{Some good ole Mac N Cheese}

I am sorry i don't have a picture of this one! I made it last night and FORGOT to take a picture! Sheesh. Anyway, this is a yummy mac n cheese recipe that i have liked for years and years. It's originally a Weight Watchers recipe, BUT my mom changed it around a bit to make it more flavorful and moist! Try it when you feel like some good ole comfort food! It's yummy! And it's quick and easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fat free or light sour cream

1/2 cup milk

3 cups of shredded SHARP cheddar cheese

2 cups fat free cottage cheese

1 egg

2 cups of elbow noodles

1 to 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs OR Panko crumbs

1 TBS. butter

Directions:

While you are boiling your noodles, mix together the sour cream, cottage cheese, milk, egg, and cheddar cheese in a 9x13 pan. When your noodles are done throw it in the mix and stir it all up. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. In the meantime, melt your butter and poor it into the breadcrumbs and mix it all up. For the last five minutes of cooking, uncover and spread the breadcrumb mixture over the top and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. I have always used Italian breadcrumbs and just recently used half Italian and half Panko. So, do whatever you like. We always serve this dish with peas.

TIP: You must use sharp cheddar cheese. This is the main ingredient that gives it so much taste! It won't taste the same without it.

ENJOY!

{The BEST Blueberry BRAN muffins}

Seriously, you have to make these! It makes A LOT of batter so if you have a small family you can half the recipe. As for us, we eat a lot and these are going to be our breakfast for half of the week so the amount is perfect for us. I have been eating these since i was a little girl. It was the best treat when my mom made these. They are moist and so flavorful! I STILL LOVE these muffins and always will. The only down-side is that they are so addictive. I just want to eat them all day long. Please, ENJOY!

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/4 cups light molasses

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup white sugar

4 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups All Bran cereal(the kind that look like tiny little twigs)

2 cups original shredded wheat

1 1/4 cups finely chopped walnuts(optional)

2 cups blueberries(i put in about 3 cups)

4 1/4 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Using electric mixer, beat eggs with sugar molasses and honey in large bowl til well blended. Mix in buttermilk, oil and vanilla, then the bran and shredded wheat and nuts. Let batter stand 10 minutes. Stir the berries into about 1/4 cup of total flour and set aside. Mix remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and add to the batter. Fold berries into batter. Mix until just combined.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degrees in the middle of the oven, for 20-25 minutes.

TIP: I crush the shredded wheat in my hands before i throw it in the batter. My mom used to put them in whole, but i like my way better. :)

Source: My mom

{Smoky Fettucine}

Smoky Fettucine

Ingredients:

16 oz. Fettucine

2-3 cups heavy cream

2 eggs

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

1 cup of hickory smoked cheese

1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup green onions, chopped

6 strips maple bacon, chopped into small pieces

Grilled chicken(optional)

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Directions:

Mix together the eggs, heavy cream, cheese, and red pepper in a mixing bowl and set aside. Drain noodles and immediately return to pot. Toss in the cheese mixture and stir it around until melted. Then fold in cooked bacon pieces, chives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Serve immediately. Very delicious and smoky.

Source: Invented by Holly. ;)

{Island Spice Pork Tenderloin}

We love this pork tenderloin. It is sooooo good! My hubby especially LOVES it! It is very simple to make. You must try it. Make it with some mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. YUM!

Island Spice Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

For the spice rub:

2 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 pork tenderloins (about 2-2½ lbs. total)

2 tbsp. olive oil

For the glaze:

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tbsp. (2-3 cloves) finely minced garlic

1½ tsp. Tabasco sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork to blend. Pat the mixture over the pork tenderloins.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tenderloins in the skillet and brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes total. Remove from the heat, leaving the pork in the skillet.

Stir together the brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco in a small bowl until blended. Spread the mixture evenly over the tops of the tenderloins.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast about 20 minutes, until an instant-read themometer inserted in the center of each tenderloin registers 140˚ F. Loosely tent the skillet with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: Got it from annies-eats.com , adapted from Pennies on a Platter, originally from The Gourmet Cookbook

{Cranberry Chicken}

This is a staple in our house. It is a very quick and easy dinner to put together! We love this one and have made it often. We got this recipe from a good friend of ours in Ohio. Serve over brown rice with some yummy green beans! :) The taste is flavorful and the smell fills your home with a wonderful smell!

Cranberry Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Lipton Onion Soup Packet

1 bottle of Catalina Dressing

1 can of Cranberries

2.5 lbs. of chicken

Directions:

Mix together the lipton onion soup , catalina, and cranberries in a 9x13 pan. Place your chicken breasts in the pan in a single layer. Scoop the juices onto the chicken. I would let it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour to make it tastier and more juicy. Then cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve over rice and drizzle the juices over your chicken! Yummy!

Source: My friend Bridgette.

{Chicken with Herbed Goat Cheese}

I really enjoyed this meal. I thought it was very flavorful! I have never eaten goat cheese and i enjoyed it thoroughly! Honestly, my husband isn't an adventurous eater. He liked it, but didn't like the cheese. He likes cheddar and that's about it. But that's alright b/c that means more for me to eat! :) Really, you must try this. I LOVE basil and with the goat cheese it was just so darn good! It is very simple and easy to put together. I actually ENJOYED putting the chicken together. I stuffed the ingredients under the skin of the chicken and put it in the fridge for a few hours since i wasn't ready to cook it yet.

Ingredients:
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
12 ounces Montrachet goat cheese, with garlic and herbs
Fresh basil leaves
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side attached.. Cut 12 thick slices of the Montrachet and place 2 slices plus a large basil leaf under the skin of each chicken breast. Rub each piece with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake the breasts for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked through. Serve hot or at room temperature.

*I added a clove of garlic under the skin as well. My cheese didn't have the garlic in it so i added it! :)

Source: Ina Garten

{Cheesy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas}

These enchiladas have been our favorite enchiladas for awhile. We got tired of the usual Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas and decided to try a different recipe. You must try these! They are terrific!

Ingredients:

1 cup onion, chopped

1 can chopped green chilies

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. garlic

1 cup salsa

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 TBS. canola oil

Handful of cilantro

8 burrito size tortillas

8 oz. pepperjack cheese

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 lbs. chicken, cooked and cubed

Directions:

Put the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until the aroma is in the air, about one minute! Then add the onions and saute til they look a little tender, but not too tender. Then add the already cooked and cubed chicken. Stir it all together. Then add the beans, the green chilies and then the salsa. Stir it up well and let cook for about 2 minutes. Then take the chicken mixture off the heat and add in the cilantro. Put about 3/4 cup of the mixture in the center of your tortilla. Then add a generous amount of pepperjack cheese. Roll it up and finish the other seven. I usually have a little of the chicken mixture leftover. I save the extra and usually eat it the next day for lunch, either in a tortilla or put it on top of some lettuce as a salad. Next, add the cheddar cheese all over the top. Do not be afraid of SHARP cheddar. I know some people who don't like it b/c the taste is strong. It is strong when eaten alone, but when you add it with other foods it adds EXTRA flavor that you will not get with mild or medium cheddar cheese, and it tastes delightful, and definitely NOT strong. Trust me. Cook at 400 degrees until the cheese is all melted and a little golden, usually about 10-15 minutes. It will be a bit spicy. For the kids, i usually don't add the pepperjack in the tortilla. I use cheddar instead. If it's too spicy for you, which it shouldn't be, you can dip each bite in a little ranch. It tastes yummy! Otherwise top it with some homemade salsa! Yummy! Also, we usually have 2 of these enchiladas leftover and my husband takes it to work for his lunch. So, it makes plenty of food for a family of 4 boys and 1 girl! Enjoy!

Source: A friend who found it online. I have changed the recipe a bit to our liking.

Garlic and Rosemary Slow-Roasted Quarters

This Dinner was Delicious!! And actually very simple.

What you'll need...

4 quarter chicken legs

Garlic Cloves

Fresh Rosemary

Yukon Gold potatoes

Asparagus

Olive Oil

2 ziploc bags

How much Garlic and Rosemary you use will depend on how strong you would like the flavor. Seperate the skin from the meat. No knife is neccesary, you can use your finger. Shove two cloves of fresh garlic and one sprig of rosemary under the skin, then repeat for each piece of chicken. Place a tsp of Olive oil under the skin and give the quarter a nice little massage with the olive oil. Place two quarter legs in one ziploc bag, fold the bag over, and release excess air, seal and place in a baking dish, just incase it leaks. Marinate the chicken overnight.

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Place the chicken on a roasting rack. Do not remove the rosemary. Roast for 4 hours. Bast the chicken with the drippings or butter. Turn up the oven to 275 degrees and cook for additional hour. Skin should brown nicely and be nice and crisp.

Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters. Place them in cold water and Boil for 5 minutes. You do not want to cook them through. You only want the outside of the potatoes soft enough to score with a fork. Score each potato and place in a casserole dish. Next, you need to collect the drippings from the chicken. Use a spoon and drizzle the drippings over the potatoes, generously. Place in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees and bake for an hour, or more. You want them to be golden brown and crispy. The scoring helps to absorb the flavor from the drippings.

Now enjoy!

{Dijon Basil Chicken}

This is another recipe i absolutely LOVE. I LOVE basil. The smell and taste of it is to die for!! I just sit there and smell the marinade for a few minutes before i throw the chicken in it because i love the smell so much. This is also another simple healthy recipe. You can throw your chicken in some marinade before you head out the door in the morning.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3TBS. chopped fresh basil OR dried basil, use 2 tsp.

1 TBS minced garlic(if you love garlic add a little extra!)

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

6 half chicken breasts

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large ziploc bag or bowl. Set aside some of the marinade before adding the chicken, to spoon over chicken when serving. Add chicken breasts to marinade and refridgerate for 1 hour to several hours. The longer the more flavorful! You can either broil them in your oven for 5 minutes on each side or do what i do, cook them on a grill that's like a George Foreman grill, but those usually squeeze the juices out of your chicken making it less juicy. Do not overcook! I don't have any trick for not overcooking them. I just slice open the center of one chicken to check and make sure there is no pink. I used to cook it until it looked dried. haha! Don't do that. It can be juicy AND cooked through.

When serving, I like to serve this with mashed potatoes and salad. I like to poor a little bit of the marinade that i set aside over the chicken and i like to put a little on my mashed potatoes! So yummy!

Source: And old roomie of mine gave this recipe to me in 2003.

{Tequila Lime Chicken with Beans and Rice}

If you are looking for a Healthy chicken, rice and beans dish that has TONS of flavor you MUST try this. I could eat this for dinner every night! It is the tastiest chicken and beans i have ever made. I really love it. And honestly, usually when i hear "chicken and beans" i think it's gonna be plain tasting without much flavor, BUT that's not true for this meal. I always get too full off of this meal because i can't stop eating! This is a good one if you are a busy person! You just throw your chicken in some marinade in the morning before you head out the door. When you get home you throw it on the grill or in a pan and it's done. You do have the beans to cook, but those are easy. Be careful not to cook your chicken longer than necessary because it won't taste as juicy. If you cook it just the right amount of time it will be a perfect blend of juicy and tasty! Enjoy!

Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken over Black Beans

For the chicken:
1/4 cup tequila(It tastes just as good without it)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeeze orange juice
1 tsp. chili powder
1 jalapeno pepper, ribbed, seeded and minced(optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the beans:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced(optional)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Cumin, fajita seasoning and cayenne pepper(season to your liking)
Salt and pepper
1/2-3/4 cup frozen corn

Directions:
Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl or zippered plastic bag. Mix well; add the chicken breasts to the container. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat a grill to medium-high heat. Oil the grates to prevent the meat from sticking. Once the grill is heated, cook the chicken until nicely browned and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. (Alternatively, you can sear the chicken in a grill pan and then bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. This is my preferred method for cooking chicken when I don’t feel like firing up the grill, or the weather is bad.) Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I use brown rice with this meal. I add some minced garlic and a squeeze of lime juice in with the boiling water before i throw the rice in.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the beans. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno to the pan and saute for 1 minute more. Add the black beans to the pan and cook for a few minutes until warmed through. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Season with cumin, fajita seasoning, and cayenne pepper to taste. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Allow the mixture to simmer until most of the liquid has reduced. Stir in the hot sauce and frozen corn, and cook 2-3 minutes more. Divide the bean mixture between two serving plates and top with grilled chicken. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Source: This recipe is from Annie at Annies-eats. And the chicken is adapted from Ina Garten.

{Jerk Chicken Chili}

If you are a fan of chili then you must try this one. My boys liked it and Gavin even ate three bowls of it! :) I found this at Smells like home. I made one slight adjustment to it that is adjusted in this recipe. It's not hard to make. Oh, and just so you know, Jerk chicken is a caribbean dish marinated in the famous jerk sauce of Jamaica! And it's traditionally very spicy, but there are lots of versions. This version isn't really spicy. Let me know if you try it and how you like it! Enjoy!

Jerk Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

3 tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

6 cups shredded chicken(you can use a rotisserie chicken too)

4 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) black beans, undrained or partially drained

1 can (15 oz) small white beans, undrained or partially drained

2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 oz semisweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Add chili powder, thyme, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add chicken and stir to coat with spices. Add broth, tomatoes, beans, and jalapenos, bring to a boil, cover partially, reduce heat, and simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.

5. Stir in garlic, cilantro, chocolate. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

6. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro.

*You can find pickled jalapenos in two different sections of the store. By the pickles or by the salsa.

Source: Pam Anderson, Perfect One-Dish Dinners

{Must Have in your Pantry and Fridge}

For starter's, here is a list of things i make sure to always have in my pantry that i use at least a couple times a week!

1.Basil

2.Chili Powder

3.Oregano

4.Cumin

5.Salt and Pepper

6.Canola Oil

7.Red wine vinegar

8.White Vinegar

9.Balsamic Vinegar

10.Fresh minced garlic in the small glass container. You can find it in the produce section.

11. Lemon and lime juice. I recommend the large containers of it. Not the small sqeezeable one's.

Again, i use all of those a few times a week. I always make sure i have plenty. Some other things i use often, but usually not as often as the previous listed seasonings are....

1.fresh basil

2.fresh oregano

3.onions

4.fresh parsley

5.tomatoes

6.garlic salt and powder

7.canned black beans

8.BROWN rice(yes, it takes longer to cook than regular, but it's so much better for you)

Now, i really hope i am not forgetting anything. If i am, i am sure my sister will chime in! She has a different cooking style than i do, so she might have different "must have's" than i do.

AND, oh my gosh, you cannot forget to make sure you have at least ONE good knife! I have about 3 really good knives. I LOVE them. I absolutely LOVE chopping up veggies with a good knife. If you don't have a good knife, you have no idea what you are missing. Once you use one you will be like "Where have you been my whole life?!" I received one of my favorite knives from Pampered Chef. Yes, it is expensive, but i promise it is worth it. Promise. And seriously, ladies, you are in the kitchen cooking everyday for your family, so invest in it! And if you don't have a family you should still invest. Home-cooked food is soooooo much better for you than eating out. You will save money and calories! There is nothing better than the smell of home-cooked food. Man i love it.