Get In my BELLY

I'm BACK!!!!

2009-05-27T06:17:00.001-07:00

Sort of... i don't promise to be as active as i was before but i DO promise to blog finally if i make something that is blogable. Now did i make something last night that fits into this category? Not unless you think this fits:
What? No? Doesn't count? Well shoot... what IS what i ate last night... Hey i'm pregnant and Chris was working late so kill me!
But i do have a little treat to welcome you all back to this blog and we should all thank Cooking and Eating in the Windy City for posting this b/c without her i wouldn't have had this idea.
So here's how it went down. We were invited to a Memorial Day party and were asked to bring a side of sorts. Well when i saw these little doosies i KNEW i had to make them. Hey i have standards to uphold with these guys (Chris's friends) plus i figured it was good practice for all the future birthday day parties that we'll be throwing. And without further anticipation... Burger Cupcakes!

These little suckers were pretty easy to make and really knocked the socks off people.... they really thought they were burgers until they picked them up! Here's what you do.

Make mini Yellow cupcakes. Don't fill the cups too much because you want a dome, not a muffin look. When they are cooled cut them in half and use kitchen sissors to trim up the tops if needed.

Make mini chocolate cupcakes. Same with filling the tins. Now cut these in half and trim the sides to give a rounded, burger look.

Make the lettuce: Get a bag of shredded coconut and mix in green good coloring with a fork until it looks like lettuce shreds.

Now you Layer: bottom bun, layer of icing (red or yellow) slice of chocolate cupcake, layer of icing (whichever color you didn't already use) and then sprinkle the coconut on. Top with the Top part of your "bun". Now to help the seseme seeds to stick i brushed a little bit of lemon juice on top.

BAM! Just like that you have tasty Cupcake Burgers!

Not dead, pregnant

2009-04-14T07:59:00.001-07:00

Sorry... i have some updates but i'm too tired to post and i'm BLAH to make anything else so... updates when i make it to the second tri! Promise!

Spicy Tilapia with a Pinapple-pepper Relish

2009-03-24T05:37:00.000-07:00

So this weekend i did some spring cleaning. After cleaning out my freezer i saw which meats i had (that were still good) and planned my meals around them for the week(rather then buying more meat). Plus since i dusted off my cooking light cookbook i thought this was the perfect opportunity to try something new, healthy, and yummy!
This is what i found for my Tilapia...now Chris wasn't a huge fan of the Relish... to "different" for him but I LOVE IT! I was eatting spoonfuls of the stuff... but i also felt the peppers baking my insides for the rest of the night but it was still SOOOO good! It was fresh, spicy, and filling!
Yield
Ingredients
4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet, about 1/2 cup relish, and 1 lime wedge)
Ingredients

* 2 teaspoons canola oil (i didn't have any so i used EVOO)
* 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
* 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple chunks
* 1/3 cup chopped onion
* 1/3 cup chopped plum tomato
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
* 4 lime wedges

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle fish evenly with spice mixture. Add fish to pan, and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Combine pineapple and next 5 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a large bowl, stirring gently. Serve pineapple mixture with fish. Garnish with lime wedges.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 228 (22% from fat)Fat: 5.5g (sat 1.2g,mono 2.2g,poly 1.4g) Protein:34.9g Carbohydrate:11.2g Fiber:1.5g Cholesterol:85mg Iron:1.2mg Sodium:328mg Calcium:29mg

Everyone needs an audience!

2009-03-24T05:35:00.000-07:00

This is my Sadie Ladie! my cute "little" lab! She's like velcro to me and gets frustrated when i'm in the kitchen for long periods of time (notice the chew marks on the rails)! Love my pups!

Pioneer Woman Chicken

2009-03-24T05:22:00.000-07:00

Now i'm sure if you're a food blogger you know about the Pioneer woman and her amazingness but WOW... this is the first recipe of hers i've made (knowing it was hers) and it was amazing! I made it with my Mother-in-law on Friday night before we went off to my scrapbook world. It is such an amazingly tasty AND colorful dish! It just LOOKS so pretty! Chris LOVED it... not he didn't eat all of his peppers but he loved the flavor they added! I can't wait to make this dish for a dinner party!
Ingredients:

3 chicken legs
3 garlic cloves
3 tomatoes
2 bell peppers
1 large onion
3 tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp oil

Optional: chili pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C).

Wash and slice 2 bell peppers (color is completely irrelevant) into medium-sized strips. But color is ALWAY more fun!

Cut an onion in half and slice it up…

Until you end up with a big pile of these.

Slice a medium to large chili pepper. Don’t worry; this is not going to make things overly spicy. It’ll only add a little zing. (i honestly don't remember doing this step... i could have... but maybe i didn't... it was still good!)

Wash and dice 3 juicy red tomatoes.

Grate or finely mince 3 garlic cloves. Mine were medium-sized.

Grab yourself a bowl and put the garlic in there.

Pour 3 tbsp olive oil in there as well. Use a mild olive oil, if you have any (i didn't and it was fine).

Add 1 tsp sweet paprika powder, 1 tsp curry powder, a heaping 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cumin and 1/4 tsp salt. (i'm finding out more and more that cinnamon is a good thing in things other then dessert! Use it, Love it!)

Whisk until you have a fragrant marinade.

Generously season them with salt and black pepper.

Heat 1 or 2 tbsp oil and quickly brown the chicken legs.

Transfer the chicken to an oven dish.

Brush them with half of the marinade. BAM! Instant color! Kind of like a spray tan for the chicken!

Spread the bell pepper strips, onion slices and chili pepper around the chicken. Also place a few slices underneath and on top of the chicken.

Lightly and haphazardly dab the vegetables with the other half of the marinade.

Add the diced tomatoes. Try to distribute them evenly.

Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Pour it down the side of the oven dish— you don’t want to rinse the flavor off of the chicken and vegetables.

Pop the dish in a preheated oven and bake for 1 hour at 350F (175C).

After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven, flip over the vegetables and pour some of the juices all over the chicken.

Put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes.

Thanks Pioneer woman this was amazing and GREAT still for leftovers!!

Dark and white chocolate strawberry layer cake!

2009-03-24T05:16:00.001-07:00

We were going over to a friends house for dinner and i said that i would bring a dessert and OOOOH MAN i couldn't wait to make this so i thought PERFECT! Strawberries just went on sale i HAVE to make it! I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this cake was! EVERYONE loved it. My friend even asked if she could keep a big ole chunk so they could have it the next day (now when have people EVER ASKED for you to leave leftovers with them??)! This has such a nice blend of flavors but without being heavy and overly sweet. The best way i can explain the taste is a Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake!
Now i would LOVE to give credit to someone for this cake (because i didn't come up with it) but i can't remember whose blog it came from, so if it's your cake let me know!

Dark and White Chocolate Layer Cake
Ingredients:
For the dark chocolate cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the white chocolate whipped cream:
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

For the whipped cream frosting:
1 cup cold heavy cream
4 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fresh strawberries, for filling and garnishing

Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the sides of two 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the sugar, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; mix at medium-low speed until smooth. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake, remove the cakes from the pans, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake has cooled, cut each in half horizontally to create four cake layers.

To make the white chocolate whipped cream, place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Melt, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is almost melted, bring 1/2 cup of the cream to a boil. Once the chocolate is fully melted, transfer the bowl to a counter, pour in the hot cream and let it sit for one minute. Then stir gently with a spatula until the chocolate is smooth. Let the chocolate sit until it reaches room temperature - the chocolate can’t be the least bit warm when it is added to the whipped cream.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 cup cream only until it holds the softest peaks. With the mixer on high speed, add the white chocolate all at once and continue to beat just until the mixture holds firm peaks. Transfer the cream to a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap gently against the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make the whipped cream frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat the cream, sugar and vanilla together just until the cream starts to thicken. Start on a slower speed and increase the speed as the cream gains texture. Continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Be very careful not to overbeat.

To assemble the cake, transfer one of the cake layers to a 10-inch cardboard circle, cut surface up. Spread a thick layer of white chocolate whipped cream on top of the cake. Layer with fresh strawberry slices. Lay another cake layer on top of the cream and berries, and press down gently. Top as before with white chocolate whipped cream and berries. Repeat once more with another cake layer and topping. Place the final cake layer on top, cut side down, and press down gently. Frost the cake with whipped cream frosting and garnish with fresh berries as desired.

Pineapple Salmon

2009-03-24T05:11:00.000-07:00

Tired of the same old Salmon and don't feel like putting a lot of effort into dinner BUT you still want something tasty and healthy?? Look no further! This was a very simple recipe but beware you have to like the taste of actual salmon to enjoy it (i tend to douse my fish in seasonings so you taste that more then the fish, not the case here).
Pour some melted butter over the top of the salmon (i just spread I can't believe it's not butter light). Sprinkle brown sugar so that a nice thin layer is there. Now bake in the oven on 400ish until almost done. Now take your pineapple chunks and spread over the top and bake for about 5 more minutes or so, keeping an eye not to burn the pineapples.
Enjoy! This makes a GREAT summer recipe too! I can't wait to try it on the grill!

Strawberry Lemon Tart

2009-03-24T04:41:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank Katie for making this so that i could have to recipe to make it! Chris was having a hard week at work and so i wanted to make something nice for him to cheer him up and he LOVES lemon anything! So i made this yummy Strawberry Lemon Tart! We just loved it! It's the perfect sweetness without being heavy! We're really looking forward to this summer when i can add some other fresh fruit on it and maybe an apricot glaze!

Strawberry Lemon Tart

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, room temp
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 pinch salt

1 1/4 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 egg yolks
1/4 c. sugar
1/8 c. flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 c. strawberries

Directions:
-In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, place butter and beat until softened.
-Add sugar and beat on high into butter until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
-Turn mixer to medium and add egg, beating until just combined.
-Add flour and salt and beat until mixture comes together, about 2-3 minutes. Do not overwork.
-Remove bowl from mixer, press dough together into ball and pat into flat disk.
-Cover disk tightly in plastic wrap and place into fridge for 20 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine milk, vanilla, and lemon zest and place over medium heat.
-Meanwhile, in small mixing bowl, combine egg yolk and sugar and mix to combine well.
-Add flour and cornstarch and beat into yolk mixture to combine very well.
-When milk mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat, add a spoonful into the yolk mixture to temper, then add yolk mixture into milk, whisking constantly to combine.
-Place back over heat, whisking constantly until mixture thickens well.
-Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice.
-Place into bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing over the top of the cream to avoid a crust and place into fridge to chill well.
-Remove dough from fridge and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Prepare 9 inch tart pan.
-On floured surface, roll out tart dough and then place evenly into tart pan.
-Smooth a little bit of flour onto the top of the tart dough, place a piece of tinfoil over and fill with pie weights.
-Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until it turns golden brown.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely.
-Once ready to serve, wash and dry strawberries thoroughly, remove tops and slice each into half.
-Remove lemon pastry cream from fridge and spread evenly into bottom of tart shell.
-Top pastry cream with strawberry halves and serve.

Candied Apple Pork Chops

2009-03-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

These little babies were YUMMMY! I was looking for a new spin on pork chops and i had two apples laying around so i thought i would put them to good use! These were a really tasty dinner that didn't take any time to prepare but seem almost gourmet!

I baked the pork chops with just a little salt and pepper seasonings. While those were cooking i sliced my apples into thin strips and then placed them in a pot on the stove where i had already melted 2 tbsp of butter. I added about 1/4 c of brown sugar and maybe a tsp or two of cinnamon (sorry i'm not an exact cook) and cooked them on a low medium heat until they were soft. Once my pork chops were done i poured the apples over top and served! YUMMM!

This is SURE to be a kid pleaser!

Holy Super Productive Batman!

2009-03-05T04:38:00.000-08:00

Well something must be working with my new chemicals i'm on b/c WOW i've been doing GREAT lately... Chris is even surprised by my energy! I mean Yeah i still have to literally DRAG myself out of bed (i don't think that will ever change)but WOW i even impressed myself yesterday!!
So i'm not feeling soo well this week b/c it's not a great week to be a woman, catch my drift... okay moving on... BUT i STILL went home and i did the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred! I mean i almost died (seriously! okay not really but UH it was tough!) but i did it! THEN i folded some laundry and made cheesey gluten free biscuits from a mix i had in my pantry (they were eh)... I also took the pups on a car ride to the post office and uploaded LOTS of photos to facebook! I then went and auditioned for my church's chamber choir (oooh yea i'm in! SWEET!) came home finished making dinner for my darlin hubby and ate at the TABLE (yea we've been BAD couch eaters lately)!!
***side note: Chris has decided that Stella now gets to sit in a chair at the table, well it's against the wall and not BY the table but still!! She still like right there... and i would object but she's so darn funny just sitting there quietly watching us!***
After dinner we did some potential looking at new clothes for chris online and then i finished up the laundry and....

WAIT for it....

WAIT for it....

PUT IT ALL AWAY! OOOH YEA! Even MY hanging clothes! WOW! That was a lot! Hey it was! It was like 6 loads at least!

And after my beloved LOST finished i started my new bible study THE LOVE DARE. It's a bible/christian study on how to be a better spouse and how to love your spouse more...etc

That was what i did! Things are really looking up!

Pour some fat on me....

2009-03-04T11:58:00.001-08:00

So Chris had a really rough day at work yesterday so i decided to make him a non-diet food that he LOVES. Shrimp Scampi. But i had this GREAT sounding recipe in my google reader from Annie Eats that i knew i had to try! I didn't have all the ingredients on hand but it still turned out amazing! So here's my version of her tasty treat! Notice below i wrote in the changes of the amount i used... for a smaller serving go to her blog or basic half it.

Baked Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients:
1 lb. large shrimp in the shell (I used this bag of shrimp that was on sale... it was like 50 med shrimp)
3 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dry white wine (didn't have any so i added in more olive oil and a splash of vinegar)
salt and black pepper
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tsp. minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 tbsp. minced shallots (so i didn't have any of these, so i used chopped up finely white onions)
1 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley (mine was dried)
1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves (dried again)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest (didn't have any so i used more juice)
2 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/3 cup panko (yeah non again so i used bread crumbs)
Lemon wedges, for serving and non AGAIN!)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper until combined.

Starting from the center of an oval or round baking dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Place under the broiler for 1 additional minute to brown the top. Serve with lemon wedges.

This is a finished result (wish i would have taken a picture of my lovely shrimp before the bread crumbs)... pardon the black spots... i was slightly distracted by my lovely husband when we walked in the door!

I made that sauce stuff

2009-03-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

So i wanted something tasty but easy so what did i do? I pulled out the already stuffed flounder (stuffed with crab mixture, thanks to my local Giant!) and i sprinkled Cajun seasonings on it and baked it... yummm
Then i made some brown rice in my pampered chief rice cooker and put some sort of seasonings in it (don't remember) yummmm
Then i sauteed some asparagus and made my first ever hollandaise sauce!

Sauce is from my Betty Crocker Cook book.
Take 1/2 a stick of butter and melt in a sauce pan with a large egg yolk and 1/4c (i think) of lemon juice. Wisk constantly.... once that's done add in another 1/2 stick of butter and continue... now it's all melted goodness, dump it over your asparagus... yummmm

My Dogs Love the Snow!

2009-03-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

This was what it looked like Monday morning when i peeked outside around 930ish~ SWEET!

A beautiful Blanket!

Yes I shoveled this all by myself!

Sadie had no breaks!

look at my big girl go! She was running around just as much as Sadie!

Sadie Couldn't have been happier!

Sadie, given me some lovin!

Stella just taking a break

One of their new friends from the dog park!

My 101 in 1001 days (that’s 2 and ¾ a year!!)

2009-02-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

So i'm begining this on March 1, 2009... that means the last day of my challenge is November 26, 2011! Yeah that's a long time... but look at this list! I'll update as i complete things and include pictures... so i hope you enjoy!

ME
1. Grow hair out so it’s down my back, at least to my bra line
2. Treat myself to a day spa massage once a year. (0/3)
3. Get a pedicure at least 4 times a year. (0/12)
4. Get my Happy Pill dosage right and keep it right
5. Take one bubble bath a week (3/143)
6. Read 30 books that aren’t typical for me (1/30)
7. Sit and Watch the sun rise 15 times (0/15)
8. Treat myself to a "me day" once a month. (0/33)
9. Have at least 5 lazy days a year (0/15)
10. Learn the basics of a new language on CD (like in the car)
11. Enjoy a latte at least once a month (1/33)
12. Have a movie marathon day where you see at least 5 movies

US
13. Do a couples devotion every Week for a year. (0/52)
14. Take family photos once a year. (0/3)
15. Make and bake our first baby.
16. Have a candlelit dinner once a month. (0/33)
17. Take a trip planned by Chris
18. Take a trip planned by Me.
19. Go on a picnic.
20. Cut down tree for Christmas. (0/2)
21. Do the 40 day Dare (4/40)
22. Bring Chris breakfast in bed 5 times.

Pups
23. Walk pups at least 3 times every week (2/429)
24. Give dogs a bath every month (1/33)
25. Give the dogs a special treat every week (2/143)

Environment
26. Use my reusable bags for EVERY grocery trip. (3/143)
27. When said baby is born, use only cloth diapers.
28. Finish changing all lights in house to energy savers

The House
29. Sweep the floors once a week. (3/143)
30. Put Laundry away every week (1/143)
31. Change the sheets once a week. (3/143)
32. Scoop Poop in Backyard every other week (1/72)
33. Plant flowers for every season.
34. Build Deck
35. Cut down tree in front yard and plant new one
36. Paint Bedroom
37. Replace floors
38. Fix up front of house

Memories/Photos
39. Take a picture in a photo booth, twice. (0/2)
40. Document all tasks with a photo.
41. Finish Family Photo Wall
42. Scrapbook twice a month. (2/66)
43. Update blogs so family/friends can keep in touch
44. Send out a family update with each Christmas card (0/2)
45. Create a memory book for my family and Chris’s (0/2)

Healthy Me
46. Lose 20 pounds to be a goal weight. (0/20)
47. Take a yoga class.
48. Run a 5k.
49. Have veggies everyday (22/1001)
50. Follow Sonoma Diet for all of wave 1

Food!
51. Cook 30 new recipes. (7/30)
52. Try 10 new restaurants. (0/10)
53. Have a Crab Feast
54. Organize (into recipe book) all loose recipes.
55. Make sushi.
56. Make 5 new vegetables (0/5)
57. Make Pizza from scratch once a month (0/33)
58. Go to the farmers market 10 times. (0/10)
59. Blog 101 recipes in food blog (7/101)
60. Grow an herb Garden

Others
61. Make a meal for a family at church
62. Volunteer to serve food at a homeless shelter.
63. Send a card a month to someone unsuspecting. (0/33)
64. Compliment 10 strangers. (0/10)
65. Host a party for Chris’s friends.

Crafts
66. Make a quilt.
67. Finish and Frame Cross Stitch
68. Make baby blanket for said baby
69. Make Christmas stocking for said baby

Organizational
70. Donate/sell/throw away 101 things (101/101)
71. Organize scrapbook table to finally stay organized.
72. Make closets/dresser functional and in one room
73. Organize linen closet (throw out stuff) monthly (1/33)
74. Get the basement in order

Soul
75. Do a devotional everyday for a year. (0/365)
76. Read the Bible entirely.
77. Graciously accept every comment I receive for 1 year. (0/365)
78. Let my feet sink in the sand once a year. (0/3)
79. Pray over every dinner (24/1001)
80. Go to church 101 times. (2/101)
81. Make a list of 101 things I like about myself.
82. Make 5 new friends. (0/5)
83. Sing a meaningful song for a church service
84. Stand up for yourself when someone puts you down

Computer/Work
85. Learn a new program
86. Organize all photos.
87. Organize/delete, etc email once a month (1/33)
88. Go through and update work list 3 times a week (6/429)
89. File everything each Friday (2/33)
90. Create a to-do list for next week every Friday (1/33)

Just for Fun
91. go Skiing
92. Take a road trip to somewhere overnight
93. Host a Board Games Night
94. Go Fishing
95. Play Golf or go to the driving range 3 times a year (0/9)
96. Go to the National Zoo
97. Go to 5 new museums. (0/5)
98. Go to 3 baseball games (0/3)
99. Buy a new car
100. Build a sand castle on the beach (must be waist high)
101. Dance in the rain.

Reasons behind 101 in 1001 days

2009-02-26T11:24:00.000-08:00

So i've set forth to do a lot of things in this blog (Cleaning for a whole week documented, Sonoma Diet, Weight Watchers, etc) and i haven't followed through with any of them...but that's going to change.

As some of you know i'm pretty open and what i'm about to tell you a lot of you experience and others don't believe it really exist or you just might not understand it. Well here is it. I have depression. Clinically Severe depression... well that's what i was diagnosed with back in college. Since then i've been on and off various medicines that have worked and haven't worked. Everyone is different in how depression effects them and why it does but here's my story.

All the women in my mom's side of the family suffer from this... i've been told it's just a chemical imbalance in us... caused by nothing and nothing and cure it... just treat it. With me personally i get tired physically and emotionally. I loose interest in things I love and I can't really think clearly. I become very forgetful and often just don't care. I wake up every morning (doesn't matter how long i slept) not seeing the point of getting out of bed (even though i have a job and dogs that need me). I get irritated at silly things only to realize that later it was silly. etc, etc, etc

I'm telling you this because i'm going through this again because i got cocky a while ago and went off my medicine thinking i would be fine... i wasn't... i got back on it on a very low dosage and that's not helping me so i'm going to see my doctor today to get it all fixed... or as i like to call it... Get my HAPPY pills.

Some of you might judge me from this, not understand me... but i'm writing this in hopes it might help someone. So many people are in denial that depression is only if something bad happens to you, or you're weird etc if you have it... but with me it's nothing i can change or fix... it's my chemicals... it's in my genetics. So if you think this could be you, talk to someone b/c there is help... and it's hurting more then yourself.

With this being said... Since i'm going in for my "tune up" i want to also start off on a fresh page... so i'm doing 101 in 1001 days! How fun is that!
It's going to get me on track and keep me there and help me do all the things i've been wanting to do. Don't worry this is still my food blog but i will be updating the next post (my list) often with pictures, updates, etc on how i'm doing... and this all begins March 1st!

Barley Barley I MADE Barley!

2009-02-23T05:46:00.000-08:00

Okay this is very "throw this and that in" sorry, i'll do my best to try to get it close!
First cook your barley according to the packages directions.... I made 1 c uncooked barley. Be prepared this will take 45mins-1 hour depending on how soft you want it.
*Once it was almost done i added in 1/2 a tiny can of tomato juice and 4-5 diced grape tomatoes.
*Then i added in some italian seasonings
*around tbsp of lemon juice
*tsp or so of ground blk pepper

I think that's all and it was really good!

Stuffed Sonoma Pork chops

2009-02-23T05:34:00.000-08:00

This recipe is adapted from what i remember my friend Martiena said she used according to a recipe in the Sonoma Diet cook book. Oh and beware because i don't measure so these are guesstimates.

Ingredients
2 boneless pork chops (of a decent size but don't have to be huge)
4 tsp FF cream cheese
2 tbsp reduced fat feta cheese
2 tbsp chopped up mushrooms
2 tbsp chopped up red bell pepper
Spinach leaves, enough to put a layer down on each porkchop
pepper
basil
garlic salt
Italian bread crumbs (gluten free.... oh these weren't in the recipe but i used them)
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Take your pork chops and place btw some plastic wrap and beat them until thin
Spread 2 tsp of the cream cheese on each
Sprinkle 1 tbsp of feta, mushrooms, and bell pepper on each.
Top with a layer of spinach and roll.
Put pork roll in small baking dish that has been covered with non-stick something)
Then top the Pork Chops with 1/2-1 tbsp olive oil each and sprinkle with the pepper, basil (mine was dried), garlic salt and bread crumbs.

Bake at 425 for about 30 mins or until done

Stop the presses, i MADE barley and Chris liked it!

2009-02-23T05:29:00.000-08:00

OOOH yeah! My good friend Martiena (who got me on this diet) made a dinner very similar to the one above and Chris just LOVED it! So i of course had to recreate it on Sunday night! LOL! We mainly had it so soon b/c i had some porkchops i had defrosted in the fridge and if i didn't use them soon they would be bad so this was perfect!

This is a Sonoma friendly meal. It's Stuff porkchops (she served hers on a bed of yummy wilted spinach, so good, i'm just lazy) barley, and green beans (we had mixed greens salad at her house that i brought).

This was also a surprisenly easy meal to throw together... but did you know barely takes FOREVER to cook??? But that's okay because it's SOOO cheap! When we started eating it at her house Chris thought he was eating rice and when we told him it was barley he was cool with it, esp when we told him you can get it for less the a dollar a bag! Sweetness!
So now my husband and i are "crunchy"!

Sonoma Day whatever!

2009-02-23T05:17:00.000-08:00

OKay, so i cheated over the weekend... who here has NEVER cheated on a diet!?!?! Yeah that's what i thought! lol But i still did follow some rules, some of the time~
On Thursday this was my lunch...
Black Bean Chicken in a Whole Wheat Pita

my stomach was SOOO full after eating this i couldn't eat the salad i brought to go with it and i didn't eat my two snacks later in the day! I couldn't i was sooo full! Yeah this is the SAME Pita i had on Monday when i was starving! My stomach is getting smaller! So here's what you do for this super yummy and fast lunch.
Take a whole wheat pita and cut it in half.
In each side place a tbsp of blk bean spread (recipe below) and a tbsp of salsa.
put in 1.5 oz ck in each side. (i bought these recooked chicken packets that have 6oz so i know i get half the pack in one sandwich.
Then load it up with 1/2 c baby spinach in each side
Chow down!
This is so filling!

Black Bean Spread from Sonoma Diet book

Ingredients
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/4 c sliced green onions
1 tsp ground coriander (i didn't have this)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp canola oil (i didn't have any so i used olive)
1/4 c fresh cilantro
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c water
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp finely chopped canned chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce (i couldn't find this so i just put some red pepper in the mix)
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
cook onions, coriander, and cumin in hot oil in small sauce pan until very tender.
Remove and stir in cilantro.
Put onion mixture into a food processor. Add blk beans, water, lime juice, pepper, and salt. Cover and blend until nearly smooth
serve immediately or store for up to three days. (i used for 5 days)

Sonoma Day 3!!

2009-02-19T05:11:00.001-08:00

Well this was a little tough for me... i was hungry, very hungry at times! And in the morning my stomach blew up... sorry TMI i know BUT it's going to happen to you too so i thought you should know. Think about all the fiber you're eating. Plus as i was going to sleep last night i noticed my stomach or intestines or something was feeling weird and it made me wonder... are they adjusting to the fact that i haven't had sugar, white breads, processed food, etc in 3 days. I know you're thinking it's ONLY been three days BUT think about it... have you ever tried to eat "clean" (basically this way)? You have to cut out A LOT of junk! I never thought about it before how much junk i was really used to eating. No longer do i get to sit down and munch on my Chips and Salsa... goodbye ice cream bar after dinner, and so long butter popcorn before i leave work! It's hard! BUT SOOOO worth it! Know why?? Here's a preview of what's to come for you!
I started this on Monday weighing in at 165... i weighed myself 5 times this morning (b/c i was in shock) and i'm now at around 158-159 (mine isn't digital so i don't know the exact number)!!! I wanted to cheat SOOO bad last night but i didn't and BOY am i glad now! YES!

So i thought it might be helpful for you to see the plate i've been eating on compared to what i used to eat on (and go back for seconds). The top plate is my new dinner plate (ignore those pesky water spots)! It's almost 9" across and most the time i don't fully fill it up to the edge (b/c then stuff would fall off)

So what did i eat for day three?... well look at yesterday until you get to dinner.
Repetition works for me... plus it's cheaper then buying 10 different everythings. Dinner though, i was lazy... i just didn't want to put a lot of effort into it... was even considering cheating b/c of it but i decided no... i'll eat my plate and if i'm still hungry then i'll cheat... but guess what... i was FULL! True story... full all night! OHH yea!
So below is my dinner. Half a plate of mixed greens topped with Fat free Italian dressing. Then some Barilla Plus Pasta topped with Lite Kabala (sp?) sausage (3 pieces) and topped with marina sauce. Now i wasn't supposed to have sauce with sugar in BUT i had very little in it and it was all i had in the pantry... and i had less sauce then i normally do~

Sooo moving on to Day 4!

Balsamic Chicken

2009-02-18T04:58:00.001-08:00

This was tasty and very moist but honestly i could have used more flavor (it's one of the book's recipes)... maybe if i would have grilled it then there would have been at least the grill taste... oh well it was still very good!
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast, 1- 1 1/4lbs (i had 3 big ones)
1/4 c Balsamic vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 tsp minced)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Place your chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and beat it to within an inch of it's lift... well 1/2 an inch (thickness that is)
Place it in a sealable baggie and pour the above marinade (premixed) over it. Seal and put in fridge for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Discard the marinade when you remove Chicken from bad and grill or heat in oven.

I made mine in an oven on a boil pan, at 400 degress for around 15 mins.
Enjoy!

Hot Suff Rice

2009-02-18T04:52:00.000-08:00

I created this yumminess when i realized that my chicken was going to be a little sweet and tangy so i wanted a bold hotness to blend nicely with it. Also brown rice is one of the few grains i can have (since i don't think i could get Chris to eat Quinoa or Barley... not sure i'm ready for that yet!) So here's what i did...
I have this GREAT Pampered Chef Microwave rice cooker so i loaded it up with
3 1/2 c of water
1 c brown rice
2 tbsp sliced green onions
3/4 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tspish of red pepper flakes
splash of olive oil
Pepper
very small amount of I can't believe it's not butter light
Cook in the micro for 35 mins and DONE
This had a really nice kick that blended well with the chicken!

Sonoma Diet, Day 2! By Joe!

2009-02-18T04:41:00.000-08:00

They aren't lying to you! When all these diet/nutrition books tell you to eat slower and you'll get full faster, etc.. it's TRUE! So in day one i was dealing with EXTREME hunger after dinner so i decided to try something different. First i ate a little later, this obviously helping (ate at 7 instead of 6). Then i took 25 minutes people to eat my 9" plate of food! Oh YEA! This is incredible for me because normally i look at eating like a track event, the first one done is the winner! Not SO i tell you! WOW! So i ate VERY slow and i don't know about getting full FASTER but i did stay full LONGER! That was just what i needed! YES! Chris was even impressed with my slow eating! lol!
So here's what Day 2 looked like...
Breakfast: Same old Cereal as day one
Snack: Coffee with FF creamer and splenda (i HAVE to have this... sorry sonoma)
Lunch: As you see below i had mixed greens with baby spinach topped with a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan and Ken's Balsamic Vinaigrette from the healthy options line. And i had half of a whole wheat pita!

Snack: On my day off i made baggies of veggies that i could eat for snack. They included a few slices of each: green bell pepper, cucumber, celery, and some cherry tomatoes!
Snack at home: I had a skim mozzarella cheese stick and a glass of diet orange soda
Dinner: This was quite good! As you can see we had peas (no recipe needed, open a can and heat them up!), Balsamic Chicken and Hot Stuff Rice! Please note the plate is a 9" plate! ooooh yea!
Also i had TONS of water throughout my day~

TuTu Heaven

2009-02-17T07:05:00.001-08:00

This is not eddible, but i made it~ This is sooo easy to make and here's how!

What you'll need
Tulle of preferred colors (i got about 10 yards... but i had a lot left over b/c my little person is short!)
elastic (a thin strip)
sissors
thick satin ribbon
thin ribbons in various colors
silk flower
Needle and thread

First measure you darlin's little waist. Then add on about two inches and cut the elastic that size.
Over lap the elastic ends about an inch and sew together.
Measure the length that you want your Tutu then double and add 2 inches. For exaple:
I wanted mine to be 8inches long
So i made my pieces of tulle 18 inches long (8x2=16+2+18)
Go through and cut all you tulle 18 inches long, then take those pieces and cut into strips about 3"-4" thick. So you'll have an 18x4 strip. This doesn't have to be exact, i measured the 18" but eyeballed the 3-4" thick strips. Worked JUST FINE!

Now that you have your strips and your band you can begin to place together.

I wish i had taken a picture of this next step but i'll try to explain.
Hold one strip of tulle with the two ends together so there's a connected end and a cut end. place the elastic circle on top. Loop the cut end over the elastic and through the connected end and pull. This should now have your tulle secured on the band!
You will continue this until all your tulle is on in whatever pattern etc you're trying for. The one above is as follows.
Hot Pink (about 65ish pieces)
Then i mixed in Yellow and blue creating 2 blue patches and 2 yellow patches and then a few random pieces here and there.
Topped it with Light pink and white and then a few more Hot Pink Tulle.

Now you add your ribbon. Cut your pieces just like you did the tulle and secure in any pattern you prefer. I decided to do 5 pink, 5 blue, and 5 yellow.
Now make your Satin bow.
I found it easier to tie the bow on in a knot then as i made the bow i secured the flower in it!
And Voila! A perfectly cute tutu!

Marinated Flank Steak

2009-02-17T06:45:00.000-08:00

This is quite the tasty treat! It sure had a kick too! I cooked this with REALLY thin steaks so that i could cut them up for my salad and i think if you did it on a thicker steak it wouldn't be as spicy! But Soo good!
Ingredients

* 1 (1-1/2 to 2 pounds) flank steak
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried, crumbled
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled (i didn't have any)
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
* 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
* 1 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for grill pan

Directions

1. Trim fat from steak and place steak in a shallow dish. Stir together rosemary, marjoram, oregano, garlic, paprika, salt, and peppers in a small bowl. Stir in the oil until combined.

2. Spoon herb mixture evenly over both sides of steak, rubbing in. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

3. Preheat grill pan over moderately high heat. Lightly coat pan with oil and place steak in pan. Grill, turning once, until a meat thermometer inserted into center of steak registers 125 degree F for medium rare, 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Transfer to a cutting board. Cover and let stand 10 minutes before cutting, across the grain, into very thin slices. Makes 8 servings.

Sonoma DIET!

2009-02-17T05:47:00.001-08:00

For all of you who were waiting for my BIG announcement, this is pretty much it. I am starting the Sonoma diet. If you are unsure of what this diet is here's a brief explanation I found on About.com:
Positive Emphasis - Emphasis is supposedly on what you do eat rather than what you don't, and this is true to an extent. However, the list of forbidden foods is one that is common to, for example, the South Beach Diet, and most of that list is common to all low-carb diets. BUT you do get carbs in Wave 1 (brown rice for example... and Whole Wheat Wraps and Pitas)

Focus on Food - There is an emphasis on eating slowly and savoring food. Partially to this end, a glass of wine is allowed with dinner after the first ten days.

Nutrition - The books talks getting a variety of phytonutrients and antioxidants, partially through "power foods". I always like it when I see a diet which emphasizes variety and nutrition. Also, whole foods are emphasized (very few processed foods are recommended), which is always a good sign.

Structure - I think that some of the popular low-carb diets lack structure. For those who want more guidance, the Sonoma Diet delivers, but perhaps too much for some. (I NEED this structure! I found even Weight Watchers was too open for me!)

I'm very excited about this diet because i have a SERIOUS addiction to carbs and sugar, hopefully this will help me so when i'm allowed to have them all again I don't over indulge.
Here's what I ate yesterday

Breakfast: 1 c Whole Grain

Lunch: Chicken and black bean spread in a whole wheat pita
You took a whole wheat Pita and spread in 2 tbsp of the black bean spread (Recipe coming later) throw in 3 oz of ck breast, 2 tbsp of salsa, and then fill with about 1 cup of baby spinach. SO good, i forgot to take a picture because it was so tasty!

Snack: 1/3 of a cucumber sliced and 1 celery stalk
1 stick of reduced fat string cheese (i had two actually, one later on in the evening b/c i was sooo hungry)

Dinner: Marinated Steak (recipe to follow) with Broccoli and Brown Rice.

I was fine until close to bed time, when i was starving! So i had another string cheese but other then that i did fine and no cheating! So from now on that will be my post and recipes... so if you have any questions feel free to ask away and i'll do my best to answer!

Valentine's Day Steaks

2009-02-17T05:39:00.000-08:00

Chris and i had a very LAZY and relaxing Valentine's Day... it consisted of us doing well really nothing... we took a nap! WHOO HOO! We did go grocery shopping so that we could have a nice yummy dinner at home! Don't you LOVE how grocery stores ALWAYS have really good steaks on sale for this holiday! Even if you don't celebrate Valentines Day you should AT LEAST take advantage of the steaks! YUMM! We'll we did and i created a creations using some Parmesan and peppercorn salad dressing we bought!
Ingredients
Steaks, doesn't matter the cut, kind, etc just get what you want!
1/4c about of Parmesan Peppercorn Ken's light and healthy salad dressing
1 c of sliced mushrooms
splash of white wine
pepper
Put all of this in a small skillet and cook over low heat for as long as the steaks take

We Broiled our steaks (b/c it was COLD) with a broil seasonings rub.

Once your Steak is done pull it out and top it with the mixture in the skillet (the liquid should be very little and creamy since the mushrooms should soak up quite a bit.
Then top with about a tablespoon of the salad dressing and sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese on top and some fresh ground pepper and voila! Yumminess!
Chris has decided we're going to start having this once a week... riiight!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-17T05:32:00.001-08:00

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These little wonders are AMAZING!!! SOOO good! I put them together on Friday night and threw them in the fridge. Then the next morning i pulled them out and put them in the oven and WOW! Chris and I were eating these all weekend long! Yummm! I can't remember whose blog i got these from so if they're yours let me know because i REALLY want to thank you!!!
Cinnamon Rolls
For dough:
1/2 cup warm water (105–115°F)
2 (1/4-oz) packages active dry yeast (5 teaspoons)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup warm milk
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

For filling:
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze (is my own combination):
2 cups powdered sugar
Approximately 8 teaspoons milk (add more if glaze is too thick)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
-In bowl of large stand mixer, stir together warm water, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over.)
-Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, combine 5 cups flour, salt, and remaining sugar and whisk to combine; set aside
-In small bowl, combine milk and eggs.
-With mixer and dough hook on low speed, add milk and egg mixture then slowly add flour mixture, stirring to combine.
-Beat at medium speed until a very soft dough forms, about 2 minutes.
-Add butter and continue beating at medium speed until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic (adding more milk or flour to achieve good consistency if needed), about 4 minutes (it will be quite sticky).
-Add dough to large oiled bowl and tightly with plastic wrap.
-Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
-Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and dust with flour, then roll out into a 16-inch square.
-Stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, and 2/3 c. granulated sugar and sprinkle evenly over dough.
-Beginning with side nearest you, roll up dough, firmly but not tightly, into a log, then pinch seam to seal.
-Trim 1 inch off each end with a large knife and discard, then cut log crosswise into 12 slices.
-Arrange slices, cut sides up, into prepared 9x13 pan, spacing evenly as they will bulk up.
-Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight to rise (you can also just let rise at room temp until doubled in bulk about 1 -1 1/2 hours).
-In morning, remove rolls from fridge and preheat oven to 350 degrees while they comes to room temperature.
-Bake rolls in lower third of oven until puffed and golden, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
-Meanwhile, stir together powdered sugar, vanilla and milk with a fork until smooth.
-Drizzle over buns while still relatively hot.
-Serve buns warm or at room temperature.

It's HERE what you've all be waiting for!!

2009-02-17T05:30:00.000-08:00

MIA... i know i know

2009-02-11T05:07:00.001-08:00

I know i've been MIA from my cooking, well i have been cooking, it's just not blog worthy... but that's because i'm planning something BIG! So be prepared.... it's coming within a week!

Womanly Craving for Cupcakes

2009-02-06T05:55:00.000-08:00

So right about now i see in your eyes that if you're a woman you're thinking "Right On Sister! Cupcakes and Chocolate... perfect filler for a craving" and if you're a man you're think "Sweet, food" and let me tell you think is sweetness and quite deceiving! lol!
So This Cupcake baking story begins with Chris coming to me and saying that he would REALLY like me to make a lemon cake. I'm thinking on it, begin searching for recipes... then BAM! Craving hits me like a mac truck (no i'm not pregnant i'm getting a visit from... okay TMI you get the point, moving on...) i NEEDED raspberries and chocolate! I don't mean i wanted.. it was a DIRE NEED!! BUT i also knew i didn't want to overwhelm my "not a huge sweet fan" husband with a raspberry chocolate overload, so i decided to throw in his lemon cake! Oooh YEA!
So since we all like simple servings i decided to make cupcakes! I found a lemon cake recipe that was a former first ladies i believe... and she must have been a democrat because it was full of it! HA, not funny? ok ok you can laugh at ME later...
well honestly this was NOT a very good recipe so i'm not posting it... the cupcake was VERY heavy and sort of hard... so it wasnt bad, tasted good, just not fluffy deliousness.
Directions
So Make a cake batter (mine might be boxed next time!) and make your cupcakes. Once they have cooled, scoop out a small amount of the center... kinda of the size of one of those slugger marbles (you know the big ones you used to knock the little ones out of the circle, never played marbles.. oh well guess you'll have to guesstimate!)
Then pour raspberry preserves in the center (i used oh wonderful store bought kind and stirred them until it became more liquidy) then i covered the preserves with some of the cake i scooped out and then topped it with Whipped creamy chocolate icing *uh yea no recipe for this either b/c it was store bought...(whatever i just wanted CHOCOLATE)!
These are amazing (minus the heaviness of the cupcake) Chris said if they were a fluffier cupcake it would be his favorite desert, so i'll be making these again... with a recipe i like hopefully! So enjoy my cupcakes that are full if it (yes it was my idea for the filling and i'm a republican so i guess i'm full of it now... oh well)!

Another Take on Ale Braised Sausage

2009-02-06T05:50:00.000-08:00

As you'll hopefully remember I made katie's Ale Braised Sausage with a pasta twist before. Well this time i decided to stay a little truer to the recipe she found since i was bringing it to a Super Bowl party! So the recipe is the same as on my other page (minus the pasta) but i thickened up the sauce quite a bit with extra flour so that people could stab the pieces with a toothpick and just munch!
It worked well and everyone got their fill of beer sausage yumminess!

Edible Footballs

2009-02-02T05:39:00.000-08:00

Are you ever invited to someones house for game day and you're supposed to bring something? Well Come fall (since football is now over) Your problems have been solved!! You can bring chocolaty football goodness! I foundhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif this great little item on and it sure was a winner!
Here's the review:
So i go to Chris and say "I'm sooo excited I'm going to make Chocolate rice krispie treats in football shapes!"
and to that Chris said "oh i don't know if i'm going to like that... can't you just make normal ones??"
Me: NOOO Footballs aren't flesh colored! Just don't eat them if you don't want them.
So i go about my day making them... and as i'm mixing it up he comes and has a bite... hmmmm is his reply. Well a little while later they are done and he asks if he can try one... Sure I say... and what does he say? "Wow these are rich... a lot better then what i was thinking... anyone who likes chocolate will love these! SCORE!
So keep in mind my darlin husband is NOT a big sweet person.
OKay, so i bring them to my mother-in-laws for her birthday and they were an instant hit... i mean HELLO what woman doesn't like chocolate!
The next day while i'm waiting for us to leave to go to our friends house for the Super Bowl he ask me two different times if he could have a chocolate football... i caved and let him.
Took them to the party... devoured! Even had people hiding them for later! lol! So Make this and you'll take me (okay Katie, since she thought of it) later! Oh and as you will see i changed the cereal type and i don't have anything to compare it too but it was GREAT!

Chocolate Football Crispies
Kraft

Ingredients:
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
½ c. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp butter
½ tsp vanilla
4 c. Chocolate Rice Krispies
white decorating gel

Directions:
- Microwave chocolate, corn syrup and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 2 1/2 min., stirring after 1 ½ min.
-Blend in vanilla.
-Add cereal, mix well.
-Let cool 10 min and then shape into football shapes on parchment with moistened hands.
-Let cool completely and use decorating gel to add lacings.
-Let stand until gel is firm.

Holy mother of Sweetness! I got an AWARD!

2009-01-28T10:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Kira of Bite This for giving me my first blog award!

I feel so honored and Humbled! WOW! I can't WAIT to Chris about this! SWEET!

And of course there are some rules that come attached to this great award:
- Add the logo in your blog.
- Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
- Nominate 10 other (refreshing…like lemonade) blogs of your choice.
- Don’t forget to add links to those blogs in yours.
- Also leave a message for your nominees in their blogs, informing them about the award.

So here are my 'nominees':
http://ellysaysopa.com/
http://elizabethsedibleexperience.blogspot.com/
http://togetherbetter.wordpress.com/
http://annieseats.wordpress.com/
http://thewwchick.blogspot.com/
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
http://melissaheartsfood.blogspot.com/
http://beas-numyummy.blogspot.com/
http://kickinkitch.blogspot.com/
http://www.goodthingscatered.blogspot.com/

These are great sites that are all stared multiple times in my google reader!

Creamy Tomato Soup and Grilled Double Cheese

2009-01-23T04:42:00.000-08:00

So in reviewing a few of my post i've noticed that i'm always telling you what Chris thought about what i made... because most of the time he's the only one that taste it... so i thought i should explain Chris to ya'll so you'll understand what a big compliment it is if he likes something. Chris WAS a very picky eater. I think this steamed from when he was a child he would try something and not like it (i know shocking for a five year old not to like something, lol) and then his mom would never make it for him again. And honestly i don't blame her because trying to get Chris to eat or do something that he doesn't want to eat or do is a feat! BUT i make it REALLY easy for him so we don't fight about it... i make dinner, he can eat it or make his own, SIMPLE! I love cooking but i'm not a short order chef, so what i make you eat!
Actually this has worked out QUITE well because Chris normally starts the meal complaining about how he's not going to like it (b/c it might have vegetables in it or something equally crazy) and then sneaks into the kitchen hoping i don't notice him getting seconds! HAHA! OKay it's not THAT bad but pretty darn close!
Since we've been married Chris now eats and enjoys broccoli, tomatoes, artichokes, ground turkey, and numerous others.

So last night i decided it was a great night for tomato soup and grilled cheese. I was going to be lazy about it and buy the soup and just throw together some grilled cheese, but then the "what's cooking board" got the better of me and caved to making it myself! So i got a great recipe from Epicurious and tweaked it a bit and then decided my grilled cheese should be with American cheese AND cheddar! Yummm! Once i told Chris that i made homemade Tomato soup he was INSTANTLY disappointed (yes, my husband is special), at least he was disappointed until he tasted it! Huge hit! He LOVED it! We were both sad i didn't make more to freeze for another date! So without further ado!!!

Ingredients
5 tbsp butter
1/2 c chopped onion
4 tbsp flour
4 c milk
1/2 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder (my own add)
3/4ish tsp black pepper (my own add and more so to taste, not sure the exact amount)
1/2 tsp baking soda (i did a little more then this b/c i added more tomatoes
3 c shopped canned tomatoes (i did 42 oz, about 4 c)

Directions
Melt butter in a soup pot. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion is softened but not browned. Sprinkle flour over the butter mixture and continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, bay leaf, sugar, salt, garlic, and pepper. Continue to cook and stir until slightly thickened. Stir baking soda into the tomatoes. Add tomatoes to milk mixture and bring to just a simmer. Take mixture now into a food processor (or blender, like i did) and puree. Throw back in pot (okay please don't throw, pour, gezzz) and reheat before serving!
Sprinkle top with a little pepper and whala!

Sprite Cake

2009-01-22T05:18:00.000-08:00

So I'm thinking I'm not a famous enough blogger that the Coca-cola company will come after me for using their trademark name... but maybe they do have spies out even here and will... so if the name changes, you know what happened.
So last night Chris was moaning around that he was hungry and kept saying i should bake something and kept mentioning cupcakes... well i took the hint, sort of...
We had a box of lemon cake mix (don't ask b/c i don't buy the stuff) and decided, THAT's what he'll get! So here's the low down...

Ingredients/directions
Box of lemon cake mix... prepare according to the boxes directions (oil, water, eggs) and then add the juice of one lime and the zest of one lime.
Cook according to boxes directions (cupcakes, cake whatever... i did cake b/c it would be quicker, esp when i iced it.

icing
Buttercream but instead of vanilla add in lime juice and lime zest.... ice your cake

Now enjoy your tasty Treat! Chris sure did!

Ey Ey Ey Chicken

2009-01-22T04:41:00.000-08:00

This was my "What's Cooking" chat room inspired Chicken Dish. I gave my Fellow nesties the mission of what should i make with Chicken, Limes, Tomatoes, and a Jalapeño and boy did they come through! they totally inspired me to make a Mexican party in my kitchen! And i have to say it wasn't bad! Quite yummy actually... next time though i think I'm going to try to give it more kick!

Ingredients
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1-2 shots of Tequila (depending on how you're feeling!~)
1 tsp of cilantro (more if you have fresh, i didn't~)
1 tbsp of lime juice
some zest of a lime (not too much)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4ish tsp of cumin
1/4sh tsp basil
1/4 c chopped tomato
1 tbsp chopped jalapeño
1/4 c chopped onion

Fresh Salsa (amounts depend on quantity you want to make)
2 Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 jalapeño seeded and chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

reduced fat Mexican shredded cheese

Take the first nine the chicken ingredients and cook in a large skillet over medium heat until chicken is at least half way cooked. Then add final three ingredients and cook until chicken is fully cooked.

Take chicken breast and put on plate, top with as much cheese as you would like and then top with Salsa and enjoy!

New Must have!

2009-01-21T10:20:00.001-08:00

Saw an example of these on Katie's Hyper Homemaker blog and OMG! It's SOOO me! I'm such a pokadot FREAK! Plus i could get the black one and red one and be SOOOO NC State! Go Wolfpack!! Don't you think!?!?

Margarita Pizza!

2009-01-21T06:15:00.000-08:00

Only this is a weight watchers kind... sort of... well it's supposed to be~
So it would have been EXCEPT instead of using wheat pizza dough i used pizza dough i already had made in the freezer~ So for the sake of giving you a weight watchers recipe we're going to pretend that i used the correct pizza crust! It was a big hit though, can't say if i can really use this review though for you since it was the wrong crust, but whateve!~

Ingredients
3 roma tomatoes, sliced thin
1/2 c (i think) of FF Mozzarella cheese
2 ish tbsp freshly chopped basil
1/2 small onion sliced
1 tbsp ish of extra virgin olive oil
1 wheat pizza dough, pre cooked, thinly

Directions
Preheat oven to 450
take your pre cooked pizza dough and top with tomatoes, onions, basil, and cheese
Now sprinkle with olive oil
bake a/b 10 mins or until cheese is melted.

I forgot the point value so i'll look it up when i get home!

Lemon Pie!!

2009-01-21T06:06:00.000-08:00

What is better then pie, except a Weight Watcher Pie that taste AMAZING! Yes it's true! I made this for my girls night, since i knew other Weight Watchers would be there and oh was it a hit! Chris even loved it so much he finished off what was left on Sunday!

Ingredients
6 whole reduced-fat cinnamon graham crackers
2 tbsp butter
11 oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 large egg(s)
1/2 cup(s) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Grind graham crackers in a food processor until fine, or place crackers in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Place crumbs in a small bowl.
- Melt butter on stove top or in microwave and pour over graham cracker crumbs, mixing with a fork until completely moistened. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom of a 9-inch pie pan; place crust in refrigerator while preparing lemon filling.
- Place condensed milk and eggs into a bowl and mix until smooth. Add lemon juice and zest and stir until incorporated. Pour milk mixture into prepared crust.
- Bake pie for 15 minutes. Cool completely, and freeze for up to two weeks before serving. For best flavor, serve chilled.

Serving for 10 = 3 WW Pts

Bruschetta

2009-01-21T05:56:00.000-08:00

This got HUGE reviews! I took it to a Church social and made it for my girls night and both nights they LOVED it! So easy and a total winner! I used a recipe from Epicurious and just added to it a bit~

Ingredients
* 8 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (only used 6)
* 2 tbsp finely minced garlic (got mine from the jar)
* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
* 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (oops only had dried... totally fine!)
* 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tsp finely minced fresh tarragon (yeah, i used ground)
* 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
* 2 baguettes, cut in 1/2-inch-thick slices
* 6 cloves garlic, cut in half (and i deleted using this)
I also added in crumbled feta cheese, around a cup or so.

Directions
In a bowl, mix all ingredients except bread. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, unrefrigerated, 3 hours. Heat oven to 350°F. Toast bread on a baking sheet. Top with tomato mixture. I found people really liked them too b/c they sat on the bread for a while before they were eaten so the bread softened some. Many people commented that was one of their favorite parts!

Breakfast Wrap!

2009-01-21T05:47:00.000-08:00

So many people ask what i have for breakfast since i've been on weight watchers. Well this is one of my favorites! It's quick, easy, and only 3.5pts! Oh and SOO filling!

Ingredients
-One single serving cup of egg whites egg beaters (You know there's three in a packet at the g-store... use one... it's like 2 egg whites i think?)
-around 1/2c chopped onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms (I get these b/c they are always cheap and i chop them up at the begining of the week so each morning i just scoop out what i need, celery is also good!)
-I can't believe it's not butter spray
-2tbsp about of reduced fat shredded cheese (i like mexican shreds)
-one low carb wrap. I tend to buy Mission. They have one that tastes just like a flour wrap and is small... i found if i get their wheat version, it's bigger which equals more points so i have to cut that in half and it doesn't wrap as well).

Directions
Place veggies in a microwave container, spray with the butter, and cook in micro for 1 minute and 45 sec.
Pour in your egg whites, cook for 45 sec
stir and cook for another 45 secs
use a fork to scramble
Sprinkle your cheese one your wrap, load it up with the eggs, and wrap it up!
So good!
Be careful though it might leak a little so have a plate or napkin under it~

WW pts: 3.5

Copy Cat Chicken

2009-01-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

Honestly, i waited too long to blog about this... i'm not completely sure what all is in it... but i do remember throwing it together and then looking in cookbooks for ideas on how to improve it and realized that i made basically Coq au van.

So this is me: Wow i have chicken and red wine... i'll bet this will taste good!

So i took my pressure cooker and loaded with with chicken (that i tossed in flour with salt and pep), some red wine, chicken broth, carrots, potatoes, and various spices (unsure at the moment of which ones, but i'm sure i used salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and basil).

Cooked it until almost done and then cooked it in a skillet to crisp it up a bit. And it was pretty freakin good! Amazing as a left over! And i have to admit it was pretty cool knowing I was all French without trying! LOL!

And on this episode of Cribs...

2009-01-13T04:47:00.000-08:00

Day one in my Seasonal Cleaning challenge to myself is my KITCHEN! I think i met this Challenge head on and earned one weight watchers point while i was at it! WHOO HOO!
I scrub the cabinets, walls (oh yes esp. above the stove, stuff floats up there!), cleaned out the entire fridge, the counters, in the cabients, and the floors (including baseboards, etc). This was not as small task, as i also moved the fridge and cleaned under it!
Sadly there are still a few things to be done
1. Pantry
2. Clean inside 2 drawers
3. Move Stove and clean
4. Clean inside oven.
5. Clean Freezer
And onto this episode of Cribs...

This is the only before Picture i have... i know i promised more but i was sooo ready to clean i forgot to take pictures!

And Here's My Fridge... i know you're all dying to know what i keep in there!Pretty basic... the real fun is in the freezer... maybe next time!

See we have other drinks besides beer and water! That is not Crystal Champaign... it's just left over from New Years~ Gotta replace my ketchup soon, i puffy heart that stuff!

Sparkle! Look how amazingly clean it is! It just sparkles!

Other side of my lil kitchen.

The new Man in my life! I am such a HUGE fan of the Magic Eraser and did you know... they now have a MOP! YEAH I know! SO FREAKING AWESOME! I almost peed in my pants out of excitement at Target when i saw it! Normally i have to get down on my hands and knees with a Magic Eraser and scrub my tile to get it to look clean... well now more! I can now stand on my own two feet while i scrub away! Da da da DA!

Aww my moppy man, i triple puffy heart you!

No More food... for now

2009-01-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

So this week i've decided on a TOTALLY new format... even though i MIGHT have some food to post, i WILL NOT do it until next week... so THERE~ My new format for the week?? Cleaning!
I have noticed something in my life. It is more organized and i feel more in control of it and in my relationships when I'm "right with God". Now for you unbelievers out there (no i'm NOT putting you down)this may seem like a total crock but i SWEAR it is not! When i go to church and concentrate on being the person that God would want me to be then i
1. workout/ eat better (take care of myself)
2. cook more for Dh b/c i want him to be happy
3. pay attention to my dogs more
4. Am a better friend
5. Do a better job at work
this may seem silly to a few but i really believe this and so does my GF that is discovering God and then my pastor preached on this topic this past Sunday... coincidence? I think NOT!

BUT i must say that no matter how "together" i am... my cleaning is just NOT! AH we all have our down falls. Whatever... so i'm going to do what i have not done in a VERY long time... Seasonal cleaning and i'm using my good friend Katie's list to help me along (since it's been so long since i've done a REALLY good deep clean)... But don't worry i'm not going to ignore you... i'm going to show you pictures (no matter how bad the before picture is, i'll still post it... i'm shaking in my boots about what's under my refrigerator and stove!)

And off we go... i think tonight will be the KITCHEN!

Merry Christmas To ME!

2009-01-07T10:51:00.001-08:00

So i told you pictures were on the way and they are here! I had a VERY domestic Christmas this year and LOVED every minute of it! So in addition to my AMAZING dyson Vacuum, that i still use often (as in every other day at least)I received the following:
Chris and I decided to buy this bedding set (a little after Christmas but whateve)b/c out previous one was C.H.E.A.P! This one i got off overstock.com! I just love it!! Do you have any ideas on what color i should paint our room? I was thinking maybe a nice tan and then do ivory and that same blue curtains??

Oh this is BY FAR one of my favorite gifts! I've been wanting a Kitchen Aid FOREVER! I registered for one but i didn't get it, so i'm SOOO excited to have received this from my in-laws! I've only used it once but i have BIG plans for it!

Funny story with these cake stands... I had been looking EVERYWHERE for these stands (b/c i like the idea of changing the ribbon to match the occasion) when low and behold there they were at a Home Goods Store! I RAN up to my husband and Mother-in-law with one in each hand about to pee in my pants i was so excited about it when she hung her head and said that i couldn't get the big one b/c she already bought it for me for Christmas! LOL, i felt so bad b/c i totally ruined her surprise without knowing~ But i was still just as happy when i got it on Christmas day!

So my mom has a lot of these pieces and i'm IN LOVE with them! I just think they are so pretty and classic! Plus you can throw them in the oven and fridge, etc! SWEET! So after mentioning to my parents over Thanksgiving that i don't have any serving dishes what did they do??? Bought me my first bowl! YES! Chris thinks the flowers look like weeds and he's not a big fan of flower prints any way but WHO CARES... as he puts it "The kitchen is the woman's domain" so my "domain" will have FLOWERS!

And here some more flowers on the platter they gave me! I'm so giddy with thoughts of what i want to serve on it! YES!

So i have one Apron that i use A LOT b/c i like one that COVERS me... i splatter~ And well it's around 2 1/2 years old so i thought i was time it got a friend. Well i'm much pickier about my Aprons now since i get picked on for wearing them, so i want them to "say something" about me... and well there are three things that everyone could agree on with me 1. I love pink, 2. I'm very girly, 3. I like "fun" things! So after searching FOREVER i found this apron through a blog to another blog to blah blah go to flirtyaprons.com and you'll see their wonderful works! I'm so happy with it and it's quality!

And last but not least... glasses, that even Chris LOVES! So when my parents visited for Christmas i was down to 6 matching glasses when oops, they broke another one~ Chris and i didn't care b/c we were planning on replacing them soon anyway, then you know what? My parents did it for us! These beauties are from Crate and Barrel! The Large glass is a whopping 19.5 oz!!! And the smaller one (for Chris's liquor drinks) is 15oz! We choose these because of their classic design, their large size, and we are thinking/hoping Crate and Barrel will keep these in stock for a while in case we keep breaking them~

OH, AND i totally forgot to take a picture but i also got this AWESOME cookbook holder from my Bother-in-law and his girlfriend, which is beautiful! This is great b/c 1. i spill stuff ALL over my recipes so it gets it off my counter and gives me more room and 2. it's wrought iron so it matches a lot of my decor! SCORE!

Turkey Dance!

2008-12-31T04:38:00.000-08:00

If you know me you know that I have a very special Turkey dance, and if you know me and have seen said dance you are most likely trying to forget it right now... hee hee! But I'm loving turkey more and more! Well the other week in the store when Chris wasn't shopping with me, so he couldn't stop me, I bought ground turkey *GASP!**!!! My darlin Husband just does not see the point of said ground meat when there's a perfectly good beef version of it... WHATEVER!
So last night i decided i was going to cook it and the conversation went like this
Me:"Do you want Chili or Burgers"
Darlin: "BURGERS!"
Me: "Great Turkey burgers it is!"
Darlin: "YUCK!"
Me: "Oh yes Turkey Burgers and SWEET POTATO French Fries!"
Darlin: "YUCK! YUCK!"

HAHA! He totally forgot that he likes sweet potato french fries!
So thanks to being inspired from a recipe i found on epicurious i was able to get Chris to admit the burgers "Weren't bad... I mean they aren't beef but..." Wha ha ha!

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 small onion chopped in TINY pieces
around 1/2 tsp minced garlic
4 tbsp dried bread crumbs
2ish egg whites
3 tbsp BBQ sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp liquid smoke

Mix it all together... make patties and refrigerate so they can settle and stick together better. Then throw them on the grill (or i find the good ole George Foreman much more friendly to these delicate burgers) until done and top with whatever.
I topped mine with caramelized onions and reduced fat cheddar cheese... oh and then FF mayo, ketchup, and lettuce. SOOO delicious! Chris said he wanted one burger, unless he ended up liking them then he would have two... yeah, he had two! YES!

Christmas!!!

2008-12-31T04:34:00.000-08:00

I had the best Christas surprise, MY FAMILY! They drove up to visit me! So not only did Chris and I have a wonderful Christmas at his family's house, but i also got to see MY family! YEA! See my other blog for more pictures!
This is Chris and I at the National Christmas Tree

My cute family... Chris, me, Dad, Mimie, Mom, and Seph (also known as brother) and those are Mom's dogs Peeve and Maggie.

I'll post more Christmas gift pictures soon, since they are all relevant to the cooking blog since i got... wait for it... wait for it... A KITCHEN AID MIXER! YES YES YES... among other needed and loved kitchen items!

Amish Christmas

2008-12-31T04:26:00.001-08:00

Chris and I have decided this is our new Christmas tradition... and my family couldn't be happier! Growing up, my parents always did this HUGE yummy breakfast (fried pork chops, homemade biscuits, eggs, bacon, etc etc etc) and then we would always have the big meal and then numerous deserts. Well I got to thinking... that's A LOT! And lately i've really begun to HATE the feeling of being too full... so I thought a breakfast casserole would be perfect. When I saw an Amish Breakfast casserole on Allrecipes i knew I had hit the mother load... b/c we all know the Amish can cook!
What made this even better was that my wrist had REALLY been bothering me so when i went to put this together on Christmas Eve (so then all i had to do was pop it in the oven the next morning) Chris helped me out BIG time... I couldn't even stir! So here is our Christmas Tradition!

Amish Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
1 lb sliced bacon
1 med sweet onion chopped
6 eggs, lightly beaten
4 c frozen shredded has brown potatoes, thawed
2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c small curd cottage cheese
1 1/4 c shredded Swiss cheese

Directions
In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion until bacon is crisp; drain. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in bacon mixture. Transfer to a greased 13"x9" baking dish

Baked, uncovered, at 350 for 35-40mins or until set and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

This was a great dish and enjoyed by my whole family for days!

Shrimp and Pasta in a Tomato-Chile Cream Sauce

2008-12-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

Talk about packing a punch!! WOWZA! This dish is simply incredible but WOW was it SPICY! I wish I would have taken Elizabeth's advice and halved the spices because WOW! Chris and I joked that it was GREAT after the first 4-5 bites because by then your tastes buds had been nummed enough~ But this is an impressive dish, in it's very easy to make but taste like it's from a restaurant!
stolen from Elizabeth’s Edible Blog!
Modified from an Emeril Lagasse Recipe

Ingredients
* 1/4 cup kosher salt (or just regular salt like i have)
* 1 pound linguine (not sure if i used a pound, i used a package)
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 2 tablespoons Essence
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
* 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeño
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 11/2 cups heavy cream
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup diced tomatoes ( I used canned diced tomatoes to save time)
* 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
* 1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese (so i could only find a block of Monterey's Jack cheese so i used that and Mozzerella b/c i was also out of Parmesan)
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (omitted)
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves (I omitted the basil)

Directions
Set a large 1-gallon stock pot of water to a boil and add the kosher salt. Place the linguine in the pot and stir the pot until the water returns to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender, but with a bit of resistance (al dente), about 12 minutes. Drain a reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the pan. Once the butter has melted, season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Essence and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and add the shrimp to the pan. Sear the shrimp until well browned on both sides, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions and jalapeños to the pan and saute until the onions are softened and lightly caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream, remaining 1 tablespoon (I used 1/2 tablespoon) of Essence, remaining 1 1/4 (I used 3/4) teaspoons of the salt and the pepper to the pan

and bring to a boil.

Cook the sauce until the cream is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Return the shrimp to the pan, and add the tomatoes, linguine and the reserved cooking water to the pan and cook, tossing to incorporate for 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove pan from the heat and add the Pepper Jack, Parmesan, parsley and basil and toss to blend.

Serve immediately.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Amish Friendship Bread

2008-12-29T11:12:00.000-08:00

Chris was given a bag of batter by a fellow at work (yes Chris Works on a constructions site) and brought it home to me with a page of instructions of what to do for the next 10 days and I thought what the HAY!
I would give you the recipe but I don't know it! BASICLY I think it contains a cup of flour, a cup of milk, and then a cup of sugar. You do this whole squish the bag a few days (I guess thinking of the friends you're going to give it to) then you add more stuff... squish a little more... and add more...
Then you put a cup of the batter in a gallon size bag and send it to your friends for the 10 day process.
With your left over cup you add more stuff and something of your choosing (i picked raisins) and then you bake. I baked mine in a bunt pan because i only have one loaf pan.

This bread was so yummy! It's a GREAT dessert or breakfast bread! My family came for Christmas as a surprise and LUCKILY i had already made this and they loved it!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

2008-12-23T05:50:00.001-08:00

I contributed these little babies to my in office Holiday party! And while everyone enjoyed them, they LOVED the thought of taking them home to their kids even more! So away they went! I can't wait to hear what the kids thought! Now I really wish i could give credit where credit is due but I can't remember who Posted this... so if you're reading this and know, let me know!
Ingredients
1 box white cake mix (and the ingredients the box calls for, eggs, oil, etc)
1 tub white frosting
1 package of cookie dough in set circles
1 package of tube of cookie dough

Make the box per instructions.
Place a little batter in the bottom of each cup
Place one pre set cookie circle in the middle of each cup
Top with more batter
Bake according to Box's instructions
Let cool
Mix cookie dough tube in with white icing (the ration depends on your taste preference, do you want to taste more icing or more cookie?)
Ice Cupcakes
Take some leftover cookie dough and roll in into the smallest balls you've ever made and place in over set on 350
cook and watch VERY VERY closely!
Once cooked and cooled place on top of cupcakes.

I refrigerated my cupcake since there is raw cookie dough in the icing~

Sausage Stuffed Potatoes

2008-12-23T05:46:00.000-08:00

When I saw these on Smitten Kittens Blog I knew they had "Chris" written all over them! And what an easy dish to throw together on a week night! Plus I LOVE to get my hands in my food, so when in the directions it said to use your hands I KNEW this was the recipe for me!
Ingredients
2 large russet (baking) potatoes (preferably organic; 3/4 pound each, scrubbed
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon water, divided
3/4 teaspoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil plus additional for coating potatoes
1/2 slice firm white sandwich bread
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 pound bulk breakfast sausage (1 cup) or 1/2 pound of breakfast sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
5 cups salad greens (2 ounces)(we used arugula, which paired with the dijon sauce was deliciously kicky)

Directions
Prick potatoes with a fork. Microwave, covered with a paper towel, on high power until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Cutting lengthwise, remove top fourth of each potato and scoop out centers (reserve for another use), leaving 1/2-inch-thick walls.

Whisk together mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon water, tomato paste, anchovy paste, and 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard.

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Cook onion in oil with a pinch of salt in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, tear bread into small pieces, then soak in milk in a medium bowl until very soft. Mix in sausage, parsley, onion, and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise sauce with your hands.

Divide filling between potatoes, then coat skins lightly with oil. Bake in a 4-sided sheet pan until sausage is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

While potatoes bake, whisk 1 tablespoon mayonnaise sauce with lemon juice, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon water, and salt and pepper to taste.

Remove potatoes from oven and turn on broiler. Spoon remaining mayonnaise sauce over filling and broil 3 to 4 inches from heat until charred in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool slightly.

Toss greens with dressing and serve with potatoes.

Pizza Rolls

2008-12-22T05:51:00.000-08:00

Want something GREAT to eat on Sunday, after church, while watching football?? This is SO good! Chris thought it was the best idea and was happy that I was making something for my Blog that was just for him and not for others! Now even though I did make some of this "my own" I don't know if I would have ever thought of it if it weren't for Elizabeth's Edibles.
Really there's not much to this recipe
Ingredients
Pizza Dough (I made my own)
Pizza Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Pepperoni

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease pie pan.

roll dough out into a large rectangle and cut into pieces. Try to make them as square as possible. Mine were about four inches long.
In each dough put a spoon full of pizza sauce, a couple pieces of chopped pepperoni and a tablespoonish of cheese. Seal dough around meat and cheese and place seam side down in pie pan.

Repeat, placing balls into plate until full!

Once assembled, combine oil and spices and brush over the dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
Now you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze or you can bake right away.

When ready to bake: bake at 400°F for 16-20 min. Serve with warm pizza or marinara sauce.

Mint Fudge Brownies

2008-12-22T05:46:00.000-08:00

These LOOK like your normal brownies at first glance, but oh they are NOT.... they are sooo much better! WOW! I brought these to my work's potluck and they were a hit. Everyone was like "Oh yum, brownies" then they would try to cut them apart and saw they were brownie fudgy goodness... WITH Andes Mints! WOWZA! Thanks to Baking Blond for posting this yumminess!

Ingredients
6 TBS butter
6 oz semisweet chocolate (chopped
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp mint extract (I couldn't find this so i didn't use, which i found good b/c the andes mints are VERY flavorful!)
1/4 tsp vanilla (Doubled this since i didn't use the mint)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Andes chips (or mints, chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paperdecember-015

In a heat-proof bowl, melt together butter and chcolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals stirring after each interval until smooth. Allow to cool for 5 mintues.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk or beat the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add eggs and mint extract mixing until combined and smooth. Add flour mixture and mix until combined. Gently fold in the 3/4 cup Andes chips.

Carefully pour batter to prepared pan, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Evenly sprinkle remaining Andes chips over top of the brownies. Bake for 25-20 mintues or until a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs.
Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Garlic Knots

2008-12-22T05:41:00.001-08:00

So I had a work party that was a potluck and I had to bring a dish. Well I work with a very diverse group from all different countries... and who would want something I would make when you can have Sushi! Sweet! So I figured that everyone would bring great sides, etc so I would bring the bread. I've been dying to start trying to make my own bread, rolls, etc rather then always buying it frozen so here was my shot! And thanks to my trusty Katie, they were a hit! Honestly, I'm not sure why I have a blog since I'm always sending ya'll back to hers! But hey, I'm just so proud that I can copy with some similarity!
Ingredients:
1 recipe basic pizza dough (previous post)
1/2 c. butter
5 garlic cloves, minced
salt

Directions:
-After you let pizza dough recipe complete it's rise, roll out into large rectangle, 1/2 inch thick.
-Using pizza cutter, cut into measured out 1-inch wide strips.
-Take each strip and tie into a basic knot.
-Take end that is underneath and fold it over and into the middle.
-Take end that is over top and fold it under.
-Place knot onto parchment lined baking sheet.
-Repeat with all knots.
-Sprinkle generously with salt, cover with wax paper and kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-In small saucepan over medium low heat, combine butter and garlic.
-Stir until butter mixture is completely melted.
-Using pastry brush, generously brush the tops of the dough with the butter mixture.
-Place in oven to bake until turning golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
-Remove from oven, brush with remaining butter mixture and serve.

These were a hit and I should have made more, Chris was upset he only got one!

Pizza dough!

2008-12-22T05:34:00.000-08:00

What do both of these dishes have in common? They are both made from Katie's Pizza dough! It's such an easy recipe, the hardest part is the waiting to let it rise... seriously it's soo easy! I tripled the recipe so that I could make the garlic knots, the Pizza Rolls AND still be able to throw some into the freezer for future use! Sweet!
So here's what you do:
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp lukewarm water
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
-Combine yeast and water in small bowl and let stand until slightly foamy (about 10 minutes).
-Combine 2 3/4 cups flour and salt in large bowl and form into a mound.
-Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture.
-Using a fork and stirring in a circular motion, gradually pull the flour into the yeast mixture. Continue stirring until a dough forms.
-Lightly flour a work surface with some additional flour and transfer the dough to it.
-Using the heel of your hand, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.
-Brush a large bowl with the olive oil and place the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
-Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with the remaining flour. Punch down the dough and, using your hand, begin to press it out gently into the desired shape.

So Good and EASY! I'll never buy pre-made dough again!

Gingerbread Cookies!!

2008-12-19T05:18:00.001-08:00

So now that I'm AMAZING (cough cough) at making cookies, what better cookie to make at Christmas then a GINGERBREAD COOKIE! I've always wanted to make these growing up at Christmas (and I think we did once?) but as I got older I knew my cookie skills would not be friendly towards my Gingerbread heaven... but now!!! So I went to the one place i KNEW I could get an amazingly tasty recipe, KATIES Website! And i was SOOO right!! Chris even tried one and this was his comment "Wow honey, this is good, I thought you didn't make soft cookies!".... YEA, so after I smacked him and sent him on his way I finished baking ad decorating my cookies.... Now please do NOT compare my cookie decorating skills to the god called Katie, I am still a lowly beginner... but i think they are cute for a first timer!

Ingredients
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. molasses
1 egg
4 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
-In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
-Stir in molasses and egg.
-Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth.
-Cover, and chill for at least one hour.
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line with parchment.
-On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.
-Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
-Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
-Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm.
-Let cool for 10 minutes on pan.
-Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
-Frost or decorate when cool.

Oh and I frosted with Royal Icing~ Yum! Hope the co-workers like them!

Orange Cardamom Cookies

2008-12-19T05:08:00.000-08:00

So I work in a GREAT office and some really nice people from one of the groups that I do work for brought me a tin of cookies from Trader Joe's (organic grocery store here). I LOVED them! When i read they were Orange Cardamom (a spice i recently acquired and learned about) I KNEW i had to try to make them! AND thanks to Epicurious, I found a great recipe... i even tried one that was slightly burnt and it was SO tasty! YES!

Ingredients
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp grated orange zest (I just used all the zest of one large orange)
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp heavy cream

Directions
Whisk together flour, zest, cardamom, and salt

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in yolk and cream (HA I almost forgot the cream! YIKES!). At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 2 batches until dough forms. Quarter dough and form each piece into a 6" dish, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill 2-3 hours (I did it over night b/c that was easier then waiting 2-3 hours on a week night... had to wait let it sit out at room temp for a while before i could "use it" but still easier for my schedule).

Preheat oven to 350
Roll dough out between 2 sheets of parchment paper (might have to chill again if it gets to sticky) then cut out as many cookies as possible
Bake until edges are golden brown, around 9-12 mins.

You can reroll the "scraps" but only once.

Now don't be fooled by how simple these cookies look, they are GREAT and pack a tasty punch!

Apricot Walnut Thumb print Cookies

2008-12-19T04:47:00.001-08:00

So my neighbor brought over cookies for us the other night and while Chris and I are VERY particular (especially Chris) about our cookies, he LOVED these Thumb print ones she had made. So I had another conversation with myself thinking "Now I know you've JUST started being able to bake edible cookies but You can SOO make these!!" So I did! I used Walnuts, just because i wanted to and i like how they taste and I used an Apricot Jam because that was what was in the fridge~ And you know what, he LOVED THEM! YEA!
I got this recipe from Epicurious but I changed it around a bit... mostly the nut choice and how i used the nut~

Ingredients
1 c Walnuts
2/3 c packed brown sugar (i used 3/4 b/c i read it wrong and i like sugar and it was great!)
1 1/3 all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
10 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces, room temp.
1 large egg yoke
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preserves (I used Apricot)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325
Throw your walnuts in a food processor and shred them into little itty bitty pieces
Blend your flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Whisk egg yolk and vanilla in a small bowl then add to your crumbles
Moist clumps should form
Knead briefly to bind dough.
Form into 1 1/4" balls
Dip into a cup of water and roll in the walnut pieces until coated (you might have to do a little pushing)
Place on cookie sheet (ungreased) and using your thumb, make a deep indentation in center of ball.
Bake about 15mins, until firm to touch and golden on bottom (Yeah i couldn't SEE the bottom either so i did the touch test and guessed)
When you remove from the oven immediately use the back of a small spoon to press in the indentation, since it is mostly gone now.
Transfer to a rack to cool completely
and put a large dollop of preserves in the middle!
Now sit back and enjoy!

Pot of Chicken Heaven!

2008-12-18T04:53:00.000-08:00

Yes this is Chicken Pot pie but OOOOH it's sooo much more! It's comfort heaven! Now Chris did make the comment that "there's a lot of STUFF in here" (aka veggies) but he still ate most of it! Next time i'll just chop them smaller for him... but i like my with the Chunks! The pastry puff topping was amazing and really MADE this dish! It was so easy and looked like a gourmet meal when it was finished!

Individual Chicken Pot Pies
William Sonoma (But i got from Elizabeth's Edible Experience)

Ingredients:

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into
1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock (I added another 1/2c or so)
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf (I used two)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions (or a little more)
1/2 cup chopped celery (and a bit more)
1/2 cup peeled and chopped carrots(more again)
1/2 cup chopped white button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped red-skinned potatoes (I used white all purpose potatoes, and more then 1/2c)
1 cup chopped cooked chicken (more again~)
1/2 cup cooked fresh or frozen peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Four 6-inch squares frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water

I also added in Basil and Garlic powder... plus i upped the amount of seasoning b/c i love a seasoned dish!

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 400ºF.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flourand cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil.

Add the thyme, bay leaf, onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken, peas, salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Divide the filling among 4 ovenproof bowls and place on a baking sheet.

Brush the rims of the bowls with water. Place 1 pastry square on top of each bowl, pressing lightly on the edges.

Brush the puff pastry squares with the egg mixture.

Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

We really enjoyed this dish, I'll let you know how it is as leftovers... i'm not worried about the filling as much as reheating the Puff... but either way... YUMMINESS and Impressive! I can't wait to make this for Chris's parents!!!

Zucchini, Sausage, and Feta Casserole

2008-12-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Elizabeth’s edible, I made this for Chris last night and it was a HUGE hit! He didn't even mind the Zucchini! I Mean he didn't LOVE them, but he ate a few... i did make a few changes to the recipe, so it's most likely not as healthy as it was, but who cares! Chris is excited about leftovers! GO ME!

Modified from Cooking Light 2007

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta) ... i used a whole box
8 ounces chicken sausage... i just used lite polish sausage that comes in a horse shoe shape b/c it's always on sale at my g-store.
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt... i used normal salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese ... i used 4 oz like Elizabeth recommended
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese.... i think i used about 4oz of this too
about 1/4c of bread crumbs.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook until browned.

Remove from pan. Heat oil in pan. Add zucchini, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and zucchini begins to brown, stirring occasionally.

Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute.

Combine zucchini mixture, sausage,

pasta and feta cheese in a large bowl; toss well.

Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. I also put two pieces of toasted wheat bread in the food processor to make bread crumbs and added them on top with the cheese for some extra texture.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

This meal is amazing and easy meal!

I GOT A DYSON!

2008-12-16T10:11:00.001-08:00

And it's PINK!!! Can you believe it! Chris must have been either on some REALLY good meds or REALLY miserable from allergies! I don't care (I Mean i DO care about him but...)! I got a Dyson! AND it's PINK!

I went straight home and started cleaning with it, oh it did such a good job! I even cleaned again last night! Two nights in a row! Go ME! Doubt we'll make it three though because Chris is getting back at me for my Dyson obsession and now I'm sick... bleh~

But before you think Chris and I got all OOOh LA LA on you, we got a GREAT deal! It was a lower price PLUS $100 off!! SWEET! If it last it's 5 year warranty then it's paid for all of our "replacement vacs"!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies!

2008-12-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

No Seriously they almost taste JUST like a cinnamon roll too! I never got around to icing them but OOOOh i can only imagine. OH, and Sadie (yes my dog) recommends them too! She ate half of the batter once i had it sliced into stacks to bake. She would like me to make them again! LOL!

I got this recipe from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Cinnamon roll cookies

For the filling:
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 TBSP ground cinnamon

For the dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1⁄4 cup warm water
1⁄2 tsp powdered egg whites

For the filling combine sugar and 2 TBSP cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.
Whisk flour, baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, and salt together for the dough in a bowl; set aside.
Cream butter and brown sugar in a bowl with a mixer until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla; mix until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, blending just to incorporate; do not over mix.
Trace a 16-x-9-inch rectangle on a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Pat the dough into the rectangle using your hands, then sprinkle half the cinnamon mixture over the dough.
Beginning on a long side and using the paper to help you, roll the dough into a log. Dust the outside of the log with the remaining cinnamon mixture (I forgot to do this). Wrap log in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F; line tow baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice chilled dough into 1/4-inch thick slices and arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Combine icing ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies, let stand at room temperature.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

2008-12-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

This desert was not only yummy it was EASY to make AND I made it the night before so it was one less thing on my to-do list for the dinner party! A big thanks to Delicious Meliscious for posting this tasty treat! Here's another great thing about this treat, My new friend brought over her baby with her and while the baby turned up her nose to my mac and cheese she devowered two bowls of this yummy goodness!

Ingredients
2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix (I used sugar-free, made with 1% milk)
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions
Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Mac and Cheese!

2008-12-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

This is the first time I've ever made from something besides the box. I can't help it we just LOVE all the processed goodness that Kraft makes! This seems easy enough so I thought I would give it a try and it was GREAT! I thin it would have been better if I wouldn't have forgotten I put it in the oven, but WHATEVER!
Thanks to Elizabeth's Edibles for posting this so i could take a stab at it!

Golden Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Southern Living 2004 Annual Recipes

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package elbow macaroni
2 cups milk (I use whole milk)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion salt
2 (10-ounce) blocks sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided ( I use one block of Sharp Cheddar and one block of Extra-Sharp Cheddar cheese)
1 cup soft plain breadcrumbs ( The recipe suggest homemade breadcrumbs, but I use store bought - not Italian breadcrumbs, just plain)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted (I use butter)

COOK macaroni according to package directions; drain well. Set aside.

PLACE milk, flour, and onion salt in a quart jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously 1 minute.

STIR together flour mixture, 3 1/2 cups cheese, and macaroni.

POUR macaroni mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish
Sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs and remaining 1 cup cheese; drizzle evenly with melted butter.
BAKE at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Roasty Toasty!

2008-12-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

On Saturday Chris and I had a small dinner party and it was so much fun! I love cooking and it was a great time with friends! We started our day by going out and cutting down our own Christmas Tree, then we picked up a half cord of wood, and finally cleaned the house and cooked a meal so that we could con our friends that were coming over to have patience with us to take a Christmas picture of us for the cards~ Thanks Katie!

My Menu for the party was
App: Sausage Cream cheese Dip
Meal: Roast with onions and carrots
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Green Beans with Caramelized onions
Rolls
Dessert: Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle!

Above you see my roast, I'll have to tell you how to make it later when I find the recipe that I used! I PROMISE I won't make a habit of this! HA!

Also here's the Green Beans I served... still working on uploading that recipe~

Mexican Stuffed Shells!

2008-12-05T10:52:00.000-08:00

Okay can you tell I'm on a kick? HA! I really think i was born with a little south of the border in my veins because i JUST.LOVE.IT! Luckily my husband puts up with it... must be soooo hard I'm sure!
Well I saw this on Le Petit Pierogi's blog and knew it was right up my alley! It was easy and fantastic... tip: I went ahead and browned the meat for the Mexican Pie and this together and put this half in the fridge until i made it! TIME SAVER!

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
4 oz. cream cheese (we used non-fat)
12 jumbo pasta shells (we used a lot, mine sort of were falling apart but still worked!
1 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce (I used an entire small jar)
1 cup cheddar cheese (I didn't use b/c i didn't have any)
1 cup monterey jack cheese (I used a whole bar b/c that's what i had, worked great!)
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips (we omitted)
3 green onions (omitted because I didn't have any)
Sour cream

Directions

1. In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.
2. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely.
3. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don't stick together.
4. Pour salsa (I used taco sauce) on bottom of 9x13 baking dish.
5. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9x13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes.
8. Add any condiments you'd like (onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa. Enjoy!

Mexican Pie

2008-12-05T10:47:00.001-08:00

So please don't be fooled by the picture... it's really good. Once I wiped around it the layers stayed on their own, this was just over flow and I took a picture to show what NOT to do but then my camera died and couldn't hold Chris off to let it recharge to get a new picture. But man it was spicy and tasty. If you don't like a lot of kick though, be careful with your peppers! So thank you Delicious Meliscious for posting this GREAT treat!
For Some reason I named it Mexican Pie, but here's the real name...

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, seasoned with your favorite taco seasoning
1 small jar enchilada sauce
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 large onion, diced
2 mild jalapeños and 2 Serrano's (i couldn't find any Serrano's so i used 3 jalapeños!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water (I used water, shhh don't tell Chris!)
1 can corn, drained OR 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream and salsa, for serving

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.

Brown ground beef and drain fat. Add onion, jalapeño, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add beans and beer to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn, and remove from heat.

Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the meat & beans, spoon some enchilada sauce over top (maybe 3-4 spoonfuls) and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; spoon any extra enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.

Thanksgiving!

2008-12-05T10:41:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful thanksgiving! We visited my family in North Carolina and it was worth the Nine hour drive! We had a very casual, but VERY tasty Thanksgiving meal. Our spread included: Turkey (I know shocking!), Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Candied Yams (or as we call it Sweet potato casserole, but we don't mash the yams), Green Beans, Salad, Carrots, Yeast rolls, and that MIGHT have been it... at least until dessert! It was so much fun because my WHOLE family cooked. We all helped each other do everything so no ONE person was stuck alone. The Dogs even TRIED to help but we had to kick them out~
We were all happy and stuffed... Sadie though was not amused with us!

Green Beans with Caramelized onions and Bacon!

2008-12-05T10:37:00.000-08:00

So this was Fantastic! Love it! Light yet quite tasty! I can't remember where I got this recipe from so I can't post that now, but I'll dig through my recipes when i get a chance and post if for ya'll!

Savory Carrots

2008-12-05T10:32:00.001-08:00

This was a huge hit at my Thanksgiving table! My family just ate it up, I think it might become a regular dish there! Thanks Katie (who else were you expecting) for making this when I came to your house for dinner so that I could enjoy it and EAT it!

Savory Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:
3 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
2 large shallots, large dice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. chicken stock
1 c. water
1/2 c. full bodied white wine
1/4 c. honey
1 1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3 Tbsp pure grade B maple syrup (not regular syrup, it's too sweet)
2 Tbsp fresh chopped chives

Directions:
-In medium bowl, add stock, water, honey, wine, and honey and whisk to combine thoroughly; set aside.
-In large saucepan over medium heat, add carrots, shallots, top with butter and salt.
-Pour stock mixture over carrots, cover and boil until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
-Strain carrots over bowl to reserve liquid.
-Place carrots in warmed bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
-Place liquid back into saucepan and boil on medium-high until reduced and beginning to thicken, about 5 minutes.
-Whisk in flour and maple and let boil, stirring constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes.
-Pour glaze over carrots and toss in with chives.
-Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Bars!

2008-12-04T11:41:00.001-08:00

Again something GREAT to make ahead and take! I waited to make the frosting until I got to my parents for Thanksgiving, since I didn't think Cream Cheese Icing would keep very well on a Nine Hour car Ride... but the rest I did on Tuesday night before the drive!
Thanks to Elizabeth's Edible Experience for posting this yummy treat!

Ingredients
Bars:
* 4 eggs
* 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 15-ounce can pumpkin
* 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* enough shopped pecans to sprinkle on top (my addition)

Icing:
* 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer (I had to use my handheld... but not for long! Can't wait for Christmas) at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.

Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

Spread on cooled pumpkin bars (I piped them for a cleaner presentation).

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl

with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined.

Stir in the vanilla and mix again.

Apple Bread

2008-12-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Katie I had something that I could make ahead and bring to my parents house for Thanksgiving! This was such a tasty treat! As you can see by the picture below it was very much enjoyed! We arrived on Wednesday night around midnight or so and this is what was left by 8am the next morning!

Here's what you need to do:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 smidgen fresh ground nutmeg
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. apples (about 2 medium), diced
1/2 c. pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a loaf pan (or 4 mini loaf pans).
-In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and whisk to combine thoroughly, set aside.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine oil and sugar and beat to combine thoroughly.
-Add egg and yolk and beat to combine thoroughly.
-Beat in vanilla.
-Turn mixer to low and add flour mixture, a little at a time, beating until just combined.
-Stir in apples and pecans.
-Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan (batter will be quite thick) and spread evenly.
-Place loaf pan into oven and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 80-90 minutes (45 minutes for mini loaves).
-Let cool before serving.

The food i cannot help!

2008-11-21T07:16:00.000-08:00

Yes that is spaghetti squash... I.Don't.Like.It. Okay I MIGHT if someone made it correctly but I didn't really like mine.
I made it per-directions, came out great, see above... then topped it with a olive oil, butter, garlic, tomato, seasoned mixture with fresh mozzarella cheese.... not a big fan... AT.ALL. Oh well at least I tried... let me know if you know of a way to make it tasty.

Crashed Potatoes

2008-11-21T07:12:00.001-08:00

I got this from someones blog (whom??? not sure) who got this from Pioneer Woman... it was GREAT!
You get your baking potatoes and boil them until you can stick a fork in the side
Place them on a baking sheet covered in a very large amount of olive oil.
Now smash them, only until they look like a mistake, not until they are mashed.
brush on some olive oil
spinkle salt and pepper
top with a fresh seasoning, i had chives
bake for lets say 20ish minutes (check on them) at 400
Enjoy!
So easy and good, Chris just LOVED these! I don't think he even put cheese on them!

Maple Ham

2008-11-21T07:08:00.001-08:00

So I bought this cute little precooked Jenny O turkey ham the other day and decided "WOW this is too healthy"! lol! So what did i do? First I poked cloves all in it (zero cals) and then poured maple syrup and melted butter over top (zillions of cals!) and sprikled cinnamon on top. Baked for a while... not sure how long, until it looked done and made my house smell heavenly!
And then enjoyed it with a crash potato and salad! Yummmm

Apple Cranberry Cobbler

2008-11-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

So it was a typical Sunday at home, went to church, now spending a lazy day on the couch with football... when I was thinking "Wow I've got all these wonderful ingredients around the house, what should i make???", and I came up with Apple Cranberry Cobbler! I adapted this recipe from the Rhubarb-Strawberry Cobbler recipe in my Good Housekeeping cook book.

First take about 4 Golden Delicious Apples and peal and core them.
Put them in a medium pot with about Half a bag of Cranberries (washed) and Half a cup of sugar.
Heat until tender and place in a medium/small casserole pan so it covers the bottom like so...

For the Dough:
Combine Half a cup of flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg with a wisk.
Then cut in 4 tbsp of margarine or butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in 2/3ish cup of milk until it forms a dough (give or take the amount of milk... I used too much so i had to add in more of the flour mixture, etc until it was correct)
Knead this and then roll out until about 1/2 inch thick.
I used a small flower shaped cookie cutter to make the shapes.
Lay them on top of the apple mixture...

I then took the time to make this EXTRA healthy and drizzle caramel and white chocolate on top! Bake for around 20mins (mine took slightly less time) and enjoy!

Be careful though... mine didn't last past the day I made it... for some reason mold started forming on it the next day (even though i sealed it and refrigerated it)... so enjoy it same day!

Spices!!!

2008-11-12T10:50:00.001-08:00

I was so excited to get a new way to organize my spices and free up some much needed cabinet space! Isn't it great! It is also great because when I'm cooking I look and grab, rather then search and search and then give up and buy another one when I had some left in the back! YEA!
Just look at my cute labels!

Caramel Cloud Bars

2008-11-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

These tasty little treats are from Cooking Light and my husband LOVED them. If you're not a BIG sweet eater, you prefer cake to any other sweet, you'll LOVE these tasty little delights, and don't they just look perfect for the Holiday season? Can't you see them placed on a sparkley Snow Flake Plate? I'll have to work on getting on of those!
Ingredients
* Cooking spray
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/4 cup light margarine, melted
* 1/4 cup evaporated fat-free milk
* 4 large egg whites
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 2/3 cup premium white chocolate chips (such as Hershey's)
* 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
* 1/2 cup caramel sundae syrup (such as Hershey's) **I used Sugar Free**

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.

Place the sugar, margarine, evaporated milk, and egg whites in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, and beat with a mixer at low speed just until blended. Stir in the chips and macadamia nuts.

Spoon the batter into prepared pan. Microwave the syrup at high 45 seconds or until warm, and stir. Drizzle the caramel syrup diagonally across batter. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

This makes 24 bars and each bar is 4pts roughly.

2008-11-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

This was our dinner on Monday night! Steak, marinated in a Jack Daniel's Mesquite sauce, Sweet Potato French Fries, and Salad.
The salad is rather "normal" where it's from a bag, has cheese and salad toppers on it.

Ahhh but the Steak and Sweet Potato fries were amazing! YUMMM

Just the right side! Thanks to Katie I knew what I wanted to eat with my Steak and how good it was too! You don't need anything to dip these tasty treats in, but Chris still loved dipping in Vinegar, he's all Maryland!

Sweet Potato Garlic Fries

Ingredients:
5 large red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp kosher salt
5 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/8 c. flat leaf parsley, minced

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 500 degrees and line 2 baking sheets.
-Wash and dry sweet potatoes (leaving skin on) and slice into 1/8 inch thick wedges.
-Place into large bowl and combine with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.
-Lay out sweet potato wedges on baking sheets, dividing evenly between them, and place in oven.
-Bake for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, or until edges begin to brown and wedges are tender.
-Remove from oven, sprinkle evenly with salt, garlic, parsley, and serve immediately.
Juicy and Delicious!
This was Chris's idea, while we were grocery shopping he came across a marinade bag of this Jack Daniel's sauce and it was amazing!

Fruit Tarts!

2008-11-10T07:10:00.001-08:00

This was incredible! It was so tasty and only 3, yes i say 3 weight watcher points each!!
Ingredients
Ready Made Graham Cracker Pie Crust (the 4oz ones, 6 in a pack)
4 individual cups of sugar free vanilla pudding (come 4 in a pack)
pint of strawberries
then a small container of: blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries (obviously you can use any berries you want, just have the same amount in total)
the a small jar of sugar-free apricot preserves.
Directions
Place around 2tbsp of pudding in the bottom of the pie/tart crust
top with berries (distributed evenly among the cups, i did a layer of strawberry slices then topped with the other berries)
Place preserves in a bowl and microwave until it is melted and liquid
Drizzle about a Tbsp over each tart!
Enjoy!

Beef Stew! YUMM!

2008-11-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

Doesn't this just look like comfort in a bowl??? Well it IS!!! What goes better with a chilly night, a fire crackling, and dogs cuddling? STEW! Even better, i made this on Election Tuesday so in case there were long lines at the polls I wouldn't have to worry about making dinner. Well, our lines were not even there, yea NO ONE was in front of me, but the stew was still GREAT!
Ingredients
2lbs lean beef cutlets (stew meat)
around 5-6 potatoes cubed
half a small cabbage chopped
Large container of low sodium beef broth
4 mini cans of veggie juice
bag of mixed veggies
1 medium onion chopped
garlic powder, pepper, and salt to taste.
throw it all in a crock pot and cook on low for 8ish hours. My cooked for 10 and was fine! Oh and one bowl (about 5c) is 6 Weight Watcher points!

Biscuits and eggs!

2008-11-03T06:02:00.000-08:00

Yes I am southern, and No I do not make biscuits... why you may ask??? Because my dad always did! Why should I when he makes perfectly heavenly ones???
So on Sunday morning I was up nice and early and decided to give it a go... now they weren't like my dad's but they were Very tasty!
For the biscuits i just used a basic recipe I found in my Betty Crocker cookbook.
For the Eggs, I sauteed onions and bell pepper in butter then added the following mixture:
some egg whites (from egg beaters) then a few regular eggs, cheese, milk, pepper, and pepperoni, chopped into small pieces. Cook until scrambled... and YUM!

Apple Pie!

2008-11-03T05:56:00.000-08:00

I have been dying to blog this, my mom's apple pie! Now mine doesn't look terribly beautiful but it's sooo yummy!
Ingredients
Filling
8 c thinly sliced golden delicious apples
1 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
mix all together

fill in a pie shell

Topping
1 c flour
1/2 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar
mix together to make a crumble topping and sprinkle over filling

Heat oven to 425
Wrap an aluminium foil tent over the pie and bake for around 40mins
Take off tent and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden brown!
Enjoy!

Beer Sausage Pasta!

2008-11-03T05:51:00.001-08:00

I got this recipe from Katie, who got it from Williams and Sonoma.... sooo good! Anything with beer in the title and you can sign my husband up too! I just decided to serve mine over penne pasta, and it was a GREAT decision!
here's the low down!
Ale-Braised Sausage and Peppers
adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 lb. cooked sausages, such as kielbasa, sliced
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 c. ale (I used Sam Adam's Oktoberfest and it worked perfectly...i used this too)
1 1/2 c. low sodium chicken stock
3 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped (right so i didn't have any fresh so i used ground... tasted great)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:
-In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.
-Add the sausages and cook, stirring and turning often, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
-Transfer to a plate.
-Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and sauté until tender and golden, about 5 minutes.
-Add 2 Tbsp flour and cook, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
-Whisk in the ale until the mixture is smooth and bubbly.
-Add the thyme and broth, whisking to blend, and bring to a simmer.
-Return the sausages to the pot.
-Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes.
-Uncover and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
-Season with salt and pepper.
-Remove the sausage, peppers, and onions and place on a serving platter.
-With the Dutch oven over medium high heat, whisk in 1 heaping Tbsp of flour, whisking constantly until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
-Pour thickened sauce over sausages and serve immediately with mashed potatoes.
-Serves 4 to 6.

Pumpkin Cheesecake! Yumm

2008-11-03T05:40:00.001-08:00

Oh yeah, this looks good and you know what it tasted good! But, are you ready for the best part? It's a weight watchers recipe and only 3pts a slice! YES!!!! AND Chris, my official taste tester, LOVED IT!
Ingredients
9 graham crackers, made into crumbs (i used a fat free verizon i found)
1 c low-fat cottage cheese
3/4 c part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 c egg substitute
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
One 15-oz canned pumpkin puree

preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9"pie plate
Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the bottom of the pie plate
In a blender, combine the cottage cheese and ricotta, process until smooth, about 1 minute.
Transfer to large bowl, stir in the egg substitute, sugar, ginger, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
Reserve 1/4 c of the batter.
Add the pumpkin to the batter and sir until blended.
Scrape the batter into the pie plate, then drizzle the reserved batter in 3 concentric circles over the pumpkin batter. With a knife, lightly draw a line through the batter from the center toward the outer edge, about 2" from that line, lightly draw the knife through the batter from the outer edge toward the center. Repeat around pie.

Bake until knife inserted in the center comes out clean (45-50 minutes). Cool completely and then refrigerate.

It took at lot longer then 50mins for mine to cook for some reason... but it was worth the wait!

3 pts a slice! Makes 6 servings!

COOKIES! I DID IT!!!

2008-11-03T05:26:00.000-08:00

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip cookies!
I Made them! and they were eddible... not only that but GOOD! YES! Okay so many of you don't know this but i have a problem with making homemade cookies. I am so bad at it that my husband, who loves me very much, as requested that I not make them, I'm serious! So I have joined a cookie exchange in December and realized that I better start practicing! So I got out my cookie cookbook I was given in college and told Chris that I was not to be distracted because I MUST concore this! AND I DID! I was nervous, and I saw the hesitation in Chris eyes as he went for the first bite, but you know they were great! I even gave some to the neighbors and one of the little girls told me that I was a great cook! I'm not lying! YES! So here's my cookie recipe and enjoy!

Ingredients (I doubled this so I would have enough cookies)
1 c all purpose flower
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 c butter
3/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c crunchy peanut butter (I used creamy b/c it's all I had)
1 c Chocolate chips

Directions
Shift together the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside
With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
In another bowl, mix the egg and vanilla extract, then gradually beat into the butter mixture.
Stir in the peanut butter and blend throughly. Stir in the dry ingredients. Last but not least stir in the chocolate chips.
Chill for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
Preheat oven to 350
Spoon onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes.
I found 11 1/2 minutes to be perfect (oh yes i tested different times to get it just right!)
Enjoy!

To Do list?

2008-10-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

thought this was interesting so i decided to try it out~
1) Copy this list into your site, including the instructions!
2) Bold all of the sweets you’ve eaten!
3) Cross out any of them that you’d never ever eat.
4) Consider anything that is not bold or crossed out your “To Do” List.

1. Red Velvet Cake
2. Princess Torte
3. Whoopie Pie
4. Apple Pie
5. Beignet
6. Baklava
7. Black and White Cookie
8. Seven Layer Bar (aka Magic Bar or Hello Dolly Bar)
9. Fried Fruit Pies (sometimes called hand pies)
10. Kringle
11. Just fried (still hot) doughnut
12. Scone with Clotted Cream
13. Betty, Grunt, Slump, Buckle, or Pandowdy
14. Halvah
15. Macaroons
16. Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers
17. Bubble Tea (with tapioca “pearls”)
18. Dixie Cup - I don't know what this is, and couldn't find it online...can anyone help me out?
19. Rice Krispie treats
20. Alfajores
21. Blondies
22. Croquembouche
23. Girl Scout Cookies
24. Moon Cake
25. Candy Apple
26. Baked Alaska
27. Brooklyn Egg Cream
28. Nanaimo Bar
29. Baba Au Rhum
30. King Cake
31. Sachertorte
32. Pavlova
33. Tres Leches Cake
34. Trifle
35. Shoofly Pie
36. Key Lime Pie (made with real key lime)
37. Panna Cotta
38. New York Cheesecake
39. Napoleon/Mille-Fueille
40. Russian Tea Cake/Mexican Wedding Cake
41. Anzac Biscuits
42. Pizzelle
43. Kolache
44. Buckeyes
45. Malasadas
46. Moon Pie (this is a repeat I think)
47. Dutch Baby
48. Boston Cream Pie
49. Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
50. Pralines
51. Gooey Butter Cake
52. Rusks
53. Daifuku
54. Green Tea Cake or Cookies
55. Cupcakes from a Cupcake Shop
56. Creme Brulee
57. Some Sort of Deep Fried Fair Food
58. Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
59. Jelly Roll
60. Pop Tarts
61. Charlotte Russe
62. An “Upside Down” Dessert (pineapple upside down cake or tarte tatin)
63. Hummingbird Cake
64. Jell-O from a Mold
65. Black Forest Cake
66. Mock Apple Pie (Ritz Cracker Pie)
67. Kulfi
68. Linzer Torte
69. Churro
70. Stollen
71. Angel Food Cake
72. Mincemeat Pie
73. Concha
74. Opera Cake
75. Sfogliatelle/ Lobster Tail
76. Pain au Chocolat
77. A Piece of Gingerbread House
78. Cassata
79. Cannoli
80. Rainbow Cookies
81. Religieuse
82. Petits Fours
83. Chocolate Souffle
84. Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake)
85. Rugelach
86. Hamenstashen
87. Homemade Marshmallows
88. Rigo Janci
89. Pie or Cake made with Candy Bar Flavors (Snickers Pie, Reeses Pie, etc)
90. Divinity
91. Coke or Cola cake
92. Gateau Basque
93. S’mores
94. Figgy Pudding
95. Bananas Foster or some other Flaming Dessert
96. Joe Froggers
97. Sables
98. Millionaire’s Shortbread
99. Animal Crackers
100. Basbousa

Wow i need to have a lot of stuff!

Taco Soup!

2008-10-29T04:44:00.000-07:00

What a nice dish to have on a wet cold day! And what a hit! I really thought, though, that it was more of a taco chili/soup... it was much thicker then soup but still had some brothy substance... either way it was delish and EASY!
And here you can see why we needed it...Do you see how wet it was! COLD! I made this to take the Maryland vs NC State tailgate. Even though State lost, we put up a good fight and we stayed warm at the tailgate with my chili/soup! Lets call it Chiop!

At least we had fun together too!

I got this from a crockpot blogger, who also happens to be gluten free! HMM WOW! So thanks A year of Crockpotting, it was delish!

Ingredients
2 cans of kindey beans
2 cans of pinto beans
2 cans of corn
1 large can of diced tomatoes (I have no idea why the can wasn't in this picture. I know I put it in. This is a mystery.)
1 can tomatoes and chiles
1 packet taco seasoning (if you are gluten free, stick to McCormick)
1 packet ranch dressing mix (make sure there isn't hidden gluten, I went with Hidden Valley)
1 lb browned ground turkey or hamburger (optional.)
shredded cheese and sour cream for embellishment (optional, unless you're in my house. then it's mandatory.)

The Directions:

brown meat if you are going to use it
drain fat and add to crockpot stoneware insert (the meat. not the fat.)
sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat
drain and rinse the beans and add
add the ENTIRE contents of the corn and tomato cans

cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5. I think the longer you cook soup, the better, so if you have the time, opt for cooking on low.

serve with a handful of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Return of the Apple bars!

2008-10-24T05:14:00.001-07:00

I was just going to replace the old picture from my previous post about these (since that pic was a little blurry, but I thought these deserved another post since they were sooo amazing. I made them because Chris's good friend from college was coming into town and I wanted him to have plenty to eat, but man he and Chris ate about half of them, LAST NIGHT! For Reals! So Here's to the Apple Bars! YEA!
This is Our friend Rowdy enjoying a beer after driving four and a half hours about to see us!

Lets Drink Pork and Have a Beer Bread!

2008-10-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

NO! I'm not an alcoholic I just saw this bread and thought WOW Chris would love it and his friend was coming into town and he would love it! YES, you use beer to make it but that's so you don't have to use yeast... and man it was tasty! AND the story behind the "Lets Drink Pork" is I had a pork tenderloin and I didn't want to just bake it or something equally boring so I baked it with seasonings and then topped it with a white wine mushroom sauce, Why YES my house was very gourmet last night!

Soo since I have an ACTUAL recipe for the bread we'll begin with that!
Here is the cheesy beer bread... thank you Elizabeth's Edible Experience for the idea!

Ingredients
3 cups flour (sifted)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 (12 ounce) can/bottle beer (I used Sam Adam's Octoberfest)
1/4 cup jalapenos ( I didn't use)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I used more like a cup total I think)
1/4 cup melted butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients and beer.
Add to mixture, 1/4 cup of jalapenos and 1/4 cup shredded cheddar (OR Only a LOT of cheese).
Pour into a greased loaf pan.
Pour melted butter over mixture.
Add 1/4 cup shredded cheddar to the top of the loaf
Bake 1 hour
remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes!

Gezzz ook OKAY! Now on to the pork. HMMM
So I'm just going to type what I did and I'll try to tell you general amounts but I really just dabbled this and that until it tasted like something I would eat.

So i Baked my pork loins in the oven on 350 for lets say around an hour?? (Just check it) Before I placed it in the oven i sprinkled with salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, thyme, and lets say basil.
For the sauce
I began but sauteing chives and diced onion (only like half a small onion and 1/3 a bunch of chives) in olive oil and 2 tbsp butter. Then I added some garlic salt. Later when the onions were becoming transparent I added oregano, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. I cooked that for a minute then add around a cup or so of a Chardonnay that I had in my fridge and about a cup and a half, maybe more, of chicken broth. Got that nice and warm and added sliced mushrooms (I would have LOVE cremimi BUT my grocer does not sell these so I used the standard white ones) and just kind broke them into smaller pieces as a cooked it. Then I was thinking "Self this needs something else to deepen the flavor", so I called up my trusty mom and she had the trick in mind Parmesan cheese! YEA! Threw that in, lets say 1/4 cup? Then i just let it cook... when chris got home I add a few table spoons of flour to thicken it and whisked that until it was smooth!
BASICALLY this is what I did... threw stuff in, tasted and threw more in of what I thought it needed. Some may not want as much wine, but I really enjoyed the flavor it added, etc.

When everything was ready, I sliced the pork, placed it on the plates and covered with the sauce. Chris LOVED this, I hope I'll be able to recreate it! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins!

2008-10-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

I LOVE these! So good on a cold morning with a cup of coffee, if they aren't just out of the oven throw it in the microwave and warm is up... so good! I found this recipe on Annie's Eats and knew I had to star to it make later and I found the PERFECT time. One of Chris's best friends from college is coming into town tonight! I didn't want him to have to make his own breakfast on Friday, while Chris and I were at work, so I figured, Lets Make Muffins! YUMMM! Sadly I am not one to read the directions (only ingredients) all the way through before I begin, so I didnt' read the "freeze the cream cheese mixture" part until I was ready to start... so while I TRIED to freeze it, I didn't let it FULLY freeze, but they were STILL awesome! YEA! So here's what you do!
Ingredients

For the muffins:
3 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the streusel topping:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup and 1 tsp. flour
4 tbsp. butter, cubed
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Directions
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, 1-2 hours.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.

To make the streusel topping, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well halfway with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice in each muffin well. Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups, on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

And Enjoy!!!

New ROOM!

2008-10-22T04:47:00.001-07:00

So it isn't tasty but the Chocolate wall looks kind of tasty!!!
So this is what we did for our anniversary! YEA! The red wall is California Poppy by Behr. The other walls are Sandstone Cove (i think it's cove)... and I'm not sure what the name of the Chocolate one is... lets call it Heaven! LOL! I'm so happy!

The wonderful Fireplace
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Close up of Decorations, I'm going to replace the Candles with another color.

New Star from Amish Country

These are my anniversary flowers... Chris said Red for the Fall colors and sunflowers for the wedding! What an amazing two years it's been!

Some of the fall decor on the dinning room table.

More Fall stuff, I love my ducks!

THIS is Bucky... Chris's first Buck... he is now a member of my family... honestly he's not so bad, I'm kind of attached to him now~

Hope you enjoyed my new Red Room! I know I am!

Blackend Catfish

2008-10-22T04:38:00.000-07:00

Well for our anniversary we were fishing up painting so I didn't have time to make a big crazy wonderful meal like I was hoping but this was amazing! It was sooo fast and tasty! Thanks to Epicurious!
For the Catfish:
Ingredients
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried orégano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 catfish fillets (about 1 pound)
1 large garlic clove, sliced thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
lemon wedges as an accompaniment
Preparation
In a small bowl combine the paprika, the orégano, the thyme, the cayenne, the sugar, the salt, and the black pepper, pat the catfish dry, and sprinkle the spice mixture on both sides of the fillet, coating them well. In a large skillet sauté the garlic in the oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until it is golden brown and discard the garlic. Add the butter, heat it until the foam subsides, and in the fat sauté the catfish for 4 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked through. Transfer the catfish fillets with a slotted spatula to 2 plates and serve them with the lemon wedges.

For the rice, I have this AWESOME new microwave rice cooker that I wanted to try out... so I loaded in my Rice, water, and frozen veggie and cooked away. It was GREAT! Chris LOVED it... even more then the fish I think! HA!

Not to Eat but SOOO cute!

2008-10-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

Awww now don't you just LOVE this face! I swear she will make me SO.MAD. and then give me this face... now what is a Mom to do??

Remember the line from the Wizzard of Oz "Poppies... Poppies will put you to sleep"
Yeah well in our house it's "Puppies... Puppies will put you to sleep" because they are just too darn cute and cuddly.

Now If Sadie knew I put this picture of her on here she would never speak to me again because it's not her most flattering shot BUT just LOOK at her... she LOVES pillows and fluffiness and i don't think she could have done a better job of finding either!

Wilton I, class III

2008-10-17T04:55:00.001-07:00

This is what I did last night. I know kind of sad looking, but please let me explain. We are having a baby shower today for my coworker, so I thought HEY I can bring these to the shower! Well 1. she's having a boy (hence the color selection) and 2. It was flowers or scary looking Chucky clowns (the two things we learned in the class). So I decided "Lets Do Flower Pots!"... yea great idea IN.MY.HEAD! Didn't quite turn out the way I was hoping but HEY, they are still tasty and I'll just let the coworkers eat them now instead of ruining the beautiful shower we have planned with their presence.
So here is my "Flower Garden".

Bacon Makes EVERYTHING yummy!

2008-10-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

So i had these REALLY CHEAP pork chops that I bought but I wanted them to be yummy so I started talking to myself again asking what would make these thin, tiny, nothing of a chop tasty and do you know what my head told me??? BACON!

I First pounded the pork chops even thinner so they would be a little bigger. Then i stuffed them with rice, gluten free Italian bread crumbs, some tomato paste, an egg, some cheddar cheese (shredded) and that might be it. I wrapped the pork chop up taco style and then wound a piece of bacon around it in a spiral and toothpicked it into place.

Then I drizzled some olive oil on top and sprinkled with Italian seasonings (these seasonings are actually supposed to be combined with olive oil so you can dip your bread in it, but i figured I could cook with it too~). I baked it for around 30mins at 350ish... you know until the bacon felt crispy!

And boy was it yummy! Like Chris said when I asked him what he thought "Bacon Makes EVERYTHING taste good!"

Wilton Course 1, class 2

2008-10-10T04:21:00.001-07:00

So this week we practiced our star tip! The book wanted us to do rainbows or something equally stupid, so since I enjoy being different I decided what a GREAT time of year to do a Fall Cake (I know I know ingenious)!

I started with a gluten free pumpkin spice cake recipe from Karina's Kitchen. It was amazing! Even Chris LOVED it!

Recipe follows:
3 extra large organic free-range eggs
2 cups organic light brown sugar
2/3 cup light olive oil
1 15-oz can cooked pumpkin (or two cups of fresh cooked pumpkin)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups gluten-free flour mix* see notes
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10 x 13" baking pan with greased foil or parchment.

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl till light and frothy; add the brown sugar, beat till smooth; add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (the GF flour mix through sea salt). Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture a little at a time and beat to combine- for two minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is firm and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.

It is a thick batter so make sure when you put it in a pans you shake it to get it to level out.

Then for the Filling!!! I did an APPLE PIE filling! OH YEA!
Basically I just used my pampered chef chopper to get 3 granny smith apples (skinned and cored) into TINY little bitty pieces. Then I put them in a pot with around 1/2c sugar, 2 or so tbsp of gluten free flour, a tbsp or so of cinnamon, some nutmeg, and a bit of butter and I cooked until softish (can't you tell it was an exact science~).
I then lined my bottom layer with butter cream icing and filled it in and topped it off with the other layer.

My icing is just regular Wilton butter cream with almond flavoring. I would have preferred to use cream cheese frosting but the point of this cake was for my decorating class, not for personal enjoyment. HAHAH!

And that's all... enjoy the pics while I enjoy eating it!

Awww I'm so cute putting my wedding date on it!

Yea as soon as I got home Chris was like "WOW looks great woman! Cane we eat it now?" So we did!
Just LOOK at that yummy filling!

Chicken and White Bean Chili

2008-10-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

This was so good! I got the recipe from epicurious and it will be added to our "rotation" of cold weather foods! YUMM!

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/3 cups chopped onion
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 15- to 16-ounce cans white beans, drained, juices reserved
2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until chicken is no longer pink outside, about 5 minutes. Mix in chili powder, tomato paste, cumin, and oregano. Add beans, 1 cup reserved bean juices, and canned tomatoes. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and chili is thickened, about 25 minutes. If chili is too thick, add more bean juices by tablespoonfuls to thin. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in cilantro and serve.

We added Cheese and sour cream to ours and also dipped in tortilla chips! YUM!