Spinach & Artichoke Dip

This is one of my favorite appetizers. Matt and I always order it in restaurants and I decided I needed to find a good recipe. I found a few different recipes and modified those into this recipe. I made this for the first time for dinner with Jane and her family. It got rave reviews and is now a favorite in our house.

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a small baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt, pepper and mozzarella cheese. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, pita chips or sliced French bread. Enjoy!

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Sometimes you just need good-for-the-soul chicken soup. I am not a huge fan of traditional chicken noodle soup, so this is my take on a classic. Perfect on a chilly evening... I just made a big pot tonight.

32 oz container chicken broth

4 cups water

1/2 cup very dry white wine (you can skip this and just add extra broth or water)

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I use 98% reduced fat)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use rotisserie chicken breast)

1 (7oz) pkg frozen cheese tortellini

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup carrots

1 cup celery

2 tsp chicken boullion granules

2 garlic cloves, minced fine

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, combine all ingredients except tortellini. Bring to a boil; add tortellini. Simmer 30 minutes.

Shepherd's Pie

So I'm sure you've all made this at some point or another, but I make it A LOT and feel compelled to share. This is total comfort food for my family. And the way to make your husband love you forever!

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

ketchup

(just a few big squirts)

1 egg

1 slice of white bread

(broken into small pieces)

splash of milk

dash of hot sauce

salt

pepper

1/2 bottle beer

Combine all of the above ingredients. Pat into 8x8 glass dish. Pour the other 1/2 of beer over top to prevent burning. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Drain most of the liquid.

Top with mashed potatoes - be generous here. I would love to share my own mashed potatoes recipe but I'm convinced they'll make me famous one day, so until then, make whatever kind you'd like :)

Top with 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese. Your dish will runneth over. Some people don't even add cheese. I don't understand them. Jane and I don't always agree on politics, but we do agree that everything is better with cheddar.

Pop in the oven for about 10 minutes until cheese is all melted.

Remove and serve warm.

* I know some people put vegetables in their shepherd's pie (actually, I think you're supposed to), but we don't really roll like that. Sometimes I do hide veggies in my meatloaf, but for this - I just serve them on the side. Enjoy!

Milky Way Rice Krispy Treats

This recipe comes all the way from across the pond. My friend Kirsty, who is from England, brought this delicious treat to the Gov's office one day. Her cute "mum" made them for her growing up. This might actually be my favorite dessert of all time. You won't regret it if you make them.

4 (regular-sized) Milky Way bars

4 oz. butter

4 oz. Rice Krispies (just eyeball it)

1 Hershey's Symphony Bar
Splash heavy cream

Line 9x9 pan with lightly greased parchment paper. Melt together Milky Way bars with butter. Stir in Rice Krispies. Pour mixture into pan and refrigerate to set. Once cool, melt Symphony bar and stir in heavy cream. Cover the rice crispie treat with the chocolate topping and put back in fridge to set. Bring back to room temp before cutting and serving.

Baked Beans

These might sound weird, especially with the pineapple, but they're a hit every time. They're kind of sweet and sour with a little kick. I served them for the first time at Ellie's Baptism celebration, and since then they've shown up at our family parties no matter who is hosting. We just had them at my brother-in-law's 40th birthday party. I saw this recipe on Paula Deen's show (Tammy!) and on the Food Network Web site it has rave reviews.

4 (16-ounce) cans baked beans (I drain these part way, my sister doesn't)

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup molasses

1 cup BBQ sauce

2 tablespoon yellow or brown mustard (I use spicy ground mustard)

5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1 (6-ounce) can french-fried onions, crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, mix together beans, pineapple, molasses, BBQ sauce, mustard, bacon, and a third of the onions. Add some salt and pepper, to taste. Pour beans in 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle remaining crushed onions and bacon on top. Cook in oven for 1 hour or until beans brown and bubble. Serve warm.

I've also done these in the crockpot all day and they're wonderful. YUM!

Tammy's Toasted Ravioli

Okay, so I didn't invent this, but I've certainly perfected it (if I must say so myself!). Chris and the kids love toasted ravioli and if you make enough, it will fill you up fast. I think it was intended to be an appetizer, but in our house, this turns into a meal some nights.

2 eggs
splash of milk
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
parsley - chopped or fresh
fresh cheese ravioli - about a pound
(you can use frozen too, just make sure they're thawed)
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Beat eggs and milk with salt and pepper. In a second dish, combine bread crumbs with cheese and parsley. Coat the pasta in egg mixture then bread crumbs. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet then toast the ravioli until deep golden brown, about five minutes on each side.

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce.

* WARNING: these suckers can be deceptively hot - the filling inside is much warmer than the crunchy outside.

Maid-Rite Sandwiches

When you visit the heartland, as I did this past weekend, you eat some darn tasty grub. This recipe is an Iowa favorite. My sister (who lives just over the border in Omaha) is married to an Iowa native... and has mastered the art that is the Maid-Rite. Maid-Rite is actually a fast food restaurant chain in Iowa that specializes in loose-meat sandwiches. But many families out there also make their own. The sandwich gets its name because it is just "made right." And it's true. YUM!

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, chopped fine (my sister doesn't always use onion, but my brother-in-law's 88-year-old adorable Grandma told me that it's a must)

1 can chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef and onion together. Drain. Return beef to pan and pour chicken broth over. Turn on high and bring to a boil. Let cook until all the liquid cooks off. Salt and pepper to taste. That's it!

Serve on hamburger buns. I put cheese on mine, but that is an Iowa no-no. They serve them with mustard and pickles. Ketchup is also, apparently, strictly off limits. I've been known to put ketchup on, too. Hey, I'm an Marylander-Ohioan... sue me!

Potato Chip Cookies

This recipe is from Grandma Maribel (Matt's maternal grandmother). She shared the recipe with me and these are a favorite in our household.

1 cup Crisco butter-flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups crushed potato chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix together the shortening, sugar, brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Then add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Place rounded tablespoon sized cookies on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ross' Awesome Apple Crisp

Our assignment editor, Ross, was talking about how he and his wife Jenn made this recently. After picking apples this weekend, I insisted on the recipe. I even called the poor guy when he was home sick one day. He finally delivered and so did this recipe!

10 apples, peeled and sliced *
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup water
2 cups oats
2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix the sliced apples, white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together. Pour mixture into a buttered 9 x 13" baking pan. Pour 1/4 water (or apple cider) over the apples.

Combine the oats, 2 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter. Crumble evenly over all. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over top.

Bake at 350 for 45-40 minutes. (I covered with foil after about 20 minutes).

Definitely, definitey, definitely serve with vanilla bean ice cream. A must.

* I cut my apples in 1/8ths and they were still a little firm. I would suggest either baking a little longer or cutting your apples smaller. But if you like a firmer apple, then these directions are perfect.

Fab Fudgy Cookies

The batter on these is very fudge-like. Then you pop the cookies in the oven and they become chewy with a really moist middle. I actually made them last night. Delish!

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Melt the chips and butter in a double boiler. You may also melt in microwave but be careful not to burn! Set aside.

Beat egg and sugar with a mixer. When light and fluffy, beat in a salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in the slightly cooled chocolate.

Stir the flour and baking powder together, then add to the egg mixture and stir until mixed.
Batter won’t be stiff enough to use at this point.
Chill batter for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Form batter into balls. Bake for 6-10 minutes. Best served warm. To reheat, just pop one in the microwave for a few seconds.

Burgers in a Blanket

I haven't met a guy yet who doesn't love these! Chris wants them all the time. And with puff pastry, meat and cheese ... how could you go wrong?

1 pound (or 1.5) ground chuck
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
(I like Mrs. Dash)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 package puff pastry sheets
8 slices Cheddar
(cut the size of a Post-It note)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the first five ingredients. Hand-form patty to 1/4 normal burger size, about 2-inches in diameter. Heat skillet with olive oil. Cook burgers to medium. Turn once. Do not overcook.
Roll out thawed puff pastry. Cut 8 even panels. Place burger in center of square and top with slice of cheese. Fold edges up and twist on top. Bake 20 to 25 minutes on foil-lined cookie sheet and serve warm.

* You could add onions to your meat if you like. We don't.

Mom's Lemon Chicken

So my mom has one of the simplest and tastiest recipes for lemon chicken.

Pair it with some rice (I use lipton's chicken rice) and broccoli, and it's a complete meal.

So here goes!

4 Chicken Breasts

2 Cups Water

2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes

Flour (For Coating Chicken)

2 TBSP Butter

1/4 Cup Lemon Juice (I use a full cup - but I love LEMON!!)

Garlic Powder

-Boil water then add bouillon cubes

-Coat chicken breasts in flour

-Brown chicken in butter

-Add lemon juice & chicken broth

-Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder

-Simmer 1 hour with lid on

That's it!

The juice and broth make a great sauce to spoon over your chicken and rice.

Pumpkin Soup

My mother-in-law is an AWESOME cook. She is what I aim to be in the kitchen someday. Recently, before dinner one night, she asked me to try her pumpkin soup to see what it needed. I obliged, thinking I wouldn't like it. I am not generally a sweet-as-savory kind of gal. If I'm having pumpkin, I prefer it with sugar and spice and everything nice in the form of a pie or muffin. Or so I thought. My mother-in-law's soup was incredible. Needless to say, it needed nothing. Several helpings later, I asked for the recipe. Like Shana's grandma, my mother-in-law rarely cooks from a recipe. She told me what she used in it, but said she just keeps tasting it until it is just right. Here is the best I could do... I made some this morning. It turned out really good; very close to my mother-in-law's. Even if pumpkin soup weirds you out, I'd encourage you to give it a try. It's really healthy, too!

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion; chopped fine

2 cloves garlic
1 (32 oz) container chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

dash all spice

bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil. Saute the onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes until the onions are transluscent. Add chicken broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Lower the heat; add pumpkin, spices and bay leaf and bring to a simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add additional chicken broth if it's too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

My advice is to keep tasting it. Add more spices if you think it needs it. These are not exact guestimations.

It's delish the way it is, but my mother-in-law put a little cream on top when she served it. YUM!

Pumpkin Bars

This one is for Tammy, especially since she loves Paula Dean. I saw Paula Dean make these and I had to try them. They are delicious! In fact, there is a half-eaten pan of these in my kitchen now. These were our dessert after our hearty bowl of turkey chili last night. Enjoy!


Bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
15-ounce can pumpkin
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Icing:
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the icing - Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Turkey Chili

I had been in search of a good chili recipe for quite some time. I asked Grandma Helen for her recipe and referred me to my Aunt Cindy. Grandma loves Cindy's chili. So, I called my aunt to get her recipe. Turns out she came across the Consumer Reports recipe years ago and that is what she has used all these years. She has it memorized. In fact, she gave it to me over the phone while walking on the beach in North Carolina. I modified it a bit for our tastes. Rather than green pepper, I use red, and because Matt and I aren't big fans of onions, I omit them. I just made this chili tonight and our family loved it. I hope you do, too!

1 lb. ground turkey
1 clove minced garlic
1 medium red pepper
4 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP cider vinegar
¼ tsp. all spice
¼ tsp. coriander
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. salt
½ cup water
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
16 oz. can chili beans
¼ cup frozen corn

Cook turkey, garlic and red pepper in a soup pot over medium high heat, stirring frequently to break up meat. Cook until meat has last its pink color. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer the chili for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.

I serve the chili with toppings...sour cream, cheddar cheese, diced onions and chopped black olives (Matt's favorites).

Black Bean Soup

I was never a huge fan of black bean soup. I wanted to like it, but every time I ordered it I was disappointed. But recently a former co-worker of mine whom we all know and love made some. She raved about it, so I asked her to share the recipe with me. I made it that night and I am hooked. Black beans might just be nature's perfect food, too. High in vitamins and fiber, counts as a veggie, and FILLING. So, while this soup is good for you, you'll never know it by the taste.

I also love this recipe because I can buy all the ingredients, and just have it on hand to make whenever I want. Nothing perishable about it.

2 cans black beans, drained well but NOT rinsed

1 (15 oz) can of chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with jalepenos; don't drain

2-3 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp chili powder or chipotle chili powder

bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil with the garlic. This will infuse the broth with garlic flavor. Mash one can of black beans with a potato masher. Add both whole and mashed beans to the pot along with tomatoes, chili powder and bay leaf. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Salt and pepper to taste.

The original recipe calls for a cup of salsa instead of the tomatoes with jalepenos. The result is a thicker soup. Thin it out with more chicken broth if necessary.

Grandma Helen's Red Pasta Sauce

My Grandma Helen always made homemade red pasta sauce. I never ate jar sauce as a kid and to this day I don't eat it. When you grow up eating homemade pasta sauce, you just can't eat anything else. A few years ago, Grandma and I made the sauce together and for the first time, I learned her recipe. The only catch in learning the recipe - my Grandma doesn't cook by measurements, it's all memory and taste. This required me to adapt the recipe a bit on my own. Matt likes a little kick to his sauce, so I added more red pepper flakes than Grandma did. Recently, Grandma had surgery, so I made a lot of homemade goodies to keep her freezer stocked. It was the first time she ate my red pasta sauce. She called and gave me rave reviews and asked me to share my recipe with her. She is truly the inspiration for this recipe, so to me it will always be Grandma Helen's Red Pasta Sauce. Enjoy!

2 TBSP olive oil
3 cloves of minced garlic
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 – 28 oz. cans tomato puree
1 – 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 whole white onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 small can tomato paste
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP salt
1 large bay leaf

Add olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to bottom of large pot. Let garlic and pepper infuse the olive oil for a few minutes.
Add the tomato puree and crushed tomatoes.
Add chicken broth to empty tomato puree can, fill can with water, add tomato paste; add mixture to sauce.
Add whole, peeled onion to center of pot.
Stir in sugar and salt; add bay leaf.
Simmer on low for 2 – 3 hours.

Once sauce is done, remove onion and bay leaf.

Want a hearty meat sauce for lasanga or baked ziti? Add 1 lb. of ground beef and 1/2 lb. of ground sweet Italian sausage to the garlic and red pepper infused olive oil. Brown the meat and the follow the rest of the directions for the sauce. Having the cooked meat simmer in the sauce gives it a great flavor for your favorite baked pasta dishes.

Meatballs in Red Sauce

Our friend Maureen makes some of the best meatballs I have ever tasted. She uses this recipe. It's a little high maintenance for me, with the bread and all. Plus, I prefer an all-beef meatball, so I've adapted it. Or, as Rob would say, I've Janed it up. Either way, you're going to get some tasty goodness on top of your pasta.

2 1/2 lbs ground beef ( I don't recommend the leanest cut here, go with a ground chuck or round for the best taste and texture )

1/2 - 2/3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

1/2 cup milk

2 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT olive oil in a medium bowl. (Aysu, I put baggies on my hands!) Heat olive oil in the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven. Form meatballs into size of your preference and brown on all sides in the olive oil. Remove meatballs and set them on a paper towel. Drain the oil from the pot, and put meatballs back in. Pour your favorite red sauce over top of meatballs and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

As an alternative, I prepped everything tonight and put everything in the crockpot for tomorrow. I'm going to let it simmer all day. YUM!

My favorite red sauce?? You'll have to ask Shana. :o)

Macaroni & Cheese

I now have two macaroni and cheese recipes. I always made mac and cheese in the crock pot. I love my crock pot, as you'll notice when reading some of my recipe posts. Recently, I decided to try a baked macaroni and cheese and Matt said he liked the baked version better. I love them both, so I thought I'd share both recipes.

Crock Pot Macaroni & Cheese
8 oz. cooked elbow macaroni
2 TBSP. olive oil
1/8 stick melted butter
1 can of evaporated milk
1-1/2 cups milk
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt to taste

Grease crock pot with non-stick cooking spray.
Add all ingredients and stir. Cook on low for 3 - 4 hours.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese
8 oz. cooked elbow macaroni
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
8 oz. block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Keep warm.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in salt, black pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg, red pepper, 1 cup shredded cheese, and cooked pasta.
3. Spoon pasta mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish; top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
4. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

To lighten the calorie counts of these recipes, I use reduced-fat milk and 2% reduced-fat cheese and they taste just as good.

Parmesan/Romano Crusted Chicken

I thought you might like this given our shared love for Cap City's version. I'm actually making it tonight and it's a big hit with Chris and the kids. Very easy, very flavorful and, for once, the chicken stays moist!

- 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup parmesan or romano cheese

(I prefer romano)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- 5 tsp. dry bread crumbs

(I use plain, recipe calls for Italian seasoned)

Preheat oven to 425°.

In a medium bowl, combine mayo and cheese. Arrange chicken in glass baking dish. Evenly top with mayo mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Flip over and do the other side.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. I always cover mine with foil to lock in the moisture. Super simple and delish.

Chicken with Apples and Cider

My friend, Liz, swears by this recipe. It's her favorite and she raves about it. It sounds so yummy for fall! It's on deck tomorrow at our house. As is, it's 8 points a serving. I think I'll use brown rice or couscous instead of noodles.

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
4 (4 oz) skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 medium onion, thinly sliced and seperated into rings
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 cups hot cooked wide noodles

1. Saute the apple in 1 tbsp of oil until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. On a sheet of wax paper, sprinkle chicken with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Saute in the remaining tbsp of oil until browned, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to another plate.

3. In the same skillet, cook the onion, covered, until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the cider and vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet; simmer, spooning sauce over chicken until chicken is cooked through and liquid is reduced by half, about 4-5 minutes.

4. Return apples to the skillet; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve over noodles.

Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater Muffins

I am making these right now. And I just made the name up... haha. It's a "cheat" recipe... no one has to know how easy they are! I have an event tomorrow and completely forgot that I signed up to bring a baked good. I have all the ingredients in my cupboard, so in the oven these go. Best part, they're 2 WW Points, if you're counting.

1 box Spice Cake mix
1/2 cup skim milk
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin
1 egg or 1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
1/2-3/4 cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional)

Mix all ingredients and fill baking cups about 1/3 full. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. They're EXCELLENT served warm.

Shredded BBQ Chicken

I found this recipe in my go to cookbook - Easy Weeknight Favorites. I've made this a number of times. It's a great crock pot recipe that freezes well.

1/2 lemon, sliced and seeded
6 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup cola
18 0z. bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water

Place lemon slices in the bottom of a crock pot. Add chicken. Combine cola and barbecue sauce; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or on LOW for 7 hours. Remove chicken to a platter and shred; reserving sauce in crock pot (discard lemon).

Combine the flour and water, stirring well with a whisk; stir into sauce in crock pot. Cook sauce, uncovered, on HIGH for 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Return shredded chicken to crock pot and serve.

Easy Easy Potato Soup

Last winter, during a phone conversation with my sister, she mentioned she was making Potato Soup. YUM. The Irish girl in me loves anything that even mentions a potato in the recipe. I realized I had never made it before. Now, this is a staple in my house and I just made it for the first time this fall. I realize there are tons of potato soup recipes out there, but this one is so easy.

My sister uses bacon instead of ham, and doesn't use the immersion blender. She just mashes it a little. She likes more chunk to her potato soup, whereas I like mine smooth. Enjoy!

Potato Soup

5 Russett potatoes

1 pkg diced ham ( I like Bob Evans )

1 (32 oz) container chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can chicken broth

1 medium chopped onion

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Saute chopped onion with olive oil in a soup pot until the onions just start to brown. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Boil the potatoes until they're fork tender. While potatoes are cooking, in a seperate pan, cook the ham in a little olive oil just to crisp it up a tad. (You can probably skip this step, because the ham is pre-cooked, but I think it tastes better if it's browned a bit.) Once the potatoes are done, remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to cream the soup. Add ham, and salt and pepper to taste. If it's too thick, thin it out with a little milk.

I think the soup is perfect the way it is, but it would be great with cheese, sour cream, and scallions on top.