Lemon Butter Shrimp Scampi with Angelhair Pasta

I recently tried this shrimp recipe after seeing it spread like wildfire with pins on Pinterest....and I can tell why it did, because it is really, really good!  I've made this two times so far, and already want to make it again.  This first time we made it on a busy weeknight, and were amazed at how fast, easy, and delicious it was....not to mention, the kids couldn't get enough of it.  The second time I doubled the recipe and made enough for Kevin's parents to join us for dinner.  The star of this dish is the shrimp, but I decided to pair it with a simple angelhair pasta.  I ended up cooking the pasta and then using the leftover melted lemon-butter to pour over the pasta as a sauce.  It's perfect together.  You can use fresh or frozen shrimp...I used frozen shrimp found in a bag in the seafood section that were already deviened, all I had to do was thaw, and peel them.  This is definitely going to be a regular on our dinner menu from now on!

You will need:

-one pound shrimp (fresh or frozen)

-one stick regular, salted butter

-2 lemons, sliced thinly

-1 package dry Italian seasoning (I used Kroger brand)

*Preheat oven to 350 and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil

*Cut lemons into thin slices and place all over baking sheet

*Melt butter and pour evenly over top of lemons onto baking sheet

*Place shrimp in a large ziploc bag and add Italian seasoning package, shake well to coat shrimp

*Pour shrimp evenly over the butter and lemons onto baking sheet

*Bake for 14 minutes until shrimp is cooked through

If you choose to serve with angelhair pasta,

*cook pasta according to package directions in salted water (always add a little olive oil to the pasta water to keep it from getting sticky), then drain pasta

*then option #1:  put pasta on plate and top with shrimp, then pour remaining lemon butter sauce from the baking sheet over the top of shrimp

or,

*option #2: after draining pasta return it to the pot, then pour the whole baking sheet of shrimp and butter (lemons and all) into the pasta and toss well to coat.  (this was what we did the 2nd time and it turned out just as great)

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

I found this recipe for sweet and sour chicken on life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com and after reading it's great reviews decided to give it a try.  This recipe is a little time consuming, mainly because you have to turn the chicken every 15 minutes, but it was definitely worth the effort.  Our family of 4 finished the entire dish of chicken in about 10 minutes...and the kids loved it just as much as we did.  I served this with a package of Knorr's Asian style rice, and it was perfect with the chicken. 

You will need:

For the chicken coating-

-3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

-salt and pepper

-1 cup cornstarch

-2 eggs, beaten

-1/4 cup canola oil

For the sweet and sour sauce:

-3/4 cup sugar

-4 tablespoons ketchup

-1/2 cup vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar, and I think I used closer to 1/4 cup because it seems like a lot to me)

-1 tablespoon soy sauce

-1 teaspoon garlic salt

*Preheat oven to 325. 

*Rinse the chicken breasts in water and cut into bite sized cubes.

*Season chicken with salt and pepper to tast

*Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat, and then dip into the eggs (Yep, that's the right order...cornstarch, then eggs)

*Heat the  1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook chicken until browned, but NOT cooked through

*Place chicken in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish

*Mix all of the sweet and sour ingredients in a bowl with a whisk, and pour evenly over the chicken

*Bake for 45 minutes **During the baking process you will need to stir the chicken around every 15 minutes.  (The original recipe called for baking the chicken for one hour, mine was clearly done at 45 so I took them out, and they were perfect)

Mexican Pizza

Anybody else love mexican pizza's from Taco Bell?  I rarely eat Taco Bell these days, but their mexican pizzas were pretty much a staple for me back in junior high/high school days.  When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it.  Kevin, being the pizza Nazi he is, was less than thrilled when I told him what we were eating for dinner....but, he actually loved it and said he would like it again.  It came pretty darn close to Taco Bell's version....this recipe is a vegetarian version with just beans, no meat...so it's a little healthier in my opinion!

You will need:

-whole wheat tortillas (2 pieces for each pizza, depending on how many you want to make)

-canola oil, small amount to glaze each side of tortillas

-1 can refried beans, I used non-fat Rosarita brand

-1/4 cup water

-1/2 small onion, diced

-1 tsp paprika

-1tsp taco seasoning, I used mild kroger brand

-1 bunch of green onions, chopped

-1/2 of an jalepeno, deseeded, and finely chopped

-1 tomato, chopped

-salsa, enough to spread over the top of the pizzas, I used a jar of On the Border salsa

-shredded mexican cheese blend, enough to cover top of pizzas

-Sour cream and guacamole to top if desired

*Preheat oven to 400 and line a large baking sheet with foil

*Lightly glaze/brush both sides of tortillas with canola oil

*Place as many tortillas as you can fit (I fit 4) on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes on each side (keep an eye on the tortillas while baking, I had one puff up a lot...if they do just prick them with a fork)

*While the tortillas are baking, put the can of beans into a small sauce pan and add 1/4 cup water

*To the beans add diced onion, paprika, and taco seasoning.  Stir well and heat through on low heat.

*Now chop your veggies, get the jalepeno, tomato, and green onion ready to top the pizzas

*When tortillas are finished crisping in the oven, spread a few dollops of beans over one tortilla (the tortilla that will be the bottom half of the pizza)

*Top the beans with a little bit of salsa and spread it around

*Place the 2nd tortilla on top, and spread more salsa on top of it

*Top with green onions, jalepeno, and chopped tomato

*Top with shredded cheese

*Place pizzas back onto foiled lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes

*Cut into triangles with a pizza cutter and serve with sour cream and guacamole









Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

I found this crockpot recipe on www.thecountrycook.net and made this for dinner a few weeks ago. It was fast and easy, and super tasty. We used hamburger buns to make sandwiches with the pork....and this recipe makes a lot of servings, so make sure to have a few extra guests, or expect leftovers. After the pork is cooked and shredded, you can either add the whole bottle of barbeque sauce back into the slow cooker along with the pork, or just warm up the sauce on the side and let people add as much as they like to their sandwiches....that's what we did:)

You will need:

-1 bottle of barbeque sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

-1 can of Dr. Pepper (I had a bottle of Dr. Pepper and used a little over half of the bottle)

-Grill Mates Pork Rub (found on spice isle)

-1 Tbsp Hickory liquid smoke

-4-6 pound pork shoulder roast (mine was about 4 1/2 pounds)

-salt/pepper

*Rinse and pat dry your pork roast, then cover the roast with the grill mates pork rub. Be generous and rub in the seasonings all over the roast. Set the roast inside your crock pot and sprinkle roast with a little salt and pepper

*Pour Dr. Pepper and tbsp of liquid smoke all around the side of the pork roast.

*Cover crockpot and set on lowest setting for 8-10 hours

*When pork is tender and done, remove from the crockpot and discard most of the liquid remaining in the crockpot. Shredd the pork roast and remove the bone, then return back to the crockpot on warm setting. At this point you can pour the bottle of barbeque into the crockpot and stir together with pork and allow to warm. Or, do what we did and warm the barbeque sauce on the stove, then let people make their own sandwiches, using as much sauce as they like. We piled on dill pickles and banana peppers on our sandwiches for an extra kick!

Oreo Layer Dessert....Until I think of a better name!

I made this today for our crawfish boil and it was a crowd pleaser! I found this recipe on pinterest, of course, and it's just called an oreo layer dessert....so until I think of a better name (which I think it deserves), I will call it that. This is one of those desserts I would classify as dangerous. It's dangerous because it's a real light and airy dessert; as in you don't feel totally stuffed after you eat it; as in you will probably find yourself going back later to get seconds (or thirds), if you're like me. Dangerous. For some strange reason this dish reminded me of banana pudding. But chocolate. And without bananas. I think it was the pudding and fluffy cool whip mixture that reminded me of it. Make sure to let the cream cheese soften on the counter for a while before you are ready to start. Also, you can make the chocolate pudding beforehand and let it set up in the fridge, that way it's ready to go when you start layering. This is the perfect spring/summertime dessert. Hope you enjoy!

Oreo Layer Dessert

You will need:

-1 package regular oreos

-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

-1 large box instant chocolate pudding (I used JELLO brand, I believe 6 1/2 serving size)

-2 1/2 cups milk

-2 (8oz) containers of cool whip

-8oz cream cheese, softened

-1 cup powdered sugar

*Crush the whole package of Oreos until they are coarse crumbs (don't get them too fine). I used my food processor for this or you can put them in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin. Save 1/2 cup of the crumbs to sprinkle on top of dessert when you are done

*Pour remaining crumbs into a 13x9 inch dish. Melt butter and pour over crumbs in dish. Stir around with a spoon and then use your hands to press crumbs into the bottom of the dish to make a crust.

*Make chocolate pudding by mixing 2 1/2 cups of milk with pudding mix with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. (I used my whisk attachment on my mixer). Set in the fridge to let pudding firm up for a few minutes. You can always make pudding ahead of time, that way it will be ready to go already

*In a mixing bowl beat softened cream cheese until its smooth, then add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until incorporated. Fold in 1 container of cool whip to cream cheese mixture.

*Now you're ready to layer: top oreo crumb crust with cream cheese mixture, then chocolate pudding, then the remaining container of cool whip. Sprinkle 1/2 cup remaining oreos on top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

I found this recipe on jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com which I found via Pinterest, of course! If you can't tell I'm a little addicted to pinterest now. The recipes and ideas I have found on there are amazing, so I decided I needed to actually start making some of these yummy dishes instead of just pinning them. I'm pretty pleased because I've made about four dishes in a row that have turned out excellent....as in, my family wants me to make them again! I usually won't post recipes to the blog unless they really turn out good, and I think that you will like them too! This one for sure was exceptional and I will be making it again. Very simple and easy, just how I like them to be:)

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

*Note: The original recipe called for 4 large chicken breasts, I only used 3. I also added a pinch of cayenne pepper to the cracker crumbs for a little extra flavor. And, instead of 3 cups of cheese, I used 2 cups. This made more than enough to feed our family of 4

You will need:

-3 large chicken breasts

-2 sleeves Ritz crackers

-1/4 tsp salt

-1/8 tsp pepper

-pinch of cayenne pepper

-1/2 cup milk

-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

-1 tsp dried parsley flakes

For the sauce:

-one can cream of chicken soup

-2 Tbsp butter

-2 Tbsp sour cream

*Preheat oven to 400

*Begin by cutting each chicken breast into 3 large pieces

*Put Ritz crackers into a food processor and finely crush

*Pour the milk, cheese, and cracker crumbs into 3 small separate dishes

*Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to the cracker crumb mixture and stir around

*Dip each piece of chicken into the milk, then cheese, then cracker crumbs. (Use your fingers to press the cheese and cracker crumbs into the chicken....some will fall off, it's ok)

*Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray, and lay the chicken inside the dish

*Sprinkle the dried parsley flakes over the pieces of chicken

*Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake at 4oo for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes more until edges of chicken are brown and crispy. While the chicken bakes for the last 1o minutes, start making the sauce...

To make the sauce:

*In a medium saucepan combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and butter. Whisk together over med-high heat until melted and hot. Spoon over top of chicken. Sprinkle on a few more parsley flakes if desired.

I served this with steamed broccoli that I seasoned with garlic sea salt, black pepper, and a little spray butter. Hope you enjoy:)

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato- Basil Cream

I found this dish on pinterest via myrecipes.com, and after looking at the ingredients list, I decided it looked too easy not to at least try out. This dish is easy to make, and takes very little time. I made this in about 15 minutes....perfect for a busy weeknight. I wasn't really expecting a lot of flavor, simply because it just seemed too easy, but it really surprised us at how good it was! Kevin even ate the leftovers for work the next day. I will definitely be making this again soon! The recipe calls for a few tablespoons of white wine.....I usually have a 4 pack of the mini bottles in the fridge (they're perfect if you're like me and just want one glass of wine with dinner every now and then). I used what I needed for the recipe, then poured myself the remainder. If you aren't a wine drinker, you can get a mini bottle in the wine section of the grocery store for 1 dollar buy itself usually. Or just leave it out....I'm just not sure it will taste the same:)

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato-Basil Cream

You will need:

-1 (20oz) package refrigerated four cheese ravioli (I used Buitoni)

-1 (160z) jar sun dried tomato alfredo sauce (I used Classico)

-2 Tbsp white wine (I had Chardonnay)

-2 medium sized roma tomatoes, chopped

-1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

-1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

-sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

*Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain pasta

*Meanwhile, pour alfredo sauce into a medium saucepan. Pour 2 Tbsp wine into the empty alfredo sauce jar, tighten the lid, and shake vigorously. Pour wine mixture into alfredo sauce and stir. Stir in chopped tomatoes and chopped basil, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until thoroughly heated.

*Toss sauce with pasta and top with 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese