Buffalo Chicken Dip

 Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

2 (10 oz) cans of chunk chicken, drained

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese softened

1 C. Ranch dressing

3/4 C. pepper sauce, such as Franks Red Hot (I used a cup of Franks Red Hot b/c my family likes Hot Stuff)

1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat the chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.  Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing.  Cook and stir until well blended and warm.  Mix in half of the shredded cheese and transfer to a slow cooker.  Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on low setting until hot and bubbly.   Serve with celery sticks, crackers, tortilla chips or bread.

Pizza Lasagna

 Pizza Lasagna

What You Need:

1 jar of pizza sauce

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

1 large container of cottage cheese or ricotta

1 package (4 cups) mozzarella cheese

2 eggs

2 packages of pepperoni about 45 pepperonis

2 tablespoon Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix

1 box of lasagna noodles (can be oven ready)
Anything you like on your pizza can be added to this recipe just add in with the pepperoni layers

What You Do:

Preheat your oven to 375* degrees. While the oven is preheating if you are using noodles that need cooked cook them now. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix the pizza sauce, crushed tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of the Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix together. In another medium sized bowl combine the cottage cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon Mama Mia Marinara Sauce Mix. 

Spread some of your pizza sauce mixture in the bottom of your 9x13 baking dish then add a layer of noodles. On top of your noodles add a layer of the cheese mixture, a layer of pepperoni, top with sauce and then continue your layers. You should get about 2-3 layers after you do the final layer of noodles add sauce on top of noodles then the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and another layer of pepperoni's. 

Bake for 25 minutes covered and then uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is starting to brown. Serve with garlic bread and a tossed salad.  

ENJOY!!!

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta

  Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta

What You Need:
1 lb organic chicken breast, cut and cubbed
 2 tablespoons EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 garlic clove, miced
1 jar of Bertolli light Alfredo sauce
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1 teaspoon dried Parsley
2 cups uncooked penne pasta
salt and pepper to taste


What You Do:
In a large skillet add the EVOO, garlic and cubed chicken. Cook the chicken until no longer pink and cooked through. Add the Alfredo sauce to your skillet with the Parsley and salt and pepper. Leave on low.

Cook your broccoli until just starting to get tender but still a little crisp about 5-8 minutes in boiling water. Once the broccoli is cooked, drain it and add it to the chicken and sauce mixture.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions then drain.

Top your noodles with the chicken, broccoli and sauce mixture. Serve with Italian Bread or your favorite bread.

ENJOY!!

Homemade Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

Homemade Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

 Ingredients you'll need:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 quart of half & half

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

1 cup onion, finely chopped

2 minced garlic cloves

14 ounces of Organic Chicken Broth

1 cup carrots, finely shredded

1 cup all natural chicken breast, cooked and diced

1 cup spinach coarsely chopped

1 package gnocchi, cooked

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon parsley

What you do:

Start by sauting the onion, celery and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onion becomes clear. Add the flour and make a roux. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for around a minute. Then stir in the quart of half and half into the butter and flour mixture.

Cook the gnocchi according to the directions on the packaging.

Add the carrots and chicken to the roux. Once the mixture has thickened, add the chicken broth. Once the mixture becomes thick again you'll want to add the cooked gnocchi, spinach and seasonings. Simmer until the soap is heated all the way through.

Serve with breadsticks or garlic bread... Enjoy!!  

White Bean Chicken Chili

 White Bean Chicken Chili

What you will need:
2 lb chicken cooked and either shredded or cubed (leftover roisterer chicken works the best)
2 cans cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cans butter beans (rinsed and drained)
 4 cups chicken broth (I use low sodium and Organic)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons parsley
1 tablespoon lemon pepper

Toppings:
Shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
fresh parsley
green onions chopped

What you will do:
If chicken is not cooked start by cooking your chicken until it is no longer pink and cooked through.
Add everything to your crock pot and allow to cook on low for 4-5 hours. Serve the chili with your favorite toppings I listed a few suggestions above and serve with corn bread.

ENJOY!! 

Homemade Sausage Gravy

 Homemade Sausage Gravy

What You Need:
1 lb sausage (I use mild or Turkey)
 2 tablespoons flour (do not level)
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste


What You Do:
In a large skillet cook and crumble your sausage, drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings(grease). Add the flour, salt, pepper and mix. It will look almost like a paste. Slowly add the milk while stirring and continue to slowly stir until the gravy thickens. Serve over warm biscuits.

ENJOY!!

Handy Tips for Traveling Abroad with Kids

 

Handy Tips for Traveling Abroad with Kids

 

Traveling with children can be a headache at times, and that can be even more so when going overseas. Travel times are longer, the kids are more on edge from being out of their element, and depending on where you go, the parents also have the added burden of trying to handle things in a place where no one speaks their language. Despite all that, it’s still worth it. Here are a few tips to help.

Take Pics of your Kids

It's a vacation, so you're going to be taking pictures of your children all over the place. What we mean here is something different, and not nearly as fun as funny poses in front of the world's art treasures. Every day before going out, take a full body picture of your kids dressed in what they'll be wearing for the day. Should the unthinkable happen, or they simply get lost, authorities will have a current image to help them in the search.