What's Cookin??

Appetizers (1) Bread (7) Breakfast (8) Dessert (22) Drinks (1) Main Dish (40) Side Dish (14) Vegetables (7)

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Crescent Stuffed Broccoli and Chicken

So tonight we were trying to decide what to make for dinner. I bought some broccoli a couple days ago, and wanted to use it before it went bad. I'm not a big broccoli eater, but bought some, because a couple recipes I had looked at a week ago called for broccoli. By the time I bought the broccoli I had forgot where and what the recipes were. :) I asked Blake if he knew of any kind of dinner recipe that called for broccoli. He suggested a recipe that his mom would make that had "some stuff and broccoli in crescent rolls". So I looked some recipes up, and Blake and I decided on one to try. It turned out pretty good. I felt like it was missing a little something, so next time we'll think of something to add. If you have any suggestions, or try making and adding something else... let me know how it is! :) I also should've left it in a little bit longer, so the crescents were a little more crispy, next time! :) I will definetely make this again. It was very easy and quick.

Crescent Stuffed Broccoli and Chicken




Ingredients

3 oz. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 can crescent rolls
9 oz. fresh or frozen broccoli, cooked and chopped
2 cups cooked chicken
Cheese to top it off

Cream the cream cheese and cream of chicken soup. Add broccoli and chicken. Lay 1 can of the rolls out in 2 rectangles. Add half of the mixture to one rectangle, and the other half to the other rectangle. Then top it off with cheese. Then add the other can of rolls to the top of the two rectangles; pinch the edges together. Bake according to the directions on the crescent rolls or bake until brown.

German Pancakes

This morning I asked Blake what he wanted for breakfast, because he usually gets to choose every morning. Today though, was different. I got up at 7 to be to Zumba at 8; no one showed up. Ha, I should be embarrassed, but I'm not. I don't blame people for sleeping in on Saturdays. I went home and was going to go back to bed for an hour and then be at Curves to teach a 9:30 class. Instead I decided to spiff up our apartment. It was not the least bit dirty (or at least what dirty is like here) but there were just a few dishes that needed to be put away, a few dishes that needed to be washed, a blanket not folded, and just a few other things that could be put where they belonged. So, when I got home from Curves at 10:45... poor Blake hadn't eaten anything yet. I asked him, and then immediately suggested german pancakes, because they are not hard at all to clean up. (Basically, no grease to clean up) He was okay with my suggestion.... i think. Ha, so today he had german pancakes! After, I started feeling a little bit bad that I had chosen for him, so I made a smoothie to go with it to make it up to him.

German Pancakes





German Pancakes

2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt the butter in a 9x13 pan in the oven that is set at 400 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together, then pour on top of the melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. add toppings of your choice. (Blake puts powdered sugar, then jam, then syrup :) )
(This recipe can also be baked in an 8x8 pan, or you can also double it and bake in the 9x13 pan, but it comes out a little bit thinner if you follow how we did it. Blake prefers it like this.)

Friday, April 29, 2011

Pizza! :)

This recipe has been passed down from Carly to Britt and then to me! It's a good one, and I love it, because it is so easy, and fast. You don't have to let the dough raise, it is so nice. After showing Brit and Andrew the town of Moses Lake, and getting new tires on both of our cars; :) we came back and had some yummy pizza for lunch. Then they were back on the road a couple of hours later. We were so sad to see them go, but are looking forward to hanging out with them this summer! :)

Pizza


 Ingredients

1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon vegtable oil
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3 cups flour

1 jar pizza sauce
cheese (I use a pizza mixture)
pepperoni or canadian bacon and pineapple or whatever you enjoy on your pizza

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Mix all ingredients except for flour. Add flour and knead then roll out on pan. Roll out until the dough is pretty thin. Add pizza sauce, then cheese, then the toppings of your choice. :) Bake for approximately 12 minutes.

T's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think we all have our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes! So I thought I would post mine! I really love cookies, especially cookie dough! So yummy! This recipe also is very yummy, even after being in the freezer. I made the cookie dough before dinner, and made hot cookies for when Brit, Andrew, Blake, and me got home from Zumba and basketball! We also made milk shakes. Blake had a chocolate brownie milk shake. We just used one of the brownies that Carly made for us. and Andrew had a chocolate cookie dough one. We just did the normal ice cream and milk and then added the brownie to Blakes, and chunks of frozen cookie dough to Andrews! They sure looked good!!

T's Chocolate Chip Cookies



Ingredients

1 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips (I use milk :) )

Preheat oven to 375. Cream shortening, sugars, and vanilla together. Add eggs. Add flour, soda, and salt in separate bowl, then add to other mixture (I never do that, I add it straight into the mixture :) ) Add chocolate chips. Scoop onto greased baking sheet. Cook for 8-10.


Baked Asparagus

We decided to have asparagus with our poppy seed chicken! It was yummy! I am going to the store to buy a few bunches! :) We had it at the house a couple of weeks ago, and it was delicious. I haven't eaten asparagus a lot, so it is a new favorite!

Baked Asparagus


Ingredients

1 bunch of asparagus
olive oil
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. I put tin foil on my cookie sheet, so it was easier to clean. Wash the asparagus and cut off about 1 to 1 1/2 inches off the bottom. Then I just rolled my asparagus in olive oil, that I just poured on the tin foil. Then salt and pepper it. It says to use kosher salt and cracked pepper, but I don't know what that is :) so I just used normal, and it was delicious! Bake for 8 to 10 minutes..... So yummy!

Poppy Seed Chicken

Okay so you all have probably had poppy seed chicken, but in case maybe some don't have the recipe I thought I would post it! It's definetely a favorite in our house (I mean apartment! :) ) if not our favorite. Brit and Andrew arrived last night! We were SO excited for them to come. I probably asked Brit when she thought she would be here about every hour yesterday. When they were on their way from Pasco, about an hour ish away, they got a flat tire! Ha, luckily Andrew changed it super fast so when they got here it was perfect timing for dinner! We ate poppy seed chicken, asparagus, rolls, and pineapple! It ended up being such a fun dinner! Then about an hour after we stuffed ourselves, Brit and I were off to Zumba, and Blake and Andrew went to play basketball with the team! :) But we all survived!

P.S. I am SO excited about all the recipes you all have posted! Good job!! :) I am a proud and excited little sister!

Poppy Seed Chicken


(this is a picture before it was cooked. We were a little too anxious to eat, that we didn't take a picture of it after it was cooked.)
Ingredients

1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
4 cups boiled, cubed chicken
3 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups smashed ritz crackers (1 package)
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sour cream, soup, poppy seeds; mix well. Stir in chicken and rice. Spread in a greased 11x17 baking dish. Combine crackers with melted butter. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake for 25-30 minutes. So yummy!!

Choc.Chip Banana Bread/ Muffins

1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Shortening
2 Eggs
4 Large, ripe bananas
4 T. Sour Cream
2 Cups Flour
1 tsp. Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 Cup Choc. Chips

Mix all wet ingredients and then add dry. Bake at 350 for 1 hour if using large bread pan. If using mini bake for 40 mins. Muffins bake for 18-23 mins. Enjoy!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Lasagna!

So I don't have any step by step pictures of this.. or really the finished product. But this is the recipe my mom uses and  I really don't love any other lasagna besides this recipe! I made this for Jake and I on Valentine's Day and I sent him home with LOTS of leftovers and Rex ate the rest of it and loved it so I hope you guys enjoy!!
ps. In this recipe it uses broccoli... I love it but some people don't like broccoli ( Like Jake) so you don't have to add it but it is so good with it!

Ingredients:
1 lb. Hamburger
1 pkg. Sausage
1 1/2 tsp. Oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
3 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 pkg. chopped broccoli (thawed)
3 cups mozzarella, shredded
'2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
12  lasagna noodles cooked

Instructions:
Brown hamburger and sausage together. Add next 5 ingredient. Simmer for 30 minutes
Layer noodles, sauce, and cheese. Add layer of broccoli, then continue layers until the pan is full!
Cook at 350 degrees  for 30 minutes, or until heated through. ENJOY!!

(This is a picture of us eating it... so look really close and you can see it!!)

Enchilada Lasagna

Ok Tiara this is for you! Ha I feel silly posting this not so beautiful post of our dinner last night! But its SUPER yummy a 9.5 in Treags book lol. 

2 or 3 chicken breasts (just depends on how much chicken you like)
1 can of chicken broth (or enough to cover your chicken :)
A pinch of salt
1 can of no bean chili
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of salsa
Cheddar Cheese
1 bag of enchilada shells

Start out by putting the chicken breasts in the crock-pot with chicken broth covering all of the chicken. Then add a pinch of salt to that. Keep it on low heat all day. See super easy! Once the chicken is done shred it with a fork.

About an hour before dinner, combine the no bean chili, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, salsa, and the shredded chicken together in a mixing bowl.


 Spray your pan with pam and then put a layer of enchilada shells down. Then a layer of the chicken mix. (I put a layer of cheese on top of the chicken mix but you don’t have to.)  Then just layer it like you would a lasagna. 
 Sprinkle chesses on top and then put it in the oven at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes.  Take it out and its ready to serve! 

I just did 1/2 of what the recipe because its just treag and me 
I kept forgetting to take pictures until I was 1/2 done so excuse them ha I will get better with time  :) 



Love,
         Allie 

Mom's Ice Cream Cake Surprise


Happy #22 Birthday Treagan. We wish we could all be in Texas with you this weekend to help you celebrate! Hugs and Kisses - Love, Mom





Easy directions - buy 2 yummy kids of ice cream that kind've blend together.
I have found that higher quality of ice cream works better. I used Dreyers for these ice cream cakes. I usually get a chocolate chunky kind for the bottom and then a vanilla mix for the top.


#1 Press slightly softened ice cream into the bottom of a springform pan.

#2 Hand crumble Oreo cookies (or the walmart knock-off works great) over the bottom layer. I leave some of them chunky.
#3 Drizzle liberally with chocolate sauce. (Hersheys)

#4 Press the next flavor of ice cream on top of everything.

#5 Top with cool whip.

#6 Freeze. You really need 3 or 4 hours for it to freeze well.

#7 Remove from the freezer about 15 minutes before you want to serve it. You can run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen. Pop the hinge off the springform pan and remove the sides. Put it on a pretty cake plate for a special party.

#8 Top with chunks of candy bar, strawberries, candles. Drizzle with "Magic Shell" for an extra yummy effect.

Enjoy!!!












I am excited to be a part of this blog started by Tiara. I hope we can all get out of our food rut and bring world peace!

T's Healthy Smoothie -- Blake's Eggs' in Holes'

Okay fam, I'm starting to think this is my blog! I am the ONLY one posting things! Come on! I know you all have lives, but I get on here constantly to check if anyone has posted anything! So the first person to post a recipe might just be my favorite for a while! :) Guys... this whole blog thing might just take up my whole life. I have SO much to do today! I just got done at Curves and at the school..(Just found out I got a 4.0 my document formatting class, so happy because I won't have to retake it.) :) and guess what!? I have a visitor coming today, and it just happens to be one of my bestest friends! Yes, Britni Pena is coming to my apartment TODAY! You guys should feel a little bad, because a lot of you guys haven't even come see me! :) Haha, totally just joking! I love you all and don't blame you for making the LONG drive! But I am absolutely thrilled that Brit and Andrew are coming to stay with us. They were going to stay until Sunday, but Andrew's grandma passed away :( and the funeral is on Saturday, so we only get to see them for about a day. Andrew is going to come try playing with Blake's basketball team! I am so excited! Anyways, so back to me having so much to do, I have to clean a very messy, cluttery, stinky (we have neighbors that smoke and it somehow gets in here) house. I also have not visit taught this month, so I might just have to whip up a treat to take to them. I also have to teach dance tonight! (What am I doing on the computer!?) I knew I shouldn't post breakfast this morning, because frankly I have 0 time, but I knew if I didn't I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it. Yes, this blog has taken over my life! :) So usually, I hate getting out of bed, no nothing has changed since I got married, but today I was excited because I had to take the extra time to take pictures for the blog. Therefore, I got up about half an hour earlier! :) I am selfish, and I always have to eat something before I start on Blake's breakfast. I am usually always craving an apple when I wake up, so that's the first thing I ate, and then I made myself a smoothie! I love smoothies!! I couldn't eat my whole: eggs, or egg sandwich, with my smoothie, because if I go to Curves too full I don't feel too well while working out. So an apple and smoothie had to do this morning.

T's Healthy Smoothie






INGREDIENTS

1 yogurt (I had a strawberry-banana 4 oz activia! :))
fresh or frozen fruit (I used frozen strawberries and a fresh banana to go with my yogurt)
flaxseed (optional)
spinach (optional)

Put in a blender all together, and it makes a yummy, healthy smoothie! I would've used spinach, but didn't have any. At first the sound of spinach in my smoothie scared me, but it really is good, and a good way to get more vegtables in your diet! :)


Blake's Eggs' in Holes'

INGREDIENTS

1-3 tablespoons of butter
3 slices of bread with the middle cut out
3 eggs
3-6 slices of bacon (I used 3, but wish I would've done more. Blake likes bacon!)
salt and pepper
shredded cheese

*First off I put my bacon on the griddle
* Then I cut the holes out of my bread. The size of that measuring cup was perfect, but you could also use a glass cup or something of that sort. :)

*Then I put butter on the other side of the griddle; to prepare for my toast
* I then layed the three toast in the butter and cracked an egg in each hole. (Make sure the pan or griddle is hot) then salt and pepper the eggs. I also put a fork in the eggs, because Blake likes it better that way; but you don't have to.

*I then let them cook a while, and also keep an eye on the bacon, then flip the toast over.

*Then I put the put the bacon and chesse on, and let the cheese melt while the other side of the toast is cooking.


 * Blake got out the syrup to put on! Ha, needs a little sugar to top it off! :) But first, I made him take a bit, so I could get the picture of the egg in side.  
 Blake and his drenched eggs' in holes' and strawberry milk! :) I L.O.V.E him! :)
Also, don't mind our pictures! I have wanted a nice camera since we got married, but even more now that I started taking pictures of food! :) Also, Blake is my editor and goes through all my spelling and grammar mistakes; there are a lot. :) He is at school though, so sorry if it doesn't make very much sense. :) Love you all! Can't wait for your recipes to get up here! ;) 

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Today I decided to make Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, because I thought it would look good on the blog! :) I also wanted to make it, because Blake needs some good food once in a while. It has been so hard to make good dinners every night, because I've been trying to stay on top of my school work (mom you should be proud). Then when we get home from school around 2 or 3, I just want to relax with Blake! :) I am a big time "need some lovin' time kind of girl" :) I love just sitting on the couch, with Blake holding me, and talking! :) It's my favorite! You can only imagine, ha, it's mainly me talking and Blake just saying "yeah", or saying a couple words here and there. :) Ha, I am, sadly to say, the talker in our house! :) But Blake is such a good trooper, and listens to all I have to say!

Ha, sorry I don't know how I got off on all that, but back to the FOOD topic, and why I have a hard time cooking a good meal lately... It has been hard lately, because after all my talking it's usually time to get ready to teach at Curves or teach dance, then I'm off to teach Zumba. So tonight we just had a short "lovin' time" and then I made myself get up and make Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo! Usually it turns out very pretty, but for some reason it wasn't too pretty tonight. : /  It could be because I was talking on the phone to my wonderful sister, Britt, and not paying attention to my burning butter, or it could be because I have cheap pans, or Blake was looking at the recipe and thinks it could be because I wasn't stirring constantly like I was supposed to. But Blake and I decided we would take a picture of it anyway. I didn't get a chance to eat it, because I was off to Curves, but Blake said it was good. He said that it was a little sticky, probably because I didn't stir CONSTANTLY! :) But I was talking to Britt on the phone, and that was way more important! So don't mind the picture, because it's not what it usually looks like, but I'm going to post it anyway.


INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter
2 TBSP cream cheese
1 pint heavy cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt
pepper
2/3 grated parmesan cheese (preferably fresh)
1 lb cooked fettuccine
2-4 grilled chicken breast

In a medium saucepan, melt butter. When butter is melted, add cream cheese. When cream cheese is softened, add heavy cream. Season with garlic salt, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 over LOW heat, stirring CONSTANTLY! :) Remove from heat, and stir in parmesan. Serve over hot fettuccine noodles. :) With cut up grilled chicken breasts on top.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Blake's "SNACK" request

So about an hour ago, around 4:00 P.M. Blake asked for a "snack", the funny thing is, we usually eat dinner at like 5:00. I was expecting nachos or popcorn or cheese and crackers or something small, but no... ha. He wanted two hot dogs with chilli and cheese on top. I was kind of laughing, but just said sure! It was even funnier that right after he ate, he asked what we were eating for dinner tonight! Ha.


I think Blake is the best at everything! I took the first picture, and Blake took the second. Ha, he's a good photographer! Or at least better than me! He ate a couple bites, so we could see the hot dog under the chilli.


Ingredients:
hot dogs
hot dog buns
a can of chilli
shredded cheese

For these all I did was boiled two hot dogs, defrosted 2 buns :), put a can of chilli in the microwave for 3 minutes. Put the hot dogs in the buns, Blake spread his chilli on top, then he topped it off with cheese! He said it was a GOOD snack! :)

Easter Cookies! :)

So I LOVE to make "special" holiday treats. I was desperate for an easy recipe, because I did not have a lot of ingredients on hand. I found some cute easter bunny cupcakes. Instead of cupcakes I decided to do cookies! They were fun, and it was an excuse to see some of my friends in Moses Lake!



Ingredients
 1 box of cake mix (I used white)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of vegtable oil
white frosting
jelly beans
sprinkles...? I think that's what they're called

Preheat oven to 350. For the cookies add the cake mix, eggs, and vegtable oil together. make about 1 inch balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes.

Then cool.

Spread frosting in the shape of a bunny. All I had were Blake's jelly beans that he bought for himself, so it would feel like easter for him. I am a terrible wife, and didn't do him a basket! I just cut the jelly beans in half and placed them for the eyes and nose. Then the whiskers are sprinkes. 3 on each side. It was so fun to make them. I don't know how good they taste. Blake didn't say much about them, although he ate a few. I don't know if it's because I just kept giving them to him, or if he actually enjoyed them. :) Jimmy liked them, or at least he said he did, so we'll go with his opinion on this one! :)

Blake's Request


So breakfast is a VERY important meal to me. :) I eat eggs almost every morning, and I enjoy sending Blake off to school with a lot of food in his stomach. Since marrying me, he has learned that I LIKE to make him food, and it's not a burden for me. It took him a while to get used to asking me to make him something, because at first he almost felt bad for putting me to work in the kitchen. I love it though! So Blake will get in these moods where he'll want the same thing for breakfast for a couple days in a row before he'll want something else. Ha, it's kinda cute! :) So this was his request last Thursday......

 And Friday! Isn't he just adorable...don't tell him I posted this picture! He would just die!

So basically this meal is
* 3 scrambled eggs, with a bit of milk, and of course salt and pepper! I don't know how to make "pretty eggs" so if someone could please post some tips, I would be SO grateful.
* Some bacon strips
* Three french toast. I just mix one or two eggs together, with some milk, and cinnamon. You probably can't tell, but the first day I used Blakes white bread, but I ran out by Friday so Blake had to eat my whole wheat, 40 calories per slice bread! :( Sorry Blake. Then it was all Blake's idea for fresh sliced strawberries with whip cream. Blake takes almost as much pride in his food as I do. Then Blake's strawberry milk that he drinks in the mornings! :)

I'm Lovin' it!

So I've had this idea of sharing recipes over a blog with my sisters and mom for a long time! :) Because I LOVE to cook and bake, and am always looking for new recipes, and have wanted another way to communicate with you guys for a long time, I thought a community blog would be perfect! I wish we could just exchange recipes in person, but we are all on our own adventures away from everyone so this will have to do. I really want you guys to post stuff though! Because I really want new recipes, or ones that I don't have from home (mom) :)

So here are a few recent "EASY" recipes that I have made, and taken pictures of! (You don't have to take pictures everytime, but I think it's fun, and I like to know what something is supposed to look like, and what I am going to be eating! )  :)