Chicken Nacho Bake

This meal was so creamy and delicious. The chicken turned out to be really tender as well. A definite hit for dinner!

Recipe adapted from here

Ingredients:

2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup salsa

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips

1/2 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400ºF.

2. Place chicken on foil-covered baking sheet. Cut 3 slits in top of each with sharp knife.

3. Top with salsa, sour cream and crushed chips.

4. Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF), topping with cheese after 20 min.

Smoky Bacon Wraps

These are a nice appetizer.

Ingredients:

1 pound sliced bacon

1 package (16 oz.) miniature smoked sausage links

1 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

1. Cut each bacon strip in half widthwise. Wrap one piece of bacon around each sausage.

2. Place in a foil-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

3. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-40 minutes or until bacon is crisp and sausage is heated through. 

Makes: about 3-1/2 dozen

Photo credit

Peach-Glazed Cake

This is a simple cake recipe that only uses 5 ingredients!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz.) pear halves, drained

1 package (18 1/4 oz.) white cake mix

3 eggs

1 jar (12 oz.) peach preserves, divided

fresh or frozen sliced peaches, thawed

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor, cover and process pears until pureed.

2. Transfer to a mixing bowl; add the cake mix and eggs. Beat on medium speed for two minutes.

3. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

5. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

6. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat 1/2 cup of peach preserves, uncovered, on high for 60-90 seconds or until melted. Slowly brush over warm cake.

7. Cool completely.

8. Slice cake; top with peaches.

9. Melt remaining preserves; drizzle over top.

Makes 10-12 servings.

Photo credit

Roasted Asparagus

A nice, simple way to cook and eat asparagus.

I didn’t trim my asparagus nor measure the ingredients. I just tossed them in a pan, drizzled with oil, salted, and peppered. No turning either. They were still delicious.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus, trimmed

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Place asparagus in a shallow baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Toss to coat.

3. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 14 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning occasionally.

Makes 6 servings.

Orange Beef Steak

This recipe calls for a different flavor combination than most people usually have. Try it, you might like it.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can pair it with different types and cuts of beef.

I halved most of the ingredients as I was not going to serve 6 with this recipe. I also used 2 cuts of beef top steak, less than 1 pound total. The original ingredients are below.

Ingredients:

1 jar (12 oz.) Roast Beef Gravy

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 boneless beef top round steak, 1 1/2 inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Directions:

1. Stir the gravy, orange zest, orange juice, and garlic in a bowl.

2. Place the beef in a skillet on the stove.

3. Top the steak with the gravy mixture.

4. Cook for 12 minutes or until cooked to desire doneness.

5. Make sure to top with the gravy mixture before serving.

Enjoy!

Green Bean Bundles

These green bean bundles make a nice appetizer, side dish, or snack. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 cups water

1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

4 to 6 bacon strips

3/4 cup Italian salad dressing

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add beans; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Cut bacon in half lengthwise; place on microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 2.5-3 minutes or until edges curl.

3. Place four or five beans on each strip; wrap bacon around beans and tie in a knot.

4. Place bundles in an 8-in. square baking dish. Drizzle with salad dressing. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender.

5. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

*Makes 4-6 servings.*

Photo credit

I am linking to Eat at Home’s Ingredient Spotlight on Green Beans!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops

Chocolate. Peanut Butter. Cake.

How can you go wrong?

These were delicious!

If you are looking for the cake part of the cake pop recipe, go to this post.

Now, I will just explain the chocolate peanut butter glaze I used.

Glaze Directions

I dipped the cake pops in a chocolate peanut butter glaze. You can dip them in pretty much anything. And then even roll them in sprinkles, nuts, or coconut, etc.

1 bag (16 oz.) of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

1 bag (16 oz.) of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Morsels

1. Dump both bags together into a pot on the stove.

2. Keep the heat on low and keep stirring until the chips are completely melted.

(You can melt in the microwave as well. I prefer to do my melting on the stove because I can keep an eye on things and make sure nothing gets burnt, etc. If you melt in the microwave, do small increments, stir, repeat, until completely melted.)

Here are the photos:

Here’s what they look like after coming out of the cake pop machine:

I’ve sticked them. I put them in these styrofoam rings. Works well!

Close-up!

All dipped in the chocolaty, peanut butter goodness!

Have you made cake pops? What is your favorite glaze? What kind of glaze would you like me to try?

Blueberry Angel Dessert

This is a simple dessert that only uses 5 ingredients!

Ingredients:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 prepared angel food cake (14 oz.), cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cans (21 ounces each) blueberry pie filling

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar; fold in whipped topping and cake cubes.

2. Spread evenly into an ungreased 13-in. X 9-in. X 2-in. dish; top with pie filling.

3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares.

Makes 12-15 servings.

photo credit

I’m participating in Eat at Home’s Ingredient Spotlight: Blueberries!

 

Baked Pork Chops and Gravy

A simple dinner idea–breaded pork chops

This dinner was fairly quick and easy. The ingredients were minimal and nothing too extravagant. Make this for dinner tonight!

Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons water

6 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)

all-purpose flour (enough to coat the pork chops)

1 1/2 cups  Herb Seasoned Stuffing, crushed

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Turkey Gravy

• Beat the egg and water in a shallow dish with a fork. Coat the pork with the flour. Dip the pork into the egg mixture. Coat with the stuffing. Place the pork onto a baking sheet.
• Bake at 400°F. for 25 minutes or until the pork is cooked through.
• Heat the gravy in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until it’s hot and bubbling.  Serve the gravy with the pork.

*Recipe was adapted from here

New posts coming soon

I promise there will be new posts coming shortly. I’ve been busy unpacking and locating all my kitchen gadgets and setting up my internet connection.

Everything is all good now.

Posts to come this week include two dinner recipes!