I like eating chicken, but sometimes it gets a little bland. I get tired of using the same chicken recipes repeatedly. So, when I found this recipe to make Hummus Crusted Chicken on Pinterest, I was all over it. We eat a lot of hummus at my house. Our favorite is spinach hummus, but I really like the red pepper one too. Yes, I buy my hummus. Does that make me a bad food blogger? It’s just so good! Anyway, back to the recipe. Literally all you need to make Hummus Crusted Chicken is your favorite hummus and some chicken breast. Then, boom, dinner is served. You can add more or less hummus to the top of your chicken depending on your preference. I added enough that it was almost like a sauce on top of my chicken, but you could put a thin layer as more of a rub. Let me know if you like it!

Did you know Arkansas produced more than 1.2 billion broiler chickens last year? Broiler chickens are raised for meat production.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ cup hummus

Instructions

1. Grease a cookie sheet and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place the chicken breasts on the cookie sheet and slather hummus evenly on the top.
3. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

This is Memorial Day weekend, and I’m psyched for three days of fun! I made these Stuffed Cheeseburgers the other day, but I’ll gladly repeat the recipe this Saturday. It’s fantastic. The gooey smoked Gouda and garlic really made the patty outstanding. Then the soft, buttery Havarti took the patty to another level. (Experiment with your favorite cheeses.) Really, if you’re looking for a burger recipe for this holiday weekend or any summer weekend, try this one.

Did you know more than 28,000 farms in Arkansas produce beef cattle?

Ingredients

• 1 pound hamburger meat
• 1 egg
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup smoked Gouda, shredded
• 4 hamburger buns
• 4 slices of Havarti
• other toppings, as needed

Instructions

1. Combine meat, egg, garlic, red pepper and salt. Separate into four even chunks.
2. Separate each of the four chunks into two slightly uneven pieces. Press the larger pieces into a thin patty by hand. Keep in mind that the patty will shrink during cooking. Place about ¼ of the shredded Gouda in the center of each of the larger patty.
3. Now, flatten the smaller halves and place on top of the larger patty and Gouda. Bring the edges of the bottom larger patty up to meet the smaller patty on top and seal the edges. Then shape the hamburger patty if needed.
4. Grill on a preheated grill for 5-6 minutes on one side, then flip. Grill for another 1-2 minutes or until the burgers are done. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees. Top with Havarti right after you take them off the grill. (Be careful as the gooey cheese on the inside will be hot.)

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What is it about little food that’s cuter than normal food? I really like little bite-size appetizers for dinners, because they’re easy to eat and harder to fill up on. These Havarti Salami Crostini are no exception. They’re little and flavorful. The oregano melds with the salami like they were made for each other. The mild, buttery Havarti melts into the crispy baguette for a perfect texture. The next time you need an appetizer, or a snack, try these quick Havarti Salami Crostini.

Did you know that Arkansas’ pork industry exceeds $80 million each year?

Ingredients

• 1 French baguette
• 10 ounces salami, thinly sliced
• 10 ounces Havarti cheese, thinly sliced
• olive oil, to taste
• oregano, to taste
• parsley, to taste

Instructions

Slice the baguette and lightly drizzle olive oil over the slices. Add sliced Havarti and sprinkle with oregano.  Top Havarti cheese with slices of salami. Broil until bread is crispy and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley to taste and serve immediately.

If you’re like me and are always looking for an easy recipe that everyone is going to go crazy over, you should seriously consider making this Three Ingredient Mixed Berry Cobbler. It really has only three ingredients, and multiple people asked me for the recipe at my potluck last week. I love it when a recipe is as easy as it is delicious. At this point in my life, I’m always busy and rarely have time to devote to complicated recipes. Then again, isn’t everyone busy? Next time you need something quick to bring to potluck try this cobbler with some vanilla ice cream. You won’t be disappointed.

Did you know that Arkansas farmers raise red wheat? Red wheat is used in many confectionery products and for blending for bread products.

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) bag of frozen mixed berries
• 1 box vanilla cake mix
• 16 ounces sprite or diet sprite

Instructions

1. Grease a 13 x 9 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the entire bag of berries in the bottom of the pan and make sure the layer is even. Then cover evenly with cake mix. Finally, slowly pour sprite over the top making sure to cover the entire pan.
3. Do not mix. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until the crust is turning golden and the berries are cooked through.

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I’ve gotten in a bad habit of using box mix brownies. It really hurts me to admit it. This week I said no more! I whipped out my cocoa powder and made a pan of Fudgy Brownies. Some people like brownies that almost have the texture of cake, not me. I like the thick, fudgy, tender brownie that sticks to your ribs. These brownies were perfect! I highly suggest making them as soon as possible.

Did you know that wheat used to make flour is planted in the fall and harvested in the spring?

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons butter
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Grease an 8×8 square pan or line with aluminum foil.
2. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium, microwave safe, bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute or until the butter has melted. Carefully stir the mixture to combine and allow to cool slightly.
3. Stir in vanilla. Add eggs one and a time stirring vigorously after each egg. Add the flour and stir to combine. Beat vigorously for about a minute. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly and serve.

If you didn’t already know, I’ve gone back to school to get a master’s degree. This week was finals week, and I promised my office mates I would make them a snack. I decided to make them cold Spinach Dip in a bread bowl. I love cold spinach dip, and everyone always seems to make the hot variety. This version is ultra portable, even in the bread bowl! I took the photo before transporting it to my office. Everyone at the office devoured it in about 5 minutes flat. What’s your favorite type of dip?

Did you know that Arkansas produces more than 17 million gallons of milk annually?

Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed free of water
• 1 box dry Knorr’s vegetable soup
• 4 chopped green onions
• 1 round loaf of bread

Instructions

1. Follow package directions to prepare spinach. Then, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
2. Chill for several hours. Serve in a hollowed out round loaf of bread. Cut the scooped out bread into cubes for dipping.

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I found this recipe for Avocado Tuna Salad on Pinterest, and I thought it was intriguing enough to try. I really like tuna salad sandwiches. However, I’ve been trying to cut down on my calorie intake, and consuming mayonnaise really doesn’t help with that. This recipe is mayonnaise free, so I felt good about having an Avocado Tuna Salad sandwich. The flavor of this dish is really nice, especially if you like avocados. Make sure you add some salt and pepper. It really brings out the flavors.

Did you know that Arkansas farmers produced 3 million eggs last year?

Ingredients

• ½ avocado
• 1 small can tuna, drained
• 1 hard-boiled egg, diced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients. Serve on crackers, bread, sandwich thins, or alone.