DIY Deco Mesh Wreaths

1 Wreath Form (22 or 24 inch)
Pipe Cleaners (20-24 for 1 Wreath)
1 (21"X 10 Yard) Mesh Roll
1 (5 1/2") Mesh Ribbon Roll
Decorative Ribbon (at least 1 inch thick
Decorative objects for your theme (from Michael's, Joann's, and/or Hobby Lobby)
Scissors or wire cutters

Holiday Peppermint Bark

Holiday Peppermint Bark is festive and can be a great gift if you wrap the bars in their own little bag or holiday tin. It's easy to make if you follow a few simple steps.

• 1 Package Dark Chocolate Chips (11.5- 12 oz.)
• 1 Package White Chocolate Chips (11.5- 12 oz.)
• 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil or Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Cup- 1 Cup Crushed Peppermint 

Mustard Chicken

Mustard chicken is done a variety of ways. With my Mustard Chicken recipe, your chicken will stay extremely juicy while having a tasty sauce over top. This recipe is great to just throw together and leave in the oven. We all get busy, so prep time isn't always something we have time for. This can be thrown together really quick so you can accomplish other tasks while it's baking. You can serve the chicken with steamed veggies, salad, or any other side dish of your choice. 

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Making your own enchiladas for that great fall and Winter weather should be easy. With this recipe it is! 

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 small package of corn tortillas
• 1 package of shredded cheese
• 3-4 chicken breasts cooked (with salt and pepper)
• 1/2 onion chopped (you can saute the onion for more of a caramelized taste)
• 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 Cups Chicken Broth
• 4 Tablespoons Chile Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
• 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1 Teaspoon ground Black Pepper
• Pinch of Cinnamon (brings the flavors together) 
• 3 1/4 Tablespoons Flour
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Halloween Pumpkin Carvings

It's that time of year to bust out the Orange, the black, the scary, and of course...the pumpkins! 
Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. Everyone gets to dress up (including my dog), eat candy, go to haunted houses, Halloween decorations and lights, and there's sooo much pumpkin! 
Pumpkin spice coffee creamer, pumpkin spice muffins, Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats, Pumpkin Waffles, Pumpkin Pie, etc...
Check out some pumpkin carving ideas and at the bottom there's a simple recipe for roasting the seeds that you take out for carving. 

Mini Pizzas

Mini pizzas- fun for the whole family. These are incredibly easy to make and fun to eat. They work for dinner, for appetizers, or for parties. 

My pizzas were healthier, but you can also do pepperoni, bacon, sausage, margherita etc. 

For the dough you will need Rhodes Rolls (the thaw, rise, and bake kind, 12 count). 

Turkey Meatloaf

Everyone needs a good meatloaf recipe. There's nothing better than some comfort food, especially once winter rolls around. What if you could have the comfort without all the guilt that usually follows? With this recipe you can. 
Using lean ground turkey instead of beef saves immensely on calories and is better for you. Also, kicking it up a notch with jalapenos and cayenne pepper will boost your metabolism. Not to mention the Panko bread crumb topping that offers the satisfactory crunch without all of the calories of regular bread crumbs. 

Tomatillo Salsa

In a food processor or blender, combine the following ingredients: 

1 28oz. can Tomatillos (drain half of the water) 

1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro

2-8 Jalapenos (depending how spicy you want it- I typically do 7 or 8- chop off stem) 

1/2 white or yellow onion

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt (I use low sodium) 

1Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons Black Pepper

Blend ingredients until fairly smooth, making sure the main ingredients are chopped thoroughly. Here you have it, the perfect salsa for any occasion (or for Tuesday Taco night). 

Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Fall... the leaves change and the air gets crisp, but most importantly, there's Pumpkin everything! Nothing makes me happier than fresh pumpkin. Whether it be a latte, pie, cookie, or in this case a waffle. Yes you heard me...Pumpkin Spice Waffles. They're not too hard to make either. Basically just a twist on my regular "Waffles- light and Crispy."

Turn Your Cinnamon Roll into a Waffle

I found quite a few blog sites on Pinterest that did the cinnamon rolls made into waffles idea.
A few that have similar recipes/ideas are Little Bit Funky, Mrs. Happy Homemaker, Must Have Mom, Chef in Training, etc...
Everyone seemed to do it differently, including myself. A lot of people followed the trend of doing one cinnamon roll per quadrant. Whereas I did one at a time in the waffle maker. You still get a little bit of that doughy center we all adore in a cinnamon roll.

Cheddar and Herb Chicken Burgers

 

So do you ever crave a burger but don't feel like splurging the calories for some fatty beef?

Look no further. I promise this chicken burger is a winning recipe. I made it for my boyfriend and he ate two...and he's a big fan of beef burgers. He kept complaining about me using chicken, but he ended up liking them a lot. Go figure.

 

 

What you'll need:

1 lb Ground Chicken

3/4 Cup chopped and sautéed onion

1 Cup Spinach

1/2 Cup Cilantro

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Seasoning Salt (Lawry's)

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon  Cayenne Pepper (optional)

 

Corn Flake Chicken

That trusty old recipe from Kellogg's with crunchy corn flakes on your chicken...just got better.
A coat of flour and some extra spices to kick that recipe up a notch.

You will need three bowls of ingredients, 6 Chicken breasts, and 1/2 stick of butter melted.

Sweet Potato Chips

The other day, a friend of mine asked me to try some of these sweet potato chips she bought. Not the part flour, part ground sweet potato kind. The plain sweet potato ones that are super healthy, yet delicious. I tried them and needed to find a bag. I went to the store and was sad at how expensive they were. So instead I decided to buy some sweet potatoes and try to make them myself.
You will need a mandoline slicer, you can try it with a knife, but the cuts won't be as consistent.
3 Sweet Potatoes
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Veggie Lasagna

This Lasagna is a little messy, but very delicious. It's made with Zucchini slices instead of pasta. You can use just vegetables, ground turkey, or ground beef. In this recipe, I used lean ground turkey.
I also used a square Pyrex dish, since it's the perfect size for the zucchini.

German Chocolate Cupcakes

This frosting is fantastic! I got tired of corn syrup being in frosting recipes or too much sugar in the pre-made stuff. So, I created my own recipe using evaporated milk. I must warn you, it's delicious and you'll probably want to just eat it. This recipe is a big crowd pleaser amongst kids and adults.

Summer Pico Salsa

Super easy summer dish. Great for outdoor parties, a side dish with some tacos, or an afternoon snack.
In a large bowl, toss the following together:
1 15oz. can of no salt added black beans (drained)
1 15oz. can of no salt added corn (drained)
1 Small red onion chopped
1/3 Cup chopped cilantro
3 vine tomatoes diced
2-4 Jalapenos finely chopped (depending how spicy you want to make it)
1 Lime juiced

Now add your seasonings:
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Stir everything together and serve with chips or on top of your favorite meal (fish, tacos, chicken, etc...)

Margherita White Pizza Roll Ups

 

 

I had Homeslice Pizza a couple of weeks ago and thought, hmm maybe I should use this Pillsbury crust I have and make a Margherita Pizza. Even better make pizza roll ups that are easier to share and are great leftover. These can be made with all mozzarella cheese or, like I did, you can mix cheeses. This is a white pizza, so there isn't sauce. Although I created an Italian herb sauce that's pretty darn delicious. This recipe was completely trial and error, but it turned out fantastic and I will definitely make it again. Super easy!
*Note, I would roll out the pizza dough more than I did, it fluffs up quite a bit when you bake it. You can also make miniature roll ups by cutting the dough vertically in half then slicing 6 horizontal rows. This would make 12 roll ups instead of 6.

Servings: 6

Italian Herb Pasta

Pick your pasta- I like to use a mixture of whole grain, but you can also use one type. This sauce is super easy to throw together and amazingly tasty, but not too heavy.
*This recipe should make 4 servings (If you're like me 3 servings for my boyfriend and 1 for me).

Spaghetti and Meatballs with Sautéed Veggies

Make fantastic spaghetti easily with homemade meatballs and some fresh julienne style squash.

This is a three step process...

My favorite Guacamole

The best guacamole your taste buds have ever had....you ready for the secret?
Orange Juice...no, not Minute Maid. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Fresh squeezed is always the best, including the lime in the recipe. I've been making this for quite some time and it's always a recipe people remember and want to know why it's so delicious. This recipe makes enough to share with 4 people. You can also half the recipe if you would like to make enough for one- with a little leftover for a snack :). So here it is..