Mimi's Chicken Noodle Soup

This is an old family recipe and it's definitely a family favorite around here!  It's rare that we have a meal of which everyone (even the baby!) requests second helpings.

Mimi's Chicken Noodle Soup
for the noodles:
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt

for the soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 white onion, diced
1 small baking potato, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
6-8 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or you can substitute a store-bought rotisserie)

For the noodles, add flour to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer.  In a small bowl, combine eggs, water, oil and salt.  Pour liquid into the flour and mix with a spoon until a dough forms.  With the bread hook attachment, "knead" the dough for about 10 minutes.  (Alternatively, you can do this with your hands if you don't have a stand mixer - I'm sure that's what Mimi did originally!)  Cover and let rest an hour.

Meanwhile to start working on the soup, place a large pot over medium-low heat and heat oil or butter. Add celery, carrots, and onion and cook 6-8 minutes, or until vegetables are softened and onion is translucent.  Add the garlic, potato, thyme, salt and pepper and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant.  Add chicken broth and let simmer while you finish working on the noodles.

After an hour, roll the dough out on a floured surface.  (If the dough keeps shrinking, let it rest another 10-20 more minutes.)  Roll dough out to about 1/8-inch thick and use a pizza cutter to slice into noodles.  Let the noodles dry out another 30 minutes.

Once the noodles have dried, add them and the chicken to the soup.  Cook another 10-20 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through.  If the noodles are chewy, let them cook another few minutes.

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Sneaky Spaghetti Sauce

When I hear people say that if you prepare vegetables well enough and often enough, then your child will eat them and love them, I automatically think one of two things.  First, they are incredibly lucky to have a child who apparently isn't a picky eater.  Or secondly, they don't have kids.  These naysayers also judge those parents who choose to 'hide' vegetables in the food they prepare their children.  "I mean, by hiding vegetables in food, how will the poor child ever learn to eat and appreciate vegetables on their own?!?"

I used to be one of these people.  Being somewhat of a foodie, I naively believed that by offering Finley the same foods I prepared for Andrew and myself, she would naturally develop a sophisticated palate.  And compared to most kids her age, maybe she has.  But she's still only two and a half and will choose a (veggie, organic) chicken nugget over broccolini any day of the week.

But here's what I've learned through my short years of motherhood.  Most kids are fickle eaters and they go through phases (usually fairly quickly!) of what they like and don't like.  For instance, one night Finley ate 10 spears of asparagus with her dinner.  I was so proud, pretty much ecstatic really, that I had a toddler who loved a green veggie besides canned green beans!  I marched to Costco the next day and bought the 6-lb bag of asparagus only to come home to a toddler who adamantly refused to eat. a. single. bite. of. asparagus. ever. again.

And this is why I am a firm believer of offering tasty, fresh vegetables at every meal (because sometimes Fin surprises me and eats her carrots or broccoli) BUT also hiding vegetables in meals wherever I can.  I mean, really what is the harm in packing more vegetables into a meal?  It's healthier all the way around!  This is a spaghetti sauce recipe I created when Fin was going through her 'I-only-want-to-eat-pasta-and-ice-cream' phase.  We enjoy the sauce so much, it's now the only meat sauce I ever make anymore.  It's jam packed with vegetables (onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, mushrooms, carrots, celery, zucchini and squash) so it's healthy and tasty.  When I make this spaghetti, I can rest easy because if Finley refuses to eat any of her vegetable side dishes that night, I don't have to worry since she ate some of the dreaded veggies without even knowing it.  And that makes me happy :-)

This recipe makes enough for about 10-12 servings.  I always make the full recipe - I serve it for dinner and then divide the leftovers into two or three large ziplock bags and throw them in the freezer for another night. Also, if you need to clean out your veggie drawer, feel free to throw in any other vegetables too!

Sneaky Spaghetti Sauce
a Baking and Eggs original

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
4-8 oz fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, shredded
1 yellow squash, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 cup red wine (or substitute with more beef stock)
1/2 beef stock
1 lb Italian sausage or Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 lb ground beef or ground bison
2 29-oz cans tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce)
1 14.5-oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, drained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving (omit if you're dairy free)
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
1 small can tomato paste
cooked spaghetti noodles, for serving

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add bell pepper, onion, carrots, and celery.  Cook, stirring often, until onion becomes translucent.  Add mushrooms, garlic, zucchini, squash, basil, fennel seed, oregano and rosemary and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Stir in wine and beef stock and let simmer while the meat cooks.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan cook Italian sausage and ground beef over medium heat, breaking up any big lumps, until meat is browned.  Drain fat.  Add meat to vegetable mixture.

Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Stir well to combine.  Cover and lower heat to medium-low.  Cook, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for at least one hour.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  About 20 minutes before serving, stir in tomato paste if the sauce is too watery.  Continue to cook sauce over medium-low heat until ready to eat.  Serve over cooked noodles and sprinkle with extra parmesan.

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Chorizo Chile con Queso

So this recipe isn't dairy free, but it was too good not to post!  I apologize for the crap-tacular picture, but it's hard to get a photo in which queso looks pretty!

To celebrate the Super Bowl, I made several appetizers on which to munch.  For me, the Super Bowl is about food, not football.  Sad, I know.  Anyway, one of the dishes I made was Chorizo Chile con Queso and it was fabulous.  Why have I never thought to add chorizo before?  The chorizo adds a great savory and spicy depth to the queso.  Even my mom, who told me ahead of time that she didn't care for chorizo, really liked this queso!

Chorizo Chile con Queso
a Baking and Eggs original

12 oz chorizo sausage, casings removed
1 small white onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 lbs Velveeta, cut into cubes
2 14.5-oz cans Rotel (or diced tomatoes with green peppers)
Chopped jalapenos, optional
Milk or chicken broth, if needed
Tortilla chips, for serving

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chorizo, onion and bell pepper, making sure to break up any large clumps of chorizo.  Continue cooking 10-15 minutes, or until chorizo is cooked through and vegetables are translucent and soft.  Drain off the red grease.

In the bowl of a slow cooker, place cubed Velveeta.  Pour chorizo mixture over top of cheese.  Drain 1 can of Rotel and add to slow cooker.  Do not drain the second can and add entire contents to slow cooker.  If you want to dial up the heat, add jalapenos.  Stir to combine ingredients.

Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.  If the queso is too thick for your liking, add a little milk or chicken broth to thin it to your desired consistency.  (I didn't have to do this.) Lower heat to low or keep warm (this allows the queso to stay at the perfect dipping consistency/temperature) and serve with tortilla chips.

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Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Not too long ago, I read that brussels sprouts were the most hated vegetable, but I swear, if you follow this recipe, they may just become your favorite!  These were so delicious that I opted to have another helping of them instead of eating dessert.  That says a whole heck of a lot!  The recipe says that it feeds four as a side dish...but last night it only fed two since Andrew and I just kept nibbling on them. You should have seen the horrified look on Andrew's face when he realized that I had finished them all off.  You'll just have to trust me, but I have never seen him look so upset over a vegetable.  And I can't remember ever being so excited over a vegetable!

The rather mellow flavored brussels sprouts are crisp-tender and meld perfectly with the sweet brown sugar and the crunchy toasted nuts.  I didn't make any major changes to the recipe and it was a perfect, and healthy, side dish that I will add into my regular rotation.  Although, I do think adding a little bacon or pancetta might be nice too...

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
recipe from Eat, Live, Run

12-14 brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 pinches of kosher salt
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Slice each brussels sprouts into thin ribbons.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute garlic for about 30-45 seconds, or until it becomes fragrant.  Add the brussels sprouts and continue sauteing them for another 5 or so minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender.  Add salt and brown sugar and stir to combine.  Finish by sprinkling the nuts over top.  Give it all a good stir and it's ready to serve.

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Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken Crescent Casserole

This recipe is comfort food at it's best!  It's such a delicious combination of flavors that come together to make a fantastic casserole.  It would be really easy to double the recipe if you're feeding a crowd too.  Sadly, I can't tell you how good the leftovers are because my small family of three ate the entire pan.  They are just that yummy.  I'm pretty sure this is a recipe that is going to haunt me until I make it again...which will be very soon!

A few notes about the recipe:  By cooking the casserole without the sauce for 15 minutes, the crescent rolls don't become soggy and hold their taste and texture really well.  Also, I tried to use low fat/reduced fat products as much as possible to cut down on the calories, so while the recipe still isn't exactly healthy, it's not too terrible for you either!


Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken Crescent Casserole

for the filling
3 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons low fat sour cream
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 slices bacon or turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
2 small chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
pepper, to taste
1 8-oz package reduced fat crescent rolls

for the topping
1/2 10.5-oz can healthy recipe cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 green onion, thinly sliced
handful cilantro, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease small baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, green onions, bacon, chicken and spices.  Mix well.  Unroll crescent dough and separate into triangles.  Place 2-3 heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture on each triangle and roll up, starting at the thicker end.  Place each triangle in the baking dish.  (You may have a little extra filling left depending on the size of your chicken breasts.)  Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together soup, ranch dressing and milk.

Remove casserole dish from oven and pour soup mixture over top.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake an additional 20 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.  Garnish with green onion and cilantro.

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Spanish Roasted Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes

 {the finished product!}

{Finley was very interested in watching Daddy carve the chicken}

Oh my gosh, I absolutely loved this dinner!  I literally could not stop eating it!  I've roasted chicken before but none of them have turned out this delicious.  This recipe is company-worthy but with very little effort.  The presentation is beautiful and the herb gremolata really gives the dish a bright, vibrant fresh flavor.  Serve it with a simple green salad or throw some asparagus into the mix and you have yourself a fantastic dinner.  Yum!

I chose to truss the chicken to ensure even cooking and keep the breasts moist.  Here's an excellent YouTube video to teach you how to do it.

Spanish Roasted Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes
adapted from The Meal Planner, recipe originally from Jamie Oliver

2 lbs multi-colored fingerling potatoes, cut in half if large
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks (about the same size as the fingerling potatoes)
4.5 lb whole chicken, rinsed with water, patted dry, and giblets removed
1/2 onion, cut into large chunks
kitchen twine
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
paprika
11 oz chorizo, sliced on an angle

for the gremolata:
2 lemons, zested
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make the gremolata.  Finely chop the parsley, reserving the stems.  In a small bowl, mix together lemon zest, parsley and garlic.  Season with a little salt.  Reserve the lemons.

Stuff the chicken's cavity with the reserved parsley stems, lemons (cut in half), and the chopped onion.  Using kitchen twine, truss your chicken.

Grease your baking dish.  Arrange fingerling and sweet potatoes in an even layer in the bottom of your baking dish.  Drizzle potatoes with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Place chicken atop the potatoes.  Drizzle olive oil over the bird and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper and paprika.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Carefully remove dish and sprinkle sliced chorizo around the chicken.  Return dish to oven and continue to cook for 15 more minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.  Remove from oven, tent with foil and let sit for 15 minutes to allow juice to redistribute.

Carve the chicken.  Serve the chicken and potatoes drizzled with pan juices and sprinkled with the gremolata.

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The Best Artichoke Dip

I absolutely adore artichokes in all forms. I'm pretty sure I've never met an artichoke that I didn't immediately stuff into my mouth. Usually I steam my artichokes, but I saw this pretty picture of an artichoke dip on Pinterest and thought that the corresponding recipe for sounded pretty darn tasty. Plus I had all the ingredients (except for the canned artichokes) already in my kitchen. Sweet!

When I made this dip (and I've made it twice in the last two weeks), I use canned artichoke bottoms rather than artichoke hearts. I've found that the artichoke leaves that are attached to the hearts don't have nearly as good of flavor or texture as the bottom does - so why bring along excess baggage when you can just eat the good stuff?

Two quick notes: the recipe as written doesn't serve more than 8, so if you're serving a crowd, you'll want to double or triple the recipe. Also, you can prepare the dip ahead of time, refrigerate it and then bake it just before serving.

The Best Artichoke Dip

adapted from Picky Cook

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

1/4 cup mayonnaise (you can use low fat)

1/4 cup sour cream (you can use low fat)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika, divided

kosher salt and pepper, to taste

1 14-oz can artichoke bottoms, drained and finely chopped

3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

crackers or baguette slices, for serving

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together parmesan cheese, mayo, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, salt and pepper. Add artichoke and gently stir to combine. Transfer to a 3-cup ramekin or other small baking dish. Sprinkle shredded Italian cheese over the artichoke mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 teaspoon paprika.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (35 minutes if it has been refrigerated). Turn on broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving with crackers and/or toasted baguette slices.

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S'mores Bars

I saw this idea on a friend's blog and I thought it sounded great. This recipe is really a rice-krispy-treats-meets-s'mores, and rice krispy treats and s'mores are two of my simple favorites!

Originally I made these to these to my friend, Lora, who was in the hospital after having her baby girl. Before I left for the hospital, I sampled one to make sure they were as tasty as I thought they should be and then sent all the other bars to Lora. Afterwards, I kept thinking about how good they were and wondering why I hadn't saved at least a couple for our house. So I did what anyone else would have done - I ran to the store and made another batch! And I'm not the only one who loved them. Another friend visited Lora in the hospital and emailed me for the recipe as soon as she got home! Yes, they are that good!

S'mores bars

as seen on Tiny Tidbits and recipe adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

4 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 (10.5-oz) bag of mini marshmallows, divided

8 cups Golden Grahams cereal

6 Hershey's chocolate bars

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and add 2/3 bag of marshmallows. Stir frequently until marshmallows are melted. Take pot off heat and stir in cereal, coating cereal completely. Pour cereal into a greased 9-inch-x-13-inch pan and push down slightly on the cereal to compact it in the pan.

Preheat broiler. Place Hershey's bars on top of cereal. You may need to break them to get even coverage. Sprinkle the remaining marshmallows on top. Pop pan under the broiler, watching closely. Broil until the marshmallows are slightly charred on top.

Let cool completely and cut into bars.

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My (Current) Favorite Salad

I based this salad on a salad I make for my father-in-law, and I've made it twice in the last week. I love the tangy sweet citrus with the crunchy fennel and creamy avocado. Yum! I love it so much that while Andrew was eating ice cream last night, I got the left over salad out of the fridge and ate the rest of it! If you're looking for a flavorful addition to your Thanksgiving meal, this salad would be perfect.

My (Current) Favorite Salad

for the salad

2 oranges, peeled and segmented

1 ruby red grapefruit, peeled and segmented

1/2 can hearts of palm, sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks

1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn into chunks

1 bunch arugula, washed and torn into chunks

for the dressing

1 small shallot, minced

juice from left over grapefruit membranes (or juice of 1 lemon)

juice from 1 left over orange membrane

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1-2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

In a large bowl arrange butter lettuce leaves, arugula, orange segments, grapefruit segments, hearts of palm, fennel slices and avocado chunks.

For the salad dressing, in a blender combine all ingredients and puree. Pour desired amount over salad.

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Chicken Pot Pie

Recently, my friends and I had a freezer meal swap and the meal we received from Erika was Chicken Pot Pie. It was such a warm and comforting meal and I loved having leftovers for lunch the next few days. On a whim (and totally ignoring my carefully made meal plan), I decided to make a CPP for dinner last night. Unfortunately I didn't have Erika's recipe so I just winged it and it came out great. And it was exactly what the doctor ordered - Andrew and I both had second helpings and sweet Finley had thirds! Hopefully your family will enjoy it as much as my family did. It also got me to thinking about when CPP first came into our family...

Growing up, my mom made Chicken and Dumplings, which I didn't like because I had an unfair aversion to soggy/mushy food, but I don't remember her ever making Pot Pie. In my mind Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken and Dumplings were similar enough to one another that I just assumed I wouldn't like either of them. But you know what they say when you assume...Anyway, fast forward to when I was newly married and I realized that Andrew would buy frozen pot pies whenever he went to the grocery store. Poor guy! I decided to remedy that and make him homemade CPP.

Andrew was so excited that he volunteered to head to the store for me. I made out the list and gave it to him. I've learned over the years that I have to be very specific on the grocery list or else I'll end up with something weird. I usually include notes, brand names and location within the store to ensure he comes home with the right ingredients. But this little trip was early into our marriage and I hadn't yet learned this trick. When I unpacked the grocery bags, I found that Andrew had bought a graham cracker pie crust! Bug-eyed, I queried him, and he admitted he thought it was weird but it was the only pie crust he knew of. Ah, funny memories!

Chicken Pot Pie

a Baking & Eggs original

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 white onion, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

1 potato, peeled and diced small

1 egg

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups whole milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 cup frozen peas

2 pie crusts (homemade or store bought)

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degree.s

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt butter and saute onion, carrots and celery, until veggies are softened, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add potatoes and egg to a small saucepan filled with water. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and set potatoes aside. Peel and chop egg. Set aside.

In the saute pan with the veggies, melt butter. Stir in flour. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Stir in salt, pepper, celery seed, parsley, garlic, chicken, frozen peas, cooked potatoes and hardboiled egg. Take pan off heat.

Roll out pie crust in deep-dish pie plate. Carefully pour chicken mixture into dish. (You may have a little filling left-over. I ate it for lunch!) Top with second pie crust. Crimp edges and cut a few steam vents on the top. Brush with egg wash. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until crust is golden.

(I made my pot pie during Finley's nap time, refrigerated it and then baked it for about an hour. You can also double the recipe and freeze one since they freeze great.)

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Paula Deen's Banana Pudding

My friend Molly made the best banana pudding for her daughters' birthday party. Living in the south, I've sampled many a banana pudding recipes, but this one was the winner by a mile. I made it myself within a week of gobbling up Molly's. I served it when we had friends over (in total there were 4 adults and 2 kids) and we ate the entire pan of it! I lost count after I had three servings! So beware, this is a deliciously addictive dessert that must be served to a really large group lest you eat the entire thing yourself!

I apologize for the lack of a photograph but I think I must have accidentally deleted it. Boo! But let's be honest, my photo-taking skills are lacking so it probably wasn't a good one anyway :-)

Paula Deen's Banana Pudding

recipe found here

1 12-oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened

2 cups milk

1 5-oz box instant French Vanilla pudding

6-8 bananas, sliced

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies

Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine milk and pudding mix and blend well. Using another bowl, combine cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold whipped topping into cream cheese mixture. Add cream cheese mixture to pudding mixture and stir well until blended. Pour over cookies and bananas and cover with remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

In celebration of the second weekend of college football, we decided to try yet another ribs recipe and serve them with sausage, potato salad, baked beans, cauliflower with cheese sauce, and banana pudding. Don't worry, we had friends over to share in the feast - there was no way we could haven eaten that much food on our own!

I spotted this recipe on Pinterest and it caught my eye. Ribs...in a crockpot? Say, what?!?We've previously tried smoking them (great flavor but not tender enough) and oven roasting them (again, great flavor but not tender enough), so I thought, "what the heck, why not try cooking them in the Crockpot?!". It could not have been easier and I knew they were going to be tender enough when I cut them to separate the ribs and the meat just fell off the bones. Ah, heaven - meat falling off a bone! At the end of the meal, there was lots of sausage, beans, and potato salad left over but nary a rib in sight!

Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

Adapted from Free Motion Quilting

3 lb rack of pork baby back ribs

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I omitted this since kids were going to be eating with us)

Bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Stubb's)

Mix all the dry seasonings in a small bowl, being careful to break up any lumps of brown sugar. Rub seasoning all over both sides of the ribs, ensuring every surface of ribs is covered.

Place rack of ribs on edge of crockpot, meat side out. I curved the ribs into a circle, the ends touching, so that the ribs are standing upright in the crockpot.

Cook on low heat for a minimum of 7 hours or on high for 5 hours. Remove ribs to a large cutting board and baste with your favorite BBQ sauce. Let rest 15 minutes before separating the ribs. Baste one more time and then serve the ribs with extra BBQ sauce on the side.

*It's important not to lift the lid of the crockpot as they ribs cook because they are essentially steaming in their own juices.

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Honey-Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice

This meal was so good! It was very much a kid-friendly meal without seeming like one. I absolutely loved the chicken and the rice - in fact, I think this rice recipe may have surpassed Cilantro-Lime Rice to become my new favorite rice. I love that there's a green veggie in the rice and the subtle nuttiness the parmesan adds. I can't wait to make this meal again for the fam!

Honey-Dijon Chicken Tenders

adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

1.25 pounds chicken breasts, cut into thin strips lengthwise (about 3 strips per breast)

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup Dijon mustard, divided

2 tablespoons honey, divided

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow bowl, mix together panko, whole wheat breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. In a second bowl, mix together melted butter, 1/4 cup mustard and 1 tablespoon honey.

Coat each chicken tender with mustard mixture and then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine remaining mustard, remaining honey and mayonnaise. Stir well to fully combine. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve honey mustard with chicken tenders.

Zucchini Rice

adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 medium zucchini, coarsely grated

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook rice according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for water. Five minutes before rice is finished cooking, add butter, sprinkle zucchini and cheese over rice. Before serving, stir well to combine ingredients.

Serve immediately with the chicken tenders.

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Marinated Cheese Trio

This has been a favorite appetizer amongst my friends for over a decade when Candace's dad first made it for us. Since then, it has made regular appearances at our get togethers, and every time it gets rave reviews. (Because we've been serving it for so long, I'm not sure where the recipe originated, but I think I've made enough tweaks over the years to call it my own!) I'm actually surprised that I haven't added it to this blog before now. I made it twice this weekend - once for a birthday party and once for a potluck dinner. At the potluck, the host announced that he wasn't even going to eat dinner because all he wanted to eat was the marinated cheese!

When you're making this recipe, here are a few helpful tips to make the preparation much easier. Buy cheese that is roughly the same size (width and length), so that when you slice the cheese, the slices will be identical in size. Slicing the cream cheese is by far the hardest part of the recipe. To make it easier, freeze the cream cheese for 15-30 minutes before slicing it. Also, I'd suggest using unwaxed dental floss instead of a knife to cut it. This dish is great if the cheese has had some time to soak up the marinade - which means you can make it ahead of time! Gotta love that!

Marinated Cheese Trio

a Baking & Eggs original

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bunch green onions, sliced

4 oz jar chopped pimentos, drained

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese

8 oz monterey pepper jack cheese

crackers, for serving (I like to use Wheat Thins)

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, vinegar, parsley, cilantro, green onions, pimentos, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

You'll slice the three cheeses in the same manner. To start, slice the cheese in half lengthwise. Then slice the cheese into thin slices widthwise. Once you've sliced all three cheeses, arrange them in an alternating pattern (cheddar, jack, cream cheese, etc.). Spoon marinade over the top and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It's best to serve it within 24 hours of making it.

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My Favorite Sandwich

I love sandwiches. I don't know why but I just do. And this sandwich was great. It combined a subtle sweetness from the Hawaiian bread, the potent tang of fresh pesto, the smoky flavor of good deli meats and the creaminess of cheese. Delish! We had it for dinner and again for lunch the next day. And I'd eat it again today if I hadn't have run out of meat and cheese!

My Favorite Sandwich

recipe from Recipes to Run On

Hawaiian bread

Pesto - fresh or store bought

Mayonnaise

Good quality deli turkey, thinly sliced

Good quality deli ham, thinly sliced

Good quality provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Spread a light layer of mayo on the bottom piece of bread. Top with ham, turkey, and cheese. On the top piece of bread, spread a healthy dollop of pesto and place bread over the meats and cheese. Cut sandwich in half and enjoy.

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The Ultimate Berry Trifle

{it would look much prettier if I could have found my trifle dish!}

I had the opportunity to see Tyler Florence do a cooking demonstration at a Wine and Food Festival a few years ago and he's been one of my favorite chefs ever since. This is a recipe I've had my eye on for quite awhile. Since berries are in season and we were serving a fairly light and healthy dinner, Jennie and I decided to make this for our dessert. What sets this recipe apart from other ordinary berry trifles is that it has lemon curd in it, whose flavor goes wonderfully with the berries. And you know I'm a sucker for anything citrus (I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, aren't i?!?)! It was a delicious dessert - everyone had seconds and Andrew and I couldn't wait to eat the leftovers the following day.

Like the Summer Rolls, this recipe can be made ahead of time, which makes it great for entertaining. And since it makes use of store-bought pound cake and lemon curd, it's pretty quick to put together too.

The Ultimate Berry Trifle

recipe from Tyler Florence's Tyler's Ultimate cookbook

for the berries

1 pint blueberries

1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut into thick slices

1 pint raspberries

1/4 c sugar

1 1/2 t cornstarch

Juice on 1 lemon

for the lemon cream

1 c heavy cream

1 T sugar

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 c lemon curd

1 pound cake, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook just until the berries begin to break down and give up their juices, about 3 minutes. Take the berries off the heat and let cool; the mixture should thicken up as it cools.

In a clean bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Put the lemon curd into a second bowl and stir in a little of the whipped cream to loosen it. Then fold in the rest of the cream.

To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of the lemon cream into a large glass bowl. Add a layer of pound cake, breaking the slices into pieces to fit. Then soak the cake with a layer of berries and their juices. Keep going to make 3 or 4 layers, depending on the size of the bowl, finishing with a layer of lemon cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Summer Rolls with Two Dipping Sauces

{the magnificent summer rolls}

{the duo of dipping sauces - sesame-soy & spicy peanut}

Jennie is one of my oldest and best friends and she and I share a love of cooking. Every couple of months we get together and make a fun dinner for our husbands. This time we settled on a light Asian dinner of Summer Rolls and Hot and Sour Soup. With this Texas heat we didn't want anything too heavy, plus we wanted to make sure we had plenty of room for our dessert, a wonderful berry trifle.

The Hot and Sour Soup recipe we made was just okay for me, so I don't think I'll post that recipe. But the summer rolls were amazing! And so simple that I can't believe I've never made them before. We went with shrimp, vermicelli noodles and a mixture of vegetables as our filling but you can easily switch things up with equally delicious results, I'm sure. The dipping sauces were fantastic with the summer rolls too. As a true condiment/sauce lover, I thought it was really fun to have more than one sauce with the rolls.

While this recipe is not difficult, it is a little time-consuming to chop the veggies, prepare the noodles and wrap the rolls but I found the recipe to be well worth it. The secrets to successfully wrapping the rolls are to not over stuff them with the filling and to tightly wrap them so that they stick together well. As I often write on here, if I can do it so can you!

Because the entire recipe can be made ahead of time, these would be perfect to make when you're having a party!

Summer Rolls with Two Dipping Sauces

a Baking and Eggs original

For the Sesame-Soy Sauce

3 T low-sodium soy sauce

2 T sesame oil

1/2 lime, juiced

1 t sesame seeds, toasted

1/2 t chile garlic sauce

For the Spicy Peanut Sauce

1 t vegetable oil

1 shallot, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 t red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicier)

3 T chicken broth

1 1/2 T creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 T hoisin sauce

1/2 t brown sugar

chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

For the Summer Rolls

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced into strips

1/2 pkg matchstick carrots

6 green onions, thinly sliced lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces

1/2 pkg Asian vermicelli noodles, cooked and cooled

1 bunch mint, leaves only

1 bunch Thai basil, leaves only

1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only

1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled, cooked and cooled (to save time, I purchased it already cooked from the butcher)

1/2 pkg of summer roll wrappers

To make the Sesame-Soy Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk to mix well. You can make this ahead of time - store it in the refrigerator and whisk again just before serving.

To make the Spicy Peanut Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, add oil. When oil is hot, add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until shallot is translucent but not browned, about 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low. Add chicken broth, peanut butter, hoisin sauce and brown sugar. Stir until peanut butter is melted and sauce is combined. Cool slightly and serve warm. You can make this sauce ahead too - cool sauce, store in refrigerator and microwave the sauce for 20 seconds. Just before serving, garnish with chopped peanuts, if using.

To make the Summer Rolls: Place one wrapper in a large bowl of warm water. Let soak about 5-10 seconds, or until the wrapper loses its hardness and becomes pliable. Place wrapper on work surface. Add 3 shrimp in a straight line in the middle of the wrapper. Over shrimp, place 2 tablespoons of noodles. Top with 2 slices of cucumber, 2 slices of bell pepper, 1 tablespoon of carrots, 3 slices green onions, 3-4 mint leaves, 5-6 cilantro leaves and 2-3 basil leaves. Fold bottom of the wrapper tightly over the filling, stopping at the halfway point. Fold the ends in and then continue rolling. Transfer roll, seam side down, onto a serving platter. The rolls will stick together so place them slightly apart from one another. Cover with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, or up to 8 hours.

Makes about 15 rolls

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Kielbasa with Pierogies and Caramelized Onions

I made this recipe on Saturday night and I really liked it. A lot. I think I might even make it again for dinner tonight! It struck me as a new take on a meat and potatoes kind of dinner. The original recipe (from the Food Network Magazine) calls for everything to be cooked on the grill, but in my neck of the woods, it's been over a 100 degrees everyday - except for a few days last week when we had a "cold front" come in and the temperature only got up to 97 - so I really didn't feel like standing in the heat to man the grill. I changed the recipe up just a little and cooked everything in one large saute pan. Easy peasy and it was delish!

In case you've never had a pierogie before, they are Polish dumplings that are traditionally stuffed with a potato filling. They can usually be found in the frozen food section of your grocery store near the potatoes/french fries.

Kielbasa with Pierogies and Caramelized Onions

adapted from the Food Network Magazine

3 T olive oil, divided

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 pkg potato and cheese pierogies

1 lb kielbasa sausage, sliced

2 T apple cider vinegar

2 T coarse or whole grain mustard

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

In a large saucepan, heat 2 T olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, stirring occasionally, until they turn a golden color, about 15-20 minutes. Spread pierogies on top of onions in a single layer. Lower heat to medium, cover pan and let cook another 5 minutes, stirring every other minute. Add sausage slices and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until pierogies and sausage are cooked through and starting to turn golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together vinegar, mustard and remaining 1 T olive oil.

Add dressing to pan with the sausages, pierogies and onions and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Place on a serving platter and garnish with parsley.

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Stuffed Tomatoes

OMG, these were soooo good! While the pork chops were mighty tasty, the tomatoes stole the show. The bacon, the cheese, the crushed crackers, the green onions and the tomatoes united to become one of the greatest side dishes of all time. We all loved it and everyone had seconds! I will definitely make these again. And soon!

Stuffed Tomatoes
adapted from Paula Dean

5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled with bacon fat reserved
3 oz bleu cheese, crumbled
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
2 T butter, melted
4 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
salt & pepper, to taste

In a bowl, mix together the bacon, cheese, green onions, and cracker crumbs. Stir in the melted butter and 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat.

Salt and pepper the tomato halves. Top each tomato half with 1/8th of the cracker mixture. Broil about 7 minutes or until the crumb topping is golden brown.

serves 4

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Taco Lettuce Wraps

I made the Taco Lettuce Wraps for dinner tonight. I have just one word - genius! These were so good! I loved the crunch from the lettuce and without the tortilla or taco shell, I could truly taste the taco filling. Yum-o! I honestly feel like I could never eat another real taco again and be happy just eating these taco lettuce wraps.

I made a quick cheater's version of the original recipe since I used a taco seasoning packet, but when you're in a hurry, it's an easy - and inexpensive - way to speed things up. To make it a little healthier, I made sure to buy the low sodium taco seasoning pack and I threw in some veggies. If you want to make it from scratch, then make sure you look at the original recipe because I'm sure her version is fantastic. Even if you follow my cheater version, make sure you peep out the Pink Parsley blog because she has great recipes. Definitely one of my favorite food blogs! Plus her photographs put mine to shame :-)

I served it with the Black Bean and Corn Salad, which I ended up putting inside my taco wraps, and I thought they were great altogether!

Taco Lettuce Wraps

adapted from Pink Parsley

1 t olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 small white onion, diced

1 lb ground beef

1 pkg taco seasoning (I used the low sodium kind)

1 head of iceburg lettuce, leaves separated

Assorted toppings: shredded cheese, Black Bean & Corn Salad, avocado chunks, salsa, etc.

In a large saucepan over medium, heat oil and add bell pepper and onion. Saute until vegetables are softened. Stir in beef, gently breaking up meat with a spoon. Continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink. Add taco seasoning packet and the amount of water specified on the packet. Stir well to combine and coat the meat. Let simmer 10-15 minutes or until thickened.

Spoon taco meat into lettuce shells and serve with desired toppings.

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