Just Bare Chicken -Good stuff folks!

I live alone and as the years go by I seem to be more drawn to the idea of convenience food. Things that cut out just a bit of prep, and most importantly, a lot of clean up. Can anyone relate? I thought so:@) The issue is, unless your budget allows very high end products, sometimes the quality is lacking. Most of you know Buffalo Chicken is one of my favorite things. Nothing better than tossing some nuggets into the air fryer, slathering with sauce, cutting up some veggies, and calling it Saturday (or game day) lunch. 

*Barbie's chicken is cut out of a sale ad... Just Bare needs to get ahold of the Mini Verse or Zuru people!

When it comes to chicken nuggets I've tried them all. Well, maybe not the dinosaur shaped ones, but all the rest-ha. I have finally found what I consider the most 'fried chicken' like nuggets. No extra spices, no funny after taste from the oil used in the breading, no excessive breading, and no ground up shaped mystery meat. Just whole white meat chicken breast cut to bite size appetizer pieces with a light breading. 

As the angels sing...

Have you tried Just Bare Chicken Breast Bites? My co-worker grabbed me a big bag at Sam's Club, but they are also sold in 22-24 oz packs at regular supermarkets. Not inexpensive, but not excessively expensive either. They go on sale for about $8. 10-12 minutes in the air fryer and I have a hot protein that satisfies. **Please note, I am not affiliated with or being paid for this post. Just sharing something I've been enjoying. But as I shamelessly always say, if they want to send me a little somethin'-somethin', I eat a lot of chicken. Just sayin' :@)

Don't hesitate to give them a try folks, they also have strips and fillets. I like the bites for charcuterie, appy's and dipping. Maybe put out a bunch of different sauces for your next football party or get together. Also good on salads, tacos, or as a short cut for chicken parmesan. Anything goes!

🏈Eat well and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Frank's RedHot Dipping Sauce 5 Ways -Dollar Tree Find

I always say going to Dollar Tree is kind of like going on a scavenger hunt, you never know what you might find. That was the case with this Frank's Golden Dip'n Sauce. They had just gotten a delivery and boxes were stacked on the floor and hadn't even been opened yet... As soon as I saw Frank's, I broke into the box:@) Then I began to wonder what I could do with it, besides dipping chicken nuggets... 

The first thing I made was this super easy Macaroni Chicken Salad. Add whatever you like, onion, peppers, maybe some dill pickle or pickled jalapeno... Then sub the mayo for the Frank's Dipping Sauce, wa-la, a very nice lunch indeed:@) And it doesn't have to be chicken, use pork, tuna, hard boiled eggs, any protein of choice.

It's been a while since we tried something new and Easter is coming... So I thought I'd whip up some Two Ingredient Deviled Eggs with Frank's Dipping Sauce. Yes folks, this adds a nice bar-b-que twist to deviled eggs! I loved the sweetness the sauce added. Simply mash the yolks and add enough sauce to make a smooth filling. I added the pickled jalapeno for garnish, but honestly, these are really best plain. I didn't even need to add S&P.

Other uses for the sauce? 

• A no-brainer is using it as a dip for potato chips. If your crew likes BBQ chips, they will love this.
• I heated up some meatballs and Jimmy Dean sausage links, added a toothpick and gave them a good dose of the sauce. An easy and very filling appy for game day.
• And of course, as indicated earlier, I'm sure it was created to be served with chicken nuggets and similar items. 

What I bought:

Is the sauce hot? The label calls it mild, I'd say there's a hint of heat, kind of what you'd expect from a product made by Frank's Hot Sauce. The back of the bottle says: A smoky and spicy twist on Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce. I say, well worth the $1.25...

Try something new and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Creamy BBQ Sauce -Dip or Sandwich Condiment

One of my mindless diversions is QVC, and as long as I don't buy anything... It's harmless:@) And sometimes I even learn things. I was watching a presentation for Corky's Chicken Bites and the presenter said his favorite condiment is this Creamy BBQ Dipping Sauce. *Please note, this isn't their name for it (I forgot what they call it). Then I started thinking, great with chicken yes, great on a hamburger yes, great with tator tots yes, but as lots of folks are partaking in Fish Fridays, how about fish? Well I'm here to say I give it a big ole yes! No doubt this would really make a great fish sandwich...

Also good with fish: Buff-A-Tar Sauce here.

And as a true dipping sauce with chicken:

Creamy BBQ Dipping Sauce

50/50 your favorite ranch dressing and BBQ Sauce.

~Mix, chill, and serve -yep, it's that easy.

Eat Well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Heinz 57 Kabobs, Darn Good Baked Beans, Meatball Appy & Labor Day Weekend...

I'm guessing there will be a few BBQ's this weekend and folks might be looking for a little inspiration... May I suggest these Heinz 57 Chicken Shish-Ka-Bobs:@) Easy and very tasty, and if you're not inclined to skewer the kabobs, simply grill up some chicken breast and slather it with the sauce. Good stuff folks:@)

And one of my favorite side dishes are these Darn Good Baked Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar. This is a very nice recipe that starts with three types of canned beans, and will appeal to most folks in the crowd.

Bringing the appetizer? These Three Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs couldn't be easier. Heat in slow cooker, microwave, or in a disposable pan on the grill.

Whatever you are doing this Labor Day Weekend, whether firing up the grill (free apron pattern here), or going out to eat... 

We here at Pig In Mud hope you have a swimmingly good time:@)

Dollar Tree pool and outdoor table set.

🌞Have a great weekend:@)

Chicken Fajita Stew

This Chicken Fajita Stew was a nice change of pace for dinner. I kinda winged it, the idea was to use a lot of peppers and onion, as with traditional fajitas:@) While I didn't have a recipe, the boys liked this meal and I wanted to write down what I did so we can have it again at some point in time. Make it yours, you know what your crew likes... Want more chicken or peppers? Add more. Do you know of another vegetable that works well with Tex/Mex flavors? If yes, add it and by all means please share... While the fajita seasoning has familiar flavors, it is a little different than taco seasonings. And while I did serve this over rice, we were happy to give up the heavier tortilla calories. Don't hesitate to give it a try folks, it's a lighter whole foods stew that would be good any time of year.

I used the whole seasoning recipe for this meal.

Chicken Fajita Stew

Drizzle olive oil

up to 1 or more lbs Boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

Large onion, sliced

2-3 large bell peppers, sliced

Couple jalapeños, cleaned well, sliced

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice

up to 14,5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 C frozen corn

Chicken bouillon cube or equivalent

1/2 C water

Fajita seasoning

Additional salt to taste

Hot rice for serving

Sour cream for serving-optional

Fajita Seasoning-adapted from here

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp cumin

hearty 1/2 tsp garlic powder

hearty 1/2 tsp onion powder

Light shake of cayenne

1 Tblsp corn starch-for stew, can leave out if traditional fajitas

Mix well

1. Heat olive oil in dutch oven. Sprinkle chicken with S&P.  Cook chicken and remove to plate. 
2. Add more oil as needed, sauté onion and pepper for about 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, corn and black beans, heat through.
4. Add fajita seasoning and chicken (with juices) back to pot, stir and cook until it thickens. Adjust salt to taste.
5. Serve over hot rice, and with sour cream and maybe some pickled jalapenos if desired.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Grilling Season! Pineapple Marinade, BBQ Sauce Pineapple Slices & Pina Colada Carrot Salad

I thought we'd kick of grilling season with a little round-up of pineapple recipes, sound good? Good:@) Let's pick up a can of sliced pineapple and use the juice in this three ingredient Pineapple Marinade for Chicken or Pork. It's a quick marinade that's a little sweet, a little savory. It's good for kabobs or bigger pieces of meat.

As for the slices, let's grill them too... This Savory Grilled Pineapple with BBQ Sauce makes a great side dish that's a little unexpected. Simply use your favorite bar-b-que sauce. Even if you opt out of the sauce, toss some slices on the grill to get a nice char. Good stuff folks!

If you happen to reserve a slice or two, dice it and add it to this Pina Colada Carrot Salad for a refreshing side dish:@) This salad would be perfect with any grilled meal, and is extra easy if you start with store bought shredded carrot. 

My Pineapple Pinterest Board here.

And I'm still lovin' this Pineapple Coconut Water at Walmart, 

splash of rum optional:@)

🍍Let's Fire Up the Grill and,

Have a Great Weekend:@)

Garden Trash to Treasure, Grilled Chinese Food & Barbie...

I've mentioned before that sometimes I find a real treasure at the curb on trash day:@) I've been looking for a picnic table bench to place behind the raised bed garden to hold a couple pots of string beans. Well, I almost put my foot through the floor of my car hitting the brake when I saw this gem in the trash! Even better than wood, it mimics my cement table and benches on the patio. It's a very sturdy resin type material and a good weight, but manageable so I could put it in my trunk myself. Pulled into the driveway and got it situated in it's new home...

My before pic, temporary set-up:

Ugly but functional...

I like the new look much better💗

If you're anything like me you've been itching to fire up the grill and enjoy a little time outside... May I suggest this Grilled Chinese Food recipe. The marinade is very good and would work well with chicken, pork, or beef. I'm not a big seafood person, but have a feeling it would be good with salmon too? I did give it my darn good label, and you could make shish-ka-bobs or just toss everything right into a screaming hot grill pan. Good stuff folks:@)

Yep, I'd say ~everyone~ is ready for a BBQ...

What I did for Barbie Ham Steak from Clay:

1. Shape clay into an oval, but have it big enough to cover what was printed on the grill grates by Mattel.
2. Added a mini white pony bead to mimic the bone.
3. Scored some grill lines across it and let the clay dry out.
4. Added a little white paint to look like fat...
5. And used a Sharpie for the grill marks-Barbie says dinner is served!

🌞Have a Great Weekend:@)

Creamy Chicken Curry Stew or Soup

I found a recipe for soup that sounded good, but knew I'd want a more substantial meal. So I added some potatoes and peas and served this Creamy Chicken Curry Stew for dinner. Good stuff folks:@) The curry powder takes an old fashioned homestyle chicken dish and really adds that little touch of hmmm, that's different... Recipe can easily be cut in half, canned tomatoes do freeze well if needed. But as we're entering into cooler weather I'd make a big ole pot and enjoy the leftovers. This will be on our Sunday dinner menu soon!

Want it to be more like a soup?

Add a little more bouillon and liquid.

Alternate suggestions:

Use coconut milk or,

serve over, or add, some cooked rice.

Creamy Chicken Curry Stew

2 Tblsp butter

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, bite size pieces

1 large onion, diced

2-3 large carrots, peeled, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 russet potato, peeled and small dice

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 C water

1 tsp chicken bouillon granules or 1 cube

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp oregano

1 C frozen peas

1/2 C milk or half and half

2 Tblsp cornstarch

S&P to taste

parsley or chives for garnish if desired

1. Sprinkle chicken with S&P.
2. In large pot, brown chicken in butter over medium heat. Cook until no longer pink, remove from pot.
3. Add onion, carrots, celery and cook until onion is translucent. Add more butter if needed.
4. Add garlic and cook for a minute stirring constantly.
5. Add potato, tomatoes, water, bouillon, curry, and oregano. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.
6. Cook until potatoes and carrots are tender, approximately 30-45 minutes or so.
7. Add peas and return chicken and any juices to pot.
8. Stir cornstarch into milk, add to pot. Cook until gravy thickens. Use more water or milk to thin if necessary.
9. Add S&P to taste.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Slow Cooker Chicken with Mushroom Soup Gravy-Easy Retro Comfort Food

As summer winds down I find myself craving good, old fashioned, stick to the ribs, comfort food... Mainly, gravy and mashed potatoes:@) It was a Saturday and I also wanted to smell something good cooking for hours... So I tossed this simple Chicken with Mushroom Soup Gravy into the Crock Pot and patiently waited until dinner. My chicken was frozen, I used one large breast, and a two quart slow cooker. This will make two hearty meals, or 3-4 if you stretch it more into a type of stew with lots of vegetables. Liners help make clean-up a breeze, and can even ~occasionally~ be found at Dollar Tree. Sorta white for pictures... Chicken and mashed potatoes. But I will say, it didn't last long on the plate.

Nice thick gravy:

You know you want some... :@)

Chicken with Mushroom Soup Gravy-Slow Cooker

One large or two smaller boneless skinless chicken breasts-mine was frozen

1/4 tsp seasoned salt-I used Lawry's original

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dry thyme

few grinds black pepper

10 oz can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

chives or parsley for garnish-optional

1. Add chicken to vessel, I used a slow cooker liner.
2. Sprinkle spices over top of the chicken.
3. Pour soup over chicken. No other liquid required.
4. Add lid, turn to low, cook for approximately 4 hours or until chicken is done. Will cook in less time if using thawed chicken, the beauty of this is that you don't need to plan ahead, 4 hours-ish from frozen. **Please note all Slow Cookers run at different temperatures, times will vary.
5. Serve with mashed potatoes, or starch and veggies of your choice.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille

This Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille is another one of my quick, meals don't need to be complicated, suggestions folks:@) And the best part, it uses all of our summer veggies. The zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomato, and basil are out of my garden! I'd say from prep to plate this takes about 30-40 minutes. Italian dressing adds a lot of flavor, and this will be a substantial meal. And if you have it, a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar right before serving will take it right over the top! If you'd like to add a starch, I think rice would be perfect. Don't hesitate to fire up the grill for this easy meal folks, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I planted Little Fingers Eggplant this year, the write-up:  

68 days from transplant. This is the best open pollinated oriental eggplant available. Little Fingers eggplant seeds produce long and thin eggplants with glossy dark purple skin. You will see heavy yields of nearly straight fruits that are 4 - 5” long by 1 - 2” wide, set in clusters of 3 - 6. The creamy white interior offers a smooth taste and few seeds. Tender, thin skins do not require peeling or salting before cooking. Grill whole.

It is a hearty little plant:@)

Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille

As much as you'd like:

Boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

Onion, large chunked

Bell peppers, chunked

Zucchini, chunked

Little Fingers Eggplant, 1/2" sliced

Italian Dressing

Tomatoes, large chunk

Fresh Basil, chiffonade

Good balsamic vinegar-optional

1. Heat grill to high, add grill pan while heating.
2. Add chicken, onion, peppers, zucchini and eggplant to large bowl or (even better) zip top bag.
3. Drizzle with enough Italian dressing to cover everything.
4. Toss into grill pan, reduce heat to medium/high.
5. Let sit for a couple minutes, stir. Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. During the last 5 minutes or so, toss tomatoes into the grill pan too.
6. Add to platter, drizzle with more salad dressing, sprinkle with basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Buffalo Chicken Popper Tortilla Bowls -Appetizer

I love the tortilla chips that are shaped as little bowls. They make fun individual snacks, and um.. Ensure no double dipping:@) They come in national brand names, and even Walmart's Great Value offers these chips for about $2 a bag. I whipped up a super simple snack, Buffalo Chicken Popper Tortilla Bowls. Pepper Jack cheese, shredded cooked chicken and your favorite buffalo sauce. I used the oven for these, they can be heated up on the grill too, we're only aiming to melt the cheese.

Sometimes I just drop a cheese cube in each one,

add some chicken,

and shake Frank's on top.

If making for others or a party,

I'd mix the chicken and hot sauce before filling the bowls.

The beauty of this is,

you can make as many,

or as few, as you'd like:@)

Ummm, melty cheese...

The easiest way to fill the bowls

would be to mix shredded cheese and chicken

with the hot sauce first.

Buffalo Chicken Popper Tortilla Bowls

• For each tortilla:

1. Add cube of pepper jack cheese.
2. Mix shredded chicken with your favorite hot sauce.
3. Stuff the bowls with chicken.
4. Alternately: Mix shredded cheese and shredded chicken with hot sauce and fill bowls.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10  minutes, or until cheese has melted. -Or- Place on disposable foil pan, place on heated grill over indirect heat for about 10 minutes.
6. Add extra shake of hot sauce out of the oven.
7. Garnish with chives if desired.
8. Serve with pickled jalapenos.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Tamale Pie -Retro Jiffy Cornbread Recipe

I've wanted to try a Tamale Pie for a while, found a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix in the cabinet and decided to put it to good use:@) The beauty of this meal is, you can mix and match and add anything you'd like to. The only constant is the cornbread. Most use ground beef, some sub chicken, vegetarian options call for black beans and sweet potato. I've seen recipes calling for creamed corn, and some, including the one on Jiffy's site, bake the cornbread first, then top it with the meat and cheese. I like the look of the cornbread on top.

I used a disposable regular size lasagna pan, 

worked well with plenty of room for more additions:@)

To stretch the version below, add a can of drained black beans.

I used two ears of fresh corn.

Tamale Pie

1 lb ground beef-can cut back or sub some beans

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/2 large green pepper, chopped

14.5 oz can sweet corn, drained -or- up to 2 C frozen corn, thawed -or- 2-3 ears fresh corn

10 oz Rotel, drained, hot or mild-you know your crowd

1 envelope taco seasoning, or up to 3 Tblsp your favorite blend

8 oz tomato sauce

1 tsp sugar

S&P to taste

up to 1 C cheddar cheese, shredded-optional

1 box Jiffy mix

1 egg

1/3 C milk

Serve with sour cream, salsa, or hot sauce.

1. Cook ground beef with onion and peppers until no longer pink. 
2. Add corn, Rotel, taco seasoning, tomato sauce and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a couple minutes. 
3. Pour into 9x13 baking dish.
4. Sprinkle top with cheese.
5. In separate bowl combine Jiffy Mix, egg and milk. Pour over cheese.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until cornbread is done.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Pastalaya -Jambalaya with Pasta (instead of rice)

Every year around Mardi Gras I make a batch of Yankee Gumbo or Jambalaya over rice... We look forward to it as one of those -once a year- holiday meals. Well, pasta always seems to catch my eye, and I saved the recipe for this Pastalaya the minute I saw it:@) This is also a nice meal for folks that would like a little New Orleans flair, but aren't fond of seafood. I did change it up a bit by adding okra, and do suggest thickening the sauce with a little flour. But, this was a great recipe to start with! 

Want a more elegant dinner?

Serve the stew with thickened sauce over piled linguine.

Oh and... This okra came from Dollar Tree,

it's usually sliced into nice frozen rounds...

This year it was um, rough cut large chunks DT???

Pastalaya-from Louisiana Cooking

2 Tblsp butter

1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces

1 lb andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" rounds

2 C Trinity-mixture green pepper, onion, celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 C fresh tomatoes-I used canned diced tomatoes in juice

1 C chicken broth

10-12 oz Frozen okra-optional

2 Tblsp Creole Seasoning-easy homemade Emeril's Essence recipe here

flour mixed with water/chicken broth, only if desired to thicken broth

1 lb linguine, cooked and kept warm-I used a large ziti

1/4 C chopped green onion

1. In large dutch oven, melt butter, brown chicken and sausage. Remove from pot.
2. Add Trinity, cook about 5-7 minutes, until softened.
3. Add garlic, cook for a minute stirring constantly.
4. Return chicken and sausage, add tomatoes, broth, Creole seasoning and okra if using. Bring to boil, reduce to medium, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. If it needs to be thickened add a little flour to small amount of water, stir into stew.
6. Stir in pasta and green onions. Alternately: Serve stew over linguine and garnish with green onions.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Year End Review 2022 -Happier Than A Pig In Mud

Happy New Year Everyone! I wanted to pop in with a few favorite things from 2022, just a quick recap... Without a doubt, my favorite project this year was setting up the new Raised Bed Garden. I loved watching it grow and we thoroughly enjoyed the abundance of vegetables! It was nice to have enough to be able to share too:@) I've added an extra bed further out for zucchini and maybe one more type of squash this summer. I'm looking forward to Jan/Feb planning and sketching out what to grow in 2023. That will be a fun winter project.

I've still maintained a consistent blogging schedule here at PIM.

Hard to believe we're coming into year 13:@)

My personal favorite new recipe this year:

Chicken & Pasta with Tomatoes, Spinach and Bacon in Garlic Cream Sauce

The most popular reader recipe from 2022:

One Ripe Banana Muffins

And I have to say, it's a great way to use up that one banana!

In addition to the garden, my other favorite hobby... Yep, still getting a kick from Barbie crafts and creating dioramas. It's been fun bringing a little of my own personality to the dolls, and the dollhouse renovation is an on-going project.

I sincerely Thank You for taking the time to visit:@)

Happy New Year Everyone,

I wish you good health and all the best in 2023!!!

Chicken, Penne and Bell Pepper Casserole

This Chicken, Penne and Bell Pepper Casserole is a nice change of pace from a more traditional beef or sausage spaghetti/ziti type meal. It's very flavorful with lots of wiggle room for adjusting ingredients. I've made it a couple times and it was a big hit at Sunday dinner. Leftovers are perfect for lunch, and would freeze beautifully if needed. Extra fun for me, I literally used the last of the peppers from the garden. I like regular size diced tomatoes for a little body and bite, and the seasonings were pretty much spot on. Yep folks, it gets a big thumbs up from us:@)

The only thing I might do differently next time,

add a little spinach (or zucchini in the summer).

I think some extra green veggies are always nice.

Chicken, Penne and Bell Pepper Casserole-adapted from Taste of Home

hearty 1 1/2 C uncooked penne pasta-I used mini penne (never saw that before:@)

1 Tblsp canola oil-I used olive oil

1 lb boneless chicken thighs or breast cut into bite size pieces

1/2 C onion, diced

1/2 C green bell pepper, diced-I cut larger pieces and added more

1/2 C red bell pepper, diced-I cut larger pieces and added more

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes-I added a few shakes

14.5 oz diced tomatoes, with juice

3 Tblsp tomato paste-I used 2 Tblsp

3/4 C chicken broth-I omitted and added an envelope or cube of chicken bouillon

2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 C grated parmesan or romano cheese-I used parm

1. Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
2. Cook chicken in oil, remove from pan.
3. Cook onion for a couple minutes, add peppers, cook until they begin to soften.
4. Add garlic, cook for a minute or until fragrant.
5. Add spices, tomatoes with juice, tomato paste and chicken bouillon if using. Stir until paste is incorporated. Add a little extra chicken broth or water if it looks a little dry, I have not needed it.
6. Return chicken and pasta to pan, remove pan from heat and mix well.
7. Making two layers, spoon half of mixture into sprayed 9x13 dish. Top with half of the cheeses. Make second layer topping with cheese.
8. Bake at 350 degrees covered with foil for 15 minutes. Remove foil, bake another 15 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:

Full Plate Thursday

A Morning Cup of Joe

Ready for Some Football??? Favorite Snack Recipes & Barbie's too...

Well folks, you already know I am thrilled it's football season:@) Even though the Phillies are giving us a fun year, nothing is like football! So I thought I'd gather three munchies my crew thought were very good, and all very different... 

Sweet Hot Honey Mustard Chicken Wings

Whimper worthy ~easy~ homemade sauce!

Dilled Oyster Crackers-No Bake, Less Oily

A nice easy to pop into your mouth favorite, 

that's just a tad healthier than other versions.

Spanish Rice Dip

Different and ~substantial~ in case there will be adult beverages at your gathering.

I picked up a Mini Brands Series 3 toy and just in time for football, it had Kraft Ranch Dressing, Velveeta Cheese and Kraft Cream Cheese... Barbie says, sounds like dip season! 

Classic Velveeta Chili Dip

16 oz Velveeta cut into 1/2" chunks

15 oz can chili, with or without beans

Mix both in microwavable bowl 5 minutes on high, stirring half way through, 

or until cheese has melted.

Serve with chips and/or veggies.

Barbie and Ken are hosting the first football game of the year, Eagles vs Lions. They're making sure they have all of the food and munchies under control. Slow cooker of meatballs, cheese and crackers, dip ingredients, and...

Ken's taste testing the tacos, you know...

To make sure they're perfect😉

Taco from felt and beads: Fold circle of tan felt in half, glue green yarn in center, glue on red, black and gold beads to mimic tomatoes, olives and cheese.

How to make a 1:6 scale Crock Pot from Play Dough container.

Yep, Barbie and Ken are a *T-E-A-M* when it comes to party prep😎

Looking for more football munchie ideas?

You can find my Dips and Cheese Ball Pinterest Board here.

Meatballs Pinterest Board,

and my Football Fun Pinterest Board here.

🏈Make something just for fun and have a happy day!

Go Eagles!!!

Chicken & Pasta w/Tomatoes & Spinach in Garlic Cream Sauce

This Chicken and Pasta with Tomatoes and Spinach in a Garlic Cream Sauce was a dinner where all three of us immediately said "make this again". Once declared a winner I reluctantly got up from the table to take a few (very quick) pics so I could continue eating:@) Oh, and in addition to everything mentioned in the title, bacon. Yep:@) Diet food? Ah, no... But fairly quick comfort food? Oh yea! I even enjoyed the leftovers for lunch two days later... Good stuff folks.

I did things slightly differently than the original recipe,

I'll list what I did, you can click for the original post.

Chicken & Pasta with Tomatoes & Spinach in Garlic Cream Sauce-from Julia's Album

2 Tblsp olive oil

1lb chicken breasts or tenderloins cut into bite size pieces

1 tsp paprika

1 hearty tsp Italian seasoning

salt to taste

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 C heavy cream -I used Half and Half

1/2 C parmesan cheese, shredded -I used the grated stuff in the green can

5 tomatoes chopped -I used a 14 oz can, drained

3 C fresh baby spinach-I added the whole bag

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes -I added a few shakes

6 strips of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled -I only had 4 strips

10 oz penne pasta -I could only get ziti the day I shopped

*1/2 C shredded parmesan cheese for serving -I added a hearty handful of mozzarella to the pot instead

1. Cook pasta per package instructions while you cook the chicken.
2. Heat oil in skillet, add chicken. As it cooks sprinkle with paprika and Italian seasoning.
3. Flip and stir until chicken is cooked through. Remove to plate.
4. In same pan, add garlic, cook for a minutes stirring constantly.
5. Add cream and bring to boil, add 1/2 C parmesan cheese. Reduce to simmer and stir to melt for a couple minutes.
6. Add tomatoes, spinach, garlic and red pepper flakes to the sauce, stir, cook until spinach wilts.
7. Add chicken back, and stir pasta into sauce.
8. Stir in bacon and serve.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:

Creative Muster

Wonderful Wednesday

Full Plate Thursday

Handmade Monday

War Pig BBQ Sauces & Dry Rubs for Grilling and More -Review

I had to chuckle when the folks from War Pig BBQ reached out to see if I'd like to try their line of specialty BBQ sauces and dry rubs, it sounded like a match made in heaven:@) The product line started after an Army veteran began entering (and winning) grilling competitions. Each flavor has a fun name that's a play on words, and they give back to the armed forces community by contributing a portion of sales to three charitable causes. A great product line started by great people!

While it's true that I do my fair share of grilling, I decided to try something a little different since not everyone BBQ's. I heated up the SNAFU flavor -Situation Normal All Fowled Up- on some leftover chicken, and made a nice hearty sandwich. A crock pot of shredded BBQ chicken would be great as the weather begins to cool off. I also think this sauce would be very good in chili.

SNAFU is a chipotle, pineapple, and orange flavor profile,

with a little sweet heat.

Much like hot sauce,

if you enjoy BBQ sauces you probably have a few bottles in the fridge...

May I suggest you click over to War Pig BBQ,

and add one more!

Eat well and have a happy day:@)