Eggnog Gingerbread Trifle

This recipe comes from my friend Kim, and it's just in time for the holidays! You can make it the day before, since it needs to refrigerate at least 6 hours, then have it ready to travel with you the next day.  And, if you're making this dessert just for the grown-ups, you can substitute bourbon for vanilla extract!

1 (14.5 ounce) package gingerbread cake mix

3 cups eggnog

1 (5.1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (can use bourbon instead)

¼ cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped (optional)

2 tablespoons gingersnap cookie crumbs (optional)

Prepare gingerbread cake mix and bake according to package directions (any size pan). 

Place the pudding mix in large bowl, pour in the eggnog & whisk for about 2 minutes. 

Refrigerate pudding until the gingerbread cake is completely cool and you’re ready to assemble the trifle. Whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. 

Beat in sugar and vanilla (or bourbon) until peaks form. 

Crumble ½ of the gingerbread into the bottom of a trifle bowl or a large glass bowl. 

Spread ½ of the eggnog pudding over the gingerbread, and then spread ½ of the whipped cream on top of the pudding. 

Repeat the layers with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped cream. 

Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. 

Sprinkle with the cranberries and cookie crumbs before serving

Chocolate Bark

This stuff is fun and easy to make, and super yummy. It's a perfect homemade gift-just throw it in a pretty container and put a bow on it! It can be stored at room temp for 1-2 weeks. Last year, my friend Kelly and I made a few batches of this while we were doing our holiday baking, and it was a big hit! Plus, the combinations are endless! 

To make it, you need to pick your chocolate,  your toppings, and your (optional) spices. 

You'll need 1 pound of bittersweet, semisweet, or white chocolate. You can also do 1/2 pound each of bittersweet and white for swirled bark. 

Chop your chocolate into pieces. 

Set aside 1 cup of chocolate

Place the remaining chocolate in a microwave safe bowl

(If you're doing swirled, reserve 1/2 cup of each and put the remaining chocolate in 2 separate bowls.)

Microwave chocolate for 30 seconds, then stir with a rubber spatula

Continue microwaving and stirring at 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted. (About 3-5 minutes)

(For swirled, microwave each chocolate separately in 15 second intervals)

Once melted, add the reserved chocolate to the bowl(s)

Stir vigorously until shiny and melted

Pour the chocolate onto a cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil, shiny side up

Use spatula to spread evenly over pan

(For swirled, pour the 2 chocolates side by side and use the spatula to swirl them together)

Press toppings into the chocolate and sprinkle with spices if you're using them

Allow bark to harden at room temp for about an hour. If the room is warm,  you will need to freeze the bark for a few minutes

Once hardened, break into pieces and store in an airtight container 

Last year, Kelly and I did white chocolate with peppermint pieces and semisweet chocolate with cashews. Here are some other topping options, but feel free to use any combination or any toppings you can think of! 

almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, peanuts, pistachios, hazlenuts

dried fruits-pineapple, mango, apricot, cranberry, raisins, 

mini marshmallows

dried cereal

pretzels or plain potato chips

banana chips

red pepper flakes

sea salt

coconut flakes

peanut butter chips

toffee
mint chips

Pumpkin Pie Boatmeal (Baked Oatmeal)

This recipe came from a blog that my friend Teresa recommended I check out. The blog is called Chocolate Covered Katie, and it has tons of healthy and delicious looking recipes. (Here is the link to the original recipe, because the author of the blog  has a special request that you link back to her page, which I totally understand.

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/11/10/baked-pumpkin-oatmeal-for-one/)

Teresa tried one of the boatmeals and said it was the best oatmeal she's ever had! I thought this one sounded yummy, so here it is... 

1/2 cup oats

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/8 tsp nutmeg

sweetener, such as 1 1/2 to 2T maple syrup or 1 to 1 1/2 packs stevia

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup milk or creamer or water

1/8 tsp salt

Optional: 1 to 2T oil or favorite nut butter (if oil, scale the milk back a tiny bit)

Optional: raisins, walnuts, brown sugar for the top 

Preheat oven to 380 degrees. 

Combine raw oats, spices, pumpkin, and milk. 

Pour into a small baking pan, 1-cup ramekin, or mini-loaf pan.

Cook for 20 minutes, or more until it gets firm. 

Finally, set your oven to “high broil” for 3 more minutes, or until it reaches desired crispy-ness (or simply just bake longer, but broiling gives it a nice crust).

Roasted Sausage, Pumpkin, Apples and Onions with Maple and Beer Pan Gravy

This is a Rachael Ray recipe my friend Adrienne sent me. Not long after sending it to me, things worked in my favor and I ended up making a trip to see her. She made this for lunch and it was sooo good! Instead of pouring the gravy on the sausage and veggies, she made mashed potatoes and we poured it on there. Even better! Also, she gave us the option of eating the brats on buns, with cheese. Enjoy!

1 small sugar pumpkin or 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into large-bite pieces (She used butternut squash)

2 medium red onions, peeled and cut into wedges with root ends attached

2 Gala or Braeburn apples, quartered, core trimmed away 

Squeeze of lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, half a palmful (She didn't use this, and everything still came out tasting great)

8 links bratwurst or other sausage of choice (She used beer brats and before putting them in the oven, she seared them in a skillet with some butter, to give them color.)

EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for liberal drizzling

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup stout beer (She used Guinness Extra Stout)

1 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock, whichever you prefer (She used chicken)

1/4 cup dark amber maple syrup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, onions and apples with lemon juice, salt, pepper, a little freshly grated nutmeg and the caraway seeds. 
Add sausages and dress everything with a layer of EVOO, about 3 tablespoons to coat. 
Arrange on large baking sheet and roast 30-40 minutes.

Heat butter in small pan over medium heat. 
Whisk in flour for 1 minute then add beer and whisk half a minute more. 
Whisk in stock, syrup and Worcestershire, add some coarse black pepper and let thicken a few minutes more to coat spoon.

Serve roasted sausages and squash doused with gravy.

Grape Dessert Salad

This recipe was sent to me by my friend Sue. Her husband's cousin made it for a picnic, and though she called it a salad, Sue and I both agree that it's more of a dessert. Enjoy! 

1 lb green grapes

1 lb red grapes
3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup powdered sugar

2 large Butterfinger candy bars, chopped

8 oz cream cheese

Wash and dry grapes

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar and mix until smooth (This works much better if the cream cheese is room temp)

Mix grapes with cream cheese mixture and place in (11x7) glass dish
Combine brown sugar, pecans, and crushed candy bars. 

Sprinkle on top of salad and chill

It's best if it sits for a couple of hours

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

I found this recipe on Pinterest, but it's a Rachael Ray.  It got great reviews on the website. It sounds good, and cooks fairly quickly. However,  you could also throw the ingredients in the crock pot and let them cook on low for the day, so it's ready that evening. 

 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1 onion, finely chopped 

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (If you're not into spicy food, just use 1 chile)

6 cups chicken broth 

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

Juice of 2 limes 

Salt and pepper 

1 hass avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces 

Crushed tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. 

Stir in the onion and garlic. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes. 

Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. 

Stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce, then stir in the chicken broth. 

Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming any foam. 

Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. 

Season with salt and pepper

Place 2 avocado slices in each of 6 soup bowls and pour in the soup. 

Top with the tortilla chips.

Apple Pie Bites

Kelly sent me this recipe from another blog, Cookin' Up North. However, the original recipe is from Taste of Home. These are fairly easy to make and are the perfect size, so you can eat them without feeling too guilty! :) 

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 refrigerated pie crust (14.1 oz)

3 tbsp melted butter, divided (2 tbsp, then 1 tbsp)

2 medium tart apples, cut into 8 wedges

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and set aside 1 tbsp

On a lightly floured surface, unroll pie crust

Brush with 2 tbsp melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture

Cut crust into sixteen 1 inch wide, 8 in long strips

Wrap one strip around each apple slice, placing the sugared side against the apple

Place apple bites on a parchment lined baking sheet

Brush tops with melted butter (the 1 tbsp) and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture (also the 1 tbsp)

Bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown

Serve warm. (These can also be served with ice cream! Yum!)

Funnel Cakes

This is a Paula Deen recipe that my friend Adrienne sent me. She made them and said they taste just like funnel cakes from the fair! To quote Adrienne, "Long live Paula!" 

2 cups milk

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) melted butter

Powdered sugar, for topping

Canola oil, for frying

In a deep skillet or stock pot, heat oil (This particular recipe didn't have the amount of oil listed, but I read one that said use 3 cups)

Combine milk, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients

Beat with a mixer until a smooth batter forms

Fold in melted butter

Pour batter into a funnel or squeeze bottle. Make sure to place your index finger over the hole, to prevent the batter from pouring out

Bring funnel or bottle over hot oil and release your finger to start a stream of batter. Move in a circular motion to create spiral shapes

Fry 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed

Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately

Steak Fajitas

This is another recipe from Kelly. The original came from Simply Recipes. It calls for cooking these on the stove, but the grill is also an option. (Kelly and her husband love them that way!) 

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb of flank steak, skirt steak or carne asada

1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced with the grain, not against the grain. Slice first in half, and then slice off sections a half inch wide at widest point.

2-3 bell peppers of various colors, stemmed, seeded, de-ribbed, sliced lengthwise into strips

Salt

MARINADE

juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 fresh Jalapeño pepper, seeded, ribs removed, finely chopped (be careful not to touch your eyes or anywhere near your eyes after handling a Jalapeño pepper!)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, including stems

Mix all marinade ingredients, then coat the steak with it

Allow steak to either sit at room temp for an hour, or put in the fridge and allow to marinate longer

Before cooking steak, wipe off most of the marinade and sprinkle steak with salt

Cook steak on the stove (If you do it on the stove, first heat 1 tbsp of oil in the pan before adding steak) or grill until medium rare to medium well. (About 10 min or so) Once cooked, tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5 min

Either in a pan or in an aluminum foil packet on the grill, cook veggies for 5-6 min (Again, if you're using the stove, just use the steak pan and add a little more oil)

Slice meat at an angle, against the grain, into thin slices

Serve meat and veggies with warm tortillas

Optionally, you can add lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole

Broccoli Chicken Roll Ups

This recipe came from my friend Kelly. She got the original from allrecipes.com. These are basically homemade Hot Pockets! Yum! They would work great as an appetizer or main dish.

(Kelly said she has made these with AND without the bell pepper and onion, and that it's good either way.)

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat

2 cups fresh chopped broccoli

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon-style prepared mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 400

Mix all ingredients, except for crescent rolls, in a large bowl

Place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture onto each roll and fold up

Place on a non greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 min, until golden brown

Nutterbutter & Chocolate Overload Cupcakes

My cousin Brit sent me this recipe and it sounds crazy good, but oh so bad for you! (The best tasting things are never good for you, huh?!) It came from Just A Pinch Recipe Club.

CUPCAKES

1 box Devil's Food Cake mix. Prepare as directed

1 pkg regular sized Nutterbutter cookies
1 pkg mini Nutterbutter cookies
1 can chocolate frosting
 

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
1 c creamy peanut butter
8 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 c powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp heavy cream.You can use milk also, until frosting is thinned a little
2 tsp pure vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

Take 12 NutterButter cookies and cut them in half.

Line cupcake tins with cupcake papers and drop a half a cookie in the bottom of each.

Mix cake mix according to directions on the box.

Chop approx 12 cookies coarsely and mix them in the cake mix.

Fill the cupcake tins and bake approx 15-18 min.

Prepare Frosting--
Cream together peanut butter and butter. 

Add vanilla. 

Slowly add powdered sugar.

Add cream or milk to thin the frosting as desired.

Frost cupcake

Leave a well in the center, then place a dab of chocolate frosting and place a mini NutterButter on top. 

 

 

No Fail Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend Kelly sent me this recipe from allrecipes.com. She's made them herself and she and her husband loved them. On the website, they received excellent ratings. 

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butter

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (You could also use milk chocolate chips for something less bitter)

  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

In medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir with fork so all ingredients are mixed. 

In large bowl, combine sugars, and butter. Mix until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth and fluffy. 

Add 1 cup of dry ingredients at a time to mixture until all is incorporated. Drop cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

I found these on another website and wanted to share with you guys. They promise to be better than the restaurant version, and they sure sound like it! Enjoy! 

Biscuits
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup  sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (for topping)

Garlic Butter Topping

4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
garlic salt, to taste 

Adjust oven rack upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.  

Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease for easy removal of biscuits.

Whisk together flour, cheddar cheese, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic in a medium bowl.  

Add milk and stir until ingredients are mixed, be careful not to over mix.  

At this point the dough should be fairly sticky but not runny or dry.  Add more flour or milk as needed to achieve desired consistency.
Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet with a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons worth of dough).  Top each biscuit with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to brown.
In a small bowl, melt the butter along with the garlic and parsley in the microwave.  Brush tops with garlic butter mixture and sprinkle with garlic salt to taste.

Easy BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

**NOTE: I first got the chicken sandwich recipe from my friend, Jaime. She uses Cattlemen's BBQ Sauce, Carolina Tangy Gold. It's excellent! They also make a Mississippi flavor that's really good. This recipe is a variation on that; I used a different sauce and added root beer.

These are so easy to make, but taste like you spent a lot of time on them! The root beer gives an extra layer of flavor and leaves a nice after taste. 

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts (more if you're feeding a crowd)

1 bottle Jack Daniel's Spicy Original BBQ Sauce (you could use another kind, but this is the one I used when I made it, and they were a hit!)

1 can root beer (I just used store brand)

salt and pepper

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper

Place in a shallow baking dish and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes

In a crock pot, add root beer and BBQ sauce. Mix until blended. Set crock pot on high. 

Trim fat from chicken, shred, and place in crock pot with sauce.

I cooked mine on high for almost an hour, stirring it occasionally. You could also let it simmer on low for awhile. Just make sure you're checking and stirring sometimes. 

Also, when I served ours, I had some left over in the crock pot, so I turned it down to keep it from burning. Serve on hamburger buns or King's Hawaiian bread. They make little sub rolls and hamburger-like buns that work great!

Linguine with Onion, Bacon, and Parmesan

My step-mom sent me this recipe awhile ago. It's from familytime.com. I have yet to try it, but she sent it to me because it's similar to a dish she had at Olive Garden and loved! Happy eating!

1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips

2 onions, sliced thin

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 pound linguine

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. 

Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. 

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. 

Put the pan over moderate heat. Add the onions, the thyme, the red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 12 minutes. 

Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. 

Drain the linguine and toss with the bacon, onions, 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, the Parmesan, parsley, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. 

If the sauce seems too thick, add more of the pasta water. 

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Taco Pizza

This is another recipe from my friend Stefanie. She tried if for the first time recently, and loved it. 

1 Store bought pizza crust (or do the mix and make, or make your own!)

1 lb ground beef

1 can 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes (drained)
1 can of 6oz tomato paste
1 packet taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
2 cups shredded monteray jack and cheddar cheese (1 cup of each. Stef said she used more)
Lettuce, onion, olives, sour cream (all optional)
 

Preheat over to 400

Cook ground beef and drain. 

Mix ground beef, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, and water in skillet. 

Bring to boil. Simmer, uncovered for 5 mins

Spread mix over pizza crust. 

Combine cheeses and sprinkle over meat layer. 

Bake at 400 for 15 mins or until cheese is melted. (Stef baked hers for 15mins and the last 5 mins she threw  chopped onions and black olives on top)

Top with desired toppings and serve

Tater Tot Casserole

Personally, I've never had Tater Tot Casserole. However, I've been hearing tons of people talk about it lately, so I thought I'd look up the recipe and share it with you guys. If you're looking for a healthy meal, skip this post altogether! This is definitely comfort food. 

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed cream of celery or cream of chicken soup (undiluted)

1 16oz package frozen tater tots

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Brown ground beef, season with salt & pepper. 

Add chopped onion, cook until tender. 

In a casserole dish, combine ground beef mixture & cream soup. 

Top mixture with tater tots. 

Bake , uncovered, for 30-40 minutes till bubbly and tots are golden brown. 

Remove from oven & top with cheese, return to oven until melted. 

Enjoy!

Pepper Steak

This recipe comes from my friend & neighbor, Timeka. She just made it a few days ago and it sounded really good, so I asked for the recipe. Enjoy!

1 lb beef (round or sirloin)

2 Tbsp. shortening or oil

1/4 cup Soy Sauce

1-1/2 cup Water

2 medium onions, cut into strips

2 bell peppers (I usually use green, yellow and red to make it colorful), cut into strips

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

cooked rice

Cut steak into small strips or cubes. 

Brown in shortening or oil for about 5 minutes or until tender.

Add the soy sauce and 1 1/4 cups of the water. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the onions and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the bell peppers. Cook until tender.

Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of water with the cornstarch. Stir until no lumps remain. Add to the beef mixture. Allow it to continue simmering until the sauce thickens.

Serve over a bed of warm rice.

Fried Ravioli

This dish works great as an appetizer or a main dish. Sometimes, my hubby and I will make it for dinner when we're having a low-key night watching movies or something. I always have him help me, because it can be time consuming to get all the raviolis dipped and cooked. It works much smoother when you have 2 sets of hands!

1 package fresh or frozen ravioli (We always use cheese ravioli)
italian bread crumbs
garlic powder (optional)
italian seasoning (optional)
shredded parmesan cheese (Not the kind in the green Kraft container. Make sure it's shredded)
1 egg
1 cup milk
vegetable oil, for frying
1 jar marinara or pizza sauce

Cook raviolis according to package directions
While ravioli is cooking, heat oil. There are a couple ways you can do this; I've tried both. You can take a small pot and pour a large amount of oil into it or you can take a skillet and use less oil. With the pot, you drop the ravioli in and don't have to worry about turning it, as long as there's enough oil. With the skillet, you have to turn the ravioli a couple times
Place milk into a small bowl and beat in egg
Place bread crumbs in a shallow pan. I always add garlic powder and italian seasoning for extra flavor. If you do this, make sure to mix the crumbs after you season them.
In small batches (5-6 at a time), dip the ravioli in the egg/milk, then the bread crumb mixture, then place in oil.
Fry until golden brown.
Once they're finished, put them on a paper towel to drain and sprinkle with shredded parm.
Serve with warm marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.

Spiced Sweet Potato

This is our first vegan recipe. It's courtesy of my friend Alicia W. and works great as a side dish or a snack. Alicia says this dish has a good amount of fiber and helps fight toxins. 

I would love to add other vegan or vegetarian recipes, so if you have any, send them my way! foodie5287@yahoo.com I take all other recipes too! :) 

Sweet potato

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp fresh cut ginger root

1 tbsp milled flax seed

honey

Put olive oil into a saucepan and heat over medium

Dice the sweet potato and add it to the pan, along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger root and flax seed

Fry until lightly browned

Remove from heat and drizzle with honey

Tomato, Avocado, & Grilled Corn Salad

I found this recipe on Pinterest, but it came from a blog called Within the Kitchen. The original recipe is huge, so I've halved it and it was still MORE than enough for my family of 3. This is a great summer side dish.

1 avocado
1 cup cherry tomatoes
3 ears of corn
1 lime
1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper

The following ingredients are optional and I didn't use any of them. The salad was still good without them!
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
chopped cilantro
chopped parsley

Husk corn and place on grill over medium heat
Turn frequently, until cooked through. This only takes a few minutes, so keep a close eye on it! I used white corn and I knew it was finished when it started to turn golden brown. It's ok if some of the pieces turn black!
Chop the avocado or scoop it with a melon baller (I chopped mine)
Set aside 1/4 cup of the avocado
Cut the corn off of the cob and mix with tomatoes and remaining avocado
In a small bowl, mash the 1/4 cup of avocado
In another small bowl, juice the lime. (I also added some lime zest to mine)
Add the oil (and vinegar, if you're using it) Whisk until combined
Combine the dressing and mashed avocado until creamy and smooth
Add the dressing to the veggies.
Add salt and pepper, then mix.
If you're using the cilantro and parslesy, garnish and then serve

Teriyaki Pork Chop Bowls

This is a Paula Deen recipe sent to me by my friend Tennille. She said it's by far her favorite! This is a recipe for 2, so you would just want to add extra for more people.

4 boneless thick cut pork chops
2 green bell peppers
1 large sweet onion
1 can of pineapple rings
1 bottle of teriyaki sauce
butter
Aluminum foil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare the meat by cutting off all the fat
Pull off 4 sheets of aluminum foil to make a wrap for the food.
Cut up peppers and onions in rings (the thicker the better)
Place 1 pork chop in the middle of the foil. Place 2 or 3 pineapples on top of the meat, then put 2 or 3 rings of pepper and onion.
Put a teaspoon full of butter on top.
Fold the ends of the foil in the middle and then roll down, then take one end of the foil and close it. 
While the other end is still open, pour some teriyaki sauce in, and take some of the pineapple juice and pour it in. Wrap the end up.
Place this 'bowl' either on a cookie sheet or a cake pan.
Do this for the rest of the pork chops or until you have ran out of ingredients.
Place them in the oven for about 35-45 mins.
These are kinda difficult to check on, but to do this, you will need to unroll one of the bowls and carefully cut into the meat to make sure it is white.
Once finished, carefully open the bowl up, pour the juice into a 'real' bowl
Take the veggies and fruit off the top onto a plate and cut into bite size pieces. Place them in the 'real' bowl.
Take your meat out, cut into bite size pieces and put in bowl.

Tennille says the best way to eat this is to try and get pork chop, pineapple, pepper, and onion in each bite you take.
I think this dish would also be delicious served over white or brown rice.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

In my house, we don't do seafood! My husband is a fan, and I've even offered to suck it up and make something for him, but he's luckily never taken me up on the offer. However, I'm sure a lot of my readers are fans of seafood, therefore, I should branch out with my posting.
I got this recipe from a blog called Cajunlicious that was recommended to me by my friend Miranda. You should check out the blog for some other great recipes, however, don't compare mine to hers! Remember, I'm a rookie and she's clearly been doing this awhile!! :)

1 pound of mushrooms
5 ounces lump crab meat
Parkay butter spray or 1 stick of butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, pressed
¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1-tablespoon cream
½-cup bread crumbs
1-tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1-tablespoon lemon juice + a wedge to squeeze on top
Lemon wedges for garnish
Hot sauce


Wipe mushrooms with a damp towel. Pop out the stems, chop, and set aside.
Spray mushroom caps with the parkay butter spray.
Spay a shallow baking dish with butter spray.
Pour 3 tablespoons of the butter into a saucepan; add reserved chopped mushroom stems, minced onion, garlic, and red bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender.
Combine cooked ingredients with breadcrumbs, green onion, Greek yogurt, cream, lemon juice, crabmeat, and seasonings.
At this point, I added a few dashes of hot sauce and a few dashes of Tabasco pepper vinegar. Fill each mushroom cap, piling up.
Sprinkle each mushroom with a little Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and mushroom caps are tender.
Serve with lemon wedges & enjoy!

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

I ran across this recipe while I was browsing on Pinterest. (If you're not a member, you should be! Check it out!) Anyways, I thought it looked delicious enough and easy enough to share. So, here it is...

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle BBQ sauce (Some suggestions for ones I've used and love--Sweet Baby Ray's, Kraft Spicy Honey)
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

Place chicken in crock pot
Mix BBQ sauce with remaining ingredients and pour over chicken
Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours

Peanut Butter Cookies

I WISH I had come up with the recipe for these cookies! They are sooo good! I've made them quite a few times and they always come out great. I found the recipe online awhile ago, where someone reposted it. But I think the original recipe came from recipezaar.

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (After making them a couple times, I decided to up the peanut butter. It didn't affect they way they turned out, other than they tasted a lot better! I use about a cup.)
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda


Preheat oven to 375
Combine peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla, and egg in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended
In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix until blended
Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment lined baking sheet
Take a fork and dip into vegetable oil, then dip into a bowl of sugar. Flatten each drop lightly in a criss cross pattern with the fork. (I just do once horizontally and once vertically. You'll have to keep dipping the fork in the oil and sugar.)
Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown.

As an added treat, you can dip these in melted chocolate! You could dip half, or the entire cookie. Allow to set 30 min to an hour before serving.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

This yummy recipe comes from my friend Jessica B. I have to be honest and say that I had never heard of garlic pepper until she sent me this recipe. (I hope I'm not the only one!) It sounds like a seasoning that I definitely want to try.
As a side note, I'm ALWAYS on the hunt for good recipes to post here on the blog. So, if you have something, send it my way! Email it to me at foodie5287@yahoo.com

1 (12 ounce) package uncooked tri-color rotini pasta
10 slices bacon
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons dry ranch salad dressing mix
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
1/2 cup milk, or as needed
1 large tomato, chopped
1 (4.25 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in rotini pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2.Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until evenly brown. Drain and chop.
3.In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, garlic powder, and garlic pepper. Stir in milk until smooth. Place bacon, tomato, black olives, pasta and cheese in bowl and toss to coat with dressing. Cover and chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Toss with additional milk if the salad seems a little dry.

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes

These are soo good! What's better than cheese, bacon, and ranch?! (For those of you who aren't fans of ranch dressing, at least give them a try. I've had people who didn't like ranch still eat these potatoes and love them!)

2 lbs small red potatoes
1/2 cup ranch dressing (I always use Hidden Valley)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup bacon bits (DO NOT use the crunchy kind. Use the real bacon bits. Hormel makes a good one that I love. The one with the black lid.)
Salt & pepper
I always use a little more than the above called for ingredients, so feel free to add extra for extra flavor!

Chop potatoes and put into a greased 13x9 baking dish
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add remaining ingredients and mix until well coated
Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes
Remove foil and bake an addition 5-10 minutes, until potatoes are tender

Cheesy Chicken & Salsa Skillet

This is an easy, filling meal from Kraft. There are a couple things you can do differently from the original recipe, so I'll let you know those as well.

2 cups multigrain penne pasta (You can also use regular pasta, or change it up completely and use Spanish rice in place of the pasta.)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces (I think that the chicken needs a boost of flavor in this recipe, so you can cook it in taco seasoning)
1 1/4 cups salsa (The recipe calls for chunky salsa, but I don't use chunky in my house, just regular Pace Picante Sauce. It's up to you!)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 cup Mexican style shredded cheese (If you don't have that on hand, just use Cheddar, Monteray Jack, or something similar)

Cook pasta or rice according to package directions
Heat skillet over medium high
Add chicken
Cook and stir 2 minutes
(If you're using the taco seasoning, before you continue to the next step, go ahead and sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning, add water, and allow to cook for a couple minutes.)
Stir in salsa, corn, and peppers
Bring to a boil
Simmer on medium low for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally
Add pasta or rice to chicken mixture
Mix lightly, then sprinkle with cheese
Remove from heat and cover. Allow to stand for 1-2 minutes, until cheese is melted

Summer Salad

Summer Salads (at least the way we make them in my family!) are a simple, delicious addition to any meal.

Basically, you take fresh veggies, add salt and pepper, then toss them in your choice of dressing, and allow it to sit for awhile before serving, so the veggies soak up all the flavor.
Typically, for our Summer Salads, we use
tomato
cucumber
green pepper
red onion or white onion

You can cut everything into strips, or just do a rough chop.
For the dressing, you can use Zesty Italian or Balsamic Vinaigrette.
I've also made my own Red Wine Vinaigrette that tasted great. You do 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. For example, 3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil to 1/4 cup red wine vinegar. Shake really well and pour over veggies.
Another yummy alternative is to use a water/white vinegar mixture. (This is where you would use the white onion as opposed to the red onion.) Use the same 3:1 ratio, and I also add 1/2 tsp to a full tsp of sugar. It cuts down on the strong taste from the vinegar.

Remember to let everything sit for awhile and give it a good stir just before serving!

Jalapeno Cheese Squares

There are a lot of variations for this recipe, but this is the one that I give out when people ask. Everyone who has tried it, loves it! I got the recipe from my sister.

2 eggs
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped white onion
3 tbsp chopped jalapenos (If you like it hotter, add more!)

Mix everything, but the eggs
Spray a small square baking pan with Pam and add ingredients
Crack and whisk eggs, then pour over cheese mixture in pan
Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, until slightly brown
Allow to cool for 30 minutes, so mixture will easily cut into squares
Enjoy!

Breakfast Potatoes

This is another one of those recipes that I sort of threw together and was happy with the end result! It's also another one where the ingredients are "to taste". But they're easy and everyone I've made them for loved them! I usually make these when we have company and I do a big brunch.

2 1/2 pounds Idaho or Russet potatoes (This is an approximation. I usually have a 5lb bag on hand, and I use about 1/2 the potatoes. Enough to fill an 11x13 baking dish.)
1/4 to 1/2 white onion
pepper
Lawry's seasoning salt
Mrs. Dash Table Blend Seasoning
garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350
Spray baking dish with Pam or other non-stick cooking spray
Chop potatoes and put in baking dish
Season potatoes with pepper, Mrs Dash, Lawry's & garlic powder. All these are to taste. If you like more or less of something, add more or less. I just liberally apply a coating to the potatoes
Stir potatoes so seasonings are evenly distributed
Chop onion into large pieces and layer on top of potatoes. I use these purely for flavor. When the potatoes are finished, I take the onions off and throw them away. You can keep them in and eat them if you wish. If you do, then I suggest cutting the onion into small strips and mixing it in with the potatoes.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.
Remove foil and allow to cook, uncovered, for an additional 3-5 minutes.
These are great on their own or dipped in ketchup!

Chai Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is another recipe sent my way by S. (Check out The London Diaries!). She's made these twice and says they're to die for.

S sent me the original recipe, which came from the Serious Eats website. But she's also modified the recipe to suit her taste and has included those notes in parentheses. Go with what works for you!

serves 4 dozen cookies, active time 20 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (they really do mean it when they say “at room temperature.”)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs (or three small eggs)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I add a tiny splash extra)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (the kosher bit isn’t necessary. Regular salt works just fine)
• 1 teaspoon cardamom (was really hard for me to find... I put in a slightly lumped teaspoon, so a tad bit more than one teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (I put in a teaspoon and a half, purely because I love cinnamon)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (very strong so kept to the ½ teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves (also very strong, but put in a pinch or two extra as I like cloves and they make the cookies smell ah-ma-zing!!)
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (went with just under a full teaspoon)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup raisins (added a bit extra because they’re nice)
• 1 chai teabag (not the powder mix that you can get, you need the teabags)
• 2 cups boiling water

Procedures

1. Let chai tea steep in boiling water for 5 minutes. Discard teabag. Let raisins steep in chai tea for 15 minutes, then drain. (I leave them for a bit longer.... it doesn’t change much but the raisins do get nice and plump!)
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in two additions, beating until just combined. Stir in oats and raisins. Let dough chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough in rounded tablespoons onto baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. (I don’t know if it’s just my oven but I do find that I leave the cookies in for around 14 minutes. Then again... I do like them a bit crisp.)

I think I might try tossing in a handful of chocolate chips next time too!

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

Greetings, fellow foodies! I apologize for the lack of activity the past few days. We had friends in from out of town and my husband just came to the end of another Basic Training Cycle (He's a Drill Sergeant.), so we had some ceremonies and stuff to attend for that. Hope your summer is going well!

This is a recipe given to me by Scarlett B. I linked up with her on a community page for the area we live in. It's a refreshing drink that would be perfect for those hot summer days!

Strawberry Basil Lemonade
1- packet of Crystal Light Lemonade
1/2-1 container of fresh strawberries
5-10 fresh basil leaves

Mix lemonade in a pitcher that can be shaken or stirred.
Blend the strawberries to a puree or leave it in small chunks) and add in the basil.
Mix with the lemonade mixture and pour over ice.
Adjust to your tasting of basil or strawberries.
I love a lot of basil, so I go heavy on it.
Happy Summer!

Stir-fryed Pork Chops

1-2 packages thin sliced pork chops (They are sometimes labeled as breakfast chops. One package feeds my family of 3, so if you're feeding 4 or more, go with 2 packages.)
1/2 white onion
1/2 green pepper (If you're cooking 2 packages, you may want to add in more of the pepper and onion.)
1 package brown gravy mix (I always use McCormick.)
salt
pepper
crushed red peppers

Season pork chops with salt and pepper
Cook over medium heat, but remove from heat before finished. They should still be pink. (If you don't want to do it this way,  you can slice the pork chops when they are still raw. I just think it's easier to slice them when they are slightly cooked.)
Place pork chops on a cutting board.
Slice green pepper and onion into strips and place in the pan your pork chops were in. Allow them to cook over low heat.
In the mean time, trim fat from pork chops and slice them into strips.
Put pork chops in the pan with veggies and turn heat up to medium.
Add salt, pepper, and crushed red peppers. (A little or a lot. We like heat in ours!)
When everything starts sizzling, cover pan and cook for 3-4 minutes. (This makes the chops juicy and helps distribute the flavor of the veggies. We don't actually eat the peppers and onions, we just like the flavor they give the chops! However, you can eat the veggies.)
Remove lid and allow pork chops to finish cooking, uncovered. It should only take a few more minutes.
Make sure to stir everything frequently while it's cooking.
Just before the chops are complete, make gravy according to package directions (I always use the microwave method.)
Plate pork chops and pour gravy over them before serving.
I always make biscuits to go with this, because they're perfect for dipping in the gravy! :)
Also, I always make some type of butter noodle as the side with these. But a veggie or mashed potatoes would work great as well.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

This is a Nigella recipe from my friend S (yes, that S, of the famed 'The London Diaries'! Check it out under my Favorites tab). It's a British recipe, so I've done my best to translate everything over into American cooking terms and ingredients. However, I will also include the link to the original recipe, for my readers in the U.K.!
Also, I'm including a video that S sent me of Nigella making this cheesecake. If you've never seen Nigella Lawson in action, you're missing out! She has a way of making everything she cooks seem sensual and sexy. To quote S, it's almost like "food porn"! Not to mention, she cooks in a robe. So, there's that!
Anyways, without further ado...

Here's the link to the original recipe
http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/CHOCOLATE-PEANUT-BUTTER-CHEESECAKE-5309

Here's the Americanized version of the recipe

Base
2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup salted peanuts
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
3 1/2 tbsp softened unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 300
Process the base ingredients in a food processor or blender
When it comes together in a clump, put it into a springform pan and press along the bottom and sides to form a crunchy crust
Place into fridge while you make the filling

Filling
2 cups cream cheese
3 eggs PLUS 3 egg yolks
1 cup ultra fine sugar (If you can't find ultra fine sugar at the grocery store, you can take regular sugar and process or blend until fine)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

Place filling ingredients into a processor or blender and mix until smooth
Pour filling on top of the base in the springform pan
Bake for one hour. The top should feel set and dry. If not, bake a little longer.
Set aside while you make topping

Topping
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
2 1/2 tbsp soft brown sugar

Warm topping ingredients in a small saucepan, over low heat, whisking to blend in chocolate as it melts.
Remove from heat
Spread topping gently over the cheesecake, trying not to break the surface of the cheesecake, or it will marble
Bake for 10 minutes
Remove from oven, allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight, before serving

And finally! Here's the link to the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlyFkauPQKI

Danish Puff

This is another great recipe from my friend Sue. It would be great to make for a Sunday morning breakfast or brunch. Or even as an after dinner treat, served with coffee.

1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Flour
1 Tbsp Water 

Mix 3 ingredients like you would pie dough... On an ungreased cookie sheet spread dough into an oval shape


1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Water
4 Eggs
1 Cup Flour
1 Tsp Almond Extract

Heat butter and water till boiling 
Add flour and almond extract and mix till forms a ball
Remove from heat and add eggs one at a time, beating between each egg till well mixed.
Continue beating till mixture is smooth and glossy. I use a wooden spoon to beat the mixture.
Spread this mixture evenly over oval crust.

Bake 350 for 60 minutes.

Cool completely and then make Glaze:

1 1/2 Cups Powder Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp melted Butter
1-2 Tsp milk.

Mix all ingredients together till smooth. Spread icing over cooled pastry.. Can be decorated with maraschino cherries (halved) and chopped nuts.

*Side Note: Sue said that when you make this pastry, it will puff up, but as it cools it will fall. So, have no worries if it falls! Also, when it's humid, the crust can become a bit soggy.
And as an option, you can divide the dough and make 2 smaller puffs, as opposed to one big one.