Breakfast Casserole

This is an awful picture. I know. Eggs are one of those things that I always have trouble photographing. It is just so hard to make them look appetizing. Anyways.

So, eggs were on sale for $.88 last week, so I tried to plan my meals around that. When we went to the beach a couple of weeks ago, my sister made a breakfast casserole, and my boyfriend really enjoyed it (but really, I think you could put sausage on dog poop and there is a good chance he would eat it!). Sorry, that was disgusting.

I modified her recipe a little to spice things up a bit. We both love spicy food, so I figured I would go in that direction. All in all, it turned out good. It was gone in 2 days. That's usually a pretty good indicator.

Ingredients:
6-8 eggs
1 lb. sausage, browned and drained
1 c. shredded cheddar
1 c. shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese (I used Mexican blend)
2 c. half and half
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
10 slices of bread, torn in bite size pieces (I used Jalapeno Cheese bread)

Directions:
Grease a 9x13 pan and layer with bread, sausage and then cheese.

Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl and mix. Pour over the bread.

Cook right away or let sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Cover in foil and bake 45-60 minutes at 350.

Yield: 6 servings (or so)

Source: My sister

Penne A La "Not-Ka"

This is by far the very best recipe I have made in a long time. It was SOOOO good! Next time I will probably make a double batch so I have plenty of leftovers! I was flipping through channels a few weeks ago and came across the show on Lifetime "Cooking Yourself Thin" - now, I will watch just about any cooking show. And the recipes they were making on this show just looked so good, as well as good for you. So, I wrote a few down. This was the first one I made and it was just so awesome that I can't wait to try more! AND, I didn't even cut the onions out of the recipe like I usually do! :)

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. chopped red onion (I used vidalia onion)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, pureed
Pinch red pepper flakes
8 oz. penne pasta
1/4 c. heavy cream
6 tbsp. evaporated non-fat milk
1/3 c. grated Parmesan
1/4 c. shredded basil
1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

In a saucepan, heat oil and garlic. Add onions and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and cook 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. salt and red pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and then simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Stir in the cream and evaporated milk and simmer 1 more minute.

Meanwhile, cook pasta (about 6 minutes).

Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 c. pasta water.

Add pasta to sauce and simmer 1-2 minutes, adding pasta water if dry.

Stir in Parmesan, basil and pepper.

Drizzle each serving with olive oil and Parmesan.

Yield: 4 servings

Source: http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/cook-yourself-thin/recipes

Cake Mix Cookies

I'm always looking for super easy recipes using pantry staples - I like to have "go-to" recipes that don't require any shopping, just in case I need something quick! This is definitely one of those recipes. And I think there are so many different things you could do with this!

You could pick a variety of cake mixes. You could add peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, nuts, whatever you want. These were super easy - definitely a 20 minute recipe, start to finish, including baking time. The cookies are really yummy. Very chewy and soft and thick. I mixed in some chocolate chips to the second batch to see how they would turn out.

I think next time, I will use a chocolate cake mix and mix in peanut butter chips - you just can't beat peanut butter and chocolate!

Ingredients:
1 box cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. flour

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.

Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 11 minutes.

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

Source: www.kitchenscrapbook.com

No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Balls

When I saw this recipe I immediately wanted to make it! I am all about no bake cookies in the summer - I have a very tiny condo and turning on the oven gets it really hot, really quick! Plus, this was one of those "pantry" recipes that required no grocery store trip. Always a plus.

Unfortunately, I will probably not be making these again. I have never really liked the taste of uncooked oatmeal, but I was willing to try it again. Maybe they will taste better in the morning after they have a chance to get all the butter soaked in and everything. So, we'll see.

Ingredients:
2 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. sugar
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 tbsp. peanut butter
1 c. powdered sugar

Directions:
Combine oats, sugar and cocoa.

Mix in all the other ingredients except the powdered sugar.

Wash hands, and then roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in powdered sugar.

Chill for 20 minutes.

Yield: about 2 dozen

Source: www.tasteandtellblog.com

Thai Peanut Chicken Saute

I'm baaaa-aaaack!!!! I got a brand new laptop and I am back in business!!! So far, everything is going great - except for lovely Windows Vista of course! But, beggars can't be choosers, right?

So, I really haven't been doing that much cooking the last month or so. You know how summer is - vacations, etc. Lots of stuff going on. I made this a few weeks ago and the boy really liked it. This is definitely something I would make again!

Ingredients:
1/2 package rice noodles
1 lb. chicken, thinly sliced
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 c. peanut sauce
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
1 handful of peanuts, chopped

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions.

Heat oil and add chicken. Saute until cooked and set aside.

Add peppers and saute about 3 minutes. Add carrot and saute another minute and set aside.

Add peanut sauce and bring to a boil.

Drain noodles and add noodles and chicken to pan.

Remove from heat, mix in the vegetables and cilantro and garnish with peanuts.

Yield: 4 servings

Source: adapted from www.closetcooking.com, Thai Peanut Pork Noodle Saute

Spicy Shrimp Wraps

First of all, I apologize for the lack of picture for this post! I am having some major computer issues and pictures are just NOT working right now for me! Hopefully, I will be getting a new computer in the next couple of weeks and I can get back to posting!

So, this was a super easy recipe. I had everything done in under 10 minutes! And even better, the boy liked it! :)

Ingredients:
1 8 oz. package frozen jerk shrimp (or make your own, if you aren't lazy like me)
1 chorizo sausage, casing removed
1/2 c. red pepper, thinly sliced
2 tortillas or wraps
2 c. spinach
4 tbsp. goat cheese

Directions:
Cook shrimp according to the package directions. Throw in the chorizo and red pepper with the shrimp.

While everything is cooking, lay out the tortillas and place 1 cup of spinach on each, followed by 2 tbsp. of goat cheese.

Spoon the shrimp mixture over the spinach and cheese.

Roll up the tortilla and microwave for 10 seconds to melt the cheese.

Yield: 2 very large servings

Cocoa Says What?

Is this a tired puppy or what? We have been staying at my parents' house since last Thursday while they were out of town and they got back this afternoon. Needless to say, Cocoa missed her toys, her bones and apparently, her sleep. :)

P.S. Don't you just love the giant bone? :)

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

Now these are good. And easy. I love it when I can make cookies or cupcakes and don't have to break out the mixer. And they taste like pecan pie. The only change I will make is the next time, I won't bake them quite so long. Other than that though, they are perfect! So yummy!

Ingredients:
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. butter, melted
2 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and line a mini muffin tin.

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.

Bake 18 minutes.

Yield: 24 mini muffins

Source: http://www.bakedperfection.com/

Oreo Decadence Bars

I started baking today for next weekend already. The boy is hosting a golf tournament and a few guys will be staying at his house all weekend. So, being the good girlfriend that I am, I am going to supply him with some cookies, muffins, etc. The first thing on my list to make were these oreo bars. Now, in theory, these were a good idea. And they are super yummy. BUT, they are kind of messy and don't hold their shape very well. I stuck them in the fridge to see if that will help a bit. But they are good. :)

Edited to add: refrigerating them totally helped! The boy actually said he preferred them cold and they were gone in less than 16 hours. :)

Ingredients:
23 oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (not sure who came up with the number 23!?) :P
2 tbsp. butter, melted
3/4 c. white chocolate chips
3/4 c. mini marshmallows
3/4 c. peanuts, chopped
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350; line an 8x8 pan with foil and grease the foil.

Mix cookies and butter. Sprinkle 1 c. into pan.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips, marshmallows and peanuts.

Top with remaining oreos.

Pour condensed milk over the top of everything.

Bake 25-30 minutes.

Yield: 12 servings

Source: http://www.kraftfoods.com/

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

These cookies are so delicious and they are super easy, too! I am the person who always chooses vanilla bean ice cream over chocolate, so when I saw this recipe, I wanted to run right out and buy some vanilla beans and make these right away! Of course, I had to go to three stores before I found vanilla beans. Totally worth it though! Next time I won't bake them for quite as long though - I like my cookies kinda doughy in the middle! :)

Ingredients:
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 vanilla bean, scraped
1 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 c. flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.

Cream butter and sugar; add vanilla, eggs and vanilla bean seeds.

Sift baking powder and flour together and then add to wet ingredients.

Shape into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Press slightly to flatten. NOTE: I didn't do this. I am lazy and I just dropped spoonfuls of dough on the cookie sheet :)

Bake 8 minutes.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Source: www.sugarlaws.com

Chocolate Cream Fruit Dip

For dessert yesterday, I made chocolate cream dip and vanilla bean sugar cookies (up next!). This was so easy to make and it was yummy. Plus, I was able to make it in advance and just pop it in the fridge until I was ready for it!

Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. chocolate syrup
1 7 oz. jar marshmallow fluff

Directions:
Beat cream cheese and syrup.

Fold in fluff.

Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Serve with fruit, pound cake, angel food cake, or just eat it with a spoon... :)

Yield: 2 cups

Source: Taste of Home's "Quick Cooking Annual Recipes" 2002 edition

Mrs. Yoder's Baked Beans

Next on the Memorial Day dinner was baked beans - again from my sister's mother in law. This is another super easy recipe. And the best part is - both the corn pudding and baked beans are baked in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. That just makes it even easier :)

Ingredients:
2 cans pork and beans
2 cans kidney beans, partially drained
2 cans baby lima beans, partially drained
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/8 c. vinegar
1/2 c. ketchup
1 1/2 tsp. mustard
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire
6-8 pieces of bacon, fried and crumbled

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine all ingredients into a 9x13 casserole dish.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour, or in a crockpot for 12 hours.

Yield: 9-12 servings

Source: Mrs. Yoder, my sister's mother in law

Mrs. Yoder's Corn Pudding

We did all of our Memorial Day stuff yesterday. The boy and I had my parents and my sister and her family over to his house. We grilled hot dogs and bbq chicken, as well as some vegetables. For the side dishes, I made corn pudding and baked beans. In a foil pan. So the pictures aren't pretty. This is a recipe from my sister's mother in law and it is one of my favorites. I could eat this everyday!

Ingredients:
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
2/3 stick butter, melted
1 box jiffy corn muffin mix
1 c. sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Combine all in a 9x13 casserole dish.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

Yield: 9-12 servings

Source: Mrs. Yoder, my sister's mother in law

One of my very favorite things is PF Changs lettuce wraps. If only we had a PF Changs that wasn't over an hour away! So, when I saw lettuce on sale, I thought - hey! I should make lettuce wraps, since I already had some leftover chicken! I did a lot of searching on the internet for a recipe and in the end, I combined a couple different ones. I didn't want to try and re-create PF Changs lettuce wraps, because I knew that we would be disappointed.

So, the chicken part of these turned out pretty good. It turns out that I'm a tard and I bought cabbage instead of lettuce. We both had our second "lettuce wrap" in a tortilla. :)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. garlic
1 tbsp. ginger
1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/3 c. sweet chili sauce
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 c. chopped peanuts
1 c. grated carrots
head of lettuce

Directions:
Heat oil in a pan (or wok, if you have a wok). Stir fry garlic, ginger and carrots.

Add chicken.

Stir in soy sauce and chili sauce.

Add cilantro and peanuts.

Serve. :)

Yield: 2-3 servings

Sources: www.recipegirl.com & www.pillsbury.com

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

If you haven't noticed, I love buffalo anything. It is just so good! And I also like pizza. One of my favorite things is different kinds of pizza - Thai pizza, BBQ chicken pizza, etc. So, I had a little bit of leftover chicken, a little bit of leftover buffalo sauce and then when I cleaned out my freezer last weekend, I found an extra pizza dough! Decision made! So, totally easy and perfect for Friday night!

Ingredients:
1 pizza dough
1/2 c. bleu cheese dressing (or ranch - next time I will use ranch instead!)
1/2 c. buffalo sauce
1.5 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 c. cheese (I used mozzarella)

Directions:
Preheat oven and prepare pizza dough according to package directions (and if you make your own, I figure you already know what to do!)

Spread dressing over pizza dough.

Toss chicken in buffalo sauce and spread on top of dressing.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Cook according to directions.

Yield: 3-4 servings

Cookie Dough Pops

So, I totally should've taken the time to take a better picture of these. I don't know what I was thinking. These were so easy to make. I love recipes like this - where it looks like I took hours and hours to make something, but it really only took me like, 30 minutes! Always a big plus in my book! I took some of these to work, and so I did take the time to make eggless cookie dough. I must say though, if it was just for me, I would make regular cookie dough or buy some in a tube :) I'll take my chances at salmonella poisoning. These were awesome though! I mean, how could they not be? Raw cookie dough. Covered in chocolate. On a stick. How in the world did it take someone so long to think of this??? My only change (since I even copied Risa's colors!) is that I would leave out the cinnamon next time. No one else noticed it, but the flavor was overpowering for me. Oh, and I need to figure out how to not have a flat side after chilling these :)

Ingredients:
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. chocolate chips
1/2 package chocolate candy melts
1/4 c. blue candy melts

Directions:
Combine flour, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add in vanilla.

Add flour mixture. Then stir in chocolate chips.

Roll into balls and insert lollipop sticks. Chill for several hours or stick in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Melt candy melts according to directions on package.

Dip cookie dough balls into chocolate, tapping and rolling to remove excess chocolate and bubbles.

Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

Then, drizzle with an alternate color of candy melts.

Yield: 20ish. Depends on how big your balls are.

Source: www.bakedperfection.com

Chicken & Black Bean Flautas

I have been cooking up a storm the last week or so... I just haven't posted anything :) So, get ready. It is my mission today to get caught up, since I will have some Memorial Day recipes to post next week! These chicken and black bean flautas were a quick and easy lunch last weekend. It definitely satisfied my Mexican craving, and it only took a few minutes to make! This is definitely a 30 minute meal - and 20 minutes of that is oven time! And, you could put whatever you want in these, depending on what you feel like eating :)

Ingredients:
1 small can Rotel tomatoes with green chilis
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
1 c. shredded cheese
4 small flour tortillas
Salsa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray

Place tomatoes, beans, chicken and cheese in a tortilla. Roll tightly and set seam side down on the baking sheet.

Spray tops of each flauta with olive oil cooking spray.

Bake 10 minutes, then flip and bake 10 more minutes.

Dip in salsa :)

Yield: 2 servings

Source: Adapted from http://www.fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/

Potato Quiche

For some reason, when I saw this recipe, I wanted to make it almost immediately. I have no idea why. Because I don't really like quiche. I am picky about how I'll eat my eggs, and this is not the way I like them. I think maybe I was won over by the potato crust. I thought that was a really neat idea. Anyway, the boy said he loves quiche, so I figured, why not!? Even if I hate it, I can have a slice of cheese and be full. My main goal in cooking is to feed him! :)

So, I made quiche. The boy said it was bland. This definitely wasn't hard though, except for grating the swiss cheese, because, for the life of me, I could NOT find shredded swiss cheese in a bag. And I know that some people swear by grating their own cheese, but I don't see the value, quite honestly. I'm lazy like that though. I modified the recipe a bit because I don't eat ham, plus I added some spinach since we both like it and for the color. This was BY FAR one of the prettiest dishes I have ever made! That says a lot! If I can figure out what spices to add to it to give it a little more pizazz, it is something I would totally make for other people, or take to potlucks and stuff like that!

Ingredients:
2 c. shredded hash browns
3 eggs
1 c. milk
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1 c. turkey bacon, chopped and cooked
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach, thawed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Spray a pie plate with non-stick spray. Press the potatoes into the pie plate and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are brown.

While that is baking, beat together eggs, milk and salt. Then stir in remaining ingredients.

Pour into the potato crust.

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Source: Adapted from http://www.recipeshoebox.blogspot.com/

Sweet & Spicy Chili Chicken

So, as much as I would love for everyone to think that all of my recipes turn out perfect, they don't. Here is one that didn't. And I was SO excited about it too, because it seemed like such a great idea. This wasn't sweet or spicy or even flavorful. I might as well have you used cornflakes. Quite honestly, this was blah enough that I ate maybe 5 or 6 bites and then decided to just eat ice cream instead. If you have any suggestions as to what I could've done differently to make it better, I would really appreciate it!!

Ingredients:
1 c. crushed Sweet & Spicy Chili Doritos
2 chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp. milk
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Combine egg and milk.

Salt and pepper chicken. Dip into egg mixture and then coat with crushed chips.

Place in baking dish and bake 30-40 minutes, depending on size of chicken breasts.

Yield: 2 servings

Source: me! No wonder it wasn't good!

Dad's Famous Cheese Eggs

First of all, eggs are really hard to make pretty. They just aren't really photogenic, you know? Second, these really aren't famous, but it sounded better than just "Cheese Eggs." This is one of my go to meals when I am busy and don't have time to cook. If I am cooking for more than just me, I usually make some bacon or sausage, too.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1-2 tbsp. milk
3 slices of cheese
2 tsp. honey mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Spray a bowl with non-stick spray. Crack eggs into bowl and whisk until blended.

Add milk, salt, pepper and honey mustard. Whisk again.

Tear up cheese and add. NOTE: If you are using Kraft Singles (or something similar), use 1.5 slices per egg. If you are using something thicker, like Velveeta, just use 1 thick slice per egg. This is very important. You need the right cheese to egg ratio. Even though, really, you can never have too much cheese.

Stir again. Pop into the microwave for 30 second increments. If you are making more than 1 serving, you can do 1 minute increments.

Serve with toast or biscuits!

Yield: 1 serving

Source: my dad :)

Cinco De Mayo Tacos with Margarita Slaw

Happy Cinco De Mayo!! In celebration, I made tacos! There was nothing extraordinary about the tacos - I did, however, make my own taco seasoning. Not only was it super easy, but I had all the ingredients on hand! To go with the tacos, I made Margarita Slaw instead of lettuce. I didn't particularly enjoy it, but I am picky and like things the way I am used to them! The boy thought it was good though. I did leave the Tequila out - I don't really like Tequila and I didn't have any and I didn't want to buy a whole bottle for one shot. If I was making it for company, I would probably include it.

Anyways, I'm just now getting over a terrible cold and cough and we don't have any vacations or anything planned, so I am hoping to get back into the cooking groove! My boyfriend is hosting an annual boys golf tournament (including his dad) at his house in a few weeks, and I am hoping to make a whole bunch of snacks and goodies for them, so we that to look forward to! :)

Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:
2 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (I used cayenne pepper instead)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Directions:
Combine all ingredients.

When ready to use, this is enough for 1 lb of meat. Add to meat and then add about 2/3 c. water.

Source: www.fabulousfoods.com

Margarita Slow

Ingredients:
12 oz. coleslaw mix
1/3 c. chopped cilantro
1/4 c. vegetable oil
Dash of sesame oil
3 tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. lime zest
1 tbsp. orange juice
1 shot Tequila
Dash of Tabasco
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Place cabbage and cilantro in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper.

Pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve cold.

Source: www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodiebride

Finest Foodie Fridays!!!!

Okay, I know I am a big fat dork, but when I got an email this morning that I was going to be featured on Finest Foodie Fridays, I about wet my pants! I know, you needed to know that.

So, no recipe today - sorry for the lack of posts. I just got back from vacation and now I have an awful cold, but I am hoping to be back next week in full force!

In case you didn't see it, here is the link to Finest Foodie Fridays: http://www.foodieblogroll.com/finestfoodiesfriday/finest-foodies-friday-picks-for-may-1-2009

Yay! This is so exciting!!!!!!

Mongolian Beef

In case you haven't noticed, I have been in an Asian kind of mood lately! Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but last week marked the start of a crazy month and I won't be in my own kitchen for awhile. So, I leave you with Mongolian Beef. This was a GREAT recipe! The flavor was awesome, the boy really liked it. My only problem was the actual cut of beef. I am super picky about meat. Next time I make this, I'll just use a better cut of beef and then it will be perfect! Originally, I was going to attempt to make fried rice, but ended up using a Lipton Side - Beef Lo Mien, which was good, especially when topped with the yummy Mongolian Beef sauce.

Ingredients:
1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced
1/4 c. cornstarch
3 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. grated ginger (I used ground ginger, since that is all I had)
1 tsp. chopped garlic (I was in a hurry and just used garlic powder)
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. soy sauce (I used low sodium)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:
Make sure steak is dry. Mix with cornstarch and coat well. Shake off the excess cornstarch.

Heat 1 tsp. of oil in the skillet (or wok - I don't have a wok). Add garlic, ginger, water, soy sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes.

Cook 2 minutes and then transfer to a bowl.

Add remaining oil to skillet (or wok). Cook meat. Add the sauce back to the skillet.

Yield: 3-4 servings

Source: www.pinkbites.com

Teriyaki Chicken Noodle Bowl

Long time no post! I've been super busy lately... so this was the PERFECT meal since I had no time! No more than 10 minutes of prep time and no more than 15 minutes of cooking time. That is what I like for a weeknight meal! And even better, the boy absolutely loved it! Sah-weet!!! It just doesn't get any better than that!

Ingredients:
1 lb of chicken
1/2 bottle teriyaki marinade
1 package of Lipton Teriyaki Noodles (or something similar)

Directions:
Sometime at least 30 minutes before cooking, cut up the chicken and throw it in a ziploc with the marinade. It needs to marinate for at least 30 minutes. I did all this the night before I was planning on making this.

When you are ready to cook - read the directions on the Lipton Noodle package. You should just need water and a little vegetable oil, if you want. Cook according to directions (I did the microwave directions and it took 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, while that is microwaving, throw the chicken in a skillet on medium-high heat and cook until done (no more than 7-8 minutes).

And you're done. See how easy that was?

Yield: 2 main dish servings

Braised Chicken

I made this last week for dinner, and let me tell you, if I had known it was going to take so freaking long, I wouldn't have made it! Or maybe just saved it for a weekend when I had more time! I guess I underestimated the time it would take for all the chopping. Anyways, this wasn't bad. The boy loved all the vegetables, but the chicken was just regular chicken. If I make this again, I think I might marinate the chicken for a few hours, instead of just brushing it on. I will say this - this was a very pretty dish (the picture doesn't do it justice). I just love food with lots of colors!

Ingredients:
3 chicken legs (I used chicken breasts)
3 garlic cloves
3 tomatoes
2 bell peppers (I used one red and one orange)
1 large onion
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika powder
1 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. oil
Chili pepper (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Wash and slice 2 bell peppers into strips. Cut an onion in half and slice it up. Slice a medium to large red chili pepper. Wash and dice 3 tomatoes.

Grate or mince garlic cloves. Place garlic in a small bowl. Add oil and spices. Whisk.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in a skillet and brown the chicken. Transfer the chicken to an oven dish. Brush with half the marinade. Spread peppers and onions around the chicken and place a few slices underneath and on top. Lightly brush the vegetables with remaining marinade. Add the diced tomatoes. Pour 1/2 c. chicken broth over the vegetables (but not over the chicken so you don't disturb the seasonings).

Bake for 1 hours. After 30 minutes, flip over the vegetables and spoon some of the juices over the chicken. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Yield: 3-4 servings

Source: www.thepioneerwoman.com/cooking

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes

Oy! I see how everybody gets behind on their blogging! Man have I been busy! So, last week was our monthly cooking contest at work. The theme was party food - in honor of March Madness. I had originally planned on making fried pickles. However, my bosses switched the day and we found out at 3pm the day before. So, no time to go to the store. That meant I had to make do with ingredients I had on hand. I happened to have two blocks of cream cheese, and mini cheesecakes seemed like a good idea. So, I went on a mission to find a recipe. Now let me tell you - this recipe lies. It said 15 minute prep time. If I had known it was a lie, I would've found a different recipe. The total time for this was supposed to be 40 minutes. Now, maybe I'm retarded, but this took me 2 freaking hours. That does not make for a happy baker!

So, I didn't win. The little cheesecakes weren't bad. I only brought home 3 out of the 50 or so I made, so I think that's a good sign. By the time I was done making them though, I didn't even want to think about cheesecake, much less eat any. Here ya go:

Ingredients:
1 c. chocolate graham crackers, finely crushed
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 3 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
1/3 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.

Line 12 muffin cups with liners, or 48 mini muffin cups.

Spoon graham cracker crumbs into each cup and press to form crust. Set aside.

Place cream cheese in mixer. Beat until smooth - about 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Gradually add milk, then eggs one at a time. Beat for 30 seconds.

Transfer half of batter to another bowl.

Add peanut butter to mixer bowl. Beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Divide mixture among muffin cups.

Return reserved batter to mixer bowl (don't bother to clean bowl or beaters - I liked this part!) and added melted chocolate. Beat until well blended - about 1 minute. Divide mixture among muffin cups, spreading to cover peanut butter batter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until centers are almost set. Cool completely on wire racks. Store covered in refrigerator.

Yield: 12 standard muffin cup sized cheesecakes, or 48 mini cheesecakes

Source: RecipeZaar

Turkey Day Casserole

Thanksgiving is my VERY favorite holiday. I could eat Thanksgiving food all year long and never get tired of it. So, when I was flipping through a cookbook and saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. I know the picture isn't exceptionally appetizing, but I couldn't figure out a way to make it look pretty.

This wasn't bad. It wasn't nearly as good as I was hoping. Of course, I think it would be better with actual Thanksgiving leftovers. And not all of my stuffing cooked. If I had it to do over, I would actually cook the stuffing first, and then put it in. Also, the recipe called for whole berry cranberry sauce, but I like the jellied kind, so that's what I used.

Ingredients:
1 24 oz. container mashed potatoes
1 lb. ground turkey
1 6 oz. box of stuffing
1 16 oz. can cranberry sauce
2 12 oz. jars of turkey gravy
2 tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Microwave the mashed potatoes for 1 minute. Stir and set aside.

In a skillet, cook the turkey, drain and set aside.

Spread stuffing mix in the bottom of a 2.5 qt. dish. Top with cranberry sauce, then turkey, then 1 jar of gravy and then potatoes.

Dot with butter.

Bake 30-40 minutes.

Serve with gravy.

Yield: 6 servings

Source: "Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes"

Buffalo Chicken Soup

You have probably noticed by now that I love buffalo chicken anything. Buffalo chicken wings. Buffalo chicken dip. And now *drumroll* buffalo chicken soup! Yep, all that buffalo-y goodness in a soup. I have been waiting to make this soup. And when I saw that milk was only $2.49 for a gallon, I jumped at the chance! This was super easy and it is good! Perfect for cold weather! It is a little odd though - the sour cream didn't melt down. I think that next time (and yes, there WILL be a next time), I will whisk together the sour cream and cream of chicken soup before adding everything else. Just to ensure that there are no weird sour cream curds floating around. Still good though :)

Ingredients:
6 c. milk
3 cans cream of chicken soup
3 c. cooked, shredded chicken
1 c. (8 oz) sour cream
1/4 c. - 1/2 c. hot pepper sauce

Directions:
Combine everything in the crockpot.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts)

Source: Taste of Home's "Quick Cooking Annual Recipes" 2002 edition

Sugar Cookie Bars. Again.

I think I am obsessed with these cookies. I have made them 3 times in the last month. You can find the original post with the recipe here. These were the best ones yet though! I made a full recipe (for a 9x13 pan), but then used an 8x8 pan. They were thicker and the middle was still a tiny bit doughy. Mmmm... perfect! The chocolate buttercream frosting is good, but I think that the vanilla frosting was the best. And yes, I ate more of the dough. Licked the bowl clean, actually. Oh, to be a fly on my wall...

Butterscotch Cake

So, I had really good pictures of everything I made today. But then when I stuck my memory card in the computer, it said it wasn't formatted and I lost everything. This is like, the fourth time that has happened so it is really starting to tick me off. So I had to pull everything BACK out and re-take all my pictures. I was kinda frustrated at that point, so I just hurried through it and didn't bother trying my best to take good pictures. Sorry :)

Anyways, I love butterscotch pudding, so when I saw this cake, I thought it sounded pretty good. It didn't look too hard and it was different from the stuff I usually make. All in all it turned out pretty good. I think that if I made this again, I wouldn't necessarily use butterscotch frosting. The cake itself was by far the most moist cake I have ever made. So, here ya go.

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
5 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract (I didn't have any, so I just put in a little extra vanilla)
2 1/2 c. cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 cake pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and then add extracts.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with milk.

Bake 25-30 minutes.

Let cool 10 minutes. Then, cover with parchment paper and cooling rack and invert.

Frosting Ingredients:
1/3 c. butterscotch chips
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk (if necessary) (and it was totally necessary)

Frosting Directions:
In a microwave safe bowl, melt butterscotch chips and half of the butter on low heat. Stir.

Cream the other half of the butter and half of the sugar. Add the melted butterscotch mixture.

Add the other half of the sugar.

Add milk if necessary to create a more frosting-esque consistency.

Frost the cooled cake.

Source: www.kingarthurflour.com