My kitchen...

Since I'm procrastinating on the stuff I'm doing for my job, I thought I'd take a minute to describe my kitchen for you.

A friend of mine recently ordered an AMAZING red Kitchen Aid mixer, of which I am highly jealous. Now, there is really no reason for me to be because I have my own KA. But, hers is RED!!! This shouldn't be a big deal, but you have to understand... my kitchen colors are red, white, and black. Our plates are black and white, our serving dishes and glassware are black and my appliances, well, they're red and white. I have a killer bright red toaster and this BEAUTIFUL bright red blender (see above!). So I'm envious of her red kitchen aid, AND her red collander. *sigh* Cooking envy....

Cheater's Dulce De Leche cheesecake

This is my dessert tonight, and it took all of 10 minutes to make... no baking!

You'll need:
1 premade graham cracker pie crust
1 container Philly cheesecake filling
1 jar caramel sauce

1. spread a thin layer of filling in crust (caution, crusts tend to be fragile)
2. pour a little caramel sauce onto filling, swirl through with toothpick.
3. repeat until you've used up the filling
4. top with a small swirl of caramel
5. cover and refridgerate.

Tips: let filling sit out for 2-3 mins. before using, as it is kind of thick

Substitutions: I'm a fan of hershey's sugar-free caramel sauce. Reduces the calories (or at least, makes it a little more guilt-free!)....

Serves 8

Supreme Lasagna

This became a "clean out the fridge" recipe, but it's so yummy!

You'll need:
1 large container ricotta cheese
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese (your preference)
1/4 cup parmisan cheese
1 egg
1 box lasagna noodles (I recommend the kind you don't have to cook first)
1 jar marinara sauce
1 lb ground beef
1/2 pkg frozen spinach
1/2 of each of the following: red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. brown the ground beef. Drain.
2. Mix cheeses and egg in a large bowl, set aside.
3. Coat the bottom of a large glass baking dish with sauce
4. lay 1st layer of noodles
5. coat noodles with sauce
6. coat noodles with cheese mixture (about 1/3 of the mix)
7. top with 1/3 peppers, beef, and spinach
8. repeat 2x, or until you run out of ingredients.
9. Top with a layer of noodles, a layer of sauce, and a layer of cheese
10. Bake lasagna for 30 mins., checking on it periodically. Noodles should be soft and cheese should bubble when it's finished.

Tips: serve with garlic bread and salad, finish with dulce de leche cheesecake (recipe above).

Substitutions: You can change the veggies for anything you like, but I highly recommend the above because of the unique flavorings they add to the dish.

Serves 8-10

Delish!

Easy beanless slow-cooker chilli

Hubby and I are making this one today. It's a creation of our own and it smells INCREDIBLE right now.

You'll Need:
1lb ground beef
McCormick chilli seasoning
2 cans diced tomatoes (we're using spicy ones)
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 of ea. of the following: red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic
minced onion (red or purple, your choice)

1. brown beef in a skillet. drain.
2. in slow cooker, mix tomatoes, sauce, and seasoning
3. add beef and stir, set crock pot to 4 hours (high)
4. mince 4 cloves garlic, add to pot
5. Let simmer for 2 hours.
6. After 2 hours, add chopped peppers and onion, stir
7. Let simmer 2 more hours. Enjoy!

serves approx. 4

Tips: Best served with bread on the side and cheddar cheese on top.

Substitutions: add a couple dashes of hot sauce to spice things up, or try adding green bell pepper if you prefer.

Note: you can add beans if you'd like, simply reduce the amount of peppers in the mix.

This stuff is perfect on a crisp fall evening!

Super Simple Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I love these, especially when it gets to be fall. Maybe it's b/c they're orange, like the leaves. But no matter the reason, these are pretty tasty!

You'll need:
1-2 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp butter, cut up
1/2 cup brown sugar
splash of milk

1. peel and cube the sweet potatoes.
2. boil sweet potatoes until soft
3. drain potatoes and return to pot (or bowl, if you'd like)
4. add all milk, butter, and brown sugar to potatoes
5. mash until desired consistency
6. Serve with or without mini-marshmallows on top (for a low cal version, skip the mallows!)

Subsitutions: use Splenda brown sugar in place of regular brown sugar

Best enjoyed on a cool fall evening.

(Almost) Classic Chicken Parm

This one's one of my favorites. I used to make it for my roomie in college, but now I make it for my ever-loving husband. (It works great for impressing the in-laws, too!) Luckily, it's so simple, but it's all in how you present it.

You'll need: boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 per person)
italian breadcrumbs (comes in a large canister, with the shake n bake at the store)
powdered parmisan cheese (the kind you sprinkle on spaghetti)
garlic powder
a large bowl or plastic storage bag
a glass baking dish
marinara sauce (any kind)
mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. mix crumbs, cheese, and garlic powder together (enough crumbs to cover the chicken) in bowl or plastic bag
3. Rinse chicken breasts, then coat in crumb mixture.
4. Put in pan and set timer for 45 minutes
5. After baking for 30 minutes, pull out chicken and cover each breast in sauce. Return to oven for 10 more minutes.
6. Final touch: in the last 5 minutes, add the cheese so that it will melt. Do not worry about skimping on the cheese.
7. When finished, serve with pasta in marinara, garlic bread, and a good green salad.

Helpful tip: If you're making the pasta side dish, start your water when there's 10 mins. left on your timer and it should be ready when you are!

Hubby and I enjoy this with a good white wine. Hope you will, too!

Welcome!

First ever post. I promise to bring some interesting recipes in the future. I've got some good ones!