Cheesy Potato Casserole

This cheesy potato casserole is, in my opinion, a versatile recipe.  It makes a great side dish for brunch, a holiday meal, or your average weak night dinner.  It goes especially well with BBQ.  I always love having leftovers to eat for days after!

Cheesy Potato Casserole

2 12-ounce packages hash browns, defrosted
1 pint sour cream
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery (or chicken) soup
1/2 c. chopped onion

For the Topping:
1/2 c. butter, melted
2 c. crushed cornflakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Mix all ingredients (except topping ingredients) and spread in 9x13 pan.  Combine melted butter and cornflakes in a bowl.  Then, spread carefully over the top of the potato mixture.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Creamy Chicken and Chile Enchiladas

I cannot tell a lie.  This recipe is straight off the Old El Paso can of mild green enchilada sauce.   My husband and I have been making these enchiladas for years.  They are super creamy, super yummy, and super easy!

I made these babies for a neighbor once, after the birth of her second child.  About a week later, she came by to get the recipe.  She raved about how good they were.  I had to laugh.  I told her our secret, and she couldn't believe it was the recipe straight off the can.  Not too long after that, those neighbors moved far away to South Carolina.  Well... fast forward several years, and we now live just under an hour away from them.  We got together recently for dinner, and she confessed that they were still making these enchiladas, and every time they do, they think of us.  Awww.  Thank you Old El Paso for helping us to make quite an impression!

Creamy Chicken and Chicken Enchiladas
 From Old El Paso

1 pound uncooked chicken breasts, cubed
1 package(8 ounces) cream cheese
1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso chopped green chiles
1 package Old El Paso flour tortillas , soft taco size (10-12 count)
2 cans (10 ounces each) Old El Paso green chile enchilada sauce (mild)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook the chicken in a pan over medium-high heat until cooked through.

Cut the cream cheese into chunks and add to the chicken, along with the green chiles.  Reduce the heat to medium, and stir until the cream cheese is melted and everything is blended.

Spoon chicken filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  Pour the 2 cans of enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 15 -20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

 We usually make these with whole wheat tortillas.  My husband would rather have them with regular flour tortillas, but they are still excellent with the whole wheat tortillas.  I like to add a small amount of taco seasoning to the chicken when it is cooking.  We also use a Mexican blend of shredded cheese, instead of just cheddar...and if I must admit, it is probably more than 3/4 cup!

French Toast

It's raining outside, and from the looks of it, it may be raining all day.  What to do?  I know...make a yummy breakfast of French toast.  The great thing about French toast is that it makes for a special breakfast without a lot of prep time or clean-up, unless you want to get fancy and make some sort of fruit stuffed French toast.  But that is for another day... 

Now I realize that the recipe for French toast is pretty basic, but I will admit that I have made some French toast in the past that really didn't qualify as anything special.  In fact, it wasn't very good at all. But this morning was different...and I even used plain old whole wheat bread!  I'm sure the French toast would have been a bit more scrumptious with some thick French bread or Challah bread, but I didn't have any...remember, it was a rain emergency!  Besides, I'd like to think my whole wheat bread brought this breakfast one step closer to qualifying as health food.  Right?   Anyway... I think the key to making really good French toast involves several steps, besides using a really good bread.  First, the outcome is better if the bread is a bit dry or stale.  Second, the egg mixture must be mixed really well, so you don't end up with egg-y bread.  Finally, let the bread really soak up the egg mixture--for at least 15 seconds per side.  It results in a softer, fluffier French toast.  Yum!

French Toast

4 eggs
1 c. milk
1 T. sugar
2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. salt
8 slices bread, preferably stale

In a shallow bowl, beat eggs well; add milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt .  Soak the bread for 15-30 seconds on each side.  Cook on a hot, greased griddle until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.  Serving suggestions: powdered sugar, cinnamon-sugar, or butter and syrup.  Enjoy!

Super Simple Peach Cobbler

I usually make a dessert on Sunday nights.  My kids don't let me forget...ever!  I wasn't planning on making a dessert this Sunday, however, as we had so many treats over the holiday weekend.  But, as I was making my shopping list for the week and perusing some of my favorite food blogs for inspiration, I stumbled across this recipe over at The Girl Who Ate Everything.  I had all of the ingredients on hand, including 4 ripe peaches that were close to being thrown out (we are so bad about eating peaches quickly enough).  So, of course I had to make it.

I'm not a huge fan of cobblers, meaning if I were ordering dessert while eating out, a cobbler would probably be my last choice.  It's something about the fruit.  I can't decide if eating dessert with fruit in it makes it healthier, or ruins the naughtiness of splurging on dessert.   How good for you can fruit really be when it is covered in sugar and butter??   So I usually go for something oozing in chocolate.  That doesn't mean that I don't like a good cobbler, though, and one always needs to be prepared with a good recipe.  The best part about this recipe is that not only was the cobbler really good, but it was also really easy.  You can't beat that.

As I said before, I used ripe peaches to make this dessert, but the original recipe actually calls for a 28 ounce can of peaches in syrup, syrup included.  That means this dessert can be made in the dead of winter when good, fresh peaches are unheard of!   It is also a great dessert in the summer when juicy peaches are at their best. 

Super Simple Peach Cobbler
adapted slightly from The Girl Who Ate Everything, originally posted by Just a Pinch

1 cup self-rising flour (see notes from original recipes for substitution)
3/4 cup sugar (I used a combination of white sugar and brown sugar)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, divided and melted
4 medium peaches, skinned and sliced
1/2 cup sugar (for creating peach syrup/juice)

Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over the sliced peaches and refrigerate for 2-3 hours (to create syrup). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, loosely combine the flour, 1/4 cup melted butter,  and all but two tablespoons of the sugar.  Pour about 1/3 of the flour mixture on the bottom of an 8x8 pan.

Then add the peaches and their juice over the flour mixture.  Pour the rest of the flour mixture over the peaches.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining two tablespoons of sugar.  Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup melted butter.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Let the cobbler sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.   

I used a combination of white sugar and brown sugar simply because I ran out of white sugar.  I haven't tried this cobbler with all white sugar, but the combination of sugars was goo-oood!  It was quite sweet.  I may even make it again with a bit less sugar next time.  The original recipe called for an additional two tablespoons of sugar to sprinkle (instead of just reserving two tablespoons, like I did).  It was still plenty sweet.  My cobbler wasn't as juicy as I think it should have been.  However, I know this is due to the fact that I didn't allow enough time (the required 2-3 hours) for the peaches to make a good amount of juice.  Still, it was a very enjoyable dessert that I would make again!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

     I've made this dessert several times in the past few months, and it is always a hit.  I figured it was the perfect dessert to take to a block party over the 4th of July holiday weekend.  Of course, it would have been even better with the addition of blueberries to be more festive, but the grocery store was out of them.  Can you believe it?  I'm sure they were being consumed in red, white and blue desserts all over town!  I didn't have time to go looking for blueberries at another grocery store, so I did without.

    Anyway, this trifle is quick and easy to put together, with just a few simple ingredients.  I just love the look of it in the trifle bowl--so fancy!  More importantly, however, it is really light and yummy.

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

1 9-inch angel food cake, cut into cubes
2 16 oz. containers of strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 5 oz. package instant vanilla pudding
3 c. cold milk
1 container cool whip

Combine the pudding mix and milk and mix thoroughly.  Then set aside for a few minutes to allow it to set up.  When the pudding is set, gently fold the thawed cool whip into the pudding.

To assemble the trifle, begin by placing a layer of angel food cake pieces on the bottom.  Carefully place a pudding layer next.  Then add a layer of strawberries.  Repeat this 1-2 more times, making sure to end with strawberries on the top!  For best results, allow the trifle to chill for several hours in the refrigerator before serving.  Enjoy!

Ravioli Lasagna

On Sundays, I like to make dinner a little bit more special than I would on a week night.  However, I don't always like to spend hours in the kitchen creating something elaborate.  This meal was perfect for our Sunday dinner.  It was quick and easy, but it tasted like I had worked harder than usual.  Win! Win!  It certainly smelled like a special dinner while it was baking.  Paired with a nice salad and some toasty garlic bread, it looked special too!

This meal does require some time to bake, but with its few ingredients, it is quick to throw together. I just used dried spices and seasonings, but I'm sure minced garlic and diced onion would be even tastier!   You can even prepare this ahead of time and freeze it for another evening, which is something I have done before. 

Ravioli Lasagna

1 lb lean ground beef
onion powder
garlic salt
pepper
Italian seasoning
1 bag frozen cheese ravioli
1 24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brown the ground beef  over medium heat and season with spices to taste (I didn't measure.  It isn't exact).  Prepare a glass baking dish (I used a dish that was about 11 x 7, and it was the perfect size) by placing about 1/4 cup of plain sauce in the bottom of the dish.  Then add the rest of the sauce to the ground beef and heat through. 

Make one layer of frozen ravioli followed by a layer of meat sauce.  Continue to layer as such (I got three layers).  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the last layer of sauce and finish with the the mozzarella cheese.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.  Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to melt the cheese on top.

For a meal that was so quick to throw together, it sure tasted like I spent all afternoon on it.  Yum!

Papa Murphy's Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza (copycat recipe)

I don't think I have been this excited about a recipe in quite some time, and I owe it all to Tammy from Tammy's Recipes.  For those of you that know and like Papa Murphy's Take and Bake Pizza, you have to make this. And for those of you that have never heard of Papa Murphy's, you are missing out, and you, too, must make this.   It's my family's favorite pizza place...or well, it was until we moved.  There are no Papa Murphy's where we are now.  We were used to eating this pizza about once a week, and we haven't had any in six months...well, that is...until now.  One bite, and I knew it was a winner.  This particular recipe is spot on!  My husband and I just looked at each other and smiled. 

 

One of my favorite things about Papa Murphy's pizza is the crust.  It always comes out soft and chewy with just the right amount of crunch.  I could never understand how I could bake the pizza in my own oven and get such a nice crust.  It blew my theory that a good pizza crust must come from a commercial pizza oven.  Yet, any  pizza crust recipe that I would try from scratch was usually a flop.  I have used this recipe which I tweaked from  Lauren's Latest with success, but I have continued to try different recipes while perfecting my technique.  This copycat crust recipe is the easiest yet, and it yielded a crust just like I remembered.

I will probably continue to try various crust recipes from time to time, but this is definitely my new go to crust recipe.  It is quick and easy.  There is no need to wait for the dough to rise.  I've also never been able to stretch my dough into such a nice even thickness and round shape until I tried this particular recipe.  I don't know how Tammy did it, but I will be forever grateful!  Be sure to check out Tammy's blog post for tips on making this dough in a bread machine or stand mixer.

Papa Murphy's  Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza (copycat recipe)
from Tammy's Recipes    

For the Crust:
1 cup very warm water (115 degrees)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour (I used bread flour)
2 tsp active dry yeast

For the Sauce:
2/3 cup ranch dressing
1/2 to 1 tablespoon minced garlic

For the Toppings:
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 grilled chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup diced green onions

In a medium bowl, mix the water, sugar, and salt.  Add the flour and yeast all at once and mix until a soft dough forms.  Gently knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, adding a little flour whenever the dough becomes too sticky.  When ready, the dough will be smooth and elastic in texture.

Grease a 16-inch pizza pan. Flatten the ball of dough and gently spread the dough out from the center to the edges.  

Mix the garlic into the ranch dressing and spread the sauce evenly over the dough.  Then mix the three cheeses together in a bowl and sprinkle half of the cheese over the sauce. Next, sprinkle the chicken, tomatoes and onions evenly over the pizza and top with the the remaining cheese.

Bake pizza in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is to your liking.  Remove pizza from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before cutting. 

Easy Homemade Biscuits

This is what we had for breakfast today.

The picture is not the best (I curse the awful lighting we have in this temporary housing), but I assure you it was yummy!  What did you have?

I still consider myself to be quite the novice when it comes to making rolled biscuits.  BUT...I think I have found the best recipe yet.  Thanks to Beth from kitchenMage, I made these babies.

Now if you are comparing mine to hers, I know what you are thinking.  Hers look much better.  Let me remind you that I already stated I am a bit of a novice at this whole biscuit making thing.  It could also be due, in part, to  my crappy lack of photography skills and the fact that I used a phone camera.  Either way, I think these are the best I've ever made!  

I have always been a lover of biscuits.  As a kid, I cherished the occasional "going out for breakfast" events because it meant I could order biscuits instead of toast.  Homemade biscuits were not a staple in our kitchen, but I loved them so.  The fluffy, soft, buttery goodness was such a treat.  

Let's face it.  Biscuits really aren't that tricky.  After all, they require just a few basic ingredients, and they really take no time at all in an oven.  However, when you are new to mixing, kneading, and rolling dough, the job can feel a bit daunting.  The more you mess with dough, the tougher the biscuits become, and if things aren't just right, you can be left with a sticky, gooey mess before you ever get to cut any biscuits.  Then there is the whole "just how thick am I supposed to roll this stuff" to get the perfect end result?  It does take some practice...and well, some confidence (which, by the way, comes with some trial and error--as with everything in life).

Anyway, I am glad that I have continued to make homemade biscuits.  I have come a long way from my first ever batch of bisquick "drop" biscuits (because I was too scared to attempt rolled biscuits).  Baking a fluffy, flaky, biscuit from scratch really can be done!

I did not use a food processor, as Beth did.  I used my hands, but these were really easy.  Be sure to check out Beth's extra notes, as well as her photos of the whole process.  It is all good info.  And, thank you, Beth!

Easy Homemade Biscuits

from Beth at kitchenMage

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup cold butter
1 cup cold milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Mix together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.

Next, cut the butter into small pieces and add them to the flour mixture.  Then cut in the butter with your hands by shmearing (yes that is my own word) it between your fingers (there's no need for a pastry blender).  The result should be a crumbly looking dough, with the butter pieces about the size of peas.

Then add in the cold milk and gently mix the dough until it just comes together.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough just a few times to get it into a more cohesive ball of dough (I did have to add just a sprinkle or two of flour to keep it from sticking to everything!).

Roll the dough out (I rolled it into a circle) to a thickness of about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch, and cut your biscuits with a biscuit cutter or glass (I actually used a 3-inch cutter).  I was able to get 8 biscuits from this batch, and I did save the leftover dough for later, as Beth suggested.

Place your biscuits on cookie sheet (no need to grease) and bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes. 

The end result is a lovely, fluffy, warm biscuit...mmm, so good with butter and jelly, or used to make a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit sandwich, as we did this morning. Then there is always biscuits and gravy.  Are you hungry yet?  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Donut Puffs

 I LOVE the Fall!  The temperature change, the colors, the decor, the comfort food, and all things pumpkin!  The rest of my family is probably not as in to pumpkin as I am, but I definitely didn't get any complaints from these donut puffs.  I call them puffs because they aren't shaped like donuts, donut holes, or even muffins.  So...puffs, they are!

You can find this recipe all over the blogosphere as donuts, and donut muffins.  I adapted the recipe from babycakes slightly.   I like to substitute some white flour with a bit of whole wheat flour.  I also use unsweetened applesauce in place of the oil whenever I can.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't exactly call these puffs healthy, but I feel like small changes can help a bit. 

I whipped these babies up one night when I was feeling a bit stressed and irritable.  I needed something to take my mind off my troubles.  These were quick and easy, and they hit the spot with a cup of coffee.  They were also a good incentive for my kiddos to finish their homework! 

When in need of some good old comfort food, make some pumpkin spice donut puffs and get your fall on!

Pumpkin Spice Donut Puffs

adapted from babycakes

1¾ cups flour (I used 1 c all purpose flour, and 1 c whole wheat flour)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup pumpkin (canned)

½ cup milk

For Topping:
½ cup melted butter
⅔ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon

In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon and set aside.  In a larger bowl, us an electric mixer to combine the applesauce, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk.

Pour dry ingredients into liquid ingredients and stir until moistened. Do not over mix.
Drop by rounded mounds into a muffin tin (sprayed with cooking spray).  Bake about 4 to 5 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into "puff" comes out clean.

Melt butter in a small bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in a zipper bag.
While donuts are still hot, dip each one in melted butter, then shake in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to add topping.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Over the summer, my sister-in-law, Heidi, had a shindig for some occasion that I can no longer remember.  Her mother-in-law, Jackie brought a heavenly dessert called Sopapilla Cheesecake.  Well...I guess it was heavenly by everyone's reaction to it.  I got up to partake in the experience, only to find the entire dessert was eaten.  Not a tiny smidge left!  What?  Are you kidding?  You PIGS!  Well, as the saying goes..."You snooze, you lose!"

I knew that I would have to make this dessert, so when I came across it on Pinterest, I got excited.  Now I could finally see what all the hubbub was about.  I am not sure if this is the exact recipe that Jackie used, but I've seen it on Pinterest more than a few times, and they are all the same recipe.  It is so super easy, and truly yummy!  I know this is not the last time I will make this little delight. 

If you are in need of a new dessert to make for company or take somewhere, make this!  Like I said, it is very easy, and it will impress a crowd.  Oh, and if it is a bigger crowd, make two...just in case!

Sopapilla Cheesecake
 from Chef in Training

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
2 8oz packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
cinnamon-sugar mixture

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll 1 can of crescent rolls (I used the sheet of crescent rolls--this eliminates having to press the seams together) and lay it on the bottom of a 9x13 pan (no need to grease). 

Combine softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla (I added a couple shakes of cinnamon to this mixture, also).  Spread the cream cheese mixture over the bottom crescent roll layer.  

Lay the second layer of crescent rolls over the cream cheese layer and pour melted butter over the top.  Then sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over that (to your liking).  Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Let this cool for a bit before eating so the cream cheese mixture can set a bit.  

This dessert can be easily cut in half and made in an 8x8 dish.  That's what I did.  Otherwise I would have spent the next several days eating and eating, and gaining about 3-4 pounds!   Enjoy!

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bites

We are a granola bar eating family around here.  I have been making these granola bars for a little over a year now, but recently I bought a box of the Quaker chewy granola bars because we were in the process of moving, and making my own was out of the question.  I was so surprised when I took a bite of one.  I didn't like it.  In fact, I stopped eating it!  Mine are so much better! 

So, when I came across these chocolate chip granola bites on Pinterest, I just had to try them.  I chose to replace the oil, however, with peanut butter.  This recipe is very similar to the granola bars I already make, but I liked the idea of putting them in cupcake liners in a muffin tin.  I don't have a mini muffin tin, but the regular muffin tin produced perfectly sized single servings. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bites
adapted from another lunch

2 1/2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. crisp rice cereal
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
* optional: ground flax seed and/or wheat germ (3 heaping Tbs. of each)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the oats, rice cereal,  and salt (and ground flax and wheat germ if using) in a bowl.  In a large glass measuring cup, combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, and honey.  Heat in microwave for 1 minute.  Then stir to combine and add the vanilla.  Add the honey mixture to the oat mixture and combine really really well.  It may take some work, but the mixture should stick together.  Then add the chocolate chips and continue to stir.  

Using a cookie scoop, fill paper lined muffin cups about half full, and then press the mixture really well into each cup (they will end up about 1/3 full).  The more packed you can make them, the better they will stay together.  I was able to fill 18 muffin cups (regular sized).  Then bake them for about 10 minutes (I'm not sure how necessary this step is, but it didn't hurt).  Allow the granola bites to cool COMPLETELY before messing with them.  Otherwise, they may fall apart on you.
 

 
These were easy to store in the freezer, and when packing lunches, I simply placed the granola bar bite, paper liner and all, into a sectioned  lunch container with a lid.  I imagine you could make these without the paper liner to eliminate packaging material, altogether--so earth friendly!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins w/ Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

I needed to use up several very ripe bananas, but banana bread takes up to an hour and fifteen minutes to make.  It was already a late Saturday morning, and I didn't want banana bread that badly.  My already lazy Saturday would have become even lazier!  So, I decided to look for a quicker banana muffin recipe to make instead.  I found a recipe here that used applesauce instead of oil, which is good because we had lost our oil in our move, and it hadn't been replaced yet.  It also makes the muffins a little bit healthier.

I changed the ratio of whole wheat flour to all-purpose flour just a bit.  I then changed up the recipe even more by adding chocolate chips (YUM) and a cinnamon-sugar topping!  The result...a yummy, moist, chocolate-y muffin.  The cinnamon-sugar topping was just the right touch to make this weekend breakfast special.  I think the next time I make these, I may try using all whole wheat flour.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
 adapted from SparkRecipes (SERENITY)

1/2 cup all whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
1/4 cup sugar (I used brown sugar)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Topping:
4 Tbs butter, melted
cinnamon-sugar mixture (2 tsp cinnamon to 4Tbs sugar)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tin or use paper muffin liners.  Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a separate bowl, beat banana, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir in applesauce.  Stir in flour mixture. Once combined, add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Pour batter into muffin cups, about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean (mine took the full 20 minutes).  If you use paper liners, the muffins stick to the paper until they have set awhile.  While the muffins are still warm, dip the tops in the melted butter, and then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Makes 12 muffins.

Monterey Chicken

Whew! I never meant to go so long between posts.  We've been a bit busy moving our family across the country.  It's been quite the adventure.

Anyway,  I found this dish on Pinterest, and I just had to try it.  I actually made this several weeks ago, before we moved.  It reminds me of an entree from a restaurant.  It was quick, easy and really yummy.  Make this when you get into a 'What else can I do with chicken?' funk.  You won't be sorry.

Monterey Chicken
from All Things Simple

4-6 chicken breasts
1/4 cup bar-b-que sauce
1 14 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (with green chilies)
1 cup shredded colby/jack cheese
4-6 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
sliced green onions 
pepper

For the marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T  soy sauce
2 tsp McCormick Montreal Chicken Seasoning

Pound the chicken breasts to flatten.  Marinade the chicken for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with pepper and grill the chicken breasts until no longer pink.  You could also saute the chicken in olive oil if you prefer.  Place the chicken on a foil covered baking sheet. Top each chicken breast with 1 tablespoon bar-b-que sauce, 1/4 c. cheese, 1/4 c. Rotel tomatoes, green onions and crumbled bacon.  Bake in oven until cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).
 

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

I seem to be on an oatmeal kick lately...which is good considering I have three containers of it on the shelf downstairs!  I have this same problem with cheese.  I always think we may need some once I'm at the store--only to come home and find out I now have an abundance.  Oh well...

We typically buy the huge box of Quaker instant oatmeal packets from Costco.  We go through some oatmeal in this family, especially in the winter.  I have been on a mission to make more homemade meals, however, and I thought why not oatmeal.  After all, we all know that homemade is healthier and tastier, right?  And although instant oatmeal is fast, it's not like cooking it on the stove takes hours.  How hard can making a tasty bowl of homemade oatmeal be?

Well, I quickly found out that good oatmeal is not just water and oats with some sugar sprinkled in--Yuck!  I wanted something that mimicked my 1-minute microwave version.  So, I began searching for oatmeal recipes.  There are a lot of versions out there...crockpot, overnight, homemade instant packets.  I tried one crockpot version, and it was NOT good.  My crockpot tends to overcook things because it is so hot, and I spent days (or so it seemed) scrubbing burned oatmeal off of it.  I was intrigued by the instant packets, but the more I thought about it, it didn't seem cost effective at all.  The amount of time spent making them did not make sense when the amount of savings was mere pennies, at best.  Plus, I didn't feel so good about using all those baggies.

I think I've finally found the answer thanks to Blissful and Domestic.  I have made very minor adjustments to this recipe, including reducing the amount of sugar (only slightly) and cutting the recipe in half to make less.  I think I have a keeper...and it only takes about 15 minutes, of which I can be doing other things, as well (emptying the dishwasher, getting dressed, pestering my kids to get a move on, making lunches...and so on).

Buttermilk Oatmeal Pancakes with Blueberries

I came across this recipe at OAMM and thought I would give it a try.  My kids are big fans of pancakes and they ask for them often.  This version of the blueberry pancake is made with a healthy boost of oatmeal and only 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour--no white flour!  You can't beat blueberries and oatmeal for a healthy breakfast.

As I was making these babies, I began to think that my kiddos were not going to like them.  They turn out very dark--beware!  Whenever a food looks even slightly burned, my kids turn up their noses.  When I sampled them, I noticed a definite hearty texture.  Texture is a funny thing with kids, too.   However, the taste was very good, and it was too late to turn back, as this is what I was making for breakfast.

As we sat down to breakfast, no negative comments were made (I was shocked).  When my kids tried them, they liked them a lot!  Success!!  These pancakes are quite filling, so you can feel good about feeding them to your kids before sending them off to school.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Since I haven't yet posted any cookie recipes, I figured it was about time.  I know, I know... not really so healthy.  However, this girl's got a sweet tooth like no other, and sometimes you just gotta give in, right.?  I'm trying hard to learn what the word "moderation" means when it comes to the sweet stuff.  Anyway... I was craving something with chocolate and peanut butter over the weekend.  Then I thought to myself...I wonder if a recipe exists for a peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.  Well, silly me...there sure is a recipe for that!  Let me tell you, this cookie is oh my yum!  It is quick and easy, too!

 I found these little gems on several sites and blogs. The recipes were all very similar, but  I decided to try the version from The Girl Who Ate Everything and also Brown Eyed Baker.  I can assure you that I will be making these again and again.  I think I will try using whole wheat flour next time.  Now hurry and make these cookies.  You won't be disappointed!

Pineapple Orange Banana Green Smoothie

I have really gotten into the green smoothie craze.  It is such an enjoyable way to get extra veggies into your diet.  I started out with my Purple Monster smoothie, but I began searching for, and experimenting  with other flavors.  When I was growing up, we would splurge every once in a while on a carton of orange pineapple banana juice.  I loved it.  I recently found a blend of almond milk and coconut milk by Blue Diamond in the grocery store.  A light bulb went on.  All of these flavors together would make a great tropical smoothie.

This smoothie is refreshing, sweet, and great for breakfast!  It has a light hint of coconut, which makes me feel like I'm drinking some fancy tropical drink on the beach instead of some green vegetables in my kitchen!

The Purple Monster (Green Smoothie)

Green smoothies are all the rage right now.  I was intrigued when I started seeing them pop up on Pinterest all over the place.  I, like many people, was wanting to start some new healthy habits at the start of the year.  I like vegetables, but I do find it difficult to eat enough throughout the day.  So I thought this would be a great way to sneak extra vegetables into my diet, as well as my kids' diets.

I decided to start with a smoothie containing strawberries, blueberries, and bananas.  My kids were already used to these fruits in a smoothie, so I thought it would be easier to get them to drink it.  To my surprise, the blueberries in this smoothie gave it a purple color instead of green (hence the name "Purple Monster"), making it even easier to get them to try it! Score!

I have to admit that I was skeptical, at first, about the taste of this smoothie.  I was sure that I would be able to taste the spinach.  To my delight, I didn't notice the spinach at all, other than a sweetness that it added.  This was also my first experience with almond milk.  I loved it, and my kids did, too!  Sweet success!

Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats (no marshmallows)

I am always looking for fun treats to make for my kids' lunches.  Rice krispy treats are so easy and tasty, but I am trying to feed my family healthier foods, thus using marshmallows less often (okay...every once in a while)!  I came across these on Pinterest, and I got the idea to make a healthier peanut butter rice krispy treat.  Here they are!

I used honey, brown sugar, and of course peanut butter as the "glue" to hold these bars together.  My kids were instantly hooked!  I know these still have quite a bit of sugar, but at least the ingredients in honey and natural peanut butter are healthier than those in marshmallows.  I feel a little bit better about my kiddos getting a small one of these in their lunches.  You could even make these with brown rice cereal for more nutrition.  The best part is that they are super quick to make!

No-Fail Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

I have recently been trying to master homemade pizza.   The crust is the hardest part.  I've tried several recipes, but they always seem to come out too "bread-y" and kind of flimsy.  Then I discovered Lauren's Fail Proof Pizza Dough over on Lauren's Latest.   She includes some great tips for making a restaurant quality pizza crust.  One of her tips is to use bread flour.  I did not use bread flour (I plan to one of these days to see the difference), but the end result was still great.  Another one of her tips is to knead, knead, knead the dough.  Of course, she used a stand mixer to do this, while I used my hands!  It was hard work, but I kneaded for the recommended six minutes, and it paid off!

BBQ Chicken Pizza on No-Fail Pizza Crust

The only change I made in the ingredients of this recipe was to replace the bread flour with two cups of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all-purpose flour.  I was very excited with the results.  The crust came out chewy and crispy- just the way I like it!