Pea Salad

Well Helloooo there! Long time, no...see(?)! Life has been pretty crazy around here!! Since I've last been around, we've had an addition to the family! So we've been buz-y! Our little mister is now 5 1/2 months old, and a little busy body! Hoo! He wears me OUT!! He was born on May 13, 2010 at 10:36 pm (after 2 days of labor!!) and he weighed 7 lb. 12 oz and was 20 3/4" long. He is also the picture of perfection! I couldn't ask for more! I quit my job as a teacher at the local daycare to be a stay at home mom, and I LOVE my job at home! There is nothing more fufilling to me than taking care of my husband, baby and household each day!

I finally decided after almost six(!!) long months that it's time to re-enter the blogging world! I was unsure at first if I wanted to, blogging can be a time drain! But, I miss it. I also miss having one go to place for my recipes!! So, I'm back! I don't promise a recipe every.single.day. I don't promise weekends. I don't promise anything. But as I have a recipe to share, I'll share. My cooking style has changed some in the past few months, but I still have lots of recipes to share with you all, and I still like to experiment! So, without further adue...a new recipe!!

I know that pea salad is a recipe that should traditionally be shared and eaten in the summer. With temps in the 40's and 50's around here, you'd think it more appropriate that I share a recipe for something more warm-you-up-inside...not for something cold and, well, summery. However, hubs loves pea salad, and since I have to pack his lunchbox each morning, I like to pack things that he likes. Plus, it's easy. Me likes easy :) Oh, and this recipe came from my Grandma's cookbook, which is a compilation of recipes from all the ladies in my (very) small hometown. We're talking a population of like 300 here. But dang! Those small town ladies sure do know what they're doing in the kitchen (how redneck did that sound?!?!?!?).

You'll only need a few simple ingredients for this recipe...

- 1 bag frozen peas

- 1/3 cup Velveeta cheese, cubed

- 2 tablespoons of sugar

- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise

The directions are pretty easy too!

Put all the ingredients in a bowl. Stir until well combined. Chill until Serving.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!! (just a side note. I've never celebrated Cinco de Mayo before. I'm not even totally sure what it's supposed to be celebrating othen than the Fifth of May. I just always take it as a good opportunity to enjoy me some ooey gooey Mexican food!)

There is nothing better than a big 'ol creamy enchilada covered in cheese and still piping hot from the oven! Got your mouth watering yet (or are your arteries clogging just thinking about it)? I'm kind of picky when it comes to my Mexican fare, I like it spicy, but not too spicy, and I like it creamy, cheesey, ooey and gooey! So when I found this recipe over at Real Mom Kitchen, I was intrigued by the title. Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas huh? It sounded pleasantly different. Then when I read the ingredients and saw that it was a creamy, cheesy, ooey and gooey enchilada recipe I didn't even hesitate about putting this on my "must try ASAP" list!

This recipe did not disappoint! It had the perfect amount of spiciness, which surprised me, considering that there is an entire tablespoon of chili powder in here! I even contemplated cutting that amount in half, but the sour cream mixture really toned the spice down I think. It also had the perfect amount of creamy and ooey gooey...except next time I may add more cheese. Because we all know there is never too much of ooey gooey cheese when it comes to a recipe like this!

Ingredients...

...6 T. honey

...5 T. lime juice ime)

...1 T. chili powder

...1/2 tsp. garlic powder

...1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded

...8-10 flour tortillas

...1 lb shredded cheese

...16 oz. green enchilada sauce

...1 c. sour cream

Directions....

In a medium sized bowl, stir honey, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder and all but 1 cup of the shredded cheese into chicken until it is well coated. Let marinate for a half hour or longer. Meanwhile, prepare a 9x13 pan by greasing the sides and bottom and then pouring 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan. Once chicken has marinated, spoon some into a tortilla, wrap up and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat until all 8-10 tortillas are filled. To the remaining chicken mixture, add sour cream and enchilada sauce and stir until smooth and well combined. Pour mixture over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients...

...Thinly sliced ham, chopped

...1/4 onion, chopped

...1/4 green pepper, chopped

...1/4 c. salsa

...1/4 - 1/2 c. shredded cheese

...4 eggs

...Tortilla Shells

Directions...

In a skillet over medium heat, saute ham, onion and green pepper until tender. Add eggs and stir continuously until a scrambled egg form takes place. Be sure to cook until eggs are fully done. Stir in salsa and shredded cheese and cook until everything is heated through and the cheese has melted. Serve in warm tortillas shells.

Bagel Dogs

Yet another Real Mom Kitchen recipe that I just couldn't pass up! As I've mentioned before, we are big Macaroni and Cheese fans in this house! That being said, I have more macaroni and cheese AND packages of hot dogs in my stockpile than the average person eats in their entire life. Add to that the fact that I am sick and tired of macaroni and cheese and hot dogs, I knew it was time to start experimenting with new recipes to get these hot dogs used up. What I really wanted to make was Pigs in a Blanket, but I didn't have any sliced cheese on hand, and I was not about to run out to the grocery store just for sliced cheese. So I decided to give this recipe a whirl!

These are super amazingly good! A plump, warm hot dog wrapped up in a blanket of soft, chewy bagel bread just really hits the spot! Next time, I may add some cheese wrapped around the hotdog before I wrap the dough around, but otherwise, I pretty much left this recipe as is and was very happy with the results. As was hubs. Now I'm off to try and find a recipe for pretzel dogs...because this just got the ball rolling on things I can do with the umpteen meeeelion packages of hot dogs I have stored in our deep freeze (okay. not quite that many. but close.)

Ingredients...

...2 cups warm water

...4 1/2 tsp. yeast

...3 T. sugar

...3 tsp. salt

...5 1/2 c. flour 

...12 hot dogs

...2 tsp. baking soda

...1 egg yolk

...Salt for garnish 

Directions...

Pour the warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer and add the yeast. Let stand until foamy. Stir in sugar and salt and turn the mixer on low speed. Gradually add flour until a smooth, elastic dough has formed. Using the dough hook, knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Place the dough into a clean, well greased bowl and turn to make sure all sides of the dough are covered with grease. Cover and let stand in a warm, draft free place for an hour. Once the dough has risen, punch down and place onto a floured workspace. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until about 1/4" thick. Using a kitchen scissors, cut the dough into strips about 1" wide (approximately 10-12 strips). Wrap each strip around a hot dog, overlapping each layer slightly. Place on a greased baking sheet and cover. Let sit in a warm, draft free place to rise for about 45 minutes. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the dough has browned. Serve warm.

Zuppa Tuscana Soup

I have a confession to make. I have never before in my life eaten Zuppa Tuscana soup before. Apparently Olive Garden makes a pretty mean version of this stuff, but I've never tried it! When I stumbled upon the recipe over at Finding Joy in My Kitchen, I decided that it sounded really good and I'd like to give it a try!I am soooo glad that I did! This soup is phenomenal! I've been looking for a new and different soup recipe, and here it is!

Not only is this soup phenomenal tasting, but it's super easy to make! The flavors of this soup just meld together so well! Hubs told me that he felt it was a little too "leafy" so I think next time I may tone down the spinach a notch, but otherwise this was great!! A+ soup in my book!

Ingredients...

...1/2 lb. Italian sausage

...6 medium potatoes, cubed

...1 medium onion, diced

...4 garlic cloves, minced

...4 c. chicken stock

...2 c. water

...2 c. milk

...1 c. frozen spinach

...6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Directions...

In a stockpot, brown sausage with onion until no longer pink. Add in chicken broth, water and potatoes. Let simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Stir in the milk and spinach and continue to let simmer. Mash potatoes slightly. Add in bacon and continue to let simmer until everything is heated through and ready to serve. In total, I let my soup simmer for about an hour from start to finish.

Blitz Bread

This is a fabulous bread recipe that is my new go to bread for Italian food night! It has an amazing garlic-y/Italian/DELICIOUS flavor to it that just makes me want to sit and eat the entire pan in one sitting! I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and was intrigued! I have seen recipes in the past that call for adding things like garlic or cheese to bread, but have never tried them before. I finally decided to give it a go with this recipe and I'm a convert! This is a great alternative to garlic bread or breadsticks on Italian night! I served this with spaghetti (I made the sauce from scratch, watch for the recipe in a few days!)  and it was delicious!

This is a flatter bread, slightly dense, so it wasn't your typical loaf of bread. It was more of a bar like consistency. Just try this, it's great!

Ingredients...

...1 1/2 c. warm water

...3 T. olive oil

...1 1/4 tsp. salt

...3 1/2 c. flour

...1 T. yeast

...1/2 tsp. garlic salt

...3 tsp. dried herbs (I used a McCormick blend of herbs & garlic powder. It was perfect!)

...Italian Seasoning

Directions...

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the Italian Seasoning. Stir until everything is well combined. Prepare a 9x13 pan by greasing the bottom and sides, and then drizzling the 3 T. olive oil on the bottom. Scrape batter into the pan, cover and let sit in a draft free, room temperature spot for one hour. After resting for an hour, drizzle the top of the dough with a little more olive oil, and then sprinkle with Italian Seasoning. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes.

Santa Fe Skillet

I love skillet dinners! They are just so easy to whip up, which makes them great for a busy night when cooking isn't your top priority...but giving your family a home cooked meal is. This recipe, which I found over at Put a Lyd on It!, (and changed quite a bit), reminded me a lot of that taco flavored Hamburger Helper. We don't eat much Hamburger Helper in this house. Only about two boxes per year, which I keep on hand for those reaallllllyyy stretched nights when I don't even have time to think. But anyways, it reminded me of that. But tastier. And homecooked.

At first I was worried that we were just going to have a fancified goulash on our hands, which worried me, because we all know about my love for goulash (eh hem). I was pleasantly surprised that this turned out nothing like better tasting than goulash. It had a great Mexican flavor to it while still being family friendly with the noodles and ground beef. I give this recipe two thumbs up...and so did hubs!

Ingredients...

...1 lb. ground meat

...1 package (6 or so oz.) pasta

...1 c. salsa

...1 T. chili powder

...1 packet taco seasoning

...1/2 tsp. salt

...1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

...2 tomatoes, diced

...1 c. shredded cheese

...1/2 c. sour cream

Directions...

Cook pasta in a large pot until tender. Drain. Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown meat until no longer pink. Add cooked pasta, taco seasoning packet, chili powder, salt and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese. Simmer for 5 minutes longer and serve.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

I'm not going to lie and pretend that I've had homemade spaghetti sauce before. I haven't. I'm pretty much a Ragu kind of girl. Just give me a jar of Ragu and I'm golden. I mean, the stuff can be used on anything! Pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, the list is endless! I broke my Ragu from the jar snobbery last week though and made my own spaghetti sauce...from scratch. That's right my squeezies, I made HOMEMADE spaghetti sauce. And....I liked it! Don't tell Ragu, he'll be devastated to know that I'll only be using him for pizza (and maybe lasagna) from now on.

I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and it is a recipe that she has worked on perfecting for some time now. And then I went and just messed it all up. On purpose though. I made changes that I wanted for my spaghetti sauce...changes that I was going to find incredibly tasty (and. changes that reflected the ingredients that I had on hand). I was incredibly happy with the turnout of this sauce. It was so amazing, the tomato flavor was so real and the texture was so great! Not too thin, not too chunky, not too weak of flavor...it was all just so right on. So just be aware that you will never be able to go back to jarred pasta sauce for your spaghetti again after trying this recipe. Because you might just will fall in love with this recipe!

Ingredients...

...3 T. olive oil

...1 large onion, chopped (not pictured)

...1 lb. ground meat

...1 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

... 12 oz. tomato paste

...2 tsp. salt

...1 tsp. black pepper

...3 tsp. oregano

...1 1/2 tsp. basil

...1 1/2 tsp. thyme

...56 oz. diced tomatoes

...28 oz. crushed tomatoes

...1 can mushrooms

...1 beef boullion cube dissolved in 1 c. boiling water

...2 T. brown sugar

...2 bay leaves

Directions...

In a skillet, heat up olive oil and add onions. Saute onions until they are translucent. Add ground meat and cook until it is no longer pink. Stir in garlic powder, tomato paste, thyme, oregeno, basil, pepper and salt. Let cook for about 2 minutes.  In a large (and I mean LARGE) pot stir together crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, boullion/water mixture and brown sugar. Add in meat mixture and stir until well combined. Toss in two bay leaves and let simmer for at least one hour and no longer than three.

To lessen the amount that needs simmered, you can freeze half of the mixture before simmering. I froze in portions equal to a jar of pasta sauce so I can easily pull them out from the freezer for spaghetti or lasagna night! This makes a HUUUGGGEE batch!

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

I originally saw a recipe very similar to this on one of Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals show, and I just wanted it sooo badly! I couldn't stop thinking about those "smashed" potatoes, as she called them, and searched the Food Network Website high and low for that recipe. Alas, since it was a rerun that I had spotted that great recipe on, the recipe was nowhere to be found on Food Networks website.

In comes Allrecipes to my rescue. I spotted this recipe in my recipe box (apparently I had saved it a year or so ago) and squealed with delight when I realized how close it was to Rach's potatoes! These potatoes are sooooo good! They are every bit as good as what I was imagining in my head! The bacon flavor distributes itself throughout the potatoes, the green peppers and onions add that extra little bit of "bam!" and the cheese...ohhh that ooey gooey cheese that has melted itself throughout the potatoes! That just made this side dish!

Ingredients...

...1/2 c. onion, chopped

...1/2 c. green pepper, chopped

...1 T. vegetable oil

...4 c. mashed potatoes

...1 c. shredded cheese, divided

...1/4 c. bacon, cooked and crumbled

...1 tsp. salt

...1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

 

Directions...

 

Saute onion and green pepper in vegetable oil. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, 1/2 c. shredded cheese, bacon, salt, pepper and sauteed onions/green peppers. Stir until everything is well combined and evenly distributed. Place mixture into a greased 2 qt. oven safe casserole dish and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Steak Hoagies

When it comes to sandwiches, I'm pretty boring. Growing up, unless it was PB&J, cold meat w/ cheese or grilled cheese, we didn't have it. Which probably explains my fascination with Subway throughout high school. I especially loved Subway's Philly Cheesesteak sub, and ate it frequently as my high school job was next door in the strip mall to a Subway! I don't think I loved it because it was Philly Cheesesteak...I think I loved it simply because it was something different. Something more fancy than PB&J or bologna with a cheese slice sandwiched between two slices of bread.

So that all goes to explain why I have been on a mission lately to find lots of delicious sandwich recipes that I can create right here at home. I found this particular recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and was very pleased with how delicious this hoagie sandwich came out! It was also super easy to create! This is another recipe that is going into my file for lighter and amazing recipes to put into rotation this spring and summer! The only downside is that this was perhaps a bit on the peppery side, which if you like pepper is a good thing! But if you don't care for lots of pepper on your food (like me) then you may want to scale it back...but don't eliminate it -- it adds a great dimension to this sandwich! I also strongly encourage that you don't skip the broiling process at the end. The way that it melts the cheese into a state of ooey gooey deliciousness and toasts the bun just a tidge makes this recipe seem completely pulled together and not just like you whipped up a filling, spooned onto cold buns and ran (even if that is, in fact, the case...)

Ingredients...

...2 medium sized steaks, cut into strips

...1 T. of equal parts pepper, salt and garlic salt (this is where you would lessen the pepper if you aren't a fan)

...2 T. olive oil

..1/2 onion, thinly sliced

...1 green pepper, thinly sliced

...1 can mushrooms, drained

...1/2 tsp. oregeno

...1 slice of cheese per sub

...sub rolls or hoagie buns

Directions...

Heat olive oil in a skillet until rippling. Cook steak strips in oil until cooked through and no longer pink. Add onion, spice mixture, green pepper, mushrooms and oregano, stirring to evenly coat with all spices. Cook until vegetables are tender and the mixture is heated through. Using a slotted spoon, spoon onto sub roll or hoagie bun and then add cheese. Broil for about 5 minutes, until bun is toasted and cheese is melted.

Cinnamon Chicken

I originally discovered this recipe three years ago. I was living in a dorm room in which my only means of cooking was a toaster oven or microwave. Not exactly the tools for a gourmet meal. Actually, it wasn't exactly the means for an any kind of meal. So while I was cruising around Allrecipes one slow afternoon while working in the college admissions office, I found this recipe and immediately emailed it to my dad with the line "you should make this when I come home this weekend!". Being the good daddy that he is, this wonderful chicken was just being pulled out of the oven when I walked in the door that weekend :)

I've made this recipe on my own a few times since, and I've come to the conclusion that I just am going to have to ask Dad what he did different from the recipe, because for some reason I just don't remember it coming out this way. Don't get me wrong, this chicken recipe is positively 100% delicious! It is so moist and juicy, with great flavor...but I just don't remember there being so much spice and seasonings all over each breast. So I just really want to find out how Dad got each chicken piece packed with flavor without the spices encrusting each piece.

Or. Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me and I only remember a different outcome to this recipe because I was used to cafeteria mystery meat and ramen noodles at the time. So anything and everything else seemed gourmet. It's a puzzler...

Ingredients...

...4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

...1 tsp. ground cinnamon

...2 T. Italian style seasoning

...1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

...3 tsp. salt

...1 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions...

Place chicken in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle each breast evenly with all spices. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and the juices run clear.

Pizza Rolls

I made a recipe very similar to this about a month ago, Pizza Pinwheels. The only main difference between these recipes is that the first recipe uses canned crescent rolls and this recipe uses a homemade dough. Both recipes are equally delicious, the first recipe is actually a little richer than this one. I think it's because of the crescent rolls vs. the homemade dough.

With this recipe, I also experimented with the fillings. I made two versions - a BBQ chicken version which used BBQ sauce in place of the Ragu, chicken and shredded cheese; and a cheese pizza version which used Ragu sauce and shredded cheese. I personally preferred the cheese pizza version. Hubs preferred the BBQ chicken version. Experiment around with different fillings and see what you like best!

I also found that this recipe made more than we needed for one meal, so I actually froze a few of the loaves. Then when I am pressed for time to make supper some night, all I will have to do is pull them from the freezer and into the oven.

I found this recipe over at Jamie Cooks it Up but only very loosely followed her recipe. I actually deviated away from her recipe quite a bit and made it my own. I'm very happy with the results and how tasty these came out!

Ingredients...

...1 T. shortening

...2 T. sugar

...1 T. salt

...1 c. boiling water

...1 c. cold water

...1/3 c. room temperature water

...1 T. yeast

...5-6 c. flour

...Filling ingredients of your choice

...1 egg

...Italian Seasoning

...Parmesan Cheese

Directions...

Dissolve yeast in 1/3 c. of water at room temperature. In the bowl of your stand mixer, mash together shortening, sugar and salt with a fork. Pour in the boiling water, followed by the cold water and then the yeast/water mixture. Start mixer and add in one cup of flour at a time until the dough is smooth and elastic, pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Keep adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky (it may take less than the amount called for, it may take more). Once the appropriate amount of flour has been added, let the mixer run for 8 minutes on low speed to knead the dough. Once the dough has been kneaded for 8 minutes, remove from mixing bowl and seperate into 6 pieces. Let rest on a greased baking sheet for 5 minutes. Next, flatten dough into a rectangle. Cover with sauce and filling toppings of your choice. Roll up rectangle on the long side, making sure to crease the edge and pinch under the ends. Using a greased butcher knife, cut slits into the top of each loaf. In a small bowl, beat egg until frothy. Brush egg onto the top of each loaf, and then sprinkle with Italian Seasoning and Parmesan Cheese. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes. Upon removal from the oven, let each loaf cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Ham & Pasta Skillet Dinner

Once spring rolls around and the weather starts getting nicer I like to start making recipes that are a little "lighter". By lighter I mean not the creamy, comfort food like casseroles that we all like to fall back on during a bitter cold winter night. I find spring to be a great time to start experimenting with these lighter dishes, not only because the temperatures are starting to slowly climb, but also so when the boiler room hot temps hit in summer, I know which recipes I can fall back on for a delicious supper that's not going to heat up my kitchen!

I found this recipe over at My Kitchen Cafe and was wooed by it mostly for the simlicity of preparation but also for the simple ingredients it calls for. I also figured that it's a great recipe to be trying right now, as you can use some of that leftover ham from Easter this past weekend! The real winning factor was that it was a hit at the supper table! Hubs loved it, I loved it...and I'm pretty sure baby loved it judging by the kicks and increase in activity going on in his little cave of my tummy :)

Ingredients...

...4 c. pasta, cooked al dente (I used penne rigate)
...3 T. olive oil
...1 T. butter
...3 c. fully cooked ham, cubed
...1 green pepper, chopped into chunks
...1/2 onion, chopped
...1/4 tsp. garlic powder or garlic salt
...1/2 tsp. basil
...1/2 tsp. oregeno
...1 1/2 c. chicken broth (I made some with a boullion cube)
...1 T. lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
...3/4 c. shredded cheese (I have pictured grated parmesan. That is a mistake on my part. It shold be shredded)

Directions...

In a large skillet, heat up olive oil and butter until butter is melted over medium heat. Add green pepper, onion and garlic powder and cook for 5 minutes. Add ham basil and oregeno, cooking for another 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. After simmering is complete, the liquid should be reduced by half, and will continue reducing as you finish the last few steps. Stir in drained pasta to mixture and let cook a few minutes more, until entire mixture is heated through. Toss with cheese. Sprinkle with a little bit of shredded cheese before serving.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins

These muffins are probably, hands down, the most tasty muffin that I have made in my life. Ever. If you love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, then this is the muffin for you!! I found this recipe in Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook and just the thought of a peanut butter and jelly muffin made me salivate! I made a few changes to her recipe (it should just be expected now that I will find something to change in a recipe!) and I have to say that not a one of them was regretted!

This muffin is best served once cool. For two reasons. Reason number one - the peanut butter and jelly flavors stand out much better once cooled. Reason number two - you will burn your mouth terribly bad from the hot jelly if you eat these muffins straight from the oven! Talking from experience here! You would think that burning my mouth pretty badly the first time around would have changed my mind from wanting to try another straight away, but no. I immedietely grabbed a second muffin and proceeded to burn my mouth again on the hot jelly! I gave up until the muffins were cooled and ate two more once they had cooled a bit. So that's 4 of these muffins within 3 hours of them being out of the oven, all to myself.

Don't judge me. At least they are healthy muffins with veggies!!

Ingredients...

...1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

...1/2 c. carrot puree (Steam or boil some carrots until soft, then put in food processor with water until it is smooth)

...1/2 c. brown sugar

...2 T. butter

...1/2 c. vanilla yogurt

...1 egg white

...1 c. flour

...1 tsp. baking powder

...1 tsp. baking soda

...1/2 tsp. salt

...1/2 c. jam/preserves/jelly (I used my homemade strawberry rhubarb jam...sooooo good!!)

Directions...

In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, carrot puree, sugar and butter until well combined. Stir in the yogurt and egg white. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until just combined, but do not overmix (lumps are okay!). Spoon the batter into 12 greased or lined muffin cups and then create a "well" in the top of each muffin. Drop a spoonful of the jam (or preserves/jelly) into each "well". Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Egg Salad

Well now that Easter is over and the Bunny has left you with tons upon tons of hardboiled eggs, what to do with them? Even though they are colored, they are still safe to eat, so why not right?!? I've always loved hardboiled eggs, but after Easter there are so many left that eating them plain gets just a little, well, boring. I suggest that you whip up a batch of this egg salad to make sandwiches. Not only will this help to use up all those eggs leftover from your hunt, but it will also give you a much needed break from those leftovers at some point. Even though Ham and Scalloped Potatoes are always delicious, sometimes you just need a break!!

As with the potato salad recipe that I'm trying to crack, my Grandma made the best egg salad ever too! I really wanted to find a recipe that was similar to hers and I found this version over at Allrecipes and decided to give it a go. While it was not much like my grandma's recipe at all, it was really good! I have to say though, you MUST let this sit in the refrigerator so that the dried onion can soften...otherwise it's just gross with hard little onion bits. But if you are impatient like me, don't say I didn't warn you!

p.s. It's also National Egg Salad Week...so now you have two reasons to make this!

Ingredients...

...8 hard cooked eggs, diced

...1 c. mayonnaise

...1/8 c. dried onion flakes

...1/2 tsp. salt

...1 tsp. mustard powder

...1/4 tsp. garlic powder

...1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions...

Place all ingredients in a bowl and gently stir until well combined. Refrigerate for at least on hour prior to serving. This step is pertinent to softening the dried onion flakes.

Macadamia Sweet Rolls

As I've mentioned in the past, on special holidays we like to enjoy an extra special breakfast as a family. This is something that my family did as I was growing up (except that our "special breakfast" back then usually consisted of either Pillsbury cinnamon rolls or store bought cinnamon rolls...) and it's a tradition that I've continued on now that I'm married.

Some of our old standby's for special breakfasts include Cinnamon Rolls and Monkey Bread. I decided that it's high time I try my hand at a Sticky Bun. I usually shy away from sticky bun recipes because they call for pecans, which I never have on hand...and I find to expensive to buy when the bag usually is only big enough for one recipe. So when I stumbled upon this recipe over at Allrecipes, I finally decided enough was enough and why couldn't I substitute something for the pecans? I opted to go with macadamia nuts, as I had some on hand with the intentions of making cookies.

These rolls are soooo sinfully delicious that I couldn't stop at just one! I felt kind of guilty eating two...but then decided that a special occaison could mean calories don't count for the day, right? These rolls actually get better with age. Hubs and I both had one straight from the oven, piping hot and all. They were good, but I had one a little while later, once they had cooled a bit and the "sticky" portion of the rolls had a chance to set up and they were ten times better than piping hot from the oven!

This recipe is also super great because you can do all the prep work the night before, toss them in the refrigerator, and then just bake up the morning of! Just toss them in while your kids are hunting for their Easter baskets! And the smell that will waft through your house as these bake up is absolutely amazing! So amazing that your kids will probably (I said probably!) forget about their full of chocolate Easter baskets for long enough to get some real food in their tummies before they fill up on sugar and chocolate (well. just chocolate. these rolls are plenty high in their own sugar count!).

Ingredients and Directions...

...1 c. warm milk (heat in microwave for about 1 minute)
...1 egg
...2 T. butter
...2 T. sugar
...1/2 tsp. salt
...3 1/3 c. flour
...1 1/2 tsp. yeast

Place ingredients in stand mixer and mix until dough pulls away from the sides and is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and let rise, covered, in a warm draft free place for one hour. (this step can also be done in your bread machine).

...1/3 c. butter
...1/2 c. brown sugar
...2 T. milk
...1/2 c. chopped macadamia nuts (but you can substitute any nut really...)

Place butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted. Add milk and brown sugar. Stir until well combined. Add in nuts. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and set aside.

...1/4 c. butter, melted
...1/2 c. brown sugar
...2 tsp. ground cinnamon
...1/4 c. chopped macadamia nuts (or other nut you have chosen)
...1/2 c. raisins

Once dough has finished rising, roll out onto a lightly floured surface into a rectangle. Spread with 1/4 c. melted butter. Sprinkle on cinnamon and brown sugar, followed by nuts and raisins. Roll up like a jellyroll on the long side. With a greased butchers knife, slice roll into 1" pieces. Place the slices in the prepared pan, on top of the sauce prepared earlier. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. If you choose to refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning, let rise and then place in refrigerator, covered. Baking time may need to be lengthened a few minutes. Once baked, turn upside down onto a platter immediately upon removal from oven. Let cool to allow the sauce to set up for a few minutes before serving.

30 Minute Rolls

What would be an Easter dinner without rolls? There are a lot of really great roll recipes out there, several of which I have tried and shared with you including Sour Cream Rolls and Pumpkin Rolls. I decided this time to go the way of ease and try out the 30 Minute Rolls that I found over at Real Mom Kitchen. The idea of quick rolls really appealed to me, especially at this time of year when I feel like I am running 100 miles per minute just to get everything done. Between the Easter celebrations we have with family, baby showers, First Communions, weddings, prom grand marches, spring cleaning, yard work, and work anything that is quick and easy is much appreciated right now! To get a roll that's quick and easy like this? Priceless! Especially when it's a super tasty roll like this one!

My only suggestion to you is to use more flour than I did. My dough was pretty sticky, and I think that affected the baking time, which actually ended up being closer to 20 minutes. I also think that they would have shaped into a prettier roll had the dough been easier to handle. Otherwise, this roll is amazing and one that you should seriously consider for your Easter potluck this weekend!

Ingredients...

...1 1/8 c. plus 2 tsp. warm water

...1/3 c. oil

...2 T. yeast

...1/4 c. sugar

...1/2 tsp. salt

...1 eggs

...3 1/2 c. flour

Directions...

Mix water, oil, yeast and sugar together in a bowl. Let rest for 15 minutes. Add salt and eggs. Gradually stir in flour until a dough forms. Shape into rolls and place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Deviled Eggs

What would be a potluck celebration of any kind without at least one or two platters of these eggs sitting out? Every church potluck, family get together, holiday celebration or summer picnic that I've ever been to has always included deviled eggs, and I have always loved that! I've never made deviled eggs myself before, and was pleasantly surprised by how easy they were to make! Just toss, mix and spoon into the egg white! Done!

Ingredients...

...6 eggs

...1 tsp. white vinegar

...1 T. mayonnaise

...1/4 tsp. mustard

...Salt and pepper to taste

...1 tsp. paprika

Directions...

Hard boil eggs and let cool. Cut the eggs in half and remove yolks, placing them in a medium sized bowl and setting the egg whites aside for later. To the egg yolks add the vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard and salt/pepper. Mash and stir until everything is well combined, adding more mayonnaise as necessary. Spoon the mixture into the egg whites and sprinkle with paprika. Serve chilled.

Happy One Year Anniversary Love From the Kitchen - Let us Eat Carrot Cake!

Happy 1st Birthday Love From the Kitchen!! I first started this blog one year ago today, with the recipe of Alabama Barbecue Sauce...and look how far I've come now! A lot has happened in the past year! I've tried a lot of new recipes, some I've hated but most all I've liked! I've shared with you lots of family favorites, and I've met a lot of crazy cool people!

Thank you to all my readers who stop by each day to see what I've got cooking, who leave comments (I love comments!!) and who even try my recipes! So here's to another (and more!) year of great food and fun kitchen adventures!!

To celebrate any sort of event, cake is a must, and my one year bloggy anniversary is no exception! I decided that since Easter is only 4 days away carrot cake is a very appropriate way to celebrate!

I found this specific carrot cake recipe over at Allrecipes, a little over a year ago. Last year at Easter time, I was looking for a carrot cake recipe to share at a family gathering and this one seemed to fit the bill. I kind of forgot about it since then, so when I was searching for a carrot cake recipe this year to make for Easter and I stumbled upon this one in my recipe box I knew I had to make it again! It's just too good to not make more than once! This carrot cake is also incredibly easy! What's not to love?!? This is sure to be a hit at any Easter celebration that you head off to this weekend...or any celebration on any weekend for that matter!

Ingredients...

...4 eggs

...1 1/4 c. applesauce

...2 c. sugar

...2 tsp. vanilla

...2 c. flour

...2 tsp. baking soda

...2 tsp. baking powder

...2 tsp. cinnamon

...3 c. grated carrots

Directions...

In a large bowl, wisk together eggs, applesauce, sugar and vanilla. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon until well incorporated. Lastly, stir in grated carrots. Spread into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes. When cake is done, remove from oven and let cool completely. Using a biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, cut circles out of the cake and frost. You can split the circles in the middle and add a frosting layer as well, if desired.

Homemade Coleslaw

This is the first coleslaw recipe that I had ever tried to make on my own. I first discovered this recipe a year ago over at Allrecipes, but before I started my own search for a recipe I asked around for recipes from "foodie" friends and they all told me to just go to the store and buy the coleslaw mix, because that's what they do. If I wanted to just go buy a coleslaw mix, I wouldn't have bothered asking! This recipe would make a great side dish at any Easter celebration that you have coming up, because honestly, who doesn't love a good salad?

I decided to go with this recipe because it seemed simple, without all the crazy ingredients! It is just a simple coleslaw recipe that pairs well with just about any main dish! I decided that rather than shredding my cabbage, I was just going to chop it into very small chunks. I loved that chunkier feel to the coleslaw, it felt like it had more substance that way! However, when I've made this previously by shredding the cabbage I loved it that way too! This recipe reminds me a lot of that creamy coleslaw that you would get from a resturant off of the salad bar...simple, creamy and delicious!

Ingredients...

...1 head cabbage, shredded

...3 carrots, shredded

...1 c. mayonnaise

...1/3 c. sugar

Directions...

Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar and cider vinegar. Pour over the cabbage/carrot mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated. Let refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Skinny Scalloped Potatoes

If you are looking for a great tasting potato recipe to share at your family Easter dinner this weekend then here's your recipe. I'll warn you now though, this recipe is for a "reduced fat" type scalloped potato so it isn't the creamy, ooey, gooey, decadent scalloped potato dish that you are probably used to. It's nice to have a lighter potato recipe, it kind of helps to ring in spring by not eating such heavy, comfort food that we are so used to in the winter.

This dish has really great flavor! The spices are right on and the amount of cheese that is in here is just perfect! I urge you to try this for your Easter dinner this weekend, they won't disappoint!

Ingredients...

...1 chicken boullion cube

...1 1/2 c. water

...1 c. milk

...2 1/2 T. flour

...1/2 tsp. ground bay leaf (if you don't have this basil makes a nice substitution!)

...6 potatoes, peeled

...1/2 c. shredded cheese

Directions...

In a medium saucepan, stir together boullion cube, water, milk and flour over medium heat until thickened (about 5 minutes). Set aside. Slice potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices and layer half of them onto the bottom of a greased casserole dish. Pour 1/2 of the thickened milk mixture over the potatoes and then layer the remaining potatoes. Pour the rest of the thickened milk mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle cheese over dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.

Sugar Cookie Bars

It's that time of year again! It seems around every holiday, everyone goes sugar cookie crazy and makes dozens upon dozens of cut out cookies, shaped appropriately for the holiday, and then frosts them in bright colors appropriate to the season. Don't get me wrong, I love baking and decorating sugar cookies right along with the next person, but I just don't like the mess of cleanup that comes with it. Plus I have a short attention span, so after about two cookies, I'm done. So going through all the baking prep for cookie decorating is kind of a waste for me, and we don't typically have decorated sugar cookies for holiday's unless someone else makes them for us.

I've finally found a way that we can enjoy the frosting coated sugar cookie without all of the effort. The Sugar Cookie Bar. This is a very dense bar that is basically sugar cookie dough pressed into a pan, baked, cooled and frosted. I was pretty excited to find this recipe over at Real Mom Kitchen because I just knew that this way we wouldn't be shunned from the sugar-cookie-at-holiday-time club. We could still enjoy our sugar cookies (well. you know.) like the rest of society. Even though we should have learned by now that you're supposed to break the mold and not be like everyone else.  

Eh. I guess we are anyways. Not many people get excited over decorating their sugar cookie BARS each holiday. I sense a new holiday tradition coming on...

Ingredients...

...1 c. butter

...1 c. sugar

...2 eggs

...1 tsp. vanilla

...2 1/2 c. flour

...1/2 tsp. salt

...1/4 tsp. baking soda

 

Directions...

 

Place butter in a medium sized bowl. Place in microwave for 1 minute, to melt slightly. Add sugar and wisk together until creamed. Add eggs in one at a time, wisking between each to completely combine. Lastly, wisk in vanilla, set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda. Pour in wet ingredients and stir until everything is well incorporated. Lightly press dough into a well greased 9x13 pan and bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

Lasagna

I did something the other day that I have never in my life done before. I used a recipe off the back of a box. Honestly. I have never used a back of the box recipe before! I don't know what made me do it. Maybe it was because I didn't have all the ingredients for my Mom's Lasagna, but I did for this one. Or maybe it was because I was eager to try something new. Or maybe...it was both.

I can't tell you how this recipe turned out, taste wise, because I gave it to my dad. Much against my husband's will. However, if the smell wafting through my house while this was baking in the oven is any indicator of how good this lasagna is then it is a mighty tasty dish!

Ingredients...

...1 pkg. lasagna noodles
...1 lb. ground meat, browned
...2 eggs, slightly beaten
...2 c. shredded mozzerella cheese
...1 (30) oz. ctr. Cottage Cheese
...1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
...1 tsp. dried basil
...1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
...1 c. water

Directions...

In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, 1 c. of the Mozzerella cheese, 1/4 c. of the Parmesan cheese, eggs and basil. Mix well. In another medium bowl, combine spaghetti sauce, water and ground beef. Mix well. In a 9x13 pan spread 1 1/2 c. of the meat sauce. Cover with lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over noodles, followed by 1/3 of the meat sauce. Repeat layering once, top with noodles and then remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzerella and parmesan cheese. Wrap the pan tightly with foil and bake at 375 for 55-60 minutes. Upon removal from oven, let stand, still covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Banana Bread Waffles

I love banana bread and I love waffles. So it made perfect sense to me to find this recipe over at Annie's Eats where the two were married into breakfast bliss. Hubs told me he thought that these tasted like potpourri...how he knows what potpourri tastes like is beyond me! But he could not be more wrong! I think he was just intimidated and thrown off by so many spices in a waffle. The only waffle he's ever known is the plain jane waffle with no spices.

This waffle is soooo delicious! It was such a nice change of pace from the regular waffle, it had a distinct banana bread flavor to it that just warmed me from the inside out! Topped with some maple syrup and banana slices....mmmmmm! Heaven! What a great change in pace to start off the day!

Ingredients...

...4 T. butter, melted

...1 c. plus 2 T. warm milk

...1 tsp. vanilla

...2 c. flour

...1 T. brown sugar

...1 1/2 tsp. yeast

...1/2 tsp. cinnamon

...1/4 tsp. nutmeg

...1/8 tsp. ground clove

...1/8 tsp. ginger

...2 eggs, lightly beaten

...3 ripe bananas, mashed (you know. those ones that are really brown and hanging out in your freezer!)

...2 T. sour cream

Directions...

In a small bowl, wisk together the butter, milk and vanilla. Set the bowl aside, and in a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, yeast and spices. Once the dry ingredients are well combined, stir in the wet ingredients until everything is moistened. Wisk in the egg until it is well incorporated. Cover with the bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 24 hours. When you are ready to cook the waffles, remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This will cause the batter to double in size and have little bubbles on the surface. Stir in the mashed bananas and sour cream, wisking lightly. Cook in a preheated waffle iron until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

To see more delicious recipes for baked goods be sure to check out the Ultimate Recipe Swap going on over at Life as Mom!

Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu

I have never eaten chicken cordon bleu. Ever. I've heard great things about it, and I've been interested in giving it a try, but it seems that every recipe I've found calls for bleu cheese. I don't like bleu cheese. So I've steered clear. But when I found this particular recipe over at A Year of Slow Cooking that didn't call for even a HINT of bleu cheese, I jumped on it! I mean chicken wrapped around ham and gooey cheese? I'm all over that (have you noticed yet that I really love me some ooey, gooey cheese?)

The sad part? I didn't use presliced cheese. I used block cheese that I sliced myself. Apparently too thick. Because the cheese all melted right out of the chicken and into the sauce. So I couldn't even tell it was there. It was a sad moment when I discovered that. Next time I'll know. Use thin (like paper thin) slices if you want that ooey gooey goodness.

And oh how I long for that ooey gooey goodness!

Ingredients...

...4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

...4 slices Ham
...4 slices Cheese (I used mozzerella)
...1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
...2 T. milk

Directions...

Prepare your crockpot by greasing the bottom and sides with cooking spray. One at a time, place each chicken breast in a gallon size Ziploc bag and pound thin. Remove from the bag and place 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese on top of each breast. Roll up chicken breast and place seam side down in the crockpot. In a small bowl, wisk together the milk and cream of chicken soup until smooth. Pour mixture over the chicken breasts. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Patio Potato Salad

I'm a true lover of potato salad. I don't know why I don't make it more often. Maybe because I'm so very used to my Grandma's recipe, which was never written down and was one of those recipes that she just tossed and tasted until it was right. I have yet to get it right. But I'm still pressing on.

I found this particular recipe from Taste of Home. I figure that considering my Grandma owned every issue ever printed of that magazine, it's my best bet for finding something close to her potato salad recipe. I came close with this recipe last summer, but it just wasn't it. Neither was this one. This one was super good though, and if I ever decide to give up on the quest to recreate Grandma's Potato Salad, this will be the one that I stick with (as of right now).

This recipe also marked a first in cooking for me, as I have never made a potato salad that required the "sauce" to be cooked prior to mixing. As far as I knew, all potato salads required just tossing and mixing of ingredients. So it was interesting to try things this way, and I was very pleased with the results!

Ingredients...

You're gonna laugh at this. Really, you will. I had all of the ingredients for this salad staged and ready to photograph...and then halfway through the cooking process I realized that I never actually took the picture. I just staged it. So....my intentions were good but there is no ingredients photo. Sorry!

...1/3 c. Sugar

...1 T. cornstarch

...1 to 1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard

...1/2 tsp. celery salt

...1 tsp. salt

...1/2 c. milk

...1/4 c. vinegar

...1 egg, beaten

...1/3 c. butter

...1/4 c. onion, chopped

...1/4 c. mayonnaise

...7 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
...3 hard cooked eggs, chopped

Directions...

In a saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch, ground mustard, salt, celery salt, butter, egg, vinegar and milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened and bubbly. Cool. Stir in onion and mayonnaise. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and hard cooked eggs. Add dressing and toss gently to evenly coat everything. Refrigerate, covered, for at least one hour prior to serving.

To see more great recipes, be sure to check out Tuesday's at the Table over at All the Small Stuff, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!

Healthy Mac & Cheese

We love macaroni and cheese in our house. Correction. HUBS loves macaroni and cheese more than anyone in our house! Serve it with hot dogs and you'll be his best friend for life I tell ya! Typically, macaroni and cheese is my meal to fall back on when I'm not in the mood to cook, because how easy is it to open a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese, boil a few hot dogs and take it easy? Don't deem me a bad wife for serving the blue box...hubs loves it!!

I've decided lately though that it's time to start experimenting with homemade macaroni recipes. Mostly because I'm getting really sick of boxed macaroni. There's only so much of it that a person can eat in their lifetime. Unless, of course, you are my husband. I've made homemade mac and cheese before, but never have found a recipe that I truly loved. I had this recipe saved in my recipe box over at Allrecipes and decided to give it a shot since I had everything in my cupboards.

I personally thought that it turned out kind of bland. It needed some more flavor. Hubs, however, loved it! I just sprinkled some salt on my serving and that seemed to do the trick, so next time I think I'm going to add more salt to the cheese mixture. Plus, this cheese is a little healthier than your typical homemade mac and cheese recipe thanks to the reduced amount of cheese and the addition of cottage cheese! Homemade mac and cheese that the family loves, plus it's healthy?!? Sounds like a winner of a recipe to me!!

Ingredients...

...1 c. fat-free milk

...1 1/4 cs shredded cheddar cheese

...2/3 c. cottage cheese

...pepper to taste

...salt to taste

...2 1/2 c. cooked macaroni

...1 T. onion powder

...paprika to taste

 

Directions...

 

In a food processor, blend the milk, cheeses, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Pour into an oven safe casserole dish and add macroni, onion powder and paprika, stirring to evenly coat pasta. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

To see more great recipes, be sure to check out Meatless Monday over at My Sweet and Savory!

Pineapple Carrot Bread

I'm a pretty big quick bread fan. I started out just making Banana Bread, but soon started trying recipes like Zuchinni Bread, Pear Bread (a recipe I've not shared yet, but is delicious!!), and there are many other quick bread recipes that I've bookmarked and am anxious to try! Quick breads are just too easy, not only to make, but also to have on hand for snacks, as a tasty breakfast and even as dessert!

This quick bread recipe, which I got from an acquaintence, really got my attention! Carrot bread seems so very appropriate for this time of year being spring and Easter time and all, but adding pineapple? Now there's a concept I never would have thought of on my own! I knew this was a must try recipe, and now I'm sharing with you that this is a must. try. recipe! This bread is so moist and delicious! It reminds me a lot of carrot cake, but with that extra addition of fruity pineapple really kicks it up a notch! This bread is super great warm, fresh from the oven with a little butter on it, and because I can't eat it that way every time (isn't it so sad that food can't stay warm fresh from the oven all the time?) I have a tendency to toss a slice in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time or so to sort of mimick that warm from the oven taste. It does the trick well enough to satisfy me :)

Ingredients...

...3 cups all-purpose flour

...1 tsp. salt
...1 tsp. baking soda
...1 tsp. ground cinnamon
...3 eggs
...2 c. sugar
...3/4 c. applesauce
...1 c. shredded carrots
...1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
...2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions...

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. In a seperate mixing bowl, wisk together eggs, sugar and applesauce until well combined. Then add in carrots, pineapple and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is wet and well combined. Pour batter into two greased loaf pans and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the loaf comes out clean.