Shannon and Dawn James
We have a huge interest in food, fitness, healthy living and daily indulgences. This blog follows our yummy eats and finds!

Bacon and Egg Cup

I enjoy making Shannon breakfast on Sundays, while I eat something healthy.  Last week I made him an egg on a tortilla.  Today, I tried something different.  I came across this idea on a Pinterest - of course!

1 Slice of bread with crust removed per custard cup (I used 100% Sprouted Bread)
Bacon - precook about 4 minutes on each side - it will continue to cook in oven.  I used peppered bacon and probably fried it too long.  But that is the way I like it, nice and crunchy.
1 Egg per custard cup
Sprinkle with cheese




Spray each custard cup with non stick spray.  Place once slice of bread in each cup.  Place in oven for about 4 minutes to brown the bread a bit.  Remove from oven and place cooked bacon around the inside edges of the custard cup.  Break one egg into each cup.  Top with cheese and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.  If you want the yolk soft/runny - you only want to cook it for 10 minutes.  I had mini sandwich thins so I placed one in the bottom of each custard cup then the bread on top.


Chocolate Cake Pops




Spicy Cheese Cookies




2 sticks butter, softened

¼ c. sugar

2 c. flour

2 c. rice krispies

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. salt

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 c. chopped pecans

 

Cream butter and sugar.  Add flour, salt, and cayenne pepper.  Stir in remaining
ingredients.  Shape into balls on cookie sheet.  Flatten with your hand (they don't
flatten on their own).  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

As I was creating this post, all of sudden I got a tickle in my throat, and a cough.  I went over and oh my goodness my microwave was smoking.  I was cooking sweet potato chips (garlic, cayenne, parsley), which I had put on for 10 minutes, obviously that was too long.  We could hardly breathe, must have been the spices - opened all the doors.  Boy does our house stink.  I hope my microwave loses that smoke smell.   My throat still kind of burns.


Honey Sauced Crock Pot Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest.  Original recipe from mmm.cafemmm...cafe

3/4 pound chicken (of your choice)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup ketchup
1 Tbs. vegetable oil (did not use)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high 1 1/2 hours. Chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve over rice or noodles.
I served this on brown rice with broccoli.  This recipe needed a little something - maybe more ketchup and a little more heat.  

Bean and Honey Burrito Casserole


Shannon LOVES finding new recipes.  Shannon found this recipe on allrecipes.com.  It wasn't too bad, but I do not think that he will be making it again (he wasn't a big fan).  I thought it was a bit sweet - but still good.   If it were me, I think it needed some jalapeno and of course ONIONS!!!!!!


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked yellow rice
  • 1 serving cooking spray
  • 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
  • 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Directions

  1. Prepare yellow rice as directed on package; reserve 1 1/2 cups. Refrigerate any remaining rice for another use.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  3. Line bottom of baking dish with 4 tortillas. To make the honey sauce, whisk together the mustard, sour cream, and 1/3 cup honey in a small bowl. Combine the red pepper, green pepper, garbanzo beans, black beans, and corn in a large bowl. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the bean mixture and reserve for topping.
  4. Stir the chicken, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, cumin, yellow rice, and honey sauce into the bean mixture. Mix well. Pour mixture into the baking dish. Top with 4 tortillas; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, and the reserved 1/2 cup bean mixture.
  5. Bake in preheated oven until hot and bubbly, 30 to 45 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if top browns excessively. Remove from oven, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey.

Vanilla Peppermint Cake Pops



Smokey Potato Beef Casserole

Shannon found this recipe about 8 years ago.  I am not for sure where it originated from, other than I remember it had Jackie in the title.

Preheat oven 350

Brown in large skillet:

  • 1 1/2 - 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 onion
  • salt and pepper

Shut off head and add:
--all undrained--

  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 4-5 sliced raw potatoes
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 can pork and beans

Place in 9 x 13 dish.

  • Lay bacon on top.


Bake 90 minutes.

We served this with our favorite dinner yeast rolls, Sister Schuberts!

Grandma Hoy's Chocolate Cream Pie

Today we celebrated Christmas with Ashley and Jeremy.  For dessert I made a chocolate cream pie.

You will need a prebaked pie shell.

Microwave the following ingredients (about 5 - 10 minutes):
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 cup milk

when creamy add:
2 egg yolks - beat well
--place back in microwave 1 minute

then add:
1 tsp vanilla
1 TB butter
beat well

Place in baked pie shell

Top immediately with meringue
--Beat the following--
--3 egg whites (beat on medium speed for awhile prior to adding sugar)
--4-5 TB sugar (adding gradually)
--cream of tartar (1/4 tsp)
--vanilla (1/4-1/2 tsp)
until stiff peaks form

Bake in preheated oven 350 or 375 for 10 minutes - Keep an eye so you do not burn

Pie Crust
1 3/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 oil
1 tsp salt
4 TB milk



Dawn's Turkey and Quinoa Meatloaf

Today I made a turkey meatloaf for the first time, not sure if Shannon could tell that it was turkey.  He only made a comment about the Quinoa being in the meatloaf.

1 lb lean turkey
1 1/2 cups quinoa (cooked)
1 egg
Worcestershire Sauce
1 TB cumin
1 onion diced
1 jalapeno
Fresh ground pepper
Hot pepper sauce
Organic Ketchup - sugarfree

Topping:  Spicy Mustard and Ketchup

Bake at 350 for 1 hour 20 minutes (I like my meatloaf well done) I am sure an hour would have been plenty.

My mother gave each of us girls an As Seen On Tv meatloaf pan.  So I had to try it out.


Dawn's Sweet Potato Chips

Today I purchased sweet potatoes for the second time in my life! I used my handy dandy mandolin to make them into chips! I LOVE that tool!

I did not measure my seasonings, but used the following:

Cayenne Pepper
Hungarian Paprika
Garlic Powder
Dried Parsley
Fresh Ground Pepper
Kosher Salt

I sliced sweet potatoes into a bowl and sprinkled with the above seasonings.  I then added about 2 tsp of olive oil, if even that.  Mix well to coat.

I sprayed a cookie sheet and placed the sweet potato chips in a single layer.



Cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  If you want them crispy - cook longer, but keep an eye on them.  You can also flip them after 10 minutes.


I am in LOVE with sweet potatoes (and they are healthy)

Black Eyed Pea Gumbo

Shannon found this recipe on allrecipes.com


Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  • 5 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 4 (15 ounce) cans black-eyed peas with liquid
  • 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion, pepper, and celery until tender. Pour in the chicken broth, and mix in rice, black-eyed peas with liquid, diced tomatoes and green chiles, diced tomatoes, and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes, or until rice is tender. Add water if soup is too thick.