Roasted Anaheim Chile & Smoked Bacon Grilled Cheese

Have you ever made a sand which that just made your taste buds go crazy and you were still able to taste it later on in a good way?!? This Grilled Cheese is just that, it is delicious, the perfect amount of spice from the Chile's and pepper jack cheese and savory from the sharp cheddar and smoked bacon! It was dynamite!! I will make it again tomorrow to indulge in this comfort classic!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I feel so very blessed to live in our amazing country and even more blessed by those who serve to protect us and our nation. We have good friends who are currently in Alaska and will soon be moving to a new location, the sacrifice of all the moving alone is something I am extremely grateful for, that is a huge commitment to sacrifice, not to mention the many times they serve overseas, and the stress and worry it brings on families. So forever thankful for all military families!!! Which brings me to a friend of mine who designed my logo and whose husband also serves our great country!

I went to high school with Jaclyn of JAE creative Company, she is incredibly talented and extremely kind hearted! If you are ever in need of a logo or want to spruce up an existing logo I would get in touch with her. She is truly amazing at her talent and how cool that she gets to do exactly what she loves as her job! I was so blessed that she was able to help me design my logo, she put all my visions and ideas to print and I am so very thankful!!

Back to the Grilled Cheese...if there is one thing I will say it is that you need to make this today, tonight! Go to the store and indulge in this savory comfort food classic with a dynamite twist, you will not be disappointed.

You will need Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Pepper Jack Cheese, 2 Anaheim Chile's, Sourdough Bread(I used cracked wheat), Applewood Smoked Bacon, Mayo(yes mayo, not butter, just go all out on this one;))

Turn your broiler on high and roast your Chile's until the skins are black, rotating them about every 5-7 minutes until they are completely roasted and the skin nice and black. Toss them into a Ziploc bag to sweat for about 20-30 minutes. This will make it easy to remove the skin from them.

Next you want to remove the skin, membranes, and seeds. Unless you want a little extra kick then leave some seeds. Slice them up and set aside.

Cook up your bacon, I accidentally burned a few pieces, it was a shame but it happens. I cook my bacon in the oven, but if you are not careful it can go from almost done to burnt in seconds! It happens to the best of us!

Heat your skillet over medium heat and spread some mayo on your bread, lay it mayo side down on heated skillet and layer 1/4 cup sharp cheddar and 1/4 pepper jack. Next add your desired amount of Chile and then some crumbled bacon. Top that with 1/4 cup sharp cheddar & 1/4 cup pepper jack. Top with bread and spread mayo on top! Cook about 5 minutes each side until the cheese is nice an melted and tops are Golden Brown.

I love a good grilled cheese...this one is GOOD!!

Roasted Chile & Smoked Bacon Grilled Cheese
Ms. Marquet's Kitchen-Gillian

4 pieces Sourdough bread
2 Anaheim Chile's
4 pieces crumbles Applewood Smoked Bacon
1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Shredded Pepper jack Cheese
Mayo for spreading on bread

Heat your skillet on Medium Heat. Spread Mayo on one piece of bread and lay mayo side down on skillet. Lay 1/4 cup Sharp cheddar & 1/4 Pepper jack Cheese on bread, slices of Chile's, two pieces of crumbled bacon top with another lay or cheese, bread, & mayo. Cook for about 5 minutes each side until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.

Enjoy!

Banana Cream Pie

It has been absolutely beautiful here in Western Washington, we have been graced with a summer like May that is refreshing, rejuvenating, and joyful! Sunshine and heat are some of my favorite things, I love it!! Sometimes I wonder why I live where I do as it does not happen but a few months out of the year, but then when the heat and sunshine comes you almost forget about all the cold and rain...almost:) My strawberries are forming and getting huge, raspberries are going crazy, garden is up and running, hanging baskets are up and blooming, and planters are stuffed with vibrant flowers!! You would think its summer and we are soaking up every second we have this sunshine!! 

Right before Easter I made this delicious Banana Cream Pie. I have a love for Pies, all Pies, but Banana Cream has a special place in my heart, I made it often in High School and one of my favorite places growing up, The Hungry Goose, made a spectacular one! In fact a wonderful gentleman asked me to homecoming by having Joanie(the amazing pie lady) write on a whole Banana Cream Pie, will you go to homecoming with me? I mean how sweet was that?!?! They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Bring me one of my favorite sweet treats and that is all I need:) I made a Banana Cream Pie a year ago for my dear friends husband's birthday and he requested a Nilla Wafer Crust and it was a delicious request!! I have perfected the filling and if you love Banana Cream Pie, this one will not disappoint. This is one I will make again and again forever and never change a thing!! Enjoy!

Banana Cream Pie
Ms. Marquet's Kitchen slightly adapted from Southern Living

Vanilla Wafer Crust:
2 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 30 wafers)
1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat Oven to 350. Combine crushed vanilla wafers and butter until blended. Firmly press ing to a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Pudding Mixture:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
4 egg yolks
2 cups half and half
1 vanilla bean split and scraped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the higher quality the better)

Whisk together sugar, flour, eggs, yolks, the insides of the split and scraped vanilla bean, and half & half in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly for 10 minutes or until it reaches the thickness of chilled pudding. It will begin to bubble and thicken enough to hold soft peaks. It must be thick and slightly bubbly to set up. Remove from heat and stir in teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap making sure to put it directly on the pudding so you do not form a skin on it. Refrigerate till completely cool. You can make this a day in advance.

Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat heavy cream til soft peaks. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat till thick and stiff peaks. 

Assembly:
3-4 medium bananas, sliced
20 vanilla wafers

Arrange half the banana slices over the bottom of the pie crust, spread 1/3 of the cooled pudding mixture, then a layer of vanilla wafers. Spread 1/3 more of pudding mixture, the remainder of banana slices and cover with the rest of the pudding mixture. Top with the Whipped Cream and Refrigerate minimum 4 hours, overnight is best. Consume :)

Menu Planning

I first started doing a menu for the week because I was constantly going to the grocery store during the week to pick things up for dinner that I didn't have or because I decided to make something that day. It resulted in time wasted and money wasted, I would typically make other stops and buy unnecessary items at the store. I started writing my menu on my shopping list and then I would most likely loose it or it would end up that I could not read what I originally wrote down;) So I decided to make a board and this was actually something I did not find on Pinterest, although I did Pin my finished product and it has received more pins then anything I have pinned before:) I found the step by step to make this menu board Here, my husband made the frame for me out of mill work I picked up at Home Depot and then I painted it.

If you don't have a menu planning system I would start to put a plan in motion. Maybe it is just starting with writing it down on a piece of paper and then finding a menu board that suits you. My top 3 reasons for menu planning are:

1. Saves Time. (make only 1 big trip to the grocery store every week) I always like to do my errands on one day. It avoids stops to things I don't need to buy and I usually stick to my list at the grocery store. 
2. Saves Money. You will eat out less, we try to only eat out once every two weeks. There are times were that does not always hold true but we are not strict on it. If we get invited out to dinner we won't be like oh sorry we already went out last week...lol;) I also only like to go to Target once a month. Lets be honest Target is dangerous, but there are certain items I enjoy going there for. But something always happen to catch my eye this is not necessary.
3. Eating Healthy. Eating out can be very unhealthy, even when you think you are making healthy choices. We have a few restaurants that we like to go to and the rest we avoid. Going out to eat can be fast and no dishes required but for us the health benefits of preparing a meal always win for me.

Meal Plan Week 1

Monday: 

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad 

I always like to start the week off with a salad, normally because I have a big Sunday meal I like to prepare and Salads for us mean homemade Mac and Cheese for my son so it is a win for everyone:)

Tuesday:

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Wednesday: Leftovers

I always do a night of leftovers during the week it saves food and money. We are a small family and we don't eat a ton so instead of wasting the leftovers I always do a leftover night after a casserole dish from the night before and thankfully my husband loves leftovers:) 

Thursday:

Kale and Wild Rice Bowls

Friday:

Salsa Chicken

Saturday: Out to Dinner :)

Sunday:

Spaghetti and Meatballs

This is a recipe I love to double and Freeze. We only eat half of the original recipe so it makes a perfect freezer meal for those busy weeks and I get two freezer meals out of 1 Sunday meal. I always try to incorporate a meal like this into my week that makes a good freezer meal as well! A well stocked freezer means you are saving time, money, and an "oh lets just go out to eat dinner because you don't want to cook" night. Just open your freezer and you have a healthy home cooked meal:)!

I found this shopping list at Target but you can also buy it on Amazon. I use this on Sunday nights when I am doing my planning and it is great! I love it and it has a magnet it you have a central planning station to put it on. Don't you just love Amazon you can get almost any item item in 2 days, its beautiful! 

Happy Mothers Day to all you Mom's out there and I hope your weekend is filled with sunshine, love, your favorite flowers and your kiddos! I got myself these flowers because they are some of my all time favorite!! I love to just enjoy the day with my little man and I am glad the forecast is saying SUNSHINE:) Have a wonderful, beautiful, and blessed weekend!

Cinco De Mayo

Happy Cinco De Mayo!! Do you love Mexican Food?!?! It is one of my favorites I could eat it 3-4 times a week and never grow old of it! For real, or maybe I would you never know. But I just love it!! Lets talk Guacamole, I am not a big avocado fan, I don;t like them plain or in salads or on sandwiches. I never even used to like guacamole! But then I tried my sister-in-laws and then I just became hooked and I LOVE the stuff!!! I still don't like avocados by themselves but guacamole, I LOVE!! Here is a recipe I have put together from time and practice...it will make a none guacamole lover a guacamole lover;)!! 

You will need 2-3 ripe avocados, 1/2 medium onion, 1 garlic clove, 2 Roma tomatoes, cilantro, lime, salt, cumin, cayenne pepper, and sour cream.

I LOVE Costco, like love love it. IT is amazing and to make my love for them grow even more the one closest to me just started carrying organic strawberries!!! Which is great even though thank goodness strawberry season is right around the corner and my garden will be full of them, in the mean time we buy these things like crazy and Organic is the only kind I buy. So when I saw them at Costco I was so excited the same price for twice as many!!! But my other love for Costco is this amazing Mortar bowl I picked up last year for like $14.99!!! They still have it by the way, you can't even get one half this size for under $30! I love it!! I use it ALL the time! It was a great buy and steal, thank you Costco!! So muddle up you onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Just a little bit to get them fragrant you do not want to totally mash you garlic and onion you still want the crunch of the onion in the guacamole.

Add your Avocados and the Juice of 1 lime and mash the avocados up to your liking. I don't like mine chunky so I mach them up pretty good.

Next add your diced up and seeded Roma tomatoes, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 3/4 teaspoon cumin, 3/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper and mix together.

Then the ingredient that really brings it all together a heaping spoonful of sour cream!! It is so delicious, I actually added an extra extra heaping full this time but it was still just as tasty and creamy:)!

Get a big ole corn chip and enjoy!!

Guacamole
Ms. Marquet's Kitchen

2-3 Large avocados
2 Roma Tomatoes
1 tablespoon cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon canyenne pepper
1/2 medium onion diced
1 minced garlic clove
1 heaping spoonful sour cream

Mash up Avocados and lime juice. Mix in diced up Roma's, Onions, garlic, salt, cumin, cayenne pepper, and cilantro. Fold in sour cream. Let rest up at room temperature for at least an hour, you can also let it set in the fridge but take it out about 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy with Chips and salsa!!


Here are some other great ides for your Cinco De Mayo celebration!

Here is the perfect quick sweet snack to wipe up for you and the kiddos in honor of Cinco De Mayo, some Churro Pretzels from Oh Sweet Basil ! I have been eyeing these up for a while and hope to accomplish them with my little Man tomorrow, the great thing is they have some many great gluten free pretzels out today that those who need that option can make these as well:)!!!

Ree Drummond never fails in any category of food she prepares and her margaritas are always delicious, this Mango Margarita from The Pioneer Woman is quick and oh so delicious!! So if you are into margaritas or make it a virgin, make it with a batch of Fajitas or Enchiladas or by themselves! 

I love The girl who ate everything she always has simple yet extremely delicious meals on her blog. I have many dishes I use in my rotation of menu planning. Her Baked Chicken Chimichangas look perfect for a healthy take on this wonderful Mexican dish!! 

If you have some time in the morning this Black Bean Dip is perfect to go with some Chips, Salsa, and Gauc for your celebration.

For a super fast and quick its a Monday Cinco de Mayo and I am far too busy but want Mexican try this super simple and super tasty Salsa Chicken :)!

I hope you have a wonderful Cinco De Mayo!!