Pioneer Woman's Baked Lemon Pasta

I have read mixed reviews on various food sites/blogs about this recipe. Well our opinion-We loved it! It is different to have a lemony pasta, but both Dave and I liked the change. This will be a great addition to our week night meal rotations. This is the first Pioneer Woman recipe that I have tried, and I can say that we will be trying some more. Whenever I make these heavier pasta dishes, I use a whole wheat or grain pasta. I find it makes them more filling which holds us back from eating too much. We also had a large side salad to pair with this.

You will need:
* 1 pound Thin Spaghetti (I used a 13 oz package of whole wheat spaghetti)
* 4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
* 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
* 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
* 1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested (Dave was excited to use the microplane!)
* 2 cups Sour Cream
* 1⁄2 teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
* Grated Parmesan Cheese
* Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
* Extra Lemon Juice

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

2) In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over low heat. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

3) Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

4) Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (I baked it for 8 more minuntes once the foil was removed)

5) When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

I this could work with some chopped/shredded chicken added in as a protein. Maybe I will try that some time in the future...

Chick Pea/Roasted Red Pepper Dip

This is an appetizer from one of my favorite blogs. It comes from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes. I highly recommend that you check out Gina's blog for some healthy meals. I look forward to posting more of her great recipes that we have enjoyed. I brought this dip to enjoy with friends while watching a Patriots game. The colorful presentation of the veggies combined with the red hint of the dip made it very appealing!

You will need:
*1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
*1 roasted red pepper (I used a jarred pepper)
* 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves
* 2 cloves garlic
* 2 tbsp sesame oil
* juice of 1 lemon
* salt and fresh pepper

1) Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. (You can add water if it is too thick)
2) Serve with fresh vegetables such as peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, and any other vegetable you enjoy.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

One of my favorite signs of the holiday season is the peppermint mocha latte at Starbucks. It is one of the few Starbucks drinks I splurge on. Typically I enjoy this indulgence while tackling some holiday shopping at the mall. This year Coffeemate had a peppermint mocha nondairy creamer at my local grocery store. It is amazing! So all of this peppermint mocha talk translates to these cupcakes. When they popped up on my google reader, I knew I had to try them. These were a combination of the minty chocolatey goodness that I always enjoy. This was my first time using a pastry bag to frost cupcakes. I looked up some techniques and tips after I did these (clearly, I should have reversed that order!) Even though they looked a bit messy, they were tasty and festive.

These were another wonderful recipe from Annie's Eats. I followed Annie's exact recipe, so I am going to send you to her site to get the details.

Pretzel Treats

This was the first year I did a TON of holiday baking. However, these treats are something that I have been making for a couple years now. I first received the recipe from one of my parent's neighbors. Now I have coworkers and some family members requesting more! The fun part is that you can mix different flavors by choosing a variety of Hershey kisses or M&Ms. This time of year, I prefer to make them with the candy cane kisses. The caramel and mint truffle, or any kiss with a filling in the middle, taste good, but they do often ooze through the pretzel. This is a great recipe to make with kids because you can have their assistance with unwrapping kisses and placing them on all the pretzels. Thanks to Hershey's endless flavor varieties, these could be made any time of the year.

You will need:
*square pretzels
*M&Ms
*Hershey kisses

1) Preheat the oven to 200.
2) Unwrap all of the kisses you plan on using.
3) Cover a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Spread the pretzels out onto the wax paper. (I do not use any broken ones. I put them aside to enjoy with peanut butter later!) Top each pretzel with a Hershey kiss.
4)Bake for about 5 minutes. The kisses will appear shiny as they are beginning to melt.
5) Remove cookie sheet from the oven. Top each kiss with a M&M and push it down.
6) Put the sheet pan in the fridge until the treats have set.
I keep these in the fridge in bags or containers until I am ready to serve/gift them.

Gingerbread Biscotti

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. We sure did! In preparation for many Christmas celebrations, I did a lot of baking over this past week. This gingerbread biscotti was one of my favorite things that I made. It was perfect with a cup of coffee on Christmas morning. This recipe is from Annie's Eats. Her recipes and photos always seem appealing! I saved this recipe and had kind of forgotten about it. Once I found the cinnamon chips at the grocery store, they sparked my memory. I highly recommend you try this soon.

You will need:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour*
(*The original recipe called for 1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour. I didn't have any wheat flour so I added a cup of all-purpose)
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 bag Hershey’s cinnamon chips
1/4 cup molasses
2 large eggs
2 cups chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate, for dipping

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 35o degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

2) Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and cinnamon chips in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until combined.

3)In a small bowl, combine eggs with molasses and stir well. With the mixer on low speed, pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

4) Divide the dough into two equal halves* and form into two 10-inch logs on the prepared baking sheets, at least 4 inches apart. Bake for about 30 minutes, then allow to cool for 10 minutes.
*I think I would do this different next time. I liked the size of the candy cane biscotti a bit better; it made it easier to gift. I think I may try making three logs when I make these again.

5) Using a long serrated knife slice each log into 3/4-inch to 1-inch pieces on the diagonal. Separate on the baking sheet so that the sides are not touching. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

6) Once the biscotti is completely cool, place chopped chocolate or chocolate chips in a double boiler and melt until smooth. (I used Baker's white chocolate and topped it with some red and green sugar topping) Dip half of each biscotti into the chocolate, shake gently to remove excess, and place on the parchment covered baking sheet to set.

Tortellini Primavera

This was an incredibly rich dinner. It smelled amazing while it was cooking and it tasted even better. I really should call it tortellini and spinach because that is basically all we put in it! This quick and easy recipe is great for a filling weeknight meal. It would be amazing with the mushrooms added, but that is not an option for me because then Dave wouldn't touch it. We will certainly make this splurge meal again.

I found this recipe on Stephanie Cooks and she got it from Annie's Eats

You will need:
1 cup mushrooms, chopped (omitted)
1⁄2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. margarine
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (we used fresh chopped)
8 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat is all I usually buy)
1 tomato, chopped (omitted)
1⁄4 cup milk
1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
family sized frozen cheese tortellini (our store only has a 10 oz bag-so we used that)

Directions:
1) Heat margarine in a skillet. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and sautee.
2) Add all remaining ingredients except tortellini. Heat until all have melted together and are well blended. Cook until the mixture just begins to boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in tortellini.

Oreo Truffles

I have seen this all over the internet this holiday season. While I was intrigued, I had never tried one and wasn't sure I would like them. WOW was I wrong. These are such a simple treat that is packed with oreo goodness. Dave has already requested that I make more of these for him to enjoy.

*I do not have a source for this recipe because I had truly seen it everywhere!

You will need:
*8 ounces cream cheese softened (I used reduced fat to rationalize eating more of these!)
*1 package of oreos
*best quality chocolate-white or milk
(I also made a batch using red and green chocolate wafers I picked up from AC Moore)

1. Crush oreos in a food processor. (I prefer putting them in a freezer ziplock and banging them with our mallet)

2) Beat the cream cheese for a couple minutes to smooth out. Add in just over 1/2 of the broken oreos and mix until thoroughly combined. Then add in the rest of the oreos and mix just until combined.

3)Put some wax paper on a cookie sheet that will fit in the freezer. Roll cookies into balls using your hands or a cookie scoop. Freeze the balls for about an hour.

4) Slowly melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring occasionally, until most of the chunks are smooth. (I create this by putting a silver mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water) Dip frozen balls into the chocolate and return them to the wax paper.
(You may want to drizzle another chocolate over the balls or you can sprinkle them with something) *I am trying to improve in my chocolate dipping ability...

5. Freeze balls for another hour or so. Then you can transfer to air tight container, and place in freezer or fridge until ready to serve.

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

It happens every year. While shopping for others, I bought myself an early Christmas present. I spotted the Wilton mini-muffin pans on sale at Target for $7 and I had to have them! As soon as I brought them home, I made these little muffins. I brought them into work with the rest of my holiday treats, and I received many compliments on them. I also kept catching Dave stealing one of these from the container, so I know they were tasty!

This recipe is supposed to yield 12 muffins or 24 mini muffins. I must not be generous with my muffin filling because I always end up with more. I made about 32 mini muffins with this recipe.

This recipe is from Cook with Sara

You will need for the muffins:
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup milk

and for the topping:
1 Tbsp. butter, melted (I needed a bit more)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1) In a mixing bowl, beat together egg and sugar until fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat just until combined (the mixture will be crumbly).

2)In a measuring cup, combine milk, oil and vanilla; add to flour mixture and mix well.

3) Pour into muffin cups or mini muffin cups lined with papers or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

4) Cool for 10 minutes. Combine cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Melt butter in a second small bowl. When muffins are cool enough to handle, remove from muffin pans and dip muffin tops in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Candy Cane Biscotti

I was a bit nervous making this treat because I have never attempted biscotti before. I was excited to see how simple this recipe was to follow. These minty treats tasted great with my newest addiction this holiday season. That is Coffeemate's peppermint mocha non-dairy creamer. It truly reminds me of a starbucks peppermint mocha when I add it to my coffee. Anyway, back to the recipe. I gifted these to coworkers along with a few other treats. I plan on making another batch, and possibly some other biscotti, to have around this week. The recipe below is taken from Pennies on a Platter.

You will need:
*2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
*1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
*1/2 cup granulated sugar
*3 large eggs
*2/3 cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes
*14 ounces fine quality white chocolate, melted (I used what I had on hand-10 oz)
*extra crushed candy canes to sprinkle on top

1) Preheat oven to 350˚.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

3)In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined – stir in crushed candy.

4) Evenly divide dough into 4 pieces on a lightly floured surface. Shape each piece into 9″ x 1 1/2″ round log. Place logs 3 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheet.

5) Bake until tops are cracked and ends just start to turn light brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325. Cool logs 10 minutes on cookie sheet.

6) Cut each log diagonally into 1/2″ slices with sharp serrated knife. (Discard ends, if you want.) Arrange pieces standing up back onto the baking sheet.

7) Bake until cookies are light golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 12 to 15 minutes. The centers may still be a little soft, but will firm up as they cool. Place onto cool rack and cool completely.

8) Dip half of each biscotti into melted chocolate – shake off excess. Immediately sprinkle with additional crushed candy canes and set on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet until the chocolate has set.

This recipe makes just under 4 dozen.

Chicken Crescent Pockets

I love the ease of cooking with crescent rolls. I do not think I will ever make a crescent recipe that I do not like. So I am asking myself-why did we wait so long to try these? They are simple and delicious! At this busy time of year, I have been baking many treats. Therefore, my time spent making dinner has been a bit neglected. I have been searching through my saved recipes to find things that look tasty and easy. This recipe was so good that we have had it twice in the past month.

Source: Delish blog

You will need:
*3 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
*1 Tbsp butter, melted
*2 c cooked chicken. diced/shredded (I used 2 chicken breast boiled and shredded)
*2 Tbsp milk
*salt & pepper, to taste
*1 (8 oz) can reduced-fat Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
*1/2 cup seasoned croutons, crushed (I used garlic and onion flavored ones)

1) Heat oven to 350°F.

2) In medium bowl, combine cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened butter; stir until smooth. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and milk. Mix well.

3)Separate dough into 4 rectangles (this is done by keeping 2 crescents together). Firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle. Pull 4 corners of dough to center of chicken mixture; twist firmly. Pinch edges to seal.

4)Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Gently spray tops of chicken pockets with olive oil (or use butter); sprinkle with crushed croutons. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

*I served this with broccoli on the side. You could also incorporate vegetables into the chicken mixture.

Banana Bread

One of my fondest memories of the holidays is having banana bread for breakfast. My mother made it every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have tried a variety of recipes, and this is the most recent. It is from the Food Network website. This was tasty with our morning coffee. I am still on the search to find my "favorite" recipe, but I do recommend trying this.

You will need:
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 large eggs
* 3 ripe bananas
* 1 tablespoon milk
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

2) Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3) In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4) Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

5) Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

Lemon Feta Chicken

I am planning to enjoy some indulgences this holiday, while also maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For me, that means translating those holiday treats to more miles on the treadmill! Dave and I are also trying to eat some healthier dinners on the weeknights when we are home. Although, being home for dinner at night isn't happening too often this month! I found this chicken recipe on Daily Deliciousness and knew we would have to try it because we love feta. This was a simple, light, and tasty dinner. I will keep this recipe on file to make it again.

You will need:
* Thin cut chicken breasts
* Juice from half of one lemon
* Lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
* Feta Cheese, about 2 tbs. per piece of chicken

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish
3. Season with lemon pepper seasoning.
4. Pour half the lemon juice over pieces. Then, top each piece with 2 tbs. crumbled Feta
cheese. Pour the rest of the lemon juice over each piece.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. (I baked this for about 30 minutes)

Thanksgiving Dessert-Pumpkin Pie and Cinnamon Ice Cream

We made the basic/traditional fixings for our main course. Dave took care of most of the sides as I was cleaning up the appetizers and preparing the table for round 2! I do not have pictures of dinner, but I did take a few of the desserts I made. This was the first pie I ever made. It didn't come out looking spectacular, but it tasted delicious. I liked adding marshmallows on the top. I also made cinnamon ice cream to serve with this and an apple pie my in-laws brought over. The ice cream was the best consistency of any I have made yet! Here are the recipes I used:

Pumpkin Ginger Pie
I found this recipe on the Pillsbury website

Crust
1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box

Streusel
1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies (9 cookies)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

Filling
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh gingerroot
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Topping
2 to 2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place cookie sheet on middle oven rack. Unroll pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie. In small bowl, mix streusel ingredients. Sprinkle streusel in crust-lined pie plate.
2. In large bowl, mix filling ingredients. Pour into pie crust on top of streusel. Place pie plate on cookie sheet in oven. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake 35 to 45 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 3 hours.
3. Just before serving, set oven control to broil. Spread marshmallows evenly over top of pie, completely covering filling. Broil pie with top about 5 inches from heat about 30 seconds, watching carefully, until marshmallows are lightly browned. Marshmallows will brown quickly.
(I did not put my pie in a broil safe dish! So I baked it at 350 and watched for the marshmallows to brown)

Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Cinnamon Ice Cream
From All Recipes website

You will need:
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the sugar and half-and-half. When the mixture begins to simmer, remove from heat, and whisk half of the mixture into the eggs. Whisk quickly so that the eggs do not scramble. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, and stir in the heavy cream. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla and cinnamon. Set aside to cool.
2. Pour cooled mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Thanksgiving Appetizers

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving! For the second year, Dave and I hosted our immediate families. Everything was great. The food came out on time and we were happy with how everything turned out. I am a huge lover of appetizers! Here is what I put out to kick off our feast last Thursday.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

And these two that I have not yet blogged about:

Cranberry Brie Pecan Squares
This is a Pillsbury recipe

You will need:
1 can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 8oz. pkg. Brie cheese, rind removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce (I ended up using most of the can)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a 13x9-inch pan with olive or vegetable oil. Unroll dough and seal the seams to make a crust base in the oiled pan. Bake at 425°F. for 5 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown.
2. Remove crust from oven. Sprinkle cheese over partially baked crust. Place cranberry sauce in small bowl; stir to break up pieces. Spoon cranberry sauce by teaspoonfuls evenly over cheese. Sprinkle with pecans.
3. Return to oven; bake an additional 6 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut into wedges or squares.

Caprese Skewers
These are an app that I stole from my friend Haven. They are so easy and tasty. Who doesn't love eating off a stick?

You will need:
grape tomatoes
basil leaves
fresh mozzarella
balsamic vinegar
skewers

1) Cut the mozzarella into bit size pieces.
2) To assemble a skewer, slide on a tomato followed by a basil leaf and then the mozzarella. Repeat to make your desired amount.
3) Drizzle the skewers with balsamic vinegar right before serving.

Parmesan Pork Chops

After our Thanksgiving feast on Thursday and eating the leftovers throughout the weekend, we needed a lighter meal on Sunday night. These were quick, easy, and tasty! We will be adding them to our menu rotation. It is perfect for a week night because it doesn't take long to cook or prep. I found this recipe on Delish blog and was glad to see how a Giada dish could be lightened up. We do not cook pork often, and this dish was a refreshing change from chicken and turkey! The one change I would make is probably to use grated parmesan next time. I used shredded tonight and it had some trouble staying on the chops when I added them to the pan. We ate this with the last of our leftover veggies.

You will need:
4 pork loin chops
garlic powder
4 Tbsp shredded/grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 400°F. Place Parmesan cheese on a plate. Season the pork chops generously with black pepper and use some salt. Sprinkle garlic powder evenly over the pork chops. Coat the chops with the cheese, patting to adhere.

2) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops to the skillet and do not move them. Allow the pork chops to cook until golden brown & crisp, about 5 minutes per side.

3) Transfer pork chops in skillet to oven and bake for about 8 minutes in your preheated oven. You want them cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

*You may use an oven safe skillet. That will make this even easier!

Fried Goat Cheese

One of my favorite meals is the goat cheese salad at Not Your Average Joes. As soon as I saw this recipe on the Novice Chef, I knew I would try to recreate my favorite salad at home. This came out great! I made this tonight while Dave was out, and he is sorry he missed it! Luckily, I have some leftover cheese balls that can be added to salad for lunch tomorrow. These fried goat cheese pieces could be used in any salad. I always enjoy having something hot in my salad when it is a dinner. It also helps transition salad main dishes during the cold weather months.

Fried Goat Cheese from the Novice Chef

You will need:
4 oz of Goat Cheese
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used panko)
1 egg
EVOO

1) Use your hands to mix the minced garlic, Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper into the goat cheese. Form the goat cheese mixture into 1 inch wide balls.
2) Beat the egg in a bowl and in another bowl place the bread crumbs. One at a time, dip each goat cheese ball into the egg and then cover in the bread crumbs. Repeat the process to make sure the goat cheese is fully covered in the bread crumbs.
3)Heat your non-stick skillet and add the olive oil. Fry the goat cheese balls until they are golden brown.

For the salad I used:
baby spinach
raspberries
pecans
and a Raspberry walnut vinaigrette dressing

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake

I made this to bring to dinner at my parent's last night. It was super easy to make and relatively low in fat. I have seen numerous Weight Watchers recipes that suggest mixing a can of pumpkin with spice cake or devils food cake mixes. This was delicious. I think I will add this to our Thanksgiving dessert menu. It tasted almost like a pumpkin bread more than a cake. I think that means you could enjoy this guilt free at any time of day!

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Apple Cider Glaze
From Splash of Gourmet

For the cake you need:
1 box spice cake mix
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 egg white
1 tbsp vanilla
splash of water

and for the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp apple cider

1)Preheat oven to 350. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2)In bowl, mix together cake mix, pumpkin, vanilla, egg white, and water. Pour into pan and bake for about 40 mins.

3) Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. When cool, remove the cake from the pan.

4) In small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and apple cider. Pour/drizzle the glaze over the cake and serve.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I have wanted to make these whoopie pies all fall. As soon at this yummy treat popped up in my google reader, I knew I would be trying to make them! There was a bit of a canned pumpkin shortage this season, and I had some difficulty finding pumpkin. Luckily the shortage seems to be over! The apartment smelled amazing as these were cooking. They seemed to be a hit at a birthday party that I brought them to. The cakes came out perfectly moist.
I have seen this recipe on many blogs recently; I followed the recipe I found at Lindsey's Kitchen.

Pumpkin Whoopie Cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1⁄2 tsp ground fresh nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup canola oil
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

-Preheat the oven to 350F.
-Prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
-In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk two sugars and oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.
-Use a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to drop a heaping TBSP of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. (I cooked them for close to 15 minutes)
-Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the pan while you make the filling. They will probably look more like mini cakes than cookies.

Maple Syrup Cream Cheese Filling:
3 cups powdered sugar
1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

-In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth with no visible lumps.
-Add the cream cheese and beat until combined.
-Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth.
(Be careful not to overbeat the filling)

To Assemble:
Turn half the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe filling (about a tbsp) onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spread to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoppie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm before serving.

Greek Pizza

We love Boboli individual sized crusts. BJ's Wholesale always has the large packs and they freeze really well. This was a great dinner for a night like tonight-we did not even get home until 7pm and then were tired and starving! This is why I love keeping things like these pizza crusts on hand.

To make our version of a Greek pizza, you will need:
-Boboli crust (or some dough if you prefer)
-spinach
-minced garlic
-shredded mozzarella
-feta
-olive oil
-toppings-olive, mushrooms, onions

Preheat the oven as instructed by your shell/pizza dough.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and add in some minced garlic. Add the spinach and saute to your liking.

Put the spinach onto the pizza shell first, and then continue adding your toppings. Sprinkle a light amount of feta cheese, and top it all off with the shredded mozzarella.

Cook for about 10 minutes (or as directed by your pizza dough)

Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken

I need some practice at improving my photographing of food!

It doesn't help that it just keeps getting darker earlier.
Thanks for bearing with me!
**Thank you to Jessica at the Novice Chef for helping me edit the above photo!**

I tried two new crockpot meals this weekend. Saturday night I made a buffalo chicken lasagna and it was a fail. It just didn't have the taste we had hoped for, and it burned a bit to the sides of the crockpot. Although a bit hesitant, I continued with the plan to try another new chicken recipe on Sunday. This Cream Cheese Chicken came from A Year of Slow Cooking. I am glad we did try this becauseit came out much better! It was tasty served over whole grain pasta. I think next time I will try to incorporate some vegetables into the mix.

You will need:
-1 can cream-of-something soup (I used mushroom)
-1/2 cup chicken broth
-frozen chicken pieces (I used about 2 pounds of frozen breasts I had)
-packet of Italian salad dressing mix
-2 cloves minced garlic
-block of cream cheese-to add later

1) Put everything except for the cream cheese into the crockpot, and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and begins to shred.
2) Shred the chicken with two large forks, and mix in the block of cream cheese.
3) Switch the crock to high and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is fully melted.
4) Serve over pasta.

My first quiche!

This is another great recipe from Stephanie Cooks (who adapated it from My Wooden Spoons). It was my first time making a quiche and we loved it! I am excited to try changing up this recipe with some different vegetables and cheeses in the future. The one change that I made was using skim milk. It still worked out great! I may also add a little more milk or egg next time to fill my crust a bit higher. I highly recommend this recipe and many others on Stephanie's blog!

You will need:
1 small zucchini, diced into small piece
6 thin stalks asparagus ( woody ends removed ) diced into small pieces
1 small onion
3 clove fresh garlic
3/4 cup milk (I used skim)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
pepper to taste
salt to taste
frozen pie crust
1 tbs olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375.
1- In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the onion, zucchini, and asparagus. Saute for a few minutes. Add the garlic. Continue sauteing for a few more minutes.
2- Once the veggies are cooked add the salt and pepper, set aside to cool slightly.
3- In another bowl beat the eggs. Add the milk and cheddar cheese.
4- Spoon the veggies into the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over top.
5- Bake for approximately 45 minutes.

I think this could be enjoyed as a brunch item or for a lighter dinner option. We enjoyed eating it for brunch on Saturday with our morning coffee.

Pumpkin Crescents

So I had some pumpkin pie filling left from the recipe below. We were hungry and wanted a snack before we headed off to do the food shopping. I also had crescent rolls expiring soon, so I created this little treat. I only took a before picture, but I think you get the idea. They were a tasty treat!

You will need:
-crescent rolls
-pumpkin pie filling
-cream cheese

I just separated out the crescent rolls and dropped a dollop of the pumpkin pie filling on each. I then topped it off with a little bit of cream cheese. I cooked them about 10 minutes (as suggested from the crescent roll tube). Caution: filling is hot!

Pumpkin Pie Dip

We made this as a football appetizer yesterday. It was sweet and a bit different from the usual dips. We liked it and would make it again. I found this on A Year of Slow Cooking. Her blog is full of fabulous crockpot recipes!

You will need:
1 cup canned pumpkin pie mix
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
chopped walnuts, for topping if desired

I used my Little Dipper that came with my crockpot. You could put a smaller dish inside a larger crockpot and alter the cooking time.

Here's what I did:

Add the cream cheese to the bottom of the Little Dipper. Add the sour cream, and then pour in the pumpkin pie filling.

Cover and cook for about an hour, then stir well. If the cream cheese isn't fully melted, cook a bit longer. (I ended up cooking it for about an hour and a half)

We served this with pretzels, TJ's ginger cats, and apples.

Poppy Seed Chicken

I found this recipe on Cara's Creature Comforts and I divided it in half since there were only two of us. I left the regular amount of poppyseeds though. This was simple and tasty. Because I used the FF Sour Cream and 98% FF cream of chicken soup, this was also a lower calorie dinner. We will be eating this dinner again! We enjoyed this dish with a side of green beans sauted with a bit of olive oil and minced garlic. I also had some acorn squash I wanted to use up. My recipe for a yummy acorn squash side is also below. This was a typical fall side dish made by mom when I was growing up. Enjoy!

Here's how I adapted Cara's recipe:
4 chicken breasts
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup (Campbell's Healthy Request is what I used)
25-30 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp poppy seeds
Salt and Pepper to taste

1) Preheat the oven to 350. Cover the chicken with cold water in a medium pan. Cook on high heat until the water boils, then simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
2)Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.Grease a 9x9 or 8x8 pan. Place the cut up chicken in the bottom of the pan. Mix the soup and sour cream. Pour the mixture over the chicken.
3)Mix the crackers and poppy seeds with the melted butter and then sprinkle over the chicken/soup. Season with salt and pepper.
4)Bake for 30 minutes.

Acorn Squash
Cut an acorn squash in half. Place in a greased baking dish with the cut side up. In each half, place 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of maple syrup. Bake at 350 for about one hour or until the squash is tender.

Tater Tot Casserole

I have a confession. I have been casserole happy lately. It is bordering on obsessed. There is just something about the convenience and comfort as the weather cools and weeknights seem shorter. I had heard of this and had never tried it. Because of our love for tots, I knew this would be a winner. I served it with corn to have something healthy paired with it. I followed the recipe I found on Lemons & Love. Although my waistline cannot afford to make this a staple meal, we really enjoyed it and I am sure I will make it again!

You need:
1/2 bag frozen tater tots

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 pound ground turkey

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

To flavor turkey:
salt

pepper

garlic powder

1) Preheat oven according to the temperature on the tater tot directions-I too used 400 degrees.

2) Cook ground turkey, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Drain if necessary. Add in cream of chicken soup and cheese. Mix well.

3) Transfer turkey mixture into an 8x8 baking dish. Neatly top mixture with tater tots.

4) Bake for approximately 25 minutes until tater tots are nice and crispy.

Chicken Taco Bake

This is one of our favorite go-to dinners. Our summer was so busy with the wedding and all that we realized we hadn't had it in a couple months! It is easy, tasty, and makes fabulous leftovers. We often serve it with Goya yellow rice, salsa, and sour cream. I found this a couple years ago as a weight watchers online recipe. We have adapted it overtime. I am sure it would be tasty with some beans added too. I highly suggest you try it if you enjoy taco flavoring! Enjoy :)

You need:
1 can of refrigerated reduced fat crescent rolls
1 pound of ground chicken
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups of Mexican shredded cheese
Salsa and sour cream (for topping)

1) Preheat the oven to 350.

2)Brown the chicken on the stove.

3) I use my 13 x 9 casserole to spread out the crescent rolls-be sure to pinch in at the seams to blend them together.

4) Once the chicken is cooked and drained, add the taco seasoning as the packet instructs.

5)While the taco seasoning is cooking into the chicken, place the dish with only the crescent roll base into the oven. Let this cook for about 5-10 minutes on its own. I find it helps to cook the crescent crust.

6) Remove the pan from the oven and top the cresent rolls with the ground chicken. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the chicken. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bottom is light brown.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Salsa Chicken in Crockpot

We had a very busy Sunday and needed to be quite a few places. This dinner was so easy to throw in the crockpot and have just about ready for us when we came home. I made the beans and rice recipe from the Goya black beans can to have with this. We also enjoyed putting the rice mixture and the chicken into corn tortillas. This is a simple and delicious recipe that you should try! I got it from one of my favorite food blogs: The Novice Chef

What we used:
3 boneless, skinless frozen chicken breasts
1 cup Tostitos Medium Salsa
1 package reduced sodium taco seasoning
1 can reduced fat condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream


Directions:
1. Add chicken to the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.
3. Mix salsa, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup; pour over chicken.
4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. (I did exactly 7 hours and it was perfect)
5. Shred Chicken with two forks and mix back in with all the sauce.
I left the crockpot on warm with the shredded chicken while I prepped the beans and rice.

Baked Ziti with Marscapone

This was absolutely delicious! I was craving some rainy day comfort food and this delivered. I used the exact recipe posted here: Stephanie Cooks, so I am just going to send you to her blog to see it. We will definitely be making this again! I have some thoughts of how I may try to attempt a little bit healthier in the future so stay tuned...

Banana Coconut Muffins

Yesterday morning I was hungry for a breakfast snack with coffee. I was going grocery shopping later in the day and had to make due with what was left on hand. I decided to use the very ripe bananas in muffins and then remembered that I also had some shredded coconut! I whipped up this recipe that I found on Epicurious and was very pleased with the results. The recipe called for an 8 cup muffin tin but made 12 smaller sized muffins just fine.

You will need:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 very ripe bananas, mashed (3/4 cup)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Special equipment: a muffin tin with 8 (1/2-cup) muffin cups; paper liners (I used my 12 tin)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin cups with liners.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.

Divide batter among lined muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly. (Even though I used my 12 muffin pan, I still cooked it for 25 minutes and thought they came out perfect)

Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork

Another simple weeknight dinner! This was tasty and plenty for the two of us. The one thing that was a bit of a pain was cleaning the crockpot! We will surely make this again.

I have seen this recipe many ways in many places. Here is how I did it:

Ingredients:
24 oz. (two cans) Root beer
Bottle of BBQ Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
1 pound lean pork loin

Directions:

1) Place the pork loin in the crockpot. Pour the rootbeer over it and cook on low for 6 hours.

2) Remove the pork and shred it using two forks. (It came apart very easily!)

3) Wash out the crockpot before placing the shredded beef back in. Cover the beef with your bottle of barebque sauce. Cook on low for another hour to hour and a half.

4) Serve on hamburg rolls.

Blueberry Muffins

These were my first attempt at baking as a newlywed. I had all the ingredients on hand so decided to give them a try. They were simple and tasty! I have made them to take to some friends we've stayed with over the past month. We've also enjoyed them for breakfast a few times. I recently doubled the recipe to make 24 muffins.

From My Italian Grandmother

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, well beaten
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil or melted shortening
1 cup fresh blueberries


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line or grease 12 muffin cups.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup.

In bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Stir in egg, milk, and oil just until moistened (will be lumpy).

Gently fold in berries.

Spoon into muffin cups (2/3 full)

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Loosen, remove immediately.

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Please do not mind this horrible picture. At least it shows the cheesiness!

This was a delicious dinner that we had on Friday night. It was easy to prepare and we loved it with a bit of sour cream and a side salad. There were a few changes made that I noted below. I used mild enchilada sauce and may try something a bit spicier next time. This will surely be a regular in our menu rotation!
The Original recipe is from Sunset and posted on MyRecipes.com.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast (I used 1 pound)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salad oil (I used no oil what-so-ever!)
  
• 1 can (29 oz.) red enchilada sauce (I used the largest can I could find. I think it was about 18-20oz.)
  
• Salt
• 12 corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
• 2 cups shredded reduced-fat jack cheese (8 oz.)
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, stir turkey, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce. Add salt to taste.

2. Meanwhile, cut tortillas in half. Arrange a fourth of the halves evenly over the bottom of a shallow 3-quart casserole, overlapping to fit. Sprinkle a fourth of the cheese evenly over the tortillas, then top with a third of the turkey mixture and a fourth of the remaining enchilada sauce, spreading each level. Repeat to make two more layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey mixture, and sauce; top with another layer of tortillas and sauce, then cheese.

3. Bake in a 425° regular or convection oven until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies

I forgot to take a picture of these but still wanted to share because they were yummy! I made these to bring with us this past weekend while we stayed with friends. Everyone seemed to enjoy them and I hope you do too!

Seen on Erin's Food Files; Originally from Emeril Legasse

1/2 pound, plus 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups white chocolate chips (I used one cup white and one cup milk chocolate)
1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and rough chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1/2 pound of the butter and the brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until a smooth batter is formed. While the machine is running, add the eggs and vanilla extract, until incorporated into the batter.

Sift together 3 cups flour and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed until a dough is formed. Very gently, by turning the mixer on and then off, fold the chips and nuts into the dough.

Once the dough is all blended, grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with the remaining butter and dust with the 1 tablespoon of flour. Pour the batter into the pan and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until set yet still moist.

Dutch Oven Dinner

We finally used one of our wedding gifts. Our new Le Creuset! So technically this was a "French Oven" recipe. It was easy to throw together and made a lot of food. We enjoyed it so I am sure this will be made in our kitchen again. The noodles did get a bit hard on the edges, but that was probably from a change we made. I also kind of like them that way so I was happy about it!

This recipe was pulled from Annie's Eats and originated from Whole Foods. My changes are noted below. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground sirloin
1⁄2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2/3 cup chopped mushrooms
2 cups frozen corn
1 package (10-12 oz.) egg noodles
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, with juices (We only used 14 oz-a small can, and then one can of tomato soup)
2 cups shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
(1 green pepper)

Directions:
Brown ground beef in 5-quart Dutch oven or large skillet with a lid.
Add onion, mushrooms, (green pepper) and corn.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spread uncooked noodles evenly over top.
Sprinkle cheese evenly over noodles.
Pour the entire can of tomatoes (and tomato soup) over all making sure it covers all the noodles.
Simmer, tightly covered, for 1 hour, then let it stand 3-5 minutes before serving.

Bruschetta Chicken

I found this recipe on the back of Stovetop stuffing that I was trying to use up. It is also located here: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/bruschetta-chicken-bake-65546.aspx

This was easy to make and we enjoyed it with a nice mixed greens salad. I changed it up a bit as indicated by the parentheses and bold below. We both liked it and I think I will make it again! (Note: Dave hates tomatoes! He liked that these were big enough to pick out but also flavored so he didn't mind eating some :) )

Ingredients

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (Used Garlic and onion flavored)
1 package (6 oz) STOVE TOP chicken stuffing (Used 2 cups of resealable stuffing container)
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic (Only used 1 since in tomato mixture)
1 – 1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breast cut into bitesize pieces (I used 3 chicken breasts)
1 t. dried basil
1 cup reduced fat shredded mozzerella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees.
2. Mix tomatoes, stuffing, water and garlic until stuffing is moist.
3. Layer chicken, basil, cheese and stuffing in a 3 quart casserole or 13x9 baking dish. (I used my 2.5 quart corningware)
4. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Layered Mexican Chicken

My first attempt at photographing food:

This is a Weight Watcher's online recipe that we have adapted to our tastes. We cut down a lot of the recommended servings and still find it filling. Our changes are in (parentheses) and bold This is a yummy dinner and it gives us both lunch for at least a day! It's become a regular dinner staple and it can be prepared up to 5 days ahead. We hope you enjoy it too.

You will need:

	1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray (I use Pam)
	2 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
	30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained (I only use one can, which is 15oz)
	3 cup(s) fat-free sour cream (I only use one sour cream which is about 2 cups)
	2 cup(s) shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese, divided
	8 oz chopped green chilies, two 4-oz cans (I use one)
	2 tsp ground cumin
	1/2 tsp black pepper
	12 medium corn tortilla(s), cut into 2-inch strips (I use small ones cut into three sections. I layer as many as needed)
	1 cup(s) salsa, mild, medium or hot (I put one cup in the mixture to cook and serve with more on the side)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a lasagna pan (glass pyrex) with cooking spray.
  
  
• Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes; drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces. (We prefer our chicken shredded)
  
  
• Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheese, chilies, cumin, and pepper; mix well and set aside. (I add one cup of salsa)
  
  
• Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with half of chicken mixture, layer with remaining tortillas and then top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
  
  
• Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.

Crockpot Version of 40 Clove Garlic Chicken

My first blog entry was for this chicken recipe. I came back to add the above picture because the first time we made it I didn't take a photo. This recipe is one we have now enjoyed a few times. It is great with some bread to smooth the garlic onto. Both Dave and I love garlic, so we enjoy the smells as this cooks all afternoon.

I used this recipe I found on The Novie Chef:
Crockpot Version of 40 clove chicken

You will need:
2 pounds chicken parts (I used 2 pounds of boneless/skinless chicken breasts)
1 large yellow onion
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon pepper
40 cloves of garlic (I used two bulbs which yielded about 30something cloves)

Place onion slices on the bottom of the stoneware insert. In a large mixing bowl, toss chicken parts with olive oil, salt, paprika, pepper, and all of the garlic cloves. Pour into crock pot on top of the onion (do not add water). Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-6.

I cooked the chicken on low for 6 hours and it came our perfect. For only two pounds, I would not recommend cooking it any longer. The garlic spread nicely onto bread. We also prepared a side of spaghetti squash and mixed some of the roasted garlic into it.