Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac n Cheese

I've taken a very unnecessary hiatus from blogging, and I deeply apologize. I have a lot to catch you all up on, but I need to start with the most recent and work my way back from there. 

Scott and I have been at somewhat of a loss for Thursday dinners as of late, whether it be because of our budget, recent lack of creativity, or spontaneous, random plans that just come up. So, obviously, when I am out of ideas, I head to my crutch, Pinterest. Last week, I found a rather awesome recipe from a blog with a very similar name, One Ordinary Day.

Everyone, including myself, loves mac n cheese and I'm always trying to think up new and inventive ways to spice up the classic. One Ordinary Day beat me to the punch with a Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac n Cheese recipe. Click here to check it out! Scottie and I tweaked the recipe a little bit by using just regular pasta and regular butter, but it still came out pretty awesome!

  

 Season and saute the chicken on medium high heat.  








What you need for a bechamel sauce:
- butter
- flour
- milk
- cheese

 

Crisp up bacon in a skillet on medium high heat.

 

Here is our finished product! These are the basic steps. If you follow the recipe I linked above, you'll have a killer chicken, bacon, ranch mac n cheese too! The only minor disappointment that I encountered was that I felt our bechamel sauce was a little grainy...delicious, but grainy. Does anybody have any tips to avoiding that problem? Also, do you have a favorite mac n cheese recipe that you'd like to share?

Freestyle Friday

One of my favorite shows on Food Network, and quite possibly one of my favorite shows of all time, is Chopped. If you're not familiar with the show, there are four contestants and each have a basket filled with secret ingredients. They are required to make an appetizer, entree and dessert course, and each round someone gets eliminated. It's super suspenseful and super entertaining and I just can't get enough of it. If you are just as excited as I am now, you can watch Chopped every Tuesday night at 10 PM on the Food Network! ( I should be their spokesperson). 

Elise's Shepard's Pie

Anyway, Tuesday night, Scott and I got to have a Chopped of our own...at least I felt that way. Being two college students on a limited budget, with a limited pantry, we put our heads together and came up with a pretty delicious end result. Our "secret" ingredients that night were instant mashed potatoes, ground sausage, a frozen bag of veggies, and croutons. With those ingredients we came up with one delicious Shepard's pie! 

Shepard's pie is usually a layer of meat and vegetables and a layer of creamy mashed potatoes, but I was assigned the position of sous chef Tuesday evening, so the creation of our dinner was up to Scott. I was assigned crust duty. Here is an easy Shepard's pie recipe you can follow, but basically, if you have the four ingredients I mentioned earlier, you're good to go! 

Here are the five simple steps Scott and I stuck to:

• Heat the ground meat and vegetables through to a golden brown.
• Prepare instant mashed potatoes according to package. 
• Spoon everything into a greased baking dish (you don't need pretty layers).
• Crush and season croutons, and sprinkle on top of mixture.
• Bake for about 10-15 min on 350. (We cut the time in half because everything was basically cooked already)

Me and Scott's Shepard pie

Shepard's pie and Garlic bread

My helpful tip to you, don't drink and make a crouton crumble at the same time! If you're like me, you'll absentmindedly add salt, garlic salt, and bacon bits to the mixture because you're too preoccupied with the way your Shocktop Raspberry Wheat beer tastes. SODIUM OVERLOAD!

Do you have any spur of the moment, out of the box recipes that you're proud of? Do you have any "Chopped" moments?

4th of July Follow-Up

First off, I would like to start by saying that I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe fourth of July! I know I sure did! Aside from the fireworks, I had a quiet fourth, complete with a perfect alternative dinner to the usual grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. If you're looking for a twist on the traditional, or your grill is broken beyond all repair, I have the recipe for you...

BBQ Pulled Pork!!

Scott suggested the idea, so I got to searching the Web for the perfect recipe. The best way to have a relaxing and stress free holiday is to break out the slow cooker. Get up early and try this recipe because it's definitely worth it! Instead of reading the entire page, I really found the pictures helpful. Just remember, all you need is:

• salt & pepper
• rib rub (or any meat rub)
• 1 - 2 onions (depending on their size)
• a few cloves of garlic
• BBQ sauce
• a slow cooker
• water
• liquid smoke (I used worcestershire sauce)

...and most importantly, 8 hours! Different recipes told me different times, but eight seemed to be the average. Just season your meat, season your vegetables, cover everything with water, and eight hours later you have pulled pork! Once you strain everything, mix in the BBQ sauce and you've got a great alternative to any grilling shenanigans. 

I think my favorite part of the meal was the pasta salad. A few nights prior to the fourth, Mom made a warm pasta salad tossed in some oil, garlic and herbs. It's amazing what you can do with some ingenuity and some Italian dressing. I kept the pasta cold, tossed it in some Italian dressing, salt, pepper; threw in some diced red peppers...and BAM! I had to steal Emeril's classic line, because the pasta salad was just so darn creative and delicious, if I do say so myself!

What are some of your tricks to transforming left overs? What dinners did you prepare to celebrate the fourth? Do you have any creative alternatives to hamburgers and hot dogs, and outdoor grilling?

A Typical Thursday Morning

There is no better way to start a typical Thursday than with breakfast made by my boyfriend! I really can't believe how much better the day can be with breakfast...

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Do you eat breakfast every morning? Do you have any special breakfast recipes?

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Cheese Braid

When I am at my highest level of boredom, I always find myself surfing the pages of Pinterest. One particular day, I found this amazing and simple recipe and I knew that I had to try it ASAP! 

If you like chicken, cheese, bread, or maybe even broccoli, then this is definitely the recipe for you. Not only is this Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Cheese Braid simple, but it is quick and just as delicious. It's quite the tongue twister though, so don't try to say it five times fast. 

Shortly, after I called my mother into my room to feast her eyes on the recipe, she made a grocery list and told me that we were going shopping. I made it to accompany our dinner that night, and everyone agreed that it had sealed it's spot as a new family favorite.

So thank you to Food Family Finds for the wonderful recipe!! Go ahead and try it yourself and tell me what you think! What is your cheesiest recipe?

Chicken Marsala: Easy to Make and Easy on Your Wallet

I haven't had a typical Thursday in quite some time, and I have been quite consumed in my internship as of late, so I haven't had the time to blog, which I sincerely apologize for. Thankfully, that all changed last Thursday. I'm still quite consumed in my internship, but I have finally made the time to update and inform you of my culinary adventures! 

Marsala wine has taken up permanent residence in Scott's fridge for quite a few months now, so the most appropriate and most logical thing to do was to make Chicken Marsala again! I know you've had a long and hard week full of school and work, and the last thing on your mind is cooking, but if you're looking for an easy, yet sophisticated meal that's easy on your wallet, this is the recipe for you! 

I must admit that the term 'recipe' is a very loose term, because I pretty much eye-balled all the ingredients, but here is a brief overview of what Scott and I did! 

Chicken Marsala

• marsala wine
• butter
• flour
• mushrooms
• chicken breasts

Season your flour with whatever is on hand, I prefer s/p and some garlic powder; then, lightly flour each side of your chicken breast. (Scott and I actually used Bisquick because that is all he had in his pantry, and it turned out pretty darn good). In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat, sauté the chicken until it is golden brown on both sides and cooked through. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pan and place it aside.

Sauté the mushrooms in the residual oils until they are cooked through. Add the Marsala wine and the butter. This wine is really strong, so you'll have to reduce it down a bit. You'll probably need to add a spoonful or so of the flour to thicken your sauce. When the sauce is done, add the chicken back to the pan and serve. Voila! 

Serve the chicken over mashed potatoes, pasta or rice...seriously it's perfect over anything! Now you have a pretty romantic dinner that only took about 20 minutes. This recipe is definitely a keeper in my book!

What are some of your favorite chicken recipes? Do you have your own way of making chicken Marsala?

The Perfect Rainy Day Meal

So, I'm normally not the biggest fan of Melissa d'Arabian, from the Food Network, but yesterday she made a meal that had my mouth watering. Now, I'm determined to duplicate it myself! I can't guarantee that this meal will be on tomorrow's agenda, but I do guarantee that I will be making it in the near future and documenting the process. She described it as the best cold, winter meal, but since south Florida isn't graced with the joy of winter, I think it will be perfect for a great rainy day in. We're supposedly in the peak of rainy season anyway. 

Enough of my ranting, though; let's talk about the actual recipes at hand. On her show 10 Dollar Dinners, yesterday, Melissa whipped up a tantalizing Croque Madame and Roasted Tomato Soup. Basically, a Croque Madame is just a glorified grilled cheese and ham sandwich with a fried egg on top. The French always know how to make things fancy. Seriously, this recipe seems so easy a caveman can do it! There is no fuss, no muss with making a bechamel sauce, and there is no need to use a panini press either. So, friends, here are Melissa's recipes for her succulent Croque Madame and delicious Roasted Tomato Soup

http://bit.ly/KFP85C

http://bit.ly/J4zTAt

The best part about this meal is that if you don't like eggs, you can omit that too, and then you have a Croque Monsieur! Also, tomato soup is probably one of my favorite soups, so saying that I was excited to watch Melissa make it was an understatement! 

My only critique is that Melissa's tomato soup looked a little opaque instead of the bright, vibrant red shown in the picture. If you all have any tips or tricks to solve this problem please comment and let me know! 

Do you have your own tomato soup recipes that you would like to share? I'd love to hear them!

Merrica!!

Nothing says America better than the dinner Scott and I created Thursday night: pizza, beer and chicken wings! For a minute, cast aside all you know about apple pie, baseball, and big, juicy hamburgers, because our meal screamed red, white and blue! Scott liked dinner so much that he turned to me that night and said. "We should just dedicate Thursday nights to different types of pizza each week." What a great way to reach my goal weight of 500 pounds...not!! Anyway, if you're craving a good ole' Americana meal like we were, here's our tricks to whipping it up in like Rachel Ray would say, "under 30 minutes." 

All the ingredients in these recipes are open to your interpretation. Scott and I use what we like from Publix, so you can use any variation of these ingredients from any vendor you prefer. Have fun with it!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

• 1 pkg Pillsbury pizza dough (the scary kind that you have to crack on the counter for it to pop open)
• BBQ sauce of your choice, we used Bullseye Original (about half the bottle)
• 1 pkg chicken breasts (3-4)
• bacon (about 3 or 4 slices...or however much you like! Bacon makes everything better!)
• 1 cup mushrooms (chopped)
• 1/4 cup red onion (chopped)
• 1 pkg mozzarella cheese

Spread out the pizza dough on a baking sheet. It usually forms a rectangle, but you can always get creative and make what ever shapes you want. I bet it would be cool to even make a couple of individual pizzas! Then, just follow the cooking instructions on the package. While you're cooking the pizza dough, in a medium sauce pan, start sauteing the chicken breast. Don't forget to season them with salt, pepper, and anything else you like to season your chicken with.  Also, fry up the bacon, either in a skillet or throw it in the microwave. Once the chicken is cooked, dice it up. The pizza dough should definitely be done cooking by now, so you can start assembling...Yeah, the fun part! Spread out the BBQ sauce, mushrooms, onions, bacon, and chicken on the dough. Finish by sprinkling on the cheese and bake until the cheese is golden brown (everything else is already cooked, so it shouldn't take long at all). When it's all finished you'll have a baking sheet full of bubbly, golden, cheesy deliciousness!

Buffalo Wings

• 1 pkg frozen chicken wings
• buffalo sauce, we used Ken's, but again, use whatever you like (about 1/2 bottle)

In a large sauce pot, bring water to a boil. When the water is at a rolling boil, dump the bag of chicken wings in and cook about 10-15 minutes. The chicken wings will start to float to the top when they are done cooking. Drain the wings and put them in a baking dish and coat them with the hot sauce. The wings are already cooked, so you are just throwing them in the oven for another 10 minutes, so the sauce sticks to the wings. I found that if you broil them for the last 2 minutes of cooking, it will crisp the wings up a bit. And there you have it, friends! Next time, I try out chicken wings, I'm not cutting any corners, I'm going to fry them. When we baked them straight after boiling, the wings weren't as crispy as I preferred. If you all have any great wing recipes, I would love for you to share them with me!

Last but not least, I have a new love...and it is blueberry beer, especially Wild Blue. It capped off the meal perfectly. If you are a fan of fruity-ish beers, I highly recommend you try it!

Easy and Delicious Spinach Dip Recipe

So, your college level Rhetoric and Argumentation class is hosting a class party at the end of the semester...I know what you're thinking, "highly unlikely." Never rule out the possibility, but I digress. Perhaps, you have a cookout to go to and you're in charge of bringing the appetizer. This situation seems more plausible anyway. I have a recipe that will win you awards, but I have to give credit to Scott for this one too!

 Spinach Dip

• 9 oz package of frozen spinach (drained)
• 1 Knorr Vegetable pack
• 1 cup mayo
• about 13 oz sour cream or (3/4 of a 16 oz container)
• 10 or so water chestnuts (diced)
• circular piece of bread
• 1 package of baby carrots
• celery (cut into thirds)

In a large mixing bowl, combine, the spinach, vegetable pack, mayo, sour cream and water chestnuts. Mix until everything is incorporated and creamy. Refrigerate the mixture for at least two hours.

While the mixture is chilling, cut the top of the bread and dice up that piece into 1" chunks. Hollow out the bread, so it looks like a bowl. When the dip has chilled enough, spoon it into the bread bowl and arrange the bread chunks, baby carrots, and celery around the bowl on a pretty serving dish.

Scott showed me this recipe, but he uses a Hidden Valley Ranch packet instead of the Knorr Vegetable packet. You can use either one, but I prefer the Knorr packet because it not only has seasonings in it, but little pieces of vegetables too. I think it takes the spinach dip to another level. Seriously, you might just eat the whole thing before your friends get a chance to. Be careful, I've warned you!

From Average Jane to Domestic Diva

My Muse :)

The inspiration for this blog came from my boyfriend, Scott. I've always talked about creating a blog, and in the past, I've gone the distance of actually creating one, but the concern always remained the same; what is it going to be about, and who is going to read it? 

So, the light bulb went off in my head when Scott told me, "Write about what you love. It doesn't guarantee that someone hasn't already written about that, it just means that you have to do it better." So, I started thinking, "I'm a good writer, I can do this." and I opened up my Pinterest account. Everything I love is on Pinterest! For God's sake, I have like seventeen boards full of my interests. As I scrolled through pages and pages of "stuff," I became inspired. I like food, I like fashion, I like art...why not write about it? 

Then, like clock work, another light bulb went off in my head. Why not incorporate one of my biggest loves...Thursday nights? This is really the part where Scott makes the biggest impact. Every Thursday night, Scott and I make dinner, usually something we've never made before, and we watch the latest episode of Vampire Diaries. I couldn't think of a better combination! Suddenly, it hit me...I will call my blog A Typical Thursday. I've already granted my weekly Thursday tradition the unofficial title, so why not my blog? 

I associate Thursdays with good food, good company, and good memories, and that is what I want to share with the world...and not just my Thursday experience, but my adventures through food, fashion, art, entertainment, and everything in between. Before this blog, I was an average Jane. My bachelor's degree is so close that I can taste it, I had a mediocre job, and I simply went through the motions of everyday life. Scott pulled the domestic diva out of me, and it is thanks to him that I am taking another very dedicated stab at blogging!