BBQ Chicken Pizza

Made this last night, it was so delicious I had to share!

What You Need

1 pizza crust

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 jar BBQ Sauce

3-4 chicken breasts

2-3 T Liquid Smoke

1/2 Onion, sliced into strips

6 strips of Bacon

1 package pizza blend cheese

Directions

Place chicken breasts in large bag and add Liquid Smoke. Let marinade for 20-30 minutes, then remove chicken and grill till cooked through, then remove from grill and slice into 1-2 in. strips. While chicken is cooking place onion and bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium high heat until onion is soft and slightly caramelized and bacon is crisp. In small bowl combine tomatoes and BBQ sauce. Spread sauce over a pre-cooked crust, then top with chicken, bacon and onion, and cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes (or until cheese is melted through. Makes one large or 2 medium pizzas.

Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers

I had never actually eaten stuffed bell peppers before, but after having stuffed jalapeño poppers I thought I should give it a try, so here is my experiment, that I thought turned out pretty darn good!

What You Need

4 large bell peppers

1 lb Italian ground sausage

1 small onion, diced

2 c cooked rice (once again 1 c uncooked turns into 2 cooked)

1 bag Italian blend cheese

1 jar Spaghetti sauce

Directions

Slice off the top of each bell pepper and dice the edible pieces of the tops. Place diced tops of peppers, and onion in skillet and saute over medium high heat for 5 minutes then add sausage and cook through. While sausage is cooking remove seeds and inside ribs of bell peppers, then boil peppers in a large pot of water for 5 minutes. In large bowl combine sausage mixture, rice, and half of the bag of cheese. remove peppers from water, drain, place in 8x8 baking dish, or other large baking dish and fill each pepper with rice/sausage stuffing. Top peppers with spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes, until peppers are soft. Serve with French bread, and a side salad.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

I had these at our friend's Trent and Melissa's on New Years Eve. They were so delicious that I had to make them again the next night and wanted to share the recipe with all of you! Don't worry they are not spicy, just super delicious!

What You Need

6 Jalapeños, halved and with seeds removed

1 package Cream Cheese

1/2-1 c sharp Cheddar Cheese

6 strips of Bacon cut in half

Directions

Fill each jalapeño half to overflowing with Cream Cheese. Sprinkle each with cheddar cheese then wrap with half a strip of bacon, so that the end of the bacon is resting under the popper. Bake on a cookie sheet at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until bacon is fully cooked and pepper is soft. Let cool slightly, but make sure to eat it warm. Enjoy!

Green Chili Chicken and Rice

I found this recipe while taking a cooking class at BYU, and have modified it to our family's tastes. It is definitely one of my favorites! Enjoy!

What You Need

2 c cooked Rice (One cup uncooked turns into 2 cups cooked)

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 c sour cream

2 small cans Diced Green Chilis

1 bag Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large baking dish, using half of the bag of cheese mixed into the rice, and the other half sprinkled on top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, removing the lid for the last 5 minutes to make sure that the cheese on top melts through. Serve as is, or with a side of veggies.

(Original Recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook, but has been slightly modified)

Tomato Basil Soup

We spent Christmas Eve at our friends Gabe, and Abby's house. She made this amazing Tomato Basil soup from a recipe she got from her mother. The soup was so good that I had to get the recipe and share it with all of you. Enjoy!

What You Need

2 Jars Classico brand Spaghetti Sauce, Tomato Basil flavor

1 can Diced Tomatoes

1 pint Half and Half

1/2 pint whipping cream

1 bunch fresh Basil

Directions

Place basil, diced tomatoes, and 1 jar of sauce in blender and puree. Pour into large soup pot. Puree other jar of sauce, then add to soup pot. Add remaining ingredients stirring till well mixed. Heat on low for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. (It is important that you do not heat the soup too quickly as the it will cause the milk products to scald.) Serve with Parmesan Cheese, French Bread, and a Salad.

Side note: You can double the recipe and freeze any excess leftovers in an airtight container. To reheat, let thaw, and warm up on the stove over low heat for at least an hour.