Spicy Beef Kebabs with Lime

I typically don't eat or cook with a lot of red meat, so this was really out on a limb for me, but I knew my lovely husband would appreciate a yummy dinner that included beef for once! I'm glad I tried something new because these ended up being so good! We served these with Colin's delicious spicy grilled corn on the cob and it was quite the excellent dinner.

1 1/2 lbs. tri-tip or sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
8 red jalapeno peppers, cut into 1 inch thick rings (I subbed in bell pepper and purple onion pieces)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 limes, cut into wedges

Thread meat and veggies onto 8 skewers. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat, turning frequently, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Serve with lime wedges.

Source: Real Simple

All American Meal--Buffalo Style

I'm not the world's biggest meat eater, but every once in a while I have a serious craving for a hamburger. I decided that I would go with a classic American meal--hamburgers, french fries and coleslaw. I don't typically like coleslaw, but I've learned over time that just about anything is better when it's homemade, so I decided I would try a coleslaw recipe myself and it was actually really good! The burger and fries both have a "Buffalo" twist (shout out to the Malchoffs!) for an extra kick and everything turned out really yummy. Craving satisfied!

Buffalo Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey
Blue cheese crumbles (I don't love blue cheese, so I subbed in a slice of provolone instead)
Frank's Hot Sauce
Breadcrumbs
Cayenne
Hamburger buns

Mix first 5 ingredients to taste (I like a lot of Buffalo sauce flavor, so I put in a ton of Frank's!) in a medium size bowl. Form mixture into 4 burgers. Put on the grill and leave until cooked through. Assemble burgers and top with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Buffalo Fries

2-3 medium potatoes, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
1/8 cup butter
1/8 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for dipping

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange potato wedges on sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes, until tender. Remove pan from oven. Combine hot sauce and butter in a bowl and microwave until melted. Stir to combine. Drizzle mixture over fries and return to oven for additional 15 minutes. Serve with dressing for dipping.

Classic Coleslaw

2 1/2 lbs. green cabbage, shredded
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

Toss all veggies in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Whisk together mayo, vinegar and sugar. Toss with veggies. Chill, covered, stirring occasionally, at least 1 hour.

Source: bigcitycooking.blogspot.com

Lemon Cheesecake Ball

Once again I've managed to get super behind on recipe blogging--I know that because I last served this at a baby shower I hosted in OCTOBER! It's almost February, so I am seriously slacking! As far as the recipe goes, this was absolutely perfect for a baby shower since it's a little bit of a "girly" food. It's also really yummy and can easily be made in advance.

10 oz. cream cheese
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Zest of 1 large lemon
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 Graham crackers

Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir together with a spoon or spatula until well combined and smooth. Mix in the lemon zest and juice until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball wrapped tightly in the plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours. Reshape if necessary once firm. Coarsely crush the graham crackers and transfer to a plate or bowl. Roll the cheese ball in the crumbs until evenly coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with fruit (I especially like it with green apple slices and strawberries) and/or crackers.

Source: annies-eats.com