Recipe Swap: Oven-Baked Sriracha Chicken

When I saw this recipe on becoming pigzilla I knew it was the one for me. She says "As soon as I saw the title of this recipe, I knew I had to make it.  You know me, you know I love spicy, and I especially love Sriracha.  I didn’t even have to look at any of the other ingredients.  And just as I expected, it was delicious!". These are my thoughts exactly. I didn't have any hoisin sauce so I made my own but other than that I followed the recipe to a T. Both K and I ate it all. Four thumbs up!!

Oven Baked Sriracha Chicken

Ingredients:
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced, reserving 1 tbsp of green tops for garnish
3 tbsp hoisin sauce (I made my own- recipe here)
1/2 tbsp ginger, freshly grated
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp Sriracha sauce
pinch of Chinese five spice
pinch of salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine green onions, hoisin, ginger, garlic, lime juice, Sriracha, and seasoning.

2. Dip chicken breasts into sauce and place in a shallow baking dish.  Pour any extra sauce over the top of the chicken breasts.  Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.  Uncover and turn oven to broil.  Move chicken to top oven rack and broil for 5 minutes.

3. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Recipe Swap: Pizza Pasta Casserole!!

I love the bloggers choice swaps. Sometimes it takes me a few days to find a recipe but as soon as I saw Pizza Pasta Casserole from Carrie at Carrie's Sweet Life, my mind was made up. K doesn't like red sauce from a jar/can so I made it myself but other than that I stayed true to the recipe. I baked mine in a smaller round dish so I could make a layer of pasta, pepperoni then cheese and repeat. We both loved it!! I sprinkled a little crushed red pepper on mine.

Pizza Pasta Casserole: 

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion chopped
1 T. garlic powder
1 (26 once) jar spaghetti sauce
12 ounces rotini pasta, cooked and drained
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces sliced pepperoni

Brown ground beef, onion, adding oil if needed. Drain. Stir in pasta, spaghetti sauce, and 2 cups cheese. Place mixture in a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with pepperoni. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Top with Parmesan before serving.

Recipe Swap: Pumpkin Waffles

It's recipe swap time and the theme was breakfast. I was super excited when I saw Pumpkin Waffles from Simple Gourmet Cooking. In all honesty, I forgot about the swap and made these as dessert the night before. Both K and I loved them and had them for breakfast this morning! I didn't have nutmeg and used regular milk. Totally made me ready for fall!

Pumpkin Waffles

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
pinch nutmeg
4 large eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups buttermilk (regular milk works too)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cooking spray or vegetable oil for coating waffle iron
powdered sugar, for serving
maple syrup, for serving

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg.  Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until lumps are dissolved and mixture is well blended.  Add the pumpkin, butter, milk and vanilla and whisk until smooth.  Add the flour mixture and stir until smooth.

Heat waffle iron according to the manufacturer's directions.  Lightly coat it with oil.  Pour in enough batter just to fill the iron and spread it evenly, then close the waffle iron.  Cook until waffles are golden brown on the outside and cooked through inside.  Remove to a platter and keep warm.

Serve the waffles sprinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup. 

4-6 servings

Recipe Swap: Peanut Butter Honey Cake with Chocolate Topping

 

It's recipe swap time and the theme was bloggers choice. I was given the blog Cookies on Friday and chose her Peanut Butter Honey Cake with Chocolate Chip Topping. I did not use buttermilk and used regular milk. I'm not sure if it made a huge difference but my cake doesn't look as moist as hers. It sure was good though! I followed all of the other directions to a T, including using the mixer for the crumb topping. I cut the cake before it completely cooled so my picture kinda sucks. Click over to Nicole's blog to see her beautiful pic!

Cake:

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup peanut butter

¾ cup honey

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup buttermilk

Topping:

½ cup peanut butter

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease and flour a 9” x 13” pan.

In a large mixer bowl, beat together the butter, ¼ cup peanut butter, and honey. Blend in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Pour in the prepared pan.

Prepare the topping: in a mixer bowl, combine the ½ cup peanut butter, sugar, and flour. Stir in the chocolate chips. Crumble the topping over the cake batter. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Recipe Swap: Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

I love recipe swap time and our theme this go around was deserts.Well, my cake didn't turn out as pretty as the one on So Tasty, So Yummy but it sure was delicious! I'm not sure what I did wrong but my cake fell. Like it literally had a hole in the center of it. I did the best I could with what I had and although it wasn't terribly pleasing to the eye it was definitely pleasing to the tummy! I will be giving this recipe another try.

Strawberry Tres Leches Cake

4 large eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons whole milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Milk topping:
1 14-ounce can evaporated milk
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup heavy cream

Strawberries:
1 pound strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar

Frosting:
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 9-inch baking dish and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually with the mixer running and peak to stiff peaks. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after the addition of each.

Sift together the flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture, alternating with the milk. (Do this quickly so the batter does not lose volume.) Add the vanilla. Bake until golden, 30 minutes.

To make the milk topping: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream and blend on high speed. Whisking works as well and doesn't dirty your blender

Remove the cake from the oven and while still warm, prick the cake with a skewer several times and pour the cream mixture over it. Let sit and cool to room temperature.

Hull the strawberries. Crush the strawberries and toss with one tablespoon sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes. Spread the strawberries over the cooled cake.

Whip the cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Top the cake with the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Recipe Swap: Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

It's recipe swap time again! The theme this week was bloggers choice and I was given the blog I was Born to Cook. If you follow me you know I am all about quick and easy and her Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce was the perfect meal for me. I will be keeping this in my rotation.

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 heavy cream
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried marjoram

Heat skillet and add oil.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken and add to hot pan.  Cook through, turning once, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside, keeping it warm.

Pour wine into hot skillet and whisk, stirring for about one minute, or until it reduces in half.  Add cream, mustard, and marjoram and whisk until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Pour any accumulated juices into pan.  Stir together.  Plate chicken and add sauce on top.

Recipe Swap: Honey Lime Chicken Spinach Salad

It's recipe swap time and our theme was too hot to cook. I got Honey Lime Chicken Spinach Salad from Kickin it in the Kitchen. It was the easy, yummy dish I wanted on a lazy Sunday. We didn't want to fire up the grill so I made the chicken on the stove. Yummy either way! 

Honey Lime Chicken Spinach Salads

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons hot sauce or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (I usually slice the breasts in half to make cutlets)
Spinach leaves
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1-2 Tablespoons feta cheese
Balsamic vinegar & olive oil

Directions:
1. Combine the soy sauce, honey, olive oil, lime juice, garlic cloves, hot sauce, red pepper flakes and cilantro in a small bowl.

2. Put the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or dish and pour the marinade over it. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour. (I cut it into strips before marinating.)

3. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side or until the juices run clear. Slice into strips. ( I cooked it on the stove.)

4. Prepare the salad - put as many spinach leaves as you want on a plate, then top with sliced strawberries (I omitted), feta cheese, chicken, and a drizzle of both olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Recipe Swap: Panko Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Sauce

It's recipe swap time again (yaaaaaaay!) and it was bloggers choice. I love bloggers choice! I chose the Panko Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Sauce from Mrs. Regueiro's Plate. I mostly chose it because I had all of the ingredients at home and didn't want to go to the store, again. I feel like I am there all the time. It turned out really great! I was in a hurry to eat it so I'm sorry for the bad pic. I received several compliments on it from the family. :)

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Sauce

Ingredients:
2 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise in half
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons Honey Dijon mustard
1 cup panko
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preparation:
1. Cover the chicken with parchment paper, using a meat mallet pound the chicken to 1/3-to 1/2-inch thickness.
2. Whisk egg, parsley, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in large bowl. Place chicken in egg mixture; turn to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken piece in panko; turn to coat.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
4. Meanwhile, whisk broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard, and remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard in glass measuring cup.
5. Transfer chicken to plates. Add broth mixture to skillet; boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of chilled unsalted butter; whisk until melted. Spoon sauce alongside chicken.

Recipe Swap: Round Pasta

It's recipe swap time again and the theme for this swap was vegetarian. I got Round Pasta from DeLish. It was really good! She got the idea from Giada's Round and Round Pasta Recipe. My grocery store didn't have any round pasta so I used shells. They are kinda round. :p

Round Pasta

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced small
2 medium carrots, sliced in to rounds (I used pre-cut ones)
pinch of sea salt
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into rounds
1 lb round pasta

Dressing:
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, at room temp
1 TBSP lemon juice
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 tsp salt, plus extra for seasoning

Cook the pasta to box instructions. Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and a sprinkle of salt. Cook until the carrots begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and another pinch of salt. Cook until the carrots and zucchini are tender. Add the zucchini mixture to the pasta.

For the dressing: mix together the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt in a small bowl until smooth. Mix the dressing into the pasta.

Recipe Swap: Buffalo Chicken Wrap

It's recipe swap time again and this time the theme was burgers/sandwiches. I was given my choice of two recipes from A Taste of Home Cooking. I wanted to make both but time didn't allow me to. I actually forgot about it and happened to have all of the ingredients on hand to make the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. I will get around to making the Cuban Sandwich soon as I have been craving one for a while. The only thing I did differently to this recipe was cook the chicken in the crockpot. It was quick and delicious. :)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 pinch freshly ground pepper
1 pinch coarse salt
1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce, divided
1 pound chicken tenders
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
2-3 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 large flour tortillas

Place chicken in the crockpot and top with salt and pepper. Combine butter and hot sauce and pour over chicken. Cook on high for four hours. Shred chicken. Heat up the tortillas in the microwave. Layer some chicken in the center, followed by romaine, tomato, blue cheese dressing, scallions, cheddar, and a few more good glugs of Frank’s. Mix up the filling with a spoon or your fingers so the dressing evenly coats all of the ingredients. Roll up the wrap and tuck in the corners. Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Eggrolls

I saw a post from Rachel Ray for Cheeseburger Eggrolls and decided to try them. I had all of the ingredients on hand so it was a perfect meal. I hate going to the store to get one or two things! I fried them instead of baking them. Next time I will bake them (more healthy) and season the meat a bit more. I also made the dip and think it needs a hit or two of hot sauce. All in all it was a yummy, fast meal.

Cheeseburger Eggrolls:

Ingredients

• EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 3/4 pound ground sirloin or chuck
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 cup sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard or other mustard of choice
• 12-14 prepared egg roll wrappers
• Water
• Cooking spray
• Sesame seeds

Heat EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and let sweat. Once cooked, add ground sirloin and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. Once meat is browned, drain fat from pan and pour meat and onions into a medium-size mixing bowl and let cool. Once cool, mix in cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce and mustard.


To wrap egg rolls, brush water around all four sides of a wrapper to act as the glue. Place a 1/3 cup of the meat and onion mixture into the center of the wrapper. Fold two corners into the center and then wrap the other corner to the next, creating a long skinny roll. Place finished rolls onto a sheet pan with a wire rack arranged above sheet pan.

Spray and roll egg roll tightly with all natural cooking spray and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until egg rolls start to brown.Serve with Russian Dressing Dipper (recipe below).



Russian Dressing Dipper:

Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 rounded tablespoons pickle relish
• 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium-size bowl, mix all ingredients together, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Swap: Korean Short Ribs

It's recipe swap time again and this time it was bloggers choice. That means that I got to choose what recipe I wanted to make from the blog that was chosen for me. I was given Christine's Kitchen Chronicles and had a ton of recipes to choose from. I stumbled upon her Korean Style Short Ribs and am so glad I did. They were DELICIOUS!! So easy to make and I had everything but the short ribs on hand. They were a little spicy so next time I will reduce the amount of red pepper.

Korean Short Ribs:

Ingredients

1 c. soy sauce

1 c. packed light brown sugar

4 T. sesame oil

3 T. red wine vinegar

2 T. fresh ginger, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. water

1 t. red pepper

1 t. ground ginger

1 t. black pepper

2 1/2 pounds beef short ribs(I went with boneless)

2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic, and water in the crockpot,stirring until well incorporated. Sprinkle in the red pepper, ground ginger, and black pepper. Mix well.

Place the ribs in the crockpot and spoon sauce over top of ribs. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove ribs from crockpot and serve over rice. Top with green onions.

RecipeSwap: Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

It's recipe swap time again and I was very excited to try this one. I was given Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables from Nicole with Cookies on Friday. I looooove meat so I am always skeptical of main recipes that don't have any. This recipe was delicious and perfect without meat. It was light and tasty. I did add more cheese than it called for and used jarred spices instead of fresh.

Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables:

4 ounces uncooked ziti

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow squash

1 cup chopped zucchini

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cups chopped tomato

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

2. Preheat oven to 400°.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add squash, zucchini, and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.

4. Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg. Stir into pasta mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Recipe from Cooking Light, July 2011

RecipeSwap: The Pioneer Woman's Peach-Whiskey Barbecue Chicken

Holy crap this is good! I love bourbon/whiskey so this was right up my alley. The recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of whiskey but I just couldn't do it. I put in one cup and drank the other 1/2. I also used chicken breasts instead of thighs. Thank you Chrystal!!

Pioneer Woman's Peach Whiskey Barbeque Chicken:

• 12 whole Chicken Thighs, Bone-in, Skin-on
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Yellow Onion, Diced
• 1-1/2 cup Whiskey
• 12 ounces, fluid Barbecue Sauce
• 1 jar Peach Preserves
• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 4 cloves Garlic, Peeled
• 3 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin
  

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan. Add chicken and brown on both sides. Put on a plate and set aside. Add onions and to pan and cook till translucent. Pour in whiskey- carefully if using an open flame. Mix in remaining ingredients and return chicken to the pan. Cover and put in oven. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

RecipeSwap: Strawberry Muffins

It's recipe swap time and the theme this time was fruit. I was given Strawberry Muffins from DeLish. The batter was so good that I had to stop myself from eating it so that I would have enough to make muffins. I had enough to make 12 muffins and 2 tiny heart shaped cakes. Sorry for the bad photo. K doesn't understand the art of taking a good pic for blogs sake! We loved these muffins so much that I plan on making different kinds of muffins with this mix. K loves blueberry so that is next.

Strawberry Muffins

1 cup diced fresh strawberries (+1 TBSp flour)
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin tins with cooking spray. Toss the strawberry pieces in the flour to coat; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt & baking soda; set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter, sugar, & vanilla until fluffy. Add in the egg.

Now, alternating between the two, stir the dry ingredient mixture & sour cream into the batter. Muffin Batter should be lumpy! Fold in the strawberries.

Fill muffin tins about 2/3 of the way. Cook for about 30-35 minutes. Muffins will be golden brown when done but, of course, do the toothpick test!

Weekly Menu 3/19-3/23

I started a new job last week and found that I didn't have time to cook. Our meals consisted of several drive through meals and cereal. I've decided to make a menu this week, two meals will always be crock pot meals because I get home late those days. So here goes!

Monday 3/19: Baked Cod

Tuesday 3/20: Dijon Pork Tenderloin (Crock Pot)

Wednesday 3/21: Hamburger Goulash

Thursday 3/22: Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken (Crock Pot)

Friday 3/23: Country Ham

We go out on the weekends and eat any leftovers. Look for blog posts on the meals by Sunday! :)

Gnocchi Mac N Cheese

It's recipe swap time and this time the theme was pasta. I got Gnocchi Mac N Cheese from The Jey of Cooking and it was awesome! I followed the recipe exactly and it received rave reviews. I made gnocchi from scratch before but due to time restraints I used the kind in the package. It was just as good.

Gnocchi Mac N Cheese:

1 Lb. Gnocchi (I used pre-packaged)
6 Slices Bacon
1 Sweet Onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
8 Sage Leaves, finely chopped (I used a small palm full of dried)
1 Tbsp. Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp. Ground Mustard (omitted-I didn't have any)
1/2 Cup (or more) Gruyere Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup (or more) Fontina Cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup (or more) Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium low heat, turning frequently until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate, chop and set aside. Add onion to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, anywhere from 10-30 minutes.

Drop the gnocchi into a pot of salted boiling water and cook until they float to the top, 2-3 minutes. Drain in a colander then return gnocchi to the pot.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and sage and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk until it bubbles, then add the milk and ground mustard. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the Gruyere and Fontina and stir until melted. Mix in the bacon and caramelized onions. Pour over the gnocchi and stir until combined.

Transfer the gnocchi and sauce to a lightly oiled baking dish and cover with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Crock-Pot Chicken and Dumplings

I found the original recipe for this on Allrecipes. I had all of the ingredients and love something I set and forget. K put his over rice but I ate it like it is. We both had seconds!

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen is fine)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth/stock
Can of peas with carrots
Small onion, diced
1 can of canned biscuits

Place chicken in slow cooker and season with spices (I used salt, pepper & garlic). Top with remaining ingredients and cover. Cook on high for six hours. After four hours add canned biscuits by tearing them into pieces and balling it up. I used crescent rolls. Let cook for remaining two hours. Serve!

Breakfast Pocket

I wanted to make something new for breakfast and came up with this. Next time I will use more cheese and add mushrooms and onions. It would also be good with bacon or ham.

Breakfast Pocket:

1 can crescent rolls

1/4 tube of sausage
2 eggs, beaten
Cheese

Preheat oven to according to directions on the can of crescent rolls. Unroll crescent roll dough and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough. Brown meat and scramble eggs. Set both to the side. On the first half of the dough spread a layer of cheese. Top with sausage and eggs and a second layer of cheese. Take the second half of dough and top. Pinch edges together and bake for 15 minutes or till brown. Cut, serve, enjoy!

Crispy Parmesan Tilapia

This was so good and incredibly easy. K, who is not a huge fan of fish, loved it and even ate the leftovers (which he never does).

Crispy Parmesan Tilapia:

Tilapia filets
Parmesan cheese
Italian bread crumbs
Egg- beaten
Oil for frying

Heat oil in pan. On a small plate add equal parts of Parmesan cheese (I used the shaker kind) and bread crumbs. Dredge both sides of the fish in egg then in cheese mix. Add to the oil and fry till brown and crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain before plating. I topped mine with a sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce from a jar *gasp*.

Chicken Egg Rolls

I had some of the Five Spice Chicken Lettuce Wrap chicken left over and decided to make egg rolls. I don't know if it was the frying process or what but these were freakin fabulous!! The flavors popped. Everyone raved- I had seconds. :)

No real recipe here. I used the filling from my Five Spice Chicken Lettuce Wraps, egg roll wraps and an egg- beaten. I first put some oil in a pan and heated. I took one of the egg roll wraps and brushed a little of the egg on the inside. I put a scoop or two of the chicken mixture in the middle and wrapped it up. I brushed a little of the egg on the outer flap to seal it. I then placed the egg rolls in the hot grease and fried till golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain.

Five Spice Chicken Lettuce Wrap

I found this recipe on Pinterest and wanted to try it. I didn't have any turkey on hand so I used chicken breasts and cut it into small bites. I also made a few other changes to the original recipe (it called for bell pepper and water chestnuts) to make it more to my liking. The result is below. I enjoyed them and look forward to lunch tomorrow!

Five Spice Chicken Lettuce Wrap:

1/2 cup cooked rice
2 teaspoons oil
1.5 chicken breasts, diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup shredded veggies (mine was a broccoli/carrot/cabbage mix I found pre-cut at the store)
1 cup diced onions
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoon five-spice powder
Sriracha sauce to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add the chicken, garlic and ginger. Cook till chicken is done. Add shredded veggies, onions, mushrooms, hoisin sauce, five spice and sriracha sauce. Cook till veggies are tender then add the rice. Stir well and serve.

Crock-Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup

It's recipe swap time again and this time the theme was soups and stews. I was given Crock-Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup from Hezzi-D's Books & Cooks. My man is not a big fan of tomatoes or bell peppers but I am! This recipe is super good and would be excellent on a cold night. Today is was 78 degrees in Georgia but I still enjoyed the soup. My best friend is excited to get a container of soup tomorrow!

Crock-Pot Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup:

1 pound ground beef
1 package of dry onion soup mix (I used two)

1 large can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes with garlic

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
3 large green bell peppers, chopped into 1 inch pieces
½ large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 beef bouillon cubes (I used 3)
1/8 c. brown sugar
2 T. vinegar (preferably apple cider vinegar)
2 t oregano
1 t. black pepper
4 c. water
1 c. cooked white rice
Mozzarella cheese (to top the soup)

1. In a large skillet brown the ground beef. Put it in the crock-pot.

2. Combine the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and dry onion soup mix in the crock-pot. Mix well. Add in the peppers, onion, garlic, bouillon cubes, brown sugar, and water. Stir well.

3. Sprinkle with oregano, black pepper, and vinegar. Give it a stir. Cook on low heat for 8 hours. Add in the cooked rice and cook for an additional hour. Serve topped with mozzarella cheese.

Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry

K and I were expecting company for dinner the other night so I went searching for something easy and delicious. I found Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry from A Taste of Home Cooking. It was easy and delicious. I like a little spice so I kept the recipe the same but K said it was a bit on the hot side for him. Next time I will eliminate the sriracha sauce in the marinade to reduce the heat. Our company didn't show so we were left with plenty for lunch the next day, which I was really happy about.

Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Marinade for chicken:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 cup green beans, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, chopped

Transfer chicken to a plastic food storage bag. Add marinade ingredients and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch, water, Sriracha, soy sauce and oyster sauce.

In a wok heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat, add vegetables. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Remove to a plate.

Wipe wok out with wet paper towels. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the wok. When hot, add ginger and garlic; after a few seconds, add chicken mixture. Stir-fry for 2 to 4 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Pour in the sauce. Stir until thickened. Return vegetables to the wok. Serve over rice.

Italian Stuffed Pork Chops

I came up with this recipe because I just bought a bunch of cool stuff from the grocery store. K loved it! Not only did he eat his whole piece, he had half of another. He never eats that much! Guess this recipe is a keeper. Sorry the measurements are exact but I just do what looks right.

Italian Stuffed Pork Chops:

Boneless pork chops
Mozzarella cheese
Alfredo sauce
Bacon, uncooked
Onion, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
The following ingredients I used the kind that comes minced in a jar:
Shallots
Garlic
Basil
Oregano

Preheat oven to 350. Pound pork chops thin. Take a small amount of shallots, garlic, basil and oregano and rub into one side of the pork chop. Place a thin line of cheese on top of the seasonings and top that with a spoon of Alfredo sauce. Roll pork chop and wrap a piece of bacon around it, securing it with a tooth pick. Repeat with remaining chops. Place chops in a baking dish.

In a pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil and add mushrooms and onions. Cook till onions are tender. Top chops with mushrooms and onions and place in oven. Cook for 30-45 minutes or till chops are done.

Girl's Night Out!

It was time for a girl's night out and the foodie in me offered to make all of the snacks. It was a hit! Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures. I forgot my nice camera at home and had to use the cell phone.

Here is the menu:
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wrap
Cucumber Feta Bites
Caprese Skewers
Tortilla Pinwheels
Artichoke Dip (no pic but I've blogged about it already)
BBQ Pork Sliders (made this a few nights ago)
Chocolate & Peanut Butter Trifle (no pic yet but link will take you to the recipe)

I also made custom tooth pick toppers!
And here they are in my BBQ Pork sliders!