Ham and Swiss Mac ‘n Cheese
One of my all-time favorite hot sandwiches is a Ham ‘n Swiss. I’m not really sure what it is about that combination, or if it’s the fact that melted Swiss alone is good enough to make your knees buckle. Maybe this combination is why I love every variation of Chicken Cordon Bleu, whether it’s traditional or a cassserole. (more…)
Fajita Wraps with Queso Sauce
Before the pandemic hit, our family loved going to our favorite local Mexican restaurant. We’d load up on three pounds of chips and queso while Mommy thoroughly enjoyed her Margarita. That’s me, I’m the Mommy. The kids got their quesadillas and tacos, while hubby and I split the Fajitas…which is where this recipe got its inspiration. (more…)
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Every year for my husband’s birthday, he asks his mom to make his favorite cake that she’s made since his childhood. Nope, NOT Chocolate Mousse Cake. Wait, what? Okay, so his favorite cake is a sponge cake layered with chocolate whipped cream as an icing. It’s simple, it’s light, it’s his absolute favorite. Last time Mimi made the cake, we talked about what it would be like with chocolate layers instead of the angel food cake. Our daughter’s eyes widened when we talked about layering that chocolate whipped cream icing with chocolate cake (her favorite), so I hopped to it. It sounded delicious. (more…)
Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Cupcakes
Have you ever had a moment in a grocery store where you just stood in awe? That’s what happened when I came across the Bailey’s Irish Cream Baking Chips while I ran into a local grocery store. Is this real? What can I use them to make? Is there a unicorn that’s going to jump out when I grab them off the shelf? (more…)
The BEST Creamed Corn
It seems like everyone says their recipe is the best, and they’re right. Everyone is different and has their own special brand of crazy, so I’m here with my special brand of crazy to tell you that THIS is the best creamed corn. Well, at least our family thinks it is, so that’s what matters to us. But hey, when your kids go out of their way to get second helpings, I’d say that’s a winner in my book. (more…)
Espresso Brownies
I had another one of those brainstorming moments while cruising through the baking aisle at Wal-Mart. They have a large variety of different types of chocolate chips, so while looking through the different options, the Espresso chocolate chips jumped out at me. As I stood there thinking about the combination of chocolate and coffee, I may or may not have started to salivate at the thought of throwing them into a batch of chewy fudge brownies made with coffee and coffee extract, topping them with a coffee liquor-infused chocolate ganache. “YES!!” I cried and grabbed several bags, throwing them into my cart along with boxes of brownie mix. (more…)
Sneaky Mashed Potatoes (with hidden cauliflower)
Do you have any trouble getting your family to eat their vegetables? Have you ever wondered what you can do in order to persuade them to eat more vegetables? It’s easy!
Trick them. (more…)
Gourmet Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese
My hubby isn’t really a big foodie at all, so when he brings up a certain dish he loves it’s a bit of an ordeal. When going out to eat with another couple, we started talking about the freezer meals I made several years ago when starting my business. Hubby piped in and brought up the Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese that I make, and I looked at him with shock as he talked about how incredible it was and how much he liked it. Wait, what’s happening here? Is that the alcohol talking? Then again, he doesn’t bring something up if he doesn’t mean it. And let’s be real here, is it even possible to avoid being honest after having a couple of drinks? Highly unlikely. (more…)
Tomato Bisque
If you’ve ever watched the show Seinfeld, then you’ll understand why a lot of times any kind of soup makes me think of that show. Whether it’s Elaine talking about how she mentioned the Bisque or the Soup Nazi yelling, “NO SOUP FOR YOU!” it’s easy to stick in the brain when it comes to soup. Our first class in culinary school was Stocks, Sauces, and Soups, and it was one of my favorites. The only time I ever thought of tomato soup was that canned stuff I remember as a kid, and wasn’t hooked on it. (more…)
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Layer Cake
If you think the title of this cake is a mouthful, just wait until you sink your teeth into it. Since Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, I went rummaging through some pictures of desserts I’ve made. Chocolate, Red Velvet, Strawberry…all of them popped into my mind when thinking of a great Valentine’s Day dessert. Then, I remembered this one. (more…)
Chicken Croquettes
When I first saw Chicken Croquettes, I thought What in the world is that?? My interpretation of Chicken Croquettes is the combination of Crab Cakes and Chicken Patties. I’m slightly sensitive to gluten, so I wanted to make a gluten-free version of them not only for myself, but for anyone else looking for this option. I’ve used Pork Panko to make Meatloaf and it turned out fantastic, so I decided to use them in this recipe to see how they would turn out. (more…)
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies
While nosing around in the pantry one afternoon looking at ingredients, I came across some white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. Ohhh, I LOVE that combination, let’s make something with those, I thought. Ever since I made my husband a batch of the Butterscotch Brownies, I wanted to experiment with other flavors melting the chips with butter and incorporating them into the batter. Well, here was the perfect opportunity. (more…)