Divinity

YUM! This is the perfect solution whenever you get on a sugar crave! Light and fluffy, these babies never let me down! We made ours purple this time..my pictures don't do them justice!

Divinity

Sharon Heiner-thanks Grandma! :)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. light corn syrup
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. chopped nuts

In heavy 2 qt. pan, stir sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Clip candy thermometer on and cook and stir over medium heat washing sides down well until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring to 260. Remove from heat. In large bowl, beat egg whites at high speed to form stiff peaks. Gradually pour hot syrup in a thin stream over egg whites beating at high speed. Add vanilla and a few drops of food color. Beat at high speed 4-5 minutes until candy holds its shape when the beaters are lifted. Mixture should mound on itself. If mix flattens out, beat more. If mix is stiff and the surface rough, beat in a few drops of hot water.

Carrot Cookies

I have a love-hate relationship with this cookie. I love it so so much, but I also hate it because when I make them, I am uncontrollable with eating all of them....ahh! Seriously-one of the only, no-THE ONLY cookie I could eat a whole batch of. And I probably would too. Seriously, don't let the name OR the picture trick you. This is by far the best cookie thats ever graced my taste buds. Mmmmm...try it. You'll thank me later. :)

Carrot Cookies

Steve Blood

Ingredients:

• 2 c. shortening
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 c. grated carrots
• 3 eggs

Cream all of the above together.

Add:

• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 4-5 c. flour

Mix together and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. (I baked mine for 10 and they were still a little too crispy on the bottom for my taste!)

Frosting: (This is what MAKES the cookie!!!)

• 6 c. powdered sugar (Mix in 2 at a time)
• 3 tsp. frozen orange juice
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 1/2 c. soft butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2-3 tsp. grated orange peel

(This makes a lot of frosting, but the cookies seriously taste so much better when loaded with frosting! If you really aren't a huge frosting fan, cut the ingredients in half)

Now go make them, now! ENJOY!

Orange Chicken

If there's one thing we love in this household, it's Panda Express. Yes-the "fake" fast food chinese chain. When I found this orange chicken recipe, I was SO excited to try it out! I was not disappointed, but it wasn't husband approved! It was very VERY orangey (Thus the name-Orange Chicken)...more than I expected though. I saw a variation for this recipe that included soy sauce to make it taste more like Panda Express. Next time, I plan on trying that variation. If you love REAL orange chicken, try this. It's delicious!

Orange Chicken

Krista Kooks

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. boneless chicken, cut in 2-inch chunks
• 1/2 c. flour
• Olive oil, for browning the chicken
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 6 oz. (half a can) frozen orange juice (Little to no pulp)
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. ketchup

Directions:

Dredge the chicken pieces with the flour, and shake off the excess. Throw away any remaining flour. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove and brown the chicken on all sides. You do not need to fully cook it.

Put the chicken into your slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, combine the orange juice, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Taste-If you'd like the chicken sweeter-add more sugar. Pour sauce evenly over the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. Serve over rice.

SUCCESS! Yummiest Dinner :)

I am a huge pasta lover. Pasta, bread, anything starchy! My husband is not! I cook something with pasta at least once a week, and I think I'm slowly starting to crack his anti-pasta shell! He LOVED tonights dinner! He rated it 10 out of 10. Which is RARE! Never does anything I cook get a 10!! So here it is!

Louisiana Chicken Pasta
Annie's Eats










For Chicken:

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless chicken breasts, uncooked and cubed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Cajun seasoning, to taste

For Pasta and Sauce:

• 8-10 oz bowtie pasta
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 c. onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp. cajun seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 c. whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 3 scallions, chopped (I will omit next time)
  
  First, heat a medium sized skillet on medium-high heat melting 1 Tbsp. butter. Once melted add the cubed, uncooked chicken, salt and pepper. Toss to combine until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Meanwhile, begin to heat a pot of boiling water for the pasta. When chicken is done, set in small bowl and set aside. (It may cool off but that is okay.) Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions until desired consistency.
  
  While pasta is cooking, heat butter and oil in medium skilled (Used previously for chicken) on medium heat. Once butter is melted add peppers and onion. Mix in the salt, pepper, cajun and cayenne seasonings. Cook until peppers are softened (About 6-8 minutes). Add whipping cream to skillet and simmer. Meanwhile, in a very small bowl, combine cornstarch and water and whisk well. Once skillet mixture has started to bubble, add the cornstarch mixture. Continue to simmer another 5 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently.
  
  When sauce has thickened, add chicken and pasta. Toss to coat well and cook on medium-high heat for a few minutes to warm chicken pieces up. You may add additional cajun seasoning to taste. Add the scallions last. Toss well and serve warm.
  
  I also served this with Chile-Cheddar Bread., a-mazing!!
  

My first blog!!!

So this is all brand new to me, so bear with me as I am a beginner blogger! I guess I should start off by introducing myself! My name is Liz and I have been married to my best friend in the ENTIRE world for one year!! We have a 5 month old Boston Terrier, Bella-she's our mischevious daughter! I work as a Full-time Assistant Manager at Maurice's, a local clothing store. I love my job, fashion is so much fun! I also am going to school full-time to become an elementary teacher. Life is hectic and crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way! I have only recently started with my cooking adventures, and I love it! I love baking, but I've now developed a passion for cooking as well!!