Healthified Impossibly Easy Chicken 'n Broccoli Pie Recipe

I made this recipe last weekend and really liked it.  It's incredibly easy to make, and this recipe is the "Healthified" version.

I love how the melted cheese on top gives it a golden brown appearance.

Just look at that chicken, broccoli, and cheese!!

The combination of egg substitute and baking mix gives it a "pie like" texture.

Great use of the broccoli I froze from my CSA last summer!!

Delicious!!

Click Here for the actual recipe from Live Better America.

Prep Time 10 minutes   Total Time 45 minutes   Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups frozen broccoli (I used some that I froze last summer from my CSA)
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cut-up cooked chicken breast (I used Tyson frozen diced pre-cooked chicken)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (I omitted this as I don't care for onion)
• 1/2 cup Bisquick Heart Smart®mix
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 eggs or 1/3 cup fat-free egg product (I used Egg Beaters®)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9" glass pie plate with cooking spray. Layer broccoli, 1/2 cup of the cheese, chicken, and onion in the pie plate.
2. In a medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, salt, pepper, and eggs with a whisk or fork until blended. Pour into pie plate.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes our clean. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 3 to 4 additional minutes or just until cheese is melted. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

I hope that you all enjoy this recipe as much as I did. I can't wait to make it again. Easy and quick enough for a quick week day meal after work. Great way to trick your kids into eating something green by making it "fun".

Keep your eyes out for a Raspberry Sweet Roll recipe I also made last weekend along with another spring tulle wreath for my sister's Adoption Fundraiser Auction.

Until next time...

Purple Butterfly Tulle Wreath

Here is the Purple Butterfly Tulle wreath that I made to donate to my sister's online auction raising funds to support their 3rd adoption of a little guy from South Korea.  It turned out fabulous!!  Please see below for the information for their website and bid on this wreath if you like it.

I just love the way this wreath turned out!!

Of course I had to add some embellishments!

Pretty purple, glittery butterfly.

Close up of the colors.  It's really dark purple, light purple, dark teal, light teal, and light brown.

I know the colors look a little weird in the photos.

Peacock feather.

Please bid on my wreath to support bringing my new nephew home!!

Please visit the Ellenberger Family Adoption Auction to bid on this wreath or a lot of other great stuff.  Or search for Ellenberger Family Adoption Auction on Facebook and "like" their page.  The auction will take place from April 21-27, 2013.  Please support this great cause and help them bring their new little guy home to his forever family.

Maybe another tulle wreath to donate to the auction and some recipes coming later this week.  Off to try my hand at making Raspberry Sweet Rolls now.  I'll post the recipe and the outcome later.  Until next time...

Late Winter Day at Longwood Gardens

Last weekend the temperature was in the 60s and I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon at Longwood Gardens.  When I went for the Orchid Festival a couple of weeks ago, I didn't walk around outside too much since the weather was cool and windy.  So I decided to enjoy a nice late winter walk around the gardens. Even in winter there are interesting photographs to take.  I skipped the Conservatory this time around since I was just there a couple of weeks ago and nothing has changed yet.

The "knees" of this tree are important to anchor it in it's swampy environment.

And it made for an interesting photograph.

Late winter trees overlooking the large lake.

I thought this trees trunk looked interesting.

A little unexpected pop of color!  A purple crocus!

Pathway along the main fountain garden

Interesting architecture in the main fountain garden.  

You can really see all the detail without the water.

Late winter witch hazel blooming.

I hope you enjoyed my latest photographs.  Right now I'm working on a couple of tulle wreaths I'm making for an online auction my sister is hosting to raise funds for their 3rd adoption, a little boy from South Korea (who is actually the half brother of a little girl they already adopted from South Korea).  I'll post pictures once they're finished along with the info about the auction once I find it out.  

Until next time...

Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Doughnuts

So here is a recipe that I made last weekend.  They were absolutely fabulous.  I'm now in love with baked doughnuts.  I made some pumpkin spice baked doughnuts in the fall that were amazing as well.  I'm now going to have to go in search of more baked doughnut recipes.

These doughnuts were made with mashed banana and greek yogurt, no vegetable oil.

They turned out so moist and delicious.

I could've eaten the whole plate in one sitting, but I didn't!

Please make this recipe, you won't be disappointed!!

FYI...I bought my doughnut pans from Bed Bath and Beyond.

(I was not paid by them for this plug!!)

This one had lots of chocolate chips in it.  Yum!

I got the recipe from Janie's Kitchen.  Though all of the above photographs were taken by me and are my property.

Baked Chocolate Chip Baked Doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Mashed Ripe Banana (I needed 2 small bananas)
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Fat Free Greek Yogurt (I use 0% Chobani)
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter (Melted)
• 2 Eggs (Room Temperature)
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups AP Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips (I used milk chocolate chips)

Topping (Optional)

• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Using your electric mixer with the whisk attachment, add the mashed banana, sugar and greek yogurt. Mix until incorporated.
3. Add melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract and mix.
4. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the batter and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
5. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop the batter into a zip lock bag and seal shut. Using scissors, snip the bottom corner of one side of the ziplock bag.
7. Grease your doughnut pan and pipe batter in each mold until 3/4 full.
8. Optional: Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of each doughnut batter before baking. Or you can dip the doughnuts once baked in the cinnamon sugar mixture. I didn't add the topping and I still thought they were wonderful!
9. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool before eating.  Yields approx. 1 dozen doughnuts.

Philadelphia International Flower Show 2013

So I attended the Philadelphia flower show yesterday morning.  It's been probably 6 years or so since I went.  It's never disappoints in terms of creativity of flower/landscape displays, and this year was no exception.  This years theme was British inspired and called "Brilliant!".  The only downside is the crowds that are always present.  Sometimes makes it difficult to get close to the displays are to take good photographs.  But for me it was definitely worth the price of admission and train ride into the city from the suburbs.

Replication of the gates at the royal palace.

Interesting water feature made from musical instruments.

Stunning orchids.

Display was called "London Fog" and used many umbrellas in interesting ways.

One of my favorite flowers!

One of the clematis blooms in the clematis in small spaces display.

I just thought this was interesting.

Spring is right around the corner...and tulips always make me think of spring!

This gorgeous cross and orchid display reminds me of St. Patricks Day, which is next week.

I wish I had a greenhouse like this, and a patio like this.

Big Ben clock.  Every hour there would be a light/sound display on it.

Hope you enjoyed some of the pictures I took at the flower show.  They definitely don't do the displays justice.  Stay tuned for some more Longwood Gardens photographs and a recipe coming up in the next few days. 

Until next time...

Shamrock 2x4 Project

Here is my latest 2x4 project that I finished last weekend.  Again thanks to my Dad for figuring out how to cut the pieces.  I know this challenged him a little bit!!

First I painted all the pieces, then used distressing ink to make it look a little worn.

Put some buttons and a cute bow on it to decorate it.

View of my fireplace.  It looks perfect in front of it with some forsythia and pussy willow in a vase.

Happy St. Patricks Day!!

Hope you enjoyed this project.  Next up I will be posting some pictures from the Philadelphia Flower Show and maybe a recipe!!

Until next time...

Easter Tulle Wreath

So over the weekend I finished my Easter tulle wreath.  I like the way it turned out.  This is the third one I've made.  I've also done a fall one and Christmas one.  I really like the color combination.  Definitely works for spring.

I like the Easter egg pick as an embellishment.

I think I used a 16" styrofoam wreath form.

I alternated 4 colors with a glittery one.

Looks pretty nice on my door!

Another close up of the eggs and colors.

Hope you enjoy!!  Happy Easter!!  Check back later this week or weekend for my 2x4 shamrock post for St. Patty's Day!!