4 Ingredient Creamy Crock Pot Chicken

This is a combination of my crazy brain and some Pinterest recipes.  The result?  "No offense, dad, but this is the best chicken I've ever put in my mouth!" (9 year old son)

6 frozen boneless chicken breasts
8 oz chive and onion cream cheese
1 package dry italian dressing mix
1 1/2 cups white wine

Place all ingredients in crock pot.  Cook on LOW for 7 hours or until chicken is done.  Stir once the cream cheese has melted.
Optional: add a package of sliced mushrooms during the last hour of cooking time

Serve over rice and wait for your family to sing your praises.

Easy Key Lime Cupcakes

I love Key Lime.  I love easy.  Someone must have told Pillsbury!  The summer collection is out (found mine at Walmart) and calling your name!  The collection also includes pink lemonade and dreamcicle, but I haven't tried them yet.

You can buy the icing, but it doesn't taste homemade, so I'll share my easy Key Lime Buttercream Recipe.  

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , firm but not cold

1/8 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbs + 1 tsp. key lime juice

1/2 tsp. milk 

Follow the directions on the box to bake the cupcakes.  Once the cupcakes are cool, poke the  middle and add a couple of drops of key lime juice (I like Nellie's) to the center of each cupcake.

Beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla, 1 tsp. key lime juice and milk; mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream. Frosts over one dozen.  Put frosting in zip loc bag and snip a corner off.  Use the bag as a pastry bag and swirl the yumminess onto each cupcake.

Asparagus You Won't Turn Down

 Until about 3 years ago, I turned my nose up at the thought of asparagus.  Now I can't get enough!  If you've never been a fan, give this recipe a try.  Now is the time to do it because it is in season and fairly well priced.

1. Rinse stems and cut off tough bottoms (usually about an inch).

 2. Place in a Ziploc bag with 2Tbs olive oil and 1Tbs Herbes de Provence and shake vigorously.  If you don't have a Savory spice shop I feel very sorry for you no worries, you can make your own seasoning.  If you click on the photo above, you can see the ingredients on the bag.

3. Place on a large cookie sheet and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
4. Place under the broiler --or on the grill--  for 5-8min.

Enjoy!
I'm linking up with Imparting Grace today!

Friday Favorites ~ Baker's Edition ~

 I've been in the kitchen a lot this week.  Sometimes I think my inner baker is bi-polar because I'm either all or none.  This week has been ALL.

 We've gone through 3 batches of these energy bites.  I had a large jar of nasty no-taste crunchy almond butter and this was the perfect way to use it up.  With mini chocolate chips, I easily tricked my palate into believing I was consuming multiple Almond Joy bars.

 We've also gone through a double batch of the world's best homemade granola.  I love it in the morning as a bowl of cereal, and as a garnish for my yogurt at lunch.

 For the first time EVER, I tried making homemade pretzels.  They weren't pretty, but they were addictively delicious.  My husband even requested a second batch!

To give you a peek into my glutton filled world, I have to confess this:
I pulled out my ancient bread machine.
As I type, it is working its magic.
Someone save me from myself.  It's totally out of control over here!

What's your favorite baker's delight?

Rustic German Pancake

I love to bake when it (rarely) snows.  This is a great "brunch" for the kids when they come in from playing in the winter wonderland.  

I love it because:

1. I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

2. It is yummy and warm.

3. It is rustic and beautiful.

 Rustic German Pancake
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
dash salt
1/4 cup butter
diced apples (optional)

Heat 9x13 baking dish IN the oven to 350 degrees.  While the dish AND oven are heating, mix eggs, milk, flour and salt.  Melt butter into already hot dish.  Pour egg mixture into melted butter.   Add apples if you choose.
Bake for 35-40 min.
Serve warm with powdered sugar and/or syrup.

*It will g.r.o.w. in the oven.  My kids think it is so fun to watch.

Enjoy!

Kid Friendly Christmas Snacks

I love a party, don't you?

Our parties usually include kids, so it's nice to find some festive snacks for just the kids.  Here are two SUPER easy treats I made this afternoon for the girls in my 6th grade bible study.

Cast of characters:

Fun straws

Regular size marshmallows

Vanilla bark/ melting chocolate

Sprinkles 

And...

 a cute apron!  Isn't this so adorable?  My mom's labor of love for my birthday.  She's the one with all the talent in our family!

I found these paper straws at Bed Bath and Beyond.  They are the best price (especially when you use the coupon) I have found, including online.  144 for $4.99 + 20% off.  No shipping costs, either!

1. Cut the straws in half.  

2. Melt white chocolate in double broiler (or, if you're like me and don't own a fancy db, use a metal mixing bowl on top of a pot of boiling water.

3. Stick straw into marshmallow.

4. Dip 1/3 of mallow into melted chocolate

5. Roll in sprinkles/colored sugar

6. Cool on wax paper

 I only heated half of the bar of bark and used half a bottle of green sugar sprinkles, and made 2 dozen treats in about 30 min.

The other embarrassingly easy treat is this:
1 pkg. hershey kisses
bag of small pretzel knots/squares

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Place pretzels on cookie sheet, with one kiss on each.
Bake until chocolate starts to melt (barely melt).
Remove from oven and place in refrigerator.

Every snack is more fun in a cute little "dress."

Happy Snacking!

2 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

Ya'll.  These are SO yummy and pretty healthy too.  Thank you, Pinterest, for so many great ideas.

Okay, three ingredients (and not so healthy) if you add the frosting to the top. :)

Just mix a box of vanilla or yellow cake mix and a can of pumpkin.  

No eggs.  No oil.

Bake at 350 for 25 min (reg muffins)

or 13 min for mini muffins.

Yummy little delights

Easy Lemonade Cake

1 (3 oz) pkg. lemon Jello
3/4 cup boiling water
1 box yellow or lemon cake mix
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 frozen lemonade concentrate
powdered sugar**

Mix boiling water and jello until dissolved. Set aside.
In mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, and oil.  Gradually add in jello mixture.

Grease and flour* bunt pan.  Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.
While cake is still hot, combine powdered sugar** and thawed lemonade concentrate with a whisk.  Poke holes into top of cake and pour half of the lemonade mixture over cake.
Let cool.
Remove cake from pan and serve with 1 tsp. of remaining icing drizzled over each slice.

*I use 1 Tbs of the dry cake mix so there are no ugly white flour  chunks stuck to the bottom of my cake.
**The more powdered sugar you use, the less tart the icing will be.  I used about 3Tbs of powdered sugar and it was very tart (but that's how we like it).
Enjoy!

I'm linking up with Richella today!

1 Minute Crock Pot Chicken Sandwiches

My sweet friend Emily requested some easy, inexpensive recipes that we use on a regular basis.  This one's for you, Em.

1 bottle of bbq sauce (my family prefers the Jack Daniels, I prefer Georges NC style)
4 frozen boneless chicken breasts*
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
(1 minute indicates how much labor is involved, not cooking time)
Shred in sauce with a fork and knife.

Serve on buns with a side salad or chips or baked fingernails.  Whatever floats your boat. ;)

It doesn't get much easier than that!
*The chicken seems to multiply when you shred it.  I usually use 4 chicken breasts to serve 5 hearty eaters.

I'm joining this linky party!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache Bars

You know how it is.  You've been doing great on your healthy eating plan, and then you blow it by eating a processed, packaged treat you found in your kids' lunchbox stash.  Well, I'm telling you, this recipe is worth blowing the diet over.  Go big or go home.  :)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache Bars

1 (18.25) package plain yellow cake mix

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tablespoons butter


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine cake mix, melted butter, peanut butter, and eggs in a large bowl using a mixer or spoon. 

Press this into a 9X13 pan reserving 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to crumble on top.

In a small pot, combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter; stirring until melted. Remove from heat and spread chocolate mixture over the mixture pressed in the pan. Crumble the 1 1/2 cups of reserved cake mixture on top evenly. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars. 

4 Ingredient Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches

It was one of those days that I had nothing to make for dinner and winced as I opened the pantry.  Grabbing a bag of frozen chicken breasts and the crock pot, I thought it was worth a try.  It turned out to be a family favorite!

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs brown sugar
4-6 chicken breasts (thawed)

Mix 1st three ingredients.  Fill empty Heinz jar with water and add to mix.
Add chicken and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours... or until chicken is done.
Shred chicken with two forks and serve on kaiser rolls.

Gettin' Healthy Isn't So Bad

I found this free sample in my GNC bag last month.

Healthy Indulgence Daily Wellness

"Balanced Multi-vitamins and Minerals enveloped in delicious dark chocolate"  

Yep.  That is the best way to get healthy that I can think of!

What are your healthy plans this year?

Easy Buffalo Chicken Bites

2 c. cooked chicken, finely diced
1/2 c. wing sauce (or more to taste)
4 Tbs. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. blue cheese crumbles
1/2 stick melted butter, cooled
2 cans refrigerated Crescent Rolls

Mix first 5 ingredients.  Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray.  Cut dough into 2" squares (or triangles, or whatever) and press into muffin tins.  Scoop 1 Tbs. of mixture into each muffin tin.

Bake @ 400 for 15 min or until dough is cooked and mixture is bubbly.
Makes 48 bites.

Angelic Cranberry Bars

These cookie bars are heavenly:  light and fresh because of the cranberries and the cream cheese frosting isn't too sweet.  Hurry up and try them before cranberry season is over!

2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. fresh cranberries
1/2 c. chopped almonds (or walnuts)

Beat eggs.  Add next 6 ingredients.  Mix well.
Stir in cranberries and nuts.
Spread (will be sticky!) into a 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
Cool completely.  Cut into 2" squares before adding frosting.

In mixer, combine:
1/2 stick butter
8 oz block cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar (adding to taste)

Fill a zip lock bag with icing and snip the corner.  Squeeze icing in a circular motion onto each bar.  If in a hurry, just spread with a knife onto bars.  I think the swirls of icing look more appetizing, though. :)
Refrigerate until ready to eat.

It Takes a Village

While perusing the aisles of Target I happened upon a gingerbread village in a box.  Whoever came up with this idea must have more than one child.  In the past when we've done a  gingerbread house the kids can get a little quirky over who does what to the house.  Okay, those of us with perfectionist tendencies can get a lil' quirky when it comes to adding too much bling to the thing.   I'll not name names...

The box contained 5 mini houses which was perfect math for our family of five.  It cost the same ($8) as the other gingerbread houses/trees/trains. 

Each person got to choose a house and make it as cute or gaudy as their little hearts desired.

 I love that one daughter donned my apron while the other put on a festive shirt with a matching bow.  Lil' Martha Stewarts Betty Crockers in the making!

 Here's what we learned:
1. The icing is nasty, so don't eat it.
2. There are not nearly enough candy decorations for 5 houses, so buy extra or raid your leftover Halloween stash.  Or, only do three houses like we did since somebody didn't buy extra candy and somebody threw out all the Halloween candy last week.
3. It's so much more fun when the kids are 8, 10, and 12 than when they were 4, 6, and 8.  So much less work for mom.  Just keepin' it real.
4. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Some think less is more while others think more is more when it comes to candy on the house.

 What a fun season to make those memories they will never forget.

Since the kitchen was already dirty and I still had my kid's-in-the-kitchen mojo, we decided to make another holiday favorite.  The kids love making dipped pretzels and giving them to neighbors and friends.  

I, on the other hand prefer these delicacies found on the same aisle as the gingerbread village:

Swoon.

Cookies Worth Making from Scratch

I'm not a huge cookie fan.  I'll eat them (often more than I should), but I don't flutter my eyelashes at the thought of sugar cookies.  In fact sugar cookies kind of fall into the same category as birthday cake from the grocery, boxed pudding, and peanut brittle: not worth the calories.
But THESE sugar cookies are worth every stinkin calorie!  They even stay soft, which is a big deal round here.  The original recipe is from here, and if you haven't skipped over to Cafe Sucre Farin, you're missing out.  If you're not a "from scratch" kind of girl, these cookies are a good place to start out.

Sugar Cookies
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1 large egg

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In mixing bowl, cream the sugars and the butter. Mix in egg, set aside. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. Add the oil and the flour mixture alternately to creamed sugars, mixing after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Cover and chill in refrigerator three to four hours or in the freezer for 30 mins.

Heat oven to 350.

Roll dough into small balls, 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. Place on cookies sheet that has been lined with parchment paper and flatten with the bottom of a glass, using a small square of wax or parchment paper to keep the dough from sticking to the bottom of the glass.

Bake 10-12 minutes.

Lemon Icing (pink above)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

Sugar Icing (green above)

2 cups powdered sugar

3-4 Tbs. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

Winter Vegetable Medley

 I've been on a veggie-roasting kick lately.  This recipe is so easy and yummy!
Roasted Winter Veggies
1 large sweet potato
2 red poatoes
4 large carrots, peeled
2 Yukon potatoes
1 small sweet onion
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. herb medley*
1 Tbs. sea salt

Cut all veggies into 1 inch cubes.  Pour olive oil, veggies, and herbs into a gallon size zip-lock bag.  Shake to cover.  Empty bag onto a large cookie sheet (with raised edges).  Sprinkle with sea salt.
Broil on Low for 10-15 min, until veggies are fork-tender.

*I like a "Herbs de Provence" medley which includes basil, lavender, rosemary, marjoram, etc.  I think an Italian Herb medley would be great, too.
** You can use a package of dry Ranch dressing, but I like this recipe just as much because it's less $$ and less sodium.  :)

Tough Job

 Back in the spring I was asked to be on the planning committee for the women's fall retreat.  I felt guilty because of all the tasks that needed to be done in preparation, I got the most fun job: preparing the gift bags for all of the guests and leaders.

 I had a blast finding fun (but inexpensive) items for all of the ladies.   I thought it would be a good idea for all of the ladies to have the same scent of hand sanitizer so we wouldn't smell like a pumpkin threw up sweet peas and cucumber melon in the meeting room.  Imagine the surprise on the manager's face when I cleaned out their supply of Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin at Bath and Body Works.
I might have squealed in the middle of Walmart when I found these new Kleenex personal packets:

Then my two girls joined the fun in helping me put the bags together and add the ribbons.  My girls may not be in the band or on the basketball team, but they are learning that serving others can be F.U.N.  :)

They even helped me load my car:

Doncha just love the pattern on the bag on the far right?
Target, you always know how to impress a girl.
I was also responsible for the decorations (finishing touches) for the retreat.  Again, feeling guilty for such a fun job!
I had decided that fresh fall flowers would be great for the registration tables.  Of course, I waited until Thursday evening to go get the flowers so they would stay fresh for the weekend.  Maybe you're a little crazy like me, maybe not; but I had this idea in my head and the local grocery floral departments were not cooperating. My daughter and I traveled all over town looking for the right flowers.  After we finally found them, she looked at me and said, "I've never been to 5 grocery stores in one day."  Me neither, baby, me neither.  

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Confession:  I don't drink milk.  Period.

I know I should but I don't like it.  Shudder.  I've been trying to figure out ways to get more calcium.  Dipping Oreos doesn't quiet reach the FDA daily recommendation.  

So I've tried to find creative ways to add more sugar to my diet drink milk.  I found these little packets in the coffee section.  When I drink one of these, I am getting a full glass of milk.  For only 60 calories, it's a great pick-me-up treat for the mid-morning sighs.

Adding a candle to the mix is optional, but I think it makes it taste better.  ;)

How about you?  Are you a milk drinker?  Any creative ways to get more calcium?

PeanutButter Chocolate Bliss

Have you visited The Picky Palate?  Stop what you're doing and go.  You can thank me later.  You'll come away feeling like you can be a gourmet chef tonight.

I took two of her recipes and combined them into one.  It turned out so ding-dang good, I just had to share!

PeanutButter Chocolate Bliss
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar


2 sticks butter (just do it, don't think about it)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cocoa powder (yes, you read that right, 1 cup!)
12 oz bag chocolate chips (semi sweet)


Mix peanut butter and powdered sugar.  Press into a foil-lined 9x9 baking dish. Freeze for 30 minutes, while preparing the rest of the ingredients.  Once frozen, slice into 1/2 inch chunks (see her great pictures here).


Preheat oven to 350.  Beat softened butter and sugars until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa into separate bowl.  Add to wet ingredients and mix slowly, adding chocolate chips.  


Scoop medium size spoonful of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet.  Add 3-4 peanut butter chunks as you do.  Don't mix the p.b. chunks into dough, they will just spread out and you won't have those divine chunks to bite into!  


Bake 15 minutes @ 350.  I know you'll want to sample as soon as they come out of the oven, but USE SELF CONTROL.   Wait until cool otherwise the p.b. chunks will fall apart.
It will be worth the wait... trust me!


Makes about 3 dozen.