Bourbon Chicken

I found this recipe on Tried and True Cooking With Heidi and have been dying to try it. This was absolutely delicious and we will definitely make it again and again. My son kept raving on and on about it. It was a very easy recipe.

To make it a little more diet friendly, I skipped the oil and cornstarch. The apple juice I used Mott's Light. I didn't have cidar vinegar, so I used white vinegar. Still tasted yummy.

For those doing Weight Watchers, without the oil and cornstarch; I used 1 2/3 lbs chicken breasts and Motts light applie juice, it was 24.5 points total for the whole thing.

Ingredients:

2lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, or tenders

oil (for frying)

cornstarch (for dusting, optional)

Sauce:

1 garlic minced clove

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup apple juice

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 TBSP ketchup

1 TBSP cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup soy sauce

Directions:

Cut chicken breasts into bit sized pieces, then lightly dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in your wok and fry chicken bits in batches until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into pan and bring to a boil. Add chicken bits back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

The sauce ingredients

simmering away....

My Girl Paula: Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

I'm a little bit late on this post. I wanted to make this for dinner at my parents' for tomorrow, so I waited until tonight to make it. I will let you know tomorrow night how it tastes. As much as I want to dig in, I will be good and wait!

The cake was friggin' awesome. Very moist and just plain delicious!

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 package butter recipe cake mix

One 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix

One 3.4 oz package instant chocolate pudding mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 oz chocolate chips

confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a tube pan or bundt pan.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, water and vanilla by hand. Stir in the cake mix and pudding mixes. Slowly add the butter and oil, and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate. Sift confectioners' sugar over the cake, or drizzle chocolate sauce over it, if desired.

mixing the eggs, water and vanilla

final step of adding the chocolate chips

hurry up and cook!

Outside-In Cheeseburger Patty

It was a pretty exciting afternoon around Margate. A man arrested got out of a sheriff car with handcuffs on. The cops had streets blocked of near my home. My son wasn't allowed to leave the school for about an hour or so after school let out. The man was finally caught and Jimmy was allowed to leave. By then I was almost to the school to get him and drove him home.

I found this recipe on the Hungry Girl website. It has a lot of good ideas for low cal recipes and even has weight watcher points. The patties were so simple to put together and tasted yummy. My son gobbled his up and had some of mine! I forgot to take a picture of the patties after cooking. Oh well! The picture above is from the Hungry Girl website.

Ingredients:

4 oz. raw extra-lean ground beef

1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, room temperature

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce

dash salt, or more to taste

dash black pepper, or more to taste

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except the cheese. Add as much salt and pepper as yuou like. Knead mixture by hand until integrated. Form into a ball and, using your thumb, make a large, hollow indentation in the ball (past the center but not all the way through). Fill the hole with cheese and squeeze the meat to seal, making sure no cheese is exposed. Flatten slightly into a thick patty.

Bring a pan misted with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove, or use a grill pan. Place patty in the pan, cover and cook for 4-7 minute per side, depending on how well done you like your burger.

Do not press patty with spatula or your burger may ooze cheese.

Makes 1 serving

Points: 4

The balls with the cheese inside

After the first flip.

Almost done!

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

This is the last recipe from dinner at my parents'. This recipe is from Taste of Home, December/January 2002. I've never made this before. It came out good, but I felt like I tasted the sour cream. I don't like plain sour cream at all. I loved the cheese.

Ingredients:

6 lg potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup chopped onion (omitted)

1 egg

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Additional shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Directions:

Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender; drain well.

In a mixing bowl, mash potatoes. Add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, onion, egg, salt and pepper; beat until fluffy. Transfer to a greased 2 quarter baking dish.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.

Oven Barbecued Chicken

I made this recipe many years ago. My husband loved it. It's from Taste of Home, June/July 1997. I decided to make this for my parents last night. I had made a lot because my sister, nephew and nephew's girlfriend were supposed to come over, but ended up staying home. Needless to say, we had a lot of leftovers!

Ingredients:

3 bone-in chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 lbs) - I am going to skin next time

1 small onion, sliced

1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown chicken on all sides in a skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer to a greased 11x7x2 inch baking dish; top with onion.

Combine chili sauce, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and oregano. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with pepper.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until meat juices run clear.

Good Seasons Hot Artichoke and Garlic Dip

I know this is made with a package. But, it's sooo yummy! I'm not a fan of artichokes, but I had this at my friend's Christine's house at a going to college dinner for her daughter. It was yummy!

I made this last night at my parents' as an appetizer. My parents loved it. We did not eat too much since I had a big dinner made. I took the leftovers to work. While I was heating it up in the toaster oven, the whole office smelled like garlic. The girls sure enjoyed it and everyone wanted to know how to make it!

Mix together:

One can (14 oz) artichokes, drained, chopped

1 cup Kraft light mayo

1 cup mozzerella cheese, part skim

1 pkg Good Seasons Hot Artichoke and Garlic mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients until well blended.

Spoon into 9 inch pie plate.

Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serve with your favorite crackers or torn bread pieces.

Makes 2 cups.

The seasoning mix packet and the Pampered Chef dish I used.

Before baking

Bread Machine Country White Rolls

I really was going to make homemade rolls...but with Boy Scout meeting on Tuesday night and everything else I did tonight, I decided to use my bread machine and a box mix I had in cabinet.

I have used the Krusteaz mix before and the bread always comes out so yummy. I usually always make them into rolls.

I just put 1 cup room temperature water in my machine first; add the bread mix. Make a little well and add the yeast in the box.

Set the machine on dough.

When done, shape into rolls and place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes. Bake until brown.

Yummy! I made these for tomorrow, but I know they will be delish! I already baked them so they just need to be reheated.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

What a busy, busy night! I helped Jimmy work on a project about the colonies; specifically James Oglethorpe. I made dinner. I put together dinner for tomorrow night's meal at my parents'. I told them I would cook since my mom always is. She gets more tired easier now that she had that stroke a few months ago.

My sister lost her job Monday night so she's been real bummed. That restaurant just did her wrong. She'd been there for over 2 1/2 years. The owner's son lied and she got fired. Wrong! I will never eat at Nick's Italian Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale ever again! I get mad thinking about it! My sister is a sweet person and is a great waittress.

Anyway....Jimmy was home sick. So, I made buffalo chicken pizza for him. Maybe not the best choice of foods, but he was happy!

I just winged the recipe, so make it like you want! (get it...winged it!)

For the crust, I used one Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust, thin crust.

I melted a little bit of butter with some Frank's wing sauce. I brushed onto the crust.

I had bought some already cooked and cut up roasted chicken. I think it may have been Purdue. It's the kind you add to salads. I heated that up with more Frank's and a little butter.

I put some mozzerella cheese down; added the chicken and a little more cheese.

I baked at whatever the temp was on the Pillsbury can for probably close to 20 minutes.

Yummy!

This recipe can be changed to meet your tastes. I don't like bleu cheese, but most recipes call for it.

French Silk Chocolate Pie

This pie is my Mom's favorite pie. I made my dad's favorite, so it's my mom's turn! I found this recipe in Pillsbury's magazine, The Best From 50 Years of Bake-Off, May 1999. I made it for Thursday's dinner, so I haven't tasted it yet, but the "batter" tasted it yummy!

CRUST:

1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (from 15 oz pkg)

FILLING:

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces

1 cup butter, softened (no margarine)

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

4 pasteurized eggs, or 1 cup refrigerated or frozen fat free egg product, thawed **

TOPPING:

1/2 cup sweetened whipped cream

Chocolate curls if desired

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one crust baked shell using 9-inch p;ie pan. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

2. Melt chocolate in small saucepan over low heat; cool. In small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; blend well.

3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating at high speed for 2 minutes after each addition. Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Pour into cooled baked shell. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Top with whipped cream and chocolate curls. Store in refrigerator.

10 servings.

** Since the eggs are not cooked, use pasteurized eggs (eggs that have been heated to destroy disease producing bacteria, or use egg product.

Funny looking crust!

Buckeye Pie

This month's you want Pie With That contest is to be inspired by a favorite vacation. Well...I'm posting a little too late to post, but oh well, I made it. I still will try to get it posted. I grew up in Fairborn, Ohio, just outside of Dayton. Of course, I am an Ohio State Buckeye fan. I was born in Columbus while my dad attended to graduate school there. Now that my parents live here, we go watch the games at Bru's Room in Coral Springs.

Anyway....some of my favorite vacations are to Ohio for my high school reunions. I still stay with my first husband's family and have a great time seeing all my friends. Ohio made me think of the Buckeyes.

I tried several times to pie the chocolate pie crusts at Publix and never saw any. I asked my co-worker, Michelle, to look at Walmart and she found them. Guess what I can find at Publix now...yes...chocolate pie crusts!

I found this pie recipe on http://www.tailgating.com/.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup peanut butter

2 cups milk

1 large chocolate instant pudding

16 oz Cool Whip

4 oz cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

2 chocolate pie crusts

Directions:

Mix powdered sugar, peanut butter, cream cheese together. Add 1/2 the whip cream and mix until well blended. Divide the mix between the two pie crusts.

Mix the milk and instant pudding together for 2 minutes. Pour the pudding into the two pies and spread out evenly.

Spread the remaining Cool Whip over top of the two pies. Garnish with chocolate shavings or sprinkles.

After the peanut butter mixture.

After adding the pudding mixture

Both pies



GO BUCKEYES!!