Granola Cookie Wedges {Foodie Friday}

Addicting. That’s exactly how I would describe these “cookies.” And due to the fact that they have oatmeal in them, I deem them “almost healthy” which means that you can have another bite. You’re welcome.

It's starting to be that time of year when the day starts to get away from me. These long days have me totally forgetting about the time and suddenly I turn around and it's 8:30 PM! Holy Moly! I love summer, but I also need my sleep. Enter these lovelies. They take about 5 minutes to throw together and less than 15 to bake. That means you can do more while doing less. Get it? These are so quick and easy to make, they taste AMAZING. They are perfect for any summer get together. Or maybe you just want to eat all of them yourself. I won't tell.

No, I don't know why the font sizes are so wonky on this post. I have tried and tried to fix it.

One Year Ago: Basic Blondies

Granola Cookie Wedges

Ingredients

·         1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
·         2 tablespoons canola oil
·         1 tablespoon butter, melted
·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
·         1/4 teaspoon salt
·         1/4 teaspoon baking soda
·         1 large egg white
·         2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
·         1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
·         1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
·         2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
·         Cooking spray
·          

Preparation
1.     1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2.     2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir until well combined. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour, oats, nuts, and chocolate chips to sugar mixture; stir until just combined.
3.     3. Scrape the dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate coated with cooking spray, and spread to edges using a spatula. Bake at 350° for 13 minutes or until set. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Cut into 8 wedges.

Source: Cooking Light

I'm linking up at: Your homebased mom, Thirty Handmade Days The Best Blog Recipes, Tatertots and Jello, Whipperberry,  Buns in My Oven, Today’s Creative Blog, Design, Dining and Diapers, Iheartnaptime, Home Stories A to Z Home-Styled, Real Coake, Mostlyhomemade mom, Six Sisters’ Stuff, A Peek into My Paradise, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Love Grows Wild and Shabby Creek Cottage.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole {Foodie Friday}

I have been eyeing this recipe forEVA. The first time I saw it I knew I had to have it. I grew up eating frozen chicken cordon bleu from the Schwan man and the Ham and swiss combo has always been amazing for me. It takes a lot of time and prep work, I won’t lie, but it is so worth it in the end. I like the extra effort on the weekends, but you could easily split this into two small casseroles and freeze them for later. The original recipe suggests using whole chicken breasts, but I found it was much easier to serve when the chicken was cut up into bite size pieces. Please be sure to use a thermometer to check the doneness of the chicken. The original recipe said to cook for 30-35 minutes, but every time I have made it, I have had to cook it for over an hour.

One Year Ago: Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Yield: Serves 6-8

Make-Ahead Tip: I made the entire casserole the morning before I wanted to serve it and stored it in the fridge all day. It cooked up beautifully. The original recipe recommends making the topping and cheese sauce and then refrigerating them in separate bowls for up to 1 day. To reheat and assemble, poke several vent holes in the plastic wrap covering the sauce and microwave it for about 3 to 5 minutes, until it is hot. Cook the potatoes and assemble and bake according to the recipe directions.

Ingredients

Topping:

• 4 slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters (I used a long forgotten bread bowl tucked in the back of the freezer – thawed it in the microwave before using)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 4-5 medium), peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream or milk
• 6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded, about 2 cups
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and sliced into bite sized pieces
• 9 ounces deli ham, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions

1. For the topping, process the bread and butter in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.
2. For the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, making sure the oven rack is in the middle. Place the potatoes, 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are partially cooked, about 2 minutes (don’t overcook because they will continue to cook in the oven!). Carefully drain potatoes, or remove them with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute (this helps cook out the flour taste in the roux). Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and the cream or milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, until slightly thickened (if using milk instead of cream, you may have to cook longer for it to thicken up a bit). Off the heat, whisk in the Swiss cheese, Dijon, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
4. Toss the potatoes with half of the sauce and spread into the bottom of a lightly greased 9X13-inch baking pan. Layer alternating pieces of the chicken and ham over the potatoes, overlapping as needed. This is not a scientific procedure, just make sure that the chicken is in a single layer (not on top of each other) so that it cooks thoroughly. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the casserole is bubbling, 50 to 65 minutes (add about 5-7 additional minutes onto the baking time if baking it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours). Sprinkle with parsley and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

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Strawberry Pecan Shortcakes {Foodie Friday}

Well it seems as though we skipped spring here in central Indiana and went straight to summer. It’s kind of a bummer because I really like the coolness of spring, not too cold, not too hot. Now it’s starting to just be hot. And I can’t complain about that either because I have terrible allergies in the spring. Seriously terrible. I guess I just have to learn to be content with where I am.

Oh, you came here to read about strawberry shortcake, did you? Hmmm.. You see how terrible that picture is, it’s because I had about 10 seconds to take a picture before it got scarfed down by the two crazy strawberry lovers I live with. Better luck next time.

This shortcake recipe is one I made for the first time shortly after DH and I were married, and I am telling you I don’t think he has stopped talking about it since. I grew up eating shortcake on angel food or pound cake. This was a big change for me, and I was a slow adopter. Now I have learned to love the biscuit-y texture of these shortcakes, and I really think that the nuts give it so much more!!

As for the whipped cream, I will never go back to the store bought stuff. It is so quick and easy to make and it tastes better than anything at the store.

One Year Ago: Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Strawberry Pecan Shortcakes

Ingredients
5 -6 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
½ cup Walnuts or pecans

Directions
1.     In a medium bowl, stir together the sliced strawberries and 1/4 of the cup sugar; set aside.
2.     In another medium bowl, stir together the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, and orange peel. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Stir in the 1/2 cup walnuts.
3.     Drop the dough into 8 to 10 mounds on an ungreased baking sheet; flatten each mound slightly with the back of the spoon. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Transfer shortcakes to a wire rack; cool about 10 minutes.
4.     Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each shortcake in half horizontally. Carefully lift off top layers. Place bottom layers on individual plates or in dessert dishes. Spoon half of the strawberries and Whipped Cream over bottom layers. Replace shortcake tops. Top with any remaining Whipped Cream and spoon remaining strawberries around the shortcake. If you like, sprinkle with additional walnuts and garnish with a whole strawberry. Serve immediately. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Whipped Cream

Ingredients
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
1.     Chill a medium mixing bowl and beaters of an electric mixer. In chilled bowl beat cream, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.

Source: Midwest Living

I'm linking up at: Your homebased mom, Thirty Handmade Days The Best Blog Recipes, Tatertots and Jello, Whipperberry,  Buns in My Oven, Today’s Creative Blog, Design, Dining and Diapers, Iheartnaptime, Home Stories A to Z Home-Styled, Real Coake, Mostlyhomemade mom, Six Sisters’ Stuff, A Peek into My Paradise and Shabby Creek Cottage.

What I'm Loving Lately- Home Blogs {May edition}

Happy Memorial Day to you! I'm enjoying the nice weather today by getting some things done around the house. Is anyone else out there still spring cleaning? I still haven't gotten the windows cleaned, maybe I can finally knock that out today!

Speaking of doing things around the house, this month on ‘What I’m Loving Lately’ I’m highlighting my favorite home blogs. These blogs provide me countless amounts of inspiration for my home. I’m bad about actually implementing a lot of it, but it’s fun to look at none the less and a girl can dream, right? 

iHeart Organizing

Home by Heidi

Young House Love

Thrifty Décor Chick

Homemade Croutons {Foodie Friday}

Once upon a time there was a loaf of bread going bad on my counter. I cut it up and made croutons. The end.

Wow that was a great story. No, really, because these croutons are delicious. In fact I have eaten half of them straight from the container. No salad, no dressing, just croutons. And the nice thing is that you can add flavors, spices and cheese combinations that you like too. This is so easy to do, so don’t let your stale bread go to waste!

One Year Ago: Sweet Dinner Rolls

Homemade Croutons

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 6 slices bread
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• sea salt, to taste
• 3-4 tsp dried Italian seasoning (or dried parsley)
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300°F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
Remove the crust and cut the bread into small cubes.

Combine the oil, garlic powder, salt and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl.
Toss the bread crumbs with oil mixture to coat.

Spread the bread cubes on prepared cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until dry, crispy, and golden brown.

 Store croutons in air-tight container or ziplock bag. Makes 4 cups. Enjoy!

Source: Skinnytaste

 

I'm linking up at: Your homebased mom, Thirty Handmade Days The Best Blog Recipes, Tatertots and Jello, Whipperberry,  Buns in My Oven, Today’s Creative Blog, Design, Dining and Diapers, Iheartnaptime, Home Stories A to Z Home-Styled, Real Coake, Mostlyhomemade mom, Six Sisters’ Stuff, A Peek into My Paradise and Shabby Creek Cottage.

Baby M {My Photography}

Here are just a few pictures I took of Baby M. He was 5 days new at the time, but he wasn’t particularly interested in having his picture taken. I still managed to get a couple cute ones of him. He is such a little peanut, I can't wait to see him grow up.

Welcome to the world Baby M!

Manhattan Glazed Chicken {Foodie Friday}

My first job out of high school was working at Red Lobster. I did all sorts of jobs there…everything but cook and serve tables. It was a great experience and since I was so well cross-trained, I was in pretty high demand which worked out really well for me at the time. I am not a big seafood eater, so working there was really great because I wasn’t tempted to eat the food every time I was there. I don’t work there now, but we still like to eat there occasionally. They have a new Maple Glazed Chicken on their menu. It’s pretty fabulous. We have attempted to duplicate this at home a couple of times. This recipe doesn’t have maple in it, but the orange in this give it an exceptional flavor. This would be excellent served over wild rice. Next time I make it I am going to do that. It’s making me hungry just thinking about it.

One Year Ago: Bacon and Broccoli Quiche

 

Manhattan Glazed Chicken

Ingredients

1 ½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup orange marmalade

¼ cup cherry spreadable fruit (such as Polaner All Fruit)

1 teaspoon lower sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon butter

1 tablespoon bourbon

Directions

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Place marmalade, cherry spreadable fruit, and soy sauce in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer  minutes or until very thingk, stirring frequently. Add butter, stirring to combine. Remove from heat; stir in bourbon. Spoon glaze over chicken.

Source: Cooking Light

I'm linking up at: Your homebased mom, Thirty Handmade Days The Best Blog Recipes, Tatertots and Jello, Whipperberry,  Buns in My Oven, Today’s Creative Blog, Design, Dining and Diapers, Iheartnaptime, Home Stories A to Z Home-Styled, Real Coake, Mostlyhomemade mom, Six Sisters’ Stuff, A Peek into My Paradise and Shabby Creek Cottage.

Baby J's Birth Story {My Photography}

2 weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending my first birth—as the photographer. Our friends graciously agreed to let me be a part of their first son’s birth. I was so excited. This was a scheduled induction, so I was lucky not to receive a 2 AM phone call..this time. It actually worked out perfectly, and I arrived about  hours before Baby J was born. It was such an amazing experience to be there and witness the miracle of birth. It is much different when you are not the one in labor. I am so glad I was able to do it, and I hope I will be able to do it again!

For the privacy and protection of the parents, the actual ‘birth photos’ and photos displaying their names have been omitted from this post. Now I will let the pictures do the talking.