Manic Monday Recipe~Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Brownies

I was having a weak spot last week and needed something really yummy.  I started looking through a cook book that one of my students gave me called Magic of Christmas by Gooseberry Patch.  You know the ones that have a bunch of random wonderful recipes from ladies all over the states.  Anyway this recipe came from a woman named Patti from PA.  I have tweaked the recipe in just one way, but I LOVE how it turned out.  I'm pretty sure this is going to be one of my father-in-laws new favorites.  He is a peanut butter fanatic!  Here's the recipe:

1 C. Butter

3/4 C. Packed Brown Sugar (room temperature)

2 1/4 C. Sugar

5 Eggs

1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

16 oz. Jar of your Favorite Peanut Butter

3 C. All Purpose Flour

1 t. Salt

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1 Bag of Chocolate Chips (In the regular recipe Patti called for a tub of chocolate frosting for icing)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then blend the first 5 ingredients together with a mixer.

Next, add the peanut butter and mix well.  Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then slowly mix into your peanut butter mixture.

I'm not going to lie, there was some definite dough eating going on in my kitchen.  And it was SO worth it!

Then, stir in your chocolate chips by hand.

Smooth your dough into an 18 x 14" greased pan or split your dough in half and spread into two greased 9 x 13" pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.  Don't over cook, the bottoms of your brownies will burn fast.  This dough is a little needy, so pay attention to it while it cooks!

Enjoy every bite!

Make sure to check out all of my recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~Avocado Salad

This is such a yummy dish that I use for a side at most of my BBQs.  It has lots of fresh veggies and great flavor.  I know that some of you are still getting snow, but I can't help it, down here in Houston I'm in 70-80 degree weather!  I love summer!

I'll post a picture the next time I make this.

Ingredients:

3-5 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Freshly Squeezed Lemon

1 Freshly Squeezed Lime

1 Can of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

1 16 oz Frozen Bag of Corn (Cooked and Drained)

3-4 Avocados Diced 

2 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Cilantro

1 Small Red Onion Diced

3-5 Vine Tomatoes Diced

Salt and Pepper to Taste (I like to use Kosher Salt)

1 Jalapeno Diced (optional)

Directions:

After all of the prep, just mix the ingredients together, and let chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.  

You can use this as a side dish, a salsa dip, or even on top of your grilled chicken.  Enjoy!

Make sure to check out all of my recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Baked Chicken Lasagna Rolls

I have been using this recipe for years.  It is a fairly easy, and absolutely delicious recipe that makes an impression!

Make sure to come back on Wednesday for my Share the Wealth Link Party, it's open until Sunday each week!

Baked Chicken Lasagna Rolls

2 cups part skim ricotta cheese

1 ¼ cup mozzarella part skim cheese, shredded

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 tsp. garlic powder

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

2 cups shredded baked chicken breasts

8 cooked lasagna noodles

1 ½ cup tomato sauce (My family likes a lot of sauce, so we use about 2 1/2 cups.)

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.    Mix first 8 ingredients, reserving ¼ cup of mozzarella for baking.

3.    Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on counter top.  Lay noodles flat on top of the plastic 

       wrap, top each noodle with a layer of ricotta mixture and ¼ cup chicken.

4.    Starting at one end, roll one noodle at a time.

5.    Fill the bottom of a baking dish with ½ cup of tomato sauce.

6.    Lay rolls seam-side down, cover with remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with ¼ cup mozzarella cheese.

7.    Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Make sure to check out all of my recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Chicken Pot Pie

I am so sorry this is so late, I forgot it is Monday!  It must have been the excitement of the Packers winning the Super Bowl that threw me off!  Anyway, here is a recipe that I love.  I can't remember where I got it from, but thanks to one great Chef!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray

1 tsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2 C. frozen mixed veggies
1 C. chicken broth
3 C. cooked chicken breast, chopped
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. evaporated milk, divided
Crescent roll dough. unrolled

Instructions:
First, preheat your oven to 375ºF. Coat a round shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

Then, coat a large pot with cooking spray. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, thyme, salt and pepper. Add vegetables, broth and chicken. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

In a small cup, combine flour and 1/4 cup of evaporated milk, then stir into chicken mixture. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of evaporated milk and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes more.

Next, unroll the crescent rolls and arrange dough around inside edge of baking dish.  You should have the excess of the dough hanging off two sides.  Spoon the vegetable/chicken mixture into the baking dish.  Then fold the extra dough back over the top. There will be a hole in the middle.  Cook until he dough is golden brown and the filling is bubbly (about 15 minutes). 

Enjoy!

Make sure to check out all of my recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Sweet Potato Crisp

Love this recipe!  I got it from my sister-in-law Melissa.  Thanks for sharing!

Sweet Potato Crisp

6 cups sweet potatoes (can be canned, baked, broiled or mashed)

1 cup sugar

4 eggs beaten

1 stick of melted butter

1/2 cup milk or heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

Topping: 

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup flour

2 cups chopped pecans (I like it without, but I pick them off because everyone loves them!)

2/3 cup softened butter

Whip together mashed sweet potatoes and eggs one at a time.  Add in sugar, salt, melted butter that has been cooled a bit, milk, and vanilla.  Whip this all together until it is blended through.  Pour into 9x13 baking dish

Together in a bowl have brown sugar, flour, & softened butter.  I usually just mix it with a fork ~ add pecans and mix.  crumble evenly on top of potato mixture.

Bake @ 325 for 30 minutes or until internal temp is 180 degrees.  Enjoy!

Make sure to check out all of my recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe ~ Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies (St. Louis Favorite)

I completely forgot to post my recipe this past Monday, so here it is...


One of my favorite foods that I found while in St. Louis is called  Ooey Gooey Butter Cake/Cookies!  


One of my teaching friends shared her recipe with me.  Thanks Angie!
Ingredients:


8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 c. butter softened
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla1 box yellow cake mix

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together.  Then, roll into balls and bake for 10 minutes, then with powdered sugar.


One of my students also shared his family recipe with me.  They are fairly similar.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

1/2 c. butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 box yellow cake mix

Directions:

Place cream cheese and butter in a bowl, and let them soften at room temperature for about 20 minutes.  Then add the egg and vanilla, and mix with hand mixer.  Then hand stir the cake mix into the batter (mix well).  Take one teaspoon of mix and roll into ball, then roll into powder sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 8 – 12 minutes.  

Manic Monday~ Cut Out Sugar Cookies (YUMMY!!)

My husband and I have been married for 3 and a half years, but have been together for 12.  In high school, I started going to his house and his grandmother's house for the holidays.  His grandmother always made these delicious Christmas Cookies.  I hope you enjoy them!  They are supposed to be somewhat thin and crispy.  

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

1 C. Butter Softened (Don't melt, just leave it out on the counter a few hours before you do the cooking)

1 egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

1tsp. Almond Extract

2 1/2 C. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Cream of Tartar

Mix and then wrap in fist sized balls in plastic wrap.  Then refrigerate for an hour.  When you go to roll out the dough, make sure to only take out one ball of dough at a time. It's best when it's cold. Make sure not to roll it too thick, they should be about a 1/2 cm. or less.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 Minutes.  Cool the pans off before doing another load of cookies.

Icing Recipe:

1 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

You can add color to the frosting, or just keep it simple, white always looks gorgeous.  I can't wait to make these.  I'll post a picture when they're done, this will be a "nap-time" project!


Don't forget to check out all of my Manic Monday Recipes!


Also, follow me on Twitter or Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Enchiladas, Rice and Beans!

This is one of our favorite family dinners, I make it about every two weeks.  It's great for leftovers, and it is very filling.  I use the recipe off of the can of enchilada sauce, but of course I make some changes, because I love adding more to it!
Here is my recipe, I use the Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce and the recipe is on the back of the can.

Ingredients for Enchiladas:

1.5 lbs of Cooked Chicken

2 19oz. Cans of Enchilada Sauce

2 C. of Mexican Cheese

1 pkg. of Flour Tortillas

2-3 T. Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 T. Fresh or Dried chopped Cilantro

Directions:
1.)  Cook the chicken thoroughly in olive oil.  Salt and pepper the chicken.  Then drain and chop into small chunks.  Sometimes I put it through the food processor, do whatever you'd like, it's easier to put it in the food processor, but then more to clean up!

2.) Mix the chopped chicken with 1 1/2 C. of the cheese, cilantro and one and one half can of enchilada sauce. 

3.) Then spoon the mixture onto the middle of one of your tortillas.  Follow the pictures on how to fold the enchiladas. **Please excuse my nail polish, it was a rough week ;)**

 4.) Then place the enchiladas in a greased 13x9 pan and pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on them.  Then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. 

 5.) Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

As a side dish, I make rice and refried beans. 

Rice Ingredients:
2 C. Brown Rice (Here's where I sneak in some healthy food, you can use white rice if you prefer.)
2 Cans of Stewed Tomatoes (Puree them in a blender with a small amount of the juice)
1 1/2 C. Chicken Broth (Rather than water I use Chicken broth to add flavor)
2 T. Fresh or Dried Chopped Cilantro
2 tsp. Chopped Garlic
2 T. Olive Oil
1/2 Medium Red Onion Chopped

Directions:
1.) In a frying pan, on high heat, brown the olive oil, onions, garlic, and cilantro.  When the mixture gets warm, add the rice and brown for a few minutes. 
2.) Once the rice has browned, add the chicken broth and pureed tomatoes. Stir and put the cover on.
3.) Turn the heat down to a low simmer, and leave the rice alone!  It will finish cooking in about 10-15 minutes.  All of the liquid should evaporate.  If you stir while it's still cooking, it will get mushy!
This recipe was shared by a wonderful person named Leslie!


I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This weekend at our Halloween party, I decided to make Pulled Pork Sandwiches with a variety of "blood sauces!"  I searched the internet for an easy recipe and came across this one on All Recipes.  It turned out so delicious!  I made a few minor adjustments.  Here's how I made it.

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) pork roast (shoulder/Boston butt)

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer

2 (18 ounce) bottles your favorite barbecue sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper

8 bakery buns

Directions:
You may use a Crock Pot, but I used my roaster oven because I tripled my recipe.  It worked great. 
Place the pork the cooker; pour the root beer over the meat.  Then, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours.  (With my roaster, I cooked it on 350 degrees for 6 hours, and then turned it down to 200 degrees.)  With one hour of cooking left, I poured an entire bottle of BBQ sauce over the meat, I didn't drain the root beer.  Then, when it was done cooking the meat literally fell a part, but I do have to say Nick did do the pulling, and he did an amazing job at it ;)!     Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker.

Don't forget to check out all of my other Manic Monday Recipes!  Let me know how yours turn out!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Apple Crisp

**Update** I have added some mouth watering photos!

Okay, I have to admit, my favorite part of the apple crisp is the crust and topping.  Seriously, I love it so much, that when my mom used to make it for me, she would make a little extra so I could eat it.  So here is my mother's recipe, with the some of the ingredients increased to make your apple crisp extra crusty, hmm that sounds weird, but I assure you this apple crisp is delicious!

Ingredients:

Crust/Topping

1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar

2 1/2 C. Flour

1 1/2 C. Melted Butter

1 C. Oatmeal

1 C. Sugar

2 T. Corn Starch

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 C. Water

6-8 Medium to Large Apples (I like Gala or Braeburn best)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the crust ingredients together.  Place half in a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Leave the rest aside for your topping.

Peal, core and cut your apples.  (I have this apple slicer and love it!) 

Then, mix the sugar, corn starch, Cinnamon, and water in a pot.  Put on medium heat and stir until the mixture becomes thick. 

Then stir the mixture in with your apples.  Once all of the apples have been coated in the glaze, pour it on top of the crust. 

Then take the remaining crust and sprinkle it evenly over the apples.  

Bake for 1 hour.

I'd love to hear how yours turns out!

Manic Monday Recipe~ "Circus Dinner"

The story of "Circus Dinner"

In the day of my husband's great grandmother Adaline, the fall harvest was very important.  With the plethora of vegetables, Adaline decided to create a delicious dinner that many of her family's generations would come to love and make.  Every August, the Circus would come to their town, hence the name "Circus Dinner."  I hope you love it as much as we do!  The recipe is best when you can use fresh vegetables.

Ingredients:
Carrots cut in small chunks
Potatoes cut in small chunks
Green Beans trimmed and cut in half
2 lbs of lean ground beef
1/2 Medium Onion (Red or Yellow)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Stick of Butter

Directions:
Start by filling a large boiling pot with enough water to cover all of the chunks of potatoes.  (Always start the water out cold when cooking potatoes.)  Add salt to help the water boil.  (This water will become a delicious part of the meal, do not pour it out!) 
Then, start browning the chopped onion and beef until cooked thoroughly.
Next, once the water has started to boil, place the carrots into the pot.
After the carrots and potatoes have started to get tender, add the beef (with the cooking juices), green beans, and butter.
Add a dash of salt and pepper and let simmer on low heat for about an hour. 
Serve in a bowl, and add some of that juice!

(My computer won't let me post a picture right now, but as soon as I can, I'll post a picture of the dinner.)

Manic Monday Recipe~ Crock Pot Chicken BBQ

Today I didn't have time to run to the store, so I looked around my kitchen to see what I could create!
I had some chicken breasts in the refrigerator and some buns from hamburgers this weekend.  So here's what I created and it's Nick approved :). 

Ingredients:
4 Medium-Large Chicken Breasts
Bottle of Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
1 C. of Chicken Broth
1 t. of Onion Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Hamburger Buns

Directions:
Turn your crock pot on high.  Pour your chicken broth, salt and pepper, onion powder and chicken breasts into the pot.  Let simmer on high for 1/2 hour.  Then pour a little BBQ sauce over each chicken breast. Then turn to low until the chicken is cooked thouroughly.  (about 3-4 hours)  Then I shredded up the chicken and added it back into the pot of juices.  I added more BBQ sauce (to taste).  I love using the Slow Cook Liners for easy clean-up! What a great invention!

Manic Monday Recipe ~ Death By Chocolate

Ingredients:
Family Size Box of Brownies (Cook using ingredients and directions on the box)
2 Small packages of instant chocolate pudding
3 Cups of Milk
8 oz or 12 oz of Cool Whip
Trifle Bowl

Directions:
1. Make a family size box of brownies.
2. Mix 2 small packages of instant chocolate pudding with 3 cups milk.
3. Fold in 8 oz (or 12 oz depending on the size of your serving bowl) of Cool Whip. Set aside and save enough cool whip for a thin layer at very top.
4. Cut brownies into pieces and layer in bottom of bowl.
5. Add a layer of pudding/cool whip mixture.
6. If desired, toss in a handful of chocolate chips or pieces of a heath bar.
7. Add another layer of brownies.
8. Add another layer of pudding/cool whip mixture.
9. Continue with the layers until you're bowl is almost full or you are out of ingredients.
10. Spread out the remaining cool whip (just cool whip) that you set aside.
11. Sprinkle chocolate chips, heath bar, caramel sprinkle, etc. on top for decoration.
This is such a great and easy desert to take to a party.  Enjoy!