Strawberry Cobbler

Hey everyone!

Happy Tuesday! Today, with windchill, is -40 degrees outside. Yesterday there was no school, but I am convinced it would have been closed anyways. Today, school is 2 hours late. Just crazy cold out there the past few days! So...to help warm up our bellies, I decided to make a warm desert. Turned out so super nummy that I thought I would share with you all!!! Hope you enjoy, and if you decide to adapt it to fit your own pallet, please share as I'm always interested in tasting new ventures!!! 
Strawberry Cobbler

1 stick of butter, melted

1 Egg

1 c. Sugar

1 c. Milk

1 c. Flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

3 lbs. Strawberries {Fresh or Frozen, tops off}

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Poor melted butter into 9x13" glass baking dish
3. In a stand mixer, lightly beat egg, add sugar, add flour, baking powder, salt, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth {about 3 min}.
4. Poor into baking dish, do not stir!
5. Top with strawberries.
6. Bake for 45 min. Serve hot with icecream!!!

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham Soup

Hey everyone! Happy Monday!

Just wanted to quickly share with you a recipe I created for leftover holiday ham! It was a definite hit in my house, so hopefully you like it as well! Hope you all have a great day!

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Soup

2-3 c. Cooked Ham, Roughly chopped
4 c. Potatoes, cubed
1 Tlb. Garlic, Minced
3 c. Chicken Stalk
5 Tlb. Butter
5 Tlb. Flour
1 Red Onion, Chopped
3 Celery Stalks, Chopped
2 c. Milk
2 c. Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
S&P To Taste

1. In a roasting pan, boil potatoes & celery in chicken stalk.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a pan over med-high heat, add flour and whisk together to form a paste and cook 2 min. Slowly whisk in milk until thick and creamy. Cook 5 min, stirring occasionally. Add cheddar cheese and stir until smooth and everything is melted.
3. Once potatoes are at a boil, reduce heat and add milk & cheese mixture. Add ham and cook all at a medium heat for 20 min.
4. Serve & enjoy!!!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Pork Chops & Sweet Potato Puree

Hey everyone! Happy Monday!!!

This past weekend just flew by! Who else thought so? We were able to enjoy some of the last nice days of the fall before winter hits. Watch the Vikings lose to a team they should have easily beat and I got to join some of my girlfriends for brunch! We had wonderful food and conversations! I even tried a Mamosa, which I've never had before and a Bloody Mary, which I HAVE tried before...lol. Both were super tasty! I love brunch, but always get way too full!!!

Anyways, just wanted to share with you a recipe of Saturday nights' dinner! Hope you test it out as this puree was absolutely DIVINE  Even my hubby thought so, and he normally ins't a big fan! Hope you have a fabulous week!

Oven Roasted Pork Chops

3 Thick Cut Pork Chops
2-3 Tlb. Olive Oil
S&P

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium/high heat. Wrap tin foil around handle so you can put in oven. Once the oil is heated, add seasoned pork chops and cook on both sides for 2 minutes.
3. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and remove from pan to allow to rest.

Appricot Sauce

1/2 c. Appricot Jam
1/2 Juice of Lemon
1 Tlb. Honey

1. In the same pan used for pork chops, heat over medium.
2. Add jam, lemon juice & honey.
3. Wisk together until bubbling and thickened. Pour over pork chops & puree.

Sweet Potato Puree

2 Large Sweet Potatoes, Peeled & 1" Cubed
2 Tlb. Butter
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 Tlb. Honey
2 Tlb. Maple Syrup

1. Boil Potatoes until tender.
2. Drain & Transfer to stand mixer with paddle attachment.
3. Mix potatoes for 2 minutes until creamy.

4. Add butter and continue to mix. Add Salt, mix. Add Honey, mix, Add Syrup, mix. DONE! Sweet with a touch of saltiness!!! Super yum!

Until next time...

Apple Pie & Butter Crust

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday!!!

Today I'm totally draggin', but even though I just want to curl up onto a ball and sleep the day away, sadly, that is never an option. I did this to myself and I'm just gonna have to suffer the consequences! LOL. Long story short, I stayed up way too late last night, and after work got invited to play some cards, which I decided to do because they always ask and I never take them up on the offer. Well, 2:20 in the morning and I get a call from hubby on my way home, totally worried, as he should be, wondering where I was. I was so sorry that I hadn't called him or texted him and that I left the ringer off the phone. I was a poor excuse for a wife. I've never done anything like that, but my logic was that he goes to sleep at 11 and won't even know I'm missing, so why wake him up and get him worried. Yes I know ladies and gents that are rolling your eyes, I didn't even think about anything else and I really should have. So needless to say, I wanted to get out of the dog house. I put my mind to work and came up with the perfect solution!

APPLE PIE!!! Isn't the expression "A way to a man's heart is through his stomach"? I think that is true because hubby is no longer mad at me, which I hate...and we have a warm apple pie for our bellies!!! Yeah me! LOL...Wasn't my brightest moment over the past 10 years, but allas, I am still learning! Hehehe...Anyways, I hope you find the pie recipe to your liking and can put it to good use!!! Have a wonderful day!

Apple Pie: Butter Crust
{enough for top & bottom}

2-1/2 c. Flour
1 c. Butter
1 tsp. Salt
1 Tlb. Sugar
5 Tlb. Ice Water

1. Freeze your butter for 30-45 min. When you are ready to use it, cut into cubes.
2. In a food processor, pulse together flour, salt & sugar for about 1 min.
3. Add 1 stick of butter cubed, pulse until crumbly then add the 2nd stick of butter and pulse until crumbly.
4. Add 5 Tlb. water, doesn't have to mix completely after each addition. On the 5th Tlb., wait until a ball forms and then turn off the processor. Dump out onto a lightly floured smooth surface. I use my stove for all of my needs because most things stick to other surfaces in my opinion...You don't need to kneed your dough, just divide and form into balls, wrap in plastic wrap and then put in the fridge for about 30-60 min. If you are going to save the dough for later, I would put it in a freezer bag after wrapping and then it can store for up to 3 months.
5. When ready to use, remove from the fridge 15 minutes before you need it. Use however you want!!!

Apple Pie: Filling
{Makes 1 Pie}

10 Apples, peeled & sliced
3/4 c. Brown Sugar
3/4 c. Sugar
1-1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tlb. Apple Cider
1 Egg, lightly beaten
2 Tlb. Sugar

1. Peal, de'core, & slice your apples. I buy 2 different kinds of home grown apples, 1 sweet and 1 sour, just my preference. I don't use regular eating apples for my pies.
2. In a LARGE bowl, combine apple slices, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, & apple cider, let sit while you prepare the crust.
3. Roll out 1/2 of your dough {1/4" thick} large enough for your pie plate so that it can overlap the edges. Using your rolling pin, transfer to your pie plate. Press down and to the sides, poke holes in the bottom with a fork.
4. Fill with apple pie filling.

5. For the top, use your imagination. Roll out the 2nd 1/2 of your dough and either cut into shapes, cover directly and cut wholes over the top, or design a top that is just for you. Be creative and have fun with it! That is my favorite part! Once you've got your top covered, lightly coat with egg-wash and then sprinkle with sugar. I have a sweet tooth, so I think I use 3 Tlb. of sugar...lol.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 min.

You could use this pie crust recipe for any flavor of pie, the sky is the limit!

Until Next Time...

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Hello everyone! Happy Sunday!!!

Hope you all are enjoying a beautiful weekend!

I've been hungry for soup all day. Actually, I'm always hungry for soup. There are literally thousands of soup recipes, most of which I've pinned onto it's own special board: Soups & Salads. I'm bound and determined to try them all and make them my own! LOL. Well, I don't think I will ever get that far, but no need to worry about that.

Today, while trying to figure out what to make for dinner, I saw a recipe for homemade tomato soup that Marla from Family Fresh Cooking.com had adapted from Ina Gardner {Barefoot Contessa}. It looked absolutely delish, so thought I would try my hand at making my own. It's so simple and so easy peasy. I have so many garden tomatoes I have to use up because I refuse to throw them away, so I may have to do this recipe again and just freeze it!!! Hope you enjoy the recipe and have a fabulous day!

P.S. I know my grilled cheese is a little "dark", but that is exactly how I like it, so I still kept it in the pictures! LOL...I probably should have thought of the "photo effect" when making my grilled cheese!!!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

8 Tomatoes, Quartered
5 Garlic Cloves, Whole
1 Medium Purple Onion, Sliced & Quartered
3 Tlb. Olive Oil

Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

S&P to taste
2 Chicken Bullion Cubes
1/2 c. Water
1-1/2 c. Whole Milk
Handful of Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large baking dish, place tomatoes, garlic & onions. Drizzle with Olive Oil. Sprinkle with Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt & Pepper.

3. Bake for 55 Min. Remove from heat and while cooling, remove the tomato peals. {Don't forget to remove peals so that you don't have fibrous contents in your creamy soup!!!}
4. Pour all contents into a large pot and heat over medium-medium/high heat. Add bullion cubes, water & milk and simmer at a boil for 10-15 minutes. Use an immersion blender wand or pour contents into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
5. Pour into bowls and top with your favorite topping! I love to use mine as a dip for my grilled cheese sandwiches!!!

Quick, Easy & $$ Effective Chicken Marsala

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to quickly share with you a quick, easy and cost effective recipe for Chicken Marsala...Hope you enjoy! I cleaned my plate...was sad I hadn't made more!

Chicken Marsala
{Yields 4 servings}

3 Tlb. Extra Virgin Olive Oil {I use Light}
2 Tlb. Butter
4 Chicken Breasts {I used Great Value Frozen Chicken Breasts without bones and skin, sells for $9 per bag of 8}
S&P to taste
1/2 Red onion, Thinly sliced and then Quartered
8 oz. Bella Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. Marsala Wine
2 c. Chicken Stalk
4 Tlb. Flour
3 Tlb. Carbonated Water {or you could use beer}

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease sheet pan, set aside.
2. Heat olive oil and butter over med.-high heat until just sizzling.
3. Add chicken breasts and sprinkle with S and P {I add my chicken frozen to the pan, but you can thaw your chicken, would cut down on time too}...heat each side for 5 min. until golden {frozen, or 3 min. thawed}
4. Transfer chicken to baking sheet and cook in oven for 15-20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, add onions & mushrooms & 1 Tlb. Olive Oil to the same pan as the chicken and cook until onions are nice & tender {about 3 minutes}.
6. Add Marsala wine and reduce juices in 1/2.
7. Add Chicken Stalk and reduce until juices aren't so watery.
8. In a bowl, mix together flour & water to make a "tempura" batter...{sounds weird but it literally is delish!} and add that to your pan and stir out any clumps and just until thick...
9. Serve and Enjoy!

Until next time...

Birthday Cake: Construction Zone

Hello everyone!

This week I got the privileged of creating a birthday cake for a little man turning 3...He had a construction themed party and here is the cake I created to go along with the theme!!! I'm also going to include the recipe for the cake! Hope you enjoy!







Chocolate Cake

3 sticks Butter @ Room Temp
2-1/4 c. Sugar
4 Eggs
4 tsp. Vanilla
3 c. Flour
1/2 c. Cocoa Powder
1/4 c. Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 c. Buttermilk
1 c. Hot Coffee {I use instant coffee mixed with hot water}

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare pans {I grease my pans and line them with parchment paper}
2. Mix dry ingredients together and set aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar for 3 minutes in a stand mixer using paddle attachment.
4. Add Eggs one at a time. Scrape sides down and add vanilla 1 tsp. at a time.
5. Slowly, add flour & buttermilk alternately {beginning and ending with flour}.
6. Slowly add hot coffee.
7. Pour into prepared pans and back for 25-45 minutes. {I say this because if you use a 6" pan, you bake for 25 min. If you use a 9" pan (filled with 2 c. batter), bake for 35 min. Etc...}
8. Allow to cool completely before assembling.

Chocolate Ganache

1/2 c. Heavy Cream
8 oz. Chocolate {I use Bittersweet}
4 Tlb. Butter, Cubed

1. Place chocolate into a bowl.
2. Heat Heavy Cream in a double boiler until steaming, not boiling.
3. Pour Cream over chocolate and let it sit for 30 seconds, then slowly mix until smooth.
4. Slowly add the butter and mix until smooth and creamy.
5. Use to your liking...in my case, this went between the inside layers of my cake...

Chocolate Ganache Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 c. Heavy Cream
10 oz. Chocolate {I use Bittersweet}
4 oz. Butter + 8 Tlb. Butter at Room Temp
8 oz. Cream Cheese at Room Temp
5 c. Powder Sugar
5 Tlb. Cocoa Powder

1. Using the first 3 ingredients, repeat the ganache process, allow to cool to Room Temp before adding to frosting...
2. In a stand mixer using whisk attachment, cream 8 Tlb. butter and cream cheese until pale and fluffy {5 minutes}
3. Slowly add Powdered Sugar and Cocoa Powder.
4. Once the ganache is cooled, slowly add to stand mixer, scraping sides of the bowl and mix until smooth {about 3 minutes}
5. Frost your cake!

Until next time...

Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken

Hey everyone!

I'm loving roasted Chicken lately, so thought I would share with you are quick, easy and super juicy roasted chicken!

Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken

3-4 Chicken Breast {bone in or out skin on or off, doesn't matter}

1/4 c. Olive Oil

1/3 c. White Wine

3 Tlb. Minced Garlic {or 9 cloves, minced}

1 Lemon, Juiced & Zested

2 Tlb. Fresh Dill, Chopped

S&P

Dried Oregano

3-4 Tlb Butter

1 Lemon cut into 8 wedges

1. Heat oil in pan, add garlic and cook for 1 min, don't let it burn. Add white wine and cook 5 min. on medium heat.

2. Juice & Zest a lemon into a small bowl. Add chopped dill, S&P & Dried Oregano.

3. Place chicken in a 9x13" baking dish. Pour White Wine sauce over the chicken. Top each breast with 1 Tlb. Butter. Place lemon wedges through the dish to bake along with the chicken. {I like to squeeze them over the top a bit just before adding them}

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 min.

Hope you enjoy & until next time...

Butter Dill Glazed Carrots

Hey everyone!

If you are like me, during the summer, you want to eat light by adding fresh side dishes. Nothing to me speaks more fresh than garden carrots or dill. I didn't want my carrots to have extra sugar or maple or brown sugar, so I created a recipe that would create summer carrots and still keep it simple and fresh...Makes a fabulous addition to any meal!

Butter Dill Glazed Carrots

1 lb. Carrots, tops trimmed 1"

1/4 c. Butter, Salted

1 Tlb. Fresh Dill, Chopped

S&P to Taste

1. Heat Butter in sauce pan until melted.

2. Add carrots {keep whole} and dill and saute for 5-6 minutes until tender.

3. Season with S&P to taste...

Hope you enjoy! Until Next time...

DANGER: Dark Chocolate Tort!!!

Hello everyone! Happy Monday!!!

So last week I was watching Giada at Home and saw a super easy recipe for a chocolate tort and thought to myself...hey, that looks super easy and delish! I had forgotten to write down the recipe, but remembered most of the ingredients and here's what I've come up with. Gotta put my own spin on things, but Giada is enough to inspire anyone!!!!!! I advise anyone who makes this to proceed with caution because it is EXTREMELY addicting, and EXTREMELY rich!!!

Dark Chocolate Tort with a Graham Cracker Crust

12 oz. Dark Chocolate Chips

3?4 c. Heavy Cream

1/4 c. Honey

1 Tlb. Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

1 Tlb. Orange Zest

For the Crust:

9 Graham Crackers

1/4 c. Emerald Almonds {I like the Cinnamon flavored ones}

1 Stick of Butter Cubed at Room Temp

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a spring form pan by lightly greasing the outsides and base with butter.

2. In a food processor pulse graham crackers until crumbled, then add the almonds and pulse until fine. Then add the butter & pulse until combined.

3. Pour graham cracker mixture into spring form pan and press down. Bake for 12 minutes.

4. Allow to cool completely.

5. In a saucepan, heat heavy cream, Butter & Orange Juice & Zest until just starting to boil.

6. In a medium bowl filled with 12 oz. chocolate, pour cream mixture. Let it sit for 10 seconds before you begin to stir. Once the mixture is creamy, pour over the graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Hope you enjoy & until next time...

Venison Roast & Balsamic Roasted Potatoes

Hey cuties!

Wanted to share a few quick recipes with you guys that are absolutely delish! Hope you can find a use for these and remember, if you change them up in any way, please share so that I can taste yours as well!

Venison Roast {Serves 4}: 302 Calories, 1 carb, 15 g Fat, 44 g Protein

Roasted Potatoes {Serves 4-6}: 237 Calories, 35 carbs, 10 g Fat, 4 g Protein, but if you have the potatoes do 6 servings instead of 4, you get 158 calories, 23 carbs, 12 g Fat, and 3 g Protein {I like a bigger helping of spuds}

Until Next Time...

Cake Wreck!!!

Hello everyone...

So this past weekend, I had a cake order for a rainbow birthday cake to help celebrate a little girl's 1st birthday. Everything that could go wrong with this cake, did go wrong with this cake. Fortunately for me, the customer was extremely gracious and understanding. I forgot to take a picture of the actual birthday cake {See, everything that can go wrong did go wrong! LOL} so I don't have anything of substance to show you, BUT...I can show you my 1st attempt at this cake and share with you the recipe! Even though it is a wreck, it is very tastey and I used the same recipe for round 2, so I'm sure it can be of use to at

least one person out here in cyber space!

Hope you get a laugh at my expense!

Vanilla Rainbow Layer Cake

{Adapted from Sweetopia birthday cake recipe}

Makes 6-9" thin layers or 3 thick layers

1.5 c. Whole Milk at Room Temp

7 Egg Whites at Room Temp

1 Large Egg at Room Temp

1 Tlbs Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp. Almond Extract

2-1/4 c. Sugar

3-3/4 c. All Purpose Flour {or 4 c. Cake Flour}

1-3/4 Tlbs Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

1-1/2 c. Butter at Room Temp

6 Tlbs Shortening

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare pans {I use parchment paper and baking spray to grease pans}.

2. Combine 1/2 c. Milk, Extracts, Egg Whites & Egg in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Fluff flour in stand mixer using paddle attachment for 30 sec. Add remaining dry ingredients to include sugar. Mix for 30 seconds. Add butter & Shortening. Mix for 60 sec.

4. Slowly add remaining 1 cup of milk and mix until moist {About 30 sec.}

5. Add milk mixture in batches of 3 and mix for 3 sec. {Scrap sides of bowl after each addition}

6. Pour 2 cups of batter into pan and bake for 20 min. If more time is needed, bake 2 min. longer.

Vanilla Birthday Cake Whipped Frosting

Yields 3 cups

5 Sticks of Salted Butter

5 c. Powder Sugar, more if needed

4-1/2 Tlb. Heavy Cream

1-1/2 Tlb. Vanilla Extract

1. Cream butter in a stand mixer for 8 minutes (will turn white)

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low for 30 sec. Increase speed and mix for 6 minutes.

3. Frost the layers and cake, chill in fridge for 30 min. and frost again. Decorate with remaining frosting!

*Notes* If baking a rainbow cake, pour 1 cup of batter into 6 different bowls and mix with desired food coloring. Then pour colored batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 12 min. Allow to cool completely before layering and frosting.

**You can also skip a couple steps and just do 2 colors per layer, just be sure that each color uses 1 cup of batter...

Until Next time...

Spinach & Pan Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

Hey there!

Just want to quickly post a recipe I concocted last evening...I was craving carbs and didn't have time to run through my list of recipes after Zumba & weights last night. So I came home and used some leftover spaghetti noodles I had in the fridge for my dinner...It turned out so delish {yes, I'm tooting my own horn here: beep-ba-beep-ba-beep-beep} so thought I would share it with you all! Hope you enjoy and if you make it your own, please share, always looking for new recipes!!!

Spinach & Pan Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

Serves 1

2 oz. Spaghetti {cooked}

8 cherry tomatoes

2 c. Spinach

1 Tlb. Minced Garlic

1/4 tsp. Onion Powder {I like this stuff, you don't have to use it}

Zest of 1 Lemon

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

2 Tlb. Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to Taste

2 Tlb. Grated Parmesan Cheese

~Saute tomatoes in 1 Tlb. Olive Oil. Add the Spinach and saute until wilted and tomatoes are just starting to pop.

~Add S&P, Onion Powder, Zest & Lemon Juice and let simmer for 2 min. Add remaining Olive Oil, season more if needed and then add cooked spaghetti noodles. Toss together and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, plate and top with parmesan cheese before enjoying...

Until next time...

Fajita Lettuce Boats

Hey everyone! Happy Monday!

I just wanted to quickly share with you a recipe I created for low calorie fajitas that don't lose any of the flavor!!! Totally delish and filling! I'm on a very strict calories diet and wanted Fajitas for dinner one night. But looking at the packaging, I noticed that the wraps themselves were over 250 calories for 1 serving! YIKERS, I didn't have that many calories left if I wanted to have a bag of popcorn later {priorities I tell ya! LOL}...so what I did was substituted Romaine Lettuce for my Tortilla Wraps. I went from 250 calories to 15 calories! Seriously delish!!!

Hope you enjoy!!!

Fajita Lettuce Wraps

Beef Marinade:

3 Tlb Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tlb Worcestershire Sauce

3 Tlb Soy Sauce

2 Tlb Spicy Brown Mustard

Fajitas:

15 oz. Beef Round Steak, Marinated

1 Bag 10 Minute Rice

1 Head Romaine Lettuce, Peal off the Leaves for boats

1 Red Pepper, Sliced

1 Green Pepper, Sliced

1 Red Onion, Sliced {Or onion of your choice}

1 Lime, Wedged

2 Tlb Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Mix vinegar, Worcestershire, soy sauce & mustard all together. Cut steak into thin strips and marinade in sauce for 1 hour in refrigerator.

2. Prepare vegetables, set aside, boil rice.

3. Heat oil over medium heat, add steak and cook 1 minute on each side, remove from pan. Add vegetables to the pan and cook until just wilted. Remove from pan.

4. Remove bag of rice from pot, drain and poor into bowl.

5. Add rice, steak and vegetable medley to a lettuce boat, squeeze lime wedge over tops of 3 Fajita boats, eat and enjoy. Very tasty!!! {Don't skip out on the lime, that for me was my favorite part!!!}

Serves 6 people: 270 calories and 21 g of protein per serving. {8 grams of fat and 30 carbs in case you like to know those numbers as well!!!}