♥ Love Deliciousness ♥

50 Free Shutterfly Photo Cards!

2010-12-01T07:51:00.011-05:00

Hi readers... I almost forgot my password to log into my blog... yes, it's been that long. But I couldn't pass up this opportunity to share this post with you about Shutterfly.

I'll be honest - I've never used Shutterfly in the past. But after browsing through their site, I am totally hooked. They have so many beautiful Christmas photo cards to choose from (how will I ever choose just one?) In fact, they have over 800 designs. With 800 cards to choose from, there's pretty much something for everyone.

Here are a few of my favorite Christmas photo cards:

In addition to Christmas cards, they also have birthday cards, thank you notes, and much more.

So go check Shutterfly out - Christmas cards are so much fun to send out. I love receiving them from friends and family, especially photo cards that include pets and kids.

If you are a blogger, you have an opportunity to receive 50 free holiday cards. All you have to do is visit this site and follow the instructions. I promise, it's super easy.

Well, I am off to check out Shutterfly's designs and try to narrow it down to one. I hope everyone has a great holiday season!! xoxo

Cottage Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

2010-01-17T11:10:00.006-05:00

Please take my word for it - these are the best enchiladas EVER. Yes, I think they are even better than all the other enchiladas I've posted on here. You need to make these, definitely. Don't let the cottage cheese part throw you off - I promise, these are AMAZING! Recipe from allrecipes.com. I served these with chips and salsa.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (omitted)
* 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - boiled and shredded (I baked)
* 1/2 cup chopped onion (omitted)
* 1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
* 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix (I used hot and spicy)
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 2 cups cottage cheese
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 pinch ground black pepper
* 12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
* 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used a four cheese mexican blend)
* 1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce (I used a garlic flavored enchilada sauce)

DIRECTIONS

1. To Make Meat Mixture: Heat oil in medium skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, onion and green chile peppers and saute until browned, then add taco seasoning and prepare meat mixture according to package directions.
2. To Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl mix sour cream with cottage cheese and season with salt and pepper; stir until well blended.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. To Assemble Enchiladas: Heat tortillas until soft. In each tortilla place a spoonful of meat mixture, a spoonful of cheese mixture and a bit of shredded cheese. Roll tortillas and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with any remaining meat and cheese mixture, enchilada sauce and remaining shredded cheese.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

NOTE: I made these a little differently to make life easier - I baked the chicken on its own and then just combined the shredded chicken with the cottage cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning, and green chile peppers all into one bowl. Place chicken/cheese mixture on enchilada and top with the shredded cheese, roll-up, and cover with enchilada sauce and some more shredded cheese.

Feta Arugula Chicken Pizza

2010-01-17T11:04:00.003-05:00

I love eating different kinds of pizza (i.e. buffalo chicken, bbq chicken) and this pizza was no different. This may be one of my favorite pizzas I've ever made. Recipe from allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 unbaked pizza crust
* 6 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce
* 3 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced (omitted - ew tomatoes)
* 1 (8 ounce) package seasoned goat cheese (I used feta)
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
* 1 cup fresh arugula
* 1 teaspoon olive oil

* Added: chicken breast, cooked and shredded

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven according to pizza package instructions.
2. Dab pesto onto the center of the pizza base, and spread toward the outer edges. Cut the goat cheese into thin coins, and spread or crumble across the pizza. Arrange tomato slices over goat cheese. Sprinkle with garlic. (Add chicken). Brush the crust edges lightly with olive oil.
3. Place pizza directly on preheated oven rack. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the crust edges are golden.
4. After taking pizza out of the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes so that the cheese has time to set.

5. After a couple of minutes, cover the pizza with a few handfuls of arugula. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Pepperoni Lasagna Roll-ups

2010-01-17T10:59:00.003-05:00

I looooooove lasagna roll-ups and I love pepperoni, so I definitely needed to try this recipe. These were really good! Recipe from Taste of Home.

INGREDIENTS (I doubled the recipe below to make enough for the 2 of us)

* 3 lasagna noodles
* 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon minced chives
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 24 slices pepperoni (I used turkey pepperoni)
* 3 slices Swiss cheese, cut into thirds (I used mozzarella instead)
* 1 cup meatless spaghetti sauce
* 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (omitted)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Combine the ricotta cheese, chives, oregano and basil; spread 1/4 cup over each noodle to within 1/2 in. of edges. Top with pepperoni and Swiss cheese; carefully roll up.
2. Place seam side down in a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish; top with spaghetti sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.
3. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breast

2010-01-17T10:37:00.004-05:00

This was a great simple weeknight dinner that was super tasty. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

* 2 chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally 3/4 of the way through (so you can stuff the inside)

* Appx 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese

* Seasoning to taste - I used some dried basil and dried parsley

* Minced garlic to taste

* 1/4 cup dried italian bread crumbs

* Spaghetti sauce to top - flavor of your choice - I used garlic herb flavor

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, seasoning, and garlic.

3. Open each chicken breast up and spread the ricotta mixture inside. Fold chicken back over to original shape. Use toothpicks to hold if needed.

4. Dip chicken in bread crumbs to coat. Place on baking sheet.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

6. Add warm spaghetti sauce on top.

Chicken Enchilada Roll-ups

2010-01-17T10:33:00.003-05:00

Sadly I forgot to take a picture of these... but I made them for our annual holiday get together last month. These are SOOOOOO good! I will definitely be making them again the first chance I get. Thanks Macaroni & Cheesecake (originally from Cook Like a Champion).

INGREDIENTS

* 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 1/3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
* 1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
* 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* cayenne pepper to taste
* salt to taste
* 1 large can chunk white chicken breast, shredded (I baked a few chicken breasts and used those instead... I can't stand canned chicken!)
* 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
* 4 green onions, chopped (omitted)
* 10-oz. can Rotel tomatoes (omitted)
* 1 package jalapeno cheddar tortillas (I used jalapeno cilantro flavor)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix cheeses together until well blended.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Place one heaping spoonful onto tortilla.-Spread to edges using a metal spatula.
4. Roll and cut into slices.

Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs

2009-12-01T21:06:00.003-05:00

I made these as an appetizer on Thanksgiving and they were a big hit! These are a nice twist to your typical deviled eggs... plus obviously bacon makes everything just a little bit better! From allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS

* 12 eggs
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 4 slices bacon (I just used real bacon pieces from the bag... much easier!)
* 2 tablespoons finely shredded cheddar cheese
* 1 tablespoon mustard

DIRECTIONS

1. Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. (Ummm please heat for longer than 12 minutes... I did my first batch for like 15 minutes and when I peeled my first egg, it was still runny! So I started over and let them sit in the hot water for about 22 minutes instead. Much better. Nobody likes runny hard boiled eggs.)

2. Remove from hot water, and cool. To cool more quickly, rinse eggs under cold running water.
3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Alternatively, wrap bacon in paper towels and cook in the microwave for about 1 minute per slice. Crumble and set aside.
4. Peel the hard-cooked eggs, and cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a small bowl. Mash egg yolks with mayonnaise, crumbled bacon and cheese. Stir in mustard. Fill egg white halves with the yolk mixture and refrigerate until serving.

Grandma's Green Bean Casserole

2009-12-01T20:59:00.004-05:00

I wish this was my grandma's green bean casserole, but sadly, it's not. This was pretty darn good. I've never been a huge fan of GBC but this was really yummy with the sour cream in it and everyone at our Turkey Day dinner seemed to enjoy it. From allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8-10)

* 2 tbsp butter
* 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp white sugar
* 1/4 cup onion, diced (omitted)
* 1 cup sour cream
* 3 (14.5 oz) cans French style green beans, drained
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers (I substituted french fried onions)
* 1 tbsp butter, melted (omitted since I omitted the crackers)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, and stir to coat.
3. Transfer the mixture to a 2.5 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Three Cheese Manicotti

2009-12-01T20:52:00.003-05:00

MMMMMMMMMM cheesy baked pasta. Seriously SO yummy! From allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4-6)

* 8 oz package manicotti shells
* 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
* 2 cups ricotta cheese
* 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 egg
* 2 tbsp dried basil
* 26 oz pasta sauce (I used ricotta parmesan flavored sauce)

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a bowl, mix 3 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, and basil. Stuff cooked manicotti with the mixture.
Spread about 2 cups pasta sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti in the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and continue baking 10 minutes, until mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

Baked Pumpkin Pasta

2009-12-01T20:44:00.003-05:00

I debated whether to post this recipe or not... because I honestly didn't really like how it tasted. But this is the first time I've ever had pumpkin in my pasta, so I figured it might just be me. Maybe someone else can make it and enjoy it! Recipe from here.

INGREDIENTS

* 12 oz uncooked penne pasta
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced (I omitted)
* 1/2 tsp dried thyme
* 1 tsp dried sage
* 1 15 oz can pure pumpkin
* 1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
* 1/2 cup water reserved from pasta pot
* 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to directions on package, less 2 minutes, and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water when done.
3. Meanwhile heat oil in large skillet. Sauté onions and garlic for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Stir in zucchini and herbs, and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in canned pumpkin and ricotta cheese.
5. Empty drained pasta plus 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water into skillet and mix well.
6. Spoon pasta into a 11 x 7 baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Super Easy Stuffed Peppers

2009-12-01T20:32:00.003-05:00

I've made stuffed peppers a few times but I've always cooked the meat beforehand. I wanted to try this recipe because the meat actually cooks inside the peppers in the oven. This was pretty good! From allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS

* 2 medium green bell peppers
* 1/2 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
* 8 oz can tomato sauce, divided (I used spaghetti sauce instead)
* 1/4 cup uncooked instant rice
* 3 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese, divided (I used mozzarella)
* 1 tbsp chopped onion
* 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp pepper
* 1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut tops off peppers and discard; remove seeds. Blanch peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine beef, 1/4 cup of tomato sauce, rice, 2 tablespoons of cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and egg; mix well.

3. Stuff the peppers; place in an ungreased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over peppers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and peppers are tender.

4. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2009-10-16T08:12:00.004-04:00

Can you tell fall is here by three soup posts in a row?? :)

This was sooooo yummy. I altered the recipe's cheeses a little bit and it ended up tasting a lot like Panera's, which I absolutely LOVE. And, bonus points that it was super easy to make! Recipe from allrecipes.com.

Full recipe is listed below but please do not make the full recipe unless you are feeding 10+ people. I cut it into a third and it still made enough for three meals for myself!

INGREDIENTS

* 3 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped broccoli
* 3 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
* 6 tbsp margarine
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 cups milk (I used skim and it turned out fine)
* 1.5 lbs processed cheese food (i.e. Velveeta), cubed (I used about half shredded sharp cheddar, half shredded 5-cheese italian mix, and a few slices of swiss)
* 1 pinch ground white pepper (who has white pepper? I used regular!)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat, simmer the broccoli in the broth for 15 minutes. In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, or to desired tenderness.
2. Add the flour to the onions and stir well, forming a pasty substance. Gradually add the milk and stir until thick. Add this mixture to the broccoli mixture in the pot and stir well. Then add the cheese, stirring until melted. Finally, add the pepper. (Note: Be careful not to let the soup boil, or the cheese will break down.)

Terrific Turkey Chili

2009-10-13T09:27:00.009-04:00

With the fall weather approaching here in TN it only felt right to make a comforting dish of chili. This was my first time making any sort of chili and I think it turned out great - it was delicious! (from allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

* 3 tbsps vegetable oil, divided
* 1.5 lbs ground turkey
* 1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning mix
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 (14.5 oz) can beef broth
* 1 (7 oz) can salsa
* 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes, or coarsely chopped tomatoes packed in puree (I omitted completely)
* 1 (7 oz) can chopped green chile peppers
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, diced
* 3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (I omitted)
* 1 bunch green onions, chopped (I forgot to buy, oops)
* 1 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
* 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

* ADDED: a little bit of chili powder and a little bit of cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble turkey into the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon to break apart as much as possible. Season with taco seasoning mix, coriander, oregano, chili flakes, and tomato paste, and mix until meat is evenly coated with seasonings. Continue cooking, reducing heat if necessary, until turkey is well browned.

2. Pour in beef broth, and simmer to reduce liquid slightly, about 5 minutes. Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies, and continue cooking at a moderate simmer for ten minutes. Adjust the thickness at any time you feel necessary by adding water.
3. While chili is still cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and green bell pepper, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and bell pepper is lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper to the chili, and continue cooking at a very low simmer.

4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the zucchini to the chili, reduce heat, and continue cooking 15 minutes more. Again, adjust the consistency with water as needed.
5. Ladle chili into serving bowls. Top with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and serve.

PW's French Onion Soup

2009-10-11T11:14:00.006-04:00

WOW is all I can say about this soup... this was seriously some of the best french onion soup I've had in my life... you may look at the recipe and think "wow, that's a lot of work for soup". But trust me. Make it. It's soooooooo worth it!! Thanks Pioneer Woman!

I fourthed the recipe below since I was just making this for myself (the hubby won't eat onions). It made a big bowl that I admittedly finished in one sitting. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

* 1 stick butter

* 4 large yellow onions (or 6 medium/small), halved root to tip and sliced thin

* 1 generous cup dry white wine

* 4 cups low sodium chicken broth (I used Emeril's chicken stock)

* 4 cups beef broth (again, I used Emeril's)

* 2 cloves minced garlic

* Worcestershire sauce

* Several thick slices french bread or baguette

* Appx 6 oz Gruyere cheese, grated (I subbed swiss, but asiago, mozzarella, or romano will work too)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

3. Place soup pot into oven with the lid slightly ajar to ensure the onions will brown. (I covered with foil and just peeled back a little on one side.)

4. Allow onions to cook in oven for 1 hour, stirring at least once so onions don't stick and burn.

5. Remove pot from the oven and place over medium heat. Stir the onions, scraping up all the brown bits off the side.

6. Turn off the heat and pour in the wine. Turn heat back on to medium. Cook the onions and wine together for five minutes, allowing it to reduce.

7. Add both broths, minced garlic, and a couple of shakes of Worcestershire sauce and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.

8. Butter one side of the bread slices and broil over low heat, allowing bread to brown and become crispy.

9. When the soup is ready, ladle into bowls or ramekins. Place crispy bread on top then sprinkle generously with grated cheese. Broil, watching closely, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.

(Sorry for the especially crappy picture... camera is broken and I had to use my phone.)

White Chicken Lasagna

2009-10-11T11:06:00.004-04:00

MMM lasagna... one of my favorite meals ever... this dish with the white sauce was a nice change from your typical lasagna. (Full recipe found here and posted below, although I cut in half and used an 8x8 dish).

INGREDIENTS

* 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
* 1 shallot, minced (I omitted)
* 3 tbsp butter
* 4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
* 2 cans cream of chicken soup
* 1- 8oz. package cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
* 2 cups sour cream (I used fat free)
* 2/3 cup milk (I used skim)
* 1 lb. lasagna noodles, cooked & rinse in cold water
* 1 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, brown shallots & garlic in butter. Add cream cheese, cream soup, sour cream & milk. Stir until cream cheese is melted. Add chicken.
2. In a 9x13 glass baking dish layer noodles, white sauce with chicken, then cheese. Repeat steps, ending with mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Annie's Benchiladas

2009-10-11T10:58:00.002-04:00

I've been a bad, bad blogger lately. No posts since July and it's already October? Eek! No worries though, I'm back!

These enchiladas were sooooo yummy! Thanks Annie!! We cut the recipe in half, but the full recipe is below. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

* 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

* 8 oz. reduced fat sour cream (we used fat free)

* 8 oz. ranch dressing (we used light)

* Flour tortillas (10-15)

* Jar of salsa (we used red enchilada sauce instead)

* Shredded mexican cheese - as much as you want!

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook chicken breasts by preferred cooking method until cooked through. Set aside to cool a bit.
2. While chicken is cooling, mix up the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the sour cream and half of the ranch dressing. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the sour cream and Ranch dressing. Stir both until well combined. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and add to the large mixing bowl. Mix well with sauce.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13″ pan (and possibly another, smaller pan if needed). Take one tortilla and top with a little less than 1 tbsp. of the sauce from the small bowl. Spread over the tortilla in an even layer. Add some of the chicken mixture to the center of the tortilla. Top with salsa to taste. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, to taste. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients (usually makes 10-15 enchiladas).
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (30 for a crispier tortilla). Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

Horseradish Potato Salad

2009-07-12T18:48:00.003-04:00

I've been loving horseradish on everything lately, so when I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, I couldn't wait to try it out! This was pretty good and great to make when you don't want your grandma's regular tater salad!

Ingredients (I halved, but full recipe is below)

* 3 pounds small (2-inch) potatoes, your choice of variety

* 1/4 cup red onion, chopped (I omitted)

* 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

* 1 cup sour cream (or 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup yogurt)

* 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

* 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I used dried)

* 1 tablespoon dijon mustard (I omitted)

* 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes until fork tender, cool them to room temperature and quarter them.

2. In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and fold over the potatoes.

3. Adjust seasoning to taste and either serve immediately or refrigerate.

Buffalo Potato Wedges

2009-07-12T18:43:00.003-04:00

Taters are one of the only veggies that my husband will eat, so when I found this recipe, I knew I had to make it for my buffalo sauce loving man! Recipe from here.

Ingredients (for 2)

* Appx 2-3 medium size potatoes

* 1 tbsp olive oil

* Salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste

* 1/8 cup butter

* 1/8 cup hot pepper sauce (less if you can't stand the heat)

* Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for dipping

Directions

1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange potato wedges on sheet and drizzle with olive oil.

2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until tender.
4. Remove pan from oven. Combine the hot sauce and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir to combine. Drizzle mixture over potato wedges and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes.
5. Serve with salad dressing for dipping.

A Million Jello Shots...

2009-07-05T20:17:00.005-04:00

(Actually it was exactly 100!)

I made these little gems for the houseboat trip we went on last weekend on Norris Lake here in TN. These were a HUGE hit among our 10 friends that joined us! They were so perfect and refreshing for just chilling on the lake :)

No real recipe here... just make jello as normal except when you're adding the cold water, substitute about 1/2 of the cold water for vodka. Pour into shot glasses or little plastic containers before refrigerating. (Make sure boiled water w/ gelatin mix is at room temp before adding the alcohol!)

I made 3 different flavors, all made with Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka:

1. Orange (tasted like a creamsicle)

2. Pina Colada (definitely the crowd favorite)

3. Raspberry (just as delicious as the other two)

4th of July Funfetti Cupcakes

2009-07-02T10:20:00.012-04:00

No real recipe here, but these are just too cute not to post!! Just make funfetti cupcakes according to box like usual, frost with cream cheese frosting, and top with blueberries and strawberries in any design you'd like. (Raspberries would also be good to use!)

I hope everyone has a great 4oJ weekend!!!

Lemon Chicken with Oregano and Feta

2009-06-10T12:24:00.011-04:00

I had an idea in my head of what I wanted to make, and luckily Le Petit Pierogi had this recipe in her blog that matched exactly what I was thinking! This was super good and healthy for you! (Recipe originally adapted from here).

Ingredients

* 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

* Juice of 1/2 lemon

* 1 garlic clove, minced (I omitted)

* Oregano to taste (I used a BUNCH... mmm oregano)

* Salt

* Pepper

* Feta cheese, crumbled (I used sundried tomato and basil flavor)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Place chicken breasts in dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Squeeze lemon liberally over chicken.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on size of chicken breasts (mine only took about 22 minutes). Add feta cheese on top of the chicken for the last few minutes of baking.

Pizza on the Grill

2009-06-09T09:39:00.006-04:00

I've heard so many great things about making pizza on the grill that I decided to finally make it! This was super easy to make and SO good! (Inspiration from this recipe).

Ingredients

* 1 tube pre-made pizza crust (we used Pillsbury)

* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (we used a combo of italian cheese and parmesan cheese)

* 1 cup pizza sauce

* Meat and veggie toppings of your choice (Keith had turkey pepperoni and I had hot turkey sausage)

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for low heat and spray grate with cooking spray
2. Roll out prepared pizza dough to a size that will fit your grill (we used 1 tube of dough, cut in half, for 2 individual pizzas).

3. Place on grill for 5 minutes, or to desired doneness, and flip over. Now add the sauce, cheese, and other toppings.
4. Cover the grill and allow to cook over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Jalapeno Chicken

2009-06-01T09:33:00.004-04:00

A huge thanks to Molly for introducing me to this recipe!! This is soo soo soo good, I've already made it twice in the past week and a half!! Yummmmmm.

(I opted to bake these instead of grilling and I also substituted a few things to make it simple. My changes are noted below.)

Ingredients (for 2)

* 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
* Appx 5 oz Italian dressing (I used balsamic vinaigrette)
* 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded (I used sliced from the jar)
* Appx 3 oz cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
* 2 slices bacon (I used bacon crumbles)
* Toothpicks

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in a dish with the dressing. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Stuff each jalapeno half with cream cheese. Roll chicken breasts around jalapeno peppers. Wrap each chicken breast with a slice of bacon. Secure with toothpicks.

(If using sliced jalapenos and bacon crumbles like I did, just spread the cream cheese inside each chicken breast and add in jalapenos and bacon bits.)
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange wrapped chicken breasts on the prepared grill. Cook for 20 minutes, turning frequently, or until bacon is browned and the chicken juices run clear.

(I baked in the oven at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.)

Jalapeno Popper Dip

2009-05-17T16:27:00.003-04:00

This dip was great and tasted JUST like jalapeno poppers! Be sure to make a lot because it will likely get devoured! Recipe from allrecipes.com

Ingredients (serves 32)

* 16 oz cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
* 1 cup mayonnaise (I used light)
* 4 oz can chopped green chilies, drained
* 2 oz canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained
* 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (I used italian mix)

Directions

1. Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth.

2. Stir in green chiles and jalapeno peppers.

3. Pour mixture into a microwave safe serving dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4. Microwave on high until hot, about 3 minutes.

5. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

Note: If you would like to brown the cheese, bake at 375 degrees for ~30 minutes.

Honey Grilled Shrimp

2009-05-11T08:37:00.004-04:00

Before I even start, I need to tell you something... this was the best shrimp I think I've ever had in my life. Not joking. The flavors were SO great, I could have eaten 50 of these things. So if you like shrimp, you absolutely need to make these. YUM! (Found on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients (makes 3 servings)

FOR MARINADE

* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/4 tbsp ground black pepper
* 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce (I didn't have any so I used soy sauce.. delicious!)
* 2 tbsp dry white wine
* 2 tbsp Italian-style salad dressing

FOR BASTING SAUCE

* 1/4 cup honey
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I omitted from basting sauce)

* 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails attached (I took tails off)
* Skewers

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together garlic powder, black pepper, 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce, wine, and salad dressing; add shrimp, and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill for high heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.
3. In a small bowl, stir together honey, melted butter, and remaining 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Set aside for basting.
4. Lightly oil grill grate. Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque. Baste occasionally with the honey-butter sauce while grilling.

Balsamic Potatoes

2009-05-11T08:31:00.003-04:00

I originally intended to make this recipe from Messily Ever After, but I decided to simplify a little bit and only use the ingredients I happened to have in the house. This was really easy to make and pretty good! Plus the light balsamic vinaigrette with the fat-free feta cheese made it pretty healthy!

Ingredients (for one serving)

* 2-3 medium size red potatoes, cut into wedges

* 1 tbsp water

* 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (my fresh basil had gone bad, so I used dried)

* 1/4 cup light balsamic vinaigrette dressing

* Fat-free feta cheese crumbles (I used basil tomato flavor)

Directions

1. Place potato wedges in a large microwave-safe bowl; add 1 tablespoon water.

2. Cover with plastic wrap, vent (do not allow plastic wrap to touch food). Microwave on high 5-6 minutes, or until tender; drain.

3. Stir in vinaigrette and basil. Top each serving with cheese.

Delicious Chicken Enchiladas

2009-05-06T09:27:00.003-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!! This was my first time making enchiladas and they were sooo sooo good! (Recipe from Food Network... my altered recipe for 2 people is below.)

Ingredients

* 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

* 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (we used mexican blend)

* 3/4 cup sour cream

* 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas

* Chicken seasoning to taste (we use Kroger Grilltime)

* 1 cup salsa, whatever kind you like (taco sauce may be substituted)

* Green onions for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl. Add half of the grated cheese, sour cream, and onion; sprinkle in chicken seasoning. Mix well to combine.
3. Place the tortillas on your work surface. Spoon 1/4 of the chicken mixture across the center of each tortilla. Roll them up to close and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.

4. Pour the salsa over the tortillas. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
5. Remove the foil and sprinkle the enchiladas with the remaining grated cheese. Return the baking dish to the oven until the cheese is melted and edges of the tortillas are just beginning to get crisp, 5 to 8 minutes.

6. Top with green onions or anything else you like. Serve hot.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Pasta Salad

2009-05-04T18:43:00.004-04:00

I love love love pasta, and pasta salad is no exception. This was VERY good. One of the best pasta salads I've ever had. So light and perfect for summer!

Ingredients (no measurements... use what you like!)

* Elbow macaroni pasta (or whatever small shape you want)

* Fresh basil

* Roasted red peppers

* Minced garlic

* Balsamic vinaigrette dressing

* Black pepper

* Feta cheese crumbles (I used fat free basil and tomato flavor)

Directions

1. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.

2. Add pasta to bowl and combine basil, red peppers, garlic, dressing, and pepper.

3. Refrigerate overnight. Add feta crumbles before serving.

Oven Fried Honey Chicken Nuggets

2009-05-02T10:01:00.004-04:00

Keith LOVES honey so I knew he would enjoy these chicken nuggets. These were super easy to make and SOOOOO good!! You should go make these now :) I found this recipe up Macaroni and Cheesecake, who got it from Sweet Tea in Texas. Thanks girls!

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup honey
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I only had white vinegar and it turned out fine)
* 1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs (I used Panko)
* Appx 1 lb fresh boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray foil-lined baking pan large enough to hold all chicken pieces in one layer.

2. In shallow bowl, whisk together honey and vinegar. Set aside.

3. Place bread crumbs in a small saute pan and toast lightly over low heat for about 3-4 minutes until lightly golden brown. (I skipped the step and just baked in oven a little longer.)

4. Pour bread crumbs a little at a time into separated bowl. Roll chicken pieces in honey mixture, then in bread crumbs; place in pan.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

We tried dipping the nuggets in both ranch and sweet chili sauce. Both were good!

Garlic Pesto Pasta

2009-05-02T09:52:00.003-04:00

We had some jarred pesto to use up - I think I am done buying the jarred kind for a while. It just isn't very flavorful and made this dish a little bland. BUT, if you used fresh pesto, I'm sure it would be delish!

Ingredients

* Pasta of your choice

* Chicken breast, cooked, cut into pieces (I marinated in garlic herb marinade first)

* Pesto sauce

* Minced garlic

* EVOO

* Shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Boil pasta until al dente. A few minutes before pasta is done, add minced garlic and EVOO in a pan and saute.

2. Drain pasta. Add pesto sauce, garlic, chicken to pasta and combine all together. Add a little EVOO if needed. Serve immediately with parmesan cheese on top.

The Ultimate Double Decker Grilled Cheese

2009-04-26T10:50:00.005-04:00

We wanted something light-ish for dinner tonight and this was the perfect solution. Yum!

Ingredients (for 2 sandwiches)

* 6 slices whole wheat bread

* Lunchmeat of your choice (we used buffalo chicken lunchmeat)

* 4 slices cooked turkey bacon

* 2 slices pepperjack cheese

* 2 wedges garlic & herb Laughing Cow cheese

* Butter for grilling in pan

Directions

1. Layer lunchmeat and sliced cheese on a sandwich and make a grilled cheese on the stove like you normally would (using 2 slices per sandwich).

2. While the second side is grilling, spread Laughing Cow cheese on top of outside piece of grilled bread. Then add 2 slices turkey bacon on top. Set the third slice of bread on top (buttered side up).

3. Flip a third time to grill the final slice of bread.

We dipped in a little bit of ranch dressing. Delicious and easy!

Texas Chicken Quesadillas

2009-04-22T08:27:00.004-04:00

I have seen variations of these recipe floating around online, so I decided to just wing it and use what we like. These are SO good! The honey/bbq/carmelized onion taste is just heaven.

mmm.

Ingredients (for two quesadilla halves)

* 2 10-inch flour tortillas

* 3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken tenders (or chicken breast cut into little strips)

* 1/2 cup shredded cheese (we used a monterey jack blend)

* BBQ marinade (we used BWW's Honey BBQ sauce)

* White onion, sliced into rings

* EVOO

Directions

1. Marinate chicken in BBQ sauce for a couple hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Bake chicken tenders in oven until cooked through, about 20 min.
4. While the chicken is cooking, heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Slowly cook and stir until onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

5. Put cheese, chicken, and onions into each of the tortillas, only using one half of the tortilla.

6. Fold over and place tortillas in quesadilla maker. Cook until golden brown.

7. Cut into triangles and serve with sour cream or ranch.

CousCous Stuffed Peppers

2009-04-21T09:20:00.005-04:00

I had some leftover couscous to use up last night and decided to make these stuffed peppers. These were really good!

Ingredients

* 1 orange bell pepper, cut in half with core and seeds removed

* Appx 3/4 cup cooked couscous (I used parmesan flavor)

* Chopped onions

* Minced garlic

* Parsley (I used dried)

* EVOO

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

2. Place the pepper halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast ~15 minutes in the oven, or until tender and skin starts to brown on edges.

3. While the peppers are roasting, heat EVOO in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions, garlic, and parsley in oil for 2-3 minutes.

4. Spoon in the cooked couscous and stir until heated through. Remove from heat.

5. Remove peppers from oven and spoon in the couscous mixture into pepper halves.

6. Stick back in oven for ~5 minutes. Serve immediately (with side of sour cream if desired).

Buffalo Turkey Burgers

2009-04-18T15:40:00.006-04:00

We bought a bunch of ground turkey while our families were in town for Easter and totally forgot to eat it. So, we decided to use some of it up this weekend and make turkey burgers on the grill. These were delicious! (Recipe makes 4 burgers.)

Ingredients

* 1 lb lean ground turkey

* Blue cheese crumbles (I used gorgonzola)

* Frank's Buffalo Sauce (I tried their new kind - Sweet Heat BBQ. mmm it's really good, you should try it)

* Breadcrumbs (I used seasoned)

* Cayenne pepper

* Hamburger buns

Directions

1. Mix ground turkey, blue cheese to taste, buffalo sauce to taste, a little bit of breadcrumbs, and some cayenne pepper in a medium size bowl.

2. Form mixture into four burgers.

3. Put on the grill and leave on until cooked through.

4. Add hamburger buns onto top rack of grill at the end to toast them just a little bit.

We dipped in ranch dressing. Yum!

Seasoned Feta Asapragus

2009-04-16T10:38:00.010-04:00

After looking online at a bunch of different recipes using asparagus, I decided to just combine a bunch and make something up on my own. I had a bunch of leftover asparagus after making these roll-ups for Easter, so I needed a new way to try it. This was really good!

Ingredients

* Bunch or partial bunch asparagus

* Extra virgin olive oil

* Salt and pepper

* Kroger Grill-Time Seasoning (or whatever seasoning you'd like)

* 1 pinch red pepper flakes

* Crumbled feta cheese (I used reduced fat)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Trim asparagus and then lay flat in baking pan (I used an 8x8 pan). Drizzle olive oil and then shake pan to move oil around so that it covers most of the asparagus.

3. Sprinkle the last 4 ingredients over asparagus, as much as you'd like.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for appx 12-15 minutes.

I cut them up and mixed in with some brown rice. Yum!

Cinnamon & Sugar French Toast Bake

2009-04-12T17:45:00.008-04:00

My mom gave me this recipe and helped me make it for Easter morning. This was really easy and was delicious! We served it with turkey sausage and turkey bacon. A big bonus to this recipe is that you can prepare it the night before and then pop it in the oven in the morning. Yum!

Ingredients

* 1 stick butter, melted
* 2 cups dark brown sugar
* 1 large loaf french bread
* 10 eggs
* 3 cups milk
* 3 tbsp sugar mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Spray Pam on 9x13x2 pan.
2. Mix butter and brown sugar together in medium bowl. Spread mixture evenly across bottom of pan.
3. Cut bread into appx 1 inch thick slices. Place non-crust side down, completely covering brown sugar mixture so that it fits tightly into pan.
4. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Pour over bread and let soak in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
5. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture on top, then bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until puffed and golden.

Cheez-It Encrusted/Asiago Stuffed Chicken

2009-04-09T09:07:00.005-04:00

Umm chicken and cheez-its??? Yum!! I knew Keith would LOVE this recipe b/c those are 2 of his favorite things. I thought it was really good as well. I found this on the What We're Eating website and then added the cheese stuffed inside. You should really make this! (Recipe serves 2.)

Ingredients

* Appx 2 cups cracker crumbs made from Cheez-Its

* 1 tbsp minced fresh dill (I used dry)

* 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley (I used dry)

* 1/2 tbsp minced fresh oregano (I used dry)

* 1/2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary (I used dry)

* 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme (I used dry)

* 1 clove minced garlic (I used 2 cloves.. mmm.. garlic)

* 2 tbsp hot sauce (I used a little more)

* 1 egg

* 1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese

* 1/2 cup flour, for dusting

* Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

* 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry, cut in half horizontally 3/4 of the way through (so you can stuff the inside)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On large plate add the first 7 ingredients. Stir to combine thoroughly.

2. Place the flour in a second plate. Season w/ kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, stir to combine.

3. To a wide bowl add the egg and 2 tbsp hot sauce. Whisk until the egg is frothy.

4. Open each chicken breast up and sprinkle asiago cheese inside the middle. Fold chicken back over to original shape.

5. Season all sides of the chicken breast with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

6. Dredge the breasts in the flour, shaking off all excess. Dip the lightly floured breasts, on at a time, into the hot sauce and egg mixture, coating both sides.

7. Next, press each of the breasts into the Cheez-It herb mixture, making sure all sides are thoroughly coated.

8. Place the Cheez-It encrusted breasts onto a sheet pan. If there the crust isn’t sticking, press a little bit of the Cheez-It mixture onto the top of the breast once it has been placed on the sheet pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until just cooked through.

Shish Kabobs

2009-04-06T10:17:00.003-04:00

The weather here was beautiful yesterday (75 and sunny!) so we decided to grill out. These were REALLY good! Even Keith loved the chicken even though he claims he doesn't like BBQ sauce. I couldn't get him to try the veggies though ;)

Ingredients

* Uncooked chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

* Red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

* Green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

* Sweet onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

* BBQ sauce marinade (I used Buffalo Wild Wings' Honey BBQ)

* Chicken seasoning to taste

Directions

1. Put chicken breast pieces into ziploc baggy, pour some bbq sauce in, zip and mix around. Let sit in fridge for a couple hours. Put all veggies into a different baggy and do the same thing. Sprinkle some seasoning into the baggy as well if you'd like.

2. Thread chicken on one skewer and veggies onto another.

3. Place skewers on the grill and cook for 10-15 min depending on how hot your grill is and until chicken is cooked through. The chicken will probably take a little longer than the veggies, so we put those on first.

4. Enjoy!

Shrimp Alfredo

2009-04-04T09:47:00.005-04:00

Yep, another pasta recipe! This was really tasty :)

Ingredients

* Large shrimp, as many as you'd like (I used about 10 for myself because Keith doesn't really like shrimp. Mine were pre-cooked.)

* Appx 8 oz uncooked pasta (I used a tri-color "Creste di Gallo")

* Fresh basil, chopped

* Appx 6 cloves garlic, minced

* Bacon crumbles

* Red pepper flakes, to taste

* Appx 8 oz jarred alfredo sauce

* EVOO

Directions

1. Begin boiling pasta and cook until al dente.

2. While pasta is cooking, heat some EVOO in a large frying pan. Add your garlic and then basil to saute, then the shrimp for a few minutes until just heated through (since mine was pre-cooked).

3. When pasta is done, drain and return to pot. Keep stove on low. Add your shrimp/garlic/basil mixture to pasta. Add alfredo sauce, bacon crumbles, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together. Enjoy. (I chose to leave my tails on my shrimp and then just cut them off as I ate, but it's probably better to cut them off to begin with if your shrimp aren't already de-tailed.)

Simple Antipasto Salad

2009-04-03T09:11:00.003-04:00

No real recipe here, but this salad was too good not to blog. It consisted of iceberg lettuce, pepperoni pieces, hard salami pieces, feta cheese, chopped onion, and house italian dressing. I should have added some hard boiled eggs but forgot... Yum!

Oven Roasted Potatoes

2009-03-31T21:18:00.004-04:00

A big thanks to Molly for posting this recipe she found on allrecipes.com! These were so simple and tasty. I only used 2 taters and just eyeballed the measurements below - turned out great!

Ingredients

* 1/8 cup olive oil

* 1 tablespoon minced garlic (I used 4 cloves)

* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (I used fresh b/c I had it on hand)

* 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

* 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (I left peels on)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, basil, marjoram, dill weed, thyme, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet.

3. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.

Asiago Stuffed Chicken Breast

2009-03-31T21:11:00.005-04:00

Another delicious chicken recipe :) I served it with the oven roasted potatoes in the above post.

Ingredients (for 2 people)

* 2 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast

* Marinade of your choice (I used garlic and herb)

* 1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese (I originally planned to use feta cheese, which I think would be equally as good)

Directions

1. Marinate chicken breasts for a couple hours in your favorite sauce.

2. Create a slit "sandwich-wise" in the chicken breast about 3/4 of the way through so that you can open the chicken breast without it completely separating into 2 pieces.

3. Add asiago cheese inside each chicken breast; close and secure with toothpicks if needed.

4. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 min.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza (Take 2)

2009-03-24T20:36:00.004-04:00

I made this recipe again tonight with a few additions - I didn't think this pizza could taste any better than last time, but it did! First, I used a lot more minced garlic than last time. I sauteed the garlic in EVOO and added some onions, fresh basil, and fresh parsley. I melted about 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese into the sauce and then of course added mozz on top of the pizza. I also used pre-made round Boboli crust instead of the Pillsbury kind, which I've found to taste much better. Oh, and I took a better pic this time! :)

Simple Ranch Chicken Macaroni Salad

2009-03-24T09:55:00.003-04:00

Now that the weather is warm here I've really been craving pasta/macaroni/potato salads. This was really good! (From allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

* 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
* 1 stalk celery, chopped
* 1 (2.25 oz) can chopped green olives (omitted)
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 2 tablespoons milk (omitted... didn't miss it)
* 1 (10 oz) can chicken chunks, drained (I used a baked chicken breast... canned chicken is gross) * 1 (1 oz) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
* 2 teaspoons paprika (omitted)

* Added: crumbled bacon

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and pat dry.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the celery, olives, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, chicken and Ranch dressing mix. Stir in macaroni until well blended.

3. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Stir, and sprinkle paprika over the top before serving.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake

2009-03-21T20:44:00.005-04:00

I found this recipe on the What's Cooking board and altered it a little bit to my taste (my recipe below). I didn't realize until I tasted this that is very similar to my Simple Baked Mostaccioli. Either way, it was really good!

Ingredients

* 2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
* 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 tsp fresh basil leaves, chopped

* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 jar (14.5 oz) spaghetti sauce
* 2 oz neufchatel cheese, cubed
* 1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
* 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta as directed on package.
2. Cook and stir chicken, basil, and garlic in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 3 min. Add spaghetti sauce; bring to boil. Simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Stir in neufchatel cheese.
3. Drain pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spoon into 8-inch square baking dish.
4. Bake 15-20 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 3 min.

PW's Penne a la Betsy

2009-03-15T21:04:00.006-04:00

After hearing so many great things about this dish, I decided that I needed to make it asap. OMG. Go make this now. Seriously. This is probably one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had in my life. And that's a HUGE compliment coming from me, the girl who could eat pasta for every meal. MMMMMMMM.

A HUGE thanks to Pioneer Woman for this recipe!

Ingredients

* 1 lb shrimp

* 3/4 lb penne pasta (I used Mezze Penne)

* Butter

* Olive oil

* 1 small onion

* 2 cloves garlic

* 1/2 cup white wine

* 8 oz tomato sauce

* 1 cup heavy cream

* Fresh parsley

* Fresh basil

* Salt & pepper

Directions

1. Cook the penne pasta until al dente.

2. Peel, devein, and rinse 1 lb of extra large shrimp (I used large). Heat about 1 tbsp butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook! Remove shrimp to a plate and let cool.

3. Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves garlic.

4. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board, pull off the tails, and chop shrimp into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

5. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit, add the white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add 8 oz plain tomato sauce and stir until well combined. Add 1 cup heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer while you chop your herbs (about 1 tbsp parsley and 1 tbsp basil).

7. Add your the chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Stir and add salt/pepper. Add herbs and stir until well combined.

8. Add pasta and stir everything together.

9. DEVOUR!

Italian Pasta Salad

2009-03-15T20:59:00.004-04:00

I decided to make pasta salad today so that I could take it to work for lunch this week. This is really tasty and is perfect for warm weather!

Ingredients

* Any kind of small pasta, cooked (I used a mix of small shells and rotini)

* Salami, sliced into small pieces

* Pepperoni, sliced into small pieces (I used turkey pepperoni)

* Orange pepper, sliced into small pieces

* Green onion, sliced into small pieces

* Pepperjack cheese, cubed

* Italian dressing (any kind you like)

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy!

Bonizio Sangiovese

2009-03-15T20:56:00.004-04:00

If you like Sangiovese, you have to try this! We had it at an italian restaurant in our hometown and couldn't find it anywhere in the MI stores... but luckily the wine store by my work down here in TN carries it! Yum, this is one of our favorites.

Kitteh in the Kitchen

2009-03-15T18:00:00.003-04:00

Waiting by the kitchen counter for mom to leave a piece of food unattended is exhausting...

Pear Grapefruit Martini ♥♥

2009-03-14T19:14:00.003-04:00

Martinis are pretty much my favorite. I bought some Absolut Pears the other day and decided to try it out tonight!

Ingredients

* 1 oz Absolut Pears vodka
* 1.5 oz grapefruit juice
* Slice of lime

Directions

1. Add vodka and grapefruit juice into martini shaker. Shake.
2. Pour into martini glass and garnish with lime. Squeeze the juice in if you'd like. Or if you're like me, just put the whole damn lime in! :)

Spicy Orange Shrimp and Asparagus

2009-03-12T20:07:00.004-04:00

I found this recipe on Thyme for Nourishment, who spun off a Pioneer Woman recipe. This had a different flavor, but was really good! I love finding new ways to incorporate shrimp in our dinners. It's such a nice change from our typical chicken dinner :)

Ingredients

* 1 lb shrimp (we used 31-40 count)

* 1 lb asparagus cut into 1" pieces

* 6 tbsp butter

* 6 cloves of garlic (we used minced)

* 1 1/2 cups orange juice

* 2 tsp Old Bay (we didn't have any so we used Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy)

* 1 tsp cayenne pepper (we used more.. we like it hot!)

Directions

1. Mix the orange juice, garlic, cayenne, and Old Bay together and set aside.
2. In a large saute pan melt 2 tbsps of butter and saute the asparagus for 3-4 mins. Add the shrimp and cook till done.

3. Remove the shrimp and asparagus from the saute pan.

4. Add the orange juice mixture to the pan and allow it to reduce by half, then add the remaining 4 tbsps of butter and continue cooking untill the sauce becomes thick enough to coat and stick to the shrimp and asparagus.

5. When the sauce has reached a consistency that you like return the shrimp and asparagus to the pan and mix well. Serve over rice.

Redskin Potato Salad

2009-03-07T17:31:00.004-05:00

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com - super easy, super yummy, and perfect for our first 75 degree sunny day in TN this year :)

(I halved the recipe since Keith won't eat this, but the full recipe is posted below.)

Ingredients

* 2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes
* 6 eggs
* 1 pound bacon (I used up some crumbled bacon we had)
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 1 stalk celery, finely chopped (omitted)
* 2 cups mayonnaise
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
3. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. (or just use crumbled bacon like I did!)
4. Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.

Asparagus Roll-Ups

2009-03-02T18:50:00.007-05:00

I have to give (most) credit to Molly of MyHappyMeals... I told her today that I had bought some asparagus and asked her what I should do with it. She started telling me about this Rachael Ray recipe using crescents and cheese spread... of course I was instantly intrigued since crescents and cheese are some of my favorite foods! She eventually found Rachael's recipe online and linked me to it... and I knew that I just had to make this for dinner tonight.

This recipe was SO good! I have to admit that this was my first time ever buying asparagus and eating it at home... but this was so yummy that I'm sure I'll be making it over and over again! Enjoy!

PS ~ I halved Rachael's recipe so that I didn't have too much food (since Keith doesn't eat veggies). Halved recipe is below.

Ingredients

* 1 sheet Pillsbury Recipe Creations (crescent sheet without the cuts)

* Appx 3 oz. soft herbed cheese (I used Rondele Pub Cheese: Garlic and Herbs)

* 6-7 asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Unroll sheet of dough onto flat surface and spread cheese all over.
3. Cut sheet of dough into 6-7 strips, appx 1"x9"

4. Starting on the diagonal, roll up each of the asparagus spears with a strip of dough in a spiral shape. Make sure to leave a little of the tip at the end of the asparagus sticking out on each end.

5. Transfer dough-wrapped spears to a parchment lined or greased bakign sheet. Bake until golden brown and puffed, appx 12-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Spicy Taco Bake

2009-02-08T08:22:00.002-05:00

We made our famous taco bake for dinner last night... but this time we used hot & spicy taco seasoning and Keith decided to add some cayenne pepper into the ground turkey (and by SOME I mean A LOT!) We used mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar and it turned out SUPER yummy. So if you are a TB fan and like spicy things, you might want to try this version. Yum!

(Click here for original recipe)

Today is............

2009-02-05T09:25:00.004-05:00

my 24th birthday!! Woo hoo!! Melting Pot, here we come tonight!! :)
My apologies for the lack of blog updates lately. There probably won't be many in the next few weeks because we're moving into a new house. BUT, the new house has an amazing kitchen, so I hope to get back into the swing of things asap!! xoxo

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

2009-01-29T20:56:00.005-05:00

My husband's two favorites foods: pizza and buffalo chicken anything. Umm needless to say, this meal is pretty much his favorite thing ever. And I agree, it's pretty damn good. Enjoy!

(Measurements are approximate... just eyeball it and use what you think is good. You really can't mess this one up!)

Ingredients

* 1 prepared pizza crust - I used Boboli

* 1 large boneless chicken breast, cooked and cubed (or 2 small breasts)

* Appx 1 cup ranch dressing

* Appx 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (of course I used Frank's)

* Appx 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

* Appx 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

Directions

1. Preheat oven according to pizza crust directions.

2. Put cooked chicken in bowl and cover with buffalo sauce. (Save some buffalo sauce to go on the pizza.)

3. Spread ranch dressing over pizza crust and top with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Add blue cheese crumbles on top. Add more buffalo sauce on top, to taste.

4. Bake in oven according to crust directions or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly (usually less than 10 min).

5. Let cool a few minutes... if you can wait that long. Enjoy!

A Twist on Stuffed Peppers

2009-01-27T20:14:00.006-05:00

I recently tried Stuffed Peppers for the first time a few months ago. They were SO good!! I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and knew immediately that I wanted to make it! I love feta and will use any recipe as an excuse to eat it :) I altered the recipe a tiny bit, which is posted below. Next time I may add a little ground meat, but this was a great vegetarian option. It was SUPER yummy!

Ingredients

* 1 pack instant rice, cooked (I used Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, which is made in the microwave in 90 seconds)
* 2 bell peppers, halved and seeded (I used one red and one yellow)
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 2 green onions, thinly chopped
* 1 tsp dried basil
* 1 tsp italian seasoning
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 pinch ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place the pepper halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast 15-20 minutes in the oven, or until tender and skin starts to brown on edges.
3. While the peppers are roasting, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions, basil, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in oil for 2-3 minutes. Spoon in the cooked rice and stir until heated through. Remove from heat. Mix in the feta cheese.
4. Remove peppers from oven and spoon in the rice mixture into pepper halves.
5. Stick back in oven for ~5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Linguine

2009-01-14T13:12:00.004-05:00

I got this recipe from Colleen's blog (Cooking This and That). This was sooo sooo sooo good. One of the best pastas I've ever had. Seriously. My husband and I like things really spicy, so we kicked up the cajun seasoning and added some cayenne pepper in there. Yum! Here is Colleen's recipe, adapted from Cooking Light. (Makes 4 servings).

Ingredients

* 8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used whole wheat)
* 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* Appx 6 slices bacon or turkey bacon, cooked and chopped
* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
* 8 oz package presliced mushrooms (I omitted.. ew, mushrooms)
* 7 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced or 1 large red pepper, chopped
* 2 tsp all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp cajun seasoning (I used a lot more b/c we like things very spicy)
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2/3 cup half-and-half
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* Addition: cayenne pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring medium pot of water to boil. Add linguine and cook 5-8 minutes. Add shrimp to pot and cook 3-5 more minutes. Drain and keep warm.
2. Melt butter in large skillet. Add roasted red peppers and mushrooms; saute 4 minutes or until moisture evaporates.
3. Add flour, seasoning (& cayenne pepper if using), and salt to pan; saute 30 seconds. Stir in half-and-half; cook one minute or more until sauce thickens, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat. Add pasta mixture, bacon, and parsley to pan; stirring to combine.

Since Keith doesn't like shrimp very much, I gave him a plateful of the pasta without any shrimp and he added chicken into it, which was very good as well.

Creamy Linguine with Bacon

2009-01-11T18:36:00.008-05:00

I saw this on Stephanie's blog a long time ago and finally decided to make it tonight. This was really good, although very very rich and filling. We were going to have a side salad or crescents with it and forgot, and now I'm glad that we did! (Serves 2-3).

Ingredients

* 8 ounces rigatoni pasta (I used whole wheat linguine)
* 3-4 cooked chicken cutlets - cubed (I omitted and used crumbled bacon instead)
* Fresh cracked pepper - to taste
* Garlic salt - to taste

For Cream Sauce:
* 2 ounces veggie cream cheese
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/4-1/2 cup milk
* Fresh cracked pepper - to taste
* Parmesan cheese - to taste (I didn't have parmesan so I used shredded mozzarella instead.. it was still tasty!)

Directions

1. Cook pasta; set aside.
2. In a sauce pan, melt the cream cheese and butter over medium-low heat. Add milk once melted. Add parmesan cheese, pepper, garlic salt. Stir constantly for about 2-3 minutes until it thickens.
3. Toss in pasta and chicken (or bacon crumbles), coat well.
4. Serve with parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper.

Healthy Shrimp Scampi

2009-01-10T18:56:00.006-05:00

This was really really really good! I made it just for myself since Keith isn't a huge shrimp fan, but it was well worth the effort. This is really simple to make and tastes soo good! I found this recipe on Stephanie's Macaroni and Cheesecake blog, who originally found it in the Eating for Life Cookbook. (Recipe below serves 2).

Ingredients

* 4 oz uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
* 3 tbsp Butter Buds, divided (in the spice aisle)
* 3 tbsp white wine (or chicken stock - which I used)
* 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
* Lemon to squeeze (I used lemon juice)
* Parmesan cheese & parsley for topping

Directions

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil & garlic in large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add shrimp to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently until it's almost pink, about 2 minutes.
4. Add 1 tbsp of Butter Buds & and all the chicken broth to the shrimp. Saute about 2 more minutes, until shrimp is cooked through.
5. Drain pasta. Add pepper and remaining butter buds, and mix gently.
6. Add shrimp to pasta and toss gently.
7. Spoon onto plates and top with squeeze of lemon, parmesan cheese, & parsley.

Shelly's Crunchy Shrimp

2009-01-07T18:55:00.006-05:00

Well this was my first time ever having shrimp at home... I just recently started ordering it more and more at restaurants, mostly in pasta, but have always loved it breaded as well. This was probably one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. No joke. Shelly, this was AMAZING! (Huge thanks to Shelly @ LovesToNom!) She linked me to this recipe at work this afternoon and I ran out to the grocery store at lunch to get some panko bread crumbs so that I could make it for dinner tonight :)

Serves 2.

Ingredients

* Appx 2 dozen medium size shrimp that come in the frozen bag (I bought a big bag of tails off @ Sam's Club)

* 3 tbsp flour

* 3 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like spicy!)

* 2 tsp black pepper

* 3 tsp garlic salt

* 2 eggs

* Panko bread crumbs

* Vegetable oil

Directions

1. Set out 2 paper plates and 1 small bowl. On the first plate mix the flour, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and garlic salt. In the bowl, beat 2 eggs. On the second plate, dump some Panko bread crumbs.

2. Heat up some vegetable oil in a large skillet (not olive oil). Pour just enough oil so it thinly covers the entire bottom of the pan.

3. Take a shrimp, dunk it in the flour mixture, then the egg, then the panko. Carefully put it in the skillet. Repeat as necessary.

4. Fry each side about 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

5. Shelly says you don't need dipping sauce, but I picked up some of this lemon dill sauce and it was so delicious on the shrimp!

Garlic, Blue Cheese, & Red Pepper Pasta

2009-01-05T18:43:00.004-05:00

I wanted a not-so-bad-for-you/quick and easy pasta dish tonight since Keith had decided on just eating a sandwich for dinner and I was on my own. This was pretty good! It would probably be better if you roasted the red peppers, but I was too lazy and hungry and impatient to do so! (Recipe serves one.)

Ingredients

* Appx 2 handfuls whole wheat pasta (I used fusilli)

* Olive oil to taste

* Blue cheese crumbles to taste

* Appx 1 tsp minced garlic

* Diced red peppers to taste

* Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain.

2. Add all other ingredients into hot pasta and mix together until cheese is melted.

3. Eat! mmm.

Loaded Baked Potato

2009-01-04T19:25:00.009-05:00

I'll be honest... this was my first time making a baked potato! Why have I never done this before? It's SO easy and so yummy! I used this basic recipe from the FN website. Enjoy!

Ingredients

* Large russet potatoes (one per person)
* Canola oil to coat

* Kosher salt

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash potatoes thoroughly, dry, and use a fork to poke about a dozen times all over the spud.

3. Place potatoes in a bowl and coat lightly with oil.

4. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place potatoes directly on rack in middle of oven.

5. Place a baking sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any drippings.

6. Bake for about an hour or until skin feels crisp but flesh beneath feels soft.

7. Serve by creating a dotted line from end to end with your fork, then crack open the spud by squeezing the ends toward one another. It will pop right open. Watch out for steam.

8. Top with your favorite toppings. We used fat-free sour cream, fat-free shredded cheddar cheese, chives, and low-fat bacon bits. (Hey, we tried to make it healthy!)

Sorry... I've been MIA!!

2009-01-03T19:41:00.002-05:00

My apologies for being a horrible blogger lately... we were in MI for 11 days for the holidays. I got a new cookbook for Christmas and am looking forward to blogging again. Hope everyone had a great holiday and a fun NYE! xoxo

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

2008-12-16T19:36:00.006-05:00

I used to make this every now and then when we lived in MI, but this is the first time I've made it in a while. This is a super easy, yummy meal!

Ingredients

* 2 small or 1 large chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite size pieces

* 1 container Pillsbury pizza dough

* Appx 1 cup jarred alfredo sauce

* Minced garlic to taste (or just use garlic flavor alfredo sauce)

* Bacon bits

* Shredded parmesan and/or mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven according to pizza dough directions. Put plain pizza dough on pan and put in oven for appx 5 minutes, and take out.

2. Mix alfredo sauce w/ minced garlic (if desired) and then pour onto pizza dough and spread evenly.

3. Arrange chicken pieces over dough.

4. Sprinkle bacon bits over pizza.

5. Sprinkle cheese(s) on top.

6. Bake in oven according to pizza dough directions or until crust looks done.

7. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2008-12-11T19:14:00.015-05:00

Tonight my husband is gone, so I decided to get in the holiday spirit. I turned on some Christmas music and started baking! These cookies are GREAT! Recipe from MyRecipes.com. Enjoy!

(Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies. I halved the recipe. We are cookie monsters, but don't need THAT many cookies for just the two of us!)

Ingredients

* 1 cup butter, softened

* 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

* 1/2 cup granulated sugar

* 2 large eggs

* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1 teaspoon baking soda

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 3 cups uncooked regular oats

* Appx 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate mega morsels (we used semi-sweet chocolate chips)

* 1 cup chopped toasted pecans (omitted)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.

3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, stirring well. Add oats; stir well. Add to butter mixture; stir until well blended.

4. Gently stir in chocolate morsels and pecans.

5. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until brown around edges. Cool on pan 2-3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.

Crockpot Chicken Parmigiana

2008-12-11T08:48:00.003-05:00

This was SUPER easy and really yummy! We served it over spaghetti. mmm. (We halved the recipe and just used one large breast cut in half for the two of us. Serves 6 normally.) Recipe from CDKitchen.

Ingredients

* 3 whole chicken breasts

* 1 egg

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 teaspoon pepper

* 1 cup dry bread crumbs (we used italian)

* 1 1/4 cup butter

* 10 1/2 ounces can pizza sauce (we used garlic parmesan spaghetti sauce)

* 6 slices mozzarella cheese

* Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cut chicken breasts into halves.

2. In a bowl, beat egg, salt, and pepper; dip chicken into egg, then coat with breadcrumbs.

3. In large skillet, saute chicken in butter.

4. Arrange chicken in crockpot; pour pizza/spaghetti sauce over chicken.

5. Cover and cook in crockpot on low 6 to 8 hours.

6. Add mozzarella cheese, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Grown Up Hamburger Helper

2008-12-04T21:04:00.007-05:00

This is another great recipe from Shelly! (Adapted from Rachel Ray). This was DELICIOUS and is also great as leftovers! Shelly halved the recipe, but I will post the full recipe below. This easily makes enough for 4-6 people.

Ingredients

* Appx 4 cups pasta (elbow/cavatappi/penne/etc. are fine)
* 1 lb ground beef (we used ground turkey)

* 4 tbsp grated onion (we omitted)

* 4 tsp worcesteshire sauce (we used soy sauce)

* 4 tbsp butter

* 3 tbsp flour

* 1 cup chicken stock (we used Campbell's chicken broth)

* 2 cups half and half

* 1 tbsp dijon mustard (we used spicy brown mustard)

* 2 1/2 cups shredded colby jack cheese

* Garnish: chopped dill pickles, diced tomatoes, or salsa (we omitted)

Directions

1. Boil a pot of water and add the pasta, cook per the box. Don't drain until the rest is ready.

2. In a large skillet brown the meat. Add the onion and worcestershire then some salt and pepper. When fully cooked, remove to a paper plate and get rid of the grease.

3. In the same skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Whisk in the half and half and the chicken stock. Bring to a bubble and cook for a few minutes until it thickens up. Stir in the dijon. Add the cheese and keep stirring until all melted into gooey goodness. Add more salt and pepper.

4. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce skillet along with the meat. Serve with the dill pickles and tomatoes/salsa if you wish.

According to Shelly's hubby, one should also add the special ingredient: Little Caesar's spice pack! We used Pizza Hut red pepper flakes. mmm.

Pesto Chicken LC Cheese Pizza

2008-12-04T20:57:00.003-05:00

I just kind of made up this recipe with the help of Shelly. I knew I wanted some sort of pesto chicken pizza, but the Laughing Cow cheese was a great add-on!

Ingredients

* 1 pkg Pillsbury pizza dough

* 1 large breast chicken, cooked, cut into pieces

* 2 wedges Laughing Cow cheese (we used french onion flavor)

* Pesto sauce to taste

* Minced garlic

* EVOO

Directions

1. Spread the pizza dough onto a 9x13 pan and pop in the oven for about 5 minutes.

2. Take dough out and spread Laughing Cow cheese over crust.

3. Spread pesto sauce on top of cheese.

4. Sprinkle minced garlic on top of that.

5. Add pieces of chicken on top of pizza.

6. Pop in oven for another 10 minutes or so, or until pizza looks done.

7. If pizza looks a little dry, drizzle on some EVOO. Enjoy!

Kitties Love Apple Pie Too!

2008-12-04T20:54:00.001-05:00

No recipe here, but just wanted to share Mini enjoying some of Grandma's apple pie for dessert!! So cute!!

Awesome Broccoli Cheese Casserole

2008-12-04T20:44:00.005-05:00

I knew I wanted to serve broccoli as a side for Thanksgiving, but I wanted something a little interesting. After finding this recipe on AllRecipes, I knew I had to try it!

PS - Sorry for the not-so-pretty picture! :(

Ingredients

* 1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used cream of onion)

* 1 cup mayonaisse

* 1 egg, beaten

* 1/4 cup finely chopped onion

* 3 ten-ounce packages frozen chopped broccoli

* 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

* Salt and pepper to taste

* 2 pinches paprika (I omitted)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cream of mushroom soup, mayo, egg, and onion.

3. Place frozen broccoli in a very large mixing bowl. Break up the frozen broccoli.

4. Using a rubber spatula, scrape soup/mayo mixture on top of broccoli and mix well.

5. Sprinkle cheese in and mix well.

6. Spread mixture into prepared baking dish and smooth top of casserole. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.

7. Bake for 45-60 minutes.

Mom's Cheesy Potatoes

2008-12-04T20:37:00.002-05:00

My mom has been making this since I was little. It's one of my favorite dishes ever!! We served it as a side for Thanksgiving. Yum!

Ingredients

* 1.5 lbs Ore Ida frozen has browns (thawed)

* 1 can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup (I use cream of onion b/c I hate mushrooms)

* 3/4 lb sour cream (I use about 1 lb... mmm)

* 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

* 1 stick melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix first 4 ingredients in large bowl, but only half of the cheese. (I forgot to leave half the cheese out and mixed it all in. Oops.)

3. Mix in melted butter.

4. (Add in bacon bits if you want. I didn't this time.)

5. Scoop mixture into 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

6. Bake for one hour.

Crack Dip (Buffalo Chicken Dip)

2008-12-04T20:29:00.006-05:00

This dip is sooooooo sooooooo good. We made it as an app for Thanksgiving. The recipe makes A TON, so we took the leftovers to my husband's family's house and we ended up re-heating it for a late snack while playing poker. Everyone loved it!

Ingredients

* 16 oz cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)

* 12 oz Frank's buffalo sauce

* 8 oz Ranch dressing

* 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken

* 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (we used Mexican blend)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, dressing, and buffalo sauce until well blended. Add shredded chicken and mix well.

3. Spread into a glass baking dish. Top with cheese.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes. (After baking, I transferred the dip into a small crockpot to keep it warm.)

5. Serve warm with tortilla chips (scoops!) and celery.

6. Devour! Remember to breathe!!

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

2008-12-04T20:18:00.003-05:00

I made these as an appetizer for Thanksgiving and they were soooooo freaking good!! Thanks to Pioneer Woman for the recipe!!

Ingredients

* Fresh jalapenos 2-3 inches in size

* Cream cheese (softened)

* Thin, regular bacon, sliced into thirds

Directions

1. Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise.

2. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat; leave a little if you like things HOT.)

3. Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half.

4. Wrap jalapenos with bacon piece.

5. Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle.

6. Bake on pan with a rack at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes (mine took almost 30 min). You don't want the bacon to shrink so much that it starts to squeeze the jalapeno. If after 20 minutes the bacon doesn't look brown enough, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when the jalapeno still has a bit of a bite to it.

7. Serve immediately, or they're great at room temperature too.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2008-11-26T12:10:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!! The hubby and I are getting ready to make the drive up to Michigan to see our families. I'll try to remember to take pics of all the delicious food tomorrow!! xo

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Tenders

2008-11-23T19:03:00.006-05:00

Since we are going out of town for 5 days for Thanksgiving, I haven't gone grocery shopping in a while. So tonight we used up some chicken and potatoes we had. Yum!

Ingredients

* 2 chicken breasts, cut up into "tender" size (for 2 people)
* Frank's buffalo sauce
* Seasoned breadcrumbs
* Any extra seasonings you like

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Marinate chicken in buffalo sauce for a couple hours. The longer, the better!
3. Put bread crumbs into bowl and mix in seasonings to your preference. We mixed in some cayenne pepper and some Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy seasoning.
4. Dip each chicken tender into bread crumb mixture, coating all sides evenly.
5. Bake in oven on pan or wire rack for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

We served these with Garlic Fries and dipped them in blue cheese dressing. So good!

Ultimate Chewy & Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-11-20T21:05:00.006-05:00

Since my husband's last failed attempt of cookies in the kitchen... I decided to help him out tonight w/ some real CC cookies. I got this recipe from Beantown Baker.

Ingredients

* 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

* 1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

* 1/2 cup granulated sugar

* 2 large eggs

* 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extra

* 3 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

* 1 tsp. baking soda

* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 16 oz. bitter or semi-sweetchocolate (we used chocolate chips)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter, and set aside.

3. Mix by hand/electric mixer the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

5. Beat in the vanilla.

6. Sift in the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.

7. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture, and mix until just combined.

8. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

7. Shape knobs of dough about the size of a large walnut and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.

8. Bake 12-15 minutes for smaller cookies; 14-17 minutes for large ones, or until tops are a light golden brown. If the cookies are neither firm not dark when they are removed from the oven, they will cool chewy and soft.

9. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Salami Pesto Paninis

2008-11-20T18:58:00.003-05:00

So there's this sandwich shop here in Knoxville called Pimento's... they are similar to Panera but they serve an AMAZING salami panini that my husband is OBSESSED with. I tried to make something similar tonight. The result: SUPER YUMMY!!!!!

Ingredients:

* 4 slices ciabatta bread for two people (we used asiago garlic ciabatta)

* 6-8 slices salami

* 4 slices pre-cooked bacon (we used turkey bacon)

* 2 triangles Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow Cheese

* Pesto sauce to taste

Directions

1. For each sandwich, spread Laughing Cow cheese on piece of bread and pesto sauce on other piece.

2. Add salami and bacon on top and put together into sandwich form.

3. Heat on griddle or panini press until done.

4. Enjoy!

Starbucks = Love ♥♥♥

2008-11-17T19:15:00.002-05:00

I just had to share with everyone the greatest (hot) drink ever invented. A Starbucks venti non-fat 8-pump chai latte, no water. This baby always gets me through the day! mmm

PS ~ Aren't their holiday cups the best? Love them!

Friggin Amazing Taco Stuffed Shells

2008-11-13T19:37:00.003-05:00

I found this recipe on BlogChef.net and was super excited to make it. How could anyone not love Italian + Mexican together??? mmm this was seriously one of the best meals I've ever had!

Ingredients

* 1 lb. ground beef (we used ground turkey)

* 1 package taco seasoning

* 4 oz. cream cheese (we used non-fat)

* 12 jumbo pasta shells (we used 16)

* 1 cup salsa (we used a little more)

* 1 cup taco sauce

* 1 cup cheddar cheese

* 1 cup monterey jack cheese

(we used 2 cups Sargento mexican blend)

* 1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips (we omitted)

* 3 green onions (chopped)

* Sour cream

Directions

1. In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.

2. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely.

3. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don't stick together.

4. Pour salsa on bottom of 9x13 baking dish.

5. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9x13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce.

6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

7. After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes.

8. Add any condiments you'd like (onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa. Enjoy!

What Happens When Men Bake (Butterscotch Cookies)

2008-11-13T15:46:00.005-05:00

:: Five minutes before ANTM is starting ::

Keith: Honey, I really really want some cookies, like some Chips Ahoy, but don't feel like going to the store.

Me: We have stuff to make them but my show is about to start.

Keith: I'll make them myself.

Lindsay: OK, here's the recipe.

:: I take out all the ingredients, including 2 sticks of butter ::

Keith: Oh my god, TWO sticks of butter?! That's so bad for you!!

Me: They're cookies..... they're not good for you.

Keith: Isn't there some way we can only use one stick?

Me: No.

:: A few minutes later ::

Keith: We only have a little bit of brown sugar left, so I'll just substitute the rest for plain sugar.

Me: OK, if you say so.

:: I go into the kitchen and see Keith dumping flour/sugar/etc. in the bowl without measuring ::

Me: Sweetheart, why aren't you measuring anything?

Keith: Oh whatever, it's close enough.

:: I hear the microwave turn on from the couch ::

Keith: The butter isn't soft enough.
Me: Too late, you already started mixing it with everything else.
Keith: That's okay, I just put the whole bowl in the microwave.

And now you see why the wife should always be around to facilitate baking! I have to admit that the cookies taste pretty good, although very sugary. But they look horrible, like pancakes that are falling apart!! Men......

PS ~ Keith "followed" the recipe from Venice's blog, and butterscotch chips were used instead of chocolate b/c we were out of chocolate.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Chicken & Garlic Fries

2008-11-11T20:14:00.012-05:00

Since I loooooooved the Laughing Cow Chicken recipe so much, I decided to try a buffalo version tonight. This was really tasty and nice and spicy, just how we like it! :) We made garlic fries from Venice's blog to go with it - those were delicious as well!

BLUE CHEESE STUFFED BUFFALO CHICKEN

Ingredients

* 2 chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally 3/4 of the way through (so you can stuff the inside)
* Appx 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
* Seasoning to taste (we used "Extra Spicy" Mrs. Dash seasoning)
* 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
* Frank's Red Hot sauce to marinate

Directions

1. Marinate chicken breasts in hot sauce for at least a couple hours - we did ours for about 4 hours.

2. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Open each chicken breast up and sprinkle blue cheese crumbles and seasoning inside the middle. Fold chicken back over to original shape.
4. Dip chicken in bread crumbs to coat. Place on baking sheet.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

*** The bottoms of the chicken did get a little soggy, so I guess the solution would be to bake the chicken on some sort of rack or maybe try turning them over halfway through.

GARLIC FRIES

Ingredients

* 2-3 potatoes for two people

* Garlic powder

* Salt and pepper (we used seasoned salt)

* EVOO

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut potatoes into french fry strips. Toss with EVOO, salt, pepper, garlic (and any other seasonings you like!)

3. Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes or until crispy.

Chicken Stuffed Shells

2008-11-09T19:20:00.003-05:00

I'm sure you've realized by now that my hubby and I love pretty much any kind of pasta dish, especially if it includes chicken! And this recipe was no different. Thanks to Annie's Eats for this yummy recipe! (I halved the recipe for the two of us and we still have enough for 2 nights worth. The full recipe is posted below.)

Ingredients

* 1 box uncooked jumbo pasta shells

* 6 cloves garlic

* 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

* 30 oz. part skim ricotta cheese

* 1/3 cup italian bread crumbs

* 1 1/2 tsp. salt

* 1/2 tsp. black pepper

* 1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley

* 6 large basil leaves, torn (I used dried)

* 1/3 cup half and half

* ~28 oz. spaghetti sauce (I used Ragu Roasted Garlic)

* 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook pasta shells according to package directions and drain. Lay shells out on cutting board/cookie sheet to prevent from sticking together.

3. Add ingredients garlic through half and half to food processor and process until just combined. (I just mixed by hand.)

4. Spoon enough spaghetti sauce into 9x13 pan to cover bottom.

5. Fill the cooked shells with ricotta mixture and place open side up in pan.

6. Spoon as much of the remaining spaghetti sauce over shells as you'd like.

7. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes.

8. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

This was DELICIOUS!!!! My hubby said he wouldn't change a thing about this recipe, and I agree. Yum!

Frappe Vino

2008-11-09T19:12:00.003-05:00

My dad and I went to the Sugar Loaf Art Fair in Novi, MI a few weeks ago and I ended up finding this hidden gem: frozen wine! It's a powdery mix that you add wine and water to, stick in the freezer for a few hours, and viola, you have a delicious frozen, slushy wine. The art fair was giving out free samples and they had me at my first sip :) Check them out: D'Marie Frappe Vino

Shelly's (White) ChocoChip Cookies!

2008-11-03T19:31:00.010-05:00

These are soooooooooooo YUMMY!!! Thanks Shelly!!! :)

Ingredients

* 1 stick unsalted butter, softened

* 1/4 cup granulated white sugar

* 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

* 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
* 3/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

* ~9 oz. chocolate chips (I used white chocolate b/c that's what I had)

Directions

1. Set out stick of unsalted butter ahead of time, or heat in microwave just until soft. (Do not melt.)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the first five ingredients with a hand/stand mixer.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the next four ingredients.

5. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet.

6. Stir in ~9 oz. chocolate chips.

7. Scoop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Leave about 2 inches between cookies.

8. Bake for 9+ minutes depending on how soft you like your cookies and how big you made them. I made mine really big, so mine took almost 15 minutes. Plus my oven kinda sucks.

9. Let cool for a few minutes before setting on cooling rack/wax paper/etc.

10. ENJOY!!! nom nom nom

We ♥ Wusthof

2008-10-26T15:07:00.002-04:00

We've been eyeing these Wusthof knives ever since we registered for our wedding back in January. We didn't end up getting them as a gift, so we finally went ahead and bought the 17-piece set today. Can't wait to use them!!

Cheesy Salami Crescent Pockets

2008-10-25T15:37:00.005-04:00

Very similar to my Buffalo Chicken Crescent Pockets, these pockets were a perfect invention for our lunch today. Yum!

Ingredients

* 1 package Pillsbury crescents (I used the new blank sheet where you cut your own shape out)

* 6 slices of hard salami

* Appx 2 oz fat free cream cheese (or any version cream cheese you'd like)

* 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or to taste)

Directions

1. Roll out crescents flat on baking sheet. Spread a little cream cheese in the middle of each triangle/square. Then sprinkle on some mozzarella cheese and add small pieces of salami to each triangle/square.

2. Fold each corner into the middle to make into a "pocket" shape.

3. Bake according to directions on crescent package. Enjoy!

Laughing Cow Chicken

2008-10-25T13:36:00.003-04:00

I recently tried Laughing Cow cheese for the first time and OMG it was so yummy! So when I saw this recipe on Macaroni and Cheesecake, I knew I had to try it. I just made it for me and my husband, so I cut the recipe down by 2/3. I also had to modify a bit since we didn't have any darn toothpicks!

Ingredients

* 2 chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally 3/4 of the way through (so you can stuff the inside)

* 2 wedges Laughing Cow light cheese (one per breast)

* Italian seasoning to taste

* 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs (we used seasoned)

* Handful grated parmesan cheese

* Cooking spray

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Open each chicken breast up and spread one wedge of Laughing Cow inside the middle. Sprinkle italian seasoning inside to taste. Fold chicken back over to original shape.

3. Mix together bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Spray each chicken breast with cooking spray and then dip in bread crumb mixture to coat. Place on baking sheet.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

This was AMAZING and so simple. This will definitely become a regular on our menu. Enjoy!

Chicken Stir Fry

2008-10-25T13:30:00.005-04:00

I didn't really follow a recipe for this.. just kind of threw some things together and put them in the pan. This was just for me and it made a lot! I only used about 1/4 of each veggie too. Enjoy!

Ingredients

* One chicken breast, cut into small strips

* Red onion, cut into bite-size pieces

* Red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

* Green pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

* Vegetable oil

* Soy sauce

Directions

1. Heat a large pan and add a little vegetable oil. Add chicken and veggies and soy sauce; fry until chicken is cooked through and veggies are to your liking. You'll probably have to stagger the timing of each veggie, as some will be done quicker than others.

2. Serve over cooked rice or egg noodles.

Buffalo Chicken Calzone

2008-10-21T20:03:00.011-04:00

Chicken + cheese + hot sauce = our favorite. I found this on the WC board on Ellen's Edibles Blog. It was super easy to make and especially DELICIOUS!!

Ingredients

* 1 lb ground chicken (we used ground turkey b/c the store was out of ground chicken)

* Chicken seasoning to taste (we used Weber's Kickin' Chicken)

* Ground pepper to taste

* 6 oz. reduced fat cream cheese (we used fat free)

* 3/4 cup hot wing sauce (we used Frank's)

* Frozen onion/celery mix to taste (we omitted)

* 1 handful shredded mozzarella cheese or to taste

* 1 handful shredded cheddar cheese or to taste (we omitted)

* 1 refrigerated pizza dough

* Ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for dipping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put jelly roll pan or pizza stone in oven to warm.
2. Brown chicken and frozen onions/celery. Drain fat and add poultry seasoning, ground pepper and cream cheese. Stir until cream cheese melts. Add wing sauce. Simmer until sauce is slightly reduced. Remove from heat.
3. On a piece of parchment paper, roll out pizza dough.
4. Sprinkle cheese over dough, then spread slightly cooled chicken mixture over half (long ways) of the dough. Roll the dough long ways and seal the dough at the seam. Helpful hint: rather than trying to pull the dough from the parchment as you roll it, lift the parchment long ways so that the entire piece of dough rolls at once without breaking.
5. Cut slices on top of the dough with a knife so steam can escape. Spray lightly with olive oil, or brush dough with an egg wash.
6. Put calzone with parchment on the hot jelly roll pan and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until brown.
7. Once out of the oven, let calzone rest for a few minutes and slice into generous diagonal pieces. Serve with dipping sauce.

Butterscotch Blondies

2008-10-05T15:07:00.005-04:00

This recipe originally came from Martha's website, but I changed a couple things when I made them. These were freaking DELICIOUS!! Enjoy!!

Ingredients

* 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

* 1 2/3 cups flour

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 3/4 tsp coarse salt

* 1 cup packed light brown sugar

* 2 large eggs

* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

* 1/3 cup butterscotch chips (I used 1/2 cup butterscotch and 1/2 cup white chocolate and omitted the cashews and toffee)

* 1/2 cup unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped (omitted)

* 1/4 cup toffee bits (omitted)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang. Butter lining and set pan aside.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Mix, scraping sides of bowl, until well combined. Mix in butterscotch (and white chocolate), cashews, and toffee.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until golden brown (test with toothpick), about 42-45 minutes (I took mine out around 35 minutes). Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

I read in the reviews on Martha's site that these blondies have a more "cakey" texture than normal. I found this to be true, but they are still yummy anyway.

Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups

2008-10-05T13:11:00.005-04:00

I had a craving for lasagna but didn't feel like doing all the work, so I found this recipe on CDKitchen's website.

Ingredients

* 6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

* 6-8 oz. chicken breast strips (cooked)

* 1 jar spaghetti sauce

* 1 cup ricotta cheese

* 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (we used a little more)

* 1 egg, lightly beaten

* 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning

* 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (we used a little more)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook noodles as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain well.

2. Mix chicken, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg and seasoning; spread 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto each noodles. Roll up tightly. Place seam sides down in a 9-inch baking dish.

3. Pour spaghetti sauce over roll-ups; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

These were delicious!! Our chicken was a little dry and I ended up picking most of it out - I think these would be just as yummy without the chicken. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Crescent Pockets

2008-09-04T17:52:00.009-04:00

We had like zero groceries in the house, so we just kind of threw some things together and made these. They remind me of Shelly's yummy chicken crescent pockets!

Ingredients

* 1 medium size chicken breast

* Buffalo sauce (we used Frank's)

* Blue cheese crumbles

* Shredded cheddar cheese (we used colby jack but I think cheddar would be best)

* 1 container refrigerated crescent rolls (we used Pillsbury)

Directions

1. Marinate chicken breast in buffalo sauce.

2. Bake chicken in oven until fully cooked. Cut up into small pieces.

3. Roll out crescent rolls onto baking sheet so that they lay flat.

4. Add your blue cheese crumbles and your shredded cheddar cheese onto the centers of the crescent pockets. Add as much as you like. We love cheese, so we used A LOT!

5. Add pieces of chicken to each crescent.

6. Fold up crescents into little pockets. The easiest way is to fold up the 2 short ends and then fold the long end all the way over the top.

7. Bake according to directions on crescents.

8. Enjoy!!

Amazing Filet Mignon

2008-08-31T19:40:00.023-04:00

I think my most favorite food in the world is filet mignon... it's so freaking good that I can't even iamgine anything better than this. With it being Labor Day weekend and all, we decided to grill some steaks along with Shelly's Famous Potatoes. Yum!

Ingredients

* Pieces filet mignon, appx 6-8 oz. each (one for each of us)

* Steak seasoning (We used Weber's Chicago Steak Seasoning)

* Blue cheese crumbles

Directions

* Add seasoning to taste to uncooked steaks.
* Grill steaks @ 450 degrees for approximately 15 minutes (flip over halfway through).
* Add blue cheese crumbles on top of steaks. The more, the better!

Don't forget to pair with a yummy Wildberry Grape martini!!

Peanut Butter Blondies

2008-08-30T21:45:00.012-04:00

I got this recipe from a fellow WC Nestie, BakingBlonde. This was my first time making blondies and I think they turned out perfectly - they were sooo delicious!!

Ingredients

* 4-5 tbsp. butter
* 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used creamy)
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1 cup flour
* 1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used Nestle's combination bag of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line an 8×8 pan with foil and lightly spray with PAM.

3. In a medium microwave safe mixing bowl, melt the butter for 20-30 seconds until almost/all melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

4. Stir the peanut butter into the butter until creamy and smooth.

5. Add the brown sugar to the butter/peanut butter and stir until smooth.

6. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine.

7. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the peanut butter mixture and stir just to combine.

8. Gently fold in chocolate chips and any other additions (chopped nuts, chopped Reese’s cups, Reese’s pieces, etc).
9. Pour into prepared pan and use a greased spatula to evenly spread mixture in pan and level the top.

10. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until set in the middle. Cool on rack before cutting.

Lemon Parmesan Chicken Pasta

2008-08-27T18:47:00.005-04:00

I found this recipe on the SparkPeople website. It looked so light yet delicious, I just had to make it! I modified it a bit to suit our taste.

Ingredients

* 1/2 lb. angel hair pasta

* 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces (we just used one large chicken breast for the two of us)

* 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

* 2 tbsp butter

* 3 tbsp lemon juice (we used at least double this)

* 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (again, we doubled this)

* 1 cup reserved pasta water

Directions

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter in large skillet. Saute chicken and garlic until cooked through.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions.

4. Add lemon juice and parmesan to chicken shortly before pasta is done.

5. Toss the cooked pasta with the chicken mixture.

6. Ladle in 1 cup of pasta water to extend the sauce.

This was so yummy! Will definitely be making it again :)

Sweet Potato Fries

2008-08-26T19:18:00.013-04:00

I saw this recipe online somewhere a few days ago and I knew that you were supposed to use sweet potatoes, salt/seasoning, and olive oil. So I browsed around a couple websites and pretty much figured out what to do and just kind of went with it. How hard could it be?

Ingredients

* 2 medium/large sweet potatoes (for 2 people)

* Garlic salt/sea salt/garlic steak seasoning (we used all three separately in different sections)

* Olive oil

Directions

1. Slice sweet potatoes into a fry shape. You can either make them the "string" shape of fry or the "steak fry" shape. We did a little of both.

2. Toss in olive oil and then lay flat on a baking sheet.

3. Sprinkle seasonings of your choice all over fries. I have also read that paprika would be good. We just used a little bit of everything that we had in the house.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes, depending on how soft/crispy you like them and how thinly you sliced them. Flip them over halfway through.

I read online that sweet potatoes will never actually get that crispy, but using the olive oil and baking at a higher temperature can help. We only baked for about 35 minutes @ 400 and they probably could have used another 10 minutes or so. Oh well, next time!

These were really yummy and we'll definitely be making them again. (We ate them with grilled chicken breast with feta cheese on top.)

Yummy Turkey Muenster Lasagna

2008-08-24T19:41:00.015-04:00

I got this recipe from my mom who recently ate it at a friend's house. She gave me the approximate recipe over the phone. I always err on the side of more cheese and more garlic, so use whatever suits your taste. Also, sorry for the crappy pic. We were so hungry that we didn't want to let it cool... so the pieces kind of fell apart. Oh well!

Ingredients

* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles (I used the small Barilla ones)

* 1 lb. lean ground turkey

* Appx. 26 oz. spaghetti sauce (I used Prego traditional)

* 3/4 lb. muenster cheese - slices or shredded

* 24 oz. small curd cottage cheese

* 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (I used more than that.. we love cheese)

* 1 tsp. garlic powder (I used fresh minced garlic and put way more than 1 tsp.)

* 2 tbsp. parsley

* 2 eggs

Directions

1. Grease a 9x13 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown ground turkey; drain.

3. Combined second group of ingredients in bowl and mix (cottage cheese, parm cheese, garlic powder, parsley, eggs).

4. Spread one cup of spaghetti sauce on bottom of pan.

5. Layer 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 of browned ground turkey, and one cup of sauce.

6. Layer 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture, and 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce.

7. Layer 4 lasagna noodles, the remaining cottage cheese mixture, remaining ground turkey, and 1 cup of sauce.

8. Layer 4 lasagna noodles and remaining spaghetti sauce.

9. Add shredded/sliced muenster cheese on top.

10. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

This was really yummy! Next time I will definitely let it cool longer before we scarf it down. I might also try using a flavored spaghetti sauce, maybe garlic.

Red Lobster Biscuits

2008-08-09T18:56:00.007-04:00

If you've never had the cheddar garlic biscuits from Red Lobster, you are missing out!! I was so excited when I came across this recipe on the WC board. (Originally from Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats.) I modified it a bit to make it easier (i.e. just spreading butter on top before eating instead of mixing and drizzling). Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups Bisquick mix

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp cheddar and would probably double it next time.. I love cheese!)

2/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients until moist.

3. Drop onto greased cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden.

5. Spread butter on top before eating.

My Famous TACO BAKE!!

2008-08-04T20:02:00.018-04:00

I know, you can't believe that this amazing famous recipe came from MUAH! (well actually, my mom...) This has become a very popular dish on the knot/nest boards and I couldn't be happier! It was one of my fav meals growing up and I'm so glad people seem to love it as much as I do (Shelly - you don't count this time!) Enjoy!

* A pic of the original print-out recipe my mom gave me! *

Ingredients

* 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey, or ground chicken - I used turkey this time but have tried all three and all are great)
* 1 packet taco seasoning
* 15 oz. tomato sauce
* 8 oz. seashell pasta (I use medium shells but have tried large too)
* 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened in microwave (I used fat free)
* 1/2 cup sour cream (I usually use more like 1 cup of light sour cream)
* 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I was out of sharp cheddar tonight so I used finely shredded taco cheese - I would not recommend it b/c it made the cheese layer way more oily than usual. Plus the sharp tastes better, in my opinion.)

Directions

1. Brown ground beef, drain. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, cook pasta according to directions. Drain.
3. Mix softened cream cheese and sour cream in separate bowl.
4. Spray bottom of 9x13 pan. Put pasta in bottom of pan.
5. Spread cream cheese mixture over pasta.
6. Spoon ground meat mixture over this.
7. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
8. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Ta-da! Eat, put leftovers in fridge, warm up for dinner the next night, and repeat. This is almost even better as leftovers. DE-LISHHH-USSSS!!! :)