Garlic Chicken Farfalle

I rarely use bottled sauces or marinades, but I made an exception this week because I couldn't bring myself to pass up this fabulous recipe. Upon reading it I thought it sounded simple but with a strong combination of flavors.

Chicken Taco Casserole (updated)

It's been just over a year since I originally posted this recipe. Though I've been making it for years (probably at least 6 years) I keep making tiny adjustments to the recipe. Well, not so much the recipe as the ingredients are still the same, but to the technique.

Menu for 4/21/14-4/27/14

Happy Easter everyone!

Bailey has thoroughly enjoyed her Easter. Friday my bestest friend scooped us up and took us out for a nice Easter lunch (McAlister's Deli, yummm!) and some last minute Easter shopping.

Playing in the mirror at lunch.

My best friend (Bailey's Aunt Anna) always gets Bailey gifts for every holiday. She makes up a giant Easter basket for her every year with plastic eggs full of candy and snacks, toys, coloring books and crayons, and lots of cute clothes.

Chicken Taco Ranch Salad with Black Beans

Since the start of this year I've been attempting to eat a bit healthier. Don't get me wrong, I still have some seriously bad eating habits (such as eating half a dozen homemade yeast rolls with a single meal) but for the most part my healthy habits are outweighing my unhealthy ones.

Menu for 4/14/14-4/20/14

Yesterday we celebrated Aaron's mother's birthday with a delicious beef roast (cooked in the crock pot the way my mom makes it) and a three layer Neapolitan cake.

Homemade Bacon Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper

I've admitted more than once that I actually like Hamburger Helper meals. It's not just the ease of the meal either, I like the taste as well. But as I've said before there are just too many preservatives and additives in those boxed meals that I can't bring myself to ingest on a regular basis, let alone feed them to Bailey.

Menu for 4/7/14-4/13/14

Anyone who doesn't follow Annie's Eats regularly should definitely click over there and check out her daughter's adorable bunny birthday party. Annie always lays out an impressive spread for birthdays and this birthday was no exception. Not to mention the kiddo is absolutely adorable!

I've been spending some time catching up on the blogs I've gotten behind on lately. Annie's kids, Andrew and Caroline, are frequently the star of the show as is Kristin's cutie, Lincoln, on Iowa Girl Eats. I just eat it up, all the goofy pictures and funny stories. Kids are the best!

Chick-fil-A Style Chicken Nuggets and Sauce

Chick-fil-A used to be one of my favorite places to eat, but since we are a single income family we've had to cut back our fast food intake the past few years. I don't really miss fast food or take out often, but every now and then I just crave some Chick-fil-A nuggets.

Yaya's Herb Roasted Potatoes

Aaron loves potatoes. He likes mashed potatoes, hash browns, french fries, you name it. I think he would be happy with a meal of just potatoes. We could have loaded potato casserole with french fries and mashed potatoes on the side and he would be in potato heaven.

Menu for 3/31/14-4/6/14

I'm sure it isn't like this for everyone, but when I'm reading a book I'm completely immersed in the world of the book. When I read Harry Potter my mind was at Hogwarts at least 16 hours a day for the entire time I was reading and up to a couple of weeks after I finished the books.

Maple Dijon Chicken

I think everyone on Pinterest has tried this recipe or has it on their short list for new recipe night. Most frequently I see the recipe titled "Man-Pleasing Chicken" and sometimes the description will say "...explosion on your taste buds." Almost every blogger I follow has posted some version of it. Who knows where the recipe originated? I certainly don't.

Yaya's Spaghetti (updated)

I was planning on posting the new recipe last night but I was so worn out I just passed out as soon as Bailey was in bed and the kitchen was clean. Plus, when I thought about it I realized that I had never done a proper post for Yaya's spaghetti recipe. The first time I posted the recipe I did not have a decent camera, only my iPod which takes terrible pictures. (Truthfully my new Windows phone takes better pictures than my Canon does).

My Crazy, Planning Obsessed Mind

I've spent nap time (and the first few hours of bed time) the past few days on Pinterest and some of my favorite blogs searching for recipes to use for new recipe night. This is a crazy thing to do because I've already planned my menu as far ahead as the end of May! And because I have over 300 recipes pinned on Pinterest that I have yet to try.

No-Knead Peasant Bread

Looking over the posts from last year I was surprised at how few bread recipes I had posted. I love to bake bread and I'm quite good at it. I have several favorite recipes. My garlic knots are excellent, the honey yeast knots/rolls are so versatile, and I have a fantastic sandwich bread recipe.

Menu for 3/24/14-3/30/14

Bailey had her first visit to the zoo this weekend. We got up early Saturday morning and met Aunt Shelia to go see the red pandas (or Tobies as Bailey calls them) and the meerkats and the prairie dogs. We spent a long time watching the river otters play and there was a chimpanzee that was showing off for us. Bailey particularly liked the meerkats who were playing a game with her, jumping out from a corner of the enclosure and startling her. Some of the other visitors were even amused with Bailey's reactions to the meerkats.

Pretzel Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken

I have rediscovered the wonderfulness that is oven-fried chicken.

I hand-picked this recipe specifically for Aaron because I know how much he enjoys fried chicken with honey mustard. The catch is that this chicken isn't actually fried. It's dredged in flour and tangy homemade honey mustard sauce and then coated in a combination of crispy panko bread crumbs and salty, chunky crushed pretzels. Then you throw it in the oven and let it bake to crunchy perfection.

Menu for 3/17/14-3/23/14

I am so tired. I have been all week. I'm having horrible bouts of insomnia. I spend all night trying to sleep, alternating between lying quietly in the dark and knitting in front of the television. By morning I'm too tired to keep my eyes open and then I hear Bailey on the monitor say, "Good morning, Mommy," and I drag myself out of bed and start the day.

Crock Pot Taco Chicken Bowls

I've found another winner from Budget Bytes. Tonight's meal was filling, satisfying, and delicious. Oh, and did I mention it was cheap? Every recipe posted on Budget Bytes shows the total cost. Once I've tried a few more of the recipes I'm thinking of having a Budget Bytes week each month, choosing cost effective meals to keep the grocery bill down.

Menu for 3/10/14-3/16/14

This has been one of those weeks where almost nothing goes right. It has a ripple effect. When something goes wrong I spend all night cleaning up the mess. When I'm busy cleaning up the mess I don't have time to cook. When I don't have time to cook I end up with a bunch of extra groceries that either go bad or end up in the freezer and when my menu doesn't go the way I planned it I get confused and don't know what to cook when I finally get the chance.

Coconut Crusted Chicken with Apricot Dijon Sauce

I have to admit, this was not a hit with the rest of the family. Aaron ate cereal last night for dinner and Bailey had a plateful of fruit and cheese. Aaron did say that he liked the sauce so it wasn't a total flop with him, but he said he would rather have it on plain fried chicken.

Menu for 3/3/14-3/9/14

Some days all I want to do is sleep and Bailey decides that she is going to wake up crying two hours earlier than usual. I find that incredibly frustrating. I know that she is just a little girl and she doesn't understand that I have hardly slept and I'm cranky and tired. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier to drag myself out of bed and be pleasant while feeding her breakfast two hours early.

Honey Butter Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite meats to work with. It always comes out juicy and tender, it absorbs flavor remarkably well making it great for rubs and marinades, and it's leaner than pork loin. Since it's on sale at the grocery store about once a month I usually buy at least three of them and keep them in the freezer until I find a good recipe to try.

Menu for 2/24/14-3/2/14

I'm sorry I had to put this off a day, but I spent all of last week thinking about nothing but the Mississippi Mud Pie and I just couldn't go to bed Sunday night without sharing it with you.

This week promises to be more easy-going. We don't have any elaborate, complicated meals planned. No holidays or birthdays come this week. We should be back to a semi-normal routine.

Mississippi Mud Pie

Mississippi mud pie... Also known as the second richest dessert I know how to make.

While this pie is complicated as a whole, the parts themselves are surprisingly simple. It starts with an easy chocolate cookie crust made of crushed oreos, followed by layers of delicate flourless chocolate cake, decadent dark chocolate pudding, and finally a mountain of fluffy whipped cream.

Menu for 2/17/14-2/23/14

It has been a great week! We got to visit Yaya and Nana without any weather difficulties, but we still got a snow day (well, Daddy got a snow day) on Thursday. Wednesday evening we had 6 inches of snow in the yard. Since we had Daddy home on Thursday morning we had some waffles to celebrate.

Chicken and Vegetable Stroganoff

My brother is a big fan of beef stroganoff, but personally I'm not all that fond of red meat. I like a good burger every now and then and I love chili, but I am perfectly happy making both with chicken or turkey instead of beef. Once in a blue moon I will crave a steak, but I like to go out for steak.

I'll admit that beef stroganoff has grown on me. Especially when I can control the ingredients. I can leave out the onions and go easy on the sour cream... and if I want to I can make it with chicken instead of beef!

Salsa Chicken Casserole

This is my second attempt at posting this recipe. The first time I made this meal it didn't work out quite right. I didn't use a big enough baking dish so it was overflowing with chicken broth. To keep it from dripping into the bottom of the oven I placed a baking sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any drips. This turned out to be a brilliant idea in terms of cleaning and a horrible idea in terms of cooking. The baking sheet blocked the heat from the baking dish resulting in an hour long baking time being extended to two hours and even then the rice was still crunchy in the middle of the dish.

Menu for 2/10/14-2/16/14

Well, they're calling for snow again this week. 80% chance of snow on Tuesday, meaning we may not be able to visit Nana until Thursday or Friday. It'll probably turn out to be a dusting of wet snow that turns to slush but doesn't melt. Then when the temperature drops at night it will freeze on the roads and make driving nearly impossible.

Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki

Oh, crock pot, how I love you! It's so nice to be able to do other things while you slow cook a meal for my family. Things like baking bread for my bestest friend. Even better, things like coloring and playing play-doh with my beautiful little girl.

Menu for 2/3/14-2/9/14

We took our first trip as a family this weekend. Sure, it was just a 6 hour car ride, a night in a hotel, and a 3 hour safety meeting for Aaron, but it was the first time in over 9 years that Aaron and I have been out of town together overnight. We've actually only stayed in a hotel 3 times since we met.

I was particularly proud of Bailey. She sat in the car just as calmly as I could have asked her to. She played with her magna doodle the whole trip, there and back. I had brought a couple of other toys because I had expected her to get bored, but she didn't even need them. In fact, she got very frustrated when I tried to trade her juice for the magna doodle.

Crock Pot Ham and White Beans

So this was the scene outside outside my house yesterday afternoon. It may not look like much snow, but for East Tennessee it is.

See, the problem with snow in Tennessee is that it frequently comes on quickly and unexpectedly so we have little time to prepare for it. When it started snowing Tuesday morning Aaron was already at work. The weather report showed snow flurries and maybe a dusting in our area and our roads were not treated. I woke up very late (almost 11:00) and by that time the roads in my neighborhood were slick and completely covered with snow.

Almond Joy Oatmeal

Bailey and I generally have oatmeal at least once a week. Sometimes we add raisins or dried cranberries and brown sugar, other times it's apples and cinnamon. Occasionally we go with Nutella and strawberries. All are great options, but lately I've been wanting something a bit different.

Menu for 1/27/14-2/2/14

What does a mom do during nap time when the house is clean and dinner is already in the works? Besides blogging, of course.

This mom knits. I know it's become popular among the younger crowd lately, but I think I may have been ahead of the trend. I learned to knit when I was in 5th grade. That would have made me 10 or 11 years old. Oh, dear Lord that makes me feel old; it was 18 years ago!

Crock Pot Potato, Barley, and Canadian Bacon Soup

Two recipes from Iowa Girl Eats in two week? Yes, I think that is a very good idea! Oh man, she just can't go wrong. Every recipe on her blog is amazing, and I've tried quite a few of them.

I actually came across this soup when looking for healthier new recipes for January. I kept looking through Pinterest, but all I had pinned were high fat recipes. Most of them were for fried foods or were smothered in cheese or cream sauces. Don't get me wrong, those sound like fabulous meals, just not exactly what I'm looking for right now.

Cranberry and Pistachio Chicken Salad... Salad

It seems like every family has a go-to recipe for chicken salad. I'm talking just a basic recipe that they might use for lunches or to use up leftover chicken. Here is mine. They're usually a simple mixture of chicken and mayonnaise, a little pickle relish and some kind of crunchy veggie.

A Few of My Favorites

I've already shared with you what the reader favorites from last year are, but I didn't get a chance to put my two cents in. I tried approximately 50 new recipes last year, some I liked and some were just okay. I was proud that I only had one total screw up.

I learned a lot about cooking in 2013. I practiced bread-making and now I have it almost down to a science. (I've actually only had one bread failure.) I learned how to cut up a whole raw chicken and how to make stock. I made my first homemade pudding. I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to plenty of new recipes this year. (I'm super excited about maybe learning to make cheesecake since Dad's girlfriend is so good at it.)

Menu for 1/19/14-1/26/14

For the first time in 7 years I have to replace a phone before my contract is up. The last time I broke a phone (not including when phones just went crazy and started doing weird things on their own) was when I worked at a gas station and tried (stupidly) to chase a car that was driving away without paying for their fuel. I'm not a runner, never have been, and I should have known better. The phone fell off of my belt and into a puddle and then was run over by a car.

Bath Paint

How do you allow your child to learn about messy things without making huge messes that are hard to clean up?

You teach messy lessons in the tub of course!

Today we had one of those lessons. It's one we've actually had before. I found a recipe for bath paint on Pinterest sometime last year and I've been letting Bailey paint the bath tub ever since.

Margarita Chicken

Has anyone noticed I've never posted a drink recipe? I mean, not counting the one smoothie recipe I posted. I've never posted any drink recipes or even a recipe that included spirits of any kind.

Aaron and I aren't big drinkers. We might have an occasional beer... and by beer I mean hard lemonade. We rarely have more than one each and we usually share one. There was a time when I actually had a liquor cabinet, or at least a box of liquor, but we realized when we moved two years ago that we hadn't had a drink since the last time we moved which was in 2008.

Menu for 1/13/14-1/19/14

It's been a really great week. We woke up to snow Monday morning, Aaron got a new job (well, it's the same job just with a different company) and he starts on Tuesday, and I have an incredibly popular pin on Pinterest.

Also, I discovered a new coffee creamer that I like and I plan on learning to make it at home. I go through a lot of creamer because I prefer a little coffee with my creamer. I am a huge fan of the Coffee-Mate Italian sweet cream and creme brulee. I usually don't care for International Delight, but they have new Coldstone Creamery flavors and they are fabulous.

Beef Stroganoff (or Beef with Noodles)

When I was little we ate Hamburger Helper at least once a week. Sometimes more often. I'll be the first to admit that I actually like Hamburger Helper... well, some flavors anyway. I'm fond of any of the Italian and Mexican kinds, but one that I'm not particularly taken with is the beef stroganoff.

Granny Gallaher's Tea Cakes

Granny Gallaher is my (insert proper number of greats) Granny. She is related to me through my Nana and this recipe was hers a very long time ago.

My Great Aunt Margaret submitted it to her church when they were making a cook book. I use the term submitted loosely as Aunt Margaret actually printed and bound all of the books so she added quite a few of her own submissions to pad the book.

Menu for 1/6/14-1/12/14

You may notice as you read over my menu that I've added a lot of salads. I love salad. I always have. Granted when I was little what I really loved was drowning a small piece of lettuce in thousand island dressing. Now that I'm an adult when I say I love salad, I really mean I love salad. I love all different kinds of greens mixed with all different kinds of lettuces.

Brown Sugar Spiced Baked Chicken

167 posts in 2013 and I still have so much more to share with you. I didn't get to share my doughnut recipe or Granny Gallaher's tea cakes. I totally forgot about all of the interesting chicken salad recipes I use and most of my bread recipes. We have a ton of family recipes that I never had a chance to type up.

Baked Ziti

If you are looking for a hearty meal that will feed an army this is the meal for you!

And what a great post to start off 2014.

Honestly, with only the three of us eating (I usually count 2 1/2 since Bailey eats about half as much as us) our leftovers lasted four days! (I will probably cut the recipe in half next time.) I was particularly pleased with the way this meal turned out considering that Aaron doesn't like chunks of tomatoes in his food and I don't care for ricotta cheese.

Menu for 12/30/13-1/5/14

A belated Merry Christmas and an early Happy New Year to all of you!

We have been so swamped with family visits that I've hardly had any rest at all, but it was totally worth it. We got to spend some quality time with all of the family. We have one more big visit tonight (I'm making lasagna for Dad's family) and then we get almost the entire week off. Well, we at least get four out of the next five days off (I do have a dentist appointment on Thursday) so I can finally get the house clean, a full run at the grocery store, some bills paid, and all the laundry done.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal is one of my favorite healthy foods. A warm bowl of sweet oats with fruit and nuts on a cold morning really hits the spot. My family uses oatmeal as filler in meatloaf instead of bread crumbs or crackers, and oatmeal adds a lovely chewy texture to chocolate chip cookies (or Dad's favorite, butterscotch cookies).

Menu for 12/23/13-12/29/13

This week is going to be tough. It seems like we have something planned for every single day. In fact, it seems like we have pre-nap and post-nap plans every day.

We have dinner with Yaya, a visit with Aaron's Mamaw, Christmas celebrations with Nana, Yaya, Admiral (whose family has all come in from out of town to visit), and Grandmother and Papaw, a birthday celebration for my cousin, and at some point I'm going to have to do some grocery shopping and laundry. Who needs sleep, right?

I got to spend some quality time with my bestie on Saturday making cookies! I came home with tons of cookies, and I do mean tons.

Honey Lime Marinated Chicken

I don't often marinate chicken... or meat in general. I have been trying some marinade recipes lately, but usually I have a difficult time remembering to marinate the meat long enough before dinner. It's kind of like when I use the crock pot. Sometimes I don't get the crock pot going until 2:00 in the afternoon because I completely forget how long crock pot meals can take.

Orange Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

These cookie swap things are awesome. I've never actually participated in one but I made the cookies for Yaya to take to hers. It gave me an excuse to try a new recipe before the big Christmas baking day with my bestest friend (coming up this Saturday and I can't wait!) and again I didn't have to choose the new recipe this year because Yaya did it for me.

Menu for 12/16/13-12/22/13

How do you gear up for Christmas?

For us, part of it is decorating the house and tree. We also enjoy driving around town to see other family's decorations. Bailey loves the lights. Every time we get in the car to go somewhere after dark we hear from the back seat, "Pretty lights!"

Meatball Sliders

I love a good recipe that utilizes leftovers and this one absolutely takes the cake for me.

However, sometimes I just want these sliders without having spaghetti so this time I made a batch of meatballs and sauce specifically for this purpose. (I actually saved most of the sauce to use in my lasagna on Saturday.)

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Last Christmas one of my friends had a bit of cabin fever. She had lost her job recently, she doesn't drive, and her mother had suddenly become very busy at work. The result was that my friend was pretty much stuck at home all day, every day.

Menu for 12/9/13-12/15/13

You know what I love about holiday baking? I get to try new cookie recipes!

This week I made cookies for Yaya to take to a cookie swap and I have to say they turned out fantastically well! She chose chocolate covered cherry cookies (which I made for the first time last Christmas) and a new recipe, orange cranberry oatmeal cookies.

I promise to share the recipes with you soon (as in this week soon) because how could you resist this...

Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken

We have been fortunate this week to have Aaron home with us during the day. First he had a four day weekend, then it rained him out of work part of this week. Needless to say, Bailey has been thrilled to death. She really enjoys having him home during the day, though it is a bit more difficult to get her to go down for a nap.

Dinners have been easy. Tacos on Tuesday, pizza on Wednesday, and tonight...

Menu for 12/2/13-12/8/13

Christmas preparations are going to drive me batty. I've spent the weekend trying to schedule every family gathering, baking get-together, and coffee date with my friends up through the end of the year, and then I realized I forgot that Dad's family is coming in for Christmas as well.

I haven't put up the tree yet. I wanted to do it Friday but I was so exhausted from Thanksgiving that I slept in and then spent the day just being lazy.

Yaya's Broccoli Casserole

What is your favorite thing about Thanksgiving?

I love spending time with family we don't often see and I love the delicious food. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days of the year that I get to have pumpkin pie and it's my absolute favorite pie. I do enjoy the turkey, and the ham (especially when we get honey glazed ham, oh-my-yummy-goodness!), but my favorite part of dinner is definitely the broccoli casserole.

Menu for 11/25/13-12/1/13

Can you guys believe it's just a week until December? I'm amazed how quickly this year has gone. I keep thinking Is it really almost Christmas?

The week of Thanksgiving has finally arrived. Our family is still a little unsure of what our plans are. Usually we would have Thanksgiving lunch at Nana's around 1:00 and then run out to Aaron's parent's house for a second lunch around 3:00. I am generally responsible for mashed potatoes (I make these delicious loaded mashed potatoes with red skin potatoes, turkey bacon, and fat free sour cream) and Yaya is responsible for my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner,

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

How many spaghetti recipes can one girl post?

I must confess: I love pasta. Pasta is probably one of my favorite foods whether it's the main course or on the side. I'm sure anyone who likes spaghetti has a favorite sauce. Mine is actually the sauce from Louis' Drive-In here in Knoxville, TN. It's probably one of the only ground beef sauces I truly enjoy.

Menu for 11/18/13-11/24/13

I cannot believe I have made it more than halfway through November with only 5 posts!  It was not intentional, I promise.  I even had plans for extra posts the past few weeks that have yet to make it past my brain.  I keep forgetting to take pictures or the pictures turn out grainy or dark or the recipe isn't what I was hoping it would be.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Dinner tonight was A-MA-ZING!!

I really need to stop cooking such incredible food because I can't keep myself from overeating.  I probably had three bowls of this soup.

Menu for 11/11/13-11/17/13

Who has seen the new Thor?  I have!  I have!

Thankfully, Aaron gave me Friday night off to spend an evening child-free with Dad, his girlfriend, and my brother.  We are huge Marvel/Avengers fans!  In fact, my brother and I are already making plans to go see the new Captain America and the new X-men when they come out sometime in May, conveniently right around my birthday.

Soy and Ginger Marinated Pork Tenderloin

For some reason I can't get in the mood to write lately.  I know I've been neglecting the blog the past few weeks so I'm trying to get motivated.  It's hard when Bailey has all of these new toys and wants me to play with her all the time.  I'm having trouble finding the motivation to even clean the house or cook dinner.  All I want to do all day is color.

Menu for 11/4/13-11/10/13

I know I'm a couple of days late posting the menu for this week, and that I failed to post any recipes last week, but I was just so busy.  On top of all of my normal Mommy duties I also had to make this:

and these:

Menu for 10/28/13-11/3/13

My weekend was jam packed with exciting activities!  First we had portraits with Li'l P Friday morning, dinner with Grandmother and Papaw Friday night, I had to work Saturday morning, and then I came home and made cupcakes for Nightmare Night.  At Nightmare Night we got to meet some ducks and a goose (just like the game!) and interrupt everyone's games, and dance to some dubstep with a glow stick!  This was actually the first time Bailey has ever thrown a fit over being put in the car seat.  Actually, she usually climbs in all by herself.  And finally on Sunday night we visited Admiral and played with crayons and stack cups and finger puppets after dinner.

Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta Florentine

Whenever I find a recipe that I know Aaron won't eat I volunteer to cook dinner at Yaya's house.  I use them as guinea pigs and if dinner turns out well I trick Aaron into trying it by making it for his parents.

This recipe will never fly with him.  He won't eat spinach or diced tomatoes and he definitely won't go for a meal with no meat so he will never ever try this, but I thought it was fabulous!

My Big Little Girl

I will be the first to admit that I don't do everything right as a parent.  Some things I don't realize that I'm doing wrong.  Like it took me 3 months to figure out that all I had to do was tell Bailey to push and she could put her arms in her sleeves all by herself or that if I say "Step in," she will just step right into her pants like a big girl.

I mostly let Bailey do things by herself.  She's a pretty independent kid.

Menu for 10/21/13-10/27/13

I was going to tell you about my week but somehow a horrible headache crept up on me.  I'm having a little trouble seeing the computer screen so I'm just going to jump right to the menu.  Maybe sometime this week I'll have time to catch you up.

Fried Apple Butter Turnovers

Have you ever had a non-traditional birthday cake?  Personally I prefer brownies to cake.  In fact I prefer blondies to brownies.  I have been known to request brownies instead of cake on my birthday.

My brother would rather have apple butter turnovers.

I got lucky with these because I have a jar of Nana's homemade apple butter which makes these some of the very best turnovers I've ever had.  They are not like traditional turnovers with the flaky pastry.  They are made with canned biscuits (though you could probably do them in the oven with crescent rolls) making them more like a hand pie than a turnover, but my family has always called them turnovers.  They are fried in salted butter creating an interesting dynamic between the salty, crispy outside and the sweet, soft center.

Ginger Chicken with Broccoli

I love Chinese takeout.  I really love Chinese takeout.  Seriously, I am super in love with Chinese takeout.

Ya know what I don't love? I don't love driving to pick up Chinese takeout.  I don't  love calling to order Chinese takeout.  I don't love paying for Chinese takeout.

Folks, I may have found a way to have Chinese takeout without having Chinese takeout.  You can make it at home, and it is amazing, and easy!

Menu for 10/14/13-10/20/13

We had a fun week!  Nana got to come home from rehab this week, and I feel like I actually accomplished things this week.  I don't know why but I was on top of the cooking and cleaning stuff every day.

We switched our weekly plans with Yaya to Mondays instead of Tuesdays leaving me four blissful days in a row to do home things.  I do laundry, clean the bathroom, living room, and Bailey's room, buy groceries, plan meals... I even worked in a cupcake order this weekend.  I am so on the ball!

Mozzarella and Pepperoni Stuffed Chicken

This month will see two versions of chicken cordon bleu.  This is the first, and the second (in a couple of weeks) will be an actual traditional chicken cordon bleu.

Menu for 10/7/13-10/13/13

Bailey made a new friend this week and we are having a play date with her tomorrow.  I can't wait!  Her new friend is four years old, but she's a small four and Bailey is a big (almost) two so they look like two three year olds playing together, except that Bailey can't talk as well.  Thursday they played with pine needles in the parking lot until Bailey's hair was full of needles and leaves and dirt.  We had to do bath time before nap time.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Tonight was the last night of leftovers from that amazing roast beef I made Monday night.  I'm sad that all of my roast beef is gone, but I'm also really glad that I made the most of it.  I'm also glad that I got to try something really out of the box with this recipe.

Leftover Roast Beef Stew

Sooooo I'm an idiot.  I admit it.  I willingly admit that I'm a nerd and a dork, but tonight I am a total idiot.  Dinner tonight was supposed to be made in the crock pot.  I put all of the ingredients in the crock pot just like I was supposed to.  I turned the crock pot on low and went to sit down in the living room.

Death by Chocolate Bundt Cake

Lately I feel like I've pinned every recipe on Pinterest that I'm interested in.  I spend more of my time looking through my own pins than looking for new ones, but the other day I came across one that I hadn't seen before and I couldn't wait to try it.

Yaya's Crock Pot Roast Beef

Aaron is always asking me to cook him meals that his mother cooked when he was little.  He wants these sour cream chicken enchiladas that she used to make (which I've tried to make twice with different recipes and he still says they're not right), her beef stew (which as it turns out is just like Mom's vegetable beef soup only a bit thicker), and his favorite food to ask for is roast beef.  Now, Mom always made roast beef in the crock pot.  She would put it in the night before and cook it really low overnight.  By morning the beef was cooked and we could have a roast beef sandwich for lunch!