Category Archives: Dinner Ideas

Pineapple Gravy for Ham

dinner, Dinner Ideas November 24, 2025 Leave a comment

If you’re preparing a ham for the holidays, consider adding a special dish to your table. I recommend trying a pineapple gravy. This flavorful gravy can enhance your holiday meal, making it more delicious and memorable. Pineapple gravy is easy to prepare and adds a sweet and tangy touch that complements the savory ham perfectly. Whether you’re hosting a large gathering or a small family dinner, this recipe is a great addition to your holiday menu, providing a unique and tasty accompaniment to your main dish.

Ingredients

  • 8.5 ounce can of crushed pineapple
  • ½ cup orange juice (or pineapple juice)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Process

  1. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and stir until well combined.
  2. Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for 1 minute or until thickened.

Baked Ziti

Dinner Ideas November 23, 2025 Leave a comment

It’s all about Sunday dinner on a cold winter day. How about Baked Ziti, an old time favorite, a wonderful comfort food. Served with a green salad and toasted garlic bread.  Today you can buy the old-fashioned white pasta or replace it with whole wheat, protein or high fiber pasta. I use jarred spaghetti sauce in this recipe, but you can use your own homemade sauce, I have been known to cook Italian sausage or meatballs (my recipe – search meat balls) and add to the mixture. Use fresh parsley, easy to cut if you bunch it and just slice it with a knife at the top of the bunch into thin ribbons.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 18-ounce box of Ziti, cook and drain as directed on the box. Do not rinse
  • 3-1/2 cups (32-ounce jar of sauce) spaghetti sauce
  • 2 cups Ricotta cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped, fresh parsley
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cook pasta according to directions, drain but do not rinse (rinsing pasta prevents sauce from sticking to it)
  2. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and only ½ cup spaghetti sauce
  3. In a 3 quart casserole pour another ½ cup of spaghetti sauce on bottom of dish and spread out
  4. Pour contents of ziti mixture into casserole and spread out
  5. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce on top of ziti mixture, sprinkle with parmesan cheese
  6. Bake covered with aluminum foil in a 375 F. degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Dinner Ideas November 22, 2025 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 4 Jalapeño peppers
  • 8 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 jar (4 oz) pimentos, drained
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Process

  1. Preheat broiler with rack 6” from broiler element.
  2. Place jalapeños on a rimmed baking sheet, broil until charred and flip to other side to char. About 6 -8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. The skins should slide off.
  3. Remove and discard skins, stems, and seeds from the jalapeños, transfer to a food processor with the cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, pimientos, salt and garlic powder. Puree until smooth; pour into a 1-quart baking dish.
  4. Combine Panko, parsley or cilantro, and oil, sprinkle over dip. Bake at 375° F. until golden and warmed through, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve with chips or raw vegetables such as bell or red pepper, chunks of cauliflower, broccoli or celery sticks.

Jalapeño Popper Cheese Ball

Dinner Ideas November 20, 2025 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 2 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 10 slices applewood smoked bacon (cooked crisp and chopped)
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
  • ½ cup scallions, chopped

Process

  1. Beat cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground black pepper with a hand mixer until smooth.
  2. Add in 1-1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese, half of the cooked bacon, half of the minced jalapeño peppers, half the green onions and fold gently until mixed. The remainder of these ingredients will be used for the coating.
  3. Shape the cheese mixture into a ball, using plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.
  4. In a bowl mix the remainder of the cheddar cheese, bacon, jalapeño pepper and green onions. Refrigerate.
  5. 20 minutes before serving, unwrap cheese ball and roll into the leftover topping mixture to coat entirely.

Smoked Salmon wrapped Cheese balls

Dinner Ideas November 19, 2025 Leave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1 8-ounce cream cheese block
  • 8-ounce cheddar cheese, shredded
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons chives, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 4-ounce package of Smoked Salmon
  • 1 English cucumber sliced into 1/2-inch rounds for garnish

Process

  1. Bring cheeses to room temperature.
  2. In a mixer, mix cream cheese, cheddar, Garlic salt, and onion powder.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Remove plastic wrap and using a ¾ inch cookie scooper, scoop cheese into small balls.
  5. In a small bowl, mix parsley and Parmesan cheese together.
  6. Roll each ball in the parsley and cheese mixture.
  7. Separate the salmon layers and cut 1-inch circles of smoked salmon and wrap around each ball. Place the balls in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  8. Before serving, dip the top of each ball into chopped chives.
  9. Place cheese ball on top of cucumber slice and secure with a toothpick.

1970’s Party Cheese Ball

Dinner Ideas November 19, 2025 Leave a comment

Here is a wonderful throwback to the 1970’s. This cheese ball was my first introduction to the world of different kinds of cheeses. It would be a great appetizer for the upcoming holidays, serve with crackers, pretzels, or toasted pita chips.

Ingredients

  • 1 8-ounce cream cheese block
  • ¾ cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • ¼ cup yellow or sweet onion, minced
  • ½ cup chopped, toasted pecans
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped

Process

  1. Bring cream cheese, blue cheese, and cheddar cheese to room temperature.
  2. Crumble the blue cheese and shred the cheddar cheese.
  3. Put cheeses in a mixer and beat on medium speed until fluffy, scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Stir in chopped, toasted pecans.
  4. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
  5. Shape chilled cheese mixture into a large ball and roll in the chopped parsley. Keep chilled in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Marinated Asparagus Spears wrapped in Prosciutto

Dinner Ideas November 17, 2025 Leave a comment

These asparagus spears are a dream, one of my favorites because they are easy to make ahead. Marinated fresh asparagus spheres in seasoned rice vinegar with herbs and garlic, then wrapped in a salty prosciutto. No cooking involved! Guaranteed to please your guests.

Ingredients

  • 1-pound fresh, thin stalk asparagus
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • ¼ cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar
  • 2 cloves of fresh grated or pressed garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 3-oz package of prosciutto

Process

  1. Clean the asparagus and trim off ends. Place in a gallon zip-lock bag with the rest of the ingredients except the prosciutto.
  2. Marinate in the refrigerator at least an hour or more.
  3. When ready to plate, and serve, slice prosciutto slices into thin strips horizontally and set aside.
  4. Remove asparagus from the marinade (do not rinse).
  5. With a thin strip of prosciutto begin winding it up the stalk from the base of the asparagus to the top.
  6. Plate the spears and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Roasted Stuffed Dates

Dinner Ideas November 17, 2025 Leave a comment

The holidays are fast approaching and you may need to consider appetizers for your guests, or perhaps you volunteered to bring something to a gathering. Why not something sweet and elegant? Roasted Stuffed Dates. Filled with goat cheese topped with a walnut, and herb mixture and drizzled with honey. Simply amazing.

Ingredients

  • 1 12-ounce package pitted Medjool dates
  • 1 4-ounce log goat cheese, softened to room temperature. I love the honey flavored
  • 1/3 cup very finely chopped walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest plus 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Hot honey for garnish

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
  2. Slice the dates open lengthwise, do not cut all the way through.
  3. Fill each date with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the goat cheese.
  4. Arrange dates in a 9” x 9” baking pan.
  5. Combine walnuts, rosemary, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, salt, and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well.
  6. Spoon walnut mixture over dates. Bake for 15 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a platter.
  8. Drizzle with hot honey.

Oven Roasted Bok Choy

Dinner Ideas, Lite and Weight Watcher Recipes, Salads, Side, Vegetables November 14, 2025 1 Comment

bok choy1I received three baby Bok Choy, also known as Chinese cabbage in my Bountiful Basket (a local food co-op) today. I was stumped as to how I was going to prepare them since I have only eaten this cabbage in stir fry or marinated. I decided to experiment tonight with an oven cooked bok choy.

A little about boc choy that you may not know; this vegetable contains glucosinolates. These compounds have been reported to prevent cancer in small doses, but, like many substances, can be toxic to humans in large doses, particularly to people who are already seriously ill. Cultivated in China since ancient times, bok choy is found in soups and stir-fries, appetizers and main dishes. Bok choy’s popularity comes from its light, sweet flavor, crisp texture and nutritional value. Not only is bok choy high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and calcium, but it is low in calories.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

  • 1 baby Bok Choy
  • Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves of fresh garlic, grated or chopped very fine
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bok Choy

Bok Choy

  • Remove outer leaves if they look torn or bruised, or just cut short with scissors.
  • If leaves are overly long you can trim them with scissors, otherwise leave long, they will crisp up when cooked.
  • Wash with cool water and drain and dry on paper towels.
  • Slice the Bok Choy lengthwise into 4 quarters leaving the stem on each piece to hold leaves together.
  • Drizzle with olive oil, rub the olive oil into the leaves
  • Grate the garlic cloves and spread all over the Bok Choy and into the leaves
  • Sprinkle with kosher salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese
  • Place on a flat baking sheet covered with aluminum foil – do not use a pan with a lip, you want them to roast not steam.
  • Bake in 350 F. oven for 20 minutes, turn over and let bake for another 5 minutes
  • Be careful not to overcook, the Bok Choy should be crisp tender, at this point you can cut into chunks and serve or drizzle with a good quality balsamic vinegar and serve.

Top food blogs

Curried Carrots

Dinner Ideas, Salads, Side, Vegetables November 14, 2025 Leave a comment

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
2 pounds carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced on the bias 1-inch thick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Directions

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. When hot, add the carrots in an even layer to maximize contact with the pan. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and fry the carrots, turning every 3 or 4 minutes, until are they are dark caramelized brown in spots, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the curry powder and mix to combine. Scatter the cilantro (or parsley) over the top and serve.