Death By Chocolate Trifle

So good!! I was afraid to make one of these because they always intimidated me but it wasn't bad!!  The only thing I did different is that I didn't do a mousse but I just made an instant chocolate and vanilla pudding.  So one layer of each  in the trifle. I also added health Bar crunch instead of Reese's pieces.  I think tho you can add some Kahlua to the Cake once you've crumbled each layer. Just enough to moisten it (I'll be doing that next time). Oh and I only tried this because I got a free Trifle bowl from my Pampered Chef party!  Score: 9.5




Here are all of my ingredients:

~ Chocolate cake mix (+ ingredients to prepare as directed)

~ Mini Reeses Cups

~ Kit Kat bars
~ Reeses Pieces
~ Chocolate syrup
~ Large Cool Whip (you'll want it thawed for this recipe)
~ Large box chocolate pudding
Once the cakes came out I crumbled them by hand into the bottom of my Trifle Bowl. My layers went like this:

1. Crumbled chocolate cake
2. Cool Whip
3. Assortment of three candies, sprinkled over Cool Whip
4. Crumbled chocolate cake
5. Half of mousse-like concoction
6. Assortment of three candies, sprinkled over mousse
7. Crumbled chocolate cake
8. Second half of mousse-like concoction
9. Assortment of three candies, sprinkled over Cool Whip
10. Crumbled chocolate cake
11. Remaining Cool Whip

Crock Pot stuffed Peppers

So i've made these before but not in the crockpot.  The great thing about doing it this way is that the peppers cook perfectly. You don't have to worry about boiling them first or anything.  I used 5 peppers and instead of tomato sauce I used tomato soup (canned).  Trust me it gives it a better taste.  My mom puts tomato soup in other things like sheppards pie etc and you would be amazed how much better it tastes.  My friend Lorie just made it and liked it !  I also added 1/2 cup of parm cheese to meat mixture.  Anyways this recipe came out perfect and I served it with mashed potatoes! yum!
Score: 9

• 6 large green peppers
• 1 lb. ground beef, browned
• 2 T minced onion
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 c. cooked rice
• 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

391

1. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds.
2. Combine all ingredients except peppers and cheese.
3. Stuff peppers with ground beef mixture; place in crock pot.
4. Cover. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
5. Sprinkle with cheese during last 30 minutes.
Happy Crocking!

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

This recipe was really simple and tasted good.  The only thing I would recommend would to add a light glaze on top.  Just powdered sugar and milk.  Oh and I added 2 cups of strawberries instead of 1 1/2.  I made these twice and just substituted the milk for plain yogurt. (added a tad of milk to loosen the batter.) Tasted good both times and Anthony liked them too !  Score:8.5




Fresh Strawberry Muffins
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla. Gently stir in strawberries.

Spoon batter into muffin pans.

Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over muffins.

Bake at 400º for 20-25 minutes.

Makes one dozen muffins. (Make sure you eat them the day you bake them. They aren’t so great the next day.)

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

This was the easiest recipe! And it turned out so good!!  I also added one whole onion sliced with a whole green pepper sliced the long way.  I made this recipe for 3 and used just 2 chicken breasts and had plenty of leftovers.  I still used a whole packet of taco seasoning and a jar of salsa (any brand is fine)..  I would definitely make this again!.. Score:10




Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen
Serves: ~12 people

1 Envelope Taco Seasoning (I use Old El Paso Reduced Sodium)
6 Pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 16-ounce jar Salsa (I switch between brands, but Newman's Own is my favorite)

Dump everything into a crock pot and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa. You do not need to add any water to the taco seasoning. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork.

For tacos, serve the chicken with soft flour tortillas, guacamole, lettuce, shredded cheese and/or sour cream. This is very versatile and can be used for enchiladas, nachos, tostadas, quesadillas, etc. Any leftover chicken can then be used for tortilla soup (make it the next day or freeze the chicken to use at a later time).

 

 

 

Homemade Fuit Roll Ups

Ok so this recipe,, one didn't tell you what temp or how long to cook it. I had to research other peoples recipes online to figure it out.. Its the lowest temp your oven can go which is prob 170 and you bake for 6 hours.   Well this didn't work at all!  And if you think about it if you put plastic in any heat it MELTS.  So everything turned out to be a mess. After 4 hours it looked like a crispy plastic mess.  It's not worth your time or electric bill to run the oven this long for homemade fruit roll ups.  Just go to the organic section they have em for 3$... it def cost me way more to make these considering the strawberries were $3.00 a container.   Score: 0





You start by dicing up the strawberries into small pieces. (about a whole regular container from the grocery store)
Then They go in water with a squeeze of Lemon Juice.

Then you stew them. Mostly covered, until they are very very soft and mushy.

Next you place some plastic over a sheet tray and brush it with olive oil.

Taste it and if you think it could be a lot sweeter add some sugar. And blend some more.

But before you go and add a lot of sugar, keep in mind, that as the fruit leather dries, it will concentrate the natural sugars in the fruit and it will become sweeter on its own.

Pour the mixture on the plastic covered tray.

Then it goes into the oven for what seems like years, but is really just many hours on a very low temperature. So low in fact, that you may need to keep the oven door partly opened.

It will peel right off.

Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

Hmmm.. so this recipe was interesting.  They overloaded the lemon. I love lemon in everything (well besides my water) but it was too tart.  I would suggest for the lemon glaze on top to not mix it with lemon juice and just use milk and a tsp of vanilla or almond extract.  We ended up giving half it away to my parents cuz it was just too much.  And i cooked it the whole cook time and had to add another 5 mins cuz it was a tad raw. I prob won't make this again but i will be on the hunt for another lemon blueberry recipe. My husband admitted he was just eating it so it'd make his Oreo Cookie cookies for him.... I didn't torture him and made him stop eating it.  lol  Score:5

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

Zingy Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf made with freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, yogurt and plump blueberries is lightly brushed with a lemon syrup then drizzled with a lemon glaze. Bursting with lemony flavor and fresh blueberries, this melt in your mouth will leave you begging for more.

Yield: 1 9x5 loaf

Ingredients:

For the Loaf:
1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed
For the Lemon Syrup:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
For the Lemon Glaze:
1 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of one 9 x 5-inch loaf pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.
To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice if the mixture is too stiff. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.
Recipe Notes:
This recipe will also yield about 12 standard muffins or 36 miniature muffins, baking time adjusted.
It could be doubled and baked in a well-greased and floured bundt pan, baking time adjusted.
This recipe could also be baked in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round, to create a thin cake (approx. 1 1/2 inches tall), baking time adjusted.

Source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen originally adapted from AIna Garten

Baked Coconut Shrimp

This recipe came out pretty good.  Note to self do not over whip the egg whites!!  They turned into stiff enough peaks that when you dipped the shrimp in them they didn't move and the shrimp came out clean! Definitely bake them a full 17 mins and if you want flip them around 10 min mark to get all the sides crispy.  I didn't make the pineapple sauce to go with it but I'm sure it's good. My friend Chrissy ended up bringing Sweet Chili sauce from Trader Joes which went perfect.   Score: 8

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 cup pineapple preserves
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined

• 2 egg whites
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

1. Combine lime juice, jalapeno pepper, and pineapple preserves in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
4. Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. Hold shrimp by the tail and dip and coat the shrimp with cornstarch. Next, dip the shrimp in the egg whites and finally in the coconut coating well.
5. Place shrimp on the cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is a golden brown. Make sure to turn it once halfway through (around 8 minutes into cooking time) to make sure both sides brown.
6. Serve with pineapple dipping sauce.

• 

Mint Chocolate Bark

So this is the first Bark I've ever made.  I'm always afraid of making barks because they just seem intimidating!  This was so easy to make that I will be making this every year for Xmas!  I used one size smaller then a 9x13 pan.  The white chocolate didnt' fill the entire bottom of the pan but just about. It was wicked easy to break up.  It doesn't make a ton so you might want to double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan.  I made it ahead of time and are just storing it in Tupperware in the fridge until Xmas. Score: 9.5



Grasshopper Mint Chocolate Bark

Yield: About 2 pounds of bark

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

16 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon mint extract (NOT peppermint), optional
Green food coloring
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 box (4.67-ounces) Andes Crème de Menthe Thins, unwrapped and coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler (or in 30-second intervals in the microwave on 50% power, stirring after each). Once the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Add the mint extract, if using, and stir to combine. Add a few drops of green food coloring and stir until desired color is reached.
3. Spread the white chocolate mixture onto the prepared pan in an even layer (depending on the size of the pan and how thick you’d like your bark, you may not need the entire surface of the pan). Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until just about set.
4. Meanwhile, melt the semisweet chocolate over a double boiler (or in 30-second intervals in the microwave on 50% power, stirring after each). Once the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Pour over the white chocolate layer and spread evenly over top. Sprinkle with the chopped Andes mints and press down lightly to push the mints into the top chocolate layer. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until completely set.
5. Cut the bark or break into uneven pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When stored in the refrigerator, it will keep for at least 2 weeks.

(Recipe inspired by Confections of a Foodie Bride)

Mint Chocolate Cookies

So yummy!!!  They came out just like the picture.  I used pre-chopped up Andes mints.  I found them at walmart.  Now when it says sift dry ingredients it doesn't mean also the SUGAR! Because you're supposed to cream it with the butter.. I tend to skip instructions as always. So what ended up happening is the dough didn't mix and form into a ball so I found out you can add milk to any dough to help it clump!  At the last minute i also added chunks of Andes Mints and pressed them into the top of the cookie before I baked them... Otherwise these will be a new cookie added to my Xmas cookie list.. Score: 9



Here's her yummy creation:

Mint Chocolate Cookies
2 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp mint extract
15-20 drops green food coloring
1 bag of Andes mints (chopped)

Directions
Preheat oven 375 degrees. Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt) together and set aside. Solicit your kids to unwrap the Andes mints. A. was more than happy to unwrap them (knowing full well, he would be sneaking some).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and mint extract. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Add green food coloring and mix until even colored. Last, but not least, fold in the chopped Andes mints. Doesn't it look just like the ice cream?
Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls (you may need to shape with your hands), flatten, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. 
Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool. 

Soft and Chewy Almond Sugar Cookies

These cookies are delicious!!  These are a step up or change from the regular sugar cookies you're getting bored of.  They are very chewy even though I didn't use the cake flour. I wasn't really sure what it was and when i went into the store it said bread flour and didn't know that they were the same exact thing!  And I wasn't about to put the baby back into the car and go back to shop rite for a bag of bread flour.  So I just used plain flour 3 3/4 cups. Also if you don't have cornstarch just make sure you space the cookies further apart cuz they'll spread.. I also rolled them in sugar with green and red sugar you can buy anywhere and it make them look way more festival.. Will definitely be making more for xmas! Score: 9




Soft and Chewy Almond Sugar Cookies CCK Original
(Printable Recipe)
1 1/2 C white sugar
2/3 C unsalted butter (cold)
2/3 C shortening (room temp)
2 eggs
2 tsp almond extract
2 3/4 C cake flour
1 C all purpose flour
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
sugar in the raw (I like raw sugar for this, but any coarse sugar or sprinkles would work)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheet.

Cream sugar, butter and shortening. Stir in eggs and almond extract. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt and add to butter/egg mixture.

Use electric mixture to ensure dough is thoroughly combined.

Chill dough in fridge for 30 minutes.

Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup

This recipe was really really easy and tasted great.  Just make sure you add all the liquids it tells you to ( I was too lazy to get more beef broth in the basement so it came out more like a chilli  ;)  The only thing I left out was the celery, white kidney beans, and Tabasco sauce.  For me only leaving out 3 ingredients is pretty dam good.  Oh and please godddd don't put in a jar of Prego pasta sauce that is absolutely disgusting! Who uses Prego??  I'd just use your homemade sauce or a can of Hunts Pasta sauce..  Also make sure once you've cooked the pasta make sure you keep it separate from the soup and store it separate also or else the pasta will absorb all of the liquids.  Otherwise i would just put the amout of pasta you want in ur bowl and pour the soup over it....   Score: 9



I love trying new soup recipes, but this is an old favorite. Tastes just like Olive Garden’s! This recipe does make a lot of soup (approximately 12 servings.) Make sure you use a large crock pot or feel free to cut the recipe in half! Also freezes well if you want to try that!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 1 c. celery, chopped
• 2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 (16 oz.) can white kidney beans, drained
• 4 cups beef stock
• 3 tsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 5 tsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. tabasco sauce
• 1 (20 oz.) jar Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz. pasta (I like using ditali pasta)

Instructions

• Brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain fat. Add beef and all ingredients except the pasta into a large crock pot. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
• Before serving, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to soup.

Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Sooo... I wasn't too amused by this recipe. I LOVE garlic so I had to try it.. The chicken was very juicy but there really wasn't any flavor.  It was super easy to make but because of the lack of flavor I won't be making it again.  My husband and I both ate it but looked at each other and said "mmmmm not much flavor".. The picture looks better then the taste.  So besides the point..... Score: 4.

About This Recipe

“A quick, easy chicken recipe for days when you don’t want to spend time in the kitchen. Even finicky people will eat it. Goes great with traditional potatoes or rice.”

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500°F and lightly grease a casserole dish.
2. In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar.
4. Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes.

Brownie Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok so loved that this was pinned but there was no recipe.  It was a link to William Sonoma baking mix.. Really fn irritating!  I just googled the recipe and only found one.  I used a Betty Crocker Brownie mix but I would recommend the Giahardeli Brownie mix instead it's much richer.  I did just a simple Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie dough recipe.  I sparyed 2 cupcake tins and dropped about 1 1/2 tablespoons of brownie mix and 1 large ball of dough on top. I had a lot of leftover dough and just made cookies so make sure you make the cookie dough balls pretty large and just drop it right on top of the brownie mix. I baked 350 for 22-24 mins.  They stuck to the bottom of the pan so make sure you use a lot of Pam or butter on the bottom I never seem to use enough and you'd think i'd learn my lesson by now!..
Score: 8

S'more Shooters

 These shooters were very tasty.  I used plastic Champagne glasses that they sell I think at any Dollar Store.  I didn't really measure anything. The recipe I did makes 18 glasses.  I made them for a Pamper Chef party so that's why I made so many.  I used 3 boxes of chocolate mousse mix and 8 graham cracker sheets.  I added butter to the graham crackers but that was a bad idea because it hardened and no one could get the cracker out of the bottom of the cup.  I also put a little bit of chocolate syrup in the bottom of the glass just for looks.  Right before I served them I just plopped a tablespoon of marshmallow creme or whatever covered the top of the glass and served it.  They went fast and they looked fancy even though they were pretty easy to make. It was kind of a mess getting the mousse into the glass with a pipping bag so I said whatever and made a huge mess but sometimes it's easier to cook that way instead of trying to keep the kitchen clean while baking. I would definitely make these again for a holiday party.. hmm or maybe for Friendsgiving........ hmmmmm. Score: 9 




2 graham crackers, each separated into 4 small rectangles

2 cups milk chocolate mousse (such as from 3.1 oz box of mix), prepared but not set up

8 teaspoons marshmallow creme

Miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Save $$$ on your favorite brands

• 1 In bottom of each of 8 shot glasses, crumble 1 graham cracker rectangle.
• 2 Spoon chocolate mousse into decorating bag; pipe evenly into shot glasses. Refrigerate 2 hours, or as directed on mousse mix box, until set.
• 3 Before serving, top each with 1 teaspoon marshmallow creme and a few chocolate chips.

Apple Pie Bites

MMMMMMMMMMM..... These were so good!  I used Granny Smith Apples because they're nice and tart. I served them at my Pampered chef party. They were like eating those Burger King apple pies... The best was the crunchy cinnamon that baked onto the bottom of the crescent rolls. The apples were nice and soft but not mushy.  I do have to say tho they did stick to the pan and were a bitch to scrape off. I'd suggest to maybe do a quick spray with Pam or Parchment paper. I used 2 apples, 2 crescent rolls and 2 tbls of butter to double the recipe.  I cut some of the crescent roll triangles in half to get even more out of the crescent rolls and just sliced the apples a little thinner.  I just thought it was too much dough to use an entire triangle on one piece of Apple.... Delicious.!!!!!!!! I would absolutely make these again!  Score: 9.5

Here’s How I Did It…

Apple Pie Bites – Serves 8

1 (Tart) Apple Sliced

3 Heaping Tbsp. Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp. Cinnamon ( I used a homemade Cinni-Sugar Mix)

1 Tbsp. Melted Butter

1 Pkg. Of Immaculate Baking Co. Crescent Rolls

*(I use immaculate baking co. when I’m not doing homemade - no hydrogenated oils and non gmo – it’s the only thing I feel safe about giving my kids when it’s not from scratch)

                                                                 Preheat Oven to 350˚
1. Roll out the dough on a greased cookie sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle Brown Sugar and Cinnamon in individual pieces of dough.
2. Roll up an apple slice in the dough forming a crescent, brush with melted butter and top with cinnamon. Repeat for others
 3. Bake for 12-15 Mins at 350˚.

4. Remove from Oven, filling will be hot! Serve alone or with a dollop of Vanilla Ice Cream.

Ok so... I tried the left overs of the Italian chicken recipe... They were better then the night before..  So I'll rephrase my last score.... Score: 6....   But still a no to the artichokes!

Italian Chicken

So I'm not really sure what to say about this recipe.  I am skeptical of putting artichokes in a red sauce.... I ended up using San Marzano tomatoes instead of the romas because I felt like there wasn't going to be enough sauce made to put this recipe over pasta.  The artichokes could be left out it is just too gross with the red sauce.  It came out kind of bland even though I used a lot of salt and pepper... Roma tomatoes produce a lot of water so the flour is needed.  I used parm cheese and Mozz but it just really wasn't that good.!  And you should at least cook it at 375 for at least 45 mins.. I did 350 for 35 and it came out raw. Besides that I was annoyed I had to cook the chicken an extra 20mins and I lit my pot holder on fire and filled the kitchen with smoke!  I definitely would not make this again!  too bland.. Maybe just use a jar sauce and forget the roma tomatoes and artichokes .. Then again just forget the recipe cuz at that point it'll be called Chicken Parm.. Score:4 

Core and chop about 4-5 roma tomatoes. {I'm sorry if you're a "tomater-hater"... you're probably disgusted by all my recipes!} Just know you're reeeeally missing out!

Thinly slice two cloves of garlic.

Drain a small jar of artichoke hearts.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and pour in a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a generous amount of S&P, a teaspoon of sugar, a couple tablespoons of flour {since the chicken will produce so much liquid}.

Place the tomato mixture in with the boneless skinless chicken breasts {that are generously seasoned with S&P}. Place in a 350 degree oven and bake until the chicken is almost done.

Take the almost done chicken out of the oven and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. Place the chicken under the broiler for a few minutes {keep an eye on it!} until the cheese is golden brown and the vegetables are caramelized

When you pull the chicken out of the oven, sprinkle some fresh basil on top and the heat of the dish will wilt the basil.

Balsamic Roast Beef Recipe

Ok so I'm going to honest.. This recipe was amazing but I didn't cook it. My cousin Laura made it for me for lunch yesterday.  This is a nice break from the typical gravy packets and powder mixes.  It had a nice "tang" to it.  We had it with Pillsbury Crescent rolls Yum! You could make a great sandwich out of this or just make it with mash potatoes.  It says it serves 6-8..hmm yeah I'm going to say maybe 4-6.. If my husband is eating (and roasts are his favorite dinner meal) it'll serve 2!(i'm totally serious)   She left out the Pepper flakes and honestly I'm glad because I don't really like spicy food.  I'm making this Saturday night so it DOES count to put this recipe up..!  yum! Score:9.5!!!!

\

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 4 hours

Total time: 4 hours 5 mins

Serves: 6-8

This Balsamic Roast Beef Recipe is simple and delicious. You’ll definitely want left overs of this roast beef recipe for all those scrumptious leftover meals!

Ingredients

• 1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef
• 1 cup beef broth
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Instructions

1. Place roast beef into the insert of your slow cooker. In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over roast beef and set the timer for your slow cooker. (4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low)
2. Once roast beef has cooked, remove from slow cooker with tongs into a serving dish. Break apart lightly with two forks and then ladle about ¼ – ½ cup of gravy over roast beef.
3. Store remaining gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another use.

Notes

If you prefer a more pronounced flavor, once the roast beef has been removed, use a fat separator on the gravy and then pour the gravy into a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the gravy has reduced by half.

Pancake Bites

MMM these were delicious..! I made these with the egg cups.  My cousin laura liked them and then I found out she went home and made them for dinner! I used my own pancake betty crocker recipe ( i like to make things from scratch and not use processed mixes and foods.)  I just poured my mix into the lightly greased pans and topped with choc chips, strawberries and blueberries.  The mix only made 8 muffin tins tho.  These are again perfect if you're having a bunch of people for breakfast. You can double the recipe and make 2 muffin tin pans at once.... yum!  Score: 9.5 

Shelly's Pancake Bites

1/2 cup Multigrain Pancake Mix, dry
1/3 cup Soy Milk (any milk would do)
1/4 cup Torani Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
Assorted Toppings: Cooked Sausage, Crumbled Cooked Bacon, Fruit (I used frozen blueberries but banana slices or apples are yum too)

Mix pancake mix, milk, syrup together till thoroughly combined. Pour batter into a non-stick 12 cup mini muffin tin that has been sprayed with Pam. Fill about 3/4 way up.

Beer CrockPot Chicken

Hmmm ok well the chicken came out really moist buuuttt... If you think about it... If you put just beer in and no thickener then it comes out very very watery!!! I wanted to put it over rice or egg noodles (i picked rice). I ended up adding a pack of Onion Soup mix and I would also recommend adding like a brown gravy mix too to really thicken up the sauce.  Salt it well because I had to salt it twice while eating it and I'm not a huge salt eater.  I probably wouldn't make this again but it's good if you just want just the chicken out of the recipe. I used leg quarters (dark meat) and it was very juicy!  It's just a weird recipe and you have to get creative with it.. Score: 5  Taste: 6... 



Total Servings: 6 Total Cost: $3.00

4-6 Chicken Breasts or 1 Whole or cut up Chicken
1 Can of any kind of Beer
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
*You can use whatever spices you like

• Put all ingredients into crockpot
• If frozen cook on high 4-5 hours or low 8-10
• If fresh cook on high 3-4 hrs or low 7-8 hours if fresh