Life as a Lofthouse (Food Blog)

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

2013-06-17T08:19:00.000-06:00

I've added a new recipe to my beloved Mexican food favorites and these lovely Chicken Tacos are it! They are so good and only require 4 ingredients. 5 if you use the black beans, which I highly recommend, and that's including the chicken. It really doesn't get any easier than this, my friends.

I have two other 'Mexican' chicken recipes already on the blog, that are made in the crock pot. Like this Cafe Rio Chicken and Bajio Chicken. We love them both and make them all the time, especially when we have guests over, because they make a lot and are so yummy!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

4-5 boneless skinless, chicken breasts
1 (16 ounce) jar of Salsa
1 (1 ounce) packet of Taco Seasoning
1 (15 ounce) can Black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
the juice of 1 Lime

Directions: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot. Pour the salsa over the top of the chicken and then sprinkle with the taco seasoning. Squeeze the lime juice all over the seasoning. Stir mixture together, making sure to cover all of the chicken. Cover with lid. Cook on Low heat for 5-6 hours. Shred chicken before serving.

Serve shredded chicken inside warmed flour or corn tortillas, then top with all your favorite taco toppings.

Enjoy ♥

Mexican "Fried" Ice Cream Dessert

2013-06-12T10:16:00.000-06:00

Summer has officially begun in my book. We were soaring high in 106 degree temperatures over the weekend, so I thought I was going to die of heat stroke.... or sweat to death. Looks like we'll be spending a lot more time at the lake this year :)

With all the heat, I thought an ice cream treat was in order. Luckily, I had all the ingredients to make this amazing Fried Ice Cream Dessert. It mimicks the regular deep-fried ice cream that is served at Mexican restaurants. It is one of my favorite desserts ever!

There's no deep-frying involved with this version, just a quick pan-fry to make the amazing crust that coats a dreamy, cinnamon ice cream combo! Gah! SO. GOOD! Serve it with drizzles of chocolate syrup and caramel sauce, and you'll be transported to heaven ;)

Mexican "Fried" Ice Cream Dessert

3 cups crushed Corn Flakes cereal
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 (1.75 quart) container Vanilla ice cream
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
Chocolate syrup
Caramel sauce

Directions: Take the vanilla ice cream out of your freezer and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or so, to soften.

Melt butter in a medium skillet, over medium heat. Add the crushed corn flakes and sugar. Stir to combine. Fry mixture for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until cereal is golden-brown. *Be careful not to burn. It may take less than 5 minutes*

Take a 9x13 baking dish and spread 1/3 of the corn flakes mixture into the bottom of pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the softened vanilla ice cream and cool whip. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Using a spatula, stir and mix well to combine. Spread ice cream mixture over the top of the corn flake mixture in the bottom of the pan.

Spread the remaining corn flake mixture evenly over the ice cream. Drizzle the honey over the top. Cover pan, and place in freezer. Freeze ice cream for at least 5 hours, or overnight.

Cut into squares and serve with drizzles of chocolate syrup and caramel sauce (and if you're feelin' frisky add some whipped cream and a cherry on top) Enjoy! ♥

Serves 12

Adapted from: The Imperfect Housewife

Menu Plan Monday #32

2013-06-10T08:44:00.003-06:00

My husband and I have decided to sell our home (we just bought last Summer) and build a new one. We just haven't been happy with the size of home we bought. We love everything about it, except that it's just too small for our family. We need a lot more room, and Momma needs a bigger kitchen :) I am really excited to get it all started!

Okay, so back to the Menu Plan. I have kind of gotten into a cooking rut. Seriously. Even with all my cookbooks, stacks of printed recipes AND food pins on Pinterest, I just haven't felt like cooking lately. Not sure what it is, but I need to snap out of it. My husband and kids are getting sick of PB&J's and Mac and Cheese for dinner....

Here's my plan to get back in the kitchen this week:

Monday

Taco Cupcakes

beans, rice

Tuesday

Stuffing-Topped Pork Chops

green beans

Wednesday

Ham & Cheese Sliders

baked chips

fruit

Thursday

~easy night~

(Sandwiches, leftovers)

Friday

~Kitchen's Closed~

Celebrating my Mom's birthday!

Saturday

Spicy Honey Chicken

Strawberry side salads with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Sunday

Happy Father's Day ♥

Making my Hubby's favorite sandwich...

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Funfetti Cheesecake Cookies

2013-06-07T07:49:00.006-06:00

My hubby and I just got back from a much needed mini vacation. We hit up Las Vegas with some of our closest friends. We had a great time eating at delicious restaurants, swimming at the pool and partying it up! It was nice to have some time without the kids, even though we missed and talked about them the whole time :/

Speaking of kids, I don't know one that isn't mesmerized by sprinkles! Colorful, yummy, awesome sprinkles! Last weekend, before our trip, I surprised my kiddo's with some FUNFETTI Cheesecake Cookies for dessert. These cookies are soft, chewy and sprinkle-packed, with a hint of cheesecake flavor. So good!

I whipped up a batch for them while they were playing outside, having their water war in our front yard. They were super happy to come inside to some freshly made cookies. Actually, I don't think I could've got them to come inside if it wasn't for the cookies...

FUNFETTI Cheesecake Cookies

1 (15 ounce) box Funfetti Cake mix
1 small (3.4 ounce) Instant Cheesecake Pudding mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon sprinkles
3/4 cup white chocolate chips, divided

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment or wax paper.

In a large bowl, add the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir until combined and dough forms. Stir in the 1 Tablespoon sprinkles and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Use the remaining white chocolate chips to press into the tops of each cookie. About 3-4 chips per cookie.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. The centers will still be very soft. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 20 cookies.

Recipe adapted from: Kitchen Meets Girl

Twice Baked Potatoes

2013-06-03T08:27:00.002-06:00

We have now reached 100 degrees where I live, and with all honesty, I am lovin' it! I have been looking forward to Summer and it's finally here! We have already been spending a lot of time outside, enjoying the hot weather. We went to the lake with our friends last weekend, and then yesterday the kids spent most of the day having a water fight in our front yard. Good times!

I am excited for the Summer barbecues to start, so I can make these yummy Twice Baked Potatoes again. I love these things. They are so good, and really go perfect with any kind of meat you'll be grilling up. I'm sure most of you already know how to make these, they are ridiculously easy, but also ridiculously delicious, so I had to share the way I make them!

Twice Baked Potatoes

8 medium baking potatoes
1 cup butter (2 sticks) butter
1 cup sour cream
4-5 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 sliced green onion (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions: Clean potatoes with water, then pat dry with paper towels. Poke a few holes in the potatoes with a fork. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet and Bake at 400 degrees F. for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, add the cup of butter, sour cream and about 1/2 cup of the chopped bacon. Stir mixture to combine. Set aside.

Carefully cut potatoes in half lengthwise. (Use a dish towel while handling the hot potatoes, so you dont burn your hands!) After potatoes are cut in half, using a large spoon, scrape out the insides and place into the bowl of the butter/bacon mixture. Keep scraping the potatoes as close as you can to the shell. You want to get most of the insides out, but still want enough left in the shell to support it.

Take a potato masher and smash all of the potatoes into the butter mixture. You can smash them as much or as little as you want, depending on how lumpy or smooth you like the filling. Once combined, take 1 cup of the cheese and the sliced green onion and stir it into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the cut potato halves back onto the cookie sheet. Fill the empty shells with the potato mixture. Filling them so they have plenty of filling. (You may have one or two shells that don't get filled, so the others have plenty of filling) Once filled, sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheddar cheese and chopped bacon. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are warmed through.

Homemade Corn Dogs

2013-05-30T07:47:00.000-06:00

There is a litte town about 20 minutes from where I live called Veyo. They have a popular pool there that is nestled and surrounded by trees and rocks. I have so many fun memories playing and swimming there as a kid. We would catch crawdads that crawl around outside the pool, play at the arcade and have a blast swimming. They also serve amazing food! They are known for their to-die-for corn dogs!

I crave their corn dogs every now and then, so I decided it was time to try making some at home. They turned out unbelievably delicious! I don't own a deep fryer, so I just used a medium pot to deep-fry the corn dogs in. Although it seems a little intimidating, they were really easy to make.

My kids loved them and my Hubby inhaled three! I ate one, but dreamed about eating five...

I will be making these again soon, without a doubt.

Homemade Corn Dogs
Makes 10 Corn Dogs

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (regular milk works too)
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon honey
1 (10 count) package Hot Dogs
10 wooden skewers or chopsticks

2 Quarts Vegetable Oil, for frying

Directions: In a medium or large pot, add the oil. Turn heat to medium and heat oil to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir together. Then add the beaten egg, buttermilk, oil and honey. Stir until combined. (Batter should be a little thicker than pancake batter)

Remove hot dogs from package. Wipe them all dry with a paper towel (this will help the batter stick to them better) Insert one skewer or wooden stick into each hot dog.

Pour the batter into a tall drinking glass. Holding by the skewer, take one hot dog and dunk it into the batter, coating all of the hot dog. Slowly remove from batter and let a little excess batter drip back into the cup. Immediately place it into the hot oil, while still holding the stick. Turn as necessary to brown all sides. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until all sides are a deep golden brown. Remove from hot oil and place on paper towels to drain grease. Repeat with all hot dogs.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcake Cake

2013-05-28T19:35:00.003-06:00

My oldest daughter, Kelsey, turned the big 10 last week, and my brain is still trying to process it. It's hard to believe the tiny 2-year old I fell in-love with, when I met my hubby, is 10! The years have flown by raising her. She is the funnest, sweetest girl, and she has truly been a blessing in my life.

I decided to surprise her again this year with a cupcake cake. Have you seen all the amazing cupcake cakes that are out there? I totally love them! Not only because they're so cute and fun ( and way easier to make than the Neapolitan Cake I made her last year) but because the clean-up after serving cupcakes for cake, is a breeze! ha! I stalked Google and Pinterest and found so many cute ideas. I decided to go with this darling Ice Cream Cone version.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcake Cake

10 chocolate cupcakes, frosted with chocolate frosting
9 vanilla cupcakes, frosted with cherry frosting (or some type of pink frosting)
1 vanilla cupcake, frosted with red-tinted cherry frosting
1 green gummy straw (for the cherry 'stem')
jelly beans
1 large cake board

Place the 10 chocolate cupcakes onto the cake board. Form them into an upside down triangle, to form the 'cone'. Take the 9 pink frosted cupcakes and place them above the chocolate cupcakes to form the 'ice cream'. Top each pink cupcake with 3-4 jelly beans. Place the red frosted cupcake at the top, to act as the 'cherry'. Cut one green gummy straw in half, and then place it into the red cupcake, to form the 'cherry stem'.

Summer Grillin' Giveaway!

2013-05-27T08:04:00.001-06:00

Step 1: Pin the image above.

Step 2: Follow all the bloggers listed below on Pinterest.

Step 3: Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. For additional entries, follow some awesome new blogs on Facebook! The rafflecopter may take a second to load.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Frosting

2013-05-22T07:17:00.000-06:00

I haven't been cooking or baking as much as I'd like to. My job can get so stressful and busy sometimes, that by the time I get home, all I want to do is lay on the couch and kick my feet up. That means PB&J's or Ramen for dinner.

Last weekend my kiddo's had a sleepover at their Grandma's house, so I had some time on my hands to get baking. I was a happy girl. Being in my kitchen baking, and not having 3 kids around (to ask me for a snack, or drink, or if they can help) was a little piece of heaven. It doesn't happen that often, so I took full advantage.

I whipped up these AMAZING Cookies and Cream Cupcakes, and topped them off with creamy, dreamy Milk Chocolate Frosting. When the kids got home later that day, I let them each have one, and of course the Hubs too, and then took the rest of them to work on Monday. They got rave reviews. Everyone loved them!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
with Milk Chocolate Frosting

Cupcakes:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups milk ( I used 2%)
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chopped Oreo cookies ( about 20 Oreo cookies)

Milk Chocolate Frosting:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons heavy cream

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 3 standard-size muffin tins with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large, microwavable bowl, add the 2 sticks of butter. Melt butter in the microwave (about 1 minute or so) Then, stir in sugar until combined. Add egg whites, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Beat on medium speed, with a hand mixer, until combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture, mix on low speed until no lumps remain. Fold in the crushed oreo cookies. Batter will be thick.

Divide batter evenly into the cupcake liners, only filling liners 2/3 full of batter.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

For Frosting: Cream the butter in a stand mixer, on medium speed for 3 minutes. You want it very creamy. Then on low speed, slowly add in powdered sugar, cocoa and salt. Mix until they are absorbed into the butter. Then add in vanilla and heavy cream. Beat frosting for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until very creamy and combined. Spread frosting on the cooled cupcakes, topping with extra oreo crumbs, if desired.

Recipe makes 36 cupcakes.

Recipe slightly adapted from: Sally's Baking Addiction

Menu Plan Monday #31

2013-05-20T09:41:00.000-06:00

How was everyone's weekend? Ours was nice and relaxing. The kiddo's had a sleepover at Grandma's house, so we got to have dinner out and enjoyed some movies at home. It was great! On Sunday I baked up some cupcakes to take to my co-workers. Not only because I love them, but because I can't keep sweets at my house very long, or I will eat them all. I have no will-power.

Here's what I'm up to in my kitchen this week....

Monday

Taco Casserole

Tuesday

Leftovers!

Wednesday

Cheesy Ranch Chicken Pasta

Thursday

Baked Sweet n' Sour Chicken

and Homemade Fried Rice

Friday

Leftovers!

Saturday & Sunday

~Kitchen's Closed~

Wishing everyone a safe

Memorial weekend!

Garlic Cheese Bread

2013-05-13T21:18:00.001-06:00

I can't think of a better thing to accompany a delicious Italian meal than this cheesy, buttery garlic bread. Words cannot describe how amazingly scrumptious this bread is, so please just do yourself a favor and make it. Now!

It is sinful, but so worth it. It's topped with 3 different cheeses, low-fat mayo (gasp! I know) butter, garlic and chopped green onion. I think the green onion is what makes it amazing. This bread can really be a meal all in itself. Sometimes, I'll just serve it with a side salad and some marinara sauce on the side for dipping. It is so filling and so good.

Garlic Cheese Bread

1 loaf French Bread
1 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup low-fat Mayonnaise
4 green onions, chopped

Directions: In a medium bowl, mix together the cheeses, mayonnaise and chopped green onion. Cover and keep in fridge until ready to use.

Cut loaf of French bread in half lengthwise, then in half again. Making 4 equal pieces. Working with 1/4 a loaf at a time, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Then add 1 clove of minced garlic. Place 1 of the sections of bread, face down, into the skillet. Swirl bread around to soak up the butter and garlic, and allow bread to toast very slightly. Remove bread and place on a baking sheet, face up. Repeat process with remaining butter, garlic and bread.

Spread cheese mixture evenly onto each section of bread. Bake in a 425 degree oven until cheese is melted and bubbly. About 10 minutes. Slice and serve! ♥

Recipe adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (no machine required)

2013-05-13T18:31:00.000-06:00

   One Summer when I was maybe 10 or 11, my step-mom made us homemade vanilla ice cream. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world that we were making our own ice cream at home! I was so excited to watch her put all the ingredients in the ice cream machine, and watch it stir into sweet goodness. Waiting for it to be done was pure torture. When we finally got to try it, I remember it being the most delicious ice cream I had ever tasted.

  I still don't own an ice cream machine, but I've always craved that delicious homemade treat. I was browsing through a few blogs the other day and was SO excited to find you can easily make it at home, without a machine! This Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream recipe particularly caught my eye, over at Something Swanky.

  It's packed with strawberry swirls and chunks, along with golden oreo cookie bits and cream cheese heaven. It was amazing homemade ice cream, to say the least, and was so extremely easy to make. I'm excited to play around more with these easy ice cream recipes. The options are endless!

Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) tub Cool Whip
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 Golden Oreo cookies (about half the package)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (21 ounce) can Strawberry Pie filling ( I used Duncan Hines)

Directions: In a large bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk, cool whip, cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, lemon juice and vanilla extract. With a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth. Set aside.

In a food processor (or you can use a large ziplock bag and rolling pin) add the Golden Oreos and 1/4 cup butter. Combine and crush together until crumbly.

Dump the oreo crumbs into the center of the batter, then pour the can of Strawberry pie filling over the oreo crumbs. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the filling and crumbs into the ice cream batter. *Only fold 2 or 3 times. You want swirls in the ice cream, so don't over mix. Pour mixture into a standard loaf pan and cover tightly with saran wrap.

Freeze atleast 6 hours or overnight. Then serve and enjoy! ♥

Ham, Egg & Cheese Crescent Rolls

2013-05-09T10:16:00.004-06:00

I love making breakfast, but with our busy schedules, I don't get to make it as often as I'd like. It's impossible on the weekdays, so I usually try to on the weekends. I typically make us pancakes, or waffles a long with scrambled eggs and turkey bacon.

A few weekends ago I decided to change it up a bit, and tried these stuffed crescent rolls. The kiddo's gobbled them up! They were SO awesome. I thought about different varieties that would be great. Not a ham fan? Add some crumbled sausage, or turkey-sausage (love that stuff!) or try a different cheese to go inside. Swiss with the ham, or mozzarella with the sausage! I'm excited to experiment, and I'll be sure to report back here when I do!

Ham, Egg and Cheese Crescent Rolls
Makes 16 rolls

2 (8 ounce) tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
16 thin slices honey ham
4 large eggs, scrambled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the crescent dough from the tubes. Separate at perforations and place crescent triangles onto large cookie sheets. 8 per cookie sheet.

Roll up each slice of ham and place one piece onto the wide end of the crescent. Top ham with a little bit of scrambled egg and 2 Tablespoons of shredded cheese. Starting at the wide end, carefully roll up each crescent towards the point.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve and enjoy! ♥

Brownie Mix Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

2013-05-07T07:15:00.000-06:00

I have totally fallen in-love with these cookies. Honestly, I would eat a brownie over a piece of cake, any day. I think it's a texture thing. I can't think of a more amazing dessert than a chewy, dense and chocolatey brownie. So needless to say, these cookies were heaven to me.

I love how simple they are to make, and the flavor is to-die-for. I topped them off with some cream cheese frosting and it shot them right up to the next level! They were so soft and so totally delicious.

Now excuse me, while I go make another batch...

Brownie Mix Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (18.3 ounce) Fudge Brownie mix ( I used Betty Crocker)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted then cooled
1-2 Tablespoons water

Directions: Whisk together the brownie mix and flour in a large bowl. Stir in the eggs until combined, then butter and water. Batter will be thick. Cover and refrigerate one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool cookies cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

5 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 Tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions: Cream together the cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer on medium speed. Add in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat until soft and creamy. Spread frosting on cooled cookies.

Pizzadillas

2013-05-01T07:21:00.001-06:00

   I'm just now realizing that Cinco de Mayo is this weekend and I haven't posted anything for the celebration. I guess these Pizzadillas (aka. Pizza Quesadillas) are kind of close to Cinco de Mayo food... they are quesadillas! ha

   With Summer approaching (yay!) and the desire to not want to turn the oven on, these yummy quesadillas will probably be eaten a lot at my house. They only take a minute to prepare, pretty healthy if you ask me, and delish. Obviously, they are so versatile. You can stuff these with anything you'd like. We went veggie-style this time around and loved them!

Pizzadillas

8 large Whole wheat tortillas (or use flour tortillas)
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 bag Turkey pepperoni slices
1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 small can sliced olives, drained and rinsed
1/2 a red onion, sliced thin
Pizza sauce, for dipping

Directions: Heat a non-stick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Take one tortilla and sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on one side. Top with desired toppings. Sprinkle a little more cheese over toppings. Fold over other half of tortilla to cover toppings. Carefully place on heated griddle. Cook tortilla on each side for about a minute, or until cheese is melted. Transfer pizzadilla to a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas and toppings.

Slice pizzadillas and serve with pizza sauce. Enjoy♥

Menu Plan Monday #30

2013-04-29T10:44:00.001-06:00

My family and I had an amazing weekend up in Salt Lake City. My husband went to the Supercross, while I got to hang with my sister-in-law. We had a ball! I think I would move up to Salt Lake if it wasn't for the crazy snow they get in the winter.

I'm putting some delish grub on this week's menu. I'm making one of my all-time favorite salads and also getting my crock pot to help me out, while I start off a busy Monday at work. Hope you all have a great week!

Monday

Crock Pot Creamy Italian Chicken

green salad

Tuesday

~Leftovers~

Wednesday

BBQ Chicken Salad

Thursday

~easy night~

sandwiches, baked chips, fruit

Friday

Broccoli & Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes

grilled steaks

salad

Saturday

~Kitchen's Closed~

Momma gets a night off :)

Sunday

Taco Pizza

caesar salads

Menu Plan Monday #29

2013-04-22T10:05:00.001-06:00

Another fun weekend has come and gone. We had gorgeous, sunny weather here in Southern Utah, so we spent a lot of the weekend outside enjoying it. I also had the chance to get some cooking done, so I have some awesome recipes to share this week!

As for our dinner Menu, I'm making some recipes we haven't had in awhile. It's nice to change things up. I'm definitely looking forward to all of them! Here's what they are...

Monday

Chicken Pillows

garden salads

veggie

Tuesday

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

Wednesday

~Leftovers~

Thursday

* Lemon Pepper Chicken

rice & veggies

Friday

Easy Beef Stroganoff

corn

Saturday & Sunday

*Kitchen's Closed all weekend! (yay)

Going on a family trip :)

Hope everyone has a great week!

Grilled Chicken Stuffed Burritos and Creamy Cilantro-Ranch dressing

2013-04-19T07:25:00.001-06:00

Yes, I am giving you another Mexican recipe. I am in-love, obsessed, and will never get enough of my beloved Mexican food. So expect more of it. Okay. Thanks. Bye. ;)

I took a walk on the healthier side with these burritos, and they turned out phenomenal! I grilled up some chicken with a little bit of seasonings, and made our favorite mexican rice to stuff inside as well. I also added refried beans, chopped tomato and lettuce and wrapped it all inside a whole wheat tortilla.

Talk about amazeballs! They were sooo good.

There happened to still be some Creamy Cilantro-Ranch dressing in my fridge, I had made a few days before, so we decided to dip our burritos in it. It topped them off to perfection. Seriously, I can't wait to make these again!

Grilled Chicken Stuffed Burritos
Recipe by: Holly Lofthouse
Makes 6 Burritos

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 Tablespoon McCormick's Roasted garlic & Bell pepper seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups prepared Mexican rice
1 can refried beans
1 tomato, chopped
1 head Romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
low fat sour cream
salsa
6 large whole-wheat tortillas
Creamy Cilantro dressing (recipe below)

Directions: Heat a large non-stick grill pan (or skillet), over medium heat. Add bite-size chicken pieces to pan and drizzle with the 2 teaspoons olive oil. Season chicken with garlic & bell pepper seasoning, salt and pepper.

Cook and stir chicken for 10-12 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Meanwhile, cook the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium heat until heated.

On a microwave-safe plate, heat the tortillas until they're warm. Take one tortilla and spread 1/2 cup of beans into the center. Top with some grilled chicken and 1/3 cup mexican rice. Add desired amounts of tomato, lettuce and cheese. Roll up burrito-style, then serve with sour cream, salsa and dressing.

Creamy Cilantro-Ranch dressing

1 (1 ounce) package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup light Mayo
3/4 cup green salsa
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions: Pour all of the ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour dressing into a container and seal. Store in fridge at least 2 hours to let flavors meld, before serving. Dressing stays good in fridge up to 1 week.

My baby is 3!

2013-04-16T09:16:00.000-06:00

My baby turned 3 last Saturday, and I'm still crying about it :*( He is growing up too fast! I wish I could push pause and take in all the special moments. One of the most recent, and favorite of mine, was when I was driving him to daycare last week. I could see him looking at me in the rear view mirror when he said, "You so pwetty, Mommy."

Gah! Talk about melting a Momma's heart ♥ :)

Kallen is our last baby. A few months after he was born we decided three kids was plenty for us, so it's bittersweet as he grows older. It also validates why I go all out for his birthdays. We celebrated with a big bash and invited all of his favorite people. It turned out so fun! I thought I'd share a few pics of the big day.

The Birthday boy!

He specifically requested a 'Cars' cake.
This was my attempt...

Some 'Traffic Light'

treats for the partay!

We served sandwiches and lot's of

yummy food to the party guests!

Present time!

After about 2 hours of partying,

he was done.

Seriously, done.

Ummm, wait. Maybe I'll just enjoy one more

bite of cake with the boys...

And one more cruise on my new ride.

Happy Birthday, Kallen ♥

Heavenly Oreo Dessert

2013-04-11T09:20:00.000-06:00

My brother-in-law went to the emergency room last Saturday with major side pain. It ended up being his appendix, so they took him in to surgery to remove it. He did so well in surgery they let him go home that night, so that was good. It feels like my family has been living at the hospital, lately. With my Dad in and out of the hospital over the last 4 months, it's like a second home to all of us...: /

On Sunday I decided to make their family a 'Get Well Treat.' I pulled out my gigantic pile of recipes and saw this amazing Heavenly Oreo Dessert from my friend Mandy's blog. The recipe makes a 9x13 pan, but I decided to make 2- 8x8's, so I could take one to Lin and Michael, and have one for my family.

The name describes this dessert perfectly. It is heavenly... and dangerous. For your thighs, that is. It's one of those desserts where it's not too rich, so you can just eat and eat and eat and eat and eat it......

So don't say I didn't warn you.

Heavenly Oreo Dessert

1 (15.35 ounce) package Double-Stuffed Oreo cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 packages (3.9 ounce, each) Instant Chocolate pudding mix
3 1/4 cups cold milk
2 (8 ounce) containers Cool Whip
1 (8 ounce) block Cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions: Take a large zip-lock bag and place all the Oreo cookies inside. Seal bag shut and place on counter. Using a rolling pin, crush the cookies until they are small chunks/crumbs. You want them to still be chunky and small, but not fine crumbs.

Set aside half of the cookie crumbs for the topping. Pour the other half of cookie crumbs into a 9x13 baking pan. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and mix well to combine. Once combined, press into the pan to form a crust.

In a bowl, whisk together the 2 pudding mixes and milk. Cover and place in fridge to set.

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Fold in one container of Cool Whip. Spread mixture over the cookie crust. Next, take chocolate pudding and spread over the cream cheese mixture. Spread the other container of Cool Whip over the chocolate pudding layer. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cookie crumbs. Cover and chill in fridge at least 2 hours before serving.
Enjoy ♥

Recipe source: Mandy's Recipe Box

Oven Baked Chili Cheese Dogs

2013-04-09T11:05:00.000-06:00

Summer is almost here and I CAN'T WAIT! Barbecues, swimming and camping are in the near future and I'm beyond excited! This recipe for Oven Baked Chili Dogs would be a great idea for a summer potluck. They are a sinfully delicious alternative to regular hot dogs.

They type of chili you use is totally up to you! Feel free to use canned if you don't have a lot of time, but I would suggest homemade to take these babies to the next level. I personally love a certain brand of chili called 'Bear Creek Darn Good Chili'. If you can find it in your grocery store I suggest you try it. It is amazing chili! Especially on these hot dogs, drenched in cheese and onion. *droooool*

Oven Baked Chili Cheese Dogs

8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
2 cups prepared chili
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 red onion, chopped
mustard, ketchup, relish

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with tin-foil (for easy clean-up). Place hot dog buns inside. (I only fit 7, but if you squeeze them together all 8 should fit)

Squeeze desired amounts of mustard, ketchup and relish into the inside bottom of each bun. Then put a hot dog inside each bun, over the sauces. Ladle 1/3 cup of chili onto each hot dog, and then sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and onion. Cover pan with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes and then carefully remove foil. Use a spatula to help remove hot dogs from pan.

Enjoy ♥

S'mores Cookie Bars

2013-04-05T09:58:00.004-06:00

In Utah, where I live, we are lucky enough to live by 2 gorgeous State Parks. Zions National park and also Bryce Canyon. Some of the best memories from my childhood were going to family reunions at Bryce Canyon. Camping, exploring and playing with my cousins was an absolute blast. I miss those innocent, fun-filled days so much.

When my Hubby and I were reminiscing about our childhood memories, camping stood out to both of us. We decided it would be so fun to take our kiddos on a Summer Camping adventure this year! I cannot wait. I know the kids will be in seventh heaven and it will make for some great memories.

One of my favorite parts of camping is the food! (of course) Dutch oven, hot dogs and S'mores are always the best! Since I've been planning our camping trip I started craving some S'mores big time. I decided to try these AMAZING S'mores Cookie Bars. Holy moly. They were so good.

S'mores Cookie Bars

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham crack crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Hershey's milk chocolate candy bars
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/ fluff (not marshmallows)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until combined and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the butter mixture. On low speed, mix until just combined.

Divide dough in half and press one half of dough into the bottom of the pan evenly. Place the 4 chocolate bars over the top of dough, in a single layer. You may have to break some of them into pieces so they fit into the pan. Spread the marshmallow creme/ fluff over the chocolate.

With remaining half of dough, place it onto a sheet of wax paper. Cover dough with another sheet of wax paper and using a rolling pin, roll out dough into the shape of the 8-inch square. Place dough on top of the marshmallow creme. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Enjoy! ♥

Recipe from: Lovin' from the Oven

Chicken Ranch Tacos

2013-04-02T14:18:00.001-06:00

I have been missing in action with this little food blog of mine. So many things (good and bad) have made my life extremely busy lately, so it's been hard to post recipes. I have a lot just waiting to be blogged. The only reason I am able to post these delicious Chicken Ranch Tacos is because my little Kallen is sick with another cold, so I'm home from work today...

These delicious Ranch Tacos are my new fave. I know I always say that, but it's true. We absolutely loved them and I've already made them twice now. They are so flavorful and are a pleasant change from ordinary chicken tacos. We go through a lot of Ranch dressing at our house. My kid's love it and we use it with a lot of meals, so I knew these would be a hit!

Chicken Ranch Tacos

2 pounds Chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ( 1-ounce) package low-sodium Taco Seasoning mix
2/3 cup prepared Ranch dressing
10 hard taco shells
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
sour cream
salsa

Directions: Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink. 10-12 minutes.

Sprinkle taco seasoning over the chicken and stir ( do not add water). Continue to stir and cook chicken until it's coated in seasoning. Pour in the ranch dressing. Stir until combined and cook until mixture is thoroughly heated. Another 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat.

Spoon warm chicken into heated taco shells. Top with desired toppings and more ranch dressing, if desired. Enjoy! ♥

Serves 5 (2 Tacos per serving)

Easter Recipe Ideas

2013-03-27T07:55:00.001-06:00

I've gathered a bunch of tasty recipes that would be perfect to serve on Easter Sunday! From main course, to breads, sides and desserts, I've got you covered for Easter! If any of you enjoy Menu Planning as much as me, than you most likely already know what you'll be making. Just in case you haven't had the time to decide yet, take a look at the recipes below. They are all delicious and our family's favorites!

Main Course:

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Crock pot Maple Brown Sugar Ham

Spiral Stuffed Rolls

Crock pot Lemon Chicken

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Breads & Side Dishes:

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

World's BEST Dinner Rolls

Scalloped Potatoes

Strawberry Salad
(leave off the chicken and it makes for a perfect side salad)

Savory Roasted Potatoes

Desserts:

White Chocolate Marshmallow Cake Bars

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Carrot Cake with Almond-Scented Cream Cheese Frosting

Lemon Velvet Pie

Coconut Cream Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Loaded Rice Krispie Treats

Lemon Berry Bundt Cake

Loaded Rice Krispie Treats

2013-03-25T09:46:00.004-06:00

Easter Sunday is less than a week away! I can't believe it. Wasn't it just Christmas yesterday??

It feels like it. Time flies by way too fast these days...

I love Easter for many reasons, one of them is getting to spend time with my family. I'm hosting our Easter party at my house this year! I have a deeeelish menu I've planned. On Wednesday I'll be sharing it with you all and also some other yummy ideas for your Easter celebration.

These Marshmallow Rice Krispie treats are fun for Easter! They are loaded with mini marshmallows, plain M&M's and topped with sprinkles. The kiddo's will love them!

Loaded Rice Krispie Treats

4 Tablespoons butter

1 (10-ounce) bag marshmallows

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 cups rice krispie cereal

1 cup plain M&M's

1 cup mini marshmallows

Sprinkles

Directions: Grease a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside. In a large pot add the 4 Tablespoons of butter and melt over medium heat. Once butter is melted add in the 10-ounce bag of marshmallows. Stir constantly until marshmallows are completely melted. Stir in salt.

Remove pot from heat and fold in the 6 cups of rice krispie cereal until combined. Next, stir in the cup of M&M's and 1 cup mini marshmallows. Pour mixture into the greased baking pan. Using a greased spatula, gently press mixture into the pan. Top with sprinkles. Let rice krispie treats cool completely before cutting.