Buffalo Chicken Bites and Panera's Mac & Cheese

I feel like it has been a while since I have posted some new recipes! It has been a crazy couple of weeks and I am glad to see life starting to go back to normal. All I am going to say is life sure is a crazy roller coaster and I hoping for a smooth part of the roller coaster for a little while. The first recipe I made about two weeks ago and the other one I made last night. They were both super yummy and pretty easy. And yes I found both of them on Pinterest!

Buffalo Chicken Bites: 
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
(4-5 breasts. I used 3 and that was not really enough)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce (to taste)
- 3 1/2 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 3/4 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3-4 cups Corn Flakes cereal, crushed

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a large baking
sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, cream
cheese, hot sauce, cheddar cheese and green onions.
3. Roll a heaping tablespoon of mixture into a 1 1/2-inch
 ball and place onto a plate or separate baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining mixture.
4. Place flour in a shallow dish.
5. In a second shallow dish, place eggs.
6. In a third shallow dish, place cornflakes.
7. Dip each chicken ball first into the flour, then the egg and ending with the Cornflakes. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing.

I did not have parchment paper and I didn't want to spend the money on it for one recipe. I just made sure the pan was sprayed really well and it turned out ok.  I also used Texas Pete hot sauce and I think it would be fun to try different hot sauces to get different flavors.

Panera's Stove Top Mac and Cheese: 
- 16 oz pipette pasta or other small pasta shapes
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
- 4 oz white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces
- 8 oz extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
- 2 tsp - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (adjust to your taste)
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp hot sauce

Directions:
1. In a large stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
2. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a 4 quart sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and has started to bubble, whisk in the flour; cook for 1 1/2 minutes whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk until no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes.
3. Remove sauce pan from the heat and by the handful, stir in the cheese allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more. Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce. Return the sauce pan to the heat and stir in the pasta. Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the sauce pan and thoroughly coat all of the pasta with the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through. Serve hot in blows with spoons.

I know it sounds crazy to have Dijon mustard and hot sauce in the Mac & Cheese but you couldn't really taste either so it just must add that something special. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did :)

Washington D.C.

I went to Washington D.C. to visit my oldest friend for the second half of Spring break. It was just the little escape from the everyday norm of NC. Here are just a few of the pictures from my trip :) The first day I was there we went to the National Zoo. I didn't even know there was a Zoo in D.C. The other days we spent time exploring monuments we either hadn't been to in a long time or had never been to. We also spent time exploring George Town where Jenni is living. Over all it was a great trip and I am so glad I got to spend time with one of my best friends!

Panda Scratching his bottom on a tree!

Jenni: Look Meredith this is where you live!
Isn't she a great friend haha!

Free cupcake? Why yes please!

First Crochet Scarf!

Woohoo It is finally done! I finished making my first crochet scarf! I do think crochet is easier and quicker than knitting. It is also easier to fix your mistakes. The only down side is that it is not as easy to travel with as knitting is. Now if I can learn how to do all the different stitches that would be awesome. I really want to make a blanket! Here is the finished product!

In other news I am on spring break!! Thank God!!! I needed this break so badly! The next new months are going to be a real test of my strength but I'm being optimistic! I have spent the first half of the week at home spending time with friends and family. Tomorrow afternoon I am going to visit my friend Jenni in D.C. She is also on spring break at George Washington so we are going to make the best of it! More pictures of my trip to come in the next post!

One thing I have realized over this break... I may not have the man of my dreams but I have the best friends and family a girl could ask for :)

Brownies stuffed with Oreos!

Holy Chocolate Goodness!!!! My friend Jen invited me over for dinner a few days ago and I told her I would bring something for desert. I was thinking about cookie cake but when I was at the store I realized I can make something yummy and new a lot cheaper. So I pulled up my trusty Pinterest app in the middle of Harris Teeter's baking aisle. I came across brownies stuff with Oreos and I could not believe how easy it was!!

You buy whatever brownie mix you like and some Oreos. Make sure you have what you need to make the brownies. Mix up your brownie batter then dip your Oreos in the batter and place them in a well greased muffin pan. Once you have all your Oreos dipped pour the left over batter on top of the dipped Oreos. I was able to make 24 brownies. You bake them at 350 for 10-12 minutes. (Do NOT over bake!)

The next time I make these I am going to use cupcake paper liners. I have two muffin pans and one is older than the other. They came out fine out of the newer pan but they were really hard to get out of the older one. 

A new ring for my left hand

Well ever since the break up my left hand has been missing wearing a ring. I had been thinking about treating myself to a new ring to wear for some time. A few weeks ago I remembered that my friend Caroline from work makes rings! I was even more excited when she told me they were only $5! She brought in all her samples for me to look at one day. And of course I fell in love with a purple bead :) today she brought me my ring and it has made this good day that much better! I hope everyone has been able to enjoy this beautiful weather!

Creamy Chicken and Rotini Primavera

Pinterest is simply amazing. I seriously believe that it is good for my soul. It gives me so many wonderful ideas of things I really can make myself. Here is another recipe that I made tonight for dinner. I spent the whole day doing homework so I treated my self to a long walk with a friend and then making a yummy dinner. It was delicious! And of course it makes more than one serving so I will be eating it all week.

It is hard to see the sauce but it is there! 

Creamy Chicken and Rotini Primavera
- 1/2 pound dry Rotini
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts- cubed
- 1 lb frozen vegetable mix- thawed
- 4 oz Neufchatel cheese ( reduced fat cream cheese)
- 1/2 cups lite Italian dressing
- 1/2 cups 2% milk

Directions:
1. Cook pasta per package directions to desired doneness. Drain well and keep warm.
2. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes and cook until no longer pink.
3. Combine cream cheese, dressing and milk and whisk until smooth.
4. Add thawed frozen vegetables and pasta to chicken along with sauce mixture. Stir well and heath through- About 5 Min.

* I did a few things different. I used skim milk because it is what we always buy. My sauce still tasted fine but I think it was a little thinner than what it should have been. If you do not like Italian dressing then either don't use so much dressing or don't use a nice brand such as Ken's like I did. I also used Northern Italian which I don't know if that made any difference. But none the less it was delicious!

This past weekend I also fixed a throw pillow that sits on my bed.... When I actually make my bad. It is a very nice and soft brown pillow. However, Jeff's dog had gotten dog buggers on it. I was scared to wash the pillow but the I remembered I had some brown fleece fabric from a project I did last year. I decided to cover the pillow like you would make one of those blankets that you tie around the edges. On one side I cut the fabric into about 1-1 1/2 inch strips and a did a weave patter. The other side is just solid brown. I think the weave pattern turned out pretty cool. And because I pulled it pretty tight I don't think it is going to come apart. :)

Homework calls....

I'm a Stewer!

Before the tomatoes were added.

Yesterday I went to Walnut Cove, NC to see one of my friend Natalie. Natalie met really through our music fraternity (Sigma Alpha Iota) but we were also in marching band together at ECU. A few years ago over fall break I went home with Natalie for her church's Brunswick Stew Festival. Well it isn't really a festival... at least not what I would call a festival. They make stew in two HUGE pots. I think each one holds 100 gallons. And what is even more amazing is that they do this twice a year and they sell ALL of the stew. The make the stew in the fall for a church fundraiser and in the spring for the eight grade trip to D.C. Because this has been my third stew I have now become an official stewer! Natalie's family and church family are amazing and even if I can't come and make stew every year I totally am going to buy some. It is the best Brunswick stew I think I have ever had!

After the tomatoes and other veggies were added. About to be dipped in to quart size cups.