Trail mix

My Kami absolutely loves trail mixes and she loves cinnamon.  So I decided to try to make a low calorie snack that was on the healthier side and still yummy.
This is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it .. you can use any types of cereals, and dried fruit and nuts. Its a very flexable recipe.
3/4 cup brown sugar
1-2 tbs cinnamon
3 tbs butter (melted)
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup crispix
1 cup multi grain cherios
2 cups rice chex
1 cup pretzels
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
 in a large bowl mix together cereals, pretzels, berries, and nuts.
in a smaill mix sugar and cinnamon
add vanilla to melted butter, toss sugar mixture over cereal mixture then keep tossing while adding the butter. place on a jelly roll pan or large cookie sheet and put in oven at 275 . stir every 10 min for 40 min
allow to cool and enjoy!

The best home made Fried Chicken ever!

Ever wonder how you can make fried chicken as good as you buy it at the store.. well I think I have figured it out... well atleast we like it :)
* heat frying oil in pan or deep fryer
* take the skin off 7-8 pieces of thighs or legs
* mix 1 Tbs salt ,1/2 Tbs garlic, 1/2 Tbs  pepper
* coat chicken with the spices
* put 3 eggs , a dash of milk, and a dash of hot sauce ( enough to make the egg mixture look orange) in a bowl and beat till well combined.
* in a plastic bag  put 2 cups of self rising flour if you don't have self rising flour put 2 cups flour 1 tsp salt and 1 Tbs baking powder
* dip the chicken in the egg mixture then put in bag with the flour.
* shake the bag
* remove chicken and place in the hot oil
* fry approx 20 min or till it is 160 temp and fluids run clear.
Fry as many as your pan will hold :)
I hope you like this it is super easy and so yummy!

Pumpkin oatmeal cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal cookies
2 cups flour
1 cup quick oats ( I like a more oaty texture so I used half quick half rolled)
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt 
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup choc chips
1 cup walnuts
* combine flour oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl cream butter and sugars, addeggs and vanlla. then stir in pumpkin. Gradually add the dry ingredients. mix in choc chips and nuts. For a healthier version add raisins or cranberries instead of choc chips or add 2 cups instead of choc chips and nuts.
* spoon on to pan and bake at 350 for 10-12 min.
let cool on pan for a few min before moving to a cooling rack
* I hope you live them like I do.. I may have lots of new pumpkin recipes for you . I was given a few pie pumpkins and have been pureeing my own pumpkin and baking the seeds!  So much fun!!!

HOme made Mac and Cheese

So I warned you  I am not good at the picture taking but this is so yummy I have to share it anyway!

This is my new favorite food!!! (next to steak) 

* Boil on small box of mac noodles approx 6 min.and drain water do not return noodles to pan yet..

* melt 4 Tbs of butter in the pan you boiled the noodles in

* whisk in 1/3 cup of flour. 

* add 1 1/4 cup of milk , stir constantly till it comes to a boil. 

* add 1 lb of velveta cubed .

* stir till melted, while stirring add some season salt and peper to taste.

* once the cheese is melted add the noodles and mix well. 

* pour mac and cheese in to a casserol dish and place in the oven at 350 for 15-20 min.

**** for different variations you can saute some onion in the butter before adding the flour just be sure to remove the onions then place them in the mixture when adding the cheese.that is my favorite way to make it! I love the flavor that sauted onions give!

** another thing is add some cheddar cheese or crackers on top before baking :) 

hope you enjoy it as much as we do!!

Brushetta topped Parmesean chicken

This recipe is so yummy!! and so good because it has that fresh taste!
There are only 3 of us who eat dinner so I only made 3 chicken breasts. You can make as many as you need :)

I have 3 chicken breast marinading in Italian dressing over night you can have them start for an hour- 24 :)
*mix together in a gallon size plastic bag
1 cup flour
2 Tbs Italian seasoning
2 Tbs garlic powder
1 tsp salt
a few dashes of pepper
3 Tbs graded Parmesan cheese
*Remove chicken breast from the marinade and place in bag to coat with flour mixture.
Place in a pan with a Tbs of EVOO and brown each side.

*While that is cooking its time to make up your brushetta
Chop... 
2 roma tomatoes
1/2 onion
2 Tbs fresh basil
1 Tbs shredded Parmesan cheese 
1 pressed garlic clove.
* your brushetta also wonderful on toasted french bread!!!
*once your chicken is cooked place on a platter or in a nice dish and top with brushetta and place in the oven on 450 to warm  and melt the cheese. approx 15 min

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!! If tomatoes are out of season or seem to expensive to make this is a great recipe to just top with some spaghetti sauce and parmesean cheese and it is delish!!!

Chicken Basil tomato Pizza

We Love pizza at our house! I love trying new toppings on my pizza. This one came to me when I went out to my garden and saw lots of basil!!!
Recipe:
Dough.. 1 cup warm water
             1 Pkg dry active yeast
             1 tsp sugar
             1 tsp salt
             2 TBS oil
             2 1/2 cups flour
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, pour into larger  bowl, add the other ingredients, stir or knead the dough. let rise for 15 min.  preheat oven to 425.
Once dough has risen roll out to fit your pan. Place dough in oven for 5-8 min to cook a little while you prepare the toppings.
Toppings:
     1/4 cup alfredo sauce
     3 roma tomatoes ( sliced)
     2 Tbs fresh basil
     1/4 onion chopped
      2 cups mozzarella cheese
      1/2 chicken breast cut
Spread the sauce on the dough ( if you don't have alfedo sauce you can use 4 Tbs evoo and 2 pressed garlic cloves) 

      

 Top with 1 cup cheese, tomatoes then basil

then add the onion and chicken. ( I made grilled chicken the night before and this one is just an extra one. see I love to be frugal ) oh I did sprinkle garlic salt on it too. Salt really works great with the tomatoes!

  Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for 12-15 min, or untill golden brown!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!!



    

Starting my new blog!

I love to cook! I was trying to figure out if I had a hobby , my husband has music. He loves to sit on the couch and just play its guitars, yeah plural... any way I asked him, What is my hobby, He says cooking. I never thought of it as a hobby just something I enjoy.  I ask if I can start quilting. Of course he doesn't mind :) Then I mention to my mother in law that I wanted a hobby so I am starting to quilt.. Then she says I cook... So I think cooking is my hobby :) I am not that good at it really just enjoy it. I don't make fancy things because we are on a very tight budget. SO I guess I am very frugal and try to make it taste yummy.  That is what I want to share I hope I am able to.. Please bare with my pictures. I am not so good at taking pictures of food but with this blog I am sure I will get better ! ENJOY!