Crockpot Olive Garden Style Pasta Fagioli

Oh. My. Gosh. This tasted EXACTLY like Olive Garden's Pasta Fagioli soup and it rocked my entire world. Yes, even during the summer in 110 degree temps! I loved it THAT much. Not only that, it's easy... SUPER easy. The only disclaimer is that you *must* use a 6 quart crockpot or cut the recipe in half because it makes a lot. I had to borrow a neighbor's crockpot because mine wasn't big enough. So, there's that!

What you need:

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (and juice)

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can white (great northern) beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups beef broth

1 jar (16.5 oz) spaghetti sauce

2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp tabasco

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup dry pasta (I used ditalini; added at the END of cooking time)

Directions:

1. Brown meat and drain; set aside to cool.

2. Cut up carrots, onion and celery. Add to empty crockpot. Drain and rinse the beans and add to crockpot. Add the whole cans of tomatoes and pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano and tabasco. Finally, stir in the meat.

3. Cover and cook on either low for 8 hours or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender (about the last half hour of cooking time), add the dry noodles.

4. Once the noodles are tender, serve with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

*Original recipe found here

Szechwan Chicken & Peanuts

We got this recipe from my mother-in-law a few years back and forgot about it until recently! With my husband traveling a lot with the military, I rarely make anything he wants or craves because he's rarely here. But with him having a week off, he wanted to eat this badly so we pulled it out and I just had to share it! It takes a little time and effort, but it's worth it. So tasty!

What you need:

1 lb uncooked chicken, cubed

2 tbsp cooking sherry or sake

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp parsley (or a big sprinkle of dried)

3-4 cloves minced garlic

6 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp tabasco

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tbsp sliced green onions (scallions)

1 tbsp minced gingerroot

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

2 quarts water

7 oz egg noodles

1/2 pound spinach leaves, rinsed and stemmed

Directions:

1. Blend wine, cornstarch and salt. Cover chicken with mixture and refrigerate for one hour.

2. Stir peanut butter, soy, sugar, 2 tbsp water, parsley, garlic, 1 tbsp of oil and tabasco sauce. Cover and set aside.

3. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in skillet until very hot. Add chicken and red pepper flakes. Stir fry 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink; set aside.

4. Add 2 tbsp more oil to pan. Heat onion and gingerroot for 15 seconds. Return chicken to skillet and cook until light brown.

5. Add peanuts and 2 tbsp peanut butter mixture or until chicken is covered in sauce.

6. Cook noodles according to package directions. During last 30 seconds or so, add spinach until limp; drain.

7. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy!

Easy Eggless Chocolate Cake!

Sorry for the crappy quality picture... I realized I hadn't taken a good one as I was about to eat one of the last pieces of this tasty cake, so my husband took one with his phone! I found this gem while searching for a cake recipe that would take both minimal time and minimal ingredients. I had eggs on hand, but not enough for every other cake recipe I'd looked at. Then I saw this and thought I'd give it a try which was a double bonus because one of my kids is allergic to eggs! I'm a big fan and I'd recommend it to anyone who needed a sweet fix! I doubled the cocoa powder and added cinnamon on a whim and I think it turned out magnificently!

What you need (cake):

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup white sugar

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional... but so tasty)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease 8x8 cake pan.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together; make a well in the middle and add all the wet ingredients and then beat all together until smooth.

3. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.

Frosting ingredients:

1/2 of a 1lb. box of powdered sugar

4 tablespoons (or half a stick) of butter, melted

1/8 cup of milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if you feel it needs to be thicker and frost cake accordingly! ENJOY!

*Found and changed slightly from here

Southwestern Chicken Soup

1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups fat free, less sodium chicken broth
¼ cup uncooked white rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (16 ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped seeded tomato
¾ cup diced peeled avocado (about 1 medium)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
6 lime wedges


Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 3 minutes. Add broth, rice, cumin and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Stir in chicken, cilantro, pepper and salt; simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated.
Remove from heat; stir in tomato, avocado, and juice. Serve with lime wedges. Yield 6 servings

(Serving size; 1 2/3 cups soup and 1 lime wedge)

lemon raspberry bars

Here I go again with a lemon dessert, surprise, surprise. I absolutely died over these, the crust was pure heaven to me. Actually, the whole thing was heaven. I can't wait to have these again. Perfect spring/summer treat, I think they would even be good without the raspberries.


I found these at Two Peas and their Pod and as soon as I saw them I knew I had to try them.

For the crust:

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of one lemon

For the filling:

2 large egg yolks
1-14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
6 ounces fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 8 by 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press crumbs into the prepared pan, pressing the crust mixture one inch up the side of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the crust is cool, combine the egg yolks and condensed milk until well mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until mixture begins to slightly thicken. Gently fold in the raspberries. Fold carefully so you don’t break the raspberries.

Pour the lemon raspberry filling evenly over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.

Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least one hour before serving. Cut into bars and serve. Keep bars in the refrigerator-up to five days.

*Note-use fresh raspberries and make sure you gently fold the berries into the lemon filling or you will have pink bars.

one pot lemon chicken & rice

photo from google

this simple "good for you" recipe is great for tight schedules and also delicious left over after flavors have a chance to meld together.

ingredients:

1 lb bonelss skinless chicken breast, diced into 1" cubes
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, grated
1 medium red onion, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced very thin
15 oz. low sodium all natural chicken broth
1 TB cornstarch
juice of two lemons
zest of the same two lemons
1 1/2 cups brown minute rice (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped rough
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped rough
1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

directions:

in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. add garlic, onion and carrots, saute for a few minutes.

season your chicken with salt and pepper

turn heat to medium and add chicken. stir often, rotating chicken so it browns on all sides.

meanwhile, combine chicken broth, corn starch, lemon juice, lemon zest and brown rice in a small bowl. also, salt this mixture.

once the chicken is cooked through, add your liquid mixture to the pan and turn heat back up to medium-high.

you want to bring the mixture to a boil. once it is boiling, add your parsley, broccoli and cream of mushroom soup. mix well and reduce to low.

cover and let simmer 10-15 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed, the rice is tender and the dish is nice and creamy.

this recipe makes four servings.

my findings:
*make sure you use fresh broccoli, it just makes this dish better
*i had to add a cup or so of water after i added the broccoli so that it wasn't super thick.

Recipe found here
Sorry to Janetha in which I didn't give proper credit. Forgot!

Lemon Berry Trifle (Easter)

8 ounces fat-free cream cheese
3 3/8 ounces instant lemon pudding mix
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon lemon zest - grated
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 ounces Cool Whip Lite or fat free (I made my own whipped cream..much better)
4 1/2 ounces ladyfinger cookies - split (I left my whole)
1/4 cup strawberries - hulled and sliced or raspberries, left whole

In a food processor fitted with metal blade, combine cream cheese, lemon pudding mix, skim milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Process until smooth. Gently fold in Cool Whip.

Arrange 1/3 of ladyfingers in bottom of baking dish, bowl, or casserole dish. Spoon 1/3 of pudding mixture. Spread evenly. Arrange a 1/3 of strawberries over pudding mixture. Repeat twice. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 4 hours.

*recipe from neighbor but changed a little by myself

Bunny Pancakes with Strawberry Butter

2 cups buttermilk baking mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Assorted candies or fruit

1. prepare strawberry butter (recipe below); set aside. Preheat electric skillet or griddle to 375 deg.

2. Combine baking mix, milk, eggs and yogurt in medium bowl; mix well. Spoon scant 1/2 cup batter into skillet. With back of spoon. gently spread batter into 4-inch circle. Spoon about 2 tablespoons batter onto top edge of circle for head. Using back of spoon, spread batter from head to form bunny ears.

3. Cook until bubbles on surface begin to pop and top of pancake appears dry; turn pancake over. Cook until done, 1 to 2 minutes. Decorate with candies or fruit to make face.

Makes about 12 (8-inch) pankcakes

Strawberry Butter

1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen strawberries

Place cream cheese and butter in food processor or blender; process until smooth. Add powdered sugar; process until blended. Add strawberries; process until finely chopped.

Makes 1 1/3 cups

*recipe and photo from tlc cooking

Mexican Shredded Pork Tostada's

picture courtesy of flicker

Made these for dinner this past week and thought I was in heaven. The meat is so amazing and flavorful! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. We will definitely be making this often.

Meat:
2 pounds boneless pork butt, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, 1 quartered and 1 chopped fine
5 medium garlic cloves, 3 peeled and smashed and 2 minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
table salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon ground chipotle powder
2 bay leaves

Tostadas:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
table salt

Garnish:

feta cheese
fresh cilantro leaves
sour cream
diced avocado
lime wedges

Bring pork, quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 6 cups water to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook until pork is tender, 75 to 90 minutes. Drain pork, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Discard onion, garlic, and thyme. Return pork to saucepan and, using potato masher, mash until shredded into rough ½-inch pieces. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shredded pork, chopped onion, and oregano; cook, stirring often, until pork is well browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in tomato sauce, chipotle powder, reserved pork cooking liquid, and bay leaves; simmer until almost all liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves and season with salt to taste.

TO FRY TOSTADAS: Heat vegetable oil in 8-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees. Using fork, poke center of each tortilla 3 or 4 times (to prevent puffing and allow for even cooking). Fry 1 at a time, holding metal potato masher in upright position on top of tortilla to keep it submerged, until crisp and lightly browned, 45 to 60 seconds (no flipping is necessary). Drain on paper towel-lined plate and season with salt to taste. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Serve!

*I found that I liked the complex flavor of chipotle powder, but two minced canned chipotle chilies can be used in it's place. Also, the pork can be prepared and refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 days. The tostadas can be made up to a day in advance and stored in an airtight container.

*recipe from neighbor

Thin Mint Cupcakes

While I'm sure Thin Mint cupcake recipes have been out there on the internet for years I'm going to pretend I'm clever in coming up with my own version. For that reason, I didn't even bother Googling the subject for fear that my own creativity would be tainted by others' ideas. So if this has already been done I apologize for the repeat recipe. If it hasn't you can applaud me for my genius. :)

Thin Mint Filling

26 Thin Mint cookies, finely crushed (I used a food processor)
4 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened

Blend crushed Thin Mints and cream cheese until fully mixed. Shape into 1" balls, place on a baking sheet, and refrigerate while making the batter.

Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Family, Stamping and Food

24 Thin Mint Cookies
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 1/2 ounces Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips
1 tablespoon heavy cream

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 24 cupcake wells with paper liners. Place a Thin Mint cookie in the bottom of each liner.
2) Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3) Beat sugar and melted butter together on medium speed until well combined.
4) Add eggs and beat to combine.
5) Beginning with the flour mixture, add flour and milk alternately with three additions of flour and two additions of milk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat until just combined.
6) Fill cupcake liners 1/3 full with batter. Place Thin Mint truffle in the center of each and top with more batter until 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven for 19-26 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.
7) Cool in pan on rack for ten minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8) While cupcakes are still warm, melt Andes baking chips and heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat until smooth. Spread a thin layer of chocolate on top of each cupcake.

Mint Buttercream
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil
Green food coloring (optional)

1) In a large mixing bowl, cream butter for 45-60 seconds.
2) Add powdered sugar and beat until the mixture comes together.
3) Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add heavy cream, peppermint oil, and food coloring (if desired). Beat until combined and then beat an additional 45 seconds. If necessary, add more powdered sugar for desired consistency.

San Francisco Crockpot Chops

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 pork chops, about 1-inch thick
Salt and pepper for seasoning
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
Hot Cooked Rice, for serving

In a large 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is simmering and hot. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Brown the pork chops for 1-2 minutes on each side in the hot oil until golden. Transfer the chops to the slow cooker. Add the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and stir constantly over medium heat until the garlic is aromatic and golden (but not burned or it will turn bitter!). Stir in the soy sauce, broth, brown sugar and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over chops.Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the meat is tender. If using bone-in pork chops, fish out the bones from the slow cooker. Remove the chops from the slow cooker to a shallow pan or plate – they will most likely be falling apart in tenderness at this point. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return the chops to the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker heat to high and cook for 30 minutes to an hour longer, until the sauce is slightly thickened. (I accidentally added this during the cooking phase instead of after and it still turned out great!) If you want a super duper thick sauce, once you remove the chops from the slow cooker, pour the sauce into a pan and place it over medium heat on the stove. Add the cornstarch slurry and bring the sauce to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thick. Add the pork and heat through.

Serve over rice and enjoy!


*Recipe found here

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

My husband and I saw Alton Brown on his food network show make this recipe and I just couldn't resist. The process was much easier than I thought it would be and the final results will rock your taste buds!

DOUGH:

4 large egg yolks, room temperature

1 large whole egg, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

6 ounces buttermilk, room temperature

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting

1 package instant dry yeast, approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

cooking spray

FILLING:

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

pinch salt

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

ICING:

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

For the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, butter and the buttermilk. Add approximately 2 cups of the flour along with the yeast and salt, whisk until moistened and combined. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with a dough hook. Add all but about 3/4 cup of the remaining flour and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough, add more flour if necessary; the dough should feel soft and moist but not sticky. Knead on low speed 5 more minutes or until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand about 30 seconds. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, lightly oil the top of the dough, cover and let double in volume, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until well incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.

Butter a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle with the long side nearest you. Roll into a 18 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the 3/4 ounces of melted butter, leaving 1/2-inch border along the top edge. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border along the top edge; gently press the filling into the dough. Beginning with the long side nearest you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Firmly pinch the seam to seal and roll the cylinder seam side down. Very gently squeeze the cylinder to create even thickness. Using a serrated knife, slice the cylinder into 1 1/2 inch rolls; yielding 12 rolls. Arrange rolls cut side down in the baking dish; cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight or up to 16 hours.

Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and place in an oven that is turned off. Fill a shallow pan 2/3 full of boiling water and set on the rack below the rolls. Close the oven door and let the rolls rise until they look slightly puffy, approximately 30 minutes. Remove the rolls and the shallow pan of water from the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

When the oven is ready, place the rolls on the the middle rack and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

While the rolls are cooling slightly, make the icing by whisking the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Spread over the rolls and serve immediately.

recipe found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/overnight-cinnamon-rolls-recipe/index.html

My Favorite Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

12 oz chocolate chips (or you can go all out and use 12 oz good quality chocolate!)
1 1/2 c. Heavy Whipping Cream

Heat cream over medium low heat until it just comes to a simmer, stirring constantly. Pour the simmering cream over the chocolate chips that have been placed in a mixing bowl. Stir until chocolate is melted and combined with the cream. Allow to cool at room temperature...overnight on the counter is best, but one hour in the freezer will do! Once it's at room temperature, use a mixer to beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Use to frost cakes or cupcakes.

Herb-Roasted Potatoes

These make a great side dish for any meal. They are crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, and everyone (including my kids) love them.

¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried marjoram
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
3 russet potatoes (about 2 ¼ pounds), scrubbed (do not peel), cut into ½ -inch cubes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all ingredients except potatoes in large bowl. Stir to blend well. Add potatoes to seasoning; toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to large rimmed baking sheet, spreading out in single layer. Bake until brown and tender, about 40 minutes, turning potatoes halfway through cooking.

*recipe from my mom

Black Pepper Chops with Molasses Butter

These pork chops are amazing! I didn't really know what to expect. I got the recipe from those little recipe cards they give you in the grocery store... it sounded very unique and I thought they would either be awesome or terrible. They were better than awesome - sooooo delicious-melt in your mouth! Can't wait for you to try them!



4 pork loin chops,
1 1/2 inches thick
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tb molasses
1/2 tsp lemon juice
4 Tb coarsely ground black pepper

In a small bowl blend butter, molasses and lemon juice with a fork. Cover and refrigerate. Rub chops on both sides evenly with pepper. Grill chops over medium-hot heat for 12-15 minutes, turning once. Top each chop with a tablespoon of molasses butter -let it melt.

Shrimp Scampi

I've made a few different shrimp scampi recipes and took the best of what I liked out of those recipes to come up with my own yummolicous recipe.

4-5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

3/4 stick unsalted butter

5 cloves garlic, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of red pepper flakes

1-2 tablespoons parsley flakes

1/2 cup lemon juice

about 1 pound (or more) of shrimp, peeled and deveined

Your favorite cooked pasta

1. Go ahead and prepare your pasta so it'll be ready when the scampi is ready.

2. Heat the EVOO and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.

3. Turn heat to down to medium. Add shrimp. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

4. Heat for 3-4 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through and pink (you don't want to over cook the shrimp or it will become rubbery).

5. Add in lemon juice and parsley and cook for about another minute.

6. Take the shrimp off the heat if the pasta isn't ready. When pasta is ready pour shrimp scampi on top.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

I made these for the first time hoping that they would turn out right and holy heck! They were amazing!

2-1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
3/4 cup cold whole milk
4 tablespoons bold butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Brush on Top:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch salt

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk and 1/4 teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.
3. Drop approximately 1/4-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop. (I just used a spoon and made a ball with my hands.)
4. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.
5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Makes one dozen biscuits.
*Where this recipe was found is unknown.

BBQ Pulled Pork

3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (you could also use a beef roast if desired)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 tablespoon hickory flavored liquid smoke
2 cups barbecue sauce plus extra for topping

Rinse the pork shoulder and pat dry. Rub salt and pepper over the pork and place in a slow cooker. Add water and liquid smoke. Cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours, until the pork is very tender.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and discard the remaining liquid. Shred the pork using a couple of forks. Place the meat back in the slow cooker along with the barbecue sauce and continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes until the pork is hot again. Serve on buns with extra barbecue sauce and swiss cheese if you're feeling froggy!

*Original recipe found here

Turkey Enchiladas

Ever had an enchilada without enchilada sauce? Me neither. I'm always on the hunt for a healthier rendition of my classic favorites. I came across these and thought I'd give them a try. They were creamy and delicious; I'd definitely make them again!

What you need:

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped green pepper (optional)

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, divided

4 oz fat free cream cheese

1/4 cup fat free sour cream

1 tsp spicy garlic seasoning (try garlic powder with a pinch of cayenne pepper)

3/4 cup favorite salsa

8 whole wheat tortillas, warmed

1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice

What to do:

Brown the turkey along with the green pepper and onion in a skillet.

Once browned, add brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and chili powder. Stir in 1 cup of the crush tomatoes and simmer uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, combine sour cream, spicy garlic seasoning and cream cheese with mixer. Set aside. Mix 3/4 of this mixture into the meat during the last two minutes of simmering; Stir well to combine.

Grease a 9x13 baking pan. Combine salsa and remaining tomatoes together, then spread one cup of this mixture into bottom of the pan.

Spread a small amount of the cream cheese mixture onto a tortilla, fill with about 1/3 cup turkey mixture and roll. Place the seam side down into dish. Finish this process with the rest of the tortillas and meat.

Spread the remaining tomato/salsa mixture over the top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. If desired, serve with sour cream and/or salsa. Enjoy!

* Recipe found here

Peppered Shrimp Alfredo

A jar of Alfredo sauce gets an added kick with cayenne pepper, Romano cheese, and cream. Served with red peppers, shrimp, and penne pasta, this is a rich, amazing dish! It's our first time trying it and definitely a huge hit and super easy. This would be great for a Valentine dinner with your special someone.

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

6 ounces penne pasta
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 pound portobello mushrooms, diced
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup cream
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Cook pasta as directed or until al dente

Meanwhile, melt butter together with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper, and mushrooms; cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 2 minutes more.

Stir in shrimp, and cook until firm and pink, then pour in Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, and cream; bring to simmer stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir drained pasta into the sauce, and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

**I used canned mushrooms, light Alfredo sauce, passed on the Romano cheese and used half and half instead of the cream to make it a lighter dish. I'd definitely half the cayenne pepper next time. Too spicy for our liking. We topped with parmesan cheese. YUM!

* Recipe from allrecipes.com

Donut Muffins

The perfect marriage between a donut and a muffin! These taste like donut holes! There are several recipes out there for these delectable bites, I've tried a few, and this one is my favorite. I found it in a cake book my grandma gave me. I made a few slight variations, and don't really know if it makes a difference or not, but here is my modified recipe
•••

Doughnut Muffins

* 1/3 cup shortening
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* 1-1/2 cups flour
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1/2 tsp butter flavor extract
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract


In a mixing bowl mash together the shortening and sugar. Add the egg and whisk it all up until it is smooth. Make sure you use shortening, Not Margarine. The shortening gives this recipe it’s special donut texture. Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg into the bowl. Pour in the milk, butter extract and vanilla extract. Mix the batter with a whisk until it is smooth. Drop the mixture into 24 oiled mini muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake the muffins at 350 for 15-18 minutes, the tops my still look pale, use a toothpick to check doneness. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.

***I had a little batter left over so I added 2 teaspoons of cocoa and made 6 chocolate muffins, super yummy!***

Here are the recipes for the glazes:

Chocolate Glaze

* 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 Tablespoon milk
* 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
* 1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Dip tops of muffins into glaze. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.
*I just heated mine in a small bowl in the microwave, then added the chocolate and sugar.*


Strawberry Glaze

* 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 Tablespoon milk
* 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
* 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
* 1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
* a few drops pink food coloring

Directions same as above, replace vanilla extract with strawberry and omit the chocolate, add food coloring at the end.


Vanilla Glaze

* 1 Tablespoon milk
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

mix all ingredients together until smooth.

For the cinnamon sugar coated muffins, I just dipped the whole muffin in melted butter then rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture.
•••
Be careful with these, they may seem small and harmless, but it's easy to eat more than a few!

Fruit Dip

1 (8oz.) whipped cream cheese (room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients and stir until smooth.

*Recipe from a good friend.

Southern-Style Potato Salad

My grandma made the absolute best southern-style potato salad I have ever had in my life. I've been using her recipe for potato salad ever since I learned how to make it. I've never found potato salad that taste as good as this.

I pretty much just eye ball the measurements, but these measurements should be close. You can always add more of something if you want.

8-10 baking potatoes, peeled and diced into cubes

pinch of salt

1/2-3/4 cup mayo (I use olive oil mayo)

a few good squirts of yellow mustard (this wasn't in my grandma's recipe, but I like it in there)

1/4 cup plus a little more of dill relish

2-3 boiled eggs, diced fine

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a big pot of water to boil. Sprinkle a dash of salt in water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender (I add my eggs in with the potatoes to cook as well). Drain potatoes and put in large bowl. Combine all ingredients and stir until combined well. Serve hot or cold.

Classic Mozzarella Sticks

These will seriously melt in your mouth. They are so beyond good it's insane!

oil for frying

1 (8 oz.) mozzarella cheese

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1/4 cup water

2/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)

1. Pour oil into medium-size heavy saucepan or deep skillet to depth of 1 inch. Over medium heat, bring oil to 365 degrees on cooking thermometer, about 12 minutes. If oil is hot before cheese sticks are ready, turnoff heat and bring back to temperature when ready to fry.

2. Meanwhile, cut cheese into strips 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch. Line baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Place flour on paper plate. Roll roll cheese strips in flour to coat.

3. In shallow bowl, combine egg and water. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.

4. Once stick at a time, coat cheese sticks in egg wash, then in bread crumbs. Repeat process to coat each stick. Place sticks in single layer on paper plate.

5. Frying in small batches, carefully place sticks in hot oil. Cook until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spoot to line baking sheet. Let oil return to 365 degrees between batches.

*Where this recipe was found is unknown.

Apple Crisp

I absolutely love apple crisp. I found this recipe awhile back and it has become one of my favorites, although I have no clue where I found it!

10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup white sugar

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.

3. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.