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Recipes To Simply Inspire, Boston, MA (2026)

06/01/2026

SHEPHERD’S PIE SOUP

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
2 large carrots diced
1 large onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1 ½ cups diced potato
½ teaspoon ground sage
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup frozen corn
1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

Add the ground beef to a large dutch oven or soup pot and cook over medium heat until the beef is browned, stirring and breaking the meat into small pieces.

Drain the browned meat into a colander.

Using the same pot, add the onion and fresh carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for additional minute.

Add the broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Add the ground beef, half-and-half, potatoes, and ground sage and stir to combine well.

Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Then add the frozen corn and peas and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the cheese and cornstarch together and then add it the soup in small batches, stirring constantly until the cheese has melted completely.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

05/31/2026

STEAK QUESADILLAS

Ingredients

3 tablespoon olive oil divided
2 tablespoons adobo sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound sirloin steak
1 green pepper cored and sliced
1 large onion sliced
3 garlic cloves minced
2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
8 flour tortillas
2 tablespoon butter for cooking

Instructions

In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, adobo sauce, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper and mix well to combine.

Then, add the sirloin steak and toss to coat well on both sides. Then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).

Saute the veggies

In a cast iron skillet or non stick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced bell peppers and onion and sauté for 7-8 minutes, stirring often until the onion becomes translucent. Then add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.

Remove the veggies from the skillet and place in a bowl or on a plate and set aside.

Cook the steak

Place the marinated steak in the same skillet and sear the meat over medium heat for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook and cook until desired doneness.

Remove the steak from the pan and allow it to rest on a plate or cutting board for about 5 minutes. Then slice it against the grain into thin slices (for the most tender bites) and then into smaller cubes.

Assemble the quesadillas

Add a ½ tablespoon of butter to the skillet and melt in over medium-low heat. Place a flour tortilla in the pan and add ½ cup of shredded mozzarella, some of the sautéed veggies, and steak onto it.

Fold the tortilla in half and cook for 2 minute until golden brown. Then flip in over and cook for another 1-2 minute until the cheese has melted.

Serve the quesadillas with any favorite toppings like salsa, guacamole, sour cream, lime juice, or chopped cilantro.

05/31/2026

COWBOY CAVIAR

Ingredients

⅓ cup olive oil
⅓ cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Juice of ½ a lime
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
15 ounces 15 ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
15 ounces 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
11 ounces 11 ounce can super sweet corn, drained
1 red onion diced
1 cup red bell pepper diced
1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon sugar optional (up to ¼ cup if preferred)

Instructions

In a large bowl, blend the olive oil, white wine vinegar, chili powder, cumin, lime juice and salt together.

Add the tomatoes, black-eyed peas, beans, corn, red onion, bell peppers and cilantro.

Cover and chill for at least 1 hour for flavors to blend.

Serve with your favorite chips, as a side dish or as a topping for fish or chicken

ENJOY!!

05/31/2026

WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI RECIPE

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
5 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
2 medium sweet red bell peppers or 1 Red and one Yellow, seeded, cored and diced.
2 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
3 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon *secret ingredient #1
¼ teaspoon black pepper
28 ounces crushed tomatoes one large can or 2 smaller cans
14 ounces diced tomatoes one can
30 ounces northern white beans, low sodium preferably (2) 15 ounce cans
1 cup beer
¼ cup grated unsweetened chocolate *secret ingredient #2
Optional garnishes
Light Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Sliced Scallions
Diced Avocado

Instructions

Bake Chicken Breasts in 2 tablespoon of Olive Oil at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until no longer pink inside.

Heat 3 tablespoon of olive oil in cooking pot. Add the onion and garlic and saute about 10 minutes.

Add the bell peppers and jalapeno peppers and saute another 10 minutes.

Stir in Chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and pepper.

When chicken is done, shred or cut into 1 inch pieces.

Add the chicken, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beans and beer to the pot and stir to combine.

Simmer over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes.

Stir in grated chocolate.

Garnish with your favorite toppings.

05/31/2026

GRAPE JELLY AND KETCHUP MEATBALLS

Ingredients

1 cup grape jelly
1 cup ketchup
2 pounds lean grass fed ground beef
3 large eggs
¾ cup breadcrumbs or almond meal flour for gluten free
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Mix jelly and ketchup together.

Mix ground beef, eggs, garlic powder, pepper and bread crumbs together well.

Form meat mixture into balls a little smaller than a golf ball.

Pour about half of the jelly/ketchup mixture into the bottom of a slow cooker.

Place meatballs in slow cooker.

Pour the remaining jelly/ketchup mixture on top of the meatballs.

Cover and cook for about 4 hours on high or 6=7 hours on low.

ENJOY!!

05/31/2026

CROCK POT BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE

Ingredients

3 cups chicken cooked and shredded
1 packet ranch dressing seasoning
16 ounce sharp cheddar cheese shredded
8 ounces cream cheese
2 ½ cups milk
½ cup buffalo hot sauce
1 cup chicken broth
16 ounces rotini pasta
Green onions sliced, optional for topping

Instructions

Add the cooked shredded chicken to the bottom of a crock pot and pour entire packet of ranch dressing seasoning over top..

Add the shredded cheddar cheese and cream cheese.

Pour in milk, chicken broth, and buffalo sauce and stir to combine well..

Cook for 2 hours on high or for 4 hours on low.

Approximately 30 minutes before serving, boil water in a large pot and cook the noodles according to the package directions of al dente.

Drain the pasta into a colander over the sink and then add the drained pasta to the slow cooker and stir to coat completely.

Serve topped with blue cheese crumbles and sliced scallions if desired!
Green onions

05/31/2026

LEMON ICEBOX CAKE🍋🍋🍋

Ingredients
16 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3.4 ounce instant lemon pudding 1 box
2 cups heavy cream
22 graham crackers
8 ounces cool whip topping
Lemon slices for topping optional

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for one minute. (You can also use the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment).

Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and then add in lemon juice and lemon zest and mix well.

Add in instant pudding mix and blend to combined well. (It will be thick in consistency).

In a separate mixing bowl, add the heavy cream and blend with the electric mixer for about 3 minutes until stiff peaks form. (if usually a stand mixer, transfer the lemon mixture into a separate bowl and clean the stand mixer bowl, then add in the heavy cream and use the whisk attachment for about 3 minutes.

Add this whipped cream into the lemon/ cream cheese mixture and fold it in gently with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Add ¼ - ½ cup of the lemon mixture to the bottom of the 9x13” baking dish and spread evenly across the bottom. (just a thin layer)

Add a layer of graham crackers on top.

Then top with ⅓ of the filling mixture and spread it evenly over the crackers.

Repeat with another layer of graham crackers and another ⅓ of the filling.

Add the last layer of graham crackers and the remaining filling mixture.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours (or overnight) to chill.

Before serving, spread the cool whip evenly over top.

Lemon slices are an optional garnish.

05/31/2026

RITZ CRACKER COOKIES

Ingredients

32 Ritz crackers
32 Rolo candies
16 pecan halves
¼ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the Ritz crackers in a single layer on the baking sheet, with half of them facing up and half facing down.

Place an Rolo candy on top of each cracker.

Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for approximately 5 minutes or until the candy has softened.

Lightly press a pecan half into the melted Rolo of the crackers that is facing up.

Then, lightly place those crackers on top of the other crackers to sandwich them together and mash the melted Rolo down, being careful not to break the cracker as you press them down.

Allow the cracker cookies to set at room temperature until completely cooled.

In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and heat them for 30 seconds. Then stir and repeat for another 30 seconds. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate or it will become too thick to drizzle.

Place the melted chocolate in a piping bag and drizzle it over the top of each cookie.

Let them cool completely and set for about 15 minutes.

05/31/2026

M&M COOKIE BARS🍪🍪🍪

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour use bread flour chewier cookies
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened to room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup M&M’s plus more for optional topping
¾ cup white chocolate chips plus more for optional topping
⅓ cup sprinkles plus more for optional topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix together.

In a separate large bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar and cream together with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy.

Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and blend on medium speed until just incorporated.

Add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed just until the flour is barely mixed in, scraping down the side of the bowl a few times with a rubber spatula. Avoid over-mixing.

Gently stir in the M&M’s, chocolate chips, and sprinkles until evenly distributed.

Pour the cookie dough into the parchment lined dish and press in down gently in an even layer. (don't press it down to hard or it may become more dense).

Top with additional M&M’s, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles if desired.
Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the top is golden browned. Be careful not to not over bake or the bars will become dry.

When you remove them from the oven, they will continue to bake while the dish is still hot.

Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting into bars..

05/30/2026

BANG BANG CHICKEN

Ingredients
For the Chicken
1.5 pounds chicken breast skinless, boneless, and cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup buttermilk
¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
Vegetable or sunflower oil
For the Bang Bang Sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

Instructions

Cook the Chicken

In a medium bowl, add the diced chicken and buttermilk.

In a separate medium bowl, add the Panko, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt.

Place each chicken piece in the breading mixture and toss to coat.

Heat sunflower oil or vegetable oil or any neutral flavor oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet.

Add the breaded chicken and cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side until crispy.

Place the cooked chicken on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Make the Bang Bang sauce

Add the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and sriracha sauce to a small bowl and mix together well.

Serve the chicken with the bang bang sauce drizzled over top.
Garnish with sliced green onions.

Recipes To Simply Inspire

06/01/2026

05/31/2026

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05/31/2026

05/31/2026

05/31/2026

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05/31/2026

05/31/2026

05/30/2026

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