Life as a Lofthouse (Food Blog)

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cake Bars

2012-02-23T10:54:00.002-08:00

My hubby loves white chocolate. One of his favorite candy bars is the white chocolate Kit Kat. When we were dating he used to get them all the time. I'm a big fan of white chocolate too. I think most people either love it or hate it. Some people even think it's not real chocolate. It probably isnt, but who cares. It tastes good!

The other day I was looking for a good treat to make and came across these bars. I knew Kale would love them. They have a yellow cake base, an ooey gooey marshmallow filling with white chocolate chips through out. They're then topped off with a white chocolate frosting! Mmmm They are very rich, but still amazing.Yummo!

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cake Bars
Recipe adapted from: Love, Veggies and Yoga

Cake Layer (1st layer)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 box (18 oz) Yellow Cake mix
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Marshmallow Layer (2nd layer)
3/4 cup marshmallow creme
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

White Chocolate Chips (3rd layer)
1 (12 oz) bag white chocolate chips

White Chocolate Vanilla Frosting
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup white chocolate (2 baker squares or white chocolate chips)
2 cups Powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons whole milk, or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking pan w/ foil and coat well with cooking spray. Set aside.

FOR 1ST LAYER: In a large bowl add cake mix, softened butter, egg and vanilla. Mix well with hands or spoon until well combined. (you may need to use a tablespoon of water to help combine)
Press dough into prepared pan.

FOR 2ND LAYER: Mix all 2nd layer ingredients together in a medium bowl. Mix until combined, then pour over dough.

FOR 3RD LAYER: Sprinkle the white chocolate chips evenly over 2nd layer.

Bake for 20-23 minutes. Center may seem jiggly but will set while it cools. DONT OVERBAKE!

While bars are baking, make frosting. Add butter and white chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30 second increments until slightly melted. Stir together until melted. Add powdered sugar, cream and vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Remove bars from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes and then drizzle with frosting. Let bars cool completely before serving. (I refrigerated mine to have them cool faster) Cut into squares and serve!

Mini Garlic Monkey Breads

2012-02-21T05:31:00.000-08:00

These Mini Garlic Monkey Breads are fun little pull-apart rolls everyone will love! They were a huge hit at my house! It's not very often when my little family fights over the last piece of something I make. Yep, that was the case when I made these. They were a perfect side to go along with a batch of Tomato soup I made for dinner the other night. I only made 6 of them because I was a little skeptical on how they would turn out. Well, that was a big mistake. They were garlicy, buttery mini bites of heaven! I'm putting them on the menu next week because we can't wait to eat them again!

Mini Garlic Monkey Breads
Recipe from: Real Mom Kitchen
Makes 12 rolls

18 frozen Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed. OR use 2 (7.5 ounce) cans Buttermilk Biscuits
6 Tablespoons Butter, melted
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons dried Parsley flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese, plus 2 Tablespoons for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS: Thaw frozen Rhodes dinner rolls according to package directions. (Rhodes rolls are what I used. I love them. If you dont have access to Rhodes rolls than just use the canned Buttermilk Biscuits)

Cut each roll into 4 pieces. Set aside. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients. Place 6 to 7 roll pieces into the garlic mixture and coat with mix. Place 6 to 7 coated roll pieces into one muffin tin. Repeat the process until all 12 muffin tins are full. Sprinkle all the rolls with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Serve warm.

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Menu Plan Monday #11

2012-02-20T05:38:00.000-08:00

Last week was really special for my family. My Mom found her sister she's been searching for her whole life! Well, it was actually my brother Doug that found her. He was able to find her through Ancestry.com. It's a long story and I wont bore you with the details, but it has truly been a blessing to find her and we're all still in shock! We're going to fly to Chicago next month to meet her. I am really looking forward to it!

Okay, so enough about that. Let's talk about food! Here's our menu plan for the week....

Monday

Lasagna*

green salad

Parmesan Pull-Aparts

Tuesday

Grilled Shrimp and Pasta Salad*

veggie

Wednesday

Leftovers!

Thursday

Crispy Onion Chicken

green salad

veggie

Friday

Southwest Chicken Wraps*

Chips n' Salsa

Saturday

~Kitchen's Closed~

Going on a little 'Getaway'

for the weekend

with my Hubby! :)

Sunday

~Kitchen's Closed~

P.S. I have some awesome recipes

I'll be posting this week, so stay tuned......

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

2012-02-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

I love breakfast foods, especially pancakes. They remind me of my Momma. She used to make us pancakes all the time when we were little. Mom always used Bisquick pancake mix, and it is what I now use too. I love it. They have great flavor and they're a cinch to make.

When I saw these Cinnamon Roll Pancakes on Pinterest (of course) I thought they looked amazing and had to make them asap. I used our trusty box of Bisquick for the pancake batter instead of using the homemade one on the recipe. Let me just tell you... These pancakes are FABULOSITY! I've now made them 3 weekends in a row because they're SO good!

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Recipe adapted from: Recipe Girl

For Pancakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

(OR use a boxed pancake batter)

Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Prepare Cinnamon Filling first: In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a small zip baggie and set aside. (You want this to rest and 'set up' while your preparing the other ingredients. Its best if it gets a little thicker, you dont want it liquidy)

Prepare Pancake batter: In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, oil and egg just until batter is moistened. (a few small lumps are fine)
OR If using a boxed mix, prepare according to package directions.

Prepare Cream Cheese glaze: In a medium glass or microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter and cream cheese until melted. Whisk together until smooth, then whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop about 1/2 cup of pancake batter onto the skillet. Snip the corner of your cinnamon filling baggie and squeeze a spiral of the filling onto the top of the pancake. When bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip carefully with a spatula and cook until lightly browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer pancake to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you make the rest of the pancakes.

When ready to serve, spoon warmed cream cheese glaze on top of each pancake. Enjoy!

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Trick or Treat Tuesday

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Dearest Crock Pot,

Oh how I love thee. When I am not in the mood to dirty 5 pans or even be in my kitchen for more than 5 minutes, you really come in handy. Thank you for making my life a little bit easier at times. How can I ever repay you?

Yours Truly,

Holly

Now to the rest of you... This is a delicious and easy meal to make your fam! Sometimes my little family gets bored of eating chicken all the time, so this dish is a great alternative. This pork has tons of flavor, and as it slowly cooks it turns the soup and ranch seasoning into an amazing gravy for the pork chops. This is a new family favorite for sure!

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

Recipe from: Picky Palate

4-6 boneless Pork Chops, 1/2 inch thick

2 (10 ounce) cans Cream of Chicken soup

1 packet Ranch seasoning mix

Dried Parsley for sprinkling (optional)

DIRECTIONS: Place pork chops in the bottom of crock pot. Pour the soups over the chops and then sprinkle with ranch seasoning packet. Close the lid and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Serve each pork chop with the gravy from the crock pot, a sprinkle of dried parsely and some mashed potatoes!

*(I served ours with 'Loaded Mashed Potatoes' from the pre-made tub by Country Crock. When I dont feel like making homemade mashed potatoes I love using theirs. They're delicious and all you do is heat them in the microwave. You can find them near the meat section in most grocery stores.)

Valentine Marshmallow Pops

2012-02-13T05:13:00.000-08:00

I decided to not share Menu Plan Monday today because there is a very special holiday tomorrow. Valentines Day! ♥ Awww... A day to celebrate love and romance. What a great holiday! I bought these cute heart shaped marshmallows at the store and decided it would be fun to let my girls help me decorate them.

I purchased some different colors of candy melts and some Valentine sprinkles. We dipped... and sprinkled away. It was a lot of yummy fun!

Valentine Marshmallow Pops

Heart shaped or regular shaped Large Marshmallows

Assorted colors of Candy Melts (I did pink, white and chocolate)

Sprinkles

Candy sticks

DIRECTIONS: Insert a candy stick in the bottom of each marshmallow. Melt candy melts in different bowls. Dip each marshmallow into desired color of candy melts, then decorate with sprinkles. Place each pop on a parchment lined baking sheet to dry.

It's a FUDGE hop!

2012-02-10T02:01:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite foodie friends and I are having a Fudge blog hop today! Valentines Day♥ is only a few days away. 4 to be exact, so what better way to show your love then with some delicious FUDGE! The recipe I'm sharing today is one that I posted back in December. It is one of the best fudges my taste buds have came across, and it's very easy to make! If you love Snickers candy bars, then you will love this stuff....

Click here for the recipe!

For more fudgey goodness, go check out

the other amazing fudge recipes:

(click on the fudge name to go to the recipe)

100 Grand Fudge

From Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

Red Velvet Fudge

From Ashton @ Something Swanky

Cherry Fudge

From Aimee @ Shugary Sweets

Smooth as Silk Fudge

From Mandy @ Mandy's Recipe Box

Red Hot Oreo Fudge

From Jocelyn @ Inside Bru Crew Life

S'mores Pie

2012-02-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

I love S'mores, but who doesnt? Marshmallow, chocolate and graham crackers... It's a winning combo! The only thing I dislike is the mess they make when you eat them. Sure some people think that's the fun part, but I dont. I'm a clean freak and hate it when I take a bite into a S'more and all the filling oozes out the sides of the graham cracker and the rest lands on my shirt. Eating S'mores in pie form makes me a happy girl. You eat it with a fork and let all the gooey marshmallow and chocolatey goodness just land in straight into your mouth. Right where it's supposed to be! Mmmmm

S'mores Pie

slightly adapted from: Cookies and Cups

1/2 cup salted butter

3/4 cup white sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 (7 ounce) jar Marshmallow Creme (dont use regular marshmallows)

4 Regular sized Hersheys Bars, broken into pieces

wax or parchment paper

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch glass pie pan with baking spray.

Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy and combined. Add egg and vanilla until incorporated.

On low speed add in flour, graham cracker crumbs and baking powder. Divide the dough in half.

Press half of the dough in the bottom and sides of the prepared pie pan. Evenly spread the Marshmallow Creme over the bottom of crust. Spread the broken chocolate pieces on top of the Marshmallow Creme.

Form the remaining dough into a ball and place it on a piece of wax or parchment paper. Top with another piece of wax or parchment paper and flatten into a 9 inch circle with a rolling pin. Carefully peel off the top piece of wax paper.

Flip the crust onto the top of pie and peel off the other piece of paper. Pinch the dough together to form the crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely and then slice and serve.

(When I served mine, I slightly heated up slices in the microwave and served with vanilla ice cream.. YUM!)

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Menu Plan Monday #10

2012-02-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else loving Pioneer Womans show on Food Network as much as me? Yeah, I thought so. Every single recipe she shares I want to eat that very second. I just love all of her amazing recipes and her undeniable sense of humor! She is just awesome. The creamy broccoli and cheese soup she made on her show Saturday I've been craving big time! I love how she used nutmeg in it. I am SO making it this week. YUM!

Monday

Chicken Spaghetti*

green salad

garlic bread

Tuesday

PW's Creamy Broccoli soup*

World's Best Dinner Rolls

Wednesday

Leftovers!

Thursday

Tater Tot Casserole

broccoli

Friday

~Kitchen's Closed~

(Momma needs a break)

Saturday

Pork Chops*

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

veggie

Sunday

Cobb Salads*

dessert:

Cherry Streusel Cake*

Warm Bean Dip

2012-02-03T07:26:00.000-08:00

So with all the talk and posting of Super Bowl party grub I have to be honest, I am not a fan of football. At all. No offense to any of you fans out there, but I'm just keeping it real. Thankfully, I lucked out and married a man that isnt a fan either. He is a lover of motocross and dirt bikes. I can live with that.

So with my confession, I do have to say that we like to watch the Super Bowl. My husband and I watch it every year and we enjoy it. I think one of the reasons we like to is for the good excuse to make all types of different appetizers to devour while we watch it. This bean dip is one I'll be making for it this year! It is D-I-V-I-N-E!

(no that is not my manly hand, it's my hubbys)

Warm Bean Dip

Recipe adapted from: allrecipes.com

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

2 cans (16 ounces, each) refried beans

1 packet taco seasoning

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cream cheese and sour cream in a large bowl. Mix in refried beans until combined. Stir in taco seasoning.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread mixture evenly into the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with both cheeses.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese in melted and slightly browned. Serve with tortilla chips.

Pepperoni Roll Ups

2012-01-31T09:12:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing these delicious little Pepperoni Roll Ups all over the internet these days! They are totally yummy, easy to make and very kid-friendly. I actually made these back in December for New Years Eve, but decided to wait and post them for some Super Bowl appetizer ideas. These would be perfect to serve during the game. I suggest dipping them in marinara or pizza sauce. Mmmmm!

Pepperoni Roll Ups
Recipe from: Taste of Home

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls
32 slices pepperoni (I used Hormel's turkey pepperoni slices)
4 pieces string cheese, cut in half
1/4 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
Marinara or Pizza sauce, for dipping

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll crescent dough; seperate into 8 triangles. Place 4 pepperoni slices on the large end of each triangle. Place one half string cheese on the top of the pepperonis. Roll up towards point. Place roll ups atleast 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Mix together italian seasoning and melted butter. Brush over the tops of the roll ups. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm!

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Menu Plan Monday #9

2012-01-30T05:43:00.000-08:00

I'm excited for the yummy meals I'll be making this week. Some of them are personal requests from my Hubby. I love it when he suggests meals for me to make, because when I usually ask him he'll just say, "Whatever"... : / Ugh.

Also, this week I'll be sharing some awesome appetizer ideas to serve for the Super Bowl this Sunday! I made them and took the pics back in December for my sisters New Years Eve party, but decided to save them to post for Super Bowl appetizer ideas. So be sure and stay tuned!

Monday

Crockpot BBQ chicken*

baked potatoes

veggie

Tuesday

Spicy Chicken Wonton Tacos

*I'm making these the 'baked'

version. Instead of frying

the wontons I'm going to fill them with

the chicken mixture and then bake them*

Wednesday

Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

garden salad

easy bread twists*

Thursday

Leftovers!

Friday

~Kitchen's Closed~

(take out or something easy)

Saturday

Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers*

baked parmesan fries*

garden salad

Sunday

Making lots of different

appetizers and dips for the Super Bowl!

dessert:

Marshmallow Frosted Brownies*

Taco "Cupcakes"

2012-01-27T05:42:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Pinterest I've added a hundred new recipes to my already giant 'MUST MAKE' list. Needless to say, these babies were one of them. I had good intentions of posting another yummy dinner idea today, but it's just gonna have to wait. The big Super Bowl is next Sunday so I thought I'd start posting some appetizer ideas! These Taco Cupcakes would be perfect to serve during the big game!

I made these for dinner the other night and let's just say they were gone fast. They were so delicious. You can eat them with your hands, or with a fork. I thought it was easier to eat it with your hands like you do a cupcake. Of course, dont forget the salsa and sour cream. These will be a huge hit at your football party!

Taco Cupcakes
Recipe by: Plain Chicken

1 lb lean ground beef (I used 96% lean)
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
1 can black beans, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
36 wonton wrappers
Favorite Taco toppings: salsa, sour cream, etc

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain grease. Stir in taco seasoning, water and black beans. Bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 10 minutes, or until water is absorbed.

Spray 18 regular muffin cups with cooking spray. Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup. Divide half of the meat mixture between muffin cups. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the meat. Repeat layers with another wonton wrapper, taco meat and cheese.

Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and wrappers are golden brown. Serve with your favorite taco toppings!

Spray muffin cups with cooking spray and then add wonton wrappers

Then add about 2 tablespoons of taco meat per cup

Sprinkle a little cheese on top

Then repeat layers! Add another wonton wrapper...

then another layer of taco meat and cheese.. Then pop em' in the oven!

Mmmmmm

Serve & Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2012-01-24T05:13:00.000-08:00

Cupcakes are a big weakness of mine. I can eat way too many of the little suckers. That's why when I made these Cookie Dough Cupcakes, I had to take them to my co-workers. Kale wasnt too happy about it, but I just had to get them out of my house. After I had one (okay, two) I didnt trust myself alone with them anymore.

Just look at that inside. It's chocolate chip cookie dough! Mmmmm! The trick to keeping the dough from baking inside the cupcake is to add them to the batter frozen. You use an eggless cookie batter, shape them into balls and freeze them overnight so their nice and solid. The cupcake is a simple homemade vanilla batter, and the frosting is a classic vanilla buttercream. These things are sinfully good!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Cupcake recipe from: kevinandamanda.com

Cookie Dough recipe:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

4 Tablespoons milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Cupcake recipe:

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3-4 Tablespoons half & half (or milk)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

To make Cookie Dough: Combine butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough at a time, and shape into balls. Place cookie dough balls on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. (I froze mine for 24 hours)

To make Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla.

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake. Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes.

To make frosting: Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until creamy. Slowly add in a powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on medium speed until smooth. Pour in half & half, salt and vanilla, and continue to beat until smooth and combined.

Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Makes 24 cupcakes.

*Note: Be sure to only fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full with the batter. You dont want the cupcakes over-flowing while they bake. You may have a little bit of batter left over after filling all 24 cupcake liners *

Frozen cookie dough balls

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter

Place frozen cookie dough onto the center of batter

and then pop em' in the oven

After they bake, they'll look something like this.

Dont worry about the cookie dough still showing,

the frosting will hide those little balls of heaven!

Heaven!

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Trick or Treat Tuesday

Menu Plan Monday #8

2012-01-23T05:47:00.000-08:00

I have some awesome recipes to share with you guys this week. I can't wait! First I have an amazing cupcake recipe I'll share tomorrow, and then I have a great dinner idea I'll post later this week. Okay, well I have to go now. I must get back to Pinterest because it's so spectacular and I cant stay away from it for more than 10 minutes. : / Here's what I'm cookin' up this week...

Monday

PW's Chili*

cornbread

Tuesday

Taco Cupcakes*

beans & rice

Wednesday

Strawberry Chicken Salad

Thursday

Easy night

(sandwiches)

Friday

~Kitchen's Closed~

(take out or something easy)

Saturday

Grilled BBQ Chicken

Savory Roasted Potatoes

veggie

Sunday

Tomato Soup*

grilled cheese

Baked Potato Wedges

2012-01-20T05:54:00.000-08:00

If you've been reading my blog for awhile then I'm sure your not surprised to see another potato recipe : / Not only am I a self proclaimed choco-holic, I'm a potato-holic too. I really am. Just look at the 'Side Dish' section of my Recipe Index. It's mostly potatoes. I promise to get on the ball with some other kinds of side dishes soon. I'll post a veggie or a something else one of these days, but until then dont judge me ;) Now go make these potato wedges. I promise you'll love them!

Baked Potato Wedges

Recipe adapted from: Six Sisters Stuff

4 Russet Potatoes

2 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle the vegetable oil evenly onto a cookie sheet with sides.

Clean potatoes with water then pat dry with paper towels. Cut each potato into 8 wedges (Cut in half lengthwise, then quarters).

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large zip-lock baggie. Add 4 potato wedges at a time into the mixture and shake to coat well. Place coated potato wedges onto the cookie sheet, spreading out evenly. Repeat with all of the wedges.

Bake for 20 minutes, then flip potatoes and bake for another 20 minutes. (Total bake time is 40 minutes) Remove from oven and serve them while their still hot!

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Weekend Potluck

Chocolate Swirl Cake

2012-01-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

Hello my name is Holly and I'm addicted to chocolate. Phew. Okay, now I feel better. I swear, as healthy as I'm trying to be lately, I just can't live without my chocolate. I started feeling better Sunday (after being sick) and came up with this little cake concoction that afternoon. It came out tasting amazing! I just whipped up a batter from a devils cake mix and then swirled in a cheesecake kind of mixture. I also threw in some white chocolate chips for a little extra something. Ohhh, man was it good. Try it. You wont regret it!

Chocolate Swirl Cake
Recipe by: Holly Lofthouse

1 box Devils Food Cake mix ( I use Duncan Hines)
(eggs, oil and water cake mix calls for)
1 (8 oz) package 1/3 less fat Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup White Chocolate chips
1 container Vanilla Frosting (or use homemade)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil and water together to make the cake batter according to it's package directions. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until creamy. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Pour tablespoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the batter in the baking pan. Once all the cream cheese mixture is on top, use a knife and make swirls throughout the cake. You should see swirls of brown and white all over in the batter.

Bake cake according to package directions on box. ( I baked mine for 32 minutes, but remember every oven is different) Let cake cool completely and then frost with frosting. Serve!
(Store cake in refrigerator)

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Weekend Potluck

Menu Plan Monday #7

2012-01-16T05:30:00.000-08:00

I have to be honest. I am so glad last week is over. My kids and I got that nasty flu bug, and it was pretty awful. So because of that, I didnt do a whole lot of cooking like I had planned. The thought of cooking or food made me feel even sicker... :(

I'm glad were all feeling better now so I'm looking forward to getting back on track with my exercising and cooking this week. I'm also excited because I will now be helping Kelsey with her Girl Scout troop. My neighbor and I are going to trade off being their co-leader every other week. We will start selling cookies soon, so it should be a lot of fun!

Monday

Chicken Pillows

veggie

Tuesday

Grilled Chicken Salads*

Wednesday

Red & White Pasta

light caesar salad

Thursday

Leftovers!

Friday

~Kitchen's Closed~

(take out!)

Saturday

Bajio Chicken Chile Salads

Sunday

Pepperoni Roll-Ups*

green salad

dessert:

Layered Ice Cream cake*

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

2012-01-12T18:18:00.000-08:00

If you happen to be looking for a dish to impress with, than look no further. This chicken was utterly divine. I ate it in 5.3 seconds. It was so good. It was also very simple to make. Double bonus. Instead of using whipping cream in the sauce like the recipe called for, I used half and half to make it a little less fattening. The results were superb. This chicken has tons of flavor, and it looks pretty too. Make this for your next dinner party. Everyone will love it and think your pretty cool.

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce
Recipe adapted from: Favorite Family Recipes

4 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to form 8 thin cutlets
1 cup milk
1 cup italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon pepper
pinch of salt
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS: Pour milk in a small bowl. Pour bread crumbs in a seperate small bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in the milk and then coat in bread crumbs.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter. Let the butter melt until it starts to sizzle, and then add the chicken (only cook 3 pieces at a time to ensure proper cooking)

Cook chicken atleast 5 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked. Place cooked chicken in a 9x13 baking pan and keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you cook the other pieces.

Once all chicken is cooked and in the oven to keep warm, add chicken broth to the skillet. Stir to loosen up the brown bits from the pan. Stir in half and half, basil, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Whisk in parmesan cheese.

Set chicken on individual plates and pour sauce on top. Serve immediately.

Raspberry Orange Rolls

2012-01-10T05:42:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about the weekend is Sunday morning breakfast. It's the only day of the week I cook breakfast. It's such a cozy time. The whole family's in their PJ's, being lazy and hangin' out. I love it. I usually make the typical bacon and eggs, or sometimes waffles. Last Sunday I decided to kick it up a notch.

I saw these Raspberry Orange rolls over at the Rhodes website. They seemed easy to make and totally delicious. Well, they were. We loved the combo of raspberry and orange. It was perfect. These would be great to serve for a holiday breakfast. You will get rave reviews!

Raspberry Orange Rolls

Recipe from: RhodesBread.com

8 frozen Rhodes Orange Rolls or use homemade ( if using the Rhodes brand, use the regular frozen Orange Rolls, NOT the 'Anytime' version)

1 cup Raspberry Pie filling ( I used Duncan Hines canned pie filling)

1 Tablespoon Orange Zest

1 Cream Cheese packet ( included with rolls)

DIRECTIONS: Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Place 8 frozen orange rolls inside.

In a small bowl mix together the raspberry pie filling and orange zest. Spread evenly over the frozen rolls.

Cover with a piece of plastic wrap that's been sprayed with cooking spray (so rolls wont stick when they rise) Let frozen rolls rise according to package directions.

Remove plastic wrap and bake rolls at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then drizzle with cream cheese frosting. Serve immediately.

Linked up at these parties:

Mix it Up Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Trick or Treat Tuesdays

Menu Plan Monday #6

2012-01-09T05:42:00.000-08:00

   How is everyones new year so far? Hopefully awesome. Have you been sticking to the 'goals' you made? I am very proud to say that I have. I've been working out and watching my diet. I've lost 2.5 pounds so far! Cool huh :)

   Having a food blog and loving to cook makes the 'dieting' aspect kind of hard, but I honestly can say that I like the challenge. What has worked for me in the past, and what Im doing now, is major portion control. When I make something that isnt necessarily 'healthy', I will only take a few bites, and then eat a big salad or veggie with it. It makes me feel like I'm not depriving myself.

   Okay, so on with the show. I'm really looking forward to this weeks menu. I'll be cooking a ton. There will be some healthy meals, and not so healthy ones. Here's what they are..

Monday

Turkey Burgers*

baked fries*

Tuesday

Oriental Chicken Salad

Wednesday

Baked Southwest Egg Rolls

Thursday

Pizza Balls (veggie version)

green salad

Friday

~Kitchen's Closed~

(momma needs a break)

Saturday

Shepherd's Baked Potatoes

Sunday

Leftovers!

*dessert*

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Chicken Fajitas

2012-01-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

These fajitas are the best! They are a copycat version of Chili's fajitas. I LOVE theirs and order them all the time when we go there. The marinade you soak the chicken in is what makes these amazing. The flavors are mild, yet wonderful. There's a slight smokiness from the liquid smoke you add, and I believe its the secret winning ingredient. Whoever came up with this recipe had to of worked at Chili's because they really did nail it on the head.

Chicken Fajitas
Recipe from: Mels Kitchen Cafe

Marinade:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (3 limes)
1/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon liquid smoke ( dont skip this!)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Fajitas:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts ( about 3 large chicken breasts)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice ( a quick squeeze of a cut lime)
dash salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS: Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Place chicken in the bowl and turn a few times to coat with marinade. Cover bowl with saran wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.

After marinading, take chicken out of the bowl and discard marinade. Grill chicken for atleast 5 minutes per side or until thoroughly cooked. ( if you have fat pieces of chicken you may want to cut them in half lengthwise to ensure they cook evenly and thoroughly) Remove from pan or grill and place chicken on a plate. Tent with foil to keep warm.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion and peppers. Stir fry until softened but still slightly crisp. Add soy sauce, water, lime juice and salt and pepper. Stir and continue to cook another 3-5 minutes. Slice chicken thinly and toss with the peppers and onion mixture. Serve immediately with flour tortillas, salsa, lettuce, tomato or whatever your heart desires!

Bruschetta Chicken

2012-01-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

I'm sure there are many of you out there like myself trying to lose a few pounds gained over the holidays. Am I right? I definitely indulged a little too much, but it was worth it. I'd actually like to lose a little more than I gained, so Im on a mission to get fit. I started the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred challenge yesterday, and I'm so sore I can barely lift my arms or walk normal : /

Of course with working out, healthy eating has to coincide. I've been searching for some healthy dinner ideas for my family so when I found this chicken it sounded right up our alley. I love bruschetta but never had it over grilled chicken. The results were stellar. This was a great way to change up some boring pieces of chicken.

Bruschetta Chicken
Recipe adapted from: Picky Palate
Makes 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
Kosher Salt
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 thin slices fresh Mozzarella

2 Vine-Ripened Tomatoes. seeded and diced
4 fresh Basil Leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced into chiffonade
2 cloves Garlic, minced
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

DIRECTIONS: Preheat grill pan or skillet to medium heat on stovetop. Spray with cooking spray.

To make Bruschetta topping: In a mediium bowl combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and balsamic. Toss gently together. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

For grilled chicken: Combine balsamic and olive oil in a bowl. Season both sides of chicken with pinches of salt and place on grill. Brush top sides with balsamic mixture. Cook for 4-5 minutes and then flip chicken. Brush other side with balsamic and cook another 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. Place one piece of fresh mozzarella on each chicken breast and continue to cook until slightly melted.

Remove chicken from pan, and place on individual plates. Top each with desired amount of bruschetta topping. Serve immediately.

Linked up at: Mix It Up Monday , Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Menu Plan Monday #5

2012-01-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

The new year is here and I can hardly believe it. I have a few goals I want to accomplish this year. I'm calling them 'goals' and not 'resolutions'. I think the name change will help my own weird head to keep on track and stick with them. Along with eating better, getting organized, and spending more quality time as a family, the main one (and most exciting) is to buy a new home! We're planning to buy in March, but we're going to start house hunting now. We have definitely out grown the house we're in, and also want to move closer to town. I can't even tell you how excited we are! Yay!! Okay enough about that, let's bring on with the grub. Here is week #5!

Monday

Bruschetta Chicken*

green salad

Tuesday

BBQ Chicken Salad

Wednesday

Southwest Lasagna

corn

garlic bread

Thursday

Leftovers!

Friday

~Kitchen's Closed~

(date night!)

Saturday

~Kitchen's Closed~

(out to eat with the fam)

Sunday

Mozzarella, Tomato and Pesto

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches*

green salad

Shepherd's Baked Potatoes

2011-12-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

This is my new favorite dinner. It was so good! I love a healthy meal that doesnt taste healthy. You know what I mean? This is pure comfort food without the fat ( if you minus the cheese). This dish is a new twist on the usual Shepherds's Pie casserole. You dont need to fuss over making a batch of mashed potatoes. All you do is bake some potatoes for an hour and in the meantime make this simple meat sauce on your stovetop. It is really easy to do, and when it's done you will have one fabulous meal!

Shepherd's Baked Potatoes

Recipe adapted from: Lovely Little Snippets

6 medium Russet Potatoes

2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

1 pound Lean Ground Beef

1 (10 3/4 oz) can Tomato Soup

1 (8 oz) can Tomato Sauce

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

2 teaspoons Onion flakes

1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder

1/4 cup Milk

1 cup cut Green Beans ( from a frozen bag or can )

1 cup Corn ( from a frozen bag or can)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes with water. Dry with paper towels. Drizzle potatoes with vegetable oil and then sprinkle evenly with kosher salt. Poke a couple holes at the tops of potatoes with a fork and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until fork tender.

When potatoes have about 20 minutes left to bake, start on sauce.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain any grease. Pour in tomato sauce and soup and then sprinkle in garlic powder, onion flakes and chili powder. Stir well. Pour in milk, green beans and corn. Continue to stir and cook until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until potatoes are ready.

Once potatoes are finished baking, carefully remove from oven and let rest a couple minutes. Cut a slit on top of each potato and then squeeze sides to open. Top each with desired amount of meat sauce. You can also add shredded cheese, sour cream and chives, but if your watching calories and fat then dont! :) Enjoy!