BBQ Chicken Dip

It's almost playoff season and that means time for football parties!  We have a Superbowl party coming up, so I'm pulling out ideas for our annual "dip off" appetizer cook-off competition.

In Upstate New York, where I spend most of the football season, the big thing is buffalo chicken dip, but I'm more of a barbecue girl so I tried out this recipe and got all thumbs up. Even from that die-hard Buffalonian boyfriend of mine.

I just whipped this easy appetizer up in a few minutes (the chicken was already cooked) and everyone thought it was great.

BBQ Chicken Dip
Adapted from: Plain Chicken

Ingredients:

• 12 oz cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (about 3 chicken breasts, I think shredding is better)
• 1 (8oz) block cream cheese, softened (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup bbq sauce (I used Kinders this time, but I think I prefer Sweet Baby Rays)
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 green onion, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.

In a mixing bowl combine chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

Pour mixture into prepared 8x8 baking dish.

Top the dip with chopped green onion and remaining cheese (according to my friend "whatever amount they say for cheese, double it" so I put a little extra cheese on top... And I didn't have any green onions--in the past I have omitted them--but this time I diced up some white onion and put a little bit on top).

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Quick Bread

The holidays are my favorite time of year. Great food, awesome company, and time to relax without any immediate obligations. I have been crazy busy though, and even though I've been around tons of food I haven't been very diligent in my picture taking... It gets distracting being around such tasty treats!

I've had a ton of requests and comments, so I just wanted to take the opportunity to express how thankful I am for everyone who has taken the time to check out the recipes I have posted so far. I am so blessed in so many ways, and it is the season to especially be thankful for everything and everyone I am so lucky to have in my life.

I have found having something quick and easy for breakfast or a snack is the best way to go... I try to have a loaf of some kind of bread on the counter most of the time, and this has become one of my favorites... It is sweet and delicious, and it is really easy to whip up and pop in the oven at night while doing homework or watching T.V. Plus it only takes one bowl, the original blog I got it from said she just used the tablespoon she measured with to mix (easy recipe and minimal dishes. Hello!).

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Quick Bread
Original recipe: A whisk and a prayer

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup sugar. Add egg, milk, and oil to flour mixture.

Stir until just moistened.

Pour half of the batter into pan.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar (you can mix together cinnamon and sugar before, but I usually just sprinkle them separately).

Cover with remaining batter.

Top with more cinnamon/sugar if desired (You know you want to)


Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. (Do this carefully... The cinnamon sugar layer can cause some difficulties)

The original recipe suggests wrapping the loaf in foil and letting it sit overnight before slicing (I can never help myself and it is soooo good warm, straight out of the oven, so I've never actually done this).

Tis the Season for Hot Chocolate!

Happy Holidays!

There is nothing I like more than curling up with a big mug of hot cocoa during the cold winter months.  Right now I'm watching the snow fall outside the window and there is nothing better to warm up a soul than Hot Cocoa.

This isn't really a recipe really... more of an added flair.  The beginning of christmas break has been awesome... I was thinking about making a post about how to cook dinner on a yacht (we did that last week), but I just decided to enjoy the experience. It was pretty cool.

Hot Cocoa 

Ingredients:

• Instant Hot Cocoa 
• Vanilla Extract (just a few drops)
• Cinnamon (a little shake)

Directions:

Make hot chocolate! Put everything in a mug and drink up :)

When I started college I got an electric kettle.  It was great for hot cocoa, but it was also really useful for making things like instant oatmeal for breakfast in the dorms.

and here's the yacht... NBD ;)

George Foreman BBQ Chicken

Old George has been a lifesaver lately.

I usually get home from my day in class and in the gym around 6 pm at the earliest. I am usually tempted to stop at the dining hall or subway on the way home, but with these new George Foreman recipes I have been trying out I can have a healthier dinner ready in a reasonable amount of time. A chicken breast only takes 4-6 minutes on the grill! A total time saver. Check out my George Foreman Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe for another idea.

This is even easier than the Lemon Garlic Chicken. I didn't think that that was possible.

I paired it with instant mashed potatoes... To be honest, I was a little nervous when I first saw powered mashed potatoes in the grocery store, but the purchase was totally worth it. They are super fast and easy and super delicious. I think it was one of Dave's favorites so far :)

George Foreman BBQ Chicken

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

Directions:

If your chicken is frozen, check out my post on thawing frozen chicken (You can cook chicken from frozen on the George Foreman, just double the cook time and you probably wont be doing any cutting beforehand)

Cut chicken breast into strips (I used scissors, this makes it easier to fit more chicken on the grill at once in my opinion)

In a medium sized bowl, combine chicken with some BBQ sauce, enough to coat all of the chicken.

Pop the chicken on the grill  (I seem to be using the word "chicken" a lot in this post... sorry about that) and cook for 4-5 minutes.  I usually check the thickest piece around that time to see if it is cooked through.

Whip up some mashed potatoes or rice and you've got a great dinner :)

Kitchen Trick #2: Thawing Frozen Chicken

I talked about this in my Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken post, but thought it would be good to mention it in my Kitchen Tricks for a little easier access.

One of my biggest problems with cooking dinner is that I usually never actually know where I'm going to be that night or when I will get home. Even on nights I plan on being home to make something for dinner, I usually forget to take the ingredients (usually chicken) out of the freezer. 

Luckily, I have found an excellent solution to this predicament. First of all, when I buy a pack of chicken, I pound out the breasts so they are a little bit thinner, then I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then put them in a freezer bag to protect from the frigid air. This makes it so I can take one or two pieces at a time without having to defrost the whole lot. 

The trick to defrosting them isn't really much of a trick, but if you fill a bowl with warm water and submerge the chicken breast for 20 minutes, switching the water out halfway through, the chicken will be defrosted.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Getting ready for finals week has been hectic, and though I have been able to try out some great new recipes I haven't had any time to write about them.. So sorry about the backlog. 

I pinned this recipe from Daydream Kitchen a long time ago, but I found it and tried it the other night. It was awesome. I went from two pieces of frozen chicken breast to a delicious meal in less than an hour. One of my biggest problems with cooking dinner is that I usually never actually know where I'm going to be that night or when I will get home. Even on nights I plan on being home to make something for dinner, I usually forget to take the ingredients (usually chicken) out of the freezer. Luckily, I have found an excellent solution to this predicament. First of all, when I buy a pack of chicken, I pound out the breasts so they are a little bit thinner, then I wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag to protect from the frigid air. This makes it so I can take one or two pieces at a time without having to defrost the whole lot. The trick to defrosting them isn't really much of a trick, but if you fill a bowl with hot water and submerge the chicken breast for twenty minutes, switching the water halfway through, the chicken with be defrosted. Then you can try out any chicken recipe, like my George Foreman Lemon-Garlic Chicken or the BBQ George Foreman Recipe that I am hoping to post in the next few days.  But if you don't have a George Foreman, this Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken recipe is sure to please

According to the original recipe:

“A quick, easy chicken recipe for days when you don’t want to spend time in the kitchen. Even finicky people will eat it. Goes great with traditional potatoes or rice.”

Ingredients

• 2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 500°F and lightly grease a casserole dish. I placed a layer of tinfoil down first then sprayed it with cooking spray which helped a lot when it came time to clean up.

In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender.  Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar.
Place chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes. 

Kitchen Trick #1: Keeping Water from Boiling Over

My sister showed me this last year and I was like, "Whatttt?!? No Way!"

It is probably one of the coolest things ever, and it minimizes some of my cooking mess (which is always a plus)

If you are boiling a pot of water (for example: when cooking pasta), place a wooden spoon across the top to keep the water from boiling over.

Oh the things you learn in college.

George Foreman Lemon Garlic Chicken

If you are ever trying to figure out what to give someone graduating from high school I can give you the ultimate idea: A George Foreman Grill.

Best. Gift. Ever.

I was given one when I graduated high school and it has been awesome. My freshman year, my roommate and I would have sunday dinner every week. Good Old George helped us make steaks, and chicken, and even toast one time.. all kinds of great stuff.

Now that I have a stove and an oven, he gets a little less use, but it is great to have him to grill something up quickly.

The other night I wanted something fast, so I fell back on the ultimate recipe finder: Google.

To be completely honest, I only used it for an idea, and then I pretty much made things up as I went along. It ended up pretty tasty though, so I must have done something right.

George Foreman Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic (minced)
• Italian Seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

Preheat George Foreman Grill.

Cut chicken breast into strips (optional, but it helps to cook everything more evenly... pounding the chicken so it is flat is also another option).

In a small bowl combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Place chicken in bowl, mix to coat.

Place chicken in grill and close lid, cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with noodles, rice, or veggies. Enjoy :)

Brown Paper Bag Microwave Popcorn

I am about to blow your mind.

Seriously. This is the ultimate answer for quick and easy popcorn production. I found this somewhere on Pinterest and decided to try it out and it totally works... plus it eliminates the messy pot when popping popcorn on the stove, and it waaaayyyyy cheaper than store-bought microwave popcorn. 

Plus, if you are having a movie night, you don't have to dig up a bunch of popcorn bowls for everyone--just serve the popcorn from the brown paper bags! GENIUS!

Ok, hope you are ready for this:

Directions

1. Put 1/3 cup popcorn in a brown paper bag

2. Fold the bag a few times at the top to keep the popcorn from flying everywhere

3. Place in microwave and heat for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes

4. Done!! 

What?!? Ya. That's it! Put some butter or cinnamon sugar or whatever seasoning you want on there and eat up.

Told you I was going to blow your mind.

"Healthier" Sugar Cookies

As I was watching Harry Potter on TV last night, I got the urge to make some cookies. I don't really know why because I am not especially notorious for my cookie baking prowess, but the urge hit so I googled sugar cookie recipes and found this. The title claimed that they are healthier, but I don't think the fact that they have yogurt instead of oil really makes that big of a difference when you are eating a sugar cookie.... But hey, it was worth a try.

And if it is "healthier" that means you can eat more without the guilt........ right?

Healthier Easy Sugar Cookies

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl. (I saw something on pinterest recommending using cornstarch in place of baking powder for fluffier cookies, but I didn't try it)

Beat butter, yogurt, and sugar together until smooth (Once again had to resort to a wooden spoon instead of an electric mixer, but I've found I like it..... makes me feel in touch with my ancestors). Beat in vanilla extract. 

Mix in flour mixture until just incorporated. I don't know if I did something wrong earlier in the recipe, or if I was just impatient, but I had some issues incorporating the flour, so I added a couple more tablespoons of yogurt to help with cohesiveness... they still turned out alright so there's that.

Roll dough into "walnut-sized" balls and place 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven until golden, 8-10 minutes. Let stand on baking sheets two minutes before removing to cook on wire racks (or in my case, due to lack of said wire-rack, a piece of tinfoil)

Microwave Coffee Cake

Last night I made a bit of a mistake while trying to make a little snack. I decided to make Microwave Mac and Cheese, but I only had shredded mozzarella cheese... So I thought, "hmm, I'll try something new and different." To say the least, it didn't turn out. It was like having a big lump of cheese with some noodles mixed in. Sooo don't try that at home, stick with cheddar.

Aside from that little debacle, the microwave has been my best friend in college. In the dorms it is much easier to heat something up in the microwave than to stand around looking like a looney in front of the oven. Plus it is easy and quick and I actually knew how to use it. This year, we didn't have one in our apartment for the first few weeks, I really don't know how people got along before the invention of the microwave. Luckily, Dave bought me one for our six month anniversary (romantic right?).

So speaking of microwaves, the other day I was sitting around the apartment and wanted something sweet, but still easy. Obviously I went straight to Pinterest and found this tasty treat, a five minute mug o' coffee cake. The original recipe has some really great pictures, but personally I hate when there are big pictures and the recipe is sandwiched between the graphics because I always feel like I am missing something. Anyways, I think it turned out pretty good, and my roommate Pat liked it too.

Microwave Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Butter 
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp Sour Cream
• A few drops of Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup Flour
• 1/8 tsp Baking Powder

For the crumb topping:

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Grab a mug and add 1 Tbsp. butter.  Place in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften the butter (just soften, don't melt it.)

Stir in 2 Tbsp. sugar until it is fluffy and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add egg--the original recipe recommends scrambling the egg in a small dish and splitting it in half between two coffee cake mugs (which is why Pat got to try a mug full :P), but she also says you can axe the egg altogether, but without it your coffee cake will be less cake-y and more crumbly. 

Stir in 2 Tbsp Sour Cream and a few drops of vanilla. Then stir in 1/4 cup flour and 1/8 tsp. baking powder.

For the crumb topping, in a separate bowl add 1 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp flour, 1 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon, "smoosh" it together with your fingers then add it to the mug.

Place the mug in the microwave and cook for 1 min. Check the mug, then you can continue adding 10 seconds at a time until it is done. For me it was hard to tell how cooked it was through the crumb topping, so I mixed it up. Not only did this help me check for done-ness, it was awesome because then the cinnamon and brown sugar were mixed into the cake part and it tasted delicious.

Apple Cider Pancakes

Ok, excuse the picture on this one, my phone was in the other room and I was too hungry to get up and get it so I used Dave's phone and his camera is even worse than mine.

According to Dave, these are "possibly" the best homemade pancakes he had ever had... I think that means they were the best, that's just the way he talks. I have to admit, this isn't really a "college" recipe, and it was a little more involved than I thought at first glance, but I had some apple cider in the fridge and saw this recipe on Pinterest so I wanted to try it out. I really liked them a lot, a bit more work than the "just add water" pancake mixes, but they were delicious so I would vote that they were worth it.

Apple Cider Pancakes

Adapted from Tokyo Terrace

*This recipe makes a large batch. I actually cut the original recipe's proportions of the dry ingredients in half so I didn't end up with a huge tub of pancake mix leftover. I still have enough for two more batches if I'm feeling up to making them again.

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups white flour (I just used 3 cups of white flour)
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 tablespoon salt

Place ingredients in an airtight container and store until ready to use. Or continue with the recipe, which (according to the original) makes a nice amount of pancakes for 2 very hungry people or 4 not so hungry people.... According to my calculations, this made about 6 medium sized pancakes. So, unless you are feeding birds or small children, I think it feeds 2 normally hungry people or 3 not so hungry people (We did actually save one for Dave's roommate). But that might just be because I am a breakfast person and therefore am really hungry in the mornings.

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute)
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup apple cider (or apple juice if you can’t find cider)
• 1 egg, separated
• Unsalted Butter (both for cooking, and for topping them)
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

Directions:

Place 1 cup of dry mix in a large bowl. 

In a small bowl, whisk the egg white, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1 tsp honey and 1/2 cup cider. In another small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 2 tbsp olive oil. Whisk the wet ingredients in one bowl until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry mix and stir until just combined. It will be lumpy and, at least for me, a little thinner than traditional pancake mix consistency. Don't get rid of the lumps.

If you don't know how to cook pancakes, where have you been living all of your life? In the case you have been living under a rock, the original recipe provided these instructions: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or vegetable oil in a medium pan. Measure 1/3 cup of the batter and pour into the pan. When you start to see small bubbles on the top of the pancakes and the edges are beginning to cook, flip the pancake. Be sure to add more butter or oil as needed so the pancakes don’t stick.

The original recommended: while the pancakes are still warm, top with some butter and allow it to melt over the top of the pancakes. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture and eat!

I tried it, it was ok, but I would recommend syrup. That's just the way I like my pancakes. The bacon Dave made on the side was an awesome addition as well. :)

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

Probably the coolest gift I've received while in college was a crockpot my mom found for like $20 and shipped to me. It is really great when you have some time in the morning and wont be home until late and want food ready as soon as you get home. I always look for easy slow cooker recipes on Pinterest, and I've found it is a lot easier to pick which one to use if you write down the ingredients and the cook time in the little comment box so you can pick which ones are worth a closer look at the time, without having to look through every individual recipe.

Usually I make my choice based on the ingredients I have handy and the cook time. The other day I knew I wasn't going to be home for at least 6 hours, so I was trying to find an easy crockpot recipe that I could just throw in so dinner would be ready when I got home. The recipe I found I actually couldn't find because the pin didn't work (so ya... that suggestion above isn't always effective), but I tried it out anyways. I don't think it was my favorite crockpot chicken I had ever made, but Dave really liked it.

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

1 packet of Italian Dressing Seasoning
Cube of Butter (I think I used about half a stick of butter, but I think you could use up to a full stick)
Lemon Juice (I just sprinkled it on, but I think a few tablespoons)

Directions:

Super easy! Put the butter in the bottom of the crock pot, lay the chicken on top. Sprinkle the Italian dressing packet over the chicken, drizzle with lemon juice.


Pop on the lid and cook on High 4-5 hours, or Low 6-8 hours.

One Minute Microwave Mug Muffin

Most of the time I snooze my alarm until the absolute last second, dragging myself out of bed and then rushing around my apartment trying to get everything ready for the day. If I am lucky, I remember to grab a slice of banana bread or a handful of cereal before running (limping) out the door to amble into class (mostly) on time.

But every once in a while, on the off chance I get to bed early and feel refreshed before my alarm goes off, I wake up early and have time for a nice breakfast. On other mornings, I just want to have something good to eat without all the work.  This 1 minute mug muffin is great if I don't want to use a lot of dishes, or even if I just want something a little different. It is also really healthy so that is another plus.

It goes really well with eggs or fruit or whatever really.

1 Minute Microwave Muffin

Original Recipe: blogilates.com

• 1/4 cup Quick Oats (One package of instant oatmeal)
• 1 egg
• Small handful of berries (Fresh or Frozen, optional)
• Some brown sugar or stevia
• 1 Tbsp. Soymilk (or milk, or lactose free milk)

Mix everything together in a mug and put in microwave for 1 minute. If top is not firm, place back in microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it is cooked.

I had to improvise when I made this the other day because I got halfway through and realized I didn't have any milk. I used a little scoop of greek yogurt, probably about a teaspoon, and about a tablespoon of apple cider. Not going to lie, I was pretty impressed when it worked.

Balsamic Chicken and Stove-top Potatoes

I find a lot of chicken recipes on Pinterest, but usually the time it takes to bake really turns me off. When I finally get home after a long day I am usually starving and I do not want to wait another 45 minutes to an hour to finally have something ready to eat. Usually this means a stop at the dining hall or something involving pasta.... or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (gourmet, I know). But I think time is the biggest enemy to making a real, tasty, healthy(-er) meal at any point in life, especially college.

The other night I had some extra time because I got out of a class early and was able to get a real lunch, so I wasn't as hungry right away. Dave had class, so I decided to make him something for when he got out and I had a little time to kill... not that that stopped me from snacking on grapes and slices of bell pepper as I cooked.

Balsamic Chicken
Original Recipe: Frugal Follies

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 large onion, cut into eighths (I sliced it, but eighths would probably be quicker)
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch slices (I used an orange one)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

Cover the bottom and sides of a baking pan (I used a glass 13X9 in.) with aluminum foil (technically not necessary, but you will thank me when you have to clean up).  Place chicken breasts in the pan and cover with the slices of onions and pepper.  Sprinkle garlic on top.  In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, sugar, oil, and pepper.  Pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

The chicken and veggies would be fine on their own, or with a side salad, but I whipped up these tasty potatoes my mom taught me to make when she was visiting for my surgery. Technically I don't have a recipe for these, and I was mostly just winging it, but I've found the best way to cook something new is just throwing a bunch of stuff in the pot and hoping it turns out right.

Stove-Top Potatoes
Ingredients:

• 3-4 large potatoes (any kind will work)
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Italian Seasoning

Directions:

Heat a pot or skillet on the stove-top over medium heat. Chop potatoes into cubes, roughly the same size. I cut them in half, cut the halves in half, and then cut them into squares. Place them in the pan and cover with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, or until all the potatoes are lightly covered with oil. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. Reduce heat to medium low and cover, stirring often. Cook until a fork can be easily inserted (I didn't have a timer going, but I think it was about 20-30 minutes).

Dave Approved :)

The Best College Breakfast

This is my favorite thing to get for breakfast at the local family diner down the street from my apartment. Before noon its only $2.95, and it is the BEST... not to mention the best hangover cure ever.

I got the idea to make it myself when I was Skyping my best friend Ethan last year.  Not that it is a complicated idea, I just never thought about getting the frozen hashbrowns. Now I keep a bag in my freezer at all times for those rough mornings after a night out, or even when I just have some extra time to enjoy a tasty breakfast like I did this morning. This is for a single serving, but it could be made for more... Cooking over-easy eggs is (as I hear every time I ask my mom to make them for me) one of the more difficult techniques, but it is definitely my favorite because the yolks are tasty when they mix with the hashbrowns. If you like a little more ease, a different type of egg-cooking would probably be just as tasty.

The Best College Breakfast

Ingredients:

• Frozen Hashbrowns (I use Ore-Ida)
• Onion (chopped)
• 2 eggs
• Olive Oil
• Two slices of bread and some butter

Directions:

Heat about a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Throw in a handful of frozen hashbrowns. You can cook them according to the package, but I have found it isn't always the best. I prefer to use oil (and sometimes water) to cook them, adding more if needed. Cover the hashbrowns and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. I usually start cooking the onions at the same time, but I keep them separate in the pan at first to make sure they are cooked enough. After five minutes add a little more oil then flip the hashbrowns and allow to cook a few more minutes.  Mix with the grilled onions when they are starting to slightly brown.

Start toasting bread.

Push the hashbrowns and onions to one side and allow to keep cooking. Add a little more oil to make sure the eggs wont stick.  Crack the eggs in the pan (it is easier if they stay separate, but its not the end of the world if they touch). Allow eggs to cook for about 1-2 minutes, until most of the white is cooked. Flip carefully. Let cook about one more minute and then remove from heat.

Butter the toast, put everything on a plate, grab a cup of orange juice, a mug or hot cocoa or coffee, and dig in!

Personally, I like putting the eggs on top of the hashbrowns, putting some ketchup on everything, mixing it all together and then putting it on the toast. Yummm :)

My Mama's Chicken Rollin' Skills

Tooling around the kitchen is decidedly more difficult on crutches... the lack of hand availability really thwarts most kitchen efforts. Luckily I will be off of them by the end of the weekend, but for now I am dependent for everything from getting rides to getting dinner.

I am so blessed that my beautiful mother could take a week and a half and travel across the country to take care of me. Thankfully the recovery from surgery was a million times easier than my last knee, but it was still great to have her here to take care of me. She also whipped up some food for my freezer for an easy meal  when I don't have much time. She didn't want me taking her picture, but she brought out each stage of the process to where I was sitting on the couch so I could take pictures for this post. This Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana recipe is from Skinnytaste.com which is a great resource for really great, really healthy meals if you are in the market. Some of the directions are very specific because it is originally a weight watchers recipe, don't be afraid to improvise a little bit.  



Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

Ingredients:

• 8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
• 1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 6 tablespoons egg whites or egg beaters (about three egg whites)
• 5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
• 6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
• 6 oz part skim mozzarella, shredded or finely chopped (We used pre-shredded, about 3/4 cups)
• olive oil non-stick spray
• 1 cup pomodoro sauce or your favorite marinara sauce 
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. 

Wash and dry cutlets, pound them flat season with salt and pepper. 
Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese in one bowl and 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another.

Combine 1.5 oz of shredded mozzarella cheese with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, and ricotta cheese.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). When finished, lightly spray with olive oil.






(My mom froze them here in small disposable tins--this way I can heat up 4-6 at a time, I'll have dinner for the night, and extras for a friend or leftovers for the next night)


 Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with sauce then cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.