Friday, September 30, 2016

Chicken Club Brunch Ring


A friend of mine introduced me to this recipe a few years ago. I LOVE it but unfortunately my husband doesn't eat mayonnaise and would never touch it.  My mom was in town a few weeks ago so I made this for lunch for the two of us!

1 3/4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
4 strips bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 tubes crescent rolls
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 onion (finely chopped)
2 plum tomatoes (thinly sliced)
1/2 head of lettuce (shredded)
Honey Mustard

Heat oven to 375. In a bowl combine the chicken, bacon and swiss cheese. Mix in the mayonnaise, dijon mustard and onion. Unroll the crescents and form a circle, sealing the edges together. Spoon the chicken mixture into the crescent rolls. Top with the slices of tomato. Wrap the dough around the chicken mixture and seal. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes then place the shredded lettuce in the center and serve with a side of honey mustard dressing.  This can be served warm or at room temperature.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread


This the perfect Saturday morning fall breakfast! I made this while we had Gameday on in the background and it was actually a bit of a cool fall morning! It was absolute perfection in my book. This recipe is adapted from Center Cut Cooks.

2 cans Pillsbury Grands Homestyle biscuits
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter (melted)

Heat oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan well and set to the side. Cut each biscuit into forths. In a bowl whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Toss the biscuits pieces in sugar mixture and layer in the bundt pan. In a small bowl whisk together the canned pumpkin, brown sugar and melted butter. Pour over the top of the biscuits. Bake for 30-34 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 8-10 minutes then flip over on a plate to remove from pan and serve.


Monday, September 26, 2016

Buttery Scored Potatoes


This might be one of my new favorite ways to make potatoes! It's so simple and they turned out really well. This is a great and simple way to impress your dinner guests! Recipe is adapted from Leesh & Lu's Recipe Box.

4 large potatoes
4 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp garlic salt
paprika

Heat oven to 350. Scrub potatoes then slice length ways. Cut the potatoes into tiny squares but do not cut all the way through, leave the very bottom still intact so they hold together. Place skin side down on a lined baking pan. Brush with 2 tbsp of melted butter then sprinkle with garlic salt and paprika. Bake in the oven for 50-70 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven and brush with the remaining 2 tbsp of melted butter.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Crock Pot Hurry Chicken


My son LOVES chicken on the bone. It makes him so happy if I fix any sort of chicken on the bone. I don't know what it is. I honestly kind of hate chicken still on the bone. They had chicken legs on serious sale the other week so I had to snatch up a few packs. This chicken turned out so tender and flavorful! It's a keeper for sure! This recipe is adapted from Belly Full

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 packet onion soup mix
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
8-10 chicken legs

Spray your crock pot with cooking spray.  In a mixing bowl whisk together the brown sugar, ketchup, chicken broth, onion soup mix, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Place the chicken legs in the bottom of the crock pot then pour the sauce over the chicken, coating each pieces. Cook on low for 7-9 hours.


Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Apple Crisp


Fall is my absolute favorite season. The cool air, football, boots, sweaters and the food! Oh the food! It's just starting to cool off here and by cool off I mean it's in the lower 80s, but next week it's in the 70s and hopfully they 60s are coming too. That is perfect weather right there! This apple crisp is the perfect way to celebrate the cooling weather, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you will be in autumn heaven.

4 cups chopped and peeled apple
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup old fashioned oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
3/4 cup melted butter

Heat oven to 375.  In a bowl combine apple with sugar, 1 tbsp flour and cinnamon. Pour into the bottom of a 8x8 baking dish. In a separate bowl combine the old fashioned oats, brown sugar, flour and melted butter. Drop spoonfuls of the oat mixture over the apples then spread it out a bit so it covers most of the fruit. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until it's bubbly and the oatmeal is starting to brown. Remove and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Monday, September 19, 2016

BBQ Chicken Pizza Rolls


I made these when I made a trio of pizza rolls one night for a party. BBQ chicken pizza is one of my favorites so it just seems obvious to make BBQ Chicken Pizza Rolls!

1/2 Thin Crust Pizza recipe
1 1/2 cup shredded chicken
1/2 cup bbq sauce plus extra for serving
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2  red onion thinly sliced (optional)

Heat oven to 425. On a floured surface roll out the pizza dough into a thin rectangle.  Mix together the chicken and bbq sauce. Spread the chicken out on the pizza dough then top with onion (if using) and mozzarella cheese. Roll the dough up and slice into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Grease a sheet pan and bake for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with a side of bbq sauce.
 

Friday, September 16, 2016

Everything Cheese Ball


I had never made a cheese ball before. I've had them plenty of times, I've had fabulous homemade ones as well as some pretty gross ones from the package. When I saw this recipe I just had to try it out. It was a big hit and had some much flavor! This recipe is adapted from Fake Ginger.

Cheese Ball
5 slices bacon (cooked and finely chopped)
2 2/3 grated sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
4 tbsp butter (softened)
2 green onions (thinly sliced)
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp worcestershire sauce

Everything Bagel Mix
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 tbsp dried minced garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a mixer combine the sharp cheddar, cream cheese and butter. Add the green onions, ground black pepper, worcestershire and bacon. Mix for 3 minutes. Line a bowl plastic wrap then scrap all of the cheese mixture into the bowl. Wrap with the plastic wrap, form a ball and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours. In a bowl combine all of the spices for the everything bagel mix. Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator and roll in the everything bagel mix.


Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Meatball Burgers


My oldest has recently become a fan of meatball sandwiches and he's a huge fan of burgers so when I came across this recipe I knew it would be a great one for you family! They were a great change from your typical burger and we all enjoyed them! This recipe is adapted from Mix and Match Mama.

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1/2 cup onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tbsp italian seasoning
6 buns
1 1/2 cup marinara sauce
fresh slices mozzarella cheese
fresh chopped basil

In a bowl combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, garlic and italian seasoning. For 6 burger patties. Grill over medium high heat until the burgers are cooked to your desired temperature. Lightly toast your buns on the grill or under the broiler. Top burgers with fresh mozzarella slices, marinara sauce and freshly chopped basil.

Monday, September 12, 2016

Oatmeal Spice Muffins


These muffins were really great! They weren't overly sweet and had just the right amount of spice to them. They are a perfect fall treat! This recipe is from Five Heart Home.

2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a bowl combine the old fashioned oats and buttermilk and allow to soak for 30 minutes to 1 hours. Heat oven to 400 and line 24 muffin cups with liners. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In the bowl with the oats whisk in the brown sugar and eggs until combined. Then stir in the melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix together the oat mixture and the flour mixture then stir in the nuts if using. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are cooked through. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese


These sandwiches are such a great way to use leftover shredded chicken from a different recipe. They are quick and easy to throw together and add a great kick to lunch time!

2 slices bread
1/2 cup shredded chicken
4 tbsp buffalo sauce
2 slices mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp butter

In a small bowl combine the shredded chicken and buffalo sauce. Place a slice of cheese on either slice of bread then spread the buffalo chicken in the middle. In a skillet melt half of the butter over medium heat and place the sandwich in the skillet. Once it has browned melt the other half of butter and flip the sandwich. Remove once it has browned.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Baked Tomato Basil Ravioli


This recipe will be a regular in our rotation for sure. Everyone loved it and thought it tasted so fresh, especially using our own fresh basil! This recipe is adapted from Mother Thyme.

28oz crushed tomatoes with basil
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp fresh chopped basil
25oz bag frozen cheese ravioli
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375.  In a mixing bowl whisk together the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and 2 tbsp fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 3/4 cup of sauce in the bottom of the dish and spread out evenly. Top with 1 layer of ravioli then half of the sauce and 1 cup of cheese. Add the second layer of ravioli then top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and top with 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil and serve.

Monday, September 5, 2016

Easy Caramel Cake


Caramel Cake is one of my absolute favorite desserts! Well really I just love anything caramel.  I made this for a friend's birthday a few weeks ago and it was completely gone by the end of the night.

Cake
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
2 eggs
2 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing:
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking dish.  In your mixture cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and allow them to be fully mixed in. In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in half of the dry ingredients with the butter mixture. Then mix in half of the milk then the remaining dry ingredients and the last of the milk as well as the vanilla extract. Pour into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Cool the cake before icing it.

In a small pot combine the brown sugar, salt, butter and milk. Heat over medium low heat stirring frequently until the mixture begins to boil. Let boil, while stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the powdered sugar then pour evenly over the top of the cake. 


Friday, September 2, 2016

Crock Pot Beef Gyros


Our family is kind of obsessed with anything in a pita. When I saw this recipe I knew it would be a great one to try because gyros plus crock pot had to be a win! This recipe was adapted from 365 Days of Slow Cooking.

2lb chuck roast (cut into bite size pieces)
1 large onion (sliced thin)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
pita bread
tzatiki sauce
cucumber
lettuce
tomato

Place the beef in the bottom of the crock pot. Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Pour over the meat then top with the sliced onion. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove the beef from the crock pot and place in the pitas with desired toppings.