Some of the last things I cooked

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

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"

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

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

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

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

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.