White Chicken Chili

Last's night dinner is one of my favorites! However it is a work in progress.
I used to always make White Chicken Chili with one of those MeCorrmick seasoning packets. It was delicious but I've been trying to stay away from those and create my own recipes.
The recipe I came up with was good so I'm going to share it but when I make it again and tweak things, I will share that as well :)


White Chicken Chili

1 lb. chicken breast ( diced)
2 cans of Campbells condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cans of milk 
3-4 cans of white beans 
1 red pepper (finely diced) 
1 large onion (finely diced) 
1 tbsp oil 
4 tsp. chili pepper 
2 tsp. cumin 
2 tsp. crushed red pepper ( optional) 
salt and pepper to taste 


1. In a large skillet, add oil, chicken, onions, and red pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked through, then add the chili pepper, cumin, and crushed red pepper. Stir until evenly coated.

2. In crock pot whisk together the cream of chicken soup and milk. Then add the beans.

3. Add the chicken mixture and mix until completely blended.

4. Cook on high heat for at least an hour, or until beans are cooked.
Instead of the crock pot, you can also combine this all into a large stock pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

Then enjoy with a nice scoop of sour cream,  sprinkle of cheese, and your favorite tortilla chips!

It also tastes great over a pile of tortilla chips topped with cheese. That is how the hubs and Chloe ate theirs last night. Perfect for sitting in front of the TV watching the Jets game. :)

Be sure to follow me, so you don't miss out on any upcoming recipes :) 

Until next time... 

Chicken Teriyaki

That's what was on our menu for tonight. I've been looking at making this for quite awhile but I didn't know what recipe I should follow, then I decided I might as well do what I always do and just throw something together and create my own. So that is exactly what I did.

What you'll need: 

Crockpot

2 lbs. of chicken breast, cut up or cubed (whichever size pieces you prefer) 

1 cup of Teriyaki sauce ( I used a bottle that I got at BJ's, Veri Veri Teriyaki)

1 cup of brown sugar 

3/4 cup of chicken stock 

2-3 cloves of garlic 

a little salt and pepper 

1. First I chopped up the chicken breast, then salt and peppered them. I let them sit while I prepared the sauce. 

2. In a large bowl, mix the teriyaki sauce and brown sugar. The mixture will become thick. 

3. Add Chicken stock and cloves of garlic. 

4. Slowly add in the chicken. Mix until completely coated.

5. Then add everything to the crockpot. Cook on high for about 3 1/2 hours, then turn to low for the last hour. 

6. Then serve over your choice of rice. Tonight we served it over white rice and had a side of broccoli. We may try something else next time. 

There will definitely be a next time with this recipe. I thought 2 pounds of chicken would leave a lot of leftovers but it didn't. 

Tips: If you are making this in the morning and leaving it for the day you should cook on low. 

The longer it is cooked for, the more tender the chicken. 

Well that was my easy and delicious dinner tonight! Crock pot meals are a big favorite of mine, especially during our busy fall schedule. 

Give it a try, hope you enjoy! :)

Ok Ok...

So I totally slacked off this summer and didn't blog once! I wanted to. It was always on the back of my mind but I was having too much fun with my two babies that I just didn't commit to doing it. 

Now its feeling like fall, Chloe started 2nd grade last week, the hubbs is finishing his last year at Stony Brook, and I am finishing my last year at LIU! Liam is pre-schooling at home with momma for this semester and we're just having fun :) 

The routine of each day is now back which also means the routine of my meal planning and cooking and trying new recipes is back. I think that means the routine blogging will be back too! No promises but it's something I enjoy so I'm going to work on. Lol 

This morning I tried something new. I thought that this would be a great way to get things rolling and blog about something new. 

I've been juicing. Not every day and not for every meal but for breakfast I like to do it. I was using the blender and then realized that months ago I pinned something on Pinterest that said you could fit mason jars on most basic blenders. Gave it a shot and it worked!! I was so pleased!! 

Here I started with the empty mason jar. I made sure the the blades could fit in the jar and then added a few ingredients and gave it a whirl. It worked so I added the rest and then I had the perfect concoction already in the glass. A lot less cleanup doing it this way and it gives you the perfect serving size. 

What I used: 

Basic blender

Pint size Mason jar 

Half a banana

1 tbsp flax seed

handful of kale 

handful of romaine lettuce

1/4 cup of blueberries 

1/4 juice from orange or orange juice 

spoonful of greek yougurt (optional)

This is just one way that I make it, sometimes it is super green and it has to do with the ingredients. I don't always add yogurt, and when I first started making smoothies and juice, if I wanted it sweeter I would add a spoonful of good, local honey. I don't do that much anymore but if you need it a little sweeter, that's what I recommend.
As I make them other ways I will share the recipes. 

Well that's all for now! Have a happy Monday! 

Visit from the Tooth Fairy...

My daughter, Chloe, is 6 years old, going on 7 in about 3 months. She has been waiting for over the past year for that first tooth to fall out, so that she could place it under her pillow and wake up the next morning to see what the tooth fairy had left for her. In kindergarten, she would come home from school and tell me that another friend lost a tooth and she would continue to ask me why her teeth weren't wiggly. I would always tell her that each person is different and that she has very healthy teeth so they will come out when they are ready. 

Now over a year later, she is a first grader, and throughout this whole school year she continued to ask the same questions, until a few months ago she started to have 2 wiggly teeth. She expected them to come out right away but the months passed and they were still just wiggly. She'd come home from school and bite down hard on apples, trying anything to get it to fall out and I continued to tell her it will come out when it's ready. 

This past week she lost her very first tooth. Which is great for so many reasons. She was thrilled! She called her best friend almost immediately after it happen and had to share the news, even though she would see her later that day, she just couldn't wait to tell the whole world! I was relieved, for one I would now longer have to tell her it will come out when it's ready and I noticed a few weeks ago that there was a new tooth coming through right behind the baby one. 

Chloe, after losing her 1st tooth! 6/7/13

Losing a tooth is exciting for kids, so I wanted to make the Tooth Fairy experience even more exciting for Chloe. She loves reading the Pinkalicious books, and her favorite this past year has been Silverlicious. This story is all about Pinkalicious' experience losing a tooth. I don't think that this is a time for big gifts. If any gift at all I was going to give her a new tooth brush but it all happened so quickly that I just decided on creating a tooth receipt, a note, a tooth chart, and leaving a dollar.

This tooth receipt I created on my computer, I will upload the document if you'd like to download and customize for your own child. 

To create the tiny envelope I took a piece of paper and cut it into a small heart shape. You then fold in both sides, (pictured on the top right) then fold up the bottom (as pictured in the bottom left). And you've got a miniature sized envelope. I used a thin sharpie on the front to write down my daughters name and address. As well as the Toothy Fairies name and address. Because of the book, Silverlicious, I named the Tooth Fairy, Toothetina. My daughter LOVED it!! 

I also included a Tooth Chart that I created, it is a place that allows your child to keep track of when they lose each tooth. 

I love having the chance to make fun memories for my children, and this is definitely one of them...Our next step is to create a Tooth Fairy box, where she will be able to keep all of her notes from the Tooth Fairy. 

Yay!!

YAY!! Viewers are trying out my recipes and that is exactly why I started this blog a few short weeks ago.  I love cooking and I love sharing what I make with others, so that they may enjoy it too! I was pretty excited when I was on Instagram the other day and was tagged in this picture because she tried out my shrimp kabobs and grilled romaine recipe :) 

Thanks so much for sharing with me! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! 

If you want to stay up to date on all of my recipes and future blog post, click to your right-->
 where it says Join this site! Please follow me and get ready for a mountain of new recipes to flood your way

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream

About a year ago we got an ice cream maker and started to make our own ice cream. We've tried about a dozen different flavors, always using a vanilla ice cream base. The other day I decided to try something different, something chocolate. Lately, if we go out for ice cream, Liam has been asking for chocolate so I decided to whip up some Chocolate Peanut Butter.

You could use any ice cream maker but the machine we have is the Whynter IC-2L SNO 2-Qt. Ice Cream Maker. It is one of my FAVORITE kitchen appliances! I absolutely love having it, it makes the whole process so easy. There is no mess, no salt, no leaving in the freezer for hours. You mix all the ingredients together, turn the button on, and you have delicious ice cream in under an hour. 

Ingredient wise, there is not much that you need to make this, I usually have all ingredients in house besides the heavy whipping cream. 

To get started, take a small saucepan, add egg, sugar, and 1/2 cup of milk. Whisk on low-med heat, stirring often until well mixed and sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and allow some time to cool. You can transfer to a bowl and place in refrigerator until you have completed with the next step. 

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, in a large bowl, whip together peanut butter and cocoa powder. Add cocoa powder slowly and mix at low speed until all of the cocoa has been added. Using low speed until mixed will prevent a puff of cocoa powder in your face. Next you will add the heavy whipping cream and the remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Add this slowly and mix on low speed to prevent the cream and milk from splashing out. 

You will then add the stove-top mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Be sure to scrap down the sides of the bowl as you are mixing to be sure all ingredients are well blended. 

Next will determine what type of machine you are using. For mine, I then add the ice cream mixture to the 2qt container, place in the ice cream maker, turn on and wait about 45 minutes and then it is ready to eat.

If doing this with another ice cream maker, just follow my directions to make the ice cream batter and then follow the directions for your specific machine. 

Enjoy!! This frozen treat is delicious!!

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

My sister and her boyfriend came to town last weekend. Our first time meeting the boyfriend and we all had a really great time! The kids are still asking when they are coming back :) We started our last day together by planning out what we were going to do. I'm a planner, so even in the morning I'm thinking about dinner LOL. They weren't leaving until later that night so I asked if they were staying for dinner or leaving before hand. Once I told them what was for dinner, Ryan says we are staying LOL but Sam doesn't like spicy food, so she's lucky I love her and I modified her wrap by just making it a Chicken Ranch Wrap.

Start with a large skillet over medium heat, add your cooking oil, once coated with the oil add your chicken. Chicken should be cooked until it is cooked through, no more pink. Drain any remaining oil from the pan. Then add the hot sauce, butter, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Mix well to evenly coat the chicken with the sauce. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. 

Then remove from heat and set aside while you prep the wraps. I usually heat the wraps for 30 seconds before filling them, this helps when rolling them up. 

Chop up the lettuce, onion, celery, and carrots, mix together in a small bowl. 

lay your wrap on flat surface, add 1/4 of your vegetable mixture, then 1/4 of your chicken, and then top with blue cheese crumbles. 

To roll, slightly fold in the 2 sides and roll from the bottom to the top. Then cut in half and your ready to enjoy your Buffalo Chicken Wrap. 

I never used to be a fan of spicy food, but now I love it! If you do too, you will love this meal. If your not a fan of spicy food, just take out the hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and blue cheese, and substitute something else. I used ranch dressing for my sisters wrap but you could also use BBQ, Honey Mustard, Teriyaki Sauce, just about anything would work. 

Also if your are not a fan of blue cheese you could leave that out and spread some ranch dressing on your wrap before you fill it up with everything else. 

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Chicken Ranch Wrap 

Be sure to keep a look out for more of my upcoming recipes.
All of my recipes will be found on the My Recipe page. 

Give them a try, share them, and be sure to follow me for all of my updates
Thanks for Noshing with me

Homemade Whipped Cream

You will not believe how easy this is! 

ALL you need: 
Heavy Whipping Cream
Sugar
Vanilla

This is what I use 

To make 4 cups of Whipped Cream: 

One pint (2 cups)  Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tsp of Vanilla

2-4 Tbsp of granulated sugar (to taste) 

It is important to have a metal bowl and a metal whisk attachment for your stand mixer or hand mixer. 

Place the metal bowl and whisk attachment into the freezer for 30 minutes. 

Remove bowl from freezer, add all ingredients into the bowl and beat until it stiffens up and looks like fluffy whipped cream. 

Use immediately or cover and refrigerate, to store. 

*Tips* 

Add a little sugar at a time and taste it, you may not want it real sweet and for other things you may want it sweeter. 

There are a million ways that you could flavor this. For example if you wanted it to be chocolate whipped cream, add 2-4 Tbsp of cocoa powder. 

If using for a cake and you plan to use a piping bag, place whipped cream in the bag and put in the freezer for a few minutes to allow it to stiffen a little. 

My Vanilla Cake

I have a weakness for cake, of course it has to be good cake, but I also usually prefer vanilla over chocolate. I have a great recipe for both, but today I'm going to share my vanilla cake recipe.

**This recipe can be used for 24 cupcakes, an 8x10 sheet cake, or two 8-9'' round cakes.

First Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease your pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk, buttermilk, and vanilla. Then using my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (could also use your hand mixer), I whisk the butter and sugar, beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until creamy. On low speed add the eggs, one at a time, and scraping down the sides. Increase the speed to beat until incorporated. 

On Medium-low speed, add dry mixture and wet mixture, alternating until all ingredients are mixed together. 

**The mixture will not look smooth

Then add mixture to your pan and bake on center rack for 30-35 minutes, until your toothpick comes out clean. This cake has a flat top and will not dome, which makes it great for toppings and frosting. 

Allow to completely cool before topping with your favorite frosting.

Keep a look out for my Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe...

*TIPS*

**If you don't have buttermilk, you can use milk and vinegar as a substitute.
Add 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar to a cup, stir to mix and then allow 10 minutes to sit. **Works best with whole milk

Here are just a few time where I have used this recipe. Enjoy! 

flat top so it is easy to frost with my Whipped Cream Frosting and fruit for my patriotic cake.

Liam's 1st Birthday Cake using this recipe. Mixture of Small round cakes and cupcakes. 

Liam's 3rd Birthday cake

Mix of my vanilla cake and chocolate cake recipe

Shrimp Kabobs and Grilled Romaine salad

I love shrimp. I could probably eat shrimp everyday but my kids on the other hand are so picky when it comes to trying seafood. Friday night I had put Shrimp Kabobs and Grilled Romaine salad on our dinner menu. Shrimp is something I am determined for the kids to try, and really who doesn't like to eat off of a stick. You know what, they liked it! Even Chloe, who is the most stubborn about trying things that looks different. She ate the first kabob and then wanted more!
The Grilled Romaine salad was something new for the whole family to try. I've heard of the idea on cooking shows and seen pictures on Pinterest that look amazing, but personally it seemed pretty gross. I was pleasantly surprised and it was really good. We will definitely be making it again. 

Here's how to add this to your list of summer meals. 

In order to make the shrimp kabobs you'll need skewers. There are metal BBQ skewers that I have on my list to order, but for now I just use the wooden ones.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, garlic, soy sauce, and lime juice. Then pour over your shrimp and mix well so that it is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and let shrimp marinate in the refrigerator for up to an hour. 

While the shrimp is marinating I cut up fresh pineapple into chunks. You can use canned pineapple but this is just what I prefer. 

After shrimp has marinated take your skewers, shrimp, and pineapple, and begin threading onto the skewers. Alternate the shrimp and pineapple.

You are then ready to grill. Grill on medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side. Shrimp will look opaque when finished and pineapple with begin to brown. Enjoy!!

With the romaine hearts you will first want to clean them and be sure to pull off old leaves and any browning spots. Cut off any brown at the root but be sure to leave the whole root intact so that the romaine heart still stays together. 

In a small bowl, whisk together oil olive, vinegar, and spices. Use a brush to paint the dressing mixture onto the romaine. 

Use high heat on your grill, grill the romaine hearts, turning often, until lightly browned on all sides.

This is a great summer side dish that is quick and easy! Enjoy!

some of our dinner after I pulled it off the grill 

Until next time... 

 

Can't have a BBQ without the potato salad..

Memorial Day weekend is considered the unofficial start to summer. Most people are having a backyard BBQ, going to the beach, or enjoying some sort of summer-like activity. On Sunday, we had a BBQ with my in-laws, but it didn't feel much like summer. It was cold and rainy for most of the day. Nevertheless, we still had a BBQ with some amazing food!! One of my faves is my red skinned potato salad.

Their are a lot of recipes for potato salad, but I've never found one that I LOVED until I played around with what I like and came up with my own. To get started your going to need the following ingredients. Then follow a few easy steps.

Wash all of your potatoes, keeping the skin on, dice into bite size pieces. 

Place in a large pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes for about 25 minutes, or until tender when you stabbed with a fork. Use a colander to strain out all of the water and run cold water over them. 

While potatoes are cooking, prepare the rest of your ingredients. For hard boiled eggs, place eggs in small pot of cold water, bring water to a boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes. To allow the eggs to cool, I place them in a bowl with cold water. After they are cooled, peel the shell and chop into to small pieces. 

For bacon, cook as directed, let cook, then chop into fine pieces. 

Chop celery and onion.

After potatoes have cooled, add all wet ingredients, mayo, sour cream, mustard, and relish. Mix well and then add the egg, onion, and celery. After all of these are mixed together top with bacon and add salt and pepper to your liking. 

Store potato salad in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. ENJOY! 

Tips:  *For the hard boiled eggs I add a teaspoon of white vinegar to help the shells to come off easier.

*If the potato salad seems too dry after all ingredients are mixed, add a little more mayo and/or sour cream and mix well.

It may look like a bowl of mush but it is so good! Nomnomnom! 

Where do I begin...

In the past few years I have a new love for cooking. I have always enjoyed cooking, but now I spend so much time in the kitchen and probably spend just as much time thinking about food. I get new ideas and I have to write them down and give them a try as soon as possible. I love to eat, and so do my family and friends, so that makes it even more fun to try out new recipes, create my own, and share them with those around me. 

I have been told by quite a few people, *you know who you are* that I should write my own recipe book. Believe me, I would love that, but everyone has to start somewhere, so I decided that this is where I will begin.

I'm aiming for a few posts a week. 

Soooo, I invite you to follow me on this unexpected journey,

try my recipes, 

leave some feedback, 

have fun, 

& enjoy!

“No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.”

-Julia Child