February 16th, 2012 Hello, everybody! I hope everyone is having a good week. I just wanted to let you all know that I’m working on re-organizing all of the posts into categories, so as of right now the menu is kind of plain looking. Since I have so many posts it’s going to take some time, but I promise the time it takes will be well worth it!
Thank you all so much for being great readers!
Much Love,
Courtney
February 12th, 2012  Linky Followers is kind of made to replace GFC, which will be going “out of business.” I already love Linky because it has some wonderful features you didn’t have with GFC. This weekend hop is made to introduce you to Linky and to connect you with other blogs.If you aren’t already signed up with Linky, you can do so here!You won’t be disappointed. :)Click below to see what blogs are signed up for the blog hop and go and follow some via Linky! Continue reading Winky Linky Hop
February 10th, 2012 
Sweetheart Jamwiches
Makes 23
1 (15 Ounce) Package Refrigerated Piecrusts
1 Egg White, Lightly Beaten
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 (3 Ounce) Package Cream Cheese, Softened
¼ Cup Powdered Sugar
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened
½ Teaspoon Almond Extract
½ (10 Ounce) Jar Seedless Raspberry Preserves or Strawberry Jam
½ Cup White Chocolate Morsels
Red Sparkling Sugar, Optional
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Unfold piecrusts on a lightly floured surface and roll to press out fold lines. Cut with a 2-inch, heartshaped cookie cutter. Reroll remaining dough and repeat procedure. (There should be a total of 46 pastry hearts.) Brush one side of each pastry heart with egg white and sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Place pastry hearts on two ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies to wire racks and let cool. Stir together cream cheese, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and almond extract until blended.
- Spread cream-cheese mixture evenly over unsuguared side of half of the heart cookies, followed by about ½ teaspoon preserves. Top with remaining hearts, unsugared sides down.
- Microwave white morsels and 1 tablespoon butter in a glass bowl on high for 1 minute or until melted. Stir mixture until smooth; seal in a small, heavy-duty zip-top bag. Snip a tiny hole in one corner, then drizzle mixture over tarts. Cool completely; sprinkle with red sugar and place in candy boxes, if desired.
Source: MyRecipes.com
February 10th, 2012 
Margarita Shrimp Stir-Fry
Serves 2
½ Cup Frozen (Thawed) Margarita Mix
1 Teaspoon Grated Lime Peel
½ Pound Uncooked Deveined Peeled Medium (26 to 30 Count) Shrimp, Thawed If
Frozen, Tail Shells Removed
1 Tablespoon Butter or Margarine
½ Medium Green Bell Pepper, Cut Into Thin Strips
½ Medium Red Bell Pepper, Cut Into Thin Strips
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Cilantro
1 Cup Uncooked Instant White Rice
1 Cup Water
- In small bowl, stir margarita mix and lime peel. Reserve 2 tablespoons mixture. Add shrimp to remaining mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to marinate.
- In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook green and red bell peppers in butter 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.
- Remove shrimp from marinade; discard marinade. Stir shrimp into mixture in skillet. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shrimp is pink. Stir in reserved 2 tablespoons sauce and the cilantro. Cook until heated through.
- Meanwhile, cook rice in water as directed on package, omitting butter and salt. Serve stir-fry over rice.
Tip:
Chicken is a great substitute for shrimp. Cut ½ pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces; cook until no longer pink in the center. Try basmati or jasmine rice – start the rice before you cook the peppers, preparing as directed on the package.
Credit: Just the Two of Us
February 10th, 2012
Classic Chicken Panini
Makes 2
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
¼ Teaspoon Salt-Free Seasoning Blend
2 Tablespoons Reduced-Fat Mayonnaise or Salad Dressing
1 Teaspoon White or Flavored Vinegar
¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Whole Wheat English Muffins, Split
2 Slices (¾ Ounce Each) Mozzarella Cheese
2 Thin Slices Red Onion
½ Plum (Roma) Tomato, Cut Into 4 Slices
- Heat closed medium-contact grill for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle chicken with seasoning blend. Place chicken on grill. Close grill; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170ºF).
- Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix mayonnaise, vinegar and garlic powder. Spread on English muffin halves. Place chicken on bottoms of English muffins. Top with cheese, onion, tomato and tops of muffins.
- Place sandwiches on grill. Close grill, pressing to flatten sandwiches; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until sandwiches are toasted.
Tip:
Regular tomatoes can take the place of the plum tomatoes, but they add more moisture to the sandwiches during grilling. Try other types of cheese, such as reduced-fat Swiss, provolone or Cheddar, in this sandwich.
Credit: Betty Crocker
February 9th, 2012 
Chocolate Meringue Kisses
Makes 4 Dozen
4 Large Egg Whites, At Room Temperature
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Confectioners’ Sugar
¼ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
- Preheat oven to 225ºF. Line 2 large rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Place egg whites in a clean dry bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to high and whip until mixture forms soft peaks. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue beating until whites are stiff and shiny.
- In a separate bowl, sift confectioners’ sugar with cocoa to blend. Working in thirds, sprinkle cocoa mixture over egg whites and gently fold in until thoroughly incorporated. Transfer to a large Ziplock bag. Seal bag, pinching out excess air. Snip off a small piece of one bottom corner of bag. Pipe out meringues through hole onto cookie sheets, forming small “kisses,” about 2 inches in diameter. Bake for 1 hour, until meringues are firm and dry. Turn oven off and let meringues sit in oven for 15 minutes.
- Let meringues cool on sheets on wire racks, then gently peel kisses off parchment paper. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Source: MyRecipes.com
February 9th, 2012
Stuffing-Stuffed Pork Chops
Serves 4
4 Bone-In Pork Loin Chops (8 Ounces Each)
2 Cups Cooked Stuffing
¼ Teaspoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
¼ Teaspoon Dried Thyme
½ Cup White Wine or Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
¾ Cup Chicken Broth
- Cut a pocket in each chop by slicing almost to the bone. Fill each chop with ½ cup stuffing; secure with toothpicks if necessary. Sprinkle with pepper.
- Brown chops in oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Bake, uncovered, at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160ºF. Remove pork chops and set aside. Keep warm.
- Cook garlic and thyme in the pan drippings over medium heat for 1 minute. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Combine flour and broth until smooth in a small bowl. Gradually add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Remove toothpicks from pork chops; serve with gravy.
Credit: Taste of Home: Simple & Delicious – October/November 2011
February 8th, 2012 
Cinnamon & Sugar Cake
Serves 12
1 Package (18.25 Ounces) White Cake Mix
1 Cup 2% Milk
½ Cup Sour Cream
6 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
3 Eggs
2 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
FROSTING:
1 Cup Butter, Softened
5 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar
2 Tablespoons 2% Milk
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon-Sugar
- Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Transfer to two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans.
- Bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
- Beat butter until fluffy in a large bowl. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, cinnamon and extract; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Store in the refrigerator.
Credit: Taste of Home: Simple & Delicious – October/November 2011
February 8th, 2012
Stovetop Italian Macaroni
Serves 5
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Can (28 Ounces) Diced Tomatoes, Undrained
2 Cups Water
1 Envelope Onion Soup Mix
1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, Optional
2 Cups Uncooked Elbow Macaroni
½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup (4 Ounces) Shredded Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
- Cook beef over medium heat in a Dutch oven until no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, water, soup mix, Italian seasoning and pepper flakes if desired. Bring to a boil. Stir in macaroni. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-9 minutes or until macaroni is tender.
- Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Credit: Taste of Home: Simple & Delicious – October/November 2011
February 8th, 2012
Chili Pecans
Serves 16
1 ½ Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 ½ Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Cups Pecan Halves
1 ½ Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
½ Teaspoon Salt
- Preheat oven to 275ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, brown sugar and garlic powder in a small bowl.
- Toss pecans and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the pecans, tossing to coat.
- Spread the spiced nuts on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the pecans, tossing every 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned and very fragrant, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; sprinkle with salt and toss well. Let cool.
Credit: Everyday Health
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