baked bacon... for the win!!!!

i just feel like i can't not share this. you know when you have something so monumental happen to you and you couldn't possibly be selfish enough to keep it to yourself? that's exactly how i feel about baked bacon. yes... you read that right. baked bacon changed my life.

i was in the mood for some fresh bacon and decided to give one of my faithful pins a try. and low and behold, i found a winner!!!! it's easy, no mess & delicious. it doesn't get much better than that, my friends!!!

all you do is :

-line a cookie sheet w foil

-spread out the bacon slices

-bake at 400* for 7 min

-rotate the pan

-bake for another 7 min

-transfer bacon to plate w paper towel on it to drain

... and voila! you're done!!! 

seriously couldn't be easier and ten times better than the old-fashioned skillet way!!! just trust me, k?

ps--if you want to check out any of my other pinterest recipes that have been successes, check out my pinned & tried board!  

my go-to choc chip cookies!

in honor of yesterday being nat'l choc chip cookie day, i thought I'd share my go-to all time fav recipe! anytime i take these to a party, someone alllllways asks for the recipe. i think that makes it a keeper! :)

pinterest has been very hit or miss for me when it comes to recipes. like i've said before, i don't claim to be good in the kitchen. i'm not saying it's always the recipe's fault... but they don't always work out for me. it's pretty depressing, actually. and just when i was about to give up on pinterest recipes altogether, i found THE best chocolate chip cookie recipe. better than any other choc chip cookies i've ever made. so, without further ado...

BEST choc chip cookies

3/4 cup salted butter, soft

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp corn starch

1 tsp baking sofa 

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup semisweet choc chips

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350. 

2. cream butter & sugars w mixer. 

3. add in egg and vanilla. 

4. mix in flour one cup at a time. 

5. add in corn starch, baking soda & salt. mix well. 

6. stir or mix in choc chips. 

7. spoon dough onto a cooking sheet. i fit about 12 on each pan. 

8. bake 8-10 min until golden on top. do NOT bake more than 10 min. (trust me!)

y'all will thank me for this recipe later! these babies are fluffy, soft, chewy deliciousness!

easy crockpot chicken tacos amazeballs!

if you've read much of my blog, you may get the impression that i'm savvy in the kitchen. well... i am here to tell you that that couldn't be farther from reality. i wish i liked to cook, i wish i liked to do the dishes afterwards and i reallllllly wish i had a husband that knew not to compare my meal to carrabba's (yes, i'm serious about that last one). i really shot myself in the foot because when grant & i first got married, we were both working, both had no clue how to cook & lived near a bunch of amazing restaurants. ergo, we ate out. like every other night. we ate some darn good food and food that is impossible to replicate.

fast forward 6 years and i am now a stay at home mama with more time than ever before to meal plan, grocery shop & get a meal on the table. the desire to cook in me is starting to grow, but i am nowhere near the pioneer woman! thanks to my handy, dandy pinterest, i've found some recipes lately that are tasty, versatile & most importantly... EASY! i have a feeling my crockpot will quickly become one of my dear friends!

ok, ok... enough with my cooking history!!! you've gotta try these easy, peasy crockpot chicken tacos! like tomorrow! :) since it makes plenty of chicken and i got sick of eating chicken tacos for lunch every day, i switched it up and made quesadillas w the chicken! and they're amazing! so, without further ado...

EASY CROCKPOT CHICKEN TACOS

1 package taco seasoning
1 24 oz jar of salsa
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. pour the jar of salsa in the crockpot and dump in the packet of taco seasoning.
2. toss the chicken in & make sure as much of the chicken is covered w the salsa.
3. turn on low & let it be for 6-8 hours.
4. the chicken will be falling apart, but shred any remaining chunks.
5. ENJOY!

this recipe could NOT be easier. and that's comin from a lady who doesn't know much about cooking! the original recipe called for a 16 oz jar of salsa, but i wanted to make sure that it didn't get too dry in the crockpot. honestly, 20 oz would prob be the perfect amount, but go with your heart! :)

the best monster cookies!

i am sure that man cannot survive on monster cookies and monster cookies alone, however, this week i have totally put that to the test. with being sick and NOTHING sounding good, the monster cookies i made for easter have been my go-to. hey, at least they have oatmeal in them! and protein... err peanut butter! whatever! there's a million monster cookie recipes out there, but this my fav that i've found! just throw everything in the mixer and go!

here's what you'll need:

-3 eggs
-1 1/4 cup white sugar
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract (*see note below)
-1 12oz jar creamy peanut butter
-1 stick butter (softened)
-1 cup m&m's
-1 cup choc chips
-2 tsp baking soda
-4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)


Directions:

1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees. line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. in large mixing bowl, cream the eggs & sugars. add salt, vanilla, peanut butter & butter. mix well.
3. add in m&m's, choc chips, baking soda & oatmeal.
4. using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop the dough and drop on the cookie sheet. push down on the dough with the measuring cup to flatten it. note: i only put 8 cookies on each sheet to allow room for them to expand.
5. bake 8-10 min. check at 8 because they bake quickly!!
6. let stand on cookie sheet for 3-4 min before transferring to wire cooling racks.

note: i realized that i hadn't stocked my pantry with vanilla AS MY EGGS & SUGAR WERE MIXING!!! i quickly googled substitutions for vanilla and i found that you can use maple syrup in the same amount as the recipe calls for. so... i used 1/2 tsp of syrup and i couldn't tell the difference! life saver!!!!

easy apple dumplings

y'all. my mother-in-law introduced me to this recipe and i feel compelled to share because it's too good to keep to myself! these are the easiest apple dumplings you will ever find!

-crescent apple dumplings-

2 packages crescent rolls (16)
2 granny smith apples (16 wedges, peeled)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
1 stick of butter

unroll & separate crescents. place 1 apple wedge on each roll & roll up. place in 9 x 13 pan. in saucepan, heat brown sugar, apple juice & butter until disolved. pour over apples & sprinkle with cinnamon. bake 30 min @ 350 degrees.

easy peasy. just make sure you have some delish vanilla ice cream on hand to top the dumpling with. you can thank me later! ps- we halve the recipe.