tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83662134562480444522024-03-04T23:33:15.336-06:00♥♥ Ruslie ♥♥Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-20621622799762858882014-04-07T19:18:00.002-05:002014-04-07T19:18:45.586-05:00BBQ Chicken SaladThe name of the blog where I got this recipe kind of says it all! :) Here is the link - <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/01/03/bbq-chicken-salad/">BBQ Chicken Salad</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Uc0e680gymX_2vy_8e_SeXiaCk6sNXu9yE00QI7nV9IsvzIG06vXwPP7hgp-_xPMTvxajBZVneFKaGDA8NsdRHCdhiuvC4JPTiPWfl0bzxuEhfbJa53ALzqAZ3dTBIKit7YHARTzrQnW/s1600/100_2743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Uc0e680gymX_2vy_8e_SeXiaCk6sNXu9yE00QI7nV9IsvzIG06vXwPP7hgp-_xPMTvxajBZVneFKaGDA8NsdRHCdhiuvC4JPTiPWfl0bzxuEhfbJa53ALzqAZ3dTBIKit7YHARTzrQnW/s320/100_2743.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Rusty and I love salads! Surprisingly, so does Rylan. We always seem to get in a salad rut, though, so I love finding new salad recipes to try, and I love it even more when they are, um, damn delicious. ;) This recipe is very easy! It was perfect to put together on a week night after work.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*1 tblsp of olive oil<br />
*2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced<br />
*Salt & Pepper<br />
*Romaine lettuce<br />
*1 can of corn, drained<br />
*1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed<br />
*diced tomatoes<br />
*Tortilla strips<br />
*Grated cheddar cheese<br />
*Your favorite BBQ sauce<br />
*Your favorite ranch dressing<br />
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One ingredient not listed above that I will add next time is avocado. I LOVE avocado slices on a salad, and they would've gone well this one.<br />
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Heat the olive oil over medium heat. While the oil is heating, lightly salt and pepper the thinly sliced chicken breasts. Once the oil is hot, add chicken to the pan and cook 3-5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan and dice. Serve over romaine lettuce, and top with as much or as little of the remaining ingredients as you desire! Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-31686097555113447432014-04-06T15:20:00.002-05:002014-04-06T15:20:37.653-05:00Chicken Lo MeinThis is another one pan recipe. While I do use a few other items, I love only having one pan to hand wash at the end of the night. Rusty and I recently discovered how much we really do like Asian food. The journey is slow, but we are branching out. This recipe for <a href="http://thewholesomedish.com/one-pot-wonder-chicken-lo-mein/">Chicken Lo Mein</a> is a really good recipe that everyone in our house loves!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*2 chicken breasts<br />
*16 oz box of linguini or fettuccini<br />
*4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in half length wise, and then cut into 2 inch pieces<br />
*1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips<br />
*4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
*1/4 cup of soy sauce<br />
*1 tsp garlic powder<br />
*1 tsp corn starch<br />
*1 tblsp sugar<br />
*1/2 tsp red pepper flakes<br />
*4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth<br />
*2 tsp extra virgin olive oil<br />
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Cut the chicken breast into small pieces, and put into a large pot. Break pasta pieces in half, and place them on top of the chicken. Continue to add remaining ingredients, in the order listed above. Gently stir ingredients to allow spices added on top to disburse through pan. Cook over high heat, until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Stir the ingredients well, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about 15-18 minutes, stirring half way through cooking time. Most of the liquid will cook into the meal, so don't be surprised by the reduced amount of liquid. If you find your finished product to be too dry, it was probably cooked just a few minutes too long (I did this the first time... oops!!) Maybe add just a little bit of water, to thin it back out. Allow the dish to cool for just a couple of minutes prior to serving. Enjoy!<br />
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I usually add more vegetables than stated in the ingredients. I like to add snap peas or broccoli as well. It's up to your preferences!<br />
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TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-33276898661395432882014-04-06T15:01:00.001-05:002014-04-06T15:01:03.444-05:00Chicken Fried SteakThis recipe is my first experience with a recipe from The Pioneer Woman. I'm behind the times, I know. <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/02/chicken-fried-steak/">Here </a>is her recipe for CFS. And oh my word, it's delicious.<br />
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I didn't make the gravy or mashed potatoes from her recipe, so I can't speak to the deliciousness of those recipes. The ingredients listed below are only for the CFS, and also note they are half of what the original recipe calls for. I found that this is just enough for my family of 3, plus one extra serving for leftovers. <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*1 1/2 lbs of cube steak<br />
*3/4 cup of milk (I used 2%, because it's what I had)<br />
*1 large egg<br />
*1 1/2 to 2 cups of all purpose flour<br />
*1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper<br />
*Seasoning Salt<br />
*Salt & Pepper<br />
*Oil for frying (I used vegetable)<br />
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You'll need 2 bowls for the ingredients to coat the CFS, as well as a clean dish to put the prepared CFS on, prior to cooking them. In one of the bowls, mix the milk and egg together. In the second bowl, mix the flour with the cayenne pepper, seasoning salt and some black pepper. The amount of the seasonings are really to your taste, so it may take some experimenting to get it just perfect. I use the seasoning salt sparingly, only because I don't want the CFS to be too salty. I add just enough of it to add a bit of flavor. I prefer more black pepper. Set the mixtures aside for just a minute.<br />
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Get a large skillet, and pour enough cooking oil into it to coat the bottom, to about a half inch deep or so. Turn the heat on to medium-high, and allow the oil to heat while you prep the CFS.<br />
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Now for prepping the CFS. First, sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper onto both sides of the cube steak. Second, dip one of the cube steaks into the egg/milk mixture, then into the flour mixture (coating both sides well), and then repeat into the egg/milk mixture and into the flour mixture again. Set the finished CFS on the clean plate. Continue this process for all pieces of cube steak.<br />
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Once the cube steaks are ready, and the cooking oil is heated (you can test by sprinkling some flour into the oil to see how it reacts), place the prepared CFS into the oil. Allow it to cook for about 3-4 minutes, until brown, before flipping and allowing the other side to cook. Once both sides are browned, remove the CFS from the oil and place it onto a clean plate covered with paper towels. Depending on how thick the meat was, you may need to cut into to make sure it's cooked all the way through.<br />
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Of course this is best served with mashed potatoes, gravy and some veggies. We like corn and either green beans or carrots around here, but the veggies are yours for the picking!! I will say that I prefer to make this dish on a Saturday or Sunday night, because it does take a little longer to make, and it's a bit messy to clean up. It is absolutely 100% worth it though. I hope that you love it as much as my family does!<br />
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TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-43137349289847302052014-04-06T14:34:00.000-05:002014-04-06T14:34:27.991-05:00Tortellini Pasta SaladThis recipe is a relatively easy and quick fix! Both of the boys liked it, as did I. It made a big enough portion to allow for plenty of leftovers, which was nice when I was looking for something last minute to take to work for lunch.<br />
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Here is the original recipe I used - <a href="http://what2cook.net/2013/07/22/tortellini-salad/">Tortellini Salad</a>.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*20 oz package of refrigerated cheese tortellini<br />
*1 cup of fresh mozzarella, cubed<br />
*1 cup of pepperoni, chopped<br />
*1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
*1/3 cup of fresh basil<br />
*2/3 cup of Caesar salad or Italian dressing<br />
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Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Rinse thoroughly with cold water, and drain. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Enjoy!<br />
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I found this recipe because I had a package of pepperoni on hand to use up... I thought it was good, but I would rather have chicken with it. Next time we make this, I'm going to either cube up a baked chicken breast or use canned chicken breast. I'll report back and let you know the results!<br />
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TTFNRusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-13758338561988318942013-10-13T16:58:00.002-05:002013-10-13T16:58:25.422-05:00One Pan Chicken AlfredoAs soon as I saw that this dish only required one pan, I was sold! While I enjoy cooking, I hate dishes. The end. :) Before starting, make sure your one pan is plenty big for all of the deliciousness and that you have a lid to fit it. This is the blog I found this recipe on - <a href="http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2013/06/06/one-pan-chicken-alfredo/">No. 2 Pencil</a>. <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*3 tblsp of olive oil<br />
*2-3 chicken breasts (1 1/4 lb)<br />
*2 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
*2 cups chicken broth (I used low sodium)<br />
*1 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)<br />
*1/2 lb penne pasta (you can use any small bite sized pasta)<br />
*2 cups fresh parmesan cheese<br />
*Salt and pepper to taste<br />
*Parsley, for garnish, if desired<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekyibQaBGBMnuNlp9IiGyDwg-YSpmXhGOXf3Qd5Duw0Q2KjkP3XevBhSkdmIxubtfUMYlRBcKj04VH8Dx2qMrrQDL08_2pRScQgi15lgx8vC3jl_MAjCztvwqKbomp6f1zqLLEGkthFzS/s1600/100_2716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekyibQaBGBMnuNlp9IiGyDwg-YSpmXhGOXf3Qd5Duw0Q2KjkP3XevBhSkdmIxubtfUMYlRBcKj04VH8Dx2qMrrQDL08_2pRScQgi15lgx8vC3jl_MAjCztvwqKbomp6f1zqLLEGkthFzS/s320/100_2716.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Cut chicken breasts into small, bite size pieces, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in the pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until it's mostly cooked. It will continue to cook, as the rest of the meal is made, so it does not have to be completely cooked at this point. Add garlic and sauté for one minute. Add chicken broth, cream and uncooked pasta to the pan - stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Once the pasta is tender, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese, and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.<br />
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The pasta goes well with wine and garlic bread. ;) TTFN!!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-70666480526878782822013-10-10T20:18:00.000-05:002013-10-10T20:18:01.308-05:00Recipe #32: Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese SandwichesThe other day I was really craving something buffalo-y. I also wanted something that was relatively easy to make. Enter <a href="http://stickafork.net/2011/10/buffalo-chicken-grilled-cheese-sandwich/">this </a>recipe. Sorry, I don't have a picture. :(<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*1/4 cup cooked shredded chicken, warm<br />
*1 tblsp hot sauce (like Frank's)<br />
*1/2 tblsp ranch dressing (more or less, to taste)<br />
*1 tblsp grated carrot (optional)<br />
*1 tblsp sliced celery (optional)<br />
*1 tblsp green or red onion, sliced (optional)<br />
*1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese<br />
*sliced bread<br />
*butter<br />
<br />
Butter one side of each bread slice. Place buttered side down in pan, over medium-high heat. Spoon chicken mixture onto bread. Top with another slice of bread, butter side up. Carefully flip sandwich, when bottom slice of bread is cooked. Once both sides are golden brown, the sandwich is done!<br />
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Since I wanted easy, I did not use/shred a freshly cooked chicken breast. I used a 10 oz can of chicken, so the work was already done for me. That 10 oz can was about 1 cup of chicken, so I adapted the recipe accordingly. This ultimately made about 4 pretty full sandwiches. I thought it was the perfect amount to serve both dinner, and then have just a little bit left over. For the record, the chicken mixture also tasted great as a dip for pretzels. :)<br />
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Enjoy - TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-59128664394745408762013-10-10T18:50:00.001-05:002013-10-10T18:50:27.575-05:00Recipe #31: Bubble Up Pizza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisb3_dcfyfciiRByR_s6Hom_x72KKFUKTfzF-QfQSeiQIOTsdktfqpYNfHLTmud7R4cB8wIHYQtHpbqJCBbnvUh5zYGqt6KCNx659dKa2Bf94aBe6v_VDDp8bHSyElUZuSMgcJ8jyL2QsD/s1600/100_2709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisb3_dcfyfciiRByR_s6Hom_x72KKFUKTfzF-QfQSeiQIOTsdktfqpYNfHLTmud7R4cB8wIHYQtHpbqJCBbnvUh5zYGqt6KCNx659dKa2Bf94aBe6v_VDDp8bHSyElUZuSMgcJ8jyL2QsD/s320/100_2709.JPG" /></a></div><br />
This recipe was soooo easy! I wasn't sure what to expect, because of the biscuits. But, I thought it was great! I'm actually making it again tomorrow night for our pizza and movie Friday night family date. <a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/03/bubble-up-pizza.html">Here </a>is where I found the recipe originally.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*2 cans (12 oz each) biscuits<br />
*1 jar (15 oz) pizza sauce<br />
*2 cups mozzarella cheese<br />
*favorite pizza toppings<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 375*. Cut biscuits into quarters and put them in a large mixing bowl. Toss biscuit pieces with pizza sauce. Once coated, add pizza toppings and half of the cheese. Mix well. Grease a 9x13 pan, and pour biscuit mixture into the pan. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until biscuits are done.<br />
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My notes - 1) The original recipe calls for it to bake for 25-30 minutes. I found it cooked a little faster than I expected, but that could just be my oven. 2) Rusty and I do not like a lot of sauce on our pizza, and I was nervous about this dish being too saucy for our preferences. I used a little less than half of the jar of pizza sauce. The end result was a little dry. Next time, I'll use more. I do think, though, that the entire jar would've been too much. 3) I didn't exactly follow the measurements on the cheese and toppings. I mixed in until I was satisfied with the amount of toppings there seemed to be. The cheese probably worked out to be somewhere around the 2 cups that are called for.<br />
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Another note - I really want to try making this in cupcake/muffin liners for a party or something. I think that it would be a great little snack, and that a small cupcake/muffin sized portion would be just perfect. If/when I get a chance to test that out, I'll follow up on this post. Until then, enjoy!!<br />
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TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-32889592069877704742013-08-24T14:25:00.000-05:002013-08-24T14:25:01.442-05:00Recipe #30: Cornbread Taco BakeAnother new recipe this week! Woo hoo! DH and DS both really enjoyed this one. I did as well! One of our household favorite meals in the winter months is taco soup, and this dish reminded me a little bit of it. I got this recipe from food.com last week - here is the <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/cornbread-taco-bake-13328">link</a>.<br />
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I'm going to wait and put the picture at the end of the recipe... the picture isn't as appetizing as the meal actually was. I often forget to take a picture of the dish PRIOR to serving it, and this is one of those dishes that doesn't serve in a pretty way.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*1 lb ground beef (I used lean ground turkey)<br />
*1 package taco seasoning<br />
*1/2 cup water<br />
*1 can corn, drained<br />
*1/2 cup chopped green pepper<br />
*1 8 oz can tomato sauce<br />
*1 package Jiffy cornbread (you'll need one egg and some milk to make this)<br />
*1 can French fried onions<br />
*1/3 cup shredded cheese<br />
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Preheat the oven to 400*. Meanwhile, brown the meat in a skillet; drain. Return meat to skillet, and stir in taco seasoning, water, corn, green pepper and tomato sauce. Pour mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish. Prepare cornbread mix as directed on box. If desired, add half of the French fried onions into the batter. Spoon the batter into the casserole dish. (The original recipe calls for the mix to be spooned only around the outer edge of the casserole dish. Next time, I'm going to try spooning the batter across the entire top of the casserole dish, to see the difference it might make.) Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered. Top with cheese and remaining French fried onions, and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted.<br />
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TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-64099053723861515542013-08-18T12:58:00.001-05:002013-08-18T12:58:12.902-05:00Recipe #29: Shrimp over Angel Hair PastaIt's been SOO long since I posted anything. We've been nothing less than busy for the last 4 months - I just took my last of 4 tests for the CPA exam, we sold our house, moved into an apartment temporarily and are waiting on our new house to be built. Whew!!<br />
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I've still been cooking, but most of it has been on recipes I've tried before. Occasionally I'll try some new ones, but not like I used. This week, I have 3 new recipes to try! I made the first one last night. It was good. I'll make it again, but I'll make changes to the recipe, more in line with our taste preferences. The original recipe is <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/shrimp-and-angel-hair-pasta-301002">here</a>, from food.com. <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*1/2 lb angel hair pasta<br />
*2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil, separated<br />
*1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined - can be raw or cooked (follow instructions accordingly)<br />
*2 tsp garlic, chopped<br />
*1 tsp salt<br />
*1 tsp pepper<br />
*1 cup chicken broth<br />
*1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes<br />
*1 tblsp freshly grated lemon peel<br />
*1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 2 large lemons)<br />
*1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped<br />
*1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese<br />
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First of all, let me tell you what I would change from the ingredients (based on our personal preferences). I did not use any salt, and only about 1/2 tsp of pepper. I omitted the grated lemon peel, and I would only do 1/8 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon). I thought the final dish was too lemony, which is why I would cut back. I might add a little more cheese, also, to make it a bit cheesier, but the 1/3 cup is a nice amount. (We love our cheese.)<br />
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One last note... make sure all of your ingredients are ready to go before you start cooking. The recipe cooked very quickly, leaving little downtime between steps. The original recipe implies cooking the pasta while also cooking the shrimp/sauce. I couldn't keep up with both. I was too afraid that I'd overcook the pasta or shrimp, so I called DH in to help me out. He's a good guy, he is.<br />
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Cook the pasta; drain and pour into a serving bowl. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic, 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper, and shrimp (if using uncooked) over medium-high heat. Cook for two minutes, or until shrimp are barely pink or garlic is soft. Add broth and crushed red pepper and increase the heat to high. If using cooked shrimp, add cooked shrimp now. Cook shrimp mixture on high for 2-3 minutes, until shrimp are thoroughly heated (may just be 1-2 minutes, if you originally started with raw shrimp). Stir in lemon peel and juice.<br />
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Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper to pasta. Toss pasta to coat. Add the shrimp mixture, parsley and cheese. Mix the mixture well and serve immediately. Add some garlic bread, a nice glass of wine, and you'll have yourself a nice meal! :)<br />
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Enjoy! TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-70909785768467932422013-03-09T10:33:00.002-06:002013-08-18T12:24:27.614-05:00Recipe #28: Caribbean Jerk Chicken with Fruit SalsaThis recipe came from DH's Grilling Collection Cookbook. It was fantastic! This is in our queue again to make very soon. I do have a picture of this one, but am having issues loading it right now. I will add it, once I can get my computer to cooperate!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CMmIwQHlS0l6x3WIZ1GijC2nKgNaTrJYIObP7ggsGH3HxPQVylShQC7cF9r5mP8JvNWLW6JXr-6VEg5oFMZzIW67IgZoJ3TrXpLnDw4EEc4PaKBcXjtWGBw9IWCH3ykSHQAbLNuAn3-9/s1600/100_2584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CMmIwQHlS0l6x3WIZ1GijC2nKgNaTrJYIObP7ggsGH3HxPQVylShQC7cF9r5mP8JvNWLW6JXr-6VEg5oFMZzIW67IgZoJ3TrXpLnDw4EEc4PaKBcXjtWGBw9IWCH3ykSHQAbLNuAn3-9/s320/100_2584.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Ingredients:<br />
*1 cup plus 2 tblsp of Lawry's Caribbean Jerk Marinade with Papaya juice, divided<br />
*1 can tropical fruit salad (or your favorite fruits), drained<br />
*4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb)<br />
<br />
In a small bowl, combine the fruit and 2 tblsp of marinade. Mix well and refrigerate. In a large sealable plastic bag, combine chicken and 1 cup of marinade. Seal bag. Refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. When you're ready to cook the chicken, discard the marinade. Grill or broil chicken 10 to 15 minutes (turning halfway through), or until the chicken is no longer pink. Top chicken with fruit salsa.<br />
<br />
In addition, I made some rice and served the chicken and fruit salsa over the rice. It was a nice way to round out the meal!<br />
<br />
TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-3550873468190759192013-03-09T10:22:00.004-06:002013-03-09T10:22:44.928-06:00Recipe #27: Crock Pot Pulled Pork SandwichesThese sandwiches are so easy and so delicious. If we ever need a simple but yummy meal, especially on the weekends, these are a great choice! We've also made them for football tailgates.<br />
<br />
Original recipe is <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-pulled-pork/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
*1 pork tenderloin (2 lbs)<br />
*12 oz of root beer<br />
*your favorite BBQ sauce<br />
*hamburger buns<br />
<br />
For the pork tenderloin, I usually just buy the little tube of pork. I think it might be Hormel brand? I can't recall for sure. Once that is thawed, place it in the crock pot. Pour root beer over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. In my experiences, 6 to 6.5 hours usually does the trick. Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the crock pot and shred. Mix with your favorite BBQ sauce; spread pork on buns and dinner is served! Our favorite buns are the King's Hawaiian buns (very lightly toasted). I love the sweetness of them, and it's a great blend with the pork.<br />
<br />
When I first read this recipe, I thought it was crazy for putting the root beer in. I don't like root beer, and I didn't want my pulled pork sandwich tasting like root beer. Believe me - it doesn't! It keeps the meat pretty moist and the pork retains its flavor very well, with no hint of root beer (in my opinion!). Also, I do not use as much BBQ sauce as the original recipe calls for. I use less to our taste, as I don't like for the sandwiches to be dripping with sauce.<br />
<br />
Whenever I made this for tailgating, I made the pork a day in advance, and then put it in a large foil pan. At the tailgate, we just put the foil pan over the grill to heat, and then served. It still tasted fresh and had great flavor!<br />
<br />
Sorry - I don't have a good picture of this one. But believe me, it's worth it! Good luck!!<br />
<br />
TTFN!<br />
<br />
Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-74242774812628833162012-12-22T07:32:00.000-06:002012-12-23T05:57:32.050-06:00Recipe #26: White Chocolate Peppermint BarkEvery year, around the holidays, I bake way too much. For the last 3 years, peppermint bark has been on my list. This year, I wanted to change it up a bit. In the past, I followed <a href="http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/185194/peppermint-bark">this </a>recipe exactly. I've never been disappointed with it, and I liked how it was layered with milk chocolate and white chocolate.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62-LWuWud9TWScqTWV2TxJgDVQxlQrMIv__7dOCHVy7oiridW9-XHygb12kx2ejwf0YSBy0A-2xmKdImjP8qoh5NCLraCwm40vZb-UdP4JLZ57YnbxLVqfWnTkc214OoJaVyeHlCaRSHh/s1600/100_2575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62-LWuWud9TWScqTWV2TxJgDVQxlQrMIv__7dOCHVy7oiridW9-XHygb12kx2ejwf0YSBy0A-2xmKdImjP8qoh5NCLraCwm40vZb-UdP4JLZ57YnbxLVqfWnTkc214OoJaVyeHlCaRSHh/s320/100_2575.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Ingredients:<br />
*16 oz (4 bars) of high quality white chocolate<br />
*2 teaspoons of canola oil<br />
*1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract<br />
*25 peppermint candies, crushed<br />
*1/4 to 1/2 cup of mini milk chocolate chips<br />
<br />
Prepare a 9x13 dish, lined with wax paper or parchment paper and set it aside.<br />
<br />
Pour the canola oil into the top of a double boiler. (The water under the double boiler should be gently boiling.) Break up the white chocolate bars into small pieces, and add them to the canola oil. Stir frequently to allow all of the chocolate to melt. As you're stirring, scrape the sides with a rubber spatula to help prevent the chocolate from burning. Once the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the peppermint extract.<br />
<br />
Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan, and top with the crushed peppermint candies and mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate until hardened, and then break up into small pieces. Easy as that!!<br />
<br />
My husband loves this every year. I hope you do too!!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-34634228963448735882012-10-20T15:18:00.001-05:002012-10-20T15:21:02.070-05:00Recipe #25 - Baked *Insert Pasta Here*I was looking for something very easy when I came across this recipe... and it delivered! The original recipe calls for ravioli, but I used tortellini. I think it'll work just fine with whatever kind of pasta you want!<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
*25 oz frozen pasta<br />
*1 jar of marinara sauce<br />
*2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese<br />
*parmesan cheese, for sprinkling<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400*. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of pasta into the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of the pasta in the baking dish. Top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat layers, starting with the pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired.<br />
<br />
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes prior to serving.<br />
<br />
TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-72279332378282583072012-10-20T14:47:00.001-05:002012-10-20T15:18:19.618-05:00Recipe #24 - Sour Cream Chicken EnchiladasThis recipe is actually not too difficult. The worst part was shredding the chicken... but it was worth every minute. It's actually two different recipes combined. The first recipe is for the enchiladas, originally found <a href="http://mexican.food.com/recipe/cheese-and-chicken-enchiladas-177003">here</a>. The second recipe is for the sour cream sauce, originally found <a href="http://mexican.food.com/recipe/simply-sour-cream-chicken-enchiladas-129926">here</a>. (The sour cream sauce recipe also has a recipe for the enchiladas, but the first one sounded better to me, so I combined the two!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9dg329Pc4Xo_2yUZeNcnnyGIlLpzv-C_Ii8_RPktaGGd6-FapxxA_qmex6IEnFHzW5agWSIrEBoVR6Y-tJYWK6mp71fSJfKi2MYT9pNG5vDV0gxndh5rcNkol4A5ELnp-MhL4qV_JTIq/s1600/100_2541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb9dg329Pc4Xo_2yUZeNcnnyGIlLpzv-C_Ii8_RPktaGGd6-FapxxA_qmex6IEnFHzW5agWSIrEBoVR6Y-tJYWK6mp71fSJfKi2MYT9pNG5vDV0gxndh5rcNkol4A5ELnp-MhL4qV_JTIq/s320/100_2541.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Ingredients (for both recipes):<br />
*1.5 cups of cooked chicken breasts, shredded<br />
*1 medium onion (optional)<br />
*3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, divided<br />
*3/4 cup of salsa **modified from the original recipe<br />
*4 oz of reduced fat cream cheese<br />
*8 tortillas<br />
*1/4 cup of butter<br />
*1/4 cup of flour<br />
*1 15 oz can of chicken broth<br />
*1 cup of sour cream<br />
*1 4 oz can of chopped green chilies (optional)<br />
*fresh cilantro (optional)<br />
<br />
To prepare the chicken enchiladas:<br />
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large skillet with non stick cooking spray. Add onion (if using one) and cook over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Add chicken, 1/2 cup of cheese, salsa and cream cheese. Heat and stir until cheese is melted. Spoon 1/3 cup of chicken mixture into tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a 9x13 baking dish.<br />
<br />
To prepare the sour cream sauce:<br />
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Stir the flour in to make a roux, stirring and cooking until bubbly. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, stirring frequently, until boiling. Remove from heat and add sour cream and green chilies (if used). Stir until smooth.<br />
<br />
Pour the sour cream sauce over the rolled enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese, and fresh cilantro, if desired. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.<br />
<br />
TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-14299726582820824042012-10-20T14:20:00.001-05:002012-10-20T15:18:34.426-05:00Recipe #23 - Slow Cooker Beef StewI had some beef already cut up and ready to use stored in my deep freezer, so I searched for a new recipe to try it in. That's when I found this recipe for <a href="http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=606551">Slow Cooker Beef Stew</a>. It was very good, and so easy!<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
*2 tblsp olive oil<br />
*1.5 lbs of boneless sirloin, diced into 1 inch pieces<br />
*1.5 tsp of kosher salt, divided<br />
*1/2 tsp pepper, divided<br />
*2 tblsp all purpose flour<br />
*2 med onions, each cut into 8 wedges<br />
*8 garlic cloves, crushed<br />
*1/4 cup white cooking wine<br />
*1 cup beef stock<br />
*2 tblsp tomato paste<br />
*3 bay leaves<br />
*1 tblsp thyme<br />
*1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, drained<br />
*3 cups of potatoes, diced into 1 inch pieces<br />
*2 cups of carrots, diced into 1 inch pieces<br />
<br />
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle beef with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. Cover beef with flour, until well coated. Place beef in skillet, until all sides are browned. Dump beef into crock pot.<br />
<br />
Add garlic and onions to skillet and sauté for 5 minutes. (I did not use onions, only the garlic, so I only sautéed for about 2-3 minutes, until the garlic was fragrant.) Add wine to skillet, scraping bottom of pan to loosen up browned bits. (I did not have white cooking wine so I just used a small splash of some white zin I had on hand.) Add mixture to crock pot.<br />
<br />
Top beef and onion/garlic mixture with remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until beef is tender. I stirred about every 2 hours. With about 1-2 hours left, I realized the veggies were not as tender as I would have liked. I turned up the heat to high and cooked for about another 45-60 minutes, and it was perfect. Top with remaining salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zX2xLrLLQaSm7CI9CZsiBUsN-GCYlonDtmVsGP4tZY8jCdO8CNIXKZKwqq7IFCsgRpJgvOo0H0pHv6VsvaemilKEqlp5IRz9y9zIHactE_7DRW-r6HnO7uvPwSlm8H2nDBRlTrFeRWbB/s1600/100_2548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zX2xLrLLQaSm7CI9CZsiBUsN-GCYlonDtmVsGP4tZY8jCdO8CNIXKZKwqq7IFCsgRpJgvOo0H0pHv6VsvaemilKEqlp5IRz9y9zIHactE_7DRW-r6HnO7uvPwSlm8H2nDBRlTrFeRWbB/s320/100_2548.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Enjoy! TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-33941584502622114362012-09-09T18:53:00.000-05:002012-09-09T18:53:29.630-05:00Recipe #22 - Mini Marble CheesecakesIt was a co-workers birthday, so I ventured out and tried another new recipe from my OREO With a Twist Cookbook. For starters, let me make a statement that I don't eat cheesecake. I don't like the texture. If I'm not sure whether or not I should chew something, I usually don't eat it. Now, with that being said, I loved these, but more on that later...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ebYqhK-3LIbngWlPnpAhYy4H-5DQ9iIpDSORDI0rBYIU2ucJseBpUU7SJDn68pEsh9gMmbwOE5JQmmfc6I_zgnDMtvpqWZSgqlFvWIrQoS_2JF0T3B-ZnkODfBiBdCa-H2sbceHswg2s/s1600/100_2536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ebYqhK-3LIbngWlPnpAhYy4H-5DQ9iIpDSORDI0rBYIU2ucJseBpUU7SJDn68pEsh9gMmbwOE5JQmmfc6I_zgnDMtvpqWZSgqlFvWIrQoS_2JF0T3B-ZnkODfBiBdCa-H2sbceHswg2s/s320/100_2536.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Ingredients:<br />
*24 OREOs, divided (The recipe calls for regular, next time, I'm using Double Stuf)<br />
*2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened<br />
*1/2 cup sugar<br />
*2 eggs<br />
*1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
*2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted, cooled<br />
<br />
Line muffin pan with muffin pan cups, and place 1 OREO at the bottom of each cup (16 total). Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until the mixture is smooth. Set aside 1/2 cup of batter. Spoon the remaining mixture even into the 16 prepared muffin cups.<br />
<br />
Mix the extra 1/2 cup of batter with the melted chocolate. Spoon a small amount (about a teaspoon) onto the center of the previously filled muffin cups. Swirl the batters together to create a marbled effect. The original recipe says to use a knife, but I used a toothpick. <br />
<br />
Bake at 350* for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is set and slightly puffed. I baked these in my convection oven, at 325*, and 20 minutes was too long to cook them, just FYI. Next time, I'll probably check on them at around 17 minutes. Cool then refrigerate until time to serve. Garnish the mini cheesecakes with the remaining OREOs.<br />
<br />
The reason I loved these so much was because the OREO in the bottom didn't get very soggy - it just barely softened. With that being said, though, one OREO was not big enough to take up the entire bottom of the cup. I kind of wonder if large crumbles of OREOs would hold together well enough so that there could be more OREOs that take up the entire bottom. I guess anything that allows me to eat more OREOs is fine by me... :)<br />
<br />
Happy Baking! TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-43901913414807888042012-07-21T11:01:00.002-05:002012-07-21T11:01:30.440-05:00Recipe #21: Summertime Chicken TacosHere is where I originally found the recipe: <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/summertime-chicken-tacos-320869">http://www.food.com/recipe/summertime-chicken-tacos-320869</a>.<br />
<br />
Once again, I failed to snap any pictures... sorry! :(<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
*1/3 cup of olive oil<br />
*1/4 cup of lime juice<br />
*4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
*1 tblsp minced fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley flakes<br />
*1 tsp ground cumin<br />
*1 tsp dried oregano<br />
*1/2 tsp salt (optional)<br />
*1/4 tsp pepper<br />
*4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves<br />
<br />
In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the all ingredients and blend well. Add the chicken, turning to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken uncovered over medium heat until cooked through.<br />
<br />
Serve in soft or crunchy taco shells with favorite taco toppings. (We actually served it over lettuce and had chicken taco salads!) I thought the chicken was wonderful - it stayed extremely moist and tender, and had wonderful flavor. The one thing I changed about the recipe was that I used fresh cilantro rather than parsley. I was worried how it might affect the flavor, but it wasn't that noticeable in my opinion!<br />
<br />
We will definitely be doing this again! TTFN!<br />
<br />Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-81475197436302735142012-07-19T19:39:00.000-05:002012-07-19T19:39:19.948-05:00Recipe #20 - OREO Cereal BarsOHHHH another recipe from the OREO with a Twist cookbook. :) I think these are my favorite recipes to post, since they're my favorite to eat. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of these... we ate them way too quickly. Picture this - rice crispy treats, minus the rice crispies, plus cheerios and OREO pieces.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
*32 OREO cookies (1 package)<br />
*4 cups of cereal - I used multigrain Cheerios<br />
*1/3 cup of butter or margarine<br />
*1 10.5 ounce package of mini marshmallows<br />
<br />
Spray a 13x9x2 pan and a large rubber spatula with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Place the cookies in a large plastic bag to coarsely crush the cookies. Put crushed cookies and cereal into a large bowl, and stir together with a wooden spoon.<br />
<br />
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the butter and marshmallows are melted and smooth, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon. Once the mixture is smooth, immediately pour over the cereal and cookies, and quickly mix everything together. Pour the mixture into the greased pan, and press down using the rubber scraper. Let stand until set. Use a knife to cut the cereal bars into squares and store in an airtight container.<br />
<br />
Enjoy! TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-79305806262527264162012-07-08T11:07:00.000-05:002012-07-08T11:07:58.606-05:00Recipe #19 - Fajita marinadeThis past weekend, we had a few friends over for dinner. I wanted to make fajitas and all of the fixins', but I didn't want to buy the pre-seasoned fajita meat. I looked for a marinade I could try. The original recipe is here: <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/chilis-fajitas-8595">http://www.food.com/recipe/chilis-fajitas-8595</a>.<br />
<br />
The ingredients below are based on either one pound of top sirloin or one pound of chicken breast.<br />
<br />
Meat Marinade Ingredients:<br />
*1/4 cup lime juice<br />
*1/3 cup water<br />
*2 tblsp olive oil<br />
*4 garlic cloves, crushed<br />
*2 tsp soy sauce (I used low sodium)<br />
*1 tsp salt<br />
*1/2 tsp liquid smoke<br />
*1/2 tsp cayenne pepper<br />
*1/4 tsp black pepper<br />
<br />
Mix all ingredients and marinade the meat overnight. Grill meat over an open flame, flipping every 5-6 minutes, until thoroughly cooked. Thinly slice the meat. Set aside and keep warm.<br />
<br />
Fajita Vegetable Ingredients:<br />
*1 small onion<br />
*1 small red bell pepper<br />
*1 small green bell pepper<br />
*2 tblsp water<br />
*1 tblsp olive oil<br />
*1 tsp soy sauce<br />
*1/2 tsp lime juice<br />
*1 dash salt<br />
*1 dash black pepper<br />
<br />
Thinly slice all vegetables, and set them aside. Mix remaining ingredients together in a large frying pan. Add sliced vegetables to the frying pan and cook them until brown. Add sliced meat to frying pan.<br />
<br />
Let me first start by saying that I was really nervous about the marinade. I didn't like the way it smelled, so I was worried that would translate to not a good flavor. We cooked both steak and chicken. Both meats were so incredibly good! I was surprised by how juicy and tender the chicken was. This is definitely a keeper recipe, and it was so easy! I'll be saving this for game watching parties and tailgates!!<br />
<br />
TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-57004702885976928642012-07-03T21:15:00.000-05:002012-07-03T21:15:38.553-05:00Recipe #18 - Bacon Wrapped Chicken BreastsWe actually tried this recipe about 3 or 4 weeks ago - I just have not had a minute to post the recipe! This is another find from Food.com. I've actually found a lot of really tasty recipes from their site lately. Here is the original recipe: <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/bacon-wrapped-smoked-gouda-stuffed-chicken-breasts-111169">http://www.food.com/recipe/bacon-wrapped-smoked-gouda-stuffed-chicken-breasts-111169</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcV_i5PH1YHeybaevk3Conp9_S-Nt1ptJqBc3ubWwk4vTAx035mghDP3HB6X3CVx193y1PFpjO9Xon1-bKEcTEtSlikgXxcNWnttZVIt40WOQ4W1M88l4PEMxOhwUvWOPt0XiTvmzTCqLa/s1600/100_2495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcV_i5PH1YHeybaevk3Conp9_S-Nt1ptJqBc3ubWwk4vTAx035mghDP3HB6X3CVx193y1PFpjO9Xon1-bKEcTEtSlikgXxcNWnttZVIt40WOQ4W1M88l4PEMxOhwUvWOPt0XiTvmzTCqLa/s320/100_2495.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Ingredients:<br />
*4 boneless chicken breasts<br />
*4 slices of bacon<br />
*3 to 4 oz of cheese<br />
*1/4 tsp cayenne pepper<br />
*1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
*1/2 tsp paprika<br />
*1/2 tsp pepper<br />
<br />
Flatten the chicken breasts to approximately 1/4" thick. Combine the cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika and pepper. Coat both sides of the chicken with the spices. Place small piece of cheese on the chicken and roll up firmly. Wrap each chicken breast with a piece of bacon. In a skillet, brown the bacon wrapped chicken over medium heat until bacon begins to crisp. Remove from skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.<br />
<br />
The original recipe calls for smoked gouda cheese. I didn't have any on hand and used feta cheese the first time I made this. I thought it was good, but I want to try it with a different cheese next time. I had a hard time getting the chicken as flat as the recipe called for, which made it really thick when I rolled it up, and it needed to cook longer. The recipe was really good, though, and I'll definitely be trying it again!<br />
<br />
TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-36303373364170606762012-07-03T21:02:00.000-05:002012-07-03T21:02:14.799-05:00Recipe #17 - Pepper Lime ChickenWell hey there! It's been a while! :)<br />
<br />
I originally got this recipe from Food.com: <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/dump-pepper-lime-chicken-112931">http://www.food.com/recipe/dump-pepper-lime-chicken-112931</a>. It was very easy to make on a Sunday afternoon and throw in the fridge for a "quick" meal later in the week. It will definitely be made in my house again, and I'll probably make up a larger batch to freeze some additional meals.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
*1/2 tsp lime peel<br />
*2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
*1/4 cup lime juice<br />
*1 tsp pepper<br />
*1 tblsp olive oil<br />
*1 tsp basil<br />
*1/4 tsp salt<br />
*4 chicken breasts<br />
<br />
Combine all ingredients in a freezer bag. Add chicken to bag and coat well. Marinate the chicken over night in the fridge, or place in the freezer for later use. When you're ready to cook the chicken, bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350.<br />
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The original recipe says to serve over rice, which I did not. I probably will next time, though! The best thing about this recipe was how tender the chicken was. It was wonderful!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkycgCkHgbgtmqEboEG1YEfiw-D93mDJrjudWFPjn3UjYjA8YCjdc1rS0cYeMtBPOstF0Dw4YbXSHI7fvhKBsZJW-fxyigfRgOrghy0KiaMWbjq8eJQZvjwYYWIpswCOKD0ZFk3dNNI8eH/s1600/100_2505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkycgCkHgbgtmqEboEG1YEfiw-D93mDJrjudWFPjn3UjYjA8YCjdc1rS0cYeMtBPOstF0Dw4YbXSHI7fvhKBsZJW-fxyigfRgOrghy0KiaMWbjq8eJQZvjwYYWIpswCOKD0ZFk3dNNI8eH/s320/100_2505.JPG" /></a></div><br />
TTFN!<br />
<br />Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-5143439849882826352012-05-22T19:13:00.002-05:002012-05-22T19:13:30.906-05:00Recipe #16 - OREO Crunch BarsI finally busted out another recipe from the <i>Oreo With a Twist</i> cookbook... and it did not disappoint! :) In case you missed the first one, <a href="http://ruslie.blogspot.com/2012/04/recipe-12-chocolate-volcano-oreo.html">here ya go</a>!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqzFZQkZBbGn9Jhy8Z5YkO9NMSj2qA91pjeZtGJW-dsgilBDPKHox7mKthkheSPax_UAqbpBrg8W7tyiHnon0W8h6Q24JTeJp4AfRdwCNkBRLIDVln6AfljBKFrgKHIVgdwoHTVk_88qV/s1600/IMG_2821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqzFZQkZBbGn9Jhy8Z5YkO9NMSj2qA91pjeZtGJW-dsgilBDPKHox7mKthkheSPax_UAqbpBrg8W7tyiHnon0W8h6Q24JTeJp4AfRdwCNkBRLIDVln6AfljBKFrgKHIVgdwoHTVk_88qV/s320/IMG_2821.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Ingredients:<br />
*34 OREO cookies, divided<br />
*1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted<br />
*1 7.5oz jar of marshmallow creme<br />
*1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips<br />
*1/3 c chopped nuts, optional<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350. Coarsely chop 8 OREO cookies, set aside. Finely crush the remaining cookies and mix with the melted butter. Firmly press the cookie crust onto the bottom of a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan (I actually used a 9" round pan...). Drop the marshmallow creme by spoonfuls onto the cookie crust, coming within about a 1/2 inch of the edges. (I found the marshmallow creme hard to spread once it was on the crust, so it needed a little TLC.) Sprinkle remaining OREOs, chocolate chips and nuts over the top. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the marshmallow creme puffs. Cool completely on a wire rack.<br />
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I made this recipe for work, so I did not use nuts, for not knowing about allergies. Next time, I will try them, at least on half. Rather than original OREOs, I used Double Stuf OREOs for the recipe. There aren't 34 in the package, so the numbers are a little bit altered for the first part. I coarsely chopped 6, instead of 8, and then used the remaining cookies for the crust. It was quite delish.<br />
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TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-1276541328565373612012-05-09T20:54:00.001-05:002012-05-09T20:54:21.685-05:00Recipe #15 - Baked Corn on the CobI do realize that I've more or less disappeared lately... I haven't slowed down on trying new recipes though! I have a few to catch up on.<br />
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Corn is a really popular vegetable in our house. During the spring/summer months, I like buying the ears of corn at the grocery store, rather than canned. Something about it just seems... fun?? Anyway, we ran out of propane for the grill, so I was in need of an alternative way to cook them.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
*Ear(s) of corn, cleaned and completely free of husks and silk fibers<br />
*Foil square<br />
*Butter<br />
*Salt<br />
*Pepper<br />
*any other seasonings, to taste<br />
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Preheat the oven to 425. Butter and season the foil squares. Place one ear of corn per foil square, and wrap the corn. I usually wrap it a little loose, but still closed. Bake approximately 30 to 40 minutes, until corn is soft, turning over once halfway through.<br />
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Enjoy!! TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-58368689804547277192012-04-10T19:11:00.004-05:002012-04-10T19:27:35.496-05:00Recipe #14 - Chicken and Brown Rice PilafMy mom gets a Kraft Foods magazine every so often. I used to get it, but it randomly stopped. Oh well. It always has a lot of good looking recipes, and I'll honestly admit I've tried quite a few!! So far, I tried 2 from the recent magazine she let me borrow. The first one, yuck! This second one, yummy!! <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chicken-brown-rice-pilaf-132476.aspx">Here </a>is the link to Kraft's website with the original recipe. I'm only going to show my modified recipe below!<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />*3-4 slices of bacon, chopped<br />*4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb)<br />*1 bag of frozen broccoli<br />*water<br />*2 tblsp grated Parmesan cheese<br />*2 cups hot cooked long-grain brown rice<br /><br />Prepare the rice according to the directions on the package. I haven't mastered making brown rice yet... it always seems dry. I'm working on it though. In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon, until crisp (about 6-7 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, scoop the bacon pieces out of the skillet, leaving the grease. Lay the bacon pieces on a paper towel covered plate, to drain excess grease.<br /><br />Before adding chicken to the skillet, make sure it's cut into small sections, or somewhat flattened, to allow it to cook a little faster. My chicken pieces were too plump, resulting in very crispy outsides. Add the chicken to the skillet, cooking about 6-8 minutes on each side, until its golden brown and cooked all the way through. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add broccoli to skillet, along with a small amount of water (enough to cover the bottom of the skillet). Cover. Cook until broccoli is tender. Add rice and bacon to skillet with broccoli. Mix well. Top rice mixture with bacon pieces and chicken, and ta da!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAGpVtvTyBma6ff6jLh_OcnXO9Z_b5PeKpgYopB9aNeJwmHuGKuIInbCeug3pxhnmVp361gFSWAkq6D6KIAzzuuR4IA448Nz9A6SWza87l-xQ6bbBpUtNpU8K4BfuZVP0eEbYhi6yPcC0/s1600/100_2468.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAGpVtvTyBma6ff6jLh_OcnXO9Z_b5PeKpgYopB9aNeJwmHuGKuIInbCeug3pxhnmVp361gFSWAkq6D6KIAzzuuR4IA448Nz9A6SWza87l-xQ6bbBpUtNpU8K4BfuZVP0eEbYhi6yPcC0/s320/100_2468.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729932592637019634" /></a><br /><br />So the original recipe only uses two strips of bacon, but OH MY the bacon was my favorite part. That's why I increased it to 3-4 slices here. I'll be trying it that way next time. I don't know what about it made the rest of it WONDERFUL! We prefer broccoli, so that is why I used it, rather than the other veggies. Plus, it's what I had on hand. I will try it with snap peas, once, though.<br /><br />This was a very yummy and relatively easy meal! I'll definitely make it again.<br /><br />TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366213456248044452.post-39799708223983242582012-04-09T19:47:00.006-05:002012-04-09T19:57:22.449-05:00FOLLOW UP: Recipe #12<a href="http://ruslie.blogspot.com/2012/04/recipe-12-chocolate-volcano-oreo.html">Here </a>is a link to the original post...<br /><br />So I tried these again for Easter, because I knew I could do a better job than I did the first time I made them. I found a mistake that I made... I used a box of Devil's Food cake mix that was too small - it was only 15.25 oz, not 18.25 oz like the recipe called for. In all honestly, the taste was the same. The only noticeable difference was the texture of the cupcakes. The first time, they were more brownie like. This second time, they were more cake-y.<br /><br />The biggest difference, in my opinion, was the frosting. Instead of using a store bought can, I made a butter cream frosting from scratch. YUM! Here is the blog where I found this recipe - <a href="http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/">http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/</a>. This was actually the second time I've made it, and I was not disappointed! I also used it last year on Rylan's 1st birthday cake. The recipe, as she calls for, makes a lot of frosting. I don't put a ton of frosting on my cupcakes, so I initially cut the recipe in half. I still had some frosting left over, after I iced a batch of 24 cupcakes. Hopefully this will help give you an idea of what to make.<br /><br />TTFN!Rusliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17432627837413437679noreply@blogger.com0