Ryan's new favorite

I tried out a recipe to use up some chicken and mozzarella cheese I had in the fridge.  Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.  This one worked and is slowly becoming one of Ryan's favorite dinners.  I think it's just okay.  I don't mind eating it, and it will go into regular rotation, but I don't LOVE it quite as much as Ryan...

Bruschetta Chicken Bake
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/bruschetta-chicken-bake-65546.aspx

 

Makes: 6 servings, 1 cup each

300 calories per serving

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced  (I use 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
• 1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
• 1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

1. HEAT oven to 400ºF.
2. MIX tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.
3. LAYER chicken, basil and cheese in 3-qt. casserole or 13x9-inch baking dish.
4. TOP with stuffing. Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done.

Cookies, cookies, and more cookies...

This week was filled with sugar cookies. Literally. Over the course of three days, I made the dough, rolled out/cut out, baked, and frosted eight dozen cookies. Well, I did have some help with the icing from Ryan. He filled most of the cookies. I outlined and detailed. The project took all Friday night as it was. Without his help, I would have been up until the wee hours of the morning instead of only 12:30. Thanks, Ryan!!

The turtle sugar cookies were for my cousin Abby's baby shower. It was a Under the Sea with Baby and Me theme. Everything turned out soooo cute! My aunt and cousin did a great job with the shower.

I've already posted the sugar cookie recipe I used, so I'm not going to post it again.  However, you can find it here.

A few weeks ago I baked some pumpkin bread because I hadn't had anything pumpkin yet this season.  I wanted something, so I found this recipe in my trusty Betty Crocker Big Red Cookbook!  It can also be found online here.

Pumpkin Bread
Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

Makes 2 loaves, 24 slices each
95 calories per slice

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose or whole what flour (I use half and half)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup raisins, if desired (I did not desire)

 Directions:

1. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan 9x5x3 inches, with shortening.
2. Stir together pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans.
3. Bake 8-inch loaves 50 to 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

I absolutely loved this bread.  And since Ryan doesn't like pumpkin, I got to eat the whole loaf myself!  :)  The other loaf went to my dad.  He liked it too!

Stayed tuned for Bruschetta Chicken Bake!

Feeling human again

I have been out of commission the last couple days with a headache/migraine from you know where!  It was pretty bad.  Thankfully, it started during the middle of our UofM/State party and not before...I was still able to make the Michigan sugar cookies I had been planning on!  I know I've posted the sugar cookie recipe before, but I'll post it again.  Check back in a couple weeks for more sugar cookies that I'm making for my cousin's baby shower.  They're going to be super cute!

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. 1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. (When rolling sugar cookie dough, I use confectioner's sugar instead of flour to dust my rolling pin and rolling surface.) Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.  Remove from cookie sheet after about 2 minutes and cool completely.

Everyone really seems to love these cookies.  We were left with only three after we made goodie bags for our guests to take home.  I love it when people like my baked goods!  :)
 
My next baking adventure (either before or after the baby shower) is to make something with pumpkin.  There's this pumpkin, white chocolate chip cookie I've had my eye on...