Homemade Happiness

Spicy Peanut Noodles

2012-02-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

It has been so nice to be back in the kitchen cooking, although doing it some evenings with a screaming newborn is less than fun. On Monday we had some fake out Chinese food to celebrate a belated Chinese New Year. I tried this new recipe and we loved it! It's more Thai foodish, but still delicious.

Spicy Peanut Noodles
another day in paradise

3 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp honey
3 cloves mined garlic
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
8 oz spaghetti noodles
shaved carrots
chopped cilantro
chopped peanuts

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles and put them in a serving bowl. In the meantime, in a small saucepan over medium heat, mix together peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, hot sauce, and broth. Mix until peanut butter is melted and things are well combined. Add peanut sauce to drained noodled and mix well. Garnish with carrots, cilantro, and peanuts.

Ooey-Gooey Butter Cake

2012-01-25T09:10:00.000-08:00

Despite the 20 pounds of baby weight I have to lose, I made a cake this week. I just needed to bake something, and something good. I love this cake! It is gooey and rich. A perfect dessert to help me get back into the kitchen.

Ooey-Gooey Butter Cake

Crust:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
Filling:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 box (16oz) confectioners sugar
plus more for dusting

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, egg, and melted butter. Mix well until dry ingredients are moistened. Pat lightly into prepared pan, covering bottom and sides.
In another large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Beat in melted butter until well blended. On low speed, gradually add in sugar. Beat until smooth.
Spread cream cheese mixture over crust in pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until sides are set and center is still jiggly. Remove from oven and cool completely. Sprinkle more confectioners sugar over cake and cut into squares.

Serves up to 20

New Addition!

2012-01-23T13:47:00.000-08:00

I am missing my little food blog, but I have had a good reason to neglect it. This sweet little girl joined our family January 3rd and life has been anything but routine since. She is doing really well and I am slowly recovering from the surgery. It is weird to be a mother of 3, but I wouldn't have it any other way!! I am hoping as I get life figured out with a newborn, I can at least get something blogged once a week. We'll see what happens though....

~Gwen~

Chocolate Toffee Trifle

2011-12-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

Man it's been forever since I blogged something yummy! Life has been busy and it is only going to get busier in the next couple of weeks. We have had a wonderful holiday season and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new little one, hopefully anytime after Christmas.

I made this yummy trifle last night for a family dinner. It was a hit!

Chocolate Toffee Trifle
1 devil's food cake mix, plus ingredients to make the cake
1 large box instant chocolate pudding
3 cups milk
1 (8oz) bag toffee pieces
1 (12oz) container cool whip, thawed
Hershey's syrup

Bake cake according to package directions. Let it cool completely. While your cake is cooling, beat the pudding and milk together until thick.
Chop up your cake into bite size pieces. Sprinkle 1/3 of your cake pieces into bottom of trifle dish. Spread 1/3 of the pudding over the top of the cake. Sprinkle 1/3 of the toffee pieces over the pudding. Spread 1/3 of cool whip over toffee. Drizzle some hershey's syrup over the top.
Repeat the layers twice more.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 12 hours.

Source: www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

2011-11-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

A fun Thanksgiving treat!

Pumpkin Penne Pasta

2011-11-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

Wow! Almost an entire month without a new post! That tells you how crazy my life is. I have been cooking...no one in my home is starving. I am trying to teach myself balance and sadly with the craziness of life and frantically preparing for our new little addition, food blogging gets put on the back burner. Only 8 weeks left until we get to meet our new princess and we can't wait!!

We have been enjoying the flavors of fall the last month. Last night we enjoyed some pumpkin pasta that was yummy!

Pumpkin Penne Pasta

Salt

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta

2 tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, grated

2 cups chicken stock

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup cream

1 tsp hot sauce

freshly grated or ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp ground sage or 7 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced

Grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and the pasta and cook to al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, pumpkin, and cream, then season the sauce with hot sauce, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes longer to thicken. Add a little of reserved cooking water if needed to thin out the sauce a bit. Stir in the sage, then toss in the drained pasta and cheese.

Serve 6

adapted from rachael ray

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

2011-10-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

I had some good little helpers in the kitchen last week. We made a yummy dessert that was easy and delicious! The kids were so proud of their final product.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

Filing:

3 (8oz) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Apples:

3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup butter, softened

caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a med bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into 9x13 baking pan, lined with foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar at med speed until smooth. Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, and vanilla. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir sliced apples, cinnamon, 2 tbsp sugar, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle evenly over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping while warm or once cooled. Let cheesecake cool completely. Serve cold and enjoy!

source: thegirlwhoateeverything

Brown Sugar Chicken

2011-10-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

Loved this recipe! Fast and easy if you prep ahead!

Brown Sugar Chicken

1cup brown sugar

2 tbsp dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup Sprite

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders

In a gallon size bag, combine sugar, mustard, seasonings and soda. Seal bag and mix around until combined. Add chicken to bag and seal. Place in refrigerator and marinade at least 4 hours. (The longer the better.)

Remove chicken from marinade and place in greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes or until fully cooked.

Serves6

adapted from real mom kitchen

Caramel Popcorn

2011-10-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year! I especially love cooking and baking this time of year! I have had a long list of fall recipes to make for about 2 weeks and things have been so crazy lately, I have only made a couple. We love popcorn at our house and we really love caramel corn! Here is one of our favorite caramel corn treats.

Caramel Corn

2 bags microwave popcorn-salted (do your best to get all the seeds popped or separated)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 tsp baking soda

Pop popcorn (removing as many seeds as you can) and place in large bowl. In a microwave safe bowl, combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 1 1/2 minutes. Remove and add baking soda, stir. Pour over popcorn and toss or stir until popcorn is coated. Let cool a bit before serving.

Popper Burgers

2011-09-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

All I can say is.....crazy good!!!! Serve these burgers up with some homemade french fries and you have a winner on your hands my friends!

Popper Burgers

3 fresh jalapeno, seeded

1 bell pepper, sliced

6 oz cream cheese

2 tbsp grated onion

1 large garlic clove, grated

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper

2 lbs ground beef

4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced

4-6 hamburger buns

Heat some evoo in a skillet over med-high heat. Add peppers and toss for a few minutes until tender and slightly charred.

In a bowl, combine cream cheese, onion, garlic, cilantro, and cumin.

Season beef with salt and pepper and form into 4-6 patties, depending on how big or small you want them.

Heat grill pan or skillet with evoo and grill burgers 3-4 minutes on each side. Top burgers (while still in pan and after they are cooked) with cream cheese mixture and slices of cheddar cheese. Tent with foil until cheese has melted.

Serve burgers on buns, topped with cooked peppers.

Serves 4-6

adapted from Rachael Ray

Hawaiian Chicken and Coconut Rice

2011-09-08T14:20:00.001-07:00

I am trying to get the most out of our grill before the weather starts turning cold. Although, being almost 6 months pregnant, I am ready for some cold weather! I am tired of sweating when I am sitting still.

The sweat was worth standing over a grill last night! We loved this delicious chicken and rice!

Hawaiian Chicken

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (or you could use thighs)

2 cups Aloha soy sauce

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 bunch green onions, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup white onion, chopped

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp sesame oil

1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk

Trim the chicken of any fat. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, water, sugar, onions, garlic, oil, and coconut milk. Place chicken in large ziplock bags and pour marinade over chicken, sealing bag and placing in refrigerator until ready to cook. Marinade 4 hours to overnight.

Grill chicken at low heat so the marinade doesn't burn, about 5-7 minutes per side or until done. Serve with coconut rice and garnish with additional green onions.

Coconut Rice

Coconut rice can be made by replacing half of the water in your recipe with coconut milk.

Dishes serve: 4-6

adapted from: girlwhoateeverything

Baked Zucchini

2011-09-08T14:19:00.001-07:00

We still have zucchini coming out of our ears in our little garden! I saw this recipe on Food Network and made it to go with dinner last night. It was good and easy. Yet another way to use up all that zucchini!

Baked Zucchini

food network

1 tsp olive oil

1 lb zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

kosher salt and pepper

pinch of paprika

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp olive oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush 1 tsp of olive oil on the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Arrange sliced zucchini in the dish with an overlapping pattern. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.

To make the topping, combine panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, thyme and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and stir until bread crumbs are soaked with a yellow tint of the oil. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the dish and bake until the topping is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.

Holy Guacamole!

2011-09-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

These were so big and so good! I could hardly get my mouth around it to take a bite.

Guacamole Burgers

4 hamburger buns

2 lbs ground beef

salt and pepper

season salt

4 slices pepperjack cheese

8 slices bacon

3 avocados, diced

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

3-5 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tsp lemon juice

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 tsp salt

pinch of cayenne pepper

Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Combine beef, salt, pepper, and season salt (to taste) and form into 4 patties. Clean out skillet from bacon grease and cook burgers. Place cheese on cooked burgers and tent with foil until cheese is melted. While burgers are cooking, combine avocados, onion, garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, tomatoes, salt, and cayenne pepper. Combine with fork until avocados are mashed. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To pile these burgers: place cooked burger with melted cheese on bottom bun. Top with 2 slices cooked bacon, desired amount of guacamole and top with bun.

Eat and enjoy!!!

Peach Shakes

2011-09-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

It is time for a dessert post! These shakes left us wanting seconds and thirds!

Peach Shakes

Juice from 1/2 an orange

3 cups ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 cups good quality vanilla ice cream

Enough ice cubes to reach desired consistency

2 tbsp sugar (you may need more or less depending on how sweet your peaches are)

Place the juice, peaches, ice cream, and ice in a blender and blend until desired consistency is reached. Add sugar as needed and serve immediately.

Makes 2 really large or 4 smaller shakes.

Tuscan Chicken

2011-08-31T09:35:00.000-07:00

I had a hard time getting good lighting for this picture. But don't let my bad photography fool you. This dish is delicious! You can't go wrong with chicken and pasta in a cream sauce!

Tuscan Chicken

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

4 chicken breasts

5 tbsp evoo, divided

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 bell pepper, cut into strips

1/2 cup chicken broth

6oz fresh spinach

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tsp cornstarch

1 cup lowfat milk

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 lb fettuccine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a pie plate, combine flour, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Dip chicken in flour mixture until well coated. In a large 12 inch skillet, heat 3 tbsp evoo. Carefully place chicken in skillet, cooking them 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned, but not cooked through. Gently remove chicken to foil-lined baking sheet, lightly greased, and bake about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, cook noodles to al dente. Clean out skillet and add 2 tbsp evoo. Add garlic and pepper and saute 2-3 minutes.

Stir in 1 tbsp flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a measuring cup, whisk together cornstarch and cream. Add spinach, milk and cream mixture to skillet. Simmer, stirring occasionally until spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in cheese.

Toss cooked pasta and half of cheese sauce. Place some coated pasta on each plate. Top with chicken and more sauce.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6

mel's kitchen cafe

Taco Pasta

2011-08-15T19:35:00.001-07:00

I will be feeding a crowd later this week and am looking forward to doing so. This is one of the meals I will be making. It is tasty and filling and super fast and easy. A perfect summer dinner!

Taco Pasta

1 lb med shell pasta
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 cup chopped onion
1 small jalapeno or half of a large jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 packet taco seasoning
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cilantro
salt and pepper
shredded cheddar cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta to al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup hot pasta water.
Meanwhile, Cook beef, onion, and jalapeno till meat is cooked and onion and jalapeno are tender. Add minced garlic and saute until 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and taco seasoning and simmer 3-5 minutes.
Stir in cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream, and reserved water. Stir until blended. Season with salt and pepper and simmer about 5 minutes or until sauce thickens up.
Before serving, stir in chopped cilantro. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese.

(if you want to keep the heat level down, omit the jalapeno pepper.)

Served 6

adapted from girl who ate everything

Summer Stew

2011-08-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

Last night for dinner I made a summer stew, without the liquid. It was so yummy and my new favorite summertime dinner! You can add or omit anything you want to this dish. It was fresh and tasty!

Summer Stew

1 zucchini, cut into chunks

1 squash, cut into chunks

A handful of baby carrots, sliced

1 green pepper, cut into chunks

1 red pepper, cut into chucks

1/2 and onion, cut into chunks

1 can pineapple chunks, drained

1 sausage, cut into chunks (could also use, chicken, pork, steak or no meat at all)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all cut vegetables and meat in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with steak seasoning, kosher salt and garlic salt. Toss till all vegetables are covered. Place on a baking sheet. Cover with foil and cook 45-60 minutes or until veggies are tender. Serve over rice.

Serves 6-8 depending on how many veggies you use.

source: naptime journal

Southwest Fiesta Salad

2011-07-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

I love summertime because that means delicious salads for dinner! I ate this salad for about 3 days! It was so filling and flavorful. The best part about it is you can add whatever you want to it! It would also make a wonderful wrap as well. Just throw all of the ingredients in a flour tortilla and there you go!

Southwest Fiesta Salad

romaine lettuce, cut into small pieces

iceberg lettuce, cut into small pieces

1 can shoepeg corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

diced tomatoes, remove seeds

diced avocado

coijta cheese, crumbled

olives

tortilla strips

grilled chicken

Toss ingredients together in a large bowl, or build your own salad with individual ingredients. Serve with Fiesta Dressing (below).

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup buttermilk

1 package Fiesta Ranch Dip Mix

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and chill until ready to serve. The longer it chills, the better it tastes.

adapted from: changeable table

Cookies and Cream Brownies

2011-07-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

I took at least 20 photos of this delicious treat and didn't feel like anything I shot did them justice. You will just have to take my word for it! These are amazing!!

Cookies and Cream Brownies

Brownies:

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup flour

8 oreo cookies, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large bowl at 30 second intervals until butter is melted. Whisk together until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add in flour and mix just until combined. Fold in crushed oreos.

Bake 28-32 minutes. Do not over bake! These taste totally different if they are over baked. Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 oz cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tbsp milk

5 oreos, crumbled

Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing together until combined. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add milk to desired consistency. Crush oreos and fold them into frosting. Frost cool brownies.

Makes 12 big brownies or several small brownies.....I would go for the smaller option because these are super rich!

source:girl who ate everything

Blue Cheese Potato Salad

2011-07-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

I made this for dinner with some grilled chicken and vegetables. We really liked this salad! It reminded me of German potato salad a bit. My daddy would like this one!

Blue Cheese Potato Salad

6 slices bacon

2 lbs red potatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp red or white wine vinegar

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 1/2 oz blue cheese, crumbled

1-2 tbsp blue cheese salad dressing

Cook bacon in skillet until evenly browned. Crumble and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, but firm, about 15 minutes or so. Drain and cool potatoes. Dice potatoes, leaving skins on.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, green onions, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, bacon and cheese and toss to coat.

This salad is great served warm, room temperature, or chilled. Best served same day.

Serves 5

source: girl who ate everything

Bloomin' Onion Bread

2011-07-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

This yummy side dish made an appearance at dinner last night. It was delicious!

Bloomin' Onion Bread

1 round loaf sourdough bread

12-16 oz monterey jack cheese, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 tsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place foil over baking sheet.

Cut bread into slices lengthwise, then width wise, without cutting through the bottom of the loaf. Stuff slices of cheese in between each slice. Combine melted butter, onions, and poppy seeds. Place loaf on baking sheet and pour butter mixture all over loaf. Wrap loaf in foil until completely covered.

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake 10 minutes more.

Easy and delicious!!

Source: girl who ate everything

Summer Veggie Skillet Lasagna

2011-07-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to make this dish for dinner last night! It is full of veggies and as our garden is growing I have been anxious to use our vegetables! This dish is refreshing, filling, and healthy. We loved it and will be making it every summer when the squash and zucchini make their way to my kitchen.

Summer Veggie Skillet Lasagna

2 tbsp EVOO

1 onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes

salt and pepper

10 lasagna noodles, broken into 2 inch pieces

1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 small squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large 12 inch skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3o seconds. Drain tomatoes into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add additional water to make 2 full cups of liquid. Add to skillet with 1 tsp salt.

Scatter noodles in skillet. Layer tomatoes over noodles and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.

Stir in veggies and cook, stirring occasionally about another 8 minutes or so until veggies and noodles are tender. Add basil, half of the ricotta and parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until sauce is creamy. Dollop remaining ricotta over noodles and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

source: mel's kitchen cafe

Kids Macaroni and Cheese

2011-07-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

Last night the hubby was up at Girls Camp, so dinner was kid friendly. This is one of my kid go-to meals. My son hates mac and cheese out of a box, but he gobbles up the homemade stuff! I have taught him well.

Macaroni and Cheese
1 lb elbow macaroni (I like to use whole wheat pasta)
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
6 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
nutmeg to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bring pot of water to boil. Salt water before dropping pasta. Cook pasta to al dente. Meanwhile, whisk flour and milk together over med-high heat until thick and bubbly, about 5-8 minutes. Once sauce is thick, add Velveeta, 2/3 cup cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until combined and cheese is melted.
Once noodles are cooked, drain and combine pasta and sauce, then transfer to a greased 9 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top and bake for about 25 minutes or until heated through.

Serves: about 6

Patriotic Berry Trifle

2011-07-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

You have no idea how much I have missed food, blogging, working on my cookbook, and did I mention food? I am finally feeling so much better and our crazy month of family events came to an end. I am 15 weeks along now. Food and more importantly cooking, is enjoyable again (for which my family is grateful). To celebrate my lack of nausea, I made a patriotic dessert I have had on my "to try" list for a couple of weeks. It did not disappoint! Pretty to look at and even better to eat!

Patriotic Berry Trifle

1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 pre-made angel food cake, cut into 1 inch slices

2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, at room temp

2 cups heavy cream, at room temp

2 pints blueberries

2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Heat 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan over med-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.

Brush both sides of each slice of cake with syrup. Cut the slices into 1 inch cubes.

Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on med-high speed until smooth and consistency of whipped cream.

Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13 cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries and top with remaining whipped cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Serves 8-10

source: food network magazine

Update & Chicken Salsa Verde Bake

2011-06-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

Hello blogging world! The last month was an interesting one. It had many ups and downs....hence the lack of posts. My aunt passed away very unexpectedly. That was a definite down! That took us to California for a killer weekend trip and honestly that whole ordeal kind of took its toll on me.

On a more positive note, my little guy turned 5 at the end of last month and we were busy for days celebrating the big event! I'll have to post some pictures from his party.

I also have a bun in the oven! 10 weeks pregnant means food sound and looks pretty gross most of the time. However, if you saw me you would wonder how that is possible since I already look like I am 4 months pregnant. I am at that really awkward stage where my regular clothes don't fit me and maternity clothes are still too big. So I basically live in my fat clothes and sweat pants. That makes me feel especially attractive! I haven't been cooking anything to write home about. I usually get sick in the evenings and during the night. When I do crave something, it is mainly for food with a lot of flavor! Mexican always sounds good right now. That, and ice cream. Last night I wanted some ice cream so bad, but I knew I had picked at enough food during the day and didn't need the calories from ice cream. So I passed on the ice cream thinking I was doing myself a favor in the long run. WRONG!!! The entire night I had dreams about eating Neapolitan ice cream. Next time I will just eat the dang ice cream before I go to bed.

Hopefully by the end of June I will be feeling better and in the mood for some good summer cooking! This chicken salsa verde bake sounded good last night. Today I don't even want to look at it. Not a great picture, but hey, at least it's a new post!

Chicken Salsa Verde Bake

adapted from Rachael Ray

2 lbs chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 (16oz) jars salsa verde

1 (15oz) can kidney beans

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup sour cream

3 cups crushed tortilla chips

1 (8oz) bag Mexican-blend shredded cheese

In a large bowl, combine prepared chicken, salsa verde, kidney beans, onion, and sour cream. Grease a 9x13 dish or large casserole dish. Scatter 1 cup of chips on bottom of dish, top with 1/2 chicken mixture and 1/2 of cheese. Repeat layers and cover with remaining 1 cups chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with rice, additional sour cream, and salsa.

Serves 6

Cinco de Mayo!

2011-05-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

Last night we had our annual Cinco de Mayo party. Yes, it was a couple days early. We had lots of good food and wonderful company.

Mock Fried Ice Cream

3 cups rice krispies

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts

1 1/2 cubes of butter

1 1/2 cups coconut

2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened

Melt butter and brown sugar together in saucepan. Add additional ingredients (except ice cream) and mix well. Layer 1/2 of mixture in bottom of greased 9 inch cake pan or 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of cereal mixture over ice cream and press firmly. Freeze for several hours or until firm. Serve with chocolate and caramel.

Chili Relleno Squares

3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cans (40z each) chopped green chilies

4 eggs

4 tbsp milk

2 tbsp flour

Place half the cheese in a greased 8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with chilies and then remaining cheese. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk and flour; pour over cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until set. Cut into small squares and serve warm.

Coconut Chicken and Smashed Sweet Potatoes

2011-04-28T18:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I made one of our favorites!

Coconut Chicken and Smashed Sweet Potatoes. It was delicious!

Coconut Chicken

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsp water

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

4 tbsp melted butter

In a shallow dish, mix together coconut, flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In another shallow dish, beat 2 eggs with the water.

Dredge the chicken in the egg wash, then coconut mixture. Place chicken on sprayed cookie sheet. Drizzle each piece with a little melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Dipping Sauce:

Combine 1/4 cup orange marmalade with 2 tbsp Dijon mustard. Serve with chicken.

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup honey

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

nutmeg to taste

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and return them to pot. Mash with stock, honey, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve and enjoy!

(sources: adapted from Anna Can Cook and Rachael Ray)

Easter Puff Pancakes

2011-04-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter. It was also my birthday week and that was full of surprises, so I am a bit behind in my posting.

I was able to attend the Taste of Home cooking school last week with my best friend Jodi. We had so much fun and got some fun new recipes. I have made German/puff pancakes for years now. It's one of our favorite breakfasts! I got this version at the cooking school and made it for Easter. We loved the berries on top!

Berry Puff Pancakes

1 tbsp butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup fresh raspberries (I had to use frozen...just defrosted them and they worked fine!)

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1/3 cup orange marmalade

2 tbsp confectioners sugar

Place the butter in a 9 inch pie plate; place in a 400* oven for 4-5 minutes or until melted. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. In another small bowl, combine the flour and salt; whisk in egg mixture until smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Bake 15-20 minutes or until sides are crisp and golden brown.

In a large bowl, gently combine the berries and the marmalade. Sprinkle pancake with confectioners sugar; fill with berry mixture. Serve immediately.

source: taste of home cooking school

Hollywood Squares (peanut butter cups)

2011-04-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

Life has been crazy lately...not sure why exactly, but I feel like I need 4 more hours in my day to get things accomplished! I have several great recipes to blog, so hopefully they will make an appearance soon. These are some treats I made a while back. They are thick and rich, but oh so good!

Hollywood Squares (peanut butter cups)

2 cups peanut butter

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping:

2 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 tbsp peanut butter

Combine all ingredients, except topping ingredients. Mix well and press into greased 9" pan. Melt topping ingredients together, either in microwave or on the stove. Spread over peanut butter mixture. Chill until topping is firm. Cut into squares and enjoy!

source: changeable table

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundaes

2011-04-13T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have seen these floating around the web for a while and needed something fast for a FHE treat on Monday. They were a hit! The four of us shared 2... they are rich and filling! I won't mention the details of my new weight loss challenge I started on Sunday, cause I'm pretty sure these were not list of foods I should be eating. However, this week, I really don't care! Bring on the junk food!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundaes

chocolate chip cookie dough

vanilla ice cream

chocolate sauce

caramel sauce

whipped cream

You can either buy store bought cookie dough or make your own. Fill greased ramekins about 1/2 way full of the cookie dough. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 13-15 minutes. You want the dough cooked, but still a bit gooey in the center. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then top with a scoop of ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce and whipped cream. All of this can be homemade, but I had it all in my fridge and freezer, so it was super easy!

Eat and enjoy!! I think this is a new family favorite!!

Monte Cristo Casserole

2011-04-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

It was been kind of a crazy couple of weeks. The cooking I have been doing is nothing really blog worthy. I am hoping to get back on the band wagon the next week or so. We had a lovely General Conference weekend with lots of yummy food! I made this for breakfast on Saturday (per the hubby's request) and I think I gained 5 lbs from this dish alone! I could eat the whole pan myself. This is one of our very favorite breakfasts!

Monte Cristo Casserole

adapted from real mom kitchen

2 packages (12.5 oz each) frozen french toast sticks, thawed

1 cup milk

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups thick sliced deli ham, diced

1 1/2 cups thick sliced deli turkey, diced

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

2 tbsp dried parsley

powdered sugar

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the sliced french toast into 3/4 inch cubes.
In a bowl, whisk together milk and eggs.

In a large bowl, place half the french toast cubes and pour half of egg mixture over cubes. Toss gently with wooden spoon until well coated.

Place coated cubes in a greased 9x13 baking dish.

Layer half the ham, turkey, cheese and parsley on french toast.

Using same large bowl, mix remaining french toast cubes with the remaining egg mixture and toss till coated. Layer over meat and cheese, followed by remaining ham, turkey, parsley, and cheese.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes.

While casserole bakes, wash and slice strawberries. Mix sliced strawberries with jam until well combined.

Sprinkle whole casserole or individual pieces with powdered sugar and top with strawberry topping.

Serves 6-12

BYU Sugar Cookies

2011-03-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

We had fun making these today for the big game! Just had to share:) For the recipe check "cookies" in my recipe index. I love these sugar cookies!

Spinach Dip

2011-03-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

Here you go Shan....sorry about the horrible picture.

Spinach Dip

1 pkg (10oz) frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)

1 (16oz) container sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 pkg Knorr's vegetable recipe mix (you can find it by the dressings usually)

3-5 green onions, chopped

French bread, cut up

Combine all ingredients (except the bread) and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve with French Bread, crackers, or vegetables.

Changes.....

2011-03-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

To my fellow food bloggers.....you all amaze me! I feel like I need to get with the times and spice up the old blog a bit. I am looking for tips and advice. I am not terribly smart when it comes to the computer. I really want to provide a way to print my recipes from the blog, just in case anyone ever wanted a copy. I don't know how often anyone even looks at my blog, but just in case. If you have any tips for this, I would appreciate it. I love my blog and the chance it gives me to share something I love. I feel like I have come a long way with my recipes and pictures since I started blogging and I am proud of that. I want my blog to reflect that a little bit more. For those of you who do read and follow me, THANK YOU!!! Your support is very appreciated!!

Becky:)

BLT Dip

2011-03-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

Another party recipe...not a great picture, but a great recipe! I received several compliments on this one! And it's super easy! Perfect for a fast and yummy party dish.

BLT Dip

girlwhoateeverything

1 lb bacon, cooked

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

additional green onions, cooked bacon and tomato for garnish

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Crumble bacon into mixture and stir. Add cheddar cheese, green onions, and tomato and mix well. Pour into hallow dish or pie pan and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling. Garnish with additional green onions, bacon, and tomato. Serve with corn chips (Frito's).

Serves about 20

Rainbow Cupcakes

2011-03-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made rainbow cupcakes for a St. Patrick's Day party. They made me happy!

They made several kids (and adults) happy too!

Rocky Road Treats

2011-03-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

I didn't take many food pictures at our party the other night. I was so frantic to get everything done on time, some things just were forgotten. The pictures I did take weren't great, but they will have to do. These are some of my favorite treats! I love these because they take like 5 minutes to make and a small bite is very satisfying. Or on other days, the entire pan is satisfying!

Rocky Road Treats

1 cup peanut butter

1 bag chocolate chips

6 cups mini marshmallows

Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips in a saucepan. Add marshmallows and mix together just until incorporated. Pour into an 8x8 inch pan and refrigerate until cool. Cut into small squares and enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Sliders with Creamy Coleslaw

2011-03-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

We had lots of good food at our house this weekend! I will do my best to share the recipes with all of you! This was our main dish for our party! So good!! I forgot to tell people that the coleslaw went on the sandwich, so most people didn't get the full yumminess of this slider. A perfect dish for a party!

BBQ Chicken sliders with Creamy Coleslaw

picky palate

1 1/2 cups ketchup

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp honey

pinch of salt

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

Combine all ingredients (except chicken) in medium saucepan over medium low heat. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and stir in shredded chicken. Let simmer.

16oz bag coleslaw mix

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

Place cabbage in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine other ingredients and mix together. Pour and stir into cabbage mixture. Let set in fridge for a couple our hours for flavors to combine.

You can use white or wheat dinner rolls for these sliders. Spoon chicken on bottom of roll and top with a spoonful or two of coleslaw. Eat and enjoy!!!

10-12 sliders

Celebration Wreath

2011-03-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

I was so excited last week when I saw this on Our Best Bites. It was the perfect thing for my cute husbands surprise birthday party on Saturday. It only took me about an hour to make and I love, love, love it!!!

Here's what you do.......buy a 14 inch straw wreath (the ones that are wrapped in plastic). Leave the plastic on! Buy your balloons-any color you want and floral pins. (like the picture below). I used about 275ish balloons. You stick the pin around the balloon and push it into the wreath....that's it! You can do different directions with your balloons (I did), you can keep the pins close together or go about an inch apart. It's totally up to you. I left a space at the top without balloons for ribbon.

I love it because you can't mess it up. Just have fun making it! It will brighten up any celebration! Happy wreath making!!

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2011-02-27T19:22:00.000-08:00

I love me a good, soft cookie! I do not like hard cookies...never have, never will. When I saw this recipe I had to try it because I am always on the hunt for a good oatmeal raisin cookie. I have a few that are okay, but nothing to write home about. Until today! I love these cookies and they will replace all of my other oatmeal raisin cookie recipes. I think I ate like 6 today. It's been one of those days......

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

bountiful kitchen

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt (yum!)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups old fashion oats

1 cup raisins ( I used golden raisins this time and loved them!)

Preheat oven to 350*. Cream butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until fluffy. Place flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt in a bowl with wet ingredients. Mix just until incorporated. Add 3 cups oats, mix with large spoon. Fold in raisins.

Drop dough onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Tamale Pie

2011-02-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try this Tamale Pie recipe by Rachael Ray for a while, but just could not get excited about some of the ingredients. So, I took some of her ideas and created my own version. It was delicious! A bit spicy, so if you want to tone down the heat, you could eliminate the jalapeno or put less chili powder in. I personally love spicy, so this was just right for me and my cute hubby.Tamale Pie

adapted from Rachael Ray by me:)

2 lbs ground turkey

1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp coriander

1 tbsp chipotle chili powder

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups corn meal

1 cup flour

1 3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp baking powder

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Sour cream

Preheat oven to 400*.

In a large, oven proof skillet, brown meat. Add jalapeno, bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Cook, stirring often until peppers are soft, about 8 minutes.

Deglaze pan with chicken stock.

In a bowl, combine vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce. Pour over meat mixture and simmer to combine flavors and mixture has thickened up a bit.

In another bowl, combine corn meal, flour, milk, honey, baking powder, salt and 1 cup cheese. Mix until combined. Drop cornbread mixture by large spoonfuls over meat, spreading it out as much as you can to even it out. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake at 400* for about 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Becky's Sloppy Joe's

2011-02-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

I posted this recipe a long time ago, so I thought it deserved a re-post. Plus I had a better picture this time around. This is a family favorite!

Becky's Sloppy Joe's

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup tomato soup

1/2 cup ketchup

3 tbsp grape jelly

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp celery seed

hamburger buns

In a heated skillet, brown meat and onions, drain any excess fat. Add soup, ketchup, jelly, sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, and celery seed. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns with homemade fries!!!

Serves 5-6

Chicken Denver

2011-02-02T09:43:00.001-08:00

I had a hard time getting an appetizing picture of this dish because once you dig into it, it's a little messy. This one has been in my family for years. My mom made it all the time when we were growing up.

Chicken Denver

16-20 oz chopped frozen broccoli

2 cups shredded chicken

2-3 cups cooked rice

Combine these 3 ingredients in a greased 9x13 casserole dish

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp curry powder

2 cans cream of chicken soup

Mix these ingredients together and pour over rice mixture. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and bake at 350* for 30 minutes.

Bow-tie Lasagna

2011-02-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

I could eat pasta all day everyday! It is my comfort food! Lasagna is my favorite...here is a fun twist on your traditional lasagna.

Bow-tie Lasagna

1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)

1 lb bow-tie pasta

3 cups spaghetti sauce (you can use canned or homemade.

I much prefer homemade...I'll post that another day)

1 tsp garlic powder (optional)

2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Parmesan cheese

In a warm skillet, brown meat, draining excess fat if needed. Bring pot of water to boil. Once boiling, season with salt and add pasta. Cook until tender.

Add spaghetti sauce (and additional seasonings if desired) to meat and bring to a bubble, continue to simmer if noodles are not finished cooking. Once noodles are cooked and drained, add meat sauce, cheese, and sour cream to noodles and mix until combined. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

2011-01-25T14:25:00.000-08:00

Simple and delicious! Even my picky 2 year old loves these!

Baked Chicken Taquitos

ourbestbites

1/3 cup (3oz) cream cheese

1/4 cup green salsa (salsa verde)

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 t granulated garlic

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

2 tbsp sliced green onions

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup grated pepperjack cheese

small corn or flour tortillas

kosher salt

cooking spray

Heat oven to 425*. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 25-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 tbsp of chicken mixture on the lower third of tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll as tightly as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet, making sure they don't tough each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some salt on top. Place pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Dip them in salsa, sour cream, guacamole or my brothers favorite....ranch dressing.

Hearty Beef Stew

2011-01-20T15:51:00.001-08:00

The only good thing about winter is the soup and stew! I am so ready for spring! I made this stew yesterday and it was super good. Hearty and filling all the way. It may require a few extra steps, but they are well worth the time.

Hearty Beef Stew

mel's kitchen cafe

5 lb boneless chuck roast, cut into 1 inch pieces (or you can cheat like I did and buy stew meat)

salt and pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 (6oz) can tomato paste

2 cups beef broth

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 bay leaves

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 lb red potatoes, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp minute tapioca

2 cups frozen peas

After the meat has been cut into chunks, pat it dry with a paper towel and season all the pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat until the oil is rippling and hot. Cook half the beef until it is well browned on each side, about 4 minutes. No need to cook it all the way through-just get some good color all around. Toss the meat in a greased slow cooker and follow the same process with the rest of the meat (you may need another tbsp of oil in the pan if it's looking too dry). Remove the meat to the slow cooker, trying to keep as much oil in the pan as possible.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onions and 1/4 tsp of salt and cook until onions are translucent and golden, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth, soy sauce, 1/2 tsp thyme and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil and transfer it to the slow cooker, pouring it over the meat.

In a large bowl, toss the carrots, potatoes, 1 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. On the counter, lay out a large piece of foil (use 2 sheets of regular foil if you don't have heavy-duty). Place the tossed veggies on one side of the foil. Fold foil over the vegetables and crimp the edges really well to form a little foil packet that will fit in the top of your slow cooker. Stir the tapioca into the slow cooker. Place foil packet on top of the stew, cover with the lid and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 10-11 hours.

When the stew is finished cooking, carefully remove the foil packet from the top of the stew. Discard the bay leaves from the stew. Carefully open the foil packet (be careful of steam that may escape when you open it). Return the veggies and any juices to slow cooker and gently mix them into the stew. Stir in the frozen peas and let them rest in the stew for 5-10 minutes, or until they are heated through. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6-8

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

2011-01-18T10:33:00.000-08:00

Last night we had one of my "easy dinners". It's fast to make, yet full of yummy flavor. My kids always gobble this up!

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

2 lbs chicken, cut into 1 inch squares

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

Rice

Cook rice as directed. While rice is cooking, cook chicken in a large skillet with a splash of olive oil that has been heated. Stir chicken occasionally until browned on the outside and cooked through on the inside. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, water and brown sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until sauce begins to bubble, but not boil over. Add sauce to cooked chicken in skillet and simmer until sauce thickens up and is more like a syrup. My kids like is a little more saucy than syrupy, so really, the amount of time you let it simmer is up to you.

Serve over cooked rice

Serves 4-6

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

2011-01-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

My husband is a good sport. He puts up with a lot from me...especially my odd reading habits. I read cookbooks in bed like they are novels. I find it relaxing and that's about the only time I get some days to get my creative juices flowing. I got Rachael Ray's new cookbook for Christmas and I quickly put it to good use. This recipe is comfort food all the way! I would like to pass it off as healthy, but after the amount of cheese I put into it, that probably would not be truthful.

Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

rachael ray

2 1 /2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

salt

4 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

2 tsp grated orange zest

1 cup sour cream

pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 lbs ground turkey

1 large onion

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2-3 large garlic cloves

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp coriander

1/2 cup tomato paste

2-3 cups chicken stock

2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot, then mash with butter, orange zest, and sour cream. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

While the potatoes are coming to a boil, heat chili pot or oven proof skillet. Add the turkey and brown, breaking up the meat and adding the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes while you chop the chili peppers, bell pepper, and garlic. Add the peppers and garlic to the pot, season with the spices, salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes more. Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the stock and simmer for a few minutes longer to thicken and combine the flavors.
Preheat the broiler. Place chili in casserole dish or leave in skillet if it is oven proof. Spread mashed potatoes over the chili, and cover with cheddar cheese. Brown under the broiler until golden.

Serves 4-6

Party Food

2011-01-12T16:11:00.000-08:00

Here is the best salsa ever! It tastes the best with lime tortilla chips and the longer you let it sit in the fridge, the better it tastes!

The Best Salsa Ever!

Drain and reserve:

1 can shoepeg corn

1 can black beans

1 can black-eyed peas

Combine:

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3-4 roma tomatoes, diced

1-2 bunches green onions, chopped

Mix together:

1 pkg Good Seasoning Italian Dressing Mix (the dry stuff-and NOT zesty!)

1/4 cup vinegar

3 tbsp water

1/4 cup olive oil

Blend all ingredients together and pour into a serving bowl. If you like, you can add some cilantro as well. Serve with lime chips or scoop chips. This salsa is better if you let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavors have time to soak! Delicious!!!!!

Party Food

2011-01-11T14:35:00.000-08:00

My goal was to stay on top of my blogging and I am already behind. Oh well, I guess there are more important things to feel guilty about.

Party food is on the menu today! I made a bunch of party food this weekend and it was good!

Wonton Taco Cups

my bff Jodi Riley

24 wonton wrappers

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)

1 packet taco seasoning

Mexican blend cheddar cheese-about a cup or so

chopped olives

sour cream

salsa (optional)

Grease a mini muffin tin or two depending on how many your pan holds. Ground beef, draining excess fat and add taco seasoning, cooking according to package directions.

Place wonton wrappers in muffin tin, pressing down gently to mold them into the muffin cup. Add about 1 tbsp of cooked meat in to wrapper, top with cheese and olives. Bake at 350* for about 8 minutes or until wontons start to turn golden.

Once out of the oven, top with dollop of sour cream and salsa if desired.

Super easy, super yummy! These would make a great dinner as well!

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

2011-01-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

I tried a new recipe last night and we loved it! I couldn't get a great picture of it, but trust me...it's so good! It takes a little bit of prep work and be aware this recipe makes 2 9x13 pans. So this is a great recipe if you need to take dinner to someone or just throw the extra pan in the freezer. I cut the recipe in half cause I didn't want two pans last night. I will make the full batch next time and throw a pan in the freezer! It was delicious!

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

adapted from girl who ate everything

1 (120z) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells...you may want to cook 1 1/2 boxes just to be safe in case some of the shells break while boiling

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

2 cups frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped

1 tbsp minced, dried onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15oz) ricotta cheese

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese (i used the lighter version and it was fine)

1 (5oz) pkg shredded parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups)

1 large egg, slightly beaten

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

1 (26oz) jar spaghetti sauce or more if you want it saucier

Cook shells according to package directions. Be careful not to overcook them or they will break easily while trying to fill them. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350* Lightly grease 2 9x13 baking dishes.

In a large bowl, combine chicken and the rest of the ingredients except 1 cup of mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Spoon filling into shells.

Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared dishes, dividing it between the two pans. Place shells on top of sauce and top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with foil; if you are freezing one pan, freeze after this step. Include a bag of extra mozzarella for when you bake it.

Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella. Bake 10 minutes more until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serves 8-10

Moroccan Chili

2011-01-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, we lived in St. George for a couple of months. I loved it there and would go back in a heartbeat. It wasn't a great time for our family, but I had a lot of self discovery while we lived there, so for me it was a very positive experience. It is also the only place we have ever had cable. I discovered and quickly became addicted to the Food Network. This was the first "difficult recipe" I ever tried and from this I learned that I can cook anything! Honestly...it isn't difficult at all. This is one of our very favorites! My husband got home from work last night and knew what I was making just from the smell. It is so fragrant and so flavorful!

Moroccan Chili

adapted from rachael ray

2 lbs ground turkey

salt and pepper

2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp coriander

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp paprika

1 bay leaf

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 (140z) can tomato sauce

2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

handful golden raisins

handful dried apricots, chopped

1 1/2 cups couscous

handful fresh parsley, chopped

handful fresh mint, chopped

Heat skillet and add meat and brown. Season with salt and pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika. Add bay leaf, onion, pepper and garlic to pan. Cook until onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Add lemon zest, juice, worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Stir and reduce heat to simmer.

Bring butter, stock, apricots and raisins to boil. Add couscous; stir, then turn off heat and cover with lid. Let stand 5 minutes. Add herbs and toss with fork.

Pile chili in bowls and top with couscous.

Serves 4

Jalapeno Poppers

2011-01-01T15:40:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! I can't believe we are starting another year. 2010 had many ups and downs for me. It was also a very busy year and I am hoping 2011 is a bit calmer. I have been thinking a lot about resolutions and changes I want to make in my life for the new year. I have a long list, so hopefully I will accomplish at least one thing on that list. I have good intentions at least. One of my biggest projects I want to tackle this year, (besides losing the junk in my trunk!) is to get my recipes organized! I have a plan, now I just need to get started! I also want to be better about blogging my recipes. I love seeing what everyone else is making and am grateful that others are more diligent than I am.

I thought I would start the new year off right by sharing one of my top 10 favorite things to eat....Jalapeno Poppers! I could seriously eat all 36 of these poppers I made yesterday by myself. Hence the need to lose that junk in my trunk:) My family always makes a ton of party food for New Years Eve and we eat it for days. These were my contribution this year. So yummy!!!

Happy 2011!!

BBQ Jalapeno Poppers

pioneer woman

18 fresh jalapenos

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 green onion, sliced

18 slices of bacon, cut in half

bbq sauce or apricot jam

toothpicks

Cut peppers in half lengthwise, trying to keep stems intact. With a spoon, scoop out seeds and ribs of peppers. (You will want to wear rubber gloves or even plastic bags on your hands for this part! If you touch your face with your hands after seeding jalapenos, you will be sorry for hours!)

In a bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese and green onion. Stuff each pepper half with cheese mixture. Wrap bacon slices around each half, covering as much of the surface as you can without ripping the bacon. Secure peppers and bacon with a toothpick and brush desired sauce over each pepper.

Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and place peppers on cooling rack. This will allow drippings from bacon to fall into the baking pan and not all over your peppers as they bake. Bake at *275 for 1 hour, or until bacon is sizzling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Reindeer Cookies

2010-12-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

My kids and I had fun making these reindeer cookies this morning. So cute and so easy! Let me know if you want instructions and I will post them.

Merry Christmas!!

Turkey Pot Pie

2010-12-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

I still have some leftover thanksgiving turkey in my freezer that I need to get rid of. Thank goodness I found this recipe on Picky Palate's blog. It used most of my turkey (you can also substitute chicken which would be most yummy!) and I think I could eat the entire pan myself. Comfort food all the way!!!!!

Turkey (or chicken) Pot Pie

adapted from picky palate

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery chopped

1 cup carrots chopped

1 cup frozen peas

2 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 cups turkey, shredded

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 stick butter

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 350*. In a dutch oven or large pot, heat oil. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Saute 8-10 minutes, or until soft. Add peas and potatoes. Cook another 5 minutes and then add garlic. Cook 1 minute then add turkey. Reduce heat to low.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour, salt, and pepper. Once that has all come together, whisk in broth until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes or so. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add cream mixture to veggies and turkey and mix till combined.

Divide into 6 greased ramekins. (can also put in greased 9X13 pan and lay entire pastry sheet on top. cooking time is the same.) Cut pastry to fit over ramekins. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves 6

Snowman Ice Cream Treats

2010-12-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

My kids and I made some ice cream treats today.

They were a hit!

Ribs and Potatoes

2010-11-23T13:54:00.000-08:00

When I saw that ribs were on sale at the grocery store the other day, we had a change in our menu! I made the meat with my homemade bbq sauce and these crazy good twice baked potatoes. My two year old loved the meat and my 4 year old LOVED the potatoes. He said, "I could eat these all day long!"

Becky's BBQ Sauce

1 cup chili sauce

4 tbsp Dijon mustard

6 tbsp orange marmalade

4 dashes hot sauce

4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 tbsp apple cider

salt

Mix it all together and dump it over your meat in a crock pot or lather it up before putting in the oven. Sweet and tangy! Makes about 2 cups

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes

food network magazine

4 large russet potatoes

1 large sweet potato

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut up

2 scallions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheese

kosher salt and black pepper

olive oil

Preheat oven to 400*. Clean russet potatoes and spear all potatoes with a fork. Bake in oven for 40-60 minutes or until soft on inside. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Peel sweet potato (skin should slide off if you pull on it) and place in a bowl. Cut the tops of the potatoes off (lengthwise) and scoop out the flesh from the insides and place in bowl with sweet potato. Add sour cream, butter, scallion, 1/2 cup of cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together until well combined. Brush potato skins with olive oil and place on baking sheet. Fill the skins with potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 375* for 25-30 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Serves 4

Crocodile Cupcakes

2010-11-23T13:50:00.000-08:00

Today was a big day for my youngest brother and to celebrate he requested Crocodile Cupcakes. Here is what I came up with. Way to go Drewpy!! We love you and are proud of you!!

Thanksgiving Treats

2010-11-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

This past weekend all my family who won't be around for Thanksgiving gathered for a dessert night. There was lots of good food. I of course could not decide what to take...so I took 3 things:)

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp lemon juice

1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

powdered sugar

Filling:

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Line a greased jelly roll pan with wax paper and grease paper. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs for 5 minutes. Add the sugar, flour, pumpkin, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, salt, and nutmeg; mix well. Add lemon juice. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan; sprinkle with pecans.

Bake at 375* for 15 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto kitchen towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll, starting with the short end and cool completely on wire rack.

In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients; beat until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling over cake to 1/2 inch of the edges. Roll up again. Place seam side down on serving platter. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Sprinkle additional powdered sugar on top before serving..

Serves 12

Turkey Cake Balls! They were really easy to make and everyone loved them!

Pumpkin Pie Dip

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp ginger

1 cup cool whip (thawed)

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Add pumpkin, sour cream and spices. Mix until combined. Fold in cool whip until combined. Serve with granny smith apples, gingersnaps or cinnamon graham crackers. Store in refrigerator. YUM!!!

I'm still here.....

2010-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone....no recipe, just a hello. The last couple of weeks have been a bit crazy! We moved and all had the stomach flu during the move, so it was less than fun. I am doing my best to get us back into the swing of things. The house is pretty much put together...everything except our office area (kind of important for blogging.) I will be back with some delicious holiday recipes very soon!

Wedding Food

2010-10-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

I have been slightly neglectful this month, but it has been a busy one! We are moving, so my life is a bit crazy. Last week I catered my first wedding. I loved every minute of it and can't wait to do another one!! I will post recipes soon....when I have some free time:)

red velvet and chocolate cake balls

mint brownies

pumpkin spice cupcakes (not the pretty batch)

mini cheesecakes

Breakfast Taquitos

2010-10-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

I made these for breakfast last weekend and we loved them! They are easy and so good. They freeze great too.

Breakfast Taquitos

our best bites

16 flour tortillas (6 inch)

12 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 cups pepperjack cheese, shredded

1/4 cup roasted red pepper

1/4 cup green onions

1/4 cup cilantro

1-2 tsp hot sauce

Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 425*. Whisk eggs, sour cream, salt and pepper. Cook eggs in skillet until slightly under cooked. Add the rest of the ingredients and fold gently until combined.

Warm the tortillas in microwave. Place about 1/4 cup of egg mixture in each tortilla and roll up, placing seam side down on baking sheet. Spray the rolled tortillas with cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Serve with dipping sauce (below).

Dipping Sauce:

1 1/2 cup sour cream

1 tbsp lime juice

1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Combine ingredients together and serve with breakfast taquitos.

Breakfast Sweet Rolls

2010-10-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorites!

Breakfast Sweet Rolls

16-18 frozen dinner rolls

1 (3oz) pkg regular butterscotch pudding (not instant)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup pecans (optional)

1/2 cup butter, melted

The night before, place frozen rolls in a greased bundt pan. Sprinkle dry pudding mix over rolls, follows by sugar and nuts. Pour melted butter over all. Cover with a damp towel or tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight at room temp for 8-10 hours.

Preheat oven to 350*. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before inverting to a serving plate.

Pull apart and enjoy!!

Apricot Chicken

2010-10-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

I made so much food this weekend and I will try and get it all posted soon. Conference weekend involves way too much food at our house.

This is an easy dinner, but one of my favorites.

Apricot Chicken

1/2 cup apricot preserves

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp ginger

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

1/2 cup cashews

cooked rice

In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Add chicken and toss to coat. Transfer to skillet and cook until juices run clear. Add green pepper and cashews. Cook until heated through. Serve with hot rice.

Serves 4

California Tacos

2010-09-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last week at Young Women's we did a recipe swap. I was so proud of my girls for how well they did with this activity! We had lots of good food and we all ate way too much! I got this recipe from my cute friend and Secretary, Carissa. I changed a couple of things...but nothing huge.

California Tacos

1 lb hamburger (I used ground turkey)

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic

1 10oz can tomato soup

1 soup can water

1 6oz can tomato paste

3 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 dashes Tabasco

2 cups cooked rice

1 can pinto beans

1 pkg Fritos

Saute beef, onion and garlic until browned. Mix remaining ingredients (except rice, beans and Fritos). Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rice and beans and mix until incorporated and heated through.

Serve with Fritos and sour cream. Can also serve with shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, avocados, etc.

Chicken, Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder

2010-09-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

I am so ready for cooler weather! I cannot believe how warm it still is here in Utah. I have been anxious for soup! When the temperature got down to the low 80's last week, I figured that was as cool as it was going to get for a while, so I made soup.

Chicken, Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder

sister's cafe

3 cups 2% milk

1 (8.5oz) box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

2 quarts chicken broth

2 small chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

3 cups frozen corn, not thawed

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 tbsp dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Mix muffin mix and milk in a bowl until well combined. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large pot over med heat until foaming. Add onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, chicken (raw) and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked and sweet potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens (can take about 10 minutes, but can be faster). Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Tomato Basil Panini

2010-09-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

Our garden is over-flowing with juicy tomatoes! I keep trying to think of ways to use them up, but I am not doing a very good job of that. I didn't want to make BLT's for dinner the other night, so we had this instead. It is my new favorite sandwich!

Tomato Basil Panini

Italian, French or Wheat Bread

Mozzarella cheese, sliced

Fresh tomatoes, sliced

Fresh basil leaves

Avocado , sliced, optional

Balsamic Vinegar

Olive oil

Kosher salt/black pepper

Heat up a panini grill or regular grill pan. Brush outer sides of bread with olive oil. Layer cheese, tomato, basil and avocado. Douse with a good amount of balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until cheese melts and bread is grilled.

If you are like me and don't have a panini grill....be creative! I used my indoor grill pan and just pressed down on the sandwich with a smaller skillet to get the sandwich flat and the panini look. It worked great!

2010-09-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

I love a good, hearty breakfast...i decided that I need to start making breakfast for dinner more often!

Denver Eggs and Potatoes

adapted from Rachael Ray

2 tbsp olive oil

3-4 potatoes, thinly sliced

salt and pepper

3 tbsp butter

12 eggs

3 tbsp milk

2 tsp hot sauce

1 large bell pepper, diced

1-2 cups cubed ham

6 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400*. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over med heat. Add the potatoes in a thin layer and season with lots of salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-brown, 8-10 minutes. Flip and cook until crisp on the other side.

In another skillet (that is oven proof), melt the butter over med heat. In a bowl beat the eggs, milk and hot sauce. Add the bell pepper and ham and cook about 5 minutes. Add the scallions and heat through, then add the beaten eggs; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the bottom of the eggs are set, then transfer to the oven to cook through, 10-12 minutes.

Pile the potatoes on the cooked eggs and serve.

Serves 4-6

BYU and Sugar Cookies

2010-09-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

There was excitement in the air at our house yesterday. The beginning of BYU Football...the one time of the year when my hubby can hardly contain his excitement! He had to call me from the stadium last night to remind me how excited he was. I have to admit, I find it cute and I love going to games with him. We are raising some future Cougars in our house, so while Daddy was at the game, we whipped up some victory treats. GO COUGARS!!!

Lemon-Almond Sugar Cookies

stephanie's kitchen

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

3 tbsp milk

1 tsp almond extract

zest 0f 1 lemon

Almond Frosting:

2 oz cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp butter, softened

4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp almond extract

For the cookies...

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Using a mixer, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Add the milk, extract and lemon zest. Mix until creamy. Slowly add the flour mixture until well blended. Chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.l On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to desired thickness. Cut our into desired shapes. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 8-12 minutes, depending on how soft or crunchy you like your cookies.

For the frosting...

Using a mixer, mix the cream cheese and butter until well blended and creamy. Add 2 cups of the sugar, milk and almond extract. Blend until smooth. Slowly add the remaining sugar until smooth and creamy.

Taco Bowls

2010-08-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

So I decided to make Saturday's dinner a little more exciting. Taco's were on the menu, but I wanted to do something fun with them. Say hello to our taco bowls. These were crazy easy and so fun! My 4 year old thought it was so cool to get to eat his dish. (Now I can't wait to make bread bowls.)

Making taco bowls couldn't be easier. I microwaved the flour tortillas for about 30 seconds just to make sure they were soft. Then I brushed just a little bit of oil on both sides and put them on top of a canning jar. Place the jars on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes (or until crisp) in a 400* oven. That is it-super easy and good! Load it up with your favorite taco ingredients and enjoy! This is one of our new favorite weekend dinners!!

Grilled Chicken Taco Pizza

2010-08-25T15:26:00.001-07:00

All summer I have been wanting to try grilled pizza. This week I finally got around to it. I found an amazing recipe in Food Network Magazine for Grilled Chicken Taco Pizza. As soon as I saw the recipe I knew this was the one I had to try. I think grilled pizza is our new family favorite. It was so good!

Grilled Chicken Taco Pizza

food network magazine

Taco Seasoning: 2 tbsp onion powder

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Pizzas: 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for brushing

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 16oz tube pizza dough

flour for dusting

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 avocado

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp diced red onion

salt and pepper

1 cup fresh salsa

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Make the taco seasoning: Mix all of the ingredients with 1 tbsp each salt and pepper in a bowl.

Prepare the pizza: Mix 2 tbsp of the taco seasoning and the canola oil in a shallow bowl. Pound the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thick. Add the chicken to the bowl, turning to coat and marinate 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium high. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Let cool, then cut into bite-size pieces.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Roll out each on a floured surface into an 8 inch round. Brush with canola oil, sprinkle with taco seasoning and grill until crisp, 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from grill.

Mix the cheeses in a bowl, then sprinkle on the crusts and top with the chicken. Return the pizzas to the grill, cover and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the avocado, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, red onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Top the pizzas with the avocado mixture, salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Blueberry Buckle Cake

2010-08-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

I couldn't get a really good picture of dessert last night. I saw this recipe on Food Network over the weekend and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to make it. I wasn't disappointed-this cake was super good! A great treat to end the summer.

Blueberry Buckle Cake

food network

Topping:

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

pinch salt

4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cake:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups blueberries, thawed if frozen

Heat oven to 350*. Coat an 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and salt together in a small bowl. Blend in the butter with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until mixture forms pea size lumps. Stir in the pecans.

Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, add the butter and sugar and beat with mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients and stir until completely incorporated. Fold in the berries with a rubber spatula, then add the batter to the baking pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter. Bake 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving. Serve with whipped topping

Grilled Chicken and Veggies

2010-08-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

With summer coming to an end I am trying to do some grilling at least once a week. If I was home more often, I would probably grill every night! Monday I grilled some chicken and veggie kabobs. So super good!!The longer you marinate the meat, the better. You can also use this marinade on the veggies too. Chicken and Veggie Marinade

anna can cook

1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp mustard

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2-3 crushed garlic cloves

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper

4-8 chicken breasts, depending on how big they are.

Cut up chicken breasts into cubes and place in bowl. Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Pour marinade over chicken cubes and make sure all the chicken is coated. Place lid on bowl and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Thread chicken onto skewers and grill on either an outdoor or indoor grill.

Tamale Chicken Casserole

2010-08-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

This is a fast and yummy dinner. I love Mexican food and my family loves this dish. You can tone down the heat by leaving out the red pepper flakes or make it an even faster dinner by using rotisserie chicken. Tamale Chicken Casserole

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided

1/3 cups milk

1 egg

1 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1 box corn muffin mix

1 can (15oz) cream style corn

1 can (4oz) chopped green chilies

1 can (10oz) red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded chicken

Preheat oven to 400*

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup cheese, milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, corn muffin mix, corn and green chilies; stir until moistened. Pour into a 9x13 sprayed baking dish. Bake 15 minutes. Pierce surface with fork liberally. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken and remaining cheese. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve topped with some sour cream and a little salsa.

Tessa's Birthday

2010-08-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

I had such good intentions of spending the summer trying new recipes and blogging about them. Sadly, I haven't really had time to cook anything exciting all summer-we have been so busy! I would like to think things are going to calm down in the fall, but at this point I am not holding my breath.

My baby turned 2 this week and so we had a fun little party for her. She LOVES Disney's Little Einsteins, so we had a party around that theme. I made the cake and must say I was pretty proud of myself. It even tasted good! Just wanted to share and say hi to the blogging world. I will be back-soon I hope.

Sesame Noodles and Asian Chicken

2010-07-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

Tried this new recipe last week and tweaked a few things for us. It was so easy and super delicious! This is one of my new favorites. It's a little spicy for the little ones, but that is easily fixed by omitting the crushed red pepper. This would be a great dish to serve for a dinner party....maybe I should have one.

Asian Chicken

adapted from jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

2 tsp garlic

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tsp Hoisin sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp ginger

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 tbsp peanut butter

1/3 cup hot water

5 chicken breasts, cut into long strips

Place peanut butter and 1/3 cup water in the microwave and heat for 1 minute. Stir until smooth and combined well.

Place all ingredients but the chicken into a 9x13 pan. Stir them around to incorporate. Place chicken in sauce, turning to coat. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Grill the chicken for about 7 minutes over medium heat. Turn the chicken and cook until cooked through. Serve with sesame noodles.

(Could also put the chicken on skewers before placing in marinade. Make sure you soak your skewers for about 20 minutes before adding the chicken on them. This prevents them from burning on the grill.)

Serves 5

Sesame Noodles

adapted from jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

4 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white sugar

3-4 green onions, chopped

1/2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 (14-16 oz) pkg thin spaghetti noodles

Cook pasta according to pkg directions. While noodles are cooking, add all ingredients but the onions and sesame seeds into a large bowl. Stir until they are all mixed together. When the noodles are done cooking, drain all of the water. Immediately add the noodles to the sauce. Add the sesame seeds and stir everything together. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with Asian chicken. Delicious!

Serves 6-8

Mississippi Mud Bars

2010-07-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

Last night we had a recognition program for one of my Laurels. My counselors and I can't seem to do anything small. We had delicious treats for everyone. My contribution were these Mississippi Mud Bars. You can't go wrong with Paula Deen-lots of butter and sugar makes anything taste amazing!

Mississippi Mud Bars

paula deen

1 cup butter

1 cup milk

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup water

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

3 cups mini marshmallows

Mississippi Mud Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease a 15x11 inch jelly roll pan. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in milk, cocoa, water and eggs. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour and baking soda. Pour butter mixture over sugar mixture, whisking to combine. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows evenly over hot cake. Pour hot Mississippi Mud Frosting over cake, spreading it with knife if necessary. Let cool in pan completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Mississippi Mud Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in milk, cocoa and vanilla. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Whisk in confectioner's sugar until smooth.

2010-07-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

I had such good intentions for doing some amazing cooking this summer-I've been cooking, just not blogging. This summer has been so busy! Between work, my family and young women, I pretty much don't do anything "extra". I am hoping that now that girls camp is over and once swimming lessons are over, life will calm down just a bit. Did I mention girls camp is over? Hallelujah!!!

One thing I have been doing this summer is watching this beautiful garden grow. We planted a garden with our neighbors this year and it is growing beautifully! We have lots of tomatoes, squash, radishes, carrots, green onions, peas, beans, potatoes, peppers and some pumpkins. We picked a huge bowl of peas last week that taste so good! It has been a great experience to take care of our garden. I'm grateful everything is growing!

Grilled Pork Chops and Baked Sweet Potatoes

2010-06-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have only one word to describe our dinner last night-DELICIOUS!!!! We recently splurged and finally bought a grill-we have never had one before and we are loving it!! Last night we grilled pork chops. They were amazing! Yahoo for summer!Pork Marinade

4 pork loin chops
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp ginger

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

dash of salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a Ziplock bag and add pork chops. Marinate in fridge 30 minutes to 4 hours. Cook pork chops on indoor or outdoor grill and discard remaining marinade.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

4 sweet potatoes

1/4 cup buttermilk

salt and pepper

paprika

shredded cheddar cheese

green onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 450*. Wash sweet potatoes and coat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake on baking sheet for 35-40 minutes, or until tender. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out insides of potatoes. Place potato filling in bowl with buttermilk, and season with salt and pepper and paprika. Mash it all together. Place mashed filling back in potato skins. Place back in oven on baking sheet and cook another 10-15 minutes to heat through. Once heated through top with cheese and onion. Yummy!

Dinosaur Cakes

2010-05-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

My little guy turned 4 this week. He requested a Dinosaur birthday-so this is what I did for him. I had fun making them! Happy Birthday Bug-a-Boo!

Fruit Tart

2010-05-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

I made dessert for Mother's Day this year. We had dinner with my family because my little brother got to call home from Texas. I know that my Mom loves fruit tarts, so I thought I would give one a try. She loved it and I am glad because I almost burned my house down making this. (Literally!) It turned out so good and I am sad I only had one piece.

Isn't it pretty?!

Fruit Tart

rookie cookie

Crust:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup butter, softened and sliced

Filling:

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Glaze:

1 6oz can limeade concentrate

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/4 cup sugar

Fresh strawberries, kiwi, raspberries and blackberries

Preheat oven to 350* (make sure oven is empty before you turn it on:)

In a food processor, combine crust ingredients and process until mixture forms a ball. Press dough into greased tart pan (one that has a removable bottom) and press until even. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over cooled crust. Arrange strawberries and kiwi laying one layer at a time, ending with kiwi. Cluster raspberries and blackberries on top.

Combine limeade, cornstarch, lime juice and sugar in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until clear and thick-about 2 minutes. Let cool. With a pastry brush, brush glaze over entire tart. (You will not use all the glaze.)

Keep tart in fridge and remove about 15 minutes before serving.

Serves about 8

Delicious Chicken

2010-05-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

After eating pizza and hamburgers for a week while we were on vacation, I was ready to cook something healthy last night. I love this marinade for chicken! My daughter is such a picky eater and usually won't eat chicken, but she gobbles this up!! You can grill it outdoors or indoors and you could also use drumsticks. There is no right or wrong way-you will just be glad you made it!

Chicken Marinade

kira cooks

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp curry

3 cloves garlic, crushed

Place all ingredients and a ziplock back with chicken pieces. I use 4-6 chicken breasts. Squeeze everything in bag around until sugar is dissolved. Marinate in fridge anywhere from 4 hours to overnight, turning the bag every couple of hours. Cook chicken and discard leftover marinade.

Cinco de Mayo

2010-05-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you who have requested these recipes. Sorry they are so late. At our house Cinco de Mayo means a happy hubby! We had so much food! Here are the recipes from our Fiesta. Sorry about the pictures-I had hungry people who didn't want to wait for me to play photographer. Let me know what you think!

Eric with all of our food!

Sombrero Sugar Cookies

Make you favorite batch of sugar cookies, cutting out cookies into circles. Once cooled, frost edges of cookies and roll in sprinkles. Put a dollop of frosting in the middle of the cookie and place a gumdrop in the center. Sprinkle a few more sprinkles around the gumdrops. I usually bake the cookies and let the kids decorate them. My little guy loves making these!
Cornbread Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

rachael ray

1 box cornbread mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

5 green onions, finely chopped

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

15 jalapenos

Prepare jalapenos-cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs. Preheat oven to 400*. In a med bowl, prepare cornbread mix according to pkg directions. Mix in scallions and 3/4 cup cheese. Set the peppers on a baking sheet, cut side up. Fill each pepper with mix and top with additional cheese. Bake until cooked through and golden, about 15 minutes.

I serve these with raspberry jam. These freeze great as well!!
Chicken Taquitos

my kitchen cafe

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup green salsa

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 green onion, finely sliced

2 cups shredded chicken

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

small yellow corn tortillas

kosher salt

cooking spray

Heat oven to 425* Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Add all ingredients to tortillas in a bowl and mix to combine. Working with a few tortillas at a time, place 3-4 between 2 damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds or until soft and pliable. Place 2-3 tbsp of chicken mixture on lower third of tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it as tight as you can. Place filled taquitos, seam side down on baking sheet, making sure they don't touch each other. When ready to bake, spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until crisp and ends start to get golden. Serve immediately. Can be dipped in salsa, sour cream, guacamole or ranch dressing.

Chili Relleno Squares

3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cans (4oz each) chopped green chilies, drained

4 eggs

4 tbsp milk

2 tbsp flour

Place half the cheeses in a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with chilies and remaining cheeses. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk and flour; pour over cheese. Bake at 375* for 30 minutes or until set. Cut into small squares and serve warm.
Chicken Nachos

real mom kitchen

1 small bag frozen corn

1 can black beans, drained

2 lg chicken breasts

1 (16oz) jar salsa

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

Pour frozen corn into crock pot. Place chicken on top of corn. Top chicken with beans and salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour, then on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with forks and mix in cream cheese until melted and creamy.

Serve with chips and toppings if desired-tomatoes, olives, etc.

Cilantro Lime Rice

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 tsp butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice

15oz chicken broth

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

In a med saucepan, combine rice, butter, garlic, chicken broth and 1 tsp lime juice. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce temp to low. Cook for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Mix into cooked rice as you fluff it.

YUM!
Refried Beans

rachael ray

2 cans pinto beans, drained

1 (4oz) can diced green chilies

Heat 1 can pinto beans in a saucepan over medium heat. Mash with a fork or potato masher. Add additional can of beans and can of chilies. Stir to combine and heat through.
Black Bean Quesidillas

blog chef

2 tsp Olive oil

3 tbsp onion, finely chopped

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (10oz) can corn, drained

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp butter, divided

8 (8inch) flour tortillas

1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese

Heat oil in a skillet. Add onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and corn. Heat through. Mix in sugar, salsa and red pepper. Cook until heated through.

Melt butter in another skillet-place tortilla in skillet and add cheese over top. Place some bean mixture over the cheese. Add another tortilla over the bean mixture. Cook until brown and flip. Brown on the other side. Repeat until tortillas are gone.
Chimichangas

1 lb ground beef

1 med onion, chopped

3/4 cup red enchilada sauce

1 cup refried beans

6 flour tortillas

1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook meat in a skillet with onions. Stir in sauce and refried beans. Gently simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon about 1/2 cup filling into center of each tortilla. Place 1/3 cup of cheese on top. Fold sides in, then roll ends up. Fry in vegetable oil, seam side down in 3/4 inch oil, over med heat, turning when golden brown. 1-2 minutes per side.

Lift from pan with slotted spoon. Place on thick layer of paper towels; keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, cheese and olives.

These freeze great too!

Serves 6
Mock Fried Ice Cream

3 cups rice krispies

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts

1 1/2 cubes butter

1 1/1 cups coconut

2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened

Melt butter and brown sugar together on stove top. Add additional ingredients (except ice cream), mix well. Layer 1/2 ;mixture on bottom of round cake pan, layer ice cream over that and sprinkle the rest of mixture on top of the ice cream. Press firmly. Freeze. Serve with chocolate, caramel or raspberry pie filling.

Mongolian Chicken

2010-05-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

There are some nights when take-out sounds really good. I have never ordered take-out in my life. I don't think I have ever even had a pizza delivered. This is one of those recipes that is better than take-out and so easy to prepare. You can change the heat level with the pepper flakes to your liking. I like my food a bit on the spicy side, so I added more than most people might like. I think this recipe would be great for a stay at home date night. We love this one!

Mongolian Chicken

adapted from Blog Chef

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1 while onion, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes (if you don't want it too spicy only add 1/2 tsp or less)

In a bowl, whisk chicken broth, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes together. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in skillet and add chicken. Cook until browned and cooked through. Place in oven or microwave to keep warm. Add another tbsp oil to skillet. Add garlic, onions and green onions to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables have reached desired tenderness. Remove from pan and set aside.

Pour sauce mixture into skillet and cook until sauce begins to bubble and thicken. Put veggies and chicken in skillet with sauce and mix to combine. Serve with white rice.

Serves 4

2010-04-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

Last night I made a yummy new lasagna-White Chicken Lasagna to be exact. My husband loved it! I loved it too-but I didn't love the mess it made in my oven.

Try this recipe because it is really good-but bake it with a cookie sheet under your baking dish. Otherwise you will get to clean a fun mess like I did and your house will smell kind of yucky.

My poor oven:(

White Chicken Lasagna

another day in paradise

2-3 cups cooked chicken, diced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of broccoli soup

4 cups chicken broth, small amount reserved

1 cup sour cream

1/2 lb cottage cheese

1/2 container ricotta cheese

1 lb mozzarella cheese

1 tsp basil

1 pkg oven ready lasagna noodles

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine everything but the chicken, noodles and small amount of chicken broth. Mix in chicken. Pour reserved broth in the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish, making sure it covers bottom. Layer uncooked noodles and sauce until mix is gone or pan is full-ending with sauce.

Bake covered for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 35-40 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. The longer is sits, the more it sets up. It will be fairly soupy when you pull it out of the oven, so make sure you let it sit!!

Serves 6-8

Earth Day Pancakes

2010-04-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

After a brief discussion on earth day with my 3 year old this morning, breakfast was created. I will hopefully have these perfected by next year, but I thought it was a fun idea.

Baked Ziti

2010-04-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have made ziti before and really not been happy with it-most of the recipes I have tried have just been too dry. I got this recipe from a fellow food blogger and we loved it!! It feeds a good amount of people-we've been eating leftovers for 3 days, but no one has complained! This takes a little more time to put together and bake, so plan ahead. Enjoy!Baked Ziti

a bountiful kitchen

1 lb cottage cheese (1%)

2 lg eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

salt

1 lb ziti

2 tbsp olive oil

5 med garlic cloves, minced

1 (28oz) can tomato sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tsp sugar

black pepper

3/4 tsp cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups (8oz) mozzarella cheese cut into 1/4 inch chunks

Heat oven to 350*. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs and 1 cup parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside. Boil and salt water. Add pasta and cook until soft, but not cooked through-about 5 minutes. Drain pasta, rinse and leave in colander.

Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet with garlic until fragrant but not browned. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano; simmer until thick, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in 1/2 cup basil and sugar and season with salt and pepper.

Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in a small bowl. Transfer to small saucepan set over med heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture and 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.

Transfer pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce mixture evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella and remaining parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 10-20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining basil and serve.

Serves 8+

2010-04-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Taco Pasta

2010-04-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

I am out of the habit of taking pictures before we eat. I am usually throwing dinner on the table on my way out the door. Sorry about the picture-it's my leftovers for lunch. This meal is awesome because it tastes just like a taco-except instead of using tortillas, it has pasta. I would rather eat the pasta so this had my name written all over it!! My husband loved it too and said it was a definite keeper!!

Taco Pasta

adapted from Rachael Ray

1 lb whole grain penne pasta

1 lb ground turkey

1 lg onion, chopped and divided

1 lg jalapeno, halved, seeded and thinly chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp coriander

1 1/2 tbsp cumin

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/4 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

sour cream

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta is cooking, in a skillet cook meat until no longer pink. Add 3/4 of the onion, the jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, and salt and pepper. Cook until onion is soft. Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 1 minute and then stir in the stock.

Add the sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into serving dish and top with cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese. Top with remaining onion, tomatoes and lettuce. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 4-6

April Fool's Day

2010-04-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

Nothing special or exciting-just a fun idea

Monterey Chicken

2010-03-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

I was basically gone for the entire weekend and when I finally blew through the door on Sunday afternoon, I figured my poor husband could use and deserved a good, home cooked meal. The trick was staying awake long enough to cook it.

I must say, we were not disappointed-Monterey chicken, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh broccoli and cheesecake for dessert. Yum!!!
Monterey Chicken

adapted from double dipped life

2-4 chicken breasts

1/2 -1 cup bbq sauce

bacon, whatever kind you liked cooked

shredded cheddar cheese

tomatoes, chopped

green onion, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in preheat 350* oven for 20-40 minutes, depending on how large your chicken breasts are. Spread bbq sauce generously over each piece of chicken. Bake for another 10 minutes. Wrap cooked bacon around each piece of chicken, using as much or as little as you want and sprinkle with cheese. Place under broiler for 3-5 minutes to melt cheese and quickly combine flavors. Sprinkle with tomatoes and green onions. Enjoy!

Favorite Cupcakes

2010-03-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

I have become a total slacker at blogging. I just forget to take pictures and what's the point in posting a recipe if you can't see how good it looks? On St. Patrick's Day we had a dinner at church, so our corned beef and cabbage was postponed until Thursday night. It was yummy, I must say. We had a little St. Patrick's Day party with our neighbor kids and all the mom's brought something green for everyone to eat. I made these babies-my favorite cupcakes. They are moist and delicious-even 4 days after you make them. (We were still eating them last Sunday.) The cupcake batter was supposed to be green, but I was talking on the phone while I was making them, so I totally spaced it. Green frosting is still festive, right? Nothing fancy, just a good cupcake.
Velvet Cupcakes

picky palate

1 box yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 small box vanilla pudding

1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350*. Prepare pans by placing cupcake liners in muffin tins. Mix all ingredient together in a large mixing bowl on med-high speed until well mixed, 2-3 minutes. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (Mine actually only took about 14 minutes.)

Place on cooling rack and cook completely. Once cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe below), eat and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1 lb powdered sugar

food coloring if desired

Mix cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Gradually add in powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. You may need to add a splash of water and milk to help thin it out a bit.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Birthday Brunch

2010-03-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Every year my Mom, my cousin April and I always try to go out to breakfast sometime the end of spring to celebrate our birthdays. Last year we never made it out together-I have no idea why, we just didn't. Last week I had everybody down to my house for brunch. Mom April, Abby and Katy all came down and we ate well! I served some of my favorite breakfast foods and everybody loved it! April-these are for you.

Breakfast Sticky Buns

16-18 frozen dinner rolls

1 (3oz) pkg regular butterscotch pudding (not instant)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 stick melted butter

The night before, place frozen rolls in a well greased bundt pan. Sprinkle dry pudding mix over rolls. Sprinkle brown sugar over pudding, pecans over sugar and pour melted butter over all. Cover with damp towel or tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight at room temp for 8-10 hours. Preheat oven to 350*. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before turning onto serving plate.

Pull apart and enjoy!!

Breakfast Hashbrown Casserole

barbara bakes

Crust: 1 (24oz) shredded hashbrowns, fresh or thawed

1 egg, beaten

Topping: 7 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup ham

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

4 scallions, chopped

Heat oven to 450*. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Combine potatoes and egg; mix well. Spread mixture into prepared pan and pat down evenly to create a crust. Bake 10 minutes until edges start to crisp.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Scramble eggs in a non-stick skillet until set. Mix in ham and chopped veggies. Spread egg/veggie mixture over potato crust. Top with shredded cheese. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to crisp.

The Most Delicious French Toast You Will Ever Eat!!

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 loaf French bread, cut into thick slices

1-2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Preheat griddle or skillet. Spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 200*.

In a shallow dish, beat together eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Dip the slices of bread in egg mixture, then place on heated skillet and cook about 3 minutes each side, or until golden brown. Place on baking sheet in the warm oven to keep warm while you cook the rest of the bread.

In a saucepan, cook the butter and brown sugar. Stir together until the butter is melted. Add walnuts and toss to coat with the mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved and walnuts are fragrant. Stir the mixture into ricotta cheese.

Spread walnut mixture on individual pieces of French toast and serve with syrup below. Delicious!!!

Magelby's Famous Syrup

1/2 cup butter (not margarine)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

Heat butter, buttermilk and sugar in saucepan. Heat until boiling, stirring often. Boil for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir until well combined. Sere immediately over French toast, pancakes or waffles.

Keeps well in fridge, just needs to be reheated before serving. Amazing!!!

Lemon-Pepper Fettuccine

2010-03-06T15:04:00.000-08:00

I don't think I will ever eat "regular" fettuccine ever again. I LOVE the lemon in this recipe. It really gives it a refreshing flavor. Plus, it only takes about 20 minutes to make. Can't complain about that! It is not terribly figure friendly-but who cares! All things in moderation, right?

Lemon-Pepper Fettuccine

food network magazine

12 oz fettuccine

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large shallot, minced

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 large egg yolk

1-2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1/3 cups grated pecorino cheese, plus more for garnish

freshly ground pepper

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to pkg directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Whisk the cream, egg yolk and lemon zest in a bowl. Reduce the heat to low and add the cream mixture and cheese to the skillet. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to the skillet and toss, adding enough of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce. Garnish with additional cheese if desired.

Serves 4-6

Peanut Butter Heaven

2010-03-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

Monday was National Peanut Butter Lovers Day. So of course I had to make something with peanut butter for our treat that evening. I found this recipe the other day and as soon as I saw it I had to taste it! It is super rich, but delicious! You can serve the mousse by itself or serve it with a brownie or chocolate cupcake. Personally, the brownie is my favorite way to serve this. Throw a peanut butter cup on top and you have a great dessert to entertain with!

Peanut Butter Mousse

3 oz cream cheese, room temp

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup peanut butter

2 cups (cold) heavy cream

1 tbsp vanilla

Using a mixer, mix cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Put in fridge. Cream together cream cheese, sugar, milk and peanut butter. Fold in whipped cream. It may take a couple minutes, but it will come together. Refrigerate until cold. Serve as is or with another chocolate dessert.

YUMMY!!!

2010-03-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

A month ago I was called to be young women's president in our ward. Since then, Sunday's have been anything but a day of rest. Valentine's day was full of meetings and therefore-no cooking occurred. We had leftovers. I had a beautiful menu planned, but wasn't able to make it until this week. However, as I got dinner on the table, my kids decided to go wacko on me resulting in no nice tablecloth, no candles, and cold food by the time we sat down to eat. I was frustrated that it wasn't the nice, calm, romantic meal I had been hoping for, but I guess that is life. The food still tasted delicious (even though Tessa wouldn't touch it. I tried not to be offended.). Maybe next year will be a bit calmer-ha ha ha!

Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup honey

Bake pork tenderloin at 325* for about 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, combine vinegar and honey in a small saucepan. Simmer until reduced by half. Remove pork from oven, brush with reduced vinegar. Place under broiler until sauce is bubbly and starting to caramelized. Remove, turn, brush with vinegar and repeat. When finished, remove from oven and let rest 7-10 minutes before cutting. Drizzle with remaining vinegar.

Green Mashed Potatoes

redhead recipes

6 russet potatoes

1/2 bag frozen peas

4 tbsp butter

4 tbsp sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

milk

Boil potatoes until soft. Add in peas for last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain peas and potatoes. Add butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mash. Add milk as needed to obtain desired texture. Serve.

Catalina Apricot Chicken

2010-03-02T14:16:00.000-08:00

I had like 6 hours of meetings on Sunday-so I think those will be our crock-pot days from now on. I totally forgot to take a picture of this until I was putting all the food away. It doesn't look terribly appetizing, but it is good! I promise! This is one of our favorite chicken dinners.

Catalina Apricot Chicken

3-5 chicken breasts

1 cup Catalina dressing

1 pkg onion soup mix

1 cup apricot jam

Place chicken in greased slow cooker. In a bowl, combine other 3 ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Do not cook on high heat.

Serve over rice.

Serves 4-6

BBQ Meatballs

2010-02-25T18:49:00.000-08:00

These are super good-sweet and savory and very easy to make. I love making meatballs for dinner-I prefer them over meatloaf and there are so many ways to make them, depending on the kind of flavor you want. These were a crowd pleaser! You could even keep these warm in a crock-pot and serve them as appetizers without the rice.

BBQ Meatballs

redhead recipes

3 pieces white bread, crusts removed

milk

1 1/2 lbs ground beef ( I used ground turkey)

1 small onion, finely diced

1 tsp fresh garlic, grated

1 tbsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 egg

1 (12 oz) jar chili sauce (Homemade brand-it's the kind that comes in a roundish bottle)

1 (12oz) jar grape jelly

Tear bread into a few pieces and cover with milk. Combine meat and egg. Break bread into small pieces and combine with meat. Add other ingredients. Mix with hands until just combined. Don't over-mix! Roll into desired size balls. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 400* until almost done, 12-15 minutes. Combine chili sauce and jelly in saucepan to marry flavors. Add meatballs and warm. Serve over rice.

*Meatballs can be cooked and frozen (without the sauce)

*Meatballs can be used with spaghetti-just omit the sauce (obviously)

I'm Back!

2010-02-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

Okay-I am back! I don't know why I have had such a hard time keeping up with posts lately. Last week we were sick, so not a whole lot of cooking was going on. The kids lived on sandwiches and mac and cheese while the hubby and I were recovering.
Last night I jumped back in the game and made one of our favorites-Charred Chili Relleno's with Green Rice. It was so nice to eat real food again!!

Charred Chili Relleno's and Green Rice

4 cups chicken stock, divided

1 bay leaf

2 cups white rice

4 large poblano peppers

3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

3 cups frozen corn

1 red onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (28oz) can fire roasted tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

salt and pepper

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1 sack baby spinach (10oz)

4 scallions, coarsely chopped

1 lime

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Preheat the broiler or grill pan to high heat. Heat about 3-3 1/2 cups stock in a saucepan with a bay leaf to boil. Add the rice, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low and simmer 18 minutes or until tender. Place poblanos under broiler and char evenly all over 15 minutes.

Defrost corn and dry on a kitchen towel. Heat 2 tbsp of veg oil in skillet over high heat. When oil smokes, add corn, onion and jalapeno and toss until veggies are charred around edges and onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to med-high and add in garlic, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another minute or two and turn off pan.

Place cilantro, spinach, scallions, lime zest and 1/2 cup stock and 1 tbsp oil in food processor and process until coarse green paste. Stir the green paste into your rice just before serving. Squeeze lime juice over corn mixture. Split the peppers open, but not in half, with a sharp knife. Then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of corn mixture, mounding it out of peppers. Top with 1/4 cup cheese and place peppers back under broiler to melt and char the cheese. Serve the peppers alongside the green rice.

Serves 4