Make it Monday [Spicy Chicken & Pesto Panini]

I wish I would take credit for this warm and delicious panini, but I sadly I can't. Its my husbands creation and its a great one. We've been making this for years and its always been a crowd pleaser. Can be made quickly for a group of house guests or even a special lunch while you watch your favorite team during Sunday Football.

I paired this with an IPA Beer and some potato chips.

We sure enjoy Sunday Football during nap time :)

Make it Monday [Sausage & Pumpkin Barley Risotto]

I love fall.

Lets be honest, its really the pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING that I'm really in love with... 

I mean pumpkin spice in my coffee? Yes Please! 

Pumpkin Pancakes? Duh!

Pumpkin desserts? Of course!

Pumpkin for dinner? Why not?

I keep pumpkin on hand from October through January so I'm sure this will not be the last pumpkin recipe I share this season.

This dinner came to be because I had leftover pumpkin from some pancakes...[yummy] and a I had made version of this that I made earlier with Sweet Potatoes.

I think this one is even better than the last!

Make it Monday [Balsamic Glazed Steak & Vegetable Wrap with Goat Cheese]

This wrap was inspired by my new love of goat cheese with anything glazed in balsamic. I had something similar at Corner Bakery a few months ago and I've been playing around with the combinations since then.

When I served this for dinner my husband said it was a restaurant quality meal. A huge compliment!

How to make it:

Make it Monday [Sweet Potato Barley Risotto with Italian Sausage]

Every Wednesday my girl friend Kate and I get together for a play date. Our kids are two weeks apart and they love to play together. These play dates are great for us moms too; we get to watch the kids play and socialize... win/win.

Since we spend most of the day chatting away, I always find myself at 5 O'clock with no dinner plans, scrambling to throw something together. Not an ideal end to any day. Then Kate told me about this crock pot Barley Risotto, [hers is vegetarian] so I gave it a try and my family liked it...my husbands only critique was that he wanted it to have meat.

I came up with this recipe and it was a huge hit. Play date days are now slow cooker days too, no more stressing about dinner!

Make it Monday [Watermelon Granita]

I'm back! I took an unplanned week off from the blog... I got wrapped up in making a cake for the Orange County Fair [I'll post about it later this week] and once that was done I jumped right into making party decor for the twins 2nd birthday! Can you believe they'll be 2 on Saturday? Crazy.

Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled posts..

Its summer and its HOT. Like our family I'm sure you'll be having or attending a few BBQs over the next couple months. A BBQ staple is watermelon, light and refreshing.. the perfect compliment to whatever is on the grill. Which leads me to this recipe....

We never eat an entire watermelon, always leaving us with about 1/2 left over. Then it dawned on me... Make a watermelon granita!

So easy to make and so darn tasty.

Here's how to make it:

Make it Monday [Red, White, Bacon & Blue Potato Salad]

Happy Monday Everyone! Hope you all had a great Father's Day yesterday.

We spent the day with my family & my in-laws. I really enjoy spending time with the whole family, its always a good time. We had a BBQ and I was asked to bring the potato salad. I remembered a blue cheese potato salad that we've bought from a grocery store deli before and I knew I had to make a blue cheese potato salad of my own.

I call it the Red, White, Bacon & Blue Potato Salad. I know its a mouthful but it's fun to say!

Here's how you make it:

Make it Monday [Hot Dog Cookies]

[this was my post for yesterday, sorry about the delay]These cookies are perfect for Fathers Day or even the upcoming 4th of July. They are a small and festive way to celebrate any BBQ!  I found this idea on A Taste of Home and I just couldn't wait to make them!  The original post didn't provide a lot of instruction so after making a large batch of cookies I think I got the method of shaping hot dogs down!

Here's what you'll need:

Make it Monday [Roasted Ranch Cauliflower]

Another week has started and can you believe we're in June?  

Its practically summer which means fun in the sun and birthdays... I can't wait!!

I found a recipe for homemade Ranch Seasoning a few weeks ago and I can't stop using it! I guess I have a serious Ranch addiction but its not that bad for you so I'm OK with it! :)

Recently I've been topping my roasted vegetables with the Ranch Seasoning and its just declieous. 

Here's how I made my Roasted Ranch Cauliflower.

Make it Monday [Spicy Asian Turkey Cabbage Wraps]

A few years ago my husband & I dined at P.F. Chang's and we enjoyed the Chicken Lettuce Wraps. They were great, so I decided I'd try to make my own version at home.

I used turkey instead of chicken and my husbands response was "these wraps are better than P.F. Changs!". It was a huge compliment.

I've been making these for dinner ever since, and they are always a big hit.

They are pretty easy to make once you get the right ingredients...

Make it Monday [Crispy Ranch Chicken]

Good Morning!

Today I'm sharing a new recipe that I tried out and loved! Its tasty and on the healthier side; two things that are important these days!

The twins loved it too!

Make it Monday [Skinny Chocolate Cheesecake Milkshake]

After such a rich cake post last week, I thought I'd share a lighter sweet treat. I've been making this for breakfast and its super yummy! Its my Skinny Chocolate Cheesecake Milkshake!

Sweets for breakfast? Yes Please!

Make it Monday [Chocolate Stout Cake]

Sadly I do not have pictures of this cake cut open, I only have pictures of it covered in fondant. But I had many complements and requests for this recipe at the birthday party so I am sharing them with you today.

This cake was a Chocolate Stout Cake, filled with Chocolate Coffee Ganache and topped with Chocolate Buttercream.

Make it Monday [Skinny Cookie Dough Dip]

Happy Monday everyone!

I've been on a diet for a little over a month and so far things are going great! I'm on track to reach my goal and I've been working out like crazy. I do however still have cravings for sweets; mostly chocolate. The hardest part about dieting has been Pinterest!!

All of those yummy recipes just call out to me. Well lucky for me I found one that I can eat and not feel super guilty about. I've discovered a blogger [love it when that happens], her name is Katie and her blog is Chocolate Covered Katie. I'm her new biggest fan!

Anyway I found this recipe for her Cookie Dough Dip and today I'm sharing it with you.

Make it Monday [Split Roasted Chicken]

This weekend was overcast and gloomy, not my favorite weather, then I remembered I had a whole chicken in my freezer. I decided we'd have a comforting and warm dinner.... Split Roasted Chicken.

Why the "split"? Well honestly because it roasts faster! I'm all for a faster cook time and still all the yummy goodness of roasted chicken. I made this with lemons and fresh herbs, we just love this combo when we roast a chicken...

It sounds much harder than it is; here's what you'll need.

Make it Monday [Breakfast Flatbread]

I've been eating really healthy for the last two weeks; I'm working on getting my pre-twin body back [finally]. So today I'm sharing with you my healthy Breakfast Flatbread.

My favorite part about this breakfast? Its fast & delicious!

Make it Monday [Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes]

These are my Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes and they are toddler approved! Easy to make & healthy... Good stuff for my growing toddlers.

The kids eat a lot of pancakes [always dry] in our house because they are hand held and I can make a few days worth at once; making breakfast time easier.

My kids don't get butter or syrup for their pancakes yet so a dry pancake has to taste good. I always know if they don't like them... because they end up on the floor. These passed with flying colors!

Make it Monday [Ruben Panini & Corned Beef Hash]

Hope everyone had a great St. Patricks Day yesterday! Ours was relaxing & low key; just us being a family. Some of my favorite times :)

Like us, I bet most people have left over corned beef from yesterday, so today I'm sharing two of my favorite ways to enjoy those leftovers!

Ruben Panini's and Corned Beef & Hash

Make it Monday [Guinness Corned Beef w/Sauteed Cabbage]

Every St. Patricks Day [since Joe and I moved in together, a long time ago] I make corned beef with potatoes, cabbage, onions & carrots. He loves it. About two years ago I tried something new and we don't have our corned beef any other way.

Today I'm sharing with you my secret to amazing corned beef and cabbage.

Make it Monday [Cauliflower Garlic "Bread"]

I came across this recipe a couple of weeks ago and I knew I just had to try it. Its actually pretty darn good. My toddlers even like it!

We found ourselves eating almost all of it, good thing its not really bread!

Make it Monday [Lemon Apple Blueberry Pancakes]

Pancakes are huge in our house and I've made enough over the past few months to no longer need a recipe! I was getting ready to make the twins blueberry pancakes [their favorite] when two other ingredients caught my eye: Lemon & Apple. I put them all together and they were great! The twins devoured them.