Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Wow! It's flu season and the flu hit our little family... hard! Coughing, fevers, nausea, chills; you name it, we had it. Thankfully, we are all on the mend now, but I can't tell you how wonderful a bowl full of this simple, tasty soup felt while being so sick.

It's doesn't require all manner of fancy ingredients; I bet you have most, if not all, of this stuff in your kitchen now. Plus, it's low in fat. You just can't go wrong with this simple staple!

So, go enjoy a couple bowls of this savory soup and call me in the morning!

• 1 medium onion
• Tbsp vegetable oil
  
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup celery
• 2 cups egg noodles
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop onion and then saute in the oil in a large soup pot until translucent.

2. Add broth, chicken breasts, and bay leaf to the onions in the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked all the way through and tender (about 45 minutes).

3. Remove chicken from broth and cut into bite-sized pieces.

4. Add celery and carrots to broth and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add egg noodles and parsley to broth and simmer an additional 5-7 minutes or just until egg noodles are tender. Don't overcook the egg noodles or they will fall apart.

6. Add chicken to soup and stir to combine and warm through.

7. Salt and pepper to taste.

Buttercream Icing

This is a form of "crusting buttercream." Basically this is cake speak for an icing that hardens slightly on the outside after setting for a while. This kind of icing is perfect for fondant covered cakes especially since it doesn't allow fondant to slip and slide on its surface once it has set. It is also great for cake decorating as stars, leaves, flowers, borders, etc. will keep their shape pretty well after they dry.

To make this into a chocolate buttercream icing, simply substitute a 1/2 cup of cocoa powder for one 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (be sure to still use all the rest of the sugar the recipe calls for).

• 1 lbs powdered sugar (confectioners sugar), sifted if possible
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable shorteneing
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 Tbsp milk
• Icing coloring (optional)

1. Cream butter and shortening together with an electric beater.

2. Add vanilla and milk, mix to incorporate.

3. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing to combine.

4. Add coloring if desired.

5. Use to frost or decorate cakes, cookies, or cupcakes.

No-Bake Cookies

Okay, okay! I know what you're thinking. Another cookie recipe?! Really, Brittney? Well... what can I say? I warned you I had a chronic sweet tooth! As long as we are on the subject, I thought I would share a recipe that is great when you don't have the time to bake dozens of cookies, but want something sweet to eat.

These little babies aren't really cookies in the traditional sense, but they are easy, fast, and tasty! Trust me, I know my sweets! ^_^

• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 5 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 cups oats

1. In a large sauce pan, heat milk, sugar, and butter to a boil.

2. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.

3. Once peanut butter is incorporated, add cocoa powder and oats. Stir until all the oats are evenly coated.

4. Drop rounded tablespoons onto waxed paper (I use my handy dandy scoop).

5. Allow to cool and set. Enjoy!

See! I told you they were fast and easy!

Sumptuous Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup

The first time I ever had French onion soup was my senior year in high school. My now husband was my boyfriend at the time and had secretly made a romantic, 5 course meal for me. After a fresh green salad, he brought out piping hot, homemade French onion soup.

I was a bit apprehensive, I mean, it's a soup that tastes like onion, for heavens sake! One bite, however, confirmed that not only was it a soup made from onions, it was a delicious soup made from onions!

This isn't the recipe that my husband used that night, but it is fabulously tasty and is a snap to make! Even though this is a slow-cooker recipe, it can be ready in as little as four hours (which is fast for a slow-cooker). The onions come out so tender and the broth is so flavorful, you'll have to have a second helping!

• 5 small onions, thinly sliced (be sure to use white or yellow onions, not red onions for this recipe)
• 2 cans (14 oz) beef broth (I mush prefer to use a low sodium variety so I can control the amount of salt that goes into my soup)
• 2 cans (10 oz) beef consomme
• 1/2 water
• 1 packet of dry onion soup mix
• 8-10 slices French bread, cut about 1 inch thick
• 1 cup grated Gruyere (if you can't find Gruyere cheese, you can substitute it with Provolone, which has a fairly similar flavor)

1. In a slow-cooker, stir together broth, consomme, water, and soup mix. Mix until combined.

2. Add onions to broth mixture. Give a quick stir to coat onions.

3. Cook on HIGH setting for 4 hours or LOW setting for 8 hours.

4. Portion soup into oven safe bowls. Place a slice of French bread on top of each bowl and sprinkle bread with shredded cheese.

5. Put soup bowls under the broiler in the oven until cheese is melted, about 30-60 seconds.

6. Serve warm.

NOTE: If you don't have oven safe bowls or don't want to be transporting soup to and from the oven (with my episodes of clumsiness, this is often a recipe for steaming hot disaster), you can place the bread slices on a cookie sheet, top with cheese, broil, and then move a slice to each bowl of soup once cheese is melted.

Scotcheroos

Okay. I have made it no secret: I love desserts. I have a chronic sweet tooth... and even a pound of these babies would leave me wanting more!

This recipe is one I remember my mom* making for church activities, family gatherings, and if we were lucky, just as a special treat. The combination of creamy chocolate, smooth butterscotch, and crispy rice cereal treats with a hint of peanut butter is, to understate it, heaven!

So, get out the fat pants; it's time for scotcheroos!

Serves: 24 people... if you are generous! ^_^

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup corn syrup (I use Karo brand corn syrup)
1 cup sugar
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 oz butterscotch chips

1. In a large pot, bring sugar and corn syrup to a slow boil.

2. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, stirring until well combined.

3. Stir Rice Krispies into sugar mixture until well coated.

4. Lightly grease a 9"x11" baking dish with cooking spray.

5. Press cereal mixture into baking dish. Let cereal mixture cool.

6. In a large glass bowl, microwave chocolate and butterscotch chips, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted.

7. Pour chocolate mixture over cooled rice cereal treats.

8. When chocolate is cooled, cut into bars and serve.

*Thanks mom! This will always be one of my favorites!

Cheeseburger Meatloaf with Easy Cheese Sauce

My husband always jumps at the chance to have "the guys" over to play video games on a Friday night. All that button pushing can work up quite an appetite, so I have often used the gang as a test group for new recipes. This tasty number was one of those "tester recipes." To my delight, it was devoured quickly and completely.

Growing up, I never really liked meatloaf. I'm not sure why (I also hated apple juice and ranch dressing, but loved vegetables and V8), but this recipe made me a meatloaf believer. With a yummy cheese sauce, this is sure to please kids and adults alike! Oh, and thanks for being my (sometimes unknowing) test subjects, guys!

Note: This recipe calls for 2 slices of bread. These are to line the loaf pan and soak up any grease and are meant to be thrown away after cooking. You do not want to eat these bread slices! Yuck!

Note: After a couple of experiments since I originally posted this, I would strongly recommend using a lean beef for this recipe (preferably around 7% fat). If you use a beef with too much fat, it really falls apart and you lose the texture of the meatloaf... also, it can become a greasy mess. Not appetizing!

Meatloaf

• 1 lbs ground beef
• Dash of salt
  
• Dash of pepper
  
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
  
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 2 slices of bread

Sauce

• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 1/2- 1 3/4 cups grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In large bowl, season ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and seasoned salt.

3. Add onion, 1 cup cheese, Worcestershire sauce, sour cream, and crushed crackers. Gently mix to combine.

4. Place the bread slices on the bottom of a 1/2 quart loaf pan. Shape meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of bread slices.

5. Bake meatloaf for 45-50 minutes.

6. When meatloaf has about 10 of cook time left, start the cheese sauce.

7. In a medium sauce pan, heat condensed soup and milk over medium heat.

8. Add cheese and stir until cheese melts and is combined throughout the sauce.

6. Once meatloaf is done, discard bread slices. Sauce can be drizzled over meatloaf or portioned out on each serving.

Overnight Caramel Nut Rolls

When my husband and I got married, wonderful friends and family gave us many practical and useful gifts (thank you all!). Among these was a bundt pan, which may seem a little commonplace, but this particular bundt pan included this gem of a recipe from a family friend.

These are sweet, delicious, and sure to be gobbled up in no time. Most of the ingredients in this recipe are prepared, so this one is very fast to make. The only catch is that these have to sit out overnight to rise and develop their caramely deliciousness, so plan ahead when you want to make these.

Now, I personally do not like most kinds of nuts. I'm not sure why this is, but in this sweet dish, they definitely add a texture and flavor that enhance these rolls. I personally prefer almonds for this particular recipe, but pecans or walnuts would work very nicely as well. Note: I have been meaning to try this one using candied pecans, but have not carried out that experiment yet. I'll add an update when I try that variation.

3/4 - 1 cup sliced almonds (or pecans, or walnuts, or whatever nut strikes your fancy that you want to try - though I wouldn't recommend peanuts for this one)
20 frozen rolls (I use Rhodes)
1 box Cook-N-Serve butterscotch pudding mix (do not use instant pudding mix)
6 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 tsp cinnamon

The Night Before:

1. Line bottom of bundt pan with sliced nuts.

2. Place frozen rolls on top of nuts.

3. Sprinkle butterscotch pudding mix powder over the rolls.

4. In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium-low heat.

5. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to butter. Stir constantly until sugar is melted, being careful not to let butter brown.

6. Give sugar and butter mixture one last stir to make sure it is mixed well. Pour evenly over rolls.

7. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with a thin film of cooking spray. Drape plastic wrap over bundt pan.

8. Allow rolls to stand at room temperature overnight.

The Next Morning:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Cover bundt pan with a sheet of foil (this will prevent burning or over-browning on the top of the rolls).

3. Bake rolls for 30 minutes. Note: Do not under-bake. This will cause the rolls to fall and flatten once you remove them from the oven

Homemade Oreos

Our family situation is... unusual. I come from a rather large family of 6 kids. My husband has 10 brothers and sisters, most of whom are married. We both have divorced parents who are remarried bringing the total number of parents to 8. Not to mention our own little darling and all the nieces and nephews.

Add them all up and you have quite a large family. Don't get me wrong. I love having a large family, but it does make family gatherings a little tricky. I mean, finding room for that many people, let alone feeding and entertaining them, can be a daunting task!

So is it any wonder that when I was asked to make a dessert for Ben's family Christmas party last year, I was a little intimidated? Thank goodness for homemade oreos! This recipe made more than enough for everyone. Plus, I tinted the frosting red and green with food coloring, making them extra festive!

I highly recommend using a small scoop for measuring out most cookies, but with these ones especially, it is incredibly helpful. If you use a scoop, all of your cookies will end up the same size, making them much easier to match and frost. Plus, it makes them look nice, too!

Cookies

• 2 devil's food cake mixes
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil

Frosting

• 1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar (to desired consistency)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Mix together cake mixes, eggs, and oil.

3. Scoop dough onto cookie sheet. If not using a scoop, roll dough into 1" balls.

4. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes.

5. While cookies are baking, prepare frosting. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with electric beaters until combined and slightly fluffy.

6. Add sugar, a small amount at a time, mixing constantly until desired consistency is reached.

7. Cool cookies completely before frosting. Spread a small dollop frosting on the underside of one cooled cookie and top with another cookie (be sure not to use too much frosting or cookies will slide off of each other).

Linguine in an Artichoke and Caper Sauce

I love this recipe! My mom got this from a contest cookbook from the 1980s (originally submitted by Merlene Aronson) and passed it down to me. This is one of my husband's favorite dishes and I got the recipe from her so I could make it for him, but sadly he says my mom has me beat on this one. Ha, ha!

This one is not low fat, but it is so scrumptious I promise you won't care! It is easy and super fast to make. Plus, you will probably have most, if not all, of the ingredients for this one on hand which is a huge incentive to try this dish!

Linguine

• 1 lbs linguine, cooked and drained
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt

Sauce

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (you can also use approx. 1 tsp dried parsley if fresh is not available)
• 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped (I prefer to use artichokes that are packed in water instead of marinated artichoke hearts - that way you controll the amount of salt and flavors that are added to your sauce)
• 2 tsp small capers, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

2. While pasta is cooking, start the sauce. Melt 1/4 butter with 1/4 cup of olive oil in a medium sauce pan.

3. Once butter is melted, add flour and stir until smooth.

4. Add broth slowly, stirring as you pour. Once all the broth is added, stir over medium heat until
slightly thickened.

5. Add garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook 5 mintues over medium heat, stirring constantly.

6. Add artichoke hearts, capers, and 2 Tbsp of parmesan cheese.

7. Cover and simmer over low heat for 6-8 minutes.

8. In small sacue pan, melt 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil together. Add 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese and salt.

9. Toss butter mixture with cooked linguine.

10. Serve pasta warm. Top with sauce and extra parmescan cheese if desired.

Simply Perfect Fried Potatoes

Anyone who knows me knows I love potatoes. I will eat potatoes mashed, fried, baked, scalloped... I am always trying to find new ways to cook this dietary indulgence and today I found a new one. This recipe was posted on The Food Network's website by their newest host, Melissa D'Arabian. I tried these potatoes for breakfast today and fell in love!

They have a wonderfully crunchy texture on the outside and a soft, tender center. To make them requires a few extra steps, but they are still simple to make and are so delicious, the extra time is certainly worth it! I added some seasoning salt to my batch, but I am sure that it would be just as tasty without. I will be making this over and over and over and over again! Enjoy!
Click here to view Melissa's original recipe.

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 russet potatoes; peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
• Salt and pepper (can also add seasoning salt, garlic salt, etc. - find what tastes best to you!)
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large saute pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat.

3. Add the cubed potatoes very carefully (watch for splattering oil - PAINFUL!). Sprinkle with salt and pepper (and other seasonings if desired) to taste.

4. Saute potatoes, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

5. Turn the heat up to high, add the water, stir to combine and then cover.

6. Steam the potatoes on high heat for about 3-4 minutes (until water has evaporated). Stir the potatoes every minute to prevent sticking, being sure to quickly replace the lid to keep in as much steam as possible.

7. Lower heat to medium and saute potatoes for another 1 or 2 minutes until all traces of water are gone.

8. Add the butter and stir so that it coats all the potatoes as it melts.

9. Pour potatoes onto a cookie sheet (I lined mine with foil to prevent a huge mess) and spread out so they are in a single layer.

10. Bake until crisp and browned, 15-25 minutes depending on how dark you want them (I baked mine for 20 and they came out perfect for me). NOTE: The potatoes don't have to be super dark in color to be crunchy on the outside. After 20 minutes, mine were just lightly golden, but the texture was perfect!

11. Best served warm.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut butter and chocolate are perhaps two of the most decadent delectables, especially when paired together. This recipe combines the two in a luscious bar that is great for dessert... or just a midday snack!

I highly recommend lining your pans with parchment paper, wax paper, or even foil to make removal and clean-up a breeze.

Makes: approx. 16 bars (8 per loaf pan)

• 2/3 cup chocolate waffer cookies (I have used chocolate animal crackers and those worked as well), finely ground in food processor
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp butter (I almost always prefer unsalted so you can control the saltiness of your recipes), melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (can use reduced-fat if desired)
• 2 oz cream cheese (can use reduced-fat if desired), room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Line two bread loaf pans with parchment paper.

2. Combine crushed cookies, oats, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in melted butter and stir until the mixture is moist. Add 1 Tbsp peanut butter and mix until large clumps are formed.

3. Divide mixture between two loaf pans and press into an even layer on the bottom of each pan. Place pans in the refrigerator until cookie layer is firm, about 10 minutes.

4. While cookie layer sets, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy, and smooth (about 2-3 minutes).

5. Add remaining 3 Tbsp peanut butter and vanilla to cream cheese and use mixer to incorporate. Beat on medium speed until mixture is light in consistency, pale in color, and nearly doubled in size (about 5-7 minutes).

6. Divide peanut butter mixture evenly between the two loaf pans and spread evenly over cookie crusts. Place in freezer until firm (about 10 minutes).

7. Once bars are set, place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave to melt them, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.

8. Spread chocolate over bars and refrigerate about 10 minutes, or until chocolate on top is firm.

9. Use parchment paper to lift out of loaf pans, cut into bars, and serve.

Classic Cheddar Cheese Sauce

This sauce is great over pasta, broccoli, asparagus, even savory crepes... and it is so easy to make!

To make most simple cheese sauces, you start by making a roux. This recipe is no exception! A roux is just butter and flour cooked together as a base and thickening agent for your sauce. This recipe calls for sharp cheddar cheese, but you can substitute other types to get a variance of flavors.

You'll notice that some of the measurements in this recipe are not exact. That's because I usually just "eyeball" (or taste-test) things like milk and cheese in this recipe. Do a little experimenting to see what amount of cheese flavor and consistency tickle your fancy.

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups milk (you can use any kind depending on how rich you want your sauce; I usually use 1% just because that's what we keep on hand at my house)
• 1 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and brought to room temperature
  
• Salt to taste

1. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over low heat (you don't want it to brown).

2. Whisking constantly, add flour a little at a time. Once mixture is uniform and smooth (will be slightly thick), cook for a couple of minutes of low heat to activate the starch in the flour.

4. Add the milk gradually, whisking to incorporate.

5. Once mixture is smooth, cover and let simmer on low heat until it loses its "floury" flavoring (about 20 minutes).

6. Remove pan from heat and stir in shredded cheese, stirring until melted.

7. Add salt if needed and stir to distribute.

Chunky Chili

We are notorious for not eating leftovers at our house, but this is one recipe guaranteed to be eaten! This is a very mild and chunky chili that kids and adults alike enjoy. Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you, this recipe is super easy! If you like your chili to have more of a soup-like consistency, leave out one can of beans.

You can also make this a vegetarian dish by omitting the meat or substituting "fake" meat for the ground beef (I use Morningstar Crumbles fro the freezer section of the supermarket). If using "faux" meat, just add it when you add the beans to the tomato base, no need to brown it at the beginning of the recipe. Also, if not using beef, you will want to saute the onions and garlic in a tablespoon or two of regular canola or vegetable oil until garlic is fragrant and onion is clear.

• 1 lbs lean ground beef (you can also use "fake" meat - I use Morningstar Crumbles from the frozen food section)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic (or garlic powder equivalent)
• 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained
• 2 - 3 Tbsp chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 black pepper
• A tiny sprinkle of Cayenne pepper (optional - use only if you want some spice in your chili)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• Chopped white or green onion (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)
• Crushed tortilla chips (optional)

1. In a large pot, brown meat with onions and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is clear.

2. Add tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, beans, corn, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and Cayenne pepper (if desired). If making vegetarian chili with "fake" meat, you would also add those at this time.

3. Bring to boiling and then reduce heat. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Serve warm. If desired, top with cheese, onion, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Corn bread or a green salad are great side dishes for this recipe!

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast and Veggies

I remember on Sundays coming home from church to a house filled with the smells of my mother's pot roast cooking in the crock pot. It makes my mouth water just to think of it! I am not sure what her sumptuous recipe was, but this one is almost as tasty! The meat in this will melt in your mouth and the veggies make a nice compliment and side dish. Again, slow-cookers are a great companion on a busy day. Just prep it and walk away! So simple! So delicious!

• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces (optional)
  
• 4-6 potatoes, cubed (I leave the skin on; I feel it serves as a nice "anchor" and adds some texture)
• 2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 1 1/4 cups water
• Approx. 4- 5 pounds pot roast (I have used this with a roast as small as 3 pounds and it turned out just fine)
  

1. In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.

2. Cook on low for 3 hours, then add vegetables. Cover veggies with liquid (as much as possible). Replace lid and cook for another 5-6 hours on low or until the meat is done and the veggies are tender.

Note: You can cook this on high, just add meat and veggies all at once and cook for 4-5 hours or until the meat is done and the veggies are tender.

Decadent Banana Chocolate Pie

I love pie! Just about any pie will quench one of my cravings, but this one really hits the spot! It is light and airy, but has enough substance to satisfy. Plus, it is a cinch to make! You can use a store bought crust, but I prefer to make mine because it is less expensive (and tastier, in my opinion). Enjoy this tantalizing treat!

• 1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust, baked and cooled (or purchased and unwrapped, as the case may be)
  
• 3 Tbsp (approx. 2 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  
• 1 Tbsp milk (I use 1% milk)
  
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 bananas, cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick
  
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy whipped topping, thawed if frozen (I used a generic version of Cool Whip)
  
• 2 tablespoons flaked coconut, toasted (optional)

1. Combine chocolate, 1 tablespoon milk, and butter in a medium, microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and consistency is creamy. Spread evenly in pie crust.

2. Arrange banana slices over chocolate, covering the bottom of the crust.

3. Pour 1 1/2 cups milk into a large bowl. Add pudding mix, and beat with wire whisk for 2 minutes.

4. Stir 1 1/2 cups coconut unto pudding mixture. Spoon over banana slices in crust.

5. Spread whipped topping over pie. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired.

6. Refrigerate 4 hours, or until set. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This creamy appetizer is wonderful at parties and is so simple, you can whip it up at a moment's notice. Served with tortilla chips or toasted French bread, this is a sure-fire crowd pleaser!

• 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and undrained
• 1 can (approx. 14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped (I use artichoke hearts in water, not the marinated kind)
• 1 cup Parmesan-Romano cheese mix
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 10 oz. Alfredo sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 4 oz. softened cream cheese (can use low fat cream cheese, if desired)
• Dash of black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine.

3. Spread mixture in an ungreased, glass baking dish (I use 9" x 13").

4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until cheeses are melted and bubbly.

5. Serve warm.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken

Ok, so some may argue that making a slow-cooker meal doesn't really count as "cooking." I say just because you aren't slaving in the kitchen for hours, doesn't mean that you can't take credit for a delicious, homemade meal! This chicken is perfect in a sandwich and can be thrown together in no time. Also, if you use a crock pot liner, clean up is a breeze! *

• 4-5 large chicken breasts (I use flash frozen)
• 1 1/2 bottles of BBQ sauce (I like a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, but any BBQ variety will work)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tsp onion powder

1. Coat bottom of pan with 1 cup of BBQ sauce.

2. Place chicken in slow-cooker (if using frozen, no need to defrost).

3. Sprinkle onion powder over the top of chicken.

4. Pour in water and remaining BBQ sauce.

5. Cook for 8 hours on low.

6. Shred chicken with a fork and coat in sauce mixture.

7. Pile on a toasted bun and enjoy!