This Recipe is GRAPE!!

How many of you love the grape salad at Chicken Salad Chick?  It is SO good!!!  I finally found a recipe that’s the closest I have ever tasted!  The hubby liked it so much, he said he’d like to have it with dinner every night!  

Grape Salad with Brown Sugar & Pecans

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups seedless red grapes

2 cups seedless green grapes

1/2 cup chopped pecans 

1.  In a large mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.

2.  Gently fold in the pecans, red and green grapes until they are fully coated with the creamy mixture.

3. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

4. Scoop into a bowl and enjoy this creamy, delicious, sweet delight!

Oh Baby!!!

 Here is a quick and easy treat for the Fall.  Guess what the best part is!  It tastes like the nougat filling inside a Baby Ruth candy bar!  You could add in some milk chocolate chips for the full fledged goodness of a Baby Ruth. 😋  All you need is a can of cocktail peanuts, a bag of candy corn, and a ziploc bag.  

1 cup cocktail peanuts

1/3 - 1/2 cup candy corn

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, if desired

Pour into a ziploc bag and mix well.

THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT!!!  Grab a handful and enjoy!!

These Onions Won't Make You Cry

 I love cooked onions.  Raw onions?  YUK!  

I picked up  couple of Vidalia onions with the intention of caramelizing them.  They are so good I could eat a whole bowl of them.  Hubby is the same way.  They are extra good on a burger, on top of a steak, or grilled pork chops.  I think I'll fix hamburgers tomorrow and top them with these onions.  You know what's even better?  Add fresh sliced mushrooms to the onions while your cooking them!

Caramelized Onions

2 Tb. olive oil

2-3 large onions, sliced and halved

a little salt

1 Tb. balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup water

Heat the olive oil in a pan on high heat.  Add onions and cook for 10 min.  Stir continuously with a spatula.  Onions will begin to brown.  Turn heat down to medium and cook 10 more min.  Sprinkle salt over onions and add water.  Cover pan and stir frequently.  Add balsamic vinegar and stir to coat.  Turn heat down to low and cook for 10 more minutes. Vent the lid on the pan.  Continue to stir until done.

                               

Roasted Veggies

 Another easy recipe that's quick and healthy!  For a larger crowd increase each squash by 2.

 

Roasted Veggies

1 yellow squash

1 zucchini squash

1 onion

1 container of fresh sliced mushrooms

 Olive oil

salt and pepper taste

garlic powder to taste

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the yellow squash and zucchini into rings and then cut them in half.  Cut the onion into slices or dice.  Add the mushrooms and other veggies into a gallon size ziploc bag and shake up to mix.  Add olive oil into bag and coat the veggies.  Spread onto the pan.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Place in oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

Veggie Pasta Salad

 I'm back with a pasta salad that's full of fresh veggies!  No story with this one, just a good recipe.

Veggie Pasta Salad

1 box tricolor rotini pasta (gluten free if preferred)

2 tomatoes, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 small can sliced black olives

1/2 orange or red bell pepper, diced

1 cup Mozarella cheese

1 package diced ham or real bacon bits

Light mayo to taste

Cook the pasta and drain it.  Add all the fresh veggies, olives, and ham or bacon.  Stir well and let cool.  Add the cheese and mayo.  Stir until well coated.  Chill and serve.  Makes a lot!

Not My Brother's Chicken Picatta!

 Every time I eat Chicken Picatta I think of my brother.  We went to lunch one day and that was what he ordered.  I didn't know what it was until that day.  When the order arrived, he let me taste it.  When he saw my eyes light up, he even offered to let me have his lunch.  I have the best brother!!!  I let him have his lunch, but soon after I got home, I was trying to locate a good Chicken Picatta recipe.  I narrowed it down to two and combined them to come up with the recipe below.  I love Chicken Picatta, but I love my brother more!

*I took the picture after  I removed a piece of chicken. Chicken Picatta 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts - sliced  Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour 3 Tb. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 Tb minced garlic ⅓ cup chicken bouillon  1 Tb drained capers 4 Tb butter, cut into pieces 2 Tb fresh lemon juice Zest of 1 lemon   Slice chicken breasts in half crosswise into 4 cutlets. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place flour in a gallon Ziploc bag. Put chicken in bag of flour and toss to coat. Shake off excess flour and transfer to a plate.  Heat 2 Tb oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook in batches (if needed) to avoid overcrowding the pan, cook chicken without moving them, until browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and cook on the other side just until chicken is nearly cooked through, about 2 more minutes. Move chicken to a clean plate.  Add garlic and remaining 1 Tb oil to the skillet and cook, stirring often and reducing heat to keep garlic from burning, until golden brown, about 1- 2 minutes. Add bouillon and capers and cook, swirling the pan and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of skillet, until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the butter. Swirl pan for about a minute while butter melts to help it form an emulsion with water. Stir lemon juice and zest into the sauce until blended.  Return chicken to the skillet and turn over to coat in sauce.  Simmer until chicken is cooked thoroughly and sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Move chicken to a plate from heat. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.  You can also serve it over a bed of spaghetti or egg noodles.   Makes 4 servings

Top of Form Bottom of Form

EASIEST Crock Pot Potato Soup

  This is coming to you just in time for the busy holiday season!  When I say this is EASY, I mean it!  It's wonderful and good to have on busy and / or cold nights.  All you have to do is pour it all in the crock pot and stir a few times.  I'm sorry, I didn't get to take a picture.

Crock Pot Potato Soup

 

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

2 cups shredded cheddar

1 bag of frozen diced potatoes

1  8oz block of cream cheese, cubed

1 qt. chicken broth

1 pkg. real bacon bits

1 pkg. of ranch dressing, powdered

Cook all day in the crock pot and stir every few hours.  Cook for 2 hours on high, 6 hours on low.

 

Birthday Cake Waffles?

 You always know summer break has started at my house when I start cooking things I haven’t had time to cook.  This morning I made Birthday Cake Protein Waffles!   I got this cute little waffle maker at Christmas and just now had time to try out this recipe.  The waffles were so good!!  I used my Isagenix Protein powder so 2 little waffles are not only filling, but healthy too!  Even the hubby likes them! 

Birthday Cake Protein Waffles 

2 scoops Isagenix Birthday Cake Protein Powder

1 scoop Isagenix Creamy French Vanilla Protein Powder

1/2 cup dry oatmeal 

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp coconut oil

3/4 cup water

Blend 1/2 cup oatmeal to grind into smaller flakes.  Add all other ingredients and mix well.  Drop about your 2 to 2 1/2 spoonfuls of batter onto the waffle iron and cook according to what you waffle iron directions are.

Makes 6 so you can share.

AND it’s gluten-free if you use gluten-free oatmeal!