Thai Chicken Pizza

I saw this post in Clean Simple Foodie yesterday (follow her!), and I had to try it last night. And oh.my.gosh. If you love all things Thai and peanut sauce, you will LOVE this! I admit...I thought the sauce sounded a little strange, but it was perfect! The combination of flavors was awesome, and my whole family devoured the pizza. I also used this dough recipe because I didn't have the Kodiak Power Cake Mix, but I want to try her dough recipe too! (Found here) Try it out!

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

1/4 C salsa

2 tsp honey

2 tsp lite, low sodium soy sauce

3 Tbsp. peanut butter

Toppings: (pick and choose what you like)

Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Chicken
Shredded carrots
Cilantro
Crushed Peanuts
Bean Sprouts
Red Onion

Directions:

Combine sauce ingredients and pour on baked crust.
Add favorite toppings, and broil on high for 2-3 minutes (or until cheese melts).

Super simple and so so yummy!

Enjoy! 

Spinach Salad

My husband and I recently had a salad similar to this one at a steakhouse, and we loved it so much that we had to try our hand at creating it at home. And it worked! Super simple and so yummy!

Ingredients:

Spinach

Chopped apples

Cooked and crumbled bacon

Craisins

Honey mustard dressing (we love Brianna's)

Blue cheese--optional

Directions:

Toss everything together and serve! You can use as much or as little of each ingredient as you'd like. Enjoy!

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

We have recently become lovers of sweet potatoes, and I find myself baking them for my family 2-3 times a week! We wanted to mix things up tonight, and if you love sweet potatoes (or even if you don't), then you will LOVE these! We honestly felt like we were eating dessert, and my husband suggested freezing them, topping them with whipped cream, and eating them that way. Who knows...we just might try it! ;)

Ingredients:

2 large OR 4 small sweet potatoes

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cube butter

Directions:

Scrub potatoes and poke all over with a fork. Place on tinfoil and bake at 400* for about an hour. Take it out of the oven and cut off the top 1/4 of the potato (length wise). Scoop out insides (leave enough around the edges to help your potato stand up) and mix with remaining ingredients--I did this in my blender. You could use a food processer, hand mixer, Ninja, whatever!--until smooth. Scoop mixture back into potato skins and bake at 400* for another 10-15 minutes. That's it!

These were honestly more like a dessert than a side. We all (kids included) LOVED them! Let us know if you do too!

Kara's Black Bean Dip

This recipe is straight from my sister-in-law (the one who named this blog), Kara. The family has been talking about it for months, and apparently it's a staple, but we have somehow been in the dark about it. Until today! I tried it tonight and it took my boring quesadilla to a whole new level! I dipped tortilla chips in it and snacked while I was cooking, I smothered my quesadilla with it, I fed it to my 3 year old with his avocado, and then I fed it to my baby with a spoon. Win, win, win, and win.

Ingredients:

1 can black beans (drained but not rinsed)

1/4 C salsa

1.5 tsp crushed garlic OR 2-3 cloves

Directions:

Blend ingredients until smooth in a blender, Magic Bullet, Baby Bullet, Ninja, or whatever blending device you have. So simple, so easy, so good, and good for you! Let us know if you try it?

Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

The only thing I know about football is that once a year there is a Super Bowl which means loads of good food. I tried this recipe this year, and they were a hit! Also, I did a good enough job arranging them on the plate that my guests from didn't know I'd already eaten half the pan before game time. Win win!

Ingredients:

3/4 C butter melted and cooled (I just stuck it in the freezer for a few minutes)

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C + 2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 C chocolate chips

11 oz caramels 

3 Tbsp milk or cream

1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Combine butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, blend. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Press half of the cookie dough into a Pammed 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle half of the chocolate chips on top of dough.

In a microwave safe bowl, cook caramel as and milk on high for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to microwave in 20 second intervals until caramel is melted. Pour caramel over dough. Sprinkle with half of the sea salt.

Stir the rest of the chocolate chips into the cookie dough, and drop by spoonful onto caramel as evenly as possible. Sprinkle with remaining sea salt.

Bake at 325* for 25 minutes (edges should be slightly golden brown).

Remove from oven and let cool before cutting.

I think these would be even more awesome if served with some vanilla ice cream. Yuum!

These were super easy and extremely delicious. Let is know what you think!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

I almost feel silly posting this because it is so simple it probably doesn't even qualify as a recipe. However, we've been making these every single day lately (sometimes twice a day!), so I figured I might as well share!

Ingredients:

4-6 oz milk or almond milk

1 banana

1 Tbsp peanut butter OR 2 Tbsp PB2

4-5 ice cubes

Handful of spinach (optional)

1 scoop vanilla protein (optional. We add this when we drink it post workout)

Blend in blender. That's it! We seriously cannot get enough of these!

Pizza Dough

We have started Friday night pizza night at our house, and I dare say it's maybe the best decision we've ever made! Sometimes we go out, sometimes we order in, and sometimes we make our own. No matter where or how we get it, we never miss a Friday pizza night!

When we do stay in, we use this quick, easy dough recipe, and it is always a hit! I have never been one to make breads or doughs, so I was a little intimidated, but this one couldn't be easier! 

Ingredients: 

1 Tbsp. Yeast

1.5 C warm water 

4 C flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

If you have a high powdered blender (I use my Blendtec), you can throw it all in there and hit the pulse button a few times until well mixed. You could also do it in a Kitchenaid. If you don't have a blender like this, mix together in a bowl (using a fork) until mixed, and then knead by hand If "kneaded." (Okay. That was bad ;)

Let sit for about 10 minutes, and then roll out onto a floured pizza stone or cookie sheet. I usually add a little more flour if it's sticky (probably about 1/4 C, but I really just add a little at a time until it doesn't stick). 

(We're clearly not too picky about the shape)

Poke with a fork (to avoid bubbles when cooking) and bake on 450* for 10-15 minutes or until edges are golden. 

Remove from oven and top with pizza sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings. Or, you can do our favorite and use BBQ sauce, cheese, chicken, and pineapple. 

Broil on high until cheese is melted and enjoy! Sorry for no after shot; we gobbled it up too quickly! 

Yum! So glad it's Friday! Happy pizza night! :)

Turkey Panini

Long ago, when we lived in an apartment in Orem, we had what we called dinner group with two of our neighbors. Every Tuesday, Kristen cooked, every Wednesday, Megan cooked, and every Thursday, I cooked. When it was our night to cook, we'd make enough food for all six adults, and then we'd send a text (or just yell out the door :) when it was ready. Everyone would take their plates, go pick up food, and go home to eat. It. Was. Heavenly. You got a good meal three nights a week, but you only had to cook and clean up once. Also, while we were dishing up our food we could chat, but then we could go home and eat with our husbands. Also, (I know...it just keeps getting better!) it expanded our repertoire of recipes! It was a sad day when we all moved away and dinner group ended.

ANYWAY, this recipe is a result of dinner group and comes from my cute friend, Megan. It is yummy and filling enough for dinner, or light and quick enough for lunch. You probably have everything you need already in your fridge, too. You really can't go wrong!

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread, pita bread, or tortilla (pictures)

2 slices deli turkey

4 THIN slices green apple (I'm sure any apple would do)

1-2 slices cheese

1 tsp mustard (or less, you just want a tiny hint of flavor)

Dusting of powdered sugar

Directions:

Assemble and place on panini maker or George Forman grill. If you don't have either, you could just do it in a frying pan, rotating so both sides are toasted.

Cook until bread/tortilla is toasted and cheese is melted. Dust with powdered sugar. 

I know this sounds random and somewhat bizarre, but the flavors combine so well and are just delicious. Let us know if you try it!

best EVER chocolate chip cookie

it seems like we're all always on the search for THE perfect chocolate chip cookie. am i right? i have looked high and low for years, and although i've found plenty i like, i've never had one that i absolutely-can't-live-without-gotta-have-more love. you know what i mean? until this. this recipe is the recipe. now, i'm sure everyone has their own IT recipe because we have different tastes, right? like, apparently some people like their cookies crunchy?? i'm not sure such a person exists; i know i've never met them! but i also know plenty of people who love a good, gooey, soft-on-the-inside cookie, and this is it!

recipe found here.

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 c. brown sugar 

1/4 c. granulated sugar 

1 egg 

2 tsp. vanilla extract (pure mexican vanilla will make these extra delicious! i use this brand as my secret weapon)

2 c. all purpose flour 

2 tsp. cornstarch (pretty sure this is the key ingredient!)

1 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. salt (i always think it seems like too much, but it's not! trust it!)

1 c. milk chocolate chips

• preheat oven to 350*

• cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and light in color (very important step! i tried just mixing until combined and my cookies were f l a t and not delicious. take the 2 minutes to get that stuff fluffy!) add egg and vanilla and blend in.

• next add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. mix until combined. stir in chocolate chips.

• using cookie scoop or spoon, drop golf-ball sized dough balls onto a pammed cookie sheet.

• bake for 7-9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges.  mine are perfect at 7 minutes. they won't look done, but if the edges are golden, they are! i promise!

• let cool

i promise you. you will not be disappointed!

Easy Peasy Queso

I had this yummy snack at school this month and couldn't wait to share it with my sisters! It is so easy and delicious! It's perfect for your next get together!

You will need:

1 lb. Velveeta

1 can diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro (We used Western Family)

1 can chili 

**Mix together and heat until cheese is melted or put in crock pot until heated through. 

**Serve with tortilla chips

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Zebra Popcorn

Still wondering what you're going to make for neighbor gifts this year? Feeling a little last-minute? Then you're in luck! And if you're more on top of it than some of us (ME), make a batch of this and keep it for yourself. And if you DO make it for your neighbors, still make a batch for yourself. I promise. It's irresistible! Even better is it's SUPER easy. You'll love it!

Ingredients:

10ish C popped popcorn (scant 1/2 C unpopped)

6 oz milk chocolate (I used Ghiradelli chcolate chips)

6 oz white chocolate or almond bark

1 cube butter

1 C brown sugar

1/2 C Karo syrup

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

Pop popcorn with air popper. Transfer to a new bowl to ensure the unpopped kernels are left behind.

In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add corn syrup and brown sugar and cook until boiling, stirring constantly. Once boiling, cook for 2.5 minutes while stirring constantly. Add vanilla and baking soda, stir, and pour over popcorn. Stir until popcorn is coated evenly.

Transfer caramel popcorn to a Pammed  cookie sheet, and bake at 250* for 30 minutes, stirring every 10.

After popcorn has cooked, transfer to wax paper, parchment paper, or brown packing paper (what I did). You could also just divide it onto a couple cookie sheets. Spread out evenly and let cool 5-10 minutes.

Melt milk chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir. Continue melting at 10 second intervals intil chocolate is melted. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn evenly (but a big blob of chocolate every now and then is good too ;)

Repeat process with white chocolate.

Let popcorn sit for at least an hour while chocolate cools and hardens. Then, enjoy!

I put mine in these cute boxes I found at the dollar store and delivered them to my neighbors :)

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Cheesy Broccoli Soup

There are some who like cream of broccoli soup with cheese in it, and there are some who like cheesy soup with broccoli in it ;) We are the latter! I have never been successful at making broccoli soup, but this recipe was easy peasy and delicious! Let us know if you try it!

I halved this recipe and it was enough to feed three adults and leave a bowl of leftovers :)

Ingredients:

• 2 cubes butter
• 1 C flour
• 8 C water and 8 tsp. chicken bouillon OR 8 C chicken broth
• 1/2-1 lb Velveeta cheese
• 1 large bunch broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 pt. whipping cream
• Diced onion
• 1 C diced celery (optional) 

Directions:

1. Melt butter, add onion and celery (if used), and cook 5-10 minutes until onion and celery are soft.
2. Add flour and mix well.
3. Slowly add chicken broth and heat through. 
4. Add broccoli and simmer 30 minutes. 
5. Add cheese, stir until melted, add cream, and heat through. 

Chicken Fajita Soup

On Sunday Six Sisters Stuff had this recipe on their blog and it just so happened that I hadn't been shopping for Sunday dinner, nor had I planned what I would be making when I saw this. I had everything I needed and it was a huge hit with my family!! Tis the season for warm, yummy soup!!

You will need:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup salsa
2 cups corn (frozen or canned)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. dried cilantro (optional)
Toppings (if desired)

**Spray crock pot with Pam and put the chicken on the bottom.
**In a separate bowl, mix together cream of chicken soup, salsa, corn, black beans, water, cumin, and cilantro. Pour over chicken in crock pot. 

**Cook on low for 4-6 hours (or high for 2-3 hours). 

**You can remove chicken and shred using 2 forks. (I just shredded it while still in the crock pot with the soup mixture because I'm lazy like that.)

**If you took the chicken out to shred it, put it back in. 

**Serve with shredded cheese, avocados, tomatoes, sour cream, tortilla chips, etc!

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

If you are a reader of Our Best Bites, you might already be familiar with this recipe. I LOVE me some yummy Alfredo sauce, so this does the trick without the same amount of calories and fat--if you're counting. :)

(Recipe found here)

You will need:

2 C low-fat milk (I use skim)
1/3 low fat cream cheese
2-3 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. butter
3 garlic cloves
1 C grated Parmesan cheese

**Put milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. 

** In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic, sautee for about 30 seconds.

**Add milk mixture to the pan--stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be thickening up. **When it’s thickened remove the pan from the heat. 

**Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. 

**Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using.

**It will continue to thicken upon standing. 

**Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.  

YUM!

Best-Ever Potatoes

So.  This is sort of random.  Every day I receive about five different recipe emails from various websites.  More than half the time I look at the name/ingredients and think, "Ew.  That sounds just teeeeerrible."  But once in a while I find one that looks easy/yummy/interesting and I print it out.  This is one of those recipes.  It is a little on the spicy side so you may want to adjust the pepper jack - cheddar cheese ratio if you don't like spicy.  Here's the details.

BEST-EVER POTATOES

 



7   cups coarsely chopped small red potatoes

Potatoes 1 lb For $2.00
Red
thru 2013-10-27

Bigg's

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Potatoes 3 For $5.00
Red
Klondike Rose or Goldust Express Baby Potatoes, 1-lb. Bag Microwavable MIX & MATCH, Loyalty Card Required
thru 2013-10-30

Marsh

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1   cup chopped onion

1  8  ounce carton dairy sour cream

1   cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1   cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese 

1/2  teaspoon salt

1/4 - 1/2  teaspoon ground pepper

2   medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

 

In a large saucepan cook potatoes and chopped onion, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender; drain. Stir in sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, salt, and red pepper. Stir in chopped tomatoes. Spoon into a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven about 30 minutes or until heated through.

 

Give it a try!!  I swear you will love this!

Cream Cheese Stuffed Pumpkin Cookies

If you are a fan of pumpkin this fall season, and/or a fan of our Pumpkin Cake Roll, you will probably love this yummy little treat! This was another one of those Facebook recipes that my friends were sharing so it would be pinned to their walls. I must say, these did not disappoint!

     
Cookies:

•  3 cups flour 
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil 
• 1 - 15 oz. can of pumpkin 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

 **Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

**Beat together brown sugar, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla. 

**In a separate bowl, shift together the dry ingredients. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

**Drop by teaspoon onto a Pammed baking sheet

** Bake for 11 minutes and cool on a rack. 

  

Cream Cheese Filling 

• 1 - 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened 1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 1 - 16 oz. package of powdered sugar 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of cinnamon--to taste

**Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Frost flat side of half the pies and top with another piece!

YUM!!!

Banana Bread

We are all in love with my Aunt Di's banana bread she brings camping and to our Girls' Weekend. Mindy and I have both tried it out at home and our families have helped us devour it too! If you like banana bread, this is a great recipe to try!!

4 medium bananas

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 C flour

1 tsp. salt

**Mash bananas with potato masher until lumps are gone. 

**Dissolve soda in 2 Tbs. of hot water. **Add soda to bananas and mix well. **Mix all remaining ingredients into bananas. 

**Pour into greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

(I actually did mine in 2 medium sized loaf pans--rather than a square pan like the recipe originally said--and they took more like 45 minutes. Mindy did one big loaf pan and I think she said it took more like an hour to bake.)

White Chicken Enchiladas

This here was one of those recipes floating around on Facebook that I just knew I had to try! I was NOT disappointed and hope you won't be either!!

(Recipe from here: http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3043084-White-Chicken-Enchiladas?full_recipe=true)

• You will need:
• 10 soft taco shells
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles. 

DIRECTIONS

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
• 2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan. 
• 3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
• 4. Stir in sour cream and chilies, but don't boil it!
• 5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
• 6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

Chicken Tortilla Stack

Anyone else out there wondered if this blog was still alive? All of the Howe sisters are alive and well, just busy as little bees!  But, today I bring a new post to you containing a simple and delicious meal that even my PICKY kids ate {insert jaw drop}! Pretty delicious if you ask me.

Original recipe and picture from this website.

You will need:

• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 9-inch flour tortillas
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I cooked mine and shredded it in the    
•           KitchenAid--GENIUS, I tell ya!!)
• 6 green onions, sliced (optional)
• shredded lettuce, tomatoes, diced avocados or guacamole, additional sour cream, or anything else you would like to put on top!

Instructions:

• **Spray a 9-inch spring-form pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• **Combine the sour cream, hot sauce and seasoning salt in a small bowl.
• **Combine all 3 cheeses in another bowl.
• I**In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Using one tortilla at a time, add to the hot oil to crisp up, flipping over when the first side gets lightly brown. Continue with the remaining tortillas, add more oil as needed.
• 
  
• **In pan, place 1 tortilla  and spread on some of the sour cream mixture, followed by a layer of chicken, green onions (opt.), and some of the cheese mixture. Add another tortilla, sour cream, chicken, green onions and cheese. Repeat 2 more times, then lay the remaining tortilla on top. Spread with the remaining sour cream mixture and top with the remaining cheese. 
• **Cover with tinfoil.
• **Bake at 400 until the cheese is melted and the stack is heated through, about 30 minutes. I then removed the tinfoil and put it back in the oven for a few minutes to brown the top a little bit.  
• **Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes for easier slicing. 
• **Top with the remaining green onions, lettuce, tomato, avocados (or guacamole!) and more sour cream, if desired.