One Pot Asian Pasta

*1/2 lb boneless chicken breast cut into small chunks
*12 oz whole wheat fettuccine or linguine  broken in half
*4 medium carrots cut into 3 inch strips
*1 medium red bell pepper cut into strips
*1 bunch green onions, white parts sliced and green parts cut into long strips
*4 cloves garlic minced
*1/4 cup soy sauce
*1 teaspoon garlic powder
*1 teaspoon cornstarch
*1 tablespoon sugar
*1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I always leave these out…..just not a fan…..)
*4 cups chicken or veggie broth
*1/2 cup water
*2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil


Add all the ingredients to a large pot.  Cover and boil.  Stir and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cook until most of the liquid is gone and chicken is cooked through.

Roasted Veggie Pasta

I love my church.  I have said it a hundred times, but it's true.  I love it for so many reasons, but one main reason is because I am surrounded by super women who can cook like no other!  I'm not gonna lie.....I'm not the best in the kitchen......I can mess up french toast like nobody's business.  So it brings me great excitement and joy when a super women from church brings me a meal after we've had a baby.  We've had four kids now and two of them we've had since joining Cornerstone.  What this means is that after two babies were born, we were given the amazing gift of meals brought to us for a straight month by women who actually know what they are doing!!!!  My family loves this tradition.  They finally get a taste of real super delicious food that did not come from a box.  One of our favorite meals was brought to us by a friend named Mel.  I begged and begged for the recipe because I would sit and daydream about it from time to time......probably not a healthy habit, but I did.  So here it is!  It takes a little more prep work than I like (did I mention the four kids?)  But, this recipe is totally worth it in the end!  


Roasted Veggie Pasta

4 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch slices
2 large onions, cut into wedges
2 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch slices
1 cup fresh baby carrots, halved lengthwise 
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 1/2 cups uncooked fusilli pasta (I like to use the tri-color rotini)
2 cups (8 oz). shredded fontina cheese (I always use havarti from the deli and have them cut it in a chunk)
1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
2 roma tomatoes chopped 
1/2 cup grated Parm. cheese, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 t. pepper

In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients.  Transfer to two greased baking pans. Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 min. or until crisp-tender; set aside. Reduce heat to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add the fontina cheese, tomatoes, 1/4 c. parm. cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in vegetable mixture.

Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish (I have always had to use two dishes because this recipe makes so much!).  Sprinkle with remaining parm. cheese. Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Garlic Bread (from a Williams-Sonoma cooking class)

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic, pressed (I've been chopping mine lately)
1/4 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried oregano (sometimes I will use 1/2 t. of italian seasoning in place of these two spices)
1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch slices (I usually use the take-and-bake loaves from Kroger)

Combine first 5 ingredients, and spread between bread slices. Reassemble loaf and wrap in heavy-duty foil; place on baking sheet.  (I usually put it right on the oven grates). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Open foil and bake additional 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Freezer Meals

In my feeble attempts to prepare for Baby London's arrival in February, I have been trying to slowly stock my freezer full of meals that we can easily enjoy once she is here. I am not going to lie.....I have never done this for any of my other babies....call me lazy. But with this precious surprise coming in 9 or so weeks, I am trying my best not to freak out. And me not freaking out involves planning ahead. Ok...back to the freezer meals. Here are a few recipes that I've either already made or am planning on making.

White Chicken Chili

(I made this today and doubled the recipe so we can enjoy lots this week...and lots in February)

1 medium onion

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 clove garlic minced (I always add more.....loooove me some garlic!)

2 large chicken breasts

1 can white beans

1 can white corn (regular corn works just fine)

1 can white hominy

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1 can diced green chiles

1 1/2 c. hot water

Put everything in the crock put and cook on low for 8 hours. We serve it with white cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

Mamma Suzi's Ham Rolls

(One of my favorite meals for parties.)

2 packages of rolls (we use the hawaiian sweet rolls)

1/2 - 1 lb sliced ham

4-8 oz swiss cheese (grated or sliced works fine)

2 sticks butter softened but not melted

3 Tbs poppy seeds

1/2-1 onion finely grated or chopped

2 Tbs worcestershire sauce (I'm not gonna lie I had to go get it out of the fridge just to spell it)

3 Tbs mustard

Cut the rolls in half while leaving them attached to each other. Mix the butter, poppy seeds, mustard, onion, and worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Spread the mix over both halves of the rolls. Put a layer of ham and then cheese on the bottom halves of the rolls. Put the top back on the rolls and wrap up in aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. If they are frozen bake for about an hour or more.

Easy as Pie!

I have been raving to all my peeps about Laura's Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake. Laura is my fabulous sister....and even though she is humble and claims that she cannot take credit for this amazing recipe......(it originally came from Allrecipes.com).......I told her that in our house it will forever be known as Laura's Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake. It is simple.......and it is delectable.....even for people like me, who are not huge pumpkin pie fans. So here it is! Enjoy!!

Laura's Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 packages of cream cheese softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I added a tad more because I LOVE vanilla)

2 eggs

1 prepared graham cracker crust

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground cloves

1 pinch ground nutmeg

frozen whipped topping

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of the batter and spread at the bottom of your crust, and set aside. Add pumpkin cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves into the remaining batter and stir together until well blended. Carefully spread over top of the batter in the crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours (perfect for making the day before). Serve with whipped topping!

Can't get enough Crock pot!

My mom made this a few weeks ago and let us have the left overs......let.me.tell.you. It was delicious!!!! Simple and easy is always a favorite of mine! Enjoy!

Teriyaki Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 boneless pork shoulder butt roast (about 3 pounds)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup teriyaki sauce divided

1/2 cup pineapple juice

3 tablespoons flour

8 whole wheat hamburger buns

1 can pineapple slices

Cut the roast in half. In a large skillet brown the roast in the oil; place in the crock pot. Add the onion, 1/2 the teriyaki sauce and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until meat is tender. Remove roast and set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour, and remaining teriyaki sauce; stir into cooking sauce. Cover and cook on high for 30-40 minutes. Shred the meat with two forks and return to slow cooker. Stir it all together. Add mixture to your buns and top with pineapple, serve and enjoy!!!!!!

Crock Pot...I think I love you!

One of my new favorite recipe websites is called Crock Pot Girls. If you haven't seen it yet...its a must have!!!! Today I tried their Easy Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe. I've been sick for the past couple of days so this comfort food was perfection!!!!! Enjoy!!!!

Easy Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

4-6 chicken breasts (I used frozen)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

half of a chopped onion

some garlic

1 can of pilsbury grand biscuits cut into quarters

3 cups of water

3 cubes of chicken bullion

Place chicken in crock pot along with everything else except the biscuits. Cook on high for 5-6 hours. Shred chicken (I always just use forks) then add biscuits. Make sure you dunk the biscuits in to cover them with the sauce. Continue cooking for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!!!

P.S. Here is the website for the crock pot girls website. http://crockpotgirls.com/

Kid tested, mother approved.

I am always up for new crock-pot recipes, especially with #5 on the way. This one in particular looked simple enough to give a try and let me tell you.......I knew very early on in the day that this was going to be a good one....I could smell the yumminess. The icing on the cake for me was that Beckett loved this stuff!!!! He popped it in his mouth faster than I could dish it out! So here it is, easy, simple, delicious and best of all, baby friendly!

Bacon Ranch Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. real bacon bits

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 pkg ranch dressing mix

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

egg noodles

Place chicken in the crock pot. Mix soup, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, garlic, and bacon bits in a bowl, then pour over chicken. Cook on high (I actually cooked on low for a tad longer) for 3-4 hours. Then shred the chicken, cook up the egg noodles (half of a large bag was plenty for us) and mix together. Enjoy!!!!

Buckeye Tea

Today I started packing away summer clothes and unpacking boxes full of fall clothes. Fall is fast approaching and at our house we couldn't be more thrilled! This pregnant mama was over all the hot sweaty summer days. Plus....living in East TN means lots and lots of beautiful fall landscapes. One of my favorite things about fall is cuddling up with a nice hot cup of buckeye tea. This is my mama's tea that she used to make for me whenever I would get sick as a teenager. I love it. To me, it is comfort in a cup! It is super easy to make and goes great with the cooler weather coming upon us.

Buckeye Tea

2 C. Tang

2 C. Sugar (you didn't think I would post one of those healthy tea recipes did you???)

1/2 C. Instant tea with lemon

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Nutmeg

I always put two spoon fulls in a mug and fill up with hot water. Serve with honey and enjoy!!!

BFF Chicken Pot Pie

I love my BFF......we've been friends for eleven years.....she knows me well and she still choses to be my friend....it's amazing. Over the past eleven years she has given me wisdom, encouragement, fellowship, and sometimes a swift kick to the pants when I need it. One of my favorite things that she has given me is a good recipe!!!!!!! Tonight my kiddos and I enjoyed her Chicken Pot Pie recipe and I thought it was so good that it needed sharing. So thank you dear BFF!!!! I love you dearly and I will always be amazed that you put up with me so well!!!

BFF Chicken Pot Pie

Crust

2 TB Butter

1 Cup Bisquick

2 TB Milk

Filling

1/4 Cup Butter

1/4 Cup Bisquick

2 TB Chopped onion

1/8 tsp Pepper

1 1/4 Cup Chicken broth

1 Cup Mixed veggies

1 1/2 Cup Chicken

Top

1/2 Cup Bisquick

1/3 Cup Milk

1 TB Butter

Mix crust and press onto the bottom of a pie plate. Back at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Meanwhile melt your butter in a pan and stir in the onion and pepper. Cook until bubbly. Add the chicken broth and veggies Heat to a boil, and after a minute add chicken and bisquick. Stir up well. Pour into your pie plate. Mix up your crust then pour on top. Bake for 25 minutes and enjoy!!!

A Family Fav: Poppyseed Chicken!!!!

I just had to share.....this recipe has been a family favorite of ours ever since......well ever since we became a family! I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and I am forever thankful!!!!!!

Poppyseed Chicken

8-10 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

8oz sour cream

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

2 cups of ritz crackers crushed (I always just use one sleeve)

3Tbs poppyseeds

1 1/2 sticks of butter melted

Boil the chicken cubes until tender. Place in a buttered 9 by 13 pan. Mix soup and sour cream together. Pour over chicken and spread evenly. Mix crushed crackers and poppyseeds. Pour over entire casserole covering the top. Melt butter and pour evenly over casserole. Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes. Done!!!! See wasn't that easy!??!?! Enjoy Y'all!!!!

Totally Yum!!!!!!

I have set a goal of trying a new recipe every week. Of course the recipe needs to meet a certain standard before I give it the ok......must be inexpensive.....must have ingredients I can actually pronounce.....must be fairly simple......and must be relatively quick to make. I am always pleased when the new recipe turns out good......and simply tickled when it turns out to be totally yum!!! So to my faithful blog followers (all 3 of you...) I would like to introduce you to my new favorite recipe!!!!!

Chicken and Rosemary Pizza

2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

2 C. cooked chicken, chopped

1 C. red onion sliced

1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs fresh rosemary chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Tube of pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough

In a bowl, toss together 1 1/2 cup cheese and remaining ingredients (except for pizza dough) . Roll out pizza dough onto lightly greased baking sheet. Top with chicken mixture, then top with remaining cheese. Bake according to pizza dough instructions.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Miracles do happen.........learning to love veggies!!!

I've never been known as a heathly eater..........loud, yes.....gullible, yes....healthy eater...no. I love to eat breads, sugars, carbs, almost anything but vegetables. My favorite veggie has always been the waffle fries at Chic-fil-a. So when I found myself snaking on broccoli and asparagus this week, I knew a miracle had taken place!! One of the perks of going to a church with lots and lots of amazing women who love to cook is that I have added a few fabulous recipes to my cookbooks. Here are a few that have proved to be life changing......

Oven roasted Broccoli

(Even our picky eater loves this recipe!)

Bunch of broccoli

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Pressed garlic

1) Wash and cut the broccoli into small pieces with long stems

2) Toss broccoli in a large bowl with olive oil, salt and garlic

3) Spread broccoli out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet

4) Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes until tender and slightly browned

5) Serve

Baked Carrots

6 Large carrots- I use baby carrots and cut them fairly small

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1) Cut each carrot into 2 inch long sections

2) Cut each section into thick sticks

3) In a large bowl toss carrots with olive oil and salt

4) Spread out carrots on a parchment paper baking sheet

5) Bake at 425 degrees for 18-22 minutes

6) Serve

Oven Roasted Asparagus

One bunch of asparagus

4 to 5 Tablespoons of olive oil

Sea salt

Pepper

1) Wash asparagus and cut off about an inch of the bottom

2) Lay asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and pat dry

3) Drizzle with olive oil

4) Top with salt and pepper as you desire

5) Bake at 425 degrees for about ten minutes

6) Serve

Comfort food at its best!

One of my favorite things to eat is my mamma's potato soup. It's so yummy and simple that I wanted to share it with the world! For mamma's with little ones, this is super easy!

Grami's Potato Soup

1 1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cups potato chopped

1/2 cup onion chopped

1/2 tsp. dill weed

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

(shredded cheese-optional)

(bacon bits-optional)

In a saucepan combine chicken broth, onion, potato, and dill weed and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potato chunks are tender (you can blend if you choose....I like mine chunky). Set aside. In a separate sauce pan melt butter. Take off heat and blend flour, salt, pepper and milk. Return to heat, stirring, until thick and bubbly. Stir into first mixture, heat and serve. We sprinkle cheese and bacon bits on the top and typically eat this soup with butter ham rolls. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!!