More Taco Tuesday Goodies!

I"m a total sucker for anything taco-related that I haven't tried before so when I saw these Tortilla Boats, I couldn't resist! I filled them up with another new awesome find from Trader Joe's, Korean-Inspired Pork Shoulder. I'm always a lil skeptical about precooked meat but this stuff tastes like it's been marinated and slow-cooked all day. SUPER flavorful and tender! I also added some coleslaw from the deli on top and it was one of the best meals we've ever had! All done in less than 30 minutes too!

A Cookbook FULL of Deviled Eggs! (Review)

My hubby LOVES deviled eggs. In fact, it would've been a deal-breaker if I couldn't master his mom's recipe. (Ok...kidding...a lil...) So when I came across this D'Lish Deviled Eggs Collection cookbook, I just knew I had to get it! I swear EVERY single recipe looks amazing and I love how there are pictures for all of them! I had THE hardest time deciding which ones to make first but finally settled on the Southwest Salsa and Red Hot Buffalo. I used my mini food processor to make sure the filling is smooth enough for piping but some of them didn't turn out as pretty as I would've hoped. Oh well...practice makes perfect right? I cannot WAIT to try out some more recipes! I've got my heart set on the Indian Curry and Cocktail Shrimp...YUM!

No-Cook Eats While I'm Home Alone!

I love to cook but I don't love to cook just for myself! So when my hubby's away for the weekend, I'm all about no-cook meals for one! What's better than a relaxing night at home with wine and cheese? I opened a bottle of Zin and decided to pair it with Smoked Gouda and Blue Cheese, which I researched and found were a good match. I will never pretend to be a connoisseur but I was happy!

I've been craving smoked salmon and got some to treat myself. I topped crackers with cream cheese, smoked salmon and some green onions. They were perfect bite-sized appies!

Another easy but oh so yummy no-cook meal are Trader Joe's Mini Chicken Tamalitos. I'm even too lazy to turn on the oven and just microwaved them! Dipped in salsa and the BEST dinner ever! I do miss cooking though so I'm really glad my hubby's home. Or maybe I just miss eating real food? :)

Weekend Eats and a New Kitchen Toy!

I can't believe it's Monday already but we definitely had a fun weekend with some yummy eats! Friday night started off with Teriyaki Sliders which I made even easier by using canned pineapple and coleslaw mix. I swear you can't go wrong with these Hawaiian Sweet Rolls! They're good with everything!

For some Saturday afternoon snacking, I decided to make Rachael Ray's Pepperoni Pizza Puffs. Mine were extra healthy using Turkey Pepperoni and Fat Fat Mozzarella. I'm not sure why she recommends serving red pepper slices alongside these muffins cuz they were perfect on their own dipped in some warm Marinara!

I couldn't resist picking up some Peanut Butter Oreo Cookies at the store and decided to make Cookie-Stuffed Crescents. Talk about total decadence! Seriously, whoever thought up this recipe should win an award!

Saving the best for last, I finally tested out my Babycakes Heart Waffle Maker! I am totally in LOVE with it! These are just basic waffles but I'm thinking of all kinds of yummy recipes to make! Chocolate Waffles anyone?

Velveeta Eats and A Couple of Sweets!

Another week has flown by and it seemed to be centered around one very special item, Velveeta! First up, some Spicy Cheesy Mini Meatloaves for a quick weeknight meal. This was my first time using Velveeta and it was amazing!

Since I couldn't seen to get enough of the stuff, some Famous Queso Dip while watching football.

Next up, Ultimate Nachos (with chicken instead of beef) because we still had more Velveeta left. (Football makes us really hungry for cheese!)

Finally, Cheeseburger Pizza, which literally combined our favorite 2 items into 1!

Coming off of our Velveeta high, I made some simple hot dogs with grilled peppers and onions and spiced up with Jalapenos and Jalapeno cheese.

Now onto some sweets! I haven't posted many cookies recently because they haven't been that interesting. (Chocolate Chips have been a very reused theme!) On a recent grocery trip, I found Pillsbury's Maple Brown Sugar Cookie Mix and it just seemed perfect for the season. They were super easy to make and I added Butterscotch Chips for extra flavor. They turned out really yummy and no one knew they weren't made from scratch! Shhh....

For my manager's birthday, I made some Chocolate Cupcakes (using cake mix) topped with Pink Vanilla Frosting. SO pretty and sweet!

I'm BACK!

After a 4-months (YIKES!) hiatus, I'm happy to say that I'm back to blogging! Not sure on how often I'll be posting but at least I'll be posting!

First up, a product review. Tasty Tortilla Pans. I'm a sucker for Infomercial products but I'm usually very disappointed with my purchases. I've seen these on TV a few times but wasn't fully convinced until I found a Groupon for them. They've actually been sitting in the box for a few months now and when my hubby threatened to throw them away, I knew it was time to test these pans out! I decided to make Guacamole and serve it in a Tortilla Bowl. After reading several (positive) reviews, I baked the tortilla a little longer than per the directions, about 10 minutes. The edges came out nice and crispy and the bottoms didn't get soggy at all even after the Guacamole sat inside for a while. I'm definitely happy with this purchase and now I'm thinking of all sorts of awesome things to make! I think it would be really fun to try tortillas in different colors and sizes. I love the fact that I now can make a super yummy Tortilla Bowl without frying!

We Had Ribs and then We Had Pancakes!

After a LONG week of working, working and more working, you know what I LOVE? Staying home on a Saturday doing nothing but EATING! Go ahead, call me a lazy pig...oink oink! I did manage to do some baking though in between the eating but later on that. We also discovered a new find at the grocery store, Tony Roma's Ribs. I was skeptical at first because I've never had much luck with restaurant branded food at home but I thought I'd try them out since they were on super sale. OMG, those ribs were amazing! I baked them in the oven and they came out super moist and tender. I also brushed a bit more BBQ sauce on top during the last 10 minutes since we like everything super saucy. I'm not sure I remember exactly what the ribs from Tony Roma's tasted like (it's been a while) but these were definitely restaurant-quality to say the least! MUST STOCK UP! Served with mashed potatoes (another store-bought wonder) and it was a fancy shmancy dinner at home!

Of course, because an entire rack of ribs wasn't enough food, we got hungry and decided to make Blueberry Pancakes for dessert (with fried eggs). YUM...FULL...

Now onto the baking part...I have been wanting to make Candy Corn Cookies for a LONG time and finally got down to making them. I think I was intimidated because there were a few more steps than I'm used to plus chilling time but you know what? They were SUPER easy and actually a lot of FUN to make! These are definitely going into my Halloween Goodies Bags!

Trader Joe's to the Rescue

We LOVE just about everything from Trader Joe's and one of our favorites is their Lobster Ravioli. For less than $4, you get a gourmet meal for 2 that takes just 15 minutes to make. I like to serve them in an Alfredo Sauce topped with some extra cheese. Simple yet incredible on a Saturday night!

Easy Dinner with a Favorite New Product!

Do you love Pulled Pork but hate how long it takes to make? Well, let me introduce you to Oscar Mayer's new item and an instant new favorite for me. I couldn't wait to use it in this BBQ Pork and Penne Skillet! The pork was AMAZING! So tender and tasted like I spent all day simmering it.

Yummy New Find at Whole Foods!

I get so excited when I go to Whole Foods cuz there's always something new and healthy to try in their snacks aisle. This time, I found some new chips called Pentils, which are made from lentils so they're packed with protein and incredibly good for you. I tried the Margherita Pizza flavor and it was SO yummy! They're also Gluten-free and made with no artificial ingredients, which is definitely an added bonus!

Saying Good Bye with Pollo Asado

My hubby's leaving for work again so I wanted to make his favorite Trader Joe's Pollo Asado for a dinner before he took off. It was super quick and easy and as always, the flavors were amazing! I served the chicken over some cheesy Mexican rice (basically just rice that I jazzed up with tomatoes, chili powder and cheese) and of course I had to top it off with a dollop of sour cream!

Porkchops from Paula and Jazzing Up Cheater Mashed Potatoes

Paula Deen hasn't failed me yet and neither did her Double-Orange-Glazed Porkchops that I made tonight. I added a sprinkle of Chipotle powder to the sweet orange glaze and it was the perfect combination! On the side, I made my very first mashed potatoes from a box. I jazzed it up by adding shredded Cheddar, garlic and LOTS of black pepper and it actually tasted really good! The texture was really creamy and went perfectly with the porkchops. As a working bee, I'll take any help from the store that I can get!

Sausage and Apples are Always a Winning Combo!

Tonight's dinner was inspired by this Sausage and Apple Stir-Fry. I used Trader Joe's Smoked Apple Chardonnay Chicken Sausage, which is one of my hubby's favorite. I thought they went really well with the apples and to kick up the flavors, I also added some cinnamon and cayenne. It was such a yummy dish and we especially loved the thick sauce on top of the couscous!

A Few New Finds!

It's been a while since I've found new products worth blogging about but Trader Joe's Spinach and Kale Yogurt Dip is definitely a great find! It's packed with veggies and at 30 calories per 2 Tbsp, there's no guilt involved! It's meant as a dip for cracker or spread on sandwiches but I honestly eat it by the spoonfuls on its own. It's got serious flavor and a total healthy treat!

Another great find is the new Popchips flavor, Thai Sweet Chili. It's a very unusual yet perfect combination of sweet and spicy! You know I can't get enough of Popchips so a new yummy flavor is just awesome! Major props to my local favorite!

I bought a tube of Gourmet Garden's Mediterranean Seasoning the other day and couldn't wait to try their Meatballs recipe! This mixture smelled AMAZING and tasted even better! The flavors of the basil, oregano, garlic and bell peppers really shined in these meatballs! I served them over coscous and it was Mediterranean cuisine at it's best!

I Have Joined the ZUMBA Revolution!

My best friend keeps telling me how much she loves her Zumba class at the gym so I finally ordered the Zumba Fitness Total Transformation DVD Set. It's been a while since I've tried a new workout so I was really excited! OMG it was the MOST fun I've EVER had! I tried the Basic Workout first to learn the moves but they were just too slow for me so I went on to the 20 Minute Express Workout. The moves weren't difficult to learn at all and the instructor (Beto) is just awesome! He's fun and energetic and I felt like I was just dancing instead of working out even though I was definitely sweating! Now I can't WAIT to try out the other DVDs!

New Popchips Flavor

If you know me, you know I LOVE Popchips! In fact, I wouldn't be totally exaggerating if I said that I practically live off of them! I switch off between the BBQ, Cheddar, Sour Cream and Parmesan Garlic flavors and was SO excited when I spotted a new one, Sweet Potato! They taste a bit like Sweet Potato Fries, but of course, a lot better for you. I also tried the other new flavors, Chil Lime and Jalapeno but wasn't a big fan of either. Oh well, one great new find is good enough for me!

I'm Impressed With McD!

On a recent drive, my hubby really wanted McD's so we stopped at a Drive-Through. I wasn't really hungry (I eat breakfast, he doesn't) but thought I should get a Side Salad since my veggie intake had been low. Wow, I was impressed at what $1 got me! I mean, the thing was small but it was packed with romaine, spinach, shaved carrots AND grape tomatoes! Not bad McD! (Hubby truly enjoyed his Quarter Pounder with Cheese as well!)

A Trip to Costco Isn't Complete without Rotisserie Chicken!

We had to make a random trip to Costco tonight and I can never leave without their Rotisserie Chicken! For $4.99, you just can't beat it and trust me, I'm not the only one that loves them. Do a Google search for Costco Rotisserie Chicken and there are literally TONS of websites with die-hard fans! It also seriously jump-starts a weeknight meal and tonight, I made the easiest Chicken Mole ever. The combination of chipotle, cocoa and peanut butter gave the dish such an authentic taste and only I know I cheated!I served the meat over my new favorite, Fiesta Spanish Rice and it was a weeknight Mexican feast!

I Reorganized My Cabinets and Guess What I Found?

I was home alone so I decided to reorganize my kitchen cabinets. Man, did I find some goodies back there and one of them was a can of Hormel Chili. I remember how much I loved that stuff as a kid so I must've picked it up somehow and totally forgot about it. Thank goodness canned goods last almost a lifetime! Anyway, I decided to use it to make Mexican Chili Stuffed Shells and they came out amazing! Look how cute they are ready to go into the oven...

...and ready to be devoured!