30 Day Challenge: Day Twanky Four

Day Twanky 24:  Something You've Learned

I've recently learned that I'm not as horrible of a cook as I originally thought I was! This is only moderately exciting because, well, I still don't really LIKE cooking.  I wanted to teach myself so I could do it if and only if I had to or if I needed to.  Here's what I've made recently... a BIG thanks to Natasha at A Day in the Life - I've stolen all of my recipes from her!

Baked Pecan French Toast

{I left out the blueberries because they were ridiculously expensive.  It was still magically delicious.}

Ingredients

1 french bread baguette-found in the bakery
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 stick plus 1 teaspoon butter
2 cups fresh blueberriesButter 9×13 baking dish; cut 1.5 inch slices and arrange in one layer in the dish 

Whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in bowl and pour over bread; refrigerate mixture, covered, until all liquid is absorbed (8 hours and to 1 day)

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Spread pecans in baking pan and toast in middle of oven. Toss pecans with 1 tsp butter in a skillet in one layer over medium heat, stirring often. Toss with 1 tsp butter

Cut remaining 1/2 stick butter into pieces and heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar in saucepan, stirring, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake mixture

Bake for 30–40 minutes or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling

Sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread mixture

Buffalo Chicken Dip

{I made this for my brother's pumpkin carving party.  He and his friends loved it so much.  He called me while I was at the grocery store this morning and asked me if I was making this for our tailgating party this weekend.  Since I spoil him, I had to make more... I'm going to have to double the recipe though - they went through it THAT fast!}

Ingredients

1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crumbled shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
2 12.5 oz cans Swanson Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1/2 cup FRANK'S RedHot sauce
Celery, chips, and/or crackers

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F
Stir cream cheese in a pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth
Stir in the dressing, pepper sauce, and cheese; stir in the chicken 
Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling
Serve with vegetables and/or chips and crackers for dipping

Cheesy Chicken Rolls

{One reason why I don't like cooking is because I live by myself and everything seems to make WAY too much.  I'm bringing some of this to a co-worker of mine tomorrow... the other leftovers I'm using as a bribe to get my mom over here to hang up my new Henri Matisse print she gave me.}

Ingredients

1 can of Pillsbury crescent rolls
2 chicken breasts - cooked and chopped
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup of milk

Directions 
Separate rolls into 8 triangles
Mix chicken and 1 cup of cheese together
Put a small amount of chicken and cheese on each triangle and roll up as you normally would with crescent rolls
Place in lightly greased casserole dish

Sauce

Mix 1 can of Cream of Chicken soup, 1 cup of cheese and 1 cup of milk
Heat in a skillet and stir until smooth
Pour sauce over the crescent rolls and bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until rolls are brown

My family has been willing guinea pigs for my cooking ventures and I love them for it.  It's cute they are willing to risk their lives to humor me.

OH, OH, OH!  I forgot about one!

I also brought these to my brother's party.  They were also a big hit... pretty time consuming though.  I got this recipe from This Mommy Cooks.  I look forward to trying more of her recipes when I have a little more experience under my belt. They look a little more involved than I'm ready for!

Sweet and Salty Halloween Treats

{I also saw in a magazine that you could put m&ms on them to make them for other holidays.}

Ingredients:

Mini Pretzels {I used the square kind.  You could use the twists but the squares are just so cute.}

Hershey Kisses Hugs {I used the striped kind... no reason - only because they were cute.}

Candy Corn

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place pretzels on cookie sheet, not touching. Unwrap Hershey's Kisses and place on top of pretzels and then place filled cookie sheet in oven. Bake for 3-5 minutes but no longer.You will know they are ready when the Hershey Kisses start to get shiny. Take out of oven and gently place candy corn on top of Hershey Kisses, pushing down ever so gently. Cool and then transfer to serving platter or wrap up as gifts. I actually placed mine in the fridge for a few minutes to speed up the cooling process, and it worked perfectly.

I apologize for my lack of pictures.  The lovely ladies I've linked to have pretty pictures of all of them.  I PROMISE I will get a camera cord.  Eventually.