Stephanie Cooks

Honey Thai Chicken Stir Fry

2012-01-27T09:46:00.030-05:00

I don't think I have made stir fry the same way twice... ever. I have so many random Asian condiments in my house that when I make a stir fry I always just toss a bit of this and bit of that until I end up with the flavors I'm looking for. I was in the mood for a sweeter sauce when I made this and knew honey would be a star ingredient. I still have a lot of sweet chili sauce left from when I made Thai chicken bites so I threw some of that in there too for a bit of depth of flavors. The end results? Tasty! The sauce was sweet but not sugary-sweet. It was subtle but complimented the meal nicely. Definitely give it a shot if you're looking for a new stir fry idea!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound chicken tenders or breasts, chopped into pieces
2 cups veggies (I used broccoli/carrots/cauliflower, but use what you like)
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
2 green onions, chopped

Directions:
1- Heat a large skillet or wok with the oil. Add the garlic.
2- Toss the veggies in the pan, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine your broth, honey, soy sauce, chili sauce. Stir well. Set aside.
3- Remove the veggies, add the chicken. Cook until almost cooked through. Return the veggies to the pan. Pour the sauce in. Allow to simmer together for about 5 minutes. If the sauce is still thin combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, mixing well. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan- the sauce will begin to thicken immediately. Stir well.
4- Top with the green onions. Serve hot.

Baked Ravioli Caprese

2012-01-25T09:28:00.035-05:00

Another seasonally inappropriate meal- sweet! Although... while you may typically think of caprese (tomato/basil/mozzarella) as a summer combo I would argue it works year round. Sure, the tomatoes aren't at their peak in January, but really, they're not that bad either. Plus sometimes you just want something with those delicious Italian flavors.

I love ravioli but I tend to either just toss it with sauce or make last minute lasagna. I wanted something different so after a quick internet search I came upon this. The original recipe doesn't call for sauce on the bottom and it's intended to be an appetizer. Rules, shmules. I get all kinds of crazy in the kitchen, adding sauce when it's not called for, serving it as dinner when it's an appetizer... watch out now, wild woman on the loose ::wink wink::. All kidding aside, this dinner was unreal. The flavors were so fresh and it just perfectly complemented the cheese ravioli. Best of all it was super easy- most of the time is spent cutting a tomato and some cheese, which really takes no time at all. I'd say it took me 10 minutes to prep this, then the oven does the rest. This is one meal I will make time and time again... and I think you should too!

Source: Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:
1 pack of jumbo cheese ravioli
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 large tomato (or 2 small), sliced thin, each slice then cut in half
Basil
Fresh mozzarella

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 425.
2- Cook the ravioli according to packaging directions, drain, and set aside.
3- Pour the sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
4- Assemble the ravioli over the sauce in a single layer.
5- Top each ravioli with half a tomato slice, 1 basil leaf, and a slice of fresh mozzarella.
6- Bake 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Cinnamon-Chocolate Nachos

2012-01-23T09:25:00.035-05:00

I'm home on maternity leave until September which has been the biggest blessing. I love that my main responsibility is to take care of my son. I love waking up and knowing that as long as I feed, change, and love my baby I accomplished my tasks. Yet, while I feed, change, and love my little man there are countless hours of time spent alone, without another adult to talk to. For someone as social as I am that can get a bit... boring. Enter the TV. Now, many of you are well acquainted with TV. You might even have one or two (or six...) in your house. I was never much of a TV watcher. It just doesn't hold my interest. Lately though, it's my BFF. I still don't sit down and watch a TV show too often but I do like it on for background noise. I like to hear other adult voices in the house, it makes the day go by faster. The other day while I was watching my umpteenth hour of television I saw Melissa d'Arabian making cinnamon nachos and I almost died. Literally. Ok, maybe not literally.

I made these the other night to celebrate a job well done for John and I. What did we do well, you ask? Well... we got to Sunday night, the house was ~~clean~~ decent, the dishes were done, the baby was bathed and sleeping, and it wasn't midnight. SCORE. They came out so delicious I seriously wanted the plate to never end. John and I sat in silence, shoving these in our faces, smiling, and fighting over the last chip. (I gave it to John... I'm so sweet). I modified this a lot from the original because I liked the idea of keeping the chocolate as a dip instead of pouring it on top. I also didn't feel this needed whipped cream- it was definitely sweet enough. The best part of this is that you can make it really quickly using common ingredients. I can't wait to make this again- it's perfect for nights when you want dessert but don't have anything in the house!

Source: Heavily adapted from Melissa d'Arabian

Ingredients:
4 small flour tortillas
2 tbsp butter
Cinnamon sugar (or mixture of equal parts cinnamon and sugar)
3 tbsp chocolate chips
1 tbsp heavy cream

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 450.
2- Melt the butter. Brush the butter over both sides of the tortillas.
3- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar to taste on both sides of the tortilla.
4- Cut into fourths. Place on a silicone bake mat or a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray (or parchment paper). Bake 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
5- Remove chips from the oven. Melt the chocolate and cream together in the microwave.
6- Serve immediately.

Apple-Maple Glazed Chicken

2012-01-20T09:25:00.000-05:00

What is up with me and cooking with apple juice/cider lately?! You'd think it was fall or something- I'm clearly all seasonally confused. First I made apple cider waffles, then I made a pasta dish with apple juice. Well, now I bring you chicken with apple juice. Clearly I'm on a kick. We'll see what comes next.

Chicken is our main source of protein in this house (as I'm sure you can tell). However 95% of the time when I make chicken it's boneless/skinless chicken. I've been trying to expand a bit and bought a pack of breasts on the bone. Chicken on the bone is much more moist and really it's not harder to make, I'm not sure why I don't more frequently! As expected this chicken was delicious. The marinade was unreal- it was kind of sticky, sweet but well seasoned, and just full of flavor. John and I both agreed that this would be even better with chicken tenders so it completely coats each bite. Yum. Try this- I'm sure you have all of the ingredients on hand!

Source: Adapted from What's Cooking Chicago?

Ingredients:
2 bone in chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup apple juice/apple cider
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried rosemary

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350.
2- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3- Pour the apple juice, maple syrup, garlic, thyme, and rosemary into a small saucepan. Heat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture reduces a bit.
4- Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts and bake 45 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through), basting the chicken with the mixture frequently.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Stuffed French Toast

2012-01-18T10:22:00.000-05:00

John and I are big fans of breakfast for dinner. I don't do it often but every time I do I wonder why I don't do it more often. When I saw this recipe I immediately added it to our weekly menu. John is a huge fan of PB&J as well as french toast so I was sure it'd be a winner. When we were eating John took his first bite and goes, "This is different... Strange... Very good!!!" He clearly went through the gamete of emotions before deciding he liked it. By the end of the meal he was praising it and saying he was anxious to have it again. I must mention this is very filling. I only ate half of my plate, which worked out to be half a sandwich. I imagine this would be a huge hit with kids, how could it not be? Give this a shot- it's great for any meal of the day!

Source: Heavily adapted from Heat Oven to 350

Yields 2-3 servings

Ingredients:
6 slices cinnamon swirl bread
Peanut butter
Jelly
1 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk or cream
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1- Using the bread, peanut butter, and jelly, make 3 pb&j sandwiches. Slice the sandwiches in half, set aside.
2- Meanwhile beat the eggs, milk/cream, and cinnamon together in a shallow dish.
3- Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet. Once it melts dip the sandwiches in the egg mix, flipping to coat both sides, and cook until the bread is nicely golden. Serve with syrup.

Penne Vodka

2012-01-16T10:22:00.000-05:00

I go through phases when it comes to Italian food. As a child I always ordered stuffed pastas (stuffed shells, manicotti, etc.). I then got older and started to order baked ziti everywhere we went (which is quite different from stuffed shells, no?) After that phase came penne vodka. I'm happy to report that my eating has drastically improved with age and I rarely order any of these dishes out because, quite frankly, I can make them just as well at home! I like to order something more interesting when I go out, something I might not make, or something that takes more talent on the chef's part. With that said, time to time I still do order penne vodka because it's just so stinking good. I find there to be two types of penne vodka: a deeper colored vodka sauce that tends to be rich in flavors, and a lighter pink vodka sauce then tends to be creamier and silkier. This is definitely an example of the latter.

This recipe comes with extremely high praise from many people I know. After hearing about it over and over I decided I needed to finally try it. For awhile I was scared to try this recipe because of the amount of fat/calories in it... but really, it's vodka sauce. If you're looking for a diet food move on. This was super easy to make and came out quite delicious. I tend to prefer my vodka sauces to be a bit smokier/richer in flavor, while this one is definitely more of a creamy tomato taste. With that said, it was still excellent and I'm glad I have several bags of it in the freezer for later meals! If you love a creamy vodka sauce this is for you.

Source: My friend Amy

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vodka

1 tbsp. red pepper flakes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 slices prosciutto, finely chopped

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, San Marzano preferred

1 cup Romano cheese

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 stick butter

Directions:

1- Soak the red pepper flakes in the vodka for 10 minutes. Strain the pepper flakes out.

2- Heat the oil in a large sauce pot. Add the onion and prosciutto, cooking for about 8 minutes.

3- Add the tomatoes and vodka, cooking on low for 30 minutes.

4- Add the cheese, heavy cream, and butter. Cook 20 minutes.

5- Toss with pasta and serve.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2012-01-13T09:00:00.027-05:00

I don't know what it is about BBQ chicken pizza but I'm obsessed with it. Ironically I'm not all that into BBQ sauce... I mean, I like it, but I'm not one of those people dipping everything I eat into it. A few days ago the craving for BBQ chicken pizza hit and I was so excited. Ironically that day my oven decided it was done and broke! Ugh- of all days to quit on me, that was a sad choice. Once the oven was back in action I knew my first meal was going to be this pizza.

I've made a version of BBQ chicken pizza before but I wanted something with a bit more depth of flavor. This pizza was excellent and resulted in a pizza that was more flavorful. John, who is not quite as sold on BBQ chicken pizza, loved it and was raving about it. Definitely give it a shot- you'll be pleased!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
Pizza dough
1 tsp olive oil
5 ounces chicken, diced
BBQ sauce
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. diced red onion
2 green onions, chopped

Directions:
1- Prepare your pizza crust and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 450.
2- In a skillet heat the oil. Add the chicken and cook until cooked through. Toss with 2 tbsp BBQ sauce, set aside.
3- Cover the pizza crust with a layer of BBQ sauce.
4- Top the pizza with chicken, all three cheeses, and both onions. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is cooked and the cheese melted.

Baked Spinach Dip

2012-01-11T10:00:00.024-05:00

Disclaimer: Sorry for the lack of an appealing picture- my son started crying as soon as this came out of the oven and I had to make a snap decision between baby or blog... silly me for choosing baby ::wink wink::

My family has a long running joke that if you like a recipe I make it's too darn bad because I'll never make it for you again. Yeah... somewhat guilty as charged. There are some recipes I repeat often, but most of the recipes I make are only made once. It's not because they're not good, it's because I just love to try new things! However, there is one recipe that I've made so many times I couldn't even count. No exaggeration, I've made it at least 50 times in the past three years if not more. And that recipe is my spinach dip. It's nothing fancy, just the standard Knorr's recipe, but it's my favorite. I never try new versions because there's just no need. However, the other day I found myself with a bunch of random ingredients, most of which were common in a warm creamy spinach dip, so I did some research and found a recipe that worked perfectly. It was warm and cheesy and perfect for an afternoon spent with my sister-in-law and niece!

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
10 frozen artichoke hearts, diced
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:
1- In a large mixing bowl combine all of the above ingredients, stirring well to combine. Transfer to an oven safe dish.
2- Bake on 350 for about 25-35 minutes, until hot throughout.
3- Serve with tortilla chips.

Rigatoni with Chicken, Bacon, and Mushrooms

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Growing up my favorite drink was apple juice. My mom always tells the story of me standing in my crib and screaming "APPPPLLLEEEE 'DUCE'" on the top of my lungs. She would bring me a bottle of water, you know so my teeth didn't rot from drinking apple juice all night, and without fail I'd take a sip, realize it was water, and throw it at the door screaming for my apple "duce". To this day I still have a thing for apple juice. Now I have learned to control myself and I don't scream for it at night, assaulting John when he tries to slip me water, but I still drink a couple glasses a week. Preferably with pretzels. Something about that combo... but anyway, I digress.

When I saw this recipe had pasta AND apple juice, I was sold. Most might cringe at the combo but I was intrigued and knew I needed to try it. Needless to say this was a total winner in our house. I don't know if I really tasted the apple juice, but it did add a nice hint of sweetness to the dish. I will definitely be making this again!

Source: Slightly adapted from Cassie Craves

Ingredients:
1 pound rigatoni
4 slices bacon
Garlic powder
Dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 pound boneless chicken, diced into pieces
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
8 oz sliced white mushrooms
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup apple juice
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
15 fresh basil leaves, sliced
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1- Cook rigatoni according to packaging directions. Keep warm and set aside.
2- Meanwhile, season the chicken with garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3- Cook the bacon in a large skillet. Once cooked, remove the bacon, reserving the grease in the skillet.
4- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until cooked through. Remove chicken, leaving any bacon grease remaining in the pan.
5- Add the olive oil and heat. Add the onion and mushrooms, cooking until cooked through. Add the chicken stock and apple juice, turning up the heat, until the mixture boils. Let cook 2 minutes.
6- Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and half of the basil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the mixture to thicken, about 15 minutes.
7- Stir in the cream, bacon, and remaining basil. Add the chicken to the skillet, stirring.
8- Pour the sauce over the pasta, serve hot.

Chicken Club Quesadillas

2012-01-06T21:37:00.000-05:00

It's Friday night and I'm sitting at my computer, staring at a blank "New Post" screen for my blog. I'm looking at the recipes I have left to blog and I just can't get my mind into a story to share about the food. Why? Well, because if I'm honest, I'm in a really good mood and I can't get my mind on anything else. You see, I love being a mom, it's the best, but I have also felt in some ways like I've been going through the motions (cooking, cleaning, feeding baby, cleaning baby, repeat cycle) without really being "me." I think it has 100% to do with lack of sleep. For the past 5 weeks I've been averaging 3-4 hours of (broken) sleep a night. However, the past 3 nights I've gotten more sleep, better sleep, longer sleep, deeper sleep... just SLEEP. And this sleep is making me feel like myself again. I've also been getting out of the house more and starting to really feel like I'm getting the hang of this mommy stuff. All of that put together has made me finally feel like myself again.

You may be reading this and thinking, "Ok, this is a cooking blog, right? Why is she babbling about her feelings?" Well... I'm babbling for a few reasons. 1- I'm tired and when I'm tired I babble. Ask John. Poor guy. 2- I am so excited to feel normal again that I feel like I need to share. ~~3- This is my blog and I'll write what I want ::sticks tongue out:: so deal.~~ 3- A lot of the food I've made recently was just food, no love behind it. Food for sustenance, thus no big story behind the meal.

So with that said, I leave you with a meal I made recently. It was delicious, it was simple, and we enjoyed it. I think it's the perfect meal to make on a night when you're just not in the mood to cook... it takes no effort but you end up with a delicious dinner. Perfect.

...oh, and thanks for listening to my babble. For your reward I leave you with baby cuteness- and hey, it's food related:

Yields 1 quesadilla

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
2 flour tortillas
1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, plus 2-3 tbsp sharp cheddar, divided
1/4 cup cooked chicken, diced
2 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1 green onion, chopped

Directions:
1- Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
2- Place one flour tortilla in the pan, top with both cheeses, chicken, bacon, tomatoes, and onions. Sprinkle the additional 2-3 tbsp cheddar over the toppings. Place the second tortilla over top and allow to cook until the cheese is melting and the tortilla is golden. Flip.
3- Allow the other side to brown. Slice and serve.

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

2012-01-04T15:27:00.000-05:00

This is one of those recipes where I don't feel it's necessary to give you a little story before the recipe. It's peanut butter pie. Do you REALLY care what this reminds me of, why I made it, or some long story about where it originated from? No. You want a fork. And you want some pie. And I totally get it.

However- if you do care, let me be honest- there is no long story. My mom asked me to bring a peanut butter dessert to Christmas and this was suggested to me. Boy oh boy am I glad it was suggested because it was delicious. It was also my first time making homemade whipped cream. Surprising, right? I'll never buy a can again, it's just SO good homemade. Even John liked it and he isn't a whipped cream kind of guy. So yeah- go get the ingredients and get to work. Then send me a piece.

Source: Stick a Fork In It

Ingredients:
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 pie crust (graham cracker, Nilla wafer, or even chocolate would be good!)
4-6 full sized peanut butter cups, chopped

Directions:
1- In a stand mixer whisk together the whipping cream and sugar until it reaches the consistency of whipped cream. Remove from the mixer and set aside.
2- Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the peanut butter and confectioners sugar, beating until well incorporated. Fold in half of the whipped topping.
3- Spoon the peanut butter mixture into the pie crust. Top with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish with the chopped peanut butter cups. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Salsa Chicken Pasta

2012-01-02T19:08:00.000-05:00

When I posted these salsa chicken enchiladas I mentioned that I had made two new recipes to use up salsa chicken. If you know me at all you know my love for pasta. Naturally when trying to come up with a creative use for the leftovers I would toss it was pasta. Why not, right? This came together and I wasn't sure if I'd like it. For some reason I completely convinced myself I wouldn't. I even told John I wanted to order pizza if it was gross. However, it was surprisingly good! Not in the least bit gross- in fact it was pretty tasty. John and I both enjoyed it and it was definitely a different take on salsa chicken!

Ingredients:

1.5 cups shredded salsa chicken
1/2 pound pasta
1 cup salsa
1 cup frozen broccoli floretes, defrosted and chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, and place in a baking dish.
2- Combine the salsa chicken, salsa, broccoli, and 1/2 cup cheddar in the dish. Stir well.
3- Top with the additional 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Your Top 10 Recipes of 2011

2011-12-30T13:16:00.001-05:00

I know, I know... everyone who has a blog does a Top 10 post at the end of the year. Which means if you read many blogs you've been reading these wrap up posts all week. With that said I personally love reading those posts because I always find something new that I missed on my favorite blogs. This year, rather than selecting my favorite posts from 2011, I went with the posts that got the most hits from you! Without surprise you all love your sweets- 3 out of 10 of my top recipes were for cookies!

This year was a big year for me. I began the year by welcoming my beautiful niece into the world and wrapped the year up by welcoming my own bundle of joy. I am now learning the ropes of being a first time mom which is quite challenging and incredibly rewarding. On the blog front I have spent this past year working on my photography and developing new recipes for you. I have seen a great increase in my blog viewership, with my daily readers more than quadrupling, so I must welcome those of you who are "new" here and send out a great thanks to those who have been around awhile.

I wish you and your loved ones a very happy and healthy New Year! I'll "see you" in 2012! Until then... here's your top 10 of 2011!

1. The most popular recipe, by far, was for these cake batter cookies. I love these cookies- they truly take "semi-homemade" to a new level by giving you a super easy recipe that yields amazing results.

2. Your second favorite recipe this year was crockpot pulled chicken. This one surprised me! Not because the recipe isn't tasty, just because it's not something I'd typically expect to be so popular! It surely was though- mostly thanks to Pinterest.

3. I was thrilled to see that my perfect party cookies were so high up in your favorites this year! This was my first original cookie recipe and one that I was so proud of. I spent a lot of 2011 creating my own recipes but this was my first time venturing into baked goods. If you haven't tried these yet please do!

4. This was another surprise hit! I will say that these potatoes are so darn good that they absolutely deserve to be this high up on your favorites. They are crispy, almost tasting like a french fry, but without the fat/calories of deep fried potatoes. I think I'm going to make these again soon... just seeing the picture makes me miss them.

5. I discovered Chipotle on the day my niece was born because we needed to eat and we needed to eat fast. Since discovering it I have been obsessed with their rice. It's just SO good. It wasn't long before I made it at home. Now it's a staple in my kitchen. You must try my knock off for Chipotle's cilantro lime rice.

6. I have to say- you guys have great taste. I was so excited to see this recipe for fettucini alfredo florentine in the top 10. It deserves to be. A "lighter" version of a creamy classic always deserves some attention!

7. Yay for this recipe! When I first made these Bang Bang Shrimp I was thrilled. I go to Bonefish Grill a few times a year solely for the Bang Bang Shrimp (although the food is pretty good- nothing compares to that shrimp) so being able to make it at home was great.

8. Now this recipe is definitely so popular thanks to Athen's Foods highlighting it on their website. With that said, it's still worthy of the special attention it received in 2011. Flaky... creamy... bite sized... sounds perfect to me! Flaky spinach dip bites are an awesome appetizer.

9. These cinnamon glazed doughnuts were my first attempt at homemade doughnuts. We were big fans of their soft cake-like taste dripping in frosting. A doughnut pan is a small investment (about ten dollars) that opens up a world of fun baking options.

10. The final top recipe of the year was for these oreo cheesecake cookies. I made these for John as a special "thank you" for being such a great husband. It's one of my favorite posts because it's a special message just for John (and all of the people who read my blog haha!) and I'm glad his special post made the top 10.

Salsa Chicken Enchiladas

2011-12-28T10:00:00.039-05:00

A classic crockpot recipe is salsa chicken. I think most people who own a crockpot have tried some variety of this meal. I personally have made two, the one linked above as well as this version. Now, when I make salsa chicken I tend to use it either as chicken tacos or on top of rice. While both are great options I decided to branch out and try some new recipes. I'm going to share both with you this week, the first being these enchiladas.

After having the baby I pulled a tray of salsa chicken from the freezer and stared at it. I knew I wanted to use it differently, but how? I then remember what a hit the honey lime enchiladas were and decided to try a different version. These were awesome and came together really quickly. The flavors all melded nicely and we were both very happy. A great option for using up leftover salsa chicken!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
2-3 cups cooked salsa chicken
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can red enchilada sauce
8-10 flour tortillas
1-1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350. Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
2- In a bowl stir the salsa chicken and sour cream.
3- Take one flour tortilla, spoon chicken in a straight line into the center and sprinkle with about 1 tbsp of cheddar cheese. Wrap the tortilla tightly and place it seam down in the baking dish. Repeat until all enchiladas are rolled.
4- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top, sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.
5- Bake 20-25 minutes.

Apple Cider Waffles

2011-12-26T13:04:00.000-05:00

I know apple season is long gone. I know you're seeing this and thinking, "Ok... you're a few months late with this..." but throw away your preconceived notions of "seasonal recipes" because I have to share this recipe. You see, John is on an apple cider kick lately so we constantly have fresh apple cider in the house. Because of that when I saw this recipe pop up I knew I needed to make it. Originally I wanted to make this for John on his birthday but I couldn't get it together in time so I decided to do them later on in the week. The original recipe calls for making these into pancakes but I was feeling lazy so I pulled out my trusty waffle iron and make them into waffles. DE-LISH. They tasted cinnamon-y and comforting. I don't know if the apple flavor really was the star, I'd say it was more the cinnamon, but they were still incredible. We were big fans and it made for a great special breakfast for my special husband.

Source: Adapted from So Tasty, So Yummy

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1 cup apple cider

Directions:
1- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well.
2- Beat in the egg, oil, milk, and cider.
3- Set aside and let stand 5 minutes while heating your waffle iron.
4- Spray the waffle iron and cook according to waffle iron directions.

Yields approximately 5 waffles.

Tomato Basil Soup

2011-12-23T10:30:00.000-05:00

Pinterest will be my demise. I spend way too much time looking at stuff on there- I even look at things that have no interest to me! Plus now that I exist in a sleep-deprived haze thanks to my baby I find Pinterest to be the perfect website- I can just look at pictures and not think. Without fail I pin several recipes a day that I feel I need to try. This soup was one of my most recent pins. I loved that it cooked mostly in the crockpot making it an easy weeknight meal. Yes, you do need to make a roux on the stovetop, but in total that took 5 minutes.

When all was said and done this soup was seriously to die for. Shockingly I forgot to add the parmesan cheese that the original called for (yes... I forgot cheese... I know...) and it was still so rich. So rich that I don't think you even need cheese (GASP!) and I wouldn't add it next time I made it. I'm leaving it out of the recipe below but if you want just add 1 cup of parmesan when you add the half and half! John and I both were obsessed with this and I'm thrilled that it made enough to freeze for another night.

Source: Adapted from 365 Days of Slow Cooking

Ingredients:
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juices (fire roasted if you can find them)
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil, diced
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
1- Combine the tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, oregano, basil, and broth in a crockpot. Cook on low for 7 hours.
2- In a saucepan melt the butter and stir in the flour to create a roux. Once the paste is formed add 1 cup of the hot veggie mix, stirring well until incorporated. Add an additional 3 cups, stirring well, until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the crockpot, stir well.
3- Add in the half and half, salt, and pepper. Cook on low an additional hour.

Chicken Florentine Puffs

2011-12-21T11:13:00.037-05:00

If someone were to steal my laptop they'd probably think I was a total freak. My whole desktop is covered in pictures of food- pictures ready to be blogged, pictures ready to be edited, and pictures that are already blogged but haven't gone "live" yet. It looks like chaos but I understand what it is. With that said, I rarely switch up my order of recipes to blog because I try to keep some order to the desktop mayhem. I wasn't intending to post this recipe yet, but when I posted a teaser picture on my blog's facebook page I knew from the responses I had to bump this recipe up. I could have been mean and made you all wait, but I couldn't wait either- I made this recipe two days after I found it!

This was really delicious; I described it as a healthier Hot Pocket. It was so easy to make and best of all used mostly ingredients I already had with the exception of the gruyere cheese. Best of all it was a nice change of pace from our typical dinners. We both loved it and purposefully paced ourselves so we could freeze half of this for another night.

Source: One Lovely Life (I just discovered this blog and I'm obsessed- check it out!)

Yields 8 puffs

Ingredients:
1 box puff pastry (2 sheets)
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 roasted red pepper
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg
1 tbsp water

Directions:
1- In a bowl combine the spinach, red pepper, cream cheese, gruyere, cooked chicken, garlic powder and salt. Stir well until everything is well incorporated.
2- In a separate bowl beat the egg and water together.
3- Roll out the puff pastry. Cut each sheet into 4 squares. Spoon 1/8 of the filling into the center of each square. Brush two sides of the square with the egg wash, then fold the puff pastry over the filling to create a triangle. Use a fork to press down and seal the triangle. Brush the top of the triangle with egg wash and sprinkle with salt.
4- Transfer the triangles to cookie sheets covered in parchment paper or silpats. Bake at 300 for 18-20 minutes, until lightly golden.

**If freezing, allow them to cool completely, then wrap tightly and store in a freezer safe container. Reheat at 400 for 15-18 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Cookies

2011-12-19T12:23:00.029-05:00

Do you remember when I posted this recipe for cake batter cookies? Well, I posted it almost a year ago and it is the recipe that gets me the most hits on Google, Pinterest, and various other sources. I guess it's safe to say we love some cake batter cookies 'round here! With that said, right after I had the baby my mom came over with various groceries. One of the ingredients that found its way into my cabinet was a box of chocolate cake mix. Well, hello there cake mix, we'll be good friends...

I kept saying that as soon as I could "get it together" the first thing I was baking was chocolate cake batter cookies with peanut butter chips. The other day Landon was being a perfect little baby and I decided to ~~tempt fate~~ be brave and try to bake while the little bug napped. Luckily for me I basically finished making these just as he was waking up. The whole time I was feeding the baby I was staring at these cookies on the cooling racks, salivating, dying to try one. By the time he finished eating I basically ran to the counter to try them. They were so stinkin' delicious. They taste almost like brownies crossed with cookies. Can there be anything better? Nope.

Source: Adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2-In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended. (It was a bit crumbly for me so I used my hands to really mix it well- it's not as smooth as typical dough.)
3-Stir in peanut butter and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
4- Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Southwestern Pasta and Cheese

2011-12-16T10:36:00.032-05:00

Before the baby came I made several meals to freeze for days when I just couldn't make dinner. This was one of the meals that I made, figuring it looked like something that would freeze nicely. Now, for some reason it didn't connect to me that "pasta and cheese" was essentially "macaroni and cheese." I was shocked when I saw the end results, which really is quite scary on my part since the title is pretty self-evident. Yes- I know, it's sad that I was shocked considering the title and the method of preparation, but I was. For some reason I thought the sauce would be lighter. However macaroni and cheese is never a bad surprise, right? This was very filling and hearty- John and I both could only handle a small portion of it. With that said, the leftovers were great and we're both looking forward to when I pull the tray of this out of the freezer.

Source: Slightly adapted from Krista's Kitchen

Ingredients:
3-1/3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
8 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2-1/4 cups milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Directions
1- Cook pasta according to package directions.
2- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute pepper and onions in oil untiltender. Stir in the flour, chili powder, chipotle pepper, salt and cumin until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1/4 cup cheeseuntil melted.
3- Drain pasta; toss with sauce. Stir in cilantro. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

My Little Chef

2011-12-15T19:25:00.001-05:00

That is all for today! I have some great recipes coming up but I felt this picture needed a post of it's own.

The photo was taken by Kristy at Gigglebug Photography and I cannot recommend her enough if you are one of my NJ readers looking for newborn/child photographs! She was incredible and my pictures were all amazing!

Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice

2011-12-14T12:39:00.033-05:00

I'm going to be honest with you- this meal was a complete and utter mistake. A delicious mistake, but a mistake. It was supposed to be soup. Cream of chicken and wild rice soup. But... it doesn't look at all like soup to me... how about you? No? Ok... moving on.

The crockpot is my best friend these days. It's super easy for me to throw ingredients in it and let it go while I tend to my beautiful newborn son. I had seen a recipe for chicken and wild rice soup on pinterest as well as this version from Lauren's Latest and decided to combine the two and throw it in the crockpot. While the end results are not soup (in any way shape or form) it was delicious! John described it perfectly- it tasted like risotto. Risotto that I didn't have to do any work for. Best of all it made a lot so I froze a huge chunk of this for us for another night. The crockpot and the freezer... a new mom's two best friends!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup with Garlic (or the original if you can't find it)
1 6 oz box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice mix, rice and seasoning packet*
1/2 cup baby carrots, diced small
6 ounces cooked chicken

Directions:
1- Combine the broth, canned soup, rice and seasoning packet, and carrots in the crockpot. Cook on low for 5 hours.
2- Stir in the cooked chicken and allow it to cook for an additional 30 minutes.
3- Stir well and serve hot.

*I took the advice from Lauren's blog (linked above) and bought this specific brand of rice. As she explained the seasoning packet is responsible for the flavor of the dish, so I can't attest to how it would be if you used a different type.

Pesto and Cheese Stuffed Shells

2011-12-12T10:50:00.033-05:00

I love baked pasta dishes- baked ziti, lasagna, stuffed shells, manicotti... you name it, I love it. My love is so deep that I can remember ordering stuffed shells at this local Italian restaurant every time we went as a child- they used to bake them in a ramekin- made it so much better. Note to self- must buy ramekins big enough for baked pasta dishes! The hubs, Mr. John (who is celebrating a birthday today- HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!), could live without it.

Whenever I make a baked pasta dish I try to find a way to make it more appealing to John- pesto being a sure bet. John ate a full plate of these and really enjoyed them which to me is the biggest compliment there is! I used a 15 ounce container of ricotta and it wasn't enough to fill a whole box of shells, so I modified the recipe to reflect how many shells I actually was able to make. We don't eat ground meat but you could always cook the pesto in with some ground beef or turkey and add that to the cheese mixture. We loved this and I'm so glad I froze a tray of these!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
25 jumbo shells, cooked according to packaging directions
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup pesto (a thicker pesto is recommended, but any pesto will work)
1 egg
Salt and pepper
2 cups marinara sauce
Slices of mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1-In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta, parmesan, pesto, and egg. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper.
2- Cover the bottom of a baking dish with a thin layer of marinara sauce.
3- Working with one shell at a time, spoon a few spoonfuls of filling into each shell. Pinch closed and set in the baking dish. Repeat until all shells are full. Pour the marinara over the top and layer the mozzarella cheese over the shells.
4- Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Freezer tip: Complete steps 2-3 in a freezer safe container. Cover and freeze, complete step 4 once you defrost it from the freezer.

Bacon Shrimp Risotto

2011-12-09T11:41:00.046-05:00

I'm baaacckkkkk! I'm going to try my best to post regularly but if I miss a day here and there while I adjust to motherhood please be patient with me. I'm amazed how much I missed cooking/blogging. I made dinner after he was one week old and typed up this post shortly after. I just needed a bit of a return to normalcy amongst all the newness of a newborn. It doesn't hurt that he is an amazing baby so far (knock on wood!) and is very easy going!

So onto the food! I really find risotto to be such a versatile and delicious dish. It's almost like pasta- a solid base that you can build upon. What's better than cheesy rice? Oh.. I know... cheesy rice with bacon! Yeaaah... that's better! I can't even remember when I made this because it was weeks ago, I know I was very pregnant and cursed myself for taking on a dish that took so much time, but the end results were to die for. I loved the combination of the shrimp with the cheesy rice and the contrast of the crisp salty bacon. This meal is perfect when paired with a nice green salad. You can't go wrong here!

Source: Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1 clove garlic
3-4 cups chicken broth, heated
6 ounces shrimp, kept warm (cooked)*
1 cup fresh shredded pecorino romano OR parmesan cheese
1 tbsp dried parsley
Salt/pepper

Directions:
1-In a large skillet cook the bacon. Remove the bacon and all except about 1 tbsp of the bacon drippings.
2- Add the garlic and rice to the skillet. Stir and cook until the rice is lightly toasted. Begin adding broth to the skillet, 1 cup at a time, and heating over low/medium heat until the liquid is all absorbed, stirring frequently. Then add more broth, continuing the process until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
3- Remove the rice from the heat, stir in the cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in the cook shrimped and half the bacon.
4- Top the risotto with the remaining bacon when serving.

*I cooked my shrimp in the bacon drippings after seasoning them with garlic powder/onion powder/salt/ and pepper. I then removed the shrimp and drained the bacon with the exception of 1 tbsp as stated in step 1. You can also use precooked shrimp if you desire, in that case just add them warm.

What I've Been Cooking

2011-12-05T11:02:00.000-05:00

So I am still on hiatus, believe me my kitchen is sadly neglected right now as I work on feeding my new baby and keeping myself somewhat alive at the same time, but I did want to share a few pics of my little man with you! Here's the best thing I've ever made:

Just born

The next day

Finally home and happy :)

Thanks for being patient, new recipes coming soon! Until then, enjoy the cuteness above, I certainly am!

Short Hiatus

2011-12-01T20:32:00.000-05:00

Hi there! I'm so proud to announce that my son was born on Tuesday, November 29 at 6:59 p.m. I am going to take a short hiatus while I adjust to being a new mommy (only about a week or so- fear not! I have plenty to share with you!) I had recipes I planned to blog this week to share while I was first home but guess what? This little man decided to come a bit early, so I wasn't prepared! I will share a picture with you soon, but until then thanks for understanding and I'll be back in a week or so!

XoXo,
Stephanie

Mini Banana Muffins

2011-11-28T17:57:00.000-05:00

Baking makes me happy. Something about mixing the ingredients, the fragrant smells that come out of your kitchen, not to mention the delicious treats you end up with in the end. I am a big fan of baking. And yet... lately, I've been barely doing it. Partly it's because I'm too lazy to drag out my Kitchen Aide (I know... lazzzzyyyyy) and partly because I just haven't found any recipes I've felt I needed to make. However with 3 black bananas on the counter I decided it was time to whip something up. These were perfect. The recipe was super easy and came together in a couple minutes- plus I didn't need my stand mixer- score! This yields a lot, I got over 30 mini muffins, so I froze over half of them for easy snacking once the baby gets here. I think the absolute best part is you probably have all the ingredients on hand!

Source: Very slightly adapted from So Tasty, So Yummy

Ingredients:
2-3 over ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup applesauce (cinnamon, natural, whatever you prefer)
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a mini muffin tin with liners or spray with nonstick spray.
2- In a mixing bowl combine the mashed banana, sugar, applesauce, and egg. Stir well.
3- Mix in the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. Spoon into the muffin tins, bake about 15 minutes.

Spicy Thai Noodles

2011-11-25T15:02:00.000-05:00

So it's Black Friday. Do you consider that a holiday? John and I debated that this morning. I mean, it's not "officially" a holiday, but it certainly has taken on a culture of it's own! This year due to my status of being due in about 12 days I skipped out on the Black Friday insanity but I have to say I missed it. The only real plan we have for today is to go out for Thai food tonight which reminded me of this great recipe I still had to share with you guys. Lately I can't get enough of spicy food. When I saw this recipe for spicy Thai noodles I was excited- it sounded perfect. Like all Asian cooking it comes together quickly and leaves you with a delicious meal. I really liked the process of soaking the red pepper flakes in oil- it added some heat to the recipe without making it too hot (I also only did 1 tbsp of flakes- I think 2 would be very hot). John and I both enjoyed this- in fact John was even more into it than I was which was shocking since this had "Stephanie" written all over it!

Couple notes- I halved this and wished I hadn't- the leftovers would have been amazing. Also, it calls for 1/2 cup of oil which is a lot. I think if you make the whole thing you can use closer to 1/3 cup and it would work, so you can definitely adjust the oil.

Source: A Small Snippet

Ingredients:

1 box fettucini or linguine

1-2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup oil (vegetable or half vegetable half sesame)

6 tbsp honey

6 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup green onions

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

1/2 cup cilantro

3/4 cup crushed peanuts

Directions:

1- Cook pasta according to package, set aside.

2- Meanwhile, heat the oil with the red pepper flakes for about 5 minutes. Strain pepper flakes, reserving the oil.

3- Whisk the honey and soy sauce into the oil.

4- Toss in the pasta and coat well.

5- At this point you can decide if you want this served hot or cold. If you want it cold, refrigerate until ready to serve, then toss in the remaining ingredients prior to serving. If hot, add in the carrots, onions, cilanto, and peanuts, stirring well.

Happy (early) Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T10:54:00.000-05:00

So it's Wednesday, which means I "owe" you a new recipe, but instead I offer you simply the sincerest good thoughts and warm wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving! I am going to be busy in the kitchen all day preparing for my favorite day of the year (and waddling around like a stuffed turkey... 2 more weeks until I meet me little man!) Have a great Thanksgiving, enjoy the time spent with your family and/or friends, and remember to take a minute to reflect on what you're thankful for.

This year I am thankful for...
1- My husband. Daily. I always knew I loved him but his support and concern throughout this pregnancy shows me how lucky I am and how lucky our son will be.
2- My family for always supporting me, cheering me on, and loving me.
3- Having a great group of friends.
4- A (generally) happy life where I feel fulfilled and safe.
5- And last but in no way least, the little life growing inside of me. Words can't express how thankful I am for him and how excited I am to meet him in the next couple weeks (or sooner...hopefully sooner)!

Spinach and Chicken Tortilla Bake

2011-11-21T11:15:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned before that I am recently obsessed with Pinterest. I don't use it for anything except recipes, but that keeps me busy enough. I stumbled upon this recipe a few weeks ago and knew I wanted to try it. For starters, it has salsa verde in it which has quickly climbed the ranks as one of our favorite ingredients. Then add to it that there's lots of cheese... tortillas... and yeah, some veggies... you can't go wrong. This was very easy to assemble and delicious- John and I both really loved it. Not to mention with Thanksgiving coming up you can easily use leftover turkey! Try it- most likely you have a lot of the ingredients on hand already.

Source: Slightly adapted from Stylish Cuisine, originally Rachel Ray

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups salsa verde
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
4 large (8") tortillas
3 cups baby spinach
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 450.
2- In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, until cooked. Remove from the heat and slice thin or shred the chicken.
3- In a small bowl combine the salsa verde and the ricotta cheese.
4- In a baking dish place the first tortilla. Top with 1/3 of the chicken, salsa/ricotta mix, spinach, and pepper jack cheese. Top with another tortilla and layer another 1/3 of each ingredients, repeating the process until you end with the final tortilla.
5- Bake 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melty and the tortilla is crisp. Allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cinnamon Apple Cookie Pie

2011-11-18T12:21:00.000-05:00

Is your menu set for Thanksgiving yet? Mine was set a long time ago because I tend to keep it similar year to year... but as the last couple days approach I always feel I don't have enough and start thinking of what else I should add. Another vegetable? Another dessert? I always cook for an army and yet I never feel I have enough... the irony!

If you're still looking for a dessert I'd suggest this pie. It was very tasty and honestly I'm quite proud of it. I had a pie crust to use up so I just started throwing things together and it resulted in this. The pie crust is topped with a cinnamon cookie, the cookie is then topped with soft cinnamon apples and swirled with peanut butter and chocolate chips. You can use any chips to stir in, caramel and butterscotch would be good too! I used peanut butter and chocolate since those are favorites for me, but use what you like. It had lots of contrast, but all the flavors went together. It would be perfect for Thanksgiving, it has all those warm flavors that are associated with the holiday.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:

1 pie crust (not deep dish- standard sized)

Cookie layer:

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

Apple layer:

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin

1/4 cup apple cider

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup, total, assorted chips (caramel, butterscotch, peanut butter, chocolate, etc.)

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 350.

2- Combine the melted butter with brown and white sugar, stirring well. Stir in the egg. Stir in the flour and cinnamon until well incorporated. Pour the cookie mix into the base of the pie crust and bake 20-25 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the cookie comes out mostly clean. Set aside.

3- In a small saucepan combine the apple slices, cider, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir well. Cook over low heat until the apples soften. Then turn up the heat and keep cooking until the liquid thickens around the apples. Once done, set aside and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chips quickly and pour over the cookie.

4- Bake about 20 minutes, be sure to cover the crust of the pie do it doesn't burn.

5- Allow to cool, then serve.

Spicy Baked Shrimp

2011-11-16T08:20:00.000-05:00

If you follow my facebook page you saw me raving about a shrimp recipe I made this week. This here is that recipe. I even went so far on facebook to say it was my favorite shrimp recipe... I think I'll stand by that. Now, typically I'll make a recipe and some time will pass before it shows up on the blog, but this was just too good to wait.

First of all, why don't I typically bake shrimp? It's so easy! I always cook them in a skillet, but this was a nice alternative. Then, add to it that the sauce was delicious- unbelievable delicious actually. My friend Natalie said it sounds like a New Orleans BBQ sauce- I trust her when it comes to food, but I have no background knowledge on that so it might be quite similar. What I will tell you is we didn't find this spicy at all, but it was very flavorful. The best part is dipping your bread in the sauce- we killed off a whole loaf (a small loaf... don't judge...). Make this. We will be having this often.

Source: Slightly adapted from Eat My Charlotte, originally from Bon Appetit

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp cajun OR Creole seasoning
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 pound shrimp

Fresh crusty bread

Directions:
1- Combine the first six ingredients in a square oven safe dish. Stir well. Add the shrimp, toss well.
2- Refrigerate 1 hour.
3- Preheat the oven to 450. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once while cooking.
4- Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Hosting Thanksgiving 101

2011-11-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

So, Thanksgiving is slightly less than 2 weeks away. If you're like me (a total foodie freak), this is YOUR holiday! It's a day where the sole attention goes to the food and the family rather than gifts and all of the other distractions that come our way all year.

For the past two years I've hosted Thanksgiving. You can see my recaps here:

Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving 2010

This year I will be hosting my third annual Thanksgiving (assuming I'm not in labor since I'll be over 38 weeks pregnant at that point!) ~~but I am keeping things simple so please don't yell at me for hosting.~~ I decided to compile a list of tips that I have used over the years to make the process easier. I hope you find these helpful, it keeps me sane and keeps my husband from leaving me... because believe me, there is nothing less attractive than a freaking out 38 week pregnant woman.

Tip 1: Plan the menu. Like, now. If you're hosting and still don't have a menu you need to get on that immediately. I tend to write down my whole menu on my computer with links to any recipes. I also contact family to see what they are willing to bring (which this year is quite a bit since I'm taking it easy). Some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes from the past can be found here.

Tip 2: Once you have a detailed menu, label next to each recipe what container it will go in. For example, my list says "Corn Casserole- White 9x13 dish". This takes all the guess work out of it. Want to take it a step further? I also write what I'll serve it with. So next to "Corn Casserole- White 9x13 dish" it also says "Silver Lenox spoon." I learned this after my first year of running around without enough serving ware.

Tip 3: By this Thursday, one week out from the BIG DAY, you should have your grocery list made and ready to go. I simply go through each recipe and write down the ingredients. Once that's done I take the list and tally up how many of each items I need (some items like "sour cream" will show up in 2-3 recipes, so I make sure to tally just how many containers I need). Also, for good measure, add an extra box of butter to your list. Both years I've hosted I've ran out of butter. I never learn.

Tip 4: The weekend before Thanksgiving is the time to deep clean the house and make sure all of the serving ware is clean and ready. This is also typically when I do my food shopping. Me and every other looney tune in the state of NJ. Just expect to spend a lot of time in the store. Also, if you are ordering anything from a bakery (like rolls, pies, etc.) do it now too.

Tip 5: If your turkey is frozen, figure out when you need to defrost it. Most likely it needs to be in the fridge by the end of the weekend to completely defrost. Here's some helpful info on defrosting if you're stuck.

Tip 6: At some point on Monday or Tuesday go back to your list of recipes and see what needs to bake at what temperature and for how long. Then make a list with times for each dish to enter the oven and the temp it needs. I find it helpful to also include things like "take a shower" and "put the appetizers on the table" in my time schedule. It might seem trivial but these are things that fall behind when you're busy!

Tip 7: The day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, is more or less go time. I spend that day working like crazy. I chop all of my veggies, including potatoes (which you can submerge in a bowl of water in the fridge to keep from turning colors), and package them. I brine my turkey. I also use this day to bake my rolls, make my herb butter, assemble my corn casserole, and prepare any dish that can be prepared. I don't cook anything but I have as many things prepared as I can. I then store everything in the fridge with notes on the tin foil of how long/what temperature.

Tip 8: That night, before you go to bed, set the table.

You'll be glad it's done. If you want to be crazy and make little edible place settings like I do, you can. If you think I'm nuts, it's ok...

This is also the time to do any last minute cleaning and make sure your house is set. Don't leave that for Thursday, it's just too much.

Tip 9: Wake up early enough to get the turkey in the oven with enough time to cook before your guests come. ( BTW- jumping ahead a bit, but I saw a great tip on Rachel Ray for keeping the turkey warm when it's done- take it out, cover it with foil, then cover the foil with a large blanket/towel. She said it keeps it perfectly hot- I can see that working quite well. It also allows you freedom to take it out a couple hours early and use the oven for other things, or so Rachel Ray claims.)

Tip 10: Pull out that handy dandy list you made in Tip 2 and Tip 6. FOLLOW YOUR LIST. If you're a list person like me this is extremely satisfying. If you're not... you probably stopped reading this insane list some time ago.

Tip 11: Have fun. This is supposed to be fun! If you set a potato on fire (like I did one year...) it's all good. Just keep trucking.

...and above all else, remember this day is about family. So enjoy your time with them.

Sweet and Spicy Crockpot Chicken Wings

2011-11-11T15:00:00.023-05:00

I know we're all "over" Halloween and looking forward to Thanksgiving, but I need to steal your attention for 2 minutes and redirect it to Halloween. Growing up Halloween was a big deal. My dad loved it, was a die-hard trick-or-treating coach, and instilled a serious love for Halloween in my sister and I. Since we currently can't trick-or-treat we take passing out the candy very seriously. My sister doesn't get any trick-or-treaters where she lives so it's become an annual tradition for her to come to my house to help pass out the candy. I like to have some appetizer type foods available while she's there so we can both pick at it but don't need to sit down and eat. Enter these wings. I'll be honest, I didn't try these. I blame it on the pregnancy- again something I typically love made me feel sick at the thought of eating it. Mel and her boyfriend did though and both liked it. Next time I would consider removing the wings when they're done, thickening the sauce that was left in the crockpot, and then recoating the wings. I think that would make the sauce more pronounced!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken wings

1/4 cup chicken broth

Sriracha hot sauce

3 tbsp. brown sugar

Lawry's seasoning salt

Directions:

1- Pour the broth into the bottom of the crockpot.

2- Top with the chicken wings. Squeeze sriracha over the wings, tossing to coat. The more you use the more heat you're adding, but make sure the wings are coated. Sprinkle the brown sugar and seasoning salt over the wings, tossing to coat.

3- Set on low for 8 hours.

Spicy Tomato Skillet Pasta

2011-11-09T15:02:00.028-05:00

Sometimes the most simple meals are the best. I think that's why Italian food is so amazing. It's simple ingredients combined to form complex flavors. Since I make a lot of Italian food I tend to have many staples in my kitchen. When I don't feel like cooking I often throw some of this and some of that together in one skillet and just see how it goes. This was an example of such a meal. Best of all this came out truly awesome. I have been really enjoying spicy food lately so I loved this. John felt the heat was a bit intense, so definitely use less red pepper flakes if you aren't into spicy food. I think we can all also agree that the fact that this dish only uses one skillet (and the pot to cook the pasta) it's a nice, low-key meal.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 cup chicken broth

4 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, sliced and defrosted

1 zucchini, shredded

1 can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup marsala wine (can sub red or white wine)

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (less if you want it mild)

1/2 tsp. onion powder

Salt

Pepper

1/2 pound pasta, cooked

Directions:

1- In a skillet heat the oil. Add the garlic and stir well. After 2-3 minutes add the chicken broth, artichokes, and zucchini. Stir well and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

2- Add the can of diced tomatoes, marsala wine, red pepper flakes, and onion powder.

3- Raise the heat and cook over high heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta to the skillet and stir.

4- Keep the pasta and sauce cooking over high heat until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta.

5- Serve with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

2011-11-07T15:50:00.030-05:00

Big news: I'm on maternity leave! I am officially done with work until September, which is scary and exciting for me. You see, I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was a little kid (as early as 4-5 years old). Teaching is a huge part of my life. I remember once being at some event where you had to describe yourself in three words and the first word I listed was "teacher." It's just a huge part of my identity. But in a few weeks I'll be adding a new trait to that list, "mommy." And as much as I love being a teacher I am truly looking forward to this next chapter.

My students, being typical 10 year olds, love to eat. Love it more than anything else I could offer them. So when it was my last week with them for the year I decided to treat them to a special snack. I made this dip for them and brought it in on Halloween. A couple kids were skeptical, eyeing the slightly orange dip, but once the first "mmmmmmmm" erupted they all dug in. This recipe yields a lot of dip and that's a good thing if you're making it for a crowd. It was perfectly sweet, had a nice bit of pumpkin flavor to it, and made for some happy fifth graders. I served it with apple slices, Nilla wafers, and pretzel sticks. According to the kids the apples and Nilla wafers are the best dipping agents!

Source: Carolina Charm

Ingredients:

16 ounces Cool Whip
1 5 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1/2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:
1- Stir all of the ingredients listed above together.
2- Refrigerate for at least three hours.
3- Serve with assorted dippers.

Crispy Sugar Crumb Triangles

2011-11-04T16:11:00.012-04:00

I have fallen into a deep love with Pinterest. Aside from the fact that I get tons of hits from there (thank you to people who pin my recipes, I REALLY appreciate it!) to the fact that I am exposed to lots of new recipes, it's a favorite site of mine. When I saw these I knew I needed to make them for John. John loves anything with cinnamon and sugar, especially if a crescent roll is involved. Boy was I right, he was so obsessed with these he ate half the batch in one morning. I have to agree with him though, they are so good. They taste like a crumb cake but require a fraction of the effort and seriously no skill.

On a somewhat unrelated note, the original name for these is "sugar crumb crispy" but I felt like it was missing a word. It sounded like a bunch of describing words but no object of description. The title also made me think of this school lunch they serve where I teach: crunchy cheese squares. Descriptive, but I still have no idea what a "crunchy cheese square" is except that it's presumably crunchy, cheesy, and square shaped. I'm not sure why those things came to mind but the whole time I was making these I was trying to envision a "crunchy cheese square" and decided to rename this recipe something that wouldn't leave you confused based on it's title!

Source: Adapted from Chef In Training

Ingredients:
1 roll of crescent rolls, divided into 8 triangles
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp. water

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 400. Lay the crescent rolls out on a silpat or wax paper covered cookie sheet.
2- In a bowl combine the sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Cut the butter into the mixture until a crumb forms (it's ok if it is not all crumby, mine was partially crumby and partially just a sugar mixture).
3- Sprinkle the crumb topping over the crescents. (I only used about 3/4 of the crumb topping- it made a lot and I didn't need it all).
4- Bake for 8-12 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool, then slice in half (unless you want to leave them large).
5- Assemble the glaze by combining the two ingredients. Add more water if you want it runnier or less if you want it thicker. Drizzle over the bars.

Shrimp Scampi

2011-11-02T15:54:00.037-04:00

I've made shrimp scampi several times before and blogged it. You could find the recipes here (I love this one), or here, or here, or even here! Needless to say I'm not "new" to shrimp scampi. However I rarely make it the same way... sometimes I use lemon, or white wine, or even just a ton of garlic and oil. Depends on my mood. This time though I felt like I finally found the way I love it. I wasn't even planning to blog it but after I tasted the sauce and realized I found my go-to way, I decided I need to share. It was so well seasoned, the sauce perfectly coated the pasta, and I was in heaven. I think from now on this will be my version of shrimp scampi, with the exception of the lemon pepper one I posted first- I still love that one too. One thing I'll try next time though is adding a cube of chicken bullion to the broth, my friend Natalie swears by adding that to her scampi and I'm interested in seeing how that works.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1/3 box of angel hair pasta
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. Italian seasonings
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1- Prepare pasta according to packaging directions.
2- In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the garlic and stir constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and chicken broth until the broth is boiling and the shrimp are cooked. Stir in the Italian seasonings, butter, half and half. Lower the heat and stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
3- Remove the shrimp and set aside. Add the pasta to the pan of sauce and toss. Turn the heat up until the sauce begins to thicken around the pasta. Add the shrimp back in, toss to coat, and serve with parmesan cheese.

Mashed "Candied" Sweet Potatoes

2011-10-31T15:38:00.024-04:00

For awhile now I've been dreaming of Thanksgiving foods. Stuffing, turkey drowning in gravy, mashed potatoes with butter... and of course, candied sweet potatoes. As a reformed sweet potato hater I'm still working on loving the orange spud as much as it's cousins, Russet, Red Bliss, and Yukon Gold. To me, the sweet potato is not as delicious but I know it's healthier and blah blah blah, so I'm trying to learn to like them more.

I was really in the mood for a hearty meal with candied sweet potatoes but I couldn't bring myself to make something that unhealthy for the two of us on a random weeknight, so I decided to try to "healthify" that recipe a little bit. I still used a tad bit of brown sugar and butter but I left out the extreme quantities and skipped the marshmallows (although... it was tempting since I do have a bag...) The end result was tasty. No, it wasn't that overly sweet taste of candied sweet potatoes but it was still delicious and a side dish that I didn't have to feel too guilty about. This made a lot, I would say you could easily serve 3-4 people this amount. We had a ton leftover when I made it for the two of us!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
1/4 cup milk (you can use half and half or cream if you want to make them more rich)
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:
1- Peel the potatoes. Place them in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender.
2- Drain and return to the pot with the milk and butter. Mash using a potato masher.
3- Return the heat to low and stir the brown sugar and salt in with a spoon. Stir well over the lowest heat for about 2-3 minutes.
4- Serve hot- sprinkle with brown sugar if desired before serving.

Italian Macaroni and Cheese

2011-10-28T16:09:00.039-04:00

Last week I was sitting on my couch debating what to do for dinner. I wanted the following things: roasted tomatoes, Kraft macaroni and cheese, or pasta with tons of parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. I couldn't decide. I wanted all of them at once. And yet, that sounded disgusting... so I decided to figure out a way to combine all of my desired into one dish. Enter this Italian macaroni and cheese.

This was one of those meals where you throw it in the oven and think, "This is either going to be amazing... or we're ordering a pizza." I was really opposed to the heaviness of traditional macaroni and cheese that night so I kept it light. I was so beyond pleased. John and I both loved this and I even loved the leftovers the next day. I can see this being a meal I make for my family over and over again as the years go on. It's just so tasty! It has Italian flavors, resembles mac and cheese, yet isn't heavy. I could see kids absolutely loving this meal.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1 large tomato
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

6 ounces small pasta (I used tiny shells meant for soup)
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup half and half
1 1/2-2 cups shredded pecorino romano cheese (not grated)
1/4 cup basil leaves, minced
1/4 cup panko
1/8 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tbsp. butter

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 375. Slice the tomato into thin slices and top with the balsamic. Season with salt and pepper. Place in an oven safe dish (large enough to hold the mac and cheese) and bake for 20 minutes. When done remove from the oven and set aside.
2- Meanwhile, in a saucepan heat the oil and garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant add the flour to form a paste. Stir in the stock and half and half, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
3- At this point bring cook the pasta according to packaging directions. When it's done, set aside.
4- Stir the pecorino romano cheese into the sauce mix and add the basil. Leave heating over low heat.
5- Once the pasta is done pour it into the sauce, tossing to coat.
6- Using a knife cut the cooked tomatoes into small pieces (they'll be more or less falling apart at this point and very tender). Add the macaroni to the tomato pan, stirring well. Set aside.
7- In a bowl melt the butter. Stir in the panko and the breadcrumbs. Top the macaroni with the breading mixture. Bake 25 minutes, covered. If you want, turn the broiler on to make the breading golden at the end.
8- Serve hot.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

2011-10-26T15:57:00.021-04:00

This isn't the first time I've posted a crockpot recipe for salsa chicken. A long time ago, when I first started blogging, I blogged this version (be sure to check out my HORRIBLE picture of it too... ::gags::) However as my cooking has evolved and subsequently my tastes, that version just isn't my cup of tea anymore. I feel everyone needs a good go-to crockpot salsa chicken recipe though, so I decided to give it another go with a different recipe. This one was much, much, much better. It's healthier and more natural. Not to mention the flavors are more "real" and less processed. Best of all it makes a ton. We used it for chicken tacos and then I froze enough for two meals worth once the baby gets here.

Just a tip, here are some uses for the shredded salsa chicken: chicken tacos, served over rice and topped with taco fillings, used for quesadillas, mixed with pasta/veggies/black beans and baked with some additional salsa and cheddar cheese, used to make a Mexican pizza... the options are limitless which is really why everyone needs a good version at their fingertips!

Source: Lynn's Kitchen Adventures

Ingredients:
4 large chicken breasts
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup salsa
1 packet of taco seasoning, or 2 tbsp homemade taco seasoning
1 tsp cumin

Directions:
1- Combine all of the ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred with two forks once done.

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

2011-10-24T16:38:00.045-04:00

I tend to brag about the area I live in to my family and friends who live near where I grew up. You see, I grew up in an area that had all of the basic restaurants, lots of pizza places, etc. But it lacked (and still does) diversity. I can go out for Indian, Middle Eastern, Thai, Japanese, Italian, or really anything you can imagine and be at a restaurant within 5-10 minutes of leaving my house. We also have tons of Italian delis/markets. I just love my area! (And yes... because of food... you shouldn't be surprised...)

However, there's one store we're missing. Trader Joe's. I LOVE Trader Joe's, but the closest one is about 20-25 minutes away and I just rarely go. Every time I go I spend a ton of money and stock up on all types of stuff. I also tend to buy way too many impulse buys at Trader Joe's. My latest? A little tub of mini peanut butter cups. It was definitely one of those "I'm pregnant and you can't stop me! I can buy a tub of candy and not feel guilty!" moments. Well, the fact of the matter is even 8 months pregnant I don't NEED a tub of peanut butter cups so I decided to make something using them. Something John would eat. Something that would prevent me from housing a whole tub of candy. These blondies were perfect. They were really good too. We both liked them. Next time though I'd add more peanut butter. I like a bold peanut butter taste and didn't feel it came through enough, but that could be just me! A great base recipe though, especially since in a week we'll all have lots of Halloween candy hanging around.

Source: The Cooking Nurse

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chocolate chips
4 peanut butter cups, chopped, or 1/2-3/4 cup mini peanut butter cups

Directions:
1- Preheat over to 375. Spray a 9x9 square baking dish with spray.
2- In a large bowl combine flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. Stir and set aside.
3- In a separate bowl combine the peanut butter, butter, milk, vanilla, and eggs. Stir well to combine
4- Pour the wet into the dry, mixing well until evenly incorporated. Don't over stir.
5- Add the chocolate chips, stir, and pour into the baking dish. Top with the peanut butter cups. Bake 19-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with slightly moist crumbs.
6- Cool in the pan on a wire rack, then cut and serve.

Chipotle Alfredo Sauce

2011-10-21T16:35:00.033-04:00

You know I love chipotles in adobo. If you don't, you live under a rock. I've raved about them over and over again. Some of my favorites are chipotle chicken pasta, spiced chipotle honey chicken with sweet potatoes, and carmelized chipotle chicken. They are just so smokey and rich... spicy and flavorful... ugh, love. Especially now that I just freeze them and pop some out as needed I always keep them on hand!

I had seen this recipe on Cassie's blog and was intrigued. I don't love alfredo sauce, and I really don't love alfredo with a cream cheese base, but I do love chipotle peppers and I do feel they can make anything amazing. So I did it. John absolutely loved this and I liked it a lot. I like a thinner sauce (this was that heavy alfredo taste which 95% of people love) but the chipotles took it to another level for me. I will definitely make this again since it was so easy. It is heavy though so don't expect to eat too much of it! John, who can demolish alfredo sauce, didn't eat as much as he typically does. A little goes a long way but it's pretty stinkin' tasty!

Source: Adapted from Cassie Craves, originally from Kraft

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese
1/2-1 tbsp. chipotle puree* (see note below)
8 ounces fettuccinie or linguine

Directions:
1- Cook pasta according to packaging directions.
2- Meanwhile, in a small sauce pot combine the butter, milk, and cream cheese. Heat until the cream cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in the cheese and chipotle puree.
3- Pour over the hot pasta, tossing well to evenly coat. Serve hot.

* Note- The recipe calls for 1/2 tbsp chipotle puree. I found that to barely give it the chipotle flavor so I doubled it. Now, it was spicy but not too much. If you don't love heat keep it to the 1/2 tbsp. To make the paste I just minced a pepper and stirred it until smooth with the adobo sauce from the can.

Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry

2011-10-19T15:54:00.048-04:00

Every now and then a recipe comes around at just the right time. You know the kind- it fits what you're craving, you have all the ingredients, and it ends up tasting even better than you expected. This meal was exactly one of those! I had seen this recipe floating around but never really thought to make it. However that all changed the other day when I looked at the ingredients and saw the veggies were the exact same veggies I had left in my crisper. I had a few handfuls of green beans, some carrots, and half a pack of mushrooms. I couldn't believe it-it was the perfect recipe! Best of all it was so delicious. John and I both loved it. I always love Asian food but adding Sriracha to it takes it to the next level. It was subtly spicy and perfectly flavorful.

Source: Slightly adapted from So Tasty So Yummy

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into pieces

Marinade for chicken:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp Sriracha

Sauce:
1 tbsp cornstarch
6 tbsp water
1 tbsp Sriracha
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce

Stir Fry:
1/2 cup green beans, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
2 tbsp cooking oil, divided
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic

Directions:
1- Toss ingredients for marinade in a bowl. Add chicken- allow to marinade 30 minutes or longer.
2- Once ready to cook, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3- In a wok or large skillet add 1 tbsp oil. Add the veggies, garlic, and ginger. Cook 3-5 minutes, until heated through. Remove from the skillet to a plate.
4- Add the other tbsp oil along with the chicken. Cook until cooked through. Add the sauce and turn up the heat, allowing the sauce to thicken. Once thick add the veggies back to the skillet. Serve with hot rice.

Portobello Cheese"Steak"

2011-10-17T16:38:00.031-04:00

My husband and I are both reformed mushroom haters. John, being the more adventurous eater in our household, stood strong on his resistance to mushrooms for a long time. Eventually he came around and ~~forced~~ encouraged me to try them. I'm still not a huge fan but I'll eat them cooked into pasta dishes or on chicken.

For the longest time he'd been asking me to make something with portobello mushrooms but I kept resisting. I've come around to the fungus, but not to the point where I want it to be the focal point of my meal. After much debate I decided to give in to his desires and made him this sandwich. Notice the key word there- "made HIM this sandwich." I had full intentions of eating this but then I got repulsed while cooking it (thank youuuuu pregnancy aversions) but ended up really liking the way it looked/smelt once it was done. John enjoyed this greatly and ate it without any words- he just devoured the sandwich. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!

Source: Heavily adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:
2 sub rolls
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 portobello mushroom caps
1/2 large red bell pepper
1/4 small yellow onion, sliced thin
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp hot sauce
Cheese (provolone, cheddar, American- your choice)

Directions:
1- Wash the mushrooms and use a spoon to remove the gills from the mushroom (optional).
2- Slice the mushroom and the bell pepper into thin strips.
3- In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the mushrooms, peppers, and onions. Cook until all of the veggies are soft and cooked. Add in the oregano, soy, and hot sauce. Stir and cook an additional minute or two.
4- Divide the mixture in two, topping each pile with cheese until the cheese melts. Once melted remove to toasted sub rolls. Serve hot.

Baked Oven Fries

2011-10-14T16:31:00.024-04:00

I think it's safe to say that most people who cook have made oven fries at some point in their life. Slice some potatoes, toss them with a bit of oil, bake, and season with salt. Who needs a recipe for that, right? Typically I'd agree with you. It's simple and doesn't require much thought. However, I find that oven fries typically have a firm "skin" to them, not that crisp/slightly oily outer layer of traditional fries. I had seen Annie make this version over a year ago and was initially turned off by the amount of oil. I couldn't see using that much oil to make a "healthier" version of a side dish. However, eventually curiosity got the best of me and I had to just see what these were like. Sure enough they took oven fries to another level. The method of preparation makes for a perfectly crisp oven fry. I think this method will be my new go-to way... but I may experiment with using less oil and see how it goes!

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

3 russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 tbsp. vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided
¾ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions:
1-Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes.

2-Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this). Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

3- Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.

4- Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes.

5- Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.

6- When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Jap Chae

2011-10-12T16:19:00.024-04:00

Next to my beloved Italian food my second favorite cuisine is Asian. I can't even pick a specific type of Asian food that I love because truly I don't discriminate. This was the first Korean dish I ever tried and I have to say I was a huge fan. I have a fully stocked Asian section of my local grocery store but they didn't carry sweet potato noodles. I used regular angel hair, which I think is probably criminal if you're going for authentic flavors, but I have an Asian grocery store by my house I'm going to check out so I can make this again. I think my favorite aspect of Asian cooking, particularly in Asian noodle dishes, is how you use very little sauce (unlike Italian pasta dishes) but the flavor is so strong that it perfectly coats the food without needing to be sopping in it. This dish was spicy and flavorful. The leftovers were just as good, which is rare. This is definitely one of my favorite dishes that I've made recently and I can't wait to make it again.

Source: So Tasty, So Yummy

Ingredients:
12 ounces sweet potato noodles (or angel hair if you can't find it)

½ lb chicken, cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce

1 clove garlic, minced
3 carrots, shredded
1 zucchini, slivered
½ onion, cut into slivers
6 ounces mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds

Directions:
1- Prepare pasta according to packaging directions and set aside.
2- Combine meat, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, ginger, and chili-garlic sauce in a bowl, toss the meat to evenly coat. Let marinate while you prep all the vegetables.

3- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinating meat. Cook until meat is done, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add carrots, zucchini, red onion, shitake mushrooms, and green onions. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from pan and add to plate with meat.

4- Place 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, sugar, and chili-garlic sauce to pan. Stir to combine. Add noodles to pan. Stir to coat and heat through. Return meat and vegetables to pan, and toss to combine. Drizzle sesame oil over the contents of the pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve.

Easiest Pumpkin Muffins

2011-10-10T15:51:00.019-04:00

I am almost embarrassed to post this recipe because it's so easy. I mean, do you need me to tell you how to combine three ingredients? Well... if you do, here it is! The other day I was feeling this burst of energy, which honestly never happens this late in the pregnancy game, so I decided I needed to capitalize. I whipped up a mini batch of these (I made 1/4 of the recipe) so we had 4 little muffins to snack on. They were delicious. A little sweet (as if that's a bad thing...) because the main ingredient is a cake mix and definitely very moist. But as long as you like sweets you certainly will enjoy this. Not to mention your whole house will smell incredible!

Source: Adapted from All Recipes

1 box yellow cake mix
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1.5 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sugar
Cinnamon

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with 12 liners, or spray with cooking spray.
2- In a bowl combine the cake mix, pumpkin, and cinnamon, mixing well. Divide into 12 muffins.
3- Top each muffin with a pinch of sugar and a dash of cinnamon. Bake 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Island Chicken

2011-10-07T16:37:00.027-04:00

Dinner was very traditional growing up. I'd say this was mostly due to my dad being a "meat and potatoes" type of man. We didn't really do casseroles or ethnic dishes. Dinner was some form of meat, some starch, and some veggie. That is, except for the nights when we had pasta and I was the happiest kid alive, although I'm sure that doesn't surprise anyone.

When I was making my meal plan the other morning I wanted a "traditional" dinner. Nothing too exciting, just a piece of chicken with a simple baked potato and simple sauteed green beans. I planned to just season the chicken and bake it when I remembered seeing this recipe ages ago. Honestly, I hadn't given this recipe a second thought back then, but I quickly assembled the marinade and hoped for the best. I should have known better than to doubt Annie though because this dinner was excellent. It was that traditional meal I had been hoping for, but even better because the chicken was so flavorful. John loved it and went on and on so I intend to make this again.

**Side note, I didn't have the lemon juice the original calls for so I used orange juice, thinking citrus juice would do the trick. It was great, but I am eager to try it again soon with the lemon!

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
½ cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice (orange juice worked wonderfully if you don't have lemon juice)
1½ tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

Directions:

1- Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed.

2- Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours.

3- When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them.

4- Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 20-45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Brittle

2011-10-05T16:25:00.035-04:00

This stuff is to die for. Seriously, it's addicting. Be warned.

Now that we got that over with, I've had this many times over the past 6 years. My friend Kristen makes this often for events and I am always excited when I know this delicious dessert will be making an appearance. It's just so amazing. Think about it- chocolate? Check. Peanut butter? Check. Sweet AND salty? Check. It has all the marks of an amazing treat and truly is a crowd pleaser. I took this to a family gathering and it was a huge hit with everyone. I was glad I saved a few pieces for myself at home because I've been thinking about it all week and slowly picking at the few pieces I left myself. ~~I even threatened John when he tried to take one of my last two pieces.~~

...I do have to say though, I like it better when Kristen makes it ::wink wink:: Luckily for me I work with her and live across the street... so I'm sure I'll have it many more times in my life!

Source: Every Day with Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

Saltine crackers (a little over 1 sleeve)

2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 12oz bag chocolate chips

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Coarse salt

Directions:

1- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, covering the bottom and sides. Place a layer of crackers on the sheet, breaking as needed to cover the surface; set aside.

2- In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook undisturbed until the caramel mixture is light golden and registers 255° on a candy thermometer, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla and quickly pour over the crackers, using a spatula to spread evenly. Bake for 8 minutes.

3- Remove the brittle from the oven and sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Bake just until the chocolate starts to melt, about 2 minutes, then spread the chocolate evenly and let the brittle cool for 5 minutes.

4- Meanwhile, melt the peanut butter in the saucepan over low heat; drizzle across the chocolate and, using the handle of a spoon, swirl the chocolate and peanut butter. Sprinkle with salt.

5- Let the brittle cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. Break into pieces to serve.

Pesto Chicken Alfredo Casserole

2011-10-03T16:42:00.041-04:00

I mentioned before that I have a list of recipes I am dying to make in the fall. This recipe comes from that list of "must makes." When I saw it over the summer I knew we'd love it but it felt too... heavy... for summer. So as soon as September hit (even though it was still over 80 degrees out...) I busted out this recipe and got to work. You see, dinner on weeknights has before a huge hassle. I'm tired, I don't even care if I eat let alone what I eat, and often I am just so ready to get the whole cooking thing over with. Recipes like this are perfect for those situations. This meal was delicious. We both loved it and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. I froze most of it for after the baby comes and I'm already quite excited to eat it again.

Just a tip, if you are going to use jarred alfredo sauce I love Classico's alfredo sauce. I typically make my own but that would defeat the purpose of this easy meal so I did some internet research and saw Classico's sauce gets the best ratings. I really liked it and didn't feel it tasted fake or overly heavy either!

Source: Adapted from Cassie Craves

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked rotini
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 7 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced small
1 cup pesto sauce
1 jar Alfredo sauce (small/medium sized- not too large)
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and return to the pot. Stir in the chicken, red peppers, pesto, and alfredo sauce.
2- Spoon the ingredients into a large oven safe dish. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
3- Cover and bake for 35 minutes. Serve hot

**Freezer tip- assemble up to step 2. Allow to cool completely and freeze. When ready to bake, defrost and complete step 3.

Chicken Veggie Soup with Pasta and Dumplings

2011-09-30T16:06:00.048-04:00

I first saw this recipe last winter. For one reason or another I never got around to making it but I placed it a special file of "first recipes of fall." (Yes- I do categorize my recipes. No- you do not have permission to judge me, thank you very much!) I couldn't wait to make it, it just seemed like the perfect fall soup. Best of all it had dumplings which made me sure John would be a fan too. Sure enough we both loved it. I mean hello- soup+pasta+dumplings=AMAZING. Or at least that's the way I do math.

This recipe yields a lot of soup. Like, a lot. We both ate it for dinner, I took some for lunch, and I froze a big container of it for once the baby gets here. I'm already looking forward to pulling this out of the freezer and reheating it... yum. Serve it with bread, because a soup with pasta and dumplings doesn't have enough carbs on it's own. ::wink wink::

Source: Adapted from Lauren's Kitchen, originally from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:
2 tbsp EVOO
3 tbsp butter
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced small
Salt and pepper
2 rounded tbsp flour
6-8 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 cups frozen carrots and peas mix
1 cup Bisquick pancake mix
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup tiny pasta (slightly less than 1/2 cup), uncooked (like pastina)
1 1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken

Directions:
1- In a large pot heat the oil and butter. Add the onion and celery, stir. Cover and allow to cook until soft, about 7 minutes.
2- Top with the flour, stirring until the mixture thickens. Add the broth and stir until well blended. Allow to heat over medium heat. Stir in the ground mustard and thyme, along with the peas and carrots mix. Cook 10 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper.
3- In a small bowl combine the Bisquick and milk, along with the garlic powder. Stir until well combined, set aside.
4- Add the pasta and chicken to the soup, stirring well. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
5- Using two spoons, spoon small amounts of the biscuit mix into the hot soup. Once all of the dumplings are added cover and allow to cook 8 minutes, stirring gently occasionally.
6- Serve hot.

Chicken Marsala Wrap

2011-09-28T15:52:00.033-04:00

When I ran across this recipe I became obsessed with making it. I thought about it from the day I saw it until the day I finally prepared it. I don't know if it was the gooey cheese covering the delicious chicken and mushroom mixture, or if it was the fact that this whole combo is wrapped up in a flour tortilla, but I just couldn't stop thinking about it. And man oh man- this did NOT disappoint. John and I both gobbled these up with excitement. I think the best part is just how easy they are. It's perfect for a weeknight meal and it's just so delicious.

Source: Slightly adapted from Quick Dish

Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup thin sliced white onions
6 oz. white sliced mushrooms
1 cup cooked chicken
1/2 cup marsala wine
4 slices provolone cheese
2 flour tortillas

Directions:
1- In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms, cooking until soft (about 10 minutes).
2- Add the wine and chicken, allowing the wine to cook down. If the sauce doesn't thicken and coat the mixture turn the heat up until completely coats the mixture.
3- Turn off the heat and divide the chicken mixture over the tortillas. Top with the cheese and wrap tightly, allowing the cheese to sit a couple minutes and melt. Slice and serve hot.

**I don't love my wraps overly stuffed so I had a bit of the chicken mixture left- this is flexible- easily add more tortillas/more mixture, etc.

Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-09-26T16:38:00.034-04:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Fall! Holidays will be approaching soon! It's not a million degrees outside! All around the world is smiling. Or at least my world is- I can't stand the summer and look longingly ahead to fall all year. What better way to celebrate fall than with a fall treat- pumpkin! Pumpkin flavored anything tends to be a winner in my mind. It's just so warm and comforting tasting. However, there appears to be a pumpkin shortage again this year. I couldn't find canned pumpkin in my usual stores but after calling a couple more I am the proud owner of a couple cans. Woo hoo- bring on the fall baking!

These cookies are delicious. I altered the original only by subbing all purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour, but for some reason my cookies are quite thin compared to the image in the original. They came out of the oven beautifully puffy and quickly deflated. Believe me, a flat cookie is still a cookie, and these are awesome. Theres a whopping two teaspoons of pumpkin pie seasoning so that flavor is strong. If you don't love that spice cut it in half to one teaspoon, but I enjoy the warm pumpkin spice flavor.

Source: Adapted slightly from Skinny Taste

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tbsp pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with silpats or spray with nonstick spray.

2- In a large bowl combine the sugars, butter, egg white, pumpkin, and vanilla. Stir well.

3- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until well incorporated.

4- Add the chocolate chips and stir until mixed.

5- Spoon by rounded spoonfulls and bake 8-10 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Ranch Pasta with Bacon, Spinach, and Tomatoes

2011-09-23T16:00:00.003-04:00

I made this so long ago- I can't believe I'm just getting around to sharing it with you now. Sometimes recipes get buried on my desktop and it takes me a bit, but believe me this one is worth the wait.

I had seen this recipe and it never did it for me. I kept thinking "Ew- who puts ranch salad dressing on pasta?! I'll pass!" Then finally one day I stopped being a brat and actually read the recipe- huh... no ranch salad dressing?! Ok... now I was more interested. You see, I love the flavor of ranch so I figured this should be a hit in our house. I love pasta with spinach and tomatoes, John loves bacon with everything, how could this fail?

Well... it didn't. We both loved it! I think next time I'd add a little more seasoning, the real "ranch" affect didn't come through for me, but the taste was subtle and delicious. However that could be my doing- I halved the recipe and I never really measure my seasonings (I tend to pinch and throw) so next time I might measure a bit more carefully. It was a great easy dinner, something I can definitely see myself making again.

Source: A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
Olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced
2 cups light cream
1 bag baby spinach
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb short cut pasta, cooked according to package directions
Grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Directions:

Combine first 6 ingredients (through dried thyme) in a bowl and mix together. This is your Ranch seasoning. You can also use a packet of pre-made dried seasoning.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in skillet large enough to hold the pasta over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add Ranch seasoning, spinach and tomatoes. Cook until the spinach wilts. Add pasta and cooked bacon and toss to combine. Add grated cheese and taste for seasoning.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with Basil Garlic Stuffing

2011-09-21T16:00:00.040-04:00

How's THAT for a mouthful of a title?

In about 2.5 months I'll be having a baby, my first child, and I seriously can't wait. When I'm not cooking or blogging I'm staring at his ultrasound pictures (see below!) and looking at the stuff in his nursery... I just feel so overwhelmed with excitement. Yet, with that excitement comes fear. What if he doesn't like me? What if I never sleep again? What will I EAT when I'm so exhausted I can't stand? Yes... all of those thoughts have honestly passed through my head at one point or another in this process. I've decided the one I can control is the eating- so I plan to fully stock my freezer in preparation for those first few weeks.

However, my freezer is currently jam packed with junk that needs to get used to make room. So before I can even worry about making freezer meals I need to eat the contents of my freezer. Enter this dinner. I had half a pound of bacon in the freezer and half a pound of shrimp... so I googled and discovered this amazing recipe. It was decadent and sinful, it felt like we were being naughty because the flavors were so rich and amazing. This would make for an incredible appetizer, or an extremely indulgent dinner. Either way the flavors all work together and it's outrageous. I went light on the BBQ sauce because I wanted the other flavors to shine and it was perfect.

Oh, and since I mentioned ultrasound pics before I have to share a couple of my baby. If you don't like that sorta thing I'm sorry, but I can't get enough of my bean.

Source: Adapted from Coastal Living via My Recipes

Ingredients:
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
2-3 tbsp. fresh chopped basil
3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 pound thin bacon
2 tbsp fruit based BBQ sauce, or regular BBQ sauce

Directions:
1- In a large skillet cook the bacon until it's about 3/4 of the way cooked, but not crisp. Remove from skillet and set to dry on paper towel.
2- Butterfly each shrimp by cutting most of the way through the back of the shrimp, from the base to the tip.
3- Stuff each shrimp with a pinch of basil and a pinch of cheese. Press shrimp closed. Wrap in bacon (I used about 1/2 a piece per shrimp, you can use a full piece if you want them really bacon-y).
4- Lay on a greased cookie sheet or in a oven safe dish. Lightly brush the BBQ sauce over the tops of the shrimp.
5- Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes, until shrimp are cooked and bacon is browned.

Baked Garlic Rice Pilaf

2011-09-19T16:00:00.026-04:00

If you read many food blogs you are aware that recipes get trendy, you see them on every food blog for a few weeks, and then they slowly disappear. Some people hate this and refuse to blog "trendy" recipes- meh. To each his own. I cook what I like, I like what I cook, and then I blog it. Ok? Ok! With that said, this recipe was trendy reallyyyyy long ago. It kept popping up on blog after blog. It looked interesting but I had my own garlic rice pilaf recipe I loved and wasn't interested in straying.

The other night though for some strange reason this recipe popped in my head completely out of the blue. I decided to try it and seriously... oh... mah...gosh. I get it. I do. I get why this is so popular. It was delicious- perfectly seasoned, nice texture, and a nice golden color. I ate so much of this... more than I'll every admit to you. It's my new favorite side dish and I'm already dying to make it again. Will it replace my love for my old rice pilaf? Well... let's just say... they need to share my love evenly now. ::wink wink::

Oh and by the way- I was out of fresh lemons so I skipped the lemon juice and it was still amazing. I can't wait to try it with the lemon!

Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup long-grain white rice
2½ cups chicken broth, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Have ready a covered casserole dish.

2- In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until both are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.

3- Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.

4- Stir in the remaining 1½ cups chicken broth and bake, covered, for another 45 minutes. About 15 minutes before it is finished baking, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Note: This recipe can be doubled without increasing the baking time.

Thai Chicken Bites

2011-09-16T15:55:00.028-04:00

My file of recipes that I want to try is so large that realistically I'll never make all of them. For every one I make I add two-four new recipes. So clearly the bottom will never be reached. When I complete my weekly meal plan I always scour through my file and try to find some new/interesting meals to try. However every now and then I find a new recipe and it doesn't go in the file. It goes directly onto the meal plan for the following week. This recipe is one of those. I saw it, I added it to the menu, and I made it. This is not healthy (at all...) but it's amazing. Served with a simple salad it creates a delicious dinner, or serve it at a party as an appetizer. Either way you can't lose! It's somewhat spicy, somewhat sweet, somewhat crispy... and very delicious.

Source: Slightly adapted from Lauren's Latest

Ingredients:
3/4-1 pound chicken tenders, diced in chunks
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
Vegetable oil for frying
1/3 cup sweet chili sauce

Directions:
1- Pour oil into the bottom of a non-stick skillet, about 1/2" to 1" deep.
2- In a small bowl combine the flour, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
3- In a separate bowl combine the egg and milk, beating well to combine.
4- Dip the chicken first in flour, than egg mixture, than flour. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
5- Lightly fry until all chicken is cooked. Drain on paper towel and season with salt.
6- Toss gently with the sweet chili sauce. Serve hot.

Crockpot Southwestern Corn Soup

2011-09-14T15:52:00.041-04:00

Let me tell you something- this recipe far surpassed all of my expectations. I threw everything in the crockpot in the morning and all day I was thinking the soup would be pretty "meh." I'm not sure what made me doubt this recipe but I just wasn't holding out too much hope. Imagine my surprise when I lifted the lid from the crockpot, stuck my finger in (yes- finger- don't judge... I washed it, and it's my soup!), and realized that my soup wasn't "meh," rather it was delicious! John ate it hours after me and he too was obsessed. He even brought it up a couple days later. That is a good sign people, a very good sign. This was perfect when paired with a simple cheese quesadilla... I'm already planning on making this dinner again next week!

Serves 2

Source: Heavily adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can cream style corn
1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped small
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup chunky salsa

1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter

Directions:
1- Combine the first 7 ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on low 7-9 hours.
2- Add the milk and butter, turning the heat up to high and allowing it to cook an additional hour. Stir well- serve hot.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

2011-09-12T15:52:00.037-04:00

Do you ever just feel lazy? And I don't mean your standard "it's been a long day and I want to rest" lazy. I mean the kind of lazy where you wake up, the sun is shining, it's a beautiful 72 degree day, the rest of the world is out "doing", and you just want to lay on your couch? Ok- because sometimes I get lazy like that... and I don't want to be alone. So please, join me in making the lazy-man's cookies. Bar cookies. You mix, you throw it in a pan, and you let it go.

I know I make a lot of chocolate chip cookie recipes on here and I hope you don't mind, but it probably won't stop. Sure, I make fancier cookies too, but there is just nothing like a chocolate chip cookie. And when you're being lazy, a chocolate chip cookie bar. These were so delicious. I mean, SO delicious. At first I followed the recipe to a T and took them out, let them cool, and quickly saw they were still raw. I was desperate to save them so I stuck my raw cookies back in the dish (it was like putting a puzzle together, by the way) and baked them for an additional 10 minutes. I was desperate- don't judge me. I'm sure this is breaking some major baking rule, "Thou shall not rebake unbaked cookies", but it worked. So take that. And they were incredible. My advice? Make sure they're done before you pull them out. I needed 10 more minutes of bake time than the recipe calls for, so be sure to double check. Or you can just eat the raw-ish cookies, believe me, the thought crossed my mind.

Source: Real Mom Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 1/8 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2 (3 1/2 ounces) cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 inch so you can grab those edges and pull the brownies from the pan after they have baked. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.
Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 24-28 minutes. (Mine took almost 35- check them). Cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Crockpot Chicken Dinner

2011-09-09T16:21:00.037-04:00

Is there anything more comforting than a roasted chicken dinner? I have such fond memories from childhood of roasted chickens and all the sides that went along with it (although, honestly, my favorite was Kraft mac and cheese... just sayin'). Well, I can think of one thing more comforting actually- throwing all the ingredients together in the crockpot and letting the meal cook all day. The house smells amazing, the meat comes out moist, and in the end you have a delicious dinner with minimal effort. Now that I am back at work and in my third trimester of pregnancy I see many more crockpot meals in my future. I really don't want to eat take out nightly but coming home exhausted doesn't lend itself to creativity in the kitchen... so the crockpot will be a much needed friend of mine!

This dinner came out great. The seasonings were delicious and they really absorbed into the vegetables. You can use any vegetables you want, I stuck with what I had on hand, but I'd definitely use potatoes regardless of what else you choose to use- they're a must here. It's easy to adjust to the number of people you need to serve (add more chicken/veggies, take some away, etc.) and you're sure to have happy eaters on hand.

Source: Adapted from About.com- Southern Food

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast halves (bone in or out)
1 pound potatoes, diced in pieces
1.5 cups baby carrots
1/2 red onion, cut in chunks
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
4 tbsp melted butter, divided
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp honey

Directions:
1- Lay the potatoes, carrots, and onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Toss in 2 tbsp melted butter, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
2- Lay the chicken on top of the veggies. In a bowl mix the remaining 2 tbsp butter with paprika, lemon, Worcestershire, and honey. Rub the mixture over the chicken.
3- Cook on low 7-9 hours or on high 3.5-4.5 hours.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

2011-09-07T16:09:00.020-04:00

I mentioned in my last post how I roasted a huge tray of veggies to use for several meals. After the stromboli, the next meal I used the veggies for was this lasagna. Last weekend during Hurricane Irene we became a bit of a refugee camp for our friends that didn't have power. They came here to shower and for a hot meal. I found out at about 4 that I was going to be making dinner for more than just John and I- luckily I had a pot of sauce on the stove so dinner was easy to throw together.

Being that John doesn't love lasagna I save it for events when there's other people around so John ~~has to suffer silently~~ doesn't have to have it too often. This lasagna was great- I really liked the flavor the vegetables offered. Best of all the vegetables held their consistency so there was a nice texture to the pasta dish. Easy to put together, delicious, and a balanced meal... can't beat it!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
2-3 cups marinara sauce
15 oz low fat ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 tsp Italian seasonings
12 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup pecorino romano cheese
3 cups roasted vegetables

Directions:
1- In a 9x13 pan spread a thin layer of marinara on the bottom.
2- In a small bowl combine the ricotta, egg, and Italian seasonings. Stir well.
3- Layer one layer of noodles over the sauce. Top with 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the mozzarella, 1/3 of the pecorino, and 1 cup veggies. Spoon marinara over the layer. Add an additional layer of noodles.
4- Repeat the layers from step 3, ending with a top layer of just noodles and marinara.
5- Refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 24 (optional- I prefer to do this so the flavors meld).
6- Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Allow to sit 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Roasted Vegetable Stromboli

2011-09-05T10:30:00.000-04:00

My favorite way to prepare veggies is to roast them. I feel like it brings out the flavors without compromising the consistency. Sometimes steamed veggies can get... mushy? I guess that's the best way to put it! Roasting them just lends itself to the perfect consistency and flavor.

A few weeks ago I roasted a big pan of vegetables and threw them all in a bowl to use for meals throughout the week. I'm so glad I did this because it made dinner so easy! I just had to grab my roasted veggie bowl and spoon out the desired amount for each recipe. I'll be sharing the other recipe with you soon so you can see a practical use for your pan of vegetables (that is, if you don't want to just eat them as-is!)

This stromboli was amazing. John told me it needs to be repeated frequently. It's kind of fun, I can see it being a hit with kids, and it's a little different from what I typically serve for dinner. I coasted the crust with an oil and seasoning mix that really took this to the next level. I loved the crisp top and the soft vegetables... ugh... now I want this again soon!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
2 cups roasted vegetables* (see below for details)
1 batch pizza dough
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Tomato sauce

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 450 with a pizza stone in the oven (if you don't have one just cook it on a baking sheet).
2- Roll out your pizza dough into a long rectangular/oval shape.
3- Using a pizza cutter, start on the right side of the dough and slice 1/3 of the way in, making 1 inch slits down the side. Keep going until the whole side is covered in 1 inch slits. Repeat on the left hand side, also 1/3 of the way in.
4- Spoon the vegetable onto the 1/3 of the dough in the center. Top with the cheese.
5- Start at the top, take one slit from the right and fold it over the center. Repeat with the dough slit directly opposite. Keep repeating until the dough is "braided" and covering the filling.
6- In a small bowl combine the oil, salt, and garlic powder. Brush over the dough.
7- Transfer to the stone. Bake 15 minutes or until golden.
8- Slice and serve with hot marinara sauce.

* Roasting veggies- I used 2 zucchini, 1/2 a head of broccoli, a handful of baby carrots, 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, and a green pepper. I diced them, drizzled with olive oil, and cooked about 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through, at 375. For this recipe I smashed the tomatoes so they were flat, but that step isn't necessary. Use any veggies you want. This yielded a lot of veggies, enough for two meals.

Potato Chips

2011-09-02T11:05:00.001-04:00

Last week we had the "pleasure" of facing Hurricane Irene here on the East Coast. John and I were so fortunate we escaped with no damage and our power stayed on. You really can't ask for more than that, can you? Sunday when the roads were flooded and the trees were still swaying I had a huge desire for chips. You see, this whole pregnancy I've been craving chips. I never used to be into chips- I mean I would eat them but I didn't *need* chips. Now... oh man, don't get between me and those salty potatoes!

Being that we couldn't go out and get any I decided to make my own. I'd seen my friend Gina make chips a few month back so I decided to take a similar approach and make my own. There isn't a real "recipe" to these, it's more or less a technique. But I will tell you that once you get the technique down you'll never want to buy a bag of Lay's again. They are so delicious. John couldn't stop raving about them and I was tempted to hide them from him so I didn't have to share, so overall they were a winner here!

Source: Inspired by A Hungry Teacher

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes

Vegetable oil

Kosher salt

Directions:

1- Using a mandolin slice the potatoes thin. Place the slices in a bowl of cold water and allow them to rest for at least 30 minutes.

2- Lay them out in a single layer on paper towels to dry.

3- Meanwhile, in a large sauce pot fill the bottom of the pot with oil, until it's about 1 inch deep. Add the potatoes in a thin layer. Allow them to brown and flip over.

4- Once both sides are brown remove from the oil and place on paper towel. Season with salt. Repeat until all potatoes are cooked.

Spanish Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2011-08-31T15:00:00.043-04:00

If I was single or lived alone I can pretty much assure you I would eat pasta with sauce 3-4 times a week. I can eat just plain pasta and sauce and never get sick of it. Since I do have John to cook for I try to vary it up because believe it or not, he doesn't share my same die hard ways when it comes to pasta. He loves it, yes, but he wouldn't love just plain pasta and sauce 3-4 times a week. Whatever, he's weird... but I love him.

When I saw this recipe I knew this would be a great excuse for just pasta and sauce. I mean, it's not JUST sauce if it's made from veggies other than tomatoes, right? This came together easily and tasted amazing. It also made a decent sized pot of sauce so I froze most of it for when the baby comes in 3 months. I'm trying to start stocking the freezer with sauces since I know cooking won't be my first priority for some time. If you like red peppers you'll definitely like this. Best of all I had nice fresh tomatoes from my dad's garden and fresh peppers from the farmer's market so this sauce was delicious. I'd highly suggest it, especially while the produce is still so good.

Source: Slightly adapted from DeLish

Ingredients:
5 red peppers
3 medium/large tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
Olive oil
1/4 cup light cream
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 375. Line a large baking pan with foil. Slice the tomatoes in half, placing them slice side down. Also place the peppers in the pan. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip them over. Return to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes. The peppers should be soft and have slightly blackened spots.
3- Chop off the tops of the peppers, clean out the seeds. (You can peel the skin if you want- I peeled any really blackened spots). Peel the tomato skins.
4- Place the veggies in your food processor, processing until smooth.
5- In a large sauce pot add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion, stirring regularly. When onion is soft, about 5 minutes, add the veggie puree to the pot along with the cream. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cook 5-10 minutes over low heat, until smooth.
6- Serve over hot pasta.

One Dish Chicken and Rice

2011-08-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

I don't do the dishes in our house. John does. It's just an agreement we made years ago- I cook, he cleans. While John loves the way I cook, enjoys eating food made from scratch and tons of homemade baked goods, I drive him insane with dishes! And if I'm being quite honest with you I don't blame him. I'd hate to wash those dishes too. Every now and then I try to go easy on the poor guy and help do the dishes or make a meal that really requires very few dishes. This recipe is one where you can get away with just a skillet and a cutting board. He can't complain about that, can he?! That's minimal dishes as far as I'm concerned! Now this dinner isn't fancy but it is delicious. It really is easy, a true beginner meal, but the taste is excellent. If you're looking for an easy meal (with easy clean up!) this is for you.

**Just a tip- follow the directions on the rice package as far as the quantities of water, but watch it. Since you have the pepper in there it may need some additional water. If you see it's drying out and not cooked just add water, about 1/2 cup at a time, until the rice is cooked.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, diced small
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced small
1 large tomato, diced small
1 box yellow rice mix (I used a 5 oz package but you can use bigger or smaller)
1.5 cups diced cooked chicken, rotisserie/grilled/or baked

Directions:
1- In a large skillet add the olive oil and heat. Add the onion and garlic, stirring until fragrant. Add the pepper, stirring for 2-3 minutes.
2- Add the yellow rice mix and the amount of water the box calls for. Follow the directions on the rice package. Add the tomato once the rice is 1/2 way done.
3- After the rice is fully cooked add the chicken and allow it to heat in the rice mixture, 5-7 minutes. Serve hot.

Sticky Chicken

2011-08-26T16:52:00.001-04:00

What a surprise this chicken turned out to be! I marinaded it one day, didn't want it so I froze it, defrosted it, then still didn't want it. It was the chicken that almost never was. I don't know why I was not feeling this chicken but I just really wasn't. I finally sucked it up, made it, and was shocked. The sauce was amazing. It's also extremely versatile, you can cut the chicken in small pieces when you marinade it and serve this over rice, cut it in thin strips and serve it with veggies and pasta, or do what I did and serve it in a panini. The sauce thickened up nicely and was really plentiful (it's not pictured, I served it on the side). I can see this recipe coming in handy in the coming months because it froze beautifully and cooked so quickly that it made for a perfect weeknight meal. Easy + delicious = winner!

Source: Adapted from About.com

Ingredients:
1 pound thin chicken breasts
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup brown sugar
1.5 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. hot sauce
1 tbsp. ketchup

Directions:
1- Combine all of the ingredients, except the chicken, and stir well until sugar dissolves.
2- Add the chicken, marinade 24 hours (you can do less).
3- When ready to cook, add the chicken and marinade to a skillet. Cook until chicken is cooked through, remove chicken. Up the heat, stirring regularly, to thicken the sauce. Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken and serve.

**If you want to freeze this, marinade in a freezer safe container and place in the freezer.Allow to defrost, then continue with step 3.

Spice-Rubbed Shrimp with Spaghetti Salsa Verde

2011-08-24T09:25:00.000-04:00

Wow, that title is quite the mouthful, no?

When I saw this recipe (which was originally made with chicken) pop up on two of my favorite blogs, Taste of Home Cooking and Cassie Craves, I knew I needed to make it. See- these two blogs post simple, reliable recipes that use everyday ingredients. They both update their blogs so often that I can't keep up, but believe me I greatly appreciate it. With that said, when they both made this and both loved it I knew I needed to try it.

I really liked how it was a pasta dish with a Mexican flare instead of the traditional Italian pasta dish. I had all of the ingredients on hand except the sour cream which made this super practical and easy. It came together with ease and tasted amazing. The shrimp were so delicious I would consider making them again with or without the pasta! They were just that good. Overall a winner in our house and I can see this making another appearance in the Stephanie Cooks kitchen.

Source: Slightly adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 finely chopped white onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup salsa verde
1 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
1- Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Set aside.
2- Place chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper into a small bowl, stirring to combine.
3- Pat the shrimp dry, then place in the spices and rub into both sides.
4- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, oven-safe pot over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook until pink on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each side.
5- Remove from pan and cover with foil until ready to serve.
6- In the now-empty skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cooking and stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Add salsa, tomatoes, and sour cream, stirring to combine. Just before serving add cooled pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Top with the shrimp.

Best Banana Bread...Ever

2011-08-22T10:54:00.000-04:00

Banana bread isn't something I typically get all excited about. I mean, it's good, but it's not something I'd ever write home about. Until now. Oh.My.Goodness. This bread has changed that for me. I had two bananas ~~decomposing~~ quite ripe on my counter so I decided to throw this together. I wasn't really expecting much, because as I mentioned before banana bread is pretty standard. This recipe really takes it to a new level. Is it the fact that there is a TON of sugar in it (hello- white sugar, brown sugar, and honey)? Yes.. most likely. This bread was moist and the cinnamon crumb topping was amazing. I had a slight issue (or mental break down involving me needing to leave the room- I blame the pregnancy hormones, don't judge me...) getting the bread out of the pan. I didn't spray the pan enough and the bottom stuck a bit, so when I tried to manhandle it out the crumb topping kind of shattered... resulting in me getting abnormally dramatic. Lesson? Spray your pan. Well. Like, really well. And then let your husband take it out of the pan while you pout in the corner. Yup... I'm not proud of my behavior, but I am proud of this bread- so make it!

Source: Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

Directions:
1- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch metal baking pan (or use nonstick spray- a lot of it).
2- Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk next 5 ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients; stir to blend. Transfer batter to pan. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle over batter.
3- Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
4- Cool bread in pan 30 minutes. Turn pan on its side; slide out bread, being careful not to dislodge topping. Turn bread right side up and cool completely.

Lighter Lemon Cream Pasta

2011-08-19T19:19:00.001-04:00

Lemon is such a refreshing flavor, isn't it? One little slice of lemon and a flavorless glass of water is suddenly a delicious treat. Lemon is also great on chicken, in desserts, and even in pasta! I've tried a lemon spaghetti recipe before that was quite popular years ago and just wasn't sold. It was a cream sauce but it was so heavy and the lemon flavor was so intense. I remember vaguely disliking it and thinking I was done with lemon pasta recipes. However, the other day in the grocery store the lemons looked so fresh and beautiful I grabbed a few and figured I'd see what happened. Enter this sauce. Honestly, this sauce was awesome. It was much lighter since the main ingredient is chicken broth. A little bit of cream smooths it out, but honestly I'd say you could even skip the cream altogether if you have some moral obligation to cream. But... if you have a moral obligation to cream I am assuming you don't read my blog. So we should all be good, no?

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. buter
1/2 small yellow onion, diced small
1 tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 lemon, juice of, and 1/2 tsp. zest
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 pound pasta

Directions:
1- In a small sauce pot heat the butter and onion until the onion is tender. Add the flour, stirring well.
2- Whisk in the broth and stir until well combined. Turn up the heat until it boils. Turn heat down to medium, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken. Lower the heat to low.
3- Squeeze the juice of the lemon in and stir in the 1/2 tsp of zest.
4- Add the cream and parsley. Stir well. Heat on low for 5 minutes.
5- Toss with pasta, serve hot.

Crunchy Crispy Cookies

2011-08-16T17:36:00.000-04:00

Baking has taken a back seat this summer. Between the heat (which has been unreal) to the pregnancy fatigue (which has also been unreal) baking has become a hobby from my past. A few nights ago I wanted cookies. NOW. And not just cookies, homemade cookies. So I ~~hobbled~~ walked into the kitchen and got to work. After making a couple original cookie recipes I have become quite confident in my abilities to throw things together and see what happens. These came out awesome! I think the texture at first can be a bit surprising, you can definitely "feel" the rice krispies in the cookie in each bite. They have a subtle peanut butter hint to them with chocolate chips in each bite. Definitely a fun twist on the traditional chocolate chip cookie- give it a shot!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup rice krispies
1 cup flour
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350.
2- In a large bowl stir the chunky peanut butter into the melted butter while it's still hot, stirring well. Add the sugars and mix.
3- Stir in the egg, vanilla, and salt. Mix until well incorporated.
4- Mix in the rice krispies and flour until well incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.
5- Scoop by the tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet or a silpat lined sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden on the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Watermelon Frozen Yogurt Popsicles

2011-08-14T14:02:00.001-04:00

This pregnancy has made me crave two things I don't normally care for: chips and water ice. We go to Ralph's, a local Italian ice chain, quite often. We even had them come to our wedding to give out Italian ice when our guests left... we take our ices quite seriously ::wink wink::. However I always get the heavy cream ice which is like a slushier ice cream... yet since being pregnant nothing is more appealing than water ice- lemon in particular. When this ice pop recipe popped up on Cassie's blog I knew I had to make them. It was a healthier way to cure my constant need for fruity water ice. The best thing about this recipe is the possibilities. I'm already imagining a pineapple version- yum. Just change the fruit and even the yogurt and you have a new flavor. These are creamy and taste exactly like the fruit you use because... well... they're made from fruit! Yes, I am clearly Captain Obvious today, I apologize. Even my dad who was skeptical really liked them. Before the summer ends and all of the great fruit disappears give these a shot!

Source: Cassie Craves

Ingredients:
2 cups seedless watermelon, diced
1 6-8 oz carton vanilla yogurt
1 tbsp sugar

Directions:
1- In a food processor combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into ice pop molds and freeze according to the directions for the molds (mine required 4-6 hours but I let them go overnight to be sure).

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2011-08-11T17:09:00.000-04:00

Recently I made enchiladas that blew John's mind. He was obsessed with them. Since that meal was such a hit I decided to try another Mexican inspired meal and see if it was as big of a hit. These taquitos were quite the rage in the blog world a few months ago so I decided to give them a shot.

Honestly, they couldn't have been any easier to make! Mix some stuff together, stuff it in a tortilla, and roll it. It was super easy and resulted in a delicious meal. Best of all they freeze well which means I will be making these again as part of my meal prep for before the baby comes. I am not a huge Mexican fan and even I really enjoyed these. If you are like my husband and love Mexican I'm sure these would be perfect for you.

Source: Pink Parsley

Ingredients:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup salsa verde
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp. chopped scallions
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, cheddar, etc.)
8-12 (6 inch) tortillas, flour or corn
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 425 and grease a cookie sheet.
2- In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients, from the cream cheese to the shredded cheese. Stir well until all ingredients are evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
3- Fill each tortilla with 2-3 tbsp of filling, rolling tightly. Place seam side down. Continue until all tortillas are filled. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.
4- Bake 15- 20 minutes, until golden and crisp. Serve with salsa, sour cream, etc.

Mediterranean Pasta

2011-08-08T18:47:00.033-04:00

I always have odds and ends on my fridge. Half a lime, a few ounces of gorgonzola, some chopped spinach... you get the drill. Typically my odds and ends don't make any sense, don't jive together, and eventually ~~decompose~~ get tossed. One day in an effort to not be wasteful I googled recipes I could make using my odds and ends and landed on this pasta. TA-DA!!! I was so excited. And best of all? It was delicious! John and I were both thrilled with this pasta dish. To be honest I don't love pesto unless it has some form of tomato mixed in so this was right up my alley. I wasn't sure how the feta would go over with John but he seemed pretty into it. He even liked the leftovers which is a huge accomplishment in this household.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original, Inspired by Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1/2 pound pasta
1 cup pesto sauce
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
1- Cook pasta according to packaging directions, drain and set aside.
2- Meanwhile, dice the tomatoes small. Add them to a small sauce pot along with the pesto sauce. Heat to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
3- Toss the pasta with the pesto and 1/4 cup of feta. Top with the additional 1/4 cup feta.
4- Serve hot.

Chicken with Mushroom & Balsamic Cream Sauce

2011-08-05T18:37:00.025-04:00

I made this meal almost 2 months ago and I'm just getting around to blogging it, which is insane because it was a huge hit in our house! My sister came over for dinner but I had no meal plan set, so we dug through blogs together and decided on this. You see, my sister is obsessed with balsamic vinegar. And not in a normal way. She uses it as a pasta sauce. The browner the better. Ew. I love balsamic vinegar but not nearly to the extent my sister does! This came together quickly (bonus) and was excellent (double bonus)! It tasted rich and flavorful. All three of us loved this and I think it would be perfect for those early fall days that I am eagerly waiting for.

Source: What's Cooking, Chicago?

Ingredients:

Pasta:

Salt

1/2 pound orzo pasta

Chicken:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 ounces

1/4 teaspoon

salt & pepper to taste

Mushrooms:

2 tablespoons butter

10 oz cremini or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

10 oz white mushrooms, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon thyme leaves, a couple of sprigs, chopped

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1-Prepare the pasta by heating a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add orzo pasta. Cook to al dente.

2- Prepare the mushrooms by preheating a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add extra-virgin olive oil. Season chicken liberally with salt, pepper garlic powder. Add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

3- Return the skillet to the heat, turn heat back a bit, and add the butter. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and brown stirring occasionally for about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the mushrooms are brown season with salt and pepper then add the garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes or until the shallots are wilted. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Whisk in the stock, balsamic vinegar and the cream. Turn the heat up to high and simmer for about 2-5 minutes or until thickened.

4- To serve, pile orzo on dinner plates and top with top with a chicken breast and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and crumbled bacon (if using.)

Boston Market Cornbread

2011-08-03T09:25:00.000-04:00

Growing up we would get Boston Market every now and again for dinner. I don't remember the chicken, but I do *clearly* remember the macaroni and cheese and the cornbread. Ohhhh do I remember the cornbread. It was sweet and delicious, light and fluffy, crisp on the sides but soft within. Once I hit college there was a Boston Market near campus where my roommates and I would go sometimes... and guess what I'd get? Yup- a side of mac and cheese with 2 pieces of cornbread. (And I wondered how I gained the ~~freshman~~ college ~~fifteen~~ twenty....)

Now, there's no Boston Market close to us plus I have some pride and wouldn't want to eat mac and cheese and cornbread for dinner (well I'd want to, but I'd feel guilty). Even after all these years the desire for that cornbread just won't go away! So I turned to my best friend, Google, and found a knockoff recipe. This is pretty close! And now I understand why it's so good- it's basically cake. It should be called "Corn Cake" but I'll let that one slide. Best of all this gave me another chance to use my mini loaf pan I got for the holidays from my parents. I love having uses for my random kitchen tools! So give this a shot- if you don't have a mini loaf pan just put it in muffin tins. You can't lose.

Source: Food.com
*I halved this and if made 10 mini loaves.

Ingredients:
2 (8.5 oz) boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 (18 oz) box butter OR yellow cake mix
5 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 1/3 cup water
1/2 cup butter, softened

Directions:
1- Preheat oven to 350.
2- Combine all of the dry ingredients, mixing well.
3- Add the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.
4- Pour into well greased muffin tins or mini loaf pans.
5- Bake about 30 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6- Allow to cool in the pan. Then remove to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Garlic Chicken and Spinach Gnocchi

2011-08-01T15:48:00.000-04:00

This is a dinner that seriously came together in no time at all but was delicious. Seriously, delicious. The combination of garlic chicken and the lightly toasted gnocchi was amazing. As a self-proclaimed gnocchi lover this dinner couldn't have been any better. I used frozen chopped spinach because I had a small container of it leftover but I think it would be just as delicious with fresh spinach. I think this whole meal took 15 minutes to make and tasted like it took a lot longer. Is there anything better than that?

Source: Delish

Ingredients:

3 ounces chicken breast, diced small

1 package gnocchi

2 large cloves garlic, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter, divided

Kosher salt and pepper

1/2 cup-3/4 cup chopped spinach

Directions:

1- Cook the gnocchi according to packaging directions. Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan heat about 1 tsp. olive oil. Add the chicken, cook until lightly browned. Add the garlic, stir until fragrant (2-3 minutes).

2- Add remaining oil (about 2 tsp) with 1 tbsp butter and gnocchi. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the gnocchi to toast until golden, use a spatula to flip. Add the spinach. Once everything is hot season with salt and pepper and add the remaining tbsp of butter. Stir until melted. Serve hot.

Eggplant Ricotta Pizza

2011-07-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

Eggplant rollatini has quickly become one of my absolute favorite foods. I especially love Italian restaurants that have it is an appetizer- I can have a taste without a huge heaping plate of fried food topped with cheese. Not that a whole plate of fried food topped with cheese is a bad thing... I've been known to enjoy such a thing more than once... ::wink wink::

I have mentioned my amazing local Italian deli. When I was there the other day they had the most beautifully thin sliced breaded eggplant. It looked crisp and firm, not soggy and flimsy as eggplant can get. I quickly bought a few pieces knowing exactly what I wanted to do- make an eggplant rollatini inspired pizza. I was hesitant to serve this to John- he does like eggplant but it's not a favorite, nor is ricotta. However he was a huge fan! It was pretty hard to not like this pizza, it was delicious. It's also extremely heavy and filling. John and I ate significantly less of this pizza than we typically do. Best of all this can be made quickly by using premade eggplant cutlets!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1 batch pizza dough
Tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
4-5 thin, small, breaded eggplant cutlets, at room temperature or slightly warm
Ricotta cheese
Italian seasoning

Directions:
1-Preheat the oven to 450 with your pizza stone in the oven.
2- Prepare your crust. Top with a light coating of tomato sauce and about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
3- On a separate plate top each eggplant cutlet with some ricotta cheese and a tbsp or two of sauce. Use a spoon to spread the sauce over the cheese. Repeat until all eggplant is topped.
4- Place the eggplant evenly over the pizza. Use the remaining mozzarella cheese to top the whole pizza. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings.
5- Bake 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.

Spicy Tomato Compound Butter

2011-07-26T11:18:00.000-04:00

I've said it before but red meat isn't my thing. If I never ate a steak again I'd be fine. John, however, loves a good steak. Once in awhile I suck it up and make him his precious steak... I think of it as fair since I make him eat so many vegetarian pasta dishes. Typically I either marinade the steak or just grill it and call it a day. The other night I wanted something "fancier." We go to this steakhouse by us that always does interesting things with their steak and I've seen them use several compound butters so I decided to try my hand at compound butter on a steak. I personally didn't try this but John loved it. I mixed some in with the zucchini and it was tasty on the veggies. This butter could be used on steaks, veggies, tossed in pasta, spread on bread... the options are limitless!

Source: Slightly adapted from A Good Appetite

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
Pinch of Cajun seasoning
Pinch of kosher salt
3 sun dried tomatoes, diced small
1 clove garlic, grated using a microplane
2 tbsp. butter, softened

Directions:
1- Combine all of the ingredients and stir well until everything is well incorporated. Refrigerate until serving.

Cheesy Garlic and Herb Bread

2011-07-24T08:47:00.000-04:00

I love garlic bread and seriously don't understand how someone could not like it. I mean, bread-good. Garlic-good. Butter-very good. Put it all together and you get an amazing side. Now, add some cheese to it and we're talking! When I made the Alouette pasta I was left with half a tub of this cheese and knew I'd need to incorporate it into several meals and dishes. I wasn't worried about this task since Alouette cheese is amazing, and I have to say this bread was delicious. I made it on roasted garlic ciabatta bread and there were chunks of roasted garlic throughout, topped with melted Alouette cheese... ugh, heaven. John and I were both silently gobbling up this bread which is always the mark of a good meal!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:

1 small loaf (about 10 inches) roasted garlic ciabatta bread, or any ciabatta/Italian bread

Alouette garlic and herb cheese

1-2 tbsp. butter

Garlic powder

Kosher salt

Parsley

Directions:

1- Slice the loaf of bread in half. Spread a thin layer of alouette cheese over both sides of bread.

2- Slice the butter very thin and lay over the bread evenly. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and parsley.

3- Toast until golden, slice and serve.

Alouette Pasta

2011-07-22T10:12:00.002-04:00

I can assure you that this has to be in the top 5 "easiest to make" category on my blog. With the heat outside, busy summer schedules, and just a lack of desire to spend time in the kitchen, I feel pretty confident that this recipe will come in handy on those nights where you just don't feel like cooking. This pasta came together in less than 20 minutes. Literally. So if you're short on time but don't want take out this is a great choice. Not to mention I'm obsessed with Alouette cheese and would put it on just about anything... but that's just me! If you don't know what Alouette cheese is it's simply a spreadable garlic and herb soft cheese. It's great melted on pasta, wrapped in chicken, or just spread on a cracker. Try this- it's tasty and easy.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1/2 pound pasta, any shape
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup Alouette garlic and herb cheese
Salt and pepper
1 box frozen Green Giant antioxidant blend veggies (broccoli, peppers, carrots, etc.)
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1- In a large pot prepare the pasta according to packaging directions.
2- In a sauce pot heat the broth. Stir in the Alouette cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3- Microwave the frozen veggies according to packaging directions.
4- In the pasta pot combine the drained pasta, sauce, and veggies. Stir well. Top with parmesan cheese to taste.

Bang Bang Shrimp

2011-07-20T19:41:00.001-04:00

Howdy, friends! It is sweltering in NJ this week. We are way over 90 degrees each day with high humidity and a high heat index. The kicker? The doctor wants me to avoid heat since my pregnancy is causing some insane asthma. Can I ask you how one avoids HEAT when it feels over 100 degrees each day? Hmm... well, I haven't figured it out yet! The one thing I did figure out was I am not turning on my oven, not under any circumstances. I've been making many dinners on the stovetop and this was one.

John and I love bang bang shrimp from Bonefish Grill. Love. I am pretty anti chain restaurants but I make an exception for Bonefish, particularly for these shrimp. The other day the craving was strong and I decided to make them. Since they are ~~extremely~~ unhealthy I paired it with a simple green salad and called it a meal. We were both happy- this was a definite crowd pleaser. I will make it again next time I have company for an appetizer, it's so tasty and pretty similar to the classic from Bonefish.

Source: Adapted from Chef Mommy

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp, raw, peeled, and deveined (I used jumbo, I'd suggest medium)

Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
4-5 tsp. chili garlic sauce
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. rice vinegar

Egg mixture:
1 egg
1 cup milk

Breading:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup panko
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1- In a small bowl mix all of the sauce ingredients together and set aside, covered.
2- In a shallow bowl mix the egg and milk, set aside. In a separate dish combine the breading ingredients and stir well to combine.
3- Dip the shrimp in the breading, followed by egg, and than back in the breading. Set on a plate. Continue until all shrimp are coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4- Meanwhile heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Once hot, add 6-7 shrimp at a time until golden on one side, slip. Once both sides are golden remove and place on paper towel to dry.
5- Add a few shrimp at a time to a mixing bowl with some sauce. Once coated, remove and add more shrimp/sauce. (I found using a soft rubber mixing spoon worked best to coat without pulling off the breading).
6- Serve hot on a bead of lettuce, top with green onion if desired.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

2011-07-17T17:21:00.000-04:00

Words can't express how big of a hit these were in our house. I was photographing the enchiladas while John was trying them and I heard "OH MY GOD!!!" from behind me. I turned around, expecting to see he burnt his tongue or something, and instead I found him happily shoveling this into his mouth. He said it was one of his favorite meals I've ever made and he wants me to make it again immediately. I have to agree with him, they were incredible. The chicken was kind of sweet and sticky, wrapped in a crisp shell and topped with delicious cheese and sauce. The combination of flavors was really out of this world. As I'm typing this up I'm wishing I had more in the freezer so I could make these for dinner tonight. I halved the recipe but next time I'd make the whole thing and freeze half- we will certainly be having this over and over again!

Source: Slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used rotisserie chicken)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup light cream

Directions:
1- Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
2- Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.
3- Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.
4- Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Dinner Spanakopita

2011-07-15T07:30:00.001-04:00

A couple weeks ago we went to the wedding of our good friends, Natalie and Mark. We were so excited to go, not just to share in the joy of our friends, but also to EAT! You see, Natalie and Mark got married at the same place as John and I so we were thrilled to finally get to eat the food since we didn't eat anything on the day of our wedding. One of my favorite foods during their wedding was the spanakopita that was being passed during cocktail hour. If I ate less than 5 I'd be surprised, I grabbed one every time the tray passed!

After gorging myself on them at their wedding you'd think I have had my fill, but no... I needed more. So I decided to try my hand at making them at home. I remembered seeing a recipe for them on Annie's blog a long time ago so I dug it up and made them. They were surprisingly easy to make and so very delicious. I sung my own praises as I ate this, declaring myself a kitchen Goddess (yeah... I know... I'm not proud). I paired them with a simple Greek salad and called it a day. Perfect dinner in my opinion!

Source: Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Ina Garten

Yields 6 strudels

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped small

2 green onions, yellow and white parts, chopped

1 10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. bread crumbs

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 cup small crumbled feta cheese

12 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted

6 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 375.

2- Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions, cook 2 minutes. Set aside.

3- In a mixing bowl combine the spinach, egg, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Add the onion mixture, stirring until well combined.

4- Gently fold in the feta.

5- Place one sheet of phyllo on a flat work surface. Brush lightly with butter. Top with an additional sheet of phyllo, repeating until 4 sheets are layered. Using a pizza cutter, slice the phyllo in half, lengthwise.

6- Spoon about 1/3 cup spinach mixture onto the top of one phyllo rectangle. Roll the dough as if folding a flag, folding the dough over the filling then folding diagonally over itself. Repeat until a triangle is formed (there are videos of this on youtube if you're confused). Place seal side down on a baking sheet. Repeat until all triangles are formed.

7- Brush the tops with melted butter, sprinkle with flaked salt (kosher salt works well) and bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Sweet BBQ Chicken Kabobs

2011-07-13T17:06:00.024-04:00

Growing up our grill was by far the most used kitchen tool. My dad grilled dinner most nights of the week over the summer and at least a couple times a week year round (snow never held him back!) So when I went there last weekend for a day to spend time with my parents I knew I wanted to make something that could be thrown on the grill. I love cooking for others and since it's currently just John and I, I like to take advantage of opportunities to cook for my family when I go to their house. Needless to say, they don't mind either! These kabobs came out awesome. They were light and healthy, easy, and had just the right amount of flavor. I served them with garlic couscous and it was the perfect summer meal. Give these a shot, you'll be glad you did.

Oh, and just so you know, my dad set up the flowers in the background of the picture up top. He has an insane garden full of vegetables (the peppers were from there) and tons of pots of flowers... so he decided to "stage" my picture for me. Not half bad if I do say so myself!

Source: Slightly adapted from Cassie Craves

Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 cups pineapple, cut into chunks
1 large green pepper, cut into chunks
1 red onion, cut into chunks
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
3 tbsp. orange juice

1- On skewers, alternate pieces of chicken, pineapple, bell pepper, and onion. Repeat until the skewer is full and all skewers are complete.
2- In a bowl stir together the BBQ sauce and orange juice until well combined. Spoon over the kabobs, rotating to spoon the sauce evenly over all sides.
3- Grill until cooked though.

Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats

2011-07-11T16:15:00.000-04:00

I am a member of a cooking community full of bloggers and home cooks. One day there was a conversation about how people were "so over" the cake batter trend. I sat there in complete shock. Never, ever, ever will I be over cake batter flavored treats. I have loved cake batter flavored snacks since I first tired cake batter ice cream at Cold Stone in college. Since then I have just fallen deeper and deeper in love with the cakey goodness.

I first saw this recipe months ago and kept meaning to make it but for one reason or another never got around to it. I'm so glad I finally did! They taste pretty similar to their brother, the regular "plain" rice krispie treat, but with a little fun twist. They have a mild cake batter taste and are full of fun colorful sprinkles. Next time I'm not sure I'd mix as many sprinkles into the mix, or if I did I'd do it at the last possible second because mine melted into the mix and kind of "bled" into it, making them a bit more green than white. Overall, delicious. Like, super duper delicious. If I wasn't being lazy I might be eating one now as I typed... but I am lazy and they are juuuussstttttt out of arms reach!

Source: How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter
1 10 oz bag mini marshmallows
1/4 cup yellow cake mix
6 cups rice krispie cereal
Sprinkles

Directions:
1- Over low heat melt the butter. Stir in the marshmallows and stir constantly until melted.
2- Once melted, spoon in the yellow cake mix one spoon at a time and stir well. Remove from the heat.
3- Add the rice krispies, stirring well until coated in the marshmallow mixture.
4- Add some sprinkles, about 2 tbsp., and stir well.
5- Spoon into a greased dish (any size you want) and push down to flatten (I spray my hand with nonstick spray and push with my hand). Top with additional sprinkles. Allow to set for 30 minutes, then can with a knife sprayed with nonstick spray. Keep in an airtight container.

Summer Risotto

2011-07-09T10:26:00.000-04:00

Risotto isn't something I typically think of as a summer dish. It's cheesy rice, which to me says "heavy", which in turn screams winter or fall. Yet lately I've been dreaming of risotto. There's some therapeutic about making risotto, pouring the broth into the rice, watching it absorb, adding more broth, etc. It takes awhile but it's so easy that it's almost mindless.

This risotto recipe was really lovely. The tomatoes popped, releasing a lot of their juice into the risotto. This made it lighter and bit more summery. I used tomatoes and zucchini, but if you have a plentiful garden you could add whatever you have on hand. Also, I roasted my veggies because I'm a fan of the affect roasting has on vegetables, but if you don't want to heat up your kitchen you can easily just cook them in a pan. The flavor of this was excellent with a nice tomato/cheese harmony. I am excited about the leftover risotto, I will be turning it into risotto cakes for lunch tomorrow and I'm already psyched to do it!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half (about 1 cup)
1 zucchini, sliced in coins and cut in half
Olive oil
Salt/garlic powder

1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced dried onions
1 cup arborio rice
4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup pecorino romano cheese, freshly shaved
Salt/pepper

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350. In a small dish toss the tomatoes and zucchini together. Drizzle olive oil over the mixture, season with salt and garlic powder. Bake for 45 minutes or so.
2- Meanwhile, bring the broth to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer.
3- In a large skillet, heat the 1 tsp olive oil and add the onion. Once it's hot, add the rice and stir well. Once it begins to lightly toast, add 1 cup of broth and lower the heat to medium/low. Allow the rice to absorb the broth. Once it's absorbed, add another cup. Continue until all broth is added.
4- When the last cup of broth is cooking with the rice, remove the veggies from the oven and stir into the rice mixture. Add the cheese, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper.
5- Allow to continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed. Serve hot.

Mexican Chicken Pizza

2011-07-06T17:32:00.000-04:00

Growing up pizza meant one thing- red tomato sauce and cheese. My dad liked other toppings but the rest of us were purists. I can remember going to a friend's house and her family got sausage and peppers on their pizza. I was aghast. I didn't know people could DO such a thing to a pizza. And I certainly wasn't interested in partaking in such an event. It wasn't until recently that I started really experimenting with pizza. I still prefer plain if I'm getting it from a pizzeria, but at home I do get a bit more exciting. That's me, Miss Living-On-The-Edge!

This pizza was awesome. John and I were both big fans. Best of all, I always have all of these ingredients on hand so I can make it at any point. I debated doing a tomato sauce mixed with taco seasoning for the base but I'm really glad I didn't- the salsa was perfecto! Give this a shot, it's tasty stuff.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1 batch pizza dough
1 tsp. olive oil
1 bell pepper, sliced thin (I used half red/half green)
3 ounces chicken
1/2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 450 with your pizza stone in the oven.
2- Prepare your dough, rolling it out on a surface coated in corn meal or parchment paper.
3- In a medium skillet heat the oil. Add the peppers, stirring frequently.
4- Rub the chicken breast with taco seasoning. Add to the skillet, cooking until cooked through. Remove from pan, slicing thin or dicing small.
5- Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the salsa, stirring well. Stir over medium heat for a couple minutes.
6- Spoon the salsa/chicken/pepper mixture over the crust. Top evenly with cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes on the pizza stone.
7- Serve hot.

Pasta with Mascarpone and Roasted Grape Tomatoes

2011-07-03T11:38:00.000-04:00

Look, I'm going to cut to the chase here- this is good. Not just good, but great. Like, "OH MAN! Give me more!" great. I kind of assumed it would be, I mean, the ingredients are all amazing and it's hard to combine amazing ingredients in a simple manner and get gross food so I had high hopes to begin with. It was creamy but not heavy which is really an amazing thing. I am not a fan of super heavy meals so when I tried this I was thrilled to see that it had all the flavor of a creamy cheesy dish without that feeling of food sitting like a rock in your stomach. Plus if you've read my blog you know my obsession with roasted tomatoes- they have such a deep flavor. If you are looking for an easy pasta dish try this, I assure you you'll be glad!

Source: Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from Gourmet
Serves 3

Ingredients:
1 pint grape tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
1/2 pound pasta, such as shells
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup chicken broth or white wine
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Chives, diced small

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a small oven-safe dish with tin foil. Lay the tomatoes in the dish, drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
2- Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
3- In a mixing bowl, pour the roasted tomatoes and olive oil in, mashing the tomatoes with a fork or potato masher until broken up. Stir in the mascarpone cheese, broth (or wine) and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Stir well. Slowly add the pasta water, as needed, until smooth but not runny.
4- Toss in the pasta. Stir.
5- Pour the pasta into an oven safe dish, topping with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
6- Top with chives, serve hot.

Monster Mix Cookies

2011-06-30T20:55:00.001-04:00

I have a dirty little secret to share... I waste food. Too much. You see, I often get cravings (and believe me, this happened long before pregnancy) and I need the food NOW. For instance, Doritos. I'll NEED them. So I run out, buy a bag, eat a serving, and then I'm over it. The almost-full package will sit and sit until I find it in the back of the cabinet and throw it out. I've overcome this issue by paying more for smaller packages (which annoys me... but I digress) so that I don't throw as much out. I recently bought small packs of Monster Trail Mix from Target and ate all 6 packs (that were supposed to be for John... oops!) in a matter of days. So the next time I went to Target I bought a tub of this stuff. I kid you not, a tub. And what happened? I lost interest. Ugh. The curse. I'm not one of those people who can push through it and eat stuff that doesn't interest me, no, it just sits.

So with this tub I knew I needed to get crafty. I decided to bake them into some cookies, and ta-da! These little delicious loves were born. I was a big fan of this recipe. They were soft, peanut buttery, and loaded with goodness. I was hesitant to throw whole peanuts in but they worked out great! If you don't have the Monster Mix you can just do a combo of the ingredients, which are listed below.

Source: Adapted from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 cup flour
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups Monster Mix (combo of peanuts, raisins, M&Ms, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips)

Directions:
1- In a large bowl mix together the melted butter and peanut butter until the peanut butter melts in. Add the sugars and mix well.
2- Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well until well incorporated.
3- Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, flour, oats, and stir well. Once well incorporated stir in the Monster Mix.
4- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
5- Preheat the oven to 375.
6- Scoop rounded tablespoons onto a coated baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool slightly than remove to a wire rack. Enjoy!