Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark

I found this recipe the other day on a blog that I like to read and she claimed it was a must try, so I took her advice and tried it. She was right - if you like things that are that perfect sweet/salty combo, then this is the perfect thing. It's simple to make and oh so good. Perfect for those last minute Christmas/New Year's parties you are going to and need to take a little treat with you!

Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark

1 Cup Butter (2 Sticks)
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
Mini Pretzel Twists (about 1/2 bag)
12 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil. Spread pretzels in an even layer all over baking sheet. In a sauce pan, melt butter. Once melted, stir in brown sugar until combined. Cook on low for 3 minutes and then pour evenly over pretzels. Bake for 5-7 minutes.
Remove from oven and spread chocolate chips evenly over pretzels and allow it to melt for 1 minute. Take a spatula and spread chocolate chips out and then sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate for an hour or so and then break bark into chunks and serve.

Caramel mixture poured over pretzels - ready for the oven

Chocolate chips are on - it's looking good!

Here's the Sea Salt that I used - this adds a great flavor!!

Ready to go - so yummy!!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

I bet you can't guess where I found this recipe! :)

Made these for dinner tonight and my family thought I was absolutely amazing. I mean, I pretty much am, but chicken wrapped in bacon just pushed me right over the edge. HA! (Just in case you are reading this and don't actually know me - I'm TOTALLY Kidding!)

I didn't even get to snap a picture of the finished product, because they were gone so fast. These would be good as a meal (I served them with baked potatoes and corn), or as a Holiday appetizer or Superbowl App! They are a little sweet and a little spicy and so good. Plus, just 4 ingredients and you're done. EASY!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 lb. Bacon
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 TBSP. Chili Powder

Preheat oven to 350.
Slice chicken into 1" bite size pieces and set aside. Take strips of bacon and cut into thirds, wrap a piece of the bacon around each piece of chicken and secure with a toothpick. Mix the brown sugar and chili powder together in a shallow dish and dredge bacon wrapped chicken in that mixture. Set on a broiler pan with a rack that has been greased well with cooking spray - (this allows the bacon fat/chicken drippings to drip down into the pan below). Bake 30 minutes or until bacon is crisp. May need a few minutes under the broiler at the end of baking time to crisp it well! Remove toothpicks and enjoy!

Creamy Grilled Chicken Picata

Here are 3 words that if they are used to describe any recipe, I'm pretty much willing to eat it: 1. Creamy 2. Pasta 3. Chicken

All three of those words describe this recipe that I made tonight and it was AWESOME! (Imagine me singing the word "awesome" in a semi-opera style voice cause that's what was going on in my head as I typed it.) :)

Here's the recipe and just a bit of info: It calls for grilling the chicken and since I didn't have the time (nor the desire) to grill outside, I used my Foreman Grill and it worked great.

Creamy Grilled Chicken Picata

Chicken Marinade
Juice of 1 lemon (3Tbsp)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp basil or oregano
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pasta and Sauce
1 lb. box Penne Pasta (I used about 3/4ths of the box)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup half and half
1-2 tsp dried basil
2 Tbps capers (optional-I left these out)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine first 6 ingredients and mix well. Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over chicken. Marinate at least 2 hours minimum and up to 24 hours max in the refrigerator. When ready, grill until done. Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes and then slice into strips to serve over pasta.

While chicken is grilling, cook pasta according to directions (10-12 minutes). Reserve 1/2-1 cup of pasta water and drain. In skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Whisk in garlic and lemon juice. Pour in half and half and whisk until hot. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Add the parmesan cheese, basil and capers, and heat until cheese is melted. Check the consistency of the sauce and add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary. Toss in pasta. (Add more pasta water if noodles soak up too much of the sauce.)

Slice chicken and stir into sauce. Sprinkle with more parmesan if desired.

Mongolian Beef & Garlic Noodles

I made this last week and I told Mike that I'm basically ready to go be a chef at P.F. Chang's right now. Ok, fine, maybe not, but this recipe was so easy and SO good, that I was pretty impressed with myself. I served it with garlic noodles and the whole thing together was AWESOME! Save the money and make Chinese food at home - you'll be surprised at how simple it is and how much better it tastes!

Mongolian Beef (this makes 2 large portions, or 3-4 small portions)

1 lb of thin cut round steak or flank steak (cut into thin strips, against the grain)
1/4 cup of cornstarch
3 teaspoons of canola oil
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
3 large green onions, sliced

Prepare the meat:

First, make sure the steak slices are dry (pat them dry) and mix them with the corn starch. Using your hands or a spoon, move them around to make sure all pieces are coated. Place beef slices in a strainer and shake off excess corn starch.

Make the sauce:

Heat half of the oil in a large wok at medium-high and add the garlic and ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Don't worry if the sauce doesn't look thick enough at this point. The corn starch in the beef will thicken it up later.

Cook the meat and assemble dish:

Turn the heat up and add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the beef and cook, stirring until it is all browned (this is a quick thing). Pour the sauce back into the wok and let it cook along with the meat. Now you can choose to cook it down and reduce the sauce or leave it thinner. Add the green onions on the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy.

Serve it hot with rice.

Garlic Scallion Noodles

8 oz (half a box) of angel hair or spaghettini noodles
4 tablespoons butter (half a stick)
5 cloves of garlic, minced or pushed through a garlic press
2 green onions (scallions) finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 or 2 tablespoons of brown sugar (based on your own personal preference of sweetness)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

In a heavy skillet over medium heat. Melt butter. Add green onions and garlic. Stir and cook, without browning the garlic. Cook until the garlic smell is fragrant and filling the room, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and soy sauce, and cook for another minute. Increase the heat a bit and throw in the noodles. Quickly saute the noodles until they are all coated with the garlicky butter mixture.

Serve immediately. Garnish with additional green onions if desired.

Triple Chocolate Cake

This cake is as easy as it gets and is SO good! You need three things: A cake mix, box of instant pudding and chocolate chips. And then you need a fork. And maybe some vanilla ice cream. And possibly a treadmill. Cause you will eat more than 1 piece, I promise you that. :)

Triple Chocolate Cake

1 box Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Dark Chocolate)
1 small box Instant Chocolate Pudding
1/2 bag Chocolate Chips (Semi-Sweet)

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix pudding with 1 1/2 Cups milk and whisk until it starts to set. About 2-3 minutes. Stir in cake mix. This will be very thick. Spray 9x13 pan with non-stick spray and spread cake/pudding mixture into pan. Spread chocolate chips all over top. Bake 30 minutes, or until cake starts to pull away from the sides of pan.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Pinterest strikes again! Here's another recipe I made a couple weeks ago that I found on Pinterest - it was great! Southwest chicken wraps that are all hot and crispy and just chock full of yumminess! Here's what you need:

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

1 cup cooked rice (warm or room temp)
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken **I sauteed chicken tenderloins in olive oil and seasoned them with garlic powder, seasoning salt and pepper and then shredded with forks**
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (I used 1/2 can)
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced (optional)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (I left this out)
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese
Sour cream (optional)
6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. If you like sour cream, you can spread some on the tortilla first, then add cheese and then the rice/chicken mixture. Roll stuffed tortillas like a burrito. Then spray all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve. I served with additional sour cream and salsa on the side for dipping! So good! And even great reheated the next day for lunch! :)

Photo and recipe courtesy of www.melskitchencafe.com

Corn Dip & Cheese Ball - Great Appetizer Recipes

I made both of these recipes last night for a party I hosted and they were both a hit! The first recipe (corn dip) came from Sarah and it's just a great, warm dip that is served with Frito's Scoops. So perfect for fall and winter. It was a hit at my party!

**Note: Use the whole jalapeno. The original recipe actually calls for 2! If you like a real kick of heat, go for it! I didn't use the whole jalapeno and wished that I had.**

Corn Dip

2 cans mexi corn (drained)
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Mayo
1 jalapeno (seeded and ribs removed) - chopped finely
1 lg jar diced pimentos
1 tsp. Accent Seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all together and bake at 350 for 30 mins. Stir 1-2 times during baking. Serve with Fritos.

The next recipe is my mother-in-law's cheese ball and it's AWESOME!!! By far my most favorite cheese ball recipe! The ingredients will seem weird - but they all work together perfectly. I usually serve it with Wheat Thins or Club Crackers. I truly think Macie would eat the entire thing if I'd let her - it's that good!

Cheese Ball

1 Package Cream Cheese - softened slightly
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 Cup Chopped Pecans - Divided
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 of a small can of crushed pineapple (drained)
3-4 dashes hot pepper sauce

Blend cream cheese, worcestershire sauce, garlic, pineapple, hot sauce and about 1/4 cup pecans together and form into a ball. Roll cheese ball in remaining 3/4 cup chopped pecans and chill until ready to serve. Serve with assorted crackers.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

Here's another new recipe I tried and another keeper! It doesn't use many ingredients and it goes in the crock pot and it's SO rich and flavorful! Another one that all of us loved. I made it today for our lunch after church and just cooked some green beans with a can of new potatoes and boiled my noodles when we got home. Lunch was ready in about 15 minutes. Perfect!

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

2 lbs. Stew Meat (seasoned with garlic powder, pepper and seasoned salt)
1 Large Onion
2 Cans Golden Mushroom Soup
1 Can of Water
3-4 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 package (8 oz) Cream Cheese (cut into pieces)
Cooked Egg Noodles

Pour soup, water and worcestershire sauce in crock pot and stir to combine. Season meat with garlic powder, seasoned salt (I used Lawry's) and pepper to taste. Add meat and onion to crock pot. (I just cut my onion in half and discarded it right before we were ready to eat, but if you want to slice or chop it and have smaller pieces throughout the dish, feel free). Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours. About 15 minutes prior to serving, cook noodles and stir in cream cheese until it has melted. Drain noodles, add to pot, stir well and serve.

Breaded Garlic Chicken in Lemon Butter Sauce

Here's another new recipe that I found on Pinterest and made last week. So, so good! The one thing I will do next time is double the lemon butter sauce - it was great as is, but I like things kind of saucy! HA! I made zucchini and pasta salad with this and it was great. Garlicky, lemony, YUMMY!

Breaded Garlic Chicken in Lemon Butter Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup seasoned flour (1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper)
5 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon parsley flakes or 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
3 eggs
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 tablespoons butter

Place the seasoned flour in a large gallon-size ziploc bag. Set aside. In a shallow pie plate, beat the eggs until mixed and add the Parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Let it begin to heat and sizzle while you prepare the chicken but be careful not to let the butter burn and turn brown.

Put the four chicken breasts in the bag with the seasoned flour, close the bag, and shake to coat the chicken in the flour. One by one, take the chicken out of the bag and dip into the egg/Parmesan mixture. Place the chicken carefully in the skillet with the hot oil/butter. Repeat with the other chicken breasts. Let the chicken cook on the first side, without moving or flipping the chicken, for 1-2 minutes until a nice, golden crust has formed. Carefully, using a wide spatula, flip the chicken and let it continue to cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side until it is golden brown. The chicken will flip easiest if it has had time to sizzle and cook to form a nice crust.

Remove the chicken to a 9X13-inch pan. Set aside while you make the sauce.

In the same skillet that you browned the chicken, melt the remaining four tablespoons butter. Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, and parsley. Simmer the sauce for 1-2 minutes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits that were on the bottom of the skillet.

Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken breasts and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Crescent Roll Chicken Wraps

Last week, my goal was to try a new recipe every night. Surprisingly, they were all a hit. Especially this recipe, which I found on Pinterest. I made up my filling that morning, put it in a storage bowl and refrigerated it until that evening when I was ready to put them together. It went really fast and they turned out so good. Kid friendly, but also something Mike and I liked a lot, too.

Crescent Roll Chicken Wraps

2 (8 ounce) cans Crescent Rolls
1 (10 3/4 ounce) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk

Filling
4 ounces cream cheese (very soft)
2 tablespoons butter (very soft but not melted)
1/2-1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp minced onion flakes or onion powder
2 large cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped (about 2 cups of meat)
1/2-3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. milk
1-2 cup grated cheddar cheese (for topping)

Set oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Mix together milk, 3/4 cup cheese and undiluted chicken soup (can season with black pepper if desired).

For the filling --- (make certain that the cream cheese and butter are very soft) in a bowl, mix the soft cream cheese with butter until very smooth, then add in garlic powder. Add in the chopped chicken, onion and cheddar cheese; mix well until combined. Add in 2 tablespoons milk; mix to combine (add in a little more if the mixture seems too dry). Season with seasoned salt or white and black pepper to taste. Unroll the crescent rolls. Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken mixture (or a little more) on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end. Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish. Then place the crescent rolls seam-side down on top of the creamed mixture in the casserole.
Drizzle the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with 1 cup (or more) of shredded cheese.

Bake for about 30 minutes.

Spoonful of filling on crescent roll - then roll up and seal starting at the longer end.

All rolled up and ready for the oven

ALL DONE! YUMMY!!!

And the winner is.....

Using random.org, the number drawn was number 6 - and that means that Ashley Hardcastle is the winner of these cute kitchen towels!!!

Congrats, Ashley! And thanks again to Sarah at Lauren Grace Boutique for offering these cute towels for the lucky girl! Don't forget to check out her blog or facebook page to see all her cute items! Lots of great gift ideas and with Christmas not too far off, you might want to start shopping now! :) Click here to take a look!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

I'm excited to announce my 2nd giveaway on my recipe blog! My friend, Sarah, has graciously offered 2 of her adorable kitchen towels for me to give away. She has a home business, Lauren Grace Boutique, and makes all sorts of great things. Everything from embroidered or appliqued onesies, shirts & tank tops, key fobs, cute cadet hats with flowers in any color scheme imaginable, hair bows, applique pillow cases or towels, burp cloths and I could go on and on!

Click HERE to see all the stuff she makes - and while you're there, become a follower of her blog, because that will get you entered TWICE in this giveaway! Once for following my blog and a second time for following hers!

These kitchen towels are so cute - one is in great colors for fall - brown, white, green and pink paisley print and the other is perfect for the holidays - it's super colorful with cute little owls and the words "Peace, Joy, Hoot, Hoot" - Just adorable!

Here's a close up of the two fabrics

You know you want to win those! :)

So, here's what you gotta do to get entered! Leave me a comment and let me know that you follow my blog AND go to her blog, follow hers and let me know that as well! If you follow both, your name goes in twice! If you just follow mine, you only get one entry. But, why not get your name in twice?!?! That's it! Easy! Just follow, comment and you are entered!

I'll be drawing the winner's name on Sunday, September 11th! HURRY! Don't miss out!

Thanks again, Sarah! I know whoever wins will love them!
(P.S. - If for any reason you can't leave a comment, please email me and I'll get you entered. My email is cmcash4476[at]gmail[dot]com)

Simple Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe came from the Taste of Home website and I've made them several times - they are so good and really easy. They are very simple and I love how you can make a little or a lot very easily. If you only need a small amount (like for your kids breakfast before school) just use one can of crescent rolls, and if you need a lot (like I did for our SS class today) then you can use 3 or 4 cans. Give them a try - and try to eat only one! :)

Simple Cinnamon Rolls

1 Tube Crescent Rolls
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Icing Glaze

1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Regular Sugar
1 Tbsp. Milk

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Unroll tube of crescent rolls and press seams together. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture all over crescent rolls.

Roll up, jelly roll style, starting at the long end.

Once rolled all the way up, cut into 8 equal pieces and place cut side down into a greased round cake pan. (If making a large amount, use a greased 9x13).

Cajun Chicken Pasta

My friend, Sarah (who you can find right HERE) posted this recipe last week and I just knew I had to make it! This morning I made up my menu for the week and put this down for tonight's meal. It was wonderful! Maddie even told me that it was better than Olive Garden, which made me feel pretty good. I left out the sun-dried tomatoes only because I looked all over the store and couldn't find them. A couple tips - I brought my sauce up to a very low boil, then turned it to a simmer and then added my noodles. The sauce will thicken once you add your noodles. DON'T rinse the linguine after they are cooked. The starches from the pasta will thicken your sauce. Another tip is to save your pasta water so that if it the noodles start to absorb too much of your sauce, you can add a ladle of pasta water and it will make it nice and creamy again. Enjoy! Thanks, Sarah, for posting the recipe - it's a winner! Oh and be on the lookout next month - Sarah has graciously offered to do a giveaway of some adorable fall/winter themed kitchen towels! I've already seen a preview of what she's making and they are adorable! So stay tuned!!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into small strips)
8 ounces linguini (cooked all dente)
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 green onion (thinly sliced)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup parmesan cheese

Cut chicken into small strips, place in a bowl and toss in Cajun seasoning.

Melt butter in skillet and add chicken. Cook until no longer pink and juices run clear. Approx. 7-8 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, green onions, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.

Toss with cooked noodles and stir to combine.

Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and serve! (I used this kind - not the kind in the green can.)

It was so quick, easy and thumbs up all around!

Paula Deen's Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

There really doesn't need to be any introduction to this recipe. The only thing you need to read is "Paula Deen" and then just go make it. Just remember - it's Paula. It's not fat free, not even remotely close. The gravy this recipe makes is good enough to pour over your entire plate of food. I won't say if I did that or not.

So, this week, in honor of a bunch of my teacher-friends gearing up to go back to work, I'm posting a great crock-pot recipe that hopefully will make your first week back to the grind a little easier. I'm sure the smell of this cooking away when you walk in the door from a crazy week back to school will wipe all your stress away! :)

Enjoy!

Paula Deen's Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup butter
1 pkg. Good Season's Italian Dressing packet
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. container cream cheese with chives and onion
1 cup chicken broth or White Cooking Wine

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in Italian dressing packet. Pour in soups, chicken broth and cream cheese and stir over medium heat until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat and pour over chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.

**Great served along side mashed potatoes or rice.

Rich & Charlie's Salad

If you are from St. Louis, there's a pretty good chance you have eaten at Rich and Charlie's. If you aren't from STL, Rich and Charlie's is a great little Italian restaurant that has possibly one of the best Italian salads I've ever had. And somehow, somewhere along the way, my mom acquired their salad recipe. I'm not kidding, it's identical. Tastes SO great with pasta or pizza or just all alone.

If you ever get asked to take a salad to your next get together or are just sick of the same old salad with Ranch that we all eat weekly, give this a try. And DON'T let the pimentos and artichokes scare you - you can pick out the artichokes like I do if you don't really care for them. The pimentos don't have a weird taste, but add some pretty color to it. If you are a fellow St. Louisan (is that a word?), you can thank me (or my mom) at any time. :)

Rich and Charlie's Italian Salad

1 Head Iceberg Lettuce, washed and chopped
1/3 Head Romaine Lettuce, washed and chopped
1 Cup Red Onion, Chopped
1 Can Plain Artichoke Hearts, cut up
1 Jar Pimentos, Chopped

Dressing:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup parmesan cheese
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Mix together well and chill until ready to serve. Toss salad and dressing together just before serving.

Cheeseburger Cups

Do you ever have those nights where you need something that's super easy and that you know the kids are going to eat without any complaints? If so, this is a great one to try. They are so yummy, super simple and most of these ingredients I keep on hand, so they come together really fast. You could make up some corn and a fruit salad and have a good meal that is sure to please everyone. Those are the kind of dinners that I like!

Cheeseburger Cups

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP mustard
1-1/2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tube (12 oz.) biscuits
10 small cubes Velveeta cheese

Brown burger and drain. Turn off heat and stir in ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Press each biscuit onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin tin. Spoon beef mixture into each biscuit cups and insert a cheese cube. Bake at 400* for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

BBQ Meatballs

My friend, Kerri, made this recipe for us after Mabrie was born and I can't believe I haven't posted it yet. Man, these things were GOOD! She made them with corn casserole and green beans and we all loved that combination of flavors. The meatballs are so juicy and have an awesome flavor. You could also make them and serve hashbrown potato casserole as a side. Or baked beans. Or Au Gratin potatoes. The possibilities are endless. Give them a try sometime! They are really yummy!

Thanks, Kerri, for bringing us such a yummy meal. It's so nice to have friends that are willing to take time out of their busy day to cook a meal when you have a baby. We really enjoyed this and my mouth is watering right now just thinking about them! :)

BBQ Meatballs

1 lg can evaporated milk
3 lbs. ground chuck
2 cups raw oats
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp chili powder

BBQ Sauce:
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 cup chopped onion

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients for the meatballs together in large bowl and shape them the size of a walnut. Place on cookie sheets that are covered with aluminum foil.

Mix sauce together and pour evenly over meatballs. Bake 1 hour or until cooked through.

Coconut Chicken Strips and Dipping Sauce

Several weeks ago, a blog I read (Kelly's Korner) did a link up for people to list their favorite dinner recipes. There were so many great ones posted and several that I plan to try, but the first one that caught my attention was a recipe for Coconut Chicken Strips. I am a huge fan of the coconut shrimp and dipping sauce at Red Lobster, so I thought that these might be similar in flavor, but easier to make since the recipe calls for chicken. I was not disappointed. The girls and I loved them. Now, I'll have to be honest and tell you that this wasn't Mike's favorite recipe as he isn't a fan of mixing sweet and savory. The chicken wasn't overly sweet by any means, it was just right for me and if you are a fan of things like this, you will love it!

The dipping sauce made a ton, so you could easily half the recipe listed here and not have so much leftover. I did add extra powdered sugar to mine to give it a hint more sweetness - just taste it as you go to get it to your preferred taste.

I served mine with Rice Pilaf (Rice a Roni Brand), green beans and salad. It was a great combo. Enjoy and if you want to see all those recipes on Kelly's Korner, just click HERE.

Coconut Chicken

12 chicken tenders
1-2 eggs (start with one and crack another if it runs out)
1/2 C flour
1 C sweetened coconut flakes
1 C panko bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Give coconut a rough chop so it's about the same size as the panko pieces.
Combine it with Panko and spices in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute all of the spices.
Place the flour in another shallow dish, and the egg in another. Give the egg a quick beating.
Working with a few chicken tenders at a time, dredge in flour. Dip in egg, then finally coat in the coconut Panko mixture. Press in with your fingers to make sure the entire thing is well coated.
Place chicken tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. You can drizzle or spray olive oil on top for a crispier tender.
Bake in 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. If tenders are on the small side, they could even be done in about 15 minutes. If they're big they can take more like 25. The coconut will be nice and golden and the panko crisp, but light in color still.

Pineapple Dipping Sauce

1 cup yogurt
1 can pineapple tidbits (I used crushed pineapple - small can)
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 cup sweetened coconut
2 Tbsp coconut milk
Combine all, refrigerate until ready to use.

***Note: I did not use coconut milk - I just added a little extra coconut. She also said that sour cream can be used in place of plain yogurt.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

(Hey Deb - I finally made this!)

My sister emailed me this recipe over a month ago and I never got around to making it until last week. It was really simple (like ready in 20 minutes, simple) and very flavorful. The recipe calls for frozen cheese Tortellini, but she and I both used the frozen beef Ravioli and it was so good. You could use any of the frozen filled pastas that you prefer - the sauce is what makes is so flavorful. My husband just happens to think that if there's not meat somewhere in the meal, that it doesn't count as a meal. :) So, we went with the beef ravs. Serve it with your favorite pasta sides!

Thanks, Deb, for a great recipe and one that I can whip up quickly on a busy night!

Tortellini with Tomato Cream Sauce

1 pkg. (16 oz.) cheese tortellini-fresh or frozen
1 small onion, chopped
2 TBSP olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, Undrained
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 Cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook tortellini (or pasta of your choice) according to pkg. directions. In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 min. longer. Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and saute over medium heat until liquid is absorbed-about 4-5 minutes. Stir in cream and cheese and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta; toss with sauce and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Here's a picture of my meal once it was done and all mixed together!

The Verdict!!

I previously posted a recipe that sounded great, but I had never tried - until tonight! I made up my marinade for the chicken fajitas this morning and it smelled so great! I tossed in my chicken and let it marinate for around 6 hours. (She recommended overnight, but I forgot to do it yesterday and the 6 hours gave it TONS of flavor!) I cooked a green and red pepper and thinly sliced onion and then removed those from the pan, added a little more olive oil and then cooked the chicken. The whole family loved them! So flavorful and so easy to do. I sliced my chicken very thin so that it cooked quickly. If your family likes the peppers and onions, then you could just toss the chicken in once those were soft and cook the chicken with them, but since my girls aren't big fans of peppers, I took them out and just added them to our fajitas. I topped them with cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Somehow I forgot lettuce at the store - but even without the lettuce, they were yummy!

Mike said he would take these over regular tacos any day. And they were just as simple to make. So, that's my review! Give them a try and see what you think!

Oh and here's how I make homemade guacamole. Learned this method from Sarah, which you can find here or here and it's super simple and so good!

2-4 Ripe Avocados (They should be fairly soft when you squeeze them)
Picante Sauce (I use one spoonful per avocado)
Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt to taste
A little bit of lemon or lime juice - just a dash!

Slice Avocados in half and remove the pit. Scoop out the center of each and transfer to a bowl. Pour in picante sauce and seasonings and mash until soft with a fork. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Tip!! Keep the pits from the avocados and place them back in your dip, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to keep it from turning brown!! This should work for several hours! :) Enjoy!!

Chicken Fajitas

This is the first time I'm adding a recipe to my blog prior to making it myself. I found this on another blog yesterday and thought it sounded so good. She recommended marinating the chicken overnight for the best flavor. I'm for sure putting this on my menu next week. I thought these would be great with some homemade guacamole, chips and salsa. I'll come back and let you know how we liked them, but from the list of ingredients, I don't see how they won't be anything less than amazing! Let me know if you try them out!

Chicken Fajitas

Marinade:
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more if desired for heat)
1 teaspoon salt

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large), sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced (or a combination of green, yellow, orange and red peppers)

Combine marinade ingredients. Add chicken. Place in a large Zip-Lock bag or a shallow non-metal bowl covered with plastic wrap. Marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Saute the onions and the peppers for 8-9 minutes over medium heat until browned.

Discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet, and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently, until cooked through.

Serve with warm tortillas.

Stuffed Shells

This afternoon I was asking the girls what they wanted for dinner and I mentioned tacos. They both kind of whined and said they just weren't in the mood, so then I threw out spaghetti (can you tell I was looking for something quick and easy??). No, not in the mood for that either. And then these came to my mind and I realized that I hadn't made them in a long, long time and they sounded great! And better than that, they are easy - which is just what I was looking for this evening. I couldn't find the jumbo shells at the store, so I used Manicotti noodles and it worked perfectly. All you need is a large noodle that you can stuff with this mixture and you are set! Once again, I have pictures to go along with the recipe - and once again they aren't professional, but you'll get the idea of how it should look and that's all that matters, right?! So, here you go - Stuffed Shells. Enjoy.

14-16 Jumbo Shells (Boiled and Drained) (I used 9 manicotti noodles)
1 Container Small Curd Cottage Cheese (You could also use Ricotta Cheese)
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cup Shredded Italian Cheese Blend
1 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. Dried Parsley Flakes
Spaghetti Sauce (any flavor)
Mozzarella Cheese or Shredded Italian Cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, mix together cottage cheese, Parmesan, and Italian cheese blend with Italian seasoning and parsley flakes. Stir until combined. Spoon mixture into cooked jumbo shells or manicotti shells. Pour enough spaghetti sauce in 9x13 pan to cover the bottom. Layer filled shells on top of sauce. Pour additional spaghetti sauce on top and top with shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheeses are hot and bubbly. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Shells stuffed and layered in pan


Sauce and cheese on top and ready for the oven! YUM!


Ready to eat!!

Leftover Idea

Am I the only one that makes a pot of chili and has a huge bowl leftover that NO ONE wants after the first night?! I'm assuming it happens to you, too. So, here's an idea my mom came up with when I was younger and I now use it on my family. It's a great way to get rid of the chili and the kids love it! Here's the process - pictures included. (P.S. - I never claimed to be a photographer) :)

Chili Tortilla Wraps

Leftover Chili - Reheated
Soft Tortilla Shells
Cheddar Cheese

Take your heated chili and add a scoop to center of your tortilla shell


Next, fold in your edges - don't worry if a little chili comes out - not a big deal.


Place seam side down in a skillet that is preheated with a small amount of oil


Flip over and brown on the other side (should only take a few minutes) - Remove and dab off excess oil


Top with another scoop of chili and shredded cheese - and enjoy!!!


You can make several of these at once in a large skillet. I don't know what it is about kids and tortilla shells, but they seem to eat up anything you put inside them! These are great for those nights that you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen. Happy leftover eating!!

Fruit Pizza

I am in a serious recipe drought! I don't know what's up, but I need some fresh ideas. So, in an effort to celebrate spring and summer, both of which are just around the corner, I am posting one of my favorite dessert recipes for this time of year! My mother-in-law gave me this recipe years ago and it is so refreshing. It's the perfect dessert for those warm days when you need something sweet, but don't want it to be too heavy. Plus, it's just pretty. You might not even want to cut into it - ok who am I kidding?! You'll for sure want to cut into it cause while it's pretty, it tastes even better! Maybe try this one out some night when you are going to cook out (and while you are cooking out, go print off the pasta salad recipe I posted and make that as a side!!). I'm working to get out of my recipe rut - so enjoy this and I'll post a new dinner recipe soon!

Fruit Pizza

1 Roll of Sugar Cookie Dough
8 oz. Container Cool Whip
8 oz. Pkg. Cream Cheese
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Can each of Pineapple Slices, Mandarin Oranges, Sliced Peaches
Bananas (sliced)
Strawberries (sliced)
Kiwi (sliced)

Glaze:
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Cup Orange Juice (Pulp free)
1/4 Cup Water
2 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp. Corn Starch and 1 Tbsp. Water - combined

On a round pizza pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, roll out sugar cookie almost to the edge and bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely. Mix the cool whip, cream cheese and vanilla together and spread onto cooled cookie. Add fruit in this order, working from the outside in: Pineapple slices, mandarin oranges, peach slices, banana, kiwi, strawberries. (I alter this on occasion as we like strawberries more than peaches, so sometimes I will leave out the peaches and add more strawberries! You can do any fruit combos you like - blueberries would be good too!).

Add all of the ingredients for the glaze to a sauce pan and whisk together. Bring to a boil and whisk at a boil for 1 minute. Drizzle over fruit while hot.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Told you it was pretty!

WINNER WINNER!!!

Well, it's official! My first ever blog giveaway is closed and the winner is..........


AMY RICHARD


Congrats, Amy! I know you'll love your new apron and think it's just adorable! I'll email you to get your mailing information so that we can get it sent to you right away!

Thank you to Olivia at Dancing Zebras for offering one of her cute products to one lucky winner! Please don't forget to check out her facebook page and see all the great things she makes - I know she'd love to make each of you your very own, one of a kind apron!

Thanks to each of you that entered and made this so much fun for me! I'll keep the recipes coming and who knows, you just might see another giveaway sometime soon! :)

My First Give-Away!!

I'm so excited to be hosting my first ever blog give-away! One of my sweet friends at church, Olivia, has a home business and has graciously offered up one of her adorable handmade (and super trendy) aprons! This girl does it ALL! She makes aprons, knot dresses for little girls, baby bedding, and more! She has just recently gone to some of our local children's boutiques and is going to start selling some of her products in these stores. Her work is high-quality and as cute as it gets!

What better to give away on a recipe blog than an apron? I actually own one of these and wear it all the time! It ties around the waist and is so cute! And who says you can't look cute while you are cooking? :)

Here are some pictures! Just imagine how adorable you'll be cooking in your kitchen in this!





So here's what you need to do! Two ways to enter and get your name in the drawing - 1. Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment letting me know you are a follower - include your email address so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner. (If you are already following my blog, leave me a comment and let me know!). 2. Go to Facebook and "Like" Olivia's business page - Search for "Dancing Zebras" and "Like" it - come back and leave me another comment to let me know that you are now a fan of Dancing Zebras and your name will be entered twice!

I'll be drawing the name out this Friday afternoon, March 4th. and will post the winners name on here - so make sure to check back!!

Thank you, Olivia! I'm excited for some lucky girl to get this adorable apron! Make sure and check out all of her products and get in contact with her via her facebook business page to order any of her great items! You won't be disappointed!

Good luck!! (Email me if you are having problems leaving a comment and I'll add your name! cmcash4476[at]gmail[dot]com

Easy Pasta Salad

I tried this recently at a girl's night and just had to have the recipe. I really love pasta salads. They are great as a side dish for nights you are grilling, as a take-along dish for potlucks, girl's nights, or just great all alone as a light lunch. This one is really simple but such a great combination of flavors. Thank you, Katie, for sharing this one with me!

Pasta Salad

1 lb. Box Spiral Pasta - Cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water
1 Bottle Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Small Can Sliced Black Olives (I left these out as we don't care for olives)
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced in half
1 Package Monterey Jack Cheese Cubes
1 Package Mini Turkey Pepperonis

Once noodles are done and rinsed, pour all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Toss with dressing and chill until ready to serve. You could add a couple of tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese and mix that in as well! Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Dinner

Ok, this one, I'm almost embarrassed to post. It requires no culinary wizardry at all. But, it's good. And it goes in your crock-pot. And if you throw in a salad or some apple sauce you have a full meal with very little effort. What busy mom or working girl doesn't like that idea. A good, complete meal cooking for you while you go about your day. Here's what you need to do and you can go ahead and start calling me Emeril at any time. :)

Crock-Pot Chicken Dinner

4-6 Chicken Breasts (frozen or thawed)
2 Cans Whole New Potatoes, drained
1/2 Bag Baby Carrots
1 Can each - Cream of Chicken and Cream of Mushroom Soup
Salt, Pepper, Garlic and Onion Powder to taste

Dump it in your crock-pot, stir, set to high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Easy, peezy, lemon squeezy.

Crock-Pot Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing

That's a HUGE recipe title, isn't it? I didn't know what else to call it. I could have just called it "delish", cause it is! My friend from St. Louis sent this to me a couple of months ago and I've made it twice now. Once in the oven and then once in my crock-pot and they turned out a lot more tender in my crock-pot so that's the version I'm going with from now on. If you like the pork/apples/stuffing combo - this one is a winner! A little sweet, little savory and oh so good! Here's what you need:

Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing

4-5 Boneless Pork Chops
1 Can Apple Pie Filling
1 Box Chicken Flavor Stove Top Stuffing
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Lightly season pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Pour can of apple pie filling in the bottom of the crock-pot. Place pork chops on top and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, cook Stove Top Stuffing as according to package directions. Spread over pork chops and serve.

Serve with a veggie or any sides you might like with pork!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

A friend from church recently told me about her homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza and I knew I had to give it a try for myself. I used one of my favorite things - a rotisserie chicken from Walmart - these things are so useful in so many different recipes! I also bought the refrigerated pizza dough by Pillsbury (found by the canned biscuits) - which was so good! This came together really fast and everyone loved it! It's nice for a little change every once in a while! Add a side salad and you have a great meal and a lot healthier than regular pizza! Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

White Meat (skin and bones removed) from a Rotisserie Chicken - Chopped
1 Can Refrigerated Pizza Dough - Rolled out fairly thin
Red Onion - Thinly sliced
BBQ Sauce - Any kind (I used Sweet Baby Ray's - Honey BBQ Flavor)
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Roll out pizza dough and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 4-5 minutes at the temperature stated on the can. (This will help to crisp up your dough a little before adding your ingredients.) Take out of oven and layer the following: BBQ Sauce, shredded chicken, red onion, cheese. Bake the remaining amount of time or until crust is lightly golden and cheese is melted.

Homemade Meatballs

I am a sucker for spaghetti and meatballs - I just love it! This is my mom's recipe and they are WAY better than those frozen meatballs you can buy at the grocery store and they take no time to mix up. I have also made these, then put them in some marinara sauce and let them simmer for an hour or so and they make some super good meatball subs! Top them with provolone cheese and/or parmesan and they are a great meal! Very versatile! :) Enjoy!

Meatballs

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
1 Cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Egg, Beaten
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and shape into balls. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until no longer pink. Add them to your sauce and let simmer until ready to serve.

Chicken Tacos - Crock Pot Recipe

Here's a recipe that a friend from church gave me a while back. They are so easy to throw together and always taste great! A little change from regular beef tacos. Just toss all the ingredients in your crock-pot and when they are done, add your favorite toppings and you have a quick meal.

Chicken Tacos

4 Chicken Breasts (Frozen or thawed)
1 Can Chicken Broth (I use fat free/low sodium)
1 Can Rotel
1 Packet Chicken Taco Seasoning

Add all the above to the crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4 hours. When chicken is tender, remove from crock pot and shred up with 2 forks. Put shredded meat back into crock pot with all the juices and stir.

I use regular flour tortillas and top with cheese, lettuce and sour cream. Add some chips and salsa and enjoy an easy meal!