Pioneer Woman, I love you!

If any of you out there want to find the best, real home cookin' recipes- go to thepioneerwoman.com! My dinner tonight was made entirely from her recipes and it was the best dinner I've made, probably ever. (Don't know if that's saying much still..)

I made her delicious and easy chicken and dumplings. I had left over rotisserie chicken from Costco that I used and it was perfect. I also used skim milk instead of half and half because I never have half and half on hand. I also used apple juice instead of cider for the same reason. Make this!!!! It is a new staple at my house!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/chicken-and-dumplings/

Also, if you know me at all you know I LOVE to bake and I especially love frosting. This is by far the most delicious, incredible, perfect vanilla frosting I have ever had! Make it tonight! I made it with her chocolate cake and it was heaven in a handbasket. I think I will always make this frosting now. It's interesting because you do heat the milk and flour over the stove. It';s really not too much work and is super worth it! Here are both recipes:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/02/devil-dogs/

... and the frosting one, just in case you are too lazy to go to the website-

Recipe: That’s the Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 10 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 12

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Ingredients

• 5 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)

Preparation Instructions

Bake your favorite chocolate cake and let it cool.

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If I’m in a hurry, I place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.) It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don’t want any sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness. If there is any left after your taste test, spread it on a cooled chocolate cake.

Cut yourself a piece and put it on a pretty plate. Grab a fork and prepare to experience the most divine pairing you can imagine. This frosting on chocolate cake is to die for. Sure, the recipe sounds strange — it has flour in it — but it’s sublime. Try it, you’ll see. You’ll love it so much you won’t go back.