Polar Express Hot Chocolate

So! I totally forgot that my wonderful friend Lauren from recipe group asked me to post a picture of the hot cocoa that I made for them to drink that night ... geez ... simple request ... bombed execution ... at least I'm cute right ... ha!

Ok ... so I found the recipe here on the honey and fritz website ... which is also where I stole the picture ... R was being a good husband and did the dishes ... but he forgot to let me get a picture ... not that I told him I needed one ... but yanno ... this picture works!

Polar Express Hot Chocolate:

Thank you so much 

1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 c. bittersweet chocolate (I used chocolate baking bars ... she used chips)
6 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

for crockpot: combine all ingredients and cook on high for at least three hours stirring every so often (chocolate will burn on bottom if you don't at least every half an hour).
for stove top: combine all ingredients in large pot and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring constantly

Now ... I liked this original recipe ... it was so rich and creamy ... the recipe group loved it too ... they said they love the bittersweet chocolate taste ... however, if you have  sweet tooth that is a big as mine it would probably be better if you used milk chocolate ... or ... you could even use white chocolate chips for white hot chocolate!

Either way you like it enjoy!

Summer Salsa

This summer my mommy, sister, and I traveled to my favorite place in the entire world ... New York ... I have a lot of family on Long Island ... One of my very beautiful cousins was getting married. When we were there My sister introduced all of us (aunt, cousins, and us) to her creation of Summer salsa ... super delicious ... not like regular salsa that heats up your mouth and belly, this salsa is cool and refreshing ... just what we needed to beat the humidity (that and a very amazing pool provided by a very amazing aunt) ... I don't know what it was about this past weekend ... be it the devastation from hurricane Sandy ... or the anxiety and worry I felt for my family back there (and my best friend ... who happened to be visiting there ... and is still stuck there) ... or just because I miss that place on a daily basis ... but I started craving some New York summer salsa.

And so I made it ... and posted a picture on Instagram because it is soooo colorful and delicious ... and I got a request from an old friend for the recipe ... and I realized that not only for the wonderful AmyAnn did I need to post this recipe ... but to show my support and encouragement for New York ... it has just been devastated by a stupid hurricane ... but the people of New York are amazing and resilient and will come back bigger and stronger than ever! And so to honor New York and show the many city, towns, and people my love and support here is the summer salsa recipe (you will just die at how easy this is):

Summer Salsa:

1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 red onion (if you like a sweeter taste do a white onion)
Newmans Own brand Italian dressing (trust me)

Cut up pepper and onion as small as you like (remember it is salsa ... so really small is best). Add dressing to taste.

Seriously ... that is it ... and you will just die at the taste of it ... delicious ... refreshing ... and super duper easy!

About the Italian dressing ... it really needs to be the Newmans Own brand ... I have tried other brands ... its ok ... but never as good as Newmans Own ... like ... not even close ... not even on the same planet of taste ... that is how important it is to get Newmans Own Italian dressing (not the creamy kind either).

Have a great night! I think that two posts is enough for one night!

Easy Breaded Parmesan Chicken

ok ... I'm going to make this post short, just like the chicken of which recipe I am posting! R, E, and I were at a wedding all day (I will post a picture of the place after this recipe ... it was amazingly beautiful!!) ... this was chicken that I made the other night ... but worth a post. So this chicken was pinned on pinterest with the name "OMG Chicken" ... but I'm not gonna lie ... I hate that phrase ... So I call it "super easy yummy chicken". Now ... I did not alter the recipe at all (ok ok ... except for making the breadcrumbs from scratch) ... however, I do have some suggestions (in some ways this chicken was a little bland) ... I'll post them after the recipe too ... but it was super easy to make and that is usually important to all mommies out there (I know it is to me).

Easy Breaded Parmesan Chicken:

link to original recipe here

4 chicken breasts
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 parmesan cheese
italian breadcrumbs (to your hearts content ... again I made and used fresh ... if you need to know how to make them look to my Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce recipe for directions)

Mix the sour cream and parmesan cheese. Spread mixture over chicken. Sprinkle as many breadcrumbs as suits you over top. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

See ... Easy! Now ... it would not hurt to add a little salt to taste ... to be honest it tasted a little cinnamon-y at first bite ... I am not quite confident enough in my cooking skills to throw out what would compliment that ... if you have any idea what would help please let me know! Otherwise, my only thought would be salt or even a clove of garlic minced ... that would be yummy! Either way ... it is easy ... and that is important!

Now ... pictures from this amazing wedding (R's cousin Kelli just got married ... her venue was up Sundance Canyon in Provo, UT ... it was at a cabin that looked up onto Mount Timpanogos ... seriously gorgeous ... my party planning senses were tingling!)

View that was behind the couple as they were getting married  ... a little inversion ... but beautiful!

Not the best pic of R and I ... but had to prove that that was the view!

Congratulations to the beautiful couple!!! Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your special day!!

Just for good measure I had to throw this picture in of E ... very few times does she actually show people her mad ballet skills ... yesterday she decided to show them! Here is a picture of her showing her moves at grandma's house ... Enjoy!

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

dinner ... oh dinner ... sometimes you can be the bain of my existence ... sometimes you have me make something so good that it is worth singing about (no ... things I try don't always come out good ... but I only blog the good things ... hence why recipe blogs are not that often!) ... since this is the internet and you can't hear my (cough) great (cough) voice I will just give you the recipe instead!

no ... that is not puke on the chicken ... it's cheese ... you will deal when you try it

This, my dear friends, is Chicken in a basil cream sauce ... or, as E likes to call it (R also has a cute name for it ... lick the plate chicken ... I just like Es better) ... Cheeto chicken ... that is how good the sauce is ... it tastes like cheetos ... no joke.

I found this recipe over at favfamilyrecipes.com ... deliciouso (in the voice of Dora). Per usual there are minor changes that I have made that do not affect the integrity of the flavor ... just enhance it ... in my humble opinion.

1 c. milk
1 c. homemade Italtian breadcrumbs (promise ... homemade are so much better ... see end of this post for "recipe")
4 chicken breasts cut into half
1/4 c. butter
1 c. chicken broth
2 c. whipping cream
2 tsp. fresh basil minced
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 c. grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Pound chicken (if you don't have a meat hammery-thingy and the chicken is thick enough you can butterfly it). But butter in a skillet on the stove on medium heat. Once butter is melted dip chicken in milk then breadcrumbs and put them in the skillet. cook until breadcrumbs become golden brown on both sides. Put browned chicken into a 13x9 pan and set in the oven (no timer needed ... just take it out when sauce and other sides are done). Now it is time for the sauce ... in the same pan that you warmed the chicken in (without even wiping it down) add chicken broth and stir to loosen browned bits. Stir in whipping cream, basil, and pepper. Let boil for one minute stirring constantly. Stir in parmesan cheese. Pour sauce over chicken (on your plate so you get just the right amount) and enjoy!!!

We like to serve sauceless noodles and just use the sauce that this makes for them ... I mean ... get ready ... this is not a low calorie dinner ... but holy crap ... seriously ... it is worth is! lick. the. plate. cheeto. chicken. ... HA ... see what I did there ... combined the two names ... that's right ... blamo ... it is worth that too!

OH RIGHT ... breadcrumbs ... ok ... "recipe" right ... well ... get your food processor out ... if you don't have one of those then you can use a blender ... and if you don't have one of those then you are SOL ... sorry ... anyway ... I use the heals of my bread ... because lets be honest ... no one likes the heals for sandwiches ... so ... to every 2 heals of bread use 2 tsp. of Italian seasoning ... blend those together and Viola ... homemade Italian breadcrumbs. Usually you are supposed to let them dry out before use ... but I honestly like using them fresh ... It seems to absorb more of the butter and create a more moist and richer flavor.

Ok ... have a great night lovelies! MAKE THIS RECIPE ... you will love me forever if you do!