Utah State Marv 'n Joes

Did you go to Utah State University, and now that you are no longer on campus, you find yourself craving those delicious open-faced, heaven sent, Marv 'n Joe sandwiches? OK, maybe you did, and maybe you didn't, but either way, you gotta make this sandwich!

Now is the season where you have tomatoes bursting out of your ears and don't know what to do with them right? This is the perfect solution!

This recipe is slightly adapted from Housewife Eclectic. She apparently got a personal lesson from Marv, himself, on how to make these. I found it a highly entertaining read- go check it out.

Marv 'n Joe

(makes 1 sandwich)

1 slice sourdough bread

approx. 1/2 tablespoon spreadable butter (or softened butter)
sprinkle of garlic salt
fresh cracked pepper
4 slices of tomato
Provolone cheese slice
Parmesan cheese (either grated or sliced works)
olive oil
Vinegar

Spread your butter on top of the sourdough bread. Sprinkle with the garlic salt and pepper. Place 4 tomato slices on your bread. Pour a small amount of olive oil and vinegar, just enough to give the sandwich a kick. Top with a piece of provolone cheese and then the parmesan.

Toss in your toaster oven or you broiler on low until the cheese is bubbly and starts to brown. The browning is very important. The edges should be brown and have a little crisp to it.

My husband absolutely LOVED these. He said they were even better than the original! I'm putting it on my Perfect Dinner Project page for a light dinner. 2 each of these were plenty filling.

Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

Occasionally I come across a recipe that is super fast AND super delicious. Usually, the two do not co-exist but it does happen. This recipe is proof! These Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes were a breeze to assemble and gobbled down by the family. My toddler was excited to eat his "cupcake"(he's usually not very excited about dinner). I was excited to have these as leftovers the next day and happy to have found such a fun/delicious recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

(Adapted from this recipe at Tablespoon)

INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken breast, poached and diced (can sub. canned chicken)
1 (14.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup frozen mixed veggies
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
2 (10 oz) cans large and flaky biscuits

Directions:
1 Preheat your oven to 400.
2 In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, frozen veggies, cheese, herbs and spices.
3 Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin and place the Pillsbury biscuits into each cup, pressing into the bottom and up the sides.
4 Evenly spoon the pot pie mixture into each biscuit cup. Slide into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Check at the 12 minute mark.
5 Let rest for about 3 minutes and dig in!

Easy Korean Beef

Wow! I can actually make Korean food?! Well, who knows how "authentic" this recipe is, but it sure was delicious. Ground beef is transformed into this simple and spicy, yet tasty main dish. This is the first recipe I have made from Six Sister's Stuff, and I loved it !

Korean Beef
(adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbls. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. crushed red peppers
salt and pepper
1 bunch diced green onions
Rice, cooked

DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over rice and top with green onions.

Skin Therapy Play Dough

Ever since having my first child, my fingers have been a mess! I started getting dyshidrosis (or housewives ezcema) on my fingers. I think it's due to all the hand washing and all the chemicals I get on my hands. It's very painful and when it gets really bad, it's HORRIBLE!

With that said, you can understand why regular home made play-doh isn't pleasant for me. The salt content  makes it so I am literally "pouring salt into an open wound." Not cool! So when I found this recipe from No Twiddle Twaddle, I knew I had to try it.

It lived up to it's promise! It was soft and gentle on my hands, smelled wonderful, and my boy enjoyed playing with it. Awesome!

Skin Therapy Play Dough

from No Twiddle Twaddle

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (plus a couple Tbsp) All Purpose Flour
1 cup Water (If you want to color the play dough, add the food coloring to the water.)
2 cups Quick Oats
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (or olive oil)
1 tsp Vanilla (opt.)
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder (opt.)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix one cup of the flour, quick oats, and vanilla.
Add water and stir until the play dough forms a ball.
Knead in the coconut oil one tablespoon at a time.
Knead in the cocoa powder.
If the play dough is too sticky add flour a tablespoon at a time to reach the desired consistency.
Knead the play dough for around three minutes to make the dough elastic.

Store in the refrigerator and keep wrapped in an air tight container. Since this play dough does not have salt, it will not last as long as other play doughs. I would personally only keep it around a week and of course always check it carefully for a rancid odor or mold.

If your play dough becomes sticky after time, you can add additional oil.

Marshmallow Eggs (or hearts)

I look back on Easter and remember these marshmallow eggs with great fondness. It was always to fun to savor the one Mom decorated especially for me! I hadn't made them myself because they looked daunting, but they were fairly easy. The most difficult part was picking up the gelatin packets at the store since I didn't have any on hand.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Marshmallow Eggs (or hearts)

INGREDIENTS:
6 Tbsp. cold water
2 packages unflavored gelatin
½ C. water
1½ C. sugar
food coloring (if desired)
flour to fill 2 (9x13) pans- 2/3 full
3-D hearts or eggs to make indentations (plastic easter eggs are perfect)
1 tsp. vanilla or flavoring
pinch of salt
melted chocolate

DIRECTIONS:

Soften gelatin in 6 Tbsp. water. Add sugar to ½ C. water in saucepan and bring to a boil to remove from heat and add gelatin mixtures.Stir until dissolved. Cool to barely warm in fridge.

In the meantime, smooth flour in pans and make indentations. Beat mixture with electric mixer until fluffy like whipped cream, but not set. Add coloring, flavoring, and a pinch of salt .Mix. Fill indents with marshmallow filling. Cool 20 minutes in fridge. Remove marshmallows and flip over to coat in flour. Shake off excess. Dip into melted chocolate and place on wax paper. Decorate when chocolate is hardened.

Chocolate Nutella & Sea Salt Fudge

Christmas is coming, the Goose is getting fat..... 10 points to anybody who knows that song! Moving on, I love Nutella and love fudge so when I saw a recipe that combined the two, I knew I had to try it. I was supposed to bring a treat to a party and decided to give this recipe a go! I might have overdosed on it while it was in the "taste testing" stage. OK, I couldn't stop eating it. The good thing is: a little fudge goes a long ways. Once I cut them up into pieces and put them in their own mini cupcake liners, there was plenty to go around.

I love salt but was a little afraid of putting it on the fudge. The combination went together, surprisingly, well. I gave this recipe 4★. A rich holiday treat for my favorite holiday!

Here is the recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Chocolate Nutella & Sea Salt Fudge

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Butter, For Greasing Pan
1 can (14 Oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
8 ounces, weight High-quality Bittersweet (60%) Chocolate Chips
1 cup Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut Spread), Room Temperature
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Cut Into 1/2-inch Pieces
½ teaspoons (approximately) Sea Salt
Preparation Instructions

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides.

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter.

Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl over a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

Once the fudge is chilled, run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the fudge. Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the fudge out. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the fudge into 3/4-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil.

Kitty Litter Cake

You might be asking yourself if the owner of this blog has gone crazy because she is posting pictures of her cat's litter box. This, my friends, is actually a cake made to look like a litter box. I've been wanting to make this recipe for a long time but never had the chance until recently. We had a Fear Factor activity with our church youth and I decided this would be the perfect dessert to end the night. You could use this for Halloween, April Fool's Day, or a farewell cake for the awful co-worker you couldn't stand (tehe). 

While it was very life like and everybody liked it, it wasn't the best cake I've ever had. In reality, you could make any cake and cover it with the cookie crumbs and tootsie rolls to get the same effect. Nonetheless, I'll post the recipe I used from the Allrecipes site:

Kitty Litter Cake

via allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 (18.25 ounce) package German
chocolate cake mix
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (12 ounce) package vanilla sandwich cookies
3 drops green food coloring
1 (12 ounce) package tootsie rolls

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare cake mixes and bake according to package directions (any size pan).
2. Prepare pudding according to package directions and chill until ready to assemble.
3. Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in a food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup add a few drops of green food coloring and mix.
4. When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 of the remaining cookie crumbs, and the chilled pudding. You probably won't need all of the pudding, you want the cake to be just moist, not soggy.
5. Line kitty litter box with the kitty litter liner. Put cake mixture into box.
6. Put half of the unwrapped tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until softened. Shape the ends so that they are no longer blunt, and curve the tootsie rolls slightly. Bury tootsie rolls randomly in the cake and sprinkle with half of the remaining cookie crumbs. Sprinkle a small amount of the green colored cookie crumbs lightly over the top.
7. Heat 3 or 4 of the tootsie rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle lightly with some of the green cookie crumbs. Heat the remaining tootsie rolls until pliable and shape as before. Spread all but one randomly over top of cake mixture. Sprinkle with any remaining cookie crumbs. Hang the remaining tootsie roll over side of litter box and sprinkle with a few green cookie crumbs. Serve with the pooper scooper for a gross Halloween dessert.

Make-Ahead Sausage and Egg Breakfast Bake

I could NOT stop eating this. In fact, I wasn't feeling that well after dinner because I ate so much. It was that good! A few extra steps in this recipe for a breakfast bake but it was so worth it. My husband and sister also thought it was excellent. You could easily make this for this conference weekend or Christmas morning as a special treat. The bread is firm and not soggy, and everything is just the perfect mix. Seriously, try this recipe!

Make-Ahead Sausage and Egg Breakfast Bake
(via Mel's Kitchen Cafe)


INGREDIENTS:
1 (14-inch) loaf Italian bread, ends trimmed (I used French because I didn't want to splurge on Italian.)
1 1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage ( I used 2 lbs because of the packaging)
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
12 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups 1% milk
1 ½ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice bread in half lengthwise then slice each half into ½ inch-thick slices. Spread the bread in single layers on two rimmed baking sheets and bake until golden, 10-15 minutes, flipping bread and switching and rotating sheets halfway through (or bake one sheet pan at a time). Take care not to let the bread burn – it should be golden brown and toasted. Let the bread cool for 15 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage and onion until the pork is no longer pink, breaking the meat into bite-sized pieces as it cooks.

Lightly coat a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Shingle half of the bread in the prepared pan so that the edges overlap slightly (a couple of times when I’ve made this, my slices weren’t long enough to shingle so I just placed the bread in a single layer and it worked fine). Top with half of the sausage mixture and 1 cup cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, remaining sausage mixture, and remaining cheese.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and hot sauce together. Pour evenly over the assembled casserole. Place the casserole on a rimmed baking sheet and wrap the casserole with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap lightly on the top of the casserole. Fill another 9X13-inch dish with cans of food (beans, fruit, whatever) and nest the weighted dish on top of the assembled casserole. You’ll be glad you placed the assembled casserole on a rimmed baking sheet at this point as there may be a bit of spillage over the sides as the casserole compacts. This will help the bread soak up the egg mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Let casserole stand at room temperature while the oven is heating. Remove weights, unwrap casserole, and bake until the edges and center have puffed and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Mommy but Still Me

(pic via amazon.com)
Mommy but Still Me By: Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

Description from amazon.com: "Imagine a man volunteering to trade in his game nights for heart burn and back ache. Good thing there are women around to ensure the survival of the species. This hilarious look at the journey from high heels to high blood pressure, as a jet setter turns into a bed wetter, is what your doctor won't tell you and your own mother may have forgotten in the years since she was blessed by your arrival.

At our first meeting my future father-in-law waited until we sat down in the Thai restaurant, the oblong menus placed in our hands and the waiter was a distance away, tending to other diners, before turning towards me, his eyes glowing. This was the first time we were all seeing each other after his son had proposed to me. "When will I get to hold my first grandchild?"

For my father-in-law and everyone else, I have a question of my own: When will any of you be satisfied?"

MY REVIEW: I got this Kindle Book for FREE. I have an android phone and they have a free kindle app and tons of free books to download. Any-who, I have one little boy and another baby on the way. I wanted a humorous book about pregnancy and I got it with this one. I've already gone through this once so I could totally relate to her struggles of getting pregnant, then being frustrated with everything pregnancy came with. It was a cute and humorous book.

Hearty Beef Stew

Believe it or not, I do have a ton of recipes to review. I'm now over my morning sickness and ready to start cooking again. Just to warn you though, most of my recipes I will be reviewing are from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. She's a genius I tell you!

When the weather starts turning cold, I start craving soup. Nothing warms my soul and makes me fall in love with Autumn more than a good, hearty soup. I already have a recipe for beef stew that I love, but I wanted to give this recipe a go since it had a tomato base to it. My husband said it was hands down the best stew he has ever had and couldn't stop eating it! So here's the recipe:

Hearty Beef Stew {Slow Cooker} 

via Mel's Kitchen Cafe (go to her site for her tips on this recipe)

INGREDIENTS:
5 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or beef broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 pound carrots, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound red potatoes, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Minute tapioca
2 cups frozen peas

DIRECTIONS:
After the meat has been cut into chunks, pat it dry with a paper towel and season all the pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat until the oil is rippling and hot. Cook half of the beef until it is well browned on each side, about 4 minutes. No need to cook it all the way through – just get some great brown color all around. Toss the meat in the slow cooker and follow the same process with the second half of the meat (you may need to add another tablespoon of oil to the pan if it looks a little dry). Remove the meat to the slow cooker, trying to keep as much oil in the pan as possible.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions are translucent and golden, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil and transfer it to the slow cooker, pouring it over the meat.

In a large bowl, toss the carrots, potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. On the counter, lay out a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil (use two sheets of regular foil on top of each other if you don’t have heavy-duty). Place the tossed vegetables on one side of the foil. Fold the foil over the vegetables and crimp the edges really well to form a little foil packet that will fit in the top of your slow cooker. Stir the tapioca into the slow cooker. Place the foil packet of vegetables on top of the stew, cover the slow cooker, and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 10-11 hours.

When the stew is finished cooking, carefully remove the foil packet from the top of the stew. Discard the bay leaves from the stew. Carefully open the foil packet (be careful of steam that may escape as you open it!). Return the vegetables and any juices to the slow cooker and gently mix them into the stew. Stir in the frozen peas and let them rest in the stew for 5-10 minutes, until they are heated through. Serve.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake

A brief history of my preferred cooking methods:

2003: Couldn't cook anything- had to read the package directions on how to boil spaghetti on our first date.

2003-2005: Experimental- anything goes

2005-2008: Baking

2008-Present: Stove top cooking

Today: Baking 

While on Pinterest the other day, I saw a recipe that reminded me how much I loved to bake. Most of the time, you just have to add everything to the baking dish and your done. This was an extremely simple recipe but the results were phenomenal. As per tastykitchen.com, if you use canned chicken and ready rice, it will make things even easier. 

This is an amazing meal. I love the combination of salsa and sour cream. It was creamy and full of flavor. 

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake 

(modified from tastykitchen.com)

Ingredients:

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (I used canned chicken)
• 4 cups Cooked Brown Rice
• ¾ cups Frozen Corn
• 15 ounces, fluid Can Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• 16 oz Sour Cream 
• 4 ounces, fluid Can Green Chilis
• 1 cup Salsa
• 1 cup Low-fat Cheddar Cheese, Plus More For Topping
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro For Garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for cilantro and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the yogurt and cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with extra cheese if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

I am never good at making rice, but I found an simple way over here at Mel's Kitchen Cafe if you are interested.  

Clear the Air Challenge

I was recently invited to a press conference with Governor Herbert and Mayor Becker to kick off Utah's Clear the Air Challenge at Hogle Zoo. The challenge began August 1st and ends the 31st. The challenge motivates Utahns by giving them fabulous prizes for reducing their emissions this month. 

Here's what the official website has to say about the challenge: "According to the Utah Division of Air Quality, if all drivers living along the Wasatch Front were to park their cars just one day per week, vehicle emissions would be reduced by 6,500 tons per year. This means that every vehicle trip counts, and every mile you devote to smarter travel pays Utah back with cleaner, more breathable air. The Clear the Air Challenge, issued by Governor Herbert, Mayor Becker, Mayor Corroon and other community leaders, is a month long competition starting August 1st that gives you the chance to reduce your vehicle emissions by choosing alternatives to driving alone using TravelWise strategies. By driving less and driving smarter, you will ultimately help improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion and conserve energy in Utah. You will also be eligible for weekly and grand prize drawings by meeting straightforward, achievable travel goals.
Because air quality is a concern for all of us, we can't afford to leave anyone out. That's why this challenge is open to travelers of all ages throughout Utah, especially those in the Salt Lake Valley."

You can sign up for the challenge here and win awesome prizes.

Governor Herbert introducing the challenge.

The Mayor of Salt Lake City talking about the challenge.

My son enjoying the tigers at Hogle Zoo.

The zoo's new Rocky Shore's exhibit is now open and rocks!

Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole

Have you ever been cooking something and then sample your creation before it's done? I think most cooks do. But, have you ever kept sampling and then had to make yourself stop because if you didn't, there wouldn't be any dinner? That's what happened with me while I was making this dish. I couldn't stop licking the bowl after I poured out the sauce. Maybe it was pregnancy hormones, or maybe it was just that good. Seriously, you need to make this!

Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 313 • Fat: 9.9 g • Protein: 27.2 g • Carb: 31.2 g • Fiber: 4.4 g • Sugar: 2.6 g
Sodium: 256.7 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

6 oz Ronzoni Smart taste noodles (or no-yolk)
2 tsp oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin (I always used chopped garlic)
12 oz fresh broccoli florets, chopped (I used frozen broccoli, cooked)
1 tbsp butter
1 medium shallot, minced
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1-3/4 cups fat free chicken broth
1 cup 1% milk
12 oz cooked shredded chicken breast (I used canned chicken)
4 oz shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar
cooking spray
3 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
2 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs (I used panko bread crumbs cuz that's what I had)

Directions:

Cook noodles in salted water until al dente, or slightly undercooked by 2 minutes. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook on medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli and a little salt, sauté and cover the broccoli for about 3 minutes on medium heat until the broccoli begins to soften. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly spray a 9 x 12 casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large pot, heat butter over medium-low heat, when melted add the shallot andcook until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and a pinch of salt and stir well, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat.

Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until well combined over medium heat; whisk well for 30 seconds, then add the milk and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium heat, mixing occasionally until it thickens (about 6-7 minutes). Remove from heat and add reduced fat sharp cheddar and 1 tablespoon of the parmesan cheese; mix well until the cheese melts.

Add the shredded chicken, noodles and broccoli to the sauce and mix well until evenly coated.

Pour into a casserole dish and top with parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more cooking spray on top and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes. Place the casserole under the broiler a few minutes to get the crumbs crisp and golden (careful not to burn).

The reasoning behind my lack of postings...

is because I'm pregnant! Sorry, I get extreme morning sickness and food is never my friend for the first few months. Although, I did make a killer chicken, broccoli, noodle casserole the other night that was so good! Hopefully, things will pick back up soon!

Jana

Skillet Scramble

Maybe it's because I never get a good healthy breakfast, but I gobbled this Skillet Scramble up! Not only is it tasty, but it's beautiful with all the colors in it. This would make a wonderful breakfast or dinner for a hungry family!

Skillet Scramble (based off this recipe)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (13 oz) package turkey sausage, diced
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced
6 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet, drain off the excess fat, and set aside.
2. Place the potatoes, green peppers, yellow peppers, and red peppers into the skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are browned and the peppers are softened, about 15 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet, and pour the eggs over the top. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes until the eggs are set, and serve with salt and pepper.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

Maybe I should rename my blog to the following: ilovemelskitchencafesomuch! I am always amazed that her recipes go above and beyond my expectations EVERY SINGLE TIME. My favorite Mexican food is enchiladas. I've always loved the filling on the inside and beans and rice on the side. However, my husband would prefer a plethora of other choices before settling on enchiladas. That said, this blew him out of the water. He loved them and I was impressed at the intense but delicious flavor.

Honey Lime Enchiladas by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream 

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

*Freezable Meal: Freeze prior to baking. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake enchiladas, covered (without thawing first) for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until brown and crispy on top.

My before picture looked awesome- the after pic is OK but I didn't have anymore daylight. So here ya go:

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Crescent Braid

I've always wanted to try a food braid... they look awesome! Most people would call it comfort food but I never tried something like this growing up. However, I can see where they are coming from, fluffy pastry crust, chicken, and broccoli; all the basic ingredients for a successful dinner. It will certainly go my Perfect Dinner Project blog because we liked it!

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Crescent Braid

Ingredients:
2 cans Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls
2 cups chicken chunks, cooked
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups broccoli, frozen, steamed and chopped
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
fresh rosemary

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, spread both cans of crescents length wise to form a long rectangle.
Press each of the seams to form a single layer of dough.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, broccoli and mayonnaise
Spread mixture over the center of the croissant dough evenly to create a log.
Using a sharp knife, cut horizontal strips 1 inch apart down each side of the crescent dough.
Fold the dough strips over the top of the chicken mixture, alternating left and right to create a braid.
Brush the top of the braid with a beaten egg yolk and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top.
Bake for 28 – 30 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy!

MY FIRST GIVEAWAY: Plum District

Have you guys heard of Plum District?It's an awesome website that daily deals in your local area. I had the opportunity to meet some contributors to this website at the Breathing Space  bloggers retreat. The consultant was amazingly nice and you could tell she really loved what she does. The deals change every few days. Here are some of the deals they have going on now for the Salt Lake area:

{pic via Plum District}
$12 for a dozen gourmet cupcakes from One Sweet Appetite (a $24 value)

{pic via Plum District}
$18 for $30 worth of Downloadable designs from Silhouetteonlinestore.com

Giveaway Time:
I have TWO Plum District cards worth $10 each (no minimum purchase required). I will be picking two winners since it says one per household. Must be US mailing address. They expire June 30, 2012. Giveaway will close Thursday May 11th at 10:01 PM. Winners will be announced Friday and expected to respond within 48 of e-mail or else another winner will be chosen. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*I was in no way compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Breathing Space Retreat

I was so fortunate to win a spot at the bloggers Breathing Space Retreat at Daybreak last weekend from EclecticMamma . This was the first year it was put on and I so needed a break. Housing and classes were held at the model homes at Daybreak. It was a gorgeous setting

I'm the one in the dark blue. I seem to be having a good time.

Pictures by Jenny K Photography

Here was the model home I got to stay in:

I loved my house. Especially my room because it was the master bedroom. The shower was huge and when I say huge I mean it:

Yep, that's 5 bloggers in my shower. It was a CRAZY weekend if you know what I mean!

Overall, I had an awesome time. This week I'll be going over some of the speaker, sponsors, and swag I got in my swag bag. Unfortunately, I have to go over the one thing that I wasn't impressed with as well. 

9 Salon at Daybreak was giving out a free hairstyle, manicure, or wax to all the Breathing Space attendees. I decided to do a simple 50's style hair like this:

I was told repeatedly that they would get my hair "really close" to the picture. After an hour and a half this is what my hair looked like:

Is that ANYTHING like the picture? I'll let you decide. I would have been very unhappy if I had paid for that. Luckily, I went to my mother's house close by and did damage control. This is what I looked like after half an hour with a curling iron:

The one positive thing I can say about the salon was that the hairstylist was very nice. I just didn't get the results I wanted and won't be going back there again.

See you soon with more posts about the Breathing Space Retreat!

Treating others with kindness

I would love to share some of my random thoughts with you. We had a thought-provoking lesson in church today and my good friend Ivy shared an amazing quote:

He drew a circle that shut me out —
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
From the poem " Outwitted” ― Edwin Markham

I'm glad she took the time to explain it because poetry is NOT my forte. So, there is this other guy (He) that draws a circle and calls me names and shuts me out of his circle. But Love and I outwitted him and drew our own circle that included him.

There were a lot of time in my youth that I felt shut out by peers and had a hard time getting over it. I didn't know that I'd enjoy growing older and gaining so much wisdom. Now, I try my best to understand where others are coming from, understand that people are struggling, and just try to take what they say to me in the best possible way. I understand there are just plain mean people but letting them get you down is not going to sent you in the right direction in life.

I'm always amazed when these cliche phrases come to play in my life. "Don't let them get you down" or "Just let it roll off you back" truly have meaning and are great pieces of advice. God loves us and wants us to do our best in life. Love opens doors that we could never open ourselves. I don't feel like I hold grudges anymore, but sometimes I'm less likely to try and get to know people if I feel intimidated by them. I KNOW that if I try to get to know them and let go of my own fears of being rejected, I'll be able to get to know and love these people.

That's all. Thanks for listening.