Buffalo Chicken Celery Sticks

These bad boys are a super fun semi-healthy appetizer! I absolutely love delish.com and all their crazy fun recipes! It is such a quick and easy recipe. I just bought a rotisserie chicken already cooked from the local grocery store.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Frank's hot sauce

2 Tblsp mayo

freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

4 stalks celery, cut into 3" pieces

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

Ranch dressing, for drizzling

Chives, for garnish

Directions:

  In a medium bowl, whisk together hot sauce and mayo and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over shredded chicken and mix to combine. Spoon chicken mixture into celery boats. Top with blue cheese, drizzle ranch and garnish with chives. EnJOY!

Chicken and Waffle Bites

 What is better than chicken and waffles? How about bit sized chicken and waffles! Yes! Don't forget the hot sauce and syrup!

Chicken and Waffle Bites

1-2 packages of frozen popcorn chicken bites
1-2 boxes mini waffles
hot sauce
maple syrup

 Preheat your oven and bake your popcorn chicken on a sheet pan according to package directions. Then using a toaster, toast the mini waffles until golden and cool. Then assemble your waffle bites by placing each waffle on a serving plate, top with chicken and poke a tooth pick through it to make it easier to pick up. Have hot sauce and maple syrup on the side for people to drizzle on their waffle bites. EnJOY!

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

I love anything mini and these are just so adorable and scrumptious! They are so much fun for a party and my kiddos absolutely love these! I found this recipe from www.princesspinkygirl.com

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

14.5 oz can Campbells creamy herb and garlic soup (I had to use cream of chicken and added extra spices)
2 packages Pillsbury Cresent rolls - seamless dough sheet
1 cup Frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1 cup cooked chicken cut into small pieces (I used a rotisserie chicken from the store)
3 inch round cookie cutter
cupcake pan

Preheat oven to 400. Lay the crescent roll flat on a lightly floured surface and cut out 12 rounds. Press them in the cupcake pan along the bottom and up the sides. In a bowl, mix the soup, thawed veggies and cut up chicken.
Using a pizza cutter, cut strips of crescent dough to cover the top of the cups, 2 across each way, so 4 strips total per cup. Bake 15-18 minutes or until top and sides are golden brown. If top gets too brown cover it with foil until the bottom is cooked. Let cool and use a knife to loosen and lift out of pan. EnJOY!

Cowboy Caviar Dip

This is a super easy and tasty dip recipe that I make regularly.  A must try! 

Cowboy Caviar Dip

1 (15oz can) seasoned black eyed peas, rinsed and drained well (I use white beans or chili beans when I can't find black eyed peas

1 (15oz can) seasoned or plain black beans, rinsed and drained well 

3/4 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 or 3 tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced with seeds removed

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1 ripe avocado, chopped

Tortilla chips

Dressing:

1 Tblsp olive oil

1 Tblsp white wine vinegar

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Combine black eyed peas, beans, green onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro in a medium bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Pour over bean mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Just before serving, add avocado and gently stir to combine. 

Serve with tortilla chips. EnJOY!

Mac and Cheese Bites

We were having some friends over the other night with little one's so I thought these would be a fun food for all the kids. I doubled the recipe and froze the left overs in individual bags for my kids lunches the following week. Yum! I found this recipe on chef-in-training.com

Mac and Cheese Bites

1/2 lb elbow macaroni
2 Tblsp butter
2 Tblsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg beaten

 Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside. In a medium size pan combine butter and flour over medium heat. Whisk until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Slowly add milk and bring to a simmer. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.
 In a large mixing bowl, carefully stir pasta, cheese sauce, and egg until evenly mixed and pasta is evenly coated. Spoon mac and cheese into mini muffin tins and top each with a small pinch of remaining cheese. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
 Allow to cool 5 minutes before gently removing the bites. I find that carefully running a knife around the edges one at a time and tipping it onto a plate is the easiest. EnJOY!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

I love love love this recipe! cookingclassy.com you didn't fail me on this one! It's the perfect street corn taste without the chunks left in your teeth feeling after eating a corn on the cob!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

4 ears fresh corn, husked and kernels cut from cob (3 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 Tblsp veggie oil
salt to taste
1/3 cup chopped red or green onion (if using red run under water and drain to remove harsh bite)
1/3 cup slightly packed cilantro leaves, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 oz. Cotija cheese, finely crumbled
3 Tblsp mayo
1 1/2 Tblsp fresh lime juice, divided
1/2 tsp chili powder, then more to taste
1 1/2 medium avocados (semi-firm but ripe) peeled, cored and chopped small

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add corn, season with salt to taste and toss, then let cook, tossing only occasionally (about every 2 minutes) until corn is well charred all over (about 6-10 minutes total). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Add corn to a medium bowl along with onions, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, 3/4 of the cotija, mayo, 1 Tblsp lime juice and chili powder and toss. Pour remaining 1/2 Tblsp lime juice over diced avocados then add to bowl with corn mixture and gently toss. Top with remaining Cotija cheese and additional chili powder to taste. EnJOY!

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

Oh man these things are so addicting! They are crispy and so yummy! Thank you damndelicious.net for this recipe!

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

4 flour tortillas (8 inch each)
1 cup pizza sauce
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan
36-48 mini pepperoni

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly oil a 12 cup muffin tin or coat with nonstick spray. Working one at a time, lay tortilla on a flat surface. Using an empty can, cut 3-4 medium circles, pressing firmly enough in a rocking motion to cut through the tortilla.
Fit a tortilla circle into each of 12 muffin tins, pressing carefully to make sure there is an opening in the center. Scoop 1 Tblsp pizza sauce into each muffin tin. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, topping with 3 mini pepperonis each.
Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Serve immediately. EnJOY!

Epic Stuffed Garlic Bread

As if garlic bread wasn't just amazing already, this recipe sends it over the top! A must try! This is a recipe from one of my favorite sites, cookiesandcups.com

Epic Stuffed Garlic Bread

1 large loaf Ciabatta bread (or french bread)
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup room temp butter, cut into pieces
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
*optional: 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I didn't use this)

Preheat oven to 425. Cut your bread into thick slices leaving about 1/2 inch at the bottom uncut. Be careful not to cut the bread all the way through, as you need the bread to hold together to contain all the filling.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with a fork. Stuff the filling into the crevices of the bread evenly. You might think you have too much filling but you don't. Use it all.
Wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil, place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover the bread and bake for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the outside of the bread. Serve warm. EnJOY!

Pear and Brie Quesadilla

Who says adults can't enjoy a quesadilla?! How about if there is pear and brie inside! Oh yes! Divine! Recipe from numstheword.com

Pear and Brie Quesadilla

2 (10inch) flour quesadillas
2 oz brie cheese, sliced
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
1 Tblsp butter
1 pinch ground nutmeg
salt to taste

Heat long griddle until hot, around 300-325. Butter both tortillas on one side each. Place both tortillas, butter side down on the griddle. Working quickly, on one tortilla lay out your slices of brie.
Place pears on top of brie. Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg on top of pears. When quesadillas are nice golden color, take the empty single tortilla, flip over and lay it on top of your pear slices. Remove from the heat and allow to cool 1-2 minutes. Slice quesadilla and serve immediately. EnJOY!

Strawberry Brie Waffle Bites

I needed a fun finger food recipe for a girls night I was going to and this one was a cool different recipe I had to try! Note to self, cheese sticks to plates. So either drizzle some syrup under the cheese before you plate, or put them on parchment paper. Thank you lemontreedwelling.com

Strawberry Brie Waffle Bites

12 strawberries, cut into 24 rings; tops and bottoms will not be used
2-3 waffles, cut into a total of 24 pieces
1 brie cheese wedge, cut into 24 pieces
maple syrup, for drizzling or dipping

Use tooth picks to assemble waffle bites. Cheese first, then strawberry slice then waffle and drizzle syrup on top. EnJOY!

Earth Day Treats

My son's first grade class had an earth day party recently so I had some fun searching out some cool little treats on pinterest!

Ants on a Log

Ok so ingredients and directions are not really needed for this one, but just incase, just spread some peanut butter on celery and throw some ants/ raisins on and baddabing!

Earth Day Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix, plus any ingredients needed to make it
blue and green food coloring
buttercream frosting

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 1 box yellow cake mix according to pacakge directions. Put half of the mixture into another bowl. Place 2 drops of blue food coloring in one bowl with half of the cake mix and 2 drops of green food coloring in the other bowl.
Place paper muffin cups into muffin tin. Using small ice cream scoop, Put one scoop of the blue colored cake mix in one muffin cup and put one scoop of green colored cake mix next to the blue mix in the same cup. Repeat steps in remaining muffin cups. Bake for approx. 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out of cupcake clean. Let cool.
For frosting, color half of the buttercream frosting blue and the other green. Frost the cupcake with blue frosting. Then using the green frosting, make a few "earth shapes" or continents. Or just put one green dallop on top, however you think it looks best.

Dirt Pudding

6 oz chocolate pudding mix
4 cups milk, to prepare pudding mix (or as much as directed on mix)
14 oz condensed milk
8 oz cream cheese
12 oz cool whip
18 oz oreo cookies
1 package gummy worms

Make chocolate pudding according to box and place in fridge. Chop up all oreos in food processor. Cover bottom of 9x13 glass pan with a thin layer of oreos. Beat condensed milk, cool whip, and cream cheese in a large bowl until well mixed.
Cover bottom layer of oreos with chocolate pudding. Layer cream mix. layer remaining oreos on top. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Place worms on top. EnJOY!

Bang Bang Shrimp

So I had to try damndelicious.net recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp after the chicken version was so awesome! There is only a slight difference between the two but I love them both the same!

Bang Bang Shrimp

1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more as needed
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 large egg
1 Tblsp hot sauce
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sauce

1/4 cup mayo
2 Tblsp sweet chili sauce
1 Tblsp honey
1 tsp rice vinegar

To make the sauce, whisk together mayo, sweet chili sauce, honey and rice vinegar in a small bowl; set aside. Heat veggie oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
In large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside. In a large bowl, combine panko, onion and garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
Working one at a time, dip shrimp into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in panko mixture, pressing to coat.
Working in batches, add shrimp to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Serve immediately, drizzled with sweet chili sauce. EnJOY!

Bang Bang Chicken

Oh mama, this recipe is so good! Fun name and fun to eat! I love damndelicious.net

Bang Bang Chicken

1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more as needed

1 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 large egg

1 Tblsp hot sauce

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Sauce

1/4 cup mayo

2 Tblsp sweet chili sauce

1 Tblsp honey

2 tsp Frank's hot sauce

To make the sauce, whisk together mayo, sweet chili sauce, honey and frank's hot sauce in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat veggie oil in large skillet over medium high heat.

In large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, cornstarch, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper, to taste.

Working one at a time, dip chicken into buttermilk mixture, then dredge in panko, pressing to coat.

Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

Serve immediately, drizzle with sweet chili sauce. EnJOY!

Horchata and Mexican Street Corn

For Cinco De Mayo this year my kids had requests! Shrimp tacos, horchata and mexican corn. I found the horchata recipe on yummyhealthyeasy.com and the corn on sassygirlz.net
So yummy!

Horchata

1-2/3 cups uncooked white long grain rice
5 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup white sugar
3 cups milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Pour the rice and 2 cups water in a blender. Blend until the rice begins to break up, about 1 minute. Add the last 3 cups of water and blend for an additional 30 seconds. Let the rice and water sit on the counter for anywhere from 3+ hours.
Strain the rice water into a large pitcher and throw away the rice. Stir the cinnamon sticks, sugar, milk and vanilla into the rice water. Chill. When thoroughly chilled, stir up and pour over ice. Add an extra sprinkle or two of cinnamon if needed. EnJOY!


Mexican Street Corn

4 ears of corn
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (I would use queso fresco crumbled instead)
1/4 cup cilantro (fresh, rough chop)
1 lime (cut, ready to squeeze)
chili powder (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat grill. When grill is hot place your already shucked corn on the grill, make sure to leave the core on so you have something to grab it with while eating. In a medium bowl, mix mayo, sour cream and chopped cilantro together. Let the corn get slightly charred on the grill, turn a time or two so it's cooked evenly. Remove from grill and while still hot, smother completely with mayo mixture. Sprinkle chili powder and salt and pepper on corn. Squeeze lime juice on top and sprinkle with cheese. EnJOY!

Avocado Hummus

This is my most favorite hummus recipe ever! So easy to make and so much you can do with it! I like to dip veggies into a bowl of this flavorful dip, I also use it to put on veggie wraps, or turkey and veggie wraps. Thanks cookingclassy.com for this recipe!

Avocado Hummus

1 (15oz) can chick peas (garbanzo beans), well drained

2 medium ripe avocados, cored and peeled

3 Tblsp olive oil, plus more for serving if desired

1 1/2 Tblsp tahini

3 Tblsp fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, peeled

salt and pepper to taste

1/8 tsp (I use 1 tsp) cumin

2 Tblsp finely chopped cilantro leaves, for topping (I add mine to the mixer)

Optional: Red pepper flakes, for topping (I do not add this)

Pulse chick peas, olive oil, tahini, lime juice, and garlic in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, about 1/4-1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Add cumin and avocados and pulse mixture until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.

Serve topped with more olive oil if desired and sprinkle with cilantro and pepper flakes if desired. Serve with pita chips or veggies. EnJOY!

Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Goat Cheese

I have been obsessed with brussel sprouts lately and I decided to change it up just a bit so my family doesn't get sick of them. I love goat cheese so now these things are even more addicting!

Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Goat Cheese

1-2 lbs brussel sprouts, rinsed and dried.
1 cup goat cheese, crumbled into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
balsamic vinegar to taste
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Slice brussel sprouts in half, add to baking sheet. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil onto the brussell sprouts, top with a little salt and pepper, then top with 1-2 Tblsp balsamic. Bake for 15 minutes, stir around so they dont burn, continue to roast for another 15-25 minutes until desired tenderness. When done roasting, fork tender, remove from oven. Top with additional 1 Tblsp balsamic, top with desired amount of goat cheese. Serve while hot. EnJOY!

Pizza Cresent Rolls

I saw these fun little guys on recipefavorite.com and had to make them for my kiddos for lunch today. They loved them! Super easy to make!

Pizza Cresent Rolls

1 tube cresent rolls (refrigerated)
Marinara or pizza sauce
pepperoni's
4 sticks string cheese, cut in half

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll one tube of cresent rolls. Place one Tblsp on marinara or pizza sauce on large end of cresent. Layer 2 pepperoni on top of sauce and pace half of a string cheese on top of that. Carefully roll up cresent, starting from the large end rolling to the small end and pinching the sides so the sauce and cheese stays inside during baking. Place them onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden on top. Serve with marinara for dipping. EnJOY!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

I love anything "buffalo-ed" so I couldn't wait to make these. They are not super spicey so don't be afraid to add all of that yummy buffalo sauce! Thanks damndelicious.net for this recipe. They are a healthier version of regular meatballs, or buffalo chicken wings.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 green onions, thinly sliced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup buffalo sauce
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, panko, egg, garlic and onion powder and green onions; season with salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1 1/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch meatballs, forming about 24 meatballs.
Place meatballs onto prepared baking sheet and bake 4-5 minutes. Place meatballs into a slow cooker. Add buffalo sauce and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours. Serve immediatly, drizzled with blue cheese dressing. EnJOY!

Parmesan Cauliflower Bites

I saw this recipe on www.damndelicious.net and had to try it! I made both a fried version and a baked version and I think I liked the baked version best! This recipe is for a small head of cauliflower. If you have a medium or large you may want to double the panko and parmesan breading and use an extra egg. Be careful you dont use a seasoning salt, if you do only use 1/2 tsp or you will have super salty bites!

Parmesan Cauliflower Bites

1/2 cup veggie oil
1 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Tblsp Emerils Essence Creole Seasoning (If you are using a different creole seasoning, make sure its not a seasoning salt! Or if thats all you can find only add 1/2 tsp or your bites will be too salty).
4 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup flower
2 large eggs, beaten

Heat veggie oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. If using oven, preheat to 425. In a large bowl, combine panko, parmesan and emerils essence; set aside.
 Working in batches, dredge cauliflower in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in panko mixture, pressing to coat.
 If baking in oven, place battered cauliflower onto a lightly sprayed (with pam cooking spray) baking dish, spray top with a little cooking spray. Bake for 10-20 minutes, until desired softness. I dont like mine super soft.
 Add cauliflower to the skillet, 5 or 6 at a time and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Serve immediatly. EnJOY!

Fried Plantains

The first time I had these I was so surprised that they tasted so different from a banana, what I expected them to taste like. I like them nice and crunchy so this recipe was perfect.

Fried Plantains

1 cup oil, for frying
1 plantains, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Let the heat come to temperature for about 5-8 minutes and drop one piece of plantain in the hot oil first to test the oil. If it bubbles right away its hot enough but make sure it isnt so hot it burns it right away. Add your plantian slices and fry for 3-4 minutes per side.
Remove them from the heat and set on paper towel. Using a measuring cup or a plate, press down on each plantain to squish very flat. Drop back in hot oil and fry another 1-2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove from heat and back onto paper towel, immediately sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. You can serve it plain or with guacamole, guasacaca, or salsa. EnJOY!