Hash Brown Baskets

This dish is so easy to make, perfect for those lazy weekend mornings or as a casual dinner. Sometimes it is fun to have breakfast for dinner, my family always loves it. I always serve this dish with a big fruit salad.

Ingredients

20 ounce bag of thawed hash browns

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Pam

Salt and pepper to taste

12 medium eggs

Directions

In a large serving bowl mix together the hash browns, olive oil, 1/3 cup of grated cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper. Spray a muffin tin well with Pam, press your hash brown mix into each well, making a nest. Bake at 425˙for 20 minuted or until golden brown. Lower the oven to 350˙crack a medium egg into each hash brown nest. Top with the rest of the grated cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes. Gently slide a knife along the edges and gently lift the baskets up with a fork. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

We Have a Winner!!

Thank you to everyone who played along with this yummy birthday giveaway! I loved reading all of your comments. I will be having more delicious treats to give away in the near future so stay tuned! :)

Now for the winner of our Delicious Birthday Giveaway... Ashley Nguyen Newell

Congrats Ashley, I hope to meet you one day too!! :D Email me your mailing information and I will ship your goodies off to you!

Hugs,

A Birthday Giveaway!

Today is my birthday, and I was taught at a very young age that it is always better to give than to receive.

I want to give you all a chance to win this fabulous apron, every cook needs at least one.

All that is required of you is to leave a sweet comment, in the comments section at the bottom of this post. You may leave as many comments as you would like, increasing your chances of winning. :)

Also I would be honored if you all started following my blog. Just click on the "join this site" button, on the right hand side of my blog, and you are set. I will randomly choose a winner Tuesday, August 30th, Good Luck!

I am also giving away a scrappy prize on my crafty blog,

A Day in the Life of the Paper Poppy!!

Enjoy!

Greek Salad

I LOVE salads and I LOVE noodles, so the perfect match for me is Noodles & Company. Noodles makes a great greek salad called the Med Salad. I dream about this dish, so I had to recreate it at home. The best part about this salad is the dressing, I love the kick it has. Thanks Noodles & Company for the inspiration.

Ingredients

1 cup of cavatappi pasta (my favorite pasta)

1 cucumber, chopped with skin

5 cups of romain and spring mix lettuce

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1 cup of kalamata olives

1/2 of red onion, finely sliced

1 cup of feta cheese

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, pounded slightly

1 cup of pre-made balsamic vinaigrette

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 of a fresh lemon, squeezed

1 to 2 tsp. Srirach (red chili sauce)

1/2 cup of crumbled feta

1 clove of garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

First place your chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag and pound them slightly, with a meat tenderizer. Add your cup of purchased balsamic vinaigrette to your chicken. Seal the ziplock and place in the referigerator to marinade for at least 2 hours. When chicken is done marinading, grill until your chicken is completely cooked, set aside to cool.

Second boil water to cook your cavatapi pasta. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, you want your pasta to be chewy. When the pasta is done cooking, drain and set aside to cool.

While your chicken and pasta are cooling, Make your salad dressing by, mixing your yogurt, lemon juice, and minced garlic. In a fine stream slowly pour in your olive oil while constantly whisking. Next whisk in your sriracha sauce. Fold your crumbled feta into the dressing. Season the dressing with salt and paper.

Next seed and chop your tomato and cucumber, dice your red onion. Wash your lettuce and chop.

Assemble your salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, olives, and noodles. Top with your grilled chicken, feta, and your homemade dressing!

Enjoy!

Tropical Chicken Salad

This salad is light, and tasty with so many fresh flavors. The fresh mango is a must in this salad, it's so sweet and tropical. Also, do not be scared by the red chili sauce it just gives a hint of heat, balancing out all of the yummy sweetness going on. I like making this salad on those really hot summer days, when cooking just seems like a burden. This salad also makes a fantastic lunch.

Ingredients

1 large package of baby field greens

1 avocado, diced

2 cups of ripe mango, diced

1 small jicama, diced

1/2 cup of unsweetened shaved coconut, toasted

1 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded slightly

3 Tbs. of mango or apricot preserve

1 Tbs. Sriracha (red chili sauce)

1/2 cup of olive oil

salt and pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions

Place your chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag, slightly pound your chicken with a heavy meat tenderizer, set aside. In a medium bowl add your mango or apricot preserve, sriracha, and olive oil. Mix throughly and pour over chicken in the zip lock bag. Let your chicken marinade for at least 2 hours or over night. (sometimes I reserve just a little bit of this sauce and baste my chicken with it while cooking) After your chicken has marinaded, grill your chicken until throughly cooked. When cooled dice into strips.

Dice your avocado, and jicama, set aside. On a cookie sheet spread out your coconut and bake at 350˙bake until golden brown. This only takes about 2 minutes. When finished assemble your salad. I serve this salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

My Kitchen

Here is the entry into my kitchen, with one of my kitties, Guy.

I love my center island with a third deep sink.

Lots of cub bard space, makes me happy. :)

My Viking gas stove, swoon. Yes, that pasta pot faucet above the stove is functional and very useful:)

A double oven is so helpful.

Our eating area, I love to sit in my long back chairs with a cup of coffee in the mornings.

My very favorite special feature, one item that I could never live without... a hot water faucet, perfect for a cup of tea. :)

I am one of "those" people who loves to look at other peoples kitchens. I look at appliances first followed by the layout and then I hunt out the small details that make the kitchen special. Here is a peek at my special space, where all my experimenting happens. I adore my kitchen, I feel that it is cozy, functional, and it even has a few of those special features.

Enjoy!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This is one yummy, fast, and easy asian dish. It's fresh and light and my family loves it, I guess that is what really matters... pleasing the family. This dish is also perfect for a fast appetizer for a party or a spicy date night. Who ever is your company these unique yummy wraps are a pleaser.

Ingredients

16 Boston Bibb or Butter Lettuce leaves

1 pound of ground or finely diced chicken

2 Tbs. sesame oil, divided

1 large white onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1/4 cup Hoisin sauce

1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

2 tsp. fresh minced ginger

1 Tbs. Siricha (red chili sauce)

1 8oz can of water chestnut, drained and finely chopped

3 green onions, sliced

Directions

Rinse your whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, set aside. In a large skillet or wok over med high heat cook chicken in sesame oil until golden brown, 3 to 5 min. Take chicken out of skillet and set aside. Cook the onion in the same pan over med high heat until it starts to carmelize. Add garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice wine vinegar, and chili sauce. Stir in water chestnuts, green onions and sesame oil. Cook for 2 minutes until sauce thicken a little. Add the cooked chicken back to the sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes and serve. Wrap the meat mixture in the crisp lettuce leaves.

Enjoy!

Creamy Mac & Cheese

I will admit, I am a macaroni and cheese addict. What could be better than, warm pasta and cheese. Here is a fast yummy mac & cheese recipe that is rich, creamy and will for sure put a fix to that craving.

Ingredients

8 oz. of elbow macaroni

1 cup of 2% milk

2 Tbs. of flour

1 tsp. dry mustard

Cayenne to taste

2 cups of extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your macaroni and cook till al dente. Drain well.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat mix together milk, flour, mustard, and cayenne, stirring constantly until thickened. Add the cheeses and stir until melted. Add your pasta to the cheese sauce, stir. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!