Cowboy Caviar Recipe

This cowboy caviar recipe is a delicious dip packed with beans, avocados, corn and loads of more southwestern flavors! A perfect side or appetizer. It comes from my Dad’s side of the family, but I think each family has their own version. I happen to love ours. 

I love that you get that creamy coolness from the avocados with some crunch from the peppers. I love the sweet and the little hint of spicy… mmmmm so yummy. And, it’s easy which is great for when you want something really tasty but you don’t have a lot of time to put something super fancy together. It’s just simple and delicious. Just how it should be.

This recipe is perfect for a potluck or family gathering. I wish I would have thought to bring on our last Deer Valley adventure. As you already know, we are a die hard Deer Valley family. We absolutely love visiting and we are begging our readers to go too, which is paying off because so many of you have emailed (keep them coming!!) about your trip to Deer Valley. 

Deer Valley

We went up a few weekends ago and oh my goodness it was fun! I know it’s ch

February 4, 2023

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It’s supposed to be a nice clear day here in Ohio and I’m headed out for a drive with my middle son in the driver’s seat – wish me luck. I need a service that will teach the kids to drive from day one, this just-getting-started bit is not for the faint of heart.

ON THE BLOG this week: It’s Saturday morning, so there’s no better time to remind you of this creamy, rich, peanut butter syrup. It makes a fantastic topping for your favorite stack of homemade pancakes or waffles. It will be pure heaven over a stack of banana nut pancakes or fluffy chocolate chip pancakes.

Creamy, buttery, cheesy potatoes with bacon are combined in this Loaded Baked Potato Dip to create a snack that is a guaranteed win for your football party. Everyone knows that potatoes and sour cream go together like football and snacks.

Another hit for game day, this slow cooker spinach artichoke dip explodes with flavor. Artichokes + spinach are a classic pairing for a reason. And, you will not believe how easy it is to make spinach artichoke dip in your crockpot.

With no advance planning required, these pan-seared Italian chicken thighs require just a few minutes of work in the kitchen. This recipe is a great one for using dried spices; as the chicken slowly cooks, it will absorb all of those great flavors. There is no need to marinate the meat, simply sprinkle each thigh with seasonings and drop it in the pan.

Made with ground beef, rice, and all the traditional flavors of cabbage rolls this fragrant cabbage roll soup is as cozy as it gets. It doesn’t get much better than a simmering pot of soup on a cold day.

Lightly spiced pear bread is a slightly sweet, fragrantly sweet snack that is great on its own or alongside a seasonal bowl of soup or salad.

Homemade peppermint ice cream is some of the creamiest ice cream I have ever made and for the record, it is worlds away from the mint-flavored ice creams you can find in a store.

What I’m CRAVING: This creamy tortellini soup caught my eye this week. I need to pick up some tortellini asap, so that we can make it. Paired with some of this Read more

Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream is some of the creamiest ice cream I have ever made and for the record, it is worlds away from the mint-flavored ice creams you can find in a store.

Pure peppermint deliciousness from start to finish without even a hint of a chemical or mass-produced flavor.

Peppermint Ice Cream is surprisingly light, sweet, and minty. I think I dipped a spoon into the freezer container about 15 times the first time I made this and I’m not even a huge fan of peppermint!

This is a spectacular combination of winter flavors and summer refreshment. I’ve been making this ice cream year-round for over ten years now.

Peppermint Ice Cream

I’m trying, I really am, but there aren’t even words to describe how fantastic this ice cream is. It’s incredibly creamy and loaded with peppermint candy cane flavor.

If you hang out with me on Instagram, you may remember that this ice cream blew my mind the first time I made it. I’m still so impressed with this ice cream, I’ve made countless batches just to share my excitement with friends.

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

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With no advance planning required, these pan-seared chicken thighs require just a few minutes of work in the kitchen.

This recipe is a great one for using dried spices; as the chicken slowly cooks, it will absorb all of those Italian flavors. There is no need to marinate the meat, simply sprinkle each thigh with seasonings and drop it in the pan.

Pan Seared Chicken Thighs

The hardest part of this recipe is waiting while the chicken slowly cooks on its own. You want the skin to be golden-brown with all the fat rendered before you turn the pieces over.

This recipe results in incredibly juicy chicken with a crispy skin every time. It is completely worth the wait! Crispy pan seared chicken is a great match for Classic Potato Salad, Italian Herb Rice or Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.

Creamy, rich Truffle Mac and Cheese is a fancy spin on comfort food. If you’ve never tasted this awesomeness, you’ve been missing out on this ultimate side dish.

In the mood for some awesome vegetables? Sriracha Honey Roasted Broccoli is a friend and family favorite, as is this Asparagus, Bacon, Corn, and Sweet Potato Skillet.

Italian Chicken Thighs

You’ll need just a few ingredients to make this recipe:

• light-flavored olive oil or coconut oil
• chicken thighs
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• granulated garlic or garlic powder
• dried oregano
• dried basil
• herbs de Provence, optional

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Made with ground beef, rice, and all the traditional flavors of cabbage rolls this fragrant cabbage roll soup is as cozy as it gets.

Stuffed Cabbage Soup

Cabbage rolls have been a long-time part of my frequently made recipe rotation. There is just something comforting about the flavors in these recipes.

Over the years, our recipe has evolved to be a less labor-intense layered cabbage roll casserole. These Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls deliver a quick skillet meal too, when I don’t have time or motivation for much more than that.

Given my love of soups in cooler weather turning cabbage rolls into soup just made so much sense. And boy am I glad I did!

It doesn’t get much better than a simmering pot of soup on a cold day. Or delivering soup to a friend when they have been under the weather.

Body and soul-warming soup is definitely a love language for me. I enjoy the feeling it brings of slowing down to pause and enjoy a meal as you blow on a steaming hot spoon full of delicious flavor.

What gives cabbage rolls their distinct flavor to me is that splash of vinegar and just a touch of sugar and this recipe for cabbage roll soup is much the same.

Cabbage rolls taste distinctly different without those two ingredients. Those two tiny little things are not to be skipped.

How to Make Cabbage Roll Soup

To avoid having to drain the ground beef, I often use a 90/10 blend. There will be minimal to no grease left behind.

The reason that I don’t drain the ground beef in cabbage roll soup is because, as the beef browns, I like to add my seasonings to really allow them to season the beef.

When the beef is almost done, add your o