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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Apple Tea Ring or Pineapple Tea Ring

This was taken before I frosted it.  Ignore my ugly pan and I know it doesn't look that good, but it really was. 
Dough

1 lb butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
5 cups scalded milk
3/4 tlbs of sea salt
1 tbs yeast/ dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water

Filling
1 15 oz crushed pineapple or canned apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
You can also use granola, craisins, or raisins.

Enough flour to have a sticky dough.  Let rise until doubled.
Scald milk and butter.  Add to mixture.  Add sugar, beaten eggs, and salt.  When all mixed together and yeast mixture.  Roll out dough as for cinnamon rolls.  Cover with filling.  Form into a circle and then pinch ends together.  Cut with scissors 3/4 thru and then turn cuts up on side to form a wreath.  Cook at 350 until golden brown, about 20 mins.  Frost with butter cream frosting.  You may also decorate with almond or maraschino cherries.

You can also just used butter, and cinnamon and sugar.  Then shape your dough into three ropes.  Braid them and then shape them into a candy cane.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Recipe by OurBestBites.com


1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas  (I used flour)
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Sausage Tortellini Soup

I found this recipe here.

3 links Italian sausage  (I just used crumbled sausage)
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
2 15-oz. cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider (I used apple juice because that is what I had)
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated
2 tablespoons dried parsley
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini (check the freezer section of your grocery store; if you can find it there, it will almost always be way cheaper than fresh tortellini. Also, Barilla makes a great dry cheese tortellini)
2 Tbsp. dried parsley


Cook the sausage in large pot.
Chop onion and add to pot. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Add the tortellini and cook until tender, and then serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 batch sugar cookie dough (like this one or this one)
yellow and orange food coloring

Optional:
Sanding sugar, coarse raw sugar, or sprinkles
almond bark or white chocolate, melted

Instructions:
Divide prepared sugar cookie dough into three equal portions.  Leave one as is and color one other portion yellow and another portion orange.
Line a standard loaf pan with plastic wrap.  Gently press layer of uncolored dough into bottom of pan and smooth flat, keeping it at least 1/2-3/4 inches high (you don’t have to use the whole pan if you have a small batch of dough) or larger if desired.  Layer orange dough on top of previous layer and smooth.  Finally layer yellow dough and smooth on top.  Wrap plastic over dough and chill until firm, 30-60 minutes in freezer or 1-2 hours in fridge.  Or you can store the dough in fridge for 2-3 days before baking.
Remove plastic and slice loaf into 1/4 inch slices. Trim top of slice to make straight line.  Cut each slice into triangle shape and dip top side in sugar if desired.  Bake according to sugar cookie directions.  Cool completely and then if desired, dip ends in almond bark or white chocolate and decorate with sprinkles.

I found this recipe here.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Mexican Pile Ups

  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1 lb. hamburger
  • 3 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
  • 1 pkg. taco seasoning
  • cooked rice (at least 4 cups)
Toppings:
  • grated cheese
  • green onion
  • diced avocado
  • diced tomatoes
  • salsa or pico de gallo
  • sour cream
  • corn (I would thaw frozen corn or use canned corn)
  • canned beans (rinsed and drained)
  • guacamole
  • sliced olives
  • crushed tortilla or corn chips
  • tortilla strips
  • cilantro
  • diced red or green peppers
  1. In a large skillet, brown the beef along with the onion.  When beef is fully cooked drain off any grease.
  2. Add the cans of tomato sauce and taco seasoning.  Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes.
  3. Serve the beef/tomato sauce over cooked rice and top with desired toppings.
I found this recipe here.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

  • 3 cups cooked chicken, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 green onion, diced
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, diced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Miracle Whip
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup cashews (We didn't use these)
  • lettuce leaves
  • 10-12 large croissants (the number depend on how full you fill the croissants)
  1. Mix chicken, celery, onion, eggs, mayo, Miracle Whip, lemon juice, and salt together.
  2. Slice open croissants and on one half of croissant place a piece of lettuce followed by the chicken mixture.
  3. Then sprinkle with cashews and top with over half of croissant.  Repeat until all croissants are filled.

I found this recipe here.

Flatbread Tacos

I found this recipe here.

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 teaspoons ranch salad dressing mix
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 pound ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) petite diced tomatoes with chipotle chilies , undrained
1/8 cup taco seasoning (this is 1/2 of an envelope)
1 package of grands biscuits
Optional toppings: sliced ripe olives, shredded lettuce, diced green onion and shredded cheese.

To make flat bread, roll out biscuit and fry in a pan using only pam.

  1. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, dressing mix and lemon juice; chill until serving.(at least 30 minutes)
  2. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the beans, tomatoes, and taco seasoning; heat through
  3. To serve, spread each flatbread with 2 tablespoons ranch sour cream then top each with meat mixture. Sprinkle with toppings if desired. 

Friday, August 19, 2011

Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork

  • 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar, divided
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb pork tenderloin
  1. In a slow cooker, combine the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, 1 Tbsp of the brown sugar,cayenne pepper, salt, and  garlic.   Stir until well combined.
  2. Carefully place the pork into the sauce in the slow cooker.  Make sure it is all covered with the sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours.
  3. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and  shred the pork using two forks, pulling against the grain of the meat.   Pour the sauce from the slow cooker into another bowl.  Add the pork back to the slow cooker and add just enough of the sauce to make the meat saucy just like a bbq pulled pork.  Then mix in the remaining 1 Tbsp of brown sugar for extra sweetness.

I found this recipe here.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Tex Mex Frito Salad

  • 1 (14.5 oz)can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14.5 oz)can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 10.5 oz  (1 dry pint) container grape tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on their size
  • 1/2  (4.25 oz) can of chopped olives
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 2/3 of a 16 oz. Catalina Dressing
  • 2 1/2 finely shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 1 (10.5 oz) bag of Chili Cheese Fritos
  1. In a large bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes, olives, pepper, green onion and celery.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. Before serving, mix in the cheese and dressing until well combined.  Then fold in the chips and serve.  You want to fold in the chips when you are ready to serve or they will become soggy.

I found this recipe here.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Water Sponges


The kids and I made some water sponges to play with in the back yard.  You need 3 sponges to make 1 sponge ball.  Cut each sponge into fourth.  Then just hold them together and tie up with dental floss.  Fluff them out the way you want them and they are ready to go.  Get them wet, and throw.  Fun way to cool off in this heat.  I found the idea here.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Berry Cobler

We found this recipe here.  We made this for the 4th of July.  It was red, white, blue, and delicious.

3 c. all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into the measuring cup and leveled with a knife
1/4 tsp. table salt
2 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) salted butter
2 eggs
1 c. heavy cream ( I used milk)
zest of one lemon or orange (optional)
4 c. berries (We used blueberries, and strawberries)
1/2 c. brown sugar
Streusel Topping:
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp. butter at room temperature
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and citrus zest. Set aside.
Using a cheese grater, grate 1 cold stick of butter. Lightly toss the butter with flour mixture until it’s mixed evenly and crumbly (don’t over-mix here). Whisk the eggs and then lightly toss them with the flour/butter mixture until evenly absorbed. Add in the cream and mix until combined; the mixture should be quite sticky and a little lumpy (kind of like biscuit dough). Lightly press about 1 1/2 c. of the dough mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and set it aside.
Toss the berries with the brown sugar and spread it over the prepared “crust.” Drop the remaining dough over the berries and set aside.
Whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the struesel topping. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the dough and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the crust is cooked through. Serve warm with whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad

I found this recipe here.


1/2 chopped cabbage
4 green onions, sliced
1/2 c. slivered almonds  (We left these out because of nut allergys)
3 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 pkg. Oriental noodles
3 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. oil
Pepper, salt to taste
1/2 pkg. of seasoning packet in Ramen noodles
Combine cabbage and sliced onions. Toast almonds and sesame seeds in oven, watch carefully. Crumble oriental noodles. Mix vinegar, sugar, oil, salt, pepper and 1/2 seasoning packet. Combine everything just before serving.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

4th of July Shirts

Landon's Shirt

Lindsay's shirt
The kids and I got together with some friends today to Tye Dye shirts for the 4th of July.  We used the spray kind of dye and they were so easy and so fun.  The kids got a little carried away so in some spots they look more purple than red, white, and blue.  But, they had fun and can't wait to wear them so that is all that matters.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Bunny Buns

bunny buns

 

This recipe was in the friend this month.  We made them today and they were so yummy.

Bunny Buns

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk, warmed not quite to boiling
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
5 1/2 cups flour, sifted
Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup hot water, 1 teaspoon butter
  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Sprinkle yeast in the warm water and set aside.
  3. In another bowl, blend milk, sugar, shortening, and salt. Cool until lukewarm, then add eggs, water with yeast, orange juice, and orange peel.
  4. Stir in flour a few cups at a time to make a soft dough. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  5. Knead dough 5–10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover bowl with a clean towel and put it in a warm place. Let dough rise for 2 hours, or until double in size. Punch dough down and let stand for 10 minutes.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Cut dough into strips 1/2 inch wide and 14 inches long. Roll between hands into rounded snake shapes. Cut one strip into pieces 1/2 inch long, and roll into balls.
  7. Place one long piece of dough on a greased cookie sheet. Place one end of the strip over the other to make a loop; bring the end that is underneath up and cross it over the other end. Place a ball of dough on top of the bottom loop.
  8. Cover bunnies and let rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until nearly double in size. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 12–15 minutes.
  9. For the glaze, stir powdered sugar, water, and butter together. Frost bunnies with the glaze while they are still warm.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Stuffed Beef Patties with Mushroom Gravy

Beef:
  • 1/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup prepared stuffing (I used Stove Top stuffing)
Gravy:
  • 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2- 1 cup evaporated milk
  1. In a large bowl, combine the milk, salt and thyme. Crumble beef over milk mixture and mix well. Shape mixture into eight thin patties. Place 1/4 cup of stuffing on top of four of the patties.  Then top with the remaining patties. Press edges of patties together to seal.
  2. Place in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Stir in the soup, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme; heat through. Add enough evaporated milk to make desired consistency for a gravy.  Serve with burgers topped with the gravy.
I found this recipe here.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Quick and Easy Black Beans

2 Cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 T olive oil

2/3 C diced onion

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2/3 C chicken broth (or water)

1/4 t cumin

1/4 t coriander

1/4 t oregano
1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

juice of 1 lime


In a saucepan on the stove, heat the olive oil to med-high heat. Saute onions for about 3 minutes or until they just start to become translucent. Add garlic and saute abut 30 seconds more. Add beans, broth, and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. When they are done cooking, remove from heat and add in a few squeezes of lime juice. Then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula so smoosh some of the beans.  If you want a more soupy consistency, just add a little more broth.
Serve as a side dish, or on top or rice.  You can also put it in tacos.

I found this recipe here.

Quick Brazilian Cheese Rolls {Pao de Queijo}

1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup tapioca flour (sometimes labeled tapioca starch) no substitutions
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 C grated cheddar cheese* (preferably medium or sharp)
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese


Optional:  extra cheese to sprinkle on top and any herbs/flavorings you’d like to add.  Try rosemary and or garlic powder.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender and blend until smooth.  Add cheeses and pulse 2 times.  Immediately pour batter into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each well about 3/4 full, or just slightly less.  If desired  sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top and/or a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden.  Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing rolls from pan.  Serve warm.

I found this recipe here.

Brazilian Lemonade

4 juicy limes
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.
Wash limes thoroughly with soap.  Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.  Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.  Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk.  Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well so serve immediately.

I found this recipe here.http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/05/brazilian-lemonade/

Authentic Brazilian fudge (Brigadeiro)

1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon butter
Optional: 1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
sprinkles to decorate

Mix first four ingredients together in pan.  Stir over medium high heat continuously to avoid burning.  When it starts to stick to the pan and you can scrape it off with a spatula it is ready.  Once it is like a paste consistency, put it in the freezer for an hour to get hard enough so you can roll it into balls.  Make sure your hands are greased well so it won't stick.  Then roll in sprinkles and place on a tray to serve.  Keep in the refrigerator.

I found this recipe here.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Handprint Bunnies


Thursday, March 31, 2011

Joy School Play dough

1 cup flour
1 cup salt
1 Tbs oil
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 cup water
Food Coloing

Combine all ingredients and stir over heat until ingredients cling together and form a ball.  About 1 minute.

Stone Soup

Today for Joy School the kids and I read the story "Stone Soup."  Then we made some.  I put a stone in a pan of water and had the kids add the ingredients.  It was so fun.  I did cook the veges a little bit a head of time so it wouldn't take as long to cook.  

1 lb ground beef (browned)
1 1/2 cup diced carrots
1 1/2 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup uncooked rice
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups water
1 tsp tyme
6 beef bouillon cubes

Simmer on the stove for about 25 minutes.  Enjoy!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Easter Bunny Smores in a Jar


You will need:
1 sleeve of graham crackers crushed.
6-8 peeps
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1 cup pastel colored M&M's
1 qt mason jar
fabric and ribbon for the top of your jar, and paper to print out the instructions.

Easter Bunny Smores
Empty the contents of the jar into a bowl.  Snip the bunnies into pieces and return to the mix.  Add 1/2 cup melted butter and 1 tsp of vanilla and mix well.  Pat into a greased 9X9 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins.  Cool and cut into bars.  You can also leave the peeps whole and just place them on top of the mix before baking.

I saw this idea here.  I thought they were so cute.  I decided to make them for the people that Pete home teaches, and the ladies that I visit teach.  The ones I made first weren't quite as cute.  They are the yellow ones.  Later I figured it was better to layer the graham crackers first, then the peeps.  I put the brown sugar in a sandwich baggie and then stuffed that in the middle between the peeps.  I put the M&M's on top.  Then I just cut some spring looking fabric from my scraps to add to the top.  After the picture was taken I attached the recipe using ribbon and a hole punch.  Super Easy and Super Cute!

You could do these for any holiday using the other kinds of holiday peeps and colored M&M's.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Easy Garlic Knots

12 frozen Rhodes rolls
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1. Thaw Rhodes rolls. Roll each dough ball into a rope-about 8 inches long. Tie in a knot. Place on greased baking sheet and let rise until double in size, about 30-45 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Gently brush each roll with melted butter. Sprinkle rolls with minced garlic and Italian seasoning.
3. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Serve warm.
Makes 12 garlic knots

I found this recipe here.

Crispy Basil Chicken


Crispy Basil Chicken

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. dried basil
  • ½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • salt and pepper
  • 12 chicken tenders
  • canola oil
  1. Place eggs in a shallow bowl. Place flour in a shallow bowl.
  2. In another shallow bowl, combine both bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic powder, and  salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Coat chicken with flour.  Then dip in egg, followed by coating it with the breadcrumb mixture.
  4. In a skillet over medium heat, fry chicken in canola oil, on both sides, until the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
I found this recipe here.http://realmomkitchen.com/5860/crispy-basil-chicken/

Monday, March 21, 2011

Tooth Pillow



Lindsay had Dental Appointment the other day.  He told Lindsay she had a loose tooth on the bottom and mentioned that the Tooth Fairy would be paying her a visit soon.  She has been so excited about it.  We made a little Tooth Pillow to keep the tooth in when it finally does wiggle free.  Pretty cute huh!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Superhero Capes

 My Little Guy lately has been obsessed with Superheros.  He has some Spider man pajamas that we can barely get him out of.  He has some Spider man flip flops that he sleeps with at night.  We often here him saying "Super Landon to the rescue."  He told me he wants to have a Superhero Birthday Party.  He turns 3 in May.  I know we still have some time but I thought I would get a jump start and make him a Super hero cape.

He had a plain white shirt in his closet that is stained in a few places.  I decided I would add some fabric and make him a superhero shirt to go with his cape.


 Superhero Shirt.  
I just took some scraps and cut them into a diamond and an L.  Then I just zig zag stitched around it.


For the cape I used about 1/2 yard of felt.  I just kind of cut it into a shape I liked.  I added a square of felt and the letter to it and again zig zag stitched around it.  Then I took some ribbon and zig zag stitched it tot the top for the ties.

Of course every Superhero has a super sidekick.  Our Super Landon has a Super Sister and we decided she needed a Superhero cape too.

Here is Super Lindsay's Cape.
And here is Super Lindsay's Shirt.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Bubblegum Candy Dish


I saw this idea here and had to make one.  I thought they were so cute.  It was really inexpensive to make and really easy too.  I think you could swap out the ribbon for lots of different holidays too.  All that is missing is some candy to put in the dish.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Leprechaun Hands


The kids and I made these little Leprechauns with their hand prints today.  They didn't turn out as cute as I had pictured them in my head, but they had fun and that is all that matters.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Dr. Seuss Birthday

We had a fun Dr. Seuss Day on Dr. Seuss's Birthday (March 2nd).  You could also do this for St. Patrick's Day, or just any day you want to share some good stories and fun with your kids.
We started out by reading a few of our favorite Dr. Seuss Books.  We had a few and also checked out a few from the library.

 




After our story time we colored some pictures I got off the internet.  I just googled Dr. Seuss coloring pages and found lots.


 Aren't they cute!


The finished product

Then we watched the movie that we found at the Library.  It actually had a few stories.


We made snacks to go with our lunch.  Pretzel sticks with a little bit of melted white chocolate chips.  I just put about a 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips in a sandwich baggie.  I melted them for a few minutes in the microwave, making sure I stopped every 20-30 seconds and squished the bag a little.  Then I just snipped a little off of a corner of the bag and squeezed the chocolate onto the pretzels.  Then we topped them off with a green M&M's and put in the fridge til the hardened.
Then we enjoyed our lunch of green eggs and ham with our little snacks we made.  For the Green Eggs and Ham, I just made scrambled eggs with a little diced ham in them.  I also added a little bit of green food coloring, milk, salt and pepper.

We had a lot of fun.


Dr. Seuss Day was a success.  Here are the smile on my kids (all decked out in their greens) to prove it.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Sesame Chicken

This was really good and really easy.  I found the recipe here.

1 1/2 to 2 pounds of frozen popcorn chicken (I used one bag of chicken nuggets)
6 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons sugar
Salt (to taste)
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
a sprinkle of ground black pepper
diced green onion, optional
sesame seeds, optional
 
Deep fry your popcorn chicken and drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. (I just baked the chicken nuggets.)  In a wok or sauce pan, combine the remaining ingredients (except green onion and sesame seeds) and warm over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring and simmer until sauce slightly thickens. In the wok or in a serving dish coat chicken with the sauce. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with diced green and sesame seeds.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Angry Birds


My kids love to play the Angry Birds game on my husbands cell phone.  They think it is so funny.  So I found a cute idea here, and decided we had to make them.  Hers are much cute and much have much more detail than mine.  I burned my finger a few time glueing eyes on them and decided they were good.  I just used pom poms I had in my craft stuff and found some plastic cups in my kitchen.  My kiddies loved playing Angry Birds all afternoon.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Double Chocolate Strawberry Topped Pancakes

  • 3 cups complete pancake mix
  • 1/4 cup plus  2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 2 1/4 cup water
  • 1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
  • 24 oz container frozen sliced strawberries in sugar, thawed ( I used fresh strawberries)
  • sweetened whipped cream
  1. In a large bowl, whisk the pancake mix and cocoa together until well blended.  Then add the yogurt and 2 cups of the water until just until blended.  If needed, add the extra 1/4 cup water.  The amount of water will vary depending on the type of yogurt and pancake mix you use.  You want the pancake mix to be on the thick side to hold the chocolate chips.
  2. Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour onto a hot greased skillet over heat just below medium.  Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around the edges, then turn and cook other side.
  3. Serve topped with strawberries and sweetened whipped cream.  Makes 10-12 large pancakes.

We had these for dinner tonight and they were so yummy.  I found the recipe here.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Taco Pizza

  • I found this recipe here.

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning mix
  • 2 (8 oz.) cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
  • 1 (16 oz.) can refried beans (I used the jalapeño kind)
  • 2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning to the ground beef according to the package directions.
  3. Unroll crescent rolls into rectangles. Place in ungreased 11 1/2 inch x 16 1/2 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Press dough over the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust.  Bake at 375 oven for 11 to 13 minutes or just until golden brown.
  4. Microwave beans in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute.  Carefully spread beans over warm crust creating a thin layer.
  5. Top with cooked beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese followed by tomatoes, black olives and green onion.  Return to oven for 3-6 more minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

St. Patricks Day Craft

Now that Valentines Day is over I have been looking for some fun St. Patrick's Day Ideas. I found this idea here.  I thought it was really cute and that I could make one too.  I had a hard time finding a frame like I wanted but I found a rectangle piece of wood at Walmart.  I painted the edges green, mod podged some scrapbook paper on it and added some cut images with my cricut.  I glued the ribbon on the bottom.  I was going to just mod podge the picture on too but thought I might want to switch it out every year.  So I glued a magnet on the board and then added a magnet to my picture too.  I kind of like how it makes the picture stick out a little 3Dish.
I am excited to start decorating for St. Patrick's Day and do some fun things with my family next month.  I am one lucky lady to have the family I have!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Feet Print Hearts


My Little Darlings and I made these little Valentines with their feet prints.


Friday, February 11, 2011

Soft Sugar Cookies

I have had no luck with sugar cookies lately.  They usually don't hold their shape for me.  I finally found one that is for soft cookies that I like.  Now I am trying to find a crispy one that I like.

I found this recipe here.


1 cup sour cream  (I used greek yogurt)
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat for a 2-3 minutes.

Add dry ingredients and mix well. Let the dough chill in fridge for 25 minutes or until firm.

Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters to make shapes or circles. You may have to add a little flour to roll them out so the dough is workable but remember the less flour you use the softer your cookie will be.

Bake until LIGHT golden brown-no more than 10 minutes. When you take them out they will seem underdone but they aren't. Let them cool on the pan and they will be perfect and moist. It you like them harder and more crunchy just bake them a little longer.

Makes around 4 dozen.

Crock Pot Pork and Beans

I found this recipe here.

1 onion- chopped
1 lb hamburger
1 lb bacon- cooked and crumbled

Cook hamburger and onion. Crumble bacon and set aside.

Layer in 5 quart Crock Pot:

Hamburger and onion
5 (11 oz.) cans of Pork and Beans (I think 4 would be plenty or maybe leave out one of the other cans of beans)
1 1/2 c. sugar (I also think you could half the sugar)
1 1/2 brown sugar
3 T. rice vinegar
1 T. liquid smoke
1 can black beans- rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans- rinsed and drained
1 c. ketchup

Cook on low for 9 hours. Stir after 3 hours. Stir in bacon before serving.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

White Castle Sliders

I found this recipe here.

1 1/2 pounds hamburger (I used ground turkey)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 tablespoon peanut butter (I used soy butter)
1/2 cup milk
About 15 Soft small-sized dinner rolls from the bakery, sliced in half
Cheese slices (you can use Kraft Singles or sliced Velveeta cheese.. we used Velveeta)

In a large bowl mix (with your hands or a spoon) the hamburger, Lipton onion soup mix, peanut butter, and milk. Spread the meat mixture on a cookie sheet with a lip. Use a cup or rolling pin to roll over the meat to smooth it out.

Put it in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. The meat will shrink. Take it out of the oven and put the diced onions all around the edges to flavor the meat. Place back in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Take it out of the oven. If you want onions on your sliders then spoon them onto the meat from the sides. Add your cheese slices. Put it back in the oven for 7-10 minutes (until cheese is melted). Then add the tops of your rolls (the bottom part of the rolls will just sit on the counter) and place back in the oven for about 5 more minutes.

Take it out of the oven. Slice the meat with a pizza cutter and pick up the slider/top bun with a spatula and set it on the bottom bun.

Friday, January 21, 2011

French Onion Chicken Pot Pie

1/4 cup butter
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large onions, halved, then thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 packages (8 oz each) sliced fresh mushrooms (6 cups) (I used 3 small cans)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used wheat flour)
4 1/4 cups water
1 box (2 oz) onion soup mix (2 envelopes)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 can refrigerated biscuits (8 biscuits)
6 oz mozzarella cheese (shredded)

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9X13 with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken from skillet; discard chicken juices.
  • Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Add onions and mushrooms; cook and stir about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle flour over vegetables. Cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in water and soup mix; heat to boiling. Boil about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
  • Spoon chicken into 9X13. Spoon onion mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with pepper. Separate dough into 8 biscuits and place over onion mixture.
  • Bake about 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Carefully remove from oven. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over each biscuit. Bake 4 to 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
This was so good. I found the recipe here.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Fabric Hair Bows

These are a few hair bows I made today using scraps in my stash. I think they turned out pretty cute. I saw the tutorial here.


Thursday, January 6, 2011

Shredded Beef Taquitos

These were a hit at my house. I found the recipe here.

1-2 Lbs. lean roast beef
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 c. water
a few shakes of hot sauce (Tabasco etc..)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Tortillas

Add roast beef to crock-pot with onion soup mix, water, and hot sauce. Heat on low for 8-10 hours. Remove beef from crock-pot and shred. Add a little cheese and beef to each tortilla and roll up (remember to add cheese first, THEN beef.. that way the cheese won't melt out). Place taquitos seam-side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 400-degrees for 6-8 minutes. Turn taquitos once and bake for another 5-6 minutes or until taquitos are nice, golden brown, and slightly crispy (you could also deep fry them if you'd rather). Serve with sour cream, salsa and/or guacamole.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Winter Footprint Art



My Darlings and I made these little footprint Snowmen and Penguins today. We had fun. Made a mess, but had fun.