Kaytucky Chicken

This is so good on so many different levels I can't even stand it. Want something special to do with chicken that takes it a little out of the ordinary? Look no further! My friend Hilary made this for a birthday dinner and even though I was full, I still wanted to eat more because it tasted that good!

(don't give me credit for the photo! That comes from the person who originally had this recipe! Go check out more of their recipes they are delicious! http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/kaytucky-chicken)

What You'll Need:
4 chicken fillets
4 frozen puff pastry sheets (I actually used Filo Dough (sp?) and it was delicious!)
4 oz cream cheese (the firm kind)
few rashes of bacon
flat -leaf parsley
1 spring onion
1 large egg
pepper
salt

Let's Get Crackin!

Cook up the bacon (use as much or as little as you like) and chop/crumble it up. Chop up the spring onions, parsley, and a good pinch of pepper to 4 oz firm cream cheese. You can use a low-fat cream cheese if you like! It will still be very flavorful. Also, if you want, adding a little garlic, chili pepper, and/or grated cheese helps kick up the flavor! However, the one I tried was just the basic onion, parsley, pepper, bacon, and cream cheese. But feel free to experiment! Mix everything in a bowl and set aside. Now let's turn our attention to the chicken. Trim the fat from the chicken then make a deep cut into each chicken fillet. Stuff the cream cheese mixture into the chicken. Take the puff pastry sheets/Filo dough out of the box and make SURE they do not dry out. They are very delicate and will dry out quickly, so get a damp cloth and place it on top of your pastry sheets until you are going to wrap them around the chicken. I used like three or four to wrap around each breast. Place the chicken on top of the puff pastry, with the cream cheese side down. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat a large egg and brush some onto the puff pastry. Fold the pastry sheets around the chicken. The egg will act as a type of glue to hold it all together. Brush the egg mixture on the top of the chicken/pastry package. Throw them into a preheated oven and bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!!

Shirlyn's White Chili

I don't know about you guys, but when the weather gets cold, I always turn to a nice big bowl of chili! Now, I'm picky about my chili, and this was one of the best recipes I have EVER come across. A HUUUGE thank you to my roommate Ashley's mom Shirlyn for this divine recipe!! I LOVE IT!! :)

What You'll Need

1-2 lbs chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
4  15oz cans Northern White Beans, do not drain
2  14oz cans of chicken broth
2  4oz cans chopped green chillies
1 TBSP dried minced onion
2 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Black pepper
2 cups sour cream
1 cup half and half

Chili! :)
Put all ingredients except sour cream and half and half into a large pot.  Bring to a slow boil.  Add sour cream and half and half.  Heat to desired temperature. Enjoy!!

Chicken Parmesan

Another favorite of mine to do around the holidays (not sure why, I think it's just cause it's easy and it's poultry so it still kinda works in my head) is chicken parmesan. I adore my family's heritage and I keep it alive! My dad loves to make chicken and eggplant parmesan when he knows the family is going to get together, and I am the same way! It feeds a ton of people and it's pretty cheap to make!

What You'll Need
eggs
milk
Italian bread crumbs
chicken breasts
spaghetti sauce
Canola oil (or vegetable, if you prefer)

Ciao!
This is a simple way to make your chicken! Trim the fat off the chicken and butterfly it if they are thicker breasts (I don't know why, but I always end up with ones that look like strips! Weird huh??) Once that is done, grab two bowls. In one bowl, put in some eggs and milk (the ratio between the two should be 1:1) You will have to eyeball the amount depending on how much chicken you are planning on cooking. In the other bowl, pour bread crumbs. Take your chicken breasts and dip them into the egg/milk mixture. Make sure that they are completely covered! Then dip it in the bread crumbs (to keep messes to a minimal, I always have one "wet" hand and one "dry" hand. I use my left to dip the chicken in the egg/milk mixture, then my right to dip it in the bread crumbs. Once you are done with that, throw them in the pan and lightly brown the outsides so the bread crumbs become a nice golden brown! Try not to burn them! Then place the chicken on a cookie sheet. You will then bake the chicken at 350 until done (mine usually takes 20-25 minutes). By doing it this way, you make the chicken very moist and tender! When there's about five minutes left, pull the chicken out, pour some sauce and mozzarella cheese on top, then put it back in to finish so the cheese gets all nice and melty and bubbly! Make up a bowl of pasta and enjoy!

Peach Crisp

For Thanksgiving this year, I like to be a little less than ordinary in the food I choose to make (for one thing, I do not have time to make the traditional Thanksgiving turkey with all the fixings! And let's face it...as delicious as turkey is, it's time to shake it up a bit!) And as much as I love my pumpkin pie, I thought for dessert this year we'd try something new! Peach crisp still gives a warm, homey feel, goes well with ice cream, and has all the right kinds of spices with delicious peaches!

What You'll Need

1 can (29 oz) sliced peaches, drained
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup regular oats
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup margarine, softened

Start the Cooking!
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 8x8" baking pan. Arrange peaches in pan. Mix remaining ingredients with fork; sprinkle over the peaches. Bake until peaches are tender and topping is golden brown (so about 30 minutes).

Not a fan of peaches?? No problem! You can substitute the peaches for 4 cups sliced pared baking apples (about four medium) and use 3/4 cup sugar instead. Or you can also do a cherry crisp, where you use 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (use the same amount of sugar for the peach crisp on this variation).

Enjoy! Will post pictures once it finishes baking :)

Blonde Brownies

Want the deliciousness of a brownie but not a huge fan of chocolate?? My wonderful roommate Ashley has the PERFECT alternative and they are sinfully delicious!! I am in love with blonde brownies!!

What You'll Need
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups brown sugar
2/3 vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Bake-tastic!!!
Mix together the sugar and oil. Then mix the eggs, vanilla, then add to the sugar/oil mixture. Add to flour and spices. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour the pan well (unless you want it to stick to the pan...then it becomes a pain). Bake for 25-30 minutes. See? Super easy, chocolate free, and still freaking amazing! Enjoy!

They've got such a unique, almost crumbly texture that just mushes in your mouth in the best way possible!

Taco Soup

Here's some soup with some kick!! It's SUPER easy, though it does take a while! But it's nice to set it up, go to class, then come home to a delicious meal! :)

What You'll Need

1 lb hamburger

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cans cream of potato soup

1 can beef consumme

¼ taco seasoning mix (heaping tablespoon)

2 cans chili beans (30 oz) don’t drain

1 can tomatoes (quart size)

Small can tomato sauce (8 oz)

Basically all you need to do is brown your meat then throw everything else into the pot and let it simmer for about two hours! Throw some mozzarella/cheddar cheese on top with come Cool Ranch Doritos and you've got a delicious meal that will leave PLENTY of leftovers!!

Easy Shepherd's Pie

Want something that gives the "homecooked" feeling in your apartment AND is easy to make?? Well I've got the recipe for you! Nothing says "home" like creamy mashed potatoes, hearty beef, and good ol' vegetables! Luckily, shepherd's pie does the trick (I always amaze myself at how incredibly cheesy I sound in describing the dishes I make...sorry guys, I'm a dork) My dear friend Mary Rendon suggested this recipe AND it comes with a vegetarian alternative which I thought was absolutely brilliant!! She got it from a blog called Simply Recipes, which I highly recommend! I may try some of their recipes out as well!!

What You'll Need
1 lb ground beef (for the vegetarian option, my friend suggested I get the meat crumbles from the frozen food aisle)
1 onion (yellow) chopped
About 2 cups vegetables, but if you want you can definitely add more! I used frozen vegetables (like corn, beans, peas, and carrots) and they worked just fine!
3-4 good sized potatoes
8 tablespoons of butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, pepper, and other seasonings of your choice (I just stuck with salt, pepper, and some garlic!)

Getting Started
Start by washing, peeling, and quartering your potatoes. Boil them in salted water until they are tender (the way I check is I take a fork and stab the potatoes when I think they're done. If the fork goes through easily, they are done! If not, keep boiling! Will take about 15-20ish minutes) While the potatoes are cooking, time to work on the main part of the pie! Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter (1/2 the stick) in a large frying pan (make sure it's a good sized frying pan, or at least that it's deep - trust me, you'll thank me later!) Saute onions in butter until tender over medium heat, then add vegetables. When the onions start becoming transparent, throw in your ground beef or meat crumbles (I didn't get the chance to try it with the meat crumbles, I just did ground beef, so I will assume meat crumbles work the same way). Cook until no longer pink. Add in your salt and pepper (I added about a teaspoon of salt and a couple cracks of fresh ground pepper, but I'm not a huge pepper fan so if you feel like changing up the ratio with that, then go for it! I also added the garlic at this time as well.) Add Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes. Make sure it stays moist. If it's not, add more beef broth (but when I made it, the 1/2 cup called for worked just fine). By this time your potatoes will be done. Strain the water out, put the potatoes in a bowl and throw in the remainder of the butter and pour some milk in it (this keeps the potatoes creamy and delicious! Mash the potatoes and season it according to taste. Grab a baking dish (like 9x13) and place the beef and veggie mix into baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. You can let loose with your creative side and draw on teh top of the potatoes if you want :) have fun with your cooking!! Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (I just baked it for about 30 minutes) Just because I love it, I threw some cheese on top the last five minutes so that is another option! Careful when you eat it - its HOT (my blistered tongue can attest to that - but it was sooo worth it!) Enjoy!

Greek Chicken Marinade

When you have time to plan out a meal for a week, it doesn't hurt to have some good marinades to soak your chicken in that way you can whip it out of your freezer and have an (almost) instant tasty meal! This is one of my favorites and it goes well with that Portuguese Rice recipe I just recently posted!!


What You'll Need
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. marjoram
1 small onion, chopped (to release all them yummy juices and flavor!)
1/4 cup minced parsley 
(my friend Clifton would LOVE this recipe - he is STOCKED up on the spices!)


It's EASY! Just mix it all up, put your chicken in the bag, let it marinate for as long or as little as you please (if you aren't gonna cook it that day, put it in the freezer so you can save it for a rainy day, so to speak). Then just cook it and voila! Enjoy!

Portuguese Rice

This comes from my Aunt Lisa and Uncle David! This dish goes so well with so many things and it's a step above your regular sticky white rice as a side dish! It almost shines on its own as an independent dish! I LOVE IT!

What You'll Need
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cups long grain white rice
3 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 can black beans
(one of my favorite things to pair this recipe with is the Greek Chicken - I'll put that recipe up as soon as I finish posting this one!)

Aaaand...GO!!
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add garlic. Cook until crisp; remove garlic before it starts to brown. (Or you can just add some minced garlic that'd be equivalent to that, cause I don't always have fresh garlic on me) Turn heat to high and add rice. STir constantly. When rice begins to look "tweedy" (meaning when some of the grains go white and some become almost clear. DO NOT LET THE RICE BROWN!) Add water, salt and pepper; stir and reduce heat to medium high. Simmer for five minutes. DO NOT STIR!!!! Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover until ready to serve. Heat beans with juice in a small saucepan at medium heat until warmed through. Slap some of them beans on top of your rice and you have a masterpiece! Enjoy!

Raspberry Lemon Muffins with Streusel Topping

Ever need a quick breakfast to-go? Well here's something that makes lots of servings and can double as a delicious treat and a yummy breakfast item!!

What You'll Need
Muffins:
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
3 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup frozen whole raspberries (not in syrup - that'd be naaaasty!)

Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp butter

Muffin Top!
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray bottoms only of 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl, combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice and egg whites; blend well. In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, lemon peel and salt; mix well. Stir in frozen raspberries. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter evenly into sprayed muffin cups. In small bowl, combine all topping ingredients with fork until crumbly; sprinkle evenly over batter in cups before baking. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown (and another good way to check it is if you get a toothpick, stick it in the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean, you're good!) Immediately remove from pan. Serve warm. You can also just put cupcake liners in the tin if you don't want to spray - that's what I do! Enjoy!

Don's Delicious

Like salad? Like vinaigrettes? Then look no further! This recipe comes from my Uncle Don and it's absolutely delicious! Though be careful with this salad - the dressing doesn't stay good too long and it'll wilt the salad pretty quickly! So make sure you have lots of people to share this with! 

What You'll Need

1-2 head of lettuce of your choosing (I used green leaf lettuce)

3 good sized tomatoes

2 cucumbers

1 green pepper

(For the vinaigrette - kind of got to eyeball this one)

When you get make this vinaigrette, you can make as much as you want. Just make sure the proportions with 2/3 balsamic vinegar and 1/3 olive oil

2 fresh garlic cloves (get a garlic press - it's imperative! Although it worked with the minced garlic for me!)

Sugar on top of that (sweeten according to taste – 7-10 tsp of sugar)

Diced black olives sprinkle that in

3 cubes of ice

Mix it Up!

This salad is real easy! Mix up your vinaigrette. Once you are done making it, put it in the fridge (it needs to be cold!!!) Wash and chop your vegetables and put in a bowl. Place it in the fridge (yer gonna want this cold!) Don't mix them until like five minutes before you're going to serve it, cause you don't want the salad to wilt!! When you do serve it, dump all the vinaigrette into the salad and mix it well so it coats all the leaves. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello friends! Just had an amazing potluck dinner and thankfully my generous friends shared some of their recipes with me! This one comes from my wonderful friend Jelaire (cool name huh??) and these cookies were literally melt-in-your-mouth! It's a wonderful treat to have after a tasty meal, or even during it! 


What You'll Need
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teasoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 (15-16 ounce can) pumpkin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract ( almond flavoring tastes good too ;D )
2 cups (12 ounce package) chocolate chips


Bake On!Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium blowl. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto greased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated 375 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand for 5 minutes. Makes about 5 1/2 dozen cookies.
Sorry the picture isn't good guys! Enjoy!

Eggplant Parmesan

One of my favorite dishes!! I love my Italian heritage and love to keep it alive with good food and good people! This dish is definitely more time-consuming, but completely worth it. I love when either of my parents make this. It even makes for a great "alternative" Thanksgiving dinner main course! That's what I did my first year of college - Italian Thanksgiving ftw haha!

What You'll Need:

2-3 eggplants

Italian bread crumbs

Eggs

Milk

Spaghetti sauce

Mozzarella cheese

Mamma Mia!

Thinly slice the eggplants after cleaning them. Place them on cooling racks and lightly salt them because they need to sweat (This is the key!!!! If you don't do this step, they will not come out the same at all!) After one side is done sweating, pat it dry and flip them over to salt and sweat the other side. After a bit, mix egg and milk (about a 50/50 ratio between the two) in one bowl, and then pour the Italian bread crumbs in another bowl. You will then begin somewhat of an assembly line - dip the eggplant slices in the milk/egg mixture, then dip them into the bread crumbs (it will get messy - try to keep one hand for the egg/milk mixture and the other for the bread crumbs to try to reduce the mess!). When the eggplant slices are covered, put them in a pan with hot oil. Brown both sides (it won't take long, so watch it carefully because we don't want it to burn!) Drain the oil off and place 1 layer in bottom of pan. Put thin layer of spaghetti sauce (I love the four cheese one, but you can do whichever you like best) and cover with cheese. Repeat this several times like what you would do with lasagna. After you put cheese on top layer (I usually add parmesan as well to the top layer), sprinkle Italian seasonings over (I like oregano and sometimes basil or thyme. I know in the stores they also sell an Italian combo or something, and that works just as well). Put in the oven at 350. Cook until bubbly. This is quite easy to make, but definitely set aside like three hours if you plan on making this. Also plan on cooking extra eggplant cause it tastes fantastic just by itself and my family usually snacks on it while we make it :) enjoy!

Chicken Divan

Every college kitchen needs a good casserole collection in their recipe book!! It was definitely a comfort food that my mom made a lot growing up. It was nice to come home to the smell of this baking in the oven after a long day at school - now that I'm out on my own in the big scary world, it's nice to bring this little bit of home with me :)

What You'll Need:
8 chicken breasts
2 (10oz.) packages frozen broccoli spears or 2-3 lbs fresh broccoli
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 cups grated mild cheese
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
Salt to taste
Paprika


Let the Baking Begin!
Simmer the chicken in lightly salted water for 25 minutes or just until cooked through. Make sure there's no skin or bone if you don't make this recipe with skinless and boneless chicken to begin with. Cook broccoli and drain. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Over medium heat, melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and cook until bubbly. Add chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, heating gently until melted. Empty sour cream into medium bowl. Gradually add cheese sauce, stirring constantly. Add salt to taste. Throw in your broccoli and chicken (cut it up into bite size pieces) then pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and paprika. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. It's gonna be really really cheesy, so maybe to balance the meal, grab some French bread! Enjoy!

Squash Medley

This is a fun side dish to add! It's bright, festive, and definitely adds color to a meal (plus a flavorful punch!) I love pairing this with a good salad or some chicken.

What You'll Need:
2-3 yellow squash
1/2 yellow onion
garlic
butter (or vegetable oil, but I think butter gives it a better flavor)
2 Roma tomatoes
2-3 mushrooms
salt


Ready, Set, Saute!
Melt the butter and throw in the garlic. Slice up the squash (pretty thin slices so it goes farther, you can even cut them in half too) and the onion (doesn't matter how big or small you slice your onion really). Slice up your mushrooms and throw them in too. Saute them for a while until their either soft or they start to brown (personal preference). After they have cooked for a while, slice up your tomatoes and throw them in as well just so you can get the flavor. You don't want it to be too liquidy. Put in as much or as little salt as you want, that one kind of depends, but its always safer to do less (I put in about 1/2 tsp).  Remember, it's fun to experiment with stuff like this. If you feel like you want to try zucchini instead of squash or maybe throw in some broccoli or other spices, go for it and tell us how it came out! Enjoy!

Versatile Salad

Honestly, this is a salad you can pair with anything, and it's even good to have just by itself, as a side dish, or part of the main course! It has a lot of texture and you can easily add or take away from it, according to your taste! I use this salad in about 70% of my daily diet because it makes a ton, it tastes fresh, and is incredibly healthy! I pair this salad with a lot of my other dishes, so if I ever reference this, you'll know exactly where to look!


What You'll Need:
1/4-1/2 head of cabbage
1 head of green leaf lettuce
2-3 carrots
1 head Napa cabbage


These are the basic ingredients for the salad. I will sometimes throw in spinach, tomatoes, red leaf lettuce, green onions, or mushrooms just to change it up a bit (but be warned, I only throw on tomatoes if I know I'm eating it then because the juice will make the salad wilt!) The carrots usually disperse better if you shred them, but cutting them works just as well and is probably quicker. This goes well with almost every dressing imaginable - just make sure you have a big bowl!

Watergate Salad

This is a recipe from the kitchen of my dear friend Kelsey Packham (thank you dearest!) I was quite skeptical at first to try this because of the color and the fact that it looked like something from the Black Lagoon, but looks are definitely deceiving! This is honestly one of my new favorite recipies. It's so delicious and a perfect side dish to bring to any potluck or function you may be attending! Its quick and easy to make, which is a bonus for us college kids :) Also, it could be great for kids because of all the different textures it has and it looks fun! Great for a Halloween party in that respect (zombie brains or slime supreme haha!)


What You'll Need:
1 pkg pistasscio pudding mix
1 can crushed pineapple
1 container Cool Whip (probably 8oz)
1 cup marshmallow
1 cup chopped walnuts (this really brings the whole thing together!)

Easy as Pie!
Throw everything into a bowl and stir basically. Don't make the pudding, just pour the powder into the bowl! Let it chill in the fridge for about 4 hours and then enjoy!

Seafood Linguine

This dish is so simple and easy to make. It takes about 15-20 minutes to do. It's pretty freeform, makes a lot for leftovers or for a study session, party, any occassion really! I have made it many times for study sessions and everyone always asks for more! Definitely a seafood lover's dish.

What You'll Need:
1 pkg linguine
Any combination of seafood that you want/like
Any combination of vegetables that you want/like
(I really wasn't kidding when I said this was freeform!!)
Butter
Garlic
Chicken broth or white cooking wine


Mix it Up!
Start by boiling water for your pasta. Once it comes to a boil, throw in your salt and your pasta and cook it a little less than al dente. I'll explain why in a second. Just make sure you take it out when it's about 90% done. Grab a good-sized pan and melt your butter and throw in some garlic. This dish really is according to your taste, but I will give an example of my favorite way to do it. Then let your creativity run free! You kind of need to eyeball how much butter and garlic you will need based on how much pasta you make. If all else fails, add more if you need it! Chop up your vegetables (I love doing this with mushrooms, yellow or green bell peppers, carrots, and broccoli) and put them in the pan. Throw in a little chicken broth or white cooking wine. Either gives it a really good solid flavor. Saute them for about 5-6 minutes, then add in your seafood (I will either do just shrimp or I'll do a combination of shrimp, clam, and scallops). Cook for about another 5 minutes or so, or at least till the seafood is cooked. Then add in your pasta to this mixture and finish cooking the pasta with the vegetable/seafood mixture. By finishing cooking the pasta there, it absorbs the flavors of the vegetables and the seafood! YUM! Hopefully I can get a picture of this dish up soon! Enjoy!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake a.k.a. Mancatcher Cake

So this cake is easy to make and it was how I met almost everyone in my dorm at Westminster College my freshman year. It's sweet and it's great for all of the berry lovers out there! Definitely a beautiful substitution for those tasty chocolate cakes. My friends christened it the "Mancatcher Cake" because every time I made this cake, I got a date along with it!! It's a great cake to have with your roommates or if you're showing off your apartment to some friends! It looks fun and tastes great!


What You'll Need:
1 package white cake mix (as well as the eggs, oil, water, etc. to go along with baking the cake)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1 8oz. tub of Cool Whip
1 small package of strawberry Danish dessert
1 pkg fresh strawberries


Let's Get Baking!
Bake the white cake as instructed on the box (I always go for Betty Crocker and Pillsbury is really good too) and let it cool.  Make sure the cake is flat and doesn't go in a dome shape (sometimes if you don't lay the batter down even, it is higher in the middle than it is in the corners. This makes it difficult to place the frosting because it will run into the corners and leave the top bare). While it is cooling, start on your frosting. Take your package of cream cheese (might want to cube it just to make it easier) and begin to beat it with your electric mixer (tried it with a hand mixer...doesn't work!!!) Gradually add your powdered sugar in with the cream cheese until it is mixed and smooth. In a separate bowl, place the entire tub of Cool Whip in and beat that until it thickens up. Once it does, add it to your powdered sugar/cream cheese mixture and beat till it is thick, smooth, and well mixed. You can add more or less sugar depending on how you like it to taste, but 2 cups usually does it about right. Layer your frosting on top of your cake (you can definitely layer this one on! Just make sure the cake is cool or the frosting will rip it up) Now it's time for your strawberries! Wash and slice up your strawberries, then put them aside. With your Danish dessert, follow the directions on the box for the pie glaze (however, only add 1 1/3 cup water instead of the amount printed on the box). When the Danish dessert is done, add in your strawberries and mix well. Place on top of your frosting and let it cool for about 15-20 minutes. Then place in your fridge and let it refrigerate overnight for for 4 hours at least. Be wary of roommates that will sneak in at 3 AM to take a bite! Will take a picture of this one as soon as possible. Enjoy!


ALTERNATIVE
If you feel like turning this into a cupcake, I just tried it and it was a MAJOR success!! Just follow the cupcake baking directions on your box, let them cool, then make up the frosting and Danish dessert. When the cupcakes are cooled, lightly cover the top of the cupcake with Danish dessert, then add a dollop of frosting on the top! To decorate, grab a few slices of strawberries or some pieces of chocolate (go Hershey's!) and stick it on the top :)

Company Mac and Cheese

Hello!


To kick off my blog, let's start with the classic college dish with a special twist on it! This recipe comes from the kitchen of my Aunt Lisa and it's perfect for a dinner party or if you have some extra time to spice up your mac and cheese and want to have leftovers for the next day or so (unless everyone decides to eat it all!)


You will need:
6 Tbsp butter (separate it into 4 Tbsp and 2 Tbsp)
2 cups milk
3 tbsp flour
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 8oz. package cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar
2 tsp. spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

How to Make:


Start by preparing your pasta. Bring the water to a boil, then then salt and cook your macaroni. Make sure it's al dente because it will be baking later. Drain your pasta and put it to the side. Grab a separate sauce pan and throw in 4 Tbsp butter and melt that down (I usually have the heat on about a medium). Then add your 3 tbsp of flour. Mix in your milk gradually. After let it come to a boil. Once it starts boiling stir constantly for two minutes (make sure the bottom doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan so don't turn the heat too high!) then turn the heat down just a titch to keep it from burning. Add in your cream cheese, shredded cheese, salt, pepper, and spicy brown mustard (it makes it easier to stir and make the sauce more consistent if you cube the cream cheese and spread it around when you put it in. I recommend adding the cheeses in gradually instead of dumping it in so it's not lumpy and makes it smooth). We are definitely aiming for a smooth texture! Once you finish your sauce and it's mixed well and has a smooth texture, pour it on top of your macaroni and mix it well. Place your macaroni in a baking dish (9x13). Before you put it in the oven, we got to make our topping! Take the other 2 Tbsp of butter and let it melt in a separate pan. Throw in your bread crumbs and mix them together. The bread will absorb the butter and become a bit crumbly. It's not meant to brown the bread crumbs, just to melt the butter and mix it so the crumbs hold together better. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of your macaroni, then place in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until it's bubbly. Hopefully by the next time I make this, I will be able to take a picture to place along with this blog. Enjoy!