Linkups Archives - Home In High Heels

Weekly Dinner Menu #3

February 8, 2016 By Stephanie Louise

Ready for another week? I’ve been prepping each Sunday for my dinners- & it helps so much! This week we’re bringing you a bit of everything. & Mexican Wedding Cookies! YUM! Feel free to comment below if you have any recipe requests & don’t forget to follow Home in High Heels on Instagram at @homeinhighheels to see what I’m eating throughout the week as well! Cheers to a great week…& Valentine’s Day!

Weekly dinner menu hostesses are:

Summer Scraps – Home in High Heels – Penney Lane – The Crafty Blog Stalker

My Mommy Brain – Mom’s Messy Miracles – It’s Me Deb CB – The Dwelling Tree…

Weekly Dinner Menu #2

February 1, 2016 By Stephanie Louise

Hey everyone! Long time no talk! Have you ever been so sick you just couldn’t accomplish anything but TV watching? That was me. Now that I’m feeling a bit better (not 100% but I’m pushing through) it is time to get back to our regularly scheduled programming! Sunday I was supposed to share but forgive me for being a day late! Each week I’ll be sharing recipes to get you through the weekly dinners- try something new & get organized at the same time! This will also let you check out some of my favorite bloggers which is always a good thing! So tell me- what are you making for dinner this week?

Weekly dinner menu hostesses are:

Summer Scraps – Home in High Heels – Penney Lane – The Crafty Blog Stalker

My Mommy Brain – Mom’s Messy Miracles – It’s Me Deb CB – The Dwelling Tree

Sunday

Easy Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Monday

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Tuesday

Mmmm Corn Dogs

Wednesday

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato, Quinoa, Black Bean Chili

Thursday

Iowa Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Friday

Easy Kung Pao Chicken

Saturday

Seared Ahi Tuna with Mushrooms, Peas, & Couscous

Dessert

Coffee Brownie Cheesecake

Bacon Jam Review, Recipe, & Multi-Giveaway! + Spring Blog Hop!

April 17, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

PR Sample.

Do you like bacon? Do you really love it? Then listen up! Today I bring you 4 different types of bacon jam from The Bacon Jams. I am pretty excited to share with you something I probably wouldn’t have ever tried that Ryan & I now love. Whether you have it on some toast, as an ingredient, or as a topper I think you’ll be surprised to find how versatile they can be. As a super special treat there is also a huge blog hop at the base of this post filled with lots of awesome spring giveaways!

So I currently have 3 bacon jams- 3 from the permanent line & a special limited edition flavor. Above is the Original Bacon Jam & behind we have the Black Pepper & Honey, Red Chile & Garlic, & the limited edition Maple Habanero Bacon Jams. Each come sealed in an 8 oz jar with a nice wide mouth- perfectly easy to spoon out what you need without getting too much or too little. I can’t even get over how cute their logo is! A rockin piggy jammin out! Ha!

The first way I tried these jams was on some crusty bread. I mean, hey, isn’t that where you put jam? I liked it that way but the husband didn’t. With some experimenting we discovered he really liked these jams hot (think a hot dip if hot jam isn’t computing!) which doesn’t surprise me either. We tend to prefer our bacon hot (although cold bacon is tasty too!) so then we heated up a little of each & added them to crusty bread. Much better!

From left to right you have The Bacon Jams in Original, Black Pepper & Honey, Maple Habanero, & Red Chile & Garlic. You can see these aren’t gelatinous but rather more of a thick sauce/jam. When heated they thin out considerably because the fats break down. I don’t think there is a right or wrong temperature to eat them- you just have to find your own vibe. You can see each spread on crusty toast is a lot easier to see the differences. The ingredients are wonderfully simple but high in both quality & flavor- you can view them all here on their website.

Now onto the recipe! I wanted to do something ridiculously simple that really showed off a flavor that was dying to be paired with our dinner. I only used three ingredients to make this chicken more fantastic- 3 tablespoons of The Bacon Jam in Black Pepper & Honey, 1 tablespoon fresh honey, & around one tablespoon of water.

After searing your chicken breasts add all three ingredients to the pan. Whisk on med-high until thickened. The added honey helps to make it more of a glaze which will help it stick to the exterior of the cooked chicken. Poor over chicken & serve hot. This should only take maybe 1-2 minutes & the flavor is out of this world!

Needless to say we’re loving these bacon jams. I have so many ideas floating around- Beer cheese soup with bacon jam? BLTs with bacon jam? Bacon jam salad dressings? These are extremely versatile & they are all completely original- something I admire. Think of these jams as creative additions & let your recipes go to the next bacon level with very little effort! Want more ideas? They have a ton of creative recipes on their site here!

They have been so kind to me by letting me try their product & now it is your turn! There will be THREE winners & each winner will get to pick their own flavor variety they’d like to try if chosen! Which Bacon Jam speaks to your bacon loving soul?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Welcome to the Blooming Into Spring Blog Hop!

Hosted By: MPM Network Bloggers

While many of us are looking forward to spring, it doesn’t mean we are looking forward to spring cleaning. To make spring cleaning a bit more fun, the MPM Blogging Network has joined together to make spring cleaning even more fun! Each participating blog below is hosting their very own unique spring themed giveaway, including spring cleaning items, fashion accessories, and even gift card for purchasing your own Spring treats! To increase your chances of getting something fun, make sure to visit all the blogs linked below.

Also, don’t forget to enter to win our grand prize, a Shark PRO Steam & Spray Mop!

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The Blooming Into Spring Blog Hop ends on 5/1/14 at 11:59 PM. The MPM Blogging Networks is not responsible for prize fulfillment and associated bloggers are responsible for their own giveaways. Good luck everyone and happy spring!

An InLinkz Link-up

Simple Peanut Noodles with DIY Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe + Noodle Linkup!

March 28, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

Hopefully you caught my Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe yesterday because today we’re throwing it together into one of my favorite lunches! Eat them cold, eat them hot, eat them right after they’ve been prepared, save them for later…main dish…appetizer…side…. Seriously this is one of those dishes that does it all. Plus it is completely customizable. If you don’t dig the veggies I do or you prefer tofu instead of chicken- whatever. Plus it is Friday & that means time for another Friday Foodie Linkup! Check it out!

Simple Peanut Noodles with DIY Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe

Prep time

7 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

22 mins

Want some peanut noodles that you can make yourself? Here's an easy recipe to quench your need!

Author: Stephanie Louise of Home in High Heels

Recipe type: Pasta, Sides, Main,

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For Noodles-
1 box of spaghetti noodles
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon Asian peppers or sriracha
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 can baby corn, drained well & chopped into thirds
15-20 spears of medium asparagus, cleaned & chopped into thirds
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
For Sauce- see this entry from Home in High Heels
http://www.homeinhighheels.com/2014/03/thaipeanutsaucerecipe.html
You'll want about 2-3 tablespoons per person.
Optional- chopped green onions & peanuts.

Instructions

Salt a large pot of water & bring to a boil. Add pasta & cook according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, & set aside.
Add oil to wok & heat on high. When heated, dd garlic & saute until lightly browned.
Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper, also the dried peppers if using. Add sriracha at the end or directly to the sauce. Add chicken to the pan & cook until lightly browned.
Add baby corn & saute for 1-2 minutes to remove moisture. Add asparagus last since it cooks faster.
Add soy sauce & mix thoroughly then remove from heat. Add noodles & sauce mixing well.
Serve hot or chill. Can be eaten hot or cold.

Yum! Simple, easy to make, & uses a sauce you can keep on hand. Remember to check out that recipe for Thai peanut sauce here– it beats the bottled versions! I really hope you give this recipe a try because it is an amazing fallback meal that is kid friendly as well, just omit spicy additions when you make the sauce. For more texture add some chopped peanuts on top, yum!

& here is the linkup! Hope you enjoy checking out the other recipes as much as I do! Want to join in on our next linkup? Check out my Lifestyle Blogging Network tab here for more information & how to apply.

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Thanks + Redesign Amazon Card INTERNATIONAL Giveaway!

March 23, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

Hey guys! So I added some money to a new giveaway that I’m participating in with some other bloggers! I don’t normally participate in these giveaways but I’ve been wanting to put something together to celebrate my Home in High Heels redesign & just to say thanks! I wouldn’t be able to do any of this stuff without you guys & I wanted to let you know I really appreciate it!

Check out the other bloggers participating below & remember to enter through the Rafflecopter widget. If you have issues feel free to email me but please try refreshing or opening in another browser first as that seems to fix most widget issues. Thanks again & good luck!

Beauty by Miss L | Hey Sabrina Faith | Justina’s Gems

This giveaway will be opened internationally. The winner will have 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner will be selected. The gift card will be emailed to the winners email provided in the Rafflecopter widget below. Read terms + conditions for the rest of the info.

G O O D L U C K

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Creamy Healthy Avocado Sauce with Chicken Tacos

March 21, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

Affiliate link.

Happy Friday! Have you guys noticed anything new on Home in High Heels? like…say….everything? Completely new setup, I hope you guys will enjoy it! Bare with me as I’m still working out kinks including these photo sizes. Sorry! I’m hoping to have them a nice BIG size soon so you can see details!

But anyway…onto the food!If you caught my Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing recipe awhile back then you know how much I love my little dressing mixing gadget (check out the Vibe Salad Dressing Mixer on Amazon here!) & it makes me create more recipes out of pure inspiration. Today I’m sharing my easy mix that I use on tacos, with veggies, & even thinned out as a dressing. I call it the Creamy Healthy Avocado Sauce! Keep reading to check out this simple wonder!

So this recipe was born months ago when I had half an avocado that I needed to use up. My husband doesn’t eat them & although I can sit down to a whole one I wanted to make it last. I always have these ingredients on hand with the exception of the avocado so it practically makes itself.

Creamy Healthy Avocado Sauce

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

An easy recipe made with healthy ingredients resulting in a creamy sauce to love.

Author: Stephanie Louise of Home in High Heels Blog

Recipe type: Sides

Cuisine: American Mexican

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

½ a ripe avocado
¼ to ½ cup Greek yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ a fresh or roasted jalapeno, chopped & seeded OR jalapeno sauce
3 pinches fresh cilantro, chopped fine

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in food processor or whisk together until creamy. Add more or less milk depending on how thin you'd like it.
Serve chilled.

Avocado Sauce Dressing Recipe Linkup Greek Yogurt Jalepeno Taco

This day I was really feeling tacos & this sauce was absolutely a perfect topper! These are roasted chicken tacos on corn tortillas topped with lettuce, Creamy Avocado Sauce, & some beautiful feta cheese. Yum! Also great with chopped veggies (use it in place of ranch!) & just about anything that is good with a chilled topper in my opinion. If you need a dip cut back on the milk & add a touch more greek yogurt. Also great with a tablespoon or two of your favorite salsa.

What are your favorite sauces & dips to whip up in a flash? What do you do with leftover avocados? Link to your recipe below if you have on & check out these other sauces from the Foodie Friday Linkup members! Want to join in on our next linkup? Check out my Lifestyle Blogging Network tab here for more information & how to apply.

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Beer Love- Sweet & Spicy Honey Beer Sauce with Chicken Recipe + St. Patrick’s Day Linkup!

March 17, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

Easy Sweet and Spicy Honey Beer Sauce with Chicken Recipe

Affiliate links.

If you caught my post this past Friday with my recipe for Mint & Lime Asparagus then you saw this coming- BEER. I don’t personally drink beer very often (although my beer of choice tends to be Blue Moon & definitely with an orange wedge) but I do love cooking with it. Beer can completely transform a dish & make the meal much more exciting. Sometimes I use tequila or bourbon or whiskey but seeing as this is St. Patrick’s Day beer is only right don’t you think? I mixed together a few recipes I’ve made in the past to come up with something a bit fun & definitely tasty. Here is the end result- Sweet & Spicy Honey Beer Sauce with Chicken. Don’t forget to stay tuned till the end of the post for lots more St. Patrick’s Day ideas from other bloggers as well!

I highly recommend using a beer you really love- this one that I used was a leftover from a get-together but it worked out nicely. I also used some honey called Grilling Honey & it is from Savannah Bee Company. It has a bit more of a smoky taste but if you want something similar a nice quality liquid smoke would be lovely. I served the plate above for a lunch, for dinner I like to throw in a salad & potatoes. Husband gave it a 9 out of 10. I love how quick it was to prepare & with few ingredients, perfect on a busy night.

Beer Love- Sweet & Spicy Honey Beer Sauce with Chicken Recipe

Prep time

7 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

17 mins

Author: Stephanie Louise of Home in High Heels

Recipe type: Chicken, Main, Sauce, Alcohol

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, about 6 oz each
Fresh black pepper
Kosher salt or smoked salt
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
½ cup high quality beer, preferably darker & richer in flavor
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 Japanese or Korean pepper, chopped or 1-3 teaspoons sriracha
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or Thai basil

Instructions

Heat oil in large pan with high sides on medium high heat. While pan is heating up whisk together beer, soy sauce, peppers or sriracha, & honey in a small bowl. If substituting dried herbs add them now as well. Set aside.
Season chicken breast with salt & pepper on each side & when the oil is hot, add to pan carefully. Cook about 5-7 minutes on each side for a nice sear. Don't move it around too much or you won't get a nice color. Remove from pan & keep warm.
In the same pan with chicken leftovers add your garlic. Cook until softened & lightly browned. Re-whisk your sauce if anything has settled & add to pan. Whisk to mix. Let thicken up a bit.
Serve hot over chicken or add chicken back to the pan to really drench them.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe inspired by the many gallons of beer guzzled on this day! If you’re not much of a drinker (I’m a lightweight to the max!) then maybe this will knock your socks off & make you feel like a St. Patrick’s Day participant! Check out the many other lovely blog posts from bloggers on St. Patrick’s Day inspiration- you’re bound to find a few new-to-you bloggers to enjoy!

An InLinkz Link-up

Going Green with Mint & Lime Asparagus Recipe + Foodie Friday Linkup!!

March 14, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

Mint and Lime Asparagus Recipe Fresh DIY

So for this Friday Foodie Linkup we went with a fun theme- going green! I think there are a lot of ways this topic can be taken, right? Healthy? Literally green? Well I hope you thought of those two as they both pertain to today’s recipe! Without further ado, here is my recipe for Mint & Lime Asparagus!

Before we go green I need to address one thing- the beautiful chicken here will have its very own post Monday for St. Patrick’s Day! How does chicken equal that particular holiday? Hint: BEER.

Now onto this recipe! I think when you’re working with really basic ingredients you should opt for higher quality so you can really taste them. I chose a higher quality olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, nice ripe limes, & a mint chutney I’ve had waiting to be used.

Mint & Lime Asparagus Recipe

Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

12 mins

Jump into a seriously tasty burst of flavor with fresh asparagus, mint, & a pop of lime!

Author: Stephanie Louise of Home in High Heels

Recipe type: Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: Greek, American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 lb. of asparagus, washed & trimmed
1 to 2 tablespoons high quality olive oil for roasting/drizzling
salt & pepper to taste
1 to 3 fresh limes, you want about 1.5 tablespoons of juice
fresh mint or mint chutney

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil on a roasting pan then top with sprinkling fresh pepper & salt. Make sure your spears are well covered in oil for an even cook. A good trick is to roll them with your palm lightly to make sure each is covered in oil evenly.
Cook about 8-10 minutes until browned & the ends look a bit crisp.
Remove from oven & transfer to serving dish. Top with fresh mint/chutney & the lime juice. toss lightly. Serve.

Roasting the asparagus adds that awesome crisp taste & you can really taste each ingredient. This dish is zippy- perfect for curing some winter blues or making use of excellent produce during warmer weather. This is also nice cold as part of a lunch, I like it mixed with a bit of couscous! I love me some green & if asparagus, lime, & mint weren’t green enough for you…please tell me below what is!

An InLinkz Link-up

My Mango Whipped Dessert Recipe with my new Swirlio + Foodie Friday Linkup!

March 7, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

photo SwirloFrozenDessertMakerIceCreamMangoRecipeBlog03_zps7aa17823.jpg

PR Sample. Not Sponsored.

When Big Boss Kitchens offered to let me try the new Swirlio I was intrigued- make my fruit taste like ice cream you say? Why yes, yes that does peak my interest! For one thing, ice cream isn’t exactly the healthiest dessert choice. Another positive is that growing up I was lactose intolerant so sometimes ice cream just doesn’t sound good to me ya know? Plus the fact that there are only 3 steps- freeze, create, & clean! Who doesn’t want less work? I came up with a new combo (not from the recipe booklet included but you can bet we’ll be trying a whole lot of those recipes!) that uses frozen fresh mangoes & Cool Whip Free! Keep reading to check it out!

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Swirlio transforms your favorite fruits into a soft serve frozen dessert in seconds! Making dessert that is delicious, nutritious and 100% guilt-free is easy as 1-2-3. Freeze your favorite fruit, let it thaw for a few minutes, then push it down the chute and voilà, dessert is both delicious and healthy is served. .

Swirlio comes with a recipe book with 50 mouth-watering recipes so you can try like Peach Melba Supreme, Pumpkin Pie and Bahama Mama. Save yourself a trip to your favorite Froyo joint with Big Boss Swirlio Frozen Fruit Dessert Maker in your home.

The Swirlio comes in quite a few colors but I’m boring so I went with black. The most interesting thing about the machine for me personally is that there isn’t a blade. Inside there is a super strong rubber-type rotating piece that grinds up your ingredients. You can add lots of things other than frozen fruit but considering we’re fruit fiends here that’s what I was most excited about!

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To create this blend I used 2 parts frozen mango to one part frozen Cool Whip Free. I always freeze my Cool Whip so that really wasn’t an issue!

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Sawyer was EXTREMELY interested in my creation, I could set the bowl down! She followed me around until I finally let her see for herself. Then she tried to take it from me & we had a battle royale…but that’s a story for another time.

Not into my mix? Use bananas! I happened to be out (banana bread, nom) but they make the blend oober creamy & a lot more like ice cream or froyo. Another option you say? The recipe booklet nicely pointed out that you can make mixtures & add alcohol. A healthy margarita without any added sugar or fat? How about a mix of banana, pineapple, strawberries, & a bit of chocolate sauce for a sundae flavored…sundae? One I know we’ll be trying is peaches & cream with some fresh summer peaches- i am a peach fiend! Some other non-dessert options in the recipe guide were guacamole, white bean dip, & veggie dip!

So far, extremely happy with this unique invention. I’m already planning to use the Swirlio to make popsicles, daiquiris, & mint chocolate chip “ice cream” soon! Also, haven’t seen my husband this excited about fruit in quite a long time & we’re actually going through our freezer stock of fruit!

http://bigbosskitchen.com/swirlio
https://www.facebook.com/BigBossKitchenProducts
http://www.pinterest.com/bigbosskitchen

What do you think of the Swirlio idea? Have you ever used something similar? I love that it was a breeze to clean & without any blades so tiny hands can help! Don’t forget to check below for some other awesome desserts from the Friday Foodie Linkup!

An InLinkz Link-up

Cheddar & Apples with Spiced Sausage & 5 Ingredients or Less Recipe Linkup!

February 28, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

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I bought it.

So for this week in the Friday Foodie Linkup we decided to tackle a 5 Ingredients or Less recipe! I picked one we did pretty recently when we needed to use up some apples. I came up with Cheddar & Apples Spiced Sausage to make it more of a meal. Check out how easy it is to DIY & what I served on the bottom plus some variations!

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First off, we tend to prefer chicken sausage for dinner recipes. Not sure why but we are usually chicken people. We’re chicken people. Ha. I’m laughing at that one, but it is true. We commonly buy ours in bulk packages from Sam’s Club because they have great flavors but you can find chicken sausage about anywhere now. I’ve found them to be lower in sodium (sometimes! read your labels!) & tend to have lots of flavor varieties like papperjack, italian, applewood, etc. They are an easy meal & often one of our favorites year round- in the winter they can go in lasagnas & during summer they hit the grill like a boss.

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Cheddar & Apples with Spiced Sausage Recipe
from Home in High Heels

Sausages, about 4 depending on size. Can also be flavored (ours was pepperjack) or a different variety.
3-5 firm apples, sliced More or less depending on size, preferably Granny Smiths for tartness.
1/2 cup water or low-sodium stock
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning or to taste (salt-free if you can get it)
Salt & pepper to taste

Optional topping- About 1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese.

1. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat on medium & add the sausages. Cook until browned but not cooked through.

2. Add the water/stock to the skillet. Cover & cook until the water is nearly gone & sausages are firm. This usually takes 6-8 minutes depending on your sausages.

3. Coat apples in the Cajun spices & add to pan. Stir occasionally until apples are tender & flavors have mingles, about 8-10 minutes. Salt & pepper to taste.

Optionals- Top with the cheddar cheese for a bit more oomph & bite. I also like to cut up my sausage after step 2 into more manageable bites because we like our more done. Do as you wish!

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We love this meal! If you’re looking to incorporate apples into dinner this is a cinch! I served this with buttered corn & potatoes this night but this combo is excellent over grits or with a nice pasta as well!

I hope you enjoyed one of our easy, quick dinners here at the Telford house! Don’t forget to check out the other bloggers participating in this linkup below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Fallback Friday Meal Using Trader Joe’s Chicken Potstickers + Weekly Linkup!

February 21, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

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Fallback Meal- I don’t have time to make freaking dinner so we need a fallback meal that tastes good, doesn’t take too much effort, & that I can keep on hand.

If you are anything like us then you likely have Fallback meals… See above? A Fallback Meal! I’ve used that term for a long time because this happens frequently for us (okay, for me since I’m the one who cooks) & today I’m going to share one of my favorite meals with you using Trader Joe’s brand Chicken Gyoza Potstickers. (Other great options are pre-made & ready pizza crusts, frozen lasagna, & frozen enchiladas! Let me know if you’re interested in any of those! Keep reading to see our go-to Teriyaki Chicken Potstickers for busy nights & other bloggers fallback meals!

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First off, let’s knock out a basic teriyaki recipe. I like this one here from Food Network, basic & to the point. Add in some green onions, extra ginger, lemongrass, etc. & you have a customized blend. Really short on time? A low sodium option from the market is nothing to shrug at, there’s a reason people buy them for marinades & such!

The reason we like the Trader Joe’s Chicken Gyoza Potstickers are pretty basic- they’re frozen, I can toss them in soup when I’m sick, I can fry them up, I can steam them, they can be an appetizer, they are a nice size & very filling….there’s more but I will likely start to repeat myself. They’re also very reasonably priced at our local Trader Joe’s. Can you make your own? Of course! & freeze them? Sure! & I plan to. But when you need them, they’re there. Plus they have two other options- shrimp & pork in case chicken isn’t your thing. They likely have a vegetarian option as well.

photo TraderJoesChickenGyozaWonTonsRecipeTeriyakiMeal04_zps50f6bb2e.jpg

Filling for the Trader Joe’s Chicken Gyoza Potstickers : boneless chicken, cabbage, onion, soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt), sesame seed oil, tapicoa starch, salt, sugar, ginger powder, white pepper, garlic powder and black pepper. dough: bleached enriched wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, tapioca starch, salt, soybean oil.

All you need for this meal is potstickers, sauce, rice, toasted sesame seeds, & a veggie. I sometimes make mine on the side like I did this night, roasted green beans in the oven while I fried the potstickers in my non-stick wok. A regular pan works too though, no need to get fancy.

I like to heat up my oil of choice on med-high heat (sometimes just regular ol’ oil & sometimes Asian inspired or with a touch of chile) until popping & then add the wontons/potstickers/gyoza to the hot pan carefully on one flat side. You want enough oil to coat the entire base of the pan, don’t be stingy. Cook until browned on the first side then add a few tablespoons to 1/2 cup water or stock (depending on pan size) & top with a tight lid. This will steam them the rest of the way through. Serve hot. I cook mine straight from the freezer, for shorter cook time you can thaw beforehand or use fresh ones.

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I like to toss in veggies at this point to mix then sauce but remember that the potstickers are delicate. Too vigorously throwing them about will damage the delicate outer skins. Top with sauce (I like to do this on the plate, again, due to how delicate they can be) & sprinkle with the sesame seeds, chopped green onions, or other topping. Eat hot because…well…yum! I always have at least one bag on hand, frozen or fresh veggies, sauce ingredients, & Thai or Asian style rice so this one is a no brainer for us! Plus it is really good. Like. An easy favorite in our meal rotation!

What is your favorite fallback meal? Have anything you want to see up on the blog? Any favorite potsticker/gyoza/dumpling recipes I need to try out? Would love to hear them! Also don’t forget to figure out the other fabulous ideas below from other bloggers & their fallback meals!

An InLinkz Link-up

Kicked Up Serrano Poolside Dip Recipe + Linkup!

February 14, 2014 By Stephanie Louise

Kicked Up Serrano Spicy Polside Dip Recipe from Home in High Heels

Have you ever tried a version of the oh-so-popular Poolside Dip? Recipes for this popular dip have pretty much exploded all over Pinterest. I personally love it especially this skinnier version from Home Trends Utah here. So why am I bothering to make one? Because this is my husband’s favorite dip possibly ever. & it is a bit spicier than most other versions out there.

If table salsa is a bit spicy for you…well then this recipe will need to be altered to fit your needs. Luckily, this is pretty easy to do! Make it your own…but I think our way is tasty as heck!

Kicked Up Serrano Poolside Dip Recipe
from Home in High Heels
1 can Mexican style corn, drained
2-3 Serrano peppers, chopped fine (depending on heat tolerance, for less heat use jalapenos)
16 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dip seasoning mix
1/4 cup chunky style salsa, drained (if you like sweet heat think mango or pineapple blend!)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (We like jalapeno or chipotle cheese but a Mexican blend or regular American works too!)
Optional- black olives, bell pepper, green chiles.

1. Start with the cream cheese in a bowl & begin wither mixing with a spatula or beating on low with a mixer. I personally like using the mixer. Next add the ranch mix, Serrano peppers, & cheese so it really mixes together.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients & mix to combine, preferably with a spatula. You’ll have something a bit dense, add a bit of the salsa undrained for something a bit thinner.

3. You can serve it as is or cover & refrigerate. If you like a lot of heat that’s the way to go. The peppers will encompass the rest of the dip & will be hotter the next day. Serve chilled.

I’d like to lie & say we eat this with something healthy like vegetables…but we honestly prefer chips. This dip is such a big hit that any time we have a get together or Ryan has a boy’s night elsewhere this is always requested. They’ll probably never taste another dip from me since I fear I’ll be set ablaze!

I’d love to hear if you make this recipe & what you change up! Also don’t forget to check out the other fabulous dip recipes from the Friday Foodie Linkup below!

An InLinkz Link-up