Baked KFC Chicken

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Cooks Note: I am very skeptical of recipes that say they taste like a restaurant, especially when it says it is just as good AND lower in fat and calories. Reading this Facebook post that my friend Robyn shared, I am thinking, I highly doubt that! I decided to give it a try because it was 4 pm and I had not even thought about dinner. Let me tell you, holy KFC! This tastes just like the Colonel's original recipe without the fat and the skin. I love this, I will make it again and again and I think you should too. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Breasts or 10-12 chicken strips
1 tsp salt
2 T Season Salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups flour
4 tsp paprika
1/2 stick butter


Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts or strips in a milk bath for 20-30 min
2. Mix together Salt, pepper, seasoning salt, paprika and flour in a large ziplock bag or bowl
3. Take Butter and cut it into small pieces and place in 9x13 baking dish in 400 degree oven till melted. 
4. Make sure the entire bottom of the baking dish is covered in melted butter
5. Shake excess milk off chicken and coat each piece in the mixture
6. Place each piece of chicken in baking dish
7. Bake for 20 min, turn chicken over and bake additional 20 min or until done

This recipe comes from Facebook

French Toast Roll Ups

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Cooks Note: I saw this one on Facebook and it sounded good, and her picture was much better than mine, so it looked even yummier. This took about 5 min to do and you can really put any filling in you want. The cream cheese is amazing, but the nutella was awesome. You could add peanut butter, different fruits, anything really. Surprise your loved one for breakfast on Valentines Day, they will think you spent hours on breakfast just for them. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 slices of white or wheat bread

Nutella to spread

2-3 strawberries, diced

Cream Cheese to spread

Butter (1-2 tsp)

Cinnamon Sugar for coating

Directions:

Cut crusts off the bread slices

Roll the bread slices flat with a rolling pin

Spread your filling on the the bread, thin layers

Add strawberries, to taste

Roll each slice and dip in egg mixture

Place in pan with melted butter and brown, 2 min on each side

Remove from pan and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture

Enjoy with or without syrup

This Pinspiration comes from DIY Cozy Home

Crock Pot Brookie

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Cooks Note: I found this recipe and it was called Heavenly Crock pot Dessert, and I hope Grandma is not mad but,  my daughter being the smart little monkey that she is, decided Brookie was a great name. I will be honest, I have never made a dessert in the crockpot before and I always thought it was a little odd, but this was really tasty. I think I have a super powerful crock pot though because my stuff cooks in about half the time that it says it will, so keep an eye on your Brookies or they might burn. Serve this with ice cream and maybe a little whip cream and you have a truly decadent dessert. Enjoy!


Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix
1 pouch chocolate chip cookie mix
1 stick of butter,melted
4 eggs
Ice cream to serve with it


Directions:

Spray crock with non-stick cooking spray. Mix brownie mix and chocolate chip cookie mix in a bowl with 4 eggs and a melted stick of butter.
Cook on high for 2-3 hours. Watch the crock pot until you have made this and know how long it takes.


This Pinspiration comes from Grandmas Slow Cooker Recipes

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip

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Cook's Note: My sister in law made a similar dip several years ago and I remember that everyone liked it. I found a recipe for this on Pinterest (where else?!) and decided to give it a try. This one is a KEEPER! It could not be easier in the crock pot and it will disappear right before your eyes!

I used the Extra Mild Wing Sauce because I am not a big fan of HEAT and also I was hoping the kids would eat it too (so didn't want it to be too spicy!). You can use any type of Buffalo Wing sauce you like in this recipe - whatever floats your boat.

Great for game day, family gatherings or just to much on!

What You Will Need:  

2-3 boneless chicken breasts (frozen is OK)

1 cup Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

3/4 cup Buffalo Wing Sauce (we used Texas Pete Extra Mild)

2 8 oz. blocks of 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese

1 1/2 cups of  Sharp shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

In the Crock Pot - place your frozen chicken breasts, ranch and buffalo wing sauce. Let cook on high for 4-5 hours. You can cook for less time if the chicken breasts are fresh.

During the last half hour - take your chicken breasts out, shred them with a fork, put them back into the crock pot & stir it around. Now add in the cream cheese and shredded cheese. Wait for 30 more minutes and then Voila!

Serve with Celery or Tortilla Chips for a lovely party dip!

This "Pinspiration" comes from Somewhat Simple

Enjoy!

Super Bowl Sunday Game Day Recipes

 Below you will find a collection of our best GAME DAY recipes for SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!

Please take a look and we hope you will make something from our collection and ENJOY to the fullest. We hope your team wins!

Click on each picture below to go directly to the recipe!

 Hot Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Celebration Cheeseball

DESSERT NACHOS

Crock pot Cinnamon Roasted Almonds 

Brown Sugar and Bacon Little Smokies

  

Barefoot Guacamole

Fruity Red Wine Spritzer Sangria

One Point Hummus

Stuffed Mushrooms

Baked Potato Skins

Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

   Find it on Pinterest

Cooks Note:  I have mixed reviews on this one, not because the recipe was bad, but the pork seemed to dry up a lot and I think chicken would be better in this recipe. The flavor is great and the recipe is very, very simple. Try it out and tell me how you like it prepared. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 Boneless Pork Chops

1 10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 T Ranch Dressing Mix or 1 Packet

Directions:

1. Sear Pork Chops lightly in a pan with a little oil, being careful not to cook them through

2. Place chops in lightly sprayed crock pot

3. Sprinkle Ranch mix over chops

4. Pour can of soup over chops

5. Cover and cook on High for 3-4 hours or Low 5-6. 

(Cooking times may vary depending on your crock pot)

This Pinspiration from KeyIngredient.com

Bacon and Guacamole Grilled Cheese

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Cooks Note: I saw this on Pinterest and it looked amazing, all gooey and cheesy and bacony and I bought all the ingredients, and with great anticipation I clicked on the picture and.....OH MAN, it was blocked as SPAM. I really hate it when that happens. But, I figured, how hard can it be, it has 3 ingredients. In an effort to make it slightly healthier, I used turkey bacon and low fat butter and it turned out really yummy, probably not as yummy as if it had regular bacon, but......Give this one a try for lunch or for dinner, I served it with sweet potato fries and it was great. Enjoy!

 Ingredients:

Sliced, fresh bakery bread (sourdough is best)

Guacamole, as much or as little as you like

2 slices of sharp cheddar per sandwich

2 slices of bacon per sandwich

Butter, enough to spread on one side of each slice of bread

 Directions:

• Spray griddle/panini press or pan with non stick cooking spray
• Heat panini grill or griddle so it will sizzle when bread is placed on it
• Butter one side of 2 slices of bread
• Place one slice of bread, buttered side down on the grill/griddle
• Place slices of cheese on bread
• Spoon desired amount of guacamole onto cheese
• Top with 2 slices of bacon and other slice of bread, buttered side up
• Grill till browned and crispy on both sides (flip it after about 1-2 min if using a griddle or pan)
• Remove from grill and serve

This Pinspiration comes from Suburban Epicurean

Chicken Pot Pie Biscuits

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Cook's Note: I saw this recipe and thought ... could that be any easier? My whole family loves pot pie - so I knew this was a winner. This was a hit for the whole family but especially for kids! This took about 15 minutes or less to prepare (assuming you already have pre-cooked chicken on hand). I can't say enough good things about this recipe - make it and you will love it just like we did!



Ingredients: 

1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup of diced/cooked chicken breasts

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Can of Biscuits

 

Directions: 

 Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together all ingredients (except for biscuits) in a large bowl.

You will need a muffin pan for this recipe. Coat the pan with non-stick cooking spray and take each biscuit, flatten out with your hand and press each biscuit into muffin cups (think like you are making a mini pie and you will get then hang of it!) Once the biscuits are in each muffin cup,  fill each biscuit with the chicken/veggie mix.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly then remove from pan.

This "Pinspiration" comes from Pillsbury

Enjoy!



Butternut Squash Mac-n-Cheese

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Cook's Note: I was looking for a way to get vegetables into my toddler and I ran upon this little gem of a recipe. Hidden in the sauce is Butternut Squash! It really is super delicious. You could also use pumpkin puree if you wanted. Here is something I changed about this recipe....If you use Ronzoni's Garden Delights Pasta or Harris Teeter has their own brand called "Hidden Veggies" pasta - you just can't go wrong because then this pasta is packed with another helping of veggies. 

For an alternate take on this recipe - you could prepare as directed below and then back it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes (sprinkling extra cheese on top) to give it more of a "crunchy" topping. This recipe is GREAT for the whole family! 

What You Will Need: 

1 box of Hidden Veggie Pasta or Ronzoni Garden Delights Pasta

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Flour

1/2 Cup Organic 2% Milk 

1/2 Cup Butternut Squash Puree

1 1/2 Cups Shredded Low Fat Cheddar Cheese

4 oz (half a bar) of Reduced Fat Cream Cheese

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Paprika

Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Directions: 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook  until al dente (typically about 6 minutes). Drain in a colander. 

While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick but not yet browned.. about 2 minutes. 

Next add milk and cook (stirring every few minutes) until the mixture starts to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable puree, Cheddar, cream cheese and seasonings and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.

** Directions to make butternut squash puree: Cube an entire butternut squash and steam until tender. While still hot/warm - put into a food processor and blend until creamy and smooth.

This "Pinspiration" comes from the cookbook: Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Senifeld

ENJOY!

Berry Green Smoothie

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I love nothing more than having a healthy smoothie for breakfast. Its a great way to pack in lots of nutrition quickly. This smoothie is delicious. I want to give a tip on buying KALE. Buy organic because it's part of the "dirty dozen" veggies. It freezes well... so if you buy a big bunch, you can strip it from the stem and place in a freezer bag and freeze beautifully. Both Kale or Spinach will work for this recipe!

Ingredients: 

2 large hand fulls of Kale or Spinach

1 Banana

2 Tbsp Honey

7-8 Strawberries

1 Tbsp Flax Seed Meal

1/3 cup Organic Milk

Directions: 

Blend together all ingredients in a good blender until rich, creamy and smooth. Pour into a nice glass with a fat straw and enjoy all the nutrients that your body is getting! 

Enjoy! 

Crockpot Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

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Cook's Note: I have made these nuts several times since last year when I first saw it on Pinterest. The first time I made them.. my husband and I ate them all in about 2 days. The second time I made them - I took them to friends and had rave reviews. The third time I made them was at Thanksgiving and they certainly disappeared fast. These nuts taste like what you get at craft fairs and the smell will turn your kitchen into a wonderful dream! 

This is a great GAME DAY SNACK to keep around and munch on! 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups. Sugar 

1 1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar 

3 Tbsp. Cinnamon 

1/8 tsp. Sea Salt 

1 Egg White 

2 tsp. vanilla 

3 cups Almonds 

1/4 cup Water

Directions: 

Spray your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray (PAM) - this is important! 

In a small bowl, mix together sugar, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl - mix together the egg white and the vanilla until frothy (using a wire whisk). Next coat the almonds with the egg/vanilla mixture then add the cinnamon/sugar mixture and coat well. Place in crock pot and cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring well every 20-30 minutes. 

In the beginning of the last hour, add 1/4 cup of water and continue the stirring every 20 minutes. The water helps to give it the "crunchy" coating when its done. 

When done, put wax paper on your counter top and pour almond mixture onto the wax paper. Spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula and break up any pieces that are stuck together and let cool. Once cool, place in an air tight container (if you have any left! these will disappear fast!) 

This "Pinspiration" comes from Riches to Rags by Dori

Enjoy! 

Celebration Cheese Ball

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Cook's Note: I made this cheeseball for New Year's Eve to take to my friend's house. It was a hit! Everyone loved it and its so darn easy. You can make this and be proud that you did it yourself. 

A homemade cheeseball tastes so much better than a store bought one... that is just my 2 cents. You will need a food processor in order to make this. 

Great for any party, game day snack or Christmas celebration!

This recipe YIELDS 2 Cheese Balls or 1 very large cheese ball. 

What You Will Need: 

(2) 8 oz Packages of Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature

(1) 8 oz Package of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Celery Salt

1 cup chopped Pecans

** It is important to let your cream cheese packages sit out on the counter and soften at room temperature first, otherwise, you will have a mess on your hands

Directions: 

In a food processor, blend all ingredients except for the nuts. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Once chilled, place cream cheese mixture onto wax paper and divide into 2 even size balls (you will roll this in the wax paper). Roll each ball in the pecans, coating the outside of the ball well. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until time to serve. 

Serve with assorted crackers. 

This "Pinspiration" comes from Cheri Emery, Quincy, IL, Goosberry Patch Cookbook - Merry Christmas

ENJOY!

Balsamic Chicken Bake

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 Cook's Note: In the spirit of HEALTHY EATING in 2014, I made this for dinner and let me tell you right now... its so flavorful, this is a must keep recipe and I will be making it again and again!

I served it over whole wheat spaghetti with a side spinach salad. You could also serve the chicken over greens instead of pasta.

What You Will Need: 

3-4 Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Onion (chopped)
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Can Diced Tomatoes


Seasonings:
Garlic Salt (to taste)
Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Rosemary
1 tsp Thyme

Directions: 

Sprinkle Garlic Salt and Ground Black Pepper over each chicken breast. Place Olive Oil in a skillet and add chopped onion and chicken breasts, simmer until brown on each side. Next add Balsamic Vinegar and Can of Diced Tomatoes and seasonings and cook on each side for 8 minutes.

Serve over whole wheat pasta or greens for a delicious meal that is healthy and low cal!

This "Pinspiration" comes from Staying Healthy

ENJOY!!!

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

Cook's Note: I love homemade quick breads and this is one of my favorites. This recipe comes from Gooseberry Patch, which is my go-to cookbook when I am wanting to make something, but I just don't know what. I ran upon this recipe and it makes 6 mini loaves or 2 large loaves and 2 mini loaves. It is super easy and simple delicious. It also freezes well! 

What You Will Need: 

3 cups All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt

2 1/2 cups Sugar

1 1/2 cups Milk

2 1/2 tsp Poppy Seeds

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 tsp Almond Extract

1 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

Directions: 

Mix together all ingredients in a stand mixer. Grease bread pans and pour batter evenly into all pans until 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until loaves are golden brown. 

This "Pinspiration" comes from Trish Menzia, Boulder Junction, WI in Gooseberry Patch's Merry Christmas Cookbook

 

Enjoy!

 

Neiman's Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Cook's Note: Ok, okay .. we have ALL seen this famous recipe all over the internet for like 10 years and I have ALWAYS wanted to make these cookies, but was too lazy because I thought it looked too hard. Well, Christmas time came and went and I still didn't make these.. so on New Years Eve, I got a wild hair to make these and let me just tell you ... NO JOKE, these are the best cookies I have ever made. Here are the testimonies: 

1)  Friend approved! 

I took them to my friend's house on New Years Eve and got rave reviews from her entire family & they asked for the recipe.

2) Husband Approved! 

My husband said these are the best cookies I ever made.

3) Family Approved!

 My cousin came to visit and raved about these cookies and my toddler couldn't get enough of them  too. 

4) Approved by Me! 

I can testify that these are the best cookies I have ever made & I bake a lot, so there! :) 

Oh and last thought.. you really do NEED a stand mixer to make these cookies, otherwise, the batter is just too thick and it would be way too hard with a handheld mixer.

What You Will Need: 

1 cup butter

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder)

12 ounces milk chocolate chips

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 -8 ounce Hershey Bar (I only had a 1/5 oz. bar, so added more chocolate chips)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions: 

Cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar in your stand mixer. 
Add eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla.
One at a time add flour, blended up oatmeal, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda until well mixed. 
At this point, you should be using the batter paddle and add milk chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts.
Use an ice cream scoop to ball dough onto cooking sheet (place two inches apart on a cookie sheet)
Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Makes about 3 dozen.

ENJOY!!! 

This wonderful "pinspiration" comes from: Laundry in Louboutins (my new favorite blog by the way!) 

Weight Watchers Parmesan Chicken

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Cooks Note: No one likes to be on a diet. At least no one I know. So why not make the best of it and cook healthy, delicious recipes for your family. This is a low point option that takes about 5 min to put together. I made it with couscous and corn and it was filling and delish. To be honest it did not taste "diet" at all and my family did not know the difference. This is a good one to add to your dinner repertoire. Enjoy!

Serves:4   Weight Watcher Points: 4 Points per Serving

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
2 T Dried Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/8 t paprika
1 t dried parsley
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about a pound)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a resealable bag combine cheese, spices and crumbs and shake well
3. Transfer mixture to a plate, dredge each chicken breast in mixture to coat on all sides
4. Arrange on non-stick baking sheet
5. Bake in oven till cooked through, 20-25 min. 

This Pinspiration comes from Food.com

Flat Belly Diet Vanilla Yogurt and Berry Smoothie

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Cooks Note: Because after 3 kids I am all about flat bellies, I decided to give this one a try. To me it tasted more vanilla yogurty (new word, look it up ;)) than berryish, it was still really good and really healthy. I did not have blueberries on hand so I used blackberries and raspberries, which is why it turned out so gorgeous! This is a great addition to your New Year diet. Enjoy!

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 cup skim or soy milk

1 cup fresh berries

6 oz vanilla yogurt

1 cup ice or frozen berries

1 T flaxseed oil

Directions:

Combine milk, yogurt, fresh berries and ice or frozen berries in blender

Blend for 1 minute

Pour into glass and stir in flaxseed oil

This Pinspiration comes from Prevention

Low Fat Mini "Ice Cream Sandwiches"

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Cooks Note: I am almost ashamed to admit it because it is sooooo cliche', but my resolution this year is to eat better, lose weight and be healthier. I know, I know, HOW do I think of these things!? Well, in the spirit of low-cal resolutions I made these fake ice cream sandwiches. These take about 3 minutes to put together, and you can make as many as you want, so the measurements are not exact. But this is a yummy snack or dessert with very few calories. I saw it on the Shape magazine website and made a change to make it lower in calories. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

Reduced Fat Nilla Wafers

Fat Free Cool Whip

Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Place approximately a teaspoon of whip on the bottom wafer and top with the second wafer.

2. Sprinkle a small handful of mini chocolate chips on the outside edges of the sandwich

3. Place in freezer for 1-2 hours to simulate ice cream

4.Serve