Green Chili

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. cooked pork roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans chopped green chilis
1/4 C. green salsa
choice of tortilla
cheese (optional I suppose....but a must for me!)

Combine first 4 items. Use your choice of tortilla for taguitoes, burritos, or enchiladas. Or for a super cute appetizer, get those scoop tortilla chips, place a spoonful of the mixture in the "bowl" of the chip, top with shredded cheese.

So tasty and so pretty!

8 can chicken enchilada soup

For the days when you feel like you need to use the cans collecting dust in your cupboard.

2 cans chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can corn
1 can white chicken breast
1 can northern white beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes (flavor to your liking) -I like mild....I'm a wuss.


Add all cans not drained in a large pan and heat through. Just until it boils then turn down the heat. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado, and cheese.


*this recipe serves 6 well. You can customize to serve your families hungry meter*

French Toast

iknowiknowiknow...it's just French Toast, right?? Wrong. You'll think you've died and gone to heaven.

8 slices high-quality bread
2 T. unsalted butter
1 c. milk
1 egg
2 T. sugar
2 t. vanilla
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. flour

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200. Arrange the bread on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes.While the bread is in the oven, melt 2 T. of butter and whisk it together with the milk, egg, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, & salt in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the flour until smooth.Transfer 1 or 2 pieces of bread at a time from the oven into the batter & soak both sides. Cook on a nonstick skillet or griddle until done, about 2 1/2 minutes per side.

(Recipe from America's Test Kitchen)

White chocolate cranberry pecan oatmeal cookies

Okay peeps listen up...
1. I know I'm not the only one that loves to cook.
2. I know I'm not the only one stuck at home all day with kids doing nothing. 3. I know I'm not the only one sick of seeing my name a lot on this site.
So....
POST! POST FOOD! POST GOOD FOOD!

Come on, I dare ya, I double dog dare ya! {or in the blog world is it tag}

Here is a recipe courtesy of Ocean Spray, from the back of a Craisins pouch. And mmmm.

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

6 oz bag of Craisins (2/3 cup)

1/2 pecans optional

Pre heat oven to 375. Mix butter, brown sugar and eggs well. Add baking soda, salt, flour, and oats. Stir in Craisins, white chips, and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until just barely golden.

Vickis chicken with grapes ,couscous and roasted asparagus

So when my blog was a baby way back in 2007...one of the first posts I did was this great recipe. It comes courtesy of Rachael Ray. You know what that means? EVOO, 30 minutes, and really tasty. Plus you don't have to listen to her crack lame jokes. [wink]
We ate this tonight. I haven't made this in awhile and it was the perfect dinner to mix it up a bit. The ingredients sound strange but paired together taste wonderful!

1 1/2 pounds asparagus
5 TBS extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 TBS fresh chopped thyme leaves (I left this out since I'm not a fan of thyme)
Course salt and pepper
2 TBS butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 pounds chicken tenders
1/2 cup white cooking wine
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (cans, boxes, or just made from cubes)
1 cup heavy cream (I use half and half)
1/4 cup grainy, stone ground mustard
1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
2 cups couscous

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Trim asparagus. Toss with about 3 TBS of olive oil, 2 TBS chopped thyme and salt and pepper. Spread asparagus out onto a cookie sheet and roast 10-12 minutes until it is tender and crispy at the tips.

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat; add 2 TBS olive oil and 2 TBS butter to the pan. Place flour in shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Add it to the pan. Cook chicken 7 to 8 minutes until browned. Add wine and scrape up browned bits as wine cooks down and bubbles, 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup stock. Combine cream and mustard and add to stock. Let simmer then add grapes and turn to coat and combine with sauce. Simmer over low heat.
Bring remaining 2 cups chicken broth and 1 TBS of fresh thyme to a boil in small pot. Add couscous and take off heat. Cover with lid and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
Serve tenders and grapes on couscous alongside asparagus.

Crockpot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I saw this recipe on the Crockpot Ladies website and tried it last night. I have altered it a little to my liking. I made it her way and I wanted it a little more cheese and creamy. So, I adjusted it a little. I say make it to taste.

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (9-ounce) bag baby spinach, chopped (If you buy it already chopped and frozen you don't need as much. I did and I felt it was more spinach then it needed.)
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise or 3/4 cube cream cheese
3 T jalapeno slices, chopped

I used a 4-quart crockpot. Drain and chop artichoke hearts, and add to the crockpot Scrunch the spinach and chop it the best you can---mostly try to get the long stems off if you can or use frozen chopped spinach. Add to the crockpot. Add mayo or cream cheese, sour cream, and chopped jalapenos. Top with 3/4 cup each shredded mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, or high for 1. Stir. The spinach should begin to welt if you are using fresh spinach. If it hasn't, cook some more. When the spinach is totally wilted, take the lid off and add the other 3/4 cup of each cheese, and let it melt while the lid remains off. The spinach will have created some liquid that doesn't really need to be in there.

Serve with your favorite chips, sliced veggies, or bread cubes.

Cherry Chocolates

These babies are my absolute favorite Christmas treat. Actually they are my absolute favorite treat ever. A little history...
This recipe is my Aunt Wendy's creation, and she is known all around town for them. Every year she brings my family a big plate of them and we all hide a few in the freezer for our selves, I remember my parents hiding them in their closets and me digging them out :). I definitely went through with drawls when I moved out east. I finally got her to share her recipe a few years ago and since then nothing can compare. For real. They are a little tricky to make, as all candy is but once you get the system (making the fondant) you will be SO glad you did.

Cherry Chocolates
3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbl. white Karo Syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond
1/4 c. butter (no margarine)

Mix together everything but butter and flavorings. Stir over medium heat ONLY until sugar dissolves. Cook to softball stage. To test, drop a teaspoon of mixture into cold water and mold with fingers, if mixture holds together softly in water then flattens when pulled out, its cooked. Do not over cook or it will turn to sugar very easily. Remove from heat, stir in butter and flavorings and pour onto a buttered platter. Let cool. Beat with a wooden spoon until it turns white and to a creamy thickness. (takes awhile)
Pour into a Tupperware bowl and refrigerate up to 2 weeks or until ready to make chocolates.

18 maraschino cherries chopped small
1 c. chopped pecans
Melted chocolate for dipping (good brand)

Mix cherries and pecans into the fondant. Rolls into small balls, you may have to refrigerate to harden enough to roll in chocolate. Melt chocolate in microwave in 20 seconds increments or WARM oven at 200. Any hotter oven will result in chocolate turning white and flaky. Dip fondant into melted chocolate and freeze or refrigerate until eaten.