Chicken AGAIN?...Oh yeah!!!

How many of you are SICK of eating chicken for dinner? I am totally raising my hand right now. The thing is it's an inevitable you're going to use this meat in the next 7 days - why? Primarily because it's affordable, readily available and a healthy choice relatively speaking to other meat options. What is is not usually, is convenient. I want to share 2 chicken cheats with you that will make meal prep a BREEZE! One is an easy item to purchase and the other is an easy item to prep in your own home. I'm also including one of my favorite recipes utilizing either prep method of chicken.

First up: Already Prepped Rotisserie Chicken from Costco. 
It comes with over 2.5# of chicken. Can I repeat this beautiful phrase: already prepped rotisserie chicken! This means, you don't have to open the gross plastic clamshell or bag to get your greasy chicken out, remove the skin, remove the chicken and still have an appetite to eat it. Instead, you buy the package at Costco. Once you're home, you open it, remove the amount of chicken you would like to use for whatever purpose and VOILA, you're done handling chicken.

Simplicity is a beautiful thing!

The package isn't much to behold, in fact, it looks quite gross and I would have never found it myself in the store, except that my uncle recommended it to me. Do note though that after you have opened the package, you have 6 days to use it before it spoils. If you're worried you can't use that much that quickly, freeze what you don't use before the 6 days pass.

Second Up: Prepping a large package of chicken for the week by precooking it. 

I had never tried this method until last fall and it is SO easy! The only true work you have to do is take it out of the package (which is always a little gross, chicken juice...ICK!). All you have to do are these easy steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a jelly roll sheet pan (that's the cookie sheet with the edges on it) with foil
3. Spray the foil with cooking spray - I use the olive oil kind, then sprinkle with fresh ground sea salt and pepper
4. Place chicken breasts on the foil
5. Spray the chicken with cooking spray (or brush with olive oil) and then sprinkle with your choice of herbs - I do an everything seasoning (Trader Joe's!) and then sea salt and pepper
6. Cover the chicken loosely with foil & bake for 1 hour

I guarantee this cooking method is the best and easiest way to cook chicken and for it to be moist and ready for almost any recipe!

I used my oven baked chicken in Chicken Poppyseed Casserole last night - so easy - here is the recipe:

Chicken Poppyseed Casserole

1.5 - 2 Lb of cooked and diced chicken (or more if you prefer!)

8oz sour cream

8oz Plain Greek Yogurt (I use this instead of only sour cream, lightens teh recipe and gives you a higher protein content)

2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup (I swear using Campbell's makes it have more flavor!)

2 cups of precooked rice (I cheat and use Uncle Ben's 90 second rice pouches, such a time saver)

Topping below (the best part!!! :)

Mix all of the above together and place in a 9x13 pan. We can't eat this whole casserole in one sitting, so I split it into 2 casseroles. One for this week and then freeze one for later. This casserole reheats beautifully.

Ritz Cracker Topping

1 T poppyseeds

60 Ritz crackers (2 sleeves)

1 stick of butter (melted)

Place crackers in a large ziplock bag, then crush them into small pieces. Add poppyseeds and butter to thoroughly mix together. Top casserole with the cracker topping. Freezing tip: I place the cracker topping in a sandwich bag and freeze with the casserole, this way when it's thawing, the crackers don't get soggy. You can freshly top them like normal, when you're ready to heat the casserole. 

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes covered and 5 more minutes uncovered. Your casserole should be bubbling with deliciousness when it's ready to take out of the oven. 

Mascaras - A WOW Look for your Eyes

I would never tell my friends to come to me for makeup advice. I'm not the person that explores with makeup or frequents Sephora or Ulta with confidence. In fact, those places intimidate me quite a bit!

I recently asked a college friend for mascara recommendations because she always posts fabulous fashion and beauty advice. I was looking for a mascara that could help hold my eye-lash curl for the day and give my eyes a little more "pop" without having to apply eyeliner everyday. She gave me 3 fantastic recommendations. I was so blown away by one of them though, that I had to share it!

Here are the 3 I tried*:

1. Benefit: They're Real! Lengthening Mascara, $24
2. Too Faced: Better Than Sex Mascara, $23
3. Cover Girl: The Super Sizer Mascara, $7.49

The WINNER: I liked the Cover Girl mascara best, which was shocking to me! It's only 1/3 of the price of the other two but it delivers results for the whole day! It holds my eyelash shape/curl and gives my lashes better definition than the other two. The brush seems very underwhelming and almost too small but the size actually gives you very good control to do a broad application and detailed application. I put a photo below that is a close-up of my eyes...let me tell you, that is TRICKY to do and not look totally scary :) I applied my mascara at 9am and you can still see my lashes at 2pm in the afternoon - woot woot!!! Usually, my lashes have melted back into the curve of the edge of my eye lid by this point...I digress.

One other thing I learned during these tests - you need to rotate your mascara every 3 months! Who knew?! I only replace my mascara when it's clearly drying out :) Replacing a $20+ mascara every 3 months really adds up, which makes me so pleased with my new budget find!

What's your favorite mascara and why?

*Prices listed are from ulta.com

Focaccia - A Crowd Pleaser

They always say, you shouldn't try a new recipe for a party...and yet, I always do! This weekend, we hosted a Super Bowl Party. Cory & I wanted to make fresh pizzas (one of our favorites & family specialties) but sometimes they can be quite a hassle with a crowd. As I was brainstorming on an alternate food to make, I thought, ah! Focaccia with some yummy toppings. Last time I tried to make focaccia, it did not turn out well (it was tough and didn't have the nice airiness that focaccia should have) which made me a little hesitant to make it again. Then I found this excellent recipe on Allrecipes.com (original recipe). The reviews were great and the amount of time it took was even better (sometimes doughs can take SOOO long!).

Quick summary: this foccacia came out incredibly nicely! If you are hesitant to make doughs, don't be with this one, your efforts will be rewarded! It is also a great recipe for a crowd.

Focaccia Bread
Makes 1 large, jelly roll pan size loaf

1 T honey
2 C warm water
1 T active dry yeast
1 T kosher salt
1 T olive oil
1/2 C diced onions
5 C all-purpose flour
3 T olive oil
2 T freshly chopped rosemary
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan
1 T sea salt

Step 1: Dissolve honey in warm water in a large bowl. Then sprinkle the yeast on top. Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens & foam begins to form.

Step 2: Stir in 1 T kosher salt, 1 T olive oil, diced onions & the 5 cups of flour. Mix until the dough begins to form.

Step 3:  Cover the bowl of dough with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. Becca's tip for a warm place: boil your kettle with water, place the bowl of dough & the tea kettle in the oven. Open the kettles stopper to release the steam into the oven...voila! You have a warm place.

Step 4: Once the dough has risen (or if you have a double oven) preheat the oven to 415 degrees.

Step 5: Line your jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment & sides of the jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Place dough on the parchment and spread out, making sure to make indentions with your fingers as you gently spread the dough. The dough is very easy to work with.

Step 6: Drizzle the foccacia dough with 3 T of olive oil and spread evenly with your fingers or a pastry brush (lightly brush though). Then sprinkle with the rosemary and parmesan cheese. This is the part where you can add your own toppings. I also sprinkled freshly ground sea salt on top. This time as additional toppings, I used:
- sliced cherry tomatoes (I sliced them, then placed the slices on a paper towel to drain some of the liquid from them)
- asiago cheese
- thin slices of pepperoni
- other topping options: olives, red onions, feta cheese, other fresh herbs

--> I made the dough several hours ahead of time. I wanted the bread to be warm when our guests arrived, so I wrapped the dough with saran wrap and put it in the refrigerator. About 30 minutes before I wanted it to go into the oven, I took it out of the refrigerator to let it come back to room temperature. I would dare to say the pre-baked dough would be OK to refrigerate overnight. Let me know if you try this!

Step 7: Bake the in preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until bread is golden! Cut into large squares (about 3x3 or 4x4" squares) and enjoy!

Scratch Your Baking Itch: Homemade Oreos

Y'all, my sister is a fantastic little baker. She inspires me to bake, as much as Joy the Baker or Smitten Kitchen, seriously! But, I can't talk her into blogging ;) soooo, last night, when we were texting about her many Christmas parties and desserts she was making for them, she mentioned she had made homemade Oreos for her Sunday night party. Well, that caught my attention because we are a cookie loving family and I figured, I had taken a nap (almost in my 3rd trimester people! I need them!) and I had the energy to whip up something new. I decided to take on this tempting sandwich cookie.

1st batter attempt: you know, I left out a critical ingredient called SUGAR! Ha ha. I had tried the batter and though, ick, this tastes like dirt (& looked like it too). I then realized that at teh point when I was supposed to blend all of the dry ingredients tgoether, I had omitted teh sugar. Oh well, forget salvaging the batter. I started over again.

2nd attempt: voila! Just right.

I learned a few of tricks while making this, that might help you too:

1. This dough is very easy to roll out, that is what I recommend. This way, you can get clean edges to your cookies but you still get the lovely cracks and bubbles in your cookies
2. The filling won't look/taste/feel like the thicker, Oreo type cream until it has been sitting a day - but honestly, it tastes so amazing fresh the first day, you may not have any left 
3. You can flavor the filling any way you like! I did 1/2 original and in 1/2 I added small candy cane pieces to it for a seasonal touch. Both were delicious. 
4. Because I don't like to keep track of details, I didn't count many cookies I made/baked to ensure they came out even. In my estimation, if there wasn't a match, we could just eat the chocolate cookie! To ensure you do save enough for teh sandwiches (so they aren't eaten while you're making them), put 1/2 of your cookies topside down and the rest inside down as pairs,so you know how many cookies you will be filling. This way, you can space out your filling correctly too. 
5. I agree with the reco from the original recipe. to use an icing piping bag to fill the cookies. It makes it so easy and fast. 
6. You may never want an original Oreo again.

Here is the recipe from Smitten Kitchen!

Homemade Oreo Cookies 

Makes 25 - 30 cookies 

For the chocolate wafers: 

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c cocoa powder

1 t baking soda

1/4 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1 c sugar

1/2 c plus 2 T of butter, room temperature

For the filling: 

1/4 c butter, room temperature

1/4 c shortening

2 c powdered sugar

2 t vanilla 

For the cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Set 2 oven racks in the middle of the oven. You can bake 2 trays of cookies at teh same time. 
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, on low speed, thoroughly mix all dry ingredients the flour, cocoa, baking soda & powder, salt & sugar (see my note above :)).  
3. While on low speed, add teh butter & the egg. Continue to mix until the dough comes together. (Side note from me: my mixture stayed crumbly but when I patted it together between my hands, it stuck, if yours does this you know it is ready to pack into a ball and quickly roll out)
4. I rolled my dough out onto a floured/silicone surface at this point about 1/4" thick & used a small biscuit cutter to cut out my cookies. You can also use the original method of balling the cookie dough into about 1" diameter balls, put it on the cookie sheet and smush down with your hands. 
5. These cookies do not spread out much, so you can put them fairly close together (maybe 1/4" - 1/2" apart). 
6. Bake about 9 minutes. If you are baking 2 trays at a time, make sure to rotate the trays for even baking. 

For the filling (mmmm):

1. Place butter & shortening in a mixing bowl & at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar & vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat 2 - 3 minutes until the cream is light & fluffy
2. Next, after your cookies have completely cooled (if they aren't cool, your icing will melt and run off of the cookie), fill with the filling. 

Eat and Enjoy!

For an extra special treat, you could always drizzle them with white chocolate or fully enrobe in melted semi-sweet or dark chocolate. The original filled cookie though, is more than enough to satisfy any sweet tooth. 

Fabulous Reads: 4 Fall Favorites

Y'all, just experience my first book club last night and whoa, I have been missing out! Great friends, conversation & refreshments, I'm hooked! It inspired me to share my top 4 reads for fall.

Top 5:

1. Upstairs at the White House 
2. Same Kind of Different as Me
3. The Enchanted April
4. The Boys in the Boat 

Upstairs at the White House by J. B. West

Summary of book: J. B. West worked in the White House for 28 years and witnessed the inner workings of the President, their first ladies and their families. This book is a fascinating glimpse into the historical happenings of the presidencies and into the first families personal lives. It is tasteful and inspiring. 

Rating: 5

Book feel: Nice evening wind-down
My additional comments: This is a wonderful book. Not only did it give insight to several presidents but I also walked away with some inspired but practical ideas for my own life.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore

Summary of book: Denver Moore was working as a sharecropper (what is described in the book as a modern-day slave) in Louisiana in the mid 1900's. Ron Hall was a major money making art-dealer in Dallas. How did their lives intersect? Ron and his wife Debbie started volunteering at a homeless shelter, where they met Denver. Your life will be blessed mightily by reading this redemptive story. 

Rating: 5

Book feel: Intense but rewarding & Can't put it down, lost sleep to read it
My additional comments: 

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim 

Summary of book: This is a classic novel written in 1922 by an Australian-born British novelist. The writing can be slow at times but her style grows on you and then charms you completely, as does this book. Set first in England then moving to Portofino, Italy, the book tells of 4 women who come together to vacation in Italy, despite the fact that they are complete strangers. 

Rating: 3

Book feel: Nice evening wind-down
My additional comments: If you're already ready for winter to end, this book will remind you of the warmth of spring and summer that is to come!

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

Summary of book: This book features Joe Rantz, an Olympic rower with humble beginnings. It is an incredible story of the 1936 Olympic rowing team, where the team came from and educates the reader on the sport of rowing. If you like stories like Seabiscuit, you will love this story.

Rating: 4

Book feel: Nice evening wind-down
My additional comments: Nice evening wind-down

Here are the details on my rating information :)

Rating scale:

1 - I stopped reading it before I finished it 

2 - I would not recommend it & wish I hadn't spent my time reading it either 

3 - It was a good read but I wouldn't read it again 

4 - I'm confident recommending it as a good read to anyone

5 - I'm still thinking about it months later & would read it again & potential buy it 

Book feel

Beach read (easy & delightful, not much focus needed) 

Can't put it down, lost sleep to read it
Nice evening wind-down

Intense but rewarding 

Informational but boring

Spinach, Chicken & White Cheese Lasagna

Wow, wow and wow! This dish is both easy and delicious and might have just stolen the title of my favorite lasagna, even above a homemade red sauce lasagna (& that's a big deal because that's one of my favorites to make and eat).

The best thing about this recipe is it makes a 9x13. If you're a smaller family like us, you only need one 8x8 and with this recipe, you get 2! One for now and one to freeze for later (or share with someone else!)!

Seriously y'all, this is soooo good. You can also sneak in some extra veggies very easily. 

Spinach, White Cheese and Chicken Lasagna

9 whole wheat lasagna noodles (not oven ready)

1/2 c butter

1 whole onion

2 yellow squash, chopped 

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 t salt

2 c chicken broth

1 1/2 c milk

4 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided in half 

1 c grated Parmesan cheese, divided in 1/2

1 t dried basil

1 t dried oregano

1/2 t ground pepper

2 c ricotta cheese

2 eggs 

2 c cooked, cubed chicken (I buy the oven rotisserie chicken that's already off of the bone from Costco. Seriously delicious & tender meat. 

1 package chopped frozen spinach, thawed & drained 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Bring a pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add noodles and cook for about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt butter and then cook the onion and squash for about 8 minutes, then add garlic and continue to cook until veggies are tender.

Add flour & salt to the veggie mixture & stir well.  

Add milk & chicken broth to the veggie/ flour mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly & boil for 1 minute. Next, stir in 2 c mozzarella cheese & 1/2 c Parmesan & melt. Then add herbs. Remove from heat & set aside.

Mix chicken, ricotta and 2 eggs together. 

Now, for the layers! These instructions are for the 9x13 pan: 

Prepare pan(s) & spread 1/3 of milk/cheese/onion mixture on the bottom of pan. 

Next, lay noodles on top.

Then, spread all of the chicken/ricotta/egg mixture on top of the noodles. 

Spread 1/3 more of milk/cheese/onion mixture on top.

Repeat noodles then milk/cheese/onion mixture. Top with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. 

Bake in oven, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes until cheese is melted, slightly browned and the lasagna is bubbling. Let sit for about 5 minutes. 

Apple Cider Sweet Potato Chicken Chili

Y'all, I was inspired by a recipe I found online to make a chili with Apple Cider! Of course, I started to add my own twists to the recipe and thought I would share it here!

Apple Cider Sweet Potato Chili

3 chicken breasts (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped (any color will work)
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 can Great Northern Beans, drained & rinsed
1 can Light Red Kidney Beans, drained & rinsed
1 sweet potato, peeled & chopped into small pieces
2 1/2 cups apple cider
3 cups chicken broth
1 t chili powder
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t black pepper, ground
1/2 t paprika
1/4t cayenne

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and peppers, cook until onions are translucent. After cooked, put mixture in a bowl. 
2. In same large pot, fill with water and bring to a boil. 
3. Chop chicken into small, bite size pieces and add to boiling water. Cook for about 7 - 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. 
4. While the chicken is cooking, drain & rinse beans and add to the bowl with the onion mixture. Also add chopped celery and sweet potato to this mixture. 
5. Once chicken is cooked, drain. 
6. Add onion mixture, cubed chicken pieces, chicken broth, apple cider and remaining ingredients (herbs) to the large pot. Bring to a boil.
7. Once pot is boiling, turn down on simmer and let thicken (about 30 minutes to 1 hour). 
8. 1/2 way through cooking, smash 1/3 of the beans onto the side of the pot, this will help to naturally thicken the chili.