S'mores Pie

I made this pie for Pi Day in March. There has been a lot of s'mores stuff going around online that I had been wanting to try, so this was the best one to start with! It was ridiculously sinful, but definitely tasty! It's also quite messy-I listened to the original poster and didn't try to cut into it when it's still warm. If you even attempt, you'll see how messy it is.

Before:

After:

S'more Pie-adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Total Time: 25 Minutes

Serves 6

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 7 ounces marshmallow creme
• 8 chocolate bars
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 inch pie pan with baking spray.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until combined. Add in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, graham cracker crumbs and baking powder.

Divide the dough in half, and press half into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan. Evenly spread the marshmallow creme over the bottom crust. Separate the chocolate squares and place on top. Sprinkle with miniature marshmallows.

Using the remaining crust pat sections of dough on top and around the marshmallows. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting.

Bacon Beer Cheese Soup

Scott and I are still searching for that perfect beer cheese soup. We fell in love with a few restaurants' soups in Eau Claire during college, but haven't been able to find a suitable replacement. This one was pretty delicious, but not quite THE one. We'll keep trying :)

Bacon Beer Cheese Soup-adapted from Smells Like Home
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Serves 4

• 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cup chicken broth
• 6 ounces pale ale or beer
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Cook the bacon in a large sauce pan over medium high heat until crispy. Scoop out bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and place on a paper-towel lined plate. Turn the heat down to medium and add the carrot, celery, garlic, salt and pepper and saute for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften.

Whisk the flour into the vegetables and stir for one minute. Whisk in chicken broth and continue to stir until no lumps of flour remain. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender or carefully transfer into a blender. Blend until smooth and return to saucepan.

Pour the beer into the mixture, bring to a simmer, stirring as needed. Allow to cook down for 10 minutes, then stir in milk and allow to warm, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cheese by the handful, letting each batch melt completely before adding more. Garnish with bacon before serving.

Pot Roast

Pot roast is a favorite at my house, or at least for me. It brings back memories from my child hood. Pretty sure we had pot roast every Sunday at my Gramma's house. I love the slow cooker recipes for pot roast because it's done when I get home-delicious!

Pot Roast-adapted from Tasty Kitchen
Total Time: 7 hours
Serves 4

• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 14.5 ounces beef broth
• 1 ounce package dry onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoons Worcestershire
• 1/4 cup A-1 steak sauce
• 3/4 cup water

Season beef with salt and pepper. Place into a 4-5 quart slow cooker. Place onion and carrots over beef and mix in rest of the ingredients. Cook an low for 7 hours or until beef is tender. Serve with carrots and onions.

Balsamic Chicken

Love slow cooker recipes!

Balsamic Chicken-adapted from Eating Clean and Saving Green
Total Time 7 hours
Serves 4

• 4 chicken pieces
• 2 small yellow squash, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Place all items in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 hours or until chicken is cooked through

Blackened Fish

I'm slowly learning to like spicy food. That being said, this was a bit too much for me. Scott and his mom still ate it, but I had to make myself a sandwich instead. Make this with some caution & knowing your own limits!

Blackened Fish-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 4 fish fillets, such as halibut or swai
• 2 tablespoons butter

In a large resealable bag, combine all the spices. Place one fish fillet in the page at a time and shake until the fish is coated. Repeat with remaining pieces.

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat, about 3 minutes per side or until fish is flaky.

Zucchini and Rice Casserole

This was a great casserole! We ate it for a main dish, but it would be a fantastic change up for a side dish too. It would go great with chicken, ham or pork chops. I pretty much love everything with zucchini in it.

Zucchini and Rice Casserole-adapted from Comfort Food by Cooking Light
Total Time: 60 Minutes
Serves 8

• 2 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. IN a large stock pot, bring zucchini, onion and chicken broth to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Drain; partially mash with a potato masher.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Spoon mixture into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and browning.

Fish with Honey and Balsamic Onions

I really want to cook fish on a regular basis. I've found swai fillets in the bag, and they taste just like halibut or any other white fish-and are slightly cheaper! Balsamic vinegar will always make a dish better for me.

Fish with Honey and Balsamic Onions-adapted from Cook This Now by Melissa Clark
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 4 whitefish fillets, such as halibut or swai
• Lemon pepper, to taste
• 2 small onions, quartered
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey

Season the fish with lemon pepper. In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme and salt. Cover and cook until almost tender, about 3 minutes.

Uncover the pan, turn the onions, and continue to cook until they caramelize, about 3 minutes more. Add two tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the honey to the pan, let cook for about 20 seconds, then immediately transfer the onions to a bowl.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan until very hot. Lower the heat to medium low, add the fish, and cook about 4 minutes a side. Add the remaining balsamic vinegar and remove to plates. Serve with onions.

French Dip Au Jus

Embarrassing story time. The very first time I had a hangover I went to Perkins and ordered a French dip with mozzarella and fries with ranch. Ever since, it's a typical hangover meal for me. I didn't make this recipe for a hangover, but it was pretty awesome. Make sure to get some great hoagies or french bread for the sandwiches.

French Dip Au Jus-adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School
Total Time: 8 Hours
Serves 8

• 1-1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 pound beef rump roast
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 cups water
• 8 single-serve hoagie buns
• 8 slices mozzarella
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces sliced mushrooms

In a small bowl, combine beef bouillon and thyme. Rub over beef roast. Place in a 5-quart slow cooker, and add the onion, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and water. 

Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat and let stand for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and saute mushrooms until tender. Slice beef and place on hoagies with a slice of mozzarella. Serve with the au jus.

Pasta Carbonara

A long time ago, I had a friend make me pasta carbonara. I hadn't had it again until I made this recipe. It had a lot of flavor and goodness to it, that I want to make it again. Oh, if only I was eating pasta more often!

Pasta Carbonara-adapted from Tasty Kitchen
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Serves 6

• 12 ounces pasta (I prefer spaghetti)
• 8 pieces thick cut bacon, diced
• 1 small medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup peas

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, fry the bacon pieces in a large saucepan until crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Cook the onion and garlic in the bacon grease until golden brown. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together eggs, cheese, cream, salt and pepper until smooth. When the pasta has finished cooking reserve about 2 cups of the water. Continue to drain the pasta and place in a large bowl.  Slowly add the egg mixture to the pasta, stirring the entire time. This will become thick and coat the pasta. Add some pasta water to get your desired consistency. Halfway through, add the bacon, onion, garlic and peas to the pasta mixture.

Ranch Salsa Tacos

This is quite likely the easiest slow cooker recipe ever. Three ingredients. That's it. And it was probably one of the best tacos I've ever had.

Ranch Salsa Tacos-adapted from Picky Palate
Total Time: 6 hours
Serves 8

• 2-3 pound pork roast
• 1 packet dry ranch seasoning
• 16 ounces of your favorite salsa
• Tortillas, hard or soft shell-your choice
• Lettuce, tomatoes, onion, black olives, guacamole, sour cream-whatever you like on your tacos!

Place the roast, ranch and salsa in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or until meat is cooked through and tender. Shred roast with two forks and serve with taco toppings.

Parmesan Chicken

Chicken is such a great weeknight meal. This is super simple and uses ingredients that are very affordable, and likely already in your pantry!

Parmesan Chicken-adapted from Moms Who Think
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Serves 6

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 package Italian dressing mix
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together Italian dressing mix, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Press firmly into chicken breasts. Place chicken onto a glass baking dish. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I have yet to find the perfect chicken noodle soup recipe. This was pretty close though! And it's a slow cooker recipe, so just let it cook all day! Perfect for those days you aren't feeling up to much, or just need something to warm you up! I like that you just shred the chicken, instead of cubed chicken. It's tasty!

Chicken Noodle Soup-adapted from Yummy Mummy Club
Total Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes
Serves 8

• 1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 slices ginger, about 1/4 inch, peeled
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 1 cup white wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups dry egg noodles

Spray the inside of a six-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place vegetables in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with chicken, broth, wine, salt and pepper. Cook on low for about 8 hours.

Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return to slow cooker. Add noodles and cook on high for 20-30 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Pesto Portobello Pizza

Mushrooms are an absolute favorite ingredient of mine. Whenever I can commit to mushrooms as the main ingredient, I am a happy camper. This pizza was just something different that was a quick dinner recipe. If you want to use pre-made pizza dough, go right ahead.

Pesto Portobello Pizza-adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

• Prepared pizza dough
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound Portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 cup pesto
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute mushrooms and onions, about 10 minutes, until tender.

Fold out pizza dough onto a pizza stone or baking sheet. Spread the pesto over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch from the edges. Top evenly with mushrooms and onions, them the cheese.

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. 

White Chili

I'm still uber behind on blog posts. I made this chili when it was cold and dreary and it made everything better. Very easy and super flavorful. {I promise I will get back to more exciting blog posts once I get caught up and don't wait MONTHS to post}

White Chili-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time: 7 hours
Serves 12

• 3-15 1/2 ounce cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 jar Alfredo sauce
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can chopped green chilies
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 small yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• Salsa, sour cream, tortilla chips and additional cheese for garnish

Grease a 5-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place all ingredients except garnish into slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-7 hour or until chicken is cooked through and able to be shredded. Garnish with additional toppings.

Italian Chicken Salad

So I'm back on again. I'm terrible at getting busy and not blogging. It also sometimes gets me into not cooking as well. I feel like since I can't keep up on the blog I shouldn't keep up on the cooking new things (I resort to tacos...a lot). Silly I know, but oh well. Back to it, like I said!

This recipe was made back in February (gawd, I'm so behind!), but I remember really liking it! I made the chicken the same day, which adds to the recipe time, however, if you have leftover chicken it's a great mixture too! Use your favorite lettuce and I'm also thinking that next time we'll be adding some sun-dried tomatoes!

Italian Chicken Salad-adapted from Super Simple Chicken Recipes by Betty Crocker

Total Time: 25 Minutes if cooking chicken, 10 if using pre-cooked chicken

Serves 4

• 2 cups cut-up chicken
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 4 1/4 ounces sliced kalamata or black olives
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing

In a large bowl, toss all ingredients until well coated.