Buffalo Chicken Salad

I can't remember where I got this recipe, but it's good!  If you like Buffalo Chicken Wings, you'll like this salad.  This would be perfect for that one big football game coming up...

1 Lb chicken

1 bottle Frank's Buffalo Chicken sauce

lettuce

3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced

avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

1/2 c. grilled corn kernels (optional)

cheese, shredded

sunflower seeds

ranch or blue cheese dressing, to taste..

-Heat oven to 375-degrees. Cover chicken in Buffalo

Chicken sauce and place on a greased pan. Place in

oven and bake about 25 minutes or until chicken is

cooked through. Cut chicken into slices and place in a

large bowl. Stir in more Buffalo Chicken sauce until

chicken is well coated. Shred lettuce and place on plate.

Add chicken, egg, avocado, corn, cheese, sunflower

seeds and top with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn

This recipe comes from Our Best Bites and it was really good and easy.

About 20 cups of popped popcorn
2 cups honey roasted peanuts
3 cups peanut butter chips
2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 TBSP vegetable shortening or oil

Place the peanuts, popped popcorn in a very large bowl.  In a microwafe safe bowl, combine the peanut butter chips and oil or shortening and heat for 2-2 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.  Drizzle the melted pb chips over the popcorn and peanuts and toss to combine.

Spread the popcorn onto wax paper-lined baking sheet.  In a ziploc bag, heat the chocolate chips until just melted and smooth (about 1 1/2 minutes), mashing the bag every 20-30 seconds.  Cut a small corner in the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn.  Allow to stand long enough to become solid.  When done, break the popcorn into small pieces and enjoy!

Cinnamon Rolls

I made these tonight while Brent was at a hunters banquet or something.  They are super good. I changed a recipe I had to make it a little better for you.  A little.  They are delicious!

Mix and rest for 15 minutes:

1 1/2 cups warm water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

2 TBS Yeast

After resting, add:

1/2 TBS salt

1 egg

5 cups flour

Mix well.  Put on floured board and knead a few minutes.  Roll out into a rectangle.  Brush with water.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar-and nuts and raisins if desired. Roll up and cut.  Put on greased cooking sheet and let raise for 30 minutes.  

Bake at 400* for 10-12 minutes

Frosting:

1 canister cream cheese frosting

warm for 20-30 seconds in microwave (opened with lid off)

pour over cooked cinnamon rolls

Enjoy!

Salsa Tacos (Crockpot)

I got this recipe from here.  It is so easy and so good. Very easy and super for a Sunday meal! 

Avocado
Cilantro
Onion
Tomato
Cheddar Cheese Shredded
Lime or Lemon
Chicken Breasts 3-4  (I use chicken tenderloins)
Salsa  2-3 cups (We use our home made bottled from last year.)

Dump the chicken and salsa in the crockpot. Cook for 4-5 hours or until the chicken is done.

Shred chicken with two forks.  Use small flour tortillas.  Put avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese and onions on top. Squeeze lemon or lime on top.

Serve and enjoy!

Jerk Chicken Salad

Even if you're not a salad person, you'll like this. It's so yummy! The kids weren't super fans when they saw that there was green in it, (they hate all things green) but they loved everything else. This is a Pampered Chef recipe and it's delish!

Ingredients:
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS Jamaican Jerk Rub (can order Pampered Chef's or can find in grocery store spice section)
1 pound chicken tenders
1 medium pineapple (fresh is SO yummy, but I'm sure you can use canned too)
1 red bell pepper
3 green onions
2 heads romaine lettuce
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled

Dressing:
2 limes
1/3 cup reduced fat mayo
2 TBS pineapple preserves (I couldn't find this, but I did find apricot and pinapple preserves and it worked)

Directions: Whisk together oil and jerk rub. Add chicken tenders, mix well to coat and set aside.
Peel and cut pinapple into slices. Heat a pan to medium heat and add chicken; cook 3-5 minutes on each side, until done. Remove chicken and add pineapple to pan. Cook 1 minute on each side. Remove from pan. Set chicken and pineapple aside.

Slice bell pepper and green onions. Arrange lettuce on large serving plate.

For dressing, zest one lime and juice both limes, put into bowl. Add lime zest, mayonnaise and pineapple preserves to bowl, mix well.

Layer chopped lettuce, beans, bell pepper, chicken, pineapple, bacon and green onions over plate. Drizzle dressing over salad.

Enjoy!

Avocado Salsa

Ingredients
4 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 limes, juiced
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, to taste

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a molcajete and mix to a chunky consistency. Season, to taste, with salt, pepper, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Cabbage Stir Fry

If you like cabbage, but never know what to do with it, I think this recipe is so yummy!  Cabbage is really cheap, so it makes a nice, inexpensive meal!


1 head cabbage (sliced, chopped)
1 onion (diced)
4 chicken tenderloins (cooked and sliced)
1/2 cup peanuts
3 TBS sesame seed oil
2 TBS rice vinegar

 Put sesame oil in a frying pan and heat on medium high until a little hot.  Put onions in and fry until they are brown.  Add cabbage and chicken.  Stir around and cook for about 10 minutes, or until cabbage is soft.  Add 1/2 cup peanuts and mix around.  Stir in rice vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve!

Meal Planning

I am getting organized! After searching on the web, I decided to use all the ideas I found and come up with my own planner.  Here is one for meals and chores.

 I can only upload these as a PDF file.  If you want the word document, leave a comment or email me and I will send it to you. (You have to have a gmail account too. They are free and if you have a blogger account, you have a gmail account.)



Weekly Planner

Jalepeno Poppers

Jalepenos
Cream Cheese softened
Bacon (precooked is easiest)


Take the jalepenos and cut them in half lengthwise. Take out the veins and the seeds, since these are the hottest parts.

Stuff the cream cheese into each half of the jalepeno.

Wrap the jalepeno with bacon, and secure with a toothpick.

Cook on 350 for 5-10 minutes, depending on your bacon.

Homemade Zuppa Toscana Soup

I've made this a few times over the years, and I think it tastes just like the soup at that one Italian Restaurant... :)

Here's the recipe. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

1/2 pound of Italian Sausage (I like the HOT kind, but the family likes Medium)

3/4 cups diced onions

6 slices of bacon (I use the pre-cooked bacon and it tastes the same)

1 1/4 teaspoons minced garlic

2 cups of chicken broth

1 quart water (4 cups)

4-5 russett potatoes, cut in half and then into 1/4 inch slices

2 cups Kale (I use fresh spinach)

1/3 cups Heavy whipping cream (I use milk if it's all I have on hand)

-Cook the sausage and crumble it. Place onions and bacon in large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add chicken broth, water, and potatoes. Simmer 15 minutes. Add sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer another 4 minutes and serve.

-Top with parmesan cheese.