Strawberry Icebox Cake

Do you need a cool refreshing dessert?
No? Well how does this look?

This cake is not entirely bad but its not entirely good either. I mean it has strawberries and cool whip for goodness sake!
Maybe I should rename this cake to half n half! Half good for you and half just plain good to eat!
My Aunt gave me this recipe last summer and I instantly fell head over heels in love with it.
I love the simplicity.
I love the capacity it has to make my tummy smile.
I love that I only feel half guilty about eating a second piece.
I love that it is an all season dessert. Spring – yes, Summer – oh yeah, Fall – of course, Winter – bring it!
I love that it is a hit everywhere I take it.
I’ve made this cake 1…2…3…4 times since Thanksgiving. I’ve also given out the recipe 4 more times than that each time I made it.
Make this cake today so others can bug you for the recipe.
{Printable Link}
You will need:

• 1 box of Dunkin Hines French Vanilla Cake mix (or any white cake mix that you prefer)(or if your just that good, you can make your own cake). I’ve also used a strawberry cake mix before and it was good as well.
• 1 Can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Package of frozen strawberries (when in season fresh are the best!)
• 1 16oz container of Fat Free Cool Whip

Directions:

1. Bake the cake according to the instructions on the package.
2. As the cake is baking, dice up the strawberries into bite size pieces.
3. Once the cake is done and cooled, use the round handle of a wooden spoon to poke or “dig” holes into the cake. These will allow the sauce and the strawberries to take over the insides of the cake, YUMMO!
4. Pour the condensed milk over the cake letting most of it fall into the holes you created. Pour the rest around and over the top of the cake to make sure it is all covered.
5. Spread the pieces of strawberries over the top next letting pieces fall into the holes as well. Sometimes they need a little extra push to fall in :)
6. Lastly spread your cool whip evenly over the top of the strawberries.
7. Cover and refrigerate over night if possible. But if you cannot wait that long, at least give it two hours to chill!

Hello (tap, tap tap….)

It’s me! I promise I still exist!
I have no words for the last several months of my life so in a nutshell I’ll spill it…
3 major elections in Florida
3 major semesters of school
Teenagers
Highschoolers
Basketball games
Husband
Dog
Homework
Papers
College Graduation =)
Groceries
Coupons
Budgets
Meal planning
Laundry (blah)
Some running (I did say some)
I've missed blogging. I've missed normal. I've missed cooking and taking photos.
I still cook but not regularly.
I still eat but not regularly.
I still work out but not regularly.
I need regular. I miss regular. I have to have regular to feel regular!
My New Years Resolution is not typical I guess in a new years resolution sense.
Of course I want to eat better, save more money, stay healthy, work out more and yada yada but really what I want to do most is -
Blog more. Cook more. Save more and Share more!
My New Years Resolution is to YOU!
Blogging keeps me on track and motivated. You keep me motivated, so I dedicate this blog post to you and our future together.
This year has already proven to be on the laid back track.
I mean I haven’t gotten dressed in anything other than pj’s since Sunday.
Unfortunately it will come to an end Monday morning but hey for now I’ll pj it out!
So Happy New Year to you!
Happy New Year to us!
I can’t wait to cook, save and share!
Happy Wednesday! Happy First Week of 2013! Happy whatever you want it to be!
Have a great day or what is left of it!

Buffalo chicken Sandwiches – with Ranch please….

I came across this recipe in a magazine. I honestly don’t know which one because I tore it out immediately!
I’ve been doing that a lot lately – tearing things out immediately!
But this was so good y’all. I have a spicy spot for hot stuff.
It was an acquired taste that came along with my acquired husband (just joking honey if you read this :])
I like buffalo wings.
I like chicken.
I like simplicity and I love my crock pot so this was a match made in heaven before I even knew I needed to find it!
The original recipe calls for buffalo wing sauce but I wanted to be a rebel without a cause so I made my own! Cause I’m crafty like that.
Wait um I mean creative, no inventive, no…. never mind.
I just like making my own sauce. Man that sounded hilarious in my head.
I try……
I’m not a fan of Blue Cheese either. I don’t like it and don’t want to try it. Well, unless you secretly serve it to me and I like it without knowing then I guess it will be okay to say I like it. But otherwise, keep it outta my Frigidaire!
At least that is how I sneak things into my meals and it works for my bunch but I’m too smart for that so kids don’t try this at home! Ranch please……
Ok so simplicity you like huh? Well, here you go.
{Printable Link}
You will need:

• 3 - 4 to 6 oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen or thawed)
• 1 Cup Franks Red Hot Hot Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 2/3 cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Low fat or FF Ranch dressing for topping it all off
• Sandwich Rolls (I had some yummy bakery rolls but any Roll you prefer would work)

Directions:

1. In a crock pot, add all ingredients except ranch dressing and cook on low for 8 hours.
2. Once done, shred meat with tongs (easiest way to shred!) and mix it all up in the sauce in your pot.
3. Pile it onto your Roll, add Ranch dressing to your liking (or that other stuff, bleh).

Have one heck of an evening folks!
S-Kay-Ooo so glad you stopped by :)

Chicken Quesadillas and a HUGE Avocado

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time you know I love love love Mexican style food!
My love for guacamole has blossomed into a relationship that I can only describe as none other than obsessive.
I had to slow my roll with this wonderful item because I discovered it was adding life to my hips that was totally unwanted.
I can’t believe I never knew this before but when I found out how many points I’d eaten with just one avocado, I was sick I tell ya, sick!
It took more guacamole to recover from the shock of leaving it alone.
I recovered nicely and have been on a 12 step program to learn to walk away from the dipping bowl!
That was until someone brought me this HUGE avocado you see there in the background. Oh, but its too pretty to cut up. Actually I’m waiting on it to get just a wee bit more ripe then off with its…. um, skin??
Anyway back to reason you stopped by – The food!
I make these chicken quesadillas all the time and I can’t believe I’m just now posting them but here they go….
{Printable Link}
You will need:

• 2 – 4oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small green bell pepper – sliced into strips
• 1 small yellow or red pepper – sliced into strips
• 1 small onion – sliced into strips
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• Cumin – to taste
• Oregano – to taste
• Garlic power – to taste
• Salt & pepper – to taste
• 1 cup Mexican cheese blend shredded cheese. (I use Sargentos reduced fat)
• Fat free sour cream
• Guacamole (my homemade recipe or store bought – you choose. Wholy Guacamole is a good store bought choice if you can’t make your own)
• Salsa - optional
• 8 small soft taco size flour tortillas(or whatever type of flour tortillas you choose to use.)

Directions:

1. Half your chicken breasts so they will cook easier and will be easier to handle. Season them with the cumin, oregano, garlic power, salt & pepper to your liking.
2. Cook chicken until done and no longer pink in the middle.
3. While the chicken is cooking, cut up your peppers and onion.
4. Remove the chicken and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Once cool, slice them into strips or chunks, which ever you prefer.
5. In the same skillet, add the olive oil and the veggies. Cook for about 5 minutes or until tender.
6. Add chicken back to skillet and mix in with peppers and onions, turning the heat to low.
7. In a separate skillet warm up the bottom half of your tortilla.
8. Add cheese, chicken mixture, salsa, and sour cream. Top with another tortilla and let it melt the cheese for a few minutes.
9. Flip the quesadilla over so the top side is now on the bottom and let it get a little crispy or toasty.
10. Once it’s done remove and repeat for the remaining quesadillas you need.
11. Top them off with guacamole, sour cream, salsa or any toppings that float your boat at the moment.

This recipe serves 4 people.
Serve with chips and salsa or eat it all alone but whatever you do, Enjoy!!!
Happy Friday Folks!