Super Simple Roasted Cauliflower

I was in a hurry the other night and needed to add a vegetable to our dinner.  I was drawing a blank as to what to make. I had a head of cauliflower that had seen better days and needed to be used. I decided to roast it. I didn’t want to take the time to find a recipe so I came up with something quick and simple. 

This couldn’t be easier and turned out fantastic. When I can get my husband to eat cauliflower that isn’t covered in cheese and he tells me that he absolutely loved it well you know you have a winner on your hands.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower (washed and trimmed)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Wash and trim cauliflower and cut into larger than bit size pieces because the cauliflower will shrink up.
3. Place on a baking sheet and toss cauliflower in olive and salt and pepper to taste
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until cauliflower is brown and tender.

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Mall Style Pretzel Dogs

I loved the concept of this recipe but in all honest it really wasn’t something I cared for in the end. I was hoping for a more true pretzel flavor but that's not what these taste like to me. I thought they just tasted like a hot dog with a breadstick around it LOL!! The rest of my family on the other hand loved these “hog dogs from heaven” as my husband called them.

If you are looking for something fun to include your children in this recipe would certainly be a way to go. It’s hands on for children of just about any age, and what child doesn’t love a good hot dog? They certainly make a nice presentation that's for sure!! It is the weekend after all so why not whip up a batch and make even the kid at heart happy?

Ingredients:

• 1 can (12ct) refrigerated bread stick dough (Pillsbury)
• 1 (8ct) package hot dogs (I used Nathan’s)
• 3 TBS baking soda
• Water
• Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. 
2. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. 
3. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add hot dogs and boil for 3 minutes. 
4. While cooking open and separate bread sticks. (You will have 4 extra- just twist and place on baking sheet to make bread sticks.) 
5. Once hot dogs are cooked, allow to cool enough to handle. 
6. Carefully ladle out 1 cup of boiling water into a bowl big enough to fit hot dogs. Add baking soda and stir until dissolved.  
7. Wrap each hot dog with one bread stick, twisting it around. Leave a 1 inch space at each end. When hot dogs are wrapped, carefully dip each into water mixture being sure to cover. 
8. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 10 minutes, checking after 5. 
9. Bake until browned on top, but watch carefully because can easily burn. Serve with spicy ketchup on side.

Original Recipe Source

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Marion's Cheesey Bacon Tatar Tot Hot Dish

I originally found a similar version of this recipe when I visited The Country Cook. My husband is from the mid-west and Tatar Tot hot dish is a staple there.  I was looking for a recipe that would be comfort food for him. I decided to look through my Mother-in-laws recipe box to see what I could find when I came across this recipe that is very close to The Country Cook’s recipe.

This recipe is fantastic!!  We all flipped out for this one. There are so many great reasons to make this recipe. It’s super simple! Toss it in the slow cooker and it’s done! It’s inexpensive! It’s delicious!! I can’t brag enough about it. I love exploring my Mother-in-laws recipes! I hope you all enjoy this one!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag frozen tater tots
• ½ cup bacon bits (I used Hormel but fresh would be even better)
• 1 ½  cups shredded colby jack cheese
• 1 pound (bite sizes) boneless chicken breasts  (You could even use a large can of chicken drained)
• 1 cup evaporated milk (you could use regular milk also)
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Line your slow cook with a slow cooker liner or spray your slow cooking with cooking spray
2. To the slow cooker add ½ of the bag of frozen tater tots
3. On top of the tots add ¼ cup of bacon bits and ¾ cup of cheese.
4. To the top of the cheese and bacon add bite size chicken pieces.
5. On top of the chicken add remaining ¼ cup of bacon bits and ¾ cup of cheese, salt and pepper.
6. To the top of the cheese, bacon, salt and pepper add remaining tater tots.
7. Top the tater tots with 1 cup of evaporated milk
8. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until chicken is done. 

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(Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Modern Day Education

Checking my email on my smartphone, watching a Power Point presentation on my tablet, my class notes are up on my netbook, Facebook up on my notebook, and my ears plugged into my iPod. How did I ever make it through high school without all of these gadgets?

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Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set and DVD Review

The princess is at the age where she has started to narrow down her toys to just her favorites. She has her select ones that she plays with all the time and the others are on the chopping block so to speak.  Her favorite toys have to be Polly Pocket! Our house is overrun with Polly Pocket!

Recently we were given the opportunity to try out Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set Assortment. Talk about precious! Like I have said in the past I don’t know who loves Polly Pocket more… the princess or me? When she asked me if I want to play Polly Pocket the answer is always a resounding YES! Its fun it’s cute and it brings out her ingenious creativity! I don’t even think I realized how creative she is until I saw all the clever ideas she has come up with for her Polly Pocket toys.

Along with the Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set Assortment we were given then new Polly Pocket DVD. Talk about cute. The princess and I both really enjoyed watching it even Dad decided to sit in and watch it too. It’s cute and funny and really kept the entire family’s attention. That’s hard to do I must say! It seems each day life controls us and family time becomes limited. It was fun family time for each one of us especially the princess I think that was her favorite part. You can never get back those smiles and giggles so get them while you can!!

For details on the full Polly Pocket line visit: www.pollypocket.com.

·         We participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mattel Polly Pocket. We received a product samples and a promotional item as a thank-you for participating. Our views were our own! We were asked to give our honest opinion and that’s what we did! www.momcentralconsulting.com

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Wordless Wednesday - Blue Moon

August 31, 2012

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Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

This is a quick and easy recipe. The original recipe is made in the crock pot which you can obviously do, and the original recipe it also contains two boneless chicken breast. I used canned chicken instead. I was in a hurry so I made it a little different, but it turned out fantastic and the taste is wonderful. It doesn’t make a lot. You could feed 4 adults and maybe a few little people, but that is about it. I am not complaining about that the small amount, it was perfect for us and we had some leftovers too.

The flavor is so good and creamy, but very rich. I think the fact that it doesn’t make much is good in this case because you can’t eat much. So rich!

I highly recommend this recipe if you are looking for something quick and easy. It’s a great way to use up some left over rotisserie chicken or any other type of chicken you have left over. 

What I love about this recipe is it’s so versatile. You can change the type of beans, the heat of the Rotel, sweet or cream corn, the chicken and so on! Delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans drain and rinse
• 1 can corn, undrained
• 1 can Rotel, undrained
• 1 package ranch dressing mix
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
• 1 13oz. can of chicken breasts drained

Directions:

1. In a large pot or dutch oven place all ingredients in the pot except for the cream cheese, then mix together. 
2. Put the stove on medium and place the brick of cream cheese on top and allow it to start melting. 
3. Once the cream cheese starts to melt stir it into the chili. Continue to stir. 
4. Once everything is well combine and heated through it’s ready to sever. 

Adapted From Plain Chicken

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