Bites with Brandi

Sundays, PS and DQ

2011-03-27T19:27:00.006-04:00

Don't you just LOVE Sundays??! I know I do! What better way to spend your day than worshiping the Lord and spending time with your family! After church today, my two favorite boys and I headed to Penn Station for lunch. LOVE this place! If you have never heard of or been to a Penn Station, here is a little taste of what you are missing:

Hot grilled sandwiches....fresh-cut french fries....fresh-squeezed lemonade....fresh-baked chocolate chunk cookies...do you see a recurring theme here? FRESH!! This is not your average sub sandwich place. All I have to say is the bread....ohhhh, the bread!! The authentic hearth-baked bread is SO fresh and soft and chewy. It is definitely what makes the sandwich!

Another thing I love about PS is that the grill cooks prepare your sandwich right in front of you -- on the huge grill behind the counter using fresh meats, veggies, and cheeses. My two favorite subs are the Chicken Cordon Bleu and the Philly Cheesesteak (what they are known for). I have tried almost all of them, and LOVE the ones I have tried, but these rank at the top of my list. :) Thank you, Jeff Osterfeld, for your vision and for developing Penn Station!!

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The DQ part of this post is just to let you know that I also enjoyed a Strawberry Cheesequake blizzard from Dairy Queen after our amazing "family" lunch. YUM! The only negative thing I can say is that there was only a hint of strawberry (usually they are full of the strawberry topping -- this blizzard wasn't even pink!)...though I can follow that up with a positive -- there was cheesecake throughout the entire blizzard, even to the bottom. :)

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One last thing. This will be my last post for a few weeks. I am having baby boy #2 this Thursday (c-section)!! WooHoo!! I appreciate your prayers for us as our lives are about to change over the next few weeks. We are so blessed and excited! I will miss my bloggy friends, though. Hopefully I will be back up and posting soon. See you in a few weeks!

And the winner of the Progresso Soup-er You Giveaway is.......

2011-03-18T16:56:00.002-04:00

#4 -- Snowpuff!

Congratulations, Snowpuff! I will be sending you an email soon to get your info to submit to MyBlogSpark so you can receive your prize package. :)

Thank you to all who entered this giveaway! Be on the lookout for more fun giveaways in the near future! :)

Progresso Soup-er You Giveaway!!

2011-03-12T21:26:00.007-05:00

I love Progresso Soups. There is just something about a can of chunky, hearty, tasty, full of veggies and other goodies, soup that does not have to be mixed with water. Just imagine my excitement to find out that Progresso makes several soups that are 100 calories or less! Also, these "Light" soups contain a Weight Watchers point value on the can, which is so helpful for those of us who are or plan to be on the WW diet plan. Yay!

Recently, MyBlogSpark and Progresso sent me a package in the mail that contained several goodies, including several cans of the Progresso new Light soups in different flavors. I have not tried all of them yet, but from those I have tried I love them all! One of my very favorites is the Zesty Santa Fe Style Chicken with only 2 WW points per serving. It.Is.Delicious! It contains corn, rice, black beans, chicken, and other goodies and has just the right amount of spice. One of the flavors I cannot wait to try is the New England Clam Chowder.

I have not started my weight management plan as of yet (due to being pregnant), but once I have my little boy (only 3 weeks left! Woohoo!) I plan to start a weight management plan to get rid of these extra pounds I have put on from the pregnancy as well as a few more. I plan on joining Weight Watchers again, and these soups will be perfect to add into my diet - especially since they have the WW points value right on the can.

What about you? Do you currently have a weight management plan? Do you plan on "getting in shape" once Spring arrives? Why wait - start now with Progresso Light soups! I promise you that you will not be disappointed. Even better, why not try and win a Progresso package for yourself so you can try the soups for free?

MyBlogSpark and Progresso have graciously allowed me to have a giveaway on this blog for one of their Progresso Souper You packages. Here is what you will get:

All you have to do to be entered to win this awesome package (complete with yoga mat, aerobic bands, water bottle, arm bands, soups, etc.) is to leave a comment telling me either: A) What flavor of Progresso Light soups you would most love to try or B) How you would incorporate Progresso Light soups into your weight management/healthy living plan. Good luck! (Giveaway will end on Wednesday, March 16 and winner will be announced shortly thereafter).

Cake Mix Cookies

2011-03-03T19:59:00.004-05:00

I have been posting a lot of "sweet" recipes lately, so why stop? :) Just last week, a dear friend of mine blessed us with a crib and an entire nursery theme (complete with curtains and everything)! She wouldn't take anything for them, so I decided to put on my apron and bake up some goodies for her and her family. I decided on this pumpkin bread for her and her hubs, and wanted to make some kind of cookies for the girls.

I had a couple of cake mixes in my pantry - one dark chocolate and one basic yellow. I had heard of cake mixes being used to make cookies, so I started browsing the net to find a recipe. I found this recipe on Betty Crocker's website, but decided to use the dark chocolate mix instead of the yellow. What kid doesn't like "double chocolate" cookies?? :) Here is the recipe:

Mix Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix (I used Pillsbury Dark Chocolate - shhh! don't tell!)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I omitted these)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 if using a dark or nonstick cookie sheet). In large bowl, beat cake mix, butter, vanilla, and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, or mix with spoon. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop dough by slightly less than tablespoonsful 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be soft). Cool 1 minute, remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Enjoy! Makes 42 cookies (according to recipe).

(Photo from bettycrocker.com.)

My Latest Love........

2011-02-24T14:09:00.003-05:00

Pillsbury Sweet Moments - Chocolate Caramel Brownie Bites

YUM.

Yes, you can have your "PIE" and eat it too!

2011-02-18T20:42:00.004-05:00

O'Charley's Ooey Gooey Caramel Pie. Enough said. I could eat the EnTiRe piece....hey, maybe even two! But this piece of pie is usually rather large, and I just cannot "hold it" after indulging in my dinner entree'. I LOVE O'Charley's and AlWaYs get the same thing: salad with their signature honey mustard dressing, bowl of "overloaded" potato soup, and the famous chicken tenders. Oh, and I snag a couple of their yummy yeast rolls, too. So after all of that, who in the world has any room for dessert? I guess I should have it as my appetizer. :)

But wait! I have found a way to incorporate this dessert into my dinner! Check it out:

This O'Charley's famous "Ooey Gooey Caramel Pie".....

....has produced offspring!!

Now don't let your eyes be fooled. This pie only produced ONE offspring (the one on the far left), but it's close relatives Brownie-Lover's Brownie and Cinnamon Sugar Donuts have AlSo produced offspring! You can have this amazing trio for dessert (if you have room), or you can choose one of these minis to accompany your dinner (which is what I did). The mini caramel pie was the perfect size/compliment to an already delicious and filling dinner. And the best part? It was a mere $1.99. Y.U.M.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T20:19:00.004-05:00

I hope each of you have had a wonderful, blessed day full of LOVE today! I cooked dinner for my two valentines, nothing special - grilled chicken, baked potatoes, sweet corn, and cornbread muffins (in V-day cupcake liners for that special touch!) - and a cake for dessert. Now I did make the cake extra special -- a 2-layer white cake with chocolate frosting in the shape of a heart. :)

My husband gave me my Valentine's Day gift last week so I could enjoy it. I had to start a 3-day special diet today because I have to take the dreaded 3-hour glucose screening on Thursday (for my pregnancy). Yuck. So I was very happy to get to enjoy my present early! Here is what he got me:

And yes, they are all gone! I had a little help from hubby and my little fella, but enjoyed quite a few myself. Hey, it's fruit which in my book means it's healthy! :)

What did your sweetie get you for Valentine's Day (or what did you get your sweetie)?

McAlister's Deli = YUM!

2011-02-04T22:17:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite deli places to eat here in the 'ville is McAlister's. This restaurant not only has sandwiches, soups, and other "deli" favorites, they also have salads, Spuds, nachos, chili, pot roast, desserts, and their McAlister's Famous Sweet Tea!

Tonight, my hubby and I and our little man ventured to McAlister's Deli for dinner. My "little guy" slept the entire time (he hasn't been feeling well), which meant Mommy got to enjoy a "hot meal" with Daddy for once! Oh the little things in life. :)

This particular McAlister's is fairly new and one we have not been to before. The food was hot and a little better than the food at the McAlister's we usually frequent, yet the people were not as nice/friendly as those at the other establishment. The workers at the other establishment go above and beyond what they are supposed to - stopping by to refill your drinks, checking on you every so often, greeting you with a smile and chit-chat. Oh well, we still had a good experience overall. :)

Hubby had the McAlister's Club -- smoked turkey, hickory ham, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar, swiss, lettuce and tomatoes with signature McAlister's Honey Mustard and lite mayo on toasted, sliced white bread -- with Baked Lays and a Diet Dr. Pepper.

I had the Choose Any Two combo -- 1/2 sandwich and a bowl of soup. I had the Broccoli Cheddar soup and 1/2 of a Horseradish Roast Beef and Cheddar panini with a big ole glass of sweet tea. And then......I had a piece of their "oh my gosh this is to die for" cheesecake. It.Was.Devine. That was truly one of the best pieces of cheesecake I have ever eaten! (And no, I'm not just saying that because I am pregnant and was craving cheesecake!).

Needless to say, we had a great time tonight. I just love getting to have a nice dinner with my family (even if a certain toddler does sleep through the entire meal!).

Easy Skillet Pasta

2011-01-20T21:08:00.005-05:00

I was struggling with what to make for dinner tonight. I have cooked every night for the past two weeks and was running out of ideas! There is only so much you can do with a pound of hamburger or some chicken tenderloins, right? Plus, my hubby has started a strict diet and I am trying to eat healthier. So, I ventured to the WWW and checked out the Kraft website. I typed in some ingredients I had on-hand (hamburger, spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese) and a few seconds later I had a huge list of recipes that included those ingredients. How awesome is that?!!

I decided on a super easy "skillet pasta" that only took 30 minutes total to make. Here is the recipe from the Kraft website. I changed mine just a little, so here is my version:

Easy Skillet Pasta

2 cups tri-colored rotini pasta, uncooked
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 slices Kraft Singles cheese, quartered
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta until tender, drain and set aside. Brown hamburger in a skillet, drain. Stir in minced garlic, oregano, and spaghetti sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Add Kraft singles and stir until melted in. Add pasta. Stir until pasta is coated. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.

I basically just omitted the peppers and some of the garlic, and changed a few of the steps. This was SO delicious! My hubby said it tasted like lazagna. Score! And, it was only 6 WW points per (1 1/3 cup) serving. I'm looking forward to having this again tomorrow! YUM!

Rich, Chocolatey, and only 3 points a serving!

2011-01-17T21:49:00.001-05:00

I think I may make this tomorrow. Yum!!

The perfect compliment to Santa Fe Soup (or any soup/stew)

2011-01-13T13:54:00.003-05:00

I posted this recipe a couple of days ago. If you like soups/stews, you will LOVE it! Today I have a recipe that would go perfect with the Santa Fe Soup, or any other type of soup or stew, for that matter. Actually, it would be great just by itself! Here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy!

Sausage Cornbread Bake

1 lb. pork sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk self-rising cornmeal mix
1 can cream style corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 10-inch oven-proof skillet. In a medium skillet, brown the sausage and onion, drain well. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cornmeal mix, creamstyle corn, sour cream, oil, and milk. Pour half of cornmeal mixture into 10-inch skillet. Sprinkle with sausage mixture and shredded cheddar cheese. Pour remaining batter over top. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes about 8 servings. Enjoy!!

One of the best things since sliced bread!

2011-01-12T20:58:00.003-05:00

Last year, my mother-in-law bought me one of these either for my birthday or for Christmas (I cannot remember which!) and I.Love.It. In fact, I don't think I will ever go back to my old way. You can make so many things in this -- and even "individualize" them! It is so convenient. You can make cornbread in this, rice krispy treats, brownies, cheesecake, individual granola bars, and even ice cream bars! The possibilities are endless!

Another thing I like about this is that it doesn't take up a lot of space, it is dishwasher safe, and it is non-stick (although I still spray it with non-stick cooking spray, just in case). I have used it so many times so far and am very pleased with the results. Okay, are you ready to find out what my favorite "thing" is??

Ta-dah!!

When it's freezing outside and you need something to warm your tummy.....make this!!

2011-01-11T21:28:00.002-05:00

This is one of my FaVoRiTe soups, especially on a cold, snowy day. It is very filling, and pretty spicy. Pair it with some cornbread and you will be in comfort food heaven! :)

Santa Fe Soup

1.5-2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans white shoepeg corn
1 can Ro*tel tomatoes
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 cup water

Brown ground beef, drain. Add onions. Cook for a few minutes or until onions become translucent. Pour into crockpot along with other ingredients. Stir well. Cook on High for 2 hours, then on Low for at least an hour or longer. Enjoy!!

*This is great paired with cornbread or corn chips or tortilla chips.

Mashed Potatoes = Blah...

2011-01-10T20:38:00.005-05:00

I LOVE potatoes! I love them any way you can cook them. One of my favorite potato dishes is a cheesy potato casserole. It is super easy to make and soooo good. However, tonight was the first time I have made it for my family.....weird, huh? Especially since potatoes are one of the only veggies my husband will eat. I have been trying some new ways to make potatoes other than the traditional "mashed". I am just so tired of having "mashed" potatoes for dinner all of the time. Even my little man won't hardly eat them anymore!!

For the cheesy potato casserole, you can shred up fresh potatoes or you can buy the frozen shredded hash-brown type. I took the easy way out and bought the frozen kind. Hey, easy and convenient are my two favorite words when it comes to cooking! I hope you enjoy this casserole as much as we did. :)

Cheesy Potato Casserole

1 bag frozen hash brown (shredded) potatoes
3/4 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 T. onion flakes (or you could use 2 T. finely chopped onions)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I actually used colby-jack because it was what I had on-hand)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a 11x7 baking dish (or 9x13) and bake for 15 minutes. Remove an sprinkle with corn flake topping. Return to oven and bake for 30 more minutes.

Topping

2 cups crushed Corn Flakes cereal
3 T. butter, melted

Mix together and sprinkle on top of potato mixture.

**I paired this with honey mustard grilled chicken and green beans. YUMMY!! Would also go great with any pork dish.

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-04T20:53:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year everyone (even if it is 4 days late)!! I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's and that you are ready to make the best of 2011. I know I am! The coming year has so many new things in store....including a new addition to our family! We will be having Baby Boy #2 towards the end of March and we are so excited and blessed!

Looking back on 2010, it was really a great year. There were some challenges, some adventures, and many memories. I kind of slacked on the blog last year, so I am hoping to make up for it this year. :) I am hoping to create a new blog look, post more recipes and restaurant critiques, and have more giveaways. I do need your help, though.

What suggestions do you have for my blog? What would you like to see more of? Less of? Anything new that I should incorporate? Let me know your thoughts!!

Again, Happy New Year! May each of you be blessed in 2011!

What to make with that leftover turkey....

2010-12-27T21:35:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone (although a tad bit late)! I pray each of you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas. We got to spend Christmas with my family and are going to spend it with my in-laws this weekend. I didn't think we would get to do any traveling based on the predicted weather forecast, so I put a turkey breast in the crockpot on Christmas Eve. Well.....needless to say....we have TONS of turkey left over! We have eaten it for two meals already, had a sandwich or two, and haven't even put a dent in it. So, I got creative tonight and made a Turkey Pot Pie. Very easy, quick, and delicious! And, a good way to use up that leftover turkey. :)

Turkey Pot Pie

1 pkg. refrigerated pie crust (you can use one or both)
2 cups turkey, cut up or shredded
1 can mixed vegetables, drained
1/2 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 can green beans, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can of water (use soup can)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together turkey, veggies, and cream of chicken soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into pie plate (if using both crusts, put one crust into pie plate first). Top with pie crust and pinch all around to seal in filling. Make four slits in top of pie crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Enjoy!!

And the winner is.....

2010-12-18T21:47:00.003-05:00

The winner of the Old El Paso Family Taco Night Prize Package is.......Karin! Karin, please message me with your first and last name, address, and phone number so I can submit the info to MyBlogSpark and your package can be on its way!! Congratulations! And, thanks to all who commented on my post. Be on the lookout for more giveaways in the future!

It's Fiesta Time!!

2010-12-12T21:48:00.006-05:00

So, now that Thanksgiving is over and we are literally "stuffed"... it's time to start thinking about eating all of that delicious comfort food again for Christmas! Turkey and ham and dressing, oh my! This is my favorite time of the year, not just because of the food, but because of the cherished time I get to spend with my family and friends.

But between these two holidays that are full of yummy food and treats, we kind of need a break from the turkey and dressing. Some people feast on pizza and fast food, some revert to salads, and others live on turkey sandwiches (from the oodles of turkey they have left over!). One thing my family and I like to do is have a "Fiesta Night". This may include eating out at a local Mexican restaurant, swinging through a Taco Bell, or making Mexican food at home.

Recently, MyBlogSpark along with Old El Paso provided me with an Old El Paso "Family Taco Night" prize pack. The prize pack included a packet of Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip serving dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes, and a $10 gift card to purchase my taco fixings. I was super excited! The serving dishes are so cute, and perfect for a Fiesta Party. Plus, the $10 gift card was a great bonus! :) I ended up purchasing a couple of the Old El Paso dinner kits and a couple more packs of the Old El Paso seasoning. The dinner kits I purchased were these:

This was definitely what we needed after "stuffing" ourselves with turkey and all the fixins'. :) Actually, I guess you could even make these with leftover turkey! Ha!

What about you? Do you have a "family fiesta night"? What do you usually make? Do you have a special dip or queso recipe? Leave a comment and you could win a prize package too (thanks to Old El Paso and MyBlogSpark)! Here is what you could win:
Winners will be announced at the end of the week. Good luck!!

Easy Thanksgiving Recipes

2010-11-23T10:50:00.005-05:00

Thanksgiving is only 2 days away! Many of us will be traveling over this holiday weekend to be with friends and family, some will be cooking at home, and others will be dining out. Whatever you may be doing, I pray that your Thanksgiving Day will be blessed with an abundance of food, love, and family/friends!

Now, if you are wondering what you can make to take to your "potluck" Thanksgiving, or just need an extra dish for your table, here are a few recipes that are quick, easy, and delicious! I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does.

HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING!! :)

*Sweet Potato Casserole

*Green Bean Casserole

*Cornbread Dressing

*Pecan Pie

*Pumpkin Cake

*Pumpkin Bread

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!" --Psalm 118:1

Friendship Tea

2010-11-18T15:44:00.008-05:00

I mentioned in my previous post that I recently attended a Tea Party. It was a Ladies Tea with several of our church members. We had a great time!! We played games, ate some amazing food, and drank lots of yummy tea! There were so many kinds of tea it was hard to choose which one to taste first. From chai to mint to raspberry to darjeeling...and then there was the Friendship Tea that I made. It is basically a citrusy, spicy, sometimes bitter tea and is sometimes referred to as Wassail.

The recipe that I used for this particular Friendship Tea came from my mom. My hometown always has a Homemakers Christmas Bazaar, and since Mom is the secretary for the Extension Office there, she always has to work the bazaar. Every year she helps make the Friendship Tea and Country Ham Biscuits to sell for breakfast at the bazaar. YUM!! Those two go hand-in-hand. You just cannot have a country ham biscuit without a cup of hot Friendship Tea! :)

Okay, here is the recipe for the tea. Now I will tell you that this makes a BUNCH of tea. It is perfect for gift-giving (I made baggies to hand out to our ladies at the tea) - just put it in a little decorative container or a baggie and make it all pretty. I'm sure someone would love to have this!

Friendship Tea

2 cups instant tea
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups lemonade mix (such as Country Time)
2 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 1/2 cups Tang orange drink mix

Mix all ingredients together well. To make an individual cup of tea, you will need 2-3 tablespoons per 8 oz. of boiling water. If making a crockpot (or stovetop pot) full, you will need 2-3 cups per pot, depending on how strong you like it. You will probably have to "sample" it a couple of times to get the right depth of flavor. Just make sure to add a little at at time so as not to make it "overpowering". :) (I think mine was a little overpowering - - pretty strong and kind of bitter. Next time I will add less tea mixture and more water.)

Hope you enjoy this tea! It is perfect for a cool fall evening or cold winter night. Just curl up with your blanket (or in this day and age - a Snuggie!), a good book, and a warm cup of Friendship Tea. Mmmmmm..... :)

Mrs. Mary's Chicken Salad

2010-11-16T21:52:00.004-05:00

This is the best chicken salad you will ever eat. Period. This recipe comes from Mrs. Mary Garrett, a dear lady who passed away a few years ago. She was the mother of "Little Mary", a friend and co-worker of my Mom. Mrs. Mary made this chicken salad for my wedding (my one request!) and it is SO good! I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have/do.

Mrs. Mary's Chicken Salad

6 skinless chicken breasts
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 small red apple, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
10-12 grapes, chopped or halved
2 T. sweet pickle relish
3 T. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
Dash of Salt and Pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Boil chicken breasts for 45-60 minutes, or until done. In a large bowl, add chicken (cut into 1/2 inch pieces), eggs, celery, onion, apple, pecans, grapes, pickle relish, and mayonnaise. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with sugar and toss again. Enjoy!!

This is not only a great, flavorful salad but it is also very colorful! Especially if you use the red grapes and red apples. It is also a great salad to serve at showers, get-togethers, or Teas (I will be posting about a special Tea I attended this past weekend in the next few days). YUMMY!!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2010-11-05T10:03:00.003-04:00

If you are one of my blog readers, by now you should know that I am all about easy, simple recipes. Just call me semi-homemade. :) Here is another one of my super easy recipes. Actually, it's not even a recipe, just something "extra special" for breakfast. :)

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Pancake Mix
Water
Chocolate Chips

Mix pancake mix with water until you achieve the desired consistency. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour onto hot griddle or skillet. Lightly brown one side, then flip and brown other side. Enjoy!!

Now how super-easy was that? Haha, I know, I know. This was one of those "I cannot believe she posted this" posts. Well, I did. And let me tell you, these pancakes taste just like a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie! How can you resist that for breakfast??! :)

Eat Mor Chikin ....

2010-10-30T21:02:00.010-04:00

Have I ever told you that I LOVE Chick-Fil-A? Not only is it one of the greatest fast food restaurants around, has the best chicken sandwiches ever, and is very affordable....it is also Christian-owned and operated. For this reason, the restaurant is not open on Sundays, which I totally respect (although I do get CFA cravings on Sundays quite a bit and am a little disappointed....but Iget over my disappointment and go on Monday!). You can read about the Chick-Fil-A story here.

Today my husband, little man, me, and a couple of our close friends had a fun day at Joe Huber's Farm. The kids got to play on the slide, climb up in the barn, and pet/feed baby goats. Afterwards, we headed to CFA for lunch. Now I usually get the #1 combo which is a CFA chicken sandwich, waffle fries, and a drink. But lately, I have had a hankering for the Chick-n-Strips Salad.

The Chik-n-Strips Salad includes 3 chicken strips on top of a bed of iceberg/romaine, shredded carrots, broccoli florets, shredded red cabbage, cherry tomatoes, and shredded colby jack cheese. You also get a little bag of honey roasted sunflower kernels and buttery garlic croutons. My favorite dressing for the salad is the fat-free honey mustard. Picture this salad (their Char-grilled salad) with breaded chicken strips. SO yummy!! Chick-Fil-A has a huge menu, and it keeps growing every day! They even have a breakfast menu now. You can check out their menu here. Some more of my faves are the cheesecake, brownie, milkshakes, and fresh-squeezed lemonade. I also like the fact that they are kid-friendly with playgrounds, high chairs, and kids meals. Plus, they even provide those "plastic placemats" that tape onto the table for your little one to eat on. Great job CFA!! :)

If you are ever near a Chick-Fil-A restaurant and have never been, I highly suggest that you go. You will not be disappointed (unless you try and go on a Sunday, that is)!! :)

Chinese Take-Out....from the Freezer Section!

2010-10-25T13:13:00.007-04:00

I LOVE Chinese food! From the places in the mall (where they are always offering samples) to the "whole in a wall" take-out restaurants (THE best, in my opinion) to the nice, sit-down restaurants (such as PF Changs). I love it all! Now I have to let you in on a secret.....my husband HATES Chinese food! He cannot stand rice, broccoli, or anything that resembles a vegetable (other than potatoes, corn, and green beans!). So, I have to get my "fix" whenever I can.

If we go to the mall, it's easy to satisfy my craving. We go to the food court, he gets Chick-Fil-A, I get Chinese. Simple as that. But what about the rest of the times my palette is salivating for Sesame Chicken, or General Tso's, or an egg roll?? Well, I believe I have found a solution: Tai Pei.

I am usually a bit "iffy" when it comes to frozen Chinese food that you find in your grocery store. It usually tastes fake or unusually spicy, or sometimes even rubbery or soggy. I was having one of my "cravings" though, while at the store the other day, and decided to pick up a bag of Tai Pei Stir-Fry Creations Beef & Broccoli. It was about $5 for the whole bag (enough for 2+ lunches for me!) and takes about 10 minutes to cook. I decided to give it a try today.

The bag includes stir-fry vegetables (in this case broccoli and onions), a bag of sauce, a bag of rice, and a bag of beef. All you have to do is thaw the sauce packet in hot water, pop the bag of rice in the microwave for 3 minutes, and stir-fry the meat and veggies until cooked through. Then throw the sauce in and saute for a few minutes until everything is well-coated. Pull the rice out of the microwave, top with the stir-fry, and voila!! Lunch (or dinner) is ready! And, it was delicious! The beef and broccoli and beef were very tender, the rice was fluffy, and the sauce was so tasty!

I would highly recommend the stir-fry creations by Tai Pei and am anxious to try other items Tai Pei has out there. I hope you will try them sometime too!

When you just need a little chocolate...

2010-10-23T19:47:00.003-04:00

I have a SUPER EASY recipe for those times when you just need a little chocolate. It takes two ingredients, a sheet pan, and an oven. That's it!! I just made some a little while ago. Now you can fancy these up by drizzling chocolate on top of them and/or dusting on a little powdered sugar, or just keep them simple and plain. Are you ready to find out what they are?? Okay!!

Chocolate Croissants

1 roll refrigerated crescent rolls
chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll crescent rolls. Place as many chocolate chips in each crescent roll as you would like (just make sure they don't start busting out of the sides). Roll up each crescent roll and place on baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Pull the baking sheet out of the oven. Devour immediately (or make them fancy, if you can wait that long!). :)

You could also make these really cute and serve them for dessert (fancied up, of course), maybe with some ice cream or something. You could use different types of chips, if you would like, maybe white chocolate or peanut butter chips. Be creative!!

Fall is here....FINALLY!!!

2010-10-17T14:55:00.009-04:00

So, I have a really good explanation for being absent from blogworld for 3+ weeks. As you can see from my previous post, I have had some "cravings" lately...followed by overwhelming nausea, followed by exhaustion, followed by.....well, you get the picture. Anyway, YES! I am preggo with Blessing #2! It has been a tough few weeks, but I am finally starting to feel better. In fact, I am feeling well enough to get out and enjoy this fall weather, to see the beauty of God's Creation amongst the bright fall colors that adorn the trees, to even start "fall baking".

One of my favorite ingredients to use in fall baking is cinnamon. I love the taste of cinnamon, as well as the amazing aroma it gives off when heated. Another of my favorite ingredients to use in the fall is pumpkin. Canned pumpkin, to be exact. I am not one of those people who buys a pumpkin, cleans out the guts, and spends hours trying to get all of the "good stuff" out of it just so I can make a pie. Nope, I take the easy way out.

The other morning, I was in the mood for something fall-ish for breakfast. I decided to whip up some pumpkin bread. Now, I don't really have a "go-to" recipe for pumpkin bread. I do have a recipe for pumpkin cake that I make quite a bit during the fall season, but it's not the same. I wanted some good, thick, hearty pumpkin bread. So, I did what any baker would do. I consulted Paula. :)

I found a great recipe for pumpkin bread in Paula Deen's Lady & Sons cookbook. It did not disappoint (not that I thought it would anyway!). Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Bread (makes two loaves)

3 cups sugar
1 cup *vegetable oil (I used canola)
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoos baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Mix sugar and oil with mixer. Add eggs and blend. Add pumpkin and blend. Add water and blend. Combine remaining ingredients and add slowly. Fill pans equally and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown. Enjoy!

*For the oil, you can substitute 1/2 cup oil and add 1/2 cup applesauce.

**I only had one loaf pan, so I used muffin tins for the rest of the batter. The recipe made 24 regular size muffins and one medium loaf. If you do use the muffin tins, the cooking time is cut in half (make sure you check them at around 25 minutes to see if they are done or almost done).

Lately I have been addicted to these.....

2010-09-19T21:53:00.003-04:00

Vegetarian Burritos

2010-09-01T21:50:00.005-04:00

So I made the ever-so-famous Chicken Enchiladas for my friends the other night (who just had a baby), as well as some vegetarian burritos. My friend, Mel, is a vegetarian. I was trying to think of a Mexican dish to fix for her so she wouldn't feel left out while her hubby and little girl feasted on the enchiladas. I kind of came up with my own little creation/recipe.

Vegetarian Burritos

6 medium-size flour tortillas
1 package Spanish rice, prepared
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup shredded colby-jack cheese (or Mexican blend)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together rice, beans, and cheese. Fill each tortilla with rice mixture. Roll up like a burrito. Place in baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. You don't even have to bake them, just warm them in the microwave. Also, you can pour any type of Mexican sauce on top (mole, salsa, enchilada, queso, etc.) and bake it for the same time, if you prefer. Enjoy!!

I have to say, these burritos were pretty tasty!! The Spanish rice I used was actually the Kroger brand and it is SO yummy! I highly recommend it.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2010-08-18T12:45:00.005-04:00

The recipe for this week is a sweet one! I LOVE these cookies and they are super easy to make. In fact, you only need 3 ingredients...and one of the ingredients can even be omitted. These were made by my friend Mary at a Christmas Baking Party a few years ago. Here you go!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

2 pkgs. refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

1 bag Hershey Kisses
Granulated Sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into small balls, about the size of a walnut. Roll the dough balls into the sugar and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes (you want them slightly brown but still soft). Immediately after removal from the oven, place one kiss on top of each cookie. Place cookies on cooling rack until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Chicken and Spinach Pasta

2010-08-10T11:21:00.004-04:00

This week's recipe is from my friend, Holly. Holly has some of the most amazing and yummy recipes! I posted one of her other recipes a few months ago, Chicken Enchiladas, which is now one of my favorite dishes of all time. You should try it! Here is the recipe for her pasta:

Chicken and Spinach Pasta

1/3 cup roasted tomato and oregano salad dressing (or 2 Tbsp. Basil Pesto)
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cooked whole wheat penne pasta, drained
4 slices turkey bacon, cooked
3-4 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup red onion
3 big hand-fulls of baby spinach
12 grape tomatoes, halved
3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken breast meat
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Black Pepper to taste

Mix first 5 ingredients together, set aside. Cook and stir mushrooms with onions, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and tomatoes until spinach is wilted. Stir in chicken until heated through. Add noodles and mix. Add olive oil sauce. Top with bacon and cheese. Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week

2010-08-02T23:16:00.007-04:00

I haven't been the best at blogging lately, so I think I am going to try something new. From now on, I will be posting a recipe of the week. This guarantees that I will have to blog at least once a week! :) I may blog throughout the week, but this is personal motivation for myself.

Some of the recipes may be my own, and some may be from my friends and family. I will make sure to give recognition where it is due if the recipe is from someone else. :)

The recipe of the week for this week is:

Indoor S'Mores

1 box Golden Graham cereal
2 bags mini-marshmallows (reserve 1 cup)
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 stick butter

In a large bowl, melt the marshmallows and butter until smooth (in the microwave). In a separate large bowl, combine graham cereal, chocolate chips, and one cup of marshmallows. Toss together. Once marshmallows are melted, pour mixture over cereal mixture and toss well until all pieces are coated. Spread onto cookie sheet and press down to form bars. Can eat immediately or put in fridge for a few minutes for bars to harden. This is kind of what they should look like (this particular batch was not mixed very well -- it should be the consistency of rice krispy treats):

Enjoy! This is a perfect recipe to make with kids since you only use a microwave. I actually found this recipe in my Amish cookbook.

Breakfast....from the microwave!

2010-07-22T22:53:00.002-04:00

Frozen breakfast burritos. PopTarts. Frozen pancakes and waffles. These are just some of the things that you might make for breakfast using a microwave. Doesn't sound too appetizing, right? Well, what if I told you that you can have Caramel Nut Sticky Buns for breakfast...and you can make them in the microwave? Well you can, and it is one of the easiest things you will ever make. Here is the recipe:

Caramel Nut Sticky Buns

3 T. butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 10-oz. can refrigerated biscuits

In an 8-inch round dish, combine butter, sugar, water and cinnamon. Microwave on HIGH for one minute. Stir in pecans.

Separate biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Place biscuits in sugar mixture, turning to coat each piece. Push biscuits toward outer edge of dish and place a small glass or custard cup in center of dish. Microwave on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Invert on plate or serving dish. Pull apart and serve warm. Enjoy!

This is one of my favorite breakfast dishes. My mom used to make it for us when we were little. It is so much fun to eat and delicious too!

Zaxby's

2010-07-17T23:27:00.006-04:00

I have discovered something recently. I. Love. Zaxby's!

If you have never heard of or been to Zaxby's, you don't know what you are missing. It is a semi-fast food restaurant with more of a sit-down feel that serves everything chicken...chicken wings, chicken tenders, chicken salads, chicken sandwiches, chicken "nibblers," chicken salad sandwiches, etc. They also serve crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw, fried mushrooms, onion rings, fried pickles, homemade chips and milkshakes, just to name a few. :)

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Zaxby's. There are currently 500 Zaxby's restaurants all over the country. The story of how Zaxby's is neat and you can read about it here. A lot of Zaxby's can be found in the south, Georgia mainly, which is where it was founded. My family and I ate at one on our recent trip to Florida and loved it so much we found one on the way back from Florida a week later!

Since that trip, my hubby and I had been craving Zaxby's until about a week ago. We happened upon a sign as we were traveling to visit hubby's family, a sign that said "Zaxby's". We couldn't believe it! Could we really be living only 25 minutes away from the place that made us swoon over chicken?? Why yes, yes we do.

We stopped for dinner on the way to our destination (4 hours away, mind you) and were once again full and happy. It is a great, family-friendly, reasonably-priced restaurant that we are thrilled to live so close to (now!). I highly recommend that you stop by a Zaxby's if you are ever near one. You won't regret it!! It's "indescribably good". :)

Tater Salad

2010-06-30T08:27:00.004-04:00

I love potato salad. It is just one of those things that must be present at any cookout, in my opinion. I do like cole slaw and pasta salad too, but there is just something about "tater salad" that strikes my fancy. :)

As much as I love this stuff, can you believe that I have never made it? Until this past Saturday, that is. We provided lunch for our new members after church this past Sunday (hot dogs, pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, tater salad, chips, baked beans, Poke Cake) and instead of purchasing a big tub of the stuff I decided to try my hand at it. Of course I called my mom to see how she makes hers and she told me everything I needed to know to make it. (Thanks, Mom!)

There are so many kinds of potato salad out there, and I love just about every one of them. I believe my favorite, though, is the mustard potato salad. It's tangy and sweet and just reminds me of what potato salad should be. Here is my "recipe" (I use this term lightly because I pretty much just added stuff!):

Mustard "Tater" Salad

5 or 6 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1 Tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 teaspoon onion flakes (or you can cut up a small onion)
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish (or you can chop up a medium size sweet pickle)
1 Tablespoon of sweet pickle juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until fork-tender, but not too soft (unless you want a "mashed potato" consistency), drain. Allow to cool. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. You can eat it right away, but it actually tastes better after it has chilled in the fridge overnight or for at least a couple of hours. Enjoy!

By the way, if anyone has any good "tater salad" recipes, I would love to try them!

Good Earth Giveaway Winner!

2010-06-23T08:56:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of the giveaway - I've been on vacation. :)

Congratulations to ....... Kimberly Kitchens! Kimberly, you have won the Good Earth Prize Package!! Please email me at brizner (at) hotmail (dot) com with your address and phone number so I can send it on and you can get your goodies!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the giveaway. More giveaways to come in the near future so stay tuned!! :)

Good Earth Giveaway!!

2010-06-11T16:44:00.006-04:00

Oops, I'm a day late on the giveaway....better late than never, though!

Good Earth and MyBlogSpark have not only provided me with an awesome Good Earth dinner kits gift pack, they have provided one for you too! Here is what you will get:

All you have to do is leave a comment answering the following questions:

1) Are you a "from scratch only" kind of cook, do you "swear by boxed/frozen dinners", or are you in-between?

2) Which of the dry dinner kit flavors would you like to try most of all?

Good luck!!

Restaurant taste from a box!

2010-06-09T22:14:00.003-04:00

I love dining out. I especially love Italian food. Imagine my surprise when I made this yummy pasta dish....from a box....and it tasted like something I would order at a nice sit-down Italian restaurant!

I recently participated in a new spark from MyBlogSpark. They sent me a goodie box that included 2 sets of bamboo flatware, 2 bamboo plates, a bamboo cutting board, a 100% recyclable grocery bag, and a Good Earth Mediterranean Chicken boxed dinner kit. Everything was awesome!! Thank you, MyBlogSpark, for allowing me to participate in this spark. Now, on to the star of the show...the dinner!

This dinner was AmAzInG. I never thought something from a box could taste so good! Plus, it only took 20 minutes to make. Pair the pasta with some garlic bread and you have a meal fit for a king...er....queen! :) Also, the dinner kit has no artificial flavors, no trans fat, no artificial preservatives, no MSG, and the pasta is 100% whole grain. What more could you ask for?

The kit itself comes with angel hair pasta, cream sauce, Mediterranean seasoning, and seasoned whole wheat flour, The only thing I had to add was chicken, olive oil, water and milk. It's really that simple. And the flavor, well the flavor was just out of this world delicious. Even my hubby loved it (...and this is a hubby that is a pretty picky eater)!

Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Doesn't this look yummy?? I have to admit, I had the leftovers for lunch today and I believe it was even better today than yesterday. I can't wait to try the other dinner kits! Good Earth also offers these dinner kit flavors: Spicy Citrus Glazed Shrimp with angel hair pasta, Herb Crusted Chicken with mushroom risotto and Tuscan Chicken with penne pasta. YUM!!! Thanks Good Earth!

Stay tuned for a Good Earth Giveaway tomorrow!!

The good ole' days...

2010-06-03T22:45:00.003-04:00

Remember when you were younger and the thing that you looked forward to most in the summer was the ice cream truck? Well, I never had that luxury. I lived on a hill. On a farm. No trick-or-treaters, no ice cream trucks, no kids to play with. :( Sad, I know.

Now that I live in a suburb of Louisville, in a neighborhood packed with kids, we see the ice cream truck every day. As soon as the weather starts to turn slightly warm, here come those tunes of "Twinkle, Twinkle" and "The Wheels on the Bus" billowing down the street. And sometimes, we have several ice cream trucks that zoom down our little street (one of them rings a bell though, the music box is broken).

Lately, my little man and I have been sitting outside on the front porch in the afternoons when it is cool. We always look for the ice cream truck to drive by our house and little man always waves to the driver. Well, the other day it was a little hotter than normal so I decided to get the little guy an ice cream. I chose the push-up (sherbet) which is what I always used to get. He LOVED it! He also loved going up the the truck and seeing all of the pretty colors/flavors of ice cream listed on the side. Here are some pictures of him devouring his cool treat:

As you can see from this last photo, he REALLY enjoyed it! :) The only negative thing about the whole experience was the fact that prices have went up on these yummy treats.....$1.50 for a push-up? Come on!!!

Brrrrrrr!!!!

2010-06-02T08:29:00.005-04:00

One of my FAVORITE things about summer is all of the cool treats -- ice cream, DQ blizzards, this cake, and most of all, SHAVED ICE!! Now, shaved ice is not to be compared to the ever-so-popular snow cone. The textures are totally different from one another.

Snow cones are granular, with little pieces of ice kind of in the shapes of little balls with flavored syrup on top (usually blue, red, or purple) and scooped into a paper cone. Shaved ice has the consistency of soft snow and is usually scooped into a styrofoam cup, packed/piled high with a plethora of flavors to choose from. Snow cones usually lose their flavor fast, whereas shaved ice keeps the flavor until the very end.

I am very fortunate to have a shaved ice stand 3 MINUTES from my house (driving that is) called Snow-to-Go. It. Is. Awesome. The workers are soooo nice and friendly, and the prices are very cheap - Small $1.50, Medium $2.00, Large $2.50, XLarge $3.00. Plus they have some covered picnic tables to the side where you can sit and enjoy your delicious treat. I haven't counted all of the flavors, but I am pretty sure there are more than 50 listed from Strawberry to Ninja Turtle to Tiger's Blood. :)

My favorite is this one:

You can't really tell by the pictures (since it was half gone at the time!), but it was a blue raspberry/cherry swirl. Can you see how soft the texture is?

When I was little, we had a shaved ice stand in my hometown. I think we were there just about every day of every summer, and I tried almost all of the flavors! One of my favorites then was the Creamsicle (orange and vanilla swirled).

This was so good and refreshing on a hot day. I think next time I will try the Pink Lemonade. :)

Digiorno House Party

2010-05-25T22:18:00.008-04:00

Several months ago, I received an email from Kraft suggesting that I become a member of House Party. I looked into it and thought it sounded interesting, so I applied for several parties.

One of the parties I applied to host was a Digiorno Pizza Champions House Party...and I won! They sent me a party pack in the mail that was filled with goodies, including 6 free coupons for Digiorno Pizza and Breadsticks plus 15 coupons for $4 off one Digiorno Pizza and Breadstick package to share with my guests.

There were some other goodies as well, including a pop can "hoops game", beads for each guest, a pizza cutter, and even a magnet clip. Here are some pics from the party:

The Yummy Food:

My Awesome Digiorno Pizza Cutter and Magnet (notice coupons)

The Fun Pop Can Hoops Game

Everyone had such a great time. We watched the game (college basketball), ate yummy pizza and breadsticks, played some tabletop "hoops", and just had fun! Even the little ones enjoyed it.

Thank you, House Party, for allowing me the opportunity to host this party. I am so grateful for the free food and other goodies! Can't wait to host more parties in the future. :)

Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-05-14T23:07:00.004-04:00

I had so much fun hanging out with friends tonight, and babies too! I hosted a Gerber Generation House Party and had some Mommy-friends and their little ones over for games, food, and fun. I will post more about the party with pictures in the next day or so, but for now I have to tell you about this amazing frosting I made to go on the top of my devil's food cupcakes. It is to.die.for. I also like to put it on this cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Mix all together. Frost cupcakes (or cakes, or cookies, or just eat it straight from the spoon!) I usually keep mine in the fridge just because the cream cheese needs refrigeration. Enjoy!!

Take me out to the ballgame....

2010-05-11T22:30:00.009-04:00

I just got back from a Louisville Bats baseball game with some friends of mine and my hubs and little man. We had a blast! Plus, it was $1 hot dog and $1 Pepsi night! So, here is what I have discovered about baseball games (in particular, this one):

*Ball parks smell sooooo good!

*You can never find the stand that sells the food that smells so good....

*People eat way too much food

*People drink way too much beer (and then choose to drive home = stupid)

*There should really be a 3rd inning, 5th inning, and 7th inning stretch

*$1 hot dog and Pepsi nights are awesome

*People eat way too many hot dogs on $1 hot dog night

*The Kizito Cookie lady only comes around once :(

*One funnel cake costs as much as feeding a whole family on $1 hot dog night

*There is now a "funnel cake" vendor that comes around to your seat
*The Louisville Bats are awesome!! (When we left the score was 9-0)

Speaking of eating too much food.....here is what I had tonight:

Two of these:

And 1/2 of one of these:

And now I think it is time to go on a diet...... :)

The Easiest, Yummiest, Peanut-Buttery-est, No-Bake Cookie Goodness you will ever make!

2010-05-10T15:08:00.004-04:00

I.Love.No-Bake Cookies. Actually, I love any sweetness that you don't have to bake (and all of those that you do have to bake, too!). :) But these....oh, these...are so easy a caveman can do it. Plus, the ingredients you need you probably already have in your pantry. I got this recipe from my friend Melanie. Mel is always making yummy things, and these are one of her specialties.

Melanie's No-Bake Cookies

1 stick butter
1 T. cocoa**
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups oats

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add cocoa, sugar and milk and stir well. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and peanut butter. Add oats one cup at a time and stir well until all incorporated. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let set for a few minutes or until cookies are "dry". Enjoy!!

These are soooooo good! And sooooooo easy! The tricky part is the boiling for 1 minute part. If you boil for less or more than one minute, the cookies will not turn out. Enjoy-- but I'm warning you, don't eat too many of them or you will definitely get a belly ache!!

**If you like your cookies more chocolatey, you can add more cocoa to the mixture. These are light brown in color (kind of like the color of brown sugar) because of the amount of cocoa added.

Fat Jimmy's

2010-05-05T08:11:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite things to do here in the big city is to eat at local places around the 'Ville. Most of these local eateries are located on Frankfort Avenue. I have been to several of the food establishments on Frankfort, and have not been disappointed with any of them. One of my favorites is Fat Jimmy's.

Though I have never met "Jimmy" nor do I know if he is really "Fat", I thoroughly enjoy his food! This place has a vast array of sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and my favorite, the pizza to please all palettes! The pizza is by far my favorite (second to Pizza Hut, that is), and is very affordable.

The atmosphere of FJ's is very casual, only about 7 tables in the entire place. Kind of dark inside, too. Pictures of locals adorn the walls and neon beer signs adorn the windows. Sometimes you will even find some local band or "artsy" advertisements in the front windows. It just makes the place even more unique.

So yesterday, my two boys and I went there for dinner. I had a 10-inch bacon pizza, hubby had the "Fat Jimmy Club", and little man had the Turkey/Cheese sandwich. All of their subs are hot, and come with a bag of chips and a pickle. It all came to about $20 (including drinks), which is not bad for 3 people. Plus, I had leftovers and so did my little man.

I highly encourage you to head over to Fat Jimmy's on Frankfort Avenue and experience some amazing food and casual atmosphere. Might I suggest the Stromboli or Meatball sub?

G.O.R.P.

2010-05-03T22:58:00.004-04:00

I haven't had GORP in quite a while, but was thinking about it this evening. I may have to make some in the near future. What is GORP you ask? Well, it's simply "Good Ole' Raisins and Peanuts." :) Actually, the recipe I used includes M&Ms too.

G.O.R.P.

Raisins -however much you like

Peanuts - " "

M&Ms - " "

Mix together and store in airtight container. Enjoy!

YUM-MY!!

When you don't have any food in the house....

2010-05-01T16:48:00.005-04:00

It has been raining ALL DAY LONG here in "Derby City," and I don't have any groceries in my house. I used the last 4 pieces of bread to make hubby and little man a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch (we had tomato soup too, but made with water since we are also out of milk!). I have been trying to "clean out" my fridge and my pantry lately before going grocery shopping so I don't overstock on items. Well....I think I waited a little too long this time.

If you were to look in my fridge right now, you would see the following things: 5 slices of cheese, some shredded cheese, a can of crescent rolls, sour cream, some Coke Zero, a half a jug of Pedialyte, a pudding cup, 3 sticks of butter, and condiments. No milk, no eggs, no juice, no lunchmeat. The freezer is just the same - 3 chicken breasts, some ice cream, a bag of frozen broccoli, some frozen cherries and corn, and ice cubes. I promise I am going to the store.....tomorrow. :)

So what do you make with what little you have in your house? I came up with a recipe using the crescent rolls, chicken, sour cream and cheese, and half a can of cream of chicken soup. I call them "Chicken Pockets". Here is the recipe (or what I just threw in a bowl!):

Chicken Pockets

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese (colby jack is best, but I only had mozzarella)
2 cans crescent rolls**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together shredded chicken, soup, sour cream, and cheese.
Unroll crescent rolls. Pinch two crescent rolls together to form a rectangle. Place a heaping spoonful of the chicken mixture in each rectangle. Pull up corners and pinch sides together to form a little purse, or "pocket". Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

**I only had one can of crescent rolls, so I had quite a bit of chicken mixture left over. Maybe I'll get some more at the grocery tomorrow.... :)

100th Blog Post (and recipe)

2010-04-27T20:23:00.006-04:00

So I just realized that yesterday's post was my 100th post on Bites with Brandi! Woohoo! I am so glad that my blog has lasted this long (and a little surprised!). It has been very exciting posting recipes and restaurant reviews and such. I hope to continue posting for a long time!

To celebrate my 100th post (although technically this one is 101), I am posting a "secret recipe" of mine that is requested by many people for Christmas, birthdays, and other holidays. Actually, the recipe is not really a secret, there is just a trick to getting it to turn out right. :) Here it is:

Peanut Butter Fudge

3 cups granulated sugar
1 stick butter
1 cup milk
1 small jar marshmallow cream
1 small jar peanut butter, melted

Melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and milk. Stir well. Cook until soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and marshmallow cream. Stir well (mixture will begin to get stiff.) Pour into buttered 9x13 baking dish and let set. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

Have you figured out the trick yet? It's melting the peanut butter! This makes the mixture so smooth and it incorporates well into the sugar and marshmallow cream. It is SO yummy!

Thank you, blog followers, for reading my posts and I hope you will continue to read them! I also hope you enjoy this recipe (it is so easy!). :)

Baby Food - Snacks

2010-04-26T14:29:00.007-04:00

Isaiah (my little one) LOVES his snacks! Fortunately, nutritious snacks are easier to come up with than his main meals. And, since his palette is becoming more and more interested in different tastes, I am finding more and more foods for him to snack on. For example, I just found these the other day at Walmart. They are $1 for a bag of all-natural dehydrated fruit (this one is strawberry-banana):

Some other snacks that he loves are string cheese, crackers, graham crackers, fruit cups, fresh fruit, Kix cereal, and yogurt. This yogurt is his favorite:

There are two flavors in the pack, strawberry-banana and peach, and the texture is perfect for little ones. The yogurt is thick and sticks to the spoon, so it is great for toddlers who are learning to self-feed. Isaiah loves to hold a spoon and "dig" the yogurt out of the container. It's messy, but I just love watching him learn. :)

Oh, and another thing he likes for a snack (which are also great if traveling) are these:
I really wish Gerber made more flavors than just strawberry-banana, but these are great for now. I really like the Gerber Graduates snacks that are for toddlers, but they can get kind of pricey.

Any ideas for other snacks I can give to my little one?

Baby Food - Lunch

2010-04-24T20:12:00.010-04:00

Just like breakfast, it is also hard for me to come up with good meals for lunch for my little man that are also healthy and nutritious. It would be so easy to give him chicken nuggets and french fries, but he needs some veggies in there too. By the way, has anyone been watching the show Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution? In one of the episodes, a french fry was actually considered a vegetable on the school menu!! What has our food world come to?

Anyway, I try to make sure that he has at least a fruit and a vegetable for lunch every day...although some days it may be one or the other. Some of the fruits he loves are diced peaches, pears, pineapple tidbits, grapes, and mandarin oranges. One thing I like, which I recently discovered, is that Walmart makes a Great Value brand of canned peaches and pears that do not have any sugar added. Instead of heavy syrup, these canned fruits are packed in 100% pear juice.

Another thing I like about the Walmart Great Value brand is the veggies. They make several kinds of canned veggies that are No Salt Added (I've only found peas and green beans so far), and they also make little take-along packs of veggies that are perfectly diced for little mouths. I've found carrots, green beans, and corn in these packs.

I know fresh veggies and fruits are the best way to go, but sometimes you need the convenience of canned foods. Although, I am a lover of frozen fruits and veggies as well, and sometimes they are considered even more nutritious than fresh.

Some other things I have been feeding my little man for lunch are: Grilled Cheese sandwiches, rice, soup, mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, hot dogs, spaghettios, and Chef Boyardee microwaveable meals (although not that often). One of the Chef meals that I don't mind feeding him, though, is this one:

It has rice, chunks of chicken, peas and carrots in it. The only thing I am not too crazy about is the sodium content.

Okay, so I know a lot of the food I listed is either canned, processed, or not as healthy as it could be. That's why I need ideas and suggestions! What about you? What do you feed your children? What do you eat for lunch?

Baby Food -- Breakfast

2010-04-23T10:31:00.008-04:00

Since this blog is all about food, and my little one eats food, I think it is appropriate for me to post about some of the food that he eats (for a change). :) He just turned a year old this month and is now eating table food, but it is so hard to find things to feed him for breakfast, especially since I am not a breakfast person. And, since he is no longer on the bottle, I have to make sure that he is getting sufficient nutrients, vitamins, etc. from his food.

For breakfast every morning, he eats this (mixed with lactose-free Vitamin D milk):

and this:

There are actually several different kinds of the Healthy Harvest applesauce, and he loves them all. You can see all of the different kinds here. One of my favorite things about this applesauce is that it is just applesauce and pureed fruit with no added sugars. Plain and simple.

I try to have something in addition to these things for breakfast for my little man. Sometimes I will fix him blueberry pancakes (so easy! recipe below), regular pancakes, scrambled eggs, muffins, toast, or waffles. This morning we had pull-apart biscuits (his first time having biscuits!). He loved them. I've tried turkey bacon, but I don't think it agreed with him, and sausage is just too greasy for him right now. Anyone have suggestions for other breakfast items? Like I said earlier, I'm not much of a breakfast person.

Here is the recipe for blueberry pancakes (and they do turn out blue!):

Blueberry Pancakes

Pancake mix (prepare according to directions on box)
Frozen blueberries

Put about 1/2 cup blueberries in a microwave-safe bowl (or more if you like more berries). Heat in microwave for about 45 seconds or until thawed. Pour blueberries, juice and all, into pancake batter and mix well. Batter will be blue. :) Pour onto hot, greased griddle. Flip when one side is light brown and brown other side. These pancakes will be a little more brown than regular pancakes because of the density of the batter. Enjoy with maple syrup, blueberry syrup, or by themselves! (My little guy eats them plain - too much sugar = one hyper little baby!)

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

2010-04-19T22:39:00.003-04:00

My friend, Holly, told me about this recipe and actually made it for me as a frozen dinner back when I first had my little boy. It. Is. Delicious. And easy!! I made it tonight for my friend, Sarah, who just had her little boy a couple of weeks ago. :)

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

3 or 4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 small can Rotel (tomatoes with green chilis)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 small can refried beans
1 bag shredded Mexican cheese (or colby/jack blend)
1 large can enchilada sauce
1 bag large flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook and shred chicken breasts. Add Rotel and sour cream and mix well (you can also add some cheese to the mixture if you want). Spread a tortilla with refried beans, then add a heaping spoonful of chicken mixture. Roll tortilla up like a burrito and place in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle cheese all over and bake for app. 30 minutes.

**This meal is excellent for freezing. Just follow the recipe and even bake it, then transfer it to the freezer once it has cooled. A-mazing!!!

New Blog Look! ... and Dip recipe

2010-04-18T22:40:00.004-04:00

I realize that I haven't been a very dedicated blogger lately, so I have decided to give my blog a face-lift. It doesn't look much different than before, just a new photo, some new colors, and eventually some new gadgets.

I am also going to try my best and be a better blogger. I plan to devote some time each day (or at least every couple of days) to blogging. And, since this is a food blog, I plan to post some new recipes, restaurant reviews, and even have a few giveaways.

To start things off, here is a recipe I made recently for a friend's baby shower. It's a great dip for parties, showers, and other get-togethers.

Sausage-Queso Dip

1 lb. pork sausage, cooked and drained (mild or hot, depending on your heat level)
1 block Velveeta Cheese, cut into cubes (Kraft also makes a Velveeta Pepper Jack and a Velveeta Mexican Mild variety)
1/2 lb. hamburger, cooked and drained
Milk to thin it out
Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Cook over low heat until all ingredients are incorporated and cheese is melted. Transfer to a crockpot and keep on low so dip stays warm. It is best served with yellow corn tortilla chips or corn chips.

The Popcorn Station

2010-03-08T13:37:00.006-05:00

I would like to give a shout-out to one of my favorite places in Louisville....The Popcorn Station! This little place brings magic to an ordinary popcorn kernel. It is located in the Jeffersontown area of Louisville off of Taylorsville Road. You can check out their website here.

The Popcorn Station has over 30 flavors of popcorn from butter to watermelon to peanut butter cup! They have a variety of seasoned, sweet, specialty, and chocolate-covered popcorn to satisfy every tastebud. I've only been there a few times (because it is so addictive!) and have tried something different almost every time. Plus, they will give you samples of any of the flavors you would like to try.

On our most recent trip, I got a bag of mine and my hubby's favorite: Peanut Butter Cup. For this particular popcorn flavor, they take their caramel corn (one of their most popular flavors) and drizzle it with peanut butter and chocolate and then toss it together. Oh...MY....when you get a big "clump" of that chocolatey-peanut-buttery-caramely goodness.....I just cannot describe it. A party happens in your mouth! You have to be careful, though, because it is very addictive and if you eat too much your tummy will not thank you.

Some of my other favorite flavors are: Dill Pickle (yep, had to try this one when I was pregnant...and it tastes just like you're biting into a big juicy dill pickle!), White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup (kettle corn drizzled with white chocolate and peanut butter), White Cheddar, Cheddar, Cinnamon Swirl (tastes just like a cinnamon roll), and Cookies and Cream.

So for all of you popcorn lovers out there, you have GOT to try some of this popcorn! You don't have to live in Louisville to enjoy it, either. They ship all over!! But you might want to hurry, they only ship their chocolate flavors from October to May (due to it melting in the hotter months). I promise you won't regret it!

YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, the things you can do with a brownie...

2010-02-21T22:15:00.006-05:00

I.Love.Brownies. The richer and fudgy-er, the better. I believe that homemade brownies are the best if you have the time and ingredients to make them. My friend, Kim, makes homemade brownies all the time and they are delicious -- especially these and these. But most of us usually have a box mix in our pantry, if not a couple of them, to pull out when those unexpected guests show up or if you need a quick dessert to take somewhere. They are quick, easy, and delicious. But do you ever get tired of the same, plain old brownies? Well here are some variations you can try to "liven up" your brownies.

Peanut Butter Brownies: after you pour the batter into the pan, add a couple of dollops of peanut butter on top and swirl through the batter. You can also add peanut butter chips to the batter instead of the peanut butter (or in addition to, if you're a peanut butter lover!)

Double Fudge Brownies: add 1/2 bag of chocolate chips to brownie batter

Nutty Brownies: add 1/2 bag of nuts to your brownie batter

M&M Brownies: add a cup of M&Ms to your brownie batter (M&M minis are great for this!)

Cheesecake Brownies: mix together 8-oz cream cheese (room temperature), 1/3 cup sugar, 1 large egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, pour over brownie batter and swirl through

Frosted Brownies: bake brownies, then just frost with your favorite frosting!

Turtle Brownies: fold 1/2 cup (or more) chopped pecans into batter, bake, top with more pecans and drizzle with caramel sauce (they also now make caramel chips now that you could add to the batter)

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies: add a few dollops of Nutella on top of batter and swirl through

I have a few more up my sleeve, but I will make that another post. Don't let your brownies be boring any longer!

Just Wing It!!

2010-02-16T19:38:00.011-05:00

Okay, so I have to brag...but just a little brag and just for a few seconds.

I......made.........hot wings! By myself! I mean, I made the sauce and everything. Oh, and Honey BBQ wings too!

You see, every year for Super Bowl we have a few friends over and the menu is usually the same: Chili, wings, chips/salsa/queso, and some form of dessert such as cupcakes or Chocolate Rice Krispie treats in the shape of footballs. Everything is usually homemade except for the wings and salsa. Well, this year I thought I might try my hand at making my own wings and wing sauces.

So, I bought a bag of frozen chicken drummettes from the grocery store for $6.99. All you have to do is defrost them in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight, which is what I did), then bake them or fry them. I ended up baking them, which made them kind of healthy (*wink*).

I decided to make two sauces - a sweet one and a savory one. The savory one was the hot sauce and the sweet one was a honey bbq sauce. Now, I don't have actual recipes for the two because I kind of just "eyeballed" everything. But I can tell you what I put in them (and try to estimate the amount!).

Hot Wing Sauce

Hot sauce (about 1/2 cup)

garlic powder (maybe a teaspoon)

1/2 stick butter, melted

worcestershire sauce (about a tablespoon)

ground red pepper (a few shakes)

pinch of salt

pinch of black pepper

pinch of sugar

*Like I said, I didn't really measure anything. Just use your own judgement and make changes depending on how hot you like it. :)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

Honey BBQ Sauce

Your favorite BBQ sauce (about 1/2 cup)

molasses (about a tablespoon)

brown sugar (maybe a teaspoon)

worcestershire sauce (about a teaspoon)

pinch of salt

a few dashes of cola (I used wild cherry pepsi)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a large sheet pan with foil and placed the drummettes in a single layer on the sheet (I seasoned my drummettes with Lawry's before baking, but you can skip this if you prefer). Bake for about 35 minutes, turning once halfway through. Once drummettes are cooked through, place however many you want of each in the sauces. Turn several times to coat each one and then place back on the foil-lined pan. Turn oven up to 400 or 425 degrees and bake for about 5-10 minutes longer or until sauce has "stuck" to the drummies (I actually turned on the broiler for a couple of minutes, too, just to crisp them up a little).

And....there you have it! Homemade hot/sweet wings! Here is a picture of the finished product:

What about 2nd Breakfast?

2010-01-29T10:08:00.011-05:00

**The winner of the cereal coupons is Amy Valle! Amy, please email me your address and I will send you your free coupons! Congratulations!!**

Any of you Lord of the Rings fans out there? Well, that is where I got the title of this blogpost. You can watch the clip of the movie scene here. Anyway, there actually is a such thing as a "second breakfast" that is eaten between breakfast and lunch and is traditional in Poland and Bavaria. Here is some more info about it.

Some of us do not even have our first breakfast, let alone second breakfast. We should be ashamed of ourselves! Don't we know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? We should be eating a healthy, nutritious breakfast every morning to get our day going...and I don't mean coffee and doughnuts, a Snickers bar and a Mountain Dew, or a Pop Tart and hot cocoa. I am guilty of this myself (actually, I haven't even had my breakfast yet this morning!), but have been doing better lately. For example, this week I have been eating egg sandwiches with juice and homemade Fruit-n-Yogurt parfaits (recipe at the bottom of this post).

So while some of us don't even make time for breakfast, others of us stick to the cereal routine, maybe adding some juice and toast on the side. This is actually a good breakfast for you, depending on the type of cereal, that is. In fact, according to My Blog Spark and General Mills, "ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters." Many of us became cereal eaters at a young age and it just carried on throughout our adult years. We may have different tastes now than we did as children -- some of us may prefer Fiber One over Trix and so forth. General Mills has recently announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving, making cereal even better today than 20 years ago. The company has also produced a report on the Benefits of Cereal. It is very interesting, I suggest you check it out!

General Mills, along with My Blog Spark, sent me 4 coupons for four free boxes of cereal. How awesome is that!? Although they have not yet been released, I cannot wait to try these new and improved cereals....and I would love for you to try them too! That is why I have decided to give away two of my coupons. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me either your favorite cereal, your favorite breakfast, or what you normally eat for breakfast every morning (or all three if you want!). The winner will receive two coupons for 2 free boxes of General Mills cereal. Free things are always good in my book!

Okay, now for the recipe I promised. You are going to love these!

Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits

1 container vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup mixed berries (if frozen, thaw them a little first)
1/4 cup granola

Layer the vanilla yogurt, then berries, then yogurt, then berries and so forth. Top with granola. It's that easy! You can also use peaches, strawberries, or any of your favorite fruit in place of the mixed berries. Enjoy!

Crescent Tartlets....and the winner of the Pillsbury Giveaway!!

2010-01-17T19:14:00.009-05:00

My "twist" on the Crescent Bacon-Cheese Tartlets wasn't really a twist. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to substitute, so I went totally a different route. I decided to make "Pizza Bites" instead! These are yummy and super-super easy. Here is what you need:

1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (or Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough)
1 cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll the can of crescent rolls and press seams together. Using a biscuit cutter or small glass, cut out twelve circles from the dough (you will have some dough left over if you want to make a few more). Press each circle into a mini muffin pan to form a small cup-shape. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Using a spoon or this awesome little gadget from Pampered Chef, Push the middle of the crescent cups down. Put about a teaspoon of pizza sauce in each cup and top with shredded cheese. Put back in the oven for about 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted (you can also turn the broiler on for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese better). Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before popping them out of the pan. Enjoy!!

**For variation, you can add pepperoni, bacon, sausage, or veggies to these and they would be even better!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, for the moment you have been waiting for....the winner of the Pillsbury Giveaway!! Thank you to all who left comments and recipes, I am definitely going to have to try them all! :) And now, the winner of the Pillsbury Crescent Creations Gift Pack (selected by random integer) is...

#4 -- Jessica Risner

Congratulations Jessica! You will be receiving the giveaway package from Pillsbury soon! Just email me with your address so I can send it on to MyBlogSpark and you can receive your goodies!!

Thanks to all who participated in the giveaway. There will be another awesome giveaway in the near future so be on the lookout!!

Pillsbury Giveaway!

2010-01-09T16:48:00.007-05:00

So I decided to put my "twist" on the Crescent Bacon-Cheese Tartlets. I think I may serve these as an appetizer for our Super Bowl Party this year. So easy, yet so delicious! I will post the recipe in the next couple of days, but for now.....a GiVeAwAy!!

Pillsbury, in conjunction with MyBlogSpark, has made this giveaway possible. Thanks to both!! I think you will enjoy the prize. All you have to do is leave me a comment with your favorite appetizer using Pillsbury crescent rolls/dough and even the recipe, if you'd like. I love getting your recipes! Here is the Crescent Creations Gift Package that one winner will receive: Good luck! I look forward to your recipes!

*2 free coupons for Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dough
*3 white oval-shaped platters to serve your favorite

appetizers to your guests

Good luck! I look forward to your recipes!

Merry...uh...Happy....uh...GO TEAM!!

2010-01-02T16:20:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I have been a lazy blogger lately. The truth is I have not been lazy at all, but eXtReMely busy. Amidst the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, parties, traveling to see relatives, and celebrating the birth of Christ Himself; I have been busy packing boxes and moving, unpacking boxes and cleaning. Oh yeah, I did take a little break to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve, but that's about it.

Anyway....since I have been so busy I have not even had the chance to open up my blog, much less write anything in this open space. But today, I have finally cleared a path in my house and have found the sofa, so I decided to sit down and write a few words. Actually, I think you may like these words because they will eventually lead to a giveaway. :)

The day before we left to visit our family for Christmas, I received another "goodie box" from MyBlogSpark. (You will get to see what is in the box in the next "giveaway" post.) For this "spark" I am supposed to put my own twist on one of three holiday treats using crescent roll dough. The only problem is that the holidays are over (hence the Merry..uh...Happy...uh. title). So the next best occasion would be the Super Bowl of course! It is a tradition at our house to host a Super Bowl party every year, so I am excited to be able to make some new snacks. :) I do need your help, though. I would like for you to choose which one of the following recipes you would like me to make. The recipe with the most votes will be the one I put my personal twist on. Here are the recipes:

1) Crescent-Wrapped Brie

2) Crescent Bacon-Cheese Tartlets

3) Crescent Holiday Tree (or in this case, I could make a football! )

Don't these look/sound yummy? Oh, another thing about these recipes....they only take 20 minutes to prepare! Now is that easy or what? I am very thankful to Pillsbury for providing the coupons for free crescent rolls, the recipe information, and the free gifts through MyBlogSpark. I cannot wait to recreate whichever one you choose!

Stay tuned for the next post....that's where you will find out what is inside the "goody box" you could receive if you are the giveaway winner!

Recipes, Please!

2009-11-25T23:04:00.005-05:00

So I have been trying to put together a recipe book for the longest time. I won a free Tastebook last year from one of my friend's blog giveaways and have been trying to fill it up with recipes from myself and my friends. I already have some recipes in it, but have about 85 more to add. I would like to add some of your recipes to my cookbook. Do you have a favorite dip? Favorite main dish? Favorite dessert? Or maybe you have a "secret" recipe that you take to every potluck or party. Whatever recipe it is, I WANT IT!!! Also, if you have pictures of your creation, that would be great too. I am giving credit to each person who sends me a recipe by putting your name on the recipe and possibly your picture (send me those too!). You can email the pictures to me at brizner@hotmail.com. I can't wait to hear your yummies!! Oh, and THANK YOU!!! :)

Who would have thought...

2009-11-09T09:24:00.003-05:00

that these two things would be delicious together? It is my new "food love" (although the rice cake is very comparable to a piece of styrofoam). :)

YUMMY!!

Houston, we have a ....WINNER!!

2009-10-25T19:16:00.004-04:00

And the winner is.....Jennifer! Congratulations Jennifer, you won the Panko Breadcrumbs Giveaway!! I hope you enjoy this awesome box of goodies. Please email me with your info (name, address, etc.) so I can get your prize to you. Thanks for the recipe too!

Progresso Panko Bread Crumbs....and a giveaway!

2009-10-21T22:36:00.008-04:00

**The Progresso Giveaway has been extended a couple of days.

The winner will be announced on Sunday afternoon.**

So, I LOVED the panko breadcrumbs! I cannot wait to make baked/fried chicken with them. I am also going to make a big pot of chicken soup with the chicken stock that was also in my goodie box. Want to see what MyBlogSpark sent me? Here it is:

Do you like? Do you want to win one of these goodie boxes for yourself? Here's how!

Leave me a comment telling me your favorite thing to make using panko breadcrumbs, or if you have never used them before, what food you would love to make with them.

The contest winner will be announced on Friday morning. Can't wait to hear your comments!!

Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana?)

2009-10-18T20:26:00.011-04:00

Panko bread crumbs. I have always wanted to try them and finally had the chance to. The difference between Panko and regular bread crumbs is that panko (or Japanese) bread crumbs are made from the white of the bread instead of the crust (this also makes them more expensive). I recently signed up for MyBlogSpark and they sent me a box of Progresso Bread Crumbs to try, as well as a box of Progresso Chicken Stock and a few other goodies. So... I decided to make Chicken Parmesan for dinner.

Chicken Parmesan (or Chicken Parmigiana, if you want to get fancy) is super easy to make -- and affordable too! All you need is chicken breasts, bread crumbs, pasta sauce, and mozzarella cheese. That's pretty much it!!

I used a few more ingredients than are pictured, just to give it a little more flavor. I marinated the chicken breasts in Italian dressing, then rolled them in the bread crumbs (flavored with Italian seasoning and garlic powder). I then browned them in the skillet using a little olive oil.

Once the chicken breasts have browned and cooked through, I transferred them to a small baking sheet (one of the goodies in the package) and topped them off with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. (I should probably pause here and change the name of my recipe to Chicken Mozzarella instead of Chicken Parm because I just realized that I am not using parmesan cheese at all in this recipe!)

Put the chicken breasts in the oven on 350 for about 10 minutes or just until the cheese is melted. You can also put them under the broiler, but watch them very carefully. Here is what they should look like:

Pair this with a side of pasta and there you go! A quick and easy meal for two. Bon Appetit!

Stay tuned for an awesome giveaway coming up in the next couple of days! You will LOVE it!!

A Great Saturday!!

2009-09-26T21:49:00.011-04:00

Today we went here. It was great this time! Shared this with my husband:

Huber’s Country Platter Dinner
Served “Family Style”

Country Fried Chicken AND Huber Honey Ham
Fried Biscuits and Apple Butter
Country Slaw
Chicken & Dumplings, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Greenbeans and Corn
15.99

Bought three of these for $4.99.

Had one scoop of Blackberry Cobbler Ice Cream. Took Isaiah's picture with a Cow and a Horse. Stopped by a roadside stand and bought two of these (one of them was purple):

Had a fabulous time with the fam!! :)

Pay a Quarter, Save a Bundle!!

2009-09-21T22:39:00.015-04:00

My husband and I are trying to "conserve" our money right now and are cutting back on every possible thing that we can. The main thing we are cutting back on is eating out, followed by not purchasing unnecessary items (books, CDs, etc.) and only getting the essentials when grocery shopping.

I have discovered a little jewel here in Louisville (not a major discovery as I am sure everyone has heard of this place, but a great discovery for me!): Aldi. This store is my new best friend. I love it! I was a little skeptical at first just because they carry hardly any name-brand items. However, I used to shop at Save-A-Lot and they do not carry name brands either. So...I ventured over to this little market today to purchase our groceries.

As I pulled into the "shopping-cart-free" parking lot (large but still a hop, skip, and jump away from the front door), I noticed several elderly men and women making their way into the grocery store. This is promising....I thought. I ventured over to the corral area where the shopping cars were. You must pay a quarter in order to get your shopping cart. Now some people would put up a fuss over this, but I think it is kind of fun! You insert your quarter, unlatch your buggy from the chain, and take your buggy. I proceeded into the store only to discover that I had gone into the "out" door (unlike Walmart and other stores, these doors only open one way). I turned my buggy around and went in the correct door.

I was immediately greeted by rows and stacks of boxed items, canned items, and candy. It was overwhelming! Especially since I am the kind of shopper that has to go down every aisle to make sure I do not miss a bargain. :) They have everything you can think of from spices to baby diapers to even crockpots! Plus, they have awesome produce, cheeses, and meats.

I won't make you go through my entire shopping trip with me, but I do want to show you some of the bargains I picked up along the way. You will not believe the deals I got! Here is a glimpse of what was in my cart yesterday:

$1.50 for these grapes!!

Oh.my.goodness! These cookies are so soft and chewy -- wayyyyy better
than the Keebler Soft Batch ones (and for only $1.99). Seriously!! Check them out for yourself:

Yummmmmmm!!!

And these....well...have you ever had those Pepperidge Farm Pirouette wafers? These are quite similar - rich, chocolatey, delicate. Oh.My. For only $2.49!

And last but not least:

This bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil was a great deal for $3.99. I have put off buying a new bottle forever just because I refused to pay $6 or $7 dollars for a tiny bottle.
This one is 16.5 oz of goodness!

So there you have it. I save a BUNCH of money by going to Aldi. Oh there is one other thing I forgot to mention. There are no baggers so you have to bag your own groceries. You can either bring in your own bags or purchase some from the cashier for 5 or 10 cents each. The good things is that there is a shelf the length of an entire wall where you can push your buggy to and take your time bagging your groceries. How neat!

I hope you will take Aldi into consideration the next time you want to save some money on your groceries. Or if you just need a bouquet of flowers to brighten up your dinner table (yep they have those too!)!

Now I do confess, I had to go to Walmart to get some other things on my list that Aldi did not have: hairspray, pop, cheese, etc. There are some things that you just cannot mess with when it comes to name-brand (Pepsi, Borden cheese). :)

The Nursery

2009-09-13T17:13:00.009-04:00

So... I realized that I haven't even put pictures of Isaiah's nursery on here. I absolutely love it (and so does he!)!! First of all, let me give you a little background. I....LOVE...Turtles!! Ever since I was little, I have adored these cute little reptiles (amphibians?). Even as a freshman in college, the turtle was our sorority mascot. I have a huge collection of them and thought, since I have so many, why not incorporate them into a nursery theme?

I surfed the web trying to find a cute turtle theme, something that could be for both a boy and a girl (just in case!). I found several, but my favorite was the Turtle Bay theme from Cocalo. Now I have to tell you, it was not easy trying to find everything I needed for the nursery...especially since after I registered for everything it was disontinued! After many a website, I finally found all of the items I needed: bedding, curtains, pillows, mobile, wall hangings. There was a lamp as well, but it was $45!! Ummmm...no way. Anyway, here are some pictures of our little boy's favorite room in the house:

He was only a couple of weeks old here...notice the bumper pad

No bumper pad (started rolling over at 3 weeks, so we were afraid he would roll next to the bumper pad and smother)

LOVE this glider and ottoman (Thanks Ann & Chas!)

Changing table/Dresser &
Name blocks (each letter has a scripture on the back - Thanks Holly!!)

I hope you have enjoyed your little nursery tour. Blessings on your week!

I'm baaaaack!! Haven't you missed me? :)

2009-08-30T22:08:00.013-04:00

Okay, things have been a complete whirlwind around here lately. I haven't blogged in over a month!! I just have not had the time with everything going on: A) We are trying to sell our house and move closer to the church, B) I have had more stomach issues and have to have another colonoscopy (oh what fun!!), C) I still haven't recovered from my c-section (yep, it has been 5 months!!), and the everyday thrill of taking care of a new baby is a whirlwind in itself. Whew! I could list other things but I will spare you from reading them.

So, since my last blog post Isaiah has grown so much! He will be 5 months old on September 3. At his 4 month checkup, he weighed 16 lbs and was 25 inches long! He is going to be a linebacker for sure. :) He has also started eating rice cereal, baby food, and is taking 8 oz. of formula at each feeding. This boy sure likes to eat! Here are some pictures of his first "feedings":

First Rice Cereal (mixed with formula - Yummy!)

First taste of green beans (he actually gagged several times!)

So far he has had carrots, sweet potatoes, and sweet peas. The next veggie is squash and then it is on to fruits. Next thing you know it will be a steak and baked potato!! I am really looking forward to when he begins table food. It will be so much fun to see what his "premature palate" will have to say about the variety of foods this world has to offer. :)

Taking a break....

2009-07-12T22:57:00.004-04:00

Hey friends! Since becoming a new Mommy about 3 months ago, I have found that I do not have any time to devote to food blogging, much less cooking! I know that sounds crazy -- I, too, thought I would have all the time in the world once I became a stay-at-home mom! I have such a great respect for those of you who are full-time SAHMs. How do you get anything done? I have discovered that no matter what I put on my "to do" list each day, it never gets done. Just a few minutes ago, I managed to fold a load of towels, put a load in the dryer, unload the dishwasher, load the dishwasher, make a couple of bottles, fold another load of clothes and put them away, and make myself a tortilla/cheese rollup in the microwave. I'm pooped!!! But the only way I can get that stuff done is to do it when my little one has been put down for the night. So at 10:00 p.m. I turn into supermom/wife/maid/etc.

That being said...I think I am going to take a break from food blogging. Don't worry, I am still going to blog, and I may even post some recipes/restaurant reviews/etc., but most of my blogs will be about my little one and being a mommy. I spend so much time with my little one that I don't even get to write in his baby book each day. So, I thought if I start blogging about him and what we do each day, maybe I can have a record of it and can go back and fill in his book. I will also be posting some pictures of our "adventures" and other things.

I hope you will continue to read my blog, and I promise I will post "food things" too! I am just taking a little "break" from the food world and diving in to the "mommy world". Come and join me! :)

Some things I have been making lately:

2009-07-07T07:19:00.017-04:00

Semi-Homemade Pizza

1 refrigerated pizza crust (I like this one)

1 small jar pizza sauce

1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese

Toppings of your choice (we like pepperoni or hamburger)

Bake dough for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees (for a crisper crust). Spread pizza sauce on dough and top with ingredients. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is cooked through. Enjoy!

Caesar Salad

1 bag romaine lettuce, chopped (I think they come 3 hearts to a bag)

1 small bag shredded parmesan cheese
1 small bag garlic croutons
Equal parts of Creamy Caeser dressing and Caesar Vinagrette

Toss all ingredients together. Enjoy!

Happy 4th of July!!

2009-07-01T10:17:00.008-04:00

What is better than grilling hot dogs, hamburgers, roasting marshmallows for s'mores, and eating cold watermelon? A refreshing Flag Cake! (well, it comes REALLY close to the S'mores...)

For the 4th this year, I am making a Betty Crocker Poke Cake decorated like a flag. It is super easy! All you need is one white cake mix (I'm actually using Pillsbury brand this time - on sale), the ingredients for the cake mix, one small box of strawberry gelatin (I use Walmart brand), one tub of whipped topping, strawberries and blueberries.

Here is what your cake should look like:

You can also use raspberries instead of the strawberries and raspberry gelatin instead of the strawberry. Here is the full recipe:

Strawberry Poke Cake

1 box white cake mix
(Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box)
1 small box strawberry-flavored gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Fresh strawberries
Fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 350°F. Make and cool cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Pierce cooled cake all over with fork. In small bowl, stir gelatin and boiling water until smooth; stir in cold water. Pour over cake. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate at least 2 hours (or overnight). Frost with whipped topping; garnish with strawberries and blueberries. Store covered in refrigerator.

Hope you enjoy your holiday! May we rejoice in our freedom!

We interrupt this program....

2009-06-17T10:50:00.005-04:00

...to bring you a recipe from Weight Watchers! I purchased the "Pure Comfort" cookbook from Weight Watchers about a year or so ago and it has some awesome recipes. All comfort foods -- 150 of them, actually. The best thing about this cookbook is that it tells you what a serving size is and how many points it is. From Curried Popcorn to Ham and Bell Pepper Calzones (I know - YUM!) to Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake....these recipes are so easy and delicious! I know your mouth is watering right now, so I won't hold you in contempt any longer. The recipe for today is

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup + 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat (1%) milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 2/3 cups boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray.

Combine the flour, granulated sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, coffee powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir just until blended. Spoon the batter evenly into the pan.

Combine the brown sugar and the additional 1/4 cup cocoa powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Gently pour the boiling water in a zigzag fashion over the top; do not stir. Bake until the top of the pudding is set, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack at least 30 minutes. Cut into 9 squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

Points: 3 points for one square (when cut into 9 squares).

The Perfect Snack for a Shower

2009-06-15T10:25:00.008-04:00

If you are looking for a recipe to take to a shower, whether it be a bridal shower, baby shower, or even just a party, this is the easiest snack to make...in your slow cooker!

Sweet and Saucy Meatballs

1 bag frozen meatballs

1 small jar grape jelly

1 bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce

Empty meatballs in to slow cooker. Pour jelly and barbeque sauce over meatballs. Cook on Low for 3 or 4 hours.

Now that is the easy way to do it. What would make it even easier is to melt the grape jelly and barbeque sauce together in a saucepan (or in the microwave) and then pour it over the meatballs. This would make the sauce very smooth.

If you wanted to put a little more effort into this snack, you could make your own meatballs. Actually, I prefer homemade over the store-bought meatballs for the simple fact that you can make them with lean ground beef and put your own ingredients in them. Here is a recipe I use:

Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 small onion, minced (or 1 T. dehydrated onion flakes)

1 egg

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 T. mustard

1 tsp. worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients together (using your hands to mix works really well). Roll into bite-sized balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, or until meatballs are cooked through and brown. Or, you can brown/cook them in a skillet on the stove (faster method).

*This is also the recipe I use for making meatloaf. Just form the mixture into a "loaf" instead of rolling it into balls.

It's Fiesta Time!

2009-06-14T21:50:00.002-04:00

Here is a Crockpot recipe I posted a while back from my friend Benita. Check it out here!!
Hope you all have a great week!! :)

Pot Roast with/without Potatoes and Carrots

2009-06-11T14:48:00.006-04:00

I know I am not "branching out" much with these first two slow cooker recipes, but some new and exotic recipes are coming, I promise! We are just starting with the basics for now.

Pot Roast with/without Potatoes and Carrots

1 chuck roast (about 3 or 4 lbs. is good)
4 or 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
4 medium sized carrots (sliced) or 1 small bag baby carrots
1 small onion, sliced or chopped or 1 tsp. dehydrated onion flakes
1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
Worcestershire sauce
Seasoned salt
Enough water to cover the roast

Turn slow cooker on Low. Brown chuck roast in a skillet until there is a good brown color on all sides. Place in slow cooker. Top with a few shakes of worcestershire sauce, garlic, seasoned salt, and onions (or onion flakes). Cover with water and cook on Low for about 8-10 hours or until tender (falling apart).

Now, if you want to add the potatoes and carrots (I usually just make the roast by itself), you can add them at the beginning when you add the roast, or about halfway through. I don't usually put the veggies in just because they either turn out too mushy or not done enough.

I like to pair the roast with mashed potatoes, green beans, and "Almost Spoon Bread". Here is the recipe for the bread:

"Almost Spoon Bread"

1 box Jiffy cornmeal mix
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x9 baking dish or spray with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until bread is lightly golden on top (and cooked through in the center).

Hope you have enjoyed these recipes! A few more posts of "the basics" and then we will get into some amazing, and a little shocking, slow cooker recipes!

The Crockpot (aka Slow Cooker)

2009-06-08T18:14:00.007-04:00

I LOVE my Crockpot! If you do not own a Crockpot, you do not know what you are missing! There is absolutely nothing easier than fixing a meal in the slow cooker and having it ready by the time you get home from work...except running through the drive-thru at McDonald's or KFC or some other fast food joint, that is. But why would you want to take home a greasy bag of fries and a smashed burger when you can have: Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots, Santa Fe Soup (sort of like taco soup), Barbecued Ribs, and even dessert (such as hot fudge cake)?

Over the next few weeks, I am going to be posting some slow cooker recipes for you to enjoy...and I am dedicating them to my sweet friend Ann Claire who is about to become a new bride! Ann Claire is going to be cooking a lot for her new husband and wants something that is easy and that she can put in the slow cooker (since she and hubs will both be students and will be very busy!). Soooo..let's get "slow cooking"!!

One of my favorite things to make in the crockpot is barbecued ribs (and one of the easiest!). Here is what you need:

Barbecued Ribs
1 package boneless ribs (pork or beef)
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup Coke or Pepsi

Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour entire bottle of BBQ sauce over top of ribs, followed by cola (or, you can mix the BBQ sauce and cola together and pour the mixture over). Cook on Low for 5-6 hours, or until they are tender and cooked through.

These ribs are so yummy! You can pair them with mashed potatoes and mac-n-cheese for a very satisfying meal. :)

More slow-cooker dishes to come! Stay tuned!

Kickin' it into gear...

2009-06-01T07:57:00.003-04:00

Okay, today I "officially" start Weight Watchers again -- on my own, that is. I simply cannot afford to pay $40 a month to go to a meeting just to have someone weigh me and tell me that I have gained 2.4 pounds. So, I am trusting in the Lord to help me with this journey.

I have already gotten rid of almost all of the sweets in the house (except those cheesecake bites I just posted about which are 1 point each, I think) and the only "sweet" thing we are going to have from now on are 100 calorie packs. These are actually not that bad, if you are looking for a little snack. Plus, there are TONS of 100 calorie foods out there in the snack world, including these and these. My favorites, though, are the 100 calorie candy bars made by Hershey. They make chocolate covered pretzels, York peppermint patty sticks, and the best one so far....

These taste like those Reese sticks that you find in the candy aisle at your grocery store, but only 100 calories! And actually, most 100 calorie products are only about 2 points on WW. So...I can indulge for only a couple of points. Hey, it's hard enough trying to lose weight...don't take my sweets away too!!

Anyway, I hope you will pray for me and with me as I begin this weight journey. I don't think it will be too hard since I lost 50 lbs. before I became pregnant. But, you never know (especially now that I have a little one and a lot of "baby fat" as they call it). My husband is going to do this with me, and my sister, so be praying for them as well. Thank you! :)

If you like cheesecake...

2009-05-29T12:16:00.003-04:00

you have GOT to try THESE!! I discovered them in the freezer section of Walmart (plus I had a coupon). Oh my gosh - these hit the spot if you are craving cheesecake but feel guilty for buying a whole cheesecake just for yourself. They have several different kinds...and I plan to try them all!!! So far I have only had the cookies and creme one, but they all sound yummy. :) Enjoy!!

Menu for the week of May 11

2009-05-12T08:48:00.010-04:00

So I didn't post my "menu of the week" yesterday because, well, I had no idea what I was going to make this week! I have some sort of an idea now, but it could change. Anyway, here is my "tentative" menu for this week:

Monday

Chicken and Biscuits casserole

Pineapple Casserole (this is sooooo yummy! My friend Sarah made it for us one time...although I can never get mine to come out or taste like hers....)

Tuesday

Leftovers (hey, when you're only cooking for two people you always have enough for another meal!)

Wednesday - Fellowship Dinner at Church

Fried Chicken

Not sure what I am contributing yet...the Broccoli Cheese casserole didn't make it last week - I made Spoon Bread and Brownies instead....maybe we'll try it again

Thursday

Pizza Pasta

Bread of some kind

I would love to put "salad" here too, but as much as I love it, I cannot have it due to my UC

Friday

Probably leftovers again....or maybe we'll grab a bite somewhere

Saturday

Traveling again, this time to Mt. Sterling to see my family - yay!! I think Mom and Dad are having a cookout for us that afternoon so we will probably have a grilled cheese or quesadilla for dinner (we probably won't get back until late)

Sunday

Something easy -- Sundays are pretty busy for us with Jason being a pastor and all....maybe Pork Chops or a Pork Tenderloin sandwich

Well there you have it. I told you I was not really sure about the menu....subject to change. Hope you all have a great week! And if you have any suggestions on easy recipes I could make, please send them my way!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T13:59:00.006-04:00

I know this is a day late, but I wanted to wish all of you moms and moms-to-be out there a very Happy Mother's Day!! I celebrated my first Mother's Day yesterday and it was amazing! My Mom was here and it was so special to get to spend this day with her. We had a great morning at church (all of the moms received a beautiful carnation) and a great lunch at Red Lobster. Yum!! Here are a few pictures of my first Mother's Day:

Me with my two wonderful boys!

Me and my Mom! Isn't she beautiful?!

Me, Nana, and "Little Man"

This will be a Mother's Day that I will never forget. I pray your Mother's Day was as special as mine. :)

Menu for the Week of May 4

2009-05-04T16:00:00.008-04:00

Well, since I am now a "stay-at-home" MOM! :) I have a little more time to cook and come up with recipes. One thing I am going to try and start doing is posting a "Menu for the Week" to help me come up with ideas for meals (particularly for supper). My friend Kim does this on her blog and I always enjoy reading what she is going to be making/eating every week.

So, for this week I am keeping things simple. Plus, I just started Weight Watchers again (on my own this time using all of my WW books) and have to cut back on the fast food and sweets. Trust me, this is VERY hard to do - especially since I ate whatever I wanted while I was pregnant. The Lord will give me strength..... :)

Here is my menu for this week:

Monday

Meatloaf - very easy recipe - look for post soon

Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans - from my Dad's garden - yum!

Biscuits

Tuesday

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie (you can use a refrigerated or frozen pie crust, or biscuits on top)

Leftover veggies

Wednesday (Church Fellowship Meal - only have to bring a side dish!)

Roast - main dish

Broccoli Cheese Casserole (my contribution) - will post recipe for this soon

Thursday (our sweet friends Zach and Missy are bringing us supper on this day! No cooking for me - Woohoo!!)

Maple Apple Chicken - I'll have to get this recipe from Missy and post it for you

Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans

Rolls

Cake or Cupcakes (hey, it's okay to splurge a little on WW...just don't overdo it) :)

Friday

Spaghetti...or maybe leftovers

Saturday

Supper will probably be on the road - we are going to a friend's wedding in Ohio

Sunday - Mother's Day (my first one!!)

My mom will be here, so we will probably take her out for a nice lunch after church, then just a light supper (maybe a homemade quesadilla)

Hopefully this menu will work out. I'll let you know!! :)

Isaiah Benjamin Lowe

2009-04-23T14:37:00.013-04:00

Hello again blogworld!! It has been way too long!!

Some things have been taking up most of my time lately, which is why I haven't posted in 3 weeks....mainly my 3-week old son!!! Yep, according to my Doctor I was supposed to have my little one TODAY, but instead he decided to come quite a bit sooner -- 20 days sooner!

Isaiah Benjamin Lowe was born on April 3 at 5:14 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs. 4 oz. and was 20 inches long. He is soooooo precious!! When you wait for someone for so long (4+ years), it is a blessing beyond belief when they he/she finally arrives. I can't even begin to explain the whirlwind of emotions I have had over the past 3 weeks (if you are a mom, new mom, or pregnant I am sure you can relate to this). I have felt blessed, excited, overjoyed, happy, sad, anxious, overwhelmed, weepy, and stressed just to name a few. Things are getting back to a somewhat normal state, though. Please keep us in your prayers! It is definitely a huge life change when a little one comes into your life.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy of the "little man". :) I love him so much! Isn't he the cutest thing you have ever seen?? (I am not just saying that because he is my son, you know... ) :)

Spring is in the air...time to GRILL!!!

2009-03-31T22:14:00.004-04:00

Okay, being 37 weeks pregnant and on semi-bedrest is never any fun - especially when you spend most of each day sitting in the recliner (feet elevated) staring out your back door at the beautiful sun shining down over your deck and glistening off of your grill. Talk about cabin fever!

I am so glad excited that Spring is here, and even more excited that our baby boy will be here in a week! I am READY for him to come into the world. April 9th will be his birthday! :) Please pray for our family as we welcome this new bundle of joy.

Alright, back to the grill. I have been craving a grilled steak for a while now and picked up a couple of thin cut ribeyes at the grocery about a week ago. My husband fired up the charcoal grill (we only had a few brisquettes, but it was enough to get it going) and I went to work marinating the steaks. I used worcestershire sauce, Lawry's seasoning, a little coarse salt, pepper, A1, and a little orange juice (the acid makes the meat tender). Then, to finish things off, I topped the steaks with a little melted butter and threw them on the grill.

For a side dish, I decided to make potato pouches. I sliced up several russet potatoes and tossed them with a little Lawry's seasoning, olive oil, and ranch dressing. I put several slices into a square piece of aluminum foil and topped the slices with a little salt and a pat of butter. Then I placed the pouches on the grill (they should be on the hottest part of the grill because it takes them longer to cook).

Since the steaks were thin cut, they didn't take long to cook. Let me tell you....those steaks were delicious!!! Tender, juicy, and just enough charcoal flavor to not be overpowering. And the potatoes....just enough seasoning and fork tender. Yummmy!!! Just what a pregnant girl needed. Hey, you can't keep a girl down for long! (Don't worry, that was the extent of my day. After that I went back to the recliner!)

MIA

2009-03-14T07:21:00.006-04:00

Sorry I have been MIA from blogworld recently. I have had some health problems and other things going on, to say the least. Here is a short update (non-food related, unfortunately) of what has been going on.

Last Wednesday I had an OB appointment to check on Baby Isaiah. He is doing great! Unfortunately, Momma hasn't been doing so well. My BP was elevated, there was evidence of protein, and my legs/feet were swelled double in size. These are all signs of preeclampsia. The doctor sent me straight to the hospital for overnight observation (I did get to go home and pack a bag first, thankfully).

While in the hospital, I was on "bed rest" the entire rest of the day, and pretty much for 24 hours. I had to lay on my side and could only get up to go to the restroom (I also had to give a 24 hour "sample" if you know what I mean). I did not enjoy this very much. Although I did have plenty of visitors to keep me entertained - praise God for that!! :)

When they dismissed me, I had orders to come straight home and do pretty much nothing but sit in a recliner all day with my feet elevated. No work, no house work, nothing. Let me tell you how boring that can get!! I always thought I would enjoy "sitting back, relaxing in the recliner, watching TV, taking it easy"....but not when you have to do it as an order, and not for an entire week and a half! Needless to say, I had cabin fever pretty bad.

I actually had another doctor's appointment this past Monday and discovered that I have bronchitis on top of everything else. Argh!!! She did give me a Z-pack to take, though, so I am finally "on the mend".

So there you have it - these are the reasons why I have been MIA in the blogging world for the past few days. I haven't been out of this house to eat anywhere, thus no critiques. I haven't been cooking or baking, thus no recipes. But I will tell you that since I have been "down and out", our sweet members of Morningside have been providing meals left and right! Here is what we have had for dinner so far (I knew I could incorporate food into this blogpost somehow!):

Fried chicken, Chili, Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, mixed veggies, applesauce, stuff to make deli sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, chocolate cake (that was to die for!), awesome baked ziti, italian bread, and banana pudding plus all of the leftovers.

We are soooo blessed!! They had a schedule set up for meals the day I got out of the hospital. :) We couldn't ask for a better church family. :) Also, a couple of our closest friends brought over spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and dessert and ate with us the day after I got out (they called to let us know they were bringing it while I was still in the hospital!).

So, needless to say, we are blessed "beyond belief". Is it possible to be so blessed that you are overwhelmed?? :)

I'll be back to blogging about food soon, now that I am "off of work" due to doctor's orders. Be on the lookout!! :)

Jessie's Family Restaurant

2009-03-07T19:43:00.004-05:00

Ever been to one of those "whole in the wall" restaurants? You know, the ones that are not too pretty to look at but have the most amazing food ever? Well, we came upon a little place called Jessie's Family Restaurant after church last Sunday. We had passed this place several times on our way to/from church and the parking lot is always full, so we decided to give it a try.

Now this place is definitely country -- gravel parking lot, country food, country feel. There are even paper placemats at every table featuring local ads and a crossword puzzle for you to attempt while you wait. They also have "daily specials" and you can get breakfast any time of day. The specials are written on small chalkboards that are randomly placed around the restaurant, and there are wooden paper towel holders at every table in the shape of the restaurant.

On this particular day, our friends Mark and Alyson came along with us for "Sunday dinner". We were greeted by the aroma of homemade pies and fried chicken. The customers were mainly older people with a few younger couples here and there. The decor was nothing to brag about, just a little ole' country place with tables, chairs, and a few booths.

We sat down at a little table and checked out the menu. The little chalkboard above our table listed the daily special for that day: Turkey & Dressing with 3 sides, rolls or cornbread for $7.95. What a deal! My husband and I decided to go for it. He had corn, green beans, and mashed potatoes with his T/D and I had mashed potatoes, green beans, and baked apples. We each had a piece of cornbread as big as our hand! Mark and Alyson each had fried chicken with 3 sides and rolls. It - was- delicious!! We even had enough leftovers for another meal (dinner that night). I realllllly wanted a piece of homemade pie, but could definitely not hold it. Next time for sure.

If you are ever in Louisville or in the PRP neighborhood, I highly recommend trying Jessie's Family Restaurant. Remember - never judge a book by its cover. You never know what is on the inside!!

Morningside Baptist Church

2009-02-21T20:45:00.010-05:00

Last Sunday was my hubby and my first "official" Sunday at Morningside Baptist Church as Pastor and wife. The people of Morningside are so sweet and wonderful! They welcomed us with hugs and love. We are so blessed to have found a church with such an amazing congregation. We cannot wait to serve alongside each member, and to see what God has in store for this church.

After church was over on Sunday, the members had a very nice reception for us (the cake was AWESOME!!). They also gave Jason some really nice gifts, including a Samsonite cowhide satchel-bag, a leather planner, and a gift card to Lifeway. Here are some pictures from the reception:

And here are some pictures of the church:

Isn't it beautiful? Morningside is located right off of Dixie Highway on Arnoldtown Road. Services are 9:45 Sunday School and 11:00 worship on Sunday mornings, 6:00 pm Fellowship dinner and 7:00 Bible Study on Wednesday evenings. We invite you to come and worship with us!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2009-02-14T20:35:00.007-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you single and married people out there!!! I hope you have had a day full of blessings and chocolate! :)

My sweet husband and I celebrated Valentine's Day last night (Friday) because I had to start a special 3-day diet today (bleh) as part of an extended glucose test for my pregnancy (the first one was elevated). So, needless to say, I cannot have any chocolate today. :( It's okay, though, I had a couple of pieces last night. Jay got me a heart-shaped Hershey's Pot of Gold, the sweetest card that he made himself, and a dozen yellow roses (my favorite!!). I got him one of those "singing" cards that plays "So Happy Together" and the new Keith and Kristyn Getty CD, plus made him some chocolate-covered strawberries.

We ate at O'Charleys for dinner and headed to Lowe's Home Improvement store to pick out our real gift to each other (not really, but that is our story) -- a washer and dryer. Yep, our dryer (nicknamed "Old Faithful") bit the dust a couple of days ago. We tried everything to revive it - cleaned out the vent, cleaned the outside vent, flipped the breaker -- but to no avail. His friend, washer, was just about to bite the dust and probably wouldn't have lasted long without him, so we replaced it too. Besides, Jay has had the pair since 2000 when he purchased these refurbished appliances from a scratch-n-dent place. So they have served their term well.

We ended up purchasing this set (on sale):

We figured since we would be doing double (or even triple) the amount of laundry we do now when the baby comes, we had better have something reliable and that would last a long time. Despite the dryer not fitting into our laundry space and us having to deplete the bank account, we are pleased with our V-day gift. :)

How was your Valentine's Day? What did you get? Did you cook/bake anything special? I would love to hear your stories!

If only I had a stocked pantry....

2009-01-30T09:29:00.008-05:00

I would make these! I watched Ina Garten make these on her show Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network yesterday and salivated over them. It is probably not a good thing to watch the food network and all of the yummy recipes that are made on there when you are snowed in and have no goodies in the house (not to mention being pregnant)!!

Anyway, check these out. Don't they look scrumptious?? The recipe and picture are from the http://www.foodnetwork.com/ website.

Peanut Swirl Brownies

pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the remaining 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the prepared sheet pan. Spoon the peanut butter over the top of the chocolate mixture and using a knife, swirl it through the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes more or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into large squares. Makes 20 large brownies.

Ice, Ice, Baby!

2009-01-27T17:00:00.013-05:00

As I am sitting here writing this blog it is raining "ice" outside my door. There are icicles covering my back deck, and the trees in the distance have a sheer white coating of ice on the branches. It is absolutely beautiful! Although, it is also very dangerous for those who have to be traveling in this weather. I have been praying for them throughout the day (I was very fortunate to have the day off from work due to the icy weather, and will probably have tomorrow off as well).

With the ice outside, and the warmth of a heater and space heater inside, it is very cozy in my home. What is one to do with a "day off" when she cannot go outside or to work? Laundry. Dishes. Blog. I am very grateful to be able to clean my house and do laundry, although that is not the way I would love to spend my day off. I have cooked some today, though. I made pancakes for my hubby this morning and fixed him lunch, and am about to cook supper here shortly (chicken parmesan). I would have loved to bake, but alas I do not have a pantry stocked full of "baking stuff". Besides, I just made these a couple of days ago. And....I did not stop at the grocery store last night to pick up a loaf of bread like I should have (hubby has to have a grilled cheese every night). Oh well.

I could have made a big pot of soup today, or chili (I am saving that for the Super Bowl), but chicken parmesan it is. Maybe tomorrow I will be more productive. Hey, I do have an excuse with the whole "pregnancy" thing, right? :) Speaking of, I only have a few months to go! Woo-hoo! I have gained a total of ..... you didn't actually think I would tell you that, did you? Haha, let's just say I've gained quite a bit of weight. I just chalk it up to "eating for two". Even though baby boy probably needs carrots and broccoli in his diet more than he needs ice cream and cheese puffs. :)

So, I know this hasn't been much of a "food post" so far, and I promise I will make up for that. Here is the recipe for the chicken parmesan I am making tonight. WARNING: IT IS SUPER EASY!!! (I told you I was lazy today!)

Chicken Parmesan (for 2)

2 frozen chicken patties
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Spaghetti
Spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken patties on cookie sheet or casserole dish and bake for 10-15 minutes (or whatever it says on the package). Meanwhile boil your spaghetti noodles on the stove and simmer your spaghetti sauce. Once patties are done (flip them once halfway during cooking time) take them out of the oven and top them with spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup for each patty). Place back in oven until cheese is melted. Serve alongside a serving of spaghetti w/sauce. Enjoy!

See? Wasn't that easy? I just love easy stuff. Now while you wait for your patties to bake, enjoy some of the beautiful "ice sculptures" from our back (and front) yard:

The Back Yard

The Front Yard

The reflection (see it?) on the deck and the little pine tree

And the winner is....

2009-01-17T19:29:00.015-05:00

Thank you to those who left comments with their Light Dessert recipes! The winner of the "Light Desserts" cookbook, chosen by Random.org, is.........drum roll please........

Comment #4 - cdziuba

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers: 4

Timestamp: 2009-01-18 00:37:27 UTC

cdziuba said...
I learned this one at Weight Watchers. One small box Sugar-Free Strawberry Jello, One regular container of Lite Cool Whip. Mix together and serve as a dip with fruit. I actually used to make a cream cheese and sour cream dip for fruit for my parties, and after my cholesterol was found to be much too high, I started educating myself about Light food.

Great giveaway! Thanks.

Congratulations!! Please email me at brizner (at) hotmail (dot) com with your address so I can send you your cookbook! :)

There will be more giveaways in the near future, as well as more yummy recipes! Keep watching!

Chocolate Sour Cream Drops (from Light Desserts)

2009-01-14T22:11:00.005-05:00

Here is another light dessert from the "Light Desserts" cookbook....and it is chocolate!! There are only 38 calories per cookie and only 1.7 grams of fat. Sounds yummy to me! :) Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Sour Cream Drops

1/2 cup margarine, softened (I recommend butter instead)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg white

1 Tbsp. water

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cooking Spray

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream margarine, gradually add sugar beating at medium speeed until light and fluffy. Add sour cream, vanilla, egg white and water; beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and cinnamon; mix well. Add to creamed mixture. Drop dough by spoonsful 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over cooled cookies. Makes 5 1/2 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!! :)

Light Desserts and another giveaway!

2009-01-13T22:32:00.008-05:00

To keep with the "Light and Healthy" recipes, this blogpost is all about Light Desserts! And, if you like the recipes, then you will LOVE the cookbook "Light Desserts". Here are a few you may enjoy:

Blueberry Cake with Lemon Glaze

3 cups sifted cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup skim milk
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
Cooking Spray
1 Tbsp. sifted cake flour

Glaze
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon rind

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 3 cups cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour mixture over blueberries and toss gently to coat; set aside. Beat sugar and eggs in a large bowl at medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Combine milk and oil. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in flavorings and fold in blueberries.

Pour batter into a 10-cup fluted tube pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray and dusted with 1 tablespoon cake flour. Bake for 50-55 minutes or unti wooden pick comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice. Stir in lemon rind, mix well. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake. Garnish with lemon curls, if desired. Makes 16 servings.

Doesn't this sound yummy?? There are plenty more recipes like this. I will be posting more of them over the next few days, so be on the lookout!

Now it's time for the Giveaway! One lucky person will win a Light Desserts cookbook (vintage - 1989). Here is what it looks like:

Here is what you have to do to win: Leave a comment with one of your favorite light dessert recipes, or an easy dessert recipe that could be converted to light (using light cream cheese, skim milk, etc). The giveaway will end on Friday, January 16 and the winner will be revealed on Friday or Saturday.

I cannot wait to hear/see your "light dessert" recipes! :)

The first blog entry of 2009!! (and a Giveaway!)

2009-01-08T23:09:00.017-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope 2009 has been great for you so far. I am sure this year will be full of exciting and fun things for everyone. I just cannot contain my excitement about the arrival of our little boy in April!! That is one reason 2009 will be such a blessed year for us.

To start the year off right, I thought it would be a good idea to post some healthy recipes. I know we are all trying to "watch our weight" and are making those new year resolutions that we know we will not keep. So why not enjoy something delicious that is also healthy for us? Forget the bottled water and rice cakes!

Chicken with Mango

2 T. oil
1 t. grated ginger
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
4 chicken breasts, shredded
4 green onions, sliced diagonally
1 t. light soy sauce
1 chicken bouillon cube
2/3 cup water
1 t. sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 ripe mangoes, pealled and sliced (or one can sliced mangos, drained)
2 t. cooking sherry (optional)

Heat a wok or large skillet and add oil. Add ginger and cinnamon and saute for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and green onions. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add light soy sauce, crumbled bouillon, water, sugar, and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the mangoes and cooking sherry and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Serve with rice or noodles.

Like this recipe? Well there are plenty more recipes like this one in the cookbook "Healthy Cooking" by Landoll, Inc. And.....I'm giving it away! All you have to do is leave a comment with your answer to the following question and you can be entered for a chance to win this neat cookbook (it is somewhat vintage - 1995 is the copyright - so it is not brand new).

Here is the question:

*How do you plan to change your diet/eating habits this year? (Example: eat more veggies, cook with olive oil, only eat fast food once a week, etc.)*

The giveaway will end at 8:00 pm on Sunday night and the winner will be announced on Monday. If you don't win this time, don't worry! I have several more giveaways in the coming weeks, so you will definitely have a chance. Good luck!! :)

A look back at 2008....

2008-12-30T09:15:00.011-05:00

I pray that everyone had a very blessed Christmas this year. Can you believe 2008 is almost over? It is hard to believe that we are about to begin a new year...a year of "change" for most people. Since starting this blog on June 15, 2008 I have had the best time posting recipes, reading comments, and most of all reading other people's blogs! I have absolutely no idea how many people read my blog, but I appreciate you taking the time to. :)

Over the past year, a lot of things have happened in my life (mostly unrelated to food!). Here is just a snapshot of things that have occurred:

*Horribly sick on New Year's Eve, 2008 (stayed in friends' bathroom until 3 am) - a foreshadow of what was yet to come

*Another "episode" of the horrible sickness in February
*A third episode in March - thus sending me to a Gastroenterologist
*Colonoscopy (my first and hopefully last!!)
*Admitted to the hospital where I spent 8 days
*Gallbladder surgery (man am I glad to get rid of that thing!)
*April - recovery the entire month (off from work)
*May - Getting back into the swing of things, traded 2002 Grand Prix for 2007 Sonata (yay!)
*June - "Stay-cation" in Louisville, KY (due to earlier health problems and finances)
*July - our 6 year anniversary and my birthday!!!
*August - mini-vacation to Gatlinburg, TN
*August 26 - found out I am PREGNANT!!
*September - Hurricane Ike blows through Louisville, KY
*October - trip to Huber's (including one of the BEST caramel apples I've ever had!)
*November - in-laws come to Louisville for Thanksgiving (I cooked!), traded 05 Chevy Colorado for 07 Mitsubishi Galant ($200 cheaper payment per month!)
*December - found out Baby Lowe is a BOY! Went to both families for Christmas, celebrated the Birth of Jesus Christ.

Well there you have it - just a few things that happened in the life of the Lowes in 2008 (there was plenty more, but these are just a few of the highlights).

Now for a recipe. Since New Year's Day will arrive tomorrow, and we all have heard the superstitions of eating black-eyed peas, cabbage, and other foods for "good luck", here is a recipe that I am sure you will enjoy. It has nothing to do with cabbage or black-eyed peas, and it may or may not bring you luck....but what is luck anyway?

Hot Chicken Dip

4-5 chicken breasts, shredded
1 8-oz. block of cream cheese
1 bottle of ranch dressing
1 block or 1 package of monterey jack cheese, shredded
can of Rotel tomatoes (tomatoes with chilis)

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into casserole dish or baking dish. Bake at 35o for 10 minutes, or until everything is melted together. Serve with tortilla chips or corn chips.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Stay tuned -- there is lots to come in the new year for Bites With Brandi...including some neat giveaways!! Details soon....

On the 12th day of Christmas treats...

2008-12-24T16:14:00.003-05:00

my daddy gave to me.....Yep, today's post is one of my dad's recipes, and it is made in the microwave!

Dad's Divinity

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Butter a 8-inch baking dish, set aside. In a 2-quart microwave-safe glass measuring cup with handle, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Stir well until sugar dissolves. Microwave on HIGH for another 5-6 minutes or until mixture reaches 260 degrees (check temp with a candy thermometer).

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites untiol stiff peaks form. While beating at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue beating until mixture loses its gloss, about 10-12 minutes. Blend in vanilla, stir in walnuts and quickly press mixture into a buttered 8-inch square pan. Let stand until firm then cut into squares. Makes 1 1/2 pounds.

May each of you and your families have a very blessed Christmas and New Year!!

Now for the 11th day of Christmas treats...

2008-12-23T17:45:00.002-05:00

These are so easy -- I made a batch in no time. A perfect snack too!

White Chocolate Pretzels

1 bag mini pretzels
1 bag white chocolate chips (I use Hershey's)
Paraffin (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

Melt white chocolate chips in a double broiler on the stove. Mix in about 2 tablespoons of paraffin if desired. Stir until all chips/paraffin are melted and smooth. Dip pretzels in white chocolate and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with red and green sprinkles, or other sprinkles. Let cool until set. Makes a whole bag of pretzels (however big of a bag you have).

Before I post the 11th day of Christmas treats....

2008-12-22T14:16:00.005-05:00

I have just got to show you something!!

.........Introducing BAKERELLA!!!

One of my favorite food blogs is Bakerella. She is soooo talented! She is known for her cupcakes and her cupcake pops, as well as her red velvet cake balls. I try to read her blog at least once every day. She was even a guest on Martha Stewart's show! I wish I could be as talented as she is....

Anyway, you have to check out her blog post for today on Snow Globe Coca-Cola Cupcakes. These are SO NEAT!! And check out what she uses for the globe part. Awesome!!

If you have never seen her blog, trust me it will become one of your favorites. Have fun!

The 9th and 10th days....

2008-12-19T10:16:00.003-05:00

On the 9th (and 10th) days of Christmas treats, my true love baked for me...... Christmas Pancakes with Maple Cranberry Syrup!!

Christmas Morning Pancakes (ideas/recipes from Chef Pam Price)

I like to add cinnamon and fresh ground nutmeg to my favorite store bought boxed pancake mix then pack it into a mason jar with the recipe for Christmas Morning Pancakes. Sometimes I add a package of country ham, apples and festive holiday cloth napkins.

Recipe for Christmas Pancakes:
Mix pancake batter using water and enough pancake mixture to form a smooth batter the consistency of sour cream. Peel two apples, core and slice into very thin slices. Place griddle or pan on medium heat for two minutes. Place one teaspoon real butter in the pan swirling to cover the surface. Add 6 apple slices in a circle shape. Pour batter over the apples. Lower the heat slightly and cook until bubbles come to the top and the edges appear dry. Flip and cook the other side. Remove to heated platter and keep warm . Repeat to make as many pancakes as desired. Serve with maple cranberry syrup and sliced fried country ham.

Maple Cranberry Syrup (also from Chef Pam)

1-cup maple syrup
½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
¼ cup chopped walnuts

In a one-quart saucepan, combine the syrup and cranberry sauce. Heat, stirring occasionally, until cranberry sauce is melted. Stir in the walnuts. Pour into a small decorative jar. Give instructions on a recipe card to serve warm. Store covered in the refrigerator up to four weeks.

*This would also be a great gift for an anniversary, birthday, or hostess gift.

On the 6th, 7th, and 8th days of Christmas treats....

2008-12-17T08:58:00.005-05:00

Okay, I guess I shouldn't make a promise I cannot keep. I promised that I would not fail to post each day's Christmas treats...but indeed I have failed. Therefore I am making it up today with 3 Christmas treats! I hope you enjoy them.

Oreo Truffles

1 package Oreos, crushed until very fine (I use a food processor)
2 pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. white chocolate bark, melted

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in crushed Oreos until mixed well. Roll into balls. Place on wax paper and freeze for 10-15 minutes. Remove from freezer and dip in melted bark. Makes 75 truffles. (These are to die for!!)

Oatmeal Scotchies (this recipe is from my friend Tricia)

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 2/3 cups (11 oz. pkg) Nestle Toll House Butterscotch Flavored Morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 7-8 minutes for chewy cookies; 9 to 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. (Makes about 4 dozen cookies)

Easy Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sauce (a recipe from Chef Pam Price)

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup miniature marshmallows
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium to low heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly. Pour into decorative jars and store in the refrigerator up to one week.

Gift Idea: Tie a nice ribbon around the jar top and dangle jingle bells from the ends. Pack in a nice bag with a new ice cream scoop, ice cream themed paper napkins, or a set of colorful dessert/ice cream bowls.

More to come in the next few days!! :)

5 GOLD-EN ...........wreaths??

2008-12-13T22:11:00.005-05:00

Okay, so the wreaths are not really golden, unless you don't add the food coloring. :) These are so festive for Christmas! You can use crisp rice cereal, but this recipe calls for good ole' corn flakes. They are so pretty and great to give as gifts. Plus, you only need 5 ingredients!! Check out the recipe (and I apologize for the measurements - I just usually eyeball everything):

Corn Flake Wreaths

1 bag mini-marshmallows
1/2 stick butter
A couple of drops of green food coloring
1/2 box of cornflakes (about 5 cups, or more if batter is too sticky)
Red hots candies or red M&Ms

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add marshmallows and stir until marshmallows are melted. Add in green food coloring until well blended. Remove from heat. Fold in cornflakes until coated. Drop spoonfuls onto waxed paper and form into wreaths. While still warm, place a few red hots or M&Ms onto wreaths (for holly berries). Cool in fridge for about an hour. Enjoy!