Homemade Brownies

Who doesn't love a good brownie :) This one is super easy and waaaay yummy!! You could even bake a pan or two of these and take them to your neighbors for a Christmas gift all wrapped up cutsie like with a red bow.



Brownies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or oil (butter is better)
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
2.In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
3.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares

If doubling, bake longer- check every 5 to 10 minutes. I also reduce the cocoa just a bit. I use 1/3c and half of a 1/3 cup.

Christmas Crack

Have you ever heard of Christmas Crack?? I am sure it has other names but this stuff is addicting!!! It is so good we don't just make it for Christmas we make it for road trips (because we like sticky fingers in our car, I know dumb huh but hey what's any different from any other sticky candy), baseball games, camping, family get togethers. This also makes great neighbor gifts or home teacher gifts etc.




1 (12.8 oz.) box Rice Chex cereal
1 (12 oz.) box Golden Grahams cereal
1 (7 oz.) bag shredded coconut
1 (4 oz.) bag slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks)
2 cups sugar
2 cups corn syrup

Combine Rice Chex and Golden Grahams, coconut, and almonds in a large bowl. Stir to combine. In a large sauce pan cook butter, sugar, and corn syrup to the "soft ball" stage about 234 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour over cereal mix and stir until well coated. Pour mixture out onto a large cookie sheet to cool. Stir it occasionally to prevent clumping. Store in a airtight container (I never have to worry about storing it, its gone before I know it).

Life and a Mix Off.

Holy cow it has been almost a whole month since I posted last. Life has been crazy busy! I help my mom and sisters do catering and also pies and rolls for people that order so Thanksgiving was crazy busy. We made over 1200 dozen rolls and around 500 pies. Plus My sons baseball team is fundraising for a once in a lifetime opportunity so I have been making cookie dough and selling it to try and raise his money. AM I CRAZY ??? I don't even think I need to answer that. ;)



I am in need of a new mixer and I have been looking at a whole bunch of different ones but don't know which way to go. I decided to borrow from family and have a mix off and see what one I like best THE BOSCH vs THE KITCHEN AID ??? I am mixing all kinds of doughs ...bread dough, cookie dough, cakes, brownies, pizza crust etc. and see what one I want. I mean its a big commitment. You test drive a car before you buy it so why not test out something I use just as much?!?! My husband bought me a kitchen aid over 10 years ago and I loved it BUT now mine has given up the ghost so its time to replace it.

Ok the test results are in....

I really think it is just a personal preference. I loved both mixers but I grew up with a Kitchen Aid so I think that is why I liked it more. I didn't think the Bosch mixed as well when using the dough hook it left a part on the middle piece that didn't get mixed in. However I loved how much more the Bosch holds but that is just because I have the smaller size. I didn't like how flour comes out of the kitchen aid when I am adding it to a recipe but they do sale a cover for that I just don't own one. Price is a big issue too because kitchen aid has all kinds of sizes so they have all kinds of price ranges where the Bosch doesn't. some Kitchen Aids don't have the head that lifts up so its not as convenient as the Bosch with its mixer in the bottom and you can add while its mixing. The Bosch I was using also had grease when I pulled the hooks off and then the dough would touch it and I would have to throw that dough away therefore wasting dough, but the Kitchen aid also would get grease on the dough if the dough climbed the hook. So I am no closer to figuring out which one is better.

Ham and Potato soup

allrecipe.com

Can you ever have too many soup recipes? I have a huge bag of potatoes that I need to use up and I grew up on potato soups so what better way to use them (besides a baked potato) then in a soup its a win win right ;) I however am not a fan of ham but trying to be an awesome mother and wife I still make ham for my family because they love it. I made one the other night and had sooo much leftover so after making grilled cheese with ham (mine was grilled cheese with jalapenos) I decided to make this soup. I was shocked how much I actually liked it I didn't even pick my ham out...nope I just pulled my big girl pants up and ate it. In fact this may be one of my favorite soup recipes! So don't blow this one off because you are picky like me :) Try it you may like it. On the original post about this the lady says the best part is you can use as many potatoes or as much ham as you want and boy did I ever. I decided that more goes further so I added what I thought was a good amount and it was pure HOT deliciousness!!!



3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery (I left this out because I didn't have any and you know how I feel about running to the store for one thing)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk


Directions
Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Allrecipes.com

I don't know about you but I have been freezing my behind off. Winter is coming and I am not excited. I am not a winter person, I don't like to be cold at all. I am not one of those fun moms that go out and throw snowballs in the winter and I rarely help make snowmen. I'm not a scrooge or anything I just hate the cold! I am living in the wrong area I know. The best part of winter is hands down homemade soups!! There are so many possibilities some using leftovers some that you make a ton and then eat them for leftovers all week. This one made the whole house smell so yummy we couldn't wait to eat it. THIS IS MADE IN THE CROCK POT SO IT DOES TAKE AWHILE TO COOK!! After its all done you can place toppings on the table for people to garnish with. Toppings can include: cheese, avocado, fresh squeezed lime juice, etc.




1 pound shredded, cooked chicken ( I did this in the crock pot the day before)
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
I ADDED a can of black beans to ours and it was great!!
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas*
vegetable oil*




Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

**Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Now if you don't want to make your own tortilla strips then you can do what we did and just use corn tortilla chips it just keeps life a little simpler.

Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Broccoli Over Rice

pickypalate.com


I love the crockpot!! I especially love the crock pot!! Its like my best friend... always there for me, helping me under stressful situations, prevents me from loosing my cool ;) What more could you want right???




3-4 boneless chicken breasts
1 14oz can cream of chicken soup
1 14 oz can cheddar soup
1 14 oz can chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
¼ teaspoon garlic salt seasoning
1 Cup sour cream
6 Cups broccoli florets, lightly steamed, just fork tender
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place soups, chicken broth, salt, Cajun and garlic seasoning into a crockpot over low heat. Whisk until smooth. Place chicken in, pressing to the bottom. Cover lid and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

When chicken is cooked, use 2 forks to shred into bite size pieces. Stir in sour cream and broccoli.

Serve over steamed rice and sprinkle with cheese.

4-6 servings

Pumpkin Pancakes

allrecipe.com

There is nothing that says fall like baking with pumpkin. I think we have established that pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors ever! I have actual cravings or addictions to it. Maybe there is a group for that?? I could probably be nominated president over PLA pumpkin lovers anonymous! But seriously you need to try this recipe out it is so yummy and not overly sweet ...speaking of sweet, we have a SWEEEEET contest going on now on our facebook page from Tiny Trends Boutique go check it out the rules are on the page and make sure you check out Tiny Trends Boutique on fb while you are there.






1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt


Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the batter onto the griddle brown on both sides and serve hot. It can be served with maple syrup, buttermilk syrup or whip cream (like pumpkin pie YUM).

Slow Cooker Kalua Pork

sixsistersstuff.com
(Makes 6-8 servings)

There is nothing better than making a easy meat that can be used for more than one meal. When I made this I made waaaaaaay to much meat so I froze the leftover meat and the next week I made the buns (the recipe is on this blog) and we had shredded pork sandwiches with the teriyaki sauce on it. Two meals out of one cooked meat PERFECT!!!! This one is definitely being added to the favorites.




Ingredients:
1 (2-4 pound) pork shoulder or butt roast, fat trimmed
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
3-4 cups cooked brown or white rice
Chopped green peppers (optional)
Diced tomatoes (optional)
Chopped onions (optional)
Banana peppers (optional)
Diced cucumbers (optional)
Sliced olives (optional)
Teriyaki sauce (optional)

Directions:
Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt and liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours turn once about halfway through cooking time. Remove meat from slow cooker and shred with 2 forks, adding drippings as needed to moisten. Serve over rice, topped with your favorite veggies and teriyaki sauce.

Homemade Blueberry Muffins

(Sweet Peas Kitchen)

Saturday mornings are definitely our lazy days. No alarm clock, ringer shut off etc. (well unless we have early baseball games) But when the kids finely do wake up they want breakfast now :) In the past I have usually done boxed muffins when we really want some but I decided I had everything for this recipe and it sounded so good why not try it. The kids thought it was soo cool that we could make blueberry muffins without a box lol and this coming from kids that get homemade stuff allllll the time. I hope you try this and your family loves it as much as we do and that you all have lazy saturday mornings :)

Lemon-Sugar Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp finely grated zest from 1 lemon
In a small bowl, stir together sugar and lemon zest; set aside.



Muffins:
2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
1 1/8 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. table salt
2 large eggs
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

For the muffins: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer. Cook, mashing berries with spoon and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to ¼ cup, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs until thick, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using rubber spatula, gently fold egg mixture and remaining 1 cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened (do not over mix.)
Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). Spoon 1 teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter. Using a toothpick, gently swirl berry filling into batter. Sprinkle lemon sugar topping generously over muffins.
Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Cafe Rio Chicken

realmomkitchen.com

Café Rio mmmmmmmmmm just hearing the name makes me hungry!! I love Café Rio and I am sure I am not alone in this love! This is one of those recipes you can use when your having lots of company over. I love to use this for salad and yes I make tortillas and warm them and place them in the bottom of the bowl I try hard to squint my eyes and feel like I am standing in line at café rio and placing my order ;) I top it with a jalapeno ranch dressing and then top it with the tortilla strips you can buy in the store. Garnish it with some cotija cheese and some guacamole YUUUM guess what I am going to make this weekend AGAIN lol.



2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (I have also used canned chicken and cooked it in a pan)
1/2 cup zesty italian dressing
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 pkt ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup of water
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin


Place chicken in a crock pot. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.

Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred.

Remove half the liquid from the crock pot and place in a bowl. Add the chicken to the crock pot and combine with the liquid left in the crock pot. You want the chicken nice and moist. Add more of the reserved liquid if needed.

Serve in tacos, salad, etc. You can also freeze the meat.

Cheeseburger Wrap

sixsistersstuff.com

I want to try something... I am going to ask you a question and I want you to say the first thing that comes in your mind. WHATS THE MEAT YOU USE THE MOST?? I know my answer is ground beef. But if your like me you get burnt out on ground beef recipes...tacos, spaghetti, meatloaf, chili, etc. I am always looking for ground beef recipes. When I first seen the recipe the name didn't entice me HOWEVER the picture did. I had everything on hand and didn't need to go to the store for anything. I was nervous when I presented it to "the judges" aka the family. The replies were wonderful and some even asked for more. I took my first bite hesitantly but it was really good and it was so easy.




1 lb ground beef
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
5 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
additional hamburger toppings you like (tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, mustard, etc)

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown hamburger until no longer pink. Add ketchup, mustard, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes, until all combined.
Take a tortilla and line the middle with a small amount of cheddar cheese. Add some cooked hamburger beef and then top with your favorite hamburger toppings. I added pickles, tomatoes, and peppercinis. Roll the tortilla up and tuck in the ends (like a burrito). You can either eat as is or throw on a grill (or even an indoor grill- like a George Foreman grill) for 3-5 minutes (just until you see grill marks).

This made 4 wraps so I doubled it for my family and had enough leftovers for my husband for work.

Strawberry Lemon Cups

My sister made these the other day for a family get together. Then she brought some to me (her favorite sister lol) They were a big hit. They were so refreshing in this heat. My little 8 year old came running in from outside and asked if he could have one. She said sure have all you want. Well he took her literally and ate all the rest of them...about 8 of them :/ Yep they were that good!!




Strawberry Lemon Cups
1 Box white cake mix
2/3 Cup Flour
4 oz Cream Cheese
8 Tbsp Butter melted

Mix then put in greased mini muffin tins on 350* for 11-13 minutes I did 11 minutes then pushed them down with a tart press & put them back in for 2 min.

2 1/2 Cups Whipped Topping
1 1/2 Cups Lemon Curd (recipe below, make sure it is cooled)
12 small Strawberries (quartered)

Whip up cool whip & lemon curd together put in tarts. Top with cut up strawberries.

Microwave Lemon Curd
(allrecipe.com)

1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice
3 lemons, zested
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. Cook in the microwave for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the microwave, and pour into small sterile jars. Store for up to three weeks in the refrigerator

Chocolate Pancakes

Growing up we lived over an hour away from most of my moms side of the family. My mom came from a large sized family and it was always a good time when we got together. It was such a treat to get to go see them and play with all cousins that we didn't see very often. Once in awhile we were fortunate enough to get to stay at our cousins house and when we would stay with my Aunt Helen she would spoil us by making us chocolate pancakes for breakfast. WHAT A TREAT!!! This is one of those recipes that when you make it could bring back special memories like it does for us. Thanks Aunt Helen we love you thank you for sharing.



Ingredients:
1 1/4 c milk
1 egg
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Mix dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients until well combined. Cook. Serve hot. Can be garnished many ways: powdered sugar, fresh fruit, cool whip, butter, syrup etc.

Baked beans

allrecipe.com

What's not to love about baked beans? They are a summer staple for cookouts, camping, potluck, etc. I made my pulled pork sandwich the other night in the crock pot and then served it with these and olives and chips. It was such a great meal for these hot summer nights.



2 (15 ounce) cans baked beans with pork (aka pork & beans)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 slices bacon (we always have to add extra bacon)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a 9x9 inch baking dish, combine the pork and beans, brown sugar, onion, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the bacon slices.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until sauce is thickened and bacon is cooked.

Cheesy Onion Beer Bread

ShugarySweets.com

I usually use a substitute when it comes to using alcohol in my cooking. You can use 7-up but it makes your bread more dense. I think the yeast in the beer makes the bread better. The alcohol does cook out(you can check it out for yourself) but its just a personal preference. This bread is awesome just the way it is but if you want a little more BANG to it try adding sharp cheddar instead of just cheddar and add some jalapenos YUUUUUM!!!!



Ingredients for 1 loaf
3 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 green onions, sliced thin
12 oz beer
1/4 cup butter, melted



Instructions
In large mixing bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheese and green onions. Using as few strokes as possible, mix in the beer until moistened.
Pour thick batter into a greased loaf pan. Drizzle melted butter over the top.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 minutes. Remove and cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy

Skor Cake

This is a cake of many names .... Skor cake, candy bar cake, better than_____ cake. But who cares its all the same cake right??? Lately Poke cakes are all the rave. Growing up my mom made poke cakes all the time. We had the lemon lime poke cake, a strawberry poke cake, and the skor cake. Now there are a ton of other poke cakes and I love it!! A lot of people probably have the skor poke cake recipe but I have had a few requests for it so here it is.




Skor Poke Cake:

1 chocolate cake mix (I have used milk chocolate, German chocolate, or Devils food cake)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 caramel (split up: 3/4 to mix with milk and 1/4 to put on top)
cool whip
skor or heath candy bar (chopped)

Make cake mix as directed on box. Cool 5 min and poke holes with bottom of wooden spoon or any object desired. Mix sweetened condensed milk with caramel and pour over cake while still warm. Refrigerate over night than top with 16 oz cool whip and skor or Heath candy bar. Drizzle with remaining caramel.

S'mores Graham Krispie Treats

www.countrycleaver.com


I love summer!! It is probably my favorite season with fall being a close second. I LOVE that my kids are home with me all day. I love the warmth of the sun. I love that its baseball season and I get to watch my boys doing what they love. I love camping and I love campfires!!! And you all know what comes with campfires...the hotdogs and SMORES!! But what do you do when you have a serious smores craving and you are going to be at baseball games or traveling??? You make these :) The lady who posted this recipe used semi sweet chocolate chips but unlike Carolyn I am all about the milk chocolate so that's what I used. I also doubled the recipe and did it in a 9x13 pan(cake pan). Then I took these to our ballgame that was on a cold and wet dreary day. I tried to imagine myself sitting by the campfire roasting a marshmallow and making a smore to stay warm lol.



1 bag (10 oz) Mini Marshmallows
1 cup Chocolate chips + 1 for topping
1 box (12 0z) Golden Grahams Cereal
6 Tbsp Butter
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Directions:

In a 9x9 inch baking pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large non-stick pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add in marshmallows and stir together with butter until marshmallows have melted and become creamy. Stir in vanilla extract.

Fold in grahams cereal until all marshmallows and grahams are evenly mixed together. Mix in 1 cup of chocolate chips. Spread treats into sprayed baking pan. Press into pan and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top of the treats, lightly press into top of treats to make sure they stick. Place into fridge for 10 minutes to cool.

Cut into bars and eat it up.

lemon cake pops or mini cupcakes

thebabycakeshop.com


Last month I was asked to make some goodies for Mothers day. I racked my head for some ideas on what to make. I decided to do a chocolate chip cookie, a plain sugar cookie, and a lemon cake pop. I figured with that selection I would have all my bases covered. Mothers who love chocolate ...check, mothers who love plain ...the sugar cookie, and those that like fruity...the cake pop. I knew I had the two cookies covered but I had to find a recipe for the lemon cake pop. I was given a cake pop machine from my son for Christmas and I love it!!! SO after reading through many recipes I chose this one. IT IS SO GOOD!!!! I tried the cake pops dipped in white chocolate, the cake pops dipped in a lemon glaze, and the cake pops dusted with powdered sugar. Every one of them were worthy!!!



1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3-4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions:
Melt butter and set aside to cool briefly.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer at medium high speed, beat together sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice 1 minute. Add melted butter and beat 2 minutes at medium-high speed.
Beat in vanilla and lemon extract. Add flour mixture and beat just until blended.
Fill each well with about 1 tablespoon batter and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and glaze or coat, as desired.

I took some of the cake pops and put them in little muffin liners and voila they looked like little cupcakes :)

Chicken Ceasar Sandwich in the slow cooker

www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

I first had this sandwich at a bunco party and thought it was wonderful. The other day I was looking for something I could make ahead and take to baseball games. Something quick and easy. I remembered this and text my friend and asked her for the recipe. It worked out perfectly!! Not only is it sooo good on buns but my kids like to eat it with pretzel chips. It is also one of those meals you could serve for a large group of people .... simple and yet with the right sides its a great meal.



2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 to 1 cup of your favorite Caesar dressing (I like Cardini's and Brianna's Asiago Caesar)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (if you don't have fresh use around 2 teaspoons of dried parsley)
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
12 slider buns or 4-6 regular sized hamburger buns


Place chicken in a 3-4 quart slow cooker with 1-2 cups of water, cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
Remove chicken from cooker using a slotted spoon and drain the water from the slow cooker. Place chicken on a cutting board and pull chicken into shreds, discarding any fat.
Place chicken back in the cooker and pour dressing, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper over the top. I really make sure that I discard any fat pieces so by the time I was done I only used about 1/2 cup of dressing but you make need more if you have more chicken. Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot.
Spoon 1/4 cup mixture onto each slider bun if you are making sliders or more for regular sized buns. Top with extra shredded Parmesan cheese and lettuce to serve

Snickers Brownie Bites

domesticrebel.com

I seen this recipe on pinterest and I knew I was in trouble. I figure if I don't have candy bars laying around the house I wont eat them. WELL when the craving arrives and I have all the stuff for this recipe around the house then I AM IN TROUBLE!! But a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do to satisfy those crazy cravings right. I mean there is a reason we have cravings...our body just needs things once in a while (unless you are me then its most of the time). I know you people who are better than me can solve your cravings with healthier things but I am one of those weak people who cant deny myself from chocolate I mean I try to be good but I figure I deserve treats once in awhile. Kudos to you if you are stronger than me ;)

1 box brownie mix, plus ingredients on back of box
1 jar marshmallow fluff
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 pkg. caramels, unwrapped
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1 & 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/2 pkg chocolate Candiquik or milk chocolate almond bark




Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9″ baking pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Prepare your brownie mix according to package directions and pour into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean per the directions on the package. Cool the brownies completely.

In a medium bowl, combine the marshmallow fluff and the smooth peanut butter with a rubber spatula or hand mixer until blended. Spread the fluff mixture on top of the cooled brownies in an even layer.

Microwave the unwrapped caramels in a medium bowl with a splash of heavy cream for 1 minute. Stir, then heat for an additional 30 seconds or until melted and smooth. Spread the caramel layer on top of the fluff nougat layer evenly. Immediately sprinkle on the peanuts and press them gently into the caramel. Pop the brownies in the fridge for about 30 minutes to set.

Melt the milk chocolate almond bark according to package directions until smooth. Using a sharp knife sprayed with cooking spray, cut the brownies into 1″-2″ sized squares. Dip the tops of the squares in the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat until all the bites have been coated.

Store the bites airtight, at room temperature, up to 2 days

Chocolate Rice Pudding

I don't remember where I got this recipe I think Betty Crocker

Growing up we always made rice pudding with our leftover rice. It was one of our favorite leftover recipes. But as I have gotten older I have always wondered about different flavored rice puddings. When I seen this recipe I thought all my life problems had been solved I mean CHOCOLATE + RICE PUDDING what could be better :) So if you ever come to my home when we are having rice for dinner don't be surprised to see a huge amount of rice cooking for my small family.... if your going to cook rice you HAVE to have leftovers for dessert :)

4c. cooked white rice
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. baking cocoa (I used dark chocolate but its good either way)
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cans (12oz) evaporated milk

Spray 3 1/2 - 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients and put in cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Stir before serving. Served warm or chilled.


can you tell I like cool whip lol.

I channeled almond joy when I made my last batch of chocolate rice pudding:
I added a smidgen of coconut extract
1/4 to 1/2 cup of coconut flakes
small dollop of cool whip
you can garnish this with so many things: toasted almonds, raspberries, strawberries, etc.

I tried it raw (uncooked) and its already delish! If your looking for a new treat to use things from your food storage. This is completely packaged for that! It calls for evaporated milk and I was out so I did 2/3 c nonfat dry milk with 2/3 c water to make 1 c of evaporated milk.

Mango Spiced Oatmeal Cookies

aroundmyfamilytable.com

Hi my name is Carolyn and I am addicted to dark chocolate. I would much rather have that over milk chocolate any day!!! You know some things are meant to be together like peanut butter & jelly, ketchup & french fries, bread & butter, milk & cookies, mashed potatoes & gravy, macaroni & cheese, bacon & eggs etc....well I believe dark chocolate & fruit are meant to be together. SO I added dark chocolate chips to this recipe. I mean come on chocolate doesn't ask silly questions...chocolate understands right!!!



1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. baking powder
smidge of nutmeg
smidge of allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup diced mango (about 1 mango)
1 package dark chocolate chips or 2 cups

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix the oats, flour, cornstarch, spices, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl

In a separate bowl, mix butter and sugars with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla; mix until well combined.

Add the wet mixture into the oat mixture and stir until combined. Gently fold in the diced mango & chocolate chips.

Scoop out about 1 1 /2 Tbsp. of mixture, form into a loose ball, and place cookie dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350° F for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookies and place them on a cooling rack. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Banana Bread with Sour Cream

Marthastewart.com

Is there anything better to make with black bananas than banana bread?? I truly believe the first person to ever make banana bread should be on the list of smartest people or best inventions or something. I mean how many foods are out there that spoil and they make such an awesome treat? I don't know about you but we LOVE banana bread at our house. Ok to be honest we love most breads but the sweeter ones are my kids favorite. I was looking for a recipe that called for less bananas because I only had a few. I stumbled across this one and the sour cream intrigued me. Sour cream makes things so moist and to be honest the first batch of this I made I didn't have enough sour cream so I used a little bit of plain yogurt to fill my 1/2 cup. This is now the new favorite!! It is sooo moist and even days later it is still moist.



Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.




*****Variations

To make the cream cheese frosting-filled banana bread as featured on "The Martha Stewart Show," in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 6 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until smooth. Once bread is baked and cooled, halve horizontally. Using an offset spatula, spread cream cheese frosting evenly over bottom half. Top with remaining half; slice and serve.

Homemade Hamburger Buns (or hotdog buns)

allrecipe.com

I really get tired of having to run to town for one thing really it SuCkS!!!! Lets be honest you go in for one thing and you come out with 12 and most of it isn't things you need!!! Ok maybe its just me but it never fails I swear! Anyways we try and do burger night once a week because my family loves burgers and it also helps because we don't need to go out for a good burger!

So I pulled a package of ground beef out and realized I didn't have buns and that's when I decided I was going to find a good recipe and make my own.

I made this recipe early in the am so that if it wasn't good I could make something else but I really liked the taste the problem was they weren't big enough. I made another batch and paid attention to the size more and they turned out perfect!! The burgers tasted soo much better to me with these than the store boughten buns!! This recipe says it makes 12 but I found it actually only made about 6/8 for the right size. I DOUBLED my batch and made some into rolls just to eat because any time I pull fresh bread out the hubs has to eat one hot!!

The results were amazing!!! I don't think I have had a better burger seriously!!! I cut the buns in half and toasted both sides. You could butter/egg the tops and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you wanted too.




1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg


Directions:

In a small bowl add milk, water, and butter. Cook in microwave until butter is melted. (the original recipe said to cook on the the stove but this is quicker) DO NOT LET MILK BOIL

In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix milk mixture into flour mixture, and then mix in egg. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (I let mine rise for about an hour before rolling out into balls)

Divide dough into 6-12 equal pieces. Shape into smooth balls, and place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Cover, and let rise for 30 to 35 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

For Hot Dog Buns: Shape each piece into a 6x4 inch rectangle. Starting with the longer side, roll up tightly, and pinch edges and ends to seal. Let rise about 20 to 25 minutes. Bake as above.


Yields about 6-8 regular sized hamburger buns

Breakfast Casserole

cooks.com


Breakfast is one thing I try and make every weekend. I'm not the mom who wakes up and fixes breakfast every morning. Maybe I would be if I didn't have a little diva to get ready because she takes up most of the morning. My boys would much rather have extra sleep and just grab something at school because around here they feed them breakfast or a little snacky thing anyways. But when we are all together on the weekend I always make up for it. As you can probably tell by now my home is over run by meat and potato eating boys so meals aren't real meals without some sort of meat. If they come to the table and see there isn't any meat they start acting like cavemen around here. Grumbling and hitting things ...ok ok maybe not that bad but close!! This breakfast was really pretty easy. I had a couple packages of croissants in my fridge I wanted to use up so I found this recipe and it was great!







1 lg. can Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 lb. sausage, browned and drained well
2 c. Mozzarella cheese
4 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper or to taste
you could also add chopped cooked mushrooms, onions, olives etc. We added fried mushrooms and onions and it was FABULOUS!!!!

Toppings:
the original recipe doesn't call for any toppings but I love to be able to add veggies when I can
diced tomatoes
avocado
chopped fresh spinach
green onions


Press crescent rolls into the bottom of a 9x13 inch buttered pan. Sprinkle with cooked sausage, then the 2 cups of Mozzarella cheese. Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over other ingredients. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Avocado Egg Sandwich

How many of you have seen the baked eggs on pinterest?? Its amazing you can bake them instead of boiling them. SO EASY!!!! So we are not really huge on eating eggs. I know they are healthy for you and are a great source of protein but they are not our favorites. So how can you disguise an egg?? You make an avocado and egg sandwich :) I know it doesn't sound like the best combo but man if you just give it a try you will think differently!!! This is such an easy recipe I am almost embarrassed to post it but I couldn't not share it with you or I would feel selfish lol. Can you imagine how healthy this sandwich is???




3 boiled eggs
1 small avocado
1-2 TBS mayo
salt and pepper to taste
served on whole grain bread

Mash your egg and avocado. Add mayo and salt and pepper. Spread over bread. Serve. EASY PEASY RIGHT!!!

Taco Loaf by Jen (AND a recipe for WHITE BREAD)

Yeah I finally got my cousin Jennifer Lopez to blog for us!!! No I am not related to the singer Jennifer Lopez but I am related to the amazing cook Jennifer Lopez. She is an awesome cook that can make anything I swear!!! She posted this on her fb and I asked her to share it with us so thank you Jen we love you!!!

Hi I just Wanted to share my new creation :)



TACO LOAF

First you must prepare a half batch of my bread recipe so that'll come first followed by the Taco Loaf recipe. Lucky you, you get 2 recipes in 1 ;)

Grandma's Country White Bread

*Makes 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS
3 cups luke-warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
1/3 cup oil
1 Tbsp. salt
6 - 7 cups unbleached ground white wheat flour (You can use regular all-purpose flour with success as well. You will need more flour... closer to 8 cups, and it will make a softer, less-coarse bread.)

*opt. 1 Tbsp. vital wheat gluten (if using whole white wheat flour)

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar. Let sit 10 minutes. Add the oil. Add the dry ingredients starting with 6 cups of flour. Mix all together. Knead the dough thoroughly until all ingredients are incorporated, and dough is smooth, elastic, very slightly sticky, and pulls away from the bowl (6-10 minutes). As you knead the dough, you may add more flour as needed, and repeat the process until dough reaches the desired consistency.

Cover the bowl of dough with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (an hour or more depending on how warm your kitchen is.) You may speed up this process by placing the covered bowl inside the oven with the oven light on, and another bowl of warm water sitting on the lower rack.

Punch the dough down, divide and form into 2 loaves. Place the dough in 2 greased bread pans. (I use 9" pans.) Cover and let rise till the top of the dough is an inch or two above the bread pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the baked loaves from their pans immediately, and place on a cooling rack. Slice, and serve warm with butter and honey.

Store in an air-tight bag. Baked loaves AND bread dough freeze well.

Taco Loaf
To make this you must first prepare half the batch of the “grandma’s bread” recipe. Instead of placing loaf in pan to double the second time, you will roll it out to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Make sure you are working on a well-floured surface. Once rolled out, rollup with plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t stick together. Last place plastic wrap over roll to allow to rise. Now proceed to preparing the filling.

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 yellow onion chopped and divided
3 cloves garlic mined and divided
1 4.5oz can of diced green chilies, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
3 roma tomatoes chopped
1/2 lime
2-3cups mixed grated cheese, Monterey jack and cheddar

Prepare all veggies.
Place tomatoes, half the onion, 1 clove of garlic, juice of half of a lime and salt to taste in a glass bowl. Stir, cover and place in fridge.

Preheat oven to 375.

Next mix the turkey, onion, garlic, drained chilies, salt and pepper together. Fry over medium high heat until the juices evaporate and the turkey begins to get just a little crispy.

Now prepare a cookie sheet with oil (cooking spray) and a very thin layer of flour. Roll dough back out and fill with a thin layer of cheese mix. Next apply meat mix to half of the rolled out dough. Begin rolling the dough back up, similar to rolling cinnamon rolls, tucking the ends inside as you roll. You may add more cheese if you wish to create cheese layers in the bread. Once rolled completely, pinch off seams and lay seam side down. Cut slits in the top just enough to see the meat. Do this every 1 ½ inches or so.

Bake for about 20 minutes and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake an addition 5 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with just a bit of butter anywhere there is no cheese. Allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Cut and serve with tomato salsa.

Beef Chimis

Taste of Home

Ground beef is one of my go to meats when I forget to pull anything out for dinner. You know the fall back meals like spaghetti, shephards pie, tacos etc. Well sometimes you get burnt out on that stuff and need something different in this case a little spice :) My family really liked this dinner and so my SUPER MOM status was saved!!!!! I did change it up though, I rolled them up and then put them in a pan and sprayed them with pam and then cooked them at 350 for about 30 minutes then turned them and did the same thing on the other side. Your filling is already cooked so you pretty much just cook it until its at desired crispness. But you can cook them either way and they are super yummy!!





1 pound ground beef
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 cans (8 ounces each) Tomato Sauce, divided
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 flour tortillas (10 inches), warmed
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 can (4 ounces) chopped jalapeno peppers
Oil for deep-fat frying
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, onion, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic and cumin.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of beef mixture off-center on each tortilla. Fold edge nearest filling up and over to cover. Fold in both sides and roll up. Fasten with toothpicks. In a large saucepan, combine the chilies, peppers and remaining tomato sauce; heat through.
In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry the chimichangas for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with sauce. Yield: 1 dozen

BAKED Maple Bars

food.com

MMMMMM maple bars are one of my favorite donuts ever!!!!!!!! But we all know right where they go (hmmmm maybe it has something to do with the title of my blog lol) SO when I started hearing about baked maple bars I thought well they have to be somewhat better for you right :) I know I totally justify eating whatever I want for the most part but that's why I am not a size 2. It you justify like I do u have to try this recipe!!!



Maple Bar
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup shortening
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup water
2 (1/4 ounce) package yeast
2 large eggs, beaten
4 3/4 cups flour
Maple Icing

Icing:
1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp mapleine
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions
For Maple Bars: In saucepan scald milk.
Add shortening, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Dissolve and let cool to lukewarm.
In large bowl dissolve 2 packages of yeast in water.
Add beaten eggs and stir.
Stir saucepan mix into yeast mixture.
Gradually add flour. Knead.
Let rise in bowl for an hour. Punch down and roll out to 1" thickness.
Cut into squares and let rise again on lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake at 425°F for 7-8 minutes or until light golden brown. Watch carefully.

For Icing: In saucepan mix butter, brown sugar and milk.
Bring to boil and simmer 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.
Add mapleine and then powdered sugar and blend well.
Add more powdered sugar if needed.
Spread on maple bars and enjoy!!


These are good the next day after being zapped in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds :)

Crock pot turkey steaks

MY most awesome sweet kind loving cousin TACI!!!!! (Did I say that all right Taci lol)

I love turkey steaks but my husband is not a fan because he says they are always too dry. SO I was speaking to my above mentioned cousin who is a FABULOUS cook and she told me how she makes them so they aren't dry in the crock pot so I thought win win situation and gave it a try and SUCCESSSSSS!!! My husband only ate 3 so not sure how much he liked LOVED them lol.




9 turkey steaks frozen
2 cans cream of chicken
3/4 can milk
butter or evoo
onion powder, garlic powder, parsley etc. any seasonings you want to use.

Fry turkey steaks in a pan until just a light brown on both sides. Season them with parsley or other seasonings you want I would hold off on the salts until time to eat it . Mix cans of cream of chicken soup and milk until smooth. Pour over steaks and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until done. Serve with some of the soup mixture for gravy.


Thanks Taci for sharing this great recipe with me!!!!

Wonton Soup

MarthaStewart.com




Why go out to eat when you can stay in during this winter freeze? My family LOVES Chinese food with wonton soup being one of there faves! My kids had 2 bowls a piece! I enjoy this recipe and recommend you have another hand in the wonton wrapping so they don't dry out as quickly. My kids got involved and had a blast but needless to say a lot of the meat ended on the outside of the wonton during cooking! I prefer to cut back on the ginger just a bit, use 3/4 tsp for the wonton filling and only add 1 1/2 tsp of the rice vinegar to the broth as well as just a smidgen less on the sesame oil. It was so good even my baby CLEANED it up, literally there was nothing left on her high chair except a little liquid!



Wonton Filling recipe:
1/2 cup finely chopped Napa or Savoy cabbage
Coarse salt
6 ounces ground pork, not all lean (Carolyn used ground chicken breast and loved it even more)
3 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil




Directions
In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Wrap cabbage in a double layer of paper towels; firmly squeeze out excess liquid. Return cabbage to bowl; add pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well with a fork. Refrigerate leftover filling up to 2 days.


Soup:


24 rectangular (3 1/2-by-3-inch) or square wonton wrappers
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
Coarse salt
3 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 to 3 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil


Directions

After wontons are made then In a large pot, combine broth, 4 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Add wontons one at a time; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until wontons are just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in scallions, vinegar, and sesame oil; season with salt. Serve

Chicken Asparagus & Mushroom Skillet

(allrecipe.com)

I am so tired of the snow and the cold. I am ready for summer ...baseball, SUN, flip flops, warm weather, cookouts, and did I mention SUN!!! But I will settle on spring as long as it comes with some SUN!!!! We love to eat asparagus in my family and my hubby and I have been craving it so when I went to the store the other day and seen some beautiful asparagus (yes there really is such thing as beautiful asparagus lol) I bought it right away then went searching for the recipe that had the 3 ingredients I wanted chicken, mushrooms, and asparagus.

This recipe is very light and yummy! It would be a perfect meal for those warm spring days (yep still dreaming).



6 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. white cooking wine (chicken broth works fine)
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, sliced
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
Shredded parmesan cheese


Directions:

1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high; stir the parsley, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, lemon juice, and wine into the butter mixture. Add the chicken; cook and stir until the chicken is browned, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 10 more minutes.
2. Add the asparagus; cook and stir until the asparagus is bright green and just starting to become tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook an additional 3 minutes to let the mushrooms release their juice. Serve hot with shredded parmesan cheese over the top of it.

Serves 6

Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup

Taste of home

The weather where I live is supposed to get YUCKY this week so when we sat down and figured out what to eat this was the anonymous decision. This is definitely one of their favorite soups which is funny because they don't like chicken noodle soup out of the can. My hubby is obsessed with this soup and its so easy to make I wont complain!!!



I cook the chicken in the crock pot a day or two in advance by placing it on low with 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth for about 4 hours.

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cups cubed peeled potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
2 cups uncooked yolk-free wide noodles
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk

Directions
In a stockpot, saute the onion, carrots and celery in oil for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the flour, oregano, thyme and poultry seasoning until blended.

Gradually add the broth, potatoes and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in chicken and noodles; simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Reduce heat. Stir in milk; heat through (do not boil). Yield: 8 servings

Chicken Pillows

Bakespace.com

I grew up on chicken pillows but when I got older and became a little obsessed over spices(especially garlic) I would add different seasonings when I would make them. I recently found this recipe and tried it out and thought it was great! My husband isn't a chicken pillows kind of guy unless you make a gravy to put over it by that I mean a can of cream of chicken soup and a can of chicken broth ;)

2 pkg crescent rolls
3-4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1-2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2-8 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp butter
8 green onions chopped
milk or melted butter
Italian bread crumbs

* I have also made these with flavored cream cheese its yummy too!!


Place frozen chicken in a crockpot with 1 cup chicken broth. Cook on low for 4 hours or until cooked through. Shred. season with paprika and garlic salt. IN a mixer mix cream cheese, onions, butter, and chicken, Separate rolls and spoon a heaping tablespoon onto big end of rolls. Roll up like crescent rolls and dip in melted butter or milk then coat with bread crumbs. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. These can also be frozen after they have been cooked.

Monster cookies

My husband says these cookies "are OFF THE HOOK!!" I however think there good. A cookie is a cookie, how can you go wrong? (Unless you put raisins in them) I took Paula Deans and The Pioneer Womans recipe of the monster cookie and combined them similar to another review. Besides a few other things I replaced the raisins (YUCK!) for pecans (YUMMM!)

3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 c. multi-colored chocolate candies
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/4-1/2 c. pecans, optional (or raisins)
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)
2 c. Rice Krispies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

SweEt CarOliNe :)

Dorito Dip

favfamilyrecipes.com

My little girl loves cottage cheese and it is healthy for her so I wont complain however my boys wont eat it. BUT my boys love dip! So this dip was perfect for them and they loved it!!! Its probably one of the healthiest dips we have ever made. It would be perfect for superbowl!!!!

1 (24 oz)canister cottage cheese

2 tomatoes, diced

2 avocados, diced

1/2 c. canned corn, drained

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste



Instructions

Spoon cottage cheese into a medium-sized bowl. Fold in remaining ingredients until well combined. Serve with Doritos.

Smothered Burritos

Singforyoursupperblog.com

Adults and kids alike will love this! The sauce as simple as it is gives your normal burrito. Any leftovers are good for taco salad and I freeze the other half of the tomato soup to use for next time because after all there will be a next time.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (4.5 ounce) can diced green chiles
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
half a (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
burrito-sized flour tortillas, warmed
shredded cheddar cheese

Garnishes:
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped green onions
sliced black olives
cilantro
avocado

Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat and drain. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the green chiles and turn off heat; keep warm. Warm the refried beans in a small skillet over low heat.

In a saucepan, combine the tomato soup and enchilada sauce. Mix well, and cook over medium heat until heated through.

Place a warmed tortilla on a plate and spread some of the refried beans into the center; sprinkle with cheese, then spoon some of the ground beef mixture onto the center. Tuck in the ends of the tortilla and carefully fold into a burrito. Spoon some of the enchilada sauce over the burrito and top with additional cheese and garnishes. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serves 4-6

SwEeT CaRoLiNE

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

adapted from therealmomkitchen.com

I found this recipe and wanted to try it but also change it up a little. On the original recipe she uses spices I just found I liked it better and it was super easy and sooo yummy with the seasoning packet.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 pkg. McCormick garlic lime chicken fajita seasoning (as shown in picture)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced
12 flour tortillas
Toppings such as cheese, sour cream, and guacamole - if desired

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.

SwEeT CaRoLiNe

Panda Express Chow Mein

Favfamilyrecipes.com

One of my kids favorite things to eat is noodles and this is a great way to throw in some vegetables :) ALl my kids remarked how much this tasted like Panda Express without me even bringing it up.

1/4 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 (5.6 oz) packages refrigerated Yaki Soba noodles
2/3 c. chopped celery (chopped diagonally)
1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
2 c. chopped cabbage

In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Set aside.

Remove Yaki Soba from packages and discard included flavoring packets. Rinse noodles well, drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Add celery and onion and saute for about 1-2 minutes or until onions start to become soft and transparent. Add cabbage and saute an additional minute or so.

Toss Yaki Soba noodles and soy sauce mixture with the vegetables over medium-high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until noodles are heated through.