I have eaten many bowls of French onion soup, if I see it on a menu chances are I’m ordering it!

I’m a soup girl through and through. I could eat endless bowls and never tire of soup. I was the same way as a kid. 

Oh, the delicious memories of all sorts of soups. I have my favorites and there are some I make all the time and some I love but only seem to make on occasion.

For some reason, French Onion Soup is one I tend to only make on occasion, but that’s about to change! I do typically order it when I’m out… Well, I used to.. it is harder to find where I live now, but was readily available where I’m from. This is why it’s so great to have such an easy recipe like this to make any time you have a craving!

This recipe may seem complex, but it’s really not… In just a few steps you’ll be eating.

Pico de gallo, also known as Salsa Fresca is so simple and delicious, it can be made in minutes. It relies on the flavor of fresh tomatoes, so pick those carefully and you will have a great tasting salsa. I use Roma tomatoes, they are thick and dense and have a great flavor, and minimal seeds.

Ingredients

• tomatoes
• onions
• peppers
• cilantro
• lime
• salt

This fresh tomato salsa has all the delicious fresh flavors you’d expect. With the great colors of the Mexican flag, this salsa will be perfect on top of all sorts of Mexican dishes.

As I mentioned I use Roma tomatoes, but you can use any ripe tomatoes you find, even grape tomatoes work well.

The longer this salsa sits the more the tomatoes will release juice, if you prefer your salsa to not be juicy at all. Salt the tomatoes and let them sit in a strainer so the juice will not sit in the tomatoes and salsa.

Now, onto the onions… white onions are great for this recipe.  If you don’t prefer the bite of the onion or if you cut into your onion and it’s really firey, dice and soak the onion in cold water for 10 minutes to remove some of the bite, sharp or burning flavor.

Now we’ll chat about the peppers… I use jalapenos and plenty of them I leave the seeds in, but you can remove the seeds if you don’t prefer the heat. As soon as you dice jalapenos you’ll usually know if they’re spicey, but give a small piece a taste before you add them to know how much you’ll prefer. 

Cilantro is really so delicious and absolutely nothing beats fresh cilantro. Add as much as you’d like I start with a cup of loosely packed leaves, then dice them. About a quarter to a half cup diced. 

Fresh lime juice is next, so slice the lime in half and juice it, use a reamer or a citrus press to release all the delicious citrusy juice.

Now, add the salt. I use coarse Kosher salt it has a great taste and if my preference in all cooking, table salt has an off flavor, sometimes metallic. Himalayan salt is also a great choice.

All this chopping reminded me to mention my new favorite knife, I just love it, it’s so thin and sharp and easily cuts everything so well and I’m able to dice smaller with very little effort as well as it’ll go through a sweet potato or thick dense item like butternut squash, spaghetti squash with ease.

It’s great served with chips or to pile on top of tacos or any Mexican dish, it’s great on…

• Mexican Eggs
• Black Bean Soup
• Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese
• taco salad
• carne asada fries
• corn soup
• Pork Taco Bowls

This easy pico de Gallo is sure to be your new go to item to make, there is never a time that chips and salsa aren’t a good idea… don’t you agree.

If you love salsa, be sure to check these out as well

• Restaurant Salsa
• Salsa Verde

Maybe you’ll want guac to go along with your chips and salsa, here is a great guacamole recipe and this one is over the top delicious with goat cheese and bacon.

Print

Pico de gallo

Simple flavors marinade together for the most perfect flavor for dipping chips, topping tacos, and can easily be pureed for a smooth sauce over your favorite Mexican

Course Appetizer, Dip, sauce

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Author Diane Schmidt - createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 5-6 ripe tomatoes I use Roma tomatoes (about 1 1/2-2 lbs)
• 1/2 white onion diced 1/2-3/4 cup
• 1-2 jalapenos diced 2 tablespoons-1/4 cup
• 1/3 cup loosely chopped cilantro small bunch
• 1 lime juiced (1-1 1/2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt or a little less table salt adjust according to taste

Instructions

• Dice all ingredients and mix well.
• refrigerate for an hour before serving so the lime juice has a chance to meld the flavors and bread down the tomatoes rendering additional juices.
• Taste before serving and add additional salt if needed.

Notes

The longer this salsa sits the more juice will release from the tomatoes if you like it "saucy" make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to serve.

The post Pico de gallo first appeared on Created by Diane.

I use boneless beef chuck roast, for a stew version cut it into 1-2 inch pieces, for servings more like pot roast I cut it large into 3-4 inch strips a couple of inches thick.

I often saute the meat to brown it on all sides, but when in a hurry just put it all in the inner pot of the Instant Pot along with the other items I’m using and begin the timer to cook. You can cook stew or pot roast on the stove or in the oven, until tender if you don’t want to use a pressure cooker.

Let’s agree, getting a delicious meal on the table fast is a requirement more often than not!

I served up this dish and it got rave reviews. There are so many reasons to love it, I thought I’d list a few…

1. It’s easy
2. It uses real food (no processed foods)
3. It’s full of BACON and that is always a good idea!

This dish is made in one pot, on the stove, it’s ready in under 30 minutes and as mentioned… it tastes AMAZING!

It starts off with a great flavor combination of butter, garlic, and onion… OMG, the aroma of that alone is intoxicating.

Then add in the chicken and rice,

pour on some chicken broth…

then let it simmer.

Stir in the cheese until smooth.

When it’s done cooking, add in a little heavy cream, some Romano cheese, and BACON. Give it all a quick stir and you’re ready to serve it.

Top with more bacon… yea,

bacon is always good,

and did I mention this is yummy and garlicky too…

yea two great flavors!

It is so flavorful and believe me when you lift the lid off the pot when it simmers… you will smell the amazing flavors, the garlic, and onion… and the rice oh… the rice!

Parent to parent, it’s safe to say that we’re all varying sorts of busy throughout the week.

From running around for sporting events to trying to keep track of all the other obligations,

some nights you might wonder how you’re ever going to get everything done and have dinner on the table as well. 

This is where this chicken sheet pan dinner is awesome. It’s simple to make and loaded full of great flavor and veggies. 

I’m also a big fan of all the fun colors that you’ll see on your sheet pan as I think it really does add a fun element to the meal.

Can I add more veggies to this sheet pan dinner?

Of course! There’s always room for more veggies. The recipe might only call for three types of vegetables but if you want to add in more, add them! I see no issues with that and think that the more vegetables you can introduce early on to your family, the better.

Adding in mushrooms would really take this sheet pan dinner over the top! 

Is it really necessary to marinate the chicken? 

It is. The longer that you can marinate the chicken, the more flavor you’re going to have. The recipe says an hour minimum but if you can do it a few hours longer, that’s better. 

You’ll really notice a lot more flavor the longer that you allow the chicken to marinate. 

How do you store leftovers from this chicken sheet pan dinner? 

Storing the leftovers are a breeze! All you need to do is store them in an airtight container or bag and store them in your fridge. The leftovers should be good for up to 2-3 days and are certain to taste awesome as leftovers!

Chicken thighs are juicy and tender and full of great flavor.

These chicken thighs can be marinated for an hour to overnight.

Then slice up your veggies and you’re just about set to place everything in the oven.

I cooked 6lb of chicken on one pan and the veggies on a second pan.

Is there an alternative to using sour cream?

Yes, you can use buttermilk or greek yogurt with similar results, the chicken will be tender and juicy.

Sheet pan dinners are great for many reasons, easy, simple, and quick clean up!

Print

Sour Cream Chicken Thigh Sheet Pan Dinner

Sheet pan dinner with delicious tender marinated chicken thighs, zucchini, onions, and tomatoes. A healthy low carb meal.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6 servings

Author Diane Schmidt - createdbydiane.com

Cost $19

Ingredients

• 6 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon oil I use avocado oil
• 3 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

vegetables

• 2 medium zucchini sliced
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 4 Roma tomatoes quartered

Instructions

• In a gallon plastic zipper bag, place chicken with sour cream, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
• Marinade for 1 hour to overnight.
• Bake on a sheet pan at 450° for 30 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 170°.
• On a second sheet pan roast the vegetables with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper, just until the vegetables are tender without overcooking them (they take about 15-20 minutes.

The post Sour Cream Chicken Thigh Sheet Pan Dinner first appeared on Created by Diane.

Make the seasoning mix or buy it, either way, I’ll show you over a dozen things you’ll want to put it on!

I recall when I got my driver’s license, I could go and get myself an everything bagel any time I liked.

And that is exactly what I did!

Oh, how I love a good bagel.

But if you’re like me and try to eat more low carb, I have some options that’ll be a great substitute for having bagels for breakfast regularly.

I’d  go to the local bagel shop and buy a few everything bagels and enjoy at least one a day,

The bag would inevitably have seeds left at the bottom.

I would pour all the seasoning out and add it to some butter, mix it up, and whamo have everything bagel butter to put on anything I wanted.

I kept any extra seasoning in a jar… who knew they would someday SELL THE SEASONING! Kinda like the thought of bottling spring water- who knew once we got past the 80’s everything would change, and you could buy just about anything you can imagine- how else would the superstores stay in business, right!

So whether you choose to buy it or make it (I include the instructions below), you’ll love it!

Here is what you’ll want to put it on: 

Whether you are making a BLT or want a flavorful snack, top TOMATO with everything bagel seasoning, it’s yummy!

This is one of my favorite go-to breakfasts, everything bagel seasoning sprinkled over avocado. It’s so yummy and just another way to enjoy all the flavors you love without overindulging in carbs!

OMG Chicken…. yes, put some all over chicken, then cook it in a skillet and voila, everything chicken! Winner-Winner!

For days you want all the carbs, trust me, slathering everything bagel seasoning over some buttered toast is AMAZING and a great alternative when there are no bagels in sight.

Now you may know this already, I’m all about DIP… and there is no simpler dip than adding some of the Everything Bagel Seasoning to sour cream, then go right ahead and dip some veggies, chips, or pretzels into it and enjoy!

It’s great on hummus (and I’ll be sharing this great new low-carb cauliflower hummus recipe with you real soon!) In the meantime, any hummus will be good.

For the cream cheese lover, don’t forget this for a quick breakfast! Make some toast, spread on some cream cheese, and then sprinkle it with the everything bagel seasoning.

Let’s talk about butter, it’s so yummy on just about everything on its own, but don’t forget to make some everything bagel butter and add it to a pan to cook items that you want some extra flavor on, or slather it on bread and crackers.

As if French Fries could get any better… just cook them, sprinkle some seasoning on and devour!

This is not only really tasty it’s perfect for low carb, keto, and paleo eaters!

Let’s talk about butter, it’s so yummy on just about everything on its own, but don’t forget to make some everything bagel butter and add it to a pan to cook items that you want some extra flavor on, or slather it on bread, crackers.

Slather some cream cheese on zucchini slices and then shake on some everything bagel seasoning for a great low-carb snack!

And speaking of snacks, a fun snack that is full of savory flavors is always a winner, fresh, buttered popcorn sprinkled with the seasoning makes it extra yummy!

It’s also great on Corn and hard-boiled eggs.

HERE is where you can buy Everything Bagel Seasoning Mix, or below you’ll find the instructions to do it yourself.

Print

Everything Bagel Seasoning Mix

Author Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon minced dry garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced dry onions
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

• Measure all ingredients and mix to blend them together.
• Store them in a jar with a shaker lid with holes to readily use it.
• If you prefer one seasoning over another you can adjust the amount according to taste.

The post Everything Bagel Seasoning and 10 uses first appeared on Created by Diane.

Add pickled onions to tacos, sandwiches, and appetizers!

I am a HUGE pickle fan, I have jars of them in the fridge at all times to prove it!

I love the tangy, vinegary taste.

This recipe will show you how to quickly pickle some vegetables that will be ready in an hour, but I almost always make them the night before.

Pickled onions are my absolute favorite on a roast beef sandwich! Another favorite to add is marinated artichoke hearts.

You can add diced jalapeno to any vegetable, and it will make it a bit spicier.

I prefer my red onions without jalapeno, but I do love garlic and peppercorns added. I do love jalapenos in my carrots!

My favorite dinner to serve the quick pickled vegetables with is this Banh mi meatballs, such great flavor in this dish, topped with the marinated veggies, puts it over the TOP!

If you like onions take a look at…

• Caramelized Onions
• Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes
• Avocado Onion Dip
• Salisbury Steak

Continue reading: How to Make Quick Pickled Vegetables

The post How to Make Quick Pickled Vegetables first appeared on Created by Diane.

Pasta is a real go-to in our house, so I’m always thinking of new ways to serve it.

This was a hit with everyone.

Lots of flavor and super easy to make.

Great for BBQ’s and a nice dish to bring to potlucks!

With the long weekend ahead this will be a PERFECT time to make it.

This is also a great alternative to a sandwich for school or work lunches. That is just ONE of the many reasons pasta salads are so perfect.

Continue reading: BBQ Chicken Macaroni Salad

The post BBQ Chicken Macaroni Salad first appeared on Created by Diane.

Add Caramelized onions. In this post I will show you how to make them quickly and have them on hand.

Take a look:   

Caramelized onions are so delicious, they add great flavor to so many dishes. Once they start cooking, everyone comes running to see what’s cooking!

They are sweet and flavorful and add so much flavor to sandwiches, they are soft enough you can easily spread them on bread.

One of my favorite sandwiches to enjoy them on is roast beef.

I spread some caramelized onions on one side of the bread and pile on the roast beef on the other, place it under the broiler for just a couple minutes,

they get hot,

the roast beef gets the chill taken off,

but doesn’t cook any more (I like my roast beef on the rare side)

oh what a great sandwich!

Continue reading: Caramelized Onions

The post Caramelized Onions first appeared on Created by Diane.

Need a quick easy and delicious appetizer,

Today we are going to make the ago…old classic onion dip….a whole new way!

No packages of seasons here, just real ingredients.

How does that sound?

This would be great for game day, to enjoy while lounging this weekend or as an anytime snack.

This Avocado Onion Dip is made with caramelized onions and it has such great flavor.

Take a look,

Continue reading: Avocado Onion Dip

The post Avocado Onion Dip first appeared on Created by Diane.