Cinnamon Roll Waffles

So I am sure most of you have already seen these and even tried them, but I had to try them myself! Yup, it is a winner! Instead of having to wait for cinnamon rolls to bake in the oven, now you can have them fast form the waffle maker, maybe even for a special occasion. Just remember when you are eating them that you are eating cinnamon rolls, not waffles!:)

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Ingredients:

• Pillsbury (or any brand really) cinnamon rolls

Directions:

1. Separate cinnamon rolls, place a few at a time in waffle maker (probably around 3), let cook all the way through. Top with enclosed icing. Savor the goodness!

Crunchwrap Supreme

My favorite item at TacoBell is their Crunchwrap Supreme and this homemade version turned out awesome! It was such a quick recipe and I had a blast making them; something about wrapping the tostada up with another tortilla was fun and easier than expected.  Hope you like them too!

Crunchwrap Supreme

Ingredients:

• Large (burrito-style) flour tortillas
• Tostada shells 
• Ground beef
• Sour Cream
• Queso (nacho cheese)
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Shredded lettuce
• Taco seasoning
• Diced tomatoes

Directions:

1. Brown beef in a skillet, then add taco seasoning (according to package directions). Set aside.
2. Microwave the flour tortillas, one at a time, for about 10-15 seconds (this makes wrapping easier). 
3. Lay out the flour tortilla, spoon some queso into the center of the tortilla (about the size of the tostada), top with seasoned beef. Place tostada on top of the queso/beef.
4. Top tostada with sour cream, shredded cheese, lettuce, and diced tomatoes.
5. Starting with the bottom of the tortilla, fold the edge up to the center. Continue to do so in a clockwise movement until all of the tortilla is folded over, and the filling is entirely enclosed. 
6. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray. Place Crunchwrap, seam-side down, in the pan. Press with a spatula and cook on medium-low heat, for about 3 minutes, until the bottom is nice and brown. Flip it over and cook for another 3 minutes. Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Culinary Couture.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

So I really need to get a good camera so that my pictures actually make the food look good, not to mention more professional. My iPhone camera will have to do for now. Plus I probably should learn how to present my food better too; all in due time I hope. Anyway, this soup is one of my favorites, I crave it often! I got this recipe from my best friend Katie, who I believe got it from her sister, so thanks Sarah!  

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
• 2 cans Chicken Broth
• 1/2-3/4 can water
• 1 box Rice-a-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice, cooked
• 1 packet dry Chicken Noodle Soup mix
• Shredded chicken (amount is to your liking--I used about 2-3 chicken breasts)

Directions:

1. Once rice and chicken is cooked (and shredded), combine all ingredients in a pot on the stove and heat until warm throughout. 

Easy as that!

Poppy Seed Chicken

OK, so this is an absolute favorite in the Wright home! We love this and everyone else who has tried it has loved it too! We have it often because of how good it is.  What can I say, The Girl Who Ate Everything is the best. I basically get all my recipes from her, ha ha. Hope you like it as much as we do! 

By the way, sorry for the lack of a final picture, we couldn't wait to eat it:)

Poppy Seed Chicken

*Pictures shown above is half the recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 C sour cream
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
• 2 C crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 rolls of crackers)
• 1/2 C melted butter
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper until done. Shred chicken with fork or in food processor with spade blade. Place shredded chicken in a 9x13 casserole dish.
3. Stir together the chicken soup and sour cream. Pour over the chicken.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce. 
5. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve over rice. 

Source: Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash is a great alternative to regular spaghetti when trying to eat healthier or when you just want to add more veggies to you diet. It amazes me how squash turns into little spaghetti noddles. This healthy meal is super easy and requires minimal effort. 

Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti Squash
• Spaghetti Sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash lengthwise and scrap out seeds. Peirce with fork and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings. 
2. Cover with foil and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours cut side up. You don't want it to be crunchy or soggy when you scrape it out. Once cooked, let cool for a few minutes then scrape out the squash with a fork.
3. Heat spaghetti sauce and serve or squash noodles. 

Source: Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything. 

Grandma Noodles

So this dish may seem a little different but it is comfort food! My grandma was the one who started this recipe and she would make homemade noodles and all. She would make this every General Conference and we absolutely loved it, its a tradition that is still kept today. Andrew likes to think of it as chicken noodle soup with mashed potatoes instead of potato chunks. 

Grandma Noodles

Ingredients:

• 8-10 oz egg noodles
• 3 cans chicken broth
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 4-5 potatoes
• 2 chicken breasts, shredded

Directions:

1. Boil chicken breasts, until cooked all the way through. Shred with fork or in food processor with spade blade. 
2. Meanwhile peel and boil potatoes. Once tender, drain and return to pot. Add butter and milk to potatoes and mash. Set aside. 
3. Add bouillon cubes to chicken broth and heat in pot. Add egg noddles to broth and cook till soft. Add in shredded chicken.
4. Scoop potatoes in bowl and add noodles and broth over potatoes. Enjoy!

Homemade Thin Mints

Alright, so who doesn't love girl scout cookies?! Well here is a homemade version of Thin Mints that turns out pretty good from Averie Cooks! It only requires four ingredients and no baking involved, does it get better than that?! This recipe will probably take you no longer than 15 minutes. It's best when you let the cookies sit in the fridge or freezer for a little bit to allow the chocolate to set and I like them best when they are cold; it makes a big difference! Enjoy!

Sorry they aren't the prettiest looking cookies! I'll do better next time:)

Homemade Thin Mints

Ingredients:

• 18 Ritz crackers
• 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening (keeps chocolate smooth)
• 3/4 tsp peppermint extract (give or take)

Directions:

1. Line baking sheet with wax paper. 
2. In a shallow microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening and heat on high for 1 minute then stir. Continue to heat for 10 seconds at a time, stirring between heating, until melted. 
3. Add peppermint to melted chocolate (add slowly until you reach your desired peppermint taste).
4. Add 1 cracker to melted chocolate, coat it, and remove to wax paper. Continue coating with all crackers. Place in fridge or freezer until chocolate is set.

Source: Adapted from Averie Cooks

Cauliflower Pizza

I LOVE PIZZA! I cant say it enough, it is just sooo good! I have been trying to be healthier in my diet though and pizza usually doesn't fit the description as "healthy". So the other night I thought I would try to mix things up a bit and try a cauliflower pizza crust since I loved the cauliflower Alfredo sauce the other week! It turned out great; this is definitely a good gluten free version of pizza and it is pretty simple. I will admit that if you can have the real stuff then it is better but for a healthier alternative this ain't bad either:)

Riced Cauliflower

Cauliflower Pizza

Ingredients:

• 2 C riced cauliflower
• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 C grated Parmesan cheese
•  2 eggs
• 2 tsp Italian seasoing
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• pizza sauce & toppings of your choice

Directions:

1. To rice cauliflower, cut florets into chunks and place in food processor until you see rice-like bits. Make sure you don't over process, you don't want it mushy. *One large head of cauliflower makes about 3 cups.*
2. Microwave the riced cauliflower in bowl for about 5 mins (don't need to add water).
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
4. In a medium bowl, combine riced, cooked cauliflower, eggs, and cheese. Then add Italian seasonings, crushed garlic and salt. Once mixed well, then place mixture on cookie sheet and pat out a round pizza crust. 
5. Bake @ 450 degrees for 15 mins. It's ok if it looks dark on the edges, it wont taste burnt.
6. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings to your pizza. Place pizza under broiler until cheese is melted.

SWIG Sugar Cookie Copycat

So I have always wanted to try SWIG cookies from St. George but have yet to do so. Andrew and I even went down to St. George for his work but we were only there for about 20 mins and then headed straight back home (some great road trip, huh?) so we didn't end up getting any. After we got back home I found this copycat recipe, and they are awesome sugar cookies! 

I think my favorite part is the sour cream frosting, the sour cream adds a little tart-ness to the sugary goodness. I agree with Vintage Revivals, where I got the recipe, these cookies are best right after you take them out of the fridge when they are cold! 

To get the recipe go to Vintage Revivals. Give them a try, it's worth it!

Lasagna Soup

So this soup turned out great! I was looking for a low-cal meal and I found this. It was delicious and new; Andrew and I loved it. According to the Dean Bros this soup is only 225 calories for 1 Cup. Thanks Dean Bros for the great recipe! If you want to add a spice kick to your soup, use tomato sauce that comes with diced green chilies, that is what I used and I liked it (surprisingly!). 

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce (optional: w/ diced green chilies)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4-5 noodles)
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick sauce pot. Add in beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally, until beef is browned, 8-10 mins. 
2. Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer. Stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. 
3. Add the noodles, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and noodles are tender, ~15 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, stir in mozzarella, basil, and Parmesan. 

Source: Adapted from the Deen Bros.

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Here is a quick easy side! These garlic mashed potatoes are fast and don't take much work, so when looking for something easy and filling go with these! 

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2.5 lb red potatoes
• 1/2-1 C fresh grated Parmesan cheese 
• 4 garlic cloves. leave whole
• half stick of butter
• 8 oz sour cream

Directions:

1. Wash and quarter potatoes. Leave skins on.
2. Add potatoes and whole garlic cloves (peeled) to pot of salted water. Bring to boil, cook until soft. 
3. Drain potatoes, return to pot (including garlic). Add butter, sour cream, and Parmesan.  
4. Mash potatoes with masker, they should be chunky!

Source: Adapted from Queen Bee Coupons

Pan-Fried Asparagus

I am trying to add more veggies into my diet but I like to add a little extra flavor to me vegetables so that I don't get sick of the same old vegetables. When looking for veggies recipes I stumbled on this Pan-Fried Asparagus on All Recipes. It's simple and quick and when cooked just right it tastes amazing. Maybe this recipe can help spice up your ordinary asparagus into a delicious somewhat healthy side dish.

Pan-Fried Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1/8-1/4 C butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed

Directions:

Melt butter in pan over medium high heat. Add in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook garlic in butter for a minute, do not brown. Add asparagus, and cook for 10 minutes, turning asparagus to ensure even cooking. 

Source: Adapted from All Recipes: recipe by Kim. 

Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes

Looking for a great, easy, quick side dish? Look no further. Ranch red potatoes requires only 4 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes of prep time. We served our potatoes last night with crockpot pot roast and gravy. This combo was great; I didn't have to do much cooking or use much cooking equipment to get a awesome meal in return.

Combine potatoes, ranch seasoning, olive oil, and salt. Make sure potatoes are well coated.

Pour potatoes onto baking sheet, spread out evenly.

Bake in oven for 20-25 mins till soft. 

Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs red potatoes, washed & quartered
• 1 packet Ranch dry seasoning mix
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl add potatoes and drizzle with a little olive oil. Add in ranch dressing mix and salt. Toss until well coated (I used a bowl with a lid, and shook the bowl until well coated).
3. Line baking sheet with foil (I would still spray the foil with cooking spray). Pour potatoes onto the baking sheet and spread out potatoes evenly.
4. Bake in oven until potatoes are cooked through, and edges start to turn dark brown, approximately 20-25 minutes. (Pierce one of the larger pieces of potato with a fork to see if it is soft).
5. Serve hot. 

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Fettuccine w/ Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

This cauliflower sauce is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! Can you imagine a healthy version of Alfredo sauce? I couldn't either until I tried this and it was delicious! If you think I am being a little over dramatic on how good it is then go to the blog where I got the recipe from, Pinch of Yum, she will tell you how awesome the sauce is. The main ingredient is a vegetable, so you cant feel bad eating a lot of it:). This sauce will be common in my house from now. You gotta try it! I cant wait to eat it again!

Saute garlic in butter on low for a few minutes until soft and fragrant. 

Meanwhile, boil cauliflower in vegetable broth/water until tender. 

Combine butter, garlic, cauliflower, some broth, salt, pepper, and milk in blender. Blend till smooth. Return back to saucepan. Stir in a little olive oil and Enjoy!

Served over Fettuccine!

Fettuccine w/ Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

*recipe makes 5 Cups

**I halved the recipe since there was only two of us

Ingredients:

• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 5-6 C cauliflower
• 6-7 C vegetable broth or water (I did half broth and half water)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 C milk
• olive oil-Optional
• Parmesan cheese-Optional

Directions:

1. Saute garlic in butter in large nonstick skillet over LOW heat. Cook for several minutes or until garlic is soft and fragrant. Do not let it brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Bring vegetable broth/water to boil in a large pot. Add cauliflower and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Do not drain.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower pieces to blender. Add 1 C vegetable broth/water (cooking liquid), sauteed garlic/butter, salt, pepper, and milk. Blend until sauce is very smooth, adding more broth or milk if originally too thick. Blend in patches if needed depending on size of blender. Return sauce back to skillet, stir in a little olive oil and Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot over noodles! 

If sauce starts to look dry, add a few drops of oil, water, or milk.

Adapted from Pinch of Yum.

Mom's Cheese Potatoes

My mom made these cheese potatoes growing up and I absolutely loved them! I thought I better whip this recipe out again and make them myself. They aren't too hard, the only difficult thing is trying to get the cheese sauce to a certain consistency. I thought my cheese sauce was a little more runny then I like it but after it was baked it tasted just like I remembered!

Peel and slice potatoes. Boil them 'till tender yet still firm.

Layer potatoes in Pyrex dish.

Meanwhile, melt butter in saucepan adding flour. Add in milk, let it get hot and thick. Add  in cheese. Stir until melted.

Pour cheese sauce over potatoes and top with a little extra cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees between 15-25 minutes. 

Mom's Cheese Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes
• 1/4 C butter
• 4 Tbsp flour
• Salt & Pepper
• 4 C milk (whole or skim)
• 2 1/2 C sharp cheddar cheese 

Directions;

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and slice potatoes. Boil potatoes till tender yet firm.
3. In a saucepan melt butter. Add flour to melted butter and whisk till combined. Add a dash of salt & pepper.
4. Add in milk, stirring constantly (double boiler recommended). Allow it to get hot and continue stirring until it thickens. (Mine wouldn't get thick enough at first so I added about 1 C of flour water to help thicken it up). 
5. Once you have reached your desired consistency add 2 C sharp cheese into sauce. Stir until cheese in melted and combined.
6. Pour cheese sauce over potatoes. Top with remaining 1/2 C cheese.
7. Cover dish in foil. Bake for 15-25 minutes. 

Garlic Cheese Pull-Aparts

Ok so these rolls are so good! I keep looking for another opportunity to make them again. I might just have to make them just cause. They are super easy but it takes time just because you have to wait for them to rise, which is typical though when baking bread/rolls. It recommends using a springform pan but since I didn't have one I just used a regular round pan. Go on over to 30 Days to check out where I got the recipe and if you want to use a springform pan.

Loosely wrap frozen rolls in plastic wrap for about 45 mins. 

Cut rolls in half with scissors. Combine butter and seasonings together and pour over rolls. Add in Parmesan cheese. 

Line the bottom of your pan with rolls and top with more cheese. Let rise for 1.5-2.5 hrs.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Garlic Cheese Pull-Aparts

*I halfed this recipe since I was only feeding 3*

Ingredients:

• 16 frozen white dinner rolls (Rhodes brand)
• 1/2 C butter, melted
• 1 C grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tsp dry parsley flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

Directions:

1. Remove frozen rolls from freezer and loosely wrap them in plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes. 
2. Cut rolls in half with clean pair of scissors
3. Combine butter and seasonings together and pour over dough. Each piece should be coated
4. Line the bottom of the pan with the piece of dough and then top with remaining grated cheese.
5. Allow to rise in a warm place fro 1 1/2 -2 1/2 hours.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until center is completely done. 

Parmesan Caesar Chicken

Here is another 5 ingredient recipe! And it doesn't take a lot of prep work, which I love. If you like Ritz chicken this is the same concept, this The Girl Who Ate Everything recipe just gives you another chance to do something with that chicken in your freezer. I really liked it! 

Put Parmesan cheese & crushed croutons mixed together in one bowl. Combine Italian dressing and Caesar dressing in another bowl.

Take chicken and and dunk it in the dressing mixture then roll it in the crumb mixture. 

Bake for 30-40 minutes. 

Parmesan Caesar Chicken

Ingredients:

• 6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup creamy Caesar dressing (I used Gardini's)
• 1/2 cup zesty Italian dressing (the actual dressing, not the mix. Like Kraft's Zesty Italian)
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup garlic crouton crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor or blender crush croutons until fine crumbs.
3. In a shallow bowl combine the Caesar and Italian dressings. Set aside.
4. In another shallow bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese and crouton crumbs. You can use grated Parmesan if you don't have shredded.
5. Take each chicken breast and dredge it in the dressing mixture and then roll it in the crumb mixture. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is done.

Cookies & Cream Brownies

I love brownies from the box, I mean why fix something if it tastes good already. But recently I found a recipe for Oreo brownies that are made from scratch and I had to give it a try. They were delicious and Oreos are another one of those special ingredients that makes everything better! The Girl Who Ate Everything brought this awesome recipe to my attention.

Mix melted chocolate and butter with sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour.

Fold in crushed Oreos, "the good stuff"

Bake for 28-32 minutes. Cool completely on cooling rack.

Beat butter and cream cheese together. Add in powdered sugar, milk, & vanilla. Fold in crushed Oreos. Frost cooled brownies.

Cookies & Cream Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies:

• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped up (I had semi-sweet on hand so that's what I used)
• 3/4 C butter
• 1 1/2 C white sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 C flour
• 8 Oreos, crushed

Cookies & Cream Frosting:

• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/4 C powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp milk
• 5 Oreo cookies, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 9×9 inch baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl until butter is melted (~2 minutes).
3. Whisk mixture until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Add in eggs, extract and salt. Gradually add in flour and stir until just combined. Fold in crushed Oreo cookies.
4. Bake for 28-32 minutes; do not over bake. These taste completely different if they are overbaked!
5. Remove to cooling rack.
6. For the frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy with a mixer.
7. Add the powdered sugar slowly, mixing together until combined. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
8. Add milk to desired consistency. If your frosting is too thick add more milk and if it's too thin add some more powdered sugar.
9. Crush Oreos and fold them into the frosting.
10. Frost cooled brownies. Makes enough frosting for a 9X9 pan of brownies. Makes around 12 brownies

Benihana Stir-Fry

My family loves Benihana's! It is our absolute favorite restaurant, just thinking about it makes my mouth water. If you are signed up with Benihana then you get a $30 gift certificate to spend on a meal during your birthday month. So Andrew and I went just the other day since I had to use my birthday gift certificate and man was it good! Sometimes my family will make homemade Benihana and just buy the salad dressing and ginger sauce (we love this stuff!!! can be an acquired taste though) from the restaurant and bring it home; much cheaper this way! So this is what Andrew and I did, we ate at Benihana and then got the sauces to go so we could make it the next night too.

*There are no measurements here because you cook as much as you would like*

Cook onions, chicken, & steak tips in olive oil and soy sauce until no longer pink.

In another pan with olive oil & soy sauce, cook squash & zucchini.

I cooked my mushrooms in another pan (with butter) since Andrew doesn't like them.

Before serving add vegetables to chicken & steak. Serve over rice.

Benihana Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

• Cooked white rice
• Chicken, cubed
• Steak Tips
• Zucchini
• Yellow Squash
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Benihana Ginger Sauce

Directions:

1. In a pan cook chicken, steak, and onions in olive oil and soy sauce. Cook until no longer pink.
2. In a separate saucepan cook zucchini, squash, and mushrooms in olive oil, soy sauce, & a little bit of butter. 
3. Once everything is cooked, combine into one pan and serve it over cooked rice. Top it off with ginger sauce.

**We served ours with a side salad using Benihana salad dressing. They sell their sauces ~$4/pint.