HOT SPICED SANGRIA

I took this picture 5 days after...I put the leftovers in a pitcher, and drank it over ice! Mmmm;)

I started looking for this recipe once I heard some of the girls talking about it on the KNOT (iheartkieth) LOL! I found this recipe on The Food Network, and immediately new I wanted to make it for Halloween eve for DH and I.
Since I had Chicken Cacciatore in the crock pot, I mixed all the ingredients in a pot over the stove...and left it on low after I let it simmer for an hour.

Ingredients:
~2 (750 milliliter) bottles of Rioja (Spanish Red Wine) I used Boones Farm Sangria ~ red wine, since it was $3.50 a bottle...The spanish wine was $15 a bottle! A good friend of mine suggested Boones, since her family makes Sangria often:)
~1 cup brandy
~1 bag frozen cherries
~1 bag frozen peaches
~1 orange, sliced
~2 cinnamon sticks
~1 cup simple syrup, recipe below
~Orange peel for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Put setting on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce to warm to hold temp. Ladle into glasses from slow cooker. Be sure to include some fruit in the glass ;) Garnish with orange peel.

Simple Syrup:
~1 cup sugar (I would only use 1/2 cup)
~1 cup water (I would only use 1/2 cup)
~1 orange, zested
Combine the sugar, water & zest in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Enjoy;)

GARLIC CHICKEN STIR FRY

I found this recipe on cooks.com, and modified it to our liking...

I usually make a stir fry once a week for us...Chad and I love chicken & garlic, so I decided to do this tonight & use my stir frying skills!

Ingredients:

~1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cubed (I use Tyson thin sliced chicken breasts)

~4-6 garlic cloves, minced (I looove fresh garlic, I used 6 cloves!)

~4-6 baby carrots, sliced thin

~1 small red bell pepper

~2 green onions

~2 cup broccoli (I steamed & used as side dish, with parmesan cheese)

~1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. white cooking wine

~2 tbsp. water

~4 tsp. lite soy sauce

~2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

~2 tsp. cornstarch

~1/2 tsp. white pepper

~white cheddar for garnish (I use grated Black Diamond aged white cheddar) We use this on top of all our stir fry's...yummy!

~1 cup cooked rice (I use Basmati white rice)

Over medium heat: in oil, stir fry garlic for 15 seconds. Add chicken cubes, & stir fry for approx 5 minutes or until nearly done. Add 2 tbsp. of wine & carrots/red peppers & stir for about a minute. Add broccoli if you wish at this step, I added the green onion. Stir in wine mixture. Stir fry 1 minute or until thick & bubbly, stirring constantly. Serve over hot rice or noodles!

Wine Mixture:

Combine 1/4 cup wine, water, soy sauce, cornstarch & white pepper.

mmmm delish!!

OMG POT ROAST

OMG! I love anything that I can cook in our Crock Pot...so I have done a lot of these Pot Roasts & they come out quite fabulous ;) Especially b/c I work 10 hour days, I throw it all together in the morning before work...so all I have to do when I get home is make the side dishes!

I only had pearl onions to add to the Roast this morning, but it was still really yummy! I served the roast with garlic mash potatoes & corn. The roast just melts in your mouth it is so tender!

Ingredients:
~1 2-3 lb. English Roast/Beef Chuck Pot Roast
~Mixture of your fav veggies (I use a ½ bag of baby carrots)
~2 small onions chopped (I use a ½ bag of Birdseye pearl onions from freezer section)
~3/4 cup water
~1 tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce (I always add a little more to the roast)
~1 tsp. instant beef bouillon granules
~1 tsp. dried basil crushed
~1/4 tsp. salt

For the Gravy:
~1/2 cup water
~1/4 cup all-purpose flour
~pepper to taste
~beef bouillon to taste

Trim fat from meat. Coat bottom of Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray & add veggies to bottom of pot. Cut Roast to fit if needed, and place over veggies. Combine the 3/4 cups of water, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, basil, and salt in a small bowl. Pour over meat & add to crock pot. Add a few more dashes of Worcestershire sauce over meat. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10-12 hours, or on high-heat setting for 5-6 hours.

Before you are ready to serve, prepare the gravy. Measure juices from the crock pot. If necessary add enough water to make 1 1/2 cups. Set aside. In small bowl combine the 1/2 of water to the 1/4 cup flour mixture & add a little pepper to taste. Stir flour mixture into juices and place in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened & bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Add more beef bouillon to taste if needed. Serve gravy over roast, veggies & potatoes!

CHEESE & CRACKER SPREAD

This is a fabulous recipe for a party! I am sure you will love it just as much as we do!! You can also make it into a Cheese Ball if you wish ;)

Ingredients:
~1 5oz. jar of Kraft Old English Cheese Spread
~1 spoonful of Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Spread
~1 8oz. pkg. of Cream Cheese (I use 1/3 less fat or fat free)
~Green onion or small chopped pieces of Ham (I use green onion)
~1-2 cups of your favorite shredded cheese if your going to make into a cheese ball
~1 box of your favorite crackers (We like Wheat Thins Toasted Chips: Veggie Flavor)

Mix together the cheeses & cream cheese in medium bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Then add your garnish to the bowl, and stir slowly with large spoon until blended well. Refrigerate cheese in bowl for 4-6 hours, or overnight. You can then take a piece of wax paper &
roll cheese mixture into a ball; then roll the ball over shredded cheese of your choice (Cheddar or Colby Jack, etc.)

Put on platter & serve with your favorite crackers!

Enjoy;)

HEALTHY PUMPKIN MUFFINS

I found this recipe on lovestoeat food blog. I loves these little muffins, they are perfect for the Fall! I like to make them in the morning's, so Chad can take them to work...they have been a hit with the co-worker's too!

Ingredients:
~1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
~1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
~2 tsp. baking soda
~2 tsp. baking powder
~2 tsp. ground cinnamon or pumkin pie spice (I use 1 tsp. of each!)
~1/2 tsp. salt
~4 large eggs (I use Eggland's Best)
~2 cups granulated sugar (I have used Splenda)
~1 can (15 oz.) of Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
~1 cup Vegetable oil
~2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) of Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chips (I use 1/2 or omit alltogether)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 24 muffins cups or use paper baking cups (I like the football theme ones this time of year ;)

Combine all the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & pumkin spice in medium bowl. Combine the eggs and sugar in large bowl first, then add the pumpkin & oil; mix well. Stir in the flour mixture slowly until moistened. Stir in morsels if you are using them. Spoon batter with laddle & fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes; remove from pans.

Super YUMMY!!
Enjoy ;)

CREAM CHICKEN

This recipe has been passed down from my Grandmother. It is super easy & really good! This was my first recipe I perfected while I lived on my own...and I am happy to pass it on to you!

Ingredients:

~9.75 oz. Can of Swanson White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water

~4 tbl. Wondra Flour (Baking isle, it is great for making quick gravies & sauces)

~2 cups of Milk (I use Non-Fat)

~4 tbl. Butter or Margarine (I use "I can't believe it's not Butter")

~1 tsp. Pepper

~1/4 tsp. Salt (I omit & use the chicken seasoning)

~1-2 tsp. Chicken Seasoning (I use Frankenmuth Chicken Seasoning!)

~1-2 tsp. Chicken Bullion to taste

~Egg Noodles (I use Healthy Harvest Wheat Egg noodles)

To make the White Sauce, you can follow the steps on the back of the Wondra Flour can:

In saucepan combine all the ingredients (except the can of Chicken). Heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir a minute, then add the can of chicken including the broth and leave simmer. I simmer for about 20 minutes, so the chicken is heated thru.

While the White Sauce is simmering prepare the egg noodles.

Serve over warm egg noodles, wheat toast or any kind of noodles you wish!

Enjoy :)