Apple & Brie Stuffed Chicken

So, while I was in Pittsburgh visiting my man, I was searching for yummy meals to test out on him.  Of course, being that I am beyond addicted to Facebook, I had posted a status update asking for suggestions.  Just a few minutes later a bunch of friends had responded.  One of them, my friend Sheila. Now, Sheila always has the best comments/suggestions/advice... So, I knew she wouldn't steer me wrong! Sheila commented saying that she had made a really awesome meal the other night by simply inventing her own recipe!  I was excited, to say the least! Reading thru the simple ingredients she used, my mouth began to water.  This was a risky recipe for me, only because JD isn't a fan of Chicken... Odd, I know.  But, I decided to try it anyhow!

I am SO glad I did, because it was absolutely amazing! Sheila and I had joked that it was good enough to get me laid, but in all seriousness, IT WAS! This was by far the best Chicken I have ever eaten! And the best part? (Most would think it was the after party?!) ...IT WAS SO EASY!

Anyhow, Sheila has given me permission to share her recipe here:

Apple & Brie Stuffed Chicken

Courtesy of Sheila Bogan

Ingredients:

• 2 Red Apples
• Honey
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Nutmeg
• Brie Cheese
• 2 Chicken Breasts, butterflied.
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil

These are Sheila's directions, literally, word-for-word:

"So you take red apples and cut them into small pieces. In a saucepan put the apples, honey, balsamic and nutmeg. Carmelize them and then butterfly the chicken breasts so they are open. And flatten them a bit. Then put the apples and brie on one side and put the other side of the chicken over it. Bake it on like 400 for about 35-40min. I just seasoned chicken w salt, pepper and olive oil. Delicious:)"

I followed Sheila's suggestion and served up this chicken along side little red potatoes. I simply quartered them, seasoned them using just olive oil, parsley, and salt and pepper, then baked them in the oven with the chicken. Delish!

I also sauteed some fresh green beans, as well.

A huge Thanks to Sheila for sharing her recipe!

JD LOVED IT! As I mentioned, he doesn't even like Chicken, so you know it was delicious! In fact, he raved about it-- first rating it an "8" on a scale from 1-10... then, stating "If I had to eat it once a week, I could."

Verdict: MAKE IT NOW!

Cocktail Meatballs

I'm backkkk! :)

It's been a while. I do apologize! 

The hustle and bustle of the holidays finally took its toll. I have been traveling all over and cooking marvelous things, however.  I'm very excited to share this next recipe... mostly because I didn't think I was going to like it at all.  In fact, the boyfriend and I were sitting around the house trying to figure out what to make for New Years Eve and he makes the request for Cocktail Meatballs the way his Mom has always made them.  Not only was I absolutely terrified that mine could never stand up to his Mother's... but I had never eaten them, let alone made them before.  I was so anxious even just thinking about it! So, I gave it a shot... This is the recipe I used:

COCKTAIL MEATBALLS

Courtesy of  Cooks.com

Meatballs:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
  1 egg, slightly beaten
  1/2 c. bread crumbs
  1 tsp. chopped parsley
  1/2 onion (opt.)
  1 tsp. salt
  1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  1/4 tsp. pepper

Sauce:

• 1 (12 oz.) bottles Heinz chili sauce
• 1 (10 oz.) jar grape jelly
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. soy sauce

Directions:

Combine meat ingredients and form into 1" balls. 

Combine chili sauce, jelly, lemon juice, brown sugar and soy sauce in a sauce pan.

Bring to a boil, stirring. 

Add raw meatballs to sauce. 

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

I had skimmed other recipes online, and decided to use 2 bottles of chili sauce instead of the 1 the recipe had called for.

I have to admit... I was a bit cautious before trying the finish product... I was so nervous that the meatballs wouldn't be cooked all the way through.  (Also, I HATE grape jelly!) But, much to my amazement, these meatballs were ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I was ecstatic.  These meatballs were a HUGE success! They were quick, easy, and scrumptious!

JD LOVED them! He raved about them, saying they tasted exactly like his Mom's! When asked to rate them on a scale from 1-10, he gave them a 9! That's HUGE! :):)

Verdict: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Super Easy Sugar Cookies

It's sure been a while! I do apologize.  I've been so busy, traveling, shopping for the holidays, and of course BAKING! :):)

Tonight I'm baking sugar cookies for all of the sewers at the facility where I work-- we manufacture custom-made handbags!  They've all been working really hard to fill the Christmas orders, so all of us (the ladies who work in the office) have been taking turns making something special for them each day.

Of course, tomorrow it's my turn... So, Super Easy Sugar Cookies, it is!

I think this was my mom's recipe? We've been using it forever! When I was little we used to make cut-out cookies with this recipe and frost them to share with my class around the holidays. It's easy, and yummy-- all the best ones are. The best part is, they always turn out great and they ALWAYS taste exactly the same! Just the way I remember them tasting the year before.

Super Easy Sugar Cookies

Courtesy of Sandi-Baby (my Mom)

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup butter, COMPLETELY softened
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonful of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. 
• Use pointer finger to create a dent in the top of the cookie and fill with sprinkles.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. 
• Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last week, JD and I were talking and I was excited to tell him all about the show I was watching on the Food network as Claire prepared a Thanksgiving feast! I was honestly sitting there drooling as I watched.  I quickly decided I am going to prepare our Thanksgiving meal.  This is a bold move for me, as my mother has always been the bearer of all things Thanksgiving.  She's a pro!  This year, it's my year.  

JD of course mocked me as I entertained the idea... but, then he came up with a fabulous suggestion!  He (jokingly) said "How about you practice this weekend... I'll have turkey for DAYS!"  I'm sure I mentioned before that he gets very excited about leftovers.  Anyhow, that's what I did!  I am thrilled to report that my practice "Thanksgiving" meal was a total success!  Granted, I started a bit late so we didn't eat until almost 8:30pm... but otherwise, it was awesome.  And the best part?  The entire meal (including the grocery shopping) only took me 4 hours! 

I was excited to try out some recipes I've been stockpiling for a while.  I'll list them all here, below.  Some I didn't have exact measurements/directions for... so, I made up my own rules! :)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

from the packaging of a bar of Philadelphia® Cream Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lb. baking potatoes (about 7), peeled, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tub (8 oz.) Philadelphia® cream cheese spread
• 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Cook potatoes and garlic in boiling water in large saucepan 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain.

Mash potatoes until smooth.

Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended.

Classic Green Bean Casserole

from the labeling of a Campbell's® Cream of Mushroom Soup can

Ingredients:

• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• Ground black pepper (to taste)
• 4 c. cooked cut green beans
• 1 1/3 c. French's® French Fried Onions

Directions:

Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 c. onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling.  Stir the bean mixture.  Sprinkle with the remaining onions.

Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Sausage Stuffing 

 from my friends/co-workers Noelle & Sandy

Ingredients:

• Breakfast Sausage
• Onion, chopped
• Celery, diced
• Margarine, melted
• Poultry seasoning
• Black Pepper
• Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing Bread Crumbs

Directions:

Combine ingredients, stuff into Turkey and bake.

I didn't have any exact measurements for the stuffing, so I eyed it.  I used 1 lb. of Jimmy Dean® Spicy Breakfast Sausage, probably about 3/4 c. of onion, 5 stalks of celery, a stick of margarine, a large bag of the bread crumbs, about 3 tsp. of poultry seasoning, and just a dash of black pepper.

I followed the traditional directions for preparing a turkey, nothing fancy.  In fact, I followed the exact directions on the Reynolds Wrap® Oven Roasting Bags box.  I didn't stuff the turkey, however, since I was a bit short on time and a stuffed turkey takes longer to cook than an unstuffed turkey.  It turned out great!  

Then, I had to think of a way to make my stuffing, since I wasn't going to be baking it inside my turkey... So, I turned to my favorite stand-by kitchen appliance, my crockpot!  I simply browned the breakfast sausage, and at the same time sauteed the onion and celery in margarine, then combined all of the ingredients in my crockpot and let it cook on high for 2 hours.  I can say, without hesitation that it was the best stuffing I've ever had! SUCCESS!

The mashed potatoes weren't my fav.  I was quite disappointed.  I don't know if it was because I used little red potatoes instead of the gold baking potatoes or maybe it was the cream cheese, I'm not sure but the potatoes just didn't taste right when paired with the gravy! Epic fail.  They were, however, very yummy on their own.

To make the gravy I simply brought the turkey drippings to a rolling boil and added a flour/water mixture.  I was not thrilled with my gravy. That'll need some work, for sure! It was a bit lumpy.  I'm not sure why?  It was definitely boiling for a few minutes before I added the flour... and I poured it slowly and whisked the gravy the whole time... Any gravy tips would be much appreciated!

The green bean casserole was probably my favorite.  It was perfect.  With such an easy recipe, I guess you can't really go wrong.  JD loved it, and he'd never had green bean casserole before so that was very exciting!

My mini "Thanksgiving" feast was ultimately a success!  I was anxious since JD was going to be my taste-tester!  It was great! We really had so much fun planning, shopping, and making the meal. There's proof above... a picture of JD carving the turkey! After that practice run, I can't wait to cook a real Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday!

I am very excited to mention that for my birthday, one of my gifts from JD was a Julia Child cookbook! It's perfect. It's basic, and pretty much gives step-by-step instructions on how to cook anything! Too bad he waited until after the meal to give it to me... Hahaha!


Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Meghan's Mom's Meatloaf!

I am super excited for tonight's meal! I have been craving a good meatloaf and Meghan (my friend/Supervisor) raves about her Mom's recipe! I can't wait to try it! It's going to be absolutely delish, I just know it!

Meghan's Mom's Meatloaf

courtesy of Meghan (& her Mother, of course!)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. ground beef
  
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c. Italian bread crumbs
• 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder (optional)
• 1 can Campbell's® Alphabet Vegetable Beef soup ("smushed up a bit")
• Ketchup

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper (to taste), garlic powder, and soup.  Shape into brick form in a casserole dish, and top with Ketchup.

Bake at 375 for approximately 1 hour or until golden brown.

My mouth is watering in anticipation! I can't wait! Report back later!

<8pm>
So, I'm betting this would've been an awesome recipe, if I had it right? Something went terribly wrong, as I ended up with meat-mush.  Maybe it needed more breadcrumbs? Maybe I should've drained the soup? Perhaps I should not have made it in a loaf pan? Silly me for thinking a meatloaf was made in a loaf pan! Not this meatloaf! :) 


We'll have to attempt this recipe again when we have all of the correct measurements and directions! Honestly, it was very tasty meatmush... I simply feel I'd prefer it if it were a loaf. ;-)


Verdict: Tabled pending further investigation...

Crockpot Turkey Breast & Stuffing

I was watching the Food Network earlier this morning and it got me all excited for Thanksgiving!  And, so, I've decided to make Turkey and Stuffing for dinner tonight!  I've never attempted a turkey in the crockpot, but my Chicken and Stuffing was amazing, so why the heck not?!  I'm attempting to prepare it almost exactly the way I did the Chicken... could be a disaster? We shall see!

Crockpot Turkey & Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 3 lb. Turkey Breast
• 2 c. Turkey broth
• 1 (6 oz.) package of Turkey Stuffing
• 1 stick of butter
• 16 oz. package of whole kernel corn, frozen

Directions:

• Place frozen Turkey breast in bottom of crockpot.
• Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Spoon over Turkey breast.
• Cover and cook on low setting for at least 8 hours or until Turkey is tender and stuffing is dry.

Here's hoping it hits the spot! I'm REALLY hankering for some Turkey!


I think I would have either doubled the amount of stuffing mix used, or halved the amount of broth since the stuffing turned out to be a bit mushy... Everything else was perfect though! The turkey was definitely done at only 6 hours! MmMmM! It was good! AND VERY EASY! :)


Verdict: Definitely recommended.

Pampered Chef Taco Ring

Yesterday, as I was getting ready to leave work I was pondering what to make for dinner (and secretly craving Chinese food) when I received a call from a friend.  Heather asked me if I had any good "Taco Bake" type recipes.  That's when it hit me! When I was younger, my Mom held a Pampered Chef party at our house.  The consultant had made this amazing "Taco Ring".  I remember it was SO tasty, that my Mom and I had made it together several times after the party.  Well, come to think of it, it's been a while! Last night I gave into my craving and ordered Chinese Take-out... It's about that time! I'm making it tonight!  Here's the recipe:

Pampered Chef Taco Ring

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
• 1  package taco seasoning mix
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp. water                                             
• 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 1/2 head lettuce, shredded
• 1 medium tomato, cubed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 c. whole pitted black olives, sliced
• 1 c. salsa
• sour cream 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees (200 C.).
• Combine meat, seasoning mix, cheese and water in 2 qt. batter bowl.
• Arrange crescent triangles in a circle on a 13" round baking stone, with bases overlapping in center and points to outside (there should be a five inch diameter circle in center).
• Using medium stainless steel scoop (approx. 2 T) spoon meat mixture over rolls.
• Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under base at center (filling will not be completely covered).
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Using V-shaped cutter, cut off top of bell pepper.
• Place bell pepper in center of ring; fill with salsa.
• Mound lettuce, onion, tomato and olives around pepper.
• Using easy accent decorator, garnish with sour cream.
• Cut and serve.

Quick n' Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup

Tonight's dinner was another catch-all of leftovers from the fridge! JD should be impressed... I know my parents were! I do believe I've previously mentioned just how much I despise leftovers.  The thought of re-heating food truly irks me.  Though, leftovers don't seem to bother me so much when they're incorporated into other recipes! Score!

I thought of the idea as I browsed the aisles of the grocery store last night as I entertained the idea of cleaning out the fridge before garbage night.  

Quick n' Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup

from the back of the Quaker® Quick Barley box

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. Lean ground beef
• 1/2 c. Onion, chopped
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 5 c. Water
• 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) Unsalted, whole tomatoes (undrained, cut into pieces)
• 3/4 c. Quaker® Quick Barley
• 1/2 c. Celery (chopped)
• 2 cubes Beef Bouillon
• 1/2 tsp. Dried basil, crushed
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 pkg. (9 oz.) Frozen mixed vegetables

Directions

In a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, brown meat.  Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients except frozen vegetables. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add frozen vegetables; cook about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Additional water may be added if soup becomes too thick upon standing. Yields 8 (1 cup) servings.

Now, my modifications!

I opted to prepare my version in the morning before work in the crockpot, of course!

In an attempt to use up the items overflowing from my fridge, I made quite a few substitutions... 

They are as follows:

Instead of the 1/2 lb. ground beef, I used the remainder of a roast I had in the fridge from a meal earlier last week.  I simply cut it into small pieces.  Also, I didn't have any fresh onion, so I used a bit of Onion Onion® from the Tastefully Simple® line-- though I'm quite sure you'd get the same result by using a bit of Onion Salt.  I replaced the clove of garlic with a tablespoon of minced garlic spice, and replaced the can of whole tomatoes with half a pint of cherry tomatoes (halved) which I had in the fridge. Instead of the beef bouillon cubes, I used a large can of beef stock and reduced the amount of water to only 3 cups.  I had no frozen mixed vegetables, so I used half a package of baby carrots (whole), approximately 5 stalks of celery (chopped) and half a can of corn (again from the fridge).  I then added salt and pepper to taste.  I omitted the bay leaf, but used the Quaker® Quick Barley and basil, as instructed above.  I combined all of these ingredients in the crockpot and let it cook on the low setting for 8-10 hours.  

Honestly, the soup was SO scrumptious.  It was the perfect meal for a cold, snowy, Monday night.  I will definitely be making this recipe again! It was very easy! And the best part... now, my fridge is empty! 

Verdict: Highly recommended.  

I'll have to try the original recipe to see what that is like, as well! :) ...maybe. 

Or, perhaps I will stick to my own???

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Ohh boy! It's been a while! Sorry, guys! I was away cruising the Eastern Caribbean for two weeks with my fabulous Boyfriend (who still insists that I can't cook!) We ate such wonderful food! It was such a fun trip! 

Anyhow, I was at work today, when my friend (and co-worker) Sandy asked me if I had any good recipes for cookies that fit the guidelines of a diabetic diet... Just so happens, my Mom is a diabetic, and I do! They're oh-so-YUMMY, too! :) 

I don't remember where I found it, as I have been baking these cookies for many years... I'm almost positive I had gotten it off of the Ocean Spray website at some point... but, as with most recipes, I've made a few modifications!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Courtesy of Ocean Spray® and ME!

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. butter (if using margarine, add ½ tsp. of salt)
• 1/2 c. Crisco®
• 2/3 c. Splenda® brown sugar substitute
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 (6 oz) package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
• 2/3 c. pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, Crisco® and sugar substitute together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and nuts.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

This recipe is really very simple and very tasty too! 

If you're not a diabetic, I would highly recommend making it with chunks of white chocolate, white chocolate chips, or even semi-sweet morsels (instead of the walnuts or pecans)! I actually prefer Splenda® to real sugar, but obviously real sugar may be used as well.  The substitution is the same amount, just 2/3 of a cup.

I pair mine with a hot cup of vanilla chai tea, or hot coco-- regardless, enjoy as you wish!

(Healthy) Minestra

A few of you have asked what I'll be making for dinner tonight, and so, here it is!

I just love it when Jaclyn shares her yummy, healthy recipes with me! And furthermore I am always beyond impressed when she rattles them off from memory while sitting in the office!

Minestra

from Jaclyn

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• Garlic (to taste)
• 1 Lg. white onion, chopped
• 2 Med. heads of Escarole, chopped
• 2 cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Lg carton chicken broth
• 1 Sm. carton chicken broth
• Salt
• Pepper
• Nutmeg
• Parmesan cheese (The real stuff! Nothing from a can!)

Coat pan in olive oil

Add garlic (to taste)-- in my opinion, you can never have enough garlic!

Add onion, and brown

Add escarole, and cook down

Add cannellini beans, chicken broth, a little salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg and bring to a boil

Cook 10 minutes

Top with parmesan cheese

Enjoy!

There it is, quick and easy! I hope it's as yummy as it sounds! We'll see!

Ice Cream for dinner! YIPEEE!

I do apologize for not posting last night, as I ate ice cream for dinner! Delicious Edy's Apple Pie Ice Cream! I wasn't all that hungry when I got home from work and I was more exhausted than anything... I did a few things around the house, and honestly forgot all about dinner! It was 8pm by the time I thought about eating anything! 

Tonight is a leftovers night... I know, so weird to hear myself utter those words! But, there's lots in the fridge that has to be put to good use! And JD and I leave for our cruise next week, so I'm definitely pinching my pennies this week! Leftovers it is... (Good thing there's chili left!)  :)

Happy weekend! I've got lots planned! Hoping to get some BAKING in! 

Relax, and Enjoy!

Turkey Chili

I was very excited to get to work this morning and have my friend and co-worker, Jaclyn waiting with a new recipe for me to try out! Now, I can't wait to get home and try it! :)

Jaclyn says this is a recipe she has made many times when she's craving something healthy, quick, and EASY! Boy, is she speaking MY language... I've been aiming for "Healthy", but quick AND easy?! Not to mention SPICY! I am in my little cooking glory over here!

Are you ready?! ...wait for it... ...wait for it... .....(for added suspense)

Today's recipe is for Turkey Chili! mMmMmMm! Just the thought of it is making me drool at my desk!

Turkey Chili

from Jaclyn (from memory, which is impressive in and of itself!)

Jaclyn said she found this delish little recipe in Men's Health Magazine a few years back...

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced (or stewed) tomatoes-- something mexican, with a little spice!
• 1 pkt chili mix (of course I'm going to use the spiciest kind I can find!)
• 1/4 c. of water

Quick & EASY Directions:

Brown the ground turkey in a skillet. Drain.

Toss it all together in a nice big pot, and heat for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Top with Jalapenos, Avacado, Sour Cream, and/or Frank's Red Hot.

Jaclyn likes to top hers with a little sour cream mixed with Frank's Red Hot®! YUM!

I cannot wait to test this one out... and such a perfectly rainy day for chili! :)


<6pm>
I'm getting very excited for this chili! It already smells amazing and I just added the browned turkey! I also added a can of v8 tomato juice, since I think I may have used a larger can of beans than necessary and it then needed a bit more liquid but since I only bought one can of tomatoes at the store, v8 it is! And you KNOW I used extra HOT chili spice! I am PSYCHED! :):)


We have a little while until everyone will be home for dinner, so I'm going to let it simmer for a bit... It can really only get better and better! I'll keep ya's posted!


<8:21pm>
I am ecstatic to report that the chili was by far the best meal I have EVER made!
JD would've LOVED it for sure! It had all the key ingredients! It was SUPER easy, SO quick, extremely cheap, and oh so YUMMY!! (... HEALTHY, TOO!)


I found myself txting Jaclyn in the middle of dinner to thank her for officially changing my life. Haha-- no exaggeration. Seriously.


It is highly likely that I will never test out another chili recipe ever again. I'm hooked! In fact, I loved it so much, I don't even think I'll attempt it without my own substitutions! I wouldn't dare risk it!


Not to mention, I am a meat lover... I could not even taste the difference having used ground turkey. AMAZING!


Just one bowl and I was SO full, yet I truly wanted to eat more. I was beyond tempted to get up and go for "seconds"... I just had no room in my belly! I'll be bringing the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! ...yes, you read that right! LEFTOVERS! Consider me a changed woman... but, only for this chili!

Turkey Meatloaf

Another yucky, rainy day! I cannot wait to get home and try out this recipe a friend of mine e-mailed to me! Kerry said she hadn't tried it when we were messaging back and forth about it but her husband was raving about how delicious it was! It sure looks like it's super easy AND super healthy! Perfect! We'll give it a shot!

Turkey Meatloaf

Passed on from my friend Kerry Abs

Ingredients:

• 2 pkgs lean ground turkey
• 2 c. dry instant oats
• 2 c. chopped fresh spinach
• 3 eggs
• 1 c. organic tomato sauce
• 1 Mrs. Dash seasoning packet

Mix together, and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

That's it!

I've just sent Big Jer (My Dad) to the store for the ingredients, so I'm ready to rock as soon as I get home from work! I am just so excited! Stay tuned!


<5:35pm>
A little update for y'all... (No, I'm not at all Southern, but I totally wish I had a cute little Southern twang to my accent like my boyfriend does!)


I've been home from work for exactly half an hour and dinner is in the oven and smelling wonderfully! I am also boiling some naked potatoes so that I can serve the turkey meatloaf with some homemade mashed. I have made the executive decision to bake my meatloaf in a bunt pan...? Kerry didn't specify and it was sitting on the counter, so I went for it! :) andddd I did put a little extra tomato sauce over the top, only because I had a little left in the jar! No sense in keeping just a little! I didn't have any Mrs. Dash left, so I just used Hannaford brand Italian Seasoning. I'm sure it's all the same!


The meatloaf was SO easy to make... and the clean-up was a cinch! 


So far, I am LOVING this meal. I hope it tastes as good as it smells! I'll get back to ya after dinner!


<7:35pm>
Dinner was a hit! It was really very good, for such a healthy meal!
The spinach really gave it a nice flavor! Though, I think next time I'll add a bit of minced garlic, or maybe a little chopped onion. The bunt pan worked well. However, I would definitely have put the extra tomato sauce into the bottom of the bunt pan, considering when I flipped it the sauce ended up on the bottom of the loaf! Oops! Thank goodness there was no mess! I might also consider halving the recipe, since this made a lot more meatloaf than I had expected! Unless of course I was entertaining a large crowd as I'm sure this recipe would've fed 6-8 adults as is.


The BEST part-- there was minimal clean-up! My fav! 


Verdict: Highly Recommended!

Classic Spaghetti & Sausage

I'm a little late on blogging tonight! I do apologize! I don't know where my mind is today! I failed to remember to get to the grocery store last night, and so I did not have anything to cook in the crockpot all day long while I was at work... Not to mention that it's a rainy dreary mess outside today! It's definitely a homemade spaghetti and sausage kind of night! 

I was a little worried that since I didn't make the sauce recipe I usually make, which requires simmering all day long that dinner wouldn't be as good, but I was wrong! (It doesn't happen often, but it does happen...) 

I googled a quick recipe for spaghetti sauce and this is what I found:

Nanny's Spaghetti Sauce

on Allrecipes.com (and linked to the title for your convenience...)

Ingredients

• 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

The directions were as easy as they come! 
In a large skillet combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, garlic, sugar, vinegar, oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir all together and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes (for the best flavor). Stir frequently to prevent burning. 

While my sauce was cooking, I thawed and (purposely) burned some hot (spicy) Italian sausage in a separate medium sized skillet.  About 20 minutes into cooking the sauce listed above, I added the sausage into the mix and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes. During this time, I simply prepared my favorite pasta (Pasta Barilla whole wheat spaghetti) boiling it until it was el dente... and that was it! There you have it! Tonight's very simple, yet oh so yummy dinner! 

Honestly, I absolutely loved the sauce! It was fantastic! I'm amazed at how super quick it was to make! When reading the ingredients, I totally thought it would be chunky (I am not a fan of chunky sauce and/or tomatoes in general), but it wasn't at all! It was perfect!

I'll definitely make it again! Though, knowing my love for the crockpot, and how very easy this was, I'm thinking it wouldn't hurt to attempt it in the crockpot and let it simmer for a few hours after work.  I bet it'll be even more delicious! If that's even possible? ;-)

Verdict: TOTALLY RECOMMENDED!  

Super Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip (Hot)

Ok, I'm starving! I haven't eaten at all today-- as I have been far too indulgent in my laziness! :) 

While I'm waiting for my Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing to cook, I'm going to make a little snack! This hot dip makes the most perfect appetizer! Hell, I love it so much I could make a meal of it!

This is a football fan fav, and one my hot wing loving boyfriend is sure to approve of! Today, it's also by request from my friend Randy, so I'm posting it here so that he and Bre can try it (Or I'll just make it and bring it over to them? --either/or!)

Super Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip (Hot)

from my friend Kristine-- who I am repeatedly bugging for the list of ingredients!

Ingredients:

• 1 large can of Chicken (may be substituted for cooked chicken or canned/cooked turkey)
• 1/2 a block (4 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese®
• Frank's Red Hot® Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce
• Chunky Blu Cheese salad dressing (or Ranch if you prefer!)
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 Family Size bag of Tostitos® Scoops

Preheat oven to 350.

Drain chicken and put into mixing bowl (or foil/glass cake pan, if you're lazy like I am)

Combine chicken with the cream cheese, hot sauce, and salad dressing.

Mix well (and transfer to cake pan if you haven't done so already..).

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Place in oven, and bake until cheese on top is melted completely.

...Enjoy in front of your favorite football game with Tostitos® Scoops! :)

This recipe can also be made in a small crockpot if you are entertaining and wish to keep it warm! Simply follow the directions above and heat on Low setting... once cheese on top is melted, switch setting to warm until dip is gone... (and it will be, because this is quite a delicious little snack!)

I've made this recipe a bajillion times, so I will not hesitate to give my verdict beforehand...

Verdict: TOTALLY RECOMMENDED! :) (and so SUPER EASY!)

Crockpot Chicken & Stuffing!

It's Sunday! My favorite day of the week! And, Boy, has it been a hectic weekend! Well, Friday... not so much. Friday was nice and relaxing... I kicked back with a cup of tea and my new book (Act like a Lady, Think like a Man by Steve Harvey) and took advantage of a quiet house! I was in bed by 10pm!~ Needless to say, I didn't make/eat dinner on Friday night.

Yesterday was dedicated to all things Madison (my fabulous employer) as we hosted a seminar a little over 2 hours away in Poughkeepsie, NY!  So, yes, I made the trip, we signed up a few new recruits, and a bunch of the consultants went to dinner immediately following at T.G.I. Fridays! It was so delicious! I ate far too much! Of course, being the penny pincher I've quickly become I opted for the 3 for $16.99 meal! I had awesome potstickers, and a nice little steak with some mashed potatoes, and then of course Vanilla Bean Cheesecake! I was so full on the ride home that I thought I was going to have to find out just how stain resistant our bags were! I managed to keep it all down but quickly went to bed as soon as I returned home, as my stomach was hatin' on me.

Let's get down to it! As I had mentioned before, it's SUNDAY! And... Sunday's are for football and crockpot cooking! I'm getting a late start, as I've been pretty lazy all morning... Yes, I took full advantage of my "do nothing" day! (I truly loved every minute of both naps I took).

For tonight, I'm making Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing from a little magazine which is quickly becoming a fav, the Fix-it and Forget-it 5-ingredient slow-cooker recipes magazine.  This was so super easy to throw together! I hope it's just as delicious?! We'll see!

Chicken and Stuffing

from the Fix-it and Forget-it 5-ingredient slow-cooker recipes magazine (2010)

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 6 oz. box of stuffing mix
• 16 oz. pkg of frozen whole-kernel corn (I used mixed veggies, since it's all we had!)
• 1/2 stick (1/4 c.) butter, melted

Place chicken in the bottom of the slow-cooker.

Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl, and spoon over chicken.

Cover and cook on high for 2-2 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender and stuffing is dry.

That's it!

This recipe literally took me 5 minutes prep time! And the best part, it'll be done just before dinner time! :)

Here's to hoping it's something good! I'll let you know after dinner!

Happy Sunday!

<8:30pm>
Not to toot my own horn or anything-- but, TOOT! TOOT! 
OMG That meal was the best meal I've made yet! I am totally loving this. With a super quick prep time consisting of all of 5 minutes, and only 2-3 hours of cook time the entire meal could not have been any easier or any more delicious! It was totally a hit!


I ended up cooking the meal for 2 1/2 hours then turning it over to the warm setting for an additional half-hour while I (impatiently) waited for everyone to get home! I was definitely expecting the chicken to be a little dry since it technically cooked an hour longer than it should've but IT WASN'T! I am thrilled to report that it was not the least bit dry! Which is huge, because I am not a big fan of chicken to begin with... primarily because my Mom's chicken was ALWAYS dry growing up!

Another thing I absolutely LOVED about this dish, is that it was a complete meal in and of itself! I didn't have to make any sides, or any veggies to accompany it... everything was included! ...and did I mention it tasted totally amazing?! 

My Dad went back for seconds, while Momma and I were SO full from our first helpings, we couldn't even consider seconds! ...ok, that's a lie... I totally contemplated seconds (because it was so yummy!) but quickly decided I was too full! I am confident that JD would've been impressed... not to mention full! This will most certainly be the next meal I make for him! :)


I think the next time I make this (which is sure to be VERY soon...) I will try adding a little chicken broth and cooking it on low for maybe 4-6 hours.  I'll definitely use whole-kernel corn as the original recipe calls for, as well.  My mixed veggies weren't bad all all but they did lose their color (but not their taste!) quite a bit, so the presentation could've been slightly more vibrant!


Verdict: TOTALLY RECOMMENDED! 
(Especially for an easy prep, SUPER QUICK, complete meal!

Two-Cheeses Macaroni

I do apologize for not posting last night, as I was sick in bed and did not make anything for dinner! JD reported that he ate chicken nuggets and a peanut butter sandwich, so I can imagine he would've been more than thrilled with anything I had cooked! 

Tonight's recipe will (hopefully) be to die for! 
It sounds SO good, I can't wait to test it out!

Since I'm home from work today, I'll post the recipe in case anyone might want to try it along with me! It sounds very easy and only requires a little over 2 hours to cook! There's still plenty of time!

Two-Cheeses Macaroni

from Fix-It and Forget-It magazine 5-ingredient slow-cooker recipes (2010)

Makes 6 servings.

4- to 5-quart slow cooker

• 1 stick (1/2 cup butter), cut into pieces
  2 cups uncooked macaroni
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 24 oz. small-curd cottage cheese
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water

Place butter in bottom of slow cooker.  Add uncooked macaroni, 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, and cottage cheese. Stir together, until well mixed.

Pour boiling water over all. DO NOT STIR.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.

Stir Well. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.

Let dish stand 10-15 minutes before serving, allowing sauce to thicken.

Easy, right?! I can't wait to see if it's any good!
Ok, so, I won't be trying it... My stomach still doesn't feel up to the challenge of dairy... but my parents will surely let me know how it turns out! Tonight, it's oatmeal and toast for this girl!

<8:30pm 9/30/2010>
I regret to inform you that I was unable to sample the mac n' cheese myself, but my parents absolutely raved about it! My Mom was thrilled-- she said it was "SO creamy!" and My Dad devoured what was served to him and went for not only 2nds but for 3rd helpings! Apparently, it was a hit!


<5:30pm 10/1/2010>
I just tried some of the leftovers, which is completely not like me at all... and I LOVED IT! I will definitely be making this recipe again! It was great! I am sad I didn't get to try it, hot, the first time around! 


Verdict: TOTALLY RECOMMENDED!

Pacific Chicken ...turned Shredded BBQ Chicken Sadwiches

So sorry for the late entry! The internet isn't working at my house :( We lost power for quite sometime yesterday! ...which is also why my Pacific Chicken recipe didn't turn out so well (or at least that's what I'm blaming it on!) I was, however, able to salvage it and turn it into a yummy meal! I'm getting good at this re-vamping stuff.  I'll post both the recipe and my additions later tonight (hopefully!) as long as the internet is back up and running! Stay tuned!

<11:32 am 9/30/2010>

I finally got the internet to work! I'm home sick from work today.  Stinks because I'm not feeling well, but it'll give me a minute to catch up with this blog! 

So, honestly, the Pacific Chicken was (would've been) a disaster!  The power outage turned off my crock pot for hours! Luckily, my Dad remembered it was on and was able to turn it back on once we had power again.  When I got home it didn't look very appetizing.  It was definitely cooked, and it smelled wonderful, but I was afraid it would be too dry since everything had sank to the bottom of the crockpot during the in-between time... So, I decide to alter the meal a bit.

I shredded the chicken using 2 forks, gently pulling it apart in the crock.  Then I tossed it around in the juices at the bottom.  Then I added 1/2 a bottle of Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, which we had in the fridge and stirred it all around.  I changed the setting to warm and let it sit for about an hour until we were ready to eat dinner.  I served the shredded BBQ Chicken on hamburger rolls and heated up the leftover soup from the night before.  Wasn't a bad meal, after all! The chicken was really yummy, and you could definitely taste the soy sauce and ginger.  I bet it would've been absolutely delicious Pacific Chicken had the power not failed me! Oh well, a recipe for another day!

I'll post the recipe here, just in case anyone else wants to try it (the correct way).

Recipe recap:

Pacific Chicken 

from Fix-It and Forget-It 5-ingredient slow-cooker recipes magazine (2010)

Makes 6 Servings

3- to 4-quart slow cooker

• 6 to 8 skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. grated fresh gingerroot
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Wash and dry chicken, place in slow cooker.
Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.  Reduce heat to low and cook 6 to 7 hours.
Serve over cooked rice, with a fresh side salad.

...or if it comes out terribly wrong, shred chicken, add 1/2 a bottle of BBQ sauce and serve on hamburger buns with a bowl of soup--   :)

I have a feeling JD would not have liked the original recipe, but he would've loved the hot mess I was able to throw together! 

Verdict: Tabled until another attempt is made...