Fudgy Brownie Cookies

If you're looking for a quick and easy dessert to bring to a party or even football tailgate, I would recommend this recipe.  I love brownies but this is a tasty twist on your basic brownies.  I brought these to a 4th of July party & they were a hit.  I did keep some at home and hubs and I enjoyed them for dessert the next week, making them into mini ice cream cookie sandwiches.  YUM!

Fudgy Brownie Cookies

Recipe Courtesy of Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 package (18 To 21 Oz. Box) Fudge Brownie Mix
• 1-¼ cup All-purpose Flour
• ¼ cups Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• ½ cups Butter, Melted And Cooled

• 2 Tablespoons Water, Or More As Needed
• 1 cup Dark Chocolate Chunks

Preparation Instructions

1. Whisk together brownie mix, flour, and sugar.
2.Using a heavy spoon, stir in the eggs one at a time, followed by butter and 2 tablespoons water. If the batter appears like there is too much flour, add 1 more tablespoon of water. Batter will be very thick.
3. Fold in chocolate chunks
4. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Grease a cookie sheet.
7. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough on the cookie sheet. You want pretty thick cookies here to get the brownie feel, about 3 inches apart. Press down slightly. Don’t flatten completely. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, allow to cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Pan Roasted Chicken with Lemon Garlic Green Beans

I pinned this recipe a few weeks ago because a. it was very popular and b. had very little prep time.  I made it this past week because I already had red potatoes at home that I was using for another recipe.  When planning my meals for the week, I think it's so important to plan meals that have some of the same ingredients to save money.  So often, I would plan one elaborate meal with a variety of ingredients and I never would end up using them all.  I think we've all been guilty of that one time or another. 

I was very pleased with this recipe.  I used boneless skinless chicken, didn't put lemon at the bottom of the pan, just using one lemon for the juice and it turned out fine.  The chicken was juicy and the veggies were perfectly seasoned.  This recipe will definitely be added to the rotation. 

Pan Roasted Chicken with Lemon Garlic Green Beans

Recipe from Real Simple 

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 15m| Total Time: 1hr 15m

Ingredients

• 6  tablespoons  olive oil
• 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4  pound  trimmed green beans
• 8 small red potatoes, quartered
• 4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
3. Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Banana Bread with Almond Orange Glaze

It's been far too long since I've made banana bread.  While picking out meals for my "getting ready for baby" freezer meals, I found this bread recipe.  I figured it would probably be good to have some breakfast items along with all the dinners I made, so I made it.  The recipe was easy to follow and I loved the glaze that went on top. The recipe makes 2 loafs.  I ate one this week and froze one for when baby is here.  Enjoy!

Recipe from 36th Avenue 




Ingredients: 
4 large bananas { mashed }

1 Cup Butter (room temperature)

2 Eggs

2 Cups of Sugar

4 Cups of Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 Cup Water

2 tsp. baking soda


Directions: 

1. Peel and mash those ripe bananas.

2. Cream the butter, sugar and eggs.

3. Add flour and salt to the creamed mixture.

  4. Dissolve baking soda in warm water and add to mixture.

5. Blend in the mashed bananas.

*I added walnuts to one loaf at this point and chocolate chips to another. 

Bake in a well greased pan at 325º for 1 hour.

About five minutes before the bread is done add in a small sauce pan

1 and 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Orange Juice

and 1/2 tsp. of almond extract.

Sloppy Joes

I was looking for some quick new recipes to try once baby arrives.  I've never made sloppy joe's from scratch before, so I decided I would give them a go.  I was surprised at how easy they were to make and how much better they were from scratch.  This picture doesn't do them any justice.  I will be making this simple dinner once the little one arrives. 

Sloppy Joes

Recipe Courtesy of Ezra Poundcake

For the best flavor, make the tomato sauce ahead of time, and store it in the refrigerator for at least an hour so the flavors can meld together.

Serves 4

• 2 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL
• 1/2 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED FINELY
• 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
• 2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
• 2 TEASPOONS CHILI POWDER
• 1 POUND GROUND SIRLOIN
• FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER, TO TASTE

Tomato Sauce:
• 1 15-OUNCE CAN TOMATO SAUCE
• 1/4 CUP WATER
• 1/4 CUP DARK BROWN SUGAR
• 1 TO 2 TABLESPOONS RED WINE VINEGAR
• 1 TABLESPOON WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
• 1 TABLESPOON YELLOW MUSTARD
• 1 TO 2 TEASPOONS CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES
• 2 TABLESPOONS TOMATO PASTE

• 4 HAMBURGER BUNS
• BUTTER, FOR SPREADING ON HAMBURGER BUNS

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium-high. Add onion and salt, lower heat to medium, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and chili powder, and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Add beef, and cook for about 3 minutes, breaking it up as you stir. (The meat will still be a little pink when you move on to step 5. Don’t worry. It will keep cooking as it simmers in the tomato sauce.)
4. In the meantime, grab a medium bowl, and combine the tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard and red pepper flakes.
5. Add the tomato mixture to the beef. Stir in the tomato paste. Simmer for at least 10 minutes, or until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. (If it seems a little “wet,” just keep simmering.)
6. To Prep the Hamburger Buns: Warm a skillet over medium heat. Butter the insides of the buns, and place them butter-side down in the skillet. Toast. (We just threw ours in the toaster without butter)
7. Taste the Sloppy Joe mixture, and adjust the seasonings. Sandwich the mixture in the hamburger buns, and serve.

Avocado Basil Pasta

I would have never thought of putting bacon and avocado in a pasta dish.  Surprisingly, it was a tasty combination.  I loved that the entire dinner took 20 minutes to make.  The only negative is that it doesn't provide leftovers because the avocados will brown.  

Avocado Basil Pasta

Adapted from Recipe.com

Ingredients:
8 ounces of pasta 
2 avocados, peeled and chopped
6 slices of crisp, cooked, drained and crumbled bacon
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbs. lemon juice
1 tbs. olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste 
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on package & drain.
2. In a large bowl combine the avocados, bacon, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, pepper, and salt. Add the hot pasta and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese. 


Makes 4 servings.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Are you a fan of buffalo chicken dip?  I will never forget the first time I had it.  It was at a bachelorette party over 3 years ago!  I came home from that party and made it for my then boyfriend and it instantly became a hit in our household.  We always make it when we're having friends over or for football parties.  A month or so ago, I was looking for a chicken casserole recipe to make.  I went to one of my go to sites, Pillsbury to search for recipes.  This one caught my eye and the reviews seemed promising.  The entire meal took less than an hour to make and was scrumptious.  It definitely had a little kick to it but it's definitely a step up from a plain cream of somthing added chicken casserole. I made a few changes below and noted them in blue.  Add this guy to your upcoming menu, it won't disappoint!

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Courtesy of Pillsbury

1/2

cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1

cup water

1

tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1

lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

2

medium stalks celery, thinly sliced (1 cup)

1

can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained

1/2

cup buffalo wing sauce

1/4

cup blue cheese dressing

1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese

1. Cook rice in water 20 minutes as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and celery; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from heat. Open can of tomatoes; cut up tomatoes in can. Stir tomatoes and wing sauce into chicken mixture. We did not cook the celery.  I like a bit of crunch and didn't feel it was necessary.  I'm glad we didn't because it came out just fine.  I also recommend using rotisserie chicken, it will save time. If you do that, all you have to do is cook the rice, then pull the chicken and mix in celery, wing sauce and tomatoes for this step.  
2. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon cooked rice into dish. Spread chicken mixture over rice (do not stir). I added the dressing to this step.  I poured it over the chicken mixture, topped it with a 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese and sent it to the oven.  
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until hot in center (or cheese is bubbling). Drizzle dressing over top.