Pinning Away on Pinterest

I've been "pinning" away on Pinterest and have come across some beautiful ideas to execute during this fall season. Here are a few:

Fall Wreath

Source: decorchick.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes

Source: pickyin.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Decor

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Pretty Fall Outfit

Source: polyvore.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Source: the-baker-chick.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Gourmet Caramel Apples

Source: glorioustreats.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Source: bakedperfection.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Ginger Crisps

Source: countryliving.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Beautiful Quote

erpenpolaroid.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Skinny Caramel Macchiato Lattes

Source: tidymom.net via Jessica on Pinterest

Homemade Fried Wontons {w/Recipe!}

Last night we didn't feel like anything too heavy for dinner. I made Teriyaki Chicken with Brown Rice for lunch and I ate a little late, as did Dele, so I went a somewhat simple route for dinner and made homemade fried wontons.

It was my husband's first time ever having them. He's not a fan of them at Chinese restaurants, but these style of wontons are WAY more delicious. Once he tried one...he kept devouring them...one after the other. I used sweet ground Italian Sausage for the filling, but you can get as creative as you want {shrimp, chicken, sausage, onion, celery, mushroom, water chestnuts, garlic, fresh ginger, etc.}.

Cook your sausage - drain the fat. I used 1 pound, which filled about 26 wonton wrappers.

These are the wonton wrappers I used. I found them in the refrigerated section of where the organic items are, in the produce department.

After your filling has cooled a bit, take a wonton wrapper and place some meat in the middle of it....

Use your finger to dab some egg yolk onto the corners of the wonton wrapper {to act as a sealant} and press edges together.

I do a bunch at one time....

Add some oil {I use canola} to a wok or a frying pan, with the fire set to medium. When the oil is hot, add your wonton's...

You will see them begin to sizzle. They cook quickly {when you can see them begin to brown on the edges, it's time to turn them} - watch them closely so they don't burn!

Remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels.

I like to dip my wonton's in sweet & sour sauce....

If you like it too, serve yourself up some to enjoy with the wonton's that you just made!!....

Enjoy!!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. sausage
• 1 package wonton wrappers

DIRECTIONS:

• Brown the sausage and drain any fat.
• Allow meat to cool
• Place a generous teaspoonful of the filling mixture to the center of a wonton wrapper, moisten the edges with a little egg, or water, and then fold into a triangle and press the edges firmly
• Fry in hot oil until browned
• Drain on paper towels
• Enjoy!

Homemade Apple Crisp {With Recipe!}

Last week I had some friends from church over for dinner. For dessert I made chocolate chip cookies and homemade apple crisp. Dele kept eyeing the dish to gauge how much would possibly be left over. Ha! Unfortunately for him, it wasn't much. So this weekend he asked if I would make one again just for him. And of course I did.

Cool weather graced Atlanta this past weekend and it was oh so nice - the onset of fall has begun and the aroma of apple crisp filled our home Sunday afternoon. Isn't it funny how smells can take us to such a happy, warm place? I posted the recipe to this apple crisp before but I'll give you some steps, with pictures, this time around : )

If that photos looks yummy to you and you'd like to give this recipe a try, this is what you'll need...

• Ingredients:
• 3-4 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 
  
• For the topping:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup oatmeal
• 1 stick + 6tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

• 
  
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges.

Combine the apples with the sugar and the spices. Pour into the dish....

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment...

Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas....

Scatter evenly over the apples...

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm....

Doesn't that topping look SO good!?!?! It's my favorite part about the apple crisp!!

This is one delicious dessert to make this time of year!! Add a scoop of ice-cream, and/or some caramel sauce, to make this treat even more delectable. The hub's thinks that's overkill, but if I had those two things on hand, I would have added them on my plate for sure!

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa {to see her original recipe, go here; I made a smaller apple crisp and therefore adjusted my ingredients accordingly}

Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Fries {Recipe}

Mr. Wonderful LOVES sweet potatoes. I don't. Never have. But Yukon Gold, Russet, Fingerling, and all the others...I'll eat those kind of potatoes any day ; ) But just because I don't like sweet potatoes doesn't mean they are eliminated from being a side dish during meal time in our home. Most of the time I make them mashed, but this week I made sweet potato fries...

The hubby LOVED them. And when I say loved them, he woofed them down barely taking a breath in-between bites. Ha! Since I didn't try them, I can't give you my opinion on how good they were, or were not - but I have quite a picky eater and when he raves about something and then asks for me to make them more often, they must be yummy : ) If you would like to make them, here is the recipe....

Sweet Potato Fries Recipe {adapted from Ali of Gimme Some Oven}

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, rinsed and dried
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. coarse salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)

- I have a tendency to throw in a little bit more of "this or that" and substitute spices if I don't have on hand what the recipe calls for - so in the case of these sweet potato fries, I improvised a bit.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Carefully cut the potatoes into 1/4″ thin strips, or to your desired thickness and length. Then place in a large bowl, and toss with the remaining ingredients (oil and spices) until potatoes are evenly coated.

Then spread out the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. (Try not to overcrowd the sheet, or have multiple layers of fries — you want them to be roasted, not steamed.)

Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, turning the fries once or twice during that time to cook evenly. (May take more or less time, depending on the size and thickness you cut the fries.) Remove once the edges slightly begin to brown and fries begin to crisp.

Ilah couldn't resist getting her hands on a sweet potato fry while I was taking pictures ; ) I was reluctant for her to have some because of the spices but daddy said, "let's see if she likes them". At first she was chowing down and I was shocked that the spice didn't faze her....then by the fourth fry, she put her fingers in her mouth and started gagging!....like mother, like daughter ; ) I swapped out those sweet potato fries for other delicious treats and she gladly moved on from one thing to the next : )

It's Friday!!! Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

7 Layer Bars {w/Recipe}

Last night, Dele and I went to a leadership meeting for church - this time, it was conducted in the home of one of our friends. We all gathered in, talked, ate, laughed, and then the Senior Pastor of the large church that we are a branch of, took the floor and spent some time sharing from his heart. It was a nice night!

A few days before, I was asked if I could bring a dessert. I was tossing up a few different ideas, but in the end, I kept it simple and made these delicious 7 layer bars {also known as magic cookie bars}....

After you follow the recipe and make them once, you could make them anytime thereafter practically with your eyes closed - they are that easy to make.

The 7 layers consist of:

1. Graham cracker crust
2. Chopped walnuts
3. Semi-sweet chocolate chips
4. White chocolate chips
5. Butterscotch chips
6. Shredded coconut
7. Sweetened condensed milk

So really, mine were 6 layer bars since I didn't use white chocolate chips.

Be forewarned: Just like potato chips, you won't be able to eat just one ; ) They are SO yummy!!!!

Seven-Layer Bars

Yield: 18 bars

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

9 graham crackers (5 ounces), crushed

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup butterscotch chips

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the pan with two overlapping pieces of foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang to act as handles for lifting the bars out of the pan. Spray with non-stick spray.

2. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake until the outer flakes just begin to brown, about 4 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it – coconut can go from slightly browned to burnt in a matter of seconds.) Set aside.

3. Melt the butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl. Toss with your fingers until the butter is evenly distributed. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.

4. In order, sprinkle the walnuts, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and coconut over the graham crumbs. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire dish.

5. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.

6. Remove the bars fromthe pan using the foil or parchment handles and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or bench cutter, cut into 2 by 3-inch bars.

(Adapted from Baking Illustrated)

Bourbon Chicken Recipe

On the menu this week for dinner was Bourbon Chicken. This dish has become a staple one in our home because it's so delicious and after you've made it a few times, it's easy to whip up. We hadn't had it in a while and our taste buds started to give us a hint that Bourbon Chicken needed to make its way back into my menu planning.

If you'd like to give this recipe a try, here's what you'll need:

2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup soy sauce

I usually double the above ingredients because Dele likes extra sauce.

DIRECTIONS
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 35 mins

1.) Heat oil in a large skillet.
2.) Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.
3.) Remove chicken.
4.) Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved.
5.) Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.
6.) Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
7.) Serve over hot rice {we used brown instead of white or fried rice}
8.) ENJOY!

*If you'd like to add cashews, like we do, heat them in a pan over medium heat for just a few minutes and then add them to the chicken, mixing until they are incorporated.

No Bake Cheesecake {w/Recipe!}

The cheesecake shots that I made for our 4th of July party were a HUGE hit! After seeing them here on Hostess with the Mostess, I had to give them a go! I'm bringing them up again because....
I don't think our party had even wrapped yet when my husband asked me when I could make them again - but he wanted the mac-daddy version...and entire cheesecake. Sidenote: I had a difficult time finding those shot glasses and after going to multiple stores, ended up scoring them at Walmart - the day before our party. The first Walmart I went to only had 2 sets, and I needed 3...so after two trips, to two different Walmarts, I got what I needed. Clearly I was determined to make this dessert! And I'm glad I did!

So last week I granted the husband's request for a full cheesecake and whipped one up. I used the same recipe that I did when making the cheesecake shots. It's a no-bake recipe. I do want to find a 5 star cheesecake recipe that requires the cheesecake to be baked in the oven, for comparison purposes to see which I like better. If I find one I'll be back with a post in the future letting you know how the two match up.

If you'd like to give this no-bake {and very easy} cheesecake recipe a try, here's what you'll need:

By Carrie of Half Baked

Ingredients:
– 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
– 1/3 cup + 1T sugar
– 1/2 tsp. vanilla
– 1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
– 8 – 10 graham crackers
– Fresh Berries {optional}
– Finely crush graham crackers.

Directions:

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until smooth....

Gently stir in cool whip until well blended... Fill a pie crust with the cheesecake mixture. I cheated and bought a pre-made graham cracker 9" pie crust...Refrigerate cheesecake for 4 hours, or until firm. Serve chilled. Top with berries, if desired. I topped mine with strawberries....
All of my cheesecake mixture didn't fit into the pie so I had a little bit left over, but not enough to fill another pie crust with. So what did I do with the excess? I made individual cheesecakes in champagne glasses..... Whether you want to make cheesecake mini's in shot glasses, or give yourself a larger version of the mini, here's what you do: Fill individual glasses half way with cream cheese mixture, either using a spoon or a piping bag fitted with a large round tip for a more polished presentation. Top with 1 tsp graham cracker crumbs. Shake glass to level crumbs. Fill to the top with more of the cream cheese mixture. Lightly sprinkle with additional graham cracker crumbs and top with berries {optional}. Again, even with these, refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Serve chilled. Makes roughly 16 mini servings, depending on the size of your shot glass. My left over cheesecake filling allowed me to fill 3 champagne glasses.

Tips:
– Use a Ziploc bag to fill glasses if you don’t have a piping bag. Just fill it partially, seal and snip off one corner. Squeeze out!
– Set out cream cheese ahead of time so that it is room temperature. This will help everything blend together and create a smooth consistency.