Marin's Creations

Berries & Cream

2011-02-01T12:41:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe in my Taste of Home magazine and it looked delicious! It was quick, easy to throw together, and tasted great! We had company over for dinner and I made this for dessert. Everyone licked their dish clean. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 loaf of pound cake, thawed

4oz. cream cheese, softened

1 + cup marshmallow creme

fresh sliced strawberries

fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Cut pound cake into 1/2" cubes. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and marshmallow creme until smooth.

2. Layer cake and berries alternately in serving dishes. Top with a dollop of cream cheese mixture and garnish with blueberries on top. Chill until serving.

Meaty Manicotti

2011-01-20T11:08:00.000-08:00

This is the first time I've ever made manicotti, don't know why, but my family loved it so I am sure I will make it often now. This one was super easy to make and has pretty basic ingredients in it that I typically have on hand. I made all 14 which is an entire package of noodles and it was too much for my family of four. Just one filled me up and my husband only ate 2, so super filling!

INGREDIENTS:

14 uncooked manicotti shells

1 pound Italian sausage (I like sweet the best)

3/4 lb. ground beef

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

3oz. cream cheese, cubed

1/4 tsp. salt

4 cups of meatless spaghetti sauce, divided

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook manicotti shells according to package. Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook sausage and beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer, Drain and remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

2. Drain shells and rinse in cold water. Stir mozzarella, cream cheese, salt, and meat mixture together. Spread 2 cups of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

3. Stuff each shell with about 1/4 cup of meat mixture, arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake and additional 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Wraps

2011-01-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

We've been eating a lot of salads, sandwiches, and wraps at our house lately. This particular wrap has become one of our favorites. I found it on http://realmomkitchen.com a while back and we have had it several times. I typically use the uncooked tortillas from Costco rather then buying actual wraps.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 lb. sliced roasted chicken, from the deli

1/2 lb. black forest ham, from the deli

4 wedges of creamy swiss cheese (we have been using whipped cream cheese)

4 Tbsp. mayo

2 Tbsp. honey Dijon mustard

spinach or spring mix lettuce

4 tortillas/wraps

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix mayo and mustard together and set aside.

2. With each tortilla, spread cheese over entire tortilla. Next place a couple of slices of chicken, followed by a couple pieces of ham.

3. Spread about 1 Tbsp. of mayo/mustard mixture evenly over the ham. Place a few pieces of lettuce on top and roll the tortilla into a log. Slice and serve.

Quesadillas de Carmarones (Shrimp Quesadillas...yum!)

2011-01-13T08:29:00.000-08:00

Seriously?!! Where have I been? Are you tired of staring at the Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe? It's been so long, since October long...yikes! Well, I am back and starting off with a bang, if you like shrimp. I found this recipe over at the Pioneer Women's site so there were no doubts it would be awesome! My husband loves fajitas and this recipe has a fajita twist to it so it worked out great. Super easy and super tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

flour tortillas (I prefer the Tortilla Land Uncooked from Costco, which you have to pre-cook for this recipe)

12+ whole LARGE shrimp, peeled and deveined

8oz can El Pato

1 whole large onion

1 Large Red Bell Pepper

1 Large Green Bell Pepper

2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese

2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt to taste

butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pour El Pato over shrimp and set aside.

2. Chop peppers and onions into large chunks. Heat skillet over high heat, add olive oil. Cook veggies over high heat until they start to brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3. Return skillet to the high heat and dump shrimp and sauce, stirring occasionally until shrimp is opaque. (add a little water if sauce gets dry) Remove from skillet and chop into bite sized pieces.

4. In a separate skillet, heat a drop of butter. Place tortilla in skillet and top with cheese, shrimp, veggies, and a little more cheese. Place a second tortilla on top. Cook both sides, adding a drop of butter before flipping.

5. Remove from skillet and slice into wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-10-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe over at beckyhiggins.com a few weeks ago and gave it a try this past week. I love that it's not a traditional "brothy" chicken noodle soup. It's thicker and creamier which makes for a more filling meal. My kids absolutely loved it as did my nephew. This makes a great meal for cool fall day...which we are yet to have here.

Ingredients:

2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. granules)
2 cans chicken broth
1 c. chopped carrots
2 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/2 (half) can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. milk
1/2 cube (4 Tbsp.) butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. chopped cooked chicken (2 pieces)
4-6 oz. egg noodles

Directions:

Boil chicken until fully cooked. Cook egg noodles. Dissolve 2 bouillon cubes in 1 cup boiling water. Add chicken broth and vegetables to the liquid until tender. In separate bowl, whisk a half a can of cream of chicken soup and milk until smooth. Whisk soup and milk mixture into broth and vegetables. Melt butter then stir into flour. Add to soup mixture. Add chicken and noodles. Optional: Season to taste with salt & pepper or Schillings garlic & herb seasoning.

Cafe Rio Pork Salad

2010-10-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

If you haven't tried my Cafe Rio Pork recipe yet then you are missing out! I actually get the most google hits on that post. It is so yummy! Anyways, I decided to make a double batch of pork last time and froze half of it to see how it would do. I am happy to report it is just as good. I decided to serve it over a salad this time using the cilantro lime ranch. Love it, love it! Give it a try, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

Cafe Rio Pork (click here for recipe)

Hearts of romaine, chopped

black beans, drained and rinsed

corn

cherry tomatoes

mozzarella cheese

Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing (click here for recipe)

Directions:

Place chopped lettuce on serving plate and top with black beans, corn, tomatoes, pork, mozzarella, and drizzle cilantro lime ranch over top. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Bruschetta Pasta

2010-09-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

Ugh! It's getting darker way too early now! Sorry for the horrible shadow...AGAIN! This pasta is definitely one for the adults, not kids. My kids just wanted to know where the meatballs were. You can make this as is or you can also add some grilled chicken in with it for a more filling meal. It tastes great either way.

Ingredients:

1 lb. wheat spaghetti, prepared (reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid)

3-4 large tomatoes, diced

1 cup fresh packed basil, finely chopped

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup diced red onion

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. Red Wine vinegar

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

grilled chicken (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and toss to coat.

Caramel S'more Cups

2010-09-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a fun Labor Day weekend! My family and I just got back from a fun week at Lake Powell and it's good to be back on solid ground again! I made these cookies before I left and am finally getting a chance to post them. They were as yummy as they look. You can't wrong with a chocolate chip cookie, rolos, marshmallows, and chocolate all in one!

Ingredients:

1 pouch of Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

24 Rolos, unwrapped

72 mini marshmallows

1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Spray 24 muffin cups with cooking spray.

2. Make cookie dough as directed on package. Shape dough into 24 1 1/2" balls and place into muffin cups.

3. Bake for 13-15 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the edges begin to brown. Remove from oven; firmly press one rolo in the center of each cookie and top with 3 marshmallows. Bake 2-4 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffy. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan.

4. Once completely cooled, melt chocolate chips in a ziploc bag (about a minute). Cut of a corner of the bag and drizzle chocolate on each cookie. Let stand until hardened.

Oriental Chicken Salad

2010-08-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the awful shadow on the picture. It's becoming a bigger and bigger problem as we are getting closer to fall. I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe, a fabulous site if you've never been there before. I thought this tasted very similar to the Oriental Chicken Salad at Paradise Bakery, which is one of my favs! This dinner is super simple to throw together for a last minute meal. Don't let the ramen noodles scare you, they actually taste really good!

Ingredients:

1 package (3 ounces) oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix
½ cup pre-sliced almonds
red wine vinaigrette ( simple recipe below)
1/2 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix or broccoli slaw mix (I used the coleslaw)
1 package romaine lettuce (I used hearts of romaine, finely chopped)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 scallions, both white and light green parts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Break up the ramen noodles with your hands and place them and the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the noodles and almonds turn light brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

Place the slaw mix (I only use 1/2 bag), romaine lettuce, chicken, and scallions in a large serving bowl.

Toss to combine the ingredients well. Just before serving, pour the salad dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Scatter the toasted almonds and noodles on top and serve.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main course

Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette

Whisk together:
¾ cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
Ramen noodles seasoning packet

Shredded Beef Tacos

2010-08-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

I love these tacos! I have been making our beef tacos this way for the past couple of years and they never disappoint. I have posted them here on my blog before with a yummy garnish that is worth trying too. It's an easy crock pot meal that requires very little ingredients. You can also substitute the beef for chicken and the beef broth for chicken broth with great results too.

Ingredients:

beef tip roast

2 packets of your favorite taco seasoning

1 can beef broth

1 small diced onion

Directions:

Pour beef broth in crock pot and mix in taco seasonings with a whisk. Place roast in crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove roast from juices and shred. Serve in warm tortillas with toppings of choice!

Recommendations:

I love the uncooked tortillas from Costco, once you try them you'll never go back.
My favorite toppings- lettuce, tomato, sour cream, cheese, this salsa, avocado or guacamole
I've used low sodium beef broth and low sodium taco seasonings and it still turns out great
This rice (pictured above) makes the perfect side dish, but this one is good too!

Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts

2010-08-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

This another Sister's Cafe recipe! Can you tell I recently went through their archives? They have lots of wonderful recipes, so you should check them out. This marinade can be used on chicken, fish, or beef. I marinated these chicken breasts for 8 hours and they were loaded with flavor. It is a little on the saltier side as far as flavor, but my kids and I love salt so we loved this! Super simple meal and great for not heating up the house.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oil (I used vegetable)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons mustard ( I used dijon)
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic (I used one small clove)

Directions:

Mix well. Pour over meat, then let marinate for 6-8 hours in the fridge.

Southwestern Chicken Nachos

2010-08-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on the Sister's Cafe and switched it up a little. The original recipe has you cook the chicken in Pace Picante sauce, but I chose to use homemade salsa. The toppings you could add on this are endless. I think next time I'll add black olives and green onion too. Super simple and great for a busy day meal.

Ingredients:

1 small bag frozen corn
1 can black beans
2 large frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 16-oz jar medium salsa, such as Pace medium picante sauce (I used homemade salsa, recipe here)
shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream
chopped cilantro
diced avocado

(I also added lettuce and salsa, but I would recommend black olives and green onions too.)

Directions:
Pour bag of frozen corn in bottom of crockpot. Place frozen chicken breasts on top of corn and cover with rinsed and drained black beans and jar of medium salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with forks. Serve with tortilla chips and add toppings to individual servings.

Grilled Cheese Supreme

2010-08-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

So I saw an article in Better Homes and Garden magazine for variations of a grilled cheese sandwich and they looked so good, why hadn't I ever thought of it? I altered one of the recipes to my family's liking and it turned out really good. Here's what I did:

Ingredients:

french bread, thinly sliced

monterey jack cheese

crispy bacon

sliced avacado

sliced tomato

1 Tb. mayo mixed with1 tsp. honey

butter

Directions:

Butter one side of each slice of bread. On the unbuttered side add the mayo/honey spread and top with cheese and remaining filling. In a skillet or griddle cook for 3-4 minutes per side over medium heat or until toasted to your liking and cheese is melted.

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

2010-08-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe at the Sister's Cafe and adapted it slightly to our liking. This is a wonderful summer meal. It was very flavorful and filling and you don't have to heat up the house to make it! Probably not going to be a salad the kiddos will like but I just threw some hot dogs on the grill while I had it fired up.

Ingredients: (use the following to your liking)

chopped hearts of romaine

sliced grilled chicken, (grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)

sliced red onion

crumbled crispy bacon

shredded mozarella cheese

candied almonds, (heat sugar over medium heat till turns to liquid, then add sliced almonds and toss till coated, cool on wax paper)

the dressing: (I halved this recipe and I had tons left over)

1 1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. dry mustard

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 Tb. vidalia onion, chopped

2 cups canola oil

3 Tb. poppy seeds

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil. Blend until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Top over the above salad and enjoy!

Questions Answered....

2010-08-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

While I have not fallen off the face of the earth like some of you might think, I am just wrapping up the summer and adjusting back into a real schedule again. The summer was fun and very busy. I think we were either out of town or had family in town for the entire month of July. It's now August and school is back in session. I am hoping to catch back up to blogging again. My camera cord has been missing and I finally gave up looking and ordered a new one so hopefully my next post will be soon! And yes, I did remove the comments from my blog, only because I have a hard time getting back to your blogs to return the comment. You can always e-mail though if you have any questions. Thanks for sticking with me! Be back soon....

California Grilled Veggie Sandwiches

2010-07-07T05:43:00.000-07:00

So before you think, gross veggie sandwich, (at least that's what I was thinking), you have to give this one a try! I promise you will not miss the meat, it has so much flavor, and GOOD flavor! I loved these so much that I served them at my 4th of July BBQ too. Oh yeah, and did I mention, super quick and super simple to make? Great summer time meal.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/8 cup olive oil

1 cup sliced red bell pepper

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

1 small yellow squash, sliced

ciabatta bread

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1. Mix mayo, garlic, and lemon juice together. Chill in refrigerator.

2. Brush veggies with olive oil and grill for about 3 minutes, turn and grill for an additional 3 minuted. (If you have a grill basket it is super handy for this meal.)

3. Spread mayo mixture on cut sides of bread and top with feta. Grill bread, cheese side up, until lightly toasted and cheese melts, BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN THEM!

4. Remove bread from grill and top with grilled veggies. These can be open faced or as a normal sandwich. Enjoy!

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

2010-07-05T06:07:00.000-07:00

Some of you may or may not know my husband is doing P90X right now and there is a nutrition plan that goes along with it. If you've spent anytime on my blog then you know I am NOT a healthy cook! My husband has been after me to cook a few healthy meals a week for him and this is when this recipe came into play. He asked me to cook fish...well this is about as close to fish as it gets in my house. I don't eat sea creatures. They stink and they still look like the original creature when you buy them! I will however eat shrimp. It doesn't stink or have eyes looking at me when I buy it. Anyways, we grilled these up the other night and man were they good! Even my kids devoured them. These are definitely worth trying.

Ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup tomato sauce

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and de-veined

Directions:

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Add shrimp, cover and refrigerate for an hour. Preheat grill to medium heat. Thread shrimp on skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade. Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

2010-07-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

We love buffalo chicken at our house, so when I ran across this recipes at allrecipes.com, I knew it was a must try. It's was a great busy day meal because it cooks in the crock pot. It was definitely too spicy for the kiddos but my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts

1 bottle of Frank's Red Hot BUFFALO Wing Sauce

1-2 Tbsp. dry Hidden Valley Ranch mix

2 Tbsp. butter

6 hoagie rolls

Directions:

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker, and pour 3/4 of the wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix over top. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Once the chicken has cooked, add the butter, then shred the meat with two forks. Pile the meat onto the hoagie rolls and add a splash of remaining sauce if desired.

*I topped ours with lettuce, tomato, mozzarella cheese and drizzled ranch dressing over each one. Yummo!

Yummy Fruit Dip

2010-07-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

This is another dessert I made for the baby shower I threw a week or so ago. Super simple, only two ingredients!

Ingredients:

1 7oz. container of marshmallow creme

1 8oz. container cream cheese, (I used plain, but you can use strawberry too)

Directions:

Using a hand mixer beat the two ingredients together until well combined. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Southwestern Rice Bowls

2010-06-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

I found a recipe on favfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com for Southwestern Rice Bowls and I made my own variation of them. These were super good! Everyone in the family enjoyed them. I will definitely be making these again.

Ingredients:
Spanish Rice, prepared (click here for my recipe)
2 chicken breasts, cooked (cook in taco seasoning and chicken broth for about 4 hours in the crock pot, then dice or shred)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
shredded lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
sliced black olives
tortilla chips, crumbled

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch mix
(mix above ingredients and chill)
Just prior to serving, add 1/3 cup homemade salsa (click here for my recipe) and mix till combined.

Directions:
1. Heat corn and black beans.
2. Layer the following in 3-4 bowls:
Spanish rice
black beans
corn
chicken
cheese
lettuce
olives
drizzle dressing over top and garnish with crushed tortilla chips, enjoy!

Cake Pops

2010-06-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

I made these for a baby shower last night and had a lot of people ask me how I made them, so I figured I 'd post them. I've seen people all over blogland making these and putting their own cute twists on them. I used the directions from Bakerella and it's super simple, just a little time consuming.

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix (cooked as directed on box)

1 16oz. tub frosting (I used cream cheese frosting)

1 package of chocolate bark or candy melts (any additional candy melts if you choose to drizzle them)

sucker sticks

Directions:

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 tub frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. I used my cookie scooper to get a consistent size and I ended up with 47)
4. Insert sucker sticks and chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and place on wax paper until firm. Drizzle with additional colors if you choose.

BBQ Chicken n' Cheddar Sandwiches

2010-06-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

So I found this recipe over at the Recipe Shoebox, if you haven't visited this blog- check it out, Lara has lots of yummy recipes! This one was no exception, the entire family enjoyed these. They were very filling and very easy to make. You may want to leave the chipotle pepper out if you have little ones, they will still taste great!

Ingredients:

4 strips bacon, halved crosswise
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 lbs)
salt and pepper
1 cup favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 chipotle pepper, minced (optional)
1/4 cup water
4 large onion rolls, split (we used onion hamburger buns)
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fry bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken in bacon fat until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken and add barbecue sauce, chipotle pepper (if desired), and water. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and slice into bite size pieces. Arrange onion rolls cut side up on baking sheet. Divide chicken among bottom haves of rolls and top with sauce, cheese, and bacon. Bake open-faced sandwiches in oven until cheese melts and rolls are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Top each sandwich with toasted roll top. Serve immediately with a fruit smoothie on the side. Makes 4 sandwiches. Enjoy!

Skillet Penne and Sausage Dinner

2010-06-08T01:00:00.000-07:00

This is another one skillet meal from America's Test Kitchen, although I ran across it first on Teresa's blog, A Blog About Food. The recipe called for sun-dried tomatoes as well, but for some reason they seemed to have missed my grocery list that week so I made it without- and it was still good.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, minced

salt

pound hot or sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped fine

8 ounces penne

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream (I used fat free half and half)

1 (5 oz) bag spinach

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle the tomatoes and penne evenly over the sausage. Pour the broth and cream over the pasta. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook until wilted, about two minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Skillet Tamale Pie

2010-06-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

My sister bought me the 10 year Complete America's Test Kitchen cookbook for Mother's Day and I have been going through it like a mad woman marking the millions of recipes I want to try. This was one of them. First off, I love any meal that only uses one pan! The tamale filling was full of flavor and perfectly accented with a homemade cornbread topping. The meal came together pretty quickly and created little mess. Definitely a keeper!

Ingredients:

TAMALE FILLING:

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, minced

2 Tbsp. chili powder

table salt

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. ground beef

1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro ( I used probably 2-3 times this much!)

CORNBREAD TOPPING:

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

3 Tbsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

3 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. TAMALE FILLING- heat the oil in a 12 inch oven-safe skillet (I used my hutch oven) over medium heat. Add onion, chili powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook till fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Stir in the ground beef, bean, and tomatoes, bring to a simmer and break up meat with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheddar cheese and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

4. CORNBREAD TOPPING- whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until uniform. Stir in the cooled butter until just combined.

5. Dallop the cornbread batter evenly over the tamale filling, then spread into an even layer. Bake until the cornbread is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

2010-06-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

I know this totally doesn't look appetizing but it's one of those comfort foods that tastes great and looks awful. I found the recipe at Baking Like Betty (and I think she found it at Sisters Cafe), but either way it was great and my family enjoyed it. I made two, froze one, and am happy to report they were both equally great. Sometimes things aren't as great after being frozen but this one was. Try it and see what you think.

Ingredients:

2 pkgs reduced sodium Stuffing mix ( I didn't use reduced sodium)

1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup

1 C milk

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 lb sliced deli ham, cut into 1" strips

8 Swiss cheese slices, or 1 C shredded

2 C cheddar cheese, shredded

2 C cooked chicken, ( I used canned chicken from Costco, and pulled apart the chunks)

Directions:

Prepare stuffing mixes according to directions on box. Meanwhile in a bowl, combine soup and milk. Put chicken in a greased 9x13 or 2 8x8's (that's what I did for two small family batches). Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Layer ham, swiss, cheddar, soup mixture, and finally top with stuffing as final layer. At this point you can freeze or bake for 45 minutes at 350. If frozen, thaw in fridge overnight. Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before baking. Cover with foil and bake 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer. If using 8x8 cut baking time to about 30 minutes covered, 5-10 uncovered.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2010-05-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

So this salad is a re-post from well over a year ago, but it is so good that it's worth posting again! I recently made it for a party we went to and I can never get enough of it. There was tons of food at the party and I seriously only ate a huge plate of this salad. Love it!

Ingredients:
1 lb. spinach (I added some red and green leaf too)
1 qt. strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup almonds
1 Tbsp. sugar

Dressing: whisk together the following
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup or little less, sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced green onion
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions:
1. Toast almonds in sugar in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Place on wax paper to cool.
2. Combine spinach, strawberries, and candied almonds.
3. Toss dressing over salad just prior to serving, otherwise it will be soggy.

Southwest Summer Pork Chops

2010-05-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe is courtesy of Tried and True Cooking with Heidi, thanks Heidi! I almost always bread pork chops because it keeps them so tender and moist, but I found this recipe while browsing the blog world the other day and they looked so good. These had great flavor and everyone in the family enjoyed them. I bought thin cut pork chops so they cooked really quickly on the bbq- great summer time meal so you don't have to heat up the house! Give them a try and let me know what you think-

Ingredients:

4 tsp dried minced onion
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 bone-in pork loin chops (I used boneless)
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (I used KC Masterpiece)
2 TBSP lemon juice

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; rub over pork chops. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine barbecue sauce and lemon juice; add the pork chops; Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Discard marinade. If grilling the pork chops, coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill chops, covered, over medium heat or broil 6 in. from the heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°

Wicker Patio Chairs...Before and After

2010-05-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

I have been searching Craigslist, Goodwill, and Garage Sales for the last couple months in hopes of finding the the perfect wicker chairs for my front porch. Well, all that time searching finally paid off! I found a man on Craigslist selling these beauties for $15 each!!! That is a major steal if you've ever looked into buying wicker before. Of course I couldn't leave them as is either- after a few coats of black spray paint they were just what I was visioning in my head.

BEFORE

AFTER

PERFECT! JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!

thanks craigslist!

BBQ Chicken Spaghetti

2010-04-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

So anyone who reads this blog on a some-what regular basis will know that I love ranch and cilantro. Well Picky Palate has done it again! She has created yet another fabulous meal using my favorite ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 lb. angel hair

4 Tbsp. olive oil (I know I am bad, but I used butter!)

1/2 large red onion, diced

2 Tbsp. + ranch dressing mix

3/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

shredded bbq chicken (I put 3 chicken breasts in the crock pot topped with KC Masterpiece for 4-5 hours on low)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package. Drain and run under cold water.

2. Place olive oil (or butter :) in large pot over medium heat and saute the diced red onion. Add cooked noodles, ranch, and cilantro. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Place noodle mixture on serving plates and top with shredded bbq chicken.

Waffle Pancakes

2010-03-30T13:25:00.001-07:00

Mmmmm, these were so good! I found this recipe on Picky Palate a long time ago and just recently gave them a try for the first time...love them! Buttermilk just makes everything better. I highly recommend giving these a try...they would make a great Easter morning breakfast! Side note though- I have a Belgian waffle iron and the recipe only made 3. I'm sure you would get at least twice as many off a regular waffle iron though. Either way, plan according to what you need.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 stick melted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. sugar

Directions:

1. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix wet ingredients until just combined.

2. Cook in waffle iron and serve hot with lots of butter and syrup!

Chicken Spaghetti

2010-03-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

So if you haven't had the chance to buy the Pioneer Woman's cookbook yet, I highly recommend it. She has tried and true, no fail recipes, there are always a crowd pleaser. I think she's one of my favorites now. This was a great alternative to traditional spaghetti and we enjoyed it.

Ingredients:

1 cut-up fryer chicken (I used chicken breasts)

1 lb. thin spaghetti

4oz. jar diced pimentos, drained

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 tsp. seasoned salt

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Add chicken to stock pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes.

2. Remove chicken from water and set aside to cool.

3. Remove 2 cups of broth from the pot and set aside.

4. Bring remaining broth back to a boil and add spaghetti. Cook til al dente.

5. Drain spaghetti and discard liquid.

6. Shred chicken using 2 forks.

7. Place the cooked spaghetti in a large bowl. Add the cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups cheese, onion, green pepper, and pimentos. Add seasoned salt and peppers.

8. Add the chicken and reserved broth.

9. Stir together well and taste to check seasonings.

10. Pour mixture into a large baking dish, top with remaining cheese, and bake for 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Homestyle Pizza

2010-03-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, good ole homemade pizza. We have been making pizza regularly at our house lately. It's such an easy throw it together meal that everyone loves it. The above pictured pizza is a pretty typical one you'd find at our house- black olives for the kids and either pepperoni or sausage for us. I love the pizza dough recipe I found over at Our Family Treat a few months back. We use it for pizza, calzones, stromboli, pizza rolls, etc. Love it, love it!

Ingredients:

pizza dough

marinara sauce (I use prego meat sauce and add italian seasonings to it)

mozzarella cheese or pizza blend

toppings of choice

Directions:

Roll out dough to desired shape- rectangle or circle. Add sauce and cheese and top with your favorite toppings. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Ranch Mac n' Cheese

2010-03-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

I came across this recipe while browsing the Recipe Shoebox a few weeks ago. I figured with how much we love ranch dressing in this house I had to give it a try. The kids absolutely loved it. It is very strong and full of flavor so I will probably serve it a s a side next time. It would make a great side for a bbq or picnic!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (16-oz.) elbow macaroni

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. garlic pepper blend

1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning

1 cup (4-oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup (4-oz.) shredded Colby cheese

1 cup (8-oz.) sour cream

1/2 cup crushed saltines

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the milk, butter, dressing mix, and seasonings; heat through. Stir in Monterrey Jack and Colby cheeses until melted. Stir in sour cream.

Drain macaroni; stir into cheese sauce. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with crushed saltines and Parmesan cheese.

Grilled Ribeye with Blue Cheese & Onions

2010-02-24T06:16:00.001-08:00

This meal is always by request of my husband. He absolutely loves this steak. I am not a personal fan of blue cheese so I usually pull out a few sauteed onions to put on mine. This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman, so if you like blue cheese, there's no doubt it's going to be good. She is one amazing cook!

Ingredients:

2 ribeye steaks

butter

salt

pepper

4 Tbsp. butter

large yellow onion, sliced or diced

3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

1. Butter each side of each steak and season with salt and pepper. Grill until medium-rare, or desired doneness.

2. Saute onion in 4 Tbsp. butter over high heat until dark and caramelized. Reduce heat to simmer and pour in heavy cream. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir in blue cheese until melted. Serve steaks on or over the sauce.

The Perfect Dinner Roll

2010-02-18T05:29:00.000-08:00

So I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and thought it was a nice basic dinner roll. I still love my family favorite roll that I make all the time but they are a little sweeter so this was a nice change. It's good to change things up every once in a while. These are a perfect compliment to a nice bowl of soup, nice and thick. My family enjoyed them, they were simple to make, and only make a dozen at a time. Give them a try and see what you think.

*Makes 12 rolls - if doubling the recipe (which I do all the time), only increase the yeast to 1 tablespoon or else the dough will taste to yeast-y*

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour (I've had great results using half white, half wheat flour, also)
1/2 cup instant potato flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
Whisk water, oil, sugar, and yeast together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup until the yeast dissolves. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand, mix flour, potato flakes, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt until well combined. Add water mixture in a steady stream with the mixer on low (or stir in by hand) until the dough comes together, about one minute. Knead the dough until it is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes (add additional flour if absolutely necessary to make a soft dough that doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl while kneading). Knead the dough briefly until it forms a smooth ball.

Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about an hour and a half. (For a quicker rising method, before you start making the dough, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. When the oven has reached 200 degrees, turn the oven off. Place the covered bowl in the oven and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.)

Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces (divide into quarters and cut each quarter into thirds). Form each piece of dough into a ball by lightly cupping the dough in the palm of your hand and rolling it on an unfloured or ungreased surface in a circular motion until it forms a smooth ball.

Transfer to a parchment-lined or lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (about an hour). (Again, you can return to the warm oven and let rise for 20 minutes for a quicker method.) If you are making them the night before, do not let them go through this rise, instead transfer to the refrigerator. Take the rolls out 2 hours before baking to allow them to come to room temperature and rise.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with lightly beaten egg and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve.

Chocolate Dipped Tofee Sugar Cookies

2010-02-12T13:05:00.000-08:00

Mmmm, and just in time for Valentine's Day! I found this idea on Our Best Bites last year and thought they looked so yummy. I used my own sugar cookie recipe and crushed Skor candy bars instead of using Heath bits. I definitely recommend using semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate. Milk chocolate just doesn't do it for me. I thought they turned out great.

1 recipe for sugar cookies, you want the cookies a little firm so they don't break when dipping

dipping chocolate, I used Baker's semi-sweet

white chocolate chips or almond bark

Heath bits or crushed Skor/Heath candy bars

1. Make sure your cookies have cooled completely. I baked mine the day before and placed them in a sealed container. If you want to dip them same-day, I recommend putting them in the freezer for a little while.

2. Melt your chocolate according to packaging. Place melted chocolate in a shallow bowl. Dip one-half of the cookie in the chocolate. Smooth out chocolate and remove excess with a small rubber spatula. Place dipped cookie on a lined (parchment or wax paper) cookie sheet. Top immediately with toffee bits. Place sheet of cookies in refrigerator until chocolate sets up.

3. Melt white chocolate according to package. Pour into a ziploc bag and snip corner of bag. Drizzle chocolate over dipped cookies and return to refrigerator to set up.

4. Remove from wax paper and remove any excess chocolate.

*keep refrigerator till ready to serve.

Secret Ingredient Burger

2010-02-08T08:45:00.001-08:00

I've been meaning to share this tip on here for a while but I could never remember to take a picture when we had burgers. I finally remembered! My sister told me geeez...probably over a year ago to add a Tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce to a pound of ground beef before shaping my burger patties and it would add the best flavor. I've heard a lot of restaurants do this. So I did, she was right and we've done it ever since. Try it and see!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (I like to use 80/20 for burgers)

1 Tbsp. +/- Worcestershire sauce

garlic salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine ground beef and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Shape into hamburger patties then season with garlic salt and pepper, to taste. Grill to your desired done-ness (yes, I just made that word up).

Meatball Calzones

2010-02-04T11:48:00.000-08:00

I found this pizza dough recipe on Lindsay's blog Our Family Treat a month or so ago and I love it! I have made both pizzas and calzones with it and it always turns out great. It's super simple to throw together and it only has to rise for 20 minutes so it's a quick meal to make. I usually divide the dough into four equal parts when making calzones and it makes 4 pretty large ones. Try it and let me know what you think. Stop by Lindsay's blog as well, she's got some great recipes!

Dough

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Yeast

1 Cup 2 Tablespoons warm water

1 Tablespoon Sugar

Set aside and let grow.

2 Tablespoons Shortening

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Sugar

3 Cups flour

Combine, and then add yeast mixture.

Once mixed well, let rise for twenty minutes.

Calzone Ingredients:

meatballs (I put approx. 4-5 meatballs, cut in half, in each one)

marinara sauce

4 slices mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Divide your dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each piece out into a small circle.

2. Put about 1 Tbsp. of marinara sauce on one side of the circle, top with meatballs, a slice of cheese, and 1 more Tbsp. of sauce. Fold over dough and seal edges with prongs of a fork. Repeat with each pizza dough.

3. Lightly brush the tops of the calzones with olive oil and cut a small slit in each one.

4. Lightly dust a pan with corn meal and place the calzones on it.

5. Place in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. (This is a lighter dough so it won't get too brown)

I also highly recommend Calzone Supreme too, it's my favorite but the kids don't usually go for it. I'll list the "inner ingredients" for any interested.

Calzone Supreme:

marinara

mozzarella cheese

thinly sliced red onion

thinly sliced green bell pepper

sliced black olives

pepperoni

meatballs

mushrooms

total slacker....i know!

2010-01-31T18:08:00.001-08:00

Wow, long time, no post. I really don't have any fantastic excuse, just lack of motivation I guess. I have cooked some great meals and have recipes to share-just haven't taken the time to post them yet. I've done a few crafts but need to take pictures of them. I thought I'd show a couple sets of coasters my sister and I made over the holidays. I thought they turned out cute. For those interested in making them it's super easy. Just pick up some 4" tiles from Home Depot/Lowe's, throw on your favorite stamps using Stayz-On ink and apply cork to the backs to avoid scratching surfaces. I hope to get my spunk back and start posting a little more regular again! Stay tuned.....

The Comfy Nest

2010-01-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

www.comfynest.blogspot.com

So I decided to start and additional blog to keep my home decorating experience separate from my cooking and crafting. I attached a link to it on the top of my sidebar- check it out- and if decorating is your thing, become a follower!

Triple Berry Cobbler

2010-01-16T06:14:00.000-08:00

Wow, I've never had cobbler like this before. I've always made dutch-oven cobbler using the cake-mix crumb topping. This however is made from scratch and has an insane amount of sugar in it....but it's so good. The original recipe just calls for blackberries, but I used raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries- highly recommended. It is super good out of the oven, but it was my favorite the next day, cold out of the refrigerator. It was so chewy and addicting! Thanks again to the PW for this one. She is one amazing cook!

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, melted

1 1/4 cups, plus 2 Tbsp. sugar

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup milk

2 cups fresh or frozen berries

Directions:

1. Grease a 3 qt. baking dish with butter.

2. In a medium bowl whisk 1 cup of sugar with the flour and milk.

3. Whisk in melted butter.

4. Pour the batter into the baking dish and sprinkle berries evenly over the batter.

5. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the top of the berries- this will seem like a ton, just do it!

6. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. When ten minutes of baking time remain, sprinkle remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar over top.

Serve alone, with ice cream, or whipped cream, or the next day straight out the fridge- even better!

Flat Apple Pie

2010-01-09T05:29:00.001-08:00

One word...yum! (and yes that is a bite missing before I could take the picture!) This is a recipe out of the Pioneer Woman's cookbook and it is so quick, easy, and delicious! It makes the perfect amount for my little family with no left overs, which is a good thing so we aren't eating apple pie everyday for 5 days. The recipe makes 2 of these, but I halved the recipe since my family is small.

Ingredients:

5 peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples

2 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2- 9" round pie crusts, or 1 recipe for homemade

1/2 stick of butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Stir together apples, flour, lemon juice, sugars, and salt. Set aside.

3. Roll out pie crusts into large circles and place on a baking sheets.

4. Place half apple mixture on one crust and the remaining on the other.

5. Fold over the edges of the crust so that it covers 2-3 inches of the apple mixture. (No need to be artistic here!)

6. Dot the tops of the pies with chunks of butter. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and bubble. Slice with pizza cutter and serve in wedges.

*Top with jarred caramel for extra sweetness, if desired.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2010-01-05T05:47:00.000-08:00

My sister made this for our Christmas Eve party and it was a huge hit! It wasn't the easiest to photograph, so don't judge it by my poor camera skills. I think everyone at the party asked for the recipe. It's super easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. I'm thinking...Super Bowl Party!

Serving Size: 15-20 people

Ingredients:

5-6 Cooked Shredded Chicken Breasts

12 oz Frank's Red Hot Wing's Sauce (buffalo flavor)

16 oz Cream Cheese

16 oz Ranch Dressing

1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Cook chicken and shred. (I put mine in a large corning ware dish with some olive oil and cook covered for 1 hour at 350 degrees). Put chicken, hot wing sauce, cream cheese, and ranch dressing in crock pot. Turn heat on low and stir occasionally until everything has melted. When you are ready to serve, top with shredded cheese. Serve with your favorite kind of tortilla chips, celery and carrots.

Thanks Megan!

PBK Inspired: Collector/Book Shelves

2010-01-02T06:25:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe and exciting New Year's Eve! I am excited for 2010 and hope it's even better than 2009. I have set some new goals, one of which is to get this new house decorated, so be on the look out for photos!

Below is a Pottery Barn Kids inspired project. They sell these "Collector's Shelves" for $49 each. Of course I wasn't willing to pay that but I sure did like the look. That's when I talked to my Grandpa, showed him a picture, and ta-da! There you have it- a PBK wanna-be! I love them! Not only were they inexpensive to make, but now my kids have sentimental shelves created by their Great- Grandpa! Thanks so much Grandpa!

Here is a sneak peak of my daughter's room, the flash made the colors a little off- gave it an orange-y hue

Here is a sneak peek of my son's room as well, and just for the record, that is beadboard wallpaper- love it!

Panda Express Orange Chicken

2009-12-30T07:42:00.000-08:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Costco? I couldn't live without Costco. They recently started carrying Panda Express Orange Sauce....sooo good! It really tastes exactly the same. This is my favorite entree at Panda Express so it was a no-brainer that I would buy it and give it a try. I've tried a couple other orange chicken recipes before and have not been impressed. This sauce is worth buying. I used the same recipe for the chicken as I do with my Sweet & Sour Chicken, which by the way is a must try too, and it turned out awesome! Give it a try!

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
salt & pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 bottle Panda Express Orange Sauce, from Costco

Directions:
1. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch, then in egg.
2. Fry battered chicken in hot canola oil over medium heat just until browned (not cooked through).
3. Place browned chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish.

4. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 325 degrees for one hour, turning chicken every 15 minutes. Serve over rice....mmmm!

Sausage & Pepper Baked Ziti

2009-12-29T05:54:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I know we did. Santa always seems to bring more than he's supposed to! The holidays were great and so was the food. Now I am working on taking down Christmas and actually decorating our new home.

I got this recipe out of a Woman's Day magazine and finally got around to trying it. It was really good and even the kids liked it. The sauce has a slightly creamy taste to it with the ricotta cheese....yum! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:

8oz uncooked ziti pasta

2 tsp. oil

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

12oz sweet Italian sausage links, about 4

1 cup part skim ricotta

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 cups marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Cook pasta till al dente.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add peppers, onion, and sausage and cook until sausage is browned. Remove from heat and slice sausage into 1/4-in. slices.

3. Mix ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, and parsley in a medium bowl. Drain pasta, toss with cheese mixture, sausage mixture, and 1 cup marinara.

4. Pour mixture into a 2-qt. shallow baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered, 400 degrees, for 20 minutes, or until bubbly.

French Dip Sandwiches

2009-12-21T05:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Teresa over at A Blog About Food for this yummy recipe! My family really enjoyed it and it was full of flavor. The house smelled great and it's always nice when dinner is ready with such little work involved. My husband says "it's a keeper" so I'm sure we'll be having this again soon. Thanks Teresa! (Be sure and check out her blog for other wonderful recipes too!)

Ingredients
1 (4 pound) boneless beef roast (Mine is often smaller than this, 2-3 pounds works fine too. And I usually cut it into a few pieces so it will cook faster/better.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
3 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder (I used minced garlic)
2-3 cups beef stock
package of onion soup mix
French Bread or Rolls for sandwiches

Directions
Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place trimmed roast in a slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and onion soup mix. Pour mixture over roast, and add beef stock to almost cover roast. Cover, and cook on Low heat for 10 to 12 hours, or until meat is very tender.

Remove meat from broth, reserving broth. Shred meat with a fork, and distribute on bread for sandwiches. Used reserved broth for dipping.

El Pato

2009-12-15T16:54:00.001-08:00

I've had a lot of people comment on both old and recent posts that they don't know what El Pato is and since I use it so often I thought I'd share. It's a Mexican tomato sauce that has chiles, onions, garlic, salt and spices in it. You can find it in the Hispanic foods section as well as the canned tomato area of the grocery store. Hope this helps!

Trimming the tree....

2009-12-14T13:18:00.001-08:00

We put up our tree a few weeks ago but I forgot to post it. We ended up buying a real tree this year and I'm hoping to find a good deal on a 9 foot, pre-lit after Christmas. This tree is super fat compared to our old tree so my ornaments didn't fill it as well. Oh well! I finished my glittered monogram and added it to the wreath on my door. I'm happy with the way it turned out.

Chalupa

2009-12-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from a family cookbook I've had for a couple of years and finally just tried. It's basically taco salad with a kick. My husband and I really liked it but it was too spicy for the kids. You can substitute the remaining tomato sauce for the El Pato if you are wanting to tone it down. Thanks to my SIL Gayla for contributing this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef or turkey

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbs. Mexican seasoning

salt & pepper, to taste

1 can tomato paste

4oz. (1/2 can) tomato sauce

4oz. (1/2 can) El Pato

1 cup cooked rice

Fritos chips

Toppings:

cheese

lettuce

tomato

olives

avocado

salsa

sour cream

Directions:

Brown and drain meat. Return to the skillet and add seasonings and sauces. Add enough water to make it about the consistency of tomato sauce. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add rice to mixture just prior to serving. Serve mixture atop a bed of Fritos and top with desired toppings.

Dutch Oven Swiss Steak

2009-12-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Shar's but I found it to be VERY similar to the Lion House recipe. My husband loves this dish and it makes the house smell so good! It's fairly simple, I even buy the pre-cut meat to make it even easier. Great comfort food for a cold day.

Ingredients:
4 lbs. beef round, cut about 1/2" thick
3/4 cup flour, divided
4-6 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 cups beef broth
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
2 15oz. cans stewed tomatoes
1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:
1. Cut meat into 1" strips.
2. Dredge meat with 1/2 cup flour.
3. Melt butter in a large pot. Brown the dredged meat.
4. Stir in remaining flour and all seasonings. Slowly blend in beef broth.
5. Add vegetables and cook until slightly thickened.
6. Pour mixture into a dutch oven or if you don't have one, a roasting pan or casserole dish with lid will work.
7. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 3 1/2-4 hours.
8. Remove and top with mozzarella cheese.

You can serve this over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice as well. Whatever your family likes.

I cut this recipe in 1/2 for my family of 4 and it made plenty.

Deck the Halls....

2009-12-03T12:34:00.001-08:00

So I have STARTED decorating for Christmas, but it's been really hard as my house itself isn't really decorated yet. We haven't gotten our tree up yet either, that's on the to do list this weekend. So I thought I'd show you what I've done so far.....
I am working on a big glittery monogram for the center of this wreath-

Anyone who knows me will understand why we have this sign in our house-
Yes, even the pantry door got a wreath this year-
My favorite after Christmas find last year-
Thank you Karyn for the bells in the apothecary jars idea!

I made this believe sign and cloche last year-
Hope you are enjoying your holiday season! I'll be back with more...

Caramel Corn

2009-12-03T06:25:00.001-08:00

This is a very deserving "re-post". I discovered this caramel corn recipe last year and it is soooo good! It makes a great neighbor gift and makes a ton. It is fairly easy to make and inexpensive. Trust me on this one- try it and you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup light corn syrup

1 can Eagle brand sweet and condensed milk

8 quarts (5 bags of microwaved) popcorn

Directions:

1. Prepare popcorn. Remove kernels. (see tip at bottom)

2. In a medium saucepan, combine syrup , butter, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Simmer for 10 minutes and continue stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add milk and vanilla.

3. Pour over prepared popcorn.

This is so yummy and gooey!

*Tip: I got an awesome tip that I wanted to add. An easy way to remove the kernels from the popcorn is to pour it out over a cooling rack. The kernels will fall through the slats and the popcorn stays on the rack...genious! No more sifting through popcorn for me!

Homestyle Chili

2009-12-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

I love this basic homestyle chili. I suffer from acid reflux really bad so most chilis and I don't get along. This one however is straight comfort food. It tastes so good on a chilly day, especially in a nice warm bread bowl.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 16oz. can tomato sauce

1 28oz. can petite diced tomatoes

2 15oz. cans kidney beans, drained

2 15oz. cans pinto beans, drained

Directions:

Cook beef and onion in a large pot until browned. Drain fat. Add seasonings and tomatoes and simmer for 3 hours, stirring as needed. Add beans and cook an additional 45 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Wow, it's been so long!

2009-11-28T14:17:00.000-08:00

We are moved in and slowly unpacking. We spent the first 2 1/2 weeks painting and doing a little trim work before we moved in so that contributed to the lack of posting as well as being sick with the flu this past week. Pictures of the house to come....

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and I am so looking forward to getting back to normal life. I will be gearing up for Christmas in the next few weeks so make sure and check back in! I have lots of decorating and holiday baking to do. I love this time of year!

Be Back Soon.......

2009-11-17T16:28:00.000-08:00

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

2009-11-02T18:30:00.000-08:00

Happy November! Can you believe Christmas is in 53 days?! This year is going to be over before I know it. Blogging will officially slow down for me now as I get the keys to my new house in 2 days. I will be busy painting and cleaning and boxing and moving but I'm anxious to get back and show pictures of what I will have been up to. This was a super easy, throw it together pizza. I know I am going to shock some of you, but I bought a pre-made pizza crust, yes I know, there's a first time for everything right? Life is so hectic that I have to keep my meals simple right now. It turned out good, however, I am thinking of cooking the chicken in the barbecue sauce and using ranch for the sauce next time?... Gosh I love that stuff.

Ingredients:

1 12" pre-baked pizza crust, or whatever pizza crust you prefer

1 cup your favorite barbecue sauce

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup thinly sliced red onion

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet and spread barbecue sauce over top. Add a thin layer of cheese, then top with chicken and onion, add a little more cheese, top that with cilantro and finish it off with remaining cheese.

3. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

*serve with a side of ranch for dipping sauce

It came.

2009-10-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Pioneer Woman's cookbook is here! It was such a pleasant surprise in the mailbox. I had pre-ordered it so long ago I had forgotten. There are some great new recipes in it that are not on her website. I have already marked numerous pages of recipes to try. She even has her step by step photos, just like her blog. I will be sure and post her recipes as I try them. She never disappoints!

Pizza Pasta

2009-10-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. We close on our new house in 2 weeks so things have been busy. I hope to be back to normal postings by mid-November.

This recipe came from allrecipes.com. It was so quick and easy and the whole family enjoyed it. I do think a sauce makes or breaks a dish so don't use cheap sauce. I found the "mini" pepperoni at the store this week and thought they worked perfectly for this dish.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked egg noodles (I used rotini)
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced pepperoni sausage
16 ounces pizza sauce
4 tablespoons milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
(I also added black olives)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cook noodles according to package directions.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion, garlic and green bell pepper. Drain excess fat. Stir in the noodles, pepperoni, (olives), pizza sauce and milk, and mix well. Pour this mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, top with the cheese, then bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Slow Cooker

2009-10-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

I had originally found this recipe on allrecipes.com but I made a number of changes to it. I put this in the slow cooker for about 7 hours and it was the perfect meal to come home to after church. The house smelled wonderful!

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken
2 10oz. cans mild Rotel
1 10oz. can enchilada sauce (I used Macayo's)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen corn
1 Tbsp. cilantro

tortilla chips
shredded cheese
sour cream

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker, except chips, cheese, and sour cream. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken after 5-6 hours using two forks.
2. Top with shredded cheese, a heavy dollop of sour cream, and tortilla chips (crunched up). Yum!

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

2009-10-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and new my family would love it. My husband loves anything with bell peppers in it. It did not disappoint and everyone enjoyed it. It is a super simple fix it and forget about it meal.

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips (I used pre-cut stir fry meat)
garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cube beef bouillon
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped (I used one red, one green)
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.
Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.
Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

*I thought the gravy was a bit runny so I added ultra gel , a natural thickening agent.

Before & After Nightstand

2009-10-06T14:22:00.001-07:00

Yet another Goodwill find. I think we ended up buying three different night stands for my little girl before settling on this one. This before picture is after I had already started sanding it, but you get the idea. It had a brass circular knob on it originally too. After-

I sanded it and gave it a light coat of celery paint. I distressed it a little to tie in with the rest of her furniture. The little pink glass knob is my favorite part! I can't wait to move and get started on her room. (And yes, she currently shares her room with our office and that is the side of our desk in the picture. Bet you can't guess why we're moving!)

Happy October!

2009-10-02T16:26:00.000-07:00

I had originally told myself I wasn't going to decorate for fall this year since we are going to be moving and I should be packing my house not decorating it. Then I went blog hopping and saw everyone's cute decor and and I couldn't help myself, I had to decorate.

Chicken and Broccoli Pie

2009-09-30T07:06:00.001-07:00

This was my first time making a pot pie with a Bisquick crust, apparently they're pretty common, I never knew. It turned out really good though. I liked the way it seeped into the pie. I've always made my pies with a top and bottom pie crust, which is really good too. This Bisquick version is just so much quicker , love it!

Ingredients:
10 oz. frozen chopped broccoli
2 cups shredded cheese
1 1/2 cup cooked, chopped chicken
2/3 cups chopped onion

Mix above ingredients together and place in a greased deep-dish pie pan.

In a blender mix:
1 1/3 cup milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup Bisquick
3/4 tsp. each, salt and pepper

Blend together. Pour over ingredients in pie pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 25- 35 minutes. (Toothpick should come out clean) Cool in pan for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Lamp Re-Do

2009-09-28T13:05:00.001-07:00

I recently bought this lamp at Goodwill for $2.50. Since I am really good at remembering to take before pictures, you'll just have to imagine the base was red. I am in the process of doing my son's room in a vintage airplane theme, hence the shade fabric. I gave the base two coats of blue spray paint.
I measured and traced out the fabric for the lamp shade, then glued it on . I had originally put navy trim around the top and bottom too, but decided I liked it better without and ripped it off.

I think the whole project cost me less then $6 bucks! Not bad for a little lamp.

Baked Mostaccioli

2009-09-23T18:31:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and thought it sounded good. I usually can't go wrong when I make a pasta dish. The kids love anything with noodles and my husband really likes Italian sausage so it was a winner in our house. It does make a ton though! There is 2 pounds of meat in this sucker so a little goes a long way. Next time I'll freeze half for an emergency meal. (By the way Tasty Kitchen is the Pioneer Woman's new recipe website and she recently finished writing her very first cookbook which you can pre-order now on Amazon. Just thought I'd share for those of you who love her as much as I do!)

Ingredients:
1 pound Ground Beef
1 pound Italian Sausage
2 pinch(es) Garlic Sal, (I used 1 clove of garlic, minced)
45 ounces jar Spaghetti Sauce (I'm a Prego fan)
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning (to Taste)
1 box(es) Mostaccioli Noodles
6 slices American Cheese
6 slices Mozzarella Cheese (get Slices, NOT Shredded)
6 slices Provolone Cheese

Directions:
1. Boil your noodles according to the box.
2. Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage and garlic.
3. Add spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning to browned meat and let simmer for about 15-20 mins.
4. Preheat oven to 350F.
5. Grease a 9×13 glass dish and layer 1/2 of your noodles. Tear up 3 pieces of American cheese and3 pieces of mozzarella cheese, and place on top of noodles. (**placing the cheese on the noodles is a VERY important secret step)
Next pour 1/2 of your meat sauce over the cheese and noodles.
Now add the other 1/2 of your noodles and top with the other 3 slices of American cheese and 3 slices of provolone cheese.
Pour other 1/2 of your sauce over the 2nd layer of cheese and noodles, then top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
6. Place in oven on 350F for 45 mins.

Chocolate covered Caramel Pretzel Rods

2009-09-21T15:05:00.001-07:00

First off, thank you Melody from Cheat Day Cafe for this awesome recipe! I made these as a party favor for my sister's baby shower and they turned out so yummy! The homemade caramel is a must!

Ingredients:
Pretzel rods (recipe makes about 50!)
Whole package of Chocolate candy quick (found at Wal-Mart)
Vanilla candy melts to drizzle (optional)
Caramel ingredients (listed below)

First make a batch of caramel:
1c. Karo syrup
1c. Brown sugar
1c. White sugar
1 cube of butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Put first 5 ingredients in a large sauce pan over medium heat and stir until melted and combined. Bring to a boil and stir for five minutes. Be careful to keep stirring so that it doesn't start to burn on the bottom of the pan. Take caramel off the burner after 5 minutes.Put the hot caramel in a deep container. I used my Pyrex 4 cup measuring cup.
Prepare a couple cookie sheets lined with wax paper.Dip pretzel rod in caramel, about 3/4 of the way and let it drip off any excess caramel. Then lay the rod on the cookie sheet.Repeat with remaining pretzels.
Put cookie sheets in the fridge to help set up caramel.Once caramel is set, lift up each pretzel rod off the wax paper and mold caramel around the rod since it will puddle on the sides as it cools.
Prepare the cookie sheets again with new pieces of wax paper.Melt chocolate in a deep container and dip caramel covered pretzel rods.Place chocolate covered pretzel rods on cookie sheets and place in fridge to set up.
In a zip lock baggie, melt the vanilla candy melts in the microwave. When completely melted, cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzle the chocolate on the rods.Place back into the fridge to set up.

Baby Shower

2009-09-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

This is one of the reasons I haven't been blogging..... I threw a baby shower for my sister this weekend. Notice the not so cute "onesie "cookies....I have no icing skills. dang! I did however make the chocolate covered caramel pretzel rods...recipe to come, thanks Melody!
Look at these adorable cupcakes! They were made by the amazing Sherry Sedillo! They were white cake filled with raspberries, delicious! (e-mail if you'd like her contact information)

I made a diaper cake and baby blocks.

The yummy food. It was a morning shower so I went with breakfast foods.

And had to have the cute clothes line!

Slacker...

2009-09-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

So sorry for the lack of posting lately....life is crazy busy for me right now! I promise to get a new post up soon, so make sure and check back. Have a good day!

Skillet Chicken Pitas

2009-09-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not this is my first time making pitas! It never really crossed my mind to make them until I saw this yummy recipe in a magazine a while ago. My husband really enjoyed them and asked why I don't make them more often. I guess I will now! Perfect summer meal that can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup cilantro
1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce (I got mine at Sprout's)
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips/chunks
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into bite size strips

2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. lime juice

8 pita rounds
8 leaves of lettuce

Directions:
1. In a ziploc bag combine 1/3 cup cilantro, chili sauce, 2 Tbsp. lime juice, garlic, oil, and salt. Add Chicken, seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken mixture and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add red pepper and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken to a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate 1-8 hours.
3. For dressing, combine mayo, 1/2 cup cilantro, and 2 Tbsp. lime juice.

To serve, top each pita with a leaf of lettuce, spoon chicken mixture over half, and drizzle with dressing.

Barbecued Beef

2009-09-09T06:16:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. prepared Dijon-style mustard
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp.ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 4lb. boneless chuck roast

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except roast.
2. Place roast in a slow cooker, pour ketchup mixture over top. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3. Remove chuck roast from slow cooker, shred with a fork, and return to slow cooker for approximately 1 hour.

Chicken Wire Bow Holder

2009-09-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've seen the chicken wire memo boards all over blog world lately and thought I could easily turn one into a bow holder, so...
I picked this guy up at 1/2 off day at Goodwill for $3.99..... gave him a couple coats of celery spray paint, stapled chicken wire to the back...

and wallah- a brand new bow holder that might actually hold all of my daughter's bows. The best part is that I can hang it high enough where she can't reach it and pull them all off. Love it.

Slow Cooker Baked Chicken

2009-09-02T06:53:00.001-07:00

Wow, talk about fall of the bone, tender chicken! My kids absolutely loved this. They each had three servings, yes three! It was such a simple fix it and forget about it meal. Just what I needed! You can also try stuffing the chicken with veggies or dressing. I'm going to next time, that way it is a one pot meal.

Ingredients:
1 2-3lb. whole chicken (just make sure it will fit in your slow cooker)
salt & pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 cup chicken broth
butter

Directions:
1. Wad three pieces of foil into 3" balls. Place them in the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Rinse chicken, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken with butter and season to your liking, try to season under the skin as well.
3. Place chicken on top of foil balls in slow cooker. Pour chicken broth into the bottom of slow cooker.
4. Set slow cooker to high heat for 1 hour, then turn down to low heat for 8-10 hours.

*recipe found on allrecipes.com

Trash to Treasure Baby Cradle

2009-08-30T10:37:00.001-07:00

I bought this baby cradle at Goodwill for 1/2 off, which meant it was $2.50! It had stencil painting all the way around it with a large angel painted on the back. Not my cup of tea. I knew with a little sanding and a couple fresh coats of paint (and primer) she would be a beauty in no time.
BEFORE...

AFTER...
...and one happy little girl!

I painted it with Rustoleom's Heirloom White spray paint and I am still debating on whether to distress it. I made a simple "mattress" and pillow, as well as a top sheet for the bedding. She loves it and and it beats paying $20 for a plastic Fisher Price cradle!

I've added this to Southern Hospitality's Thrifty Treasures Linky Party. Be sure and check out all the other great finds!

Mesquite Flat Iron Steak

2009-08-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

My family is a big fan of flat iron steak. You can buy a large enough cut to feed the whole family and it is reasonably priced. I have yet to have one that isn't tender too. McCormick's had their marinade packets on sale at the grocery store last week so I decided to pick one up and try it. It was really good, lots of flavor, and the kids out-ate us!

Ingredients:
2 lb. flat iron steak
1 envelope McCormick's Mesquite Marinade
1/4 cup oil
1/4 water

Directions:
1. Mix marinade seasoning with water and oil. Reserve a small amount for basting. Place remainder in a large ziploc bag.
2. Rinse steak and pat dry. Place in ziploc bag with marinade.
3. Refrigerate over night.
4. Grill over medium heat, 10 minutes each side, brushing with reserved marinade.

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

2009-08-25T19:06:00.001-07:00

I have one word for these potatoes...YUM! My family loved them. I've had this recipe for probably a year and finally got around to making them. Don't ask me what I was waiting for. These will become a regular side dish at our house now.

Ingredients:
5 medium baking potatoes
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. chopped chives, separated
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch mix
bacon bits

Directions:
1. Wash and wrap each potato in foil. Bake for 1 hour at 400 degrees.
2. Remove potato pulp from skins and place in a medium mixing bowl along with butter. Mash potatoes with a potato ricer or mixer.
3. Add cheese, sour cream, ranch mix, and 1 Tbsp. chives. Mix with a spoon.
4. Pour potato mixture into a lightly greased pan and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
5. Garnish with remaining chives and bacon bits. Yum!

Trash to Treasure Furniture Re-Fab!

2009-08-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

So I have been working on my daughter's "little girl" bedroom furniture for sometime now. I bought her furniture late last year and thought I had taken before pictures of everything...apparently not! The only before picture I could find was of the hutch, but just know the dresser looked the same way.

I am going for a "shabby princess" look for her room so I sanded, painted, distressed, and sealed everything off with a coat of poly.

BEFORE AFTER

You can see the before and after of the hardware above. The top is what it looks like now, the bottom is what it did look like. I used a technique I found on Centsational Girl to re-finish them (look towards the middle of her post to see how to do it).

As for the bed, no before pictures, but it was a deep dark brown. I really like the dark brown showing through where I distressed the bed. I think I may go back and stain the distressed marks on the hutch a dark brown as well.

So that's as far as I've gotten. We are going to be moving in a few months so I will do her bedroom reveal then.

We have a winner.......

2009-08-22T07:33:00.001-07:00

And the lucky winner of the Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook is #48, Amber from Our Family! Congrats Amber, I will be in contact with you soon! (winner selected using random.org)

Chicken and White Cream Pasta

2009-08-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe the other day on a blog called Dinner's Ready. I knew right away it was one my family would like. So onto the menu it went and the family loved it. The only changes I made were seasoning my chicken with Johnny's Garlic Seasoning before cooking it and then adding the seasoning again to the final dish. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 c uncooked penne pasta

2 c sliced fresh mushrooms

1 c sliced green onions

2 Tbs butter

½ c chicken broth

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbs flour

1/3 c water

1 c heavy whipping cream

2 c chicken, cooked and cubed

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Shredded Parmesan cheese (not grated)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onions in butter for 4-5 min or until tender. Add broth and garlic. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 min. Combine flour and water until smooth; gradually add to mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir until thickened. Stir in cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 4-5 min. Add the cooked pasta, chicken, salt and pepper to cream sauce. Cook for 3-4 min or until heated through. Sprinkle with lots of shredded Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

My 1st GIVEAWAY!!!

2009-08-17T07:02:00.001-07:00

Giveaway is now closed.

In celebration of my 1 year blogoversary I am treating one lucky reader to the 752 page Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. It's been a rather quick year and I am so excited over all the new people I've met through blogging. My little corner of the internet has grown so much over the past year and I can't wait to see what another year brings! On to the Giveaway....

One of my most absolute favorite books is Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. It has come in handy so many times. From organizing to stain fighting to decorating, you name it. We all know she's a genius...well at least her staff is. She takes you from room to room of your house explaining how to organize and care for your home. There is also an A-Z material guide that has come in handy so many times.

Here's how to win:

1. Leave a comment! This gives you one entry, be sure and leave me your e-mail address if it isn't linked.

2. Blog about the giveaway on your own blog, linking back to me. Return back and leave me another comment letting me know you've done it.

3. Become a follower and leave a comment letting me know you've done so, if you are already a follower, leave me a comment letting me know as well.

So there you have it, 3 chances to win, easy enough? Good Luck.

The giveaway will end Friday night at midnight and a winner will be announced Saturday morning!

1 year and 194 posts later....

2009-08-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's right, I've been blogging for 1 year! Wow, has time flown by. I am hoping to have my first giveaway in celebration of my blogoversary early next week. Be sure and check back for your chance to win!...and a big thank you to all my wonderful readers!

Lo Mein

2009-08-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

I can't even remember where I found this recipe because it's been sitting in my "to try" file for so long. So if this recipe belongs to you, please let me know! I thought the oyster flavor was a little too strong for me in this dish so I will probably cut that in half next time. Still very good and everyone enjoyed it. I served this along side Sweet and Sour Chicken, you can find the recipe here.

Ingredients:
12 oz. Lo Mein noodles (I used thick spaghetti noodles)
stir-fry sauce (recipe below)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup broccoli florets (I omitted this)

Stir-Fry Sauce
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 tsp. chopped ginger ( I omitted this)
*whisk all ingredients together

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package. Meanwhile, prepare stir-fry sauce and begin chopping vegetables. Once noodles are done, drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add remaining vegetables and cook until crisp.
Add noodles and stir-fry sauce and crank the heat up to high for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through and well combined.

Serving Tray Makeover

2009-08-12T18:34:00.001-07:00

I decided to add this to the Tray Transformation Linky Party over at 320 Sycamore, be sure and check out the other great trays!

It seems as though everybody in blog world is doing tray make-overs! I found this guy at Goodwill a few months back for $2 and finally got around to fixing him up. My husband had our paint sprayer out this past weekend so I decided to give him a few coats. I thought I would throw some fabric in the bottom for color but ended up using one of Martha Stewart's 24x24 sheets of paper from Michaels. Couldn't beat the price. I cut it to size and Mod Podged it on. Makes a great magazine display for my coffee table. Super simple, super cheap!

Beef Stroganoff

2009-08-10T06:48:00.000-07:00

This is pretty much a fix it and forget about it meal. Great for Sundays. I love that it has simple ingredients that I typically have on hand. This is always a family pleaser, anything with meat n' gravy over noodles usually is. Give it a try!

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1 packet Au Ju mix
1 cup water
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
rice or noodles

Directions:
Mix Au Ju mix and 1 cup of water and place in a slow cooker. Add cubed beef and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or until meat is tender.
Once meat is tender add soups, sour cream, and mushrooms, and cook on high for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Breakfast Burritos

2009-08-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

This is the Pioneer Woman's breakfast burritos. If you follow her recipe she has you cook the eggs in with the meat and potatoes. I cooked mine in a separate skillet because I don't eat eggs. These were really good and super filling. I had tons of leftovers and I only made 1/2 the recipe. Make sure you buy really big tortillas!

You can find the recipe for the breakfast potatoes here.
and
You can find the recipe for the actual burritos here.

Mexican Pizza

2009-08-05T06:32:00.000-07:00

If you've ever had a Mexican pizza at Taco Bell, then this is a simple take-off. My kids really like these, which is odd because they usually don' like tacos. Must be the deep fried tortillas! It's a super easy meal and is ready in less then 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkt. taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
salsa
shredded cheese
chopped tomatoes
diced green onion
sour cream
8 small flour tortillas
canola oil

Directions:
Brown your ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain grease, add 1-2 Tbsp. water and taco seasoning and return to burner on low heat. Warm refried beans and cover to keep warm. Heat canola oil (enough to fill about an inch of the pan) over med-high heat. Once oil is hot, brown each side of the tortilla, making sure to pop any bubbles. The tortillas need to be as flat as possible.
Layer as follows:
browned tortilla
refried beans
meat
salsa
browned tortilla
then top with:
cheese
tomatoes
green onion (you can put the pizzas under the broiler at this point to melt the cheese, if desired)
sour cream

Summerly Squash

2009-08-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

My mom introduced me to this recipe from allrecipes.com last summer and we adapted it to our own liking. This kids aren't a big fan of this one but Jon and I sure are. It's a great summer side dish to almost any meal.

Ingredients:
1 squash, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
Italian seasoning, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions for 2-3 minutes, then add sliced squash and zucchini. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, reduce to a low simmer and add garlic and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Toss every 5 minutes or so.

Chicken N' Wild Rice Casserole

2009-07-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

This is one of those impossible to photograph, good ole' comfort food meals. My kids especially like this one. I love the crunch that the water chestnuts add. It makes a lot but never has a problem getting eaten in our house.

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken, cooked & cubed

1 8oz. can water chestnuts

1 cup diced onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup mayo

1 10.75oz. can cream of mushroom

12oz. wild riced, prepared

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Pour mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish or 9x13 pan. Cook for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees, or until warmed through.

*adapted from a church activity recipe

Philly Cheese Sandwich

2009-07-28T19:41:00.001-07:00

This is one of my lazy day dinners. It is so quick and simple, and tastes great!

Ingredients:
1 lb. deli roast beef, shaved
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 slices provolone cheese
6 hoagie rolls
mayo

Directions:
Heat chopped onion and bell pepper in a large skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add shaved roast beef to the skillet just long enough for the meat to barely brown (do not overcook or your meat will be dry and chewy). Turn off heat and place provolone slices over meat. Allow cheese to melt before spooning into hoagie rolls. Spread hoagie rolls lightly with mayo if desired.

Pioneer Woman's Onion Strings

2009-07-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

These are sooo yummy! How could a deep fried onion not be good though? Pioneer Woman never fails to impress. I will make a few slight changes next time though. I think I am going to cut my onions thicker, only because I really like the juicy flavor of cooked onions and I might do half seasoned salt half regular/sea salt. I'll let you know when I try it and tell you how it goes.

Ingredients:
1 large onion
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 scant tablespoon salt
Lots of black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Canola Oil

Directions:
Slice onion very thin (a mandolin slicer comes in very handy here). Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk for at least one hour.Combine dry ingredients and set aside.Heat oil to 375 degrees.Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tab to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown.Repeat until onions are gone.Eat before your family sees them.Repeat with another onion, because they’ll be really mad they didn’t get any.

Canning Jar Pincushion

2009-07-25T07:10:00.001-07:00

I found this wonderful idea on Suzanne's Crazy For Collars and loved it! I loved the dual storage it provides. She has a wonderful tutorial on her blog that you can find here. It seriously took me 5 minutes to make this little guy.

Pioneer Woman's Beef Enchiladas

2009-07-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is the Pioneer Woman's favorite enchiladas. I decided to give them a try for a couple reasons. 1- everything she makes is good, 2- cilantro!, 3- I've never made beef enchiladas before. These were very tasty! They do take some time to make as it is a three step process, but it's worth it.

The Pioneer Woman recently started another website called Tasty Kitchen. It's filled with wonderful recipes and has already become one of my favorite sites. Be sure and check it out!

Ingredients:

THE SAUCE

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 large (28-ounce) can enchilada or red sauce

2 cups chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a past, cooking for 1 minute. Pour in other red sauce, chicken broth, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.

THE MEAT

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 4-ounce cans diced green chilies

1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown meat with onions in a skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and seasoned salt. Set aside.

TORTILLAS

10 to 14 corn tortillas

½ cup canola oil

Heat canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. One by one, using tongs, fry tortillas oil until soft, not crisp—about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried.

Directions:

ASSEMBLY

Sauce (above)

Meat (above)

Tortillas (above)

3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup chopped black olives

1 cup chopped green onions

½ cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour ½ cup red sauce in bottom of baking pan. Spread to even out.Dip each tortilla into red sauce, then remove to work surface. Spoon meat, a little grated cheese, a little black olives, and green onions in the center of tortilla. Roll up and place, seam down, in baking pan. Repeat until pan is filled. Pour extra red sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until bubble. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over enchiladas before serving.

Lemon Cake Mix Cookies

2009-07-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a quick and simple way to make cookies, cake mix cookies are the way to go. These are great for making with the kids as well, so simple and very few ingredients to work with.

Ingredients:
1 box Lemon Supreme cake mix (or flavor of choice)
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients for approximately 2 minutes, or until well combined. Roll into balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a juice glass, flatten the balls of dough. I sprinkled mine with clear decorators sugar. (optional)
2. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Edges should lightly brown. Let cool slightly before removing from pan.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Won tons

2009-07-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

These were sooo good! All my favorite flavors mixed together and fried, how could I have gone wrong?! Serve a little ranch on the side for dipping and you have a delicious meal. Even the kids liked them.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
½ Cup finely diced white onions
½ Cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced (I used 1)
1 12 oz can chunk chicken, drained (from Costco)
¼ Cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
¼ Cup Verde Salsa (I use Herdez brand)
2 Tablespoons prepared ranch dressing
½ package won ton wrappers (found in the produce section of the grocery store)

Directions:
1. Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic for 1 minute and remove from heat.
2. In large bowl add onion mixture, chicken, cilantro, salsa, ranch, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
3. Place 1 Tablespoon chicken mixture in center of won ton wrapper. Brush bottom edge with egg white wash, fold over filling and press edges together firmly, forming a triangle shape.
4. 2 options of cooking. 1st is place about 1 inch of canola or vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. When hot, place 4 won tons at a time into oil. Cook 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. 2nd option is place won tons on a baking sheet; bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until crispy, flipping once half way through cooking.
5. Serve with Ranch dressing or salsa if desired
(of course I found this one on Picky Palate!)

Outback Bushman Bread

2009-07-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on the Newlyweds! blog a few weeks back. I am always looking for different breads and rolls to serve with dinner (and yes, I am one of those crazy women who cranks up her oven and bakes in the summer) and thought this one sounded good. It did not disappoint! It has a hint of sweetness to it and tastes fabulous warm with a little butter. It's been so long since I've been to Outback so I can't say if it tastes like theirs or not, but I can say it tastes delicious! Thanks Newlyweds!
Ingredients:
DOUGH
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 pkg.) yeast
2 cups bread flour
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons molasses

COLORING (I skipped this part)
1 1/4 teaspoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon yellow food coloring
1 teaspoon blue food coloring

cornmeal for dusting

Directions:
1. Mix sugar with warm water, then dissolve the yeast in the solution. In five minutes the solution will begin to foam as the yeast begins its gassy dance party.
2. While the yeast is waking up, mix the flours, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl. Mix butter into the dry mixture with your hands. Make an impression in the middle of the dry mixture. Add the honey and molasses into the well. Mix the food coloring with the yeast solution, then pour the solution into the well. Stir from the middle bringing the dry mixture into the wet stuff, slowly at first, then quickly as you incorporate all the ingredients. You will eventually have to use your hands to combine everything. Knead the dough for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, then roll the dough into a ball and place it into a covered bowl in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
3. When the dough has doubled, separate it into 6 even portions. Roll each dough portion into logs that are 6 inches long and 2 inches wide. Pour cornmeal onto your rolling surface. Moisten your hands then rub water onto each dough log and roll it in the cornmeal. Arrange the rolled dough on a baking sheet and cover it with plastic wrap. Set the dough in warm spot to rise for another hour or so until the loaves have doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes in the hot oven. When the bread is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the bread with a sharp bread knife and butter on the side. If you want whipped butter, like you get at the restaurant, just use an electric mixer on high speed to whip some butter until it’s fluffy.Makes 6 small loaves.

Strawberry Frozen Delight

2009-07-17T06:35:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posting! I've been MIA as I have family in town. I should be back to my normal routine by next week. Thanks for checking in.
This was a nice, light, summer dessert. I made this for a family party and everyone seemed to really enjoy it. I will definitely be making this again.

Ingredients:
4 cups strawberries, (2 cups smashed, 2 cups sliced)
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cups cool whip, separated
16 oreos, crushed in food processor
2 Tbsp. melted butter

Directions:
1. Line a bread pan with heavy duty foil.
2. Mix 2 cups smashed strawberries, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and cool whip for 2 minutes. Pour into lined bread pan.
3. Combine oreo crumbs with melted butter and press over top strawberry mixture.
4. Cover pan with foil and freeze for at least 6 hours.
5. Just prior to serving, invert the frozen dessert onto a plate, remove foil, and frost the with remaining 2 cups of cool whip and top with sliced strawberries. (I only frosted the top, so I didn't use all the cool whip)

Chicken Burros

2009-07-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

These burritos were delicious! This is another wonderful Picky Palate recipe. I love her recipes because they are always loaded with my favorites- chicken, cilantro, and ranch dressing, you just can't go wrong! I changed a few things, but basically just used fresh, homemade ingredients. Yum!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (I used Mild Rotel)
1 pkg Lipton Spanish Rice, Cooked ( I used my homemade Spanish Rice)
2 Cups finely shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 Cup shredded cheese
1/2 Cup ranch dressing (homemade Hidden Valley)
1/4 Cup favorite salsa (I used my homemade salsa)
tortillas (I prefer the uncooked)

Directions:
1. In 10-inch non stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and jalapeno pepper; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken, 3 tablespoons cilantro, salt, cumin, pepper and tomatoes with green chilies; cook 5 minutes.
2. Mix ranch dressing and salsa in a small bowl until combined. Place chicken mixture, rice, lettuce, cheese and sauce inside tortillas. Fold and serve.

Pioneer Woman's Mac & Cheese

2009-07-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

thepioneerwoman.com

If you've never been on the Pioneer Woman's blog before, you're missing out. She is an amazing cook and her recipes never lack flavor! I have one word for this one- SPICY! Wow, I even toned down the heat in this recipe and it was still spicy. It was so good though that you continue eating even though your mouth is burning. My husband had 3 servings.

Ingredients:
1 lb. macaroni noodles
1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion, diced
equal amount of red bell pepper, diced
1 4oz. can green chilies
1 cup frozen corn
1 finely diced jalapeno (I used 1/2)
1 heaping cup grated pepper jack cheese ( I used 1/2 pepper jack, 1/2 mozzarella)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Boil pasta until al dente.
2. In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute onions, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and corn over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add green chilies, stir,then turn off heat.
3. Drain pasta and add it to the skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Breadsticks II

2009-07-08T15:49:00.001-07:00

These by far are the most flavorful breadsticks I've ever made. The topping is awesome and makes a lot, so you can save it in a shaker (refrigerated) and use it on other italian dishes as well. You could even get away with purchasing a loaf of ciabata or french bread and using this same seasoning mixture. I served these along side my Lasagna and they were delicious together!

Ingredients:
dough-
1 1/3 cup warm water
2 tsp. yeast
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oregano
3 Tbsp. powdered milk

seasoning- combine the following
2 Tbsp. parmesan
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp. garlic salt
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. oregano

Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Combine then knead the bread till dough is formed. Cover and let ride till doubled.
2. Roll dough out into a large rectangle 1/2-3/4" thickness. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1x4" strips. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise till doubled.
3. Brush breadsticks with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning mixture.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Lightly brush with butter when done.

Recipe compliments of Catch the Cooking Bug!

BBQ Chicken Salad w/Cilantro Ranch Dressing

2009-07-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

My husband absolutely loves this salad. The dressing is the best part, you've got to make the homemade Hidden Valley Ranch from the packet, it's the only way to go. I do highly recommend cooking the chicken in the crockpot with KC Masterpiece Original sauce too. Delicious!

Ingredients:
hearts of romaine
1 can corn
1 can black beans
15 grape tomatoes, halved
2-3 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded
favorite BBQ sauce (I use KC Masterpiece Original)
mozzarella cheese

1 packet prepared Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (1 cup mayo/ 1 cup milk)
½ bunch chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime, or 2 Tbsp.

Directions:
Place lettuce in a serving bowl. Layer with corn, black beans, and tomatoes. Mix cooked chicken in BBQ sauce and top over salad. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top.
Place ranch dressing, cilantro, lime juice and minced garlic in a blender or food processor and mix well. Drizzle over salad.