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Another recipe that was missing a picture now is complete. Check out the recipe for this tasty Lemon Parmesan Pasta with Chicken here!

My little monster turned three this Summer. The theme I went for this year was silly monsters. It was a small party with just a few kids attending but it was a lot of fun. I kept it simple and easy and we did burgers and hot dogs for lunch with chips and drinks. The kids played outside in the sprinklers and then came in for the party after they had burned some energy off.

I used my favorite chocolate cake & frosting recipe then decorated with M&Ms, gum for the teeth, Oreo's for the eyes with green gummy life savers for the eyes. (That reminds me, I need to post my mom's chocolate cake recipe!)

To cut the watermelon, it can help to start with cutting out a square/rectangle shape, then go back in and round off the edges and cut out the teeth. Scrape out the watermelon a bit and add in your prepared fruit. Secure the nose and eyes with tooth picks. I added a chocolate chip to make the pupils in the eyes.

Add the very last minute I made a rainbow pom which you can see hanging from a chandelier in the last picture. It took about 10 minutes to make. Just pick up a package of the tissue paper in the colors you like and follow the instructions here. I've made these poms a bunch of times and they are quick and cheap to make.

All in all it was a pretty easy party to throw together for a small crowd. Happy Birthday little man!

Linking up to the parties found here.

One note: The original recipe didn't state what size baking dish to use, although it looks like a 9"x13" from the picture. However, using the heaping 1/2 cup per serving per tortilla, I only filled up an extra deep 9"x9" baking dish and it filled only 6 tortillas. Use your best judgement. You can make it go farther by using less filling per tortilla, or by using smaller tortillas as well.

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Makes one 9"x9" pan, about 6 large servings

• 3  tablespoons butter
• 1  medium onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 2  cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1  can (10 ounce) Rotel, undrained
• 1  can (28 ounce) Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (I used Las Palmas brand)
• 1  teaspoon cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1  package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/4  cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, seasoned liberally with salt and pepper, baked and diced into bite size pieces
• 2  cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
• 6 large flour tortillas

1. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two, until fragrant. Add flour and mix; continue cooking for 2 minutes.

2. Add the rotel, green chile enchilada sauce, cumin and the ground red pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and mix in the cream cheese and cilantro. Stir until the cream cheese is melted.

3. Place the cooked and diced chicken in a medium sized bowl and add 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheese and 1 cup cream cheese enchilada sauce. Mix well.

4. Put 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese enchilada sauce in the bottom of a large lightly greased pyrex dish.

5. Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30-45 seconds, to soften.

6. Divide the chicken mixture evenly between the tortillas (about a heaping 1/2 cup) and roll up. Place seam side down in the pyrex dish.

7. Cover with the remaining cream cheese enchilada sauce and top with the remaining shredded cheese.

8. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 35- 40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Garnish with additional minced fresh cilantro if desired.

Recipe from the Sunflower Supper Club. Linking up to the parties found here.

One of my behind the scenes projects this fall is to get pictures of all the foods I've made and I forgot to photograph. Another one off my list is this Bacon Almond Dip. Check out the recipe here.

I've got a quick recipe for you today as I am behind the scenes working on the blog this week. Apricot and Clove Glazed Ham is delicious and perfect for a special meal on Easter or Christmas, or for that matter year round as it is super simple to make. As seen in the picture we baked it with fresh cut pineapple (not canned!). My only word is advice is to please not use those water packed hams that are cheap and flavorless. Get the good stuff!

Apricot & Clove Glazed Ham

• 1 jar apricot preserves
• pinch of cloves (more if you want a stronger clove flavor)

1. Mix the preserves and cloves together until well combined. (Taste for seasoning at this point to see if you want it to have a stronger clove flavor). Brush over ham as it cooks, following the instructions for cooking as directed on the package of the ham.

I may be on a pie kick lately. There is something about Summer that makes me want to bake lots of fruit pies and today I have a delicious recipe for a Nectarine Almond Pie. There is just a touch of almond in it, just enough to add a hint of flavor and uniqueness to the standard fruit pie. Enjoy a slice warm or cold, although I preferred it cold from the fridge.

Nectarine Almond Pie
Makes one 9" pie

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 5 nectarines
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place a large pot of water over high heat, and bring to a boil.

2. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, heavy cream and almond extract. Set aside.

3. Place the nectarines in boiling water for 30 to 45 seconds. Immediately place nectarines under cold running water and remove skins. Cut nectarines in half and remove pits. Place halves in the pie shell with the cut side down. Pour the cream mixture around the nectarines.

4. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes. Good served warm or cold.

Recipe by Allrecipes. Linking up to the parties found here.

While we are in the middle of a super hot Summer, a delicious side dish is this Cornbread Salad. A moist cornbread is topped with crunchy vegetables, a ranch sauce and shredded cheese. It is an amazing side dish to something like BBQ chicken. You will want to use your favorite recipe for cornbread for this. I use Cornbread Supreme typically, but you can use a traditional cornbread too, or even a box mix (gasp!)

If you prefer, you can crumble up the cornbread, or even cut it into cubes and layer it in a trifle dish. Or you can keep it simple like me and pile it in a 9"x13" pan and call it good. Using this method I did cut up the cornbread into large squares just to make serving it easier from the pan.

I used the toppings from Recipe Shoebox for her Chili Cornbread Salad, just minus the beans. It is refreshing and delicious. Enjoy!

Cornbread Salad
Makes one 9"x13" pan

Prepared cornbread, enough for a 9"x13" pan, cut into squares or if preferred, crumbled (I used this recipe)

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
• 2 cans (15-1/4 oz. each) whole kernel corn, drained
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 10 bacon strips, crumbled
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1. If you haven't done so, add half of the the cornbread to the bottom of a large serving dish/pan.

2. Mix the mayo, sour cream and ranch dressing mix together well.

3. Mix the corn, tomatoes, peppers, green onions, bacon and cheese together.

4. Layer the dish as follows:  Cornbread, veggies, mayo. Repeat.

Alternatively you can do one layer of cornbread then the ranch mix, then the veggies on top and serve.

Recipe from Recipe Shoebox. Linking up to the parties found here.