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.