Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus

So did you get up early and watch the royal wedding?!?!?!??

I did!!!! It was absolutely beautiful and I'm so glad that I got up early to watch it.

We even streamed it live at work so we could watch the kiss on the balcony!

(And we even said that this picture reminded us of the ugly step sisters from Cinderella!)

Anyway......

Mr. Cole has taken on a new love of pasta and in trying to keep him eating (somewhat healthy anyway), I've been trying to incorporate a few more pasta dinners into our meal plans. I had some leftover asparagus and a huge stock of pasta (free with coupons!-- see not all couponers are extreme!)

This pasta was definitely a huge hit in our house. It was light and refreshing and definitely something to continue on into the summer!

Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus

recipe adapted from this recipe on Recipe Girl

15 stalks thin fresh asparagus

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 medium plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chicken stock or broth

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 ounces peeled & cooked shrimp

1 Tablespoon butter

9 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked & drained (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)

freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, for topping

Trim asparagus. Rinse in cold water; drain. Remove tips and set aside.

 Cut remaining asparagus stalks diagonally into 1-inch pieces.

 Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium- heat. Add garlic,salt, and pepper and mix well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the asparagus stalks, chicken broth and mix well. Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in asparagus tips and shrimp. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the butter. Cook until butter melts, stirring constantly. Add the cooked pasta, tossing to mix.

Divide into 3 to 4 bowls for serving; top with Parmesan cheese.

Linked to

Family Friendly Fridays at Mommie Cooks

Saturday Swap at Quit Eating Out

I'm Lovin it at Tidy Mom

Wordless Wednesday

Creamy Lemon Squares: April What's Baking

The theme for April's What's Baking was  Flavors of Spring!

Nothing says Spring to me like Lemon!

I've made these Lemon Squares lots of times and love how fast they come together and how wonderful they taste! I can't wait to try these sometime with lime in the Summer!

I always wanted to make these for my Grammie but never had the chance but I know that she would have loved the creamy lemon center of these bars! I know that it's my favorite part!

Creamy Lemon Sqaures

recipe adapted from this recipe on Pioneer Woman Cooks

1⅓ cup All-purpose Flour

½ teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter,  Softened

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup oatmeal (I used quick cooking with no issues)

1 can  Sweetened Condensed Milk  (Eagle Brand)

½ cups fresh lemon juice

Zest Of 1 Lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined.

Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add oats and flour to butter and sugar mixture and mix to combine.

Press half of  flour and oat mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan.

In a seperate bowl, mix together eagle brand, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread lemon mixture onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Sprinkle with the other half of the crumb mixture.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. The middle layer will be bubbly.

Allow pan to cool for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate.

Also linked to
Tasty Tuesday at 33 Shades of Green
Tasty Tuesday at Beauty and Bedlam

Menu Plan Monday

I hope that everyone has emerged from their sugar coma from Easter! I can't believe that it is already the last week of April! I had a great weekend at my mom's house! I can't wait to be back in Tennessee! I never thought that I would miss living there but I have!


We are Cleaning out the Pantry this week again!  Getting ready for our move!


Monday-- Lasagna Rollups

Tuesday-- Roasted Chicken and Veggies

Wednesday-- Chicken Tostadas (going to use the roasted chicken for the chicken on these!)

Thursday--- Leftovers!

Friday-- BBQ Chicken

Saturday-- order pizza out

Virtual Flea Market

I'm all about helping out another blogger! Mara recently lost her dad to Pancreatic Cancer and is holding a Flea Market today! Go over and check it out! There are some great things and proceeds go to a great cause!

Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread

This bread is just absolutely fabulous. My husband loves bread and was wanting Monkey Bread but I was wanting a cinnamon roll and this was a happy compromise.

We thought that this needed a glaze but it was like tasting the inside of a cinnamon roll! This may seem really complicated but honestly it was raelly simple if you are familiar with making yeast bread!

If you haven't made yeast bread yet, you are really missing out!

This would also be a great treat to an Easter Brunch!

Happy Easter!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

recipe adapted from this recipe on Annie's Eats (Annie also has a wonderful tutorial on her website for step by step directions!)


For the dough:
2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
¼ cup  sugar
2¼ tsp. instant yeast (one packet)
½ tsp. salt
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk ( I used half & half because I had some on hand.)
¼ cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs


For the filling: (may seem like a lot but you do use it all)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
½ tsp.  nutmeg


Directions:

To make the dough, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Combine the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat just until the butter is melted. Set aside and let cool briefly, until the mixture registers 115-125˚ F on a thermometer. Add the milk mixture, water, vanilla and eggs to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms. Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky. Knead about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. (After the dough has doubled, it can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before proceeding.

While the dough rises, add the butter to a small saucepan and melt until browned. Set aside. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl and mix well.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate. Roll into a ball, cover with a clean towel and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll the dough out into an approximately 12 x 20-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the browned butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer. (You will want to use all of it!)


Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Slice the dough vertically into 6 even strips. Stack the strips on top of each other and again cut again into 6 equal slices. Stack all the squares on top of each other and set into the prepared loaf pan. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, 30-45 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Transfer the loaf to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. (If the top seems to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil at the end of baking.) Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan 20-30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen and carefully turn the loaf out, transferring to a serving plate. Serve warm.






 

Linked to Family Friendly Fridays at Mommie Cooks

Chicken Salsa Bites

Foodbuzz Tastemaker's recently had the opportunity to review Tyson's Grilled and Ready Frozen Chicken Breasts. I had already tried these before and loved the ease of preparing them and jumped on the opportunity to make something with them again. I normally would just microwave the chicken and chop it up to add to quesadillas (one of Cameron's favorites!). I really thought the chicken would be an awesome addition to Cowboy Salsa and this is how the Salsa Bites were born!

Cowboy Salsa I think varies from region to region in the United States but it is literally one of the easiest recipes for salsa and the most flavorful salsa. We are a family that loves it. My mom has a plethora of canned goods which is exactly what is used for Cowboy Salsa and I knew that it would be a great base when making these Salsa Bites but I didn't know good they would actually be! Every single family member downed them! In fact, I had bought an entire bag of Tostitos Scoops (Frito Lay has no clue who I am!) for us and the entire bag was gone! Even Cole loved them!

Chicken Salsa Bites

recipe created by me!

printable recipe

Salsa

1 can of Rotel*

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 can of black beans

1 can of whole kernel corn

1/2 cup diced onions

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Juice of one lime

salt and pepper to taste

* I don't drain the canned vegetables because we like "juice" to our salsa.

Mix all of the above together. This will normally last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. (Ours is normally eaten by then though!)

Chicken

1/2 bag of Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken

1 packet of Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

Cook Chicken according to package directions. Pre-heat a skillet. Add vegetable oil. Chop chicken into bite size pieces and place into skillet. Add in taco seasoning and water. Cook until water is evaporated.

Add chicken into half of the salsa mixture.

Place chicken into torilla chips and top with cheese, sour cream, lettuce or more salsa. Toppings can be accustomed to your taste!

Note: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker’s Program, Foodbuzz offered a coupon for a free Tyson product in exchange for highlighting Tyson Grilled and Ready Products.

One Lucky blogger will win a trip to the Foodbuzz Festival!

Menu Plan Monday

We are at my mom's house for the majority of this week! And it's our Anniversary tomorrow!! This week also starts the beginning of the crazy next few weeks for us as we have decided to move back to Tennessee and move in with my mom and start on a new adventure. We haven't been happy in South Carolina and if the world ends next year (ha,ha) we want to at least be happy! The Chef starts a new job today and I will be job hunting and enjoying time with Coley Cole. My mom is now living by herself and is excited about us moving in with her. It may be for a little while and it may be for a few years. Only the Lord knows but we are excited and praying that we are making the right choices.

Monday-- Grilled Chicken and black beans

Tuesday-- eating out at Sticky Fingers and going to a Chattanooga Lookouts game! (When we got married, since it was the 2nd wedding for both of us it was totally non-traditional and we had a BBQ picnic catered by Sticky Fingers and took everyone to a baseball game as entertainment because we don't dance and we don't drink!)

Wednesday-- Egg Sandwiches (on the road again back to SC)

Thursday-- totally on my own! no kids or husband! just me at home! Going to make Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes

Friday-- going back to TN-- dinner at mom's house

Saturday-- dinner at mom's

Mississippi Mud Brownies

My family always has one big family reunion and I can always remember the Missisippi Mud was always one of the desserts that someone would bring. The other dessert I remember from growing up is blackberry cake with caramel frosting but my mom always made that and I don't really know why.

I am really trying to use up what I have in my pantry so these brownies are almost an invention of boredom.

They are super easy and yes made from a mix. I like to coupon and got some brownie mix for free. Not only is the brownie a mix but the frosting is from a can. And somehow the canned frosting tasted homemade. I have no clue how it did but it did. All I did was empty it into a bowl and microwaved it for a minute and then spread it on top of the brownies.

But they are probably the most decadent baked good I have made  in a long time. In fact, I made these on a Saturday and only about 1/6 of them were gone by Monday morning. My co-workers loved them of course!

I'm sorry about the horrible picture. Cole decided to grab the camera and play with the settings which meant mama trying to get the settings back to normal! Oh the trials of toddlers and electronics!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

recipe adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns

2 boxes brownie mix

1 can of marshmallow creme/fluff

1 cup of chopped pecans

1 can of canned chocolate frosting

Make brownie mix according to package directions. You will need to make these in a 9 by 13 pan.

(Yes, the recipe calls for two. Trust me. You want to do this!)

When brownies come out of oven, spread the marshmallow fluff on top of the warm brownies. Gently spread an even layer on top of the entire pan. Top the marshmallow layer with the chopped pecans.

Empty the can of chocolate frosting into a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave for about one minute. Spread the frosting onto the pecan layer.

Let cool.

Devour.

Enjoy!

This is linked to

Saturday Swap at Quit Eating Out

Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies

Family Friendly Fridays at Mommie Cooks

Kitchen Corners April Cook-Off

My trip to Trader Joe's

I guess maybe I should say my FREE trip to Trader Joe's

\

I like to go up there on my lunch because then I am toddler free and can look around and wonder around without being distracted and on a mission to get what I need and get out.

Well, I wanted a banana to eat with my lunch today and we were out at home and since we are going out of town for a few days I didn't want to buy a bunch of them.

So I went to the register, pulled out my 20 cents and I guess the cashier felt sorry for me and my lone banana because he just let me have it. I didn't have to pay for the banana.

I said Thank You and he said Come Again!

Which of course I will probably be back again next week for something to do during my lunch!

Breakfast Taquitos

If you notice anything about my menu, you notice that I love having breakfast for dinner. During the week, we don't normally have time to fix a decent breakfast and breakfast is definitely my favorite meal!

When Amy from Sing for Your Supper posted these, I knew they would make my weekly menu!

I had some leftover sausage it and added to our taquitos but that's what makes these fun too! You can make them however you want to because no way is the wrong way!

Breakfast Taquitos

adapted from this recipe on Sing For Your Supper

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
half an onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces sausage,cooked
4 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
2 large flour tortillas (I used whole wheat.)
salsa,lettuce, and sour cream for serving (optional)




Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the potatoes, salt and pepper and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and starting to get brown and crisp around the edges.


In a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk until combined well. Add to a hot skillet and stir constantly, until all the eggs are scrambled.  Add in cooked sausage. Season with salt and pepper.


To assemble: Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, until warm. Divide the eggs, potatoes and cheese between the two tortillas. Top with salsa if desired. We normally have lettuce and sour cream on hand too and added those toppings to our taquitos as well.

This recipe is linked to

Tasty Tuesday at Beauty and Bedlam

Tasty Tuesday at 33 Shades of Green

Menu Plan Monday

Guess What! We have another week where we will be out of town this weekend! Traveling back and forth is definitely hard sometimes but totally worth it! Cameron has his first baseball game this Saturday and even though it's four hours away, we just can't miss it!


Monday--Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus

Tuesday-- Vegetable Soup and Cheese Toast

Wednesday-- Sloppy Joes and Roasted sweet potatoes
 (I'm loving the roasted sweet potatoes right now!- so simple and delicious! Hopefully I will remember to post a recipe for you! and super bonus a bag of them at Aldi only costs $1.69 and has five so for me and the baby it's an easy side dish for 5 nights!)

Thursday-- Chicken Tostadas

Friday-- out of town--


Next week's menu plan will be split up a little funky because our Anniversary is 4/19!!! and we will be at my mom's house from Saturday through Wednesday. She's got a huge collection of black beans and diced tomatoes that I can't wait to get my hands on!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

I was really hesitant in making these cookies because my husband has stated in the past that he didn't like oatmeal cookies.  He doesn't like them because of the raisins as he feels that raisins shouldn't be in cooked or baked in items. (Yeah, he's a little weird!)

My friend, Krystal, had made these a few months ago and raved about them so I knew I would need to make them and they did not disappoint!

I also loved how there is normal ingredients (at least for my house!) in these cookies and they were super easy to whip up on a Sunday afternoon! In fact, we loved these cookies so much that they didn't get shared with anyone but us! Sorry to my co-workers!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

recipe adapted from this recipe on Joy the Baker

printable recipe

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter , softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup oats, old fashioned or quick cooking

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

generous pinch fresh grated nutmeg

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 medium apple, peeled, diced small (I used a granny smith apple)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Peel and dice the apple and toss with lemon juice. Set aside.

Beat the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Beat until creamy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg one and beat again for about one minute. Add the vanilla and beat until well blended.

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Add to the butter and egg mixture slowly beating on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the walnuts and apple chunks last.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 13 minutes or until they’ve reached your desired doneness. I like mine a little underdone and cook them for 10 minutes. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Or you could just eat them warm. That’s probably the best idea. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Linked up to

Family Friendly Fridays at Mommie Cooks

Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies

Saturday Swap at Quit Eating Out

Wordless Wednesday

I wish that I could say that this is an April Fools joke but my family and I cleaned out my mom's kitchen cabinets and really found these items. The average date on them was circa 1995! Totally Gross!

Leslie's Bridal Shower!

My best friend, Leslie, is getting married in June!!! She is the last one of "the girls" to get married and all of us are super excited for her! We hosted a Bridal Shower for her over the weekend and here are the pictures from it. Recipes for the shower food will come later in the week! I promise!

 

The Girls! Kellye, Mere, Leslie and Myself

 

The Food table!

 The beautiful bride-to-be

The Bride-to-be and her family! Cousin Leslie, Mom, Leslie, and Big Mama

Menu Plan Monday

What a weekend! I hosted a bridal shower for my friend yesterday and we got back into town late last night. We had a wonderful time and I will post pictures later on this week. We are really trying to use up what we have in our pantry and freezer so the menu is a little boring!

Monday-- husband is cooking his choice

Tuesday-- Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

Wednesday-- Asparagus Ham Crescents and roasted sweet potatoes

Thursday-- Breakfast for Dinner

Friday-- Fish and Fries

Saturday-- Lasagna