Menu Mondays

Sunday: Baked Oatmeal (breakfasts to pack for work this week), White Bread via Breadmaker for DH's lunches, and Pizza Dough for my first experiment at making pizza in my new pizza oven!

Monday: Steak, broccoli, pasta

Tuesday: Scallop and crab stuffed sole filets (freebie from Omaha Steaks), veggies, mashed potatoes

Wednesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce

Thursday: California BLTs (Bacon, Alfalfa Sprouts, Avocado, Tomato), Veggie Chips

Friday: Crab cakes, wild rice pilaf, veggies

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Oh my god these were good. And, fast enough for a weeknight, but "nice" enough to serve to company!

We'll definately be putting these in our rotation!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken (Stuffed with Cheese and Spinach)

(Adapted from: A Taste of Home Cooking)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (this was 3 in my package)

black pepper

salt

4 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened

2 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped

9 slices of bacon (3 on each breast)

Served with:

Mashed potatoes: 6-8 red potatoes, peeled and cubed, milk, butter

1 lb. fresh green beans, steamed

Directions

- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

- Cut a slice in the thickest part of the chicken breast, making a pocket in the breast to stuff

- Combine the softened cream cheese, chopped spinach, salt and pepper to taste, and stuff into the pocket in each chicken breast.

- Wrap each chicken breast tightly with the slices of bacon, covering the meat

- Place the chicken breasts in a roaster pan with a drip tray (or just a nonstick cookie sheet will do as well -- but your juices and fat will accumulate on the bottom of your chicken) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bacon is crispy and chicken is firm to the touch.

Menu Mondays

Saturday: Italian Pinwheels -- we attended our first 'neighborhood' party and I took these along as an appetizer
Sunday: Soft pretzels a la Bread Machine (I want to see how they compare to my other soft pretzel recipes), a loaf of White Bread a la Bread Machine for DH's lunches, and potentially some Pizza Dough so I can try out my new pizza oven
Monday: Steak, steamed broccoli, pasta
Tuesday: Bacon Wrapped Chicken, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday: Crockpot Beef Stew
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Leftovers

Italian Pinwheels

We attended our first 'neighborhood' party this evening, and had a lot of fun meeting neighbors. I was requested to bring a side dish, appetizer, or dessert, and since I'm still riding the cookie high from Christmas, I went with an appetizer.

And an easy one, to boot!

Italian Pinwheels

(Pillsbury)

Makes 24 appetizers

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 egg yolk

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls or 'recipe creations' dough sheet

1 egg white, beaten

Directions

- Heat oven to 375 degrees F

- In a small bowl, mix cheese, pepperoni, oregano and egg yolk

- If using crescent rolls: unroll dough, separate dough into 4 rectangles and firmly press preforations to seal. If using dough sheets: unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles

- Spread each rectangle with about 3 tablespoons pepperoni mixture

- Starting at the short side, roll up each rectangle, pinching the edges to seal

- Cut each roll into 6 slices and place, cut side down, about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet

- Brush with the beaten egg white

- Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

- Serve warm

King Ranch Chicken

Once again -- casseroles and delicious things never photograph well. And this recipe is both, so that should explain the pictures!

This was tasty, though -- I think DH liked it more than me, because I find the Rotel Tomato/Chilis mixture to be too spicy for my liking.

King Ranch Chicken

(I can't remember where I found it!)

1/4 cup butter
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 oz.) ROTEL Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
12 corn tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

- In a large saucepan, cook pepper and onion in melted margarine until tender, about 5 minutes. - Add soups, ROTEL and chicken, stirring until well blended.

- In a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan, alternately layer tortillas, soup mixture and cheese, repeating for three layers.

- Bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

Serves 8

Note: Not sure what the idea was behind making the tortillas bite-sized, but I think it would hold together better for cutting/serving if you left the tortillas whole.

2008 1st Blog Year In Review

Coming up in a few weeks is my Blogiversary (hmm...may have to just get a giveaway together for that!) -- which means I've got a full year of recipes to reflect on from my blog!

I started this blog as a hobby after my wedding planning days were over (My wedding was in November 2007). DH kept insisting I needed a hobby, and then I stumbled across the What's Cooking board on the nest, and realized I could blog my cooking, share it easily, and REALLY make it a hobby!

I still have trouble getting good pictures, I'm often rushed (not a lot of time for pictures and setup when you don't get home until 6:45-7 every night), but I still enjoy it.

So here are my favorites from the last year -- here's to many more!

January
Sloppy Joes

February
Famous Strawberry Cupcakes
Cookies n Cream Cupcakes
Lemon Chicken

March
…apparently I didn’t cook in March. Oops?

April
Hot German Potato Salad
Soft Pretzels
Red Lobster-esque Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

May
My “famous” “Pittsburgh” Style Rice Krispie Treats
Lithuanian Kuldunai
Oatmeal Fudge Bars

June
Baked Club Sandwich
To Die For Blueberry Muffins

July
Roast Beef Blintzes
Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon-Sugar Chips
S’mores Bars

August
Southern Peach Cobbler
Crockpot Pulled Pork
Blueberry Crumb Bars

September
Sweet Corn and Honey Muffins
Chicken, Rice, and Black Bean Salad
Banana Coconut Muffins
Skillet Beef Stroganoff

October
“Pennsylvania Dutch” Chicken Pot Pie
Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches
Homemade Oreos®

November
Zuppa Toscana
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Apple Pie Bars
Buffalo Chicken Dip (Crack Dip)

December
Monkey Bread
Oh-My-God-It’s-Good Baked Oatmeal
Funfetti Cookies
Italian Cookies
Cut-Out Sugar Cookies