not just pinned...

actually made!

I've been on Pinterest for a while now, but have recently started pinning more frequently.  I find that I pin a lot of food recipes, both meals and desserts.  Well, this past week I decided to actually make some of the recipes that I pinned.

Here are links to the ones that I made:

Dinners:

Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Avocado Sauce:
I made this one for my moms birthday dinner.  Everyone liked the recipe, even the kids.  This is definitely a more filling type of enchilada, the sauce is very creamy.  A nice twist to traditional enchiladas.
http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/09/chicken-and-avocado-enchiladas-in.html

Spaghettini with Spinach, Garlic and Lemon:
This was my favorite recipe out of the new dinner ones that I made.  My husband liked it a lot as well.  I served it with some baked chicken tenders and a salad.  This would be great in the summertime with barbecued chicken!  I will definitely be making this one again.
http://weekofmenus.blogspot.com/2011/06/spaghettini-with-spinach-garlic-and.html

Crock Pot Chicken Terriyaki:
There wasn't really a link for this recipe, it was really easy and just right there under the picture on Pinterest.  I actually used cubed pork loin for this.  It turned out okay.  Sometimes I don't like what my crock pot does to sauces, it really thins them out.  So before I served this one I took all the sauce and put it in a sauce pan, warmed it up and added cornstarch to thicken it up.  I'm not sure if I will make this one again.
Recipe: 1lb chicken (sliced, cubed or however), 1c chicken broth, 1/2c terriyaki or soy sauce, 1/3c brown sugar, 3minced garlic cloves

Crock Pot Mac & Cheese:
This is definitely a kid-friendly meal!  The whole family liked this one.  And it was super easy to make.
http://whiskandaprayer.blogspot.com/2010/08/magazinecookbook-monday-slow-baked-mac.html

Desserts:

Carrot and Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
This recipe looked great online.  It didn't live up to my expectations, but a part of that might be because I just made plain frosting.  I might try it again sometime with the frosting that it calls for.  The baby loved this one though!  And it doesn't hurt that it has carrots and zucchini in it!
http://realmomkitchen.com/7878/carrot-and-zucchini-bars-with-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting/


These next three recipes I made for Averie's birthday party.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream:
These cupcakes turned out extremely moist, so moist that my husband actually thought they were undercooked until I told him that there were fresh strawberries mixed into the batter.  I just made a plain buttercream frosting for these, but I am sure that if you made them with the Strawberry Buttercream they would be even better.  I would definitely recommend them!  I also had one of my cousins ask me for the recipe after the party.
http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/strawberry-cupcakes-recipe/

Raspberry Lemon Bars:
The picture for this recipe looks just plain amazing!  These little bars did not disappoint!  I would recommend them to anyone who loves raspberries and a little tartness.  These would be great for a summer get-together!
http://theimprovkitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/some-foods-just-go-together.html

Caramel Pretzel Brownies:
Like so many of the others, the picture made these looks amazing.  Well, I didn't end up making them from scratch and used a box of brownie mix instead to help save some time.  That might have been my mistake.  They did not at all live up to my expectations, but I would definitely try to make them again and follow the recipe!
http://foodologie.com/2011/11/19/caramel-pretzel-brownies/


If you are like me, you can search on Pinterest or online and see so many recipes that look great, but you just never know if they really are great.  I hope that this post gives you a few new meal or dessert ideas!  And if have a recipe that you just love, please share!