Fave Pinterest Recipes

Hi, y'all!

I won't lie.  I love Pinterest.  I love all the ideas I can get from it, but I especially love the food that I see there.

Like I've said before, I'm not a super great cook that can just throw things together, but I can follow a recipe.

Pinterest is definitely one of my main go-to's when I need some dinner (or breakfast... or lunch) inspiration.

Even though I can't claim any of these recipes as my own, I still want to share them with you because they're delicious and my family loves them.  So you'll see that I've linked back to the original source for them (and the photos, too).

Here are some of our very favorites:

Homemade doughnut bites from Chic Fluff!  What a fun Saturday morning treat!

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Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas from Healthy and Delicious.  Super yummy and healthy.  I used chicken broth rather than the beer and it tastes great!  And of course nothing makes mama happier than seeing her kiddos eat spinach!

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Mini Caprese Skewers from Mel's Kitchen are not only flavorful, but absolutely beautiful.  I made them as an appetizer at Christmas and all I heard were rave reviews from everyone!

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And y'all just have to know that there's some sort of baking that would worm it's way in here.  These Skinny Chocolate Chip Scones from skinnytaste.com have stolen my heart!  Plus, they freeze beautifully.  You know, just in case you don't eat them all in one sitting.  Like who would do that?  Ahem.

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Like I said, all of these have been tried over here at Smoochin' in the Kitchen and heartily approved of.

If you want to follow me on Pinterest and see all the new recipes I been (and hopefully eventually try out), just click that little button up there.  See it?

So, until next time, here's to more smoochin' in the kitchen!

Daffodillies

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I love food.  I also love things of beauty and when you combine the two... shebang!  (And a bunch of other interjections, as in wowza! and holy smokes!)

This recipe is absolutely perfect for Easter and you'll end up looking like this amazing baker when you bring these out to the table.  I mean really, who else makes food that ends up looking like flowers?  Okay, unless you're a cupcake or cake decorator... which I am most assuredly NOT. 

But between you and me, these are not so hard.  

Pinky swear.

Daffodillies

Ingredients

1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Dash salt
Dash white pepper

Directions

Separate each biscuit into three equal layers. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. With a kitchen shears or sharp knife, cut eight slits a third of the way toward center to form petals. Make a deep thumbprint in the center of each.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Place heaping teaspoonfuls of creamed cheese mixture in the center of each biscuit. 

Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

** See?  Told ya it was easy.  These will disappear really fast from the bread basket, so be prepared!

Until next time, here's to more smoochin' in the kitchen!

  

Oven-Baked Chicken

 

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I wish I could say that I'm simply amazing at coming up with my own recipes.

I'm not.

However, I can follow a recipe like a champ.

I found this recipe within the first year of being married.  I can remember that because it's still on one of my very first recipe cards.  Back in the days of having only one child, no homeschooling yet, and a small house.

What did I do with all that extra time?

Well, this recipe for Oven Baked Chicken quickly convinced my husband to not give up on my cooking skills altogether and to hang in there.

He's still hanging and I'm still rewarding him for his valor and bravery by making this dinner.

Oven Baked Chicken

              Ingredients:

1        tablespoon butter or margarine

2/3

cup Original Bisquick® mix

1 1/2

teaspoons paprika

1 1/4

teaspoons salt

1/4

teaspoon pepper

1

cut-up whole chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds) (I use drumsticks because a) I hate cutting up chicken and b) my kids like chicken with the handles.

Directions:

Heat oven to 425°F. 

Melt butter in rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches, in oven.

Stir together Bisquick, paprika, salt and pepper; coat chicken. Place skin sides down in dish (dish and butter should be hot).

Bake 35 minutes; turn chicken. Bake about 15 minutes longer or until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

**This is one of those recipes that a go-to for us because it's simple and it makes your house smell fantastic!  We usually have no left overs, just a pile of bones on a plate.  What mama doesn't love that gruesome sight?  Simple and delicious!  Win-win!

Buttery Yellow Butter Cake

Yeah, it's been a while since I've posted over here.  

Bummer.

But I am resolved to do better and what better way to get back into the swing of things than with a butter cake?  It's going to be getting too warm here very soon to do much oven-baking, so I have to get as much baking out of my system as possible.

I found this recipe yesterday and vowed right then and there to try it out on our company that was headed over for dinner.

This recipe is absolutely fantastic.  Period.

It's Paula Deen worthy, both in taste and butter content.  

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Buttery Yellow Butter Cake

{from Midwest Living}

ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups butter
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Semisweet chocolate pieces (optional)

directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture.
2. To remaining mixture, stir in baking powder. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
3. Spread the batter in a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Serve warm or cool. Makes 15 servings.
5. Drizzle with melted semisweet chocolate pieces, if desired.

**This recipe is so easy and the results are incredible!  I didn't add the chocolate drizzle because I had some non-chocolate eaters coming {crazy, huh?} but it actually didn't need it.  This is simple comfort food at it's best!

Until next time (which is hopefully very, very soon),  here's to many smooches in the kitchen!

Luscious Four Layer Pumpkin Cake

Doesn't just the title make you want to drool?

{drip, drip...}

I started making this recipe several years ago after having it on my "Recipes-To-Try" list and oh, my goodness, it is ah-mazing!

No, seriously.

Of course, around here, we love anything pumpkin, so it was an immediate winner, but to make it even more amazing is the feast for the eyes that it is.

It's meant to be something rustic-looking and imperfect, which suits us perfectly, because we're pretty rustic and as far from being perfect as the east is from the west.

Are you ready?

Hold on to your hats, folks!

See what I mean about it not looking perfect?  But what about going-face-down-delicious?  Oh, yeah, baby.

Ingredients:

1 package yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice, divided
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
1/4 cup caramel topping (or is carmel?  hmmm....)
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

Grease and flour two round cake pans.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 t. pumpkin pie spice on medium speed until well blended.  Pour into pans.  Bake 20-22 minutes or until done. Start dying because of the smell of goodness emanating from your oven.  Cool cakes completely.

Beat cream cheese on medium until creamy.  Add powdered sugar, remaining pumpkin, and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; mix well.  Stir in Cool Whip.

Remove cakes from pans; cut each in half horizontally with a serrated knife.  Place bottom layer on a serving plate, spread 1/3 cream cheese mixture on top.  Repeat with two more layers.  Do not frost the top.  Lick all remaining mixture from spoon and bowl.  Drizzle with caramel and pecans.  This time, lick any syrup that may have accidentally gotten on your fingers.

If you somehow manage to not eat it all, store the leftovers in the refrigerator.

Leftovers?  What leftovers?

Exactly.

Easy-Peasy, Lemon-Squeezy Breaded Chicken Breasts

Do you ever get into a rut with cooking chicken?  We eat so much chicken around here that I'm surprised we haven't grown feathers.  And while we love chicken and it's a much healthier option than some other kinds of meat, it can get. very. boring. (zzzzzzzz....)

Oh! Pardon me.  I do apologize for that.

The other night in a last minute attempt to find something yummy and easy to do with our thawed chicken breasts I came across this recipe from Taste of Home.

(photo courtesy of Taste of Home)

Ingredients

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley (we used dried, at half the measurement)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Dash paprika

Directions

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice and garlic. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then roll in crumbs.

Roll-up chicken jelly-roll style; place seam side down in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter mixture; sprinkle with paprika.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35 minutes or until juices run clear. 

**Paco cooked this up for me (what a guy) and didn't follow these directions exactly.  No surprise here.  He didn't roll the chicken up, which didn't seem to effect the cooking time or taste at all.  We also thought it needed just a little more salt and pepper.

This was a hit with all of us! It was quick and easy and tasted spectacular. I love when we find something so easy and tasty.  It will definitely be going on the menu rotation again.

More baking will be coming soon, I promise!  I have a bunch of willing taste testers around here.  

Until then, here's to more Smoochin' in the Kitchen! 

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Oh, boy.  It's been a while since we've posted any recipes.  Our crazy busy schedule drives me nuts sometimes.  We've been trying a ton of new ones, especially since it's.... baking season!

Wait.  Did you hear that?  I know it was angels singing.

Plus, I get to bake with pumpkin.  I. Love. Pumpkin.  I would marry it, but I think that it's illegal, or something like that.

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it's shut-the-front-door!-kind-of-amazing.  It was an instant hit with my whole family and is now considered one of my favorite fall baking recipes.

This recipe originally came from the Tasty Kitchen.  Oh, my, my, my, my.

(photo from Tasty Kitchen)

Ingredients:

⅓ cups Water
1 can Pureed Pumpkin (15 Oz)
2 whole Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 box Yellow Cake Mix (18 Ounce Box)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup Brown Sugar, Divided
½ cups Flour
⅓ cups Walnuts, Chopped
4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
¼ cups Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together the water, pumpkin, eggs, 1 Tablespoon of vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Add the cake mix and baking soda and mix until just combined.

Grease a 9×13 pan with butter and pour batter into pan.

In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, walnuts, and melted butter. Use fingers to sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

For the glaze, combine the other 1/2 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir until all sugar is dissolved.

When cake is finished baking, poke holes in the top with a toothpick. Pour glaze over the cake, making sure to cover all surfaces. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

*I didn't have the ingredients on-hand to make the glaze top the cake with, so I left it off.  In my mind, the cake can stand on it's own two feet, and what tasty feet those are, too.  I would love to try it with the glaze someday, but for now, with five children in the house, we try to avoid sugar comas as much as possible.  I know, crazy, right?

I also used a spice cake mix, and it was wonderful!

Until next time (which is hopefully much more frequently than the last time), here's to more Smoochin' in the Kitchen!