Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I mentioned in my Thanksgiving recap that I forgot to photograph my food on Thanksgiving. I seriously am still recovering from the shock of this! I typically have my camera glued to my hand in the kitchen. Oh well, right? Not much I can do now. Luckily I remembered before I sent home the last of the mashed potatoes left overs. However I didn't have time to take a nice picture so this is the best I can do. They were delicious though- and much more delicious than this picture would lead you to believe.

I found this woman on The Pioneer Woman Cooks. People either love her or hate her. She is hysterical and created delicious (and fattening) recipes. I like her and tend to trust her recipes. This one was no different. I LOVED that it could be make ahead and just reheated on Thanksgiving. That certainly freed up my time on the day of. Just be sure to pull them from the fridge several hours before you heat them. I pulled them out about 2 hours before and they were still so cold which dramatically increased my cook time. This is a definite go to recipe for mashed potatoes- give it a shot!

Source: The Pioneer Woman

ngredients
5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
¾ cups Butter
1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
½ cups (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Directions:

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.
Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash!

Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and either place them in the oven or in the refrigerator. When baking them place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Thanksgiving Recap

With Thanksgiving and Black Friday in the past I am finally finding a minute to sit down and update my blog! I have been nonstop for the past few days between cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. Thanksgiving went really smoothly. Everything was delicious and exactly as I had planned. I did get a little frazzled at certain points but ultimately the end product was perfect. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of the meal so I won't be able to update most of my meal to the blog! I am shocked with myself- but I guess I was a little busy to say the least. I figured I'd give you, my loyal readers, a brief insight into my Thanksgiving this year.

We started off with light appetizers. I didn't want to overstuff everyone.


I used the cookie place cards from my previous post to decorate the table.





And my personal favorite touch- making the leftovers into gifts. John and I don't do well with leftovers. I saved a tiny bit for us but I cook for an army so I always have so much left. I buy take out containers from the dollar store. Then we fill the containers, label them, and place them inside a cake box:

Then I wrap the box with ribbon and attach a seasonally appropriate gift. For easter I attached carrots filled with jelly beans. For Thanksgiving I attached Christmas ornaments since the holiday season is upon us.



I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing holiday spent with people they love. I know I did!

Thanksgiving Sugar Cookies

I love holidays. All holidays. Even holidays I don't celebrate. There's something about being festive, being surrounded by family and friends, and thinking about others that makes the holiday season so special. Thanksgiving is the kickoff to the holiday season and I really wanted this year to be special. I spent an awful lot of time planning and figuring out the details of this day. One detail that I am particularly proud of is the name tags. These cookies are the name tags for our dinner celebration and I am so thrilled with how they came out. I bought little bags and will place one name cookie and one leaf cookie in each bag and place them at the place settings for each family member. I.CAN'T.WAIT.

For the turkeys I first piped and flooded them with brown icing. Once it dried I used a squeeze bottle and dotted on the beak and waddle. For the eye I just used the tip of a toothpick. Then I wrote the names on with the same icing I used to pipe the leaves below. They came our exactly how I planned and I just love them.


The leaves were an idea I was throwing around. I just filled squirt bottles with red, yellow, and orange icing. I squirted it all over the cookies in a random pattern and then used a toothpick to swirl the colors. I was so impressed with the end results.

The recipe for the cookies and icing can be found here. Each time I work with royal icing I learn something new and gain more comfort in the process. I really think this is a skill that all bakers should have because the options are limitless!

Cranberry Sauce

There are two types of people in this world. People who like their cranberry sauce from a can and people who like it homemade. Ok... maybe this categorization won't encompass all people- but let's run with it, ok? My mom swears by the can. And you can't mash it up- it needs to stay can-like and then be cut into slices. This seriously holds no appeal to me. It looks like Jell-O. Meh. Last Thanksgiving we went to John's cousin's house and I tried homemade cranberry sauce for the first time... I seriously was in shock. You mean this is what it's supposed to be?! C'MON people- put away the can and make this! It is 3 ingredients and one step. Anyone can do it. I made a huge batch of this for John's Thanksgiving potluck at work and it went smoothly. Yay for that. One less thing to worry about for Thanksgiving.

P.S.- I must mention, there will still be the can of cranberry sauce at my dinner. As much as I don't want to it's tradition and my mom would be sad without it. And nobody wants a sad mom on Thanksgiving!

Source: Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
Optional Ingredients: Pecans, orange peel, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.

Directions:

1 Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer until cranberries burst (10-20 minutes).

2 At this point you can add any of the optional ingredients.

3 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Cranberry sauce base makes 2 1/4 cups.

Pecan Pie Cookies

I mentioned in my last post that I am hosting Thanksgiving and trying out many recipes to ensure that the holiday goes smoothly. This dessert recipe was one that I tried out and am so glad that I did. The taste was spot on. Perfect. However, I think I had too much cream to pecan ratio because my cookies were so wet and mushy in the middle. I am glad I tried these out before hand because now I plan to just slightly reduce the cream and slightly increase the pecans. The ingredients listed below reflect the original recipe. I will just slightly modify the quantities and I think it will be perfect. I brought these into work and everyone loved them. If you are looking for a last minute dessert idea for Thanksgiving try these cookies. I can't wait to make them again Wednesday night!

P.S.- Don't mind that mine are rectangular, I put them too close to each other. These babies SPREAD so give them ample room to do so!

Source: Elizabeth's Edible Experience

Ingredients

Cookie Ingredients:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all cookie ingredients except flour and baking powder in large bowl.
Beat at medium speed until creamy.
Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.
Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Make indentation in each cookie with thumb; rotate thumb to hollow out slightly.
Combine all filling ingredients in a small bowl.
Fill each cookie with 1 rounded teaspoon filling.
Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Stuffing

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I am hosting for the first time and I seriously can't wait. I love hosting events. I love planning the menu, researching the recipes, planning the decor, etc. It just excites me- probably a little too much. Part of the appeal for me is that Thanksgiving is a big deal. If you mess up dinner on a Saturday night it's relatively harmless. If you mess up dinner on Thanksgiving... I won't go there- I plan to not mess up. Part of not messing up is testing out new recipes. I knew I needed to find an awesome stuffing recipe. Stuffing is my favorite side dish on Thanksgiving. I have never made it before (with the exception of Stove Top!) so I needed a recipe that would appeal to everyone.

I turned to the cooking board I frequent and asked for help finding a classic but delicious stuffing. This recipe came from Elly, her blog is linked below, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I made this and was seriously unable to control myself- I ate way more than I needed to eat. But 'tis the season, no? If you are still undecided on your Thanksgiving stuffing recipe give this a shot. I can promise you that you won't be disappointed! I personally can't wait for Thanksgiving just so I can eat this stuff again!




Source: Adapted from Cook's Illustrated by Elly from Elly Says Opa!

Yields 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 rib celery sliced

Heaping 1/8 tsp. sage

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/8 tsp. marjoram

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley

1/4 tsp salt

pepper to taste

3 cups dried bread in cubes
2/3 cup 
chicken stock
3 Tbsp. 
extra butter

Directions:
Saute onion & celery in 2 tablespoons of butter until tender.

Add to a bowl with the herbs, s&p and bread and toss.

Pour in the stock and then put into a baking dish.

Dot with extra 3 tablespoons butter.

Bake at 400 for about 25 min.

Crockpot Honey Glazed Chicken

Sometimes cooking dinner is the last thing I want to do. My house has an open floor plan so when I am sitting on the couch I am staring at my kitchen and my oven. As I sit there, trying to pretend the hours aren't ticking away and I need to make something, the oven stares back. Ugh. And let's be honest, the oven will win the staring contest. It was one of those days where I just wanted a home cooked meal but I didn't want to cook it. Considering John only knows how to make eggs I knew I had to formulate a plan. Crockpot it is!

This chicken dish was tasty. It used common ingredients that I had on hand and was really good. The chicken was tender and juicy with a subtle sauce. It wasn't overly sweet which I feared with 1/2 cup of honey. At first the 1/4 cup of butter was discouraging but honestly so much of the sauce is leftover after the chicken cooks that I don't feel guilty because there is really minimal butter per serving. If you need a simple dinner idea that is easy and flavorful, give this a shot.

Source: Adapted from Crockpot Tuesdays

ngredients:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup bbq sauce
3 chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pepper & Salt

Directions:

Place the chicken in the crockpot. Stir the remaining ingredients together in a bowl, then pour over the chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-6 hours.

For freezing: Place all ingredients int a 1-gallon freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer. To thaw: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, making sure the frezer bag is completely sealed. Dump contents in the crockpot and follow the directions above.

Double Chocolate Cookies

Let me paint a picture for you... It's Sunday at 10 a.m. Shoprite is packed with everyone and anyone, rushing and pushing their carts through the aisles. I am in the dairy aisle, grabbing the last of my items when I realize I forgot bread. BREAD. The one item on the exact opposite side of the store. Ugh. So I start the polite "Excuse me!", "Pardon me!", "Oops, sorry I bumped you with my cart (even though you are standing and taking up the whole aisle and I am not sorry, I'm just saying it!)" routine as I attempt to make my way to the bread. I quickly grab a loaf, I see the check out area, and right there at aisle 7 there is no line! NO LINE! So I start rushing, basically sweating, to beat all the other crazies. And then it happens. I stop. Dead in my tracks. And I stare. Cookies. Double chocolate cookies. Just like the kind my mom used to buy. Oh god... I'm drooling. They are in the bakery section, neatly wrapped up, a hand length away. But aisle 7 is empty!! Cookies? Or quick check out? Cookie? Or quick check out? Well... you can guess which one I went with.... quick check out! Fooled you, right? You thought cookies for sure. Well you're wrong. HA! I mean, sorry, that's not correct! :)

After this event (true story by the way... slightly shameful to admit, but true none the less) I have been dying for some double chocolate cookies. I decided to make a recipe and use up some of the Halloween candy we have left. We have so much left... it's sick... but that's a story for another day. This Martha Stewart recipe was delightful. The cookies are delicious, easy to make, and quite pretty too. They are thin and chewy which is an interesting combination. Overall, huge success, and worth the quick check out and lack of cookies on that Sunday morning!

On a side note- this is my 300th post! 300 recipes in a year and 1 month. Not too shabby. Thank you for reading, I appreciate you reading my blog more than you could ever imagine!

Source: Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 bags of M&M candies

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt 4 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; let cool slightly.

Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in M&Ms.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 15 minutes (cookies should be soft).

Let cool on parchment on wire racks.

Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

Pepper and Parsley Dry Steak Rub

Beef. It's what's for dinner. Well... not in our house. At least not very often. I probably make beef once every couple months. I could honestly never eat beef again and be fine. Unfortunately John disagrees and would probably eat steak once every other week or so. Meh.

I went to Wegmans a couple days ago and saw these beautiful NY strip steaks. They looked really clean and fresh. I also liked the packaging. Isn't that sick? I bought steak because I liked the packaging. I am every marketing executives dream come true. Wrap it up nicely and I will buy it. Sigh. That's probably why I need to stay out of stores like Sephora and Anthropologie- everything is packaged nicely! Ugh... cooking and shopping- my two biggest weaknesses.

This steak rub was awesome. I googled "how do I cook NY strip steak" because I honestly wasn't sure the best method. Since I don't cook steak often I always turn to my good friend google when I am going to cook it. The link listed below was really helpful. I adapted the rub from one of the rubs listed on their website and it was really tasty. I am interested in trying several of their rubs and marinades in the future since this was such a success.

Source: Adapted from Squidoo.com

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon cajun seasoning

Directions:
1- Place the steaks on a clean cutting board. Allow them to rest at room temperature while you prep.
2- Spray a cast iron grill pan with cooking spray. Turn the heat up to medium high heat and preheat the grill for 10-15 minutes.
3- While the grill heats coat the steaks with a thin layer of olive oil, rubbing it into the meat.
4- In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients above and stir to combine.
5- Rub the steaks and cover with the dry rub. You want it to form an even layer that coats the steak so it crisps up when you cook.
6- Grill 5 minutes on one side. Flip, and repeat.
7- Move the steaks to an area that receives less direct heat in the grill pan and allow to cook until the desired level is achieved.

Tomato Zucchini

I am not a foodie, Maybe some would say I am since my biggest hobby is cooking and blogging my experiences with food, but I just don't consider myself a foodie. However, as I have developed my love for cooking I have increased my techniques in the kitchen, increased my experience, and enhanced my palate. Some foods that used to hold vast appeal to me (Lipton's Noodle Sides, packaged flavored rice, etc.) really don't anymore. I taste the sodium. I taste something unnatural. And then I fantasize about how I could make this exact side with real ingredients. Ok- maybe I am slowly becoming a foodie...

One major change I have noticed with my palate is my dislike for most chain restaurants. Now, not all chain restaurants are created equal. Some still really appeal to me (California Pizza Kitchen, Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs) but others just don't (Applebees, TGIFriday's). One new chain I recently discovered was Bonefish Grill. My friend Alison loves that place and has been talking about it for years. I finally got around to trying it this summer and I was converted. I have gone 3 times since my first visit in July and I just love it.

I love the Bang Bang shrimp, the dipping oil and bread, the seasoned jasmine rice, and above all else the tomato zucchini. The tomato zucchini was the seasonal summer vegetable they served this summer with all entrees. It comes on the plate, you don't ask for it. It's just there. So you figure, "Why not? I'll try it." And oh boy- I gobbled it up. It's simple and fresh tasting. Best of all it's easy, uses minimal ingredients, and yet spices up your vegetable side dish without adding fat. Unfortunately Bonefish converted to their seasonal winter vegetable (corn with lima beans and peppers- not that I was there recently...) and I immediately knew I'd be making this at home. I made it using how I remember it tasting and I really can't wait to make it again.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original (Inspired by Bonefish Grill)

Ingredients:
1 zucchini
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons of chunky tomato sauce
Garlic powder
Salt

Directions:
1- Slice both ends off the zucchini. Standing the zucchini up on the cutting board, cut down to create three planks.
2- Lay the zucchini on it's side, slicing the zucchini into three equal parts.
3- Working with one section at a time, stand it up on the cutting board and slice the zucchini into three segments, creating 9 zucchini sticks. Repeat this with the other two sections.
4- Heat a nonstick skillet with the olive oil. Toss the zucchini with the oil. Season lightly with salt and garlic powder. Saute under zucchini begins to tenderize.
5- Add the tomato sauce. Stir and continue to hear over low heat until the zucchini is cooked through. Serve warm.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

I currently have 6 open bags of chocolate chips. SIX. And they're all different- white, milk, semisweet, mini, etc. I decided it was time to use some of them up because honestly this is insanity! I remembered this pumpkin bread recipe and decided to whip it up since I had all of the ingredients on hand. I halved the recipe to yield just one loaf because I don't have two loaf pans. This came out really well. It's moist and light with a nice blend of contrast between the cinnamon and chocolate. Quite tasty if I do say so myself.

I checked my bread after about 55 minutes and the skewer (I used wooden skewers since it's longer than a toothpick) came out perfectly clean. I checked it in 4 areas because I didn't get how it could be done 20 minutes early. They all came out clean so I took it out for fear of over baking it. Ehhh- the bottom is SLIGHTLY undercooked so even though my toothpicks came out clean I wish I had let it keep going. It won't kill us (or I certainly hope not!) but I wish I had trusted the cook time.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 large egg whites
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Cooking spray

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Kung Pao Chicken

My love for cooking Asian food at home grows and grows with each recipe. For starters, most of my homemade Asian meals have been low-fat. However their takeout counterparts are often VERY high in fat. When you make it at home you control the oil and other fattening ingredients. You can feel good about saving some money and calories by making some takeout classics in the comfort of your own kitchen. Best of all you can wear mismatched pajamas while you cook it and nobody judges you. Not that I do that or anything... ::wink wink::

This recipe has been on my "to try" list for so long. I had all of the ingredients on hand this week so I decided to finally put it on the menu. I am so glad I did because this was delicious. Truly, truly, delicious. I modified the original recipe a bit to add some veggies, but other than that I kept it exactly the same. John gets kung pao chicken everywhere so I knew this meal would be a hit and it certainly was!

If you are interested in some of my other Asian takeout fake-outs, give these a shot:
Baked egg rolls
Spicy shrimp fried rice
Japanese cucumber salad
Orange chicken
Chinese brown sauce
Sweet and sour chicken

Source: Adapted from Pennies on a Platter

Ingredients:

1lb boneless-skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” pieces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame oil (I used canola and it was fine)
3 tablespoons green onions (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped peppers (red, green, or both)
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

Combine chicken and cornstarch in a small bowl and toss to coat. Heat sesame oil in wok (or large deep-dish skillet) over medium heat, add chicken and stir fry 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from wok.

Add peppers and mushrooms. Heat for about 3-4 minutes.

Add green onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and ginger to the wok and stir fry for 15 seconds.

Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and add the sauce to the wok.

Return chicken to the wok and coat with sauce. Stir in roasted peanuts. Heat thoroughly. Top with additional green onions if desired and serve over white rice.

Crockpot Baked Ziti

I recently had surgery and knew I'd be off my feet for a few days. Anticipating this I searched for some super easy crockpot meals that I could throw together and allow to cook away. The crockpot is an appliance I wish I used more frequently. For some reason my crockpot has super powers or something and always cooks much faster than it says it should! Because of this I don't feel comfortable leaving it to cook all day while I am at work, which ultimately defeats the purpose. Blech. Anyway, I've digressed...

I was hesitant about cooking pasta in the crockpot. I wasn't sure if it would really cook the pasta through but it did! And it was absolutely delicious. The cheese and sauce really mingled together with the pasta and made it taste perfect. John said he preferred this method to my go to baked ziti recipe. I have to say it was pretty nice to just throw it all in and walk away. Plus it dirtied less dishes which is a bonus. Definitely give this a shot- you won't be disappointed.

I just wanted to add that you need to use a lot sauce. The sauce is what cooks the pasta. I found that 28 ounces was perfect for the proportions I listed below. If you add more pasta or cheese definitely adjust it and add more sauce.

Source: Adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

Ingredients:
1/2 box of tube shaped pasta (I used campanelle)
28 ounces of tomato sauce
3/4 cup of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese
Cooking spray

Directions:
1- Spray the stoneware of your crockpot with cooking spray.
2- Pour in some sauce so that it covers the bottom of the stoneware.
3- Place the uncooked pasta in a colander and run water over the pasta. This will add some moisture to help cook the noodles.
4- Add half the pasta, cheese, and remaining sauce (in that order). Add the remaining pasta, cheese, and sauce.
5- Cook on low for 3-4 hours (mine was perfect in 3 but I do have a speedy crockpot). Stir halfway through to ensure all of the pasta is cooking evenly.

Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken

Ohhh baby- let me tell you, this is a chicken dish made for John. John has a little bit of a reputation for his love for bacon. I didn't know him while he was in college but apparently he used to eat bacon by the pound (ew...) and was known for his undying love for this salty meat. I like bacon... it's definitely good. But I certainly can't eat a pound of it! I had bought a package of center cut bacon a few weeks ago and I wanted to finally use it so I whipped this up with what I had on hand. It was excellent. It's also surprisingly low-fat considering it's wrapped in bacon. Center cut bacon has 40% less fat than regular bacon. Plus two slices will wrap the whole breast so a little bit goes a long way.

We both loved this chicken. I would consider grilling it next time to give it another element of flavor. My only issue was that the bacon didn't crisp up enough for my liking. It didn't look cooked enough to me when the chicken was fully cooked. To solve this I just unwrapped it, microwaved the bacon, and rewrapped. I put some thought into it and I think it I had cooked the bacon in a skillet for a couple minutes prior to wrapping it I'd have had more success. My directions result this change. Give it a shot- it was some mighty tasty chicken!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
4 slices of center cut bacon
1/2 cup of barbecue sauce
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Black pepper

Directions:
1- Lay the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes, just until it begins to cook and gain some color. Be sure it doesn't begin to curl up, you want it to stay flat. Remove the bacon and set aside.
2- Season each breast with garlic and onion powder. Add some black pepper to each breast.
3- Starting at one end of the breast, wrap the bacon around tightly. Use the other piece of bacon to continue wrapping the breast. Repeat for the second breast.
4- Turn the oven on to broil. Set the chicken under the broiler for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and allow it to broil another 2 minutes.
5- Remove it from the oven and turn the heat down to 400. Slather both sides in BBQ sauce. Return to the oven- cook until chicken is cooked through.

Root Beer Cake

Root beer is good. And cake is really good. So root beer cake should be really REALLY good, right? Well, that was the way my logic went! My parents came over to celebrate my dad's birthday and I wanted to make a cake. I searched high and low for a recipe but nothing was really screaming "DAD" to me. I then stumbled upon this cake recipe and knew that it was the perfect cake for my dad. He loves root beer so I figured he would truly enjoy this cake.

This cake was very easy to make and came together quickly. However, while it is very tasty, I barely tasted the root beer! I am not sure why but it just didn't stand out as a strong flavor. The chocolate seemed to really overpower the root beer. It still is extremely tasty but I am not sure what you could do to bring out more of the root beer taste.

Following the directions from the original blog, be sure to allow the chocolate mixture to cool before adding in the egg or you will have scrambled egg root beer cake and that's just nasty!

Source: Playing House, originally from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.

For the Root Beer Bundt Cake:
2 cups root beer (do not use diet)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

For the Root Beer Fudge Frosting:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt (Amy's note: I didn't care for this, would omit it next time)
1/4 cup root beer
2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the cocoa mixture into the flour mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Do not overbeat, as it could cause the cake to be tough.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minute, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a small sharp knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack.

5. Put all the frosting ingredients into a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth. Use a spatula to spread the frosting over the crown of the bundt in a thick layer. Let the frosting set before serving.

Blue Cheese Orzo

My favorite side dish is parmesan orzo. I have made it so many times that I don't need to think when I make it. The ingredients just seem to mingle together naturally and without any effort on my part. I have been meaning to try a new orzo recipe so I was excited to try this one. I made it with the buffalo shrimp I posted awhile back and it was the perfect pairing. This orzo was delicious. I loved the creaminess of the cheeses combined with the pasta and spinach. I will tell you that a little bit goes a long way since this stuff is so rich. I probably ate 1/4 cup of this stuff and was fully satisfied. Yum- I can't wait to make this again.

Source: Inspired by All recipes

Ingredients:
2/3 cup of orzo
1 can of fat free chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
2 heaping tablespoons mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons blue cheese
1/3 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and wrung out
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Heat the butter in a small skillet. Add the orzo, stir until some pieces are browned.
2- Pour in the chicken broth, cook until most of the liquid absorbs and the pasta is cooked.
3- Add the spinach and cheeses. Stir until well combined. Taste- add seasonings as desired.

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Bread. Oh bread... how I love thee. Bread is my absolute biggest weakness. Especially when it's warm and served with soft herb butter or delicious dipping oils. Even though I really love bread I rarely serve it with dinner. It's just another step and one that I don't really need since I always serve a starch. However I decided that if I bake up a big batch of homemade rolls and freeze them I can have fresh, delicious bread with minimal effort! If you want to freeze them just go through the whole process, including baking them, and then just throw them all in a gallon sized freezer bag. Stick them in the freezer and voila- fresh rolls! Perfect in my book.

This recipe has been reviewed over 1,000 times on All Recipe and has a 5 star rating. Needless to say I had high expectations! These rolls were super easy to make and baked up beautifully, much more beautifully than my picture leads you to believe. They were also delicious! I cannot wait to reheat them with dinner soon- they are just so yummy.

Source: Adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package rapid rise active dry yeast

2 tablespoons of butter, melted

Directions:

1- Dissolve yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar in the warm water for about 10 minutes.
2- Warm the milk in a saucepan until it just bubbles, add the 1/3 cup of butter and sugar to the milk. Stir. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool to lukewarm.
3- In a large bowl combine the egg, milk mixture, and yeast mixture. Stir well. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well.
4- Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 8 minutes.
5- Cover, allow to rest for 1 hour. Punch down and roll into two equal rounds.
6- Using a pizza cutter, cut each round into 8 pieces. Roll the wedges, starting with the wide end. Tuck the pulled dough under each roll, placing the pulled dough side down.
7- Brush the 2 tablespoons of melted butter over the rolls.
8- Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, until golden. Freeze any leftovers for later use.

Sprinkle Cookies

In a previous post I mentioned about my love for the cookies at my local bakery. After those cookies my next favorite are the sprinkle cookies. I just love the way they look! I am very girly in the sense that if it's pretty, colorful, and sparkly I am attracted to it! Not to mention that the finished product is mighty tasty as well. I wanted to bake cookies for my students and decided to make them sprinkle cookies. I came across this recipe and they were perfect for the kids.

Let me just add, if you ever want to feel great about yourself cook for six year olds. But make sure you cook something sweet or you might not get the same reaction. They moan, they groan, they beg for more. They claim you're the best cook in the world. And while I know they are only 6 and haven't experiences many culinary delights I am happy to be categorized as "the best."

Overall I really enjoyed these. SUPER easy to make, bake up quickly, and result in pretty cookies. They are tasty and definitely worth a try!

Source: Parenting.com

2 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1⁄2 cup multicolor sprinkles
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

4. Place the sprinkles in a small bowl. Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms to form a ball. Roll the top half of each ball in the sprinkles. Place the balls, sprinkle side up, on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 3 inches between each cookie. (Cookies may be placed next to each other on parchment-lined baking sheets, frozen, transferred to zipper-lock plastic freezer bags, and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Frozen cookies may be placed in the oven directly from the freezer and baked as directed.) Bake the cookies until they are pale golden around the edges but still soft on top, about 10 minutes (a minute or two longer for frozen dough). Let them stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then remove them with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sprinkle Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Skillet Lime Chicken Tacos

My husband has a demanding job that required him to work crazy late most nights. I eat dinner alone most weeknights so it is important to find meals that either I can eat alone or reheat well for him later on. Unfortunately I am often lacking motivation to make these meals when I can pick up a slice of pizza or grab a sandwich. I don't envy people who live alone- I think I would eat take out nightly if I lived alone! With that said I have been eating take out way too much lately so I decided it's time to get back in the kitchen and get serious. Not only does it save money but it also is a much healthier option.

I have made lime chicken tacos before and really enjoyed them. When I came across this recipe I was fixated on the picture of the soft taco in the blog post linked below. It reminded me of a delicious wrap! I made these for just myself and I LOVED them. I just used one thin chicken breast and small amounts of the remaining ingredients. These blew the other lime chicken tacos out of the water. I love the taste the vinegar adds. Yum Yum. Best of all they were easy, healthy, low-fat, and full of flavor. I know John would love these so I'll have to make them for him one night soon.

Source: Delicious Meliscious, originally from All Recipes

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup salsa


DIRECTIONS
Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.

Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan, warm, and turn over to heat the other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese and salsa