Website has moved!!

Good news!! I have created a new blog along with a new name! The new blog is called Sprinkle N' Simmer and I am super excited about it. I have moved over all of my receipes from Chew On This to the new blog and have added some new ones as well. Thank you to those that have followed be thus far and I hope that you continue to follow me at www.sprinklensimmer.com. If you are currently receiving e-mail notifications you will no longer receive those until you go to the new site and subscribe by e-mail. Thank you!!

Blueberry Muffins

Happy 4th of July! Its so nice to have a day off work mid-week to sit back and relax with friends and family. I had some extra blueberries left over that needed to be used so I thought I'd use them to create something for breakfast this morning. I don't make muffins too often because my husband and I love buying them from a local bakery but that is definitely going to change. These were so simple to make and tasted phenomenal. They were full of flavor yet light at the same time. This was the perfect start to our holiday followed by pool time with friends and dinner with the family. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 cup fresh blueberries

Streusel Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp and 2 tsp flour

2 tbsp butter, cubed

3/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, Grease or line 8 muffin wells with liners.

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix the egg mixture with the flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Pour into muffin cups; fill to the top.

To make the streusel topping, combine all listed ingredients and mix well with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over tops of muffins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Source: Annie's Eats

Individual Fruit Pizza's

Every year around the 4th of July we host a party at our house and the golf course near us lets off fireworks. It is always a great time with friends and family and great food of course. I wanted to make something festive and planned to make a big fruit pizza and then realized I don't own a round pan to make it on so I went with individual "pizza's". I chose to use strawberries and blueberries given the holiday but you could use any fruit you'd like. This was the quick version so if you have a favorite homemade sugar cookie I am sure it would work out great. 

Ingredients:

1 Package Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

8 oz cream cheese, softened

7 oz marshmallow fluff

1/2 tub cool whip

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Desired Fruit

Directions:

Prepare sugar cookies as directed on package and let cool completely. 

With electric mixer mix cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, and confectioners sugar. Fold in cool whip. 

Frost cookies and top with desired fruit. Store in the refrigerator.

Overnight Oats

Breakfast is not something I typically put a lot of time and thought into. My weekday breakfast usually consists of a cereal bar and then peanut butter toast on the weekends. I don't have time in the morning to make an omelet and honestly I am way too lazy to do that before going into work. That being said I have been on a search for something natural and easy for breakfast. I wasn't sure how oatmeal would be cold but it is fantastic! This is such an easy and healthy breakfast that I could seriously eat every day. The combinations of fresh fruit, dried fruit, and nuts are endless. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup oats (old fashioned or quick oats)

1 1/4 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons of honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Desired Fruit and Nuts

Directions:

Mix oats, milk, honey, and cinnamon together in a medium size bowl. Refrigerate overnight. Top each serving with fruit and nuts.

*Serves 4, recipe can be doubled.

Bangin' Grilled Shrimp Skewers

I love when summer arrives and we can start using the grill outside. It makes for so much more options when it comes to dinner options. I wasn't too sure if my husband would enjoy these because I thought they would be too spicy for him but they are not spicy at all. In fact if you like spice you may want to increase the sriracha. If you have never used sriracha, you are missing out and need to buy some ASAP. You can buy the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce at your normal grocery store but I really like the one at Trader Joe's. The creamy chili sauce is delicious and healthy! I can't wait to see what else this sauce will work with.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

2 1/2 tbsp light mayonnaise

2 tbsp scallions, chopped fine

1 1/2 tbsp Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

1/2 tsp Sriracha (or to taste)

For the Shrimp:

1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

Fresh cracked pepper

Oil spray


Directions:

Combine the mayo, scallions, sweet chili sauce and sriracha sauce in a small bowl.Set aside.

Place shrimp on metal skewers (if using wooden, make sure you soak the skewers in water for 20 minutes). Season the shrimp lightly with cracked pepper.

Heat lightly oiled grill to medium heat, when the grill is hot add the shrimp. Grill on both sides for about 6 - 8 minutes total cooking time or until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through.

Set shrimp aside on a platter and quickly brush sauce onto the shrimp; serve immediately.

Source: Skinny Taste

Easy Queso Dip

Two ingredients is all it takes to whip together a fabulous queso dip for your next get together. Velveeta Cheese and Rotel Diced Tomatoes, that's it! When you make this for your next party everyone will thank you for feeding them this cheesy goodness but you can leave out  the fact that it only took you five minutes to make ;)

Ingredients:

1 lb (16 oz) Velveeta block, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 can (10 oz) Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained

Directions:

Mix ingredients on stove top until melted. You can place in crock pot after to keep warm

Serve with Tortilla Chips

Tres Leches Cake

Happy Cinco De Mayo! If you are ever having a Mexican themed party and struggling what to have for dessert, this is it! Tres Leches Cake is unbelievably moist and has the perfect amount of sweetness. When I made this for my husband's work Cinco De Mayo party I planned to make a 100% homemade version of this cake but this Betty Crocker recipe was much more weekday baking friendly. The original recipe called for a tub of Betty Crocker white frosting but I decided on cool whip because I thought the frosting would make the cake too sweet. When you pour the three different milks over the cake you are going to think, there is no way the cake will soak up all this moisture in an hour, but trust me when I say it does.

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tub of Cool Whip

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease and flour or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Poke top of hot cake every 1/2 inch with  fork, wiping fork occasionally to reduce sticking. 

In large bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, whole milk and whipping cream. Carefully pour evenly over top of cake. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until mixture is absorbed into cake. Frost with Cool Whip. Store covered in refrigerator. 

Source: Betty Crocker 

Southwestern Breakfast Casserole

For a few years before I got married I would stay the night at my Grandma's house Christmas Eve and she would always make the best breakfast Christmas morning. She would make this breakfast casserole and an amazing cream cheese crescent bake (recipe to come soon). I would look forward to Christmas breakfast every year because it was the only time of year I had either of these dishes which are two of my favorites. I now like to make this breakfast casserole not only for breakfast on the holidays but it is a great "breakfast for dinner" meal. I used turkey bacon this past time to make a little "healthier" and it tasted great! You can use the left over cooked bacon for BLT's the next day :)

Ingredients:
 
1 pkg (12 oz)  frozen hashbrowns, thawed
5 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup picante sauce
1 cup (4 oz) shredded monterey jack or swiss cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions including tops sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 crisply cooked bacon strips crumbled

Directions:
 
Combine all except bacon; mix well.  Pour into lightly greased w/butter 9" pie plate or quiche pan.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until set and golden brown.  Remove from oven; sprinkle with bacon.

Continue baking 5 minutes.  Serve with additional picante sauce.  Makes 4-6 servings.

You can double and use an oblong baking dish or 2 pie plates. 

Chocolate Cake Cookies

Warning: These cookies are seriously addicting and they are the easiest cookies to make next to the already prepared nestle cookie squares.  It is the perfect combination of a moist chocolate cake and a chewy chocolaty cookie. The only problem is they are so light and fluffy they are hard to stop eating :)

Ingredients:

1 box Devils Food Cake mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl manually stir cake mix, oil, eggs, and vanilla  together until dough forms.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Put powdered sugar in shallow dish. Roll the balls in powdered sugar until covered and place on non-greased cookie sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes.

Pretzel Jello

Yes, you read the title of this post correctly. It's the perfect combination of salty and sweet. If you have never had this before bring it to your next gathering and I promise it will be a hit. I personally prefer my pretzel jello with raspberries but if you are not a fan you can use frozen strawberries and strawberry jello instead. The key to this dish is making sure you crush the pretzel's well enough. I have found that using a food processor works best, you just don't want big chunks of pretzels in the crust. While writing this post I really wish I had a piece of pretzel jello mmmm.

Ingredients:

2 cups of well crushed pretzels
3/4 cups melted butter
3 tbsp granulated sugar
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 cup confectioners sugar
8 oz cool whip
1 large box of raspberry jello
2 cups boiling water
2 packages (10 oz each) frozen raspberries

Directions:

Combine pretzels , butter, and sugar and spread over the bottom of a greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes. Let cool completely.

Beat cream cheese and confectioners sugar until fluffy. Fold in cool whip and spread over cooled crust. Make sure the crust is completely cooled because if it is warm it will lift as you spread the cream cheese mixture. Place in refrigerator (this is important, it needs to set)

Boil 2 cups of water and stir in jello until dissolved. Stir in frozen raspberries. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the jello and raspberry mixture on top of cream cheese layer. Do not try and pour the jello on top it will sink to the bottom and you will have red jello mess. Refrigerate overnight.

**If the top layer doesn't look pretty after refrigerating overnight, you can spread cool whip on top. I had to do this my first couple times making it.

White Bean Chicken Chili

Its official, soup does not photograph well. Not that my photo's are ever anything spectacular but this was a tricky one. Soooo don't judge this soup by the picture because it is outstanding. This is a great slow cooker chili that is probably a little different than the white bean chicken chili you are used to.The ingredients might make it sound like its really spicy but it isn't, I think it has the perfect kick to it. I typically won't eat the same thing back to back which is why I am terrible with left overs but with this its different. When I make it I have if for dinner that night and then for lunch the next 3 days.

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped cooked chicken

3 15 oz cans of Great Northern Beans, drained

1 32 oz box of chicken broth

1 16 oz jar mild salsa

1 8 oz package Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, cubed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Garnish with shredded cheese of your choice, sour cream, and jalapenos

Directions:

In a 6 quart electick slow cooker combine chicken, beans, broth, salsa, cheese, and cumin. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Pistachio Cake With Fudge Frosting

Every year for my birthday I pick pistachio cake for my birthday cake. The cake is so moist and like I have mentioned in previous posts the chocolate fudge frosting is pretty much the most amazing thing ever. I always thought this cake looked difficult with the way the yellow and chocolate cake are marbled but it is really simple. Now all I have to do is find the will power to not make this cake on a weekly basis. 

Ingredients:

Pistachio Cake:

1 package Duncan Hines yellow or butter cake mix
1 small package of instant pistachio pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup no pulp orange juice
1/4 oil
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

Fudge Frosting:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup crisco shortening
1/2 cup milk
1 square semi-sweet bakers chocolate
Dash of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Pistachio Cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate syrup in a stand mixer or in a bowl using a hand mixer. Reserve 1 cup of batter and set aside. Spoon the rest of the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan.

Mix remaining 1 cup of batter with a 1/4 cup of chocolate syrup.Pour over top of yellow cake in the pan. Use a knife and swirl the two mixes together.

Bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool completely and then top with fudge frosting.

Fudge Frosting:

In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients except vanilla on medium high heat for 1 minute stirring constantly.

After it has boiled for 1 minute add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

Fill kitchen sink with cold water and submerge 1/2 the pan in the water stirring constantly until thick, pour over cake.

Raisin Bran Muffins

Since I can remember my husband has always raved about his grandmas bran muffins and I thought he was crazy, what could be so great about bran muffins? Well I was the crazy one because they are delicious. I was a little apprehensive about making these myself afraid that I might ruin one of his favorite recipes but they turned out to be just as delicious. This recipe makes a large batch, probably close to 36 muffins. You can refrigerate the unused dough and make the rest within a few weeks or you can make the entire batch and just freeze half of the muffins.

Ingredients:

1 15oz box Raisin Bran Cereal
1 cup cooking oil
3 cups sugar
4 eggs beaten
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour
5 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt

Directions:

Mix bran cereal, sugar, flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add beaten eggs, oil, and buttermilk. Mix well with a large spoon (do not use an electric mixer).

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Fill greased or paper filled muffin tins 2/3 full with dough. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Store unused dough in a covered container in the refrigerator and use as desire. The dough will keep for 6 weeks.

BBQ Mini Meatloaves

This is one of my husbands favorite meals and if it were up to him we would eat this weekly. It is a great alternative to the traditional meatloaf and is quick enough to make during the week. Even though these are "mini" meatloaves they are actually quite filling so I typically just serve them with a vegetable. Enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 package Stove Top Stuffing Mix

1 cup water

1 tsp garlic powder

3/4 cup BBQ sauce

3/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F. Mix meat, stuffing mix, water and garlic powder until well blended. Roll into balls and press into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. The meat should almost fill to the top of the cup.

Make indentation in center of each with back of a spoon; take the bottle of BBQ sauce and squirt enough on each meatloaf to fill the indentation.

Bake 30 min. or until meatloaves are done (160°F). Top evenly with 3/4 cup cheese; bake 5 min. or until melted. Let stand 10 min. 

Garlic Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Longhorn Steak House is one of my favorite restaurants and I was so excited to re-create one of their recipes at home. If you like ranch dressing then you will love this dish. There are a lot of ingredients with this dish but it really is a very simple recipe. The marinade is packed with flavor and is best if you can marinade the chicken overnight. If you don't have a grill the chicken can be cooked on the stove but the flavor is definitely better off the grill. I served the chicken with Rice Pilaf and Oven Roasted Asparagus .

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 3/4 inch thickness

Marinade:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup ranch dressing

3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp pepper

Ranch Spread
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup ranch dressing

Parmesan Crumb Topping
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoons garlic salt,
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
2 tablespoons melted butter

4 slices of provolone cheese

Directions:

Combine ingredients for marinade and pour over chicken.  Let marinate in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight.  Grill 12-15 minutes, until chicken is done.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the ranch spread and parmesan crumb topping.

For the ranch spread, mix 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan and 1/4 cup ranch dressing. Set aside.

For Parmesan crumb topping, mix bread crumbs, garlic salt, shredded Parmesan and butter.  The crumbs should be evenly moistened.

Pre heat broiler

Transfer cooked chicken to oven-safe dish. Spread 2 tablespoons ranch spread on each breast, then top with provolone and Parmesan crumb topping. Place chicken under broiler and cook until cheese melts and crumb topping begins to turn light brown.  

Source: Plain Chicken

Eclair Cake

If you aren't much of a baker this dessert is for you. No stand mixers or ovens required. It is by far the easiest dessert I have ever made and it is definitely a crowd pleaser. Make sure you prepare this the day before you plan to serve it because the cake needs to sit in the refrigerator overnight in order for the graham crackers to soften.

Ingredients:

2 (3.5 oz) packages of instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 oz) container of Cool Whip
3 cups of milk
1 box of honey graham cracker squares
1 tub chocolate frosting


Ingredients:

In a medium bowl, mix together the pudding mix, milk, and Cool Whip. In a 9x13 dish arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares on the bottom. You might have to break the squares into smaller pieces to cover the bottom of the dish.

Spread half of the pudding mixture on top of the crackers. Layer another layer of graham crackers over the pudding mixture. Then layer the other half of the pudding mixture on top of crackers. Top with a final layer of graham crackers. Cover dish and place in the refrigerator for an hour until pudding is set.

When pudding has set, put the of chocolate frosting in the microwave for about 30 seconds to soften (remove lid and aluminum foil before microwaving). Take out and stir frosting.

Take dish out of the refrigerator and evenly spread the chocolate frosting all over the top layer of graham crackers. Cover dish again and place back in the refrigerator. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, slice in squares and enjoy cold.

Source: The Country Cook

Alice Springs Chicken

This is my first attempt at a 'copy cat' recipe and it was a success. I don't go to Outback often but when I do I always get the Alice Springs Chicken. I really don't see the point of going back to Outback now because this 'copy cat' recipe taste just like the restaurant version! If you aren't a fan of mushrooms you can leave them out but don't leave out the seasoned salt marinade, it gives it great flavor. I am on a mission to copy cat other restaurant favorites so if any of you have any suggestions please feel free to comment on here.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness
1 bottle Lawry's Original Seasoned Salt marinade
4 slices bacon
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cups cheddar jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup honey mustard dressing

Directions:

Marinate the chicken in the Lawry's Original Seasoned Salt marinade for at least 30 minutes. I recommend marinating it for 2 hours if you have the time.

While the chicken is marinating, cook the bacon in a large skillet.  Set aside.  Reserve 2 Tablespoons of bacon fat.  Sauté mushrooms in bacon fat until softened.  Set aside.

Grill the chicken 12-15, minutes until done. You can cook the chicken on the stove but for this recipe I think it taste better if grilled.

Preheat the broiler on your oven.  Place cooked chicken on baking sheet.  Spread 1-2 Tbsp honey mustard on cooked chicken.  Top with bacon, mushrooms and cheese.  Broil until cheese is melted.

Source: Plain Chicken

Oatmeal Pancakes

I typically don't cook breakfast. During the week I don't have time before work and on the weekends I like to take advantage of sleeping before babies come in the picture. So in our house we typically do breakfast for dinner. My husband would always rave about these pancakes his aunt and uncle would make when he would visit them in Massachusetts. When she gave me the recipe I was shocked to see that they were made with oatmeal and wasn't too sure on how they would taste. They are awesome! Now if only I could master the skill of cooking pancakes...yes I admit my husband is the one who cooks the pancakes...but....I make the batter so I say that counts for something. :)

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1 3/4 cup flour

1 3/4 cup oatmeal

5 tbsp oil

3 tbsp sugar

9 tsp baking powder

2 1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Beat eggs till fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth. If the batter is too thick add 1/4 cup of milk to thin.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Spoon batter 1/4 cup at a time onto heated grill and cook until bubbles form on top, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for a minute or two more.

Lighter Chicken Parmesan

This was definitely a home run at our house. I have tried many new dishes since I made this for the first time a month or so ago and I keep striving for the "oh my god this is amazing" response from my husband and so far (according to him) nothing has compared to this recipe. I think I have made this three times within the past month. Yes its THAT good. After having my mother in-laws homemade spaghetti sauce I have a hard time eating the stuff from the jar but due to lack of time during the week I did use a jar of garlic marinara sauce from Trader Joes and surprisingly it was really good.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper
3 large egg whites
1 tbsp. water
vegetable cooking spray
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and cut into halves (4 pieces total)
2 cups marinara sauce, warmed
about 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp. minced fresh basil



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.  Combine the breadcrumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat until golden, stirring often, about 10 minutes.  Spread the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and allow to cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.

In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper together.

In a third shallow dish whisk together the egg whites and water.

Cover a 9x13 pan with foil and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.  Lightly dredge each chicken piece in the flour to coat completely, shaking off the excess.  Then dip into the egg whites and finally coat with the breadcrumb mixture.  Press on the breadcrumbs to make sure they adhere. Place the chicken pieces in the prepared pan. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven.  Spoon 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce over the top of each piece of chicken and top with 2 tablespoons of the shredded mozzarella.  Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with the fresh basil and serve as desired, with extra Parmesan and marinara sauce.


Source: Annie's Eats, originally from Cook’s Illustrated, October 2006

Chocolate-Cherry Martini

Valentines Day is just around the corner and  whether you are planning a romantic evening or a celebration of your single life this is the perfect martini. Its a simple chocolate martini with a Valentines Day twist and trust me the sugared rim is not just for decoration, in fact I thought it was the best part. No matter how you choose to celebrate or not celebrate, please do indulge in this glass of chocolate heaven.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chocolate syrup

1 1/2 cups chocolate liqueur, Godiva

1 1/2 cups whole milk

12 maraschino cherries

2 tablespoons grated semi-sweet chocolate

Red Decorative Sugar

Directions:

Use your finger to coat the rim of the martini class with the chocolate syrup.

Sprinkle the red sugar on a plate and press the glass rim of the glass into the sugar, pressing to adhere.

Spoon 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup into each of the 6 martini glasses .

In a shaker or a small bowl mix together the Godiva liqueur and milk. Pour about 1/2 cup of the liqueur mixture into each glass.

Drop 2 maraschino cherries into each drink and top with grated chocolate.

Honey Mustard Kielbasa

This dish is so simple and with only four ingredients it takes no time at all to pop it in the oven. The mustard sauce this makes is savory and full of flavor. To be honest I was making this with just the plain grey poupon for the longest time until I accidentally grabbed the honey mustard flavor. I am glad I grabbed the wrong one because the honey mustard made this dish even more delicious.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup Grey Poupon Honey Mustard

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 pound kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the first 3 ingredients in a medium size bowl until well blended. 

Place the kielbasa in a 8x8 glass dish and drizzle the wine mixture over the meat. Toss to coat.

Bake for 50 minutes, stirring once half way through. Serve with potatoes or rice.

Spicy Bean Burritos

First let me start off by saying the above photo does NOT do this burrito justice. I am by no means a photographer not to mention burritos normally don't look "pretty" so getting a decent picture was a challenge. These bean burritos were AMAZING! This was a quick, easy, and healthy meal. I am not one for left overs but the left over filling tasted great re-heated the net day which makes this meal even more outstanding. Don't let the "spicy" keep you away from trying this because the base recipe really isn't spicy at all. If you like a little more heat like myself you can add diced jalapenos, hot sauce, or more cayenne.

Ingredients:

For the bean filling:
2 tsp. canola or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Dash cayenne pepper
1/3 cup water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
6 tbsp. fresh salsa

For serving:
6 burrito size flour tortillas, warmed
Shredded Cheese
Diced tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
Chopped green onions
Low-fat sour cream
Salsa

Directions:

To make the bean filling, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne; stir for about 30-60 seconds.  Add the beans and the water to the pan.  Bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the salsa and mash the mixture with a spoon or fork. (It shouldn't be completely smashed, just slightly)

Spoon about a third of a cup of the bean mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Top each serving with a pinch of shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, green onions and sour cream.  Roll the tortilla up tightly, burrito style, and serve immediately.

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from Cooking Light

Reuben Sandwich

Sometimes just an idea for dinner is all you need. I don't think a simple sandwich qualifies as a recipe but it is a great weeknight dinner that never fails. I'm not a huge fan of the fatty corned beef that is on the traditional Reuben and my hubby hates sauerkraut so we changed the classic sandwich just a bit. I buy the 97% fat free corned beef by Dietz and Watson from the deli. If your deli doesn't have this brand I am sure they have something similar and instead of using sauerkraut I use coleslaw that I make the night before. I find the best way to make these is on the George Foreman but you could use a panini press if you have one or even heat on the stove. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound low fat corned beef from the deli
Loaf of rye bread
Swiss cheese (1 slice per sandwich)
Thousand Island dressing, as desired
Prepared coleslaw
Spreadable butter, as needed

Directions:

Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. Place butter side of bread down on heated grill.

Top with desired amount of corned beef and a slice of swiss cheese. Top with other piece of bread butter side up. Close grill or sandwich press and heat until cheese is melted and bread is crispy.

Remove sandwich from grill and add desired amount of coleslaw and thousand island dressing.

Apple-Sausage Mac and Cheese

I have a new favorite ingredient when cooking and that is chicken-apple sausage. It is so full of flavor and is a great alternative to the normal fatty sausage. When I noticed this recipe in my food network magazine I was basically drooling it looked so good. I then noticed that it was made with apple juice and I was a little apprehensive about making it but I am so glad that I did. This is a great spin on a comfort food classic. I would suggest doing 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 chicken broth to avoid it being too sweet.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
3/4 pound medium pasta shells
1/2 cup diced onion
6 ounces chicken-apple sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups apple juice (suggest doing 1.5 cups chicken broth and 1.5 cups apple juice)
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded (4 cups)
1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1/2 cup sour cream
35 small butter crackers (1 sleeve Ritz), crushed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2 1/2 -quart baking dish. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage, mustard powder, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the sausage is golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the apple juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 8 more minutes.

Slowly stir about three-quarters each of the monterey jack and cheddar cheese into the sauce until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the pasta and sour cream. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle with the crushed crackers and the remaining cheese. Bake until bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Food Network

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I normally don't buy the pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough and the main reason for that is because the raw cookie dough is way to tempting for me. If you have the same love for cookie dough these cupcakes are perfect for you because they taste JUST like cookie dough. I normally stay away from recipes that have this many ingredients but these are an exception. I would suggest making these throughout a couple of days because they are very time consuming yet surprisingly easy as long as you own a stand mixer. These cupcakes were a huge hit with anyone that tried them and I will definitely be making these again. P.S. if you are health conscious just ignore how much butter goes into making these. ;)

Ingredients:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3½ cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 2½ tsp. vanilla extract
• Mini chocolate chips

  

Directions:

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.


Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips.

Source: Annie's Eats

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

All I can say is oh my gosh! This was the best tasting pork I have ever had AND this was the best dinner I have ever made using my slow cooker. The glaze is so so so delicious and the pork is so tender you don't even need a knife to cut it. I did make a few changes to the original recipe below. Instead of balsamic vinegar I used red wine vinegar and instead of ground sage I used ground thyme because that is what I had on hand. This is a recipe that is definitely going into our dinner rotation.

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) boneless pork tenderloin (or regular pork loin)

1 teaspoon ground sage or ground thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

Glaze

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

 

Directions:

 

Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. 

 

Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

 

About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. 

 

Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

 

Source: C&C Marriage Factory, originally from Let's Dish

Cannoli Cake with Fudge Frosting

I love cannolis and the best part of the cannoli in my opinion is the filling. If you like chocolate and cannolis you will love this cake. I couldn't find a prepared pound cake so I made my own but you could buy one to make this recipe even simpler. If you decide to make the pound cake yourself, I suggest making it the night before because it needs to be cooled completely before adding the filling. The best part of this cake without a doubt is the fudge frosting. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe and it is the best frosting I have ever had. The fudge frosting is great on angel food cake as well or you could just make it, store it in the refrigerator and eat it on its own. Seriously it is that good. :)

Ingredients:

Pound Cake:

1 pkg Duncan Hines Moist Classic Yellow Cake Mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
4 large eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Cannoli Filling:

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. orange extract

1pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1/2cup POLLY-O Original Ricotta Cheese

1/2 pkg. (4 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped, divided

Never Fail Fudge Frosting:

1 cup sugar

1/4 crisco

1/3 cup milk

1 square bakers semi-sweet chocolate

Dash of Salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Pound Cake:

 

Preheat oven to 350 ºF. Grease and flour loaf pan. 

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into pan. 

Bake at 350 ºF for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto heat resistant serving plate. Cool completely.

Cannoli Filling:

Pour milk and orange extract into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Add ricotta cheese and half of the chocolate; mix well.
 
Place bottom cake slice on serving plate; spread with one third of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with top cake slice.

Never Fail Fudge Frosting:

In a sauce pan boil all ingredients except vanilla. After it has boiled for 1 minute, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.


Fill kitchen sink with cold water. Place the bottom 3/4 of the pan in the sink and stir constantly until thick. Pour over the cake.

Store in the refrigerator.