Ham and Cheese Calzoncini

Of course when I saw these mini calzones I knew I'd be making them for the husband. He's such a fan of my ham and cheese roll ups that I knew these would be an instant hit. You could fill the calzoncini with virtually anything, pizza ingredients, sloppy joe meat, leftover roast or chicken with onions and green peppers, lots of possibilities. I saw the idea over at Pretty Elements, enjoy! This recipe made 10 calzoncini.

Ingredients:
1 ball pizza dough (I cheated and used Pillsbury instead of homemade)
ham
shredded cheddar jack cheese
pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
1 egg

Preparation:
On a prepared surface, roll out the dough to an even 1/4" thickness. Use a glass or circle cookie cutter to cut out circles. I got 20 circles out of my dough which makes 10 calzoncini. Sprinkle some pepper over all the circles. Place some ham and cheese in the center of half the circles. Take a plain dough circle and top a filled circle. Carefully pinch the edges together so none of the filling bubbles out during baking. Repeat with remaining calzoncini. Place the prepared calzoncini on a prepared baking sheet. Whisk egg in a small bowl. Brush a small amount of the egg wash over the top of the calzoncini. Bake at 350 degrees F for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy.

Football Fries

This is a great way to jazz up boring old french fries. It only takes an extra minute or two, but really makes a difference. I think you'll really enjoy these, and like the name implies, these would be great for watching football. I saw the idea over at Ma What's For Dinner.

Ingredients:
1/2 bag Ore Ida steak fries (or whatever kind of french fry you like)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp. steak seasoning
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt (if your steak seasoning doesn't have any salt in it)

Preparation:
Whisk together olive oil, steak seasoning, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Add frozen french fries and toss well to coat evenly. Spread out fries on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 17-20 minutes or until they've got a nice gold brown crust (or however the bag instructions direct). Serve up with your favorite condiments for dipping.

Easy Crock Pot Chicken in Gravy

This is definitely Nate's kind of comfort food. Chicken, gravy, potatoes, all things he loves. In fact, he's the one that got it started in the crock pot for me. It was perfect to throw in before church and then enjoy for dinner. I saw the idea over at Quick and Easy Recipes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 packets low-sodium chicken gravy mix
poultry seasoning (we used McCormick's rotisserie chicken seasoning)
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Season chicken with some poultry seasoning and salt and pepper. Add chicken and broth to crock pot. Cook on high 4-6 hours. Remove chicken from crock pot, let stand for 10 minutes and then shred. Prepare gravy using 2 cups of liquid from the crock pot instead of water. Once gravy is ready, add and stir in the shredded chicken. Serve over hot mashed potatoes.

Grilled Chicken Burritos

These are the best! We totally loved them last night and Nate can't wait until lunchtime today to have leftovers! They are ridiculously simple and so so flavorful. I know they'd be a hit with anyone. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 burrito sized flour tortillas
homemade pico de gallo
the best Mexican chicken rub
shredded cheddar jack cheese

Preparation:
Prep your pico de gallo and set aside. Generously season both sides of your chicken pieces with the rub, let stand for 10-15 minutes and then grill until cooked through. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting into bite-sized pieces. Lay out flour tortilla, sprinkle some shredded cheese onto the bottom third of your tortilla. Place a generous helping of chicken on top of cheese and then top that with some pico de gallo. Roll up tortilla like a burrito (fold sides in and then roll). Spray a skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat. Once hot place burritos seam side down and cook until golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy with a nice green salad.



I shared this over at High Heels and Grills.

Grilled Ranch Chicken

This is a perfect summer grilling recipe. We really enjoyed it. The chicken had great flavor and my husband is so good at grilling. This is definitely a recipe we'll make again and again. I never eat salad dressing on salads, I don't like it. However, I love using salad dressings in marinades. I always have several bottles in my food storage. So try this out, and soon! This is a recipe I adapted slightly from one I saw over at Not So Perfect Mom, enjoy!

Ingredients:
2-4 chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup ranch dressing
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. pepper

Combine all the ingredients (except chicken) in a gallon size ziploc bag. Make sure they are mixed well. Add the chicken breasts and squish all the air out of ziploc bag and seal. Refrigerate and let marinate for 4-6 hours. I always place the ziploc bag in a mixing bowl in case of leaks. After they're finished marinating grill 'em up until done and juices run clear. Our chicken breasts were on the thicker side so Nate grilled them about 8 minutes per side. Serve with your favorite summer sides.

Taco Pot Pies

Nate is still talking about this dinner! He loved it! This is definitely a different twist on taco night and one we'll definitely make again. I saw the idea over at Plain Chicken. Nate can't wait to have these again.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning plus the water it requires
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 can refrigerated pizza dough (we used Pillsbury)
4 large ramekins
shredded lettuce
hot sauce
sliced olives
tomato
salsa
sour cream

Preparation:
In a large skillet brown the ground beef. Halfway through cooking add the diced onion and bell pepper. Once browned add the taco seasoning and the water it requires, reduce heat and finish cooking according to packet instructions. Once beef is all finished mix in the black beans and salsa. Keep burner on medium low heat and continue to cook until mixture is nice and hot. Spray ramekins with non-stick spray including the outside rim. Roll out pizza dough and cut out 4 circle of dough that are about an inch larger than the ramekin. Sprinkle some shredded cheese into the bottom of each ramekin. Next scoop in taco meat (we had just a little leftover). Top each one off with a little more shredded cheese. Place a dough circle on each ramekin and let it drape over the edge. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Flip each pot pie upside down on a place and carefully lift off ramekin. Top your taco pot pies with some shredded lettuce, sliced olives, taco sauce, etc. and enjoy!

Garlic Herb Potato Wedges

This was a great side dish to the pulled pork Nate made on Saturday. He did such a great job and it was his very first time using that smoker! When Nate makes up his mind to try something new, he puts 110% into it. I lucked out, Nate did the main part of the meal and I had to do was side dishes. We had these potato wedges and a green salad with the pork. I saw this idea here, and I just used herbs that Nathan and I like. They had a nice crisp exterior and were soft on the inside, so good!

Ingredients:
4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried chives
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt (I used Lawry's seasoning salt)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the olive oil and all the seasonings in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Cut each half, lengthwise, into 4 equally sized wedges. Add the potatoes to the mixing bowl and toss really really well so that everything gets well coated. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Arrange the potato wedges skin side down on the sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown with crisp exterior and soft interior. Serve hot and enjoy!


Here's a pic of the awesome pulled pork Nate made.

Ruby Lemonade Punch

Anything having to do with lemonade reminds me of picnics and summertime. Since Nate was smoking a pork shoulder outside most of the day I decided to round out the barbecue with some fun summery punch. I saw this idea over at Meals with the Muirs. It has a great color and has a bit of tartness to it which I loved. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
8 cups cranberry juice cocktail
4 cups (1 liter) sprite (I used diet sprite)
lemon slices for garnish, optional

Preparation:
Pour everything into your punch bowl and gently stir. Serve over ice.

Chicken Enchilada Roll Ups

Yep, more Mexican food! What can I say? I make Mexican food at least once a week and so I'm always looking for new ideas. I saw the basic idea over at Six Sisters' Stuff but used different ingredients and made it suit Nate's and my taste. One of Nate's favorite meals is ham and cheese roll ups so I knew this Mexican variation would be a hit with him.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 flour tortillas
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1/4 cup salsa
shredded cheese (I used cheddar jack)
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
olive oil
salt and pepper
taco sauce or enchilada sauce or zesty Mexican tomato sauce
toothpicks

Mexican Chicken Rub:
2 tsp. chile powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper


Preparation:
First prep the chicken. Mix together the rub ingredients. Drizzle some olive oil on both sides of the chicken breasts and then season with some of the rub. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-33 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes and then shred. Set aside.
Dice bell pepper and onion. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once hot add veggies with a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until tender-crisp. Set asaide.
Next make the refried beans. In a small pot heat the refried beans, 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning, and 1/4 cup of salsa over medium-low heat. Once heated through, set aside.
Okay, now it's time to assemble the roll ups. Lay out a tortilla and then spread some refried beans all over. Top that with some shredded cheese. Next is a sprinkling of the sauteed veggies and then the chicken. I made mine nice and hearty, so don't be afraid to skimp on the chicken. Now you'll roll up the tortilla. Start at the bottom and carefully roll it up then secure with toothpicks. Space the toothpicks evenly apart. Now cut the rolled tortilla in between each toothpick. Set the cut roll ups on a tin foil lined baking sheet. You can make the roll ups as big or small as you like. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Now pour a small amount of sauce over the top of each roll up and then top with a bit of shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until tortillas get a nice little crisp on the outside and the cheese is all melted. Pull out all the toothpicks before serving and enjoy!

Bean and Cheese Burrito Bites

These were so much fun! We really enjoyed these for dinner last night. We never get tired of trying new Mexican dishes and we'll definitely be making these again and again. These totally work for a vegetarian meal or for a fun appetizer. Nate told me he'd even enjoy this dish as a full size burrito. I saw this idea over at Sweet Treats and More. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) can of refried beans (we used fat free)
1 1/2 Tbsp. of taco seasoning
1/4 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese (you could do cheddar, pepper jack, monterey jack etc.)
4 uncooked flour tortillas
toppings/dips of choice - salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, etc.

Preparation:
In a small pot combine and heat refried beans and taco seasoning over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once hot, stir in salsa and shredded cheese. Continue to cook and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Cut each tortilla into four triangles. Place a heaping tablespoon (I used a cookie scooper) of the bean mixture on the tortilla triangle near the point. Roll the tip up, then fold in the sides, and finish rolling (like you would a burrito). Place the burrito bite seam side down on a tin foil lined baking sheet that's been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Repeat with remaining tortilla triangles, you may have a little bit of leftover bean mixture, I did. Bake the burrito bites at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until a light golden brown, flipping burrito bites halfway through. They may ooze a bit, but you've lined your baking sheet, so it's all good! Serve hot with your favorite dipping stuff/toppings. Have fun!

Simple Focaccia Bread

Focaccia bread has to be one of my most favorite versions of bread. I love it! I can't believe it's taken me this long to make it. Bread making is not my forte my any means, but this recipe really is easy. I found this idea over at Semi Homemade Mom and just adjusted a couple things. It's definitely a keeper for us. I served it with this Island Chicken, so good. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you may need to adjust flour amounts slightly depending on your climate)
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) rapid rise yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cup warm water
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2-3 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
shredded Parmesan cheese (I omitted this just to save a few calories)

Preparation:
In the bowl of a mixer combine flour, sugar, and yeast. Mix well. Add salt, water, and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Use dough hook attachment and mix for a few minutes or until well combined. Dough will be just a bit on the sticky side. Grease a glass 9x13" baking dish and stretch out dough to fit bottom of dish. Cover with saran wrap or a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes until dough had doubled in size. After rising, uncover and use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke some holes in the top of the dough. Brush top with remaining olive oil and then sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Recover and let rise an additional 30 minutes. Bake focaccia bread in a 375 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until it has a nice light golden brown coloring on top. I think it is best served warm.

Chicken Bundles

So good! I can't wait to have this again. Both Nate and I really enjoyed this main course and loved how flavorful and healthy it was. I saw this idea over at Caramel Potatoes. This is definitely easy enough to make on a weeknight, but nice enough to serve company. You can also make a quick pan sauce to ladle over if you'd like. Make this soon, you'll love it!

Ingredients:
4 chicken cutlets cut in half or thin sliced chicken breasts *(can use 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts prepared as below)
2 carrots
1 large red bell pepper (the green ones looked better at the store so that's what I bought)
1 bunch thin asparagus
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup Italian dressing
McCormick's rotisserie chicken seasoning
salt
pepper

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for 1-2 hours. Peel carrots and julienne carrots and bell pepper into strips about 3-4" long. Wash and then cut asparagus to the same length. Steam vegetables for a few minutes (3-4) or until tender/crisp. Immediately run under cold water stop cooking. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper and set aside. Lay out chicken strips and both sides with a little bit of rotisserie chicken seasoning. Place a small handful of veggies on one end of chicken and then roll up. Seal with a toothpick. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat (well, just past medium). Once hot, all the chicken bundles seam side down and cook until browned. Rotate chicken on all sides until evenly browned and chicken is cooked through. It should take about 15-20 minutes depending on how thin your chicken is. Once cooked remove chicken from pan and take out all the toothpicks. Serve hot and enjoy!

*If you are using 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, you will need to slice each in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets. With a meat tenderizer, gently pound out each cutlet in between some saran wrap until it is thin and as even as possible. Cut each cutlet into 2 strips.

Zesty Mexican Tomato Sauce

So last night I made Taco Stuffed Shells and I decided I wanted a really flavorful sauce to top them. I am not a fan of canned red enchilada sauce, it always tastes bitter to me. So feeling adventurous, I decided to wing it. This is what I came up with and both Nate and I really enjoyed it. I'll definitely make this again and again. You can use this sauce as a replacement for enchilada sauce in lots of dishes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup salsa
2 Tbsp. zesty Italian dressing (I used fat free)
2 Tbsp. taco sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
In a large skillet over medium heat add the tomato sauce, salsa, Italian dressing, taco sauce, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir well to combine. Bring sauce to a simmer and let simmer, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Use sauce in your favorite Mexican dishes. Enjoy!

This is how I used the sauce last night.

Asian Slaw

Nate's family is in town and one of the dinners I made was shredded teriyaki chicken sliders topped with this Asian slaw and pineapple slices. I think it was a hit. Several people commented on the slaw and that they really enjoyed it. I based the recipe on one I saw at East Village Kitchen. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (14 oz.) package coleslaw mix
1 package ramen noodles, crunched up (toss the flavoring packet)
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. sunflower seed kernels
3 Tbsp. butter

Dressing-
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce


Preparation:
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Then add the sesame seeds, sunflower kernels, and crunched up ramen noodles. Stir frequently and cook until golden brown. Once finished, spread onto a baking sheet to cool. Mix up dressing. Add dressing slowly to coleslaw mix, tossing as you go. You may not need all the dressing. Once the dressing is mixed in add the sesame seed/sunflower kernel/ramen noodle mixture. Serve immediately. This doesn't keep well, so make it just before you intend to serve it.

Bunny Buns

You know how I love a good festive recipe! These are no exception. I knew I had to make these in time for Easter. They come from the Rhodes webiste and they turned out great. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but not risen (I used the Texas sized rolls)

Preparation:
Cut a small piece off of one roll for a tail. Roll remaining piece into a 12-inch rope with pointed ends. Twist top of rope together. Place on a large sprayed baking sheet and pull pointed ends apart for ears. Roll small cut off piece into a ball for the tail and add on top of the bottom loop. Repeat with remaining rolls. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and allow to rise 30-45 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 15-20 minutes or until a faint golden brown. We had them fresh out the oven, yum!

Grilled Asian Pork Kabobs

You know by now that we love Asian food around here, so it's no surprise that I'm posting another Asian inspired recipe. The weather here has been so nice the last two weeks, we have busted out our beloved grill. Nate had been wanting to grill some kabobs with his new skewers and so this is what we had for dinner last night. We both loved it and will definitely be making this again. I saw this idea over at Allrecipes and just tweaked a few things (like usual). The pork has a great Asian/teriyaki flavor without being too salty or too sweet, you could also add some red pepper flakes to add heat. This was so good, make it soon!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork, cut into 1" cubes (I just used some really thick pork loin chops and cut them up)
5 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper

Basting Liquid-
2 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger


Preparation:
Prepare marinade by combining 5 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, 3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic, chili powder, paprika, and pepper. Pour marinade into a gallon sized ziploc bag and add the cubed pork. Seal up the bag and place it in a mixing bowl or large tupperware container in case of leaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Prepare the basting liquid. Dissolve cornstarch in beef broth and add that and 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ground ginger to a small pot. Heat over high heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Set aside. Get your marinated pork onto skewers. Remember if you use bamboo skewers you'll need to soak them in water for 30 minutes first. We used metal. Once your grill is hot cook your pork kabobs, basting every couple minutes. Cook until pork is at your desired doneness. Enjoy hot with your favorite Asian sides.

Spicy Sesame Asparagus

I love, love, love asparagus! Such an awesome vegetable. I look forward to it being in season each spring. I saw this asparagus variation over at My Name Is Snickerdoodle and it was a definite hit with last night's dinner. We'll definitely use this recipe again and again. It has just a subtle hint of heat, not too much that I can't handle it, but feel free to add more sriracha if you like lots of spice! Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 bundle fresh asparagus
1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced (I forgot to buy an onion, but I'll definitely include this next time)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (I used Lawry's teriyaki marinade)
1/2 - 2 tsp. sriracha (an Asian hot sauce found in the ethnic aisle of most any grocery store, I used a heaping 1/2 tsp.)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds

Preparation:
In a small bowl prepare sauce. Combine teriyaki sauce, sriracha, garlic, ground ginger, and sesame seeds and set aside. Wash asparagus and cut off the woody end, about 1/4 off the bottom of the stalk. Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Once hot add in asparagus and onions. You'll saute them for 4-5 minutes, or until they get just shy of your desired tenderness, stirring occasionally. Pour sauce over asparagus. Mix to coat all the asparagus, and make sure you scrape off any bits from the bottom of your pan. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened, garlic cooks, and your asparagus reaches your desired tenderness. Serve immediately.

Pizza Chicken

This was another winner recipe. It's been on my list to make for weeks now and I'm so glad we finally tried it. Nate and I both really enjoyed this dish.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup Italian dressing
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
1 (24 oz.) jar marinara sauce
12 slices pepperoni, cut into fourths (we love Hormel's turkey pepperoni)
1/2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
hot cooked pasta

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in the Italian dressing for 2-3 hours. Once marinated, bake chicken at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through. While chicken is baking, dice veggies and cut up pepperoni slices. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add diced veggies and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Return skillet to stove and turn heat to low, add marinara sauce and 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning. Combine and heat through. Once chicken is finished baking, remove from oven and transfer to a clean baking sheet/dish. Spoon some sauteed onion and peppers over the top of each piece of chicken, then spoon on some sauce. Top that with pepperoni pieces and finally the mozzarella cheese. Broil smothered chicken on the top rack until cheese is melted through. Place some pasta on each plate, top with a little bit of marinara sauce and then the chicken. Enjoy your dinner!



I shared this over at Chef In Training and Mandy's Recipe Box.

Taco Cups

Such a great variation of tacos! We love Mexican food at our house (especially the man of the house) and so I always love a good Mexican recipe. I saw this idea over at my favorite food blog, Mel's Kitchen Cafe and knew we had to try it. We weren't disappointed, we loved this dinner. I served these with a green salad and some corn, yum!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 taco seasoning packet plus the water it requires (or your favorite homemade mix)
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
12 small fajita sized flour tortillas
toppings- shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, olives, salsa etc.

Preparation:
First lightly grease a muffin tin. Cut out about 4" circles out of each of your tortillas, I just used one of those hospital mugs. I flipped it upside down and then cut around it with a paring knife. Place a tortilla into each muffin well and set aside. In a skillet start to brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Halfway through cooking add the diced pepper and onion. Once finished cooking add taco seasoning packet and water and cook according to packet instructions. Once that's done add the tomato sauce and cook over medium-low heat for a couple minutes. After the meat is done cooking, spoon some into each of the tortillas. Nate topped his with some queso and sriracha before baking. You can add your shredded cheese now or after baking. Bake at 375 degree F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the tortilla cups are a nice light golden brown. Serve and top with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!

Smoky Asian Barbecue Chicken

We really enjoyed this chicken. We are always on the look out for good chicken recipes and this is definitely a keeper. We'll definitely be making this again and again. I saw the idea over at Allrecipes, and just adapted for our tastes. The marinade makes enough for 8 chicken thighs or 4 medium chicken breasts. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
chicken thighs(we like to use boneless, skinless) or chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. black pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation:
Whisk together all the ingredients except the chicken. Place chicken in gallon size ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Place marinade bag in a dish and let marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Once finished marinating, cook on the grill over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with your favorite Asian or barbecue side dishes.

Copy Cat Lo Mein

I loved this dish! It was so good. Asian is always a top favorite of mine. This is a great side dish for Asian meals, and bonus, it's quick and easy to prepare too. I saw this idea over at Favorite Family Recipes. It's a copy cat version of Panda Express' chow mein. This version tastes so much better than Panda Express! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (7 oz.) package refrigerated Yaki Soba noodles (found in the produce section of my grocery store)
1/3 cup celery, sliced diagonally (about 1 stalk)
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper (we love Lawry's seasoned pepper)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Preparation:
Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Set aside. Open Yaki Soba noodles, throw out seasoning packet. Place noodles in a colander, rinse well and drain. Set aside. Over medium heat, heat oil in a wok. Once hot, add celery and onion and saute for a couple minutes until they start to soften, 2 - 3 minutes. Add cabbage and then saute another minute or so. Add in Yaki Soba noodles and sauce, toss well to combine. Cook for another few minutes until noodles are heated through and at your desired consistency. Taste and add any additional soy you like. Serve immediately.

Caramel Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies

These were such a hit! I'm so glad I tried them. Everyone who ate them loved them. This is definitely a keeper recipe. I saw the idea over at Lauren's Latest. The only change I made was to add a tiny bit more flour to get my cookies to the right consistency. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour (in my climate I usually have to add a tiny bit more flour to get to the right consistency)
1 1/3 cups chopped Hershey’s Caramel Kisses

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, whip butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and eggs. Scrape sides and mix again. Slowly incorporate all dry ingredients until combined. Stir in chopped Hershey’s caramel kisses. Scoop by the teaspoon full onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes (mine took 10 and were perfect) or until the edges are barely golden and the middle looks like it’s not quite done.{You may have the urge to keep them in longer–don’t! Unless you want crunchier cookies in which case you should then leave them in a minute or two longer… but I like mine chewy so I pull them out sooner.} Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Store in airtight containers.

Look at that cute Easter plate my mom gave me!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Mmm... I love Italian food. Nate is not a big fan of pasta, but he really enjoys chicken parmesan. This dish is a good fit for both of us because it doesn't have pasta but it does have great Italian flavors and a great breadstick topping. It was really good, we both enjoyed it a lot. I'll warn you, it smells so good while baking that it's hard to wait for it to finish! This is definitely a keeper recipe for us. I saw the idea over at Betty Crocker and totally tweaked it to suit our tastes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian dressing (I always use fat free)
1 (12 oz.) tube Pillsbury pop 'n fresh plain breadsticks
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
12 slices pepperoni (I always use Hormel brand turkey pepperoni)
1 1/2 - 2 cups of your favorite marinara or pasta sauce (the amount of sauce is flexible, just add however much you like)
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup + shredded mozzarella cheese (again, the amount is really up to your preference)
grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Marinate chicken in Italian dressing for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
Dice onion and pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat, once hot add diced veggies and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes. Set aside. Cut pepperoni slices into fourths. Set aside.
Cut marinated chicken into 1" cubes. Heat olive oil in a skillet (just use the same one you used for veggies) over medium high heat. One hot add chicken pieces. You aren't cooking the chicken all the way, you just want to get a nice golden brown on the outside.
Once chicken is seared, add the chicken to an 8x8" glass baking dish that's been misted with non-stick spray. Add sauteed vegetables over the chicken. Stir in 1 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning with your marinara/pasta sauce. Next pour the sauce over the chicken and veggies. Top that with the cut up pepperoni slices and then the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. butter. Pop open and lay out breadstick dough onto flat surface. Brush with some of the melted butter. Use a pizza cutter and cut the breadsticks into 1 inch pieces. You won't need all the breadsticks, only about 2/3 (use the remaining breadsticks to make cinna-sticks for dessert). Place breadstick pieces, butter side down, on top of the casserole. Once it's all covered, brush with some melted butter and then sprinkle remaining garlic bread seasoning over the top. Finally dust the top with some Parmesan cheese.
Bake loosely covered in a 375 degree F oven for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the breadstick topping is a nice golden brown. Serve hot with a nice green salad.





I shared this over at Chef In Training and High Heels and Grills.

Mini Cinnamon Monkey Breads

So yummy! These were such a good dessert tonight. I rarely make dessert and I'm so glad I did tonight, we loved these! Is there anything better than the smell of cinnamon and sugar baking?! I saw these today over at Life As A Lofthouse and knew we had to have them immediately. Nate's favorite treat is anything with cinnamon and sugar. We'll definitely be making these again and again! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
12 Rhodes Dinner rolls, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon (I highly recommend McCormick's Saigon cinnamon)
Vanilla Icing- (we didn't ice ours)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2-3 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, melt butter. In a seperate bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Cut each thawed roll into 6 equal pieces. Dip each piece of roll into the butter and then into the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place all 6 coated pieces into a well greased cup of a 12-cup muffin tin. Repeat with all remaining rolls. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove rolls from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before removing rolls from tin. If you don't let them cool slightly they will fall apart. Nate and I agreed, they are so good warm we don't care if they fall apart! While rolls are slightly cooling, make vanilla icing. Stir all of the icing ingredients together in a medium bowl, using more or less milk to reach desired thickness. Spoon over rolls and enjoy.

Mashed Potato Topped Pork Chops

It's another installment of Comfort Food Wednesdays at our house. I had some red potatoes that needed to be used and some pork chops in the freezer and so this was an easy choice for dinner. It definitely fits the comfort food bill too. I adapted the idea from The Sisters Cafe and it's something we will make again. Very good!

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops (ours were not too big, and were about 1/2 inch thick)
8 red potatoes, diced into cubes
6 Tbsp. butter
3-4 Tbsp. milk
seasoning salt
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
steak seasoning

Preparation:
Boil red potatoes until soft. Drain water and mash with 4 Tbsp. butter, milk, and salt to taste. While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the onions, and Worcestershire sauce, in 1-2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat until onions are transparent, 5-8 minutes, add minced garlic during the last minute or two of cooking. Fold sautéed mixture into mashed potatoes and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. Season both sides of the pork chops with steak seasoning. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear pork chops on both sides. Place pork chops into a glass baking dish lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Spoon mashed potatoes over each pork chop (I had leftover potatoes). Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until pork chops are cooked through. Time will depend on thickness of the chops. Once cooked through, uncover and broil for just a minute or two to get a nice golden brown crust on the potatoes. Serve hot. I also made some gravy to serve with this dish. Makes 4 servings.