I'm so happy I discovered you

Sweet and Salty Wraps
(from ourbestbites.com)

• fresh baby spinach, chopped
• cooked chicken (I put mine in the crockpot with some poppyseed dressing)
• feta cheese (I discovered this this year and love it!)
• crumbled cooked bacon (optional- I don't like bacon and skipped this, but imagine it could be good)
• craisins ( I skipped this too because I wasn't feelin' it but maybe next time)
• poppy seed dressing (you can use Brianna's or the recipe below which is easy and great!!)
• tortillas (I like the uncooked kind you cook at home but any you like will do!)

Combine all ingredients, place in tortilla, roll up and devour!  All the kids loved these, and this is my dream dinner!  Quick, easy, painless....yummy.  The saltiness of the feta goes excellently with the sweet dressing.  YUM.  We liked to dip them in additional dressing.  

Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe from Our Best Bites


1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. mustard
1 green onion, ends removed (I used about 1/4 cup yellow onion because that is what I had)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over leafy greens.

Poppy Seed Chicken Pasta Feta Salad
(a salad version of the above recipe)

• 16 ounces pasta- try the mini-size bowties!
• grilled or cooked chicken, chopped
• feta cheese, as much as you like
• chopped fresh spinach
• poppy seed dressing, about 1 cup or as much as desired

1. Combine all ingredients and enjoy!  Delicious.

S'mores bars- addicting and delicious

S’Mores Bars

(from realmomkitchen.com originally from cookingwithmykid.com) 

• 1 stick of butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 king-sized Hershey’s milk chocolate bars
• 1 large egg
• 1 jar marshmallow creme/fluff
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (~7 full-sized graham cracker sheets, processed til fine)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan (I line my pan with foil or parchment paper for easy removal and cutting). Use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile,whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until combined.
3. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side. (I used one because it was all I had and it worked fine).
5. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff until all covered.
6. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff.  (I used my hands to stretch it out as well as I could to cover the whole thing).
7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned. Be sure to cool completely before cutting into bars. Makes 16 squares. 
   
   
   
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      1. Now, I knew these would be tasty but I didn't know just how good they'd be until I made them!  How fun are they, with those layers and gooeyness??  Delectable.  
         
         1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1.  

Fantastic grilled chicken! Try today!!

Grilled Chicken Cola Marinade

(from realmomkitchen.com)

• 2  c. (16 oz) Coke or Pepsi
• 1/3 c. soy sauce
• 1 T minced garlic (I just threw in some garlic powder)
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T lime juice
• 6 chicken breasts (we like ours cut in smaller pieces- faster to cook evenly all the way through)

1. Combine all ingredients but the chicken in a medium sized bowl. Stir to incorporate well.

2. Add chicken to marinade and refrigerate for 4-24 hrs.  (I did about 6 and it was awesome!)

3. Discard marinade and grill until cooked through. (We cook ours over low heat about 20 minutes).

This chicken was so good!  My dad always makes the manti bbq chicken with soy sauce and sprite, and we love that recipe too, but this one is great in its own form.  Try it!

Crab Pasta Salad- YUM

Crab Pasta Salad
(allrecipes.com)

• 2 cups uncooked medium shell pasta
• 1 1/2 cups imitation crabmeat, chopped
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper
• 1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

DRESSING:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup creamy Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl. Stir in crab, broccoli, green pepper, tomatoes and onions.
2. Combining dressing ingredients; pour over salad and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving.

I didn't have "Creamy Italian" dressing so I used the following easy recipe to make some. it was great!


 Creamy Italian Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 small onion
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:


In a blender or food processor, combine mayonnaise, onion, vinegar, and sugar. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.


This was a great summer salad!  Even Russell, who professes to hate imitation crab, ate this happily and enjoyed it thoroughly!  I loved this dressing too.  A keeper!  Hurray for quick summer salads on hot days!

I love fudgey brownies

Caramel Sea Salt Brownies

• 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, or if using semi-sweet chocolate, decrease sugar by 1/4 cup
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce (see below for recipe) or use Hershey's caramel syrup, like me! Worked out great!
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, preferably fleur de sel

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease an 8 x 8 square pan. Line with parchment if desired.
2. Melt butter. Once melted, add chocolate; stir until melted.
3. With hand or stand mixer, whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together until fluffy and light in color; add chocolate mixture; mix until combined; fold in flour.
4. Pour half the batter into pan; smooth top; pour half the caramel sauce over mixture; smooth evenly; pour remaining batter over caramel; smooth top again. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce over top, in one continuous zig-zag pattern. Turn pan 90 degrees; with toothpick, drag tip through top caramel and batter layer making same zig-zag pattern.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, turn pan and bake for 15 minutes more.
6. Remove from oven and sprinkle sea salt on top. When cool, cut into squares or bars. Enjoy!

**Caramel Sauce**

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Pour sugar into heavy skillet and caramelize over low heat; constantly stirring until it has completely melted and is light brown in color.
2. Remove from heat and very slowly stir in hot water. Don't worry if sugar clumps, it will melt again when you reheat the mixture.
3. Return the pan to medium heat; stirring to melt sugar clumps. Mixture will begin to boil.
4. Continue boiling until mixture thickens and the boil isn't as rapid. Remove from heat; add butter, salt and vanilla. Strain if there are remaining sugar clumps.

Yield: 1 cup

I loved these. It's been so long since I've had fudgey brownies. I usually just make the other ones I have here on my blog, the Hershey brownies using cocoa that are more thick and crumby. These are awesome! The salt added just a little contrast of flavor salt-sweet which I liked, but barely noticed. A little sticky, yes. I will try the caramel sauce one day, but I didn't feel like spending time over a hot stove, and caramel syrup rocks. I didn't measure it either, I just poured as much as I thought would be good. You could melt Kraft caramels too if you wanted. A keeper!

A decadent cheesecake

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Yields 8 servings

(from cookingclassy.com)

Ingredients:

1 store-bought pre-made oreo crust (save the lid)

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/3 cup cold water

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

12 oz. cream cheese (1 1/2 pkg.), softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

6 oz. white chocolate, chopped or 1 cup white chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (I skipped- just melted the chips alone)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 Tbsp granulated sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Stir in cold water and add raspberries. Cook over medium heat whisking often, until raspberries break down and sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and force sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove seeds, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in egg and egg white. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Set mixture aside.

Melt white chocolate with cream in a double boiler until melted and smooth, or melt in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Add melted chocolate mixture to cream cheese mixture and blend until smooth.

Pour 2/3 cup cheesecake mixture into the oreo crust and spread evenly over bottom. Drizzle or spoon with 2 Tbsp raspberry sauce. Slowly ladle remaining cheesecake mixture over the drizzled raspberry sauce, covering all the raspberry sauce (you just don't want it to show through). Swirl cheesecake with a toothpick or knife (your just swirling that inside layer of sauce for now, be careful not to let the sauce show through). Carefully giggle the pan to even out the top. Now, fill a clean medicine syringe with raspberry sauce and begin to pipe small circles in a swirl pattern over cheesecake. Take a toothpick or sharp pointy knife and beginning with the center circle, run the toothpick through the center of each heart (don't lift the toothpick out until you finish the last circle).

Bake cheesecake for 40 minutes, then turn oven off and leave cheesecake in the oven for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cover with saved lid and refrigerate until fully set about 6 hours. Top slices with remaining raspberry sauce and optional sweetened whipped cream (for extra indulgence =).

Well, I love all kinds of cheesecake but this is extraordinary! Seriously! I did the shortcut of using seedless raspberry jam instead of the frozen raspberries. It worked pretty well and was delicious, but I might want to try the real raspberries next time. The white chocolate adds to the taste in a very good way! A very impressive cheesecake, restaurant quality!  I doubled this and baked for about an hour.  Just the center should be slightly jiggly.  It will firm up.

Bring on the summer salads!

Chicken and Craisin Salad

• 16 oz. bag bow tie pasta, or pasta of choice
• 2-3 chicken breasts~cooked, cooled & cubed (I used half a rotisserie chicken)
• 1/2 c. craisins
• 1 c. red grapes
• 3-4 green onions, chopped
• 1 c. chopped broccoli
• 3/4 c. sunflower seeds (optional)

creamy dressing:

• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ginger powder (I skipped)

Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk them together & cover & place in fridge.

In the mean time, mix all of the salad together, except sunflower seeds, in a large bowl. Toss together. Just before serving mix in sunflower seeds & dressing.

Yum. Nice change of pace from the Italian dressing pasta salad. This was yummy and addictive. The dressing is a little on the sweet side, so if you don't like that you can take down the sugar a bit. We loved it though! A great summer meal!