Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

Thai Chicken Pizza

2012-10-04T17:37:00.001-05:00

Have you ever tried California Pizza Kitchen's Thai chicken pizza? Well, it's delish. I get it every time I go. One day at work I was trying to figure out what to cook for dinner and I came upon this recipe. I used a rotisserie chicken and pre made pizza crust from Publix. I added the shredded carrots. It gives it a little bit of a crunch. It was whipped up in minutes and was fabulous! Try it out if you want something new!

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped chicken
1 ball pizza dough (can be found in the Publix bakery)
1/3 cup sweet Asian chili sauce (I used Thai Kitchen found at Publix)
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 green onion, sliced thin
1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup shredded carrots (or an Asian slaw)
1/4 cup peanuts, crushed
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out your crust on a pizza stone. Spread with the chili sauce. Top with chicken, peanuts, and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle cheese evenly across the chicken. Top with green onion, cilantro, and carrots/slaw. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is browned. Enjoy!

The Crocking and Canning of APPLE BUTTER!

2012-09-24T08:50:00.000-05:00

Apple butter - a jam made from cooked, spiced apples

Guys, this tutorial is going to make you want to pull out your crock pots to start making this. I literally licked the whole crockpot clean. It is so good! And so very simple with the crock pot. Here is what started this little adventure...

One day on facebook I saw a friend, who has a pear tree, had an excess of pears and was giving them away. Well I immediately offered to take some, not having any idea what I would do with them. As I thought about it more, I realized I could make pear butter, like apple butter but with pears. Moments later I realized what an awesome present that would be for the fourteen (yes, FOURTEEN) hostesses of a tea Ben and I are very blessed to have. All it took then was some pinterest research and the time it takes to peel and chop forty million pears. Seriously, that is the worst part. Unfortunately, it only made 11 jars and I needed 14, so I decided to make a batch of apple butter to finish up the jars. It was fantastic! More than delicious. So I decided to give a "how-to" on how to make some of this delicious spread for yourself. Or as gifts!

What you need:
1 medium sized crockpot
4 (1/2 pint) canning jars
1 large pot
1 (3 lb) bag of granny smith apples
1 1/2-2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

To start, peel your apples and chop them into fairly large chunks (This is the most time consuming. Just think, it's easy from here.) Put them in the crockpot. Top with 1 cup of the brown sugar, apple juice, and spices. Put the crockpot on low and enjoy the smell! When I made this I allowed it to cook overnight. I cooked it on low for 3 hours and then switched it to warm before I went to bed. Basically, it needs to cook for 6-8 hours on low. When the apples are very mushy and have darkened in color they are done! At this point you can taste the apple butter to see if you need more brown sugar or spices. I added another 1/2 cup brown sugar at this point. The next step is purely based on texture. If you want a very smooth apple butter, I would suggest pouring the mixture into a food processor and blending until smooth. If you want something a little chunkier, you can use a hand mixer in the actual crock pot. Once the apple butter is at the consistency you would like scoop it into the jars. Make sure you leave about 1/2 inch from the top rim. Wipe off any apple butter that is on the rim. Place on the lid and screw the rim on. Do not screw the rim on too tightly! Air has to escape in the canning process. Next take your big pot (see mine below), add 4 inches of water, and put on the stove to boil.

When the water is boiling, place cans gently in the pot, cover with the lid, and set your timer to 10 minutes. Once your 10 minutes is done, carefully (I used a whole hand covering oven mit) remove the jars. At this point listen carefully for a popping noise from all the jars. This can take a couple of hours, but mine always pop within the first couple of minutes. If all the jars pop, your canning is done! If you didn't hear all the jars pop, press the top of the jar. If the little bubble can move up and down, your jar is not sealed and you should refrigerate it immediately. I hope this tutorial will show you that anyone can make apple butter. If you have any questions about the process, leave a comment! Thanks.

Monster Cookie Dough Dip

2012-09-02T13:30:00.000-05:00

Football season has started, my friends. Can I get a roll tide?? Last night I had my family over for a football watching extravaganza that involved hamburgers, hotdogs, this delicious dip, and two TV's set up in the living room so that we could watch Alabama and Auburn play. Unfortunately, we are a house divided. We had a blast though. This dip is the perfect combo of peanut butter, chocolate chips, M&M's, and other delicious ingredients. The original recipe served it with graham cracker sticks, but my grocery store didn't have those so I used chocolate animal crackers. If you are a weird texture person, you can omit the oats and just add a little more powder sugar to get the right consistency. Try it at your next tailgate! Recipe adapted from Skip to my Lou.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. fat free cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbs brown sugar
1 cup oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&M's

Blend cream cheese, butter, peanut butter, and vanilla. Add sugars and blend until smooth. Mix in oats, chocolate chips, and M&M's. Serve with animal crackers, graham crackers, or pretzels.

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

2012-08-13T19:13:00.001-05:00

It's Fall! Well, not yet. But this weekend we had slightly cooler temperatures hinting that Fall is just around the corner. I love everything about fall: the leaves changing, football season, and all the yummy food! I decided to start celebrating fall early by making these delicious pumpkin muffins. I added a few white chocolate chips to the tops to make them cute and even tastier. The original recipe comes from Pick Your Own.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of pumpkin
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup oil
White chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. Add all the wet ingredients. Stir until combined. Grease a regular muffin tin. Fill each about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Oreo Cheesecake Cake

2012-08-10T21:35:00.001-05:00

Oh yes. You read that right. There's cake AND cheesecake. YUUMM. Tonight is my brothers' last night in Birmingham before they head off to Auburn. And I believe every event should have dessert. Since my brothers are very special to me I wanted to make something above and beyond fantastic. So I went through all my desserts on pinterest and this baby stood out. The original recipe comes from Erin's Food Files. I didn't have a ton of time, so I just used a cake mix instead of making the cake. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pkgs. of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
6 oreos, crushed

1 Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 1/4 cup oil

8 oz white chocolate (I used white chocolate chips)
2 sticks butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4-6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cream the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in sour cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl until well combined. Fold in crushed oreos. In a 9-in springform pan, take a piece of wax paper, and place it over the bottom of the pan. Lock the sides so that the wax paper only covers the bottom of the pan and is sticking out under the pan. Trim around the sides. Spray the sides with Pam. Pour in the cheesecake and bake for 45 minutes. The center will still be jiggly, but when you touch the top it will be firm. Let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the outer rim. Place in the refrigerator or freezer until cool.

Follow the directions on the side of the box for making the cake. Bake in two 9-inch cake pans. Let cool completely before assembling.

Place one of the cake layers on a plate. Carefully place the cheesecake upside down on top of the bottom cake layer. This will allow you to peel off the wax paper easily. Place the last cake layer right side up on the cheese cake. If the edges are uneven you can use a knife to cut the excess parts off the edges. Your stacked cake should look like this:

For the icing:
Put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Mix in melted chocolate chips. Add salt and vanilla. Alternate milk and powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency. Frost cake and top with crumbled oreos. Keep refrigerated.

Breakfast Muffins

2012-08-10T09:30:00.001-05:00

This is the perfect breakfast in a cute little muffin. I made them for lunch the other day and then heated the leftovers up for a tasty snack! This recipe was adapted from Yummy Mummy Club.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. biscuits (I used Grands whole wheat biscuits)
4 eggs
2 Tbs half and half or milk
6 slices of bacon, cooked (I used precooked bacon)
4 slices of cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat eggs in a small bowl with half and half until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour onto griddle or frying pan. Stir eggs with a spatula until eggs are cooked. Set to the side. Chop up your bacon into small chunks. Squish (yes, that's the correct term) the biscuit out to make a larger circle. Place a half of a slice of cheese in the middle of each biscuit (I broke the cheese slices into fourths and stacked two fourths in the middle of each biscuit). Top each biscuit with eggs and then bacon. Pull the outer edges of the biscuit towards the middle and press the seams togethers. Grease a muffin tin and place the biscuits, seam side down into the muffin tin. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until biscuit dough is cooked.

Grilled Parmesan Asparagus

2012-08-07T09:03:00.001-05:00

So we all know how I rarely post vegetable recipes on this blog. It's not because I don't eat my vegetables, it's more because I don't use a recipe to cook vegetables. I just do it. Well, I am going to change that. Asparagus is one of the few vegetables Ben will eat so of course I cook it. I cooked dinner for six people so I had to use a little ingenuity in cooking these veggies. And that's where the griddle came in. I was able to cook tons of asparagus at once, easily and effectively. They turned out great!

Ingredients:
1 lb asparagus
1 Tbs butter (I actually used some of the healthier tub butter with olive oil)
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 cup parmesan cheese

Turn your griddle on 300-350 degrees (or use a large wok pan or grill pan on medium heat). Melt butter in the microwave in a container that will fit the asparagus. I used a 9X9 pyrex dish. Meanwhile, wash the asparagus. Take a piece of the asparagus and bend the bottom end until it breaks (usually an inch or two from the bottom). Then cut the rest of the stems to that length. This takes away the tougher part of the stalk. Add seasonings to the melted butter. Place asparagus in dish and mix to coat all of the stems. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cook on the griddle for 10-15 minutes, using a spatula to turn them every couple of minutes. Some people like their asparagus a little crunchy, some like it mushy. Cook them until they reach the texture of your choice.

Chicken Rollatini

2012-08-07T08:47:00.004-05:00

What do you get when you combine lasagna and chicken parmesan? Chicken Rollatini! These little gems are yummy! I made them for a group of my friends and everyone finished their plate. They are delicious served with spaghetti, asparagus, and some crusty bread. You can see the original unadapted by Cameron version at Skinny Taste.

Ingredients:
6 thin sliced chicken breasts (I sliced 3 thick chicken breasts in half)
1 small container ricotta cheese
4 oz mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup of fresh spinach torn into little pieces (you could also use 1/2 cup- 1 cup frozen spinach cooked and drained)
1 Tbs fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp dried basil)
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Pat the chicken dry and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, half of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, spinach, and garlic ( I sauteed the garlic in a little olive oil to cook it slightly before mixing it with the other ingredients. It would be fine just added to the cheese mixture as well.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Lay out your chicken breasts. Top with 1 Tbs of the cheese mixture. Roll carefully and place (seam down) in a glass baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with some of the spaghetti sauce and rest of mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

2012-08-01T10:48:00.000-05:00

With a wedding coming up in less than six months, I have been trying to be healthier. Well, some of the time. I have been interested in making some healthy oatmeal cookies. We had a ton of leftover honey from Caroline's wedding so it was the perfect time to try. These cookies turned out a lot better than I thought they would. Of course they aren't identical to their buttery counterparts, but they have a nice flavor and texture and would be perfect for a healthier sweet snack. The original recipe came from Whole Grain Gourmet, but I adapted it a bit by substituting the applesauce for the oil. Hope you like them!

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs cinnamon

Preheat oven to 335 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Then mix in the following ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs butter (I just felt like these needed just a little dab of unhealthy. Omit the butter if you would like.)

Mix well. Place tablespoon sized spoonfuls onto a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Greek Turkey Burger Sliders

2012-07-03T11:28:00.001-05:00

Peeps, you are in for a treat. These burgers are a-mazing. I could literally eat them every day. I think they are better than regular burgers. And that's saying a lot. These cute little sliders are juicy, flavorful, and pretty darn healthy. Try 'em out!

Ingredients:
1 pkg Sister Shubert whole wheat dinner rolls, sliced and toasted
1 lb ground turkey (I get mine from Publix. I've tried a few brands, and theirs is the best.)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 small onion, chopped finely
1/3 cup feta cheese
1/2 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 1/2 tsp Greek seasoning (I use Cavender's)
Toppings for your burgers! (fresh spinach, cucumbers, onions, olives, more feta, etc)

First, saute onions and garlic in about a tsp of olive oil on a flat grilling pan over medium heat until soft. Make sure you don't burn the garlic! Meanwhile in a medium-sized bowl, combine turkey, feta, spinach, and Greek seasoning until well combined. Be gentle with the meat though; you want to mix it lightly or the burgers will be tough. Add the cooked onions and garlic. Make patties about 2-3 inches wide. Using the same skillet that you cooked the onions, cook the burgers until they are golden brown and cooked all the way through. Place on dinner rolls, top with whatever you want and enjoy!

Healthy Quiche Breakfast Sandwiches

2012-07-02T15:42:00.003-05:00

Recently, I've decided to try and eat healthier. I'm trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables and I'm am replacing bad carbs with more healthy, whole grain options. One of the problems I have is staying full. I wanted to come up with a low calorie, healthy, filling breakfast that would last more than 5 minutes. So I came up with these quiche sandwiches. Made with egg whites, spinach, and low fat cheese, these sandwiches are 132 calories each and only 2 grams of fat. And they are delicious.

Ingredients:
4 eggs whites
1 slice of reduced sodium bacon
1/4 onion, chopped finally
1/2 pkg frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese
6, 100 calorie whole grain english muffins, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a frying pan over medium heat, saute the slice of bacon and chopped onion until onion is soft and bacon is cooked. Meanwhile, combine egg whites, spinach, and feta cheese until combined. Add bacon and onion to mixture. Spray a muffin pan with Pam. Pour egg mixture into 6 different slots. Cook until center is set and a knife inserted comes out clean. Slice warm english muffins and put cooked quiche in center. Enjoy!

Cheddar Bacon Scones

2012-05-16T09:38:00.001-05:00

I don't have words to tell you how delicious these little babies are. I brought the leftovers to work and they were gone minutes after I opened the bag. These are easy and perfect for a brunch. You can find the original recipe at Annie's Eats.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
8 Tbs unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced thinly
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled ( I used precooked bacon and just cut it into small pieces)
1 cup of buttermilk ( If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a cup of buttermilk by combining a cup of milk minus 1 Tbs with 1 Tbs of lemon juice or white vinager. Let the mixture sit for five minutes)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Add the butter. Using a fork, work the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of small peas. Add the cheese and mix until just incorporated. Add the rest of the ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir by hand until all the ingredients are incorporated. If the mixture can not be formed into a ball, add milk a tablespoon at a time until it can be formed. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat into a disk. cut the disk into 10 wedges. Transfer the scones to a baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Bacon Wrapped Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders

2012-05-16T09:17:00.001-05:00

What's not to like about bacon and chicken? Nothing. I found this recipe at the Kayotic Kitchen. Because I have a hard time just serving bacon-wrapped chicken in a meal, I sliced my chicken once it was cooked and served it over a salad with cheddar cheese and ranch dressing. They were delicious!

Ingredients:
8 chicken tenderloins, sliced lengthwise in half
16 slices of bacon ( I used turkey bacon which is a million times better for you.)
3 Tbs honey
2 tsp ground mustard ( I used a spicy brown mustard)
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Wrap each piece of sliced chicken in a slice of bacon. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Combine honey, mustard, and lemon juice. Brush each piece of chicken with the marinade. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Flip the chicken over, brush with remaining marinade and cook for another 10-15 (or until chicken is done). Season with salt and pepper.

Southwest Greek Yogurt Dip

2012-05-16T09:03:00.000-05:00

This dip was my first experience in using Greek yogurt in a recipe. And it was a success! I love Greek yogurt. It is a perfect substitution for so many high fat ingredients. I made this dip without the sausage and it was delicious, but I bet it is tasty with the sausage as well. I found the original recipe at Plain Chicken.

Ingredients:
3/4 lb sausage, cooked and crumbled
6 oz fat free cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup plain Oikos Greek yogurt (I just used one of the individual plain yogurts)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 tsp taco seasoning

Mix together all ingredients except 1/2 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake on 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips or fritos.

Snickerdoodle Bread

2012-05-09T15:45:00.001-05:00

I found this delicious recipe at Lil' Luna. It is super yummy. A delicious snack or breakfast bread the whole family will love!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup butter softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream

3 Tbs sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter in a medium sized bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Beat in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until well combined. Slowly add dry ingredients while mixing. Mix until well combined. Pour mixture into greased 3 mini loaf pans or 2 large loaf pans. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on the the tops of the loaves. Bake for 30-40 or until toothpick comes out clean. Slice and serve!

Mini Cannoli Cups

2012-05-01T16:54:00.002-05:00

Tonight I am making Italian food for my friend Jacqueline. Stay posted for the Eggplant Rollitini later on! Since I already needed to buy ricotta cheese for the entree, I decided to make this delicious recipe for dessert! I found it on Cooking with Sugar. It is very simple and delicious. I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 pie crust
Cinnamon
Sugar
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese (Be careful with this. I originally bought reduced fat Kraft ricotta. It was lumpy and watery. So I bought Sorrento whole milk and it was perfect.)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips

To make the cups:
Lay the pie crust on a piece of waxed paper. Sprinkle on a little cinnamon and sugar and press it into the crust. Cut circles in the dough with a biscuit cutter (I don't have one so I used a cup and cut around it). Press each circle into a greased muffin pan (I used a regular muffin pan, the original recipe used a mini muffin pan). Using a fork, poke a few holes in the dough to prevent them from bubbling. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta cheese, sugars, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the mini chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into a plastic bag. Put in the refrigerator to let chill until you are ready to serve them. When you are, cut a corner of your plastic bag and squeeze some of the ricotta cheese mixture into each cup. Top with a few chocolate chips and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Yum!

Tilapia Rockefeller

2012-03-27T19:04:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Ben and I had dinner at Cajun Steamers, and I got this dish. While it was good, I thought I could make it better. So here is my adapted recipe. Ben and I thought it was delicious! I wish I had taken a picture to post. I will next time I make it.

Ingredients:
2 tilapia fillets (I bought a package of frozen ones)

For the sauce:
1 Tbs butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 slices bacon, chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 package frozen creamed spinach, cooked
1 cup shredded cheese (I used 1/2 cup parmesan and 1/2 cup cheddar)
Creole seasoning to taste

For the potatoes:
3 red potatoes, sliced into chunks and boiled until soft
3 Tbs butter
1/2 cup sour cream
Creole seasoning to taste (I use Tony's)

First, wash, slice, and boil your potatoes. While they are cooking start to make your sauce. In a large saucepan on medium heat, melt butter. Then add the diced onion, stirring occasionally. When the onions begin to get soft add the bacon and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes while stirring continuously. Add cream and stir to combine. Turn the heat down to low and let cook for five minutes. Meanwhile, drizzle olive oil on fish and then sprinkle some of the creole seasoning on both sides. Heat a frying pan to medium heat and cook on both sizes until fish is no longer translucent and flakes easily (This only takes about 5-7 minutes). Drain the potatoes, mash and add butter, sour cream, and seasoning. Mash until well combined and potatoes are smooth (You can use an electric mixer to make the potatoes smooth and fluffy). Add cheese and as much of the spinach as you want to the sauce (I used about 1/2 of the package). Stir until cheese is melted. Add creole seasoning to taste. On two plates place a mound of mashed potatoes. Place tilapia on top and pour the sauce on top of the tilapia. Enjoy!

Banana Pudding

2012-02-02T15:53:00.001-06:00

I know I've already posted a banana pudding recipe. But this one is delicious. I got it from Pearl's, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour. It was originally adapted from Paula Deen. And, it is almost fat free. Yes, I said it. FAT FREE. It is also very easy to make. Try it!

Ingredients:
2 pkgs. french vanilla pudding
3 cups fat free milk
1 pkg. fat free cream cheese, softened
1 can fat free condensed milk
1 tub of fat free cool whip
2-4 bananas, sliced
1 box Nilla wafers

Directions:
in a medium bowl, mix the boxes of pudding and the milk with an electric milk for two minutes. In another bowl, blend cream cheese and condensed milk until well combined. Fold in cool whip. Stir cool whip mixture into pudding. Lay a layer of vanilla wafers in a 9 X 13 inch pan. Then layer the sliced bananas. Pour pudding over bananas. Put vanilla wafers on top of the pudding. Yum!

Stromboli

2012-02-02T15:44:00.001-06:00

This is such an easy, yummy dinner! Ben absolutely loves it. I got the recipe from Use Real Butter. Serve with a salad for a complete meal!

Ingredients:
1 pkg. pizza dough (I used Publix's found in the bakery section)
1 pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
8-10 slices of salami
10-20 slices of pepperoni
Any other pizza toppings
Sprinkle of oregano
Marinara sauce for dipping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flatten pizza dough into a 10 in X 16 in rectangle. Sprinkle cheese evenly over surface. Lay salami and pepperoni over cheese. Sprinkle with oregano. Roll the dough tightly and evenly towards you. Pinch the seam closed and place seam down on a baking sheet. Pinch the ends of the roll closed and tuck them under the roll. Rub a little olive oil on the outside of the roll. Cut 3-4 slits crosswise in the top of the roll down into the filling to let out steam. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown. Slice and serve!

Sloppy Joe Casserole

2012-01-26T01:19:00.000-06:00

So I found this recipe on pinterest. What's new. I love that site. I made a few modifications to the recipe though. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef. It is healthier and you can't taste the difference. I also put a little mustard in the sloppy joe mix to give it more flavor. Easy and delicious.

Ingredients:
1 pkg ground turkey (this usually comes in just over a pound of meat)
1 pkg sloppy joe mix
1 can tomato paste
1 Tbs mustard
Either 1 cup of cheddar cheese or 4 cheese slices
1 can reduced fat crescent rolls
Sesame seeds (optional, I didn't use)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the meat in a medium skillet. Drain off excess fat. Add sloppy joe mix, tomato paste, and water according to the sloppy joe mix instructions. Mix well. Add mustard. Place 1/2 of the crescent rolls (unrolled) in the bottom of a greased 8X8 casserole dish. Pour meat mixture on top. Cover with cheese. Top with remaining crescent rolls. Bake for 25-30 or until meat is bubbly and crescent rolls are browned.

Baked Chicken with White BBQ Sauce

2012-01-12T10:52:00.000-06:00

The other day, I had bought some boneless, skinless chicken thighs at the grocery store. The only reason I never cook with anything besides the breast is because I HATE the bones and skin. I was craving a white BBQ sauce like I had tasted at a few restaurants in the area. I found this recipe from Fake Ginger and it turned out pretty well.

Ingredients (To serve 4):
Buns
4 cups of cooked chicken, shredded (Here is where I used chicken thighs. You could also use breasts to make it easier. I seasoned my chicken thighs in a gallon sized bag with about 1/4 cup olive oil and enough creole seasoning to coat the thighs. I used the creole seasoning because it gave the meat a little spice. Then I baked them for about 45 minutes on 350 degrees. Once they were cool I shredded the meat into pieces.)

For the sauce:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbs white vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp black pepper
Morton's Season-All to taste

Whisk together sauce ingredients. Add the Season-All to taste. Chill before serving to let the flavors meld. You can then heat up the sauce when serving if you want to.

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad

2012-01-03T22:58:00.001-06:00

As everyone has discovered, pinterest is AWESOME. I have loved some of the recipes I have found. I had pinned a recipe for chicken salad recently. I am pretty picky about chicken salad, but this recipe is delicious. The cranberries add a hint of sweetness, while the walnuts and celery add a bit of crunch. This recipe was found at Chaos in the Kitchen. I substituted some of the mayonnaise with fat free sour cream to cut back on the mayonnaise flavor. You can use all mayonnaise if you want. My recipe also halves the original one because I don't need a whole batch for one person. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:
7 chicken tenderloins
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 stalk of celery, chopped finely
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet on medium heat, place tenderloins with about a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. Sprinkle chicken with Season-All. Cook until done. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together all other ingredients. Shred or chop chicken. Mix with other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate before serving.

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

2012-01-03T17:27:00.001-06:00

It is cold today. It finally feels like winter in Alabama. For cold nights, hot soup is perfect. And using a crockpot is easy and always delicious. I adapted this recipe from Chef in Training. The addition of the rice makes this soup is hearty and filling. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 boneless/skinless chicken thighs (I found this at Walmart. They are cheaper than chicken breasts and are perfect to put in this soup.)
4 cups of chicken broth (1 large box)
2 cans rotel tomatoes
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can sweet yellow corn, drained
1/2 yellow onion, diced finely
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 lime
1 pkg. of any Rice-A-Roni

Place broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, onion, and taco seasoning in the crockpot. Squeeze in lime juice. Stir until well mixed. Trim any fat off of the chicken thighs. Place them in the crockpot so that they are submerged. Cook on low for about 6 hours. After 5 hours, remove chicken from crockpot and shred into small pieces. Return to the crockpot and stir to combine. Pour in rice without the seasoning packet. Stir until it is mixed in. After about 30 minutes it should be cooked. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips.

Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells

2011-12-16T21:22:00.000-06:00

This is such an easy and delicious recipe! The sausage, spinach, and garlic make a very flavorful filling. I made a 13X9 pan plus another smaller pan with 8 shells. Make this for your next Italian night!

Ingredients:
1 box jumbo shells, cooked
1 lb Italian sausage (I bought Publix's mild Italian sausage. I wasn't in links, it looked like ground beef)
1 pkg frozen spinach
1 (8 oz) container ricotta cheese
1 pkg Italian blend shredded cheese
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 jar prepared pasta sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brown Italian sausage in a medium skillet and drain. Cook spinach in the microwave until done. Press between paper towels until most of the liquid is gone. In a large bowl, combine sausage, 1/2 the package of spinach, ricotta cheese, 1/2 shredded cheese, egg, garlic, and seasonings. Mix well. Place a spoonful of the mixture in each shell. Place crease down in a greased 13 X 9 casserole dish. Pour pasta sauce over the top of the shells. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until sauce bubbles.

Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

2011-11-16T17:05:00.000-06:00

The other night I had a dream where I was eating a chocolate cheesecake pie. So when I woke up the next morning, I decided to make it. I made my pie with regular cream cheese and semisweet chocolate chips, and it was pretty rich. You could use fat free cream cheese or switch out some or all of the semisweet chocolate chips with milk chocolate chips. Either way, you'll have a simple delicious dessert!

Ingredients:
1 pie crust
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (milk or semisweet)
1 (8 oz) tub of cool whip

Place the pie crust in a 9-in pie pan. Using a fork, poke holes in the bottom and sides of crust. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crust until golden brown. Meanwhile, Beat cream cheese and butter until well combined. Add sugar and vanilla. Then add melted chocolate chips. Fold in cool whip. Spread in the cooled pie crust. Top with additional cool whip.