Saturday, April 16, 2011Orange Fruit Cups
I first made these several years ago for my oldest daughters American Girl Tea Party. I wanted a snack that was not only pretty, but healthy. Fruit salad in orange cups were perfect for the occasion. I have made them for several parties since then, and they have always gone over well.
Pick you favorite fruit for your fruit salad. Today I used oranges, pineapple, grapes and strawberries. You will also use a tub of cool whip.
Depending on the number of cups you want to make you will need 1 orange two 2 fruit cups. I made 6 today, so I used 3 oranges. You can use clementines, but your cups will be much smaller.
Cut the orange in half using a zig zag pattern. If you prefer you can use a straight cut, but they will not be as fancy. I like the zig zag look because the shape mimics a flower or egg shape.
Use your knife and score around the pulp near the peel. You will then use a spoon to scoop out the pulp. Add to your fruit salad. If you are making a lot of fruit cups you might not need to place all the orange pulp in the fruit salad, it's your choice.
Mix all of the fruit together. If you want to serve the fruit this way, add to the cups now.
But if you prefer an added treat...
Stir in about half of tub of cool whip into the fruit mixture.
Scoop the fruit whip into the orange cups. You will have more fruit whip than what will fit in the cups. Either serve the extra whip in a pretty bowl or use to refill the cups if someone wants a second helping. (They usually do!)
Orange cups are great for serving at Easter togethers, baby showers or birthday parties.
Easter Cake Pops
Playing with my new cake pop maker was so much fun! I didnt really make any other crafts this afternoon because I literally could not find my hot glue gun until 5 mins ago. I finally found it in a bag of Valentine's Day crafts. Oh well, at least I found it.
This is what the cake pop maker looks like when a cycle is done, if you are messy with the spillage like I am.. LOL! Because of the size of the cake pops, they cook very quickly. Only 4-5 mins for each cycle.
If you want to try and make cake pops and do not have a cake pop maker, there is a basic how-to recipe on E-how.com.
An important step when making cake pops is to add a little bit of melted chocolate to end of the stick when inserting it, and then allowing it to harden before dipping the pop. The hardened chocolate helps keep the stick in place.
These are some of the supplies I used to make my Easter pops. Red hots, sprinkles, various gels, cookie icing, Laffy Taffy in yellow and pink, gum paste and colored Wilton candy melts.
To make the bunny, I dipped a pop in white chocolate, and allowed it to harden. I had a hard time finding something white to use as the ears, so I decided on gum paste. (which kind of tastes like marshmellow) I tried marshemellows, but I just could not get it to look right.
I used my smallest oval mini cookie cutter, and then shaped the gum pate into a tear drop shape. I added it to the bunny head with a little bit of melted chocolate.
My bunny's face is still pretty basic because I still need to invest in edible markers. I used a red hot for the nose and gel for the eyes and mouth.
To make the chick pop I used Laffy Taffy for the wings and cookie icing for the beak. Place the taffy in the microwave for 5 seconds to soften it enough to make it easy to work with.
DO NOT go longet than 5 seconds. I went 10 seconds with my pink taffy and they all melted together. I had to spread it out and let it cool before I could work with it. I also had a really hard time removing it from the board I was working on.
Here is a version of a pink bunny. I used the pink Laffy Taffy for the ears. When I made one bunny with longer ears they kept falling down, so you might need to keep them on the shorter side. Personally even though this is meant to be a bunny, I kind of think it looks like Piglet.. LOL!
I also make a few pops using two colors of chocolate and sprinkles. I thought they kind of looked like Easter Eggs even though they are more round than egg shaped.
I had a little bit of chocolate left when I was finished making my pops so I decided to make one more kind of pop. Friday I made browies in my mini muffin tins. I was going to make pops out of them but they were too moist and soft. Now that 2 days have passed there some that were strong enough to hold up with warm chocolate. I dipped it in the leftover chocolate, added some sprinkles and a red M& M to look like a cherry. Yum!
One cake mix makes A LOT of cake balls with the BabyCakes Cake Pop Maker. I made 18 today, and still have about 60 left. I am going to try and freeze them to use at another time. There is no way we can eat that many cake pops in a few days, no matter how good they taste.
Sunday, March 27, 2011Bacon, Egg and Cheese Bites
My family really likes bacon, eggs and cheese. Today while trying to think of something quick for dinner, I thought why not make those ingredients and make them into small little bites.
I got out my mini muffin pan and sprayed it with cooking spray. I used 8 eggs and milk and made a scrambled egg mixture.
Since I did not have any bacon on hand to fry, and that would make the recipe much longer I decided to use Hormel bacon pieces. I also used sharp cheddar cheese.
I put bacon pieces in each of the individual cups. I then added cheese to the top. I placed it in a 350 degree oven. I was not sure how long to cook it so I checked it every 5 mins or so.
It took 12-13 minutes for the cups to cook all the way through.
Enjoy!
Super Simple Creamy Pasta
I adapted the creamy chicken penne from Kraft into a simple recipe I knew my kids would eat. I used only a few ingredients Barilla Plus whole grain pasta, frozen broccoli and the new Kraft Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme.
My broccoli was a green giant steamer. I did put it in the microwave for a couple of mins so that it was thawed but not totally steamed. I placed it in a skille with a little bit of olive oil to heat it up more.
Cook the penne in a separte pot. After draining the water, add to the skillet. Add a full container of the Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme. This is also when you could add cooked chicken. I forgot to take it out to thaw so I left it out tonight.
Mix very well in the skillet
I served it with a little bit of grated parm on top and a mini corn on the cov as a side. Everyone seemed to like and it my son who is ususally picky wanted seconds. It is definitely a simple meal that can be made when you are short on time.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Leprachaun Marshmellow Pops
Kara and I really enjoy marshmellow pops. I have been looking around online for some ideas for St.Patrick's Day. I found a really cute shamrock pop, but could not find anything for leprachauns. Using only what we had on hand, we came up with this little guy. I would have been able to be more detailed with the face if I had edible markers, but all we had was cookie icing, candy melts and gels.
To make the leprachaun coat, push a marshmellow on a lollipop stick, leaving enough room for another marshmellow. I melted some green Wilton candy melts in the microwave for 60 seconds, stirring at the 30 second mark. I used a spoon to cover the marshmellow with chocolate. I did not dip into the chocolate because it would get green candy all over the stick.
Once the candy coating was hard, I pushed on a second marshmellow onto the stick. This time I turned it on it's side to make the head. Leave just a little bit of room to add a mini marshmellow hat in a later step.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Make Ahead French Toast Casserole
I mentioned earlier today that I was going to bake a Make Ahead French Toast Casserole today for my pantry/freezer challenge. This recipe is not only very frugal, but tastes great!
Melt a 1/4 cup of butter and spread around the bottom of your baking pan
Make a mixture of 1 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture on top of the bread. Layer on 6 more slices and sprinkle the rest of the sugar mixture on top.
You will next make an egg and milk mixture. Mix together 5 eggs, 1 1/2 cups milk and a tsp of vanilla extract. My mixture was not mixed as well as it could have been, because I used a bowl that was too small. Pour mixture over the bread.
Cover with foil and refridgerate overnight OR if you want it for dinner like we did at least 4-6 hours.
When your are ready to bake, place in a 350 degree oven for 30 minues with foil on, and then 15 more minutes with foil off. Makes 4-6 servings
Before eatting I added some strawberries and syrup on my serving and it was delicious!
** BAKING TIP** When mixing my sugar mixture, I found that my brown sugar was hard. I did a quick search on the internet to figure out how to soften it. I found if you add a small bowl of water in the microwave with the hardened sugar (beside it, not on it) it will soften your sugar. Well this sort of worked. I did a one minute round and then three 30 second rounds but my sugar was still not soft enough to use. It reminded me of the consistency of a block of cheese. I then thought, hmm, I wonder if I can grate it. Turns out YOU CAN! It made a little big of a mess, but I quickly got the amount of brown sugar I needed.
**SAVING MONEY TIP** This meal is perfect if you need to feed a lot of people on very little money. With sales, this recipe literally cost my just pennies to make. I bought the Aunt Millies bread on sale Buy 1, Get 2 free.. Depending on how you look at it, this could have been the FREE loaf (LOL) or it averaged out to be $1.06 per loaf. The brown sugar was only .89, and I used only 1/8 of it, about .10 worth. The cinnamon and vanilla extract was such a small amount, they were only only a few cents each. Lets say .10 for each. The eggs were on sale for $1.18 and I only used 5 or about .50 worth. The milk was on sale for only $2 and only a cup and a half is needed. The Log Cabin syrup I bought on sale with coupons for only $1 a bottle. We used only half of bottle. The butter I used was FREE with coupons. The strawberries were also only $1 and only 2 members of my family used them. This casserole cost me way under $5 and the family loved it and wanted more. This recipe is definitley a keeper.
Homemade Potato Salad
Bacon Chicken Alfredo Tutorial and Review 01/30/2011
I had a chance tonight to make the recipe I posted a few days ago. I did make some minor changes because the Healthy Cooking Magazine that I was following had a typo and was missing a few ingredients from the ingredient list. Once I was partway through the recipe and saw that I needed spinach, I realized I did not have any one hand. You can see the Taste of Home/Healthy Cooking recipe here.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Makeover-Bacon-Chicken-Alfredo 
Cook fetticcine according to the box. The recipe calls for 1 lb of whole wheat. I used a box of regular that was partially used. (someone decided to use some on their own without asking). It didnt matter though because what I had still made PLENTY.
I am out of chicken breasts in the freezer (though they are on sale this week at VGs) I did have canned chicken on hand. This is the busy moms version of bacon chicken alfredo.
Cook the chicken, 1 TBSP of butter/margarine and garlic in a skillet. I used garlic powder instead of mincing a clove which I did not have on hand. Cook until no longer pink.
This part I will change the next time I make it. The "healthy verison" has you make your own alfredo sauce. I will probably save time and use it from a jar. Also the recipe version, makes a little too much sauce.
Pour 3 cups 2% milk and 3 TBSP corn starch into the skillet (after you removed the chicken and sat it aside) Stir until smooth and then add 1 cup of half and half. Bring to boil, until thickened. 
This morning when I made breakfast, I made extra slices of bacon. This saved a lot of time to have it pre made. If it is not made ahead of time, you should cook it first thing.
Add a pkg of thawed spinach (which I did not have), the chicken, 3/4 cup of parmasean cheese, 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning, and half of the bacon to the sauce mixture. Stir until well blended/cheese is melted.
Add the drained fettucinne to the sauce. Stir and mix well until the pasta is totally coated. Sprinkle the rest of the bacon and 1/4 cup parmasean cheese on top.
Overall this recipe got good reivews. Everyone would like to try it again with the spinach next time. The recipe claims to make 8 servings. I think it is more like 8 EXTRA LARGE servings. It made so much that we have a ton of leftovers. I think I will cut this recipe in half the next time I make it and use jar alfredo sauce instead making my own to save time.
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Bacon-Cheddar Pinwheels
I saw this recipe on Pillsbury.com and thought it looked good. Who doesnt like bacon, cheese and bread. They are pretty easy to make and would be a great appetizer or brunch item to share with your holiday guests, or anytime of the year.
Step 1
Using a package of crescent rolls divide into two 12 x 4 halves. I tried the new seamless roll in the picture. If you have the kind that does have seams, make sure to push them together and smooth them down.
Step 2
The recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons on ranch dressing. I did not have a bottle of ranch opened and used Creamy Parm dressing instead. It was similar enough to ranch to work. Spread 1 tablespoon of the dressing on the crescent half. Add the bacon bits and cheese. (the recipe calls for 1/4 of bacon bits and 1/2 cup of cheese, I just eyeballed it instead of measuring). The only thing I omitted was the 1/4 cup of green onions. We don't really like green onions in our house, so I added a little bit of onion powder.
Step 3
Start the roll from a short end of the dough. Roll up tightly and then place seam side down. Cut the roll with a serrated knife into 8 slices. Tip** Make indent lines before cutting on the top of the roll to get 8 even cuts.
Step 4
Repeat the steps with the other half of the dough. All together it will make 16 pinwheel bites. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 mins.
Last step..
Enjoy! They got a big thumbs up from 2 of my 3 kids. The only reason why we did not get it from the 3rd was he didnt eat any. I know if he had, he would have loved them too. We will definitely be making these again.
Easy Tuna Salad
I found this yummy and easy tuna salad recipe in my most recent Kraft Food and Family Magazine in a school lunch insert. The insert had directions to make just one serving. To me I felt it was easy to multiple the recipe and to make multi servings. We had ate this a few nights ago on very warm day as a light supper.
I used 2 cans of tuna
1 cup of cole slaw mix
ranch dressing
grapes cut in small pieces (the recipe used red, I only had green on hand)
Serve with your favorite bread with a little bit of lettuce. We ate it on toast. The recipe in the booklet used a pita. Enjoy
Cheesy Ham and Rice Casserole
I got this recipe from Kraft Food and Family. It is an easy dump type of recipe where you hae most of the ingredients already on hand.
Ingredients
2 cups of white rice, uncooked
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups milk
1/4 cup miracle whip
6 ozs of chopped ham (I buy cubed precut ham)
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Mix together all the ingredients except the cheese. The cheese is supposed to go on the top but we like it extra cheesy so I mixed some in as well. I use way more than the 1/2 cup. I also added some extra mushrooms today because I had some in the fridge that I needed to use. Cover the casserole with foil and cook for 20 mins at 425 degrees.
Add cheese to the top of the casserole and cook for 10 mins more. Let stand for about 5 mins. Serve and enjoy!
Criss Cross Apple Crowns AKA Really Easy Apple Biscuits
This recipe is from the August/September Taste of Home.
Ingredients needed
1-1 1/3 cups chopped peeled tart apples
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (we did not use)
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup sugar divided
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
dash salt
1 pkg large refridgerated biscuits
2 tsp butter, melted
In microwavce safe bowl, mix apples, walnuts, raisins, 3 Tbsp sugar, flour, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, and salt. Microwave for 2-3 minutes until tender..(pictured above)
Flatten the biscuits in a large circle. Combine the rest of the sugar mixture and sprinkle a teaspoonful on top of each biscuit.
Top each biscuit with 1/4 cup of apple mixture.
Roll up each bisquit and pinch edges to seal.
Place seal side down in an ungreased muffin cup
Brush on melted butter, add remaining sugar mixture and use a sharp knife to cut a X on top.
Bake for 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes. Cool for 5 mins before eatting. Enjoy! I know we did.
Zucchini Spaghetti
Slice up a couple of zucchini and heat up in a frying pan with a little bit of oil. I used olive oil today but have also used vegetable oil.
Once the zucchini has started to cook through, add zucchini and oil to a pot of cooking spahetti. The reason why you add the oil too, it gives the spaghetti a lot of extra flavor. When spaghetti is done do not strain, use a pasta fork and scoop it out on the plate.
Top with parmesean and mozzarella. I also like to add cheddar to give it an extra kick. If you like the taste of garlic that can be added to. We just add a little bit of garlic salt invidually to taste.
Blue Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms
I got this simple recipe from the August/September 2010 Taste of Home recipe. Our family loves stuffed mushrooms, so I definitely wanted to try this one out.
INGREDIENTS
24 large fresh mushrooms
1 carton 8oz chive and onion sour cream
1 cup 4 oz crumbled blue cheese
4 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup bacon bits, divided
Remove the stems from the tops of the mushrooms. I only had one package so I did not make 24. I just cut back a little on the amount of the ingredients.
In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, blue cheese, onions, garlic and 1/4 cup of the bacon bits. I did not have real onions or garlic cloves on hand, so I used dried versions and guesstimated on the amt. Since I only had 14 mushrooms, I cut back to about 1/2 carton of cream cheese, and 1/2 cup blue cheese. I didnt even measure the bacon..
Stuff the mushroom caps with the cheese mixture. About a tablespoon in each. Sprinkle the rest of the bacon on top. Bake uncovered for 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes.
Rainbow Pudding Pops
I shared a link to the recipe back in early June from the Random Thoughts of a Supermom on the main page. 2 months later, I still love this recipe and thought it deserved a spot on the recipe thread. I don't have a picture to post because I dont know if I can share a photo from her site or not, and I have not yet tried to make them on my own just yet. Until I do, here is a link to how to make rainbow pudding pops.
http://the-wilson-world.blogspot.com/2010/06/rainbow-pudding-pops.html
Bacon-blue cheese stuffed burgers..
Ingredients
1- 1 1/2 lean ground beef
1 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 c crumbled blue cheese
1/3 c bacon bits
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
4 hamburger buns
As usual, I didn't totally follow the recipe on my version.. LOL! I did make the burgers according to directions. Shape 8 thin patties. Combine cream cheese, blue cheese and bacon bits.
Title.
Spoon the cheese mixture onto 4 of the patties and then top with remaining patties. Combine salt, garlic powder, and pepper and sprinkle over the patties (I forgot to do this step, but they stilll tasted okay without it)
Grill for about 4-5 mins on each side. I cooked mine in a skillet tonight. The last time we used the grill we found a bee's nest underneath and I am allergic to bees. I decided to skip the grill this time.
I did not make the mushroom topping, because I knew my kids would not eat it. It looks good in the magazine though. Saute the mushrooms in the olive oil. Stir in the water and mustard. Serve the burger with the mushroom mixture, lettuce and tomato..
My version.. We skipped the mushrooms, lettuce and tomato and served it with ketchup, and pickles. The cheese mixture gives it a tasty kick. My son said he was afraid to try it because it look different than any burger he had seen before, but ended up trying it and liking it. I don't know if I will make it often, but I will be making these again the next time we are feeling like a homemade burger.
I was going to post a picture of the finished burger up close, but it just didnt look right on camera. I think I need to start reading up on food photography.
Bleu Cheese Herb Loaf
This recipe is from the June/July Simple and Delicious Magazine.
Ingredients
1 tube refridgerated buttermilk biscuits
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. crumbled bleu cheese
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 garlic clove, minced
1tsp. minced chives
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Separate the bisquits and quart
Arrange the quarters into a loaf.
In a small bowl mix the rest of the ingredients and then brush over the loaf.
Bake 375 degrees for 18-20 mins.
I will be honest, I skipped a couple of the ingredients. I did not use the parsley flakes, tarragon, chives and celery seed. I rarely use these spices and just did not feel like searching the back of the spice rack to see if I had any. I did use onionn powder, garlic and oregano. Even without the extra spices and herbs, this still taste great. It was super quick and easy to make. I will definitely make it again.
Big Kahuna Pizza
This recipe is from the June/July Simple and Delicious
There are only a few ingredients
shredded bbq pork
1 20oz can of pineapple cubes
1 sweet red onion
8 oz mozzarella cheese
1 pre cooked pizza crust
As usual I tried to change a few items because of what I had on hand with pretty good results.
Paragraph.
I attempted to make crust from a Pillsbury pizza crust instead of a pre baked one. It was okay, but was not done enough when the timer went off and I had to bake the pizza several minutes longer. I had prebaked it 7-8 minutes before putting toppings one. The problem was the tempature and time on the tube of the pizza crust and the reciped differed a lot.
Instead of bbq pork, I used a tub of bbq chicken. Spread the meat over the crust.
Spread the pineapple, and red onion on top of the shredded meat. Most of my family does not like onion. I am not a big fan either, but I will eat red onion from time to time in recipes. Instead of using the red onion, I did use a little onion powder to keep the taste similar. I think I might try red onion next time for the texture.
The recipe says to bake at 450 degrees for 20 mins. I was afraid that the pillsbury crust might burn at that temp, so I cooked it for a little longer and a lower temp. Even with my changes, this pizza tastes pretty good, especially if you like the taste and texture of Hawaiian pizza. I will try it again with pork and with a pre baked crust.
Pillsbury Biscuit Donuts
I was excited to find this recipe because I had some extra cans of biscuits on hand that I needed to use up. It is quick and easy and tastes like real donuts
To make the donuts..
Start with a can (or two) of biscuits.
Flatten each biscuit and cut a hole in the center.
Fry the biscuits in 2 inches of vegetable oil until they are golden brown. They will puff up as you fry them.
While the donuts are cooling, it is time to make the glaze.
For the glaze you need
2Tbsp + 2 tsp unsalted softened butter
1cup confectioners sugar
1/4 c vanilla extract
2Tbsp + 2 tsp hot water
For chocolate glaze
1/2 c chocolate chips
Sprinkles optional
Mix butter and powdered sugar, add vanilla and hot water. Mix until smooth.
To make chocolate glaze add the melted chocolate chips. Blend well.
Add the donuts to glaze or spread on donut with knife.
Enjoy!
Kara and Kyle both gave these donuts two thumbs up!
This is how the inside of the donut looks.
Squid Dogs
I found this simple recipe in Family Fun. It would be great party food for kids parties, or just for fun anytime.
Cut the hot dog in half. Use 4 or5 uncooked pieces of spaghetti and push them through the hot dog until they stick out the top about an inch or so. Boil as you normally would.
I used angel hair this time, so it was a bit on the thin side. Several pieces broke and most of the squid dogs turned into jelly fish dogs.. LOL! If desired they could be decorated with ketchup or mustard to paint on little faces. No matter how long the noodle, kids will love them.
Beef Taquitos
I used the Family Fun recipe as my base recipe.. I copied and pasted the ingredients from the website.. But as usual, I changed the recipe a little.. =)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing on the taquitos
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup salsa, plus more for dipping
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack
- Sour cream
No one in our family is fond of real onions, so when browning the meat, I used onion powder. I also did not have real garlic on hand, so I used garlic powder..
After browning the meat, I added the salsa and stirred it all together..
A taquito is similar to a taco but smaller and baked to brown the tortilla. The easiest way to roll a taquito is to place the meat and cheese on one side and then roll tightly.
Bake the rolled taquitos brushed with vegetable oil in a 400 degree over for about 10 minutes. They taste really good dipped in salsa, sour cream and guacamole. I made homemade guacamole from an avacodo and tomatoes in my Bullet Express mixer in just a few seconds.. This recipe was put on our must make again list.
20 minute Chicken Spaghetti..
I based my 20 minute version of Chicken Spaghetti on The Pioneer Womans recipe.. (found here http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/) While her recipe looks awesome, her version takes a long time and has ingredients that I know my kid would not like to eat. (onions and peppers)
I based my 20 minute version of Chicken Spaghetti on The Pioneer Womans recipe.. (found here http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/) While her recipe looks awesome, her version takes a long time and has ingredients that I know my kid would not like to eat. (onions and peppers)
Instead of boiling the chicken and making my own broth, I defrosted frozen chicken breasts in the microwave and cooked it a pan in less than 10 minutes. I saved a lot of time by not removing chicken from its bones, which honestly I find kind of icky.
I followed the directions where I added cream of mushroom soup to the cooked spaghetti but I added only one can because I cut the recipe in half. We did not need 8 servings. I did not measure the cheese, but added the amount that I thought looked good. I added a little onion power but not cut onions since no one in my family likes real onions. When I added the chicken I should have added a little pre made broth but I didnt feel like opening a full can when I only needed a little bit. THe spaghetti was a little bit sticky so I think I will add some next time. It didnt really need 35-45 more minutes of cooking time because the way I cooked the chicken it was already fully cooked. Just heat it for a little longer to warm up the soup and melt the cheese. The kids loved it so there NO leftovers.
Pepperoni Roll Ups
Pepperoni Roll Ups are a quick and easy snack that is perfect for an after school snack or as an appetizer for a party. This recipe is courtesy of my good friend Donna.
Ingredients
2 tubes cresent rolls (I only used one and halfed the recipe)
1 block of cream cheese
parmesea cheese
pepperoni
Open the cresents. Leave 2 triangle cresents together, forming a rectangle.
Mix the cream cheese and parmesean (I didnt have a specific amount, just added the amt that looked good)
Spread cheese mixture on the cresents and add pepperoni.
Roll each rectangle into a roll. Cut each roll into slices. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Dip in marinara sauce if desired.
Easy Strawberry Preserves
Strawberry season is upon us and berries will be everywhere in the next few months. One way you can use those extra berries is to make easy preserves. This recipe is in the May Woman's Day. We made this today after finding a great deal on strawberries.. It really is very easy and tastes good too.
Ingredients.
Strawberries.. the recipe calls for 3 containers, I only used 2
hulled and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Place the ingredients in a 5 qt saucepan. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 mins. Stir frequently, to prevent burning.
When done, store in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Oreo Cheesecake Bites
I saw this recipe today. I have not made it yet but hope to real soon. It is from Kraftfoods.com. If your kids (or yourself) like oreos they have some great oreo recipes. Oreo Cheesecake Bites and Oreo Surprise Cupcakes.. Both look so good. Here is a link the the Oreo Cheesecake Bites recipe. Enjoy!
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/oreo-cheesecake-bites-112393.aspxI
I left the picture blank so I can add a pic when I make this.. =)
Pizza Grilled Cheese
I found this recipe on Meijer.com in their mealbox section. My kids love grilled cheese and pizza so I thought it would be a good one to try. It only took an extra step or two from a regular grilled cheese and has a nice pizza taste. I thought it tasted like pizza bread. I copied and pasted the recipe from the site in case the link did not stay up long.
Servings:4INGREDIENTS 8 Slices Bread 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella 1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce 20 Pepperoni Slices 1/4 Cup Butter PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS 1. For each sandwich, in this order, layer ¼ cup of mozzarella, 1 tablespoon tomato sauce, 5 pepperoni slices, another tablespoon of tomato sauce, and another ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella. Then top with another slice of bread.
2. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of butter. Place all four sandwiches in the pan and cook until bread is toasted and cheese is beginning to melt (For grill marks, finish the sandwiches on a hot grill pan, about 3 minutes each side).
3. Flip the sandwiches and add the remaining butter. Cook until cheese is fully melted and bread is toasted.
Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1/4 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar
2 tsp chives
Mix all the yolks and all the ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into the white halves. For a neater look, put the filling in a baggie and cut on corer at an angle. Squeeze out the filling to fill the egg.
This recipe calls for 14 eggs.. 24 halves to stuff and 4 whites to cut up.
I only had 8 eggs left. My egg tray has spaces for 15 halves. I made 15 and cut up only 1 white. This was plenty of eggs. 24 would have been too many for our household. A lot of times I dont take the time to measure exact measurements and just kind of eyeball it. This was one of those times. I also left the chives out of the recipe since my kids are kind of picky with green stuff.. LOL! This recipe was a nice variation to the regular deviled eggs..
Sweet and Sour Rice/Salad
Ingredients
2 cup minute rice
1 can pineapple chunks
1 1/2 cups bagged fresh spinach
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup Italian dressing
Cook the minute rice per instructions on the box.
In a large bowl mix drained pinepple and bacon bits. Add the red onion and rice. When rice is done, add to the bowl. Stir in the spinach. Add the Italian dressing last and mix thoroughly. This dish tastes great cold, so chill if desired. It has just the right mix of sweet and sour and is perfect with chicken.
Chocolate Covered Bacon
Thread bacon strips on a skewers. Place on rack in baking pan. Bake for 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crisp. Cool.
Melt chocolate chips (or candy coating) in microwave. Stir until smooth.
With pastry brush, coat both sides of bacon with chocolate.
Place on wax paper on baking sheet (of just lay on paper plate like we did.. LOL!)
Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza
This recipe is from the April/May 2010 issue of Taste of Home. We chose it because two of Kyle's favorite foods are Chicken Cordon Bleu and pizza. Why not mix the two.
Ingredients
1 tube refrigerated pizza crust (we used cresent rolls, since I had 5 in the fridge)
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
1/4 tsp garlic sauce
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1-1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
10 breaded chicken nuggets, thawed and cut into pieces
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
This recipe is super easy. Unroll dough onto a greased baking sheet/pan. Bake at 425 for 8 mins until slightly brown. (we changed this to 375 for 5-6 mins since we were using the cresent roll instructions) Be careful not to overbake because this will go back in the oven with ingredients and you don't want burnt crust.
Spread the Alfredo sauce and sprinke with the garlic salt. Add the swiss cheese. (I had enough swiss until I decided to make 2 pizzas, so we used some quesadilla cheese as well)
Top with the cubed ham, chicken nugget pizzas and mozzarealla cheese.
Bake for 8 minutes or until the crust is done and the cheese is melted.
4 Cheese Pasta Florentine
Ingredients
3 cups mostaccioli (I used penne)
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen spinach
4 oz cream cheese cubed
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg (8 oz) mozzerella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees
Cook Pasta as directed on package
Cook spinach as directed on the package, drain well
In large bowl mix cooked spinach, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and eggs until well blended. (make sure cream cheese is melted)
Drain pasta and add to the spinach mixture with the mozzerella. Mix lightly
Spoon into baking dish and top with Parmesan.. (I added more mozzeralla too!)
This is what it looks like before baking and adding the extra cheese..
Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through..
The mix of 4 cheeses make this a very filling creamy dish. I also love the fact that my kids ATE SPINACH.. In fact not once did they say anything about the green stuff in the casserole. Even though there is a lot of spinach in this dish, you dont really taste it. My kind of dish!
Crispy Veggies
I found this recipe in the Kraft Food and Family Magazine a few years ago. This is one way I can get my kids to agree to eat veggies. We like to use mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli and zucchini. One that the recipe used that we have not tried yet is potato wedges. For Crispy Veggies, all you need is an egg and a package of Shake and Bake. The recipe calls for Extra Crispy Shake and Bake. I know first hand that the Parmesean flavor works as well..
Its easier to get an even coating if you do not use the bag that comes in the Shake and Bake box. I also like to use a tip I learned from Alton Brown's Good Eats Show. Use one hand for the egg, and one hand for the coating to keep your hands from becoming gooey. Dip a veggie in the egg and then cover with the coating mixture. Place on a cookie sheet. Once all the veggies are coated, bake for 20 mins at 425 degrees. The veggies in my picture are slightly overdone, because I had forgot to turn on the timer. Oops! The finished veggies taste great dipped in ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Pizzadillas
Pizzadillas are a super quick and easy snack that can be made in a healthy way. Add your favorite pizza ingredients to a tortilla. We used whole wheat Mission brand. Microwave for 30 seconds. If cheese not fully melted add a few more seconds. Occasionally we roll them up like burritos, sometimes we cut them up like a quesadilla. Now matter how you eat them, they taste great and can be made in less than 1 minute..
Oven Eggs with ham and swiss..
This is a slight changed recipe from April's Family Fun recipe. the reason why I changed it is because the original recipe serves 12 and it has ingredients that I know my kids will not eat. The orginal has swiss chard in it. I will be honest, I am not sure what swiss chard is. I am assuming it is some kid of green leafy vegetable, but I am not sure. I have never tried it before, so why start now.. I also took the fresh parsley and cooked onion out because we just dont really like onions in this house.
The ingredients for the version we ate (I cut the original recipe in half so it would only serve 6)
6 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup diced ham (ready to serve)
1 3/4 cups swiss cheese
a couple shakes of onion powder (I did not measure it)
I just realized that I forgot to put the additional cheese on top before I cooked it.. Ooops.. LOL! It was still good without the extra cheese.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, ham, sour cream, half the cheese with a wisk. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking pan. You can cover with plastic wrap to cook later or cook uncovered immediately.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake until set, for about 35 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake just a few more minutes until the cheese melts.
If you would like to add something green, broccoli would be a perfect addition to the ham and cheese. My kids are willing ot eat broccoli so I think we will be trying it that way next time.
If you would like to try the orginal recipe with all the ingredients, here is the link.
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/oven-eggs-with-ham-857865/
Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
Ingredients
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ozs shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ozs pepperoni, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup pizza sauce
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
1 red bell pepper sliced (optional)
Preheat over to 375 degrees
Grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan. (we only had a 12 cup pan so I had to bake them in 2 batches)
In large bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. Wisk in the milk and egg. (we did not have whole milk, and just used 2%)
Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni. (we did not use cubed pepperoni but mini pepperoni. These bites have a kick to them so if you use the full 4 ozs it might be too spicy. We used maybe 2 to 3 ozs and had more than enough)
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Stir the batter and spoon into the muffin cups.
Baked until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.
Warm the pizza sauce in the microwave. Stir in the basil (if desired). We did not do this step and they still tasted great. Use pizza sauce as a dip for the pizza puffs.
Easy Enchiladas..
We tried to recipe for Easy Enchiladas from the April-May issue of Taste of Home tonight. It was so simple to make, and uses a lot of ingredients you may already have on hand.
Ingredients..
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 8oz package cream cheese
8 flour tortillas (we used wheat)
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (we used sour cream)
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (2 1/4 oz) ripe olives
Optional, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes
In small bowl combine the chicken and cream cheese. Spoon about 1/4 cup down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a greased baking pan.
Combine the sour cream (or yogurt ) with the salsa and pour over the rolled torillas.
Bake uncovered for 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and back for 10-15 minutes longer. Makes 8 servings.
Deviled Chicks
Instead of slicing the egg lengthwise, cut top third crosswise. Fill with egg mixture. An easy way to fill with the egg is by placing the mixture in a baggie and cutting off the corner.
I used half raisins for the eyes. The recipe suggested capers, but we never have any on hand. The beak is two small pieces of carrot. A small piece of lettuce or parsley can be placed in a small slit on top of the head. A round piece of carrot can be cut into toes and help the egg stand. (I did not have big carrots on hand)
I felt these eggs were hard to make. When I sliced the top third off the top, most of the time the yolk was in a weird place. When scooping out the yolk, it is extremely easy to tear the white. I followed the steps to the perfect boiled egg, but my eggs were not quite done enough. I think I need to add a little more water next time and maybe wait 5-10 mins longer. I might try them again when I have 2 dozen Easter Eggs that need to be eaten. Even if they are not easy to make, they sure are cute!
The "Mini Burger"
This past weekend the kids wanted to try and make the "mini burger" from the Kraft Food and Family bonus cookbook we received with our spring issue. Basically it is not a real burger but a new way to eat a hot dog. The actual recipe calls for dinner rolls. Again we had to improvised because we didnt have rolls on hand but biscuits. Cut the hot dog crosswise and lengthwise and place on bun. (whatever you prefer to use) Add a slice of cheese and your favorite hot dog toppings. The recipe calls for a slice of tomato but my kids are not big tomato fans. Instead they used ketchp, mustard and pickes. I made one for myself too. It actually tasted pretty good.. This recipe would be great for picnics, parties or just a snack.
Mini Meatloaf
This is a very easy and quick recipe that I found in my Kraft Food and Family Magazine a few years ago. What is nice about this recipe is you can easily change just a few ingredients, and get an entirely different taste. There are 4 different flavors to try; Italian, Fiesta, Mediterrean, and BBQ. Our personal favorite is BBQ. Here is how you make them..
Main Ingredients for all types 1 lb extra lean ground beef, 1 pkg stuffing mix and 1 cup water.
Preheat over to 375 degrees. Mix meat, stuffing mix and water and the seasoning for your option until well blended.. (will list the options below) Press evenly into a 12 cup muffin tray sprayed with cooking oil. Make a small indentation in each mini loaf with the back of a spoon.
Spoon in your add-ins on top of each loaf
Italian add-ins.. 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup Shredded Mozzerella Cheeese
Fiesta add-ins.. 2 tsp chili powder, 3/4 cup thick and chunky salsa, 3/4 cup Mexican style cheese
Medditerrean add-ins.. 1 tsp dried oregano leaves, 3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers, 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
BBQ add-ins.. 1 tsp garlic powder, 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bake for 30 mins or until cooked through. Top evenly with cheese continue baking for 5 more mins or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 mins before eatting..
Here is a link to the recipe on Kraftrecipes.com http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/marvelous-mini-meatloaves-755
While I was defrosting the meat and looking for the ingredients, I realized that the box of stuffing mix I thought I had, I didnt.. (it was a box of au gratin potates). I knew from making meatloaves in the past that I would be able to make a substitution. I DID have seasoned bread crumbs and eggs.. I admit to being a lazy cook that ususally just eye balls my measurments (learned from Rachael Ray I guess.. LOL) I poured in some bread crumbs, added 1 egg and a teeny bit of oregano. Just as it would if I had used a stuffing mix, it tasted great!
Cheddar Broccoli Pasta Bake
We got this recipe from our Muellers Pasta Meal Planned we received in the mail. This recipe and more pasta recipes can be found at MuellersPasta.com
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Mueller's Elbow Macaroni
- 1 (8 ounce) cup low-fat milk
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
- 1 tablespoon creamy mayonnaise-mustard blend
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1-1/2 (6 ounce) cups low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 10 ounces fresh or frozen broccoli, chopped, blanched and drained
I wasnt quite as prepared as I thought I was when we started making this recipe and had to make a couple of substitutions. Instead of cream of chicken, which I was surprisingly out of, I used cream of broccoli. Instead of using plain frozen broccoli, I had to use a green giant box of broccoli with butter. My kids do not like onions, so I left that out and used onion powder. This recipe is easy to adapt to your own preferences.
Step 1
Boil the pasta for 6 minutes. The recipe calls for elbow macaroni but you can substitute your favorite. Today we chose corkscrew.
Steps 2, 3 and 4
Step 2. Spray a large casserole pan with cooking spray.
Step 3. Use the olive oil to cook the onion (if desired). Add the soup, milk and mayo/mustard blend and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 1 and 1/4 cup of cheese. Stir until smooth.
Step 4. Blanch (not sure if I spelled that right) and chop the broccoli so that it is slightly cooked.
Steps 5 and 6
Step 5. Mix the cooked (and drained) pasta with the broccoli. Add the cheese sauce and mix together well.
Step 6. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. (we add more than called for, you can never have enough cheese..LOL) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Step 7
Step 7.. ENJOY!
This was a hit with 2 out of the 3 of my kids. Kyle didnt really want to try it because he doesnt like broccoli. He did eat some of the cheesy noodles but didnt really give it a chance. The girls really liked it. The mayo/mustard blend gives it a little bit of a kick. I did not buy the blend pre made on the shelf, I just mixed some of my own. We will be making this again and next time trying it with the cream of chicken soup. The recipe feeds 4-6. This is a bit on the low end. This easily could have feed up to 8 people. We had a lot of left overs. One thing really good about this recipe is, you can easily enjoy it on the 2nd day.
Recipes to try
Yesterday in the mail I received a Muellers Meal Planner that I requested a couple of weeks ago. I believe they might still be available at MuellersPasta. com
While we have not had the chance to try any of the new recipes in the meal planner, we will definitely be posting them when we do. There are 3 that are definitely on our list. Cheddar Broccoli Pasta Bake, Hearty Bakes Mostaccioli and Go Out on a Roll Chicken Lasagna Rolls..Yum!
Eat your fruit and veggies
I have to admit, my children are not really healthy eaters a lot of the time. All 3 of them have definite likes and dislikes. Kristina will drink juice but does not like most fruits. Kyle almost always prefers meat over all other food. Kara is probably the most balanced as she likes fruit and she is willing to eat salad, however, she is picky about her veggies. Tonight the kids helped me make two recipes that was full of fruits and veggies.
Main Dish- Veggie Pizza
Our first dish was a cold veggie pizza. Though not everyone ate it, (Kyle and Kristina wanted a regular pizza) this dish is easy and fun to make. Kara did it pretty much all by herself with supervision. Normally we use Pillsbury cresents or pizza crust, but I did not have any on hand today. I did have a Betty Crocker instant pizza crust mix, so we decided to use that. Kara mixed the dough and then spread it out on a cookie sheet. It was kind of on the thin side and our pizza ended up a funny shape, but it doesnt really matter what it looks like. It still tasted good. I do prefer the texture and thickness of the Pillsbury dough, so we go back to using that next time.
She is old enough to use a very small knife. She cut the cucumber, and some of the broccoli. When things were too small to cut, she did ask me for help. I cut the mini tomatoes, baby carrots, mushrooms (because she does not like them) and cauliflower. We mixed the veggies together in a bowl before putting them on the pizza. The sauce is a mix of cream cheese and miracle whip. I dont have the exact measurements, it probably depends on the size of your pizza and how think you like the "sauce". If the cream cheese is softened it mixes and spreads much easier. After either making the crust or laying out the premade cresents, bake in a 450 degree oven for about 8 mins. (Pillsbury might be longer, check the label) After the crust cools a bit, spread on the cream cheese mixture and then cover with your favorite uncooked veggies. The final step is to cover it with your favorite shredded cheese. We then put in the refridgerator to cool while we baked our next dish...
Banana Bread
I had 3 bananas there were overripe. Once they get to that point, I knew they would not be eatten unless we used them in a yummy loaf of banana bread. My kids LOVE banana bread. Kyle loves it so much, that he wanted to make it himself. The only problem with that, so did his sister. I was able to get them to compromise and take turns with the ingredients. We used the Better Homes and Gardens Recipe from their red and white checkered cookbook.
For this recipe you will need:
1 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup margarine
2 Tbsp milk
2 eggs
In thier eagerness and rush to put the ingredients together, we did not fully read the entire recipe. We were supposed to add 1/2 the flour and the eggs at the very end but we missed that until after we had mixed everything together at once.. It turned out great though, so I dont know if it really matters if you dump it all together or not.
First we mixed the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl.
The kids loved mashing the bananas before adding them to the dry mixture.
After adding the bananas, we added the margarine, milk and eggs to the bowl.
Final steps
Mix all of the ingredients together. Here my kids amazingly took turns holding the bowl and mixing. I love when they work together. Pour the mixture into a greased bread pan and back for 1 hour at 350 degrees... One done, let cool a bit before cutting.
Final results.. DELICIOUS! This bread is almost all gone already. Kyle had 3 thick slices and asked for more. For a easy, great tasting banana bread, give this recipe a try!
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
This recipe is a keeper. We have had it twice now. It's exremely easy to make and my kids love it.
I subscribe to the recipe magazine Taste of Home. This recipe is in their Feb/Mar 2010 issue and also on their website TasteofHome.com I forgot to take a picture of a sandwhich last night and I have not been able to copy and paste one today. If you would like to see a pic, please check it out on the website.
I want to credit Beki Kosydar-Krantz who submitted the recipe to the magazine.
This is a crock pot recipe which is great when you have a busy schedule.
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
Kaiser rolls (or buns of choice)
Cut the tenderloin in half and place in a slow cooker. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard and pepper. Pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours until meat is tender. Remove meat and shred with 2 forks. Return to cooker to heat through. Serve on rolls..
Thats is! Super easy! It is also fool proof because I am kind of a lazy cook and dont always follow recipes to a T. This one can be adjusted to your own tastes. While I did use all the ingrdients I didn't really measure. I just eyeballed it and stopped when it was about the right amount. I also put the ingredients directly in the crock pot. I mean why mess up another dish if you don't have to. LOL! I just made sure to mix the sauce over the meat while it was cooking. Also I did not have cider vinegar on had, so I just a just a splash of regular white vinegar. I don't believe you could tell the difference. While the first time I made this I did serve on Kaiser Rolls, I have kids with simple tastes.. This time I found store brand soft hoagie rolls on sale and my kids like it them on this kind of bun even better! Some of us like a slighty more bbq taste, so we poured a little bit of bbq sauce on our sandwhich which tasted yummy!!! I am sure I will continue to make this recipe because of how simple it is to make.
Making Monkey Bread
This weekend Kara and I wanted to make something new. I recently received my February/March issue of Taste of Home Magazine. We thought the recipe for Caramel Pecan Monkey Bread looked really good and this is what happened when we made it.
Making the Dough
To make dough
1 pkg (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
1/4 cup water (110 to 115 degrees)
1 1/4 cup warm 2% milk (also 110-115 degrees)
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
The first step is to dissolved the yeast in the warm water. I rarely use yeast so I was not sure what to expect. Kara spilled a tiny amt on the counter but that seemed to be okay. Then add the rest of the ingredients but only 3 cups of the flour. You will need the other flour at a later step . Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Stir in more of the flour to form a firm dough. It did seem to take a lot of flour for our dough to become firm. It seemed very sticky until we added a little more than the remaining 2 cups. Once the dough is firm knead on a floured surface for several minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl. In the bowl turn the dough so the entire surface is greased a little bit. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour. We went left ours for an hour and fifteen minutes for it to double in size.
Making the homemade caramel sauce
To make the caramel sauce you need
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
In a small saucepan bring the brown sugar, butter and cream to a boil for 3 minutes. Pour half of the caramel into a greased fluted pan. Make sure it is a one piece pan and not a 2 piece bunt cake pan. We found out the hard way that the caramel sauce will drip out of the bottom if you use a 2 piece pan. LOL! Sprinkle some finely chopped pecans into the caramel at this time. Kara does not like nuts so she wanted me to only use them on one side.
Putting the bread together
Punch down the dough and start to shape into 40 balls about 1 inch in diameter. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. In another small bowl melt 1/2 cup butter. Dip the balls into butter and then roll in the sugar mixture. When you have about 20 balls in the pan cover them with the rest of the caramel sauce and pecans. On top of that finish with the remaining sugar covered balls. Cover the pan and let it rise for about 45 mins until it doubles in size again.
The final steps
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for about 10 mins before inserting the pan. Enjoy!! We did, it tasted YUMMY!!!
Here is what it looked like finished. You can see that there are only nuts on one side. LOL. The caramel sauce is there, but there would have been more had we used the proper pan. We will try this recipe again. With all the time waiting for the dough to rise, make sure you allot yourself about 3 hours to make this. One way to make it quicker is to make the dough ahead of time and put it in the refridgerator over night. Bring the dough back to room tempature for about 30 minutes before assembling. We will definitely make this recipe again..
Bacon-Cheddar Pinwheels
I saw this recipe on Pillsbury.com and thought it looked good. Who doesnt like bacon, cheese and bread. They are pretty easy to make and would be a great appetizer or brunch item to share with your holiday guests, or anytime of the year.
Step 1
Using a package of crescent rolls divide into two 12 x 4 halves. I tried the new seamless roll in the picture. If you have the kind that does have seams, make sure to push them together and smooth them down.
Step 2
The recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons on ranch dressing. I did not have a bottle of ranch opened and used Creamy Parm dressing instead. It was similar enough to ranch to work. Spread 1 tablespoon of the dressing on the crescent half. Add the bacon bits and cheese. (the recipe calls for 1/4 of bacon bits and 1/2 cup of cheese, I just eyeballed it instead of measuring). The only thing I omitted was the 1/4 cup of green onions. We don't really like green onions in our house, so I added a little bit of onion powder.
Step 3
Start the roll from a short end of the dough. Roll up tightly and then place seam side down. Cut the roll with a serrated knife into 8 slices. Tip** Make indent lines before cutting on the top of the roll to get 8 even cuts.
Step 4
Repeat the steps with the other half of the dough. All together it will make 16 pinwheel bites. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 mins.
Last step..
Enjoy! They got a big thumbs up from 2 of my 3 kids. The only reason why we did not get it from the 3rd was he didnt eat any. I know if he had, he would have loved them too. We will definitely be making these again.
Easy Tuna Salad
I found this yummy and easy tuna salad recipe in my most recent Kraft Food and Family Magazine in a school lunch insert. The insert had directions to make just one serving. To me I felt it was easy to multiple the recipe and to make multi servings. We had ate this a few nights ago on very warm day as a light supper.
I used 2 cans of tuna
1 cup of cole slaw mix
ranch dressing
grapes cut in small pieces (the recipe used red, I only had green on hand)
I used 2 cans of tuna
1 cup of cole slaw mix
ranch dressing
grapes cut in small pieces (the recipe used red, I only had green on hand)
Serve with your favorite bread with a little bit of lettuce. We ate it on toast. The recipe in the booklet used a pita. Enjoy
Cheesy Ham and Rice Casserole
I got this recipe from Kraft Food and Family. It is an easy dump type of recipe where you hae most of the ingredients already on hand.
Ingredients
2 cups of white rice, uncooked
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups milk
1/4 cup miracle whip
6 ozs of chopped ham (I buy cubed precut ham)
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Ingredients
2 cups of white rice, uncooked
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups milk
1/4 cup miracle whip
6 ozs of chopped ham (I buy cubed precut ham)
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Mix together all the ingredients except the cheese. The cheese is supposed to go on the top but we like it extra cheesy so I mixed some in as well. I use way more than the 1/2 cup. I also added some extra mushrooms today because I had some in the fridge that I needed to use. Cover the casserole with foil and cook for 20 mins at 425 degrees.
Add cheese to the top of the casserole and cook for 10 mins more. Let stand for about 5 mins. Serve and enjoy!
Criss Cross Apple Crowns AKA Really Easy Apple Biscuits
This recipe is from the August/September Taste of Home.
Ingredients needed
1-1 1/3 cups chopped peeled tart apples
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (we did not use)
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup sugar divided
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
dash salt
1 pkg large refridgerated biscuits
2 tsp butter, melted
In microwavce safe bowl, mix apples, walnuts, raisins, 3 Tbsp sugar, flour, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, and salt. Microwave for 2-3 minutes until tender..(pictured above)
Ingredients needed
1-1 1/3 cups chopped peeled tart apples
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (we did not use)
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup sugar divided
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
dash salt
1 pkg large refridgerated biscuits
2 tsp butter, melted
In microwavce safe bowl, mix apples, walnuts, raisins, 3 Tbsp sugar, flour, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, and salt. Microwave for 2-3 minutes until tender..(pictured above)
Flatten the biscuits in a large circle. Combine the rest of the sugar mixture and sprinkle a teaspoonful on top of each biscuit.
Top each biscuit with 1/4 cup of apple mixture.
Roll up each bisquit and pinch edges to seal.
Place seal side down in an ungreased muffin cup
Brush on melted butter, add remaining sugar mixture and use a sharp knife to cut a X on top.
Bake for 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes. Cool for 5 mins before eatting. Enjoy! I know we did.
Zucchini Spaghetti
Slice up a couple of zucchini and heat up in a frying pan with a little bit of oil. I used olive oil today but have also used vegetable oil.
Once the zucchini has started to cook through, add zucchini and oil to a pot of cooking spahetti. The reason why you add the oil too, it gives the spaghetti a lot of extra flavor. When spaghetti is done do not strain, use a pasta fork and scoop it out on the plate.
Top with parmesean and mozzarella. I also like to add cheddar to give it an extra kick. If you like the taste of garlic that can be added to. We just add a little bit of garlic salt invidually to taste.
Blue Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms
I got this simple recipe from the August/September 2010 Taste of Home recipe. Our family loves stuffed mushrooms, so I definitely wanted to try this one out.
INGREDIENTS
24 large fresh mushrooms
1 carton 8oz chive and onion sour cream
1 cup 4 oz crumbled blue cheese
4 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup bacon bits, divided
INGREDIENTS
24 large fresh mushrooms
1 carton 8oz chive and onion sour cream
1 cup 4 oz crumbled blue cheese
4 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup bacon bits, divided
Remove the stems from the tops of the mushrooms. I only had one package so I did not make 24. I just cut back a little on the amount of the ingredients.
In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, blue cheese, onions, garlic and 1/4 cup of the bacon bits. I did not have real onions or garlic cloves on hand, so I used dried versions and guesstimated on the amt. Since I only had 14 mushrooms, I cut back to about 1/2 carton of cream cheese, and 1/2 cup blue cheese. I didnt even measure the bacon..
Stuff the mushroom caps with the cheese mixture. About a tablespoon in each. Sprinkle the rest of the bacon on top. Bake uncovered for 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes.
Rainbow Pudding Pops
I shared a link to the recipe back in early June from the Random Thoughts of a Supermom on the main page. 2 months later, I still love this recipe and thought it deserved a spot on the recipe thread. I don't have a picture to post because I dont know if I can share a photo from her site or not, and I have not yet tried to make them on my own just yet. Until I do, here is a link to how to make rainbow pudding pops.
http://the-wilson-world.blogspot.com/2010/06/rainbow-pudding-pops.html
http://the-wilson-world.blogspot.com/2010/06/rainbow-pudding-pops.html
Bacon-blue cheese stuffed burgers..
Ingredients
1- 1 1/2 lean ground beef
1 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 c crumbled blue cheese
1/3 c bacon bits
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
4 hamburger buns
As usual, I didn't totally follow the recipe on my version.. LOL! I did make the burgers according to directions. Shape 8 thin patties. Combine cream cheese, blue cheese and bacon bits.
1- 1 1/2 lean ground beef
1 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 c crumbled blue cheese
1/3 c bacon bits
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
4 hamburger buns
As usual, I didn't totally follow the recipe on my version.. LOL! I did make the burgers according to directions. Shape 8 thin patties. Combine cream cheese, blue cheese and bacon bits.
Title.
Spoon the cheese mixture onto 4 of the patties and then top with remaining patties. Combine salt, garlic powder, and pepper and sprinkle over the patties (I forgot to do this step, but they stilll tasted okay without it)
Grill for about 4-5 mins on each side. I cooked mine in a skillet tonight. The last time we used the grill we found a bee's nest underneath and I am allergic to bees. I decided to skip the grill this time.
I did not make the mushroom topping, because I knew my kids would not eat it. It looks good in the magazine though. Saute the mushrooms in the olive oil. Stir in the water and mustard. Serve the burger with the mushroom mixture, lettuce and tomato..
My version.. We skipped the mushrooms, lettuce and tomato and served it with ketchup, and pickles. The cheese mixture gives it a tasty kick. My son said he was afraid to try it because it look different than any burger he had seen before, but ended up trying it and liking it. I don't know if I will make it often, but I will be making these again the next time we are feeling like a homemade burger.
I was going to post a picture of the finished burger up close, but it just didnt look right on camera. I think I need to start reading up on food photography.
Grill for about 4-5 mins on each side. I cooked mine in a skillet tonight. The last time we used the grill we found a bee's nest underneath and I am allergic to bees. I decided to skip the grill this time.
I did not make the mushroom topping, because I knew my kids would not eat it. It looks good in the magazine though. Saute the mushrooms in the olive oil. Stir in the water and mustard. Serve the burger with the mushroom mixture, lettuce and tomato..
My version.. We skipped the mushrooms, lettuce and tomato and served it with ketchup, and pickles. The cheese mixture gives it a tasty kick. My son said he was afraid to try it because it look different than any burger he had seen before, but ended up trying it and liking it. I don't know if I will make it often, but I will be making these again the next time we are feeling like a homemade burger.
I was going to post a picture of the finished burger up close, but it just didnt look right on camera. I think I need to start reading up on food photography.
Bleu Cheese Herb Loaf
This recipe is from the June/July Simple and Delicious Magazine.
Ingredients
1 tube refridgerated buttermilk biscuits
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. crumbled bleu cheese
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 garlic clove, minced
1tsp. minced chives
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Ingredients
1 tube refridgerated buttermilk biscuits
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. crumbled bleu cheese
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 garlic clove, minced
1tsp. minced chives
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Separate the bisquits and quart
Arrange the quarters into a loaf.
In a small bowl mix the rest of the ingredients and then brush over the loaf.
Bake 375 degrees for 18-20 mins.
I will be honest, I skipped a couple of the ingredients. I did not use the parsley flakes, tarragon, chives and celery seed. I rarely use these spices and just did not feel like searching the back of the spice rack to see if I had any. I did use onionn powder, garlic and oregano. Even without the extra spices and herbs, this still taste great. It was super quick and easy to make. I will definitely make it again.
Bake 375 degrees for 18-20 mins.
I will be honest, I skipped a couple of the ingredients. I did not use the parsley flakes, tarragon, chives and celery seed. I rarely use these spices and just did not feel like searching the back of the spice rack to see if I had any. I did use onionn powder, garlic and oregano. Even without the extra spices and herbs, this still taste great. It was super quick and easy to make. I will definitely make it again.
Big Kahuna Pizza
This recipe is from the June/July Simple and Delicious
There are only a few ingredients
shredded bbq pork
1 20oz can of pineapple cubes
1 sweet red onion
8 oz mozzarella cheese
1 pre cooked pizza crust
As usual I tried to change a few items because of what I had on hand with pretty good results.
There are only a few ingredients
shredded bbq pork
1 20oz can of pineapple cubes
1 sweet red onion
8 oz mozzarella cheese
1 pre cooked pizza crust
As usual I tried to change a few items because of what I had on hand with pretty good results.
Paragraph.
I attempted to make crust from a Pillsbury pizza crust instead of a pre baked one. It was okay, but was not done enough when the timer went off and I had to bake the pizza several minutes longer. I had prebaked it 7-8 minutes before putting toppings one. The problem was the tempature and time on the tube of the pizza crust and the reciped differed a lot.
Instead of bbq pork, I used a tub of bbq chicken. Spread the meat over the crust.
Spread the pineapple, and red onion on top of the shredded meat. Most of my family does not like onion. I am not a big fan either, but I will eat red onion from time to time in recipes. Instead of using the red onion, I did use a little onion powder to keep the taste similar. I think I might try red onion next time for the texture.
The recipe says to bake at 450 degrees for 20 mins. I was afraid that the pillsbury crust might burn at that temp, so I cooked it for a little longer and a lower temp. Even with my changes, this pizza tastes pretty good, especially if you like the taste and texture of Hawaiian pizza. I will try it again with pork and with a pre baked crust.
Pillsbury Biscuit Donuts
I was excited to find this recipe because I had some extra cans of biscuits on hand that I needed to use up. It is quick and easy and tastes like real donuts
To make the donuts..
To make the donuts..
Start with a can (or two) of biscuits.
Flatten each biscuit and cut a hole in the center.
Fry the biscuits in 2 inches of vegetable oil until they are golden brown. They will puff up as you fry them.
While the donuts are cooling, it is time to make the glaze.
For the glaze you need
2Tbsp + 2 tsp unsalted softened butter
1cup confectioners sugar
1/4 c vanilla extract
2Tbsp + 2 tsp hot water
For chocolate glaze
1/2 c chocolate chips
Sprinkles optional
Mix butter and powdered sugar, add vanilla and hot water. Mix until smooth.
To make chocolate glaze add the melted chocolate chips. Blend well.
Add the donuts to glaze or spread on donut with knife.
Enjoy!
For the glaze you need
2Tbsp + 2 tsp unsalted softened butter
1cup confectioners sugar
1/4 c vanilla extract
2Tbsp + 2 tsp hot water
For chocolate glaze
1/2 c chocolate chips
Sprinkles optional
Mix butter and powdered sugar, add vanilla and hot water. Mix until smooth.
To make chocolate glaze add the melted chocolate chips. Blend well.
Add the donuts to glaze or spread on donut with knife.
Enjoy!
Kara and Kyle both gave these donuts two thumbs up!
This is how the inside of the donut looks.
Squid Dogs
I found this simple recipe in Family Fun. It would be great party food for kids parties, or just for fun anytime.
Cut the hot dog in half. Use 4 or5 uncooked pieces of spaghetti and push them through the hot dog until they stick out the top about an inch or so. Boil as you normally would.
I used angel hair this time, so it was a bit on the thin side. Several pieces broke and most of the squid dogs turned into jelly fish dogs.. LOL! If desired they could be decorated with ketchup or mustard to paint on little faces. No matter how long the noodle, kids will love them.
Beef Taquitos
I used the Family Fun recipe as my base recipe.. I copied and pasted the ingredients from the website.. But as usual, I changed the recipe a little.. =)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing on the taquitos
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup salsa, plus more for dipping
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack
- Sour cream
No one in our family is fond of real onions, so when browning the meat, I used onion powder. I also did not have real garlic on hand, so I used garlic powder..
After browning the meat, I added the salsa and stirred it all together..
A taquito is similar to a taco but smaller and baked to brown the tortilla. The easiest way to roll a taquito is to place the meat and cheese on one side and then roll tightly.
Bake the rolled taquitos brushed with vegetable oil in a 400 degree over for about 10 minutes. They taste really good dipped in salsa, sour cream and guacamole. I made homemade guacamole from an avacodo and tomatoes in my Bullet Express mixer in just a few seconds.. This recipe was put on our must make again list.
20 minute Chicken Spaghetti..
I based my 20 minute version of Chicken Spaghetti on The Pioneer Womans recipe.. (found here http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/) While her recipe looks awesome, her version takes a long time and has ingredients that I know my kid would not like to eat. (onions and peppers)
I based my 20 minute version of Chicken Spaghetti on The Pioneer Womans recipe.. (found here http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/) While her recipe looks awesome, her version takes a long time and has ingredients that I know my kid would not like to eat. (onions and peppers)
Instead of boiling the chicken and making my own broth, I defrosted frozen chicken breasts in the microwave and cooked it a pan in less than 10 minutes. I saved a lot of time by not removing chicken from its bones, which honestly I find kind of icky.
I followed the directions where I added cream of mushroom soup to the cooked spaghetti but I added only one can because I cut the recipe in half. We did not need 8 servings. I did not measure the cheese, but added the amount that I thought looked good. I added a little onion power but not cut onions since no one in my family likes real onions. When I added the chicken I should have added a little pre made broth but I didnt feel like opening a full can when I only needed a little bit. THe spaghetti was a little bit sticky so I think I will add some next time. It didnt really need 35-45 more minutes of cooking time because the way I cooked the chicken it was already fully cooked. Just heat it for a little longer to warm up the soup and melt the cheese. The kids loved it so there NO leftovers.
I followed the directions where I added cream of mushroom soup to the cooked spaghetti but I added only one can because I cut the recipe in half. We did not need 8 servings. I did not measure the cheese, but added the amount that I thought looked good. I added a little onion power but not cut onions since no one in my family likes real onions. When I added the chicken I should have added a little pre made broth but I didnt feel like opening a full can when I only needed a little bit. THe spaghetti was a little bit sticky so I think I will add some next time. It didnt really need 35-45 more minutes of cooking time because the way I cooked the chicken it was already fully cooked. Just heat it for a little longer to warm up the soup and melt the cheese. The kids loved it so there NO leftovers.
Pepperoni Roll Ups
Pepperoni Roll Ups are a quick and easy snack that is perfect for an after school snack or as an appetizer for a party. This recipe is courtesy of my good friend Donna.
Ingredients
2 tubes cresent rolls (I only used one and halfed the recipe)
1 block of cream cheese
parmesea cheese
pepperoni
Ingredients
2 tubes cresent rolls (I only used one and halfed the recipe)
1 block of cream cheese
parmesea cheese
pepperoni
Open the cresents. Leave 2 triangle cresents together, forming a rectangle.
Mix the cream cheese and parmesean (I didnt have a specific amount, just added the amt that looked good)
Spread cheese mixture on the cresents and add pepperoni.
Mix the cream cheese and parmesean (I didnt have a specific amount, just added the amt that looked good)
Spread cheese mixture on the cresents and add pepperoni.
Roll each rectangle into a roll. Cut each roll into slices. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Dip in marinara sauce if desired.
Easy Strawberry Preserves
Strawberry season is upon us and berries will be everywhere in the next few months. One way you can use those extra berries is to make easy preserves. This recipe is in the May Woman's Day. We made this today after finding a great deal on strawberries.. It really is very easy and tastes good too.
Ingredients.
Strawberries.. the recipe calls for 3 containers, I only used 2
hulled and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Place the ingredients in a 5 qt saucepan. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 mins. Stir frequently, to prevent burning.
Ingredients.
Strawberries.. the recipe calls for 3 containers, I only used 2
hulled and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Place the ingredients in a 5 qt saucepan. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 mins. Stir frequently, to prevent burning.
When done, store in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Oreo Cheesecake Bites
I saw this recipe today. I have not made it yet but hope to real soon. It is from Kraftfoods.com. If your kids (or yourself) like oreos they have some great oreo recipes. Oreo Cheesecake Bites and Oreo Surprise Cupcakes.. Both look so good. Here is a link the the Oreo Cheesecake Bites recipe. Enjoy!
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/oreo-cheesecake-bites-112393.aspxI
I left the picture blank so I can add a pic when I make this.. =)
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/oreo-cheesecake-bites-112393.aspxI
I left the picture blank so I can add a pic when I make this.. =)
Pizza Grilled Cheese
I found this recipe on Meijer.com in their mealbox section. My kids love grilled cheese and pizza so I thought it would be a good one to try. It only took an extra step or two from a regular grilled cheese and has a nice pizza taste. I thought it tasted like pizza bread. I copied and pasted the recipe from the site in case the link did not stay up long.
Servings:4INGREDIENTS 8 Slices Bread 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella 1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce 20 Pepperoni Slices 1/4 Cup Butter PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS 1. For each sandwich, in this order, layer ¼ cup of mozzarella, 1 tablespoon tomato sauce, 5 pepperoni slices, another tablespoon of tomato sauce, and another ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella. Then top with another slice of bread.
2. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of butter. Place all four sandwiches in the pan and cook until bread is toasted and cheese is beginning to melt (For grill marks, finish the sandwiches on a hot grill pan, about 3 minutes each side).
3. Flip the sandwiches and add the remaining butter. Cook until cheese is fully melted and bread is toasted.
Servings:4INGREDIENTS 8 Slices Bread 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella 1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce 20 Pepperoni Slices 1/4 Cup Butter PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS 1. For each sandwich, in this order, layer ¼ cup of mozzarella, 1 tablespoon tomato sauce, 5 pepperoni slices, another tablespoon of tomato sauce, and another ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella. Then top with another slice of bread.
2. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of butter. Place all four sandwiches in the pan and cook until bread is toasted and cheese is beginning to melt (For grill marks, finish the sandwiches on a hot grill pan, about 3 minutes each side).
3. Flip the sandwiches and add the remaining butter. Cook until cheese is fully melted and bread is toasted.
Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1/4 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar
2 tsp chives
Mix all the yolks and all the ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into the white halves. For a neater look, put the filling in a baggie and cut on corer at an angle. Squeeze out the filling to fill the egg.
This recipe calls for 14 eggs.. 24 halves to stuff and 4 whites to cut up.
I only had 8 eggs left. My egg tray has spaces for 15 halves. I made 15 and cut up only 1 white. This was plenty of eggs. 24 would have been too many for our household. A lot of times I dont take the time to measure exact measurements and just kind of eyeball it. This was one of those times. I also left the chives out of the recipe since my kids are kind of picky with green stuff.. LOL! This recipe was a nice variation to the regular deviled eggs..
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1/4 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar
2 tsp chives
Mix all the yolks and all the ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into the white halves. For a neater look, put the filling in a baggie and cut on corer at an angle. Squeeze out the filling to fill the egg.
This recipe calls for 14 eggs.. 24 halves to stuff and 4 whites to cut up.
I only had 8 eggs left. My egg tray has spaces for 15 halves. I made 15 and cut up only 1 white. This was plenty of eggs. 24 would have been too many for our household. A lot of times I dont take the time to measure exact measurements and just kind of eyeball it. This was one of those times. I also left the chives out of the recipe since my kids are kind of picky with green stuff.. LOL! This recipe was a nice variation to the regular deviled eggs..
Sweet and Sour Rice/Salad
Ingredients
2 cup minute rice
1 can pineapple chunks
1 1/2 cups bagged fresh spinach
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup Italian dressing
Cook the minute rice per instructions on the box.
In a large bowl mix drained pinepple and bacon bits. Add the red onion and rice. When rice is done, add to the bowl. Stir in the spinach. Add the Italian dressing last and mix thoroughly. This dish tastes great cold, so chill if desired. It has just the right mix of sweet and sour and is perfect with chicken.
2 cup minute rice
1 can pineapple chunks
1 1/2 cups bagged fresh spinach
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup Italian dressing
Cook the minute rice per instructions on the box.
In a large bowl mix drained pinepple and bacon bits. Add the red onion and rice. When rice is done, add to the bowl. Stir in the spinach. Add the Italian dressing last and mix thoroughly. This dish tastes great cold, so chill if desired. It has just the right mix of sweet and sour and is perfect with chicken.
Chocolate Covered Bacon
Thread bacon strips on a skewers. Place on rack in baking pan. Bake for 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crisp. Cool.
Melt chocolate chips (or candy coating) in microwave. Stir until smooth.
With pastry brush, coat both sides of bacon with chocolate.
Place on wax paper on baking sheet (of just lay on paper plate like we did.. LOL!)
Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.
With pastry brush, coat both sides of bacon with chocolate.
Place on wax paper on baking sheet (of just lay on paper plate like we did.. LOL!)
Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza
This recipe is from the April/May 2010 issue of Taste of Home. We chose it because two of Kyle's favorite foods are Chicken Cordon Bleu and pizza. Why not mix the two.
Ingredients
1 tube refrigerated pizza crust (we used cresent rolls, since I had 5 in the fridge)
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
1/4 tsp garlic sauce
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1-1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
10 breaded chicken nuggets, thawed and cut into pieces
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
This recipe is super easy. Unroll dough onto a greased baking sheet/pan. Bake at 425 for 8 mins until slightly brown. (we changed this to 375 for 5-6 mins since we were using the cresent roll instructions) Be careful not to overbake because this will go back in the oven with ingredients and you don't want burnt crust.
Ingredients
1 tube refrigerated pizza crust (we used cresent rolls, since I had 5 in the fridge)
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
1/4 tsp garlic sauce
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1-1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
10 breaded chicken nuggets, thawed and cut into pieces
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
This recipe is super easy. Unroll dough onto a greased baking sheet/pan. Bake at 425 for 8 mins until slightly brown. (we changed this to 375 for 5-6 mins since we were using the cresent roll instructions) Be careful not to overbake because this will go back in the oven with ingredients and you don't want burnt crust.
Spread the Alfredo sauce and sprinke with the garlic salt. Add the swiss cheese. (I had enough swiss until I decided to make 2 pizzas, so we used some quesadilla cheese as well)
Top with the cubed ham, chicken nugget pizzas and mozzarealla cheese.
Bake for 8 minutes or until the crust is done and the cheese is melted.
Bake for 8 minutes or until the crust is done and the cheese is melted.
4 Cheese Pasta Florentine
Ingredients
3 cups mostaccioli (I used penne)
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen spinach
4 oz cream cheese cubed
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg (8 oz) mozzerella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees
Cook Pasta as directed on package
Cook spinach as directed on the package, drain well
In large bowl mix cooked spinach, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and eggs until well blended. (make sure cream cheese is melted)
Drain pasta and add to the spinach mixture with the mozzerella. Mix lightly
Spoon into baking dish and top with Parmesan.. (I added more mozzeralla too!)
3 cups mostaccioli (I used penne)
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen spinach
4 oz cream cheese cubed
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg (8 oz) mozzerella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees
Cook Pasta as directed on package
Cook spinach as directed on the package, drain well
In large bowl mix cooked spinach, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and eggs until well blended. (make sure cream cheese is melted)
Drain pasta and add to the spinach mixture with the mozzerella. Mix lightly
Spoon into baking dish and top with Parmesan.. (I added more mozzeralla too!)
This is what it looks like before baking and adding the extra cheese..
Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through..
The mix of 4 cheeses make this a very filling creamy dish. I also love the fact that my kids ATE SPINACH.. In fact not once did they say anything about the green stuff in the casserole. Even though there is a lot of spinach in this dish, you dont really taste it. My kind of dish!
Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through..
The mix of 4 cheeses make this a very filling creamy dish. I also love the fact that my kids ATE SPINACH.. In fact not once did they say anything about the green stuff in the casserole. Even though there is a lot of spinach in this dish, you dont really taste it. My kind of dish!
Crispy Veggies
I found this recipe in the Kraft Food and Family Magazine a few years ago. This is one way I can get my kids to agree to eat veggies. We like to use mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli and zucchini. One that the recipe used that we have not tried yet is potato wedges. For Crispy Veggies, all you need is an egg and a package of Shake and Bake. The recipe calls for Extra Crispy Shake and Bake. I know first hand that the Parmesean flavor works as well..
Its easier to get an even coating if you do not use the bag that comes in the Shake and Bake box. I also like to use a tip I learned from Alton Brown's Good Eats Show. Use one hand for the egg, and one hand for the coating to keep your hands from becoming gooey. Dip a veggie in the egg and then cover with the coating mixture. Place on a cookie sheet. Once all the veggies are coated, bake for 20 mins at 425 degrees. The veggies in my picture are slightly overdone, because I had forgot to turn on the timer. Oops! The finished veggies taste great dipped in ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Pizzadillas
Pizzadillas are a super quick and easy snack that can be made in a healthy way. Add your favorite pizza ingredients to a tortilla. We used whole wheat Mission brand. Microwave for 30 seconds. If cheese not fully melted add a few more seconds. Occasionally we roll them up like burritos, sometimes we cut them up like a quesadilla. Now matter how you eat them, they taste great and can be made in less than 1 minute..
Oven Eggs with ham and swiss..
This is a slight changed recipe from April's Family Fun recipe. the reason why I changed it is because the original recipe serves 12 and it has ingredients that I know my kids will not eat. The orginal has swiss chard in it. I will be honest, I am not sure what swiss chard is. I am assuming it is some kid of green leafy vegetable, but I am not sure. I have never tried it before, so why start now.. I also took the fresh parsley and cooked onion out because we just dont really like onions in this house.
The ingredients for the version we ate (I cut the original recipe in half so it would only serve 6)
6 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup diced ham (ready to serve)
1 3/4 cups swiss cheese
a couple shakes of onion powder (I did not measure it)
I just realized that I forgot to put the additional cheese on top before I cooked it.. Ooops.. LOL! It was still good without the extra cheese.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, ham, sour cream, half the cheese with a wisk. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking pan. You can cover with plastic wrap to cook later or cook uncovered immediately.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake until set, for about 35 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake just a few more minutes until the cheese melts.
If you would like to add something green, broccoli would be a perfect addition to the ham and cheese. My kids are willing ot eat broccoli so I think we will be trying it that way next time.
If you would like to try the orginal recipe with all the ingredients, here is the link.
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/oven-eggs-with-ham-857865/
The ingredients for the version we ate (I cut the original recipe in half so it would only serve 6)
6 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup diced ham (ready to serve)
1 3/4 cups swiss cheese
a couple shakes of onion powder (I did not measure it)
I just realized that I forgot to put the additional cheese on top before I cooked it.. Ooops.. LOL! It was still good without the extra cheese.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, ham, sour cream, half the cheese with a wisk. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking pan. You can cover with plastic wrap to cook later or cook uncovered immediately.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake until set, for about 35 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake just a few more minutes until the cheese melts.
If you would like to add something green, broccoli would be a perfect addition to the ham and cheese. My kids are willing ot eat broccoli so I think we will be trying it that way next time.
If you would like to try the orginal recipe with all the ingredients, here is the link.
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/oven-eggs-with-ham-857865/
Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
Ingredients
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ozs shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ozs pepperoni, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup pizza sauce
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
1 red bell pepper sliced (optional)
Preheat over to 375 degrees
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ozs shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ozs pepperoni, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup pizza sauce
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
1 red bell pepper sliced (optional)
Preheat over to 375 degrees
Grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan. (we only had a 12 cup pan so I had to bake them in 2 batches)
In large bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. Wisk in the milk and egg. (we did not have whole milk, and just used 2%)
Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni. (we did not use cubed pepperoni but mini pepperoni. These bites have a kick to them so if you use the full 4 ozs it might be too spicy. We used maybe 2 to 3 ozs and had more than enough)
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Stir the batter and spoon into the muffin cups.
Baked until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.
In large bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. Wisk in the milk and egg. (we did not have whole milk, and just used 2%)
Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni. (we did not use cubed pepperoni but mini pepperoni. These bites have a kick to them so if you use the full 4 ozs it might be too spicy. We used maybe 2 to 3 ozs and had more than enough)
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Stir the batter and spoon into the muffin cups.
Baked until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.
Warm the pizza sauce in the microwave. Stir in the basil (if desired). We did not do this step and they still tasted great. Use pizza sauce as a dip for the pizza puffs.
Easy Enchiladas..
We tried to recipe for Easy Enchiladas from the April-May issue of Taste of Home tonight. It was so simple to make, and uses a lot of ingredients you may already have on hand.
Ingredients..
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 8oz package cream cheese
8 flour tortillas (we used wheat)
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (we used sour cream)
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (2 1/4 oz) ripe olives
Optional, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes
In small bowl combine the chicken and cream cheese. Spoon about 1/4 cup down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a greased baking pan.
Combine the sour cream (or yogurt ) with the salsa and pour over the rolled torillas.
Ingredients..
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 8oz package cream cheese
8 flour tortillas (we used wheat)
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (we used sour cream)
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (2 1/4 oz) ripe olives
Optional, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes
In small bowl combine the chicken and cream cheese. Spoon about 1/4 cup down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a greased baking pan.
Combine the sour cream (or yogurt ) with the salsa and pour over the rolled torillas.
Bake uncovered for 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and back for 10-15 minutes longer. Makes 8 servings.
Deviled Chicks
Instead of slicing the egg lengthwise, cut top third crosswise. Fill with egg mixture. An easy way to fill with the egg is by placing the mixture in a baggie and cutting off the corner.
I used half raisins for the eyes. The recipe suggested capers, but we never have any on hand. The beak is two small pieces of carrot. A small piece of lettuce or parsley can be placed in a small slit on top of the head. A round piece of carrot can be cut into toes and help the egg stand. (I did not have big carrots on hand)
I felt these eggs were hard to make. When I sliced the top third off the top, most of the time the yolk was in a weird place. When scooping out the yolk, it is extremely easy to tear the white. I followed the steps to the perfect boiled egg, but my eggs were not quite done enough. I think I need to add a little more water next time and maybe wait 5-10 mins longer. I might try them again when I have 2 dozen Easter Eggs that need to be eaten. Even if they are not easy to make, they sure are cute!
I felt these eggs were hard to make. When I sliced the top third off the top, most of the time the yolk was in a weird place. When scooping out the yolk, it is extremely easy to tear the white. I followed the steps to the perfect boiled egg, but my eggs were not quite done enough. I think I need to add a little more water next time and maybe wait 5-10 mins longer. I might try them again when I have 2 dozen Easter Eggs that need to be eaten. Even if they are not easy to make, they sure are cute!
The "Mini Burger"
This past weekend the kids wanted to try and make the "mini burger" from the Kraft Food and Family bonus cookbook we received with our spring issue. Basically it is not a real burger but a new way to eat a hot dog. The actual recipe calls for dinner rolls. Again we had to improvised because we didnt have rolls on hand but biscuits. Cut the hot dog crosswise and lengthwise and place on bun. (whatever you prefer to use) Add a slice of cheese and your favorite hot dog toppings. The recipe calls for a slice of tomato but my kids are not big tomato fans. Instead they used ketchp, mustard and pickes. I made one for myself too. It actually tasted pretty good.. This recipe would be great for picnics, parties or just a snack.
Mini Meatloaf
This is a very easy and quick recipe that I found in my Kraft Food and Family Magazine a few years ago. What is nice about this recipe is you can easily change just a few ingredients, and get an entirely different taste. There are 4 different flavors to try; Italian, Fiesta, Mediterrean, and BBQ. Our personal favorite is BBQ. Here is how you make them..
Main Ingredients for all types 1 lb extra lean ground beef, 1 pkg stuffing mix and 1 cup water.
Preheat over to 375 degrees. Mix meat, stuffing mix and water and the seasoning for your option until well blended.. (will list the options below) Press evenly into a 12 cup muffin tray sprayed with cooking oil. Make a small indentation in each mini loaf with the back of a spoon.
Spoon in your add-ins on top of each loaf
Italian add-ins.. 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup Shredded Mozzerella Cheeese
Fiesta add-ins.. 2 tsp chili powder, 3/4 cup thick and chunky salsa, 3/4 cup Mexican style cheese
Medditerrean add-ins.. 1 tsp dried oregano leaves, 3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers, 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
BBQ add-ins.. 1 tsp garlic powder, 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bake for 30 mins or until cooked through. Top evenly with cheese continue baking for 5 more mins or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 mins before eatting..
Here is a link to the recipe on Kraftrecipes.com http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/marvelous-mini-meatloaves-755
While I was defrosting the meat and looking for the ingredients, I realized that the box of stuffing mix I thought I had, I didnt.. (it was a box of au gratin potates). I knew from making meatloaves in the past that I would be able to make a substitution. I DID have seasoned bread crumbs and eggs.. I admit to being a lazy cook that ususally just eye balls my measurments (learned from Rachael Ray I guess.. LOL) I poured in some bread crumbs, added 1 egg and a teeny bit of oregano. Just as it would if I had used a stuffing mix, it tasted great!
Main Ingredients for all types 1 lb extra lean ground beef, 1 pkg stuffing mix and 1 cup water.
Preheat over to 375 degrees. Mix meat, stuffing mix and water and the seasoning for your option until well blended.. (will list the options below) Press evenly into a 12 cup muffin tray sprayed with cooking oil. Make a small indentation in each mini loaf with the back of a spoon.
Spoon in your add-ins on top of each loaf
Italian add-ins.. 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup Shredded Mozzerella Cheeese
Fiesta add-ins.. 2 tsp chili powder, 3/4 cup thick and chunky salsa, 3/4 cup Mexican style cheese
Medditerrean add-ins.. 1 tsp dried oregano leaves, 3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers, 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
BBQ add-ins.. 1 tsp garlic powder, 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bake for 30 mins or until cooked through. Top evenly with cheese continue baking for 5 more mins or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 mins before eatting..
Here is a link to the recipe on Kraftrecipes.com http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/marvelous-mini-meatloaves-755
While I was defrosting the meat and looking for the ingredients, I realized that the box of stuffing mix I thought I had, I didnt.. (it was a box of au gratin potates). I knew from making meatloaves in the past that I would be able to make a substitution. I DID have seasoned bread crumbs and eggs.. I admit to being a lazy cook that ususally just eye balls my measurments (learned from Rachael Ray I guess.. LOL) I poured in some bread crumbs, added 1 egg and a teeny bit of oregano. Just as it would if I had used a stuffing mix, it tasted great!
Cheddar Broccoli Pasta Bake
We got this recipe from our Muellers Pasta Meal Planned we received in the mail. This recipe and more pasta recipes can be found at MuellersPasta.com
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Mueller's Elbow Macaroni
- 1 (8 ounce) cup low-fat milk
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
- 1 tablespoon creamy mayonnaise-mustard blend
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1-1/2 (6 ounce) cups low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 10 ounces fresh or frozen broccoli, chopped, blanched and drained
I wasnt quite as prepared as I thought I was when we started making this recipe and had to make a couple of substitutions. Instead of cream of chicken, which I was surprisingly out of, I used cream of broccoli. Instead of using plain frozen broccoli, I had to use a green giant box of broccoli with butter. My kids do not like onions, so I left that out and used onion powder. This recipe is easy to adapt to your own preferences.
Step 1
Boil the pasta for 6 minutes. The recipe calls for elbow macaroni but you can substitute your favorite. Today we chose corkscrew.
Steps 2, 3 and 4
Step 2. Spray a large casserole pan with cooking spray.
Step 3. Use the olive oil to cook the onion (if desired). Add the soup, milk and mayo/mustard blend and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 1 and 1/4 cup of cheese. Stir until smooth.
Step 4. Blanch (not sure if I spelled that right) and chop the broccoli so that it is slightly cooked.
Step 3. Use the olive oil to cook the onion (if desired). Add the soup, milk and mayo/mustard blend and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 1 and 1/4 cup of cheese. Stir until smooth.
Step 4. Blanch (not sure if I spelled that right) and chop the broccoli so that it is slightly cooked.
Steps 5 and 6
Step 5. Mix the cooked (and drained) pasta with the broccoli. Add the cheese sauce and mix together well.
Step 6. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. (we add more than called for, you can never have enough cheese..LOL) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Step 6. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. (we add more than called for, you can never have enough cheese..LOL) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Step 7
Step 7.. ENJOY!
This was a hit with 2 out of the 3 of my kids. Kyle didnt really want to try it because he doesnt like broccoli. He did eat some of the cheesy noodles but didnt really give it a chance. The girls really liked it. The mayo/mustard blend gives it a little bit of a kick. I did not buy the blend pre made on the shelf, I just mixed some of my own. We will be making this again and next time trying it with the cream of chicken soup. The recipe feeds 4-6. This is a bit on the low end. This easily could have feed up to 8 people. We had a lot of left overs. One thing really good about this recipe is, you can easily enjoy it on the 2nd day.
This was a hit with 2 out of the 3 of my kids. Kyle didnt really want to try it because he doesnt like broccoli. He did eat some of the cheesy noodles but didnt really give it a chance. The girls really liked it. The mayo/mustard blend gives it a little bit of a kick. I did not buy the blend pre made on the shelf, I just mixed some of my own. We will be making this again and next time trying it with the cream of chicken soup. The recipe feeds 4-6. This is a bit on the low end. This easily could have feed up to 8 people. We had a lot of left overs. One thing really good about this recipe is, you can easily enjoy it on the 2nd day.
Recipes to try
Yesterday in the mail I received a Muellers Meal Planner that I requested a couple of weeks ago. I believe they might still be available at MuellersPasta. com
While we have not had the chance to try any of the new recipes in the meal planner, we will definitely be posting them when we do. There are 3 that are definitely on our list. Cheddar Broccoli Pasta Bake, Hearty Bakes Mostaccioli and Go Out on a Roll Chicken Lasagna Rolls..Yum!
While we have not had the chance to try any of the new recipes in the meal planner, we will definitely be posting them when we do. There are 3 that are definitely on our list. Cheddar Broccoli Pasta Bake, Hearty Bakes Mostaccioli and Go Out on a Roll Chicken Lasagna Rolls..Yum!
Eat your fruit and veggies
I have to admit, my children are not really healthy eaters a lot of the time. All 3 of them have definite likes and dislikes. Kristina will drink juice but does not like most fruits. Kyle almost always prefers meat over all other food. Kara is probably the most balanced as she likes fruit and she is willing to eat salad, however, she is picky about her veggies. Tonight the kids helped me make two recipes that was full of fruits and veggies.
Main Dish- Veggie Pizza
Our first dish was a cold veggie pizza. Though not everyone ate it, (Kyle and Kristina wanted a regular pizza) this dish is easy and fun to make. Kara did it pretty much all by herself with supervision. Normally we use Pillsbury cresents or pizza crust, but I did not have any on hand today. I did have a Betty Crocker instant pizza crust mix, so we decided to use that. Kara mixed the dough and then spread it out on a cookie sheet. It was kind of on the thin side and our pizza ended up a funny shape, but it doesnt really matter what it looks like. It still tasted good. I do prefer the texture and thickness of the Pillsbury dough, so we go back to using that next time.
She is old enough to use a very small knife. She cut the cucumber, and some of the broccoli. When things were too small to cut, she did ask me for help. I cut the mini tomatoes, baby carrots, mushrooms (because she does not like them) and cauliflower. We mixed the veggies together in a bowl before putting them on the pizza. The sauce is a mix of cream cheese and miracle whip. I dont have the exact measurements, it probably depends on the size of your pizza and how think you like the "sauce". If the cream cheese is softened it mixes and spreads much easier. After either making the crust or laying out the premade cresents, bake in a 450 degree oven for about 8 mins. (Pillsbury might be longer, check the label) After the crust cools a bit, spread on the cream cheese mixture and then cover with your favorite uncooked veggies. The final step is to cover it with your favorite shredded cheese. We then put in the refridgerator to cool while we baked our next dish...
Banana Bread
I had 3 bananas there were overripe. Once they get to that point, I knew they would not be eatten unless we used them in a yummy loaf of banana bread. My kids LOVE banana bread. Kyle loves it so much, that he wanted to make it himself. The only problem with that, so did his sister. I was able to get them to compromise and take turns with the ingredients. We used the Better Homes and Gardens Recipe from their red and white checkered cookbook.
For this recipe you will need:
1 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup margarine
2 Tbsp milk
2 eggs
In thier eagerness and rush to put the ingredients together, we did not fully read the entire recipe. We were supposed to add 1/2 the flour and the eggs at the very end but we missed that until after we had mixed everything together at once.. It turned out great though, so I dont know if it really matters if you dump it all together or not.
First we mixed the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl.
For this recipe you will need:
1 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup margarine
2 Tbsp milk
2 eggs
In thier eagerness and rush to put the ingredients together, we did not fully read the entire recipe. We were supposed to add 1/2 the flour and the eggs at the very end but we missed that until after we had mixed everything together at once.. It turned out great though, so I dont know if it really matters if you dump it all together or not.
First we mixed the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl.
The kids loved mashing the bananas before adding them to the dry mixture.
After adding the bananas, we added the margarine, milk and eggs to the bowl.
Final steps
Mix all of the ingredients together. Here my kids amazingly took turns holding the bowl and mixing. I love when they work together. Pour the mixture into a greased bread pan and back for 1 hour at 350 degrees... One done, let cool a bit before cutting.
Final results.. DELICIOUS! This bread is almost all gone already. Kyle had 3 thick slices and asked for more. For a easy, great tasting banana bread, give this recipe a try!
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
This recipe is a keeper. We have had it twice now. It's exremely easy to make and my kids love it.
I subscribe to the recipe magazine Taste of Home. This recipe is in their Feb/Mar 2010 issue and also on their website TasteofHome.com I forgot to take a picture of a sandwhich last night and I have not been able to copy and paste one today. If you would like to see a pic, please check it out on the website.
I want to credit Beki Kosydar-Krantz who submitted the recipe to the magazine.
This is a crock pot recipe which is great when you have a busy schedule.
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
Kaiser rolls (or buns of choice)
Cut the tenderloin in half and place in a slow cooker. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard and pepper. Pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours until meat is tender. Remove meat and shred with 2 forks. Return to cooker to heat through. Serve on rolls..
Thats is! Super easy! It is also fool proof because I am kind of a lazy cook and dont always follow recipes to a T. This one can be adjusted to your own tastes. While I did use all the ingrdients I didn't really measure. I just eyeballed it and stopped when it was about the right amount. I also put the ingredients directly in the crock pot. I mean why mess up another dish if you don't have to. LOL! I just made sure to mix the sauce over the meat while it was cooking. Also I did not have cider vinegar on had, so I just a just a splash of regular white vinegar. I don't believe you could tell the difference. While the first time I made this I did serve on Kaiser Rolls, I have kids with simple tastes.. This time I found store brand soft hoagie rolls on sale and my kids like it them on this kind of bun even better! Some of us like a slighty more bbq taste, so we poured a little bit of bbq sauce on our sandwhich which tasted yummy!!! I am sure I will continue to make this recipe because of how simple it is to make.
I subscribe to the recipe magazine Taste of Home. This recipe is in their Feb/Mar 2010 issue and also on their website TasteofHome.com I forgot to take a picture of a sandwhich last night and I have not been able to copy and paste one today. If you would like to see a pic, please check it out on the website.
I want to credit Beki Kosydar-Krantz who submitted the recipe to the magazine.
This is a crock pot recipe which is great when you have a busy schedule.
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
Kaiser rolls (or buns of choice)
Cut the tenderloin in half and place in a slow cooker. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard and pepper. Pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours until meat is tender. Remove meat and shred with 2 forks. Return to cooker to heat through. Serve on rolls..
Thats is! Super easy! It is also fool proof because I am kind of a lazy cook and dont always follow recipes to a T. This one can be adjusted to your own tastes. While I did use all the ingrdients I didn't really measure. I just eyeballed it and stopped when it was about the right amount. I also put the ingredients directly in the crock pot. I mean why mess up another dish if you don't have to. LOL! I just made sure to mix the sauce over the meat while it was cooking. Also I did not have cider vinegar on had, so I just a just a splash of regular white vinegar. I don't believe you could tell the difference. While the first time I made this I did serve on Kaiser Rolls, I have kids with simple tastes.. This time I found store brand soft hoagie rolls on sale and my kids like it them on this kind of bun even better! Some of us like a slighty more bbq taste, so we poured a little bit of bbq sauce on our sandwhich which tasted yummy!!! I am sure I will continue to make this recipe because of how simple it is to make.
Making Monkey Bread
This weekend Kara and I wanted to make something new. I recently received my February/March issue of Taste of Home Magazine. We thought the recipe for Caramel Pecan Monkey Bread looked really good and this is what happened when we made it.
Making the Dough
To make dough
1 pkg (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
1/4 cup water (110 to 115 degrees)
1 1/4 cup warm 2% milk (also 110-115 degrees)
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
The first step is to dissolved the yeast in the warm water. I rarely use yeast so I was not sure what to expect. Kara spilled a tiny amt on the counter but that seemed to be okay. Then add the rest of the ingredients but only 3 cups of the flour. You will need the other flour at a later step . Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Stir in more of the flour to form a firm dough. It did seem to take a lot of flour for our dough to become firm. It seemed very sticky until we added a little more than the remaining 2 cups. Once the dough is firm knead on a floured surface for several minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl. In the bowl turn the dough so the entire surface is greased a little bit. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour. We went left ours for an hour and fifteen minutes for it to double in size.
1 pkg (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
1/4 cup water (110 to 115 degrees)
1 1/4 cup warm 2% milk (also 110-115 degrees)
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
The first step is to dissolved the yeast in the warm water. I rarely use yeast so I was not sure what to expect. Kara spilled a tiny amt on the counter but that seemed to be okay. Then add the rest of the ingredients but only 3 cups of the flour. You will need the other flour at a later step . Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Stir in more of the flour to form a firm dough. It did seem to take a lot of flour for our dough to become firm. It seemed very sticky until we added a little more than the remaining 2 cups. Once the dough is firm knead on a floured surface for several minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl. In the bowl turn the dough so the entire surface is greased a little bit. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour. We went left ours for an hour and fifteen minutes for it to double in size.
Making the homemade caramel sauce
To make the caramel sauce you need
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
In a small saucepan bring the brown sugar, butter and cream to a boil for 3 minutes. Pour half of the caramel into a greased fluted pan. Make sure it is a one piece pan and not a 2 piece bunt cake pan. We found out the hard way that the caramel sauce will drip out of the bottom if you use a 2 piece pan. LOL! Sprinkle some finely chopped pecans into the caramel at this time. Kara does not like nuts so she wanted me to only use them on one side.
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
In a small saucepan bring the brown sugar, butter and cream to a boil for 3 minutes. Pour half of the caramel into a greased fluted pan. Make sure it is a one piece pan and not a 2 piece bunt cake pan. We found out the hard way that the caramel sauce will drip out of the bottom if you use a 2 piece pan. LOL! Sprinkle some finely chopped pecans into the caramel at this time. Kara does not like nuts so she wanted me to only use them on one side.
Putting the bread together
Punch down the dough and start to shape into 40 balls about 1 inch in diameter. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. In another small bowl melt 1/2 cup butter. Dip the balls into butter and then roll in the sugar mixture. When you have about 20 balls in the pan cover them with the rest of the caramel sauce and pecans. On top of that finish with the remaining sugar covered balls. Cover the pan and let it rise for about 45 mins until it doubles in size again.
The final steps
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for about 10 mins before inserting the pan. Enjoy!! We did, it tasted YUMMY!!!
Here is what it looked like finished. You can see that there are only nuts on one side. LOL. The caramel sauce is there, but there would have been more had we used the proper pan. We will try this recipe again. With all the time waiting for the dough to rise, make sure you allot yourself about 3 hours to make this. One way to make it quicker is to make the dough ahead of time and put it in the refridgerator over night. Bring the dough back to room tempature for about 30 minutes before assembling. We will definitely make this recipe again..
