What's Cooking

Rosemary, Parmesan & Black Pepper Popcorn

2011-05-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is seriously the best tasting popcorn...ever. I first made this for a baby shower we hosted, and it was a huge hit. I've since made some every few weeks to keep around as a snack. It is really tasty and quite easy to make. I initially saw the recipe on the Cristina Ferrare cooking show on the new Oprah network. It looked fun and simple, so I looked up the recipe online and went from there. Enjoy!

ROSEMARY, PARMESAN & BLACK PEPPER POPCORN

1 T. vegetable oil

1 c. popcorn kernels

2 T. unsalted butter, melted (I used much more butter than this...probably 4-6 T is more like it!)

2 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary (I just used one package from the store, and left it fairly coarsely chopped)

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/3 c. finely grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp. salt

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.

Add the popcorn kernels, cover the pot with lid and shake the pot to coat the kernels in the oil.

With the lid closed, continue cooking over medium heat, shaking the pot occasionally.

Cook until the popping slows down and almost stops.

Transfer popcorn to the biggest bowl you have.

Drizzle the melted butter over the popcorn and stir to distribute.

Add the cheese, rosemary, pepper and salt.

Stir until mixed well.

Mini Cheesecakes

2011-04-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is a nice, small dessert that is tasty without filling you up (unless you choose to eat multiple cheesecakes- which is hard not to do!).

MINI CHEESECAKES

1 package vanilla wafers

16 oz. cream cheese

3/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 can cherry pie filling

Paper baking cups

Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Place a wafer at the bottom of each paper cup.

Fill each liner with mixture, almost to the top.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Cool completely.

Top with pie filling.

Crockpot Lasagna

2011-03-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a new crockpot recipe, and remembered that there is such a thing as crockpot lasagna. So, I googled Crockpot Lasagna, and landed on this recipe at southernfood.com.

CROCKPOT LASAGNA

1 lb. ground beef

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

1 large spaghetti sauce (about 28 oz.)

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles

16 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated

1 lb. ricotta cheese

1/4 c. milk

1 egg

Brown the beef, onion and garlic in a large pan.

Drain off any grease.

Add the pasta sauce into browned meat mixture and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, milk and egg.

Beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Mix in the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese, so that all cheeses are well combined.

Grease the crock pot on the bottom and sides.

Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of slow cooker.

Put a layer of noodles on top of that (break or cut if needed).

Put about 1/3 of cheese mixture on top of noodles.

Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheese for another 2 layers.

Top with meat sauce.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until noodles are tender.

Butter Beef

2011-03-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

Just as I was about to Google crockpot recipes, I was reading her blog and she was cooking this trying this dish for the first time that day (She got it from allrecipes.com.). I looked up the recipe, went to the grocery store, and threw this all in the slow-cooker. This was a really delicious recipe that was still really tasty for leftovers a couple of days later. I poured this meat & "gravy" over egg noodles, and it was fantastic!

BUTTER BEEF

3 lbs. cubed beef stew meat

1/2 c. butter

1 envelope (1 oz.) dry onion soup mix

Place the beef and butter into a slow cooker.

Sprinkle the onion soup mix over it.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Stir a couple of times.

Chicken Enchiladas

2011-03-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

I invited a friend over for lunch today, and she mentioned that she likes Mexican food. So, I looked up a recipe for Chicken Enchiladas and found this one at allrecipes.com. It was really tasty, and I'll definitely make it again. This recipe reflects a few changes I made- cilantro instead of oregano, half of the tomato sauce & taco sauce the recipe called for...things like that. This recipe can definitely be altered to taste.
Sorry, I forgot to take a final product photo.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
1/3 c. green pepper, chopped
1/2 pint sour cream
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
2 T. cilantro
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
7.5 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 T. chili powder
flour tortillas
6 oz. taco sauce

Boil chicken for about 20 minutes until cooked thoroughly.
Shred chicken and put in a large skillet.
Add the onion, green peppers, sour cream, 1 c. cheddar cheese, cilantro and pepper and salt
Heat until cheese melts.
Stir in tomato sauce and chili powder

Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas.

Arrange in a large baking dish.

Cover with taco sauce and 1 c. cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Mashed Potato & Cheese Balls

2011-02-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

I had some leftover Velveeta in the fridge last week and looked on Kraft for a recipe to use it in. I found these and they are amazing! I made them for our Super Bowl party, and they were a big hit!

They absolutely must be served hot, so that the cheese is gooey and wonderful.

Next time, I will probably use regular cheese instead of Velveeta (The thought of Velveeta just doesn't sit as well with me as regular old cheese does!), and I may include ham or some other meat in the center as well. There are lots of possibilities for this dish.

MASHED POTATO AND CHEESE BALLS
2 lb. baking potatoes (about 5), peeled, cut into chunks

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4 oz. VELVEETA cut into 24 cubes

1 pouch SHAKE 'N BAKE Extra Crispy Seasoned Coating Mix

Cook potatoes in boiling water in large saucepan 15 to 20 min. or until tender; drain.
Cool 10 minutes.
Mash potatoes until smooth.
Add onions, egg and pepper; mix just until blended.
Roll potato mixture into 24 balls, using about 2 Tbsp. for each.
Insert 1 Velveeta cube into center of each ball, completely enclosing cube with potato mixture. Cover each potato ball with coating mix; turn until evenly coated.
Place on baking sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees for 14 to 16 min. or until heated through.

Marble Brownies

2011-02-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered this recipe on the inside of a cream cheese box. Since I don't eat chocolate, I asked Stephen if he thought this sounded tasty, and since he answered in the affirmative, I decided to make them for him for Valentine's. He says they are really good, and "creamy" (which he likes, evidently). He did say they are very sweet, so I wonder if next time I could put less sugar in the cream cheese mixture.

MARBLE BROWNIES

1 package brownie mix (without syrup pouch)

1 package cream cheese, softened

1/3 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Prepare brownie batter as directed on package; spread into greased pan.

Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy.

Add sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well.

Drop by tablespoonfuls over brownie batter; swirl with knife.

Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until cream cheese mixture is lightly browned.

Cool completely before cuting to serve.

Keep refrigerated.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

2011-02-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

Stephen's mom, Susan gave me this recipe recently...complete with instructions to "relax and have a glass of wine while it cooks". This is a very tasty recipe that will definitely be entering the regular rotation!

CHEESY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 c. water
3/4 c. uncooked long grain white rice
1/2 tsp. onion powder (I used garlic powder)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 c. frozen mixed vegetables (I left out the veggies this time)
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (obviously, I just used two...1 lb. of meat)

1/2 to 3/4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix first 6 ingredients together.

Place chicken breasts on top of mixture.

Cover and bake at 375 for 50 minutes.

Take dish out of oven, top with cheese and let stand still about 10 minutes.

Just before serving, stir around rice and cheese.

Chicken Pasta with Lemon Parmesan Sauce

2011-02-02T04:24:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe by googling some ingredients that I had in the fridge. Stephen wasn't feeling very well and said he wanted something light and lemony. So, I found this at dianasaurdishes.com and will definitely go to this blog again for some good, healthy and low-cost meals. This dish was super-easy and really very tasty. It will easily become a staple in our diet!

CHICKEN PASTA WITH LEMON PARMESAN SAUCE.

2 servings spaghetti noodles
1/2 cup chopped raw chicken (1/2 inch pieces)
kosher salt and pepper
1 TBS canola oil (I used olive oil)
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Sprinkle the chopped chicken with salt and pepper.

Add oil to a skillet and turn heat on medium high.

Add the seasoned chicken.

Start cooking your pasta in the boiling water according to package instructions.

Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes, or until completely white, stirring occasionally.

Bring heat up to high to brown chicken to a golden color, cooking another 2-3 minutes.

Add lemon juice, milk and parmesan to the skillet of chicken and stir well.

Reduce heat under the skillet to the lowest setting.

When pasta is done, drain it completely and mix the chicken and sauce in with the pasta and peas.

Top with additional parmesan if desired.

Cake with Diet Soda

2011-01-21T10:58:00.000-08:00

I had The View on the television during lunch today and overheard a lady talking about making cake with diet soda. She said instead of eggs and oil, just mix in a can of diet soda to any cake mix and the cake will turn out just fine. Since I am addicted to Diet Mtn. Dew, this sounded like a great idea to me! I immediately found the only box of cake mix in the house (white cake), mixed it with a can of Diet Mtn. Dew and baked it. Yum! Honestly, it doesn't taste much different from regular white cake...perhaps it tastes a little bit more like angel food cake than plain white cake. I'm excited to try different flavors of cake mix with different flavors of soda.

DIET MTN. DEW CAKE

Mix a box of cake mix with one can of Diet Mtn. Dew

Bake according to instructions on the box.

Winter Day Dinner

2011-01-21T10:35:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from a casserole magazine that I saw in line at the grocery store. This recipe is on the first page, and it's very tasty. I followed the instructions this time, although I didn't include peas as the recipe calls for. And next time I make this, I'll use regular cheddar cheese instead of Velveeta- I'd just rather have real cheese.

WINTER DAY DINNER

1.5 lbs. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

8 medium potatoes, sliced

CHEESE SAUCE

1/4 c. butter, cubed

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 c. milk

4 oz. Velveeta, cubed

In a large skillet, cook the beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.

In a greased baking dish, layer half of the potatoes, all of the meat mixture and remaining potatoes; set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.

Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth.

Gradually stir in milk.

Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened.

Stir in cheese until melted.

Pour over the potatoes.

Cover and bake at 350 for 1.5 hours or until the potatoes are tender.

Homemade Fish Sticks

2011-01-14T20:44:00.000-08:00

I decided to try making homemade fish sticks for Berkley. There's no way I'm going to buy them in a box, and I figured they just couldn't be hard to make, so I gave it a try tonight.

I bought one piece of fish to try it on, but will definitely buy more next time and make these to freeze for a few days. They are very tasty, and I will likely make fillets of fish this way (versus the "sticks") that our entire family can enjoy.

HOMEMADE FISH STICKS

Tilapia fillet (or other white, flaky fish)

Panko breadcrumbs (although you could probably use any kind of breadcrumb)

All-Purpose flour

Egg white, lightly whisked

Cut tilapia fillet into bite or "stick" sized pieces.

Dredge in flour, then egg white, then breadcrumbs.

Put on a baking sheet (I use a Silpat, but cooking spray would probably be a good idea otherwise).

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Note: These fish sticks get very hot in the inside, so if you're feeding them to children, give them sufficient time to cool.

Jambalaya

2011-01-14T20:19:00.000-08:00

I received a crock-pot for Christmas and am excited to try out some new recipes...especially recipes with a variety of meats. I find meat the most difficult thing to spend time cooking, so I'm hoping my crock pot will make meat a little less intimidating and time consuming for me.

I found the recipe for jambalaya at MyRecipes.com and it was quite tasty.

SLOW-COOKER JAMBALAYA

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 lb. smoked sausage (I used a light kielbasa), cut into 2-inch slices

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

28 oz. diced tomatoes with juice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 c. chicken broth

1 T. cajun spice mix

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 lb. peeled shrimp

1 3/4 c. rice

Combine chicken, sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, spice mix, thyme and oregano in a large (5-quart) slow cooker.

Cook on low for 5 hours.

Add shrimp and rice; raise heat to high and cook for 30 minutes more.

Monkey Bread

2011-01-14T19:46:00.000-08:00

I believe I got this recipe from the Pillsbury website. This is such a yummy breakfast treat that often turns into a snack for a a couple days afterward.

MONKEY BREAD

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 cans Grands biscuits

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 c. butter, melted

In a Ziploc bag, mix white sugar and cinnamon.

Separate biscuits and cut into quarters.

Shake biscuit pieces in bag to coat.

Arrange in greased bundt pan.

Mix brown sugar and melted butter.

Pour mixture over biscuits.

Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes (golden and not doughy).

Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Turn upside down on a plate and serve.

Fruit Dip

2011-01-14T19:32:00.000-08:00

This is the easiest and yummiest recipe that's easy to serve as a light appetizer along with fruit- apple slices, strawberries, etc.

FRUIT DIP

1/2 container of marshmallow fluff (or use 1 small container of the Jet Puff brand)

1 container cream cheese, softened

Mix these together until combined well.

Christmas Wassail

2010-12-29T10:33:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from the West Hills Baptist Church cookbook. I served at this Knoxville, TN church right out of seminary, and use a lot of recipes from their cookbook. This is a nice, warm Christmas drink that can be kept warm on the stove during a Christmas party and it makes the house smell so good!

CHRISTMAS WASSAIL

2 quarts apple cider

23 oz. pineapple juice

6 oz. frozen orange juice, thawed + 2 1/2 cans water

1 container of red hots

2 sticks cinnamon, broken

1/2 c. sugar

squirt of lemon juice

lemon and orange slices

Heat liquids together in large pot on medium heat.

Stir in sugar and red hots until dissolved.

Add cinnamon sticks.

Let mixture simmer for 30-60 minutes

Remove cinnamon sticks and add lemon and orange slices.

Turn down stove to low and serve.

Sun-Dried Tomato Tartlets

2010-12-29T05:42:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to describe how great these little appetizers are. I found the recipe in the Dinner Doctor cookbook and have made them four times in the last month. They are always a huge hit, and I always get asked the recipe for these delicious snacks.

TOMATO, BASIL, PARMESAN TARTLETS

4 packages (2.1 oz. each) frozen miniature phyllo shells

12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ c. parmesan cheese, grated

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 c. drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 c. fresh basil, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Black pepper

Divide frozen phyllo shells between 2 baking sheets and set aside.

Place cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, eggs, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and garlic in a mixer.

Blend until ingredients come together and are well combined..

Season the mixture with pepper to taste.

Place a teaspoonful of the mixture in each phyllo shell.

Bake the tartlets at 350 degrees until the cheese mixture bubbles and the shells are crisp and golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and serve tartlets warm.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake & Sweetened Whipped Cream

2010-12-29T05:31:00.000-08:00

A few years ago my mother-in-law gave me this Christmas wreath mold, and I've been searching for the perfect pound cake recipe to fill it with. I've tried others, but finally discovered just the right recipe! This brown sugar pound cake is very good (especially warm), and the whipped cream with it just makes it even better.

BROWN SUGAR POUND CAKE

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 sticks butter

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Grease and flour pan

In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

Gradually add to sugar mixture.

Pour batter into pan.

Bake at 350 for one hour.

Remove from pan and turn out on rack to cool.

SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM

1 c. heavy cream

2 T. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine cream, sugar and vanilla in a chilled mixing bowl.

Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

Serve immediate or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Pasta Salad with Salami & Mozzarella

2010-12-29T05:21:00.000-08:00

I can't remember where I got this recipe, but it's a nice, fresh-tasting pasta salad.

PASTA SALAD WITH SALAMI & MOZZARELLA

2 c. gemelli pasta

2 c. chopped spinach

1 c. grape tomatoes, halved

4 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut in pieces

2 oz. salami, cut in pieces

3 T. EVOO

1 T. white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook pasta.

Drain and rinse under cold water.

Toss in large bowl with spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella and salami.

Whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Drizzle salad with vinaigrette before serving.

Ham & Cheese Skewers

2010-12-29T05:04:00.000-08:00

This is an incredibly simple appetizer that is often a hit at parties, and I'm betting kids would enjoy this too. I think the piece of apple adds something special to what would otherwise just be ham and cheese!

HAM & CHEESE SKEWERS

1/2 lb. sliced ham

5 oz. Swiss cheese

1 large Gala apple, sliced

1 bunch arugala or spinach

skewers or large toothpicks

Cut ham into pieces.

Break cheese into pieces.

Cut apple slices into thirds.

Thread cheese, apples, leave and ham onto skewers.

Assemble 1 hour ahead and cover with a damp towel.

Serve with Dijon mustard.

Mini Caprese Bites

2010-12-29T04:59:00.000-08:00

Oh boy! These are tasty appetizers that are easy to make and tend to disappear quickly!

MINI CAPRESE BITES

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 c. EVOO

2 T. balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly

Thread 1 tomato half, 1 piece of cheese, small slice of basil, and other tomato half on skewer.

Place skewer in shallow serving dish.

Whisk oil and next 3 ingredients.

Drizzle oil mixture over skewers.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Herb-Crusted Pork

2010-12-29T04:48:00.000-08:00

I've had this recipe for many years, but I have no idea where it came from. It's quite easy and very tasty. I often make it during the winter because it fills the house with the wintry smells of basil and thyme.

HERB-CRUSTED PORK

1/2 c. dry breadcrumbs

1/3 c. fresh basil, chopped

3 T. EVOO

1 T. freshly ground pepper

1 tsp. salt

3 T. fresh thyme, chopped

1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloins (I often make one large one, or two small)

Stir together breadcrumbs and next 5 ingredients.

Moisten tenderloins with water.

Press crumb mixture over tenderloins and place on roasting pan rack.

Bake at 425 for 25 minutes until thermometer reads 145-150.

Remove from oven and let pork rest on pan until thermometer reads 160.

Spaghetti a la Philly

2010-12-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe on the inside of a cream cheese box and thought that it looked tasty, so I gave it a try. It was quite tasty, and I'll definitely add cream cheese to my spaghetti sauce again!

SPAGHETTI A LA PHILLY

1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce

4 oz. cream cheese, cubed

2 T. parmesan cheese, grated

Cook spaghetti noodles and drain.

Brown mean in large skillet; drain.

Return meat to skillet.

Stir in sauce and cream cheese.

Cook on low heat 3-5 minutes or until sauce is well blended and heated through; stir frequently.

Add spaghetti to sauce; mix lightly.

Top with parmesan cheese.

Nutty Fingers

2010-12-23T05:52:00.000-08:00

I am actually not a huge fan of these cookies, but my mom loves them, and I make them for her each Christmas. This is my dad's recipe, and they're very easy to make.

NUTTY FINGERS

1 stick butter

5 T. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. flour

1 c. chopped pecans

Cream butter.

Add sugar and vanilla.

Work flour in gradually.

Add pecans.

Make into roll cookies (I make "fingers" like the title indicates, but you could also make balls.)

Cook at 375 for 8-10 minutes

Roll in powdered sugar.

Sausage Balls

2010-12-23T05:37:00.000-08:00

Sausage balls are one of my favorite winter treats. My dad has passed on this recipe to me. I often change up the heat of the sausage I include depending on who will be eating these. Usually a hotter sausage is a little bit tastier.

SAUSAGE BALLS

1 lb. sausage

1 c. cheddar cheese

2 c. Bisquick

Mix ingredients and roll into balls.

Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Snickerdoodle Pinwheel Cookies

2010-12-21T12:15:00.000-08:00

These are pretty much my favorite cookie ever.

I really only make them during Christmas, but that's just because I initially discovered them in a cookbook of Christmas cookies. Although these are truly homemade- start to finish- cookies, the only time-consuming part is rolling the dough and letting it chill. It looks like a lot of instructions, but none of them are difficult.

The great thing about these cookies is that the dough can be in the fridge for days and it can be used like slice and bake dough- making as many cookies as you want at a time.

Confession: I have been known to eat these as "breakfast cookies!

SNICKERDOODLE PINWHEEL COOKIES

1/3 c. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

1/2 c. butter, softened

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 2/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 T. butter, melted

Combine the 1/3 c. sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

Beat 1/2 c. butter and cream cheese.

Add 1 c. sugar and baking powder; beat until combined.

Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.

Beat in flour (I do about 1/3 c. at a time)

Cover and chill dough until easy to handle (15-30 minutes)

Divide dough in half

Roll half dough on waxed paper into 12x8 rectangle

Brush dough with half of melted butter

Sprinkle with 2 T cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Roll dough (from short side) using waxed paper as guide.

Pinch to seal edges

Repeat with rest of dough, butter and cinnamon-sugar.

Roll each roll in remaining cinnamon-sugar.

Wrap in waxed paper.

Chill for 4-24 hours until firm enough to slice.

Cut rolls into 1/4 inch slices.

Place slices on cookie sheet

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes (They will look light on top, but will be brown on bottom.).

Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.

You can let these cool, but they are really great warm, fresh out of the oven.

Ritz Mint Thins

2010-12-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

I made these treats for a Christmas party. Since I don't eat chocolate, I don't really know if they are tasty, but a few were eaten.

RITZ MINT THINS

1 package (8 squares) Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

1 sleeve Ritz crackers

1 candy cane, crushed

Mix chocolate and extract.

Dip crackers in chocolate, turning to completely coat each cracker.

Carefully scrape off excess chocolate.

Place crackers in single layer on wax-paper covered baking sheets.

Sprinkle with crushed candy.

Crunchy Ham & Potato Casserole

2010-12-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

Most everyone has a recipe for this casserole, but I've never recorded one here. I got it from a gal at MOPS last month. I particularly like the Corn Flake topping.

CRUNCHY HAM & POTATO CASSEROLE

2 lbs. frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 c. sour cream

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 c. butter, melted

2 c. ham, cubed

1/3 c. chopped onion (I leave this out because SW doesn't care for onion)

2 c. corn flakes, crushed

1/4 c. butter, melted

Combine all but last two ingredients and mix well.

Place in baking dish.

Combine last two ingredients; sprinkle over casserole

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Dump Cake

2010-11-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

This is my mother-in-law, Susan's recipe. I like to make this dessert in the fall and winter, and truthfully it's tasty when it's served hot or cold. I've never tried it, but I'm betting it'd be really good with a dollop of ice cream on top! This is an extremely easy dish that is always a hit.

DUMP CAKE

1 can cherry pie filling

1 large can crushed pineapple

1 box yellow cake mix

1 c. chopped pecans

1 stick butter, melted

1 stick butter, cut into pats

Melt butter in baking dish

Mix pineapple and cherry pie filling and pour over butter

Pour dry cake mix over mixture

Sprinkle with chopped pecans

Top with pats of butter

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes

Nilla Yogurt Freeze

2010-11-16T12:05:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe off the box of Nilla wafers I saw in the grocery store. I wasn't even planning on buying Nilla wafers that day, but my eye caught a glimpse of this recipe, and there was no turning back! This is such a good sweet treat that comes in the perfect serving size for a little snack.

NILLA YOGURT FREEZE

Nilla wafers

Strawberry yogurt

Cool Whip

Mix equal parts yogurt and Cool Whip (I used about 2 cups of each)

Place one wafer on the bottom of a muffin cup

Top wafer with mixture

Cover with another wafer

Freeze 1 hour or until firm.

I put the muffin cups in plastic containers to go in the freezer since my muffin tins don't fit. If one cared about the desserts coming out in pretty shapes, a muffin tin would accomplish that.

Taco Chili

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

This is my friend Susan's recipe & she calls it Tortilla Soup. Since there aren't really tortillas in the dish, and its consistency is a lot more like a chili than a soup, I've taken liberties to rename it! It is very tasty and was a big hit in my house.

TACO CHILI

1 lb. ground sirloin

1 onion, chopped

1 package taco mix

1 package buttermilk seasoning mix

1 can pinto beans

1 can Mexicorn

1 (4oz) can chopped green chilis

1/2 c. water

Saute meat and onion together.

Add other ingredients; simmer.

Serve with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips

Baked Spaghetti

2010-11-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

This is my friend Sara's recipe for baked spaghetti, and it makes a ton! I will probably divide this into smaller containers next time so that I can freeze, bake and serve this in smaller quantities & not waste any.

BAKED SPAGHETTI

1 lb. ground beef
1 jar sauce
1 box spaghetti
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese

Cook pasta, strain & put in bottom of baking dish.
Brown and drain ground beef.
Add sauce to ground beef and let simmer.
Top pasta with sauce and cover with cheese.
Bake at 350 until cheese has melted.

Halloween Cookies

2010-11-15T12:37:00.000-08:00

This isn't a recipe so much as a place to post pictures of my fun Halloween cookies.

I rolled out slice and bake cookies and used a cookie cutter to make pumpkin cookies.

I then mixed orange food coloring gel into a container of cream cheese icing and frosted the cookies with the orange goodness.

After baking, cooling & icing the cookies, I set out a container of black gel for folks to create their own jack-o-lanterns.

Pizza Roll

2010-11-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

As Berkley struggles to eat a healthy dose of veggies these days, I decided to try and hide them! So, I hid a spinach/pea/pear puree in a yummy pizza roll. It worked & he loved it! Thankfully, it also tasted good to me & Stephen!

Since I was making up this recipe, I only put puree on half of the roll, and I probably put too much on the half I used. Berkley didn't know the difference, but Stephen & I could taste the puree just a little bit too much for our taste.

PIZZA ROLL

Refrigerated Pizza Dough

1/2 Jar Pasta Sauce

Vegetable Puree

6 Slices of Turkey

8 Slices of Cheese

Roll out pizza dough on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 5 minutes to "prep" dough

Spread thin layer of veggie puree on pizza crust

Spread pasta sauce on crust

Top crust with slices of turkey and cheese

Roll dough lengthwise & bake according to dough directions or until browned

Cut into small slices to serve

1st Birthday Cake

2010-09-07T14:48:00.000-07:00

For Berkley's first birthday, I made a rainbow ball-shaped cake. I've mentioned (multiple times on multiple blogs) that I like rainbow foods, and this seemed like the perfect excuse to make a rainbow cake! I found a ball-shaped mold at A.C. Moore, and it worked surprisingly well.

While the directions for this cake aren't much more difficult than making a normal cake, I want to make sure and document the cake-making process in photographs here.

RAINBOW BALL CAKE

Cake mix

Icing

Gel food coloring

Starburst & Jolly Rancher fruit chews for decoration

Make cake according to box.

Separate mix into several bowls and add food coloring to each bowl.

Pour each color into the mold, taking care to pour into the center of the previous color

Cook as directed.

Once completely cooled, ice cake.

Put unwrapped fruit chews in microwave for 10-20 seconds until pliable.

Roll or "mash" them into thin pieces and use small cookie cutter (or a knife) to cut desired

shapes.

Place shapes on cake icing.

Cake Balls

2010-09-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

For Berkley's 1st birthday party, I wanted to have a "ball theme". So, all of the decorations, activities and food were ball shaped. The week of the party I saw my college friend, Shea talking on Facebook about making cake balls, so I snatched her recipe (Thanks, Shea!) and made an attempt at these sugary treats. I'm big into rainbow foods (cakes, pancakes, etc.), so I made the cake balls in three different colors. Since I don't eat chocolate (Shea's covering of choice), I coated the cake balls in candy melt.

The cake balls were so fun looking, but they were a little sweet for my taste. I think a chocolate coating is probably a little less sugary, and I probably should have used a little less icing when mixing the balls. I will try them again though, and perhaps next time I'll leave the coating off all together. I kind of like the colored balls as they were.

Cake Balls

1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
food coloring (the paste kind, not liquid)
1/2 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package candy melts or chocolates
wax paper

Cook cake as directed on box. (I divided the cake into thirds & added food coloring to each 1/3).

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

Mix thoroughly with 1/2 can cream cheese frosting (I used 1 can & it was too much).

Roll mixture into balls and lay on cookie sheet. (I made the balls way too big- they should be about half

this size.)

Put in freezer for several hours until solid.

When ready to serve, melt candy or chocolate in microwave

Roll balls in candy/chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Ice Cream Tunnel Cake

2010-07-12T04:40:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in the July edition of Parenting magazine. It's a 4th of July-looking dessert, but since we didn't have any big plans on Independence Day, I decided to make it for a dinner with friends. It's easy to make, and very good to eat! The final product didn't turn out as pretty as the picture (I think they staged it differently than it's actually made.), but it was definitely tasty!

ICE CREAM TUNNEL CAKE

1 lb. strawberries, sliced

2 T sugar (I used Splenda), divided

2 C. fresh blueberries

1 prepared angel food cake (the bigger the better, I think)

2 C. strawberry ice cream, softened

Toss the strawberries with 1 T of the sugar.

Toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 T of sugar.

Using a serrated knife, slice off the top inch of the cake and carefully set it aside.

Cut a "trench" into the bottom part of the cake- leaving an inch on either side and an inch or more on the bottom.

Layer strawberries, ice cream, and blueberries into the trench.

Try to stay level with the top of the "trench" wall- you'll have some fruit left over.

Place the cake "lid" back on.

Freeze for two hours or overnight.

Just before serving, spoon remainig fruit over top of cake or serve with each slice.

Strawberry-Limeade Punch

2010-07-11T15:11:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a recipe card in the produce section of the grocery store. I thought it looked good & easy, so I gave it a try. One of my favorite drink treats is a strawberry-limeade from Sonic, and this is a great homemade alternative. Next time I'll make sure & buy some pellet ice from Sonic and it'll be even better!

STRAWBERRY-LIMEADE PUNCH

1 package fresh strawberries, stems removed

1 12 oz. can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed, undiluted

5 cups cold water

Fresh mint sprigs

Place strawberries in a food processor to puree

Lightly pulse until smooth

Pour pureed strawberries through a strainer into a bowl

In a large pitcher combine limeade and water

Stir until limeade dissolves

Stir in pureed strawberries

Pour over ice & top with mint sprigs

Cake Mix Cookies

2010-07-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

My childhood best friend's mother used to make these cookies & my mom got the recipe from her. They are so tasty, and you can make them with any flavor. Folks are always surprised that these cookies are made from cake mix.

CAKE MIX COOKIES

2 eggs

1 package cake mix (any flavor)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix together eggs, cake mix & oil in a bowl

Place heaping spoonfuls of batter on cookie sheet

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes

Chicken Baked Ziti

2010-06-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

This recipe is a new creation of sorts & I have to say, it is one of the tastiest dishes I've cooked in a while. I wanted to use up some food I had in the fridge & pantry, so I typed my ingredients into Supercook, and while I didn't find an exact recipe for what I wanted to eat, I got some ideas and fell into cooking. I had 2 chicken breasts, so I decided to make just enough for me & Stephen to eat that night. However, this recipe ended up being plenty for leftovers as well.

CHICKEN BAKED ZITI

2 chicken breasts, cooked & sliced

1/2 box of penne pasta, cooked & drained

1/2 jar of pasta sauce

1 package mozzarella cheese (I had slices, so I cut all but 4 slices into small pieces- you could obviously use shredded cheese too)

*parmesan- I didn't end up using this ingredient, but you could easily put it on top before baking

Combine chicken, pasta, sauce & pieces of mozzarella in a baking dish.

Top mixture with slices of mozzarella

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Mint Oreos

2010-05-25T05:03:00.000-07:00

In the winter, my dad told me about this chocolate treat & I made them with Hershey's chocolate. Then I saw them at a Super Bowl party & they were made with Andes Mints. Stephen loves chocolate & mint, so I thought this would be a fun anniversary treat for him.

CHOCOLATE MINT OREOS

1 package Andes Mints

1 package Oreo Cookies

Unwrap mints (this is the only slightly time-consuming thing in the whole recipe)

Put mints in a double boiler to melt.

Once mints have melted, use a spoon to dip an Oreo in the chocolate.

Move Oreo around so that it is covered with the chocolate

Put on wax paper (on a plate or container) and repeat with other Oreos

Put plate or container in fridge (or freezer) to cool

This recipe makes about 14 covered Oreos

Tilapia Veracruz

2010-05-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

I found the recipe for this meal on the back of a Kraft cheese package! I thought it sounded yummy, so I gave it a try. It really was easy to make, tasted good, and it gave me lots of ideas for future dishes I could make based on this one. While this recipe calls for sun-dried tomato dressing, I'd love to try a lemon-based vinegairette next time and see how that goes. This dish was definitely a winner!

TILAPIA VERACRUZ

1/2 cup sun-dried tomato dressing

2 T. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

2 tilapia fillets

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives, halved

1/2 cup cheddar/monterey jack cheese

Mix dressing and lime juice

Place fish in a baking dish and drizzle with 1/2 the mixture

Toss the tomatoes and olives with remaining dressing mixture

Bake fish at 400 for 20 minutes

Take out and top with remaining dressing mixture and cheese

Bake 5 minutes or until cheese has melted

Mediterranean Chicken

2010-05-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

I tasted this scrumptious dish last weekend at the beach while celebrating my friend, Gretchen's upcoming nuptials. Gretchen's friend Blythe created this herself and it is so yummy.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I used strips)

1/2 bottle Annie's Natural Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette (I accidentally used the whole bottle & it was fine)

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

feta (about 3/4 cup)

Marinate chicken in dressing for at least 30 minutes (I put it in a Ziploc bag to marinate in fridge for a few hours)

Add onion, pepper and feta to marinated chicken and mix ingredients (I added ingredients to the bag & "smushed" it all around in the bag.)

Pour into baking dish and cover with aluminum foil

Cook at 400 for 15 minutes.

Uncover dish and cook for another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly

Chicken Parmesan

2010-05-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

I've had this recipe for a while...not sure where I found it. It is absolutely one of the best and easiest recipes I make.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

1 c. Italian breadcrumbs

2 T. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

2-3 skinned, boneless chicken breasts

2 eggs whites, lightly beaten

1 T. EVOO

1 jar pasta sauce

1 c. shredded mozzarella

1/4 c. grated parmesan

Combine breadcrumbs, flour and pepper

Dip each chicken breast in egg whites

Coat each breast with bread crumbs

Cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat (2-3 minutes on each side)

Place chicken in lightly greased baking dish

Top with sauce & cheese

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Granola

2010-05-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

This granola recipe was given to me by my dear friend Cara's mom, Paula. During Cara's wedding festivities, her mother treated us to delicious yogurt parfaits that included this homemade granola. Due to my peanut allergies, good granola is hard for me to come by, so this has been a regular staple in my breakfast (and snacks) for 4 years now. Paula's recipe includes 1/3 cup toasted almonds, but I make mine without the almonds & sometimes add other goodies like raisins or dried apples.

GRANOLA

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/4 cup honey, warmed to liquid

4 T butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and any other ingredients (almonds, raisins, etc.)

In a glass measure, warm honey until it is no longer viscous (about 20 seconds in microwave)

Add melted butter to honey and stir

Drizzle the honey-butter over the dry ingredients and mix to combine

Spread the mixture on a baking sheet

Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes until granola is golden and crunchy, stirring once

Cook time will depend on your pan and oven

Don't over cook, it will still be gooey, but will dry crunchy (this is the key and takes a little trial & error)

This time I made two batches- one with dried apples & one without

Blueberry-Banana Pie

2010-05-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

This is my mom's recipe. I have no idea where she got it, and I'm not sure she knows either! As a child I was not a fan of bananas or blueberries, but I've always loved this pie! It's an easy, summery pie that is a little bit messy, but well worth the tastiness!

BLUEBERRY-BANANA PIE

1 deep-dish frozen pie shell (or a pre-made shell is fine too)

2-3 bananas, sliced

1 c. pecans, chopped

8 oz. cream cheese

2/3 c. sugar (or Splenda)

1 small container Cool Whip

1/2 can blueberry pie filling

Bake pie crust and let cool

Line with sliced bananas

Sprinkle with pecan pieces

Cream together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy

Fold in Cool Whip

Pour mixture into crust

Top with blueberry filling

Lemon Risotto

2010-05-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

I tasted this dish last weekend at a wedding shower. The hostess, Tammy Clark presented this dish inside lemons & it was so yummy. I couldn't wait to make this for our moms on Mother's Day. It is not a difficult dish to make, but it is time-intensive. So, I won't be making it frequently, but it's definitely worth the time & effort ocassionally.

LEMON RISOTTO

4 cups chicken broth
1/2 c fresh lemon juice

3 T unsalted butter
2 large shallots, diced
1 1/2c Arborio Rice
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c and 2T grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c mascarpone cheese
zest of 1/2 lemon
3/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp ground pepper
2T parsley

In a medium sauce pan, bring broth and 1/4 c of the lemon to a simmer

Set aside for later and keep hot over low heat.

In a different medium pan, melt 2T butter, add shallots and saute until tender- about 3 minutes
Add rice and stir until the rice is coated

Add wine and remaining 1/4c lemon

Simmer until the liquid is evaporated- about 3 minutes
Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and simmering each time until liquid is evaporated

Continue until all liquid from sauce pan #1 is in the rice- about 20 minutes

Remove from heat

Stir in 1 T butter, 1/2 c parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper

Spoon into bowls or hollowed out lemons

Sprinkle 2 T parmesean cheese and parsley across all servings (I topped mine with asparagus)

Carrot Souffle

2010-05-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

This dish is one of Stephen's all-time favorites. We first tried this at the home of some folks in my first church in Knoxville. Mary Frances Rule made this & faked out all of her dinner guests (as I do each time I make it). This looks just like a sweet potato souffle, but it's made entirely with carrots! Since I am not a big sweet potato fan, but I love carrots, this works out well for me!

This is such a fun dish to make & see the surprise on people's faces when you tell them it's made from carrots!

CARROT SOUFFLE

2 lbs. carrots

3/4 c. butter, melted

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. sugar (I use Splenda- not pictured)

2 tsp baking powder

6 T. flour

6 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Cook carrots in water until soft

Mash carrots or blend until smooth

(I used my baby food maker for the above instructions because it steams & processes the carrots in the same machine)

Blend carrots with butter until smooth

In medium-size bowl, combine other ingredients and mix well

Add mixture to carrots & butter in a souffle/casserole dish

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

I forgot to take a picture of the final product, but it looks a lot like sweet potato souffle!

Frogmore Stew

2010-05-09T04:20:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: This dish is intended to be fed to large groups of people. Something is just lost when trying to make it for one (or even two), but it's still so good & the recipe is the same. I tried to make it for myself last week & it was good, but part of the fun is eating this meal with others.

This is one of my all-time favorite foods- especially in the middle of the summer when fresh shrimp, corn & potatoes are easy to come by. Ideally, you'd make this meal, cover a large table with newpaper and dump the entire contents onto the table for folks to enjoy with their hands. Although I'm posting this recipe now, I'll probably re-post it again this summer when I do it the "right way".

This is also a "practice makes perfect" meal- the more you make it, the more you learn how you like it...how much of each ingredient per person, how long to cook each ingredient, etc. Just give it a try...you really can't fail.

FROGMORE STEW

1 package Kielbasa sausage, sliced

Red New potatoes (think about 2 potatoes per person), quartered

Shrimp (1/2 lb usually feeds 2 people unless you've got some folks who love shrimp)

Corn on the cob (figure on a cob per person), halved

Old Bay Crab/Seafood Boil Seasoning Bag (not pictured)

Fill a large pot with water and put on stove at medium-high heat.

Add Old Bay seasoning bag and potatoes to water as it comes to a low boil.

Allow potatoes to boil for about 10 minutes or until moderately tender (check with a fork).

Add corn on the cob to pot (this is a preference thing...however tender or firm you like your corn).

About 5 minutes later, add shrimp to pot.

Shrimp only need to cook until pink & warm (2-3 minutes)

Drain entire pot.

Dump contents onto newspaper-covered table (or serve in bowls).

Serve with cocktail sauce & drawn butter.

Breakfast Casserole

2010-05-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

Everyone has tasted a version of this delicious breakfast dish. I don't actually have a recipe per se- I've made this several times & now I just "throw it together". However, this particular recipe is most closely related to the recipe my friend Turner's friend Amelia makes.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

1 lb. sausage

6 eggs

1/4 c. milk

6-8 pieces of bread (use whatever bread is in the house at the time)

cheddar cheese, grated

salt

pepper

Cook sausage & break into small pieces

Drain & set aside

Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray

Tear (or cut) bread into small pieces & place in dish

Top bread with sausage

Whisk together 6 eggs, milk & add salt & pepper to taste

Pour egg mixture over bread & sausage

Top dish with cheddar cheese

Cover with plastic wrap & keep in refrigerator overnight (this step can be skipped if desired)

Bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly

Pineapple Pork Tacos

2010-05-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

I forgot to take pictures of the early stages of this dish, but thankfully Stephen reminded me at the end.

This was a delicious meal & very quick & easy to make. I had no idea that pork can be broiled so quickly & come out so well. I will definitely be using this method a little more in the future.

(I think I got this recipe from myrecipes.com, but I can't remember for sure.)

PINEAPPLE PORK TACOS

1 white onion, thickly sliced

2 c. fresh pineapple chunks

1 lb. pork tenderloin, thinly sliced

8-12 corn tortillas, warmed

1/2 c. roughly chopped cilantro

lime wedges

Arrange rack in over 6 inches from heating element

Preheat broiler

Arrange onion & pineapple on foil-lined baking sheet

Broil, stirring twice, until softened and slightly brown 8-10 minutes

Transfer to platter & keep warm

Arrange pork on same baking sheet & broil

Stir twice until cooked through and golden brown 6-8 minutes

Transfer to platter with pineapple and onions

Toss gently

Spoon onto tortillas

Top with cilantro & serve with lime wedges

Romaine Chicken Wrap

2010-05-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

I have no idea where I saw the idea for this recipe, but after cooking a little extra chicken this week, I decided to give this a try. It was a big hit for lunch today- super easy to make & very tasty!

ROMAINE CHICKEN WRAP

Chicken breast pieces

Romaine lettuce

Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Creamy Italian dressing (or Caesar dressing)

toothpicks

Boil chicken breasts for about 20 minutes

Cut chicken into bite size pieces

Place several pieces on top of romaine lettuce leaf

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese

Roll up lettuce leaf & secure with toothpick.

Serve with a side of dressing for dipping

Snickerdoodle Chex Mix

2010-05-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of regular Chex Mix...I don't eat a ton of salty snacks & a lot of Chex Mix has nuts in it (an allergy issue for me). However, I found this recipe for Snickerdoodle Chex Mix (I think it was in a magazine on an ad for Chex) and it's pretty tasty. It may actually be a little bit too sweet for me (I tend to like fairly bland foods, I guess), but it's a good snack.

SNICKERDOODLE CHEX MIX

1/4 c. sugar (or Splenda)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 c. cinnamon Chex

2 c. regular Chex

4 cups popped popcorn

1/4 c. butter

In a small bowl, mix sugar & cinnamon; set aside

In a large bowl, mix cereals & popcorn

In a microwavable bowl, microwave butter for 40 seconds

Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated

Microwave uncovered 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute.

Sprinkle half of sugar mixture evenly over cereal mixture; stir.

Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture; stir.

Microwave 1 minute longer.

Spread on waxed paper or paper towels to cool.

Lime Chicken Quesadilla

2010-04-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from the May issue of Parents magazine (which, for the record, I've somehow gotten for free all this year...still don't know why I get it).

This is an incredibly yummy recipe, but it was a little tough to make & I'll make some changes the next time I make it.

LIME CHICKEN QUESADILLA

1 package chicken-breast tenders

1 T. salt-free fiesta lime seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash)

2/3 c. chopped green pepper

1/3 c. frozen whole-kernel corn

8 tortillas

1 oz. cheddar cheese

1 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Chop red pepper and set aside.

Coarsely chop the chicken & toss with the seasoning blend.

Heat the oil in a large skillet.

Add the chicken & garlic.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink inside.

Add pepper & corn to chicken & cook for 2 minutes.

Spoon filling onto 4 of the tortillas.

*Sprinkle with cheese and top with remaining tortillas.

*Spritz a griddle (or the skillet) with nonstick spray over low heat.

* Put tortillas on surface.

*Cook each side until browned (about 2 minutes per side).

* The final directions are what I would change. It was very difficult to move the filled tortillas to the skillet, flip them, and move them to a plate without losing all of the filling. I think next time I will leave the quesadillas open-faced & only worry about cooking one side.

Pork Shoulder

2010-04-20T04:37:00.000-07:00

Stephen smoked a pork shoulder all day Saturday. It was incredibly good & was eaten up by our friends in seconds! I don't actually have a recipe here, but Stephen took a picture of his ingredients and said, "Isn't this how you take pictures for your food blog?" So, I thought since he took the time to set up & photograph his ingredients I should include them here!

Sorry, folks- no recipe for pork shoulder from me!

Key Lime Pie

2010-04-20T04:29:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe that comes right on the container (just like oatmeal raisin cookies). The recipe for key lime pie is on the key lime juice bottle. I forgot to take pictures of the finished product, but I decided to post anyway, because I make this recipe all the time & it's always a hit!

KEY LIME PIE

One graham cracker pie shell

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk (I use the "low fat" kind & it works perfectly)

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup key lime juice

Combine milk, egg yolks & lime juice.

Blend until smooth.

Pour filling into pie shell & bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Allow to stand 10 minutes before refrigerating.

Just before serving, top with Cool Whip & garnish with lime slices.

Celebration Pasta Salad

2010-04-20T04:19:00.000-07:00

This recipe is straight from the Junior League of Knoxville cookbook- a gift to me when I went to serve in my first church there.

This stuff is so good & easy to make for tailgating, parties, or just to have around for lunch.

CELEBRATION PASTA SALAD

1 16 oz. package bowtie pasta (you can use any small noodle)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

4 tsp. lemon juice

2 T. red wine vinegar

1/2 c. plus 2 T EVOO

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 small bunch scallions, chopped

4 oz. prosciutto, finely chopped (I just buy a package in the deli section & don't pay attention to amount)

1/2 c. parmesan (I'm sure I use more than that, and I like the shredded kind for texture)

Cook pasta; drain & rinse in cold water.

Combine garlic, salt & pepper, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil & Italian seasoning in a small bowl; mix well.

Combine pasta, yellow pepper, red pepper, scallions & prosciutto in a large bowl.

Add salad dressing; toss to mix.

Add parmesan cheese; toss to mix.

Apple Crumble

2010-04-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on Supercook when I was looking for a fun evening snack with ingredients I already had in the house. This was definitely a successful dish! Yum!

APPLE CRUMBLE

2/3 c. flour

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. butter, softened

4 grannysmith apples, peeled & sliced

2 T. white sugar

cinnamon, to taste

Place apples at bottom of baking dish

Sprinkle cinnamon & white sugar on apples

Combine flour, brown sugar, and butter in a small bowl

Spread mixture over top of apples

Bake at 250 for 30 minutes

Dijon Cod

2010-04-07T04:52:00.000-07:00

I was trying to be a little adventurous & make a meat that was a little different than our normal chicken or ground beef. I saw this cod at Whole Foods & thought I'd give it a try. This recipe was on the back of the wrapper, and while I think it was probably a good recipe for fish, we just didn't enjoy the fish that much. Next time, I might try this same sauce on a more fresh, thinner cut of fish.

DIJON COD

1 package cod fillets

2 T. butter, melted

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. worcestershire

1 tsp. dijon mustard

4 T bread crumbs

salt

pepper

Lightly grease baking dish

Lay cod into dish

Season with salt & pepper to taste

Blend butter, lemon juice, worcestershire and mustard in a small bowl

Spread sauce over fillets, covering completely

Sprinkle bread crumbs over sauced fillets

Bake at 425 until cooked thoroughly (about 10 minutes)

Cucumber Dip

2010-04-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Laurie made this dip last weekend and I could have eaten the entire bowl! I am not normally a fan of "dip", but this was just so fresh tasting & yummy. So, I called Laurie for the recipe & made it this morning!

CUCUMBER DIP

2-3 cucumbers

1 cup white vinegar

1 tsp. garlic salt

2 blocks of cream cheese, softened

Grate cucumbers (as you would carrots or cheese) into a bowl

Add vinegar to cover cucumbers
Mix in garlic salt (more can be added to taste)

Cover bowl & put in fridge overnight (or 5+ hours) to marinate

Push marinated cucumbers through a strainer until very little vinegar is still visible (this takes a good deal of pushing & stirring in the strainer)

Add cream cheese to cucumbers

Mix well

Serve with chips or crackers (I like it with wheat thins)

Sausage & Pepper Pasta

2010-03-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

SAUSAGE & PEPPER PASTA

1 box pasta

1 jar pasta sauce

1 bell pepper

1 link sausage (I used low-fat kielbasa)

parmesan cheese

Cook & drain pasta

Slice pepper into thin strips

Cut sausage into bite-sized slices

Combine all four ingredients in large skillet until heated thoroughly.

Serve with parmesan cheese

FAILURE!

I love the ingredients in this concoction, but they are much better individually than together.

It wasn't a horrible failure, it just wasn't all that good- and not worth keeping around past dinner last night.

I cooked the pasta, cut the kielbasa & peppers and then combined all 4 ingredients in a large skillet.

I used a whole jar of sauce...it was too much.

I can't put my finger on it, but it just wasn't that good.

Maybe I'll try some adjustments next time.

Or maybe I'll retire this recipe.

Hiatus

2010-03-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

So, I have a feeling my recipes are going to be few & far between in the weeks to come. We have our house on the market, and in order to keep the kitchen immaculate, we're not doing much cooking at home these days.

I predict this will only last a few weeks- not because I think our house wil sell that fast, but because eventually we won't be able to afford to eat out all the time.

Don't worry- I won't be gone for long!

Fruit Pizza

2010-03-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

I had the most delicious fruit pizza at the Super Bowl party we attended a few weeks ago. Our friend Dawn gave me her recipe and this is the second time I've made it since. It is so yummy and easy to make. I used strawberries and blueberries, but you could obviously use whichever fruits sound good to you.

FRUIT PIZZA

Pillsbury cookie dough

1 block cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar (I used Splenda)

1/4 tsp. vanilla

fresh fruit

Roll cookie dough out onto a baking sheet. (I dusted it with flour to make it a little easier, and baked it on a Silpat, so it would be easier to remove from the cookie sheet.)

Bake cookie as directed.

Allow cookie to cool thoroughly.

Mix cream cheese, sugar & vanilla

Spread mixture over top of cookie

Decorate with fruit. (Next time I will probably cut the strawberries into smaller slices.)

Chicken Salad

2010-03-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

I enjoy chicken salad, but I rarely eat it. This is primarily because of my peanut allergy. I know- there aren't peanuts in chicken salad, but sometimes there are other kinds of nuts and sometimes they are processed near peanuts.

And I could die.

Chicken salad just isn't worth it to me.

For some reason, I always assumed chicken salad was tough to make. Uh- it's not.

My mom's friend made some for us while I was in SC last week, so I took her lead & made some of my own. I don't really have a "recipe"- I just threw 3 ingredients together and voila!

I made some last night and Stephen & I ate the entire bowl (with spoons...we were out of sandwich bread), so I made more tonight & hopefully it'll stay around so I can have some for lunch tomorrow.

CHICKEN SALAD

1 lb. chicken breasts or cutlets

5 stalks of celery (this all depends on how much celery you want...I love the stuff)

1 heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise

salt & pepper to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil

Place chicken breasts in pot & boil for 20 minutes

Cut chicken into bite size (or smaller) pieces

Cut celery into bite size pieces

Mix chicken & celery in a bowl with a heaping spoonful of mayo (the mayo is to taste- I don't like a ton, so as to keep the chicken salad mixture on the chunky side)

Add salt & pepper to taste

Chicken & Chorizo Tostada

2010-03-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

It figures that right after I told people about this blog, life would get in the way and I'd be unable to post here. It's not that I haven't been cooking (although I haven't been cooking a lot). It's that I've been cooking my "go to" dishes. I've been cooking the things that require no thinking, no photography, and no writing.

But I have returned.

There are few foods that my husband actually has on his list of loves. But, chorizo sausage is one of them. So, when I found this recipe in Real Simple, I was quick to put it on the list to try.

This was a tasty dish, but is definitely intended to be cooked and served immediately. Unfortunately, I cooked it & was ready to serve it, but Berkley was not ready for bed yet, so I kept the food in the oven to stay warm, and ended up overcooking it. The taste didn't really suffer, but it wasn't as pretty and the cheese wasn't as gooey.

Still, the meal was a success.

CHICKEN & CHORIZO TOSTADA

1 lb. chicken cutlets (I actually used turkey & it was great)

4 Small tortillas

1 lb. Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced (I just bought a link from the butcher, and cut into slices)

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

EVOO

salt and pepper

sour cream

fresh cilantro

Season chicken cutlets with salt & pepper

Cook cutlets in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden.

While cutlets are cooking, cook chorizo slices

Cut chicken cutlets into bite-sized pieces

(I crumbled chorizo slices into even smaller pieces after they were cooked.)

Broil 4 small tortillas until crisp.

Top tortillas with chicken, chorizo and cheddar cheese

Broil until cheese melts.

Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Baked Ziti

2010-02-11T06:37:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from SuperCook because I had lots of good ingredients in the house, but just no idea what to make. I could have made this much more elaborate, but stuck with just the few ingredients and it turned out very well. This is a good recipe that will also been good to eat for lunches (I like foods that I want to eat more than just the one night I make it).

BAKED ZITI

8 oz. Ziti pasta (you could also use Penne)

1 c. ricotta cheese

1 jar pasta sauce

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta & drain.

Combine sauce, mozzarella and ricotta (I did this in the baking dish so I wouldn't have to dirty a bowl)

Add pasta & mix well (I found that using tongs does the job perfectly)

Pour into baking dish (if you haven't already)

Top with parmesan cheese

Cover with aluminum foil

Bake for 30 minutes at 375.

Egg Noodle Slaw

2010-02-04T11:13:00.001-08:00

My dad used to make this dish when I was younger, but it's one of those things I always forgot about. It's a little more time consuming than most of my dishes, but still pretty easy, and well worth it. Mostly, it just takes time to chop everything (especially the cabbage), but it is so yummy once it's all together.
EGG NOODLE SLAW

8 oz. medium egg noodles

3 c. shredded cabbage

½ c. celery, chopped

½ c. cucumber, sliced

½ c. cheddar cheese, grated

1 pkg. ham or turkey, sliced

Cook noodles & drain.

Combine noodles with other ingredients.

DRESSING

(This makes a lot of dressing. I made the whole recipe & used about 3/4 of it.)

1 c. plain yogurt

¼ c. EVOO

2 T. white vinegar

2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. seasoned salt

½ tsp. dry mustard

¼ tsp. white pepper

Whisk together all ingredients.

Pour over noodle mixture.

Mix well.

Sprinkle dish with paprika (optional).

Enchiladas

2010-02-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Kraft Recipes. I've never made any type of enchilada before- in fact I've only eaten them once or twice in my life. But, these were extremely easy to make & were a hit in the Willis house. It's recipes like these that I am thrilled to add to my repertoire because it's easy & tasty & unlike most other things I cook.
Due to the snow storm we had, the grocery store was relatively bare yesterday, so please excuse the canned chicken & pre-packaged lettuce. I'm not proud, but it's what was available. CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
2 c. cooked chicken, chopped
1 c. sour cream
1-1/2 c. Colby & Monterey Jack cheese
1 c. salsa
2 T. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
10 tortillas- mine were too big, so I had to cut them- I'll buy smaller ones next time.
1 c. shredded lettuce

1 medium tomato, chopped

Mix chicken, sour cream, 1 c. of cheese, 1/4 c. of salsa, cilantro & cumin until well blended
Spoon about 1/4 c. of the chicken mixture onto center of each tortilla; roll up.
(I had some extra chicken mixture, and realized it would make a good chicken salad sandwich or wrap- the chicken is already cooked, so the mixture is tasty just the way it is!)
Place, seam side down, in baking dish.
Top with remaining 3/4 c. salsa; cover.
Bake 30 minutes at 350.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. cheese.
Bake an additional 5 minutes.
Top with lettuce & tomato before serving.

Chicken & Apples

2010-02-02T07:52:00.001-08:00

Oh my goodness! This is a brand new recipe that is ridiculously easy & incredibly delicious...my favorite! I subscribe to a couple of recipe e-mail lists, but until now I haven't had a lot of time to go through the e-mails that are chocked full of what look like great recipes. Now that I'm staying home I'm starting to wade through those e-mails (which, thankfully I have saved in folder), and this is evidence of one such recipe. I got this one from My Recipes.
Seriously- it was so easy and so good!
CHICKEN & APPLES
5 c. chopped, peeled apples (I used 4 Braeburn apples- next time I'll probably use 5)
1 t. sage (I didn't have any, so I left it out, but would like to use it or thyme next time)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (Stephen asked for more of this next time)
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
4 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 chicken thighs, skinned

Combine first 5 ingredients plus 1/4 tsp. salt.
Spread apple mixture onto baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam
Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 tsp. salt & pepper
Arrange chicken on top of apple mixture
Bake at 475 for 25 minutes

The original recipe says you should then mash the apples into an apple sauce, but I left them chunky.

Secret Recipe

2010-01-31T17:34:00.000-08:00

After a day of being snowed in yesterday, I was ready to cook a special treat. I was craving something sweet, so I made my "famous" oatmeal raisin cookies.
There's a secret recipe for these amazing cookies...the secret is that the recipe is on the inside of every Quaker oats container!OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
1/2 lb (2 sticks) margarine or butter (I almost always use butter for baked goods)
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tea. vanilla
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. oats (I used old-fashioned) 1
c. raisins

Beat together butter & sugars until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

Albondigas

2010-01-28T19:15:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from All You magazine. Albondigas is a traditional Mexican meatball soup that is not very pretty to look at, but tastes pretty good. Stephen was a fan of this meal, but there are some changes I would like to make to it next time.

ALBONDIGAS
1 lb. ground turkey (next time I might use a little less- it was a bit "meaty" for me)
1 large carrot, shredded
2/3 cup uncooked white rice (next time I might add a tad more rice)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 boxes chicken broth (I used unsalted, but will probably use regular next time)
flour or wheat tortillas

Fill a large pot with water and heat to boiling.
Combine turkey, carrot, rice, garlic powder, salt & pepper into a large bowl.
Use your fingers to mix gently but thoroughly.
Form mixture into about 16 balls (I made 16 and threw out 2- didn't have room in my pot!)
Using a spoon, place balls in boiling water.
Return water to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Drain water and return pot to stove.
Pour broth into pot with rice balls and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
Spoon into bowls and serve with warmed tortillas on the side.

Spinach & Cheese Pizza

2010-01-27T05:59:00.000-08:00

First of all, I need to profess my love for Supercook. It is a website where you can type in the ingredients you have in your house & it lists recipes that you can make with them. It is there that I found this recipe for a Spinach & Cheese Pizza. I don't typically care for pesto sauce, so this is a good alternative to using pesto on pizza.
This is one of the recipes I've tried that was okay, but not amazing. Next time I make this, I will probably use a little less cheese (shock, I know). I will also probably add some tomatoes. I'm thinking with tomatoes added, this would be yummy and the colors would also make it a great Christmas time appetizer- cut into small squares. I actually altered it a bit from its original state, so here is my altered version of the recipe I found on Supercook.

SPINACH & CHEESE PIZZA
3/4 c. EVOO spinach (I eye-balled this- about 1/2 pack of pre-washed spinach)
2/3 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1-2 cloves garlic
1 T fresh basil
salt & pepper
pizza dough (I used Pillsbury, but you could make your own or use a pre-made crust)
1 c. mozzarella cheese (I think I used more than that...part of my problem)

Combine oil, spinach, parmesan, garlic, basil, salt & pepper
Puree these ingredients to make a sauce (I used a processor, but you could use a blender. I've also thought of just putting the ingredients on the pizza without pureeing them.)

Place pizza dough on baking sheet
Form a rim around the dough
Bake dough until lightly browned

Spread dough with spinach mixture and 1 c. mozzarella
Bake at 400 until cheese is melted

Laurie's Poppyseed Chicken

2010-01-25T11:57:00.000-08:00

Lots of folks make a version of this casserole, but I got this particular recipe from my friend Laurie Saylor Cutler. It's so delicious & I try to keep these ingredients on hand as well, so I can make it anytime. This is one of Stephen's favorites, and my "go to" casserole when I need to take food to someone.
LAURIE'S POPPYSEED CHICKEN
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. sour cream (I use reduced fat)
2 T. poppy seeds
2 T. lemon juice
4-6 boneless chicken breasts (I've also used canned chicken for this)
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1 stick of butter, melted

Boil chicken with cover on pot for 20 minutes
Cut chicken into pieces
Mix chicken with sour cream, seeds & juice
Put into casserole dish
Crush crackers on top
Pour melted butter over casserole
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes

Chicken "TetraJeannie"

2010-01-25T11:47:00.000-08:00

This recipe for Chicken Tetrazini is the one my mom has passed on to me. That's why we call it chicken "tetraJeannie".
This is an easy recipe and I typically have all of the ingredients for this in the pantry & fridge so I can make it at a moment's notice.

CHICKEN TETRA-JEANNIE
1 box spaghetti noodles
1 bouillon cube (I don't always add this)
1 can chicken (or you can boil 1lb. chicken breasts & cut into small pieces)
2/3 c. chopped celery
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 and 1/2 cans cream of mushroom soup
salt & pepper
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese

Boil noodles with bouillon cube in water
Drain & rinse noodles
Drain canned chicken
Combine noodles, chicken, celery, pepper, salt & pepper
Cover in cheese
Bake at 350 until bubbly (20-30 minutes)

I Love Food

2010-01-25T11:35:00.000-08:00

It's just a matter of fact. I have a deep appreciation for food. I don't need fancy food. I like simple foods. But, I love food nonetheless.
I really enjoy cooking. I'm not the greatest chef in the world, but I can follow a recipe & occasionally make my own creations. Cooking is relaxing & creative to me. I love trying out new recipes.
I found myself often documenting what I cooked on my other blog, and thought that it might be fun to start saving my concoctions here. I might still post about fun foods both places, but this will be a place for me to actually include the recipe & pictures for what I cook.
I have no idea how well I'll keep up with this blog, but I'll try to include what I cook for dinner at night if it's worth noting (mac & cheese doesn't count, obviously). Hopefully, this will keep me from cooking the same thing over & over, and I'll be inspired to find & cook new recipes.
I promise to be honest about what's good & what isn't. Even bad recipes deserve their place here! I'm all for "correcting" a recipe the next time I try it.
I will do my best to let you know where I got each recipe. I want to give credit where it's due. There will probably be few meals that are my own creation, but I'll make a note of it if I do get bold enough to post those here.
So, here we go...
Don't be expecting gourmet meals here. I'm thinking casseroles, pastas and other easy foods will be here.
Bon Appetit!