Creamy Chicken Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash

I kind of looked at a couple recipes online and ended up improvising. This is what I came up with and it was DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash (pretty big)
2 TBSP olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper

1 chicken breast diced
1/2 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 jar alfredo sauce (I really don't like making the homemade versions but you could)
2 big handfuls of chopped spinach
1 14oz can artichoke quarters (not marinated)
1 chopped tomato
Mozzarella cheese/ parmesan cheese or whatever you have

Microwave spaghetti squash in microwave for 5 minutes. Remove from microwave and cut in half. Remove seeds. Drizzle olive oil around edges and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes.

In the meantime make the sauce. Add olive oil to saute pan and sautee onion until tender. Add chicken and garlic and cook until chicken is cooked. Add jar of alfredo and heat. Add the spinach, artichokes and tomatoes. I stirred in a bit of cheese here too. Season if needed.

Remove spaghetti squash from oven and let cool a couple minutes. Remove innards and place in casserole dish. Pour sauce over top of squash and top with cheese. Return to oven uncovered for about 15 minutes. Serves 6-8 but remember it's spaghetti squash so eat a hearty portion. This was decadent, creamy and felt so sinful but the artichokes made it extra yummy. You could really add anything you want.

Pizookie

Easy, fast and yummy. Gooey, chewy chocolate chip cookie with half the amount of dishes. 

• 5 tbsp melted unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup dark brown sugar (I like the caramel notes of dark brown but if you use light brown, use ½ cup)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Pour melted butter straight in a 9 inch pan.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. In a 9 inch pan, pour melted butter along with the sugars and combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
4. Add the egg, vanilla extract and mix.
5. Next, dump all the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
6. Fold in chocolate chips and spread the batter smooth. The cookie dough will be sticky so I use a piece of parchment paper to push the dough to the edge of the pan.
7. Bake the Pizookie at 375 degrees F for 10 -12 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges but a bit under baked in the center.
8. Top with vanilla icecream and a nice drizzle of melted chocolate

Via rookiewothacookie.com

Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad

1. Found this on Life in the Lofthouse. A really yummy salad that is great for a summer dinner. Look out this makes a pile! I really really loved the dressing
2. 
   
3. 3 cups cooked, diced chicken
4. 1 green bell pepper, diced
5. 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
6. 1 small can sweet yellow corn, drained
7. 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
8. 4 green onions, sliced
9. 1/2 bunch of chopped cilantro
10. 2 large Romaine hearts, washed and chopped
11. 2 cups crushed tortilla chips
12. 
    

FOR THE TACO-RANCH DRESSING

1. 1 cup mayonnaise
2. 1 cup sour cream
3. 2-3 Tablespoons Ranch seasoning
4. 2 Tablespoons Taco seasoning
5. 1 Tablespoon fresh Lime juice
6. 2-3 Tablespoons milk

1. Start by making the Taco-Ranch dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to chill.
2. To make the salad: In a large bowl, add the diced bell pepper, black beans, corn, tomatoes, green onion and cilantro. Stir to combine. Then add the cooked chicken pieces and the chopped romaine lettuce. Pour the prepared salad dressing all over the top. (You may not need all of the dressing. It depends on how much dressing you like) Gently stir to combine the salad, making sure to coat entirely with the dressing. Mix in the crushed tortilla chips last.
3. Serve the salad in individual bowls, topping with more cilantro and limes to garnish, if desired.

Texas Roadhouse Rolls

From deliciouslyyum.com

These were really great. But I did not love them the 2nd day. For sure need to have them hot and fresh. But a great, simple recipe. 

1. 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
2. 1/4 cup lukewarm water
3. 1 cup lukewarm milk
4. 3 tablespoons melted butter, slightly cooled
5. 1/4 c. sugar
6. 4 cups all-purpose flour
7. 1 large egg
8. 1 teaspoon salt
9. melted butter for basting rolls

1. 1. Combine yeast and lukewarm water in the bowl of your stand mixer and let stand for 10 minutes (until yeast starts to foam and bubble).
2. 2. Add milk, melted butter and sugar to the yeast mixture and give it a good stir (using the paddle attachment). Add 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of flour to make a medium batter. You're looking for a pancake-like consistency. Next, add egg and salt and incorporate well. Switch to the dough hook and with the mixer running on medium speed, add remaining flour. Continue mixing for 5 minutes or until dough is smooth.
3. 3. Sprinkle some flour onto the counter and place dough on top. Let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease another bowl with oil and place dough inside. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. 4. Remove from oven and punch dough down. Place dough on floured surface and roll out into a square about 1/2 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into desired shapes. Place dough squares onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (or two, depending on how many rolls you end up with). Cover with a towel and let rise again until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
5. 5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately baste with melted butter. Serve dinner rolls warm with additional butter.

Honey Cinnamon Butter via epicurious

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Whip the room temperature butter with whisk attachment for 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar, honey and cinnamon and beat until completely combined and very smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl and turn up speed and whip for a minute or two or until really light and fluffy.

Kettle Corn

Saving this for its proportions for kettle corn. We usually wing it and doesn't quite turn out. This was yummy, crunchy, sweet and salty. We say just under the called for amount of salt would make it just right.

2 TBSP coconut oil

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

3 TBSP sugar

1 tsp salt (just less than)

Pop in Whirley pop and dump in bowl. Allow to cool and as cools carefully break up pieces.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I've never been a huge fan of oatmeal raisin cookies but they just so happen to be my hubby's favorite. This recipe is truly yummy and is Hubby and wife approved. They have lots of oats and flavor! I often half the recipe. Via sallysbakingaddiction

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (yes, Tablespoon!)
• 1 Tablespoon molasses
• 1 and 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled) I usually add a bit more
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups (240g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup (140g) raisins

Directions:

1. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.
2. Mix in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt oats and raisins. Mix on low until combined. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator (do the full hour if you're afraid of the cookies spreading too much). If chilling for longer (up to 2 days), allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets silicone baking mats. Set aside.
4. Roll balls of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and undone. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to "set" on the baking sheet during this time.
5. Make ahead tip: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well - up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.

Baked Garlic Fries with Spicy Aioli

Thank you Pinterest yet again! Came across these delectable fries. They are perfection. I adapted this recipe from Six Sisters and they are to DIE for! Don't be afraid of the spicy sauce; its just the right amount of kick.

Ingredients

Garlic Parmesan Fries:

• 8 medium russet potatoes, cut into ¼" strips
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used Lowry's)
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 4 TBSP dried parsley
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Spicy Aioli:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Garlic Parmesan Fries:

1. Scrub potatoes and cut. Rinse with cold water and microwave for about 5-8 minutes in an 9x13 Pyrex until barely tender. Preheat oven to 425 degrees while they cook.
2. In a large bowl mix spices, garlic and Parmesan. Mix well. Once potatoes are cooked place potatoes in spice mixture and drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
3. Place potatoes in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes on bottom rack.

Spicy Aioli:

1. In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together. Chill before serving.