Cranberry Orange Muffins

I made THESE cranberry orange muffins for breakfasts last week and they are SO delicious!  I love how tart they are.  I also adore my new stoneware muffin pan - it's awesome. 

Harvest Pumpkin Soup with Cheddar

I made this soup and served it in bread bowls covered in cheddar.  It was really easy and very delicious. 

2 t canola oil
1 cup frozen chopped onions
3 cans chicken broth
1 29 oz can solid-pack pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 2.5 oz. package cooked bacon (about 1/2 cup)
1 T sugar
1/2 t dried thyme
1 cup cream or half/half
1/4 t nutmeg
1 t curry powder (optional)
1 cup granted cheddar cheese

1.  Add oil to pot and turn heat to high.
2.  Add onion and saute, stirring, until it begins to soften and turn golden, about 10 minutes
3.  Stir in broth, pumpkin, bacon, sugar and thyme.  Bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to medium-high and simmer about 5 minutes.
4.  Remove the soup from the heat and add cream, nutmeg and curry powder (if using)
5.  Puree soup in two or three batches in a blender, leaving the middle of the lid open to avoid pressure build-up of steam.  Start on low speed to prevent splashing. 
6.  Season with salt and pepper.  When serving, spoon a little of the cheese on top of each bowl.

Found in Deseret News by Valerie Phillips

Slow Cooker Harvest Stew

I made this harvest stew last week and my husband LOVED it.  It's really yummy.  I'll definitely make again -- probably next fall!

 

 

Harvest Stew (Slow Cooker)

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped in ½ inch chunks

1 medium yam, peeled and chopped in ½ inch chunks

3 large carrots, peeled and diced ½ inch thick

1 cup chopped onions

1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped

2 pound boneless pork loin cut into 1 inch cubes

¼ cup flour

¾ t salt

½ t sage and thyme

1 T sugar

¼ t pepper

2 cups apple cider

 

Layer the potatoes, yams, carrots, onions, apples, and pork loin in a slow cooker.  Stir flour and seasonings together in a small bowl. 

Add cider to flour mixture and stir until mixed.

Pour over meat and vegetables.  Cover and cook on low 7-9 hours.

 

Recipe found in Deseret News by Kim Grant.

Italian Crockpot Chicken

Ho-ly deliciousness.  I can't really give credit to one place because my friend told me about this recipe - but whoever made it up in the first place is brilliant.  It is the easiest and most delicious dinner. 

4 Chicken Breasts (frozen or thawed)
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
2 small packets Italian dressing powder
1 8 oz. cream cheese
1 pound spiral noodles

Put the first 4 ingredients in the crockpot on low and cook for at least 4 hours.  I had mine in all day for about 8 hours and it was magnificent.  Mix it all up and make sure the chicken is shredded and everything is mixed well.  Make the spiral noodles, drain, and mix the chicken mixture into the pasta.  Serve with a crusty loaf of bread.  Yuuummmmm.  Comfort food!

Shredded Beef Enchilada Casserole

My husband doesn't really like ground beef in tacos, enchiladas, etc. so I decided to make shredded beef enchiladas based on Pioneer Woman's ground beef ones. 

I threw a 2 lb. chuck beef roast in the slow cooker all day on low (about 8 hours) with a large can of diced green chiles and a little water. 

I made the enchilada sauce from PW: 

1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
2 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes.

Once the sauce was done I dipped yellow corn tortillas in the enchilada sauce and laid a layer of them on a greased baking dish overlapping.  Then I added some shredded beef over the top of those.  Then I added some grated cheddar cheese to the top of that.  Then I drizzled (heavily) some sauce to the top of that.  Then I repeated the process, ending with tortillas covered in cheese and sauce on top. 

I did it this way because I didn't want to take the time to fry the tortillas or roll them all into individual enchiladas.  So I guess this is more of a beef enchilada casserole.

Anyway, this was delicious and I definitely prefer the shredded beef.  Top with sour cream and fresh cilantro leaves.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Last night I made Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup.  It was deeeeelicious!  It took some time because of the baking of the chicken.  I would recommend cooking your chicken in the crock pot all day so when you get home from work to make dinner, all you have to do is shred the chicken and the rest of the stuff is fast and easier.  I hate waiting for chicken to bake - even though it only takes like 25-30 minutes (big fat Costco breasts).  Anyway, everything else takes a little bit of time but not too much, and it's worth it.  The toppings really do make the soup better.  We added cheddar, sour cream, cilantro (a must), fresh salsa, extra tortilla strips and avocado to ours.  There's only two of us so there is a TON left and I am GLAD.  A definite thumbs up on this one!

Banana Pepper Beef

I love crockpot cooking.  It's the best!  Especially in the fall and winter when it's cold out and you get home to a house that smells delicious and a hot meal is ready for you.  This recipe for banana pepper beef is so easy and makes a large amount so you can have leftovers for a couple of days.  I think I need to start making more beef recipes in the crock pot - yum!  I got the recipe HERE.  Here's what you do:

NEED

2 lbs. rump roast
1 jar banana peppers
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder (I just used real garlic minced)
Buns

Rub salt and pepper all over roast.  Sprinkle some garlic powder over it and put in slow cooker.  Empty entire contents of a jar of banana peppers on top of the roast.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  When ready to eat, shred beef.  Compile a sandwich with whatever you want on it.  Dip one side of your bun in the gravy in the crockpot.  I used slices of white cheddar.  The original recipe says to use provolone and mayo. 

These are so delish!  Does it get any easier? I don't think so.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili

For lunches this week I prepared a batch of this Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili.  It's a vegan chili that is easy and fast to throw together.  It is a large recipe - enough where my husband and I can both have about 3 to 4 days' worth of lunches from it.  It is really flavorful and good.  Perfect for a chilly week outside.  Not to mention - pretty healthy. 

Recipe HERE.

Reese's Krispies

 

My fave candy is definitely anything Reese's (regular, Sticks, Pieces, etc.) so when I saw this recipe for Reese's Krispies I got very excited.  I had to make a treat for a bake sale so I doubled this recipe and kept a few for myself.  They are so easy to make and ooberly delicious.  Perfect for a Halloween party!  HERE is the recipe.  I think I put more chocolate and Reese's than was called for... not a bad idea.  I also just balled mine up instead of cutting into bars or trying to make them look good.  Don't wait, make these today! 

Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta

 

My sister-in-law told me about this recipe and I knew I simply had to try it.  The alfredo sauce you make as a base alone is delectable and I have a half batch left that I am using on pizza tonight.  Then, add the pumpkin, etc. and it is to-die-for.  I used cheese ravioli for the pasta and served it with homemade wheat bread.  Hello fall pasta!  Yummmmmmm.  Definitely give it a try.  HERE is the recipe!

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

I had some leftover pumpkin so I scoured Pinterest for pumpkin recipes and decided it was time I try a homemade pumpkin ice cream. I found pumpkin ice cream at Smith's a couple years ago and loved it but I can never eat all that ice cream so half of it sits until it goes bad. This recipe was super easy to make and the results were fabulous. It tasted a lot like Arctic Circle's pumpkin pie shake but maybe even better because it was a little lighter tasting. I loved it. I made it in my Kitchenaid ice cream maker and left it on "stir" for about 25 minutes.

HERE IS THE RECIPE! Yummo.

Pioneer Woman's Spinach Artichoke Pasta

I've been obsessed with artichoke hearts lately so when this recipe came up on PW's blog, I knew I had to make it. Let me just say... it.is.so.good. Make it now. That is all.

Here you go!

(P.S. Mine was a little liquidy at the end so I added about 1 oz. of cream cheese and once it sat for awhile it was thick and creamy and delicious.)

Whole Wheat Bread

After a total bust attempt at making pumpkin donuts, I needed redemption.  I made this homemade wheat bread and it was delicious. It is very dense and hearty.  I covered it with pumpkin butter and huckleberry jam.  This was my first ever non-sweet bread and I am very happy with the results. I will definitely make this again soon. 

 

HERE IS THE RECIPE.

Curried Chicken Pitas

I made a double batch of this for my husband and I to take for lunches throughout this week.  It made a TON of chicken salad and so I was worried if it didn't taste good it would be a huge waste.  But no, it turned out delicious!  I am actually excited to eat lunch at work now, which is a nice change.  The pear in it is my favorite and the curry isn't overpowering.  Instead of cooking my own chicken I used canned shredded chicken - so much easier and just as tasty, I'm sure.  This would also make for a great change from the regular chicken salad sandwiches served at showers, etc. and give everyone a little surprise (cranberries, pears, curry). 

Here is the recipe!

Sante Fe Turkey Stuffed Peppers

I found this recipe on Skinny Taste.  It turned out well - even if ours were a little less healthy (more cheese, full fat sour cream).  They were still healthy for our standards and I think I will start using turkey for more recipes.  It was really tasty in this dish. 

Veggie Pizza with Homemade Crust

I have made Pioneer Woman's pizza crust before and I love it.  This time, it was even better because I now have a pizza stone which perfectly bakes it. 

CRUSTIngredients:

FOR THE CRUST (MAKES TWO CRUSTS):
1 teaspoon Active Dry Or Instant Yeast
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

TO MAKE THE CRUST:

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it. ***It's best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

I made the crust over the weekend and put it in the freezer until I needed it.  I pulled it out in the morning before work and it was ready to be baked when I got home. 

 

Then, I started with a base recipe from PW as well... her "Favorite Pizza".  I switched it up a little though.

 

ON THE PIZZA:

Half of a large zucchini, cut into slices and then into fourths

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

1/2 cup jarred artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (in oil and seasoned)

Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin (buy it from Costco and it's already sliced perfectly)

1 tablespoon pine nuts

 

First:

Preheat the broiler.  Toss chopped zucchini in a little bit of salt and a little bit of olive oil.  Mix together well and then put under the broiler for about 4 minutes.  Then add the halved tomatoes, mixed with the minced garlic.  Broil them for another 4 minutes.

 

Second:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees

Spread out your pizza dough on your pizza stone until it's very thin, then cover with a little bit of olive oil and a little salt.

Cover in mozzarella slices

Top with the roasted veggies, pine nuts and chopped artichoke hearts

 

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

 

This was seriously, seriously good.  Like, the best pizza I've ever made and better than a lot of restaurant/fast food pizzas I've had.  YUM! 

 

Barbeque Chicken Pineapple Quesadillas

I made these quesadillas based on Pioneer Woman's version, but used a couple different things that I already had at home.  They were good, fast and easy. 

BBQ Chicken Pineapple Quesadillas

• Shredded barbeque chicken (as much per quesadilla as you want) - I had made shredded bbq chicken for something else last week and had a lot leftover to use in this recipe
• 1 Jalapeno pepper - sliced and seeds taken out
• White cheddar cheese (as much per quesadilla as you want)
• Sliced pineapple (I used canned but canned pineapples suck and I wish I had been able to find fresh pineapple at the store)
• Corn tortillas

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a little bit of olive oil or cooking spray.  Throw in a corn tortilla and quickly top with chicken, jalapeno slices, cheese and pineapple.  Cover with another corn tortilla and let cook for a couple of minutes.   Flip the quesadilla and let the other tortilla cook for a couple of minutes until slightly brown.

My only regret is the pineapple, but the store really didn't have any fresh.  It was still good though and I loved the bite from the jalapeno.

Mediterranean Wraps

I've been wanting to make something at the beginning of each week that I can have for lunch at work that isn't the same old boring thing.  I made these Mediterranean Wraps Sunday and had my first one for lunch today with a spinach tortilla.  It was really good and healthy.  I think I'll try to do something like this each week to keep things exciting.  The only difference I made was I baked the chicken and cut it up into small pieces and mixed it in - I didn't do mine on the stovetop.  Worked out just fine but you might like the original way better for a little more flavor, perhaps.  Here is the original recipe.

Pioneer Woman's Corn Chowder with Chiles

Soup season has begun.  I bought a bunch of ears of corn and then immediately worried I wouldn't use them all.  So I decided to use 5 of them at once and make this Corn Chowder.  I used three peppers and it had quite a kick to it.  I must say it was super delicious and everyone in my family loved it.  I will definitely make it again sometime.  The corn tortillas on the side were a nice addition, but cornbread would have been killer with it too.  Yum!  Here is the recipe.

Pumpkin Snicker Doodles

I've made these before, but with a different recipe.  I really love the texture of these cookies but I think they are lacking a little on flavor.  I would put more spices in the dough next time and smother the outsides with more too.  Seriously can't beat the texture in my book, though.  This recipe also makes a good 40 cookies, which is awesome.  What a fun fall treat!

HERE is the recipe!

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

 

I have never cooked with quinoa but tried it in Peru and really liked it.  I bought a bag and sought some recipes that call for it.  I found one on Pinterest that sounded right up our alley.  I made this BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad last night and it is delicious!  I made the BBQ chicken in the crock pot all day and then the rest was easy to throw together after work.  I definitely recommend this as a pretty healthy dish to make - but don't plan on it feeding more than 2 of you. 

Caprese Chicken with Balsamic Reduction

I love caprese-anything and we have a lot of tomatoes and basil in our garden still to use.  So I made this caprese chicken with a balsamic reduction.  It was really yummy.  I served it with a crusty French bread.  This is a  great worknight recipe. 

 

P.S. I love you, fresh mozzarella.

Pumpkin Cake w/Cream Cheese Frosting - Reminder!

I made this a couple of times last year and posted on this site.  I made this cake again for a friend's birthday and it did not, could not, will not disappoint.  The best.  I love you, fall! 

P.S. I don't need to be told that I have no cake decorating skills.  I am well aware.

Chai Pumpkin Spice Cookies

I saw these on Pinterest and knew I had to make them.  They sound like the perfect "welcome fall" treat.  I immediately headed over to Target to secure my bag of the illusive pumpkin spice kisses.  These cookies were easy to throw together and pretty hard to screw up.  They are delicious and taste just like fall would if it were a flavor - along with fresh apples, pie crust and warm cider.  Make them today, I don't think you'll be disappointed.  Here is the simple recipe!

Dorito Casserole

 

THIS dish is anything but healthy.  I probably shouldn't have made it for that reason, but it was oh-so-good!  It was flavorful, spicy-ish, easy, creamy, crunchy, cheesy.  I love Doritos but I never let myself buy/eat them.  This was a nice little treat for myself.  Definitely a good comforting meal.  Yum-o!

Pioneer Woman's Spicy Dr. Pepper Pork

I made THIS in the crock pot instead of in a pot in the oven.  Pretty sure it doesn't make much of a difference except crock pot seems easier to me.  I served it on rolls with garden tomatoes alongside mac and cheese.  It's pretty good, but not my absolute favorite.  I like the flavor of some other crock pot meat dishes better, I think.  It was yummy - just not on my favorites list.  It's spicy but not overpoweringly so. 

Pioneer Woman's Mac & Cheese

Delicious. Homemade. Baked. Cheesy. Easy.  Definitely make this sometime.  So much tastier than the boxed version.

PIONEER WOMAN'S MAC & CHEESE.

I served it with her Spicy Dr. Pepper Pork on rolls.

Creamy Caprese Pasta

This recipe allowed me to use some of the basil and tomatoes I have growing out of control in my garden, which is always nice.  I love baked pastas, they are delightful.  I used shredded asiago instead of parmesan and shredded mozzarella instead of rounds of fresh mozzarella because that's what I had at home.  It worked just fine!  I served mine with a crusty french bread.  Beside it being WAY too hot to have had my oven on last night, this was wonderful and easy.  Here is the original recipe.

Chile Relleno Casserole

 

I was given some chiles and had no idea what I'd do with them.  Luckily someone suggested making chile relleno and I found a recipe online.  It took no time at all putting it all together and it tasted so, so good.  I used fresh peppers instead of canned, and either would work.  I am excited to have a new, easy dish that I really liked.  I served it with refried beans and my little concoction of couscous mixed with a can of Mexican-flavored diced tomatoes.  Yum!  Here is the recipe.

Hamburger Patties & Special Sauce

I heard about a burger recipe from a friend that I really wanted to try but I had to tweak it a little bit.  Here's what I ended up using:

1 lb. ground beef (85/15)
1/4 cup grated hot pepper blend cheese
1/8 cup BBQ sauce
1 T onion flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together with your hands and then form them into 4 patties.  Make an indent in the middle of each patty. 

I served them on grilled sesame seed buns with avocado, tomato, lettuce and special sauce.

Special Sauce is basically just fry sauce, with Worcestershire sauce added and some salt.  I just eyed how much ketchup, mayo and Worcestershire to mix and added a dash of salt.  I like what it added to the burger. 

My friend said it was "restaurant quality".  They were delicious.

Happy BBQing!

Pioneer Woman's Creamy Lemon Basil Potato Salad

We were having friends over for a BBQ and I had a whole bunch of red potatoes I needed to use so I went to PW's website to search for "potatoes".  This recipe came up and it sounded right up my alley.  It is so easy to throw together.  The only time-consuming part is boiling the potatoes.  I made it the night before the BBQ though so I wasn't rushing for them to finish and that way the flavors could meld overnight.  It turned out so, so yummy.  I like it much better than normal potato salad.  I will definitely make this for a potluck sometime.  YUM!  Here's the simple recipe.

Orzo with Basil, Tomatoes and Feta

I just threw this together with things I had at home for a barbeque yesterday.  I love all the ingredients so throwing them together couldn't be wrong. 

Orzo with Basil, Tomatoes and Feta

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crumbled feta
15-20 basil leaves, chopped
About 3-4 Tablespoons (as much or as little as you prefer, really) basil-flavored olive oil (or regular if that's all you have)

Cook the orzo pasta, drain and let cool slightly.  Add halved tomatoes, basil leaves, feta and olive oil and mix.  I served mine cold. 

Fresh & yummy.

Cilantro-Lime Steak Tacos

I fell in love with these steak tacos when I made them camping last year.  These are my husband's favorite meal I've ever made.  I serve them with salsa, cheese, shredded lettuce and grilled corn guacamole with chips.  Delicious and so easy.  I grilled by myself for the first time ever this time around... it was a success!  You should definitely make these - ASAP.  Here is the recipe.

Pioneer Woman's Grilled Corn Guacamole

I fell in love with this guacamole last summer.  The grilled corn really adds something special to it.  Beware: You will want to eat the whole batch yourself.  I think this could easily be halved if you don't want to buy six avocados, but I haven't done it because I love guacamole too much to make a smaller batch.  Must try!  Here it is.  I serve it with my favorite taco recipe (see above).

Rosemary Shortbread.

I made this rosemary shortbread for a buttery treat last week.  I loved the mix of the herbs and the shortbread.  It really gets better after 2-3 days of sitting there.  Let the cookies cool all the way before trying to move them from the cookie sheet -- I was impatient and mine fell apart since they were still hot when I moved them.  This makes quite a bit of shortbread.  Delish!

Here is the recipe.

Homamde Funfetti Cupcakes.

I love Funfetti from a box and I saw this recipe on Pinterest and knew I had to give it a try.  It's a simple recipe and really doesn't take that much longer than a box recipe.  It is a different taste than the box, but maybe that was just the way my batch turned out.  I really liked it though.  I kept telling myself as I was taking bites that I didn't like it... but then I kept eating and eating.  So I think I like them after all.  They're definitely cute!  Here is the recipe.

Chocolate Strawberry-Center Cupcakes with Pudding Frosting

These were so fast to throw together and we've kept them in the fridge for a cool cupcake treat.  I love the pudding as frosting idea - it's super yummy.  I just took the end of a spoon and made a hole for the strawberries instead of taking any cake out - that was much easier and worked just fine.

HERE is the recipe.

Baked Lemon Pasta with Mushrooms and Basil

I love Pioneer Woman's Baked Lemon Pasta.  It is so easy to make and delicious in every way.  I decided I'd add some mushrooms this time and use basil instead of parsley because basil is the best herb there is, and I have a ton in my garden.  I loved the addition of mushrooms - very yummy.

Here is the recipe.

Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

I made THIS for the 4th and it was easy & delicious.  It's definitely a good BBQ food.  I hear it's better the second day after the flavors have melded more.  I hope so, since we have leftovers!

Use all of the sauce... do not skimp.

Taco Pasta

I wanted a pretty simple recipe for my second meal at home since the trip.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and I thought it looked delicious.  It was easy to make, fast and turned out really good.  I crumbled tortilla chips in mine and covered it with cilantro from our garden -- yum!  HERE is the recipe.  You should add it to your rotation of easy/fast weeknight meals.

Cobb Salad

I was on vacation for awhile and missed my kitchen while I was away.  It was nice to get back home and start making homemade meals again.  Although I didn't miss doing the dishes.  We have a ton of lettuce in our garden so I decided to make a cobb salad.  I found THIS RECIPE in my Taste of Home magazine.  The dressing was so delicious and this was fresh and yummy.  A favorite for summer, that's for sure.  Recommended!

Stadium Brownies

I found this idea on the back of a Ghirardelli brownie mix box.  I thought it sounded easy and interesting so I threw it together.  Lots of people liked them and I thought they were pretty good -- although I think the brownie itself was why they were good in the first place so that's kind of cheating.


1 Brownie Mix
1/2 cup salted peanuts
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 cups popped kettle corn

I just popped a bag of kettle popcorn in the microwave.  Prepare the brownie mix as normal.  Spread the brownie batter in a lightly greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle the popcorn over the top, followed by the nuts and the chocolate chips.  Press the toppings slightly into the batter.  Bake at the temperature indicated on the box, for 30-35 minutes.

These are pretty fun!

Skinnytaste Black Bean, Tomato, Cucumber and Avocado Salad

I am desperate for summer side dish ideas.  Skinnytaste.com has a lot of them and I tried one last night to serve with sloppy joe leftovers.  This salad is pretty much 100% healthy, DELICIOUS and so fresh tasting.  It's going to be my new go-to side salad all summer.  YAY for fresh veggies!

Pioneer Woman Sloppy Joes

These sloppy joes are delicious!  They are easy and fast and have a lot of flavor.  The best part about them is the bun being toasted with butter because it holds the meat in better and the sandwiches don't get soggy like normal sloppy joes do.  I will never again eat a sloppy joe without my bun toasted with butter.  Thanks for another genius idea, PW!  I didn't put the option Tabasco sauce in mine, but I did use Worcester sauce for the first time EVER.  And let me tell you... I loved it.  It really added a great flavor to the meat.  I topped ours with a huge slice of cheddar.  I can't wait for leftovers tonight!

spicy burgers with chipotle cream.

I made THESE delicious burgers last night.  They are super easy to make and FULL of flavor.  Everyone said they were "amazing".  I will definitely make these again.  I served them with tomatoes and avocado on top.  I couldn't find poblano chiles at the store, so I used another kind.  I think any medium heat pepper will work.  Make these at your next BBQ!

a favorite.

I made this mozzarella, tomato, basil pasta al forno again.  I love it.  Use only 2 Ts of Italian seasoning, though. YUMMY!

Pioneer Woman's Eggs Florentine Casserole

This Eggs Florentine Casserole was the perfect menu item for Mother's Day brunch.  My mom doesn't like bacon or sausage, so I used cut up ham slices and I think it was delightful that way!  I may have used more cheese than was called for - because extra cheese makes everything better.  I've made this recipe twice now -- and ham is better than sausage on it.  It's really easy and fast to make, too.  Crowd pleaser!

Pioneer Woman's Tomato Cream Pasta

I made this delicious pasta from Pioneer Woman over the weekend.  It is extremely easy to throw together & is quite yummy.

HERE is the recipe link.  I served it with French bread.  It would be really good with steak.

Happy spring & summer cooking!

Pioneer Woman's Lasagna

I made this lasagna again!  I don't usually make recipes twice but this one is too good not to.  I made it the day before when I had nothing to do and then baked it the next day.  Delicious and amazing.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Parmesan

This recipe from Pioneer Woman is very easy to make and the sauce is from scratch, which always tastes better.  This was the closest to restaurant-style chicken parm as I've ever made.  I loved it, and so did my husband.  I highly recommend it for the chicken parm lover.  YUM!

Pioneer Woman's Citrus Butter Cookies.

In addition to a carrot cake, I wanted to make something else springlike and delicious.  These cookies weren't as good as I had hoped they'd be but everyone else really complimented them and they were all eaten up.  I think they're really pretty with all the citrus zest in them.  I'd make them again but they weren't as delightful on my taste buds as I'd expected.

Here is the recipe!

pioneer woman's carrot cake.

I made this cake for Easter.  It was very easy to make and turned out really well.  Next time I wouldn't use as many pecans in the frosting.  I put a few chocolate chips around the top to make it look better, but I don't think they added much to the looks.  Here is the recipe!

"Chubby's" Pizza

I had frozen some dough from THIS recipe a couple weeks ago.  I also had some Mexican food leftover from a restaurant we like called Chubby's (beans, chile verde).  I thought it was a good idea to make a pizza with the leftovers.






Dough
1 cup of refried beans
3/4 cup chile verde
1-2 cups shredded yogurt chipotle cheese
Lettuce
Tomatoes, Diced
Avocado, Diced

Just layer the beans, chile verde and cheese onto the dough and baked for 15 minutes at 500 degrees.  Then top with lettuce, tomato and avocado.  This turned out so delicious!  I loved it.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

I made corned beef and cabbage for St. Patty's Day.  I knew I needed to put it in the crock pot because of time restraints so I used a couple different recipes (mostly using THIS ONE as a guide) to make it how I wanted it.

Ingredients:

3 pound corned beef brisket with a seasoning packet
Half a bag red potatoes, quartered
5 large carrots, diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 head of cabbage, cut into chunks

I put the potatoes, carrots, chopped parsley and corned beef brisket (seasoned with the seasoning packet) in the crock pot with 3 cups of water.  I cooked it on low for 8 hours.  Then I took the meat out and put the cabbage in and cooked for another 1 1/2 hours.

This was delicious and very easy.  I was proud of my first try making this meal.  'Til next year!

Parmesan Kale Chips

These have been all the rage lately and I had a bunch of kale from Bountiful Baskets, so I decided to make them.  I either made them wrong or am just slightly less enthusiastic as others about them.  They are okay... but not my favorite. Give me a bag of Doritos :)

No, no.  For a healthy snack they really are pretty good.

I used THIS recipe for Skinny Taste.

Vanilla Steamer

For years I've been purchasing vanilla steamers from coffee shops/stands.  No more.  I made my own this morning and it took less than three minutes and tastes JUST as good as a purchased one.

Ingredients

1 cup milk (whatever kind you like - I used 1%)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place milk in a microwave proof mug or cup.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Stir in honey and vanilla extract.  Mix well.

Serves 1

Here's where I found the recipe.

I seriously can't believe how easy + yummy.

Baked Taco Shells

I tried THIS last night. Worked like a charm! I used whole wheat tortillas and baking spray.

Spicy Shredded Pork

This recipe is adapted from Pioneer Woman's Shredded Pork.  I would have made it exactly like hers but I had different meat and less time on hand.

• 3-4 pound pork roast
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
• Pepper To Taste
• 3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) White Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dried onion flakes (you can use one whole medium onion cut up, instead)
• Lime Wedges
• Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese, Cilantro

Mix ingredients oregano through dried onion flakes in a blender until they are completely combined.  Cut visible fat from pork roast and rinse.  Put pork roast in a slow cooker and cover with the blended mixture.  Put two cups of water in the slow cooker over the meat.  Cook on low for about 8 hours.  Shred with a fork and serve however you'd like.  I put lime juice on top of my meat, on a tortilla, with cilantro, shredded jalapeno cheddar and sour cream.  Delicious!