Restaurant Inspired Italian Nachos (w/Ragu Alfredo Sauce)

Disclaimer: I am a member of Influenster and received free products in exchange for this review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. 

I absolutely love having a son.

I love playing in the dirt...

...catching bugs...

...playing with the "choo-choos" at the library...

...I just love it all!

Growing up, my mom used to take me on lots of little "dates" that I hold near and dear to my heart, which is something I like to do now with Jackson and plan to continue doing with our (God willing) future children.

One of my moms and my regular dates that sticks out in my mind is going to Johnny Carino's and ordering a plate of Italian nachos to share. I have always been somewhat of a nacho connoisseur, but have never found anything quite as good as those soft and warm "chips" covered in chicken, alfredo, and banana peppers.

Fast forward a couple years and I rediscovered my love of Italian nachos during an outing to Old Chicago. They did NOT disappoint and I decided I HAD to learn how to make them.

With the help of Ragu, I was able to recreate this tasty dish with ease -- and, if I do say so myself, they were pretty dang amazing! Here's how to make my Restaurant Inspired Italian Nachos:

Anngredients:

• 20 wonton wrappers
• 1 lb. Italian sausage, cooked
• 1 (10 oz.) jar Ragu Alfredo Sauce
• 1/2 cup Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken Breast Strips, diced
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Bell pepper, tomato, green onion (optional)

1. Cook wontons according to package instructions. Once prepared, spread evenly along cookie sheet.
2. Brown the Italian sausage and drain fat. Cook the chicken according to package instructions, cool, and dice into cubes. 
3. Evenly coat each wonton with 1 tsp. Ragu sauce. Spread with spoon. Add desired amount of sausage, chicken, and toppings to each chip. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
4. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until wontons look golden brown and mozzarella has completely melted. 

Italian nachos are a definite favorite in our home (it's the one meal my husband will ask for by name) and I know they will be in yours as well! Enjoy! 

Boneless Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls

YOU GUYS! Something craaaaaaaaaazy happened the other night!!

I made these Boneless Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls for dinner and Brandon not only got seconds, but thirds -- and then told me he approves! THIS. NEVER. HAPPENS.

Anyway, these untraditional eggrolls are super easy to make and absolutely delicious, so I wanted to pass on the recipe to my frans.

Enjoy!

Click to access the recipe via The Lauren Elizabeth 

A Meatloaf Hater's Meatloaf

Growing up, I swore that I would never, EVER (ever.ever.ever.ever.ever) make meatloaf for my family. 

I despised meatloaf night. 

The onions.. the ketchup.. the loaf.. I just couldn't deal! 

My poor mother -- she is truly the best cook I know but she had to put up with a lot from my picky, onion hating palate.. 

Anyway, fast forward a few years and guess what I made for dinner Sunday night? 

Yep. 

WHO IS THIS PERSON THAT I HAVE BECOME?!

When we were visiting Brandon's family earlier this month, his mom made the best (onion free) meatloaf I have ever tried -- I was instantly hooked and HAD to have the recipe! This meatloaf is stupidly easy to make and even better to eat! If you are like me and never cared for loaves of meat, try this recipe. #gamechanger

Anngredients:

• 1 pound hamburger
• 1 cup dried breadcrumbs (I used Stove Top Turkey Stuffing)
• 1 egg
• 3/4 bottle original BBQ sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, combine the hamburger, breadcrumbs, egg, and 1/2 bottle BBQ sauce, and place in a lightly greased 5x9 loaf pan. 
3. Poke holes in the top of the formed loaf and pour another 1/4 bottle of BBQ over the top, evenly coating. 
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Voila! A simple, delicious, and hearty meatloaf perfect for your Sunday dinner! Enjoy! 

Shrimp & Tortellini with Tomatoes & Mozzarella

Last Friday was the first Friday of Lent and I had the urge to do something a little different than our regular fish sticks and mac & cheese. When I found this recipe from Taste of Home, I knew it was the perfect recipe and (with a few Sandmeier family approved modifications) it was!

Enjoy this rich, creamy, and flavorful dish this Friday night and beyond!

Adapted from Taste of Home

Anngredients:

• 1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 1 pound peeled, deveined & uncooked medium shrimp
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans basil, garlic, & oregano flavored diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup half & half cream
• 1 teaspoon oregano 

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook shrimp in oil until shrimp turn pink. Stir in the remaining ingredients (minus the tortellini and mozzarella), reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Drain tortellini; stir into shrimp mixture, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top. 

 Both Brandon and Jackson loved the taste of the dish and even ate all of their tomatoes (which is a big deal, ha)!! It's definitely a crowd pleasing dish that I plan to make again and again. 

 

White Beans with Spinach & Sausage

You know how sometimes you see a recipe and it seems like it has a lot of potential but you're just not sure?

That's how I was with this recipe..

..and I was wrong.

This is seriously one of the simplest, most flavorful meals I've ever made--It only takes a few simple ingredients (money saver, what what?!), is light on calories but heavy on taste, and is super yummy. 

You're going to want to try this.

Like, tonight.

Adapted from My Side of Life

Anngredients:

• 1 lb. turkey sausage (evenly sliced)
• 2 cans Cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup chicken broth 
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp. dried Oregano 
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves (diced)

1. In a pan, warm olive oil, garlic, and chicken broth over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring until browned all over (approx. 5 minutes). Add beans, spinach, and oregano. Stir until spinach wilts (approx. 1 to 2 minutes). 
2. Let cool, serve, and enjoy. 

Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

Have I ever mentioned how much I love fall?

Oh, I have?

Every three minutes for the last two months, you say?

Oops.. sorry.

Anyway, I do really, really love fall! I love the colors, cooler temperatures, pumpkin everything.. it's such a happy time!

Another reason I adore fall is all of the hearty and yummy fall foods--this recipe I am about to share with you may just be my favorite! These Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings are the simplest thing ever to make, are extremely filling, and taste mighty delicious! Try it tonight.. you won't be sorry!

Recipe adapted from The Dedicated House.

Anngredients:

• 1 ½lb of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 4 large or 6 small)
• 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
• 3 cans (10.5oz) Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 box (32oz) Chicken Broth
• 2 dashes of garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 10 Large Flaky Refrigerator Biscuits

1. Place chicken in crock pot.  Add cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Cook on High for 4-6 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.
2. Cut each uncooked biscuit into 8 small pieces and stir into the chicken mixture.  Continue to cook on High for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from slow-cooker and shred with a fork.  Return to slow-cooker and stir everything together.  Serve hot.

Makes about 6-8 servings.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

These days, the slow cooker is my best friend.

With a baby on the move, a work from home job in marketing, and a full-time job homemaking/raising our son, preparing complicated & time consuming meals just isn't realistic.

This is why I love this simple, hearty, and healthy Slow Cooker Taco Soup recipe.

Brandon is actually the one who introduced me to this delicious soup--a gal he worked with used to bring it to the office for her coworkers and she was kind enough to share the recipe with us. This soup is extremely versatile and can be served with chips (Fritos, tortilla chips, etc.), warm tortillas, or corn bread (pictured).

Anngredients: 

• 1 lb. Hamburger 
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• 1 pkg. ranch seasoning
• 1 can chili beans
• 1 can pinto beans (drained)
• 1 can kidney beans (drained)
• 1 can light kidney beans (drained)
• 1 can great northern beans (drained)
• 1 can corn (drained)
• 1 can stewed tomatoes 

1. Fry hamburger until cooked thoroughly and add taco seasoning (prepare as directed on pouch). Add seasoned hamburger to slow cooker and mix in remaining ingredients.
2. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Healthier (!) Bacon Fried Rice

Do you like bacon?

What kind of a question is that.. of course you do!

I'm excited to introduce you to this light(er) and delicious dish that's sure to be a new family favorite! Say hello to Bacon Fried Rice.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Anngredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

4 slices turkey bacon, crumbled
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1 cup organic frozen vegetables, thawed
2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
3 egg whites from large eggs

1. Place a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil and bacon and stir-fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce (watch out-the oil will bubble up) and continue to stir-fry until the bacon is glazed, about 30 seconds. Transfer the bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the drippings in the pan and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the thawed vegetables. Add the rice, the remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the broth and glazed bacon. Toss to heat through.
2. Push the fried rice to one side of the pan, crack the eggs (whites only) into the other side and scramble until set, about 1 minute. Mix the eggs into the rice. Divide among bowls.
   

   
   

   This recipe is amazing--it seriously tastes like Chinese takeout (just minus all the extra calories)! Enjoy!!

Healthy Chicken Parmesan

Have I ever talked about the first meal I ever made for Brandon (not counting the burned popcorn)?

It was Chicken Parmesan.

Brandon had just returned home from Afghanistan and came to Hays for a few days to visit me and other friends. Since this was the first meal I'd be making him, I wanted it to be extra special and delicious--I decided on making this Chicken Parm and it was excellent! We had dinner by candlelight, drank wine, listened to Sinatra, and just talked.. it was a wonderful night that will forever be etched in my memory.

Fast forward four years and we had this again while we watching Duck Dynasty in the living room and listening to Jackson yelling at the cat.. what a difference a few years make (but I wouldn't trade it for the world)!

Now that I'm a health conscious mamma with a slowing metabolism, I try to prepare dinners that are light, nutritious, and tasty--and the way I prepared this Chicken Parmesan was just that! Here is the recipe I used with the alterations:

Chicken Parmesan (Adapted from Southern Food)

Anngredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• seasoned bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 slices mozzarella cheese (made with skim milk)
• 1 jar (16 oz) heart healthy spaghetti sauce
• Parmesan cheese

1. Whisk together the egg and milk. Dip the chicken breasts in milk and egg mixture and then in bread crumbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in the hot oil on both sides until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Set chicken in a baking dish.
2. Slice 8 pieces of mozzarella cheese and put two on each chicken breast. Pour 1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce over all. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a little more mozzarella and bake at 350° for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly. 
3. Serve with whole wheat or garden vegetable spaghetti and a spinach salad. 

By using skim dairy products like milk and mozzarella cheese, you're cutting out a significant amount of fat from the dish; the garden spaghetti and heart healthy spaghetti sauce are both low in fat and each contain at least 40% of your recommended daily vegetables.

This recipe is rich, delicious, and perfect for picky children (or husbands) who refuse to eat their vegetables!

Enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato Pasta w/Sausage, Olives, and Feta

I started "Annie One Can Cook" almost two years ago as a way to get myself into the kitchen more often and to learn/invent new recipes.. and it worked!


For a good two months or so.

Annieway (ha, see what I did there?), I typically don't post too many recipes these days but had to share this amazing dish with you all!

My mom and her sisters had a girls weekend in September and my mom went on and on about this pasta dish that my Aunt Nancy made, how delicious it was, and how they couldn't stop eating it. She told me it had heritage tomatoes (whatever those are) and that I would have loved it. When we went to visit my aunt in October, she made the dish for dinner so my dad and I could try it and served it with delicious bread and a beautiful salad.

Turns out, it actually has heirloom tomatoes in it (my mom keeps accidentally calling them "heritage tomatoes" so that's what we've been calling them) and it is really, really delicious--and super easy to make!

Enjoy this colorful, light, and refreshing Heirloom Tomato Pasta with Sausage, Olives, & Feta Cheese!

My mom was right--you can't have just one helping!

Anngredients:

• 2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 1 cup crumbled feta

1. In a skillet, brown Italian sausage. 
2. Cut tomatoes into small dice. Combine tomatoes and any accumulated juices with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large nonreactive bowl, stir gently to coat well, and let sit at room temperature at least 10 minutes or up to 3 hours before serving.
3. When tomatoes are ready, add sausage, olives, basil, and garlic and mix until well combined. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to the package directions. (If the tomatoes have not let off a lot of juice, reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.)
4. Toss warm pasta with tomato mixture, adding pasta cooking water as needed. Fold in feta and serve.

The original recipe for this dish was posted on Chow--the Italian sausage was a (delicious!) modification made my aunt.

Slow Cooker African Chicken Stew (Guest Post)

Remember the good old days when I used to post recipes on my blog (Annie One Can Cook)?

Yeah, me neither.

Since becoming pregnant, I have been all about my "famous" go-to recipes--recipes that are tried, true, and simple to prepare (like my Slow Cooker Green Bean Dumpling Soup, Jalapeno Chicken Casserole, and Shrimp and Artichoke Pasta). I just haven't felt that adventurous or daring in the kitchen..

But that is all going to change after today! I'm so excited to announce that we actually have a mouthwatering and easy to prepare meal today on AOCC--the perfect meal to warm you up during these chilly fall nights! I'll tell you one thing: this lazy pregnant mamma is looking forward to making (and eating) this stew this weekend!

Anyway, enough pregnant rambles..

Please give a warm welcome to my new friend, Meredeth!

Fall is here, meaning it’s the perfect time to get in the kitchen and start playing with new recipes and seasonal ingredients. When it’s cold outside, most of us start craving hot soups, stews and chili recipes, along with yummy fall foods like pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and anything cinnamon-flavored.

Another popular fall cooking theme is slow cooking, which is one of the easiest cooking methods out there. No matter how experienced you are in the kitchen, it’s hard to mess up a slow cooker dish. Some recipes require a little bit of prep work, but most slow cooker meals don’t require much more than tossing ingredients into the crock pot and letting all the flavors blend together.

Slow cooker recipes are great for days when you know you won’t have time to cook after work or if you’ll be eating over a long period of time and want to keep your food warm, like during a football game. And since you can cook almost anything in a slow cooker, from pulled pork and chili to bread and desserts, you don’t have to worry about repeating or running out of dinner ideas.

This slow cooker African chicken stew is the perfect recipe to make as we head into fall. Not only does it feature seasonal sweet potatoes, but it’s thick, hearty and perfect for cool fall evenings. There’s a minimal amount of prep work involved that can be done the night before or quickly in the morning, but the slow cooker does most of the work for you. Start this dish in the morning and you’ll come home to a yummy-smelling kitchen and a hot, delicious meal nine hours later. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker African Chicken Stew

Prep Time: 15 min

Total Time: 7¼ hours

Serves: 6

·         PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

·         1 teaspoon Pure Wesson® Vegetable Oil

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into quarters

·         ¼ cup Peter Pan® Creamy Peanut Butter

·         ¼ cup water

·         ½ teaspoon garlic powder

·         1 10 oz. can Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained

·         1 pound (about 2 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

·         2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion strips 

Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt all over chicken. Add to skillet and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in peanut butter, water, garlic powder and undrained tomatoes. Cook until mixture is blended and chicken is coated.

Layer sweet potatoes and frozen vegetables in the slow cooker and top everything with the chicken mixture. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or until chicken and vegetables are very tender. Gently stir to mix.

Author Bio: This is a guest post by Meredith K. on behalf of ReadySetEat. Visit ReadySetEat online for more slow cooker meals from enchiladas to easy chili recipes.

"New Mama" Lasagna

Oh my gosh.. am I actually posting a recipe on my cooking blog?

Finally?!

After how long?!

Yes. Yes I am!

I made this really, really yummy lasagna the other night and I have to share the recipe--it's seriously the easiest thing ever to make! The reason I call it my "New Mama Lasagna" is because as I was preparing it, I started thinking about some simple make ahead meals that I can have premade and ready to go come January when we bring Baby home (I have a feeling that my crockpot and I are going to be BFFs); this is definitely one of those recipes! You can make this lasagna ahead of time, refrigerate it and pop it in the oven when you're ready to eat. 

Bon Appétit!

Anngredients:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 (32 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 24 oz. fat free cottage cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 12 lasagna noodles (I use the no-boil ones to save time)
• 1 tsp. rosemary 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Brown ground beef in large skillet (over medium) until cooked. Drain the grease. Add spaghetti sauce to meat and stir to combine. Add rosemary and simmer on low.
2. In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and cottage cheese. Mix until smooth consistency.
3. Arrange a single layer of 4 lasagna noodles to bottom of the dish. Cover noodles with 1/3 of sauce mixture, followed by 1/3 of cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice. Add remaining noodles, meat & cheese mixtures to top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

Pepperoni pizza rolls always take me back to my childhood; whenever our church had a fundraiser, it involved selling pre-made pepperoni bread (I'm guess Catholics just really love their pepperoni--I sure do!). My mom would always buy a couple premade loafs to heat up for a quick (and popular with the family) dinner.

If you are running short on time or have a picky eater on your hands, this is the recipe for you!

Anngredients:

• 2 tubes refrigerated pizza crust dough (don’t use thin crust)
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 cup sliced pepperoni
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Using a rolling pin, roll one tube of pizza dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with half of the garlic salt, Italian seasoning, pepperoni and cheeses.
3. Starting at a short end, roll dough tightly to form a log. Slice into 1-inch pieces.
4. Place rolls on lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat with second tube of pizza crust dough.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until browned on top. Serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

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"Nacho" Average Leftovers

Ha, nacho average leftovers.. get it? Because it sounds like "not your"..

Anyone?

No?

Okay.

If you know me in real life and we've ever gone out to eat, you know that I'm going to order nachos (a local sports bar knows me as "1/2 order chicken nachos, no black olives, extra jalapenos"). It doesn't matter where we go; I'm getting nachos.

If you're my husband, you know that if we have a lot of leftovers of something (whether it be beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, etc.), we're going to have nachos for dinner.

Yes. I like nachos. And they are a perfect meal if you're looking to spice up your leftovers.

We had a good friend of ours cater our wedding (amazing pulled pork, mashed potatoes, baked beans--the works) and we were able to take the leftovers home! As you can imagine, we have a lot of pulled pork in our deep freeze.

That being said, I decided Tuesday night would be a good night for pulled pork nachos!

Yummmmm!

This is the recipe I use anytime I make nachos--so just switch out the pulled pork for whatever meat you have/want.

Anngredients:

• 1 bag tortilla chips
• 11/2 cups shredded pork
• 1 can black beans (rinsed)
• 4 cups shredded marble cheese
• 1 can Rotel (chose your spice)
• 1/2 cup jalapenos

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Add half bag of chips to the bottom of 11 x 7 pan. Sprinkle one cup of cheese to top of chips.
3. Add pork, beans, Rotel and jalapenos to pan and warm on medium, stirring occasionally.
4. Distribute half of pork mixture to top of chips and cheese. Add other half of chips to top of the pan followed by cheese and pork mixture.
5. Bake in oven for 10 minutes.

I'll mix it up a little if we're having chicken nachos by using mozzarella cheese (instead of marble) or Habanero cheese if its beef nachos.

This recipe makes quite a bit so Brandon and I usually have leftovers of our leftover leftovers.

Enjoy!

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A Colorful Springtime Pasta Dish

Something occurred to me yesterday.

I have a cooking blog and can't remember the last time I posted a recipe.

Huh.

So, I whipped together this light and delicious pasta dish for supper. All of the different colors of the ingredients make it a beautiful dish--perfect for entertaining!

Not only is it tasty but it is healthy as well. By using garden vegetable pasta, you will be cutting calories and getting the nutrients of vegetables.

Anngredients

• 12 oz. garden vegetable rotini
• 6 oz. artichoke hearts (set 3 tbsp. artichoke juice aside)
• 1 lb. pre cooked, deveined, tail off shrimp
• 1 cup cut up spinach 
• 1/2 lemon
• Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

1. Cook pasta as directed on the box.
2. In separate pan, add artichoke juice and cook on low. Once juice begins to heat, add shrimp, artichoke hearts, and spinach. Let simmer for 5 minute, stirring occasionally. 
3. Drain pasta and pour shrimp mixture over top. Stir to mix. 
4. Sprinkle desired amount of Parmesan cheese over top.

What a pretty springtime supper!

This goes great with a nice side salad, like this one (by this point, you are probably thinking that I have a lot of spinach that I'm trying to use up.. you would be correct).

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Spicy Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Do you ever have one of those days where you can't decide what to have for dinner because everything sounds good?

That's how I was last week; I wanted chicken, sausage, seafood, chocolate, gummy bears, spice, etc.

So what did I make?

You guessed it. Jambalaya (except I didn't add in chocolate and gummies--but I may have to try that next time..)!

This recipe is so simple and is perfect on a cold, snowy day (like many of us are experiencing this week). Just throw everything in the crock pot and you've got a complete and filling meal.

**If you know me, you know I LOVE spicy--if you're not a fan, substitute the Hot Rotel with Original and nix the jalapenos**

Anngredients:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch slices
• 2 (10 oz.) cans Hot Rotel
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped jalapenos 
• 1 tablespoon Cajun spice mix
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 3/4 cups long-grain rice

1. Combine chicken, sausage, Rotel, jalapenos, chicken broth, Cajun spice mix, garlic powder and oregano in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 hours. 
2. Add shrimp and rice; raise heat to high and cook for 30 minutes more.
   (Idea for recipe from My Recipes)

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Giving Up Cursing and Eating Fish

It's Mardi Gras, ya'll!

Source

Or, if you're Catholic like me, it's Fat Tuesday!

Woot!

This is actually my favorite season of the year (well, that and the Advent/Christmas season)--it's such a peaceful time and I love how our church family comes together in prayer and fellowship. It is also a time to reflect on our Lord Jesus Christ and how he gave his life for you and me.

Source

Lent is also a time of fasting and giving up certain luxuries for forty days and nights. I typically try to give up something that I rely on for lent and then do something to bring me closer to Christ.

And this year is no exception.

For this Lenten season, I will be giving up cursing (I did this last year and was fairly successful--I just have to warn everyone ahead of time not to do or say anything stupid until Easter Sunday..) and will work at being a more life giving wife to Brandon by doing something nice or special for him everyday.

I hope that everyone has a peaceful and Christ centered Lenten season.

To help everyone get started on the right foot, I'd like to share ten of my favorite Lenten Friday meals--it sure beats Kraft Mac and Cheese (actually, I lied--that stuff in the blue box is some of my favorite food ever)!

1. Shrimp and Artichoke Pasta
2. Brown Sugar French Toast
3. Cheesy Shrimp Casserole
4. Protein(y) Linguine
5. Grilled Salmon with a Brown Sugar Glaze
6. Momma's Fruity Shrimp
7. Shrimp Festival
8. Raspberry Jalapeno Quesadillas
9. Crab Mac & Cheese
10. Slow Cooker Green Bean Dumpling Soup

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