Hot cocoa Brownie mugs

Okay, this is just so cute!  My kids loved these and they so look adorable. Give 'em a try and let me know what you think!

1 box of brownie mix (Yes, I made it easy on myself!)
cup cake liners
small marshmallows
chocolate chips
marshmallow cream
Mini candy canes

Whip up your brownie mix according to directions.  Fill muffin tin with liners and gently spray with non stick spray.  Pour batter into cupcake liners and bake at 350 for 25 min. or until done.  When cupcakes are cooled off top with a small amount of marshmallow cream, a few marshmallows and a few chocolate chips.  After creating this I thought it would also taste good to use a cool whip/readi whip instead of the marshmallow cream just to change it up a bit.  Unwrap the mini candy cane and place on side of cupcake to make it look like a handle.

Super cute, right?!  I promise, they will be a hit with the kids!

From our kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Milk Chocolate Mint Oero Truffles

If you are going to make something with chocolate you might as well do it right, right?  I know many of you readers out there are fans of dark chocolate, will I be stoned if I admit that I am not crazy about dark chocolate?  *Ducking behind couch just in case someone throws something*  Milk chocolate is my love so this recipe is right up my alley.  If you are looking for a dessert that is super easy and full of all those Christmas time flavors, this is the choice for you!

What I used:
1 package of mint oreos......my cheap self went all out and actually bought the brand name of mint oreos....it was painful, but  #1 I couldn't find any off brand and #2 I REALLY wanted to make this recipe!
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softned
1 tsp. mint extract
1 box bakers chocolate (8 oz), melted
2 crushed mint candy canes

Crush your oreos, I mean finely crush them.  I used my husbands handy dandy hammer because I don't have a food processor, it worked just fine!  Simply place the oreos in a ziploc, place the bag on top of a cutting board and let out your frustration out by banging away :)
One your cookies are finely crushed place the crumbs in your mixer and add the cream cheese.  Beat the cream cheese and cookie crumbs until mixed smooth.  Taking a spoon, make one inch balls and place on cookie sheet covered in wax paper.  Once all your cookie balls are made melt your chocolate. I just put it all in a  microwave safe bowl and melted them 30 seconds at a time. Once chocolate is melted add your extract and mix well.
Now using a fork, scoop up your cookie balls and place in chocolate.  Roll around until completely covered and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.  Place on cookie sheet again and repeat until all cookie balls are covered in chocolate.  Now, take your crushed candy canes and sprinkle on top of truffles and place in fridge to harden.  Keep refrigerated.
Voila!  Now wasn't that easy?  I seriously need one of those *easy* buttons :)

Let's just get one more look at these babies..... Yes, they REALLY do taste as good as they look!

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Cheese and Bacon Potato Rounds

Um. Hello love, uh I mean potato....oh wait, that can pretty much be one in the same right?  I know a lot of  women enjoy salads/soups etc., but I have always been the "bring on the meat and potatoes!" kinda gal.  Add cheese and bacon to the mix and wowzers, you may have me for life!  This dish reminds me of potato skins and according to my fan club peeps, they tasted better than TGI Fridays potato skins.  I don't know if they were being totally truthful, I mean I know there is a bias underlying there somewhere :)  However, they were pretty tasty!  Give 'em a try!  I found the original recipe over here.....but left out an ingredient in my own recipe. 

What I used:
6 potatoes, sliced to 1/2" thickness
1/4 cup butter, melted
enough shredded cheese to cover the taters
4 strips of turkey bacon cooked and sliced and diced into small pieces

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Wash your potatoes up then begin slicing away.  Once you are done cutting up all your potatoes coat both sides with butter.  Bake for 35 min.  Remove from oven and top with cheese and bacon and return to oven until the cheese is melted.  It won't take too long for that to happen!  Remove from oven and enjoy!  Oh, are these ever good!

From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

Hot Cocoa/coffee Stirs

Nothing beats a great cup of hot cocoa on a chilly morning, unless of course if you are a coffee drinker :)  These cute little things are fun little gifts to give away or just to enjoy with your cup of coffee or cocoa in the morning.  They are super easy to make and yummy to eat!

What I used:
30 big marshmallows
30 cake pop sticks
1 1/2 boxes of semi-sweet bakers chocolate
a hint of mint extract
10 crushed candy canes

Melt your chocolate down and add your hint of mint extract.  Take your sticks and poke your marshmallows.  Dip in the melted chocolate and then roll in the crushed candy canes.  Set aside for chocolate to harden and that's it!  Simple right?  Go ahead, make some!  You won't regret it!















From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Easy Eggs

Sunday mornings I don't have a lot of time, however I have found an ingenious way to make ahead a favorite breakfast item, eggs!  Most people enjoy a yummy egg mcmuffin for breakfast do they not?  I am one of those rare breads who literally cannot stand the taste of eggs, the thought of them even now makes me shudder ;)  However, I can appreciate that most people enjoy those wiggly/runny things and because I love my hubby I definitely make them for him! 
Here's your quick fix for a breakfast on the go. 

Take a muffin tin and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Then, take one dozen eggs and crack them individually into each muffin tin.  Bake at 350 for 13-15 min.  Voila!  There you have it!  The perfect egg for your mcmuffin sandwich! Refrigerate after cooking and you have your breakfast for a week and then some already to go! Note: these can also be frozen!  Makes 'em even better wouldn't you say?

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Kid friendly cookies

We had a special dinner a few weeks ago at our church and I knew there would be some little ones running around so I wanted to make some kid friendly desserts.  They are simple sugar cookies made to look like a melted snowman.  SUPER cute and the kids loved them!  I wish I had a bit more artistic ability to make them even cuter, but hey, it was my first time and in the eyes of my little ones they looked amazing :)  The idea came from here.

What I used:
My sugar cookie recipe came from here....

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Also, you will need frosting, I made my own from scratch but you can easily pick up some already made and also  giant marshmallows.

For the cookies: 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. 
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. 
Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.  

Once the cookies are cool, load them up with the cookie icing and spread it around with the back of a spoon, let some dribble over the edge for a "puddle" look.  Spray a microwave safe plate with cooking spray and place your giant marshmallows on it.  Cook the marshmallows for 20 seconds.   Be sure to really watch them because you don't want the marshmallows to double in size.
Spray your fingers and then pull off the plate and place on cookie.  The simply decorate the cookies how you want them to look!  So cute and kids love them!

photo courtesy

From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

Hello, my name is Wendy and I am a lover of all things cheesecake.  *Insert 'Hello, Wendy'* :)  When this recipe found me oh I knew it was a match made in heaven!  Seriously.  Can you really mess up a recipe that has cream cheese and oreos in it?  I think not!  If you are looking for a great tasting dessert to wow the socks off your company, then these Oreo Cheesecake Bites are right up your alley.  Seriously :)  The original recipe comes from here. 

What I used:
36 Oero type cookies, divided
1/4 cup butter
4 pkgs. cream cheese, softened (can you tell this recipe is so naughty already, but SO GOOD!)
1 Cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
(the recipe also calls for 4 oz. white chocolate, but I didn't use it)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil, making sure the foil overlaps the dish.  Crush up 24 of your Oreo cookies.  Melt butter and mix with the cookies.  Press firmly into the bottom of your dish.

This is a good time to have a kitchen aid because it will do all of your work for you.  Toss in your cream cheese and sugar and mix well.  Add in your sour cream and vanilla and mix your eggs in one at a time.  Toss in your remaining crushed cookies and mix well.  Carefully pour over crust.

Bake for 35-45 min. or until the sides are set and the center is almost set.  Cool completely.

When the cheesecake is cooled cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  When chilled remove the cheesecake from the dish using the foil.  Cut into bite size pieces and top with drizzled melted chocolate.  I did a little more than a drizzle because I'm a girl and you just have to do chocolate right ;)  Chill until ready to serve.  I actually placed mine in the freezer for a few hours and they came out tasting soooooooo amazingly good!  A big hit indeed!

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Trifle

Trifles are a favorite dessert that I enjoy making.  I think it is more about presentation then anything, but the taste is always amazing too :)  Trifles are just simple to put together but look glamorous!  I have been in the kitchen all afternoon baking up a storm (and having FUN doing so!) and this is one that I made.  It looks delicious, smells amazing while it is cooking, and also the taste is really good!

What I used:
1 cinnamon swirl cake mix
1 can (29 oz) pumpkin puree
1 carton whipped topping
4.6 oz vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix up your cake and bake according to package directions.  While it is baking get your pudding made up and cooled a little bit.  Mix your pudding with the pumpkin puree and brown sugar.  Once cake is cooled cut half of your cake up and place in the bottom of a trifle bowl.  Top with pumpkin and pudding mixture and top with whipped topping.  Repeat layers until you have reached the top of the bowl.  Cover and refrigerate.  Voila!  Easy peasy right?  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Crock pot Italian Chicken

Well, for this recipe I can take zero credit!  I almost completely copied the recipe to a "t" that I found over here.  Simple enough, right?  This recipe is good, it has a unique flavor but it was definitely easy!  IT calls for only a few ingredients and since the crock pot does all the work, that makes it even better, right?

What she used:

2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used chicken legs...I like the bone in chicken for my crock pot, it is just so juicy!)
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. Italian dressing seasoning (I used actually low fat Italian dressing, about 3/4 of the bottle)
rice or pasta

Mix all ingredients together and pour in the crock pot over chicken.   Cook on high for 4-6 hrs. or until chicken is cooked through.  Serve over hot noodles or rice!  I used rice and it was perfect!

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Individual Lasagna's

If you need a dish to wow your company but don't have a lot of time on your hands, this is the meal for you!  It will appear as if you slaved over the hot stove all day, but really you only do for a few minutes!  These individual lasagna's are so full of flavor and simple to put together!

What I used:
12 Egg Roll Wrappers
1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups cottage cheese
one can diced petite tomatoes, half drained
2tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Dash of oregano, to taste
dash of parsley, to taste
dash of basil, to taste

Preheat your oven to 375.  Brown your meat and add in garlic, salt, pepper, basil, parsley, oregano, tomatoes, and cottage cheese.  Mix well and let sit for a few minutes.  Take a large muffin tin and spray with cooking spray.  Place your egg roll wrappers inside, press down on bottom and sides and the tops will hang over the top of the pan.  (This is a good thing!  It adds a nice crunch to the dish!)  Place 2 tbsp. of meat mixture in cup, top with a small piece of a cut up egg roll wrapper, add more meat mixture and top with mozzarella cheese.  Once your cups are all full toss 'em in the oven for 10 min.  The end result is a YUMMY looking and AMAZING tasting dinner!! 

From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

Taco Stuffed Shells

Oh man, this meal is sure to give your taste buds a real buzz :)  This recipe is literally bursting with flavor!  It was a huge hit with the family and it is definitely a MUST try :)

What I used:
1lb. ground beef, browned
24 jumbo pasta shells
2 cups taco sauce, divided
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 cup salsa
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Brown your meat and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.  While meat is cooking, get your pasta cooking as well.  Once meat is browned add in your 1 cup taco sauce and 4 oz. of cream cheese.  Cover and let cook on med-low heat until cheese is melted down and creamy.  Stir frequently.  Add in cottage cheese once cream cheese is creamy.   In the mean time get out a baking dish and pour salsa on the bottom of dish. 
Take your cooled down pasta shells and fill them with the meat mixture and place in baking dish.  repeat until all shells are filled and meat mixture is used up.  Cover and bake for 30 min.
While shells are cooking crush your tortilla chips and mix in your shredded cheeses.  When shells are done baking for 30 min. remove foil and top with chip and cheese mixture and bake for another 5 min or so.  Feel free to add your own garnishes like sour cream or onions.  Personally we enjoyed these shells just like this and oh boy were they tasty!

Trust me, your taste buds are going to thank you for this meal!

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n' Oreo Brownie Bar

The cookie and brownie (not to mention chocolate!) lover in you will appreciate this recipe!!  I found it over here and I am SO thankful this recipe found me ;)  I know our family and our teen group at church is going to love them!  They are so easy to whip up and really don't take much time, especially if you have a kitchen aid to do most of the mixing for you.  I made these this morning and it makes your house smell SO yummy too :)

What the Recipe called for:
Your favorite cookie dough recipe.  I used my own from over here.
Pkg of Oreos (I used the off brand because I'm cheap like that :)
1 family size pkg. Brownie mix

Mix up your cookie dough and spread in a 9x13 baking dish.  You can line your baking dish with wax paper that is sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Take your Oreos and spread out making a complete layer of cookies on top of the cookie dough.  Mix up your brownie mix and pour on top of the cookies.  Spread so it is all even on top of the cookie layer.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 min.  Remove from oven and top with hot fudge and ice cream if you so choose.  Then enjoy a little heaven on earth!

Photo Credit 

From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Apple Bites....

It's fall and what better way to celebrate this season than with making caramel apples?  Since we have little ones I knew they wouldn't sit there and just chow down on a whole apple.  Instead, I saw this idea and thought I would put it to good use :) Here's what I did:

What I used:
2 Granny smith Apples
1 pkg caramels
2tbsp. water

I chopped the apples up into bite size pieces.  Meanwhile, my kiddos helped unwrap the package of caramels and put them in a pot.  Once all the pieces were unwrapped we added the water and my hubby heated up the pot.  Once the caramels were all melted we poured the sauce into a bowl so the kids could help dip the apples. We gave the kids toothpicks and they poked all the apples then dipped them in the sauce.  The outcome?  Very happy tummies :)

From our kitchen to yours, Enjoy!

Parmesan Chicken Crescents

So are you noticing a trend here?  WE are kind of big chicken fans around here :)  I would take chicken over beef any day.....unless I'm in the mood for a nice juicy burger :)  Sorry, getting off track here.  This recipe is VERY simple and tasty indeed!  Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

What I used:
1pkg boneless skinless chicken breast with rib meat, sliced in long chicken tenders
1/3 cup flour
1 egg, whisked
1 cup oil
1 can crescent rolls
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Newman's Own Sockarooni)

shredded Mozzarella cheese
dash of Parsley

Dip chicken in egg, dip into flour to coat, place in oil in pre-heated skilled. Cook all the way through and remove from oil.  Pre-heat oven to 375.  Pour Spaghetti sauce into a bowl.
Roll out your crescent rolls and place some mozz cheese on top.  If you are a cheese fan feel free to load it up :)  Take your chicken and dunk it in your sauce then place on top of cheese on crescent roll.  Roll up like a normal crescent roll and bake for 15 min.  Top with a little extra cheese and some parsley and bake a remaining 5 min. 
There you have it!  So simple right?!  Trust me, this is a meal you will NOT want to pass up :)

From our kitchen to yours, ENJOY!!

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

When I saw this recipe over here I KNEW it was meant to be made in my kitchen!  As a lover of all things cinnamon roll this recipe called my name so I obliged and made it!  Hello, love!  Where have you been my entire life?!  I did change the recipe up a bit but the flavor definitely still came through!

What I used:
I followed the recipe for pancakes on the back of my pancake mix box.....really hard right?
Mix together 1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Whip up your pancake mix like normal and set aside.  Mix up the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Let it set a few minutes to thicken.  Heat your skillet up to med-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour in your batter like you would normally then on top of that swirl in your cinnamon mixture.  I used a spoon to add it onto my batter but you can use a ziploc with a snipped corner if you wish.  Cook your pancake like normal and voila!  Love at first bite :)
You can add the cream cheese glaze if you so desire.  The recipe for that is:
4 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Photo Credit

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

So I have a new love for a website....it is complete with so many meal ideas that I am just going nuts enjoying all the new recipes!!  When I saw this one I knew I needed to try it.  Sooooo, we had it for dinner the other day :)  I switched up the recipe I found and here's how I made it.  Just so you know, it was a HUGE hit! :)

What I used:

1 lb. Pasta (You can use many different kinds if you so choose.)
1 cup Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed
1 cup bacon, cooked and cut up
1 1/2 cups Milk
8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Salt
Pepper
Dash of Seasoned salt
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup Butter, melted

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the pasta; cook until al dente.  Drain and return to the pot. While Pasta is cooking go ahead and cook your chicken and bacon.  Add in the chicken and bacon to your pasta and mix well.

Preheat your broiler. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream cheese and garlic powder over low-medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it becomes a smooth texture (about 5 minutes). Stir into the pasta mixture. Add in the Mozzarella cheese and seasoned salt along with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer pasta to a 9x13 baking dish and top with Italian bread crumbs. Pour melted butter over crumbs and broil until browned, around 5 minutes or so. 

Photo credit  

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Crockpot Orange Chicken

So I found this recipe and new I had to try it!  My husband loves orange chicken and usually orders it when we go out for Chinese food.  I found the recipe here, but again, tweaked the ingredients a bit to make it my own to suit our family taste. It was so easy to throw together and came out tasting AMAZING!

What I used:
7 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins, cut into bite size pieces
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 can mandarin oranges, undrained
1 can chunk pineapple, undrained
salt and pepper to taste
Served over white rice


Peel and slice your carrots into bite size pieces.  Cut up your bell pepper into bite size pieces.  Put in crockpot.  Add chicken, garlic powder, orange juice, oranges and pineapples, salt and pepper.  Mix all together in crockpot.  Turn on low and cook for 4-6 hrs.  Serve over hot steamy rice!  I made egg rolls to go with this meal and it was a huge hit!  Definitely worth trying :)

photo courtesy

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!!

Mini Deep Dish Pizza

Okay, this recipe is so cute and so simple!  I found the recipe from here and added my own changes but as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to try it!  If you have little ones this is definitely something you will want to try!  My little ones LOVED it and couldn't gobble them up fast enough :)

What I used:
8 Flour Tortillas
1 jar and 1/4 of another 15oz. jar of pizza sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni, slices in half

Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

Take your tortilla and using another can or cup place it on the tortilla and cut out circles from it using the cup or can as a guide.  Take your muffin tin and spray it with cooking spray.  Place the circle of tortilla into your muffin tin.  It will not cover up the entire tin, but it will fit snuggly in it.  Mix together your pizza sauce and seasoning and Parmesan cheese.  Place a tbsp. of sauce in your muffin tin.  Top with mozz. cheese and three slices of Pepperoni.        
 Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and tortilla is slightly brown.  Remove from oven and let cool before removing with a spoon.
These are so yummy!
From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

Garlic Parmesan Bread

Are you a garlic bread fan?  We have a few of them in our family and I think is a nice fit to an Italian meal!  I made this recipe when we had company....oh. wow!  It was SO good!!  It is a must try for sure!

What I used:
1 loaf French bread
2 sticks of butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. parsley
2 tbsp. garlic powder

Mix all of your ingredients together.  Slice your loaf of French Bread in half and spread butter mixture onto one half loaf.  You will use about half of your mixture on each loaf.
Broil on high for about 5 - 6 min.  It will come out looking crispy and smelling divine!  The taste is just as good as it looks!

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

PB & J Sushi Sandwich

This idea came from here and it is such a CUTE idea!  I wish I had a more creative mind, but that's why others do right?  I can learn from others :)  My kids loved this new look for their lunches.  Just an fyi: this also works with just jelly.  I have a peanut allergy in my house so I made hers with just jelly.  Have fun!

What I used:
2 slices whole wheat bread
2Tbsp. jelly
2Tbsp. peanut butter

Cut the crust off the bread and then use a rolling pin to flatten it out.  Spread 1 tbsp.jelly and 1 tbsp.peanut butter on each slice of bread.  Roll the bread up tightly and slice into four little sushi rolls.

Aren't they so cute?

Photo Credit

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Pumpkin Chip cookies

I came up with this recipe trying to make something out of the ordinary.  I really just experimented to see how it would all taste and it came out tasting great! 

What I used:
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
12 oz. semisweet choco chips

Cream first 5 till light. Sift dry ingredients. Mix together. Add chips. Take a spoon (like a cereal spoon) and scoop out dough. Roll into balls and place on a sprayed cookie sheet. Continue until all dough is rolled into separate 1 or 2 in. balls. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Banana Bread

To me nothing says fall like yummy breads baking in the oven!  Since the crisp weather arrived I have been yearning to be in the kitchen all the time!  This recipe is yummy and the bread is moist, which is important to me :)  There's just nothing like choking down dried out bread, right?  Give this recipe a whirl and enjoy a wonderful fall day!

What I used:
2 ripe bananas mashed
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
dash of salt
dash of cinnamon

Pre-heat your oven to 350.  Mix your banana's and sour cream together then add the other ingredients one by one mixing well in between each ingredient.  Pour into greased loaf pans and bake for 50 min.  Cool on a wire rack and enjoy a piece while it is still warm :)

I'll post a picture when I remember to take one!!! :)

From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Crusty Parmesan Chicken

WARNING: This meal is NOT going to be on the top ten healthy choices for your dinner :) However it is PRETTY YUMMY :)

What I used:
Almost an entire tube of Ritz crackers, crushed
Probably a half cup or more of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of veggie oil
6 small boneless skinless chicken breasts

Get your oil heating up in a non-stick skillet.  Heat on med heat.  Fill a bowl with water and fill a plate with your crushed crackers and cheese.  Dip your chicken in the water then into the cracker mixture. Place in the oil and cook until chicken is cooked through turning to cook on both sides. Serve with dipping sauce, I used honey mustard but you can use whatever suits your fancy :)
Yes, it really does taste as great as it looks!!

From our kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Super easy dessert!

This is SUCH a yummy recipe and takes hardly any time to make.  Chocolate lovers, this one is for you! I got the recipe from here....

What You Need

1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix (13x9-inch pan size)

15   OREO Cookies, coarsely chopped

Make It

PREPARE brownies and bake as directed on package for 13x9-inch pan, stirring chopped cookies into batter before pouring into prepared pan.

From My Kitchen to yours, enjoy!!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I can take no credit for this recipe :)  I basically just copied what the recipe I found said!  You can find the recipe here, or you can just read below and see how they are made. 

What the recipe called for:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool slightly, remove from sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Sorry the photo isn't the best quality (it's a cell phone pic) but you get the idea.  Warm and chewy....the perfect oatmeal raisin cookie!  From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Beef and Bean tortilla skillet

With fall weather knocking on our doors, this recipe is a great way to welcome the new season with open arms!  It's one of those "makes you feel good" kind of meals!

What I used:
1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 can refried beans
3 flour tortillas torn up into bite size pieces
Shredded cheddar cheese

Brown your beef and drain off excess fat if necessary.  Add in your water and taco seasoning.  Stir and bring to a boil.  Add in the sour cream, cottage cheese, tortillas and beans.  Boil and reduce heat to med-low. Cook until everything is heated through.  Top with cheese.
I served this dish in bowls because it was kind a mix between a soup and a skillet.
Super yummy!
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Bacon lovers chicken

Are you a bacon lover?  Does everything seem to taste better with bacon on/in it?  I have a bacon lover in my house and I have to admit, I do enjoy it from time to time :)  On hot summer days this is a great recipe that does not require heating up the house with the oven on!  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

What I used:
A good dollop of regular bbq sauce (I didn't measure it out....sorry!)
5 chicken tenderloins (boneless skinless)
2 tbsp butter
shredded cheese
5 pieces of bacon
sour cream

Take a skillet and get your bacon frying.  You don't want it to crispy because it needs to be able to wrap around the chicken without breaking. 
Take another skillet and get your chicken cooking in your butter.  Add bbq sauce and apply with pastry brush.  Be sure to coat both sides.  Cook until chicken is nearly cooked through turning over several times. 
Once chicken is cooked through wrap a piece of bacon around it and place back in the skillet to crisp up the bacon a little. 

Top with cheese and cook just until cheese is melted.

Remove from skillet and top with sour cream.  I also thought that adding lettuce and tomatoes would make for a GREAT added flavor and texture, I just didn't have any on hand (must go grocery shopping :). 
From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

Super easy enchiladas

A quick and easy meal to satisfy that need for Mexican food! 

1 lb. ground beef
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can chilles
6 flour tortillas
Shredded cheese
sour cream

Brown you beef and add the sauce, soup and chilles.  In the meantime warm up your tortillas to make them a little more flexible if you've kept them stored in the fridge like I do.  Once your meat mixture is all set and warmed up, take a tortilla and spoon some of the meat mixture into it, add a little cheese and then roll it up.  Place in your ungreased baking dish and repeat.  You should have some meat mixture left over to pour over the top.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 min.  Top with however much cheese you wish and bake for another 4-5 min.  Once you have removed the dish from the oven and served yourself a hearty helping, you can add your sour cream.
VERY, tasty and super easy :)

Homemade Reeses Cups

Hold on now, this recipe is about to blow your socks off!  I whipped these babies up yesterday and oh wow....they are SO amazing!  Not good for the waistline at all, but definitely worth the bite anyway :)  How can you go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate?  Two of a girls best friends :) Give the recipe a try and tell me what you think!

What I used:
1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
4 1/2 tbsp. butter, softned
1/2 cup powdered sugar (you can add a little more if the mixture doesn't taste sweet enough for you)
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Hershey's bar, chopped
4 squares of almond bark

Take 1/2 cup of peanut butter and mix in a bowl with butter and powdered sugar.  Mix until smooth and set bowl aside. 
Take the remaining 1/2 cup of peanut butter and all of the chocolate and in a microwave safe bowl, melt.  Your chocolate and peanut butter mixture should be very creamy. 
Take out a muffin tin and line with cupcake liners.  Take a tiny bit of chocolate mixture and pour into the bottom of liners.  Top with a small amount of peanut butter mixture and cover with chocolate mixture.  Your reeses' should only fill the liner 1/2 way if that.  Continue to fill the rest of tin up until your muffin tin is full.  Place in the fridge to set or in the freezer to do a quick set.  Store in an air tight container and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.  These will melt in your hand if eaten too slowly but they are definitely finger-lickin' good :)
From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

Super easy Cinnamon chips

Looking for a a yummy snack that takes hardly any time at all to make?  Then this would be a recipe for you!

What I used:
Flour Tortillas (you can use however many you want depending on how many chips you want to make)
butter
mixture of cinnamon and sugar

Get your oven pre-heating to 450.  Place your Tortillas on a cutting board and lightly spread butter all over the top.  Once your butter is spread take your cinnamon and sugar mixture and spread evenly across the tortilla.  Cut into chip size pieces and place on a baking sheet.  Bake for 4-5 min. or until crispy.  This makes a great snack and can be coupled with so many things!  Our favorite is to have fruit with them but you can use almost anything!

Taco Salad

Summer is just around the corner and around these parts it will be here sooner rather than later!  In the summer I do my best to find recipes that do not include turning the oven on.  The great outdoors is good enough at heating up our house for us, no sense in helping it along the way!
These taco salads were simply delicious and just hit the spot!

What I used:
4 Tortillas, burrito size
2 cups (or more) of veggie oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 can refried beans 
1 envelope taco seasoning
shredded cheese
shredded lettuce
1 tomato diced
1 dollop of sour cream
 
Pour your oil into a small sauce pan and turn to med-high heat.  Let the oil get good and hot, it will begin to crackle and then you will know it is ready for ya!
While waiting for your oil to warm up get your beef cooking in a skillet.  Once beef is browned add taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil then simmer. Add your beans and mix well so the beans cook through.
Take your tortillas and once the oil is hot enough. fold it up in like a bowl shape so that it will fit in your sauce pan and begin to take the form of a bowl when it cooks.  Use two wooden spoons to keep the tortilla open in a bowl shape.  You will know when your tortilla is done when the outside of it is a golden brown.  You can also cook the inside of the tortilla if you wish, just turn it upside down once the outside of the bowl is cooked.  Remove from oil and drain upside down on a wire rack with a paper towel underneath to catch the dripping oil. 
Cut up your tomato and lettuce.  Spoon about 1/4 cup of meat mixture into bottom of the bowl.  Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream.  Sooooo good!
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy this tasty meal!

Stylish Blog Award

So a big thank you going out to A Hootie Hoot  for the sweet Stylish Blog Award!  How thoughtful of you and thanks for stopping by!!

There are rules that go along with winning this award. Here they are:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 7 recently discovered great bloggers. or less. up to you.
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

7 THINGS ABOUT ME:

1. I am so thankful to be a Christian and to have the privilege of living my life here on earth for my God!
2. I LOVE being a wife and SAHM!  I totally have the cutest kids ever :)
3. I am a youth pastors wife and enjoy it!
4. I really enjoy blogging!
5. My passion in the kitchen is baking!
6. I have lived in 6 different states in the past 6 years
7. I adore hot cocoa and a good chick flick!

Here are 7 fabulous blogs I have discovered in my journeys across the internet.  You should definitely check them out!  They are being awarded with the Stylish Blogger Award.

1. Beauty and Inspiration
2. A Steady Rain
3.Fryman Four
4. The Sealy Story 
5. Our Family for His Glory
6. I Love Lucy
7. Life as a wife

Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies!

After being inspired by a friend, I decided to give this recipe a try.  I mean, the pictures alone made it look SO good, but I did end up tweaking it a bit to suit our own families taste.  WOW.  After baking these cookies I of course HAD to taste test and boy I think I should be careful to not have these cookies in our house too often!  I may change my shape to round if they are in our house frequently!  Give them a try and let me know what you think!

What I used:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter, softned
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 pkg. (3.12 oz size) french vanilla instant pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pkg (12. oz) of semi-sweet chocolate chunks


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl add your butter and sugars until mixed well.  Add in pudding mix and stir together until well blended.  Add in your eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add your baking soda and flour stir until blended.  Add chocolate chunks and mix it all together. 
Take your cookie sheets and spray them with cooking spray and then take dough by spoonfuls and place on cookie sheet (you thought I was going to say place it in your mouth didn't you? :).  Bake for 12-15 min. or until outside edges are golden brown. 
Ya, just try to tell me these don't LOOK amazing!  The taste is just as good :)

Breakfast Burritos

I was once again brainstorming for coming up with a new breakfast for our youth group and this idea just popped into my head.  The only downside is that I didn't get a picture before they were all gobbled up!  The teens loved them and so did my hubby!  I got the two thumbs up to make them again :)

What I used:
One link of turkey sausage, diced up into small chunks
1/2 jar of mild salsa (you can definitely choose a spicier salsa if you wish to, I just am a wimp!)
1 cup shredded cheddar/colby cheese (you can use whatever cheese you desire)
6 eggs, scrambled
dash of garlic (to taste)
dash of paprika (to taste)
8 tortillas

First things first, scramble up your eggs.  In a separate skillet cook up your sausage.  Add salsa, eggs, garlic, paprika to skillet and mix well.  Top with cheese and stir just until melted.
Take your tortillas and warm them up then spread about 1/4 cup of meat mixture onto tortilla (you can add more if you like your burritos really loaded up).  Top with extra cheese if desired.  Roll up burrito style and voila!  Your quick and easy breakfast is ready to go, not to mention bursting with flavor!

Fried Steak

So are you ready for this one?  I don't know if you are ready to handle this recipe.....I mean it is SO easy it will make you feel like you actually ordered take out instead of  slaving over a hot stove :)  Ok, ok, I'll share this super easy recipe!  Not only is it really easy, it is bursting with flavor but I have to put up a warning here: if you are a health nut, this would so not be the recipe for you.  Everything in moderation though right?  Just do a few extra sit ups and jog around the block to even it all out :)  From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

What I used:
2 Cube steaks
1 cup flour
dash of seasoned salt (to taste)
dash of pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup oil
1 tbsp. butter


Put your flour on a plate and mix in your salt and pepper.  Place one steak in the flour mixture and be sure to coat, flip over and coat opposite side.  Once your oil is nice and hot add your butter, if your butter sizzles you'll know the oil is hot enough.  Place your steak in the oil and repeat process with other steak.  Cook on both sides for several minutes until steak is cooked through.
Easy enough?  Ya, I'd say so!  Now take a glorious bite of this deliciousness and let your taste buds thank you :)

Potatoes au Gratin

My honey and I decided to have a date night in so I decided to get creative!  I wanted to fix something NEW and exciting :)  Since my hubby is the epitome of a meat and potatoes man, I found this recipe to be simply perfect!  I had not tried my hands at Potatoes au Gratin for one reason alone....with a name like that it sounded rather time consuming!!  However, this recipe proved me wrong!  Give 'em a try and let me know what you think!

What I used:

• 4 whole large Potatoes, Scrubbed Clean
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• ½ cup 2% Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
•  Ground Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded

 Pre-heat over to 400 degrees.  Slice your potatoes thin, but not too thin.  Quarter them up as you go and toss them in a bowl of water to keep them from turning colors.  Once your potatoes are all cut up mix together your heavy whipping cream, milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper!  Mix well.  Take your softened butter and smear it all around your baking dish.  (I used a round casserole dish)  Add 1/2 of your potatoes to the bowl and top with 1/2 of your liquid mixture.  Repeat layer until all potatoes and liquid are in your baking dish.  Wrap with foil and bake for 30 min.  Remove foil and cook another 20 min. 
Remove dish from the oven and top with cheddar cheese and place back in oven for another 5 min. or so.   
The cooking time takes awhile, but the end result is phenomenal!

New twist on grilling burgers

At the risk of having things thrown at me, the weather we have been having has been gorgeous!  Temps in the 70's just scream "grilling weather!"  So that is exactly what we have been doing!  My hubby is the grill master and it has been so great to have a little tease of summer by enjoying some grilled entrees!  This one is a little twist on the common grilled burger.  My hubby is forever trying to mix things up when it comes to his grill recipes and this one seems to be a hit!

What he used:
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup shredded cheese, divided
sprinkling of Cajun seasoning (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Form a thin layer of meat into a patty, layer with cheese and top with another thin layer of beef formed into a patty.   Top with cajun seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.  Continue until beef is all used up.
Place on grill and cook until no longer pink inside (unless of course you enjoy your burgers still mooing :)

Such a great tasting burger if I do say so myself!  Can you see the cheese already oozing out of there?! Mmmm-mmm good!  From our kitchen to yours, ENJOY!

Mint chocolate chip Cookies

Ooooohhhhh, this is a little bit of heaven on earth people!  I would never lead you astray, you know that right?  So when I tell you how divine these cookies are (not to mention the dough!) you can trust me :)  For those mint chocolate chip cookie lovers out there, these are definitely worth a try :)  I came up with the recipe all on my own simply because I was feeling adventuresome and this just sounded so good! 

What I used:
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1tsp. mint extract (you can add more or less depending on the extract you have.  Some are more concentrated then others)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
12 oz. semisweet choco chips

Cream first 5 till light. Sift dry ingredients. Stir well. Add chips and extract. Take a regular spoon (like a cereal spoon) and scoop out dough. Roll into ball and flatten ever so slightly and  place on a sprayed cookie sheet. Continue until all dough is rolled into separate 1 or 2 in. balls. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.
Best enjoyed if consumed while still warm :)

Cheesy Egg casserole

Because my husband is a youth pastor I tend to make big breakfast's on Sunday mornings.  Not just for his enjoyment, but for that of our entire youth group!  I am always trying out new breakfast recipes simply to keep things new and because I have people to try them out on :) This one has seemed to be a hit!  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

What I used:
1/2 lb. turkey sausage, cut into small pieces
6 pieces of wheat bread all torn up into bite size pieces
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
dash of paprika

Tear up your bread into bite size pieces and place in the bottom of your sprayed cooking dish.  You can use a 9x13 to make more or I used a smaller baking dish.  Take your chopped up sausage and place on top of bread. Sprinkle cheese as your next layer.
Next, mix your eggs, milk, salt, pepper and paprika in a separate bowl, until smooth.  Pour over other ingredients already in dish.  Top with extra cheese if desired.....I desired it so I did :)

Place in oven already preheated to 350.  Bake for 40 min. or until golden brown on top.

Nothing left now but to enjoy!! 

Egg Rolls

My sister in-law came for a visit and when she did I had her teach me how to make egg rolls!  I LOVE egg rolls and usually when I am pregnant (which I am not....please don't start rumors :) I crave them.  This recipe, though it is a bit more time consuming (took me about an hour to make) is with worth the work!  So full of flavor and much more tasty than Chinese take out!

What I used:
1 lb ground turkey (but you can use ground pork/beef)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs ketchup
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cups of oil
package of egg roll wrappers

Shred your cabbage and carrots and set aside.
Mix your liquid ingredients and set aside.
Brown your meat and mix in garlic powder.  Once meat is browned add cabbage and carrots and cook until wilted. Slowly add the liquid mixture to the meat veggie mix as you stir. 
Take your egg roll wrappers and flip the package over to the back side and read the instructions.  Follow the instructions on how to roll them up.
Heat your oil in a skillet set to 350.  Place egg rolls in oil and cook on all sides for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the oil and place in a bowl standing on end surrounded with paper towels to drain oil. 
So delicious! Enjoy!