Chicken Enchilada Pizza

Yes, this is another Pampered Chef recipe! It seems the only "real" cooking I've been doing since my husband deployed is at my Pampered Chef parties!

1 pkg (13.8 oz/283 g) refrigerated pizza crust
½ medium onion
1 jalapeño pepper
8 oz (250 g) Colby & Monterey Jack or marble cheese blend (about 2 cups/500 mL grated), divided
2 cups (500 mL) diced cooked chicken breasts
½ cup (125 mL) mild green taco sauce
3 garlic cloves, pressed
½ cup (125 mL) grape tomatoes
½ cup (125 mL) loosely packed fresh cilantro

1.Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly brush Large Bar Pan with vegetable oil using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush. Unroll dough onto bottom of pan, gently stretching and pressing dough to cover bottom. Bake 12–14 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

2.Meanwhile, coarsely chop onion and jalapeño with Food Chopper. Grate cheese with Ultimate Mandoline fitted with grating blade. In Classic Batter Bowl, combine onion, jalapeño, ½ cup (125 mL) of the cheese, chicken, taco sauce and garlic pressed with Garlic Press; mix well using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®.

3.Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Sprinkle 1 cup (250 mL) of the cheese evenly over crust; top with chicken mixture and remaining cheese. Bake 6–7 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove pan from oven to cooling rack.

4.Slice tomatoes lengthwise into quarters using Utility Knife. Coarsely chop cilantro. Sprinkle tomatoes and cilantro over pizza. Cut pizza into 12 rectangles with Pizza Cutter. Serve using Mini-Serving Spatula.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrients per serving (2 rectangles): Calories 380, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Cholesterol 75 mg, Carbohydrate 34 g, Protein 28 g, Sodium 820 mg, Fiber 2 g

Cook’s Tips: For a less spicy version, seed the jalapeño pepper before chopping. Monterey Jack cheese can be substituted for the Colby & Monterey Jack cheese, if desired. If desired, ¼ cup (50 mL) medium green enchilada sauce can be substituted for the green taco sauce.

S'more Cups

Amazingly delicious! S'mores you can make in your oven! Again, a Pampered Chef recipe. The only thing I didn't do was dip the marshmallows, I spooned the chocolate over them, instead.

Ingredients:
7 whole graham crackers (1 cup/250 mL finely crushed)
1/4 cup (50 mL) powdered sugar
6 tbsp (90 mL) butter, melted
4 bars (1.55 oz or 43 g each) milk chocolate candy, divided
12 large marshmallows

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush into crumbs using Baker's Roller®;. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter in Small Batter Bowl. Using Small Scoop, place scant scoop of crumb mixture in each cup of Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups with Mini-Tart Shaper. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.
Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using Professional Shears dipped in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened. Remove from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.
Break remaining candy bars and place in (1-cup/250 mL) Prep Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute-11/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Dip the top of each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 minutes-1 hour or until set.
Yield: 24 cups

Nutrients per serving: (1 cup) Calories 100, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 3.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate 11 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 60 mg, Fiber 0 g

Cook's Tips: Dipping the Professional Shears in cold water before cutting the marshmallows helps minimize sticking.

The time it takes the chocolate to set varies depending on weather conditions and room temperature. You can refrigerate the cups briefly until the chocolate is set; store them at room temperature.

Store the cups in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezing is not recommended.

For a richer chocolate flavor, substitute dark chocolate candy bars for the milk chocolate.

Mini Pesto Pizzas

Another Pampered Chef recipe! I was reluctant when I read that walnuts were being added to a pizza but they were amazing!

2 plum tomatoes
1 oz (30 g) Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup (50 mL) walnuts
1 pkg (13.8 oz/283 g each) refrigerated pizza crust
1/3 cup (75 mL) prepared basil pesto
1 cup (250 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese



Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Slice tomatoes using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with v-shaped blade; set aside. Grate Parmesan cheese using Microplane® Adjustable Grater. Coarsely chop walnuts using Food Chopper. Combine walnuts and Parmesan cheese in (1-cup/250-mL) Prep Bowl; mix well


Place dough onto Cutting Board (do not unroll). Using a sawing motion, slice dough into 15 disks (about 1/2in./1 cm thick) using Utility Knife. Place disks onto Large Bar Pan; lightly press to flatten and seal seams.


Spread 1 tsp (5 mL) of the pesto over each crust with back of Adjustable Measuring Spoon. Divide mozzarella cheese evenly among pizzas. Top each pizza with one tomato slice and Parmesan mixture. Bake 12–15 minutes or until crusts are golden brown. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Serve using Mini-Serving Spatula.



Yield: 15 servings


Nutrients per serving: Calories 140, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate 14 g, Protein 6 g, Sodium 320 mg, Fiber 1 g

Primavera Potato Bites

This is another Pampered Chef recipe! The sun dried tomatoes are what really make these incredible. Same as before, this recipe asks that you use Pampered Chef products but, if you do not own them, feel free to use comparable items.

Ingredients
4 oz (125 g) fresh Parmersan cheese, grated, divided
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) instant mashed potato flakes
2/3 cup (150 mL) hot water
2 tbsp (30 mL) melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt, divided
1/2 tsp (2 mL) coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 medium zucchini
1/2 cup (125 mL) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and patted dry
3 tbsp (45 mL) mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, pressed

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray cups of Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Grate cheese using Microplane® Adjustable Grater. Combine potato flakes and water in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well with Small Mix ‘N Scraper®. Add half of the cheese, butter, egg and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of the salt and black pepper; mix until well blended. Using Adjustable Measuring Spoon, divide potato mixture evenly among cups of pan. Press tops of potato mixture with lightly floured Mini-Tart Shaper to make indentations; bake 12–14 minutes or until edges of cups are golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, chop zucchini with Food Chopper to measure 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) (see Cook’s Tip). Finely chop tomatoes with Utility Knife. Combine zucchini, tomatoes, mayonnaise, garlic pressed with Garlic Press and remaining cheese, salt and black pepper in clean batter bowl; mix well.

3. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Divide filling evenly among cups. Bake 5–7 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges of cups are deep golden brown.

Yield: 24 appetizers

Nutrients per serving: Calories 60, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Carbohydrate 3 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 150 mg, Fiber 0 g

Cook's Tip: Chopping zucchini too finely can cause the filling to become wet. For best results, chopped zucchini should measure about 1/4 in. (6 mm).

Antipasti Pull-Apart Pizza

As I have mentioned before, I recently became a Pampered Chef consultant and this is one of their recipes that I made. Super easy and really yummy! The recipe asks for you to use Pampered Chef products but you can use comparable items if you do not own these particular ones.

Ingredients
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil, divided
2 pkg (11 oz each) refrigerated French bread dough
(see Cook’s Tip)
1 jar (12 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and
patted dry (about 1¼ cups/300 mL)
1 8-oz (250-g) block mozzarella cheese
1 medium red bell pepper
½ cup (125 mL) pitted ripe olives
2 garlic cloves, pressed
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) coarsely ground black pepper
2 oz (60 g) Parmesan cheese, divided
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush Large Round Stone with Handles with 1 tsp (5 mL) of the oil. Place one package of the dough onto Large Grooved Cutting Board. Using a sawing motion, cut dough in half lengthwise with Color Coated Bread Knife; slice each dough half crosswise into 16 half moons for a total of 32 half moons. Repeat with remaining dough. Arrange dough over baking stone, leaving a ½-in. (1-cm) border around edge and spacing ½ in. (1 cm) apart; brush with remaining oil. Bake 14–16 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, for antipasti, coarsely chop artichokes with Food Chopper. Dice mozzarella cheese into ½-in. (1-cm) cubes and dice bell pepper with Santoku Knife. Slice olives with Egg Slicer Plus®. Combine artichokes, mozzarella cheese, bell pepper, olives, garlic pressed with Garlic Press, salt and black pepper in Stainless (4-qt./4-L) Mixing Bowl; mix well.
3. Remove baking stone from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Using Rotary Grater, grate half of the Parmesan cheese over crust; top with antipasti. Bake 5–7 minutes or until mozzarella cheese is melted. Remove from oven; grate remaining Parmesan cheese over top and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Yield: 16 servings

U.S. Nutrients per serving: Calories 160, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate 21 g, Protein 8 g, Sodium 490 mg, Fiber 1 g

Cook’s Tip: If desired, 2 pkg (13.8 oz or 283 g each) refrigerated pizza crust can be substituted for the refrigerated French bread dough.

Monster Deviled Egg Eyes

A great addition to a Halloween party! Everyone loves deviled aggs and this brings an eerie touch to the recipe. My party guests loved these!

Ingredients:
12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 C. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
2 Tbsp mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried onions
blue food coloring, as needed
red paste food coloring, as needed
24 slices of black olives
pimentos or fresh red peppers


Instructions: 1. Peel the hard boiled eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks out into a medium bowl and reserve the whites until needed.

2. With the back of a fork, mash the yolks until smooth.

3. Add mayo, onions, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well.

4. Add a few drops of blue food coloring to turn the yellow mixture a soft green.

5. Spoon green yolk mixture into a ziploc bag. Seal the bag then cut off the bottom tip of the bag and squeeze mixture into the egg halves.

6. On top of each yolk filling, place one black olive slice. Add a small piece of pimento or red pepper for the pupil.

7. With a toothpick dipped in red food coloring paste, draw red veins on egg white's surface.

8. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Spider Web 7-Layer Dip

As soon as I found this recipe I knew I had to make it for my Halloween party! I made 2 of them and they were a huge hit! I am not a fan of shredded lettuce in my 7-layer dips, so I never add it to mine but feel free to add it to yours under the cheese ring.

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) can refried black beans
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning
1 can Ro-tel, any flavor
1 C. salsa
1 C. sour cream
1 C. guacamole (I always make my own)
1 1/2 C. shredded cheese
A couple large bags of tortilla chips


Instructions: 1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the refried beans and taco seasoning.

2. On a large festive Halloween tray , spread the beans in an even circular shape. Leave room around the edges for the garnish.

3. Sprinkle Ro-tel over. Smooth salsa over. Smooth guacamole over.

4. Place your sour cream in the end of a ziploc bag. Cut the corner off. Squeeze sour cream on top of guacamole in 4 lines as if you were cutting a pizza. Connect the lines with swooping lines to get the feel of a spider web.

5. Sprinkle cheese around the edge of the dip.

6. Garnish with a creepy spider and serve with lots of tortilla chips!

Caramel Chocolate Toffee Fruit Dip

One good way to use up at least one variety of your Halloween candy! I incorporated Heath bars into this dip and it was absolutely delicious! To crush/chp them, I used my Pampered Chef food chopper and it made it so easy! Hope you enjoy, I know I did!

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (you can use light cream cheese)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla (you can add more to taste)
3/4 cup chopped Heath bars
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. (about a pinch) nutmeg

Combine cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla with an electric mixer. When ready to serve, stir in chopped Heath bar, sprinkle any extra on top if desired.

Potions Bar Sign

Ok, I know to a lot of you this is probably cheesey but I am so proud of it! Lol I started with a font I liked and then printed out the sign from my computer. I then took a lighter, stood over my kitchen sink and burnt the edges (please be careful when doing this). I then took a shallow dish, poured about 1/4 cup of soy sauce in it and dipped in the paper. Swish it around just long enough to get the entire paper covered. Take out and hang to dry for a few hours (I let mine dry overnight). When dry, I took fake blood, put it on my fingertips and make marks on the sign. Totally easy, ridiculously cheap and adds a cool touch to your Halloween bar!

Quesadillas

To me, quesadillas are a serious comfort food. When my late night cravings kick in, it's one of the top things I make. They're so easy to make and there are so many was to make them unique that quesadillas are something I don't think I will ever tire of. Here's a run-down of just one way to make up your quesadilla, feel free to get creative with your ingredients!

Here are the ingredients that I most typically use for my quesadillas, minus the mushrooms. (Make sure you cook over medium heat)



Spray your pan with cooking spray, add one tortilla and sprinkle cheese on top.



On top of the cheese, place your first ingredient (typically the key ingredient)



Next, place your second key ingredient which, in my case, was Ro-Tel, drained.



Cover with another layer of cheese and top with second tortilla.



Cook until tortilla is just slightly crispy, you don't want any burn spots.



Let cool just slightly, slice and serve with your choice of dip. I usually go with guacamole, sour cream or a sour cream-salsa mixture. Enjoy!

Rum Infused Apple Cider

We were having some friends over a couple nights ago to carve pumpkins and I wanted some apple cider so I decided to throw something together and it was fantastic! In my crockpot I combined a gallon of organic apple cider, 2 cups of dark rum, about 15 cloves and 4 cinnamon sticks. Set your crockpot on high and cook for about 1.5 hours. Turn down to low and keep it there until apple cider is gone! Simple and delicious!

Easy Turkey Enchiladas

These enchiladas are executed much diffeent than any others I've made before but they are still amazing! The ingredient that makes these pop is ranch dressing in the sauce. For those reluctant to try turkey in their enchiladas, I suggest not mentioning it until they are done eating because you honestly can't tell the taste difference from chicken and it's much healthier!

Ingredients:
1 package Honeysuckle White® Turkey Breast Cutlets, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup light ranch dressing
10 large (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup (8 ounce) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups bottled salsa
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 green onions, chopped, optional


How to prepare this recipe:

1.Preheat oven to 375°F.
2.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
3.Cook turkey, stirring constantly until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
4.In a small bowl, mix sour cream and ranch dressing.
5.In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream mixture and turkey.



6.Divide turkey mixture, cheese and salsa evenly over tortillas.
7.Roll up and place seam-side down in a greased 9 x 11-inch baking pan.
8.Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes.
9.Top with tomato, green onion and any remaining salsa and/or sour cream mixture.

Mexican Cheese Log

I can remember my mom making this when I was little and hanging out next to the food table at family parties chowing down on it. It's amazing how something so simple to make can be so darn yummy!

Ingredients

1 Large Package of Velveeta cheese
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese (@ room temperature)
2 Cans of Ro-Tel -OR- 4 4oz Cans of Green Chilies

Directions

On either wax paper or parchment paper, roll out the Velveeta with a rolling pin in the shape of a rectangle. Spread cream cheese over the surface of the Velveeta. Drain either the Ro-Tel or chilies and spread out over the cream cheese.



Very carefully start rolling up the cheese log lengthwise. If the Velveeta is not soft enough, it will crack as you can see in my picture! Lol Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Dream Come True - Sublime in Concert!

I will be out of town for a couple days because I am fulfilling one of my life-long (Ok, 14 year) dreams of seeing Sublime in concert! Well, they are now called Sublime with Rome, due to their new frontman. I will be posting all about it when I get back along with pictures!

Great Furniture Finds!

One thing I love about living in Europe is the great furniture I sometimes come across and know that when the time comes, I will have no problem bringing it back to the States with me! In the past 2 weeks I have found 2 new pieces of furniture to add to my collection and I had to share!

A wine rack I got that is made from an old wine barrel. I picked it up for only $50 which I think is a pretty good deal!


This is a wall shrunk I picked up for, believe it or not, $200! These are very popular in Europe since most houses do not have closets.


I finally stocked the bar area today and am loving it! I can't wait until our next party!

Air Force Ball 2010

DH and I were able to be part of the AF Ball for celebration of the AF's 63rd birthday. This is our 3rd year attending, we love being able to dress up and have a lovely date night while celebrating something dear to our hearts. I thought I would share a picture of us and a picture of us with the speaker for the evening, CMSAF Gaylor, an AF legend.

Kids First Day of School

I should have posted this last week, but oh well. My daughter started German Kindergarten last Monday and my son started American Kindergarten last Tuesday. They were both thrilled to be going and a week later the excitment is just as strong! It makes me happy that they love to learn!

French Onion Turkey Burger

I got this recipe off of a package of ground turkey about 4 years ago. I love to be able to make something from ground turkey and not have people notice that it's not beef. I do this to my dad when I cook but not until after he's eaten since he'd probably refuse it if he knew, lol. The only difference that I did this time that the recipe doesn't have is I used a mushroom-onion soup mix instead of just onion and I sauteed some mushrooms along with my onions. Do we see a theme? I'm a sucker for mushrooms! Enjoy and don't be afraid to mix things up!

Ingredients:
1 package Honeysuckle White® 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
1 package onion soup mix
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 (4-inch) hamburger buns
Romaine lettuce, to taste


How to prepare this recipe:
1.Preheat charcoal or gas grill.
2.In a small bowl, combine turkey and onion soup mix. Shape into four patties.
3.Grill patties about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 170°F.
4.Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
5.Cook onions until softened, about 5 minutes.
6.Before removing patties from grill, top with onions and a slice of Swiss cheese.
7.Allow to melt slightly.
8.Add lettuce.
9.Assemble as desired.

Happy birthday to me!

This year's birthday is epic since I am turning 29 on the 29th! I had a fabulous birthday party on Friday and today my DH is taking me out for shopping, a movie and dinner. We will have the kiddos with us but it will be a fun-filled family day! I'm including a picture of DH and I at my party. I love being the birthday girl even if it does require getting older!

Amazing Giveaway from Under The Table and Dreaming!

Have you been drooling over a Silhouette machine? I know I have! Head over and enter to win a Silhouette prize package worth over $300!

German Festival Food

One of my favorite things about going to the local festivals is the food! So many great things and so many things that are very not typical of festivals in the states! My favorite things to get are potato pancakes and crepes. What are some of your favorite festival foods in any part of the world?

Beer and wine are a must at a German fastival!


Roasted pig at Pig Fest in Wittlich, Germany


Cookies, candy and popcorn galore!


Not a very good picture but crepes are a fastival must for me!


Gummy candy is a staple in Germany!


Spices galore! I could have gone crazy but I controlled myself!

Bacon, Avocado and Tomato Sandwiches with Chive Mayo

Our bakery sliced our bread incorrectly but we still made it work!

Ciabatta is the perfect bread for this sandwich because it’s dense enough to soak up the chive mayonnaise and all the juices from the fresh tomatoes. The secret ingredient, however, is the balsamic vinegar, which is brushed on the bread right after toasting. It highlights and deepens all the other flavors, giving the sandwich a meaty, satisfying taste.

6 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 teaspoons minced fresh chives
1 (1-lb.) loaf ciabatta bread, cut crosswise into 4 pieces
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
8 strips cooked bacon, halved
1 avocado, thinly sliced

1. Heat broiler. Combine mayonnaise and chives in small bowl.

2. Cut each bread piece horizontally in half; place cut-side up on baking sheet. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden brown.

3. Immediately brush bread with vinegar. Spread with chive mayonnaise, using majority of mayonnaise on bottom halves. Place tomatoes on bottom half; sprinkle with salt. Top with bacon, avocado and top half of bread.

4 sandwiches

Food While Visiting the States

We always make sure that we get our fill of great food while in the States that we can't get in Germany. We definitely did this trip as my DH and I each came home 10 pounds heavier! Here are pics of some of the yummy food we had while visiting our home state of California.

In-N-Out is always out first stop when we arrive in California. I always get my burger and fries animal style!



Almond breeze Mai Tai from Bex in Lancaster, Ca.


Jamba Juice is a stateside must!


I can't remember the name of this roll but it was fantastic! I couldn't live without sushi!


Yummiest omelette ever! Avacado omelette at Crazy Otto's in Lancaster, Ca.


Taco salad at Rocky Cola Cafe in Whittier, Ca.


European Antipasto lunch from Disney's California Adventure which included:
•Cured meats, regional cheese, pepperoncini, artichoke heart and sun-dried tomatoes
•Water crackers, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
•Caprese salad skewers, fresh mozzarella and baby heirloom tomatoes
•Chocolate-dipped tiramisu


The clam chowder bread bowl that I have to get every visit at the French Market at Disneyland


The chocolate covered frozen banana my favorite snack at Disneyland!



Hope you enjoyed my cheesy pictures!