Smoky Mountain Chicken

Yummy Yummy Yummy!!! There is NOTHING bad about this chicken, it was absolutely delicious. I usually just eat half of my chicken and pass the rest on to Gray but I had to eat every bite of this chicken! This recipe is slightly adapted from BlogChef.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
18oz barbecue sauce
8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
1 1/2 cup colby jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped tomato




Heat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Season each chicken breast on both sides with pepper, garlic powder and italian seasoning. Bake for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven and brush with bbq sauce on both sides. Top each chicken breast with 1/2 cup of colby jack cheese and then with crumbled bacon. Return to the oven and cook for 8 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with green onion and tomato. 

Million Dollar Pound Cake

My Grandmama Sam was known for her pound cakes.  I don't remember ever seeing her and her not having a pound cake for us.  Everyone in her small town knew about them and our whole family loved them. She passed away several years ago and I asked for one of her pound cake pans, she had tons.  It took me a while to get up the guts to try one myself.  This is not her recipe. But in trying pound cakes this is one of my favorites so far! This recipe is from My Recipes.

1 lb butter (softened)
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
4 cups flour
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the butter on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. Slowly add in the sugar and continue to beat the mixture over medium heat. Begin to add the eggs one at a time until the yolks are gone. Alternate adding the flour and milk.  Once all of the milk and flour have been added the mix in the extracts. Grease a tube pan with generously with butter then lightly sprinkle flour on top of the butter. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 300 for 1 hour and 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. Let cool completely before slicing.

Pizza Primavera

I love a good pizza recipe!  We loved loading this up with fresh veggies, especially this time of year! This recipe is adapted from Pink Parsley.

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk 
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pizza dough recipe (this one or your favorite!)
3 thinly sliced asparagus spears
2/3 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/3 cup finely chopped vidalia onion
4 sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1 1/2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 425. Prepare your pizza dough according the recipe and roll it out. Brush with olive oil and place in the oven for 4-7 minutes then remove and set aside. In a sauce pan melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and let cook and bubble for 1 minute while you continue to whisk. Slowly whisk in the milk. Stir in the garlic and continue to whisk as it thickens up.  Once it's thickened whisk in 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese then remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.  Spread the sauce onto the pizza, you may not need all of it. Layer the spinach, onions and asparagus. Top with mozzarella and then add the tomatoes and mushrooms. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Chocolate Chip Reese's Pieces Cookies

I love Reese's Pieces, they are on e of those candies that I sometimes forget about but when I have them again I remember how much I love them. I adapted this recipes from Crazy for Crust.


1 cup butter (melted)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
 2 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract 
1 tsp baking soda
3 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup Reese's Pieces

In a stand mixer combine the melted butter and sugars using the paddle attachment. Add one egg and mix until fully combined then add the second egg. Mix in the extracts. In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and reese's pieces.  Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 3 hours.  When dough is ready heat oven to 350. Scoop the dough and roll into a ball then place on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until the edges are getting golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on a wire rack.

Creamy Corn on the Cob

We love corn on the cob especially in the summer when we can get awesome fresh corn! This is hands down one of the most delicious and easy ways to make corn!

4-6 ears of corn (shucked)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 stick of butter

Bring water to a boil in a pot then add butter and milk. Place the corn in the pot and let boil until it is cooked through. Remove corn and serve.