Hello November :o)

Talk about comfort food!!! I was so excited when I stumbled upon this over at Mommy's Kitchen! We did a couple of things different, but not much. This is truly perfect for our November weather that is finally here. Thanks Tina!!!

BAKED HAM RIGATONI

1 pkg (16 oz) rigatoni pasta
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (separated)
about 1/2 lb diced ham
salt and pepper
small pads of butter for top

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter over medium heat and start water boiling for pasta. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour. Add your milk, and continue to stir until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. When the water is boiling, add pasta and cook until just past the Al-dente stage. Just starting to get soft. When the white sauce is done add your seasonings, ham, and one cup cheese. Stir well, to get the cheese melted. Drain your pasta and add to the sauce. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Dot the top with your pads of butter and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and brown.

* we like to add 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, sauteed onion, and definitely more cheese on top!

Quick snapshot, but OH SO GOOD!!!

This is Shredded Beef for Tacos that I've posted here in the past, but had no photo to go with it. Well, here it is finally. This is a wonderfully easy meal, which seems to be my ongoing theme these days. Just throw the meat in there frozen - it can't get any easier than that!! Let me know if you give it a try.

What fun!!!

I received a fun award this week from a Katie over at Katie's Korner. Thanks again for thinking of me!!!


The rules for this award are to simply answer the questions as I have below using only one word.

Where is your cell phone? Purse
Your hair? Chopped
Your mother? Sick
Your father? Deceased
Your favorite food? Steak
Your dream last night? Forgotten
Your favorite drink? Dr. Pepper
Your dream/goal? Mother
What room are you in? Kitchen
Your hobby? Cooking
Your fear? Sharks
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
Where were you last night? Church
Something you aren't? Materialistic
Muffins? Orange-Cranberry
Wish list item? Trip
Where did you grow up? Brady
Last thing you did? Carpool
What are you wearing? Clothes
Your TV? Normal
Your pets? Dog
Your friends? Fun
Your life? Joyful
Your mood? Happy
Missing someone? Brother
Vehicle? Enclave
Something you're not wearing? Nailpolish
Your favorite store? Lifeway
Your favorite color? Teal
When was the last time you laughed? Today
Last time you cried? Clueless
Your best friend? Husband
One place that I go over and over? Schools
One person who emails me regularly? MIL
Favorite place to eat? Home


I have chosen to pass this award on to Kim at Stirring the Pot and Julie at The Sporadic Cook.

A true Kid-Pleaser!

Here's a picture to go with an old recipe on here. This is a fun recipe that my kids ask for all the time. It's Burger Bites! Using my MIL's recipe for burgers, we just make them smaller and serve them on Hawaiian Rolls! To make them extra fun, you have to serve them in cute little baskets with french fries or chips on the side. My kids are so crazy that they'll eat these for leftovers the next day!! ;) lol... You'll have to let me know if you ever give these a try!

100th Anniversary Treats...

This past Sunday our church celebrated it's 100th Anniversary! It was a wonderful time of worship, food, and fun!!! Here's two recipes I took...

White Texas Sheet Cake

1 cup butter
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract

Bring butter and water to a boil. Mix flour and sugar in a large bowl. Pour the boiling liquid over the flour and sugar and beat well. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well. Pour into a well greased jelly roll pan. (Mine is about 12"x17") Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Cool for 20-30 minutes and spread with frosting.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Bring butter and milk to a boil. Pour over remaining ingredients, adding enough powdered sugar to achieve the consistency you want.

Crispy Butter Cookies

1 box yellow cake mix with "pudding in the mix"
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup Rice Krispies

Blend all ingredients together. Dough will be crumbly. Form into tight 1-inch balls, place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake in 350 oven for 10-12 minutes.

* My non-sweet-eater of a husband really loved this one! It sort of reminds us of the gooey butter cake! Yumm...

A HUGE hit at our house...

I just wanna give a BIG high five to Melanie over at My Kitchen Cafe for the awesome Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe. It was such a big hit at my house that it will probably be on our menu rotation for quite a while! You SERIOUSLY need to give this one a try! I promise you won't be disappointed.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Quick, Easy and YUMMY!!!

I got this idea from Jenny over at Picky Palate. I just LOVE all of her recipes! I wanted to try this because we've been needing some simple but tasty recipes and let me tell ya, this one hit the spot! Of course her's turned out way prettier than mine, but I had one little one that was kinda pretty!! ;0) Here is my version:

Bar-b-Que Chicken Pizza Roll-ups

1 can Pillsbury Pizza dough

Ranch dressing

Rotisserie chicken, chopped up with bar-b-que sauce mixed in ( I used Sweet Baby Ray's...our fave around here!)

1 cup cheese ( I used Pizza cheese which has mozzarella, smoked provolone, romano and parmesan)

Ranch dressing and Bar-b-Que for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Open the pizza dough and spread out into a rectangle. Drizzle with ranch dressing and spread evenly over the dough. Next add bar-b-que chicken and your cheese of choice evenly over the dough. Starting with the long end of the dough roll it up into a long log. With a sharp knife slice about 1 inch pieces and place onto a greased baking sheet. **HINT** , if you place the cut side up onto the baking sheet they might turn out a little prettier...I didn't notice that until the end! Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with ranch or bar-b-que for dipping.

Tara

Happy Fall Y'all...

Well, our first cold front blew in and it's really gotten me in the mood for some good ol' comfort food. I'm making my fall menu, but here's one to get started with...

Macaroni Grill Penne Rustica
(our version, of course)

4 oz. grilled chicken breast
½ pack thick bacon
16 oz. penne pasta
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp paprika
Mozzarella cheese

Sauce:
1 tsp butter
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup marsala wine
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups heavy cream

Sauté garlic in butter in large pan. Add marsala wine, mustard, salt, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream. Cook pasta according to directions. Cook bacon, then use left over grease to saute the bell pepper, set aside. Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces. Combine sauce, cooked pasta, diced chicken, cooked bacon, bell pepper, parmesan cheese, and paprika and mix thoroughly. Spread in pan. Top with chopped rosemary and mozzarella cheese. Bake @ 475 for 10 minutes.

A little after school snack

I wanted to try out this yummy treat today so I baked up a batch for the kids to enjoy when they got home from school! They were so delicious. The hubby even liked them as an after work treat as well... ;0)

Butterscotch Blondies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup nuts (optional) , I chopped some pecans in my mini-food processor
2 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar

Cream the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the nuts. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake at 35o degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooded toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven to cool. Sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar and cut into squares. Serves 16.

Enjoy!
TARA

New 5 Star "Keeper" in our House!!!

I couldn't believe how much my family enjoyed this recipe! Even my kids!!! They are already wanting it again! It's a must try...

Chicken Piccata

(recipe and image via Ina Garten)

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1/2 tablespoon water
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs (I used Garlic & Herb from Progresso)
Good olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce. For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

* Very good with garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, and crusty bread!!! Yum...

Help - I need quick and easy meals!!!

This new school year is CRAZY!!! I have four kids at four different schools - and no one rides the bus!!! (I know, that's my choice) My oldest has football practice everyday, I'm in CBS twice a week, and then there's church and youth group throughout the week, and choir for my daughter - not to mention homework!!! I know that sounds chaotic but actually two of my kids are taking a break from sports!!! And the youngest is too afraid of sports!!! ;) lol... Anyway, all of this to say - I really need some quick and easy meal ideas from all of you!!!

Keeping with that theme, here's a recipe I found over at Getting it Together. I changed it up a little to make it easier for me and to fit our tastes. Thanks Chrissy for making my life a little less hectic. Consider yourself exempt from my little challenge today to all my other fellow food-bloggers!!!

Taco Pizza

1 tube of refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2/3 cup bottled chunky salsa
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup baked tortilla chips, coarsley crushed
sour cream and/or salsa

Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly coat a 12-inch pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pat dough evenly into a prepared pan. Prick crust all over with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook the beef and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Add the package of taco seasoning and cook accordingly. Add 2/3 cup salsa. Top hot crust with meat mixture. Bake 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese. Bake 1-2 minutes more or until cheese melts. To serve, top with lettuce and tortilla chips. If desired, serve with sour cream and/or additional salsa. Enjoy!!!

How was your Summer?

I am so sorry for my absence this summer! It's been really busy around here. Sometimes life just takes over. I really missed viewing your blogs! Now that we're back into a routine - I promise to be better!! Here's a recipe that we really enjoyed this summer...

Grilled Teriyaki Shrimp Kebabs

1/4 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
48 large peeled and deveined shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
32 (1-inch) pieces cubed fresh pineapple (about 3/4 pound)
1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
Cooking spray

Prepare grill. To prepare sauce, combine teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds in a small bowl. To prepare kebabs, thread 6 shrimp, 4 pineapple chunks, and 1 onion wedge alternately onto each of 8 (10-inch) skewers. Brush kebabs with teriyaki mixture. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes or until shrimp are done, turning once.

I'm all about easy meals...

especially for the summer when the kids are home. We tend to get busy playing, and don't really want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. If you are the same, then give this recipe a try. I saw it in a Betty Crocker magazine while standing in line at the grocery store. My whole family really liked it!

Baked Chicken Panzanella

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I used Tyson chicken strips, cut up)
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic, onion, and oregano, drained
1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 4 medium)
1 pkg. (5 oz) Italian seasoned croutons
1/4 cup Italian dressing
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil leaves (I just sprinkled a little dry basil on)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ungreased 2 quart baking dish, layer chicken, tomatoes, green onions, and croutons. Drizzle with Italian dressing. Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover; top with cheese. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until hot and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with basil.

A lesson in contrast...

When I saw this on myrecipes, I just knew I had to try it. Talk about summertime grillin'!!! The sweet juiciness of the peach paired with the rich, peppery bite of the arugula and then the tartness of the vinegar -- Wow!!! We loved it! And for once, we didn't change a thing!!! This is definitely a meal to impress!!!

Grilled Peaches and Pork

4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large peaches, peeled, halved, and pitted (about 12 ounces)
Cooking spray
6 cups trimmed arugula
1 teaspoon turbinado or granulated sugar

Place each piece of pork between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each piece to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Combine 2 tablespoons vinegar, juice, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon juice mixture. Pour the remaining juice mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Preheat grill to medium heat. Place peaches, cut sides up, on a plate; drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until pork is done. Set aside. Place peaches, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 4 minutes or until soft and slightly browned. Turn and cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Cut each peach half into 4 slices. Slice pieces of pork into 1-inch-thick strips. Drizzle trimmed arugula with reserved 1 tablespoon juice mixture, tossing to coat. Divide arugula evenly among 4 plates. Top with grilled pork strips and peach slices; sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar.

* We grilled the peaches with the skin on, which made peeling afterward so much easier!!!

BLT Blowout...

As usual, the other day Tara and I were discussing what we were making for dinner. I told her about the Betty Crocker email I had gotten and thought the BLT wrap looked really good. It was a good thing too because my pantry was bare and those ingredients were about all I had. Well, she had the same ingredients on hand too. So, we both made the same dinner Monday night. Being a recipe follower - I made it exactly as I was instructed to!!! ;) lol... It was very good but Tara's version might have been better. I think the Ranch dressing that she added probably took it up a notch. Guess I'll have to do it that way next time!!!

Kathy's BLT Wraps

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
2 cups bite-size pieces lettuce
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 large tomato, chopped
1/3 cup mayo or salad dressing
6 flour tortillas

Toss all ingredients except tortillas. Spread one-sixth of bacon mixture on each tortilla. Fold up bottom third of each tortilla; roll up to form cone shape with folded end at bottom. Enjoy!

Tara's BLT Wraps

Ingredients:

• chopped lettuce
• chopped tomatoes
• 6-8 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
• chopped avocado
  
• couple squirts of Ranch dressing
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and wrap it up!

Tara

Rachel from Rachel VS. "The Kitchen" is celebrating her 100th post today!!! Congrats Rachel!!! She's also having a giveaway - so go on over and check it out!!!

Something different...

My family and I LOVE Chicken Cordon Bleu. The other day I ran across this recipe on Allrecipes and thought these would be fun to make. They were a big hit at my house and will definitely be on the menu again, real soon!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bites

16 ounces ground chicken
3/4 cup cooked, diced ham
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs ( I used Progresso Bread Crumbs - Italian Style)
6 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
canola oil for pan-frying

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine the chicken, ham, and egg in a large bowl until well blended. Gradually add bread crumbs until the mixture loses its stickiness and can be easily formed into balls.
Form the chicken mixture around the cheese cubes, forming 2 inch balls. Place on a plate.
Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a deep skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry the balls until the outsides are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and place in baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until cooked through and cheese is soft, about 20 minutes. Cool briefly before serving.

**Before frying the chicken balls in the oil I rolled them in more bread crumbs to give a outer crunch....YUMMO!

Tara

A Good summer salad...

I'm not really sure if we've posted this recipe before or not but this is one of my faves! We had it for dinner last night and I forgot to take a picture of it before I plunged into it. The longer it sits the better the flavors can soak in, but I do like the crunchiness of the noodles and they will get softer the longer it sits! ENJOY!

Broccoli Slaw

1 pkg Broccoli Slaw

2 pkg Ramen noodles, chicken flavor, crunched up with your hands

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup sunflower kernels

3-4 chopped green onions

**Sauce**

½ cup sugar

½ cup white vinegar

1 cup vegetable oil (I use a little less, maybe like 3/4 of a cup)

2 tsp. sesame oil

2 pks seasoning from ramen noodles

Mix the first 5 ingredients into a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl mix the 5 ingredients for the sauce. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the sauce on top of slaw mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. ENJOY!!

I found the neatest tip...

for the BEST CORN ON THE COB EVER!!!! I found it over on Feasting Friends. Missy found a new technique that will give you that "sweet taste" every time you make corn on the cob. The secret is just adding a few simple ingredients to your water!!! For years I've been boiling my corn in just plain ol' water! She says that if you try it this way - you'll never go back to just plain water ever again!!! I can't wait to put some corn on my menu for this next week!!! How 'bout you? What's your secret to making sweet corn?

Sweet Corn on the Cob

4 ears of corn
water (enough to cover the corn)
3/4 cup Heavy cream (or substitute with milk)
2-3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter (optional and to add to the water)

Fill a large stock pot with enough water to cover the corn. Add milk, sugar and butter. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil, then add corn cobs. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, or until just tender. Do not over cook or the corn will become tough. Also, never salt the water, as it also toughens the corn.

Using long tongs remove and place on a plate or in a bowl, then cover with foil until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Beat the Heat...

Here's a recipe I found over on San Diego Cooks. What fun recipes they have!!!! Perfect for summer time!

Raspberry Pineapple Bliss

1-2 Packages Macaroon Cookies
1 (half gallon) Pineapple Ice Cream
1 (half gallon) Raspberry Ice Cream

Let both flavors of ice cream thaw slightly and then mix together. Make into ice cream sandwiches or crumble the macaroons and put one layer cookie, one layer ice cream until it fits in the bowl that you have chosen. Put back in the freezer for a few minutes. Serve and Enjoy!

* I think this is a great recipe to play with! The possibilities are endless! We are big chocolate lovers, so the next time we make this I might go more that route!

Chicken Tortellini Bake...

This is a great recipe that I found over at My Kitchen Cafe. The only changes we made were that we added garlic. Excuse the messy photo - I forgot to take the photo beforehand and that's all that was left!!!

Chicken Tortellini Bake

16 ounce package of cheese tortellini
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups (about 2 chicken breasts) chicken cut up into bite size pieces
3 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup sour cream
2-4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook tortellini for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken for 1-2 minutes and add the fresh mushrooms, garlic and green onions, cooking until chicken is done and mushrooms are golden brown. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened. Mix in sour cream until mixture is creamy and slightly thickened. Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Pour tortellini in bottom of 9X13 pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over tortellini. Put cooked chicken/sauce mixture on top and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top. Bake covered with tin foil at 350 for 20 minutes, uncover and bake for additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.