Kitchen Kollection

This weekend I picked up a few little things to add to my kitchen kollection. One can never have too many Texas themed items. I also found two ceramic egg trays that I had been in search of. Looking online they were averaging $29 plus for the solid white tray, but I found these cute polk-a-dot yellow and purple one's at Marshall's for $9.99 each. I love how they spruce up the icebox as well as keep you better informed on how many eggs you have or don't have on hand.

I Love You GBP

Guess who! Yep that's ME! 

I am Gooseberry Patch's fan of the week! 

What a thrill and honor this is! 

Dreams really do come true!

Frequent cookbook contributor and collector, 

Nichole is our Fan of the Week! 

Thanks for your friendship and 

enthusiasm all these years, Nichole...we appreciate you!

 

Pre-Packaging

If your like me, you love cooking with shredded cheese. But it can play havoc on some folks digestive tract. So our trusty friend Benefiber always comes in handy. So when buying my shredded cheese in bulk at Sam's I separate it into smaller freezer bags for easier use. Since Benefiber comes in a handy powder form, it's easy for me to add a tablespoon or two to the bags before freezing. This way when I pull out a package to use in a casserole or such, I won't have to remember to add it to whatever I'm cooking. Or if I happen to run out of Benefiber, it'll already be in the cheese and I won't have to worry about it. The bags that I add it to are easily identified by a "B" so that we know which ones have the powder and which ones don't.

 

Chicken Gyro

 

Sometimes you get a craving for something but you may not always have the 'traditional' ingredients on hand. Well, don't let that stop you from creating something just as yummy. This afternoon was one of those days that proves my point. I had been craving a gyro for a few days, but I didn't have everything to make a traditional Greek gyro, so I did a little improvising. You know what? It turned out just as delicious!

Some of you might be wondering what a gyro is. A gyro is a 'sandwich' is most commonly made using lamb, but other meats are used as well. It also contains vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce and onions. Most importantly, a gyro is made with tzatziki (a yogurt based sauce.) All of which is wrapped inside of pita bread. 

Enough talk, let's get in the kitchen and start creating!

1 lb sliced chicken fajita meat
Tzatziki sauce
purple onion sliced
tomato sliced 
Naan bread (or pita)
feta cheese (optional)

Saute chicken fajita until heated through. Remove from skillet and set aside. Place Naan bread or pita in skillet and heat slightly; flipping bread once per side. Remove and place bread on a piece of foil. On the middle area of each Naan bread or pita place about a Tablespoon of Tzatziki sauce, spread slightly. Layer onion, chicken and tomato. Sprinkle with feta cheese if using. Spoon more tzatziki on top of layered ingredients. Carefully fold Naan or pita wrapping foil around gyro to hold it together. Serve warm.  

Click HERE for printable recipe
 
 

Triple Chocolate Sour Cream Pudding Cake w/Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

My Mom's birthday was this weekend & no birthday is complete with cake. So in honor of Mom I made her a Triple Chocolate Sour Cream Pudding Cake w/ Vanilla Cream Cheese frosting. It's a super moist cake that definitely satisfies the sweet tooth. 

1 box Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate cake mix

1 (3.5 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 c. sour cream

4 eggs

1 c. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease & flour bundt pan. Set aside.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto cake plate.

Once cake has completely cooled, frost with icing. 

 

Icing:

2 (8 oz) pkgs. softened cream cheese

1 stick (1/2 c.) softened butter 

3 c. powdered sugar

3 tsp. vanilla extract

 In mixing bowl cream together cream cheese & butter until well blended. Add in vanilla extract. Slowly add in powdered sugar & mix well; scraping bowl down as needed. Frost cake as desired.

Click HERE for printable recipe