Rosemary Sweet Potatoes and Italian Chicken

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Cook’s Note: A dear friend of mine made this dish once when she invited me and my husband over for dinner and I fell in love and asked her for the recipe. I’ve made this several times and everyone loves it. I have tweaked this recipe slightly. This recipe is SO incredibly easy and delicious – why not make it part of your dinner rotation? I know that I will continue to make this recipe for my family for years to come!

What You Will Need

1/2 cup Bottle of Italian Dressing (try Kraft Zesty Italian)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
3-4 medium sweet potatoes cut into wedges
3-4 chicken breasts (cubed)

Directions

Heat oven to 375ºF. Mix dressing, sugar and rosemary in a large mixing bowl. Next, add potatoes and chicken; toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to a large glass casserole dish.

Bake about 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and chicken is done (165ºF).

ENJOY!

This "Pinspiration" comes from my Friend! 

Cream Cheese Corn

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Cook's Note: Tonight I needed a quick but yummy side dish that everyone would like. I really get sick of the same old, broccoli with butter, salad with balsamic, rice, you know, the usual sides you make in a pinch. So I found this one on Pinterest and the whole family raved. I added bacon for some color, and I used a little less red pepper flakes, cause we aren't spicy people, but it was really yummy and I will be making it again for sure. Enjoy!


What You Will Need:

1lb Corn (thawed or fresh)
1T Butter
3 oz. Cream Cheese
Red Pepper Flakes to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 Slices bacon, crispy and crumbled


Directions:

In a medium saucepan combine – corn, butter, and cream cheese. When it is heated through and cream cheese is melted season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Crumble bacon on top.

This "Pinspiration" comes from Budget Savvy Diva

Stuffed Mushrooms

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Cook's Note: My Mom has been making this since I can remember. It is easy, delicious and only requires 3 ingredients. Personally, I don't like mushrooms, but I LOVE these. Try them, I know you will love them too. Enjoy!

What You Will Need:

1 Package Ground Sausage (regular)
1 Brick Cream Cheese
2 Packages Mushrooms (fresh)

Directions:

• Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees
• Line cookie sheet with foil
• Brown Sausage in skillet
• Place entire brick of cream cheese in skillet and stir until melted and combined.
• Remove mushroom stems and wash and pat mushrooms dry
• Fill each mushroom with filling so it is heaping, but will still sit upright on foil lined cookie sheet
• Once all mushrooms are filled, place cookie sheet in oven for 10-15 min or until mushrooms looked slightly browned on top, remove and serve

This Pinspiration comes from My Mom

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

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Cook's Note: If you read this blog at all, you will know that I favor Crock Pot or Slow Cooker recipes because I work full time and don't have time for long and complicated recipes - I like to just throw the ingredients in and forget about it until its dinner time. That being said - this is one of my favorite new recipes because its so easy and really delicious. Plus, it makes good leftovers! Great for busy parents that want a nutritious meal for their kids! 


What You Will Need:

3-4 Chicken Breast

2-3 Peppers (I like choosing different colors to make it pretty: Green, Red, and Yellow- SLICED)

1 Onion, diced or chopped
2 tablespoons Cilantro (chopped)

1 Package of Taco Seasoning

Flour tortillas

Toppings – such as sour cream, salsa, shredded Mexican cheese, guacamole, etc.

Directions:

Prepare the peppers, cilantro and onions and then put them in the slow cooker. 

Next, place chicken on top of the pepper/onion mix.

Sprinkle taco seasoning on the top of this. 

Cook on low for 6-8 hrs (or high for 3-4)

When it's done, just shred up the chicken and then mix in the juices from the bottom. Serve on tortillas or turn into burritos. Add any toppings you like.

This "Pinspiration" comes from Eat At Home Cooks

Chinese Ramen Noodle Chicken Salad

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Cook's Note: This recipe comes from my Mom  - she made it for us off and on over the years while I was growing up and I loved it then and I love it now. I make it a few times a year and its super yummy! She got the recipe from a family friend and now its sill one of my favs.... I highly suggest you try this one. It's rather simple to make and its one of those recipes that is actually better if it sits over night and you eat it the next day (allows the dressing to really soak in!) 

What You Will Need:

2 skinless chicken breasts (chopped)

1/2 cup onion (fine and diced)

1/2 head of cabbage (thinly sliced)

1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted in a pan with olive oil)

Mix all above ingredients together in a large bowl.

Next, in a side bowl, mix the dressing together:

DRESSING:

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Directions: 

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Add in 1 package of crushed ramen noodles and mix well again - ENJOY! 

This "Pinspiration" comes from my mother

Crock Pot Carnitas Tacos

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Cook's Note: I had a couple of pork tenderloins and corn tortillas so I thought, CARNITAS! This is simple and easy and tastes delish. This would work well with beef or chicken too. Get your favorite fixings and make it a Taco night. Enjoy!


What You Will Need:

3lb Pork Tenderloin or two smaller tenderloins (you will have left overs)
Salt, enough to generously season the tenderloins on one side while in the crock pot
Pepper, enough to season one side of the tenderloins while in the crock pot
Cumin, 1 tsp.
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth

To Serve and Optional Sides:
Corn or flour tortillas wrapped in foil and warmed in oven
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Sour Cream
Minced or sliced black pitted olives
Salsa
Guacamole
Black Beans
Limes for squeezing

Directions:

Generously sprinkle the pork with salt, pepper, and cumin. Place the garlic cloves in the crock pot. Add chicken stock and liquid smoke. Set the crock pot to high for 4 hours if you have a newer crock pot, or 7 if you have an older, slow cooking crock pot until it shreds easily.

After the cooking time, preheat the oven to 300 degrees to heat tortillas. Shred pork in the crockpot, remove tortillas from oven and serve with corn or flour tortillas and toppings of your choice.

Coca Cola Cake

Coca Cola Cake from Suburban Epicurean

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Cooks Note: This one is all over Pinterest and they are all good. I wouldn't change a thing! I first tried this recipe about 25 years ago (wait, that can't be right, I am not that old), let's say 15 years ago (wink) when I lived in Texas. It was good then and good now. Hopefully you are not afraid of some butter, cause man o man does this have some BUTTA. The recipe is easy, no heavy kitchen equipment involved, so give it a try and you will understand why it is so famous here in da' South. Enjoy!


What You Will Need & Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease your 8x8 (for thicker cake) or 9×13 inch pan.

1.    First mix:

       2 cups flour
       2 cups sugar
       1/2tsp salt
       1tsp baking soda
       1/2tsp cinnamon

2.    Next, in a saucepan over medium high heat stir these things till they boil:

       1 cup butter
       1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
       1 cup Coca-Cola
       1/2 cup buttermilk

3.     Take pan off heat and add to the flour mix with a whisk until combined.

4.      Then add:
   
         2 eggs
         1tsp vanilla extract

         and mix well, put in pan, bake it for 30minutes or till your tooth pick comes out clean.

5.      When cake has about 8 min left, make the glaze in a saucepan:

         1/2cup butter
         1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
         1/2 cup coca cola

Bring it to a boil, remove and slowly stir in 4cups of confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Then add in about a cup of chopped pecans if you want, and stir.

Lastly, pour the warm glaze over the cake and let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Eat the cake warm or room temp.

This "Pinspiration" comes from Coastal Living

Old Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake

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Cook's Note: I had a craving for lemon pound cake and found this yummy looking recipe on Pinterest. It was not difficult to make, but mine came out totally dry and didnt have enough lemon flavor. So, I made it again and have tweaked this recipe to include yogurt, which gave it a very nice moistness. I also added more lemon. If you like lemon, you will love this!

What You Will Need: 

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 2/3 cups sugar

3-4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

5 eggs

1/3 cup of plain or vanilla yogurt

2 cups cups unbleached flour + ¼ teaspoon salt, sifted

1 Bundt cake pan

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F.  Spray non-stick flour spray on a bundt pan.

In your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy (about 3-5 minutes).

Beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.

Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just combined after each addition.

Add yogurt and mix well in mixer.

Fold in the flour and salt mixture in 2 batches, mixing after each addition until well combined. Be careful not to over mix.

Spoon the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer poked into the cake comes out clean.

Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil if the crust browns too quickly.

Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Remove the cake from the bundt pan and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This "Pinspriation" comes from Recipe Lion