Adding a little Southern charm!

Crispy Baked Chicken Fingers

2011-05-23T18:39:00.005-05:00

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 large egg whites
1 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Cooking spray
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch wide strips

Preheat oven to 475˚ F. In a large skillet, toss the panko with the oil. Toast over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the toasted crumbs to a shallow dish or pie plate.

In a second shallow dish, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites, water, mustard and thyme.

Spray a wire rack lightly with cooking spray and place over a rimmed baking sheet.
Working in batches, dredge a few pieces of the chicken in the flour, then the egg whites, and finally the breadcrumbs to coat, shaking off the excess between each step. Lay the coated pieces on the prepared wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Spray the tops of the chicken pieces lightly with the cooking spray. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Serve warm.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2011-05-18T21:19:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, pounded very thin
1 cup of cheese, I used a mozzarella and cheddar blend
6 strips of bacon
2 tablespoons bbq sauce
seasoning

Season pounded chicken breasts on both sides. Put 1/2 cup cheese on one side and fold over, sealing closed with toothpicks. Repeat with other chicken breast. Wrap the slices of bacon around the chicken breast. Then I rolled them up tightly in wax paper and put in the fridge overnight, but that's optional.
When ready to cook, season lightly on the outside and place on a pan lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with no stick cooking spray.
Put 1 tablespoon bbq sauce on each chicken breast and back at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until done throughout.

Basil Shrimp

2011-04-15T19:03:00.003-05:00

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
3 tablespoons dijon mustard (I used honey mustard)
1/2 cup minced basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to tasts

Mix olive oil, butter, juice and mustard together. Mix well with a fork and add mustard and basil leaves. Add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Add shrimp and marinate in fridge for 1 hour.

Heat griddle (I used my indoor grill, but you could bake in the oven or pan sautee) and spread shrimp evenly. Cook until translucent.
My griddle has a drip pan, so I took all the sauce that cooked off, as well as what was left in the bowl, and cooked it down in a sautee pan. Then I tossed with a little bit of pasta. It was DELISH!!!!

Crawfish Fettucine

2011-04-08T18:07:00.004-05:00

4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
small package mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon flour
6 ounces Velvetta cheese, cubed
1 can Rotel, drained
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Tony's
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound crawfish tails

Melt butter over medium heat and add onions, cook until soft and add mushrooms. Cook for about 2 minutes and add flour. Stir and cook down until flour is no longer clumpy. Add half and half and crawfish tails. Let simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the flour is completely cooked down. Add Rotel and Velvetta. Once Velvetta is melted, add cayenne pepper, Tony's and salt. Slowly add parmesean cheese. Let simmer for a few minutes until desired consistency is reached.
Serve over pasta.

Lemon Chicken

2011-03-22T17:48:00.003-05:00

Adapted from: Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don’t allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine (I didn't have any wine, so I used chicken broth), lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 X 12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices over pasta!

White Chicken Enchiladas

2011-03-22T17:35:00.002-05:00

These were so delicious! And surprisingly, they heat up well. The only thing I will do differently next time is add more cheese to the top before baking.

White Chicken Enchiladas
Adapted from: Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

2-½ cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups water with one chicken bouillon cube
12 flour Tortillas
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
2 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced
1/2 of a Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Sour Cream
2-½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
1 cup Monterey Jack/Chedder blend, shredded
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Heat vegetable oill in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, one can of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other can of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Baked Potato Soup

2011-02-03T19:30:00.002-06:00

Ingredients:
6 medium/large potatoes, baked and cooled
5 slices of bacon
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 TBSP butter
6 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
cheese, green onions for garnish as desired

Cook bacon in pot until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot. Set bacon on paper towels to drain. Add the butter and onions, cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.
Add the flour and stir until well blended. Add the milk and slowly cook until incorporated. Using an immersion blender, blend up the ingredients in the pot until well incorporated.
Let this cook down for about 10 minutes on low heat, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the cooked potato out of the skin and add to the soup, do this for only FOUR of the six potatoes. Use the immersion blender again until the soup is fairly smooth and the potato is pureed into the soup.
Add the sour cream and cheese and let cook for a few minutes. This is where you want to taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Take the remaining two potatoes and peel the skin off. Carefully cut into chunks and add to the soup. Stir well to incorporate. Spoon into bowls and garnish with the cooked bacon, green onions and more cheese (if desired).

Praline King Cake

2011-01-18T00:07:00.003-06:00

I hit the jackpot with this one, it was PERFECT! Now I did cheat a little, using a boxed dough mix. But the filling was homemade and the end result was just delicious!

1 box of Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix

Filling:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter

Mix all ingredients except for butter. Slowly add butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Icing:
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
dash vanilla extract
water as needed

Mix all ingredients, adding water as needed. You want the icing to be thin enough to drizzle on the cake, but not too thin that it won't stick to the cake. You can add water if too thick, or more confectioners sugar if too thin.

Colored Sugar:
1 cup sugar, divided into 4 parts
4 different food colorings

Put 2 drops of food coloring into the sugar and stir until well blended.

For the dough:
Make dough according to box. After kneading, let rise for about 30 minutes.
On a well floured surface, roll dough out into a rectangle.
Spread the filling evenly all over the dough, leaving about a half an inch from the sides.
Slowly roll up the dough, starting with the widest end. Roll up as tight as possible, like a jelly roll. Make sure your surface was well floured, or the dough will stick.
Place roll on a well greased baking sheet. Form into a ring and let rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Cook at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until brown on the outside. Remove the cake and brush with a bit of melted butter.
Immediately ice the cake, and top with colored sugars.

Hassleback Potatoes

2011-01-17T23:58:00.005-06:00

These delicious potatoes were a great way to change up a plain baked potato!

Hassleback Potatoes
Adapted from: Carrie's Sweet Life

6 small Yukon gold potatos
salt
pepper
garlic powder
2 tablespoons softened butter
parsley
olive oil

Wash potatoes well. Cut slices into even intervals. I popped them into the microwave for 6 minutes to get the cooking started.
Mix butter, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic powder together, making a paste. Place potatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Spread the butter paste over each potatoe, stuffing some down into the cuts.
Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes, or until tender and brown.
If you don't microwave, cook for 45 minutes in the oven.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

2011-01-16T17:31:00.003-06:00

These are actually little won-ton's, but it's the same concept. They were really good. A little time consuming to make, but worth it!

Southwestern Egg Rolls
Adapted from: Annie's Eats

1 can corn, drained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, chopped
½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 packages won-ton wrappers (or can use egg roll wrappers, but they will be bigger)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers. Mix well to blend.
Take a won-ton wrapper and place a small amount of filling in the middle and fold the corners in. Wet fingertips with a bit of water to seal the folds. Place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet, do not overlap. Bake at 425˚ F. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly brown. I served with ranch dipping sauce.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Balls

2010-12-29T18:14:00.002-06:00

What's not to love about sugar, peanut butter and cereal? These are super easy and super yummy!

1 1/2 cups light Karo syrup
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
5 cups Cornflakes or Rice Krispies

Melt the Karo Syrup and sugar on the stove until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. When creamy and smooth, mix in with cereal. Form into balls and place on greased pan (or wax paper). They will harden quickly. Enjoy!

Pan Sauteed Lemon Chicken and Potato Bundles

2010-12-28T18:47:00.003-06:00

This dinner was so yummy and easy! I found both recipes on blogs that I read often.

Potato Bundles
Source: Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:
6 whole Russet Potatoes
½ whole Yellow Onion, Diced
1 stick Butter
½ cups Heavy Cream
Kosher Salt To Taste
Paprika To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley

Pile potatoes and onions on a square of foil. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Splash on cream. Then sprinkle on salt, paprika, and black pepper. Sprinkle minced parsley over the top.

Wrap bundles tightly and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until extremely tender.

Serve bundles right on the dinner plate. Serves 8.

Pan Sauteed Lemon Chicken
Source: Elly Says Opa

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed (I omitted this)
1 lemon, halved
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. romano or parmesan cheese (I used both)
1/2 tsp. chopped rosemary (I used parsley and basil)
2 chicken breast halves, pounded to about 1/3 – 1/2″ thickness

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and soft, about 7 minutes. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon, and keep the oil in the pan. (I omitted the garlic)

Zest half the lemon into a dish or bowl, and to it add the breadcrumbs, cheese, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.

Crush the browned garlic cloves and whisk in a separate shallow bowl/dish along with the egg and juice from half the lemon.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, and then dredge into the breadcrumb mixture.

Heat the garlic oil over medium heat and once hot, add the chicken. Cook until done, about 2.5 minutes per side. Serve with slices or wedges of the remaining half lemon.

Chicken Pasta Primavera

2010-08-03T19:03:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
1 container of sliced mushrooms
1 head of broccoli crowns
1 purple onion, sliced
2 garlic gloves, diced
Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped basil
salt and pepper
Rotini pasta, cooked and drained

Heat olive oil in a large pot, add broccoli and cook for a few minutes. Add onion and mushrooms, season well with salt and pepper. Once veggies become soft, add garlic and basil. Add cooked pasta, toss. Add sliced chicken and top with Parmesan cheese.

Strawberry Crepes

2010-08-03T18:54:00.002-05:00

Crepes:
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs, add flour. Slowly add other ingredients and beat until smooth. Grease a skillet with cooking spray and add about 1/4 a cup of batter. Swirl the pan around quickly to spread the batter. Cook until the edges start to crisp, then flip.

Filling:
1 block of cream cheese, softened
1 pint strawberries
1/4 cup sugar

Chop about 6 of the strawberries into small pieces. Mix with the cream cheese and add sugar.

Put a spoonful of the filling into each crepe and roll tightly. Place seam side down and top with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

Spinach Balls

2009-09-20T17:42:00.003-05:00

16 ounces frozen spinach, cooked and drained

2/3 cup of bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used a fiesta blend)

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup onion

2 cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

extra parmesean cheese for rolling

Heat oven to 375. Saute onions and garlic in butter until soft. Combine with cooked spinach, eggs, bread crumbs and cheeses. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Form mixture into small balls and roll in parmesean cheese. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (Reese's Cake)

2009-05-25T13:34:00.003-05:00

I made this for my brother-in-law's birthday this past weekend. I didn't eat any, but everyone said it was delicious! The hardest part was not eating all of the Reese's Cups as I made it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Source: Amber's Delectable Delights

For the cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (optional)

For decorating
1 ½ – 2 batches peanut butter frosting
Miniature Reese’s cups, halved and/or chopped (I put them in the freezer for about half an hour to make it easier to cut)

Directions
1. For the cake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 9×2” round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Place the pans on a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients). Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter. Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, if using, folding it in with a spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. 4. Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.
5. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard circle covered in foil. Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake layer. (If desired, sprinkle with chopped Reese’s cups.) Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top and outside of the cake with remaining peanut butter frosting. Decorate with halved and chopped Reese’s cups as desired.

Baked Catfish

2009-03-29T10:16:00.002-05:00

There is a local seafood restaurant that we have been going to for years that has the BEST seafood. I worked there for 6 years and enjoyed trying all of their unique dishes. This was a favorite, a baked fish called The Howard. In the restaurant they use black drum or snapper and cook it in the skin. We had some catfish laying around, so I decided to try it that way. It was soooo delicious.

The Howard
source: Mike Anderson's Seafood and Other South Louisiana Favorites

Howard Sauce:
1 1/4 cups olive oil
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon parsley flakes
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons Season All
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic

Mix all ingredients together. Marinate fish overnight in some of the sauce, reserving some for spooning over fish before serving.

Baked Fillet:
1 stick margarine or butter, melted I cut this down to half a stick
6-8 fresh fish fillets (skin and scales left on) I used catfish with no skin and scales
salt
pepper

Pour butter into a baking dish, add fish (reserving marinade). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon 2 tablespoons of marinade on top of each piece of fish. Bake for 30 minutes at 450. Spoon reserved marinade (not used to marinate overnight) on each piece before serving.

Strawberry Pie

2009-03-29T10:12:00.002-05:00

I look forward to the spring for 2 reasons--boiled crawfish and strawberries! This pie is so quick and easy to make. I'm not sure where the recpie originated, but my mom has been using it for years.

Ingredients:
2 pints fresh strawberries
6 ounces water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
10 ounces Sprite
1 small strawberry Jell-O
1 cup sugar
Cool Whip
12 mini graham cracker crusts or 2 baked pie shells

Cook water, Sprite, sugar and cornstarch until thick and clear. Add Jell-O and cook a few mor minutes. Slice strawberries and place them in crusts. Poor liquid mixture over strawberries, let chill. Top with Cool Whip.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

2008-08-06T08:57:00.003-05:00

I actually made this for Thanksgiving, but just ran across the picture I took. The recipe came from the Hershey's website and I followed it exactly, only adding a few mini chocolate chips on top.

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

I added about 1/2 a cup of mini chocolate chips on top.

Zucchini Cakes

2008-08-04T18:37:00.006-05:00

This recipe is a combination of receipes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks and Paula Deen. I took what I liked best about both of the receips and combined them.

3 medium zucchini

1 1/2 of bread crumbs (I used homeade bread crumbs seasoned with lots of fresh rosemary, basil, parsley and oregano)

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup parmesean cheese

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil for frying

Shred zucchini, leaving skin on. I used my food processor and it worked great. Squeeze in a paper towel to get out extra moisture. Mix zucchini, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, cheese, egg and salt and pepper together. Heat olive oil in a skillet and form small balls with the mixture. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side, until brown. Drain on paper towels.

I served with ranch dressing, yum. The homemade bread crumbs had a lot of flavor with the fresh herbs.

Apple Dip

2008-08-01T09:17:00.002-05:00

I had this dish at a wedding shower a few months ago and though it was so pretty! We had a surprise baby shower for a co-worker yesterday, so I created my own version. I've had many requests for this receipe so far this morning, so I think it was a hit!

Apple Dip

5 Granny Smith apples

2 blocks of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 1/2 cups of chopped peanuts

1 can of Sprite

Mix together the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread evenly on your serving dish, leaving enough room around the edges to stack the apples. Sprinkle with peanuts. Slice apples and dip into Sprite to keep from browning. Stack/arrange around the dip and serve!

Fried Chicken

2008-07-03T09:44:00.002-05:00

Homemade fried chicken is one of my favorite meals. I don't make it often because we try not to eat too much fried food. I like using bread flour, I find it to be crispier than regular flour.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded even
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 egg
1 cup of milk
seasonings to taste
oil for frying

Season the bread flour as you like, I used Tony's Chacheres, garlic powder and fresh parsley.
Beat the egg and milk together, also seasoning as you like.
Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in flour, making sure to coat evenly.
Fry in heated oil until brown on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-06-26T19:16:00.001-05:00

Source: Joy the Baker

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter- crunchy or smooth, but not natural
1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips, whatever kind you have on hand
1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 350 degrees F . Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two, until smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat for another minute. Add the sugars and beat for 3 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and, on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they just disappear. Mix in the chocolate chips. You’ll have a soft a pliable dough.
Pour the 1/2 cup sugar into a small bowl. Working with a level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie, roll the dough between your palms into balls and drop the balls, a couple at a time, into the sugar. Roll the balls around in the sugar to coat them, then place on the backing sheet, leaving 2 inches between them. Dip the tines of the fork in the sugar and press the tines against each ball first in one direction and then in a perpendicular direction- you should have a flattened rough of dough with crisscross indentations.

Bake the dough for 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and from front to back at the midway point. When done, the cookies will be lightly colored and still be a little soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a minute before transferring them to a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.
Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

Crash Hot Potatos

2008-06-13T09:16:00.002-05:00

I saw this recipe on Pioneer Woman Cooks and had to try it. They were delicious!
Original recipe here: Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatos

Red boiling potatos (I used some Russett potatos)
garlic
olive oil
salt
pepper
herbs (I used chives and parsley)

Boil potatos until tender. Generously drizzle pan with olive oil. Using a potato masher, flatten potatos. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, herbs and garlic. Bake in a 450 degree oven until nice and browned.

Overstuffed, Twice-Baked Potatos

2008-03-26T19:28:00.003-05:00

What goes better with steak than baked potatos? Overstuffed twice-baked potatos! I love making these, they are so filling and yummy.

2 large baking potatos, plus two smaller potatos

1 cup of colby monterrey jack cheese

1 stalk of green onion, chopped

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatos and let cool completely (I just throw them in the microwave). Cut in half longways and remove the inside, being careful not to puncture the skin. I discard the two smaller potato skins, I just use the for the potato part.

In a large bowl, combine potato, milk and butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add green onion, sour cream and seasonings. All of my measurements are just approximate, so you may have to adjust based on how creamy you want the mixture.

Scoop mixture back into potato skins, over-stuffing the potato. Sprinkle with a little more cheese and broil at 500 until cheese is melted.

Crawfish Fettucine

2008-03-22T19:31:00.004-05:00

We had our annual Good Friday crawfish boil yesterday. We had a few leftovers, maybe about 2 pounds peeled. So I froze one pound and made this fettucine with the other pound. I can't stand a dry fettucine, so I made quite a few alterations to this recipe, which I have tried before. I also don't like it when it tastes like mac and cheese, so I cut back on the cheese too. It was delish!

Original Source: Good Louisiana Eatin' cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound crawfish tails

1 small onion, diced

1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic

1 stick of butter

1 tablespoon flour

2 stalks green onion, chopped

2 5 ounce cans of evaporated milk

1 can of Rotel tomatos (I only used 1/2 of the can)

8 ounces of Velvetta Cheese, cubed

1/2 bag of cooked egg noodles

DIRECTIONS:

Saute onions and garlic in butter until soft. Add flour and stir until well blended. Add crawfish, green onions, evaporated milk and rotel tomatos. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. Slowly add cheese and continue to stir until mixed well. Stir in cooked noodles. Bake in covered casserole dish at 350 for 30 minutes.

Chicken Parmesean

2008-03-22T19:13:00.004-05:00

This was so good and so easy to make. It was actually my first time making Chicken Parmesean and I was surprised at how quick it was.

INGREDIENTS:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

2 cups italian style bread crumbs

1/2 cup parmesean cheese (grated)

4 tablespoons melted butter

seasonings to taste

marinara sauce

mozarella cheese

linguine noodles, cooked and drained

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray well. Mix bread crumbs, parmesean cheese and seasonings together and set aside. Dip chicken in melted butter, then in bread crumb mixture, shaking off any excess. Place on baking sheet. Cook 15 minutes, then turn over. Continue to cook until chicken is done and add a small bit of marinara sauce and top with cheese. Put back in oven for a few minutes until cheese is melted and browned.

Serve with pasta.

Blueberry Bread

2008-03-22T18:50:00.003-05:00

This was another great breakfast item that I made on a Sunday and we ate off of all week. I used fresh blueberries, but I think it would be just as good with frozen. Souce: All Recipes
Original recipe here.

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup fresh blueberries (I used 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I didn't use any)

DIRECTIONS
Mix together beaten eggs with the sugar. Add milk and melted shortening or vegetable oil.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Combine mixtures, stirring only until blended. Carefully fold in fresh or frozen blueberries and broken walnut pieces.
Pour into greased 5 x 12 inch loaf pan. (I made 4 mini loaves) Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50-60 minutes. Cool in pan but try to turn it out of pan before it is totally cool. It will be easier to remove. Can also be made in a normal size loaf pan or can be made into 2 pans.

The Chewy

2008-03-12T18:39:00.003-05:00

I love these cookies. They always come out so soft and chewy (hence the name!). I doubled the recipe because I wanted to send some to daycare with my daughter to share with her friends. I think it's important to use real butter and not margarine. I tried using margarine once and it just wasn't the same. Source: Alton Brown

2 sticks unsalted butter (I used salted)

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt (I cut back to 1/2 teaspoons since my butter was salted)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of mini Reeses Pieces)

Hardware: Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact) (I didn't use this, just regular spoons)

Parchment paper

Baking sheets

Mixer

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Since I did a double batch, I always put the dough back in the fridge between batches.

Mini Meatloaf

2008-03-12T18:38:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the bad photos. DH took it and didn't do a very good job!

I don't eat ground meat, but DH loves it. I don't mind cooking it for him and I like trying new dishes on him since he isn't picky. This is the first time I have ever made meatloaf. Looked and smelled tasty and DH loved it. Source: All Recipes

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used almost 2 pounds)
1 egg
1 onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup milk
1 cup dried bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/3 cup ketchup

**Note: Because I used more meat than the recipe called for, I added a tad bit more of all the ingredients**

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, milk and bread OR cracker crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a lightly greased 5x9 inch loaf pan, OR form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

This made 4 perfect mini-meatloves!

Cauliflower Augratin

2008-03-11T21:26:00.003-05:00

A simple and quick side dish. I wanted to mix with broccoli, but didn't have any. This was a small serving, but it can easily be doubled. Souce: me.

1 package of frozen cauliflower

2 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of flour

3/4 cup of milk

1 cup of shredded cheese (I used colby and monterrey jack blend)

salt and pepper

Steam cauliflower until barely tender. I think I steamed it too long and it fell apart.

For the bechamel sauce, melt butter in a pot and add flour. Whisk until incorporated and add milk. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until smooth.

Grease bottom of casserole dish and add cauliflower (I also put salt and pepper on the veggies). Toss with a little bit of the cheese and cover with the bechamel sauce. Top with the rest of the cheese and cook on 400 for 20 minutes or until the top is brown and bubbly.

Crispy Fried Pork Chops

2008-03-11T21:20:00.005-05:00

Last time I made fried pork chops, all of the batter came off. In an attempt to keep that from happening again, I tried two new things. I used bread flour and I double dipped them. They came out wonderfully and were really crispy! Souce: me

4 bone-in pork chops

2 cups of bread flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

seasonings to taste

vegetable oil

Heat vegetable oil in dutch oven. Trim the fat from the pork chops. Mix eggs and milk together and add desired seasonings (I used salt, pepper, Tony Chachere's and parsley).

Mix flour with desired seasonings, I used the same ones as the egg and milk mixture.

Dip pork chops in egg mixture, then lightly dredge in flour mixture. Dip in egg mixture again and back in flour mixture, making sure to pack the flour on the pork chop. Shake off any access flour.

Fry in hot vegetable oil until brown and crispy, about 4-6 minutes on each side.

A Different Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2008-03-08T10:05:00.005-06:00

We are going to a crawfish boil this afternoon and I knew I wanted to bring a dip. I have another recipe for spin and artichoke dip, but it's really cheesy. It's always a crowd pleaser, but I wanted something different. I made this once before and I think in this one you can taste the flavors of the spinach and artichoke more. Source: myself

1 can of artichoke hearts, quartered (not marinated)
1 package of frozen, chopped spinach, cooked and drained well
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 jalapeno slices, finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar/monterrey jack blend cheese
grated parmesean cheese

Sautee onions in butter over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno slices. Sautee until tender. Add artichokes, spinach and heavy whipping cream. Stir until well combined. Add salt and pepper. Stir well.
Remove from heat and add mozarella and cheddar/monterray jack cheeses. Stir until well blended.
Place in a casserole dish and top with grated parmesean cheese. Cook on 450 until the top is browned.

Chicken and Veggie Pasta

2008-03-03T19:19:00.004-06:00

This was an interesting creation made with leftover veggies from our grill-out last night and the three chicken breasts I had in the freezer. It was pretty good.

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1/4 cup olive oil

parsley

salt

pepper

red pepper flakes

1 pound of vermicelli pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups of cooked broccoli (I roasted it in the oven at 450 for 15 minutes)
leftover roasted zucchini, squash and mushrooms

Season chicken with parsley, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Saute in olive until nice and browned. Add veggies. I roasted the broccoli in the oven for a few minutes to keep it somewhat firm, I hate mushy broccoli. Last night we grilled zucchini, squash and mushrooms, so I threw the leftovers in there as well. I drained out a little bit of the olive oil, didn't want it to be too oily.
I just let this simmer for a little while until the veggies were heated.

I served over cooked pasta with a little bit of the lemon butter sauce I made a few weeks ago (and froze) to go along with my Shrimp Portofino.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

2008-03-02T15:23:00.003-06:00

I wanted to make something that I could bring for breakfast this week, and this is what I came across. It was super easy to make and I think I will enjoy eating it all week! Source: www.allrecipes.com

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (I used one cup of milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of vinegar)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, 1 cup sugar and egg until blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar.
Pour a third of the batter into a greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pan; sprinkle with a third of the cinnamon-sugar. Repeat layers twice. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Shrimp Portofino

2008-02-16T23:17:00.006-06:00

It's lent! And that means seafood on Friday's. We love seafood, of course we do, we live in Louisiana. But for some reason, I don't cook much of it. I'm trying to venture out a little bit, so thought I would try my favorite shrimp dish from Macaroni Grill. I found this recipe online at work, but now that I'm home, I can't find the link to include it here. If you google it, you will find several recipes that call for artichoke hearts, and that is not the one I used. So I'm sorry I can't link to the original source.

This dish was very good. I especially loved the butter sauce. I will make that again and pour over pasta and served with grilled chicken. It has a very distinct flavor.

24 large shrimp (peeled and deveined) (I used one pound of shrimp)

3 cups sliced mushrooms (washed and sliced ( 1/4 inch thick)
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts (couldn't find these, so used slivered almonds)
6 cups fresh spinach leaves (only used about 4 cups)
6 cups cooked vermicelli
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fresh garlic (minced, up to 4)

Lemon Butter Sauce:
1 tablespoon shallots (minced) (used yellow onion)
1 tablespoon fresh garlic , minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed) (only used about 1/4 a cup, per many reviews)
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 lb lightly-salted butter (cut into tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread pine nuts over bottom of sheet pan and place pan in oven on top rack. Roast until golden brown, approximately 2 to 4 minutes.

For the Lemon Butter Sauce:
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté shallots and garlic until translucent. Add white wine and reduce slightly more than 1/2, whisking occasionally. Add cream and reduce by 1/2. Add lemon juice and reduce by 1/2. Add white pepper. Reduce heat to low. Add remaining butter 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking continuously after each addition to completely incorporate butter. Continue to simmer, whisking until sauce just coats spoon.

In separate large skillet over medium-high heat melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Add garlic and sauté until garlic is translucent. Stir in mushrooms, shrimp, and pine nuts. Sauté several minutes or until shrimp are done and show color. Remove skillet from heat and gently stir in spinach. Place warm pasta on plate with shrimp mixture to the side. Pour lemon sauce over cooked pasta, permitting a bit of sauce onto shrimp.

Monkey Bread

2008-02-16T23:08:00.003-06:00

Mmmm, Monkey Bread. I put this together Saturday night for breakfast Sunday morning. So quick and easy and yummy. Source: http://www.allrecipes.com/

INGREDIENTS
3 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) (I didn't use any)
1/2 cup raisins (I didn't use any)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9 or 10 inch tube pan.
Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan. If using nuts and raisins, arrange them in and among the biscuit pieces as you go along.
In a small saucepan, melt the margarine with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.

Monkey Munch

2008-02-12T19:02:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite show is Jon and Kate Plus 8, a reality show about a couple that has a set of twins and sextuplets. She served this to her kids recently and it sounded delicious! It was easy to make and is goooddd!

The recipe came from the Chex website. They call it Muddy Buddies, but I like Kate's name of Monkey Munch better.

9 cups Chex® cereal (any variety) (I used rice)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla (totally forgot to add this)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation Directions:
1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, stir together chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. (forgot the vanilla, but it was still good) Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Stove-Top Directions: Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Smothered Chicken

2008-01-21T18:04:00.001-06:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 small onion, diced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon dark roux

1/2 teaspoon sugar

desired seasonings

Season chicken as desired and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar on each side. Coat non-stick skillet (could also use a cast iron pot or dutch oven) with vegetable oil. Cook chicken until really browned on each side. I let the pan run out of water several times and add just a little bit of water and turn the chicken.

Remove the chicken and add onions, let them cook down a few minutes. Add about a cup of water and the dark roux. Slowly simmer until roux has dissolved. Add chicken back and enough water to cover the chicken about halfway up. Let simmer until chicken gets tender, you may have to add a little more seasoning.

I served over white rice with green beans. So simple, but so yummy! This is the way my mom used to make it, so I don't have a "recipe".

HERSHEY'S Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

2008-01-06T20:07:00.000-06:00

This was not the best chocolate chip cookie we've ever had. I didn't have a lot of special ingredients on hand, so this was what I was able to make. I added the m&m's on my own. It was ok, but I think I will be looking for a new recipe next time I want to make something like this again.

That hasn't stopped DH from eating half of it though....

HERSHEY'S Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-2/3 cups HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips, HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, HERSHEY'S Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate or HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 12-inch metal pizza pan with foil.

2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in medium bowl until fluffy; add egg, beating well. Stir together flour and baking soda; stir into mixture with chocolate chips. (This is where I added one small bag of m&m's) Spread batter evenly in prepared pan, spreading to 1-inch from edge.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly brown and set. (20 minutes is WAY too long, I cooked it for 13 before taking it out) Cool completely; carefully lift cookie from pan and remove foil. Decorate as desired; cut into wedges to serve. 8 to 10 servings.

Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce

2008-01-06T19:56:00.000-06:00

OMG, this stuff was so good. I had a loaf of regular white bread that was about to go bad in the pantry, and I knew I wanted to make bread pudding with it. I had to search for a while to find a recipe that used just plain white bread, but this one was a winner. Recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/.

INGREDIENTS
6 slices day-old bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins (optional) (I didn't use any)
4 eggs, beaten (I will probably just use 3 next time)
2 cups milk (I used one cup of milk and one cup of half-and-half)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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

Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. (I accidently added the butter with all of the other ingredients, but it still turned out well) If desired, sprinkle with raisins. (no raisins for me)
In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

The only liquor we have is Amaretto and Crown Royal. I found this recipe for Amaretto sauce and it was divine. It has quite a bit of sugar in the sauce alone, but you really don't need much of the sauce. Even after it sat for a little while, I was able to whisk it for a minute and it came back together nicely.

Amaretto sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 egg well beaten
1/4 cup amaretto Liqueur

DIRECTIONS
Stir the sugar and butter on top of double boiler, set over simmering water, until butter melts, sugar dissolves and mixture is very hot. remove from over water and whisk in the egg. Continue whisking until cooled to room temperature. Mix in the Amaretto. Serve as a top for the Bread Pudding.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

2008-01-04T20:06:00.000-06:00

I made these to bring to our annual New Years Day lunch with my in-laws. They were delicious and so easy to make. I found the recipe in Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats, and she got it from Kyla's blog.

1 cup of butter (2 sticks)

1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar

2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of Nestle mini chocolate chips

For dipping:

1/2 bag of milk chocolate chips (I used 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 tsp shortening)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Beat all ingredients together, except chocolate chips. Stir in chips.

Shape heaping tablespoons of dough into 3" think logs. Place on non-stick or lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake until the bottoms are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and place on waxed paper, carefully, to cool. Freeze overnight or longer. (This confused me a bit, so I just threw them in the freezer for about 20 minutes to help them "set".)

Melt a half bag of milk chocolate chips in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, melt the chocolate in your microwave on high heat for 1 minute, at 30 seconds intervals, stirring well between each interval. If the chocolate is not completely melted, continue heating it in your microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, and being careful not to burn the chocolate. (I had to add a little bit of milk to my chocolate to make it smooth enough to dip in)

Dip each stick into the chocolate about 1/3 the way up. Immediately place on waxed paper.

Chill to solidify chocolate.

Yield: Approximately 24 cookies.

Smothered Potatoes

2007-12-30T19:05:00.000-06:00

I wanted something different to go along with my (gasp!) Shake-n-Bake pork chops. I haven't made smothered potatoes in long time and I forgot how good they were!

5 medium sized potatoes, washed and sliced very thin
1 medium onion, diced
olive oil
salt and pepper

I sliced the potatoes very thin, then cut them in half. I coated my electric skilled with olive oil and tossed the potatoes with the onion and lots of salt and pepper. Then I just cooked on low, stirring often because they would stick. They cooked up in about 20 minutes and I used the spatchula to chop them up.

Italian Breaded Chicken Over Fettucine Alfredo

2007-12-30T16:33:00.000-06:00

Italian Breaded Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1 packed of dry zesty Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup of grated parmesean cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 stick of melted butter

Mix together all ingredients except for butter. Pound down chicken until thin and coat with butter, then bread crumb mix. I sauteed in olive oil, but you can also bake them on a greased sheet at 375 for about 25-30 minutes.

Fettucine Alfredo (Olive Garden)

This recipe was given to me when I got married in a recipe box, and I've also seen it online. It's tastes exactly like Olive Garden's sauce and is so easy to make.

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 pint heavy cream (I used half and half and added a little cornstarch to thicken it up)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt
black pepper
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lb fettuccine, prepared as directed
I also threw in a handful of grated romano cheese

In a medium saucepan, melt butter. When butter is melted, add cream cheese. When the cream cheese is softened, add heavy cream. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan. Serve over hot fettucine noodles.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2007-11-11T19:24:00.000-06:00

This is "my dish." I am always forced to make this for every family function, I don't even have a choice. Today was my sister's bridal shower, so it was only natural that I make this! It is always a crowd pleaser and I have served with chips, pita bread, crackers and fried bowtie noodles. Today I served with just plain tortilla chips, but I fried up some bowtie noodles for me to enjoy before the shower!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

(adapted from Mike Anderson's Seafood cookbook)

3 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped artichoke hearts (marinated in water, NOT oil)

6 jalapeno slices

1 1/2 tablespoons jalapeno juice

2 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2 3/4 tablespoons flour

3/4 pound frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained well

1 cup half and half

1 pound Velvetta Cheese, cubed

Saute garlic and onions in olive oil until golden brown. Simmer for a few minutes over low heat. Add artichoke hearts, jalapenos, jalapeno juice and black pepper. After artichoke hearts start to break apart, add flour. Stir well and add spinach. Gradually stir in half and half. Continue to stir over low heat and slowly add Velvetta cheese. Serve warm with chips or crackers.

For the fried bowtie pasta, I cook the noodles al dente and drain well. Mix with a little bit of seasoned flour and flash fry for a minute. They are really good, but get hard fast.

Yummy pulled pork!

2007-10-24T20:19:00.001-05:00

This meal was so yummy. We practically ate ourselves sick tonight.

1 pork tenderloin (I honestly don't know how big it was)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
Tony Chachere's Seasoning
Jack Miller's bbq sauce
Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce

Last night I threw the pork tenderloin in my crockpot, seasoned it really well, added the onions and garlic and some water and a touch of the Kitchen Bouquet. It sat in the fridge all night and I cooked it on low all day, about 10 hours.

When I got home, I pulled the pork out of the crockpot and strained the gravy through a strainer. Since I didn't brown the pork first, the fat cooked off and was floating in the gravy. I left about a cup of the gravy in the crockpot and shredded the pork and added it back.

Then I added most of the bottle of bbq sauce and stirred really well. I let it continue to cook on low for another half hour of so.

We ate it on wheat buns with leftover augratin potatoes. It was so good. I ate a sandwich and a half and DH ate 3 sandwiches. And the best part is that we have leftovers for tomorrow night!

Three Cheese Alfredo Sauce

2007-10-21T20:49:00.000-05:00

I didn't get to spend as muc time in the kitchen today as I usually do on Sundays, I had a lot of errands to run. Next Saturday is my daughter's second birthday, and I still have a lot to do.

I like making this sauce because it uses things I usually have on hand. I have a fabulous recipe the alfredo sauce from Olive Garden, but it uses half and half and cream cheese, and I never just have those things lying around.

Three Cheese Alfredo Sauce

1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
celery, diced (about 1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2/3 cup shredded cheese (romano, parmesean and asiago mixed, I used the one in the can)
salt and pepper to taste
Tony Chachere seasoning

Sautee onions and celery in butter until translucent. Add 2 cups of milk and stir with a whisk. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup of milk and add to sauce, continuing to whisk. Cook on medium-low for 5 minutes, continuing to stir. Add cheese and salt and pepper. I also add Tony Chachere's, but we like our food spicy! Let the sauce cook down until desired consistency.

I grilled some chicken on my George Foreman and added it to the sauce and served it over penne rigate with a side of steamed broccoli. It doesn't photograph well, but sure is yummy:)

Chicken Fajitas

2007-10-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

This is one of our favorite meals. For starters, it's just one pot, so less dishes to wash. I have never used any kind of seasonings aside from salt and pepper and lemon pepper. I just rely on the onions and bell peppers to give the chicken a lot of flavor.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into slices
1 large bell pepper, cut into slices
2 medium onions, cut into slices
olive oil
salt and pepper
lemon pepper
1 lemon
flour tortillas (I have used wheat before)
shredded cheese
any additional desired toppings

Heat a non-stick skillet (I have also used my electric skillet for this) and coat the bottom with olive oil. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper and a little bit of lemon pepper. Cook until browned. Add onions and bell pepper. (I have also added mushrooms when I have some on hand.)

Let cook down until chicken and veggies are brown and cooked throughout, add a little bit of fresh squeezed lemon juice. Heat tortillas for 20 seconds in microwave. Serve chicken and veggies in rolled up tortilla with toppings of your choice!

Apple Pie

2007-10-16T20:54:00.001-05:00

I'm not a sweet lover, unlike my daughter and husband, but I do enjoy the occasional treat. We had my parents over for dinner Sunday night and my mom loves pie, so I wanted to make this for her. She ended up helping me a lot, but I guess that's what mom's are for. Click here for the original recipe.

6 cups thinly sliced apples (I used 4 Granny Smith apples)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie (I used frozen deep dish crust)

Prepare your pastry for a two crust pie. Wipe, quarter, core, peel, and slice apples; measure to 6 cups.
Combine sugar and cinnamon. The amount of sugar used depends on how tart your apples are.
Arrange apples in layers in pastry lined pie plate. Sprinkle each layer with sugar and cinnamon. Dot top layer with small pieces of butter or margarine. Cover with top crust.
This is where I made a mistake. When I got home from the store, I left the crust out. When it was time to put the top layer on, it was too soft and crumble. Lesson learned!
Place on lowest rack in oven preheated to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer. It took a LOT longer than this. After the 30-35 minutes the apples were still hard and it went back in the oven for another 30 minutes or so.

It was really good. Hubby just got finished with another piece!

Mac and Cheese

2007-10-10T19:54:00.001-05:00

Just the two of us....
DH had to work late tonight, so I needed something quick and easy for Allie and I. I always wanted to make a homemade mac and cheese and tonight was my chance! It was delicious and I will be making it again.

1 box of penne rigate pasta
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of romano, parmesean and mozarella cheeses
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Boil pasta until done, drain and set aside. To make the bechamel sauce, melt butter and add flour. Whisk until incorporated and add milk. Continue to whisk until flour is absorbed. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add cheeses and whisk until all melted. Mix bechamel sauce with pasta, sauce will be a little thing.

Put a little bit of butter in the bottom of a casserole dish and add pasta mixture. Top with a little bit of breadcrumbs. Bake about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Allie really enjoyed hers too, she ate two bowls!

Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower with browned butter

2007-10-10T19:18:00.000-05:00

I am very lucky in the sense that DH loves veggies. When we started dating, all he ate was corn and green beans, but now enjoys a wide variety of veggies. But I'm starting to get tired of the same old things cooked the same old way. So when I saw this recipe, I knew we would like it. I saw it in someone's blog, I apologize that I don't remember who. Click here for the original recipe.

Roasted cauliflower has a savory caramelized crust and is tender and creamy inside. The roasting process coaxes maximum flavor from the cauliflower. Aaron finds this preparation intriguing, yet simple.

6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 head) I used 1 small bag of cauliflower florets and 1 small bag of broccoli florets, both frozen
Cooking spray I used olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons butter I used an entire stick
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon parsley

PreparationPreheat oven to 400°.
Arrange veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (olive oil). Coat cauliflower with cooking spray (olive oil); sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes, turning veggies twice.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add parsley and garlic powder, I also added a little more salt and pepper. Combine veggies and browned butter in a bowl, and toss gently to coat.

These were very good. I usually just steam broccoli and cauliflower and toss with a butter and vinegar sauce, but we like this much better. I would also like to try with squash.

Parmesean Bread

2007-10-10T18:56:00.000-05:00

I have never been able to make a good homemade bread, and this time was no exception! The original recipe came from www.williams-sonoma.com, but I got the idea from Amber. I wanted something fairly simple, but not plain. I really think this is normally a really good bread, I just put too much flour and it was very flaky and heavy.

Use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, preferably imported, for the best flavor. And you will achieve better results in bread making if you buy one of the professional-quality active dry yeasts, such as Engedura from Holland or SAF from France. You can also make the dough by hand: Stir together the ingredients in a bowl and then knead the dough on a lightly floured board until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.

3 3/4 cups unbleached bread flour, plus more as needed This is where I added too much
1 Tbs. (1 package) active dry yeast
2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese I used a mix of romano and parmesean
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer, combine the 3 3/4 cups flour, the yeast and salt. Next time I will start with 3 cups and add from there. Add the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until just mixed together. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese over the dough. Fit the mixer with the dough hook and begin mixing and kneading on very low speed. When the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 12 to 15 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead by hand for 1 to 2 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, brush it with a little olive oil and return it to the bowl. Cover with a towel and let rest in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 425°F. Brush a 9-inch round pan with olive oil. Place the remaining 1/4 cup cheese on a plate. Punch down the dough. Return it to the floured work surface and knead a few times. Then, using your palms, roll the dough to form a log about 12 inches long. Cut the log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Knead each dough piece a couple of times, roll it between the palms of your hands into a ball, and then roll it in the cheese to coat lightly and evenly, shaking off any excess. As each ball is coated, place it in the prepared pan, resting it against the rim and pressing down slightly to form a 2-inch disk. Arrange 9 balls around the rim and 3 balls in the center. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise again in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the cheese remaining on the plate. I mixed in the basil and garlic power with the cheese before doing this step. I thought it needed a little something else. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, cut a slash 1/4 inch deep in the top of each ball. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until brown and crusty, 20 to 30 minutes more. I left mine in for 12 minutes and I think it was overcooked even then. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the rolls rest in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove them from the pan; the rolls will come out in a single loaf. Serve the loaf warm, breaking off the rolls at the table. Or let cool, top side up, on the rack. Makes 12 rolls.

It had a really good flavor, I just didn't care for the texture. I think it was just because I put too much flour. I do plan to try and make this again.

Beignets with powdered sugar!

2007-10-07T11:20:00.000-05:00

This was so easy to make, the part that took the longest was heating up the oil. Sure, I cheated a little, but they were still yummy!!

1 can of 10 refrigerated biscuits (I used Texas style)
vegetable oil
1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Put about 1/2 inch of oil in the bottom of a skillet. Or you can use a deep fryer if you have one.
Pat down the biscuits, I leave them whole, but my mom cuts them in half. Sometimes she even cuts out a hole in the middle to make them look more like donuts.

Once oil is heated, (I tested a little piece of biscuit to make sure it bubbled) put biscuits in oil. Watch very closely, it only takes about 20 seconds before it's time to turn them over. They brown very easily. I use two forks to turn them over.

Drain on paper towels and top with powdered sugar.

Easy and delicious. The only bad thing is that they get soft and mushy and don't reheat well.

Potato Soup!

2007-10-02T20:10:00.001-05:00

I used Ally's potato soup recipe and changed just a few things. It was delicous, thanks for the recipe Ally!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
8 potatoes
1 stick of margarine
1/2 cup flour
1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
3 cloves of garlic minced
6 cups whole milk
2 cups half and half
1/4 cup chopped green onions/chives
1/2 tsp. fresh nutmeg grated
10 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. freshly grated black pepper
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

Cook potatoes in microwave and remove skin. Dice and set aside.

Saute onion in butter for about 3 minutes and add garlic, saute for another minute. Slowly whisk in flour until the sauce is smooth. Slowly add milk, continuing to whisk so it doesn't clump. Whisk in the half and half, nutmeg, Tony Chachere's, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add potatoes and mash with the whisk until the soup is desired consistency. Add green onions, cheese and sour cream. Let simmer until potatoes cook down. Garnish with a little bit of cheese, bacon and more green onion.
I served with french bread, it was YUM!

Sausage and Mushroom Quiche

2007-09-30T19:06:00.000-05:00

My husband wanted a breakfast that he can heat up in the morning, but not have to cook. He loves eggs, so a quiche was my solution. But I can't ever tell him it's called a quiche, because he will say that it's too girly. The original recipe is for mini quiche cups, but I wanted to make a whole quiche. Next time I think I will cook it on 350 or 375.

My substitutions are in italics. This recipe came from www.eatingwell.com

8 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces I used regular breakfast sausage
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced scallions I used regular onions
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese I used mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup 1% milk I used whole milk

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and onions and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper.

Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. I also added some salt and pepper to the mixture.

Pour the egg mixture into the casserole dish. Bake until the the top turns brown, about 45-50 minutes.

Once it cooled, it was very easy to cut and separate into dishes for DH to be able to grab in the morning. I don't eat eggs, but he says it's yummy!