Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour

Sorry, I Don't Eat Buffalo

2012-01-28T12:20:00.000-08:00

Do y'all remember that episode of The Newlyweds with Jessica Simpson?? The one where she was all, "Sorry, I don't eat buffalo" in response to Nick asking if she wanted some buffalo wings. Pretty sure I loved that show back in the day and that comment made me laugh something fierce. Only because I'm certain I made the same comment at some point before I really knew what the heck buffalo wings were really about. Dang. I went through a period of time where I wouldn't touch ANYTHING related to buffalo wings. And then I got married and that's all Mr. Spouse wanted to eat. I learned to love them and now I'm pretty much obsessed with any and everything that has the word "buffalo" in it. I could eat Buffalo Chicken Dip for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and I'm pretty sure it would suffice for dessert, too. When I found this recipe for Buffalo Mac & Cheese, it was a no brainer. I knew it would be in my kitchen...and in my belly...almost immediately. And it was. And ohmiword...AMAZING.

BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE

1 lb. pasta { I used Piccolinni...the little shells}

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & cubed

1 tbsp. flour

1 1/2 cups milk

4 oz. grated monterrey jack cheese {half a brick. plus more for topping}

1/3 cup sharply shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce {Frank's Red Hot is my favorite!!!}

1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs

Ranch dressing, to taste

Here's what you'll need to get started...

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and return to pot. While the pasta is cooking, heat saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Add the flour once the butter is melted and bubbly. Whisk together to create a little roux and then cook for about 1-2 minutes until it starts to get a little golden in color. Feelin' all Top Chef now, aren't ya?!?!

Add in the milk and turn the heat down to low. Stir until the milk thickens and add in the cheeses.

Stir until the mixture is smooth.

Now add in the wing sauce...YUM...and mix well. You can add some salt & pepper to taste if you want.

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and add the pasta & cubed chicken. Mix well so that the chicken is evenly distributed throughout the pasta.

Pour cheese sauce on top and make sure everything's evenly coated for maximum yumminess.

Now sprinkle with bread crumbs and extra cheese. I think seasoned croutons or crushed Ritz crackers would be even better than the Panko. Don't get me wrong, the Panko was really good, but I've got a longstanding affair with croutons & crackers, so that's what I'll use next time.

Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and drizzle with extra wing sauce. OH.MY.YUM.

I went a step further and served mine up with homemade ranch dressing. GET.OUT. The only thing that would've made it better would've been a shovel so I could've gotten more in my mouth with each bite.

I really hope Jessica has come to her senses and hopped on the buffalo bandwagon. This is just TOO dang good to pass up. For real. And with the Superbowl right around the corner, this is definitely a dish you want to have handy. It'll be gone in no time. The homemade ranch really made it, so make sure you have that handy!!! I served this little dish with 7Up biscuits and I was in Mr. Spouse's good graces all week long :) They weren't kidding when they said the way to a man's heart is through his tummy!!!

A Soup for Busy Moms

2012-01-23T20:50:00.001-08:00

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I love soup. Especially when it’s cold outside. I pinned this little soup from Rachel Ray a while back and I’ve been dying to try it. So, I went to pull it up and realized it required a few more steps than I was prepared to handle. I love Rachel Ray and all, but I’m pretty sure she doesn’t teach 6 & 7 year olds all day and then come home to two VERY overactive boys under the age of 5. By 6:00, easy is the name of the game. Unless I’m trying to escape crying and screaming…which is pretty much a nightly occurrence…and then I *might* enjoy being in the kitchen longer than normal. All that to be said, I took Ms. Ray’s recipe and tweaked it to fit this busy momma’s schedule. And ohmiword…couldn’t have been easier…or tastier!!!

THE BUSY MOM’S CHICKEN & RICE SOUP

adapted from Rachel Ray

1 rotisserie chicken {I used ALL the meat}

1 box {32 oz.} chicken broth

1/4 cup lime juice {2 limes}

1 cup salsa {I used Joe T. Garcia’s, mild}

1 can diced tomatoes with onion

1 cup frozen corn {or more if you like corn!}

1 cup frozen chopped veggies {celery, green pepper, and onion}

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1/3 cup Mexican cheese

1-2 boil-in-a bag bags of rice {this is the only way I can cook it :)}

Here it is, in all it’s EASY glory.

Shredding the chicken was the most time consuming part of this whole recipe. Praise the Lord.

First up, bring chicken broth, lime juice, and salsa to a boil.

Add in the diced tomatoes, frozen corn, and frozen chopped veggies. I definitely let the frozen items thaw out before I tossed ‘em in. Cook on medium high heat for about 10-12 minutes, reduce to low and add the shredded chicken. Cover and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook your rice. I’m a cheater and I always use the boil-in-a-bag version. I boiled 2 bags for this recipe. Drain and return to pot. Now take a spoonful{ish} of rice and dump it into your bowl.

Spoon a very generous helping of the soup mix on top of the rice. The more rice you add, the thicker your soup will be, so proceed with caution :)

Y’all. This *might* be my new favorite soup. Just sayin’. As you can see, my soup is a little on the thick side here. I added a little more rice than I probably should have, but ohmiword. SO good!!! And filling as all get out, too!!! You might want to have an extra quart of chicken broth on hand. You can always add more to the soup mix if you need to. Infact, I ate this for lunch the very next day and there was a bit of reduction in the “soupiness”, so I added some chicken broth to the mix before I heated it up and it was perfect!!!

I dressed her up with some avocado, mexican cheese, and sour cream and I could hear the mariachi bands start to sing. ¡Esto es la gloria! Seriously. And you can’t tell me this doesn’t look easy. Sure, it’s not ready in 5 minutes, but 5 minutes is about all it takes to prep :) This is the kinda soup this busy momma LOVES!!!!

Life is a Bowl of Cherries…or Burritos. Whatever.

2012-01-16T19:32:00.001-08:00

Y’all know I have a ‘thang’ for Mexican{ish} recipes. This one is no exception. Most of the Mexican inspired dishes I whip up for Mr. Spouse are typically creamy and full of fatty goodness. Surprisingly, this one is not! And…drumroll…it’s still just as good, if not better!!! Of course, we can thank Pinterest and The Cheeky Kitchen for this fabulous find. For those of y’all on a low carb{ish} diet, this is a recipe you definitely need in your arsenal of {low carb} yummies. And if you want something a little heavier, just add a tortilla and make yourself a little burrito bowl taco! Versatile & delicious…quick & easy. Now that’s MY kind of meal!!!

CHICKEN BURRITO BOWLS {AKA: HEALTHY CHICKEN SALAD}}

adapted from The Cheeky Kitchen

2 chicken breasts, boiled & shredded

2 limes, freshly squeezed

1/2 tbsp. cumin {I REALLY like cumin, so I tossed in a little extra :)}

salt to taste

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 can black beans, drained

1 tub pre made pico de gallo {if you have a great recipe for this, then you’ll need about 1- 1.5 cups. I bought mine in the produce section at Kroger. Cheap and easy…and yummy, too!}

Jalapenos, to taste {optional}

So here’s what it’ll look like before you start. I seriously love laying out all my goods before I start cooking so that I don’t run around the kitchen as I’m trying to prep. My chicken didn’t want to be photographed, so she’s missing from this pic :)

Boil chicken ‘til cooked through, remove from pot, and shred. Place in a large{ish} bowl and mix with cumin, salt, and lime juice. In other news, are those not the cutest little measuring spoons you’ve ever seen?! That was a little stocking stuffer from one of my firsties at school…he got ‘em from Anthropologie just incase you’re wondering. I swear my food tastes better when I’m using these…they always add a little pinch of sass to whatever I’m cooking ;)

Now toss in the peppers, cilantro, onions, black beans, and pico. Mix well to combine. If you check out the original recipe, you’ll notice that she only used half a red pepper, half a green pepper, a whole onion, and no pico. I’m sure it would’ve been excellent that way, too. I’m just a big fan of peppers and pico!!

OH.MY.YUM.

I like my dishes spicy and the jalapenos were the perfect finish to this little dish. I served these both in a bowl and with homemade tortillas. I had it both ways and ohmiword…both were outstanding. I took it to work with me the next day and ate the leftovers for lunch, without a tortilla. Lemme tell ya what…it was even better!!! The flavors had time to combine and it was like a little slice of heaven with every bite. This dish would be great topped with a little dollop of sour cream and {lotsa} diced avocado, too.

Seriously people. You definitely want this in your mouth. I can see this being a constant staple in our dinner AND lunch rotations! DELICIOUS!!!!

It’s a Start {My Cozy Little Nest}

2012-01-14T22:54:00.001-08:00

A couple of years ago…pre Pinterest…I found the *perfect* bedding for my bedroom. Perfect in that it was on sale and the colors went well with my newly painted bathroom. Fast forward about 8{ish} months later…I was SICK and TIRED of that dang bedding and the scary shade of terra cotta {which I could’ve sworn was ‘rust’} . Mr. Spouse was all, “I could’ve told you that was gonna happen.” Darnit…I hate it when he’s right!!! Truth be told, I have a sickness when it comes to bedding…I buy new bedding about every 2-2 1/2ish years. It’s ridiculous and completely absurd, but I attribute it to my very impulsive, indecisive personality.

Now…let’s fast forward a little more to the discovery of Pinterest…circa May 2011. I became OBSESSED with pinning bedrooms and peeking into others’ cozy little sleeping spaces. After pinning about 50 bedrooms, I knew it was time for a change in my own {insert eye roll from Mr. Spouse}. This time, however, I promised myself I’d be intentional about it all and I wouldn’t try to do everything at once. I’d actually take my time and plan in all out {thank you, Pinterest!} Before I show you what I finally chose, I’ll show you why I ~~HAD~~ wanted to make a change.

Here’s the before room…

Okay, okay. Not completely unfortunate. Looking at it here, I think it’s kinda cute. But let’s not go there. Let’s step in a little further…

Screeeeeeech!!!! Let’s put the brakes on. Here you’ll see my repurposed lamps. I really did love the turquoise/rust combo. The empty frames on the right was part of my very ill thought out plan. I saw this picture on a blog once of a gallery wall full of empty frames and I was in love. I collected frames for a while and just started throwing them on the wall. And then I got tired of it so I stopped. That was only about a month{ish} in to my *new* room. Blech.

Seriously. WTF. You’ll also notice our white wall on the right. Ummmm…no, that wasn’t an accent wall. We ran out of paint and I didn’t feel like finishing that weekend. We swore we’d finish it, but it stayed like that for another year & a half. Not. cute.

Speaking of not cute, our dresser had turned in to a catch all. Ohmiword….I HATED looking at that every day but heck if I did anything about it. That TV was enough to send me over the edge…such an eye sore…but again, no desire to find a better home for it.

And then there was this wall…er, window. I wanted pillows and a window treatment, but I absolutely couldn’t decide what I really wanted to do. And I never did decide either.

Okay…so there’s the back story. A very poorly planned, poorly executed room that was never really put together. Just a whole bunch of ideas thrown together one weekend. And then came Pinterest. I started pinning…and planning…and I couldn’t stop. Then I found this room…

via

I was in.love. Actually, I found several grey rooms I fell in love with, but we have brown furniture and I wasn’t too keen on the brown/grey combo. Back to this room. Yes, I was in love. I LOVED the color…the bedding…the white curtains…pretty much EVERYTHING!!! Fresh…airy…bright…classy. I loved it all. And so it became the source of inspiration for our redo. We started in early October and it’s still a work in progress, but here’s what we have so far…

The AFTER…

Almost immediately, our room seemed bigger…brighter, too! I decided on a very simple, basic bedding. I like the idea of being able to add pops of color with pillows. Plus, it’s much easier to replace pillows when I get tired of them than it is to replace bedding :)

The paint color was from Lowe’s and it’s called Grand Hotel Mackinack Blue. I love. I love the white throw at the edge of the bed…got that from Ikea. I’m looking for the *perfect* white pintucked comforter…I’d like some fluffiness down there instead {I’m really trying to be patient!!!} The brown bedspread is from Target and I absolutely ADORE it…BIG adore it. The zebra pillow is just a pillow sham I bought separately from TJ Maxx for a whopping $6. I found that little white pillow at Wal Mart and the two blue{ish} pillows were my favorite find…they are IDENTICAL to the wall color and they cost me $13 {from TJ Maxx}. I LOVE a good deal!!!

I made these fun little frames over the bedside tables. I took two 16x20 canvases and wrapped them in fabric {just cut it to size, wrapped the edges of the fabric around the back of the canvas, and secured with a staple gun all the way around}. Those brown frames were a wedding gift and I adhered them to the top of the canvas {velcro}. The lamps were a fun find from Hobby Lobby {on sale, of course!}. I LOVE them!!!!

One of my favorite little details is my wedding bouquet that sits in a vase from Mr. Spouse’s grandma. That poor bouquet has seen better days, but she’s been moved quite a bit and taken a bit of a beating!!

I inherited several pieces of furniture from my grandma when she passed away. This vanity was the thing I wanted the very most and it’s one of my favorite pieces ever. I used to sit at that vanity all.the.time as a little girl and play *dress up* with grandma’s costume jewelry and make up. That birdcage was grandma’s, too. I LOVE birdcages!! I’m still on the hunt for the perfect little eclectic chair, but in the meantime our sweet little pug is using that space as his own personal bedroom :)

I found this starburst mirror at Michael’s in December. It was part of their holiday line. It was love at first sight, so she came home with me immediately.

You might remember this little earring holder I made a couple of years ago. Since then my collection of danglies has grown quite a bit, so I put the rest of my earrings in that little white footed pedestal {from Willow House, formerly Southern Living…got it when I was a consultant…for about 2 weeks :)}. I keep all of my bracelets in that apothecary jar and for now, it’s workin’ out pretty well.

This perfume…Ombre Rose…was grandma’s, too. Aside from the vanity, I wanted this so badly!! I never want to forget how she smelled :) I keep this…along with her mirror…on the vanity always. Love having a little piece of her to look at every day!

Okay, so I’m still not uber excited about the dresser, but it’s definitely an improvement! We needed light in that area in a bad way, so I took one of my old repurposed lamps, spray painted it with looking glass spray paint, and added a shade from a lamp I wasn’t using. That tv won’t be there for long…Mr. Spouse brought it inside {it’s an outdoor TV} because of all the sporadic cold weather we’re having. However, I LOVE it being on that side of the dresser. It’s so much better!!!!

The lamp sits on this little *tray* I made. I took an 8x10 frame, spray painted it with Rustoleum Heirloom White spray paint, and then added a vintage music sheet to the frame portion. It’s a little catch all and I love it.

After it was all said and done, I decided I wanted curtains for the long window wall. I loved the idea of pillows and window seating, but I also wanted something really cozy feeling. I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I started the whole process, but after the paint was on the walls, I found these curtains {Martha Stewart} at Home Depot. I absolutely LOVE them. Of course, no cozy little nookish area is complete without a birdcage :)

So…it’s not finished, but it’s a start. There’s a floor length mirror I’d like to put a corner not pictured {you’re not missin’ anything, I swear}. I’d also like a cute little chair for the vanity, a white pintucked comforter for the bed, and new carpet. We’re hoping to have new carpet installed by the end of the month, but we can’t decide exactly what we want. I’m leaning toward a shaggy frieze, so we’ll see!!!! I can’t wait!!!!

We’re claiming 2012 as the year of remodels and redecorations, so stay tuned for more projects. We’re remodeling our kitchen {think white!!!}, remodeling our stairs {no more carpet}, adding board and batten to the laundry room & front room plus painting both and adding some flair. My boys have decided to share a room so we’re also wanting to redecorate & paint the nursery {it hasn’t been used for about a year!!!} and turn it into another guest room. I’m dying to get started on it all. Now if only I could get off of Pinterest…

Stuffed.

2012-01-12T12:17:00.001-08:00

There’s nothing I love more than discovering new recipes. Especially recipes that are healthy AND tasty. That’s a pretty fantastic combo in my opinion. I was pretty excited to find this little number and couldn’t wait to grab the ingredients and get to cookin’. Praise Jesus…another winner, winner turkey dinner. If you’re one of those people who resolved to get fit in the new year, add this to your menu. Low in carbs and sugar, healthy, and DELICIOUS!!!!!! And after you’re finished eating just one, you’ll be STUFFED! And if you’re anything like me, you won’t let that stop you from eating more :) The taste is just to dang good to resist.

STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS with

SPINACH, SAUSAGE, and CHEESE

4 large portobello mushrooms {the biggest ones you can find}

12 oz. mild or hot Italian sausage {I used turkey sausage….just as good!!!!}

1/2 tbsp. olive oil {for browning sausage/mushrooms/onion}

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1/2 cup tomato sauce

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 bag of baby spinach

2 tbsp. chopped basil

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

Now, before we get started, I must warn you that these pictures aren’t pretty. I’ve decided there’s no good way to photograph a mushroom….which looks disgusting anyway…and make it look appetizing. But I’m telling you now, please don’t shy away. I swear the taste makes up for what it lacks in appearance. That’s a fact.

Start by adding the olive oil to a large skillet and then add the crumbled sausage. I like using turkey sausage and that’s what you see here. We love the flavor and I honestly can’t tell the difference between this and Italian sausage, so why not choose the healthier option?! I digress. Cook the meat until it’s browned and then transfer to a bowl.

Now toss the onions into the same skillet and add a teensy bit more olive oil for browning. Saute the onions until they start to soften {2 minutes} and then add the garlic. Continue cooking until the onions start to brown.

Now add the meat back into the skillet and then toss in the red pepper flakes {optional…but we used more than a pinch} and tomato sauce. Mix well and simmer for about 2-3 minutes.

Next up, the spinach. I didn’t use the whole bag, but you definitely could. I just sorta eyeballed it and decided what looked best with the serving of meat. I definitely grabbed a couple of generous handfuls. Toss it in with the meat mixture and cook until the spinach is wilted.

Now turn off the heat and add the basil and 1/2 cup of mozzarella. Stir to combine.

Grab your mushrooms, cut off the stems, and get all that black junk out of the inside if you so desire. I cut out a little bit, but not all of it. As my sweet friend, Courtney, would say, “that reeks of effort.” SO…no thanks. Brush a little olive oil on both sides of the mushroom and then get to grillin’. I don’t know how to use the grill to save my life, so I used my little indoor grill(ish)/panini maker. Worked like a charm. Place them face down and cook for about 4 minutes.

Remove mushrooms from grill and carefully stuff the inside of each with the sausage mix. I mean it when I say ‘carefully’…those suckers will break apart if you aren’t careful!!! Round it off by topping each mushroom with about 2{ish} tablespoons of mozzarella…or more if you like it cheesy. Carefully place the mushrooms back on the grill, cover, and grill for about 5 minutes and remove ‘em when they’re cooked through. I took ‘em off when the cheese was nice and melted.

Like I said, not the prettiest picture but OHMIWORD…insanely AMAZING!!!!! I seriously can’t say enough about this little concoction. And the fact that it’s healthy is just a bonus.

Add these to your cooking repertoire if you know what’s good for you. You can thank me later :)

As Requested & Cookin' With Coolio

2012-01-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

Alright y'all. I've gotten some requests to make my recipes printable. You mean you don't like writing things by hand?! Not convenient enough for ya?! I kid, I kid. I *think* I learned how to make that possible, so I'm going to try and start on that this weekend. If any of y'all have any tips for me...or if there's a fast way to make this happen...let me know!!

In other news, did y'all know that Coolio has a cookbook?! Who knew?!?! I kid you not when I tell you I want this in my cookbook collection ASAP. He cracks me right up.

If I owned this cookbook, I'd learn how to be a "Kitchen Pimp" and he'd tell me what I need in my "pimptry". Genius. The first item on his list...and I quote..."a set of big ass knives." Well said, Coolio. Well said.

Heads Up, 7-Up

2012-01-06T08:57:00.001-08:00

Did y’all ever play that game in grade school?? {Did I just date myself by calling it grade school??} We used to play it all the dang time…well into 5th & 6th grade. I always peeked, too. One of my favorites. This post has absolutely NOTHING to do with that game, but every time I see or say the word “7-Up”, that’s what I think of. I also think of the episode of Seinfeld when George came up with the name “Seven” for his unborn child, but that’s a whole other post :) I’m sure y’all have seen the 7-Up biscuits floating around Pinterest. I saw ‘em and about fell out. Couldn’t wait to try them! And ohmiword…just as good as everyone said they would be!

7-UP BISCUITS

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7up

1/4 melted butter

If this recipe doesn’t scream EASY, I don’t know what does. 4 ingredients?! SOLD.

In a large bowl, mix together the Bisquick and sour cream and then add in the 7 Up. This will make a really funky, soft dough. Yes, that’s the description I’m goin’ with.

Now melt a the butter and pour it into a 9 in. square pan. All I had handy was an 8x8, so that’s what I used. Not sure if that changes the consistency of the biscuits, but trust me when I say that mine turned out pretty much amazing, so if all you have is an 8x8, then go with it!!

You can sprinkle some additional Bisquick out on a cutting board and then pat out the dough. If Go ‘head and cut ‘em while your at it, or if you’re like me, just wait ‘til they’re nice and baked :) Place the dough on top of the melted butter.

In all honesty, I probably should’ve cut the dough into biscuits first, but they were still amazing. Just had to use a little more elbow grease I was ready to eat. Bake at 450 for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Ignore this not so flattering picture because I swear it doesn’t do these biscuits justice. If I didn’t think Mr. Spouse would’ve been disgusted with me for eating the whole pan by myself, I totally would have. These are AMAZING. Are y’all fans of Popeye’s biscuits?!! If y’all are, then y’all will LOVE these. They taste like a copycat for sure!!! I paired our biscuits with a heaping plate of Buffalo Chicken mac & cheese {recipe coming soon!!} and ohmiword…to die for. If we’d have had any left over, I totally would’ve used ‘em to sop up some white gravy the next morning…y’know, if I knew how to make white gravy. Light and fluffy…full of flavor…these biscuits are a MUST with your next meal!!

My Achilles Heel

2012-01-03T14:57:00.000-08:00

Plain and simple, I love pasta. Fusili, Penne, Angel Hair, Farfalle, Ditalini, Fettuccinne...it's ALL good in my book. Of course, I'm a bit partial to penne & angel hair, but that's just me. If you wanna know the truth, my grandma makes the BEST pasta ever. She even makes homemade zucca. When I can't have grandma's, I'm all about sampling new pasta recipes...anything to spice up the same ol' spaghetti & meat sauce recipe that floats around every kitchen in America. Give me a bowl of pasta and watch me melt. This is SO my Achilles Heel. I'm powerless against it. And now I get to add this recipe to the long list of pasta dishes that make me weak in the knees. Mamma Mia!

CAPRESE PASTA

1lb. penne pasta {or whatever type you prefer}

1 cup spaghetti sauce {I used my favorite, Classico tomato & Basil...YUM}

1/3 cup heavy cream or half & half {I used the cream}

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes {I *think* I might have used a little more!!!}

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 bunch fresh basil leaves

Let's get this party started. Just incase you're wondering, this is my spaghetti sauce. Honestly, this comes *pretty close* to grandma's homemade zucca, so I think that's why I like it so dang much! Especially when I'm using recipes that call for fresh basil. I swear it just enhances the flavor!

Now, cook pasta according to package directions. Heat the tomato sauce in a medium sized saucepan. When it's nice and warm, add in the cream and the parmesan cheese. Mmmmmm...

While the sauce is gettin' all creamy, start choppin' the freshness. I halved the tomatoes, cubed the mozzarella, and sliced the basil into thin strips.

Once the sauce is heated through and mixed together real well, pour it over the {drained} pasta and mix to coat. Then go ahead and fold in the tomato, mozzarella, and basil.

Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray and pour in the pasta.

Bake at 350 for about 25{ish} minutes...or until the cheesy is a bubbly, gooey mess.

Sooooooo good!!!!!

If you love pasta like I do...and even if you're not as big a fan...I promise you'll LOVE this variation!!! Serve it up with a side of perfectly toasted garlic bread...or maybe even a little french baguette with some delicious olive oil & cracked pepper dip. Sprinkle on some extra mozzarella or parmesan and a few more strips of fresh basil and go to town! Just be prepared to have an empty baking dish by the time it's all said and done. This won't last long at all!!!

Warm & Fuzzy

2011-12-28T15:12:00.001-08:00

I’m always looking for good chili recipes. There’s just somethin’ about chili during the cold winter months that gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside :) When I found this recipe, I was a little skeptical. I love black beans and all, but as the key ingredient in my chili?!?! Hmmmmm. I’ve clearly been living under a rock because this is, hands down, one of the BEST chili recipes I’ve ever tried!!! One of the best things about this recipe is that it’s healthy, too! I found this recipe on Kalyn’s Kitchen and it’s one of her goodies on the list of recipes in phase 1 of the South Beach diet…low in carbs and sugar :) By the taste of this dish, you’d never be able to guess!!!

LIME and CILANTRO BLACK BEAN CHILI

adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen

1lb. extra lean ground beef

2 large onions, chopped

2 tsp. olive oil {plus more for browning meat}

1 quart beef stock or 2 cans beef broth {I used 1 box of beef broth}

3 {15oz} cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 {15oz} can refried pinto beans {I tried to find the can with the least amount of sugar & carbs}

2 {14oz} cans diced tomatoes

4 tbsp. chile powder {I used New Mexico chile powder per recommendation}

1 tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Here’s what you’ll need to get started. Well, this and a large stockpot or dutch oven{ish}.

Saute the chopped onions in heated olive oil. Cook for about 4-5 minutes….just about enough time to soften the onions and *barely* brown them. Transfer onions to large stockpot/dutch oven.

Add the meat to the same pan you used to cook the onions along with about a teaspoon{ish} of olive oil. We’ve been using extra lean ground beef with all of our ground beef dishes. It’s just the smart way to go! Sure, a bit pricier, but worth the extra $$. Plus, there’s no extra yuckiness swimmin’ around in the skillet when the meat is all browned. Now transfer the meat to the stockpot/dutch oven. In a large bowl, add beef broth/stock and refried pinto beans. Whisk together until blended and pour over the beef & onion mix in the stockpot.

Rinse & drain the black beans {just incase you’re wondering, this removes the excess salt and makes the beans more digestible. I just learned that, too :)}

Now add black beans, tomatoes, chile powder, & cumin to the stockpot. Let the chili simmer on the stovetop for about 45{ish} minutes {don’t forget to give it the old occasional stir}.

This is the New Mexico chili pepper I used…just incase you’re wondering.

After about 45 minutes of simmering, add the lime juice and fresh cilantro. Let it simmer for about another 15-20 minutes. Right about now, you can’t imagine how unbelievable my house was smellin’. For real.

When she’s all cooked and ready to go, you can garnish with fresh cilantro & lime wedges…you can also add some shredded cheese to up the yum factor. Mr. Spouse likes to eat his chili with peanut butter bread {don’t ask}.

The lime and cilantro are the key players in this dish. I’m really not a huge fan of cilantro to be quite honest, but I couldn’t get enough of it in this chili. This is definitely my most favorite chili recipe I’ve tried. Even my somewhat picky 2-year-old devoured a couple of bowls with a quickness. If chili has the capability to be “fresh”, this one definitely fits that description. Honestly…SO dang good!!! With a few more months of cold weather ahead of us, you’ll want this dish in your dinner rotation. It’ll make you all warm & fuzzy inside, for sure :)

Salad Lovers Look No Further.

2011-12-24T10:24:00.001-08:00

Not sure about y’all, but I sure love me some salads. As cliché as it is for a girl to order one when she goes out to eat, I swear I do ALL the dang time. Not because I’m trying to watch my waist, but I really prefer eating salad!!! As much as I love the salad varieties on restaurant menus, I have to say that THIS salad is…hands down…my absolute FAVORITE. Salad lovers look no further. I swear this is the only recipe you’ll ever need!!!!

PEPERONCINI CHOPPED SALAD

Salad Ingredients:

4-6 cups chopped romaine or Herbed lettuce {I used the herbed lettuce already packaged up & chopped in the prepackaged salad section}

1 cup sliced peperoncini {you can buy these already sliced OR you can slice them yourself}

1 red bell peper, sliced into thin strips

1 tub crumbled Feta cheese {use as much or little as you prefer}

Grilled chicken, cut into strips {optional}

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. minced garlic {I use the chopped garlic in a bottle}

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Peperoncini brine {the juice from the peperoncini jar}

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil {I used Bertoli…my fave :)}

salt & pepper, to taste

In the last month, I’ve made this salad about 6-7 times. Each time it gets better and better. These ingredients have become staples in my pantry.

First start by adding the lettuce to a large bowl. Cut your red pepper into strips and slice your peperoncini {or take ‘em right out of the jar if you bought ‘em pre sliced} and toss with the lettuce.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

This dressing is the bomb.com. {Don’t judge me for using that phrase.}

Now add the dressing to the lettuce mix and toss around until well coated. Then go ahead and toss in the feta. The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of crumbled feta, but I’m a feta lovin’ fool so I added the whole tub :) You go ahead and decide what’s best for you!

I went ahead and tossed in some grilled chicken…cooked on my fabulous George Foreman…and it made the PERFECT dinner salad!!! Definitely filling enough as an entrée!

I seriously can’t say enough about this salad. The flavors are TO DIE FOR. For real. And if you’re a fan of feta like me, then you’ll be **12 kinds** of happy. I can’t get over how amazing this really is!!! If you’re lookin’ to lose those dreaded extra 15lbs. as one of your NY resolutions, you can add this salad to your dinner rotation. It’s low in sugar & carbs. Infact, this is one of those recipes from Kalyn’s Kitchen and used in the first phase of the South Beach Diet. Don’t knock it ‘til ya try it…that diet is the BEST!!!!!! When I made this salad for dinner the first time, Mr. Spouse could not stop raving. That’s all he had to do to give me the go ahead to have it every week since then :) And I don’t see this goin’ off the menu any time soon!! SO dang good!!!!

Grab & Go Breakfast

2011-12-23T07:48:00.001-08:00

Breakfast isn’t always the easiest meal of the day for me. Most days, I’m waking up early to head to the gym before I go to work. Not exactly ideal for being able to spend any amount of time cooking myself a nutritious little morning meal. When I found this recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen, I knew I stumbled upon a winner. This is the perfect breakfast solution to my morning mealtime woes. I know it’s hard to believe, but I actually enjoy eating pretty dang healthy for breakfast and lunch…dinner meals are usually reserved for *cheating*. This is one of those morning meals that’s high in protein and low in sugar & carbs. An added bonus?!?! They taste AMAZING!!!!! If you’re looking for something healthy, hearty, and quick, this recipe will definitely be right up your alley!! Grab it and GO!!!!

EGG MUFFINS

{serving size: 1 dozen}

6 eggs

Nature’s Seasoning, to taste

Optional

shredded cheese

green onions {HIGHLY recommend!!!!}

red/green bell pepper

onion

sausage

Honestly, you could pretty much add anything you enjoy in your eggs…the possibilities are endless!!!

In my little egg muffins, I use eggs, green onion, yellow onion, cheese, Nature’s Seasoning, & red bell pepper. For this recipe, crack 6 eggs into a large bowl. Add half an onion {chopped}, half a red pepper {chopped}, and about 3 green onions {chopped}.

Add the Nature’s Seasoning…to taste, of course.

And then toss in the cheese and whisk ingredients together until well blended. Again, add as much or little cheese as you prefer.

Place cupcake liners into your muffin tin and coat with nonstick spray. This is essential because the egg mixture can really stick to the liner!! I found that out the hard way, dangit. Fill each cup a little over halfway with the egg mixture. This particular recipe makes about 12 muffins.

Bake at 375 for about 30-35 minutes or until muffins have risen and are golden brown and set. Remove cups from pan and then immediately remove the liners {otherwise you’ll be peeling off little pieces of liner as you’re eating}. Let muffins cool on a wire rack and then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.

I usually make these on a Sunday night and eat them off and on throughout the week {they last about a week in the fridge}. I absolutely LOVE the texture of these little muffins…light and airy, but very muffin-like! And they taste pretty dang good, too! If you’re anything like me and you need something fast and easy…and full of protein…then you’ll definitely want to give these a whirl. This is definitely my go-to weekday breakfast!!! YUM!!

Wrap it Up

2011-12-23T07:14:00.001-08:00

I’m a big fan of the wrap persuasion. Anything you can wrap up…gifts included ;)…is a winner in my book. When my sweet friend, Dena, posted this recipe…her version of a Paula Deen wrap…I knew I’d love it. I was right!! These little wraps pack in BIG taste and are terribly easy to prep. It’s pretty much the gift that keeps on giving :) A new family favorite…and by family, I mean me & Mr. Spouse {darn those picky kids!!!!}…for sure!!!

DENA’S SALAD WRAPS

{serves 2}

Lettuce, chopped

Tomatoes, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

5-6 slices of turkey, chopped

2 slices of colby jack cheese, cut into tiny squares

4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Ranch dressing, to taste {I use the homemade buttermilk ranch dressing from the Hidden Valley ranch packets}

Flour tortillas {I used Mission Sun Dried Tomato Basil Wraps as suggested by Dena…SO good!!!!}

Here’s what you’ll need…

Now let’s get to choppin’. Honestly, this is one of those recipes where you can add as much or as little as you wish…whatever your taste buds prefer. Chop your lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese, turkey, & bacon and add to a large bowl.

Now it’s time to pour in the ranch. Again, add to taste…however much or little your heart desires. I prefer the homemade buttermilk ranch…y’know, the kind you make with the Hidden Valley ranch packets. Pour into bowl and mix until well blended.

Spread the mixture down the center of the tortilla/wrap and roll it up {jelly roll style}. Make sure to place on your plate seam side down so it stays closed and all the insides stay nice and cozy all wrapped up.

These are the tortillas Dena suggested and ohmiword…they were pretty dang tasty. I definitely think it kicks the taste up a notch or two. I think homemade flour tortillas would be pretty darn good, too.

Basically, one of the easiest, tastiest, QUICKEST recipes I’ve tried!!! When we first had these little gems, one of Mr. Spouse’s friends came over for dinner. He absolutely LOVED these and raved about them every time he came over after that night. He keeps asking me when I plan on making more because he’ll be sure to invite himself over for dinner ;) If you’re looking for something quick, easy, and delicious, don’t wait another day to try these out!!! SO good!!!

Bite Sized Brilliance

2011-12-22T14:23:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty much a fan of anything that's bite-sized. I'm the girl that hovers over the snack table at parties, shoveling little bite sized pieces of deliciousness into my mouth by the handfuls. This little number is the perfect little bite-sized dish. I pretty much think it's the perfect appetizer! Tacos in a cup?! That's bite-sized brilliance if you ask me!! {Thank you, Pinterest!}

TACO BITES

Wonton wrappers

1 lb. ground beef, browned

1 pkg. taco seasoning

Toppings {optional}

Cheese

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Sour Cream

Cilantro

Before you do anything, I BEG YOU to spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray. I foolishly neglected to do so on my first go 'round with these little taco bites and I had to throw away my pan. Dangit. Once your pan is all nice and greased, place one wrapper in each cup.

Brown meat and drain. Return to pan and add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Scoop a tablespoon of taco meat into each cup. I went ahead and added cheese to mine before putting them in the oven.

Bake at 425 for about 8-10 minutes or until wrappers are golden brown around the edges. Be careful though because those wrappers can burn if you're not paying attention! I started watching them around the 8 minute mark and then took 'em out around 9{ish} minutes. I know every oven is different, so just keep your eye on 'em so they don't scorch!!!!

Remove from pan and add toppings as desired! I served these as an appetizer at one of our recent parties and set out all the toppings so our guests could choose what they wanted....sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, etc. Whatever the heck you want. I'm tellin' y'all, these are the PERFECT little bite-sized party food! And with party season here in full swing, you might wanna add these to your arsenal of goodies....just sayin'.

PS: If you're thinking these cups look a little scary, you're right. They're *slightly* burnt, but after a few rounds of cocktails, our party guests didn't seem to notice ;) Not a crumb left on the plate by the end of the night!

Slide, Slide, Slippety Slide

2011-12-22T13:55:00.001-08:00

I hope the tune to Coolio's 1994 hit...Fantastic Voyage...is runnin' through your head right about now. You can thank me for that later ;) Speaking of slide, these ham & cheese sliders that are blowin' up the Pinterest boards are absolutely to die for...a fantastic voyage of flavors if you will. If y'all can't tell by now, Pinterest is the source of pretty much ALL my recipes these days. I've had these little sliders pinned for a while & couldn't wait to make them. Our little Ugly Sweater Party seemed like the perfect occasion!!! Now, I have to admit that I'm not much of a ham & cheese kinda gal. I prefer turkey or roast beef {especially if I'm dining at Subway}. These little sandwiches were nothing short of amazing, ham and all. If you're on the fence, jump off and don't wait a second longer to make these. They were SO dang easy, too!!!! Easy & tasty all wrapped into one...that's MY kind of recipe!!!!

HAM & CHEESE SLIDERS

24 white dinner rolls {I used Sara Lee, in the bread section}

24 slices of ham {I used Boar's Head, cut at the deli}

24 slices of swiss cheese {I used Boar's Head, cut at the deli}

1/3 cup mayo

1/3 cup Miracle Whip

{I definitely think the quality of the ham & cheese will affect the tastiness of this particular recipe, so you *might* want to be a little picky!}

Poppyseed Sauce

1 tbsp. poppyseeds

1&1/2 tbsp. yellow mustard

1 stick butter {half cup}, melted

1 tbsp. minced onion

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

First things first. You'll wanna go ahead and slice your dinner rolls in half {crosswise}. This will make things go SO much faster! Mix up the mayo and Miracle whip and spread a little on both the top and bottom of each roll. Now place one slice of cheese and one slice of ham on the bottom of each roll and put the top of the roll on to close 'er up.

Don't forget to make the poppyseed sauce!!! And don't skip on this. This is what makes the slider!!! Whisk together, poppyseeds, mustard, melted butter, minced onion, and worcestershire in a small bowl. You'll want to make sure you place the sliders on a baking sheet with edges and place them real close together all snug as a bug. Take the poppyseed sauce and pour it evenly over all the sliders once they're arranged on the baking sheet nice and tight. Let this sauce sit for about 10 minutes {ish} to give the butter a chance to set.

Cover the sliders with foil and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes {or until cheese is melted}. Uncover and bake for an additional 2-5 minutes or until tops are golden and crispy.

Let me just tell y'all that these are little bite sized pieces of heaven. I think that's saying a lot considering ham & cheese isn't one of my favorite combos. These got RAVE reviews all the way around. This recipe is a definite keeper!! It's the PERFECT party food, but they'd definitely be amazing for lunch or dinner, too. In my opinion, they're best served warm, but they taste pretty dang good when they've had a chance to cool off, too. They even heat up pretty dang well the next day! I made about 3 dozen for our party and we only had a handful leftover at the end of the night. Don't worry, though. I scarfed those down before heading to bed {which might explain my random dreams that night}. With Christmas parties/New Year's/& the Superbowl right around the corner, you'll definitely want to keep this recipe in mind!!!! Just make sure to have the wet wipes nearby...these little sliders are a little messy!!

Addiction.

2011-12-14T18:53:00.001-08:00

I'm *slightly* addicted to bread. I'm not ashamed to admit that I could polish off a loaf in one sitting. Now, I'm not talkin' about Mrs. Baird's {albeit delicious}...I'm talkin' 'bout nice, fresh, WARM rolls of French bread or something of that nature. I'm especially fond of ciabatta with a little olive oil and cracked pepper dip. Salivating right now...I need to move on. Here's another Pinterest find. Any kind of bread that involves cheese, bacon, and butter has to be insanely amazing and this IS. People. Trust me when I tell you that you need to RUN to your store and get these ingredients immediately. Just make sure you have someone to help you eat it...not because you'll need the help, but you just don't need the guilt from consuming the entire loaf all at once. It's called "crack" bread for a reason!!!!

CHEDDAR BACON RANCH PULLS {AKA: CRACK BREAD}

1 unsliced loaf of sourdough bread {I used the round loaf...you'll want to also!!}

8-12 oz. cheddar, thinly sliced

3 oz bag Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tbsp. Ranch dressing mix

Let's get busy. I don't want y'all wasting any time.....you need this on your taste buds IMMEDIATELY.

First, cut the bread going both directions. You'll need to use a sharp bread knife for this and make sure you DON'T cut through the bottom crust. It should still be in one piece!

Now place the slices of cheese in between the cuts of bread. Then sprinkle the bacon bits on top making sure they fall in between the cuts, too. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter and ranch mix and whisk until blended. Pour the butter/ranch mix over the bread and wrap the entire loaf in foil. Place on a baking sheet {with edges} and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Unwrap and discard foil. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Now place on a platter and dig in...or if you're like me, don't wait for all that and just eat it right off the pan. I need an intervention because I'm seriously addicted. I couldn't step away from the snack table when I made this. I was hovering all night. As glad as I was that our party guests were enjoying the fare, I got a little upset when I'd see them picking at my bread. Now go 'head and getcha some and see what I'm talkin' about!!!

Pinwheel, Pinwheel Spinning Around

2011-12-14T18:48:00.001-08:00

Do y'all remember that show Pinwheel that used to air on Nickelodeon back in the day?? That was one of my absolute FAVORITE 80's shows. This recipe has NOTHING to do with that show other than having the word "pinwheel" in it's name. Every time I hear that word, it takes me back to that dang show!! Anyway, these pinwheels are pretty much amazing in every sense of the word...especially if you like savory foods as much as I do!!

CHEESY SAUSAGE PINWHEELS

1 roll of sausage {I used Jimmy Dean, HOT}

1/4 cup shredded asiago cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1 egg, beaten

1 can crescent rolls {I used Pillsbury, original crescents}

Now, pretty much anything that comes in crescent form is a winner in my book and this one is no exception. Start by cooking your sausage until brown, then drain. In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Add sausage, asiago, mozzarella, and thyme. Mix well until combined.

Now here's where things can get a little shady. I'm not gonna lie to you. I had one heckuva time putting these together. I let my crescents sit out too dang long so they were all sticky and doughy by the time I had to work with them. Darnit. Place two crescents together to form a rectangle and press seams together so that they don't split apart....seal 'em up real good!

You should have 4 rectangles. Divide the sausage mixture & spread evenly among the 4 crescents. Make sure to leave a 1/4 inch edge on all four sides of the rectangle. You'll want to start with the shortest sides and roll each crescent jelly roll style, pinching the seams to seal. The original recipe said to cut each roll into 6 slices prior to baking. Ummmm...that was a giant disaster, so I stopped before I got too far. I baked 'em jelly roll style and it worked PERFECT.

Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until the crescents are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Once mine were cool enough, I cut each crescent into 6 slices. It worked perfect! infact, I'm pretty sure I'll do this same thing next time I make them!!!

These little pinwheels were a HIT!!!! Aside from my little episode of having to deal with sticky crescent dough, prepping this little number took NO time at all. They were insanely YUM and gone before I really got to dig in. I doubled the recipe to make two batches and had a little bit of filling leftover when it was all said and done. I sure ate that straight from the bowl. My thighs thanked me the next day. Another great party food I can't wait to make again!!!!

It’s No Wonder

2011-12-14T18:44:00.001-08:00

I know this little recipe is floating all over the internet right now, but just incase you haven't had these yet, I figured it was my civil duty to post it again. I originally had these little delicacies a few years ago when my friend, Dena, made them for a little playgroup. I was smitten. Completely in love. She posted the recipe on her blog a few months back and I immediately pinned it so I wouldn't forget about 'em. We had a party the other night and these were the PERFECT little party dessert. Easy, quick, and sinfully delicious.

OREO BALLS

1 pkg. Oreos

1 pkg. cream cheese

Chocolate Almond bark OR Baker's Semi Sweet Chocolate {melted}

I used my haus of a food processor for this recipe. That sucker takes in a whole package of Oreos with room to spare. Halleluia. 1st step...crush your Oreos. If you don't have a food processor, just divide the Oreos into two separate baggies and beat the junk out of 'em until they're finely crushed :)

Next up, mix Oreos with a package of cream cheese. I added my {softened} cream cheese to the food processor as well. Of course, you can do this by hand if you need to...just takes a little bit more elbow grease.

Form the mixture into one inch balls and place on parchment paper. Melt the chocolate {I used chocolate almond bark}, and then dip the balls into the chocolate and fully coat all sides. Just use a spoon to roll 'em all around. Remove and place on parchment paper.

If you freeze the balls for about 30 minutes to an hour{ish}, they'll be a *little* easier to roll in the chocolate. Once they're all coated, transfer them to the fridge to let 'em harden.

This is a GREAT little dessert to take to parties or gift to neighbors & friends. They couldn't be easier to make...and they're SO unbelievable delicious!! It’s no wonder milk's favorite cookie is Oreo!!!!

Just Give Me a Shovel

2011-12-11T18:40:00.001-08:00

Mr. Spouse’s aunt makes the most amazing cookies every Christmas. One in particular is my absolute favorite. I seriously can’t.get.enough. I shovel them into my mouth by the fistfuls and then spend the rest of the year dreaming about them and wishing I knew how to make them for myself. When I found this recipe, I was pretty sure I hit the jackpot. They look JUST like the kind Aunt Cynthia makes!! While NOTHING can beat Aunt Cynthia’s version, these come in pretty dang close. A little decadent piece of heaven…and just like Aunt Cynthia’s cookies, I shovel ‘em into my mouth by the fistfuls. AMAZING.

SNOW CAPPED CRINKLES

1 bar Dark Chocolate {I used Lindt, 85% Cocoa}

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup oil {I used vegetable oil}

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped {optional…I did NOT use them!!!}

Just incase you’re curious, here’s the chocolate I used…

You’ll need to start by chopping the bar into chunks.

Now melt it…I used the microwave :) Remove from heat and stir. Add the sugar and oil and combine with the chocolate. Now add the eggs…one at a time. Beat well and add vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Now add the flour/powder/salt mix to the chocolate mix. Stir well to combine.

Place in the fridge and chill for about 2{ish} hours. In the meantime, drink a glass…or two…of wine. I found that it pairs nicely with the chocolate you’re about to consume ;) When you pull the dough out, it’ll look like this…

Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll in powdered sugar. I definitely used more than the specified amount…the more sugar the better, right?! Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes at 350. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks.

I can definitely say that there’s absolutely NOTHING I dislike about these little bite-sized pieces of heaven. They.are.AMAZING. Like I said before, nothing can beat Aunt Cynthia’s version of this cookie, but these come pretty dang close. They’re definitely the PERFECT substitute while I’m waiting all year long to have more of Aunt Cynthia’s at Christmas :) SO amazing!!!!

You Can’t Eat Just One

2011-12-11T17:33:00.001-08:00

I’m always on the lookout for new snack ideas. I’m usually a veggie/yogurt/cheese stick/turkey/popcorn kinda snack gal, but I *might* enjoy the occasional indulgence…especially on the weekends. This is one of my favorite new snacks. It’s absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to eat just one, so expect a little *snack* to turn into a feast. Thank the Lord for simple indulgences because this snack is just that!

RANCH PEPPER CRACKERS

1 & 1/4 cups canola oil

1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

2-3 tbsp. red pepper flakes

3-4 sleeves of Saltine crackers

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, ranch, and red pepper. Toss in the crackers to coat. I mixed ‘em around a bit, but I wanted them to be evenly coated, so I tossed ‘em in a large Ziplock baggie and got to work.

Remove the crackers from the baggie and place them on a large baking sheet. Bake at 250 for about 15-20 minutes and be sure to stir them around halfway through cooking. Remove from oven and just *try* to keep from eating the entire pan. I dare you ;)

Happiness in a Cup

2011-12-11T16:41:00.001-08:00

I’ve figured out that happiness comes from a cup. A S’mores cup. Ohmiword. Of course, I found this little recipe via Pinterest and couldn’t wait to try it out. We just had our little Ugly Sweater Christmas party and I knew this was the perfect little sweet treat to add to the menu. I pretty much downed the entire first batch all by myself, but since these were SO dang easy to make, whippin’ up another batch didn’t take any time at all. They were a HIT! Yes, happiness definitely comes in a {s’mores} cup!

S’MORES CUPS

adapted from Texas Cottage

1 sleeve graham crackers

1/4 cup powdered sugar

6 tbsp. butter, melted

4 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars

large marshmallows, cut crosswise

First you’ll need to make the graham cracker cups. So, start by finely crushing your graham crackers. My food processor would’ve done the job nicely, but it was dirty so I went ahead and threw ‘em in a baggie, closed it up, and took a rolling pin to it. Perfect.

Now add the crumbs to a mixing bowl and toss in the butter and powdered sugar. Mix well.

Using a tablespoon, take the crumb mixture and scoop it into each cup of your mini muffin pan. Using the back of your tablespoon, press a little “scoop” into each cup so that the crust isn’t flat all the way across.

Bake these at 350 for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from oven and place 1 little square of chocoloate {from the Hershey’s bar} into the center of each cup. Top that with half of a large marshmallow. You’ll need to cut each marshmallow in half {crosswise}. Return to oven and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes on wire racks. Whatever you do, don’t remove them from the pan right away. They’ll need about 5 minutes to set first. If you remove them too quickly, they’ll crumble right in front of you! {Sadly, I speak from experience}. While you’re waiting for the cups to cool, melt 2 of the chocolate bars in the microwave until bubbly…just make sure you don’t burn it! There’s nothing worse than the smell of burnt chocolate {well, maybe popcorn}. Once the cups are cooled, dip the tops in the melted chocolate and set aside to cool.

Ohmiword, y’all. These were SO dang good!! I mean seriously…who doesn’t love a S’more?! And a S’Mores that doesn’t get your fingers all sticky is even that much better!!! Like I said before, these little sweet treats were a HUE hit!!!! I made about 4 dozen and they were all gone in NO time! You’ll see why when you try ‘em for yourself!!! YUM!

I Like Them! I Really Do!

2011-11-20T09:00:00.001-08:00

Back in the day, I was NOT a fan of enchiladas. Not by a long shot. You need to realize that I adore my mom and pretty much everything she cooks in the kitchen is something straight from heaven, BUT...her enchiladas...NOT my favorite. I'd wince everytime she'd say "It's what's for dinner!". This aversion toward enchiladas followed me all the way through college and then I met Mr. Spouse. Mr. Spouse doesn't have any aversions to any kind of food. Since we've known each other, he's really helped to refine my taste pallette. (And by refine, I sure don't mean fancy). I've since become a HUGE fan of enchiladas and I love 'em any way I can get ‘em. When I had these enchiladas, I about FELL.OUT. I know I said I’ll take ‘em any way I can get ‘em, but if I could get ‘em this way ALL the time, I’d be in heaven :)

VERDE TURKEY ENCHILADAS

VERDE SAUCE

1 & 1/4 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

ENCHILADAS

3/4 lbs. ground turkey {if you aren’t a fan, you could sub extra lean ground beef, but the turkey is amazing}

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

3/4 cup salsa {I used Joe T. Garcia’s}

1 tbsp. cornmeal

2 tsp. chili powder

1 & 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 & 1/4 cups shredded cheese {I used the Mexican blend}

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Yes, yes. Looks like a lot, but please don’t dismiss it just yet. I promise you’ll thank me!!! Okay, so let’s get started on the verde sauce first. You’ll need to combine the corn, green chiles, cilantro, heavy whipping cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor. If you’re like me, then you’ve probably misplaced a number of your food processor attachments through the years thus rendering it useless. In that case, pull out your blender. It’ll get the job done, too. Puree until well blended and set aside.

Let’s move on to the enchiladas, shall we?! Pour your olive oil into a large skillet and heat for a couple of minutes. Add the turkey, onion, and garlic and cook until browned.

Remove from heat and stir in salsa, cornmeal, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, & pepper. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the turkey mixture down the center of a tortilla. I like to use the homemade tortillas from Kroger because I swear they’re the best. Top the turkey mixture with a couple tablespoons of cheese. Roll it up and place seam side down in a baking dish. I used one of my little corningware dishes, but I can’t remember the size.

Now spoon the verde sauce on top of the enchiladas and top with cheese.

Cover the enchiladas with cheese and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

YUUUUUUUUMMMMMMM. You can’t.even.imagine. For real.

Of course, you can top it all off with some black olives, sour cream, whatever your little heart desires. We left ours as is and they were AMAZING. Truly out of this world. The sauce is what makes this dish so delectable, so make sure you don’t skimp on that. Take my word. And sure, it looks like it requires a little bit of elbow grease and you’d be right about that, but it’s worth every extra step you have to take.

Now when I hear, “Enchiladas! It’s what’s for dinner!” there’s NO wincing involved whatsoever. Go ‘head and getcha some and see what I’m talkin’ about. Then come back and tell me how much you love ‘em :)

Another Wreath. Are You Sick of These Yet?

2011-11-16T21:31:00.001-08:00

Just last weekend, we decorated the inside of the house for Christmas. We like to enjoy our decor as long as we possibly can because we do a lot of traveling over the holidays. even though the inside of our house looks like Christmas, we weren't quite ready to go decorating the outside. We've still got pumpkins and scarecrows adorning our porch. While I was going through my wreath making kick a few weeks back, I made one to hang on our door through the Thanksgiving holidays. Of course, I was totally inspired by this one I found on Pinterest.

Photo via The High Heeled Hostess

Looked easy enough, so I gathered up what I needed and got to work. You'll need a grapevine wreath, some floral moss, hot glue, ribbon, and some pumpkins. I scored these pumpkins at Hobby Lobby. They came in a big box of about 12, all glittered and ready to sparkle. I was in.love. It took me a total of 20 minutes to make this wreath. Absolutely couldn't have been easier.

Take your moss in small pieces and glue it to the wreath. I shoved mine in the nooks and crannies so it would stick. This was some MESSY moss. I grabbed 2 bags at Wal Mart in the floral section for $1 a bag. I only used about a bag and a half. Keep on gluing the moss all the way around the wreath.

Once that's all finished, hot glue the pumpkins to the bottom.

Then tie on a pretty little ribbon.

And DONE.

Simple, fast, pretty stinkin' cute. At least I think so. Before I put the ribbon on, I sprayed the wreath with hairspray. Sounds random, but I didn't want the moss falling off all over the place and that seemed to do the trick!!!

The total cost of this project was about $10{ish}. $5 for the wreath, $2 for the moss, $1.50 for the ribbon, and I got the pumpkins from a big box of glittered goodness I found at Hobby Lobby for $6. So I’d say that averages out to about $10. Easy. Inexpensive. Cute!!! My favorite kind of project :) Now it’s time to start on one for Christmas!

Keep Munching, We’ll Make More

2011-11-15T21:03:00.001-08:00

Just incase you aren’t familiar, that’s a little Dorito’s slogan. And if you haven’t figured it out by now, this is NOT going to be a healthy recipe post. I love comfort food. Hearty meals that don’t require a ton of work and require very few steps *might* be my favorite. If you aren’t a fan of those kinda meals, stop reading now. But if you like to treat yourself to something sinfully delicious every now and then, well then read on my friends. Sometimes these are the best kind of meals and this one might be a new family favorite. I’m sure this recipe has been around for a while, but it’s new to us. Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t know about this sooner. When I pinned it on Pinterest, I was pretty skeptical. Infact, I thought it looked a little scary. I don’t know what made me decide to give it a shot, but I’m SO glad I did. And once you try it, you’ll see why!!!!

DORITO CASSEROLE

recipe from Jam Hands

2 cups shredded chicken

1 1/2 – 2 cups shredded cheese {I used the Mexican 4 blend cheese}

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can Rotel {I used HOT, but I’d recommend Mild if you’re cooking for kids}

1/2 packet taco seasoning

1 bag of Dorito’s {Nacho Cheese}

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT Dorito’s.

In a 9x13 baking dish, spread a layer of crushed Dorito’s on the bottom.

Now spread a layer of the chicken mixture on top of the Dorito’s.

Add another layer of crushed Dorito’s and then finish with another layer of chicken. Top with shredded cheese and cover with foil.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Say what you will about this kinda food, but seriously people…don’t knock it ‘til ya try it!!!!

One of THE tasitest, easiest, so-happy-to-be-home-from-work-and-not-sorry-about-cooking-something-too-time-consuming kind of meals. This definitely ranks in our Top 10 all time comfort foods.

Get ready to have a new favorite on your list. Just sayin’…

Meal Planning Monday

2011-11-14T13:56:00.000-08:00

Y'all might notice that the recipes on my menu this week are all coming from the same place. I feel like I've stumbled upon a goldmine of delicious, HEALTHY, low fat/low sugar/low carb recipes!!! I can't wait to tell you about the dinners we LOVED last week, but until then, here's our menu for this week!

Monday: Mr. Spouse has a game so I'll be cooking for one. Balsamic Spinach Salad with Mushrooms, Onion, and Feta {possibly some grilled chicken, too!}

Tuesday: Grilled Portobella Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese

Wednesday: Garlicky Shrimp with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Thursday: Southwest Chicken Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Friday: Slow Cooker Southwestern Pot Roast

Not sure about the weekend because my parents will be in town, but I'm sure we'll figure out something yummy!!!!

Have a great week!

Breakfast or Dessert…YOU Make the Call!

2011-11-08T21:33:00.001-08:00

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m definitely the kind of girl that LOVES me some cake for breakfast. I remember growing up my mom would make us birthday cakes. My personal favorite was yellow cake with chocolate frosting. We’d always have a little leftover and I LOVED devouring it for breakfast the next morning. Sure, not the healthiest option, but ohmiword…definitely the tastiest! I’m still the same way. I’m pretty much all about the protein filled breakfasts these days, but whenever there’s leftover cake, you can bet that’s what I’m eating. This recipe is the kind of cake that’s good for either breakfast or dessert. I’m sure by now you can gather that I ate it for both :) It’s not too sweet, but it’s OH so delicious. Every.little.morsel. I could’ve eaten this ENTIRE pan ALL by myself and I’m pretty sure Mr. Spouse was afraid I would.

CINNAMON ROLL CAKE

For the cake batter:

3 cups of flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup of sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup butter, melted

For the topping:

1 cup of butter, softened

1 cup of brown sugar

2 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. cinnamon

For the glaze:

2 cups of powdered sugar

5 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

I forgot to take a little pic of the ingredients, so go ahead and make yourself a mental image. Now, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl. SLOWLY mix in the melted butter.

In a separate bowl, mix together the ingredients for the topping until well combined.

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the glaze and set aside.

Grease up a 9x13 baking dish and pour the batter inside. Drop the topping mixture evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife to get an even spread.

Bake at 350 for about 28-32 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes.

Ummm…I put a couple of holes in it just to make sure it was done…and to taste it, of course!

Now drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.

HOLY CINNAMON AND SUGARED GLAZE GREATNESS.

Y’all. This is NOT a joke. This is some GOOD stuff, right here! I KNOW it looks time intensive, but the thing that took the longest through this WHOLE process was rounding up all the ingredients. The rest was a quick breeze once I had all the ingredients in place.

Now don’t get fooled into thinkin’ this is going to taste just like Cinnabon because it’s SO not. It’s nowhere near as sweet…but I think that’s what I love about it the most!!!!! It’s just SO flippin’ YUMMY!!! I ate it for breakfast. And dessert. And I even sampled several bites for snack :) I didn’t want it to go to waste ;) I’m thinking about adding apple to it next time. Not that it wasn’t amazing on it’s own, but I’m pretty much *obsessed* with all things apple & cinnamon, so why not?!

Oh my. Just looking at this takes me back. Seriously people…try it SOON!!!!!! SO good!!

Meal Planning Monday

2011-11-07T07:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I haven't been very good about formulating a plan for my weekly meals. Mr. Spouse has had absolutely crazy schedules the last few weeks, so my cooking in the kitchen has been kept at a minimum...we're talkin' like, 2 days a week. NOT that I'm complaining, but ohmiword. It doesn't give me much motivation to make a plan. Now that this week's schedule is a little bit more *normal*, and I actually went grocery shopping yesterday {gasp!!!}, I decided it was time for a menu :) You'll see a lot of low-cal, low-fat recipes this week. Mr. Spouse has been requesting this for quite some time, so we'll be eating *lighter* for the next few weeks. It's time to make a little more room in our Thanksgiving pants :)

Monday: Chicken Caprese & Roasted Green Beans

Tuesday: Crock Pot Black Bean Chili with Lime & Cilantro

Wednesday: Tomato & Mozzarella Fish Bake & Roasted Asparagus

Thursday: Peperoncini Chopped Salad with Red Bell Pepper, Feta, & Grilled Chicken

Friday: This is the first Friday night Mr. Spouse will be home since August, so I think we'll be going out to eat!

Weekend Breakfast: Roasted Green Bell Pepper and Tomato Breakfast Casserole with Feta & Oregano

Saturday dinner: Out to eat

Sunday dinner: Out to eat

Music Repurposed

2011-11-06T12:31:00.001-08:00

I LOVED playing the piano when I was younger. I never had any formal lessons, but my mom taught me how to read music. I was far from a Beethoven in training, but I loved the piano nonetheless. About a year ago, we gave away our piano. I was sad, but Mr. Spouse threw a party in the wake of it’s departure. He HATED that thing. Randomly, my mom gave away her piano this year also, but she decided to keep all the sheet music and piano books that she had growing up. These are the same piano books and sheet music I played when I was a kid. Being the nostalgic sap that I am, I asked mom if she wouldn’t mind parting with all those piano books and she gladly handed them over. Now, as much as I wanted the piano books for memory’s sake, I wanted them for decorating even more. I've been DYING to make a vintage music sheet wreath and now I had PLENTY of music sheets to start my project!

You’ll need a styrofoam wreath, some white ribbon, music sheet, and some hot glue. First you’ll need to cover the entire wreath with the white ribbon. I ran out of ribbon and ended up finishing it off with some random off white burlap I had leftover from another project.

Now you’ll need to start rolling your sheet music. I *might* have thrown out a few choice words as I was starting this part of the project. I couldn’t get the darn sheets to roll the right way, so it took a few little trial & errors before I perfected my method. This is what worked best for me…

Start by rolling your paper on the bottom right side of the paper. I found that it was easiest to roll when the very tip {bottom} of the cone was in the middle of the paper.

Now just keep rolling…

and rolling some more. Roll ‘til there’s nothing left! When you get to the very last little bit of your paper, take some hot glue and run it along the edges. Finish rolling to secure.

I made a little over 60 cones for my wreath.

When they cones are all rolled, it’s time to start securing them to the wreath. I placed a cup in the middle of my wreath so that I could get the tips even all the way around. This was just a good little guide.

Now start gluing the music sheets down all the way around the wreath in one single layer. I don’t have pictures of this part because I was slackin’. After you get the first layer secured, take the additional cones and secure them on top of the first layer. I secured mine in the middle of every other cone. {Is this making ANY sense at all?!?!?!?} I liked the way it looked, but I wanted a little something *extra*, so I made a little accordian-fold pennant and glued it to the center of the wreath. Then I made a burlap rosette using THIS tutorial and hot glued that to the top of the pennant.

It turned out a bit larger than I expected, but I.LOVE.IT!!!!!! I made it with the intention of keeping it up just during the holidays, but I think it’s got a permanent home in my foyer. It just makes me happy :) I think I want to take a small monogram and put it in the middle of the rosette, but that *might* be overkill ;)

I hung it up by taking some ribbon and making a loop that I hot glued to the foam. Worked like a charm!

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and this wreath is NO exception ;)

Torn.

2011-11-02T21:38:00.001-07:00

Mr. Spouse came home from a quick trip to good ol’ Wal Mart on Halloween and he was beside himself. “Did you know that Wal Mart ALREADY has their Christmas decorations out?? And they’re ALREADY decorating for the holidays??” It’s clear he doesn’t get out much. I was all, “Well, Hobby Lobby has ‘em beat because their Christmas stuff started rolling out in June.” His jaw dropped. Bless him.

I’m always torn this time of year because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Halloween, but I get pretty stinkin’ excited to decorate for Christmas. So, I had to get a little creative with my decorating schedule. I start decorating for Halloween between mid-late September, and then Christmas throws up in our house the first weekend of November. Sadly, that’s not a lie. We’re not home to decorate during the Thanksgiving holidays and we can’t enjoy our décor during the Christmas holidays because we’re always up north. I get to enjoy my very minimal Halloween decorations for another few days and then the boxes come out of the attic this weekend. Just thought I’d share a few pictures before I deck the halls :)

This little space in our foyer gets changed A LOT. It’s home to my card shutters during the holidays. I REALLY wanted to hang this little window instead of propping it against the wall, but Mr. Spouse REFUSES to let me put anymore jankity holes in the wall.

I *might* have a small obsession with skulls. Just sayin’. But seriously, how can you resist when you find ‘em at the Dollar Tree?!

I made the little BOO banner using vintage music sheets, black cardstock, ribbon, and the Circus font. I just printed, cut, and glued. It’s definitely NOTHING fancy, but I loved the way it looked with the rest of the black and white accents.

Here’s the itty wall opposite the black/white/skull vignette. I should mention that this is a very sad space. I wanted to add small bats to the branches and then drape cheesecloth over the table. And I wanted to add a couple of framed silhouettes, too. As you can see, none of my plans transpired. This is the part of the house that’s visited the least {by us, anway}, so we were practicing the whole, “out of sight, out of mind”, idea.

My favorite addition to the house this year are these shelves!! I fell in love with them on on The House of Smiths. And score for Mr. Spouse because he built them himself {following this tutorial}. Oh, how I LOVE them. PERFECT for decorating.

I love having a little focal point that I can change out with the seasons/holidays.

I used to have this great little jack-o-lantern/cat garland that I’d hang up on our entertainment center every year. Well, we moved that unit upstairs so I planned on hanging it where you see the “Fright” banner. As soon as I pulled it out of the box, it broke. Dangit. SO, I took one of the little jack-o-lanterns and decided to repurpose it. I spray painted this frame black and the mat a fun little rust color. I took some of my vintage sheet music and adhered it to the mat. Then I hot glued the jack-o-lantern on top. I LOVE the way it turned out….even though I wish the sheet music weren’t going sideways! Darn details!!

I made this little Fright banner using sheet music and kraft paper and distressed the edges with a distress ink pad.

It’s fun. It’s festive. And it’s comin’ down in just a few days :(

Now maybe this will help me remember how to put it all out next year! HA!!!

I’ll be back in a few days with a couple of new tutorials. I’ve been a wreath makin’ fool these last few weeks. Here’s a little sneak peek…

A Little Goes A LONG Way

2011-11-01T21:16:00.001-07:00

We’ve all heard the old adage, “a little goes a long way”. As a teacher, I can tell you that’s true…especially when it comes to using glue :) As a cook, I don’t always abide by the same way of thinking. In my kitchen, there’s no such thing as a little…the more spice/sugar/butter, the better. However, when I’m cooking with shrimp, I feel like a little makes a lot. Instead of buying large shrimp, I like to buy it little. I just feel like I get a lot more food, even though I know that’s not really the case. I like to psych myself into believing it’s true. And when I make myself a plate of food, I always serve myself on a salad plate. That way it looks like I’m eating more than I really am. I guess it doesn’t really make a difference whether I serve myself on a salad plate or not…I always go back for seconds, so I’m pretty sure that defeats the purpose! HA! This little recipe is the prime example of how a little can go a LONG way :)

CHIPOTLE LIME SOFT TACOS

Chipotle chili in adobo sauce, chopped {I only used one! Those suckers are H-O-T!!!!}

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp. cumin

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 lime {juice & zest}

2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped

1 lb. shrimp; peeled and deveined

CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALSA

3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. white sugar

1/2 tsp. black pepper {I always use coarse ground black pepper}

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1 {15 oz.} can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 {15 oz.} can sweet corn, drained

1 red pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded & diced

2 green onions, diced

Alrighty. There are two recipes because that’s what this dinner calls for. Trust me when I tell you that you absolutely DO NOT want to skip out on the corn & black bean salsa. As good as the shrimp turn out, you don’t wanna eat ‘em without the salsa. Let’s do this.

Here’s what you’ll need for the tacos…

As you can see, I grabbed a pound of the SMALL frozen shrimp. I seriously felt like I’d get more for my money, I guess?!?! Whatev. You can make it with small, medium, or large shrimp…whatever your preference! And if they’re fresh, even better!!

Now, go ‘head and chop up that chipotle pepper. Gosh dang…these things bring the HEAT. For real. Don’t go rubbin’ your eyes after you touch this thing. I speak from experience. Ouch.

Now toss the pepper into a bowl and add the olive oil, cumin, brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Mix it up real good and let it marinade for about 20 {ish} minutes. Then go ahead and add your {thawed} shrimp to this little marinade and let it sit for about another 20 minutes. Or if you’re like me, and you have ZERO patience, go ahead and throw your shrimp in the marinade as soon as it’s made and let it sit for about 20{ish}.

If you have a Foreman, pull it out and dust it off. You’ll learn real fast that I LOVE to use mine. If you use small/medium shrimp for this recipe, you’ll have no choice. You’ll HAVE to use the Forman. But if you’re a big girl, and you aren’t afraid of the BIG grill {the one only my husband is allowed to touch}, then go ahead and get the LARGE shrimp and put ‘em on {soaked} skewers for grillin’. If you’re takin’ the easy way out and using the Forman, fire it up and get ready to “grill”. Once it’s nice and hot, throw on your marinated, baby shrimp and let ‘em cook. It took mine about 4-6 minutes until they were ready.

Right about now, you’re DYING from the smell. Amazing. For real. And if you’re anything like me, you’re sneaking bites straight from the Forman…before they even have a chance to cool off on a plate.

Okay, so before you can make your tacos, you’ll need the corn & black bean salsa. I HIGHLY recommend you make this while your shrimp is marinating. You’ll want it to be ready to go when your shrimp come off the grill. Here’s what you’ll need…

In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, olive oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, and cumin. Chop up your cilantro, green onion, red pepper, and jalapeno and toss it into a separate, medium bowl. Now you’ll wanna go ahead and add the corn and black beans to the cilantro/onion/pepper/jalapeno.

Mix it up ‘til it’s nice and pretty and pour the vinegar/olive oil mix on top and stir around ‘til mixed well.

YUM!!!!!!

Now you’ve got your salsa AND your shrimp all ready to go. Make sure your tortillas {preferably homemade…aka: Kroger flour tortillas made in-store} are nice and heated. Spread a helping of the corn & black bean salsa down the center of the tortilla and top it with a generous helping of the shrimp.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS??!?!?! Hands down, one of the BEST shrimp taco recipes I’ve EVER tasted!!!! It scored a big fat 10+ from Mr. Spouse. He was all, “I could eat these EVERY night!!!!” True story!!! Like I said before, the shrimp are amazing on their own, but the salsa makes the taco. Don’t skip that part!! If you don’t wanna spend time chopping and mixing while your shrimp marinades, make the salsa the night before. You could even make it at the beginning of the week and serve it with several different dishes throughout the week. You’ll see what I mean when you make it for yourself!!!

Get excited people!!! Hook yourself up with some chipotle lime soft tacos and get to eatin’! And go ahead and skip the salad plate. You’ll wanna serve yourself on a regular sized plate because you’ll be eating A LOT. And you won’t wanna waste any time stopping to go back into the kitchen to serve yourself seconds/thirds/fourths/whatever. SO flippin’ YUM!!!!

Keepin’ It Spicy

2011-10-24T20:50:00.001-07:00

Alright y’all. My girl Paula has gone and done it again. Remember when I recently had a week full of recipes from my most favorite chef herself?! Well, here’s one of the MANY winners from that week. MY.WORD. This is a "must-make-again.SOON” recipe, for sure!! I can’t cook for two people to save my life so we always have A TON of leftovers. I started taking my leftovers to one of the sweet girls on my team who loves spicy food as much as I do. I’m tellin’ y’all, we are a match made in spicy-lovin’ heaven. She LOVED this dish just as much as I did and raved about it for a few days after. This is definitely a keeper. Oh, sweet Paula…you really know how to keep things spicy ;)

SPICY SHRIMP AND PASTA CASSEROLE

2 lbs. shrimp, cleaned, peeled, & deveined {I used frozen shrimp because I take shortcuts like that ;)}

16 oz. jar of salsa {I used my favorite, World Table Salsa Casera :)}

9 oz. angel hair pasta {I used about 3/4 of a box}

1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

1 tsp. dried basil, crushed

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/3 cup freshly chopped parsley

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

1 cup plain yogurt

1 1/2 cup half & half

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese

Alright now, here we go. Can I just tell y’all how much I love having all my ingredients in one place when I start cooking?! I mean, my kitchen still looks like the sad aftermath of a tornado when it’s all said and done, but I like starting out relatively organized.

First make sure you cook your pasta and then drain. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, half & half, yogurt, swiss & feta cheeses, parsley, basil, and oregano. Mix until well blended. Set aside.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter and spread half the pasta over the bottom of the dish.

Now let’s get to layerin’. I’m good at that. Especially in the winter. I layer A LOT to cover up muffin tops and saddlebags. Don’t judge. This time, however, I’m layering FOOD. Let’s get to it. Cover the pasta with salsa, put half the shrimp on top of the salsa, and then cover it with the monterrey jack.

You’ll notice that my shrimp already look cooked. Ummm…well…you’re *sorta* right. I forgot to let the shrimp thaw out before I left for work, so I popped ‘em in the microwave to let them defrost. I left them in a little too long and sorta cooked ‘em. But I’m okay with that because the layerin’ gets a little thick and I was a little paranoid about biting into a raw shrimp. I might suggest you do the same :) Just sayin’.

Now go ‘head and add the remaining pasta and shrimp.

Now pour the egg mixture {remember the one we set aside earlier?!} right over the top of the pasta & shrimp.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let it stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Holy feta, swiss, and monterrey jack. AH-mazing people!!! I’m tellin’ you!!!! Okay, so I went ahead and added the crushed red pepper to the dish…this wasn’t in the original recipe, but I thought it needed an extra little kick. I knew the salsa wouldn’t make it spicy enough for our taste, so the red pepper totally did the trick. You can absolutely leave that out if you don’t want a little kick in the pants.

GET.IN.MY.BELLY.

OH friends. OOOOHHHHHH, sweet friends. Don’t skip this one. For real. Y’all know Paula doesn’t disappoint and this is definitely no exception. This is a meal that delivers, so go ahead and deliver this one right to your dinner table. I promise you’ll love it.

And you’ll love it even more when you eat it for leftovers the next day, too ;)

If You Give a Firefighter a Muffin…

2011-10-16T16:51:00.001-07:00

My grandpa Joe used to make the BEST snickerdoodle cookies. I mean truly. They were somethin’ outta this world. I’ve yet to taste another that compares. Infact, I rarely get a chance to taste any at all. I don’t try to recreate ‘em here in the kitchen because I don’t have grandpa’s recipe and no one else I know has made any either…at least, not for me anyway :) When I found this recipe for Snickerdoodle Muffins, I might’ve freaked my freak. They looked too easy not to try and I thought they *might* come close to a muffin version of grandpa’s cookies

My boys and I stayed up late Friday night baking 4 dozen of these…along with 8 dozen Monster Cookies…and we delivered them to our neighborhood fire station, a few friends, and several strangers. Little tokens of kindness, if you will. If you ask me, these were BIG tokens of kindness because I didn’t want to give them away AT ALL. These were so stinkin’ good I could’ve eaten all 4 dozen alone. And don’t tell anyone, but I ate about 5 before I packaged them up for delivery :) The local firefighters were especially grateful. I’m pretty sure we’ll be baking more for them in the future, but next time, we’ll make a couple dozen for ourselves!!!

SNICKERDOODLE MUFFINS

1 cup {2 sticks} of butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup buttermilk

Topping

2/3 cups sugar

2 tbsp. cinnamon

First on the agenda, get your ingredients ready.

Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix until creamy. Then add the eggs and vanilla and combine. You might’ve noticed I only showed one stick of butter in my ingredients. That’s because that’s all I used. I read the dang recipe the wrong way. I thought 1 stick instead of 1 cup. Shoo.

In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients…flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix to combine.

Now add a cup & a half of the flour mix to the butter/sugar mix and stir well to combine.

Now toss in the sour cream and buttermilk and….you got it…stir to combine. Then go ‘head and toss in the remainder of the flour mix and…all together, now…STIR TO COMBINE.

If you’re following the recipe to a T, you’ll notice that the consistency of YOUR mixture will look quite a bit different than the consistency of mine. Your batter will be MUCH thicker. Mine?! Notsomuch.

Grab another little bowl and mix together your sugar and cinnamon.

Now, because my batter wasn’t looking quite as thick as it should have…and at this point, I had NO clue where I went wrong…I went ahead and threw in the cinnamon sugar mix into the big bowl of batter. It should’ve been thick enough to scoop out with an ice cream scoop and then make little balls to roll around in the cinnamon sugar. Obviously, I couldn’t do that, so I improvised. I mixed it all together and at this point, it was smellin’ pretty dang great.

Make sure you prepare your muffin pan with liners. Apparently they’re just too dang fragile for the cooking spray. I used the ice cream scoop to plop in a helping of the batter into each liner. I made another small batch of the cinnamon sugar mix to sprinkle on top of each muffin before baking.

Bake at 350 for about 15-18 minutes, remove, and let cool on a wire rack. I STILL had NO clue what I had done wrong, so I tasted them to see how badly I screwed up. And seriously y’all…they were FREAKING FANTASTIC!!!!!

If there were a legal form of crack, these would be it. I couldn’t.stop. “sampling” :) Sure, they didn’t look as pretty as they were supposed to, but the taste made up for it. Promise. I’m filing this one under “fortunate accident”.

I’ll definitely be making these again…the *wrong* way. However, I think I’ll try the *right* way first. I just wanna see for myself if I can get them to look as pretty as they do in this recipe.

These little guys were a HIT at the fire station and one of my sweet friends said…and I quote… “OH.MY.WORD. Those muffins are the bomb.com!!!” HA!! I couldn’t have said it better myself :)

Willing on the Colder Weather

2011-10-13T20:22:00.001-07:00

I don't know about y'all, but I'm *kind of* ready for colder weather. Now, when I say colder, I really mean somewhere in the upper 70's to low 80's. That's just about as cold as I can take it. For real. The weather here in Texas has been less than cool these last few months, so I decided to make some soup the other night to will on the colder weather. All I have to say is, 'who the heck cares if it's cold or not?!' This is the kinda soup that's good in ANY kind of weather!!!

Italian Chicken Soup

from The Pioneer Woman

1 box Ditalini pasta {I used the Barilla brand}

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 chicken breasts

8 cups chicken broth {this equals out to two big boxes of chicken broth}

1 medium onion, diced

2 green peppers, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

2 fresh jalapenos, diced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 can {28. oz} whole tomatoes, diced

2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup olive oil

4 tbsp. minced fresh oregano

salt & pepper, to taste

Parmesan Cheese shavings, as desired

Alright y'all. Tell me this doesn't look easy enough?!

Now that we've got that outta the way, you'll definitely need to be prepared for this one. There's a lot of "setting aside" goin' on in this recipe, so you'll need to be ready for that. And make sure all your dishes/pots/pans are cleaned and ready to be used because you'll be using several for this one.

First up, cook your pasta according to package directions. I used the whole box of Ditalini, just incase you're wondering. Drain pasta, rinse, and return to pot. Toss in 1 tbsp. of olive oil and mix well. Set this aside.

Now let's go ahead and cook your chicken. The Pioneer Woman used a whole fryer chicken for her recipe, but all I had handy was 4 chicken breasts. Obviously, I used what was available...and cheapest!...for this one. You'll wanna boil your chicken in 8 cups of chicken broth, so make sure you have a pot/pan big enough for all the juiciness. Bring the chicken to a boil and then let it simmer {covered} for about 30 minutes. Now, go 'head and turn off the heat and let it sit there...in all it's wonderful juiciness...covered...for another 30 minutes. Then remove the chicken from the broth and shred. Make sure to set aside the broth because you'll need that for the soup.

Now let's get to dicin', shall we?!

Chop up your bell peppers, jalapenos, celery, and onion. Ohmiword. That's a seriously salivating sight.

While you're choppin', open up those tomatoes and dice those up, too. At this point in the game, you're probably all, "Seriously?! Chopping a can of whole tomatoes?! I'm skippin' that step and buying the can of diced tomatoes next time." Ummmm...yeah, I was totally thinking that, too. But after reading a little bit more about the difference between diced and whole, it sounds like the whole tomatoes are MUCH more flavorful than the diced tomatoes, so don't take the shortcut. Unless you like flavorless tomatoes. Then go right ahead. Once your tomatoes are nice and chopped, return them to their can with all their juices. Set it aside.

Now it's time to chop up the oregano. I didn't have 4 tablespoons worth of fresh oregano, so I improvised and added a mixture of both dried and fresh. Saute this in a little pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. YUM.MO. For real.

You won't wanna saute for too long, just give it enough time to start makin' your house smell somethin' fantastic.

Saute the peppers, onion, celery, and jalapenos in a tablespoon of olive oil until tender {about 10ish minutes}.

Now add the broth, chicken, and tomates {with all the tomato juice} to the pan. Bring to a boil and the reduce the heat to simmer.

My pan wasn't big enough to add the pasta, SO I turned off the heat and added the broth mixture to the pasta {in the pasta pot}. Then add the heavy cream and oregano and stir until well combined. {You won’t need the heat for that part, even if you’re adding the pasta to the same pot!}

Ooooooh. my. GOODNESS.

Don't forget to add the shaved parmesan. MY.WORD. That just takes it to a whole other level. A level of soupy, cheesy decadence.

If this doesn't will on the cooler temps, I don't know what will!!! But seriously...I'd eat this soup in any weather. On a boat or with a goat. Here or there or ANYWHERE :) And I’m pretty much thinkin’ you will, too. My word. That Pioneer Woman is a dang genius!!

Just Call Me Crafty Crafterson.

2011-09-29T17:32:00.001-07:00

I’m sure y’all have seen this darling wreath blowin’ up the boards on Pinterest.

I’d link back to the original source, but the link on Pinterest takes me to a blank page!!!

LOVE it. Infact, I love it so much, I had to make my own.

I’m not really diggin’ the tulle, so I’m on the hunt for the “perfect” ribbon. This was a relatively inexpensive project because I had most of the supplies on hand. I had the grapevine wreath leftover from a shower I helped host back in the summer. I also had the burlap, twine, and tulle. I found the black and orange fabric in the little remnant section at Hobby Lobby and that cost me a little under $5. I also found the monogram at Hobby Lobby for $3 and I wrapped it in twine.

Not gonna lie. It was a *little* time intensive, but I think that’s only because I majorly screwed up on the rosettes until I found this You Tube tutorial on how to make them. Should’ve searched for that first! HA!

After A LOT of twisting and gluing, secure the rosettes to the wreath with a little more hot glue and voila! A festive little pretty for your sweet little home. And a friendly little warning: just be prepared to burn yourself a few ~~hundred~~ times with the hot glue gun :) Now if I could only figure out where to hang it!!!!

I don’t know what it is about Fall that motivates me to start crafting and home improving, but Mr. Spouse says he loves it. Kind of. Actually he really likes my motivation, but hates what it’s doing to the bank account.

Happy crafting!

George Foreman Approved.

2011-09-28T20:37:00.001-07:00

Raise your hand if you owned a George Foreman grill in college {me! me! me!} Alright, now raise your hand if you still own said grill {ummmm…me?! me?! me!?} It’s true. I still own mine. And I use it ALL the dang time. I flippin’ LOVE that thing! I can’t grill to save my life, and I hate waiting for Mr. Spouse to get home so we can fire up the big one, so you’d better believe that my mini grill…aka: my “Foreman”…gets a lot of play in my kitchen. That’s how I roll. Here’s one of my FAVORITE Foreman recipes. I first started making this when I was on the South Beach Diet about 6{ish} years ago {a mini high school reunion was coming up} and this was one of my saving grace dishes. Even though this recipe isn’t George Foreman endorsed, I have a feeling he’d definitely approve!!!!

GRILLED FISH AND PEPPERS

1 cup Zesty Italian Dressing

2 tsp. crushed red pepper

4 tilapia filets {I use the frozen tilapia :)}

2 red peppers, sliced into thin strips

2 green peppers, sliced into thin strips

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro {optional. I didn’t use it!}

This is all you’ll need.

Mix the dressing and red pepper together until well blended.

Cut the peppers into thin slices and toss into a gallon-sized ziplock baggie with the fish filets.

Now pour the dressing/red pepper combo into the bag of veggies & fish, zip it up, and shake the heck out of it. I mean, really shake it good!!!

Refrigerate the fish/pepper/dressing combo for about 15-20 minutes, just long enough to marinate. Now toss the peppers and fish on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes and then turn the fish over.

Grill until the fish flakes easily with a fork! When it’s finally ready…which WON’T take long at.all…transfer to plate and serve with grilled peppers.

You can sprinkle with cheese…and cilantro, too, if that’s your thing. I actually left out both the cheese and the cilantro and I can honestly say that this is one of my FAVORITE fish dishes!!! We haven’t had this in a while, but when I made it, Mr. Spouse said, “Why don’t we have this more often?!” Good question. If you’re a fan of fish, then you definitely need to add this recipe to your menu!! It’s light, but filling, and a great addition to your “healthy” cooking choices!!

Meal Planning Monday

2011-09-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Have I ever told y'all how much I LOVE Paula Deen? Because I seriously do. She's pretty much the person who started me on my domestic journey. When I was dating Mr. Spouse and really wanted to impress him with my domestic prowess, I'd watch her on Food Network and try to recreate her meals in my VERY tiny apartment kitchen. I can honestly say that every single meal was a complete failure. In a BAD way. I'd like to think I've come a long way since then. And I still love Paula just as much...if not more :) She's so dang cute!! And her accent?! LOVE. And don'tcha just love the way she says "boil"!?!?!? I own every single one of her cookbooks {except for Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible...did ya hear that mom?!? Christmas list!!!} and all of the Deen boys cookbooks, too. They're just as cute as she is. I'd LOVE to have her over for dinner, only I'd hope she'd be the one doin' all the cookin' ;)

I thought I'd get back to my cooking roots this week and pay a little homage to the sweet southern gem who got me excited to spend time in the kitchen. This week's meals...with the exception of Monday...are all from my favorite cook herself :) Looks like I'll be putting in A LOT of extra time at the gym in the mornings...and fasting throughout the day :) Love you, Paula!

Monday: Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos {didn't make them on Sunday, so we're makin' 'em tonight!}

Tuesday: Spicy Shrimp and Pasta Casserole {this was also on the menu last week, but Mr. Spouse was out with the guys & I didn't want to indulge in this by myself }

Wednesday: Enchilada Verde Bake {from Cooking with Paula}

Thursday: Macho Nachos & Carmel Apple Cheeksecake Bars with Streusel Topping {I'm having a friend over and thought these would be the perfect snack-and-chat foods!!!}

Friday: Kitchen Closed {Mr. Spouse has a game so it's leftovers for Momma!}

Weekend Breakfast: Gorilla Bread

Saturday lunch & dinner: Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

Sunday lunch: Out to eat after church

Sunday dinner: Crab Cakes

Here are some of our favorite Paula recipes I've tried & featured here on Pearls, Handcuffs, & Happy Hour. And I've loved every.single.one.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf, Hot Chicken Salad, Sausage & Rice Casserole, Can't Miss Tilapia, Shrimp Stuffed Potatoes, Shrimp Creole, Monster Cookies, Symphony Brownies, Not 'Yo Momma's Banana Pudding,

A Pinterest Inspired Knock Off

2011-09-24T07:23:00.001-07:00

Is anybody else sucked into the black hole otherwise known as “Pinterest”? I love the way it makes me feel creative when in reality I’ve been sitting on the couch…snacking on chips…drinking a soda…watching the latest rerun of Real Housewives…and browsing pins for hours on end. I decided to put all my pinning to good use and do a little something to prettify my house. Enter, the mossy monogram.

photo via First Lady of the House

This was one of those too-easy-to-pass-up kinda crafts. Seriously took me all of 20 minutes. I picked up a bag of moss cloth {$7} and a letter {$2} from Hobby Lobby, so this project cost me a total of $9. Pottery Barn charges a whopping $79 for theirs…

via Pottery Barn

Let’s get this {crafting} party started, shall we?! Turn your letter over to the backside and set it on top of the back of the moss cloth. Trace around the letter…leaving about an inch & a half{ish} around the edges and then cut ‘er out. Now you can flip the letter back over and place the moss cloth on top just to make sure it “fits”.

Make sure your glue gun is nice and heated. Flip your letter & moss cloth back over and start gluing the edges down.

If you’re anything like me, you can plan on making a hot little mess. There were parts of the moss cloth that didn’t “fit” over the edge of the letter, so I just cut slits in those areas and it fit like a glove :) Love. I added a little burlap “ribbon” to hang it…but I’m not sure where it’s final resting place will be!!!! Here it is on our pantry door…

But I liked it on our “entertaining” cabinet, too!

The great thing about these letters is that they’d seriously look darling ANYWHERE. I’m headed back today to grab the supplies to make a few more. I want some Halloween inspired letters for my shelves. I’m thinkin’ a moss covered “BOO” with little touches of cobwebs and spiders would be pretty stinkin’ cute. Just sayin’…

Touchdown!!!

2011-09-21T19:33:00.001-07:00

Football season is here and if you’re anything like me, then you’ve passed the point in your marriage where you feel like you need to impress the Mr. with scattered and random football knowledge. Infact, I was past that point LONG ago. I prefer to throw out comments like, “Dang, who’s that?! He’s cute!” OR “I would NEVER have picked those colors for a uniform”. Truth be told, I’m NOT a fan of football {which is pretty much a deadly sin when you’re living in Texas}. However, I LOVE any and every kind of football party. Mostly, football{ish} foods. I like to hang out by the snack table during football parties…throw out the occasional, “Who’s he?!” comment {to make it look like I’m paying attention}…and then go right back to eating {and taking part in adult beverage consumption, of course}. This little recipe is a MUST TAKE item to any kind of sporting event where you’re asked to bring a snack. Trust me. I made this over the summer for the family and then again for Mr. Spouse’s fantasy football draft and ohmiword…it was gone in NO time! TOUCHDOWN!!!!

HOT FIESTA DIP

adapted from Amanda’s Cookin’

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen corn, thawed

1 1/2 cup salsa {I personally LOVE World Casera in this recipe}

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

1 can refried beans

3 tbsp. chopped green onions

Take a look at this lineup. Not very much AT.ALL!! My favorite kinda recipe :) So, I know you’re seeing the Herdez brand salsa in this pic, but I HIGHLY recommend the World Casera brand. I swear it makes a difference!! Not that it’s bad with the Herdez, but I just prefer the World Casera a *wee* bit more :)

Now, microwave the frozen corn according to pkg. directions. In a large bowl, combine salsa & refried beans until well blended. Stir in corn, cover with plastic wrap & vent, and microwave on high for about 2 minutes. Remove the plastic & immediately sprinkle with cheese. Mix together and pop in the microwave another 3{ish} minutes, or until cheese is {mostly} melted. Remove and stir well. Top with green onions and serve with tortilla chips. I love me some Santita’s $2 tortilla chips :) They’re my favorite!!! And they’re GREAT with this dip!

C’mon, y’all. You can’t tell me that doesn’t look like it screams “tailgating food”?!?! It’s perfect for a fiesta, for sure!!! Make sure to bring this to the next party….you’ll be the talk of the town! In between bites, of course ;)

It’s ALL That & A Bag of Chips

2011-09-20T21:01:00.001-07:00

I think I’m obsessed with foods that remind me of my childhood. Mainly Catholic school cafeteria foods. French bread pizza, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, neopolitan ice cream sandwiches, and Frito pies. When the cafeteria was servin’ up any of those yummies, I BEGGED my mom to let me buy. And if she didn’t…which wasn’t out of the ordinary given that there were 4 of us…I’d beg my little friends to let me sample a few bites. Or I’d just skip that step altogether and do a few taste tests of my own while they weren’t looking :) I was SO excited to find this recipe because it SO reminded me of the Frito Pie lunch days back in elementary. And ohmiword…the first few bites had me visioning Sister Dorothy standing right behind our table giving us the nun staredown while we ate our food. Only this time around, I inhaled my meal without the infamous Catholic guilt…and it was sinfully delicious :)

OVEN BAKED FRITO PIE

from Colie’s Kitchen

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 {16oz.} can pinto beans

1 {8oz.} can tomato sauce

1 {15oz.} can diced tomatoes

1 pkg. taco seasoning {I used McCormick’s}

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 1/2 cups Fritos

1 1/4 cups sour cream

First up, brown the meat. Now go ‘head and drain it, return it to the pan, and stir in the beans, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, and 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the Frito’s on the bottom of a well greased 8x8 baking dish.

Cover the Frito’s with the meat mixture.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes and remove from oven. Now spread the sour cream over the meat mix and top with the remaining Frito’s and cheese.

Return to oven and bake for another 4-5 minutes. You might even wanna cover with foil and return to bake. The cheese will get a little crispy on top of the Frito’s otherwise. If you’re like me and could careless about that little detail, just pop it in the oven, bake, and remove!

Holy smokes. I know that doesn’t look like guilt-free eating, but trust me when I say that it’s worth the calorie laden conscience you’re sure to have once you take a bite :)

It’s ALL that and a bag of chips!

Meal Planning Monday

2011-09-19T09:28:00.000-07:00

I had real high hopes of visiting this little blog over the weekend to add some new recipes I know y'all would just love. As I'm sure you've noticed, that didn't happen. Instead, I threw myself head first into a master bedroom redecoration project. I was up to my ears in primer, paint, and fabric. Good news...the bedroom is painted. MORE good news...the carpet needs to be replaced :) Now that my project is almost complete, it's time to get back in the kitchen. There was no way I was going close to the kitchen over the weekend. My boys lived on oatmeal & pizza. Strange combo, but it worked. Time to get these boys eatin' good again!!

Monday: Taco Salad {Bible Study}...I forgot the dang taco seasoning at the store last week, so Mr. Spouse had to fend for himself!!! Didn't want all the ingredients to go to waste, so it's back on the menu tonight.

Tuesday: Barbacoa Beef Tacos with Lime Corn Salsa

Wednesday: Cod with Crawfish Bayou Sauce {a house favorite!!!!}

Thursday: Kitchen closed {Mr. Spouse has a game} Fancy grilled cheese for me & the boys!

Friday: Kitchen closed {Mr. Spouse has a game} Pizza night for me & the boys!!

Weekend breakfast: Lazy Cinnamon Rolls

Saturday lunch: Black Bean, Corn, & Avocado Salad

Saturday dinner: Spicy Shrimp & Pasta Casserole {A Paula Deen original}

Sunday lunch: Out to eat after church

Sunday dinner: Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

What's cookin' in your kitchen this week?!

Meal Planning Monday

2011-09-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! This is a RARE week in our little household. Mr. Spouse has NO games this week so that means I'll be in the kitchen quite a bit. Dangit. I need to get my domestic game face on because it's been missing for the last few weeks. Gigantic piles of laundry, dog hair on the floor, and dishes piled high are evidence that I'm falling behind on my domestic duties. And don't even ask me about our bedroom. YIKES. Time to get back on the proverbial saddle and whip things into shape! At least I have a week's worth of yummies to get me through the chaos that I call home :)

Monday: Taco Salad {it's a Bible study night, so it's gotta be SIMPLE!}

Tuesday: Creamy Basil & Tomato pasta

Wednesday: Chipotle Lime Soft Tacos {a Pinterest find}

Thursday: Grilled fish & peppers and Roasted Veggies

Friday: Festival season is HERE!!!!! Corny dogs, funnel cakes, and anything else fried and fattening I can shove in my mouth :) AKA: NO COOKING FOR ME!!!

Saturday & Sunday: Cooking?? Seriously??

What's on your menu??

I Remember.

2011-09-11T08:41:00.001-07:00

I remember September 11, 2001 like it happened yesterday.

I was student teaching in 4th grade.

I wore a lavender quarter length, v-neck sweater from Express to school that day.

And a long, black skirt.

Our team sat down to plan after we dropped our kids off at specials.

The secretary walked in and told us there was a plane crash at one of the Twin Towers. Someone on that 4th grade team had family in New York or knew someone who worked at the Twin Towers.

We turned on the TV.

5 minutes later, the 2nd plane slammed into the 2nd tower.

We screamed.

And then we froze.

And then we cried as we saw a second screen pop up in the corner of the the TV showing the explosion at the Pentagon.

We were told to go back to our classrooms as if nothing happened so that we wouldn’t cause the kids to panic.

We were terrified.

Parents started coming in by the dozens to take their kids home.

An emergency staff meeting was called after school.

I don’t remember everything that was said, but I remember that NO ONE said a word.

We were told to leave and go be with our families. I had NO family in town and I was so scared. I remember thinking, “What if I never see them again?”

I shook in fear as I drove the 45 minutes back to my apartment.

There was so much uncertainty.

I hugged my roommate when I got home and we cried together.

We couldn’t stand to be alone, so we went over to our best guy friend's apartment.

We ordered pizza, but we couldn’t eat a bite.

We watched the 9/11 coverage all night, went home, and fell asleep with wet eyes and heavy hearts.

I remember going to church the Sunday after 9/11 and it was standing room only. The sanctuary was filled with sad and worried people wondering if this was the beginning of the end and looking for comfort and reassurance.

On September 11th, 2001, life as I knew it changed forever. More so for some than others.

Lives were lost. Heroes were born. Hearts were changed.

It’s 10 years later and I still remember it like it was yesterday.

I will never forget.

And I will FOREVER be grateful for the men and women who so selflessly sacrifice for the freedom that we enjoy and too often take for granted today. Those brave men and women…and their families…are in my prayers today and always. And the families who lost their loved ones 10 years ago continue to be on my heart and in my prayers today as well.

May we never forget.

It’s A Wrap!

2011-09-07T20:46:00.001-07:00

Does anybody else like to eat wraps as much as I do?? I LOVE them. An all-in-one kinda meal…my FAVORITE. I haven’t ever tried to make any wraps here on the home front, but when I found this recipe, I knew that was going to change. And whaddy’a know…a wrap featuring one of my favorite flavors…MEXICAN! Like I’ve said before, there are some meals that are too tasty…TOO easy….not to try! This is definitely one of them!!!

CRISPY SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN WRAPS

recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 green onion, finely sliced {white & green parts}

1/2 green or red pepper {I used red}

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tbsp. {equivalent to 1 & 1/2 tsp.} chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese {I used 4 cheese mexican blend}

Sour cream

6 burrito sized flour tortillas

I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s not at ALL!

First things first. Make sure your chicken is cooked and shredded {or use rotisserie}. Cook your rice, too. If you’re like me, then that means your doin’ it boil-in-a-bag style. It’s like cooking rice for dummies. Then go ‘head and chop your green onion, red pepper, and cilantro.

NOW…let’s toss the rice into a bowl and add spices {cumin, chili powder, & garlic salt}. Mix well.

Now add the black beans, chicken, onions, red/green pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix until combined. {You might notice that I didn’t add the chicken in these pics. I forgot. I went back and added it after I snapped a few shots.}

Now let’s get this party started. Set out your burrito sized tortillas…

And top ‘em with cheese…and dot the cheese with sour cream {optional, of course. HOWEVER, I STRONGLY suggest you add it! SO creamy!} Make sure to leave about 1/2 inch around the edges.

Now take the rice & chicken mixture and spread a couple of spoonfuls down the center of the tortillas. I didn’t use an exact measurement on this…I just kinda eyeballed and guesstimated how much I thought we could eat :)

Roll the stuffed tortillas and leave the ends/edges open. Now spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Place the wraps…two at a time…seams down in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the seam-side is crispy & golden brown. Flip the wrap over onto the opposite side and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until crispy & golden brown.

Now getcha’ some!!!

Ahhhh…a savory little piece of heaven!!! And in my opinion, there’s nothing better than an all-in-one kinda meal :) When I served Mr. Spouse his dinner, he was all, “OH my. That.looks.AWESOME.” I didn’t hear him say anything for another 10 minutes or so and then he walked back into the kitchen and helped himself to another wrap. Silence for another 10 minutes. The best kind of silence :) HA!

Since we could only eat 3 wraps between the two of us, Mr. Spouse & I had a good portion of the rice & chicken mix leftover. Whippin’ up a quick lunch or dinner the next day was REdiculously easy!!!!

Seriously people, put this on your list of things you “MUST TRY”. AMAZING!!!! Y’all can thank me later ;)

SMOKIN’!!!!

2011-09-05T08:12:00.001-07:00

I hope y’all read the title in the voice of Jim Carrey circa 1994. I was channeling his character in The Mask. Not my favorite movie, but I’m pretty sure I always used to quote that line in high school. Yeah, I was pretty cool. HA! My sweet friend, Kara, was pretty excited to tell me about a recipe she found and insisted I try it. She said it was amazing and when I found out it was a pasta dish, she didn’t need to say anything else. I was all over it. Of course, I forgot one of the key ingredients when I made my version, but it was still so good I seriously could’ve cared less. The most AMAZING flavors!!

SMOKY CHICKEN PASTA

1 box {8 oz.} farfalle pasta {in laymen’s terms…BOWTIE}

1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. fresh, chopped basil

1/2 cup butter

1/2 lb. bacon, crumbled

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 bottle {12 oz.} Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice {I used the whole bottle}

Okay…so let’s get started, shall we?! First let me start by telling you that I foolishly thought I had ALL of the ingredients on hand when I started cooking. WRONG. So…you’ll see a key ingredient missing, but seriously…it was still AMAZING! First things first, go ahead and cook your bacon. This is the part that I left out. Thought we had it, but we didn’t. DANGIT! I like to bake my bacon {foil lined baking sheet, 400 degrees, 20-25 minutes}. Bake it, let it cool, then crumble it to pieces. Set aside.

If you’re a plan ahead kinda cook {I’m SO not}, then you could put your chicken & marinade in the crock pot and cook on low for about 6{ish} hours. If you’re more like me…last minute as all get out…cook your chicken & marinade on the stovetop for about an hour{ish}. I just put my chicken breasts in a deep skillet, poured the entire bottle of marinade on top, and cooked on medium heat for about an hour or so. It was PERFECT!

Once the chicken is cooked, get to shreddin’ and set it aside.

Boil pasta according to package directions and drain. In a small saucepan, melt your butter. Then add the whipping cream, garlic, basil, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumbled bacon. Whisk it all together on low heat for about 5-6 minutes. Pour it all over the pasta, add the chicken, and serve!!! Make sure to top it all off with a little extra parmesan!

Like I said, I forgot the bacon, but it was still AMAZING!! Honestly though, it would be even better with that salty addition!!!! Mr. Spouse loved it, but said it needed a bit more salt {which the bacon would’ve taken care of}. We’ll absolutely be having this one again!!! Loved the flavors and if I would’ve planned ahead and cooked the chicken in the crock pot instead of doing it stovetop style, this wouldn’t have taken any time at all!!!! I know this little dish will be making a regular appearance at our dinner table!! Can’t wait to see it again!!

The Juice is Worth The Squeeze

2011-09-03T09:22:00.001-07:00

I typically try my best to veer away from recipes that require too much elbow grease on my end. As much as I love to cook, I don’t always enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Not to mention, when recipes call for more than 5 ingredients, it’s inevitable that my kitchen will look like a bomb went off. Yikes. Now, I’m a BIG fan of salads, but I’m one of those "grab-a-bottle-of-salad-dressing-and-pour-it-on-top” kinda girls. When I found this salad & dressing recipe, I seriously contemplated pulling out a bottle of the pre-made stuff just so I didn’t have to go to all the trouble of making it from scratch, but trust me when I tell you that the juice is totally worth the squeeze!! This is, hands down, one of THE best salads I’ve ever had! Just make sure you have some floss on hand when you eat it :)

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

from Our Best Bites

1 {10 oz.} bag of baby spinach

1/2 – 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced

1 pint strawberries, sliced

1 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

1/2 lb. grilled chicken breasts, sliced/diced {optional}

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing {recipe below}

Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

2-3 large lemons {I needed 3…you’ll need 1/3 cup and 1 tsp. lemon zest}

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. poppy seeds

1 tsp. grated onion

1 clove pressed garlic

First, let’s go ahead and whip up the salad. You’ll need to slice your onion, cucumbers, and strawberries.

Toss your bag of spinach in a large bowl and toast your almonds. To toast your almonds, just toss ‘em into an ungreased skillet in a single layer. Stir until golden brown. They’ll burn easily if you don’t keep your eye on ‘em! You could also toast them in the oven. Just spread them onto a baking pan in a single layer and heat the oven to 350. Then bake for about 10-15 minutes, stirring them occasionally until golden brown.

Now toss the almonds, cucumbers, onions, & strawberries in with the spinach.

Now it’s time for the vinaigrette.

You won’t need anymore strawberries, so forget I included those in the pic. First, let’s go ahead and zest the lemons. I used the zest off two of them. I used a regular ol’ zester for mine, but a Microplane would’ve made it SO much easier. Dangit. Toss the zest into a little tupperware container. Now grate your onion. {Again, a Microplane would work wonders, but I used my regular ol’ grater}. Toss that into the tupperware container, too. In the same container, add the sugar, salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, poppy seeds, pressed garlic, and about 3/4 cups of {freshly squeezed} lemon juice.

Now place the top on your container, make sure it’s shut tight, and shake the heck out of it. You’ll end up with a concoction that looks like this…

Trust me when I tell you that you WON’T want to take the shortcut and get the premade stuff. This vinaigrette is SO dang good!!!!!!

Scoop a nice little helping of salad onto your plate and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Keep your floss nearby because those poppy seeds are sneaky and they’ll hide in between your teeth until someone decides to tell you they’re there.

When I had this recipe in my weekly menu, I intended on making it with grilled chicken just to beef it up a little bit. It was going to be our main dish. Mr. Spouse surprised me with with a few big steaks that night, so I left out the chicken and served the salad as an accompaniment to our steaks. OH.MY.WORD. Seriously TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr. Spouse LOVED the salad, too! I was SO happy I didn’t take any shortcuts. Even though my kitchen was a HOT mess when it was all said and done…and I *might* have had a serious case of carpal tunnel after grating and juicing…it was SO worth it!!! I can’t wait to serve this as our main dish with a few strips of grilled chicken to top it all off! It’s seriously the PERFECT salad!

This is definitely a dish you can go back for multiple helpings and NOT feel guilty in the least. Great. Now my mouth is watering. I’m headed out to pick up these ingredients NOW!!!!!

Tamales in a Jiffy

2011-09-01T20:36:00.001-07:00

I grew up eating a wide range of Mexican fare. One thing I never touched: tamales. They looked scary {and I wonder why my oldest has food issues…HA!}. I was in college when I had my first tamale…I.DIED. Why in the world did I deprive myself for SO long?!?! Trust me when I tell you that I spent the remainder of my college career making up for lost time. Oh how I ADORE tamales, but they have to be the real deal. When I found this recipe on Pinterest, I was intrigued by the combo of flavors. Usually, any recipe that requires the addition of Jiffy corn muffin mix is a winner in my book. And the fact that it’s named after one of my favorite Mexican foods made me want it all the more! I’ve gotta tell you that the name is extremely misleading…this dish is a FAR cry from tamales. However, this little number packs in A TON of flavor and it’s definitely a keeper!!!!

CHICKEN TAMALE CASSEROLE

from Cooking Light

1 cup 4-cheese Mexican blend

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup egg beaters

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

1 {14 oz.} can cream style corn

1 {8.5 oz.} box corn muffin mix {I used Jiffy}

1 can chopped green chiles, drained

1 {10 oz.} can red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast

1/2 cup sour cream

Here’s the line up. Since I like to pay ZERO attention to the recipe as I’m taking pictures, I add a few extra things just to throw you off. Which one of these doesn’t belong?? {hint, hint: cream cheese. NO idea what I was doing.}

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook your chicken & shred {OR, shred your rotisserie chicken…it’s A LOT faster!} Combine 1/4 cup of the cheese with the milk, egg beaters, cumin, corn, red pepper, corn muffin mix, and green chiles in a large bowl.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and pour mixture inside. Bake at 400 degrees until mix is firm and cooked. {The original recipe said to let it cook for 15 minutes, but it wasn’t ready. The top will look ready, so poke into it with a fork just to check. I had to put mine back in for another 10 minutes or so. } Remove from oven and pierce the entire surface {very generously} with a fork. Pour the enchilada sauce on the top. Top with the chicken and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup of cheese. Pop it back in the oven {at 400} for another 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Remove from oven, let stand for 5 minutes, and serve with sour cream :)

Oh my YUMMINESS!!!! Again, nothing like a tamale, but ohmiword…DELISH!!!

Now, I will tell you that I LOVED this dish. Mr. Spouse liked it a lot, but it wasn’t his favorite. He said it was “sweet”. Yes…it was definitely on the sweet side, but personally, I LOVED it. Next time, I’ll use a bag of frozen corn instead of creamed corn…that would cut down on the sweetness for sure. The Jiffy corn muffin mix also tends to be a lot sweeter than any of the other mixes, so using a different brand mix might help curb the sweetness, too. If you make this with either of the changes, let me know how you like it! I’m anxious to have this again!!! A little sweet, a little savory. Nothing like tamales whatsoever, but it was amazeballs nonetheless!!!!

A “Gourmet” Crock Pot Meal

2011-08-24T20:42:00.001-07:00

So…school just started back up on Monday and talk about being TIRED. Wow. Don’t get me wrong…I love being back in a routine…but I am spent by the end of the day. The last thing I want to do right now is spend hours in the kitchen when I could be spending time being worn out by my boys. Ummm…actually, an hour or so of *quiet* time in the kitchen is sounding kinda good. HA! If you’re anything like me, you are ALL about putting your crock pot to good use while you’re at work. I’m ALL over it. For real. And it’s even better when your crock pot meal tastes “gourmet”. That’s pretty much how we felt when we had this little number. File this under “Gourmet Crock Pot Meals”…it definitely tastes like one!

SLOW COOKER ANGEL CHICKEN

adapted from Cleverly Inspired

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 8oz. pkg. baby bella sliced mushrooms

1 can condensed golden mushroom soup

1 stick of butter

1 pkg. dry Italian salad dressing mix

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 of an 8oz. tub of cream cheese spread with chive & onion

rice or pasta

Not too many ingredients. Just like I like it…

The original recipe called for white wine instead of chicken broth and two different types of mushrooms. Good ol’ Wal Mart only had these baby bellas on hand and I didn’t have any white wine available that I wanted to waste on food :) HA!

First things first…

Melt butter in a saucepan and add the Italian salad dressing packet. Stir in the soup, chicken broth, and cream cheese until it combines and melts.

Place the mushrooms on the bottom of your crock pot and place the chicken breasts on top.

Pour the sauce mix on top of the chicken, cover with lid, and cook on low for 5 hours!!!!

Can you smell the deliciousness?!?!?! I completely forgot to take a picture of the yumminess, but you’ll serve over cooked rice or angel hair pasta. We had ours with rice because we just happen to have it on hand. However, it would’ve been AMAZING over pasta!!!!

If you’re lookin’ to impress Mr. Spouse and spend an insanely SHORT amount of time in the kitchen, whip this one up as soon as you get a chance!! This is definitely a crock pot meal you need in your arsenal!

Ah, Stuff It. Stuff It Real Good.

2011-08-10T08:27:00.001-07:00

When I found this recipe I knew it would be a hit with at least 2 of my boys. {I have 1 very stubborn, picky eater and well, most foods don’t ever get to see the inside of his little mouth.} I couldn’t wait to try it out on the two guys I know will eat anything in their path and I was SO right…they LOVED it!!! Anyway…any recipe that combines Italian & Mexican is a winner in my book and this recipe does just that. This is one of those couldn’t-be-easier-why-didn’t-I-think-of-that kinda recipes. And quick, too!

TACO STUFFED SHELLS

recipe from Blog Chef

1 lb. ground beef {I used ground turkey…pretty dang good!}

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 {14 oz.} pkg. cream cheese

12 large pasta shells

1 cup salsa {I used World Casera}

1 cup taco sauce {I used Taco Bell}

I cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 chp shredded monterrey jack cheese

1/2 cup tortilla chips, crushed

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup sour cream

Yes, I know. It looks like it requires a little too much effort, but I swear that’s SO not the case! First on the list, go ahead and brown your meat. Drain and return to pan. Add taco seasoning & prepare according to package directions. Then go ahead and toss in your cream cheese, cover, and let it simmer until the cream cheese is melted. Mix it around til it’s nice & blended and then set it aside. You’ll wanna make sure this little mix has time to cool off before stuffing your shells.

In the meantime, cook your shells according to package directions. Drain, return to pot, and mix with butter. Pour some salsa in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. I used this World Table Salsa Casera and ohmiword. I’m in love. I actually found this salsa by accident. When we were in Indiana, I went grocery shopping looking for my favorite, Joe T’s. Y’all…those crazy northerners DON’T HAVE JOE T’S SALSA!!!! What the gravy?!?! So I had to find an alternative and World Table was it. Now I’m hooked!!!

Now stuff your shells with the meat mix and place them in the baking dish on top of the salsa. Cover the tops of the shells with taco sauce. I know the recipe called for a cup, but I just eyeballed it and put on as much…or as little…as I wanted :)

Cover the baking dish with foil and cook at 350 for 30 minutes. I failed to cover the shells…don’t make the same mistake!! It’ll make your shells all crunchy if you don’t cover them!!! Remove from oven, uncover, and sprinkle crushed tortilla chips and the cheeses on top of the shells. Cook for about 15 more minutes {uncovered} or until cheeses are all melted.

Remove from oven and top with whatever makes your little heart happy. We topped ours with sour cream and green onions….YUMMO!!!!

Y’all can’t tell me that doesn’t look **12 kinds** of delicious!!!! Because seriously…IT IS!!!! My itty bitty little man helped himself to three stuffed shells and STILL wanted more when it was all said and done!! Mr. Spouse and I kept going back for more and ohmiword…we were IN.LOVE. For real in love. Like I said before, any recipe that combines two of my favorite flavors…Italian and Mexican…is a winner in my book and this one seriously takes the cake!!! LOVE IT!!!!

A Top Chef Kinda Meal

2011-08-08T09:51:00.001-07:00

I don’t cook with asparagus very often. Okay, NEVER. Mainly because I have NO clue how to cook it and it kinds makes your pee smell kinda funny. Aside from all that, I recently found a recipe via Pinterest that looked pretty dang tasty and ohmiword, called for asparagus. Time to put my big girl panties on and get over all those preconceived notions about this particular veggie. We need more greens in our life and this was just the place to start. I gotta say, it was a Top Chef kinda dinner. From roasting asparagus to whippin’ up the most delicious balsamic butter “sauce”, I had “master chef” written all over me. HA! Now I’m not sayin’ I’m gathering up my knives and heading to the Top Chef auditions or anything, but DANG…this recipe made me feel like a seasoned veteran! And the plus side to it all?!?! It couldn’t have been EASIER!!!! And amazingly delicious, too!!!

PENNE WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND BALSAMIC BUTTER

recipe from Food & Wine

1 lb. asparagus {don’t be scared!}

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. brown sugar

1 lb. penne

1 stick of butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Alright, now aside from asparagus, I actually had all the ingredients in my pantry/fridge. Seriously y’all…this doesn’t take much!!!

Before you do anything else, go ahead and cut your asparagus into little one inch pieces. Make sure to snip off the icky bottoms first. I went ahead and cut off the tips on top, too because I prefer the crunchy middle part {and I had no clue the tops were edible…they looked all kinds of gross}.

Toss the asparagus into a gallon sized ziplock baggie and throw in the olive oil, pepper, and salt. Shut it tight and shake it up til all the asparagus are nice and coated.

Now pour them out in a single layer onto a baking sheet and roast ‘em up at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Ummm…I’m gonna go ahead and say that I totally would’ve added another pound of asparagus to the mix. As soon as these babies came outta the oven, I COULDN’T.STOP.EATING them. Dangit. At least it was a healthier option than the fistfuls of chips/candy/anything else terrible I like to munch on while cooking.

While the asparagus are roasting, you can add the vinegar to a small saucepan. You’ll wanna let it simmer until about 3 tablespoons remain in the pan. I had to eyeball it and I stink at doing that. Not so sure there were 3 tablespoons left when it was all said and done, but you get what I’m sayin’. Toss in the brown sugar and 1/4 tsp. of pepper. Mix well. Remove from heat.

Cook penne according to package directions. Drain and return to pot and toss with the butter, vinegar, asparagus, parmesan, and 1 3/4 tsp. salt. Serve and enjoy!! HEAVEN PEOPLE!!!!! I’m tellin’ you…absolute HEAVEN!!!!!

I can’t rave about this dish enough!!! SO flippin’ amazing!!!! See, doesn’t that sound all Top Chef to you, too?! Aside from the time that it took the pasta to cook and the MINIMAL amount of time it took to chop and roast the asparagus, this was seriously a quick meal!!! I’ll totally add more asparagus next time because that was dang good. If you’re lookin’ to impress your Mister Man, look no further. Mine was ALL over it!!

Speedy & Savory…What’s NOT To Love?!

2011-08-05T11:16:00.001-07:00

I’m all about quick, speedy meals. Now don’t get me wrong…I’ll spend more time than necessary if I’m tryin’ something new…and I don’t always go for quick & easy…but for the most part, the speedier the better. I was SHOCKED at how unbelievably easy & quick…not to mention AWESOMESAUCE…this recipe was. Holy quickness! When Mr. Spouse and I sat down to eat, he was all, “BEST.MEAL.EVER.” And honestly, I’d have to agree. I know I say that about almost everything I eat, but dang y’all…this is amazing. I’d for sure put this on my list of top 10 meals!!! Because seriously…speedy AND savory?! What’s NOT to love?!?!?!

CREAMY AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD

from: The Cheeky Kitchen

1 chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1/4 cup black beans, drained & rinsed {I used more}

1/4 cup corn {I used more}

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup cilantro {I left this out!!}

1/4 tortilla chips or fritos, crushed {I used Santita’s tortilla chips}

2 tbsp. white vinegar

4 tbsp. mayo

Salt, to taste

2-4 avocados, sliced in half & pitted

Combine the chicken, beans, corn, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and tortilla chips into a medium bowl. I left out the cilantro because it’s not my favorite flavor.

Toss it around just a bit…

Looks pretty much amazing without the rest of the ingredients. But just for giggles, let’s go ahead and add the vinegar & mayo. Mix until well combined.

While you’re salivating over the ridiculousness of this dish, slice & pit your avocados. And go ahead and sneak a bite….or three…of the mix. OMG…are you loving it yet?!

Now scoop a VERY generous portion of the chicken salad onto both halves of the avocado.

And VOILA! You’re ready to eat!! I know this doesn’t look like much, but trust me when I say it’s very filling!! And it’s not the kinda filling that makes you wanna unbutton your pants and lay on the couch for an hour after you’re finished eating. It’s unbelievably satisfying! Of course, you’ll eat this with a fork and make sure to scoop out the avocado with each bite. My.word.

I made this a couple of weeks ago and it’s already back in the dinner rotation. This would be an awesome little somethin’ to make for lunch, too!! Mr. Spouse and I each ate 1 avocado full of chicken salad and just had a teensy bit leftover, so I would say this makes enough for two….depending on your portion size, of course :) If you’re looking for something speedy & savory, look no further!!!!

I Want S’MORE!!!!

2011-08-03T17:11:00.001-07:00

My boys LOVE ‘em some s’mores. My oldest affectionately calls them “some mores”. Kinda precious…and pretty fitting, too. I mean, after I eat one, I always want some more!! Here’s a fun little recipe I found and made for the family when they were in town. We scarfed ‘em down in NO time and everyone was begging for SOME MORE!!!!

S’MORES COOKIE BARS

1 stick of butter, room temp.

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs {about 1 sleeve of crackers crushed}

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 king size Hershey’s bars

1 1/2 cups marshmallow crème/fluff {the entire small jar…7 oz., I think}

In a large bowl, cream together butter & sugar until light. You’ll need to make sure your butter is at room temperature for this step, otherwise you’ll have a heck of a hot little crumbly mess. That may or may not have happened to me…just sayin’. Now beat in the egg & vanilla.

Crush your graham crackers real quick. I like to leave mine in the package so I don’t waste a perfectly good Ziplock baggie.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Now pour that into the butter mix in the other bowl and mix on low until combined.

Now divide the dough mix in half and evenly spread one half in a greased 8x8 baking dish. This will be your crust.

Place the two King sized Hershey’s bars on top of the crust. Don’t confuse the King size bars with the GINORMOUS Hershey’s bars. I had NO clue that Hershey’s has a baby bear, momma bear, and papa bear version of these. You want the mama bear version. I have NO clue what the heck you’d do with the papa bear bar…gosh DANG, those things are HUGE!!!

Spread the marshmallow crème on top of the chocolate. Don’t measure this one out and dirty up a perfectly clean measuring spoon. Just use the entire small jar {7 oz., I think} of marshmallow crème and that’ll be just enough!

Now take the rest of the dough and spread an even layer on top of the marshmallow crème. You might wanna flatten out the dough and spread it out in small pieces, overlapping if needed. Otherwise this step will get a little tricky as evidenced in the pic below. I did not heed my own advice and just started tossin’ it on. Dangit. But I swear that what it lacked in appearance it made up for in taste.

Now bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned.

Hello heaven…so glad to see you.

I’d recommend a tall glass of milk to accompany this decadent dessert. For reals. Give it about 10-15 minutes to cool down and then throw all caution to the wind and dig right the heck in. We were eating them so fast that I forgot to snap a little pic. So here we are at the bottom of the batch…

Don’t miss out on this one, people!!! Your sweet tooth will thank you, I’m sure!!!

A Cocktail for Anonymous

2011-08-01T07:17:00.001-07:00

Since summer is winding down and, for us teachers, there are only a few days left of quality deck time, I thought I’d share with you the most DELICIOUS cocktail recipe. Actually, I really wanted to send a virtual drink to “Anonymous” who says that I’m sending you guys mixed messages about myself. How in the world can I possibly post cocktail recipes, enjoy beverages AND pray with my Jesus lovin’ girlfriends on our girls trip, teach my boys about the Lord, and still call myself a Christian?! Yes folks…it’s true. I go to church every Sunday…I read my Bible every morning…I love the Lord more than life itself...AND {GASP!!!!!} I enjoy the occasional cocktail. In the words of my sweet friend, Abby, I’m not about mixed messages…just about mixed drinks ;) HA!!!

Cheers to you, Anonymous! This one’s for you!

THE HEATHEN’S RUM PUNCH

1 1/2 cups light rum {I used Bacardi}

3 cups orange juice {I used Minute Maid, no pulp}

3 cups pineapple juice

3 tablespoons lime juice {freshly squeezed!!}

2 tbsp. cranberry juice cocktail {I used Ocean Spray}

2 tbsp. grenadine

Sliced lime, for garnish

Photo via Martha Stewart

Mix the ingredients together in a LARGE pitcher because this recipe makes A TON! Since my sweet sister-in-law, Bobbi, is always introducing me to new recipes, I wanted to make this for them while they were in town visiting. It got thumbs up all the way around. Y’all…it was SO good! And refreshing, too!! From one sinner to another, I think you’ll LOVE this!! SO yum!!

Alright now…I’m late for confession!

Cookie Monsters

2011-07-20T06:35:00.001-07:00

When I was pregnant with my first, I craved baking. Like, I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to bake ALL the dang time. Mostly cookies…MONSTER cookies to be exact. It’s no surprise that this Paula Deen recipe drew me right in and I’ve been happily baking these bad boys ever since. My oldest…and youngest, too!…LOVES these cookies!!! He excitedly calls them “Cookie Monsters!!!!!” whenever he sees a batch. Cookie Monsters, Monster Cookies. Tuh-MAY-toe, Tuh-MAH-toe. You get the picture ;)

MONSTER COOKIES {aka:Cookie Monsters}

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 12 oz. jar creamy peanut butter

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup M&M’s

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 tsp. baking soda

4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats (not instant)

1/2 cup raisins, optional {I didn’t use these!!}

Here’s the lineup.

I have two sticks of butter here because I made two batches. Let me just tell you that this recipe makes A TON of cookies!!!!

In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs & sugars until well combined.

Add salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter & mix well.

Stir in the chocolate chips, M&M’s {& raisins if you’re using them}, baking soda, & oats. I like to stir this part by hand because the batter is so dang thick.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and drop the cookie mix by tablespoons 2 inches apart. Bake for about 8-10 minutes at 350 and DON’T overcook!! When you remove the cookies from the oven, let them cool for about 3 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

This is a terrible, horrible, no good picture, but I guess it’s the only one I got! SO flippin’ good!!!

I could eat these by the fistfuls, and normally, I do. Like I said, this recipe makes A TON of cookies. I baked a couple of batches at the end of the school year and gifted them to my sweet room moms. Of course, I included a recipe card and packaged ‘em up real cute like this…

I put them inside that cute tissue paper from Hobby Lobby and then wrapped that in some extra leopard print fabric I happen to have in my craft stash. Then I tied it all together with some jute and I thought it looked pretty dang cute. Heck, it would’ve been cute enough on it’s own, but I went ahead and painted pots for my mommas, too and stuffed the cookie packages inside of that. And I sorta love ‘em.

Yummy cookies make the best gifts!!!!!

Stuffed to the Gills!

2011-07-19T14:51:00.001-07:00

I don’t know about y’all, but I LOVE me some barbeque. If there’s a Dickey’s in my line of vision, there’s a good chance I’m pullin’ over for some brisket. When I’m in Houston, there’s NOTHING better than bbq from The Brisket House. Ohmiword, y’all. Heaven.sent. Hands down, best there is. I LOVE their beef brisket stuffed baked potatoes…one of my favorite comfort foods!!! Since I don’t have a chance to get it very often…even when I am visiting…I start going through withdrawls. Well, I DID go through withdrawls…until I found this recipe!!! It’ll never be Brisket House, but it comes pretty dang close!!!!!

SAUCY CHIPOTLE BARBEQUE PORK STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

1 {4-5 lb.} boneless pork butt roast, cut in half

2 tbsp. butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 {18 oz.} bottle spicy original bbq sauce {I used KC Masterpiece}

1 {12 oz.} bottle Baja chipotle marinade {I used Lawry’s…and I could only find it at Kroger’s!}

4 large baking potatoes

Vegetable oil

Kosher salt

Green onions, chopped

Ummmm…once again, no step-by-step pictures, but trust me when I tell you that it’s EASY to prep! Rub the dry mustard, salt, and red pepper evenly over the pork. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over med-hi heat. Add the pork to the skillet and cook for 10 minutes or until it’s browned on all sides.

Place the onion and pork in a crock pot and add the barbeque sauce and marinade. Cover and cook on HIGH for 7 hours or until pork is tender and shreds easily.

About an hour before the pork is ready, wash the potatoes and use a fork to prick some holes in the sides of each. Now coat each potato with vegetable oil {I used a little kitchen brush},sprinkle with kosher salt, and place directly on the middle of the oven rack. Place a pan underneath the rack to catch the drippings :) Bake on 350 for 1 hour.

Now it’s time to serve it up. Remove your potatoes and slice ‘em open. Stuff the heck out of it like you’d normally make your baked potatoes. I like mine with butter {shocker, I know}, sour cream, and cheese. Now take that aromatic, saucy chipotle pork, shred it, and stuff it right inside your potato…as much, or as little, as your hungry little heart desires. Lemme just tell you that I didn’t go easy on my serving size. Garnish with green onions and VOILA!

OH.MY.WORD. If this doesn’t look good, I don’t know what does. So flippin’ amazing. We had SO much pork leftover though. I only ate one potato because it was filling as heck. We saved the pork and ate it throughout the week…in potatoes, buns, you get the idea. Or you could always freeze it and pull it out for an easy meal later on. Whatever the case, you MUST try it soon!! Especially if you like stuffed potatoes like I do :)

We really know how to do it in Texas, don’t we?!??!

Meal Planning Monday {A Week of Pinterest Finds}

2011-07-18T11:40:00.001-07:00

Y’all…I’m 100% OBSESSED with Pinterest. It’s been clutch in adding to my recipe collection…so many YUMMY things!! I made this amazing Penne with Roasted Asparagus in Balsamic Butter last week that I found via Pinterest and OMIWORD…AMAZING. Now I’m dedicating this week to the recipes I’ve found and can’t wait to try. And just to think…there’s about 50+ more still on my list of things to make…YEEKS!!!

Monday: Stuffed Taco Shells

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Angel Chicken with Steamed Brocolli

Wednesday: Roasted Lemon Garlic Herb Shrimp with Crash Hot Potatoes

Thursday: Avocado Chicken Salad with Artisan Bread

Friday: Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Spinach Salad

Saturday & Sunday: Hopefully eating out! My birthday is Monday, so we need to start the celebrations a few days in advance ;)

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Sorry, I Don't Eat Buffalo

A Soup for Busy Moms

Life is a Bowl of Cherries…or Burritos. Whatever.

It’s a Start {My Cozy Little Nest}

Stuffed.

As Requested & Cookin' With Coolio

Heads Up, 7-Up

My Achilles Heel

Warm & Fuzzy

Salad Lovers Look No Further.

Grab & Go Breakfast

Wrap it Up

Bite Sized Brilliance

Slide, Slide, Slippety Slide

Addiction.

Pinwheel, Pinwheel Spinning Around

It’s No Wonder

Just Give Me a Shovel

You Can’t Eat Just One

Happiness in a Cup

I Like Them! I Really Do!

Another Wreath. Are You Sick of These Yet?

Keep Munching, We’ll Make More

Meal Planning Monday

Breakfast or Dessert…YOU Make the Call!

Meal Planning Monday

Music Repurposed

Torn.

A Little Goes A LONG Way

Keepin’ It Spicy

If You Give a Firefighter a Muffin…

Willing on the *Colder* Weather

Just Call Me Crafty Crafterson.

George Foreman Approved.

Meal Planning Monday

A Pinterest Inspired Knock Off

Touchdown!!!

It’s ALL That & A Bag of Chips

Meal Planning Monday

Meal Planning Monday

I Remember.

It’s A Wrap!

SMOKIN’!!!!

The Juice is Worth The Squeeze

Tamales in a Jiffy

A “Gourmet” Crock Pot Meal

Ah, Stuff It. Stuff It Real Good.

A Top Chef Kinda Meal

Speedy & Savory…What’s NOT To Love?!

I Want S’MORE!!!!

A Cocktail for Anonymous

Cookie Monsters

Stuffed to the Gills!

Meal Planning Monday {A Week of Pinterest Finds}

Willing on the Colder Weather