New Challenge!

So a few weeks ago I was perusing the internet for new recipes to try and I stumbled upon a wonderful blog called Amanda's Cookin'. Well in Amanda's "about me" column she was explaining how in 2008 when she started her blog she was still using cake mixes and cooking the same dinners week after week. She now bakes almost everything from scratch and gives the credit to a baking group she is apart of called Tuesdays with Dorie. Well my curiosity of this baking group had me stumble over to their blog to find out what it was all about.

Tuesdays with Dorie is basically a group of bloggers who bake there way through whatever cookbook is chosen and twice a month (always on a Tuesday) they post pictures of the recipe that you were told to make. You must make at least one of the recipes every month to be able to be in the group.

I just so happened to find this website in the nick of time because they are just now starting a new cookbook and were taking names of people who wanted to join. We will be baking recipes from the cookbook Baking with Julia by: Dorie Greenspan based on the PBS series hosted by Julia Child who I absolutely LOVE!

The first recipe will be posted on February 7th and I can't wait! I am going to the grocery store today to buy my ingredients. I am hoping that like Amanda this group will help me to try different recipes and flavors that I might not have tried on my own and help me to become a better baker! I just read the TWD blog this morning and they are up to over 300 bloggers who have signed up to be apart of this challenge! There's gonna be a whole lot of baking going on that's for sure. :)

I believe there is still time that if you wanted to sign up and join the baking group too you can just head over to the TWD link that I posted above!!

Zesty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

Hi Ya'll! I hope you all have had a great new year so far. Can you believe its already the end of January??!! Crazy...

This recipe that I am sharing with you today is called Zesty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes and I believe its from my Betty Crocker cookbook (the bridal edition) that I got for our wedding almost five years ago. It was one of the first meals I learned how to make when I moved in with my husband and it quickly became one of our favorite go to "quick" meals. At one point I think we even had it every week for dinner! I now try different recipes a lot so we haven't had this dish in awhile so the other night I made it and it was just as delicious as I remember. The great thing about this meal is that it is quick, easy AND its all made on one pan so clean up is a breeze! Give it a try I know you will love it too! :)

Zesty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes!

Ingredients:

6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 lb. small red potatoes, cut in quarters
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Chopped fresh chives, if desired.

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray a baking sheet, 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch with cooking spray.

2. Place chicken and potatoes in pan. Mix remaining ingredients except chives; brush over chicken and potatoes.

3. Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Sprinkle with chives.

**Depending on your oven you may have to bake this a little longer than the recommended time. Mine is usually in the oven 40-45 minutes and then its perfect. It really depends on how big or small my potatoes are so at around 40 minutes I check the potatoes and go from there. I also almost never use chives just because that isn't something I always have in my fridge and it doesn't really make a huge difference its still an amazing dinner without it. 

Well there you go. Let me know what you think if you try it! Happy Tuesday everybody!! :)

Jen

XoxoX

I'M Back....

I know, I know....I have been a BAD blogger! Its just I have had so much going on through the holidays and going through my back pain issue (which thankfully is better!) I literally had no time to blog or was in so much pain I wasn't even able to get out of bed and when I did get downstairs to cook I certainly wasn't in the mood to take pics of everything for the blog. But I feel better and ready to get back to cooking! :)

Let me give you a quick version of what I have been doing while I wasn't blogging....

I hosted my very first Thanksgiving at our house we had about 30 adults plus children. It was wonderful and stressful all at the same time because I was working very hard to make it PERFECT. We had two turkeys (one traditional in the oven which I made and one smoked that my BIL did) and a ham that my MIL made. Then I made 4 pies from SCRATCH for dessert and everyone who came also brought a dish anywhere from an appetizer to a side dish. It was a great Thanksgiving filled with lots of family and friends! Certainly beats last Turkey day by a long shot since last year I was eating Thanksgiving dinner in the hospital attached to a vent!

I had my one year anniversary of my lung transplant on December 2, 2011 and I celebrated in style by not only having a wonderful party at my house with family and friends to celebrate....BUT I also got to spend 4 amazing days in NYC with my sister and cousin. We walked EVERYWHERE, by the time it was time to go home parts of my body that I didn't even knew existed hurt! But I could do it and I didn't have to stop/rest/or hold anyone back because I could BREATH! It was an amazing feeling!

Christmas kinda snuck up on me this year. I am usually that person who in October is usually done shopping and this year I don't even know what happened but I was way behind and still shopping the week of Christmas! That will never happen again believe me because all the millions of people who were also shopping reminded me why I don't go to stores or malls in the month of December is because of all the other crazy shoppers out there! Christmas Eve was spent with the in-laws and Christmas day was spent with my family by going to church in the morning and then dinner late afternoon.  It was a great Christmas all around.

New Years Eve we had a little party at out house like we usually do. Danny doesn't really care to go out on New Years and worry about who's gonna drive home and then navigating the roads with all the other people who are possibly driving drunk. He thinks its just safer to stay home. So we have had a New Years Eve party every year we have lived in our house except last cause I was still in Gainesville recovering.

So that brings us into January. I just had a check up last week that included a bronch and yesterday my coordinator called me with my results which I am proud to say were NEGATIVE for rejection!! I was a little worried this time because I have been having major sinus issues and I didn't want that negatively affecting my beautiful breathers. Oh yeah I almost forgot to mention I got a early 30th birthday present yesterday (my bday is 2/3!) a NEW CAR!! Its so pretty, I will have to post pictures next time I blog! :)

Well that's all I got for today. I have to go meet my little brother at his college cause he needs some money for gas...aren't I a good sister or what? LOL

Till next time....XoxoX

Pumpkin Pie

I saw an episode of Good Eats awhile ago and on it the host Alton Brown was making a pumpkin pie from scratch. Im talking roasting a pumpkin in the oven to make the puree from scratch and it actually looked really easy.

I am hosting my first Thanksgiving this year and I am SO excited! Not only have I been asking to host it for like 4 years now and my in-laws are finally giving in and relinquishing the rights to Turkey Day BUT its the first Thanksgiving I can actually DO everything and BREATH while doing it so I want everything to be PERFECT!

So since I have never made this pie before I wanted to make a practice pie to see what everyone thinks so I didn't have a Thanksgiving Day disaster on my hands with a crappy pumpkin pie!

Its not like the traditional pumpkin pie everyone is used to because its made with REAL pumpkin and out of the people who tried it, it was 50/50 on whether or not they like it. My father-in-law LOVED it especially the ginger snap crust. My husband liked it but said there was something "off" about it. That seemed to be the consensus of the people who didn't care for it. So my suggestion would be that if you think you want to try this pie for the big day make it ahead of time to see if you really like it or not.

Here is the recipe!

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

Crust:

• 6 ounces gingersnap cookies
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 ounce unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 16 ounces Pumpkin Puree, recipe follows
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: Combine the gingersnaps, brown sugar, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the cookies are fine crumbs. Drizzle the butter into the crumb mixture. Pulse 8 to 10 times to combine.

Press the gingersnap mixture into the bottom, up the sides, and just over the lip of a 9-inch glass pie dish. Place on a half sheet pan and bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool crust at least 10 minutes before filling.

For the filling: Bring the pumpkin puree to a simmer over medium heat in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the half-and-half, nutmeg, and salt. Stir and return the mixture to a simmer. Remove the pumpkin mixture from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk the brown sugar, eggs, and yolk until smooth in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour the prepared filling into the warm pie crust and bake on the same half sheet pan until the center jiggles slightly but the sides of the filling are set, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack for at least 2 to 3 hours before slicing. Pie can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. Pie is best the day after it is made.

Pumpkin Puree:

• 1 (4 to 6-pound) baking pumpkin, rinsed and dried
• Kosher salt

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice a small piece of skin off the one side of the pumpkin so when laid on its side, the pumpkin will lay flat without rolling. Remove the stem and split the pumpkin in half from top to bottom, using a large cleaver and a mallet. Scoop out the seeds and fiber with a large metal spoon or ice cream scoop. Cut the fibers with kitchen shears if necessary. Reserve seeds for another use.

Sprinkle the flesh with kosher salt and lay the halves, flesh side down, on a parchment paper-lined half sheet pan. Roast until a paring knife can be easily inserted and removed from the pumpkin, 30 to 45 minutes. Test in several places to ensure doneness.

Remove the half sheet pan to a cooling rack and cool the pumpkin for 1 hour. Using a large spoon, remove the roasted flesh of the pumpkin from the skin to the bowl of a food processor. Process until the flesh is smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

**To make the whip cream on top I just used 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tbs. confectioners sugar. But you can use good old fashion cool whip if you prefer! :)

Cowboy Casserole!

This casserole is as delicious as it is easy!

My husband is from Minnesota. Home of the "hot dish" so I have had my share of tater tot casseroles and to be honest I have never really been a fan. But this one is REALLY good! The only thing I think I will change and try next time is when I am browning the meat I think I will throw in some chopped onion and a few cloves of minced garlic. Just because lets be honest garlic makes everything taste better! :)

Well, here is the recipe! If you try it leave me a comment I would love to hear what you think!!

Cowboy Casserole

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 can (8-3/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 2/3 cup condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups frozen Tater Tots

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Stir in the corn, soup, 1/4 cup cheese, milk, sour cream, onion powder and pepper.
• Place 1 cup Tater Tots in a greased 3-cup baking dish. Layer with beef mixture and remaining Tater Tots; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

**Just a quick side note: This recipe is for 2 servings so if you are a family of four you will want to double the ingredients!!