Bailey Bakes

Pasta alla Vodka

2010-09-09T17:21:00.003-05:00

I had this dish for the first time about a month ago at a family reunion and couldn't stop thinking about it, so I had to make it. It's really easy and SO delish! Here's what you need:

1 lb uncooked penne pasta

1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes

3/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp vodka

1/2 Cup whipping cream

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. In large skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring until garlic is golden brown. Add tomatoes and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add vodka and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add pasta, toss 1 minute. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or whatever you have in the fridge).

Chicken & Black Bean Burritos

2010-09-01T18:38:00.002-05:00

I was looking for an easy meal to make and take the other night when I came across this lovely little number over at bettycrocker.com . This is so easy to make and I think everyone will like it, even picky eaters! Plus they freeze and reheat well (more on that later). Here's what you need:

1 box (7.6oz) Old El Paso Spanish Rice
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pkg Old El Paso taco seasoning mix
2/3 Cup water
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 Cup sliced green onions (about 5 medium)
1/2 Cup chopped fresh cilantro - I left this out
1 pkg flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas, 8 inch) heated as directed
1 1/2 Cups shredded Cheddar cheese, taco seasoned cheese blend or Mexican cheese blend

In 3-quart saucepan make rice as directed on package, omitting butter. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat 1-2 minutes. Add chicken; cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in the center. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed. Stir chicken mixture, beans, bell peppers, onions and cilantro into hot rice mixture. If necessary, cook until hot, stirring occasionally. Spoon slightly less than 1 Cup chicken mixture down center of each warm tortilla. Top with cheese. Fold bottom of each tortilla 1 inch over filling. Fold in sides, overlapping to enclose filling. Fold top over sides. Serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

*I made a few changes to this when I made it. First I didn't buy any cilantro so I didn't add that, although I'm sure it would be fantastic. Second I used the smaller fajita size tortillas with less filling and it made about 16 smaller burritos. I wrapped each burrito individually in foil and put them in a warm oven (turned off) to melt the cheese inside the burrito. They traveled easily that way, so taking them to someone for dinner was a cinch! I also froze about half of the burritos I made because there were so many. I just put the foil wrapped burritos into a freezer bag and put them in the freezer. To reheat just place the frozen burrito(s) into a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until heated through. You could probably thaw them out and cook them quicker, but I was afraid the tortilla might get soggy that way.

I hope you enjoy this super easy, and super delicious Betty Crocker recipe!

Cape Cod

2010-08-03T15:11:00.003-05:00

I have recently acquired a free flight from Southwest Airlines and I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out where I want to go. Do I go visit an old friend in a place I’ve been before? Do I meet said friend in a new city I haven’t visited yet? Do I go to Orlando because it’s my favorite? Or maybe Los Angeles because I love it there too! Well folks, I think I might have made up my mind. Actually, I think Ali Fedotowsky made up my mind when she ditched Chris L. for the very dreamy Roberto.

Let me explain.

If you don’t know me well, you don’t know of my love obsession for ABC’s The Bachelor/Bachelorette series (see here for my reaction to last night’s finale surprise). The season that ended last night was apparently the 20th season for this show and I’ve only missed 2 of them. One of the seasons I missed because it aired while I was studying abroad in Europe, valid reason, the other season I missed because I couldn’t stand the girl who was the bachelorette that season and I didn’t want to waste my time on her. In case you weren’t counting, that leaves 18 seasons of this show that I have spent wasted my time watching. Needless to say, I have loved and hated many, many participants that have been on each season. Never have I loved the final two bachelor/ettes than I did this season.

When Ali broke Chris’s heart last night Amy, Chelsea and I decided we needed to make a trip to Cape Cod to hunt down this guy, Chris, and force him to fall in love with one of us.

As I’ve looked on Facebook and Twitter today, I’ve noticed we aren’t the only ones who had this idea. So we might be in for a fight with some other ladies who fell in love with this sweet, sweet guy while watching The Bachelorette this season.

I really hope he doesn’t turn out to be The Bachelor on the next season of the show; he’s way too good for that.

**If you know, or know someone who knows Chris please contact me immediately**

Beef Stir Fry with Orzo

2010-06-29T22:41:00.001-05:00

This is a Weight Watcher's recipe, it's a little twist on traditional stir fry. You serve it with orzo pasta instead of rice! It's such a delicious, unique blend of flavors. Try it, it'll quickly become a family favorite. Here's what you need:

1 1/2 cups orzo
1 lb. beef flank or sirloin steak
3 green onions
1 large orange
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp grated, peeled ginger root, or 1 tsp ground ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

Prepare orzo as label directs; keep warm. Cut steak in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/8 inch thick slices. Thinly slice green onions. With vegetable peeler, cut peel from orange into thin strips. Squeeze juice from orange into cup measure. You need 2/3 cup of juice (add water if necessary). Into juice cup, stir sugar, soy sauce and cornstarch until blended. In nonstick 12-inch skillet or wok over medium high heat, in hot oil, cook green onion with ginger, garlic and orange peel until tender and lightly browned. With slotted spoon, remove to bowl. In remaining oil, over high heat, cook beef, half at a time, stirring quickly and constantly, until beef loses its pink color, about 2-3 minutes. Return beef to skillet, stir in onion mixture and orange juice mixture, stirring quickly and constantly until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Serve with orzo.

Sorry About That...

2010-06-24T14:08:00.002-05:00

Sorry about my super long absence from blogging, but I actually have a good excuse this time! My laptop has been out of commission for the past few months and I just got it back! It's now in working condition, so hopefully I'll get back into the swing of blogging and give all my faithful readers (I still have readers, right?) some new recipes to try out.
I've been on a mission to lose weight lately, so my recipes will probably be a little lighter from now on since I can't so much eat those super fattening, buttery things that I used to! Hope that's alright with y'all...

Crockpot Black Beans

2010-04-10T16:47:00.002-05:00

A while back I decided I should start making my own black beans from dried beans instead of buying the canned kind. There were a few reasons I wanted to do this 1) It's cheaper that way 2) I like that I would control what went into the beans. It took me a while, but I finally got around to making them this week and it was pretty easy. One 16oz bag of dried beans makes approximately the same amount of beans that are in 3 cans and one bag of beans costs about as much as one can of beans. I got the recipe from this fantastic website, if you haven't looked at it before, you should, and you can get some great recipe ideas. The only thing I did different was add some garlic cloves to the water. Here's what you need for the recipe:

1 bag (16oz) black beans
water
crock pot and liner (if you want)

Pour the entire bag of dried beans into a colander and rinse under cold water. If you see any beans that have broken in half, or skin that floats to the surface, get rid of it. Also pick out any beans that look shriveled and gross.

Dump all the beans into your crockpot. Add enough water to cover all the beans and an additional 2 inches.

Cover. Do not turn on. Let the beans soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight. If you live in a very warm area, and the crockpot won't be in a room that is climate-controlled, put the stoneware in the fridge. You don't want bacteria to have the opportunity to grow.

In the morning, dump the water, and rinse your beans. The water will be bean-colored.

Put the beans back into your crockpot and cover with enough fresh water to completely cover the beans with an extra 2-3 inches.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

The beans are done when they are bite-tender. Don't worry if the water hasn't all absorbed. You're going to dump it, anyway.

Drain the beans.

When cool, put 1 2/3 cups of beans into storage containers or freezer bags (you're adding this amount because you aren't adding filler-liquid like the cans have). The beans will store nicely in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for 6 months.

Use as you would canned beans in your favorite recipe.

Like I said, I added a few garlic cloves into the crock pot while the beans were cooking, but I don't think it added any flavor to the beans. I would suggest adding a little salt or other seasonings because the beans have absolutely no flavor when they are done cooking. I love this new method of making beans because it's easy and I know that they are good for me because I control what goes in them.

Hope you enjoy!

Tuesday

2010-03-30T22:44:00.004-05:00

Wait, I have a blog? I think I totally forgot about it, oops! I'm back though and I'll try to start updating with recipes on a regular basis. But for tonight I will tell you what my night consisted of.

First I got to spend some time with my favorite baby sister, M, who is at a precious age right now, although sometimes she can be quite a terror. Did I say terror? I meant perfect angel. We were watching the intro to Ni Hao, Kai Lan tonight and she started dancing and I'm pretty sure she slapped her butt at one point. I'm not sure where she is learning her dance moves, but I don't think that one is age appropriate.

After I left my parents house I decided I needed some Chinese take-out, it's my favorite. So I called up Great Wall and placed my regular order, cashew chicken with no celery with white rice instead of fried (I mean, at least I try to be somewhat healthy) and an egg roll (cancel that healthy thought). It was delicious as always.

Please ignore the discarded water chestnuts in the background, I detest them.

When I got home it was time for the OKC Thunder game! I love the Thunder and always try to watch the games when I can't be there.

Kevin Durant, up close and personal

And then to top off the evening friends came over to watch Lost, which is in it's final and best season. We gather together almost every Tuesday night to watch Lost and have for the past 3 or 4 years. It's always a good time, no matter who shows up. It had been such a long time since we had been together that we all sat around and talked for a long while after the show was over.

Great friends, great food and some great TV made for an exceptional Tuesday evening. I hope yours were as good as mine was!

Cream of Asparagus Soup

2010-03-01T22:38:00.003-06:00

I had cream of asparagus soup for the first time a few summers ago in Mexico and fell in love. Since then I've wanted to make some, but I never had enough fresh asparagus on hand. I bought 2 lbs of asparagus this weekend and decided to make some soup. The recipe I found was good and I had everything for it on hand! Here's what you need:

2 lbs asparagus, ends snapped and cut into pieces

4 Cups chicken stock

8 Tbsp butter (I always use unsalted butter so I can control the sodium)

4 Tbsp flour

2 Cups half and half (I used the fat free kind)

kosher salt

pepper

Put asparagus and stock into a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until asparagus is very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside 2 cups of the broth and keep warm. Puree asparagus and remaining broth in blender then return to the pot and set aside. Melt butter in a medium heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook stirring constantly with a whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in reserved broth, increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to pot with asparagus puree. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Slowly add in half and half. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: Make sure to puree the asparagus well so you don't have large tough pieces in your soup. You can also strain the soup to make sure there aren't any large pieces.

Enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

2010-02-06T11:34:00.003-06:00

This has been my go to recipe for spinach artichoke dip for years, and its always a huge hit. It's a great dip to take to your Superbowl party, that's why I'm posting it today! I like to just ignore the fact that it has heavy cream and butter in it and just go with it, because it's that good. Here's what you will need:

2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp minced onion
1/4 Cup butter
1/4 Cup flour
2 Cups heavy cream
1/4 Cup chicken broth
2/3 Cup Romano cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup White Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp hot sauce (Tabasco)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 Cup sour cream
2 10oz boxes frozen, chopped spinach thawed & squeezed dry
1 14oz can drained, coarsely chopped artichoke hearts

In a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, saute garlic and onion in butter until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in cream and broth and continue cooking until boiling. Once boiling, stir in Romano cheese, lemon juice, hot sauce and salt until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir sour cream into mixture then fold in dry spinach and artichoke hearts.
Fold the mixture into a microwave-safe serving dish, or into several serving size dishes. Sprinkle Cheddar evenly on top. The dish may be refrigerated at this point until ready to serve. Microwave dip on 50% power until the cheese has melted.

This is restaurant quality spinach artichoke dip, so give it a try! I promise you will love it.

PW's Chocolate Sheet Cake

2010-01-29T13:46:00.002-06:00

Well folks, I promised a recipe this week, so here it is. If you don't know who The Pioneer Woman is, well you must be living under a rock, and you need to check out her website and cookbook immediately. My big butt thanks her for all her wonderfully delicious recipes, especially this one. I'm just going to copy this directly from her cookbook. Here's what you'll need:

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk you can add 1 Tbsp vinegar to just under 1/2 cup of regular milk)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter
4 heaping Tbsp cocoa powder

Icing:
1 3/4 sticks butter
4 heaping Tbsp cocoa powder
6 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb powdered sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir together and set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Mix with a fork and set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the cocoa.
5. Whisk together to combine. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil.
6. When the butter is melted, pour the boiling water in the pan. Allow to bubble for a moment, then turn off the heat.
7. Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture.
8. Stir together for a moment to cool the chocolate, then pour in the egg mixture.
9. Stir together until smooth, then pour into an ungreased jelly roll pan (or rimmed baking sheet) and bake for 20 minutes.
10. While the cake is baking, make the icing: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. (I just wash out the same one I used for the cake. Makes me feel responsible and productive.)
11. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth.
12. Add the milk and vanilla.
13. And powdered sugar. Stir together.
14. Dump in the chopped pecans and stir until well combined.
15. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, pour the warm icing over the top. You'll want to avoid doing much spreading, so try to distribute it evenly as you pour.

I made this cake last night for the first time, I had eaten it before of course, but it is so easy and quick to make. I had friends over (its so nice to be withing walking distance to most of your friends during an ice storm) for chili and decided last minute that we needed dessert and I had everything to make this. Try it today, you know you want to. And you might eat a piece for breakfast, I'm just saying, it might happen.

OKC's Most Eligible Bachelor

2010-01-26T16:58:00.001-06:00

If you know of any eligible bachelorettes, or if you are one yourself, please head on over to Amy's blog for information on one of OKC's most eligible bachelors.

Water

2010-01-23T16:56:00.003-06:00

Here's my entry for Mandy's Photography Friday contest, the theme for this week is water.

I took this picture in Füssen, Germany on my way to Neuschwanstein Castle. I had never before seen water that color, and I don't think I have since then either.

Oh an apparently I need to post more since my last post was for last week's contest...I promise to post a recipe this week!

Seeing Red

2010-01-16T00:30:00.003-06:00

My entry for Mandy's photo contest

One of the very first things I saw when I arrived in London.
Taken with my very first digital camera, obviously very high quality ha

Perspective

2010-01-13T23:01:00.003-06:00

This has totally put my life into perspective. I only hope there is something more I can do for these precious people than just pray.

You can donate $10 to the Red Cross by texting Haiti to 90999, they just add the money to your cell phone bill.

On the Wings of Love

2010-01-09T23:10:00.003-06:00

Okay, so raise your hand if The Bachelor is your guilty pleasure (hand raised). What can I say, this is the 14th season and I've only missed one, and that was because it was on when I was living in Vienna. Needless to say, I love ABC. I have been looking forward to this season in particular because I LOVED Jake when he was vying for the love of Bachelorette Jillian Harris on the last season of the Bachelorette. He's from the Dallas area and he just seems like a nice southern gentleman. I mean, I would definitely date him, just saying. So anyway, Monday was the big day, the reveal of the 25 lucky ladies who would spend 6 or so weeks trying to win the love of one Jake Pavelka. Amy K came over to watch with me, its a tradition for us, we've been watching the show together for like almost 8 years, since my freshman year of college. I had obviously looked through their profiles online beforehand and chosen my favorites.

These girls are hands down the trashiest girls that have ever walked through the doors of the Bachelor mansion. I can't even begin to tell you how many bad pilot jokes these girls came up with (because our Bachey is a pilot) and how many of them flat out embarrassed me by what they said. My favorite would have to be Channy from Cambodia who said something to Jake in her native language and told him to find her if he wanted to know what she said. And do you know what she said to him? Brace yourselves, this is bad, real bad. She said to him "You can land your plane on my landing strip anytime". Yeah, she went there.

Nothing, and I do mean nothing, will ever compare to the moment when she said that to him, he was obviously speechless.

To end the show we like to have our own special drinks during the rose ceremony, our favorite, peach Bellini s(recipe here).

Oh, did I mention that we like to get really dressed up to watch the show? Yeah we do!
Come on over on Monday nights at 7 to enjoy this embarrassment to women all over the world with us.

All My Bags Are Packed

2009-12-23T22:06:00.003-06:00

I'm ready to go...hopefully this snow/rain mixture doesn't stick so our family can head to Tulsa for Christmas with my grandma tomorrow and then onto Florida on Friday morning. I am trying to pack in a carry on bag for a whole week to save $25...its not an easy task let me tell you.

Also, the fabulous Amy K got me some reading material for the plane rides...thanks AK!

Drumroll please

2009-12-13T22:45:00.005-06:00

I decided to draw for the winner and post it early. And obviously I chose to draw out of a measuring cup.

Mixing up the names with my man hand so its fair of course

And the winner is...

Congratulations Summer! Email me at baileybakes at gmail dot com and let me know when you want the muffins and where you want them delivered. Also let me know if you want a gift tag on it, or if you just want to keep them to yourself!

Thanks to everyone for entering the contest

GIVEAWAY!!!

2009-12-11T11:19:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I am hosting a giveaway in honor of my 50th post (yes, it took me this long to get to 50). I am giving away an order of Mini Pecan Pie Muffins for you to enjoy, or to give to someone else to enjoy!

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment in the comment section, even if you've never commented before! The contest is open until midnight on Saturday, December 12 and the winner will be announced on Monday.

Good Luck!

Christmas Treats

2009-12-09T11:07:00.002-06:00

Do you need teacher gifts for Christmas? Coming up short on ideas for friends? Look no further, I have your treats right here. Get your orders in now and I will get them to you ASAP.

Bailey Bakes Holiday Treats

Puppy Chow $6
Cinnamon Candy $4
Chocolate Fudge $6
Peanut Brittle $5
Divinity $8
Chocolate Turtles $6/dozen
Chocolate Fudge Pie $9
Apple Pie $12
Pecan Pie Mini Muffins $10/2 dozen

Buy 2 items; get the third item of equal or lesser value half off!

Please send orders to baileybakes@gmail.com. All orders should be placed no later than Friday December 18. Deliveries can be made Wednesday December 23, or before if needed.

Also, be looking for my next post, it will be a giveaway in honor of my 50th post.

6 Days of Basketball

2009-12-08T12:24:00.011-06:00

It's kind of like the 12 days of Christmas, only not at all. Starting last Wednesday and ending last night I went to at least one basketball game every day. It all started when I won some OKC Thunder and OU men's basketball tickets last week via Twitter (@baileybakes). So Wednesday night I headed to the Thunder game with friend Ryan. The following night was an OC double header, women's game at 6 and men's at 8. As long as I can remember my family has been going to the OC games and sitting in the same area, even when we didn't live in the city. So its just kind of natural that we have continued to go to the games.

Friday night the Thunder were playing the Celtics which was going to be a huge game, and some friends decided we should try and get tickets. They found some online on Friday afternoon and we headed downtown that night for the game. To say parking was a hassle is putting it lightly, we were 40 minutes late for the game, but we still had a good time.

Did I mention we were on the top row? Oh yeah we were, I think I got altitude sickness from being that high, but the jury's still out on that one.

A picture of friend Matt, friend Pip and friend Ryan at the game. Matt, why do you look so creepy?

Saturday I was invited to watch some of said friend's church league basketball game at 10am. I set my alarm and showed up at the church at 10 only to find out that their game wasn't until 11, awesome! I was able to kill some time at a Gotcha Party down the hall for precious baby Mariah Kingcade, then made it back to the game at 11.

Later that day I went to some more OC men's and women's games and got to see the cute cheer clinic girls perform their cheers and dances.
As mentioned before, I won tickets to an OU men's basketball game along with the Thunder tickets and that game just happened to be on Sunday vs. Arizona. My brother-in-law had been wanting to go to an OU game, so he and my sister came up from Tulsa and we headed south to Norman along with my dad, to watch the Sooners duke it out with Arizona. We ate at my favorite BBQ place, JR's in Norman on the way, and it was delish as always.

We didn't know how stinking great the seats were going to be until we got there, this picture is not zoomed in at all folks!

Bro-in-Law Kendall got up close and personal with Sooner

We saw Toby Keith across the court at the game

And Sherri Coale was there too

I finished out my 6th day of basketball at yet another OC game. Or two. They both won their games, but the men's game was certainly a close one!

The Lady Eagles in action

Baby M (my foster sister) and cousin Nora playing during the OC Men's game

Jason Taylor at the free throw line during the last minute or so of the game, and what an intense minute it was!

And there we have it folks, lots of basketball and lots of good times with friends and family.

Brrrrrrr

2009-12-06T22:22:00.005-06:00

I just saw the weather forecast for the next week and can I just say that I am so not ready for this weather yet? Fall is my favorite time of year weather-wise and I don't feel like I got enough of it this year. what happened to it being in the mid to upper 60s? This forecast makes me even more excited than I already was for my upcoming trip to Florida. I am heading down to Orlando on Christmas day with my parents and little sister, that is just what I need since I'm sitting in my apartment freezing right now. I've been down to Orlando once before during December and the weather is PERFECT at that time. Here's an example of what you can wear in Florida during December

Yep, tank tops, skirts and flip flops all around! And yes, that is a ginormous Christmas tree we are sitting by, we look miniature.

So while I'm here in Oklahoma wearing this

I will be counting down the days until I can wear this instead

Thanksgiving Goodies

2009-11-15T20:31:00.002-06:00

This holiday season I am going to be selling Thanksgiving and Christmas desserts. Here's the list of things for thanksgiving and information on ordering.

Bailey Bakes Holiday Treats

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting $15/dozen
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting $15/dozen
Pecan Pie $14
Pumpkin Pie $12
Buttermilk Pie $10
Apple Pie $12
Pumpkin Scones $8/doz
Pecan Pie Mini Muffins $10/2 dozen

Buy 2 items, get the third item of equal or lesser value half off!

Please send orders to baileybakes@gmail.com. All orders should be placed no later than Friday November 20.

Deliveries can be made Wednesday November 25, or before if needed.

*Additional items will be available to order for Christmas*

White Chicken Enchiladas

2009-11-11T11:14:00.001-06:00

This is one of my favorite recipes I've gotten from my grandma, so so good! It's just a basic enchilada recipe, but so easy, you should give it a try. Here's what you need:

1 large chicken, cooked and boned
1 pkg 10" flour tortillas
8-10oz Monterrey Jack cheese
2-3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 Cup chicken broth
1/2 Cup chopped onion, sauteed
1 Cup sour cream
4oz can green chilies

Make a sauce of soup, broth and sauteed onion. Lay tortillas flat and put chicken, sauce and cheese on tortilla and roll up. Put a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan. Put enchiladas in pan, seam side down and pour rest of the sauce over the top. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*Tip of the day: For an easy Sunday lunch or weeknight dinner you can layer the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for a few hours. Try this out with any enchilada recipe!

Nutella Swirl Pound Cake

2009-11-09T10:24:00.002-06:00

This past weekend was my Vienna group's 5 year reunion and I was trying to think of something Vienna-ish to make for the party and here's what I found. I remembered my mom emailing me this recipe from Food and Wine a while back. Here's what you need:

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 Cups sugar

1 13oz jar Nutella

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, tapping out an excess flour. In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer. Spread one-third of the batter in the prepared pan, then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another third of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife. Do not over mix. Bake the cake for about an hour and 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut the cake into slices and serve.

*Instead of baking my cake in one 9 by 5 loaf pan I made in 3 small loaf pans. Because the pans were smaller I only cooked them for an hour.

The pound cake was a big hit at the party, I hope you enjoy it!

Brazilian Black Beans and Rice

2009-11-02T20:56:00.002-06:00

That's right folks, I still do cook sometimes...I have had red beans and rice before, and I really like them, so when I saw this recipe I knew I needed to try it out. Black beans are by far my favorite bean, and this recipe did not disappoint. Here's what you need:

White Minute Rice, as desired
2 cans black beans
2 Tbsp minced garlic
butter
1 package smoked sausage (I used the turkey kind)

Using the instructions on the box, measure how much rice you want for your family. In a saute pan melt 2 Tbsp butter (more if you are doing a lot of rice). Add garlic and dry white rice. Saute until rice is golden brown, this gives the rice a nutty flavor. Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Cut up the sausage into whatever size pieces you like. In another sauce pan, brown and render the fat from the sausage you are using. You may want to add butter or oil to the pan to help it cook up faster and stick less. When the sausage is nice and browned, developing a sweet flavor, and there is a good amount of fat in the pan add the black beans (don't drain them).

Heat the meat/bean mixture thoroughly. Add salt to taste and add more garlic if you'd like.

Serve beans over rice with a nice piece of crusty bread!

PW+MM=A great night

2009-10-30T16:18:00.007-05:00

These shoes might not have been the best idea for standing in line, but how was I to know that I was going to be in said line for 4 1/2 hours.

I really thing The Pioneer Woman would have liked them, if I had remembered to put them back on before meeting her. Yeah they only made it through about hour 2 of the wait before I had to take them off and walk barefoot through 50 Penn Place and Full Circle Books. But don't worry, I wasn't ashamed, not one bit!

So yeah, my mom and I waited for over four and a half hours last night to meet the one and only Pioneer Woman! Was it worth it? I think this picture speaks for itself.

Oh, what was that, you wanted a closer look at that fine derriere? Well okay, I guess I can do that

Oh and don't worry, we also got to meet the punks and get their autographs too! They were all so cute and sweet. When my mom asked the youngest boy if he would sign his book he said no, so his brother signed his name for him, so cute.

They also got put to work bringing in more books for their mom to sign.

And at the end of those 4 and a half hours we finally got to the prize! The one and only Pioneer Woman! She was so sweet, especially since her hand had to be close to falling off after signing over 500 books! I can't even imagine...

All in all, it was a great night. We were going to go to the 'after party' dinner thing at Rococo which was supposed to start at 8:30. But since we didn't even leave the bookstore until 10:40 and there was at least another hours worth of books for her to sign, we decided to skip out on that.

Let me know what you think...

2009-10-25T22:15:00.001-05:00

I am thinking about baking homemade pies to sell for the holiday season. Let me know if you would be interested in buying one (or more!) and also what kinds you would like to see...
Thanks!

I do, times 2

2009-10-19T21:38:00.009-05:00

This weekend was a pretty busy one for me. Not only was it OU/tx weekend, but I also had two great friends weddings to go to.
Friday night one of my best friends from college, Jessica Nelson, got married at the Tulsa Garden Center. It was a beautiful wedding and a great reception with a whole dessert room.

The wedding party, it was a little on the chilly side!

The second wedding of the weekend was in Fort Worth on Sunday afternoon. It was the wedding of John Whitaker and Rachel Burgess, some great friends. A group of us road tripped down on Sunday afternoon for the festivities, and of course road trips are always fun!

I got to see Rev. Matt Johns perform his second wedding ceremony

The beautiful bride walking down the aisle

Cheers!

My great friends, with the groom

Feels Like Home To Me....

2009-10-07T15:29:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago I decided it was time for me to take a trip back "home". I have lived in several places in my 25 years. I was born in Tulsa and lived in Broken Arrow until I was almost 13, then we moved to Plano, TX. We only lived there about a year and moved just up the highway to Allen. Almost two years into college at OC my parents moved up to Edmond to ruin my life, or so I thought at the time (love you guys!). Although at the time I wasn't crazy about the idea, it's been more than wonderful living in the same town as them, I don't know what I'd do without them! Anyway, enough of the mushy stuff...I haven't made enough trips back "home" to Allen as I'd like since my parents don't live there anymore. Pretty much all my friends from high school, well actually I think pretty much everyone from my high school, still live in or around Allen. I had a weekend open and decided to go back down there to visit, and shop of course. My mom decided to tag along so we could do a little shopping together. We headed down on Friday afternoon and hit up IKEA. I got some great kitchen stuff for cheap! I love that place. We had dinner at Buca di Beppo, if you haven't been there, you need to try it. It is a family style Italian restaurant, so you have to order your food for the whole table. We had a yummy salad with Granny Smith apples, dried cranberries, spiced walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese. Then we had the most amazing pasta dish, it had chicken and broccoli in a pesto cream sauce. I am not kidding when I say it was the best pasta I have ever had!

That night we went to watch my Alma Mater (and reigning state champs) the Allen Eagles take on Plano West. We got there in the middle of the 1st quarter and the score was already 14-o Allen. We got to watch at least 2 more TDs in the 1st quarter and the amazing Allen Eagle Escadrille during halftime. Here is a picture of the band performing, they are one of the biggest marching bands in the world!

We went to the Allen Outlet Mall on Saturday and got some goodies there too. I also got to try on my first pair of Manolo Blahniks...they weren't even that cute, but I just had to have them on my feet.

The original price on these babies was over $800, but don't worry the outlet price was only $280. Maybe someday when I win the lottery I will buy myself a pair and pretend I'm Carrie Bradshaw. Until then, I will just have to stare longingly at these pictures...

Saturday night before we headed home I got to meet up with my best friends from high school for dinner. It was so great to see them and catch up, it seems like the only time we've been able to do that in the last 7 years is at weddings and showers. I'm hoping it can become a more regular event...I sure do miss them!

Pancakes

2009-10-01T21:52:00.002-05:00

I have always had trouble with pancakes. I either flip them too soon and splatter batter all over the place or I wait too long until they are rubbery, ick. I finally found the perfect pancake batter that has, so far, worked every time. Here is what you need:

1 1/2 Cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4-1/2 tsp salt (or more depending on your taste)
1 egg
4 Tbsp butter, melted or shortening
1 1/4 Cups milk

Sift the dry ingredients together twice into a large bowl. Beat the egg with the milk and butter, beating to combine. Using a wooden spoon, fold the egg mixture into the dry ingredients to make a smooth batter without over mixing. Heat a heavy griddle or frying pan greased with butter. The pan is hot enough when a drop of water breaks into several smaller drops which 'dance' around the pan. Pour a small amount of batter (approx. 1/4 cup) into a pan and tip to spread out or spread with spoon. When bubbles appear on surface and begin to break, turn over and cook the other side. If you like chocolate chips or blueberries add those right before flipping the pancakes over. Serve with lemon juice and powdered sugar or your favorite syrup. Enjoy!

The Great State Fair

2009-09-30T11:30:00.005-05:00

A lot has gone on since I last posted, I'll just give a brief overview.

Went to Mexico with friends - fabulous

Got a nasty virus from family when I got home from Mexico - not so fabulous

Went to Disneyworld with family 6 days after I got home from Mexico - fabulous again

OU Football season started - always fabulous, even though they lost the season opener

Oh and my mom started a blog somewhere in there, visit her here.

So back to the here and now. The state fair of Oklahoma was in town for about a week and of course I paid a visit. Well make that 3 visits. I can't help myself, there's just something about the fair that I LOVE. Maybe its all the random fried foods, or it could be the freak shows that come out of the woodwork to visit the fair, but I just love it. I went with friends on the first Friday night and I ate a corndog (always the first thing I eat), a jug of rootbeer and fried garlic mashed potatoes. That's right, I said fried mashed potatoes, and they were delish despite the fact that they used instant mashed potatoes. I went back to the fair on Saturday night with my sister and bro-in-law to see Chuck Wicks in concert. That night I just had some ribbon potatoes and a cherry limeade, and they were great. So I decided to take a few days off from the fair, actually I wasn't going to go again at all, all that stuff really adds up. But my good friend Matt Johns was performing with the Rodeo Opry on Thursday night and he had some extra free tickets, so obviously I said yes! I decided not to eat at the fair that night because I couldn't make myself spend any more money there!

I don't have any pictures of the food (what was I thinking) but here are a few pics from the fair.

Chuck Wicks singing to me...

Matt singing with the Rodeo Opry

I did it

2009-09-18T16:41:00.002-05:00

I've become one of "those" bloggers again, the ones who never update so no one ever even looks at my blog anymore. Well I'm going to try to get back into the blogging game, but I need some encouragement. If you read my blog please comment...I dont want to blog for no one!
Oh and sometimes I just need the validation...

Awesome Photographer

2009-08-27T19:42:00.001-05:00

You need to check out Lesley's picture blog! She took my sister's wedding pics and she was so great to work with!

Plus she's having a giveaway...so that doesn't hurt either!

A Little Bit of This...

2009-07-27T21:49:00.002-05:00

A little bit of that! The wedding reception went GREAT on Saturday, thanks to all who came out and made it such a special day for Avery and Kendall.

I am heading to bed early tonight due to the fact that I have to wake up at 3am and be out the door and heading to the airport by 3:30 for my 6:01am connecting flight to Chicago, then I'm off to CANCUN for 5 glorious days. Can I just tell you that all-inclusive resorts were one of the best ideas anyone has ever had? I'm so excited to just go chill on the beach/by the pool for 5 whole days and not worry about a thing!

So I'm signing off until next week...hopefully I'll come back with a tan and some great stories to tell!

In other unrelated news, my mom started a blog last week. I don't think she's made her first post yet, but be looking for it here. Welcome to the blogosphere mom!

I can't sleep

2009-07-22T01:22:00.004-05:00

So why not blog? Monday I took my first trip to Midwest Baking Supply...a bakers mecca if you will. I blame Bakerella for my desire to visit this wonderful world of baking goodies. But there was a reason for the visit; get chocolate for the chocolate covered strawberries we're making for my sister and bro-in-law's wedding reception on Saturday (side note: come on out to the Summit at MRCC Saturday from 2-5 to enjoy some wedding cake and choc. covered strawberries and of course celebrate the marriage of Avery and Kendall). Let's just say its a good thing I had a mission when I went in there, otherwise I could have spent the credit limit on my MasterCard. I glanced at the cake baking supplies; every shape and size of pan you could imagine, sprinkles in every color, all kinds of gel food coloring for icing and edible ink pens. You name it, they had it, it just may take you a while to find it! Someday, hopefully sooner than later, I'll go back and spend some more time and more money buying supplies to make cakes, cupcakes, pies and all kinds of other sweets to my hearts content! Maybe I have an addiction...I just like to bake, ok?

In the next few weeks I'll be earning my frequent flier miles. Next Tuesday I'm off to the Mayan Riviera for a few days of relaxation on the beach. Six days after I get back from Mexico I'm off to The Happiest Place on Earth to celebrate my dad's 50th birthday! Maybe I'll get some good blog material to share with you all!

What a week!

2009-07-11T21:52:00.006-05:00

This past week has been quite an eventful and busy one for me. It all started early Monday morning, I woke up and went to Sam's with my sister, Avery, to pick out the flowers for her wedding! Tuesday is a day I won't forget for a long time...While I was getting a mani/pedi with my mom and sisters in preparation for the wedding we also got to witness the hours long Michael Jackson memorial service. And what a memorial it was! I didn't actually watch the whole thing because I had a (long overdue) hair appointment that afternoon. I can proudly say that my hair is now all one shade of brown...at least for now...which is a nice change. Tuesday night we (my family: Parents and sisters and I) went out to dinner with my sister's fiance's family (him, his parents and sisters) and Matt Johns tagged along as well (since he was set to perform the wedding ceremony).

Wednesday was wedding day! The date was 07-08-09, what an easy day to remember! We started out the day with a nice lunch for all the girls at Inspirations Tea Room.

Then we were off to hair appointments

After that we headed down to the Skirvin hotel to finish getting ready and get Avery into her dress. The wedding was at the State Capitol building in the 2nd floor rotunda. Apparently the air conditioners had been broken in the building for 2 days so it was extra hot. We were expecting the normal heat from no air conditioning in the rotunda, but I'm thinking that the outage didn't help matters. The ceremony was short and sweet, then Avery and Kendall headed to NYC and Boston for their honeymoon. I can't believe my little sister is married! Congrats to the happy couple...

2009-07-02T10:30:00.002-05:00

The 4th of July is by far my absolute favorite holiday. I love everything about it, the fireworks, the lazy summer day, everything in red, white and blue; I mean, what's not to love about it. Growing up I always spent my 4th of July at lake Eufaula with the whole family, usually both my parents families actually. Both sets of grandparents had houses at the lake, right around the corner from each other. Its holiday weekends like these that I miss that the most. But the one thing that I love about the 4th of July just as much as the rest is the food! The hot dogs with all the fixins, a burger bar, barbecue ribs, brisket, pulled pork. And then there are the sides, oh the sides, fried okra, pasta salad, grilled corn on the cob. There is always the best spread at each and every party you attend. I have decided that this year I'm going to attempt this.

So, what is your favorite thing to eat on the 4th of July? I need some ideas for other things to make.

This is what I'm working with...

2009-06-29T12:30:00.007-05:00

The kitchen in my apartment is TINY to put it lightly. I haven't really ventured into the wonderful world of cooking in it yet. I have made a few easy lunches, spaghetti with tomato sauce and quesadillas. I also made my favorite dessert (I might post it one day, but for now its my little secret) the other day for my sister's bachelorette party. To be honest, I'm a little bit uneasy about attempting something real in this tiny little kitchen. I did buy a tall table that fits right up next to the sink to give me some extra counter space, which should help me out a lot. For now, I just have to talk myself into taking on the tiny kitchen!

Here it is

Did I mention the low ceilings?

This is my "pantry"

Grilled Veggie Pizza

2009-06-17T15:19:00.002-05:00

Wow, it has been forever and a day since I posted. I moved out of my parents house and into an apartment on my own, so I don't have anyone to cook for anymore! I will have to make a conscious effort to invite people over to I can try out new recipes! I went over to my parents house last night for my favorite summertime meal, grilled veggie pizza. Its so easy and lite, perfect for a sunny summer evening. Go out to your local farmers market to get the freshest ingredients for this pizza! Here's what you'll need:

Your favorite summertime veggies, some of my favorites are
yellow squash
zucchini
asparagus
onion, white or red
mushrooms
bell peppers, red or yellow
whatever else you can think of!
Mozzarella cheese, fresh melts best
Parmesan cheese
roasted garlic
olive oil

Here's the recipe for the best homemade pizza crust
To roast the garlic you will need to slice the top off the whole head of garlic so that all the cloves are exposed. Place in a pie pan, or other small dish, drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. It will create a delicious smell throughout your house! You can roast as many heads of garlic at a time as you want, as long as they fit into your pan. You can use the garlic for lots of things like this pizza, or in mashed potatoes (yum-o) whatever floats your boat.

Now onto the veggies, its best to cut them into large-ish pieces so they don't fall through the grill, unless you have one of those fancy schmancy veggie trays for your grill. Slice the zucchini and squash long ways, the onions into fairly large slices and you might want to make an aluminum foil basket for the smaller things like mushrooms and bell peppers. toss all the veggies in olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper and throw them onto the grill. Cook to desired doneness, about 8-10 minutes usually. Remove the veggies from the grill, but keep it on.

With the dough we usually cut the dough into two pieces to make it easier to handle and make 2 pizzas. Once the dough is rolled out, take it to the grill and place it carefully on the grill, shut the cover and let cook for 5 minutes. While the dough is cooking on the grill squeeze 5 or 6 of the garlic cloves out of the head of garlic and smoosh them up in a bowl to make a paste. After 5 minutes on the grill flip the pizza dough over and spread the garlic paste evenly over both pizzas. Drizzle them with olive oil and place the Mozzarella cheese on the crust. Toss the veggies onto the pizza and arrange them how you want then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cover the grill for just about a minute, you don't want the crust to burn! Taking the pizzas off the grill can be a 2 person job, using big spatulas remove them to a large serving platter or cookie sheet. Slice and enjoy!

It's been a while...

2009-04-30T14:34:00.002-05:00

But I'm back with a new recipe for you! It's another pasta one, they're so easy and cheap, so give it a try! Here's what you need

16oz pasta (ziti, penne, any tube pasta will do)
28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook the pasta as directed on the package, drain and drizzle a little EVOO on it, just to keep it from sticking. While pasta is cooking brown the ground beef, drain and add crushed tomatoes. Add about 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of black pepper, then add 1 tsp Italian seasoning. Stir the sauce and let simmer for 20 minutes. Combine cooked pasta, sauce and 1 1/2 cups cheese and pour into greased baking dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese and cook at 375 for 40 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling.
This recipe would also be great if you used half sausage and half ground beef to add some extra flavor. Enjoy!

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-04-02T12:18:00.000-05:00

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Dinner for a cold day...Stew

2009-03-27T11:32:00.002-05:00

Since we're expecting snow tonight (ridiculous, I know!) I just put stew in the crockpot so we can stay warm tonight. Its so easy and so delish, you have to try it! Here's what you need:

Mix in a crockpot or 5-6 quart dutch oven
1 (16oz) can crushed tomatoes
2/3 Cup dry red wine or water
1/2 Cup beef broth
1/4 Cup quick cooking tapioca
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp salt
2 small bay leaves

Stir in:
3 lbs cubed stew meat

Add:
1 lb carrots, scrubbed and cut into bite sized pieces
3 medium size onions, peeled an quartered
3-4 medium sized potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

Crockpot instructions:
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high 2-3 hours, or until meat is tender and sauce thickened.

Dutch Oven instructions:
Cover and bake about 3 hours in 350 degree oven, stirring twice, until meat is tender and sauce thickened.

You can add 1/2 bag frozen corn 1-2 hours before serving. Be sure to discard the bay leaves before serving. Enjoy!

Black Bean Dip

2009-03-12T16:02:00.003-05:00

This recipe is so easy and delicious, way better than the stuff you get in a can! Here's what you need:

1 can black beans, undrained
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 small white onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp of the already minced stuff)
1 4oz can chopped mild green chiles, drained

Drain beans, reserving 2 Tbsp liquid. Combine drained beans, reserve liquid and spices in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Sautee onion and garlic in a nonstick skillet until onion is soft and lightly browned. Add chiles and cook about 3 minutes, then add in the bean mixture and mix well.
This dip can be served warm or cold, its great either way. Enjoy!

Aunt Rose's Beef Enchiladas

2009-03-09T13:36:00.002-05:00

This is my great aunt Rose's recipe for beef enchiladas, they are so yummy and easy to make! Here's what you need:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 sm can tomato sauce
12 corn tortillas (I always seem to need more)
2 Cups grated cheese (Mexican blend is best)
oil

Brown meat and onions, drain, cool. Mix enchilada sauce and tomato sauce. Add 1 1/2 Cups cheese and 1/4 Cup sauce. Toss lightly. Dip each tortilla in hot oil til soft, stack on paper towels, let cool slightly. Fill tortilla with 2 Tbsp meat mixture. Roll up, put in greased casserole dish, repeat until all filling is gone. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes.
You can make these ahead of time and freeze them if you like, just leave the sauce and cheese off the top, add them after they are thawed.

Happy Birthday Mom

2009-03-03T17:16:00.002-06:00

This 4 layer dessert is so yummy and I made it for my mom's birthday celebration tonight. Here's what you need:

1 Cup flour
1/4 Cup butter, melted
2 oz chopped pecans
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 Cup confectioners sugar
2 80z pkgs cool whip
2 small pkgs chocolate pudding mix
cold milk
chocolate candy bar (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, butter and pecans in a small bowl and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place in the oven for 15 minutes and remove, allow to cool completely. Combine cream cheese, confectioners sugar and 1 pkg of cool whip with a mixer until no longer lumpy. Spread over the crust. Mix pudding according to package directions and spread over cream cheese layer once thickened. Spread remaining package of cool whip over the top. Using a vegetable peeler, peel chocolate shavings over the top. Refrigerate over night and enjoy!

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-02-25T17:25:00.000-06:00

Love this!

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Italian Style Pork Chops

2009-02-23T21:38:00.002-06:00

This is a crock-pot meal that takes a little more effort that just throwing everything in and turning it on, but it is definitely worth it. Here's what you'll need:

6 lean pork chops, 1 inch thick
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Cup flour
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
8oz sliced mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
26oz can/jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 Cup dry red wine or dry sherry
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
2 Cups Mozzarella cheese

I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but a lot of those are spices, don't be intimidated!
Wash pork chops and pat dry with paper towels. Trim any excess fat from chops. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Mix flour, salt, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Coat the pork chops with the flour mixture and lightly brown on both sides in the heated oil (the pork chops should not be completely cooked); drain the chops on paper towels. Place the mushrooms, onions and garlic in the bottom of the crock pot; add the chops to the top of the veggies. In a large mixing bowl combine spaghetti sauce, wine or sherry, lemon juice and spices (minus the bay leaves). Pour over the pork chops, add the bay leaves to the top. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Thirty minutes before the cooking time is up remove the bay leaves and add the Mozzarella cheese. Serve with your favorite pasta and bread to soak up the yummy sauce!

A Gourmet Dinner at home

2009-02-13T16:08:00.002-06:00

In honor of tomorrow being Valentines day I thought I would share some quick and fairly easy recipes for a gourmet dinner at home. I'll start out with Roasted Asparagus, then move on to Potatoes Gratin and finish if off with Ribs. Here's what you'll need:

1 lb. asparagus, depending on how much you'll eat
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Take on piece of the asparagus and hold it on both ends then bend it until it breaks. Use that piece of asparagus as a guide to cut the rest of the ends off. Place the asparagus stalks on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with EVOO. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Stick in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.

For the Potatoes Gratin here's what you'll need:

3-4 medium potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
8oz Cheddar cheese, give or take
salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8x8 (or whatever you have) casserole dish and set aside. Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes and cheese very thin. Begin by layering the potatoes in the bottom of the dish, 2-3 potatoes deep, salt and pepper the potatoes then place a layer of cheese. Repeat layering until you've used all the ingredients. Mix cream of mushroom soup and milk and pour over the top of the dish. Place in oven and cook for 90 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Here's a rub recipe for the ribs:

1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup paprika
1/3 Cup garlic salt
2 Tbsp onion salt
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cumin

Mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.
This rub can be used on all kinds of meats. I have used it on ribs and brisket, I think it would also be great on chicken. Just massage the rub into whatever meat you are using and cook as usual.
Ribs need to be grilled about an hour, turning every 10 minutes, on low. Baby back pork ribs are my personal favorite.
Enjoy!

French Onion Soup - Crockpot Style

2009-01-17T23:12:00.002-06:00

This recipe is so so so easy. I threw the ingredients in the crockpot during my lunch break on Thursday and came home to find yummy French onion soup ready and waiting. Here's what you need:

4 cups beef broth
3-4 medium onions, sliced
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 slices of cheese, Parmesan, Swiss, whatever floats your boat

Add first 4 ingredients to the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours. I served the soup in bread bowls (you can get them at Wal-Mart) and placed the cheese in the bowl before pouring in the soup. This doesn't taste just like what you would get at Jason's Deli or Panera, but it is still good. Give it a try!

Easy Cheesy Mexican Casserole

2009-01-14T16:37:00.003-06:00

Last night for dinner we had hamburger meat set out, but weren't sure what to do with it so we pulled out some cookbooks and searched for something tasty. I found a recipe and decided to tweak it a little bit and this is what I came up with. Here's what you need

1 lb hamburger meat, cooked and drained
14 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
10oz can Rotel
16oz can refried beans
10 3/4oz can cream of chicken soup
10 3/4oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 lb shredded cheese, you can use less if you like

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. In a large bowl mix soups, onion and Rotel. Once hamburger meat is cooked and drained mix with refried beans. Place half the meat/bean mixture in the bottom of the pan, spreading out evenly. Then place half the quartered tortillas on top, making sure to cover entire pan. Pour half of soup mixture into pan and spread evenly, top with half the shredded cheese. Repeat layers ending with cheese. Bake, uncovered for 30-45 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like the onions to be. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream and salsa.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

2009-01-02T20:04:00.002-06:00

Tonight I made Cashew Chicken Stir Fry and it tasted just like take out! So here's the super simple recipe, give it a try! Here's what you need:

2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/4 Cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3 Tbsp oil, divided
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
2-3 small zucchini, sliced and quartered
4 green onions, sliced
1 (8oz) can water chestnuts, drained
3/4 Cup salted cashews

Start by slicing all your veggies and chicken, I sliced the zucchini into about 1/2 inch slices, then quartered them to make a nice bite sized piece. Combine cornstarch, brown sugar, chicken broth and soy sauce in a small bowl and stir until thoroughly combined, set aside. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok and stir fry chicken until no longer pink in the center, I added a little garlic salt to the chicken while it was cooking for more flavor. Remove and keep warm. Remove any remaining liquid from the pan and add 1 Tbsp oil. Stir fry the mushrooms, zucchini and green onions for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini and mushrooms start to soften. Stir in the chicken, water chestnuts and cashews. Stir the broth mixture and add to the pan, bring to a boil and let cook for 1-2 minutes, or until thickened. Serve with rice.

A Little Something

2008-12-31T14:31:00.002-06:00

to bring in the new year. This is something that my roommates and I started doing a couple of years ago, and now we drink this on any and every special occasion. It's so simple and so yummy! All you need is a bottle of Welchs sparkling white grape juice and a can of peach nectar (this can be found in the Mexican food aisle of your grocery store, or Walmart, or possibly with the juices). Also, you might want some cute champagne flutes or wine glasses. Just put about a tablespoon and a half of peach nectar in each glass and fill the rest with the sparkling white grape juice, then toast to the new year! You can also use any cheap champagne instead of the sparkling white grape juice if that tickles your fancy. Happy New Year everyone, and enjoy a peach Bellini!

Baby its Cold Outside

2008-12-15T20:19:00.002-06:00

When its cold outside I like to eat something thats warm, so that's what we did tonight. My mom made chili tonight and it was so good! Here's the recipe:

1 lb. hamburger meat
1 Tbsp minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 8oz can tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes
1 12oz can kidney beans

Brown hamburger meat, add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Couldn't be easier, and it so good!

Tagged again

2008-12-04T12:11:00.002-06:00

I was tagged by Jessica!
8 Things About Me

8 TV Shows I Watch

1. Grey’s Anatomy
2. Desperate Housewives
3. Dancing With the Stars
4. Brothers and Sisters
5. Private Practice
6. American Idol
7. LOST
8. The Office

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8 Favorite Restaurants

1. Zen
2. Chicken Fil A
3. Egg Roll Express
4. Café 501
5. Olive Garden
6. Teds/Poblanos
7. Chilis
8. Outback

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8 Things That Happened Today

1. Packed up some of the office
2. Got an oil change/carwash
3. Ate lunch with Anna
4. Jammed the printer at work
5. Printed off maps to Kansas City & Arrowhead stadium
6. Read the Pioneer Woman
7. Thought about Christmas shopping
8. Did laundry
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8 Things I Look Forward To

1. The Big 12 Championship game on Saturday
2. Christmas
3. Buying a house
4. Changing into sweats when I get home from work
5. Buying a brand new car
6. Friend’s Christmas party
7. Going on vacation
8. Making the trek back to Vienna someday
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8 Things I Wish For
1. Leopard Uggs
2. My own house
3. To be the Pioneer Woman
4. To have a child/children someday
5. To own a restaurant/dessert shop
6. To get married someday (I guess that should go before having children)
7. A digital SLR camera
8. A Land Rover
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8 People I Tag (I don’t think 8 people read my blog!)
1. Amanda
2. Gena
3. Summer
4. Lita
5. Anyone else who reads this and has a blog…haha

You might be next...

2008-12-01T10:16:00.003-06:00

I've been tagged by Lita to post the 4th picture in the 4th album of my computer. I was wondering what it might be, figuring that it was either a picture from Disney world or an OU football game since that is what I have the most pictures of and I was right. Here is a picture from the OU-UNT game last year on Labor Day weekend.

This picture was taken at my first game as an OU season ticket holder, and what a wonderful game to kick it off. The final score was 79-10, we almost left early because we were so far ahead, but decided to stay for the whole first game of the season. I took the picture after the game was over and the players were headed back into the locker room, fans were huddled around the edge of the field to maybe have a chance to high five one or two of the players, and I was a little behind them. My dad and I have now been through 2 seasons as season ticket holders and I don't see that ending any time soon. I love me some Sooner football!!! BOOMER SOONER!

I guess now I have to tag some others to keep this going. I choose Amanda and Jessica. Lets see what pictures you come up with!

A nice alternative to turkey

2008-11-26T16:19:00.002-06:00

Last night was our annual "Friends Thanksgiving" and I was in charge of bringing the main meat dish. I decided that I didn't really have time to make a turkey or a ham, so I had to think of a great alternative. What I came up with was roasted pork tenderloin and it was a hit, very flavorful and juicy! I'm not really a fan of turkey or ham, so I knew at least I would like it. I bought 3 packages of tenderloin, with 2 pieces of meat in each, which ended up being way too much food for about 12 people. I marinated the meat over night and then cooked it last night when I got home from work. I put a little bit of a Cajun twist on the marinate, so I'll call it Roasted Cajun Pork Tenderloin. Here's what you need (the measurements aren't exact because I just threw a bunch of ingredients into a Ziploc bag):

1-1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin
1/2 cup orange juice (or grapefruit/tangerine if that's what you have, I'm just saying)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
1-2 tsp hot sauce (Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce)
3-4 Tbsp honey
1-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag and place the pork tenderloin in, make sure you mix it around after putting the tenderloin in so it is all covered in the marinade. I let mine sit in the marinade for about 16 hours in the fridge, but it probably only needs to marinate for 3-4 hours. Heat your oven to 325 degrees and place the tenderloin in a roasting pan and cook for 45-50 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. You can also grill the tenderloin 8-12 minutes per side. After cooking remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes then slice and serve! Its great for a Thanksgiving alternative, or an easy meal any night of the week.

Have a Happy Turkey Day everyone!!!

I'd like to place a take out order...

2008-11-21T13:40:00.003-06:00

I cannot explain to you my love of Chinese food, it is a very deep and consuming love, actually it's a little embarrassing. I could probably eat Chinese food for every meal, or at least once a day. Give me sweet and sour pork, Pad Thai, fried rice, lo mein or beef and broccoli, I love it all. Stir fry has always been a pretty common food at our house growing up and yesterday I took it to the next step, I cooked beef and broccoli in the crockpot, no stirring involved with that friends. I have to be honest when I tell you that it was no comparison to the 'real' stuff you can get at your local mall food court, but it was a good substitute AND it was so easy! Here's what you need to get this meal cooking:

1 lb thin beef, I used flank steak
1/4 C soy sauce
2 Tbsp white wine
2 Tbsp rice wine or apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bag of frozen broccoli florets, thawed

I started by slicing the beef into thin strips. Then I put a handy dandy slow cooker liner in the crock pot (if you haven't been introduced to these babies, you need to check them out!) and added all the liquids and spices and mixed them up. Toss the sliced beef into the crock pot with the sauce and mix until the beef is coated thoroughly. Cook this on low for 6-8 hours (I cooked mine for 5 on low and the beef was falling apart). Stir in the thawed broccoli about an hour before serving. Serve over steamed rice. Delish!

Crockpot - my new favorite appliance

2008-11-09T19:49:00.002-06:00

I have kind of been in a cooking slump lately. I haven't been in the mood to get in the kitchen, so last week I took the 'lazy' way out and used the crock pot to make an entire dinner. Well maybe not the entire dinner, but pretty close, all I had to do was make a salad to go alongside the steak and baked potatoes that cooked in the crockpot while I was at work. I won't lie, I was a little hesitant at first, I mean steak cooked in the crockpot, its kind of weird. But it was a success! So when you need something simple and good, give this one a try. Here's what you need:

1 1/2 lbs. steak
1/4 Cup beef broth
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. your favorite steak rub
1 small onion, sliced (or you can use 1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes)

You'll also need:
2-4 potatoes
2-4 ears of corn
aluminum foil

First put the steaks in the crockpot and season them on both sides. Then add the onions, Worcestershire sauce and broth (if you use dried onion flakes rub them on the steaks with the steak rub). I put extra broth in with my steaks because our crockpot cooks things fast and I didn't want them to burn.
Then clean and scrub the potatoes and cover with foil. Add the potatoes to the pot. Shuck the corn and wrap each ear in foil, then add those to the crockpot.
The recipe said to cook on high for 5-7 hours, or on low for about 8. I cooked it on high for 2 hours, then on low for 3 more hours, but mine cooks fast and I already knew that. So you be the judge on how long to cook it.

Just Do It...GO VOTE

2008-11-04T09:26:00.004-06:00

I LOVE Chex Mix

2008-10-28T15:53:00.002-05:00

For some reason I only like to eat it in the fall/winter though. So last night I made my first batch. I usually go with the quick and easy microwave version so I can get to the eating part faster, but for some reason I decided to cook it low and slow in the oven. I also used the Chex Mix seasonings packet for the first time and let me tell you, its FABULOUS! All you have to do is melt the butter, then open up this little packet of seasonings, mix in your favorite ingredients and voila, you have Chex Mix. It takes all the measuring a teaspoon of this and a tablespoon of that out of the equation, so easy!!! I would highly suggest to all you fellow Chex Mix lovers out there to go out and buy a few of these mixes to have on hand so you can mix up a batch anytime. Here is what I usually use in my Chex Mix

4 Cups Rice Chex
4 Cups Corn Chex
1 Cup Cheerios (they soak up the flavor, yum)
1 Cup Goldfish
1 Cup cashews (or mixed nuts, whichever I have)

That is my favorite mixture of ingredients for Chex Mix, but as long as you have the same amount of ingredients you can mix it up however you want!

Nacho Bar

2008-10-24T21:22:00.001-05:00

So this isn't exactly a recipe, just an idea for an easy dinner. We got back from vacation on Saturday and didn't have many groceries in the house, especially veggies, so I ransacked the kitchen and pantry to see what we could have for dinner on Tuesday night. I found hamburger meat, chicken, Velveeta cheese, rotel, and chips. I had some great nachos a few weeks ago as an appetizer and have been craving some since then, so I figured it was the perfect time to recreate them. You can use any and all toppings that you want, here is what we had:

Ground beef cooked with taco seasoning
Shredded chicken, seasoned with fajita seasoning
Queso
Refried beans
Sour Cream
Salsa
Guacamole
Chopped onions
Diced tomatoes
Sliced jalapenos
Tortilla chips

These toppings were GREAT, and everyone got to pick what they wanted on their own plate of nachos, so everyone liked it. So easy to make, and an easy pleaser. For your next family dinner you should give it a try!

Dessert...Yummm

2008-10-10T21:45:00.003-05:00

My favorite dessert is creme brulee. I am leaving for Disney World in the morning and will eat my weight in creme brulee if I can, I'll definitely have it at every place possible. I made my first attempt at this dessert tonight and it came out so so. I think I'll do a few things different next time. But here's the recipe:

2 Cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 Cup brown sugar, give or take

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Whisk the cream, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl until nice and creamy (this is where I made the mistake, I didn't whisk it long enough, next time I'll use the KitchenAid). Evenly distribute the creme mixture into ramekins, or into a small casserole dish. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill halfway up the ramekins with hot water. Place the pan with the ramekins in the oven for 45 minutes. Check them every 10 minutes after the initial 45 to see if they are done. You will know they're done when you stick a knife into one and it comes out clean. Set them on the counter and let them cool for 15 minutes. Cover and place them in the fridge overnight.

Spread a thin layer of brown sugar on top of each ramekin. Either use a torch to harden the sugar or place them under the broiler until the sugar hardens.

Yummm...

Since I'll be gone all next week hanging out with Mickey Mouse, I won't be able to update. I'll try and take some pictures of the fabulous food I get to try at EPCOT Food and Wine Festival.

My Favorite Salads

2008-10-04T20:47:00.002-05:00

Thursday night was my night for dinner again and I decided to try out BBQ pulled pork. I always get that at any BBQ restaurant I go to so I figured I'd give it a try...it didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, so maybe I'll try it again and then I can share the recipe. Along with the pulled pork I made oven fried potatoes and Chinese coleslaw. I absolutely LOVE Chinese coleslaw and if you haven't ever tried it, you should. I don't like the regular kind (mayonnaise makes me gag) but this one is vinegar based and fantastic. Here are the ingredients you'll need:

Salad:
5 Cups pre-shredded coleslaw mix
4 green onions, chopped
1 (3oz) pkg. Ramen noodles
1/2 Cup slivered almonds
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Dressing:
1 Cup oil
1 tsp Lawrys
1/3 Cup rice vinegar
1 tsp pepper
1/2 Cup sugar

Mix dressing , store in refrigerator. Toast almonds and sesame seeds in a small amount of butter until lightly toasted, let cool. Mix sesame seeds, almonds, cabbage and green onions, add dressing then add crushed ramen noodles just before serving.

Another of my favorite salads uses basically the same ingredients, just substitute green leaf lettuce for the coleslaw mix. Also you will need 1 pkg. of sliced almonds and 1/3 Cup of sesame seeds for the large green salad. Toss all those together and serve with the same dressing as the Chinese coleslaw.

And my last salad recipe for this post is a Spinach salad. Here's what you need:

Salad:
6 Cups baby spinach
3/4 Cup sliced strawberries or granny smith apples
1/3 Cup blue cheese
1/2 Cup pecans (broken and sauteed in small skillet with 2 Tbsp. sugar and sprinkle with 1 tsp chili powder

Dressing:
1/2 Cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/3 Cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp onion flakes
3/4 Cup vegetable oil

Put all dressing ingredients in blender and mix well. Mix salad ingredients and toss with dressing.

These are my 3 favorite salads and I highly recommend them all! I could probably eat the whole entire bowl of each of them.

Cheese Enchiladas

2008-09-27T11:48:00.002-05:00

Let me start by saying that I am a HUGE Mexican food fan, so you will probably be seeing a lot of enchiladas, casseroles and soups of the Mexican persuasion. Cheese enchiladas seemed like a fun challenge, something I had never made before and something I can't remember having homemade before. Here are the ingredients:

1 (8oz) can enchilada sauce
1 (16oz) can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 C water
1 large onion, diced
10oz Monterey Jack cheese
10oz Cheddar cheese
12-15 corn tortillas

I began by sautéing the onions in a skillet with butter, I wanted them to be nice and soft when I put them in the enchiladas. Cook until the onions are translucent. In a wide shallow bowl, mix enchilada sauce, tomato sauce, chili powder and water; set aside. Shred both cheeses and mix together in a bowl (don't use pre-shredded cheese, it won't melt right). Line up the bowls of cheese, onions and enchilada/tomato sauce by the stove to make it easier when assembling the enchiladas. Warm a skillet with oil just covering bottom of skillet. Soften tortilla in the pan just until it becomes a little limp, just a few moments. Then dip the heated tortilla into the enchilada/tomato sauce mixture and place into a greased square or rectangular casserole dish. Fill the tortilla with cheese and onions, probably about a 1/4 cup of cheese or a handful. Repeat this process until the dish is full (I made 14 enchiladas with this recipe). Pour remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese and onions. Bake at 35o degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, it took longer than 12 minutes for me!

These enchiladas were delicious! Even my sister who isn't usually a fan of cheese enchiladas liked them. The whole process of making the enchiladas was a little bit messy, but it was worth it. If you have leftovers, make sure you heat them until the cheese inside is melted again. We had chips and salsa, refried beans and guacamole with the enchiladas.

Swift Rascals...Taylor Flatts???

2008-09-26T16:19:00.006-05:00

I know I said this would be a cooking blog, but I need to write about this amazing concert! Last night Avery, Maddie and I made the trek to Tulsa to the new BOK Center to see Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift. We bought the tickets for Maddie for her 16th birthday back in April, needless to say we have been anxiously awaiting September 25 since then! So we left Edmond yesterday around 4:45 and made it to Tulsa in time to go eat at Olive Garden in Utica Square before the concert. We headed over towards the BOK Center, not exactly sure where to park, but we made it!
Here we are in front of the BOK center, you can't really tell but its HUGE and one side is entirely glass!
I didn't expect much from Taylor Swift because I had heard she wasn't great live, but she totally impressed me. She was very, very humble and so thankful to all her fans for supporting her. And she was very energetic on stage, here she is 'playing' the trash can. Then there was intermission, and we took a few pictures... we were laughing in this one
Then, the climax of the night for me was Rascal Flatts. I have wanted to see them in concert for years now and have always seemed to miss their concerts (I am what some might refer to as a 'concert junkie' I go to them all the time). So this was it, I have been waiting for this moment for over 6 years. And they certainly did not disappoint. Theirs was the coolest entrance to a concert I have ever seen.
They came in from a set of stairs descending from the top of the arena, it was fantastic! They sang ALMOST every song I wanted to hear, but for some reason did not sing Oklahoma-Texas Line, I thought that would be a given since we're in Oklahoma, but oh well! It was a great concert. And then we got lost on the way home...I'm still not exactly sure how we ended up in Stillwater, but we finally made it home at 1:30am. Good times!

Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake

2008-09-23T12:37:00.002-05:00

I kind of created this recipe the other night from what I had on hand. It is a combination of two of my favorite pasta dishes, Cheesy Mostaccioli and Chicken Parmesan Bake. Here are the ingredients you will need:

2 Cups cooked chicken, diced
1 can/jar of pasta sauce (I used the garlic flavor)
1 can Cheddar cheese soup
3 C Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
16oz penne pasta, cooked and drained
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C Italian bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking dish. Combine chicken, pasta sauce, Cheddar soup, Mozzarella, pepper and Italian seasoning. Then stir in the cooked penne. Pour into greased baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Cook for 40 minutes, or until heated through. I like to serve this with garlic bread and a salad.

Sorry no pictures this time, I made this recipe before I decided to start the blog, and now its all gone! It was a big hit at the house.

New to the blogosphere...

2008-09-22T23:28:00.002-05:00

Welcome to my blog! I have been blog-stalking for a while now and have decided to start my own. I wasn’t really sure what I would write about since my life as a young, single woman living at home with her parents and sisters isn’t all that exciting when compared to those who have children to write about. But I decided to jump on the bandwagon anyway. I love cooking and baking, they are my passions right now, so I thought I would start this blog to pass on some of my favorite old recipes, as well as some new ones. I have ‘dinner duty’ on Thursday nights now that I am back at home so I will most likely be adding new recipes to the blog on Fridays and Saturdays (and hopefully I’ll be able to keep up with taking pictures as I am cooking to help out those visual people like me). This week on the menu is a Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake that I made for lunch yesterday (sorry no pics of this one), so be looking for that recipe tomorrow!Thanks for reading and check back soon for my first recipe post!