Med Turkey Meatballs

These are probably the most frequently made meatballs in our home, and the most shared recipe I have. They are so flexible to whatever you have in the fridge and to any dietary needs, and are hands down a crowd favorite. 

Ingredients:

3 lbs ground turkey 

1 egg

1/4 c breadcrumbs (I like Italian)

1 package Mediterranean feta (can sub regular and season accordingly)

2 handfuls fresh spinach - chopped 

1/4 onion, grated (or finely chopped) 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Combine ingredients well, then scoop into balls and bake on a greased pan at 425° for 25 minutes. I like to use my 2 1/2” ice cream scooper for nice even portions, and don’t worry about rounding the bottoms or spreading them out, the meat will shrink as it cooks. There will be a fair amount of juice in the pan once the timer goes off, just pull them out and let sit on the counter for 10m before serving so they can re-absorb all the moisture - this will ensure soft and juicy meatballs! 

3, 2, 1… Easy Coconut Rice

Coconut rice is a delicious and easy addition to any meal, ready in less than 20 minutes, and pairs well with a variety of main courses. 

Ingredients:

3 cups Jasmine Rice

2 cans Coconut Milk 

1 Cup Coconut Water

Plus 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil after cooking 

Combine ingredients in the instant pot or on the stovetop, stir well, and cook for 10 minutes on the rice setting. Turn off the instant pot when finished cooking and let it come to pressure (about 8-10 minutes), then stir in 1-2 Tbsp coconut oil and serve. 

Keeps well in the fridge for 3 days, just warm with a wet paper towel for 1 minute before serving. 

Pairs well with your favorite Asian dish or seafood!

 

Coconut Cream Pie

Coconut cream pie just screams summer to me. The velvety coconut taste reminds me of drinking straight out of a coconut shell on the beach in paradise, and the delicious heavy whipped cream takes me back to summers out on the farm, barefoot with the sun on my face. This recipe won't take too much time, but packs in the nostalgia for a southern girl like me. I cheated a bit and used a Pillsbury roll-out unbaked pie crust, but you can easily skip that step and get a pre-baked crust, or go full fledge and make your own from scratch! I got this recipe from the lovely Robyn at AddAPinch dot com.

Ingredients:

Baked or unbaked pie crust

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut - we’re going to toast this for the topping

cool whip topping

For Custard:

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

1 1/2 cups half & half

5 egg yolks

3/4 cups of sugar

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flaked coconut (not toasted)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

For Whipped Topping:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare pie crust according to directions if you have an unbaked crust.

Spread coconut flakes for topping evenly on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake coconut until just beginning to brown 6-8 minutes. These guys are tricky so you’ll really want to pay attention to that timer and check the brown-ness. It sneaks up on you! Set aside to cool.

To prepare custard pour coconut milk and half & half into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add egg yolks and whisk them together with the milk mixture. Set aside.

Add sugar and cornstarch to a pot on the stove over medium heat. 

Re-whisk egg and milk mixture and slowly add to the pot, whisking constantly. 

Bring mixture to a boil, about 10 minutes, and then switch to a rubber or wooden spoon and continue to stir, letting boil for 1 minute.

Remove mixture from heat and add butter, raw coconut, vanilla, and salt. Pour into baked pie crust. Cover lightly and chill the refrigerator 1 hour or until set and cool. 

To prepare whipped topping add sugar and heavy whipping cream to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and whisk until combined. 

Spread whipped cream on top of coconut custard. Top with cool whip topping as desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then top with toasted coconut.

Turkey Burgers & Tzatziki Sauce

Hallelujah! The sun is shining on my face! The air is warm and the breeze is blowing! The flowers are in bloom, and it smells like fresh cut grass with the sprinklers on! Can you tell I love summer?

My favorite thing about these burgers is just how light, and yet filling, they are! Subbing the turkey and adding fresh crunchy cucumber twist makes this the best dinner-on-the-patio meal! And that's just what we did at my grandparents house last week, and let me tell you, it was simply perfect. We lit up the tiki torches, and as the dusk settled and the frogs came out I looked around the table at my beautiful family and took a bite of my dinner and I just smiled because my heart was so full and so happy.

I always start out by making the Tzatziki sauce so it has some time to marry the flavors. Now dont be deterred because you dont even know what 'Tzatziki" sauce is. It's basically a mediteranean cucumber & dill yogurt, and it's incredibly easy to mix up. Not only is it good on the turkey burger, but you can also eat it with chicken/beef/pork/lamp/white fish, use it at a veggie dip or salad dressing, substitute it for mayo, or go traditional and dip pita bread into it!

For the sauce simply add some fresh chopped dill and ONE minced clove of garlic to plain greek yogurt. Then you'll grate about half a cucumber and add it to the mix with some salt & pepper and a little lemon juice, and stick it in the fridge! I'm a garlic girl, Lord knows, so take it from me that one clove is plenty plenty here. Easy right?

For the burgers you'll want to assemble your station before you prep. If you're using an outside grill go ahead and light the charcoal to give it time to heat up properly too. Set out a mixing bowl, a large sheet pan (or two for a double batch, or just small patties) and two pieces of wax or parchment paper for each sheet pan, one lining the bottom and the other set aside.  Very finely chop the spinach and add it to the mixing bowl with one egg and ground turkey.  Crumble of your feta cheese over the bowl, and add salt, pepper, and onion powder. Mince up another clove of garlic, and throw it in there too for good measure. Now it's time to get those hands dirty! (Hence the prep work!)

Mix the ingredients until well combined, but be careful not to over mix them. Then scoop out a small handful to roll into a ball, and place on the sheet pan about 3 inches apart leaving room to flatten them. Once the pan is full, cover with second parchment paper and one by one gently flatten patties to about 1/2 inch thickness. The turkey patties wont really shrink like beef ones do - because of lower fat content- so the size you make them is the size they will be once they're cooked. Next, make some space in the fridge for the patties while you warm up the cooking surface. The time in the fridge helps them to be more handleable when getting them into the pan or onto the grill, so 5-10 min is perfect.

I like to use a cast iron pan, but a saute pan, skillet, or grill all work great when oiled. Total cooking time should be about 7-8 minutes on each side, or until cooked thoroughly.

You didn't think I was going to leave you hanging right there did you? It's time to assemble the burgers! And trust me, there is a right way to do so! While your burgers are cooking, slice up a tomato, avocado, and the rest of your cucumber, and dont forget your Tzatziki sauce in the fridge!

(Thor voice) TIME TO ASSEMBLE, uh I mean, let's eat! Does anyone like to heat up their buns? I like to put them in a warm oven or on the hot grill for just 2 minutes or so until they are nice and warm, not toasty. Okay, slap some of that delicious sauce on the bottom bun, followed by one-two slices of tomato, and three slices of cucumber, then add a meat patty. Lay avocado slices on top of the meat, and on goes the top bun. This is a tall burger ya'll, so give it a smush! (after the photo op of course!)

We had some patties left over which I gave to my great-grandmother because she was such a big fan. 93 years old and I impressed her with my cooking! Proud moment right there folks! If you happen to have leftovers they would be great crumbled up with pasta, heated up with some veggies or sweet potato fries, or just as a cold snack! Any way you eat them, they are sure to be a hit!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey (makes 4-6 patties)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/3 cup finely chopped spinach
1 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cucumber, 1/2 grated, 1/2 sliced
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
Hamburger buns

Enjoy these burgers with some easy oven-baked sweet potato fries, or your favorite side!

The Best Orange Chicken

When I was growing up the closest Panda Express was about 45 minutes down the road, so we didn't get to go there very often. When my mom had to run an errand closer to the city we kids always thought it was a treat to stop by and get some of that delicious orange chicken and fried rice. Now that I'm older (and live less than 10 miles from the closest chain) the novelty has worn off, but I still love the taste of an orange-glazed tender. I researched and experimented and now this recipe is a common request around our dinner table.

I typically bread & fry the chicken breast before glazing it with the orange sauce, but recently I caught a wild hair and decided to try out on my chicken meatballs [look for this recipe up soon]. Let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed!

I love the fresh orange taste you get from the glaze, and you can even make this without breading the chicken for a low-carb meal. You might want to make a double batch because you will definitely find yourself going back for more. I recommend you serve your orange chicken with rice so you can dip your sticky chicken in it. This recipe will have you forgetting all about that chain restaurant; Panda who?

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 Tablespoons oil for frying

Breading:

1 1/2 cups cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs beaten

Orange Sauce:

1 1/2 cups water

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 cloves minced garlic

2 green onions, finely chopped

Juice of 1 orange

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

Zest of 1 orange 

1 teaspoon grated or minced ginger root

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

To bread your chicken add cornstarch to a ziplock bag, and eggs to another. Cube chicken breast and drop tenders first into the eggs, then the cornstarch to coat thoroughly.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add oil to pan. Cook tenders in hot oil about 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through, and then set aside.

While chicken is cooking, mix up cornstarch for sauce by adding to about 1-2 tablespoons of your water to a bowl and thoroughly mixing out all clumps, and then set aside. 

Once the chicken is removed from the pan, add chopped onions and garlic and cook until fragrant 2-3 minutes, you don't want them to brown. Mix liquids in a small bowl, then add them to the pan and stir. 

When the mixture comes to a simmer add brown sugar and mix to combine, then add ginger, orange zest, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch mixture from earlier. Continue to let the sauce simmer, and stir occasionally until it starts to thicken. 

Once your sauce has thickened add your chicken back to the pan and stir to coat. Cover and continue to let simmer for 5 minutes. When your stomach just can't stand the aromatics anymore, serve over a bed of rice, and enjoy!

Can we take a few minutes to talk about Chicken Frying?

Everybody loves fried chicken, but many of us can't master that crispy crunchy outer texture, so here are a few tips to help you be more successful:

1. What oil are you using? Olive oil has a lower smoking point and can cause a bitter taste once it reaches that point. An oil like canola or vegetable oil is better suited for chicken frying (you want you oil temp at about 350 degrees), and will save your wallet too.

2. Don't use fridge-cold chicken! Adding cold chicken to your hot oil will only lower the temperature of your oil and guarantee you soggy breading. Instead, let your chicken sit out for about 30 minutes before dropping it into the pan.

3. Hands off the chicken! Some of us (*ahem hubby*) have a nasty habit of playing with our food while it's cooking. Chicken seals to the pan when you first drop it on, and breaking that seal too early risks pulling off your breading, and keeps it from getting nice and crispy. Allow the chicken to cook thoroughly on each side, and when it's ready to give you'll have a nice golden brown. Depending on the size you'll want to wait at least 3-5 minutes.

4. Using paper towels to soak up the grease? This is a mistake I'm guilty of making myself, naively thinking that I can get the extra grease off the tender. The problem with this is that as the paper towel soaks up that hot oil it lets off steam which, you guessed it, makes your breading soggy. A metal rack or pan is a better option to drain the grease without sabotaging that crispy texture you just worked so patiently for!

This recipe is adapted from TheNoshery.com

Homemade Hummus

At long last! I've had several requests for this recipe over the holidays after I touted how delicious and easy it was to make. I always assumed that making your own foods we typically find conveniently packaged at the store would require a lot more effort, but I now enjoy the freedom of knowing just what goes into my food and making it exactly how like it. There is one caveat to this recipe - it does require a food processor. I tried to use a Ninja blender and it didn't go over so well, but maybe a regular blender would work differently. If you don't have one, maybe you can ask a friend or neighbor to borrow theirs in exchange for a batch to keep for themselves *wink*

Make sure you give yourself at least 4 hours to chill the hummus after you make it before serving, but actual prep/mix time is only about 7 minutes. Find a sealed container to store it in; I like the glass-lock ones because it keeps it sealed and fresh, and I can just pop off the lid and serve it in the glass container when I have company. I'll give you this recipe in a single batch, but I usually triple it since we love it so much. The great part about this recipe is that it's really just a base so you can add anything you want to make it your own, even though we usually just end up leaving it plain because it's just sooo darn good! I encourage you to use some off the add-ins I've listed so you can find your favorite!

The key to a good hummus is the Tahini, which is a sesame seed paste. Its a little pricey at the store, but it's worth it for the flavor it provides, trust me I tried. You can find it at any grocery store in the international section, or with the peanut butter. Lastly, I discovered that 6 Tbsp of Tahini is about 1/2 cup, and  9 Tbsp is about 2/3 cup, if you do decide to double or triple the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp Tahini
4 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cumin
salt & pepper

Drain the chickpeas and pour into the food processor. Add mincedi garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and Tahini. Turn on food processor for about 30 seconds or until mixture forms a rough paste. Add water, cumin, and salt & pepper and puree on high for 3-5 minutes, or until mixture is smooth and creamy. You can use more or less water to your mix to get your desired consistency

Here is where you would add additional ingredients to add flavor to your hummus. Then pour hummus into airtight storage container, and cover with 1 Tbps more of oil, to keep the top moist and fresh. Refrigerate until chilled, and serve with veggies, chicken, or your favorite crackers, and enjoy!

Additional mix-ins:

Roasted Red Pepper:
2 bell peppers, cut and de-seeded
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (about 9)

Zuchinni:
2 zuchinni, peeled and chopped

Avocado:
2 ripe avocados, peeled and de-seeded.
The avocado can be used in place of the Tahini here if you wish

Basil Pesto:
8 fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp parmesean
OR add in 2 Tbsp of your favorite Pesto

More fun recipes here:

Appetizer's Hummus Upgrades
Skinny Mom's 13 Ways

Roasted Tomato & Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken is pretty much a staple in our household, so I'm always looking for new ways to prep it. And I'm always looking for a big flavor punch without too much work. This recipe is a mashup of two different ones I found online but I think it's a perfect blend of light and savory. The roasted tomatoes and the light garlic gravy (yes, I said garlic gravy, it will blow your socks off) with the fresh herbs and lemon zest really rounds out the heavy pasta. Another plus is that this recipe can be ready to go in 30 minutes so it fits perfectly into your busy schedule. Shall we?

To start out, set a pot of water on the stove, add salt and a bit of olive oil, and bring it to a boil for your pasta. Wheat pasta cooks a bit longer than regular pasta, so cook according to package directions. Trim and cut your chicken breasts into bite sized strips, and season with your favorite stuff. I'm using a 'special' blend my MIL gave us, but if you're not sure what to use just stick with the basics of salt & pepper. Bring a saute pan to medium heat, add your oil, and cook the chicken about 3-4 minutes on each side, then transfer to a plate and set aside leaving the chicken juice in the pan.

Keep the pan on medium heat, and add butter, minced garlic, and grated onion to the pan, and cook until softened and fragrant, mmmm. Seriously, if you've never used a cheese grater on an onion you are missing out. We're going to make a roux, so add flour to the softened onion and garlic and stir it around for about 2 minutes to cook out the flour flavor, and make sure to scrape up those brown bits from the chicken! Next add the chicken broth to the mixture to make your "Garlic Gravy", it's heavenly. Like seriously I'm going to start using it all the time. If you don't have any chicken broth on hand, vegetable broth, or the water from your cooked pasta will work just fine.

Once your gravy comes to a simmer it's time to add in the tomatoes, basil, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Stir everything together and put a lid on it if you can to let the flavors come together for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken back into the pan. I need a lid for my favorite saute pan so in a pinch I'll set a glass cutting board over the top of it just to help hold in that steam. Continue to cook until the tomatoes are wilted, about 5 minutes.

By now your pasta should be cooked al dente, so drain it and return it to the pan, removed from heat.

Once you're ready to plate, create a bed of pasta in the bowl, lay a few pieces of chicken over it, and then ladle out some of that good gravy - don't forget the tomatoes! Squeeze the lemon over top of everything, and sprinkle (read: blanket) with grated parmesan, and dig in!

Ingredients:

1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
8 oz spaghetti pasta(I like the whole wheat kind)
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced or coarsely chopped
1/4 cup grated or finely chopped onion
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons flour (white, wheat, almond, or coconut)
2 cups chicken broth (pasta water will work in a pinch!)
2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 Tablespoon basil or 4-6 fresh leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
Juice & zest of 1 lemon

salt & pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan for garnish

Enjoy this light and healthy option for lunch, or dinner!

Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Much of the US was hit by a winter storm this week, so that's nothing new. After the Christmas holidays and all of the rich, sweet, delicious food I have been having serious withdrawal cravings. When we got word that we were expecting at least 8 inches in an area totally unaccustomed to snow I got the inspiration for a special snow day baking project. I pulled out my great-grandmother's original better home and garden cookbook for our family's roll recipe, set it side by side with my cooking bible, and let the inspiration flow.

So here I am at 11 o'clock at night kneading out dough  for the second time and debating baking the sweets that night in case of a surprise power outage. It was so peaceful, like meditation, but covered in flour.

The  important thing to know about this recipe is that it will be at least three hours from the time you start this recipe until your rolls actually go in the oven, so it is ideal to make ahead the night before. I also used half wheat flour and half unbleached white flour, and it would be fine to use coconut or almond flour as well. This is a recipe that relies mostly on the consistency of the dough and not exact measurements, but don't let that freak you out, I did my best to estimate and I'll let you know what you should expect.

Who's ready for some diabeetus?! Uh, I mean, cinnamon rolls!?

Add one package of dry active yeast to 2 cups very warm water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Stir gently and let set 2-3 minutes until the yeast dissolves.  Add 1 1/2 Tablespoon of shortening or softened butter, and one beaten egg to mixture.

Add about 1 1/2 cup flour until it's the consistency of a thick cake batter and beat with an electric beater until smooth and glossy. At this point you'll want to switch to hand mixing unless you have bread hook attachments.  Add about 2 more cups of flour, a little at a time, until the dough is stiff to stir with a wooden spoon.

Now it's time to roll up your sleeves. Transfer your dough to a floured board and knead for several minutes adding flour until dough is elastic and doesn't stick to your hands. Return the dough to the clean dry bowl and cover with a damp cloth or towel.

I'm not sure about your house, but in the winter here the house stays a little cooler, and since you need to keep the dough in warm place until it doubles in size, or about an hour to an hour and a half, one option is to use the oven. Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature possible, then TURN IT OFF and stick your bowl in there to keep warm. This will activate the yeast quicker for you too!

Before you start working on the dough again, now is the time to mix up the cinnamon sugar filling. Combine 2 Tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup brown or white sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of cloves in a microwave safe dish, or on the stovetop. Heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients create a sugar crumble.

It's important to note here that I use brown sugar and a glass baking dish, and my grandmother uses white sugar and a metal baking dish. She always found that the brown sugar mix would harden and stick to the pan, but by beating the butter and sugar together it seems to change the way it behaves for me.. Brown sugar gives you more rich flavor, but if you have any issues just switch to white to avoid difficulties.

Once the dough has risen to twice its size, (its magic!) scrape the dough back onto your floured surface. Punch down the dough and knead it again until it's elastic and not sticky - and don't hesitate to use some more flour. Now grab that rolling pin and roll out your dough to about 3/4" thickness, trying to make a square or rectangular shape with even sides.

Spread the cinnamon sugar all over the dough, leaving a quarter inch bare on the top end that you intend to use as the outside edge of your swirl. Optional additional add-ins include pecans, walnuts, raisins, chocolate chips, fruit, or whatever your heart desires!

Then roll that baby up! Roll it nice and tight, and pull the edges to keep them even. Use a serrated knife to cut your log, starting in the middle and making two, then the middle of those logs to make four, and so on until your rolls are about an inch thickness. Set your rolls in a metal or glass baking pan side by side, and make sure you use a pan that has high sides, and spray it to prevent sticking. Another fun tip: if you don't plan to serve your rolls in the pan, you can add a layer of parchment paper to the bottom and up over the sides which will allow you to pick the cooked rolls right up off the pan and place them on a pretty dish for serving!

If you are saving these rolls for another day, now is the time to cover with foil to store in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you're ready to bake, take them out of the fridge to come to room temp for about an hour before resuming the next step.

Your rolls need to rise again, so put them back in a warmed oven, covered with a damp towel, for another hour or so until they are twice their size. (Does any of this sound familiar?)

Once your rolls are nice and risen, take them out of the oven. Preheat it to 350 degrees and bake them 25 minutes or until golden on the tops. Then place on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes before serving.

While your rolls are baking it's time to make the icing. Add about 1 cup powdered sugar to a bowl with 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 2-3 tablespoons of milk. Beat until sugar is dissolved, adding more sugar or milk until reaching a silky consistency. Then pour that icing all over those piping hot rolls and let it melt into all their tiny crevices to give you that sticky ooey gooey mess we all love.

Serve and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container on the countertop for easy snacking where they will last for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for easy reheat next weekend! They also make great gifts!

Ingredients

Rolls:
1 package Dry Active or Fast Rising Yeast
2 cups water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Tablespoon shortening or softened butter
1 egg
4 cups flour approximately (wheat, white, almond, or coconut - do not use baking flour as it contains baking soda and salt)

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup brown or white sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
optional nuts, chocolate, or fruits as add-ins

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar (aka confectioners sugar)
3 tablespoons milk approximately (I used almond, but you can use whatever you have)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Lemon Thyme Cornish Game Hens & Roasted Vegetables

I was walking through the grocery store the other day looking for inspiration when I passed the meat section and saw some Cornish Hens on sale, two for $9. I'd only tried them once before without much success, and I figured given the extra free time I find myself with lately was a perfect opportunity to give it another go. Plus you really can't beat dinner for two for that price [hubs eats for 3 usually], so I picked up a vidalia yellow onion and some baby red potatoes before checkout to complete the meal.

Interestingly enough, the day before I was tuned in to the Rachael Ray show and she had been cooking cornish hens using a method I hadn't heard of before, so the the timing couldn't be more coincidental. The hens I got were frozen, and so I started by thawing them for about two hours in a bowl of cold water, changed out every 30 minutes. This method is preferred over sticking them in the microwave on defrost or setting them out on the counter because it ensures they keep a more even cold temperature and you don't run the risk of them getting partially cooked on the thinner parts. Alternately, if you have time you can leave them in the fridge for a few days but I wasn't patient enough for that.

So on to the fun part! After a few hours of research on pinterest [don't tell me you wouldn't get distracted] I had narrowed down a marinade and cooking method to go with my new Rachael Ray technique, spatchcocking. Funny name, great results.

Start by removing your chickens from their packaging, and discarding the inner organs if supplied. (Dont yell at me, I don't know what to do with them yet!)

You'll need a cutting board and kitchen shears for this part; face the hen spine side up with the neck facing you. Begin on the right side of the spine, and cut down to the tail using the spine as a guide. Repeat on the left side and discard spine [or you can use it to make chicken broth]. You should now have an exposed inner cavity. Next flip the bird over and using your palms gently press the rib cage down into the cutting board to flatten; you may hear some cracking and that is okay.

At this point you have a few options for the wings; 1. remove them all together, 2, remove the thin wing tip, 3. leave them whole [tips will get crispy during cooking, but it does not ruin the taste]

Once you have repeated this with the second hen place them in a large gallon-sized ziplock bag with the marinade 1-24 hours in the bottom of the fridge. The particular marinade I chose has since been added to my top favorite marinade lists so I've included the recipe below, but here is the ingredient list just to get your mouth watering; EVOO, honey, fresh thyme, lemon juice & zest, lime juice & zest, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

Once you are ready to make dinner preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Chop the onion and quarter the potato (you can also use tomato, carrot, squash, or any other favorites) and place them in the bottom of a roasting dish or 9x11 glass pan. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan and sprinkle salt and pepper. Place your hens on a baking rack (I used a metal cooling rack - works just the same!) and set the rack over the veggies - they shouldn't touch. Now pour the remaining marinade over top of the hens and stick them in the oven.

The best part about this is that the extra marinade that doesn't stay on the chickens will drop down onto your veggies along with any extra juices from the meat making them tasty tasty tasty!

Bake for 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Allow chicken to rest 3-5 minutes before cutting and serving. Use a slotted spoon for veggies, or let the meat soak up those juices on your plate - either way I'm sure this will be a new staple!

Lemon Thyme Marinade (for 2 game hens)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
4 teaspoons fresh thyme (7 oz)
3 garlic cloves, minced
zest & juice of 1 lemon
zest & juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Total prep time: 15 minutes + 1-24 hours for marinade
Total cook time: 45-60 minutes

This marinade recipe was found on Food.com, it is not my own

Chicken & Parmesan Manicotti

So I've had these manicotti shells in my pantry for a while trying to decide what I wanted to do with them, and the time finally came! I've definitely got some tips for you after my first-time manicotti try, but they turned out delicious anyway, it was just aesthetics ;)

Ingredients
10-14 pieces of manicotti (depends on package size)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
2 chicken breasts
1 egg
1 teaspoon oregano
salt & pepper to taste
1 bottle of your favorite pasta sauce

In a pot bring water to a boil with chicken breasts. Boil for 15 minutes or until breasts are cooked through. Strain chicken and let cool, then shred. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add manicotti shells to boiling water. Tip #1 - only let manicotti cook for 5 minutes or until just al dente. This is essential to ensure the manicotti retains its shape when you fill them later. Set manicotti aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl combine shredded chicken, ricotta cheese, parmesean cheese, egg, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir well until mixed thoroughly. Tip #2 - add chicken mixture to a plastic bag and cut the very tip off to make cleanup & filling manicotti shells easier. Fill manicotti shells generously and place in a pre-greased 9x12 pan. Cover with selected pasta sauce and cook in oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Optional to sprinkle with parmesean cheese for serving. Enjoy!

Banana Split Cake

This delicious recipe comes right from the pages of a summer edition of the Family Circle magazine, and when my hunny asked me to make him something sweet this recipe caught my eye. Its kind of a banana bread cake, and filled with all your favorite sundae toppings. Serve with a scoop of vanilla bean or just top with whipped cream.

Ingredients: 
3 1/2 cups flour (I used wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter - softened
4 eggs
4 medium, very-rip bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

12 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2/3 cups strawberry preserves
2/3 cups pineapple preserves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Optional toppings - whipped topping or ice cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch cake pans & line with parchment paper if desired.

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl (I did my bowl sizes backwards, so learn from my mistakes here!). In large bowl beat sugar and softened butter until fluffy about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs to butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each.

Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla.

Beat in half of the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk, and then the remaining flour mixing well.

EEK! This is becoming a lot of batter!! My mixer was working overtime trying to get everything mixed thoroughly.

Pour batter into cake pans evenly, and bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (Ok so I need to invest in another 8 inch round lol but pie pans work in a pinch!). Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes and then transfer to wire racks and place in freezer or fridge to cool. (freezer is faster if you have the space) Takes about 30-60m depending on where you put them.

While cake cools place chopped chocolate in medium bowl (I used the morsels so I didnt bother chopping them). Bring heavy cream to a boil, which should take 2-3 minutes, and then pour over chocolate. This boil comes on quick, whew! it surprised me! Probably does help that I had it on medium-high heat ;)

Hand mix until combined and then beat on medium 5-7 minutes or until fluffy. Trust me, it takes forever to just stand there and mix forever, but mmmmm its deliciously worth it! Let stand 10 minutes before adding to cake.

Trim cooled cakes lightly to flatten tops (I've yet to do that here.. oops!). Carefully slice each cake in half horizontally creating 4 layers.

On first layer add strawberry preserves and spread evenly.

Top with second cake layer and add half of the chocolate ganache, spreading evenly. You could actally use less than half I think for this part, just enough to cover, because I ended up having it smushing out the sides when I put the next layer on.

Top with third cake layer and spread pineapple preserves evenly. Is your mouth watering yet?!

Top with the last layer of cake and ice with remaining chocolate ganache. Makes for quite a mess! :)

Sprinkle walnuts over the top of the finished cake. 

Top with desired additional toppings when serving. Store in the refrigerator.

HOLY WOW that is a piece of cake! 

Crock Pot Chicken & Rice

Holy moley this is just what the doctor ordered for this cold wintery day! Especially since I've been working overtime for the holidays and I've had a cold all last week, this was so easy and so delicious! Uses basic ingredients I know you have on hand, and can feed a crowd, or works great as leftovers. 

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts

1 cup brown rice

2 1/4 cup water

1 can cream of chicken

2-3 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into crockpot on high heat for 4-6 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours. Stir before serving and enjoy! Chicken should be soft enough to shred apart with just a fork or spoon once served.

Queso Magnifíc

I’m pretty sure there’s an unwritten code that says if you’re from Texas then there queso in your blood, as in, you know what good queso tastes like and you won’t settle for less than the best! I used to call this queso fundito to until I tried the disgusting stringy greasy melted cheddar mess of a queso fundito that is popular at some Mexican restaurants. Not to discriminate, but that's just not my thing, and I don't want my deliciously creamy queso to be confused with anything... lesser. Hmph. What I have created is a masterful combination of quesos and taco, and tell me honestly, who doesn’t love tacos?! #tacoparty #tacosarelife.

Do you need another reason? Okay, well here it is; you can make this in the crock pot. Mic. Drop. Just know you’ll have to half the recipe to make this in a 1 qt crock pot, but really, who would want to do that????

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
Taco seasoning
OR you can use your home made blend of: cumin, garlic, onion, salt pepper, cayenne, & paprika

1 brick processed cheese - cheese plastic I know but it’s the perfect consistency!

1 can refried beans

1/2 cup sour cream

4 oz cream cheese

1-2 cans rotel (mild or hot, depending on desired spicyness)

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Guacamole or avocado for garnish

Tortilla chips for serving

Set crock pot to high heat. Brown beef over medium heat until cooked thoroughly. Season meat with taco seasoning before adding to crock pot.

Cut processed cheese bock into small squares and add to crock pot with remainder of ingredients. Do not drain any juices, but include them in the mix.

Stir queso occasionally to ensure even melting. Let heat about 20 min or until contents are melted and thoroughly mixed before serving. 

Hawaiian Salmon Rolls

Perfect little finger snacks; sweet, savory, and a total crowd-pleaser. 

Ingredients:

4 packages of set of 4 Hawaiian sweet rolls

Cream cheese

Smoked salmon slices

Sliced breakfast ham

Oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Slice roll in half and smear cream cheese in each half. Place a slice of salmon and a slice of ham between the halves. Top rolls with oregano. 

Place in oven for 10-15 minutes or until cream cheese is melty creamy and bun is slightly toasted.

This will not cook the salmon thoroughly, so please be advised that this does contain raw fish.

Chicken Flatbread Pizza

Healthy and tasty, I adore this twist in traditional pizza with a delicious flatbread. You can add virtually any favorite toppings, but here's something to get you started. 

Ingredients:

Package of flatbreads from the local grocery

1 can pizza sauce

Chopped chicken breasts

Chopped onions

Chopped spinach

Chopped cauliflower

Chopped mushrooms

Feta cheese crumbles

Shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place flatbreads in a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes. This will prevent the bread from becoming soggy. 

Top cooled flatbread with pizza sauce and desired toppings. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and pizza is headed through (cooking time can depend on toppings).

Pumpkin Shaped Spice Cake

Yet another pinterest project, but I just couldn't resist!! It's the cutest Halloween decoration and hello its EDIBLE and delicious! Plus its just fun to do something a little different with such a staple at my house. Yes, cake is a staple, I bake for every occasion!! This may look a bit intimidating but I assure you this is a SUCH an easy project, and if I would have had some foresight (which I of course will share with you) then it would have turned out even cuter! This will take about 4 hours to complete so I recommend starting early, since each cake will have to bake about 1 hour each, plus cooling time, & frosting time.

Ingredients:

2 boxes of cake mix - I suggest pumpkin, spice, carrot, or any other fall inspired flavor

correlating ingredients for your respective mix (i.e. eggs, water, butter, oil, milk, etc.)

Bundt pan

3 cans of orange icing, or can use white icing and red & yellow food coloring to make orange

1 can chocolate icing

Green decorative icing

Flat bottomed ice cream cones (green or brown desired), kit kats, or stem-making item (get creative!)

Begin by baking both cakes according to package directions in a greased Bundt pan, and let cakes cool thoroughly before icing. If you have read my prior posts you know I like to put my own twist on box cake mixes, the Rule is: substitute milk instead of water, add an egg, and substitute butter for oil and double the amount.

Place one cake round side down on plate and spread a layer of orange icing over the flat surfacec before placing the other cake round side up on top. 

Dirty ice cake with a thin layer of orange icing and refrigerate 30 min to set icing. Frost cake with remainder of frosting finishing with vertical strokes with a flat piping bag attachment.

To make stem, frost ice cream cone with chocolate icing if you could not find a green or brown one. Place ice cream cone in center of cake. Frost leaves and vine with green icing with a small round piping bag attachment. I did not have any ice cream cones since I made this cake partially on a whim so I stuck a plastic cup down the center of my cake and tied about 8 Kit Kats together with a green ribbon and set them on top of the cup in the middle of the cake.

To create the face, place chocolate icing in piping bag or ziplock bag with hole cut in the tip and draw on a pumpkin or jack-o-lantern face with a small round attachment. Accent with candies if desired.

Grey Chic - Old Dresser Overhaul

This is a project I have been wanted to do for a WHILE, like ever since I came I to possession of this dresser while. I love the chic and timeless look of a grey dresser, it was something that I have dreamt of for a while, so it was an obvious choice to breathe new life into this eyesore. Prior to my ownership this dresser belonged to my stepmother and my dad who found it at a flea market, and was used in both my stepsister and stepbrothers rooms. It has the original tag in the top drawer that says it came from the United Furnitire Corporation out of Lexington, North Carolina, and something about it wouldn't let me just trash it. Call it my crazy belief that I can salvage nearly anything but let me tell you, this yellow vinyl scratched up banged up broken pieces dresser was a big challenge. 

It came to me with the bottom drawer having been broken on the corner and poorly glued back into place, so before I began proper sanding I purchased some glue filler from the local hardware store to fill in the gaps. Thankfully I picked out the new hardware ahead of time as well, because I had to fill one of the existing hardware holes and drill new ones to fit my modern selections. 

The wood filler is like a putty that dries to the same consistency of wood, you can see the filled holes (it shows up a lighter color than the wood) in the below pictures of the sanded and stacked drawers. I overfilled the holes a little so when they dried they wouldn't shrink too much, since you can always sand it down.

I used an 80 grade sandpaper with my electric sander to get all the old paint off and smooth the imperfections, which took roughly 4 hours total. Talk about sawdust and sore hands, I have a brandnew appreciation for my precious Poppa who taught me everything I know about woodwork and powertools. Everywhere, I mean everywhere, that there was sweat there was a layer of sawdust. Even on the bottoms of my feet! And I had to blow the sawdust off the dresser two or three times before I started painting because there was so much in the air it kept settling back.

Once I had everything sanded down I used a finer 120 grade sandpaper to smooth everything and help close the wood cuticle so it didn't eat paint like a black hole.

I let the wood rest overnight in the cool garage and then I used two cans of white wood primer spray paint to cover the wood, again to prevent it eating all my paint, and let it dry for a few hours. Now, don't ask me why I picked spray paint for a dresser.. I genuinely thought it would be quick as easy and wouldn't take too much paint, plus it would give a seamless even coverage.. Well it did on the last part.. But it took 7 cans of Krylon Colormaster in Classic Grey Gloss to cover this whole thing!!! Whew!

I ended up having to do two coats of paint as well because this old wood was thirsty!! Maybe I should have used more primer before I started with the grey but, you live and you learn, right? Anyway, here is the finished dresser in its new home of my guest bedroom, plus the gorgeous yet simple hardware! I went with a 6" silver bar for the handles on the bigger drawers, and a pretty little crystal knob for the top two drawers.

And since I'm obsessed with this new split pic app I have here is a side by side before and after of my new dresser!