My specialty

I'm not a great baker or chef, but I certainly like to experiment and try new things. I think along the way I have discovered some of my specialties, or my "go-to" treats. Rice Krispie treats definitely fall into the easy and delicious category. Seriously, there is nothing easier to make then these, and surprisingly they are always a huge hit!

I made some recently to take to the office, and they were gone within an hour. I even added candy corn pumpkins to geniusly turn them into Halloween treats. Clever, eh? Ok, maybe not brilliant.

In case you don't know the rice krispie recipe, here it is:
6 cups krispies
3 tablespoons butter
1 package mini marshmallows
Candy corn pumpkins

Mix the butter and marshmallows until melted, then pour in the rice krispies and stir. Pour in 9x13 pan and let cool.

Voila! Delish and easy!

A spin on a boring chicken dish

I love chicken, but let's be serious, it can get boring sometimes. I'm always trying to find ways to spice it up when I'm cooking chicken for dinner. A while back I came across a recipe which included some of my favorites: artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers. I honestly can't remember where I found this recipe, it's just been sitting in my recipe book for a while now. It's so easy to make, it is one of my go-to dishes if I'm cooking for someone else. It was actually one of the first dishes I cooked for my boyfriend and he loved it! Well, at least he told me that he did... ;)

On Monday I decided to make myself a mini version of my chicken dish, since it was just a quick after work meal. So, I took the recipe and basically shrunk all of the ingredients to fit just me! I'll give the actual recipe, and you can manipulate it as you please:

The recipe:

1 6oz jar marinated artichoke hearts

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

4 boneless chicken breasts

6 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tsp paprika

1/4 ground red pepper (optional, I don't normally use)

Drain artichokes, save the marinade

Toss artichokes and peppers in small bowl

Heat 2 tablespoons reserved artichoke marinatde in skillet, add chicken

Cook a few minutes (not all the way) and remove chicken

Add garlic to skillet for about 30 seconds

Smokin'!

Stir in remaining artichoke juice, pepper/artichoke mix, wine, paprika, chicken

Cover skillet, cook about 10 minutes

The chicken is hiding under all the goodies:)

Delicious and filling! A very easy meal with few ingredients (I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to shy away from recipes with a bazillion ingredients)

Tailgate Food

When I was in high school, my best friend Lindsay's parents loved making us snacks, and constantly had deliciously unhealthy food laying around their house. I am convinced that they wanted us to gain 50 lbs before high school ended, because every time I went over there, without fail, I would leave with a stuffed stomach. One of the recipes her mom made was the absolute best mini ham sandwiches ever, so these days I like to make it every once in a while for my friends. Since we were tailgating for a Braves game this weekend, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to make them. Let me tell you, they went fast.

The recipe:

1 lb or more ham

1 package swiss cheese

2 packages Hawaiian Rolls

1 stick butter (room temp)

2 teaspoons poppyseed

3 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon worchester sauce

Mix butter, poppyseed, dijon and worchester in bowl

Spread evenly over rolls, and top with ham and cheese

Cover in tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes

If you decide that you don't need both batches, wrap one up in tin foil and freeze it before baking. Then pull it out whenever, defrost, and bake!

These are perfect for tailgates and SO easy to make! Football season is around the corner, people :)

Enjoy!

Sweet Treats

Last night I tested out my "baking skills" to try a coconut macaroon recipe that Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere posted last week. For those of you who know me, you know I'm not the greatest baker, but I certainly love trying out new recipes. After seeing her deliciously perfect looking macaroons, I was certain that I could make them just as good.... I think I did pretty decent for my first time making something as snazzy as macaroons! Witness:

Coconut Mix

This stuff rocks! Just microwave and dip!

The final product.. A little bit large but still good

Note the chocolate on my hands... I'm a messy baker ...

VOILA! Half dipped, half plain.

The bf and SHG were my official taste testers, and considering they both survived the night, I think it is safe to assume my macaroons are edible. I think I'm going to make it a goal to try new recipes more often, because it is so much fun! Now I just need to start giving some of these away before they all end up in my tummy....