1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

6 slices bacon

4-6 slices provolone cheese

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté mushrooms and onions with butter and soy sauce until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Fry chopped bacon in the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, add chicken breasts and sear on each side in bacon grease for 2-3 minutes. In a 9 x 13-inch casserole, pour chicken broth to cover the bottom. Place chicken evenly in dish and cover with Honey Mustard Dressing. Top with mushrooms, onion and bacon, then finally with cheddar and provolone cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until chicken reaches 165-170 degrees.

Honey Mustard Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Mix all ingredients and store covered in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Mushroom Risotto

2 tablespoons butter

7 cups chicken broth

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup green onion, chopped

1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups of Arborio Rice

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup white wine

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of butter and add the mushrooms. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and set aside for later. Add the other tablespoon of butter to the same saucepan over low heat and cook the Vidalia onion until tender, about 3 minutes. Add rice, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, then pour in wine and stir for an additional 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of broth to the rice and stir until absorbed. Continue this process until all the broth has been added and the rice is al dente. This will be anywhere from 25-30 minutes. Never quit stirring. That’s the most important part. Remove rice from heat and stir in the mushrooms, green onion and Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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Pork Chops with Fig Balsamic Glaze

2 tablespoons oil

4 bone-in pork chops (1 inch thick)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup Fig Jam (Click here for recipe)

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large iron (or oven safe) skillet over high heat, add the oil to coat the bottom. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Sear for 2 minutes on each side. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to rest on a plate for 10 minutes. While the pork chops are resting, using the same iron skillet over medium heat, add the chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Cook for 1 minute, scraping the pan with a spoon to remove the delicious bits on the bottom. Stir in the fig jam and thyme and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in butter and stir to melt. Pour over pork chops and serve.

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Grilled Flank Steak with Cheese Grits

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 pound flank steak

1/4 cup soy sauce

Combine all of the ingredients except the steak in a large resealable bag. Add the steak and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to overnight to marinate. Prepare your grill for indirect heat. Make one side high heat and the other side low heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and place directly over high heat. Sear on each side for 2 minutes, then move to low heat and continue cooking until internal temperature is 115 degrees (for medium rare). Remove from the grill and tent with foil to rest for 15 minutes. The steak will continue to cook and the temperature will rise. Slice across the grain to serve.

Cheese Grits

6 cups water

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups freshly grated Parmesan

2 cups milk

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 cups of instant grits

Salt and pepper to taste

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

The most important step in this recipe is to salt your water first. If you do not, the grits will never be salty enough. Bring the water and milk to a roaring boil and add salt. Boil for 2 minutes then add grits and stir continuously until they begin to thicken. Cover pot and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, then remove from heat and add butter and cream cheese. When they have been mixed in well, add the Parmesan cheese and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, then pour mixture into a casserole dish and top with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

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Chocolate Cheesecake

1 package Oreo cookies

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoons flour 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9” springform pan with non- stick cooking spray.

To make the crust: Crush the Oreo cookies using a food processor. If desired, set aside about a tablespoon of the crumbs to garnish the finished cake. Add the melted butter, processing briefly or stirring until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Press the moist crumbs into the bottom and partway up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and set aside to make the filling. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees.

In a small microwavable bowl, combine the milk and the chocolate chips. Heat in the microwave, stirring frequently, until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar at low speed with a hand mixer, until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine after each one. Stir in the vanilla, then the flour. Add the chocolate mixture, beating slowly until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter on top of the Oreo crust in the pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 1 hour. When it’s completely cool, cover the cake, and refrigerate it until ready to serve. Garnish the cake with the reserved crumbs.

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House Warming Party Invitation

Mark & Meredith

Meredith

Fuuuuuuck.

I can’t say it out loud. I want to, but my two-year-old, Lucy, is clinging to my leg and repeats everything I say as if it’s her damn job.

“Stop worrying,” Mark says as he sidles up behind me and wraps his arms around my middle, kissing my neck. “It’s going to be awesome.”

“I don’t have dessert,” I say in a panic. “Mark, why didn’t I remember the freaking dessert?”

“Because you just finished moving into a new house, have a newborn and a toddler, and run a business?” he suggests. That cocky grin of his lets him get away with a lot.

A lot.

“Mama, hungry,” Lucy says while staring up at me with big blue eyes. She has her father’s eyes.

“I know, baby. I’m just going to finish putting the bacon cups in the oven and then I’ll get you a snack.”

She leans her sweet, blonde head against my leg, still clinging. Lucy is sweet, down to her core. She’s quiet, and honestly isn’t that demanding. She’s been that way since the moment she came out of my body on a cold winter day two years ago.

Hudson, however, is always happy to remind us all that he’s here, and he wants everything now.

And he’s only three months old.

“I’ve got this,” Mark says, picking Lucy up and kissing her chubby cheek before putting her in her booster seat at the table and reaching for her snacks.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I mutter as I shove the cupcake pan in the oven upside down so the bacon can cook around the cups. “I can’t have people come and go throughout the day without serving them dessert.”

“I don’t understand the point of a housewarming party,” Mark says with a shrug as he pops a piece of tomato in his mouth. “I mean, we don’t need anything. We’re still trying to figure out what to do with half of our wedding gifts from years ago as it is.”