Chicken Tetrazzini

This creamy pasta topped with crunchy almonds has become a family favorite and comfort food in my house.  I have made this dozens of times and I like to double the recipe and make it for family. You won't be disappointed with this one.  The top looks crisp and crunchy, but underneath it's creamy and beautiful!

Weekly Menu

I'm getting this out a day late, but here is this next weeks menu plan.  I've already made the first two items and have plenty of pictures to come!  I'm excited to try three new recipes this week.  I will also be making another cake at the end of next week, so check back to see what I came up with.  

Thursday- Chicken Milano - new pics and details added!

Friday- Chicken Tetrazzini

Saturday- Tex Mex Turkey Wraps (new recipe)

Sunday- Crock Pot Stroganoff

Monday- Oven Baked Chicken

Tuesday- Crock Pot Burgundy Stew with Herb Dumplings (new recipe)

Wednesday- Split Pea Soup with Canadian Bacon (new recipe)

Crisp Buttermilk Chicken

I love fried chicken, but I hate all of the calories and grease.  So, what better way then to make a fake-out chicken that is baked and still tastes awesome!  Buttermilk goes great with chicken and the cornflakes give it a nice golden crunch that keeps you wanting more.  This one is going to be a keeper for us, I think you'll like it too.  

Pumpkin Bread

I just love Fall!  My house smelled glorious when I made this bread and it tasted oh so good.  This pumpkin bread, lightly spiced, and filled with the perfect blend of crunchy and soft with raisins and pecans didn't last long in my house.  A double batch is a very good idea.  

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

When you announce that you are making meatloaf, does your family sigh, shrug their shoulders and pout their way out of the room?  My family (especially my kids) gets really excited when I tell them I'm making meatloaf.  Plus they get to dip it in ketchup, and what kid wouldn't like that?  The caramelized brown sugar and ketchup glaze is the star of this meatloaf.  It's delish!

Chinese Hamburger Hash

If you're looking to use up some ground beef, and perhaps want an easy to make casserole, this dish is for you.  The casserole goes together quickly but allow for the long baking time.  This takes a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes to bake.  The kids and husband gobbled it up and I thought it tasted great for a fall night with a crisp cool air outside.  

Caramel Corn

 Yum!  I love this recipe.  You really can't go wrong with popcorn, brown sugar and corn syrup.  But this must be the best, easiest caramel corn ever.  This recipe comes from my Grandma's old cookbooks filled with handwritten recipes and I was delighted to find it.  You may even want a double batch, since it gets eaten so fast. 

Pasta Da Vinci (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

My husband is the type who finds something he likes at a restaurant and orders that same dish every single time.  He had the idea for me to learn to make his all time favorite, Pasta Da Vinci from the Cheesecake Factory.  I did some research and found a recipe that was amazing!  According to my husband, it tasted very similar to the original, but he did give me some tips to really nail it next time... and there WILL be a next time.  Here's what you'll need and how to make it:

Weekly Menu

This weeks menu started yesterday, but it was just leftover so I didn't think posting it late would matter much.  I'm excited for this week!  I'm trying to re-make my husbands favorite Cheesecake Factory dinner as well as make a few special treats!  Check back this week to see what tasty treats I've made for you.  Here is the week's dinner plan:


                                 Wednesday- Left Overs

Thursday- Pasta Da Vinci (Cheesecake Factory Re-make)

Friday-  Chinese Hamburger Hash 

Saturday- Spaghetti Night

Sunday- Crisp Buttermilk Chicken

Monday- Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Tuesday- Rice & Meatballs

Plus Caramel Corn

And Pumpkin Bread

Spinach and Artichoke Mac 'N' Cheese

I love spinach and artichoke dip, and I love mac 'n' cheese, so I knew this had to be good.  The combination of spinach, artichokes, and fresh Italian Fontina and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses were very complimentary.  I loved the new flavor of this dish that doubles as a vegetarian meal.  

Canning Peaches

It's that time of year where I am getting "Fall Fever".  I'm ready to bake apple pies, put up Halloween decorations and make a Thanksgiving turkey! I love the crisp cool air in the mornings and watching the leaves turn color.  Fresh locally grown produce can be found all over town, and peaches are in season.  I didn't wait long to go get a box of peaches so I could get some canned and into the pantry.  If you haven't tried canning before, give it a shot.  It's not difficult and it's very rewarding to put freshly canned fruits and jams in the pantry, or give them away as gifts.  Follow along and I'll show you how it's done...

Chicken Parmesan

I had never made Chicken Parmesan before yesterday, and now I am saving this recipe to make again.  The whole family gobbled it right up.  The homemade sauce was perfectly seasoned and complimented the chicken well.

Camouflage Deer Cake with Autumn Leaves

Every couple of months I get a huge urge to bake and decorate a cake,  so I was rather excited when some friends asked me to make the cake for their son's first birthday.  They love camping, hunting, and the outdoors in general.  Their adorable son is a hunter in the making, and this was the perfect cake for him.  It was a big hit and I tried a few things I had never done on a cake before.  I'll show you how to make the leaves and camouflage as well as a few tips along the way.  

How To Stack, Frost, and Cover Cakes

Learning how to cover a cake in fondant can take some practice before you get it just right, but you soon learn how to work with the fondant and get it to look the way you want.  The fondant I used to cover this cake was Marshmallow Fondant which is easy to work with and tastes great for those of you who actually eat the fondant.  Learn how to make and cover a cake in fondant and you will be the new cake maker of the family.  You can come up with an infinite number of ideas and patterns to really impress your guests.  Here's how to get it done...

Chocolate Cake

Mmm Mmm Chocolate!!!  I love a moist and fluffy chocolate cake, and this one is always a big hit around my house.  The flavor is great and it holds up nicely if you plan on stacking and decorating a larger cake.  I have made this time and time again and it always turns out wonderfully.  The recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens.