Kidman's Kitchen

Broccoli Bacon Salad

2009-09-13T22:16:00.000-07:00

I love this recipe, but it's a hard one to write down. I do it different every time, so hopefully you get the gist of it!

The Goods

4-5 stalks of broccoli, florets only, cut into small pieces

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 package bacon, cooked till crisp

sunflower seeds

red onion

mayo

red wine vinegar
sugar

Fill bowl with cut broccoli florets(eyeball amount), add shredded cheese, sunflower seeds (just eyeball amount), chopped red onion (eyeball amount again). Cook bacon, and crumble. Set aside till ready to serve.

Dressing

1 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbs red wine vinegar. I usually make a pretty big salad and have to double or triple the dressing, it's another one of those eyeball it moments...

Add dressing and broccoli just before serving and enjoy! I also make the dressing ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguine

2009-09-13T22:05:00.000-07:00

Another mykitchencafe. I know, I know. I have an addiction.

I think the name is quite misleading for this recipe. There is lemon involved, though we barely tasted it. (Which is a good thing, cause we don't love a strong lemon taste). To me, it was just so light, and the chicken. Oh the chicken! The marinade is perfection. We couldn't stop eating it!

The Goods

1 package of linguine

2 tbs olive oil

zest from 1 lemon

juice from 1 lemon (we used about 3/4 of the lemon juice, just because we didn't want it very lemony, and it was just tasty!)

3 green onions chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup grated parm

Marinade (YUMMO)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tbs Cajun seasoning

juice of 1 lemon

2 tbs fresh minced parsley

2 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs soy sauce

2 chicken breast sliced thin

Combine marinade ingredients and chicken in zip lock bag and let it sit for a good 3-4 hours.

When you are ready to cook, pour entire contents of the bag into a skillet, and let the chicken cook through.

Combine juice of lemon, parsley, lemon zest, olive oil, and green onions in a small bowl and set aside.

While the chicken is sauteing, cook linguine in boiling salted water till cooked. Drain and return to pot. Pour your lemon juice, parsley, grn onion mixture in with the pasta and stir to coat. When he chicken mixture is cooked add the pasta mixture to the pan and stir through, adding parm as you go.

Serve warm and devour!

Pepper Jack rolls

2009-09-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Another one from mykitchencafe. (I really should start cooking my own recipes again, but hers are so much better!) If you are actually reading my sad little cooking blog you really should just go to hers instead! :)

These were so good, so easy, and so different. I LOVE these rolls and already can't wait to make them again. We love pepper jack around here!

The Goods

Dough

4 1/2 tsp. of Instant yeast

1/2 cup warm h20

1 cup lukewarm milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cups softened butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

5-6 cups flour

Filling

8 oz. of pepper jack cheese, cut into 15 cubes.

Topping

2 tbs. butter
1/4 cup italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parm cheese

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water. (I just realized I used the whole egg...they turned out great so I hope that doesn't matter!):)

Mix all the dough ingredients together till the dough is soft and elastic. Don't add too much flour or the rolls will be heavy, just enough that it's not too sticky. Place in a buttered bowl, cover and let raise for 20-30 minutes in a warm place.

Punch the dough down, and knead for a minute getting the dough soft again. Separate into 15 pieces, then take each piece and form in a small ball shape. Take your cheese cube and stuff from the bottom up, then pinch the bottom closed and set on a greased 9 by 13 pan.

Let raise again for 20-30 minutes till the rolls have risen and doubled in size.

While the rolls are raising, mix the butter, bread crumbs, and parm together in a small bowl, and mix you egg yolk and water in another. When the rolls are done raising brush with the egg mixture and then add your crumb mixture on top.

Bake for 15-18 minutes (my actually need about 20), at 375. They should be lightly brown on top. Serve warm, so they ooey, gooey, and perfect!

Sunflower Cake

2009-09-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

My mother in law loves sunflowers, so for her b-day this year we made this darling cake. Just thought I would share.

1 round chocolate cake mix

2 boxes of Twinkies

chocolate frosting

chocolate chips

yellow frosting

Cook your round cake and let it cool. Once it's cool frost in with the chocolate frosting and place in the center of a large round platter. Place chocolate chips all over the top of the cake. Next lay twinkies side by side around the cake. Frost with yellow frosting, dabbing the bottom of the spoon over the top so the frosting has peaks in it.

That's it! So easy and so cute!

Breakfast Pullaparts

2009-08-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

I found these beauties over at pickypalate.com. (Her site is amazing and her food is Delicious, not to mention her pictures are drool worthy(so much better than mine) ...check it out.)

These were so much fun, and we all really enjoyed them, though next time I am making them with spinach and bacon...and mozzarella. Yum.

She used Texas sided baking cups for hers, and I realized I didn't have that size just before I made them, so I used a 12 cup pan and made them smaller. I had to alter the recipe a bit to make them work though. To get her recipe click here....And below is my alteration with the smaller cups.

The Goods

1 Can Pillsbury biscuits

1 Cup Broccoli or Spinach, cooked.

1/2 Cup Bacon or Sausage, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces

5 eggs

3 tbs milk

1 Cup shredded cheese of choice

Preheat oven to 350 and spray muffins tins with cooking spray. Cut your biscuits into 8 triangles and put 4 or 5 triangles in each tin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next sprinkle meat and vegetable inside each tin over the biscuits. Next mix your milk and eggs together and pour inside each baking cup. Use a fork to make sure the eggs spread around each side of the biscuit squares. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 28-30 minutes, or till the cheese is melted and browned and a toothpick comes out clean when put in the center. Let Cool for a few minutes before removing them from the tins.

We served them with hash browns and called it dinner... yum.

She recommends serving it with Colulla hot sauce...we had none and they were fantastic without it.

Chicken Tortillini Bake

2009-07-12T23:30:00.000-07:00

Another delicious recipe from My Kitchen Cafe. If you can't tell, we love pasta. It's something that actually pleases every single person in the family, which isn't really as easy as you'd think!

This one was so easy, peasy, and just yummy.

The Goods

16 ounce package of cheese tortellini

(I used bertolli, like always)

1 tbs oil

2 cups (about 2 chicken breasts) chicken cut up into bite size pieces

3 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts

2 tbs flour

1 cup chicken broth

8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

8 oz (2 cups) shredded Monterrey jack cheese

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook your tortellini for a few minutes. (It will continue cooking while baking, so you just need to get the process started). Drain and set aside.

Heat you oil in a large nonstick skillet, and add chicken pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and green onions till chicken is cooked through and the veggies are softened. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir for a few minutes. Next add the chicken broth, and stir till thickened. Then add the sour cream, and let sit till it is warmed through, and creamy.

Spray 13 by 9 inch pan with pam. Add the tortellini, half the cheese, the chicken mixture, and then the rest of the cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 more minutes till it is bubbly and melty, and gooey too!

Enjoy!

Twix Cookies

2009-07-12T23:20:00.001-07:00

My husband is a LOVER of Twix candy bars. They are his weakness and there is always room for one in his opinion. The other day I decided to combine my love of Chocolate chip cookies, with his love of the Twix bar.

Magic.

I will warn you not to expect a whole lot of the crunchy shortcake that is found in the bottom layer of the twix, it seems to disappear, but the melted caramel and chocolate make this cookie so delicious!

The only flaw is that the Carmel melts and makes a pretty big mess. I found, after a few pans cooked, that the easiest way to get the cookie to keep it's round form and get it off without it sticking to everything, is to wait till the cookies are completely cool.

The Goods

2 sticks softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

chocolate chips

3 twix bars

Pre-heat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars till well combined. Add eggs and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients, and add slowly till just blended. Chop twix bars into small pieces, and add as many chocolate chips as your heart desires.

Place tbs sized balls on baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between (these cookies spread a bit while cooking due to the yummy caramel!)...

Let cool, remove, and enjoy!

Skillet Chicken, with Broccoli, Pasta, and Parmasean

2009-04-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

Another one from mykitchencafe. I love trying out her recipes, it seems they always work for me. We LOVE this one. Each person in our family is excited when I make it, and it is great reheated too. She got this one from "The best skillet Recipes from Cook's Illustrated" cookbook. She adapted teh recipe to serve 4-6 people, and this amount was PLENTY for our family with plenty of leftovers.

I'll star any changes I made to her reicpe.

The Goods

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares

Table salt and ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

4 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 package good seasons italian seasoning (optional)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

12 ounces ziti

4 1/4 cups water

2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4-5 cups broccoli florets

1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse *I didn't rinse mine. I LOVE the flavor of sun-dried tomatoes and this infused the oil perfectly.

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup grated parmesan

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. *I added some Good Seasons Italian seasoning the second time I cooked this and I think it added a bit to the flavor*. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and then add your onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pasta, 3 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. In her recipe she says that the broth will be thick and syrupy and almost all the way absorbed into the noodles. This has NEVER worked for me. It thickens a bit, but is never super syrupy. *The first time it worried me, and I tried to drain some of the broth, but then the final product wasn't "saucy" enough. The second time I just let it be and it ended up just fine. Don't worry if your broth isn't like syrup.* Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 1 1/4 cups water (I only add 1 cup)*. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and is almost tender, 2-3 minutes.Uncover and return the heat to medium-high. Stir in the cream, parmesan, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing more grated parmesan at the table, if desired.

Black and White Cheesecake Squares

2009-04-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

My sister has a recipe for these that I love, but when I saw these on mykitchencafe.blogspot.com, I knew I had to try them. (Take a look at her blog too, her recipes are fantastic!) These brownies are as good as she says they are.

She got these from Martha Stewart Living.

The Goods

Nonstick cooking spray

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup pwowdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.

In another bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture slowly just to blend. Reserve 1 cup of dough, cover, and refrigerate. Press the remaining dough into bottom of prepared dish and Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Bake until the edges are puffed, 22-25 minutes (22 was perfect for me). Make sure you don't burn this bottom layer or it will get hard and ruin the brownies! Let the brownies cool completely. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and remaining egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl. Spread over cooled base; crumble reserved dough on top. Bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in dish, serve and enjoy. Keep these in the frige for up to 3 days.

Fruit Dip

2009-04-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

My friend Tana made this at Bunco a while back, and it is really delicious. And SO easy.

The Goods

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese

1 jar of Marshmellow cream

1 tsp. of vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together, and serve with fruit of your choice. That's all there is too it!

Dinner Rolls

2009-02-11T22:21:00.000-08:00

This year I am proud to say that I have mastered homemade rolls! I love my mom's recipe, but I can't seem to ever make them perfectly! I got this recipe from Sophia, and after a few tries have finally figured them out! They are buttery and perfect! Thanks Sophia! I stole the recipe from your blog ;).

Place in mixing bowl:
3 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 cup warm, but not hot, water
1/2 cup sugar, sprinkled evenly around the yeast and water.
Let this sit for 20 minute until the yeast has risen.

While the yeast is rising, heat up 2 cups of milk in the microwave for 2 minutes. As soon as you take it out add 1 stick of butter and let it melt inside the milk.

After your 20 minutes rising time,

Add to the mixing bowl:

2 eggs
2 Tbsp. salt
4 cups of flour

Pour the now warm milk over the flour, eggs, yeast mixture. Mix, adding more flour and kneading until the dough is light and moist. I add flour until the dough stops sticking to the sides of the bowl as it is mixed. I usually add about 7 cups of flour total, but it just depends on the day. Just add the flour till the dough isn't sitcking to the sides too much. I let it knead in my mixer for about 10 minutes, then let it sit for 30 in buttered bowl. (If you are in a hurry, you can rush the first rising by placing the dough into a well greased bowl and covering it with a damp cloth completely. Place it in the microwave on the lowest setting for ten minutes.) Then, form the rolls into balls or ropes or three little mini-balls placed together in well-buttered muffin tins. Make sure that the pan is lathered in butter. Let raise for 30 more minutes. Bake at 400° until the rolls are golden brown. (about 17 minutes.)

Chicken Florentine

2009-02-11T22:17:00.000-08:00

I realize that this picture isn't the best, but this dinner was delish. Full of spinach and my kids still ate it!

8 oz. dried bow tie pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz.)
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions
Chicken florentine
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In medium skillet cook onion in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.
2. In bowl whisk together eggs, milk, seasoning, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir in chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, half of the Parmesan, cooked pasta, and onion. Transfer to 3-quart rectangular baking dish.
3. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. In small bowl combine remaining Parmesan, bread crumbs, paprika, and melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over pasta. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until golden.

Chicken Ring

2009-02-11T22:10:00.000-08:00

The Goods

2 pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls
2 c shredded chicken
1 1/2 c coarsely chopped broccoli
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c diced red pepper
1 c mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed

salt and pepper to taste

Put 1 package of chicken breasts in the crockpot for about 4 hours with a small amount of water covering the bottom. Add one packet of good seasons dry italian dressing, and let cook till you can shred the chicken. (About 4 hours). You can use any shredde chicken, but I think cooking it this way packs the chicken full of flavor and makes it extra tender.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine chicken (slightly cooled), broccoli,cheese, bell pepper, mayo, salt and garlic; mix well.
Lay crescent rolls out into a circular shape, overlapping slightly.
Scoop filling evenly onto pastry. Fold tips of crescents loosely over top of filling.

Cook for 20-23 minutes.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-02-01T23:17:00.000-08:00

These are superb! I made them today and I do believe Travis is in heaven....

The Goods
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (opt)
1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups quick oats

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Sift together flour, soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream together shortening and sugars; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in hot water, vanilla and flour mixture.
Add remaining ingredients; mix well.
Drop from heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheet.
Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. (10 works for me, and they are still super soft.)

Ham Glaze

2009-02-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

This glaze is delicious! It makes the ham tender and just sweet enough. I love me some brown sugar!

The Goods
1 cup finely packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard or prepared mustard
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons water

Directions
Combine 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoons dry or prepared mustard, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 3 tablespoons vinegar and 3 tablespoons water.
Mix well and spread on ham, before putting it into oven. (I cook mine in a Turkey Roaster and baste ever 1/2 hour or so.)

After you carve the ham pour the glaze in the bottom of the pan over your carvings! MMM.

Enjoy!

Baked Ziti

2009-01-31T22:53:00.000-08:00

Okay, this is nothing fancy, but it is oh-so easy, cheap, and everyone in the fam will eat it! You can always add Italian Sausage or Hamburger to it, but I prefer it without.

The Goods
1/2 lb ziti pasta
16 ounces ricotta cheese
3 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Boil ziti, following package directions, drain and place in a large bowl.
Mix all the ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella with the ziti.
Spray a 13x9 pan with Pam.
Cover the bottom half of the pan with about half the sauce.
Put the ziti mixture on top of sauce.
Pour remaining sauce on top of ziti.
Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and it is lightly golden.

Serve with a green salad and some garlic bread and enjoy!

Chicken Fajitas

2009-01-26T22:53:00.001-08:00

I made these the other night and they were fantastic. The marinade is so easy, and so tasty. I put a basic amount of seasoning to the recipe, but I seem to always add a bit more while it's cooking. Just taste along the way, and enjoy!

The Goods
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup onion, julienned
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, julienned

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except tortillas, in a large bowl, mix well and refrigerate overnight.
Drain mixture.
In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add the drained filling and cook vegetables till they are soft and cook chicken till it is cooked through and browned.
Serve in tortillas with cilantro, fresh avocados, cheese, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes...you know, whatever floats your boat.

Lemon Sour Cream Pasta

2009-01-21T23:01:00.000-08:00

Forgive this picture! I promise this dish really is so pretty in real life! I'm no photographer!

Another one from here. This pasta had great potential for us, but it was way too lemony (is that a word?) for us. I think 1/2 a lemon would make this perfect and will try that when I make it again. And I think I will make it again! Maybe our lemon was too juicy? If you try this I would recommend adding the lemon juice in quarters and tasting it along the way.

The Goods

1/2 lb. fettuccine.

1 cup frozen peas.

1 tablespoon butter.

3 cloves garlic, minced.

1/2 cup sour cream, (light works well).

juice and zest of one lemon (make your adjustments according to your liking!)

1/2 cup chopped green onions.

1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

grated Parmesan cheese.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding peas during last minute of cooking time. Drain pasta in colander. To the same pot, add butter and garlic and cook over low heat for one minute, or until garlic is softened. Add pasta and peas back to pot. Stir in sour cream, lemon juice and zest, green onions, and salt and pepper. Warm through.

She recommends serving this with freshly sliced tomatoes. We are not tomato fans so I just served mine with some homemade rolls and it worked very well.

Chicken Tacos

2009-01-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

I am honestly in love with food blogs right now, and have been hopping from blog to blog finding recipes! So much fun. So the next few recipes are definetly not mine and belong to real chefs and real food bloggers, and much better cooks than me!

A while ago a friend e-mailed me this recipe from here. We tried it last night and really enjoyed it. Super easy and super yummy!

The Goods

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

1 (14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained.

1/3 cup brown sugar.

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

Coat inside of crock pot with some cooking spray.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, or until chicken shreds very easily with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Chicken will absorb liquid after it is shredded.)

Serve in flour or corn tortillas, with your favorite fillings. We used lettuce, avacado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and some salsa. I thinks some corn would make a great additon too! Enjoy, and

have fun checking out her delicious food!

Butterballs

2008-12-18T22:51:00.000-08:00

Growing up, Butterballs meant Christmas. Oh, and stop here if you are looking for health food...it's Christmas!

My mom would whip up batches and batches of these, and take them to every neighbor in town. It's been a while since we have made them, but this year we opted to do it again, and they are so yummy. Rich, but yummy! ;)

The Goods

1 lb. softened butter

1 can Eagle brand evaporated milk

1 lb. powdered sugar

2 Tbs. caramel sauce (like the kind you would put on ice-cream.

1 brick of dipping chocolate.

1 lb. of chopped roasted almonds.

Mix butter, evaporated milk, powdered sugar, and caramel together till blended nicely. Then put in a Tupperware and freeze for an hour or two. When your mixture is frozen, rill into 1-2 inch balls, and put on parchment paper, and freeze again. (These need to stay cool before dipping or they will melt very easily!). While these are freezing, chop your almonds and put them on a pan to broil and roast. Watch them closely because once they start roasting, they go very fast! By then the balls should be frozen. Melt your chocolate, and then dip each ball in chocolate, and roll in roasted almonds. I like to take about 15 at a time, and let the rest stay cool while I do each set. Keep these in the fridge, and enjoy.

Sour Cream Chicken

2008-12-18T22:45:00.000-08:00

This recipe is one my mom made up, and a standby for something yummy and easy. My kids love it, and it's one of Trav's fav's. We love to serve this with our cheesy veggies and rolls, and it makes a great Sunday dinner.

The Goods

8 Chicken Breasts
1 large sour cream, regular, low fat, or fat-free.
2 packages Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 box Ritz crackers
1 stick of butter.

Garlic Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Clean your chicken breasts and trim any fat. Make sure they are dry. If they are super thick, I like to tenderize them. Mix sour cream and Italian dressing mix. Dip each breast into the sour cream mix and then roll into crushed Ritz crackers. Cut your butter into small pats, and sit one on each breast. Bake in a buttered baking dish at 350° over for the first half hour. Then, uncover and continue to bake for another half hour. Enjoy!

Beef Stew

2008-12-06T22:17:00.000-08:00

I should really call this, "Your Welcome Travis Stew", because I say that a lot when I make this. I'm not a big meat and potatoes girl, but this is such an easy dish, and Travis loves it, so I make it, cause I'm awesome like that. ;).

The Goods

1 package Stew meat

1 packet of lipton onion soup mix

5 red potatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 bag of pre-cut carrots, or 5 carrots chopped by hand. I'm lazy so I buy the pre-chopped!

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 can of cream of celery soup

1.Put a small amount of water in your crock pot, just enough to cover the bottom. Then add your stew meat. I cook my meat one of 2 ways, either all night on a really low temp, or if I forget I will cook it on high for about 4 hours. Either way it tastes really tender and good.

2.Once the meat is cooked, add your veggies, and salt and pepper. Then add some water, about 1 1/2 cups.

3.Then on top of the veggies add your cream soups.

4.Let simmer for a few hours, and mix all together, adding salt and pepper to taste.

5.It is ready to serve as soon as the carrots and pots are all cooked through. For me this usually takes about 4-5 hours.

Enjoy.

Chickin Roll-ups

2008-12-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

I'm sure everyone has a recipe for these. These are always super easy, and super fast. (And a crowd pleaser). You can totally cook your own chicken, but we love to shred rotisserie chicken when we make these, just because it is sooo easy!

The Goods

3 shredded rotisserie chicken breasts.

1 8 oz. Cream cheese (I have used both regular and low fat.)

1/4 C. chopped onion

1 Cup frozen broccoli, cooked according to directions on package.

1 Tube of crescent rolls

3 tbs. Melted Butter

Bread crumbs

1.Cook broccoli according to directions; set aside.

2.Soften Cream Cheese.

3.Shred Chicken and mix with cream cheese.

4.Add onion.

5.Chop broccoli, and add to your cream cheese mixture.

6.Add Salt and Pepper to taste.

7.Open your Crescent rolls and separate into each individual piece. Flatten it out just a bit with the palm of your hand, and scoop the filling into each roll evenly.

8.Roll up the crescents while sealing the filling inside.

9.Dip in Butter and breadcrumbs.

10.Bake at 350 for 20 min.

We usually make a homemade gravy to serve over these, with a side of corn.

So easy, and tasty!

Parmesan Garlic Bread Sticks

2008-11-30T23:00:00.000-08:00

I made these for the first time tonight, and was pleasantly surprised. They are light and fluffy, and buttery delicious! (And easy...of course.)

The Goods
5 tsp. yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup warm milk (I heat mine up in the microwave for about a minute)
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons butter, divided in half and melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
4 1/2-5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, for sprinkling on top.

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and let it sit until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Add the milk, sugar, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, 3 tablespoons butter, salt, and 2 cups flour.
Beat until smooth.
Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Knead with bread hook for 10 minutes adding additional flour as needed.
Turn onto a floured surface and knead about 15-20 times.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Punch the dough down and let it rest a couple of minutes.

Roll out on a floured surface, and cut into sticks with a pizza cutter.

Twist your bread sticks into the shape you desire.
Place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25-35 minutes.
Melt remaining butter and brush over the dough.
Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt.
Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Fruit Dip

2008-11-29T22:06:00.001-08:00

I realize this picture doesn't make this look too appetizing, but trust me...it is yummy!Yumm-o.

My sister introduced me to this delicious fruit dip a few weeks ago. It is perfect with apples. I've yet to try it with other fruits, but my sister says it works with just about everything. (I'm thinking next time I'll buy strawberries...

The Goods

1 Package of Cream Cheese

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 Bag of Heath Toffee Bits (I made sure to get the chocolate covered ones.)

Soften the Cream Cheese, and mix all ingredients together. Keep in the fridge, and Enjoy!!!

Rasberry Cake

2008-11-29T21:51:00.000-08:00

One of my friends made this a while ago, and it has ended up being a family favorite. In fact, my dad just requested it for his Birthday, and I was so glad he did. Delish and oh-so easy!

The Goods
1 Box of Yellow Cake Mix

1 Small Box of Raspberry Jello

1 Small Cool Whip

Frozen, or Fresh Raspberries.

Mix the cake as directed. When you take it out of the oven, make small slits in the cake with a spoon. Cook your jell-o as directed on the package, but don't add the cold water to it. Just the hot. Pour it all over the cake, and let sit till it cools. Then refrigerate till it is cold. Put Cool Whip all over the cake, and top with raspberries.

I have also made this with Strawberry, and it is great too. I'm sure you could try any flavor that suits your fancy!

Chicken Tortellini Soup

2008-11-24T22:43:00.000-08:00

Delish! I served this tonight for dinner and it got rave reviews. I will make anything with broccoli because it is the one vegetable that my kids love. And they love pasta too, so this was a hit, and it is such a pretty dish! Enjoy.

The Goods

10 oz broccoli
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped white onion
3 cans chicken broth(14 1/2 ounce), ~6 cups
1/2 cup water
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
9 oz package cheese tortellini (Once again, I used the Bertoli)

grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Salt and Pepper to taste.

In a large pot combine chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup, chicken, onions, carrots, water, garlic, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper. Bring to rolling boil and add tortellini. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring often. Add broccoli and simmer and additional 5-10 minutes. The broccoli should be tender.

Sprinkle generously with parmesean. (It makes the soup just perfect!)

Turkey Broccoli & Cheese Stromboli

2008-11-18T18:57:00.000-08:00

These are a favorite of ours. I kind of forgot about them till Monday when I was planning my menu for the week, and we were all glad I remembered! I love to serve these for parties and big get togethers, and you can totally get creative with your fillings.

3/4 C Warm water

1 Tb. Sugar

2 Tb. softened butter

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 large eggs

1 packet yeast

3/4 Cup flour

1 1/2 Cups flour

Mix together first 4 ingredients, then add eggs, yeast and 3/4 cup flour. Mix with your beaters for 3 minutes. Then add 1 1/2 Cups of flour, and knead bread for 5 minutes (adding flour as needed). Then roll your dough out on a floured surface in a long rectangle shape. Spread softened butter on the center of your dough, and add the fillings of your choice. Roll up sealing all of your edges, then lift and put on pizza pan, and form a circle. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. Brush with butter while warm, cut and serve.

Tonight we softened a bit of butter, and added some minced garlic to it, and it made a great flavor. We also sauteed some broccoli in olive oil, with a packet of Italian Seasoning and cut up some deli turkey, and shredded cheddar cheese. It was delicious!

We have had this with shredded roast beef, sauteed onions and mushrooms, and provolone and that was really good too.

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies

2008-11-17T20:11:00.001-08:00

Um, Hello...

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies. Need I say more?

I found the recipe here, and I must warn you, this woman has so many tasty treats on her blog that you may gain an lb. or two just looking at it. I tried these ones because I had all the ingredients on hand, and they are delish. Then again I love chocolate chip cookies and oreos...

2 sticks softened butter

12 Tablespoons sugar

12 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 Cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

16 broken pieces Oreo Cookies

2 Cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter, and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla until mixed well.
2. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, stir to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients then stir in oreos and chocolate chips until just combined.
3. Scoop onto cookie sheet and cook for 9-11 min. (10 was perfect for me).

Let cool on pan for 3 min. then remove and finish cooling on rack.

Ravioli with Sun-dried tomato cream sauce

2008-11-06T22:17:00.000-08:00

Oh My, this is my new favorite recipe! It's not a healthy one, but it is a delicious one! I found it here, (can you tell I like this blog? I keep using her recipes...). My kids liked it, hubby liked it, and I liked it. My house smelled amazing while it was cooking too!

2 Tbsp. butter

1 garlic clove, minced (more if you want)

1 c. chicken stock or broth

1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes

2 cups whipping cream

3 tsp. cornstarch

8-12 oz. fresh or frozen ravioli *I used bertolli 20 oz., and there was plenty of sauce to cover this.

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried

2 T. chopped fresh parsley (only if using dried basil)

salt & fresh ground pepper

Melt butter in med. saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and cook 30 secs. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over medium heat about 10 mins. or until tomatoes are tender. Remove tomatoes with slotted spoon. Cut into smaller pieces. Return tomatoes to saucepan. Add cream and bring to a boil, and add your corn starch stirring consistantly. While this is simmering cook ravioli according to directions. Drain well. Add basil and/or parsley to sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix with your pasta, and that's it.

NOTE: I didn't have any fresh parsley, and totally forgot to add my basil, and this was still perfect.

Serve with a side of crusty bread to sop up the extra sauce, and there you have it!

Garlic Green Salad

2008-11-06T22:07:00.000-08:00

I could live on this salad. My sister Heather made it for me once, and I crave it all the time! It has a lot of ingredients and makes a HUGE salad, so I don't make it very often, but it is just perfect.

Only try this if you like the flavor of garlic!

And I can't find the actual recipe so hopefully you will get the gist of it!

Salad

2 bags of your favorite dark greens.

1 package of sliced mushrooms.

1 package of sliced cherry tomatoes.

1 package of your favorite croutons (I personally love Cesar...)

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese.

3/4 cup of Parmesan.

1 package of bacon, cooked and crushed.

1 cup of toasted almonds. (I bought the side salad bags in the produce section, and they were delish.)

Dressing

2 TB lemon juice.

1/2 cup olive oil.

6, yes 6, garlic cloves, minced.

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Make your dressing a few hours ahead of time. Add bacon, croutons, and dressing just before serving.

Last time I made this the garlic cloves were too big, and the salad wasn't as good as usual. So adjust your garlic as needed!

Forgive this picture, it's the only one I took, and it isn't the best. This salad is beautiful!

Lasagna Roll-ups

2008-11-06T21:57:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe here and we tried it tonight. It was pretty tasty, and a meal that the whole family ate! And it even had spinach and the girls totally loved it. Wahoo.

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1 ½ c. shredded mozzarella

10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed dry

½ c. sour cream

¼ c. bread crumbs

1 T. Italian seasoning

1 t. garlic powder

12 lasagna noodles

1 bottle of your favorite spaghetti sauce

½ c. shredded mozzarella

Cook lasagna noodles according to package and lay on cookie sheet to dry a bit. Combine 1st seven ingredients to make filling. Spread 1/3 cupful down each noodle, leaving a little tab at the end to make it stick. Roll up and place in a 9x13 dish. Original recipe says to let it sit overnight covered, but if your noodles are dry enough, they will stick to themselves and you won’t need to. Cover with sauce and spread over roll ups. Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Immediately sprinkle with ½ c. mozzarella and serve.

Smores

2008-11-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know everyone has had these, and that the recipe is on the box of golden Grahams, but I am posting it because it is just so delish! I made these last night, and instead of dinner, my brother just put a stack of these on his plate.

mmmm.

This is the recipe on the box.

3/4 c. light corn syrup

3 tbsp. butter

1 pkg. milk chocolate morsels

1 tsp. vanilla1 pkg. Golden Graham cereal (9 c.)

3 c. miniature marshmallows

Grease 9 x 13 inch pan. Heat syrup, butter and morsels to boiling stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal in bowl, toss until coated. Fold in marshmallows 1 cup at a time. Press into pan with buttered back of spoon. Let stand 1 hour. Cut into 2 inch squares. Store at room temperature.

We have always made them by putting the chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup and 2 cups of marshmallows in the microwave. Heating at 1 min. intervals till melted. Then add the vanilla, mixing till smooth. Next add the golden grahams into the bowl (we don't measure, just mix till you like the consistency, then add 1 more cups of marshmallows. Spread in the pan and enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2008-10-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

This is one of Trav's very favorite dinners. I almost feel stupid posting it, because it is so easy, and just a no brainer...but in case you've never made it, here you go.

The Goods

1 pizza crust (I buy the kind that you just add water to, and roll out)

1 jar of famous daves sweet and zesty bbq sauce (or your personal fav)

1 package of boneless skinless chicken breasts

marinade of choice

1 bag of pre-shredded cheese of choice.

Marinade your chicken for about an hour, then cook on your grill

While the chicken is cooking, make your crust, and spread out on your pizza pan.

Then add a good amount of sauce, all the way to the edges.

Then pile on the cheese.

Once the chicken is done, dice it up and throw it on top.

Sometimes I add other toppings such as, red onion, cilantro, or pineapple.

Bake as directed on your crust package. And enjoy!

Pumpkin Bites

2008-10-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made the kids a "Halloween Feast." I came up with these fun little sandwiches and they were a hit, and Stupid easy!

2 cans of recipe creations Pillsbury baking sheets.

1/2 lb of turkey or ham

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese

1 bunch of scallions

salt and pepper to taste

I opened the baking sheets, and flattened them just a bit with a rolling pin. Then I took a pumpkin cookie cutter and cut several sections in the dough, laying them on an ungreased pan. Then I cut my meat into bite sized pieces, mixing it with softened cream cheese and diced scallion, and added some salt and pepper.

I spooned a tablespoon of filling right into the center of the dough. Then I used my second sheet of dough, cut our more pumpkins, and covered the filling with the second pumpkin, pinching the sides closed as I went.

Then I used a knife and cut a few slits through the top of the pumpkins.

Bake at 370 for 10-12 minutes.

Next time I may try these with some shredded chicken.

These were so easy to make and our Halloween Feast was complete when served with "blood soup", which is really just plain old Campbell's tomato soup...but Adyson thought that was sooo much fun!

Broccoli/Mushroom casserole

2008-10-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

Oh Goodness, I love this dish! My sister made it months ago when we went to visit, and it was a hit. I totally forgot about it till the other day, and I am pleased that it is back on our favorites list.

It's one of those recipes that doesn't have exact measurements (like most of my recipes..), but it is super easy.

Use about 3 cups of broccoli florets, washed. Throw it into a skillet, with a little bit of oil, and a bit of butter. Then add your mushrooms to the pan. (I used one package of the pre-cut mushrooms, because I'm lazy like that.)

Saute those together. The mushrooms will get soft and shrink down in size, and your broccoli will be a deeper shade of green, with a little bite left to them.

Add to your pan salt and pepper, a few teaspoons of soy sauce, and a can (or 2 depending on how much broccoli and mushrooms you've used), of cream of mushroom soup.

Mix together and let the sauce get hot and bubble.

This is a great side dish, and a great way to get your kids to eat broccoli.

Honey Mustard Chicken

2008-10-28T22:48:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe online the other day, and it got rave reviews, so I decided to try it. I'll be honest, it wasn't really my favorite, but Travis and the girls really like it, so I will post it and you can decide for yourself. Next time I make it I am just going to really punch it up with some seasoning, and I think it will be perfect. (It was just too bland for my taste buds...)

The Goods

3-4 chicken breasts

1/3 cup melted butter

1/3 cup honey

2 T mustard

salt and pepper

(next time I'm adding more...and maybe some garlic salt...?)

Mix ingredients together and pour over chicken, bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

We served our chicken over brown rice, and used some of the extra sauce to drizzle. I was thinking the sauce would be a thicker sauce, but it is pretty runny, almost just like melted butter. I think if seasoned correctly, this could be a keeper.

White Chicken Chilli

2008-10-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

Okay Kristi, here you go! Sorry it took so long to post.

I love this recipe for fall. It is easy, healthy, hearty, and oh so tasty.

The goods
1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 onion
1 package Italian seasoning
1 large can green chilli's
2 cans white corn
2 cans white navy beans
2 cans garbanzo beans
chicken bullion granules
salt/pepper
cumin

In the morning put your chicken in your crock pot with a tiny bit of water in the bottom. Add 1 onion, green chilli's, and your Italian seasoning and let cook on high for 4-5 hours. It should be really moist and you should be able to shred it with a fork. When it gets to that point, shred the chicken completely.

Add your canned goods, with juice and all. Stir everything together and add seasonings to taste. I usually add about 2 tbsp. of bullion, and a few tsp. of cumin, but do whatever floats your boat.
Let this simmer all day long and serve with some grated mozzarella cheese on top, and a delicious homemade roll.

Yumm-o.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-10-12T23:10:00.001-07:00

I know, everyone has a recipe for these...but I found this one on http://www.flipflopsandapplesauce.blogspot.com/, and tried them this week, and they were divine! The only thing I didn't like about them is that they are huge, next time I make them I will use less dough in each cookie and cook them for a shorter amount of time.

This is my favorite cc cookie recipe I've tried.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Chicken Divan

2008-10-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

When I was younger this was a favorite, and it was always served with blueberry muffins. (Travis thinks it's soooo weird to have blueberry muffins for dinner), but I made this tonight and served them on the side, and he ate 2. So I guess it's not that weird...right?

The Goods:

2 cups diced cooked chicken (tonight I used leftover Turkey, and it was fab)
2 (10 ounce) packages Frozen Broccoli
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup mayo
2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon curry powder (I prefer more, I bet I use about 1 TB.)
2 Cups cheddar cheese
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Cook your broccoli according to the package, then layer in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Then chop your chicken and layer over the broccoli. I like to put a little bit of Salt and Pepper over this layer, so the broccoli has a great flavor.

Next combine soup, mayo, lemon juice, and curry powder in a large bowl and pour over the broccoli and chicken in the casserole dish.

Sprinkle the cheese on top.

Then combine melted butter and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the cheese.

Bake for 30-35 minutes and enjoy! And maybe serve them with Blueberry muffins....I promise it's a good combo.

One Crust Chicken Pot Pie

2008-10-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

Fall Comfort Food. My family loves this recipe, and it is a great way to get your kids to eat some veggies. Not to mention this is the easiest "pie" recipe ever made.

The Goods

1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayo (I use light mayo and it tastes the same)
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbs Flour
2 tsp. Chicken Bullion
Pepper to taste
1/2 package of frozen Peas
1/2 package of frozen Corn
1 can of refrigerated Crescent rolls
*last time I made this I found a package called recipe creations from Pillsbury, It's one flat sheet of dough and it was perfect for this recipe. Either one will work
1 package of Good Seasons Italian Seasoning

1.Boil bite sized pieced of your chicken breasts. (I usually add a bit of bullion to my water to flavor the chicken). Set aside.

2.In a small saucepan bring mayo, pepper, bullion, and flour to a boil stirring constantly. (It will be thick), then gradually add milk stirring constantly. Then add your chicken, veggies and Italian seasoning. Make sure your veggies are cooked through, then add to a casserole dish around 8 by 8 in. in size.

3.If using Crescent rolls seal together the perforations of the dough and cover the casserole dish completely. You will have a little extra dough to decorate the outside edge. If using the baking sheet do the same.

4.Cook at 350 for 15-20 minutes. It should be golden brown and the dough should be cooked through.

5.Brush with a little butter, cut and enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

2008-09-24T20:58:00.001-07:00

Adyson's most amazing pre-school teacher is getting a minor surgery on her heart tomorrow, so today we made her these cookies, and thought I should share the recipe. It is quite possibly the best sugar cookie recipe ever. Seriously. It's been the one my family has used for years, so enjoy!

1 Cup shortening

2 Cups sugar

2 Eggs

1 Cup Sour Cream

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

4 1/2 Cups Flour (approx.)

Mix all of your ingredients together excluding the flour. After they are creamed together add your flour a cup at a time. I usually add about 4-5 cups and the dough is sticky but smooth. Then I flour my counter top liberally, and knead for just a minutes to get some of that extra flour in the stickier areas. This dough should be sticky, but easy to use when you have floured your surface enough.

Flour your rolling pin and roll to between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. Then start cutting with your shapes and lay on your pans. They will bake for 12-15 minutes. I love them soft so I take them out at about 13 minutes, but it is all personal preference.

Hint:make sure that your dough is the same thickness all around when you are rolling it. The cookies obviously will cook for different time limits if the thickness is different.

Once they are cooled through on the most easy and perfect cream cheese frosting.

1 cube butter

1 stick of cream cheese

a dash of vanilla.

Blend together till smooth and add powdered sugar. I just add-then taste and repeat till it taste good. (usually about 1/2 a bag.)

Enjoy!

And don't forget to lick the beater....

Linguine with Turkey Meatballs

2008-09-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe while blogging a while back, and wrote it down right away and promptly forgot about it. The other day I found the recipe and we tried it last night, and it was delish. I wish I could give credit to where I got it from, but I don't remember, so if this is your dish, thank you!

Turkey Meatballs

3 TBSP olive oil

2 oz pancetta , finely diced

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 C freshly grated Romano cheese

1/4 C fresh flat leaf parsley

1/4 C plain bread crumbs

1/4 C chopped sun-dried tomatoes

2 eggs

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp black pepper

Sauce and Noodles

1lb linguine

1/8 C extra-virgin olive oil

1 can whole tomatoes

2 garlic cloves - smashed

1/4 C chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 can tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dried basil

First, make the meatballs.

1. Preheat oven to 450

2. Heat olive oil in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat.

Add the pancetta and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and continue to cook until the pancetta is crisp and the onion is soft. Remove from the heat.

3. In a large bowl, combine the pancetta/onion mixture with the rest of the meatball ingredients and stir them all together.

4. Form 2 inch balls and place on foiled and greased baking sheet.

5.Bake them for 20-25 minutes.

Now for the sauce

In a large pan heat up your olive oil. Add the tomatoes, paste, garlic cloves, parsley, basil, salt and pepper and let simmer. (I added a bit more salt, but just keep tasting till it suits you.)

Start boiling your water for the noodles, and add the meatballs to the sauce when they are done. Let that simmer till your noodles are done.

We served ours with homemade rolls, and a little fresh grated Romano cheese over the top. Delish.

NOTE: This recipe calls for pancetta. I HATE pancetta (it's a texture thing.) So we added crumbled bacon and it worked beautifully.

Pumpkin Bread

2008-09-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

This is Delish!

3 Cups Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 Tbs. Cinnamon

2 Cups Sugar

2 3/4 Cups Pumpkin

4 Eggs Beaten

1 1/4 Cups Cooking Oil

1 Cup Nuts

Pre-heat Oven to 350.

Grease and Flour to Loaf Pans.

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Mix pumpkin, eggs, oil, and nuts together.

Combine mixtures and blend together.

Pour into pans.

Bake for 45-60 minutes (till toothpick comes out clean)

Remove from pans and cool on rack.

Enjoy.

Baked Potato Soup

2008-09-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

Super Easy and Delicious.

6 Baked Potatos
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6-7 cups milk
6 green onions
1 cup sour cream
2 cups crisp bacon
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Bake your potato's and let them cool. Then peel them and slice them into bite sized pieces and set aside. Cook your bacon till it is very crunchy, and set aside.

Meanwhile put your butter in a saucepan and let melt, and whisk in your flour. Once that is all blended add 6 cups of milk slowly, whisking. Let simmer for about ten minutes-then add the potatoes, sour cream, 1 cup of bacon and mix all of those ingredients and let them heat through, then add the cheese slowly till it melts. (The soup seems to get a little thick so you may need to add more milk as you go along.) Make sure to salt and pepper plenty.

Garnish with bacon pieces, sour cream, a little extra shredded cheese, and scallions.

Mmm Mmm Good

2008-09-03T16:23:00.001-07:00

Fall at our house means soup! We love it and I bet we eat it once or twice a week-I love it because broth based soups are so good for you, and they warm you right up.

Here is my recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast

3 stalks of celery diced

1 onion diced

1 bag of pre sliced carrots or 4 carrots sliced thinly

1 bag of Country pasta

Cut your chicken into bite sized pieces and boil in a large pot. I add a few tablespoons of chicken bullion to make a good chicken stock. Let the chicken cook for about 20 minutes. Then add your veggies. I let all of this simmer together for at least a half hour, adding pepper, more bullion.

Next fill the pot up to the top with water and let it boil once more. Add your country pasta noodles. These noodles make the soup if you ask me. You can't find them at Wal-mart, but at Lees they are on the bottom shelf in the pasta section in a bag. (I meant to take a pic, but forgot...)

Let the noodles cook through, adding more seasoning as you taste the broth. I always seem to add a lot of pepper and bullion, because you keep adding water. You want your broth to be rich and flavorful, so just add till you love the taste.

About 5 minutes before serving add 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup. This helps thicken the broth and adds a great flavor.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-08-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

I baked these yesterday and my whole house smelled like fall! They are my personal favorite cookie.

2 Boxes of Spice Cake Mix

1 Large Can of Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 Bag of Chocolate Chips

Mix the cake mix and filling. The batter will be really fluffy. Next fold in your chocolate chips. Place heaping spoonfulls of the batter on the pan about 2 inches apart and bake for 17 minutes at 370 degrees.

These taste the best after they have cooled and the chocolate chips have hardened again. They are super moist and delicious!

Southwestern Eggrolls

2008-08-11T21:54:00.001-07:00

Bre asked me to post this recipe, and I'm glad she did. I made them tonight and had forgotten how much I love them! When I was pregnant with Adyson I wanted to eat Chilli's version of these all the time, they were the only thing I really craved. These don't taste exactly the same, but they are totally delicious none the less.

FILLING

Take one package of Boneless skinless chicken tenders and cut into bite sized pieces. Throw into a pan with some olive or canola oil. Add a package of Italian seasoning, some dried onion flakes, and a bit of pepper. Let the chicken cook through.

To the pan add 3/4 a can of rinsed black beans, 3/4 a can of drained corn, and a bit of spinach. I just thaw some frozen and add till it looks right.

Add about a tbs. of Soy sauce, and throw in some cumin and chili powder to taste. (I add quite a bit of chili powder.)

You need the small tortilla's for this. (I think they are enchilada sized). I've found that the ones that seem to work best are the low fat, thin style. Heat them up in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or till they are warm. Then fill them one by one with Mozzarella cheese, and a good spoon full of filling. Then you have to wrap them up tight, folding all edges in, and securing with tooth picks. I usually end up using 2, just to be safe. The recipe should fill exactly 10 tortillas.

You can fry these in the fryer, or bake them. I've done both. If you are baking them, make sure they get cooked long enough to get crunchy.

I've always served these with Chilli's avocado ranch dressing ( I just buy some from them), but tonight I served them with my Cilantro Lime dressing and it was perfect! Let me know if you try these!

Layered Crock pot Chicken Enchiladas

2008-07-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

These are a favorite around here. I have to add that we do cook healthy food here too, but those recipes aren't that exciting...

Enjoy these!

In the a.m. put 3 or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crock pot with a little water to cover the bottom of the cooker. Add a package of dry Italian seasoning. Let cook for an hour or 2 and add 1 small diced onion, and a small can of diced green chillies. Let the chicken simmer for about 2 more hours. It is done when you can shred it easily with a fork.

When the chicken is done, take it out of the crock pot and put it in a bowl with 1 package of cream cheese-and set aside.

In the crock pot you will layer the next ingredients in this order.

1 can of red enchilada sauce. (I actually use a large can and do about 3/4 of it.)

1 Package of tortillas, ripped into strips. I use flour, but use whatever floats your boat. They should just rest on the enchilada sauce

Then add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup.

Then add your shredded chicken/cream cheese mixture

Then add a bag of the cheese of your choice

Next add sliced olives and green onion

And let them all simmer for the day.

EDIT: I have been making these with green enchilada sauce lately, and it is even better.

Serve with tomatoes and a side of sour cream. I'm warning you, they will make your house smell delicious, and your mouth water!!

Black Bean Salsa

2008-07-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

We had way too much delicious food camping, and I wanted to post a few of my favorite recipes. This one is such a pretty and tasty side dish. I love to make it for get togethers and parties.

1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of corn, drained
1 small can of green chillies
2 tomatoes-diced
2 or 3 avocados-diced
1 small red onion-diced
1 bottle of Italian Dressing

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Add the dressing last-I usually only use 3/4 of the bottle.

Serve with chips or tortilla strips.

Steamed Veggies- A healthy version...and a not so healthy version

2008-07-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

The not so Healthy version first

Oh my these are delicious! They were brought to us by Natalie a while back, and have been requested by Travis monthly since then. I made them tonight and my dad raved on and on about how perfect they are. Warning though, if you are looking for a healthy side dish, this is not the one...but they are worth every calorie!

Steam

1 bag of mini carrots-I like to slice mine down the middle
3/4 head of cauliflower
2 1/2 cups of broccoli

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

While the oven is heating make the sauce

1 1/2 cubes of butter
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 medium sized cube of Velveeta cheese.

I know you must be thinking...yuck, Velveeta. But trust me, when these all melt together, they taste perfect!

Poor over veggies in a pan, and let cook till bubbly. This makes a heaping 9 by 13 pan-so it serves a large party.

The much healthier version

If you don't feel like all those calories, we also love to steam the same veggies, but add a packet of dry Italian Seasoning to it, and add a little spray butter when you are ready to serve them. They are seriously Delicious too-and even my kids will eat them.

Strawberry-Orange Salad with Toasted Almonds and Orange dressing

2008-06-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

This salad is beautiful, tasty, healthy, and delicious. I love to make it for get togethers because it is huge and soooo pretty.

1 bag of romaine lettuce

1 bag of baby spinach

1 pint strawberries-quartered

2 cans of mandarin oranges

1 package of toasted almonds

Toasted Almonds-put a package of sliced almonds into a pan and toss with 1/2 cup of sugar. Leave on medium heat and stir constantly. After a few minutes the sugar will start caramelizing-and the almonds will start to brown. Do Not Burn-I usually take them out as soon as they start to color-put them on a plate and let them cool before adding them to the salad.

Before serving toss with orange-Italian dressing.

1/2 tsp grated orange peel

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

2 tbs. red wine vinegar

1/2 cup veg. oil

2 tbs. sugar

1 pck. good seasons Italian dressing mix.

I like to make this the night before so it all marinades nicely before tossing on the salad.

Oreo Cookies

2008-06-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

A Family Favorite Amber introduced our family to years ago. Travis begs me to make these. I usually double the cookie recipe so I can send them with him to work.

1 Box Devils food Cake

2 Eggs

3/4 Cup of Shortening

Mix together in mixer till well blended. Roll into 1-2 inch balls and put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. I watch them pretty closely and take them out as soon as they start to crack. Let them cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz. package of cream cheese

1 cube butter softened

1/2 to 3/4 bag of powdered sugar (I just add till it tastes right)

1 tsp vanilla

Put a thick layer of frosting on the bottom of one cookie and top with another.

These are soft and totally perfect tasting cookies. I love to add food coloring for holidays. (Pink for v-day...yellow for Easter...)

Enjoy!

Chicken Salad Croissants

2008-06-17T22:54:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their favorite recipe for Chicken Salad Croissants. This is one that my mom loves, and I made it for the first time last night...it was really delicious!

So this is a no measurement recipe....but just do what tastes right.

Instead of using broiled chicken, used grilled and chilled chicken. (I used leftover chicken from my chicken club tacos.) The marinade helped to give the salad extra flavor, and the chicken tasted great. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Next add some celery. chopped.

Green onions. chopped.

Slivered almonds. (Great for crunch)

I love purple grapes in this too.

Add garlic salt.

Pepper.

Add a few dashes of lemon Juice.

You know the drill and I'm sure you have adapted this to your liking, but I think what makes this recipe so good is the secret ingredient-cream cheese.

Add softened cream cheese and mayo...maybe equal parts. It gives your chicken mixture a great rich taste.

Mix it all together, making sure that there is plenty of the mayo/cream cheese mixture...so it doesn't taste dry, and serve on a croissant.

Chicken Club Taco's

2008-06-15T21:42:00.000-07:00

These are so delicious and fun. Great summer food!

Marinade chicken breasts in your favorite marinade overnight-and about a half hour before you are ready to eat throw them on the grill.

While they are cooking prepare the rest of the ingredients to go inside the wrap.

Bacon-cooked till crunchy and broken into small pieces

Avacados-cut into small squares

Red Onion-diced

Mozzerella Cheese-shredded

Lettuce-shredded

Cilantro-chopped slightly

Tomatoes-diced

Warm up Sun Dried Tomato and Basil WrapsYour favorite Ranch dressing & Salsa

Take the chicken off the grill, cut into thin slices, and prepare the wrap to your liking. I'm sure you can get creative and add whatever else floats your boat.

Oreo Truffles

2008-06-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

These are delicious, easy, tasty and pretty!

1 Package of Oreos

1 8oz. Package of Cream Cheese

A dash of Vanilla extract

Dipping Chocolate or Almond Bark

Crush your oreos, then mix crushed oreos, cream cheese, and vanilla together in your mixer. The consistency will be thick and dark. You shouldn't be seeing any of the white from the cream cheese.

Roll into balls 1-2 inches in size. Put on Wax paper and stick in the fridge for about and hour. Heat up your dipping chocolate or Almond bark and roll the balls through it to coat. Then let sit on Wax paper again.

You can drizzle white chocolate over the top, top with sprinkles...or get creative and do whatever you want!

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge.

Sweet Pork Salads

2008-06-01T21:52:00.000-07:00

DELICIOUS and EASY!

Sweet Pork

1 pork roast

1 can of coke

1 bottle red enchilada sauce

1 cup of brown sugar

Put roast in crock pot and fill 1/3 full of water. Cook all night long. In the morning the roast should be tender and able to shred with a fork. After shredding, mix the rest of the ingredients and let simmer all day.

Hints:leave the lid off to thicken. If you want it sweeter add more brown sugar to taste. The red enchilada sauce comes in mild and medium so you can pick how hot you want it.

Cilantro Lime Rice

This is sooo easy! Simply cook the rice in chicken broth and lime zest. (I use 1 bag of rice, 3 cans of broth, and the zest of 2 limes.) When it is all cooked add chopped cilantro to your liking.

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing. MMMM.

1 cup mayo

1 package of Buttermilk ranch dressing

2 tomatillos

1 jalapeno (the more seeds you add the hotter it gets)

1/2 bunch cilantro

1/2 lime juice

Blend in your mixer or food processor, and devour!

I served mine in these delicious tortilla bowls. Serve with beans (if you like them, we don't so I don't have a great recipe for you.) Lettuce, cheese, guacamole, tomatoes, and whatever else floats your boat. Enjoy!