Grilled Chicken w/ Spinach & Melted Mozzarella

Credit: Skinny Taste
Recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/03/grilled-chicken-with-spinach-and-melted.html

Cochran Review: Looking forward to trying this one soon!!

Chicken & Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce

Credit: Skinny Taste
Recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/03/chicken-and-mushrooms-in-garlic-white.html

Cochran Review: This meal really came together effortlessly. Probably the most difficult part was my 15 month old wanting to be held while I made half of it.  :)  Even my husband who doesn't like mushrooms enjoyed this meal. I served it with the Zesty Broccoli from one of my earlier posts. Enjoy!

Artichoke Crusted Chicken

Credit: Sugarlaws
Recipe: http://www.sugarlaws.com/artichoke-crusted-chicken

Cochran Review: We really enjoyed this meal after I made a few adjustments to make it healthier. The substitutions didn't leave us feeling like the flavor compromised. I doubled the recipe so we could have four chicken breasts instead of just two (we like leftovers for lunch). The best part of this meal is that I it came together in about 20-25 minutes! Yay for tasty quick meals! We would definetly have this meal again. Hope you enjoy!

Substitutions/Alterations:
My husband is adamantly against all things mayo. So, I replaced the mayo with a 6oz container of plain Greek yogurt! This worked out great! the topping was very creamy and far healthier than even the same amount of light mayo made with olive oil!

I've been very intrigued with trying coconut oil. So, I tried it for the first time on this meal. I liked cooking with it. I'll post an article about my coconut cooking experience soon.

The recipe suggests chopping the artichoke hearts. I actually finely chopped them in my food processor. I thought they might be tricky for our 15 month old to eat otherwise. This worked out well. I think my husband actually liked the finely chopped texture better.

I'm not sure if the chicken breasts I used were thicker than the ones used in the original recipe or not, but my cook time in the pan and the broiler was about double the suggested time.

Here is a pic of our dinner fresh from the broiler:

Here's a pic plated with broccoli and mushrooms steamed in coconut oil, salt, pepper and a bit of garlic:

Baked Edamame with Parmesan

Credit: I actually made this up all on my own! :) However, I found few baked edamame recipes available online after making this.
Recipe:

1 bag of frozen edamame beans
2 Tbsp of olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese to taste (I used about a 1/2 cup)

Steam edamame as directed. Cool. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain edemame and lightly pat with paper towel to remove excess water. Toss edamame in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. I used approximately 2 Tbsp. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray... I wasn't stingy in hopes they wouldn't stick, and I was successful. Layer edamame in single layer on tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Top with Parmesan cheese to taste. I think I used about 1/2 of a cup of fresh grated cheese. Cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Let stand to cool for a minute. Enjoy!

These turned out crisp, but not crunchy like a potato chip. They packed a lot of flavor and gave a fun alternative to a typical steamed veggie. We couldn't stop eating them!

Healthy Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers

Credit: Allrecipes.com
Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stuffed-Peppers-with-Turkey-and-Vegetables/Detail.aspx

Cochran Review: These were great! Healthy, tasty, and didn't make us feel overly full... which we are aiming for in preparation of our vacation. I read a few recommendations posted on the original recipe and this is how I made them.

I used two green peppers and two yellow peppers. When selecting my peppers for stuffing I chose ones that were larger in size and stood upright on their own. I believe this saved me some frustration during the filling and cooking process.

My square casserole dish broke this week, and I haven't replaced it yet. So, I threw a little olive oil in my Dutch Oven, placed the four peppers upside down (w/ top cut off and inside cleaned) in the pot, and cooked the initial time. They turned out great and didn't stick or burn.

I put all of the veggies in my food processor to make quick work of the chopping. Also, this made the mushrooms less obvious. Helpful, because my husband doesn't think he eats mushrooms. He does. ;) I didn't include the additional red and yellow pepper in the mixture. Instead, I just chopped and included the tops of the peppers I filled. This was a recommendation posted on the original recipe.

Also, I opted to omit the tomatoes and tomato paste, and substitute a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce. Cheaper, less work, and we don't feel the taste was compromised.

We had more mixture than would fit in the peppers. So, I filled the peppers and put the extra in the pot around the bottom of the stuffed peppers. Once again, worked out well.

We made angel hair pasta in a separate bowl. Cook noodles as directed. Drain. Return to pot. Add olive oil to taste to prevent sticking (like a light dressing). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Plate the Noodles. Put stuffed pepper on bed of noodles. Distribute additional mixture between plates or save for leftovers (we distributed). Sprinkle meal with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken

Credit: My Aunt Sherry found this on Allrecipes.com, & I'm so excited she shared!
Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spicy-Garlic-Lime-Chicken/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=77640069&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2012-02-19&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1

Cochran Review: I'll let you know... it's for dinner tonight w/ sweet potatoes and broccoli. -- These were amazing!!! My husband said this was the best chicken breast he ever had! Turned out very flavorful and juicy! I cut the spicy spices in half since we were serving this to our 14 month old. He loved this, too! Thanks again Aunt Sherry! What a great find!

Also, I found a bag of edamame beans in my freezer and decided to make them instead of broccoli. However, I wondered what they would taste like baked. See my edamame post for recipe... WONDERFUL!!! Enjoy!

Corn Spoon Bread

Credit: Real Simple Recipes
Recipe: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/corn-spoon-bread-10000001548373/index.html

Cochran Review: Decided to add this to our Mardi Gras themed dinner tonight. We will let you know. -- Well, this came together quickly and was very easy to make. However, the Thyme took over the dish and caused us to throw it out. Picture of our dish below. If there were a way to remove the Thyme after cooking, we would have. I will make this again, but omit the Thyme. Now, in all fairness to this strong herb, my family and I aren't big fans of Thyme. If you are, you'll love it! Enjoy!

Guiness Cupcakes

Credit: Beer Run Cupcakes via Serious Eats
Recipe: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/beer-run-cupcakes-stout-cupcakes-with-pretzels-recipe.html

Cochran Review: Making these tomorrow. My hubby loves Guiness. Can't help but sing the 311 song "Sippin on a Guini and low and behold..." I'll report back soon! -- These are very good, and very sweet! The chocolate pretzels on top really help balance the sweet, so don't skip them! My husband said he didn't think they had as much flavor as he was expecting. The rest of us didn't experience the same disappointment. If you have a Guini or sweet tooth lover, give these a try! Enjoy!

Easy Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Credit: American Family
Recipe: http://www.americanfamily.com/recipes/easy-slow-cooker-jambalaya/43136/RL

Cochran Review: Making this tomorrow for Mardi Gras! I'll let you know! -- Really good! My husband and dinner guests used descriptive words like, "Really good!", "DEE-lish!", and of course our Rachael Ray fan "Yumm-O!" :) This was so easy to put together and very flavorful. We really enjoyed it.

I did a few things different. I added whole canned tomatos instead of stewed, b/c my family enjoys the flavor tomatoes provide, but not eating them. I cubed the onions in chunks for easy removing, instead of dicing it. Also, I bought the average size shrimp on sale. They ended up the size of a dime when the dish was done. Here is a pic of my meal all in the hot tub and ready to cook:

Here is a picture of our final producted plated... or bowled, rather:

Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes

Credit: DLYN
Recipe: http://dlynz.com/?p=2353

Cochran Review: This was one of my first Pinterest recipes and the rest is love story history! So tasty with a little kick. I think I didn't boil mine long enough. My version isn't as pretty, but they delivered on taste! Picture below. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cheesy Italian Chicken

Credit: The original site is no longer in existence, but I found this through Just Get Off Your Butt & Bake
Recipe: http://www.sangotn.com/cookbook/crockpot/sauspot.html

Cochran Review: This is pretty good. I put 4 frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker, covered w/ a packet of Zesty Italian seasoning, 2 cans of cream of chicken, & a softened 8oz brick of cream cheese. The recipe said to add milk if this got too thick. We weren't going to be home and I didn't want it to burn. So, I added about 1/4 cup of whole milk. Started the slow cooker on low around 11am and got home about 4pm. The chicken was cooked through. I took it out, cut it in cubes, and added it back to the slow cooker. When I tasted it I thought it had more of a chicken and dumpling flavor than Italian. So, I added a little salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and garlic. Also, it was pretty runny (probably due to the additional milk I added). So, I added a 1/2 brick of cream cheese. I put it on high for another hour.

I cooked the noodles on the side and added at the end. However, I've done a lasagna in the slow cooker w/ uncooked noodles. I bet you could do the same here... add the spiral noodles at the beginning.

Yum! It is really good! I think it would be phenomenal w/ mushrooms and peas and/or asparagus! For tonight, I just served w/ a side of green beans. I made this before blogging and posted on my FB page. A friend made a version w/ frozen peas, a can of artichoke hearts, canned crab meat, mushrooms, and spaghetti noodles. She served it w/ French Bread. The added crab might be a bit over the top for my family, but her family really enjoyed it! Picture below.

This meal is so easy and so versitile. Since posting it on FB, several friends have informed me of variations they have made. Not one person seemed disappointed. Hope you enjoy! If you make it differently, please share in the comments!

2/14/12

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you're enjoying your day with the one's you love! We are enjoying a casual day/evening together. Tonight we will be having Cheesy Chicken Chilaquiles (recipe posted) with a salad. For dessert, Mickey Mouse Sugar Cookies and Natural Vanilla ice cream sandwiches... if you're a one year old, this is a special treat!  :)

Winter illnesses have made my posts a bit more sporadic, but I am doing my best to get back in the groove again.

If you've tried a recipe and have some feedback or tweaked it a bit different, feel free to post on the recipe comments and help us all make our dinner better!

Thanks for joining us for dinner!
~ Jen

Cheesy Chicken Chilaquiles

**Picture taken of cook book page. I will take a picture of our dish tonight.**

Credit: The Pampered Chef, 29 minutes to dinner volume 2
Recipe: Pulled from paper cook book. See below.

1 1/2lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp Southwestern Seasoning Mix
1 3/4 cups salsa verde
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
12 cups authentic restaurant-style tortilla chips
2 cups shredded Chilhuahua cheese (substitute Mild Cheddar or Monterrey Jack)
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
Sour cream or crema (optional)

Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. Combine chicken and seasoning mix in Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker; mix well. Spread chicken evenly over bottom of baker. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 4 minutes; stir to separate chicken. Microwave, covered, an additional 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Drain.

Combine salsa and broth in measuring/pouring cup or bowl. Chop cilantro. Arrange half of the tortilla chips over bottom of same baker, breaking chips; top with half each of the chicken, salsa mixture and cheeses. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cilantro. Repeat layers one time, ending with cheeses.

Microwave, covered, on HIGH 5-7minutes or until cheeses are melted and most of the liquid is absorbed. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cilantro. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Yields: 8 servings
Nutrients: Calories 410, Total Fat 19g, Sat Fat 8g, Cholesterol 85mg, Carbohydrate 30g, Protein 30g, Sodium 680mg, Fiber 1g

Cochran Review: We are making this for the first time tonight, Valentine's Day. It is quite a bit more Sat Fat than we like to have for a meal, but it is way less than if we went out to dinner tonight! So, if this turns out well, it will definitely be a treat meal, not a weekly staple! I'll let you know what we think.

The recipe calls for The Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker. This dish is amazing. If you enjoy cooking with the microwave, it makes oven like meals in a much shorter time. However, you can also use this dish in the oven! So, if you choose the oven, you'll probably have to add time to the above times. I believe it costs about $85. I can tell you, I haven't regretted buying one time!

Well, unfortunately, this meal packed a lot of fat, but not a lot of flavor. Boo! It has been a long time since I've had a disappointing new meal. I think it has the potential to be good w/ a few tweaks. I would not put the chips in the casserole next time. I cut way back on the quantity it called for, but it was still a lot of soggy chip texture and taste. Next time, I think I would put a very thin layer of brown rice and then black beans on top of that, and follow the recipe without chips. Also, it may be good to add a chopped, seeded jalapeno. I would not omit chips from the meal entirely... let's not get hasty! :) I would just serve them on the side. Also, we enjoyed Crema Mexicana and Wholly Guacamole with the meal. If you try this and tweak it slightly in the way I recommended or with your own ideas, let me know how it goes!

Creamy Spinach Ravioli

**Picture taken of cook book page. I will take a picture of our meal next time we make it.**
Credit: The Pampered Chef, It's good for you
Recipe: Pulled from paper cook book. See below.

1 pkg (8 ounces) mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 pkgs (9 ounces each) refrigerated light cheese-filled ravioli
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 pkg (10 ounces) frozen creamed spinach in low-fat sauce, thawed
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Slice mushrooms, chop onion, and dice bell pepper.

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain and return to dish to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray; add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, pressed garlic, and black pepper. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender and all liquid is absorbed.

Reduce heat to low; add cream cheese and evaporated milk. Stir until cream cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in creamed spinach. Simmer over low heat 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Pour vegetable mixture over ravioli; stir gently. Serve immediately. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Yield: 6 Servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 340 (27% from fat), Total Fat 10g, Sat Fat 6g, Cholesterol 45mg, Carbohydrate 44g, Protein 18g, Sodium 580mg, Fiber 4g

Cochran Review: My husband actually makes this meal most often. We love it so much! Definitely one of our winter time comfort foods! We typically add grilled chicken or sliced pan cooked turkey sausage. I have also used chicken cheese ravioli in the past, and it worked well.  Hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do!

2 Ingredient Strawberry Fudge

Credit: Cookies & Cups
Recipe: http://cookiesandcups.com/strawberry-2-ingredient-fudge/

Cochran Review: These are super sweet and tasty! I used Ghiradelli White Chocolate Chips and a whipped strawberry icing, because that is all my grocer had in regards to strawberry icing.

If you haven't melted chocolate in the past, be sure to put the setting on low, stir often and be patient. There's no quick, successful way to melt it. I put the combination in a 9x13 pan. I think next time I would choose a smaller pan to make the fudge thicker.

Once it was in the pan I sprinkled chocolate M&Ms... so technically, I made it a 3 ingredient recipe. :)  I tried to make the cute heart shaped fudge like the original recipe shows, but I failed. I cut the pieces in squares and served it on a plate. My fudge didn't display near as beautiful as the original recipe shows, but they were very good, none the less.

Our family really enjoyed this quick and easy treat. Hope you enjoy it, too!

Chocomole (Raw Chocolate Avocado Pudding)

Credit: Choosing Raw
Recipe: http://www.choosingraw.com/raw-chocolate-avocado-pudding/

Cochran Review: This was so good and I had fun being sneaky! Served it to my family as homemade pudding... which it is. Once they liked it, I revealed it was made w/ avocado and dates! I chose to make it w/ Ghiradelli Dark Cocoa. I think when I make it next time I won't make the cocoa heaping spoonfuls. If you're using milk chocolate, this is probably a good idea, though. My husband, who insists he doesn't like avocado, said, "This is proof Ghiradelli Chocolate makes anything good." LOL! I served it w/ a little whipped cream on top... store bought. I hope to make my own one day soon. Enjoy!

Applesauce Chicken

**No pic was available online. I'll take one when we make it.

Credit: Skinny Crock Pot
Recipe: http://skinnycrockpot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=poultry&action=display&thread=110

2/6/12

Shhhh... we ate out tonight... well, in, but out. :) Crazy morning start resulted in no time for meal planning and me without a car to go to the grocery. Soooo, my husband picked up Crazy Bowls and Wraps for dinner and Dairy Queen for dessert on his way home from work. I'm not gonna lie, it was kinda nice not to cook on a hectic day!

I'm thinking I'll try a slow cooker applesauce chicken recipe tomorrow. Still trying to decide what to make with it. Suggestions? Requests for us to try something out for you? Also this week we will be having one of our favorite meals, a Creamy Spinach Ravioli. Yum! Not decided on the other meals yet. I seem to be having a difficult time getting excited about anything I've seen.

I received a new issue of Taste of Home today! I was so excited, because my first issue was AMAZING! Ehh... not so much this time. My husband flipped through it and agrees. It made me kinda sad.

I saw on another blogger's site tables that separated posts. I'm thinking this might be a good idea for my blog... chicken, beef, etc. What do you think? Much easier to go back and find a recipe, I think. So, I'll have to look into how to do this. Another project! :)

Well, it is late, I'm tired, and I'm making a gazillion typos. So, off to bed I go. Thanks for joining us for dinner tonight. See you tomorrow!
~ Jen

2/5/12

Happy Super Bowl Day!

Hope your day is full of friends, family, good food, funny commercials, and, oh yeah... a good football game! :) We also look forward to Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet in our house! So cute!

Sorry for the one week hiatus from blogging last week! Best explanation is life happened! LOL!

I started blogging on January 16, 2012, and as of the end of January had 1,006 page views! I find this so exciting!!! Thanks so much to all of you for checking in to see what we're having for dinner! The Blog Spot has offered an earning opportunity since we have been so successful. We are in the process of looking into this. I don't want ads to misrepresent my opinions or make viewing the blog cumbersome. That being said, it sure wouldn't hurt to make a little side cash for doing what I'm already doing. I'll keep you posted. Anyone already doing this with a blog? Or decide not to? I'd love to hear from you!

I posted the recipes we made last week, and our reviews are on the individual postings. Enjoy!

Today we are taking Pretzel Bites to our Super Bowl party. We will be making the garlic pamesan like in the past, but will also be trying the sweet version. I'll keep you posted. I haven't made a meal plan for the week quite yet. I hope to have that done soon.

Thanks for joining us for dinner! See you tomorrow... or soon if life happens.  :)
~ Jen

Pampered Chef Easy Nachos for Two

**I forgot to take a pic of our nachos. Above is a pic I took of the picture in the cookbook. Add chicken, and it basically looked the same.
Credit: Papered Chef - Stoneware Inspirations
Reciped: I went old school on this one and got it from an actual paper cookbook. See below.  :)

Salsa
  1 lg plum tomato, seeded & diced
  1 lg jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped
  1/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
  2 Tbsp thick & chunky salsa
  1 Tbsp snipped fresh cilantro

Nachos
  30 blue corn tortilla chips
  1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled queso fresco
  1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Mexican chesse blend, divided
  Lime wedges (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. For salsa, slice tomato in half crosswise; remove seends and dice. Finely chop jalapeno pepper. In small bowl, combine tomato, jalapeno pepper, corn, salsa, cilantro and salt; mix well.

For nachos, arrange tortilla chips on stoneware. Top chips with queso fresco, half of the Mexican cheese blend and salsa.

Bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Mexican cheese blend; bake 1-2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Remove from oven; squeeze lime wedges over nachos, if desired. Serve immediately.

Cochran Review: Serves 2 very generously. So, hope you're hungry. We did a few things differently. We didn't make the salsa as in the recipe. We used the leftover Quick & Easy Salsa we made. We did chop a jalapeno finely and sprinkle over the top along with corn. We served with a Mexican sour cream and Wholly Guacamole. Also, we added shredded chicken I made in the slow cooker. Here is how I made the chicken:

2 medium skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp of whole peppercorns
Cilanto to taste
2 cups chicken broth

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. Pour chicken broth over the chicken breasts. I'm guessing I used 2 cups. I just poured until a majority of the chicken was covered. I'm using Cilantro from a container from my produce section right now, because the fresh Cilantro is not impressive during these winter months in MO. I sprinkled the cilantro over the chicken generously... we love cilantro. Throw in 2 bay leaves and a tsp of whole peppercorns (pepper to taste if you don't have peppercorns). Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 7-8 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker to cool slightly. Pull apart or shred with a fork. If using right away, add to nachos. Otherwise, wrap in foil to keep warm. Two chicken breasts made enough for two of these recipes, which worked out great since we doubled the recipe. Enjoy!

Salt & Vinegar Broiled Fingerling Potatoes

Credit: Umami Girl
Recipe: http://umamigirl.com/2009/11/salt-and-vinegar-broiled-fingerling-potatoes.html

Cochran Review: Get ready for a vinegar punch! Whew! Sure to make you show your tart face upon first bite, and then they become incredibly addicting! We couldn't stop snagging just one more! If you like salt and vinegar chips, you'll love these! My oven rack wasn't as close to the broiler as the recipe suggested. So, it took a little longer for our potatoes to brown.

Fingerling Potatoes are about 2-3 inches long and they were sold in a small bag by the potatoes in my grocery. I asked the produce manager for help picking them. A 2 lb bag is $2.50 at my grocery. However, from the lights at the grocery, some potatoes had a green tint to them. Apparently, this is common, but not a sign of them necessarily being rotten. The produce manager discounted the bag down to $1, none the less. So, my advice... find a bag that is slightly green and ask! Two pounds of yummy potatoes for $1?!? Are you kidding me?!? Enjoy!

Grilled Balsamic Flank Steak

Credit: Point-less Meals
Recipe: http://pointlessmeals.blogspot.com/2011/05/grilled-balsamic-flank-steak.html

Cochran Review: This meal was so easy and tasty! Not balsamic over load at all! I served it w/ a side of Heinz 57, because my husband loves it. We really enjoyed it! With a mid-winter break in temperatures (in the 60's last week) I couldn't resist adding a grilled meal to our menu! I threw the marinade together quickly, let it sit until my husband got home, and he grilled it while I was at the gym for a 30 min run. My husband said it grilled easily... he didn't read the instructions on how the recipe said to grill it. He just went out and cooked it. So, I can't say if it grilled the way the recipe stated. Sorry. We paired this w/ a sweet potato. Enjoy!

Coconut Chicken w/ Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Credit: Budget Bytes
Recipe: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2010/01/coconut-chicken-w-sweet-chili-sauce-691.html

Cochran Review: We really enjoyed this meal! It is fairly easy. As with any "breaded" meal, there is the labor of dipping in the various washes and breading before pan frying. However, it didn't feel too cumbersome. I used Frank's Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce w/ the chicken, because I had a coupon. We paired it with the Balsamic Parmesan Green Beans & Mushrooms, which went well together. Enjoy!

Balsamic Parmesan Green Beans & Mushrooms

Credit: Kalyn's Kitchen
Recipe: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2009/01/recipe-for-roasted-green-beans-with.html

Cochran Review: This was so simple, easy, and had a lot of flavor!!! Enjoy! We will have it again!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Credit: Creating Through Life
Recipe: http://creatingthroughlife.blogspot.com/2011/10/crock-pot-lasagna.html

Cochran Review: I haven't had this particular recipe, I don't think, but I've had several from dinning at friend's homes and that I've made myself. Some call for adding spinach or brocolli. I made a recipe from Parents or Parenting Magazine a while back, but can't find it now. Anyway, point being, they all have tasted about the same... amazing! Enjoy!

Sunset Sangria

Credit: http://highstreetmarket.blogspot.com/2009/07/sweet.html

The bog listed above didn't really provide exact directions. Here is how I made it:

1 bottle of Barefoot Chardonnay
Equal ounces of Ginger Ale (I skipped Fresca since I have a citrus allergy.)
1 can of unsweetened peaches drained (my grocer didn't have fresh since it is February)
5 large strawberries cut

Do yourself a favor and make this a little in advance to let the flavor of the fruit diffuse. Yum! Enjoy!

I should also mentioned I have no idea what the name of this drink is. So, I just named it. :)

Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs

2 bags of premade turkey meatballs
2 12 oz jars of apple jelly 
Chipotle Tabasco Pepper Sauce to taste (we use 1/4 to 1/2 of a 5 oz jar)

Put meatballs in slow cooker. Pour two jars of apple jelly over meatballs. Note: apple butter is completely different than apple jelly. You want apple jelly. Pour Chipotle sauce into slow cooker. If we are serving to a large crowd including children, I keep it closer to 1/4 of a bottle. When we are entertaining an adult crowd I go for the 1/2 jar. Anything more and look out! We like hot food, but more than half a bottle is HOT! Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

This recipe is something my husband and I have been making forever, and is quickly a party favorite! My grandma used to make beef meatballs with grape jelly. I'm not a huge fan of beef or grape. So, I just mixed it up a little. Enjoy!