Jenn's Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs

This recipe comes from Jenn at a Pop of Style and it looks delicious! I can't wait to try it! :) Remember to keep sending recipes my way!

I grew up on hot dogs. It clearly explains the almost-never-ending baby fat stage I went through, but after all of these years, I've never grown sick of eating them. They're almost always a staple in my refrigerator, and while they may not be the healthiest choice, they sure are easy to make.

So I figured... since they're not healthy from the start, why not make a completely unhealthy meal out of it by wrapping them in bacon?

Sure, why not.

This was an idea I snagged from one of my many favorite kitchen blogs, and it has all of the makings of the ideal summer recipe: grilled, quick and cheap. (Although I'm pretty sure we like quick and cheap every season of the year.)

Since my apartment didn't come with a grill, I used my handy dandy George Foreman instead.

Serve it with watermelon or a spinach salad with strawberries and candied walnuts (or both!).

xxo

Bacon-wrapped hot dogs


2 hot dogs
2 thin slices of bacon
1/3 white onion, medium sliced
1/3 red pepper, medium sliced
1/3 yellow pepper, medium sliced
2 hot dog buns (forget the health kick, and buy ones almost the size of sub rolls!)
2T olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Wrap the hot dogs with one slice of bacon.

2. Heat olive oil in skillet/pan over high heat. Add onions and peppers, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook for six minutes, until they are softened.

3. Grill the bacon-wrapped hot dogs until they are heated through (about seven minutes), making sure you cook the hot dogs on all sides. While you're doing this, toast the buns on the grill or in a separate pan on the stove top.

4. Serve hot dogs in toasted bun and top with the onion/pepper mixture.

-- Makes enough for two.

Allison's Enchiladas

This isn't her exact recipe because she usually omitted the Campbell's soup and sour cream, but my dad has made it this way and it's pretty good and easy to make! This comes from Campbell's recipe site, which always has quick and easy recipes :)

Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or98% Fat Free)

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

6 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed

1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions:

• . Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.
• . Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.
• . Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side down in an 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.
• . Bake for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion.

I also have some great news for those of you who have followed me on my job searching journey! I have an interview Wednesday with a PR firm in Nashville for a internship! Pray that it goes well and that I'm exactly what they're looking for. 

Hope y'all have a fun and great Saturday!

xo,

eMr

Taylor's Yummy Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of my all time favorite recipes that I picked up while in college. It comes from my friend Taylor (if you couldn't tell by the name) and its super easy to make and great for a group of people.

 This was taken freshman year of college at a Campus Crusade for Christ retreat! (which ironically enough was where I was first introduced to Taylor's Yummy Chicken Pot Pie haha) Taylor's on the far right and I'm in the middle representing the blondes.

Ingredients: 

2 cans of can chicken

2 cans of Veg-all

1 can of Cream of Celery soup

1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup

1 bag of shredded Velveeta cheese

1 box pie crust

Directions:
Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Drain chicken and Veg-all and mix with soups in a 9 by 13 casserole dish. Dash with salt and pepper. Cover with shredded Velveeta cheese. Cover with one pie crust (cut pie crust into 5 pieces an layer on top). Cook for 45 minutes or until pie crust starts to brown. Voila! 

Now, Lord only knows how many calories are in this thing, but let me tell you, its delicious.  Taylor used to make it all the time when we would have Campus Crusade for Christ get togethers and everyone would always go back for seconds! It's especially great for people who aren't a fan of having a lot of crust, like most chicken pot pies have.

Keep sending me your recipes! I have only been sent one so far so keep them coming!

xo,
eMr

Gadgets and Gizmos Galore

Yes, title from The Little Mermaid, but you got to admit it's a step above from Justin Beiber haha. And because I haven't mentioned the Bachelorette in a while, I stay true to my predictions. Arie's got this thing, so now Sean can be mine lol.

Since I'm having this online recipe box for all of us to trade recipes, I decided to do the opening post on my favorite little kitchen must haves. Some of these are great for dorm rooms, even if you can only have a refrigerator and microwave.

1. Hamilton Beach Single Serve Blender with Travel Lid. I love this thing. If you like to make smoothies in the morning, but don't like dealing with a huge blender this is perfect for you. It's easy to clean, makes a serving for one, and if you're tight on time getting to class or work, just unscrew the top and put in a straw! Plus, it usually goes for about $15, but sometimes you can find it for $10. Mine's lasted a year so far with no problems.

2. Little Coffee Maker. I used to not be a religious coffee drinker until I entered my third year of college. Now, I have to have my cup every morning to get the day going. Keurigs are great, but are pricey and the K cups can get expensive. If its out of your budget a little Mr. Coffee will work just fine, and you can make more than one cup for a lower price.

3. Pyrex containers. Not something you think about, but when you have a large amount of left overs, you'll thank me. And some you can use as glass cooking wear, which is a double plus. 

4. Bag of Kitchen Utensils. For Mac and Cheese, Ramen, and anything else you decide to cook. Another thing I did not think of as a freshman....tried using a plastic fork to stir my macaroni...yeah it melted. 


5. Oven Mitts. Don't burn your hands!

6. A few pots and pans.

7. A Brita. Because that dorm or apartment water probably isn't clean or doesn't taste very good. It's also a great way to save money and the environment from plastic water bottles.

I'm probably forgetting a few things, but you get the jist.

What's a kitchen item that you can't live without? and be sure to email me your posts with recipes to emily.maksimowicz@gmail.com! This is a great way to meet more people in the blogging world! :)

Have a great Tuesday!

xo,
eMr

Help My Recipe Box Grow!

So I have an idea and want to know if any of you would be interested! I was thinking that I could do sort of like a guest posting sequence, but with recipes!

In college, I picked up a few quick and easy (not to mention yummy!) recipes from friends that I would LOVE to share with people who are about to enter college, in college, on a budget, a non-cook, or someone who is simply short on time.

While in college I learned that most recipes were either expensive to create or made a ton of food. This is why my roommates and I would often cook with or for each other.

We would either split the cost of groceries or would all take turns cooking for one another once a week. This was fun to do and helped everyone have a great homemade dinner to look forward to (because lets face it, everyone gets tired of eating in the dining hall and eating out gets super expensive!).

My friends and I would also have potlucks! 


This was a great way to meet people and an inexpensive way to all get together and eat. You can have potlucks with people on your hall, in your study group, Bible study, pledge class if you rush a sorority, or just get a group of people together who enjoy watching the same show as you and make it an event! Just pick a theme: Italian night, Mexican night, Chicken Pot Pie night, Pizza night, Hamburger night, etc. and designate who brings what: main course, sides, dessert, drinks.


If your interested in joining in on this post a comment and email me the html to your post to emily.maksimowicz@gmail.com. 


Make sure you leave a link to your blog in the post and maybe even attach a fun memory or story with the recipe or any tips you might have when making it. I think this could be a lot of fun and great for the domestically challenged :)


So hit up your friends and put your aprons on! No need to be a Paula Deene or Rachel Ray, just show us what you got! So get cookin' good lookin'!


Hope y'all have a great Monday! 


xo,
eMr

One Less Lonely Girl

Ok first off, I am so sorry I've dropped off the blogging world! I haven't had internet except on my phone and its a little hard to blog on there, and yes I just used a Justin Beiber song as my title....don't judge. I don't even know if I spelled his last name right, but it seemed a fitting title.

 So here's what I've been up to: 1.) trying to reconnect with old friends from high school who have moved back home. 2.) Trying to still stay connected with my college friends. 3.) Bought a super cute pink pencil skirt and white dress at J. Crew (they have an awesome sale before the fourth!) 4.) Celebrated independence day, and that's about it.

There is a trend though that I have been noticing among my college friends and friends from high school that I would like to share and I wondering if any newly graduates (either from high school or college) are experiencing the same thing and that is LONELINESS.

I don't know how this has become such an issue, but it has. Even my friends who are married have expressed this to me. I'm beginning to think that maybe this is just something that we go through because of all the changes that have seemed to happen all at once.

We're out of college.
Most of us have moved.
It's time to get a big job.
Time to make new friends.
Trying to find our niche in life.
......it actually sounds a whole lot like being a freshman in college all over again! You're out of high school, most of your friends moved and went to different schools, time to pick a major, make new friends, and figure out what you want to get involved with. Of course, I feel like college was a tad bit more fun.

But here's the thing that I don't get...why?

I've been hanging out with so many people and still sometimes catch myself down in the dumps, but for some of my friends it seems much worse. This should be new and exciting, not depressing.

I suppose this post is somewhat just me wondering and seeing if anyone else out there newly graduated feels the same way.

I don't really know what to say or how to help my friends with this. Any advice?

(I promise to write something more fun and upbeat next time haha)

Hope you all have a wonderful Saturday!

xo,
eMr