Dijon Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Strips

I bought a package of chicken strips...although you could totally use chicken breasts.  This is currently in the oven and smells DIVINE!  Here is the recipe while I have a second to type it up!

Dijon Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Strips
1/2 cup honey
1/2 Dijon or spicy brown mustard
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t fresh ground pepper
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t basil

Marinate chicken strips for several hours before baking.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. ENJOY!

I will post later to let you know how yummy this is!

Apple Spice Cake

Made an "easy" version of the Apple Harvest Cake!  Looks the same too. Too bad I won't get to taste it...it's for a bake sale.

Apple Spice Cake
1 spice cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can apple pie filling

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr and 10 minutes.  Let sit in pan for about 5 minutes, then dump out onto cake plate.  Let cool uncovered.

drizzle-powdered sugar, 1 t. vanilla, 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice...mix well, spoon on top of semi-cool cake.

My Fall Food

Last night I made an Apple Harvest Cake recipe that I found on www.allrecipes.com.  I left out the walnuts, b/c my mother can't have nuts.  It was SOOOO yummy! DEFINITELY worth making!!!  I also made chili.  It turned out SUPER yummy too! I started it at 2:30pm, and we ate about 5:45pm.  The longer it simmers, the better.  Here are the two recipes...enjoy!

Apple Harvest Cake

All Day Chili
1 lb. ground turkey
1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 lb. ground mild Italian sausage
2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes with juice
3 15 oz. cans chili beans drained (red kidney beans)
1 15 oz. can spicy chili beans with juice
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 large yellow onion diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced (seeded)
1/2 green bell pepper diced (seeded)
1 chili pepper diced (seeded)
2 T bacon bits
4 cubes beef bouillon
1/2 cup beer
1/4 cup chili powder
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T minced garlic
1 T dried oregano
2 t cumin
2 t Tabasco (or other hot sauce)
1 t basil
1 T kosher salt
2 t fresh ground pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t paprika
1 T sugar

*Brown all meat, then add in all other ingredients.  Simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours.  The longer the better though!
*Serve over Frito's with shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced green onion and sliced jalapenos! YUM!

Italian Dinner

Tonight I decided to try my own thing, since it's been a while....FABULOUS!  You must try it. = )

I did Italian breaded pork chops and a spinach, artichoke, tomato & mozzarella bread pudding.  Both turned out really good! I REALLY wanted to make a pie, but am ATTEMPTING to watch what I eat until Thanksgiving...so.....that didn't happen.  Here are my recipes from dinner.  Enjoy!

Italian Breaded Pork Chops
2-4 thin pork chops, bone in
Italian bread crumbs
flour
Parmesan cheese (from a can)
vegetable or olive oil for pan frying
salt/pepper

*Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops.  Mix equal parts flour and breadcrumbs, adding in about 2-3 T. of the Parmesan cheese.  I do all this on a paper plate.  Dredge pork chops through mixture on both sides.  Heat oil to medium/high heat.  Once its nice and hot, place pork chops in, and cook on each side for about 2 minutes.

Spinach, Artichoke, Tomato & Mozzarella Bread Pudding
1 pkg. frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1 can quartered artichoke hearts (drained)
1/3 C finely diced onion (white or yellow)
1 container Cherub Tomatoes
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. fresh ground pepper
1 C heavy cream
1 C milk
2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C Parmesan or Italian blend cheese
1 french baguette, diced into 1 inch cubes


*butter a 2 quart corning ware dish.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place diced bread cubes in dish.  In a separate bowl mix together all the other ingredients, reserving 1 C of the mozzarella cheese.  Pour over bread, and mix together with your hands.  Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over top.  Place in center of oven, on a center rack.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

oh my!

Its been almost a MONTH?! I am so sorry....its been a little rough here.

I haven't done a lot of homemade cooking, but made a Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie I found on the Pillsbury site.  It was very good and easy!  I added garlic, no sage and next time will add slightly less celery. 

I also remade my Pumpkin Spice Cake and it was much better this go-round, but still not perfect.  I added 1/2 a can of pumpkin, NO pudding mix and only 1/3 cup of oil.  Next time I will do the whole can of pumpkin and maybe 1/2 cup oil and it should be perfect!

That is all for now.

Tomorrow I will be attempting Kalua Pig (a Hawaiian tradition), but in a slow cooker....not in a hole in my backyard. ; )