President Brie Stuffed Hamburgers & Strawberry Brie Mini Popovers

My favorite thing to get to review is food ... lol I know it's so bad but really it's more than the want to eat it the fun in trying out new recipes. My mom use to have Brie a lot when she threw parties but I wanted to do more with it then just putting it on crackers.

Rick saw the cheese and was like you're not getting me to eat that ... oh what he want know won't hurt him. I found a Brie stuffed burger on my favorite meal planning site Relish!. I use cheddar cheese for the kids, but Cole ate his up and then had one of ours and loved it! Walmart has Président Brie Cheese for $3.97 for 8 oz! I was able to make dinner and the desert with the one wheel.

Brie Stuffed Burgers

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

1 1/4	pounds ground beef
4	green onions , sliced, divided
2	teaspoons garlic, minced
1	tablespoon lemon juice
1	tablespoon olive oil
4	ounces Brie cheese, rind removed
4	tablespoons mayonnaise
4	kaiser rolls, split
1	tomato , cored and sliced
1/4	head Romaine lettuce, leaves separated
	coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the grill to medium-high.

[1] In a small bowl, combine the onions, garlic, lemon juice and a little zest and mash slightly with the back of a spoon. Stir in the olive oil and a dash of salt. Set aside.

[2] Season the beef with salt and pepper and form into equal-size balls of meat. Slice the cheese (1 for each patty). Form a hole inside the ball, add in the cheese and HALF of the chopped onion mixture. Flatten to make patties.

[3] Grill the burgers, turning once or twice, about 10-12 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

[4] Meanwhile, mix the mayonnaise with the remaining onion mixture. Grill the buns until toasted and spread the mayonnaise on the bottom of the buns and top with the burgers, tomatoes, and lettuce.

KID-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE: Kids might want plain burgers!

ALEXIS NOTES: I didn't have green onions so I skipped that part and we didn't have kaiser buns, so Rick picked up a different kind.

And it wouldn't be my place with out a yummy treat to end your meal with!

Strawberry Brie Mini Popovers

Ingredients:

8 oz Brie cheese
8 - 10 oz strawberries (plus more for garnish)
1 tsp or so of sugar to sprinkle over the strawberries, if needed / desired
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450' F. Liberally grease 24 mini muffin tins.
Divide your Brie Cheese into 24 pieces - Take the outside off.
Cut your strawberries into little bite sized pieces.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs slightly with a fork or whisk. Add flour, lemon zest, milk, sugar and salt. Beat until smooth but don't over beat it.
Fill your muffin tins about 2/3 full
Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temp. to 350' F and continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until they are crusty and golden brown.
Cut a slit in the top of each popover. Put a small spoonful of strawberries inside and then plug up that hole with a piece of cheese.
Put them back in the oven for 5 minutes. Immediately remove them from the pan and serve.

ALEXIS NOTE: When I made it I think it did better as 12 muffins instead of 24. Mine didn't puff up but it could have been me ;). But they sure were tasty still!

Thank you ImStuffed for posting this great recipe. Check it out and say hi here: http://www.mixingbowl.com/message/recipe/view.castle?g=1010883&m=6379222

Thank you BzzAgent for my Président Brie Cheese. I really enjoyed trying new recipes!

I received a product to try and give my opinion on, no money was exchanged for my review of the product.

TMTT ~ Skinny Chef Recipes (Mac & Cheese, Pot Pie & Blueberry Cobbler)

A while back I did a book review of Secrets of a Skinny Chef and showed a few yummy recipes. This past week I made three yummy recipes that I just had to share! Yes two chicken and even a dessert you won't feel guilty eating! Well the dessert one can be bad when you eat the whole thing in a few sittings ... what I got up and left for a few minutes each time ... lol ;).

Mac and Cheese with Shredded Chicken and Cauliflower

Mac and Cheese with Shredded Chicken and Cauliflower

Serves 6

Mac and cheese is a staple in many American households, but the box kind has almost no nutritional value. Serve this hearty dish instead. If you want to shorten the recipe preparation time, you can use pre grilled frozen chicken or rotisserie chicken without the skin. You can also buy frozen cauliflower florets, let them defrost on the counter top, and then just stir them in.

8 ounces whole wheat or whole brown rice elbow macaroni or penne

Nonstick cooking spray

2 cups fresh cauliflower florets

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mild chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons trans-fat?free margarine

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

11/2 cups fat-free milk

3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a saucepan, cook the pasta 5 minutes less than the package instructions indicate. Drain and set aside.

Coat a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Wrap the cauliflower in the foil and place the packet directly on the rack inside the oven. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat it with cooking spray. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Set the chicken on the baking sheet and lightly coat the top with cooking spray. Bake the chicken and cauliflower 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken begins to brown and is no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken and cauliflower from the oven; set the cauliflower aside. Shred the chicken thinly and set aside.

In the pot where the pasta was cooked, melt the margarine over medium-low heat, then add the minced garlic, flour, and nutmeg. Mash the flour into the margarine with the back of a wooden spoon and stir until a thick paste begins to form. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the paste starts to leave a light coating inside the pan. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly, until a thick sauce starts to form. Add the mozzarella and stir until it melts. Turn off the heat and add the pasta, chicken, and cauliflower. Serve immediately.

Per serving (2 cups): 400 calories, 33 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat (7 g saturated), 65 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 642 mg sodium

ALEXIS NOTES: We only have 2% milk here so I used that and it calls for 3 cups of mozzarella, I think next time I'd use 2 cups it was a little thick. When it says you should eat right away I agree, if not it gums ups not the best left over dish!

Chicken "No Pot Belly" Pie

Chicken "No Pot Belly" Pie

1 tbs olive oil

1/4 head cauliflower, cut into florets

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 red or yellow onion, chopped

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

2 tbs all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp mild chili powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

1 1/2 cups fat-free milk

1 cup frozen peas

2 tbs reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tsp Dijon mustard

4 large sheets of phyllo

Preheat oven 350. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-heat heat. Add the cauliflower, carrots, celery, and onions. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Sprinkle the chicken with the flour, salt, chili powder, pepper, and paprika. Add the chicken to the skillet. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken just starts to brown and is cooked through.

Add the milk to the skillet and bring it to a boil, stirring often, until a thick sauce forms. Add the peas, mayonnaise, and mustard. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Transfer the chicken mixture to four oven-proof bowls. Coast each sheet of phyllo with cooking spray and stack the sheets on top of each other. Cut the stack into four pieces and press each piece on top of each bowl. Bake the potpies 10 minutes, until the phyllo is crisp. Serve immediately.

ALEXIS NOTES: Instead of wasting the cauliflower I just made a double back and used half in each. I also used a pie pan instead of doing 4 separate ones. I'm sure it would have been great to have 4 ones for each but you know my motto we just go with what we got!!

And last but not least because it was my favorite!!! DESSERT!!!

Blueberry Cobbler with Yogurt Topping

Blueberry Cobbler with Yogurt Topping

1 cup fat-free Greek Yogurt

2 tbs confectioners' sugar

2 pints fresh blueberries

2 tsp orange zest

2 tbs light brown sugar

2 tbs ground flaxseed

1 tbs whole wheat pastry flour

Topping

1/2 c old-fashioned oats

1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 c packed light brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 c trans-fat free margarine, chilled

2 tsp ice water

Preheat oven to 375F. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt with the confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use. Place the blueberries, orange zest, brown sugar, flaxseed, and flour in a a large bowl. Mix well to combine. Transfer to an 8 x 8 inch ungreased baking dish.

Place the oats in a food processor and pulse until a chunky flour forms. Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt to the food processor bowl and pulse 2 or 3 times to combine. Add the margarine and ice water, then pulse 7 or 8 times, until pea-size crumbs start to form. Do not over-mix.

Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the berries are hot and the topping is cooked through. Cool 5 minutes. Spoon the yogurt mixture over top and serve.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used Yoplait Greek plain flavor, I of course didn't have a orange zest so I used a little orange extract, I bought the flaxseed in the bulk section so I didn't have to have too much and ran out of whole wheat pastry flour so I used my whole wheat white flour by King Aurthur.

Enjoy!!! I hope you find one or all you like :)

Another Bloggy Make-Over by Diana @ Custom Blog Design

My friend Stacey had my gal Diana redo her blog extreme style. It turned out GREAT, I just love it and guess what I got a $5 coupon for referring her! I'm so excited because I can do Caden's Birthday invites next :).

So make sure to hop over and see Stacey @ Kingston Girl, she's a great gal that lives not too far from me and I hope one day we can meet.

Then make sure to say hi Diana and if you need a blog design, a twitter page or even a invite please stop over and make sure to tell her I referred you :)

Make Something Monday ... Sausage Hash Brown Bake

As some of you know on Saturday and Sunday I try to make something new and yummy for breakfast, I'm always on the hunt for good recipe. Cooks.com has been more source most days, and I came across this one and just had to try it. First off I'm so proud of myself I actually had ALL these ingredients in the house! I know I'm FAR from a chef or any gourmet cook, but I'm really excited to say I'm becoming a really good home cook. Hey once upon a time, all I did was stuff from a box, so this is a step up! Second of my husband who is a turd and is like my son rather eat crap then a REAL meal actually had seconds! Yes you heard me right really I had to go and check the pan to see he really was telling me the truth. LOL Enjoy!

All you need.

In bowl add cheese
Add Cream of Chicken Soup
(Yes to my surprise I had this, must had grab it instead of mushroom)
Add Onion Mix
(A must for a quick crock pot recipe)

Sour Cream
Diced Onions
(Cole is on a I hate onions kick)

Add diced green and red peppers
Add pepper

Add hash browns

Add cooked sausage

And your done, super easy and oh so yummy!

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds bulk pork sausage
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package French onion dip
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (30 ounce) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, combine 1-3/4 cups cheese and the next seven ingredients; fold in potatoes.
2. Spread half into a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish. Top with sausage and remaining potato mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through.

Is that a Smile or Has She finally lost it???

Birthday Craziness Post It Note Addition

Ok I so know there are some typos but it's late and I just don't want to go back and create them ... LOL bare with me.

Party for school done, now the real party! Cupcakes made for school, looks like I may have to do another batch for the party!