Christmas Dinner

We have been enjoying the traditions we have at this time of year, but we have also decided to create new ones.    Here is our menu for Christmas Eve (our big Christmas dinner) and Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve Dinner:

Halibut Piccata
Stuffing with sausage, onions, and green peppers
Jell-O

Christmas Day:

Breakfast:   French Toast made with Challah Bread
Lunch/Appetizers:  Prosciutto wrapped melon, French Onion Soup Stuffed Mushrooms,  Corn and Crab Fritters with Guacomole
Dinner:  Boston Clam Chowder with bread bowls

Pork and Ginger Potstickers

These were so worth the work to make them.  My kids are kind of hit and miss when it comes to non-typical kid food.  These had them fighting and drooling over who got to eat the next batch.  I think my 5 year old ate 10 and my 2 year old ate about 6.  We finally had to tell them no more!  Maybe that was just us parents wanting a few extra for ourselves!

Recipe and picture from Tasty Kitchen
¾ pounds Ground Pork
3 stalks Green Onion, Minced
5 leaves Napa Cabbage, Minced
5 whole Mushrooms, Minced
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
¼ cups Fresh Ginger, Minced
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (I Use Low-sodium)
½ teaspoons Black Pepper
1-½ package (about 12 Oz. Package) Round Potsticker Wrappers (I only used one package)
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil, For Cooking

Make sure all vegetables are finely minced. You don’t want a mush, you want a mince, but you don’t want large chunks of anything in the filling. Combine all the ingredients (except the wrappers and canola oil) and stir well to combine. Scoop small teaspoons of filling into the center of each round wrapper. Use a pastry brush to brush water on one half of the wrapper’s border.  Fold each wrapper in half tightly to enclose the filling and remove any extra air bubbles. Pinch the edge together tightly. Make several small folds at the top of each wrapper and set aside.  If you are making the potstickers ahead of time, place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment or waxed paper. Place in the freezer until solid (about 30 minutes), then store in an airtight container or freezer bag until ready to use. Otherwise, use immediately. 

To cook, heat a large pan with 1 tablespoon canola oil. Place about 1 dozen potstickers in at a time, flat side down. Cook 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat until bottoms are browned. Pour in 1/2 cup water and cover with a lid. Let steam 5-7 minutes or until water is absorbed and wrappers are transluscent.  If cooking frozen, add an additional 2-3 minutes to the steaming time.  Serve with dipping sauce or teriyaki sauce.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

One of these days I will charge my camera battery and can actually take pictures of some of these dishes.  This was so easy and super tasty.  My kids loved it.

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

6 pieces Frozen Chicken
16 ounces, weight Sour Cream
1 package (1 Oz. Package) Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 cans (10.75 Oz. Can) Cream Of Mushroom Soup
Your Choice Of Noodles

In a slow cooker, add all of the chicken. In a separate bowl, add the sour cream, onion mix, and soup.
Pour mixture over the frozen chicken in the crockpot. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours. When there is about an hour left, start boiling the noodle of choice.  Take chicken out and shred.  Add chicken and drained noodles back to the crock pot when noodles are done cooking. Mix well.

Chocolate Haystack Cream Cheese Squares

I saw these on My Kitchen Cafe and couldn't resist!  They are great.  The bottom layer almost tastes like brownies.

2 cups finely ground graham crackers (from about 15 rectangles)
3 cups (10 ounces) finely shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (3 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cut into 2-inch pieces
5 eggs
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment paper or foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Butter or lightly grease the foil or parchment.  Stir together the graham cracker crumbs and 2 cups of the coconut. In a microwave-safe bowl, place both kinds of chocolate, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter. Microwave for one minute at 50% power. Stir. Repeat the process, stirring after each minute, until the chocolate mixture is melted and smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly until lukewarm to the touch. Quickly whisk in one egg.  Stir the chocolate mixture into the graham cracker/coconut mixture. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool in pan.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl with an electric or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and remaining 1 cup sugar on high speed until very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, and add eggs, 1 at a time, until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat on medium-high speed until completely smooth, about 3 minutes.  Pass the cheesecake mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, and stir until smooth. Pour over cooled crust. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup coconut evenly over the top. Bake for 32-35 minutes, until the top layer is just set and golden brown. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate, loosely covered, overnight.  Run a sharp knife around edges of pan, and use parchment or foil handles to lift out the cheesecake. Cut the bars into 1-inch squares. The bars will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator.

Homemade Oreos

These are my new go-to dessert.  They are easy and fast to make, plus they are delicious.

1 box of Devils Food cake (I use any type of chocolate cake mix)
2 eggs
1/2 C. oil
1 can cream cheese frosting

Mix cake mix oil, and eggs until completely mix.  Roll into balls and place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Cool mostly on pan and then move to wire rack to cool completely.  Frost one cookie with frosting and then add another cookie.  Makes 12 large oreos or 18 small oreos. 

**You can add mint extract and green food coloring for mint oreos.  I also have used peanut butter instead of frosting.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Every Thanksgiving when we are at my in-laws we have soup bowls and a chicken and wild rice soup.  We usually buy it frozen from a local pizza place.  It is expensive, but good.  I decided to try making it this year.  We had to feed quite a few people and so I doubled the recipe.  It made a ton.   The almonds in it are delicious.  My mother-in-law hid the leftovers so she could have them the next day.

From Kitchen Cafe

½ cup butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
½ – 1 cup frozen corn
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup carrots, sliced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
¾ cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups nonfat half-and-half (use normal half-and-half if you prefer, but you won’t believe how delicious this is with the nonfat variety!)

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery, corn, chicken and carrots and sauté for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 more minutes. Then add flour and stir well. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring the soup just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer, while stirring, for 5-6 minutes, until it has thickened slightly.

Next, add the rice, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper and almonds. Allow all the ingredients to heat through and then pour in the half-and-half. Let the soup gently simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The soup should not boil but should simmer over low heat so that it thickens slowly.

The Pie That Will Make You Cry

I got to make the pies for Thanksgiving this year.  We ended up making 18 pies.  One of the requests this year was pecan pie.  I am not a huge fan so I haven't really made it a whole lot.  I found this recipe and it was delicious.  I only make two pies, but could have easily gone through 3 or 4.  Everyone was hiding their pieces until they had room to eat them.

From The Pioneer Woman Cooks

1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust
1 cup White Sugar
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
½ teaspoons Salt
1 cup Corn Syrup
¾ teaspoons Vanilla
⅓ cups Melted Butter (salted)
3 whole Eggs Beaten
1 cup (heaping) Chopped Pecans

Preparation Instructions

First, whip up your pie crust.  Next, mix sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl. Pour chopped pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.  Pour syrup mixture over the top. Cover top and crust lightly/gently with foil. Bake pie at 350º for 30 minutes. Remove foil, then continue baking for 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the crust or pecans. NOTE: PIE SHOULD NOT BE OVERLY JIGGLY WHEN YOU REMOVE IT FROM THE OVEN. If it shakes a lot, cover with foil and bake for an additional 20 minute or until set. Required baking time seems to vary widely with this recipe. Sometimes it takes 50 minutes; sometimes it takes 75!



Allow to cool for several hours or overnight. Serve in thin slivers

Red Chicken Curry

This was really good.  It was spicy and had great curry flavor.

From Prudence Pennywise

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
3 tablespoons apricot jam or mango chutney
chopped cilantro, for serving
hot rice, for serving

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and peppers and cook for four minutes. Add chicken and cook until chicken is browned on all sides. Sprinkle chicken with flour and stir for one minute. Add ginger and garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Add paste and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir in jam and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over rice.

Oven Roasted Mexican Chicken

This was another recipe from The Crepes of Wrath.  I didn't cook it in the oven.  I cooked it outside on the grill.  The flavor was really rich and really good.  I thought it would be too spicy for my kids, but they loved it.

3 chicken breasts or legs (the drumstick + thigh attached), fat trimmed
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lime
3 cloves garlic, minced

1. Combine all of the ingredients, except the chicken, in a small bowl and whisk together. Place the chicken in a sealable container or bag, then pour the marinade over the chicken. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet (preferably covered in tin foil to prevent the juices from burning to your baking sheet). Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through and the juices of the chicken run clear. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with some fresh summer veggies.

Garlic Beef and Green Beans

I found this recipe at Crepes of Wrath.  This was so good!  Port and I got in a disagreement over this dish because I thought he took more than his fair share!  We didn't even eat it with rice.  We ate it over salad and it was awesome.  It also is a great meal for anyone who got beans in their Bountiful Basket today.

2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil
2 pounds sirloin/top round/filet/flank steak (whatever you have on hand), sliced into long, thin strips
1 onion, diced
1 pound green beans, cleaned and de-stemmed
1/4 cup water (if needed)
Rice, cooked according to package directions (for serving)

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive or peanut oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup Hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons Sriracha (I used 1 teaspoon)
1/3 cup water

1. Slice your beef into long, thin strips. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive or peanut oil in a large saute pan over high heat and add in your beef. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until almost completely cooked (it can still be a little pink, as it will continue to cook a bit on the plate) and remove with a slotted spatula onto a plate with paper towels so the juices drain a bit.

2. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of juices out of your pan and add the diced onion. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat until softened, then add in the cleaned and de-stemmed green beans. Add in 1/4 cup of water, if needed (just enough so the beans can steam), and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.

3. While you cook the onions and green beans, heat 1 tablespoon of olive or peanut oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat, then add in your minced garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, until fragrant, then add in the rest of the sauce ingredients. Stir to combine, then cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes until bubbling and slightly thickened.

4. Add the sauce to the pan with the onions and green beans and cook over medium-high heat until thickened a bit more (about 3 minutes). Add in the beef and cook until heated through (about 3 minutes). Serve over rice or more vegetables. Serves 4 (or serves 5 when served over rice).

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

I am so excited for Fall (or pre-Winter if you live in Idaho).  I love this season and all the food that comes with it.  I saw these on Jamie Cooks It Up and thought they were so fun and cute for Halloween.  They were easy and my kids thought they were so awesome!  I used my own sugar cookie recipe, but hers looks easy as well. Enjoy these!

Slow Roasted Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Butter

If you want some delicious chicken, this recipe is totally worth the time it takes to make it.  It takes a little time for the basting, but we cleaned this chicken up.  It was great. 

From For The Love of Cooking

5 lb free range chicken
1-2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Zest of one lime
1 clove of garlic, minced + several more cloves for stuffing
1/2 a sweet yellow onion quartered
Handful of cilantro including stems for stuffing
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Clean chicken and pat dry. Mix the chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and lime zest with the butter, mix well. Place the chicken on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Spread a bit of the butter mixture over the back of the chicken. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice from one half all over the back of the chicken. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper then flip the bird over breast side up. Carefully, lift the skin over the breasts and rub some of the butter mixture directly onto the breast meat. Then rub the remaining butter mixture over the skin of the bird. Squeeze juice from the other half of the lime over the skin. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Place the lime halves inside the cavity along with the handful of cilantro, onion, and garlic cloves.
Place the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Roast uncovered for 3 1/2 - 4 hours until the meat thermometer reads 180 degrees. I start basting my bird after 2 hours and repeat every 1/2 an hour after that. My chicken turns out sticky and slightly crispy. If you want crispy skin then don't baste for the last hour and turn the heat up to 350 degrees for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove from oven and let the bird rest for AT LEAST 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Pork Skewers

These were awesome!!!  My little ones couldn't get enough.  I usually don't like pork chops, but I would eat these all the time.

From Eat It Up

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lbs. pork chops cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil

BBQ rub:
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Glaze:
1/4 cup fresh or refrigerated lime juice
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon dried thyme
pinch of cayenne
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
limes for garnishing
skewers

1. Mix oil and dry rub ingredients together in a shallow dish. Toss pork chunks into dish and mix with spices until all the meat is coated. Preheat grill to med-high heat. Skewer your pork onto water soaked skewers.

2.Combine all your glaze ingredients together. Put your skewers on the grill and after they have been cooking for about 5 minutes start basting pork with glaze. Baste every couple of minutes to really enhance the flavor. After about 12-15 minutes check your meat for doneness and remove from grill when cooked through.

Kansas City Sue's Chicken

This was easy and good.  I like it because it was quick and ready at dinner time. 

Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup low-sodium beef broth

Put the chicken in the slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients. Whisk well. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with rice or noodles.

Lemon Herb Chicken Bake





I found this recipe today on Yummy Fun while I was trying to plan my weekly menu.  I really liked it because I had everything I needed to make this minus the lemon juice.  I really liked this dish.  It took longer than 40 minutes to make it but that may have been because of the size of my potatoes and chicken.  My kids ate it up.  Orrin doesn't eat peas unless threatened, and he said his peas tasted really good!  I think the sauce was the best part of this dish.

6-7 chicken breast thawed and trimmed  (I diced up my chicken)

5-6 med red potatoes - quartered
1 C peas (frozen)

In a sauce pan combine the following and let simmer for 3-5 minutes
1/4 C butter
3 T. lemon juice
3 T. minced dried onion  (I used fresh onion)
1 T. Rosemary blend spice (I just used and italian seasoning blend)
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. sugar
2/3 Cup Half and Half  (I used skim milk because it was what I had)

Sprinkle on right before baking

1/2 C fresh Parmesan cheese

Place chicken in baking dish, cover with red potatoes and peas and pour sauce over the chicken and vegetables and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered 400 approximately 40 minutes until bubbly and potatoes are browning.  
 
**It took about 60-70 minutes for mine to cook.

Oven Fried Chicken Chimichangas

I found this recipe on Food.com.  I thought it looked good, but was concerned with how heavy it might be.  These were delicious and really not heavy at all.  Port even commented that these might be his new favorite.

2/3 cup picante sauce or 2/3 cup your favorite salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped with some tops (about 1/4 cup)
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)
Cooking spray
shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
chopped green onion, for serving
picante sauce, for serving

Mix chicken, picante sauce or salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions. Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Fold opposite sides over filling.  Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Spray a light coating of canola cooking spray over the top if you want. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until golden.  Garnish with additional cheese and green onion and serve salsa on the side.

Cheesy Skillet Chicken and Rice with Green Beans

I saw this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe and it looked really good.  I have been avoiding one dish meals because they sometimes get a litle heavy.  This one was great.  I didn't think it was heavy.  I love recipes that are easily adaptable without changing the flavor of the dish.  It was really flavorful and my kids each went back for seconds. 

Adapted From My Kitchen Cafe

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces white button mushrooms, brushed clean and quartered or sliced
4 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 ½ cups long grain white rice
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ pound frozen or fresh green beans
1 cup shredded sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper.  In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat until it is rippling and hot. Carefully lay each chicken breast in the skillet and cook until the chicken is well browned on the first side, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken with a pair of tongs and let it brown on the second side, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Drain all but about 1-2 tablespoons oil from the pan.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, scraping the browned bits off the bottom and edges of the pan, until the mushrooms begin to soften and start to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add the rice and continue to cook until the edges of the rice turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken to the pan and cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the rice is mostly cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken and shred. Stir the green beans into the skillet, stir the mixture well, cover and continue to cook on low until the beans and rice are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese and shredded chicken.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Cincinatti Chili

It has started to feel like fall around here and I have started to crave warm things.  Awhile ago we watched a Diners, Drive-In, and Dives show where Guy was eating Cincinatti Chili.  I figured since I won't be going to Ohio anytime soon, I would try and recreate it.  This was really good.  I love the mound of cheese and the noodles! My kids liked it because it didn't have beans in the chili, but could be added later.

From Foodnetwork Magazine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (I didn't have this so I left it out)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
Kosher salt
1 6-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces cooked spaghetti
1 19-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add half the chopped onions and the garlic and cook until soft, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, allspice, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the beef and cook the mixture, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt.

Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and 1 1/2 cups water; simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thicker. Add the chocolate, vinegar and Worcestershire and cook until the mixture is thickened but still soupy, about 15 more minutes.

Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with the freshly ground pepper. Divide the spaghetti among bowls and top with the chili, beans, remaining onion and cheddar. 

The Best Coconut Cake

Recently, I was reading a novel called, Let Them Eat Cake, by Sandra Byrd.  It takes place in a French bakery.  The main character loves to cook and try new recipes.  The fun part of the book is that the author actually put recipes in the book to go along with the story line.  I saw this recipe and immediately wrote it down because it sounded so good.  I tried it this weekend and it was so awesome!!!  I loved the denseness of the cake and the frosting.  It definitely doesn't leave you wondering what kind of cake it was!  It was a coconut explosion!

1 box yellow butter cake mix
1 small instant coconut cream pudding
3 eggs
1 1/3 C.  Coconut milk  (one of my favorite ingredients!)
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1 stick butter, softened

Mix together cake mix and pudding until combined.  Add the eggs, coconut milk, coconut extract, and the butter.  Blend for about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 5 with a handheld.  (The batter is thicker than a normal cake batter.)  Spread into 2 8" round, greased and floured cake pans.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees until cakes are just set and barely pulling away from sides.  Let cool completely.

Frosting:

1 stick butter, softened
4 C.  powdered sugar
1/8 C. milk  (I used probably a 1/2 C., but you just have to look at the frosting consistency)
1 tsp. coconut extract

Beat all the ingredients until fluffy.  Level cake tops and then add a thin layer of frosting to bottom layer.  Stack on top layer.  Frost entire cake with frosting.  Toast shredded coconut in oven on broil.  Watch it closely because it goes from being fine to burned in seconds!  Cover cake with toasted coconut.  Enjoy!

Parker House Rolls

This recipe is on a million blogs and in a million cookbooks.  It is a quick and easy roll recipe.  I recently made it for a Young Women's activity.  I doubled it and it made close to 5 dozen rolls.  It takes about two hours from start to finish.  They are delicious!

1/2 cup sugar
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup oil
6 – 7 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons instant yeast
1/4 cup butter, melted, for shaping rolls

Add hot water to sugar and oil and beat with electric mixer. Add eggs and salt; beat well. When mixture is lukewarm, add yeast and keep beating. Add flour until a soft dough forms. Do not knead. Let rise in covered, oil bowl for one hour.

Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness and cut circles with round cutter, about 3 inches in diameter. Hold dough circle by the edge and dip both sides into melted butter. Fold in half on baking sheet and pinch edges together to seal.  Arrange folded dough in rows in pan, each nearly touching the other. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter.

Savory Spiral Stuffed Rolls

1 recipe roll dough (that yields about 12 rolls), (You could use canned pizza dough or frozen bread dough)
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 cups chopped ham
1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli
2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup finely chopped green onions

Roll the dough out into a large rectangle about 1/2-inch thick.

In a small bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Spread the rolled out dough with the butter/cream cheese mixture. Top with the ham, broccoli, cheese, Parmesan cheese, and green onions (see the pictures below). Roll the dough up, pinching the seam to seal. Slice the roll into about 1-inch segments. Place the rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise until nearly doubled and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.

Slowcooker Baked Beans

This is a great recipe to use pinto beans sitting in your cupboards. 

From 365 Day Of Slow Cooking

1 cup dry pinto beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups water
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 T molasses
tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried mustard
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Combine beans and water in slow cooker and cover. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or until soft. Drain liquid and add in the rest of the ingredients. Stir. Cover and cook on LOW for an additional 3 hours.

Avocado Chicken Parmigiana

Okay, I know this looks completely weird and I completely agree.  It was so delicious.  I love chicken parmigiana.  Who doesn't love pasta sauce smothered over breaded chicken.  This was just a little different from that.  The avocado was surprisingly creamy and blended well with the chicken.  We served it with spaghetti noodles and more sauce.  It was a healthy version because it was baked without any oil.  Don't let the name fool you.  It was great!

Adapted from Angies Recipes

3 Chicken breasts

1 C. All-purpose flour
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 C. Panko breadcrumbs
Olive oil
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
Avocado, sliced
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic (I used Press and Seal) and pound to 1/4-inch thick with a rolling pin or a mallet.

Coat the chicken first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the beaten egg and finally coat well with breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining chicken, flour, egg mixture and breadcrumbs.

Brush pan with olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top each breast with 1/4 C. spaghetti sauce. Arrange avocado over sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden and chicken is cooked through. Serve with pasta and remaining sauce or it is great just by itself.

Chili Rubbed Tilapia

Okay I have to admit we are not huge fish eaters at our house.  It isn't because we don't like it, but a lot of fish doesn't fit in our budget.  A lot of people have mentioned Tilapia to me because it is budget friendly.  I have tried it before and thought it was a little too fishy for me.  I don't like fish that tastes like fish.  Imagine that!!  I decided I was going to give it another try so I set out on a mission to find a good recipe.  I found a recipe on the Foodnetwork that seemed promising.  I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.  I still knew I was eating fish, but it also had a great flavor.  Here is the recipe, I adapted from the Foodnetwork.

2 T.  chili powder

1/2 tsp.  garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
limes, for squeezing
1 lb. of tilapia filets  (I just bought a bag of individually packaged ones at Winco)

On a plate, mix chili powder, garlic powder, and salt.  Dredge filets in the seasoning.  Place in preheated pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.  Be careful when turning because the fish is pretty delicate and will crumble.  I used my George Forman grill and it worked perfectly.   After fish is done serve with lime juice.  Enjoy!

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

These were a great quick meal.  I thought they were fun to eat and all my kids ate them, which doesn't happen all the time.  I made my rolls and sauce, but they would be so easy to just throw together without making the sauce and rolls.

From Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1 pound Ground Chuck Or Ground Beef
½ cups Panko Or Other 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)
4 slices Provolone Cheese, Cut Into Four Wedges Each
Preparation Instructions
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.

Serve immediately!

Spaghetti Sauce

1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. grated onion
Pinch of dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes (I used diced and then blended the sauce after it was cooked)
Pinch of sugar
2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until reduced to about 1¼ cups, about 25 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sesame Noodles

I don't know how the rest of the world is, but I sometimes get stuck on what to serve for side items.  I saw this recipe from Jamie Cooks it Up and I thought it was worth a shot.  I am so glad I tried them.  I couldn't stop eating them.  I made them as a main dish and they were definitely main dish worthy.  We had some leftovers and I ate them cold for lunch the next day.  They are good warm or cold!  These could go with chicken or just by themselves.  Enjoy!

Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings

4 T soy sauce
3 T brown sugar
2 T sesame oil
1/2 T peanut butter
1 t hot chili oil
1 T olive oil
1 T white sugar
1 small can mushrooms, chopped
3-4 green onions, chopped
1/2 T sesame seeds
1 16 oz package Capellini Noodles (or thin spaghetti noodles)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. While your noodles simmer away, add all ingredients but the mushrooms, green onions and sesame seeds, into a large mixing bowl. Stir them all up nicely so they are incorporated well.

3. When the noodles are done cooking, pour them into a strainer to drain all of the hot water. Immediately add the noodles to the sauce. Add the mushrooms and sesame seeds and stir it all up. Sprinkle with the green onions and you are ready to serve.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

These were really delicious and a good crockpot meal.   We love buffalo wings, so I saw this recipe and I was drooling.  I liked the kick, but they could easily be toned down with sour cream or ranch dressing. 

From Marin's Creations

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts
1 bottle of Frank's Red Hot BUFFALO Wing Sauce
1-2 Tbsp. dry Hidden Valley Ranch mix
2 Tbsp. butter
6 hoagie rolls

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in slow cooker, and pour 3/4 of the wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix over top. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
Once the chicken has cooked, add the butter, then shred the meat with two forks. Pile the meat onto the hoagie rolls and add a splash of remaining sauce if desired.  We added lettuce, tomato, avocado,and ranch dressing.

Double Chocolate Caramel Turtle Treats

These were a definite hit!  We love rice krispie treats at our house.  You could say they are our kryptonite when it comes to dieting for us.  These ones are just a little amped up!   I took these to a barbecue and 90 percent of them didn't make it to the table! 

Adapted from Kitchen Cafe

3 tablespoons butter
1 (10-ounce) bag marshmallows
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
15 caramels, quartered
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Prepare pan by lining an 9 X 13-inch baking dish with foil, allowing excess foil to hang over pan edges. Grease the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt butter in a large pot over low heat. Add marshmallows, 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth, about 8 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
Off heat, stir in rice krispies, pecans, and caramels until incorporated. Scrape mixture into prepared pan and press into bottom and corners with a greased spatula (I just used my fingers since the marshmallows weren’t overly hot at this point). Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Melt semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave on low at 30 second intervals until smooth. Pour melted chocolate into a ziploc baggie, pressing chocolate into one corner of the bag. Using scissors, clip a tiny piece off the corner and drizzle chocolate over cooled treats. Allow chocolate to cool, about 45 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift treats from pan. Cut into squares. Serve.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

I made these for a BBQ this weekend.  They were so easy and so delicious.  They really didn't last long at all once they made it to the table.

From Picky Palate
1 Devils food cake mix
1 egg
1 stick softened butter

8 oz softened cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 Cup sugar
10 regular size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, cut into little pieces

1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips
4 Tablespoons heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with tin foil. Spray with non stick cooking spray. Mix cake mix, egg and butter together then press into baking dish.

2. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in egg until well combined then stir in peanut butter cups. Pour over cake layer and bake for 30-40 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked through (it only took 30 minutes in my oven). Remove and let cool completely.

3. Carefully lift bars out of dish using ends of foil. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals until melted through. Stir in heavy cream and stir until glossy smooth. Spread chocolate over cheesecake layer, cut into squares and serve.

Pretzel Jell-O Salad

I just took this to a neighborhood firework party. It was a good consensus that this wasn't a salad, but a yummy dessert. I guess we call it a salad because it makes us feel better when we eat half the pan. I love the sweet and salty mix. Definitely a good go to dessert/salad!

2 C. crushed pretzels
3/4 C. butter, melted
3 T. Sugar

Mix and press into 9X13 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool

1 pkg. cream cheese
1 8 oz. container of cool-whip
1 C. sugar

Combine these and spread onto cooled pretzels layer. Make sure to cover all the pretzels and seal the sides with the cream cheese mixture.

1 lg. pkg or 2 small pkgs raspberry Jell-O
2 C. boiling water
1 12 oz. pkg. of frozen raspberries

Add water to Jell-O and dissolve. Add berries to Jell-O and place in fridge until slightly set, about 10 minutes. Pour Jell-O mixture onto cream cheese mixture and smooth out. Place in fridge until completely set. When ready to serve top Jell-O mixture with Cool-whip.

Sweet Italian Chicken

This was probably the easiest recipe I have made in a long time. You can't lose with only using 3 ingredients! We ate this chicken with buttered noodles, but it would be great with mashed potatoes or other sides. I shredded the chicken, but it could be left whole or cut into strips for a salad. If you need something quick and easy this is the recipe for you and I have been telling everyone about it (probably because I can remember the ingredients)!

Adapted from My Big Red Kitchen

1 T. Italian Dressing Mix or 1 pkt. Good Season's Italian Dressing Mix

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts, left whole or sliced (I shredded mine after it was cooked)

In a bowl mix all of the ingredients until chicken is coated evenly. Place in a single layer in a baking dish and bake in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Serves 4-5.

Zesty Garlic Chicken Wraps

These not only tasted great, but they also were great to prepare. It seems like when it is dinner time, the baby is fussy, toddler is crying, boys are fighting, and mom is about to scream. It goes without saying sometimes I need to have dinner well on its way to being done before all the chaos happens. These are great because I can prepare about 95 percent of these in the morning and then all I have to do is throw them in the oven in the evening. I loved the flavor of these. I was worried they would be too garlicky, but I was pleasantly surprised. This was another good one for summer!
From The Crepes of Wrath

For the marinade:

2 chicken breasts, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
4 cloves garlic, minced

For the sauce:
4 cloves garlic, whole and peeled
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoons milk
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the wraps:
4-5 large whole wheat tortillas
1 tomato, diced
1-2 handfuls of lettuce or spinach
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, grated (or cheese of your choice – optional)

1. Slice the chicken and place the pieces in a large sealable bag or an airtight container. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients, then pour it over the chicken. Do the best you can to submerge the chicken completely in the marinade and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
2. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line and/or grease a baking sheet, then brush your whole, peeled garlic cloves with the olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes or so, until golden. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to touch, mince well and with the side of your knife, grind the garlic into a bit of a paste as you mince it by pressing your knife down and dragging it along on the garlic (see photo above).
3. Place the garlic paste into a bowl and add in the rest of the sauce ingredients. Whisk together, cover, and place in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. You can also place these ingredients in an airtight container and allow to sit overnight with the chicken, if you like.
4. When you’re ready to eat, grease and/or line a baking sheet and preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and discard the remaining marinade. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. Spread the sauce on a warmed tortilla and add cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Top with the hot (or cooled) chicken and roll up into a wrap. Makes 4 to 5 wraps.

Oatmeal Chewies

These are my newest go to dessert. My sister and sister-in law made these bars for Leah's baby blessing. I knew I needed to get my hands on this recipe. The bars are chewy, but also very gooey. You can't eat just one. I have convinced myself that because there is oatmeal in them, they are a health food.

Combine:
1 c. Butter
2 c Brown Sugar

Add:
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix well, then add:
2 1/2 c Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 oats

In a sauce pan combine:
1/4 c butter
2 c chocolate chips
1 can sweet and condensed milk

Stir until melted then add:
2 tsp vanilla

Grease a 9x13 pan. Put 3/4 of oat mixture in bottom, pour chocolate on top. Clump the rest of the oat mixture on top of the chocolate. Bake at 350 for 25 min.

Margarita Chicken

I decided this summer to have a goal of being more comfortable grilling on our outside grill. Anyone that knows my husband knows why I don't get too many chances to grill. Let's just say BBQ and smoked meats are kind of his thing and he gets a little protective of his grill and smokers when I try to use them. I totally understand because I get the same way about my kitchen when he tries to use it. This was my first attempt and it was delicious. I am really on a citrus kick lately and this chicken really measured up!

From Real Mom Kitchen

1 can (10 ounces) frozen non-alcoholic margarita mix, thawed (I just used frozen limeade)

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 garlic cloves, minced

5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a small bowl, combine the margarita mix, lime juice and garlic. Pour 1 1/4 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 4 hours. (I only marinated for 2 hours and it was still delicious) Rotate half way through marinading. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Drain and discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Using long-handled tongs, dip a paper towel in cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°, basting frequently with reserved marinade. Yield: 5 servings.

Simple Orange Chicken with Broccoli

Delicious and a definitely will repeat are good descriptions of this dish. Port told me I could make this again if I wanted. He has tell me things like that because we don't repeat too many recipes unless they are really great (meaning they have great flavor, easy to cook, and pretty healthy!).

From My Kitchen Cafe

*Serves 4
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips
Salt and peper
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1-2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Saute until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. In the same skillet, combine the broccoli florets and the water, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cover the skillet and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the broth, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar and orange zest. Add the dissolved cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce boils and thickens slightly. Serve over hot, cooked brown or white rice.

Fettuccine with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta

Now that summer has finally decided to show up, we have been trying to eat lighter food. Not only lighter in calories, but also lighter in texture and taste. This was definitely a winner.
From Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

12 oz. pasta, such as fettuccine
3 oz. pancetta or bacon, chopped (I used bacon.)
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 cups shelled fresh peas (blanched 1 minute), or frozen peas
1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly, white and green parts separated
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (I just used 1% milk)
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. lemon zest
2-4 tbsp. fresh parsely, minced and divided
¼ cup fresh basil, minced and divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta just until al dente according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the pancetta or bacon just until crisp, and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate using a slotted spoon. Pour off almost all of the grease from the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the asparagus. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the peas, white parts of the green onions, and garlic to the pan; sauté until fragrant and just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the vegetable mixture, ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, green parts of the green onions, Parmesan cheese, cream, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, half of the parsley and basil to the pot with the cooked pasta. Toss well until combine. Add additional pasta water a tablespoon at a time, if necessary. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the pancetta, remaining parsley and basil. Serve immediately with additional grated Parmesan, if desired.

Elise's Breakfast Casserole

My kids love having breakfast for dinner. I get tired of having the same old thing. I saw this casserole and thought it looked good. It was actually great. It tasted like quiche without the crust.

From Family Favorites

½ lb cooked bacon, ham, or breakfast sausage(or any combination of the 3)
chopped veggies (we used broccoli, onion, green pepper)
12 eggs
1 c. milk
1 pkg. (1 b.) frozen shredded hash browns
1 c. cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp pepper

In a bowl, beat eggs and milk. Stir in all other ingredients. Put in greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 45-55 min or until well set. Serve topped with salsa.

Roast Beef Wrap

This was such a great light dinner. We had a T-ball game and we needed to eat something so I made these really quick and they were delicious. My kids love them because we eat wraps at our house at least 5-6 times a week for lunch or dinner.

From Cooking Mama's



wheat tortillas
deli sliced roast beef
deli sliced Swiss cheese
broccoli slaw
zesty Italian dressing
dried cranberries
sliced avocado
salt and pepper

Assembly...Marinate about 2 cups of broccoli slaw with 2-3 T. of zesty Italian dressing for at least 10 minutes ~ I make a big bowl and let marinate for a few days. Take 1 tortilla and layer with 2 slices of roast beef, Swiss cheese, a little of the broccoli slaw, a handful of dried cranberries, and 2-3 slices of avocado. Season with salt and pepper!

Oreo Cheesecake Bars

These were really easy and yummy! The only thing I can say about them is that you better grab one while you can! They go fast.

From Annie's Eats

For the crust:

23 Oreo cookies

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

6 tbsp. sugar

6 tbsp. sour cream, at room temperature

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. salt

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

12 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with foil. To make the crust, place the Oreos in the bowl of a food processor. Process, pulsing, until the cookies are finely ground. Add in the melted butter and pulse until the cookie crumbs are moistened. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Press the crumbs into an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside and prepare the filling while maintaining the oven temperature. To make the filling, add the cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in the sugar until well combined. Blend in the sour cream, vanilla and salt. Beat in the egg and egg yolk on medium-high speed until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed. Stir in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula. Pour the cheesecake batter over the prepared crust, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the cheesecake is set around the edges but slightly wobbly in the center. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool about 1 hour to room temperature. Cover the pan and refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours. To cut the bars, pull the cake from the pan by lifting the foil up out of the pan. Place on a cutting board, peel away the foil, and slice into bars. Clean the knife blade between each slice to keep the edges neat. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This was a great change of pace pasta dish. I loved the red pepper sauce. I didn't even miss the meat in this dish. It was also so quick to make.

From Pioneer Woman Cooks

3 whole Red Bell Peppers
2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts (optional)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
½ cups Heavy Cream (I just used 1 % milk to save on fat and calories)
Flat Leaf Parsley, Finely Minced
Fresh Parmesan, Shaved Or Grated
½ pounds (to 1 Pound) Pasta: Orecchiette, Penne, Fusilli, Etc.

Preparation Instructions

Roast red peppers, and then place in a Ziploc bag to allow to sweat. Peel the charred skins from the peppers, then removed seeds. Set aside.
Lightly toast pine nuts in a skillet. Set aside.
Puree peppers with pine nuts. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add plenty of salt.
Pour in cream and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Add cooked pasta, and then stir together.
Place pasta into a bowl, top with chopped parsley and plenty of shaved Parmesan.

Chocolate Cake

I really love to try to remake restaurant dishes that I have tried. This is my first attempt to duplicate the best chocolate cake I have eaten from a small restaurant I love. I have to say this cake was delicious, but definitely not at all healthy!!!

Chocolate Butter Cake

From Joy of Baking:

4 ounces (120 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
2 1/4 cups (295 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (400 grams) granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, and line with parchment paper, two - 9 x 2 inch deep (23 x 5 cm) round baking pans. In a stainless steel or heatproof bowl place the chopped unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour the boiling water over the chocolate and cocoa powder and stir until they have melted. Set aside to cool while you make the batter. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy (this will take about 3-5 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and melted chocolate mixture and beat to combine. Add the milk and flour mixtures in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until the ingredients are incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cakes from their pans and cool completely on a greased wire rack before frosting.

Chocolate Custard Icing: (For in between the layers of cake)

From CDKitchen

**Makes 6 Cups**

2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

2 dashes Salt

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate -- grated

2 cups boiling water

6 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix sugar and cornstarch; add chocolate and salt. Add water. Cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Spread on cooled cake.

Chocolate Ganache (For outside of cake)

8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. If desired, add the liqueur.
Makes enough ganache to cover a 9 inch (23 cm) cake or torte.

To Cover a Torte or Cake:
Note: If covering a cake with ganache that is to be refrigerated, make sure the cake is cold before covering with the ganache. This will ensure that the ganache does not dull when stored in the refrigerator. Brush any loose crumbs from the cake and place cake on a wire rack. Put the wire rack on a baking sheet. In this way if the ganache drips it will end up on the baking sheet, which makes clean up easier. Using a cake spatula, cover the sides and top of the cake with about 2 tablespoons ganache. This is called a crumb coat and seals in any cake crumbs so that your cake will have a smooth finish. Refrigerate cake for 5 minutes to set the crumb coat. If you have any air bubbles or crumbs in your ganache, pour through a strainer. To cover cake, pour the remaining ganache into the center of the cake. Working quickly, spread with a spatula, using big strokes to push the ganache over the sides of the cake, to create an even coating of ganache. If there are any bare spots on sides of cake, cover with leftover ganache.

Spicy Shrimp Po' Boys

From Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

For the remoulade sauce:

½ cup plus 2 tbsp. light mayonnaise

2 tbsp. stone ground mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1½ tbsp. pickle juice

½ tsp. prepared horseradish

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ tsp. hot paprika

Dash of hot sauce

For the sandwiches:

1 lb. medium-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning blend

1 baguette (or 4 sandwich rolls) (I used Focaccia Bread)

Shredded lettuce

Sliced tomato

Directions:

To make the remoulade sauce, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. (If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can just mix it in a small bowl with a spoon.) Adjust seasonings to taste. Chill until ready to use.
To prepare the sandwiches, combine the shrimp with the olive oil and cajun seasoning in a medium bowl. Toss well to coat the shrimp. Heat a grill pan to medium-high and grill the shrimp just until opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
Slice the baguette into 4 servings, and cut horizontally to open the bread. Spread some of the remoulade sauce onto both pieces of the bread. Layer the bottom slice of bread with shrimp, then top with lettuce and tomato as desired. Top with the remaining piece of bread and serve immediately.

Focaccia Bread

From Ann Burell, Food Network

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
5 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Directions

Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Put the bowl in a warm, not hot or cool, place until the yeast is bubbling and aromatic, at least 15 minutes.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1/2 cup olive oil and the yeast mixture on low speed. Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for 5 to 6 minutes on a medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft. Give it a sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.
Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface, then knead it by hand 1 or 2 times. Again, give it another sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.
Coat the inside of the mixer bowl lightly with olive oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
Coat a jelly roll pan with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. (Chef's Note: This may seem excessive, but focaccia is an oily crusted bread. This is why it is soooooooooo delicious!).
Put the dough onto the jelly roll pan and begin pressing it out to fit the size of the pan. Turn the dough over to coat the other side with the olive oil. Continue to stretch the dough to fit the pan. As you are doing so, spread your fingers out and make finger holes all the way through the dough. (Chef's Note: Yes, this is strange. But when the dough rises again it will create the characteristic craggy looking focaccia. If you do not make the actual holes in the dough, the finished product will be very smooth.)
Put the dough in the warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising a second time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Liberally sprinkle the top of the focaccia with some coarse sea salt and lightly drizzle a little oil on top. Bake the dough until the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool before cutting and serving.

Pollo Grande Quesadillas

For Mother's Day I got this fantastic cookbook called, "The Worldwide Ward Cookbook". It is full of some great recipes that are really family friendly. This recipe is in the book. The recipe seemed pretty ordinary, but turned out surprisingly extraordinary. These quesadillas are definitley on our family favorites list. It was difficult to tear myself away from these. They also didn't last long enough to take a picture!

Quesadillas:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 large sweet onion, coarsely diced
5-10 T. oil, divided
Fajita seasoning to taste
2 bell peppers (any color), very coarsely chopped
8 0z. mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Jalapeno Cheese Sauce: (I doubled this portion of the recipe)

4 oz. Neufchatel cheese
1/4 c. fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic (I used garlic powder)
1/4 C. milk
2-5 T. pickled jalapeno peppers, seeds removed

For assembly:

10-12 tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)
12 oz. cheese (Monterey Jack or cheddar), shredded

In a pan, fry chicken and onions in 1-2 T. oil and fajita seasoning to taste until chicken is cooked and onions are tender. In a separate in 1-2 T. oil unitl crisp-tender, adding the mushrooms to the peppers during the last 4-5 minutes of frying, if desired. In a blender, puree all Jalapeno Cheese Sauce ingredients. To assemble, layer one half of each tortilla with chicken mixture, peppers and mushrooms, 2 T. shredded cheese, and 1-2 T. Jalapeno Cheese Sauce. Fold over the other half of the tortilla, enclosing all of the filling. On a griddle or pan lightly brushed with the remaining oil, fry the quesadilla until the tortilla is light brown and the cheese inside has melted. Makes 10-12 servings.

**I didn't brush the tortillas with thet oil and I used my electric grill to cook the quesadillas.

Baked Lemon Pasta

This was my choice for Mother's Day. I wanted something light, but easy to make because I knew I would be cooking it. This was delicious and easy. I really loved the creamy but lemony sauce. Definitely a keeper and it tasted great the next day.

From Sister's Cafe

1 pound Thin Spaghetti

4 Tablespoons Salted Butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested

2 cups Sour Cream

½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste

Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese

Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped (I didn't have this so I just left it out and didn't miss it!)

Extra Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente. In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat. Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.) When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end or feel free to add as much as you like.

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

I am usually not a huge fan of fajitas, but I am now a fajita lover because of this recipe. It was really easy and the flavors were awesome!

Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

6 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1½ tsp. brown sugar

1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced

1½ tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

1 tsp. salt

¾ tsp. pepper

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 large red onion (about 14 oz.), sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated

2 large bell peppers (about 10 oz. each), stemmed, quartered and seeded

8-12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade; set aside. Place the chicken strips in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer to grill. I used my countertop grill (aka.George Forman); discard the left over marinade. Cook chicken on grill until browned and internal temperature is 160 degrees. Remove chicken and cover with foil. Place the onion rounds and peppers on the grill. Cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed. When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
In 2 or 3 batches, transfer the tortillas in a single layer to the now empty grill. Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side. When the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or foil.
Separate the onions into rings and slice. Place them in a medium bowl. Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and add them to the bowl with the onions. Add chicken to peppers and onions. Pour the reserved marinade onto the ingredients and stir to combine. Microwave for 1 minute to heat through. Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve with toppings (sour cream, salsa, cheese).

Cafe Rio Chicken

This is a new favorite at our house. It is so good. We have made it twice in the last two weeks, which hardly ever happens. Port loves to take it and put it on salads or in wraps. My four year old said, "Mom, this is dad-blasted good!"

From Kitchen Cafe

1 (16 oz.) bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 skinless, boneless chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot on low for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Chicken Piccata with Artichoke Hearts

This was delicious. It was really light and a hit with our whole family. We left out the cream and a lot of the guilt when it came to eating this!

From Tasty Kitchen

2 whole Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 whole Shallot, Diced
1 cup White Wine
1 cup Chicken Stock
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice (or More If You Want)
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Cream Or Half-and-Half --I used 1 % milk. We didn't miss the cream.
2 Tablespoons Capers (or More If You Want)
1 can Artichoke Hearts, Chopped (14 Ounce Can)
1 package Your Favorite Pasta, Cooked And Drained (13-16 Ounce Box) I used whole wheat spaghetti.

Pound your chicken out with something heavy. I used a rolling pin and it worked great. Salt and pepper both sides and saute in a hot skillet with a little olive oil until both sides are well browned. Take the chicken out and let them rest (they are tired after all that) on a plate with some paper towels.
While your skillet is still hot add the diced shallot and stir around a little – about 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan – this will pull up all the brown stuff that was stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Stir. Add the chicken stock and keep the heat pretty high for a few minutes. Add the lemon juice. Let reduce down for about 10 minutes. Add the butter and cream (or half and half) and stir. Add capers and artichokes. Stir. Add the chicken back into the mixture and keep on low heat.
In the mean time, if you’re serving with pasta, boil your water and cook your noodles. Serve in a shallow bowl and pour the sauce all over the noodles and chicken. You can also add a handful of spinach. And then write home to your momma about it!

Orange Honey Grilled Chicken Strips

These were delicious! I loved the citrus taste. I made extra and my hubby put them on a salad for his lunch the next day. We actually had to negotiate as to who got to have the leftovers for lunch, which is a huge thing because we usually don't eat leftovers.

From Sister's Cafe

1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 TB butter softened
2 TB finely chopped scallions
2 TB fresh orange juice
2 TB chopped cilantro leaves (I like a little extra)
1 TB honey
1-2 TB grated orange zest, from ~1/2 an orange

Cut each chicken breast into 3 length wise strips. Thread 3 strips accordion style, on each of 4-6 long metal or wooden skewers. If using wood skewers, soak them for at least 20 minutes in cold water before using to prevent scorching on the grill. To make the basting sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the butter, scallions, orange juice, cilantro, honey, and orange zest. Brush about half of the sauce on the chicken, covering each strip well. Set aside to marinate for about 15 minutes. If you have to let the chicken marinate longer refrigerate. Prepare grill to medium hot. Grill chicken about 15 minutes, turning several times, until the chicken is cooked through but still moist. Baste several times with the remaining basting sauce. Stop basting 5 minutes before the chicken is done. Remove the chicken from the grill and serve immediately.

Stir Fried Rice With Asian Vegetables And Beef

This was good, but I would probably figure out some ways next time to kick up the flavor a little bit.

From Prevention Magazine Online

1 8 oz 3/4" thick sirloin or top round steak, thinly sliced
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsp canola or other vegetable oil

1 bag (14 oz) frozen stir fry or asian vegetable mix
1 pouch (10 oz) frozen brown rice (I just used regular white rice)
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tsp finely minced garlic
1/2 C diagonally sliced scallions
1/4 C coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts (I used almonds)

Directions
1. Toss steak with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce.
2. Heat wok or large skillet over high heat. Add oil. Place steak in single layer and cook without stirring to brown, about 1 minute. Cook another minute, stirring once or twice, until all pink is gone. With slotted spoon or tongs, transfer meat to dish and set aside.
3. Add vegetables to skillet's juices and stir fry over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Cook rice per package directions.
5. Add ginger and garlic to skillet and stir fry 30 seconds. Add steak, cooked rice, scallions, peanuts, and remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Stir fry until heated through.