Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Erin, how much do you absolutely love lettuce wraps? They are amazing! So when I found a seemingly easy recipe on how to make them, I jumped right on it. They were super yummy! Sam especially loved them and told me it was one of his favorite recipes of mine :)

Ingredients

For stir fry sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil

For Cashew Chicken:
2 chicken breasts, diced
8 leaves of greenleaf lettuce
3 tablespoons canola oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 cup onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup cashews, chopped

What to do:

For stir fry sauce:
Mix all ingredients making sure to dissolve brown sugar. Set aside.

For Cashew Chicken:
1. Heat canola oil in pan over medium to medium high heat. Add diced chicken and brown (about 4-5 minutes).
2. Remove chicken from oil. Add onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon soy sauce to pan; brown.
3. When onions and garlic are brown and tender, add stir fry sauce, browned chicken, and cashews.
4. Saute mixture for a few minutes and remove from heat.
5. Spoon chicken mixture into individual lettuce leaves.

Spaghetti with Vodka Sauce

Erin, Happy Monday! Can you believe that Christmas is in only two weeks, time has been flying by! I cannot believe that I have been living in DC for 6 months now, crazy thought. With this being my last week at the office, I knew stress might eventually get the best of me. So, I wanted to try cooking easy meals this week. I found this recipe for a "spiked pasta" and it looked fantastic. And sure enough, it was!

Sam absolutely loved it. I thought it was a little too spicy for me, so next time I am going to cut the red pepper in half.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound spaghetti pasta

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

Scant 3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup vodka

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 cup whipping cream

What to do:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. 

3. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. 

4. Add vodka and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half. 

5. Stir in scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and let cool slightly.

6. Transfer the mixture into a food processor or blender and puree. Return tomato mixture to pan.

7. Mix in cream, then cook the sauce for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

8. Pour sauce over pasta, top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Erin: Baked potato soup is amazing, even more so when you can make it at home :) It has been so cold in DC lately and I thought soup would be the perfect way to warm up. So on lazy Sunday night, I whipped this up and it was amazing.

Ingredients: 

4-5 red potatoes

2  teaspoons olive oil

1/2  cup chopped onion

1 1/4  cups chicken broth

3  tablespoons all-purpose flour

2  cups milk, divided

1/4  cup sour cream

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 bacon slices, crumbled

1/3  cup shredded cheddar cheese

What to do:

1. Pierce potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly.

2. While potatoes cook, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in measuring cup; add to pan then add the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; stir often, being careful to not let the milk boil over. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt, and pepper.

3. Arrange bacon on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel; microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon.

4. Scoop potato into soup and discard potato skins. Coarsely mash potatoes into soup using a potato masher. Ladle soup into four bowls and top with cheese, green onions, and bacon.

Beef Taquitos

Erin: For a quick & easy meal during the week, try beef taquitos. They were fast but still really good.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing on the taquitos
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 cup salsa
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar

What to do:
1. Heat the oven to 400º
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and  then add the onion and garlic and cook them for 3 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add the beef and cook until it is no longer red, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa, the chili powder, and the salt and pepper. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
5. Top each tortilla with the beef mixture, spreading it to an inch from the edges. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the beef.
6. Roll up the tortillas and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet with the seam sides down. Brush the taquitos lightly with vegetable oil, then bake them until the filling is heated through and the tortillas are lightly browned, about 10 minutes

Chicken Piccata

Erin: The holidays are among us! Christmas time in DC has been absolutely beautiful. All the leaves have fallen from the trees and it is getting a bit colder, but I am loving it. This past weekend has been pretty lazy. Sam and I picked out a Christmas tree and spent Saturday evening decorating it and watching Christmas movies (Love Actually!).  When it came time for dinner, I found a chicken piccata recipe on Pintrest (!) and it was really yummy! Sam and Eric loved it but I thought it had a bit too much lemon, so next time I will probably cut it in half. Enjoy!

Chicken

Juice of 1 lemon

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp basil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pasta

2 cups dried penne pasta

2 Tbsp butter

Juice of 2 lemons

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tsp dried basil

2 Tbps capers

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Chicken

1. Combine first 6 ingredients and mix well.  

2. Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over chicken. 

3. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.  

4. When you are ready to start cooking, grill the chicken and then slice into strips to serve over pasta.

Pasta

1. While chicken is grilling,  cook pasta according to directions

2. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.  

3. Whisk in garlic and lemon juice.  

4. Pour in heavy cream and whisk until hot.  

5. Add some salt and pepper to taste. 

6. Add the parmesan cheese, basil and capers, and heat until cheese is melted. 

 7. Toss in pasta.

White Chicken Enchiladas

Erin: I found this recipe on pintrest and it looked amazing so I tried it and it was fantastic! It was pretty easy to make and Sam and I both really enjoyed it. Yum!

10 soft taco shells (I only used 8)

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and Grease a 9x13 pan

2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese.  Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.

3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute.  Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  

4. Stir in sour cream and chilies.  Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.

5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

Chicken Parmesan

Ashley, I'm so sorry I've been behind lately! So busy with work. But this is my Chicken Parmesan recipe. I've made it a half dozen times and it's always my "go-to" recipe. It also tastes fab.

What you'll need:
4-6 chicken breasts
2 cups bread crumbs
Italian dressing for marinating
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Mozzarella cheese
Spaghetti sauce
Oil with 3 tbs. butter

Directions:
1. Marinate chicken in dressing for 1/2 hour
2. Combine parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper
3. Dip chicken into mixture
4. Put oil and butter into a frying pan and fry chicken until brown on both sides
5. Preheat oven to 375F degrees
6. After browning, place chicken in baking pan and pour the spaghetti sauce of your liking over the chicken
7. Sprinkle enough mozzarella cheese to cover chicken
8. Bake for 45 minutes

I also cooked spaghetti noodles and added it to the chicken with the extra sauce. I poured some mozzarella on the noodles. It was great!

Refried beans

Erin: Like I said before, when I was making Chicken Tostadas, I decide to make my own refried beans and I am go glad I did. Here is the recipe:


Refried Beans!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
half of a small onion, finely diced
1 can black beans (save the juice – don’t drain!)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
pinch of dried oregano

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and saute until onion is cooked and translucent.
3. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until beans are heated through.
4. Then either use a potato masher to mash up all of the ingredients.  Or add them to a food processor and pulse until combined

Chicken with Parmesan, Garlic and Herb Crust

Erin: I found this recipe on Pintrest (my latest obsession) and luckily, I had all the ingredients on hand! This chicken dish is fantastic and while cooking, it smells so good! Very tasty.

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400º F.
2. Lightly coat a medium baking dish with vegetable cooking spray.
3. Mince the garlic in a food processor, then add the parsley and pulse until combined, about 15 seconds. 4. Add the bread, Parmesan, oil, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Pulse until well combined.
5. Arrange the chicken in the baking dish. Spread with the mustard, then pat the crumbs on top. Do this for both sides
6. Bake until cooked through, roughly 30 to 35 minutes

Chicken Quesadillas

Erin: So I found a recipe for chicken quesadillas from Taco Bell. I loooove their quesadillas so I had to give it a try. They are so good and Sam could not stop raving about them. They are super easy and do not require too many ingredients. You MUST try this recipe.

Ingredients:


SAUCE
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons minced jalapenos, slices
2 teaspoons jalapeno juice, from minced jalepenos
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

QUESADILLAS

4 flour tortillas

4 chicken tenderloins

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:

1. Combine sauce ingredients and stir until smooth.

2. Grill chicken and cut into thin slices.

3. Preheat skillet over medium heat.

4. One at a time, lay tortilla into hot skillet and sprinkle with a small handful of each shredded cheese and  chicken

5. On the empty side, spread about one tablespoon of sauce.

6. Fold over, and press gently with spatula.

7. Cook until cheese is melted and slice each into 4 pieces.

Enjoy!

Chicken Tostadas

Erin: On Friday night I was absolutely exhausted and just wanted to make something semi easy for dinner and this recipe for Chicken Tostadas is perfect. And it's really good! I even made my own refried beans.. I know, can you believe it turns out that refried beans are like super easy to make and so delish!
 Check it out:

Ingredients:

4 (6-inch) corn tortillas
3 tsp. olive oil
1 cup refried beans, canned or homemade (see recipe below)
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups shredded cooked chicken, I used a Rotisserie chicken and I am so glad I did.
juice from 1 lime
grated cheddar cheese
shredded lettuce
tomato (seeded and diced)
avocado (halved, pitted, peeled, and diced small)

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with 2 teaspoons oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake until golden and crisp, 10 minutes.
4. Remove, and top each tortilla with 1/4 cup refried beans, and then sprinkle with some shredded cheese.
5. Return to oven and bake for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile:
6. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high.  Add half of the diced red onion and cook 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add chicken, chili powder and lime juice.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is warmed through (about 2 minutes).
8. Then divide chicken among the tortillas and place on top of the melted cheese.  Continue to layer on the lettuce, diced tomato, avocado & remaining onion.

Beef Stew

Erin: It has been cold all week and I've been crazing a warm and hearty soup. I searched the internet for hours and I decided to try a beef stew. I cooked it on a lazy Saturday and it made the apartment smell fantastic! It does take a couple hours to cook, so you might want to make it on a weekend.

Beef Stew

Sorry no picture, I totally forgot to take a picture. I was too concentrated on how yummy it looked!

Ingredients:

2 pounds cubed beef stew meat (You can find this in the produce section of the grocery store right there by the ground beef, flank steak, etc.)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
4 cups water
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water

What to do:

1. In a large pot cook beef in oil over medium heat until brown.
2. Meanwhile, dissolve 4 bouillon cubes in 4 cups of water and pour into pot.
3. Stir in rosemary, parsley and pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.
5. Stir potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion into the pot. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons cold water and stir into stew. Cover and simmer 1 hour more

Shrimp Scampi

Erin: Oh my, it has been so long since I have updated this thing. I guess I have been too lazy to add the amazing recipes I have been making lately. I'm sure you have made this recipe before, I just haven't added it yet. I made it a few weeks ago and it always comes out delicious!

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp
1/3 cup butter
4 tablespoons minced garlic
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

What to do:
1. Rinse shrimp and set aside. (I always take the shells off the shrimp before making them so it is easier to eat when it is done)
2.  Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat and cook garlic until softened but not browned
3. Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
4. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving.

I served the shrimp over pasta and it was fabulous! Enjoy :)

Chicken-Sour Cream Casserole

Ashley, this is a recipe our grandmother gave to me. It is very similar to the "Hot Chicken Salad" recipe, but it uses fewer ingredients.

What you'll need:
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups cracker crumbs
3 whole chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
8 oz sour cream
10 3/4 can of cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Combine butter and cracker crumbs. Spoon half into a shallow 2-qt casserole dish (an 8x8 pan works too, but a 13x9 is too big)
3. Place chicken on top of mixture
4. Combine sour cream, soup, broth, salt and pepper; blend well
5. Pour the mixture over the chicken and top with remaining crumbs
6. Bake for 20 minutes

Enjoy!

Gorgonzola Chicken Pasta

Erin: I was feeling a little adventurous and a chicken pasta dish sounded really good. I found a recipe for Gorgonzola Chicken Pasta and decided to try it out. Sam absolutely loved it and I thought it was good but I'm not the biggest fan of gorgonzola. So beware, if you do not like gorgonzola, do not try this recipe. Also, it serves two so if you want to make it for more then just double the recipe

Cute place mats, huh?

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound dry pasta ( I used penne)
2 cups half and half
4 ounces crumbly Gorgonzola cheese
8 ounces sliced mushrooms, white button or you can use sliced canned mushrooms from the canned vegetable aisle like I did)
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

What to do:

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. and sear in a hot skillet with two tablespoons of oil over medium high heat.
2. Cook on each side for about 4 to 5 minutes or until completely cooked.
Remove chicken breasts from heat, and let rest for several minutes before slicing.
3. Saute the mushrooms (in the same skillet) on medium high heat until they are browned. While mushrooms are browning sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
4. Cook pasta according to instructions on the package.
5. Prepare sauce by combining half and half and Gorgonzola in a saucepan and heating through. The sauce should thicken slightly.
6. Slice chicken into 1/4 inch slices. Add sauteed mushrooms to the sauce, and stir to combine well.
7. Plate pasta by adding 1/4 of the pasta, 1/4 of the chicken slices. Drizzle with sauce, and top with chopped tomatoes and shredded Parmesan.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Ash- This recipe is SO easy! And it's pretty good. Check it out.

What you'll need:

1/2 cup Hellman's mayonnaise 

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

2. Combine mayonnaise and cheese in a bowl

3. Put chicken halves into a pan and coat with mayonnaise/cheese mixture

4. Sprinkle with bread crumbs

5. Bake for about 25 minutes, but might take longer. Just check! 

I paired the chicken with linguini noodles and sprinkled cheese on top. Delish! 

Main Dish: Honey Mustard Baked Chicken

Erin: For Rosh Hashana, I wanted to stick with tradition and make something sweet to ensure a sweet New Year. I found this recipe for honey mustard chicken and it was really good. It was super easy and it complimented the kugel (recipe follows) and the wine very well. I will definitely keep this recipe around and make it again next Rosh Hashana (if not before then!)

Ingredients:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I accidentally bought chicken breast tenders from the store but it turned out fine anyway)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley


What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley. Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken, and brush to cover.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture.
5. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Erin, it has been so cold in DC lately and I have been miserable. Being from Texas, I am not used to 45 degree weather the first week of October. Trying to stay warm, I finally decided to try a soup recipe I found awhile back. It was warm and hearty and really good!

Ingredients: 

1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced (I used a rotisserie chicken and it was super yummy!)

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 quart half and half

1 14 ounces can of chicken broth

1/2 cup celery, finely diced

2 minced garlic cloves

1 cup carrots, finely shredded

1 cup onion, finely diced

1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoons extra virgin oil

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon parsley

1 pound potato gnocchi ( I had so much trouble trying to find this at the grocery store! I've heard that you can find it either in the gourmet section of the store, or the frozen section in Kroger. At the Safeway in DC, I found it in the pasta aisle next to the pasta)

What to do:

1. Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. 

2. Add the flour. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half.

3. Meanwhile, cook gnocchi according to package directions.

4. Add in the carrots and chicken to the flour/butter mixture

5. Once the mixture becomes thick, add the chicken broth. 

6. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasoning;, simmer until soup is heated through.

I served this with a loaf of sourdough bread to dip in the soup and it was fab! Enjoy!

Brunch: Bourbon French Toast

Erin: Brunch is totally my new favorite meal. I love the fact that drinking alcohol (via mimosas) is completely acceptable before noon. Going out for brunch can be a little pricey so I decided to cook brunch at home this weekend. I found this recipe for Bourbon French Toast in my cookbook, "100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know" and it was fabulous! I will be making this again and again!

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon bourbon (I used Evan Williams Bourbon Whiskey from the local liquor store)
1 grated zest of 1 orange (I used 1 teaspoon orange juice)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon butter
Challah Bread (You can use regular bread but Challah is the BEST and totally makes the dish)

Bourbon Syrup:
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 tablespoon butter

What to do:
1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, bourbon, orange juice, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well
2. In a skillet or griddle, melt the butter over moderate heat
3. Dip the bread one slice at a time into the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides and transfer the slices to the skillet
4. Cook over moderate heat until golden, about 2-3 minutes on each side
5. Meanwhile, make the bourbon syrup by combing syrup, butter and bourbon in a small saucepan and heat over low heat for roughly 3 minutes

:)

Main Dish: Texas Chicken Bryan

Grilled Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Lemon Butter Sauce

Erin: I made Texas Chicken Bryan (courtesy of Carraba's) a few nights ago for Sam. I had the day off of work so I thought what the hell. It is definitely not an easy recipe but it's worth it.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
olive oil
4 oz goat cheese
6 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
4 teaspoons onion, chopped
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
8 tablespoons butter, divided
6 tablespoons white win
1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice

What to do:
1. Brush chicken on both sides with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper
2. Grill chicken and prepare lemon butter sauce while chicken is grilling
3. Sautee onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter until soft
4. Add white wine and lemon juice, reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes
5. Add 6 tablespoons of butter, a little at a time until its melts
6. Add chopped sundried tomatoes and basil and continue to heat for 5 minutes
7. When the chicken is nearly done, top each chicken breast with 2 oz of goat cheese
8.  Spoon lemon butter sauce over chicken breasts and enjoy!


I served Chicken Bryan with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli! Yum!

Main Dish: Meatball Recipe

Erin: I've been so super busy lately that I haven't had time to post any new recipes I've tried. A few days ago, I found a recipe for meatballs that was really good. It was pretty easy and the sauce is amazing!

What you'll need:

2 eggs
1 small onion, chopped
2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of cracker crumbs (I used Ritz)

For the sauce,
1 1/2 cups of ketchup
1/4 cup of yellow mustard
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup of brown sugar

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl then add onion, beef, milk and salt. Mix well and then add cracker crumbs
3. Form the mixture into 40 meatballs and place in a 9x13 baking dish and set aside
4. In a small bowl, whisk ketchup, mustard, vinegar and sugar and pour over the meatballs
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour

Mini Lasagna Cups

Ashley, these are so easy and CUTE! I made them for dinner tonight but I think they would be perfect for a party appetizer! And they are so, so good. 

What you will need:

Wonton wrappers (I found them in the refrigerated produce section)

Ricotta cheese

Parmesan cheese

Mozzarella cheese 

Meat (I used ground turkey, but ground beef is good too)

Olive oil

Marinara sauce 

-There aren't any measurements. I just kinda winged it and it turned out wonderful 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F

2. Coat a cupcake pan with olive oil

3. Put the wonton wrappers into each tin and form it into a cup shape

4. Add a dallop of marinara sauce, followed with ricotta, meat, then parmesan cheese

5. Once you filled the first layer, gently press another wonton wrapper in, forming another cup

6. Repeat filling

7. Add mozzarella cheese to the top

8. Cook in oven for 15 minutes

Cookie Dough Truffles

Can you tell that I've been really into desserts lately? Check this out:

What you will need:

2 1/2 cups flour 

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup room temp. butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup milk

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

chocolate candy coating

Directions:

1. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl until fluffy. 

2. Add milk and vanilla 

3. Slowly stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until well mixed.

4. Fold in chocolate chips

5. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour (this is important because the firmer the dough, the less breakable they become)

6. After dough is chilled, form into small balls on wax paper and chill for another half hour

7. Heat coating according to package

8. Roll dough into coating and let dry on wax paper

9. Refrigerate 

Roasted Chicken with Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

It has been cold and rainy here in DC all week long, far stretch from Texas I'm sure. So I wanted to make something warm and hearty and I decided to make a roast chicken from my cookbook, "100 recipes Every Woman Should Know". It is so simply yet so delicious. It does not require a lot of ingredients but it is tender, juicy and fabulous!

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (approx. 4 lbs)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 2 whole lemons

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

Fresh herbs for garnish (Which I actually opted out of because it's so pretty on its own!)

What to do:

1. Position an oven rack in the upper 3rd of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Remove giblets from the chicken, wash it inside and out with cold water then let the chicken drain, cavity down in a colander for 2 minutes.

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken breast side down in a roasting pan and pour lemon juice all over the chicken, inside and out. Season chicken with salt and pepper, inside and out

3. Prick 2 whole lemons three times, each in different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. 

4. Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temp. to 350 degrees and roast uncovered for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and turn the chicken breast side up. Insert a meat thermometer and return to the oven. 

6. Cook about 20 minutes per pound or until the thermometer reads 180 degrees. I used a 5 lb. chicken so it cooked for around 2 hours total

I paired the chicken with creamy garlic mashed potatoes (recipe follows), steamed broccoli and a bottle of pinot noir. It was fantastic!

Creamy garlic mashed potatoes:

3.5 pounds of russet potatoes (I used potatoes from the local farmer's market. Delish!)

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 cups half and half

6 garlic cloves, minced

6 oz. grated parmesan 

What to do:

1. Peel and dice potatoes then place in a large saucepan, add the salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

2. Heat the half-and-half and the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash and add the garlic-cream mixture and Parmesan; stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

Ashley, the cake balls were great! The trick is the frosting mixed in with the cake. It makes the cake extra moist and delicious! I've been on the dessert hunt lately, trying to satisfy my sweet tooth and decided to give this a try.

What you will need:
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth
3. Add the sugar and vanilla until well combined
4. Slowly add flour
5. Fold in chocolate chips
6. Roll the dough into balls and roll around in cookie crumbs
7. Bake for 15 minutes

The recipe doesn't yield any cookies, so I doubled it.

Orchard Chicken Salad (with a sweet, fruity twist) :)

Erin, how were the cake balls? I've had one before and it was only so-so. You'll have to let me know. So Congress is finally back in session, (as of September 7th) and I am so terrified! I really enjoyed the quiet hallways of the Capitol. I hope it goes well, and I don't get too stressed out! 


 Anyway, I'm always looking for recipes that I can make to take to work for lunch and I thought chicken salad was a great choice. I really like chicken salad with apples so I decided to google it and try to find a recipe that combined the two. I ended up finding a copycat recipe for Subway's orchard chicken salad. It is so good, but it is pretty sweet. I really like it though and from now on this will be my go to chicken salad recipe. 


P.S. Sam bought me a food processor the other day and WOW! It's awesome. It seriously saves you so much money, so this recipe took no time at all. I highly suggest buying one. You can find one that is not too expensive. The one I got was only $40 and it works so well! It is soooo worth it ;)


P.S.S. I'm trying the meatballs tonight! 

Orchard Chicken Salad


Ingredients:

• 3 cups of chopped red apples 
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 4 cups cooked chicken, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup of golden raisins (It took me FOREVER to find raisins at the grocery store today) 
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise 
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine apples, celery, chicken, raisins and cranberries in a large bowl.
2. Add celery salt, salt and pepper and mix well. 
3. Stir in mayonnaise 
4. Enjoy! Woo hoo!

Cake Balls

Ash, I tried the buffalo dip. A little spicy for my taste, so I reduced the hot sauce to 1/4 cup and loved it! Just a little side note. So this week was grandmother's birthday and I know it's somewhat clique but I had to  see what all the fuss was about for "cake balls" or "cake pops. I gave it a try.

What you will need:
Cake mix (I wanted to make one from scratch but I just didn't have the time). Any flavor, brand, ect
Frosting (Again, I wanted to make it from scratch, but settled on one already made. Any flavor
Bark/Candy Coating (I found this at Kroger in the baking section)

For reference, I used vanilla cake mix, vanilla frosting, and I bought chocolate and vanilla coating just to mix up the colors a little bit. Make sure you have sprinkles!

Directions:
1. Bake the cake as directed.
2. After about 15 minutes of cooling, crumble it all up. I used a hand mixer to really get it crumbled. Add the frosting and form it into a ball.
3. Put the ball into the freezer for AT LEAST 15 minutes before continuing. Room temperature cake will not form into balls and they will fall apart in the coating. Very frustrating
4. Then form into little balls and roll into coating. I used a fork and just rolled the balls around until they were fully coated.
5. Add sprinkles! The coating dries pretty fast so make sure to do this immediately.
6. I added lollipop sticks to the balls just for extra creativity. The sticks are left over from my marshmallow sticks. Found at Hobby Lobby for 2 bucks

Appetizer/Snack: Buffalo Chicken Dip

This dip is AMAZING! I literally cannot stop eating it. I ate it for a snack, I brought it to work to eat for lunch one day and I even ate it with dinner. It is sooo good and handy to keep in the fridge whenever I want a little snack.

2 (12 oz) cans of white chicken, next to the tuna

1/2 cup of ranch dressing

1/2 cup of hot sauce (Frank's hot sauce is the best!)

8 oz whipped cream cheese

Cheese to top. I used cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, and transfer to a non stick baking dish. Top with desired amount of cheese and put in the oven for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Brunch: Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes

Erin: As Sam and I are waiting out Hurricane Irene, I thought it would be a great time to try out some new brunch recipes. Rasperry Ricotta Pancakes are awesome! They are light and give the traditional pancake a bit of a fruity twist. Try them!

The picture is not great and they do not come out very pretty, but they are really good!



What you'll need
- 1 lemon
- 1 pint of frozen or fresh raspberries (thawed)
-1/2 cup of sugar, plus 1 Tbs.
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1 Tbs. baking powder
-1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
-1 1/4 cups milk
-4 large eggs
-maple syrup for serving

What to do:
1. Working over a small bowl, use a box grater to grate the zest of a lemon
2. Add raspberries to the bowl with the lemon zest. Stir in 1/3 cup of sugar, gently crushing the raspberries with a wooden spoon. Set aside to macerate while making the batter
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the ricotta with the milk and eggs. Add the ricotta mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes. Gently fold in the raspberries with their juices
4. Heat a large skillet over low heat and melt 1/2 teaspoon butter. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet
5. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and bubbles on the surface begin to break. Flip and cook for 2 minutes longer

I served the pancakes with maple syrup, scrambled eggs and mimosas! Delish!


TIP
-For extra fluffy pancakes, separate the whites and the yolks of the egg and just add the yolks when the recipe calls for eggs. Then beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter at the end, right after you add the raspberries!

Sam enjoying brunch!

Main Entree: Baked Garlic Shrimp

Erin,

I know how much we BOTH love cooking with shrimp so when I found this recipe,  I knew I had to give it a try. It is a twist on traditional steamed/sauteed shrimp because it's baked. Who knew? The breadcrumbs totally make this dish. It's absolutely delish! Eric came over to hang out for the night and both he and Sam were raving all night!

AND, it was pretty cheap and quick to make. It doesn't require a lot of ingridients, mostly stuff that you already have around the house.

What you'll need

• 1 lb. raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. white wine
• salt and pepper
• 4 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp. fresh Italian-leaf parsley, chopped

What to do:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic, and white wine.  Stir to combine, then pour into a baking dish.  Spread out evenly, and then season with salt and pepper.
In another bowl, use a fork to mix melted butter, Panko, and parsley until well combined.  With your fingers, sprinkle the mixture evenly in the baking dish over the shrimp.
Transfer dish to oven and bake until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 15-18 minutes.

I served it with angel hair pasta tossed with butter on the side and a loaf of french bread. It was awesome and filled the whole house with an amazing aroma! :) Enjoy!

Main Entree: Porcupine Meatballs

Ashley--Remember these from growing up? I made them tonight and they are SO much better than I recall. Maybe it's just that my recipe is better than mom's :) just kidding!

What you'll need: 

1 lb lean ground beef

1/3 cup uncooked rice

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 water

1 tsp salt

1 can condensed tomato soup

1/2 water 

Directions:

1. Combine beef, rice, onions, 1/4 cup water, salt

2. Shape meat mixture into 12-15 meat balls

3. Combine soup and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil.

4. Add meatballs, reduce heat, cover; stir occassionally, and simmer over low heat.

5. Recipe says cook for 1 hour, but mine took a little over a half hour. Just keep checking it

I paired it with a green salad and a bowl of fruit. It was amazing. Enjoy!

Main Entree: Chicken Fried Rice

Erin: This was the BEST chicken fried rice ever. It was simple but so tasty. And borrowed from The Food Network! :)

What you'll need
3 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon sesame oil (found next to the olive oil)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely minced
4 cups cooked rice
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce



What to do:

1. Beat eggs in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat very little oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and make an omelette using half the beaten eggs. Turn out onto a plate to cool (do not fold omelette). Repeat process with remaining beaten eggs. Place 1 omelette on top of the other, fold and chop. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, toss chicken strips with the sesame oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. 3. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over high heat in large wok and stir fry the prepared chicken strips about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until onion has softened.
4. Add 2 tablespoons more vegetable oil and when hot, stir in the cooked rice and green onions, tossing and mixing thoroughly until very hot.
5. Sprinkle with soy sauce and mix evenly. Remove from heat and stir in chopped cooked egg.

Main Entree: London Broil

What you'll need:
4 lb London Broil steak
3 tbs Soy Sauce
1 tbs Sherry cooking wine
1/8 tsp garlic powder
3 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Combine sauces, oil, sherry, and garlic.
3. Coat both sides with mixture
4. Let stand for 30 minutes
5. Place steak on pan (one with slits, if available) and cook for about 30 minutes.

I paired this with steamed asparagus in lemon butter sauce and it was amazing! Enjoy

Dessert: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

What you'll need:
an 18.25 oz box of Duncan Hines Devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a medium bowl, stir together cake mix, butter and eggs until smooth and well blended. I used a mixer for a minute or two.
3. Mix in chocolate chips
4. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes

6. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Main Dish: Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza

Erin: This is pretty cheap and very tasty. There was even enough for Sam to take to work the next day, Let me know how you like it.

P.S. I start work tomorrow. Wish me luck :)

What you'll need:

• 2 whole heads of garlic, roasted
• 1 pizza crust, homemade or store bought (I bought one from the local grocery store)
• 1/2 cup PHILADELPHIA brand Italian Herb & Cheese Cooking Creme (you can find this in any grocery store right next to the cream cheese)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken from the store and it was a major time saver!)
• sliced white or red onions
• 1-2 cups Mozzarella cheese
• 1 handful Italian parsley, finely-chopped

What to do:
Begin by roasting your head(s) of garlic.
Once it is ready and cooled to room temperature, carefully squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skin and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Lay your pizza crust on a floured work surface.  Spread the top with the PHILADELPHIA brand Cooking Creme, leaving a 1-inch border for crust.
Sprinkle evenly with shredded chicken, onions, roasted garlic cloves, and about half of the chopped parsley.  Top evenly with cheese.
Transfer to a pizza baking sheet and bake at 425F degrees for 12-16 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.

NOTE:

(you can look up how to roast garlic online. BUT BEWARE!!! Make sure that you use a baking sheet with edges. I made this mistake and the olive oil spilled over, caught fire, and OH-EM-GEE, you cannot imagine the smoke that will cause. But it was a minor setback and everything was fine)

Main Dish: Flank Steak with Peppercorn Cream Sauce

What you will need:

Steak: 

1 lb flank steak

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

black pepper

Peppercorn Cream Sauce:

1/2 c beef broth

1 tsp cornstarch

3 tbsp peppercorns

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

4 oz PHILADELPHIA brand cream cheese 

Directions:

For the steak:

1. Place the steak in a large top bag and use a meat mallot to pound the steak to even thickness 

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and garlic until well mixed.

3. Pour the marinade into a zip lock bag with the steak and marinade in fridge for 20 minutes

4. Remove steak from fridge and let it sit until room temperature. Then season with salt and pepper

5. You can either grill it or cook it on the stove. I prefer grill. I preheat the grill to medium-high heat. 

6. Place steak on grill and cook about 6 minutes. Remove and tent with foil for 5-10 more minutes before serving. Cut against grain when ready to serve and top with peppercorn sauce immediately.

For the sauce:

1. Using a small saucepan, whisk cold beef broth and cornstarch..

2. Turn heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally 

3. Add in peppercorns, sage, and garlic powder and stir to combine.

4. Add cream cheese and stir slowly until it has fully melted and the sauce is smooth and well combined. Serve immediately! 

Dessert: Chardonnay Cake

What you'll need:

Cake:
2 sticks of butter at room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs at room temp.
3.5 oz vanilla pudding
1/2 cup chardonnay (any chardonnay will work-I found the cheapest bottle at HEB and it worked great)
1 cup whole milk, warmed in microwave for about 20 seconds
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Glaze:
4 tbs butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 chardonnay

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. Grease and flour a bundt pan (or a 9' by 9' pan will work, but I used a bundt)
3. With a mixer in a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, eggs, pudding mix, chardonnay, milk and vanilla until well combined
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. It's okay if it has a few clumps,  don't overmix!
6. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 50 minutes
7. While the cake is baking, start the glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reduces.
8. When cake is finished, remove from oven and pierce it several times with a skewer or fork.
9. Immediately pour the hot glaze into the pan. If you are using a bundt pan, pour mixure into the bottom.
10. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and you can flip bundt when it is cooled

Sounds pretty complicated, but it's really easy and delicious!

Side Dish: Roasted Butternut Squash

What you will need:
1 large butternut squash (Make sure you check the weight before buying. I didn't check and ended up with a $7 squash).
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons diced butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
2. Cut off the top and bottom of the squash and scoop out seeds
3. Cut the flesh into 1 inch cubes
4. Put the squash on a large rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with minced garlic and diced butter, and drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup. Toss all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper
5. Roast for 20 minutes. Take out, turn squash over with spatula, and roast for 20 minutes longer