Favorites!! ~

Okay, I know....I am a big slacker on my blog.  But to my defense...it is the holidays, I do have a full time job and I am a wife and a mother to two.  AND I have still been cooking & baking.  Since I have not been good about doing my normal photo taking while cooking/baking....I am going to share my final pics and some of my favorite recipes I have tried lately. 

1)  Butter Pecan Cake by Bake or Break.  This has been my favorite new recipe I have tried.  This was a hit and I am even thinking about making it AGAIN for Christmas.  The cake part is very moist and the icing is yummy, too.  The only thing I can advise in making this cake is that I didn't brown the pecans nearly as long as it said in the recipe and they were still on the verge of being burnt.  Next time I will do the pecans on low and only for approximately 5 minutes. 

Butter Pecan Cake

2)  Creamy White Chicken Artichoke Lasagna ~ a Kraft recipe.    This one was a new favorite of mine, also.  I really liked the combination of flavors.  I didn't have any sun dried tomatoes so I skipped those in my lasagna.  I will definitely make this one again! 

Creamy White Chicken Artichoke Lasagna

3) BEST BISCUITS EVER.  EASIEST BISCUITS EVER.  I was so shocked when I saw this recipe and it said - 4 ingredients.  Then, I read the ingredients and I was convinced there was no way these would turn out right.  Well, they did and they are incredible.  Here is the recipe for the 7-Up Biscuits. 

7-Up Biscuits

4) Cheeky Kitchen's White Chicken Chili.  This is another good one!  I love using chicken versus beef in all different sorts of recipes that everyone has been making for years.  It adds a new twist on an old dish.  This one has a kick to it and is great.  I use the recipe and throw everything in the Crock pot for the day. 

White Chicken Chili

5) Family Bites ~ Fudgy Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars.  I made this bars for Thanksgiving to have something chocolate to be able to snack on while cooking.  These are rich and delicious!   A little bit of all sweet flavors in one little bar. 



Fudgy Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

 5)  Glorious Treats ~ Rolo Pretzel Bites. These are super easy and they taste similar to homemade caramel turtles.  These are great to make for parties, etc. 

Rolo Pretzel Bites

6) Six Sisters Stuff ~ Butterfinger Blondies Recipe. I made these for Jack's birthday.  Wowza!  They are rich and a lot of butterfinger. If you want that sweet taste minus the chocolate....these are the way to go!

Baking Wishlist!

Toffee Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars via Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

The Chocolate Cola Cake via May Flaum's blog

Big Girl Smores Pie via Cookies & Cups blog
** I live in a household of S'mores Lovers!  This one is a 'must try'!

Oh, yes, I DID! I tried them ~ Oreo/Brownie/Cookie Bars!!

Do you like Oreos?  Yes.

Do you like brownies?  Um, yes.

Do you like chocolate chip cookies?  Well, of course. 

Well, how about all THREE, in one bite?  Yes, I will take one of those, PLEASE!

This is a recipe I found on Pinterest Yes, I am a tad bite obsessed with Pinterest and my new found love of the recipes I find on there and have gained a tad bit of weight from this obsession but we shall move on.  I am sure everyone around me is enjoying this obsession as well because the good thing is....I share.  :)

I made this recipe for my Mom's birthday and it is great!  Not as rich as you would imagine..not an overbearing richness...just simply perfect. 

Here is the recipe via Kevin & Amanda

kevinandamanda Ultimate Chocolate-chip-cookie-n-oreo-fudge-brownie-bar Recipe

A layer of cookies followed up with a layer of oreos..

Here comes the brownie batter....

Ready to bake. 

End result!

Now, check out the inside!

EAT!

Top with ice cream and enjoy!

Fall Celebrations!

I love Fall...I love every season really, but I love all the holidays in fall because it gives me a reason not that I really EVER need one to bake and cook.  With all the Halloween parties - school and our neighborhood parties - I got out the recipe books and my new and favorite guilty pleasure - Pinterest!  I found a recipe for a cookie icing that I wanted to try.  It is really easy to paint on and it dries really pretty so I used it to decorate cookies for my son's class.  I used my sugar cookie recipe that was passed down through family members.  My mother-in-law shared it with me and it really is the BEST sugar cookie recipe I have every tried.  I will have to ask permission to share that one publicly.  ;)

I also did another cute idea from Pinterest.  You take Nutter Butter cookies, dip with in white chocolate and add two mini chocolate chips for eyes. They were really good and cute! 

Here is the recipe for the icing:

sugar-cookie-icing-recipe

Here is the end result!

My little ghosts!

...and pumpkins!



Nutter Butter Ghosts

Nutter Butter Ghosts

Chicken Spaghetti ~ Pioneer Woman Recipe

This is BY FAR my favorite new recipe that I have tried lately and it was a hit in our house.  It is from the Pioneer Woman.  Every recipe I have ever tried from her website has been DELICIOUS!  Here is the recipe from her website:

The Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti Recipe


I followed her recipe except I used a rotisserie chicken for a quick week night meal.  It was supposed to be a quick meal...unless......you have an evening like I had last night.  I mixed everything up, popped it in the oven AND forgot the chicken.  So, I pulled it BACK out of the oven, added the chicken and put it BACK in the oven for 45 minutes.  I went to get it out and I FORGOT to turn on the oven.  I had a definite case of mamma brain last night.  Geez!!  On a normal evening...this is a fast fix and it is so good!!  Try it and let me know what you think.

You just mix everything together.

Add noodles and mix.  Cook @ 350 for 45 minutes! 

• 
  

  

  Then EAT! 

LONG time, no POST!

Okay, okay...I am guilty as charged.  I am guilty of BLOG NEGLECT!  I WILL get caught up on here and I HAVE been cooking.  Fall festivities have taken over my spare time!  So, stay tuned......here's a little sneak peek of what I have made in the past few months. 

Mexican Lasagna

My family loves any type of Mexican food ~ as you can tell!  I cook it all the time!  Here is a new recipe we tried last week for Mexican Lasagna. 

Here is the recipe from My Recipes:

MyRecipes - Mexican-lasagna

Here is my altered version: 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
• I can diced tomatoes and green chiles
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of celery soup
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 5 tortillas
• 3 cups mexican cheese

Preparation

• Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in beans and next 5 ingredients; cook until thoroughly heated.
• Stir together soups and enchilada sauce in a saucepan; cook until thoroughly heated.
• Spoon one-third of sauce onto bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish; top with 1tortilla. Spoon half of beef mixture and one-third of sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with half of Cheddar cheese. Top with 1tortilla; repeat layers ending with tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain.

Stir in beans.

Add tomatoes and seasonings. 

Heat thoroughly.

Stir together soups and enchilada sauce in a saucepan; cook until thoroughly heated.

Spoon one-third of sauce onto bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish; top with 1tortilla. Spoon half of beef mixture and one-third of sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with half of Cheddar cheese. Top with 1tortilla; repeat layers ending with tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese.

Repeating layers...

Repeating layers...

Repeating layers...

Repeating layers...

And Serve!!

Angel Chicken in the Crock-Pot - a must TRY!

This recipe is a MUST TRY recipe.  Another find for me on Pinterest *the best invention since sliced bread**. 

My family loved this and it is a very versatile recipe.  I served it over mashed potatoes for most of the family but for my non-potato lover of the family...I served it over noodles.  You can use the extra sauce to coat the noodles.    You could also use the chicken and mushrooms for wraps.  It is really unlimited to the different leftover meals you can come up with!  And, it is a Crock-Pot Recipe!!  Woot woot!  WIN/WIN!

Here is the original recipe:
Angel Chicken Recipe from Cleverly Inspired Blog

I followed this recipe except I had to use Cream of Mushroom in lieu of  the Golden Mushroom Soup and I used Chicken Broth in lieu of the white wine.  YUM!

Here is my altered version:

Ingredients:

You will need

8 skinless, boneless chicken tenders 

1 package of sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup butter

1 0.7-oz. pkg. Italian dry salad dressing mix

1 10-3/4-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 of an 8-oz. tub cream cheese spread with chives and onion

 

Melt the butter on the stove-top and add the zesty Italian dry mix.  Once that is mixed, add the soup and the cream cheese.  Slowly add in the chicken broth.  In the bottom of the Crock-Pot, layer the mushrooms, followed by the chicken.  Pour the soup mixture over everything.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Serve over rice, potatoes, or noodles......or just eat alone! 

 

Melt the butter on the stove-top and add the zesty Italian dry mix.

Once that is mixed, add the soup and the cream cheese.  Slowly add in the chicken broth.

Mix until smooth. 

In the bottom of the Crock-Pot, layer the mushrooms, followed by the chicken.  Pour the soup mixture over everything.

Up-close!

Cook on low for 6 hours.  Serve over rice, potatoes, or noodles......or just eat alone!