{Crockpot Chicken Nachos}

My friend Sara gave this to me and my family REALLY likes it.  Your house smells so yummy while it's baking too:)

Crockpot Chicken Nachos -
2-3 large chicken breasts
1 sm bag of frozen corn or canned corn drained
1 can black beans - rinsed
1 16 oz. mild salsa
8 oz. cream cheese
Put chicken in crockpot and add corn, black beans and then pour salsa over top.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Pull apart chicken with fork then add cream cheese and cook for another half & hour on low.  Mix together and serve on chips, sprinkled with cheese.  Enjoy!!
(Note:  she suggested you add cream cheese 2 hrs. before serving rather then hour before)

~Sugar & Honey Glaze~

I searched the internet and found this delicious glaze for ham.  My mom usually buys one already glazed but didn't for Thanksgiving so we tried this one - we LOVED it!!  We found it over at cooks.com.

Sugar & Honey Glaze -

1 c. packe brown sugar
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. drippings from ham
1 Tbl. grated orange peel

Bake ham according to directions.  About 45 min. before it's done pour glaze over top, making sure to get down inside the meat.
We actually put an already baked Ham in a crockpot and poured the glaze over top.  We let it cook on low all day.  It was so juicy and I liked the zest from the orange.  Enjoy!!

•Cranberry-Orange Jello Salad•

Gosh it's been forever since I have posted - sorry!!
The holidays crept up and I have been sooo busy.  But I wanted to post some holiday recipes for you all.  This one we had at Thanksgiving and just recently at a family party - it was a hit.  It's a dish we serve at EVERY get together with my family because it's my dads favorite.  Yet we didn't make it with blueberry pie filling like your suppose to.  Me and my mom wanted to make it festive and add cranberry and orange.  We LOVE it!!!!

Cranberry-Orange Jello Salad -
2 c. boiling water
1 lg pkg red Jello - we prefer Raspberry
1 lg can crushed pineapple (use juice)
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. 7-Up
1 orange - for zesting

Dissolve Jello in boiling water then add remaining ingredients.  Zest about 1 Tbl. of the orange and stir all together.  Place in 9x13 pan and refridgerate till jello sets up.  Spread topping on top before serving.  I grated more orange zest on top for color:)  You can also top with chopped nuts.
 Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 c. sugar
Beat together till smooth. 

If you prefer to make the blueberry version just add blueberry pie filling instead of cranberries.  Omit the orange juice and use 1 c. 7Up instead and don't use orange zest.  ENJOY!!

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

I think we are gonna have to have this for breakfast in the morning....mmmmmm!!!!
(thanks to dana-made-it.com)

Bread+Eggs+Pumpkin

This is adaptation of my favorite Overnight Caramel French Toast recipe from Cooking Light. I've been using the recipe for years and it comes out perfect every time. And better yet, the recipe has only 2 eggs and uses lowfat milk (no heavy cream). So you don't have to feel quite as guilty for indulging, just slightly guilty.

I gave the recipe a holiday twist by adding pumpkin and spices and you know what, I may like this version every better. With all that goey caramel goodness on the bottom, what's not to like?
Here you go!

Baked Pumpkin French Toast
1 loaf french bread

2 1/2 cups lowfat milk
1 Tbl flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbl sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
1/4 cup butter (half a stick)

2 Tbl sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
Cut the bread loaf into thick slices.
Combine and whisk the next set of ingredients from the milk down to the eggs.
In a saucepan, combine the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till bubbly (about 5 minutes)
Grease a 9x13 pan (I chose an oval dish) and you're ready to combine all the ingredients.
Pour the caramel mixture in the bottom of the pan:
Place the bread slices, in a single layer over the caramel syrup. Squish them in; it's okay to crowd.
Pour the milk/egg/pumpkin mixture over the top.
It may seem like a lot of liquid but most of it will soak up over night. And don't worry about splotches of pumpkin that settle as well. It will all be yummy goodness when you're done.
Place plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle Cinnamon/Sugar mixture over the top (2 Tbl sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon).

Bake for 50 minutes and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. It will be big a puffy at first and slowly settle down.
Pour syrup over the top and serve!

And no surprise....but it tastes even better with cool whip too. YUM. My favorite pumpkin recipe to date? I think so!

{Cinnamon Toasted Pumpkin Seeds}

I have never been a fan of Pumpkin seeds...

Till I found THIS recipe!!  Boy oh boy are they tasty!!!!

Cinnamon Toasted Pumpkin Seeds -

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tblsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 275 F
2. Wash pumpkin seeds by rinsing in a colander until the water runs clear, picking out any remaining pieces of pumpkin. Drain well and spread out on a cookie sheet and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Pile pumpkin seeds on the cookie sheet and drizzle melted butter over the pile of seeds and sprinkle on the sugar, cinnamon and a pinch or two of kosher salt.
4. Gently toss seeds until evenly coated and spread the seeds out evenly on the cookie sheet.
5. Bake in 275 F oven for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring seeds every 10 minutes and checking for doneness each time.
6. Remove from oven and let the seeds cool for a few minutes.
7. Remove seeds from cookie sheet and serve!

Chances are there won't be any leftovers, but if there are, store seeds in an airtight container for a few days to preserve freshness.
Enjoy! :)

-Pepperoni Poppers-

I found this new cooking blog from Celeste's friend called THE PIE HOLE!  On there she posted a yummy recipe for these cute little things.  She suggested they looked like eyeballs and to serve them for Halloween.  So we whipped up a batch and served them for lunch.  They were a HIT - we plan to make them a lot at our house:)  BTW they are so kid friendly, my daughter loved helping make these.

Pepperoni Poppers -

1 can thin crust pizza dough
4-5 pieces of string cheese
pepperoni or ham (my favorite)
ranch or marinara for dipping

Directions:
Separate the pizza dough into 15-20 small balls, around golf ball sized or a little smaller.
Cut the string cheese into 4-5 pieces and stuff into the center of each dough ball. Seal the cheese inside the ball.
Lay on greased baking sheet and press down slightly.
Place a pepperoni on top of each ball.  And an added olive for an eerie look - hehehe!!
Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through

Dinner in a PUMPKIN

I was so excited when Our Family Treat posted this recipe.  I had been searching the internet for days and the ones I found didn't sound good.  But believe me when I say this one is so YUMMY!!

Only thing we did differently was add fresh green beans (Seriously check into Bountifyl Baskets in your area if it's available - they are wonderful).  And we omitted the celery, green onion and mushrooms - sorry not a fan!!  I know I am a little late getting this posted for Halloween but pumpkins are still available and this meal is great for the colder days ahead:P

Dinner in a Pumpkin -
Ingredients:

1 medium pumpkin, remove top and clean insides out
1 1/2- 2 lbs of ground beef 1 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
3 c. cooked rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup1/2 cup chopped or sliced mushrooms (omit if you aren't a mushroom fan)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper

Brown hamburger. In another pot, cook rice (white or brown) as directed on package. Chop and saute celery, onion, and green onion. Once tender combine vegetables with hamburger, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, mushrooms, brown sugar, soy and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Put mixture inside the pumpkin, replace lid. Place on baking sheet and into a 400 degree oven. Bake until pumpkin is tender (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Scoop out to serve, scraping sides of pumpkin to get the cooked pumpkin in the mixture. It is so good it melts in your mouth!

•Oreo Truffle Surprise Cookies•

There are no words to describe how AMAZING these cookies are!

And they are HUGE!!:)  My BIL fell in love with them and I am bribing him to come visit us if I make him a whole batch just for him.  I didn't have enough regular chocolate chips so I substituted white and it made them taste very good.  ENJOY...

Oreo Truffle Surprise Cookies-

2 sticks softened butter

3/4 Cup granulated sugar

3/4 Cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla

3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 Cups chocolate chips

21 Oreos

3 oz softened cream cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer beat butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined.

2. Place flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl; mix. Add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips. Mix until just combined.

3. Place Oreos into a food processor or blender, mix until finely ground. Place into a bowl and mix with cream cheese until dough forms. Take 1 Tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Continue until all dough has been rolled, you should get 36 balls, enough for all of the cookie dough.

4. With a large cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Press a little hole into center of dough and put Oreo Truffle inside, cover cookie dough around Oreo Truffle so it’s hidden in the middle. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to turn golden brown. Remove and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Now…..eat up!!

 I think I found this recipe over at Picky Palate - great blog - GREAT recipes;)

The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!!

Another Fall favorite of mine is pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and bread.  Mmmm!!  So I searched the internet for a REALLY good recipe and once again I found a great one at Allrecipes.com:)  My husband is requesting them for work and my daughter even wants to take some to her teacher at school...guess they are a hit at our house!!!!

The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

Courtesy of AllRecipes.com

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. pumpkin

1/2 c. oil (corn or canola - not olive)
Beat these three together.

Add one egg

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1. tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
sift these four together

1 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in 1 tsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. chocolate chip cookies

Beat sugar, pumpkin, and oil with electric mixer. Add egg, beat.

Add sifted ingredients to pumpkin mixture.

Stir with baking soda/milk mixture. Add vanilla extract and chocolate chips. Stir (not mix).

Drop by tsp. onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
Yields 3 1/2 dozen.

(I like these cookies to be really moist. To accomplish this, after cooling, store cookies in plastic containers overnight. This makes them soft; yummy. If you like a harder cookie, you can store them in a cookie jar or box after cooling.)

○YuMmY Caramel Apples○

I LOVE Fall especially the treats...so we made some homemade caramel apples the other night...

Dipped in white chocolate and regular chocolate.  Sprinkled with nuts, orange sprinkles and my ABSOLUTE favorite cinnamon sugar!!  Other toppings M&M's, crushed Oreo's, chopped candy bars, coconut, marshmallows & nuts (Rocky Road style), toffee, etc.

Our family creations...mmmm!!

I learned this year that GREEN APPLES work the BEST and the tart with the sweet makes them even better!!!!



Easiest Caramel --
32 caramels unwrapped
5 Tbl. evaporated milk
Melt caramels and milk in saucepan on low.  Cool slightly and dip apples.

Easy Caramel --
1 lb. butter
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
Cook on medium heat stirring continually, to the hard ball stage with your candy therm. (about 4-5 min).  Cool slightly and dip apples.

Creamy Caramel --
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar (white)
1 cup Karo syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Cook first 3 ing. over medium heat to softball stage stirring constantly.  Then add can milk and cook to hard ball stage.  Pour into buttered dish and cool until ready to use.  Do Not put in fridge.

TIPS that I learned --
Place wax paper on cookie sheet, wash & dry Granny Smith apples, and put sticks in them.  Roll apples in caramel, wipe bottom quarter and excess with a butter knife, set on cookie sheet.  Repeat.  Once cookie sheet is full, put in fridge to cool completely before dipping in chocolate/decorating them.  Or you can even make them the night before.  Roll them in chocolate that is not too hot, then sprinkle immediately in desired toppings.  Set back on wax paper and refridgerate.  After cooled cut into wedges from the stem (like a pie) and ENJOY!!

AND here is a recipe I found today...

Honey Caramel Apples --
Recipe by Our Best Bites, inspired by Everyday Magazine

4 large (or 6 small) crisp apples, chilled in the fridge for at least 1 hour
1 Cup honey
1 Cup heavy cream
1 pinch salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
In a heavy sauce pan over medium heat, combine cream, honey, and salt. Once warmed and whisked together, bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to a simmer (it should still be bubbling, but not so hot that is splatters all over). Stir and scrape sides of pot down occasionally until a candy thermometer (you should all have one by now--they cost about 3 bucks!) reaches 260 degrees.

To reach 260 degrees can take about 30 minutes, so while your caramel is cooking prepare your apples. Wash and dry them and skewer them with a popsicle stick or bamboo skewer. Place in the fridge to continue chilling until ready to use. Also line a baking sheet or cutting board with waxed paper or parchment paper and set aside.

When caramel has reached 260 degrees, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should start thickening. You'll have to eyeball the consistency for dipping. If you'd like to help it along you can place your pot in a bowl of ice. And if it gets too hard to coat the apples, just return it to the heat until it's thin again.

Remove apples from fridge and dry them thoroughly with a towel. Dip in caramel, rolling and twirling each one so it gets well coated. Let excess drip off and then place on prepared sheet. Refrigerate for 10-20 minutes to set the caramel and then enjoy!

Honeyed Banana Berry Cake Cookies

I found this recipe over at Picky Palate and after heading to Costco to get the blueberries we finally made them this week:)  DO NOT forget to grease your pan or use parchment paper while baking these...mine stuck to my very non-stick pan horribly.  BUT they were yummy and Dalt thought they tasted like pancakes so next time we will have them for breakfast:)

Berry Good Cookies:
 1 box yellow cake mix
4 large banana's mashed
3/4 c. dried blueberries
4 TBL creamed honey or 2 TBL regular honey
Mix all ingredients.  Drop by spoon full onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350* for 11-15 minutes.
ENJOY!!

•Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars•

School started and I feel like our lives have been crazy.  Plus I have made Cake Pops/Bites for the past three weeks so I haven't done anything very creative in the cooking/baking department:)  But I have this amazing neighbor that loves to spoil us with all of her yummy goodies every once and a while and last week she brought us these.  I called her up to get the recipe and she told me it was off of a can of Crisco or off the package of chocolate chips - funny huh!!  Because they were SO good:)  Also her daughter didn't want to wait to keep baking the cookies so she made them into bars.  Wow I don't know if I will make "cookies" again, this was so easy!!!!

Cookie Bars:
1 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c. flour
1 pkg chocolate chips

Cream sugars with butter, beat in egg, add dry ingredients and stir in chocolate chips.  Press into greased baking sheet and bake at 375* for 10 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.
ENJOY!!

Monkey Bread!

For our first day of school we decided to make a fun, yummy breakfast.  My mom makes this A LOT for her Seminary students and it's VERY easy.  I know you probably have had it but this is our version and it's good AND great to make the night before!! 

So now it's our new Back to School tradition...

MONKEY BREAD --

24 Rhodes dinner rolls - frozen*

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c brown sugar

1 sm. pkg butterscotch pudding - the kind you cook not instant

4 tsp. cinnamon

Melt butter, sugar, pudding and cinnamon in saucepan till dissolved - don't cook longer.  Place rolls in bottom of greased bundt pan and pour mixture over.  Cover and leave out on counter over night to rise.

Preheat oven to 350* and bake for 30 minutes.

*I accidentally bought Texas Rolls so I just added about 14-16 rolls to the pan and it definitely rose too high and didn't coat them very well.  BUT they sure tasted YUMMY!!!!   Just an FYI:)

EMJOY!

-- Give Me S'more Cupcakes --

I have seen S'more Cupcakes all over the Internet. 

And I wanted to make a fun end of Summer treat for the kids so...

Since we had left over big marshmallows, Hershey bars and graham crackers from our Summer S'more making I decided to whip up a batch.

I had just gotten a new tin full of A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. recipes from Amazon (check it out HERE).  Inside was a recipe that sounded very yummy and quick.  Let me just say it's one I am going to make A LOT!!

Give Me S'more Cupcakes --

2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. milk

1 egg

24 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped*

2 c. mini marshmallows*

Preheat oven to 350*.  Line 24 mini muffin cups with paper baking cups (I bought mine HERE).

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, chocolate chips and baking powder in medium bowl.  Whisk milk and egg in small bowl; stir into crumb mixture until well blended.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about half full.  Press chocolate kiss into center of each cup.  Press 4 marshmallows into top of each cupcake around chocolate kiss.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned.  Cool. 

ENJOY!!

*We used the Hershey bars and big marshmallows cut into four small pieces instead.  Doesn't look as pretty as the picture but sure tasted good:)

Yummy Salads --

My Aunt Linda gave my mom this really yummy and fun recipe book a few years back called "Favorites."  It sat on my counter and I used it often.  Well Linda recently moved back to Utah and had us all at her house for my sister's Baby Shower.  At the shower, at my Baby L's Blessing and another time we went to her house she made some AMAZING chicken salads.  The recipes came from a new cookbook from the same amazing women that made the first...it's called "Keeping Up Cookbook" and you can purchase it HERE!!

Shauna Lake's Chinese Chicken Salad --

Salad:

5 c. finely shredded romaine lettuce

1 pkg oriental-flavored ramen noodles, flavor packet discarded

2 c. diced and cooked chicken

1 (11 oz.) can white shoepeg corn, drained

1 large tomato, diced

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 c. chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

Dressing:

2 Tbl sugar

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/4 tsp pepper

3 Tbl white vinegar

1/4 c. oil

Whisk together dressing ingredients. Crumble noodles and toss with remaining salad ingredients.  Dress, toss and serve.

Chipotle Cheddar Pasta Salad --

1 pound pasta, any shape

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can sweet corn, drained

1 c crumbled feta cheese

1 (10 oz) pkg fresh pico de gallo, drained

1 c chopped cilantro

1 c diced red pepper

1 c grated carrots

1 c diced cucumber, peeled and seeded

2 ripe avocados, diced

1 lime, halved

1/2 (12 oz) bottle Brianna's Chipotle Cheddar dressing

Cook pasta in salted water, according to directions.  Drain and run under cold water.  Set aside.

Toss together beans, corn, feta, and remaining salad ingredients.  Squeeze 1/2 lime over the top and cut remaining 1/2 lime into wedges for serving.  Add cooled pasta and toss with enough dressing to coat.  Chill until ready to serve.  Before serving, toss with more dressing, as desired (pasta will absorb dressing as it sits).  Serve with lime wedges.

Enjoy!!

No Name DELICIOUS Salad:)

My aunt served up another FANTASTIC salad for us at my sister's baby shower and funny thing is I didn't get the name of it from her.  So we will just call it an EASY DELICIOUS salad...

Head of Romain lettuce, washed and shredded
1-2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
Roasted corn = place frozen corn on cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake, turning occasionally till roasted.
Diced or shredded cooked chicken (She cooks hers in the oven)
1 sm. onion diced

Dressing = Equal parts buttermilk ranch dressing and Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque sauce

Toss with salad and sprinkle with Tortilla Chip Strips!!  This is such a refreshing, yummy salad!
ENJOY!!

Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes & Chicken

Scalloped Chicken & Potatoes:
1 box scalloped potatoes (including seasoning packet)
6 chicken tenders
3 cups water
Put potatoes in greased slow cooker first, followed by seasoning packet and chicken. Pour water over all. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours.
 I found this somewhere out there on the internet...don't remember where but I have been dying to try it!  My husband loves Scalloped Potatoes so it was a huge hit at the dinner table.  I LOVED how it was fast, easy and yummy!  Only thing I would do differently is to double it.
ENJOY!!

Chocolate Drop Cookies --

My Aunt Linda C. is an amazing cook!!  I love sharing recipes back and forth:)  She made these delicious cookies for my sister's Baby Shower and we gobbled them up so fast - lol!! 

Chocolate Drop Cookies --
Cream together:
1/2 c butter
1c brown sugar

Add:
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
And beat together

In small saucepan melt
2 1 oz. squares Bakers semi-sweet chocolate
Cool and add to above mixture.

Next alternate:
3/4 c sour cream
and dry ingredients that have been mixed together:
2 c flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

Drop onto baking sheet 2 in. apart using a small scoop.  Bake at 350* for 10 minutes.  Frost...

Frosting --
Mix together:
4 TBL cocoa
3 c powdered sugar
Than add:
4 TBL soft butter
2-3 TBL milk
1 tsp vanilla
Beat well.  Add more milk or more powdered sugar to thicken or thin frosting

ENJOY!!  These are very tasty and a great bit size cookie:)

☼When Life Gives You Lemons...☼

...Make Pink Lemonade Cupcakes!!

I found a recipe in the "Keeping up Cookbook" for Lemonade Cake and decided to make cupcakes for my daughters Cupcake Birthday Party!!

Lucious Lemonade Layer Cake/Cupcakes:

1 1/3 c. sugar

6 Tbl butter, softened

zest of 1 lemon

3 Tbl thawed lemonade concentrate

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 egg whites

2 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 c. buttermilk

Place sugar, butter, zest, lemonade and vanilla in mixer and mix until well blended.  Add eggs and egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.  In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients.  Add dry ing. to batter alternating with buttermilk until all ing. and buttermilk are well blended.  Pour into two well -greased 9" round pans.  Bake @ 350* for 18-20 minutes.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes and remove to cooling rack.

If making cupcakes just place in cupcake liners in muffin pan and bake for about 12-14 minutes.  Remove promptly to cooling rack.

Frosting:

2 Tbl butter, softened

zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbl thawed lemonade concentrate

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Mix together all ing. except powdered sugar and blend well.  Gradually add powdered sugar and beat at low speed untill blended.  Don't overbeat.  Frost cake or cupcakes:)

ENJOY!!

○Mini Cupcakes○

For Ellie's 6th Birthday we had a Cupcake Party!!  I found this FUN idea to make mini cupcakes to pass out.  Over at Confessions of a Cupcake Queen she made these as cupcake toppers.  She used mini confetti sprinkles and Mary Englebreit cherry sprinkles for the tops.

All I could find was these red pearls from Bake It Pretty website.  I still think they turned out ADORABLE!!  Wanna know how I made them??

Mini Reese's PB Cups!!!!!!;)

Yep...just unwrap, frost them, sprinkle on your favorite sprinkles and top with a "cherry" - LOL!!

I made a WONDERFUL cream cheese frosting that made them taste very YUMMY!  They were a hit at the party...

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. powdered sugar

Beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla till smooth.  Add powdered sugar, mixing till smooth.  Beat for about 1 minute further to make light and fluffy.  You can add other flavors to this basic vanilla-flavor as well, such as cinnamon, lemon zest, orange zest and white chocolate - to name a few!

I found this recipe in a WONDERFUL cupcake kit I found from Amazon HERE!

~Peanut Butter & Jelly Cuppycakes~

My husbands Birthday was on Saturday! 

So after much debate over what kind of cake he wanted I finally hit the mark when I suggested these babies...

PB & J CUPCAKES --

The cake is very moist and flavorful and the PB frosting is to die for (we have some left over so we may just use it on our sandwiches;).  They were a huge hit that night at his party!!

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup strawberry jelly ----> or really any favorite jelly!!
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Confetti pastel sprinkles, for garnish - I just used gold sugar that I found at Smith's

Directions::
Put an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the sour cream to the butter and sugar mixture and continue to beat until incorporated. Add the eggs and yolk, 1 at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed into the batter. Add in the vanilla and continue to mix. Slowly add the dry ingredients, in increments, and mix until combined.

Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners to fill 3/4 of the way. Put in the oven and bake until the cupcakes are a pale gold color and a cake tester comes out clean, about for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting and filling.

Meanwhile, fit a plain pastry tip to the bottom of a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag and fill with strawberry jelly. Once the cupcakes are cool, insert the tip far into the cupcake and slowly squeeze in about 1 tablespoon or so of jam. Be careful not to overfill the cupcakes or they will crumble and explode. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes. Frost the cupcakes with the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting using a pastry bag and a star tip. Sprinkle lightly with the confetti sprinkles, top with a little bit more jelly and serve.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Beat until well combined, then add the vanilla and peanut butter and beat until well mixed. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and beat until well incorporated.

{Red Velvet CUPCAKES}

I have been obsessed with CUPCAKES lately!  They are so fun to bake, create and EAT!!;)  So I whipped up a YUMMY batch of my infamous RED VELVET CAKE cupcakes for a friend of mine yesterday...

Go HERE for the recipe!!

Another WONDERFUL tool I used this time was a cupcake filler tube that attatched to my piping bag.  I got it along with a cupcake kit off of Amazon but I have read that you can use any narrow round tip to accomplish this.  Happy baking and let me know if you have ANY questions!

ENJOY!!

-:-Roasted Banana Cinnamon Rolls-:-

I made these YUMMY rolls today-mmmm!!

But I am going to post Picky Palate's photo cause mine definitely didn't look as pretty;)

I mixed up the butter so they were pretty buttery and I didn't let my banana's cool enough - that's what happens when you have a grumpy baby wanting your attention while your baking - lol!!

Boy did they sure taste DELICIOUS though --

Roasted Banana Cinnamon Rolls

2 ripe bananas cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 Tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 roll Pillsbury French Bread Loaf
4 Tablespoons softened butter
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 Cup powdered sugar
3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place banana slices and cut up pieces of butter into a small baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes. Next, use a fork to smash roasted bananas until well combined.

2. Unroll Pillsbury French Bread dough into rectangle. Spread with softened butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Place dollops of roasted banana mixture evenly over top. Starting from long end, roll up into log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut 1 inch slices and place onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until just turning golden brown. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.

3. Whisk powdered sugar and heavy cream until combined; drizzle over top of warm rolls.
12 rolls

BBQ FAVORITES

We LOVE the 4th of July - Especially the FOOD!!
Here are some wonderful recipes that grace our tables all summer when we like to have a barbecue --

Spaghetti Salad:

1 pkg spaghetti noodles - cooked, drained and cooled
1-2 chopped tomatoes
sliced olives
chopped pepperoni
fresh grated Parmesan
1-2 diced avocado's
bottle of Caesar or Creamy Italian dressing

Mix all ingredients together and add desired dressing till coated.  Stir lots because everything tends to mingle at the bottom! ;)  You can add other ingredients to this as well...such as chopped green onions, feta cheese or any shredded cheese, ham instead of pepperoni.  ENJOY!!

BBQ Turkey Tenders:
mmm - these are a tried and true FAVORITE at our house!!

2-3 lbs. turkey tenders or chicken breasts
1 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 c. or 1 can lemon lime soda
1 1/2 T. horseradish

Marinate in Ziploc bag - the LONGER the better.  Toss on the grill and cook till done!  These are sooo yummy and mouth watering - ENJOY!!!!

FrUiT PiZzA - 4th of JULY StYle

I LOVE this Fruit Pizza recipe that is posted HERE!!

So for the 4th of July I doubled it into a jelly roll pan and turned it into a festive flag!

I rolled out two pkgs of sugar cookie dough...

Baked it, let it cool...

And frosted it with the YUMMY cheesecake frosting recipe!

(ps - I doubled the frosting but it was WAAAYY too much so no need to do that but it made GREAT dip for apples and bananas!)

Than I added blueberries and strawberrys to make an American Flag!!

This is a WONDERFUL treat for any BBQ this summer!!!!

Funeral Potatoes

I really like Funeral Potatoes so when I found this easy recipe over at Our Family Treat I thought I would give it a try.  BUT I wanted to make it more of a meal, so we added 1 can of Green Beans and a package of diced ham to it.  My family really enjoyed it:)

FUNERAL POTATOES
Makes 1 9x13 pan

Ingredients:
2 pounds cubed hash browns-thawed
1/4 cup onion
2 cans cream of chicken
1 pint sour cream
10 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Then spread out potatoes mixture on the pan. Sprinkle with a little more cheddar and parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes.

--Brownie Sheet Cake--

We had this growing up a lot at my house in the summer.  Especially at picnics because you make it in a jelly roll pan and there is a lot to go around.  I LOVE it because it's rich and yummy but not as fudgey as most brownies are -- don't get me wrong I am a huge ooey-gooey brownie fan but when your craving something sweet and cakey this hits the spot!!  And SHHHH they were really yummy for breakfast this morning;)

Brownie Sheet Cake:

In sauce pan combine --
1 c. water
1 c. butter
3 TBL. cocoa
Bring to boil and take off heat to cool slightly.

In a bowl add:
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. soda
Mix together and add --
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk -- whisked together

Combine together with cocoa mixture and mix till smooth.  Will be rather runny.  Pour into a jelly roll pan and bake at 400* for 20 minutes.

Frosting:

In sauce pan combine --
1/2 c. butter
2 TBL Cocoa
Bring to boil and take off heat.

Add to 1 lb. powdered sugar
Mix in 1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. milk - add gradually till frosting is smooth (add more milk or more powdered sugar if too thin or too thick)

**Frost brownies while still hot so frosting seeps into the cake;)**  ENJOY!!

Chicken Veggie Casserole

Since I post a lot of my recipe's here, don't really use any of my cookbooks I have collected and have a HUGE mess in my cubbard I decided to clean out and toss a lot of books and recipes that were collecting dust.  I find ones and think they sound good so I toss it in a pile to try later but lately I have just wanted quick, easy recipes.  So I have been trying a lot of the easy ones and tossing the ones that I just don't think will be good for my family.  Which has been great because I have come across some old favorites that I have forgotten about and hand written recipes from my Granny that I will cherish.  She was an amazing cook and I like to think I get my love for cooking/baking from her!!♥
Well this was a recipe that I clipped from a magazine that sounded yummy so we gave it a try last night and I think it will be a keeper...
(ps - stay tuned for lots more - I have been going batty waiting for this baby to come so I have been baking/cooking a lot to pass the days;)

Chicken Veggie Casserole:

1 can cream of mushroom soup or 1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
 --whisked together
2 c. cubed cooked chicken
2-3 c. frozen vegetables
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
3-4 c. cooked and drained egg noodles
2 c. shredded cheese ( I sprinkled some in mixture and set rest aside to put on top)

Combine all ingredients in a 9x13 dish and mix together well.  Cover and bake 400* for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Halfway through cooking I uncovered and sprinkled more cheese on top and cooked until cheese was melted:)  Enjoy!!

*Cornbread and Fluffy Honey Butter*

Last night for dinner we had Taco Soup and I finally got around to trying this recipe for Cornbread and Honey Butter.  I think I found it on a friend's blog but I can't remember.  Well I am so thankful for whoever I found it from because we were in Heaven - OMG it's so so yummy!!  I found one awhile back but it was dry and the honey butter didn't turn out so I was disappointed because I LOVE cornbread.  The bread was so moist and the Honey Butter - there are no words to describe how tasty it was.  We are going to pop our leftover scones out of the freezer and smoother them with this butter it's so good!!

Cornbread and Fluffy Honey Butter:

The best Cornbread we have ever tasted, seriously:

½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny - don't be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9X13-inch pan.

Honey Butter:
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Whip all together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperature (can be refrigerated and softened).

Chicken Crescents

I remember having these growing up but never really liked them;)  It's funny how our tastes change as we get older because these are so good and filling.  My kids really liked them and Ellie told me I needed to give the recipe to Grandma so she could make them the next night at her house when they went to spend the night!!  I found this version of the recipe from a friend but my mom's recipe calls for a can of mushrooms (husband doesn't like) and she uses a different sauce but I like this one better!:)  ENJOY!!

Chicken Crescents:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. milk
2 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used the chicken I cook in the crock pot with Italian dressing - mmm)
1/2 small onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2-8 oz. cans crescent dinner rolls
melt butter to brush on top
1 cup crushed seasoned bread crumbs

Blend cream cheese, butter and milk in a medium bowl until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, except rolls and bread crumbs. Mix well. Open crescent rolls and separate into squares instead of triangles. Place 1/4 cup of meat mixture and seal any opening. Dip in melted butter, then dip tn crushed bread crumbs. Place on cookies sheet crumbs on top. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Sauce: Mix and heat 1 can cream of chicken to 1/2 can milk.

Easy "Pleasey" Taco Salad

Ok I know everyone has  probably had or made Taco Salad but I am going to post my recipe since it's become our favorite.  I used to have it at my SIL Jodie's a lot in the summer and just never really made it till now.  And my family LOVES it...we have made it every week for the past month.  It's so YUMMY!!

Taco Salad:

1-2lbs. browned hamburger seasoned with a little taco seasoning
chopped head of lettuce or 1-2 bags of favorite salad
Cheese flavored Doritos
2-3 cups Shredded Cheese
1 can Black Beans - rinsed and drained
1 can Corn  - drained (optional)
Favorite Salad Dressing -- we LOVE Ranch or Thousand Island
Other Toppings:
Salsa
Olives
Tomatoes

You can mix all of it together and pour desired amount of dressing over top and toss.  But since it makes a lot and the chips go soggy the next day if we have leftovers I just mix hamburger, cheese, black beans and corn in the pan after browning my hamburger.  Than we crush desired amount of Doritos into a seperate bowl, add lettuce, meat mixture and drizzle with dressing & top with a lid and shake!!  We do it in a small bowl for individual servings...this way each person can add what and how much they like.  The kids really have fun with this part and they get to eat what they want on it:)  You could add chicken instead of beef if you prefer.
ENJOY!!

=TaCo BaKe=

Years ago I was in a Freezer Meal Food Group...I LOVED it!!  We would spend ALL day one Saturday a month cooking, preparing and wrapping 12 meals that we would stock our freezer with.  I really miss it:(  But I still enjoy fixing all the recipes that we made, because they are so easy.  This is one I haven't had or made since than and I really regret not making it more often.  It is so so YUMMY!!  Last night my son devoured his and my daughter said she wanted to eat the whole pan...so it's definitely a good one for kids:)

Taco Bake:

1-2 lbs. ground beef
1 sm. onion or 1-2 Tbl. dried onion
1-2 tsp. taco seasoning
1 can tomato soup
1 c. grated cheese
1 pkg. flour tortillas, cut into bite size pieces (I use my pizza cutter)
1 c. salsa
1/2 c. sour cream or milk

Cook hamburger, onion and taco seasoning.  Then add soup, salsa, sour cream or milk and half of the cheese.  Pour into pan, add cut up tortilla's and mix well.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese (I add lots more than 1/2 c. because we LOVE cheese).  Bake at 400* for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Tip:  Make in disposable pan, cover with tin foil and freeze.  Thaw and bake as instructed when ready to eat!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie's With a TWIST!!

I have come across some A-M-A-Z-I-N-G chocolate chip cookie ideas lately and have been saving them in my drafts.  But since we are getting real close to having this baby I am running out of time to try out the recipes for myself.  So I will just post them for all of you to enjoy!!  I found the first two recipes over at The Idea Room's blog (LOVE her blog) and the last one was posted on Be Different Act Normal's blog a few weeks ago. 
Have FUN & ENJOY!!

Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Bowls--

Ingredients
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions
To make the cookie cups, beat together the shortening, butter, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, baking powder, and flour, then gradually stir them into the batter. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flat disk, and wrap it in plastic. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 375º. Turn two 12-cup muffin tins bottom side up and cover 10 of the cup bottoms with squares of aluminum foil (use every other cup so there's some space between them). Grease the foil with shortening and set it aside.

Unwrap 1 disk of dough, place it between 2 sheets of waxed paper, and roll it out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 4-inch circles of dough and place each one over a cup bottom, smoothing out any cracks. Repeat with the other disk, rerolling and reusing any scraps.

Bake the cookie cups for 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cookies together from the muffin pan. Peel off the foil and let the cups cool completely on a rack. Just before serving, fill each cookie cup with a scoop of ice cream. Makes 10.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes --

Yield: 24 cupcakes.  **Recipe courtesy of  Annie's Eats**
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the filling:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:
Tiny chocolate chip cookies
Mini chocolate chips

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with mini chocolate chip cookies for decoration.

Chocolate Chip Cookie S'mores --

Ingredients:
Canola oil
3 bananas
10 store-bought chocolate chip cookies (the larger the better)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup small marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Brush grill with canola oil.
Cut the bananas in half, lengthwise and grill, skin side down just until warm. Remove warmed banana from the skin and cut again in half.

For assembly:
On a piece of aluminum foil, place 1 cookie. Top evenly with banana slices, marshmallows, chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs and top with another cookie. Wrap foil around the sandwich and place on the grill until warmed through and melted.
**Recipe and Photo courtesy of Food Network**

{Chocolate Chip Carmel Bars}

I found this recipe over at Our Family Treat last week and made them last night for dessert.  Very easy and very good:)  My family gobbled up it's ooey gooeyness in seconds!!

Chocolate Chip Carmel Bars --

Ingredients:
1 box of yellow cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup mini milk chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup Skor toffee chips

32 caramels
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cube butter

Mix together the cake mix, vegetable oil and eggs. Then mix in different chips. In a greased 9x13 pan, press half of the mixture. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. While that is in the oven, melt in a sauce pan the caramels, sweetened condensed milk and butter. When crust is done, pour sauce over the crust. Then sprinkle in chunks the rest of the mixture. Bake for another 22-25 minutes. Let cool before serving.

○Tator Tot Casserole x2○

My family loves Tator Tot Casserole but my husband is not a fan of mushrooms so I don't make it very often.  Which is funny because he LOVES this and he's willing to pick out the mushrooms while eating it...funny huh:)  So here is my version of a popular recipe and my friend Sara sent me another way her family enjoys it that I can't wait to try...

TATOR TOT CASSEROLE:
Brown 1-2lbs. ground beef with chopped small onion**
Place in 9x13 baking dish.
Pour 2 cans cream of mushroom soup** with 1/2 c. milk over top and mix well.
Arrange 1 pkg. Tator Tots over top of mixture.
Sprinkle 1 pkg cheese over top.
Cover and bake 350* for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.  Enjoy!!

**My tips --
We found Kroger brand tator rounds that have a strong onion flavor so we omit the onion and use those.
Since my husband doesn't like mushrooms I substitute one can of mushroom with one can cream of chicken (still tastes good).
I also uncover mine after 30 minutes and continue baking to give the tator tots a more crunchy flavor that my family enjoys.
This can be made in a disposable pan, covered well and frozen.  Just thaw and cook as instructed.

TATOR TOT CASSEROLE #2:
Brown in a large pan -
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped

Then add -
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups canned milk
2 pound package tater-tots

Mix lightly. Simmer 25-30 min.
Serve over rice.

--BBQ Chicken--

I have had this recipe in my drafts for over a month and finally got around to trying it...
Oh I wish I had sooner! It is DELICIOUS!! My mouth is watering for more as I type;) We all played out in the sunshine while it cooked last night and I could smell it's goodness drifting out the kitchen window. My son said it looked gross and made his eyes water...from all the soy sauce...but he gobbled it up and than some after his first bite!!
I have tons of other recipes waiting to be tried and posted but for now give this simple yummy chicken a try --

EASY BBQ CHICKEN

1 C. ketchup
1/2 C. vinegar
1 C. sugar
6 TBL soy suace
1 TBL mustard
1 TBL cornstarch (possibly more)

Brown the chicken. Combine ingredients and pour over the chicken in covered baking dish. Bake @300 for about 1 1/2 hours. Then enjoy! I would just use about three chicken breasts for the recipe above, but I like a lot of sauce.
--Sorry can't remember where I found it:(