World's Best Alfredo

We absolutely love Italian food. In fact, we eat it at least once a week. We had the habit of going out to Olive Garden or Carrabba's and spending a fortune on pasta. So I had to figure out a way to make delicious pasta at home, that wouldn't cost a ton or take hours to make.

Well, I came up with this AMAZING alfredo sauce recipe. Believe me when I say, it's the world's best. I've been asked by so many people for this recipe and it's often requested by friends and family.

What you'll need:

• 3 Tbs butter
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg yolk
• 8 oz of heavy cream
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• salt to taste

How it's made:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add heavy cream. Stir constantly.

• Add in salt, nutmeg, and cheese, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.

• Once cheese is completely melted, mix in the egg yolk.
• Simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Serve over your favorite pasta and garnish with a little bit of Parmesan
• Enjoy!

Cheesy Potato Soup

Growing up, my family went out to eat every Sunday together. It'd be me, my mom, my dad, my grandma and my grandpa. Most Sunday's we went to O' Charley's. Although my entree might change, I always got the Potato Soup, just like my mom.

After I married my husband, I moved to Georgia. There is absolutely no O' Charley's anywhere near where we live. How on earth would I go without my Potato Soup? By creating my own of course. Now this soup may not taste like O' Charley's, but I like it way more. It's not only delicious but it's super easy to make. It's a family favorite in our household!

What you'll need: 

• 1/2 of a large onion, chopped (I use yellow)
• 5-6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 3 Tbs butter
• 2 1/2 c chicken stock
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I use Monterrey Jack)

Directions: 

• Chop onions. 

• Melt butter in a pot. Saute onion until translucent. 

• Cut and peel potatoes 

• Add in chicken stock and potatoes. Bring to a boil.

•  Reduce heat. Simmer until potatoes have softened.
• Using a potato masher or fork, mash potatoes. I like to leave some small chunk in my soup. 
• Add cheese. Stir in, until melted. 
• Serve with a little sprinkle of cheese on top. Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Cold weather is here and nothing can warm you up quite like a big bowl of soup. I, personally, am not a fan of canned soup whatsoever. It just doesn't taste like the homemade version. So I decided to come up with my own recipe for my favorite, Chicken Noodle.

You will need:

• 2 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1/4 c sliced celery 
• 1/2 c sliced carrots
• 1/2 c minced onion
• 8 cups of chicken broth (you can use more if you want it more soupy)
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (watch out for bones)
• 3 1/3 c egg noodles
• 1/2 tsp dry basil
• 1/2 tsp dry oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions: 

I just wanted to show off the new knife my husband got me with my name on it.

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add in celery, carrots, and onion. Cook until tender. 
  

• Add in chicken broth, shredded chicken, noodles and all seasonings. Stir to combine. 
• Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Grandma's Pecan Tarts

Just like any family, my grandmother has always made the best sweets. I remember being a kid and going to her house after school. She'd always have some kind of goodies made and sitting on the counter.

One of my favorites that she makes is her pecan tarts. When I got married, I got super into cooking and baking, so I asked her for some of her recipes. I was lucky enough to get the recipe for her tarts and I couldn't be happier!

Ingredients: 

       For crust:

• 1 3oz package of cream cheese
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 cup of flour

       For Filling:

• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tbs melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of pecans

Directions:

• Cream together cream cheese and butter. Add in flour and mix well.

• Roll into balls and press into tart pans.

• Chop or grind nuts coarsely. 

• Put some in the bottom of each crust in the tart pans.

• Beat eggs slightly with a fork. 
• Add sugar, melted butter , salt and vanilla. It should have the thickness of honey 

• Put mixture in each tart, filling it about 2/3 of the way full. 

• Sprinkle more nuts on top. 
• Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. 

Makes about 24 tarts.

Crock Pot Chicken Recipe

I have an addiction to my Crock Pot. It just makes life so much easier! You just put the ingredients in and let it go for a few hours and BAM! It's done and ready to eat. So I've been trying to come up with more recipes just for my Slow Cooker.
Here's one of my favorite Crock Pot Chicken recipes.

Ingredients:

•  1 8oz package of cream cheese
• 1 23oz can of Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 Packet of Italian Dressing Mix (Found in the salad dressing aisle w/ ranch mix)
• 2-4 chicken breasts
• 1 package of rice (I use chicken flavor)

Directions:

• Put cream cheese and cream of chicken soup in crock pot. Turn on low and let cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cheese and soup should combine and be smooth. 

I used crockpot liners. They make cleanup a lot easier.

• Once cheese and soup are combined, place chicken breasts in crock pot with mixture. 

• Sprinkle the tops of the chicken breasts with the Italian Dressing mix. Use the whole packet. It adds more flavor. 

  

• Turn on high and let cook for 6 hours. 
• Check and make sure chicken is thoroughly cooked.
• Cook rice according to directions on the package. 
• Serve over rice and Enjoy!