Crock Pot White Chicken Chili!

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

1 1/2 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used 2 large)
2 Cans Canellini Beans
1 Bag Shoepeg Corn (frozen)
2 Tbsp. Minced Onion
3 tsp. Cumin
3 tsp. Minced Garlic, (I used Tastefully Simple's Garlic, Garlic)
1/2 tsp. Oregano
32 Oz. Low Sodium Chicken Broth
Salt & Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:  Add beans, chicken, broth and seasonings to crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Shred chicken and add corn.  Continue cooking for approx. 1/2 hour or until corn is cooked.  Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips!

HAPPY EATING!

Pepperoni Crescent Rolls

This was dinner the other evening!  Quick, easy and kid approved!  It would be a great appetizer for those Sunday afternoon football games.

All you need is a can of crescent rolls, 4 cheesesticks and pepperoni slices!!

Roll them up - 

Pepperoni Crescent Rolls

1 Tube of Crescent Rolls

Package of Pepperoni Rolls

4 Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

DIRECTIONS:  Unroll crescents and separate into 8 triangles.  Place desired amount of pepperoni slices on each crescent.  Cut cheese sticks in half and place each half of cheese stick on the crescent.  Roll up and back at 375 for approx. 12-15 minutes.  Enjoy!!

Happy Eating! 





Gingerbread Truffles!

OH. MY. WORD.  These are such a great little treat!  Last weekend I attended a Cookie Exchange (hosted by a fabulous friend), and these were a little treat that Ali made for us all to sample!!

I immediately made a mental note of what ingredients I had on hand and which ones I would need to be buying on my way home from the cookie exchange!  I just can't even explain how wonderful these are - you should make some then you will know how good they are!

There are a lot of different gingerbread truffle recipes out there - here is how we made them!!  It may seem like a lot of steps - but it really is easy to do!

Gingerbread Truffles (http://www.munchkinmunchies.com/2010/12/gingerbread-truffles.html)

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 3 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts
• 2.5 cups gingersnap crumbs (from about 12 oz of cookies)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Mix Liquid Ingredients with Melted Chocolate

Start by melting the white chocolate. Place the chips in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave until they're melted, stirring after every 45 seconds to prevent overheating.

Once the white chocolate is melted, add the corn syrup, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract and stir gently to combine. If you have trouble mixing them, use a whisk to bring it all together. Whisk until the liquid ingredients are fully mixed into the white chocolate.

Add Dry Ingredients

Next add the gingersnap crumbs, powdered sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and the chopped nuts. Stir until everything is evenly coated. It'll look pretty gloppy at this point.

Refrigerate Until Firm

Press a layer of cling wrap on top of the candy and refrigerate it until it's firm, at least 1 hour. When it's ready to roll it should be quite hard when you press down on it.

Form Candy Into Balls and Roll in Sugar

Use a teaspoon to form small balls, then roll the candy between your palms to make them round. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl, and roll the balls in the sugar until they're coated. These are also excellent when rolled in cinnamon-sugar, or you could dip them in chocolate so they keep better at room temperature.

Serve Gingerbread Truffles

Keep your gingerbread truffles in the refrigerator, but let them warm up a bit before serving. These gingerbread truffles are a delicious alternative to traditional gingerbread cookies, and their spiced flavor really brings the holiday spirit.

 

HAPPY EATING!

Happy Thanksgiving....

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.  His love endures forever."  Psalm 136:1

We hope that you and your family had a Happy Thanksgiving!  We are thankful for so many things at our house....being with family is one of them and Uncle Ryan coming home next week is among one of the TOP things for my kids!

Our day was great!  Lunch at noon, followed by a hike/walk at Silver Mine Park and then back to the house for dessert and coffee! 

Here is the appetizer we served at Thanksgiving!  Easy enough that Riley actually did all the decorating of the Turkey (Cheeseball)!!  I love that she is enjoying being in the kitchen!

Cheeseball Mixture
2 (8oz) Blocks of cream cheese
1/4 lb. Sliced deli ham, finely diced
4 Green onions, sliced
2 tsp. Onion Powder
2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Slim Jim
Pecans & Almonds
Assorted Pretzel Sticks
DIRECTIONS:  Combine cream cheese with ham, onion and seasonings.  Chill overnight.  Bend slim jim at one end and place a clip on it.  Let sit overnight.  Roll cream cheese mix into a ball shape and roll in pecans and almonds.   Place on serving plate.  Add pretzels.  Place slim jim in cheeseball.  Decorate as desired.  (We used a little cream cheese tinted with food coloring for eyes and beak.  The red waddle is actually spaghetti that was soaked in red food coloring overnight).

The dessert table ~ need I say more?  Pecan pie, pumpkin pie and a pumpkin Charlotte, all served with ice cream and coffee! 

HAPPY EATING!

Overnight Pumpkin French Toast Bake!

Sandy is still coming - when I woke up this morning and looked outside I have to admit - this is it, this is just rain - my kids are missing school for rain??  However, Al Roker has promised that it is going to get worse as the day goes on! I also have to admit that I wish we were getting the blizzard that the mountain regions of NC are getting....I mean really, I can at least send the kid out in the snow when they start bouncing off the walls - which has started and it's only 10AM!  Looks like it is going to be a board game/card game/craft making kind of day!

There is something about being housebound that makes me want to cook and bake!  I mixed this up last night and thought how nice it would be to have a leisurely breakfast this morning - one that does not involve me repeating myself 25 times with, "Hurry up and eat your cereal the bus is coming down the road....". 

So, this morning at breakfast (the leisurely one I mentioned above) I was told, "Boy, Mom this is delish....".  Delish???  When did they pick up on cooking slang? 

Overnight French Toast Bake
(recipe from: Minimalist Baker)

1 Loaf Pepperidge Farms Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bread
7 Large Eggs
2 Cups Milk (any kind, I used 1%)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 C. Pumpkin Butter (or pumpkin puree*)
4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (for topping)
Pecans (optional)
DIRECTIONS:  Cut bread into 1" cubes and spread into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk vanilla and pumpkin butter until well combined.  Pour over bread and bush down with a spoon until it is soaked into the bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Next morning - pull pan out of refigerator.  Preheat oven to 350.  While oven is preheating - sprinkle brown sugar over the top of dish and top with nuts.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Serve!

*  If using pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin) you may need to compensate the flavor by adding more puree and pumpkin pie spice.  (Pumpkin Butter is a lot more concentrated in flavor.  I found my pumpkin butter at Stauffers of Kissel Hill - Rohrerstown).

HAPPY EATING!

Pumpkin Pie Granola!

Why have I never made homemade granola before?  It sure is easy and a whole lot cheaper than the fancy schmancy stuff at the grocery stores!

I chose pumpkin pie granola because, well it is October - season of all things pumpkin!!  While this was baking the house smelled fabulous!   The smell alone brought the kids from all areas of the house.  This brings me to the point of loving and hating have non-picky eaters!  I made this granola thinking it would be a nice healthy treat for me to top my yogurt with or munch on......well, the kids immediately dove in and then proceeded to ask for yogurt with that "granola stuff" you made on top.  *Sigh* - at least someone is eating a healthy snack!! So, I love that they are healthy eaters - I hate that they eat my snacks...... :)

Here is what you need and how you make it!

Pumpkin Pie Granola

5 C. Rolled Oats
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Pumpkin
1/4 C. Applesauce
1/4 C. Syrup (like pancake syrup)
1 tsp. Vanilla
DIRECTIONS:  Heat oven to 325.  Line a tray with parchment paper - set aside.  Combine oats and spices.*  Whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, syrup and vanilla.  Pour over the oat and spice mixture.  Combine thoroughly.  Spread onto baking sheet.  Bake for 60 minutes - stirring every 20 minutes.  Turn oven off and allow to cool in the oven.  If you want a "chewier" granola - you can remove the tray and allow to cool on the counter.  I like crunchy granola......

*  If you don't have pumpkin pie spice you can mix your own by combining -
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Ginger
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Allspice

HAPPY EATING!

Baked Spasagna!

So this recipe is one from my pinterest addiction!  I cannot get enough of the pinterest, it intrigues me - all those creative ideas in one handy place.  I mean really, who could ask for more?

Baked Spasanga was pinned from this blog:  www.plainchicken.com !

Here is the recipe:

24 oz. Spaghetti, cooked
32 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 oz. Ricotta cheese
8 oz. Sour cream
1 1/4 C. Half and Half (I used skim milk and it was fine)
1/2 C. Grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Oregano
                           } I used 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning in place of the oregano and basil
1 tsp. Basil     

1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 jar (26 oz) Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb. Ground beef, browned
DIRECTIONS:  Prehea oven to 350.  Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain.  In large bowl, stir together sour cream, ricotta, 1/2-1/2, mozzarella, seasoning and 1/4 C. parmesan cheese.  Add cooked spaghetti and toss until well coated.  Pour spaghetti into a 9x13 pan, that was lightly coated with cookign spray.  Top with remaining parmesan cheese.  Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  While pasta is baking, prepare meat sauce by browning ground beef.  Add sauce and simmer until pasta is done.  Remove pasta from oven.  Cut into squares and top with sauce.  Enjoy!

HAPPY EATING!