Italian Chicken & Pesto Pasta (Gluten-Free)

This has been a crazy week, and there hasn't been much time for creativity in the kitchen. I needed a quick and easy but comforting dinner to help me and that wonderful hubby of mine unwind tonight. We love this because it's a quick and easy dinner, and is a fantastic alternative to take out. Oh, and it is pretty healthy too! Throw in a delicious green dinner salad & enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken strips or 2 boneless-skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
Italian breadcrumbs (I used Gluten-Free bread crumbs, recipe below)
1 package pasta, prepared according to directions (I used brown rice spaghetti)
1/2 cup pesto (I used Basil Pesto from Whole Foods)
Sea salt, black pepper, garlic, parmesan cheese
Olive oil


Directions:
Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Cover the bottom of a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Pour breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and dredge chicken into bread crumbs being sure to shake off the excess crumbs. Brown strips on each side until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes total cooking time.


Drain pasta and return to pan. Toss pasta with 1/2 cup pesto, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and add sea salt & pepper to taste, depending on the saltiness of your pesto. Plate pasta and add strips on top, sprinkling with parmesan cheese.

GLUTEN-FREE ITALIAN BREAD CRUMBS
INGREDIENTS:
10-12 slices gluten-free brown rice bread
garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, parsley flakes, Italian seasoning

Place bread on a cookie sheet in a preheated 200 degree oven. After one hour, turn bread over and bake for an additional hour. If bread still feels soft, repeat the process. When bread is dried out, place in food processer and reduce to crumbs. Add in 3/4 teaspoon of garlic and onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and dried parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and sea salt. Mix together and place in a airtight container.

Over The Top Frosted & Stuffed Brownie Bites

I am preparing for an upcoming jewelry fashion show (which will be my training show & my new jeweler showcase - I'm SO excited) at my home next Monday night and have been planning my dessert offerings. I knew I wanted to offer a Cherry Almond Coffee Cake (delicious, red & dainty for Valentine's Day), but I have also been considering some type of over-the-top brownie bite or tart (keeping with chocolate for the Valentine's theme). I found this recipe & thought it sounded scrumptious so I gave it a trial run. This recipe is absolutely fabulous! As if brownie bites aren't decadent enough, these are stuffed with semi-sweet chocolate chips! The semi-sweet chocolate chips perform a dual purpose as a filling and frosting! How fantastic is that?!! This is definitely the go-to brownie dessert for those killer chocolate cravings. I am a very happy and satisfied chocolate lover!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 (about) cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini-muffin tins with papers. Combine cocoa and oil in large bowl until smooth. Mix in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to cocoa mixture, stirring to combine. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips, reserving remaining 2/3 cup for decoration. Fill each muffin paper with about 1 rounded tablespoon of batter. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or just until set and small cracks appear on surface. Remove from oven. Immediately place about 6 semi-sweet chocolate chips on center of each hot brownie bite. Let rest 2 to 3 minutes to soften, then swirl melted chips with the back of a spoon to frost brownie bites. Yield: About 4 dozen brownie bites.

NOTE: I do not have mini-muffin tins but I do have a 24-count mini tart pan. I lightly greased my tart pan and it worked fine, just be sure not to fill each cup to the top or you will wind up with big ol' muffin tops, which are quite tasty but not too pretty.

Green Chili Burritoes

My Daddy made the best green chili burritoes and his were made with pork. While I was living in Tennessee for a few years, I would get so hungry for his green chili burritoes. One homesick day, my friend, JB, gave me habenaro peppers out of his garden. I had never cooked with them, but I thought they would make delicious green chili burritoes. So in the kitchen I went, chopping, dicing, stiring and cooking. I had all of my ingredients browned and poured in my liquid to simmer for a few minutes. Just at the right moment, I popped that habenaro pepper open, scraped the seeds out, and tossed the pepper in my tasty pot. All of the sudden, I was on fire! I was literally in tears and wanted to cut my hand off...SERIOUSLY! I could not image what had happened. With a closer inspection of my poor pain-ridden hand, I found the tiniest little habenaro pepper seed lodged under my thumbnail. I quickly dug it out and ran to the faucet, then dunked my hand in a glass of ice water while looking for any other solution I could think of to make the intense pain stop! Oh the misery! JB wandered up to the house just in time when my scrumptious green chili mix was ready to dive into and I just happened to be pulling off the last homemade tortilla from the griddle. He bellied up to the table and I placed my offering in front of him. He took a big ol' bite, looked at me in horror and threw the burrito down in the plate, reaching for water and spouting off a stream of four letter words. It seems he didn't get the fact that they were screaming hot from cooking, but it also contained his firey peppers. And as he was from Tennessee he wasn't too up on the fine art of Mexican cooking, spicey seasonings and our love of the wild and hot side of things. I think I brought tears to the poor man's eyes. In the end, after his heart settled back in his chest and mine quit throbbing in my thumb, those burritoes were delicious, brought me memories of home, and filled our tummies.

This is a quick version of Dad's green chili burritoes and these are made with chicken because I no longer eat pork. I hope you will give these a try. I know you will love them and will make them again and again.


Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into small pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 can roasted diced green chilis
2 new potatoes peeled and diced (or regular potatoes)
1 tsp (or more to taste) sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tbsp ground chili powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1 whole habenaro pepper (Don't blame me if you get a seed under your fingernail!)

Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add in chicken and onions, salt and pepper. Saute until browned. Next pour in green chilis, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder, and toss in the whole habenaro pepper (if you so desire) lowering heat to medium and cook 10 minutes, stiring frequently. While this is cooking, place your diced potatoes in a microwave safe bowl with 1/4 cup water and microwave for 10 minutes. After the potatoes have microwaved, drain any remaining water and add the potatoes into the meat mixture, check your seasonings for taste and add in 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat and cover, simmering over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender and water is absorbed. Adjust seasonings if necessary.I usually get out my trusty old griddle and heat my tortillas, being sure to brown both sides. This is delicious with tortillas, in a baked potato, over eggs, in an omelet, the uses are endless. Enjoy!

Italian Roasted Chicken

I planned ahead for this hectic day, my first day back at work after a very long Christmas vacation. I seasoned my chicken with a delicious blend of Italian seasonings and olive oil last night and let it marinate over night in the fridge. This evening, it was ready for Hubby to slide in the oven just in time to make the house smell divine when I walked in the door. Let me just say, the house smells fabulous & my mouth is watering!


Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken, cleaned, washed & dried
Italian Seasoning
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Olive Oil


Directions:
After cleaning, washing and drying off chicken, sprinkle generously with your favorite Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and rub spices into skin. This is great if you can season, cover and refrigerate overnight, but if not, that’s okay too. Place chicken into baking pan and slide into preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 1 ½ - 2 hours depending on the size or until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken pierced if you do not have a thermometer, basting the chicken periodically with the cooking juices in the pan.I make many different baked or roasted chickens, but this one tends to be our go-to chicken when we want a good old-fasioned dinner around the table. This one is fantastic with parmesan and garlic seasoned pasta or your favorite potato dish. I like to serve it with a side of Brown Rice Pasta seasoned with garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil and a dash of sea salt & pepper. MMM MMM! My taste buds are sooo excited over this one! I never met a chicken I didn't love!

Sunday Dinner & Eggplant Parmesan (Gluten-Free)

Well, the fun has got to come to an end sometime I guess and I must head back to the real world tomorrow. My two week vacation from work ends when my head hits the pillow tonight because at 5:00 a.m. that buzzer will ring and I will stumble to the coffee pot before making my way to the office.

We had a very enjoyable day at home together today, playing with little Connor (my great nephew), working on my crafty projects, and cooking. I prepped my hen for dinner tomorrow night, Hubby will only need to slide it in the oven, and I steamed new potatoes and seasoned with olive oil and Italian seasoning for tomorrow night's dinner. I'll be posting those tomorrow. Tonight I made Eggplant Parmesan. I have never been a fan of eating this out, but have created a delicious recipe that is also gluten-free so I really enjoy it.

Ingredients:

2 eggplants, sliced lengthwise in 1/4" slices, skin on or off your choice

1 jar spaghetti or marinara sauce (use your favorite)

2 eggs

Italian Bread Crumbs (I made gluten-free Italian bread crumbs)

Olive Oil

Fresh Mozzerella (Smoked or regular, sold in a ball, not the shredded)

Directions:
Slice eggplant. Heat enough oil in skillet to cover bottom of pan (adding to as necessary as eggplant soaks the oil). Break the eggs into a shall dish, add a splash of water, sprinkle with sea salt and a dash of pepper & whisk. Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Run each eggplant slice through the eggs, draining any excess, then dredge in breadcrumbs. Brown eggplant over medium high heat. When browned on both sides, remove from skillet and drain on papertowels. Repeat the process until all eggplant slices are browned. In a 9x12 pan, spread the bottom of the pan with spaghetti sauce, add layer of eggplant, top with sauce, then dot with fresh mozzerella cheese. Repeat process until all eggplant slices are used. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning or parsley. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden bubbly. Enjoy with a beautiful dinner salad! Oh so yummy!

Green Bean Casserole - (HEALTHY & Gluten-Free)

I bought a few old magazines the other day when Mom and I were browsing the thrift stores for goodies to refurbish and I ran across this fabulous recipe. It is such a drastic change from the run of the mill green bean casserole. I'm trying to keep my foods all natural, organic as much as possible, gluten-free and for the most part dairy free. This recipe is a fabulous find & was delicious!

Ingredients
2 lbs green beans fresh or frozen (I used fresh)
1 medium onion, cut in half & sliced into thin strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut in half & sliced into thin strips
6 oz. fresh mushrooms - button or portobello, sliced
6 oz. cheese - goat and cream cheese. (Cheese can be omitted. I used about 3 oz of feta instead)
olive oil
plain bread crumbs (I made gluten-free Italian bread crumbs - see recipe below)
balsamic vinegar or soy sauce
sea salt
black pepper
flat leaf parsley fresh - for garnish (Optional)


Directions
If using fresh green beans, trim the ends. Place green beans in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 3-5 minutes. Pour green beans into collander to drain and run cold water over to stop the cooking process. In a casserole dish, combine beans with button mushrooms and sliced red peppers. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or soy sauce to coat, a sprinkle of sea salt & black pepper. Roast in oven for 15 minutes at 400. Saute onion wedges and garlic in olive oil just until tender. Toss cooked onions with a handful of bread crumbs to coat for classic onion ring crispiness.
Toss warm vegetables with cheese, top with onions and return to oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. If desired, scatter fresh snipped parsley on top for a peppery flavor when done. Enjoy.

NOTES: I used the balsamic vinegar last night when I made this. My hubby doesn't like sweet foods unless it is a dessert and leans more to savory flavors, so I will be using soy sauce the next go with this recipe.

GLUTEN-FREE ITALIAN BREAD CRUMBS
10-12 slices gluten-free brown rice bread
garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, parsley flakes, Italian seasoning

Place bread on a cookie sheet in a preheated 200 degree oven. After one hour, turn bread over and bake for an additional hour. If bread still feels soft, repeat the process. When bread is dried out, place in food process and reduce to crumbs. Add in 3/4 teaspoon of garlic and onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and dried parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and sea salt. Mix together and place in a airtight container.

Gift Towers

The Christmas rush for Deb's Delectable Edibles has come to an end with the delivery of the last gift tower to its very deserving recipient. After a very long week of baking, candy making, popcorn roasting and cookie decorating, Mom and I packaged up the delectable goodies, placed them in their beautiful little boxes and sent my very own santa out in his sleigh to make deliveries to good little boys and girls from our little small town all the way to the Big D.

There were telephone calls of thanks and grateful tears of joy. My favorite recipient was an elderly lady who lost her husbad unexpectedly several years ago. She has the biggest heart and would give you the shirt off of her back. Each year this special lady is included with our corporate client deliveries in an effort to brighten her Christmas. As we stood on her porch and she accepted her special box of goodies, she wept, giggled & brought tears to my eyes. Something so small as a pretty hat box filled with goodies touched this woman's heart, made her know she wasn't completely alone and brought her enjoyment through the afternoon as she nibbled away. I know because she called our office each time she had something different to tell me how good it was! How precious!

I had such fun with these! I filled my towers with Cream Cheese Pumpkin Roll, Cranberry Pumpkin Bread, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Double Peanut Butter Cookies, Coconut Macaroons, Snickerdoodles, Pecan Tassies, Fudge with Pecans, Peanut Butter Fudge, Texas Millionaires, Double Dipped Peanut Butter Balls and Texas Longhorn Crunch. Here is just a glimpse of my offerings...
Now, there is shopping to be done, decorations to be put up, and gifts to be wrapped. This afternoon I finished up with my GW find, the mini Christmas tree I purchase for $1.50. Drum roll please, my little glitzy glam tabletop treeDeck Them Halls Y'all!

Another Year Gone By

Today I am a proud 36 years young - Happy Birthday to Me! I love my birthday and expect to be treated like a Queen on my day & I want to feel like one. Well, I guess this year is an exception because I feel like no Queen. I have fallen ill with a bronchial infection, am on four prescriptions & feel like a croaking toad. Yes, a croaking toad. Knowing I would feel like a non-Queen I knew it would take me a little bit longer to get in the swing this morning so I set that lovely alarm for 5:00 a.m. Guess what? It didn't make a peep! I was awoke by a birthday telephone call at 7:45 a.m. - I HAVE TO BE AT THE OFFICE AT 8:00! I had the perfect outfit picked out to sport my new birthday haircut and had been looking forward to a liesurely morning. Boy, did I have to kick it into high gear and I was forty-five minutes late. Whew! What a birthday greeting. My darling hubby did surprise me at the office with lunch from Panera, knowing I had to work through my day. I just love their French Onion Soup! MMMMMM MMMM! I'm starting to feel a little more Queenlike!

Now for the good stuff...presents, dinner and BIRTHDAY CAKE BABY! Hubby let me pick out my main gift (For some reason he is under the impression that I am picky!), and I selected a gorgeous new watch. Let me just say, I LOVE IT! Boy he has great taste, doesn't he?

My dear sweet niece Ashley gave me the cutest card..about the QUEEN's B-Day and the best gift you could ever receive...a gift certificate to my favorite department store so I can pick out what I want! Hmmm those 800 thread count sheets I saw on sale are calling my name!

To my surprise, my sweet hubby gave me a little something extra, a romance double feature DVD, Must Love Dogs and You've Got Mail. Wow, two of my favorite girly movies on one DVD - what a deal!

Mom surprised me with the most beautiful set of jewelry, jade and sterling silver necklace, earrings and pendant. I had asked for it months ago when we saw it and I had completely forgotten about it. What a nice surprise!

Did I say that I LOVE gifts?!!! I am usually the one giving, giving, giving, so when it's my day, I thoroughly enjoy it! Seeing as how I am so sick, I decided I did not really want to venture out to a restaurant for my birthday dinner so I asked my sweet mama to cook for me. My request - her Southern Fried Chicken (in the cast iron skillet of course), Mashed Potatoes & Cream Gravy, and Green Beans. MMMMM MMMMM so yummy. Remember, y'all, I'm a Texas gal tried and true! My mama's fried chicken is out of this world, finger-lickin' good! I'm so excited! You've got to understand something - she hasn't made fried chicken for us in at least five years because for some strange reason she doesn't think it's healthy! Go figure! Well, tonight all bets were off! I wish you were here but that leaves more for me! This was my delicious dinner, fit for a TEXAS queen!

I was delighted to see the best chocolate cake ever, my mama's Wacky Chocolate Cake, which made its debut after dinner. I request this cake every year and have done so for as long as I can remember. I'm sharing this recipe because you deserve to have the BEST chocolate cake recipe there is! It's wacky alright, just look at the recipe, but it is out of this world delicious, so chocolatey and moist! I'll be eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! I hope you try it - you will be pleasantly surprised when that first bite slides off the fork. Feast your eyes on the world's best chocolate cake...

Wacky Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:

2 cups unsifted flour

1/2 cup cocoa

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups water

3/4 cup oil

2 tbls. vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl. Add the next four ingredients and beat three minutes at medium speed until thoroughly blended. Pour into greased and floured 13x9x2 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

We use a chocolate buttercream with two tablespoons of hot coffee in it - makes it even more creamy and delicious! Enjoy!

Christmas Cooking Under Way

This is the beginning of the craziest week of the year for Deb's Delectable Edibles. I make gourmet gift baskets for corporate clients throughout the year, but Christmas is definitely the busiest. Yesterday I completed my shopping for just the perfect packaging (this year it will be a towering delight!) and then I headed off to purchase all of the ingredients for my delicious creations. Suffice it to say...my pantry, counters and tables runneth over! Today I got a head start on my week of baking and candy making and whipped out Texaslicious Pecan Pralines, Double Dipped Peanut Butter Balls, and a big ol' batch of chocolatey Fudge loaded with pecans. Oh what fun, I'm so excited! I'll be posting pics throughout the week as my project comes together.

After a long day of candy making and Christmas card writing, I thought a comfort food dinner was in order and the hubby asked for my Meatball and Potato Dinner. This recipe is one that I remember my mom making through the years, only I have adapted it to be gluten-free and it utilizes ground turkey in place of hamburger. I hope you will try this one, it is so wonderful and is great reheated.

MEATBALL & POTATO DINNER

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Ground Turkey Breast

1 finely chopped medium onion

1 finely chopped bell pepper

1 egg (I used 1 TBLS milled flax seed with 3 TBLS water in place of the egg)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

3-4 large new potatoes, cut in 1" chunks

3/4 cup water

olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients except water and oil in a mixing bowl (it works best to use your hands to thoroughly incorporate all ingredients). Roll into 1-inch meatballs and place in hot skillet coated with olive oil. Over medium-high heat, brown meatballs on all sides. Lower heat to low and slide meatballs to the sides of the pan, making a place in the middle of your skillet for the potatoes. Place potatoes in the middle of the skillet and add the water. Sprinkle potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

This is delicious just by itself but I add a garden salad, steamed broccoli or fresh green beans to round out the meal. Enjoy!

Lasagna Soup with Cracked Pepper & Garlic Crostini

Today was a fabulously lazy day at home. I had a much deserved Sunday at home and decided to spend it putting up Christmas decorations and making dinner for my family. After a long day at my second job yesterday, smiling and greeting crazy after Thanksgiving shoppers, I kicked back with my hubby and watched Paula's Party. I just love Paula Deen and what she has made of herself. Her theme last night was Italian night and let me tell you, if it hadn't been almost midnight I would have been in the kitchen cooking. We were so drooling over all of her dishes. So, today I tried my hand at Paula's Taste Almost Like Lasagna Soup. Let me tell you my friends, there are absolutely no words for this one. You will just have to try it for yourself. I can tell you though that it will be a go to comfort food for hubby and I. Here ya go!


Ingredients
1 pound ground chuck (I used ground turkey breast)
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups broken lasagna noodles (I use gluten-free)
1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Garlic Crostini, recipe follows


Garlic Crostini:1 thin French baguette (or your favorite crusty Gluten-Free bread)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves smashed garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions
In a large Dutch oven, combine ground chuck, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well. Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 ovenproof bowls. Evenly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil soups, 6-inches from heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Add a garlic crostini slice on top. Serve immediately.

For the garlic crostini:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut bread into 1/4-inch round slices. Place on baking sheet and brush each slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; place in oven and bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Rub each side with smashed garlic cloves.

ENJOY YA'LL!




(My thoughts: I added in 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms with the bell pepper and onion since we like mushrooms in our lasagna sauce. It added a little something extra and more texture to the soup.)

Texas Longhorn Crunch

Some of my favorite memories as an adult were spent living in the Tennessee Valley with my husband. The scenary was absolutely gorgeous and the seasons were long and beautiful. Every Fall, my parents would drive up from Texas and spend a week when the leaves were beginning to change. They loved it so much they would even take the 15 hour drive back in a couple of weeks to spend Thanksgiving week with us. Mom and Dad would come bearing homemade goodies like Daddy's lipsmacking bbq sauce or Mom's CinnaMOMsters, and they always had 20+ pounds of good ol' Texas pecans for cracking. Each Fall visit my Daddy could be found on my back porch cracking pecans for our holiday baking while enjoying the beautiful mountain scenary. Sometimes I wonder if he ate as many of those pecans as he gave...hmmm. Those are my precious memories and I wouldn't change a single one. My Daddy passed away Father's Day weekend 2007. I have no regrets, he knew how very much I loved him. This beautiful Fall weekend, I just had to make one of my Daddy's favorite Fall treats, homemade Caramel Corn. The basic recipe for the caramel corn is my mom's recipe. I hope you will try this recipe and will make many memories with your family popping the corn and waiting with a watering mouth as it roasts away! Enjoy! (Later tonight I will be posting my grand finishing touch to make this my famous Texas Longhorn Much!)

Caramel Corn Ingredients:
1 cup popcorn kernels (popped to make 5 quarts of popped corn)
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups toasted nuts
Pop corn and keep warn in large roasting pan in oven.

Combine remaining ingredients except baking soda and nuts in a large 2-quart heavy pan over medium heat. Stir until brown sugar dissolves and continue to boil to firm ball stage (248 degrees).


Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. Pour hot syrup over popped corn and toasted nuts, stirring to combine well.

Return to preheated 250 degree oven for 15 minutes, stir corn and repeat heating and stirring two more times. Cool thoroughly and store in air tight container.

Optional: Texas Longhorn Cruch Version

1 cup semi sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in bowl in microwave for one minute, stir, and return to microwave for 15 more seconds, stir until smooth. After caramel corn has finished cooking, pour out two to three cups and dip in melted chocolate. Place chocolate dipped caramel corn on wax covered cookie sheet and chill in fridge until set. After set, mix with remaining undipped caramel corn. Delicious!

Texas Armadillo Eggs (Appetizer)

1 can whole jalapeno peppers
1 8oz block colby jack cheese
1 lb breakfast sausage
1 box Shake N Bake for Pork
1 1/2 - 2 cups Bisquick

First, cut the stem off of each pepper, slicing each pepper in half lengthwise and removing the seeds. Place the peppers in a colander and rinse thoroughly to remove the oil and seeds. Place the peppers onto paper towels and blot dry. Next, cut the cheese into chunks large enough to fit inside of each pepper half, placing the cheese inside each half.

Mix the sausage and bisquick in a bowl until it is at a consistency to hold together when patted out in your hand. Pull off enough sausage mix to cover each pepper. Pat out sausage in your hand and place pepper and cheese half in middle of sausage. Wrap sausage mix around pepper half being sure to seal all holes.

Next, pour one packet of Shake N Bake into a small bowl and roll each sausage wrapped pepper in Shake N Bake coating well. Place the peppers onto an ungreased cookie sheet approximately 1" apart.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Watch peppers carefully or they will overcook and cheese will pour out. Enjoy! These are delicious dipped in ranch dressing!

Good Times, Good Food and Great Memories

Yesterday was a GREAT day. I have been looking for a second job, something to go to after I finish at the law office in the evenings and on weekends. I had my second interview yesterday afternoon at one of my favorite department stores in our small town & I was offered a sales position. I'm so excited....25% discount here I come! So that was a great start to the day. Then Mom and I just HAD to go shopping & I found three great new pieces for Fall. (Thanks to my wonderful new doctors, I've found actual knowledgeable treatment for my PCOS, my health has improved & I feel better than I have in 10+ years & I've lost 50 lbs since April - shopping is such a fun experience for me again!)

Once I worked through my shopping giddiness over my new outfit Mom and I headed to the theatre to see A Night in Rodanthe. Oh my, what a great movie. I know a lot of people have read the book, I didn't want to. I didn't want to have a clue before I saw this movie. All I'm going to say is TAKE A TISSUE, LADIES! Terriffic movie, movie popcorn and an afternoon with Mom - a perfect Saturday afternoon!

Next we headed over to our local crafting supply store HB so I could get a few ideas to spruce up my neice's bedroom. Her 25th birthday is coming up in a few days and I think I'll tackle a couple of projects in her her room as a birthday surprise. We took her in to give her a fresh start about a year ago and she is doing great. I'm so proud of her and I want her to know how special she is to us. She painted her walls a creamy gold and has black furniture with gold and white bedding, and accents of red. She is crazy about zebra print and would like it incorporated. So I'm thinking gold valances with zebra trim and whispy sheers. I have a plan! I think I'l also make her a coordinating monogramed pillow. I'll post pictures and let you know how it goes and what she thinks of it. I'm so excited and can't wait to get started! My crazy loveable niece...

After our afternoon of shopping, a great movie and getting our creative juices flowing we were starving! We returned home where we made my famous organic & gluten-free chicken pizza. When I was faced with all of my restrictions in April due to the Insulin Resistence, PCOS and Migraines, I thought my good, mouthwatering cooking days were over! Not so! I'm working on my PCOS and Insulin Resistence cookbook so people that don't know their way around the kitchen as well as I do won't be so overwhelmed! This recipe is delicious & a must try!

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (I usually have a Whole Foods house smoked chicken in the freezer and use that - it's fabulous! This time my husband cooked off the chicken breasts with Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning & Sea Salt in a bit of olive oil then sliced them into strips.)
1 green bell pepper sliced into rings
1 small red onion sliced into rings
10 baby bella mushrooms sliced
3 cloves minced garlic
10-15 sliced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced olives (I use organic mediteranian pitted black olives)
1 1/2 - 2 cups organic tomato sauce (I use organic portabello marinara)
2 pizza crusts (I use a mix from Bob's Red Mill for a gluten-free pizza crust & use flax seed to replace the eggs in the crust. It is delicious and so tasty! I love to smell the yeast and make my own crust!)
2-4 cups shredded cheese or soy cheese of your choice
Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven according to the directions on your pizza crust, mine calls for a 450 degree oven. Saute the bell pepper, onion and mushroom slices with the diced garlic in olive oil until tender. Cut tomatoes and olives in half and set aside. At this point, I smear a little olive oil on my my pizza stone & slide it in the oven until it is screaming hot. Remove the stone or pan from the oven and if working with a raw dough, spread one crust onto the pizza stone & cook it for 9-10 minutes. If using a pre-cooked pizza crust, follow the directions on the package. Remove from oven and spread a thin but generous layer of sauce depending on your preference. Next sprinkle a thin layer of cheese, then half of the chicken strips, followed by a layer of the veggies, topping it all off with a thick layer of your cheese of choice (this time I used an Italian five cheese blend but I have used a soy cheese product before and it was delicious as well). I sprinkle a little sea salt, black pepper and oregano on top. Slide it in the oven and cook 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly! Repeat for the next pizza. Enjoy!

The Result...

A Fabulous Fall Saturday

Today was a perfect Saturday. The air was cool and crisp and the sun was shining. Mom and I went to a few antique shops this morning. I found a great vintage amber candle holder, which is perfect for my fall decor; A black iron basket with a golden fall leaf tile, a perfect place for fresh fruits in the kitchen; A great chenille autumn round pillow, and I've got just the perfect spot for it in my new club chair; and last but certainly not least, I happened onto a mountain of new fall-themed magazines for fifty cents each. Each season I watch for Country Home, Southern Living, and Paula Dean magazines to fit the current season and place them in my favorite relaxing spots for a nice read with a cup of coffee. The simplest things can give me the greatest pleasure! Five antique shops later, we wondered into Country Java, a cute little hole in the wall eatery where mom and I split their signature meat & cheese board complete with homemade bread, then shared a slice of chocolate chip espresso pound cake with a delicious cup of their coffee of the day. It was perfect! I slowly wandered back home where minutes later I found myself curled up on the couch with my favorite throw & one of my new Country Home magazines. I slowly drifted off to sleep for a wonderful Fall afternoon nap.

Okay so I rested up & now it was time to create a fabulous dinner for our at home date night. (Date night...I cook dinner & my sweetheart two-steps me around the kitchen to George Strait!)

Our menu for this evening Southwest Chipoltle Chicken with Oven Roasted Potatoes. (Four Servings)

Ingredients For Southwest Chipoltle Chicken: two to four boneless skinless chicken breasts (two if they are really large, four if they are small), sea salt, Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipoltle seasoning, garlic powder & olive oil

Ingredients for Oven Roasted Potatoes: two large baking potatoes, one small red onion, one bell pepper, ten cherry tomatoes, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper & olive oil



Oven Roasted Potatoes:
Cut each potato in half lengthwise then cut each section in half lengthwise again, and cut each section into one-inch chunks, then cut the onion and bell pepper into strips and then into one-inch chunks.


Place the potatoes, onions and bell pepper chunks onto a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. After the initial 20 minutes, toss veggies with a spatula, add in cherry tomatoes and return to oven and roast for an additional 15 minutes. (Cook until potatoes are golden brown.)

The Result...


Southwest Chipoltle Chicken:
Rinse and pat dry each chicken breast. Sprinkle each breast with Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipoltle seasoning, sea salt, and garlic powder on each side. (NOTE: If you are using two large chicken breasts as I did, a helpful cooking tip to speed the cooking process is to butterfly each breast to make it thinner, then cut each in half.)

Using a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet, add your chicken breasts and cook chicken on each side until golden brown, approximately five minutes per side. Reduce heat to low, add a couple of tablespoons of water to skillet to deglaze, cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for ten minutes to cook through.



The Result...


Now that's better than take-out any day of the week & I didn't have to break a sweat or the bank to make it! Enjoy!