Believe in the Magic Traci Diary

Recipes, Travels, and Stories

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  • Sundried Tomato, Chicken, & Feta Cheese – One Pot Pasta Dish

    Last weekend I found a blog that gave the exact portions to make a one pot pasta dish.  I decided to attempt to use the guidelines to make my own dish.

    I’ve been loving sundried tomatoes lately.  So it was only logical that I used sundried tomatoes in this recipe.  Yum!

    This dish would be good topped with Kalamata olives.  Or your favorite type of olive.  The rest of the family does not like olives so I didn’t top it with olives

    IMG_0221Sundried Tomato, Chicken, & Feta Cheese
    One Pot Pasta Dish

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 lb. chicken breast, diced into 1 inch pieces
    • 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
    • 1 c. chicken broth
    • 1 c. milk
    • 2 c. small pasta (I used bow tie pasta.)
    • 1/2 c. sundried tomatoes, cut into smaller pieces
    • 1 to 2 Tbsp. dried basil
    • 1/2 c. Feta cheese
    • 1/4 c. sliced Kalamata olives
    • salt and pepper, to taste

    Steps:

    1. Heat up a large skillet.  Add the extra virgin olive oil.
    2. Add the chicken breast.  Brown the chicken for 5 minutes.
    3. Add the garlic.  Cook for a minute.
    4. Add the milk, chicken broth, and pasta.  Turn up the heat up to high.  Allow to boil.
    5. Turn heat to medium low.  Cover.
    6. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove the lid.
    7. Add the sundried tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, and olives.
    8. Serve!
    9. Enjoy!

    The blog I found out the correct portions for one dish pasta dishes.  Recipe Rebel

    Happy eating,
    Traci

  • “Baked” Apples

    Hubby and I love the baked apples at Frisch’s Big Boy.  When we go to eat there, we usually will order the apples as one of our side dishes.

    I also like fried apples.  However I don’t usually have fried apples properly so this is an easy alternative.

    You need to use a good cooking apple when making the “baked” apple.  When I made it, I used jonagold apples which was a good apple to use for this recipe.

    When I made these apples, I first cored the apples and then peeled the apple.  (It really doesn’t matter which order you do it in.)  Then I cut the apple in half and then each half into fourths.  So I ended up with 8 slices per apple.

    “Baked” Apple

    adapted from Simply Recipes

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 3 to 4 baking apples, peeled and cored
    • 2 to 3 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
    • 1 to 2 tsp. cinnamon
    • 2 Tbsp. maple syrup

    Steps:

    1. Slice the apples into 6 to 8 slices each.  (Depending on the size of the apple.)
    2. Place the apple slices in a microwavable bowl.
    3. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the apples.
    4. Microwave for 5 minutes.  (Add more time if the apples are not tender.)
    5. Drizzle maple syrup over the cooked apples.
    6. Enjoy!

    I ended up adding more cinnamon to my apples.  I love lots of cinnamon.

    Happy eating,
    Traci

  • Homemade “Dole Whips”

    One of my favorite treats at Walt Disney World is Dole Whip.  Actually it’s one of many favorite treats at Walt Disney World.

    I didn’t find the exact recipe for Dole Whip but I found one that was close enough to satisfy the craving for Dole Whip.  There is a place 20 minutes from my house that sells Dole Whip so when I have the real urge to have some, I’ll go there and pretend I’m at WDW.

    Homemade Dole Whip

    Homemade “Dole Whip”

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 1 c. frozen pineapple chunks
    • 1/4 c. milk, use more if needed (dairy or coconut)
    • 1 – 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

    Steps:

    1. Place all ingredients in a blender.
    2. Blend until smooth.  If needed, add more milk (1 Tbsp. at a time).
    3. Enjoy right away

     

  • French Bread in a Bread Machine

    Okay the title of this blog is a little misleading.  You make the dough in the bread machine but then remove the dough to bake the bread.

    I was able to start the dough before we left for church and then make it into a loaf when we got home.  Easy peasy!

    (more…)

  • Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs

    As I have said previously, there are a few items that I cannot cook to save my life.  Hard boiled eggs are one of those items.

    I’ve shared my technique for making them in the oven.  This is my technique for making the hard boiled eggs in my pressure cooker.

    (more…)

  • Updates

    I’m not going to be posting any weekly menus for the next three weeks.  We are currently just eating out of the freezer because I have a lot of food stock piled in the freezer.  Hubby expressed his concern with the amount of food we have in there so I’m going to be use some of the food up.  Plus there is another reason I’m not going to menu plan but I won’t discuss it until a later time.

    Hubby and I are having issues with using the slow cooker for our dinners because he is either forgetting to turn it on low when he’s been asked to do it by me or I make the mistake of turning it on high instead of low because I think I’m using one crock pot but I’m using another crock pot.  Don’t ask.

    Anyway after our last issue with the crock pot, I went on Amazon and got us a new crock pot that is digital.  Sweet!  I already have one that has the automatic timer.  The problem is that it is huge and it only gives me two choices for the low temperature and two choices for the high temperature.  With this crock pot I can set the exact time I want and whether I want it to cook on low or high.
    image

    image

    Now I’m going to start looking for new crock pot recipes for the write 31 in October.  I’m going to do another 31 days of crock pot recipes.  I’ll type of the recipes on my Google Drive between now and then.  I’ll also upload the pictures of the recipes to the Drive.  Once October comes around, I’ll then share those recipes.  The recipes will be ready to go but not the blog posts.  Those blog posts will be fresh material so that I’m following the guidelines for the write 31.  (Although I may put some notes on the Google Drive when I’m typing up the recipe.)

    Here is a link to my new crock pot.  I’ll share my impressions of it after using it for a while.

    Happy eating,
    Traci

  • Overnight Oatmeal

    This is an easy recipe for breakfast.  You prepare it the night before and put in the fridge.  The next morning, you pull it out of the fridge and then set it on the counter to allow for the oats to warm up a bit.  That is unless you love the oats ice cold.

    This is a versatile recipe.  You can change it up depending on your imagination.  I’m sharing you a version that uses blueberries and strawberries.  The oatmeal is then topped with pecans.

    Overnight OatsOvernight Berry Oats

    adapted from Skinny Taste

    Stars of the recipe:
    • 1/4 c. quick oats
    • 1/2 c. milk (skim, 2%, almond, soy, or coconut)
    • 1/2 c. blueberries
    • 1/4 c. cut strawberries
    • 2 Tbsp. or less honey
    • 1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds
    • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon (more or less depending on your preferences)
    • 1 Tbsp. nuts

    Steps:

    1. Combine the oats, milk, blueberries, strawberries, honey, chia seeds, and cinnamon in a jar.
    2. Place in the fridge overnight.
    3. Take out of the fridge and allow to take the chill off.
    4. Add nuts.
    5. Enjoy!  (If you want, add Greek yogurt.)

    Happy Eating,
    Traci

     

  • Apple Cider Ham (Slow Cooker)

    Can you believe Easter is almost upon us?  Neither can I.

    I decided I wanted ham the other day for dinner.  Instead of cooking it the typical way in the slow cooker, I decided to cook it it with apple cider.  The Wee One told me that the ham tasted like applesauce.  The Imaginative One took a huge slice and ate it all.  I believe that this recipe is a keeper.

    IMG_0155

    Apple Cider Ham (Slow Cooker)

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 4 to 5 lb. boneless ham
    • 2 c. apple cider or apple juice
    • 1/2 c. brown sugar
    • 2 tsp. cinnamon (You can add more if you like the taste of cinnamon.)
    • 2 tsp. cloves

    Steps:

    1. Place the ham in the slow cooker.
    2. Pour apple cider or apple juice over the ham.
    3. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.  Pat the mixture on the ham.
    4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
    5. Enjoy!

    Here are more Easter recipes:

    Happy Eating,
    Traci

  • Blueberry Almond Spinach Salad

    Spring is upon us.  I crave more salads during spring.  Maybe it’s my body craving something healthy after the heaviness of winter dishes.

    Anyway this is one yummy simple salad.  I dressed it with maple Dijon vinaigrette but it would be equally delicious with the blueberry vinaigrette or grapefruit vinaigrette.

    blueberry almond salad

    Blueberry Almond Spinach Salad

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 1/4 c. fresh blueberries
    • 1/4 c. slivered almonds
    • 1/4 c. crumbled goat cheese
    • 1 c. fresh spinach
    • 1/4 c. cooked chicken, optional
    • 2 Tbsp. maple Dijon vinaigrette

    Steps:

    1. Toss the spinach, blueberries, almonds, goat cheese, and chicken if you are using it.
    2. Top with the vinaigrette.
    3. Enjoy!

  • Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

    As I said, I’m trying to post more salad dressing recipes on my blog.  I went to Pinterest to see if I could find any ideas of salad dressings.

    This one is yum!  Simple and delicious.  I could have licked the bowl after eating the salad.  However, that might have looked a little silly.

    IMG_0084

    Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

    adapted from Simple Bites

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 2 Tbsp. pure maple (not breakfast syrup)
    • 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
    • 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 to 1 tsp. pepper
    • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
    • 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

    Steps:

    1. Whisk all the ingredients together.  Or blend the ingredients using a blender or food processor.  (I used my blender cup.)
    2. Enjoy on your favorite salad!

    Use within a week.