Cinnasticks

I got this recipe from Pinterest it is super yummy!!! The original recipe suggests getting the pre-made pizza dough from Papa Murphy's. I just used a pillsbury pizza dough though and I am sure that any homemade pizza dough recipe would work just fine. It also suggests using a butter flavored oil like the kind meant for popcorn, I just melted some butter and added it to my oil and it tasted just fine.

dough rolled out into a square or circle
buttered flavored oil
2 tsp cinnamon (more if you are a cinnamon fan)
1/2 c. sugar

Icing:
several cups of powdered sugar (I did like 3 and had plenty of icing)
small splash of milk (just keep adding milk until it is the consistency you like)
1 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into strips. Brush the dough with the flavored oil. Bake for about 15 min until cooked through, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn't over bake. Remove from oven. Wile the dough is baking prepare the icing and set aside.
3. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir together well. Sprinkle the mixture over the warm dough. Drizzle with the prepared icing. Serve warm

I did let my refrigerated dough rise a little bit before baking. But these were so delicious!!!

Penne Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

I found this recipe on Pinterest it is soooo yummy and super easy!

2 cups dry penne pasta
8 sun dried tomatoes chopped, about 1/3 cup
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
2 cups (8oz package) shredded Italian style cheese blend
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black powder

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Add the chopped sun dried tomatoes for the last two minutes of cooking time. Drain.

Meanwhile combine evaporated milk, cheese, basil, garlic powder, and pepper in a medium saucepan on medium low heat, stirring occasionally until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat.

Add pasta and tomatoes to the cheese sauce, stir until combined

You can add chicken to this dish which would be super yummy but it was delicious without it too.

| Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie Cups |

- 1 can of reduced fat biscuits (10 count)
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
- 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
- 2/3 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of frozen mixed veggies (I use broccoli, cauliflower, corn, peas...anything)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Separate biscuits and place each biscuit in a cup of a lightly greased 12-hole muffin pan, pressing dough up sides to edge of cup.

3. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, chicken soup, veggies, cheddar cheese, parsley flakes, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.

4. Evenly spoon chicken mixture into prepared biscuit cups.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Remove from oven. Place muffin pan on a wire rack and let set for 2-3 minutes. Serve at once.

I doubled this recipe. We like leftovers. It was really yummy, and fairly quick too.

One-pot Chicken & Penne Parmesan

I couldn't figure out what to make for dinner last night so I pulled out a bag of penne, and found this recipe. It was SO good. I altered it a bit since I didn't have the veggies it called for. Seriously SO SO SO GOOD! Bryan couldn't stop telling me how good it was ;) (maybe that is because he rarely gets a made from scratch meal these days)

1 T Butter or margarine
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless ckn breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1-3/4 cups (14 oz can) chicken broth
1/2 package (8 oz) Penne Rigate, uncooked
1 pkg (16 oz.) frozen broccoli, carrot and cauliflower mix (I used fresh cut carrots and frozen green beans)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

In 5 qt saucepan over medium heat, cook chicken till no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add broth; heat to boiling. Add uncooked pasta, veggies, and pepper, stirring to coat pasta with liquid. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 13 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or till pasta is barely tender and most liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together soup, milk, and 1/2 C cheese till smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Heat till mixture just comes to a boil; sprinkle with remaining cheese.


Serves 8. Or 2 if you are hungry :)

Italian Sodas

These were at the Move Over Martha dinner too and were so yummy and a lot of fun!

2 TBSP Torani Syrup
Deli Ice
Club Soda
Half and Half
Whip Cream

Fill 16 ounce glass with ice. Add the syrup, then fill glass 3/4 the way full with club soda. Followed by Half and Half. Top with whipped cream and stir a little with your straw. You can get the syrup at Harmons or any Italian market. We had raspberry, peach, and strawberry all were very yummy! Pics here.

Peasant Bread

I belong to a group in our neighborhood called Move Over Martha. It is a cooking group more on the gourmet side. We had a dinner last Friday and this bread was part of it. It was delicious. So delicious that I attempted bread making yesterday. This recipe is so easy that even I didn't mess it up! Perfect with any Italian entree. YUM YUM!

1 package quick rise yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 TBSP sugar
2 cups warm water
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 TBSP melted butter

In bowl mix yeast and sugar. Add water and let the yeast dissolve (about 3 min). In mixing bowl add flour, seasoning, and salt. Then add yeast mixture. Mix for about 5 minutes. Spray hands and cookie sheet with cooking spray. Divide dough into two balls and form into balls. Cover with towel and let raise for 30 minutes. Reshape dough, and brush with 3 TBSP melted butter. Sprinkle with a little more Italian seasoning and a little sea salt. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes then lower temperature to 375 and cook for 15 more minutes. Serve as is, or dip in olive oil and balsamic. Click here for pictures.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

I tried these a few weeks ago and they were YUMMY! I found the recipe here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup vinegar (cider, white wine or red wine vinegar)

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

6 oz tomato paste

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (to taste)

3 lbs or so beef roast (pork would work great too!)

Directions:

Mix together all of the ingredients, except for the meat, in the slow cooker, stirring well to combine.

Cut the meat into large chunks and place into the slow cooker, turning the pieces to make sure everything is coated with the sauce.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling apart. Shred the meat and return to the sauce to keep warm.

To serve, toast your favorite buns until golden brown and pile with meat! Also great with a few slices of cheese thrown onto the bread before you toast it... yumm!

Easy Homemade Ice Cream without a Machine

This recipe has been going around the blog world.  I have seen it a couple of times. THIS was the first place that I saw it.
We decided to try it for our FHE treat one evening.  It was good.  I am not really of fan of homemade ice cream from a machine.  I felt like this was closer to store bought than the machine kind is, but it is still different.  If I were to make it again I would make it the day before so that it is in the freezer longer.  It tasted better the next day when it was harder. 
Here is our version.  We made S'mores ice cream(check out the link for other flavor ideas):

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup marshmallows
1/2 cup graham crackers broken up
3 Tbs melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whip heavy cream in large bowl with an electric or stand mixer until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, butter, marshmallows, and vanilla in large bowl. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips, then gently fold in whipped cream.

Pour into a 2-quart container and cover. Freeze at least 6 hours or until firm. 

Dipping Chicken

This recipe was super easy and yummy. It will be added to my list of quick, easy, go-to's for when I forget to plan a meal.  It reminded us of Rumbi's rice bowls.  Next time I will add stir fry veggies to it.  I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs not legs, but you could use chicken breasts as well.

Ingredients:

8 Chicken legs, bone in

1/3 cup soy sauce

Brown sugar

Garlic salt

Black pepper

Directions:

1.      Pull skin of chicken legs (less greasy)

2.      Pour 1/3 soy sauce in glass measuring cup.

3.      Add brown sugar to soy sauce until cup reads 2/3 cup.

4.      Put chicken in pan and sprinkle with garlic salt and black pepper.

5.      Pour brown sugar/soy sauce over chicken

6.      Cook at 350° for 1 hour uncovered.  Rotate chicken legs every 15 minutes.

7.      This chicken can be served on or off the bone.  Serve chicken over rice.

Southwest Super Nachos

This is one of my new favorite "it's 5:00 and I haven't thought about dinner yet" meals.  Quick and easy and almost everything is on hand in my food storage.

Shredded chicken
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes w/ green chiles (or regular tomatoes and a can of green chiles)
1/2 packet of taco or chili seasoning
 *simmer*

Top chips with shredded cheddar and microwave until cheese is melted.  Top with chicken mixture, sour cream, and fresh salsa.