Homemade Hawaiian Haystacks

We made these for dinner a little while ago with Mike and Jenna and they were delicious. I love Hawaiin Haystacks and i love how easy they are but i forget about them a lot. I usually just use cream of chicken soup for the sauce but i found this recipe for ones with a homemade chicken gravy and it was SO yummy. So i wanted to share it in case you forgot about Hawaiian haystacks too.

Homemade Hawaiian Haystacks
From 
“Picky Palate”

Chicken gravy sauce:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 c all purpose flour

1 t kosher salt

1/2 c sour cream

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

32 oz. reduced sodium chicken broth

2 t dry Ranch Dressing seasoning packet

1/4 t garlic salt

2 c cooked shredded chicken breast

Steamed rice

Toppings options:

Chow Mein Crispy Noodles

sliced green onions

black olives

pineapple

dried cranberries

almonds

tomatoes

diced bell pepper

shredded cheese

-Place butter into a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring to melt. Slowly whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth and thick, for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Increase heat to high whisking until thick, about 2 minutes. Add sour cream, Ranch seasoning, garlic salt, and cooked chicken breast. Stir and season accordingly. You may prefer additional, salt, pepper and garlic salt. You can make this ahead of time and transfer to the crock pot and kept it on low all day until dinner, or serve it immediately.

-Place rice on serving plates and top with chicken gravy. Have toppings at the table and top with whatever you like! Have fun!







original recipe found here: http://picky-palate.com/2012/04/01/homemade-hawaiian-haystacks/

Brownie cookies

I made these cookies yesterday and they are without a doubt some of THE BEST cookies i have ever made. (which unfortunately is not saying much because i'm not very good at all at making cookies, but then again it is saying a lot because they were really easy and turned out delicious.) I found the recipe online and here it is:

BROWNIE COOKIES

CREAM TOGETHER:

1/2 cup salted butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 egg whites

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup cocoa powder

ADD IN:

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup white flour

1 cup wheat flour

STIR IN:

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts/pecans (optional)

Batter should feel much like cookie dough but look like brownie batter

Spoon onto cookie sheets like cookie dough

Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes

(I just used all regular flour since i didn't have wheat flour and i didn't add the nuts. 8 minutes was the perfect time for my oven.)
Seriously you should go make them right now. 

original recipe website: http://pleasantandplump.blogspot.com/2012/04/jessies-brownie-cookies.html

breakfast = oatmeal

i know you guys are gonna laugh when you see this but i'm posting about breakfast, and therefore i am posting about: OATMEAL! surprise! I love it (everyone knows that). But anyways I wanted to post a list of oatmeal options that i love because it is such a great breakfast thing but it usually needs a little kick to be truly delicious and if you eat it everyday like me, you need options. So i wanted to put together a little list of oatmeal mix-ins for everyone in case you want some ideas for how to make your oatmeal truly delicious. And they are all still really fast and easy. It's also for me because sometimes i forgot the yummy ones.

First of all: i just buy the generic brand "quick cooking" plain oats in the cylinder from the store. I usually make about 1/3 c in a bowl then just cover it with water. (of course you can do more, but this was the amount they told me to make when i was on my diet after having Caitlin and it's a good amount for me). Then i stick it in the microwave for 1:45. That's y tried and true time. Then i add my mix ins and enjoy. You can also add milk to it but i stopped adding milk also when i was on my diet, because they told me to. At first it will seem kind of dry but now im totally used to it and i dont mind it.

So here is a list of all my favorite mix-ins that are fast and easy:
-chocolate chips! Melissa actually just told me the other day that she was watching a morning show and they said one of the best breakfasts you can have is oatmeal with DARK chocolate! I knew i had the right idea. They said on the show that people who were having chocolate in their oatmeal lost up to 40 lbs. more than people who weren't. I've just been putting in regular milk chocolate chips but now im on the lookout for dark chocolate so i can feel completely justified!
-butterscotch chips
-fresh fruit (strawberries and bananas are my favorite)
-baked apples (cut up an apple into bitesize pieces then stick them in the microwave for about 25 minutes to get soft)
-cinnamon (yummy with just about anything and good for weight loss)
-peanut butter, nutella-- these are pretty good but they kind of give the oatmeal a weird texture
-brown sugar (i usually don't do this one but it is yummy)
-frozen berries (i get the 3 berry mix from costco and it's my favorite. Just scoop them in and by the time you mix it all around they are thawed enough)
-apple cider mix (like the packet.. use about half and you can get the non sugar kind t make it more healthy)
-Greek yogurt & honey (This is my newest one: I'm super into greek yogurt right now. It's really god for you. Just mix in a spoonful then add some honey to sweeten it up. The texture might look a little scary but it's actually really creamy and delicious.)

Good combo ideas from the above:
-chocolate chips + fresh fruit OR frozen berries
-baked apples + apple cider mix + cinnamon
-bananas + butterscotch chips OR peanut butter

K so there is all you've ever wanted to know about my oatmeal breakfast habits! Hopefully it gave you guys some ideas for if you want to try having oatmeal more often. Let me know if you guys have any other combos that you like!

WOW Chicken

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it looked easy so i decided to make it last night and Paul loved it. (I liked it but too but i haven't been able to eat chicken breasts as easily while i'm pregnant so it wasn't a super home run for me) But, based on his reaction i decided to share.

It's just a standard chicken breast that you bake with some stuff on top but it makes it moist and gives it some extra flavor. It goes great with any sides too so if you just need something simple and fast but with flavor, try this!

 Ingredients:
 4 chicken breasts
1/2 C sour cream and/or greek yogurt and/or mayonnaise
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
Italian (or just regular) bread crumbs

-Preheat oven to 425
-Line a cookie sheet with foil (makes for super easy cleanup)
-Put your chicken breasts down on the pan. (Mine were thawed already but you could maybe experiment with frozen ones.) 
-Mix Sour Cream and/or Yogurt and/or mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. 
*I'm really into Greek Yogurt right now because it's so healthy so i used mostly plain greek yogurt with a little sour cream to equal a 1/2 C 
-Spread mixture over top of chicken breasts, then sprinkle Italian bread crumbs on top 
-Bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked.

**I also think it would be really yummy to add some Italian Dressing seasoning from a pouch to the mix on top. I'll probably try that next time.

original recipe adapted from:http://theenchantedcook.blogspot.com/2011/10/parmesan-crusted-chicken-hellmanns-mayo.html

Popcorn

• Parmesan Garlic Popcorn
• 
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter $
• 2 cloves garlic, minced $
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil $
• 1 cup unpopped popcorn $
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan $
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt $

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring, then remove saucepan from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Warm vegetable oil in a large, deep pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. When oil is hot, add unpopped popcorn, cover pot, and cook 1 minute. Vigorously slide pot back and forth over burner until popcorn begins to pop. Continue cooking and shaking pot until popping subsides, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat and transfer popcorn to large serving bowl.
3. Pour butter-garlic mixture over popcorn, sprinkle with Parmesan and cayenne and toss to coat. Season with salt and serve.
4. (from Myrecipes.com)

Marshmallow Popcorn Cake

2 1/2 quarts popped popcorn

1 10.5 ounce bag marshmallows

3 tablespoons butter

assorted Halloween mix-ins – I used M&Ms, candy corn and peanuts

Melt butter and marshmallows together.  Add popcorn and mix slightly.  Add in mix-ins and mix until the melted marshmallow mixture has coated all the popcorn.

Pour mixture into a bundt pan that has either been sprayed with cooking spray or buttered.  Turn out onto a serving dish and enjoy!

(from zupas.com)

Jello Popcorn

• 12 cups popped popcorn
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 (3 oz.) package cherry or other flavored gelatin

Instructions

• HEAT oven to 300ºF. Line large shallow roasting pan with heavy foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil.
• REMOVE all unpopped popcorn. Pour popcorn into prepared pan. Keep warm in oven.
• COMBINE sweetened condensed milk and dry gelatin in medium saucepan. Heat and stir over low heat until mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly, 4 to 5 minutes.
• POUR mixture over popcorn. Stir gently to coat using a long-handled wooden spoon. Bake 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Carefully turn out onto large piece of lightly buttered foil. Cool. Break into pieces or clusters.

(from eaglebrand.com)

8 Minute Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Yep, I saw this on Pinterest and just had to try it :)
They turned out pretty good! Although I didn't have a mini-cupcake pan, so I just used my regular one (and cut the dough rolls into 6 pieces, instead of the suggested 8).
Anyways, enjoy!

Ingredients:

1-8oz tube crescent roll dough

2 Tablespoons butter

cinnamon

brown sugar

For the maple icing:

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 Tablespoon skim milk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven according to crescent roll dough package directions. Layout half the dough (4 triangles) and pinch all the seams together. Flip over and pinch the seams on the back side together too.

2. Using a rolling pin, smooth the seams and roll the dough into a square about 1/4″ thick. Brush with half the butter, and sprinkle with as much cinnamon and brown sugar as you want. Roll into a log and cut into 8 pieces.

3. Place mini cinnamon rolls into a non-stick sprayed mini muffin tin. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the other half of the crescent roll dough. Bake according to package directions.

4. Meanwhile whisk together maple syrup and milk in a bowl. Add in powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Easy Mexican Casserole

2 C Tortillas Chips (crushed)
2 C uncooked rice
1 can diced green chilies
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can green enchiladas sauce
1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 375. In a 13x9 greased pan layer 1 cup of crushed tortillas chips.

Over stove top prepare rice as directed on back of bag.  Once cooked mix in diced green chilies.  In a pan brown hamburger meat. Once cooked at salt and pepper.

In 13x9 pan layer 1 Cup crushed tortillas chips, rice with green chilies, black beans, corn, ground beef, green enchiladas sauce and rest of tortillas chips.

Cover and bake for 20 mins in oven.  Bring out and remove cover and layer with cheese.  Turn oven to broil and put back in oven until cheese is cooked (about 3-5 mins)

*I also have made this in the crock pot and it taste delicious, but is just not quite as crunchy.