Pioneer Woman's Pecan Pie

The Pioneer Woman is always coming up with wonderful concoctions. Over Thanksgiving I made her pecan pie and it was a huge hit. You can also find this recipe on her site with lots of other tasty treats!

Ingredients:
1 whole unbaked pie crust
1 c white sugar
3 T brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1 c corn syrup (I used light colored)
1/4 t vanilla
1/3 c melted butter (salted)
3 whole eggs (beaten)
1 c (heaping) chopped pecans

Directions:
Mix white sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, vanilla, butter, and eggs in a bowl
Pour chopped pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell
Pour syrup mixture over the top
Cover the top and crust lightly with foil - bake at 350 for 30 minutes
Remove foil and bake another 20 min being careful not to burn the crust or pecans

Pie should not be overly jiggly when you remove it form the oven! If it shakes a lot, cover with foil and bake for an additional 20 min or until set.

Allow to cool for several hours or overnight.

Baked Penne

Me: "I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to go update the blog."
J: "Well, this is my NEW favorite. Seriously, can you make this again tomorrow?"

Baked Penne

Ingredients:
1/2 lb lean Italian sausage
1/2 c onion, chopped
1/2 c green bell pepper (I left this out this time around)
1 tub (10 oz) Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb cooking creme, divided
1 c shredded mozzarella, divided
3 c cooked penne pasta

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Brown meat with veggies in large skillet
Stir in 3/4 cooking creme and 1/2 c mozzarella
Cook and stir until mozzarella is melted
Lightly stir in pasta
Top with remaining cooking creme and mozzarella
Cover and bake 15 minutes
Uncover and bake additional 5 minutes

Okay...so as I was typing this I realized that when I made this dish it actually called for 24 oz spaghetti sauce!!!! I totally left it out but it was still delish! I will make it again and include the spaghetti sauce. Stay tuned to see how Bake Penne Take 2 turns out!!!

Pasta Fagioli

I love soup. I came to the realization that I'm drawn to soup recipes because they're easy, comforting, and an easy way to get J to eat veggies!!! This time of year is an excuse for me to make as much soup as I want and feel justified. :)

Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients:
2 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 c celery, chopped

2- 28 oz cans diced tomatoes

16 oz. kidney beans, drain

16 oz while kidney bean, drain

4 c beef stock

2 t oregano

2 t pepper

5 t parsley

1 t Louisiana hot sauce

20 oz traditional spaghetti sauce

8 oz pasta of choice

Directions:
Brown ground beef

Add all ingredients except pasta into slow cooker
Cook low 7-8 hours

Cook and add pasta

*We like a little kick so I think next time I may add more Louisiana or add some Rotel instead of just plain diced tomatoes.

Pesto Chicken and Pasta

This was pretty decent for a quick Italian meal that's not spaghetti :)

Pesto Chicken and Pasta

Marinade:
1/2 bottle  Lowry's herb and garlic
2 T pesto sauce
2 chicken breast

Sauce:
2 T olive oil
1 T minced garlic
2 T pesto
1/2 c chicken broth
8 oz tomato sauce
1 c half and half

Directions:
1. Slice chicken and marinade over night
2. Cook chicken in skillet then remove
3. Heat olive, garlic, pesto
4. Add broth, half and half, and simmer till cooked down
5. Add tomato sauce
6. Return chicken to skillet
7. Toss with 8 oz cooked pasta

Mexican Rice

Whelp...to quote J "Every time my wife cooks, I have a new favorite meal." While we were eating it he said that this meal tastes like the inside of a burrito. Well good! I love burritos but the flour tortilla does not like me. Plus you save some calories this way! This meal is super easy and does not have a lot of kick despite the red pepper content. I'll probably increase the amount of red pepper next time around!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c rice, cooked
1 t olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t paprika
1 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t garlic powder
1 t oregano
1 t red pepper flakes
15 oz black bean (drain)
15 oz tomato sauce
1 T cilantro
shredded cheese

Garnish:
sour cream
salsa

Directions:
Heat oven to 350
Cook olive oil, ground beef, onion, and all seasonings till done
Add cooked rice, black beans, tomato sauce, and cilantro
Mix well
Pour mixture into a baking dish
Sprinkle with shredded cheese
Bake 20 minutes with foil covering
Bake additional 5 minutes without foil
Sit 5 minutes (I didn't let it sit...we just ate!)

Cowboy Meatloaf

J has bumped this to be his new favorite! As I was making it he saw me get out the crispy onions, later after eating he goes "What did you need the crispy onions for?" Didn't even know they were in there! Point for the chef!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
3/4 c diced onion
1/3 c bread crumbs (this helps hold it together better, but I did fine without)
1/2 c BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Rays because there is no other)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 t chili powder
3/4 t salt
2/3 c evap. milk
1 T butter
1 c bacon crumbled
1/2 c crispy onions
2/3 c shredded cheese
1 pk. Ore-Ida Steam n' Mash Garlic (I found them at WinnDixie and had to add the garlic myself)

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375
Cook ground beef and diced onion together, drain
Combine beef, onion, breadcrumbs, BBQ sauce, egg, chili powder, and salt (mix well)
Press in a 9x9 baking dish and bake for 20 minutes
Cook potatoes while beef mixture is in oven
Mix potatoes, evaporated milk, butter and smash
Stir in bacon and crispy onions
Spread over beef mixture
Sprinkle with cheese
Broil 3-5 minutes

Let stand 3 minutes before serving to allow the meal to set.

3 Bean Chili

This will be my go to chili from now on because it's CHEAP! I will make our traditional beef chili once and a while, but I'm all about stretching a dollar.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 c vegetable broth
1 c diced onion
2 jalapeno peppers (removed seeds for less heat)
2 t chili powder
2 t cumin
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
30 oz black bean (drain)
2 - 14.5 oz can diced tomato*
15 oz pinto bean (drain)
15 oz kidney bean (drain)
*I plan to substitute with Rotel next time for some added kick.

For garnish:
Sour cream
Shredded cheese

Put all ingredients in slow cooker on low for 8 hours and voila! Dinner is served.

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

The word "chili" in the title threw me off from what I was expecting this meal to be. Either way it was tasty. I made it for the Clemson v. FSU game (GO NOLES!) and my in-laws loved it. J and I had the left overs the next day and it was just as good. Oh...and it's a crock pot recipe!!!

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
2 chicken breast, still frozen
1 can Rotel
1 can corn, do not drain (I used salt free)
1 can black beans, drain and rinsed
1 pack Ranch dressing mix
1 T cumin
1 t chili powder
1 t onion powder (I didn't have powder so I used dried minced)
8 oz. cream cheese

Directions:
Put the chicken in bottom of crock pot
Top with all ingredients
Cook on low 6-8 hours, stirring once or twice if possible
Shred the chicken with forks
Serve over rice

Easily serves 4

Mexican Pizza

I always enjoy making Mexican dishes. You know what you can add or leave out according to your taste and it's pretty difficult to mess up.

Mexican Pizza
Ingredients:
1/2 - 1 lb of ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T minced garlic
1 T chili powder
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t salt
15 oz. refried beans (I used fat free)
4-9 inch tortillas
1/2 c salsa
2 cups shredded cheese
2 green onions, chopped
2 T black beans

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Cook meat, onion, garlic in skillet until beef is browned, drain and return
Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper
Coat 2 pie plates with PAM (I used a small square baking dish and a pie dish, both turned out fine!)
Place one tortilla in each pie plate and cover with a layer of refried beans
Spread half the meat over each tortilla then cover with second tortilla
Bake for 10 minutes
Spread half the salsa on top of tortillas
Top each with half of the cheese, green onions, and black beans
Bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted
Cool, cut, and serve!

The recipe called to top them with olives and diced tomatoes and we don't like either. To add color I opted for the black beans. I had a small portion left in the fridge so why not! :)

"Cream of Soup"

I found this recipe on Pinterst and used it for the first time in my Crock Pot Italian Chicken. It worked AND it was delicious! I can't wait to try it out in other recipes I have that call for a "cream of something" soup.

Cream of Soup
Ingredients:
2 c non-fat dried milk
3/4 c cornstarch
1/4 c bullion (I used chicken...if you have cubes, you'll have to crush them)
3 T minced onions, dried
2 t Italian seasoning
1 t pepper
*For the equivalent of 1 can of cream of something soup you will need to mix 1/3 c mix with 1 1/4 c water.
*Makes 9, 10.5 oz cans

If you wanted to add mushrooms or bits of chicken you could. It worked just as well with just the mix in this recipe since it already has chicken in it! This actually turns out to be much cheaper than by the can and is gluten free! J and I aren't SUPER health freaks but we do try to make wise choices in the areas we can. Soups can be full of things I can't even pronounce. This soup eliminates some of that from our diet. I love being able to control what's in my food!!!

Crock-pot Italian Chicken

And I quote J, "This is my new favorite." This meal was packed full of flavor and is certainly a fix it and forget it. The chicken can go in thawed or frozen! Those are the best kind as I often forget to lay things out.

Crock-pot Italian Chicken

Ingredients:
2-4 boneless/skinless chicken breast (I used 2)
8 oz. cream cheese (let soften...I used a little less than 8 oz. because it's all I had handy)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used my homemade mix that I'll post next!)
1 package Italian dressing powder mix
Instant rice (I cooked 2 cups and have left overs)

Directions:
1. Soften cream cheese
2. Mix soup mix/water and Italian powder in crock pot
3. Add cream cheese and chicken
4. Cook on low 4-6 hours
5. Cook rice in microwave when ready to serve
6. Shred chicken - It easily shred in the crock pot - serve over rice

I will say it isn't one of those dishes that presents as well as it tastes! It looks just like some chicken and rice, but as stated before it is chock full o' flavor!

Cake Batter Blondies

There are two blondie recipes I'm attempting. I attempted the Cake Batter Blondie the other night when J's family came over for dessert. It was a hit! Super easy since it comes from a box of cake mix too. I served it warm with vanilla ice cream on top.

Cake Batter Blondies
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 c milk (stir in slowly)
1/4 c sprinkles

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350
Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl
Add milk slowly - you want the batter to remain as dense as possible so they are more "blondie" than cake
Mix the sprinkles in last
Spread into an 8x8 baking dish or pan
Bake 25-30 minutes

Jalapeno Stuffed Chicken

I made this for supper tonight and it turned out rather tasty. I was afraid it would turn out to have too much heat to it, but alas it was perfect. It was very flavorful. The recipe will easily fill 4 chicken breasts. I only used 2 and had a good portion of the cream cheese mix left over.

Jalapeno Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients:
2 slices bacon, cooked/crumbled (I used turkey bacon)
2 jalapenos, chopped (seeds removed for less kick)
6 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 c breadcrumbs
2 T lime juice
1 T olive oil
4 chicken breasts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450
Line a baking dish or pan with foil and spray
Combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, onion, jalapenos, and bacon
Mix olive oil and lime juice (I also added a dash of salt and pepper)
Flatten chicken
Fill chicken with 2 T of the mix, roll, and hold shut with toothpick
Dip chicken in olive oil mix
Dip in breadcrumbs
Place in dish and bake for 25-30 minutes

Blueberry Yum Yum

Once again, summers are for desserts that include blueberries and lemon! This dessert was delicious. I do believe the crust was my favorite part of the whole thing. I suppose you could use other pie fillings as well. I think cherry and strawberry would both work nicely with this recipe.

Blueberry YumYum
1st layer
Ingredients:
1/2 c butter (1 stick margarine)
1/2 c brown sugar, packed
1 c self-rising flour (however I used my gluten free flour)
1 c pecans, chopped fine
Directions:
Preheat over to 350
Mix all ingredients until crumbly
Press in bottom of 9x13 baking dish
Bake 15-20 minutes

2nd layer
Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz cool whip
2 c powdered sugar
Directions:
Mix ingredients together until smooth
Spread over completely cooled crust (I put it in the freezer to speed up the cooling process)

3rd layer
Ingredients:
21 oz blueberry pie filling
Whipped topping, optional (I did not use the topping)
Directions:
Spread over cream cheese layer
Cover and refrigerate several hours before serving.

From Scratch Banana Pudding

We were attending a get together with some friends and I was in charge of dessert. I always try to do something different and I'm allergic to cinnamon and J is allergic to chocolate. So....our dessert options are usually pretty limited. I'm researching and expanding out dessert menu though! A friend asked if I had a banana pudding recipe because she loves it. Well...I had one in my cookbook, but I had never made it. I stepped out of my comfort zone and it turned out pretty tasty. It was a little sweeter than I anticipated but everyone seemed to enjoy it. I actually made two new desserts that evening and will post the other recipe later.

From Scratch Banana Pudding
Ingredients for pudding:
2/3 c sugar
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
2 c milk
2 eggs, separated (whites for meringue)
1 t vanilla
3 bananas
vanilla wafers
Ingredients for meringue:
2 egg whites
1/4 c sugar

Directions for pudding:
-In a sauce pan combine sugar, flour, and salt. Mix in milk, egg yolks, and vanilla. Bring to a rolling boil and cook until thick. (Mine never came to a rolling boil, it just got thick)
-Line a baking dish with vanilla wafers and pour pudding over wafers, then top with sliced bananas. Continue to layer wafers, pudding, and bananas until pan is full.
-Cover with meringue
Directions for meringue:
-Preheat oven to 425
-Beat egg whites until stiff, then slowly add sugar
-Done when it forms a peak when you remove beaters
-Spread over pudding and bake until golden brown on top

Kitchen Tip

The other week I was at my parents and my dad was making tea. J is a big tea drinker and it's always a bummer when it's so freshly made that it's still warm. Well...I don't know why this never crossed my mind, but my dad  put a little bit of water in and then was filling a large glass full of ice and putting it in the pitcher and stirring it until it melted and then adding more! Voila! When he was done stirring and the ice was melted down, the tea was cold! I then carried the practice over to when I was making some pink lemonade the other day. It did not need near as much ice since there was nothing hot involved. Sheer genius. I love little things that make life simpler.

Breakfast Burritos

Breakfast bars get so expensive to purchase and often have lots of sugar in them. These will even be easy to make when school starts back up and we're both super busy. J and our friend A ate them right up. We still have a load in the freezer too! It took me a little over an hour to make these, but it was way cheaper than the nasty trash bars we were buying and I'm pretty sure I could have done it more efficiently and will work on shaving some time off next time I make them!

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients:

2 lb bacon, crumbled (I used turkey)

2 lb breakfast sausage (I used Jimmy Dean reduced fat)

1 large onion, chopped

1 c diced bell pepper (I just used a large green bell)

20 eggs

36 fajita sized flour tortillas

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp)

Directions:

1. I cook my bacon in the microwave on a strainer. If you don't, this is the step you cook them in the skillet ;) Drain the grease from the bacon and set the bacon aside on a paper towel.

2. In a skillet brown and crumble the sausage until cooked through. Drain and set sausage aside on paper towels.

3. Saute the onion and bell pepper until the onion is translucent and the peppers are on the softer side.

4. While the onion and pepper are cooking, crack and scramble those 20 eggs! (I've heard suggestions to scramble large amounts in a blender...but I hate cleaning my blender :))

5. Once the bell pepper and onion are cooked, add the eggs and cook just as you would for regular ol scrambled eggs. Once they're cooked, add the bacon and sausage back to the mix.

6. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let sit about 5 minutes.

7. Warm your tortillas (I used the microwave) to prevent them from cracking when you make the burritos

8. Use 1/4 c filling for each burrito

9. Continue making them until you run out of filling!

Once all of your burritos are made place them in a freezer bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. Frozen burritos will store for 2-3 months in regular freezer bags! With a food saver they should last 5-6 months.

To eat, wrap loosely in a paper towel, place on a plate in the microwave and cook for 1 minute on each side. J put Louisiana on his and A used a little salsa!

*You could stretch the recipe even further by cooking up some hash browns and using them as added filler for the burritos!

The BIG 5-0

Wishing my wonderful mother-in-law a happy 50th birthday!

She doesn't look a day over 29 ;)

Sunny Lemon Bars

Summer is made for berry and citrus desserts! This is easy to make and always a hit when I make it. I found this recipe on Betty Crocker a few years back. I've seen a few renditions of it before, but this is the easiest one I've found thus far.

Sunny Lemon Bars
Ingredients:
Crust
1 pouch sugar cookie mix (I use the Betty Crocker brand)
1/2 c butter (softened)
Filling
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 c granulated sugar (that's the regular sugar ;))
1/4 c flour
1 T grated lemon peal
1/4 c lemon juice
2 T powdered sugar


Directions:
Heat over to 350
Beat crust ingredients on low until crumbly
In 13x9 pan, press mix evenly
Bake 20 minutes - then cool for 10 minutes


Stir filling ingredients except lemon juice
Stir in lemon juice
Pour over crust
Bake 25-30 minutes until top is light golden brown
Cool for 1 hour
Sprinkle with powdered sugar


I'm honestly not sure why it tells you to stir all of the filling ingredients except lemon juice at first. I believe once I forgot that I wasn't supposed to add it right away, and I think it turned out fine. I'm sure the almighty cooking powers know better than I.

Pork Tips and Rice

Pork chops are often buy one get one free. I found a recipe on Pinterest (of course) and thought I would give it a shot. We do not generally eat pork...not because of some anti-pig diet, but simply because we've never really had a love for it. We even use turkey bacon. One of J's favorite comfort foods is beef tips and rice. When I set out to cook this recipe I didn't know that it would leave a nice little gravy with the pork chops. Once it cooked rice was the perfect thing to pair with it. I also over cooked the chops because I was running errands. All this caused was for the pork chops to fall apart, which was just right for what I was making! It was super easy and a nice comfort meal indeed. I also had some mixed veggies with mine, but that was a step too far for J :).


Pork Tips and Rice
Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can water
1 packet ranch powder


Directions:
Mix soup, water, and powder in crock pot
Place pork chops in mixture
Cook on low 4-6 hours


See! Super easy!!! I can even remember the ingredients off the top of my head. Very convenient when list making and shopping.

Roast

Simple. Classic. Delicious.

Roast
Ingredients:
2-5 lb pot roast (any kind)
1 packet ranch dressing powder
1 packet Italian dressing powder
1 packet brown gravy mix
Potatoes
Carrots
1-1 1/2 c water

Directions:
Place veggies at bottom of crockpot
Put roast on top of veggies
Sprinkle all 3 spice packets on top
Add water
Cook on low for 6-10 hours until tender and veggies cooked through

Strawberry Cookies

These are dangerous. I could have ate the entire batch the evening I made them. Alas, I showed self control and refrained from devouring them. J stated they may be his new favorite kind of cookies and this man knows his cookies :). I think strawberry and lemon desserts are perfect for summer and these are super easy. Also, a dessert that it is easy to have on hand for last minute occasions or unexpected company.


Strawberry Cookies
Ingredients:
1 box strawberry cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil


Directions:
Mix eggs and oil
Stir in cake mix
Drop teaspoon fulls onto greased cookie sheet
Cook on 350 for 8-10 minutes


Voila! You have semi-homemade cookies!

Minestrone

I honestly haven't had this recipe. I was at my mom's house for a Thirty-One party and I had put this in the crockpot so J would have a meal when he got home. He then took what was left throughout the week to work for lunch. He's a picky eater and he loved it. I believe he said, "This is my favorite meal with spinach in it so far." Victory in my book. He also said once it cooked it was thick enough so he didn't add the pasta...DOUBLE VICTORY! He ate a soup that contained only vegetables! He is certainly not the man I married...getting better with age I suppose ;)


Minestrone
Ingredients:
1/2 onion, chopped
1 c carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
28 oz. diced tomatoes
15 oz navy bean, rinse/drain (or any white bean)
3 c chicken broth
1 oz Parmesan cheese
1 rosemary sprig (I just eyeballed some dried rosemary)
2 bay leaves
2 T basil
1 T minced garlic
1/4 c fresh parsley (Just eyeballed dried parsley as well)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c zucchini, chopped
2 c spinach, thaw/drain
2 c cooked pasta


Directions:
Combine broth, beans, carrots, celery, onion, seasonings, Parmesan
Cook in crockpot on low 6-8 hours
40 minutes before done add zucchini and spinach
Add cooked pasta just before serving


Makes 6, 1 1/2 cup servings

Taco Bake

Not sure of the true name of this dish, but I keep calling it Taco Bake...so Taco Bake it shall be called! This meal is SUPER easy and one you can whip up when plans change or you forgot to plan ahead. Tastes just like a taco but with out all the up and down to prep or falling apart taco as you eat. You could add sour cream and lettuce once baked if you wanted.
*I wanted to get more out of the meal so I made some changes. I used 18 taco shells instead of 12 and I added black beans. You could also use refried beans as well!

Taco Bake
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 c salsa
3/4 c water
4 oz diced chilies
1 pack taco seasoning
18 taco shells
1 can black beans
2 c cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 375
Greese a 13x9 pan
Cook beef and onion together, drain
Stir in salsa, water, chilies, and seasoning, mix well
Cook about 4 minutes on stove top
Layer shells, meat mix, and cheese
Bake 20-25 minutes

Grilled Cajun Ranch

I was brave and cooked a brand new recipe while having guests over. Fortunately it turned out to be delicious and certainly something I will be cooking again in the near future.
With all the ingredients it sounds complicated, but it's really simple and even tastier!


Grilled Cajun Ranch

Chicken Marinade Ingredients:
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c ranch dressing
3 T Worcestershire
3 T Cajun seasoning (I used creole)
2 t salt
1 t lemon juice
1 t white vinegar
1/4 t black pepper
1 T white sugar
4 chicken breast
Directions:
Stir chicken seasoning and let stand 5 minutes
Thin out chicken
Put in Ziploc bag and coat
Refrigerate for 2 hours
Grill chicken then serve with 16 oz pasta of your choice


Sauce:
2 1/2 c heavy whipping cream (or evaporated milk)
3 clove crushed garlic
1 T pepper
2 t Cajun seasoning (once again I used creole)
1/4 c butter
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Mix ingredients over medium-low heat in a sauce pan
Cook for 5-6 minutes

Spinach and Pepper Jack Stuffed Chicken

I've been on a cooking hiatus this past week. I got into a fight with my cheese grater and lost...badly. I tried this recipe and a few others before the dreadful incident, but couldn't even use my hand to type! I'm on the mend and now have a hatred for my once beloved cheese grater. 


This quote from my vegetable hating husband sums up the awesomeness of this dish: "You're going to make me like spinach."


Spinach and Pepper Jack Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 c frozen spinach, thaw and drain
2 T veg. oil
2 T Cajun seasoning (I used creole seasoning)
1 T breadcrumbs
Salt to taste (I didn't use any)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Flatten chicken to 1/4 inch thick
Combine cheese, spinach, salt, and pepper
Combine Cajun seasoning and bread crumbs together
Spoon 1/4 c of the spinach mix onto each piece of chicken
Then roll each piece tightly and fasten with toothpicks
Brush each chicken breast with veg. oil
Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning mix evenly over all pieces
Place chicken seam-side down on tin foil lined baking sheet
Bake 35-40 minutes or until cooked through

French Dip

The title of this post was supposed to be Black Bean Chicken Chili...however as I began to type the recipe I realized I had left some ingredients out while cooking it! Guess I'll just have to make it again and post both versions later. :) As for tonight we had one of my fall back favorites. French Dips. It's not something last minute you can make as it is a crockpot recipe. However, it is a fix it and forget about it type meal. Great for school days where I know I won't get home until late and so dinner is already made when I get home!

French Dips

Ingredients:

4 lb chuck roast

1 T minced garlic

1 T dried rosemary

3 bay leaves

1 c soy sauce (I use low sodium)

6 c water

Directions:

Place roast in crockpot

Season with garlic, rosemary, bay leaves

Pour in soy sauce and water

Cook on low 6-10 hours

Place in hamburger buns (or your choice of bread) and top with cheese (I use swiss)

Dip sandwich in sauce left in pot

The longer this roast cooks, the more tender it becomes. It literally falls apart as I take it out of the crockpot.

Berry Cake

This Sunday I decided to tote my Berry Cake recipe to my parents for lunch. I wanted to try to recipe because it sounded SUPER easy, but I knew that I should not leave an entire cake at our house for just J and I to eat. I love homemade food, and I especially love homemade food that is simple. We all have busy lifestyles and the only time I can try something fancy is during the summer months. However, when invited to an event where a dish is requested I do not like to purchase a pre-made item. Perhaps it was my southern upbringing and having a mother and mother-in-law who are big cooks...I don't want to disappoint ya know ;). All that said to say this...this is one of those recipes you can store the ingredients away for those last minute occasions and even pop it in the oven while you get dressed and it's ready when you are!


Berry Cake

Just in the oven

Finished product

Ingredients:
1 box angel food cake mix
1 (22 oz) can berry pie filling (I used blueberry)
*I sprinkled the top with sifted confectioners sugar to spiff it up, but it's not necessary
Directions:
Mix pie filling and cake mix
Pour into a 9x13 dish
bake 350 degrees for 28-30 minutes (I did 28)
DONE!
Some things I was unaware of before making:
*Angel food cake mix is VERY fine. When I poured it into the bowl there was a cloud of mix billowing in the kitchen. Then the cloud reappeared when I poured in the pie filling. Then again when I began stirring :).
*I would pour in pie filling first, closely and slowly pour cake mix and carefully fold until incorporated. 
*Angel food cake rises like mad in the oven. When I took the cake out it looked like it was going to over flow.
*It did not over flow and in fact sank quite a bit as it cooled.
*It looks burnt when it comes out.
*It's really not and tastes delicious.
*Powered sugar and a lid on a warm cake do not end well.
*This was just me not thinking things through. The sugar melted on the way to my parent's house. It was still tasty...just not as pretty.
Note: If you test any of these recipes and enjoy them or tweak them please let me know! Also, if there is anything you would like to see on the blog suggestions are welcomed!

Lazy Lasagna Soup

You know those days where you realize you forgot to defrost something, it's not in the budget to eat out, and you're in a time crunch? Today was one of those days. I went on a limb and tried a new recipe...and it is delish! I found this one on another person's blog and gave it a whirl. There's plenty to eat tomorrow and to freeze some! Oh, and to top it off it's a one pot meal...less dishes!


Note that on any of my recipes where it says chopped, I chop it in a handy chopper until it's pretty fine. I have a picky eater in the household and if he can't see it, he'll eat it! "Hiding the healthy" is what I call it. :)

Lazy Lasagna Soup






Ingredients:
1 c chopped zucchini (I had a medium sized zucchini and I just chopped the whole thing)1/2 c chopped onion
1 lb Italian sausage (I used just a half pound and it worked out just as well...depends on how much meat your prefer)
3 garlic cloves (I added 2 T of minced garlic)
26 oz. spaghetti sauce (I used traditional flavor Great Value brand)
30 oz beef broth (I used the whole 32 oz. carton low sodium)
1 c water
1 1/2 c pasta (I used 2 cups)
basil (I used about a teaspoon)

Preparing:
1. Chop zucchini and set aside
2. Cook sausage, add onions and garlic
3. Add spaghetti sauce, broth, water, and noodles
4. Bring to a boil and cook until noodles are done
5. Stir in zucchini and cook 2-4 minutes
6. Add basil

The directions recommend that if you're going to freeze the recipe to not add the noodles into the whole mix. I'm not sure how freezing the noodles would work out. If freezing thaw, add 1-2 cups water and add noodles. If you add the noodles and then eat for lunch the next day, it turns into more of a pasta dish. I keep the noodles seperated. 

Potato Soup

I've had terrible experiences with potato soup recipes. Jared never complains about my cooking, buuuuuut this one time I made potato soup and well, cooking with milk/flour is tricky. I burnt the bottom portion of the soup and didn't realize it. I didn't even swallow the first bite that I took. Jared kept eating and I kept trying to tell him it was okay that he didn't have to eat it. Finally, he caved and admitted he couldn't eat anymore.

So, it was a leap of faith for me to try this recipe. I thought since it was in a crockpot it should be easier. And it was so much easier and tasty too! I believe this one is via Betty Crocker.

Crockpot Potato Soup

Ingredients:

32 oz. hash browns (thaw)

1/2 c chopped onion

1/2 c chopped celery

32 oz. chicken broth (I use the 99% fat free/low sodium)

1 c water

3 T flour (I use gluten free flour)

2 c shredded cheese

1/4 c bacon bits

1/4 c green onion

1. In a crockpot mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth, and water

2. Cook on low 6-8 hours

*Warning: do not overcook or over stir or potatoes will    turn to mush

3. Mix flour into milk - stir mix into crockpot

4. Increase heat to high and cook 20-30 minutes or until thickens

5. Stir in cheese, garnish with green onion and bacon bits

Creamy Tomato Basil Meatballs

Jared informed me that this is probably one of his favorite recipes that I make. Not surprising since it a) falls in the Italian food category b) has a tomato based sauce and c) has some form of cheese in it. :) It's fairly easy to make and it really makes two meals at once since half of the batch can be frozen.


Prep: Heat oven to 400 degrees - line a cookie sheet w/ foil and spray
Ingredients:

1.5 lb ground beef
1 pack stuffing mix

1 1/4 c water

1 egg

4 oz. cream cheese

24 oz. spaghetti sauce

2 T basil

Making the Meatballs:
1. Combine ground beef, stuffing mix, water, and egg together in a bowl. Mix well.

2. Form meatballs (about a tablespoon worth) and place on cookie sheet.

3. Cook for 16-18 minutes or until done.

Making the Sauce:

1. Pour spaghetti sauce into skillet and heat on medium heat.

2. Cube cream cheese and place in sauce. (If you don't cube the cream cheese it can be difficult to get it to mix well)

3. Add basil to sauce mix.

4. Add meatballs once cooked.

Serve over your choice of pasta. I use whole grain spaghetti noodles.

The meatball mixture will make MORE than enough. I freeze half the batch for later use. To reheat frozen batch, I thaw at room temperature, pop them in the oven for a bit, and then place in sauce.

*New at the whole blog...forgot to take a picture of the finished product!

Supper with the Smith's

The kitchen is my favorite room in the house. The smells, the sounds, the tastes. It's also the heart of the home where there is no T.V., no computer, no cell phones. A place of prayer, of togetherness and a time to tell about the day.

I've always loved to have my hand in the kitchen. From a young age of simply licking the cake batter covered spoon to my teenage years of taking over meal making so it was ready when my parents got home. Now I have a kitchen of my own to make a happy and healthy place in my home. I'm always trying new recipes and tweaking old ones. I'm often asked at the lunch table at work what it is I'm eating, so I thought I would compile all the yummy treats that are a success in the kitchen to one place to share! My meals are generally easy to make and have simple ingredients (and often offer plenty of leftovers for the two of us).


Hang in there with me as I beautify the blog and figure this whole venture out!

Let's Eat!