Snowball Tree Cookies

This recipe makes the most adorable and festive tree cookie but let me start off by telling you it is extremely time consuming so if you venture to make this cookie make sure you have plenty of time and lots of patience:)

Snowball Tree Cookies

Ingredients:

For Cookie:

1 cup butter,softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp milk

1 teas vanilla

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Green food coloring



For icing:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

3-4 tbsp milk

decorative candies

In large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Add sugar scraping sides of bowl periodically.  Beat in milk and vanilla until smooth.  Gradually add flour (I added 1/2 cup at a time to ensure it mixes well.) 

The origianl recipe said to divide the dough in half and then add food coloring to one half however when I make again I will only remove 1/4 of the dough for the tree stumps because I had lots of plain dough left over. 

Preheat oven to 325. For each cookie use the ggreen dough to make 10 1/2 inch balls and begin shaping like a tree in a triangle shape(Make sure you keep your balls small or your cookies with be huge. Start with the top and work your way down making 4 rows. 1 on the 1st, 2 on the 2nd, 3 on the 3rd, and 4 on the 4th.  Make sure to press slightly together to make sure dough bakes together. Add a slightly larger plain ball at the bottom for the tree trunk.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then remove and add to colling rack to cool completely.

TO make your icing:
IN a small bowl mix together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until desired drizzling cinsistency.  This can be slightly messy. You want to drizzle your icing back and forth like a string of lights. I used my pampered chef icing decorator and used the smallest tip for decorating but remember this icing is slightly runny and quite sticky so be careful when applying.  Ice 3 cookies at a time so the icing doesnt dry out before you place your decorative candies(lights)  This was the hardest part because they wont just sprinkle on them you actually need to place them idividually to make them look right.

Now your ready to tray them up and serve this adorable cookie.  This is a great recipe that I found on the Better Home & Gardens recipe and will be a party hit:)

This recipe will make about 24 cookies.

Mint Chocolate Thumb Print Cookies

Looking for some fun Holiday Cookies I have found some fun treats while surfing the internet so I thought I would share a couple for you to enjoy with your family.  This Betty Crocker recipe is very simple and an extremely tastey Mint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie! Hope you enjoy:)

Mint Chocolate Thumb Print Cookies

Here are the Ingredients you will need:

Cookies
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter (softened)
1 teas. vanilla
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 Cups All purpose Flour
1/4 cup Unsweetened Baking Cocoa

Mint Filling
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 cup powdered Sugar
1 TBSP. milk
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
2 drops of green food coloring

Drizzle topping
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 teas. shortening

To make your cookies Heat oven to 375. In large bowl cream together sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy.  Beat in egg yolk until smooth.  Then gradually add flour and cocoa (I will tell you the recipe only calls for 1 1/2 cups of flour and my batter wqas a little cream and unrollable so I added a little more flour until desired consistency. 

Shape dough into balls about 1 inch in size.  Place on ungreased cookies sheet and then with your thumb make an indentation in the middle of the cookie then bake for 7-9 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately place cookies on cooling rack.  Let cool completely before adding filling (about 30 minutes).

For filling:
In small bowl cream butter and powdered sugar together on low speed until smooth.  Meat  in milk & peppermint extract then add desired food coloring.

Pplace chocolate chips & shortening in a ziploc bag and heat in microwave for about 1 minute.  Gently squeeze bag until chocolate is smooth. Cut a tiny corner off of the bag then drizzle over each cookie.  Let stand about 1 hour before serving. I placed mine in the fridge to allow filling to set up better.


A variation of this recipe. You could also do red food coloring instead of green adn then sprinkle Crushed Peppermint candies on top and they would be very tasty as well:)
This recipe make about 4 dozen cookies.
Serve & enjoy.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

So heres a new pizza recipe for all you Buffalo Chicken fans.  I love coming up with new recipes and this one definitely is one of my favorites. It was so good that I will make 2 pies next time because we wanted more:) Hope you enjoy this simple recipe.

BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA

1st step is preparing your chicken & onions before you can put your pizza together. Cut 3 Chicken breast up into bite sized pieces and melt 1/4 stick of magarine and stir into the chicken.  Add a little garlic and onion salt to your chicken and stir.

Next you want to cook your chicken(now keep in mind you can use canned chicken if you want but I love the taste of real bites of chicken versus the shredded chicken for this particular recipe). I always line my pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking sprays for easy clean up.  Bake in oven on 375 for 25 minutes.

While your chicken is baking go ahead and saute your onions. Slice onions however you prefer you can either dice them or slice them I prefer longer strips so I slice them. Then put on stovetop and cook with butter and season with garlic & lawrys seasoning.(just for a yummy flavor). Cook the onions down until they are nice and sauteed.( I always cook mine a little longer because I love the carmelized taste they get when cooked all the way down).

Remove onions from pan. When Chicken is finished cooking in the oven I like to take it out and put it in my pan on the stovetop to make it a little crisp. Cook on medium  for about 5-8 minutes then remove.

Add your buffalo sauce to you chicken and stir. (You can use whatever buffalo sauce you prefer but I like to use the Franks Red Hot Buffalo sauce. It has just enough kick without being too spicy).

Now your ready to assemble your pie.  Roll you dough out onto your pizza dish. You can also use a bakers pan if you would rather have flatbread style slices. I use the Pillsbury Pizza Crust but once again that is just my preference for ease. Make you own crust or use your favorite.  Bake your crust according to the directions on the can. For my particular recipe this is what I did. Roll your crust out onto pan and bake on 400 for 5 minutes then remove and add your ingredients on top of crust.(this just helps to cook the bottom of your pizza).

To assemble: spread a nice layer of Ranch dressing covering your entire crust.

Then its time to put your yummy toppings on. Add you chicken 1st then layer with your onions, mozzarella & fresh parmesean cheese.

 I will tell you I used about 5 tysons breaded chicken tenders and left off the onions on a fourth of the pizza for my boys liking:)

Bake in oven until Crust is nice and golden. Remove and your ready to serve.

Below is a list of all the ingredients I used so you will have it for your shopping list.

3 Chicken Breast(diced into bitesized pieces)
Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce(I only used about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup of Ranch Dressing
1/4 cup of Parmesean Cheese
1 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 of a white peeled onion (sliced or diced)
Pillsbury Pizza Crust
Garlic
Onion Salt
Lawrys Seasoning

Putting up Fresh Green Beens without canning them!

Did you know you can freeze green beans?  I thought I would share a few tricks for those of you who do not can but would still like to enjoy fresh veggies through the winter.  Its simple but a little time consuming.  The end result is worth your trouble though.

1. String & Snap Beans then rinse.

2. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil add 2 cups of beans to boiling water and return to a boil. Cover and boil for 3 minutes.

4. Remove beans from pot with a slotted spoon and add them to ice cold water to cool for 3 minutes.

5. Once Cooled drain your beans and they are ready to store.
6. Repeat the last 3 steps until all beans have been cooked.(You can use the same boiling water 3-4 times just be sure it comes back to a rapid boil before repeating)
7. Once drained then pour into your freezer storage bags.  You can use regular storage bag but you must make sure you remove all the air. I use a vacuum sealer which is ideal for this project.  You place your beans in the fresh seal bags then seal it with your device.  It sucks all air out and seals it completely.

Now all you do is store in the freezer and bring out when your ready to enjoy:)

Beef & Cheese Pizza Casserole

So here is the Pizza Casserole many of you have asked for.  I have always made my pizza casserole with Pepperoni but I decided to give this one a twist.  I did google several recipes and kind of combined them to this one.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion chopped finely(I used Onion salt instead of an onion for my boys)
Italian seasoning
1/4 cup of flour
Pasta sauce of choice ( I used Bertolinni tomatoe & basil 24 oz. however the basil was a bit strong I would probably use a different flavor next time)
1 block mozzarella cheese
parmesean cheese
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust
oil(I prefer Olive)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Brown ground beef along with onion, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp. italtian seasoning. Drain and add flour until blended. Add sauce and stir until bubbly. Remove from heat and pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish. 

Sprinkle and even amount of mozzarella & Parmesean cheese over mixture.

Roll your pizza crust out(I press it out on a floured cutting board to get it strecthed out to the right length then place on top of your casserole.

Brush the top with a little oil then sprinkle more of both cheeses covering the entire top.  Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until your crust is golden( keep and eye out so you dont over cook it) 
Slice and serve *note the crust is tough to cut so you will need to use a knife)( I apologize for not posting a finished picture of it but I forgot to take one we were so eager to dig in and try it out lol)

Enjoy and as always please let me know if you have any questions.

Caramel Chocolate Chip bars

So last night I was doing what I like todo best ...baking, when I ran across a box of Caramel Cake mix in my cabinet.  Not sure how long it had been there because I cant remember buying it but I decided to check out the date and see. It was still good:)  I thought "I wonder if there are any good recipes I could make with this " when I looked on the side f the box and bingo there it was...Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars...yummy:)  So I decided to give it a try and lets just say they are delicious with such a different taste so I thought I would share even if its not MY recipe. We all like new things so here it is give it a whirl:)

1 Package Duncan Hines Caramel Cake Mix
2 Large Eggs
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup of chocolate chips


Mix cake mix, eggs, water, brown sugar, and butter until thoroughly blended then stir in chocolate chips.  Pour into a 13x9 greased pan(batter is thick).  bake on 375 for 24-27 minutes.  Cool Completely cut and serve.  You can put icing on these as well but I just left them as a brownie bar and they were perfect:)

Dinner preparations for busy moms

Is dinnertime crazy around your house? Do you like to relax by the pool or spend time out with your family but you always feel rushed when you get back home?? If your like me I always have so much more energy in the morning so I say get what you can done then.  I have a little advice on how to make your life a little more simple and stil have fun throughout your day with your kids. 

Fisrt of all, if I plan on spending the day by the pool I like to go ahead and get my dinner ready in the am before I head out so I am not tired and rushed when I come in.  We all know pool days absolutely drain us so heres what I do.  I personally love to do crock pot meals on pools days but that doesnt always happen.  So for instance, yesterday I was making Chicken Pot Pie for our main dish for dinner so I prepared everything and placed it in my baking dish and placed in fridge.  Now keep in mind certain dishes you might need to leave off something until ready to actually cook for insatnce I waited on my crust til I was putting it in the oven, or if I prep lasagna, I hold off on my cheeses til then as well. 

Heres another little tip if your home and feel have little ones that like to be at your feet all day.  Now I realize when our kids nap its so nice to relax and kick back ourselves but I will tell  you what I like to do.  When I get Zane down for his nap I take this time to prepare my dinner for the evening as well holding off on baking it until time for dinner.  I also use this time to clean the kitchen up as well as even get a load of clothes folded.  I always feel so productive and not so stressed when dinner time rolls around because all you rlaly have to do then is set the table(which I let me 11 year old do) and serve food:)

Just a couple helpful hints I thought I would share and I hope you can maybe use:)

Delicious low fat Chicken

Like so many of you, I love to make Chicken. I grill it, bake it, put it in the Crock Pot, but I thought I would share my families favorite Chicken recipe that I make.  It is also my favorite because not only does it taste delicious but it is cooked completely low fat without any oils.  So I thought I would share this simple(yet slow cooking) recipe.

First you want to cut your Chicken up into small bite sized pieces.

Next you want to spray your pan with pam(I use the Olive Oil spray) then I pour a bottle of fat free Italian Dressing into my pan along with my chicken. I cook on Medium high for the 1st 15 minutes then turn it back to Medium. As the dressing starts to cook down add water a cup at a time until Chicken is cooked thoroughly. 

The chicken when finished cooking will have un unbelievable carmelized glaze on it that is out of this world. It usually takes almost 45 minutes of so to cook completely.  ( I had taken a picture of it but for some reason it didnt show up so next time I make it I will post an updated completed picture of the chicken. )When I cook this dish my son Cody always asks "mom I can tell your making my favorite chicken arent you?" because it smells unbelievable.

I loke to make this on a Monday and serve it over a nice salad of choice.  My favorite way to do it is cut all my veggies up and place them in a safe sealed container so we can eat off of the salad the rest of the week and my guys can make their salads as they like them.

Just a little hint with your lettuce. When you have cut it up and placed it in your storage container if you place a paper towel folded insde the lid it will absorb all the moisture and your salad keeps longer.

~Enjoy and as always please let me know if you have questions~

Marshmallow Pops

I have had several people ask about my Marshmallow pops so I thought I would share this fun easy treat. 

1st you need a flower pot, a vase, or even a sand bucket as pictured below.  I place a green floral foan piece in it so I can easily place my lollipop sticks down in it.  You can make your pops whatever color you choose depending on your occasion.  It is very simple and the steps are:

Wilton Candy Melts(they have many colors. You can buy them at Michaels, AC Moore, or even Walmart but the colors at Walmart might be limited)
1 bag of Marshmallows
1 bag of Lollipop sticks that can be purchased in different sizes ath the above stores(I prefer the longer ones because they make a cuter arrangement)

Melt your candy as directed on the package which is 1 minute and stir then in 30 sec increments until melted. Place a marshmallow on a stick then dip in candy until covered.  Shake excess off then place in you arrangement.  Remember to start in the middle and work out because its hard to get a stick down in between others without messing them up.  Be sure when you have finished all mallows that you place in a fridge until time to serve so they dont melt. You can sprinkle sugar on them or even candy dots.  You can also drizzle 2 colors if you want to be creative.  Just let you mind have fun with this and I promise EVERY kid will love them and they will be gone.

 Now in this arrangement I placed colored cello wrap on extra lollipop stick and then stuck down in between pops.

In this particular one I used Shredded basket fillers and just placed it in between.  This is bu far the easier but the other looks more appealing (in my opinion).

Have fun with these and let me know if you have any questions:)

Arroz Con Pollo

Threw together a new recipe last night that turned out pretty yummy so I thought I would share. This is a Cheesy Chicken Rice dish that has a little spice to it.

Arroz Con Pollo

3 Chicken Breast (diced up & placed in ziploc bag and shaken in Fajita Seasoning)
2 cup Long Grain rice (Cooked)
1 small can green Chili peppers
2 Tomatoes(peeled & mashed) (you could also use canned tomatoes whole or diced just make sure you mash them)
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
garlic clove
chopped onion(keep in mind you can use onion salt if your kids dont like onions)
1 cup of cheese con queso
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1 can Mexican Beans (drained)(you can use black beans, chili beans, or even a kidney bean if perfered or you could even leave them out totally)
1 can corn (drained)

I prepared my Chicken over a skillet with Pam sprayed in it and I used water instead of oil to keep low fat and it was perfect.  Cook your chicken thoroughly then combine with all other ingredients .  You can bake this in the oven for 30 minutes on 350 or I put mine in the Crockpot for 2 hours on low so it was ready when we were ready to eat and there was no prep then.  Great to add salsa & even sour cream if you wanted to try that as well. This is a dish that really needs no sides since it has so many ingredients in it but you could take your beans out of it and serve refried beans as a side if you prefer.

This was so simple and turned out delicious:)  Enjoy!

The secert to making Green Beans that actually taste yummy:)

Green Beans are one of those "green" veggies that for me HAVE to be cooked perfect in order for me to eat them and actually enjoy the taste of them.  I have cooked my beans many ways over the years and have FINALLY perfected the taste that not only I enjoy but my boys love them as well.  Whether you are cooking fresh canned green beans or good ol store bought green beans...here are a couple of tips for you that will turn your crunchy no taste beans into a bean full of flavor(and soft).  The below instructions are for 2 cans of beans.

 Cover your Green Beans completely with water.  Add 2 Tablesppons of butter(which I always use the fat free spray so I just spray until there is a nice coating of yellow in the water).  Then add Lawrys seasoning salt (about 1-2 Tablespoon depending on the amount your cooking).  Cook your beans on high until the start boiling then turn to Medium high.  Continue to boil down for a couple of hours.  You do want to remember to keep an eye on them because you will need to continue adding water(enough to cover) to them as they continue to boil.  I like to cook mine for about 2-3 hours until the texture of the beans are nice and soft(not crispy still).   The longer you cook them the softer the become. 

If you or your kids are not Green Bean lovers I encourage you to try cooking them this way and you will be amazed at the difference in the taste and flavor:)

Hot Dog Treats

With this being the 1st official day of summer and cookouts in full swing, I thought I would share a super cute and simple treat to take to your next outing.  These Hot Dog Treats might not be the tastiest together but are really appealing on the eye.

Hot Dog Treats
Circus Peanuts (slit in half for an opening)Be sure you do NOT cut it all the way through
Red Twizzlers (cut in 1 inch strips)
Yellow tube of icing(for mustard)

Place a single Twizzler in the opening of your circus peanut then adorn the top with a little yellow icing to make it look like the mustard.  Thats all there is to it and you will have a fun treat to share with little ones and big ones alike:)

Fun Tie Dye Cupcakes

So I stole this recipe from a dear friend but they were so cute and a BIG hit  I had to share.  This recipe is very simple but a little time consuming.  The end product is so cute.  I thought I would give you a step by step on this particular recipe.

You want to start with your regular favorite white cake mix.  I prefer Betty Crocker because of the box tops:)  Mix your batter as directed on box.  When mixed divide batter evenly into 4 bowls. (just a hint to get this even I took a measuring cup and did a cup of batter at a time into 4 bowls to make sure I had exact amounts.) I did 4 colors so I added gel food colring to each bowl and mixed thoroughly.  You will want to add as much coloring as you want.  So the less you add the more pastel of a look you will have and the more you add the brighter they will be.  I added about 1/2 of a tube of each color for mine. 

After you have mixed thoroughly then spoon one level spoon of all 4 colors into each lined muffiin pans.

 Bake as directed on box.  Be sure to insert a toothpick to check when they are done because they have a really shiney texture and tend to look like they need to be cooking longer when indeed they are done.

Let cool completely.

Once cool then do your icing in a similar manner.  I used 3 colors and divided then added gel color.  Once the color has been mixed in the bowls put in the refrigerator to set up for at least 5 minutes.  This just helpps the texture to not be so runny.The tricky part is putting your icing in your decorator.  I used my Pampered Chef Accent Decorator but you can use a decorating bag as well.  Add colors to each side of your tube the begin decorating. All color come out in a nice swirl design and look really cute.

The cutest thing was when you took a bite of these.  The colors were so vibrant and the kids loved them.

Enjoy:)

Let them be little

So I am one of those moms that is guilty of wanting to make my childs "projects" perfect by doing it myself but I have learned they definitely enjoy it more if you will allow them to do  it themselves.  One thing I have learned is I like to do 2 at a time one for me and one for Zane to follow along and do all by himself.  It may not look perfect but the satisfaction he gets from knowing "me did it" is what its all about.  I usually post pics of the things that I have done for examples so today I thought I would share a "mine" & "his" letter F picture from last week.  He does pretty well if I do say so myself. What I like to do is step by step.  When we are doing our work I usually plan ahead and have everything already cut out.  I use it as a learning time.  I place his pieces on a plate in front of him and I sit acroos and place my on a similar plate.  If we are gluing then I give him a glue stick and let him mock each thing that I do.  It also helps him to learn parts and use his creative mind as well.  Just a little tip I thought I would share.  Remember to have fun with these projects or they WILL get bored and not want to participate:)

French Dip Sandwiches

So here is a recipe a friend shared with me a few years ago and it is my husbands favorite meal.  As always with lots of my meals it is so easy and perfect for that busy sports night.  This is one of those meals that is so feeling and you really dont need to have sides but AI do usually make some baked apples or some other warm fruit to serve with it:)

French Dip Sandwiches

1 Large Roast(you can use any cut you prefer. I generally use a sirloin or chuck roast)
2 Cans Campbells Beef Consomme
2 Cans Campbells French Onion Soup
1 pack of sliced Provolone Cheese
1 loaf of fresh Take & bake French bread from your bakery

Place Roast in crock pot with soups and cook on low 6-8 hours.  Bake bread on oven according to directions usually 10-15 minutes.  Rremove bread and add cheese and sliced beef.  Serve with Au Jus from roast for dipping.  Absolutely the most fabulous taste that others will think you have slaved over:)

Beef Stroganoff

So we have all had many recipes of Beef Stroganoff I am sure. I have made it from hamburger helper, made it with grilled onions & peppers, and even made it with beef tips but I thought I would post the one that I make that my boys love the most and quite frankly, it is my fav as well because it is the fastest & easiest. I thought I would share

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef
1 cup sour cream
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 box pasta(any noodles)

Brown your ground beef.  Drain then add Sour Cream, Soup, and salt and pepper.  Simmer for about 10 minutes then serve over noodles. (Even thought I prefer noodles you can use rice as well)Perfect with garlic toast for a side:)

To make this low fat, you can prepare this with ff sour cream, low fat soup, and extra lean beef or even use turkey or chicken.

Very simple and extremely tastey!

Chicken Brocoli Biscuit Puffs

So I came up with a new recipe last night that turned out really good and my boys all enjoyed it.  Of course as always it was extremely fats and easy as well:)  I served this dish with Cheesy Whole Wheat Rotini & glazed carrots and it was a Hit!!


Chicken Brocoli Biscuit Puffs

*2 cans of biscuits
4 Chicken breast (cooked and diced) or 2 cans of tysons White Chicken Breast
**1 Cream Cheese
1 Can Cream of Chicken soup
1 Can Brocoli Cheese Soup
**Shredded Cheddar Cheese for topping

Roll Biscuits individually on a floured surface then press into greased large muffin pan pressing dough up along the sides and bottom making a cup shape.  Mix Chicken with melted Cream Cheese & soups.  When coombined spoon gerenerously into each muffin cup then sprinkle cheese on top of each muffin.  Bake on 350 for approximately 15 minutes or until biscuits are browned.  Remove & cool for 5 minutes the I took a knife and loosened them out and placed on a plate to serve.

*Note this recipe actually will make 2 dozen muffins however, because I have a smaller family I only made 12 then went ahead and made a 8x8 casserole out of the extra mix to be used next week on day for dinner.  I just crumbled Ritz Crackers with melted butter and patted into bottom of pan then topped with mix.  Covered with aluminum foil and put in freezer:)  SO I really had 2 meals out of 1 batch Just took a couple of extra minutes.

**I also used Weight watchers Cream Cheese as well as Weight watcher Shredded cheese for a lower fat recipe which explains why the cheese looks alittle crusty on top versus really cheesey as if using regular cheese.  Either way it was very good! 

Enjoy

"E"arth Rice Crispie Treats

 I found this cute recipe online and so in keeping with our letter "E" study this week Zane and I tried it  out this morning.  They turned out really cute so I thought I would share.  Would make a perfect treat for and Earth Day event.

Earth Crispies

1/4 cup margarine ( I did use the fat free spray butter just measured out for a lower fat recipe)

1 bag miniature marshmallows

1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 cups rice krispies

green and blue food coloring

Melt margarine and marshmallows over medium heat in a large pot, stir in vanilla and Rice Krispies.  

 

Divide into two bowls

 

Add green food coloring to one bowl and blue food coloring to the second then stir completely until all coloring is mixed in.

 

If the child is a little older then allow them to take a scoop from the blue bowl and a scoop from the green bowl and mash them together in a ball (the earth).With Zane being so small I made them myself and saved a BIG mess lol.  Just a tip when rolling your treats up, butter your hands so they dont stick and are more shapeable. 

 

Set the balls aside until completely cool. (I put them in the fridge to set up)

Heidi's Macaroni Salad

Here is another good recipe to take for that next cook out:)

Macaroni Salad

1 box Elbow Macaroni
1 bottle 3 Cheese Ranch Dressing(or any flavor Ranch dressing)
1 package of Cubed Ham
1 Pack of Cubed Cheddar Cheese
1 can Leiseur Peas(drained)
Lawrys Seasoning (desired amount for seasoning)

Cook Macaroni as directed on box then combine all other ingredients and stir well.  Let chill and sprinkle a little Seasoning or paprika on top for decor:)

Crunchy Taco Pie

A little like the Taco ring with a twist. 

Crunchy Taco Pie

1 roll seamless Crescent Rolls
1 cup Frito Lay Corn Chips (or Doritos) crushed
1 lb Ground Beef
1 cup Salsa
Taco Seasoning Packet
1 cup con queso (this is optional but I like to add it to the meat.  I buy the El Paso Queso Cheese in a jar)
Sour Cream
Shredded Mexican Cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  Place your seamless crescent roll into a pie dish and press along the bottom and sides.(you can use the Crescent Rolls as well if using then place them triangle shapes with the large end to the side of the dish and the points to the middle).

(Note I used the reduced fat rolls and they pulled apart a little but I just pieced it together and since your covering it up its ok to not look so pretty underneath).

Next place crushed chips on dough.  Brown Ground Beef then add seasoning and simmer on stovetop as directed on package.  When mixed add salsa & cheese con queso to meat the layer on top of c6orn chips.  Spread Sour cream over meat layer then cover completely with shredded cheese.  Bake for 20-23 minutes until your rolls are browned.  Remove and serve.  I serve this dish with lettuce & tomatoes on the side as well as I saute onions to place on top (Most kids dont like all the garnishings so its easier to serve with them on the side.  Great dish and takes 30 minutes tops to put together & serve.  Enjoy!!

Egg Shell Art

So the letter "E" has been fairly boring.  Besides Elmo, Elephants, & eggs, their are not many things that start with the letter E that Zane recognizes.  We did, however, find a fun craft to do .  Although it took a little prep work it turned out great.  we started it yesterday(or should I say I started it yesterday).  I boiled 7 eggs then let them cool completely.  Once cooled I removed the shells from the eggs and placed them crumbled up in 2 cups.  I then added water & food coloring to dye the egg shells 2 different colors.

We kept it simple and just went with 2 colors, however you could do more or less or even NOT color them and use them plain white.  I then let them soak in the color for about an hour then removed them and place them on 2 plates so the could dry overnight.

Once they dry you can crumble them a little more.  I then drew a Large letter E on a piece of construction paper then I poured glue all on the inner lines of the E.  Zane then put all the egg shells in the letter and it turned out really nice.  He enjoyed it. By having the glue on the inner sides only it didnt matter where he put the shells becuase I just shook it off once dried and they stayed where the glue had been. (Just a side note.....instead of wasting your hard boiled eggs I chose to make some tuna salad with them as well as a few deviled eggs for our dinner:)  Defintily a fun craft to do.  Here is our finished product.

Fresh Broccoli Salad

With Summer just around the corner and "cook out" season gearing up I thought I would post a couple of great easy recipes.  To start is one of my favs......


Fresh Broccoli Salad

1 lb. Fresh Broccoli (chopped up bite sized)
1/2  Mild Cheddar Chees(cubed)
3 pieces bacon, fried, crisp, & crumbled(you can also use the fresh bacon bits)

Mix these 3 ingrdients together then combine dressing and mix together.

Dressing

1/2 c. Miracle Whip or Mayo(whichever you prefer)
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. Vinegar

Stir & Serve :)

"Nemo" the Deer!

Here is our fun D activity we did yesterday.  Trace your childs footprint then both hands.  Cut them out and glue to a piece of paper for a cute deer.  We added eyes and painted a nose and of course added out letter "D".  Zane named it "Nemo" (tried to get him to change it but no way:))

Taco Ring (Pampered Chef recipe)

Melissa this is just for you:)

Taco Ring

Ingredients:

*3/4 lb lean ground beef

1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 1 cup salsa
• 3 cups lettuce, shredded
• 1 medium tomato
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup pitted ripe black olives (optional)
• sour cream (optional) Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 55 mins

1. 1 Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium heat 7-9 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain.
2. 2 Remove pan from heat.
3. 3 Stir in taco seasoning mix, cheese and water.
4. 4 Preheat oven to 375°F.
5. 5 Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles.
6. 6 Arrange triangles in a circle on Classic Round Pizza Stone with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward outside. (There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in center.) I use my Pampered Chef pizza stone, but any flat round pan should work--perhaps even a pizza sheet, but I'd spray it with Pam before adding the crescent rolls.
7. 7 Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. (Filling will not be completely covered).
8. 8 Bake at 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
9. 9 Shred lettuce and chop tomato, onion, olives, and bell pepper (if desired).
10. 10 If you want to do something fancy, scoop out a bell pepper and fill with salsa and put into center of ring.
11. 11 Add your toppings to top of ring and finish with more shredded cheese and sour cream.

12. 12 This is great with a salad.

Cheeseburger Pie

Cheeseburger Pie

2 lbs. Ground Beef
1 package Sharp Chedder Cheese
1/4 cup onion chopped
1/4 tsp. Italtian Seasoning
Salt & pepper (to taste)
8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
1 can Pillsbury seamless crescent rolls

Brown your Ground beef.  Drain then add all other ingredients using only 1/2 of your cheese.   Press crescents into the bottom of a pie dish pressing up along the sides as well.  Add the above mixture to crust and  top with Shredded Cheese. Bake on 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Peanut Butter Pie

This is for all you peanut butter lovers.  Its super rich but so good and as always EASY:)

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie
 1 Cup Peanut Butter
3/4 cup Sugar
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 3/4 cups cool whip
Chocolate Pie Shell

Mix together the 1st 4 ingredients then whip in Cool Whip.  Whip very good then pour in pie shell.  Freeze overnight.  Then top with Cool Whip & Drizzle with chocolate & chocolate chips & crumbled Reece's Cups..

Crock Pot Country Style Steak

Delicous Country Style Steak  in a crock pot.  My mother in law shared this recipe with me.  I changed it a little after cooking it several times. It is so easy and really out of this world.  Its great to serve if having several people over and the best part is its in a crock pot so prep time is virtually nothing:) 

Crock Pot Country Style Steak
4 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 packets driend Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 cups water
8 pieces of Cube or Minute Steak( I prefer minute steak)
1 small can of mushrooms(optional)

Mix Cream of Mushroom Soup with water & onion soup mix.  Brown steak on both sides(just until browned) then put in a crock pot.  Pour Soup mixture over steak and cook in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours or until steak in tender. 

I serve with Mashed potatoes or rice.  This is a must try dish and you will love it.

Letter D

I have been a little behind on posting activities that Zane & I are doing so thought I would continue with our Letter D.  We worked on D last week a little but we had a very buisy week so we are sticking to the same letter this week in order to get it:)  This week I have several activities planned.  Today we made a Doggie Puppet out of a lunch bag.  Very simple and only required a brown sack, glue, and red & black construction paper.  I also cut out several D's and let Zane glue them on a paper.  Just a little visual reinforcement of the letter.  This week we are going to be painting and decorating donuts, playing with Dinosaurs out in the sand, and making some duck crafts.  Hopefully by the end of the week we will nail down the D.  Many people ask how am I teaching him these letters and its simple.  We do at least 1 craft a day with the letter.  We focus on eating snacks the whole week starting with the letter as well as reading books and pointing out the letter we are working on.  We only spend about an hour in the mornings working on these lettters however I make sure to point out letters throughout the day when we see them.  We are having lots of fun:)  One thing I have found is we are only working on upper case right now.  I have found its easier to grasp one at a time!

Messy Kitchen

Do you ever wish you would have never baked because of the mess you have made???  Well we have a tradition in our house that our boys get to make their own family cake on their actual birthday and get to decorate it themselves.  Well honestly usually I bake it and once cooled they decorate it.  Well my 11 year old just baked his 1st cake all by himself and the kitchen was spotless(well almost) when he finished.  I thought I would share a few of these keys with you.

1. Make sure you have a super clean surface to begin with.  (I mean who wants to eat dinner on a dirty plate?  Thats how I feel about a clean kitchen.  I dont want to eat from it unless its clean.)

2. Pull out all ingredients and measuring cups you will be using to make your dish prior to baking.

3. As you use each ingredient, put that item away.( a tip my mom always told me)

4. By your last ingredient, the only thing you should have out is your bowl or dish and utensils.(and of course your mixing bowls & measuring cups in the sink which are soaking in water and can be put in dishwasher in about 2 minutes.

These steps might take add an extra 5 minutes if that to your prep time but it sure as heck beats the nasty 30 minute clean up that usually comes along:)

Just a few tips from a busy mom!  Happy Cooking:)

Triple Chocolate Chip Cake Cookies

Looking for that fast easy cookie recipe?  Here is my favorite one of all and I must say everyone loves them.

Cookies
Cake Mix(I use the chocolate fudge mix)
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
white chocolate chips


Mix together the 1st 3 ingredients until well blended then stir in desired amount of white chocolate chips.  Roll dough, flatten out,  and place on baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.

*you can use any cake mix and any flavor of chips you would like.

Breakfast Crossiants

Have you ever gotten up in the mornings and had nothing for breakfast?  This is what happened at our house this morning after being gone the past week so I looked at what I had and came up with a pretty scrumptious crossiant so I thought I would share(especially since Cody ate 5 of them they must of been pretty tastey )
 
Half in cinnamon & sugar
Half in Chocolate Chips


Cinnamon Sugar
Roll crossiant up as normal then brush butter over entire crossiant then roll in cinnamon & sugar mix

Chocolate Chip
Roll several chips up in a crossiant then pinch the sides closed.  Brush with butter then sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Bake both together on a baking sheet until browned.  (I use a baking stone so it took almost 20 minutes to brown)  You can also brush egg white over them before baking for that fluffy pastry finish(i was just out of eggs so I used butter)

Remove and serve:)

Broccoli Cornbread Muffins

My mother in law makes these delicious muffins that I thought I would share. 

I stick marg,[ melted]     
3 eggs [slighty beaten]        
3/4 cup chopped onions 
6 oz small curd cottage cheese  
2 cups shredded sharp cheese 
1 box 10 oz thawed chopped broccoli 
1 box jiffy corn bread or muffin mix 
salt and pepper as desired  

Mix all together with spoon. Bake in muffin pan for 35 minutes at 350 degrees

Hope you enjoy:)

Pineapple Casserole

If your looking for something different to take to this years Family Easter dinner here is a easy recipe for you.  Guaranteed to be a hit!


Pineapple Casserole

1 (20 oz can) Pineapple chunks drained
1 cup sugar
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/2 stack of Ritz crackers
3 T. plain flour
3/4 stick margarine

Put your pineapple mixed with 1/2 cheese in the bottom of a 9 inch casserole dish.  Mix flour, sugar, and remainder of cheese and pour over the pineapple.  melt margarine.  Crush crackkers and stir into margarine with a fork.  Sprikle Cracker mixture over your pineapple and cheese.  Bake on 350 for 25 minutes.

*I usually double this recipe for large crowds and put in larger casserole dish.

Chocolate Eclair Dessert

Heres a great recipe that a friend asked me to post.  Its a wonderful delicious dessert that almost everyone loves.


Chocolate Eclair Dessert

Mix:
1 lrg. Cool Whip
1 c. sour cream
1 lrg box French Vanilla Pudding(I have heard of others using Banana Cream pudding flavor which sounds yummy as well)
1 box Graham Crackers
Milk


Mix together milk & pudding as directed on box then place in the refrigerator until thick.  Stir in cool whip & sour cream into pudding mixture.  Place a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Spread a layer of pudding mixture on graham crackers, continue layering (I usually get 3 layers from a box of crackers).  Top last layer of grahams with chocolater frosting(you can use store bought icing or you can use the following recipe)  I generally use the homemade icing but you have to really watch your powdered sugar for desired consistency.

Icing:
6 T. milk
6 T. cocoa
6 T. margarine
3 cups powdered Sugar

Melt butter, milk, and cocoa on medium heat.  Add powdered sugar until spreading consistency.  Spread over dessert.

***Keep in mind most of these recipes you can make fairly lowfat.  I always use fat free sour cream & fat free cool whip****

C if for Cross

Since Easter is just 3 days away I decided to incorporate a little bible lesson in with our letter C today.  We made a cross.  I cut a cross out of construction paper then let Zane paint all on his own.  I decided to place the  painted cross on a piece of paper and I always like to label what we made just to reinerate the letter we are working on currently.  Dont be scared to allow your kids to play with paint or playdough. I know you may be nervous about giving your child a paint brush and paint so here is a tip for you....I keep a small kids table and cover it with old newspaper.  I put the paint on a paper plate and instead of brushes I give Zane q-tips.  He seems to be able to manage these a little better.  The table is also very handy for playdough fun or anything that is gonna get messy.  Now keep in mind you want to keep this on a surface such as hardwood or tile.  You dont want to take a chance of a spill on carpet.  Simple easy fun for you and your child to play together creatively.