“That’s pretty, Mommy!”

Last week, I got some great recipes from my friend, Dena. And, both got rave reviews at our house…so, they’ll for sure be made again! … And, Quinn thought it was pretty and smelled SO good…

To see a great, detailed description of this recipe, click here to see her blog post!

Taco Ring
1 pound ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons water
2 packages (8 ounces each) crescent rolls
additional sides of your choice (salsa, cilantro, tomato, quac, sour cream...)

Preheat oven to 375. Cook ground beef in skillet until beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, cheese, and water. Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles. Arrange triangles in a circle with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward outside:

Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.

Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring.  Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.
 
To serve, cut into slices and top with extras of your choice.

I got that boom, boom, boom…

First of all, my random title is a tribute to Quinn’s favorite Black-eyed Pea song! :) Secondly, this recipe was a GREAT New Year’s Day treat this year. Spicy, but OH SO GOOD!
The Pioneer Woman’s Black-Eyed Pea Dip
1 can (14-ounce) Can Black-eyed Peas
1/4 whole Onion, Chopped Fine
1/4 cup Sour Cream
8 slices Jarred Jalapenos
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3 Tablespoons Salsa
Hot Sauce, to taste
Salt And Black Pepper To Taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.

Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips!

*Note: if you have them available, you can use the canned black-eyed peas and jalapenos (they're canned together.) If you do this, you can omit the extra jalapenos.

Don’t throw away the package!!!

Right before I was about to throw away the Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses wrapper, I happened to turn it over and see this recipe! And, OMG, am I glad I did! AMAZING and easy!! A must try!

Cherry Cordial Crème Cookies
***Put Hershey's Kisses Brand Milk Chocolates filled with Cherry Cordial Creme, unwrapped, in the freezer for several hours or overnight.

Ingredients:
Hershey's Kisses Brand Milk Chocolates filled w/ Cherry Cordial Creme
1 package (1 lb 6.5oz) original supreme brownie mix w/ syrup pouch
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Stir brownie mix, syrup pouch, cocoa, water, oil, and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Drop by scant teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes or until set. Cool 3 to 4 minutes; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Immediately press frozen chocolate into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.

Santa’s Cookies 2011

When I found this recipe on Pinterest, I knew they had to be Santa’s cookies this year. We had so much fun making them, and once the icing was applied, they were scrumptious! I will admit that they were a little bland before the icing was put on…but, you be the judge! Santa loved them, regardless! :)

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (not butter!)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(I usually DOUBLE this recipe when I'm making for gifts. A single recipe will make approximately 24 BIG cookies.)

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the shortening and sugar together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla and blend together until creamy.
With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients  (add it 1/3 at a time) mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed.  You will have a very sticky dough at this point so it is very important to CHILL THE DOUGH FOR AT LEAST 1-2 HOURS.


Roll out with plenty of flour on your board to avoid sticking issues. But don't work the dough TOO much or it will get tough. Also make sure to flour your ROLLING PIN and COOKIE CUTTERS as well. Don't roll the dough too thin. I shoot for just a little over 1/4" thick.

Once you have cut out as many shapes as will fit, scoop them off the board with a spatula and transfer to a cookie sheet. It helps if you nudge a little bit of flour under the cookie as you lift it off the board.
If you have silicone baking mats use those. You can also use parchment paper or aluminum foil (which I used). Cooking directly on the cookie sheet works too...it's just more clean up. :-)
Bake the cookies for between 10 and 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Timing is CRUCIAL...so keep an eye on them.  You are shooting cookies that are just BARELY, BARELY starting to brown on the edges.

Powdered Sugar Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tablespoons milk.
food coloring (I usually use about 4 to 5 drops of just the regular kind you buy at the grocery store)

I start with 2 tablespoons of milk and keep adding about a teaspoon at a time after that until the frosting is at just the right consistency.  Not too thick, but not too runny. Then I pretty much GOB it on the cookie...and spread. Top it off with the decoration of your choice

a 2 ingredient dish

I knew I had you at “two ingredients”…Thanks, Aunt Karen, for this amazing recipe…the chicken was falling apart…and I LOVED the flavor!…

Sun Dried Tomato Basil Chicken
5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle of Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Basil Vinaigrette

Place chicken in crock pot and cover with vinaigrette. Cook on low for 5-6 hours until chicken is done. Serve over rice.

Breakfast Goodness

This was part of our Christmas morning breakfast and it was so yum…enjoy…

French Toast Soufflé

Ingredients:
1 bakery loaf of butter crusty bread-10 cups cut into 1-inch cubes
8 (ounces) low-fat cream cheese, softened
8 large eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup half and half cream
1-1/4 cups maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:
1.  Place bread cubes in a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan.
2.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in milk, half and half, 1/2 cup of the maple syrup, and vanilla until mixture is smooth.  Pour cream cream cheese mixture over the bread; cover, and refrigerate overnight.
3.  Remove soufflé from refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4.  Bake uncovered, for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Pour remaining 3/4 cup maple syrup over soufflé, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve warm.

And it smells better than Pot Roast…

If you need a yummy dessert and you have friends coming over, I HIGHHLY recommend this one. It serves a lot of people, it makes your house smell delicious…and it’s SO good!

Rocky Road Crock Pot Cake

You Need:
1 (18.25-oz.) package chocolate cake mix
1 (3.9-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups milk, divided
1 (3.4-oz.) package chocolate cook-and-serve pudding mix
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions:
1. Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients, and 1 1/4 cups milk at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour batter into a lightly greased 4-qt. slow cooker.
2. Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or just until bubbles appear (do not boil); remove from heat.
3. Stir cook-and-serve pudding mix into milk and pour over batter. Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 hours.
5. Turn off slow cooker. Sprinkle cake with marshmallows, and chocolate morsels. Let stand 15 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly melted.

Pinterest makes me better!

I’m not kidding…Pinterest makes me better…especially when it comes to cooking! I have found SO many amazing new recipes that have become staples at our house! And this Avocado Chicken Salad is one of them…

It is SERIOUSLY amazing! And, I feel that it’s better for me that the normal mayo/ranch filled goodness! Hope you love it as much as we do!…

Avocado Chicken Salad
chicken, cooked and shredded (or canned)
avocado
green onion, sliced
cilantro
lime juice to taste
salt/pepper to taste

There are no measurements. Just use each to your liking.

Why have I never made these?

You’re going to think it’s crazy when I tell you that I’ve never made quesadillas! It’s just not something I have added to my list of quick and easy meals! …But, that has now changed…especially because of this recipe! I can’t wait to try all kinds of yummy concoctions! Black Bean Chicken Quesadillas
Cooked, shredded chicken
Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
Cilantro
Green Onion
Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
Lime Juice
Tortillas

In a bowl, combine cooked chicken, beans, cheese, cilantro, lime juice and onion. (use as much of each as you would like/need) Set aside. Place tortilla in heated non stick skillet sprayed with non stick spray. Spoon mixture evenly over tortilla and place another tortilla on top. Lightly press down using your spatula. Cook for a few minutes until bottom of tortilla is golden brown, then carefully flip and cook for a few more minutes until tortilla is golden brown and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve quesadillas with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

My Minestrone Cheat

I love a good Minestrone soup. And, when I was given this recipe, I was ALL in!! I don’t know if it could get any easier and it didn’t taste like it came from a can. So, if you’re in a bind for dinner and need a quick fix…here’s your ticket! Enjoy.

Easy Minestrone Soup
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
3 large cans of Progresso Minestrone Soup
2 cans of stewed tomatoes
2 cans of Ranch Style Beans
1 can Rotel
Grated Cheese

Combine all ingredients and let simmer low on stovetop or in Crock Pot. Top with grated cheese.

Leftover Halloween Candy?!

I don’t know about y’all, but we are STILL overflowing with Halloween candy! So, last week, I put some of it to good use! I grabbed a few handfulls of the chocolate kind, crushed them up and added them to a brownie mix! Sure, I added LOTS of extra calories to our already calorie-filled treat, but it was GOOD!

More Balsamic, Please!

When I wanted a fresh and different salad alternative to go with some homemade Minestrone Soup, I looked to Pinterest (of course) for some inspiration. And, I quickly found one that inspired this YUMMY dish.

And, the funniest part was how much my sweet 15 month old LOVED fresh mozzarella dipped in balsamic! He wanted more and more! ThePoeFam’s Caprese Salad
Semi-ripe avocados
Cherry Tomato
Cucumber 
Fresh Mozzarella
Chives
Dill
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Chop up all ingredients to desired size. Add considerable amount of dill and stir in Balsamic Vinegar to taste. Salt and Pepper if desired.

Easy Pumpkin Perfection

Need a quick and easy fall treat? Look no further! This is AS EASY as it gets…and SO yummy! They remind me of my Diet Coke Cupcakes…but for fall! And, they were gone in no time! Easy Pumpkin Muffins
1 box of cake mix (I tried Chocolate and White…white is MUCH better!)
1 can of 100% Pure Pumpkin

Mix together cake mix and pumpkin until well blended. Fill cupcake cups 3/4 full and bake according to box directions. Frost or don’t….or glaze. (recipe below)

Apple Cider Glaze
1 pkg. of Apple Cider mix
1/2 cup Powered Sugar
2 T water (or more if needed)

Mix together until desired consistency and drizzle over cupcakes.

SCROLL DOWN…

…for lots of new recipes! FINALLY! Hope you enjoy!

Avocado, Lime & Pasta? Count me IN!!!

Here’s another great and light go-to salad for parties! It was good for days and days! And, it will be made again and again!

Creamed Avocado and Lime Chilled Pasta

1 1/2cup dry shell pasta or short pasta of your choice
1 ripe avocado
handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
1 1/2Tbsp lime juice
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp garlic paste
salt & pepper
chopped cilantro and/or jalapeno for garnish

1. Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain well, set aside to cool.
2. Peel avocado and remove the pit. Put it in a food processor together with chopped cilantro, lime juice, mayonnaise and garlic paste. Blend it until it’s creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in a refrigerator if you have time.)
3. Transfer the avocado sauce to a medium sized bowl. Add cooked pasta and toss them well. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and/or jalapeno on top.

Crock Pot to the RESCUE!

During my week of the Fast Food Strike, I found another awesome recipe on Pinterest. I have a feeling that the Crock Pot is going to be my only way to survive during this busy time of my life.

Thankfully, this recipe got rave reviews ALL around! And, once again, it was really good left over!

Creamy Mexican Crock Pot Chicken
4 frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. block of cream cheese (NOT fat free)
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of rotel

Put frozen chicken breasts in crock pot. Dump in the black beans, corn, rotel and cream cheese. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

If you’re available, stir every 2-3 hours.

Before serving, shred the remaining chicken (mine was already pretty shredded) and serve over rice.

I made guacamole and served with these amazing lime chips! They’re our fave…Another happy customer!…

The S’mores: Reinvented

Whoever created Pinterest is a GENIOUS! Seriously, the ideas are NEVERENDING! But, whoever thought of THIS delectable treat might be EVEN more of a genius! I think the guy who created S’mores should re-think his recipe! This is BETTER!!!…

Reese’s S’mores
Graham Crackers
Big Marshmallows
Reese’s Cups

Make the S’mores as you always have…but, replace the Hershey's for a Reese’s cup! AMAZING!

FAST FOOD STRIKE!

I’m SOOOO tired of fast food! Due to our house being on the market, Matt’s new job/our new church that’s 30 minutes away from home and our CRAZY busy summer, I can honestly say that I haven’t cooked in MONTHS! Sure, we’ve eaten at home here and there…but, a REAL meal at home hasn’t happened in SO long!! It’s embarrassing, REALLY!

But, last week, I got my hiney in gear and banned Fast Food! And, it was fabulous! Pinterest gave me SO many great new recipes to try, and my family was so thankful!

The first one we tried was a little spin on Pot Roast. I LOVE pot roast, but this had a little extra “zing” that made it even better. So…give it a try! I’m pretty sure you’ll love it right out of the crock pot and leftover for the next few days!

Three-Packet Pot Roast

3 lbs. beef roast
1 package of ranch dressing mix
1 package of brown gravy mix
1 package of Italian dressing mix
1 cup of warm water
Veggies of choice

Place pot roast in the bottom of large crock pot. Mix three packages in a bowl. Cover roast with mixture. Add water and chopped veggies. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

I dare you to eat just one…

I just realized that I never posted the few new recipes I made for Nash’s party! All were super yummy and a hit!!! Especially these little guys!…

Chocolaty Pretzel Bites
Square pretzels
Hershey’s kisses
M&M’s

Preheat oven to a low setting. Place square pretzels on a cookie sheet. Place unwrapped Hershey kiss on top. Put in oven and watch for kisses to get soft. Before they completely melt, take out of the oven and smush (is that a word!?) M&M into soft Hershey kiss. Place in refrigerator to allow it to cool and set.

Painting our Breakfast

Sadly, the Summer of 2011 has consisted of eating out, taking out and more eating out! With our house on the market, I have had NO desire to have ONE MORE THING to clean or plan. And, with the CRAZY heat, the thought of cooking in the kitchen just wasn’t very appealing. So…home cooked meals have become a thing of the past. I miss it.

Anyway, I wanted to share a fun little breakfast Q and I made the other morning. Pinterest gave me {yet another} fabulous idea and Quinn had a blast. And, it was too easy. Hope you have fun painting your breakfast.

Painted Toast
Bread
Milk
Food Coloring
Paint Brushes
Jelly or Honey

Add one drop of food coloring to 1/3 up of milk and stir. Paint lightly on bread.
Toast in toaster. Cover with jelly or honey. Enjoy.