Recipe: Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid

If you are stuck in a dinner rut and looking for some new ideas, check out my recipe for Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid. My boys rave about this one and when I do make it they ask when I will be making it again! 

The thing that I most love about this recipes is how versatile it is. You can add whatever veggies or ingredients you like to this dish and it would be delicious! I do not add the salsa that the recipe calls for as my boys don't like spicy things. It turns out just fine every single time and I have played around with different cheeses as well. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (8-ounce) can Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet
• or 1 (8-ounce) can Pillsbury(R) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 by 1/2 by 1/2-inch strips
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chile powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup (2 by 1 by 1/4-inch) green or red bell pepper strips
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 ounces) 
• 1 egg white, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a large cookie sheet with cooking spray. If using crescent rolls, unroll the dough and press into 12 by 8-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using the crescent dough sheet, unroll the dough and press into a 12 by 8-inch rectangle.

In a 10-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips and stir in garlic, chile powder, and salt. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onion and bell pepper strips and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp-tender.

Spoon the chicken mixture in 4-inch strip lengthwise down center of rolled out dough. Top with salsa and sprinkle with cheese. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1-inch apart on long sides of dough within of 1/2-inch filling. Alternately cross strips over the filling and press edges to seal. Brush with egg white.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the dough is deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices and enjoy!

-Recipe adapted from Cooking Channel

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Frugal Recipe: Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

One of my favorite things to make is Homemade Sweet Potato Fries. Not only are they yummy but SO good for you as well!

Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

You will need:

4-5 generous sized Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into sticks

Salt for taste

Garlic Powder for Taste

Olive Oil

Preheated 350 degree oven

Directions:

Place the peeled sweet potato sticks on a cookie sheet (I covered mine with aluminum foil for easy clean-up)

Pour a generous amount of olive oil over the sweet potato sticks just enough to coat them.

Sprinkle with Garlic Powder and Salt to season.

Place in 350 degree preheated oven and bake until nice and golden.

Enjoy! We love these and I make them quite frequently around here!

**other options:

Sprinkle with Sugar and Cinnamon and bake for a healthy snack

Use Sour Cream as a Dipping Sauce.....Yummy!

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Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Since Fall is in full-swing and the smells and tastes of it are everywhere you look, I thought that I would repost this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins from last year.

I make these for my hubby and little boy and they always give me thumbs up! I actually double the recipe and they always turn out just divine!  I hope that you will enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Flour and grease muffin pan or use paper liners.

2. Mix sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking soda, flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. 

4. Enjoy!

(recipe adapted from All Recipes)

Frugal & Easy Recipe: Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans & Cream Cheese

Are you searching for some easy dinner recipes? I don't know about you guys, but I love my slow-cooker! There is nothing like having my dinner cooking all day long then sitting down to a stress-free meal with my family. Here is another one of our family-favorites and it is SUPER easy! Enjoy!!

Crockpot Chicken with Black Beans & Cream Cheese

• 3-4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 (15 1/2 ounce) cans black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can corn
• 1 (15 ounce) jars salsa, any kind
• 1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

Place frozen chicken breasts inside the crockpot.

Dump the black beans, corn and salsa over the top of it.

Let the mixture cook on low for 6-8 hours. 

1/2 hour before serving place the brick of cream cheese inside and let melt. 

Serve over hot rice with a loaf of crusty bread! 

This dish is so good that my hubby asks me when I was going to make it again!

Tasty Tuesday: Chocolate Cobbler

Those of you who know me, know that I love to cook and bake. I am always searching for new recipes to try out on my family and I want to share them with you all as well! :)

Today's Tasty Tuesday recipe is definitely not one for the dieters in the group! I made a new recipe called Chocolate Cobbler, and, let's just say that it was deadly! I don't even want to know how many calories and fat grams are in it. I found this recipe from a cool site called: Just A Pinch

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe as much as we did! It is so easy and so yummy!

Chocolate Cobbler

Bottom Layer Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Self Rising Flour

1 1/4 cups Sugar

2 Sticks Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 cup Milk

Top Layer Chocolate Ingredients

1 cup Sugar

6 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

2 cups Boiling Hot Water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9X13 Baking Dish place 2 stick of butter and place into heated oven to melt. 

In the meantime while the butter is melting, mix together flour, sugar, vanilla and milk. Once the butter has melted, place the batter mixture over the butter. DO NOT Stir!

In a separate bowl, place the cocoa powder and sugar and Mix together. Sprinkle on top of the batter mixture. Pour the boiling water on top of this but DO NOT mix! 

Bake for 35-45 minutes until the cobbler has a nice brown crust. Serve alone or with ice cream. 

Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Mango Salsa

YUMMY MANGO SALSA!

Today's Tasty Tuesday is a yummy one! While visiting my sister several weeks bag, she made the most delicious Mango Salsa and I knew that it was definitely a recipe to post here on the blog! Many thanks to my wonderful sister Mandy for this yummy recipe! :)

This Mango Salsa can be served with chicken or fish, or I love to eat it with Corn Chips for a healthy snack! Enjoy!!

Mango Salsa

1 large cucumber

1 large red or yellow onion

1 large ripe mango (I am thinking that 2 might make it even sweeter!)

1 small jalapeno (you can use more than 1 if you like the heat)

lime juice for taste (I used one large)

Cilantro (use as much as you like for the taste-I personally LOVE cilantro so I used about 3/4 of a bunch

Chop all the ingredients together and let it chill for awhile in the refrigerator.

Serve over Fish Tacos, Grilled Chicken or just as a yummy snack!

Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

If you are a lover of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, then today's Tasty Tuesday is for you! 

My little boy Drew doesn't care for much candy, but he does love Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. I was thrilled to find a recipe on All Recipes.com for this so last week we had a blast and made them. I have to tell you these taste just as good as the real thing and the longer you let them set in the refrigerator, the yummier they get! I hope that you will enjoy them as much as we did!

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:

• 1 (11.5 ounce) package milk chocolate chips, divided
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Trim 12 Paper muffin cup liners to half their height.

2. Place half the bag of chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish and place in microwave for around 2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and creamy.

3. Spoon the melted mixture into each of the muffin cup liners. I picked up each individual liner and did it that way as it seemed much easier. Fill each muffin liner half way full and be sure to place chocolate up the sides of the liners. Refrigerate until firm.

4. While the chocolate is hardening, mix the peanut butter, confectioner's sugar and salt in a small bowl. 

5. Mix the remaining chocolate morsels in another bowl and repeat step 2.

6. Remove the firm chocolate from the refrigerator and place peanut butter mixture into each cup.

7. Take the remaining melted chocolate mixture and place over peanut butter mixture making sure that chocolate is filled up on the sides of the liners.

8. Refrigerate until top chocolate layer is hardened. 

9. Enjoy! You will love these they are so yummy! Don't look at the calories!

Tasty Tuesday: Cream Cheese Chicken Pockets

I am getting back into to the swing of things and want to get back to my weekly Tasty Tuesday recipe series. Today's recipe is a repeat as we are still in Orlando, but look for a new yummy recipe next week! 

Today’s Tasty Tuesday recipe is one of my hubby’s favorite things that I make-Cream Cheese Chicken Pockets.

This recipe is so easy and requires very few ingredients. It is so yummy, and I promise you won’t be able to eat just one! They are so light fluffy and oh so decadent! 

INGREDIENTS:

1 tube of refrigerated crescent rolls

1 brick of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast

Italian bread crumbs

1 stick melted butter

Lemon-pepper for seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Place shredded chicken breast and softened cream cheese in a bowl and combine together. Add lemon- pepper for seasoning.

Unroll crescent dough into triangles. Take some of the chicken mixture and place onto the crescent triangle. Fold up into a little pocket.

Place the chicken pocket into the melted butter, then cover with bread crumbs. Repeat until finished.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Enjoy!

We love to have these with a salad or veggie on the side, so yummy!

This makes 8 Cream Cheese Chicken Pockets

Tasty Tuesday: Easy Veggie Topped Baked Spuds

Today's Tasty Tuesday recipe comes from reader Leah. I don't have a photo to show you of the dish, but it sounds so delish and healthy!

Easy Veggie Topped Baked Spuds

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups frozen broccoli-carrot vegetable medley (the one I bought was called California Style Vegetable Medley)
4 large baking potatoes (I always use red taters)
1 can (103/4 ounces) cream of broccoli soup (I used the broccoli and cheese soup)
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper as needed.

Directions:
1. Place vegetables in microwavable bowl. Microwave at High 5 min; drain.
2. Scrub potatoes; pierce several times with knife. Microwave at High 15 min or until potatoes are soft.
3. While potatoes are cooking, combine soup, vegetables and cheese in medium saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese melts and mixture is heated through.
4. Split baked potatoes in half. Top each potato with soup mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings

Thanks so much, Leah! If you have a recipe that you would like to share with everyone please email me at mysweetsavings@gmail.com and I will feature your recipe for an edition of Tasty Tuesday. If you have a picture of the dish that would be awesome! :)

Tasty Tuesday: Yummy Smothered BBQ Chicken

Tasty Tuesdays are back! Every Tuesday, I will be featuring a yummy recipe with you all. Now, I need your help for this.....I want to share your favorite recipes as well! Please email me (mysweetsavings@gmail.com) a favorite recipe along with a photo if possible, and your recipe could be featured here on the blog!

Today's recipe is actually one of a number of recipes that I have combined together for this one yummy dish-Yummy Smothered BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 bonelesss skinless chicken breasts

1 cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup cooked bacon ( I used turkey bacon and it tasted just fine)

1 cup of shredded monterrey jack or cheddar cheese

1 can of mushrooms

salt/pepper for seasoning

Directions:

*Place chicken in a non-stick baking dish. Spread 1/2 of the BBQ sauce over the chicken and season with salt/pepper.

*Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.

*Remove chicken and baste with the rest of the BBQ Sauce, then continue baking until chicken is done.

*Remove from oven and place the bacon crumbles, mushrooms and cheese on top.

*Bake until cheese is ooey-gooey and the house smells divine!

*This tastes alot like Alice Springs Chicken from Outback-your family will love this one and ask you when you are making it again! :)

Tasty Tuesday: Feta & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Today's Tasty Tuesday recipe is one that I actually just threw together! I was thinking of some creative ways to use up all the FREE cream cheese and feta cheese sitting in my refrigerator and came up with this recipe- Feta and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts.

Also, I am on a gluten-free diet right now as there is a very strong possibility that I have an allergy to it. Some of you already know this, but the last couple of weeks I have been battling some real stomach issues. We are trying to get to the the bottom of it. I have to say that eating gluten-free is a lot harder than I thought that it was going to be!

Anyway enough about me and on to the yummy recipe which was so good! Hubby says that it is a make- again dish, so that is always a good sign! ;)

INGREDIENTS:

5 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 package of softened 1/3 fat Cream Cheese

1 package of reduced fat Feta Cheese

Salt/pepper to taste

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 jar spaghetti sauce with olives

DIRECTIONS:

Flatten out each chicken breast and set aside.

In the meantime, mix cream cheese and feta cheese together. Add dash of salt and pepper for taste.

Mix in the chopped cilantro and combine with the cheeses.

Take each flattened chicken breast and place a heaping spoonful of cheese mixture on top. Roll the chicken up and place a toothpick through it to hold together. Repeat until all chicken breasts are stuffed. 

Pour spaghetti sauce over the top of each chicken breast. 

Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and done. 

Enjoy! The cilantro and olives in the sauce really give this a nice flavor. :)

***If you have a recipe that you would like to share for Tasty Tuesday, please email the recipe and a picture of it to me at: mysweetsavings@gmail.com

Tasty Tuesday: PW'S Potato Skins

For today’s Tasty Tuesday recipe, I have yet another recipe from the Pioneer Woman’s Cookbook, Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl, to share with you. I cannot speak highly enough about her recipes! They are so tasty and easy to make. I love the fact that she includes step-by-step instructions and pictures with each recipe, so even if you are a new cook, you don’t have to feel intimidated by her recipes! GO HERE if you would like to order her cookbook for yourself. 

So, let’s get to the recipe! This is a recipe that will be perfect for those Football months ahead of us! My hubby loves these and yours will too! :)

 PW’S Potato Skins

INGREDIENTS:

8 slices of thick cut bacon ( I used turkey bacon and it tasted just fine)

8 russet potatoes, scrubbed clean

Canola oil

Kosher salt

1 ½ cups cheddar cheese

1 cup of sour cream (I used reduced fat and it tasted just fine)

4 green onions, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Go ahead and fry the bacon.
3. Wash the potatoes and rub the skin liberally with canola oil. Place on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise.
5. With a cookie scoop or spoon, scrape out the inner flesh of the potatoes, leaving a small space to fill each skin. (Use this potato mixture the next day to make mashed potatoes as a side dish for dinner-I love that you can get 2 dishes out of this one recipe!)
6. Brush both sides of the potato with canola oil. Salt both sides liberally.
7. Place the skins cut side down on the pan and return to the oven.
8. Bake for 7 minutes, then flip the skins to the other side.
9. Bake for 7 minutes more, or until the skins are crispy.
10. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and bacon over each skin.
11. Return to oven until cheese is melted.
12. Place a tablespoon of sour cream onto each potato skin.
13. Sprinkle chopped green onion on top of each skin.
14. Eat and Enjoy!

These are some of the best potato skins that we have ever eaten! 

Tasty Tuesday: French Breakfast Puffs

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time now, you know how much that I LOVE to cook and bake! I started Tasty Tuesday's here on the blog to share with you all some of my favorite recipes that are staples around our house, as well as those recipes that I test on occasion. 

I was recently introduced to the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond by one of my readers, Debra. I have to tell you that I am now hooked! Her recipes are not only easy to prepare, but oh-so delicious! She also give step-by step instructions that anyone can easily follow.

Today's Tasty Tuesday recipe, French Breakfast Puffs,comes from Ree Drummond's Cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I made these on Saturday, and they were divine! I hope that you will try them for yourself!

Ingredients for the Puffs:

3 cups all purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 cup milk

Coating for the puffs:

1/2 pound of butter (2 sticks)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups. 

2. in a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In a seperate large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. 

4. Add egss and mix again.

5. Alternate adding one-third of the flour mixture and one-third of the milk to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

6. Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove the muffins from the pan and set aside. 

8. To make the coating for the puffs. melt the butter in a bowl or glass pan. In a seperate container, combine the sugar and cinnamon. 

9. Dip the warm muffins in the butter coating thoroughly...

10. Oh yeah you know what comes next....roll each muffin in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Don't be afraid to coat those babies! :)

11. Enjoy with a nice cup of coffee or tea! 

Tasty Tuesday Recipe- Sour Cream Blueberry Banana Bread

Today's Tasty Tuesday recipe combines my love for 2 of my favorite breads {blueberry & banana} married together in one- Sour Cream Blueberry Banana Bread!

This tasty recipe comes from Cooks.com and has quickly become one of our family favorites!

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup of softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas {2 large}

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans {optional}

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, then add the bananas and sour cream and beat until blended. Gradually add in the flour mixture at a low speed and continue beating until the batter is smooth. Fold in blueberries and pecans {if you use them}. Spoon the batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle sugar on the top for a nice crystalized finish. {Sugar in the Raw would be perfect on the top of this!}

 Bake for 1 hour until nice and golden. Enjoy! This is delish with a cup of your favorite coffee or tea!

FYI-This actually made enough batter that I was able to bake one loaf of bread and one tray of mini muffins.

Tasty Tuesday- BBQ Pineapple Chicken

It's Tuesday again, can you believe it? That means it is time for another Tasty Tuesday recipe! 

Today's Tasty Tuesday recipe is BBQ Pineapple Chicken! I wish that I could take the credit for this one, but it all goes to my wonderful mother-in-law! From the moment that my hubby and I tried this recipe, we were hooked! It is so easy to make and if you are a stockpiler, you will more than likely have all of the ingredients on hand. It is also a very budget-friendly meal!

BBQ Pineapple Chicken

Ingredients:

1 pound of chicken breast or thighs cut into chunks

1 15oz. can of crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce

Directions:

Place can of drained crushed pineapple, BBQ Sauce and chicken chunks in a ziploc bag to let the mixture marinate for several hours.

Place the mixture into a baking dish and bake at 350 until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over brown or white rice with a nice green veggie for a satisfying and delicious meal! This is what we are having for dinner tonight, so sorry there is no pic! My mouth is watering thinking of this! :)