Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe

Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
2. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
4. Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
6. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
7. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Add the salt, minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
9. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
10. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
11. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
12. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
13. Stir in parsley and serve.

 Mini Cinnamon Rolls Recipe 

Flatten Crescent rolls; cover with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar 

Roll into log and slice into mini rolls

Place in muffin pan; bake 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown. 

Icing: 3/4 cup powdered sugar; 1 tbsp skim milk; 1 tsp maple syrup.

French Toast Bake

French Toast Bake

Ingredient Checklist

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)

1 cup brown sugar

1 loaf Texas toast
4 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Directions

1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around
3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla
4. Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan
5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
6. Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast
7. Spoon on remaining egg mixture
8. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
9. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar
11. Serve with warm maple syrup (I don't do the syrup part)

- Crack eggs & get them started (on low)

- Melt butter in microwave
- Add brown sugar & stir together

- Pour mixture into 9 x 13 pan
- Spread evenly to cover bottom of pan

- Add milk & vanilla to egg mixture

- Spread even layer of Texas Toast on butter/sugar layer

- After you have 1 even layer, ladle on 1/2 of egg mixture

- Spread second layer of Texas Toast

- Ladle second half of egg mixture

- Refrigerate overnight

- Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar
- Top should be crusty, middle should be soft & moist, & bottom is just glorious!

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Jalapeno Bites

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese Jalapeno Bites

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay
• Pinch of Salt
• 12 Jalapenos, halved & seeded
• 24 – six inch pieces of bacon, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine cream cheese and spices in small bowl.  Spoon mixture into each pepper half, until level.  Wrap each in bacon, and place on baking sheet.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Remove and enjoy!

Gooey Potatoes

Gooey Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 (2lb) bag of frozen cubed hash browns (I have used shredded too. It's just personal preference.)

2 cups sour cream

2 cups shredded sharp cheese, + ½ cup for topping

2 cans cream of chicken soup

Small bunch of green onions, sliced

Corn flakes

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix sour cream, 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, and green onions in a large bowl.

Add the hash browns and mix together thoroughly.

Mix the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese with 2 cups of corn flakes which have been lightly crushed. Reserve for later.

Cover and bake potatoes at 350⁰ for 30-35 minutes. (*I cook mine a little longer just to make sure they are done. There is nothing worse than crunchy potatoes. ) Cover top with corn flake/cheese mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are bubbling and top has browned.

(Source)

Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and soda. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour batter into two greased 9x5 inch pans.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

(Source)

Easy Breakfast Braid

Easy Breakfast Braid

Ingredients:

• 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
• 1 Tbsp.  olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 4 oz. spicy chicken sausage (or other sausage), chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped seeded jalapeño peppers
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Method:

Preheat oven to 425°.

Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sausage; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in eggs; cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until set (while continuing to stir). Remove from heat.

Sprinkle Monterey Jack lengthwise down center of dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on each side. Spoon egg mixture evenly over cheese. Sprinkle cheddar over egg mixture; top with jalapeño peppers.

Make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling using a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Arrange strips over filling, alternating strips diagonally over filling. Press ends under to seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

(Source)

Croissant Breakfast Ring

Croissant Breakfast Ring

1 can of crescents 8count 
5 large eggs 
1 cup of shredded Colby and monterey jack cheese 
8 slices of fully cooked bacon 


Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.  Scramble your eggs on stove top.  Lay out crescents
on a parchment lined pizza pan in a star formation.
Add your cooked bacon.
Add about 1/3 of your cheese. 

Add your eggs and a third more of the cheese.

Fold crescents over.

Add  the rest of your cheese to the top and bake for 17 minutes or until crescents are done
and golden brown.

(Click Here for PIcs and more instructions)

Bacon Wrapped Smokies with Brown Sugar and Butter

Bacon Wrapped Smokies with Brown Sugar and Butter

• 1 pound Bacon, Cut Into Thirds
• 1 pound Smokies
• 1 stick Butter
• 2 cups Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut the bacon into thirds and wrap each smokie. Place all the wrapped smokies in a single layer in a baking dish. Then melt the stick of butter and then 1 cup of brown sugar and stir until mixed well. Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture on the smokies and bacon. Then take the other cup of brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the smokies. Bake them for about 15-20 minutes and then turn the heat up to 400F for about 5 minutes or longer until the bacon becomes crispy.

Rainbow Cupcakes

Just found this amazing recipe for Rainbow Cupcakes and I can not wait to make them this weekend!

(Click Here For The Recipe and Photo Instructions)

Homemade Ice Coffee

Homemade Ice Coffee

First...
You have to make your coffee concentrate.
(This is the only part of the process that takes some time)
Don't worry,  the gallon of coffee concentrate you end up with will make enough to last you for a month in the fridge!

You do NOT want to brew a normal pot of coffee for your iced coffee.
You want to cold-brew it.
This leaves you with a smooth, acid-free coffee base that we all love for a refreshing cold drink.

Iced Coffee Concentrate.  

Ingredients-

• 1 gallon water (I buy a gallon of drinking water)
• 1 lb bag of your favorite rich coffee (course ground if ya can get it)
• Coffee filters or several layers of cheesecloth
• a fine mesh strainer.
• a large bowl
• pitcher (big enough to hold a gallon)

Directions-

1. Pour gallon of water into your large bowl.
2. Dump the entire bag of coffee into the water/bowl.
3. Stir to make sure all grounds are saturated with water.
4. Walk away, for 12 hours or overnight.
5. line a mesh strainer with a coffee filter or several layers of cheese-cloth, set the strainer on top of your pitcher.
6. Pour (or ladle) your coffee mixture into the strainer. (this part takes awhile...  I often had to walk away while it filtered into the pitcher)   If using coffee filters, you might have to replace them several times during the filtering process.
7. Once all the coffee concentrate has been filtered, stick it in the fridge (it will last for a month!)

Sweet Cream

Ingredients-

• 1, 12oz can of evaporated milk
• 1, 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Mix both cans together and refrigerate

Now to make the coffee:

Grab your favorite glass and fill it to the top with ice.

 Pour iced coffee concentrate into your glass, filling it a little more than half-full.

Add Sweet Cream into the coffee/ice glass until full (or to taste)

 Stir to combine.

You can also add a shot of chocolate syrup to make it an Iced Mocha!

Cream Cheese Filled Snickerdoodles

Cream Cheese Filled Snickerdoodles

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup room temp butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• Filling
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla

1. Make the cream cheese filling by mixing the cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. I used my hand mixer for this.
2. Cover the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400°
4. Cream butter and 1 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy.
5. Add eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until combined.
6. On low speed mix in your flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set dough to the side.
7. In a small bowl combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon, set that aside as well.
8. Remove the cream cheese mixture from the refrigerator.
9. For each cookie you will need 2 flattened balls of dough, 1 Tbsp each. (The flattened disk will be approx 2″ in diameter)
10. Place 1 tsp of the cream cheese mixture on top of one of the flattened dough disks. Then place the other flattened dough on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together to seal.
11. Carefully form into a ball and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a plate as you finish making each and refrigerate. Before baking the cookies they should chill for 15 minutes.
12. When the dough is chilled bake on a parchment lined baking sheet 2″ apart for 8 minutes.
13. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Makes approx 24 cookies 

Peanut Butter Ball

Peanut Butter Ball

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar 
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (not all-natural) 
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
Graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, and/or apple slices for dipping

Directions:
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until blended. 

Spoon onto a large piece of plastic wrap; bring up all four corners and twist tightly forming into a ball shape.

Freeze for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm enough to keep its shape. Place peanut butter and chocolate chips in flat dish. Remove plastic wrap from ball and roll ball into morsels to completely cover, pressing morsels into the ball if necessary.

Place ball on serving dish; cover and freeze for 2 hours or until almost firm. (Can be made ahead. If frozen overnight, thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.) Serve with graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, or apple slices for dipping or spreading.