December 22-Crockpot Cashew Chicken

I'll be the first to admit, I've slacked off on finding new recipes over the last few months. Between work, the holidays, family gatherings, and day-to-day routine, it was easiest to stick with our tried and true favorites. I still cook at least 2-3 times a week, but I've fallen into a routine of cooking the same 15 favorites over and over and over and...

This week I was inspired to try something new.  I usually crave Chinese food around the holidays (why is that?) and found this recipe for Cashew Chicken on Sally Cooks. It looked tasty and simple enough, so I gave it a shot. It was great!

Crockpot Cashew Chicken

By Sally Cooks

1.5-2lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces

1 bag frozen broccoli

1 cup carrots, sliced

1/2 cup unsalted cashews (We really like nuts, so I put in a whole cup)

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup soy sauce

4 tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp ginger paste

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup water or chicken broth

1. Layer chicken and vegetables in the crockpot. 

2. Combine remaining ingredients, except water and cashews, and pour over chicken and vegetables in crockpot. 

3. Add water or broth if necessary so mixture is almost completely covered. 

4. Cook for about 6-7 hours on low. Add nuts when there is about an hour left. (I added the nuts from the beginning and there were completely cooked through and soft. I'd suggest adding them later if you like the crunch.)

5. Enjoy over rice. 

September 3-Orange Pork and Asparagus Stir-Fry

We love stir-fry in our household. 

Orange Pork and Asparagus Stir-Fry
By Good Housekeeping Fast Weeknight Favorites
2 navel oranges
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and thinly sliced
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 lbs thin asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
1 garlic glove, crushed with garlic press
1/4 cup water

1. From 1 orange, grate 1 tsp peel and squeeze 1/4 cup juice. Cut peel and white from the remaining orange. Cut orange crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices, cut each slice into quarters.

2. In nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add pork and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until pork just loses its pink color, about 2 minutes. Remove pork from skillet.

3. In the same skillet, add asparagus, garlic, orange peel, 1/4 tsp salt, and water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Return pork to skillet. Add orange juice and orange pieces, heath through, stirring often.

August 2- Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats. 

Helping health-conscious cooks sneak veggies into a meal, by hiding them behind the word "pizza".

Delicious, healthy, easy. Enjoy!

Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats

5-6 zucchini

1 tbsp olive oil

1lb ground turkey

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

salt and pepper, to taste

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375. Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Cut each zucchini in half, horizontally. Use a spoon to scrape out the center of the zucchini, leaving about 1/2 inch on the skin. You will not need the center for this recipe, but you may want to set it aside and keep it for another use.
3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add turkey, oregano, basil, ant and pepper. Cook until turkey is browned. Drain any excess fat. Stir in marinara sauce until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Scoop turkey mixture into each zucchini. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted, about 12 minutes.

July 27- One Pot Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

My husband loves chicken alfredo pasta. 

I'm a bit of a health nut and most canned versions of alfredo sauce make me cringe. It's not the calories (although high), it's the add-ins and extras. Tonight I made a homemade version of this classic favorite. It is not considered "health food" by any means, but it is nice knowing that it was made at home with love (and no weird ingredients). 

We all deserve to indulge every now and then!

One Pot Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

3 tbsp olive oil

1.25lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic, minced

14oz chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 small bag frozen broccoli florets

1 14oz box pasta (penne, elbows, bow ties, etc.)

2 cups shredded real parmesabag frozen broccoli florets

salt and pepper

1. Warm oil in a large pot. Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Add to pot and brown chicken over medium-high heat. (Chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point. It will cook through later.) Once chicken is browned, add garlic and sauté about a minute.

2.  Add broth, cream, broccoli and pasta. (I added a little milk too, for bulk.) Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender.

3. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

4. Enjoy!

July 9- Hawaiian Turkey Burgers

Grilling and summer go hand in hand. My hubby and I recently discovered the pre-pattied gourmet burgers at the grocery store meat department. They are a little on the expensive side, but definitely worth it. Our favorites are the jalapeño burger and the bleu cheese burger. Top notch.

We were inspired by these delicious patties to create our own gourmet burger. We came up with a few delicious-sounding combinations including this incredible concoction. We present to you the Hawaiian Turkey Burger. 

Hawaiian Turkey Burgers
1.25 lb ground turkey
1/4 bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup Teriyaki marinade
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained well (press with a paper towel to soak up excess liquid)
deli-sliced ham (several slices), chopped into small pieces
salt and pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Work your way through the mixture to make sure that all ingredients are thoroughly combined. You may need to add more bread crumbs if your mixture appears too wet (draining the pineapple well will also help with this).
2. Divide the mixture into patties. Makes 5-6. I refrigerated the patties overnight to allow the marinade to soak through the burger.
3. Grill until burgers reach desired doneness.
4. Enjoy! ( I also suggest pineapple slices, tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, teriyaki sauce, and swiss cheese for toppings.)

July 7-Chicken & Eggplant Stir-Fry

My mom gave me a basket of organic produce that she received from a family friend. The basket included sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh lettuce, crisp cucumbers, radishes, and a deep-purple eggplant. Oh so fresh and oh so delicious. 

Tonight's recipe was inspired by this plethora of produce. 

Chicken & Eggplant Stir-Fry

1 eggplant, cubed

2lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp basil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oil

2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced

4 cups spinach

salt and pepper

1. Cook chicken, along with garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and soy sauce, in a large skillet or wok over medium heat until chicken is almost cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. 

2. Stir in mushrooms and bell pepper. Continue cooking until the mushrooms brown, about 2-3 minutes. 

3. In a separate skillet, heat oil and cook eggplant until lightly browned. Add eggplant to chicken mixture. 

4. Stir spinach into the chicken mixture and stir until the spinach wilts.

5. Serve with rice. 

July 6-Sweet and Spicy Peanut Butter-Glazed Chicken Tenders

I have a peanut butter problem. 

While most people like peanut butter, I take the adoration of this savory spread to another level. Take my birthday for example. Last year I received The Big Six + Cookbook by Peanut Butter and Co. as a gift. Most people would simply smile and say thank you. I, on the other hand, was stoked. It was the most exciting, most thoughtful gift ever. (Thanks Aunt Cindy!)

The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook contains a plethora of PB recipes, from breakfasts and cookies, to appetizers and main courses. As much as I love peanut butter, I had never considered cooking with it. Baking, yes, but cooking? At first I was apprehensive, but it didn't take long for the idea to sink it. It is peanut butter, after all. It has to be good. 

Fun fact: I ate peanut butter pizza once when I was in grade school. 

...and I liked it. 

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Butter-Glazed Chicken Tenders

By Peanut Butter and Co. 

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup The Heat is On peanut butter (If you don't have this, you can also combine 1 cup of natural peanut butter with 1 tsp crushed red pepper and 1 tsp cayenne or hot sauce)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with aluminum foil. 

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the honey, peanut butter, an butter until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Do not let the glaze boil. Remove from the heat.

3. Dip the chicken strips in the glaze, coating well on both sizes. Reserve the extra glaze. Place the coated strips in the foil-lined pan, cover with aluminum foil, and cook for 20 minutes on the center rack of the oven. 

4. Remove the foil cover and pour the remaining glaze on top of the chicken. Continue to roast for another 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. 

5. Serve. Pictured here with green beans and an organic tossed salad. 

June 30-Shrimp & Snap Pea Stir-Fry

Seriously you guys, I don't know where the month of June went. Yesterday I was cooking Thanksgiving dinner and this morning I woke up and it was the last day of June. 

Yeah, I'm not sure how that happened either.

In the midst of this beautifully busy, hilariously hectic life, I find myself gravitating toward quick, simple, easy, yet yummy dinners. This one proved to be another home run in our household. 

Easy? Healthy? Fast? Tastes like takeout? Mmm yes. You had me at easy. 

Shrimp & Snap Pea Stir-Fry

From Rachel Ray Magazine

2 tbsp canola oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 cups sugar snap peas

1/2 cup canned sliced water chestnuts, drained

12 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp ponzu sauce

3 cups cooked long-grain white rice

1. In a large wok, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the sugar snap peas and water chestnuts; season and cook, stirring, until the peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. (The recipe did not mention what to season with, but I found that a little bit of salt, pepper, and a dash of crushed red pepper worked wonders.) Transfer to a medium bowl.

2. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium-high. Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, until pink on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the shrimp, add the ponzu and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetables; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season (again not specific, but I used the same seasoning method as above) and serve with rice. 

May 1-Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Bake

Since moving into our new home, I've become much more diligent in meal planning. Every weekend I sit down to devise some sort of plan to keep us happy and fed, despite our hectic schedules and my commute. I'm not sure what I did before discovering the recipe treasure-trove called Pinterest. I had pinned this amazing recipe, originally by A Dash of Sanity, a few weeks ago and rediscovered it as I browsed through my collection of Pinterest cooking inspirations. It looked appealing and seemed simple enough. This may sound silly, but what really won me over was the fact that the original blogger's children had given it a raving review. Kids don't lie...It had to be good.

This dish met my expectations. It was good. I mean really, really good.

Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Bake

1/2lb cooked fettuccine, drained

6 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1 can (14.5oz) chicken broth

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup grated parmesan (I used an Italian cheese blend, which used four additional cheeses)

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded

1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips

2 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled (I skipped this step for convenience, but it would've been a great addition)

3 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese for topping

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray baking dish (oval or 8x8) with cooking spray. Cook pasta as directed and drain.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in  half-and-half and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Stir in chicken, tomatoes and bacon.
3. Combine pasta with chicken mixture, tossing gently. Spoon into baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until hot in the center.
4. Enjoy!

April 8-Orange Chicken

Everyone loves orange chicken. When I found this recipe for a healthified, yet yummy, Orange Chicken on Gimme Some Oven I had to try it! It was quick, easy, and did a great job satisfying those takeout cravings. 

(I made a few slight tweaks to match the ingredients I had on hand.) 

Skinny Orange Chicken

2lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces

salt and pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

orange chicken sauce (see below)

toasted sesame seeds

thinly-sliced green onions

Orange Chicken Sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tbsp cornstarch (I ran out of cornstarch and substituted flour)

1/2tsp ground ginger

pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until chicken is browned and nearly cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, whisk together orange chicken sauce ingredients. 

3. Pour orange chicken sauce into the skillet and stir to combine. Let the sauce come to a boil for a few minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. (I forgot that I had bought green onions until I was washing the dishes. Oops!)

April 7- Lemon Chicken Piccata w/Parmesan Buttered Noodles

I love chicken piccata. It's my go-to dinner of choice at any Italian restaurant. I came across this recipe for Lemon Chicken Piccata in the latest issue of Allrecipes magazine. I whipped up some noodles, steamed some broccoli, and voila. A delicious weeknight meal worthy to be found in a restaurant menu. 

Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken Piccata
1.5-2 lb chicken breast halves, cut horizontally into 1/2 inch cutlets
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 lemon, sliced into thin pieces
lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp butter

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat in flour and shake off any excess flour. Add chicken to skillet and pan fry until golden on both sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.
2. Add garlic to the pan and sauté about 30 seconds. Pour in broth. Stir in lemon slices and bring to a boil. Allow sauce to reduce to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and caper; simmer until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened. Add butter and swirl it into the skillet until butter is melted and incorporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Arrange chicken on serving plates and spoon sauce over each portion.

Parmesan Buttered Noodes
(Measurements are to taste. I improvised this as I went, and it turned out 
spaghetti noodles (the tasty compromise in our house is 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat)
butter
parmesan cheese
garlic salt (or garlic and salt)
1. Cook noodles as directed. Drain and return to pot.
2. Add butter, parmesan, and garlic salt to the bot and stir thoroughly until butter is melted and noodles are completed coated.

April 1- Salsa Steaks

This is probably the easiest dinner I've ever made. It was on the table in less than 20 minutes and we both really enjoyed it. A great choice for a hectic week!

Salsa Steaks

1.5-2 lb boneless steaks

1-2 tbsp olive oil

16 oz jar salsa

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add steaks and brown on all sides.

2. Add salsa to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook until steaks are cooked to desired doneness.

3. Serve over rice.

The next day, I tossed a salad with spinach, tomatoes, edamame beans, guacamole, and diced leftover salsa steak. Mmm, it was incredible. 

March 25- Skillet Chicken Parmesan w/Pasta

There were two key factors that determined the success of this recipe...

1. It was quick, easy, and yummy. By now you probably know that these are my three favorite words in the kitchen.

2. Both of us thought it was downright delicious. My husband and I have pretty different taste-preferences, so any recipe that we both love is an instant addition to the recipe repertoire.

"Mmm...This is like $50 at Olive Garden." Whenever my hubby makes a price comparison to one of his favorite restaurants, I know he loves it.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan w/Pasta

1.5 lb chicken breasts cut into tenders or small breasts

salt and pepper

Italian seasonings (I use oregano, garlic, thyme, and parsley)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 tbsp olive oil

10 oz spaghetti (I use half whole wheat and half regular)

1 jar marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to broil or its highest temperature.

2. Cook pasta as directed. Drain when done. 

3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings. Sprinkle breadcrumbs onto both sides of the chicken and press them down to help them stick. Saute the chicken until both sides are browned and the chicken is just cooked through. 

4. Stir about two-thirds of the marina sauce into the pasta. Combine to coat. Pour pasta into a large baking dish. Place cooked chicken on top of the bed of pasta. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the chicken. Top the chicken with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Bake about 4-6 minutes until cheese is bubbly. 

March 17-Pork Chops w/Peppers and Onions & Buttery Baby White Potatoes

Good Housekeeping's Fast Weeknight Favorites cookbook has been a lifesaver on busy nights. The book is full of easy, yummy dishes that take hardly any time to make. This week we tried the recipe for Pork Chops with Peppers and Onions. It was fine. Nothing life-changing, but good. We both liked it but neither of us loved it. It was still a good option for a busy weeknight.

What really won me over were the potatoes. The recipe for Buttery Baby White Potatoes was on the side of the potato bag and I decided to give it a try. Mmm mmm warm, indulgent goodness!

Pork Chops with Peppers and Onions

4 boneless pork loin chops, trimmed (about 4oz each)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tsp olive oil

1 bunch green onions, green tops cut on diagonal into 3-inch pieces, white bottoms thinly sliced crosswise

2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add pork chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, turning once, until lightly browned on outside, about 8 minutes. Transfer chops to a plate and keep warm.
2. Add oil and green onion tops to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer green onion tops to a small bowl.
3. In the same skillet, add red peppers and green onion bottoms and cook, stirring occasionally, 8  minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in broth and half of green onion tops; Heat through.
4. To serve, transfer pepper mixture to a platter. Top with chops and remaining green onion tops.

Buttery Baby White Potatoes

1.5 lb baby white potatoes

6 tbsp butter

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1/4 cup minced shallot

1 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

1. Place unpeeled baby potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and gently boil until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the shallot and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Drain the potatoes and return them to the warm pot. Immediately add the shallot mixture, butter, and parsley. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

March 11-Weeknight Pasta Bake & Lazy Girl Breadsticks

Last night I discover a new easy-yet-delectable favorite to add to our list of family favorites!

This dish was simple, delicious, and made enough for plenty of leftovers (even after we both had seconds!). Enjoy!

Weeknight Pasta Bake

1 box penne pasta (about 16oz)

1 lb ground turkey (or beef)

1 jar marina sauce

2 cups frozen peas

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

oregano

salt

pepper

1. Cook pasta as usual. Drain water and rinse cooked pasta with cold water. Set aside.

2. In a large pan, cook ground turkey. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Add marinara sauce and stir through. Set aside.

3. Combine cooked pasta, meat/sauce mixture, and peas. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake in the oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes, or until the dish is hot through and the cheese is melted.

Lazy Girl Breadsticks

These breadsticks were the result of my improvisation on a night when I did not have a bread/starch side for dinner. Our freezer was overflowing with frozen hot dog buns, leftover from a barbeque we hosted earlier in the year, and I decided to put them to good use. At the time, it seemed like an easy-way-out, but they actually turned out delicious and my husband ate four!

hot dog buns

butter

garlic powder

oregano

parmesan cheese

Spread generous amount of butter on top of each bun. Sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano, and parmesan cheese. For a more indulgent breadstick, add butter and seasoning on the inside of the hotdog bun as well. Bake in the over until golden, about 5-10 minutes depending on temperature.

February 12-Citrus Salmon with Broccoli

This is one of my new favorites. The flavor of the salmon was perfection. It was easy to make. It was done in less than 25 minutes. It's healthy. An obvious, all-around win!

The original recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens All Time Favorites 2013 Cookbook.

Citrus Salmon with Broccoli

1 lemon

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp butter

4 4-oz skinless salmon fillets 

Salt

Black pepper

1 tbsp snipped fresh dill

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb broccoli, trimmed

4 cloves garlic, pealed and sliced

1. Slice half the lemon into thin slices and set aside. Juice remaining half of the lemon into a 1-cup measure; Add water to equal 1/2 cup. Stir in sugar and set aside.

2. In a very large nonstick skillet heat butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Add to skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Turn fillets. Add lemon juice mixture. Top with snipped dill and lemon slices. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5-6 minutes more or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

3. Meanwhile, in another skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add broccoli and garlic to skillet. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until crisp tender, turning often. Serve salmon with broccoli; Pour pan juices over salmon. 

Voila! A 25-minute dish that tastes like it took hours. Enjoy!

January 31-Dark Chocolate PB’s with White Chocolate Chips

Happy Friday Blog Buddies! I don’t know about you, but I’m welcoming this weekend with a huge hug…and some chocolate.

Although I love baking, I don’t do it as much as I’d like. My husband and I both enjoy a good cookie every now and then, but our taste-preferences tend to lean more toward savory than sweet. I just can’t bring myself to bake an entire batch of cookies when I know we will only eat a few.

Tonight our church small group is getting together for a dinner potluck and Sunday we are hosting a Super Bowl shindig at our house. I always welcome the chance to bake for a group!

 Last night I whipped up a scrumptious batch of incredible gooey cookies that were just too good not to share. I was pretty proud myself for straying from a recipe and taking the adventurous route. I was even more proud of myself when I took the first bite of this original recipe and discovered that these little buddies were absolutely delicious!

 I then proceeded to eat three (Okay, okay, I ate some of the dough too. Guilty.)

Enjoy!

 Dark Chocolate PB’s with White Chocolate Chips

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag of white chocolate chips

1.      Preheat oven to 375.

2.      In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars.

3.      Mix in eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla.

4.      Mix in flour, baking soda, and white chocolate chips. Combine thoroughly.

5.      Roll dough into small balls (About the size of a tbsp to the size of a golf ball, depending on how big you like your cookies). Place dough on a greased cookie sheet and press down with a fork.

6.      Bake on 375 for 10 minutes, or until cookies are done but not crispy.

7.      Enjoy with a tall glass of milk. (Or hot from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!)

 Makes about 5 dozen cookies. Recipe can be cut in half when baking for smaller groups.

January 14-The World's Fastest Supper: Lemon Grilled Chicken

To some people this dinner may not be worth mentioning. There's nothing particularly unique or ground-breaking about it.

...Other than the fact that it was done in 15 minutes. 

...And it was delicious.

Busy food-lovers rejoice!

Lemon Grilled Chicken

2-4 chicken breasts

1 lemon

pepper

Place chicken on George Foreman grill and sprinkle with lemon juice and pepper. Grill about 10 minutes. Serve with vegetables and rice.

Chow down and spend the time you would have spent cooking with someone you love. 

January 10-Pizza, Chicken, and Other Tried-and-True Suppers

Happy 2014! This new year has already been quite the whirlwind. The past few weeks have been full of blessings, surprises, and plenty to do. Although I've been enjoying the whirlwind, I must admit it's left less time to cook and even less time to write about it. As busy as it's been, I can't stay away from the kitchen. Here are a few tried-and-true favorites we've enjoyed this week.

Homemade Pizza

This is one of our favorites. My husband loves it even more than delivery. Win! 

One of the best parts about our recent move is the proximity to my parents. We hosted them at our place last week for a movie night, complete with homemade pizza.

Original recipe from May 28: Kristin's Homemade Pizza

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Another family favorite. Original recipe from February 12: Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Enjoy! And may your new year be full of blessings, growth, and good food.