Gotta love carbs.

After answering a recent Four Foods on Friday in which I admitted I had never even taken my waffle maker out of the box, I finally braved it a couple nights ago. Actually, I had had enough of Lauren ridiculing me for being intimidated by a small kitchen appliance.

Why did I wait so long? They were so easy to make and so yummy! I am no longer intimidated; in fact, I've been looking up waffle recipes to experiment further. So there, Lauren - IN YOUR FACE!

I didn't use a scratch recipe for my first time; I used Quaker Oatmeal Pancake Mix, which was really good. I doubled the recipe to get extra waffles, plus added some cinnamon.

I had already taken a bite before I remembered I wanted to get a picture (yes, we're still using Christmas napkins; it was a big pack I bought for about $1):



( A couple more... )

Tonight's dinner was Breakfast Pizza, so since I've already documented that recipe before, I won't do it again. I got a huge craving for some chocolate cake, but was too tired (lazy) to make it from scratch. Instead, I used a Duncan Hines devil's food cake mix, a small box of instant chocolate pudding, then added four large eggs, 1-1/4 cup water (I actually used half water and half brewed coffee), 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. I baked it in a Bundt pan for almost an hour, then dusted with powder sugar once it was completely cool. It is DELICIOUS, and exactly what I was wanting.



Nothing really going on this weekend; I know it's the Superbowl, but I don't think we're going to bother with it. I've got a couple of busy weeks ahead, so I think we'll just relax and hang out.

She actually made dinner last week, but with Halloween and other stuff going on, I didn't get a chance to post about it until now. I think it's about time Lauren started learning to cook, so I started her off with something easy - tacos.



( Dinner is served... )

Before I post the recipe and pictures for this meal, I completely forgot to mention that I came in third place in a trivia contest! And it was my first time playing! I even got the answer to the last question, which was a complete guess. Malcolm at Pop Culture Dish has a lot of cool stuff, so check him out.

Onto the pizza!

I had made this a year or two ago, and for the life of me, couldn't figure out where I had found the recipe. I could've sworn it was in a Taste of Home or Quick Cooking magazine, but it turns out it was a Betty Crock recipe and I finally found it online the other day.

The ingredients:



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I don't usually buy fresh chicken breasts at the grocery store since they're outrageously expensive, but Giant Eagle was having a sale this week (buy one pack, get one free), so I splurged. The second package will be put in the freezer to use for another recipe. This takes a little effort, but it was so good. Chris really liked it.

Start with this:



( Instructions this way... )

It's been a while since I posted a recipe with pictures. Which is funny, because I'm cooking a lot more now that school started. I need to be more diligent about documenting when I cook, but sometimes I'm tired and just want to get dinner on the table. This meal is actually one we had a week or two ago. It was DELICIOUS.

Start with this:



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These may not be as good as our favorite Mexican place makes, but they're still delicious.

The ingredients (note THE cookies in the background I made again today):



( How to make them... )

I actually made this last night because it tastes better if chilled several hours or overnight. Chris went out to dinner with a friend last night, so the girls and I just grabbed sandwiches and then I went ahead and put this together. I sometimes make this as a side dish when we cook out, but just add some chicken or shrimp to it, and you've got a meal.

I started with this:



And got this:



Now, usually when I pull the meat off a whole chicken, I get a lot more meat. However,

( when you have this going on next to you... )

This is so easy and so good. I got the recipe from Chris's mom, who used to make it for him when he was a kid. Thankfully, mine is as good as hers - at least according to Chris. But he must be telling the truth, because he does request it.

The ingredients:



See how good that ground beef looks? We have a butcher shop in our little town that's been around since before the Civil War. I get pretty much all our meats there.

( Recipe and more pictures this way... )

This is really good and also quick to make. It's a great meal for a warm evening, which by now it should've been, but I'm not sure it even got out of the 50s today. I am so hating this weather. But I digress.

Ingredients:

8 oz. spaghetti, broken into thirds
4 oz. mozzarella, cubed (sometimes I just use string cheese)
Two or three spring onions, sliced (I use scissors; so much quicker and easier)
Four Roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise then sliced crosswise
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I use red wine vinegar; I hate balsamic)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt to taste

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to package direction. Meanwhile, make dressing - mix vinegar, oil, basil and salt; set aside. When spaghetti is done, drain and rinse with cold water. Add tomatoes, mozzarella, spring onions and dressing; fold carefully. Serve immediately, or chill. Tastes even better the next day.

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Tonight was Shrimp Lo Mein, according to my Menu Plan Monday. I didn't have a recipe or anything, so I think it turned out pretty good. My husband really liked it, anyway!

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