Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs

The best thing about chicken legs are that they are cheap!  And easy to eat.  Ryder is almost a year old and I'm thinking more and more about quick dishes that he would enjoy eating one day.  I remember loving chicken legs as a child. I'm hoping these will be a yummy, healthier alternative to the classic fried version. 

The case:
Spicy Roasted Chicken Legs (Adapted from Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients:

• 12 whole Chicken Legs
• 1 stick of Butter
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic power
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup Lemon Juice

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan. Pour in lemon juice (fresh or bottled). Add your seasonings.
2. Rinse and pat your chicken legs dry. With metal tongs, transfer them one by one into the butter mixture and place on a baking sheet with a wired cooling rack. Once all of the chicken legs are coated and on the baking rack, take a pastry brush and give them one last coating of the butter mixture. Sprinkle them with some more of your seasonings. 
3. Place them into a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. If they need a bit more color, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes and watch them closely. Remove them when they are nice and golden brown. 

Roasted Chicken Legs Printable Version

The ruling:
Mission accomplished! These were perfect- quick, easy, kid friendly!  I was afraid they might be too spicy but they really weren't!  Next time I'm going to experiment with lemon pepper seasoning.

Baked Brie Bites

Brie is a new love of mine.  I don't have many recipes to make with Brie so I was excited to see these on Plain Chicken's website.  I also love the mini phyllo tarts!  Such a great ingredient.  These couldn't be any simpler, hope they taste as great as they look.

The case:

mini phyllo tarts

Ile de France brie, cubed

brown sugar

chopped pecans

honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place a cube of brie in each phyllo tart.  Sprinkle each tart with approximately 1/2 tsp brown sugar.  Top with approximately 1/2 tsp chopped pecans and a dollop of honey.  
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until brie is melted. (use more or less of each ingredient according to your preference)

The ruling:
Okay I liked these at first, but they left a funny taste in my mouth.   I won't be making these again but I still like the idea of the brie in the phyllo cups...

Daphne Oz's Smoothie

I've tried a couple of recipes for Smoothies, my favorite being Alton Brown's, but I still haven't found the perfect recipe.   This was from one of the first episodes of The Chew, which has become one of my favorite daily activities.  There actually haven't been that many recipes I've wanted to try, but I'm still constantly learning more about cooking and food!

The case:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup fresh fruit (Daphne used 1/2 cup blueberries)
1 teaspoon honey (optional)
1/2 banana (optional)
1 tablespoon psyllium husks
3 ester-c capsules (500 mg)
1 cup ice (if fruit is frozen, no ice needed)
Some water or juice to blend for consistency

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy (Note: Of the 1 cup fruit, Daphne used 1/2 that cup with blueberries. It's your choice what to make that 1 cup consist of). If you have trouble blending, try adding a little water to thin the smoothie. Make sure to have at least two 8 oz glasses of water with each serving of smoothie to help the psyllium husks expand so they digest properly.

The ruling:
This is the best smoothie recipe I've ever tried.  I didn't add the ester-c caps or psyllium husks, but used Greek yogurt, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup strawberries, and a splash of milk.

Slow Cooker French Dip

Here is another delicious looking dish from Our Best Bites.  Yesterday, I was flipping through my cookbook deciding what dish to try next.  I left the book open at this page when I went running after Ryder.  Michael happened to walk by and saw this lovely recipe and wanted to know when I planned on making it.  So last night after church, I ran in the store to get the ingredients I needed.  French Dips are our go-to menu item in restaurants.  I've tried making them a couple of times, but we haven't found anything even worth making again.  Hopefully, this will be a go-to French Dip dish. 

The case:
Recipe by OurBestBites.com
Ingredients: 
- 1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
- 2 c. water
- 2 cans beef broth
- 6-8 large buns (or more...6 would be VERY generous servings!)
- Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.


Directions:
1.  Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.
2. When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices. 
3. Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water and beef broth over roast.
4. Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It's hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it's done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.
5. Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty. 
6. Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

The ruling:
This was yummy!!!  A great alternative to eating out!  This is officially on our regular rotation.  It's going to be hard to just eat a roast now.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I wanted to have a final "tailgating" party for the biggest college football game of the year.  Michael grilled wings and I made pizza rolls, but I also wanted to try something new.   These seemed like the perfect missing piece, especially since I had all the ingredients.  Once again, they're from my favorite new cookbook- Our Best Bites!

The case:
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

Ingredients:
- 1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
- 1/4 C green salsa
- 1T fresh lime juice
- 1/2 t cumin
- 1 t chili powder
- 1/2 t onion powder
- 1/4 t granulated garlic
- 3 T chopped cilantro
- 2 T sliced green onions
- 2 C shredded cooked chicken
- 1 C grated pepperjack cheese
- small corn tortillas
- kosher salt
- cooking spray

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.  You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.
3. Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
4. Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. 
5. Then roll it up as tight as you can.
6. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. 
7. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.

The ruling:
Another winner!  I was surprised at how crisp these got baked in the oven.  Of course, taquitos are going to be better fried, but I will definitely continue to make these instead.  So easy!  And the filling was yummy!  I served them with sour cream and Pioneer Woman's Salsa.    

Marlboro Man Sandwich

I have been thinking about making these forever.  Michael loves Philly cheese steaks and these reminded me of them. My mom's close friend made them to rave reviews, so I decided it was time for me to give them a try!

The case:
Ingredients
1 whole Large (or 2 Small) Onions
2 sticks Butter (lots And Lots Of Butter)
2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) Cube Steak (tenderized Round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
Lawry's Seasoned Salt (or Similar Seasoned Salt)
½ cups (approximately) Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco Sauce, To Taste
4 whole French/deli Rolls (earthgrains Are Best!)
Preparation Instructions

Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.

Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine. 

Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet.

To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll, cut in half, and devour!

The ruling:
Let me first start by saying I'm not a big red meat eater.  Every once in a while I like a good burger or steak, but on a regular basis, I'm a chicken girl.  With that said, I LOVED this sandwich.  We added peppers, mushrooms, and provolone cheese to this delicious sandwich!

Top 11 of 2011

Oh this was so hard! And this year with pregnancy and a newborn I didn't do NEAR as many recipes as last year.  I originally wanted to do a typical top 10, but I just couldn't get it down to only 10.  There were several more I really wanted to include, but I'm happy with this list.  Well here we go, my top 11 favorites of this year, in no particular order:

1. Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup
2. Alice Spring's Chicken
3. 7-Up Biscuits
4. Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
5. Cake Batter Blondies
6. Poppy Seed Bread and Honey Butter
7. Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff
8. Whatever Floats Your Boat Brownies
9. Easy Baked Potato Wedges
10. White Chicken Enchiladas
11. Chicken, Bacon, Mushroom Casserole

Poppy Seed Bread

One of my favorite blogs is Our Best Bites.  It was created by two friends to share recipes with each other and their friends.  They are my kind of cooks!  A couple weeks before Christmas while browsing their site, I noticed they had a cookbook! I immediately called my mom and told her I wanted it for Christmas.  Believe it or not this was the present I was the most excited about getting.  And let me tell you it does not disappoint!  I know all the financial gurus (David Ramsey, etc.) say not to buy cookbooks.  Why would you with the internet these days?  But as a book lover, there is something about turning the pages, and seeing the recipes, that inspires me in a way that the internet simply doesn't!  I can't tell you how many recipes I want to try in this book. Finding those on the internet just wouldn't be the same.

The original recipe is Almond Poppy Seed Bread (found here) but since I don't care for almond extract, I left it out, therefore took off the Almond from the name here.  

The case:
Ingredients:
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/8 c. canola oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

GLAZE
3/4 c. white granulated sugar
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, and flavorings and beat for 2 minutes. Alternate adding in flour mixture and milk and then mix until just combined. Add poppyseeds and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared pans (5 mini pans or 2 regular loaf pans) and bake (35-40 minutes for mini pans, 1 hour for large pans; keep an eye on them). When done, place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. While cooling, prepare glaze by combining all glaze ingredients. Drizzle over loaves and allow to harden.

 Okay there is one thing I left out.  I actually tried 2 recipes from Our Best Bites today.  The only thing that could possibly make this cake better, any bread for that matter, is honey butter.

The case:

Honey Butter

Ingredients:

2 sticks real butter, (close to room temp- works best when slightly chilled still.)
2/3 C honey
¾ C powdered sugar

Directions:
(If your butter is too soft, you’ll end up with a gooey mess, so I just leave it out on the counter for about 20 minutes or so before beating and it turns out nice and fluffy)
Just place it all in a bowl and beat with an electric hand-mixer for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.  Serve at room temp

The ruling:
I'm in love with this bread!  It would be good as a dessert or a sweet breakfast.  It would be fabulous alone, but with this butter, oh my word.  It's incredible!  It has to be the powdered sugar.... I think I'm going to go eat another piece!

Mahogany Chicken Wings

I can't believe I've never posted this recipe!  When Michael and I first got married, I was obsessed with finding wing recipes.  We love ALL kinds of wings- spicy, sweet, and savory.  This was one of the first recipes I tried and has remained one of our favorites!  The recipe came from All Recipes.  I use dark Karo instead of molasses simply because I don't keep molasses on hand.

The Case:
Ingredients
3 pounds chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons chile sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions
1.  Place chicken in a shallow, medium dish.  I cover with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
2.  In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, honey, molasses, chile sauce, ground ginger and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate approximately 1 hour, turning occasionally.
3.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4.  In a large baking dish, arrange chicken in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven approximately 50 minutes, brushing with remaining soy sauce mixture often and turning once, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.

*I make extra sauce and boil it with a little cornstarch and pour it over the finished wings.  And of course serve with ranch!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Mushrooms are another one of my favorite appetizers. I've tried lots of recipes and this one is my favorite!

The case:
Ingredients
3 slices bacon
1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 drops Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes ground black pepper
1 pound mushrooms, stems removed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until crisp and evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate; crumble the drained bacon into a bowl. Stir in the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper until evenly mixed. Spoon the filling into the mushroom caps and place into an 8x8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Asparagus Bundles

A couple years ago, my friend, Lindsey, made a recipe similar to this using green beans.  One of the foods I loathe in life is green beans.  She thought the bacon and sweet sauce would help me get past the green beans, but nope, I strongly disliked her dish.  I've never known whether I truly disliked the dish or whether it was simply the green beans I couldn't get past.  I am excited to be trying a similar recipe using asparagus (my favorite veggie) instead.  This little beauty came from Trisha Yearwood's cookbook.

The case:
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
- 12 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 stick butter
- 1 T soy sauce
- 1/2 t garlic salt
- 1/2 t ground pepper

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 450
2.  Divide asparagus into 12 bundles.  Carefully wrap 1 piece of bacon around each bundle, starting from 1/2 inch from the bottom of the tips.  Lay the bundles in a low sided casserole dish.
3.  In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, garlic salt, and pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Pour the hot mixture over the asparagus.
4.  Bake for 25 minutes, or until the spears have begun to wilt and the bacon is fully cooked. 

The ruling:
Yep, it was just the green beans I didn't like!  This dish was delicious!  Michael raved and raved.  I actually only made 3 bundles since it was only the two of us and I didn't think it would be good left over, plus I wasn't sure if I would like it.  I didn't want to be wasting two of my favorite things: bacon and asparagus.  He was mad I didn't make more.  We both would've eaten several of these!  The only thing I did differently was to broil for a few minutes before I took it out of the oven to get the bacon a little crispy.

Crockpot Potato Soup

My new obsession, Pinterest, is supplying a lot of my new recipes these days. This potato soup is no exception.  I'm a little apprehensive about using frozen hashbrowns in a soup, but never know till you try.  This could be an economical meal for a family. 

The case:

Ingredients:

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash brown

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of mushroom

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese (I used low fat)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar (freshly shredded please)

Directions:

In a crockpot, dump everything except the cream cheese and cheddar cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and cheddar.  Cook about 30 more minutes, stirring frequently.  Serve with extra sprinkling of cheddar and sour cream if desired.

The ruling:
So the truth is, I've already made this a couple of times, which already shows you how much I like it.  I've included my additions/modifications in the recipe above.  It's perfect for warming you up on a chilly day!  Modifications can be easily made to this base to suit your own taste buds.  I think I'm going to try it with some Rotel and pepperjack cheese next time.

Pioneer Woman's White Chicken Enchiladas

I can't tell you how long I've had this recipe in mind to make.  I've had it bookmarked, printed out, and pinned, but never got around to trying it.  Well, I'm finally getting around to it.  We love Mexican food around here and I'm always looking for a new recipe to try.  I've made sour cream enchiladas before and these look very similar, but add a few more flavors.

The case:

Ingredients
2-½ cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
2 cups Reserved Broth From Chicken
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
3 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Sour Cream
2-½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Picante Sauce (optional)
Cilantro, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside. 
3. In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. 
4. To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. 
5. Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro. Serve with picante sauce, if desired.

The ruling:
I shouldn't have waited so long.  I'm such a huge fan of these enchiladas!  I could go on and on.  They were bursting with flavor and had such a delicious creaminess.  They're like Mexican comfort food.  The only difference I made was that I only had enough filling for 8 enchiladas, which fit perfectly into a casserole dish.  

White Chocolate Smore Bars

One of my top favorite recipe blogs is Picky Palate.  I'm not even a big dessert person, but I'm always pinning her desserts to try.  Now I happen to not be a big dark chocolate fan, but I LOVE white chocolate!  I always wanted the cookies and cream Easter bunny growing up.   I'm excited to see what this combination of ingredients turns out like.

The case:
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
4 1/2 full graham crackers
10 ounce bag white chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with tin foil that’s been generously sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure foil goes all the way up and over the edges for this one. It will be a full pan 
2. Place cake mix, egg, and butter into a large mixing bowl. Mix with hands until a nice dough forms. similar to a cookie dough. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3.  Layer with graham crackers, white chips then marshmallows.
4.  Top with remaining half of dough pressing evenly. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over top.
5.  Then bake for 28-33 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown on top. Remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes then take a plastic knife and run along edges to loosen marshmallow (this will make your life easier when pulling foil out of pan to remove bars. Let cool completely then remove bars from pan with foil edges. Cut off all edges if desired, about 1/2 inch each side. I save the edges to snack on too. Cut bars into squares and serve. They are delicious room temperature or chilled. 

The ruling:
These were a royal pain to make, but absolutely delicious! Man, this dough is sticky.  I cringe whenever I see a recipe that says mix with hands.  I couldn't get a lot of this mess off my hands so I didn't have enough to spread over the top.  I ended up making a second batch of dough and spreading about a 1/4 of it over the top.  It reminded me a lot of my cake batter blondie recipe.  Next time I make them, I'm going to pour some evaporated milk over the top. 

Slow Cooker Honey Chicken

I've got to start blogging my recipes again! I've been trying lots lately, mainly because of Pinterest!  And I've already started forgetting which ones I've made and if I did or didn't like about them!  

The case:
Ingredients:

3/4 pound chicken (of your choice)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup chopped onion (or 1/16 cup onion flakes)

1/8 cup ketchup

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high 1 1/2 hours. Chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve over rice or noodles.

To bake chicken as a 30 minute meal:

Dice chicken and season both sides with salt and pepper, place in 8x8 pan. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

The ruling:
I made this is the crock pot and served it over brown rice.  There was a funny aftertaste to this recipe that I wasn't a fan of.  I will not be making it again.

Cake Batter Blondies

Michael and I both love cake batter ice cream.  So when I saw these on Pinterest, I knew I had to try them right away.  They originally came from a blog called Girl Meets Life. 

The Case:

ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1/3 – 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

directions: Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl. Add the milk slowly – you want the batter to remain as dense as possible. Then mix in the rainbow sprinkles and white chocolate chips. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

The Ruling:
There isn't much to say except these are yummy delicious fabulousness. I cooked them for 5 additional minutes after some comments claimed they seemed to mushy.  I will be using this recipe for many years to come. 

7-Up Biscuits #33

I love, love, love the food blog Plain Chicken.  I bet I could print off at least 50 recipes I would like to try.  If you haven't visited yet, you should give it a look.  I have tried making a couple of made-from-scratch biscuits to horrible results.  Yes that's right- horrible! When I saw the simple list of ingredients and easy directions, I knew I had to try these, especially since Plain Chicken said these just might be the best she has ever made.

The case:
Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7-up

1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.

Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough.

Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan.  Use a biscuit cutter to cut 9 biscuits.  Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

 

The ruling:

I've found it!  This is a biscuit recipe I love.  I still want to learn to make a classic, southern buttermilk type, but I would still make these either way!  I can't believe there are only 4 ingredients in these.  We're trying to eat more all natural/less processed foods, but Bisquick is one thing that I just can't give up.  These biscuits are light and fluffy and the sour cream gives them a surprising tang. 

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole #32

I've been cooking a lot of old favorites recently.  In honor of Pioneer Woman's new show, I've decided to try several of her recipes I've had bookmarked for awhile.  Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole is the first one.  I changed it up slightly, but to see the original recipe and all of PW's fabulous photos go here.

The case: Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
2 heaping cups cooked and shredded chicken
1/2 Cup Butter
16 ounces sliced mushrooms
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chicken broth
Kosher Salt And Pepper
¼ cups Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth
1-½ cup Whole Milk
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Extra Cheese, For Sprinkling
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
1 pound Thin Spaghetti

Preparation Instructions:
1.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Throw in mushrooms, add 1/4 cup chicken broth, minced garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft, drain and set aside.
2.  Bring water to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (shorter pieces). Add spaghetti pieces to boiling water and cook. Drain when al dente.
3.  Return large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth and whisk to combine. Pour in milk,  salt and pepper to taste, then cook and bubble until thick. Turn off heat, add Parmesan cheese, and stir.
4.  Add mushrooms and chicken. Stir to combine and check seasonings. Add cooked spaghetti and stir. 5.  Turn into a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Sprinkle cheese and Panko over top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. or until golden brown and bubbly.

The ruling:
I am in L-O-V-E with this dish!  If you like mushrooms even the slightest bit, you must try this dish!

Strawberry Salad #31

Continuing on with my quest for homemade salad dressing.  This came from AllRecipes.com.

The case:
Ingredients
2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:
In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

Ruling:
This salad was tasty, but not the ultimate strawberry spinach salad.  I added Feta and chopped walnuts which added some great taste and texture.

Hooters Style Hot Wings

These are pretty much my favorite hot wings of all time.  When Michael and I first got married I made a list of all of our favorite foods and set out to try and make them.  One of the first dishes I tried were these.  The original recipe is from All Recipes.  It is still one of the highest rated recipes on the whole site.  I've tweaked it a bit to what I call "The Ultimate Restaurant Style Hot Wings."

Ingredients:
Oil for frying
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce
10 chicken wings, cut into wing and drum

Breading: 
1/2 cup all purpose flour
dash pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus some to sprinkle over wings

Directions:
Mix breading ingredients.  Cover wings with breading and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Heat the oil to 375.  Fry wings in batches for 10 minutes.  Make sure to not over crowd pot.

 Heat butter, hot sauce, and garlic powder until combined over low heat.

Drain wings on a paper towel.  Sprinkle salt over hot wings.

 Put wings in another large bowl.  Pour sauce over top and shake bowl to cover.

What Do You See?

I know I couldn't do this again if I tried, so I had to take a picture and post this.

Kentucky Butter Cake #29 & Vanilla Icing #30

I stumbled upon this recipe on All Recipes the other day.  I'm going to add an icing recipe I've been wanting to try for a while.  

The case:
Cake Recipe:
Ingredients
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs

3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, 2 cups sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend in buttermilk, 1 cup of butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 4 eggs. Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Prick holes in the still warm cake. Slowly pour sauce over cake. Let cake cool before removing from pan.
To Make Butter Sauce: In a saucepan combine the remaining 3/4 cups sugar, 1/3 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and the water. Cook over medium heat, until fully melted and combined, but do not boil.

Icing Recipe:
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter

Directions
Melt the butter and add to rest of ingredients. Mix until creamy.

The ruling:
This is one of the most moist cakes I've ever had.  I love that is is made from scratch.  I love the simple flavors.  The icing is a good basic recipe.  I added a little more milk to thin it out and it's still plenty thick.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad#28

One of my favorite sides of all time is strawberry pretzel salad, at least it is when it's good.  If it's mushy, especially the pretzel part, I'm not a fan.  For some reason, I've never tried to make it on my own.  I found this on All Recipes.

The case:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
4 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 (16 ounce) package frozen strawberries

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix together the pretzels, 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water. Mix in frozen strawberries, and stir until thawed. Pour over cream cheese mixture in pan. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.

Ruling:
This strawberry pretzel salad is hands down the best I ever had.  After reading the reviews, I left the strawberry mixture in the bowl and placed it in the fridge for 30 minutes before I constructed the salad.  At first, I thought this was a huge mistake, but everything ended up being perfect.  Each layer was separate and burst with flavor.  The pretzels were still crunchy, the middle perfectly sweet, and the top a punch of strawberry flavor!

Greek Salad Dressing #27

I'm trying to eat healthier.  Yes, I want to lose weight, but more than anything I want to for Ryder.  So, my goal is to eat something healthy at every meal.  One easy way to do that is to always have a side salad.  Even if you're eating pizza, you can make it a little healthier by having a salad with it.  I'm not a big fan of most bottled salad dressings, so I'm on a mission to find an easy one to make at home.  I love Greek dressings, so when I saw this on All Recipes I knew I had to try it, especially since all the ingredients I already have on hand.

The case:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup and 2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:
Mix ingredients together.

The ruling:
I used this dressing with a bag of spinach and spring mixture.  I topped it with walnuts and feta as well.  I really liked this dressing.  The tangyness of the vinegar with the salty feta was delicious! I could eat this side salad any night.

Bacon Mac and Cheese #26

This is another delightful dish from Plain Chicken.   It is actually a dish from Emeril.

The case:
Ingredients:
Coarse salt
1/2 pound bowtie or elbow macaroni
3 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (or use a 3oz bag of bacon pieces)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 large eggs
1 can (12 ounces) 2% evaporated milk
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar (6 oz)
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan


Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 6-8 minutes (it will be undercooked). Drain. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium and add bacon. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes.  (OR skip this step and use a bag of bacon pieces) Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon mixture to a medium bowl. Add pasta and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and evaporated milk. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and cheeses; mix well. Add macaroni mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer to an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish or 2-quart gratin dish. With a spoon, gently spread mixture to form an even layer. Bake just until sauce is bubbling at edges, 12 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

The ruling:
Love this! It's perfect-  easy and great flavors with ingredients I usually have on hand.  What's not to love?