You Say Tomato...

The first time I decided to make this I was already at the grocery store so I kinda made up what ingredients I thought I'd need. I then looked up a recipe for amounts but instead of basil I had-and-used parsley. While mine is less traditional, it's still delicious so you should give it a try!

Tomato Bruschetta
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 5 vine tomatoes
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley or basil (or fresh basil if you have it)
• 3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp vinegar (balsamic if you have it but any will work)
• French or ciabatta bread, sliced

Optional:

• Sliced fresh mozzarella

Directions:
1) Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2) In a small bowl, mix together garlic, parsley, oil and vinegar.

Works best if you pour oil & vinegar over parsley.

3) Dice tomatoes and transfer to small bowl or storage container.
4) Slice bread (if it's not already) and place on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 minutes until lightly browned.

I just used my toaster oven.

6) Mix parsley/garlic mixture into tomatoes.

7) Once bread is toasted, place a slice if mozzarella if desired, then spoon tomatoes on top.

8) Enjoy!

Shake It Up!

This one is super easy but SOOOOO yummy! I always found that making a chocolate milk shake with non-chocolate milk really dulls the chocolate flavor of the ice cream. What's my solution? Why, more chocolate, of course!

Double Chocolate Milkshake
One serving

Ingredients:

• 3 scoops chocolate ice cream
• 2 Tbsp chocolate syrup
• 8 oz milk

Equipment:
Blender (I used my MagicBullet)

Optional:

Whipped cream
Additional chocolate syrup

1) Scoop 3 scoops of ice cream into blender. If, unlike me, you are using a regular blender, double, triple, etc. for additional servings.

2) Pour milk over ice cream to the level of the ice cream (about 8 oz per serving). If the ice cream starts to float, pour to the approximate top of where the ice cream used to be.

3) Drizzle approximately 1 Tbsp chocolate syrup over ice cream, per serving. 

Ice cream + Milk + Syrup

 4) Top with whipped cream and more syrup and enjoy!

Red Lobster Rolls

This is from one of those "restaurant secrets" cookbooks but I've modified it slightly. I halved the amount of Bisquick the first time I made them. This was by accident. But I liked them and continue to make them this way.

 If you want them to be more like the Red Lobster ones just double the Bisquick. And yeah, they're actually called "Cheddar Bay Biscuits" but I've always called them "Red Lobster Rolls."

Red Lobster Rolls
Makes approx 10 biscuits.
Printable recipe 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 Bisquick (or other) baking mix
• 3/4 c cold whole milk
• 4 Tbsp cold stick butter
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Garlic butter:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp parsley flakes
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• pinch to 1/8 tsp salt (depending on taste)

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2) Combine Bisquick with butter using a pastry cutter (pictured) or large fork. Mix until the butter is in pea-sized chunks.

3) Add cheese, milk and garlic powder. Mix with spoon until combined but don't over mix.
4) Drop approx 1/4 c scoops of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet (I use a silicone sheet on mine but it's not necessary).

Leave lots of space because they will spread.

5) Bake for 16-18 minutes until they start to brown lightly.

If using double Bisquick they will spread less.

5) When done, melt the remaining butter in the microwave and stir in the remaining ingredients (garlic powder, parsley and salt).
6) Brush garlic butter on tops of biscuits, using up all the butter.

I'll Have the Colonel's Chicken Fun-Pack

I used a small baking dish which fits the chicken pretty much exactly but it's okay to have extra room. What I like about using the small dish is that the chicken sits in the juices, keeping it moist.

DO NOT USED COATED/NON-STICK PANS!!!! They will burn. Glass or aluminum only. Probably don't use silicone either.

Ranch Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4-8 chicken thighs and/or legs
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix

Directions:
1) Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2) In a bowl, coat chicken pieces in ranch dressing mix powder.

3) Place pieces in baking dish and cover with foil.
4) Bake for 30-35 minutes.
5) Carefully remove foil (BEWARE OF STEAM!) and return to oven for additional 20-25minutes until chicken has browned.
6) Serve and enjoy! It's THAT easy!



I wish there was real video footage of this but there isn't so this will have to do.