Category: Dinner

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Your whole family will love this Italian wedding soup with delicious meatballs, healthy vegetables, and pasta, all cooked in a savory broth. 

I absolutely love a good soup, and when your entire family gives it two thumbs up (even the picky eater), you know you have a winner. With this soup, you have your complete dinner in one bowl; protein, pasta, and lots of vegetables! This means less time spent making dinner and fewer dirty dishes.

What is Italian Wedding Soup?

No, it is not a traditional soup served at weddings in Italy. The name wedding comes from the Italian phrase “minestra maritata,” which means ‘married soup.’  Why is it married? It’s the marriage of ingredients, and the resulting delicious flavor in the soup.

An authentic Italian Wedding soup will always have these two ingredients; green vegetables and meat. When it comes to vegetables, it is common to use lettuce, kale, spinach, or cabbage. Meat is usually represented by some type of meatballs or sausage.

What Type of Pasta is Best?

Any type of small pasta will work. The most common types of pasta used in Italian wedding soups are the smallest types; acini de pepe, pastina, or orzo pasta. They can be found amongst the other pasta in most grocery stores. 

How to Make this Recipe

Start with the meatballs. 

  • Combine all the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl (it’s easiest to use your hands to mix).

  • Form into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

  • Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Check that the meatballs are done with a kitchen thermometer. It should read at least 160°F.

  • Set the meatballs aside a prepare the soup.

Next, make the soup.

  • Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onions to a pan with a little oil. Cook until tender. This takes about 20 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth, dried parsley, dried basil, ground pepper, and salt. Bring almost to a boil.
  • Add the pasta, cover, and turn down the heat to medium. Cook the pasta until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs and spinach, and continue to cook the soup over medium-low heat. Cook until the spinach has wilted and the meatballs are heated through; about 5 minutes.
  • Ladle the soup into the bowls, garnish with parmesan cheese and serve.

Using Frozen Spinach

  • You may also use a 6-ounce package of frozen spinach.
  • Let it thaw, pat it dry, and add it at the end. Give it a few minutes to heat before serving.

Storage

  • Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze in an airtight container for 3-4 months.
  • When reheating the soup, the pasta will have soaked up some of the broth, and the soup will be thicker. If needed, you can add a little more broth to the soup before reheating it to thin the soup a bit.

Italian Wedding Soup

Your whole family will love this Italian wedding soup with delicious meatballs, healthy vegetables, and pasta, all cooked in a savory broth. 
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Soup
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
 

Meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground turkey or pork
  • ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Soup:

  • 1-2 tablespoons oil
  • 1½ cups chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup acini de pepe, pastina or orzo pasta**
  • 6 ounces baby spinach
  • grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions
 

Meatballs:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
  • Mix the turkey or pork, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, parsley, and salt together in a medium bowl. It is easiest to use your hands to mix the ingredients.
  • Shape mixture into meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Check for doneness with a thermometer, which should read at least 160°F. Set aside while you finish the soup.

Soup:

  • Add the oil to a large pot and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onions and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Pour in the chicken broth. Then add the parsley, basil, pepper, and salt. Heat until the soup is hot and steaming.
  • Turn the heat down to medium, add the pasta and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the pasta is done, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs and spinach and stir. Continue to cook the soup over medium-low heat until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes. Sample the soup and add more salt to taste, if needed.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese (optional).

Notes

**If you like a brothier soup, you can reduce the pasta to 1/2 cup. Note that as the soup sits, the pasta will absorb more broth, so you can add more broth to thin the soup as desired.
Using Frozen Spinach:
  • You may also use a 6-ounce package of frozen spinach.
  • Let it thaw, pat it dry, and add it at the end. Give it a few minutes to heat before serving.
Storage:
  • Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze in an airtight container for 3-4 months.
  • When reheating the soup, the pasta will have soaked up some of the broth, and the soup will be thicker. If needed, you can add a little more broth to the soup before reheating it to thin the soup a bit.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!

SLOPPY JOES

These Sloppy Joes are delicious enough for adults and kids alike! Made from scratch, with a rich, smoky flavor and the addition of healthy vegetables, these truly are finger-licking-good! 

Having Sloppy Joes for dinner doesn’t have to mean opening a can of premade Sloppy Joe mix…Yuck! Instead, you can make a homemade, delicious, flavourful meal that the whole family will love in under an hour!

Don’t be afraid to slip vegetables into dishes like Sloppy Joes; not only are they healthy, but they add flavor and texture. And you don’t have to stick to what I have listed in the recipe; you could use red peppers, celery, or carrots.

I initially didn’t write this recipe with barbeque sauce as one of the ingredients, but when I tried it, WOW!! It gave the sloppy joes such a rich, smokey flavor. So I rewrote the recipe and worked in the barbeque sauce. It doesn’t matter which brand you use; just use your favorite.

I highly recommend toasting the hamburger buns. Trust me; it will take your Sloppy Joes to a whole other level! Of course, if you don’t have a toaster or the buns won’t fit in your toaster, you can always toast the buns in the oven.

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Toast your bread on the middle rack of the oven on a sheet pan for about 10 minutes, flipping it halfway through.

The lower heat will give you a bit more control — cut down the time for golden brown toast, and leave it in a bit longer if you like it darker and crisper.

Sloppy Joes

These Sloppy Joes are delicious enough for adults and kids alike! Made from scratch, with a rich, smokey flavor and the addition of healthy vegetables, these truly are finger-licking-good! 
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 large onion, diced, about 1½ cups
  • 1 large green pepper, diced, about 1 cup
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
  • 1 8-ounces can tomato sauce
  • ½ cup barbeque sauce, any brand
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground mustard
  • 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 8 hamburger buns, toasted

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until it is browned and cooked through. Remove the ground beef from the heat and drain off the fat (retaining about a tablespoon to fry the vegetables). Set the ground beef aside.
  • Add the diced onions and green peppers to the same skillet and saute until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the tomato paste, tomato sauce, barbeque sauce, brown sugar, ground mustard, vinegar, and salt, in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Add the minced garlic to the skillet and saute with the vegetables for an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  • Return the cooked ground beef to the skillet and stir together with the vegetables. Turn the heat down to medium and add the sauce ingredients. Stir until completely mixed in. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • Continue cooking until everything is heated through and steaming, about 10 minutes.
  • Serve on toasted buns (see notes).

Notes

Toasting the Buns:

  • Use a toaster, or
  • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Toast your bread on the middle rack of the oven on a sheet pan for about 10 minutes, flipping it halfway through. The lower heat will give you a bit more control — cut down the cooking time for golden brown toast, and leave it in a bit longer if you like it darker and crisper.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!

HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Homemade spaghetti sauce doesn’t need to be complex or time-consuming to be delicious. You just need good, quality ingredients to make a sauce full of amazing flavor. This recipe is perfect for making large batches to feed a crowd or freezing for quick, easy meals later.

Spaghetti night is a favorite in our house. Everyone loves it and leaves the table satisfied and happy. It’s one of those meals that doesn’t need to be overly complex or time-consuming to be amazing!

For years, I thought homemade spaghetti sauce must be hard to make or at least hard to make really good. So I bought spaghetti sauce in a jar. It wasn’t bad; we enjoyed it. But I finally decided to develop my own recipe for homemade spaghetti sauce that was both easy and delicious. And here it is! I will never go back to spaghetti sauce in a jar again.

Best Tomatoes to Use:

The best spaghetti sauce is made using crushed San Marzano tomatoes. San Marzano is a variety of plum tomatoes with a more robust flavor and are sweeter and less acidic. You can usually find canned San Marzano tomatoes at your grocery store. But there are times I can’t find this variety, so I have used other brands of crushed tomatoes or fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, and the sauce still turns out amazing. So whichever type or brand you use, be sure they are crushed tomatoes.

Adding Meat to the Sauce:

If you like to have meat in your spaghetti sauce, you certainly can add it. I love to use ground pork sausage in my sauce, or you can use ground beef. You can brown the meat with the onions (be sure to cook it thoroughly), draining off the extra fat, or cook the meat separately and add it to the sauce at the end.

We love meatballs with our spaghetti, and my Baked Sausage Meatballs complement this sauce perfectly. The meatballs are full of flavor and baked to perfection! And don’t forget the garlic bread with homemade Garlic Bread Spread!

Freezing Instructions:

It’s easy to freeze any leftovers to use later or make a larger batch with the intent to freeze for future use. Allow the sauce to cool completely, spoon the desired amount into sealable freezer bags, label, and lay flat in your freezer. Once frozen, they stack easily in your freezer.

Thawing and Reheating Instructions:

When you are ready to use the sauce, let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. 

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Homemade spaghetti sauce doesn't need to be complex or time-consuming to be delicious. You just need good, quality ingredients to make a sauce full of amazing flavor. This recipe is perfect for making large batches to feed a crowd or freezing for quick, easy meals later.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 6 Cups

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced, (more or less based on preference)
  • 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried sweet basil, (1½ tablespoons minced fresh basil)
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil over medium to medium-high heat in a large skillet or pot. Add the diced onions and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add the garlic and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from burning.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, oregano, basil, and parmesan cheese (break up any clumps before adding). Stir well. Bring to a simmer.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low, but maintain a simmer. Simmer for at least an hour to give the sauce time to cook down and thicken.
  • Serve over spaghetti noodles. This spaghetti sauce pairs perfectly with my Baked Sausage Meatball recipe.

Notes

Adding Meat to the Sauce: If you like to have meat in your spaghetti sauce, you certainly can add it. You can use ground pork sausage or ground beef. Brown the meat with the onions (be sure to cook it thoroughly), draining off the extra fat, or cook the meat separately and add it to the sauce at the end.
Freezing Instructions: It’s easy to freeze any leftovers to use later or make a larger batch with the intent to freeze for future use. Allow the sauce to cool completely, spoon the desired amount into sealable freezer bags, label, and lay flat in your freezer. Once frozen, they stack easily in your freezer.
Thawing and Reheating: When you are ready to use the sauce. Let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. 
 
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!

HERBED PORK CHOPS

Forget dry, over-cooked, flavorless pork chops…These are grilled to perfection, juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor! I am confident these will become a family favorite in your house!

I have not always been a fan of pork chops. I guess my earlier experiences with them weren’t so great. I always associated pork chops with being dry, tough, and not very flavorful.

Little did I know that my issue wasn’t with pork but how we were taught to cook it. Back in the olden days (before May 2011), the USDA’s safe temperature guideline for pork chops was 160°F, resulting in tough, dry shoe leather. As it turns out, pork used to carry a pathogen that caused trichinosis. However, thanks to improved breeding practices, trichinosis from pork is no longer a health concern today. As a result, the USDA now says it’s safe to cook pork to 145°F. The 145°F recommendation was music to most cooks’ ears, as it yields moist, juicy, and slightly pink-in-the-middle pork. 

Being able to cook pork to a lower temperature has truly changed how I feel about pork chops. I love them! The 15° difference allows me to cook or grill pork chops that I am proud to serve. They are always moist, tender, juicy, and flavorful. This particular recipe is a family favorite. The herb combination is incredible, and with the surprising addition of cinnamon, they are true perfection!

This recipe is enhanced by grilling the pork chops, so I highly recommend it! However, I realize that sometimes grilling isn’t practical or possible, so I’ll provide stovetop instructions in the recipe notes, so no one misses out on this amazing recipe.

For this Recipe:

I recommend using bone-in pork chops. While boneless chops may be cheaper, the bone keeps the pork chop moist and adds more flavor.

  • Start by allowing your pork chops to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, gatherer all your herbs together.
  • Measure out and combine all the herbs in a small bowl.
  • Brush one side of each pork chop with oil and sprinkle with salt. Then add a generous amount of the herbs to the pork chop and pat or rub into the meat. You want the entire pork chop covered with herbs.
  • Flip the pork chops over, brush with oil, sprinkle with salt, and add the herbs. (You can store any leftover herbs in an air-tight container for up to 6 months).
  • Preheat the grill over medium-high to high heat. **Stovetop directions are in the notes.
  • Once the grill is preheated, place the chops on the grill and allow to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Continue cooking on the other side for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. I recommend always using a meat thermometer to ensure your meat is cooked to a safe temperature. **Actual grilling time will depend on your grill and the thickness of the chops.
  • When they reach an internal temperature of 140°F, they are done. Remove them from the grill and let them rest on a plate for 5 minutes, during which time they will continue cooking with the residual heat and eventually reach 145°F.

Herbed Pork Chops

Forget dry, over-cooked, flavorless pork chops…These are grilled to perfection, juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor! I am confident these will become a family favorite in your house!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
 

  • ⅓ cup dried parsley flakes
  • ¼ cup dried marjoram
  • ¼ cup dried thyme
  • 3 tablespoons rubbed sage
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4-6 bone-in pork chops
  • 2-4 tablespoons oil

Instructions
 

  • Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature.
  • In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients.
  • Brush the pork chops with oil and lightly salt. Rub a very generous amount of the herb mixture on the pork chops. Flip the pork chop over and repeat on the other side.
  • Preheat the grill over medium-high to high heat. **Stovetop directions are in the notes.
  • Once the grill is preheated, place the chops on the grill, allow to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, and flip. Continue cooking on the other side for 4 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
    **Actual grilling time will depend on your grill and the thickness of the chops. I recommend always using a meat thermometer to ensure your meat is cooked to a safe temperature.
  • When they reach an internal temperature of 140°F, they are done. Remove them from the grill and let them rest on a plate for 5 minutes, during which time they will continue cooking with the residual heat and eventually reach 145°F.

Notes

Stovetop Instructions:
  • Heat your skillet to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When it’s shimmering hot, add your chops.
  • Sear on one side, without moving them, until they are nice and golden brown on the first side, about 3-5 minutes. Then flip and sear the other side until browned. 
  • The best way to check if the pork chop is done is to use a meat thermometer. When they reach an internal temperature of 140°F, they are done. 
  • Remove them from the skillet and let them rest on a plate for 5 minutes, during which time they will continue cooking with the residual heat and eventually reach 145°F.
  • Cooking time can vary based on the thickness of the pork chops.
Store any leftover herbs in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!

BAKED SAUSAGE MEATBALLS

Are you ready to make pasta night even better? This meatball recipe is so easy to make, and they come out incredibly tender, juicy, and full of flavor every time! Whether serving these over your favorite plate of pasta or serving as an appetizer at your next party, they’re always sure to impress!

Everyone in our house looks forward to pasta night. But who doesn’t? Spaghetti and meatballs have been a classic Italian-American dish since the late 1800s.

It’s safe to say how I serve pasta has evolved over the years. In the early years of my marriage, I always used ground beef, it’s what I grew up on, but I haven’t used ground beef with my pasta in almost 15 years. When I discovered how much more flavor there was when I used pork sausage, I never went back. When I mean more flavor…I mean, WOW FLAVOR!!

One day my oldest said, “why don’t you make meatballs this time?” It was my lightbulb moment! Of course…MEATBALLS!! I was determined to make the most amazing, unforgettable meatball recipe. After tweaking the recipe here and there, I finally had a recipe that my family went crazy for. I had my meatball recipe!

You might think twenty meatballs would be a lot for a family of four, but trust me – when your husband is sneaking 2 or 3 before you even sit down for dinner, and the kids come running the second you pull them out of the oven for a taste…And of course, I have to sample, right? Well, the point is, twenty doesn’t go as far as you might think.

Below I will share all my tips and tricks for making the perfect meatballs:

  • For starters, I bake my meatballs. Baking them gives the meatballs a little more flavor without additional oil. Be sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. If using foil, be sure to lightly spray it with cooking oil. This step is to prevent the meatballs from sticking to your baking sheet.
  • Fresh, quality ingredients are a must –
    • Sweet pork sausage – When making meatballs, fat is your friend. It will help you have tender, juicy, flavorful meatballs. So you’ll want to avoid using lean ground meat. Instead, I highly recommend using pork sausage (not ground pork), as this will give them an amazing depth of flavor due to the seasonings mixed into the sausage.
    • Italian style bread crumbs – I prefer to use Italian bread crumbs instead of plain because they have additional seasonings. Italian bread crumbs have oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley flakes, salt, and pepper. All this equals FLAVOR! Also, it’s always better to use dry bread crumbs instead of soaked bread, or you’ll have mushy, fall apart meatballs.
    • Milk – Any fat content will work. Milk helps to bind everything together and adds moisture.
    • Egg – The egg is the other binder in this recipe, so don’t leave it out!
    • Grated parmesan cheese – more flavor!
    • Worcestershire sauce, garlic, pepper, and salt – add more flavor!
  • Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and mix with your hands until everything is evenly combined. Trust me on this one; you can combine the ingredients better by hand than with a spoon.
  • Using your hands, form the meat into 1 1/2 inch balls. To do this, gently press the meat in your hands and then roll until you have a perfect ball. Do not compact the meatballs too tightly, or you will have dense meatballs. Instead, press them just enough so that they stay together in a nice ball. It is also important that you make all your meatballs the same size so they bake evenly.
  • Bake at 400F degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160F-165F degrees in the middle.

Serve on top of your favorite pasta dish. These work great with my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, and don’t forget the garlic bread with my Garlic Bread Spread. 

These also make great party appetizers! Simply stick a toothpick in each meatball, plate, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh finely chopped parsley, and serve. Trust me; these will be a hit!! Enjoy!

Baked Sausage Meatballs

Are you ready to make pasta night even better? This meatball recipe is so easy to make, and they come out incredibly tender, juicy, and full of flavor every time! Whether serving these over your favorite plate of pasta or serving as an appetizer at your next party, they’re always sure to impress!
4.71 from 17 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 20 meatballs

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound sweet pork sausage
  • ½ cup Italian style bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper. If using foil, spray lightly with cooking spray to keep the meatballs from sticking.
  • In a medium bowl, add all the ingredients and mix thoroughly with your hands.
  • Shape the meatballs into 18- 20 balls (about 1½ inches in diameter). Press together slightly while rolling them in-between your hands. Make sure the meatballs are the same size.
  • Place on prepared pan about ½ inch apart.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F-165°F.

Notes

These also can be made in bulk and frozen. After baking, allow the meatballs to completely cool. Place the cooled meatballs in a freezer bag, press all the air out and seal well. Use within 6 months.
To thaw the meatballs, pull the bag of meatballs out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to thaw. This can take a few hours or overnight, depending on the size of the meatballs and how many are in the bag.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!

 

SOUTHWEST CLUB WRAPS

If you are looking for a quick and healthy dinner idea that includes loads of flavor, look no further! These wraps are healthy, delicious, and completely satisfying.

We all need some go-to recipes that are easy and healthy, but we don’t want to sacrifice flavor just because we are trying to be healthy. And if you are anything like me, you want to break out of your salad rut once in a while. Don’t get me wrong, I love salads, but part of eating healthy consistently is keeping your food interesting. Wraps are a great way to mix it up, and honestly, the variations are endless!

Sauce: These wraps start with a southwestern-style sauce, ranch dressing, and barbecue sauce. I make a ratio suggestion for the ranch and barbecue sauce, but you can change that based on your preference. You can use any variety of barbecue sauce that you like. If you love barbecue sauce, add more! If you want a bit of heat to wrap, use a spicy barbecue sauce.

Cheese: You really can use any you like, shredded or sliced. My preference is Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, as I find they go perfectly with the other flavors of the wrap. I have even used sliced Gouda…and it didn’t disappoint! One suggestion, if you use shredded cheese, be sure to layer it on top of the sauce; the shredded cheese will stick to the sauce and will be less likely to fall out of your wrap when you are eating it.

Lunch Meat: Turkey works the best, as it is mild in flavor and allows the sauce to be the dominant flavor, and at the same time adds healthy protein to your wrap. However, you could certainly try other lunch meats and find a combination that you love.

Vegetables: This is where you can really get creative or even individualize the wraps. I love to load my wraps up with lots of lettuce; I’ve even used spinach when we had it growing in our garden. My husband loves olives, so I’ll load his up with extra. On the other hand, I don’t like olives, so I leave them out of mine. I do recommend using the peppers and cucumbers, as they add a nice crunch to the wrap.

For added flavor, we like to dip our wraps in the leftover sauce or make a little extra, if needed. We even save the leftover sauce for dipping carrots, bell peppers, or cucumbers. Our family prefers the ranch/barbecue combinations over just ranch for dipping vegetables. Try it!

My kids even enjoy getting involved in making the wraps to their liking, loading up on the things they like, and skipping the ones they don’t. I find they are more likely to eat vegetables if they have some control over which ones they get to eat. Otherwise, my kids will peek through the wrap suspiciously, concerned about what I might have slipped inside.

Southwest Club Wraps

If you are looking for a quick and healthy dinner idea that includes loads of flavor, look no further! These wraps are healthy, delicious, and completely satisfying.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
 

Sauce:

  • ¾ cup ranch dressing
  • ⅓ cup barbecue sauce, (any brand will do)

For the Wraps:

  • tortillas, (use the large burrito size)
  • lettuce or spinach leaves
  • 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces shredded cheese or sliced cheese, (Monterey jack or pepper jack)
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced thinly
  • 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • ½ of a cucumber, sliced into thin strips
  • ½ – 1 cup sliced black olives

Instructions
 

Sauce:

  • Combine the ranch dressing and the barbecue sauce in a small bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

Wraps:

  • Prepare all the vegetables by washing and slicing them as indicated on the ingredient list.
  • Begin assembling the wraps. Layout the desired number of tortillas. Start with the sauce, spread evenly over the entire tortilla, leaving about an inch around the edge. Layer the cheese and meat over most of the tortillas. Add the vegetables down the center of the tortilla.
  • Roll the finished wrap. To make a closed-end wrap, fold both the right and the left edges over the vegetables about one to two inches and then roll from the bottom. Be sure to press the ingredients into the center of the wrap as you roll the tortilla tightly.
    To make an open-ended wrap, fold only one edge and roll tightly.
  • If you make a closed-end wrap, cut the wrap in two and eat half at a time.
  • Use the leftover sauce to dip the wrap as you eat it.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!