Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I just accidentally posted a personal post to this blog. Once I deleted it the new post title was still showing up on the sidebar. Luckily, I made some delicious cookies last night so I have a recipe to cover up my mistake!

The plate I'm talking to my visiting teaching lady and I was too lazy to take the saran wrap off for the pic!

1 c pumpkin
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c oil
1 egg
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp milk
1 c chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Dissolve baking soda in milk, set aside. In large bowl add pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg. Stir. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda mixture. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Spoon onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 min.

Beware: they are so yummy that I've been eating them for breakfast. Nice and healthy!

Ghost Chili

A creamy chili that’s good on the taste buds and the budget.

• Prep Time 5 Minutes
• Cook Time 45 Minutes

• 1 pound Chicken Breast, Cubed
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
• 1-½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 2 cans (15.5 Oz) Great Northern Beans, Rinsed And Drained
• 1 can (14.5 Oz) Chicken Broth
• 2 cans (4 Oz.) Chopped Green Chilies
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
• ¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• ½ cups Whipping Cream

Preparation Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot. Saute chicken, onion, and garlic powder until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cream.

If you like your chili very mild, reduce the amount of chilies to 1 can, or rinse and drain the chilies well.

To make a less rich, healthier version, use 2 cups sour cream and 1/4 cup milk.

Spiced Apple Cider

My Parents had HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of pounds of apples from their trees this year! So that means I have a ton of fresh-pressed apple juice! But you can use this recipe with any apple juice and it will taste great......just not as great as mine;)

You can either do a big batch of this on the stove or in a crock pot.....or you can do a mug-full at a time in the microwave.

Apple Juice
Cinnamon Sticks: One for each serving. If You're doing a big pot, put in a few. If you are doing it in a mug, just put in one.
cloves: A couple for each serving.
Orange slice(opt) One for each serving.

Heat on stove top, in the microwave, or in crock pot. If you do it the crock pot it makes your house smell wonderful! Then you can drink it hot(that's how I like mine) or chill in the fridge.

Quick Link

Lindsey, Kristine, and I have a friend from high school, Sydney, who started her own food blog.  I just thought I'd throw a link on here for anyone looking for more yummy ideas!

http://drinkwaterkitchen.blogspot.com/

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

I love no bake cookies but don't love coconut so I found this recipe with out it. So easy and turned out delicious!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 cups oatmeal
• Waxed paper

Directions

In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 90 seconds then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, until cooled and hardened.

Chicken and Leeks

Ridiculously easy and tasty.

• Prep Time 5 Minutes
• Cook Time 20 Minutes
• Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 2-½ cups Chicken Broth, Divided
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1-½ cup Couscous
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 pound Chicken Tenders
• 2 stalks Leeks

Preparation Instructions

Heat 1 1/2 cups broth and butter to boiling in a sauce pan. Add couscous and remove from heat. Stir well then cover and allow to set for 15-20 minutes. Heat extra virgin olive oil in skillet. Salt and pepper chicken tenders then brown in skillet for 5 minutes each side. In the meantime, cut the tender parts (white and light green) of the leeks lengthwise, then into slices. Rinse well. Add to the chicken and allow to wilt for 5 minutes. Add last 1 cup of chicken broth and let the liquid cook down at least 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and serve with chicken and leaks.

Kit-Kat Bars

They don't taste like kit-kats, but they're still delicious beyond belief!

• Cook Time 40 Minutes
• Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 2 sticks Butter
• ½ cups Milk
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• ½ cups White Sugar
• 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1 box (16 Oz. Box) Club Crackers
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Butterscotch Chips
• ⅔ cups Peanut Butter

Preparation Instructions

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add milk, brown sugar, and white sugar. Bring that to a boil and add graham cracker crumbs. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Put a layer of Club crackers on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Pour half of the graham cracker mixture over that. Add another layer of crackers, then the other half of the graham cracker mix, followed by a third layer of crackers.

Melt chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter. Use to frost the bars by spreading it evenly over the top layer. Chill. Cut. Enjoy!

Grilled Cajun Pork Chops

Pork chops with a delicious sweet and spicy rub nestled in a bed of rice and beans.

• Prep Time 30 Minutes
• Cook Time 20 Minutes
• Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 6 whole Pork Chops
• 3 Tablespoons Paprika
• ½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
• ½ teaspoons Cumin
• 1-½ teaspoon Salt
• ¾ teaspoons Black Pepper
• 2-½ Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1-½ cup Brown Rice
• ½ cans Dark Red Kidney Beans, 15 Ounce Can
• ½ cans Garbanzo Beans (15 Ounce Can)
• ½ cans Corn (15 Ounce Can)

Preparation Instructions

I have to start out saying this was the name on the original recipe I snagged from a magazine at the dentist’s office years ago, and I have since tweaked, altered, gone back to the original, and changed again many times since. So does it even remotely resemble Cajun anything? No clue, but it’s good. So, so good. Whew! Ok, now that’s off my back we can begin!

Start by mixing the paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. I sometimes like to double the amounts to make sure I have plenty! Reserve 2 teaspoons of the rub and set aside. Generously rub the remaining spice mix on the outside of each porkchop and work it in as well as possible. Let sit, covered, in the fridge for 20 minutes.

While that’s going down, prepare the 1 1/2 cups of uncooked rice according to package directions. I cook this in a rice cooker and add the reserved rub before cooking.

You can either grill or pan fry the pork chops with just the tiniest bit of olive oil. I like both. Thin pork chops will need to cook 4 minutes on each side at medium-high heat. The thicker the chop, the longer you cook. Once the internal temperature reaches 165 degree you’re good to go!

Once the rice is done cooking, add the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and corn and let the mixture warm through. Serve the delicious pork chop over rice and enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Burritoes

I always like when Stevie includes a picture of her recipe, so here you go.

3-4 chicken breasts (not completely sure how much, got this recipe by word of mouth from my sis-in-law)
1 c. slasa
1 pkg cream cheese

Put chicken and salsa in crock pot on low for 3 hours. (I actually use tenderloins so you may have to go longer if you use full breasts. Just cook til it's done!) Shred chicken. Cut cream cheese into small chunks and add. Wait about a half hour and stir. Cream cheese should melt right in to make a creamy sauce. Serve on tortilla shells with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes... whatever you like. YUM YUM YUM!!! We always double it so we can have LOTS of left overs! 

Italian Chickini

You may be saying, “I’ve never heard of Chickini before!” Well, good, because I made that word up tonight to describe this delicious recipe passed down from my mother that uses up all those garden zucchini and tomatoes. Chicken + Zucchini = Chickini. Ah, it’s love!

• Prep Time 15 Minutes
• Cook Time 20 Minutes
• Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 1 pound Chicken Tenders
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
• 1 cup Panko Or Crushed Corn Flakes
• ⅓ cups Grated Parmesan
• 2 cups Zucchini, Cubed
• 2 cups Tomatoes, Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Parsley
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Divided

Preparation Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Whip egg in a small bowl. Combine bread crumbs, panko, and parmesan in a separate bowl. Dip chicken in the egg, then the bread crumb mixture, and cook in the pan.

While chicken is cooking, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a separate pan. Add zucchini, tomatoes, and remaining spices. Cook until zucchini is fork-tender. Add salt and pepper. The amount of spices is a good approximation, but seasoning to taste is best for this recipe.

Serve zucchini mix on top of chicken or on the side.