* Costa Vida Chicken Knock off *

For Max's birthday party dinner, I wanted to do something easy, yummy, and that could feed a good number of people. I found this yummy recipe at Your Homebased Mom and it was perfect for our dinner.

*Costa Vida Chicken*
(I forgot to take a picture...sorry!)
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast

(this recipe can be easily halved or you can make the full batch and freeze the leftovers for another meal! Good menu planning!)

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour. Serve in tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, on nachos, on salads, etc.

* Hot Fudge Sundae Cake *

My baby boy turned ONE yesterday!! We are having a little family party this next weekend when our families come up to visit but I still wanted to do something different to make it a less-ordinary day. I decided to make this Hot Fudge Sundae Cake out of the Betty Crocker cookbook and it was a hit with our little family. (Don't worry, my little guy will get a real traditional frosting cake at his party...)

*Hot Fudge Sundae Cake*

1 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 T. baking cocoa
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. milk
2 T. vegetable oil
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped nuts (opt.)
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1 3/4 c. very hot water

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix the first 5 ingredients in 9x9 pan (I used a 9 inch round cake pan). Mix in milk, oil, and vanilla until batter is smooth. Sprinkle brown sugar and cocoa over the top of batter. Pour hot water evenly over the top. Bake for 40 minutes and cool for 10 minutes. Serve with ice cream.
(How can you resist that?)

* No Bake Fudge Oatmeal Cookies *

I LOVE love LOVE these cookies! Seriously...what part of chocolate, peanut butter, and no bake is not to love? I've had this recipe for as long as I can remember so I must have gotten it from my mom? or sister? Anyways, it's delicious and I could probably eat the whole batch by myself (and I pretty much do because my hubby doesn't eat much of them).

No Bake Fudge Oatmeal Cookies
2 c. sugar
2 T. cocoa
1/4 lb (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk

-Bring ingredients to a boil and boil for one minute. Cool for one minute.

Add:

1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. peanut butter
3 c. oats

Drop by spoon on waxed paper. Cool...and devour!

* Speedy Stroganoff *

I got this recipe from my Aunt Jana in a cookbook she gave me at a bridal shower. It's a quick and easy meal and I always have all of the ingredients on hand!

*Speedy Stroganoff*
1 lb. ground beef
2 T. onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 T. worchestershire sauce
1/2 c. sour cream
noodles or rice

Brown beef and drain off fat. Add chopped onion. When onion is tender, add mushroom soup and worchestershire sauce and stir until well blended. Stir in sour cream. Heat through and serve over rice or noodles.