Tender pieces of flank steak are simmered in their own juices creating a rich and super flavorful broth to create the Carne en su Jugo recipe (a.k.a. Meat in its Juices) that my family loves so much.

Right at the end of the cooking time, pinto beans are stirred into the pot and then this deliciousness is scooped into bowls and topped with bacon, onion, cilantro and plenty of lime.

Here we are almost to Valentine’s Day, also known as my 22nd wedding anniversary, and there is quite literally no better way to say “I love you” to my house full of boys than to hand them a fragrant bowl of Carne en su Jugo.

A bowl literally full of “meat in its juices?” That’s a guaranteed win around here.

Our friends Mel and Jon invited us over to their house for dinner a few weeks ago and Mel was awesome enough to make this for us. My kids went crazy over it.

There wasn’t a drop left in the pot after dinner and on the way home, ALL of my guys asked when we could make it again.

Carne en su Jugo

Mel and Jon worked as missionaries in Guadalajara for several years and Carne en su Jugo is a local favorite in that region of Mexico.

Mel was kind enough to share her recipe with me and I made it immediately.

I’ve tweaked it just a bit to match my family’s tastes: we like a little heat with our recipes, so I upped the serranos to 3. Feel free to only use 1 pepper if you’d like to avoid the heat.

That said, there might be little or no heat with three peppers. It really depends on how hot the available peppers are.

Also, because this is a HUGE favorite with my guys, I typically double the recipe when I make this.

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Cheesy, saucy, pizza quesadillas are as flavorful as you imagine they might be. They’re a messy, super fun, lightning-fast way to satisfy your next pizza craving.

Pizza Quesadilla

I am not sure there is a more craveable combination than pizza and quesadillas. Cheesy, buttery, crispy, salty I could go on and on. Sometimes these are a meal at our house. Other times just a snack or late-night kitchen raid.

That being said I like to think I have perfected my quesadilla-making and have a few secrets. First butter the tortilla, don’t just melt butter in the skillet. Fully cover both tortillas with butter on one side.

Second the layers. As you assemble the quesadilla you want two layers of cheese, one against each tortilla. Start with a buttered side-down tortilla then cheese, toppings another layer of cheese, and finally a tortilla, buttered side up. All that cheese on both sides will keep everything melted together.

When cutting up toppings for inside, like pepperoni cut them in half. Those little guys get HOT quickly in all that cheese and sauce.

Nothing will make you drop your quesadilla jump faster than when a bite pulls out a piece of hot pepperoni and it slaps your chin with hot cheese and sauce. Trust me, I have done it!

I cut my pepperoni in half and if I add other meats and vegetables I always make sure they are bite-sized. Don’t worry the melted cheese will hold it all in there.

Speaking of other toppings if it goes on a pizza you can tuck it into these quesadillas. I love adding a few olives and banana peppers to mine while the kids are all about all the meat.

How to Cut a Quesadilla

Cutting a hot quesadilla into manageable pieces is super simple with a pizza cutter or large knife. Just transfer the pizza quesadilla to a cutting board and run a wheel pizza cutter over it.

Or take your large chef’s knife and rock across it in one swift motion to cut it. Avoid sawing back and forth or it can shred and just becomes a mess.

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Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Shrimp Stir Fry is a skillet full of sautéed shrimp tossed in a spicy barbecue sauce with sweet chunks of pineapple and red peppers.

This quick and easy meal earns two thumbs up from my whole family every time I make it.

My favorite part of this meal? This whole recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes. Start some rice cooking before you start the shrimp and you’ll have dinner on the table in no time at all.

Like so many of our meals, the first time I made this recipe, it was inspired by the ingredients we had on hand, plus a craving or two.

Pineapple Shrimp

Pineapple and shrimp are a huge favorite around here. My middle son had been asking for shrimp, there was a sale on pineapple, and I had a jar of Sweet and Spicy Homemade Barbecue Sauce just waiting to be used. The combination of flavors was even better than I had hoped and it quickly became a family favorite.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry. Every time shrimp is on sale, I start craving this recipe. It’s a 15-minute dinner that is a guaranteed win every time.

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With a rich ham flavor and a balanced combination of potatoes, leeks, and split peas, this slow cooker split pea soup is a very pleasant surprise.

Ham and Split Pea Soup with Potatoes

My husband loves split pea soup. I tried making it for him several times when we were newly married and every time prior to this, I was unimpressed. Even as a child, split pea soup was my least favorite soup.

Finally, as an adult, I’ve found a split pea soup I don’t just like or tolerate but really truly love. This slow cooker split pea soup is made with leeks, ham, and potatoes and it just might be the best split pea soup you’ll ever taste.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

When I stumbled on this rainy day split pea soup several years ago, I decided to give split pea soup another chance.

Lucky for us, I had a ham bone in the freezer already (leftover from Christmas dinner) so I made this split pea soup with that ham bone in the crock pot that same day, making this a super easy meal to make with what I had on hand.

I could tell even before I ladled the split pea soup into bowls that this recipe was a winner. The fragrant garlic and simmering split peas filled my kitchen with the most delicious smell as the soup cooked.

Then, I took a bite and discovered just how delicious split pea soup with ham and potatoes can be. Chunks of tender baby red potatoes, onions, and leeks swim in creamy split peas that are cooked in a garlicky broth that is richly flavored with ham.

Each and every spoonful of this crockpot split pea soup was more delicious than the last and it’s become one of our favorite soups over the past ten years. A few years ago I never would have guessed that I’d become such a fan of split pea

Oh, my sweet HEAVEN. Cornbread waffles piled high with BBQ pulled pork and tangy coleslaw have been some of my favorite bites this year.

Cornbread Waffles

The waffles stay incredibly crispy on the outside while fluffy inside. I’ve made these cornmeal waffles more than a few times now and no matter how you serve them, they’re a winner.

My family really loves waffles and over the years, I’ve picked up a few tips that make them easy to make and serve.

Waffles are like a bread or a biscuit in our household. My kids top them with everything from savory to sweet. A fried egg or sausage gravy is delicious on a cornbread waffle. Slather your waffles with honey butter for a sweet snack.

If you are planning to freeze extra corn bread waffles, take 30 seconds to a minute off of the cooking time, or if you have the option set your waffle iron to a “lighter” setting. This gives you the option of popping them in the toaster to reheat and not get overly crispy.

Cornmeal Waffles

You’ll need just a handful of basic pantry ingredients to make corn meal waffles.

• all-purpose flour
• cornmeal
• kosher salt
• baking powder
• sugar
• milk
• eggs
• melted butter

It’s easy to swap out the ingredients here to make these waffles gluten and/or dairy free. Brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch substitute nicely for the all-purpose flour in this cornmeal waffle recipe.

To make dairy-free waffles exchange the milk for almond milk. Rice milk is a good choice too, as it is mild in flavor and it’s unlikely anyone will notice the swap.

Cornbread Waffles Recipe

Make your next waffle recipe with cornmeal and you’ll be thanking me soon for a whole new way to