Super S'more Brownies

Mmm, this idea is so delicious! (Thank you Cuisine at home!) All you have to do is make your favorite brownie recipe (or box) and bake it in an 11x17 baking sheet. (Make sure you grease the bottom well.) After your brownies are done top them with 1 cup mini marshmallows, 3/4 c. coarsely chopped graham cracker crumbs and 3/4. cup chopped chocolate. Put 'em under under the broiler until the chocolate melts and the marshmallows puff.

Want to know something cool? You can even GRILL them. Combine the marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate and top brownie squares. Grill on low heat until the chocolate melts and the marshmallows puff. I think this is my new favorite way to make brownies! And if you really want to go for the gold, try using a Symphony bar with almonds and toffee. If I gain 30 pounds this summer, this recipe is why!

Creamy Pasta with Ham and Broccoli

I really love cooking. When my cooking mags come in the mail I get really excited and generally read them from cover to cover. Recently I took a copy of one to a youth activity which I needed to attend but in which didn't want to participate. (Turns out 29 isn't a good age to learn how to roller skate.) Some of the kids laughed as they skated by and saw that I was reading up on different kinds of oil and their uses.

Recently my zeal for the kitchen has fizzled. It's probably a product of the long winter. I love being a mom and staying home but the longer the winter lasts the more the walls look like prison cells and the children behave like inmates. Sometimes even the warden wants out of prison. My point is, even though I love cooking, it feels like a chore at times.

To assuage the feeling of working in the kitchen, I've attached myself to simple recipes that yield delicious results, like this one. It has only 5 ingredients: broccoli, ham, noodles, cream cheese and water.

Start by oven-roasting some broccoli.
Then chop up some deli ham.

Cook some noodles until al dente and save some of the pasta water.

Mix the pasta water with the cream cheese.

Then stir it all together.

And that's it. Simple enough, huh? Go here to see the full recipe from Everyday Food.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I have to say that I am not one for much Chinese Food, but I really love this Sweet and Sour Chicken. This recipe is not difficult to prepare, you can make it to feed a crowd and it tastes delicious to boot!

Heat up a large skillet over medium heat. Start with some chicken breasts (use as many as will get eaten), dip them in some beaten eggs and then dredge in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Shake gently to remove excess.

Add 1/4 inch oil to your skillet and fry those chicken breasts until they are golden and crispy.

Place the browned chicken in a large, shallow casserole. Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup white vinegar, 6 cubes chicken bouillon, 1 cup hot water, 1 cup ketchup and 6 tablespoons soy sauce. Pour sauce over the chicken.

Place in a cold oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45-60 minutes. Serve over cooked rice. Or you can really go for the gold and serve it with Bacon Fried Rice.