World's Best Alfredo

We absolutely love Italian food. In fact, we eat it at least once a week. We had the habit of going out to Olive Garden or Carrabba's and spending a fortune on pasta. So I had to figure out a way to make delicious pasta at home, that wouldn't cost a ton or take hours to make.

Well, I came up with this AMAZING alfredo sauce recipe. Believe me when I say, it's the world's best. I've been asked by so many people for this recipe and it's often requested by friends and family.

What you'll need:

• 3 Tbs butter
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg yolk
• 8 oz of heavy cream
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• salt to taste

How it's made:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add heavy cream. Stir constantly.

• Add in salt, nutmeg, and cheese, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.

• Once cheese is completely melted, mix in the egg yolk.
• Simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Serve over your favorite pasta and garnish with a little bit of Parmesan
• Enjoy!

Tropical Blueberry Smoothie

I absolutely love smoothies. They're super healthy and filling. I've tried so many variations. But one thing I absolutely cannot stand, is when people add in yogurt. But that's just me. So, none of my smoothies have yogurt in them.

Here's on of my go to recipes

What you'll need:

• 1 c Coconut Almond Milk Blend

• 1 c frozen mixed tropical fruit

• 1/2 c frozen blueberries

How it's made:

• Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smoothie consistency. You can add more milk if it's too thick.

French Toast Sticks

We absolutely love french toast. In fact, after we got married, Cody made me french toast for breakfast. It was the first time he ever cooked for me. So I guess you can say, french toast has a special place in my heart.

Well, we like to go out and explore on weekends. We always try to get an early start, but it doesn't always happen if we take the time to have breakfast. I mean you have to cook it, eat it and do the dishes. It's just time consuming. So I decided we should have have some finger food to take with us. So why not french toast sticks?

What you'll need:

• 6 slices of Texas Toast (day old bread is the best for this)
• 1 c heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Your favorite syrup

How it's made:

• Cut each slice of bread into 3-4 sticks (depending on the size you want them).
• In a large bowl whisk together cream, cinnamon, eggs, sugar and vanilla.

I just wanted to show off the measuring cups my grandmother gave me. Isn't it cute?

• Dip each piece of bread into the mixture, making sure it's coated on all sides. Shake off any excess.
• In a large sauté pan, melt  2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in the bread pieces 3-4 at a time. Be sure not to over crowd the pan.

• Cook until golden brown and slightly crisp on all edges.
• Serve with syrup!

This is my variation of the recipe from Just a Taste

Chorizo Cheese Dip

Last Friendsgiving, we had a taco bar. Although not traditional Thanksgiving, we had a lot of fun. We were each asked to bring something. One  of the ladies that attended brought this amazing chorizo cheese dip. It was one of those things where you just couldn't stop eating it because it was so good. I just had to get the recipe! And I did. Now, I'm going to share it with you.

You will need:

• 1 lb Corizo
• 1 small box of Velveeta Jalapeno Cheese
• 1 can of Rotel  tomatoes (you can use whatever blend you choose.)
• Shredded cheese

How to make it:

• Put chorizo in a pan. Cook until done. Drain off the grease.
• In a separate pan, melt the velveeta, stirring often to prevent sticking and burning. It helps if you cut the cheese into cubes. You can also add a tsp of milk to aid in the melting.

• Add the chorizo to the melted cheese. Add in desired amount of Rotel (we're not big fans of tomatoes, so we just add a little. Just enough for flavor). Mix together until well combined.

• Transfer mixture to a small casserole dish. Top with desired amount of shredded cheese. Put it in an oven preheated to 350 degrees, until cheese on top has melted.

• Serve with tortilla chips.

Now you have something to bring to your next pot luck, that everyone will love.

Butterbeer Recipe

I'm a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I grew up with the characters. If you're like me, you always wanted to go to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Heck I still do. One of the things I've always wanted to try is Butterbeer. I've looked all over the recipe trying to find a recipe that I feel tastes like what the books described. I've found many recipes although none quite lived up to what I had imagined. So I tweaked one of the recipes I found.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tsp water
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp rum extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup heavy cream, divided
• 3 Tbs butter
• 4 12 oz bottles of cream soda (very cold)

Directions:

• In a small pan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Boil until mixture reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Add in butter, salt, apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup of the cream. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Once the mixture has cooled, add in rum and vanilla extracts. Mix well.
• In a bowl, pour the remainder of the cream and 2 1/2 tbs of the brown sugar mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat until thickened. It should be frothy looking.
• Divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses. Pour is 1/3 cup of cream soda and mix well. Pour cream soda into the glass until almost full. Add the froth to the top.
• Now watch your favorite Harry Potter movie and enjoy your delicious Butterbeer.

Sloppy Joes... From Scratch!

My grandmother is hands down one of the best cooks I've ever know. She never had to go to any sort of school to learn. It just comes naturally to her. I guess she's where I get my culinary skill from. I've always been able to read a recipe, make it my own and come out with an awesome dish. My grandma is the same way.

On my last visit home, I asked my grandmother for any recipes that she wanted to give me. She gave me this Sloppy Joe recipe and told me it was delicious. And she was right. It taste way better than store bought. The color is a little different, but it's still absolutely delicious.

What you'll need:

• 2 tsp shortening
• 1.5 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 c chopped onions
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 Tbs flour
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 c ketchup

Directions:

• Melt shortening in a hot pan. Add in beef, onions and salt. Cook until done.
• Add in flour, chili powder and milk. Stir until thickened

• Gradually add ketchup.

• Serve on a bun. Enjoy!

Easy Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

I'm always down for trying new foods. I finally got around to trying rice pudding for the first time and let me tell you, it was delicious! If you've never had rice pudding, you have no idea what you're missing.

Anyway, I got some Crock Pots for Christmas and I'm completely obsessed with using it. So I've been creating recipes that will work in a slow cooker. So why not rice pudding?

You will need:

• 6 cups milk (whole, 2%, or 1%)
• 2 1/2 cups Minute White Rice (uncooked)
• 2 Tbs butter
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 Tbs brown sugar

How to make it:

• Using the butter, grease the inside of your slow cooker (4 qt works best). Set aside the butter to use later.
• Add in remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Gently stir. Add remaining butter on top.

• Cover and cook for about 3-4 hours. Rice will be tender when done. Stir well. Garnish with cinnamon. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

Over the course of the past few years, I've been gathering up some of my family's recipes. What better way to start a marriage, than with some tried and true foods, right?

Anyway, this year for Christmas, my parents got me a really nice casserole Crock Pot. And for our anniversary (two days after Christmas), they got us this really awesome three crock pot set. When my husband and I got married, my grandma got us a small crock pot for a wedding gift and we use it a lot. So getting these other ones this year, made me so happy!

I was visiting my granny one day and told her about my new Crock Pot and she said she had the best roast recipe. So, of course, I asked for it. It's so delicious!

What you'll need:

• 2 c baby carrots ( whole)
• 3-4 small potatoes peeled and quartered or 2 large potatoes cut in chunks
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 packet brown gravy mix
• 1 (2-3) lb roast

How to make it:

• Put carrots and potatoes evenly in the bottom of your slow cooker

• Using a knife, cut several slits into the roast on both sides.
• Put 1/2 tsp each of garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, and crushed red pepper on each side of roast. Rub the spices into the roast, putting it in the slits.

• Put the, now seasoned, roast into the slow cooker on top of the vegetables.

• Pour the two tsp worcestershire sauce on top of the roast. The empty the packet of brown gravy mix on top.

• Fill the slow cooker with water until the roast is mostly covered (or if you have enough room, completely covered) but do not overfill.

• Cook on low for 8 hours or until cooked thoroughly.
• Enjoy with your favorite sides!

The Best Frosting Recipe Ever!

Lately I've had a thing for baking and decorating cupcakes. I've been creating my own recipes for not only the cupcakes, but also the icing. Here is one of my favorite Icing recipes! It's perfect for any kind of cake or just to eat! I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients

2 egg whites (be sure they are room temperature)

3/4 cup of light corn syrup

1/4 cup of sugar

1/4 tsp of salt

2 t vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites and salt on a high speed until foamy. I highly recommend using a stand mixer. You can use a hand mixer, but it'll take longer.
2. While the mixer is still running, add in sugar slowly. Beat mixture  at  medium speed until soft peaks form (when you lift the mixture out, you should have little points in the mixture that bend at the top).
3. Bring the corn syrup to a boil in a small pan, on medium heat. Once syrup is boiling, remove from heat.
4. Slowly add the corn syrup to the egg mixture while the mixer is on high. Beat until stiff peaks form. This will take about 5 minutes.
5. Add vanilla. Mix well.

I recommend using this frosting quickly. It doesn't store well. Do not put plastic wrap over the iced cake. It'll make a mess.

Grandma's Pecan Tarts

Just like any family, my grandmother has always made the best sweets. I remember being a kid and going to her house after school. She'd always have some kind of goodies made and sitting on the counter.

One of my favorites that she makes is her pecan tarts. When I got married, I got super into cooking and baking, so I asked her for some of her recipes. I was lucky enough to get the recipe for her tarts and I couldn't be happier!

Ingredients: 

       For crust:

• 1 3oz package of cream cheese
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 cup of flour

       For Filling:

• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tbs melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of pecans

Directions:

• Cream together cream cheese and butter. Add in flour and mix well.

 

• Roll into balls and press into tart pans.

 

• Chop or grind nuts coarsely.

 

• Put some in the bottom of each crust in the tart pans.

 

• Beat eggs slightly with a fork.
• Add sugar, melted butter , salt and vanilla. It should have the thickness of honey

 

• Put mixture in each tart, filling it about 2/3 of the way full.

 

• Sprinkle more nuts on top.
• Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

 

Makes about 24 tarts.

Grandma's Buttermilk Biscuits

Growing up I was fortunate enough to get to spend a lot of time at my grandparent's house. I remember the smell of biscuits waking me up in the morning. I'd come downstairs to my grandpa making bacon or sausage and my grandma checking the biscuits in the oven. They were always so delicious. At the time, I could care less how they were made or where she got the recipe. But as I grew up, I needed this recipe and I became super interested in how she came to have it.

When I first got married and moved to Georgia, I called my grandma one morning asking her how to make her biscuits. We talked on the phone for over an hour, as she walked me through each step. But, like most family recipes, there weren't measurements. It was all done by eye. After a little trial and error, I was able to figure out exactly how she did it. Now I'm going to share it with you!

You will need:

• 2 c self rising flour
• 1 heaping Tbs Crisco
• 1 c buttermilk

How to make it:

• Put flour into a large mixing bowl. Using a dough cutter or fork, cut Crisco into flour well.

• Add in buttermilk gradually. Mixing well. You can add buttermilk by Tbs if more is needed. Dough should be sticky.

• Pat the top of the dough with a little bit of flour, so that it's no longer sticky to touch.

• Flour hands and shape dough into biscuits.

• Place on a greased baking sheet.
• Top each biscuit with a little butter

• Bake at 425 ° for 20 minutes or until slightly golden on bottom.

• Let cool slightly. Serve. Enjoy!

Did you enjoy this recipe? What is your go to breakfast foods?

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Cold weather is here and nothing can warm you up quite like a big bowl of soup. I, personally, am not a fan of canned soup whatsoever. It just doesn't taste like the homemade version. So I decided to come up with my own recipe for my favorite, Chicken Noodle.

You will need:

• 2 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1/4 c sliced celery 
• 1/2 c sliced carrots
• 1/2 c minced onion
• 8 cups of chicken broth (you can use more if you want it more soupy)
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (watch out for bones)
• 3 1/3 c egg noodles
• 1/2 tsp dry basil
• 1/2 tsp dry oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions: 

I just wanted to show off the new knife my husband got me with my name on it.

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add in celery, carrots, and onion. Cook until tender. 
  

• Add in chicken broth, shredded chicken, noodles and all seasonings. Stir to combine. 
• Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!