Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Adapted From: www.plainchicken.com

1 package (19 oz.) frozen cheese tortellini
2 cans tomato soup
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large pot, combine soup, broth, half-and-half, and seasonings. Heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tortellini to soup, then stir in cheese. Great served with grilled cheese sandwiches!

This soup really hit the spot. And on a cold night, it is absolutely perfect! I had considered doubling the recipe and then convinced myself not to. Next time, I'm doubling it! Vann ended up going back for thirds! Mind you, that is major compliments to the chef, and I'm so glad that he did, but I had about half a cup left for lunch the next day. Oh, and while we are speaking about leftovers, this soup is wonderful leftover. Leftovers are reason enough to double the recipe! Truly a great dish, especially on a chilly winter night.

Penne Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

2 cups dry penne pasta
8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
2 cups Italian four-cheese blend
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
5 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding sun-dried tomatoes during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, combine evaporated milk, cheeses, basil, garlic powder, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Combine with pasta and sun-dried tomatoes until pasta is well-coated.

I will be the first to admit that this is not the original recipe. If you take out the mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and shredded Parmesan, then you will have the recipe that I started with. But here's the kicker... I didn't like it. It was ok, but it just wasn't what I was looking for. It needed a little "umph" in my opinion. And "umph" is what I gave it! Once I put my twist on it, we both thought it was absolutely delicious! Feel free to make it however you want (Of course. I won't be standing in your kitchen telling you "no!") and then add to it from there. This got 5 stars on the website that it was posted on, so it may have just been us! But this is the Marshall way of making it, and that's what we are sticking to! I took the leftovers to work today (the ultimate test), and shared it with a co-worker (major props to me, by the way, for sharing food!), and she absolutely loved it. I asked her if she wanted the recipe, and she said only if it included all of the things I added to it. So, I think I did pretty good! You may want to add a few shakes of salt to it as well (again, up to you). But altogether this is now a recipe success!

Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies

Adapted from: bakeat350.blogspot.com

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 sticks butter, cold and cut into chunks
1 egg
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour and baking powder and set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the eggs and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined. The dough will be crumbly. Knead together as you scoop it out of the bowl to combine well. Place on floured surface. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick, then cut into shapes. Place shapes on cookie sheet, and place in freezer for 10 minutes before baking. Bake until just done (for the cookies above, I only had to cook for 6 minutes). Make sure not to over bake.

These are by far the best sugar cookie I have ever tasted. They are easy to work with, and they are so soft and delicious. It is my go-to cookie recipe when I want to be creative and decorate. The royal icing that goes along with this recipe is superb! Bridget does an incredible job decorating cookies, and I encourage everyone to go take a look at her page (www.bakeat350.blogspot.com)! So very talented. I have quickly learned that whenever I make these cookies, I really need to just double the recipe so Vann and I can have a whole batch all to ourselves! The cookies above are ones that I made for our nephew's 1st birthday party. The theme was Sesame Street. I saw these cookies cutters and I knew that I had to make them for his birthday! The set also came with Oscar the Grouch and Ernie, but these 2 cookies alone took 5 different colors, and making the other 2 would have been a bit overwhelming given the time that I had to do them (thanks, work). By the way, the cookie cutters that I used for these are truly incredible. I've done a bit of perusing to see if there are any more like these, and I was tickled pink to find out that there are TONS! Hellllo, Santa! If you get a wild hair and want to try an amazing sugar cookie, give these a try. I promise that you will never look back!

Creamy Succa

1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (10 oz.) can original Rotel, well drained
1 tsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Basil, to taste
Sugar, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste

In a medium pot, add tomato sauce and Rotel. Season with basil, sugar, and garlic powder (like you are making a regular pasta sauce). Once it is at the desired taste, add cream cheese. Stir until melted. Add heavy whipping cream, using more, if needed, to reach desired consistency and taste. Next add a few shakes of Parmesan cheese over the top of the sauce, along with the mozzarella cheese and minced garlic. Continue to taste and add spices, as needed, to reach desired taste.

I would first like to say that I love succa. I learned from the best, and I have to say that I feel quite confident that I make a kick butt pasta sauce. Last night when I got home, I decided that I wanted to have pasta for dinner, but I didn't feel like getting back out just to go purchase sauce. So I decided to throw something together to see what I could make. At first I was just going to make a plain succa. Then as I continued to make it, I wished that I had some alfredo sauce to add to it as well. Typically not something we have on hand, so I was a little bummed. And then a light went off. We had cream cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, and heavy whipping cream. The perfect storm! So little by little I added everything, and ended up with this amazing creation. Vann brought home some AWESOME cheese sticks he made at work (thank you Domino's!), and it turned into the perfect meal! I apologize for not having exact measurements for the spices, but that's just not how I roll. I add and adjust as needed until it's the way we like it. And I usually don't add Rotel to our sauce, but it was all that I had, and it actually worked perfectly! It added just the right kick. I took the sauce to work today and it was just as incredible as it was last night. I would suggest not serving this sauce over regular spaghetti. It tasted great, but it just didn't grab on to the goodness as much as I had hoped. Next time I make this, I will either use elbow, macaroni, or rotini noodles. Something to really get ahold of the tastiness! This is a great spin on the already amazing succa! (Pronounced soo-ka, for those who were wondering) :)

Buttercream Icing

Adapted from: food.com Recipe # 69633

1 cup butter
1 cup Crisco
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. meringue powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. creme bouquet (optional)
3 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream (more or less depending on the consistency you desire)

Cream butter and shortening until fluffy. Add sugar, meringue powder, and cream, continuing to mix until well blended. Add salt, flavorings, and more whipping cream, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Separate and color with gel food coloring (this keeps the consistency the same).

I love this icing! I have tried many buttercream icings throughout my 25 years of life, and I have to say that this one is my favorite. Being homemade has something to do with it, as I have the ability to make it the consistency what I want. I personally love a thick buttercream, one that I can decorate with and it will stick and hold its shape well. If you find that 3 Tbsp. just isn't enough, feel free to add more (I would add 1 Tbsp., or less, at a time. It's better to be safe than sorry!). I find that it worked perfectly, because I also add the creme bouquet, which changes the consistency a little bit as well. I have only made this buttercream for the White Almond Sour Cream Cake, but I am SURE that it would pair well with just about anything. Chocolate cake, red velvet cake, a shoe.... seriously, it's that delicious. I made these cupcakes for my boss's daughter's birthday, and there was still a ton of batter and icing left over, so Vann had the pleasure of making the rest of these while I was at my parents' house, and he was like a kid in a candy shop. And I have to say he did a really great job! Very proud of the hubs :)

White Almond Sour Cream Cake

Adapted from: food.com

2 (18 oz.) boxes white cake mix
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups sour cream
8 large egg whites

Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured cake pans, filling each pan a little over half full. Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring bubbles to top. Bake at 325 degrees until cakes test done. (If making cupcakes, fill each cupcake liner a little over half full and bake until very lightly brown, or until cakes test done.)

I love this cake. So much. It tastes amazing and it is so easy to throw together. It makes 2 large cakes, but it makes a ton of cupcakes. If anyone ever wants a cake or some cupcakes for anything, this is my go-to recipe. The first time I ever tried this recipe was for my Dad's surprise 70th birthday party. Ever since then it has been requested often, and most importantly, it is loved by everyone who has ever tried it. I like to add creme bouquet to the batter, because I also add that to the buttercream, and it makes them both to die for. You can typically find it at a local bakery shop (there is one in Brentwood that sells it...and Almond Emulsion. Both are very wise picks). However, if you do not have it, don't sweat. It will still be oh so good! I have the butter cream icing recipe soon to follow that pairs tremendously with this cake. It is wonderful!!!

Melt In Your Mouth Chicken

Adapted from: food.com Recipe # 37336

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix mayonnaise, cheese, and seasonings. Place chicken in a baking dish, and spread mixture evenly over chicken. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

As you can clearly see, I decided to pair this chicken with the oh so delicious creamy garlic pasta we had the other night. The chicken really does melt in your mouth, and it tastes so good. I will admit that the combination of the pasta and the chicken was a little too much for me as far as salt goes (both had Parmesan). However, the chicken alone with some veggies and dinner rolls would make for an awesome dinner. I mixed everything together in the casserole dish, threw the chicken in, then mixed it all up. The only thing I will try next time is maybe cooking the chicken on a roasting pan to separate the grease from the chicken (it was still delicious, I'm not gonna lie!). This would make for a perfect throw together meal, pop it in the oven, and forget about it for 45 minutes. That is my kind of meal!

Creamy Garlic Pasta

Adapted from: thecheesepusher.tumblr.com

2 tsp. olive oil
4 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb. angel hair pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. parsley (recipe called for fresh, but we just used dried. It was still super tasty)

In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the butter and allow to melt. Next, add chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Raise to high heat and let it come to a boil. Once stock is a rolling boil, add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reduce heat to medium low; add cheese, stirring until melted. Remove pot completely from heat, then add heavy cream and parsley, mixing until well combined. Serve immediately.

Aaaaand once again I found this recipe on Pinterest. Shocked? Me either. But it's true, and that seems to be quite the trend lately. I have about 600 recipes that I want to try on Pinterest alone. Add that to the other recipes on different websites that I have on my "to try" list, and I would probably have to whip up at least 5 a day to knock out my over-zealous recipe list. It's a doable goal if we were millionaires, and we could just stay at home all day and cook. Of course then we wouldn't be living in an apartment.... I'd have a kick butt kitchen, to say the least. But the reality is that we work. A lot. And we do live in a wonderful apartment, but the kitchen is a little smaller than I desire (my dream kitchen would be GIGANTIC. With self-cleaning pots and dishes. Ha! :) ). And it's rare that I have the time, and the energy, to whip up a good meal nowadays. That's what makes THIS recipe so freaking awesome. It is a one pot meal. ONE POT! That's all it takes! This was creamy and delicious. I doubled it, and I thought it may be too much, but it was perfect. We had enough for dinner last night, lunch today, and dinner again tonight. Wise decision for a busy little family like ours :)

Soft Sugar Cookies

Adapted from: bakeat350.blogspot.com

For the Cookies:
3 & 1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract

For the Icing:
1/2 cup shortening
1 lb. (4 cups) powdered sugar
Pinch salt
6 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Dash almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper (I just used a nonstick cookie sheet. Parchment paper is never nice to me). Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and extract, beating until well combined. On low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Measure out the dough in 2 Tbsp. chunks and roll in a ball; place on cookie sheet 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies look done but are still soft.

For the icing: Beat shortening, powdered sugar, and salt on low speed until combined. Slowly add in milk and extracts until well combined. Tint as desired.

I love bakeat350.blogspot.com. She makes beautiful cookies, and she has other great recipes, too! I was browsing her blog when I saw this recipe for soft sugar cookies. Though her pictures could probably make you even want to eat a shoe, I saw these and knew that I wanted to try them. Well, Vann and I's 6 month anniversary is tomorrow (yay!!!!), so I decided that I wanted to make him something sweet :) I just took 6 of these puppies up to his work for him to snack on throughout the day, and he had already eaten one before he got inside. The almond extract adds a nice dimension to these cookies, and the mixture of shortening and butter make these cookies to die for. They are so soft, and the frosting is just delicious, especially with the hint of almond (I'm a sucker for almond flavoring). These will definitely be added to my permanent cookbook. They were easy to make, and they are better than anything you could ever get in a store!

Crockpot Italian Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (we used the tenderloins)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 packet Zesty Italian Dressing seasoning
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Pasta of your choice (rotini really works great, but I'm sure any pasta would do!)

Put all ingredients, except pasta, in a crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add milk to reach desired consistency, or if sauce is too thick. Serve over pasta.

This recipe has only five ingredients, and it will knock your socks off! We absolutely loved it! I know the picture doesn't look too appealing, but trust me, it's DELICIOUS! I chose not to add any milk to the sauce and left it good and thick, and I believe that was a very wise decision. It was quick, easy, and it was downright great comfort food. It was truly a great filling meal that was so inexpensive. We typically have a couple cans of cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and chicken on hand. And because of this recipe, Vann and I will make sure we have different salad dressing packets available as well! Best of all, it took less than a minute to throw everything in the crockpot, and then all we had to do was cook the pasta once it was close to being done. You can't ask for anything better than that!

Amazing Artichoke Bread

Adapted From: www.crumbblog.com

2 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed (I used 2 tsp. minced garlic)
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese blend
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large shallot, finely minced (I just used a yellow onion since I couldn't find a shallot)
1 small loaf ciabatta bread
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler and line baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in artichoke hearts, mozzarella, cheddar, Parmesan, sour cream, and shallot until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slice the bread lengthwise. Place the bread halves on prepared baking sheet, cut side up, and spoon the artichoke mixture over the top. Broil until cheese is melted and bread is hot. Cut each side into individual pieces and serve hot.

I love artichoke dip. In fact, I love pretty much any dip. They just make me happy. I saw a pin on Pinterest and added it to my "We Are Making This" folder. I go to open the link  one lovely day and the stupid thing just opened the picture. No recipe, no nothing. Just the picture. My heart was so sad. All I wanted was to try this bread, and it all just fell apart after one little click of the mouse. Luckily for me, though, there's Google! So I went on there and ended up finding this recipe. I could have eaten the whole loaf completely by myself and not felt guilty about it until I stepped on the scale a few weeks later! If you love artichoke dip, spinach and artichoke dip, dip in general, try this recipe! It is incredible!

Oven-Fried Chicken

Adapted from: The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking by Louis and Billie Van Dyke

2 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme or oregano
1 whole chicken cut into pieces (I used 1 lb. chicken tenderloins)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a 9x13-inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the parsley flakes, paprika, salt, and thyme (or oregano). Dredge the chicken pieces in the mixture. Place in the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 35 minutes. Turn and cook for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.

I was looking on Amazon one day trying to find a cookbook for Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. While looking for that cookbook, I happened to see this cookbook as another popular choice. Needless to say I ended up buying it and here we sit. Every single recipe looks absolutely incredible, but this is one that I knew I had to try first. It was delicious!!! I would highly suggest dredging the chicken, dipping it in a little butter, and then dredging it again. It makes a WORLD of difference. I say this only because I did that for two pieces, and they came out perfect. The rest of the tenderloins I had to pull out halfway through cooking and dredge again just to make sure we had a good breading on each piece. Lesson most certainly learned. I can't wait to make this again and maybe add a little bit of cayenne pepper (just a smudge) to kick it up a little bit! As for my pictures, they will get better one day, I promise. By the time we both get home it is too late to take advantage of the daylight, and last night I cleaned my whole plate before realizing I didn't have a picture yet... oops!

All-American Cheeseburgers

Adapted from: Taste of Home Magazine June/July 2012

2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. steak sauce
1/4 tsp. cider vinegar
1 lb. ground beef
4 sliced sharp cheddar cheese
8 cooked slices bacon
Toppings of your choice

In a large bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Pour over beef and mix well. Shape into four patties; grill burgers, covered, until done. Add cheddar cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted.

I came across this recipe in the Taste of Home magazine on my Kindle, and I knew that it was one that we had to try. Luckily, we had the whole family over to celebrate Father's Day a couple of weeks ago, and we thought it was the perfect time to give this recipe a shot. I typically don't like to try a new recipe on the whole family, but with all of these awesome ingredients, I thought it quite necessary. Vann actually threw everything together the night before so that the meat could marinate all night, and I think that made a huge difference as well. It really allowed all of the flavors to blend together and soak into the beef. These tasted incredible, and they were so juicy and tender. Next time we make these I would love to throw some pepperjack cheese on the burger with the cheddar, and I think some french fried onions would be great as well. This recipe is a definite keeper!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert

Adapted from: tasteofhome.com

20 cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
2 (8 oz.) cartons frozen whipped topping, thawed
15 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped
1 cup cold milk
1 (3.9 oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding

Crush 16 cookies; toss with butter. Press into an ungreased 9-inch square dish; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and 1 cup confectioner's sugar until smooth. Fold in one carton of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups. In another large bowl, beat milk, pudding mix, and remaining confectioners' sugar on low speed for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes, or until soft-set. Fold in remaining carton of whipped topping. Spread over peanut butter cups. Crush remaining cooking and sprinkle over the top. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

I made this dessert for Vann's birthday gathering last Sunday. It went over like crazy! It was super easy to throw together, and since it had to chill for a few hours, it was nice to just put it in the refrigerator and finish making dinner. I know the picture isn't wonderful, but I had to snap one quickly before we tore into it even more! If you are looking for a quick dessert to make, or something you can even throw together the night before, this is definitely worth trying. Huge hit with the kids and the adults!

Cannoli Cake

Adapted from: food.com recipe #126279

For the Cake:
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For Brushing Cake Layers:
2 large oranges
2 Tbsp. orange-flavored liqueur (optional)

For the Filling:
1 (32 oz.) container ricotta cheese
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Vanilla-Cream Frosting:
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
3 Tbsp. milk
1 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream

For the cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In mixing bowl, beat 6 egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in 1/2 cup sugar, beating until sugar is completely dissolved and whites stand in stiff peaks. In a large mixing bowl, on low speed, beat 6 egg yolks, flour, baking powder, salt, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and the 2 Tbsp. water until well blended. With rubber spatula, gently fold beaten egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10x3-inch springform pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until cake is slightly golden and springs back after being lightly touched.

For brushing the cake layers: From the oranges, grate 2 tsp. peel (use the rest of the peel for the filling) and squeeze 1/3 cup orange juice. Stir liqueur into juice; set aside.

For the filling: In large bowl, beat ricotta, cream cheese, rest of the grated orange peel, confectioners’ sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup semisweet-chocolate mini pieces. With metal spatula, loosen cake from edge of pan; remove pan side. Loosen cake from pan bottom; remove pan bottom. With serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 2 layers. Brush juice mixture evenly over cut side of each layer. Place bottom cake layer, cut-side up, on cake plate. Spoon filling on center of cake layer. Spread some filling out to edge, leaving a center rounded to create dome effect. Cut small wedge out of remaining cake layer; gently rest cake layer over filling. (Cutting wedge will allow cake layer to bend, without cracking, to fit over dome shape.)

For frosting: In small bowl, beat butter, milk, confectioners’ sugar, and vanillat until smooth, adding more milk if necessary until mixture has an easy spreading consistency. In large bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form; fold confectioners’sugar mixture into whipped cream. Spread over top and down side of cake.

Phew! Did you get all of that? I will first say that this cake really was a doozy. I was ill-prepared for the time it would take to make this baby, and the joke was obviously on me! I thought that even though the recipe seemed a bit lengthy, I would be able to knock it out in no time, brush my hands off, and be done with it. Nuh-uh! So didn't happen. I would also like to say that the time put in this cake was more than worth it. My sister-in-law has been requesting a cannoli cake for quite some time, and I thought that her birthday was the perfect way to break this puppy out and try it!

The flavors were incredible, and my only regret is that we didn't take a picture of the cake once we cut into it. It was beautiful (on the inside). The icing and I were about to have an all out war, but this wasn't the recipe's fault, it was the wonderful humidity and the fact that no matter how long I beat the whipping cream, it would not "whip". Frustrating! The icing was hard enough to put on in the first place because it was a little runny. By the time we got the cake to Vann's brother's house, it looked like the Wicked Witch of the West when she was hit with water in the Wizard of Oz. If it could have talked, you would have heard it scream "I'm meeeeellllttttiiinnnggg!!!" I made the best efforts to make it look pretty by putting chocolate chips around the whole thing, but somehow it just made it look even more pitiful when it melted.... like little chocolate tears. It was so sad! But it was still delicious, and in the end, the way it tastes is what truly matters. :)

Cookies n' Cream Brownies

Adapted from: kevinandamanda.com

1 box brownie mix
Eggs and oil (as called for by brownie mix)
Heaping 1/2 cup cookies n' cream ice cream
1/4 cup hot fudge, at room temperature
16 Oreos

Preheat oven and spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil, making sure NOT to add the water. To the batter, add ice cream and fudge, stirring to combine. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking dish, layer with Oreos, then top with the remaining brownie batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or as directed on the back of the box.

As mentioned in a previous post, Vann requested this delicious dessert for his birthday. These were gooey and delicious! Even better, the Oreos softened when the brownies baked, making them even more wonderful. Unfortunately (and fortunately) I was so full from the Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes that I couldn't eat more than a bite of these. But they were oh so good, and ridiculously easy! I used the rest of the Birthday Cake Oreos (which are AMAZING, by the way), and then filled the remaining spots with Double Stuft Oreos. Yum! Prepare yourself a gigantic glass of milk if you make these. Better yet, have the whole gallon ready.... you will need it! Happy Birthday, Beebs! :) Love you! (That's right, I got mushy!)

Hot Bacon and Swiss Dip

Adapted from: macaroniandcheesecake.com

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup ritz crackers, crushed
1 pkg. real bacon bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, swiss cheese, and onion. Spread cream cheese mixture into baking dish. Top cream cheese mixture with crackers, then bacon, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until dip is bubbly.

This is addicting... ridiculously addicting! I found this recipe via Pinterest (we might as well assume that this is the case unless otherwise stated, because that is where I have been getting ALL of my recipes from lately!), and decided that it would be the perfect appetizer to make for the family when they came over to celebrate Vann's birthday. Luckily that day was today, and this went over like crazy! In fact, none of it is left.... and I doubled it! Our nephew has even requested that I make this again next time we all get together. I know that I've done good when even the kiddos like the dip! I bought tortilla chips to eat with this, but I personally believe that the ritz crackers tasted better. And if you happen to have some buttered french bread laying around, go ahead and scoop a little bit on that, too. Sinful!

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Adapted from: tasteofhomecooking.blogspot.com

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 Tbsp. steak sauce (we used Walmart's version of A1)
1 cup beef consomme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hawaiian Rolls (the sweet kind, we used the Hawaiian Roll hoagie buns)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone cheese, shredded

Add oil to a large skillet and brown beef over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease, then return to heat. To the beef, add the onion and green pepper, cooking until vegetables are tender. Add the steak sauce and beef consomme, then add salt and pepper to taste. Allow mixture to bubble and cook for a couple of minutes. While the meat is cooking, melt butter in medium size pot. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring up to a boil, the allow to thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add the cheese.

Vann's birthday was on the 1st of this month, and for his special day I always enjoy cooking him a good meal and dessert! (I actually enjoy doing this quite often, but this day is all his, and he gets to have whatever he wants!) So one night I made him scroll through Pinterest and try to find a meal and dessert that he deemed birthday-worthy. Luckily he chose these for his meal (and an amazing dessert, but that post shall come soon)! These were seriously easy to throw together, and they tasted incredible!

I doubled the batch because I knew that we would probably love them, and I am all about eating leftovers either for lunch the next day or dinner the next night. The original recipe called for dinner rolls, which I am absolutely positive would be delicous, but the Hawaiian Rolls made these to die for! The saltiness of the meat mixture with the sweetness of the rolls was a match made in sloppy joe heaven. Also, I would highly suggest allowing the beef mixture to simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes. I had to throw the fries in the oven, and decided to leave the meat on the stove, and it was absolutely perfect. It gave all of the ingredients enough time to marry, and allowed the beef to really soak in the beef consomme and thicken. It was delicious! And the cheese sauce.... oh the cheese sauce. I think I could pour it on a shoe and eat it. I couldn't find shredded provolone cheese, so I just used the sliced and it turned out perfect and melted quickly. Give these a try, soon!

Alton Brown's Stovetop Mac n' Cheese

1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
4 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
6 oz. evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
10 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat. Whisk together eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

I have about a million macaroni and cheese recipes saved that I have been wanting to try. I have this idea in my head of exactly how I want the dish to taste, and I think I've ultimately built myself up for failure, in a way, because the last time I made macaroni and cheese from scratch I was so disappointed, and it was because it didn't taste perfect (in my opinion). I felt the same way about this recipe at first, to be honest. It tasted really good, but the mustard threw me off, and I had to come to terms with the fact that it actually WAS delicious, it was just a different taste than I had expected. I guess I'm a boxed macaroni snob. I am perfectly pleased with a $0.50 box of Great Value mac n' cheese that you add the butter and milk to. And on nights when we are feeling super fancy, we'll get a box of Velveeta mac n' cheese. In my mind, I wanted it to taste like that, but even better. My husband made a valid point, though, that if that's what I want my macaroni and cheese to taste like, then we should just buy the box and be done with it. Touche!

This really is a delicious recipe. Even better, it is wonderful the next day, and even the next! We were both a little thrown off by the eggs, but I made sure to thoroughly cook everything long enough to warrant no worries. If you are like me and completely look over the fact that evaporated milk is needed to make this, half and half works great! (I learned the hard way!) And if you can, add a little bit of Velveeta to the pasta. It really put this mac n' cheese over the top!

Spasagna

24 oz. spaghetti
32 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 1/4 cups half and half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb. ground beef

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, stir together mozzarella, ricotta, sour cream, half and half, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, garlic, and half the parmesan cheese. Add spaghetti and mix until well coated. Pour spaghetti mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Top spaghetti with remaining parmesan cheese. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, brown beef in a skillet. Drain and return to heat. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer on low until pasta is done. Remove pasta from oven; cut into squares and top with meat sauce.

This was absolutely incredible! I halved this recipe, because there is no way that we could eat that much pasta. I have to say that I didn't really measure anything. I just kind of eyed it and tasted it along the way. We didn't have any oregano, so I added Italian seasoning and parsley, and I even added garlic powder. Delicious! We are even having the leftovers for dinner tonight, and I can't wait! Thank you pinterest and plainchicken.com. This is going in the permanent dinner rotation for sure!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

For the Cake:
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

For the Topping:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

For the Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

To make the cake: Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

To make the topping: Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

To make the glaze: Combine all ingredients. Drizzle over the cake while it is still warm.

I know that this picture is horendous, but I'm ok with that, because this cake was absolutely to die for. Vann's bachelor party was this past Friday night, and I wanted to make something that the guys could snack on while playing pool and having a few beers. At first I was going to make cookies, but then decided that it would take a little too much time, and so I settled on this. Courtesy of Pinterest and cookinupnorth.blogspot.com (who got this recipe from life as a lofthouse....see? I'm no the only one getting recipes from her blog!), I was able to whip this up in no time, and it made the house smell like Heaven. I have never been so sad to watch a dessert walk out the door. I can't wait to make this again when Vann and I can have it all to ourselves!!!

Green Beans

28 oz. can green beans, not drained
3 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. (about) vinegar
2 beef bouillon cubes
Garlic powder, to taste
Dash of pepper
Dried minced onion, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pot and allow to simmer on low for at least one hour.

My grandparents always had the most beautiful garden every year in Florence, Alabama. And each year, from that garden, they would can tomatoes, green beans, chow chow, etc. I remember the 3 bottom rows of their pantry being full of canned vegetables from their garden. By far, those were the absolute BEST vegetables I have and ever will eat. Out of all of the amazing things that my grandmother used to make (she has just gotten to the point where she can't cook anymore, but she's alive and kickin'!), her green beans were a staple. In fact, whenever I cook green beans, it makes me think of my grandmother and grandaddy back at their old house, and that is a wonderful memory to have! Although you can't beat fresh veggies, I tend to always have store-bought canned vegetables in the pantry at all times. Now, I will say, adjust the sugar and vinegar to your liking. I allow my green beans to simmer for a really long time, and all of the flavors are just absorbed. It is delicious. I will never be able to make green beans taste the way that my grandmother did, because hers will always reign supreme, but these are super awesome, I must say!

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

For the Chicken:
3-4 boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 canola oil

For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt (we just used 1 tsp. garlic powder)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse chicken breasts with water and cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken in cornstarch to coat, then dip into eggs. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Mix all of the sweet and sour ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk and pour evenly over chicken. Bake for one hour, turning chicken every 15 minutes.

Yeah, this was awesome. Courtesy of life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com (again!), this was our first try at Chinese, and it was so so so so good! I kind of freaked out when I started cooking the chicken because it looked like the coating was starting to turn into scrambled eggs, and I knew that the dish was doomed. I am just here to say that everything is going to be ok if that happens to you. It will turn out perfect! Seriously, perfect. Oh, and the vinegar in the sweet and sour sauce will smack you in the face when you first mix everything together, but once it cooks it is wonderful. We have a great Chinese restaurant here in Birmingham that delivers, but they have been unreliable at best when it comes to accurate delivery times...and they have been known to not bring all of our food. This tastes a million times better than anything we have ever gotten from a restaurant, and it doesn't come with a side of guilt. Best of all, the leftovers were delightful, which I have NEVER been able to say about Chinese restaurant leftovers. Inexpensive, relatively quick to throw together, and delicious.

Taco Cupcakes

1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
1 can black beans, drained (we used pinto beans)
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
36 wonton wrappers
Favorite taco toppings

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain grease. Stir in taco seasoning, water, black beans, and Rotel tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil,and then reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 10 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Spray 18 regular muffin cups with cooking spray. Place on wonton wrapper in each muffin cup. Divide half of the meat mixture between muffin cups. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the meat. Repeat layers with another wonton wrapper, taco meat, and cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and wrappers are golden brown. Serve with your favorite taco toppings.

While playing on Pinterest, I came across a pin that eventually led me to life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com. She has amazing recipes on there (which I have quickly added to my Recipes To Try folder!), and even though it was hard to decide exactly which one we were going to try, I finally chose this one. And holy cow am I glad that I did! These were absolutely wonderful, and extremely quick to throw together. The only thing that I added was the can of Rotel tomatoes (actually, Great Value tomatoes and chilis....Great Value tends to be a lot cheaper and just as good, if not better, than the original.). But anywho, I was looking to add a little bit more to it since Vann can't eat cheese since he gave it up for Lent, and it was a wonderful addition. We both happily agreed that next time we make these, it will either be on a Sunday or once Lent is over, and we will roll with the Cheesy Taco seasoning, add a little Velveeta to the meat mixture, and maybe add a little rice to the "cupcakes". This is one of those recipes that you can tweak to make it exactly how you want it, which is always a bonus. Can't wait to have these again for lunch tomorrow!

Panko Cheddar Chicken

1 lb. boneless chicken tenderloins
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup (a little over,actually) Italian Style Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. dijon butter

Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Add dijon to butter and mix well. In a large ziploc bag, mix both bread crumbs and shredded cheddar cheese, making sure everything is well blended. Dip each tenderloin in butter mixture, then place in bag and shake well, lightly squeezing tenderloins to ensure the bread crumbs and cheddar stick well. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, turning once.

Yesterday I put out some chicken for us to have for dinner. When we got home, we decided to make parmesan-dijon chicken, but I quickly realized that we didn't have any parmesan. Bummer! So I decided to try cheddar instead, and then thought I would add some panko bread crumbs to the mix as well to add a good crunch. Needless to say I was VERY nervous when I threw this in the oven because I didn't know how they would turn out. And to be honest with you, I didn't measure anything, I just threw it all together and went from there, so the measurements above are total guesses. Anywho, it turns out that they were WONDERFUL! The cheddar was a great addition, the panko gave them an amazing crunch, and the chicken was extremely moist. I also threw together some Homemade Guthrie's Sauce to dip these in.....oh yeah! It was awesome! I'm actually kind of sad that we've had these this week, because I would totally make them again tonight! I'm tellin' ya......delicious! Feel free to add more Panko and certainly more Shredded Cheddar!

Buffalo Wings

Wings:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
20 chicken wings

Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce
Garlic powder, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, mix together flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt. Place chicken wings in a large bowl and sprinkle flour mixture over them until they are evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1.5-2 hours. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with non-stick cooking spray. Place wings on the cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, turning once. Broil for 2 minutes, turning once. Toss with sauce. For the sauce: combine butter, hot sauce, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl and microwave until melted. Stir for a couple of minutes until well blended.

This is also another recipe that I found on food.com (I seriously have a problem). Vann and I had a couple of friends over for the Super Bowl last night, and when we talked about all of the appetizers we were going to have, I found this recipe listed as one of the best 10 wing recipes on the website. We had to try it. I have never made wings before, and these were wonderful! I actually prefer boneless wings over bone-in, but these really were awesome. We bought a 4 lb. bag of Tyson chicken wings (that were GIGANTIC by the way), and followed the directions pretty much as stated. I did add some cayenne pepper to the sauce, because the boys like their wings hot. And instead of just coating the wings in the sauce and serving them, we poured the sauce over them, lightly shook them, and then threw them back into the oven to allow the sauce to bake into the wings a little bit. It was great! We love having appetizer nights every once in a while, so this is something that we will make many more times to come!

Chili Mac

16 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce
2-3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 pound Velveeta cheese (optional)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream, for topping (optional)

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet cook the turkey, onion, and jalapenos in olive oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain excess fat. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper sauce, and seasonings to turkey. Drain macaroni; stir into turkey mixture. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat; cover and let stand until cheese is melted. Serve with a dollip of sour cream if desired.

I got this recipe from an email sent to me by Taste of Home. Vann loves chili mac, and as soon as I saw the recipe I knew that we had to try it. We did not have any of the seasonings on hand except for the pepper and minced garlic, so the original trip to the grocery store to get everything we needed for this was a little more expensive than I thought it was going to be. However, we have made this so many times that it has more than made up for the cost! I add 1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese to the mixture and let it melt, which is wonderful! It makes it taste more like a chili mac and cheese, and it adds great creaminess to the meal. With this recipe alone, we easily get several meals out of it. It is absolutely incredible leftover! I will say that if you choose to add the Velveeta, you probably won't need the sour cream. However, it does add a great flavor to the recipe! This is a great quick and easy meal that is especially delicious on a cold night!

Stove Top Baked Pork Chops

1 (6 oz.) box chicken flavored stuffing
5-6 pork chops
2 eggs, lightly beaten with a dash of milk
Flour, for dusting
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Place stuffing mix in a bowl (I crush the stuffing a little bit so that it's easier to work with). Lightly salt and pepper pork chops. Dust chops with flour, dip in egg mixture, and coat with stuffing mix (make sure to really press the stuffing into the pork chops so it sticks). Place pork chops in a baking dish coated with the 3 Tbsp. of olive oil on the bottom. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, turning once halfway through.

My favorite website to get recipes from is food.com. I could literally spend hours searching for new recipes. It's sad, I know, but it's true. A couple months ago I was in Walmart and ended up getting a pack of beautiful pork chops. I have never made pork chops before, mainly because Vann doesn't like them and I didn't feel like fooling with trying them if he wasn't going to eat them. I was bound and determined to find a recipe that he would actually like, though, when I found these puppies in the store. I came across this recipe on food.com, and I KNEW that it was one that he would like. He was skeptical, but his attitude was quickly changed after trying these. They are incredibly quick and easy to throw together, and the stuffing is wonderful! Reviews for the recipe also said that this also goes well on chicken, which we are definitely going to have to try soon!

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 pinch salt

Preheat skillet over medium heat. Mix all of the ingredients together until combined, making sure not to over-mix. Melt a little bit of butter in the pan. Pour the batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles. Cook until golden brown on each side.

I have always wanted to make pancakes from scratch, but never really took the time to do it. I also never thought that I could find a recipe that would just blow us away. This recipe blew us away! They came out soooo fluffy, and the fact that I whipped them together in no time was an added bonus. It is very safe to say that we will NEVER make pancakes from a mix again! When we decided to make the sausage quiche for dinner, I thought that it would be nice to have something else breakfast-like to go with it. Pancakes seemed like the perfect addition. And they really were! The sweetness of the pancakes along with the saltiness of the quiche made for a wonderful dinner. I can't wait to make these again, though next time I will probably make them a little bit smaller so that we have more. This is a personal problem, and has nothing to do with the recipe. I just had the big eye on the size of the pancakes!

Southwestern Sausage Quiche

1/2 lb. sausage
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes, drained
2 eggs
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk
1 9-inch unbaked deep dish pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, cook sausage until well browned. Drain off grease and set aside. Whisk together eggs, ranch dressing, sour cream, and milk. Add sausage, cheese, and Rotel. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into prepared pie crust. Bake 1 hour. Allow quiche to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

I wish I could explain how fast and easy this recipe was to throw together. I have actually always been afraid to make quiches, mainly because I didn't know how they would taste, and also because I thought that they were extremely complicated to make. There was the small factor of not knowing which one Vann would go for, either. If I was going to make a quiche, it had to be easy, and it had to be something I knew Vann would love, or at least be willing to try. When I told him about this recipe yesterday before he went to work, he was excited about it. I couldn't believe it! I definitely had to give it a whirl.


Seriously, it was so so easy. I just got a Marie Calendar's deep dish pie crust to put it in, and it worked out great! The flavors of this dish are absolutely wonderful. I did add just a little bit of pepper to the egg mixture, only because we like pepper in our eggs, and I wanted to give it the smallest kick, and it was perfect. I also made buttermilk pancakes to go along with this (recipe to come), and the sweetness of the pancakes combined with this was to die for. If you get a chance, head over to Plain Chicken's website (www.plainchicken.com). She has an amazing blog, and I have gotten several recipes, including this one, from her website. Everything she posts will make you drool!

Taco Salad

1 lb. ground beef
1 small pkg. white rice (we use Great Value boil in a bag)
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning with Cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilis, drained
Dash of milk
Tortilla Chips
French Dressing (or whatever dressing you prefer)
Diced tomatoes
Diced onions
Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheddar cheese
Jalapenos

Brown beef in a pan; drain fat. While beef is cooking, prepare rice according to package directions. To the beef, add taco seasoning and a dash of milk, stirring until mixed together well. Add Rotel, and allow beef mixture to simmer so tomatoes and chilis can warm. (At this point, you can also add some shredded cheese and even a couple slices of American cheese if you wish. We did this the last time we made it and it was wonderful!) To assemble (there is no particular order): Crush desired amount of tortilla chips on a plate. Top with beef, rice, cheese, dressing, and any other toppings you prefer. Mix together. Enjoy!!!

When I was younger, I remember having this dish what seemed like once a week. To me, it is comfort food in the simplest form. I even remember always being so excited when my Mom made this. I don't know why, I just absolutely loved it, and still do! Cheap, easy, and quick to throw together, this is a dish that we now have at least twice a month. I know what you're thinking. "That looks disgusting." Quite understandable. Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a clever way to make this dish scream delicious. But I promise you, it is! Vann had never eaten Taco Salad before we met, and it was even a couple of years after we were together that I even thought about making it. Once he tried it, though, he was hooked and I was so glad to have it back in my life! And I know that French dressing seems like an odd topping to include in the mix, but it is so good! Vann prefers Taco Bell's Creamy and Bold Spicy Ranchero, which is equally as delicious, so don't feel limited with the dressing options! I have even put both on my salad and it is wonderful. This recipe is perfect for just the two of us, so if you have more mouths to feed, I would definitely double it. This is one that is nice to have when you've had a long day at work, come home starving, and just want something quick and delicious to throw together. Unfortunately that is us almost every night....so....that's why we have it often! Ha! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture. Chill both dough and an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in fridge (I put them in the freezer for 10 minutes). Meanwhile, mix 3 Tbsp. sugar and 3 tsp. cinnamon together in a small bowl. Scoop 1 inch balls of dough into the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from pan immediately.

I came across this recipe on food.com a couple of days ago, and I saved it to my cookbook. Last night while we were watching tv, I decided that I wanted to make something sweet, but something that I could make with everything I had on hand. I came across a snickerdoodle bread on Pinterest (also going in my Recipes To Try folder), and then remembered that I had this recipe saved. Holy cow!!! I love snickerdoodles, but every single time we have gotten them at the store, they are hard as a rock, and the flavor is always lacking. These were the absolute BEST snickerdoodles I have ever tried! They definitely held true to their name, and straight out of the oven? Gasp and swoon! Vann said that he took some to work today and they went like hotcakes. There is no greater compliment than that! They are extremely easy to throw together, and I promise you that you will not eat just one. The batter alone is addicting. I know, I know...raw eggs, blah blah blah. The threat of consuming salmonella or some other disease did not push me away from trying the batter. It was delicious. If you are looking to make something quick, easy, and sweet, give these suckers a try. You will fall in love :)

Pigs in a Blanket

1 pkg. Crescent Rolls
1 pkg. Chicken Hot Dogs with Cheese
Honey Mustard for dipping (or any other sauce you prefer)

Unroll crescents; separate into individual triangles, then cut each one in half. Remove hot dogs from package and cut in half. Take each hot dog half and place on crescent half; roll. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, or until crescents are golden brown. Serve with favorite dipping sauce.

I know that this is a ridiculously easy recipe, but it is one that we adore. Great for appetizer nights or football games, these puppies are cheap and easy to make. And they go so fast. Our favorite dipping sauce is Rotel cheese dip, but I have found that honey mustard is a great choice as well. Vann picked up some chicken hot dogs with cheese one night, and we had a few cans of crescent rolls in the fridge, so I decided to whip these up. You can't even tell that they are chicken hot dogs. The cheese adds a nice little kick. Cutting everything in half makes them bite-size, which is great. I would definitely suggest doubling this recipe, especially if you are making them for a crowd. They will not last long at all!

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
1 lb. ground beef
1 large (26.5 oz.) can spaghetti sauce
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup chopped onion
8 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. milk
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (we topped it with Italian 6 cheese blend instead)
1 small can French Fried Onions

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Brown ground beef; drain excess grease. Add spaghetti sauce to beef and heat. Combine onions, peppers, and butter in a small bowl. Cover and microwave 4 minutes on HIGH until soft. Add cream cheese and milk to vegetables and stir well. (If cream cheese is not soft, microwave for 20-30 seconds to make it easy to spread.) Using a 9 x 13" casserole dish, assemble in the following order: 1) Thin layer of spaghetti sauce on bottom of casserole dish 2) Spaghetti 3) Cream cheese/ vegetable mixture 4) Spaghetti sauce 5) Parmesan cheese-amount subject to your own taste 6) French Fried Onions (add during the last 5 minutes of baking). Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with French Fried Onions and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Make sure to not let them burn.

I found this recipe on pinterest, which led me to salad-in-a-jar.com. It just looked so amazing in the picture. So, for my birthday, Vann said that he wanted to make me something for dinner, and this is what I finally decided on. I am so glad that I did! It is amazing! Even better, the leftovers are incredible! Which, in our house, it is a MUST that leftovers are just as good as the meal, if not better, in order for a recipe to stay in constant rotation. I got that from my sister, Christy, and it has been a great rule-of-thumb. A night in the refrigerator (like all pasta dishes) allows for everything to mingle, and it is glorious. The meat-to-pasta ratio was perfect for us, as we love a good sturdy and hearty sauce, not too runny. Once you let it cool for a few minutes, it can been served like lasagna. With a salad and garlic bread, it makes for an outstanding meal. Definitely give it a try! Should you prefer a healthier version, I imagine that it would be great with whole wheat pasta (add a chicken bouillon cube to your water while the pasta cooks, and it makes a huge difference), ground turkey, and low-fat cream cheese. I don't think there is any way this meal could disappoint!

Pizza Crescents

1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
40 pepperoni slices
8 sticks string cheese, each cut in half
Garlic powder
Pizza sauce, for dipping

Unroll crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles. Place 5 pepperoni slices on each crescent, then half a stick of string cheese. Roll up as you would a crescent roll. Sprinkle each with garlic powder. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, or until a light golden-brown. Serve with warm pizza sauce.

I came across this recipe on pinterest a couple of weeks ago, and they just looked so easy and so good. I am game to try pretty much anything with a crescent roll, because it seems to always be delicious. And I am so glad that we tried them! These didn't even take 5 minutes to throw together, and they are wonderful! I did make them with turkey pepperoni over Christmas, and I have to say that we weren't a huge fan. They were good, but there is something about the regular pepperoni that makes it for us (probably the grease. Sad, no?). Anyway, Vann liked these so much that he requested that we have them for dinner one night. And that we did. These make for a great appetizer and will be sure to please!