Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

This pie is one of my all time favorites. I used to request this instead of birthday cake as a child. My girlfriends and I devoured this at Supper Club last week.  We may, or may not, have eaten two slices each.  The original recipe for this is posted in my family's cookbook. It honestly can't get much better than this. And the recipe makes 2 pies!!

You will need:

One bag of semisweet chocolate chips

One bag of chopped pecans

3 tbsp of your favorite bourbon

1 stick of butter

1 cup of light corn syrup

1 cup of sugar

4 eggs

Two aluminum 9 inch pie pans

One package of pie crust (in the refrigerator section, contains two crusts)

Stir together the first seven ingredients in a large bowl, stirring after each addition.  Line the pie pan with the crust and pour in the mixture evenly so both pies get the same amount. Bake on 400 for 45 minutes or until pie is set. Top with your favorite whipped cream!

 **Ladies, you might find that this a wonderful thing to make once a month....

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

My girlfriends and I started a Supper Club. We meet once a month in the middle of the week. Each meeting is a different theme. We've done Chinese and Mexican. For November, it seemed fitting to make Thanksgiving dinner! Our wonderful host Tiffany made a delicious chicken in the crockpot. Leslie brought stuffing, Rebecca brought the macaroni, Britney brought the gravy, cranberry sauce, more stuffing and rolls, and I brought Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.  A friend of mine posted a picture of her asparagus on Instagram, and I was instantly inspired to try it myself.  I also whipped up a Chili-Garlic-Mayo dipping sauce for the asparagus. Not only was it a huge hit, it looks really pretty!! This recipe made about 8 bundles.

You will need:

One pack of regular bacon

Two bundles of asparagus

Olive Oil

Garlic Salt

Pepper

Wash the asparagus and trim the ends off. Line the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil over it. Then sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper, and whatever other seasoning you prefer! Wrap about 7 asparagus tightly in a piece of bacon. Place on a broiler pan and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the bacon is crispy.  

**I did not have a broiler pan so I placed my drying rack on the rimmed baking sheet. It needs to be elevated because of the bacon fat. 

Here is my plate. Of course it's loaded up in Carbs, but you can see the CHILI-GARLIC-MAYO DIPPING SAUCE

You will need:

1 cup mayo

1/3 cup chili garlic sauce 

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp water

1 tsp ground pepper

4 tsp Worcestershire

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 medium onion, chopped (I used dried minced)

1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

**This is super yummy and very similar to some restaurant's "secret sauce"

Slow Cooker Italian Noodle Soup

Fall means soup weather, so I decided to join in on the fun.  There is nothing better than cooking in a slow cooker. Not only is it super easy, but the flavor after cooking something for five hours is incredible.  I'm told this recipe is similar to Pasta E Fagioli Soup at the Olive Garden.

You will need:

2 pounds of ground beef or turkey

One 28oz can of diced tomatoes, do not drain

One 16oz can of red kidney beans, drained

One 16 ox can of white kidney beans, drained

4 cups of beef stock

3 carrots, shredded

1 cup of chopped celery

1 onion, chopped

One jar of traditional spaghetti sauce. 

A few shakes of ground parsley

A few shakes of ground pepper

Even more shakes of ground oregano

A few squirts of tabasco or other hot sauce

8 oz of short pasta, like ditali 

Brown the beef and then combine all ingredients expect pasta in the slow cooker. Cook on High for 4-5 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours.  Once it's almost ready, cook pasta according to directions, drain, and add to the soup. Stir everything together and you're finished!

** This reminded us of chili.  Add some of your favorite shredded cheese on top, if you dare!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

Fall is here and that means pumpkins!! Canned pumpkin, carved pumpkins, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spiced lattes... the possibilities are endless!! In order to start the season off right, I made HEALTHY pumpkin muffins.  I made them in my new mini muffin tin one night after work.  The apartment smelled awesome!

You will need:

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 2/3 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/3 c. water

1 c. canned or homemade pumpkin puree

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine eggs, oil, water and pumpkin puree (use straight pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix). Sift dry ingredients together and gradually beat into first mixture.

Pour into greased mini muffin pans.  Top each with a few pieces of chopped walnuts. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 36 mini muffins.

** I love adding the nuts to the muffins for a little something extra. You can add any type of nut or even dried fruit to this recipe. This went great with my morning coffee!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

This dinner was found during one of my many hours spent on Pinterest.  Joe and I wanted something quick and easy and very delicious. This was great because I had all of the ingredients in my fridge and pantry.  Beware though, the cooked brown sugar will start to caramelize on your baking pan, but it smells awesome!!  This serves 2 people.

You need:

2 chicken breasts

A few slices of bacon

Chili Powder

Garlic Power

Salt and Pepper

Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Cut each chicken breast into three pieces and season with garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper.  Wrap uncooked bacon around each piece (you might want to cut some pieces in half), and then coat with brown sugar.  Place on a greased baking sheet with a rim and bake for 35 minutes. 

**This was SOO good. The whole time eating we could not stop commenting on the flavor. It is a perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Next time we will try this on the grill!

Ravioli Lasagna

Ravioli is one of my all time favorites. As is lasagna. So I decided to combine the two and make this awesome EASY dinner!  This potential could be healthier than regular lasagna.  The ravioli's serve as your pasta and cheese, and then add ground beef, tomato sauce, and veggies!

You will need:

One pound ground turkey

One jar of your favorite tomato sauce

One bag of frozen ravioli 

One cup of veggies ( I used spinach)

shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Brown turkey and drain the fat. Mix in tomato sauce and veggies (I used chopped spinach). Layer ravioli in a greased casserole dish, and top with the meat sauce mixture. Repeat this pattern and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is nice and golden brown.

**This is pretty healthy and very filling. Have fun with whatever meat and veggie you like best!

Holy Smoked BBQ!

Nothing says fall like the smell of smoking meat. I came home Sunday for family dinner and the smell was in the air. First day of football ANNNNDDD smoked meat?? Yes please!  So my dad was smoking a few butts (maybe they were shoulders, I'm not really sure) and a rack of ribs for a few hours. I took home a few pieces and threw them in the crockpot with some apple cider vinegar to cook while I was at work. Did my apartment smell amazing or what?!

Smokin' on the grill

Look how it came clean off the bone!

TaDa!

Add one cup of apple cider vinegar. Cook for 10 hours on low in your favorite slow cooker. Remove from crockpot and shred with two forks. Put in a casserole dish or bowl and top with your favorite barbecue sauce. I used a locally made sauce, "Mini Malbons"

**One of Joe's favorite. He ate almost all of his in two seconds!

Orange Crush

A Virginia Beach favorite is the Orange Crush. The best can be found at Waterman's Surfside Grille and Chick's Oyster Bar.  We decided to try to make our own! The trick is using fresh oranges.  

Here's how to make one:

Crushed ice

Juice from one orange

1.5 oz orange vodka

1.5 oz triple sec

top with a splash of Sprite

**Such a great summer drink! Image sipping on this with your best friends just yards from the ocean or river.  Can't get much better than that!

Mexican Casserole

My roommate and I have a slight Costco addiction. The issue here is that the produce must be consumed ASAP before everything spoils.  Trudy purchased about a dozen avocados the other day and we needed to eat them, so I decided to try out this mexican casserole. With a few minor substations I was able to make this a slight bit healthier than the average mexican casserole. 

You will need:

1 lb ground turkey

1 jar of salsa

1 can of refried black beans

1 packet of reduced sodium taco seasoning

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 green pepper, chopped

multigrain tortilla chips, smashed up

1 can of diced tomatoes

spinach leaves, chopped

1 small can of sliced black olives

mexican cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large frying pan, cook the ground turkey and drain whatever little fat remains. Mix in refried beans, taco seasoning, and salsa.  In an ungreased casserole dish, layer tortilla chips and top with meat mixture. Layer on top of this the green pepper, black olives and half of the tomatoes. Then top with cheese.  Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Take out of the oven and top with spinach leaves, more tomatoes, and avocado. Enjoy!!

**We used the left overs the next day to make nachos! Joe said they were the best he's ever had. The secret definitely is mixing the beans, salsa, and taco seasoning. mmmm mmm!!

Quinoa Pizza Bites

I know what you're thinking: "How much quinoa does this chick buy?"  But seriously y'all, it's the best grain ever! I even made PIZZA out of it.  This are so yummy and so simple to make. I replaced beef pepperoni with turkey pepperoni, so it's a little healthier.  This would be great in a lunch box, or even as an appetizer on Italian night. The best part? It's healthy pizza!! Can you believe it??

Here's what you need:

2 cups of cooked quinoa

2 large eggs

1/2 cup of fresh chopped basil

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup of chopped turkey pepperoni

2 tbsp of minced garlic

1 tsp of sea salt

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp paprika

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together all ingredients.  Scoop into a mini muffin tin, or in my case, silicone muffin tins. I like the silicone ones because they did not stick to the sides. Be sure to really compact the mixture into the muffin tins so it bakes all together and does not fall apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes. I cooked mine for a three extra minutes since my muffin tins were a bit larger. Enjoy!

**Dip these in your favorite pizza sauce! Oh, and I guess you can add chopped onion if you really want. 

Chick Pea Salad

I have had a can of Garbonzo Beans in my pantry forever, and I wanted to put it to use.  I came across this recipe online and thought it looked great!! It has all the veggies that I will actually eat (minus red onions, which were NOT added to my salad). I pretty much will eat anything that contains black olives and feta, mmmmmm.  This was so light and fresh, and healthy!! Check it out.

You will need:

One 15 oz can of chick peas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup of sliced black olives

One small roma tomato, diced

1/2 cup of cucumber, diced

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

Two or three fresh basil leaves, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup of feta cheese

1/2 cup of red onion, diced (IF YOU DARE)

splash of lemon juice

splash of red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

oregano

one large spoonful of plain greek yogurt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir it together until the dressing is consistent. Enjoy!

**This would be great for a yummy healthy lunch. It would also be awesome as a topper on some yummy grilled chicken.

Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Quinoa

MORE QUINOA?! Can you believe it? The possibilities with this super grain are endless.  Did you know one serving has eight grams of protein and five grams of fiber. Amazing! Since Mac and Cheese is my all time favorite food, I decided to try to make Mac and Cheese Quinoa. I wanted to mix in some veggies and chicken to make a "casserole" of out if.  My mistake here was I mixed cheddar cheese with Italian style cheese, since I did not have enough cheddar. I highly recommend using all cheddar when you make this.

You will need:

One cup quinoa, uncooked

10 oz of chopped broccoli

one chicken breast, cooked and cubed

minced garlic

Cheddar cheese

2 eggs

one cup of milk

Panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the quinoa as directed (one part quinoa, two parts water, or chicken broth). Once cooked, add two cups of cheddar, two eggs, garlic, and one cup of milk into the mixture. Stir until the cheese is melted. Add in the mixings. I decided on broccoli and chicken, but you can really use whatever your heart desires. Pour into a greased casserole dish and top with another layer of cheese and panko bread crumbs. Bake for 20 -30 minutes. 

**I ate this by itself as a meal for dinner. We used the left overs the next day as a side with grilled chicken, and then even more left overs the following day paired with london broil. 

Apple and Brie Tarts

Brie is one of my favorite cheeses. I love to melt it on a whole wheat english muffin with some grape jelly for a snack or for breakfast. Since I purchased a Costco size wheel of Brie, I needed to think of some creative recipes and fast. Here's what we had for dessert last night, although it would have been an excellent breakfast as well. (I accidentally purchase pie crust instead of pastry dough. Use crescent roll dough)

You will need:

One package of crescent roll dough

one green apple, sliced

a few thick slices of brie, with the rind on

cinnamon

brown sugar

egg whites

butter

Divide the dough into fourth and cut into four squares.  Place a slice of brie on each square and top with a few apple slices. Sprinkle your desired amount of cinnamon and brown sugar on top and place a small pad of butter to top it off. Brush each corner with egg whites and fold the dough into an "envelope" around the cheese and apples. Brush the top with more egg whites. Bake for 20 minutes on 400.

**Joe was so mad I did not have an ice cream to go with this as a dessert. It tastes like apple pie!

Eggplant Parmesan

My mom gets her produce from this awesome farmers market in the not so great part of town, but the veggies are awesome! I've been dying to make my own eggplant parmesan ever since we had it at Joe's brother's rehearsal dinner. It was fun making it, and I felt somewhat healthy eating it!

You wil need:

One large eggplant

salt

egg white

bread crumbs

dried oregano

dried basil

olive oil

one jar of tomato sauce

shredded mozzarella

grated parmesan 

Preheat oven to 350. Slice the eggplant into very thin slices. Sprinkle each side of the slices with salt and place on a paper towel. Put another paper towel on top of a layer of slices and top with another layer of eggplant, repeat until out of eggplant slices. Top with a paper towel and place a heavy pot or pan on top. Let sit with pan on top for about 30 minutes to an hour. This is to absorb some of the moisture in the eggplant so the final version is not soggy.  

Once most of the moisture has been absorbed from the eggplant slices. Heat a pan of olive oil about an inch deep until hot. Dip each slice into a bowl of egg white, and then dip into a bowl containing bread crumbs, oregano, and basil. Coat both sides evenly with the mixture and place in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Place fried eggplant slices on a paper towel to absorb extra oil.

Layer in a  casserole dish starting with tomato sauce, followed by eggplant, and topped with mozzarella. Continue until out of eggplant. Top with mozzarella and grated parmesan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes covered on 350. Remove cover and broil on high for about 5 or 10 minutes. 

**Serve with your choice of whole wheat pasta and a side salad. 

Joe's Pizza

Joe was so proud of his pizza he made, that we MUST share it on the blog. He made one for me and some friends a few nights ago, and the friends were confused as to whether or not he actually made it. Its that good!! The secret is the naan bread crust.

You will need:

One piece of naan flatbread

shredded gouda 

shredded pepper jack

tomato sauce

spinach leaves

onion

pepperoni slices

mushrooms, sliced

roasted red peppers, sliced

olive oil

garlic power

basil

italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute mushrooms, onions, and red peppers, and garlic salt in olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Approximately two minutes before veggies are sautéed, add spinach to the pan and cover. Leave covered until spinach is tender.  Lightly coat the naan with olive oil by using a brush. Top with a small amount of tomato sauce. Add the sauteed veggies on top. Top that with the assorted shredded cheeses. Add whatever meat you wish (pepperoni, chicken, etc). Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle basil and italian seasoning. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with red wine, duh.

**Broil on high for a few minutes if you want a crispier pizza

Blue Hawaiian

Every Sunday night I try to go home to my parents house for a delicious, free, home cooked meal.  My dad loves playing in the liquor cabinet, and this was what he was serving last Sunday. If you enjoy drinking vodka on the rocks, or straight up, this is something you would really like!

1 ounce of chilled vodka

splash of  blue curico

twist of an orange rind

Pour the vodka first and then add the curico. Top with the orange rind. Serve in a small martini glass.

**You can see the oils from the orange peel floating on top of the drink!! My rind broke, so it wasn't as pretty. But normally the twisted orange peel makes a great garnish!

 

Greek Style Quinoa

I love coming up with variations for quinoa. It's the new super grain! I took the basic recipe for a cucumber salad and added quinoa to make it more filling for dinner the other night. I purposely made extra so I would have lunch the next day. I think it tasted better refrigerated.

You will need:

one breast of cooked chicken, cubed

half of a large cucumber, peeled and cubed

a handful of grape tomatoes, halved

half a can of black olives

feta to your liking

one cup of cooked quinoa

olive oil

red wine vinegar

oregano

garlic salt

salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy!! Refrigerate left overs for a no hassle lunch the following day.

**Chopped red onion would be a nice addition, if you are into those things.

Crabs!

I returned to the preschool yesterday after taking a month off to obtain my real estate license. I wanted to come back with a super cute art project. I love handprint art! I came across this idea and thought it was perfect for the second day of July. Happy summer!!

You need:

Glue

Sand

Paint Brush

Paint

Googley Eyes

Sharpie Marker

 Red construction paper

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

I came across this recipe and thought it looked amazing. Guess what? I was right!!! This is total comfort food. You can justify it being healthy by considering the fact that it contains all the food groups! Joe and I ended up eating almost half of the casserole just for dinner. We couldn't stop going back for more. I made a few adjustments from the original recipe that I found, but it still turned out awesome. You can have fun with the chicken to pasta ratio. Next time I think I will add more chicken to mine. My stomach is gurgling while typing this!

Here's what you need:

2 or 3 cooked chicken breasts, cubed

4 or 5 handfuls of whole wheat rigatoni

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed

8 oz chive and onion cream cheese

1 can (14 oz) of Italian style diced tomatoes, do not drain

shredded mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper

 Preheat oven to 375. Cook the pasta according to directions. Combine in a large bowl cubed chicken, throughly drained spinach, cream cheese, can of tomatoes (do not drain), and the pasta (cooked and drained). Add a few dashes of salt and pepper to taste and stir it all up until consistent. Grease a 9 x 12in casserole dish and pour in the mixture from the bowl. Top casserole with shredded mozzarella cheese and cover with tinfoil. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until bubbly. 

**The original recipe called for onions: About one cup of chopped onions, cook in the casserole dish on 375 for about 15 minutes with olive oil, then combine the onions with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl.

**I think one of the secrets to success was the cooked chicken. I baked two chicken breasts, coated in olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Bake on 350 for 15 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the middle. 

Mini [Turkey] Meatloaves

I've never made a meatloaf before, and I wanted to try it out so bad! In order to make it a little more healthy, I used ground turkey. Although through research I've found that using ground turkey is equivalent to using super lean ground beef.  This recipe originated from Real Simple Magazine. It was so good! The secret is the cheddar cheese and horseradish. And also keeps well for left overs. Each loaf (if made with ground sirloin) contains 256 Calories, 11.6g of Fat, 28.5g of Protein, 11.6g Carbs, and 620g Sodium. Not too bad, if I do say so myself.

You will need:

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs 

cooking spray

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup ketchup, divided

3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 pound ground sirloin (I used ground turkey)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. While the breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4x2 inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray [broiler pan may not be necessary if you use turkey since it is so lean]; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each.  Bake for 25 minutes or until done. I served mine with asparagus and mashed potatoes. 

**Toasting breadcrumbs make them sturdy, hearty, and nutty-tasting. 

**Omit horseradish for a sweeter meat loaf

**The diced cheese melts into pockets as the meat cooks. So amazing!!

Ramen Noodle Salad

This is an amazing side salad for the summer time. It also refrigerates nicely so you can have leftovers. It goes great with seafood! Nothing say summer like a good crab pickin'.

You will need:

2 packages of ramen noodles (any flavor)

1 package broccoli coleslaw mix

1/2 bunch of green onions, sliced

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

Break noodles into small pieces. Set aside 1 flavor packet for another use. Mix ingredients listed, noodles through almonds in a large bowl. In a small bowl or jar add 1 flavor packet, oil, vinegar, and sugar.  Shake until all is dissolved. Pour over coleslaw mix. Best is served the following day. 

Salad pictured here with our seafood feast featuring steamed crab, steamed shrimp, steamed clams, fried flounder, soft shelled crabs, chicken tenders, french fries, and hushpuppies. OH MY!!

**This is one of my mom's recipes. Enjoy!

For more recipes, click here!

More Kid Crafts!

Footprint Butterflies

The antenna balls are their fingerprints! 

Artists at work with the extra paint

Handprint fish 

These were later mounted on a giant fish bowl which was also painted by the kiddos.

Chicken Alouette

I literally just finished eating this and I need to post the recipe ASAP. It was AMAZING!!!!!

I had some reduced-fat crescent rolls in the refrigerator that needed to be eaten. And I had a coupon for any Alouette spreadable cheese. Combine the two with a chicken breast and you have Chicken Alouette.

Here's what you need:

(this is for two people)

One package of crescent roll dough

One chicken breast, cut in half

Any flavor of Alouette Spreadable Cheese (I used Spinach Artichoke)

Salt and Pepper

1 Egg White

Splash of Water

Spread the dough out on a flat surface covered in flour. Cut into four squares, and then cut one of the squares in half.  Place a generous spoonful or two of your Alouette cheese on top of two squares of dough. Sprinkle your chicken breast halves with salt and pepper, and place on top of the cheese. Top the chicken with the half squares of dough, and roll the lower dough up, surrounding the chicken breast. With the extra dough, use your creativity and make fun shapes to top your chicken. I did a braid on one and made the other look like a football. Mix together the egg white and water, and brush over the crescent covered chicken. Bake on 400 for 20 minutes. Serve with a veggie, like asparagus.

I started with just half, but it was so yummy I can back to finish the rest! 

** You can roll the dough in order to thin it, therefor being able to make more chicken breasts without having to buy more dough. I wanted mine to be extra crescent roll-y. 

Quinoa and Chicken Mexican Style

After a great work out at Meyer Fitness, I decided to cook something healthy tonight! My mom inspired me, and I purchased some quinoa. Not knowing how to cook this, or what goes well with it, I decided to wing it. For those of you who don't know how to cook quinoa it's very similar to cooking rice. Two parts liquid to one part quinoa.

You will need:

Grilled chicken strips

Quinoa (cooked)

black beans

tomato, diced

splash of lime juice

sprinkle of mexican cheese

diced green chili peppers

avocado

Mix first seven ingredients together, top with avocado, and enjoy!!!!!!

**THE INSPIRATION:  Last night for Mother's day, my mom made the best dinner ever!! I realize that I should have been cooking, but she is the bomb dot com when it comes to the kitchen. She made grilled chicken tenderloins (we love to marinate in caesar dressing), cucumber greek salad, and sautéed quinoa with some yummy veggies. It was AMAZING!  

Here is our yummy Mother's Day Dinner!

I think she incorporated chopped green peppers, chopped carrots, chopped shallots, and baked almond slices in the quinoa.  

The cucumber salad was diced cucumber, chopped black olives, halved cherry tomatoes, diced onion, feta, garlic salt, oregano, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. SOO GOOD! (But I didn't eat the onions)

Ranch Oyster Crackers

I was in the mood for something salty, so I decided on one of my favorite snacks! I haven't eaten these in forever. This will be a great munchy while at Winefest this weekend for my birthday celebration!

You will need:

5 cups oyster crackers

1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)

1/4 tsp lemon pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine ranch seasoning, dill weed, vegetable oil, garlic powder, and lemon pepper in the large bowl. Stir in the oyster crackers. Try to make sure that the crackers are completely covered by the mixture. Spread the crackers on a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes, stir, and continue for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

**Store in an air tight container. 

Healthier Chicken Fried Rice

I had some left over brown rice in the refrigerator and decided to make somewhat healthy fried rice. This recipe was originally found on Skinnytaste.  It's packed with protein from the edamame, eggs, and chicken breast. Joe was bummed to miss out on this one.

You will need:

Left over brown rice, about 3 cups

cooked chicken breast, chopped

1 cup edamame

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 egg

2 egg whites

5 shallots, greens and white separated

1 garlic clove, minced

cooking spray

tamari soy sauce

In a frying pan, add cooking spray and scramble the egg and egg whites. Set eggs aside. In the same frying pan, turn up the heat and sauté the garlic, chicken, carrots, and the white part of the shallots for about one minute. Add the rice, edamame, scrambled eggs and green parts of the shallots. Mix all together and heat until rice is hot. Top with soy sauce to taste. DELISH! And super filling. I'm stuffed!

**This goes great with a glass of white wine!  Next time I might consider adding some sesame seeds to mix it up a little bit. Also, the original recipe called for a chopped onion to be included when sautéing the first set of ingredients, but if you know my blog... I don't do onions. 

Turkey Baked Ziti

My roommate and I both accidentally purchased 4 pounds of ground turkey at Costco. So we have a total of 8 pounds of meat in the freezer! I had to think quickly in order to make some space in our itty bitty freezer, and decided to try out baked ziti. It turned out really good! We made way too much, so I put some in the fridge for leftovers, gave some to Joe, and froze a small tupperware full (which doesn't help with the small freezer dilemma).

You will need:

1lb ground turkey

1 box ziti like pasta

16 oz jar tomato sauce (ours was sausage flavored)

1 cup reduced skim mozzarella

parmesan to sprinkle on top

Cook pasta and drain. In the mean time, brown the turkey. I added a few spices in with the meat: oregano, crushed red pepper, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Drain the fat. Add in tomato sauce in the same pan as the turkey.  The sausage flavor in the sauce really made a yummy difference. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour a layer of pasta, a layer of meat sauce, and top with cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are gone. Be sure to top with lots of mozzarella! Bake in the oven on 350 for about 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted on top. Serve with a yummy salad and of course a glass of vino!

**This could be extra healthy if made with whole wheat pasta.

Chicken Nachos

What kind of cheese is not yours?? NACHO CHEESE!

We had so much fun making our own nachos last night! I set it up as a "nacho buffet" where we could both pick our own toppings. We both built our nacho structures in two 9x9in casserole pans lined with tinfoil. Once the cheese melted, we transferred the nachos via tinfoil onto a plate for easier consumption. Plus, NO clean up, except for the crockpot. Here's how it goes...

Mexican Crockpot Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts

1 package taco seasoning

1 16oz jar of salsa

Combine all ingredients in the Crockpot and cook on Hi for 4-6 hours or Low for 6-8 hours. This was so yummy and the chicken can be used for tacos, nachos, quesadillas, or whatever other Mexican food your tummy desires.

Nachos

Tortilla Chips

Mexican Cheese

Jalapeños, sliced

Black Olives, sliced

Avocado, peeled and chopped

Salsa

Mexican Cheese

Black Beans

Crockpot Mexican Chicken

I don't think I really need to explain how to make nachos. Use whatever toppings you prefer, we just used what I already had in the refrigerator and pantry. EASY! Bake in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. I topped with salsa and avocado after we baked the nachos. 

My nachos are pictured above. Here is Joe's lovely concoction: Broiled, with extra cheese. 

Oreo Truffles

I didn't indulge in any sweets over Easter, so I decided to make my own post-Easter treats. Plus, I'm on Spring Break and wanted something to do. This was messier than I expected. I think little kids would love to help participate in this one!

You will need:

About 10 Oreo cookies

8oz Cream Cheese

White Chocolate Chips

Milk Chocolate Chips

Canola Oil

Assorted Sprinkles

In a food processor or blender, chop up the Oreo cookies. In a separate bowl, soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Mix in the chopped cookies and stir until it's a consistent grey mixture. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for about an hour to solidify the mixture. Once cooled, shape the mixture into teaspoon size balls and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place the balls in the freezer while completing the next step. Melt the chocolate in two separate bowls, one for white and one for the milk chocolate.  I added a few splashes of Canola Oil in with the chocolate to even out the consistency. Take the balls out of the freezer. Put a ball on a fork and with your other hand, spoon the melted chocolate over the balls until they look cute (this took me a while to perfect). Return to the lined cookie sheet and add your favorite sprinkles or topping. Once all your Oreo balls are covered, return to the refrigerator or freezer until the chocolate has hardened. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes about 30 truffles. 

**This is a great dessert for any occasion. By melting different colored chocolates and adding different sprinkles and toppings, the possibilities are endless!! I'm considering making these again for my sister's graduation from East Carolina University. Purple chocolate and yellow sprinkles, or visa versa!!

EASY and YUMMY Breakfast Casserole

Joe left this past weekend for his brother's bachelor party. Fifteen rowdy boys on a farm outside of Richmond... I don't even want to know.  As the best man, Joe was in charge of most of the arrangements, including the food. I volunteered to put my culinary skills to work and make some breakfast casseroles for the boys (sausage and egg is always great for a hangover). So I made two casseroles and a small one for my roomies and I using Turkey Sausage instead of Pork. [Sorry for the horrible picture.]

You will need:

Cooking Spray

1 package of crescent roll dough

6 Eggs

1lb of mild pork sausage

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

A splash of milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Spray your 9 x 13in casserole dish with cooking spray. Lay out the crescent roll dough on the bottom of the pan. Brown the sausage, and drain the fat. Then sprinkle the sausage on top of the crescent dough. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a separate bowl and pour the mixture on top of the sausage. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. 

(This one was made with Turkey Sausage and Reduced-Fat crescent roll dough)

** This even taste great the next day microwaved! According to Joe, this was a big hit on Saturday morning with his friends. 

Stella and Dot Party!!

Last night I hosted a Stella and Dot jewelry party with the amazing Tamy Medalis!! She puts such an unique and personal spin on the party with "props" including vintage suitcases and cameras, beautiful display frames, and vases of flowers. Her set up is incredible, I absolutely love how she incorporates the vintage suitcases in her display. Stella and Dot is a jewelry brand that sells the goodies online and through home shows. Jewelry ranges from about $30 to $200.  Tamy is a "Stylist" for the company, meaning she comes to your home, displays the beautiful jewelry, and takes all the orders. Hostess perks are the best! A percentage of the total sales goes to the hostess in FREE jewelry, and she will also receive a certain amount of items at 50% off. So far I am up to nearly $300 in FREE goods, and that amount is still rising. Here are a few pictures from the party:

Hostess with the Mostess

Here are some hostessy things that I incorporated into the party!

I purchased Sparkling Lemonade from Trader Joe's. The bottles are too cute!! This picture was taken before I added ice and wine. I also served Jello Shooters!! 

Spinach Artichoke Dip Bites

Here's what you need:

8oz cream cheese, softened in the microwave

1 can or jar of artichoke hearts, chopped

1 cup chopped spinach

a dollop of sour cream

a dollop of mayo

garlic salt

chili powder

shredded mozzarella cheese

2 packages of Filo Cups

Mix the first seven ingredients together in a bowl. Add a handful of mozzarella cheese and mix it all together. Scoop a small spoonful of the mixture into each filo cup and top with a small amount of mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. Then broil on low for a few minutes to add the golden brown top. Makes 30 cups. I baked the remaining mixture in a small casserole dish and served with multigrain crackers.  These were a HUGE hit! I should have made more.

Strawberry/Angel Food Cake Skewers

One container of strawberries

one small angel food cake (mine was made with Splenda)

20 wooden skewers

Cool Whip

Wash the strawberries and cut each one in half. Cut the cake into small one inch cubes.  Add the strawberries and cake to the skewers, alternating the pattern so they look pretty. Serve with a small bowl of Cool Whip.

**Optional: Drizzle chocolate sauce over the strawberry skewers before serving.

Thank you Tamy for such an amazing night!!!