Cajun Chicken with Peppers

This was another attempt (a successful one if I can brag) to get rid of the wilting peppers in my family fridge, and everyone loved it! It's the perfect combination of spices, with a little cayenne to add a kick to it. To be honest, I have no idea what category I would put this in...it's a mix of Mexican, Italian, and Indian...so...win win win? I dunno. As you can probably tell, I am the absolute worst when it comes to converting serving sizes and measurements since I'm cooking for a large crowd, and I have no idea how many you're cooking for. So be patient with me, or just come up with your own measurements.

Ingredients

Chicken breast, cut into slices

1 large red bell pepper

1 can of corn

1 can of italian-style tomatoes

2 Tbsp. of Cajun seasoning

For more spice, add a tsp of cayenne pepper

2 tsp. pepper

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 lb. shrimp (optional)

Alrighty step one. Heat 1 Tbsp of your vegetable oil in a large pan. 

Saute  your peppers until they start to soften. Set them aside in a bowl.

Put your 2nd Tbsp of oil into the pan and cook your chicken until

almost fully cooked. Toss your peppers back in, then add the corn,

tomatoes (with juice), and shrimp. 

Mix everything together and cook until chicken is done and the

peppers are as tender as your want them. Serve over brown rice.

Enjoy!

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Killer Cupcakes

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! School has been so crazy...that's what usually happens at the end of the semester and you have a ballroom concert last week and another next week.
Anyway. For my final project in one of my communication classes, we had to do a presentation and include one of our talents, and I wasn't about to dance or drag a piano down 4 flights of stairs. Of course I turned to baking, because I love a) how easy box mixes are, b) I've never burned them, and c) people have always told me they love what I make for them. So 30 cupcakes and an A+ grade later...

Ingredients

2 boxes of cupcake mix (I used German Chocolate and Classic Yellow)

2 cups of instant vanilla pudding

2 packages of cream cheese

1-1 lb. bag of powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup milk

1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Prepare the cupcake mix according to your box directions. Just to

clarify, you make the mixes separately...didn't want to confuse

anyone. When you mix together the yellow box, add the 2 cups 

of pudding. The mixture will be thicker than normal. I promise

everything will be ok...

Fill the cupcake tin 1/4 the way with chocolate mix. Drop a big 

blob of yellow mix on top. My fiance mixed them together...but

they didn't look as cool. Just drop the blob in the middle and

you're good to go. Toss them in the oven and start working on

on your frosting.

Your frosting will be super simple. Melt the butter, then 

toss it in a bowl with the cream cheese, powdered sugar,

vanilla extract, and milk. Keep adding powdered sugar 

until the frosting is as thick as you want it.

Take your cupcakes out of the oven, and let them cool.

Once they're cool enough, go ahead of frost them to 

your little heart's content. Because it's fun.

I used crushed butterfingers for some of my cupcakes, 

and chocolate sprinkles on others.

As always, enjoy!

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Mac and Cheese with Peppers

Excuse me while I state the obvious here: being broke sucks. As much as I love eating quesadillas for lunch all the time, they get old after awhile. So I decided to spice things up by eating, yes, mac and cheese. The old childhood classic. However, to my mother's disappointment I refused to eat it with the healthy sides of apple slices and a tuna sandwich. Instead, I decided to do my family a favor and get rid of the bell peppers that were starting to wrinkle because no one wants to eat them. I'm a saint, I know. I was feeling really tired (I got off work at 11:30 pm and had to wake up at 6:00 for a dance exam) and didn't want to put too much effort into it, and came up with this. I present to you...(dramatic pause) my mac and cheese!

This is about as simple as it gets. Follow the box instructions, saute stuff, eat. It's kind of awesome.

Ingredients

box of mac and cheese (cooked according to directions)

1 small bell pepper, whatever color, chopped

1/2 Tbs minced garlic

1 Tbs butter

Melt butter in a pot. Saute chopped pepper until they start to soften.

Add the garlic and saute for another minute. 

After prepping your mac and cheese, toss the peppers on top.

Garnish with a little bit of ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

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