Have I ever told you....

how much I love these??? And at only $1.50 each (Walmart) they are the best little thing around. Just microwave and go....to your quiet, serene place where only chocolate takes you..... :)

Shrimp Stroganoff Casserole -- Please vote!!

My friend Lori over at My Wooden Spoon is one of the finalists in the Kraft Velveeta Casserole Challenge. The recipe she submitted is her Shrimp Stroganoff Casserole which looks so yummy! I cannot wait to try it. Please check out her recipe and vote for her here. If Lori gets the most votes she will win some cool prizes! Plus, she is giving some of her own prizes away on her blog. Happy voting!!

P.S. The ingredients she used were bought for $20 or less and her casserole will feed at least 8 people!

Dessert or Side Dish?

This has got to be one of my favorite things to have on my plate at Thanksgiving (or anytime for that matter!). It is so easy to make, and the fresh sweet potatoes make it taste so much better than if you use the canned ones. But would you classify this as a side dish or a dessert? It is very sweet, yet it is a potato. Hmmm...let me know your thoughts on this one!

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 stick butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil sweet potatoes, drain and mash. Mix next 7 ingredients together with potatoes. Pour into buttered casserole dish. Mix brown sugar, flour, butter, and pecans together and crumble over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

"Easy" Recipes...Low Maintenance, Budget-Friendly

Have you noticed that a lot of my recipes have the word "easy" in them? The reason is that I do not have time to make these fancy-shmancy recipes like they show on the Food Network. I mean, Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals is supposed to be about easy meals that take 30 minutes or less to prepare. But most of these meals are very high maintenance and would cost a fortune! For example, one of her meals was this:

*Broccoli Rabe With Lemon And Garlic
*Gemelli With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
*Broiled Lamb Chops With Balsamic Reduction
*Creme De Menthe Parfaits

Now, I don't know about you, but this does not sound like my idea of a 30 minute meal (and not my kind of taste either). When I think of 30 minute meals, I think of spaghetti and meat sauce, garlic bread, and a salad...and maybe brownies for dessert (or some other easy meal of that nature). Oh well, just call me old-fashioned. :)

Well, here is another easy recipe for you. This time it is for breakfast. Hope you enjoy!! (This one is so easy, you don't even need an oven!!) :)

Caramel Nut Sticky Buns

3 T. butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 T. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
⅓ 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, stirring to coat each piece. Push biscuits toward outer edges of dish and place a small glass or custard cup in center of dish. Microwave on HIGH for 2½ to 3 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Invert on plate or serving dish. Pull apart and serve warm.
Yields: 3-5 servings