New Recipes

I don't love to cook. I can, I do, and I will, but I don't love it. I do love a good party or entertaining friends. It is probably the only time I actually like cooking. Weird, I know. Any who, I slacked on the cooking while I was pregnant with Presley. Early in the pregnancy, I didn't feel well. Then I stayed pretty tired and just cooked the same old same old stuff. Then I felt miserable and hot, so cooking was the last thing on my mind. Then I was recovering from a c-section and people were bringing us meals.

Fortunately, now I feel great! I have been cooking dinner nearly every night. I noticed my food pinterest board had some 340 pins and I had tried, oh maybe, 5. I decided it was time to change that. Here are a few things I have tried over the past few weeks and the verdict.

The title will take directly to the recipe, not the pinterest site. The pics are from my pins.


1. Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps

 Adjustments: I made this as an entree, so I cut my chicken breast into thirds instead of cubes. I also didn't use a broiling pan, but a griddle type skillet that can go in the oven. I think you could just bake it, also.

Verdict: This was a good change to baked chicken. Brady LOVED it and asked for seconds AND thirds. I served it with simple cooked vegetables. It was also very simple and only needed a few ingredients.

2. Corn Casserole

 

Verdict: It was good if you like corn casserole. Caleb doesn't like corn, but he said he could tolerate this. Ha! This would make a good pot luck dish and is easy to keep the ingredients on hand! I don't know that I would label this as my favorite corn casserole ever. I am still searching for that, but it is good. :)

3. Buttermilk Ranch Cheese ball

Adjustments:  I didn't have any bacon or pecans, so I just left that out.

Verdict: I took this to a Kid devo. I thought it was too salty at first, but later tried it with a different cracker and it was much better. I think it was the cracker. I got several compliments. There was some left over and we ate it the next day as an appetizer for lunch and everyone seemed to enjoy it! It was super easy to make!!!

4. Southwest Chicken

Verdict: Super easy. There isn't a website associated with the pin, the directions are on the pin. This is also something that can be kept in stock and thrown together easily.I didn't plan on cooking it(meaning I didn't buy the ingredients at the store for this), but was looking for something I throw together and realized I had all the ingredients so I thought I would try it. We liked it! We ate it with tortillas at dinner and I just ate it plain for lunch the next day. I think it would make great enchiladas or over chips. Again, Super easy!!!

5. Mexican Lasagna

Verdict: This was not my favorite. Caleb liked it and it was ok, just not my favorite. I probably won't make it again. So, I am still on the hunt for a Mexican Lasagna I like. :)

I have made a few other new things, but I will save them for another post. Notice, I like simple, easy recipes. :) Let me know if you have tried any of these or if you have any good recipes to try.

Is Your House On Fire, Clark?

One night this week, I went to a cookie swap with my mom and sister. Brady tagged along, because Caleb was working late. This is a trend in our family if you haven't noticed. Caleb works so hard for us!!!

 Anyway...

If you remember from last year, I am not a cookie maker. If you don't remember, you can read about my experience here. 

So, you can imagine my horror when I am again invited to another cookie swap. I decided I was going to be fine, because this year I have pinterest of course and because I have a lot more time on my hands. I began to search for the perfect cookie. I found a couple, one I had most of the ingredients for on hand and one required going to the store. I will let you guess which one I went with. 

Here is the pinterest pic...

Here is the pic of my creation...

Not quite the same, but whatever.

They sliced really easy. Here they are sliced and before being baked.

They tasted fine. If I made this cookie again, I don't think I would swirl them. I think I would just do thumb print cookies. I added a little icing, because I felt like they needed something. The dough was really good, why does the dough always taste better?

Cookie swap was fun. If I am invited to one next year, I will do truffles or something like that. I am much more comfortable with that kind of stuff.

Caleb and Brady have really enjoyed tasting all the cookies. 

Pumpkin Muffins

Brady and I made these 2 ingredient muffins on Tuesday that are all over pinterest. He loves to help in the kitchen. This is what the recipe called for.

We added a few of our own ingredients; chocolate chips, cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and brown sugar on top.

 The muffins are completely gone so I guess they were good. Brady kept telling me while making them, "he didn't wike the orange stuff"(pumpkin). I just told him he did and to just try it. It turns out he loved the orange stuff.

He is a great helper. I have made pumpkin muffins before, but these were so so so easy. We will definitely be making these again. So easy and no oil or eggs required! 

Pizza Night

The other night, we made a homemade pizza for dinner. (I didn't make the crust from scratch like my sister did recently, I bought it homemade from Publix bakery. Close enough!)  

 I am trying to get him involved in the kitchen a little. I thought this would be a perfect meal to try it. So, I let Brady help put the toppings on the pizza.

He LOVED it and did so good!!!

We used pepperoni, mushrooms, freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, and some Italian seasoning I picked up in Charleston over the summer(which really adds a yummy flavor to my Italian dishes, just saying!).

I love this cheese grater from Pampered Chef! It is so easy. Brady could even do it! Check out his serious face above! Ha Ha!!

Brady was so proud and would say, "Paazza, I cook it!"

He would not look at the camera for anything. You can tell he is saying CHHHEEESSSEE!!, but would not look at the camera!

I am a huge advocate of getting kids in the kitchen to help. There are so many benefits to it. Brady is not a picky eater normally(so thankful), but has his moments like all kids.  If he helps make it though, he will eat just about anything! And it is usually a little healthier when you make it yourself. Win-Win!!!

Well, I hear some Just Dance in the living room, so I think I will go join in!!!

Happy Thursday!

The most wonderful time of the year!!!

December is in full swing here at the Barrett household. We have sooo much going on this month. Despite the craziness of it all, I really do love it and am so thankful for all our friends and family for inviting us to spend time with so many of them!!

BUT, it does bring craziness! For example, today I went to work all day, did some Christmas shopping, baked 2 casseroles, got Brady to bed, wrapped gifts, and did some laundry and light cleaning! Whoo! Like I said I am thankful, but a little crazy!

This weekend, my sister is having a girls night cookie/ornament swap! It should be so fun, but I am not much of a cookie baker! Hello, break and bake!

The point of a cookie swap is to bake home-made cookies and share the cookies and recipes. Seeing as I am not much of a cookie baker, I decided last night to do a test run of my cookies.  I am all about planning and prevent unnecessary disasters, so I was pretty pleased with my brilliant plan.

I was in the midst of baking my cookies, when I noticed something about letting the dough sit overnight in the refrigerator in the recipe.

This should have been my sign!

I didn't have time for that, after all if these didn't turn out I was going to have to bake a new cookie the next day and I work during the day!  So I let the dough sit in the fridge for about an hour.

After finishing the first batch of cookies, my wonderful husband walks in and says, "are these supposed to look like hamburger patties and A1 sauce?"

NO!!!! The are definitely not!!!

Had this happened Saturday before the party, I would have cried!

A LOT!

This should have been my second sign!

He procedes to tell me he thought it was like at Halloween when I make food look like something.

Nice!

I reminded him it was no longer Halloween and told him I am never cooking for him again! Well, until I make my next batch of trial cookies, anyway!

Upon tasting the cookies, we both decided that the cookies tasted like biscuits with chocolate gravy on top.

Not bad, but not good for cookies!!!

Needless to say, I will be trying another recipe later this week!

If they don't work, I am making break-n-bake and shaping them into reindeer.

(No wonder my husband seriously thought they were supposed to look like hamburgers!)

Merry Christmas!!!!