AM's Adventures in Cooking

Patience Coconut Cake

2011-04-25T21:55:00.005-05:00

A friend of ours in Texas made this cake and I loved it so much I had to get the recipe. I made it for Easter this year.

First you mix together 16 oz of sour cream, 16 oz of coconut, and two cups of powdered sugar. Let this mixture sit in the fridge together for 24 hours. (This is where the patience part comes in)

The next day make a white cake mix and bake in two round pans. (The recipe recommends Duncan Hines)

When the cakes have cooled, cut each layer in half. Cover the first layer with the sour cream mixture.

Cover with the top of the cake.

Again use the sour cream filling with the second cake.

Ice the cake with cool whip and cover with coconut. Then you put the cake back in the refrigerator for another 24 hours before serving.

48 hours from beginning- your cake is ready to serve. My family loved it!

Printable recipe found here.

Crock pot meat loaf

2011-03-19T09:47:00.004-05:00

We tried a meat loaf in the crock pot a couple of months ago and have made it several times since. The link I am posting for the recipe is for double the amount I make for two of us. The quantities listed below make enough for two meals for two. You need:

1 lb of lean ground beef
1 egg
1/2 C of milk
1/2 C of dry bread crumbs
1 envelope of dry onion soup mix

First combine the eggs, milk, bread crumbs, and soup mix and mix together. Then add the meat. Mix thoroughly, then shape into a rectangle or oval that won't touch sides of crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.

We like mushrooms with ours, so at about 6 hours I add some in and let it cook for another hour or so. Another variation Michael adds is some red wine mixed in with the beef and some basil on the top of the loaf before cooking.

I forgot to take any prep pictures, so this is after cooking for most of the day before I added in the mushrooms. I realize the pictures of this meat loaf look sick...but I promise it tastes really good!

For our second meal with this we usually have it on sandwiches which is also really good.
Here is the link for the recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-meatloaf-184426
You can easily adjust the serving amount on the recipe link to fit the quantity of servings you need.

Corlie's Dallas Chicken

2011-03-10T10:29:00.005-06:00

I am all about easy meals these days! Here is another crock pot recipe from a friend:

First layer chicken breasts in a crock pot, cover with fat free cream of mushroom soup, and top with the salsa of your choice. No real measuring here. I just used frozen two chicken breasts and about 3/4 of the jar of salsa. There was enough liquid that I could have had a few more chicken breasts. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

When finished cooking, take out the chicken and shred.

Add sour cream to the soup/salsa mixture.

Add back in your chicken.

Serve over brown rice, egg noodles, or whole wheat pasta. My husband also had some leftovers in a tortilla and said it was very good.

Our favorite broccoli

2011-03-08T13:56:00.003-06:00

This is our favorite broccoli dish from the barefoot contessa.

Chop up your broccoli to your desired size and place in a baking dish. Toss with olive oil and either some powdered or minced garlic.

Add 2 T of fresh lemon juice and some lemon zest and some pine nuts. Mix together.
Roast in the oven at 425 for about 20 minutes or until your broccoli is crisp but soft.

The recipe also calls for adding grated parmesan cheese at the end. I didn't have any this time, but it is really good with it if you do have it. The original directions are a bit different. Sometimes I do the lemon juice before roasting, and sometimes after. I can't tell a big difference. Find the recipe here.

Turtles

2010-12-22T11:23:00.002-06:00

For an easy holiday treat all you need is pretzels, rolo candy, and pecans.

Place wax paper on a baking sheet. Put down the pretzels then a rolo on top. Bake in the oven at 350 for a few minutes-just until the rolos have melted. Then remove from the oven and press a pecan on top.

YUM! It is the perfect combination of sweet and salty!

Mint chocolate chip cookies

2010-12-11T07:51:00.004-06:00

I am all about easy cooking and baking for this season of life- so when I saw these cookies I had to give them a try. The Betty Crocker cookie mixes are my favorite pre-made cookie mixes.

For this recipe all you need is:

1 pouch of sugar cookie mix (Betty Crocker)
1/2 C butter, softened
1/4-1/2 t of mint extract*
6-8 drops of green food color
1 egg
1 C creme de menthe baking chips
1 C semisweet chocolate chips

*I thought I had the mint extract and once I started cooking realized I didn't. So I omitted it. I thought the cookies were minty enough without it. So depending on how minty you like things you can take it or leave it.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Yum! They were really good!

Lemonade Cake

2010-09-04T01:49:00.008-05:00

This cake is so easy and turns out very moist. This is a great summer cake!
All you need is:
One lemon cake mix

I used this mix

2 Cups of powdered sugar and 1-12 oz can of frozen lemonade.

Mix up the cake according to directions on the box. Bake in a bundt pant according directions.
In a separate bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and lemonade concentrate.
After the cake is baked, while still hot, poke holes in the top of the cake. Then pour mixture over the top of the cake. Go around the cake with a knife, slightly pulling away from the edges to ensure the mixture goes down the sides.

Invert your cake on a plate- hopefully it will come out complete! Serve with berries, ice cream, or on its own. Enjoy!

Thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies

2010-08-08T12:32:00.005-05:00

My homemade chocolate chip cookies often don't turn out too well. I tried this recipe a few months ago and it is so good and will be a staple! It is from the website 'Annie Eats'.

First you need to mix up:
2 cups + 2 T of flour
1/2 t of baking soda
1/2 t of salt
- then set aside

Then using an electric mixer, mix together:
12 T of unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 C of brown sugar, packed
1/2 C of sugar
- Mix until thoroughly combined

Next mix in:
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp of vanilla

Now add in your dry ingredients and mix just until combined at a low speed.

Mix in 1.5 Cups of semisweet chocolate chips

Next take a 1/3 cup to take out some of the dough. (The recipe says to use a 1/2 cup, but my cookies turned out huge as it was, without filling the 1/3 cup).

Take the dough out and break into two pieces. Rotate the halves so the jagged edges are facing up and make one ball on the cookie sheet.

Bake at 325 for 11-14 minutes. Halfway through the bake time reverse the position of the cookie sheets. Bake until cookies are light golden brown, the outer edges start to harden, but the centers are still soft and puffy. Do not over bake.

When I first read the recipe I thought it was too involved, but really it is not difficult once you get started. These cookies are the perfect softness and so delicious!

Some of the last things I cooked

2010-07-27T18:41:00.005-05:00

I made these cupcakes early this year. They were a big hit. I cooked two meals after that. Two meals that every time I went to post the recipes on the blog just looking at the pictures gave me another wave of nausea. For the next 4 months I didn't cook, and if I did it was really difficult, original things such as grilled cheese and baked potatoes. I could not stand the sight, smell, or thought of many of the things I usually cook or had planned to cook. Things are much better now (thankfully), so I will post the two old recipes and hopefully get back in to trying some new things!

White Chicken Chilli

This is more of a fall/winter recipe so you may just want to store it away. It is easy and very tasty!
You will need:
4 chicken breasts (boiled and shredded with a fork)
2 lbs of velveeta cheese
1 can of black beans
1 can of pinto beans
2 cans of ro-tel
2 cans of corn
1 can of chicken broth

Combine all of the ingredients into a large pot over medium-high heat.

Stir frequently. Heat through until the cheese is melted and the soup is warm throughout.

Serve with tortilla chips.

This makes a lot so it is great for a group or for lunches later in the week. Enjoy!

Bruschetta

2010-01-17T15:01:00.003-06:00

If you like to cook and you haven't seen Julie & Julia- you should go rent it today. Ever since watching it I have wanted to eat the bruschetta Julie makes. Winter in Oklahoma is not the best time of year for buying tomatoes, so I will have to try it in the summer.

First I selected some bread, and cut it into pieces. I cut mine a bit too thick.

Heat up some olive oil in a pan.

Toast the bread until brown on each side.

In a bowl mix together various types of tomatoes, garlic, and chopped basil leaves. Spoon the tomato mixture on top of the bread and sprinkle with cheese.

"Zesty chicken-noodle casserole"

2010-01-17T14:36:00.003-06:00

This year I am going to make at least one recipe each month out of my cook books, so I make more of an effort to use them.
Here is one I made this week:

And sorry, no step by step for this one.

You will need:
6 oz wide noodles
1 T olive oil
4 t flour
2 C FF milk
1 red onion, chopped
2 T chopped canned green chiles
1 T dijon mustard
4 t dried bread crumbs

First cook the noodles, following the directions on the package. Preheat your oven to 375.

In a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Sprinkle with the flour; whisking constantly for about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cheese, whisking constantly until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the noodles, chicken, onion, chiles, and mustard. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on the top. Bake until browned and bubbly 20-25 minutes.

This was out of my Weight Watchers cook book and it was 9 points. I have liked the recipes I have tried out of it, but I did not love this one. I'm not sure I would call this recipe "zesty". The onions were crunchy and a bit strong and the taste overall was a bit bland. It I were to make it again, I would use white onion and saute them a bit before adding to the casserole. I think mushrooms would also be a good addition that would not raise the point value. You live and learn-part of the adventures in cooking! :)

crock pot liners

2010-01-15T17:20:00.002-06:00

How I have cooked with my crock-pot and not used these? I used one this week when I made this chicken, and it worked wonderfully! The bag lifted out with all of the contents, was thrown away, with no mess left behind! If you haven't tried them before you should!

Ham and Cheese Rolls

2009-12-26T09:42:00.006-06:00

These party sandwiches are delicious!

You need a package of these rolls, ham, and swiss cheese.

First cut your rolls open and layer ham and then cheese.

In a bowl mix together: 1/2 a stick melted butter, 1 t poppy seeds, 1/4 t worcestershire sauce, 1 t mustard, and 1 t onion flakes.

Pour over the top of the rolls. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

I got busy and cooked mine a little long. :)

But they were still very good!

Christmas Cooking

2009-12-23T21:27:00.001-06:00

For Christmas this year I am making: monkey bread, rolls, peanut butter balls , cowgirl cookies, and chocolate chip snicker cookies.

A friend told me about these cookies. Snickers is my favorite candy bar so I gave them a try. I used this cookie mix below and added 1/2 cup of peanut butter.

After mixing together, mold the dough around a mini snickers. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. I had some chocolate left over from the peanut butter balls, so I used that to drizzle on the top.

I loved them! YUM! Merry Christmas!

Crockpot chicken cacciatore

2009-12-16T18:22:00.007-06:00

I love crock pot recipes! Here is another one I tried today:

First layer one onion in the bottom of your crockpot. (Next time I will use two- adjust based on your taste)

Place 1 1/2 lbs of chicken breasts on top (mine were frozen and it worked just fine)

Then in a bowl combine 2- 6 oz cans of tomato paste

1 t oregano, 1/2 t of basil, 1/2 t salt, and 1/4 t of pepper

1/4 C of white wine and 1/4 C of water

2 minced garlic cloves

and 8 oz of sliced mushrooms. Stir all of these ingredients together.

Pour over the top of your chicken.

Place a bay leaf on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

When you are ready to prepare, remove the chicken and shred it with forks. It should tear apart very easily.

I stirred my chicken back into the sauce, but you could keep it separate if you prefer.

Serve with spaghetti noodles or any kind of noodles you have. I topped mine with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a little grated cheese.
This recipe is supposed to serve 4. The serving size must be big, because we had a lot left over. Great recipe! We loved it and will definitely make again.

Lemon-Herb Turkey Breast

2009-12-08T18:16:00.005-06:00

I made this turkey for Thanksgiving as we were having a small crowd. It was really good and easy. My husband said it was "the best turkey he had the privilege of tasting". I bought a 3LB turkey that had all of the inside parts removed. I put it in the fridge 24 hours before cooking to begin defrosting.

First you prepare the marinade:

1/4 Lemon juice

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2 T of dijon mustard

1/2 C of dry white wine

1 teaspoon of rosemary (fresh probably would have been better, but for as small as the amount was I didn't want to buy a whole carton of fresh herbs)

1 teaspoon of oregano

2 cloves of garlic

Mix together

Place the turkey breast in the crock pot

Cover with mixture. Cook on low for 6-8 hours; basting occasionally if possible.

When it is time to eat remove the netting, carve, and serve.

Pumpkin Cookies

2009-11-27T21:04:00.009-06:00

First mix 2 1/2 Cups of flour

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

2 t of ground cinnamon

1/2 ground nutmeg

1/2 t ground cloves

1/2 t salt
Then mix all together and set aside

In a bowl add 1 1/2 Cups of sugar

and 1/2 C of softened butter (softened not melted...I let mine go too long in the microwave)

Cream together with a mixer

Add 1 Cup of canned pumpkin puree and 1 egg

1 t vanilla and mix together and beat until creamy

Then add the dry ingredients

Mix together until dry ingredients are mixed through

Drop onto cookie sheet by the spoonful
Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes
After the first batch I rounded them into balls and flattened them out a bit on the sheet and they looked better that way.

THE ICING:

2 Cups of powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

1 T melted butter

2 T of milk and mix together. Add more milk if needed

Drizzle icing over cookies

Dust with cinnamon if desired

I love the pumpkin cookies at City Bites and had heard these were similar. They were good, and were more cake-like than cookie. Next time I will make them with cream cheese icing like they have a city bites. Enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes

2009-11-22T18:51:00.004-06:00

Preheat the oven to 425.

All you need is: 1 envelope of onion soup mix, 4 potatoes, and 1/3 C of olive oil.

This is the soup mix I use. Chop up your potatoes and toss with the dry soup mix and olive oil.

Turn occasionally throughout the cook time. Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until tender and golden brown. Very Good!

Crockpot Chicken

2009-11-21T18:32:00.001-06:00

This one is so easy:

Place onions, garlic, and lemons in the bottom of your crockpot. (Or celery, potatoes, carrots, anything you like).

Take a whole chicken and rinse in water. (I bought the kind of chicken that already has the inside parts taken out. Otherwise, you would need to fish those out at this time.) Cover the chicken with seasoned salt.

Place breast down over the veggies. Cover and cook on low or high depending how long you will have it in there. I left this while I was at work all day so I put it on the low- 10 hour setting.

When I came home this is what it looked like. Mmm Mmm! You can save the broth to have chicken broth on hand.

Cut and serve.

The chicken was tender, but not really flavorful. I may add more lemons and seasoned salt next time. I will definitely make this again. Depending on how big your family is, you can use the left overs in tacos, enchiladas, sandwiches, salad, or soup.

Molten Chocolate Cakes

2009-11-16T22:44:00.007-06:00

Preheat the oven to 450

1 Cup of unsalted butter

8 oz of semisweet chocolate

Melt butter in a medium heat-proof bowl over simmering water

Stir together and remove from heat when completely melted together

In another bowl mix 5 eggs

1/2 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt

Beat together with a hand mixer until the sugar dissolves

Add egg mixture to the chocolate mixture and beat together until smooth

Add in 4 T of flour and beat together just until combined.

You can use 8 ramekins or 8 extra large muffin papers placed in muffin tins. Spray each with cooking spray.

Divide batter evenly between the ramekins or muffin cups. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes. Bake until the batter puffs, but the center is not set. Pull papers away or run a knife around cake in the ramekin. Transfer to a desert plate.

Dust with powdered sugar, and serve with strawberries, raspberries, whipped cream, ice cream...

Or just milk!
The great thing about this recipe is you can make the batter up to 6 hours before you plan to serve it and put it in the ramekins in the refrigerator. Just allow to warm to room temperature before baking.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

2009-11-15T22:00:00.006-06:00

First you need 3 eggs and 3/4 C of white sugar

Mix together

Add 3/4 C of light corn syrup

add 1/4 C of melted butter and 2 t of vanilla

Mix together well until all ingredients are combined

(For the crust, I used the pie crust recipe in the post below this.) In the shell of the crust, place 1 C of semisweet chocolate chips and 3/4 C of chopped pecans.

Pour the filling over the top

Until it covers the chocolate chips and pecans

Bake in the oven at 350 for 45 minutes.

I don't really like pecan pie, but I really liked this pie! MMmm mm!

My grandma's pie crust

2009-11-15T19:01:00.008-06:00

My dad's mom taught my mom how to make this pie crust, and my mom taught me.
All you need is:
2 C flour
1 C Crisco
1/4 t salt
some ice cold water

Mix together the salt and the flour. Then add in the crisco using either a fork to cut it in or a pastry blender.

'It should look lie peas' my mom said. I wasn't really sure what that meant, but this was it. Basically you cut in the crisco until it is in small pieces throughout the flour. Then you make a well in the middle of the dough by pushing the dough to the sides. Pour in 1/4 C of the ice cold water. Mix it all together. Continue adding the water by a 1/4 C until it becomes "doughy". I think we ended up using 3/4 cups of water.

This recipe makes about 3 pie crusts, or in this case 2 pie crusts, and 1 smaller pie crust with a crust on top. Divide the dough into three equal amounts.

Place flour down on a pastry sheet or clean counter. Take one of the thirds and put it on top of the flour. Place more flour on top. (Side note: I love this one of my mother's hands working. There is a part in the movie Beaches when Hillary is looking everywhere for a picture of her mother's hands because she can't remember what they look like. That part always made me really sad thinking about my mom being gone one day and missing things about her. I really treasure getting to do these things with my mom.)

Using a rolling pin roll out the dough with about three strokes. Then pick up the dough, place more flour down, flip the dough over, and lay on the flour. Roll out again until flat and thin. Then fold in half.

Place the dough half way in your pie pan.

Unfold and pat into the corners.

Cut off any pieces that are too long. Then taking your index finger and thumb pinch the edges together to make the crinkles around the top.

This one is cherry (obviously). Apparently fruit pies have to have vents to cook, which you can cut open the middle or just some cut outs. Pour a small amount of milk on top of the crust and spread around. Then sprinkle sugar on top. You will bake the pie at different temperatures based on the type of pie it is.
I hope this all makes sense. It was hard to try to get down into measurements and steps a recipe that is passed by word of mouth!

Peanut Butter-Cup Cookies

2009-10-31T00:17:00.003-05:00

I made these peanut butter cup cookies from Real Simple tonight and they were really yummy!
Give them a try! Here is a link to the recipe: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/peanut-butter-cup-cookies-00000000021356/

Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins

2009-10-18T21:05:00.006-05:00

First, mix together 4 eggs

1 Cup of unsweetened apple sauce

1 can of pumpkin

1/2 Cup of oil

and 1 1/2 cups of sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix 3 cups of flour

2 t of baking powder and 2 t of baking soda

2 t of cinnamon

and 1 t of salt. Mix this mixture all together.

Then add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture.

Mix together well

Fold in 12 oz of chocolate chips

Bake at 400 for 16-20 minutes.

This made 30 muffins. It is a light recipe and each muffin is 3 WW points. We loved these and didn't think you could tell they were light. They tasted best fresh and just kept for a couple of days. Because there were so many I froze many of them, and have just reheated them the oven at 275 a few at a time for breakfast.

I will definitely make these again!

Snicker Pie

2009-10-08T20:37:00.003-05:00

A family friend shared this pie with our family this Summer. I had to get the recipe because snickers are my favorite candy bar and the pie was wonderful!

First mix together: 8 oz of cream cheese, 1 1/2 C of powdered sugar, 1/2 C of peanut butter (either creamy or crunchy)

Then add in 5 finely chopped snickers bars

Mix together

Fold in 16 oz of cool whip

Pour into crust. I used a chocolate ready-made crust. Refrigerate...

And serve! MMmm mmm!

I halved the recipe and just made one pie. I also saved a few of the snickers pieces to put on the top of the pie.

Apple Fritters

2009-10-03T21:33:00.008-05:00

My husband's mom makes apple fritters on Christmas morning, and they are so good. She came over this week and taught me how to make them. They are so yummy!

Ingredients: 1 1/4 C flour, 1/4 C of sugar, 3/4 t salt, 1 1/2 t baking powder, 1 t cinnamon, 1/3 c of milk, 1 egg, 1 C chopped apple.

First chop up your apple. We used 2 apples.

Then mix up the rest of the ingredients. 1 1/4 C flour

1/4 C of sugar

3/4 t Salt and 1 1/2 t baking powder

1 t cinnamon

1/3 C of milk

1 egg

Mix everything together

While you are mixing up the ingredients, heat the oil to 375 degrees

Mix in the apples

You will need a bowl with powdered sugar and another one with cinnamon and sugar mixed together

Using spoons, scoop one spoonful of the mixture

Use the other spoon to drop the mixture into the oil

Once dropped into the oil the fritter will float to the top. Cook until brown and then flip over about two minutes on each side.

Transfer briefly to a plate with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil

Roll the fritters in the cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar

And serve! Best eaten warm. Thanks for the fritter lesson! Makes me feel ready for Christmas! :)

Taco Soup

2009-09-15T21:30:00.006-05:00

A friend recently gave me this soup recipe to try and it turned out really good.

First brown 1lb of lean ground beef

Chop up an onion and cook while you are browning the meat

Then in large pot add together 1 can of ranch style beans

1 can of pinto beans

1 can of rotel and 2 cans of tomatoes

1 can of corn

1 package of taco seasoning

1 package of ranch seasoning

Add the beef and onions and mix together. Cook on the stove over medium heat until the soup is warmed through and bubbly.

Prepare to eat a very tasty and really filling soup!

This recipe makes around 7 servings. This was calculated to be about 6 WW points a serving. Great topped with some FF cheese and baked tostitos. I divided the extra portions to have for lunches and will freeze some to have for later.

Beef in red wine gravy

2009-09-15T20:58:00.005-05:00

This is one of my husband's favorite meals, and it is a crock-pot meal, which I love!

1.5 lbs of beef stew meat (you can change the amount based on how much you want to make), 1 onion, mushrooms, red wine, corn starch, onion soup mix, and egg noodles.

Chop up your onion

In the crock-pot layer onions, stew meat, and sprinkle with the onion soup mix.

Cover with 3 T of corn starch

Cover with 1.5 C of red wine (I have used cooking wine or real wine and not noticed a difference in taste)

Cook in crock-pot for 10-12 hours on the low setting or 5-6 hours on the high setting.

Optional: We like this with mushrooms, so in the last hour of cooking I chop some mushrooms and stir in.

You serve this over pasta, egg noodles are good. This time I tried the whole grain egg noodles, and they were good.

And serve!
Trust me, it tastes a lot better than it looks! This makes plenty, about 6 servings.
I calculate the meat portion to be 5 WW points, then add the amount you have in your pasta.
Wonderful for busy days and cold weather days!

Mint-filled brownie cupcakes

2009-08-27T23:12:00.006-05:00

I recently got Martha Stewart's Cupcake book. It is great, and I love that it has a picture of every cupcake! This is one of her recipes:

You need: 8 oz of bittersweet/semisweet coarsely chopped chocolate, 3 eggs, 1/2 c of butter, 1/4 c of unsweetened cocoa, 12 york peppermint patties, 1 C of sugar, and 1/2 C of flour, and 3/4 t of salt. Preheat oven to 350.

First, melt chocolate and butter on the stove with in a glass bowl over simmering water in a pan.

Stir occasionally until melted and smooth

When mixture is smooth add the cup of sugar

and the 3/4 t of salt

And whisk together

Then whisk in the three eggs

Add 1/2 C of flour

1/4 c of cocoa

Mix together just until smooth. DO NOT OVER MIX. I don't know why, that is just what the recipe says. Makes me wonder what would happen if I did over mix! :)

Then place 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture in cupcake liner.

Place the peppermint patty on top and push down into the mixture.

Cover with 2 tablespoons of batter. Bake in the oven at 350 for 35 minutes, rotating the pan 1/2 way through.

YUM!! I liked these and can't wait to try more from her book!

Awesome Chocolate Sheet Cake

2009-07-31T09:19:00.004-05:00

I was given this recipe and cake pan for a wedding gift. I didn't try it for a few years because it sounded really complicated. I wish I would have tried it earlier because this chocolate cake is moist, delicious, and turns out great every time!

The Cake:

First mix together the dry ingredients-

2 Cups of flour

2 cups of sugar

4 T of cocoa

Then mix the hot mixture on the stove- 1/2 C of butter

1/2 C of vegetable oil

1 C of water

Let the ingredients come to a boil

Add the hot mixture to the dry mixture

Stir together well

Add 1 C of buttermilk

1 t of soda

1 t vanilla

2 eggs, beaten, I just beat them with a fork

add the eggs

Mix together well

Pour into a well-greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

THE ICING:

Melt 1/2 c of butter, (I use the same pan as before, any way to cut down on dish consumption)

Add 4 T of cocoa

6 T of milk

Bring ingredients to a boil

Take off the heat and add 1 c at a time, 3-4 cups of powdered sugar

Use an electric mixer and mix well; you can also mix in nuts once you have the icing made, if you like.

Pour over the cake.
YUM! Serve with milk...delicious!
I have a printable recipe if you need one.

Crumb Chicken

2009-07-21T22:46:00.005-05:00

You don't have to be able to cook to make this chicken...

You need: chicken breasts (fresh or frozen), crackers, some butter, and pepper.

First crush your crackers with a food chopper or food processor. I usually use Ritz crackers, they are my favorite because they crush very fine, but I didn't have any so I just used what I had on hand.

Melt the butter and coat chicken in butter

Dredge chicken in cracker crumbs, turning over each side onto the crackers.

Sprinkle with pepper and poppy seeds (optional).

Place in a baking dish and bake at 350 for 40 minutes (or longer if frozen). Bake until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with the sides of your choice. Yum!!

Coq au vin

2009-07-12T22:16:00.005-05:00

Coq au vin is French for "Rooster in Wine". This is a chicken dish that my mom made growing up that I always really liked. I called her and got the recipe, which didn't involve any exact measurements. I will have to work at it bit to get it just right.

You will need: chicken (chicken tenders work best), onion, 1 garlic clove, bacon, butter or olive oil, mushrooms, and white wine or apple juice

Cook the chicken in a pan in 4 oz of butter or some olive oil. Add garlic clove. When chicken is cooked remove from pan.

In the same pan cook chopped onions,

Add chopped bacon, and when bacon is cooked through and onions are soft add:

Chopped mushrooms, stirring around occasionally until soft.

Then add 1/4 c of flour

1 C of White wine or apple juice

Stir all together until heated through and flour and wine make a sauce.
Serve over rice with vegetables.
I forgot to take a final picture, but the meal turned out good. Not quite how I remember my Mom's tasting, but very tasty. Bon appetit!!

Quick Buttercream Frosting

2009-07-12T21:48:00.004-05:00

You need: 1 C of butter (room temperature), 2 t vanilla extract, 4 C of powdered sugar, 2-4 T of milk.

Cream the butter with an electric mixer until soft.

Add the vanilla.

Gradually add in sugar until most has been incorporated.

Add milk as necessary, start with 2 T.

Mix until frosting becomes an "easy to work with" consistency. Makes enough to frost 2 dozen cupcakes.

I made these cupcakes for the 4th, by adding some blue food coloring to make the stars and cutting up twizzlers for the stripes.

Coconut cupcakes with lime buttercream frosting

2009-05-18T20:25:00.007-05:00

For the cupcakes you need:
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup), 3 tablespoons potato starch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, softened, 1 large egg, 1 large egg white, 2/3 cup fat-free milk, 2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

What is potato starch you might ask? You can't find it at Walmart, or Target...I finally found it at Akins natural food store.

Mix the dry ingredients together

Mix the butter and sugar together, beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (mixture will be the consistency of damp sand). Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in coconut and vanilla.

For the icing you need:
3 tablespoons butter, softened, 1 teaspoon half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 4.75 ounces powdered sugar, sifted (about 1 1/3 cups); Optional: I added a 1/2 t of coconut flavoring, which made it even better.

To prepare frosting, combine 3 tablespoons butter, 1 t of half and half, 1/2 t grated lime rind, 1 T of fresh lime juicel; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating just until smooth.

When cupcakes have cooled, frost them. YUM!

These cupcakes are from Cooking Light. They are more sponge-like in texture rather than cake-like, but really good for a light cupcake. The icing was really tasty! These are only 4 WW points which is half the points of most cupcakes. Printable recipe here.

Re-design

2009-05-11T22:20:00.003-05:00

What do you think of the blog re-design?

I can't believe it has been a whole month since I posted! Look back for new recipes soon!

Another one from cooking light

2009-04-12T19:02:00.002-05:00

Ingredients: 5 t of olive oil divided, pork loin or chops, 1/2 of pepper and salt each divided, 8 shallots, 1 garlic glove minced, 1/2 C of water, 2 T of balsamic vinegar.

First heat 1 T of oil in a pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle pork with half of the salt and pepper.

Cook for three minutes on each side, or until done. Remove from pan, and keep warm.

Then heat the other 4 T of oil- lower heat to medium

Add shallots to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup water and vinegar; simmer 6 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Spoon shallot mixture over pork. Serve immediately.
The flavor of this was amazing! We loved this recipe and will make it again. Even if you don't like shallots, the flavor was good, and you could just pour the sauce over. 6 WW points per serving.
Printable recipe HERE.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

2009-04-12T18:45:00.006-05:00

You need: spaghetti noodles, 2 T of olive oil, 1 large onion, carrots, 2 garlic cloves, 3/4 lbs of ground beef, 28 oz can of tomatoes, 1/4 c of Parmesan, Italian seasonings.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to the directions.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the beef, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Serve the pasta with the sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

This was good, but I'm not sure if it is better than regular spaghetti sauce with meat. The sauce was a bit bland and so I added extra garlic and Italian seasonings. I froze the left over sauce, so that will be nice to have on hand for a quick meal.
Printable recipe HERE.

Margarita Pizza

2009-04-03T05:10:00.009-05:00

My husband makes great homemade pizzas. Here is how:

You need: 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons yeast, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Depending on how big and how thick you want the crust to be, you can also half the recipe. Go ahead and heat your oven to 450 so it will be hot when you are ready.

First mix together the warm water, honey, salt, and then yeast.

Then add the flour and olive oil

Mix it all together

Let it rise for about 45 minutes

Then roll out your dough

Add whatever sauce you like

This one is just olive oil; spread it around and add some garlic powder

Drain a can of tomatoes, or use fresh if you have them on hand

Cover your pizza with tomatoes and cheese. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until your pizza is the "doneness" you like

And Eat!
Here is the printable dough recipe!

Strawberry Cupcakes

2009-03-29T21:22:00.006-05:00

This is the only cupcake recipe that has been shared by Sprinkle's Cupcakes. It has lots of steps, but it wasn't too difficult. If you don't have an electric mixer a hand mixer would work just fine.

Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended.

Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended.

Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

NOW FOR THE ICING:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined.

Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree

Mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

They didn't taste exactly like the ones at the store, but they were really good.

Click here for a printable recipe and the list of ingredients needed.

Technique Classes

2009-03-27T18:54:00.003-05:00

The Williams-Sonoma store in my area stopped offering their cooking classes, but they still have techinque classes that are free on Saturdays at 9:30 AM. The day and time varies by store location. Tomorrow the class is on "Springtime Baking". Since I love to bake I think I might check it out. You don't have to sign up, they said just show up. They are predicting 100% chance snow (yes the last weekend in March), so I'll see how things look in the morning.

Provencal Beef Stew

2009-03-27T18:14:00.008-05:00

I made this recipe at the end of last month one day when it was really cold. I mixed it up before work and left it in the crock pot. It was ready to go when I got home. I saw this one in my Cooking Light magazine.

You will need 2 t of olive oil, 1 1.2 lbs of boneless chuck roast cut into cubes, 2 T of all-purpose flour, 2 medium onions, 8 garlic cubes crushed, 1/4 c of dry red wine, 1 C of fat-free, less sodium beef broth, 2 T of tomato paste, 3 bay leaves, 3 fresh thyme springs (i had none so left them out), 1 can of diced tomatoes drained, 3 C of sliced zucchini, AND 2 C of sliced carrots.

First mix the beef together with flour, salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a non stick skillet over medium-high heat, and then add beef to pan. Saute for 2 minutes, browning on all sides. Then place the beef in a crock pot.

Add onions and garlic to pan; saute for 5 minutes.

Add the wine and stir, put mixture in the crock pot

Add the broth to the crock pot

Add tomato paste

Add the bay leaves

Add tomatoes and stir it all together

Top with zucchini and carrots. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaves and thyme springs before serving.

The final product! This looks pretty gross, BUT it was really tasty!
Click HERE for a printable recipe.

Last minute lasagna

2009-03-23T20:50:00.004-05:00

I tried out this recipe from one of my recent real simple magazines.

You need cheese ravioli, frozen spinach, a jar of pasta sauce, mozzarella, grated parmesan cheese.

First put a layer of sauce down

Then ravioli

Then spinach and cheese

Repeat

On the last layer cover the ravioli with sauce, mozzarella, and grated parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes; then uncover and bake for 5-10 more minutes.
Here is a printable recipe. This was quick, easy, and good. That being said it wasn't "super delicious" and I'm not sure how often I would remake it. Give it a try and decide for yourself!

Angel Chicken

2009-02-24T20:55:00.006-06:00

I have been trying to do one post a week. I got really sick last week, so here is last week's post.
This is another easy crockpot meal. I put it together one day over my lunch break and it was ready to go when I got home.

You need: 8 chicken breasts (I just used three because there are only two of us), 1/4 C of butter, 1 0.7-oz pkg of italian salad dressing mix, 1 can of mushroom soup, 1/2 C of white wine, 1/2 of an 8-.oz tub of cream cheese with chives and onions, and angel-hair pasta

Place your chicken in the crockpot

On the stove melt the butter

Pour in the dry salad dressing mix

Once the butter and dressing are mixed together add in the mushroom soup, white wine, and cream cheese. Stir until combined together.

Pour the mix over the chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours, or all day while you work.

Serve with cooked noodles and the sides of your choice.
The recipe above makes 6 servings. Using 3 chicken breasts we had tons and left overs for lunch the next day. This picture doesn't look that appetizing, but my husband said "this is Amazing!"

"Wicked good brownies!"

2009-02-24T20:45:00.006-06:00

I made these tonight for a group of people we had over. Super easy, really good!

You need a package of brownies, chocolate chip cookie mix, and chocolate icing. Prepare according to the directions of each the brownies and the cookies.

First spread the brownie mix in a 9X13 pan.

Then by the spoonful drop the chocolate chip cookie mix on top of the brownie mix. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

After cooling ice with the chocolate icing.

And serve! Easy and delicious! Wish we had some milk!
Click here for a printable recipe from the Betty Crocker website.
I read on the website some people made this with peanut butter cookie mix, I will have to try that! It is sweet enough that you could probably leave off the icing if you wanted. Very good!

Cheese Ravioli with Garlic Sautéed Vegetables

2009-02-10T21:48:00.007-06:00

This recipe has been in real simple and looked good:

Ravioli of your choice, yellow squash, green beans, cherry tomatoes, garlic, parmesan cheese

Heat 2 T of olive oil over medium heat

Saute the green beans for 5 minutes

While you are doing that boil water and cook your pasta

Add the squash to the green beans and cook for 3 minutes

Add 1/2 cup of halved cherry tomatoes (again...why do my pictures turn like this? Anyone know?)

Add 1 T of chopped fresh garlic and cook together for 2 minutes

Add the pasta, stir together for three minutes or until pasta is warm

Serve with fresh cheese

And some yummy bread!

This was quick, easy, and really good.
For a printable recipe click here.

Easy Snacks

2009-02-08T21:45:00.005-06:00

I made these easy snacks for the Superbowl party we went to. They don't require many ingredients or difficult cooking, and are tasty!

Easy peanut butter kiss cookies:

My favorite mix are these Betty Crocker mixes. All you do is follow the directions on the mix. You could cook on a cookie sheet, or I made mine in a sheet of mini muffin tins.

Roll the dough into balls and mix in sugar, bake the cookies according to the directions on the package

Take out of the oven and place a hershey kiss point down in the cookie while still warm. You can also use peanut butter cups and any variation of kisses.

Sausage balls:

1 lb of sausage + 2 C of Bisquick + 1/2 C of Milk + 10 oz of cheddar cheese= Delicious!
Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet
Cook in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through.

Baked Potato Soup

2009-01-27T18:44:00.005-06:00

We were home from work today- iced in- and I made this baked potato soup from cooking light I have been wanting to try. For a printable recipe click here.

You need: 4 baking potatoes, 2/3 C all-purpose flour, 6 cups of 2% reduced fat milk, 1 C of reduced fat extra sharp cheddar cheese, salt pepper, 1 C of reduced fat sour cream, 3/4 C chopped green onions (I left these out), and 6 bacon slices cooked and crumbled.

First preheat your oven to 400 and pierce the potatoes with a fork. Place them on a tray in the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until tender.

Once tender, remove the skins or leave them on however you like.

Mash them to your desired amount, if you like chunky soup- don't mash completely.

Then put the flour in a pan

and add in the milk gradually, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

Add the mashed potatoes

3/4 C of cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Stir in 1 C of sour cream and the onions if you are using them. Cook over low heat until thoroughly heated through. I also added some onion and garlic powder.

Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 t of cheese, onions, and 1 T of bacon. Recipe makes 8 servings with 7 WW points per serving.

This recipe made tons for us, so I divided it into portions to freeze for meals later. It was really good!

Papa Dodgen's Biscuits

2009-01-11T12:35:00.006-06:00

My mom's family put together a cookbook of family recipes several years ago. I tried making these biscuits for the first time today. I am glad to have the recipes as our family continues to change with losing our loved family members and gaining some new additions too.

First preheat your oven to 425

Mix together 1 1/2 C of flour, 1 T baking powder, 1 t baking soda, 1 T sugar, 1 T of oil, a little bit of salt

Then add 2/3 C of buttermilk
You will have to look at see if you need a little more flour for your dough to look right

Roll out on wax paper for easy clean up

Cut out your biscuits with a small glass or biscuit cutters. I got these for Christmas.
Place on a lightly greased pan and cook at 425 for 12-15 minutes

This recipe makes 6 biscuits, you can double as needed.

Pizza Roll-ups

2009-01-11T12:25:00.003-06:00

This is one from Michael's mom.

You need: a pizza crust, whatever pizza sauce you like, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni (or whatever meat you like)

Unroll the crust and cover with pizza sauce, layer pepperoni then cheese. Roll up like a cinamon roll (my hands were too messy for a picture). Then once you have it all rolled up cut out individual rolls.

Place in a pie pan and cover with some more cheese

Cook in the oven at 425 (or whatever temperature is on your pizza dough) for 15 minutes, or until the dough is cooked.
Easy and delicious!

Meat Balls

2009-01-01T20:09:00.008-06:00

My sister made these the day we cooked together

You need 2 lbs of ground beef, 1 C of bread crumbs, 2 large eggs, 1/3 C of milk, 1 t. dried onion powder, 1 t. dried basil, 1 t. salt, 1/2 t pepper, Preheat the oven to 375F

Adding the bread crumbs to the meat

Mixing it all together

Take a rounded tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball with your hands. If you have a broiler pan use that. When I made them at home I used a cookie sheet covered with foil (for easier clean up). Bake the meatballs until brown, 30-40 minutes. Serve at once or cool and freeze for later.

I used all of the ones we made together and made more later. They are great to freeze into the portion size you need and have on hand in the freezer for a quick filling meal. When you want to use them heat them on the stove with pasta sauce and serve with whole wheat pasta.

Shannon's Peanut Butter Balls

2008-12-27T09:47:00.006-06:00

You need: 5& 1/4 C of powdered sugar, 2 sticks of margarine, 2 cups of creamy peanut butter, 12 oz of milk chocolate pieces, 1/4 square of paraffin wax.

Melt the butter and mix with sugar and peanut butter

Mix and then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

First you melt the paraffin wax over low heat and then add the chocolate and melt mixing together (this is my make shift double boiler)

Make 1 inch peanut butter balls and dip in chocolate using a tooth pick. Set on wax paper to cool.

Thanks for the recipe Shannon! These were great!

Wedding Punch

2008-12-18T20:08:00.007-06:00

I call this wedding punch, because it is the one my mom made for my wedding. I made it for a friend's baby shower last month.

Mix 5C of water with 2 C of sugar stirring the water until the sugar melts

Puree a carton of strawberries in a food processor

Mash 3 large ripe bananas

Add a carton of concentrated orange juice to the water mixture

Add in one large can of pineapple juice

Add in the strawberries and bananas

Mix together

I'm sure there is some other way to do this, but pour the punch into plastic cups and place in the freezer. Before you serve take out and defrost under hot water. Put in punch bowl and mash frozen punch into sprite. Makes 28 cups with this recipe + 2 liters of sprite. It is so good!

Here we are at the shower and the punch.

Breakfast Casserole

2008-12-18T19:56:00.003-06:00

My mom makes this on Christmas morning. It is one of my favorites!

You will need 2 C of milk, 8 eggs, 6-8 slices of bread, cheese, and sausage or ham.

Butter the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan and lay the pieces of bread so that they cover the bottom.

Together in a bowl wisk 8 eggs and 2 cups of milk until completed mixed together

Layer the cooked sausage on top of the bread, and cover with grated cheese

Cover with the egg and milk mixture.
Cook at 325 for 45 minutes. You can also make this the night before and refrigerate until the morning.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

2008-10-29T21:52:00.006-05:00

I made our mom's enchiladas the other day. This ended up making 4 servings (4 pans of 4 enchiladas in square pans), but if I am making it for a group of people I use a 9X13 pan.

Ingredients: 7 chicken breasts (amount can be adjusted depending on size and how many you are making), 1 large can of enchilada sauce, 1 small can of sour cream, 1 can of cream of chicken soup, monterey jack cheese, and 16 tortillas (also can be adjusted)

First begin by boiling water to boil the chicken

Mix together the enchilada sauce, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup. (My sister has this fun immersion blender I probably need one too! :)

Pour out 1/3 of the mixture in a separate bowl

Chop or shred the chicken into small pieces. I dislike this part the most...not enough to use rotisserie chickens just yet.

Mix the chopped chicken into the larger amount of sauce

Add a little bit of cheese and mix

Fill your tortillas with the mixture, roll them up, and place in the pan

Add a cup of milk to the smaller sauce mixture and mix together

Pour over the top of the enchiladas and cover

Cover with cheese and either cook at 350 for 20-30 minutes or freeze and cook at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Just cook until hot in the middle.

And eat. Great with side salads, rice, beans, or chips and salsa

Parmesan Oven Fries

2008-10-29T21:39:00.004-05:00

We made these the other night as a side with our burgers, and they were GREAT!

Preheat your oven to 475
Mix together:
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. paprika
1/8 t. cayene
and salt to taste

Then:
Cut three russet potatoes each into 8 wedges

Coat the wedges in:
1 T of olive oil and then add the parmesan mixture and toss to coat
Coat a baking sheet with 2 T of olive oil and place wedges on pan

Roast the wedges until golden, 15 minutes on each side; Directions say to return fries to bowl after cooking and toss with parsley- I took that as optional.

AND then eat!

Our very own make-and-take kitchen

2008-10-27T08:52:00.003-05:00

My sister and I got together and cooked over the weekend. It was fun and the time went by very quickly.

Here we are in her kitchen.

The best part: for only $26 each we had food for 7 meals (without sides), 8 servings of brown rice each, and each had left overs of a 1/2 lb of hamburger meat and 2 chicken breasts!!
This was our first time to do this, and sometime I hope to organize something like this with lots of people to make and freeze lots of meals.
Check back soon for the recipes and guest blogging by my sister.

Fiber one muffins

2008-10-10T00:01:00.003-05:00

I tried this mix out last week. I thought the muffins were "pretty good". Michael really liked them and asked me to buy more mix. The muffins are 3 points each and have 5 grams of fiber.

Latest favorite

2008-10-09T23:43:00.005-05:00

I used to have this size glass pyrex bowl and a 1 cup size until about a month ago. I lost my balance getting them from one of the top cabinets, dropped them both and found myself in the middle of a sea of glass. Michael carried me out of the kitchen -and cleaned the mess- there was glass all over the floor, cabinets, in my kitchenaid mixer, glass pierced through the bag of amish friendship bread I was making and got inside there...quite traumatic! :) BUT- I missed them because they were handy for measuring out ingredients, making the perfect chai, etc.

Then I saw these in a real simple magazine and thought they might be safer for me.

The formal description: Made of firmly flexible silicone, these sturdy measuring cups have a textured outer surface that provides a secure grip. When the handle-free cups are held, their flexible rims automatically form spouts for pouring liquid or dry ingredients with pinpoint control. Easy-to-read calibrations on both sides afford precise measuring. The cups’ narrow shapes are especially helpful when gradually adding ingredients to the bowl of an electric mixer, and the large cup can double as a mixing bowl for use with an immersion blender. Heat resistant up to 490°F, the food-grade European silicone won’t yellow over time, and the bowls nest for compact storage. Microwave and dishwasher safe. 1, 2 and 4-cup cap.; 6 1/2", 7" and 8" high. Set of 3, one of each size.

So they have the measurements on the side, you can squeeze them to control the amount you pour, have high heat resistance, and best of all unbreakable!

Parmesan chicken and rice casserole

2008-09-30T19:35:00.003-05:00

I got this recipe from Cooking Light, and cut it down for the two of us. I will attach the original at the end.

Preheat your oven to 450

Saute some onions on high heat in some olive oil

Add some fresh garlic and saute

Add some cooked brown rice (it works great to cook a bunch and freeze to have on hand)

Lower the heat to medium and add 1/3 C of white cooking wine and cook until the liquid evaporates

Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and pour rice mixture into the bottom of the pan

Place chicken on top of the rice. The recipe calls for chicken thighs, but I just used what I had on hand.

Measure out 1 1/2 C of fat-free, less sodium chicken broth

Add 3 T of whipping cream to the broth and stir together

Pour over chicken and cook for 15 minutes. Then take out and cover with 1/3 C of parmesan cheese and cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through

We really liked this one and will have it again.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1714619

11 WW points

5 Can Soup

2008-09-21T22:00:00.004-05:00

This is an easy, healthy soup I sometimes make for my lunches. It only requires 5 cans and a little warming time.

the 5 cans are: corn, tomatoes, black beans, mixed vegetables, and minestrone soup

Mix together in a pot on low until warmed through

I portioned these out for my lunches. I will probably freeze one because after eating the same thing I get sick of it. Michael won't touch this stuff, but it is easy, healthy, and cheap. It is good with a little grated cheese on top or served with corn chips.

1 Cup= 2 points

Cheeseball

2008-09-02T17:58:00.007-05:00

I made a cheese ball for my book club dinner tonight. It is really easy.

Depending on how big you want it to be you can adjust how much cream cheese you use. You need a carton of garden vegetable, chive and onion, a small regular cream cheese, a cup of cheddar cheese, and some chopped pecans.

Grate the cheese and add the cream cheese, chive and onion in this pic

Then garden vegetable

Regular cream cheese, and I also added some spinach dip herbs I had, but that is optional I usually don't have them on hand.

Mix everything together well

Roll in chopped pecans...

And serve with the crackers of your choice!

Chicken Fajitas

2008-08-26T22:35:00.007-05:00

OK, so I was lazy on the pictures for this one and also realized I did not gather all of the ingredients for this picture so pay attention:
2/3 C of water, 1/3 C of soy sauce, 1 1/2 T of Worcestershire sauce, 1 C of honey, 1/4 t of ginger, 1/4 t of garlic powder, crushed red pepper to taste, as much chicken as you need. I used frozen chicken tenderloins.

Adding the garlic powder

Worcestershire sauce

the ginger

Mix all around together in bag and let marinate overnight (or like me I did it before work so it only marinated for 9 hours or so)

You grill the chicken

Chop the chicken to the size you like your fajita meat: bite size, strips whatever...

Saute some onions and peppers until they are tender, warm up your tortillas, grate some cheese, get out the sour cream, make some rice or beans (whatever you eat on your fajitas)

Roll into a tortilla, my chef husband whipped up some homemade guacamole and salsa to go along with the meal

YUM YUM! Oh and he blended ice and lemonade to have an icy drink with our meal...maybe he should have his own cooking blog!!
Michael's comments: "This chicken is so tasty!" and then later "That chicken was so good it makes you want to slap your momma" And let me clarify as his mother reads this blog that is just an expression...there will be no slapping of mommas involved with this recipe! :)
Easy and Delicious!

Easy BBQ Pork Sandwiches

2008-08-18T00:20:00.005-05:00

I hate to have one of those blogs that never gets updated! We have been really busy this summer going out of town or eating old stand-bys. Here is another quick and easy one:

All you need is a crockpot, bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce, and pork loin in the amount that you want. This pork loin made about 5 sandwiches.

Place the meat in the crock pot and cover with the BBQ sauce. Cover the pot and set on the lowest setting. This picture looks sick...I know! I let this cook from 8-5. I love meals that you can come home to that require little effort.

Then tear the meat apart with forks. It will be very tender. You can chop it to your desired size.

And serve on sandwiches, buns, or however you like. (Try to take the picture before you take a bite out!) We like our sandwiches with coleslaw!

Chocolate Truffle Pie

2008-07-09T21:38:00.005-05:00

1/2 C of pecan pieces, 1 ready to fill chocolate crumb crust, 3/4 C (17 squares) individually wrapped caramels, 1/4 C of canned evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk), 1.5 C of semisweet chocolate chips, 1 C of heaving whipping cream, 3 T stick butter

First place the chopped pecans in the bottom

Heat caramels

and evaporated milk in a saucepan over low heat (or in a bowl in the microwave), stirring often until caramels melt and mixture is smooth.

Pour over pecans

Keep on pouring... mMMMM!

Place the chips in a pan

Add 3 T of stick butter

Add 1 C of heavy whipping cream; heat chocolate chips, cream, and butter over low heat

until chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Stir frequently.

Pour over caramels

Refrigerate about 4 hours until set.
Serve with whipped cream or cool whip.

Another favorite

2008-07-09T21:27:00.005-05:00

My F-I-L surprised us with these on a trip to SAM'S over the weekend. They are quickly becoming a fav. This is a set of 27 pieces of tupperware, and I didn't think we could fit it in our space challenged kitchen, but all of these pieces fit better than the hodge podge of other storage containers we had. These take up less room, have every size we would ever need, all match, and the lids and bases lock together.

Here are some of the great features:

Lids snap together and to container bases so you can always find the right lid
Graduated sized containers nest for compact storage
One lid fits multiple bases
Square shape for optimal space utilization
Super-Clarified base to easily see contents
Microwave / Freezer / Dishwasher Safe
Thick, durable container walls for everyday use

*and yes, I feel old to be excited, and blogging about new storage containers!! :)

Shrimp Pasta

2008-07-09T21:00:00.005-05:00

This is a very easy tasty meal, and can easily be made for 1-2 people or more. My sister shared this one with me. Thanks Heather!

All you need for two: 2 "generous" handfuls of cooked shrimp, 2 T of olive oil, 1 garlic clove chopped, small pinch of red pepper flakes or to taste (I didn't have red pepper flakes, so I just used what I had to season), juice of 1/2 lemon, small handful of chopped parsley, 1/2 lb of linguine, and salt and pepper to taste.

Before you begin start boiling a pot of water to cook the pasta
then...

Over medium heat, heat the olive oil and

Cook the garlic

and chili flakes until fragrant but not browned, about two minutes.

Then add the pasta and cook until your desired tenderness

Add the shrimp and cook in the oil and cook until thawed and warmed through, season with salt, pepper and parsley

Another picture turned wrong, but you get the idea, remove from heat and add the lemon juice. We added some fresh cherry tomatoes at this point and cooked those- completely optional.

Then pour in the pasta

Mix together well, if the pasta is too dry add a little olive oil.

And serve immediately!

Monkey Bread

2008-06-27T21:49:00.010-05:00

My Mom makes monkey bread for our special Christmas breakfast. I decided to attempt it for the first time, so I made it for a brunch at work this week.

This is what you do, it is very easy.

You need four cans of small buttermilk biscuits.

Put 1 C of sugar in a ziplock bag

Add 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the bag

Cut the biscuits into quarters

Put a few biscuit quarters in the bag and shake around to coat

Shake-Shake-Shake :)

Layer in a bundt pan

Melt 1 stick of butter (1/2 C) over medium heat

Add 1 C of brown sugar to the melted butter

Simmer for one minute stirring constantly

Pour evenly over the top of the biscuits

Bake in the oven at 350 for 35 minutes, and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

Invert pan on a plate and let cool for about 10 minutes so that the bread will keep the shape

And serve! Delish!

Super easy strawberry shortcakes

2008-06-17T22:36:00.011-05:00

The players for this game: bisquick, sugar, butter, milk, cool whip, and strawberries

First you need 2 1/3 C of bisquick

3 T of sugar (I don't know why some of my pictures keep turning!)

1/2 C of milk

3 T of melted butter

Then mix together

Place on a cookie sheet in balls. This recipe amount is to make 6, but I just adjust it depending on how many I need. Cook in the oven on 425 for 10-12 minutes.

Chop up some strawberries. The recipe calls for 1/2 C of sugar in the strawberries, but I just added a small spoonful, because I think they are sweet enough.

When finished cooking cut the top off and put some cool whip in the middle.

Then some strawberries, and put the top back on. (and watch out to not let your china plate slide off the counter!)

Then add a dollop of whipped cream and a few more strawberries.
That's it! Quick, easy, and delish.
I cooked mine longer than what it said because I have a fear of things being gooey in the middle, consequently they were somewhat crunchy on the outsides. Don't be like me...
This recipe is usually on the back of the bisquick box for quick referencing. ENJOY!

Chicken Marsala

2008-06-11T22:47:00.006-05:00

In a pan put 1 Tbsp each oil and butter over medium heat. When hot, you will add the chicken and cook.

While that is heating up, season chicken with 1⁄4 tsp each salt and pepper (or just shake some on there)

Coat with flour

Place in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on one side

Then turn it over to cook the other side (check the middle and cook until cooked through). When cooked through remove from pan to plate and keep warm.

Then place some mushrooms in your pan and add some garlic

Sauté until tender

Then add 1/4 C of Marsala wine. (I just use Holland House Marsala Cooking wine, it is at walmart or target).

Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about half. Watch those babies simmer!

Remove the pan from the heat, stir in 1 Tbsp butter until melted. Spoon over chicken...

and serve!!

I got this recipe from this website.

I just used chicken tenderloins because that is what I had on hand. Normally I would have used chicken breasts, and next time I want to follow her recipe to use the veggies she has in the recipe. At only 7 WW points, this meal was very tasty and quick!

Blueberry Muffins

2008-06-10T07:47:00.007-05:00

Wow!! I can't believe it has been a whole month since my last post! We have been on vacation for a week, eating things already on this blog, or eating normal things that do not seem blog worthy! I definitely need to find some more recipes to try!

My mom always made muffins for us growing up and I enjoy making them.

What you will need: 2 C flour, 1/2 C sugar, 3/4 C of milk, 1/4 C of vegetable oil, 1 large egg, 2 t of baking powder, 1/2 t of salt, 1 C of fresh, frozen, or canned blueberries.

First mix the wet ingredients: milk

Oil

And egg, then wisk together

Then add the dry ingredients: flour

Sugar

Baking powder and salt

Then mix together just until "moistened" the batter will still be lumpy. (Apparently if you mix too much the muffins will be dense- whatever that means!)

Then fold in a cup of blueberries

Fill 12 lined muffin tins 2/3 full and bake at 400 for 18-22 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see when finished.

Optional: I decided to put a lemon glaze on these muffins. Mix 1/2 C of powered sugar with fresh lemon juice, and drizzle over muffins while still warm.

The finished product!

Black Bean Taco Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

2008-05-10T19:18:00.009-05:00

Ingredients for Vinaigrette Dressing:
1/4 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro ( I didn't use any because I don't like the taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled

Salad:
8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cups chopped ready-to-eat roasted skinned, boned chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups fat-free baked tortilla chips (about 4 ounces)

Yields 4 servings: 2 C salad and 1 C chips

First combine all of the ingredients for the dressing together in a food processor or blender.
2 T of olive oil

1t of grated lime rind

1 T of fresh lime juice

1/4 t ground cumin

1/4 t of chili powder

1 peeled garlic clove

1/4 cup chopped seeded tomato

...and MIX! Now begin the salad...

Drain and wash a can of black beans

Chop up tomatoes and green bell pepper

In a large bowl mix everything together: lettuce, chopped chicken, black beans, tomatoes, green pepper

Cheese (i also added avocado)

Pour dressing on top

Toss well to coat

And serve with tortilla chips

"I love it"- Michael Mitchell
It was pretty tasty!

According to the nutrition facts from the recipe if you don't substitute anything in or out it will be 8 WW points.

Printable recipe: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222266

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

2008-04-24T20:54:00.006-05:00

What you will need: bone-in loin pork chops, 4 t honey, 1/4 C dijon mustard, 1 t cider or wine vinegar, and a zip lock bag

Pour your honey in a microwaveable bowl and heat for 30 seconds to liquefy

Pour your 1/4 C of dijon in the zip lock bag

Pour in the 1 t of cider or wine vinegar

Pour in the 4 t of heated honey

Mix the marinade around together

Place the chops in the bag and mix the bag around to coat
Marinade in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight and remove the chops from the fridge 30 minutes before broiling

Place the chops in a baking dish and preheat the broiler

Place the chops on the broiler rack or under the broiler 3-4 inches from the heat until cooked through which will take about 6-7 minutes on each side

Here is the finished product
The chops are only 4 WW points and good too!!

Roasted asparagus

2008-04-24T20:17:00.003-05:00

Cut off the hard ends of the asparagus (if you bought a bundle of asparagus and are only using some of it you can put the remainder in the fridge in a cup of water to keep fresh for a day or two until you use them)

Drizzle some olive or grapeseed oil over them and mix around to coat

adding in some optional lemon rind

I also chopped up some shallots, and squeezed the juice of the lemon together

pour over asparagus

mix together to coat and cook at 450 for about 7 minutes or until they are at the level of tenderness/crispness you like

chicken tomato spinach pasta

2008-04-23T21:43:00.011-05:00

For this part you need a crockpot, fresh spinach, chicken breast/s ( I just make one for me and michael), and dijon mustard.

Lay your chook in the pot and cover it with a thin layer of dijon mustard.

Then cover with spinach leaves, use more than you think you need because they shrink up a ton. Then cover the pot and turn on low heat or high depending on how many hours you are leaving it. Ok let me insert here, I realize this does not sound good so far, nor does it look good. Furthermore, the first time I made this I got home and my house smelled not so good. Which is one thing I like about cooking in the crock pot, the great aromas, this did not smell good, and it looked sick too... ok lets move on- because there is a happy ending!

For the next part you need a can of tomatoes, an onion or shallot (optional), balsamic vinegar, and the whole wheat pasta of your choice.

Drain the tomatoes and pour in a large pan

Then put in your chopped onion if you choose to use it. (normally i saute' the onion in olive oil and then put in the onions, but I forgot this time, either way works)

then add a splash (or three) of the balsamic vinegar and mix together and let cook on high heat (until the juices evaporate) while you move on

take the chicken out and pull apart with two forks, it will be super tender

then pour the chicken and spinach into the tomato mixture, mix, and let cook together while you make sides or the pasta I haven't talked about!

I forgot to mention, before you start the tomatoes, begin boiling some water, and cook your pasta while you are simmering the sauce.

Serve on top of pasta, and viola!
Our take:
LOVE IT!
Michael said: add this one to the repertoire!
and in the last month we have had this 3 times! So although it starts out not looking so good, it is very tasty, and only about 4 WW points per serving!