My Last Post of 2011!

Wow! I can hardly believe that the year 2011 is coming to a close! Where did the year go? It seems like I blinked and Christmas was here, blinked again and New Year's Eve. I've been blessed in 2011 and am so thankful that the Lord has put so many wonderful people in my life, and given me a wonderful family! 2011 holds a lot of memories for me, but I so look forward to making more memories in 2012!

Tonight I get to celebrate with BOTH family and friends! I'm excited! I will be going over to my brother and sister-in-law's for a little while, as they're having an Open House style night at their house. I'm making a dessert to bring there, and am so happy to be able to help out! Then...I will be going to downtown GR with my "Step-Momma", her boyfriend and their neighbors from across the street. I did this last year as well, and it was a lot of fun! What are your plans for New Year's Eve? Whatever they may be I wish you all a VERY Happy New Year!!!!

This recipe is thanks to my friend S. DB.! She used to make this all the time and it's so good? How can you go wrong with CHOCOLATE?

CHOCOLATE LUSH

INGREDIENTS:
1 Stick Butter; melted
1/4 C. Sugar
1 C. Flour
1/2 C. Chopped Nuts

Mix all the above together and press into the bottom of a 9-inch square pan (I doubled the recipe to make a 9x13).

Here's my crust! YUM

MORE INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. Cream Cheese; softened

1/2 of a Large Container of Cool Whip

1 C. Powdered Sugar

2 (3 oz.) Boxes Instant Chocolate Pudding

Blend and spread on cooled crust. Prepare the Pudding and spread over Cream Cheese layer. Top with remaining Cool Whip.

 The Pudding

The Oh So Yummy Cream Cheese Layer!

***NOTE*** Again, I doubled the recipe to fit in a larger pan!

This dessert really does not dissapoint and is sure to be a hit wherever you may serve it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!





One of My Favorites!!!

My Aunt B. makes this each year at Christmastime for our extended family party. Each year I remember how much I LOVE this Salad and wonder why I've never made it?!?! I wanted to share this recipe with all of you so that maybe some of you will make it and love it as much as I do!

PINEAPPLE PRETZEL SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C. Butter; melted
1/2 C. Sugar
1 C. Roughly Chopped Pretzel Rod; not too big

Combine above ingredients and bake at 400 for 7-9 minutes on a cookie sheet. Loosen from pan immediately. Cool completely.

1/2 C. Sugar
8 oz. Cream Cheese; softened
12 oz. Cool Whip
20 oz. Can Crushed Pineapple; drained

Blend the Sugar and Cream Cheese. Stir in the Cool Whip and Crushed Pineapple. Store in the refrigerator. Add the Pretzels just before serving.

It's one of those Sweet/Salty combinations that's just oh SO good!

A Yummy New Treat!

I was looking for new recipes to try the other day and I came across the website: "Just a Pinch Recipe Club" and found some great ones that I'm really looking forward to trying in the next few weeks! I made of them today, and it has turned out pretty well. The house sure smells cinammony! :)

STRAWBERRY BREAD

INGREDIENTS:
3 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Salt
2 (10 oz.) Packages Frozen Sliced Strawberries
1 C. Vegetable Oil
4 Egg; beaten well

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and Flour 2 (8x4) loaf pans (I used my stoneware mini-loaf pan). Combine all Dry Ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. In a separate bowl combine all liquid ingredients and mix well. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour all liquid ingredients into it. Mix by hand. Pour batter into pans and bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan; then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely.

***NOTE*** After I had already put these in the oven I had an afterthought that it would be GREAT to put in some Mini-Chocolate Chips as well. It would make it like a Chocolate Covered Straweberry! Too bad I thought of it too late...BUT there's always next time! :)

A Super Easy Treat!

I hope that everyone had a very Blessed Christmas! I know that I did! We had a wonderful trip to Illinois to celebrate with extended family, and the Bos Family Christmas Party today was a lot of fun!

I wanted to post this recipe, per the request of a relative!!! ;)

EASY PEPPERMINT BARK

INGREDIENTS:
24 Candy Canes; crushed into pieces
2 Lbs. White Candy Coating/Bark
1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract

Melt the Candy Coating in a double boiler; stirring until smooth. Stir in the Extract and Candy Cane Pieces. Pour into a Wax Paper covered Jelly-roll pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Take out and break into pieces.

This was a huge hit at the party, and I KNOW that I will be making it again!

Here's a little preview of what Christmas was like this year!

Cookies, cookies and more cookies!

 The kids playing with cousin J.

 Bos Family Christmas Party



A fun family game! Had to draw a Floor, a Christmas Tree, A Mantel with Stocking, Star and ornaments on the tree! All with the plate on your head and not looking! What a riot! 

Can't Believe a Year's Gone By!

Wow! How time flies by! I can hardly believe that another year is almost over. Where did the time go?

I want to thank all of you that stop by and utilize my blog! I love the land of blogging, and plan to continue with this one. I wanted to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas! I hope that you are surrounded by friends and family, laughter and love this Season. I am blessed that I have a wonderful family to celebrate the birth of our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ with, and am looking forward to seeing more family tomorrow and having a Christmas party on Monday with extended family!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

A Delicious Bread!

I made this bread tonight as part of the Goody Plates for Christmas! My house smelled delicious! This recipe makes 2 large (9x5) loaves, but I used a Pampered Chef Mini-Loaf Stoneware pan...it has 4 wells and made 4 perfect little loaves! The perfect size for gift giving. I needed to double up the recipe...but I made it in 2 separate batches. They turned out wonderfully, and I even have 1 left over to share with my family next weekend when we do our family Christmas on Friday! YAY! :)

PUMPKIN-CRANBERRY BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 C Flour

1 Tbs + 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp Salt

3 C. Sugar

1 (15 oz) Can Solid Pack Pumpkin

4 Eggs

1 C. Oil

1/2 C. Orange Juice (or Cranberry Juice or Water WHATEVER YOU PREFER) (I used OJ)

2 C. Fresh, Frozen, or Dried Sweetened Cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour two 9x5" loaf pans. (Or you can use parchment paper instead of grease) OR you can use Mini-Loaf Pans

Combine Flour, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Baking Soda &  Salt in large bowl.

Combine Sugar, Pumpkin, Eggs, Oil & Juice in large mixer bowl, beat until just blended.

Add Pumpkin mixture to Flour mixture; stir until just moistened. Fold in Cranberries, then spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 60 to 75 minutes (depending on your oven) or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pans to wire rack to cool completely. (If using Stoneware Pans you can remove immediately, or the loaves will continue baking)

 

I cannot wait to share these yummy goodies!

A Yummy Supper Tonight!

I haven't posted a Supper recipe in a while. I work all day on Friday's and totally forgot to put my chicken in the crock-pot this morning. :( DUH!!!! But, I was stoked to find out that I could quickly make the meal I made tonight, like 3 hours quick!!!! SAVE!!!!!

It turned out quite tasty. It was supposed to be crock-pot BBQ Chicken...but I used a Sweet Baby Ray's Marinade instead and I think that it turned out so much better. The chicken was so moist. I paired this with canned peaches from my brother and sister-in-law (Thanks M & S!) and Redskin Ranch Mashed Potatoes.

CROCK-POT CHICKEN MY WAY

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 Large Chicken Breasts
1 Bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Teriyaki Marinade

Place Chicken in the bottom of Crock-Pot, cover with Marinade. Cover and cook on Low heat for 8 hours or High heat for 3 hours.

Baking The Days Away!!!!

Wow!!! I can hardly believe that it's the middle of December already? Where did the year go? Lucky for us here in Mid-Michigan we don't have any of that nasty little 4-letter S word on the ground right now. But that could change at the drop of a hat. It has been raining here a lot lately, and I DON'T care for that at all! I heard someone in the grocery store the other day say, "If it's going to be this cold outside it might as well just snow!" My feelings on that are not the same...I can stand the cold and do without the white stuff!!!!

In preparation for Christmas, baking has been the undertaking in my kitchen! Every year I LOVE to try new things and give the gift of goodies to friends and neighbors. This year is not any different! I just have a few more people to add to the list. The bro is happy that he has a sister that loves to cook and bake, so that he can share the wealth with his bosses at work. :) And I'm lucky that I work at a place where both my bosses have HUGE sweet toothes and will love this gift! So, I will be sharing a few posts of recipes with you!

The first is one of my favorites!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH TRUFFLES

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C. Butter, softened

3/4 C firmly packed Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 C. Flour

1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips (I use more...like 1/2 a bag!)

1 1/2 Lbs. Chocolate Bark Candy Coating, melted

In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and add milk. Add chocolate morsels and pecans, mixing well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper; chill 2 hours.

***Note:*** Since the dough is sticky, roll your fingers into flour. This will make it easier to roll.

Melt chocolate bark candy coating in a double boiler. Using 2 forks, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Place on waxed paper and chill to set. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

These freeze very nicely as well! It's a good thing they do, otherwise I couldn't promise that any would end up on the goodie plates or making the trip with my family to Illinois to my extended family! Give them a try, you won't be sorry!

What An Awesome Night For Soup!

It has gotten very cold here lately, in fact, they are predicting that we will get our first snowfall of the season tonight to the tune of 6-8 inches! WOW!!! So, what goes better with the cold than soup?!? I hunted for a recipe today and found one that I wanted to try. And I must say that it turned out wonderfully, and the brother even said that if I have to bring someone a meal this winter that I should make this! Guess that's his vote of greatness! ;)

POTATO AND HAM SOUP

5 C. Potatoes, diced
1 C. Onion, diced
3/4 C. Celery, diced
3/4 C. Carrot, diced
2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 1/2 C. Diced Ham
2 (10.75 oz.) Cans Condensed Cream of Celery Soup
1 C. Heavy Cream


Place the Potatoes, Onion, Celery, Carrots, Salt and Pepper in Stock-pot; add water until all vegetables are covered. Bring to a boil; cook until all veggies are tender. Add the Ham, Cream of Celery Soup, and Heavy Cream; return to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve.

It really and truly was this simple, and it was oh so good! Give it a try.

Another GREAT Pumpkin Recipe!

I hope that you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for this year...my Faith, Family and Friends top the list!!!!!

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. My parents came into town and we went to my Dad's brother's house. My Aunt R. made a wonderful meal, and I brought along a side dish and 2 desserts, as requested. I decided that I didn't want to make a traditional Pumpkin Pie, so I used the recipe that I'm posting today. It recieved RAVE reviews from my family....So, I guess I would call it a success! :)

Pumpkin Pie Ala Easy

1 1/4 c. Flour
4 eggs
3/4 c. Oatmeal
2 cans 15 oz. Solid pack pumpkin
½ c. Brown sugar
2 cans 14 0z. Sweetened Cond. Milk
½ C. Pecans, chopped
2 tsp. Gr. Cinnamon
2/3 c. Butter or marg.
1 tsp. Ginger
 ½ tsp. Nutmeg
 1 tsp. Salt
Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350. In Bowl combine flour, Oats, and brown sugar. Chop pecans, add to Bowl. Melt butter in microwave. Add to dry ingredients; mix well. Press mixture onto bottom of Jelly-Roll Pan, using Mix and Scraper Bake 15 min. Cool on Non-stick cooling rack. Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs in Bowl using Whisk. Add pumpkin, sweet cond. Milk, spices and salt; whisk until smooth. Pour over crust. Bake 30-35 min. Or until filling is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool at room temp. Cut into squares and serve with Cool Whip.

These were so easy to make. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Why go to Yesterdog...when you can make your own?!?

Since I've been using my crock-pot alot lately...you can only imagine that this recipe is going to incorporate it as well. This recipe is so EASY-PEASY that you will hardly believe that you made it yourself. I received 2 thumbs up from the bro for this...and I think that in the future I will bring this to get togethers with my friends on Sunday nights. We get together almost every Sunday night after church, and everyone brings something...in the spring/summer/early fall we always have a bonfire and roast hotdogs, hobo pies, and marshmallows...but in the winter, it's a different story. I think that this recipe will be a great addition to our meals!!!!

CHILI CHEESE DOGS


INGREDIENTS:
8 to 16 Hotdogs
1 (16 oz.) can Chili Meat (NO beans)
1 Can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 (15 oz.) Can Black Beans; drained and rinsed
1 (4 oz.) can Diced Green Chilis, drained
1 Small Onion, diced (mix in or use as topper)


Place Hotdogs in Crock-pot. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over Hotdogs. Cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours, or until hot. Place Hotdogs in buns, top with mixture and any other toppings you desire.

See, I told you that this was a no-brainer! Now, if only this headache that I have would go away......

An Easy Sunday Lunch...Mexican Style!

All of the credit for today's lunch recipe goes to my very good friend P.! She facebooked me this recipe about a week ago, and I've been waiting for the perfect time to make it. Well, that day, is today!!! :) It was so easy to put together, and is in the oven making the house smell great right now!

**NOTE** When she sent me the recipe, there were no EXACT measurements, so I guessed and made up my own!

CHICKEN TACO RING

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tubes Crescent Rolls
1 C. Crushed Tortilla Chips
2 small cans Chicken
1 (8 oz.) Bag Mexican Cheese
1 Can Rotel Tomatoes with Chilis
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix
1 C. Sour Cream
Salsa for Garnish
Sour Cream for Garnish

Preheat the oven to 350. Arrange the Crescent Rolls on a Pizza Pan with the fatter ends overlapping in the middle. In a large bowl, mix the Chicken, Tortilla Chips, Cheese, Rotel Tomatoes, Taco Seasoning and Sour Cream. Place mixture in center or ring, on the overlapping ends. Fold the Triangles up to the center and tuck under fatter ends...(there will still be filling showing). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

This smells fantastic and was so simple to make!

Hooray for Pumpkin!

I am a Kingdom Seeker's Leader at our church, and this year I have the pleasure of having the 5th Grade Girls. It's been wonderful so far, and I'm really enjoying all of the girls that I have in my group! Tomorrow night we are having a Soup Supper Fundraiser and I will be cooking soup all day for that. I also needed to make a dessert to bring, and with it being Fall and the fact that I LOVE all things Pumpkin I decided to find a recipe that uses Pumpkin!

I came across this recipe on Paula Deen's site and decided that it sounded so yummy, and thus, I was going to make it! They are in the oven baking now, and I can't wait to see how they turn out.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 oz.) pkg. Pound Cake Mix
3 Large Eggs
2 Tbsp. Butter; melted
4 tsps. Pumpkin Pie Spice; divided
1 (8 oz.) Cream Cheese; softened
1 (14 oz.) Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 (15 oz.) Can Pumpkin (about 2 Cups)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 C. Chopped Nuts

Heat oven to 350. Combine Cake Mix, 1 Egg, Butter and 2 tsps. Pumpkin Pie Spice in large bowl until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 15 x 10 jellyroll pan. Beat Cream Cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in Condensed Milk; beat in remaining 2 Eggs, Pumpkin, remaining 2 tsps. Pumpkin Pie Spice and Salt; mix well. Pour over the crust; sprinkle with the Nuts. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool. Chill. Cut into bars.

Here they are:

I'm hoping that these are as fantastic as they sound!

A New Kind of Chicken

The other night I was looking for a new recipe for chicken. As you know, if you've been following my blog, that we eat a lot of chicken in this house. I'm not exactly sure why, but I just know that we do. Although, since I've started using my Crock-Pot, I will say that we have branched out a bit. The chicken recipe that I found was no exception to the use of the Crock-Pot! I have really enjoyed using it lately, and have to wonder why I never did before...it has really become quite the staple in my kitchen.

This recipe was delicious, and it go the seal of approval from the bro! That's always a big plus. He was excited about it because it contained bacon...one of his favorites. I must say that it did turn out quite tasty, but the next time I will make a few tweaks to it as it was a bit salty.

Without further ado, here's the recipe:

BACON-RANCH CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp. Real Bacon Bits (I used about 4 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. Garlic; minced
1 Pkg. Dry Ranch Dressing Mix (I would use about 1/2 of this to cut down on the saltiness)
1 (10.75 oz.) Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 C. Sour Cream
egg noodles

Place Chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. Combine Bacon, Garlic, Ranch Dressing mix, Soup, and Sour cream; mix well. Pour over chicken in the crock pot. Cook on high 3-4 hours. Shred the chicken in the crock pot. Cook the Egg Noodles until el dente and then put in the crock pot and mix well just before serving.

I will make this again in the future. I'm now on the hunt for many more yummy crock pot meals! Loving the easy cooking!!!

Yesterday's Supper

In case you haven't been following along lately, I've been using my Crock-Pot a WHOLE lot in the past few weeks. Last night was no exception, in fact I plan to use it for tomorrow nights supper as well! I will post that recipe after I've made it! Last nights supper was a whopping success...the bro was SO happy to have Beef Stroganoff for supper...it brought him back to his college days when one of his roomates would make it on his night to cook. Of course, his sister's was MUCH better! ;)

SLOW-COOKER BEEF STROGANOFF

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 Lbs. Beef Stew Meat
1 C. Onion, chopped
1Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Can Cream of Onion Soup
1-2 small cans sliced mushrooms, drained (I used 1 large can, and 1 small can)
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese (ok to use light)
1 Container (8 oz.) Sour Cream (light ok to use)
1 Pkg. No Yokes Egg Noodles; cooked el dente

In crock-pot, put Beef on bottom, then mix together Onion, Soups, Mushrooms and Pepper and pour over top of Beef. Cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until beef is very tender. Stir Cream Cheese into beef mixture until melted. Stir Sour Cream into beef mixture. Serve over Egg Noodles.

It is super yummy and not too terribly creamy and drippy. Just the right amount of proportions I think. Give it a try!

Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone! I hope that you are having a great day! I know that I'm looking forward to heading over to my Brother and Sister-in-law's house in a few hours to pass out candy while their kiddo's go trick-or-treating! This will be my nephew O's first Halloween, and I can't wait to see him in his costume...alright, I can't wait to see the girls in theirs either! What can I say, I'm a proud Auntie! :)

But, before the little bro and I head over there the matter of supper for tonight needs to be addressed. We are having Pork Chops in the crockpot for supper! Yes, it's another Crockpot Girls recipe! It is so easy to make, and so yummy. I am pairing it with Redskin-Ranch mashed potatoes. YUM

EASY CROCK-POT PORK CHOPS

INGREDIENTS:
4 Bone-in Pork Chops
1 pkg. Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 pkg. Dry Pork Gravy Mix
1 1/2 C. Chicken Broth

Place the Chops in the bottom of the Crock-pot. Mix the next 4 ingredients together and pour over top of the chops. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.

See, I told you that it was simple! Give them a try!

What A Great Supper!

I've been using my Crock-Pot alot lately...in case you couldn't figure that out! ;) I'm really enjoying that...it allows me to not have to worry about what's for supper on busy days or days that I'm at work because I've done all of the prep work before I walk out the door. Today, was no exception. Although I didn't have to work today, I did have a Dentist Appointment and errands to run, and I'm hosting a Premier Designs Jewelry Party tonight, so I needed something easy.

A friend of mine asked me to send this recipe to his girlfriend the other night, as I was doing so I thought, "Hmm, I really should make this too!" This one is NOT a CrockPot Girls recipe either! Maybe I should share it with them?!?

BRATWURST, SAUERKRAUT & APPLES

INGREDIENTS:
 8 bratwurst links
1 16-oz. package sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch dice (I've also used Honeycrisp Apples)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
 4 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (I use a little more)
1/2 cup mustard
8 hot dog buns (Don't need the buns if you don't want them)

Preparation
1. Place bratwurst links in slow cooker and top with sauerkraut, apples and onion. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover and cook on lowv3 to 4 hours.
2. Spread 1 Tbsp. mustard on each hot dog bun. Spoon some sauerkraut mixture on buns, top each with a sausage and serve.

It is so yummy and has such a wonderful mesh of flavors! Even better, it's not that expensive to make...probably about $8.00 for the whole Crock-Pot full! Give it a try, and I would LOVE to hear what you think!

Another Crock-Pot Meal

Last night I needed to have something quick and easy for supper. I researched Crock-Pot recipes on the Crockpot Girls website (where else?) and found one that sounded great. So, yesterday morning before I left for work I threw it all in and walked out the door.

CHEESY CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
1 1/2 (10.75 oz.) Cans Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 1/2 (10.75 oz) Cans Cream of Celery Soup

Place all ingredients in the Crock-Pot and cook on LOW for 6 hours.

The chicken will literally just fall apart when it's done! I served ours over White Rice and it was delicious!

Oatmeal in the Crock-pot?

Did she say "Oatmeal in the Crock-Pot?" Why yes, yes I did!!! My Aunt T. made this for breakfast on Tuesday morning, and I'm here to tell you that it was WONDERFUL!!!! I will definitely be making this myself.

OVERNIGHT CROCKPOT OATMEAL

INGREDIENTS:
1 C. Steel Cut or Regular Oats (NOT Quick Oats)
4 C. Water
1/2 C. Milk
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 C. Raisins
1-2 Chopped Fresh Apples

Combine all ingredients in the Crock-pot and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with Milk & Cinnamon Sugar.

See, I told you that it was easy!!!! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

A New Way To Make A Pumpkin Dessert!

I have fallen in love with the Crockpot Girls! Have you checked out their site yet? If not, you should!!! It's www.crockpotgirls.com, seriously check them out! Who knew that you could use your crockpot for so many things? Not this girl!

Anyway, I'm making this dessert in the crockpot for my party tonight as well! YAY!

PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING

INGREDIENTS:
1 Loaf Brioche, or other firm bread; cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
1/2 C. Golden Raisins
3 Eggs
1 1/2 C. Milk
1 C. Canned Solid-Pack Pumpkin
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Cloves

Coat the inside of a "regular" crockpot (4-5 quart) with Butter, Margarine or Shortening. Put the Bread Cubes and Raisins in the cooker. In another bowl, combine Eggs, Milk, Pumpkin, Brown Sugar, Vanilla and Spices. Pour over the top of the Bread and Raisins, gently tossing to combine. Press down on the bread so it soaks up the Pumpkin Mixture. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Pudding is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with Whipped Topping. Doubles nicely for a large crockpot.

Doesn't that sound yummo to you Pumpkin fans out there? It sure does to me...I will be sure to report back later on how well it works!

Wow, It's Been A Long Week Already!

I've been meaning to post a few new recipes, but just haven't found the time to do so until today. I also need to catch you all up on the happenings in my life....Last week I started a part-time job!!!! I'm SO happy about this, I can't even tell you....It's very flexible and I only work 3 days a week. This has worked out well since I've also started selling Norwex on the side. LOVING these products as well! YAY!!!

I'm having a party tonight and at my party I'm going to be serving this Coffee Cake, as well as another yummy recipe that I will also post today! My Gramma was talking about how my sister-in-law had made this the last time that she was in town to visit and how good it was, so I decided to give it a try. Let me tell you, it's super-duper easy!

ALMOND COFFEE CAKE

1/2 lb. Almond Paste; grated
1 C. Sugar
Yellow Cake Mix
1 C. Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. Milk

Grate the Almond Paste and mix with the Sugar. Make the Cake Mix according to box directions. Put 1/2 the Cake Mix in a greased 9x13 pan, top with 1/2 the Almond Paste mixture. Repeat the layers. Bake according to the directions on the Cake Mix Box. Make a glaze of the Powdered Sugar and the Milk. Drizzle over warm cake.

All I can say is that this cake smelled Fantastic while it was baking!!!!

I Think That Supper Tonight Will be AWESOME

I'm not sure how many of you are on Facebook...but if you are, and you struggle to come up with things to make for supper at your house...I HIGHLY recommend checking out the Facebook page of the Crockpot Girls! I recently discovered them and have learned a lot of new things to do in my crockpot! You can even make a fruit crisp in that thing...amazing, I know! :) Anyway, while I was perusing their site I found the recipe that I'm making for supper tonight...they were going to do a web video of it yesterday. I wasn't able to watch because I had just started my new job....but that's a whole other story.

My house is starting to smell delicious and my mouth is watering as I type this. I can't wait to try it tonight. I just hope that it's done before I have to leave for a Bridal Shower tonight. If not, I guess I'll try it when I get home.

CROCK-POT CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

INGREDIENTS:
4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 (10.75 oz.) Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 (10.75 oz.) Can Cream of Celery Soup
2 C. Chicken Broth
1 Onion, finely diced
1 C. Celery, diced
1 C. Carrots, diced
1 Chicken Boullion Cube or equivalent Seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste

**As for the Dumplings...You can make your own dumlings or use a pacakge of refrigerated Pillsbury Biscuit Dough, torn into pieces.

EXCLUDING the biscuits, put all ingredients in the crock-pot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours. About an hour (give or take) before serving, remove chicken and pull into pieces and return to the soup mixture, place the torn biscuit dough in and cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

I can't wait until mine is done. I hope that you will give this simple, EASY recipe a try!

A Great Pizza

A few months ago we ordered a pizza from our local favorite pizza spot. This time we went with something different, a Chicken Fajita Pizza. And I must say that it was pretty good. I also told the brother that I was sure that I could repliate it at home, although it wouldn't be near as tasty. Well, tonight we decided to give it a try. I must say that even though it didn't taste exactly the same, it was still very good! Oh, and not to mention....EASY!

CHICKEN FAJITA PIZZA

INGREDIENTS:
1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust
1 Green Pepper; chopped
1 C. Fajita Chicken Strip; cut up
2 Small Tomatoes; chopped
1 C. Ranch Dressing
1/2 C. Red Onion; chopped
1 1/2 C. Shredded Cheese (your choice)

Unroll the pizza dough on a cookie sheet. Spread with Ranch Dressing. Top with Green Pepper, Chicken, Tomato and Onion. Top with Shredded Cheese. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes; or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Here's a piece of what mine was like:

Give it a try!!!!

The Absolute BEST Meatloaf....EVER!

We love meatloaf over here! But, ever since we lived in NW Iowa and had Meatloaf made "their" way, we've found nothing that compares! UNTIL....I was turned on to Bob's Butcher Block!!! Here I am able to get almost any kind of FRESH meat under the sun! This makes me happy! I've not been able to find a Meat Market like Woudstra's Meat Market in Iowa yet...that is until I went to Bob's Butcher Block. Here they will grind Ham for me for this meatloaf! YAY!!!

This is truly one of the best meatloaf's I have ever had. If you give it a try, I know that you will think the same thing! The key is to get the Ham and Ground Beef, ground together.

HAM TOMATO LOAF

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Lb. Ground Ham
5 oz. Tomato Soup
1/3 C. Milk
1 Egg
3/4 C. Bread Crumbs
1/2 C. Onion; finely chopped

SAUCE:
5 oz. Tomato Soup
1/4 C. Vinegar
1/2 C. Brown Sugar

Mix the first 7 ingredients together. Pack into a 9x5x3 loaf pan. Mix Soup with Brown Sugar and Vinegar. Spread over the top of mixture in the pan. Bake UNCOVERED at 350 for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

YUM!

Fall Has Arrived...

And with the arrival of Fall, comes the arrival of all things Pumpkin and Caramel Apple related! Oh, how I love both of these things!

My Momma made this dip for the Norwex Party she was doing for me last week! It is the PERFECT Fall Dip to make. Not to mention, that it's so easy to make as well!

PUMPKIN DIP

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Can Libby's Pumpkin Pie Filling
1 (4 oz.) Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip; thawed

Mix all of the above ingredients together and chill for several hours before serving. Serve with Vanilla Wafers or Cinnamon Graham Cracker Sticks. This is also a GREAT dip to go with Apples, especially Honeycrips!

I hope that you will give this a try and love it as much as I do!

Breakfast Sounds Good For Supper

It's been a busy week in my kitchen! I made a lot of really great things for supper, and now they will be enjoyed as leftovers. This is a really good thing since I will be out of town from Monday through Wednesday or so at my parents house! My Mom is throwing a Norwex Party for me, so part of my busyness was baking the cups for Carrot Cake Cups this afternoon! They will receive the finishing touches on Tuesday before her show! YUM So, while I will be partying, :) at least the bro will be eating well here at home.

I decided that today with the rain and overcast skies that we have, that it would be a good night to have Breakfast for Supper! I always loved nights like this when I was growing up. Someday...when I grow up...Oh, I mean...when I get married and have kids I will make them Breakfast for Supper as well!

This recipe looked so good to me, that I decided we were having it for supper tonight. It comes out of the cookbook that my Mom made, and I have NEVER made it before tonight. It was quick and easy to put together, and since we are going to be going over to our friends S. and E.'s house for a Game Night tonight, fast and easy was just what I needed!

BREAKFAST PIZZA

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Pork Sausage; browned and drained
1 tube Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
1 C. Hash Browns; thawed
1 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
5 Eggs
Salt and Pepper to Taste
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese

Line a 9x13 panwith unrolled Crescent Rolls. Spoon the Sausage and Potatoes over the top. Sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese. Beat the Eggs with Salt and Pepper; pour over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Here's how mine turned out:

It Was a Soup Kind of Week!

This week with the return of Fall I decided it was a good week to make soup for supper! I LOVE Fall, but I really feel like this season is moving so fast. The leaves on the trees in my neighborhood are already beginning to change colors and the temperature on some days is cooler than normal. I just want to say, Dear Autumn,

You are not supposed to visit until sometime in Mid-November. Please kindly leave and visit again at your normal date!

Very Sincerely,
Me

Oh well, it is much nicer working in the kitchen when it's not so HOT outside! I would think that many of you like Tacos, well this soup is a cool twist on an old favorite!

TACO SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

1 Qt. Tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) Can Chili Beans
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Can Corn; undrained
1 (8 oz.) Can Tomato Sauce
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning
1/4 C. Onion; chopped
Tortilla Chips
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream

Brown the Ground Beef; drain grease. Place in Crock-pot and add Beans, Taco Seasoning, Sauce, Onion, Tomatoes and Corn; stir together. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Serve over Tortilla Chips. Top with Cheese and Sour Cream.

This is a favorite around here, and I haven't made it in a long time. It was delicious! I hope that you'll give it a try as well.

A Chicken Wreath

I made this recipe for lunch yesterday. I was not a HUGE fan of it, but my family liked it and I guess that's all that is really important. So, I will share it with you and let you decide what you think of it. If you do try it, please let me know what you think.

CHICKEN WREATH

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 C. Red Bell Pepper; chopped
1/2 Broccoli; chopped
1/4 C. Canned Water Chestnuts; drained and chopped
2 Tbsp. Onion; chopped
1 can (5 oz.) Chunk White Chicken; drained and flaked
1 C. Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
2/3 C. Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
2 pkgs. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Preheat the oven to 350. Place Crescent Rolls triangles on Cookie Sheet with wide ends of triangles overlapping in the center and points towards the outside. Mix all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl. With a large scoop; place dollops of filling on the wide ends of triangles, all the way around. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. (Filling will not be completely covered.) Bake 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Let me know what you think of this if you give it a try.

A Macaroni Salad to go Wild for!

I have to thank my friend J. for this recipe! It has fast become one of my favorites, although mine never seems to taste quite like hers does it was still very good. I received many compliments on it, not only from my family who was over for Sunday dinner but also from the group of friends that I hang out with on Sunday nights! I consider it a success!!!! :-)

***NOTE*** Bear with me on this as I do not use exact measurements. It's more of a 'to your taste' kind of thing.

MACARONI SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 C. Elbow Macaroni; cooked
7 Hard Boiled Eggs
1 small jar Mayo (I used the smallest Hellman's size)
4 Whole Kosher Dill Pickles, cut into pieces
3 Apples; cut up into small chunks (I used Gala's)
1/2 lb. Bacon; fried and crumbled
1 small onion; diced

I used an Egg Slicer from Pampered Chef to chop up the Hard Boiled Eggs. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Place in the refrigerator and allow flavors to meld.

See, I told you that this recipe was easy-peasey! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

A Great Twist on Carrots

I love carrots! When I made the chicken on Saturday night it needed something to go along with it. I had bought some baby carrots at the grocery store on Saturday to use with a roast, but since I didn't need them all I decided to use some as the side dish for supper on Saturday night!

GLAZED BABY CARROTS

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 C. Baby Carrots
2 Tbsp. Butter
3-4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Cook Carrots on stove-top until tender and easily pierced with fork. Drain off the liquid. Add Butter an Brown Sugar and stir; then place lid on pan and shake to combine. Do this until butter is melted and carrots look glazed.

I hope that you will give this recipe a try if you've never had them!

A Simple Rotisserie Chicken

On Saturday I had a very productive day! This make me very happy, as it meant I could cross a lot of things off of my To-Do List! I cleaned my house, did the laundry, grocery shopped and planned this weeks meal menu. I then also made a yummy supper that night! Although you all may know how to make a rotisserie chicken I want to share my recipe anyway.

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

3-4 Lb. Roasting Chicken
1/2 C. Butter
Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Preheat oven to 350. Remove giblets. Wash chicken inside and out with cool water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place Chicken in Roasting Pan (I used my Pampered Chef Deep Dish Covered Baker Stone). Place 3 Tbsp. of Butter inside Chicken. Place rest of Butter around outside of Chicken. Generously season with Lemon Pepper seasoning. Cover and Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and brush the Melted Butter over Chicken. Place back in oven uncovered; bake for additional 30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Here's how mine looked:

My chicken was so moist that it fell off the bone! It was delicious!

A New Twist on and Old Classic

After my day of peeling, cutting and freezing peaches I decided to look for a recipe for supper that would incorporate this yummy fruit as well. And, what to you know, I found one! I must admit that I was a little skeptical at first on how it would taste, but it was actually very, very good!

PEACHY MEATLOAF

INGREDIENTS:

1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Egg
1/2 C. Milk
14/ C. Chopped Onion
1 C. Soft Bread Crumbs
1 tsp. Salt
Pinch of Pepper
Sliced Peaches (could also use a 15 oz. can of sliced peaches; drained)
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Ketchup
1/4 C. Brown Sugar

Preheat oven o 350. In a medium bowl, mix together Ground Beef, Egg, Milk, Onion, Bread Crumbs, Salt and Pepper. Shape into a loaf and make a well in the top of meatloaf. Place in shallow baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and pour off any excess grease. Arrange the sliced Peaches in the well. Mix together the Vinegar, Ketchup and Brown Sugar. Pour over the peaches. Bake for an additional 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

This was a yummy mixture. It wasn't too sweet at all, and had a lot of flavor. I will definitely be making this again. It really didn't take that long to pepare.

Peachy Keen

Peaches, peaches and more peaches! Did I mention peaches? Wow, have I been a busy girl the last 2 weeks, trying to get ready for winter. So far my freezer is stocked with some good stuff...Sweet Corn, Blueberries, Rhubarb, Strawberries and now Peaches!!! I have a side-by-side Regrigerator/Freezer and thus don't have a lot of room in my freezer. I much prefer the standard, but oh well. I manage to make room. Especially since during the winter months I tend to make soups quite often and freeze some of those as well. I currently have 3 shelves in my freezer devoted to the bags and bags of fresh produce that I'm freezing! It was a lot of work, but I know that when I'm enjoying sweet corn, and assorted baked items with the fruit that I will be thankful that I took the time to do all the work!

 I decided to try a new recipe for Peach Bread that I found. It sounds so yummy, and I will tell you that the little bit of batter that I licked off the beater was DELICIOUS!!! I can't wait to see how this latest adventure turns out. I then decided that I would also make something for supper tonight that would incorporate peaches, and I will post that recipe later as well. Peaches remind me of Georgia, and when I think of Georgia I think of Atlanta and my wonderful friends that live there. So, N. if you're reading this I thought of you and your family today! And I would LOVE to bring some recipes with me the next time I'm there to cook with you (thanks for the note on Facebook!).

So without further a-do, here's the recipe for this yummy smelling (and I'm sure tasting) bread!

PEACH BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 Eggs
2 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Oil
2 C. Diced Peaches (you could used canned as well)
3 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
3 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 C. Walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 loaf pans. In a large bowl, beat the Eggs lightly. Blend in the Sugar, Oil and Vanilla. Add the Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt and Cinnamon; mix just to combine (batter will be very thick). Stir in the Peaches and Walnuts (Batter loosens up). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

I can't wait to see how this bread turns out! I love to make breads and freeze them as well. So, this just may be another one that I will do this with!!!

A Dip to Rival ALL other Dips!

I tried this recipe the other day, and let me just tell you, It. Was. Phenomenal! I LOVE Italian food and cannoli's are one of my all time favorite desserts. Not nice to me, but one of the favorites none-the-less! I have never ever made them before as they just seem too complicated for me. I leave that up to the professionals at my local authentic Italian Pizzeria here in town! A shout-out to Villa Pizza---Your food is out of this world!!!! Anyway, when I saw the recipe for this dip, I thought, "You know I could make this one!" And so I did! Might I add that it is a pretty tasty treat!

CANNOLI DIP

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 C. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips; chopped
1/4 C. Powedred Sugar
15 oz. Ricotta Cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 tsp. Vanilla

Chop the Chocolate Chips using a Food Chopper. Mix all ingredients together and turn into a serving bowl. Garnish with additional chopped chocolate. Serve with Cinnamon Chips, Vanilla Wafers or Pretzels.

**NOTE** Instead of chopping the chocolate chips you could always use the mini chocolate chips and not chop them up.

This makes about a 2 Quart bowl full, and I promise you that it is delicious! Almost like having a real cannoli. Enjoy!!!!

A Well Stocked Freezer!

Today I went to a local Farmer's Market and got an AWESOME deal on sweet corn! I decided to load up and use a recipe from my Aunt B. to make freezer corn. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE frozen sweet corn, and thought what better way to stock my freezer for winter than this? I have watched my Mom do this in the past and thought that it was a lot of work....You know, having to shuck all the corn, remove all the silks, then precariously use a VERY sharp knife to kernel the corn. Turns out it was easier than I thought! Especially with the Corn Kerneler from Pampered Chef that I have! This handy-dandy little tool is MAGIC I tell ya...It literally took 2 seconds to get all of the corn off the cob and into the pan. I'm LOVING it! Needless to say, I have more corn than I do freezer room so I'm sharing my harvest with those closest to me...It's always nice to share ya know?!?!!!!

FREEZER CORN

INGREDIENTS:
8 C. Sweet Corn
1 C. Water
1 Stick Butter
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt

Place Corn in large pot. Cut up Butter and add to pot. Add Water, Sugar and Salt; stir to combine. Heat to a boiling and allow to boil for 1 minute. Turn off burner and allow corn to cool to room temperature. Place into freezing recepticles (I used Ziploc Freezer Quart Bags); seal and allow to cool before placing in the freezer.

See, I told you that it was easy-peasey!

Almost feels like we're in Hawaii....

Well, okay, maybe not! But it's worth the thought at least! :-) Especially with the Fall weather that has hit Michigan in the last week. Last night I decided that I just wanted to make something simple and easy for supper. So I pulled out an old favorite.

HAWAIIAN SANDWICHES

INGRDIENTS:

8 Slices of Bread
Mayo
4 Slices Swiss Cheese
Ham for Sandwiches
4 Pineapple Rings

Heat Oven to 350. Spread Mayo on all 8 slices of bread. Top 4 slices of bread with Ham, Cheese and 1 Pineapple Ring. Top each sandwich with another slice of bread. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes; until cheese is melted and bread is crispy.

This is so yummy! And so easy to make! Always a hit here in this house.

Breakfast or Dessert...I Think BOTH!

I have some frozen fresh blueberries in my freezer and have been wanting to make this for a while now. I thought that it would be perfect for tonights supper and then also for tomorrow's breakfast! I LOVE a versatile recipe! It turned out fantastic!

BLUEBERRY BUCKLE

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 C. Butter; softened
3/4 C. Sugar
1 Egg
2 C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 C. Milk
2 C. Fresh Blueberries

TOPPING:
2/3 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/3 C. Cold Butter

Preheat oven to 375. In a small mixing bowl, cream Butter and Sugar. Beat in the Egg. Combine the Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with Milk. Fold in the Blueberries. Pour into greased 9-inch squre baking pan. For topping, combine the Sugar, Flour and Cinnamon in a bowl; cut in Butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over blueberry mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the cente comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

I serve mine warm, and it's oh so scrumptious!

What's for Supper?

Well, in this house tonight it's French's Crunchy Onion Chicken and Boiled Potatoes with Cheese! Oh, and a very tasty dessert that you can learn about in my next post! MMMMM

I know that many of you may already have this recipe, but I'm going to post it anyway because it's so simple and easy!

FRENCH'S CRUNCHY ONION CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Egg, beaten
2 C. French's French Fried Onions (I used the Cheddar variety)
2 Tbsp. Flour

Preheat oven t 400. Crush Onions with Flour in bag. Dip Chicken in Egg. Coat in Onion Mixture; press frimly to adhere. Bake for 20 minutes until no longer pink in the center.

I will be serving this with some yummy boiled Russet Potatoes with cheese!

A Delightful Hot Dish

A friend of mine shared this recipe with me several years ago, and it's one of my favorites. It's an easy varation on the cold version of this salad and I must say it tastes GREAT! This recipe can be used as a main dish for supper, an easy lunch or for a brunch, bridal shower or baby shower.

I have been cravning this for a few weeks now and decided that today this is what we're having for supper here in our house. I can hardly wait for suppertime! I made a double batch of this because it's so easy and also because our good friends S & E are having their 3rd baby today!!! I can't wait to meet him/her and have some snuggle time! This was just one easy meal that I could prepare for them ahead of time and throw it in the freezer until I bring them some meals. I hope that they will like it as much as we do here.

HOT CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

2 C. Chicken Breasts; cooked and chopped (I used the cut up chicken from GFS)
1-2 C. Finely Chopped Celery
1/2 C. Toasted Slivered Almonds
3/4 C. Mayonnaise
1-2 C. Baked Potato Chips; crushed (I used Lays Baked)
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsp. Grated Onion (I used Dried Diced Onion)
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1/2 C. Grated Cheddar Cheese (I always use a little more because cheese is so yummy!)

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl combine Chicken, Celery, Almonds, Salt, Onion, Juice, Mayo, Chips, and Cheese. Mix well. Transfer to a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.

If made and put right into freezer. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 30 minutes.

I serve this on warm Pillsbury Crescent Rolls!

I hope that you will give this recipe a try and let me know what you think of it! Thanks for stopping by! :-)

A Very Versatile Meal Idea!

My wonderful Momma called me up last week and asked if the bro and I would like to meet her for lunch at a restaurant we used to go to in Kalamazoo when I lived there. She was traveling back through the area after dropping my Gramma back off at her house in Illinois. We were both about an hour from the restaurant, so it worked out perfectly. Well, Mom ordered a Summer Chicken Salad from them and it was wonderful! We did a little inspecting of this salad and I decided that I could probably make something similar. The parents were coming into town this past weekend and I thought that this salad would be perfect for Sundays lunch!

It turned out pretty great, if I do say so myself. I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone looking for a great salad idea!

SUMMER BLUEBERRY CHICKEN SALAD


INGREDIENTS:
2 C. Small Cubed Chicken Breasts (I used a bag of frozen cubed chicken breasts from GFS)
1/4 C. Mayo
1/4 C. Miracle Whip
1/4 C. Coleslaw Dressing
3/4 C. Broccoli; cut up
1 Pint Blueberries
1/2 C. Sunflower Seeds
3/4 C. Red Onion; chopped


Mix all of the ingredients together. It tastes the best if made up several hours or even the night before using to let the flavors meld together. Serve or lettuce or Spinach.

I served ours over Spinach:

There was still quite a bit of this yummy goodness left after the four of us had our salads, so my Momma suggested that I could cook up some noodles and add that in and make it into a pasta salad. What a GREAT idea! I did this, and also added in:

1 Pint Blueberries (Another pint)

3/4 C. Broccoli; chopped

1/4 C. Mayo

1/4 C. Coleslaw Dressing

1/2 C. Sunflower Seeds

2 C. Elbow Macaroni; cooked el dente

Here's how it turned out:



See, I told you that this recipe was pretty versatile!

**NOTE** I made these recipes up as I went, there wasn't one to follow. You may adjust measurements as needed.

ENJOY!

A Ever So Scrumptious Fruit Accompaniment

Last night I hosted a Norwex Party in my home. Norwex is a wonderful company that has come up with some AWESOME environmentally safe cleaning products! My great friend E. introduced me to them, and took me to my first party. Her cousin B. sells these fabulous products, and really puts on a GREAT show! Norwex makes cleaning cloths that are Antibacterial--meaning they will KILL the bacteria, and all you need to do is get them wet with a little water and scrub away...whether it's getting spots out of your carpet, car seats, washing your counters, washing windows, cleaning your sinks or tub, you name it and presto they are clean! At one demonstration B. sprayed PAM Cooking Spray on a customers window and let it sit...she then took a wet antibac Enviro Cloth and wiped the window down, then a dry window cloth and dried...amazingly the PAM was completely gone and there was not a single streak on the window! It's AMAZING! I used B.'s Cleaning Paste last night and a damp Enviro Cloth to scrub my Brushed Stainless Kitchen Sink and it now shines like it's brand spanking new. I am LOVING the products that I have, especially the Anitbac Dusting Mitt!!!! This thing literally PICKS up the dust and grabs it, instead of just pushing it around. It reduces the amount of times per week that you have to dust! I can't wait for all of the FREE items to arrive that I earned from my party last night. Thanks so much to the 14 ladies that showed up, I hope that you had a great time and that you'll enjoy your products as much as I do! For anyone else, if you would like to know more about these amazing products please leave a comment and I will get you some information and let B. know of your interest!

So, now that I've rambled on I want to share the recipe for the Fruit Dip that I made for my party last night. It is a typical fruit dip and so simple to make, but of course, I added a little twist to it! You know me, I can't make a recipe the way it's supposed to be made I have to add a spin all my own. I think that it turned out pretty well.

AMAZING FRUIT DIP

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 oz). Cream Cheese; softened
1 (7 oz.) Jar Marshmallow Cream (Fluff)
2 Tbsp. Pampered Chef Coconut Lime Sauce

Mix the Cream Cheese and Marshmallow Cream together; make sure it's well incorporated and smooth. Stir in the Sauce. Chill before serving. Serve with all types of fruit.

**NOTE** If you don't have the Coconut Lime Sauce to add you could add 1 1/2 Tbsp. Sugar and 1 tsp. Vanilla to add flavor. You could also add a little bit of Cherry Juice to tint the dip pink.

This is a simple and easy dip to take to any family party or get together, and it really tastes like you've slaved on a great dip! Please give it a try!!!! :-)

A Quick Treat To Make

I made a dinner for friends this week, as they had a death in their family and had family in from out of town. I wanted to try and help out a little bit and make things a bit easier. I made them Bowtie Pasta Salad, a Fruit Salad and these yummy bars. I can't believe that I haven't posted them on here yet. What is wrong with me? I must be losing it, or something! haha

These bars literally take about 5 minutes to make, and could really take just that long to eat the whole 9x13 pan of them as well. I had to make 2 pans because I wasn't going to be able to make it out of the house if I didn't make the brother some of his own! I think that he thinks that I've neglected him lately because I haven't made these in SO LONG. SORRY J. just didn't really think about it.

CHOCOLATE CHIP PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIE BARS

INGREDIENTS:

1 C. Sugar
1 C. Karo Syrup
1 C. Peanut Butter (I use Chunky)
6 C. Rice Krispie Cereal
1 1/2 C. Chocolate Chips (I just use the whole bag! What can I say, I'm a rebel!)

In a large pot mix the Sugar and Karo Syrup. Place over heat and allow to come to a slow boil; stirring constantly. I let mine boil at the edges of the pan for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Immediately add in the Peanut Butter and stir to melt. Add in Rice Krispies and stir to thoroughly coat. Add in Chocolate Chips and stir them through. Pour mixture into greased 9x13 pan and press to fit. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then cut into squares.

I told you that this was one simple recipe! Trust me, it's a great twist on an old favorite!

The BEST Barbecue Sauce EVER!

Well, okay I might just be a little bit biased, but seriously this stuff is wonderful! The best part is that it's so easy to make and it lasts for a long time after it's made! I made a batch of this up the other day so that we could enjoy some Sloppy Joes, and boy did it ever hit the spot!

I must mention that this is a recipe that came from my Gramma (my Mom's Mom), and I'm so glad that she's shared it with us!

BARBECUE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Medium Onion; chopped
2 Tbsp. Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 Small Bottle Catsup (1 3/4 Cups)
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. Prepared Mustard
1 C. Water
1/2 C. Celery; chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste

Place Butter in saucepan and melt. Add Onion and brown. Add all other ingredients and cook slowly for 15 minutes.

See, I told you that it was VERY simple to make! All I do after that is brown up some ground beef in another pan and pour on the amount of sauce that I'd like. The rest can be refrigerated or frozen! I hope that you'll give this a try and let me know what you think!

Another Must Try Dessert

I told you that I had more than one recipe to share today!!! Here's another yummy one!

CARAMEL-FILLED CASHEW CUPS

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 C. Salted Cashews
2 Tbsp. Butter; melted
1/4 C. Light Corn Syrup
28 Caramels; unwrapped
2 Tbsp. Milk
1/3. C. Bittersweet Chocolate Morsels (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray cups of Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Finely chop Cashews using Food Chopper (I used Manual Food Processor). Combine Cashews, Butter and Corn Syrup in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well. Using Adjustable Measuring Spoon (about 1 Tbsp.) divide Cashew Mixture evenly among cups of pan. Gently press tops of cashew mixture with lightly floured Mini-Tart Shaper to flatten tops; bake 6-8 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Meanwhile, combine Caramels and Milk in clean Batter Bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Gently press hot cashew mixture again with tart shaper to form cups. Let stand 5 minutes. Grasp edges of each cup and twist gently to loosen; remove cups from pan. Divide melted caramel among cups using measuring spoon. Place chocolate morsels in 1 Cup Prep Bowl; microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 1 minute or until mostly melted, stirring every 20 seconds. Spoon melted chocolate in resealable plastic bag. Trim corner of bag with Utility Knife; drizzle chocolate over caramel. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Here's my finished treat:

I haven't tried these yet, but they sure look delicious!

A Delish Dessert!

I recently received the brand-spanking new Season's Best Cookbook from The Pampered Chef. It is the Fall/Winter 2011 Edition and it has some very yummy recipes in it! Today I tried out three of them and wanted to share them with you!

MINI CARROT CAKE CUPS

INGREDIENTS:
MINI CAKES:
1 Small Pkg. Yellow Cake Mix (9oz.)
1 1/2 tsp. All Spice
1 Egg
2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
2 Medium Carrots; peeled, divided

FILLING & GARNISH:
6 Oz. Cream Cheese; softened
3/4 C. Powdered Sugar
1/2 C. Cool Whip; thawed
Chopped Walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray cups of Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan with nonstick cooking spray. For mini-cakes, combine Cake Mix, Allspice, Egg and Oil in Classic Batter Bowl; stir until ingredients are moistened. (Mixture will be very thick. Grate carrots using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with grating blade. Stir 3/4 Cup of the Carrots into batter; set aside remaining carrots for garnish. Using Adjustable Measuring Spoon, divide batter evenly among cups, filling cups about two-thirds full; bake 11-13 minutes or until mini-cakes feel firm to the touch. Meanwhile, in clean Batter Bowl, whisk together Cream Cheese and Sugar until smooth; fold in Cool Whip. Spoon Cream Cheese Mixture into resealable plastic bag (I used Easy Accent Decorator); secure bag and set aside. Remove pans from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Press tops of mini-cakes with lightly floured Mini-Tart Shaper to make slight indentations. Cool in pan 3 minutes. Carefully remove mini-cakes from pan; cool 5 minutes. Trim corner of Cream Cheese-filled Bag with Utility Knife; pipe filling evenly into mini-cakes. Garnish with Chopped Walnuts and reserved Carrots, if desired.

Here's my finished products:

Don't they look FABULOUS?!?

A Great Summer Salad!!!

I have been asked by several people to share this AMAZING recipe, and apologize for taking so long to post it! I hope that you all have been enjoying summer and making the best of all of this heat!

TACO SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Pkg. Taco Seasoning
1 Head Lettuce; chopped into bite size pieces
1 small Onion; thinly sliced
1 small Green Pepper; chopped
1 large Tomato; cut into wedges
8 oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

DRESSING:
8 oz. 1000 Island Dressing
1/2 tsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Mild Taco Sauce
6 oz. Taco Chips (such as Taco Doritos)

Brown the beef with taco seasoning MINUS 1 Tbsp. Layer Lettuce, Green Pepper, Onion, Tomato and Cheese in a large bowl or 9x13 pan. Spoon Meat over top. Make dressing of 1000 Island, sugar, taco seasoning and tco sauce. Add dressing and 6 oz. Chips. Mix together and serve as is.

I hope that you will give this delicious salad a try!

A Wonderful Salad

I wanted to share a pasta salad recipe with you that has gone over pretty well whenever I've brought it somewhere. You can make it all yourself or cheat and buy one of the Simply Salads from Betty Crocker and they are virtually the same!

PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 Box (6-12 oz.) Pasta Shells
1 Pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dry Seasoning Mix
1 C. Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Milk
2 Pints Cherry Tomatoes; halved
1 Small Pkg. Frozen Peas

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse well with cold water. Mix the Ranch, Mayo, Milk, Tomatoes and Peas together. Add the Pasta and stir to mix. You could also add cubed ham to this recipe to add a little more color and flavor.

I hope that you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as we do!

A Burger You Won't Want To Miss

I received this recipe from a wonderful friend of mine, and we had them this week...I think they are the absolute BEST burgers I have ever had!!!! Seriously, they are THAT good! Originally this recipe was used for Meatloaf, but B. decided to try them as burgers and what a wonderful idea that was!

THE BEST BURGERS

INGREDIENTS:
4 Lb. Extra Lean Ground Beef
2 Boxes Stove-Top Stuffing (I used the Savory Herb)
1 Bottle Heinz 57 with Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 C. Spicy Brown Mustard
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/3 C. Fresh; chopped Onion or 5 Tbsp. Minced Onion
3 Tbsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning

Mix the Meat with the Heinz 57, and Mustard. Mix all the dry goods together and then add the Meat Mixture to that. Blend well. Place in bowl in Refrigerator for 30 minutes and let rest while heating the grill. From into patties of your desired size and grill!

I really hope that you will give these a try the next time you are going to grill some burgers!!!!

I also wanted to tell you about my friend Natasha's Blog...she does A LOT of wonderful things with coupons....and this girl is and EXTREME Couponer if I've ever seen one! She does a lot of good things with the items that she gets, such as donating them so that others who are less fortunate receive items they need! She has started a blog to help others be as good as she is with coupons. I've learned a lot from her so far and have GREATLY benefited. Like today I went to my local Meijer and had $120.97 worth of grocery items and I walked out of there after only having to pay $26.47!!!! That was after all of my coupons and the Meijer in-store 2 day sale where if I bought certain items in a certain quantity they would give me $5 off INSTANTLY!!!! So, I encourage you to check out her blog if you are coupon user and learn a few tricks from her....like how she went to Target today and had over $100 in product and paid $2...that's right, ONLY $2!!!! She's good!!!! Here is her blog: www.commoncentssaver.blogspot.com  Go and check her out!

And The Winners Are.......!!!!!!!!!

Wow, it's only 1:15p.m. and already it has been a very busy day here! Vacation Bible School started at our church this morning and this year I'm teaching 2nd Grade! It was a fantastic first day today, and so far I have 14 students in my class. It will definitely be a fun week, and I'm looking forward to it!!!

Okay, so...now on to the business at hand of selecting the winners from my Fabulous Pink Give-Away!!!! In the order that they were drawn:

1. Amber---Pink Zebra Coupon Holder (Message me your address on Facebook so I can get it out to you!)
2. Sarah VW---Pink Paring Knife (I will bring to VBS for you tomorrow!)
3. Emily---Pink Ceramic Spreader (I will bring to VBS for you tomorrow!), and how is it that you always manage to win???? LOL
4. Diane---Pink High Heel Cake Server (I will bring to VBS for you tomorrow!) I think that you are going to have some happy girls at your house! ;-)
5. Last, but not least---Kathy---Pink Microfiber Towel (I will send it to you next week!)

CONGRATULATIONS to my winners and a HUGE thank you to all of you that follow my blog and try my recipes out! I hope that your summers are progressing well and that you are able to enjoy it!