On Par with Cheez-it Chicken :D (scroll down)

Angie’s Baked Cheddar Chicken with Sauce

by Angie on November 3, 2011

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College students, want to impress your parents? Husbands, your wives? Anyone want to impress company?? Then THIS is for you.

Oh, yeah, I guess you can feed it to the kiddos too!

I am eating the baked cheddar chicken right now as leftovers. And I do not eat left overs. Luckily for me, unfortunately, my husband left his lunch at home today so it’s all mine.

This is a very pretty easy to prepare, but get ready for all the compliments afterwords. I would say it’s definitely a “need to make dinner for company recipe!” It even looks like you spent a lot of time on it!

After the chicken is in the pan, I just dumped the left over cheese & cracker crumbs on top of it. I love crust.

Angie’s Baked Cheddar Chicken

Yield – 7 servings

Preparation Time – 15 minutes

Cooking Time – 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 large chicken breasts
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/8 t pepper
• 1/2 C milk
• 3 C cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 t dried parsley

Sauce

• 1 14 ounce can cream of chicken soup
• 2 T butter
• 2 T sour cream

Directions

• Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks.
• In a gallon size baggie, smash ritz crackers into crumbs. (The kids love this part)
• Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.
• Dip each piece of chicken into the milk, cheese & crumbs in succession.
• Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan.
• Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.
• Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Combine the sauce ingredients (soup, sour cream & butter) into a microwaveable safe dish, and cook until it’s stir-able melty and warm.
• Spread the sauce over the chicken once it’s been served. And WOW them!

Cost $ 9.55

Read more: http://www.5dollardinners.com/2011/11/angies-baked-cheddar-chicken-with-sauce.html#ixzz1rmwgnqMO

Many things make me happy; the color orange, my family, my friends, my husband, my puppies, good food, and ofcorse ICE TEA! I was looking for something today, to use with some left over ingredients that I had for Easter (the only thing I didn't have was cream of chicken soup, Hubby went and got it for me :D). I found this recipe on Pinterest. Let me tell you it is worth it. And it is something that you don't have to think about for 40 minutes, like a slow cooker just in the over.

A few things that I did a little bit different, I added the parsley to the cracker crumbs, I don't really like the taste of dried parsley. I used all of the cheese, I poured it over the chicken after I did the whole dip thing as well as the extra cracker crumbs. It was so good. I guess this is something like Cheez-it chicken, Ill be making over and over again!!! Thanks for the inspiration Pinterest!!!

Having a PICKY Dog makes you think about food!!!

The dog in this image should come with a warning label: "Caution; this dog is sweet, cute, mostly friendly, odd, picky when it comes to her food, smells all flowers fake and real, and has anxiety attacks when new people come to your house." Almost four short years ago, this little spotted thing, Emma Lily came into my life. I cannot say that it has been awful. Quite the opposite. However, more and more, as she has been getting older, she has become more picky with her food. To the point where she isn't eating much.

At first she would pick out the pieces of food by order that she liked them, actually she wouldn't eat out of a bowl, and would have you separate the pieces out, before she would eat them. Then after I went back to school, she did it herself, but it took her an entire day to eat one bowl of food. When I came back home from school. She began not to eat much of her food, if any at all. She doesn't get much people food, but she gets a bite here and there. My Pappy loves to feed her, they both eat peanuts together. When she came to live at my house, Hubby and I switched her food. When she was eating the other food, she would only eat the small pieces. So we switched to a brand that has soft and hard, small bites. For a while Jake would not eat it either. He is now eating it. Emma picks out all the soft bites, and is no longer eating the hard. I don't want to keep switching their food...

So maybe I can make my own dog food? That might be more of a challenge then I am thinking that it would be. I really just wish that there was something that she would just eat. I guess if she wasn't getting enough food she would let me know? But I really feel bad. Like I am a bad mom. She hasn't lost any weight. Last time she was at the vet she gained a pound. I need some help!!!

I am a concerned momma. Someone please help me!!!!

Hoppy Easter...as I always say!!!

I don't like saying Happy Easter, instead I like to say Hoppy Easter :D...
Anyways. I haven't written a blog in a long time. Partially because, I have cooking block, and Partially because I have be working hard at my job, and getting Scentsy off the ground. (If you reading this you should order from me).

For many people Easter is just a day to get candy from a bunny. But, while I like getting candy from a bunny, I also like spending time with family and friends, and thinking about why we are celebrating Easter. Mainly I like my family time. Family time equals cooking time!!! (and for you it equals a blog :D)

I have NEVER made deviled eggs, let alone boiled an egg. I don't like eggs that much, and so I honestly never need to learn to boil an egg. That becomes a problem when you offer to make deviled eggs for a family get together. So with much determination, I asked a friend for an egg recipe. However, there where no directions on this recipe for boiling eggs. So to be honest with you, I did what I sometimes do the best and winged it.

It's really not that hard, but when you have never done it, and you have never seen the finished product after boiling, you mind plays tricks on you. Especially if you are tired after cleaning all day. Did you know that after you cut the egg in half, that the back part of the yolk is greenish? I didn't, but I left it in the bowl any how... Did you also know that if the eggs are not laying flat in your bowl that the bottom will not fill out? It is like half your egg is gone.

II have to say after making the eggs, and putting together the recipe, they were pretty good. I like more vinegar in my deviled eggs. I also made shrimp Croustini's (which I am addicted to!!!) and a dill pasta salad, which was better than I thought. That was a dressing that I bought at the craft fair!!!!

I had a couple more thought's that I was going to write, but my allergies, and all that is killing me, to the point where I can no longer think...so here is the recipe, I just used more egg, and less mayo, and pepper instead of salt...

DEVILED EGGS

6 Hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup of mayo
1 tsp yellow mustard
2 tsp pickle juice (or red wine vinegar)
Paprika to garnish (optional)

Peel hard boiled eggs and halve lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a separate bowl. Mash yolks with a fork. Add mayo, mustard, and pickle juice, mix well. (I generally keep sprinkling in mustard and pickle juice until the mix is nice and creamy. Keep tasting it to make sure it tastes good. Don't overdo it though or it will be runny!! I also sprinkle in just a teeny bit of salt.). Stuff the egg halves with the mixture. Garnish with paprika if desired. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

This didn't work the first time...not sure if it will this time

Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Photo: Karry Hosford

Chicken Souvlaki features the fresh-tasting combination of lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil that is so prevalent in Greek cuisine. Serve it alongside a Greek salad of chunked tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and feta cheese. Tzatziki is a traditional Greek yogurt-based sauce flavored with lemon, garlic, and crisp cucumbers. (Try more Greek Recipes).

Outstanding

Rate and Review | Read Reviews (35)

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 2 skewers and about 1/4 cup tzatziki sauce)

Video: How to Make Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Recipe from

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Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 219
• Calories from fat: 19%
• Fat: 4.7g
• Saturated fat: 1.3g
• Monounsaturated fat: 2.3g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6g
• Protein: 30.9g
• Carbohydrate: 12.3g
• Fiber: 2.4g
• Cholesterol: 69mg
• Iron: 1.4mg
• Sodium: 705mg
• Calcium: 161mg

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Ingredients

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• Souvlaki:
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice $
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons olive oil $
• 1/2 teaspoon salt $
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces $
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into (1/2-inch-thick) slices $
• Cooking spray
• Tzatziki Sauce:
• 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shredded $
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt $
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice $
• 1/4 teaspoon salt $
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation

1. To prepare souvlaki, combine the first 5 ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to combine. Add chicken to bag; seal and shake to coat. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once.
2. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Thread the chicken and zucchini, alternately onto each of 4 (8-inch) skewers.
3. Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add skewers; cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, turning once.
4. To prepare tzatziki sauce, combine cucumber, yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 garlic clove, stirring well. Serve the tzatziki sauce with souvlaki.

Cooking Light
MARCH 2003

Why oh why?? Do I ALWAYS seem to cut my fingers open while I using the orange knives in my kitchen?? They are sharp as all get out, and the big one (guessing cause I don't use it enough, so it is still the sharpest) cuts me every time, and all I have to do is lightly press it to my skin....ugg

For those people who are born with the gift of cooking, and by this I mean that you are able to make a recipe one time, and it come out right...I am jealous of you. For those of you who are in the same boat as me, and you have to make a recipe two or three times to get it right...we need to have a lunch date and discuss what we are doing wrong, but I love you mostest...just saying!!!

When Hubby and I were on our "Mini-moon" we tried to eat at different places. Places that you would not find at home. (What is the point of going away somewhere if you are going to go to Olive Garden everytime). Now you know from one of my first blogs, that I am not into trying new places, which is a contradiction, but I really like Greek food, or the idea of it any how. On the first night that we got there, there wasn't any place open, and I mean NONE...just Wendy's and I do not like Wendy's (Sorry Dave Thomas!!!) On our last night there...we ate at this Greek Place. Oh My GOSHNESS....

I am now obsessed with Tazikiki Sauce...or however you spell it. But what I make at home does not taste like the normal stuff. It calls for a ton of cucumber, and while that is one of my fave veggies, it isn't good in the sauce. So my suggestion for you if you make this recipe...don't use even half as much cucumber as it calls for.

Now I have a challenge for you: I'm not sure who is reading this, I know that many people are, I have heard from a few. For everyone of you reading this here is what I want you to do. I want you to send me something to make. You can either leave a note at the bottom or inbox me on facebook. Something that you make a lot of times, or something that you have made a few, but something that you have made. I want you to challenge me. You get the giggle and so do I. And we will all find out if Hubby really will eat anything.

Let me know if you try this, and if you like it <3!!!!

This was not as good as it looks...

Sweet and Spicy Honey Grilled Shrimp

2-2 1/2 lb. raw, shelled, de-veined shrimp; raw shrimp are blue or grey, not pink. Get Tiger Shrimp if you can find them. Oh, and that “vein”? It’s not actually a vein. It’s poop. Don’t let the Euphamism Police trick you.
1 Tbsp. minced or pressed garlic
1/4 c. minced fresh ginger
1/4 c. hot chili garlic paste
1/2 c. sweet chili garlic paste
1 c. honey
1 c. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
1 c. canola oil

Rinse shrimp in cold water and place in a large Ziploc bag. Combine garlic, ginger, both chili pastes, honey, lime juice, salt, pepper, and oil in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly. Set aside 1 c. of the marinade. Pour remaining mixture over shrimp and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.

When ready to cook, thread shrimp onto skewers. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for at least 1/2 hour before skewering anything. Preheat outdoor grill. This really should be done outside because they get VERY smokey! When grill is hot, reduce heat to low and quickly place all skewers over the heat. Brush with reserved marinade. When they’ve cooked for 1 1/2-2 minutes,quickly flip them over and brush or drizzle with remaining marinade. Cook for another 1 1/2-2 minutes, or until opaque and pink.Shrimp cook extremely quickly and you don’t want to overcook them, but these are pretty forgiving if you do.

Remove skewers from grill and remove shrimp from skewers. Pile them on a big ol’ platter, drizzle with any remaining reserved marinade, and squeeze the juice from a lime all over them. Toss to distribute the deliciousness. You could serve this with:

Lime Cilantro Rice with Pineapple
Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice
Caramelized Green Beans
Mango-Steak Salad (minus the steak…or with the steak! Surf and turf, baby!)

I want to start our by saying, that I am pretty sure that seafood as well as spicy food is the cause of my hives, but I have YET to be tested. Any ways, after taking my allergy pill, I was so looking forward to eating this. I even made Hubby make rice. However, it really wasn't as flavorful as I thought that it might be. This was a miss.

On another note, how many of you reading this blog drink soda, and a lot of it? Have any of you ever tried to give it up? This is my third time giving it up (the first was a bust because at school that was almost always what they had to offer at the dinning places, and if I am going to waste my meal plan on a drink it might as well have been a soda). The second time was for my wedding, and on the day of my wedding I was craving a Dr. Pepper so bad, it was all I could think about. So this is the third time. And this time I really determined that I will not go back. It is so bad for you. Think about what you are doing to your teeth as well as your kidneys. Right now I'm not even craving them. The hardest times to not want a soda is while I'm at work. I am surrounded by soda. And it is cold, and it is right there. But I tend to go for the water, even though I am craving Tea. Tea is my weakness. I cannot give it up. And so please wish me luck as I continue my journey of not drinking any soda.

Now try that darn recipe, and tell me if you like it!!! <3

What is this????

In my experience...it is never a good thing when someone says..."What is this??" However last night proved that sometimes it is okay to answer that question. I love all the season's for different reasons, Fall is my favorite, but I don't hate the rest! I really like spring, when everything starts to grow, I have a feeling that this year, we are going to go straight into summer. So planets might not make it, LOL. Anyways!! I love Squash, and Zucchini!!!! Last night I wanted to make sure that I got a recipe in, even though work had me drained. So I made Zucchini Cakes!!! Which inspired the comment "What is this?"

The process is not something short when you are making these, and if you don't get them good and crispy on the outside, they are not super good on the inside. Also, squeeze as much of the water out of the zucchini as you can, veggies naturally contain a lot of water, which is why if you don't water your plants they don't grow. Any how, after grating the zucchini for what felt like for ever, and the mixing it all together, and frying them, Hubby comes home, and speaks the famous comment above. After he tastes one with the dip he is hooked, and I hope that you will too. I made the dip all on my own, so ill add that as recipe numba 2!!!

Zucchini Cakes

2 Zucchinis
1 Cup of baking mix (separate recipe)
1/2 medium onion, diced small
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup canola oil (I added a little bit at the end, they soak up oil)
1/2 cup sour cream, for serving (I used it in my recipe, not this one)
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley leaves (I used them in my recipe, not this one)

Grate Zucchini and put in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze (the Hell) well to remove the excess water. In a large bowl combine the zucchini, baking mix, onion, eggs, and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to thoroughly combine. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Using 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop 6 to 8 portions (I did 3 at a time) of mixture in the skillet. Fry on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and drain on a paper towel. In a small bowl mix together sour cream and parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange zucchini cakes on serving platter and serve with sour cream.

What Hubby Calls

Tzatziki sauce, I call sour cream dip (you be the judge).

1/2 cup of sour cream
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoonful of dill (a little more if you really like dill, eyeball it as Rachael Ray Says)
1/2 teaspoonful of garlic salt
1 teaspoonful of mustard (eyeball it)

Mix together and enjoy with zucchini!

The baking Mix:
6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons of salt
3/4 cup shortening

in a large bowl combine flour baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry knife or fork until mixture is well blended.

Try it out and let me know what you think <3

Cooking and Birthday's and Working late...

Let me start out by saying...I hate working late!!!!!! I don't know if I have ever really liked it from the time that I started working at wally world. Now that I am older (yea I know, not that old) working late screws with everything. First, I have to find a sitter for my dogs. It usually isn't that hard, and yes they can stay home in the day time, but at night in my house alone they get into trouble. They usually either stay with my mom and dad or they stay with granny and pappy. Second, my sleep is easily disturbed. I usually don't get home until 1am. Then I have to take a shower, because that will make me tired, but it doesn't. Then it is about 2am, and I am laying down, then I have to be at work the next day at 9am, facter in that I get up two hours before i have to be there and that leaves me sleeping from about 230am (if I fall asleep) to about 7am. Then I can't get that normal sleep pattern back until about two or three days after, when I will have to close again. Third, I make dinner for hubby. That is my thing to do. And so I have to usually think of something that he will like to eat, around noon time. Leave it in the fridge and hope that it comes out good, though I normally do not get to taste it. Yea, I hate, Hate, HATE, working late.

On a much better note it is Jake's 7th birthday.
There is another rant that goes with it...here it is...I am so tired of people telling me that dogs are not our "Kids." I don't say the eff word, but that is really what I want to tell you non-believers. First of all I would never ever tell you that the kid that you may have adopted is not your child. So telling me that just because I didn't birth my dog that they are not my kids, is a crappy excuse. And another thing, just because you have kids does not make you and expert. No one is writing a book about how great of a mom you are. So don't criticize me for the fact that i have fur-babies and not human-babies. Lastly, I went to school to learn about kids/babies. Although, I didn't finish I had many classes on it, and even spent a ton of time for kids. I read books (which many parents do when they have kids), I have even had a cpr class (though some time ago and I need a refresh). Stop acting like you are god, just cause you have one. My dogs are my kids, and when Hubby and I are ready we will add human-babies to our mix. So Happy Birthday to my son, that I adopted when I was 19. Thank you for making my world happy, thank you for being in my family, and making us laugh and cry because of who you are!!!!

On to cooking!! (what a long blog)
I have four recipes that I am going to try this week, One I am determined to do tomorrow!! But let me talk about two things that I have made recently. I LOVE homemade pizza, MORE than take out pizza. I'm not sure if it saves calories, but I think that it tastes so much better. Plus you make it how you want it, and you don't have to pay extra for toppings.
Today, for Hubby's dinner which I will never get to try cause I am sure that he will eat it all, I made my version of Green Bean Casserole. GBC (green bean casserole) is my favorite thing to eat on any holiday. Oh my so yummy. And it is something that is really very simple to make when you think about it. Any casserole is, because all you are doing is throwing things together to make it taste good. If you have made a casserole you should, it's not to hard.

GRB:
About a pound of chicken
1 can of green beans (I like the french cut)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 box of chicken (0r cornbread) stove top stuffing
1/2cup of cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons of french fried onions (those things in the can, hahaha)
Pepper (to taste)
Soy sauce (you add as much or little as you like)

In a small frying pan, fry up the chicken use no oil, because you want the juice to add to your dish.

While that is done open and drain your green beans. Also open up your cream of mushroom soup(coms).
In a glass dish spread out the coms, and then layer beans, stuffing, and chicken. When you get to the top sprinkle the cheese, and onions. then add soy sauce as little as much as you like. (Make sure that you chicken is cooked all the way through, cause you are basically heating up the dish, not cooking it in the oven). Bake at about 375, depending on your oven for 25-30 minutes, and enjoy.

So let me know if you try this, or give me a recipe for something that you make. I am really interested in what you do!!!