Melissa

Lets keep posting! I really need dinner ideas, I hate coming up with plans by myself!

Here's what I did over the last week and a half (I was pretty sick with a horrible cold, so I didn't do dinners every night):

Tacos

I now have a new favorite for tacos. I do soft shell, using the uncooked tortillas from Costco (fry them up right before you use them, YUM!) I bake some chicken breasts wrapped in tinfoil and sprinkled with a little salt (350 for 30 min., or 45 depending on if you have more than 1 layer of chicken). Then I cut it up into bite sized strips, and shake them up in a bag with some olive oil, worcestershire sauce, a sprinkle of garlic salt, a pinch of onion powder, and a splash of lime juice. I heat up a frying pan really hot, and blacken the chicken quickly (so it doesn't get overcooked). Then I serve it in the fresh warm tortillas with some combination of lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, or whatever other toppings you have!

Mushroom Baked Rice with Broccoli & Sauce

I made the mushroom baked rice out of the best bites cookbook, but it took longer to cook than I anticipated. We ate the main dish, and were too full for rice, so I put it away in the fridge. The next night I didn't really want to cook, but wanted to use the rice. I knew Levi would want something more than just rice, and he also really likes saucy things. So I took out some broccoli and steamed it, then made a quick sauce out of cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream and parmesan cheese. I microwaved individual bowls of rice, put in the steamed broccoli, then poured the sauce over it and stirred it all up, sprinkling a little more parmesan over the top. It was so good!

Chicken/Artichoke/Bacon Pasta with Alfredo Sauce

I basically followed the recipe for this from the Best Bites cookbook. Levi really liked it! I used whole grain rotini, and didn't have any green onions, but that was probably for the best. (I used a sprinkle of dried chives, and it was good.) I wish I would have taken the foil off for the last 10 min. though to let the cheese brown a little.

Baked Tilapia with Garlic Rosemary Potatoes and Asparagus

I love tilapia! I can hardly stand any seafood, but white fish and shrimp are okay in my book. I also had some killer lobster at Red Lobster one time. But this is super easy. I just bake a couple white fish filets (tilapia or cod) in a baking dish with a citrus grill seasoning sprinkled on top, and a few pats of butter. I cover it tightly with tinfoil and bake @ 350 for 30-40 min. (again, longer if you have more than 1 layer of fish). Then I made the garlic rosemary potatoes from the Best Bites book, and some asparagus. The other favorite to go with fish is the butter & herb or chicken flavored Rice Sides. Broccoli is good instead of asparagus too, but broccoli is our vegetable of choice.

To Try this Week:

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I was going to make these for Valentine's Day to bring to my playgroup, but we happened to get sick the day before. So I am going to make them and bring them next time. I would normally try it out first and make sure they are good before posting the recipe, but I am so excited and it sounds so yummy that I just have to share! I've adapted this from Angela's "Nicest softest, sugar cookie recipe ever" recipe. I think it will be awesome! (Not that I know yet, but I think these will be a little darker chocolate tasting. If you need it sweeter, do 3/4 c. cocoa powder, and 1 3/4 C. sugar).

1 1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. butter

2 eggs

1/2 C. sour cream (secret ingredient)

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 C. flour

1 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream sugar & butter. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Beat. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix well, and refrigerate at LEAST 2 hours. (That's important!) Roll it out thick, (between 1/4 - 1/2") and cut out. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet @ 425 for 9 min., or 350 for 10-12 min. (Again, not sure.) Cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting!

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

1/2 C. softened butter

2 C. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter with cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla, then gradually beat in sugar. Color, and frost. For chocolate frosting, add 2 squares melted baking chocolate (unsweetened).