Cinnamon Sticky Buns

Sticky buns were one of my brother and I’s favorite things my mom would make us  while growing up. When my husband and I planned a trip up to the cabin I thought this would be the perfect breakfast to make for us and his family. Wow, was it a hit!!! Such a quick and easy recipe, and SO delicious.

Here are the ingredients:

2 small tubes refrigerator buttermilk

 biscuits OR 1 tube Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits 

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 C. pancake syrup 

1/3 C. packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 C. chopped pecans, optional

First spray fluted pan with non-stick spray. Combine the melted butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts.

 Place about half of the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan.

Next, sprinkle brown sugar mixture on top.  Lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping edges closely together to form a ring. 

Top with remaining syrup and sugar mixtures. 

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute in the pan, then invert onto a serving platter and enjoy!

 

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

Since pasta is my husband’s favorite dish I decided to combine all of his favorite spices, noodles, and chicken into one dish. I think if my husband could eat at one restaurant for the rest of his life it would be Buca di Beppo. Pasta pasta pasta!!! So since him and I were going out of town I thought we would splurge and have an all out carb-filled, spicy pasta dinner.

So here are the ingredients:

   1/4 cup oil

   1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper

   1/2 tsp salt

   1/2 tsp ground black pepper

   4 cloves of chopped garlic

    1/2 tsp organo

    2 medium size chicken breast, sliced

    3/4 cup. Basil garlic Marinara sauce

    3/4 cup garlic Alfredo sauce

    2 tsp butter

    1/4 cup peas

    1 lb Rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions

    Red pepper can be added for garnish….(our eyes were watering at the end of the meal,     but every bite was worth it!)

And here how the recipe goes:

In a med-large frying pan heat oil and garlic over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper and sauté. Once the garlic starts to turn a light brown and the crushed red pepper is mixed thoroughly into the oil add the sliced chicken, toss in the oil mixture, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Next, add the marinara and alfredo sauce and mix together. Stir frequently, allowing the sauce to thicken and chicken to cook thoroughly.

Turn off stove, add butter and peas and continue to stir.

Once sauce is mixed all together pour it over a large pot of pasta and stir, stir, stir!

Get a large glass of ice water and have it ready while you eat this spicy, yet delicious meal!

Cheesy Onion Bread

My favorite recipe yet! Probably the least healthy, but so delicious! Cheesy bread made in 20 minutes, doesn’t get much better…. There are so many different ways you can make this bread, some with pepper-jack cheese, adding garlic, different spices, etc. I tried to keep it as simple as possible….

Here are the ingredients:

-1 loaf of sourdough bread

-1/4 cup of chopped green onions

-16oz of Monterey Jack cheese

-2 tbsp poppy seeds

-1/2 cup of butter, melted

Here is the super simple recipe:

Carefully cut the sourdough bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom of the bread. Cutting the second way can be kind of difficult, but the bread is very forgiving.

Next, cut the cheese into thin pieces and start inserting into bread cuts. 

In a separate small container melt the butter, put in onions, and poppy seeds.

Drizzle over the bread, covering the ENTIRE thing.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bread on a foil sheet and wrap entirely until fully covered. Place in oven.

Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Unwrap the bread and put back in oven for 10 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.

Take out and start tearing apart!!!!

Peppered Bacon Wrapped Sour Cream Chicken

Although this meal did not end up being one that I loved, this chicken ended up being one of my husbands most favorite’s. And although I was nervous all day about leaving a crock-pot on, I came home to a wonderfully smelling home, and a full meal that took very little work.

 

Here are the ingredients:

6 bacon slices (I used peppered)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can of cream of mushroom soup (garlic, if you can find it)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup all purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cloves of minced garlic (if soup is not garlic)

So this is a fairly quick meal to prepare. First take chicken breasts and wrap them with 2 slices of bacon each.

Place all 3 chicken breasts side by side in crock-pot.

In a medium size bowl mix cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, flour, salt and pepper, and mince garlic.

Whisk all together until smooth and creamy.

Place over chicken breasts until all are completely covered. I chose to put a couple cloves of garlic on top of the sauce for a more garlicy taste.

 

Set the crock-pot on low (depending on if your crock-pot is new or old) and set for 7 hours. Mix the sauce once half-way in between the 7 hours, and give a good stir.

Take out chicken after 7 hours and pour sauce over and serve.

Homemade Cinnamon Banana Bread

So I can honestly say this is probably my most favorite recipe to make. My dear friend Kate gave me this recipe with all the dry ingredients in a jar for a bridal shower, and I haven’t stopped making it since. Being one of my dad and husband’s favorite foods, I have found there is so much more you can add to make the banana bread that much more delicious!

Here are the ingredients:

-4 to 5 ripe bananas

-1/3 cup melted butter

-3/4 cup sugar

-1 egg

-1 tsp vanilla

-1 tsp baking soda

-pinch of salt

-1 ½ cups (white or whole wheat) flour

-2 tbsp cinnamon

 

And now how to make the delicious recipe:

Having a kitchen aid on my wish-list I was kind of happy to see that this recipe called for no mixer. Just a large spoon (later used to try the batter)…

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

In a medium size bowl mash up the bananas and mix in the melted butter. One of my favorite kitchen tools is my masher that I found at Target for $1.97. I love good finds!

Mix in the baking soda and pinch of salt.

Next, add all other ingredients and use a fork to mix well.

Before you pour the batter into the loaf pan, butter the pan along the sides and bottom and next, flour the sides as well. Kind of sounds funny, but works better than anything I’ve ever tried.

Pour mixture into pan and bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

I sprinkled a little cinnamon and sugar on top as well, and it is something you should definitely try!

 

Next time I am making it I am going to try it with chocolate chips, yummmm!

Homemade Creamy Balsamic Dressing

So when my sister-in-law texted me to see if I could bring a balsamic dressing to a family get together the first thought that ran through my mind was, “sure I’ll just go buy one.” When she then suggested that I should just make one, I thought, what a great idea!! I love balsamic dressing and this was my chance to get it just how I want, as creamy and garlicy as I wished for!

Here are the ingredients:

-4 cloves BIG cloves of minced garlic

-3 ½  tbsp mayonnaise


-1 squeezed lemon

-1 tbsp Dijon mustard


-1 tbsp sugar


-2 tsp of any everyday seasoning
(I just really like Trader Joe’s)

- 1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar


-1 cup extra light olive oil

Here is the super easy recipe:

First mince the garlic and put into small mixing bowl. Next put in mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon.

Next, pour in the sugar, salt, and seasoning and WHISK away!

Once it is well whisked, mix in the balsamic vinegar.

Slowly, then whisk in the olive oil. I think I whisked it for up to 10 minutes, until it was all mixed and blended together.

 

Add more olive oil if it seems to be to salty.

I chose to pour mine into a mason jar, for transportation purposes. :)

Lastly, pour over any salad and enjoy a delicious creamy balsamic dressing!