Marinated Mozzarella

This week was our division wide Christmas luncheon at work.  With over 250 invited, we needs lots of food.  There's always plenty of potatoes, veggies, desserts and other salads, so I signed up to bring an appetizer of some kind.  I spent some time browsing online for easy appetizers for hungry crowds and found a recipe for Marinated Mozzarella.  Not only was it easy, but it was a crowd pleaser as well!

Ingredients:
18 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 jar green olives
toothpicks

Directions:
Mix olive oil and seasoning.  Pour over cubed cheese and let marinate 8-48 hours.  Using toothpicks, skewer one green olive and one cheese cube and put on serving platter.  Enjoy!

I cubed the cheese and prepped the mixture on a Monday.  I wanted to let the cheese have plenty of time to marinate.  On Wednesday, when I opened the bowl, I was quite horrified.  The chemical reaction of the cheese and olive oil soaking had resulted in a foamy texture of flavored water.  Don't worry!  I learned that one you have moved the mozzarella from the marination the condensation will disappear.  Just allow for some time before serving and all will be well! 

Easy as Pie Blueberry Banana Cheesecake

So I'm a sucker for desserts.  I love looking at them, making them, eating them.  I enjoy it all!  But my absolute favorite: cheesecake!  Enter: Easy as Pie Blueberry Banana Cheesecake.  Yum!

Ingredients:
1 package instant cheesecake flavored pudding mix, sugar free
Milk, per pudding instructions
1/2 cup blueberries
1 banana, sliced
Graham Cracker Crust
Lite Cool Whip

Directions:
Make pudding according to the box directions.  Before pudding sets, add blueberries and banana slices.  Add two spoonfuls of cool whip, if desired.  Mix well.  Pour into crust and let set for at least an hour in the refrigerator.  Serve.  Store leftovers in refrigerator.

We enjoyed this delicious dessert last night after letting it set for a couple of hours.  I just ate a piece and it was even better as it had set a little longer.  I imagine this would be good with any fruit, chocolate chips or anything ingredients you would normally use with cheesecake.  With it being winter, its more difficult to find fresh fruit, but I managed.  My fiance advises he would like the pudding just as much by itself as he did in cheesecake form.  I like the textural difference with the fruit and crust added in.  Either way: delicious and easy!  Two of my favorite things!

50/50 - Movie Review

I must admit I was slightly nervous about watching 50/50 starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen.  My aunt suffered cancer for over ten years and movies with related stories immediately strike a chord.  My fiance watched 50/50 and was super impressed thus highly recommending the movie to me.  And I couldn't be happier that he convinced me.

Summary:
50/50, written by Will Reiser and based on a true story, is the story of man named Adam who is diagnosed with spinal cancer.  The movie offers an inside look at the emotions Adam and his familhy and friends experience after the diagnosis.

Thoughts:
I loved this movie.  While telling a serious story of fear and grief, it also told the story of friendship, family and love.  Although a serious subject matter, it still managed to bring in humor.

I'm not an avid watcher of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's work.  Don't get me wrong, he has talent, but his movies are not normally of interest to me.  In 50/50, he did a great job of portraying Adam's character.  He was not only believable, but he caused me to feel emotions about different scenes in the movie.  His breakdown before surgery had me in tears as did his goodbyes to his family before heading to the exam room.

It's hard to picture funnyman Seth Rogen in a serious movie.  This role was perfect for him!  It gave me a different view into the acting dimensions Seth can take on.  His character Kyle is not only rude and crude, but is a caring and compassionate man who wants nothing more than to see his friend overcome his illness and wants to provide any support he can.  I initially didn't think the character would turn into much, but I was pleasantly surprised to see such a wonderful friendship transpire between Adam and Kyle.

Anna Kendrick plays therapist Katherine.  I love Anna Kendrick and most movies she's in so I was happy to see her name in the credits.  While her character was not such a fantastic role, she played the part with heart and emotion and turned a not so great role into a great one!

Adam's mom, played by Angelica Huston, is touted as being smothering and overprotective.  However, her reaction to Adam's diagnosis is to be expected.  Angelica does a great job of being the protective mom who wants her son to be happy and healthy.  One of my favorite moments of this character is the moment before Adam heads to surgery when she's cherishing the seconds she has with her son not knowing if they will be their last.

For me, having had a loved one suffer at the hands of cancer for so long, this movie was relatable.  There were moments of intense emotion that move the watcher as well as moments of jokes and laughter to help lighten the mood. 

If you're looking for a feel good movie that leaves you with a smile, 50/50 is it. 

Zesty Barbecue Chicken and Baked Beans

Happy Monday!  Today was a super busy day between work and appointments, so we opted to to use one of the best inventions every: a slow cooker!  We've made this great Barbecue Chicken before and love it!  Its super easy to make and requires very few ingredients.

Zesty Barbecue Chicken Ingredients:
1 bottle of barbecue sauce - I like to use a honey barbecue flavor
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar - We use Splenda
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
frozen, skinless chicken - 6 breasts or 10-12 tenderloins

Directions:
Place chicken in the slow cooker.  In a separate bowl, mix barbecue sauce, dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce together.  Pour over chicken.  Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.  About an hour before serving, I shred the chicken and place back in the slow cooker to absorb more of the juices.  Delish!

I've been testing possible side options for this great chicken and decided to try a new Baked Beans recipe.  I came across two recipes here and here that had ingredients I liked, so I opted to mix and match. 

Baked Beans Ingredients:
1 can kidney beans
1 can butter beans
1 can lima beans
1 can grillin' beans
bacon pieces - I used 1 package, but you can use however much you want
onion - I used about a 1/4 cup fresh and 1/4 cup minced
1/1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
2-4 tablespoons brown sugar - I used Splenda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Simmer brown sugar, onion, barbecue sauce and other seasonings for about ten minutes.  Drain butter beans, kidney beans and lima beans and mix with grillin' beans and bacon pieces in a separate bowl.  Add in barbecue sauce mixture and mix well.  Pour into greased pan and bake for one hour. 

I'm happy with how this turned out!  And my fiance loved it!  There was the kick he loves, but it wasn't too spicy for my palate.  Next time, I may skip the minced onion and opt for all fresh.  Otherwise, great complement to the barbecue chicken.  Dinner is served!

 

 

Update: Since we had more than half a pan of baked beans left, we decided to add ground beef and make a meal of it!  It was delicious! 

Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bake

I love breakfast foods, but I can never get myself to eat when I first wake up or even before I leave for work.  Inevitably, I find myself searching for a snack mid-morning to satisfy my hunger.  I believe I've found the perfect solution: Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bake.  I love this!  I can take a serving of this deliciousness to work, pop it in the microwave to heat it up and enjoy a fantastic breakfast even after leaving home!

Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar - we used Splenda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups milk
1 egg
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray oven safe pan with cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the bananas together.  Pour into the baking dish and arrange the banana slices on top.  Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top if you choose.  Bake 30-40 minutes or until oatmeal is golden brown. 

Inspiration Recipe: Inspired Taste's Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries, Banana and Chocolate
 

Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

I think I've mentioned before that I love Mac & Cheese!  Its such a comfort when life gets busy and stressful.  Between the holidays and our busy schedules, we've not spent a lot of time at home recently.  Luckily, we had a some time at home today to relax and catch up on things around the house, so we decided to a slow cooker Mac & Cheese would be a perfect solution for dinner!  I ran across Crock-a-doodle-do's recipe and thought it sounded like a great foundation for our dinner tonight. 

Ingredients:
1/2 pound macaroni noodles, uncooked
3 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
4-5 cups shredded cheese, any flavor - I say 4-5 cups as I had 4 heaping measuring cups
Salt, pepper, garlic salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper - just a dash!
1 can chicken in water, drained
1/2 package of precooked bacon bits
1 cup frozen corn

Directions:
Against my better judgement, I didn't spray the slow cooker crock with cooking spray and I didn't use separate bowl for mixing.  Instead, I just threw everything in the crock and mixed it.  I cooked on low for about an hour and switched it to high for another half hour to make sure the noodles were soft.  After an hour and half cooking time, I turned the slow cooker off and let the mac and cheese cool for about 15 minutes or so.  The cooling time also allows the final juices to be absorbed.  We both at a bowl of mac and cheese and we have plenty left for dinner tomorrow.

While eating, we discussed adding broccoli or onion next time.  Or possibly more corn and bacon bits.  Or even topping with bread crumbs.  I'm excited about the prospective ideas! 

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake

My future husband loves rice, and I love Mexican food.  When I came across this recipe from TastyKitchen.com I knew it was perfect for us! 

Ingredients:
4 cups brown rice, cooked
2 cups cooked chicken - we like Tyson's grilled chicken strips that are precooked as it saves time when we're in a rush
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 can green chilis, juice only
1/2 cup chunky salsa
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese plus additional for for topping

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together, then transfer to oven safe bowl.  Top with cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes. 

We've made this a few of times and haven't felt the need to make many changes from the original. We've increased the corn and decided we like chunkier salsa. We've been throwing around the idea of adding onions, increasing the amount of black beans, or forgoing chicken to change it up a little.  With or without the changes, this is a super easy and tasty recipe!