Pumpkin Bread

This bread is delicious and perfect for fall!

Pumpkin bread
Source: Tasty Kitchen

3 C sugar
3 1/2 C flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
1 C oil
1 C water

Stir together all of the dry ingredients. Add in the wet ingredients. Mix well. Grease 3 loaf pans. Equally distribute the batter between the pans. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour. Let cool on a rack. Keep moist by wrapping in plastic wrap.

Brown Sugar Flank Steak

This is absolutely divine! You must make this. I cannot tell you how good this was! I couldn't stop eating it!

Brown Sugar Flank Steak

1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C green onions, chopped
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2-2 lb. flank steak

Combine the marinade ingredients together and mix well. Marinate the steak in this marinade in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but at least 4 hours. Grill each side until the meat is cooked to medium-rare. Let the steak sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. Slice into really thin strips and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Whenever I have time to kill and I need a new recipe I go here....Tasty Kitchen. This was started by the Pioneer Woman, another one of my favorite websites. When we got the new crock pot I went on a hunt and found this delicious recipe! You must try this!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Source: Tasty Kitchen

2 lb. stew meat
2 cans golden mushroom soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 C onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 package onion soup mix
1/2 C water
1 bag egg noodles
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 T sour cream

Cook the meat, soups, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, water, and onion soup mix into the crock pot. Cook on low for low for 8 hours or high for 5.

Cook egg noodles in boiling water. Drain.

Just before serving, stir in cream cheese, sour cream, and noodles. Serve.

Crockpot Philly Cheesesteaks

Along with my new panini press, Charlie also blessed me with a new crock pot! My cooking has been really slack since I started teaching full time in February. I really want to start utilizing our crock pot more. The crock pot we had wasn't anything fancy. I wanted something that cooked on a timer. My new one switches to warm after time is up, which is great for the days I work late (most days!). We liked this meal, although there's no picture. Sorry! Just trust me!

Crock pot Philly Cheesesteaks
Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

1 lb. tri-tip steak, sliced
1/2 sliced onion
1 bell pepper
1/4 C white wine
1 T Worcestershire sauce
Provolone Cheese
Sandwich rolls

Cook sliced meat, onion, pepper, wine and Worcestershire in a crock pot on low for 8-9 hours (high 4-5). Spoon meat onto rolls and top with cheese. Bake in 400 oven for about 10 minutes.

Pizza Panini

This picture does not do this panini justice! Charlie bought me this amazing Panini press/indoor grill. I absolutely love it! We've been making turkey paninis a lot and I was sick of them! So, we tried these. They were absolutely delicious and terribly easy to make!

Pizza Panini
Source: Rachel Ray

3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 T olive oil
1 T dried oregano
salt and pepper
Ciabatta bread
1 ball fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil leaves, torn
Pepperoni slices

Preheat the oven to 425. Preheat the panini grill to medium heat.

Scatter the tomatoes on a baking sheet and toss them with the oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven about 20 minutes. Mash in a bowl to make a tomato sauce.

Spread tomato sauce on a slice of bread. Top with mozzarella, basil, and pepperoni. Top with another slice of bread. Press each sandwich about 5-7 minutes. YUM!

Pasta Salad

This pasta salad recipe is a family favorite. I've been eating this since I was a kid. It's one of those recipes that all of my mother's children know how to make. It's a staple, particularly in the summer or at a potluck. And it's one we always get compliments on. Better yet, it's extremely easy!

Pasta Salad


16 oz. Rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
1 large bottle of Italian Dressing
1 packet dry Zesty Italian Seasoning Mix (This is KEY! You must not leave this out!)
Cheese (Cheddar, Colby, whatever), cubed
Tomatoes, chopped
Cucumber, chopped
Pepperoni, sliced


Toss all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl.

Skillet Barbecue Chicken

It's been a while since I blogged. There are 2 reasons for this....

1. I don't have the time or energy to blog.

2. More importantly, I don't have the time or energy to try new recipes!

I have been really slack in the kitchen lately. I'm working full time and by the time I'm home I mentally cannot wrap my mind around trying new recipes or sometimes even cooking at all. We're not starving here, but definitely are spending more money eating out than ever. I hate it. I feel completely responsible and lazy. Luckily, Charlie puts up with it. In fact, he doesn't even just put up with it, he lovingly tells me it's okay!

I miss cooking. I miss the days when I had all the time in the world to search for recipes to try. I miss having dinner on the table when Charlie came home. New recipes. Exciting recipes. I long for summer break, one of the luxuries of being a teacher. Working at a year round school is supposed to be awesome. A 3 week break every quarter sounds lovely. But me? No real break since Christmas. I need it. I know, I know. Most people have to work all year. No breaks unless they take a vacation. So who am I to complain? Yet I do, and will contine to complain. :)

Another joy of teaching, besides the breaks of course, is student gifts, sometimes. A lot of times we get those "apple" items. And other times we get awesome, useful things! Teacher Appreciation Week was a few weeks ago. I got Starbucks, gift cards, flowers, and a cookbook! A cookbook!!! A good one too! Better yet, a healthy one! Yay! Just what we need! So many things in the title catch my eye....

Cooking Light: a reputable source, and LIGHT!

Fast: exactly what I need right now!

Weeknight: Not a lot of time or energy needed!

So this one comes from my new cookbook!

Skillet Barbecue Chicken

Source: Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals

4 Chicken breast halves

3 garlic gloves, minced

1 T seasoning blend (the recipe says Southwest Chipotle, I used some chicken seasoning I had for the grill)

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 T olive oil

1/2 C BBQ sauce

1/4 C water

Pound chicken to 1/2" thickness. Rub chicken with garlic and sprinkle with salt. Season with seasoning blend.

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side. Add barbecue sauce and water to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes until chicken is done.