Who cut the cheese?

Now I don’t condone eavesdropping, children, but I couldn’t help myself tonight.

I was at my local pizza joint ordering a large works no olives when the phone rang and Pizza Guy answered. Obviously I could only hear his side but I think you can get the gist without the other end.

Pizza Guy: Thank you for calling Valentino’s Pizza. This is John. Would you like to try any pizza with extra cheese?
Pizza Guy: One large cheese would be $6.99
Pizza Guy: Extra cheese would be $2 more.
Pizza Guy: Yes ma’am. Extra cheese does cost extra.
Pizza Guy: No, the pizza does come with cheese but if you want more cheese you pay extra.
Pizza Guy: Yes, it’s the same kind of cheese but you just get more.
Pizza Guy: I guess that’s true. A large pizza would have more cheese than a medium pizza.
Pizza Guy: So you want to order a large cheese pizza but on a medium pizza?

I’ve never seen someone get so red in the face. I had to turn away to stifle my snort.

Aren’t you glad you aren’t in retail anymore? I know I am.

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Brown Sugar Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Originally this recipe was just called plain ‘ol Crockpot Chicken Tacos but no offense to Erin of Prudence Pennywise (Love you girl!) I feel like you have to highlight the goodness that is brown sugar too. Although the title probably won’t fit on a tweet anymore, it’s a chance I’m willing to take. HA!

Even though there are TONS of crockpot chicken taco versions online, I decided to try this one b/c of the brown sugar. Hey! I’m a baker. So “brown sugar” (or “honey”) has big neon flashing lights around it when I read any recipe esp if there’s shrimp involved.

Mmmm… shrimp. I’m kinda like a Donut Homer but with shrimp. *tongue sticking out of side of mouth, throat gurgling and drooling*

Oops. Sorry. Tangent.

You’re here for the Chicken. Breasts.

(Amazing how a little punctuation can change the focus of the sentence, eh? *giggle*)

Brown Sugar Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Recipe from Prudence Pennywise
Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 2 frozen boneless chicken breast)
1-14 oz can petite diced tomatoes*, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes** (I used 1/2 tsp)

*If you can't find petite diced tomatoes, you can chop up regular diced tomatoes into smaller pieces.
**You can substitute tabasco or sriracha to taste for the red pepper flakes.

Favorite taco fixings:
guacamole
shredded cheddar cheese
lettuce
sour cream
salsa
cilantro
whole wheat tortillas

Instructions:

Spray the inside of crock pot with PAM. (I use crockpot liners for easy clean up!)

Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Transfer chicken breast to a bowl and shred with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with your favorite taco fixings.

ENJOY!

Husband rating: A
He had nothing but raves. And ate 2 tacos before I could even finish one!

Wifey rating: A
I’m kind of a taco snob. I love fish tacos, shrimp tacos and carne asada tacos but I’m not a chicken taco person. My husband likes chickens. I like cows. But this one may have changed me. The brown sugar and red pepper were a yummy combination of sweet and heat. Put it all together in a tortilla and you got yourself a tasty meal that’s very low maintenance. Now that’s what I like to hear.

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Easy Tilapia Casserole

My husband tells me all the time that when he was a little kid, he wasn’t a big fan of his mother making casseroles for dinner. I think it was all the corn and peas that she tried to sneak in so her boys could get some much needed vegetables. But as an adult he’s become a fan. Even though he’s still not a fan of peas and corn mixed with other stuff. Maybe that’s why he’s not a big meatloaf-er.

Lately I’ve been all about the casseroles.

I think it’s an Asian thing. Or maybe it’s just my family. I remember many of my mom’s dishes being a combination of different ingredients all thrown together (ex fried rice, eggrolls, pho, Viet meatloaf etc) Even when I eat food that has it’s own separate spot on the plate – veggies on the left, starch on the right and protein in the center – I find myself using a fork to push everything around the plate so that some of the veggies are smushed up with some starch so that I get a bite of everything at the same time. Anyone else do that or is it just a me thing? Oh come on! I can’t be the only one.

Speaking of throwing things together… I found The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever at Costco a couple weeks ago (I’m always browsing through their cookbook section!) and I’ve been making various casseroles from it. They are good but I haven’t found one that gives me the ‘WOWIE I AM SO MAKING THIS ONE AGAIN’ sentiment yet.

Maybe 3x the charm?

TIP: Costco sells individually wrapped frozen tilapia fillets in their freezer section. You can buy prepackaged gnocchi at Trader Joes or in the ethnic aisle of your grocery store or you can make your own.

Tilapia and Gnocchi Casserole

Recipe adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter, melted
1 lb frozen tilapia fillets, thawed (I used 4 fillets)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 lb potato gnocchi
2 dashes Tabasco sauce (I used a "tad" of Sriracha instead)
1-1/3 cups heavy cream or 1-10-3/4oz cream of shrimp soup (I used heavy cream)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Panko or fine dry breadcrumbs (I used Panko)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter or PAM a shallow 2 quart casserole dish.

Rinse the tilapia and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate bowl, combine the tabasco and cream (or soup). Set aside. Distribute the gnocchi in an even layer in the casserole dish. Drizzle half the cream mixture over the gnocchi layer. Top the gnocchi with tilapia fillets. Add the remaining cream mixture on top. In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan cheese, panko and 2 tbsp melted butter. Sprinkle over the fish so everything is evenly coated.

Bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes until fish is flaky.

ENJOY!

Husband rating: A
He loves fish and gnocchi separately but wasn’t sure what to think of putting it together. But it got over his apprehension after one bite. Even though he’s a wuss when it comes to spicy, he could taste a little bit of sriracha but still enjoyed the flavor it added to the dish. I always know it’s a winner when he ends the meal with … “Add this one to the rotation, honey.”

Wifery rating: A
I know the instructions say to use a 2 quart casserole dish but apparently I was/am ignorant b/c when I think of casserole I think of my 9×13 Pyrex dish. But according to (this), a 2 quart casserole conversion would be more like an 8×8 instead. It didn’t seem to make a difference in baking time though. After 30 minutes the tilapia was flaky and the gnocchi and sauce were so yummy with just a little bit of heat from the sriracha. Brownie points for being easy too. I got the WOWIE feeling with this one. Definitely will make again.

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Bring it, Rain.

Who needs rainboots? Apparently 86 of you did! And boy did you all have opinions on rain boots. Loved reading all your reasons behind your choices. Too funny.

Thanks for all the Rainy Day **Giveaway** comments!

“But only one can be the winner…” ~Heidi Klum, Project Runway

CONGRATULATIONS Elly! Please email me your address and I’ll get your $25 Target gift card in the mail ASAP! I hope you’ll come back and show me pics of your new pink and brown polkadot rain boots.

So… anyone curious about which rain boots I bought? I was “this” close to getting the lemon+orange one.

But leave it to me.

To be distracted by the cute little red bird. (Ugh I have man calves!) But do you see what I see?

Get up really close? (But try not to look at my legs. I haven’t shaved in a month. TMI?)

The cute little red bird IS NOT sitting on an equally adorable curly Q tree branch as I originally assumed. It’s sitting on a FRIGGIN’ pistol barrel! Suddenly I feel SO hardcore. Bring it, Rain!

Ironically I don’t want to wear them outside b/c I’m afraid they’ll get wet.

Happy Friday readers. Enjoy the sunshine!

TIP: Every review on Target’s website said that the rain boots run big so many suggested buying a size lower than you usually wear but I wear size 6 normally and that’s the smallest size they had so I chanced it. My size 6 rain boots fit me perfectly so I’m not sure what everyone else is talking about. Go figure. *shrugs

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He Said She Said

He: I don’t know why my bathroom gets so dusty. How do you keep your bathroom so clean?
She: I clean it.
He: Oh.
She: What? You thought there was a dust bunny fairy in a French maid uniform that comes to our house every day?
He: *looking hopeful*
She: No.
He: Oh.

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