Tried-and-True cooking with Heidi

My New Ride

2012-01-29T09:06:00.000-08:00

I had to share a picture of my new hamster mobile! I know it's not food related, but isn't is just about cute enough to nibble???

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

2012-01-25T17:32:00.000-08:00

Finally, a slower cooker recipe worth posting!!! That doesn't happen very often. I only have a handful of slow cooker recipes that have not made it directly into the trash can. I love the idea of regularly using a slow cooker because it seems very time saving BUT either I don't know how to use a slow cooker, or other peoples standards are a little different than mine! It always seems like everything turns out dry and overcooked :( Well, this recipe turned out great and was not dry or overcooked! It was super easy. I mixed everything together last night, threw it in the fridge and turned it on this morning. I came home to a house that smelled amazing! The lime and cilantro flavors go perfect in this tender chicken dish. It seemed very soupy until I shredded the meat and placed it back in the slow cooker in the juice. YUMMY! Enjoy :)

SLOWER COOKER CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa

1 (1.25 ounce) package dry taco seasoning mix

1 lime, juiced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Place the salsa, taco seasoning, lime juice, and cilantro into a slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the chicken breasts, and stir to coat with the salsa mixture. Cover the cooker, set to High, and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 4 hours. If desired, set cooker to Low and cook 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks to serve.

Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

2012-01-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's been 3 years already?!? Happy blog-a-versary to me! To celebrate I thought I would share a yummy recipe I thought was quite clever. It uses a cake mix to make irresistable cinnamon rolls. They're not only clever, they're extrememly easy. The thick, gooey frosting is amazing. So, get out a cake mix and celebrate! Enjoy :)

CAKE MIX CINNAMON ROLLS
1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix
5 cups flour
2 pkg. dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup very soft butter
1 cup sugar mixed with 2 TBSP cinnamon

Grease 2- 9x13 pans (this makes 24 rolls). Combine cake mix, flour and yeast in a very large bowl. Mix well. Add water and blend until completely moistened. Cover with a towl and let rise until doubled. Roll in large rectangle (I did this in 2 batches), slather with butter and douse with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up, cut into 24 rolls, place in greased pans and let rise again until doubled. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden. While still warm (but not hot) drizzle with frosting.

FROSTING
4 cups powdered sugar
4 TBSP melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk

Mix until smooth.

Iceberg Salad with Sweet Italian Dressing

2012-01-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a sweet, tangy salad that uses inexpensive ingredients to make and impressive side dish. Iceberg was only 88 cents per head this week making this super cheap! If you're needing to feed a crowd and impress, this dish's a must try! I'm a big Judie Byrd's Kitchen fan and knew I must try this recipe when it aired this week on her cooking for kids episode. The only tweaking I will make next time is adding more Dijon and less Italian seasoning. Enjoy :)

ICEBERG SALAD WITH SWEET ITALIAN DRESSING
1 head iceberg lettuce, finely chopped
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 -2 tablespoons sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Place lettuce in a large salad bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, mustard, herbs and sugar.
Taste and add salt and pepper.
Just before serving, drizzle dressing over lettuce and toss.

Graham Cracker Peppermint Bark

2012-01-07T18:12:00.000-08:00

Anyone else stock up on candy canes and sprinkles during the after Christmas sales??? Here's a fun way to use up the stash. I found this recipe while cruising Mommy's Kitchen. It was quick, easy and super yummy. Enjoy :)

GRAHAM CRACKER PEPPERMINT BARK

1 sleeve graham crackers

crushed candy canes

sprinkles

12 oz. melted chocolate candy coating

Melt candy coating following manufactures directions. Break graham crackers on the seams (4 pieces), dip in melted chocolate allowing excess to drip off and place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with crushed candy and sprinkles while still wet. Allow coating to set (about 30 minutes) and store in an airtight container.

Mini Mexican Pizza

2011-12-29T08:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a new taco-ish twist to pizza! They would make a yummy addition to your New Year's party. I'd never eaten a tostado shell before. Hmmmm.... I do think it suspiciously looks exactly like what I would envision a taco shell left flat would look like. Someone must have forgotton to put these in the taco shell folder and invented something new. Lucky duck probably got rich for the mistake! These cute little pizza were a nice change to our taco night. Enjoy :)

MINI MEXICAN PIZZA
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 can refried beans
1 pkg. tostada shells
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used colby/jack)
Suggested Toppings:
shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olices. sliced avocodo, sliced green onions, sour cream, guacamole, corn, salsa

Brown beef; drain. Stir in water and seasoning mix (the amount of water determined by your seasoning packet). Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until thickened.
Spread 2 TBSP beans on each shell. Top with 1/4 cup meat mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Broil 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with desired toppings.

Makes 10

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies (No Flour)

2011-12-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

You're guaranteed an extra present or two if you leave Santa a big plate of these delicious cookies!!! They're soft and chewy on the inside while the sugar coating gives them the perfect, sweet crunch on the outside. DELICIOUS! Only 4 ingredients to cookie perfection :) Put these flour-free treats up against any peanut butter cookie and I think you will be pleasantly surprised when they come out victorious. Enjoy :)

SOFT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 cup sugar (plus more for rolling)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Roll in meatball size balls and roll in sugar. Place on nonstick baking sheet and press a crisscross pattern onto each with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool before removing from sheet.

Quick Beef and Barley Stew

2011-12-09T14:56:00.000-08:00

Baby, it's cold outside (hold your ears, I'm singing)! Let this yummy stew warm you up :)

QUICK BEEF AND BARLEY STEW

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/3 cup chopped onion

1-3/4 cups water

2 teaspoons reduced-sodium beef bouillon granules

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup quick-cooking barley

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

In a large saucepan, cook the beef, celery and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain.
Stir in the water, bouillon, chili powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in barley. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until barley is tender. Stir in tomatoes; heat through. Yield: 4 cups.

Pumpkin Dessert

2011-11-21T17:12:00.000-08:00

Get out your pen and paper, here's a treat no one will be able to resist from your Thanksgiving table. You ever tried dump cake? Well, this is a delicious holiday twist everyone will love. It has the rich, pumpkin-y filling of the most awesome pumpkin pie, and the scrumptious cake mix topping of a dump cake. Slather on some cool whip and it's pretty much heaven on a plate. Enjoy :)

PUMPKIN DESSERT
16 oz. can pumpkin
12 oz. can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 yellow cake mix
1 cup butter, melted

Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, spice and salt. Pour into lightly greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with dry cake mix and drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Serve with cool whip.

White Chocolate Oreo Treats

2011-11-13T11:32:00.000-08:00

Looking for a quick, easy holiday treat? These tasty tidbits will do the trick! They make a great addition to any candy tray. Enjoy :)

WHITE CHOCOLATE OREO TREATS
1 package of white candy coating
1 package Oreo cookies, crushed (leave a little chunky)

Melt white candy coating according to directions. Stir in cookies and drop onto waxed paper. Let stand for 30 minutes to set up and chow down! Share if your feeling giving :)

Snow Pea Medley

2011-11-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick and easy side dish sure to please when opening a can of corn or green beans just won't do. Side dishes are always a challenge for me. I can do main dishes and desserts all day long, but when trying to come up with a side dish my brain turns to mush! This side will go with a variety of entrees. It's a winner. My can opener can take the evening off. Enjoy :)

SNOW PEA MEDLEY

1/3 cup chopped red onion

2 tsp canola oil

1/3 cup julienned sweet red pepper

1/3 cup julienned sweet yellow pepper

1/2 cup fresh snow peas

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 tsp salt

In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion in oil for 1-2 minutes. Add peppers; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in peas and mushrooms; saute 3-4 minutes longer or until veggies are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with salt.

Mississippi Mud Cake

2011-10-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. My name is Heidi. Remember me? I wasn't sure since it's been so long since I posted! I will try to be better :) Here's a super yummy recipe dressing up chocolate sheet cake. The secret ingredient is marshmallow fluff. That stuff makes everything better... well, not everything, but it takes this delicious cake from wow to WOW WEE! I think you will love it. Enjoy :)

MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

Cake
2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
1/2 cup Buttermilk
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 jar marshmallow fluff (7 oz.)

Frosting
1-3/4 stick Butter
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

For best results use an 18x13 sheet cake pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together. Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool. In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.
While cake is warm (but not hot) spread marshmallow fluff over the top.
Make frosting: Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Pour over marshmallow fluff and spread to all corners (it won't be the prettiest, but that OK!)

Hawaiian Themed Cupcakes

2011-10-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

What an awful week :( First my son got a cold (which is a big deal if you have asthma), then my daughters shared Strep with each other and today my son has the stomach flu and mild dehydration. I hope everyone gets better soon.

Here's some adorable cupcakes that put a smile on my face. Makayla decided on a Hawaiian birthday party this year and I thought this was a very clever way to decorate the cupcakes. Enjoy :)

HAWAIIAN CUPCAKES

cups cakes and icing of your choice (I used a cake mix and canned frosting)

1 sleeve graham crackers pulverized in a food processor until they look like sand

cute little drink umbrellas

Frost cup cakes and dip into a bowl containing the graham crackers. Stick the little umbrellas in and eat up!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2011-09-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not meaning to toot my own horn (toot, toot.... well, yes I am!), but I can make a pretty mean bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup. With cooler weather on the horizon, this makes a perfect meal. It's great for entertaining a crowd, or for feeding your own crew because everyone loves dressing up their soup with lots of great fixing (think sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed corn or tortilla chips, salsa). Have fun with it! Enjoy :)

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
1 onion, chopped
2 TBSP oil
4 cups water
4 bouillon cubes (I used chicken)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 TBSP chili powder
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cooked chicken breast diced/shredded (canned works well)
4 corn tortillas, broken into small pieces
1/2 - 1 cup salsa/picante sauce
1/4 cup frozen corn
Toppings of your choice

Saute onions in oil until tender. Add water, bouillon, spices, beans, chicken, salsa, tortillas and corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes. Serve with toppings.

Cinnamon Struesel Coffee Cake

2011-09-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

This recipe gives you a good excuse to eat cake for breakfast. You can eat it at other times also, but breakfast is always fun because it feels so wrong, but tastes so right! Be a rebel. After biting into the tender cake with the crunchy, cinnamony struesel topping, you will be hooked. Enjoy :)

CINNAMON STRUESEL COFFEE CAKE

Cake

4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 egg
1-1/2 cups milk, or as needed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/3 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1 1/3 cup sugar and 2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 4 cups flour, 1 1/2 cusp sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Crack an egg into a measuring cup and then fill add milk to make 1 cup. Repeat with other egg. Stir in vanilla. Pour into crumb mixture and mix just until moistened. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with streusel and run a knife through it to slightly mix into batter.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Salsa Stuffed Peppers

2011-09-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Today we're going to wing it. No, that's not some crazy new dance I made up for the occasion (It is Makayla's 10th birthday today!). What I mean is, we don't have exact measurements for this recipe... so we are going to let loose and wing it :) You know I love anything taco-ish, so I HAD to taco-fy stuffed peppers. My people aren't big cheese fans, but a little grated cheese would be super yummy sprinkled on top! Enjoy :)

SALSA STUFFED PEPPERS
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
2 cups cooked leftover rice (about)
2 small cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 cup salsa (again, this is an estimate)
green peppers (I used 3 large ones)
1/2 cup frozen corn
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup crushed tortilla/corn chips

Warm ground beef in skillet with rice, tomato sauce, corn and salsa. Salt and pepper to taste and add more salsa if you need to. You don't want it dry, but you don't want it to runny either. Cut peppers in half, clean them out and place in boiling water for 5 minutes. Heat oven to 350.Stuff shells with meat and rice mixture and place in baking dish. Sprinkle with crushed chips and bake 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Peach and Cherry Cobbler

2011-09-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

If you're not completely jealous of me for having this piece of yummy-goodness-on-a-plate, you should be! Peach and cherry cobbler's an old stand by in my family, but after taking it to a bake sale and getting strange looks when I told people what kind it was, I realize everyone may not be accustomed to this delectable fruit combination. Let me assure you... it's divine! You must try this out and thank my Aunt Sue for divulging the family secrets to me and making this post possible! Enjoy :)

PEACH AND CHERRY COBBLER
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can peaches, undrained
1 TBSP + 1/4 tsp tapioca
1/3 cup sugar
Your favorite recipe for a double pie crust (I like this recipe)

Roll out a little more than 1/2 of your pie crust. Place in a 9 x 13 baking dish (don't fret if it's not perfect... just piece it together and pinch any holes). Mix pie filling, peaches, sugar and tapioca. Pour in crust. Roll out remaining dough and place on top. Slice a few slits in the top and sprinkle with sugar (about a tablespoon). Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is a light golden color.

Chicken Fried Chicken

2011-09-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering what makes chicken fried chicken different than fried chicken. I have no clue! I took chicken. I breaded it. I fried it. It looks like regular fried chicken. The only difference is the title. Someone on Allrecipes.com must have been nipping the bottle while naming it! Whatever the difference, this chicken's good! It's crunchy on the outside, soft, tender and juicy on the inside. Just about perfection if you ask me! Have a great holiday weekend. Enjoy :)

CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN
30 saltine crackers

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dry potato flakes
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Place crackers in a large resealable plastic bag; seal bag and crush crackers until they are coarse crumbs. Add flour, potato flakes, seasoned salt, and pepper to bag and mix well. Beat egg in a shallow dish or bowl; heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. One by one, dredge chicken pieces in egg beat, then place in bag with crumb mixture, seal bag and shake to coat. Reduce heat to medium and cook coated chicken in skillet for 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently, until golden brown and juices run clear.

Yummiest Chocolate Sheet Cake EVER!

2011-08-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

Betcha thought I desserted my blog (get it... dessert. OK. So I'm totally unfunny!). It's been so long since I posted a recipe. I have several good excuses though :)
Excuse #1
I had a house guest for 2 weeks I never thought I would get to meet in person. My friend Christine came all the way from Canada. We became pen pals while I was in high school and even though we had written many letters, emailed each other and spent many hours on the phone, we had never met face to face. We had a fun two weeks and her being single with no children, I think my kids broke her in! She's a picky meat-and-potatoes kind of girl, so I didn't want to break out the new recipes while she was visiting.
Excuse #2
School started yesterday and I was totally busy/stressed out about getting everything ready in both schools kitchens for the new school year.
OK, so you heard the excuses. Please forgive me :) I will sweeten you up with this delicious chocolate sheet cake. It's super-duper yum-i-licious. It's moist. It's sweet. It's chocolaty. It makes me want to eat a big piece... or two. Enjoy :)

CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE
Cake
2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Boiling Water
1/2 cup Buttermilk
2 whole Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Frosting
1/2 cup Finely Chopped Pecans (opt.)
1-3/4 stick Butter
4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
6 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 pound (minus 1/2 Cup) Powdered Sugar

For best results use an 18x13 sheet cake pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together. Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool. In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes.While cake is baking, make the icing. Chop pecans finely. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine, then turn off heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir together. Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake.

*Make sure to pour the warm icing over a warm cake*

Chicken Thighs with Cherry Tomatoes

2011-08-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

I'm up to my eyeballs in cherry tomatoes! I didn't even want cherry tomatoes. They were mismarked. Just my luck! So, when I came across this recipe in the Sunday paper, I knew I must try it out. It was simple. It was yummy. It was a keeper! If you find yourself with a boat load of cherry tomatoes, you must add this to your grocery list (or you must go out and get yourself some cherry tomatoes). Enjoy :)

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CHERRY TOMATOES
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (mine had the bone-in)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 TBSP olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 TBSP balsamic or sherry vinegar

Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on both sides. Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes. Cook until chicken is done, about 8 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with vinegar and scrape pan to loosen brown bits.

Fat Chocolate Chip cookies

2011-08-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some big, fat, yummy chocolate chip cookies to celebrate my little Chase turning 5! It's also suppose to be the hottest day of the summer with our temperature reaching 106... and that is BEFORE the heat index (I don't want to know what that is!)! I think a trip to the pool's a good possibility. The rest of the day we may be setting in the air conditioning eating cookies. These are some good ones too! They're soft and a little bit chewy. My kind of cookie! Enjoy... and keep cool :)

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment
paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Santa Fe Beef Fiesta

2011-07-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Any Judie Byrde's Kitchen fans out there? I had no idea who the heck she was until a few weeks ago while channel surfing landed me on her show. I was immediately hooked by her homey, everyday mom style and great looking recipes. This recipe immediately caught my eye. I will admit, it's been a while since I saw a recipe I absolutely wanted to make right that minute. When I saw this, I got out my pen and paper and added to my grocery list. It may not look appealing, but it was DELISH! It's great over rice or served taco salad style. There were no leftovers in this house. Enjoy :)

SANTA FE BEEF FIESTA

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic, or to taste
1, 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin

In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, chopping meat as it cooks. When meat has lost most of its pink color, add onion, mushrooms, and garlic; cook and stir until onions are tender. Add tomatoes, olives, chili powder, salt, and cumin and stir well. When mixture begins to bubble, turn heat to medium-low and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often.

Puppy Chow

2011-07-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

If you had a day like mine, you'll need some of this puppy chow to sweeten it up! My day can be summed up to an important lesson I would like to share with you. If you have a child who loves the annoying Happy Napper commercial and thinks they need one for their birthday (like my Chase), DO NOT order one from the Happy Napper website unless you like someone trying to do fraudulent charges on your debt card resulting in a trip to the bank to cancel it and wait a week for a new one :( What a sucky day!

Here's a yummy recipe for a sweet, chocolate & peanut buttery snack. It looks pretty bad, but tastes great. If you've never eaten it, your in for a real treat! YUM!!! Enjoy :)

PUPPY CHOW

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
9 cups Crispix or Chex cereal (any flavor)
3 cups powdered sugar

1. Combine peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.

2. Microwave for one minute then stir to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir well.

3. Place the 9 cups of cereal in a very large bowl.

4. Pour the peanut butter-chocolate mixture over the cereal and toss evenly, making sure all the cereal gets a good covering.

5. Place the powdered sugar in a large zip-lock type plastic bag.

6. Add the peanut butter-chocolate cereal mixture to the bag, leaving enough room for the puppy chow to be shaken (you may have to divide the mixture into smaller batches, coating one batch at a time).

7. Shake the bag vigorously to evenly coat each piece of the puppy chow with powdered sugar.

8. Once the mixture is fully coated, place in a large serving bowl.

9. Coat any additional pieces by shaking the mixture in the powdered sugar filled bag. Add powdered sugar to the bag as needed until all the mixture is coated.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage

2011-07-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a delicious sausage recipe without all the added junk (you know, the stuff in the ingredients list you can't pronounce!). These are moist and have a great zip from the cayenne pepper. I think next time I might try this with a mixture of ground pork and ground turkey. YUM! Enjoy :)

TURKEY BREAKFAST SAUSAGE
1 pound ground turkey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, salt, sage, thyme, nutmeg and cayenne. Shape into eight patties. In a large skillet, cook patties in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Drain on paper towels.

Smothered Chicken

2011-07-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Smothered chicken is SO YUMMY! I could really go for a piece of this tender, juicy chicken smothered in peppers, onions and cheese. Licking the screen doesn't help either... it just makes a spot you have to clean off :( This recipe comes from my friend Brenda. She owns a catering business and this dish is one of the choices. I don't make it as good as her, but it's still super yummy! Enjoy :)

SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Chicken breasts (4-6)

Lemon pepper, salt & pepper

Italian dressing (about 1/2 - 3/4 cup)

peppers

onions

cheese (about 1 cup)

Season chicken breast and grill until outside has grill marks (inside will not be done). This can be done in advance. Place chicken in a baking dish and squirt with dressing. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes (or until done). Meanwhile saute onions and pepper until tender. Place on top of chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven for a few minutes to melt cheese.

Easy Cupcakes

2011-07-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

The title says it all! These are the easiest cupcakes I've ever made. There was no measuring or egg cracking or even oil pouring... and no, I didn't buy pre-made cupcakes! My kids actually prefer these moist, delicious cupcakes to the ones made according to packaged directions. I also love the fact these cupcakes can be made for birthday parties (they were actually made for Sophie's 8th birthday on July 2-hence the patriotic theme!) and enjoyed by everyone. My cousin Cody has egg, nut and milk allergies and could eat these along with everyone else. Whip up a batch of these and enjoy :)

EASY CUPCAKES

1 box cake mix (I used milk chocolate)

1 can soda (I have used coke and sprite)

Mix cake mix and soda for 2 minutes. Pour into lined cupcake tins and bake at 350 for 18-21 minutes. Cool. Frost. Eat.

Baked Green Beans

2011-07-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

Looking for a new and delicious way to cook your fresh green beans? If so, this is the recipe for you! This is the first time I've ever roasted them in the oven and they're completely yummy! I loved the ones on the edge of the pan that got crunchy. Enjoy :)

BAKED GREEN BEANS

1/2 lb green beans trimmed and snapped in half

1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Toss the green beans in the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the green beans evenly on the cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Pecan Chicken

2011-07-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a completely moist and delicious chicken recipe to add to your grocery list. I think I may be in love with the honey/spicy mustard glaze and crunchy, toasty pecans. I drooling just thinking about it! Enjoy :)

PECAN CRUSTED CHICKEN

4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
2 TBSP honey
1 cup pecans
sea salt

Pre heat oven to 350. In a medium sized mixing bowl blend together the mustard and honey. Toss the pecans in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely chopped. Pour the chopped pecans either on a plate (paper plates are great so you can throw it away). Using a paper towel, remove any excess moisture from the outside of your chicken breasts. Taking one chicken breast at a time, place the chicken into the mustard/honey mixture and coat on both sides. Transfer chicken to the chopped pecans and again cover both sides. Place coated chicken into a greased glass baking dish (I used a little olive oil spray to cover the bottom of the dish) and sprinkle each chicken breast with just a little sea salt. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.

Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

2011-07-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

Looking for a delicious summery cake? This pineapple cake screams creamy, summer goodness with it's tangy pineapple and lusciously smooth icing. It's won't last long on the dessert table at your next pot luck or BBQ! You may take one bite and decided not share at all :) This description's making me want to bake another one ASAP! Enjoy :)

PINEAPPLE CAKE

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 can crushed pineapple with juice
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all cake ingredients together and put in a greased sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until golden and not wet to the touch. Ice when cooled.

ICING
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
nuts (optional)

Beat until smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle with nuts if desired (Pecans are yummy).

Cheater Baked Beans

2011-07-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Here's another delicious recipe I snagged from My Tasty Treasures. It will put a smile on your face and a tune in your fanny. That fact alone will bring any male member of my family back for seconds :) In all seriousness I did get many compliments on these beans at our big BBQ this weekend and the only tunes I heard were the non-smelling kind (we had live music). Thanks again Donna for posting such great recipes for me to steal! Enjoy :)

CHEATER BAKED BEANS

2 cans Bushes original baked beans (28 oz)

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 lb bacon

Cut bacon in bite sized pieces. Brown until crisp and drain. Mix everything in a 9 x 13 pan (disposable is great!). Bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hr. Let set 30 minutes before serving

Grilled Pepper Steak with Honey Onions

2011-07-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here's an awesome steak recipe for your holiday weekend! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Enjoy :)

GRILLED PEPPER STEAK WITH HONEY ONIONS
Pepper Rub (below)
1 TBSP olive oil
6 Beef T-Bone, rib eye, or sirloin steaks, 3/4 to 1 inch thick (about 3 lbs)
3 medium onions cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 TBSP honey

Pepper Rub
2 TBSP cracked peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic salt

Mix all rub ingredients. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Lightly rush oil on both sides of beef. Press rub mixture onto both sides of beef. Let stand 15 minutes. Lightly brush oil on onions slices. Cover and grill beef and onions 4 to 5 inches from medium-high heat 10-12 minutes, turning once, until beef is medium doneness. Brush honey on onions. Serve onions with beef.

BBQ Pork Chops (Skillet or Grill)

2011-06-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

These pork chops are YUMMY! Super-D-Duper Yummy. Moist. Tender. You need to make them ASAP! I snagged the recipe from My Tasty Treasures, but tweaked it a little since I couldn't bring myself to cooking them in a skillet with a perfectly good grill sitting on the back deck. I will use the skillet method this winter when it's below freezing and grilling is out of the question. Why? Because. Everything tastes better on the grill! Enjoy :)

BBQ Pork Chops
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
2 TBSP cider vinegar
3 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 TBSP paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4-6 bone in center cut or rib chops 3/4-1 inch thick
1 TBSP oil (for skillet method)

Whisk BBQ sauce and vinegar. Combine spices and whisk 1 tsp into the BBQ sauce a vinegar mixture. Pat chops with paper towels and rub with remaining spice mixture.

GRILL METHOD
Grill and brush with sauce until meat is no longer pink (I don't know the exact amount of time because I am banned from the grill since the starting-it-on-fire incident). Eat. Yum!

SKILLET METHOD
Heat oil until smoking. Cook chops until well browned (4 minutes per side). Reduce to medium low and brush with sauce. Flip and cook to caramelize (about 1 minute). Brush and flip and cook the other side until it reaches 145.

P.W. Cinnamon Rolls

2011-06-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

I can't think of many things that top a delicious cinnamon roll (except maybe a vat of chocolate.... I'm a little partial to the brown stuff :). When I read all the delicious reviews of the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls, I knew they must be made in my kitchen. ASAP. First of all, I can't believe a passerby within smelling range of my house didn't come in and attack me for these rolls while they were baking. They smelled fabulous! One thing that sets these rolls apart from others is the icing. Holy-yummo. It's made using maple and coffee (sounds strange) but the finished product doesn't taste particularly like either... it tastes just plain delicious with a little something special in the background.

Now, for my 100% honest opinion.

These rolls were completely yummy. These rolls were also a complete pain in the fanny to make and took forever. Like hours and hours. You could almost make a day out of it.... which is totally fine if you have the extra time. While these rolls were good, they were no better than the rolls I typically make using the Duggar roll recipe dough (which takes much less time and has many less steps). What sets these rolls apart from others would be the icing. Next time I make cinnamon rolls I'm using my usual Duggar dough with Pioneer Woman icing.

With that said, go out and make some cinnamon rolls. Don't be afraid to try Pioneer Woman's complete recipe, just make sure you have plenty of time. They are wonderful. If you are looking for a shortcut use the Duggar roll dough (or your favorite recipe) with the maple coffee frosting. Man, I'm windy today! Enjoy :)

PIONEER WOMAN CINNAMON ROLLS

1 quart Whole Milk

1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter
2 cups Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

MAPLE FROSTING:

1 bag Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
½ cups Milk
¼ cups Melted Butter
¼ cups Brewed Coffee
⅛ teaspoons Salt

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 375 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the

Crispy Honey Wings

2011-06-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

These wings will have your feathers flapping! They are DELISH! With a capital D. My picky, non-chicken loving husband even loved these. That means they're good. Enjoy :)

CRISPY HONEY WINGS
16 chicken wings (3 lbs)
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/8 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger (I used 1/8 tsp)

1. Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.

2. Cut each wing at the joints to make 3 pieces; discard tip. You could also save time buy purchasing already cut chicken wings (they are sometimes called chicken drummies). Mix remaining ingredients.

3. Grill chicken uncovered 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 20 - 25 minutes, brushing frequently with honey mixture and turning after 10 minutes, until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Discard any remaining honey mixture.

Fancy Pear Salad

2011-06-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a delicious and impressive looking salad I found in a great new cookbook called Everyday Paleo (and you know how I love new cookbooks!). I would highly recommend this cookbook to anyone who eats gluten-free. Whether it's because of a medical condition or by choice, eating gluten-free can be difficult... especially if your cooking for children. This cookbook has a great section on what to pack in a child's school lunch. The author of this book is a busy mom and all the recipes are quick, easy and geared toward the family. I thought this salad had a great flavor and I loved the red onions with the tangy dressing and sweet pear combination. The pecans give it a surprise crunch. YUM! Enjoy :)

PEAR SALAD

5 oz. bag mixed salad greens

1 diced pears

1/2 thinly sliced red onion

Extra-virgin olive oil to taste

3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup crushed pecans

Black pepper to taste

1. Toss greens, pear and onions together.

2. Drizzle salad with oil, vinegar and sprinkle with pecans

3. Finish with cracked black pepper

Today's Savings!!!

2011-06-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

This is probably super boring to everyone, but I'm so excited I saved $40.00 when buying these items today by price matching and coupons. We're big fans of TLC's Extreme Couponing and while we didn't get $2,000 worth of groceries for free like they do on the show, we did save a considerable amount and only bought items we will use. It's actually quite fun and addicting! My kids even love clipping coupons. Here's the low down on what I bought:

6 boxes of cereal (using BOGO price match and coupon)= $1 per box instead of $3.38 per box
4 boxes of fruit snacks (BOGO pricing match)= $1.14 per box instead of $2.28
2 corn bread/muffin mixes (BOGO price match)= 21 cents per pack instead of 88 cents
4 muffin mixes (BOGO)= 44 cents per pack instead of 88 cents
2 brownie mixes (BOGO)= 49 cents per pack instead of 97 cents
2 packages Oreo cookies (price match)= $1.50 per pack instead of $3.00
2 Arm & Hammer laundry detergent (price match)= $2.50 per bottle instead of $4.00
2 travel sized Advil (coupon)= I made 32 cents for buying these with a $4.00/2 coupon and they were $1.84
1 travel sized Advil (coupon)= 84 cents instead of $1.84
2 cake mixes (BOGO & coupon) & 2 icing= $2.88 instead of $5.58
And a lot of price matches on fresh produce (not shown)

This is the FREE food my kids got today! Our community started doing a free summer lunch program this week at the church and on Fridays they send them with a grocery sack each full of food.

I would love to hear how you save on your grocery bill!!!

Veggie Kabobs

2011-06-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

Looking for the perfect compliment to steak or even a nice juicy burger? If so these are perfect! It's a great way to get kids to eat veggies... who doesn't like food on a stick? Enjoy :)

VEGGIE KABOBS
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cut in bite sized pieces:
1 zucchini
1 onion
1 package mushrooms
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper

Mix all in a large zip loc bag and let set at room temperature for 30 minutes. While veggie are marinating soak wooden skewers (you could use metal). Place veggies on skewers and grill until veggies are at your desired softness (I like mine a bit crunchy). Yum :)

Fruit Dip

2011-06-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

It's getting hot outside. The weather said 97 today. YUCK! There's nothing like stepping outside and feeling like you're walking through thick,hot air. You gotta love Missouri and it's humidity. My little Chasers was such a trooper at his first t-ball game this weekend. I felt so sorry for those little t-ball cuties and their red faces during their 6:00 PM game. Here's my little t-baller. Isn't he cute???

Here's a fresh fruit dip to cool you off on those hot summer evenings. It's perfect for picnics, bbq's and family reunions. I usually make a dip with marshmallow fluff, but I forgot it at the store and had to improvise. The results were really quick and yummy. Enjoy :)

FRUIT DIP
1 package cream cheese (all I had was yucky fat-free and it even worked great!)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 carton cool whip, thawed

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in cool whip and chill at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with sliced fruit.

Best-Ever Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake

2011-05-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

Move over main dish recipes. This blog needs sweetened up with some serious chocolate. I'm quite certain you will not find a better chocolate cake to satisfy your sweet tooth anywhere. I dare you to make it and tell me yours is better :) I'm just plain being conceited. When you make this recipe and everyone loves it, you can be conceited too. I give you permission. I'm nice like that :) Seriously. Make it. I've been making the recipe for years from the Kraft Foods website. You will love it, but be sure to make it the day before for maximum fudge-a-licious-ness. Enjoy :)

BEST-EVER CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYER CAKE

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
4 eggs
1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Sliced Almonds (I didn't have any)

HEAT oven to 350°F.

CHOP 2 chocolate squares. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Stir in chopped chocolate. Pour into 2 (9-inch) round pans sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and remaining chocolate squares in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min. Let stand 15 min. to thicken. (Dont' let this step scare you!! It will work, I promis :)

STACK cake layers on plate, filling and frosting with COOL WHIP mixture. Sprinkle with nuts. Keep refrigerated

Beer Butt Chicken

2011-05-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

Schools Out!!! Well... at least for the kiddos. I gotta do inventory. YUCK :(

I have a very summer vacationy recipe to share today. It's one of those I have saw on a billion blogs and never got around to making. Until now. There are several versions, but this particular one comes from Mommy's Kitchen. It's a Paula Deen recipe. I love Mommy's Kitchen and Paula Deen. If you like the taste of beer, you will love this recipe. I. don't. like. beer. Need I say more? Lot's of people love this recipe. It was highly recommended. I'm just not one of those people. My mom always says if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything. So... this was the juiciest chicken recipe I have ever made. To bad it tasted like beer and Rosemary. Two things I don't like. I'm feeling like the Grinch so I will shut up now! Don't let my review sway you from trying this recipe. If you like beer that is. Enjoy... even though I didn't :)

BEER BUTT CHICKEN

1 (12-ounce) can beer (we used the kind with mountains on it)
Paula Deen’s Seasoned Salt or Lawry's seasoning salt
1 (3-pound) chicken
1 - sprig rosemary

Wash and drain the chicken and pat dry. Season the chicken inside and out with the Seasoning Salt and House Seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to cook. Prepare the charcoal grill. When the coals are hot and glowing, carefully push them over to the sides of the grill, leaving an open space in the middle of the grill. Open the can of beer and pour off approximately 1/4 cup. Try and open the can as much as possible or completely using a can opener or knife (be careful). Insert the sprig of rosemary to the can, add some more of Paula's house seasoning into the can then place the beer can, keeping it upright, into the rear cavity of the chicken. Carefully place the chicken, standing up on the beer can, in the center of the grill, making sure not to spill the beer. Cover the grill and cook the chicken for approximately 1 hour, rotating the chicken as necessary. The chicken is done when the juice runs clear when pierced with a fork. Carefully remove the beer can from the chicken using mitts and discard the can. Cut the chicken into halves or quarters.

PAULA'S HOUSE SEASONING
1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Pioneer Woman Spicy Pulled Pork

2011-05-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Pioneer Woman rocks!!! If you do not own her cookbook you must immediately buy it (they even have it at Wal-mart). I love everything about it. The stories, graphics, photos, recipes.... my list could go on and on. I spotted this recipes and knew I would love it. It's super easy. Rub it and then roast it in your oven all day. How much easier can you get? The rub gets crunchy and delicious and the middle stays tender and moist. I found it more sweet than spicy and totally versatile. It's great on warmed tortillas, on a bun or even as the main component of a quesadilla. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! Enjoy :)

SPICY PULLED PORK

4 pounds (up To 7 Pounds) Pork Shoulder

1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
Pepper To Taste
3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) White Wine Vinegar
¼ cups Brown Sugar
1 whole Onion
Lime Wedges

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder.

To begin, just throw the dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and brown sugar into a food processor or blender. (I happen to love brown sugar in my cooking, but you can decrease or omit it if you like.)

Cut one onion into quarters and put it in the food processor with the spices. Blend mixture until totally combined and then pour it over the pork shoulder.

Now rub it into every nook and cranny of the meat, tucking it under folds an in crevices. Let no stone go unturned.

Then place the pork into a roasting pan or Dutch oven and add a couple of cups of water. Cover tightly and roast pork at 300º for several hours, turning once every hour.

When it is fork tender, crank up the heat, remove the lid, and roast it, skin side up for another 15 to 20 minutes to get the skin crispy. When it’s done, let it rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

Shred the pork shoulder (two forks work well). When it’s all shredded be sure to pour the juices all over the meat.

Serve with warm tortillas, lime wedges, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, tomatillo salsa or whatever warms your heart.

Brownie Bites

2011-05-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

Aren't these adorable? They look impressive don't they? Wouldn't you love shove one in your mouth and taste the yummy, soft brownie goodness surrounded by crunchy white chocolate? I would! I would! Best of all, these are ridiculously easy. You may even be embarrassed to tell the recipe when everyone who eats them begs for it (and they will!). I seem to be on a dessert kick lately. Lucky for you! Enjoy :)

BROWNIE BITES

1 pan of brownies (box or homemade) baked and cooled (leave them a little soft)

White Candy Coating, Almond Bark, or White Chocolate

Sprinkles to decorate (optional)

Scoop out cooled brownies and roll into balls. Place on cookie sheet and place in freeze for 30 minutes. Melt chocolate. Dip balls in chocolate and sprinkle immediately with sprinkles. Let set until chocolate hardens. Get your hand ready to write down the recipe for everyone who tries them!

Happy Apples

2011-05-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a yummy snack your kids will be happy to eat and you will be happy to feed them. Any way to get more fruits down your child is always good :) They're great! Use any flavor jello you like. I used blue raspberry for these. YUM! Enjoy :)

HAPPY APPLES

sliced and cored apples

jello (powder)

Dip apple slices in jello powder. Shake off excess powder. That's it!

Oreo Cheese Ball

2011-05-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

I hope you've had a better week than me! Two words: HEALTH INSPECTOR. The dreaded health inspector visits are never fun, but now that I'm the Food Service Director it has totally different meaning. I have paper work and work orders running out of my ears equaling no time to post. I'm redeeming myself with this absolutely amazing dessert you will want to make as soon as possible. It's like my most delicious Oreo cheesecake ever that takes about 5 minutes to whip together. I took it to the school party and was asked for the recipe repeatedly. You will LOVE it! Enjoy :)

OREO CHEESE BALL
1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup powdered sugar
6-8 Oreos crushed up
Chocolate Chips

Mix the cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and crushed oreos until well mixed. Form into a ball. Roll in chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least a couple of hours.
Serve with: Graham Cracker Sticks, Teddy Grahams, Grandmas Sugar Cookies or Nilla Wafers

Soda Cupcakes

2011-05-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

It's the attack of the cupcake vampire! Actually it's that dang little daughter of mine... the twilight fan :) Today was her pretend birthday at school (her real birthday's July 2). She requested vampire cupcakes... and this was all I could come up with. Not very original, but mighty yummy. These awesome cupcakes are from a great Weight Watchers cookbook I love. Only 3 ingredients will get you some seriously moist and delicious treats you can feel good about eating because hey, they're from a weight loss cook book and that means they're super healthy :) That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I topped them with my favorite fluffy boiled icing (it reminds you of marshmallow fluff). Enjoy :)

SODA CUPCAKES
1 box chocolate cake mix (super moist devil's food works great)
2 egg whites
10 oz diet cola

Preheat oven to 350. Place cake mix, egg whites and soda in medium bowl; beat by hand with wire whisk for 1 minute. Spray cupcake pan or use cupcake liners and fill 2/3 full of batter. Bake 28-23 minutes. Frost or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

WWP: 3

*I like to put cupcakes in a gallon zip loc bag when they are a tad warm. I think it makes them more moist and delicious.

Crock Pot Peanut Clusters

2011-04-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

Candy in the crock pot?!? Yes, you heard (um, read) right! These deliciously mouthwatering morsels are very impressive while being embarrassingly easy... my kind of recipe! They would make a great "thank you" gift next week on May 3 for Teacher Appreciation Day AND really, what's a better way to say "thank you" than with chocolate? Even if you don't make these for Teacher Appreciation Day, you must make these. Enjoy :)

CROCK POT PEANUT CLUSTERS
2 lbs (36 oz) salted dry-roasted peanuts
4 oz (4 squares) German's sweet chocolate
1 12-oz package semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
2½ lbs white almond bark

Put the peanuts in the bottom of a 4-quart slow-cooker. Layer the chocolate over the peanuts, beginning with the sweet chocolate, followed by the chocolate chips, and then the almond bark. Set the temperature on low and cook for 3 hours. Do not stir the mixture.

After 3 hours, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Drop the candy into cupcake pan liners, using about 2 tablespoons per liner. Allow the candy to cool completely before removing the cupcake liners. Makes 30 to 40 pieces.

Steak Bites

2011-04-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

Don't be turned off by this horrible picture. These steak bites are absolutely divine.... a Pioneer Woman treat :) Beef's not my favorite subject to photograph (it's quite cantankerous!), but it's one of my favorite subjects to eat! Big Red (ya, I know the name of the cow this steak came from) you are mighty tasty :) If you're trying to make an impressive dinner, look no further. This tasty entree is a keeper. Enjoy :)

STEAK BITES
1 pound Sirloin Steak (without Much Gristle) OR Pre-cut Beef Tips

Kosher Salt To Taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper To Taste
2 Tablespoons Butter

Trim off the large obvious piece of fat that runs along the side of the meat. Next, cut strips less than 1-inch wide. Rotate the meat and cut into small bite-sized pieces. If you see any more large chunks of fat, gristle or long silvery membrane, cut them off.

Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss the meat around a bit to thoroughly coat with the seasonings.

Next, turn on your ventilation fan overhead. Heat the skillet over medium high to high heat. As the pan heats, add about 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to melt, then brown, before you add the meat.

Place some of the meat in the pan in a single layer. It should sizzle loudly when it hits the pan – if it doesn’t, the pan isn’t hot enough. Don’t stir or disrupt the meat for 30-45 seconds. You want it to sizzle and brown on one side. Scoop as many steak bites as you can with your spatula and flip them over. Repeat until all the meat is turned. Cook for an additional 30 to 45 seconds—just long enough to sear the outside of the meat but NOT cook the inside.

Remove the meat to a clean plate. Add a little more butter to the pan and repeat the cooking process with the next batch just as before. Lastly, when all the meat is nicely browned and removed to the plate, pour all that browned/blackened butter all over the meat. And enjoy!

Tasty Burritos

2011-04-19T16:22:00.000-07:00

Tasty. Burritos. The name says it all! They're tasty. They're burritos. They need to go on your grocery list. Enjoy :)

TASTY BURRITOS

1 pound ground beef

1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
6 flour tortillas (12 inches), warmed
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
4 teaspoons canola oil
sour cream and salsa

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. In a small saucepan, cook refried beans over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of beans off-center on each tortilla; top with about 2 rounded tablespoons of beef mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Fold sides and ends of tortilla over filling and roll up.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown burritos in oil on all sides. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Roasted Chicken with Lemon Sauce

2011-04-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple roasted chicken dish for all you lemon fans. It was the contest winner in the last issue of Simple & Delicious and I always figure if it won, it must be good... and I was right :) I loved the taste of the moist chicken although I don't think I will make the lemon sauce next time. It was too fancy for my family and no one but me would try it! Enjoy :)

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH LEMON SAUCE
1 roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds)
1 medium lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 medium carrots, cut into chunks
1 large onion, quartered

LEMON SAUCE:
1/2 cup sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 to 2 drops yellow food coloring, optional
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Pat chicken dry. Cut lemon in half; squeeze juice over chicken. Place lemon in cavity. Rub garlic over chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan juices and adding carrots and onion during the last hour. Cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon peel and food coloring if desired.

Serve sauce with chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with green onion

Taco Dip

2011-04-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I feel like it's been FOREVER since I last posted. Unfortunately, my darling and extremely sweet (ha ha) daughters had a fight resulting in the death of my laptop. Makayla was so highly offended by her little sister putting her head on her that she pushed her, resulting in Sophie falling on the computer. The screen was completely ruin :( I had to wait until payday to get a new one. I wasn't desserting (get it... dessert-ing) you. I just didn't have a computer.
Lucky for you, during my time of no-computer, I had the most delicious taco dip brought in to work from my co-worker Linda. I'm a huge fan of the layered taco dip and I'm excited to say this is just as wonderful. I love the fact it can be made several days in advance. It's perfect for potlucks or bbq's. Enjoy :)

TACO DIP
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1/2 cup mild salsa
1 packet mild taco seasoning mix
1 (1 oz) packet onion soup mix
4 cups shredded lettuce
3 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup canned French fried onions, coarsely crushed, optional (Linda left these out)

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, taco seasoning and onion soup mix. Blend well with a mixer at low speed. Spoon into a shallow bowl or 9 x 13 baking dish. Smooth on top. Sprinkle lettuce over cream cheese mixture and top with cheese and tomatoes. For added crunch, add French fried onion to the top before serving.

* This dip can be made several days in advance, but do not top with the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and onions until 2 hours prior to serving for peak texture.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2011-04-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to have to many delicious cookie recipes? I think not! One bite and you'll be glad I couldn't resist sharing yet another one. Raisins not your thing? No problem. Replace them with chocolate chips (and if you don't like chocolate... WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!!!!). You will think you're in heaven as soon as you start to smell them baking in the oven. The cinnamon's the magic touch, but beware of over baking. Enjoy :)

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture, just until combined. Stir in the oats, raisins and pecans if desired.
Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a greased glass bottom.
Bake at 350° for 10-11 minutes or until golden brown. Do not overbake. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Apple Bran Muffins

2011-03-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

HEALTHY ALERT! HEALTHY ALERT! I'm being all healthy again :) These filling little muffins are actually pretty delicious and low on the glycemic index. They're in fact so delicious I've had trouble stopping with just one.
WARNING: If you're like me and find yourself ~~devouring~~ nibbling yourself through ~~4 or 5 or 6~~ 2 or 3 you might want to make sure you're going to be close to the ~~toilet~~ powder room because these fiber filled sweeties have a tendency to make themselves be known (lets cut the crap... they keep you regular :). With that said... you should try these. They're a yummy way to eat some healthy whole grains and hit your daily fiber quota. Enjoy :)

APPLE BRAN MUFFINS
3/4 cup wheat bran cereal (bran buds)
1 cup skim milk
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup Splenda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup oat bran
2/3 cup raisins
1 large apple, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 TBSP canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin tin or use baking cups (for 12 muffins). Mix wheat bran cereal and milk in bowl and let stand at least 5 minutes. In large bowl, mix flour, splenda, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir in oat bran, raisins, and apple. In small bowl, combine egg, oil and applesauce. Stir, along with cereal mixture, into dry ingredients. Spoon into prepared muffin tin and bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Chocolate Miracle Whip Cake

2011-03-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

It's chocolately! It's super moist! It's completely delicious! It's a cake with miracle whip in it! Yes, miracle whip. You know the stuff you slather on a sandwich? It's not a typo. I'm not crazy (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) Who knew it could make the most perfectly decadent cake ever??? Well, I did. My Grandma Jean always made chocolate miracle whip cake :) You must try this. It's so good! You will love me forever. Enjoy :)

CHOCOLATE MIRACLE WHIP CAKE
1 cup miracle whip
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
dash salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup cold water

Combine miracle whip and sugar (in a bowl). Stir until smooth. Add vanilla. In a seperate bowl combine flour, salt, cocoa powder and baking soda. Add dry mixture alternately with water into the miracle whip/sugar/vanilla mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Blend well (until smooth) after each addition. Bake in a greased 9 x 13, 2 9-inch circle pans, or a bundt pan for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, your favorite chocolate or vanilla frosting or a yummy glaze. The choice is yours. Live on the wild side :) I did the bundt pan with a glaze and sprinkled it with peanut butter chips, but Grandma Jean always used a chocolate fudge frosting.

San Francisco Chops

2011-03-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

After spotting this recipe on several different blogs and on Taste of Home, I decided it was past time to try it out! There are two versions of it. Number 1: stove top. Number 2: crockpot. I chose the crockpot option. I'm always looking for yummy time saving recipes (aren't you???). It was super easy and deeeeeelish although the meat had a slight overcooked-ness about it. Something I find common with crockpot recipes. The flavor of the sauce was still amazing, but next time I'm trying the skillet version. Here's both. You decide which you want to choose and share your results. Enjoy :)

SAN FRANCISCO CHOPS - CROCKPOT
4 bone-in pork loin chops (1 inch thick and 8 ounces each)
1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
Hot cooked rice

In a large skillet, brown pork chops on both sides in oil; transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Add garlic to drippings; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, wine, brown sugar and pepper flakes; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over chops.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove chops. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker. Return chops to slow cooker. Cover and cook for at least 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve with rice.

SAN FRANCISCO CHOPS- SKILLET
1 1/2 lbs pork chops
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons oil
1/4 cup beef broth or 1/4 cup sherry wine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in skillet, and brown chops on both sides. Meanwhile, combine the 2 teaspoon oil, broth or sherry, brown sugar, soy sauce, red pepper, and black pepper. Add garlic to pork chops, and pour sauce mixture over everything. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, adding 1-2 Tablespoon of water if needed to keep sauce from cooking down too much. Turn chops once. Remove chops to platter. In pan, stir in cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tablespoon of water. Cook until thickened. Pour over chops and serve.

Steak and Blue Cheese Wrap

2011-03-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

So here I am... trying to be all healthy and stuff. The loss of my aunt got me thinking (yes, I occasionally do that!) about fixing healthier vittles including ingredients with disease-fighting nutrients. Don't worry. I'm not going completely healthy-nut on you, just expect to see some recipes on the light side occasionally. I thought this wrap made an excellent on-the-go lunch. The blue cheese gives a burst of flavor (even though it's super stinky!). If you aren't a big fan of this cheese you could easily substitute it for another of your liking. Enjoy... and be healthy :)

STEAK AND BLUE CHEESE WRAP
(for 1 wrap)
3 oz. thinly sliced cooked lean steak (I used leftovers from grilling)
1 cup romaine or whole fresh baby spinach leaves, shredded
1/4 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers, drained and cut in thin strips
1 TBSP crumbled blue cheese
1 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla

Arrange sliced beef, romaine, peppers strips, and blue cheese on top of tortilla (I zapped mine in the microwave for a few seconds to make pliable). Roll up (it's super full). Attack.

Green Velvet Cupcakes

2011-03-16T11:13:00.001-07:00

Does it count to eat green on St. Patrick's Day??? Maybe if I continuously have a green cupcake hanging out of my mouth I won't get pinched... but that may not be smart to do at work if the health inspector shows up :) Here's a yummy, moist homemade cupcake recipe that could be tinted to work for any holiday. I think the secrets in buttermilk. Enjoy :)

GREEN VELVET CUPCAKES
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon green paste food coloring
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
2 cups white baking chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and food coloring until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Meanwhile, place white chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chips; whisk until smooth. Stir in butter. Transfer to a large bowl. Chill for 30 minutes, stirring once.

Beat on high for 2-3 minutes or until soft peaks form and frosting is light and fluffy. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #30 star tip. Fill bag with frosting; frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and edible glitter. Store in the refrigerator.

Chili Beef Noodle Skillet

2011-03-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

Looking for a quick, easy meal??? You're in the right place! Here's a Taste of Home oldy I found when I first got married that's simple enough for even an inexperienced cook. I always cut the recipe in half because it makes a ton. It's looking a little naked because I forgot the cheese until after its centerfold was taken:) Try it . I think you'll like it! Enjoy :)

CHILI BEEF NOODLE SKILLET
1 package (8 ounces) egg noodles
2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, celery and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until heated through. Drain noodles; stir into beef mixture and heat through. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

2011-03-10T12:38:00.000-08:00

This post's dedicated to my Aunt Cathy who lost her battle with breast cancer this week. She will be greatly missed.

CAKE BALLS
1 boxed cake mix, any flavor, baked according to package directions in 9 x 13 pan
1 can icing (16 oz), any flavor (I only used 3/4 of the can)
candy coating (about 3 oz)

Using a fork, crumble completely cooled cake. Add icing and mix well. The icing will completely blend into the cake. Form into balls using a melon baller (or your hands if you don't have one). Place balls on a cookie sheet and place in freezer for 15 minutes. Melt candy coating. Using a toothpick, dip balls into candy coating. Place on wax paper to set.

Roasted Chicken

2011-03-03T12:45:00.002-08:00

Mr. Chicken may not have been pretty, but he sure tasted good! When my family got through with him, he was nothing but a plate of bones!

Here's a super simple roasted chicken recipe sure to please your pickiest eater. My husband's not a chicken fan, but he ate several helpings. Enjoy :)

ROASTED CHICKEN
2 chickens(about 5 pounds each)
1 teaspoon each salt, seasoned salt, celery salt and onion salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pat chickens dry. Place with breast side up in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Combine seasonings; rub over and inside chickens.
Cover and bake at 400° for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 180°. Serve one chicken immediately.
Cool the second chicken; debone and cube the meat and refrigerate or freeze (may be frozen for up to 3 months).

Guest Blogger: Hello Dolly Bars

2011-02-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to have my BFF (yep, I'm 30 and said BFF. I'm kicking it old school) Bethy as my very first guest blogger. She's beautiful, smart (she will be starting medical school soon...PLASTICS Bethany, PLASTICS.... help a girl out!) and has turned into a great little cook. Without further ado, here's Johnny.... I mean Bethany :)

Hi everyone, I'm Bethany. I'm technically Heidi's cousin (but more like her little sister). I'm sharing my recipe for Hello Dollies. I've heard them called several different things, so you may have made them before and call them something different. I got this recipe a couple years ago when my friend Alyssa brought them over for our weekly "America's Next Top Model" watching. It was kind of our tradition to eat fattening things while watching girls who are way too skinny :) They kind of remind me of German chocolate cake with the coconut. You can leave out the butterscotch if you don't like it, just use a little more chocolate. These bars are super easy and always a hit!

Enjoy :)

Here's Bethany and I at Sophie Doodles birthday party conversing in some deep and intelligent Twilight conversation. (If you couldn't tell, Bethany's the young and beautiful one in pink... and in case you're wondering, the rickety old swing set behind me is no longer with us and has found peace in swing set heaven ;)

HELLO DOLLY BARS
1 1/2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup melted butter
1 bag semisweet chocolate chunks (or chips)
1/2 bag butterscotch chips
Shredded coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix Graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Pat into crust in a 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle chocolate chunks and butterscotch chips on top. Cover in coconut. Pour sweetened condensed milk on top. Do not mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until slightly brown on top. Cool completely before cutting.

Double Decker Taco

2011-02-24T11:07:00.000-08:00

Looking for a yum-o-licious twist to a weeknight favorite? Here's a terrific way to change up your taco routine, making them more filling and taking them from wow to WOW-WE! Enjoy:)

DOUBLE DECK TACO
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
taco shells
flour tortillas
lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa... whatever floats your taco topping boat

Brown and drain ground beef. Reserve 2 tsp taco seasoning and mix the remaining seasoning with ground beef (following directions on taco seasoning for cooking). Mix reserved taco seasoning with refried beans. Heat until warm. Spread 2 TBSP (or desired amount) beans on flour tortilla. Place bean covered shell onto crunchy taco shell. Fill with ground beef and toppings of your choice.

Chocolate Brownie For One

2011-02-20T07:34:00.000-08:00

WARNING: This recipe's dangerously good! It gives you the power to mix and bake yourself a moist brownie with pantry ingredients and have it in your mouth in about 5 minutes. Any time a chocolate craving hits you.... BOOM! I told you this was dangerous. After making these 3 times within a 30 minute period (1 batch for Chase... only 2 for me :) I hid the recipe. I've made versions of this in a coffee mug in the oven, but this bowl version in the microwave turns out surprisingly good. Watch it closely so you don't over bake. Now, get yourself in the kitchen and whip up at brownie. You know you want too! Enjoy :)

MICROWAVE BROWNIE FOR ONE
¼ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter (softened)
2 tablespoon chocolate chips (a few more never hurts!)

Mix everything together until smooth (mixture will be very thick). Pour into a small microwave safe bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in the microwave 1-2 minutes.

*Now here comes the only tricky part of the recipe. Total cooking time in the microwave is one to two minutes depending on how powerful your microwave is. My microwave is a 1000 watt machine and it takes one minute 20 seconds. You will have to watch yours carefully the first time you cook this treat, so you don't over bake it. I left the center of mine a little gooey. LET THE BAKED BROWNIE SIT FOR ABOUT A MINUTE.

Thanks Colleen from Colleen's Recipes for sharing this recipe :)

Island Chicken

2011-02-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

Last week our temperature's were barely double digits... today it's over 70! I was hoping for grilling tonight, but the wind's so strong you can barely walk without a struggle :(

Here's a yummy recipe that's so light tasting it could probably blow away today. Rachel from Rachel vs. "The Kitchen" shared it last week after having great reviews from her husband and kids. While I can't say the same about my entire family (Brad isn't a chicken fan), Chase and I really enjoyed this dish with it's delicate lemon flavor. If your looking for a simple meal to please your chicken lovers this dish will get a fast spot on your dinner rotation! Enjoy :)

ISLAND CHICKEN
½ cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1½ tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed (I added about 3-4 cloves...I LOVE garlic!)
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours.

When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them. Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Steak Fajitas

2011-02-14T14:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!! I hope everyone gets showered with roses, diamonds (although that might hurt) and gets so much chocolate they could swim in it :) Here's a recipe meant to be shared. It's DEEEEELISH! Enjoy :)

STEAK FAJITAS
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup white vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound beef top sirloin steak, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
4 to 6 flour tortillas (10 inches), warmed
Shredded cheddar cheese, picante sauce and sour cream, optional

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the orange juice, vinegar, garlic and seasonings; add the beef. Seal bag and turn to coat; set aside (I let mine marinate a few hours). In a skillet, saute onion and peppers in 1 tablespoon oil until crisp-tender; remove and set aside. Drain well and discard marinade. In the same skillet, cook beef in remaining oil for 2-4 minutes or until it reaches desired doneness. Return vegetables to pan; heat through. Spoon meat and vegetables onto tortillas. If desired, top with cheese and serve with picante sauce and sour cream.

Valentine's Cookie Bars

2011-02-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to share my recipe for gluten free banana bread.... and nobody liked it:( In my 2 years of blogging I don't think I've ever posted a recipe and received no comments :( I'm a little sad and depressed. Do I not have any gluten free peeps reading my blog? Enough feeling sorry for myself! Here's a recipe sure to tickle your Valentine's fancy. Who doesn't love a great cookie bar? My kiddies and honey (I shouldn't be so nice after his driving through the house stunt!) gobbled these treats right up. I think they may have last a day. Enjoy :)

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
2 sticks butter- softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup m & m's

Cream butter & sugars until fluffy. Add soda, salt, and mix. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Add flour and mix until well blended. Fold in m & m's and chocolate chips. Place in greased 9 x 13 baking pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool. Cut. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Banana Bread

2011-02-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

Attention all non-gluten eaters: This bread tastes like the real thing! It's very hard to find a gluten-free bread recipe that A) doesn't take a ton of special ingredients B) doesn't have a funny aftertaste C) has the right texture. This recipe's the real deal. It was a great treat after my dud of a week. Chase may or may not have a broken foot (it was so swollen when they x rayed it they didn't see a fracture, but said there still might be one) and he had to have a cavity filled. Needless to say, I've spend may hours in doctors offices this week. When it rains, it pours. Hope your week has been better! Enjoy :)

GLUTEN FREE BANANA BREAD
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (I used Bob's Redmill brand)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4-5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, bananas, sugar, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Transfer to two 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Chicken Taco Rice

2011-02-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Chicken. Taco. Rice. Yum! Yum!! Yum!!! You could eat it on a plate. You could make it for a date. You could eat it here or there. You could eat it anywhere... UMMMM. I think I have been listening to Sophie read to much Dr. Seuss! The joys of first grade :)

Rhyme or not, this is some good taco-ish grub. We ate it on nachos, but it would be great in a burrito shell or plain. Enjoy :)

CHICKEN TACO RICE
2 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used breast)
3 cups chicken broth
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups rice (uncooked)
1/2 cup green or red pepper, chopped
1 can corn, drained

Mix all in pan. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes or until water is adsorbed (it takes 40-50 minutes for brown rice). Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff. Eat. Enjoy.

Honey Bun Cake

2011-02-05T07:29:00.000-08:00

My weekend started with a bang... and when I say bang, I mean it. Literally! I heard plenty of bangs as my car slid through the beautiful double decorative leaded glass doors with side lights going into my garage (the previous owners used the garage as a living room and the living room as a bedroom , hence the fancy doors instead of a garage door). We were planning on replacing the doors with a garage door come spring, but my husband sped those plans along! Luckily my car doesn't even have a scratch on it, but the house's looking pretty trashy with ply wood covering the hole. Man I hate the ice and snow :(

Bad start to the weekend aside, here's a delicious recipe sure to give you a bang when you take a bite. This cake smells SO good while baking it's irresistible. It's perfect. Moist. Delicious. Tender. Flavorful. PERFECT! Please make immediately. Enjoy :)

HONEY BUN CAKE
1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup oil

Swirl:
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
6 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. By hand blend the cake mix, eggs, sour cream, & oil. Lumps are ok. Set aside. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Pour 1/2 of the cake batter in greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Add 1/2 swirl mixture. Top with rest of batter and then the rest of swirl mixture. Using a knife, make swirl patterns along the entire cake. Bake 45-50 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of baking make the glaze. Pour glaze immediately on HOT cake (this is important). Tilt to evenly coat cake. Cool. Devour.

Garlic Toast Pizza

2011-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

The weatherman's predicting up to 2 foot of snow and blizzard like conditions tomorrow. YIKES! School's cancelled and I'm stuck at home with three rowdy hooligans. At least I know what we will be having for lunch. These garlic toast pizzas are fun for kids to make and eat. Picky Pants found a winner when she discovered this delish concoctions. Yum Yum. Enjoy :)

GARLIC TOAST PIZZA
1 package (11-1/4 ounces) frozen garlic bread, thawed
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Place the garlic bread in a foil-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Spread with pizza sauce; top with pepperoni and cheese. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 4-6 minutes or until cheese is melted. (I baked mine the time and temperature directed on the garlic bread box until the cheese was melted)

Crispy Herb-Coated Pork Chops

2011-01-29T09:31:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone enjoyed my list of year two blog favorites. It was SOOOOO hard narrowing down to a few. I like food to much! I hope you found at least one thing in the line-up worthy enough to try :)

Here's a yummy new pork chop recipe I spied in my collection of old Simple & Delicious magazines. I'm always amazed when I go back and look at the number of great recipes I passed over. This was a delicious find easily hitting the table in under 30 minutes (including prep time). My kind of recipe! The coating's wonderfully favored and cooks up crisp while the chops stay moist and tender. Little Miss Picky Pants Makayla even ate her entire serving! Enjoy :)

CRISPY HERB-COATED PORK CHOPS

1/3 cup butter, cubed
2/3 cup butter and herb-flavored mashed potato flakes
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 bone-in center-cut pork loin chops (6 ounces each and 1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons canola oil

In a shallow bowl, melt butter. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the potato flakes, cheese and garlic powder. Dip chops, one at a time, in butter, then place in bag; seal and shake to coat.
In a large skillet, cook chops in oil over medium heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160.

A Year of Favorites!!!

2011-01-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

Here's what made the favorite list for year 2!!!

FAMILY FAVORITES

My Pick: Mongolian Beef

Sophie's Pick: Vampire Cookies (Imagine that from a Twi-fan!)

Makayla's Pick: Oreo Truffles

Chase's Pick: Layered Jello

GO-TO FAVORITES

CROCK-POT Nacho Supreme

Texas Tenders

Sweet & Crunchy Popcorn

OLDEST FAMILY RECIPE

Grandpa's Mint Brownies

FAVORITES FROM OTHER BLOGS

Cheerio Treats from Real Mom Kitchen

Mexican Pork Chops from Freezer Friendz

Sugar Cookie Bars from ?? (I don't remember!)

MOST IMPRESSIVE WEEKNIGHT MEAL

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

BEST CROWD PLEASER

Enchilada Casserole

YUCKIEST OF THE YEAR!

Peachy Chicken... yuck. I don't even like remembering it!

TASTE OF HOME FAVORITE

Can't Leave Alone Bars

MOST USED RECIPE

Lunch Box PB&J (Makayla's takes her lunch to school every day!)

BEST NEW COOKIE

Snickerdoodle

Thanks to everyone who reads my blog! Enjoy :)

Snow Ice Cream for Blog-a-versary!!!

2011-01-21T09:37:00.000-08:00

Snow ice cream seems WRONG WRONG WRONG on so many levels... but you know what? I LOVE it :) Forget that the snow's probably dirty and polluted. Try not to think the water the snow's made of could have evaporated from a lagoon. Live a little. Walk on the wild side. Be a rebel! Go out and get a heaping bowl of the white stuff (yellow is NOT lemon flavored) and mix up a batch of the best ice cream ever. I've eaten the stuff my entire life and have yet to kick the bucket from it. It's delish! Enjoy :)

***Happy 2 year Blog-a-versary to me! I will be sharing my families favorites this weekend. What has been your favorite recipe?***

SNOW ICE CREAM
snow
milk
sugar
vanilla

Get a big bowl (a mixing bowl) of nice clean snow (no grass or dirt). Stir in enough milk to make it have an ice cream consistency. Add a splash of vanilla and enough sugar to make it sweet. There are no measurements. You must taste and tell if the amount of sugar is right for you. I like mine sweet to make up for my general sourness :)

Chicken Fiesta Soup

2011-01-20T07:11:00.000-08:00

I'm a recipe thief. There, I admitted it. The weight is off my chest. We have a company who comes and sets up a display of books at the school I work. You pick what you want and they deliver them (it's pretty awesome!). I was flipping through a CROCK-POT cookbook and landed on the page with this recipe. It looked pretty great, but the rest of the cookbook was a dud... and I didn't have the extra $12. What's a girl to do? I copied the page. Does that make me a bad person??? If it counts, the stolen recipe was pretty darn good. I would recommend cutting the amount of chopped green chilies, unless you like super spicy stuff. You couldn't down a bowl without your eyes watering and nose running... but that didn't stop me from eating 3 bowls and lots of leftovers! Enjoy :)

CHICKEN FIESTA SOUP
4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can (14 1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, drained
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies (I would cut to 1)
1 can (28 oz) enchilada sauce
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 yellow squash, diced
1 zucchini, diced
tortilla chips (crumbled)
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Combine chicken, tomatoes, chilies, enchilada sauce, broth, onions, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder, pepper, cilantro, corn, squash and zucchini in CROCK-POT show cooker. Cover; cook on LOW for 8 hours. To serve, fill individual bowls with soup. Garnish with crumbled chips and cheese

Triple Fudge Brownies

2011-01-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to dessert central. Please watch your step as I guide you through yet another deliciously-sinful dessert recipe. OK... so I have noticed a dessert trend. Don't worry, I have lots of great main dishes waiting patiently to be posted. I couldn't resist sharing this one with you. Look at the picture. See the yummy melty chocolate? Imagine sinking your teeth in it. Now imagine yourself making this yum-o-licious treat with only 3 ingredients!!! See why I couldn't wait to share the recipe with you??? Beware. I won't last long. You will LOVE it! Enjoy :)

TRIPLE FUDGE BROWNIES
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) chocolate cake mix
2 cups Chocolate Chips

Prepare pudding according to package directions. Whisk in dry cake mix. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

Cherry Cheesecake

2011-01-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

See this delicious cheesecake??? Would you believe me if I told you it was only 5 ingredients (only 3 for the filling!) and easy enough for a 9 year old to prepare? Believe it or not, it's a FACT! Makayla's been having some anxiety issues since moving and to keep her mind off worrying I've been having her scour old Taste of Home magazines for recipes she wants to cook. This recipe was first on the list. Next she'll be preparing pizza out of Texas toast. Not only was this recipe delicious, it was fast and easy. We had a laugh when she turned on the mixer and powdered sugar flew everywhere! Needless to say, the LOW speed on my mixer is far from low! Enjoy :)

*I included this recipe in Mommy's Kitchen Sunday Potluck. Check out the other great recipes!*

CHERRY CHEESECAKE
2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 shortbread or graham cracker crust (8 or 9 inches)
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping; spoon into crust. Top with pie filling. Refrigerate until serving.

Creamy Mints

2011-01-13T11:08:00.000-08:00

Being cooped up in the house for 2 snow days with 3 kids can be nerve wracking. Why not spend the afternoon making some deliciously easy candy to sugar them up so they have the energy to destroy even faster!?! Not my smartest move, but if it counts, they had a lot of fun :) Chase picked the color (everything needs to be John Deere green in his eyes!). How adorable they would be for St. Patrick's Day. Tint them pink and they would be a fun way to say "I LOVE YOU" to your Valentine sweety. They would work excellent for a baby shower or wedding too. Keep warm and enjoy :)

CREAMY MINTS
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon mint extract
6-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
food coloring
Sugar or sprinkles

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and mint extract until smooth. Gradually beat in as much confectioners' sugar as possible; knead in remaining confectioners' sugar.
Divide mixture into four portions. Shape into 1/2-in. balls. Dip one side of each ball into sugar. Place sugar side up on waxed paper. Flatten with a fork, forming a crisscross pattern. Let stand 1 hour or until dry before storing in airtight containers; refrigerate. May be stored for up to 1 week before serving. Makes 12 dozen.

Mongolian Beef

2011-01-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I made a new friend. Unfortunately my husbands uncle passed away last week and while we were at his services last night another of his uncles walked up and seriously asked if I was Brads daughter or wife. Obviously, Brad doesn't see this uncle often. It made me and my 30 years feel young, but I have to wonder if this uncle was 1) drinking 2) taking illegal drugs 3) a complete idiot! (or it could be a combination of the 3!)

I have the most scrumptious, mouth watering, impressive recipe to share with you today. I'm super excited to pass this one along. I've tried recreating many Asian dishes at home with no success. While blog surfing I came across this recipe over at Your Home Based Mom. This was one of her favorite recipes of the year. I couldn't wait to give it a try. DELICIOUS!!!! I couldn't believe how great it turned out. My husband raved out this one and he rarely gives me compliments. I'm so glad I doubled the recipe. You must try this one. It's a winner, winner Chinese dinner!

MONGOLIAN BEEF
1 lb top round steak or flank steak, cut thinly on the cross grain
1/4 C cornstarch
3 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger or minced ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 C water
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C brown sugar
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 green onions, sliced into 2-3″ pieces
oil for frying

Dry off meat with a paper towel and slice into 1/4″ thick slices against the grain. (I used the pre-sliced stir fry meat) Add to a bowl with the cornstarch and coat thoroughly.

Add 1 1/2 tsp oil to a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, stir until fragrant. Add soy sauce, water, rice vinegar and brown sugar. Cook for about 2 minutes and remove from pan.

Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil to pan over high heat (It took more oil than this for me). Add the meat and cook until brown on all sides and slightly crispy. Pour sauce back into pan over meat. Add green onions, stir and remove from heat. Serve with rice and steamed veggies (I used broccoli and snow peas).

Pineapple Fluff

2011-01-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

Contrary to previous beliefs, I'm still alive and kicking after almost an entire week DIEting. I don't think I've shed one measly little pound. I might as well be eating chocolate! At least I have a tasty healthy-ish recipe to share with you today. I don't follow the Weight Watchers plan, but this recipe comes from In The Kitchen With Aimee. It's a great little cookbook from a successful Weight Watchers dieter who lost 110 pounds. If you're a fan of watergate salad you will be a fan of this creamy creation. Think watergate salad minus the marshmallows and you have it! Enjoy :)

PINEAPPLE FLUFF
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (1 oz) package sugar free pistachio pudding mix
1 cup fat free cool whip

Mix dry pudding mix into pineapple. Fold in cool whip. Refrigerate until chilled.

Serves 4
WWP: 3

Flaky Chicken Pot Pie

2011-01-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

January 2... day 2 of my (cringe) DIEt. Boy, oh boy, I would love a big helping of this delicious chicken pot pie from my favorite Gooseberry Patch cookbook. I should have thought about this when I was devouring large amounts of chocolate bars (I used them in my Nieman Marcus chocolate chip cookies I forgot to take a picture of), chocolate chips (cookies again), melted chocolate candy coating (thin mints and several new recipes you will be seeing soon) and lets not forget that wicked White Trash I couldn't stop eating. Do you see a trend? I have a weakness for chocolate and all it has gotten me is an adorable pair of jeans I got in November for my birthday that no longer fit over my fat fanny :( Well fat fanny, you will be saying your farewell (and I won't cry when you leave). I will stick to my DIEt (notice how I'm stressing the DIE in DIEt? Because that's how I feel... like I might die if i don't eat something yummy right now!) and I will fit in my pants again.

Enough talk about refraining from eating mouthwatering goodies. Here's a recipe you must give a try. It's super simple and tastes, well, super! I've been making this recipe for years and it's comfort food city. The crust is divine! This lunch lady even makes it in the school kitchen with many great reviews. If 180 picky high school kids approve, it's pretty much a winner (but I already knew that!) Enjoy :)

FLAKY CHICKEN POT PIE
filling
2 (15 oz) cans mixed vegetables
1 (10 oz) can chicken (I use cooked diced chicken or turkey at school)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup milk
2 cans cream of chicken soup

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; spread into greased 9 x 13 pan. Spread topping (below) evenly on top and bake at 400 30-35 minutes or until golden.

topping
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk in flour until smooth; add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Mixture may be lumpy.

Santa Fe Soup

2010-12-30T09:49:00.000-08:00

I figured you might want to see the reason for lack of posting these last few months (or maybe not, but I'm still sharing :). Here are a few before and after pictures of the new house. I would like to say the before pictures are shown exactly as the previous owners lived.

Here's where I will be doing all my cooking. I hope you can understand why we changed it. I couldn't visualize myself cooking in a kitchen without counter top covering the entire cabinet surfaces and I wasn't fond of the huge burn mark in the floor!

Here's my foyer. We ripped out a wall and changed the chandelier.

This is my dining room. The previous owners had turned it into a laundry room, but I turned it back since having a place to eat would be a priority in my books :)

>Here's a yummy soup to warm you up on those cold winter days. I have several other great soups waiting to be posted. I'm normally not fan of ground turkey, but this recipe totally works it. I'm digging it. It's thick, almost chili-like and healthy to boot. You can feel good about eating this one. Enjoy :)

SANTA FE SOUP

1 lb ground turkey breast
1 large onion, chopped
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can shoe peg corn (undrained)
1/2 - 1 cup water

Brown turkey and onion. Stir in ranch and taco seasonings. Add remaining ingredients. Heat through and serve (I let mine simmer about 30 minutes). Garnish with sour cream, cheese, jalapenos and corn or tortilla chips. It's yummy with corn bread also.

White Trash

2010-12-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

I'm Back! Talk about having severe Internet with drawls. Word of advice... don't move.... in the wintertime.... around Christmas (that's 7 words:) It's no fun. Exclamation Point! But, I lived through to tell the tale and I have lots of yummy recipes to share. I can no longer claim being trailor trash (we moved from a singlewide mobile home), but this white trash sure is good! It's easy too. I give it an A+ and hope you give it a try. Enjoy :)

WHITE TRASH
1 package white almond bark
1 bag potato chips with ridges
2 cups mixed nuts
1 (12 oz) bag m&m candy

Lightly crush chips and place in large bowl. Add nuts and candy. Melt almond bark and pour over chip, nut and candy mixture. Mix well. Place on wax paper (I used foil because I was out) and let dry. Store in airtight container.

Dirt and Worm Cups

2010-12-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

BRRRR.... it's getting cold out there! The big move is this weekend and I think I might freeze my fanny off. Here's a quick recipe between packing boxes. It's one of my favorites and reminds me of Spring (which I'm really looking forward too right about now!). Who doesn't love creamy, cookie goodness??? Enjoy :)

DIRT AND WORM CUPS
2 cups cold milk
1 package chocolate instant pudding
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip
1 (16 ounce) package Oreo cookies (crushed in food processor)
clear plastic cups
gummy worms

Pour milk into a large mixing bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with whisk until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in whipped topping and half of the crushed cookies. Place 1 tablespoon crushed cookies into bottom of cups. Fill cups 3/4 full with pudding mixture. Top with remaining crushed cookies. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Decorate with the candy.

Catch yo Man Chicken.... Flop :(

2010-12-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Ok ladies.... if you're trying to catch a man, I wouldn't recommend this dish! I came up with a new more appropriate title: Make Your Man Run and Hide Chicken! Now, I know what your thinking. I'm married. Why would I need to catch a man??? Since I'm now an old 30 year old I've decided I need to turn cougar and trade my old man in for a younger, rich model. To bad I've lost my strategy with this dish. Maybe I'll try again when I turn 50 :)
I hate saying a recipe's a flop because everyones tastes are different. You just may catch the man of your dreams with this one (Gina Neely did!). Enjoy... or not!

CATCH YO MAN CHICKEN
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in puree
1/2-1 teaspoon dried thyme (or herbs de provence)
1/4-1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary (or herbs de provence)
1/2-1 tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken about 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan. Add onion to the pan and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and wine. Stir, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, the dried herbs, lemon pepper, and sugar. Then add the chicken thighs back in . Cover and cook on medium low for 40 minutes for bone-in thighs, 25-30 minutes for boneless. 8 Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Hashbrown Casserole Duggar Style

2010-12-01T11:35:00.001-08:00

Yummy, yummy, in my tummy! I love me some hash brown casserole! It's cheesy, gooey and crunchy on top. Can comfort food get any better? Add some ham and it's a main dish. Did I say this was yummy? I don't think I mentioned it. Guess what? This stuff is YUM-E with a capitol YUM! I found the recipe a few years ago on the Duggar family website and have been making it since. Hurry up! Quick! Write this on your grocery list. Did I mention it was yummy? Enjoy :)

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
1 (32 oz.) pkg. frozen hash browns (2 lbs.)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. pepper
2 c. grated cheddar cheese
Topping
1/4 c. melted butter
3 c. cornflakes (I had Corn Chex) crush in Ziploc™ bag, pour
melted butter in & shake.

Spray casserole dish with oil. Layer 1/2 hash brown first. Then pour 1/2 of soup mixture = cream of chicken, milk, onion powder, salt, & pepper. Then half of the grated cheese. Repeat… Hash browns, soup mixture, grated cheese. Top with crushed, buttered corn flakes. Bake at 350 for 45 min.

Pumpkin Fluff

2010-11-25T07:24:00.000-08:00

Hurry! Quick! You still have time to make this yumm-o-licious dessert! You don't wanna miss this one. It's only 4 ingredients to a fluffy, pumpkin pie type dessert everyone will love. I've made it twice this week to take to different functions and was asked more times than I can count for the recipe. Everyone said it's wonderful and tastes like pumpkin pie (only it's MUCH easier to make and clean up and TONS quicker!) I will clean my ears really well so when you start thanking me for sharing this one I can hear it :) Have a Happy Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and lots of great food! Enjoy :)

PUMPKIN FLUFF
1 tub cool whip
1 pkg (5 oz) vanilla pudding
1 can pumpkin (regular size)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon if you're out like me)

Mix pumpkin, pudding, and spice until well blended. Fold in cool whip. Serve with graham crackers, sugar cookies or ginger snaps (it would be yummy in a graham cracker crust with cool whip on top). It's best if you make this the night before... but it you can't wait that long it will still be yummy!

Chili Potato Wedges

2010-11-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? I'm actually posting 2 times this week. It's been a while since that happened. Tomorrow will be a whole day paint-a-thon at the new house, so I figured I'd better take the afternoon off :) AND I couldn't wait to share this recipe. I made these yummy taters last night and they were gooo-ooo-oood. The picture is awful. I hate the time change because I don't have any natural light to take pictures with by the time we eat dinner. The joys of winter. These are crunchy and have the perfect chili flavor. YUM. Enjoy :)

CHILI POTATO WEDGES
2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large baking potato
Cooking spray

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Cut potatoes lengthwise into eight wedges. Spray wedges with cooking spray, then coat with seasoning mixture. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 450° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Enchilada Casserole

2010-11-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

Here's the reason for lack of posting:
The outside isn't completely done, but it looks MUCH better... at least I think so! Here's an easy dish I made for the painting crew (aka Aunt Patti, Aunt Charlotte, Bethany, Alexi & my mom and dad). Everyone said they enjoyed it. I hope you do too. Enjoy :)

ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large can enchilada sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 tsp cumin
1/2 t garlic salt
2 cups shredded colby/jack cheese
corn tortillas

Brown and drain onions and beef. Return to pan and add enchilada sauce, tomato sauce, garlic powder and cumin. Bring to a boil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish. Put a layer of corn tortillas in bottom of pan. Top with 1/2 the beef mixture and 1/2 the cheese. Repeat. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Donna's One Pot Chicken & Rice

2010-11-10T18:18:00.000-08:00

I've officially made it to the big 30. ICKY! Really, how much of our childhood do we actually remember? If it happened before I was about 12 my memories are pretty vague. At least I have a lot of really great memories of high school, college, getting married and having my kids. I look forward to the next 30 years being able to see my children grow and eventually have families of their own (and hopefully looking young is in the cards for me!)
I know I've been M.I.A lately. I have a good excuse! I've been super busy trying to get the new house ready to move in to. We have the outside looking MUCH better so I will be posting a before and after picture as soon as I get a brain and remember to take the camera.
Here's a really yummy recipe Donna from My Tasty Treasures posted a few weeks back. I'm always trying to sneak new chicken recipes in on my husband and I couldn't resist this one. Just like Donna promised, this meal was terrifically moist and totally satisfying. I especially loved the rice! Thanks Donna for sharing this yummy and super simple meal! Enjoy :)

DONNA'S ONE POT CHICKEN & RICE
4 bone-in, skin on, split chicken breasts(about 10-12 oz each)
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped medium
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1(10oz) pkg peas and carrots
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded(about 1 cup)
Lemon wedges for serving

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot. Add the onion, red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the fat in the pot and place over medium heat. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the rice and cook until the edges turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and the wine and bring to a simmer.
Return the chicken to the pot, skin-side up. Cover, and reduce the heat to low, and cook until the chicken is fully cooked through and registers 160 on an instant read thermometer, about 25 minutes.Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Pat the peas and carrots dry, then stir into the rice. Stir in the cheddar and let melt for a minute. Season the rice mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges.

Soft Popcorn Balls

2010-11-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

It's November already! That means my most dreaded day of the year's fast approaching... only 1 week away. This girls not excited about turning 30 (ugh), I don't even want to look at the number. I'm probably making a big deal out of it for nothing. I'm keeping my fingers crossed I won't wake up and suddenly have crows feet and sagging items. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Here's the kiddos in their Halloween attire. Sophie won first place as Twilight's Alice Cullen, Chase was an MU Tiger and Makayla also won first as Pippi. I wanted to share one of my families favorite fall treats. Popcorn Balls. Yum! These are my favorite because they're nice and soft. I love the fact these won't break your teeth off from being so hard like some popcorn balls.

SOFT POPCORN BALLS
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup margarine
2 teaspoons cold water
2 5/8 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallows
5 quarts plain popped popcorn (3 bags of microwave)

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners' sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, coating each kernel.
Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools (you have to press hard).

Magic Wands

2010-10-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

Aren't these magic wands adorable?!? Today was class party day and I made them for Makayla's 3rd grade class. Needless to say, I had a busy day. I worked. I came home and finished the treats for the party. I went to the party. I got home. I cooked dinner. I went to the new house (YES, it's ours!) and ripped up laminate flooring, carpet and tack strip.... while only wounding myself once. I came home. I showered. I wrangled kids. I got kids ready for bed and school. I did dishes and laundry. AND I decided I'd better post before you disown me! Tomorrow I get to go order my kitchen cabinets and have parent teacher conferences. Sounds like another busy day. Good thing these wands are so easy (and did I mention cute and yummy?). Enjoy :)

MAGIC WANDS
Pretzel Rods
White Chocolate
Food Coloring (optional)
Sprinkles

Melt white chocolate in microwave (stir often). Tint with food coloring. Dip half of pretzel in chocolate and sprinkle with sprinkles. Lay on wax paper until set. Store in airtight container

Southwest Beef & Rice Skillet

2010-10-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

It's been 2 months since I posted a taco-ish recipe. Can you believe it? I think I'm past due. When I got my issue of Simple & Delicious last week I immediately put this one on my grocery list. I'm glad I did because it's yum-o-rific. I was looking for quick easy meals because we were suppose to close on the house Monday... SUPPOSE to is the key word. The previous owners owe back taxes, so it didn't happen :( It seems nothing goes right for us in our quest for home buying. I finally have all the kids excited about moving (there was a lot of crying from Picky Pants at first) and now it's in limbo again. With all the house disappointment I'm excited to announce this meal was a keeper. Very good! Highly recommendable! 4 Stars! I normally don't do instant rice, but I did and it was great. You could use either depending on how much time you have. Enjoy :)

SOUTHWEST BEEF & RICE SKILLET
1-1/2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
1 can (15 ounces) Ranch Style beans (pinto beans in seasoned tomato sauce)
1 cup Beef Broth
1 cup tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese (I used colby/jack)

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the rice, beans, broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, cumin and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Sunshine Cupcakes

2010-10-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

Tis' the season for candy corn... you're either a lover or a hater! For me, a little goes a LONG way. I think the ones with brown taste better. There's probably no difference in flavor and it's all in my head :) I saw these adorable cupcakes in Simple & Delicious and couldn't resist. I loved the idea of using candy corn in a non-Halloween recipe. Notice the white tips are missing? I made them for Makayla's class the night before sending them to school and the tips melted off. They were even cuter before when they had the white tips! Notice the sneaky little hand in the upper left corner. Enjoy :)

SUNSHINE CUPCAKES
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) lemon cake mix (or flavor of choice)
1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
Yellow food coloring
Miniature semisweet chocolate chips, red shoestring licorice (I used pink icing instead) and candy corn

Prepare and bake cake batter according to package directions for cupcakes; cool completely. In a small bowl, tint frosting yellow. Frost cupcakes. Press two chocolate chips into each cupcake for eyes. For mouths, cut licorice into 1-in. pieces; bent slightly to curve. Press one licorice piece into each cupcake. Add candy corn around edges of cupcakes.

Fluffy Boiled Icing

2010-10-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

I made it through school roll day and a first grade field trip...hallelujah! All I ask of the weekend is to get to sleep past 5:20. 8:00 sounds great, but I will lucky to get 7:00 :) I'm excited to report we officially have a contract on a house. The closing date's set for October 18th, but it could be as soon as next Thursday. We have some major fixer-upper issues, but hope to be able to move in before Christmas. I will post some before and after pictures for you. We have a LOT of work ahead of us, but 4 bedrooms, a garage and basement are worth it! In celebration I had to make cake with my FAVORITE frosting (and Makayla's). You have to try it on angel food cake. Super yummy. Enjoy :)

FLUFFY BOILED ICING
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (IF NEEDED)

Combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan; stir until well blended. Boil slowly without stirring until mixture will spin a long thread when a little is dropped from a spoon (hold the spoon high above saucepan), or reaches 238 - 242 degrees F (114 - 117 degrees C). In a large bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer until they are stiff, but still moist. Pour hot syrup slowly over egg whites while beating. Continue until mixture is very fluffy, and will hold its shape. Add vanilla, and beat until blended. If icing does not seem stiff enough, beat in 2 or 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff enough to hold its shape. Spread on cake.

Rubbed Pork Roast

2010-10-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Keep your fingers crossed for me. Tomorrow's the first homemade roll day of the school year and I'm hoping for the perfect roll rising temperature in the school kitchen. I'm completely dreading it! Yeast can be so cantankerous. It will be a very busy day to say the least. The only thing that could make it worse would be if the health inspector stopped by early (he's scheduled for next Friday to recheck some items he said the maintenance man needed to fix in the kitchen). Last month when he stopped by he stayed for 2 excruciatingly annoying hours while we attempted to get spaghetti cooked. He actually tried to talk me into going back to college to take the required science classes (yuck) so I could apply for a health inspector job. NO THANK YOU! Health inspectors are evil. I don't want anyone egging my car if I give them a bad review.

Here's a really yummy pork roast recipe I found at allrecipes. It was recommended by Wendy Jueb. The rub is sweet, spicy and very delicious. It gets a little crunchy while the pork cooks tender, juicy and absolutely mouth watering. Enjoy :)

RUBBED PORK ROAST
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
4 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 1/2 teaspoons onion salt
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (cayenne)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

Stir together brown sugar, sugar, black pepper, salt, ginger, garlic powder, onion salt, dry mustard, crushed red pepper, ground red pepper, cumin, paprika and thyme in small bowl. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the brown sugar mixture* evenly on all sides of the pork roast; use your fingers to rub into pork. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, until internal temperature is 150 degrees F., 40 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven. Cover with foil; let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

*Store remaining brown sugar mixture in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 months; use on pork roasts or chops before roasting or grilling. Recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups dry rub.

Easy Sugar Pecan Cookies

2010-09-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

Today's National Homemade Cookie Day. What a great excuse to whip up a batch to share... or not! I won't tell if you eat a whole batch yourself with no sharing involved. It can be our little secret. The secret may be little, but after to many non-shared batches your butt may not be :) I visited my Aunt Charlotte today and got sent home with a bag of these delicious cookies. I know they're good because all the way home my husband raved about them... and a compliment from him is rare. It's not surprising because my Aunt Charlotte inherited my grandma's magic fingers. Every food they touch seems to taste delicious. I've previously posted two other yumm-o-licious recipes from Charlotte... Aunt Charlotte's Christmas Snack Mix and Grampa's

Mint Brownies. Check them out if you haven't already. Enjoy :)

EASY SUGAR PECAN COOKIES

Bag of sugar cookie mix (down the cake mix isle)

chopped pecans

Make sugar cookies according to package directions. Stir in desired amount of pecans. Bake according to package directions. Super Easy!

Marinated Pork Medallions

2010-09-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

What is it about the end of summer that makes me want to bake? I have several new sweets to share with you, but after looking back on my last few posts I felt the need to refrain. Instead I decided to share this delicious recipe for the grill. It's a little sweet and tangy and completely de-lish :) Surprise, surprise... it came from Simple & Delicious magazine. I think I should be their spokeswoman. I'm crazy about their recipes. Speaking of crazy, check out my daughter (below). She turned 9 last week and got a digital camera for her birthday. I busted up laughing when I saw the pictures she'd taken. Here are a few of my favorites:

Enjoy :)

MARINATED PORK MEDALLIONS
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 pork tenderloins (1 pound each), cut into 3/4-inch slices

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salad dressing, pineapple juice and soy sauce. Pour 1/2 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the pork; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade. Drain and discard marinade. Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill pork, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

24 Hour Roast

2010-09-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be back online! Can you believe I've been without Internet service for 6 days? I've been going crazy (even more than usual) not being able to post. It's been an insane week... I can sum it up in 2 ugly words. Health Inspector! That's always a fun day at work... if you consider sweating bullets and being nervous-as-all-get-out fun. At least I have a yummy recipe to share. I found it in a cookbook I bought at the booster club garage sale (remember I made the Can't Leave Alone Bars for the bake sale the same day?). It's the 1974 Missouri Cow Belles Beef Cookbook. When I spotted this recipe I knew I must try it. We aren't big roast fans and we have tons of them setting in the deep freeze from the cow we had processed. The woman claimed her husband didn't like roast, but ate this like it was steak. I won't compare it to steak, but it was very moist, tender and delightful. I will be making this one again. Enjoy :)

24 HOUR ROAST
3-5 lb boneless roast
oil

Rub the roast with oil and place in a 250 degree oven for one hour (I covered mine with foil, but the recipe did not specify to do this). Use a shallow pan. Turn the oven down to 150 degree (mine only goes down to 170 so that's what I used) and bake 23 hours. DO NOT PEEK! Salt before serving. You will have to use a box gravy with the roast because there are practically no drippings. All juices stay in the roast.

Gooey Butter Cake

2010-09-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've entered dessert-mania! Looking back at my last few posts, it would seem we're a bunch off sugar lovers in my house. AND... we are :) I made these for the bake sale, but they didn't make it that far. Instead, they were enjoyed by the volunteer firemen setting up for our towns annual fundraising fish fry. I received many compliments, which is not surprising considering this is a Paula Deen recipe. It's one of my moms favorites and follows all the Paula Deen rules by being super rich and delicious. I wish that woman would come live with me and whip up her goodies :) These are another MUST TRY! Enjoy :)

GOOEY BUTTER CAKE
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare Filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Can't Leave Alone Bars

2010-09-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post. Don't worry, this one's worth the wait! Our school Booster Club had a bake sale yesterday and I immediately knew what I wanted to bring. I've been making these sinfully delicious bars for at least 7 years. I was shocked to realize I hadn't posted them yet... so your in for a treat. I'm happy to say these bars didn't last long at the bake sale and I even got recipe requests. Who wouldn't want the recipe after sinking their teeth into these fudgy, yum-o-licious goodies? I first found the recipe in Quick Cooking (now Simple & Delicious). This one's most definitely a MUST TRY, so put it on your grocery list. Enjoy :)

CAN'T LEAVE ALONE BARS
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white or yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter, cubed

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs and oil. Press two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Set remaining cake mixture aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk, chocolate chips and butter. Microwave, uncovered, until chips and butter are melted; stir until smooth. Pour over crust.
Drop teaspoonfuls of remaining cake mixture over top. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before cutting.

Duggar Family Oatmeal Raisin/Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-08-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog,
After devoting so many hours to you over the past year and a half I feel like you're my baby and after 5 days of not posting I'm seriously neglecting you. Don't worry.... I still love you! School started last week so I had to go back to work after having the entire summer off. I'm not in-the- swing of the whole working and still getting all my housework, laundry, shopping, and mom stuff done while still having time to spend on the computer. Don't worry, you aren't the only thing neglected... my laundry's in the laundry room crying to be washed! PLEASE forgive me. I baked these cookies to try to suck up! They're a really great recipe from the Duggar Family. The dough is SO yummy! If you could taste one I would be forgiven!!!

Love,
Your Blog Mom Heidi :)

OATMEAL RAISIN/CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
Cream first four ingredients Together,
Now add:
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 c. flour
3 c. oatmeal (or just a little less)
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I used raisins this time)
Mix. Shape into balls on pan, then flatten with hand.
Bake at 350 for 10-15 min.