BBQ Quinoa Chili

One of my favorite things about fall and winter is, of course, the food! I mean, isn't Thanksgiving about the food?? I know, I know...it's about being grateful. For food. Anyway, soups, stews, chowders, chilis, hot chocolate, ciders...all things that seem silly to eat in the summer, right?

This recipe is my favorite chili recipe. I made it this year for our church's chili cookoff and Halloween party. I've never added quinoa to it before, but while I was cooking it up I was looking through my pantry for another can of beans and my bag of quinoa like *jumped* at me. Literally. It was kinda scary but hey! It is Halloween, right? My husband, who is the unofficial official taste tester said it was a fabulous addition, so I'll be keeping it as part of the recipe from now on.

If you haven't tried quinoa before, you are missing out! I love the texture it adds to food, and it's so much healthier than rice or potatoes. Once you use it a few times, you start realizing you can add it to so many things - salads, soups, stews, sauces, etc. I actually crave it. Weird, I know.

Feel free to change things up! Omit the beef for a vegetarian option! Add more beans, less beans, different kinds of beans. Add more spice. Whatever! It's all up to your palette. I have little kids, so I have to hold back on the spice, and we use the beans we prefer, but in the end it's your chili. So do what you want!

BBQ Quinoa Chili
Girls in Aprons

1 pound hamburger
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 15 oz can black beans, mostly drained
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, mostly drained
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes (I used petite diced tomatoes with garlic)
1 28 oz can tomato sauce (I actually really like Progresso Recipe Starters Fire Roasted Tomato, so if   you have that on hand you can use that)
1 T chili powder (you can omit the chili powder and cumin and use a chili seasoning packet too)
1 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
1/3 cup bbq sauce (I recommend Sweet Baby Ray's Original)
1/2 cup quinoa

Brown the hamburger in a large sauce pan. About halfway through the browning, add the pepper and onion. Cook until hamburger is done and peppers and onions are no longer crunchy, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Add spices and BBQ sauce. Let simmer for about 30 minutes on low, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook 1/2 cup quinoa according to your package directions. Make sure to rinse your quinoa or it will clump together! Once it is cooked, add it to your chili. Serve chili with sour cream, green onions, avocado, shredded cheese, or chips!

Soda Can "Cake" - Great Birthday Idea!

Need a new, unique idea for the man in your life? I sure did! My husband like cake just as much as the next person, but I wanted to make a cake for him that he would think was "awesome" and also one that really just screamed his name.

Voila! Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper, and Coke. All things he likes.

This "soda can" cake is so easy but has a great presentation.

Think of it as the diaper cake people make for baby showers, but for adults....without diapers, and easier to make. Use a 8", 9" and 10" cardboard cake plates (found at craft stores in the baking aisles). I used packaging tape on the bottom of each can to keep it stable, but really I wouldn't travel with it. Try to make the cake in the same location you are going to present it (or close to it at least!).

I used ten cans on the first layer (eight around, two in the middle), seven on the second layer (six around, one in the middle), and three on top. Use ribbon, twine, or anything else to decorate your cake, and you can even stick gift cards or other fun gifts out of the top. Super easy and super unique!! Try this for the next birthday or celebration!

Cookies and Creme Popcorn

My sister-in-law Cindy got married a few weeks ago. You should know that my husband is one of her SEVEN older brothers. SEVEN!! She's had built in bodyguards from day one! Luckily the guy she married is a rock star and brother-approved. I guess that's mostly lucky for him. I would not want to be on the bad side of seven older brothers!

The reception, however, was the work of SEVEN sister-in-laws and our amazing and fearless leader - my mother-in-law. Being one of the two sister-in-laws who lives out of state, I was mostly out of the loop about what was going on for the reception. I had my jobs: hair and nails for the bride. But my LOVE was helping in the kitchen!! The food theme was popcorn and lemonade. Very country and so adorable. The tablescape turned out amazing (see below) and the popcorn was a hit! There was caramel, chili cheese, peanut butter, and (the star of the show) cookies and crème!

My sister-in-law Kristen was the popcorn chef and I watched her make her batch of Cookies and Crème Popcorn and saw how easy it was! I had to figure out the measurements, and I found what I like. If you want more chocolate add more! More cookies? Do it! I'm thinking I'll try Peanut Butter Oreos next time!!

The recipe is SO easy. And you don't have to get married or attend a reception to enjoy it! We've made it in our house for movie night and also to bag up for gifts. I made it for staff appreciation week and I've had so many requests for the recipe. So here it goes:

Don't you love the classic colors and the gorgeous food? And those flowers?? The whole thing was so cute! 

First you pop two bags of kettle corn (regular or low calorie - whatever). Don't burn the popcorn!! You'll want to dump the bags into a big bowl, shake the popcorn to get all the kernels to the bottom, and then transfer the popcorn to another big bowl, leaving the kernels behind. Nothing ruins a good bowl of popcorn like breaking your teeth on a kernel! Then you want to use a food processor (I used my Magic Bullet) to finely grind up 20 Oreo cookies.

Dump the Oreo crumbs into the popcorn and blend.

Melt 12 oz of vanilla candy melts (I used Wilton brand from Michael's) for a minute on high in the microwave. Stir. Heat again for 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Pour onto popcorn and mix mix mix!

Spread out the popcorn onto wax paper-lined cookie sheets until cooled completely. Break apart and devour. I also like to coarsely chop a handful of extra Oreos to mix into the popcorn bowl.

Yum!! So addicting!

 

Cookies and Crème Popcorn

by Girls in Aprons

 

2 bags microwave kettle corn

20 Oreo cookies, finely blended

12 oz. vanilla flavored candy melts (like Wilton)

 

Microwave popcorn according to package directions. Pour bags into a big bowl and shake it several times to remove the kernels to the bottom of the bowl. Transfer the popcorn to another big bowl and discard the kernels.

 

In a food processor (a blender doesn't work too well) grind up the 20 Oreos into fine crumbs. Mix crumbs with popcorn.

 

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the candy melts on high or one minute. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Pour over the popcorn, mixing with a spoon until well combined. Spread out onto two wax paper-lined cookie sheets until completely cooled. If you find you have a lot of Oreo crumbs at the bottom of your popcorn bowl, I just sprinkle it over the cooling popcorn. I don't believe in wasted Oreos!! Break apart and serve.

 



Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Garlic Parmesan Biscuits

I know April isn't really "soup" month...but at least here in New Mexico we're had our share of colder days. And by colder I mean high 50s or low 60s. But its not the weather itself that makes is cold, it's this darned wind! It's brutal! And maybe you haven't thought of this, because I know I hadn't, but a windstorm in a desert setting means that sand is always in your hair, ears, eyes, and mouth.

 

I've been thinking of a chicken pot pie soup for weeks now, but I couldn't imagine making a soup and topping it with a pie crust. It seemed so boring. So maybe this soup is more like chicken with biscuits or whatever, but to me it's very similar to the filling of chicken pot pie soup. Call it what you want, it's delish. And start to finish, including the biscuits, took me less than 45 minutes.

 

I threw my chicken breasts in the crock pot in the morning with some water and a lemon that had been cut in half. The chicken had an ever-so-slight lemon flavor. It also made it super easy to shred. I also ate my biscuit inside my soup. I'm usually against anything that makes my bread soggy (except bread pudding...mmmmmm....bread pudding) but the garlicky cheesy rolls tasted so good with the soup.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Garlic Parmesan Biscuits
by Girls in Aprons

For the soup:
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 (15 oz) cans chicken broth or chicken stock
2 cups milk
2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb or so), cooked and shredded
2 tsp fresh or 1 tsp dry thyme leaves
1 12-oz bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until onion is translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Add butter to pot and let melt. Immediately add flour and whisk until butter and flour are combined. Continue stirring, using a whisk, for 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth and milk, whisking continuously. Let simmer for 10 minutes, whisking often to keep milk from scalding on the bottom of the pan. Add thyme and frozen mixed vegetables. Continue cooking until vegetables are warmed, about 3 minutes. Whisk in shredded cheese until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot in a bowl and top with a warm biscuit (or two, or three).

For the biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 1/2 cup shortening (I used butter-flavored Crisco and highly recommend it)
2/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
1 egg

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a bowl, whisk milk and egg. Stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Drop by heaping spoonfuls 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet (I roll mine into about golf-ball sized balls, they make about 12 rolls). Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve on top of soup.

Biscuit recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Easy Croque Monsieurs

I married into a French-Italian family. The best part of this is when my father-in-law would be talking to me and switch into French without realizing it, leaving me clueless. The worst part of this is when I first met my in-laws and my husband left me alone with them for about 10 minutes, leaving me to understand what they were saying through their thick accents. I just sat there and smiled.

 

My mother-in-law is an amazing cook, but her recipes are hard to recreate because she's the kind of cook that uses "a little bit of this and a little bit of that." One day I'm going to have to shadow her and write down what she does, or go crazy trying to perfect her homemade oatmeal and pea soup and half a dozen other recipes I dream about her making for me!

 

My husband didn't grow up on casseroles (what??!!) or traditional PB&J sandwiches. Instead, he had such sandwiches as Croque Monsieurs. Basically a French sandwich with Dijon mustard, ham, swiss, and pepper. Really simple but so good. I've had one at a French restaurant we found in Seattle and it was served with "pomme frites"aka fries (my high school French comes in handy sometimes). This particular sandwich was served with a thick bread, lots of ham, a Swiss cheese sauce, and a lot of pepper.  My recipe is slightly easier, I don't make a cheese sauce. I just use cheese. It's less messy and quicker to make.

 

A variation of the Croque Monsieur is the Croque Madame. It's similar to the Croque Monsieur except that it also includes a fried egg on top, sometimes with béchamel sauce included (again, a step I generally avoid because it defeats the whole "quick and easy" approach).

 

Lastly, Croque Monsieurs and Croque Madames can be eaten open-face or sandwich style. 

 

Did I mention my kids LOVE this particular dinner?! My six-year-old doesn't love Dijon mustard (he also doesn't love cheese...whose kid is he anyway?!) and I use butter on his sandwiches and everyone is happy.

 

 

Croque Monsieur Sandwich (or Croque Madame Sandwich)
by Girls in Aprons

Makes 4 servings, two open-faced sandwiches each

4 ciabatta rolls, cut in half
Dijon mustard
1/2 lb Virginia ham (or any ham, just not honey ham)
8 slices Swiss cheese
Black pepper
Butter (if making Croque Madame sandwiches)
8 eggs (if making Croque Madame sandwiches)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place sliced ciabatta rolls on a cookie sheet, cut side up, and place in preheated oven. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until tops are toasted. Remove from oven.

Spread each piece of bread with Dijon mustard. Top with ham (as much or as little as you desire) and a slice of Swiss cheese. Place back in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with a pinch or so of black pepper.

If making Croque Madames, which sandwiches are in the oven, melt butter in a small pan and fry one egg per sandwich. If you don't want the yolk to be runny, break the yolk before flipping the egg over to cook the other side. Once the sandwiches are removed from the oven, top with pepper and then the fried egg.

Serve warm. We usually serve our sandwiches with a green salad and fruit.

"Guy" Dip: Bacon Ranch Cheddar Chip Dip

This dip is everything my husband loves in one magical bowl: Ranch, Bacon, and Cheese. Really, most guys I know love that holy trinity of ingredients. Ranch, Bacon and Cheese over chicken? Yes please!! Ranch, Bacon, and Cheese on pizza? Of course! Ranch, Bacon and Cheese perfume? He'd follow me anywhere.

So this dip is basically "guy" dip. Everything the love mixed together, with a side of yummy potato chips (basically fatty, salty vessels that get the dip from the bowl to their mouths). We made this dip on New Year's Eve and it was so addicting. And it's super easy. However, it's not necessarily healthy although you could totally use non-fat sour cream and turkey bacon and whatever. But it would taste like diet food, and we all know how that tastes. If you are concerned about the calories but still want to make it (like me!!) just serve it with carrot sticks and cucumbers. And chips.

"Guy" Dip
by Girls in Aprons

1 16 oz. tub sour cream
1/2 to 1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 cup shredded cheese (I used Sharp White Cheddar, but regular cheddar or Pepper Jack would be good too)
3-4 green onions, sliced
8 sliced bacon

In a medium sized bowl, mix sour cream with 1/2 packet ranch dressing mix, shredded cheese, and green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning (I like it with only 1/2 a packet, my husband likes the whole packet, so we compromise with 3/4 of a packet). Let it chill in the fridge at least an hour.

Before you serve the dip, cook the bacon until crisp and chop up to bite size pieces. Let it cool slightly, and mix into dip right before serving. This keep the bacon crisp in the dip without letting it become soggy.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

My kids are spoiled. At least when it comes to pasta. Well, not even the pasta. It's the sauce that they are quick to judge.

 

For awhile they were fine with just about anything related to pasta. Cheap macaroni and cheese, pasta with butter, garlic spaghetti. Even Prego. It was my saving grace after a busy day. Within fifteen minutes my family could eat spaghetti with Prego and everyone was happy.

 

Then, my amazing sister-in-law, Melanie, gave me a recipe for a large batch of homemade meat sauce. I gave it a try one afternoon and within a few hours I was freezing 6 servings of meat sauce. And not just any meat sauce. The Best Meat Sauce.

 

Now, my kids refuse Prego. I can't even jazz up some Prego with a few home additions, such as a can of drained diced tomatoes, spices, or cheese. They can tell. It's not The Sauce. So while they will continue to eat pasta with butter and garlic spaghetti (and the occasional boxed mac and cheese, but that's another story)...we will forever use The Sauce for our spagetti dinners.

 

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
by Girls in Aprons

1 lb. spagetti noodles
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 small-medium carrots, diced
2 rib celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 4-oz can mushrooms, drained (optional)

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Continue stirring until meat is cooked and vegetables are starting to be tender, 5-7 minutes. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and mushrooms (if using) and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Toss with cooked and drained spaghetti noodles and serve.

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Chicken

I'm kind of addicted to magazines. Luckily not so much the tabloid celebrity gossip, but I do love parenting, cooking, and household magazines. I get several subscriptions to my house each month and tear out magazine pages that interest me. The plan was (is) to eventually organize all these torn out pages into binders of amazing ideas, tricks, techniques...but right now it kind of all looks like this:

Anyway...several years ago I came across this recipe that combined barbeque sauce, ketchup, and honey to make a sauce that you then cooked with chicken. It was simple and delicious, but over the years I forgot the exact measurements and added whatever I had on hand. I'm usually a bit Type A about measurements, but this is one of those recipes that you can follow the directions or add your own twist to it.

So easy to put together...mix the sauce together and pour over chicken. I love to make cheesy mashed potatoes and use the potatoes as a bed for the chicken.

We actually like to serve our chicken with a small bowl filled with the sauce that is remaining in the pan. I literally smother each bite in the tangy, sweet sauce.

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Chicken
by Girls in Apron

4 chicken breasts (2-3 lbs total)
3/4 cup regular barbeque sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix barbeque sauce, ketchup, honey, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Taste and adjust cayenne pepper to desired heat.

Pour 1/2 cup sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place chicken breasts on top and top with the remaining sauce. Cover with foil and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through.

To serve: Place chicken breast on plate. Top with a few spoonfuls (or more!) of pan sauce.

Asian-Style Marinade

Don't judge me....but I don't love steak. My husband gasps every time I say it, because I'm pretty sure it's blasphemous to him. And my in-laws raise cattle, so I'm pretty sure I'm breaking some sort of secret family law. But I'll take fish or chicken over steak almost any day.

Unless the steak is in some yummy Asian-style marinade. Like teriyaki, or sesame, or something along those lines. Oh, and it can't be a fatty steak. Or thick cut. Or pink.

I love this marinade because it is SO easy to make, and so much cheaper (and healthier!) than the marinades you can pick up in the store. This marinade will go with steak, but also chicken and pork. We used ours with cubed up steak for shish-kabobs. But you can marinade thin cut steak, chicken, or pork with it, and serve over sauted veggies. Yum!

The marinade is so easy...it took one picture! Combine your dry seasoning (onion powder, garlic powder (or dried minced garlic - that's what I had on hand), dried oregano, and black pepper) with soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil.

I love how the marinade carmelizes on the meat! It's the sugars from the honey, and all that goodness. 

You know you are putting shish-kabobs on your menu!!

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Asian-Style Marinade
by Girls in Aprons

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 to 3 Tablespoons honey (I like more!)
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 T black pepper
(Optional: 1 to 2 tsp red pepper flakes)

Combine the soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil. Add dried seasoning and combine. Marinade meat for at least half hour. Baste additional marinade on while grilling.

Stuffed French Toast

Let's face it, even though I love to cook and bake, there are times I just don't want to make dinner. Whether it's a time thing or a lazy thing, but sometimes I don't want to cook anything even if it's already been planned.

Enter the time-saver: Breakfast for Dinner.

I know this isn't breaking news. Every one has breakfast for dinner, right? But sometimes I feel guilty making plain ol' pancakes (again) or boring frozen waffles (even if I try to jazz them up with peanut butter or something).

My favorite thing to do lately is Stuffed French Toast. The best thing about this meal is that you can tailor this to each person's likes and dislikes. You can make them sweet or savory and just have fun with it. And it was easy to throw together. I had everything in my pantry and refrigerator ready to go and it was on the table so fast. This is also super easy for breakfast, so maybe surprise your family one morning!

Here I did whipped cream cheese (easier to spread) and strawberry jam, drizzled with Nutella and topped with powdered sugar. Hey, I never said it was super duper healthy. Serve with a side of fruit and you'll feel better :)

Some other stuffing ideas:

 PB&J

peanut butter and Nutella

marshmallow creme and Nutella

Fluffernutter (marshmallow creme and PB)

cheese and bacon

bacon, tomato and avocado (savory Stuffed French Toast!)

The possibilities are endless. Just use what you have and top it off with what you want.

Start with your ingredients. Some of the ingredients might be tricky to keep in (tomato, bacon, etc) but I'll just show what I did. I smeared cream cheese on both sides (A) because it's good and (B) because it makes a good "glue" for everything. Then I added some jelly. 

Smoosh together and dip in your egg mixture. Use both hands and be kind of careful, You basically want to make sure the egg doesn't get inside the filling since that party won't really be getting cooked, just warmed.

And I love using Texas Toast for my French toast! It's thick and yummy. I use Franz bread here in the NW, but any thick sliced bread will do.

Spray your pan with Pam (or whatever spray works for you) and cook on both sides until golden brown.

Yummmm. Something about cream cheese and jam oozing out of my French toast is delightful. And Nutella really brings everything up a notch, doesn't it?

Stuffed French Toast

by Girls in Aprons

6 eggs

splash of milk

dash of cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

Put ingredients together in a shallow bowl (I use a pie dish) and wisk with a fork until combined.

Texas Toast (or other thick sliced bread)

Whipped cream cheese

Strawberry Jam

Nutella

Powdered Sugar

Heat your pan to medium heat and spray your with nonstick cooking spray.

Start with two slices of bread and smear some cream cheese on each slice, top one slice with jam and press the two sides together. Carefully dip each side of the "sandwich" into your egg mixture, making sure not to get the egg into the cream cheese/jam.

 Place your French Toast onto the pan, cooking each side until golden brown. Top with a drizzle of Nutella and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Serves 4-6

Creamy Burrito Casserole

I like to try and do a "theme" night each week. Not because I'm trying to start any traditions or anything, it's mostly because on Sunday night, when I'm planning my meals for the week, I need some inspiration. We typically have "Taco Tuesdays" (although it's sometimes on a Wednesday... or Friday), and I usually have a "Meatless Monday", and so on. Anyway, Taco Tuesdays are my kids favorite. They absolutely love crunchy tacos, and the fact that Mexican style food is easily tailored to fit their own likes and dislikes is a plus.

This time, though, I wanted something different. We usually go for enchiladas or chimichangas (using leftover roast from Sunday... so good!), or the usual tacos, so I found this recipe. It looked killer good. Creamy Burrito Casserole was also super easy to throw together and tasted like the title intends it to taste. It was definitely creamy and my kids ate it up. It was like a super creamy enchilada, but without all the tortilla rolling.

Creamy layers. This was so easy to throw together and will definitely fill everyone up! The leftovers the next day were just as good!

Start by browning your meat and onion.

Add seasoning and refried beans.

Your sauce- sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. Easy peasy. Normally I'm not a cream-of-anything soup person, but every once in a while you just have to do it. And you won't be disappointed!

Layers! Spread your bean layer on top of the tortilla layer.

Sour cream layer on top of the cheese. See? Easy :)

I'm hungry and this looks great. This is definitely my kind of comfort food and is in our rotation for dinner ideas. And I usually have most (if not all) of the ingredients on hand for last minute ideas!

Creamy Burrito Casserole

1 lb ground beef 

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning (I just sprinkled some from my huge Costco container)

6 large flour tortillas

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

2 -3 cups shredded cheese

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Brown ground beef and onion; drain. Add taco seasoning and stir in refried beans. Set aside.

Mix cream of mushroom soup and sour cream in a separate bowl. Spread half of the sour cream mixture on the borrom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Tear up three tortillas and spread over sour cream mixture (I cut mine in half). Put half of the meat/bean mixture over the tortillas and add a layer of cheese. Repeat the layers (sour cream mix, tortillas, meat mix and cheese). Bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Recipe from food.com

Slow Cooker Garlic and Brown Sugar Chicken

I came home the other day to a sauna. We had been gone all day and when I opened the door from the garage, I was hit with a wave of heat. And nothing depresses me more than walking into a room of sweltering heat. (Okay, lots of things can make me sad, but at the moment, when I had been gone all day, this was what depressed me the most). Houses in Washington typically do not have AC or central air. It's expensive to install, and usually only needed a few days a year. But on this day, it was needed. My house has no tree cover so it had been baking in the sun. All day. Enter my dad, who saved the day with a window AC unit that at least makes the living room bearable.

You wanna know who else saved the day? My slow cooker. I know I've raved about my slow cooker before, but really it's my BFF in hot weather. There are only so many days I can go without cooking something, and only so many days I can get away with making my family eat cereal or PB&J sandwiches for dinner.

This chicken is amazing. It is slightly sweet but definitely garlicky too. I was slightly nervous to put in all the garlic called for, but went for it and didn't regret it. After it cooked all day, it wasn't overkill at all. Served on top of rice (from my rice cooker!), it was a great meal and my kids even ate it up. Granted, I had to turn on my stove for a few minutes to thicken the sauce, but it was definitely worth it. My three-year-old even asked for seconds, and she never does that! This is a definite keeper in our house and I usually have all the ingredients on hand, so we'll be making it again. And again :)

Slow Cooker Garlic and Brown Sugar Chicken

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used four large frozen chicken breasts)

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon lime soda

2-3 Tablespoons minced garlic

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 tsp black pepper

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons water

Steamed rice
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Place chicken slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray. Mix together brown sugar, vinegar, soda, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.

Take chicken pieces out of slow cooker and pour remaining sauce into saucepan (I poured mine through a fine mesh strainer first). Place saucepan over high heat. Mix together corn starch and water, pour into saucepan and mix well. Let sauce come to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to thicken and turns into a glaze. Remove from heat and let sit for a minute or two (it will continue to thicken as it cools down).

Serve chicken over rice or noodles and top with glaze. Sprinkle red pepper flakes on top if desired.
(Recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff via Slow and Simple)

BLT Supreme

It's really hard to feed my family on our current food budget. We're not exactly eating Top Ramen every night, but neither are we eating steaks, either. And the suggestion that we eat fish at least once a week? Yeah, right. We're lucky to get fish once a month, and no, I'm not counting fish sticks.

A lot of our meals are thrown together by what I have on had. Pasta is mixed with different cheeses and leftover meat for a meal. Salads are a mix of veggies and beans I happen to come by. We have eggs and toast whenever my husband isn't going to be home, and Little Caesars has found its way into our kitchen occasionally :)

So when I was creating the menu for this week, I asked my husband for ideas. Sometimes I just can't think past the first few days of the week. I listed a few things on sale at the grocery store (or stores, I stalk three different grocery store ads) and when he heard bacon, he immediately answered with "BLTs". Why didn't I think of that? Oh, because I don't like tomatoes. Don't judge. I'll eat them in a hot dish, but not fresh. Sorry.

As I was preparing dinner last night, my eyes wandered to the avocadoes that were supposed to be used in our burritoes but were too ripe. I was sure that they were close to being over ripe at this point. I decided to make an avocado spread to put on top of the BLTs. And add cheese. Our family loves cheese, and I just happened to have sliced swiss cheese. Perfect with bacon and tomato. And now avocado!

Mix avocado, Greek yogurt, lime juice, and salt together in a food processor. You can totally use a bowl and fork and get a chunkier version. If you use a food processor, reserve the last avocado and mash it in afterwards to get some texture to the sauce. By the way, I'm digging the color!

All of the pieces to the puzzle. Ciabatta bread (the best for sandwiches in my opinion), tomatoes, mayo, Swiss cheese, lettuce, avocado spread, and bacon. The grapes are for a side dish, not necessarily for the sandwich :)

You can take some of the breading out so that your sandwich isn't so thick and jaw-breaking. I did this for my kids so that they could actually attempt to eat it, although to be honest they sort of just took the whole sandwich apart and ate it piece by piece. They just don't understand a masterpiece when they see one!!

BLT Supreme

by Girls in Aprons

1 loaf ciabatta bread, slices in half and then into fourths (to make four sandwiches)

1 lb bacon

2 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced

4-6 slices Swiss cheese

1 head lettuce, leaves torn

Mayonnaise

For avocado spread:

3 ripe avocados

3 oz Greek yogurt (half of a 6oz container)

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp salt

Cook bacon in large pan over medium high heat until crispy. Let drain on a paper towel.

Meanwhile, cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, and, using a spoon, remove the avocado flesh from the peel. Place two of the avocados in a food processor fit with a metal blade. Add yogurt, lime juice, and salt and pulse until smooth and creamy. Pour into a bowl and, using a fork, mash in the remaining avocado until desired consistancy.

To assemble, spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the top half of the sandwich and then generously add the avocado spread. On the bottom half, layer in the following order: lettuce, cheese, tomato, and bacon. Place top half on the sandwich and enjoy.

Optional: Using a grill pan or a grill on low heat, grill the tomato slices and the ciabatta slices until grill marks appear. Assemble sandwich as normal.

You can also toast the sandwich by placing the cheese, tomato, and bacon on the bread and toasting under a broiler before adding the lettuce, mayonnaise, and avocado spread.