S'mores Brownies

Nate & I have been on a S'mores kick lately....we eat them every night!  My friend Melanie gave me the recipe for S'mores brownies, so of course I had to try them out.  WOW....they taste even more amazing than they look!  Go make some...tonight!!

1 box brownie mix
8 graham crackers, crushed
3 c marshmallows (the mini ones would work best)
Hershey's chocolate bar, broken into pieces

Bake brownies according to box directions.  As soon as they are finished, move rack up to broiler position in the oven.  Top brownies with marshmallows and graham crackers.  Broil for 2 minutes or until marshmallows begin to brown....watch them carefully!!  They will burn easily!  Top with chocolate pieces, let cool and serve!  YUM!

Homemade Cornbread

1 c cornmeal
1 c flour
1 T baking powder
1 egg
1 c milk
1/4 c melted butter

Combine dry ingredents.  Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Pour into greased 8x8 dish and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

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We got this recipe from a book about Tennessee that we checked out at the library!  Quick, easy recipe.  Yummy smothered in butter & honey and served along with mashed red potatoes, bbq chicken, and collard greens!!

Collard Greens & Bacon

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 package bacon
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh collard greens; folded, sliced & rinsed


Directions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook in bacon grease until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt.

Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until greens are tender.  You can also transfer to a crockpot at this point and cook on low for several hours.  The longer these cook, the better.

***
I was excited to try collard greens because they are always at or near the TOP of every "healthiest vegetable" list.  Plus, they are a Southern staple, so we should probably get used to them, right?? :)

We were a little bit nervous trying out a new leafy green....mostly because we both hated bok choy....our last attempt at branching out in the veggie world. 

Well....this time the verdict is GOOD!!  We LOVED these!!  They tasted awesome along side the bbq chicken and mashed potatoes.  And I read that in the South, they dip their cornbread in the broth this dish makes.  YUM! 

BUT...that's not the best part!!  The best part is that Cameron LOVED them too!  He ate all of his on his plate and even had seconds!!  Collard greens are here to stay!!!

(adapted recipe & photo courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Baked BBQ Chicken

4 frozen chicken breasts, slightly thawed
Chicken seasoning
1 1/2 c. bbq sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place chicken in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle heavily with seasoning. Cover and bake 30 minutes.
Remove baking dish from oven and drain any fat from dish, and flip chickens over. Pour the barbecue sauce evenly over the chicken and bake uncovered for 15 more minutes.  Remove and serve.

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This turned out to be delicious!!  The chicken was moist and so yummy!  Such a simple recipe!

We served this along side red mashed potatoes, collard greens, & cornbread.  YUM!

Baked Spaghetti

1 lb hamburger (I usually use less)

1/2 onion, diced

green pepper, optional

1 can cream mushroom soup

1 can cream tomato soup

8 oz cooked spaghetti

1/2 c cheese

Brown hamburger with onion and green pepper. Add soups and 1 can water. Add noodles. Put in baking dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

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This is an easy, inexpensive, kid-friendly recipe.

Bread Salad

Ingredients


24 (3/4 inch thick) slices French bread
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast
4 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 (15.5 ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Place bread on a baking sheet. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Cool on a wire rack. Cut bread into 1-in. pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the bread, chicken, tomatoes, beans, cucumber, basil, salt and pepper. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and toss.

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I just recently discovered bread salads, and they are now one of my favorites!  I've been missing out!  This recipe was quick and easy to prepare.  I left out the chicken, and I used sourdough baguette lightly toasted with butter.  We also ate this with tomato soup.  Delicious, light, summer meal!!

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

SWEET PORK:

2 pounds pork (I used boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can RED enchilada sauce (Next time, I'll use a TAD less....so maybe more like 2/3 or even 1/2 can)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight. (I marinated mine for a full 24 hours).

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

***
I know there are probably LOTS of different versions of Cafe Rio's sweet pork, and this is the only one I've tried, so I have nothing to compare it to.  We thought it was WONDERFUL!!!  I have to credit favfamilyrecipes.com for this version.  It turned out SO yummy! 

Tonight I served this over white rice with a side of sweet corn.  I was gone most of the day, but next time, I'd really like to take the time to make black beans, lime-cilantro rice, and try to replicate an actual Cafe Rio salad or burrito!