Baby Shower!

My baby sister is having a baby!  I am so excited to be an aunt. I can't wait for him to get here, only a few more weeks to go!  This weekend two of her best friends, my mom and I, threw her a baby shower. It was so fun to plan. 

Her nursery theme is nautical and Pirates. So we used pirates as our shower theme. 

My favorite thing about the whole shower was the cake. We found the cutest cake on Pinterest and her friend found a baker that made it perfect! Isn't he adorable?

We also did a "candy bar" with lots if goodies. I think everyone liked it. Bags of candy were filled and we also bought the cutest pirate ship cookies for favors. 

My sister was beautiful and I think she had a great time. She got lots of baby goodies and gift cards!  

Expanding My Blog

I have been wanting to expand my blog to more than recipes...Its really hard to start!!  My first thought is that no one wants to read what I have to say...but then I realized no one reads this blog anyway!!!  Then its hard to decide what to write to get started...it has to be something good right?  

If I keep waiting for the perfect topic to write about I guess I will never start!  

I figured I'd start with summer books.  I am not a very avid reader but I have my spurts.  This is the best time of the year for reading and books.  Beginning of summer, pool time, nothing on tv, and all the new books come out from my favorite authors!  

Some I have just read are:

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (the actress from Parenthood)

Easy read and good story.  It is not supposed to be based on her life, but seems like it might be close.  

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (author of the Kite Runner)

I loved The Kite Runner and this book was good.  Story of making sacrifices for your children.  

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger

The Devil Wears Prada was one of my favorite books and Weisberger is a guilty-pleasure author.  I always look forward to her books.  I am in the middle of this one and it is pretty good...not the original...but still entertaining.  

Looking forward to a few more books:  

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld (author of Prep and one of my favorites American Wife)

The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan (author of Commencement)

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

Dr. Seuss!

Yum!!!

Impulse but at the grocery store. These were so good!!!  I can't wait to get another bag. Maybe I'll try cinnamon sugar next time. 

Skillet Pasta & Beef

Easy meal and plenty for the whole family.

Need:
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups water
8 oz. uncooked rotini pasta
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Brown ground beef in a 12-inch skillet. Drain.

Stir in sauce and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in rotini; return to a boil. Reduce heat and cook covered, stirring occasionally, 14 minutes or until rotini is tender.

Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese Let stand covered until cheese is melted.

Quick dinner with Campbell's Sauce

Tonight's dinner was a new product from Campbell's that I picked up because it was super on sale. I was pleasantly surprised, it was so good! I served with egg noodles and green beans. Quick and even my little guy loved it!
It is new and can be found with the sauces at the grocery store. It's in a pouch. I can't wait to try the shrimp scampi one I got!

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

A good friend just requested this recipe for fruit salsa with homemade cinnamon chips.  I haven't  made it in a long time but it is one of my favorites!  So, I thought I would add this to my blog!  

Fruit salsa:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 apples, cored and diced
1 pound fresh strawberries, diced
1 (8oz.) package frozen raspberries, thawed
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
3 Tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (apricot, raspberry, strawberry...)

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.  
Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes.  

Cinnamon Chips:
10-inch flour tortillas
cinnamon sugar mixture
Pam spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut tortillas into strips or triangles.  Spray baking sheet with Pam.  Arrange tortilla pieces on baking stone or cookie sheet and spray with water.  
Sprinkle "chips" with cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Bake 8-10 minutes, until chips are crispy.  Serve immediately.  


This is a great treat for a party!  If you make some, please invite me over!  Enjoy!  

Academy Awards and Baked Potatoes!

Yum!  Just made some really yummy baked potatoes.  I have been trying to make the perfect baked potato (oil, foil, bake, microwave...).  
So tonight here's how I made them:

Preheat oven to 375.
Wash and pierce each potato.
Microwave each potato for 6 minutes (turning after 3 minutes).
Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes.  

The skin was crusty (but we don't eat them anyway).  The potato was perfect!  
Of course we add lots of butter, sour cream, shredded cheese and salt/pepper!

Easy Crockpot chicken and stuffing

I found this easy recipe on Pinterest.  I LOVE when I find a recipe and I already have all the ingredients on hand.  This was so quick and simple.  The chicken was moist and yummy.  I served it with mash potatoes, but probably could be eaten alone with a salad or vegetable.  Be careful though, it is a crockpot meal but only takes 4 hours on low...I think it would dry out if left too much longer.  Enjoy!  

Ingredients:

• 4 thawed chicken breasts
• 6 oz. package of Stove top stuffing (I used Chicken)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup water

Put chicken breasts in the crock pot (I sprayed  the crock pot with Pam before adding the chicken).

Cover with dry stuffing.

Mix sour cream, cream of chicken soup and water in a small bowl.

Spread mixture over chicken and stuffing.

Cook on low for 4 hours.  

Fluff and serve!  

Outback's Alice Springs Chicken

My husband's favorite at Outback Steakhouse is the Alice Springs Chicken.  I found a recipe  that "claimed" to be a copy of that dish and the honey mustard.  So we tried it tonight and it was delicious!  A big hit!

The honey mustard recipe calls for it to chill overnight.  We did not do that, I am never that prepared.  I let it chill while I made dinner and it was great.  

Alice Spring's Chicken

Need:

4 boneless chicken breasts
seasoning salt (I used Tastefully Simple)
6 slices of bacon, cut in half
1/4 cup mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons mayo
1/2 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 cups shredded Colby/Jack cheese

Directions:

Sprinkle and rub chicken breasts with seasoning salt.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  

Cook bacon until crispy.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl mix mustard, honey, mayo and onion flakes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Place chicken in skillet and saute for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until browned. Move chicken to a 9x9 or 9x13 baking dish.  

Top chicken with honey mustard mixture, mushrooms, bacon and cheese.  (Next time I will wait to add the cheese for the last 5 minutes - it got a little too brown)

Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken is done.  

Serve with honey mustard sauce (recipe below) to dip.  

Honey Mustard Sauce (I only made half of this recipe and it was plenty for the 3 of us)

Need:

1/2 cup mayo
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. Cover and chill overnight (I did not chill overnight).  Serve with chicken.  

Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe is a quick and easy dinner I have made a few times.  It is perfect for a night you are craving comfort food without the heavy pie crust.  I usually buy a rotisserie chicken to use for this meal - quick and easy!

What you need: 

1 can (10-3/4 oz. condensed cream of chicken soup

3/4 cup sour cream, divided

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, green beans, peas) thawed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup all-purpose baking mix (Bisquick)

3 Tbsp. milk

Make it:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine soup and 1/2 cup sour cream in 8-inch square baking dish.  Stir in chicken, vegetables and cheese.

Mix baking mix, remaining sour cream and milk just until mixture forms soft dough.

Spoon into 6 mounds over chicken mixture.  Bake until biscuits are golden brown and chicken mixture is hot and bubbly.  

www.kraftrecipes.com

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Happy New Year!  I hope 2013 is going to be a great year.  I know cooking at home is one of my resolutions.  Most of the things I make test better than food out anyway!  I always feel good when something I cook makes my boys happy.  

One of my best friends made this meal for us and it was so yummy!  The leftovers were even better.  So, Tuesday night I made it myself.  YUM!  This is now one of my favorites.  

The original recipe says this makes 4 servings...it makes at least 6 large portions.


Chicken and Rice Casserole

4 Boneless chicken breasts

4 cupsRice; cooked

1 12-oz canCream of celery soup

1 12-oz canCream of chicken soup

1 12-oz canBroccoli and cheese soup

1 cupVelveeta cheese; cubed

2 cupscheese; Shredded

2 cups cooked Broccoli Preheat oven to 350. Boil chicken breasts with your seasoning  preferences and allow to cool. Cube chicken breasts and set aside. Mix together cream of celery, cream of chicken, and broccoli and cheese soups. Layer cooked rice at the bottom of casserole pan. Mix the chicken and broccoli into the soup mixture.  Sprinkle the cubed Velveeta cheese onto the rice. Spoon soup, chicken, and broccoli mixture on top of the rice layer. Sprinkle top with shreaded cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and browned (I baked for about 25-30 minutes).

Chicken, Broccoli and Potato Divan

Chicken, Broccoli & Potato Divan

I have been slacking a bit with the holidays on dinner and my blog.  I made this recipe a few weeks before Christmas and it was really good.  

I always have a tub of the new Philadelphia cooking creme in the refrigerator, it is great for a quick meal.  

What You Need

1/2 cup KRAFT Tuscan House Italian Dressing
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb.)
1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Savory Garlic Cooking Creme
1/2 cup milk
1 pkg. (20 oz.) refrigerated sliced potatoes
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Make It

Heat oven to 375ºF. Pour dressing over chicken in shallow dish; turn to evenly coat both sides of each breast. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.
Mix cooking creme and milk in large bowl until blended. Add potatoes, broccoli and 1/2 cup shredded cheese; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. 
Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken over vegetable mixture; sprinkle with pepper. Cover.
Bake 1 hour or until chicken is done (165ºF), uncovering and sprinkling with remaining shredded cheese after 45 min. 

http://www.kraftfoods.com