Onion Strings....

YUMMY!!! These are delicious!! I got this recipe from the Pioneer Woman...Check them out on her website for step by step pictures!!

1 large onion
2 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups milk with 2 tablespoons white vinegar)
2 cups flour
1 scant tablespoon salt
Lots of black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Canola Oil
Slice onion very thin. Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk for at least one hour.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
Heat oil to 375 degrees.
Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown. Place on a paper towel to soak up extra grease.
Repeat until onions are gone.

Crock Pot Honey Ribs....

I love crock pot recipes. Super easy. These ribs are real yummy and fall off the bones!!

1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth, plus more if needed
3 tablespoons honey mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey barbeque sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 pounds baby back pork ribs

In a slow cooker mix together the beef broth, honey mustard, honey, water, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, and maple syrup. Place the ribs in the slow cooker so they are covered by the sauce. If their is not enough sauce, add a little water or beef broth.

Cover and cook on high for 5 hours, or until the meat falls easily from the bone.

Stuffed Shells....

1 pound Italian Sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen, chopped spinach, cooked and well drained
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg, beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated parmaesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
20 jumbo shell noodles, cooked and drained
Prego

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a skillet, brown sausage and onion over medium heat, crumbling sausage as it cooks. Drain grease.

Transfer sausage mixture into a large bowl. Stir in spinach, cream cheese, and egg. Add 1 cup mozzarella, cheddar, cottage cheese, parmesan, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Mix well.

Stuff pasta shells with sausage and cheese mixture. Arrange shells in a greased 9x13x2 inch baking dish.

Pour prego evenly over shells. (I use about 2 tablespoons per shell... I don't measure just put as much as you want.)

Cover and bake shells in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Uncover shells and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Return baking dish to the oven and bake until cheese melts. Let cool 5 minutes and serve.
**We really liked these...They are kind of heavy though, so next time I may leave out the cream cheese.**
***** I made these again and added half of the cream cheese and they were AMAZING!***

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken

I got this from allrecipes.com. It is light tasting- no heavy sauce, not much sauce at all really. A very quick and easy weeknight dinner. You probably have the ingredients on hand and cooks up very fast- less than 30 minutes to dinner! I will write the recipe as written and then add a note on the few variances I did. Serves about 6.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 pkg angel hair pasta
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 pkg frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1) Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and saute 5-7 min, until cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
2) Boil pasta and drain- set aside.
3)While pasta is cooking, heat 2nd tbsp oil over medium heat in same skillet used for chicken. Stir fry carrots in oil for 4 minutes. Add the broccoli and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, basil and cheese. Return chicken to skillet, reduce heat to low and simmer 4 min.
4) Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Top with chicken/vegi mix and serve immediately.

I followed as is, but I marinated the chicken cubes in a tomato vinagarette for a few hours before cooking and did not use the 1st tbsp of olive oil for this reason- just cooking spray. I also just used a little extra broth, basil and cheese. The cheese I used was a shredded Italian cheese mix I had in the fridge. Also, before putting the chicken on the pasta, I tossed the pasta with a little olive oil and parsley. Goes great with garlic bread and maybe a salad. It was very good- my husband liked it too! An easy, light, fast summer dish! Enjoy!

Texas Sheet Cake

Melt together
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 sticks margarine
1 cup water

Pour over and mix together
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour

add
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
mix until smooth

pour into a greased jelly roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

ICING:
melt together
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 sticks margarine

Pour over and mix together
1 lb. powedered sugar

add
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons milk
mix until smooth

spread over hot cake

ENJOY!!!

grilled asparagus

This is really simple. Just put your asparagus in a zip lock bag, pour in some olive oil, and salt to taste. Shake until everything is coated. Throw on the grill for 5 minutes, turning every minute or so.

We tried this for the first time yesterday and everyone loved it.

*I've also read that after grilling you can sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Sounds good... we'll have to try that next time.

spanish rice

3/4 c. rice
1 can tomato sauce
1 can water
onion
garlic
salt

Put oil in pan and sautee rice with onion, garlic and salt until rice is white. Add tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes.

**This is such an easy side to go along with any mexican meal. I love that this is a lot moister than the mexican rice you get when you eat out.

Aussie Chicken...

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
6 slices bacon, cut in half
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups shredded colby-monterey jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Rub the chicken breasts with the seasoning salt, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the bacon in a large deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until crisp. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, honey, corn syrup, mayonnaise, and dried onion flakes. Remove half of the sauce, cover, and refrigerate to serve later.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the breasts in the skillet and saute for 3-5 minutes per side, or until browned. Transfer the chicken to a 9x13inch baking dish. Spoon honey mustard sauce over each breast, then layer each breast with mushrooms and bacon. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the chicken juices run clear. Garnish with parsley and serve with the reserved honey mustard sauce on the side.

*** we really enjoy this. Most recipes I don't worry about having fresh parsley, but this one tastes considerablly better with fresh. Enjoy!!!

Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts....

This is a spicy version of spinach stuffed chicken breasts. Enjoy!

• 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 8 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place spinach in a large glass bowl and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes, stirring every minute or so, or until wilted. Stir in the sour cream, pepper jack cheese and garlic.

Lay the chicken breasts out on a clean surface, and spoon some of the spinach mixture onto each one. Sprinkle with pepper. Roll up the chicken to enclose the spinach, then wrap each chicken breast with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks and arrange in a shallow baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, then increase the heat to 500 degrees and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes to brown the bacon.

New Backround...

Thanks for the new backround!! It looks GREAT!!