Tasty Tuesday: Tortellini and Garden Vegetable Bake

During the summer, there is nothing better than a fresh veggie recipe.  I ran across this particular one on Pinterest and couldn't resist "pinning" it.  It was easy to fix, and had tons of flavor!

Tortellini and Garden Vegetable Bake

Ingredients

10 ounces dried cheese-filled tortellini (2-1/2 cups) or two 9-ounce packages refrigerated tortellini
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups sugar snap peas, halved crosswise
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
1 8-ounce package cream cheese or light cream cheese (Neufchatel), cubed and softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 small red or green sweet pepper, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.  Cook tortellini in boiling salted water according to package directions, adding the carrot during the last 5 minutes of cooking and the sugar snap peas during the last 1 minute of cooking; drain.
2.  Meanwhile, heat margarine or butter in a 12-inch skillet. Add chicken and mushrooms, and cook about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from skillet.
3.  Shake together chicken broth, oregano, flour, garlic salt, and pepper in a screw-top jar until smooth. Add to skillet along with milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; add cream cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Add pasta mixture, chicken mixture, tomatoes, and sweet pepper. Toss to coat. Turn into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish or shallow 3-quart casserole.
4.  Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Stir mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Transport in an insulated carrier. Makes 12 main-dish servings.

Tasty Tuesday: Chicken, Spinach, & Mushroom Quesadillas

It's so secret that my hubby and I love Mexican food.  We eat some form of the cuisine at least once a week.  When I ran across this recipe, I knew I had to try it.  Much to my surprise, the hubby said it possibly could be his favorite Mexican dish I have made so far.

Ingredients

1/2 lbs. cooked chicken, shredded

16 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup white wine
3 tablespoons (additional) white wine
1 bag baby spinach
12 whole wheat flour tortillas
8 ounces monterey jack cheese, grated

3 ounces mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

For the chicken, I cooked two boneless skinless breasts on low in the crock pot with water for about 6 hours.  The chicken is amazingly tender and shreds so easily.

Heat olive oil in  large skillet and add sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then pour in white wine. Continue cooking for 6 to 8 minutes, or until all liquid is evaporated. Remove mushrooms from skillet and set aside.

Return skillet to stovetop and reduce heat to medium-low. Add a couple of tablespooons of white wine and olive oil. Add spinach to skillet and stir gently as it wilts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cook for 2 minutes. Remove from skillet.

To assemble the quesadillas, arrange grated monterey jack, spinach, chicken and mushrooms on top of one flour tortilla. Dot with mozzarella. Top with a little more monterey jack, and then the second tortilla. Grill both sides until golden brown and until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Slice quesadillas into four wedges and serve immediately.

I made a few adjustments and additions, but the recipe is adapted from Pioneer Woman's Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas.


Linking up With 33 Shades of Green for Tasty Tuesdays!

My First Layered Cake

Yesterday was one of my best friend's 24th birthday, so I decided to bake her a cake!  Tuesday evening, I gathered all the supplies and got to work.  Since this was my first attempt at a layered cake, I turned to Christina for some advice.  Let me tell you....this girl knows her baking!  She was so kind and answered all of my silly questions as a first timer.

First, I made the box cake according to it's instructions.  I chose Strawberry, only because the store was out of Funfetti.

Then, I prepared the pans by placing a piece of wax paper in the bottom of each, sprayed a non-stick spray, and sifted flour around the entire pan.  This was a great tip that I found in Christina's post here.  It worked like a charm and I did not have any trouble removing them once they were finished baking.

While the cakes cooled in the fridge wrapped in saran wrap, I started on the icing.  I followed Christina's cream cheese icing recipe and added in her secret ingredient.  This strawberry lemonade icing was delicious!

Once the cakes cooled, I added the middle filling and the first crumb layer of icing.  Then, after thirty minutes in the fridge I placed another layer on to complete the cake.  Topped it with sprinkles and a homemade bunting, and it was the prettiest birthday cake I've ever seen!

Happy Birthday Maureen!

Stay tuned tomorrow for instructions on how to make a mini bunting, along with a FREE printable!

Tasty Tuesday: Turkey and Black Bean Enchiladas

Gina has done it again.  She has provided my hubby and I with another healthy, yet delicious recipe.  Typically when I cook enchiladas, I fill them with chicken in a salsa mixture (which the hubby loves).  This recipe calls for ground turkey and black beans, and I think he may have liked these even better!

Turkey and Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 lb extra lean ground turkey
15.5 can black beans, drained
4.5 oz can chopped green chiles
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1-2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chili powder
salt
8 (6-inch) low carb whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese
nonstick cooking spray

For the Enchilada Sauce:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium saucepan, spray cooking spray and sauté garlic. Add chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

In a large skillet brown the turkey and season with salt. When the turkey is browned,add onion, garlic, black beans, cilantro, green chiles, diced tomatoes, cumin and chili powder. Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 20 minutes. Remove lid andsimmer an additional 5-10 minutes to reduce the liquid.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/2 cup turkey mixture into each tortilla and roll it. Place on baking dish seam side down. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream, cilantro or scallions if you wish. Makes 8 enchiladas.

Tasty Tuesday: Cajun Chicken Pasta

I branched out of my normally weekly recipes to cook, and decided to "spice" up our dinner last night.  I am a huge fan of Skinny Taste recipes, and this one did not disappoint.  It was easy to make, quite healthy, and husband approved!

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used whole wheat)
1 pound chicken breast strips
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (I used Cayenne Red Pepper)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tbsp flour
3 tbsp light cream cheese
fresh cracked pepper
2 scallions, chopped
salt to taste
Smart Balance cooking spray

Directions

Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt. 

Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken.  Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.  Set aside.  Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.  Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.  Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: No Bake Energy Bites

A few weeks ago when my sister and I went to Myrtle Beach, I tried a new Pinterest recipe to take for a snack.  I wanted something tasty, but healthy since it was the same weekend as my half marathon.  

This snack did not disappoint, and my sister and I devoured them in less than 3 days!

No Bake Energy Bites

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. 

 Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! 

 Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Easy, healthy, and delicious.  Bon Appetit!

Tasty Tuesday: Almond Banana Breakfast Oats

I have had an itch to find a new "go to" breakfast.  Multi-grain cereal and milk has been my favorite for far too long, and it's about time I switched it up.  Saturday morning as I was perusing Pinterest, I came across a new, healthy recipe that looked absolutely delicious.  I decided to give it a try, and boy was I glad I did!  Luckily, I had all the ingredients (or substitutes) I needed for this wonderful concoction.

Almond Banana Breakfast Oats

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
cinnamon
1 banana
1 tbsp almond butter (I used my all natural peanut butter)

In a small pot over high heat, warm the almond milk.  Once it begins to boil, add in the oats, reduce heat to medium, and stir until oats are combined with almond milk. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir until combined. Check back every couple of minutes and stir occasionally.

While the oats are cooking, slice up a banana into a bowl. Measure out a tablespoon of almond butter and place in bowl as well.

When the almond milk has significantly reduced(about 5 minutes), lower the heat to simmer. Stir and allow the oats to become your desired consistency.

Remove pot from heat and pour/spoon oats overtop of the banana and almond butter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This meal was very filling, and I was not able to consume the whole portion.  I refrigerated the leftovers and had them this morning.  To me, it was even better cold!

What is your "go to" breakfast meal?  Any oatmeal lovers out there?

What I'm Loving Wednesday: Fiesta Style!

Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta!  All I can think about this week is the Mexican holiday on Saturday, 

Cinco de Mayo.  I love any Mexican dish, and any excuse to indulge is good enough for me!

If I was preparing for a fiesta this weekend, there is no doubt that good food, tequila, and 

cute decorations would be involved.  Here are a few loves that I have found on Pinterest. 

Color blocking is all the rage this spring....why not for a fiesta?

{via}

I love the clean and simple greens!

{via}

These paper pinwheels would be a must have!

{via}

It's not a fiesta without the tequila!  

{via}

Appetizers are critical for hungry guests, and I'm sure 

these Chipotle Chicken Cups would not disappoint!

{via}

Who can resist chimichangas?

{via}

And of course my favorite, enchiladas (healthier, at that)!

{via}

Cool your guests off with these margarita popsicles.

{via}

These margarita cupcakes are sure to seal the deal!

{via}

And of course, after the fiesta comes a SIESTA!

Bradley and I will be joining a friend at her new home this Saturday for margaritas 

by the pool and a Mexican feast!  What are your Cinco de Mayo plans?

Linking up to This Kind of Love for What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Eat Clean Recipes

I promised a few new recipes from my Eat Clean diet last week, and I had complete blogger fail {sorry about that}.  But, I am here this morning to share with you a couple healthy and delicious ones I have made!  These are so easy to make, and are straight from Tosca Reno's The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged!

Mexican Pinto Beans & Brown Rice

Ingredients
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp chili powder
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice
4 cups canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed well
1 1/2 cups to 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
3 tbsp chipotle peppers, chopped, plus sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sea salt

Directions
1.  Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add cumin, coriander, cinnamon and chili powder.  Heat until fragrant.
2.  Add chopped onion and cook until soft.  Add garlic and cook a few minutes more.
3.  Add cooked rice and rinsed beans, stock, chipotles, tomato paste and salt.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve hot.

Now here's my twist on the recipe:
Instead of pinto beans, I used kidney beans (preference only).
I did not have any tomato paste, but did have a can of low sodium diced tomatoes that I used in it's place.
I also didn't have any chipotle peppers, so I left out that ingredient.
I wanted this to be a complete meal, so I browned a pound of ground turkey and added it to the mix!

Picante Frittata

Ingredients
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and minced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and deveined, cut into thin ribbons
1 cup baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
3 egg whites + 1 whole egg
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp sea salt
Pinch cumin
1/4 tsp ground black peppers
1/2 cup fresh salsa (homemade or commercial) as garnish

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make sure oven rack is in the center of oven.
2.  In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add vegetables to skillet and cook until soft, about five minutes.
3.  While vegetables are cooking, combine eggs, milk, salt, cumin, and pepper.  Whisk well.
4.  Pour egg mixture over cooking vegetables.  Cook until edges are set and center is just beginning to set.
5.  Transfer to heated oven and bake another five to eight minutes or until center is firm.
6.  Transfer cooked frittata to heated plate and serve with salsa.

Now here's my twist on the recipe:
I was out of red peppers, so I chopped up a handful of cherry tomatoes.

Both of these recipes were super easy to make, delicious, and was enough for a few meals.  Eating clean can be a task, but when you have great recipes such as these, it makes it so much easier!

Easter Weekend Fun

This was our second Easter as a married couple, and the second holiday that we have spent at home by ourselves without the rest of our family.  Since we are going to the Upstate next weekend for a wedding, we figured it would be best to stay home for Easter.  Although I missed my family dearly, I must say it was nice to relax and enjoy the weekend on our time!

{Friday}  We spent the evening at a friend's home for a 40th birthday party!  I asked all of you on Thursday for your favorite banana pudding recipe to take as a special treat.  I decided to make Paula Deen's version of Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding.  Paula deserves a full breakdown of this recipe on my blog because it was delicious.  Not one bit came back home with us.

Ingredients
1 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups milk
1 5-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
6-8 bananas, sliced
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies

Directions
Line the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

{Saturday}  This day was quite relaxing.  I got up, ran a few errands, and had lunch with a friend.  Bradley put a boston butt in the crockpot and created some delicious BBQ for us to have this week.  Between napping, watching baseball, and eating, I say it was a pretty successful day!

{Sunday}  Easter Sunday.  Bradley and I decided to try out a new church.  The church we normally attend is about 45 minutes from the house.  The new church we visited is only about 10 minutes away.  It was a breath of fresh air and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  When we got home, I already had a feast prepared for the two of us.  We enjoyed a smoked ham, sour cream and chives mashed potatoes, green beans, and crescent rolls.  It was perfect for just the two of us!  

How was your Easter weekend?!

Calling All Banana Pudding Lovers!

Hey you!

Yea, you there reading this post!

You like banana pudding, right?

I mean, how could you not?

I need your help.

Bradley and I are going to a 40th birthday party tomorrow evening and I offered to bring a dessert for all the guests.  I chose banana pudding because it is one of my husband's favorites and it feeds a large crowd well.  What do I need from you?  Well, I need some recipe suggestions.

I need you to send me links or directions/ingredients for your favorite banana pudding recipes!

I will share the winning recipe on Monday after it goes through the official taste tester...my hubby!

Ready, set, GO!

Weekend Catch-Up

Whew!  Happy Monday!  What a fun and exciting weekend we had.  Going to see a movie premiere, friends in town, and new recipes consumed all of our time, but no complaints here. 

Let's get started with a full recap, shall we?!

On Friday, our friends Kevin and Caroline headed into town for the weekend.  When I got off work, they met me in the parking lot so I could take Caroline with me to the movie premiere while the guys headed to do their own thing.  We stopped off to grab a bite to eat at a local Mexican restaurant before heading to the theater, and picked up Caroline's younger sister along the way.

{ATTENTION: SPOILER ALERT...skip down if you haven't seen the movie}  

I enjoyed the movie.  I really did, but I left needing more.  I didn't cry as much as I thought I would, and I definitely think some scenes could have been expounded upon.  I wanted Rachel's character's mind to come flooding back with all the memories that she couldn't remember from the injury.  I wanted Channing to get more angry and frustrated.  I also wanted to see them get married again at the end.  I did, however, enjoy seeing Channing Tatum's cute bare butt!  What are your thoughts on the movie?  

Most of Saturday morning was spent relaxing and enjoying our company.  I fixed a hashbrown casserole for breakfast and we watched Crazy, Stupid Love {which I love by the way!}.  For lunch, we introduced Kevin and Caroline to one of our local favorites, Sesame Burgers and Beer.  

I think they enjoyed it more than we did our first time!  

Earlier in the week, Bradley and I decided to invite our friends Dean and Jess over to join us for dinner Saturday evening.  I prepped this amazing recipe {found on Pinterest} before we headed to lunch.

{Crockpot BBQ Beer Chicken}

Yummy is not even close to the best description I could give this recipe.  It was amazing!  The chicken fell apart, had rich flavor, and was super easy to make for a small gathering.  I paired it with wheat hamburger buns, potato salad, and baked beans.  It was a hit to say the least.  Nothing better than sitting around the dinner table with great friends and an awesome meal!

Sunday morning before Kevin and Caroline headed back home, I tried my hand at another new Pinterest inspired recipe.  

{Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring}

This recipe also did not disappoint.  The biscuits were moist and full of flavor, even though they came out of a can.  The syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon were just enough to sweeten the dough!

I'm not going to lie.  After Kevin and Caroline hit the road, I climbed back into my warm bed and spent most of Sunday afternoon curled up watching movies.  It was the perfect ending to a great weekend!

How was your weekend?  Anything fun and exciting?

Skinny Taste Recipe

I will admit, I cook a lot of chicken and ground turkey.  My husband always laughs and gives me a hard time because he says he knows that there is a 50/50 chance for what we will be having for dinner.  So last night I decided to shock him.  We had Skinny Taste's Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy.  I'll tell you what, that Gina really knows how to put a meal together, and keep it healthy!  I even had to hide some on the side just so I could have leftovers for lunch today.

What You'll Need:

• 1 1/2 tsp oil
• 3/4 cup onions, minced
• 1 lbs 93% lean ground beef
• 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, to taste
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 cup water
• chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

How to Prepare:

Sauté

 onions in oil over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  

In a large bowl, 

combine

h

alf of the sautéed onions, ground beef, ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, egg white, 1/4 cup beef broth, salt and black pepper.  

Shape

 into 8 oval patties.

In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, 

brown

 both sides of patties. 

Set aside

 on a dish.  

Add mushrooms to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and sauté 2-3 minutes.

Return patties to the skillet with the mushrooms.  

In a small bowl, blend flour and remaining broth until smooth. Mix in remaining onions, tomato paste, vinegar, water, worcestershire sauce and mustard powder.  Pour over meat and mushrooms in skillet.

Cover

 and 

cook

 on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**I had some frozen beef cubed steak patties that I used instead of making them per the recipe.**

I served over red-skinned mashed potatoes and a side of green beans.  It was a success my friends!

Just Can't Get Enough

...of Pinterest, that is.  It seems that when I need a brilliant recipe, inspiration for decor, or a fun new outfit the first place I look is Pinterest.  To whomever came up with the idea and put it in place, I think there are a lot of women out there that would like to thank you for the genius idea, but curse you at the same time.  It can easily suck up hours of your day if you aren't careful :).

This weekend was very relaxing to say the least.  I wasn't feeling the best, so the majority of my Saturday was spent curled up on the couch with Netflix.  My kind of day!  Sunday morning, I awoke bright and early since I was all rested up, and decided to fix a nice treat for breakfast...Pinterest inspired of course!

With ingredients that I already had on hand, I made a variation of this lovely treat:

{Strawberry Cream Cheese Croissants}

Although I didn't have any homemade strawberry jam (and sadly had to leave it out), this was still delicious. I also topped mine with brown sugar and cinnamon. A sweet Sunday treat!

Sunday evening, I decided to try a baked chicken parmesan.  My sister whipped up this recipe earlier in the week and loved it.  Mine did not disappoint either.

Served over a bed of whole wheat noodles and a side of asparagus, and you have yourself a nice, healthy meal.  I'm off now to finish the leftovers for lunch!

Happy Monday!

Chicken of the Sea

Catchy title, huh?  You're probably wondering what the heck I am talking about.  Last night I succeeded at my first try of clam chowder.  It is my husbands favorite soup.  When a co-worker had some last week and let me try, I had to get the recipe to make it for him.  Anytime we go to a restaurant it is the first item he looks for.  He is a clam chowder connoisseur, if you will, and mine didn't disappoint!

Clam Chowder
2 cans of whole baby clams (I used Chicken of the Sea brand)
4 pieces of cooked, chopped bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1 medium onion
2 celery stalks
8 oz. boiled diced potatoes (I used red skin and left the skin on)
2 tbsp of flour
Olive oil
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
16 oz. chicken broth

Chop onion and celery very fine.
Saute in olive oil and a little chicken broth until translucent on medium heat.
Add bacon in pieces and sprinkle in 2 tbsp of flour.
Cook for one minutes (will become a paste).
Pour in 16 oz. of chicken broth.
Add whipping cream 1 oz. at a time, slowly stirring it in.
Bring to a boil and stir for 1-2 minutes.
Add clams (with juice) and drained diced potatoes.
Cook until warm throughout.
Salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe made plenty for the both of us, with leftovers!

Pinterest Inspired Recipe!

Happy Monday loves!  What a thrilling weekend I had doing ABSOLUTELY nothing!  I can't say that I feel the least bit guilty.  It was much needed after being out of town for what seemed like an entire month.  Other than getting some grocery shopping done and having lunch with a friend, I was A-OK with rocking my pjs all weekend while laying on the couch watching TV.  I did manage to finally unpack from all of our travels and tidy our bedroom on Sunday before an afternoon walk with the hubs.  We had to take full advantage of the 70 degree weather in January!

Despite the warm weather outside, I was craving some vegetable soup and cornbread.  I guess my southern roots really do take over sometimes!  I made a huge pot on Saturday that left plenty of leftovers for Sunday evening.  I made the same recipe as in this post, but this time I added kidney beans and ground beef.  YUM!

To change it up a bit from eating the soup Saturday afternoon and knowing that we would have leftovers for Sunday evening, I pulled together a quick,easy recipe from Pinterest for Sunday lunch.  {Note: I changed up the recipe just a bit to fit the ingredients I had on hand.  The recipe below shows my changes.}

{Chicken Roll Ups}

1 can chunk chicken (rinsed and drained)

1/2 package of neufchatel cream cheese

1 tsp. of buffalo hot sauce

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1 tsp. blue cheese crumbles

1 can of crescent rolls

Mix all ingredients (except crescent rolls) in a large bowl.  

Spread crescent rolls onto a greased baking sheet.

Spoon 1/2 cup of mixture onto the larger end of each crescent roll.

Roll them up making sure they are sealed around the chicken mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until crescent rolls are slightly brown.

Who knew something so easy could be so tasty?  I served mine with a side salad and it was just enough for lunch.

Stayed tuned later this week for my first try at clam chowder, hubby's favorite soup!

Weekend in Food Heaven

Happy Monday!  I hope all my fellow blogland friends had an excellent weekend.  Mine was spent Christmas shopping, eating, watching football, eating, cleaning out my closet, eating, and wrapping gifts.  Did I mention eating?

Friday evening, Bradley and I shared a fabulous date night at Cork Bistro in Park Circle.  Never disappointing, Cork was right on point for both of our appetizers and entrees.  To start, I chose my favorite, Local Tomato & Fried Mozzarella Caprese.  Bradley had a cup of the Tomato Bisque and it was rich with flavor and warmth!  For our main course, I chose the Buttered Crumb Fresh Catch of the Day {which happened to be Black Grouper} and Bradley selected the Cognac Flambeed NY Strip Steak.  O.M.G.  One of the best meals I have had in awhile!

The NY Strip (pictured left) was cooked to perfection at a temperature of medium rare, and served with baby bella mushrooms, arugula and pomme frites, roasted garlic, pecorino cheese, and port wine reduction.  The Black Grouper (pictured right) was complimented with parsley potatoes, and baby green bean, tomato & cucumber salad.  The buttered crumb outer layer had a perfect crisp.  Of course, I had left overs for Saturday lunch as well :).  Most restaurant meals do not reheat well in the microwave, but this one tasted as good as the night before!

In honor of all the football games on Saturday, Bradley wanted to make his favorite dip to munch on all day. And we did just that...ate it all afternoon!  I introduce to you the best cheesy beef dip ever:

Ingredients

1 lb. hamburger meat browned (we used venison)

1 block of Velvetta Cheese

2 cans Rotel with Chiles, Cilantro and Lime

Let simmer in crockpot until all is melted.  Serve with Tostitos Scoops!

How's a girl supposed to Christmas shop after this yummy goodness?

On Sunday, I put on a big pot of vegetable soup and let simmer for about 7 hours.  This was a nice treat for the semi-fall weather we have been experiencing and a great way to get a healthy dose of veggies!  I did not have a particular recipe I wanted to use, so I used my imagination and included a hodge podge of vegetables and broth.

Ingredients

Fresh green beans cut into thirds

Fresh okra cut into thirds

Peeled, diced potatoes

Purple onion, sliced into slivers

Minced garlic

Can of lima beans

Can of whole kernel corn

Large can of petite cuts tomatoes

Large can of tomato sauce

Box of vegetable broth

Half box of chicken broth

Water

Black pepper to taste

In a large pot, add onions, garlic and a little vegetable broth.  Simmer on low until onion is translucent.  Then, add all vegetables, tomato sauce, and broth.  Simmer on low for 6-7 hours adding water every 3 hours.  Top with black pepper to taste.

{The only thing I would do differently is cook the potatoes and green beans before adding them to the pot.  It seemed to take forever for the potatoes to become soft and the green beans never did.  It is still good, but if you like soft vegetables, I recommend boiling them ahead of time.}

There is no possible way that I did not gain at least 5 pounds this weekend. Ooops!  Just another reason to work out extra hard this week.

What did you spend your weekend doing?

Make You Wanna Slap Yo Mama

{I am thankful for this wonderful season of giving, love, and harvesting memories.  I am thankful for the hands that will prepare the delicious meals tomorrow, along with the hungry hearts who will feast for joy!  Happy Thanksgiving!}

Since there are only a few of us in our department working today, we decided to have a little "family" Thanksgiving meal ourselves.  My boss prepared white chicken chili, and I made my grandmother's homemade corn bread recipe for the very first time.  

I am pleased to announce that it was successful...for the most part.

Isn't she a beauty?  Screams SOUTHERN!

Nanny's Cornbread Recipe

2 cups self rising cornmeal (I used yellow)

2 tablespoons flour

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Water, as needed

Most important part of this recipe is to have a seasoned cast iron skillet.  Cornbread is NOT the same without this!  Preheat oven to 400 degrees and heat seasoned skillet for 15-20 minutes.  Mix all ingredients, and add a little water until consistency is the same as thick pancake mix.  Take skillet out of oven and pour in mixture.  The ingredients should sizzle as they hit the skillet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is brown.

This probably isn't the exact recipe that my grandmother uses, but it is the same ingredients.  You see, old southern women rarely write down their everyday recipes.  They know it by heart and normally don't measure what they put in.  I can guarantee you that my grandmother had cornbread with just about every meal when my mother was growing up and me as well, and it was just as good every time.

I have been christened.  This was my first attempt at cornbread, and I will never forget the experience.

I burned myself on the skillet trying to remove the cornbread to cool.  Thank goodness for the aloe plant that my mother-in-law gave me earlier in the year.  I think I felt a burn/sting sensation for about 4 hours.

It will probably leave a scar, but I am OK with that.  It will always be a reminder of my first successful attempt at my grandmother's infamous cornbread recipe!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Go enjoy yourself and your family!

I will be back on Monday to share my family fun and all the great deals I plan to find on Black Friday!

Good for the Soul

{I am thankful for my family and friends.  Without their constant support and love, I would not be who I am today.  I am grateful for their continuous guidance, uplifting prayers, and motivation.  You guys rock!}

Chicken and dumplings that is.  What better than a big bowl of yummy goodness to warm up your insides on a cold evening?  I made my very first batch of this soup on Tuesday.  According to my husband, it was quite a success.  I didn't really go by any particular recipe, but rather a combination of a few from allrecipes.com and whatever I could find in my fridge :).

Amanda's Chicken and Dumplings  {real original 'eh?!}

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 package of potato gnocchi (I got mine from Sam's.  It comes in 3 separately sealed packages.)
• 5-6 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 can cream of chicken
• Celery (chopped into small chunks)
• Carrots (chopped into small chunks)
• Onion (chopped into small slivers)
• Garlic (minced)
• Parsley
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1.  Boil chicken breasts until done.  When finished, place in strainer to cool.

2.  While waiting on chicken to cool, place chicken stock, cream of chicken, celery, carrots, onion, and garlic 
      in a large pot on medium low.  Bring to a light boil and let continue for about 10 minutes, stirring
      occasionally. (1)

3.  Take fork and gently begin to shred chicken slowly adding it to the pot of vegetables and stock. (2)

4.  Once vegetables begin to soften, add the package of potato gnocchi. (3)

5.  Let soup simmer on low-medium low for about 45 minutes to an hour, then serve. (4)