Sunday, January 31, 2016

Chicken Cabbage Stir Fry


CHICKEN CABBAGE STIR FRY 
 Ingredients
~ 3 chicken breast halves
~1 teaspoon oil of your liking
~3 cups green cabbage, shredded
~1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
~ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
~1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
~1 teaspoon garlic powder
~1⁄2 cup water
~Soy sauce to taste
Directions
1. Cut chicken breasts into strips.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan.
3. Add chicken strips and stir fry over medium-high heat, turning constantly until done.
4. Add cabbage and red peppers and sauté 2 minutes until cabbage is crisp-tender.
5. Mix cornstarch and seasonings; add water and soy sauce, and mix until smooth.
6. Stir sauce into chicken/cabbage mixture.
7. Cook until sauce has thickened and chicken is coated, about 1 minute.
8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. If you have any left over that is wink emoticon
(You can add onions and red peppers to taste)

Cheesy Garlic Bombs

Cheesy Garlic Bombs

1 Tube of Grands biscuits
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Garlicky Butter
Parsley or Chives

Open the tube of Grands.  Cut the Grands in half.  Spray a muffin tray with Pam.  Cut the mozzarella cheese sticks into small pieces.  Wrap a mozzarella piece in a biscuit half.  Place it in the muffin tray.  Spread garlicky butter over the biscuits.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  When you pull them out, sprinkle with parsley or chives.

Better Than Takeout Fried Rice


BETTER-THAN-TAKEOUT-FRIED-RICE

Serves: 5-6
Ingredients
•4 cups rice, prepared (use brown rice)
•½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked or shrimp cooked
•1 cup peas & carrots, frozen
•1 white onion, chopped
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•2 eggs
•3 tablespoons sesame oil
•¼ cup soy sauce

Instructions
1.Prepare rice according to package instructions to yield 4 cups cooked rice.
2.Heat sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat.
3.Add onion, garlic, peas, and carrots. Stir fry until tender.
4.Crack eggs into pan and scramble, mixing throughout vegetables.
5.Add rice, chicken, and soy sauce to pan. Stir in soy sauce and remove from heat.


Hot BLT Dip






  • Although the directions given direct you to bake this in the oven, I like making and serving this in a crockpot. I like my hot food hot and when set on low this dip is at the perfect  serving temperature. Don’t be surprised to see it disappear and don’t count on any leftovers.

    Scrumptious Hot BLT Dip

    Ingredients:

    Photo: kraftrecipes.com
    • 1 pound bacon, cooked
    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
    • 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
    • 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
    • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
    • Additional green onions, cooked bacon, tomato, and lettuce for garnish, if desired
    Directions:
    • Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
    • Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Crumble bacon into mixture and stir. Add cheddar cheese, green onions, and tomato and mix well. Pour into a shallow dish or pie pan and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling. Garnish with additional green onions, tomato, and crumbled bacon. Serve with corn chips.
    Source: Adapted from Betty Crocker

    Creamy Herb Chicken


     

    Creamy Herb Chicken

    30min to prepare, Serves 6

    Ingredients

    • 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 2/3 cup chicken broth
    • 1 (4.4 oz.) package spreadable herb cheese (we use Boursin)
    • 1 shallot, minced
    • 1 large clove garlic, minced
    • 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
    • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

    Preparation

    1. Brush chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
    2. Heat a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken breasts until opaque and no longer pink. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
    3. To the same skillet, heat remaining olive oil and sauté shallot and garlic, with basil, oregano and tarragon, for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
    4. Stir in herb cheese, broth, lemon juice and zest, and whisk together until smooth, then sprinkle in flour and whisk until incorporated.
    5. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
    6. Return chicken to skillet and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot!
    Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

    Easy & Delicious Cheesy Scalloped Potato Casserole!


    Easy & Delicious Cheesy Scalloped Potato Casserole!

    Ingredients
    4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
    3 tablespoons butter
    3 tablespoons flour
    1 1/2 cups milk
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 dash cayenne pepper
    1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
    1/2 cup grated cheese, to sprinkle on top
    paprika

    Directions:
    1 In a small sauce pan, melt butter and blend in flour.
    2 Let sit for a minute.
    3 Add all of cold milk, stirring with a whisk.
    4 Season with salt and cayenne.
    5 Cook sauce on low until smooth and boiling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
    6 Reduce heat and stir in cheese.
    7 Place a half of the sliced potatoes in a lightly greased one quart casserole dish.
    8 Pour half of cheese sauce over potatoes.
    9 Repeat with second layer of potatoes and cheese sauce.
    10 Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
    11 Top with some paprika for color.
    12 Bake uncovered for about 1 hour at 350°F.

    Heavenly Rolls

     
    Ingredients
    • 1 TB yeast
    • ¼ cup warm water
    • ½ tsp. sugar
    • 1 cups warm milk
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1 cup flour
    • 2 eggs
    • 3-4 cups flour
    • butter melted
    Instructions
    1. Mix 1 TB yeast with ¼ cup warm water and ½ tsp. sugar. Let stand until bubbly.
    2. In a large bowl mix 1 cup warm milk, ½ cup oil, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp. salt with a wooden spoon.
    3. Add 1 cups of flour to mixture, and mix well. Add 2 eggs and beat until smooth (mix vigorously be hand). Add yeast mixture and mix vigorously until smooth.
    4. Add 3-4 cups flour to the yeast mixture. Dough should be very sticky. Pour the dough into a large bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for a few hours until it has doubled in size.
    5. Once the dough has doubled in size punch down and divide in half.
    6. Roll dough onto a floured surface making a circle about 12 inches round. Dough should be about ⅜" thick.
    7. Brush dough with melted butter. Cut circles with a pizza cutter into 12 pieces (like a pizza). Roll from rounded edge to the point to make a crescent roll. Place into a greased pan (we use an 11 x16 metal pan and do 3 across and 8 rows down).
    8. Cover dough with a tea towel and let rise for a few hours until it doubles in size.
    9. Bake at 375 until light lightly browned, which is about 15-20 minutes. NOTE: Touch rolls to see if they bounce back - if they do not, bake a little longer).
    10. Brushed with melted butter right while warm. ENJOY!

    Moscato Strawberry Lemonade


    Lavendar Lemonade Using Lavendar Essential Oil

    DIY Lavender Lemonade using Lavender Essential Oil

    Ingredients
    • 1 cup raw honey
    • 12 cups pure water
    • 1 drop of lavender essential oil
    • 6 lemons, peeled and juiced
    • Lavender sprigs for garnish

    Directions:

    Mix all ingredients together and chill. Add more water or raw honey if needed.
    Other ways you can use Lavender Oil for Anxiety and Headaches
    • Mix 5 to 6 drops of Lavender essential oil to your bath water if you have dry skin.
    • Diffuse 10 to 12 drops of Lavender into the air during your workday for natural stress relief.
    • Add 2 drops of Lavender per ounce of your favorite lightly scented, unrefined organic oil (like almond oil or olive oil) for a body oil with all the benefits of lavender for improving your skin, relaxing your mind, warding off insects or helping you sleep
    lav

    Garlic Broccoli


    Preheat oven to 375° Chop a head of broccoli (do not rinse, immediately prior to preparing!) Mince 2-3 cloves of garlic Put broccoli, garlic, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and a few shakes of salt and pepper in a ziploc bag. Shake it up!! Spread out on baking sheet, place on top rack, and bake for about 30 minutes. Broccoli will be crunchy and delicious!

    Tuesday, January 26, 2016

    Wine Gummies


    Wine Fruit Snacks – Wine Gummy Bears (or Hearts—whatever shape you want to make them!)

    1 cup wine
    4 Tbsp gelatin (I always use this kind)
    1/2 tsp stevia (optional)
    2 -4 Tbsp maple syrup (I always use Grade B, but any kind will work)

    Note: The amount of maple syrup you use will depend on (1) how dry your wine is and (2) how sweet you want your gummies! You’ll have to taste it as you go and add more as needed.
    Also, you can double or triple this–it works just the same!

    In a saucepan, warm the wine on low heat. I put a thermometer in it and made sure it didn’t go much above 90 degrees. Wine boils at 159 degrees F, and so I definitely wanted to keep it well below that so the alcohol wouldn’t burn off. You don’t need a thermometer though, just keep it on the lowest heat and don’t take your time with the process. Add the gelatin one Tbsp at a time, and stir very well before adding more. I stirred the gelatin/wine with a whisk and the white wine version got very frothy. This is ok! It still works, and the froth gels too–but if you want your gummies not to have a little froth on the bottom, you can scoop it off. After the gelatin has completely dissolved, add the other ingredients. Taste the mixture after adding each one—you’ll have to use your taste buds as a gauge for how much sweetener to add! I added 2 Tbsp maple syrup to each of my batches of gummies today (a pinot noir and a dry riesling). Also keep in mind that the more sweetener you add, the less you’ll taste the flavor of the wine! In my mind, these should be a little less sweet than a regular gummy bear—they are for grown-ups after all! …Sweeter gummies get eaten faster for me, and portion control is necessary for these–to avoid getting drunk :-)
    Once your mixture is ready, either use a spoon to fill a mold or dump the whole batch into a pan (for square cut gummies). I’ve done it both ways—and although the hearts are pretty, I’ll make the square ones if they’re just for me (easier).

    Sausage Muffins


    Sausage Muffins! 1 cup of Bisquick, 1 lb cooked sausage, 4 eggs beaten, & 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. 350 degrees 20 minutes.

    Tuesday, January 19, 2016

    Better Than Takeout Fried Rice


    BETTER-THAN-TAKEOUT-FRIED-RICE

    Serves: 5-6
    Ingredients
    •4 cups rice, prepared (use brown rice)
    •½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked or shrimp cooked
    •1 cup peas & carrots, frozen
    •1 white onion, chopped
    •2 cloves garlic, minced
    •2 eggs
    •3 tablespoons sesame oil
    •¼ cup soy sauce

    Instructions
    1.Prepare rice according to package instructions to yield 4 cups cooked rice.
    2.Heat sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat.
    3.Add onion, garlic, peas, and carrots. Stir fry until tender.
    4.Crack eggs into pan and scramble, mixing throughout vegetables.
    5.Add rice, chicken, and soy sauce to pan. Stir in soy sauce and remove from heat.

    Homemade Soft Pretzels

     

    Homemade Soft Pretzels


    Yield: 8 pretzels
    Prep Time: 45 min + rising time
    Cook Time: 12 min
    I snuck these into the movie theater to eat with friends (instead of buying popcorn). YUM!

    Ingredients:

    DOUGH:
    3 teaspoons instant dry yeast
    1 1/2 cups warm water (about 105 degrees F)
    2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
    4 cups all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon salt
    CRUST:
    1 cup water
    2 teaspoons baking soda
    coarse sea salt or kosher salt
    1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

    Directions:

    1. In a large bowl, combine the yeast, warm water and sugar. Add in the flour and salt and knead until smooth (you can use your hands, or you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this part).
    2. Grease a second bowl with nonstick cooking spray and place the dough into the bowl. Cover with greased plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.
    3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2-baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
    4. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Roll each part into a rope about 24 to 26 inches long and form into a pretzel shape (see this post for detailed instructions on how to shape a pretzel).
    5. In a shallow bowl, combine water and baking soda. Submerge each pretzel in the water and then place on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt. Let the pretzels rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
    6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush each hot baked pretzel with melted butter immediately after taking them out of the oven.
    Source: Kids Cooking Made Easy: Favorite Triple-Tested Recipes by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek

    No Bake Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecakes

     

    No-Bake Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecakes

    Ingredients:

    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    8 oreos
    1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed
    6 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
    8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
    1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    whipped cream for topping
    fresh mint for garnish
    ganache
    4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
    1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

    Directions:

    Add oreos to a food processor, blender or simply crush them in a bag with a rolling pin - and blend until you get crumbs. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter and oreo crumbs until wet. Press a few teaspoons of the mixture into the bottom of each jar or glass, pressing down with the bottom of a thicker object (like I used an ice cream scoop) to flatten them out. Refrigerate while you make the cheesecake.
    In the bowl of your electric mixer, add beat cream cheese, mascarpone and strawberries (and their juice) until combined and smooth, scraping down the sides when needed. Make sure the strawberries are pretty blender, but if a few lumps remain, it's fine. With the mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle in the condensed milk, continuing to scrape down the sides until the mixture is very smooth. Add in vanilla extract and mix one more time to combine. Pour cheesecake mixture evenly over top of crusts. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
    Heat the heavy cream until warm, then pour over the milk chocolate, stirring until melted to make a ganache. Remove the cheesecakes from the fridge and spoon an equal amount of the ganache over top of the strawberry cheesecake. Refrigerate for another 30-60 minutes. Serve with whipped cream on top and a garnish of mint, plus a chocolate covered strawberry if desired.

    Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pound Cake


     

    Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pound Cake w/ Peanut Butter Glaze


    A dense and wonderful slice of cake to have with a cup of coffee.

    Ingredients:

    CAKE:
    3 cups all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 cup creamy peanut butter (don't use natural)
    1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
    3 cups granulated white sugar
    6 large eggs
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
    GLAZE:
    1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
    1/4 cup milk
    1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

    Directions:

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    1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 10-cup tube pan generously with nonstick spray (I like the Pam Baking Spray).
    2. Prepare cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together peanut butter and butter. Add sugar and beat an additional 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add dry ingredients a little at a time, beating just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared tube pan. Tap it a couple of times on the counter to shake out any hidden air pockets.
    2. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, checking on the cake at 1 hour to make sure it's not browning too quickly on top. If browning too quickly, just place a piece of foil loosely over the top of the pan. When a toothpick is inserted into the center of the cake and comes out clean, your cake is done. Let cool for 20 minutes, then flip it onto a rack or platter and let it cool completely.
    3. Prepare glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the top of the cooled cake, letting it drizzle down the sides. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. The glaze will set eventually- if you'd like to quicken the setting process, just place it into the refrigerator for a bit.

    Tips:

    *Might be nice to chop a bunch of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and swirl those into the cake instead of the chocolate chips. Then you can add chunks on top as well!

    Salted Pretzel Brownies


    Monday, January 18, 2016

    Yummy Low Carb Meal


    Yummy Low Carb Meal!!
    6 thin sliced chicken breasts
    1 container of green onion cream cheese
    1/4 cup olive oil
    1/2 cup chicken broth
    1 Large package of sliced mushrooms
    1 small bag fresh baby spinach
    Sprinkle of Weber Herb and Garlic Seasoning
    Sprinkle of pepper
    8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
    9x13 pan lay out chicken in single layer, top with spinach and mushrooms. Then sprinkle the seasonings over the top. Soften cream cheese and whisk in olive oil and chicken broth. Pour over mixture. Lay piece of foil over the top but do not seal. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes remove foil and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes, then sprinkle Motz Cheese on top and Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes or until starting to brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

    The Vanity Cocktail


    The Vanity Cocktail

    1oz. (30ml) Strawberry Vodka
    1 1/2 oz. (45ml) Peach Schnapps
    Splash of Cranberry Juice
    Dash of Sweet & Sour
    Top with Sprite/7up
    Garnish with Strawberries

    Crockpot Meatloaf & Potatoes

    Crockpot Meatloaf & Potatoes

    Make your meatloaf however you typically make it.  If you don’t have a recipe you already love, here is an easy base recipe (I make it different every time, based on what I have. In the picture below I added diced onion.  I usually add chopped tomato):
    2.5 pounds of ground turkey (or beef, if you prefer)
    1 egg
    3/4  cup smashed cornflakes (or bread crumbs, but I prefer corn flakes)
    1 envelope of Lipton onion soup mix
    2-3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    salt, pepper, paprika, garlic salt, Italian seasoning to taste.
    Mix the ingredients well and form a “loaf” in the bottom of your crock pot.
    Then, wash 5-6 small-medium potatoes, prick them with a knife or fork, and wrap them in foil.  Place them around the meatloaf.  Cook for 8-10 hours on low.  You do not need to add water, and wrapping the potatoes is optional (I just like them to have their own flavor at the end of the day).

    Crock Pot Mac N Cheese


    Crock Pot Mac n Cheese 

    Feeds approximately 6-8
    All ingredients into the Crock Pot, EXCEPT the 1 pound bag of Macaroni noodles!! They get added later. Setting on LOW to make the sauce. After 1 hour, stir the sauce. Add COOKED Macaroni (cook and drain noodles while sauce is cooking)  Stir the noodles and sauce together. **Add** in any seasonings you desire .. like ** salt n pepper ** or spices/seasonings you like!! At this time you may also add in any extras like cooked cubed ham, cooked chopped bacon, cooked chopped sausages, par cooked veggies, frozen mix veg. Cook on LOW another 45 minutes. Then put setting on "Keep Warm" until ready to serve.

    Sunday, January 17, 2016

    Bacon Bombs

     
    Bacon Bombs
    by Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Yield: 20 bombs
    Ingredients 
    • 2 cans (7.5 oz. each) refrigerated biscuits
    • 4 oz. Mozzarella cheese, cut into 20 cubes
    • 8 slices Wright® Brand Bacon, cooked and crumbled
    • 4 tbsp. butter, melted
    • 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
    • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    • Pizza sauce, for dipping (optional)
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
    2. Separate biscuits. Place one cube of cheese in the center of each biscuit. Top with a heaping teaspoon of bacon. Carefully wrap the biscuit dough around the cheese and bacon and seal. Place seam side down about an inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
    3. While the biscuits bake, mix the butter, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder together and set aside.
    4. Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush with butter mixture. Serve warm with pizza sauce, if desired.

    Fully Loaded Tater Tots Casserole

    Fully Loaded Tater Tots Casserole

    1 bag Tater Tots
    1 pound bacon
    1 cup chopped deli ham
    2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
    1 cup sour cream
    1/4 cup green onions, chopped
     

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and spread the frozen tater tots in an even layer in the dish.  Bake for 15 minutes. While the tots are baking, chop the bacon into bite size pieces and fry until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel to cool and drain. In a large bowl, lightly mix together the cheese, ham and bacon. Pull the tater tots out of the oven and cover evenly with the cheese mixture. Continue baking for another 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving topped with sour cream and green onions.

    Bacon Tips


    Banana Pudding Cake

    Banana Pudding Cake ~

    Cake:
    2 sticks butter, softened
    1 3/4 cups sugar
    3 eggs + 2 egg whites
    3 tsp vanilla
    3 cups all-purpose flour
    3 1/2 tsp baking powder
    One 1.34oz box instant, sugar-free banana pudding mix
    1 cup milk
    Filling: Whisk together the following ingredients and refrigerate until assembling cake (~10minutes).

    One 1.34oz box instant, sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
    1 1/4 cups skim milk
    1 cup Cool Whip (or whipped cream)
    To brush on layers: Mix together the following:

    1 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk
    1 Tbsp skim milk
    You’ll also need:

    2-3 medium ripe bananas
    3-4 cups Cool Whip for frosting
    Step 1: Make the cake

    Preheat oven to 350 F. Prep three 8″ round pans by lining the bottom only with parchment paper. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in eggs and egg whites, one at a time. Beat in vanilla until well combined.
    In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and pudding mix. Add into wet ingredients in three separate additions, mixing until just combined. Don’t over mix!
    Stir in milk until combined. Divide batter and pour into pans. Bake 22-25 minutes or until cake is golden and begins to pull away from sides of pans.
    Allow cake to cool 15 minutes in pan. Loosen and remove from pan. Allow to cool another 1-2 hours on a wire rack.

    Step 2: Begin layering

    Level each cake. Place first layer on cake plate. Brush with a little milk mixture.

    Line banana slices on top of cake. Spread 1/3-1/2 of the filling mix on top of bananas.

    Place next cake layer on top of filling. Repeat with milk mix, filling, and final layer.

    Step 3: Frost

    This is the fun part. Frost with Cool Whip and decorate as you wish. I crushed some mini Nilla wafers and spread on top. Then used the wafers along the sides.

    Whew! Sounds super complicated, but it was simple to make. You may also want to put some Nilla wafers in between the layers. You know, if you’re feeling extra fancy and decadent.