Chicken and Bacon Alfredo Casserole

Casseroles are one of my favorite dinners to make. They are usually pretty easy to put together, and when they are combined with a simple salad and warm bread, you have a delicious meal.

This chicken casserole has bacon in it, and makes it all the more yummy. Who doesn't love bacon, right??

I made this on a busy weeknight, and my family loved it. The recipe is simple, and while it was baking, I made a salad with red onions and Italian dressing. So good!!

Chicken and Bacon Alfredo Casserole

Ingredients:

6 strips bacon
2 1/2 cups uncooked penne, or tube shaped pasta
2 small skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 16 oz. jar alfredo sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup cooked green beans
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Fry the bacon until crisp, let drain on paper towels.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta as directed, drain, and place into a large bowl.
Add the bacon, chicken, green beans, green onion, alfredo sauce, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
Stir together until mixture is well combined. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
Put mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish, and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Serves 6.


Enjoy!!

Slam Dunk Dinner With DIGIORNO Stuffed Crust Pizza

Watching sports on TV has always been an activity that our whole family enjoys. With two sons, and two son-in-laws, you can bet there is some serious basketball games watching around here.

That calls for some serious eating too, and that's where DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Pizzas come in. We all love the great taste of DiGiorno, and the fact that we can pop as many as we need in the oven, and in 20 minutes or so, we have hot, delicious pizza without any fuss.

Since we lost our beloved basketball team here in Washington State, my family and I have been watching a lot more college games. And I have to say, I'm having a lot of fun following and cheering on our local Washington college team. Basketball is so fast paced, and exciting, that I don't want to miss a minute of it by being stuck in the kitchen.

I went to Walmart to pick up a couple of DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Pizzas because some of us were getting together to watch a game. The selection of different kinds of DiGiorno was amazing, and I always seem to pick the stuffed crust, because really, why wouldn't you??

All that super yummy cheese in the crust is irresistible to me. So I picked out a DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Buffalo-Style, and a Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers, and Onions pizza.
#CollectiveBias

Everyone in my family is a true pizza lover, and we love a good hearty pizza with several toppings, especially sausage.

The Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers and Onions was a big hit, and we sadly ran out pretty quickly. I didn't know how great this tasted, and you can bet we'll be stocking up on this.

So good!!

The Buffalo-Style Chicken pizza was fabulous tasting, too. Pizza with chicken is one of my personal favorites, and the sauce on this was tangy and flavorful.

Why spend time in the kitchen cooking, or spend all that money for delivery, when DiGiorno gives you delicious pizza so quickly, and at such a great price?

And it's so much easier to invite friends and family over to watch a game when you don't have to worry about what to serve to eat. We love being spontaneous, and it's so much fun to celebrate the season by having people over to watch the games with us.

My grandson Jayden is seven now, and he's become a big basketball fan. He loves watching it, and playing it with his friends at school.

While we were watching the game, he was showing me how good he is getting at dribbling the ball. All this while eating a piece of pizza, too!!

I like letting everyone choose the kind of pizza they want to put on their plate, so really all there is to do is just slice them. So easy, and good. My favorite way to entertain!!

Our team got beat, but we all still had a great time. Basketball season is a lot of fun, but really, for me, it's a chance to spend time with my family and good friends.

You can bet I'll be buying more of the DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Buffalo-Style Chicken, and Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers, and Onions pizzas on my next trip to Walmart.

These two kinds of pizzas are definitely my #NewFavorites, and I bet they'll be yours, too.

Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts

I've mentioned before that now I have a donut pan, donuts are super easy to make. No frying, no hot oil to deal with, and no messy stovetop from oil spills. Yay, and donuts just seem to make people happy, or at least the people I know.

These delicious, super chocolaty donuts have a chocolate glaze on them, and are then dipped in colorful sprinkles. They are fun, cheerful, and perfect to make and eat on a rainy Seattle day.


Recipe for Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze:
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
big pinch salt
4 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
multi-color sprinkles

For the glaze:

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a donut pan with a light coating of nonstick baking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar.
In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together until all of the ingredients are well combined. Use a small spoon to portion batter into the prepared doughnut baking pan.  Each doughnut mold should be about two-thirds full.  Bake doughnuts for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one of the doughnuts comes out clean.  Remove from the oven.  Allow to rest for five minutes before inverting doughnuts onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Allow doughnuts to cool completely before glazing.
Repeat the baking process until all of the batter is turned into doughnuts.
To make the glaze, in a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.  Add 2 tablespoons of milk and all of the vanilla extract.  Whisk to combine.  Mixture may be thick.  Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is thick but still pourable.
Dip each donut about halfway down into the chocolate glaze. Place on a wire rack, and then sprinkle on colored sprinkles in whatever heaviness you want.
Let the donuts sit for a few minutes to settle.

Makes 10 donuts.


Enjoy!!

Inspired by Joy The Baker

Making Chocolate Tarts With Delicious Milky Way Caramel Bites



I happen to be one of those people who are crazy about chocolate. I love chocolate anything, but a chocolate dessert is my absolute favorite. And a dessert made with chocolate and caramel candy? Yes, please!!

I just bought some cute little mini tart pans and have been thinking about making chocolate tarts for awhile now. Although I've made a couple of lemon tarts and other kinds, I've never tried making a chocolate one.

When I was shopping recently at Walmart, I made a trip down the candy aisle and found one of my favorite candies in the world, Milky Way.

But these were not regular candy bars, they were Milky Way Simply Caramel Bites. So cute, and the perfect snack size for myself and my grandchildren. I have been eating Milky Way candy bars since I was a kid, and I just frankly adore them.



 These are just so cute, and I decided to make my chocolate mini chocolate tarts with them as an ingredient.

 I can remember my own Mom using candy in her desserts, and they were always so delicious.

I try hard to be the best "Nana" I can be, and in my book, that includes providing yummy treats for my four grandchildren. I didn't doubt these little tarts would be a big hit with them.

I have to say that Walmart has a fabulous candy aisle, and it's pretty easy to find your favorites.

Not only did I find Milky Way Simply Caramel Bites, but Snickers and 3 Musketeers Bites, as well.

With three kinds to choose from, I can definitely #EatMoreBites in these kinds as well.
#CollectiveBias.

The thing that I have found about making tarts is that making the filling is the easy part. The hard part is getting a light and flaky tart crust. You don't want to mix the dough too much or it will end up being tough.

I wanted the Milky Way Simply Caramel bites to be inside the filling, and on top. You can never have too much of a good thing!!

I put some into my mini food processor and chopped them up so that they would blend easily into the chocolate filling and create a rich chocolate and caramel dessert. Then I used larger pies to go on top of the tarts, as a finishing touch.

Honestly, making tarts used to intimidate me. They seemed like such a fancy dessert, and I only ever ate them at a restaurant or someone's house that was an excellent cook.

But they really aren't that difficult to make, and I'm so happy I made these. Were they good?

Yeah, they were super good!! And I'm totally going back to Walmart and picking up more Bites, this time in not just the Milky Way Simply Caramel, but the Snickers and 3 Musketeers kind, too.

Here's my recipe for Chocolate Tarts With Milky Way Caramel Bites


Ingredients for Tart Shells:

 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

 Combine butter, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl and mix together with a hand mixer until smooth. Stir flour into butter mixture to make a smooth dough, but do not over mix.
Press dough into a 8 mini tart pans refrigerate  for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake tart shells until light and golden, 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven.

Ingredients for Filling:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup good quality baking cocoa
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons of butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup Milky Way Simply Caramel Bites, ground up in a food processor

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, boil and whisk for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Whisk in finely chopped chocolate and caramel bits. Refrigerate filling until chilled. Spoon into tart shells, and top with sliced Bites pieces.

I dusted the shells with powdered sugar before filling them, but this is completely optional.

Makes 8 tarts.



If you'd like to try Milky Way Simply Caramel Bites, or the two other available kinds, Walmart is offering two great money-saving coupons for you to use.

Receive $0.75 off when you buy (2) 2.83 oz. bags or $3.00 off when you buy (2) 6 oz. bags or larger

• $3.00 off 2 link:
• http://coupons.walmart.com/?cid=18153148
• $0.75 off 2 link:
• http://coupons.walmart.com/?cid=18153149

You can also join the #EatMoreBites Twitter Party on Friday, March 14, from 1:00-2:00 PM EST for a chance to win $550 in Walmart Gift Cards. 



Fighting dirt with Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle #MrCleanMorePower #sponsored

*This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Mr. Clean

Like most moms, cleaning is a part of my daily life. It seems I am cleaning something at some point all day long. Not all of the cleaning is down and dirty stuff, sometimes it is things like cleaning faces or simple spills. Those tasks are a simple swipe of a rag and we move on. But when our kitchen table is also used as an art table, getting rid of the stains and marks can be tough.

My children are in a marker phase, where to them, coloring and drawing with markers are way better than crayons. They don't always find and use the washable ones either (see above photo)! My 7 year old things that he needs a permanent marker, just to make sure it really sticks of course!

To clean our dining room/everything table I used Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle to wipe away all of the dirt, grime and marks. I filled up my bucket with water, added the liquid cleaner and went to work.

What I love about Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle is that with a squeeze of the bottle, when the exact amount needed was dispensed, it automatically stopped! No guessing needed. So simple. And look my table is looking shiny and clean! How about you, where does dirt and grime seem to live in your home?

Italian Sausage, Noodle, and Kale Soup

I seriously can't seem to stop making soup. I hadn't made it in years, and once I got started, my family loved it so much that I'm happily making it quite often.

It seems that the heartiness of those onions, carrots and garlic that are the beginnings of so many soups, are actually quite comforting on a cold winter day in the kitchen.

I could eat Italian sausage for breakfast, lunch and dinner, that's how much I love it. It's quite delicious in this soup, and the kale adds a healthy boost to it.

I shied away from kale for a long time, but now I'm a big, big fan. It adds texture and heartiness to so many dishes, and it is just so good for you.

Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I've made plenty of sugar cookies, but I've never made chocolate ones. These were a real winner with my grandchildren who said they tasted like brownies, and they would have eaten all of them if I had let them.

I think these are best when they are still warm from the oven, and paired with a cold glass of milk.

The recipe is easy, and the next time I make these, I'll double the recipe. I'm putting them on the list to make when I need a cookie that is fudgy, delicious, and quick to make.

Recipe for Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:


 Preheat oven to 350. Put the sugar in a  shallow dish and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until well mixed. Add the egg and egg yolk, and mix until combined. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder, and mix until just combined.
 Roll the dough into 20-24 balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll each ball in the sugar, then place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack.


Adapted from The Baker Upstairs


Enjoy!!

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

I don't know about you, but every time I eat enchiladas, they have meat in them. Either chicken or beef, and I do like them that way.

But I have been seeing so many people talk about how fabulous and delicious butternut squash is that I decided I would try it, along with black beans, in some enchiladas.

This recipe is now a favorite of mine, to make again and again. It is really good, hearty and filling, with a sweet tang from the squash. And it passed a huge test when my son-in-law the true enchilada lover, said it was great and asked for seconds.

Recipe for Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 cup red enchilada sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups butternut squash, cut into I/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 1/2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 cup water
10 regular or whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
4 tablespoons chopped green onion

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place 1/4 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add cubed butternut squash, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, water,  cilantro, cumin and chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

Place about a generous 1/3 cup filling in the center of each tortilla and roll, place on the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
Cover dish with foil and bake until heated through, and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
Top with green onions and serve.

Enjoy!!

Thomas & Friends Spills & Thrills DVD Review and Giveaway #sponsored

When you have four small grandchildren like I do, you start becoming familiar again with popular cartoons and their characters.

Thomas and Friends are some of their favorites, and it's always a fun time when the kids watch him.

It's all aboard for Spills and Thrills with Thomas and His Friends in this fun, new DVD. Bonus features include Biff Bash Bosh Game, Go Go Thomas! Karaoke Music Video, and Guess Who? Puzzles.
And introducing New Engine Porter!

Your kids or grandkids will enjoy this new addition to the fun filled Thomas &Friends DVDs.

We are giving away one copy of Thomas & Friends Spills & Thrills to one of our readers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Feb. 25, 2014 and ends on March 11, 2014 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

* I was provided a copy of this DVD for review. All opinions are my own.

Apple Cake Recipe From Smitten Kitchen

One of my very favorite food blogs is Smitten Kitchen. Deb Perelman is such an inspiration, and what I love about her recipes is that they are all completely doable, even for beginning cooks.

This recipe for an apple cake is from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Let me just say that I think this is the most delicious thing I have ever baked. This cake is so moist, so full of apple tasting goodness, and it will fill your whole house with the most wonderful scent.

It is now on my list of fall and winter favorite desserts to make. And it's certainly a dessert that would be welcome for a party or celebration of any kind.

Recipe for Smitten Kitchen Apple Cake

Ingredients:

Butter or nonstick spray for the pan
6 apples (2 1/2 - 3 pounds) McIntosh apples
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups plus 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Confectioners' sugar, to finish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch tube pan, or coat it with nonstick spray. Peel, core, and chop the apples into 1/2 - 3/4 inch chunks. Toss them with all of the cinnamon and the 5 tablespoons  granulated sugar, and set them aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, orange juice, and remaining 2 cups of granulated sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones, then scrape down the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Stir in the walnuts if you are using them.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread half the apple chunks over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples, and arrange the remaining apples on top.
Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean, then transfer to a cake rack to cool.
Cool completely before taking cake out of pan and place onto a serving platter. Dust with Confectioners' sugar and serve.

Serves 12-16

Enjoy!!

Giada De Laurentiis' Turkey, Kale, and Browm Rice Soup

I love eating vegetables. I love shopping for them too, and I can't wait until warmer weather, and the Farmer's Markets open up again.

Meanwhile, I have found this wonderfully delicious soup from Giada De Laurentiis' new book. Even if you are not a fan of kale, this delicious soup just might change your mind.

This soup is hearty, healthy, and a really lovely thing to make and eat on a cold winter day.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 to 6 large shallots, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 large red bell peppers cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups
• 8 ounces ground white turkey meat, broken into small chunks
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, drained
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped (about 4 packed cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, carrots and bell pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown and soften slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ground turkey and stir until the meat turns white and begins to color very slightly around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the herbes de Provence and stir, 1 minute. Add 4 cups broth, tomatoes and rice. Bring to a boil. Stir in the kale and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and Parmesan, if using, and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Enjoy!!