Garlic-Ranch Chicken strips

I found this recipe in the Sept/Oct 08' issue of Taste of Home's Simple Delicious. It called for chicken breasts halved, but I just used tenderloins instead. What can I say? They were very easy and very much delish!

4 Boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (I used a little more!)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ranch salad dressing mix

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

~Flatten chicken slightly, set aside. In a shallow bowl, combine milk and garlic. In another shallow bowl or plate, combine the flour, salad dressing mix and pepper. Dip chicken in milk mixture, then coat with flour mixture.

~In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil and butter over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Nutrition facts: 1 chicken breast half: 264 calories, 12 g fat, 125 mg sodium, 7 g carb

I really recommend this chicken as a quick weeknight meal. I served it along side a salad, and chickpeas.

Chocolate Fudge Groom's cake with Peanut butter cream icing

He turned 24, can't you tell by the candles?! LOL!

I mixed together 2 cake recipes, one for the cake, one for the icing, to get this cake. It was really delicious. I have to say it was one of the better cakes I've had in quite some time.

The cake recipe (from Wilton.com)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour unsifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine room temperature
2 cups Sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Milk
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted

Makes: Serves 6 cups of batter.

instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt.
Cream butter and sugar together until light in texture.
Add eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture. Beat thoroughly.
Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
Add melted chocolate and beat thoroughly.
Brush two 8 or 9 in. cake pans with Wilton Cake Release or generously grease pans with solid vegetable shortening and flour, or use Wilton Cake Release Pour batter into pans.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center.

The Peanut Butter Icing (from Kraft.com-had a cake recipe with it (chocolate cluster-Peanut butter cake), but I only used the icing)

*I doubled the icing because I cut the layers in half to make 4 layers*

1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Instant Pudding
1/2 cup peanut butter

1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

POUR milk into medium bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat 2 min. or until well blended. Add peanut butter; beat well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

PLACE one of the cake layers on cake platter; spread with 1 cup pudding mixture. Cover with remaining cake layer. Gently stir whipped topping into remaining pudding mixture. Spread over top and side of cake.

ADD chopped Reece's Peanut butter cups to the top

NO Boil Classic Lasagne (from Mueller's noodle box)

This lasagna was very good. Instead of using jarred sauce I made my own, but you can do which ever you prefer. I forgot to take a picture but we all know what lasagne looks like!

8 oz. (1/2 package) Lasagne noodles, uncooked
15 oz Ricotta Cheese or 2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup parm cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 1/2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp parsley

~Preheat oven to 350
~In med bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozz cheese, parm cheese and eggs, mix well
~In seperate bowl, add browned meat to pasta sauce; mix well
~Spread 1 cup of meast mixture in 9x13 pan
~Place 1/3 of the noodles over sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the cheese mixture
~Repeat layering. Top with remaining noodles and meat sauce.
~Cover with foil. Bake 55 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with reserved mozz cheese and parsley flakes.
~Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

FINALLY a new Post!

I have not posted on my blog in quite sometime now. But, I promise I am going to try to do better. I just haven't cooked much at all lately and when I have, it hasn't been anything to blog about!
So, tonight I am making homemade lasagna with salad and bread for Rob's Birthday!
I also made him a homemade chocolate fudge cake with peanut butter icing. I post the recipes and pictures of all this hopefully tomorrow!