Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pie

Miles and I typically have very different interests when it comes to sweets. Not that we don't love all sweets but when you have to pick sides Miles loves brownies and most of the time stuff with fruit on it. I on the other hand LOVE ice cream, cookies, cupcakes. Really anything with chocolate in or on it. BUT there is one thing we both agree on and it is peanut butter! I found a Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pie recipe that is a must try. WARNING...it is super rich!!!!

Recipe:
1 Ready made chocolate pie crust (I have the homemade crust recipe if you really want it but the store was out of chocolate wafers when I went to make this)
1- 8 oz package cream cheese, cut up
3/4 cup peanut butter - CREAMY
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whipping cream (NOT whipped cream) - it comes in a carton in the milk section
2 tsp sifted powdered sugar
3/4 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Step 1: For filling, beat cream cheese and peanut butter till smooth. Add the 1 cup powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla; beat until combined.

Step 2: In a chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream and the 2 tbsp powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Gently fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream and miniature chocolate chips into peanut butter mixture. Spoon into crust. Cover and chill for about 2 hours (I leave mine in over night).

Creamy Chicken Bake with Mashed Potato Casserole

A while back we had the pleasure of hosting dinner for some of our favorite people and kids (Kim, Cade, Ashley, Dustin, and Cameron). Except for the plate of food on the floor because of my nephew, dinner was a success. Cade even got to hold his first baby. I have since made this dinner for the Kenyon's so that I could spend a little time with their new baby Joel. The best part is you can make the potatoes the night before and bake the day of. I served a peanut butter pie with dinner but that post will come later :)

Creamy Chicken Bake

Recipe:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 to 2 cans of cream of chicken soup (it calls for cream of broccoli but that just didn't sound good to me)
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 jar of sliced mushrooms (I did not use this time because my husband hates mushrooms)
1/4 cup grated marmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs (I use about double that because I like my chicken crispy)
2 tbsp butter, melted

Step 1: Place the chicken into a shallow baking dish. Stir the soup, milk, garlic powder and mushrooms (if used) in a medium bowl. Spoon the soup mixture over the chicken.

Step 2: Stir the cheese, bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle cheese mixture over the soup mixture.

Step 3. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. I baked mine for an hour!!!!

Mashed Potato Casserole

Recipe:
6 medium baking potatoes such as russet
1/3 cup sliced green onion - I did not use
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1- 8 oz carton of sour cream (I use light)
4 to 5 tbsp milk - this was not enough for me but I kept adding milk until it was the way I like it
Parsley to taste or Chives

Step 1: Grease 1 1/2 qt casserole; set aside. Peel potatoes. Quarter potatoes. Cook, covered, in boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a small skillet cook the green onions and garlic in the butter until tender. Mash and drain the potatoes (LOVE LOVE LOVE my Kitchenaid mixer). Add in the onion mixture, sour cream, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Gradually beat in enough milk to make smooth and fluffy. Transfer to prepared casserole. Cover and chill up to 24 hours.

Step 3: To serve, bake, uncovered in a 350 oven for 45 minutes or until heated through. If desired sprinkle with parsley.

Note: I put the chives in during step two.

Recipes came from my Better Homes and Garden cookbook

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I don't normally cook with rotisserie chickens because I hate dealing with meat on bones but here is a super easy recipe for a creamy chicken noodle soup I stumbled upon in my Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade cookbook. I kind of feel like I am cheating when I cook like this but lets face it, we don't always have tons of time to cook from scratch. Plus this provided me with excellent lunches for work.

Note: I made this when it was still cold outside :)

Recipe:
1 store-bought roasted chicken
1 cup diced celery
1 cup dice carrots
4 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 tsp fine herbs (blend of chervil, chives, parsley, and tarragon)
2 cups egg noodles, cooked

Step 1: Remove the skin and bones from the chicken. Shred. In a crock pot, place chicken, celery, and carrots. Stir in broth, sou, and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Cover and cook on high heat for 3 to 4 hours or low heat for 8 to 9 hours (I of course did 4 because I refuse to leave my crock pot going when I am not home)

Step 3: When soup is done, stir in cooked egg noodles and heat.

Headband & Tutu for Harper

May 12! That is the day that my sweet niece Harper Grace Phillips is going to be born. Since this is the first baby girl in my side of the family, I have had a hard time keeping myself from going overboard with the gifts. Ok...I did go overboard but who is counting :) I made a beautiful tower of gifts for the shower we hosted at my house (photos to come in a later blog). There was no way I was pulling a gift from that for her "work" shower. SOOO I decided I would make something in the spirit of being a new crafter. Every little girl NEEDS tons of cute bows and headbands! It is just necessary. So I figured out how to make rosette flowers and crafted a headband. No headband is complete without a matching tutu. So I crafted one of those too! Check out the end result!