Once again, I went on facebook begging for recipes while I work on my monthly meal plan ;-)

A friend (thanks Julie!) gave me this recipe!

Swiss Cheese
Chicken Breasts
Cream of Chicken soup
Milk
Bread Crumbs or Stuffing

Mix milk & soup

Top chicken with cheese

Cover with bread crumbs or stuffing

Bake til chicken is fully cooked

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The ladies from our small group got together the other night and this is one of the desserts made by my dear friend, Robin. I could have eaten the entire thing! Amazing! And so summery!

1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup pina colada mix
1 can condensed milk
1 tub cool whip
1 can crushed pineapple
1 bag coconut
bake cake as directed in a 13×9 pan. using a fork tear into pieces as soon as you take it out of the oven.
while the cake is still hot, pour pina colada mix over top. then pour condensed milk. spread drained pineapples evenly on top.
top w/ cool whip & sprinkle coconut on top. refrigerate to set.
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For Zach’s 30th birthday, we arranged to have his best friend from college come into town for the weekend. Before leaving, he fattened us up with a DELICIOUS Pina Colada Cheesecake – since then, our boys have been making cheesecakes full time in their play kitchen ;-)

He graciously allowed me to re-post his recipe here to keep for all time ;-)

2 cups Sour Apple Martini Mixer

4 blocks Cream Cheese

3 Eggs

½ cup Sour Cream

3 Teaspoons Flour

½ cup sugar

CRUST:

2 cups ground Graham Cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons butter

TOPPING:

Caramel Ice Cream topping

Crust:

Mix butter and crumbs until it holds together. Shape into spring form pan or pie pan. If using springform, only bring crust ½ way up the pan.

Cheesecake:

Boil 2 cups of Sour Apple until condensed to ½ cup stirring constantly (appx 30 minutes.) Do not over-boil, as it will harden.

Mix all ingredients including condensed sour apple sauce until well combined.

Pour into pie/cake pan.

Bake on 350 for 45-65 minutes with a pan of water under the cheesecake.

Remove cheesecake from oven when the center of the cake jiggles like well set pudding.

Cover cheesecake with caramel ice cream topping.

This recipe makes one full sized cheesecake or two pie sized cheesecakes.

This can be used for a variety of cheesecakes.  Simply remove the Sour Apple mix for a plain, basic cheesecake.  Substitute 1/4 to 1/2 can pumpkin pie MIX (not plain pumpkin) for a pumpkin cheesecake.  I use a lot of martini mixers for various flavors, many of which have to be boiled and condensed.

Pina colada mixers usually do not have to be condensed though and take about 1 to 1 1/2 cups mix depending on taste.

When using flavorings, basically flavor to your tastes.  The above amounts are to my tastes and I tend to like things rather full of flavor.

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I mentioned on my monthly menu that we would be having Spanish Rice Bake, but my own variation, for no other reason than when I went to make it the first time, well….you’ll see :) I have NO DOUBT that Heather‘s recipe is really awesome, but here’s how I ended up doing it (explanation in italics).

1 pkg. Spanish Rice mix
1 can corn, drained
1 cup salsa (we don’t like chunks of tomato, but salsa, Zach loves and I can tolerate) :)
cubed, cooked chicken
1 cup plain yogurt (we were out of sour cream)
shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare rice/vermicelli as directed.
Combine with other ingredients, including half of the cheese.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top, in a casserole dish.
Bake at 350 F until melted and bubbly. (usually 30 min)

I was a tad skeptical of the changes, but it came out AMAZING! Zach asked me to re-make it and said it would be fine either way, but I’m too scared to try something different, so, I re-made it this way again today :)

This is probably one of the best meals I’ve made! SO yummy!

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Whew….really? June, already?!

JUNE

14 – Beef Taco Skillet (except, this ended up not working out and we all ate leftovers)
15 – Spanish Rice Bake (my own variation, stay tuned for recipe)
16 – Cheesy Filled Shells (Freeze remaining)
17 – Chili (double batch)
18 – Chicken Divan
19 – BBQ Chicken Wraps/Pizza Muffins
Sunday 20 – Out for Father’s Day, Red Robin…YUMMMMMM!/Leftovers for dinner
21 – Chicken & Wild Rice
22 – Oven Fried Coconut Chicken
23 – Spaghetti with garlic bread and salad
24 – Taco Bake
25 – Daisy’s Chicken
26 – Grill out/Baked Taquitos & quinoa and black beans
Sunday 27 – Italian Chicken Dump/Out after SG
28 – Taco Pasta Salad
29 – Tacos
30 – Chicken Packets

JULY

1 – Leftovers/Clean out the fridge
2-10 – on vacation
Sunday 11 – Pizza blanks (double & freeze)/Tacos
12 – Cheesy Filled Shells (from freezer)
13 – Mini Meatloaves, Rolls & corn
14 – Spanish Rice Bake
15 – Mama Bob’s Baked Spaghetti
16 – Poppy Seed Chicken
17 – Family
Sunday 18 – Family

Planned Extras:

Crescent Rolls
Blueberry & Cheese Rolls
Chocolate Butterhorns
Tortilla Shells
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Waffles
Pancakes
Sausage Pockets (Didn’t get around to these last month)

And, as always, I’m sure other little ‘projects’ will come up throughout the month (ie: someone posts something on their blog and I can’t help but HAVE to have it right then!)

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It’s that time when I need to clear out my reader of saved recipes…but need to store them somewhere… Here is a great spot ;-)

Pizza muffins (thanks to What a Crock!)

Blueberry and Cheese Rolls (thanks to Heather at Out of the Box Into the Kitchen)

Homemade Butter (thanks to Crystal at The Thrifty Mama)

Monogram Cupcake Toppers (thought this would be a cute idea for a baby shower! Thanks to Little Birdie Secrets)

Chocolate Butterhorns, also chicken marinades – it’s screaming SUMMER! (thanks to Life as Mom for both of those!)

Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Cup Cake Recipe (um, yum! Thanks to A Year of Slow Cooking)

Homemade Bisquick (thanks to Meal Planning Mommies)

Strawberry Pie (thanks to Rachael at The Davis Dailies)

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Any other names for this “stuff”? :)

1 (20oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3oz) pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (8oz). container Cool Whip, thawed
1/ pkg miniature marshmallows
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)

In a bowl, combine drained pineapple and pudding mix. Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows (and walnuts). Mix until evenly coated. Chill until ready to serve.

Delish.

Sigh.

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My friend, Heather, posted a link to this recipe on facebook the other day and I just came across it this morning. It’s on the to-do list for tomorrow (as is adding a new, yummy food blog to my blogroll!)

6 Tbsp Butter, Softened
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 Cup Sugar
2/3 Cup Sour Cream
1 1/3 Cups Flour (I did white this time, next time I’m going to try doing 1/2 whole wheat)
1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Cup Milk
2/3 Cup Chocolate Chips
Mini Marshmallows

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Stir in sour cream. In another bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add creamed mixture to dry ingredients, add milk a little at a time. The batter will be a bit thick. Fold in chocolate chips.

Grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Add 1 Tbsp of batter to the bottom of each cup. Add 4-5 mini marshmallows to the top of each muffin cup.

Top with remaining batter filling cups until they are about 3/4 full.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan before transferring to wire rack to cool.

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Buckle up, here goes!

MAY

1 – Grill out/BBQ Chicken Wraps
2 – Sandwiches/Chili (in freezer)
3 – Cheeseburger Roll-ups
4 – BBQ Beef Cups
5 – Another Chicken Casserole
6 – Breakfast food
7 – Traveling
8 – Traveling
9 – Traveling
10 – Taco Bake (double)
11 – Chicken Chimichangas with Spanish Rice
12 – Ravioli lasagna with garlic bread & salad
13 – Leftovers
14 – Chicken Divan (double)
15 – Grill out/Chicken Cordon Bleu
16 – Sandwiches/Leftovers//Out after Small Group
17 – Mini Meatloaves with Mashed potatoes
18 – Zippy Chili Casserole (in freezer)
19 – Daisy’s Chicken
20 – Leftovers/Breakfast
21 – Spanish Rice Bake & Eclair Cake (Semester is OVER!!)
22 – BBQ Chicken Wraps/Pizza (double blanks)
23 – Grill Out/Leftovers
24 – Mama Bob’s Baked Spaghetti
25 – Chicken Mozzarella
26 – Parmesan Cornflake Chicken
27 – Mom in town
28 – Mom in town
29 – Out to eat/Grill out
30 – Out after church
31 – ZACH OFF – Grill Out/Honey Mustard Chicken

JUNE

1 – Chicken Taco Wraps
2 – Taco Bake (in freezer)
3 – Pizza (blanks in freezer)
4 – Chicken Divan (in freezer)
5 – Grill Out/Daisy’s Chicken
6 – BBQ Chicken Wraps/Leftovers
7 – Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken
8 – Mini Meatloaves with Mashed potatoes
9 – Mexican Chicken
10 – Cheese-Filled Shells
11 – Family
12 – Family

OTHER ITEMS PLANNED:

Sausage Pockets
Marbled Chocolate Treats
Strawberry Bread
Strawberry Syrup
Waffles (double)
Pancakes (double)

GOALS: (teehee)

Attempt my own hamburger & hot dog buns
Attempt my own Tortillas (we bought a tortilla press…cough a year ago cough and have YET to use it!)

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Adapted from the cookbook, Best Ever Casseroles.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4-1/2C. all-purpose flour
Salt & Pepper, to taste
4T. butter, divided
1/4C. white wine or chicken broth
16oz. pkg. sliced mushrooms (we are leaving out).
1/2C. shredded mozzarella cheese

Pound chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thick. Dredge in flour, salt and pepper, coating well.

Melt 3T. butter over med. heat in a skillet. Add chicken; cook until just golden on both sides.

Place chicken in ungreased 9×13 pan

(Add wine or broth and remaining butter to skillet; bring to a boil. Add mushrooms; reduce heat and simmer until soft. Top chicken with mushrooms) Pour skillet drippings over chicken.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Sprinkle cheese over chicken; bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

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