easy

A Homemade Special Family Coloring Book

/ Jodi / 29 Comments

Ellas coloring book

One of my favorite Christmas gifts I made to give this year was a special family coloring book I made for Ella.

Ella is my cousin’s daughter, and we have a very special bond.  She is very creative and artistic, so I was excited when my BFF Jill shared a fun site with me called ReallyColor.com where you can create your own coloring book pages from photographs.

Since I recently had the opportunity to do a family photo shoot of Ella and her family at Thanksgiving, I was excited to make some of these photos into coloring book pages in a special book for Ella to recreate.

Here are just a few of the pages.  I can’t wait to see what Ella does with them!

ella coloring book 1

Ella with Daddy and Mommy

ella coloring book 2

Brother Mason and Daddy

 

ella coloring book 3

Ella Tree Climbing

ella coloring book 4

Mommy, Ella, and Mimi

ella coloring book 5

Mason and Poppy (aka Oh Rob!)

ella coloring book 6

Mimi’s Greenhouse

Check out ReallyColor.com and convert some of your family photos into a fun project!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Rolo Hot Chocolate

/ Jodi / 35 Comments
rolo hot chocolate 2

Rolo Hot Chocolate

I may have discovered the most amazing, best ever homemade hot chocolate in the entire universe.

And it is EASY!

Rolo hot chocolate

I discovered it on The Country Chic Cottage, but (believe it or not) found I could reduce the sugar content a bit over what Angie recommended in her blog.

This is the perfect warmer-upper comfort drink to enjoy by a crackling fire with your holiday lights on reading a book or watching a holiday movie.

I am sure the little ones that live in or come to your home would love this as a special treat too!

rolo hot chocolate 3

Ready for this cinchy pinchy, two-ingredient, ultra yummy, rich and creamy hot chocolate recipe?  (enough adjectives?)

Here it is!  ENJOY!

Rolo Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:rolo hot chocolate 2

  • 5 Hershey’s Rolo Chocolate Caramel Candies (Angie recommends 7, but I felt 5 was plenty.  Feel free to adjust to your liking.)
  • 1 Cup (or as much as fills your mug) Skim Milk (I used Skim, but you can use 2% or Whole Milk if you want it even richer.  I would rather eat another Rolo and go with the Skim Milk myself!)

Directions:

  • Unwrap Rolo Candies and put in your mug.
  • Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir.
  • Add Skim Milk and stir.
  • Microwave for an additional 1 1/2 minutes.
  • Stir until completely melted.
  • Garnish with mini marshmallows if desired.

Thanks for the inspiration, Angie!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Cinnamon Chip Brown Sugar Cookies

/ Jodi / 31 Comments

cinnamon chip cookie stack

I’ve been bursting with excitement to share this recipe that is bursting with cinnamon flavor!

cinnamon chip cookies

I daresay this is my absolute FAVORITE new cookie recipe. So cinnamony perfect and delicious for this time of year!

cinnamon chip cookies 2

If you are a fan of cinnamon, this cookie is going to ROCK your WORLD!

I found this recipe on LemonsforLulu’s blog and couldn’t wait to try.

All I can say is – STOP reading right now… preheat your oven…. get out your mixer… “Do Not Pass Go,” “Do Not Collect $200.”

Thank me later…
I’ll be waiting to hear!

Cinnamon Chip Brown Sugar Cookies

  • Servings: 4 dozen large cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:cinnamon chip cookie stack

  • 2 cups butter (at room temperature or you can slightly melt in microwave)
  • 3 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 1/2 cups flour
  • 4 tsps baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
  • 2 10 oz bags Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl of a mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat until creamy. Add the egg and mix well. Add baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and combine.   Carefully add flour and combine until soft dough forms.  Stir in cinnamon chips.

Drop dough by tablespoons onto baking stone or cookie sheet. Bake just until edges are set, about 8­-9 minutes. Do not overbake.  Let cookies cool for another minute or two on the stone or baking sheet before removing to cooling rack to cool completely.

These are absolutely the most amazing cinnamony luvin’ from the oven cookies ever!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Almost-Homemade Easy Crockpot General Tso’s Chicken

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

Almost Homemade Easy Crockpot General Tso's Chicken

Gotta love “almost-homemade” recipes – right?

And what is better than a crockpot recipe for those busy days when we need it?!

And WHO does not love General Tso’s Chicken?  Please don’t tell me if you don’t?!  It will shock me beyond belief.

Almost Homemade Easy Crockpot General Tso's Chicken 2

This recipe turned out so yummy that I have to call it yet another……

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

A winner because it is YUMMY…

and a winner because it is EASY!

Here is how I made it.

Almost-Homemade Easy Crockpot General Tso's Chicken

Ingredients:Almost Homemade Easy Crockpot General Tso's Chicken

  • 2 1/2 lbs fresh or frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit-sized pieces
  • 2 cups corn starch
  • 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 15-oz bottle Iron Chef General Tso’s Sauce and Glaze (this yummy sauce is what makes it “almost” homemade and VERY easy!)
  • 1/4  cup oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions

Directions:

  • Mix corn starch, salt, and pepper in a gallon-sized Ziploc Bag
  • Add chicken to corn starch mixture and shake to coat well.
  • Heat oil in a stir-fry skillet.
  • Add corn starch coated chicken, and fry 3-4 minutes until lightly browned and crisp.
  • Pour entire contents of skillet into crockpot.
  • Add bottle of sauce.
  • Cook on LOW for 4 hours
  • Add green onions
  • Serve with steamed Jasmine rice

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Sugar-Free (Almost) Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

/ Jodi / 32 Comments

almost sugar free chocolate no bake cookies 2

Do you remember these chocolately no-bake cookies from your childhood?

My Grandma’s friend and neighbor, Audrey, used to make these in the summer, and I loved them.

almost sugar free chocolate no bake cookies 3

I hadn’t thought about them or had them in a long time.  Then I noticed my friend, Janet, posted this healthy, no-sugar version on her Facebook page.

Yesterday was our first day home from vacation, and there were no cookies in the house.  That is something that doesn’t happen often around here! 

Knowing we were heading over to our oldest son’s and daughter-in-law’s house for a visit, I didn’t want to go empty handed, so I thought I would give this recipe a try.

almost sugar free chocolate no bake cookies 1

The original recipe from my childhood calls for 2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of milk.

This recipe has NO sugar (except for what is in my peanut butter – but if you used natural peanut butter, it would have NONE!).  Honey is used instead, and I use local honey (Molinaro Apiaries here in Mars).  Have you heard that using local honey can help treat those with allergies as you ingest small doses of pollen the bees carry that is local to you and builds antibodies like getting a “vaccine?”

This recipe has no butter.  It uses healthy coconut oil instead.  And it uses no milk.

And best of all…. these “healthy” cookies taste DELISH!

almost sugar free chocolate no bake cookies 4

And… they take only minutes to make.

They are best eaten right out of the freezer on hot summer days.

The recipe Janet shared is from 12 Tomatoes, and they say the recipes makes three dozen cookies.

WHY do I always only get HALF the number of cookies any cookie recipe calls for?  I got exactly 18…. One and one half dozen.  Do I really make my cookies TWICE as big as everyone else!?!!???  🙂

It was good to be back in the kitchen – even if only briefly – and not really baking!

But it was even better to be with our “kids.”  And I played ladder golf for the first time.  Us girls ALMOST won!

Sugar Free (Almost) Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

  • Servings: 1-1/2 - 3 dozen
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 3 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 2/3 cup natural peanut butter (I didn’t have “natural” so used Jif – thus the “almost” sugar free reference)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine honey, peanut butter and coconut oil, stirring until well blended and smooth.
  3. Stir in oats, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt and mix well.
  4. Drop cookies by tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking sheets
  5. Place in freezer for at least 15 minutes to set.
  6. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag either in the fridge or freezer.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Crockpot Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

/ Jodi / 27 Comments

chicken philly cheesesteak 2

Last week, I made some yummy chicken sandwiches: Chicken Philly Cheese Steaks, which were easy peasy and full of flavor.

Just imagine juicy, shredded chicken with ooey gooey melted cheese and sweet caramelized onions and peppers on a buttery, toasted bun.  Sound like heaven?

Crockpot meal to the rescue!

If you’re looking for an easy, satisfying dinner, lunch, picnic or party pleaser, look no further, and enjoy these yummy sammies.

I know we did!  We enjoyed ours with some fresh garlic green beans and a vinaigrette-based light cole slaw.  Do I have you hungry yet?

I found a recipe I tweaked every so slightly from CinnamonSpiceandEverythingNice.com.

chicken philly cheesesteak

Crockpot Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches


Ingredients:chicken philly cheesesteak 2

  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp each onion and garlic powder
  • Olive oil for sauteing
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 2 large sweet onions, sliced
  • 2 large red or orange or yellow bell peppers sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 buns
  • 8 slices Mozzarella or Provolone cheese (or your fave)
  • Pickled Jalapeno or Banana Peppers or Pickles to garnish
  • Hot sauce if you want to “zip” it up some more

Directions

Add the broth, mustard, Worcestershire, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper to a crockpot set on high and whisk together.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place on top of sauce in the crockpot.

In a skillet, saute the onion, peppers and garlic in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, cook, stirring occasionally for 5 – 7 minutes. Remove half the mixture and place on top of chicken in the crockpot and save the other half for serving.  You can store it in a small covered container in the refrigerator.

Cook the chicken mixture on low for 6 – 8 hours.

During the last hour shred the chicken with 2 forks right in the crockpot and let cook in the juice.

Reheat the onion, pepper and garlic mixture you set aside earlier.

Butter the insides of the buns and toast on a hot skillet until golden brown. Lay your choice of cheese down then top with chicken, some of the onion mixture and pickles or pickled peppers and hot sauce if you like.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Beer Chicken in the Crockpot

/ Jodi / 19 Comments

beer chicken 2

Are you looking for a super simple chicken dinner you can throw in the crockpot in the morning, forget about, and arrive home at dinner time to a taste-like-you-slaved-all-day meal?

I adore cooking and baking, but many (really most) days don’t allow me the luxury to spend the time I’d like in the kitchen, so this recipe is just the ticket.  It is full of flavor, tender, and moist.

Beer Chicken in Crockpot 2

And it’s EASY!  Besides the chicken, there are only FOUR ingredients:  a bottle of your favorite beer, a tablespoon or two of seasoning (I used Montreal Steak Seasoning – yep STEAK seasoning), 2 Tablespoons of fresh herbs (I used rosemary), and 2 large cloves of garlic.

Beer Chicken in Crockpot

You can use a whole chicken or chicken parts, or boneless chicken breasts like I did.  Put it all in the crockpot on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

beer chicken

The sauce can be made into a beautiful gravy, and I served it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

SCORE!

The chicken tastes almost like those moist, tender rotisseries chickens you get at Costco or your local grocery, but even better!

Add this to your collection of winner winner chicken dinners!  You won’t be sorry!

Beer Chicken in the Crockpot

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts or a whole chicken or your favorite chicken pieces
  • 1 bottle of your favorite beer
  • 2 Tbsp Montreal steak seasoning (or your favorite blend)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh Rosemary (or your favorite herb)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

Directions

  • Place all in crockpot and cook for on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8 hours.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Homemade Basil Pesto

/ Jodi / 29 Comments

basil 0715

It’s not easy being green….

unless you are yummy homemade basil pesto sauce!

I have an abundance of basil in my garden this year (for once!), and decided to try my hand at homemade pesto.

basil 2 0715

So I picked a bunch – oooooh the glorious smell! There is seriously nothing like (except maybe rosemary!)

pesto marcona almonds and garlic
Then I added some fresh garlic and a handful of Marcona almonds I had (as I didn’t have pine nuts on hand).  These made a great sub!

Marcona almonds are imported from Spain. They are shorter, rounder, softer, and sweeter than the California variety. They are blanched and roasted in olive oil, then sprinkled with sea salt, making for a truly delicious flavor if you have never tried.

parmesan grated for pesto

Olive oil, salt, pepper, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese are the only other things you need to make this amazing fresh sauce that goes great on a caprese sandwich or as a pasta sauce, pizza topping, or chicken marinade around here.

pesto

We especially like it on orzo pasta.

Here’s the recipe.  Enjoy!

Homemade Basil Pesto

  • Servings: approximately 1 cup
  • Print

Ingredients:

  •  2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)pesto
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup marcona almond or pine nuts
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste (freshly ground is best)

Combine the basil, garlic, nuts, and olive oil in food processor or blender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour into a bowl, and gently mix in the parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately over pasta, chicken or fish, on a caprese sandwich, as a pizza topping or use as a marinade.

Cheers and Hugs,

Jodi

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich

/ Jodi / 43 Comments

copycat chick-fil-a chicken sandwich.1jpg

Are you ready for another AMAZING Chicken Recipe?!?!

(My youngest son recently commented:  “too much painting – not enough cooking on the blog!”)

So… since he and I LOVE chicken for dinner….

and he requested this…

and our oldest son and our daughter-in-law were coming over last evening….

It was time to break down and make this YUMMY recipe!

If you love Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwiches…  I promise – all your dreams have just come true!

I very rarely eat fast food.

But when I do…  a Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich is my go-to FAVE!

And I am super excited to share that I discovered a recipe that totally replicates this best of best chicken sandwich thanks to one of my favorite food bloggers Damn Delicious!

And if you don’t have a Chick-Fil-A near you – or have never tried – this is so easy and perfectly replicates the original, you need look no further.

Are you ready for the most juicy, flavorful, amazing chicken sandwich possible?

Here is the recipe shared by Chungah at Damn Delicious.  (Of course, I doubled the recipe, and have lots of yummy leftovers!)

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients:copycat chick-fil-a chicken sandwich.1jpg

  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 1 head green leaf lettuce, leaves separated
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 20 dill pickle slices
Chicken:
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup dill pickle juice
  • 1 1/2 cups milk, divided
  • 1 cup peanut oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  • Place a chicken breast on a cutting board. With your hand flat on top of it, carefully slice the chicken in half horizontally. Trim excess fat as needed.
  • In a large shallow baking dish, combine chicken, pickle juice and 1/2 cup milk; marinate for at least 30 minutes. (I marinated for 8 hours in the refrigerator) Drain well.
  • Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • In another large shallow baking dish, whisk together remaining 1 cup milk and egg. Stir in chicken to coat and drain excess milk mixture.
  • In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken, flour and confectioners’ sugar; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Serve chicken immediately on burger buns with green leaf lettuce, tomato and pickle.  (I added a splash of Yum Yum Sauce, which I think closely resembles Chick-Fil-A sauce for the little extra YUM!)

ENJOY!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Balsamic Grilled Peaches & Chicken Salad Dinner

/ Jodi / 14 Comments

balsamic grilled peaches and chicken 3

Oh Friends… you know how much I love chicken and discovering new and different ways to prepare it.

Well this week I discovered another Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

It’s simple, it’s fast, it’s healthy, and it’s YUMMY!

balsamic grilled peaches and chicken 2

I have seen and heard about grilling peaches, and I was intrigued.

Having some ripe peaches in the fridge that weren’t getting eaten, now was the time to try it!

grilled peaches

It was so easy, and they were DELISH! 

Balsamic Grilled Peaches and Chicken

If you are looking for another light and simple, but full-flavored summer chicken dinner, look no further!

And remember, like I always say, if you don’t like a particular ingredient, switch it up!  Substitute goat cheese or feta or even shredded cheddar for the blue cheese if you are not a blue cheese fan (but BOO to you because it is DIVINE!).  Change up the greens to ones you prefer.  I used Spring Mix, but it would be awesome with Spinach or Arugula or Kale too!

Be creative.

Have fun!

Make dinner a celebration.

Create art on a plate.

You won’t be sorry about this one!

Balsamic Grilled Peaches & Chicken Salad

Ingredientsbalsamic grilled peaches and chicken 2

  • 4 chicken breast halves
  • 4-6 cups Spring Mix Salad Greens
  • 2 large sweet Vidalia onions, sliced into 1/2 thick slices
  • 4-6 ripe peaches – cut in half and pitted
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 1 Bottle Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (I used Ken’s Light version)
  • Olive Oil
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

  • Marinade chicken breasts in 1/2 bottle balsamic vinagrette for at least 4 hours.
  • Grill chicken when ready to serve.
  • Place Onion Slices in a grill basket (or foil).  Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Grill until translucent and char-grilled.  Place on one side of grill while chicken is grilling on the other side.  These two take about the same amount of time – approximately 20 minutes.
  • Once chicken is done, remove from grill, and set aside.
  • Sprinkle peach halves with olive oil, salt, and balsamic vinegar.  Place cut side done on grill, and grill for about 5-7 minutes until soft and char-grilled.  When done, remove from grill and slice peach halves into three or four pieces.
  • To plate, place a cup of greens on plate, top with grilled onions, peach slices and crumbled blue cheese.  Add chicken to side or slice and mix in with chicken.
  • ENJOY!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi