Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

 

I LOOOVE spaghetti!

I could probably eat it at least three times a week.

I’ll eat it ANY way! Quick and easy from a jar (or can), from scratch, from a restaurant, or from any loving person that wants to make it for me. WINK WINK 

This is one of our favorite ways to eat spaghetti.

Before we were Gluten Free I made this with whole wheat pasta. Now I like to make this with a corn and rice blend. You can use 100% rice but I think it gets a little mushy. 

Copycat Orange Julius

I’ll admit I actually have no idea whether or not this really tastes anything like an Orange Julius.  I haven’t had an orange julius from an official Orange Julius in many years due to the fact that the only Orange Julius places I know of are located inside of shopping malls, and I avoid shopping malls any cost. 

Whether or not it tastes anything like the real thing, though, it is certainly delicious.  My kids have been requesting them at least once a week since I discovered the recipe.   
photo courtesy jmac & kmac; recipe courtesy Raining Hot Coupons

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

 

WOW the last couple of months have been a whirlwind, we are looking for a new home FOUR hours away from our current one! I never thought buying a house would be so exciting and discouraging all at the same time. There is not a lot of homes on the market where we are moving and when they do, if they are decent they sell with in a few days.

My sweet hubby has been living in a hotel and traveling back and fourth. My sweet little children and I spent the last two weeks with him. It was a lot of fun with three kids in a small motel room. I think the best part was …..um…..ok it really wasn’t that fun. (Don’t get me wrong we did have fun but it was really crazy!)

One thing that I did was cook dinner with only a microwave and a electric skillet. Does that make me a SUPPER MOM?!

I think it does!  ;)

I love these crispy southwest chicken wraps! They are really easy to make (even in a motel, with the right equipment)!

I used to make them with flour tortillas but now that we eat gluten free I use corn tortillas and make quesadillas. My kids eat them up!

Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is a go-to for us during the summer months.  It’s easy to throw together, using a number of both flexible and fresh ingredients. It is easy to take along in a cooler when you’re going to be away for the day (“Anybody wanna go to the amusement park?”) because you don’t have to worry about keeping a mayo-based salad safely cold! 

It’s not uncommon for us to enjoy this salad all by itself as a light dinner after a day at the pool, but it also makes a great side with burgers on the grill or a welcomed take-along for any pot luck or covered dish. To make it gluten free, simply substitute cooked, cooled quinoa for the pasta.  We like it just as much served this way!  
I can’t remember where I grabbed the image used on this card.  If it’s yours, just let me know and I’ll give credit where credit is due!

General Tso’s Chicken

For years after discovering tiny spicy chicken, I searched and searched for the same dish at other Chinese restaurants, always to no avail.  Apparently, tiny spicy chicken is exclusive to Mandarin Gardens (and your own kitchen, now that you have a recipe to make something similar!).  One desperate day, I finally inquired at another favorite Chinese restaurant whether they might have something similar.  It pays to ask, because that day I finally learned that there is a similar dish known as General Tso’s chicken that is commonly found on a Chinese food menu.  While they are different, they both pack that sweet-and-spicy, tangy punch that I just love!  And while all restaurants have different recipes, I find I like most restaurant versions of General Tso’s.  That’s why I was thrilled to find one I could easily make at home.

photo courtesy and recipe adapted from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Tiny Spicy Chicken

When Sweet Mama shared her recipe (and The Sweet Mister’s love) for sweet & sour chicken last week, I couldn’t believe how similar it was to my own!  Great minds cook alike!  It also reminded me of a couple other similar recipes that my Saucy Family absolutely LOVES!  I’ll share them both today, but I’m going to give them each their own separate post.  They’re similar enough that you probably only need one of them in your Chinese food repertoire, but they’re both good enough to warrant at least one try apiece to decide which one your family prefers.  

This particular recipe is a knock-off of chicken dish they serve at a local Chinese restaurant.  Everybody I know who lives or has lived in Cache Valley knows about the Tiny Spicy Chicken at Mandarin Gardens!  I was so excited when I found a knock-off recipe; I couldn’t wait to try it!  I would say it’s not spot-on, but it is pretty darned close.  Close enough for me, since I can feed my entire family dinner and have leftovers for lunch tomorrow for the same cost of a single dinner plate at Mandarin Gardens!  Just my saucy style!recipe adapted from The Provident Homemaker; image courtesy Mandy’s Recipe Box

Baked Sweet and Sour chicken

 

My sweet husband has been living in a hotel. Eating out isn’t a good option for him because he has a wheat allergy. I make him four different meals each week, so he doesn't have to risk eating out. He has asked for sweet and sour chicken with fried rice for three weeks in a row now.

Does your family like to eat the same things over and over again?

It takes a little bit of time but it is easy, supper yummy and fulfills our cravings for the restaurant stuff we can’t have.

I like to serve this with Fried Rice.