Adding a little Southern charm!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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:)

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.