Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

I've had this on my Pinterest board for a while now and this week seemed like a great opportunity to try it out. Glad I did because it was an instant hit with everyone!

INGREDIENTS: 

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 5 – 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained*
• 1-1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
• 6 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 6 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of crushed Ritz crakers (about 10- 12 crackers)
• 1-1/2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce

1. Heat oven to 375ºF and spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Pound your chicken to be 1/4 inch thick and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, the spinach, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 3 bbsp. of Parmesan cheese. Set this bowl aside
4. In a shallow dish, beat the egg and set aside.
5. In a separate shallow dish, mix the remaining 3 tbsp. of Parmesan cheese and the cracker crumbs and set aside.
6. Spread the cheese mixture onto each flattened piece of chicken.
7. Starting at the short end of each chicken breast, roll up the chicken tightly, securing with wooden toothpicks.
8. Dip each chicken roll in the egg, then roll in the crumb mixture, making sure each roll is evenly coated.
9. Place the chicken, seam sides down in your baking dish.
10. Bake for 30 min. or until chicken is no longer pink.
11. Remove the toothpicks and heat your pasta sauce.
12. Pour heated sauce on top of chicken and then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
13. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe: http://www.cutegirlshairstyles.com/lifestyle/food-recipes/stuffed-chicken-parmesan/

Hot Fudge Pie

'Tis the season for delicious sweets! My BSF leader is from Kentucky, so when southern women offer to share a family favorite recipe, I listen :). I love recipes with memories attached and I'm excited to add this one to my favorites as well.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

3 squares unsweetened baking chocolate

4 eggs

3 tablespoons white corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 unbaked pie shell

In top of double boiler (or in microwave), melt chocolate and butter over low heat.  Cool.  Beat 4 eggs well.  Add the following to the eggs:  syrup, salt, vanilla and sugar.  Mix well.  Add to cooled chocolate mixture and mix well.  Pour into unbaked pie shell.  Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  Makes a 9 inch pie.  Best served warm with vanilla ice cream.  Also good cold for breakfast (not that I would know!)

Recipe: Annette Bartle

Speedy Cheese Cake

We had some friends over for dinner and she offered to make this for us. Little did I know she was bringing a favorite family recipe. I love that! I typically love all cheesecake but my cravings come and go as it can be rather rich and thick. This was the most delicious cheesecake I've had in a long time. Perfect consistency and flavor! And, according to them, it tastes best made the day before serving.

Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs- (1 sleeve)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
8 oz. package softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
2 eggs

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine graham crackers and sugar. Add melted butter and press into pie plate up sides.
Filling- beat cream cheese until fluffy, gradually blend in sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Add eggs one at a time. Put filling into crust and bake at 325 degrees until set- 35 mins. Combine topping, spoon over top of pie. Bake 10 more mins. Cool several hours before serving. (According to our friends, this tastes best when made the day before serving).

Recipe: Carrie Friedline

Boneless Buffalo & Honey BBQ Wings

Every Sunday afternoon, without fail, my husband declares "I need some heat!" And that is code for buffalo wings :). While we don't always succumb to his cravings, when we do, it involves a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings. For many reasons, we needed to find an alternative. And this is, dare I say, even better!

Ingredients 

• oil for deep frying 
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
• 1 egg 
• 1 cup milk 
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips 
• 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• (We used Red Hot wing sauce)

Directions 
Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Combine flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a large bowl. Whisk together the egg and milk in a small bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, and then roll in the flour blend. Repeat so that each piece of chicken is double coated. Refrigerate breaded chicken for 20 minutes. Fry chicken in the hot oil, in batches. Cook until the exterior is nicely browned, and the juices run clear, 5 to 6 minutes a batch. Combine hot sauce and butter in a small bowl. Microwave sauce on High until melted, 20 to 30 seconds. Pour sauce over the cooked chicken; mix to coat. 

Recipe: allrecipes.com

Honey BBQ sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey (we added a bit more to make it sweeter)
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Recipe: lovetobeinthekitchen.com

Strawberries and Cream Instant Oatmeal

I am not naturally a morning person, therefore getting up and having to fix my kids a cooked breakfast before 8:00am sounds like a nightmare. So I have been searching for healthy, protein-rich quick breakfasts that require almost no effort on my part and that the kids can even do themselves. This one fit the bill so I gave it a try. The kids LOVED it! They were already oatmeal fans but this is a way of mixing it up a bit...and adding fruit too!

• 6 Cups Quick Cook Oats
• 1 1/2 Cups Oat Powder
• 2 Cups Powdered Milk
• 1 - 1 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Freeze Dried Strawberries (I probably added about 2 cups)

Directions for mix:

• To make Oat Powder, place 1 1/2 cups Quick Cook Oats in blender or food processor and pulse to a fine powder.  This helps thicken your oatmeal, do not skip this step.
• In a large bowl combine Oats, Oat Powder, Powdered Milk and Sugar.  Stir until combined thoroughly.
• Carefully stir in Freeze Dried Strawberries.
• Place in container of choice {jars, zip-top bags, etc}
• Keep in a cool dry place, such as your pantry.

To make oatmeal:

• Heat water on stove to boiling or place water in microwave and heat for two minutes.  I usually fill one of our regular cups half full and microwave.
• Place 1/2 Cup Mix into bowl
• Carefully pour hot water over mix and stir.  I add the water slowly, while stirring, until I reach the desired consistency.  The amount of water I use varies person to person, I would start with 1/3 cup and add more if needed.

(I tried this method but felt it was probably more labor-intensive than just adding the water and microwaving.)

Recipe: http://www.creativeprincessbrandi.com/2012/04/strawberries-and-cream-instant-oatmeal.html

Tater Tot Breakfast Muffins

I made these a couple of months back and my kids have been asking for them ever since! I adapted the recipe this time to make 24 muffins, as they don't last long in this house :).

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. bacon/sausage- cooked and crumbled
• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 bell pepper (whatever color you prefer)- diced
• 1 small onion- finely chopped and sauteed with meat
• 1-2 cups shredded cheese, depending on preference
• 2 Tbs. milk
• salt & pepper
• 1 bag frozen tater tots

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Get out two muffin tins and generously spray all 24 slots.
3. Put 3 tater tots in each of the 24 slots.
4. Put in the oven at 425 for about 10-15 minutes until they start to get brown and crispy.
5. While this is cooking, cook sausage or bacon.
6. Add in diced onion when meat is almost cooked.
7. Crack the eggs in a bowl and add the milk and a dash of salt and pepper and whisk with a fork to mix well.
8. Once the tater tots are a little browned and crispy, pull them out of the oven and turn the oven to 375 degrees.
9. Begin layering the ingredients. Start by adding about a TBSP of sausage/bacon, pepper, and cheese to each slot.
10. Then add about a TBSP (spoonful) of egg until it is just a little under the top of each slot. The egg goes in last to fill in the "blank spaces".
11. Pop this in the oven at 375 for about 15 minutes.
12. Once cooked, there will be no liquid left.
13. Scoop it out with a spoon by running a spoon all around the edges and "scoop" it out onto your serving plate.
14. Serve warm and enjoy!

Recipe: adapted from http://thethriftycouple.com/2015/05/25/diy-tater-tots-breakfast-muffins-recipe-all-in-one-hearty-breakfast/

Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits

I love the biscuits from Red Lobster, although honestly I never eat at the restaurant :). This recipe just jumped out at me and was perfect with beef stew.

Ingredients
8.5 oz (about 2 cups) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¾ cup cold milk

Butter topping:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl mix together flour, baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder until well combined.
3. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture is crumbly. Mix in cheese. Mix in cold milk just until combined (do not overmix).
4. Drop biscuits (about 3 tablespoons of dough per biscuit) onto a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with silpats or parchment paper.
5. Mix together 3 tablespoons melted butter, ½ teaspoon garlic, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in small bowl then brush lightly on top of each roll reserving rest of butter mixture for later.
6. Bake biscuits at 425 degrees F for about 1015 minutes or until browned on bottom. Remove from oven and while still hot, brush more melted butter mixture on top.
7. Makes 12 biscuits

Notes SNAPPY TIPS: These biscuits are best served warm right out of the oven, but you can reheat them later if you need to. Sprinkle a little dried parsley on top of rolls for a little color. SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS: You can substitute any kind of shredded cheese for the cheddar cheese, although a sharp tasting cheese is best. You can also substitute some or all shortening in the biscuits for the butter.

Recipe: http://snappygourmet.com/garlic-cheddar-drop-biscuits/