.portobello, broccoli and red pepper melts.

I found this recipe on another cooking blog annies-eats.com. Her pictures are just amazing, I almost wanted to steal hers instead of using my own! I need to start learning how to use the hubby's camera stat. This meal is vegetarian and SO delicious. Enjoy!



Ingredients
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt and black pepper
4 portobello mushrooms (stems removed), sliced ½-inch thick (I only used 2)
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced ½-inch thick
¼ cup light mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
4 thick slices country bread
2-4 oz. provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Preparation
Preheat a broiler with a rack placed 4 inches from the heat source. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the broccoli on the baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Broil until the broccoli begins to brown, tossing once or twice, about 4-6 minutes.
Add the sliced mushrooms and peppers to the pan with the broccoli and toss to combine. Broil, tossing once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes more. Set aside.
Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place the slices of bread on a work surface. Spread each slice of bread with 1 tablespoon of the garlic-mayo mixture. Top with the cooked vegetables, then the cheese. Line the baking sheet with a new piece of foil. Transfer the assembled sandwiches to the baking sheet. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

.greek pesto pasta salad.

I invented this pasta salad for a work potluck. I had no idea what to bring and was too lazy to go to the store so I got the idea to make a pesto pasta salad and just toss in whatever veggies I had on hand. Then after adding all the ingredients it seemed very greek so thats where it got the name. Im officially obsessed with this salad and made it to weeks in a row because I just couldn't get enough! Enjoy!



Ingredients
I package of bow tie pasta (Farfalle)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
4 tablespoons of pesto
1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped katamala olives
1 package of salami chopped
Pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Salt to taste
Italian Seasoning to taste
Feta cheese (optional)

Preparation
Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain when done and rinse with cold water. Add olive oil and pesto, mix well. Mix in the veggies and seasoning. Top with feta cheese if desired. Enjoy!

.pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.

This is my favorite fall treat to make because it's not only simple but makes the house smell so delicious! I get the mix from Trader Joe's and stock up because they do not see the mix year round. Follow the directions on the box and add chocolate chips at the end for the extra touch. Enjoy!

.artichoke chicken.

This recipe involves some of my favorite items and took almost no prep time. A new favorite for sure! I found the original recipe on allrecipe.com and after looking through several of the reviews on the dish I made my own changes accordingly. Enjoy!



Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
garlic powder (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Panko or breadcrumbs

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, garlic and pepper. Place chicken in a greased baking dish, and cover evenly with artichoke mixture. Top with panko or breadcrumbs.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear.

.m&m and kit kat cake.

I have lately been intrigued by cake design and how fun it can be. Anyone who knows me is probably laughing at this because I have absolutely NO sweet tooth what so ever! So when a co-worker/forever friend's birthday came I volunteered to bring the cake to work for her. I asked her what her two favorite candies were and she said m&m's and kit kats. I wish that I could take all the credit for this amazing cake, but I literally googled "m&m kit kat cake" and this was the first hit I got. Gosh I love the world wide web.



("embrace the checkbox" is a joke with my friend since she is now entering into the next checkbox when she fills out forms the 25-30 age range)

Ingredients
One box of cake mix or you can make your own, again I dont bake so I used a box :)
One container of frosting or again you can make your own.
1 big bag of M&M's
1 bag of snack size kit kats (put in refrigerator beforehand so they dont melt when you touch them)

Preparation
Bake the cake according to directions on the box or your own. The cakes need to be placed in 2 round cake pans. When they are done and cooled use a knife to cut them level. (Make sure they are shorter then the height of the kit kat bars) Place a layer of frosting in the center of the cakes to attach them. Frost the entire cake and place kit kat bars in groups of 2 around the cake. Then place m&m's on top and around the plate for decoration. Wrap a ribbon of your choice around the entire cake and enjoy!

.garlic marinated steaks.

Words do not even describe how AMAZING this marinate is! Normally I am not a huge fan of marinates because they take so much time and I can normally not taste them, but this was so so delicious (and my husband is excellent on the bbq so that helped :) I only marinated it for one day and next time I will do it for two. It does taste super garlicky so if you are not a fan of garlic this is not the recipe for you. Enjoy!



Ingredients
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 (1/2 pound) rib-eye steaks

Preparation
In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Place steaks in a shallow glass dish (I used a ziplock bag) with the marinade, and turn to coat. For optimum flavor, rub the liquid into the meat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.
Preheat grill for medium-high to high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Discard leftover marinade.

.blueberry banana bread.

I usually get so mad when the hubby does not finish all the bananas that I buy him for his smoothies..however this time I decided to get creative. This bread was SO delicious! It tasted great fresh out of the oven with a little bit of butter right on top. I will never get mad at him again for not finishing bananas! (side note: unfortunately this bread was so good, when we left the house bella decided to open the tupperware container that it was in and eat its contents, she is very skilled..and we are very very sad)


Ingredients
3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, bananas, oil and water. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries and walnuts. Pour into greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.