Butternut Squash and Sausage Risotto

One of my favorite Bible study authors/teachers is Kelly Minter.  I first did her "No Other Gods" study back in 2013 and since then have done all of her studies over the last few years.  Not only is her content fantastic, but she also includes recipes in each of her study books.  Win-win!  I have a few of her recipes that have become favorites, but this one takes the cake.  When I read the description, I'll be honest and admit that I wasn't initially excited or even thought about trying it.  Sausage and butternut squash...together?!  But something told me I ought to step out of my comfort zone and give it a go.  WOW - Am I ever glad that I did!  This makes enough to feed 8 people, so it's an excellent option for a large crowd.  As soon as the temps dip below 80, I'm ready for savory dishes and this is one of my go-to meals in the cooler months.

Butternut Squash and Sausage Risotto

(serves 8)

adapted from Kelly Minter

Doesn't it just look like fall?!

Ingredients
16 oz. of Arborio rice
1 lb Ground Italian Sausage (I use Jimmy Dean's found in the breakfast meats section)
1 large butternut squash, seeded, cubed (I'll post recipe below of how to easily roast a butternut squash)
1 onion, diced
5 cups chicken stock (or broth, but I prefer stock)
2/3 cup white cooking wine
2 Tbs butter (or olive oil)
½ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and place cut side down on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil and cooking spray.  Roast for 25 mins.  Remove and let cool then easily peel the skin off, cube the squash and toss with 1 Tbs of olive oil, salt, and pepper in the pan. Put it back in the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
**I have found this to be the easiest way to roast a butternut squash.  If you want to peel and dice it beforehand, go for it.  But be warned, you might lose your religion over it.  There's always the option of buying pre-cut, but it's usually pretty pricey.  If you do buy pre-cut, you'll need about 4 cups and you'll roast for 20-25 mins.

2. While butternut squash is roasting, cook ground sausage in large saucepan (I use my dutch oven), stirring often to break up sausage. Drain most of the fat, reserve a little for flavor and set aside.

3. In the same large saucepan (or dutch oven), sauté onion with 2 Tbs butter in pan for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add rice and stir until well coated, about 2 minutes. Add white cooking wine and cook for another minute to let the strong wine flavor burn off. Add one cup of stock and continually stir until stock is absorbed. Do this with each cup of stock, waiting until current stock is absorbed before adding the next. If you feel like you can still add more liquid after the 5 cups of stock, you can add a ½ cup of water (or stock) until it’s creamy and to your liking. After rice is cooked, add butternut squash, sausage and Parmesan to the saucepan, stirring gently so you don’t smash the squash. Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve with a mixed greens salad and a green vegetable, like asparagus or roasted brussels sprouts.

This recipe just screams fall with its orange hues and sweet/savory flavors.  It's a total crowd pleaser and you can freeze any leftovers.  You may want to add extra liquid when reheating leftovers as the risotto continues to soak up the stock.  Please give this a try and let me know what you think.  It's not a quick fix, but you will not be disappointed!

Fast Fixins - Erica's Greek Chicken

Have you ever had someone make you a meal and you could just feel their love through it?  Isn't that the best feeling?

 

Cooking is one of the ways I show love to people.  I would feed everyone if I could afford it.  I guess it was how I was raised.  My dad was always in the kitchen whipping up something.  His specialties were cheese grits, biscuits & gravy, lemon pound cake, and brownies. The man always had a slew of food available for anyone that might walk through the door and he made sure you never left hungry.  I think that's what my childhood friends remember most about coming to my house.

I have a sweet friend, named Erica, who brought us a meal after Emmy was born (and has since cooked for us a few more times), and every time I bite into one of her dishes, I know that cooking for others is a way she shows love.  It's there in the fresh ingredients, the time she spends chopping, cutting, and dicing vegetables and herbs.  This is one of her recipes that's not only delicious, but quick and easy too.

Erica's Greek Chicken (makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
-4 washed and trimmed boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (or breasts - I prefer cutlets because the cooking time is less)
-1 cup all purpose flour
-2 tablespoons Greek seasoning
-Olive oil
-Feta cheese
-Kalamata olives
-Cherry tomatoes, sliced
-Green onion

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325. Mix flour and Greek seasoning and coat chicken in mixture.
2. Sear in 1 tablespoon of olive oil on high heat in hot skillet until light brown (about 1-2 mins per side).
3. Place seared chicken in a foil lined pan and sprinkle with as much feta cheese, olives, tomatoes, and green onions as you'd like.
4. Bake at 325 for 15-20 mins (depending on thickness of chicken)

While the chicken bakes, I make my vegetables to go with it.  On this day, I paired it with fresh green beans and sweet potatoes.  You can cook a sweet potato in the microwave in 7 minutes if you don't want to wait for it to bake in the oven.  These green beans take about 8 minutes.  I flash steam them in a little bit of water for 2 minutes in a skillet, drain, then return to the hot stove and cook over medium/high heat with a drizzle of olive oil, minced garlic, and a little salt and pepper for about 3 minutes. Quick, easy, healthy.  And CHEAP during their peak season.  You can get a whole bag for about $1.50 at Publix that's easily 4-6 servings per bag.

You can also pair this with rice or cauliflower rice with another green vegetable.  It's such a flavorful, colorful, healthy dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes.  I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as we do!

Fast Fixins - Shrimp Stir Fry

Happy Sunday!  I hope y'all are enjoying this last day of the weekend.  By this point, the Sunday blues are probably setting in as you get ready for Monday morning.  I know that's especially true for my teacher friends who are heading back to work tomorrow.  This summer FLEW by!  I am praying over all of you and the sweet kiddos that will soon walk through your doors.  I know the Lord has placed them all in your care for a reason.

We had a great morning at church.  We had bagels with the seniors that we teach as we enjoyed our last Sunday school class together before they head off to college, then we heard a good word from Dr. Ben McCarty.  He preached on God's mercy in the middle of our mess.  It was a humbling sermon and a reminder that we all have messes in our lives - some of us bare our messes for the world to see and others have internal messes that we try to mask and hide. If I'm being totally transparent, the latter would be me.  I don't mean to do this.  It's more of a "I don't want people to think I'm a negative person" issue.  I definitely don't have it all together.  Some days it feels like it's hanging by a thread.  BUT The Lord sees, hears, and opens the way for us. He wants us to come to Him so that He can help us deal with our messes.  Praise Jesus!  I need all the help I can get!

With a busy week looming over us, I thought I'd share my first "Fast Fixin" (here in the South, fixing has numerous meanings).

This recipe is so delicious, healthy, and QUICK!  From start to finish it takes about 20 minutes.  Here's what you'll need:

Shrimp Stir Fry (feeds 2-3 people)

(adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients:
-1 to 2 lb shrimp frozen or fresh (I buy mine peeled and deveined then quickly remove the tails.  If you buy frozen, make sure you allow about 5 minutes for them to thaw)
-3 fresh zucchini, cut into wedges
-2 cups grape tomatoes, chopped
-1 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned - just drain canned)
-2 cloves garlic
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-fresh basil
-salt & pepper to taste
**Disclaimer: I honestly don't measure when I cook.  So, these are my estimates based on what I used.  Feel free to use more or less!

Directions:
Mince and saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan.  Add shrimp and cook until opaque.  It's usually about 5 minutes.  Remove shrimp and set aside.  Add a bit more olive oil to the pan and saute your zucchini and corn over med/high heat for about 5 minutes and then add in tomatoes, stirring to combine for about 2-3 minutes.  Add the shrimp back to the sauteed veggies and season with basil, salt, and pepper.

 

This is seriously so easy.  And so healthy.  Shrimp is an excellent source of lean protein and you're getting a good mixture of complex carbohydrates from the vegetables.  I serve this just as it is.  If you want, you can always serve it over rice, but it's honestly not needed.  I hope you enjoy!

One of the Greatest Inventions

I know I may be way behind on this fantastic invention, but I just had to blog about it in case there's someone else out there like me who's been living under a rock.  It's not the latest smartphone or tablet...it's the Cuisinart Smart Stick Blender.  Mind blowing, right?

You can buy it here

We got this as a wedding gift from someone very near to my heart - I unfortunately don't remember who it was, but you were looking out for us!  This little thing is awesome.  Find joy in small things, right?  I don't have to dirty up my big old blender whenever I want a smoothie.  I've been back to working out regularly and I'm making smoothies or protein shakes almost daily.  This thing blends up anything my regular blender can do in no time at all.  It's small, light weight, and easy to clean.

Protein shake - 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup frozen cherries, 1/2 cup almond milk, scoop protein powder

I realize I'm ridiculous for being this happy over a kitchen appliance, but when you're in the kitchen as much as I am and try to maximize time efficiency and minimize clean up, you get really excited about this stuff.  If this post is helpful to at least one person, my mission is accomplished.  Have a great weekend!

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

It's been awhile since I've posted a recipe - but here's one you'll have to try if you like garlic and chicken.  It's actually so very close to my favorite dish at one of our local favorite restaurants.  I've been trying to figure out just what all went into NY Deli's Garlic Chicken for about a year now and this is pretty darn close.  I adapted it and made a few changes.  I hope you enjoy.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

adapted from The Recipe Critic

Ingredients:

-3/4 cup all purpose flour

-1 Tbsp sea salt

-1 Tbsp pepper

-1/2 tsp dried basil

-1/2 tsp dried oregano

-2 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

-5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

-6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced

-1 red bell pepper, chopped

-1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

-1 cup fresh spinach

-1 cup white mushrooms, sliced

-1 cup sun dried tomatoes

-1/2 cup heavy cream

-2 Tbsp cornstarch

-1 cup fat free milk

-1 cup freshly grated parmesan

-1 lb fettucini noddles

-4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350.  Combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano.  Dip each chicken breast in the flour mixture and coat well.

2. In a large skillet, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil on medium/high heat.  Place the breaded chicken in the oil and cook until golden brown on each side (about 3-4 mins per side).  Do not cook all the way through.

3. In an oven safe dish, place the chicken and bake in the oven for 15 mins.

4. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the fettucini noodles according to directions on package.  Drain well.  In the skillet used to brown the chicken, wipe with a paper towel and add the 2 remaining Tbsp of olive oil.  Saute the red pepper, mushrooms, and garlic for about 2-3 minutes until soft.  Stir in 1 Tbsp of flour and stir constantly for 1 minute.

5. Add the chicken broth and stir constantly while simmering.  It should start thickening up in about 3-4 minutes.

6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and cornstarch.  Add the cream mixture, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and milk to the mixture.  Bring this to a simmer until the spinach starts to wilt.  Stir in the parmesan cheese.  

7. Add 3/4 of the sauce to the fettucine noddles.  Top with breaded chicken and spoon more of the sauce on top.  Garnish with fresh basil.  Enjoy!

I'll be posting more recipes soon.  I hope you have a blessed week and took the time to think about the sacrifices men and women make for our country everyday.  Happy Memorial Day!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

I've got a recipe for you to try!  I made this two nights ago and it was so good.  I'm happy I didn't let the name stop me from trying this recipe, because it definitely exceeded my expectations.  Even the hubby liked it and he's not a fan of anything out of the ordinary.  Casseroles just don't happen with him.  The flavors are so full and wonderful all mixed together.  Give it a shot and tell me what you think!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

adapted from Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour

Ingredients:

-2 chicken breasts, bone-in with rib meat, boiled and shredded (or just buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it)

-1 box whole wheat penne pasta

-1 onion, chopped (or do like I do and buy frozen - use about 1 cup.  I hate chopping onions.  It always makes me cry!)

-1 red pepper chopped

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1 4 oz can diced green chiles

-2 10 oz cans green enchilada sauce

-1 cup red enchilada sauce (a little less than 1 can)

-2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 1/2 to 2 tsp chili powder

-1 tsp cumin

-1 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream

Additional Toppings I used:

-tomatoes

-avocados

-green onions

-greek yogurt

Directions:

1.  Cook and shred chicken, set aside.  Boil pasta according to directions.  While pasta is boiling, chop onion, pepper and garlic.

2.  In a large saucepan over med/high heat, saute onions in the olive oil until translucent (about 2-3 mins).  Add the pepper and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes until tender.

3.  Add the enchilada sauces.  It should start to simmer.  Add the green chiles, salt, chili powder, cumin and shredded chicken.  Let simmer for 8-10 mins.

4.  Add the Mexican cheese, stirring to mix and melt through.

5.  Reduce the heat to low.  Make sure it is NOT boiling and add in your greek yogurt or sour cream.  Stir and mix well.

6.  Return the pasta to a large pot and add enchilada sauce.  Mix together and you're ready to grub!  Top with avocado, tomato, green onions and sour cream/greek yogurt.

I hope you enjoy!  I made my version a little healthier by using whole wheat pasta and greek yogurt instead of sour cream.  It came out great.  Feel free to use regular pasta and sour cream.

Have a good rest of the week.  I am so spent.  Another teacher I work with said she feels like she's been running a marathon.  I thought that was perfect to describe the way I feel too.  I need the weekend to recharge my batteries!  Maybe then I can catch up on some blogging. :)

Meal Plan Monday

I'm bringing back Meal Plan Monday.  I haven't posted one in a looooong time, but I need the accountability and if it helps any of you by giving you ideas, then it's a win-win-win (Office reference, sorry).

Jared and I have finally made a budget and I'm so excited about it.  We have goals to work towards!  Some dear friends shared with us their copy of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and we are sticking to it.  For some reason, it's fun to me.  Weird?  Yes.  But it's like I'm in competition with myself to see if I can do better than my budget.  For example, when I went grocery shopping, I saved $34.  That may not seem like a lot to any of you couponers, but it's a great start for me.  And I didn't even use coupons!  I just bought meats and produce on sale.  If I keep it up, I'll have a lot of mulah left over in my grocery budget. 

Here's my 1st meal plan of the year.  It actually started on Saturday because that's when I grocery shop now.

Meal Plan

Saturday: Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti.  Recipe here.
Sunday: Crockpot Taco Soup
Monday: Blackened Grouper with steamed broccoli
Tuesday: Tacos!  We love taco Tuesdays :)  I'll post below how I make my own taco seasoning.
Wednesday: Church
Thursday: Grilled Pork Chops with steamed broccoli
Friday: The Deen Bros Lighter Macho Nachos.  Recipe here.

I seem to have a Mexican theme this week...I don't know why.  I guess we haven't had it in so long and it's all yummy and pretty good for you.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Source: 5dollardinners.com

1 T chili powder, 1 T ground cumin, 1 T garlic powder, 1 T onion powder, 1/4–½ T crushed red pepper.  I triple this recipe to make plenty to last for a couple of months.   Mix well in a jar and use instead of that preservative packed, expensive stuff at the store.  You probably already have all of these seasonings in your pantry.

I hope you've had a great start to your week!

Kale Salad

A teacher friend of mine made this recipe and shared it with our staff at a work potluck we had a few months back.  I didn't try it or decide to make it until Christmas and I was missing out!  It's so healthy, but tastes really good as well.  She has given me permission to share, so without further delay, here you go!

Kale Salad

Ingredients:

-one bunch of kale, cut out stems (or I just bought a big bag that was already cut up & used half)

-juice of one lemon

-1-2 tbs olive or flax oil (I used 2 tbs olive)

-1 tbs apple or rice vinegar (I used apple)

-3 pinches of salt

-several dashes of chili powder (I did about 4-5)

-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

-1-2 oz Asiago cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Remove vein from kale and chop, unless you're like me and you bought the pre-chopped stuff already.

2. Chop garlic and mix in a small bowl with lemon juice, oil, vinegar, salt, and chili powder.  Stir until blended.

3. In a large bowl, have your kale ready and pour the dressing over the kale. 

4. With your hands or salad tongs, mix really well.

5. Top with grated Asiago cheese.

*Just a note - the kale will soak up the dressing, so don't be shocked when you see your salad shrink.

Enjoy! XO

Butternut Squash Soup

This may be my new favorite soup.  If you've never tried it, do yourself a favor and take advantage of this seasonal squash.  It's easy to make and so rich, buttery and savory.  I adapted this recipe from The Italian Dish.

Butternut Squash Soup

Photo courtesy of The Italian Dish

Ingredients:
-3 tablespoons butter
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 cup chopped onion
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tsp chopped fresh sage (about 3 leaves) or 1/2 tsp of dried sage
-2 to 2-1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
-1/8 cup sherry
-4 cups chicken broth
-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/3 heavy cup cream
-salt and pepper
-4 ounces pancetta, chopped
-feta or goat cheese

Directions:
**I roasted my squash at 400° for 15 minutes to soften it up.  Otherwise, it is very hard to dice**

1.  Melt the butter and olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and sage and saute one minute.  Add squash cubes and saute 5 minutes. Add the sherry, broth and cayenne pepper.  Cover and simmer on low for about 25 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a little skillet until nicely crisped.  Drain on a paper towel.

3.  Puree soup, either with an immersion blender right in the pot, or transfer to a food processor or blender. Return to pot and stir in cream.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4.  Serve in bowls with bacon and feta or goat cheese on top.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. -Romans 8:28

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

I'm tuning out election news and choosing to blog on cooking instead.  It makes me much happier.  I'm sure some of you can empathize with me.  As I said in my last post, I'm planning on making one soup recipe a week through the winter.  I love soups but never cook them in the summer.  Hot soup with 100 degree weather?  It just doesn't jive.  But let it drop to 70 and we have a different story...  Also mix in this teacher fighting off all of these germs my students are trying to share with me and soup sounds pretty darn good.  This one was delicious, so I figured I'd share the recipe.  The key is fresh basil - don't skimp on this ingredient.

 picked fresh from my garden

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

4 servings

Ingredients:

-2 28oz cans of whole tomatoes, peeled (I really like the Cento San Marzano brand)

-1 cup chicken broth

-14 fresh basil leaves

-1/2 cup butter

-1 cup of heavy whipping cream

-salt & pepper to taste (I used about 2 tsp of both)

Directions:

1. Empty cans of tomatoes along with juice and chicken broth into a large pot.  Bring to a low boil over medium heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Once it's done simmering, transfer to a food processor or blender and blend with basil leaves until smooth.

3. Return to pot over low/medium heat and add butter and heavy whipping cream.  Stir well until butter is completely melted.  DO NOT bring it to a boil.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

5. And of course, you know the 5 year old in you wants to add a grilled cheese sandwich to make this one great meal.  Or maybe that's just me. :)

I hope you'll try this out and love it as much as we did.  I'll leave you with a brief, to the point word of encouragement as we all await our country's decision...

Be blessed, my dears!  I hope you have a wonderful week! XO

Chicken with Mushrooms & Cream Sauce

This might be one of the best things I've ever made.  It's a Julie Child recipe, so no wonder, right?!  This was the first Julia Child recipe I ever tried and I'm definitely going to be investing in her cookbooks.  My hubs was skeptic (because he doesn't like baked chicken), but even he was wanting me to make it again.  It has butter and cream, so what could be better?  If you want to change up your ordinary chicken, definitely give this a try.  It makes me happy just thinking about how delicious it is.  Does good food do that to anyone else too?  Or am I the only weirdo?  Anyways, here's the recipe.

Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms & White Wine Cream Sauce

adapted from Sugar & Spice

Ingredients for Chicken

-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed

-Juice of 1/2 lemon

-1/4 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp black pepper

-Big pinch of white pepper

-5 tbsp butter

-1 tbsp chopped green onion or minced shallot

-1/4 lb diced fresh mushrooms

Directions for Chicken

1.  Preheat the oven to 400°.  After trimming chicken breasts, squeeze lemon juice over them and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.  Set aside.

2.  In a dutch oven, melt the butter over med/high heat until it foams.  Stir in the chopped green onions or minced shallot and stir for about 1 minute.

3.  Next, stir in the mushrooms and saute for about 30 seconds.  You don't want the onions or mushrooms to brown.  Add your pinch of white pepper.

4.  Quickly roll the chicken in the dutch oven to coat well with butter mixture.  I left mine on each side for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

5.  Cover with a tight lid and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes.  Check to be sure chicken is cooked all the way through.

Ingredients for White Wine Sauce

-1/4 cup beef bouillon

-1/4 cup white cooking wine

-1 cup heavy whipping cream

-1 tbsp butter

-salt and pepper to taste

-lemon juice

-freshly minced parsley

Directions for Sauce

1.  As soon as the chicken is done baking, remove from the oven, place chicken on warming platter and return the dutch oven to the stovetop.

2.  Place 1 tbsp of butter in the pot and stir to loosen up any mushrooms or onions that may have gotten stuck.

3.  Pour bouillon and wine in with the cooking butter and mushrooms.  Boil down quickly over high heat until it gets thick.  

4.  Add the whipping cream, continuing to stir until it gets thick.  Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if needed.  I squeezed a little bit of lemon juice in mine, but you don't have to.

5.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and top with parsley.  Enjoy!

I served this with steamed asparagus and it was a great combination of flavors.  Seriously, you'll lick the plate.  I'm not kidding.  Let me know what you think! XO

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

It's halftime during the Arkansas game, so I'm going to post a new recipe really quick.  I don't know about you, but hubs and I are pretty darn happy that it's football season.

This morning, I did a trial run for a cake/monkey bread that I'm bringing to our Sunday School breakfast tomorrow morning.  Of course, I found it on Pinterest.  And ya know, I had to try it out before I fed 30 people.  It was so yummy.  Not so healthy (at all), but delish. 

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

Adapted from Cookies and Cups

Ingredients:

-3 packages of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls (I bought the skinnier tubes)

-1 package of cream cheese

-1 stick of butter

-1 cup of brown sugar

-2 tbsp water

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°.  Meanwhile, grease a bundt pan and cut the cream cheese into little blocks.

2.  Take each cinnamon roll and tear it in half.  Put a little cube of cream cheese in between the two pieces of cinnamon roll and roll into a ball.  Drop it into the bundt pan.  Repeat until you have a can and a half of cinnamon rolls in your bundt pan.
3.  Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, heat the stick of butter over medium heat. As soon as it's melted, add the cup of brown sugar and water. Mix well.  Bring to a good boil.  Remove from heat and pour half of the mixture over the cinnamon rolls in the bundt pan.

4.  Finish rolling out the remaining cinnamon rolls with the cream cheese and pour the rest of the sauce on top.

5.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.  Just a tip - this can be very gooey because of the cream cheese, so I baked it for the maximum time.  It came out perfect in my oven.

6.  Let it cool for a few minutes and then dump it onto a plate.

7.  Take the left over containers of cream cheese frosting (that came with your cinnamon rolls) and drizzle it over the top.  I only used 2 of the 3 containers, and I put it in a different bowl and heated it up so that it'd be easier to drizzle.  You don't have to do this step, but I figured why not.  It came with the frosting anyways, might as well use it!

8.  Enjoy and try not to clog your arteries.  

This is very rich, but seriously good.  It's great for a large crowd or for a Thanksgiving/Christmas morning breakfast.  I hope you enjoy!

Reese's Trifle Dessert

I love getting new recipes from Pinterest.  This one comes from Let's Dish Recipes.  Danelle calls this the Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Dessert, but I put mine in a trifle bowl and simply called it a Reese's Trifle.  Same difference. :)

This is easy, no baking required, rich and delicious, and completely unhealthy. ;)  It'll be gone in minutes.  Here's what you'll need to do...

Reese's Trifle

Ingredients:
-20 Oreo cookies, divided

-2 tablespoons butter, melted

-1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

-1/2 cup peanut butter

-1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided

-1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

-15-20 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped

-1 cup cold milk

-1 small package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix

 

Directions:

1. Crush 15 cookies and toss with the melted butter. Press into an ungreased 9-inch square dish or a trifle dish (which is what I did) and set aside. 

 

2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over oreo crust. 

 

3. Sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups.  I put mine in a food processor to chop them up quickly.

 

4. In another large bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix and remaining confectioners' sugar on low speed for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until it's beginning to set. Fold in remaining whipped topping. 

 

5. Spread pudding mix over peanut butter cups. 

 

6. Crush remaining 5 cookies and sprinkle over the top. 

 

7. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. 

Her picture is much better quality and shows the inside layers.

This dessert is a bit heavy and rich, but if you like chocolate or peanut butter, you'll love this.  I think my nephews could have downed this whole thing by themselves.  Let me know what you think!

Eat Clean's Summer Salmon

I've had a few people request some healthy everyday meals.  This is one of my very favorite recipes.  Salmon is probably my favorite fish.  I love it's buttery taste and it's Omega 3s are so good for you.  I got this recipe from my Eat Clean Cookbook.  It's called "Summer Salmon", but we eat it year round.  It's so simple and quick.  My husband even loves it and salmon is not his favorite.

Eat Clean's Summer Salmon

Ingredients:

-Salmon fillets (Varies depending on how many you're feeding.  I do one filet per person.)

-Olive oil

-1 lemon

-Sea salt

-Black pepper

-Fresh or dried rosemary (I use fresh from my herb garden)

-1 to 2 green onions, finely chopped

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425°

2.  Coat a baking pan with non-stick spray.  Lay salmon filets (skin on*) in pan.  Drizzle with olive oil.

3.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on each filet along with rosemary and chopped green onions.

4.  Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the filets.

5.  Bake for 20 minutes.  

6.  When finished baking, squeeze the juice of the remaining half of the lemon over the top.

7.  Enjoy!

*I leave the skin on to prevent the fish from sticking.  It's easily removable once they're done baking.  You can choose to remove it before baking though.  Just a personal preference!

Easy Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is a southern staple, but I rarely make it for dinner.  I don't feel like shucking, boiling or grilling it.  It takes way too long for week night dinners...or so I thought.  That was until my mom let me in on a little secret that I'll share with all of you.

You can cook perfect corn in four minutes using your microwave.  I was skeptical, but I tried it and Jared thought I had gone all out.  It's so easy it's stupid and I can't believe I didn't know about it until now.

Directions:
1.  Place whole cob(s) in microwave, husks and silks still on.
2.  Microwave on high for four minutes.
3.  Remove, with hot pads, and cut about one inch of the cob off from the bottom.
4.  Holding the corn with the hot pads at the top, squeeze until it pops out.  It'll come out perfectly smooth.  All of the strings will even be removed.
5.  Put some butter, salt and pepper on it and you've got corn on the cob without all of the mess.

This is what your silks and husks will look like after the corn is removed.  See all of those strings?

Perfect.

In case you can't tell, I get really excited about food.  It's great to be able to cook healthy foods quickly and have them still taste great.  I hope you'll find this helpful and enjoy more of this summer veggie!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Yesterday was quite eventful at our house.  I went out the front door around 3ish to go get the mail only to stop dead in my tracks as a rattlesnake lay sunning on my sidewalk.  Flipping out is an understatement as I ran inside shaking like a leaf and crying.  I've always known I was scared of spiders, but I guess I'll add snakes to that list too.  They're just evil, nasty, disgusting creatures (sorry to all of you snake lovers).  They just give me a serious case of the heebie jeebies.

I called pest control and animal control.  Pest control told me it'd be two days before they could come out.  Okay, yeah, that's what I'll do.  Leave a poisonous snake chilling in my yard for days.  No.  Animal control told me it'd be $500.  If that's the case, I'm in the wrong industry.  Actually, the guy said, "four eighty-nine," to which I replied, "four dollars and eighty-nine cents?  Because surely you didn't mean four HUNDRED eighty-nine dollars."  He confirmed the four HUNDRED.  Umm, no thanks.

I had to distract myself to get my mind off of the snake..  I just kept imagining it curled up on my doorstep, waiting for me to open the door or watching me through the window.  By the way, we never did find it.  I'm praying it was just passing through, on it's way to its forever home in Hades.  I'm keeping a very watchful eye, though.

I decided baking would make me feel better so I got to work on some peanut butter cookies.  I found a recipe on pinterest awhile back that claimed these were "healthy".  Can't say I agree with that completely due to all the sugar, but they were good and very simple.  Perfect consistency.  There's only 4 left this morning and I made them yesterday afternoon.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

-1 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)

-1 cup sugar

-1 egg

-1 tsp of baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. Mix together the peanut butter and sugar.  

3. Add the egg to the mixture, combining well, then add the baking soda.

4. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 10 minutes.

6. Enjoy with a big glass of milk! 

Have a great week!

Spicy New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

I'm sitting here eating leftovers while hubby is at Bible study.  I could not help but think I needed to post this recipe because even the leftovers are delish.  It was another pinterest experiment and one that has been added to my recipe book!  If you're in the mood for spicy, smokey or seafood, this will not disappoint.

Spicy New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

Source: returntosundaysupper.com

Ingredients:

-1-2 pounds fresh,jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
-1/2 cup butter, melted
-4 tablespoons Heinz Chili Sauce
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-2 tablespoons Worcestershire
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1 tablespoon fresh parsley
-1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
-1 1/2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke (hickory)
-1 teaspoon paprika
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
-5 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Peel and devein the shrimp.
2. Add all of the other ingredients in a saucepan, stir and let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and let cool.
4. Arrange the shrimp in an oven- proof casserole dish and pour the sauce over the shrimp.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake shrimp for 15 - 20 minutes.
7. Serve immediately with crusty French bread to sop up the delicious sauce.

Normally I tweak recipes, but I followed this one to the tee.  It was so so good.  If you're not a huge fan of spicy, opt for just 1/2 to 1 tsp of cayenne pepper.  And I suggest letting it marinate overnight.  I let mine sit for about 8 hours and it was still full of flavor, but I can only imagine how awesome it would be if it soaked all night.

Switching gears - I read a powerful scripture yesterday...

Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.  -Philemon 1:8-9

Wow.  Just chew on that for a moment.  Love is the greatest gift of all.  It was a wonderful reminder that I really need to show love more than anything else in every aspect of my life - even to those who irritate me so badly sometimes.  Ha!  Love is more powerful than any boldness, authority, or pride.


XO

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin, Mexican Stuffed Peppers, Cake Batter Blondies & Oreo Triffle - Recipe Catch Up!

I'm getting so bad about posting.  I've thought time and time again since I last posted - almost a month ago - that I needed to blog, but I simply just haven't been able to find the time.  Well, I've got the time now and have a lot of post about.

I'll start off with Valentine's Day.  Yes, very old news.  BUT I want to document it none the less.  I've never been one to go all out and celebrate Valentine's Day because you should show someone everyday that you love them.  But I don't mind if one day out of the year, we take the time to calm down our busy lives and just simply focus on our love.  Since Valentine's Day was on a Tuesday this year, J and I stayed home and had a nice meal and just spent time together.  We agreed on no presents (since we're going to the Casting Crowns concert), but of course he ended up getting me something.  Not just anything, though.  A hand made,. extremely heart felt gift that was totally free.  It was the best gift I have ever received, hands down.  It made me cry and thank the Lord for my husband.  If there's one thing I've always admired about my husband, it's his ability to really get to know someone and remember important details about their life, learn what makes them tick.  Obviously he knows these things about me because I'm his wife, but I was just blown away at how personalized and sweet his creation was.  My kids at school also blew me away with their kindness.  I have enough chocolate to feed an army!  It just made me smile knowing that they took the time to pick out gifts for me and spend their allowances on me this Valentine's Day.

~~~

I've been up to a lot in the kitchen.  I've been diversifying my meal plans (even though I haven't posted one in quite some time) and was really pleased with some new dishes that are definitely being added into the rotation.  A couple new supper time dishes we've loved have been Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin and Mexican Stuffed Peppers.

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin (adapted from food.com)

Ingredients:

-4 tbs butter

-2 tbs honey

-1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed

-1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning (I just used blackening seasoning)

-1/2 tsp black pepper

-3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an ovenproof pot (I used a cast iron skillet), heat butter and honey over medium heat until melted.  Sprinkle pork tenderloin with Cajun seasoning and black pepper.  Brown each side for 5 minutes.  Lower heat if honey begins to burn.

Place pot in oven and roast for 15 - 20 minutes*.  Remove pot from oven and transfer the pork to a plate. Cover with foil.  Add water to the pot and stir over medium heat.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, until sauce is reduced slightly.  Slice pork on the diagonal and drizzle sauce over top to serve. 

*I roasted mine for 45 mins and it was perfect.  Just check the progress of your tenderloin.

This was delicious and very simple.  It had a crunchy outside and tender, juicy inside.  The honey and butter together really made a unique taste.  We'll be having this again.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients (can feed 2-4 people):

-2 to 4 large bell peppers (any color is fine, but I chose 2 green)

-2-4 chicken breasts, depending on size (I only used 2)

-1 can Rotel and all the juice from the can

-1/4 cup finely chopped white onion

-1 chopped jalapeno

-2 cups salsa

-shredded cheese

Ingredients for Taco Seasoning:

-1 tsp salt

-2 tsp onion powder

-1 tsp chili powder

-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1/4 tsp oregano

-1 tsp ground cumin

Put whole chicken breasts, taco seasoning, Rotel, chopped onion and chopped jalapeno in crock pot.  Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.  When it's done, shred chicken and mix well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the tops off the the bell peppers and pull out the inside ribs and seeds.  Rinse under cold water to remove any remaining seeds.  Stuff peppers with chicken mixture & cover with salsa sprinkled with cheese.  Bake for 25 mins until pepper is soft.  You can top with more salsa and cheese if you wish.  Add some black beans or smashed pinto beans and you've got yourself a very healthy Mexican dinner.

Cake Batter Blondies (adapted from Nicole's blog)

(too easy and too good)

Ingredients:

-1 box Confetti Cake Mix
-1/4 cup oil (I used vegetable)
-1 egg
-1/3 cup milk
-1/2 cup white chocolate chips
-1/4 cup sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, egg and milk.  Whisk until well combined.  The batter will be thick.  Add in white chocolate chips and sprinkles.  Spray a 9 inch round cake pan and pour batter in the pan.  Bake for 20-25 mins if you like them soft, 30 mins if you like them more done.  SO GOOD, but so bad.  It's just too easy and I usually have all of these ingredients in my pantry.

Oreo Chocolate Trifle (NO BAKING!)

Ingredients:
-1 package of Oreos
-1/2 cup butter, melted
-1 large box of instant chocolate pudding
-16 oz container of Cool Whip, divided
-8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
-1 cup of powdered sugar

Make chocolate pudding according to directions.  Place in fridge to set.  Meanwhile, crush the package of Oreos with a rolling pin or in a food processor.  Reserve a 1/4 cup for the topping.  Cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan or trifle bowl with crushed Oreos.  Pour melted butter on top, mix well and press down to make a crust.

Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until fluffy.  Blend in powdered sugar and then fold in half of the Cool Whip.  Spread mixture over the top of the crushed Oreos.  Top with chocolate pudding and then finish layering with the remaining Cool Whip.  Sprinkle the top with the 1/4 cup of crushed Oreos.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Very simple and takes hardly any time.  This is a great summer time dessert.

~~~

Alright, enough recipes to catch up.  I hope you'll try some of these and enjoy them as much as we did. 

This Tuesday, we have the FCAT Writing test in 4th grade.  I am so anxious to get this over with.  I know my kids will be fine, but they just put SO MUCH pressure on them to perform.  I'll be happy after Tuesday is over.  I haven't had hardly any time to do much of anything due to school right now.  I'm ready for spring break!  But I have decided to spend this chilly Sunday in pajamas.  I need some rest and relaxation before I pull my hair out.  I'll blog soon about a book I'm reading that is really helping me to calm my anxious spirit and seek what really matters in life.  I have always struggled with anxiety and OCD and when I am under a lot of pressure, it really fires it up.  That's just the devil's way of trying to sneak in and have control over my thoughts.  But I know this and will not let it happen.  I'm staying positive and praying for God's peace to capture my mind and direct my thoughts.

I hope y'all have a blessed week! XOXO