Baked Ziti with Fresh Blistered Cherry Tomatoes and Mozzarella

  This Baked Ziti with Fresh Blistered Cherry Tomatoes and Mozzarella relies on fresh cherry tomatoes cooked down into a juicy, sweet sauce with garlic and fresh basil, then baked until the cheese is melted and golden.

Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

• Pasta: 1 lb. ziti pasta
• Tomatoes: 2 pints (about 4 cups) fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, left whole
• Aromatics & Herbs: 5 cloves garlic (thinly sliced), ½ cup fresh basil leaves (chiffonade or torn), ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• Oil & Seasoning: ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• Cheese: 8 oz fresh mozzarella (cubed or torn), ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1.Boil the ziti: Under-cooking slightly prevents soggy pasta after baking.

Bring a large pot of salt water to boil. Add the ziti and cook until 2 minutes shy of al dente (about 8–9 minutes). Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the ziti and set aside. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2.Blister the cherry tomatoes: High heat bursts the tomatoes to release their natural juices.

In a large, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the whole cherry tomatoes and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the skins begin to blister and pop.

3.Add garlic and simmer: Slightly crushing the tomatoes creates a rustic sauce base.

Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to gently press down on the tomatoes so they release their juices and combine with the oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

4.Combine pasta, sauce, and herbs: Pasta water helps the sauce cling to the ziti.

Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the cooked ziti, half of the fresh basil, and a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to coat the pasta evenly in the fresh tomato sauce.

5.Top with cheese and bake: Bake until bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Scatter the cubed fresh mozzarella and grated Parmesan over the top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. Finish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes for golden browned spots. Garnish with the remaining fresh basil and serve hot.

 

copycat recipe for Chili's Skillet Queso

 

 This copycat recipe for Chili's Skillet Queso delivers the exact rich, slightly smoky, and velvety cheesy flavor of the restaurant’s favorite right at home.

Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Yield: About 3 cups

Ingredients

• Cheese: 16 oz Velveeta (cut into small cubes)
• Chili: 1 can (15 oz) Hormel No-Bean Chili (or similar canned beef chili without beans)
• Dairy & Liquid: ½ cup whole milk
• Seasonings: 1 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for extra kick)
• Acid & Flavor: 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• For Serving: Warm tortilla chips

1.Combine ingredients in saucepan: Cubing ensures smooth melting without burning.

In a medium saucepan or small skillet over low-medium heat, add the cubed Velveeta, canned chili, whole milk, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

2.Melt slowly: Stir constantly to prevent scorching the bottom.

Heat the mixture, stirring frequently with a spatula or spoon, until the Velveeta is completely melted and the dip is rich and silky (about 10–12 minutes).

3.Finish with lime juice: A splash of acid cuts through the richness.

Stir in the fresh lime juice. If the queso is too thick, stir in an extra tablespoon or two of milk to reach your desired dipping consistency.

4.Garnish and serve: Serve hot for the best texture.

Transfer the hot queso to a warm skillet or serving bowl. Serve immediately alongside warm, thin tortilla chips.

 

Sweet Smokie Joe Product Review

 

Sweet Smokie Joe: Bringing Big Louisiana Flavor to Your Kitchen

If you love cooking with bold seasoning, smoky flavors, and a little Louisiana-inspired personality, then I think you are going to enjoy discovering Sweet Smokie Joe!

Here at Momz Daily Scoops, I love finding products that can take an everyday meal and turn it into something the whole family gets excited about. Sweet Smokie Joe has created a wonderful selection of seasonings and rubs designed to bring out the natural flavor of meats, seafood, poultry, vegetables, and so much more.

A Little About Sweet Smokie Joe

Sweet Smokie Joe began in 2017, when owners Stan and Chenoa Kendall started creating their own line of seasonings. According to their story, Stan developed a beef and pork rub because he was tired of products where salt was the main ingredient and wanted something that captured the true flavors of Louisiana.

Chenoa challenged him to create a flavorful seasoning with less emphasis on salt, and that challenge helped lead to their signature Creole Kick seasoning.

Their passion for seasoning eventually grew into a larger business. The couple opened their retail store in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 2020, and in 2024 expanded into an 11,000-square-foot stand-alone outdoor cooking store. Today, Sweet Smokie Joe offers a wide variety of seasonings, rubs, sauces, cooking products, and outdoor-cooking supplies.

Their current lineup includes everything from Creole seasonings and garlic butter to chicken seasonings, pork rubs, brisket rubs, seafood seasonings, and more.

Steak & Burger Rub

The Sweet Smokie Joe Steak & Burger Rub is a great seasoning to keep handy when you are firing up the grill.

This is the kind of seasoning I would reach for when making burgers, steaks, meatloaf, steak tips, or even roasted potatoes. It adds a savory, seasoned flavor without taking away from the taste of the beef.

What I would pair it with:

• Grilled hamburgers with cheddar cheese

• Ribeye or sirloin steak

• Steak fries

• Grilled onions and peppers

• Roasted potatoes

• Mushrooms

• Corn on the cob

It would also be fun to mix a little into your ground beef before forming your burger patties.

Creole Kick Original

Now we get to one of the products that really represents the Sweet Smokie Joe story: Creole Kick Original.

This is an all-purpose Creole-style seasoning created to bring authentic Louisiana-inspired flavor to your cooking. Sweet Smokie Joe describes Creole Kick as a versatile seasoning that enhances the natural flavor of food rather than overwhelming it.

I can see this becoming one of those bottles you reach for over and over again.

Try it on:

• Chicken

• Pork

• Steak

• Shrimp

• Fish

• Burgers

• French fries

• Roasted vegetables

• Eggs

• Rice and beans

If you enjoy Cajun and Creole flavors, this is definitely one to keep in the spice cabinet.

Creole Kick Sweet Kick

If you like the Creole Kick flavor but want something with a sweeter side, Creole Kick Sweet Kick is a fun variation.

The Sweet Kick is described by Sweet Smokie Joe as the sweeter version of its Creole Kick seasoning.

I think this would be especially good on foods cooked on the grill because sweet and smoky flavors work so beautifully together.

Try it on:

• Chicken wings

• Pork chops

• Ribs

• Grilled chicken

• Sweet potatoes

• Corn

• Roasted vegetables

• Grilled shrimp

It would also make a great finishing seasoning when you want just a little extra flavor before serving.

Honey Gold Pork Rub

The Sweet Smokie Joe Honey Pork Gold Rub is a seasoning I especially wanted to talk about because it is so versatile.

Sweet Smokie Joe lists it as a Honey Gold Pork Reserve Competition Pork & Chicken Rub, making it an especially good choice for pork and poultry.

The name Honey Gold immediately makes me think of a sweet, savory barbecue-style flavor with enough seasoning to create a delicious crust on the outside of the meat.

I would use it on:

• Pork chops

• Pork tenderloin

• Pork shoulder

• Ribs

• Chicken thighs

• Chicken breasts

• Whole chicken

• Turkey

For sides, I would serve Honey Gold-seasoned pork with creamy mashed potatoes, baked beans, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, roasted vegetables, or sweet potatoes.

And because pork and apples are such a classic combination, apples or an apple-based slaw would be another wonderful pairing.

Champion Chicken

Chicken is one of those meats that can sometimes use a little help in the flavor department, and Sweet Smokie Joe Champion Chicken is made specifically for bringing more flavor to poultry.

The Champion Chicken seasoning is part of Sweet Smokie Joe's current seasoning collection.

I would use this seasoning for:

• Grilled chicken breasts

• Chicken thighs

• Drumsticks

• Wings

• Whole roasted chicken

• Chicken sandwiches

• Chicken kabobs

For a complete dinner, try Champion Chicken with roasted potatoes and green beans. For something more casual, use it on chicken wings and serve them with celery, ranch or blue cheese dressing.

It would also be delicious sprinkled over chicken before making chicken salad.

Garlic Butter

Then there is Sweet Smokie Joe Garlic Butter, and garlic butter is one of those flavors that seems to make almost everything better!

Sweet Smokie Joe describes this seasoning as being great on everything, and I can certainly see why it would be such a versatile pantry staple.

Think about sprinkling it over:

• Steak

• Chicken

• Shrimp

• Salmon

• Vegetables

• Potatoes

• Pasta

• Rice

• Popcorn

• Garlic bread

One of my favorite ways to use a garlic-butter-style seasoning would be on roasted potatoes or buttered corn.

It would also make a delicious addition to melted butter for dipping shrimp or brushing over grilled seafood.

Honey Gold Pork Chops

Since pork is such a natural match for the Honey Gold Rub, I wanted to create a recipe that lets the seasoning really shine.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops

• 2 tablespoons Sweet Smokie Joe Honey Gold Pork Rub

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon butter

• Optional: thinly sliced apples for serving

Directions

1. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels.

2. Rub each pork chop lightly with olive oil.

3. Generously season both sides of the pork chops with Sweet Smokie Joe Honey Gold Rub. Let them sit for about 15–20 minutes so the seasoning can settle into the meat.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and minced garlic.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter.

6. Add the pork chops and cook for approximately 4–5 minutes per side, depending on their thickness, until they are cooked through and reach a safe internal temperature of 145°F.

7. During the final couple of minutes of cooking, brush the pork chops generously with the honey-Dijon mixture.

8. Remove the pork chops from the skillet and let them rest for about 3–5 minutes.

9. Drizzle a little more of the honey-Dijon mixture over the top before serving.

10. For an extra special touch, serve the pork chops with sautéed apple slices.

What to Serve With Them

I would make this a complete comfort-food dinner with:

Honey Gold Pork Chops + Creamy Mashed Potatoes + Green Beans + Warm Cinnamon Apples

The sweet notes from the honey and apples complement the savory pork beautifully, while the Honey Gold Rub gives the meat a delicious seasoned flavor.

My Momz Daily Scoops Take

What I really like about Sweet Smokie Joe is that these aren't seasonings that make you feel like you have to completely reinvent a recipe. They give you an easy way to add another layer of flavor to foods you are already cooking.

Whether you are grilling burgers, preparing chicken for dinner, making pork chops, seasoning seafood, or simply roasting vegetables, there is something in the Sweet Smokie Joe lineup that can help bring those dishes to life.

From the Louisiana-inspired Creole Kick Original and Sweet Kick to the savory Steak & Burger Rub, Champion Chicken, Honey Gold Rub, and versatile Garlic Butter, these seasonings give home cooks plenty of ways to experiment.

For me, that is what makes a good seasoning so much fun—you can take an everyday meal, shake on a little something special, and suddenly dinner tastes like you put a whole lot more work into it!

So, are you ready to "Do You Smokie, Joe?"

https://www.sweetsmokiejoe.com

Frango à Passarinho (Brazilian Crispy Garlic Chicken)

 

 Frango à Passarinho (Brazilian Crispy Garlic Chicken) is one of Brazil’s most popular chicken dishes—crispy, bite-sized pieces of bone-in chicken tossed with heaps of golden, toasted garlic and fresh cilantro.

Prep time: 15 mins | Marinate time: 1–2 hours | Cook time: 20 mins | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• Chicken: 2.5 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks, chopped into small 1.5 to 2-inch bite-sized pieces
• Marinade: 4 cloves garlic (minced), ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 3 tbsp cachaça or white rum (optional, for tenderizing), 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
• Dredge & Frying: 1 cup all-purpose flour (or cornstarch for extra crunch), neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
• Garlic Topping & Garnish: 8 cloves garlic (sliced thin or coarsely chopped), ½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley (chopped), lime wedges for serving

1.Marinate the chicken: Marinate for at least 1 hour for deep flavor.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped chicken pieces with minced garlic, lime juice, cachaça (if using), paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss well to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).

2.Crisp the garlic topping: Fry low and slow so the garlic turns golden, not burnt.

In a deep skillet or heavy pot, heat 1–2 inches of oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until light golden brown. Immediately scoop out the crispy garlic with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

3.Dredge the chicken: A thin, light coating ensures maximum crunch.

Bring the oil up to 350°F (175°C). Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade, shake off excess liquid, and light dredge each piece in the flour (or cornstarch) until lightly coated.

4.Fry until golden and cooked through: Work in batches to keep the oil hot.

Carefully drop the chicken pieces into the hot oil in batches. Fry for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown, crispy, and cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

5.Toss and serve: Serve hot while the chicken is at peak crispness.

Transfer the hot fried chicken to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the reserved crispy fried garlic and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley. Toss gently to distribute. Serve immediately with fresh lime wedges on the side.