Sweet and Salty Chocolate Carmel Bark

Sweet and Salty Chocolate Carmel Bark

Making bark candy is an easy and delicious treat.  I love it for the holidays or as a hostess gift because you can put it in a nice box or on a pretty plate and it looks beautiful and tastes sweet.  You also don't need a candy thermometer for bark - which is always nice.  We like sweet and salty combinations in my house, so I thought I would combine my grandmother's cracker candy recipe and a holiday bark recipe I have, but do it with an added twist - instead of using saltine crackers I used pretzels and I added peanut butter chips and a chopped heath bar to the top just to make it look nice.  These additions made for a great salty and sweet combination!  This is an awesome bark, it only took me 15 minutes to make and then my recommendation is to allow it to cool over night before cutting.  This will make cutting easier as well as make sure your candy has completely hardened.  A must try for the holidays!  Wrap this one up for your office party, neighbors' gifts, or a sweet treat on that cookie plate.

Here is how I did it:

Ingredients:

1/2 large bag of pretzel sticks

3/4 c butter

4 squares of chocolate almond bark

1 package of Caramels (approx 50 squares) melted with 2 T of water

1 bag of milk chocolate chips - I like Hershey's, they melt smooth and taste amazing

1/2 bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

1 Heath Bar - crushed for topping

Preheat your oven to 350.  In a small sauce pan melt your butter.  While doing this, line a cookie sheet with wax paper and spray with cooking spray.  Line the cookie sheet with pretzel sticks.

Pour the butter over the pretzel sticks.  In a separate sauce pan melt the caramels and water.  During this time melt the almond bark in the microwave for 1 min and 30 seconds, then stir - it will be a creamy chocolate - spoon this over your pretzel sticks - this adds just a little extra chocolate to your bark.  Once the caramels have melted pour them over the almond bark and the pretzels.  Now take your chocolate chips and peanut butter chips and pour them over the pretzel mixture.

Place this mixture in your preheated oven for 4 minutes - watch closely because you do not want this to burn.  Once you remove from the oven, immediately use your rubber spatula and smooth out the chips, completely covering pretzels and caramel.

Now crush your Heath bar and sprinkle it over the bark.  Allow these to cool completely then slice and serve.

This is SO easy and SO delish!  Highly recommended.

Honey Glazed Pork Chops

Sweet and Savory

Honey Glazed Pork Chops

Pork chops are one of my daughter's favorite things, so this week I thought I would try something new with them.  These came out great, they had a sweet comforting flavor which was perfect for this fall weather we have been having and went wonderfully with the smashed sweet potatoes that I made.  They were very simple and were on the table in 30 minutes.  I will absolutely make them again, and on a side note the were very good reheated for lunch.

Here's how I made them:

5 T Olive Oil
4 thick cut pork chops bone in
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar

Start by preheating your oven to 350.  In an oven safe skillet over a medium heat add your olive oil to the pan.  While doing this season your pork chops with salt and pepper.  Place your pork chops in the oiled pan and allow them to crisp up - flip them only once, this will allow them to be brown nicely.  In a microwave safe bowl mix your honey and brown sugar together and heat them for 1 minute in the microwave.  Stir until the brown sugar has melted into the honey.  Pour the mixture over your pork chops and cover them.  Bake in your preheated oven for 20 minutes.  Allow your meat to rest for 5 minutes once finished.  This made a really delicious sauce which I poured over the smashed sweet potatoes we had with our dinner.

Hope you enjoy! 



Blooming Pumpkin - Beautiful Fall Centerpiece

A Gorgeous Fall or Thanksgiving Centerpiece - Made By You!

Try this easy to make Blooming Pumpkin

Last fall I was walking through Michael's and I saw their Blooming Pumpkin centerpieces, I thought about buying one for my table - but then realized I could make one of my own easily, for half the cost and it would be so much more special.  So, this fall when I saw the crafter's pumpkins in the bin outside of Michael's I knew I needed to to get one and make my family one of these for our table.  It was as easy as I thought and I bought the silk flowers, pumpkin, and ribbon on sale - making it even more affordable.  This is quite large so it can fill up your table easily and looks stunning, even my husband was impressed that I made it on my own. 

The project took about an hour to make from start to finish, so for me it was something I did during my kids nap time.  Here are some easy to follow steps on how I made mine:

You'll need the following supplies:

1 crafter's pumpkin - size of your choice (I picked a medium sized one)

wired ribbon you can tie into a bow and shape

fall silk flower bunches - I used 4 flower bunches and 1 bunch of leaves. (I bought the 3 and 5 dollar bunches from Walmart)

1 - 1/2 circle foam flower ball

glue gun

wire cutters

craft knife

1.  Cut a hole in the top of your pumpkin - just like you would a live pumpkin.

2. Using your glue gun, glue the top back on - but flip it upside down.

3. Glue your foam ball to the top of your pumpkin.

4. Begin placing your silk flowers in the foam ball.

5.  Continue placing flowers in the foam ball and add bow if you desire (a bow is not needed, I like it just for the finished look).  Your finished product should look like this:

This is just stunning and looks like it cost me so much more than it actually did, plus making it myself I was able to choose the specific flowers I like and what I felt would match my fall decorations.  This is one of those projects that I just love and know I will display for years to come!  Hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I am enjoying mine.

Make Your Own No Skid "Grippy" Socks

Make Your Own No Skid "Grippy Socks

Perfect for Toddlers

Having a toddler at home is always busy and with cool weather dancing on my door step I have been looking for new skid socks for my 19 month old.  She tends to slide around the hardwoods with her regular socks and I certainly don't want her taking a dive and hurting herself.  I have been shopping around for new skid socks but was surprised by how expensive they can be, so that go me thinking - couldn't I make these really quickly and very easily for far less money?  The answer was yes I could.  So I walked into the craft section of my local Walmart and found puff paint - a container of it cost $.94, then I bought a package of 6 socks (I got some thicker athletic socks so I knew her feet would be cozy warm).  The socks cost me $4.96.  When I got home, I wrote on the bottom of the socks with the puff paint.  For some I wrote her name (as pictured), for others I did polka dots - what you write doesn't matter you just need the texture for gripping.  This took a total of about 2 minutes to do all six pairs, I allowed them to dry then flipped them over and did the other side.  As easy as that I now have six pair of grippy socks for $6 - and plenty of paint for more should my little one's feet grow this winter or the drier eat them (which happens at my house from time to time).

Here's a tip - this could be a really fun project for kids to make their own socks, with your help.  It may save your floors from shoes and could be a fun low cost project to break up your day.

Good Luck!

Fenway Frittata - Sauage, Peppers, and Onions Egg Frittata

Sausage, Peppers, and Onions Frittata

A Breakfast or Lunch Treat

Saturday mornings at our house I like to try and make a large breakfast, and my family is a fan of sausage.  This morning, I was feeling a little home sick - so since I am a Massachusetts girl at heart I thought why not convert my favorite Fenway Park treat into our breakfast.  This worked out beautifully, not only did it taste great for breakfast but it would make the perfect lunch with a side salad.  My 19 month old ate what I think was her weight in this good morning treat, so in my book that would make this a homerun! 

This is a "two pan" dish, so if your hoping to get away with only a few dirty dishes, this won't work - however if you wanted to partially cook and refrigerate the night before this would make a great breakfast treat if you were expecting guests for brunch and wanted to get things together in advance.  Just partially cook, refrigerate, and finish cooking the next day and you'd have a dish that's sure to impress.

Here's how I made this:

1 package of hot breakfast sausage
1 bell pepper - chopped
1/2 onion - chopped
1 T chopper garlic
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 T Italian Seasoning
8 eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 T Parmesan cheese
3 T olive oil
1 T butter
5 slices of provolone cheese
Cook Top - Medium
Bake at 350

To start preheat your oven to 350.   Brown your sausage and then drain the excess fat from it - set it aside. In an oven safe skillet heat your oil on the cook top.  Add the garlic, onions, and bell pepper.  Cook your vegetables until they have softened and the onions become translucent.  Add your black pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning.  Now add your butter to the pan.  Add the sausage to the pepper and onions mixture and stir.  In a mixing bowl mix your eggs, milk, and Parmesan cheese - whisk until light and fluffy.  Add to your meat and vegetable mixture.  Top with 5 slices of Parmesan cheese.  Now remove from the cook top and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 20-25 min until cooked through and a light golden color (you can check by inserting a knife into the center).  I slice and serve mine hot. 

Hope you enjoy this treat!

Meatloaf Muffins Stuffed with Cheddar Cheese

Meatloaf Muffins Stuffed with Cheddar Cheese

A Great Twist On Mom's Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of those comfort meals that my husband enjoys in the fall and winter, so it's what we had for dinner last night.  It's just one of those meals that make you feel like your home and remind you of mom's cooking - something that many military men/women enjoy since having mom's cooking doesn't happen often.  One thing I do, is make my meatloaf in muffin tins.  It makes a crispy muffin top and allows for easy portion control.  Another great thing about making your meatloaf as muffins - you can freeze your left overs for a quick meal later.  I kick my meatloaf up by adding a piece of cheddar string cheese to the center.  It gives you a warm melted cheese taste with every bite - something we love at our house. This is really easy to make and tastes great over mashed potatoes and gravy (another comfort meal we love at our house).

Here's how I make mine:

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 40 min

Total time: 55 min

1 lb of 93% ground beef

1 large egg

4 T Italian seasoned bread crumbs

3 T grated Parmesan cheese

1 medium chopped onion

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 T chopped garlic

1 T Italian seasoning

3 reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese Sticks

Additional Salt and Pepper for topping

BBQ Sauce (optional)

To start out preheat your oven to 350.  In a mixing bowl mix the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, onion, black pepper, salt, garlic, and Italian Seasoning.  Then, using a half dozen muffin tin spray your pan with cooking spray.  Fill your muffin tins with the meat - load them up so they look like cooked muffins that have already risen.  When you have shaped your muffins, take your finger and poke a hole down the center of each "muffin."  Now cut your Cheddar Cheese Sticks in half and push them into the hole you made in the center of the muffin.  Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper to taste.  Sometimes I will cover mine with our favorite BBQ sauce for an extra kick, but this is optional.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes then serve.

Hope you enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookie Whoopie Pies

Oatmeal Cookie Whoopie Pies

A treat for anytime of the day!

About two months ago we went on vacation and while there I bought some Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, my daughter tried them and has been hooked on them since.  So I decided to try and make something like it on my own.  I combined my mom's oatmeal cookie recipe - which I make quite frequently, with the filling for whoopie pies.  It took a couple tries to get a cream filling I liked - but after a few tries this combination is a keeper. 

Step one is to make the oatmeal cookies here is my recipe:

1 c softened butter
1 c white sugar
1 c packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 c quick oats

Preheat your oven to 375 and spray your cookie sheets with non stick butter flavored spray.  Then cream you butter, white sugar, and brown sugar.  Add your eggs and vanilla extract. Now begin adding your flour one cup at a time as well as baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Lastly, add your quick oats one cup at a time.  Spoon cookies onto your sheet and  bake for 11 min.  Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Step Two is to make the filling:

For your filling:

1 box confectioners sugar
4 T milk
3 T flour
1 cup crisco
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites

Whip all ingredients together forming a fluffy cream filling.  Before adding the cream make sure your cookies are cool or you'll have some melting occur.

Step three is to assemble and eat.  Hope you enjoy these oatmeal treats!

Simple and Delicious Grilled Potato Salad with Dill

Simple and Delicious

Grilled Potato Salad

Something we like at our house is potato salad.  Its a refreshing summer dish that we all love and it keeps us feeling satisfied well after our meal.  One thing I always hated about typical potato salad recipes was that often I had to cool the potatoes after boiling, making it a prepare in advance side dish, which turned me off on weeknight. Then, last summer I was trying to decide what I could make with the abundance of dill in my window box and this recipe quickly became a summer dish we loved, in fact we loved it so much it survived the winter and remains on our favorites list. 

When I mentioned starting this blog, my husband told me I had to add this to my recipe list, so to his delight we had this tonight with dinner and now I am sharing it with you.  I tend to make it with grilled pork, not really sure why they just seem to compliment each other, but it could really go with anything. 

Here's the recipe:

Level: Easy

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Sit Time: 10 min

Total Time: 55 min

Grill on Medium High

Ingredients:

6-7 large potatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

1 T Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp course black pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 T chopped garlic

1 1/2 T chopped fresh dill

1/2 c mayonnaise (I used Blue Plate Light)

10 dill pickle slices chopped

1 T dill pickle juice

To start chop your washed potatoes into half inch cubes, leaving the skin on the potatoes.  In a pan for marinating add your olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and garlic to your potatoes and stir to make sure all potatoes are coated.  Let this sit for about ten minutes.

Preheat your grill to a medium heat then using a vegetable grill pan grill your potatoes until soft and crispy, this should take about 25-30 minutes.  Immediately place your potatoes in a mixing bowl and add your dill, mayonnaise, chopped dill pickle and pickle juice.  Stir completely coating all potatoes.  Taste to ensure no additional salt or pepper is needed and serve.  Its that simple! 

Hope you enjoy.

Pumpkin Latte Smoothie

Do It Yourself Pumpkin Latte Smoothie

A Yummy Fall Smoothie Treat

I love anything pumpkin in the fall.  In fact in the past week I have made 3 pumpkin flavored meals or desserts, and last night while looking through my facebook feed I saw a picture posted from a friend of her pumpkin iced coffee.  Living in Omaha, we don't have Dunkin Donuts (which was where she got hers), so getting one of those was out of the question but it got me thinking, how could I make a pumpkin coffee drink?  Looking in my pantry I found a few things but nothing stood out at me, until I spotted my blender and thought - breakfast smoothie!  Wednesday mornings I typically have a smoothie for breakfast because we have swim and gymnastics class and I need something quick and easy before I get the kids up and we head off to our busy morning.  So I tried this about ten minutes ago.  It was simple, quick, had a great fall taste, and if I had whipped cream in my house would have been like drinking pumpkin pie!  I feel full and satisfied, and there was some extra that is in my fridge for later when I get home.

Here was how I did it:
1 cup frozen decaf coffee (I made my coffee last night and just froze it into cubes)
1 - 6oz Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 C Canned Pumpkin
2 packets of Pure Via (A Stevia sweetener, you could use what ever brand you like)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 packet of instant sugar free vanilla pudding mix (I bet the pumpkin pie pudding mix would work too)
1/2 cup milk

Blend all ingredients together in your blender - this will make 2 servings.  I did not have any whipped cream, however it was call for some so if you have it I would definitely feel free to top it with some to make this even better.

Hope you like it!

Personalized Collage Christmas Onaments

Personalized Collage Ornaments

Love taking photos of your little ones?  I am one of those people who always takes photos of the kids and I only have so much space to put them in frames and set them out.  Well, while walking around Hobby Lobby last week I saw some paper mache Christmas ornaments and the idea to fill them with photos of my little girls popped in my head.  I thought, why not print some of my photos out, glue them to the paper ornaments and create beautiful keepsakes to look back on year after year?  I bought a couple different shapes to try this out - a tree and a star.  Both came out super cute and they were very easy.  I made one for each of my kids and filled it with photos through out the entire year then using a sharpie wrote the year on each side.  A quick spray with a clear glossy spray paint and my finished product was just perfect. 

This is a great gift idea, and it was inexpensive - the ornaments cost between 1 and 2 dollars, my photos were printed on regular old computer paper, tacky glue cost me a dollar and the clear spray paint cost four dollars - both the glue and spray paint could be used for multiple ornaments.  This is also something that kids can easily do - the glue dries clear so being messy isn't a problem, and overlapping of the pictures is what makes it look so great. 

Here are some simple directions:

What you'll need:

Paper mache ornaments

Tacky Glue

Printed, cut pictures of your loved one

Clear Glossy Spray Paint

Directions:

Print multiple photos of your loved ones on computer paper and cut them out, try to cut around the people but do leave some background for over lapping of pictures.  The goal is to completely cover your ornaments with photos.  Start with your favorite photo in the center and using tacky glue, glue the backside of the photo to the ornaments, as you wrap around the ornament apply glue liberally to the edges of the photo.  Now begin overlapping with more photos covering your entire ornament.  Once you have completely covered your ornament let it sit for about 30 min so the glue can dry.  Once it has dried spray the clear spray paint over it - that will give it that glossy glow and keep your photos from fading.

Good luck!

Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls

A Delicious Fall Treat

Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls

I love to bake something on a cool fall morning, it warms my house up with out having to turn the heat on, makes everything smell nice, and is a special treat for my family.  Cinnamon Rolls are a sweet treat that I really enjoy, so I was trying to think of a way to jazz them up a bit.  When I was pregnant I was on a hot apple cider kick and I bought a bunch of instant hot apple cider mix, more than I could drink.  With a move around the corner I thought I would try baking with it, rather than packing it - and wow did it add a kick to these cinnamon rolls.  My daughter gobbled hers up and my husband had 3, so I think they passed the quality control test in my house! 

A quick tip - when I make anything that I need yeast for I use my Kitchen Aide standing mixer, its my favorite small kitchen appliance!  The bowl is perfect for mixing and rising - and the dough hook makes it easy to create the perfect consistency when baking.  If you don't have a standing mixer, you can still make these, its just a little more work.

Here's my recipe:

Level: Medium
Prep Time: 30 min
Sitting Time: 90 min
Baking Time: 20 min
Total Time: 1 hour, 50 min
Oven Temp: 425

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup margarine, softened

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast or 1 T of instant yeast

1/4 cup white sugar

6 packets of instant hot apple cider mix

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup water

1 egg

Filling:

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1/2 cup Caramel Bites (optional)

Frosting:

4 oz of cream cheese

¼ cup margarine

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

To start heat your milk (I usually put mine in the microwave for 45 seconds and that heats it up perfectly) then add to your mixing bowl with your instant yeast.  Whisk quickly then allow to sit for about 10 min.  Return to your mixture and add flour, white sugar, hot apple cider mix, salt, water, egg, and ¼ cup of margarine.  Using your dough hook mix all the ingredients together, continue mixing until the dough forms and starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.  Take your dough out of the bowl and kneed it, only for about 2 min you don’t want to over work it.  Now wet a clean dishtowel and ring it out, place your dough back in the mixing bowl and cover it with the towel.  Let it sit for about an hour to an hour and a half.  It will rise during that time.

Preheat your oven to 425.  Take your dough out roll it over on you surface by hand, then take a rolling pin and roll the dough out just as you would a pie crust.  I get mine down to about a ¼ of an inch in thickness.  Now take your ½ cup of margarine and spread it over the rolled out dough. 

In a small bowl combine your brown sugar, cinnamon, and caramel bites.  Sprinkle this mixture over your dough.  Now roll your dough into a long roll.  Once your done cut into 1 inch slices.  Place in a glass baking dish that is sprayed with cooking spray, make sure each roll is touching.  When I make these I use a glass pie dish and it uses about ½ the log – I then freeze the other half for another day.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

My family likes to add some cream cheese frosting to these so, I quickly mix 4oz of softened cream cheese, ¼ cup of margarine, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar to make a fluffy frosting.  Then I spread it over the top while they are hot, the frosting melts a bit and makes a nice glaze.  Its truly delicious.  Hope you enjoy!

Sausage, Peppers, and Onions Pasta Dinner

My Husband's Favorite Meal...

Sausage, Peppers, and Onions Pasta Dinner

Growing up in my family, we had "macaroni" on Sundays.  I still try to make some kind of pasta on Sundays for my kids and husband.  Although I don't always get a big pot of meatballs and sausage going first thing in the morning I do usually come up with something that we can all sit around the table and enjoy.  About two years ago I made this for the first time and since then it has become a staple in our house.  We all love it, especially my husband and its a go to meal that he'll often ask for if we have not had it in a while.

My oldest daughter loves it - we typically cut the sausage up toddler style and then let her slurp up the macaroni and veggies.  I always top hers with a little extra grated cheese.  Word to wise on this one, if you have a little one like us, you definitely need a bib because the sauce does stain.

Here's an easy to follow recipe:

Level - Easy
Prep Time - 10 min
Cook Time - 40-45 min
Total Time - 55 min
Stove Top - Medium
Oven - 375

Ingredients:
1 lb of Italian sausage (I like hot)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 T chopped garlic
1 red bell pepper (can use any color, red just adds a little sweetness)
1 green bell pepper
8 oz container of mushrooms (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp course black pepper
1 T Italian seasoning
4 T Romano cheese (Substitute with Parmesan if desired)
1 lb Pasta

To start, preheat your oven to 375.  In a deep saute pan heat your olive oil and garlic.  Then slice your onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and mushrooms and add them over a medium heat.  Add your salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Allow your veggies to cook down.  While you are doing this in your preheated oven cook your sausage for 20 min, this will not cook your sausage through, but it will finish cooking with your veggies and give and added boost to the flavor.  Slice your sausage into about inch wide pieces and add them to the veggie mixture.  Continue to cook on the stove top stirring occasionally.  Add your Romano cheese and stir.  Cover your pot and allow to simmer while you boil your pasta water.  Stir occasionally.  Once your pasta is completed add two ladles of the starched water to your sausage and veggie pot before straining. 

Once I have strained my pasta I like to toss it in the pot I have cooked my sausage, peppers, and onions in - then put it all in a serving bowl.  I always add some extra grated Romano cheese to the top as well as some chopped parsley as a garnish before I serve this dish - both are not only pretty but they taste great.  My family is a big fan of garlic bread so I usually will serve this with some sliced garlic bread to complete my meal.

Hope you enjoy this as much as my husband!

Game Day Snack - Buffalo Chicken Style Meatballs

Buffalo Chicken Style Meatballs

Fall Saturdays in my house are game day.  We enjoy watching college football and I like to plan a menu around it that my kids and husband will enjoy.  I got the idea for this game day treat on pinterest and tweaked it to make it something my family would eat.  We eat meatballs frequently, and they tend to be a favorite for my daughter so I thought this might be something we would all find delicious.  It was quick and easy - start to finish just about a half hour and clean up was also fast and minimal.  The other thing I liked about this was it was something I could easily prepare for a game day party appetizer with out breaking the bank or my back trying to impress.

Here's how I made these Buffalo Chicken Style Meatballs.

Level - Easy
Prep Time - 10 min
Cook Time - 20 min
Total Time - 30 min
Cook top on Medium Heat

1lb ground turkey (I used 94%)
1 egg
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 T course black pepper
2 T olive oil
1 cup Frank's Red Hot
Chunky blue cheese dressing for dipping(Opt)

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine ground turkey, egg, crumbled blue cheese, bread crumbs and pepper - although I typically add salt when making meatballs because these have blue cheese and Frank's Red Hot I decided not to use salt, both of those are pretty salty so I thought they would balance it out, for us it was perfect. I use my hands when mixing meatballs and for these I thought it especially helpful because I could make sure the blue cheese was spread out evenly.

In a medium size non stick skillet heat the olive oil while rolling your meatballs.  I made mine about an inch in diameter, but you could even go as small as bite size.  Place the meatballs in your hot pan and brown them.  Try to resist the temptation to turn them too soon so that they have a chance to brown nicely.

Once your meatballs have browned all around use a plastic spatula to move them around the pan while picking up any dripping you may have from browning them.  Add your Frank's Red Hot and stir over heat.  Make sure all your meatballs are coated and allow to simmer for about 3-5 minutes.

I set mine in a small serving dish with a side of chunky blue cheese for my husband and daughter to dip. 

The pros about this new game day treat: it was super easy, almost everyone I know likes buffalo seasoned anything, and the ground turkey made it a healthy alternative to fried chicken wings.  Surprisingly, my oldest daughter who is 19 months really enjoyed these and wasn't turned off by the spice.  It was easy to give her one with a little less sauce on it to try and for dipping ranch dressing would work as well.

Hope you enjoy this game day treat!

An Old Stand By... Light Baked Cod

Light Baked Cod

A favorite at my house is baked Cod. First, I can always find Cod, even in Nebraska. Second, its light and fresh taste always leaves me feeling healthy and satisfied.  We tend to have this on Fridays or an evening when I don't need to pack my husband lunch the next day.  He doesn't care for left over fish, but I personally have had it the next day for lunch and think its still yummy!

Here is the easy to follow recipe

Light Baked Cod

Servings - 4 - 6

Level - Easy

Prep Time - 10 min

Cook Time - 30 min

Total Time - 40 min

Oven Temp - 350

1 1/2 lbs of cod fillet

1/2 c Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

1 T Romano Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Small Tomato

6 Fresh basil leaves - ribboned

2 T Butter

Preheat your oven to 350.  Spray your glass baking dish with cooking spray.  In your dish lay your cod fillet out in easy to portion pieces.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs and Romano cheese over your fish.  Then season with salt and pepper to taste.  Chop a small tomato and sprinkle over the fish.  Add the ribboned basil.  Finish off by cutting the butter and spreading it over the fish.

Cover your baking dish with tin foil and place in a preheated oven set to 350.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Your fish should be light and flaky and ready to serve.  As you can see in the photo, we had this with broccoli and rice.  Perfect for all of us - 19 months and up!

Hope you find this as easy and delicious as I do!



Smothered Tomato Chicken

Smothered Tomato Chicken

One of my biggest tasks of the day is getting dinner ready.  I take pride in what I make for my family, and I love that my husband is always so appreciative of what I come up with for dinner.  I, like everyone else, have my old stand by meals that I don't have to think about - but I also try to make something new at least once a week.  This week I did it with chicken. 

I know... what could possibly be new with chicken? It's all been done and basically tastes the same - but this was a fresh idea for me, and one I will definately be making a second time at my house.  It was easy to prepare - a must on a week night, and made enough for lunch the next day, something I like to make sure of so I can send it into work with my husband.

Here is the easy to follow recipe:

Smothered Tomato Chicken

Servings - 4
Level - Easy
Prep Time - 10 min
Cook Time - 20 min on stove top, 40 min in the oven
Total Time - 1 hour, 10 min
Bake at 350

1 package of 4 chicken thighs (you can use breast if you prefer)
1 T minced garlic
3 T olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt
Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning
1 T Italian Seasoning
1 medium onion
4 Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 T Romano Cheese

Directions:
Start by washing and patting dry your chicken.  Preheat your oven to 350.  In a deep, oven safe skillet set your stove top heat to medium high and add olive oil and garlic.  While this is heating coat your chicken with seasoning to taste - I generously cover mine with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and the greek seasoning mix.  Set your italian seasoning aside for now as that is for the tomatoes not the chicken.  Once your oil is warmed place your chicken in the skillet skin side down.  Brown the skin, flip and brown the back side as well - this should take about 10 minutes.

After browning your chicken slice the onion and add it to the oil and chicken in the skillet.  Do the same with the four tomatoes.  Allow onions and tomatoes to cook down and soften.  Your tomatoes will begin to break down.  Now sprinkle in your Romano Cheese (Parm will work if you don't have Romano) and your Italian Seasoning.  Stir chichen, tomatoes and onions.  You should have a light sauce made in the pan from the breakdown of the chicken, tomatoes, and onions.  Mine looked like this.

Cover your pan and place in the oven at 350 for 40 minutes.  After 40 minutes remove.  Taste your sauce to determine if you need more salt.  Your chicken should be crispy from the browning and tender  - ready to fall off the bone.  Transfer to serving dish with sauce.

I served this with roasted potatoes and peas.  The potatoes cooked in the oven with the chicken and left me to have some time with kids while I was cooking - multi tasking at its finest!

Good Luck, Enjoy, and let me know what you think!