Chicken Stir Fry

Prep Time: 15 min Cook time: 10 min

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 (4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup sliced celery (1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

Directions

1. Cut chicken into 1/2-in. strips; place in a resealable plastic bag. Add cornstarch and toss to coat. Combine soy sauce, ginger and garlic powder; add to bag and shake well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil; stir-fry chicken until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining oil; stir- fry broccoli, celery, carrots and onion for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add water and bouillon. Return chicken to pan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Amazing Peach Cobbler!!

I went down to Fairview this weekend and learned to can peaches with my Grandma. It was a blast!!! And I had some extra fresh peaches so I decided to try this recipe for peach cobbler. It is to die for!!!

4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches (blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds to remove the skins)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon flour

Cobbler crust:

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon brown sugar, for topping

Whipped cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Generously butter a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Place the sliced peaches in the dish and sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and flour. Mix gently and spread evenly again. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile combine all dry ingredients for cobbler crust in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers, to make the texture like coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk and stir to form a soft dough.

Remove fruit from oven and drop rounded spoonfuls of dough on top. Sprinkle with last tablespoon of brown sugar and return to oven. Bake until fruit is bubbly and crust topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream {we served with vanilla bean ice cream}.

Lamb Chops with Balsamic Reduction and Rosemary Baked Potato Wedges

I wanted to try something a little more fancy the other night and found this great lamb recipe and a little something to go with it. It really wasn't that difficult and looked beautiful on the plate. The name makes it sound a lot more complicated than it is, so give it a try!

Lamb Chops with Balsamic Reduction

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

3/4 tsp dried rosemary

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

4 lamb chops (3/4 inch thick)

1 Tbs olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar (I just used regular balsamic vinegar that I already had, I honestly don't know the difference between that and "aged" except that the latter is obviously older)

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 Tbs butter

Directions:

1. In a small bowl or cup, mix together rosemary, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub this mixture onto the lamb chops on both sides. Place them on a plate, cover and set aside for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place lamb chops in the skillet, and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes per side for medium rare, or continue to cook to your desired doneness. Remove from the skillet and keep warm on a serving platter.

3. Add shallots to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, just until browned. Stir in vinegar, scraping any bits of lamb from the bottom of the skillet, then stir in the chicken broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half. If you don't, the sauce will be runny and not good. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter.

4. Place lamb chops on a bed of baby spinach leaves and pour reduction over them. Serve immediately.

Rosemary Baked Potato Wedges

Serves 4

Prep time: 35 min Cook time: 45 min

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

1 1/4 pounds Yukon God potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges

3 Tbs and 1 tsp flour

3 Tbs and 1/2 tsp bread crumbs

1 1/2 tsp rosemary

3/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Prepare one cookie sheet with cooking spray.

2. Stir together the olive oil and melted butter. Place the potato wedges in a large bowl; pour the butter mixture over the potatoes; toss to coat. Mix together the flour, bread crumbs, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt; add to the potatoes and stir. Spread the potato wedges in a single layer on the baking sheet.

3. Bake in the preheated over until browned, about 40 minutes.

Butternut Squash Bake

Butternut Squash Bake

Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 35 min

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 (4 pound) butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed (if I ever made this recipe again I would just buy squash already peeled, seeded, and cubed because that part alone almost doubled the time needed for this recipe.)

1/3 cup yellow onion, minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 Tbs minced fresh thyme

8 ounces crumbled blue cheese

sea salt and ground black pepper to taste (or you can use just regular salt and pepper. No need to get fancy)

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 425 F.

2. Toss the squash, onion, olive oil, 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, thyme, and blue cheese in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a large baking dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup bread crumbs over the mixture.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on top, 35-40 minutes.

Pizza from Scratch!

Pizza Crust

Prep Time: 30 min Cook time: 20 min Ready in: 1 hr 50 min

Serves 15

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 tsp salt

2 Tbs olive oil

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.

3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well-floured surface and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double (about 1 hour). Punch down the dough and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out.

4. Preheat oven to 425 F. Roll out dough onto a cookie sheet and let rise 15 more minutes. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Top with sauce (recipe below) and top with desired ingredients (we used romano and mozzerella cheese, pepperoni and sausage. YUM!).

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tsp sugar

1 16 oz can tomato sauce

1 3 oz can tomato paste

2 Tbs olive oil

Directions:

Saute garlic in olive oil until lightly brown. Add all other ingredients. Stir and heat until sauce comes to a boil. Cool and use.

Pineapple Chicken

This is one of our favorite recipes! It's also one of the easiest.

Pineapple Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 frozen chicken breasts

20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

Place chicken in crockpot.

Mix pineapple, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes.

Pour mixture over chicken.

Cook on low 4-6 hours, on high 3-4 hours.

Serve over rice.

See how easy!!! :)

Taco Soup

Taco soup is one of the easiest and yummiest things ever! One of our favorite meals for sure!

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can corn

Fritos

Mexican Blend cheese

Sour Cream

Directions:

Cook meat until no longer pink. Combine meat, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, kidney beans, and corn in a large pot. Stir in taco seasoning. Cook over medium heat until hot. Serve with Fritos, cheese, and sour cream

Preview

Here are some recipes that are forthcoming! Love me some delicious food!

Butternut Squash Bake

Sausage/Pepperoni Pizza (with homemade crust and sauce)

Pineapple Chicken

Honey-Crusted Chicken (courtesy of Larissa Terry, my cousin)

Taco Soup

Get excited!!!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Time

Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 25 min

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 cup hickory flavored barbeque sauce

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust

1 cup mozerella cheese

1/2 cup romano cheese

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

4-5 slices bacon, cooked and cut up

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 F. In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine chicken, barbeque sauce, honey, molasses, brown sugar and cilantro. Bring to a boil.

2) Spread chicken mixture evenly over pizza crust and top with cheese, onions, and bacon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

Okay, so this isn't the healthiest soup you'll ever eat, but it sure tastes good!

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana
Time

Prep: 20 min Cook: 3-4 hours

Serves: A lot!!! This will almost fill a pretty big crockpot.

Ingredients:

3 cans (14oz) Chicken Broth

2 cups whipping cream

red pepper flakes (to taste)

salt and pepper (to taste)

1 small onion, diced, sauteed

1/2 pkg. bacon (cooked and crumbled)

4-5 cups chopped kale

3 to 4 potatoes scrubbed and cut into slices or small chunks (skins left on)

1 lb Johnsonville mild Italian sausage (shaped into small rounds, browned, and put on paper towels to de-grease... or if you are in a rush, just brown the sausage like you would ground beef).

Directions:

Put everything except for potatoes together in a large crockpot and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. Add potatoes the last 40-60 minutes (if you add them too soon they will get soggy).

Honey-Whole Wheat Bread

So I've been really into baking bread lately. I think I'll stop buying it at the store. This bread is way better!

Honey-Whole Wheat Bread

Time:

Prep: 35 Min Rise: 1 hr 50 min Bake 45 min

Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup shortening

3 teaspoons salt

2 package regular or quick active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp.)

2 1/4 cups very warm water

3-4 cups all purpose or bread flour

Butter or margarine

Directions:

1) In a large bowl, beat whole wheat flour, honey, shortening, salt and yeast with electric mixer on low speed until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough all purpose flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough east to handle.

2) Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes (adding more flour as necessary) or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening or olive oil. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 - 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

3) Grease bottoms and sides or two 8x4-inch or 9x5-inch loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.

4) Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18x9-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35 - 50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

5) Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 375 F.

6) Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.