broiled blood oranges

Aren't these babies beautiful?

and look at the inside:

Blood oranges are a variety of orange (hello, captain obvious), but they have a pigment that other oranges don't which gives them that purpley color. (Bonus: the specific pigment fights free radicals!)

They taste more intense... less sweet, almost like berries.

Anyways, try one. They're so yummy and also beautiful!

I've been hearing about broiling citrus for a little while now, so I decided blood oranges would be perfect to try.

I melted about a tablespoon of butter and then mixed in enough sugar to make a paste. I sprinkled some cardamom and cinnamon in there and then spread it on top of the orange halves.

I put the broiler on (I used the low setting) and put those babies on a cookie sheet and slid them in.

Wait five minutes... and ta-da. YUM. The sugar caramelized....

Next, I want to try putting the paste on the segments instead of halves. Such a fun and yummy dessert.

chicken parm

I've always been a fan of chicken parmesan... it's kind of a classic... like the Grace Kelly of chicken... kind of.

I found this recipe on Chef in Training (one of my favorite blogs) and knew I had to try it.

This is all you need. A classic. Made unbelievably easy. Sign me up. Immediately!

The only change I made to the original recipe was not adding the mozzarella to the crockpot. I didn't have any in the house (the horror!) so I asked AJ to pick it up on the way home from work. I added it just before serving and it tasted delicious. The chicken was cooked perfectly.

I apologize for this awful picture. I was in a hurry to eat! :)

Valentine's Day Dinner

I told you a few nights ago about my all-star husband making dinner for me the night before Valentine's Day. I've had a rough few weeks with back issues and school-related exhaustion (haha, but seriously)... and he's been so kind and supportive. I wanted to make him something special for Valentine's Day, but I didn't have a lot of time. I wanted to use some of his favorite foods: sausage, pierogies, and spinach! I googled it and didn't come up with much, but then I found this recipe at Taste of Home.

I was a little suspicious and didn't think it sounded THAT good, but it was rated well, so I tried it. It was delicious! I followed the directions exactly, but I microwaved a frozen pack of chopped spinach and mixed that in at the last minute. I also added some mushrooms that I had left over.

YUM. It was SO good.

pinterest projects

I did another Pinterest-inspired project this past weekend for my kiddos on Valentine's Day.

I found it on Caffeinated Conclusions, which is one of my favorite teaching blogs!

This is what she made:

And this is my version:

My kids loved it. I just mixed golden grahams, milk chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows. It's addictive ;)

stuffed peppers

I love the smell of stuffed peppers baking... it just smells so cozy and homey. So delicious!

AJ and I made our monthly trip to B.J.'s (our version of Sam's Club) today and they had some amazing-looking peppers today, so I was struck with inspiration: stuffed peppers! We used red peppers because AJ isn't too big of a fan of green peppers. They made the end result a little sweeter.

I followed this recipe pretty closely, but I had to make a few variations due to what I had in my pantry (and what I didn't have). I'll reflect those in the recipe below, but if you want to use the original, be my guest!

I didn't end up using the tomato paste. Isn't that the biggest box of rice you've ever seen? Not sure what I was thinking.

First off, I started to boil a big pot of water with some salt in it for the peppers to cook in. At the same time, I started browning my ground beef and onion in the same skillet. Smells amazing.

While I was waiting for the pot of water to boil, I cut the tops off my peppers and took all the seeds out (easy if you make one cut all around the top... twist and the seeds kind of pop out with the stem.) Then I put them in the boiling water for just five minutes. Drain them and place them in a baking dish open side up :)

After the ground beef was browned, add in the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, water, and minute rice. Stir and cover. Let cook 10-15 minutes. At this point, I preheated the oven to 350 in preparation for my great creation... or allrecipes.com' great creation :)

While this was all coming together, I put a can of tomato soup in a bowl. I then added about half a can full of water and whisked it all together. I sprinkled oregano and basil in to add to the Italian vibe I had going on.

After the beef mixture has cooked for 10 minutes, check to see if the rice is tender (taste test!). If it's not, let it cook for about 5 more minutes. When it is finished, scoop it into the pepper shells until the pepper is about half full. Spoon some of the sauce on top, and then fill it up with the beef mixture. Top it off with the rest of the sauce and sprinkle some cheese (I used mozzarella) to finish it.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons dried chopped onion (I ran out of fresh and frozen)
• 6 bell peppers (I used red. Recipe recommended green. Whatever's easiest!)
• 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (I had to use basil, oregano, and garlic because it's what I had)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Minute rice
• Mozzarella and parmesan for garnish

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C). Stuff each pepper halfway with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Put a few tablespoons of the soup mixture over the beef in the peppers. Fill with the beef and rice and then pour the rest of the tomato soup over the peppers.
4. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese if desired.
5. Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

pasta e fagioli soup

I've been on a soup kick lately, and I made pasta e fagioli a few weeks ago. I found this recipe and it was super easy!

here are the ingredients :)

cut up your veggies!

brown your ground beef!

rinse your beans!

You literally dump everything (so don't let the long list of stuff scare you) into the crockpot except the ground beef and pasta. Stir it up, and then add the ground beef. Let cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5. I boiled my pasta separately and added it at the last minute, based on some other reviews. YUM!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes, NOT drained
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
• 1 (26 oz.) container chicken stock
• 1 jar (25 oz.) spaghetti sauce
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked ditalini pasta (or your favorite small pasta shape)
• Salt, to taste 

Instructions:

• I wasn't kidding. Dump it all (except beef and pasta) into a crockpot and add the beef last. 
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
• When there's about half an hour left, start cooking the pasta separately :) Add it in right before serving.

be mine.

When I was little, I used to dream about the man I would marry... most of the time: he looked like a Disney prince and would fight off monsters for me.

As I grew older (aka in middle school), I began to realize that most guys I knew were not that guy. They were more interested in other things than protecting me. I kind of gave up on the finding a fairytale thing.

In high school, I mainly dated one guy who ended up getting drunk almost every day. Do I know how to pick 'em good or what? That did not end well.

My freshman year of college, I was certainly interested in getting my MRS. degree, but there was no one I really connected with.

The summer before my sophomore year of college, I met AJ. I thank the Lord every day for the blessing he is in my life, and I am so glad that all of my ruined expectations led me to him.

My husband is amazing... he's honest with me. He challenges me, which sometimes annoys me, but I know he sincerely wants the best for me. He cares for me. He protects me so well, and he listens to me. I could not honestly ask for more.

Last night, he made me dinner (he hates to cook), and let me brag: it may have been the best porkchop I've ever had.

Introducing: pesto porkchops and baked potatoes made by my incredible husband :)

are you drooling?

Happy Valentine's Day AJ! I love you so much.

Another French Fry Recipe...

I just wanted to share another INCREDIBLE french fry recipe :) 

potatoes + seasoning =

true love. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I've been on a bit of a soup kick lately... maybe it's because it's not as wintery (read: where are my snow days?) as I'd like it to be... 

Because of this, almost every Saturday, I've been making a different type of soup. Last week's was chicken tortilla soup! I chose this recipe because it was made in the crockpot and the ingredients are some of my faves (black beans... can you do wrong?)

Seriously, all you do is pour the onion, beans, Rotel, corn, chicken broth, water (I used half the recommended amount... if it looks thick, add some more!) and spices in the bottom of your crock pot. Stir it up and then lay the chicken breasts on top (mostly submerged). Cook for 6-7 hours on high or on low for 8-9 hours. You do have to shred the chicken about half an hour before it's finished so the chicken can better absorb the flavors... but that takes like 30 seconds.

We ate ours with tortilla chips and cheese on top! Yum!

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cans Ro-tel
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can corn
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cans low-salt chicken broth
• 1 cup of water
• 1 Tbsp.garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. cilantro (I used dried)

Instructions:

• Pour everything except the chicken into the crock pot and stir it up. Put the chicken on top and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 6-7 hours.
• Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream!

Asiago spinach sammies!

The great thing about these bagels is that you can make great sammies out of them. Last weekend, we were in a rush to get out the door to church so I put these together super fast!

I cooked two eggs over medium, toasted two bagels, and layered some fresh spinach and provolone.

seriously... stinkin' amazing. 

Panera's Asiago Cheese Bagels

Panera is one of my favorite comfort food restaurants, but it's quite expensive to eat there often. I love their iced green tea. I love their macaroni and cheese. I love their asiago cheese bagels... so I set out to make them.

I have made bagels numerous times, and they're not very hard. They do take time and patience, but a homemade bagel is so worth it.

Here's what I used and here's the blog I got the recipe from:

You basically knead, let rest, cut into pieces, let rest, broil, boil, and then bake :) YUM!

This is everything making friends in the mixer... Confession: first time I've used my dough hook. SO EASY.

When everything comes together, lay it on a clean, floured surface and knead until it looks like this:

See: smooth, elastic, absorbed a lot of the flour!

You let that rest and then cut into six 'equal' (do your best!) portions and then form into a bagel shape. I do this by rolling dough into a ball-shape, poking a hole in the middle, and then stretching out the hole until sides are mostly even. Try your best :) They will still taste good!

They need to rise again, but put a big pot of water with a tablespoon of sugar on the stove while you wait.

Then you need to broil the bagels for three minutes and then boil them. This was a new method for me :)

Happy face! Becoming good things... notice how small the holes got? That's okay. More room for asiago cheese!

Put in a hot 375 oven and bake for 12 minutes. Pull out and top with cheese and then bake for 12-15 minutes more :) Keep your eye on it. They could burn. Thankfully, mine did not :)

YUMMM!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 package (0.25 ounce) instant yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water (115 degrees F)
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, shredded (I split this half parm and half asiago) 
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced dried onion
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) asiago cheese or six-cheese blend, shredded

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, yeast, 1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar, Parmesan, dried onion, and salt.  Add warm water and combine with dough hooks on low mixer speed until dough forms.  Add a little more flour or water if necessary to reach desired consistency. 
2. Roll out dough on lightly-floured surface.  Knead until dough becomes smooth and elastic (a few minutes or so).  Let rest in a lightly oiled bowl, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. With floured scissors, cut into six portions of equal size.  Shape each portion into a smooth ball and poke a hole in center.  Gently pull dough outwards until hole reaches 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.  Place on greased baking sheet and cover dough with a warm, damp cloth.  Let rise 20 minutes.
4. While dough is rising, place 1 gallon water mixed with 1 Tablespoon sugar in a large, deep pot over high heat.  Once water begins boiling, lower heat until water reaches a simmer.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Broil bagels on low at least 6 inches from heat for 3 minutes, turning once halfway through.
6. Gently drop 3-4 bagels at a time into simmering water.  Cook 7 minutes, turning once halfway through.  Drain on paper towels.  Return bagels to greased baking sheet and bake 25 minutes.  When about 12-15 minutes of cook time remains, quickly remove baking sheet from oven, sprinkle asiago cheese atop each bagel, and then continue baking for remainder of time

Chai Latte Cupcakes

A few weeks ago, I saw a picture of some cupcakes that were decorated like they came from Starbucks on Pinterest and an idea was born!:

compliments of this blog :)

My dear friend, Meg, and I have a thing for Starbucks chai lattes. She's a teacher too (she's my mentor!) so we adore those early mornings when an icy chai can help us get through :)

She's also VERY pregnant right now, so I wanted to make these for her baby shower. Unfortunately, I noticed them too late and a cake was already ordered. So... I made them for my kiddos!

I've mentioned before that everytime my students spell out the word compliment (they get each letter by getting praised in the hallway or doing a great job at specials), I bake for them. I've got several kiddos who don't LOVE chocolate... so I've tried to be considerate of them and not make everything chocolate... although I want to. I badly want to.

I found the recipe on the Betty Crocker website and was a little skeptical.  I am SO glad I made them though... my kids thought they were AMAZING. They earn one sticker a day for good behavior; I had several kiddos offer up 20 stickers for one more. That means they were crazy good; my kids are greedy sticker-getters.

And yes, Meg did get one :) And she loved it.

Ingredients:

• 1 box french vanilla cake mix and all the ingredients listed on the back of the box (eggs, water, oil)
• 3 tablespoons chai latte mix (I have a big canister from Trader Joe's)
• Extra nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom if you like it spicy!

Frosting:

• 1 can buttercream icing
• cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom to mix in.

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Line your cupcake pan with liners or spray with cooking spray.
• Make the cake mix as directed, mixing in the chai mix with the batter.
• Pour into liners (2/3 full!) and then put into oven for time on back of box.
• Let cool and then mix frosting up. Ice them however you want :)
• I did frost some with a pastry bag and tip, but I frosted several with just a knife. A lot of my kids wanted the less-iced ones, surprisingly.

Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders

That's a mouthful!

I love chicken tenders. However, I rarely eat them. I have a thing... I can't eat meat that has anything funny about it. Red spots? Not eating it. Chewy part? Not eating it. Bones? Not eating it. Anything I think that seems weird? Not eating it.

However, I was craving chicken tenders. What's a girl to do who has weird rules with chicken? Make them, of course. I didn't want to just make plain chicken tenders... I wanted lemon pepper ones! YUM.

I know how to make basic breaded chicken... but I googled lemon pepper chicken tenders and came on this beauty. I'm not the only one to think of this!

I used her recipe loosely, and I'll outline the changes in the recipe.

Let me just warn you... these.were.amazing. AMAZING, people.

I only had chicken breasts in the freezer so I defrosted and cut them into strips (try and keep them about the same size so they cook evenly.) 

The cut strips then need to be dredged in the above: 

1. egg (I added some lemon juice, about a tablespoon)
2. flour
3. panko (I added a tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning)

I recommend (STRONGLY) only using one hand in the dredging process. Or else you're going to look like Edward Scissorhands and no one will be home to turn on the faucet. And then you'll think about salmonella growing on your kitchen sink because you touched it with eggy-hands. That might just be me. But I don't think so.

After you coat each one, put it on a greased cookie rack on top of a baking sheet. I got this secret from above blog; apparently, it makes them crispier :) I did do a little research and found that some cookie racks can emit fumes in the oven... check yours before you try... or just put them on a baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray)

Don't these look so yummy?

Then you just bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes. Flip 'em and finish for 8-10 minutes. Keep your eye on them. Your kitchen will smell like paradise!

We had ours with roasted asparagus and I used this recipe. It was DELICIOUS.

All together now... YUM!

On a completely related side note, I just discovered via another blog that some stores sell lemon pepper panko! GENIUS. Unfortunately, 'some stores' is not my grocery store :(

Ingredients:

• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon (or more if you really love it) lemon pepper seasoning
• cooking spray

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425.
• Cut the chicken into strips.
• Set up your coating stations: one bowl full of flour, one bowl full of egg and lemon juice, and one bowl full of panko/lemon pepper mixture.
• Dredge chicken strips through flour, then egg mixture, and then panko mixture.
• Place on greased cookie rack over baking sheet as you finish.
• Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

spinach & feta stromboli

I've posted about stromboli before and you can find that post here. However, I've been thinking about switching it up lately... AJ and I recently tried Domino's spinach and feta cheesy bread and it was amazing... so yummy. That served as my inspiration :)

I used store-bought pizza dough again, but this time I added about half a cup of tomato sauce as the bottom layer.

And then I added 3 or 4 cups of Spinach:

And then some feta and mozzarella:

YUMMMMM!

Then, I wrapped it up. I actually had a few issues doing this... the spinach was so fluffy that it was hard to get the dough all together without it tearing. The places that did tear, I just grabbed dough from the end and tried to patch it up. I also had to put some toothpicks in to secure it and keep it closed. YIKES :)

Seriously though... the appearance doesn't matter that much. Taste will make people love you :)

If you look closely at the top left, you can see a naught spinach peeking out. Bad spinach!

I sprinkled olive oil and oregano/basil on top and baked at 375 for 20-25 minutes (crust is golden brown and fluffy).

Verdict: so delicious. Can't wait to make again. 

Ingredients:

• one can of pizza dough (I used Pillsbury)
• four cups of fresh spinach (you could also probably use frozen chopped, which is a lot cheaper! I'm going to try that next time.)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (eyeball it.)
• one small can tomato sauce (I think they're like eight oz?)
• garlic oil & oregano for garnish (this is optional)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with foil.
• Pop (my fave. part) the pizza dough and spread it out. Be careful not to have any holes.
• Spread the tomato sauce in the middle of the dough. 
• Top with spinach and then the cheese mixture.
• Do your best to close it ;)
• Sprinkle with oil and spices if desired and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
• Enjoy.