cucumber boats!

i found these and thought were so cute. i have made them a few times and have loved them everytime!! perfect app for a party!



source: leslie sarna

cucumber boats filled with hummus.

what you need:

2 English cucumbers (English have a more dense center and won't fall apart)

1 container of hummus

1 red bell pepper

what you do:

Cut the cucumber into approximately 1 inch pieces. Using a melon baller scoop out the inside to make a little cup.

Next, fill up the cup with a teaspoon of hummus.

top with bell pepper

so cute and so yum!

menu monday!

trying to switch it up a little this week. no chicken! haha... we will see how that goes :)

monday. pork chops with blue cheese sauce served with potatoes of some sort.

tuesday. movie night! we are going to cinnebar and eating there :)

wednesday. sloppy joes. this will be my first attempt!

thursday. enchiladas & yellow rice. (i froze the sauce a while back! it's going to be an easy dinner!! yayy!)

friday. burgers with homemade oven fries.

Bacon-Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Bacon-Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Chicken

source: rachel ray! this chicken is SO good!! you need to make it! you need to taste it!! :)

what you need:

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Black pepper
4-5 ounces blue cheese crumbles
A handful arugula leaves from bulk bins, chopped
A handful baby spinach leaves from bulk bins, chopped
4 slices bacon

what you do:

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Using a small sharp knife cut into the thick end of the chicken and make an incision reaching 2/3 the way down the breast. Loosen up the incision with your fingers to make a hole. Season the chicken with pepper. Combine the cheese with arugula and baby spinach and stuff the breasts. Spiral-wrap the breasts with the bacon tightly to cover the meat evenly. Place chicken on a nonstick baking sheet and roast 20-22 minutes until bacon is crispy and chicken is firm.

step by step.

cut the chicken and stuff.


wrap with bacon.


bake.


enjoy.

menu monday

we have been so out of wack since christmas! this week i think we are back to normal:) yay!! im excited to try beer sausage tonight...i'll let you know how it goes!

monday. ale-braised sausage and peppers

tuesday. crock-pot rotisserie chicken w/ veggies.

wednesday. venison steak w/ potatoes and veggies.

thursday. general tso chicken w/ rice.

friday. crab cake sandwiches w/ sweet potato fries.

menu monday

monday. left overs from weekend.

tuesday. tacos bowls.

wednesday. omelette's. grits. bacon.

thursday. christmas at my gmas! tapas style. i'm making: cucumber boats with hummas, turkey pesto sliders, pimento cheese, and guac with wonton chips :)

friday. christmas eve babyyyy.

just a few random things.

1. bradley has been obsessed lately with hunting and all things manly/country-ish. he even likes to say "hey bo" when we are camping or in the woods and such. yeah, i thought i moved away from upstate sc, too?? hmm. so, the other day bradley sends me this in a email.



nice.

2. last saturday was full of love. seriously, hearts everywhere.

on an egg:



and on my sock:



spread the love, people.

3. have i mentioned lately how much we love pepper and how she is totally human?



4. and now, i want to inform you of my very favorite animal. like favorite ever. (besides pepper....who obviously doesn't count....bc she is a HUMAN)



eat more chicken. i have always loved dairy cows. i think they are so cute. once, i was in a pageant and during the interview they asked me why a cow was my fav animal. so i said... i love their utters. they are just so pink and cute. needless to say, i didn't win. :D

that's all. :)

chocolate candy cane cookies

i made these for a cookie exchange and they were delightful! the filling is so good. i rushed to make these so they weren't as pretty as they should have been sooo i'm making them again tonight for a christmas party tomorrow night! make these. you won't be sorry:)

source: bonappetit

Ingredients

Cookies
•1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
•1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1 cup sugar
•3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
•1 large egg

Filling
•1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
•3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
•3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
•2 drops (or more) red food coloring
•1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)

Preparation

For cookies:
•Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.
•Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.

For filling:
•Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.
•Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). DO AHEAD Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.