Honey Garlic Chicken Tacos

Monica gave me this easy taco recipe and my family loved it so much that I have made it about 4 times in the last month!  And every time, I have to ask Monica for the recipe again because I can't find it on my phone.  So, I thought I better post this quick, so that I can find it next week when I want to make it again.

Honey Garlic Chicken Tacos
adapted from: Monica

4 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. taco seasoning

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb. chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces

corn tortillas

chopped cabbage

sour cream

lime juice

chopped cilantro

In a large bowl, mix the honey, taco seasoning, garlic, oil and salt.  Toss in the chicken and coat it with the seasoning.  In a frying pan, over medium heat, cook the chicken until it is no longer pink in the center.  (Another way I have done this is to pour the mixture over some pre-cooked, shredded chicken and stir it well, then I just heated that up in a small frying pan).  In a small bowl, combine sour cream, lime juice and chopped cilantro (I just did this to taste-no recipe, although I do have a recipe for this on the blog under Cilantro Lime Crema) to make a cilantro lime crema.  Heat up the tortillas.  Layer the sour cream mixture, chicken and chopped cabbage on each taco.  Serve and enjoy!  

Quick and Easy Naan Bread

 Tonight we had curry for dinner, and with about 15 minutes left before it was done, I decided I should make some naan bread to go with it.  Luckily for me, I found a super quick and easy recipe that took about 15 minutes to make, from start to finish.  There are a lot of recipes out there for naan, most of which have yeast and require a rise, but this one didn't call for yeast and we thought it was still really tasty and added a lot to our meal!  So, if you are in a hurry and forget to plan ahead, this naan will work in a pinch!

Quick and Easy Naan Bread

adapted slightly from www.veggiedesserts.com

1 1/2 c. flour

1 c. sour cream (it called for plain yogurt but I didn't have any)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.  You may need to use your hands to get it to mix well.  I ended up kneading mine just a bit to get it to incorporate all together.  Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.  On a floured surface, roll each piece into a 6 inch circle.  Fry it on an ungreased griddle or frying pan for a couple of minutes on each side, until it begins to get golden bubbles.  When it is cooked through, spread melted butter and garlic on each side and serve it warm.

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Coleslaw

One day, in the midst of being so tired of my regular dinner foods, Nicole shared a new recipe with me, that I happened to have the ingredients for.  I made it for dinner that night, and my family couldn't get enough of it!  It was so delicious!  The coleslaw with the barbecue chicken was so great together.  It was a nice twist on a typical weeknight meal.  I highly recommend these tacos!

BBQ Chicken Tacos
adapted from: eatingwell.com

1/3 c. sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
dash of hot sauce (I'm pretty sure I used sriracha sauce)
2 c. shredded cabbage
2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast
1/3 c. of your favorite bbq sauce
corn tortillas
cilantro

In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, cider vinegar, kosher salt, pepper and hot sauce.  Add the shredded cabbage and stir it until it is coated with the sauce.  In a sauce pan over medium heat, stir together the shredded chicken and the barbecue sauce until it is hot.  Fill the tortillas with barbecue chicken, top it with the coleslaw and cilantro, and enjoy!

Asian Dipping Sauce

This is a great dipping sauce that we have used for wontons, potstickers and dumplings!

Asian Dipping Sauce
by: Bettycrocker.com

2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
dash of red pepper flakes

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved, and then dip to your heart's content! :)

Creamy Zucchini Soup in the Instant Pot

My garden was kind of a bust this year, except for a few things.  One of my successful things was zucchini (of course).  This year I accidentally planted two varieties of zucchini--the regular kind, and yellow zucchini (I thought I was planting yellow crookneck squash.  I'm not sure how I messed it up).  I had quite a few zucchini's that had piled up, and because it is chilly outside and soup sounds so delicious, I was really wanting to make soup.  I found this recipe for zucchini soup and tweaked it a bit, including cooking it in my Instant Pot, and it came out delicious!  I'm sure this could also be made on your stovetop without any problems.  This is a great way to use up lots of extra zucchini--the recipe calls for 8, but I think you could just use whatever you had available and it would still come out great.  I used about 2 1/2 of my huge zucchini's that I had left growing for too long.  The one thing I would do differently next time is remove the seeds, especially on those huge vegetables.  I will definitely make this one again!

Creamy Zucchini Soup in the Instant Pot
adapted from: allrecipes.com

2 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
8 zucchinis, peeled and chopped
1 sprig of fresh rosemary (rinsed, dried and rubbed between your fingers before adding)
4-5 leaves of fresh basil
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
4 c. chicken or beef broth
1 c. milk
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
salt to taste

In your Instant Pot, using the saute setting, melt the butter and saute the onion until it is translucent.  Add the potatoes, zucchinis, rosemary, basil, pepper, broth, milk and soy sauce.  Lock your lid into place, and set it at high pressure, for 10 minutes.  When it is done, do a quick pressure release.  Remove the lid, and using a hand blender, blend the soup until it is thick and creamy, with a few chunks.  Add salt, if needed.  

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

This is a re-creation of my friend's chicken salad sandwiches.  It uses very little mayo, so it is a little healthier than other options.  It is really easy to throw together, especially if you use canned chicken.  The recipe I came up with only served two, so be prepared to double or triple it if you are making for a big family.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

by: Carolyn

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1/4 c. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 (5 oz.) can of chicken

1 handful of craisens

1 handful of sliced almonds

2 large croissants

In a bowl, combine the mayo, chicken broth, garlic, onion and sugar and stir it until it is smooth.  Open and drain your chicken and add it to the bowl and stir well.  Add the almonds and craisens and mix it all together.  Spread the mixture on your sliced croissants and enjoy!

Stromboli!

I have been meaning to post this recipe for a long time (almost 2 months to be exact) and today I decided I would finally do it!  I needed to share this because it has changed our life.  We have Stromboli all the time now.  We make it for friends who come over for dinner, we make it for people who are sick and need a meal, and we make it for ourselves because we like it that much.

The first time I made this recipe I did it for Valentines day and thought I would get creative by shaping it into a heart.  I will admit, I was pretty pleased with the result.  It looked so beautiful!  Even with the cheese spilling out and the dough busting out at the bottom, it was still so goldeny delicious.  I got the recipe from this blog and I used her pizza dough recipe too.  The only change I really made from her recipe is that I didn't ...This is Eliza!

My post was highjacked.  As I was saying, the only real change I made was that I left the sauce off and we dipped our Stromboli! (you always have to say it with an exclamation point) in the sauce while we ate it.

The pizza dough recipe is this:

1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey {or sugar}
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
3 cups bread flour {give or take 1/2 cup...depending on the heat & humidity}

for the cheesy garlic bread sticks-
1/2 recipe Fail-Proof Pizza Dough from above
2 tablespoons softened salted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese {use the real stuff!}
1/4 pound grated mozzarella cheese
{salt & pepper, if desired}

DIRECTIONS:

For the pizza dough--In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it it doesn't stick to your hands. Once you reach this stage, knead for 6 minutes. Turn a timer on and walk away! Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes! That seems to be the magical number. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean! {*This is the point when you could freeze your dough!! Divide into portions, place into freezer bags, seal removing all air and freeze. To use, remove from freezer and let sit out to get to room temperature and double in size; 6-8 hours. Then use as you'd like.} Lightly grease the bowl & the dough so it doesn't dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours. That's it! Use as desired.

For the Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks- Preheat oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone inside. {If you don't have a pizza stone, use an upside down cookie sheet...a tip I got from Natalie!}
Mix butter and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
Spread pizza dough out into a 12-inch circle on parchment paper. {This makes it easier to transfer to the pizza stone.}
Spread the butter and garlic mixture over dough and top with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Top with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, if desired. {That step is totally optional!}

I copied the recipe straight from Lauren's Latest.  I love her site too, in case you are in the mood to browse a food blog.

Once the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 500, split the dough in two and then roll out a rectangle shape.  spread the cheese on one-third of the dough and then spread your toppings on top of that.  My favorite toppings are red onion, diced bell pepper, and spinach.  

Once the toppings are on, grab an egg and beat it (just beat it! No one wants to be defeated!) in a bowl.  Fold the shorter edges in about an inch and baste the folded edges and the third of the dough left without toppings.  

Roll the dough, beginning at the end with the toppings and roll until shaped like this:

Only you can keep it shaped as a straight log if you don't love your family as much as I do...

Place the log on top of a pizza stone or upside down pizza pan.  I wasn't sure why it said an upside down pan but then I tried it without and the Stromboli! didn't brown quite as evenly.  Next, baste the log with the egg and sprinkle pizza flavored herbs on top (I use a spice I own called Pizza Spice but I'm sure a little basil, oregano and garlic would do just fine) and some parmesan cheese. Slit the top of the Stromboli! every inch and a half or so.

Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and beautiful.

Cut it up into slices and dip in whatever favorite pizza sauce you might own.  Or  if you're like me and never have pizza sauce on hand, whatever spaghetti sauce you have lying around.

And viola!  You are done and ready to eat your Stromboli!

Quick & Easy Homemade Donuts (Using Canned Biscuit Dough)

The other day I was looking for a fun treat to make for our Family Night.  We were having neighbors over to join us, and I wanted something different and exciting for my kids.  Monica told me how she had recently made homemade donuts and what a hit they were.  But her recipe took over night to accomplish (the dough had to rise, and refrigerate, and multiply and replenish, etc.).  This conversation took place at about 2:30 PM, on the day of our Family Night, so that idea was out.  However, she also knew of friends who had made donuts using canned biscuit dough.  I searched and found this recipe on food network, ran to the store, bought some Grands Biscuits, and we had (semi) homemade donuts that night!  They were so easy and really so delicious.  In fact, the comment from my neighbor was "This is the best homemade doughnut I've ever had!"  Wow!  And it was such a fun cooking project for us all to do together.  I had as much fun as the kids did!

Quick & Easy Homemade Donuts
adapted from: foodnetwork.com

1 package of canned biscuit dough (I used Pillsbury Grands)
cooking oil

For Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a large pot, heat about 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees.  Cut the centers out of your biscuits.  Fry the biscuits (and holes that you cut out) in the oil until they are golden.  Using tongs, flip the donuts and fry the other side until golden.  Take them out and set them on paper towels.  In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until it is smooth.  While the donuts are still warm, dip them in the glaze.  You can then sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar or sprinkles, or just leave them alone.  And then hurry and eat them!  They were so delicious while they were still warm.  We had some leftovers the next day, and they were definitely better fresh.

Lemon Pepper Parmesan Tilapia

Last night I made this tilapia for dinner.  I found ingredients that I had on hand, and whipped it up in about 6.5 minutes, baked it for 15 minutes, and had dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.  Not bad!  And it tasted great!  My husband was very impressed when he walked in the house from raking leaves to see this gourmet meal on the table in such a short time.

Lemon Pepper Parmesan Tilapia
by: Carolyn

3 Tilapia fillets
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
fresh ground salt and pepper (just a grind or two)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.  With your fingers (or a spoon if you are opposed to finger mixing), on a plate, mix together the Parmesan, lemon pepper, parsley and salt and pepper.  Dip both sides of each tilapia fillet in the Parmesan mixture until it is well coated.  Place the fish in the pan and bake it for 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Penne pasta with chicken alfredo

Around here, home-spun dinner is always hit and miss, but tonight, we got surprisingly lucky.  I needed to use my leftover grilled chicken, which I had marinated in a recipe off of the Tyson website.  It was yummy the first time around and added great flavor to our pasta the second time.

Penne pasta with chicken alfredo

3/4 package Penne pasta

3 T butter
2 T flour + 2 T (ish) water
2 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes
Dehydrated onion
Dehydrated garlic
Fresh spinach
1/2 c heavy cream
1/4 c shredded Mozzarella
Grilled chicken, cubed
1 Tomato, diced

Cook pasta per directions on bag.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a pan.  Combine flour & 2T water, shake it up to avoid lumps & then add to butter.  Stir until it thickens, then slowly add 2 cups water, stirring constantly.  Add bullion, onion, and garlic and stir until smooth.  You may need to add more water if it starts to evaporate to keep sauce from being too thick.  Add fresh spinach (may substitute frozen) and cook it down.  Then add heavy cream and mozzarella.  Stir, then add grilled chicken.  Last, add cooked pasta and fresh, diced tomato.  Enjoy!

Chicken Caprese Sandwiches With Basil Pesto Mayo

This sandwich was so delicious!  Seriously yummy and seriously easy.  I threw it together in very little time, and we couldn't get over the amazing flavors in it!  I got it off of www.yourhomebasedmom.com, (which, by the way, is one of my favorite food blogs), and I barely changed it (which, by the way, is not typical for me).  The chicken was supposed to be grilled, but to save time and a walk outside, I just cooked it in my frying pan in a little oil.  It would have been yummy grilled, but it was yummy either way!

Chicken Caprese Sandwiches With Basil Pesto Mayo

from: www.yourhomebasedmom.com

2 chicken breasts, cut in half, and also cut in half in the way that makes them thinner

salt and pepper

1 tomato, sliced

fresh basil

4 hard rolls

4 slices of cheddar cheese

balsamic vinegar

Pesto Mayo

1/4 c. mayonaise

3 Tbsp. pesto

In a small bowl, stir together the mayo and pesto and put it in the fridge for later.

The pesto mayo looks kind of gross as a close up, in the bowl like that.  But don't be fooled.  It is sooo good.  Maren was eating it plain.  Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook them on the grill (or in a frying pan) until they are no longer pink in the center.  Build your sandwich, using the chicken, tomato, fresh basil, cheese and pesto mayo.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar on the top, or you could drizzle it on the under side of your top bun.  And, enjoy!

Linguine with Bacon and Saute'd Summer Vegetables

I was looking for a way to use up some cherry tomatoes that I had and I came upon this recipe on epicurious.com.  I adapted it to what I had and it ended up being a delicious, light, summer meal.  It was also quick and easy.  Perfect for a hot summer night!

Linguine with Bacon and Saute'd Summer Vegetables
adapted from: epicurious.com (and Bon Appetit)

12 oz. linguine
1/4 c. olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced (I used my already minced garlic)
4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
cherry tomatoes
zucchini, peeled and sliced
Fresh ground salt and pepper

Cook the linguine in a pot of water until it is tender, but still firm to bite.  Drain the liquid, reserving 1 cup, and set the pasta aside.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and stir it for 30 seconds (don't let it burn!).  Add the tomatoes, zucchini and saute' until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add the chopped bacon and stir it in to the vegetables.  Pour the vegetable mixture into the pot with the noodles.  Gently stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese and 1/3 cup of the basil.  Add in the liquid (from the linguine) by 1/4 cupfuls, if it is a little dry.  Season with freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste.  Sprinkle basil and cheese on the top as you serve it. 

Crispy Pan-Fried Tilapia

The other day I was looking for a new way to cook fish, and for some reason fish and chips sounded really good.  I found this recipe in my good ol' Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book and we were not disappointed.  The crust was crispy, the inside was tender.  I made some lemon mayonnaise to dip it in, but it wasn't even worth putting the recipe on here.  For some variety, the book suggests putting a little curry powder or chili powder and paprika in the breadcrumbs.  My family thought it was delicious this simple way.  And I served it with some homemade fries.  Close enough to fish and chips to satisfy me!

Pan-Fried Fish
from: Better Homes and Gardens

1 pound fish fillets (I used tilapia)
1 beaten egg
2/3 c. cornmeal or fine dry bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs)
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
cooking oil for frying

Rinse and pat dry the fish fillets.  Cut them in half.  In a shallow dish, combine the egg and 2 tablespoons water.  In another dish, mix the bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Dip the fish into the egg mixture, then coat the fish with the bread crumb mixture.  In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch cooking oil.  Add the fish to the pan and cook it on one side until it is golden.  Turn it carefully and fry the second side until it is golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Quick & Easy Carmel Popcorn

I don't think I have ever made carmel popcorn until recently.  And since discovering this method of cooking it, I have made it multiple times.  This recipe is nice because it tastes great, and instead of baking it for an hour and a half, it takes 4 minutes of cooking in the microwave (with some shaking in the middle of that time).  And then your clean-up is a snap!  Just throw away the paper bag!  Not only that, but it is delicious.  Perfectly carmel-y and crispy and so easy.  In fact, it was so easy that I made it for neighbor treats, teacher treats, and family treats!

Quick & Easy Carmel Popcorn
adapted from: allrecipes.com

1/2 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
5 quarts popped popcorn

In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter.  Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt and stir it constantly until it starts boiling.  Reduce the heat to medium low (make sure it stays boiling) and let it boil for 4 minutes without stirring it.  Remove it from the heat and add the baking soda and vanilla.  Stir it until it is a pretty golden color (like carmel!).  Pour it over your popcorn and stir it gently to coat.  I found that using two bowls for the popcorn worked the best.  Don't worry if it isn't perfectly evenly coated on your popcorn.  It will all get coated well in the microwave.  Pour the popcorn into a large paper bag.  If your bag isn't really big (not all store paper bags are the same size), use two bags.  Cook it in the microwave for 4 minutes, shaking the bag every 30 seconds.  When it is done, lay the bag on the counter and using scissors, cut it open and lay it flat.  Spread the popcorn a little if you need to.  Let the popcorn cool and then break it up.  At this point, you can drizzle it with chocolate and then sprinkle it with peppermint, or sprinkles, or other fun things.  I sprinkled Christmas sprinkles on it right when it came out of the microwave to give it a little color.  Then I put it in little paper bags and tied them up with ribbon and a bow to look like a little gift!  Slap a tag on it and there is the easiest neighbor treats I've ever done!  

Honey Ginger Glazed Tilapia

I found this recipe the other day on Our Best Bites.  We loved it and I have already passed it on to Nicole, who also gave it a thumbs up.  On the Our Best Bites website they paired it with a creamy dipping sauce, which I made and then put it in the fridge and completely forgot about.  However, the fish was not lacking without the dipping sauce.  Did I already say we loved this fish?  Because we did.  We loved it so much that I named it before I ate it.  Just kidding.  That would be weird.  Like when my dad tried to get us to eat our pet chickens when I was little.  That was weird, too.

Honey Ginger Glazed Tilapia

adapted from: www.ourbestbites.com

3 Tbsp. honey

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. oil

4 4 oz. tilapia fillets

In a shallow dish, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and oil.  Marinate the fish in the mixture for at least 20 minutes.  

When the fish is done marinating, cook it in a frying pan, sprayed with cooking spray, for 4-6 minutes per side, or until it flakes easily with a fork.

Easy Orange Chicken

I loved this recipe!  I adapted it slightly from A Sweet Pea Chef, really just changing up the vegetables (she used all broccoli), but it was awesome the way it was!  I loved the sauce: a gentle kick of spiciness (I’m typically not into spicy but it was so perfect for this dish) and yummy orange sweetness.  Mmmm.   This makes me want to make it again already.

Easy Orange Chicken

1 tbsp. olive oil
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
kosher salt to coat
freshly ground black pepper, to coat

1-2 cups veggies of your choice (I used baby carrots, snap peas, and broccoli)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (if desired)

sesame seeds

For the Sauce:

1 1/2 cups water plus 2 tbsp, divided

2 tbsp. orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. grated orange zest

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp. cornstarch

Directions

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all the ingredients for the sauce except for the cornstarch and 2 tbsp. water. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once the sauce has started boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, while chicken and vegetables are being prepared.

Steam vegetables until just tender. Test with a fork: if the fork easily pierces the veggies, they are done.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Generously sprinkle kosher salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken breasts. Lay chicken in pan and cook until browned on each side and cooked through, approximately 8-12 minutes (If chicken breasts are pounded or cut thin).

Once cooked through, allow to cool then cut into thin strips.

Turn the heat on the sauce to medium. In a small mixing bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp. water in order to combine and avoid lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the rest of the sauce and stir to combine. You will notice the sauce begin to thicken quickly. Stir for a minute or two until well thickened. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, gently toss together the vegetables, chicken, and sauce. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, if desired. Serve with rice.  I used my brand new fancy rice cooker from brother that I got for Christmas!  Thanks ChadJ

Sweet and Easy Squash

This is the way that Dustin taught me to cook squash.  I usually do Acorn squash, but I have done many other kinds this way and they all taste delicious.  Although, how could anything drenched in butter and brown sugar taste anything other than delicious?!  This is similar to Nicole's awesome recipe for squash, but one big difference is that this one is done in the microwave in about 5 minutes.  So if you don't remember to get it in the slow cooker earlier, this is an easy way to cook it and make it yummy!


Sweet and Easy Squash 
by: Carolyn 


1 Acorn Squash (or any other variety with a hard outside)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
salt to taste


Cut the squash in half, lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds.  Put both halves of the squash face up on a microwave safe plate.  Plop half of the butter and half of the brown sugar on both sides of the squash, in the little hole where the seeds were.  Sprinkle a little cinnamon and a little nutmeg on top of the brown sugar.  Do the brown sugar amounts to your taste.  If you want it a little sweeter, add a little more.  If not, add a little less.  Gently place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of both sides of your squash and cook it in the microwave for 5-6 minutes, or until the squash is tender when poked with a fork.  

When the squash is cooked, let it sit for a couple of minutes until you are able to handle it a little.  Take your fork and scrape the fleshy part of the squash away from the shell part.  You can either scoop it out and serve it in another dish, or do like we often do and just leave it in the shell and eat it right out of it.  Sprinkle a little salt over the top to add a little salty to your sweet and it is delicious!  

Crunchy Garlic Chicken

The other day I was looking through old recipes, searching for something I hadn't made in while and I found this little gem.  I think I got it out of a food magazine years ago (when I say that, it sounds like I'm 60).  I had forgotten about it, but it is such a delicious, easy way to use chicken.  I was so glad I found it again!

Crunchy Garlic Chicken

1/4 c. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder (use a little more if you like garlic-this wasn't quite enough for me)

2 c. cornflakes, crushed

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (I used a little less than a Tbsp. of dried parsley)

1/2 tsp. paprika

6 chicken breasts

Heat your oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray.  In a shallow dish, mix half of your butter, milk, salt and garlic powder.  In another dish, mix the crushed cereal, parsley and paprika.  Dip the chicken into the milk mixture, then coat it with the cereal mixture and place it in the pan.  Drizzle the remaining butter over the top of the chicken.  Bake it for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. 

If you don't have cornflakes, any crunchy cereal would probably work (well, not any cereal.  I'd stay away from Cap'n Crunch or Fruity Pebbles).  Once I used Honey Bunches of Oats.  I'm serious!  And it was yummy!  It was a little sweet with the garlic and I liked it.

Creamy Raspberry Chicken

Does anyone else get sick of food?  I mean, come on!  If I have to eat spaghetti one more time this month I may go crazy.  I am really needing a change in my menu to help me enjoy dinner again.  This recipe helped with my boredom.  At least it was a little different than what we usually eat.  I call this "creamy" because I added a little whipping cream to it.  And I added whipping cream to it because anytime I can do that, I do.  But the whipping cream did give it a kind of melty, creamy, smooth flavor.  Which helped to make this a yummy change for eating chicken.  So, if you are bored with your regular menu, try a little creaminess and raspberry-ness with your chicken!

Creamy Raspberry Chicken

adapted from www.allrecipes.com

1/3 c. flour

1 Tbsp. lemon pepper

2 tsp. dried rosemary

4 chicken breasts, cut in half (or fourths)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 c. raspberry vinaigrette dressing

1/4 c. whipping cream

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, lemon pepper and rosemary and shake it up well.  Add your chicken pieces and shake it again until the chicken is well coated.  Heat your oil in a large skillet and fry the chicken pieces until browned and cooked through.  Take out the chicken and set it aside and pour the raspberry vinaigrette dressing in the pan.  Simmer it until it is reduced by half.  Return the chicken to the pan and add the whipping cream.  Cook it until most of the liquid is absorbed.  I served mine with rice.  The recipe actually said to serve it with coconut rice, which would be oh so yummy.  I didn't have time to make it, but you should definitely try it that way.  

Flaky Sugar Cookies

This recipe was given to us by a lady who worked with Dustin, who's parents owned a bakery. It has become a favorite among many of my sisters and so I thought I'd post it so everyone can have it. The key to this recipe is to only cook them for 5 minutes (unless your oven cooks really slow, like mine does, and then you might want to do 6 minutes). Another key is to roll them thick. Also, it never seems like there is enough flour, but by the time I add flour to the table and the rolling pin while I'm rolling them, they come out fine. They stay soft and have a great flavor.

Flaky Sugar Cookies

1 c. sugar

2/3 c. shortening

1/2 c. milk

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/4 c. flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add the milk, egg and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add it to the other mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut it into your favorite shape and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes.