Pressure Cooker Recipe #3 : Six Minute Lasagna

Yup, you read right. This lasagna only took six minutes to cook. I have only attempted lasagna once before in my life, so this was an adventurous recipe for me. Although the pictures did not turn out very good, the lasagna did taste better than it looked. It was good. It definitely turned out too liquidy though. The recipe calls for you to add water to the bottom of the cooker and to the meat sauce, so I did as it told me to, but I will watch the liquid next time. It also made a ton. We ate on it for a couple of meals. So if you try this, leave out some of the liquid. This post is more for my own record of how to do this in the future.

 Told you it was not the prettiest recipe.... we did add some fresh basil for looks!

Lasagna from Bob Warden's Great Food Fast

Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 6 min Temperature: High Serves: 6

Shopping List
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 pound lean ground beef
salt and pepper
1 (24 oz) jar chunky spaghetti sauce (I just realized this might have been part of my problem. I used regular because I already had it. Maybe the chunkier the less liquid it has...)
1/4 cup water
2 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan on the stove top over high heat. Add onions, ground beef, and a pinch of salt and peppers, sauteing until browned.
2. Stir spaghetti sauce and water into the ground beef mixture, and remove from heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to whisk together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Fill the bottom of the pressure cooker with water, just until 1/4 inch deep (maybe I did too much here too). Ladle 1/5 of the beef and sauce mixture into the water and then cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, breaking them to fit.
5. Cover the noodles with a layer of 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Cover the cheese mixture with another layer of 1/5 of the sauce, then another layer of noodles. Repeat for 2 more layers, ending with noodles topped with the final layer of sauce.
6. Securely lock the cooker's lid and set for 6 minutes on high. Quick release the cooker's pressure, remove cover, and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Re-cover and let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.

Pressure Cooker Recipe #2 : Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Happy Monday! I am back to using the pressure cooker this week. I have four meals planned this week using it and I am excited to try them all! I have started quite the buzz about the pressure cooker. My dad wants to borrow it when we go on vacation in a couple of weeks and try it out. It really is so easy to cook with. Tonight we made Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Broccoli Florets. Easy meal to make using staples you have around the house.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Broccoli Florets from Bob Warden's Great Food Fast

Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 5 min Temperature: High Serves: 4

Shopping List
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 yellow onion, diced
1 1/3 cups long grain white rice, rinsed well
2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
3/4 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used 2% sharp cheddar.)
3 cups frozen broccoli florets (It calls for 2 cups but we decided it needed more.)

1. With the cooker's lid off, heat oil on HIGH or "brown", and saute until sizzling. Add the chicken and onion,  and saute until chicken is lightly browned and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add rice, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, securely lock the pressure cooker's lid and set for 5 minutes on HIGH.
3. Perform a quick release to release the cooker's pressure.
4. With the the cooker's lid off, set to high or "brown". Whisk together flour and milk, add to the cooker, and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in cheddar cheese and broccoli florets and let simmer 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted and broccoli is warmed throughout. Serve immediately.

This recipe made a ton. I am taking my left overs to my grandmother tomorrow because she loves broccoli cheese casserole and I will definitely be eating this for dinner tomorrow night! When you need some comfort food, this hits the spot.

Oh and a confession. You know how I professed my love for QVC's In the Kitchen with David. Well, we were watching the show on Sunday morning and we made another purchase.

Kuhn Rikon Soft Edged Flexible Spatulas

Eric just had to have them and "has been wanting something like that forever" so I used my convenient QVC app to order them. They should be here shortly! He just had to have them because he got a new pan this weekend (Macy's was having 25% off).

 

All-Clad Stainless Steel Nonstick French Skillet, 11 inch

What can I say? The guy likes his pans....

Have a good week!

Paper and Poppers

Tonight's dinner was one of the best we have had in a while! This recipe has so much flavor and it just all combines so perfectly. I picked out the recipe, but the final product is brought to you by Chef Eric. He was quite proud of himself tonight, as he should be. This recipe was not a pressure cooker recipe, unfortunately. As I said yesterday, I meal planned this week and bought the ingredients for tonight's meal. I actually was over visiting with my friend Casey and by the time I got home, Eric had already started the meal. This leads me to the first word of my post title. Paper.

I wrote out our meals on new note pad from Milo Paper. I love it! The thing is huge and will hopefully last forever! As you can see, we have switched it up a little. We had Wednesday nights dinner last night which was a fail and Thursday night's dinner tonight.

Also on the subject of paper are two new notebooks I got from May Books. This website is awesome. They have so many different patterns and monograms you can personalize your own notebook with. They come hand sewn with a super soft canvas cover. So great for yourself or gifts!

I chose two different ikat patterns. The one with my monogram is the 2013 planner and the "What's for dinner?" one is a super cute meal planner. Can't wait to use both!

All right, on to the popper part! We made Cheesy Cayenne Popped Baked Stuffed Chicken. The recipe was adapted by Eric from the website SkinnyTaste's recipe for Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken. This recipe is supposed to be just like a jalapeno popper and it is actually on the healthy side! It was sooo good! Please excuse my mediocre food photography skills. At least I am not using the iphone like I usually do! Food Styling brought to you by Chef Eric.

Cheesy Cayenne Pepper Baked Stuffed Chicken

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2 slices of center cut bacon, cooked and cubed
1 cayenne pepper (fresh from our garden, seeds removed per my request)
3 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
4 oz cheese - This is what I think made the meal. She says use shredded cheddar jack, but I had picked up a chipotle cheddar cheese that he used and it was so good! We really think a white cheddar is they way to go on this.
2 tsp chopped scallions, which are really green onions. They grocery store calls them that why doesn't anyone else?!
8 thin sliced skinless chicken breast cutlets (3-4 oz each) - Or just cut your breasts thin. I actually found cutlets at Sprouts.
1 cup breadcrumbs (we used plain and more than she suggests)
1 juiced lime
salt and fresh pepper
olive oil and non-stick spray

1. Wash and dry the chicken cutlets and season with salt and pepper.
2. Lightly spray baking dish with non-stick spray.
3. Combine cream cheese, chipotle cheddar cheese, scallions, cayenne pepper, and bacon crumbles in a medium bowl.
4. Lay chicken cutlets on a working surface and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and secure with a toothpick.
5. Put breadcrumbs in a bowl (we use a pie plate) and in a second bowl combine olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
6. Dip chicken in lime juice mixture and then in breadcrumbs. Place them seam side down on a baking dish. Repeat and when finished, lightly spray the tops of the chickens with oil spray.
7. Bake 22-25 minutes, until the cheese is ooooozing out and serve immediately.

We served the dish with a mixture of corn and black beans. Just open the cans, combine, add fresh cilantro that has been chopped up and mashed up garlic. Let simmer. So easy and good! I promise you this recipe will not disappoint. Eric even said it was one of his more favorite things he has made in a while!

Adventures in babysitting and a dinner fail

Well, yesterday I professed my love of the pressure cooker and how I was going to cook every recipe in Bob Warden's Great Food Fast. When I decided that I had actually already meal planned for the week and so I decided to go ahead and cook one of the meals I had bought all the ingredients for. I will admit I failed. Everything was going great, I was so proud of myself because I was doing it all by myself with no help from Eric. Well, my mistake was using 12 oz of uncooked pasta, instead of 12 oz of cooked pasta. By the time we got it all mixed together, it was evident there was not enough sauce to cover the pasta. The flavors were good, but it just wasn't right and it got cold really fast. Eric, being the "experienced" chef that he is, told me it was okay and that cooking takes time to learn. Oh and that he could definitely make it and anything for that matter better than me. Thanks... Oh well, it is the truth.

The recipe is from Panera.com and can be found here if you want to try do it better than me.

Creamy Bowties with Ham and Broccoli

We went on a walk (it is like cool outside!) with Ollie and now I am having a glass of wine and getting ready to go watch Bachelor Pad. I am over it.

We got to babysit our niece Blair on Friday night and I have to share some of the pictures. We had impromptu photo session and she loved posing. Then Blair decided she needed to be close to her kitty. Poor Leo. I felt bad for the guy! We had such a fun time playing with her before she went to bed. She was so easy to watch and went to bed with no problems. We can't wait to do it again! Can't wait to celebrate her 2nd birthday this weekend! I can't believe she is almost two!!!!!

Pressure Cooker Recipe #1 : Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

Ok, if you know Eric and I, you might know we are a fan of David of QVC's In the Kitchen with David. David is the host of a cooking show that airs on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. One of our favorite things to do on Sunday morning is make breakfast and enjoy our coffee while watching David. The show spotlights cooking merchandise and yes, we are guilty of ordering a thing or two (or five). That QVC app makes it so easy!

Meet David:

 David, recently on vacation (pic stolen from his facebook account). And yes, I have that tumbler the is drinking out of. Great purchase! Go order yours today - they are on a special featured price!

One of our favorite purchases (well, actually it was a gift) is our Cooks Essentials 5 Quart Oval Pressure Cooker. My parents gave this to Eric last year for Christmas. We absolutely love it. It is like a slow cooker, but so much faster. And the recipe book we bought to go along with it is filled with TONS of fabulous, yummy recipes.

This is the same model we have, in red as well. Sadly, it looks like they are not currently selling them on QVC, but Montel Williams has a version! HA!

Bob Warden's Great Food Fast is an awesome pressure cooker cook book. Every single recipe (except some with mustard!) looks amazing! We have made quite a few of them and every time I look at it, I don't know why I haven't made more. Tonight we made a rubbed pork tenderloin (recipe to come) and while looking through the book, I have decided we are going to try to make every recipe in the book. I am not going to use any other cook books or recipe sites, until I have finished this one! (I kinda feel like the girl who cooked all of Julia Child's recipes!). So this is my new challenge to Eric and I to cook every night using our pressure cooker. It is great right now that it is hot. It doesn't burn up the kitchen like the oven does. It cooks in a fraction of the time. I am telling you, don't be scared of the pressure cooker! It is your friend! So moving on to the main course! Here is tonight's dinner!

Tonight we made the Rubbed Pork Tenderloin. It is supposed to have a peach salsa with it, but that just didn't sound like something we would like, so Eric made his risotto. I promise this is the best risotto you will ever taste. It is so creamy and rich. I could eat it all and die happy! I will try to get him to nail down his recipe and put on here. It really is out of this world. I am happy I can take credit for the pork. You know it was so difficult to mix the spices, rub them on, brown the meat, and then set the timer on the pressure cooker. Even if you don't have a pressure cooker, you could easily use this rub to cook the tenderloin in the oven. If you are lucky enough to have a pressure cooker, follow the recipe below.

Rubbed Pork Tenderloin from Bob Warden's Great Food Fast

Shopping List
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 (1 1/2 lb) pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chicken stock or broth

1. With the cooker's lid off, heat oil on HIGH or "brown" until sizzling.
2. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture evenly onto all sides of the pork, and place in the cooker, cooking until lightly browned.
3. Add the chicken stock to the cooker, and securely lock the pressure cooker's lid. Set for 20 minutes on HIGH.
4. Let the cooker's pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before quick releasing any remaining pressure.
6. Remove roast, and let rest under aluminum foil 10 minutes before carving.

There ya go. Easy easy! Check back for more in our adventures in pressure cooking!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: Part 2

We eat a lot of chicken. I am always looking for new and easy chicken recipes.

I also have been Pinning on Pinterest a ton and decided I needed to make something from my pins (follow me emilyb83). If you haven't joined Pinterest yet, you are missing out. (I am talking to you Ashley!) I have been a pinning fool lately, mainly due to the fact I am bored out of my mind at my current job and counting down the minutes to my last day on Friday. (Starting a new job too... more on that to come.)
You might remember this easy chicken recipe I made earlier this year from this post creatively called Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. Well, here is Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: Part 2. They are similar recipes, but I think Part 2 is the winner. I found this recipe for Parmesan Garlic Chicken on Kayln's Kitchen blog.

Source: kalynskitchen.com via Emily on Pinterest

You can access the original recipe on the link above, but I actually only made two chicken breasts with the recipe below. I think hers must have not been the huge, hormone induced chicken breasts I apparently buy. I did eat only half my chicken breast and am having the other half for lunch today! Eric's chicken breast seriously had to be close to a pound, but don't worry he ate it all. It also says to marinate for a day, I did it around 4:00 and cooked it around 7:00 and it was still tasty.

Parmesan Chicken with Garlic and Herbs

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp. crushed garlic (garlic puree from a jar is perfect here)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (oops I realized I used regular olive oil here)
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (I used Penzeys)
1/4 cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs (I used regular, plain bread crumbs.)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Combine crushed garlic, olive oil, and poultry seasoning in small pan and heat 1 minute, until just warm.

Trim all visible fat and membranes from chicken breasts, then make small crosswise slits about 1/2 inch apart down the length of each chicken breast, being careful not to cut too far into the chicken. (This helps the garlic and herb flavor penetrate the chicken more.) Put chicken into zip loc bag, pour heated oil over, and marinate all day in refrigerator (or a couple of hours).

To cook, take chicken out of refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for a few minutes while you preheat oven to 425.

Mix bread crumbs and parmesan (pulse a few times in food processor if the mixture isn't fine enough.) Place cheese/breadcrumb mixture in flat dish and dip each chicken breast into it, pressing on as much of the coating as you can.

Place each chicken piece in casserole dish which has been sprayed with nonstick spray. or olive oil. Bake until chicken is firm and cooked through, about 25 minutes, then put under the broiler to brown more if desired. Actual cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts, but chicken should feel firm but not hard when it's cooked.

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Macaroni

I love macaroni. As a kid, when I did not like what we had for dinner, it was always Velveeta Shells & Cheese for me (I never liked Kraft, still don't!).  We had leftover Velveeta (you know the lovely, long block of it) from another recipe that we needed to use and chicken. So I took to the Velveeta website and found this recipe for Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Macaroni. It was really good! In fact, I am having leftovers for lunch today!

Not the prettiest meal or photograpy, but hey instagram (ebase83) makes it look a little better...

Here is the easy recipe:

2 chicken breasts, cute into bite size pieces (salt and peppered)

1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth

2 cups noodles (I used whole wheat shells.)

1/2 lb (8 oz) Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used 2%)

1 package (16 oz) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

Cook the chicken in a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat 5 to 7 minutes until done, stirring occasionally.

Stir in broth and bring to boil. Stir in noodles and cover. Simmer on medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.

Add Velveeta and broccoli and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until Velveeta is melted and broccoli is heated through, stirring frequently.

It makes a lot, so if you like leftovers, this is a good meal for you! I feel slightly better eating macaroni when it has broccoli in it, right??



I had a Stella & Dot trunk show last night and wore one of my favorite statement necklaces, The Marchesa. I love the turquoise and multiple strands. Definitely dressed up my plain black tank!

Did you read about how I am raising money for Autism Speaks with Stella & Dot? Read about it here. I would love to take a preorder for the Shine bracelet for you!

Also until the end of March, all shipping (no matter the order) is $5.95. Now is a great time to grab a pair of spring earrings to add to your wardrobe like the Serenity Drops or Capris! You can check out the full line at www.stelladot.com/emilybase!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Hi, I am alive. Never fear. Don't really know why I haven't been blogging. Just haven't! This is not a very exciting post, but I thought I would share what I made for dinner on Monday night. I am trying to use ingredients we have around the house up and just buying fresh fruit and vegetables at the grocery this week. I had two chicken breasts so here is what I did!

I took 2 chicken breasts and dredged (soaked) them in a cup of low fat Italian dressing then immediately coated them with Italian bread crumbs. (I just put a cup of bread crumbs in a pie dish and smushed it around!) Put them in a Pyrex baking dish (sprayed with Pam) and baked at 350 for about 30 minutes. Easy easy dinner and it was so good! Served with rice and asparagus. No picture, but for picture's sake, here is an Ollie pic.

 My, what long legs you have!

Happy hump day! I am off to my last physical therapy appointment. Hopefully I will be able to run again sometime before it is 100 degrees again in Dallas!

Update, Recipes, and Boob Tube Babble

I cooked two new recipes this week that were so good and healthy! You should check them out. I love this website, SkinnyTaste. She has the best recipes, but lightened up and she puts the WW points on them!

Chicken Divan

Swedish Meatballs

Barbara Walters 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011

I am so over the Kardashians. I do have to point out that Kourtney is wearing Stella & Dot's Pegasus Necklace though, which is pretty cool!

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

These women are nuts!! Each week they get worse and worse I think. I did enjoy watching Taylor horrified by the Chippendale's dancers. I think that is how I would be as well! Seeing them in Vegas makes me want to go to Vegas ASAP! Eric and I are tentatively planning a trip soon.

I really don't think there is anything else new that I watched! I caught up on some DVR.

Pan Am - Love this show! Just watched the episode with the fire. I love Christina Ricci in this. She is so small though!

Desperate Housewives - I have been a loyal DH viewer since it came out. I can't get enough. This season is kind of dark though and I hope the ladies end on a high note, since this is the last season. I will miss them!

Millionaire Matchmaker - Oddly addictive for me. I watched the reunion episodes this week and loved seeing the old clients and every one being called out. For some reason, I like this show!

I am excited for this weekend! We have a neighborhood tacky sweater party tonight and I can't wait to see all the neighborhood girls and their husbands! Tomorrow, my brother and his family get in town! I finally get to meet my new niece, Merritt! I am so excited! The next couple of days are going to be full of fun things with her and my nephew Mason! Can't wait!

Thanksgiving & Yummy Brown Stew Recipe

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Our holiday plans unfortunately got derailed last week and we had to cancel a trip to Greenville, SC to spend Thanksgiving with my brother's family and my parents. Eric and I both have had a nasty cold for over a week now and since there is a new baby in the family, we didn't want to risk getting the baby sick, plus it is just no fun traveling and being away from home when you are sick. We were really disappointed to not get to make the trip and meet Merritt, but they are coming here at Christmas, so we will meet her soon! Luckily, Eric's parents were doing Thanksgiving at their house, so we joined them for a yummy Thanksgiving meal and then ended up back on the couch to rest. We are feeling better, but Eric is still suffering from a nasty cough. I am suffering from having to listen to it! (Kidding, love you!)

Friday, the plan was to go to Fort Worth to see Eric's parents horse Fritz compete in a cattle herding competition.  They bought Fritz a few years ago and he has been getting trained by a professional and this was his first competition. Although he didn't win, Blair had a great time!

Just Eric ended up going because early Friday morning, I got a text from Brittany asking if I was in town and wanted to go look at bridesmaid dresses, so of course, I had to go do that! We had a fun girls day out trying on tons of dresses. I think we found the winner! We will see which the bride picks! Can't wait to wear it! :) I wish I had some fun pics of all the dresses, but Brittany took them all!

The White Rock Marathon is this weekend and I am running the half! I have been worried about my training since I was sick all last week, I was not able to run and started getting anxious. I tried to run on Wednesday and made it about two miles and couldn't breathe well so I didn't push it. I knew I needed to get one more long run in before this weekend, so yesterday, I set out for an 11 mile run. I ran the first 5 miles by myself and then picked up Ollie to finish the remaining 6. I knew I would need him at the end! It was a cold and windy day and I was still weak and out of shape from not running all week, but I managed to finish all 11 miles. I can't say I am impressed by my time, but I am not going to give up my goal of under two hours next weekend.  I actually had a scary moment during mile 6 of my run. My legs were tired, Ollie was pulling me, and somehow I lost my footing and totally ate it. I fell right on the sidewalk. Luckily, I had a water bottle in my left hand and honestly, I think it broke my fall. It is all scraped up along with my right knee. I am just glad I didn't land on my hand and break my wrist!  Ollie just stood there and was no help and it took me a few minutes to kind of come out of the shock of falling. I was bleeding pretty badly, but decided to keep going and not go home to clean it up. I am sure anyone who saw me running thought I was crazy because I had blood all down my leg. My knee is pretty scraped up and it hurts, but I am okay. My knees are super sore today from the 11 miles and I am hobbling around. Hopefully it will go away and I can train the rest of the week to finish strong on Sunday!

Last night was my friend Tracy's "non-bachelorette" party! We had a blast celebrating her last night of singleness before she gets married on December 10th. Post with some fun pics coming soon on that! After being out super late last night and being sore today, I have been quite unproductive today. I enjoyed a lot of couch time, a nap, and a bowl of homemade beef stew! Eric got tired of seeing me acting so miserable so he went to the grocery store and came home and made this awesome Brown Stew from the Better Homes & Garden cook book. It was so good, so I thought I would share the recipe with you guys!

Brown Stew

2 lbs of beef stew meat cut in 1 1/2 inch chunks
2 tablespoons fat (didn't have, so he used 2 tablespoons of Crisco)
4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion, sliced
1 to 2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
dash of allspice
3 cloves
6 carrots, quartered
4-5 big red potatoes, cubed (bite size pieces)
1 lb (18-24) small white pearl onions (you have to peel before using. To peel, boil in water for three minutes and then rinse in cold water and peel.)

Thoroughly brown meat on all sides in far; add water, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, sliced onion, bay leaves, and seasonings. Cover, simmer 2 hours; stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Remove bay leaves, garlic.

Add carrots, onions, potatoes. Cover; continue cooking 30 minutes or till vegetables are done.

Remove meat and vegetables; thicken liquid for gravy. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

It was so good and perfect for this cold night on the couch! I really am lucky to have a husband that enjoys cooking so much! He was actually really proud of this meal! The meat was so tender and it really hit the spot! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday! I can't believe it is almost December!!!

Chicken Spaghetti

I LOVE comfort food. Creamy, cheesy, and rich. Isn't that just so much more fun than grilled chicken and broccoli? Comfort food is not as easy on the waist line as that chicken and veggies though! I was brainstorming for dinner tonight and remembered seeing a recipe for chicken spaghetti that was on the healthy side, so I googled it and some other "healthy chicken spaghetti" recipes and came up with dinner! It was sooo good if I do so say myself!

Not the best photography (iphone pic!) and no step by step shots, but it is that easy! What is also great is that it is made with ingredients you are already going to have in your pantry. Next time you don't know what to make for dinner, whip this up and you won't be disapointed!

Chicken Spaghetti
Ingredients:
2 cooked chicken breasts (I boiled two large breasts and it was about 12 ounces... after Ollie got his portion. That dog loves chicken!)
about 2 cups (5 ounces) wheat or mulit grain spaghetti, broken up into 2 inch pieces
2 cans of healthy request cream of mushroom
1 cup 2% cheddar or mexican shredded cheese
1/2 green bell pepper diced
1/2 white onion diced
1 tsp season salt
1/8-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (kick it up if you like spice!)
pepper

1. Boil your chicken.
2. Remove chicken and boil your noodles in the same water.
3. While the noodles are boiling, saute the onions and pepper.
4. Shred the chicken.
5. Drain pasta and put back in the pot.
6. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well together!

Some of the recipes called for putting it in a casserole and baking it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees with extra cheese on top, but it looked and tasted good after mixing so we ate!! Enjoy!

Here are some pics of a subdued Ollie.... rare form!!

 

 How does he curl up so small?

Mom, stop typing on the computer and pay attention to me!!

Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Perfect Brown Rice

Last night we had a roasted pork tenderloin that was so easy to make! I found this recipe on the weight watchers website. It turned out delicious - so moist and flavorful! Pork tenderloin is a really healthy cut of meat as there is not very much fat to it. I used the Hormel "Always Tender" pork tenderloin (I think I even had a coupon!) that is prepackaged in the meat section.  Try this recipe and you won't be disappointed! I served it with brown rice (recipe below) and some simple canned green beans!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 spray cooking spray
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 tsp olive oil
2 lbs lean pork tenderloin

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 and coat a shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Rub oil all over pork.
4. Sprinkle thyme mixture all over pork and transfer to prepared pan. (My pork was only 1.25 lbs so I just used enough of the mixture to coat it.)
5. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reads 160 degrees, about 30 minutes depending on the size of your roast.
6. Let roast stand 10 minutes before slicing crosswise into thin slices.

It was that easy! Next up, brown rice. Now brown rice is not our favorite, but it is so much better for you than white rice. I googled brown rice recipes and found this alternate method for cooking it. Instead of cooking it by cooking down the water, you boil it and then steam it. It actually turned out much better than usual. I should say that wow, it actually turned out, because rice is my nemesis. I cannot for the life of me make it most of the time. I always wait until Eric is home to start it because I usually leave the heat too high despite trying not to and burn it. It is awful and I think I have cried a couple times over rice actually. Yes, I admit it. Try this recipe though! I think it is pretty full proof!

Perfect Brown Rice

1 cup short, medium, or long-grain brown rice
Kosher salt, to taste

1. Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds. Bring 12 cups water to a boil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Add the rice, stir it once, and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Pour the rice into a strainer over the sink.
2. Let the rice drain for 10 seconds, then return it to the pot, off the heat. Cover the pot and set it aside to allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes. Uncover the rice, fluff with a fork, and season with salt.

Makes two cups

Slow-Cooker Pulled-Pork Tacos

We made these pulled-pork tacos last Saturday when we knew we were going to be busy working around the house all day and that we would not want to make dinner that night. So we threw this in the slow cooker and let it cook all day. The house smelled delicious and we had a a super easy, yummy dinner. The recipe is from Real Simple, but as usual we made our own modifications.

Click here for the printable recipe from Real Simple

Picture from Real Simple

Ingredients:

2 cups store-bought salsa, plus more for serving (We had three different types of salsa but not 2 cups of one of them, so we added them all together - it worked!)

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

kosher salt

Liquid Smoke (our own addition)

1 2 1/2-pound pork butt or shoulder, trimmed or excess fat (We used a 2 lb shoulder.)

18 corn tortillas

Optional for toppings:

1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs

3/4 cup sour cream

1 lime, cut into wedges

salsa

Directions:

1. In a 4-6 qt slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, 1 teaspoon salt, and liquid smoke. Add the pork and turn to coat.

2. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours. 

3. Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Stack the tortillas, wrap them in foil, and bake until warm, about 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. (Eric actually took some of the liquid and put in a saucepan to thicken it to use as a sauce.) Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime and extra salsa.

We just served the pork on a tortilla with the sauce. We didn't feel it needed sour cream or extra salsa. The pork was so tasty, I could have just kept eating little bites of it by itself!

Turkey Tacos

I haven't posted a recipe on here in a while, not because we haven't been cooking, but because we have been trying to eat pretty healthy and I feel those recipes are just kinda boring to post. This recipe for turkey tacos was really good and easy so I felt like it was worthy of sharing. I would never have thought to use turkey in tacos, but Eric actually suggested it. We always use ground beef.  I checked out a new recipe website I have been liking recently, Gina's Skinny Recipes, and found a recipe for turkey tacos. Gina's version is for  taco lettuce wraps, but we wanted something more substantial, so we made our tacos with premade taco shells. I also really liked this recipe because you make your own taco seasoning. That's a first for me as well. I usually use the little packets. Anyways, here are your ingredients!

Shout out for Jennie-O turkey! (We represent this line where I work.) I also added fresh garlic and some jalapeños and used the whole bell pepper.

All the seasonings - garlic powder, cumin, salt, chili powder, paprika, and oregano

Brown your meat in a skillet and then add in all your ingredients and let simmer for twenty minutes.

Add whatever toppings you like - lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, guacamole... we played it pretty simple and just added some Monterey jack cheese and served the tacos with a side of black beans.

Turkey Tacos

• 1.3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• green bell pepper
• jalapeños
• 3/4 cup water
• 4 oz can tomato sauce
• taco shells

Brown turkey in a large skillet. When no longer pink add dry seasoning and mix well. Add onion, pepper, jalapeños, water and tomato sauce and cover. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

Place meat in tacos and top with tomatoes, cheese and salsa or whatever you prefer. 

Click here to see the original recipe. I hope next time you are in the mood for tacos you remember turkey tacos and give them a try!

Slow Cooker Recipe - Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

Just wanted to share this super easy recipe that I made on Monday. It is a leftover recipe I didn't make last week when I was on my Better Homes and Gardens themed week. I don't have a picture of it, but I promise it was really flavorful and the chicken was so tender from being cooked in the slow cooker. It doesn't cook all day, so I put this on when I was home for lunch. Side note - I really need to learn to read recipes all the way through before I start them. I thought I could throw this all in the crock pot the last 5 minutes before I needed to leave to get back to work. But oh no, you do have to melt the butter then add all the other liquid ingredients on the stove top to combine them before throwing it over the chicken in the crock pot. I was frantically trying to do everything as quickly as I could! We served it with farfelle paste (bowties) and it was so good! Eric approved!

Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lbs) - I don't know about their chicken, but mine must be pumped with hormones!  I used three plump chicken breasts that equaled a little over the suggested amount.
1/4 cup butter
1 0.7 oz package Italian salad dressing mix
1 10-3/4 oz can condensed golden mushroom soup (I don't know what golden mushroom soup is, I used the regular stuff.)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 of an 8 oz tub of cream cheese with chives and onions
Hot cooked pasta
Snipped fresh chives

Directions:
1. Place chicken in a 3 1/2 or 4 qt slow cooker. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the dry Italian salad dressing mix. Stir in mushroom soup, wine, and cream cheese until combined. Pour over the chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Serve with chicken sauce. If desired, serve with hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with chives. Makes 6 servings.

This is a great recipe to do when you know you will not have time to prepare dinner that night. It is definately going in our rotation. Here is the link to the BHG printable website: Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

On a side note, my parents and my grandmother went to visit my brother and his family in Greenville, South Carolina this past weekend. I had to share this picture my dad took of Mason. He is getting so big! I cannot believe he is 4 and half!

We kept Chipper while they were out of town. Poor Chip is diabetic and blind, but he does pretty well considering. He really is a sweet dog.

It's almost the weekend!!!!! We are heading to Houston on Saturday with my parents for the wedding of an old friend that I grew up with in Corpus Christi. Looking forward to seeing old friends and spending some time with the parentals!

Beef Stroganoff

Tonight we made Beef Stroganoff! I had just had this at The Porch on Friday night and felt like trying to make it myself. By the way, go to The Porch, sit on the porch, order a yummy cocktail and any entree and the Smoked Macaroni and Cheese and you will be in heaven. So good! Anyways, moving on... Eric and I took Ollie on a walk after work and to deliver the Yard of the Month sign (yup, I am in charge of the yard of the month!). Want to see a picture of the winner? We LOVE their landscaping they just had done!

We ended up chatting with this nice couple for a while and by the time we got home, it was 7:00 and we needed to start dinner. This beef stroganoff recipe was once again from the Better Homes and Gardens cook book and was extremely fast. We had it done in less than 30 minutes. Not quite the same as the beef short rib stroganoff from The Porch, but on a Monday night, it is a winner!

Beef Stroganoff
Start to Finish: 30 minutes     Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
12 oz boneless beef sirloin steak
1 8 oz sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoons butter or margarine
2 cups hot cooked noodles

1. If desired, partially freeze beef for easier slicing. Trim fat from meat. Thinly slice meat across the grain into bite-size strips. In a small bowl stir together sour cream and flour. Sitr in water, bouillon granules and pepper; set aside.

2. In a large skillet cook and stir the meat, mushrooms, onion, and garlic in hot butter over medium high heat about 5 minutes or until desired doneness. Drain off fat.

3. Stir sour cream mixture into meat mixture in skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Serve mixture over noodles.

And just for fun, here are some pictures of Ollie being Ollie this afternoon while I was trying to take the sheets of the bed.

Homemade Hamburger Helper and Homemade Chinese Take Out

Last week, Eric and I made two new recipes that came from two of my favorite websites. They were both really good and will be made again!

The first one is what I call fancy homemade hamburger helper. I will admit the real Hamburger Helper does make a rotation in our kitchen every once in a while when we want something quick and easy. I had never had it, but Eric mentioned off hand that he liked it while ago, so I bought some and was pleasantly surprised! The beef stroganoff is actually good! This one is called Cheeseburger Macaroni and it was delicious. It is cheesey and spicy and just yummy! Obviously much better than the boxed stuff! I ate this for lunch for a couple days after!

image from Kevin & Amanda

No, I did not take that picture. Hers is just so much prettier. Check out the website, she has lots of fun stuff on it! Again, this is a super easy week night meal. Everyone should try it! Here is the link to the recipe: Cheeseburger Macaroni

The next new recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman. I seriously look forward to her emails every day. Everything she makes looks so goood. Last week this recipe for Beef with Peppers popped up and I immediately emailed Eric and said let's make this!  This was not as easy as the first dish, but definately worth it. I will admit Eric did most of this one. I was the sous chef/dish washer.

Image from The Pioneer Woman

This dish was so flavorful. Much better than the Chinese take out we get from Wok In & Out (creative isn't it??)! I mean no contest on the flavors and the quality of the beef obviously! Definately worth trying if you have a little time. Eric said I probably couldn't have done it alone because I would have burnt something, so watch your temperatures! Here is the link the recipe: Beef with Peppers