YUM!

These are definitely diet-busters.  Do not make unless you have a crowd to feed them to or they will haunt you.  You may or may not wake up in the middle of the night to sneak down to the kitchen to eat one.  Yes, they are *that* yummy!

The recipe is from "The Pioneer Woman Cooks."  I have it on my recipe blog, but you can also find it on her blog.

Give me a Y!  Give me a U!  Give me a M!  Y-U-M!

Have a great weekend!

Peach Freezin' Time!

These peaches

and these peaches



mixed with some fruit fresh and probably way too much sugar ;)



gave me this much for my freezer.  Maybe it will last until the snow comes! ;-)

What's Cooking?

In our attempt to keep eating healthy, I have two more recipes to share with you.

This first one, Feta-Stuffed Chicken, is one I've posted about before on my cooking blog, but I did a few things to it this time to make it more kid-friendly.  Basically, I didn't add the walnuts and replaced the spinach with broccoli.  It was a hit.  Especially since we had our first helping of home grown corn on the cob with it! :)  Thanks Grandma & Grandpa!

The second recipe is found at eatingwell.com.  If you've never visited this site, go now ... run!  I'll wait! ;-D  There are a ton of great recipes found here.

Shrimp and Pesto Pasta is YUMMY!  The first time we made this, we used chicken and broccoli in place of the shrimp and asparagus - but I plan to make this again soon with the 'called-for' ingredients!

What are your favorite sites to get healthy recipes?

So, what did we do with all that cream cheese?

We fed 192 ladies at a Farewell (end of year) Brunch for our church's Women's Ministries program.  They run Bible studies throughout the year as well as other interesting programs.  We don't usually get to attend many of the events because we have our co-op on Wednesday mornings.

Tuesday night set-up.   It's hard to see, but there are lime green, pink and purple napkins. (This is our church's fellowship hall and where we would have had our wedding reception!)

And this morning, the ladies came and ate.  Then, they enjoyed a wonderful presentation on container gardening and saw lots of fabulous ideas presented by Lynn's aunt and uncle!!  They were so fun and had wonderful advice and suggestions.  The landscaping at their house is simply gorgeous and they invited our group to their home in June, for a private garden tour!

While we don't possess all the skill of Lynn's aunt and uncle, I think my mother in law did an amazing job putting these centerpieces together for our tables!

Now, back to the food! ;)

We had chicken salad sandwiches, a strawberry spinach salad, cracker and red pepper jelly, yogurt parfait, chocolate eclairs and mini carrot cake cups!  Everything was delicious.  We were so busy putting the food on the tables this morning that I didn't snap any pictures of the food there, but I took some pictures of the yummy leftovers when I got home!

Strawberry Spinach Salad - recipe here

Mini Carrot Cake Cups (8 bars of cream cheese.  Several ladies helped me in baking these cute little cups, but I made the filling at home)  - recipe here

Crackers with red pepper jelly (6 bars of cream cheese)  Small-scale version: one half cup of red pepper jelly was added to an 8 oz bar cream cheese that had already been softened and lightly beaten in the mixer.  YUMMY!  -  recipe here

 I had a wonderful group of ladies helping me plan and bring this program to fruition!  It was a lot of hard work, many hours to set up, bake, prep food and tear down - but the efforts are always very much appreciated!

Healthier Cooking

In an attempt to make some healthier meals for my family, I've been experimenting with different flavors.  I found this recipe for Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers in the Jan/Feb 2010 issues of Cooking Light.

It called for shallots, which I didn't have, and sliced bell peppers, but I opted to use the frozen ones in my freezer.  (Each time I need to purchase peppers for a meal, I purchase 2 and then chop it all and throw the extra into a freezer bag).

I decided to serve this over acini de pepe, to finish off the box - which I bought by mistake.  Our youngest loves this little round pasta because we have him convinced it is fish eggs!  The other members of my family, however, do not appreciate these little round balls!

This was a hit with our family, you can find the recipe here.

Homemade Granola

Another thing to top off a great snack. 

Recipe is on my cooking blog.

Almost Orzo

One unofficial New Year's resolution I've committed myself to is making a new dish - with new flavors - 1 or 2 times a month.  Not something with chicken, sour cream and a creamed soup - but something with several ingredients that  ... 1) I know they have never tried or 2) they have expressed dislike for in previous dinners.

Wednesday morning found us at my parents' house and my mom was telling me of the Mediterranean Orzo they like to make.  I copied the recipe and set out on a mission to have this be our first new kitchen adventure for 2010.

Yesterday morning, with all 3 kids in tow, we headed out on some errands.  We started with a nice, long visit to the local library and stopped for groceries on the way home.  Thursday mornings are the first day of the new sales featured on the sales fliers, so it was busy.  I quickly tried to grab everything I needed and we headed out. 

Knowing this wasn't a long, involved recipe (which made it all the more appealing) I set out to start supper and everything was going well.

I don't usually post recipes on this blog, but since I'm writing about it, I thought I'd add the recipe with pictures along the way.  I don't enjoy taking pictures while cooking, or even blogging about the whole process - but this *was* a New Year's resolution! ;-D
Mediterranean Orzo with chicken

1 lb orzo, uncooked
3/4 lb chicken breast
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
3/4 c jarred sun-dried tomatoes, drained, coarsely chopped (reserve 1/4 c oil from jar)
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp parsley
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 350 (I use convection roast). Heat olive oil in cast iron pan over medium heat. Sprinkle black pepper and salt over both sides of chicken. Add to pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning halfway.   Mmmm, raw chicken, purdy, huh?

Remove from cook top and place in oven for 30 minutes.

Cook orzo according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat reserved sun-dried tomato oil in skillet. Add garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and peppers. Sauté until soft, about 5 to 10 minutes.

While draining the pasta, be sure to think ahead - which I obviously didn't do.  We had a few casualties! 

Take the chicken from the oven and slice.

Toss together hot orzo, cooked vegetables, seasonings, parsley, red-wine vinegar, chicken and feta cheese.

Makes 9 servings.  **This recipe also calls for 1/4 c black olives, chopped, which I left out.

I was super excited about my new meal and that Quintin and Elle really seemed to enjoy it.  Colin wasn't so excited (and neither was T) but Colin didn't have a nap and T has a sinus infection - so that doesn't count.

I'd never used orzo before - which is now OBVIOUS!  Sweet Tracy let a comment on my cooking blog asking what pasta I used and I thought, well orzo, of course.  I walked out to the pantry and realized that having 3 kids with me at the grocery store had taken its toll.  I hadn't used orzo, I had used 'acini de pepe.'  Thank you, Tracy, for not pointing out that I was totally confused about my orzo, since she picked up right away that it wasn't orzo! :-)
So, in my 'almost orzo' recipe, you can substitute acini de pepe if you like. ;-D

And that, my friends, will be the end of me taking pictures while preparing food!

Cookie Exchange

Today, Short Stop is hosting a cookie exchange.  I just had to join in and share my three favorite cookies.  I loved them since I was little and it doesn't feel like Christmas if I don't make these!!

I've posted them all on my cooking blog, but here are the links.

Fudge Meltaways

Chocolate Crinkles

Coconut-Chocolate Meringue Bites

Click on the above names to see the recipes, and be sure to see MANY more at Short Stop's blog!
These are my favorite cookies - let me know if you try them!!!

Put away the bananas!

After reading PW's review on a pineapple zucchini cake posted on her new recipe site, I knew I needed to try it out. It had a cream cheese frosting - I knew it was a go.

So, I'm here today to tell you to put away those bananas I told you about to make last week's Banana Zucchini Bread, grab a zucchini and your arpon - you've got to make this one.

The recipe is posted on my cooking blog, here, and on PW's Tasty Kitchen, here.

Don't let the veggies fool you!

I made some modifications on a Taste of Home recipe (mostly increasing the amount of bananas and zucchini) and this turned out to be a wonderfully moist and very yummy treat!

I grate my zucchini (peel and all) with my food processor and believe it or not, the strands of zucchini are 3 inches long. They dissapear into this bread but give it a wonderful texture.

Need a way to sneak more veggies into your kids' diet? Or, just want a satisfying and healthy treat that is quick to make? Try this!

The recipe can be found here, on my cooking blog. Enjoy!

Itza Pizza

Works for me Wednesday's is hosting a summer recipe edition.

We tried something new last night for supper and it was very yummy. However, had my time management skills been a little better we would have eaten at our normal time of 5:30 instead of almost 7, but it's all good. If there is one thing my hubby can get most frustrated with me (ok, I'll be honest, there is more than just one thing, but I'm trying to take it easy on myself), it's my lack of time management. I'd just like to blame it farkle! ;-D

So, where was I?

Yes, new recipe. I combined 3 different recipes for this one. I used my new favorite pizza dough from Emeril and a new pizza sauce recipe I just googled and tried. Then, to make it even more fun, we tossed the pizza onto the grill.

Backtracking...how did it take 1 1/2 hours to get pizza on the table, you ask? Without mentioning any names, someone forgot to read the directions ahead of time and failed to notice the 1 hour time for the dough to rise.

The finished product:

Click here to get the full recipe.

To see more wfmw's, click here.

Pineapple - Coconut ... Need I say more?

It's the perfect combination of pineapple and coconut.   And sugar, and a flour/butter crust with a meringue top....mmmmm...excuse me while I go grab another piece.

You can find the recipe, here.

A new favorite recipe for my favorite comfort food!

YUMMY!!! My favorite mac-n-cheese EVER!!! Thank you Pioneer Woman!!! I just added some chopped ham to her recipe to beef it up, if you will, to serve for supper.

Try it, eat it, you'll love it, I guarentee it!

It's all about the whole milk and seasoned salt!

And, here's another new fav that I came across when I found myself with 10 lbs of shredded pork.

You can find the recipe, here.

Happy Friday!! Have a great weekend!!

I'll take onions with that.

As a kid, I did not like onions.

But I remember in high school, my parents were going out for supper and I was staying home alone.  They were grabbing take-out for me from the local pizza joint on our town's square.  For some unknown reason, I asked them to order me a small pizza with onions.

I loved it.

Why did I order onions on my pizza?  I haven't a clue, but I wish I did...it would probably make for a better story.

Anyway, I do not shy away from onions as I once did when I was younger....however, I'm sure the effects of this food passion cause some to shy away from me....where was I?

This weekend we celebrated Easter with my hubby's family on Good Friday.  His mother is a wonderful cook and she enjoys trying out new recipes on us every now and then.  I hit gold this past Friday when she served a baked onion and cheese dip.  E.X.C.E.L.L.E.N.T.

We celebrated with my family at our home on Sunday.  I was debating between a good friend's spinach artichoke dip and the onion dip.  I went bold...I went for the onions.  It was a hit - I think - I was too busy devouring my food to notice if anyone else cared for it or not!

I served this dip in the evening after having our bigger meal at noon.  Along with the dip, we had some homemade Mac 'n' Cheese, rolls and various lunchmeats, chips...you know the drill.  I decided a fresh tossed salad would round out the meal nicely.

Upon planning the meal, my mind (or my stomach, perhaps) immediately went to the tossed salad dressing recipe in our church's cookbook (the one with the yellow cover, for those locals who may be reading).

What makes this salad dressing spectacular?  First, the sweetness of the sugar...and then, it is all about the onions!

So maybe it wasn't in the best interest to provide my loved ones with three cups of chopped sweet onions or even the five cups of cheese between the dip and Mac 'n' Cheese in one sitting.   But it was all good and they know I love them.  But, if they were complaining, I didn't hear it over the sound of my lips smacking all the gooey-cheesy-oniony-goodness!

Interested in these recipes?  Of course you are!  You can find them on my cooking blog. 

Baked Onion and Cheese Dip

Tossed Salad Dressing

Chicken Blobs

While yes, I realize that may not sound like the most appealing name for a main course, it is a nickname we've grown to love for these:

Pill.sbury calls them "Crescent Chicken Squares." When I first tried my hand at making these, when in my teens and dating T, I couldn't seem to come up with a square shape, so my mom and I changed the name to blobs. Sounds so appetizing, doesn't it?

They are a great way to use some leftover chicken (I used some grilled chicken from the weekend) - and I just posted the recipe, here. Along with a homemade crouton to put on top, found here.

My good friend, Just Mom, also had chicken and crescent rolls for supper last night - you can check her recipe on her cooking blog, here.

Yesterday was a day to celebrate chicken and crescent roll goodness!! MMMmmmm!! MMMmmmmmm!!!

Did you know...

...that I've become a Food Network channel fanatic? It's gotten so bad, that I'm actually telling myself I need "to plate" my meals and get them ready for pictures so I can post them on my cooking blog.

This is one of my favorites that I plated yesterday, lol!!

Oh, and this one!

Go ahead, click on over and see what's been cooking in Momma Roar's Kitchen! You'll find these two above and plenty more!!

And, my post today would not be complete without a birthday greeting to my good friend, Just Mom! Happy 29th Birthday JM! ;-)

"Hoppy do do do!"