Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken

I saw this recipe sometime last year and knew I needed to try it. I finally got around to it last night. I was not disappointed. I thought it was excellent AND easy! Stephen thought it was ok, Jeremiah was being difficult about eating (what's new), and Joshua ate his fair share (big surprise).

I used four large frozen chicken breasts in a 4-qt crockpot. I cooked it on low for 8 1/2 hours. I always have a problem with chicken drying out in the crockpot, but not the case this time!

I served it over white rice with the "sauce" ladled over it. Then I shredded the extra and used it on a salad today.

The "Crockpot Lady" is done with her year of crockpotting, but all the recipes can still be found on her blog and she posts new ones every once in a while. Brown Sugar Chicken is definitely worth trying for your family!

Cake Mix Cookies

Delicious. Easy. Cheap.

What more could you ask for in a cookie?

This recipe has endless possibilities. In the past I have done lemon cake mix with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. I have also done white cake mix with vanilla extract which makes yummy sugar cookies. Today we did devil's food cake mix with mini-M&Ms- YUM!

The key is to stock up on cake mixes when they are on sale. I bought a bunch when they were on sale for 75 cents or less. Dessert does not come much cheaper!

I have heard this recipe from various sources, but this particular one comes from the Everyday Cheapskate, Mary Hunt.

Cake Mix Cookies

1 - 18 oz box of cake mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. water
1-2 tsp any flavor of extract (optional)

Mix well with an electric mixer, roll into 1-inch balls, flatten onto a ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 8-10 minutes at 350.

**This cookie dough, once mixed, can be frozen for baking later. Just roll into a log, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and then slice what you need and bake!

Possible combinations:
*2 tsp mint extract + chocolate cake mix
*2 tsp lemon extract + yellow cake mix OR just a lemon cake mix - dust with powdered sugar when cool
*white chocolate chips + strawberry cake mix
*mini M&Ms + devil's food cake mix
*2 tsp vanilla extract + white cake mix = sugar cookies (maybe try with the confetti cake mix?)
*peanut butter chips + chocolate cake mix
*toffee bits + chocolate cake mix

Just the tip of the iceberg I'm sure! Let me know if you think of any other exciting combinations!

The Pioneer Woman Strikes Again

This might be the most sinful dessert out there because it is SO easy to make and SO yummy to eat. And the possibilities are endless. What are you doing to me, Pioneer Woman?! (And yes, the beautiful picture above is hers.)

It's called PW's Pita Chip Crunch. I made it last night for a BBQ, brought home the leftovers (big mistake) and I can't stop eating it.

The original recipe calls for plain pita chips, milk chocolate almond bark and pecans. I made one batch that way - delicious. Then I tried some of her other suggestions. Oh man.

Batch 2 - cinnamon sugar pita chips, white chocolate almond bark and mini-M&Ms. Jeremiah had his eye on this batch from the minute I put the M&Ms on. This was super yummy too.

And then I got to batch 3 and hit one of my biggest weaknesses - toffee. Plain pita chips, milk chocolate and toffee bits. Wow. Wow. Did I say wow?

I am only allowed to make this for other people or large gatherings now. Self-imposed restrictions for my own health and safety.

But you should make it for yourself at least once. You won't want to share the first time.

Or maybe not ever.