What to make with that leftover turkey....

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.....

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!!

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

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

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

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

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 ....

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!

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...

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!!!

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.....

Vegetarian Burritos

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!

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!!

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!

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...

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!!!!

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

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

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....

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:

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!

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

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.

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....

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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!!

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: