Seasoned Pantry!

 

Hello Foodies!

My name is Cori and welcome to my blog, The Seasoned Pantry.  This is my very first blog, so I hope you all like it. If you like food and some homemade recipes, critiquing, and eating then you are more than welcome here. I will be using this blog to let all of you try my favorite recipes and I hope to receive some great feedback (good or bad)!! I know there are a lot of food blogs on the internet, and I love getting ideas from Pinterest, Paula Deen, Steve Raichlen, etc., and of course, my fantastic friends and my wonderful family. I love cooking, baking, frying, and grilling and whatever else I can come up with. I also like to personally critique different restaurants and after all, I am a customer just like you. Now it’s time for me to tell you a little bit about me… I have been known to be a little crazy (funny crazy), straight-forward, fun, caring, loving, and most of all…I am a daddy’s girl. I have learned that through tragedy, a person can accomplish anything. I currently attend college full-time and I have been in a relationship with Josh (he came up with the blog name) for the past 6 years (no marriage, and no kids), and other than loving, baking, cooking, and grilling  food, I love watching baseball (GO CARDS!), hanging out with great friends, and watching the drag races (tv and at the track)…by the way, those are some of the best places for food finds. I sure hope you enjoy this blog and please feel free to comment! I appreciate any and all kinds of feedback.

 Thanks and Bon Appetit!

South-of-the-Border Chicken Thighs

Ahh! I love grilling outside and especially when the weather is just right….however, in Illinois….we get it all around here so when we get a nice evening to grill out…we take it! We love chicken thighs, but you can use this on pork, chicken, or use this as a steak marinade….etc. I have only used this on chicken…so please, if you use it on anything else…I would love the FEEDBACK! Hope you enjoy….

Makes: 4-6 servings

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 cup Olive Oil (EVOO-works best)

5 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp lime juice

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cloves

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp black pepper

6 garlic cloves, minced

6 boneless chicken thighs (you can also use bone-in) about 2 pounds

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients (you can adjust spiciness as you desire)…..

Set aside 1/2 of the marinade (I only reserved 1/3 cup) for basting….(cover and place reserved amount in the fridge)…..

Add chicken thighs to the remaining marinade in the bowl….stir the chicken making sure all pieces are covered well. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours…..

After the chicken has marinated, remove chicken from the marinade and discard the remaining marinade from the bowl. Grill chicken thighs, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 20-40 minutes (until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees)…..turn and baste frequently with the reserved marinade that was set aside….and watch closely as chicken tends to burn easily…..

We served this entrée with homemade macaroni salad and sweet corn! Mmm!

Jordanian Grilled Chicken

I know…..it has been a month or so since my last post. I have been so busy with finishing up my finals for college, getting ready for summer, and starting a new job. I also love it when I come across computer problems at the last minute…(sarcastic comment). Anyway, I have a few recipes that I need to post and this is one of them. I absolutely loved the blend of the spices used to create this magnificent burst of flavor! It has just a couple shakes of cardamom and it definitely is a game changer. Hope you enjoy!

Makes:  6 servings (Advanced Preparation – 1 hour or longer)

 

Here’s what you’ll need:

2-3 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs

2 Tbsp natural grapeseed oil (or EVOO-Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

2 tsp Kosher salt

8 bay leaves

2 medium-large sweet onions (I used Vidalia)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Arrange a quarter of the onion slices and 3-4 bay leaves in the bottom of a baking dish….

Place the salt, cumin, coriander, cardamom, paprika, and black pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix….

Drizzle 1-2 Tbsp of oil over chicken and rub until all coated….

Next, season the chicken with the rub mixture and layer on top of the sliced onions and bay leaves…..

Arrange the remaining onion slices and bay leaves on top of the chicken. Cover and let the chicken marinate for 1-2 hours in the fridge….

After marinating, set up the grill for direct grilling (or indirect for longer cooking time)….we used the gas grill this time. Once temp reaches 325-350 (inside temp)…the grill is ready….

Make sure to brush and oil the grill grates and then place your chicken directly over the heat….

Depending on the thickness and type of chicken used (breasts are thicker)…cooking time will vary. Chicken should be firm to the touch and internal temp should be 165 degrees….

The chicken took approximately 10-12 minutes (direct grilling) 20 minutes (indirect grilling)….

Serve with steamed veggies, flavorful flatbread, and a great agave margarita!

 

French Toast Frittata

This is a great breakfast food! It has a significant source of protein! I highly recommend this dish for those quick mornings! Please enjoy! (I will add pics later) I used the heels of the bread too, no one will ever know…haha!

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 Tbsp oil (canola is best or butter)

3 eggs

3 slices of texas toast bread (or regular bread equivalent)

3-4 Tbsp half & half (or milk)

a dash of sea salt

a few dashes of cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla (or more to taste)

Directions:

Heat oil (or butter) in large skillet on medium heat. In a large bowl, tear 3 slices of texas toast bread into small pieces. Add eggs, half & half, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla….mix well with hands to make sure the bread is saturated with the egg mixture. Place in large skillet and fry until golden brown on both sides. Serve with butter and syrup.

Sorry I haven’t gotten any pictures yet, I wanted it perfected

Please enjoy!

 

Baked Ziti

Mmm, Mmm, Mmm….that’s all I’m gonna say about baked ziti. I love baked ziti and the creaminess, the sauce, the meat mixture….Oh my! I have had this recipe for years but I don’t make it very often. Josh and I happened to be cleaning out my “recipe drawer” and found it again! I was so happy that I could have cried, but that would have led Josh into asking me why I was getting emotional, and it would just start a whole different kind of conversation, come to think of it… it’s kinda like what I’m doing now haha!

Well, back at the ranch, we didn’t change anything in this recipe because it was perfectly enjoyed without any changes….We hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Makes:  6 servings

Here’s what you’ll need:

6 ounces uncooked ziti

1 pound ground beef or ground italian sausage

1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce

2 eggs, beaten

1 carton (15 oz) ricotta cheese

2 1/2 cups (10 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef (or sausage) over medium heat until no longer pink; drain (if needed)…..

Stir in marinara sauce…..

Stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes…..

In a large bowl, combine eggs, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, mix well…..

Drain pasta; add to cheese mixture and stir until blended….

Spoon 1/3 of the meat sauce into a greased 11 x 7 baking dish…..

Top with half of the pasta mixture…..

Repeat layers. Top with remaining meat sauce…..

Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour or until internal temperature reads 160 degrees. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for another 10 minutes ot until cheese is slightly browned and melted…..

Let stand 15 minutes or so before serving!

Related articles

• Baked Ziti With Mini Meatballs (simplymomslife.wordpress.com)

Veggie Fried Rice

I love fried rice but when we are cooking some teriyaki pork chops on the grill….Mmm, I don’t want any meat in my fried rice. Agree?? Ok…glad we got that debate out of the way…haha! I found a recipe on Eating Well .com and I adjusted it…(of course).

Here are the changes that I made:

1. 1/8 tsp chinese five spice
2. 2 Tbsp soy sauce
3. 1 Tbsp honey
4. 1/3 cup frozen sweet peas
5. 1 cup chicken broth (1 cup hot H2O, 1 chicken bouillon cube)
6. 2 cloves garlic
7. omitted sesame oil

Makes: 4 cups

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 cup instant whole grain brown rice

1 cup hot water + 1 chicken bouillon cube

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp canola oil

1/3 cup frozen peas

1/4 – 1/2 bell pepper, chopped

2 slices red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp chinese five spice powder

2 Tbsp soy sauce (prefer low-sodium, but not recommended)

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

Directions:

Combine rice and chicken broth in a small saucepan……

Bring to a boil over high heat….once it starts to boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for approximately 15 minutes to absorb all liquid…..

After all liquid is absorbed, spread cooked rice out on a plate and let stand for 5 minutes……

While the rice is cooling, coat a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Pour in lightly beaten eggs and cook, stirring gently until just set, 30 seconds to 1 minute and then transfer to a small bowl…..

Heat canola oil in the pan over medium-high, add onions, peppers, and peas, stirring and cooking for 2-3 minutes……

Add garlic and chinese five spice powder, stir and continue cooking until tender…..

Add the cooked rice…..

Soy sauce…..

Rice vinegar…..

Cook until all the liquid is absorbed (30 seconds – 1 minute) then fold in the eggs and add 1-2 Tbsp honey and then stir, (I like to balance out the vinegar with something sweet, honey is the perfect compliment)…..

Remove from heat and serve. We served ours with grilled Teriyaki pork chops! Mmm…..ENJOY!

Here are the original ingredients for this dish:

• 1 cup instant brown rice
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 6 ounces asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 bunch)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch slices thinly
• 4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 4 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Hot sauce to taste

** Any vegetables would be great in this dish.

Related articles

• Veggie Fried Rice (smellslikebrownies.com)
• Vegetable Fried Rice (muffinsandmocha.wordpress.com)

Buttercream Frosting

I love buttercream frosting and since I am in to making cupcakes and other goodies in addition to what I post on here, I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and post my creations! This frosting is just the beginning! Hope you enjoy!

Makes: 3 cups

Here’s what you’ll need:

1/2 cup butter softened

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1 tsp vanilla extract

4-5 cups powdered sugar (depends on consistency desired)

2-3 Tbsp half & half (depends on consistency desired)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and shortening with an electric mixer, beat until fluffy……

Add vanilla extract…..

Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed (make sure to pour SLOWLY, the sugar will go everywhere!)…..

Make sure to scrape sides of the bowl often….

When all the sugar has been mixed in, the frosting will appear very dry. Add half & half and beat at medium-high speed…..

Until light and fluffy….(add more half & half and/or sugar to balance out flavor)……

Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to decorate. For best results, keep icing in the refrigerator when you’re not using it.

**For thin (spreading consistency) icing, add 2 Tbsp light corn syrup, water, or milk.

 

 

Related articles

• How to Make Buttercream Frosting (burntapple.com)
• Gluten Free Buttercream Frosting (glutenfreerecipebox.com)

Chorizo Mac & Cheese

Once in a while we like to have some “kick” in our dinner meals and I like chorizo. I like beef chorizo better but I used pork in this dish (either beef or pork can be spicy but also depends on the brand that is purchased). I got the recipe from Taste of Home and I changed it up a little bit…here is a list of my changes:

1. Rotini noodles (whole grain)
2. Extra 6 oz of chorizo
3. 4 Tbsp whole wheat flour
4. 2 tsp cornstarch
5. 3 cups of shredded mexican blend cheese
6. 3 Tbsp breadcrumbs
7. Half & Half

We hope you enjoy! You can also add bell peppers, salsa, avocados, etc…

Makes: 4 servings

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 cups whole wheat rotini noodles

1 cup Half & Half

2 tsp cornstarch

3 cups shredded mexican blend cheese

12 oz. Mexican chorizo

1/2 cup minced onion

4 Tbsp whole wheat flour

2 tsp lime juice

3 Tbsp breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Mix the cornstarch with the shredded cheese in a bowl and set aside (the cornstarch will help prevent the cheese sauce from being too stringy)….

Put the half & half in a small saucepan and heat until steamy. Keep warm while you prepare the recipe…DO NOT BOIL….

Cook noodles according to package directions (I cooked mine to al dente-cooked but still firm to the bite). While the noodles are cooking, prepare the chorizo cheese sauce. Remove chorizo from its casing and add the onions, put into a medium-thick bottomed saucepan on medium-high heat. When the chorizo begins to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium….

Cook the chorizo, stirring often…about 10 minutes…..

When the noodles are cooked, drain and set aside. Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees and spray an 8″ x 8″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and make sure to check on your half & half in the saucepan….NO BOILING ALLOWED

Add the flour to the pot with the chorizo and mix well…..

Everything WILL clump up so reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan for about 2 minutes. Add the hot half & half 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly…..

When all the half & half has been added, heat the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook fo 2 minutes, meanwhile add the lime juice. Mix the shredded cheese into the chorizo/half & half sauce and stir until melted…..

Next, add cooked noodles to the mixture and stir until well combined….

Pour the mixture into a baking dish…..

Make sure the top is level and dust the top with breadcrumbs and then “dot” the butter sporadically over the breadcrumbs….

Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden (I also spread a little bit of shredded cheese over the top of the breadcrumbs).

Original Recipe:

2 cups elbow macaroni

1 cup milk

1 tsp cornstarch

4 oz (1 cup) of shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz (1 cup) of shredded pepper jack cheese

6 oz Mexican chorizo

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 Tbsp flour

2 tsp lime juice

2 Tbsp breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp butter (cut up)

Salsa

I love salsa and I saw this recipe and just had to try it. I have been wanting a salsa recipe that I could also use in the winter time when garden tomatoes are no longer available. I have used some great canned tomatoes and I found some that I prefer to use with this salsa recipe. I got this recipe from the ‘Pioneer Woman’ website and I changed it a little bit. Hope you enjoy it all year round! This recipe can make a huge batch but definitely well worth it. It freezes well.

Makes: 12 servings

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (perfect to double and use the 28 oz can)

1 can (10 oz) Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles-Mexican flavor)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

1 whole jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp homemade chili and taco seasoning (in the Spices, Rubs, and Marinades category)

1/4-1/2 cup cilantro (adjust according to taste)

1 tsp lime juice

Directions:

Combine tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno (optional), garlic, cilantro, sugar, salt, cumin, and lime juice in a large bowl, I like chunky salsa…..

Stir until all items are combined thoroughly…..

Add the taco and chili seasoning mix at the end…..

Stir well again, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

ENJOY!!!

**You can also place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you would like. Test seasonings with tortilla chips and adjust as needed.

 

Macaroni Salad

I LOVE MACARONI SALAD! Did I type loud enough for ya!? This is the american dish that can also double as a comfort food. I love the creamy texture of the salad as a whole. This has great flavor and can be doubled easily! Please enjoy!

Makes: 6 servings (1/2 cup)

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 1/3 cups elbow macaroni

1 cup cubed cheddar cheese

1 1/4 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp and 2 tsp milk

2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish

Directions:

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until done. Drain. Rinse macaroni under cold water, and drain again. Combine pasta with cheese, vegetables, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, and pickle relish. Chill for at least 24 hours.

ENJOY!

Momma Corinne’s Strawberry Jelly

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Cori’s Meatloaf

This is my personal recipe for meatloaf. This turns out to be very moist and well worth the wait while …