Mind Exploding Recipes That'll Make You Ask for More!

Good evening bloggers! I have a super special treat for you all tonight. Here's what's going on... I have a great group of friends and family on facebook. We love sharing ideas and what not. Well, tonight, I asked them for their favorite recipes. We have some recipes from Mimi D., Rona Q., Mae M., and Amanda S. So, with that being said, let's get in the kitchen and start cooking!

Poppy Seed Chicken

You will need:

• Chicken tenders 
• 1 can Cream of chicken soup
• Butter
• Ritz crackers 
• Sour cream
• Poppy seeds

1. Cook the tenders according to the package instructions.
2. Mix the soup, sour cream and seeds together, then add some water. 
3. Crush the crackers. 
4. Smear butter in bottom of dish, then add the tenders in after being cut into pieces.
5. Pour the poppy seed mixture on top of chicken, then pour the crackers on top. 
6. Add a small amount of melted butter on top. 
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 mins. 
8. Serve with rice.
9. Enjoy!

Pancit Bihon

Stir Fry Rice Noodles

You will need:

• 1 pound rice noodles
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• Lean pork, fat trimmed (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce or salt
• 1 pound small shrimp, shelled and de-veined
• Vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, sliced or minced
• 1 small head of Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 3/4 cup julienned carrots or use half a pack of broccoli slaw
• 2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce 
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Start by soaking the rice noodles in warm water for 15 minutes or until softened. 
2. Remove the noodles from water and drain.
3. Boil the chicken and the pork in a cup of water and 1 teaspoon fish sauce or salt until tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and take out the meat to drain and cool. 
5. Reserve the broth.
6. Shred the meat into small pieces and set aside
7. Heat oil in a wok or a large saute pan.
8. Saute garlic and onion until they are carmelized.
9. Add together the shredded cooked meat, shrimp and soy sauce and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
10. Over high heat, add the vegetables and 3/4 cup of broth. 
11. Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
12. Reduce the heat to low and add the softened rice noodles, tossing gently until cooked through and well blended, approximately 3 minutes.
13. If the noodles seem dry, add more broth.
14. Serve immediately.

Pasta stuffed Acorn Squash

You will need:

• Acorn Squash, halved length-wish and de-seeded
• Roma Tomatoes
• Whole Garlic Cloves
• Ground Turkey or Beef
• Penne Pasta
• Salt
• pepper
• Preferred seasons for meat 
• Fresh Mozzarella cheese
• Diced onion
• Minced garlic

1. For The sauce: Line each pocket of a muffin pan with aluminum foil. 
2. Take each roma tomato and cut an "X" in the top and stuff a whole clove of garlic inside. 
3. Fold foil around each tomato to hold in heat. 
4. Bake at 350 for about 1/2 an hour. 
5. Remove the tomatoes and put into a sauce pan. 
6. Crush together to make the sauce, seasoning with salt and pepper and anything else you like in your spaghetti sauce. 
7. Heat through, stirring as needed, until the sauce is created. 
8. You may add sauce or more tomatoes to create more if needed, just keep tasting to season.  
9. For The Squash: Cut the squash length-wise. 
10. Each side will be your “bowl”. 
11. Fill baking dish with about 1/4” water. 
12. Set the squash “bowl-side” down in the preheated oven, still hot from cooking the tomatoes. 
13. Cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the outside of the squash is still firm enough to hold shape, but soft. 
14. Remove and set aside. 
15. Do not shut off the oven.
16. For The meat: Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
17. Add minced garlic and diced onion, and saute. 
18. Add salt and pepper. 
19. Add the ground meat and brown, seasoning the meat as you prefer. 
20. Bold, Italian tastes are very effective with this dish!
21. At this point, make your pasta.
22. Mix some of the sauce with the pasta, just enough to coat the noodles.
23. Fill each squash “bowl” halfway with noodles. 
24. Take the rest of the sauce and meat mixture and spoon onto the noodles. Bowls should be “heaping”. 
25. Place bowls onto cookie sheet or baking dish. 
26. Take the mozzarella cheese and cut in into cubes. 
27. Lay cubes generously over the pasta . 
28. Cover each bowl with aluminum foil, making a “tent” so that it does not touch the cheese and return bowls to oven, cooking long enough to melt the cheese and heat the bowls back through, which is usually 5 to 10 minutes, as everything should still be generally warm.
29. Serve!

Italian Wedding Soup

You will need:




FOR THE MEATBALLS:

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork or turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

FOR THE SOUP:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped or 1 small frozen box
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces soup pasta, acini de pepe or orzo pasta

1. For the Meatballs: Add all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix the ingredients together using your hands until evenly distributed.
2. Form meat into small meatballs by rolling in your hands.
3. Place the meatballs on a lightly greased shallow baking pan. 
4. Place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned.
5. For the Soup: Cook soup pasta as directed on the package. 
6. Do not overcook; the pasta should be firm when added to the soup.
7. Drain the pasta after cooking.
8. While the pasta is cooking add the chicken broth to a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
9. If using fresh spinach, add to the boiling broth and cook for 5 minutes or until spinach is tender. 
10. If using frozen spinach, drain well before adding to the broth.
11. Add the meatballs and pasta. 
12. Bring the soup back to a simmer.
13. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies

You will need:

• 4 eggs
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1.5 cups pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup Ghirardelli Bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Separate 4 eggs, keeping just the whites in a bowl on the counter to warm up to room temperature for around an hour. 
2. Once egg whites are in room temperature, preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
3. Whisk together in a large bowl the confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder, and coarse salt.
4. Add and stir in the chopped pecans, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and the Bittersweet chocolate chips
5. Whisk the egg whites just for 20 seconds to loosen them a bit
6. Add the egg whites to the bowl and stir slowly just til moistened, no longer.
7. Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the batter on to the parchment lined pans or silpat mats 
8. Depending on the size of the scoop you might get 24 to 36 smaller cookies.
9. Bake for 13 minutes, then turn the trays around and bake another 12 minutes for a total of 25 minutes.
10. Cool on wire racks. 
11. Store them in a container with an air-tight cover.

I hope you all had a splendid time getting to "know" my friends through their recipes. If you enjoyed this, I might have to ask for more in the very near future. Have a great night and happy blogging!

The Summer of Yum!

Good evening bloggers! Tonight, we have a special Summer recipe to prepare tonight. As most of you wonderful cooks and foodies know, summer squah is currently in season. It's an absolutely delightful vegetable to work with when you can find it in stock at your local market or supercenter. Our meal tonight is... drum roll please?

Summer Squash Chicken Alfredo

You will need:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 (8 ounce) package uncooked rigatoni pasta
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 1 cup Alfredo sauce
• 1/4 cup milk
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes, softened and chopped
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Lightly grease a baking dish. 
3. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish, and coat with the garlic. 
4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken juices run clear, then cool and chop the chicken. 
5. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. 
6. Place the rigatoni in the pot and cook for 10 minutes, until al dente, and then drain. 
7. Place the bacon in a skillet. 
8. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. 
9. Drain, crumble, and set aside. 
10. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the zucchini and yellow squash until tender and lightly browned. 
11. In a small bowl, mix the Alfredo sauce and milk. 
12. Place the chicken over the cooked pasta. 
13. Pour Alfredo sauce over the chicken and top with the zucchini and squash. Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes, bacon, Parmesan cheese, and almonds.
14. Enjoy!

I hope you all have a splendid evening and I will catch you all on the flip side. Happy blogging and happy eating!

Beef Bulgogi

Good afternoon bloggers! Welcome to another exciting edition of Everyday Meals! Today we will be tackling a Korean dish called Bulgogi. Bulgogi is marinated barbecued beef, but chicken and pork have been known to be used. Bulgogi literally means "fire meat". It's also the terminology for how it is cooked, over an open flame. Bulgogi is said to have originated during the Goguryeo ear, between 37 BC and 668 AD.  Well, enough history. Let's get to the grill and start cooking!

Beef Bulgogi

You will need:

• 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2.5 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place the beef in a shallow dish. 
2. Combine soy sauce, sugar, green onion, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and ground black pepper in a small bowl, and pour over the beef. 
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. 
4. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate. 
5. Quickly grill beef on hot grill until slightly charred and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
6. Enjoy!

See? This wasn't one of our normally longer dishes, but it is just as tasty! I hope you all had a fun experience and I will catch you on the flip side. Happy blogging and have a great weekend!

Chicken for the Win!

Good afternoon my happy blogging friends! Welcome to another edition of Everyday Meals. Today, we are doing a take on Chicken Marengo. Originally, Chicken Marengo was served with chicken and crayfish, but not today! This dish was cooked for none other than Napolean Bonaparte back in the 17 and 1800's. It was concocted after the Battle of Marengo in 1800. Okay, so enough history. Let's get cooking!

Chicken Marengo

You will need:

• 1 large onion, finely chopped 
• olive oil 
• 1.5 pounds boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) canned Italian plum tomatoes, drained 
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry sherry
• 3 parsley sprigs
• 1 tablespoon ground thyme 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• butter
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• juice of 1 lemon 
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley, for garnish

1. Saute the onions in olive oil until translucent. 
2. Add pieces of chicken and saute until brown on all sides. 
3. Add the tomatoes, the chicken stock and wine. 
4. Next, add the parsley sprigs, thyme, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and garlic and simmer covered for 1 hour. 
5. Melt butter in a saucepan and saute the mushrooms until tender. then sprinkle with lemon juice. 
6. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and arrange them in a dish. 
7. Strain the sauce and add the mushrooms to the sauce,then pour over the chicken. 
8. Garnish with minced parsley and bread crumbs. 
9. Serve with hot cooked pasta or rice.
10. Enjoy!

I hope you all have an outstanding day and I will catch you all on the flip side. Remember... Happy blogging!

Oh Baby It's Hot, Hot, HOT!

Good evening my amazing blogging friends and readers! I have a wonderful dish that I borrowed from my sister for everyone to try tonight. It is a goopy, cheesy, delightful dish. My sister found this recipe while gaming. She loves to game and loves games about food, so it is appropriate for this blog. Enough chatter, let's get cooking!

Hot Tamale Pie

You will need:

• 1.25 pounds ground pork
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeno chile, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 16 ounces salsa
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
• 2.25 cups whole milk
• 1.75 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Preheat your broiler.
2. Heat a 12 inch skillet over high heat until hot.
3. Add the pork and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink, making sure to break up the meat with the side of a spoon.
4. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a bowl and wipe your skillet clean.
5. In the same skillet, heat some oil over medium heat. 
6. Add the green pepper, jalapeno, and onion, then cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.
7. Return the pork to the skillet and stir in the salsa and corn.
8. Heat everything to boiling over high heat.
9. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly.
10. Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, bring the milk and broth to a boil over high heat.
11. Reduce the heat to low, while gradually whisking in the cornmeal.
12. Cook for 5 minutes or until very thick, making sure to stir often.
13. Spoon over the pork mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
14. Place the skillet in the broiler, making sure to put it in a position closest to the source of heat.
15. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the top begins to brown.
16. Enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy this lovely, cheesy delight. I will catch you all on the flip side. I send blogging love out to you all! Good night!

Chicken Marsala!

Good evening my amazing bloggers! I welcome you to another great edition of Everyday Meals. I'm Mandie and I wil be walking you through a delicious meal tonight, as always. Tonight, we have a wonderful Chicken Marsala in order. There's not a whole lot to explain about this scrumptious dish, so let's get a roll on cooking. I will meet you in the kitchen!

Chicken Marsala

You will need:

• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 pounds skinless, boneless chicken meat - cut into 12 pieces
• 2 slices bacon, diced
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet. 
2. Saute the mushrooms until soft, remove from skillet and place in a small, covered bowl. 
3. Mix flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a shallow dish or bowl. 
4. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. 
5. Place bacon in same skillet and cook over low heat until cooked but not crisp. 
6. Add 2 tablespoons butter to skillet and saute the coated chicken over medium heat for 2 minutes each side, adding the remaining butter as needed to prevent burning. 
7. Place the chicken on a dish, cover and keep warm. 
8. In a medium bowl, slowly add water to cornstarch and mix together, then mix in wine.
9. Pour the liquid mixture into skillet, together with the reserved mushrooms.
10. Heat until the mixture begins to boil and thickens, then pour over warm chicken and serve.
11. Enjoy!

I hope you all have a splendid evening and I will catch you all on the flip side. Happy blogging and stay cool!

A Surprising Dish!

Good evening bloggers. I sure have missed a lot lately. Tonight, we have a dish that is literally "thrown together" in the verbal sense. That is how this dish was invented, by throwing together left overs together. The dish we are to prepare tonight is called Stuffed Pasta Shell Surprise. And yes, what's in it definitely WILL surprise you. But do not fear, I would not feed you all something inedible. So, let's get started!

Stuffed Pasta Shell Surprise

You will need:

• 24 jumbo pasta shells
• 1/4 pound ground beef
• cooking spray
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 pound finely chopped cooked ham
• 1 (6 ounce) can crabmeat
• 1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. 
2. Once the water is boiling, stir in the shell pasta, and return to a boil. 
3. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. 
4. Drain well in a colander set in the sink. 
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. 
6. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. 
7. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. 
8. Spray two  9x13 inch baking dishes with cooking spray. 
9. Combine the 2 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, spinach, and pesto together in a bowl. 
10. Stir half of the cheese-spinach mixture into the cooked beef. 
11. Season with garlic powder. 
12. Spread about 1 cup spaghetti sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish. 
13. Stuff 12 pasta shells with the beef and cheese mixture, then arrange in the baking dish. 
14. Top with the remaining spaghetti sauce, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. 
15. Mix the remaining spinach-cheese mixture with ham and crab. 
16. Stuff the last 12 pasta shells with the ham mixture, and arrange in another 9x13 inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. 
17. Pour the alfredo sauce on top, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. 
18. Bake both casseroles in the preheated oven until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly, about 30 minutes.
19. Enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy this "surprising" dish tonight. I will be back with more delicious recipes as soon as possible. Love to all and remember...
HAPPY BLOGGING! Good night!