Baked Chicken w/ Mushrooms & Parmesan

I'm sitting at the table with the laptop, cruising around Facebook, and completely inhaling my lunch of last night's leftovers, as if I hadn't eaten in days.  I've said in my head, "Oh my gosh.  This is so good," about a dozen times because

Oh my gosh.

It is so good.

I decided that I should share the recipe, because I want you to experience the yumminess.  And, it's a super easy recipe.  If you're on a New Year diet, then just move right along.  This is not the recipe for you.  I got this recipe from my Bestie Bethie, who only makes scrumptious stuff.  It's a sure thing.

Beth's Baked Chicken w/ Mushrooms & Parmesan

2 (8oz.) pkgs. sliced fresh mushrooms

6 T. butter

8 chicken breasts, boneless (I actually used 3 big ones, which totaled 2.5 lbs.)

2 T. melted butter (I only used about 1 T. because I over-microwaved it, and at least a tablespoon splattered all over the inside of my microwave.)

1 c. heavy cream

salt & pepper

2 1/3 cups shredded Parmesan cheese (I used part shredded Parmesan from the jar and part freshly shredded.  'Cause that's what I had.)

Saute mushrooms with 6 tablespoons butter.  Flour chicken breasts & put into a 9x13 baking dish.  Pour 2 tablespoons melted butter over the chicken, and top with the mushrooms.  Pour 1 cup heavy cream over the top.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Sprinkle the Parmesan over the whole thing.  Bake at 400 for 30ish minutes.  

We eat this with some sort of pasta on the side (last night was egg noodles) and a veggie.  Or not.  :)  And then eat whatever is leftover the next day, because it's equally delish.  Enjoy!

 
It kind of looks like this, only less soupy.  I stole this picture from the internet because by the time I thought about a picture, I had this to deal with.

Oopsy.

And here's Miss Lucy....She decided that she needed to be right in my face, on the table, as I was typing.  (Ignore the two precariously stacked baskets of laundry.)  That's her way of letting me know that she wants to eat.  She sits her dirty behind on my kitchen table.

She has terrible manners. 

Camping Doughnuts

Actually, a better name is Campin' Donuts,

because that's how I say it,

but I'm one of those sticklers for proper spelling, punctuation, etc.  (Which doesn't mean I always remember  to use  proper spelling & punctuation....so don't go spell-checking me.  You can't have seven kids and retain all your brain cells.) Anyway, they are called Camping Doughnuts because they are what my family made when we went camping as a kid.  I can still see Momma or Mary Jo standing over an electric skillet frying these doughnuts.

Sweet memories.

They are so super simple and so super good.  You might just have to make an extra batch for the kids at 10pm sometime.  And then you'd remember that they were already in bed, and you'd have to eat them all yourself.  That's the kind of thing I do.  Because I am not the best mom ever!  

Directions:

Open a can of biscuits.  I use Grands....just don't use the flaky kind.  Cut a hole in the middle with something....I usually use a lid off one of the condiments in the fridge.  Washed first, of course.

Then fry them bad boys in about an inch of Crisco.

Then dip 'em in cinnamon & sugar.

Scrump-de-li-upmtious.

 

     

Racetrack Granola

('Racetrack' because the little boys had assembled one in my kitchen, which I had to step over about 12 times as I attempted to make this. All the while, listening to "Go! Go! Go!" and "Cool!" and "Awwwww yeah!" So there you have it . . . Racetrack Granola.)

4 c. old-fashioned oats
1½ c. sliced almonds
½ c. packed light brown sugar
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
¼ c. oil
¼ c. honey
1 t. vanilla
1½ c. raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300°. In large bowl, mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. In a saucepan, warm the oil and honey. Whisk or stir in vanilla. Carefully pour liquid over oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish mixing by hand. Spread granola in a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes, until deep golden brown. Transfer granola-filled pan to a rack; cool completely. Stir in raisins or dried cranberries. Seal granola in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for one week or in a freezer for three months.

Yield: 6 cups

Good stuff.

If you have any left after it cools - because we eat it and eat it and eat it before it ever comes off the baking sheet - it's good as cereal w/ milk . . with vanilla yogurt . . or by itself in a baggie to be eaten as you watch your boy dig for worms at ball practice.

My Story: So here's the Ractrack Granola, in the cereal box on the right. I'm showing this picture because I have a good Mommy Tip to go with it. Stickers on your cereal boxes.
Rather than the . . . .

"What cereal do you want?"

"Dat one."

"This one?"

"No. DAT one."

"This one?"

"DAT ONE!"

. . . conversation, put your cereal in plastic boxes and label them with some type of stickers that your child can describe - letters, numbers, animals, cartoon characters - something that they know and can say. So the new conversation . . .

"Which cereal would you like precious angel?"

"I'd like the bunny cereal you clever Mommy you."

"Coming right up, dear."

Purple Cows

So here's a yummy recipe for the kids.
(Or for you, if you're like me, and pretend like you make these yummy things for the kids when, really, they are for you.)

Purple Cows

1½ c. milk
¾ c. grape juice concentrate
2 c. vanilla ice cream

In a blender, combine milk and grape juice concentrate. Add ice cream; cover and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.

Yum.

Drink enough of 'em, and you may start to look like a cow.

Only just not purple.

Carrot Cake

Ooooh, so this is my first post on my new recipes blog! How terribly exciting! We'll see how many recipes I actually get on here, but my inaugural recipe is dum - da - da - dum . . . .

You Can Eat It For Breakfast Because It Has Carrots In It

Carrot Cake

(And if you eat the whole cake by yourself, you're getting three servings of vegetables!)

Ingredients:
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce - I used the Natural with no sugar added
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract - do yourself a favor and only buy pure vanilla extract...not imitation!
8 oz. can crushed pineapple - drain well & smoosh out all excess water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots - use the large holes on your grater
1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, brown sugar, white sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and pineapple. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack -if desired- and cool completely.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake.

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My Story: I made this cake for Pop's 2010 birthday. (59! What?!) Momma & Pop currently have their kitchen torn apart, which means no oven, which means no cake. I offered to make the cake - or did she ask? - and Momma suggested Pound Cake or Carrot Cake, Pop's favorites. I decided on the Carrot Cake since it's one of my favorites, too. Duh. It's yummy. Even on day two and three and especially for breakfast. If there's cake in my house, I eat it for breakfast. As a rule. And usually for lunch, too, until the cake is gone. Enjoy!
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Happy Birthday, Papa!