Cookies Galore

On Sunday, Pinterest introduced me to a new blog, Naturally Ella.  To cater to my undeniable sweet tooth, I tried Naturally Ella's recipe for White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies.  They turned out great!  This recipe makes LOTS of large cookies, so be sure to invite friends over to help you enjoy them. 

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoon butter (room temperature preferred)
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375˚.
2. Beat the butter and sugars together until mixture is fluffy. Add vanilla, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and egg.  Continue to beat until everything is well-incorporated. Slowly add flour, and mix well. Fold in white chocolate chips and cranberries.
3. Scoop mixture onto a cookie sheet.  I took Naturally Ella's advice and used an ice cream scoop so I would have large cookies. Flatten slightly.
4. Bake for about 12 minutes or until edges are lightly brown.  (Centers will not be set but will continue to cook after removed from oven. Any longer than this and the cookie will have tough edges.)  Let cool for about 5 minutes on cookie sheet and then move to a cooling rack or plate.

Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pecans
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• Pinch salt
• Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2.  Spread the pecan pieces and the chocolate chips evenly on the bottom of the pie shell.
3.  In a mixing bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Pour the filling over the pecans.
4.  Bake until the filling sets, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes before slicing. 5.  Serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar or whipped cream.

I've tried several new recipes lately, but this is one of my favorites, compliments of Emeril Lagasse.  If you're a chocolate lover like me, you will love it!  Try it with vanilla ice cream if you're feeling especially sinful!

Zoe's Quesadillas

One of my favorite lunch places is Zoe's Kitchen, and I always order the same thing - Chicken, Spinach, and Feta Quesadillas.  They're wonderful!  Unfortunately, Zoe's Kitchen hasn't made it to Jackson, so I decided to try their tasty quesadillas in my very own kitchen (with the help of David - he's much better at flipping quesadillas than I am).  I found the recipe on a very cute blog - Sugar & Spice by Celeste.  I tweaked it just a little and would definitely recommend you try it.  This is the easy recipe for two:

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Oil Spray
• 2 Chicken Breasts
• Soy Sauce
• Ely's Seasoning (or your favorite chicken seasoning - this is optional)
• 4 8" Flour Tortillas
• 1 Box Frozen Spinach
• Feta Cheese, crumbled (as much as you would like)
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salsa, for dipping
• Sour Cream, for dipping
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste  

  

Directions:

1. Season the chicken with the seasoning of your choice, and drizzle soy sauce on the chicken.  I used Ely's Seasoning (a multi-purpose seasoning made fresh at Ely's, an awesome Jackson restaurant).
2. Cook the spinach according to the package instructions, either in the microwave or in a medium saucepan.
3. Spray a grill pan with Vegetable Oil Spray.
4. Place the grill pan on high heat on the stove top.  When it becomes hot, grill the chicken until completely cooked.  Chop the chicken in small pieces.
5. Drain and squeeze the excess water out of the spinach using paper towels.
6. Place a tortilla on a plate, and add a layer of spinach on top.  Follow with a layer of chicken, then feta cheese, then sun-dried tomatoes.  Cover with a second tortilla.  Put as much as you would like of each, but be sure not to load the quesadilla down too much (it will make flipping it more difficult).
7. Heat a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop, and coat the bottom of the saucepan with olive oil.
8. VERY carefully, place the loaded tortilla on the skillet.  Let the tortilla cook for a few minutes, and then very slowly flip the quesadilla using a large spatula.
9. Once the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides, return it to the plate and use a pizza cutter to cut it in quarters.
10. Serve with Salsa and Sour Cream for dipping.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes have become a staple at our house because they're easy and go well with a wide variety of main dishes.  My favorite recipe comes from Barefoot Contessa.  I hope you'll try it during the holiday season.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds small red or white-skinned potatoes (or a mixture)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons minced rosemary
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Cut the potatoes in quarters.

3.  Combing olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

4.  Toss the potatoes in the mixture until well coated.

5.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and spread out into 1 layer.

6.  Roast in the oven for about 1 hour, or until browned and crisp.

7.  Flip a few times with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning.

8.  Remove from oven and serve. 

Enjoy!

Corn Dip

Before a party we attended last weekend, I made corn dip for the first time ever.  We liked it so much I made it again this weekend for a baby shower.  Here's the easy and tasty recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:
2 (15 oz.) cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
4 green onions, chopped
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's real mayo.)

Directions:
Mix the ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Best served with fritos. 

Enjoy!

Peach Muffins

Hope everyone had a happy Sunday!  We enjoyed the beautiful weather, good food, and time spent with family.  David and I had lunch with my parents, who came in town for a very fun weekend visit, and dinner with David's parents at their house.  I love relaxing Sundays with family.

I decided to begin the day by trying out a new recipe for peach muffins from http://www.allrecipes.com/.  I would definitely recommend giving it a try!

 Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups white sugar

2 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lightly grease 16 muffin cups. (This recipe actually makes more than 16 muffins. I made 16 muffins and a small loaf of bread, but you could just do more muffins.) 
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs, and sugar.
5. Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture just until moist.
6. Fold in the peaches.
7. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.
8. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

~ enjoying the beautiful day after church ~

Huck enjoyed the weather too!

Cooking Out with Friends

David and I had such a good weekend.  The weather was beautiful, and we were able to spend quality time with family and friends.  On Saturday, I had a much-needed pool day with my dear friend, Emmylou.  We enjoyed the cooler weather and catching up on girl time! 

On Saturday night, several of our friends came over for dinner - Brittany & Jimmy Dale Chisolm and Sarah Beth & Brent Gary and their kids Walker and Collins.  We watched the Mississippi State game, grilled hamburgers, and indulged in some delicious appetizers:


Sarah Beth brought this tasty pizza dip.  We all loved it, so she shared the recipe:

1 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 jar pizza sauce
2 cups mozarella cheese
pepperonis (as many as you would like on top)

Simply layer beginning with cream cheese, then pizza sauce, then cheese, then pepperonis. 
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Enjoy!



Sarah Beth also brought Captain Rodney's Dip. 
I will ask her for the recipe and share that one too. 
It was a crowd favorite!



David and I made Rotel Dip with Sausage.  All you need is:

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 lbs Velveeta Cheese (cubed)
1 can mild Rotel
1 lb Hot Jimmy Dean Sausage

Put soup, cheese, and rotel in the crock pot. 
Brown the sausage and mix in with other ingredients.
Cook on low for 1-2 hours.  Serve with chips. 

On Sunday, we had a fun lunch after church with the Ellis family.  It's always nice to spend Sunday afternoon catching up with them and hearing about everyone's week.  After a lazy Sunday afternoon, we went to Jimmy Dale and Brittany's house to cook out with the same group from Saturday plus the Lees and the Deans.  It was the perfect night for a cook out to welcome a new season.  I hope you enjoyed the fall weekend!

Baked Ziti with Spinach

Tonight I tried a new recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes, Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach.  It was a keeper!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb whole grain ziti (or penne) pasta
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and pressed with paper towels to get the water out
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 8 oz fat-free ricotta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste 

1.  Preheat oven to 375°.  Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.

2.  Cook pasta according to instructions.  Drain and return to pot.

3.  Add olive oil to a large saucepan, and saute garlic.  Add chopped spinach and crushed tomatoes. Season with oregano, fresh basil, salt, and pepper.

4.  Add sauce to the pasta and combine.  Add the parmesan cheese, ricotta, and half of the mozzarella cheese.  Mix well and let simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

5.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.  Top with the remaining mozzarella.

6.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and lightly browned.



After we enjoyed it!


I didn't want David to have any preconceived notions, so I still haven't told him it was low fat!  He enjoyed it and didn't seem to notice :)

I hope you like it as much as we did!  Have a happy week!

Friendship Bread

I've always loved banana bread.  In college, my dear friend and roommate of three years, Jessica, would return from weekend trips home with banana bread, made fresh by her mother, Ms. Gavin.  It was absolutely delicious.  Every time I've had it since graduating from college, it takes me back to sitting at the kitchen table in our loft with my cherished friends and a slice of banana bread. 

On Sunday, I decided I would try making it for the first time, so I needed a trustworthy recipe.  One of my grandmother's closest friends was Mrs. Martha Guinn, and I have a cookbook with many of her recipes in it.  Mrs. Martha, my grandmother, and their friend, Mrs. Cora Gene Miller, were the best of friends and taught me a lot about the kind of friend and cook I would like to be!  They truly embodied Southern hospitality and grace.

Here is Mrs. Martha's recipe for banana bread.
Ingredients: 

1 1/2 Cups of Sugar

2 Eggs

Stick of Butter

2 Cups of Flour

2 Large Bananas (1 Cup when Mashed)

1/4 Cup Buttermilk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt, 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder, 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
(mixed with flour)

The Mixer makes it easier!



The Recipe



Just Out of the Oven!

  I hope you'll try it and share it with friends!

Wonderful Weekend

We had a wonderful weekend!  My parents came to Jackson on Friday and sadly had to leave just a few minutes ago.  Yesterday, my mom and I had a delicious lunch at Babalu with my mother-in-law.  Mississippi Magazine rated Babalu's guacamole as the #1 appetizer in Mississippi, and we agree!  After lunch, I introduced my mom to our new niece, Olive.  I think it was love at first sight.

Last night, we had a fabulous dinner at Local 463 in Madison with my brother and his wife, Jon David and Brenda.  There is nothing better than good food and great company!

Here is a picture of my parents at my front door before dinner:

I'm trying my very best to convince them to get a place in Jackson and stay here at least half the time!  They are the best parents a girl could ever ask for.  Thank you, Mom and Dad, for all you do for us.  I miss you already!

Pork Chops and New Lamps

Last night, David and I tried something new for dinner - Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce and Sauteed Mushrooms.  Even though my Mom says I've had pork chops, I can't remember ever having them!  The recipe came from Gina's Skinny Recipes:  http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/06/pork-chops-with-dijon-herb-sauce-525-ww.html  It's definitely one we'll have again.




Chopped Parsley and Onions



Be sure to salt and pepper the pork chops.

For the side, we sauteed mushrooms, using a recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/.  All you need is butter, a package of Ranch dressing mix, and 1 pound of fresh, chopped mushrooms.  First, you melt the butter on low heat:

Then you add the ranch dressing mix:

Then the chopped mushrooms:

Saute for about 25 minutes, tossing often.  The dinner was fabulous!

The Finished Product

The mushrooms would make an excellent topping for chicken or steak and would be great served with rice.  My first pork chop experience was a good one!

Also, I just received in the mail today two new lamps from one of my favorite stores, Ballard Designs.  I'm so excited about these I had to share them:

Ballard Designs had all lighting 15% off, and I think they were a great deal for the quality!  Most things don't stay in the same place for long at my house.  Right now, they're in our living room, but I'm sure they would look great on bedside tables.



Hope you've had a happy Monday!

Girls Can Make Burgers Too

Tonight David and I had a delicious dinner!  I tried two new recipes from http://www.allrecipes.com/ and wanted to share them.  First, I prepared Honey Roasted New Potatoes.

See http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Honey-Roasted-Red-Potatoes/Detail.aspx.  The potatoes take a little longer than suggested.  Next time, I plan on leaving them in for about 45-60 minutes.

Then, I made Feta-Stuffed Burgers.  I've always left making burgers up to David, so this was my first time to actually prepare them.  Now I know why boys always make them - they're so easy!  Because of my lack of experience, I made them a little too small, so I decided to call them sliders!  I grilled them on my grill pan, which I absolutely love and have used a thousand times since we got married.

Here's the recipe:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/feta-stuffed-hamburgers/detail.aspx.  They would be great with jalapenos if you like a little spice. 

Bon Appetit!

Trustworthy Kabobs

Before getting married, I rarely entered the kitchen.  Both David and I come from families full of wonderful cooks, but during my single years, I was more interested in socializing during meals than creating them.  Now, I cook often and truly enjoy it more than I ever thought I would.  I aspire to be fearless in the kitchen and try new dishes.  David and I have shared many a bad meal as a result of my experimentation.  It's absolutely the worst feeling in the world to spend hours preparing a meal that tastes terrible! 

I've come to appreciate reliable recipes. David and I just made chicken and pineapple kabobs, which are healthy and impossible to mess up.  Here's the recipe for you to try!

Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs                                 

          
           4 Chicken Breasts
           1 Pineapple
           Tequila Lime Marinade (from Kroger)
           1 Onion
           1 Jar of Cherries
          
Step 1:  Cut the chicken into cubes and marinate in the Tequila Lime Marinade for approximately 2-4 hours. 


Step 2:  Cut the pineapple into cubes.

You may also marinate the pineapple, or you can simply baste it with the marinade before grilling. 


Step 3:  Slice the onion into squares. 

Step 4:  Create the kabobs, alternating chicken, pineapple, and onion. 


Step 5:  Grill the kabobs.


Step 6:  Put a cherry on each end of the kabob and serve!


My apologies - I totally forgot to take a picture of the finished product!  This recipe is a fun one because you can change it a little each time.  Next time, I think I'll add red, green, and yellow peppers so the kabobs will be more colorful.  You could also substitute shrimp for chicken.


Because we happened to have some squash, we served it with Paula Deen's Cheesy Squash Casserole (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cheesy-squash-casserole-recipe/index.html).  The casserole was delicious, but it would be great served just with rice. This recipe will serve 4-5.  Enjoy!