Today's Special: Trying to Increase My Processed Meat Intake

Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Mashed Potatoes- So this isn't really a recipe. Just salt and pepper some good ribeye steaks and throw them on a hot grill. The mashed potatoes are an inborn Idaho man secret. Or technique. Either way, only Seth can make them at our house. Sorry, you'll have to find your own Idaho native to make them for you.

Fancy Hot Dogs- New Recipe. Don't knock it til you try it is all I got to say about this one. This was a lot like stroganoff, but with hot dogs. I added mushrooms to this which I thought worked really well. I sauteed them along with the hot dogs and onions. Also, I know you're all going to be scandalized by this, but I've found a new brand of hot dogs. I had been using Ballpark Grillmasters for a long time, but decided to try Hebrew National Kosher Beef Hot Dogs this time. They taste more like a classic hot dog and aren't quite so greasy as the Grillmasters. I can see this recipe making it to the second round.

Tuna Casserole- Old Favorite. This is one of the recipes my mom always made. Super easy and you can keep all the ingredients on hand for a quick dinner. I tried using a couple green onions in place of the minced onions in this and was very pleased with the results.

Baked Cod with Chorizo and White Beans- Repeat. I made this recipe once before and decided it was good enough to make again. This time I actually used chorizo sausage instead of kielbasa sausage and it was great as well. I like this recipe because it doesn't involve frying or spices that cover the flavor of the fish. This works well with virtually any type of white fish.

Shrimp, Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya- Favorite. I love this recipe. One of my favorite things to make. It's an easy one dish meal (if you've got a big oven-safe skillet) and makes a ton. Although the andouille sausage is good in this, I prefer to use turkey kielbasa sausage. It's not so spicy and has a more mellow flavor. Seriously, this stuff is awesome.

Bonus: Dessert

Granny's Chocolate Cobbler- New Recipe. I saw this recipe on the Pioneer Woman website and had to try it. I thought it turned out really good.... kind of like one of those hot fudge cakes that make their own fudge sauce. I used dark chocolate cocoa to give it even more chocolate flavor.

Tip of the Week: Garnishes

Until I started taking pictures of the meals I make, I completely ignored garnishes. I saw them as an optional ingredient and rarely ever used them. I mean, how much of a difference can chopped parsley or cilantro make to soup or a Mexican dish? Why should I bother with the toasted almonds on a casserole or a sprinkling of green onions? Let me tell you... garnishes make a huge difference!

Garnishes are actually incredibly important. Not only do they make the meal look more appetizing, they can also give an extra little punch of flavor that brings the whole dish together. There are so many meals I've made that have been dramatically altered by a seemingly small finishing touch. So don't skip the garnishes! I  guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised with the results.