The Sampler Girl Cooks

Louisana Sausage Coffee Cake

2011-01-30T19:32:00.001-05:00

Louisianna Sausage Coffee Cake

1lb breakfast sausage (Jamestown is a favorite)

1/2 Cup chopped green onion (about a bunch)

1/4 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 Cup grated Monterey Jack Cheese OR Swiss Cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 T fresh parsley

2 Cups bisquick

3/4 Cup milk

1/4 Cup mayo

Brown sausage, onions and drain. Add next 4 ingredients. Make batter of bisquick, milk and mayo in another bowl. Spread HALF of this batter in a greased with cooking spray 8" square dish.

Pour in sausage mixture. Spread remaining bisquick mix on top. (This will be hard to spread so always best to use spatula that has been under hot water to make life easier!)

Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

dinner & dessert

2011-01-29T18:56:00.002-05:00

Don't these get you excited? Well, the recipes are on my other blog. Click HERE !

spicy beef and new orleans red rice skillet dinner

2010-12-27T20:30:00.001-05:00

This recipe has such a long title! I'll sum it up for you ~ yum.

Spicy Beef & New Orleans Red Rice Skillet Dinner
recipe from The Deen Bros take it easy cookbook
1 T olive oil
1 lb ground beef
2 1/4 t salt
2 celery ribs, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, seeded and diced
2 cups chicken broth
one 14 oz-can tomato puree
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon sugar
2 t Tabasco or other hot sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Crumble the beef into the skillet and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Brown the beef, breaking it up, for 5-7 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink. Drain.

Reduce the heat to medium high and saute the diced celery, onion and green pepper in the skillet for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the browned beef, chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups of water, the tomato puree, rice, remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and the hot sauce. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, covered, for 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

more recipes

2010-12-26T18:59:00.002-05:00

Been posting recipes on my main blog lately ... click HERE to find them!

turkey and cheese in puff pastry

2010-12-22T18:30:00.001-05:00

This is amazing. My friend, Nancy, made this over the weekend for our stitching Christmas luncheon party and well, I hope she didn't see how many pieces I devoured. The original recipe calls for soppressata salami but she used deli turkey as I did tonight and it. is. fabulous. It makes an ideal appetizer but I fixed it for an early simple dinner. Yum!

Turkey & Cheese in Puff Pastry
adapted from Ina Garten's cookbook, How Easy Is That?
1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry, such as Pepperidge Farm, defrosted
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
12 thin (not paper thin) slices Deli turkey
6 oz Gruyere cheese, grated
1 egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon water for egg wash

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay one sheet of puff pastry on parchment paper lined sheet pan. Brush on all of the Dijon mustard. Top with turkey evenly avoiding edges for closure. Brush egg wash along sides. Top with other sheet of puff pastry. Brush top with egg wash and seal sides. Cut three slits in top for steam.

Bake 20-25 minutes, turning once during baking.
Enjoy!

sausage and cheese balls

2010-12-22T16:53:00.003-05:00

A family favorite around the holidays, this easy recipe is so addicting and filling!

Sausage and Cheese Balls
12 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 lbs hot, spicy sausage (mild is fine too!)
1/2 cup water
2 cups biscuit baking mix
1 teaspoon baking powder

Combine all in a mixing bowl; cover and chill even overnight. Roll mixture into balls and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

lemon brown sugar cookies

2010-12-22T16:52:00.000-05:00

Lemon Brown Sugar Cookies
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
1 t grated lemon zest
2 eggs

Sift together the flour and baking powder.

Cream together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light. Beat in the eggs, then stir in the flour mixture thoroughly. Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and form the dough into a disk. Wrap the dough and chill it for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out shapes with cookie cutters.

Bake for 5-8 minutes, until pale golden. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on racks.

Decorate as desired.

chicken and dumplings

2010-12-17T09:55:00.001-05:00

We had our first snow of the season here yesterday so last night had to be comfort food. This was a thrown together recipe and it worked ~ it was delicious!! Oh my was it ever good.

Chicken and Dumplings
1 package chicken breasts (there were 4 in the pack)
water
chicken broth
salt
pepper
dried thyme
dried dill weed
olive oil
small onion, chopped
celery, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
cream of chicken soup (I only used 1/2 the can)
1 package frozen peas/carrots/green beans/corn (the bag was 32oz and I used half)
Bisquick mix and milk - for dumplings

Poach chicken breasts in dutch oven with enough water to cover. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper and dried thyme. Simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes until cooked. Take chicken out and set aside to cool. Shred and sprinkle dried dill.

Reserve 3 cups of this liquid.

Make dumplings a la Bisquik box in a bowl.

In same pot, add 2 swishes of olive oil. Saute celery, onion and garlic for about 4 minutes. Add veggies, reserved liquid, 1/2 can of cream of chicken soup and shredded chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes and then bring to a slow boil. Add dumplings, one at a time. Cover for 20 minutes. Serve hot!

stuffed chicken roll ups

2010-11-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

Needed something yummy and simple for tonight's dinner so decided to try this recipe. Served with sweet potatoes.

Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups

1 package stuffing mix (I used stove top cornbread mix)
2 eggs, beaten
1 package thinned boneless chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon paprika

Combine stuffing and 1 cup of water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in eggs.
Spread evenly over each piece of chicken.
Roll up chicken from one short end to enclose stuffing.
Place seam sides down in 13x9 pyrex dish.

Mix soup and milk; pour over chicken .
Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake uncovered @ 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until done. (The original recipe says to cook 30 minutes but mine weren't done by then - maybe they were thicker or I stuffed them more ... so be sure your chicken is done before serving.)

easy texas chili

2010-11-21T14:45:00.009-05:00

I used to not like chili. (Didn't use to like football either.) At all. Then I liked it but if there was a bean (black, pinto, chili) anywhere in it, forget it. Now ... I love chili with the beans. What has happened to me? Who knows ... well, it might be that when I was preggers with Zack, I craved black beans like there was no tomorrow. Weird and the lad now begs for black beans at any chance so there ya go!

So, since it's football weather and ideal for chili ... it's on the menu today for an early dinner while the Patriots play. I have 2 chili recipes that I use and they are very similar and both are Southern Living recipes. This one uses chili beans while the other uses black beans and I think cumin too but this is the one for today and it's gonna be good. Once it's all prepped, then I put it in the crockpot to simmer. Off to make the cornbread!

Easy Texas Chili
1 lb ground chuck

1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (16oz) can chili hot beans, undrained
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt

Combine first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven (or deep pasta pot); cook until beef is browned, stirring until it crumbles. Drain and return to Dutch oven. Add beans and remaining ingredients; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Yield- 6 cups.

mini meatball sandwiches

2010-11-15T18:50:00.001-05:00

I saw this recipe over the weekend and deemed it to be made soon. Tonight! They were very tasty and something we all ate ... yes, even the picky eater Ben. Zack had seconds and I lost track how many sliders DH had. I'm the cook so I can have as many as I want, right? :) Very good eats ... now to clean the kitchen.

Mini Meatball Sandwiches
recipe from Pioneer Woman Cooks
1 pound Ground Beef
½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs
1 clove Garlic, Minced
½ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ cups Milk

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ whole Medium Onion, Diced
1 jar (large) Marinara Sauce
12 whole Dinner Rolls (or Slider Rolls) - I used mini potato rolls
4 slices Provolone Cheese, Cut Into Four Wedges Each

Mix meat with bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and milk. Knead together with hands. Roll into heaping tablespoon-sized rolls.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for one minute. Add meatballs between the onions and brown for one minute. (You might have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your skillet.)

Pour in jar of marinara; shake pan gently to mix. Put on lid and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
When ready to serve, cut each dinner roll in half. Place a wedge of Provolone on the top and bottom of each roll. Spoon a meatball with the sauce onto the bottom bun; top with the top bun.

Bacon Jack Quiche

2010-11-11T19:45:00.001-05:00

So it's been a sickie house all week and we're all on the mend, hopefully, finally. I was in need of some comfort food tonight but nothing too ambitious ... quiche sounded perfect. Here's what I came up with and named it after the ingredients. It is very, very, very good!!

Bacon Jack Quiche
6 slices thick bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups milk
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cups cheddar jack blend cheese, shredded
9" frozen pie crust

::Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

::Take frozen pie crust out of its ugly tin pan. Place into a pretty pie pan. Spray pan with Pam.

::In hot skillet, add cut up bacon and cook until crispy. Drain on paper towel. Admire cooked bacon and move on to next task.

::In a good-sized bowl, beat 4 large eggs with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. (Kosher salt makes eggs really fluffy!) Next add nutmeg, pepper, milk and mix well. Add onion and shredded cheese. Mix again well.

::Sprinkle bacon evenly on bottom of pie crust. Gently pour egg/cheese mixture over bacon. Nice.

::Carefully put pie pan in preheated oven and bake 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.

::Let set about 10 minutes (if you can stand it) and serve with salad.

Pioneer Woman's Apple Tart

2010-11-02T19:10:00.001-04:00

These were so much fun to make! One box puff pastry makes 4 tarts; I used 3 apples (granny smith and jonagold). This couldn't have been simpler to prepare and bake; the apple slices have to be paper thin and displaying them on the dough is really a treat. The presentation is fantastic and the result, most tasty.

Click HERE for recipe!

scalloped tomatoes

2010-11-02T19:00:00.000-04:00

I. love. this. recipe. You read it right, scalloped tomatoes ... not potatoes. This is one of Ina Garten's newest recipes in her cookbook, How Easy Is That?, and well, it's hands down even better than bruschetta and I adore bruschetta. I didn't use fresh tomatoes but rather can and it was out of this world good. My mom had fixed this side dish over the week-end and I clearly needed to have more.

Scalloped Tomatoes (adapted from Ina Garten recipe)
5 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups (1/2 inch) diced bread from a round rustic bread, crusts removed
3 (14-1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
handful fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes and cook until evenly browned, about 5 minutes.

Drain tomatoes and pour in a large bowl. Add garlic, sugar, salt and black pepper. Add mixture to skillet. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add basil. Toss around to mix.

Pour tomato mixture into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 35-40 minutes.

lemon & thyme skillet chicken

2010-11-02T18:50:00.000-04:00

My own creation and very simple; makes for moist, delicious chicken!

Lemon & Thyme Skillet Chicken
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut pieces in halves)
juice of 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 handful fresh thyme sprigs
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
light virgin olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper

Heat skillet with several swishes of olive oil. Wash and pat dry chicken pieces. Sprinkle them with kosher salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet. Cut lemon in half and squeeze over chicken; drop lemon halves in skillet. Add garlic and sprigs of thyme to pan; sprinkle lemon zest over chicken. Turning frequently, cook till done, about 20 minutes.

baklava cookies

2010-10-31T15:00:00.000-04:00

These are amazing. Absolutely amazing cookies. If you can't have nuts, I'm sorry. Really, I am. Because these cookies are bliss for the soul. One bite and you're speechless. They are crisp, sweet, nutty, sticky ... a unique cookie like none other. After the first bite I decided it was a cookie that would be perfect for holidays and cookie exchange parties ... I'm so glad to know this recipe. You will be too!

Baklava Cookies
(recipe from The Good Stuff Cookbook)

COOKIES
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GLAZE
1/3 cup honey
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (I used just of 1 whole lemon)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the cookies: in a bowl, mix together the flour, walnuts, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a second bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Slowly blend in the flour-nut mixture.

Using your hands, form small, round dough balls and place them on ungreased baking sheets. Gently press down on the balls to slightly flatten each cookie.

To make the glaze: heat the honey, butter, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat until syrupy. Set aside until ready to use.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven to racks and gently drizzle the glaze over the cookies. Let stand on the sheets until cooled completely.

Today I met Ina Garten!!

2010-10-27T20:39:00.001-04:00

I wrote about it here!!

ultimate chicken fingers

2010-10-26T13:50:00.000-04:00

Recently I bought Bisquick and noticed some new recipes on the back of the box, well new to me. Anyway, I had chicken tenders on hand (ok, that sounds weird but you know what I mean) so tried this recipe. The coating wasn't as crunchy as hoped but it was very good and I'll make it again. It was also tasty cold on a sammie for lunch today!

Ultimate Chicken Fingers
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb) cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
2/3 Cup Bisquick mix (I used a little more bc the package was slightly over 1lb)
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese (I used shredded Parm)
1/2 teaspoon salt OR garlic salt (I used garlic powder AND kosher salt)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted (I sprayed Pam instead)

HEAT oven to 450 degrees. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with Pam. In large ziploc bag, mix Bisquick mix, cheese, garlic salt and paprika.

DIP half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat process with rest of chicken strips. Drizzle butter over chicken.

BAKE 12-14 minutes, turning halfway through bake time, until cooked through.

sunshine eggs

2010-10-25T15:36:00.004-04:00

For Zack's breakfast this morning, I fixed eggs & toast in a sun shape! It sure put a smile on his face with every bite. Of course he reminded me I forgot the jelly so once that was added, the plate was clean.

do you know the pumpkin muffin man?

2010-10-23T09:55:00.002-04:00

So I needed something muffiny, something warm, something pumpkiny this morning to go with my coffee. I was blog searching early (did you know when you put a little one to bed early, he gets up early too?) and saw Paulette's post, followed to her mom's Pumpkin Muffin recipe HERE and well, if you like anything pumpkiny, then you'll want to have a go at this recipe.

I have 2 boys who won't eat any food that has nuts in, on or visible SO I had to forgo the pecans ontop but might have to make another batch, just for me with pecans topped in the brown sugar. In the meanwhile, the brown sugar sprinkled like snow was enough. This muffin rocks! AND with the coffee, it helped me with this early Saturday morning wakeup.

lunch, spaghetti

2010-10-22T13:30:00.002-04:00

Spaghetti is one of those meals. Just about everyone (even my picky eater at the table) will eat it without complaint. My youngest will randomly beg for a dinner of meatballs while we're running around town. It's a very economical meal and the leftovers are delicious, if not better. I think so. So this was today's lunch. Last night's dinner. Everyone makes it a little different and we all have that taste we know when we think of spaghetti. Good eats.

About the pasta ... I no longer like thick spaghetti pasta; the thin spaghetti is ok if it's the last pasta box in the pantry and I've used bow ties, angel hair, even fettucini but my favorite pasta for spaghetti is linguini. The sauce coats the pasta just perfectly. The brand can vary but I like Barilla the best; it seems to taste fresher some how. They're all in boxes I know but still, it does. I break the pasta in half to boil it. Not a fan of the forever long noodle. I want to eat not spend time winding it around and around and around the fork. A little winding it is ok but too much ... nada.

About the sauce ... I use Classico or Barilla brands in the tomato/basil or marinara variety, whatever floats my boat that day. I've tried making my own sauce with recipes and while good (lots of time needed for that route) it just doesn't taste the way I know it, love it, have to have it ... so I stick with the jars I prefer. The sauce has to be thick; no liquid spaghetti sauce for me ~ yuk. The sauce has to stick to the noodles and leave enough sauce on the plate to sop up with crusty bread after all. Right? :)

About the texture ... I like my pasta done. Al dente doesn't jive with me. I don't want to bite into tough pasta; I want a soft, creamy pasta to smile all the way down. So, I cook it past the box directions maybe by 5 minutes and don't drain it. Just scoop it out of the boiling salted water with a slotted spoon and drop it into the sauce to mix in the skillet.

About the meat ... When I was first married, I made spaghetti with browned ground beef just crumbled up in the sauce. It was good but meatballs are so much better. More flavor, more bang for your buck. So I only make meatballs in the spaghetti now. I like the meatballs small and moist instead of large and dry. They cook quicker that way too. In a big bowl, I combine (80/20) lean ground beef with lots of bread crumbs, egg, salt & pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, and one small chopped sweet onion. Mix it all nice and gooey and make into little meatballs, no perfect rounds needed - just roll a little bit in your hand and you're good to go. Place them on a plate so they're on the ready.

About the finish ... I heat a large skillet with several swishes of the light olive oil bottle and start adding the meatballs. Toss them over after a few minutes and then add sauce after about 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness of meatballs. After adding jar sauce, fill the same jar with water 1 to 1 1/2 times and add to thin out but not water down the sauce. Flip the meatballs around in the sauce and let them swim abit longer, about 15 minutes. Add the pasta and coat well. Serve hot, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese ontop, and enjoy every bite.

nutella swirl poundcake

2010-10-17T15:52:00.004-04:00

Well, mine didn't turn out as swirly like the photo in the recipe but it is very tasty and very rich. I love Nutella and always willing to try a recipe that calls for it. Thank you again, Petra, for this recipe link.

Click HERE for recipe.

chicken parm

2010-10-12T20:00:00.002-04:00

This is the best Chicken Parmesan I've ever made. Ever. This is one of my favorite foods to crave and sure glad I spent some time recently looking through the Pioneer Woman's recipe blog.

Chicken Parmesan
(adapted from PW recipe found here)
1 package thinned, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (there were 6 in the pack)
2 jars Marinara sauce (I like the Barilla brand)
1 sweet onion, chopped
handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
salt & pepper
1 T Dried Italian Herbs
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
3 T minced garlic
Flour
1/2 cup light virgin olive oil
2 T butter
1/2 box Linguine, cooked

Mix together flour, salt and pepper. Wash and pat dry chicken. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and set aside on two plates.

Boil salted water for pasta. Cook pasta accordingly to package. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil and butter in large nonstick skillet. When hot, add chicken and fry both sides about 3 minutes on each side. Put chicken on foiled pan to warm in oven. Don't drain skillet! Add chopped onion and garlic to skillet. Toss around about 2 minutes and then add the jars of sauce. Sprinkle in dried herbs and combine. Simmer 20-25 minutes.

Gently add chicken to sauce but don't submerge. Top with generous helping of shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Cook a few minutes and then cover skillet to steam and you'll see the cheese melt more. yum!

Serve chicken parm atop linguine and serve hot!

crab cakes

2010-10-03T11:48:00.002-04:00

Last night we all gathered to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday. I fixed, at his request, crab cakes, and used this Tyler Florence recipe. I tripled the recipe and they were awesome ... if you enjoy crab cakes, you must try this recipe!! I made them small and didn't make the sauce but had tartar sauce with it instead. No pictures, sorry ... the party had to begin.

Click HERE for Tyler's recipe.

ritzy chicken, another way

2010-09-30T19:55:00.000-04:00

Squeezing one more post in for September ~ I have been cooking just not photographing it. My family always says they're starving and laugh at me when I make them wait so I can snap a photo but tonight I stood my ground and took this picture of our yummy chicken. I was going to make the Ritzy Chicken but was out of buttermilk and came across this recipe instead and tweaked it just abit. Lordy, it's good ... you'll want to fix it, soon.

Ritzy Chicken, another way
1 roll Ritz crackers
1 package chicken tenders
1 cup mayo
1 1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Foil a baking sheet and spray with Pam. In addition, swirl around 1-2 T canola oil.
Cut chicken tenders in halves.
In a bowl, mix mayo, dried mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Crush roll of Ritz crackers very well and pour in another bowl.
Make your assembly line and coat chicken pieces with mayo mixture and then roll around to coat in crushed crackers. Place chicken tenders on foiled baking sheet and spritz with Pam spray before putting in the oven. This makes them extra golden brown.
Bake 25-30 minutes depending on chicken thickness.

Yum!!!!!!

spinach stuffed shells

2010-09-13T22:10:00.000-04:00

Dinner + pasta = always welcome here. Could it get better? Well, for DH, probably the addition of meat would have made this perfect and I always make stuffed shells with ground beef & sausage but saw this recipe and decided to try it. I tweaked it somewhat and well, it's goooooood!

Spinach Stuffed Shells
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
1 15-oz container ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 box jumbo pasta shells

Cook pasta shells according to box directions. Drain and cool off.
Combine thawed & drained spinach with ricotta and 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheeses in a medium bowl.
Spray 9X13-inch pyrex with Pam. Pour 1/2 jar of sauce to cover bottom of dish.
Fill shells with cheese and spinach mixture.
Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over shells and spread to cover completely. Top with rest of shredded mozzarella cheese and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over all.
Cover with foil.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

cinnamon toast waffle sticks

2010-08-31T11:50:00.003-04:00

Ben loves my cinnamon toast. Tells his friends about it. Begs his brother to ask me to make it. Well, I saw a simple recipe for cinnamon toast waffle sticks (or something like that name) in an issue of Real Simple Family magazine. (Great magazine, by the way!) So, this morning I went about cutting up the frozen waffles into sticks and working butter-cinnamon-sugar magic, even dusted the finished gems with powdered sugar. Yes, my children don't get enough sugar. But alas, Ben requested more strawberries instead and said to keep making the cinnamon toast. Zack thought it was ok but again, no big winner here. They are really good ... they are!

Cinnamon Toast Waffle Sticks
You will need (get ready ... write it down ... you might forget ... lots of ingredients ...)

frozen waffles, cut in strips about 1/2 inch wide ... not that easy as it sounds

butter
cinnamon + sugar, equal measurements (or just buy the combo from McCormick and smile like I do when sprinkled about)

Heat butter, about 1-2 T depending on how many waffle sticks, and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar, the more the better if you ask me. Toss around in skillet to cook a few minutes and let butter drain slightly on paper toweled paper plate ... not too much or it will stick to the paper towel.

Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve to non picky children!

the blueberry crumble you wish you had

2010-08-27T17:25:00.004-04:00

Oh my. The creamy bliss of the vanilla custard. The warm blueberry crumble was amazing, beyond words kinda good ... wow. It's a good thing The Dairy Godmother isn't around the corner from me. But I'm sure we'll be back.

mexican casserole

2010-08-26T19:40:00.000-04:00

When reading one of my favorite blogs this morning, I decided the recipe Sarah posted had to be dinner tonight. Easy to prepare before we headed out to the pool; I put foil over it and placed it in the frig. When we got back, it baked while we all cleaned up. How easy is that? I love a good tried & true one dish recipe and this is a keeper. It was soooooo good!!!

Mexican Casserole

1 lb lean ground beef

2 cups Salsa (I used 1 1/2 containers of Safeway's mild brand and drained it a bit)

1 16oz can chili beans, drained

3 cups tortilla chips, crushed

2 cups sour cream (I used a little under 2 cups because it seemed to cover fine)

1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, brown beef. I drained it and then you add salsa, reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. This depends on how thick your salsa is. Stir in beans, and heat through.

Spray 9X13X1 pyrex dish with Pam spray. Spread crushed tortilla chips in a layer on the bottom and then add the ground beef mixture. Spread sour cream on top of that. Top with green onion, tomato, cilantro and cheddar cheese.

Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly.

A Turkish Meal ... yummmm!

2010-08-25T20:40:00.002-04:00

My brother won tickets to the U2 concert in Istanbul early September so I thought it would be fun to surprise him with a Turkish Meal (with U2 music playing in the background) in preparation for the trip! I found this foodie blog and picked several dishes to make. I had to convert the recipes for double batches but they were easy to prepare. All recipes were fabulous with the shrimp balls being beyond awesome.

It was such fun to create an entire international meal and I even hung sheer netting type fabric from the ceiling to create the mood. I made 'flash cards' for each dish so everyone could see what they were eating in Turkish & English. Will's girlfriend was in on my secret so she brought Apple Tea and Turkish Delight (a delicious candy sweet). What a great evening!

I had never had Turkish food and it was wonderful. DH told me to make those shrimp balls again, soon!

sweet glaze for ham

2010-08-21T18:10:00.001-04:00

It’s hard to top the goodness in a ham biscuit. Am I right? The biscuits I made used the Bisquick Healthy Heart Mix - just add skim milk and they were very good and tasty with the ham. The ham was a smoked one from Smithfield and when I looked at the contents of the glaze packet and couldn't pronounce the ingredients, I threw it away and made this glaze instead. Delicious!

Sweet Glaze for Ham

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup French’s yellow mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In a bowl combine the brown sugar, mustard, cinnamon and vinegar. Baste glaze evenly over 7lb ham 30 minutes before done cooking. Transfer ham to platter and let stand 15 minutes before carving. Fill biscuits with ham and yummmmm!

homemade mac & cheese

2010-08-21T18:00:00.000-04:00

Mac & Cheese, the way I make it

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2-1/2 cups milk

2 tbsp butter

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (1 cup reserved for topping)

8 oz box elbow pasta, cooked 5 minutes and drained

In medium saucepan combine corn starch, salt, & pepper; stir in milk.

Add butter.

Stirring constantly with whisk, bring to a boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat.

Stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese until until melted.

Butter 9X13X1 pyrex baking dish. Pour in pasta. Pour cheese mixture over

Add elbows.

Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ontop.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

*Best prepared the night before and topped with cheese and baked the next day.

chocolate bundles with a twist

2010-08-05T21:50:00.001-04:00

I started making chocolate bundles (my silly name for them) many years ago and they became a quick family favorite when someone craved something chocolate-y. The original version had chopped walnuts in them and then I would use pecans but Ben didn’t like to pick every nut out so they go nut-less unless I insist.

Tonight I put the ingredients on the counter and let the boys have at it ... adding marshmallows and cinnamon sugar on the top. Oh yes ... it worked! Probably not a keen idea to give kids that much sugar before bedtime but it was a treat ... and it IS summer after all!

Chocolate Bundles with a twist

1 roll crescent rolls

semi-sweet chocolate morsels

large marshmallows

cinnamon/sugar for sprinkling

Foil your baking sheet. Spray with Pam. Undo the crescent dough in triangles and fill with chocolate chips and 1 large marshmallow. Roll up and sprinkle each with cinnamon/sugar. Bake as directed and eat hot!

shrimp fried rice

2010-08-02T19:35:00.000-04:00

I adapted a recipe from Hungry Girl website and came up with this delicious dish which was a satisfying dinner. Yum! If you haven't looked at this healthy eating website, you should! It really is eye opening how you lessen calories of popular dishes by making healthy choices in the preparation.

Shrimp Fried Rice

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 T canola oil

2 cups frozen sweet peas

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

3/4 cup Egg Beaters

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 packet fried rice seasoning mix

1 T Kikkoman low sodium soy sauce

1/8 t garlic powder

1/8 t ground ginger

30-40 count uncooked, deveined, peeled shrimp

Cook brown rice to package directions and set aside.

In small bowl, combine fried rice seasoning mix, garlic powder and ground ginger with soy sauce and 3 T warm water. Whisk to dissolve. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with 2 T canola oil. Add egg beaters and scramble. Add peas and mushrooms and toss to cook a few minutes. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add cooked brown rice and green onions and heat through. Serve hot!

simple tacos

2010-08-01T19:20:00.002-04:00

Simple, easy and perfect for a lazy Sunday dinner. Zack’s favorite part was the black beans and Ben’s was the cheese, always the cheese. Hadn’t made tacos in ages so it was an extra yummy dinner.

Simple Tacos

1 T canola oil

1 lb lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 packet of your favorite Taco seasoning

1 can tomato sauce

1 pkg corn or flour tortillas

Toppings

shredded lettuce

2 fresh tomatoes, diced

shredded Monterey Jack & Sharp Cheddar cheese

1 can cooked black beans, drained mostly

In a medium saucepan add canola oil and heat. Saute diced onion a few minutes and then add ground beef. Cook until done and drain. Add seasoning and then tomato sauce. Simmer 5-8 minutes. Heat tortillas per directions on their packaging. Fill and top with the goods. Enjoy!

homemade chocolate croissants

2010-07-27T09:15:00.002-04:00

Well, sort of. Recently at Trader Joes the salesgirl at checkout had asked me if I had ever tried their make-your-own chocolate croissants. She wildly raved about them so naturally I had to try a box. They come frozen and you set the 4 frozen dough bundles overnight on a pan and well, you wake up to puffed up croissants ready to bake. They are done in 20 minutes and are amazing. Takes like homemade. Zack and I just split one and well, if there’s a Trader Joes near you, you have to get some of these. You’ll wildly rave too. When Ben wakes up I know he'll run to the table for breakfast.

lemonade pie

2010-07-24T10:45:00.001-04:00

So I’ve made lemonade chicken so why not lemonade pie! This pie is in the latest issue of Southern Living magazine; mine came in the mail the other day and this recipe tempted me right away. Refreshing and good!

Lemonade Pie

1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk (used fat free)

2 (3.4oz) packages lemon instant pudding mix (didn’t find this size so used 1 big box)

1 T lemon zest

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened (lighter version used)

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 (12 oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 (9 inch) ready-made graham cracker piecrust

Whisk together evaporated milk with lemon pudding mixes and lemon zest in a bowl for 2 minutes or until thickened.

In another bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla at medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Add lemonade concentrate, beating until smooth; add milk mixture, and beat until blended. Pour into crust.

Cover and chill 8 hours or until firm. Dollop with cool whip!

*This made enough for 1 1/2 pies so next time I’ll get 2 crusts and even it up .. what a waste of remaining batter. The individual graham cracker piecrusts would be a good idea for this recipe to use all the batter as well. I don't think using the big box of pudding mix made the extra because 1 box = 2 of the smaller boxes anyway.

bacon wrapped cod

2010-07-22T23:30:00.001-04:00

DH brought a Jamie Oliver cookbook home from the library recently and we were both quite taken with the fish section. In his recipe, Jamie made a lemon-flavored sauce to go over the asparagus but I didn’t have time to make it and it doesn’t need any sauce really. I am a big fan of turkey bacon lately but decided this dish needed real bacon!

Bacon Wrapped Cod Fillets

cod fillets

Rosemary leaves

Lemon Zest of 1-2 lemons

Pepper

Olive Oil

Season cod with rosemary leaves, lemon zest and pepper. You don’t need salt because of the bacon.

Wrap two pieces bacon around each fillet and place in a heated oven-proof skillet that has been drizzled with olive oil. Cook a few minutes and then transfer skillet to oven to finish cooking, about 12 minutes. Serve with roasted asparagus that has been seasoned with kosher salt, pepper and olive oil Pam spray.

flip flop cookies

2010-07-21T15:40:00.004-04:00

One of the summer issues of Family Fun magazine has this idea and I knew we had to try them out. The boys (me too!) had a blast making these sweet sandals. The sand is so clever ... crushed graham crackers!

baseball O R E O S

2010-07-15T13:06:00.004-04:00

Mom surprised the boys with the limited edition of Baseball Oreos. They are out of the park cute! Thank you, Mimi.

nuts

2010-07-15T12:15:00.000-04:00

The Thai lime & chili ones are spicy good ... be sure to have a drink of water handy as the package warns. A few will wake you up and all you need is a few for a kick. Nuts are super snackers to have on hand, my favorite being pecans and peanuts but cashews flavor so well so if you’re looking for ones with twist, try these from Trader Joes.

Sometimes you feel like a nut ... sometimes you don't!

panko crusted swai fish with thyme

2010-07-13T20:45:00.000-04:00

I'm on a fish kick, trying to get more healthy and eat 2-3 servings of fish a week. So far so good. At the store today, they only had Tilapia and Swai to offer. I was going to get the Tilapia but the Swai fillets looked bigger and having never heard of Swai before, I asked ... found out it the 'new Talapia' and very tasty, boneless and takes flavoring well.

I came up with this simple recipe and all was gone before I got one picture SO you'll have to make it yourself and see how wonderful a meal it was!

I roasted asparagus in olive oil flavored Pam with kosher salt & pepper, topped with sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Panko Crusted Swai Fish with Thyme

Panko bread crumbs (I use the Trader Joe brand)

milk

dried thyme

canola oil

kosher salt

Wash and dry fillets. Heat nonstick skillet and drizzle canola oil.

Dip both sides of fish in milk. Coat with Panko bread crumbs. Season one side with dried thyme leaves. Place face down in hot skillet and sprinkle a little kosher salt atop each fillet. Brown and flip to cook until done, about 8 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets.

Serve with tartar sauce.

grilled chicken wingettes

2010-07-08T20:25:00.001-04:00

These were goooooood! I fixed bruschetta and corn on the cob too, wonderful summer meal.

Grilled Chicken Wingettes

large package wingettes

juice from 2 lemons

1 T ground black pepper

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

2 t kosher salt

2 t dried thyme

1/2 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking pan(s) with foil.

Toss chicken and lemon juice together in large bowl. Add rest of the ingredients with the melted butter being the last and mix thoroughly.

Spray foil with olive oil Pam. Arrange the wingettes on the foil. Cook 20 minutes and then transfer to a hot grill pan for 10 more minutes to finish for a nice grilled look and taste!

good information ...

2010-07-06T16:03:00.000-04:00

... to know ...

Click HERE

did someone say cake?

2010-07-06T14:25:00.001-04:00

Showing off my Mom's cake that she made for my Great Aunt Irene's birthday party this week-end in Richmond, VA. The cake recipe is a family favorite from Ina Garten and Mom adapted it to sheet cake size to feed a crowd. She decorated it with homemade chocolate stars ... Mom sent me this picture that I had to show off here. Gorgeous and I hear, nary a piece left. Way to go, Mom. Cake Boss or Ace of Cakes have nothing on you!

deviled eggs

2010-07-04T02:59:00.000-04:00

These are your classic deviled eggs. Nothing fancy ... simple goodness! I made these this morning for our meal tonight ... happy 4th!

Deviled Eggs

6 hardboiled eggs

2 big spoon dollops mayo

1 small squirt French’s yellow mustard

1 smaller squirt pickle relish

salt and pepper

paprika

Boil eggs and run under cold water for a few minutes. Remove shells and slice in half. Voila, 12 eggs. Take cooked yolks out of each and put in a small bowl and crumble with fork to fine. Place each egg on egg plate. Add mayo, mustard, relish, salt and pepper to bowl and combine.

Generously spoon mixture into each egg and sprinkle paprika on each egg. Chill and serve. Enjoy!

potato salad

2010-07-03T18:35:00.000-04:00

This is a lovely twist on potato salad if you don’t want the classic version with mayo ... very good and one of my favorites from Nigella Lawson. I do prefer this cold but it is still fantastic served just made and warm.

Potato Salad

1 package red potatoes

1/2 bunch finely chopped green onions

8 slices bacon

1 T whole grain mustard

2 t white wine vinegar

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender to your liking, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and then cut in quarters. Cook bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel. Put the potatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle in the green onions.

Combine the mustard and white wine vinegar in a small bowl, and pour over the potatoes and green onions. Toss the salad to coat with dressing. Before serving, sprinkle crumbled bacon over.

little patriotic pies

2010-07-03T17:45:00.001-04:00

I wasn’t in the mood to make a large pie so decided on making miniature ones instead. Good idea! They didn't come out as pretty as hoped but they sure taste delicious and are just the right size ~ top with lemon ice cream and you will smile big! I don't think they'll last the night here.

Little Patriotic Pies

1 package pillsbury pie dough

For blueberry filling:

1/2 pint blueberries

1 T sugar

1/2 t flour

1 T lemon juice

lemon zest

1/2 t ground cinnamon

For strawberry filling:

strawberries, use judgment how many depending on size and cut in small pieces

1 T sugar

1/2 t flour

1 T lemon juice

lemon zest

egg yolk + little water for egg wash

Set dough out to lessen chill from frig. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12-muffin pan with Pam spray.

In two bowls, mix filling ingredients.

Roll out dough to achieve a slightly thinner dough ~ cut out circles with a 4-inch cutter, Carefully tuck each circle into muffin cup. Add fillings ~ this recipe makes 6 blueberry and 6 strawberry mini pies.

Mix an egg yolk with a little water and brush over each for golden touch. Sprinkle sugar as well.

Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly and cool on wire rack. When cool enough to handle, gingerly take each out of muffin pan.

pasta salad

2010-07-02T09:40:00.000-04:00

Perfect for a picnic side, a midnight snack or a carb lunch, this is a favorite, simple dish. I’m always sad when the container is empty!

Pasta Salad

3/4 cup mayo

1 T French’s yellow mustard

1 t sugar

1 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

8 oz box seashell pasta, cooked

1 red pepper, chopped

1 small sweet onion, chopped

1 T dill weed (optional) - sometimes I add this and sometimes I don't - good either way!

Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain and let cool for a few minutes or rinse with cold water.

To bowl, add all ingredients and mix well. Chill and serve cold.

egg in the basket

2010-07-01T10:05:00.000-04:00

A variation on a theme from yesterday's breakfast ... substitute a waffle for the bread ... yummmm! When using frozen waffles, toast slightly to soften enough to cut out center for 'nest'.

lemonade chicken

2010-06-30T22:12:00.003-04:00

I purchased Panko bread crumbs a few weeks ago and have been looking for the right recipe to test them out and happily found this one. I adapted the recipe slightly and well, it was wonderful for dinner tonight. There was a sale on family packs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts so I used 3 from the pack and froze the rest. The original recipe used drumsticks but these pieces were fabulous. I will surely be making this again!

Lemonade Chicken

2 T grated lemon zest

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2 1/2 lemons)

1 cup water

3 T dark brown sugar

1/3 cup low fat buttermilk

1/4 cup pink lemonade, I used Trader Joes brand

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (each cut in 2-3 pieces, depending on thickness)

2 cups Panko bread crumbs, I used Trader Joe brand

1 T fresh Thyme

pinch of red pepper flakes

1/4 cup mayo

olive oil Pam spray

salt

black pepper

Mix 1 T lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl. Add water and sugar; mix to dissolve. Whisk in buttermilk. Set aside. Clean and dry chicken; season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a large ziploc bag and add chicken pieces, tossing to coat. Pour in lemonade and toss around in the bag again. Let sit in the frig for at least 3 hours.

When ready to cook ...

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray pan generously with olive oil Pam spray.

Mix the Panko bread crumbs, thyme leaves, 1 T lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a bowl. Put mayo in a plate or in a pie plate for dipping chicken pieces.

Dip each piece of chicken into the mayo and then coat each in the Panko mixture. Place chicken pieces on pan and spray top of each with olive oil Pam spray for that golden color.

Back for 30 minutes and then turn. Continue cooking another 25 minutes or until done.

frog in the hole

2010-06-30T09:35:00.002-04:00

Good morning! This is a favorite, quick breakfast ~ DH loves to call it fire in the hole! but today’s variety was on raisin bread. You don't have to have eggs every morning but when you do have eggs for breakfast, you'll find that you have more energy in those morning hours until lunch. Enjoy!

Frog in the Hole, for one

2 eggs

2 slices bread of your choice

butter

biscuit cutter

salt & pepper to your liking

With biscuit cutter cut out holes in bread and put them in the buttered skillet. Crack egg into each hole, season with salt and pepper and flip after a few minutes. Cook to your desired taste and enjoy!

lemon vinaigrette

2010-06-28T19:20:00.000-04:00

Simple, juicy burgers for dinner topped with grilled onions, colby jack cheese, pickles ... accompanied by a green salad mixed with this lemony dressing and cranraisins - yum!

Lemon Vinaigrette (an Ina Garten recipe)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

dinner tonight

2010-06-14T18:21:00.001-04:00

One of my favorites!

blueberry-lemon bundt cake

2010-06-07T18:44:00.000-04:00

The boys are out playing badmitton and I promised them we'd have cake later. Well, I couldn't help it ... sliced a piece and snuck a bite. Oh MY is this delicious! The recipe is from EveryDay Food's website and for the icing, I used Williams Sonoma's Lemon Glaze Mix. Perfect!!

Blueberry-Lemon Bundt Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 teaspoon for blueberries and zest

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

2 cups blueberries

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

Nonstick cooking spray, for pan

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

***For best results, coat the inside of the Bundt pan with cooking spray just before filling it with the batter to prevent it from pooling in the bottom.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk 2 1/2 cups flour with baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of sour cream.

In a bowl, toss blueberries and zest with remaining teaspoon flour; gently fold into batter. Coat a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with cooking spray. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake cake on bottom rack of oven until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Invert onto a rack; cool completely, top side up. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving, if desired.

beer batter onion rings

2010-06-07T18:32:00.000-04:00

I’ve only made onion rings at home once or twice before and they were a baked variety so this was my first onion-frying and wowza, these were awesome! I forgot to chill the beer so maybe that made a difference in overall evenness of the coating but it didn’t make any difference in taste ... they disappeared fast! I used 3 large sweet onions for these yummies. I used canola oil for the frying.

Click HERE for the recipe!

Honey-Glazed Chicken Strips on Salad

2010-06-07T18:25:00.001-04:00

This was really good tonight!

Honey-Glazed Chicken Strips on Salad

1/4 Cup honey

2 T soy sauce, less sodium

1/2 garlic powder

1 package chicken tenders

2 T olive oil

1/4 salt

1/4 black pepper

salad ingredients to your liking

Heat grill pan. In small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce and garlic; blend well with wire whisk. Set aside. Drizzle olive oil in grill pan and season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to pan. Cook and turn over. Glaze generously a few minutes on each side before chicken is done. Serve atop salad.

Mama's Curry Chicken

2010-05-20T14:45:00.000-04:00

I can’t believe I hadn’t added this recipe here yet. My Mom is fixing it for my grandmother’s birthday party this weekend so I went hunting for the recipe for her and thought you’d like it too!

Funny but I didn't like this growing up and whenever it was prepared, I'd prefer a peanut butter sandwich! Hmmm, wonder where Ben became so picky?

I LOVE this dish now; it is requested for birthdays or special occasions in our family. My grandmother makes it like none other; this is how it reads on her recipe card that she gave me. I've made it myself a few times pretty well, I must say, BUT it's not like hers.

Mama's Curry Chicken

Make desired amount of chicken. Season boneless chicken breasts (cut in 1/2) with salt and pepper. Roll in flour and fry both sides until brown in electric skillet for even cooking.

Place chicken pieces in roasting pan in a 300 degree oven to keep warm. Meanwhile, chop up onion. Saute till transparent. Scrape to side and sprinkle 1/2 cup flour in, stir until it browns. Once brown, add 1/2 Cup water. Stir and add 1 Tablespoon + (or as much to your liking) curry power (mild and/or hot), and desired amount of salt to your liking and stir. Add garlic.

Bring out roasting pan and pour this gravy over chicken. Cover and return to a 325 degree oven for at least 30 minutes.

Serve over white rice with raisins and peanuts. Peas and cloverleaf rolls are a MUST to go along with!!!

strawberry scones

2010-05-04T14:35:00.004-04:00

I've had this recipe stored for several weeks and never have gotten the chance to make it ... I think about it often. Sad, but true. The grocery store berries are just ... blah ok ... but today was the opening of our farmers market so some strawberries made it home with us. I think I might be able to try this recipe very soon indeed. Awaiting summer berries and their extra goodness too!

memphis burgers

2010-05-02T18:48:00.000-04:00

The picture isn’t super because we were eager to scarf down the food and had to take time for Mama to snap a quick one. These burgers were delicious!! I didn’t make them slider-size but regular - the red onions gave such flavor and moisture to the burger. I always brown one side of the burgers, flip then and then the grill pan goes in the oven to cook the remainder. yum!

Memphis Burgers, adapted from Mini Memphis Burgers by The Neelys

1 medium red onion, sliced

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon onion powder (I also added garlic powder)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

potato rolls

Preheat grill pan to high heat and swirl a little olive oil around it.

Add sliced onion to grill pan and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and freshly ground pepper. Make burgers equal in size and place in grill pan atop onions.

Brown and turn over and then transfer pan to 400 degree oven until down.

Chicken Pad Thai

2010-04-29T15:00:00.001-04:00

This is a good pad thai recipe however be SURE your noodles soak for enough time. I didn’t and well, it was a disaster. DH ate it because he’s a trooper and will eat anything I fix but I was so mad at myself .... ended up at Noodles & Company later for pad thai, with chicken.

Anyhoo, the recipe comes from an Everyday Food magazine and while the sauce could be tweaked with practice for even more flavor, I think it’s pretty good and will make again ... with the noodles soaked in plenty of time and not rushing it.

Pad Thai (with Chicken)

8 oz dried, wide, and flat rice noodles

2 T dark brown sugar

2 T fresh lime juice plus wedges for serving

3 T soy sauce

2 t vegetable oil

3 green onions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts

1 lb thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken sliced in strips

seasoning

Soak noodles according to package instructions. Drain. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, lime juice, and soy sauce.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Add green onion whites and garlic and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add eggs and cook until eggs are almost set, scraping sides with rubber spatula.

Transfer egg mixture to a plate. Add seasoned chicken and cook until done - then add noodles and soy-sauce mixture to skillet; cook, tossing constantly until noodles are soft, and coated with sauce, about 1 minute. Add egg mixture and toss to coat as well. Serve noodles with lime wedges, topped with cilantro and peanuts.

red velvet cake ... the mix

2010-04-27T22:05:00.004-04:00

I was at a baby shower over the last week-end and the theme being, pink!, included Red Velvet Cake. Oh MY was this cake beyond good. When I asked for the recipe (trying not to beg), I was told it was a mix from Williams Sonoma! If you like red velvet cake, you must try it. I have already decided I need to bake one ... soon.

pasta with prosciutto & peas

2010-04-22T22:54:00.002-04:00

This was really goooood. I’m going to try it again sometime with sausage and another with chicken - it’s a wonderful basic fettucini recipe. Simple to fix too! It’s a recipe from Everyday Food.

Pasta with Prosciutto & Peas

Coarse salt and ground pepper

12 ounces fettuccine

1 tablespoon butter

1 shallot, finely chopped (1/4 cup)

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed

8 slices prosciutto (about 4 ounces total), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise, about 1 cup

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

Meanwhile, make sauce: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat; add shallot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cream, peas, and prosciutto; bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer until peas are heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in lemon zest and juice. Add enough reserved pasta water to thin sauce as desired. Pour sauce over pasta; add Parmesan, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve immediately; top with additional Parmesan, if desired.

spaghetti casserole

2010-04-19T22:05:00.000-04:00

Hey there ... nothing fancy for dinner really, just spaghetti - something everyone in the house will eat and not fuss about. The recipe is from the Deen brothers' cookbook, Ya'll Come Eat. It was very tasty, needed more sauce overall so maybe next time I'd add 1/2 another jar of sauce. Otherwise, pretty good and leftovers which makes me smile.

Spaghetti Casserole

1lb uncooked spaghetti

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1lb ground beef

1/2 t salt

1/2 t dried oregano

1/4 t ground black pepper

pinch red pepper flakes

1 26-oz jar spaghetti sauce

about 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

about 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain. (I never do - I use Giada's method and just add it to the sauce, with a little of the pasta water for flavor)

In large skillet, heat the oil. Brown ground beef and add salt, pepper and spices. I added garlic powder too. Stir in spaghetti sauce, Parmesan and the cooked spaghetti. Transfer to baking dish. Top evenly with mozzarella. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

anniversary cake

2010-04-13T14:55:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was our 14th wedding anniversary! We celebrated with a fabulous seafood dinner at a restaurant by the river over the weekend but didn't get dessert so yesterday afternoon I made this cake and sad to say, it didn't work out. I had never used self-rising flour in a cake before and maybe that was the problem. It came out of the pans in pieces and tasted more spongecake than regular cake. I don't like spongecake. I also like cake in one piece! I had to have cake SO thank goodness for a devil's food cake mix in the pantry. It came out perfect.

Sometimes recipes fail even though they'll work for someone else. That's why I have that caption in the side bar ... keep calm and carry on!

brown sugar waffles

2010-04-11T11:45:00.000-04:00

These waffles were the best yet! I used the big waffle iron for them and yum-o. I didn’t add the bacon as suggested but I’m sure that would make these even more divine. We had turkey sausage and blueberries on the side instead. Oh wow ... good waffles!! I had eaten a good bit already before realizing I forgot a picture ... sorry for the lousy picture.

Click HERE for recipe.

nutella bundt cake

2010-04-09T22:30:00.000-04:00

Ever see a recipe and think about it for days? Go back to the link now and then as if counting the days to make said recipe? Well, that was this recipe for me. I love nutella. It is such gooey, hazelnut goodness after all and when I saw that you could make a bundt cake using it ... well, I was on a mission to try it.

I think I was hoping it would be more of a marble cake and instead it was too much Nutella in each layer. Nutella being thick (like peanut butter!) is tricky to measure so maybe I didn’t use enough in the smaller batter to swirl and too much in the main batter but ah well, everyone ate a piece and it’s good so not a loss. I dusted it with powdered sugar rather than the glaze. It worked fine and did come out very moist.

Oh and there’s also a Nutella Blog that I follow ... it calls to me too.

my new favorite tea cookie

2010-04-05T20:55:00.000-04:00

My Mom gave me these owl & pussycat cookies for Easter and I enjoyed them tonight with my tea. They are delicious and precious too! She got them at Starbucks and I’m happy to find them on amazon.com also. Buttery, vanilla goodness in a cookie and so cute.

crunchy parmesan chicken tenders

2010-04-05T19:45:00.004-04:00

Even though I think bruschetta is a meal in itself... DH would think differently. He needs meat. So I made this chicken recipe by Giada De Laurentiis and it was fantastic ... had a very good flavor and well, disappeared fast! (The tenders package I used had 12 in it.)

tomato, parmesan & basil bruschetta

2010-04-05T19:35:00.001-04:00

I heart bruschetta. I could eat it as a meal. Anytime. Last night before bed, I watched one of my favorite movies, Julie & Julia ... remember the scene when Julie makes bruschetta? Well, its yummy goodness comes through the screen at me every time ... guess what I wanted to eat as I fell to sleep?

So, today I HAD to make bruschetta! It’s a simple recipe with the basics - tomatoes and olive oil - but there are different variations. I normally use fresh tomatoes but this time used canned and well, it was wonderful!!!

Tomato, Parmesan & Basil Bruschetta (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe)

32 oz can peeled, whole tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin light olive oil

4 garlic cloves, peeled

kosher salt & black pepper

French baquette, sliced in 1-inch thick pieces

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In food processor, add drained tomatoes, basil leaves, 3 Tablespoons olive oil & garlic cloves. Pulse a few times but not too much ... you’re not making tomato soup! Keep it somewhat chunky. Pour into a small bowl; season with kosher salt & black pepper.

Heat grill pan on high heat and lower to medium. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon olive oil around in pan. Place bread slices in pan and toast bottoms slightly. Turn slices and top with generous spooning of bruschetta. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese all over slices. It doesn’t cook long so be sure not to burn ... however the toastier the better!

Store leftover bruschetta in frig for a day and make again!

cookies & cream banana bread

2010-04-01T20:15:00.000-04:00

I love banana bread and when I saw this recipe recently, I knew I had to try it. It is very good and very rich ... DH really liked it but Ben didn't care for it -- Zack asked for another piece right after the first but we'll wait on that for tomorrow :) It's nice & moist. I used skim milk for the glaze rather than the heavy cream.

cinnamon rolls

2010-04-01T09:25:00.000-04:00

homemade cinnamon rolls ....

... april fools! ... straight from the pillsbury can ... yum.

Happy April 1st!

sugar cookie cutouts

2010-03-30T16:50:00.000-04:00

Making cookies usually goes much smoother for me but today was a doozy. Both boys were eager to cut cookies out of the soft dough but Zack seemed like some crazed baker and well, had me in such a state that I put the oven to broil and burnt the first batch to a crisp. The rest came out as hoped and didn't need any frosting on them ... the bunnies were very cute and then it was off with their heads.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

3/4 cup butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour. (I chilled it maybe 15 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface to desired thickness and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Bake 9 minutes. Cool completely.

buttermilk waffles

2010-03-28T11:20:00.004-04:00

I love breakfast. There's something extra special about breakfast and while breakfast out is always a treat, there's something just as special in its own way as breakfast at home, on a week-end. This morning it was waffles. Buttermilk waffles. I had purchased this new little waffle maker made by Nordic Ware at Target about a month ago and it was time to try the thing out. I love the size of the waffles and well, it's super when I don't want to haul out the big waffle iron.

I adapted a recipe from Williams-Sonoma and they turned out very light, very good.

Buttermilk Waffles

2 eggs

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

5 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

Preheat a waffle maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in the buttermilk, butter and vanilla until blended. In anther bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.

Spray waffle maker with Pam; pour batter onto hot waffle maker and cook as usual.

splatter guard

2010-03-28T11:02:00.003-04:00

Do you have one of these? I call it a splatter guard; might have another culinary term but it’s a useful thing. It’s especially helpful when cooking bacon, fried chicken ... you get the idea. It's just placed over your skillet and keeps the grease from popping around everywhere.

pepperoni & red onion pizza

2010-03-26T22:30:00.000-04:00

Tonight's pizza was made by the boys. While I love to do it myself, they enjoy creating it so I have to stand back and relax ... the kitchen does clean up ok. They did a great job. Ben always wants just cheese and Zack likes to add whatever topping he is allowed to scatter about the pie. I snuck in a few pieces of red onion on my pepperoni pieces. It came out yummy as usual with parm cheese sprinkled about. I love Friday nights. I love these memories with my little chefs.

honey whole wheat bread

2010-03-25T14:55:00.007-04:00

I am so giddy, I can’t stand it. I made bread today. Bread! AND it’s edible bread. It did it's raising and doubling while covered for awhile as it was supposed to ... it is all cooked through. Amazing. I have wanted to make bread for ever so long and finally, I did it. No bread machine ... real bread. Oh wow ... thank heavens for THIS wonderful recipe. The texture and taste is so good ... off to have 1 more slice ... just 1 ... I've already had 3.

lemon & thyme baked chicken

2010-03-24T18:19:00.005-04:00

Dinner is ready ... it’s soooo good!

Lemon & Thyme Baked chicken

5-6lb chicken

1 lemon

olive oil

butter

garlic powder

kosher salt

ground black pepper

rosemary, dried or fresh (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Clean and pat dry chicken. Place in roasting pan and season with salt, pepper, & garlic powder. Cut lemon in half and place in cavity, Add nice handful of fresh thyme to cavity as well. You can tie the legs with twine but you really don’t need to do this. The chicken isn’t going anywhere. Ok, next brush on olive oil and add a few pats of butter to top of chicken. Sprinkle desired amount of rosemary ontop if desired.

Bake for 2 hours or until juices run clear.

This is similar to Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Chicken.

lemon buttermilk bundt cake

2010-03-24T14:15:00.001-04:00

Some days you need cake. This is one of those days. I’m sure my oldest will smile big when he sees lemon cake on the counter after school. He loves lemon cake of any kind. This was a new one I tried and it’s simple, very moist and has a piece missing. Well, I had to try it ... had to. The pictures really speak for themselves.

Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake

1 box lemon cake mix

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake 30 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Frost as desired.

cinnamon pudding

2010-03-23T19:54:00.001-04:00

Not like a pudding at all really but that's the name of it! Oh so good - a true comfort food dessert.

Cinnamon Pudding

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

1 package chopped walnuts or pecans

In mixing bowl, cream together sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter. Add flour, baking powder & cinnamon, alternately with milk, to sugar mixture. Pour batter into a lightly greased baking dish. Combine brown sugar, water and 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan. Bring this to a boil & gently pour over batter.

Sprinkle nuts over batter and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!

meatloaf with fried onions & ranch dressing

2010-03-23T19:49:00.001-04:00

Another way to make meatloaf! The fried onions are really good in it.

Meatloaf with Fried Onions and Ranch Dressing

1 1/2lb ground beef

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup ketchup

3/4 cup herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix

1/2 (1oz) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix

1 (6oz) can French-fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a large bowl, combine all.

Shape into loaf and fit into lightly greased 9X5-inch loaf pan.

Bake, uncovered loosely with foil, at 350 degrees for50-60 minutes, or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

chocolate eclair cake

2010-03-23T19:46:00.000-04:00

My husband LOVES this cake!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

1 (16 ounce) package graham crackers

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

4 Cups milk

1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with graham crackers. In a large bowl, combine the milk and vanilla pudding according to directions on box. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread a layer of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Alternate the graham cracker and pudding layers up to the top of the pan. Cook the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute on half power. Pour over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.

sausage & cheese balls

2010-03-23T19:45:00.002-04:00

You can make these as big or little as you wish ~ just be certain they are cooked through before serving. They do disappear fast!

Sausage and Cheese Balls

12 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb hot, spicy sausage (mild is fine too!)

3 Cups Bisquick mix

Mix all together well. Shape into balls. Bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees until brown, about 20-25 minutes.

canary lemon cake

2010-03-23T19:45:00.000-04:00

Oh MY is this good eatin'! If you like anything lemon-y, try this.

Canary Lemon Cake

1 package lemon supreme cake mix

1 (3.4 oz) package lemon instant pudding mix

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

3/4 cup lemon juice, divided

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Combine first 5 ingredients; add 1/2 cup lemon juice, and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of an electric mixer. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 X 9 X 2-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice and powdered sugar, stirring well. Drizzle over cake. Cut into squares.

sausage & red pepper pizza

2010-03-20T20:25:00.003-04:00

When you can make your own pizza, do it. It's so much better for you and you can't beat the simplicity of it, in my opinion. You don't have to make your own crust (but that's fun too!); I love Trader Joes pizza dough and their pizza sauce is wonderful. You can vary the toppings every time and never get tired of this favorite food.

I have one child who only wants cheese on his and not that much sauce and one child who loves just about any topping and a husband who would rather green pepper not find its way on his pieces ... making pizza at home pleases everyone.

Sausage & Red Pepper Pizza

1 red pepper, chopped

1 lb sweet italian sausage

mozzarella cheese, shredded

olive oil

garlic powder

pizza sauce

pizza dough

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat skillet and add 2 Tablespoons olive oil; remove sausage from casings and crumble into skillet to cook. Sprinkle garlic powder over sausage for extra flavor. Toss around in skillet to completely cook and then drain well.

Form dough onto pizza stone. (a little cornmeal dusted on the pizza stone prevents sticking) Spoon desired amount of pizza sauce to top of dough evenly around making certain to leave margin free at edges. Top with desired amount of cheese. Top with sausage and red peppers.

Bake for 15 minutes.

chocolate butterscotch cookies

2010-03-20T17:45:00.000-04:00

This beautiful first day of spring needed some butterscotch in it so I made a few dozen of these sweet bites.

Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 package Devils Food Cake mix

1/4 cup water

1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix softened butter, eggs, cake mix and water in a bowl. (Batter will be thick!)

Once everything is combined, add the butterscotch chips. Mix well.

Drop by tablespoons about 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Place on cooling rack. Repeat until all batter is made.

cinnamon sugar puffs

2010-03-20T10:40:00.003-04:00

It’s hard to go wrong with cinnamon & sugar so this morning’s breakfast goodie was just what I wanted ... and the boys put them away like nobody’s business so they clearly hit the spot. These little puffs of cinnamon goodness nicely accompany a plate of eggs and add that touch of something sweet to the plate. My oldest thought they could use a creme filling but he liked them anyway.

Cinnamon Sugar Puffs

1 package Crescent Rolls

melted butter

cinnamon

sugar

Cut the roll of crescent rolls evenly into 12 circles. Using a small muffin pan, place each in a slightly greased section. Brush on melted butter and generously sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar. Bake as directed in preheated oven. Serve hot!

broccoli & cheddar soup

2010-03-20T01:36:00.001-04:00

My favorite soup at Panera Bread is Broccoli & Cheddar. It’s thick and creamy and oh so good. This is a nice substitute to make at home.

Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

1/4 cup butter

1 onion, diced

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 (16oz) package frozen broccoli, chopped

1 quart chicken broth

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 - 2 cups milk

salt to taste

8oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Melt butter over medium heat in a stockpot. Cook onion in butter until softened.

Add garlic & white pepper; cook for 1 minute then stir in broccoli. Stir in chicken broth. Boil and then simmer until broccoli is tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Whisk flour into milk until dissolved. Stir this into soup, stirring frequently until thickened. Reduce heat, and stir in cheese until melted and heated through.

Season with salt to taste.

brown sugar meatloaf

2010-03-20T01:35:00.000-04:00

When I make meatlaof, I know that everyone will eat dinner, including that picky one. There are many ways to flavor-up meatloaf and this is a sweet one.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

1/2 cup brown sugar. packed

1/2 cup ketchup

1 1/2 pounds lean gronud beef

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black papper

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 cup finely crushed saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease loaf pan.

Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan & spread the ketchup over the sugar.

In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place this ontop the ketchup.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.

stuffed. shells.

2010-03-20T01:08:00.005-04:00

You know those go-to recipes that you've made a gazillion times and never get tired of eating? This is one of those for me. Sometimes I crave it. It's one of those wonderful comfort foods that makes us all cozy inside. It's good as leftovers or for a potluck; enjoy!

Stuffed Shells, my way

1 lb hot sausage

1 lb ground beef (80/20)

generous amount of garlic powder

1 package jumbo pasta shells

1 jar Classico Tomato & Basil sauce

3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 egg

Brown sausage and ground beef together. Add seasoning. Drain and set aside to cool down.

Cook jumbo shells in salted water and drain. Run under cool water so you don't scorch your hands when stuffing!

In a large bowl, combine cooked meat mixture, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese. Pour 1/2 of sauce into a 9X13 pyrex dish. Fill shells with generous portions of mixture. Place each shell in dish and once all are in, cover with rest of sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella cheese and cover with foil.

Cook in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.

crispy skinned chicken a la orange

2010-03-20T01:05:00.003-04:00

We really like this flavorful chicken - easy to make! Here's the recipe. The skin when cooked is awesome goodness! This is a picture of it before it went in the oven to finish baking ... look at that orangey yumminess!

sweet & spicy bacon chicken

2010-03-20T01:03:00.003-04:00

One of THE best chicken recipes I’ve tried yet ... oh so tasty! Here's the recipe. You will be asked and asked again for the recipe. Enjoy!