Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, Baked Chicken Parm & Cream Cheese Mac & Cheese

Today I've got a few different recipes for y'all PLUS another great pic of the Girls.  I love them.

  And my Fall mantle I put together:

The cornucopia is a gift I received from Janet, Chris' stepmom, & the candle holder to the right (facing the mantle) of the picture is this project that I found on Pinterest.  The picture was $6 at my fave place, Wal-Mart.  I love Wal-Mart.  I've probably said it before but I can spend HOURS at Wal-Mart.  My last trip prompted me to state that I need a shock collar with a max allowable to spend programmed into it.  

OK....on to the food!

Cream Cheese Mac & Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 lb Ziti

Olive Oil

1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream

1 cup Half & Half

1 cup 2% Milk

2 eggs

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp White Pepper

2 cups Cheddar Cheese

1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese

4 oz Cream Cheese, cubed

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  While the oven is preheating, cook your Ziti for 4 mins.  It will still be semi-firm.  Drain the Ziti and in the same pot, toss in Olive Oil & mix well with the Ziti.  Spray a baking dish with non stick spray.  In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, half & half, milk, eggs, nutmeg, salt & pepper.  Stir in your cheese & then add your Ziti.  

Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish & scatter the Cream Cheese cubes over the top.  Bake for 5 mins and then use a spoon to spread the melted Cream Cheese across the top.  Bake for another 40 mins until bubbly on top.  After done baking, switch on the broiler and broil for a few mins until the top is browned.  Remove from the oven and let stand for about 20 mins.

NOTES:

I will use less Cream Cheese next time

The Nutmeg gave it really great flavor

I might cook the pasta a little longer in the beginning next time.

Now, while the Cream Cheese Mac & Cheese was cooking for the 40 min stint, I started in on my Baked Chicken Parmesan

INGREDIENTS:

2 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Olive Oil

1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup Spicy Marinara

DIRECTIONS:

My oven was already being used at 350 for the Cream Cheese Mac & Cheese so that's what it stayed on.  Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray.  Combine the Italian Bread Crumbs & Parmesan Cheese in a bowl.  Brush your Chicken Breasts lightly with Olive Oil & then dip each in the Breadcrumb Mixture.  Place on baking sheet & bake for 35 mins.  Once the Cream Cheese Mac & Cheese was done, I bumped the temp up to 450 degrees & cooked for another 15 mins.  When the Chicken was cooked through, I turned over & baked for 5 additional mins.  Then, I spooned Spicy Mozzarella over each Chicken Breast, topped with Mozzarella Cheese & baked for another 5 mins.

And VOILA!

NOTES:

I had to whip out my food processor and blend up the Marinara Sauce so there weren't any chunks in it

Definitely cook the chicken for 20 mins at 450 as the original recipe states.  

My seasonal theory is that "Fall starts as soon as Starbucks starts serving the Pumpkin Spice Latte".  Oh, pumpkin....how I love thee.  If I could pumpkin ALL THE THINGS, I would. I've never actually tried pumpkining things until this season though.  My very first Pumpkin venture just happened to be Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.  I've never been a huge fan of snickerdoodles....I'm more of a chocolate chip M&M or peanut butter cookie kind of gal......but I figured in the spirit of Fall (and because Chris likes snickerdoodles), I would try my hand at them.

INGREDIENTS:

Cookies-

3 3/4 cups Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

2 sticks Unsalted Butter

1 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 can Pumpkin

1 Egg

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Coating-

1/2 cup Sugar

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions:

Whisk together Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Cinnamon & Nutmeg.  In a separate bowl, beat together the Butter & Sugars until well combined then beat in Pumpkin, Egg & Vanilla Extract.  Add in the dry ingredients & beat until just combined.  Cover & refrigerate for an hour.  Remove from the fridge and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a third bowl, combine the combine the Sugar & Spices for the coating.  Scoop dough and roll into a ball.  Roll the dough ball in the sugar mixture & place on the baking sheet leaving a couple inches in between each cookie.  Take a drinking glass with a flat bottom, moisten with water and dip the glass in the sugar mixture.  Use the sugared glass to flatten each cookie.  Re-sugar the glass as needed.  Bake the cookies for 12 mins & allow to cool.

These cookies were flat out phenomenal.  There's nothing else to say.

Until next time.....

-Samantha

Catching up.......and Cheesy Bacon Biscuit Pull Aparts

HEY FOLKS!!!  I'M BAAAACK!

The past few months have been, to say the least, NUTS.  Working 16 hour days, 7 days a week for 2 months straight is not something that I would EVER wish upon anyone.  Except maybe 1 person....that's neither here nor there though.  Also, our lovely little Girls are growing up and growing to love each other more and more every single day.  They're just like real Sisters.  

I love these Girls so much.  I just can't get over how pretty their little faces are....and how great their little personalities are.

  

So this morning I woke up & made coffee and I was struck with the craziest feeling of motivation that I've had in a very long time.  I had a list of things in my head:  make breakfast, clean house, start all of the little projects that I've purchased supplies for but not actually started on.  I've only gotten as far as breakfast.  I do plan on getting off my butt after I make this post though.

I made these along with spicy scrambled eggs for Chris and fried eggs, sunny side up for myself.  

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp melted Butter

7 refrigerated biscuits

Mozzarella cheese (I just cut thin strips off of my block)

Bacon Bits

shredded Cheddar Cheese (I didn't measure)

As always, you can see I love my Wal Mart brand foods....

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt your Butter in the microwave for 30 seconds & brush that butter in the bottom of your iron skillet.  Line the bottom of the skillet with your Biscuits.  Only 7 of my roll of 10 would fit in my skillet.  Layer your Mozzarella Cheese, Bacon Bits & Cheddar Cheese & cook for 17 mins.

  NOTES:

DON'T FORGET TO WEAR AN OVEN MITT WHEN REMOVING YOUR IRON SKILLET FROM THE OVEN.  No, I did not forget....I just want to throw in that friendly reminder.

I only cooked them for 15 mins in a gas oven.  I would say give them a couple more mins.  The Biscuits lining the outside were done but the center one was still a little gooey inside.

For Chris's scrambled eggs, I cooked them with a splash of Milk (for fluffiness) and Cayenne pepper with Louisiana Hot Sauce splashed across the top of the final product.  He likes 'em hella spicy.

Anyways, I can't claim these biscuits as my own but they were definitely A-Mazing....I would suggest them to EVERYONE.  

Until next time.....

-Samantha