The Daily Smash

Cookies N Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-02-23T07:46:00.001-07:00

3/4 Cup Butter Flavored Crisco
1 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbs Milk
1 Ts Vanilla
1 Egg
1 Tsp Salt
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Cups flour
3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips
3/4-1 Cup Chopped Cookies N Creme Candy Bars

Preheat the oven to 375

1.In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the shortening and brown sugar. Mix on medium speed until smooth.

2.Add the milk, vanilla, and egg and mix again until smooth.

3.In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients so that when you add them to the cookie dough they get well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the dough comes together. Remove the bowl and use a large wooden spoon to stir in the chocolate chips and candy bars.

4.Place by heaping tablespoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 9-10 min. Remove from the oven to cool for a couple min on a cooling rack

I got this recipe from ohsweetbasil.com she has a great blog be sure to check her out :)

This recipe makes about 3 dozen average size cookies.

* These were great cookies I loved that they have a little white chocolate flavor but it didn't overpower the flavor of the cookie. Its a great way to use up any leftover cookies and creme candy bars you might have around the house. Mine were still from Christmas lol I give these a 4 on the scale.

Taco Noodle Skillet

2012-02-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

1/2 lb lean ground beef

1 T taco seasoning mix
2 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups uncooked small pasta
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans or pinto beans, drained, rinsed (I used one of each)
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup) (I used a can of rotel drained)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1.In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown; drain.

2 .Stir seasoning mix, water, uncooked pasta, corn, beans and tomato into beef. Heat to boiling; stir. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is desired doneness and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

3 Stir in sour cream. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

* This was a great and filling dish it reminded me of a homemade hamburger helper and I love that you make it all in the same pan. I give it a 4 on the scale.

Olive Garden Breadsticks

2012-02-21T16:34:00.003-07:00

1 1/2 cups warm water (between 110 - 120 degrees F)
1 package active dry yeast
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt

1.In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Mixture should be frothy. In separate bowl, combine flour and salt.
2.Add to yeast mixture. Add melted butter. Mix with paddle attachment until fully combined.
3.Knead dough for a few minutes just until dough is smooth. Do not overknead!

4.Grease a cookie sheet. Pull off pieces of dough and roll out into strips.

5.Cover the dough and let sit in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour.

6.Preheat your oven to 400 degrees . In microwave, combine the following:

1 stick unsalted butter ( I used unsalted)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoons salt

1.After bread sticks have cooked for 6 or 7 minutes, brush the bread sticks with half the butter mixture

2.Then continue to bake. Bake for 5-8 more minutes.
3.Immediately upon removal from the oven brush the other half of the butter on the sticks.
4.Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.

* These were so yummy and really did taste like Olive Garden Bread sticks. I was in a hurry so I made mine a little big but this recipe probably makes about 12-15 bread sticks depending on size. I will for sure be making these again on our next Italian night.. I give them a 5

Chicken Dijon Shepherds Pie

2012-02-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onions

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (from 1-lb bag)

1 jar (12 oz) chicken gravy

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Topping

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

2 1/4 cups plain mashed potato mix (dry)

Paprika

1.Heat oven to 350°F. cook chicken and onions, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and no longer pink in center.

2 Stir in remaining filling ingredients. Spoon into ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish.

3 In 2-quart saucepan, heat water to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining topping ingredients except paprika.

4.Spoon topping over chicken mixture; sprinkle with paprika.

5 Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.

* I thought that this was pretty good my husband liked it more then I did. I don't know what it was about it that didn't make it great but it just wasn't there. I think if you added a few more spices and maybe some cheese it would help alot.So it worked for a quick dinner and something different but I probably wont be making it again. I give it a 3 1/2

Mexican Shells and Cheese

2012-02-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

2 1/4 cups small shell pasta
3T butter
3T flour
2Cups milk
1/3 cup green onions
1 4oz can green chilis
1T taco seasoning
2 Cup Mexican shredded cheese

Topping
1T butter
1/2 T taco seasoning
1/2 Cup plain bread crumbs

1.Heat oven to 375 spray a 8x8 inch pan with nonstick spray. Cook pasta until desired doneness and drain.
2.In a pan melt butter add the flour cook 1-2 min until bubbly add milk slowly stirring until boils and thickens. Add onion,chilis and 1T taco seasoning.

3.Add pasta to the sauce and mix well. Pour half the mixture in the pan and top with cheese and remaining noodles.
4. Mix together the topping ingredients and sprinkle over noodles in pan.

5. Bake 25-30 min or until hot and bubbly and the breadcrumbs are brown.

* This was a good side dish for Mexican food it had just enough spice to it but did not over power it. My son loved it and went back for thirds lol I am sure that I will be making this again I give it a 4 on the scale.

Cherry Cordial Cupcakes

2012-02-17T07:26:00.000-07:00

24 chocolate cupcakes of your choice. (I used a devils food cake box mix)

Frosting:
2 sticks of butter (softened)
4 T. of juice from a jar of maraschino cherries
4 c. of powdered sugar
1 t. of vanilla

1. Mix together the butter until smooth add the 4t Cherry juice and vanilla beat for about a minute.
2.Chop up about half of the cherries (about 10, more or less depending on your preference), and mix for about a minute or so until medium.

3.Pipe the frosting high on top the cupcakes, and then place them in the refrigerator until chilled.About an hour.

4.Melt Almond Bark in a bowl until smooth and dip each cupcake into the chocolate 2/3 the way up the frosting. Top with a chocolate covered cherry. And place in the fridge again about 15-20 min to set up.

*" I love Cherry Cordials, all 99 cents of them" lol when I saw this statement on christyrobbins.blogspot.com I knew this was my recipe. I also love Cherry Cordial cookies that only come out at Valentines. I have to make myself walk away from them at the store cuz I know that if I buy them I will pretty much eat the whole box in the week lol So I was so excited when I saw these. And they did not disappoint. They were so yummy and I will be making them for many valentines to come I am sure :) And whats even better is that it doesn't have to be valentines time to have delicious cherry cordials. Wait maybe this is not a good thing lol I give these a 5 on the scale.

Overnight Chicken Enchilada Bake

2012-02-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

1 -lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin bite-sized pieces

1 -10 3/4-oz.can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 -8-oz. container sour cream

1 -4.5-oz. can Chopped Green Chiles

2 -10-oz. cans Enchilada Sauce ( I used one medium and one mild can)

12- 6-inch corn tortillas, quartered

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1.Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in soup, sour cream and chiles.

2 Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in sprayed baking dish. Arrange half of the tortilla pieces over sauce, overlapping as necessary. Spoon and spread 1 cup enchilada sauce evenly over tortillas. Spread half of chicken mixture over sauce. Top with 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat layers, starting with tortilla pieces. Cover tightly with foil. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

3 Heat oven to 375°F. Bake covered 30 minutes. Uncover baking dish; bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese begins to brown. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with onions.

* I loved that I could make this in advance and not have to worry about making dinner. It tasted great and we all ate it up :) I think that if I made it again I would add some lettuce and maybe some tortilla chips to give it some crunch. I give it a 4 on the scale.

* This was great leftovers also on day two the casserole was not so runny and the flavors blended well.

Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes

2012-02-09T07:45:00.001-07:00

Pancake mix (Box mix or homemade)
strawberries
cheesecake either homemade or store bought
chocolate syrup
whip cream

1.Make pancake mix according to package
2.Pour onto hot pan and top with 3-5 chunks of cheesecake. Depending on the size.

3.Flip over pancake when bubbles form all around the edges. And cook on other size until golden brown.

4.Cut up strawberries and place in bowl mix in a little sugar to suck out the juice and set aside.
5.Stack up hot pancakes and top with strawberries,chocolate syrup and whip cream. You can also add some strawberry syrup as well.

* These pancakes were so yummy my son kept asking me why we were having candy for breakfast lol. They were easy to make and the cheesecake flavor was just enough to know what it was but didn't take over the whole flavor. Try these out the next time you have some cheesecake laying around. I give them a 4 1/2

Taco Chili

2012-02-08T07:36:00.003-07:00

2 lb Ground beef
1 cup Chopped onion
1 T Taco seasoning
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
2 cans Diced tomatoes with green chilis undrained
1 15 ounce Can tomato sauce
1 cup Frozen corn
1 can black beans drained
1 can chili beans undrained
1-1 1/2 cups water
2 cups Chili cheese fritos
shredded cheese
sour cream

1.Cook ground beef and onion over medium high heat until browned. Drain
2.Stir in taco seasoning mix, tomatos, tomato sauce, chili powder,cumin and corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cook 10 to 15 minutes until beef is thoroughly cooked and corn is tender, stirring occasionally.

3.Stir in beans and water (depending on how soupy you want it) return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 20-25 minutes or until thoroughly heated and flavors are blended, stirring occasionally.

4.Spoon into individual serving bowls. Sprinkle with chips,sour cream and cheese.

* This was a simple chili that was easy to put together I like that it has some kick to it but it not to spicy. The whole family loved it and I would most likely make it again sometime. its perfect from these cold winter nights :) I give it a 4

CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE :Triple Chocolate Cheesecake with Chocolate Malt Frosting

2012-02-07T10:00:00.005-07:00

Its time again for the Crazy Cooking Challenge. This month we were set out to find the best Chocolate Cake recipe and share it with the world :) I had so many to choose from and they all looked so good. But I knew that I wanted to make something that would actually challenge me and that's when I found this amazing cake at ourcookingcafe.blogspot.com and I knew that it was the one. I will warn you this cake takes a long long time to make lol. There is a lot of waiting and letting things set up and cool but it was so worth it the cake was amazing and I think that I gained about 10 lbs eating it lol I hope that if you decided to make it you love it as much as we did. I don't know how you couldn't :)

Cake:

1 Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

1 cup Buttermilk

1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

3 Eggs

1.Heat oven to 350.

2.Generously spray three 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray, getting the sides sprayed well too. Place parchment paper on the bottoms of all 3 pans. Beat all ingredients together in a large bowl for on low for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Divide cake mix evenly between the 3 pans. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Gently peel off parchment paper. Let sit until completely cooled, about 2 hours. Wrap cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate (or freeze if starting a day or more ahead) until ready to use.

Cheesecake layer

3 (8-ounce) packages Cream Cheese, (use only full fat), at room temperature

1 1/3 cups Sugar

3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 tablespoon Vanilla

2 Extra-Large eggs

2/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1.Heat oven to 350.
2.Generously butter the bottom and sides of one 9-inch spring form pan. Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper, but do not let the paper come up the sides. You will be baking your cheesecake in a water bath.Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. To make the cheesecake layer, put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a couple of times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each. Beat in the cream just until it's completely blended. Be careful not to over mix!

3.Gently spoon the batter into the foil-wrapped spring form and place it in a large roasting pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the spring form. Bake the cake at 350 degrees F until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 hour. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool in the pan for 2 hours the refrigerate until it's completely cold, about 4 hours. Place in the freezer for 30-45 min before you assemble the cake.

Creamy Chocolate Malt Frosting

3/4 cups butter, softened
1 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2cup Malted Milk Powder
3 1/2 cups.. Powdered Sugar

In large mixing bowl, beat butter and vanilla. In separate bowl, stir together malt powder and cocoa. Add to butter, beat on medium speed. Add whipping cream and beat on low til mixed in well. Add powdered sugar, mix well to combine.

To assemble the cake:
1.To assemble the cake, remove the cheesecake from the freezer and let stand at room temperature about 5 minutes. Place one layer of chocolate cake, top side down, on a cake plate and spread with some of the frosting. Release and remove the ring of the spring form, then remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan. Place top side down on the frosted cake layer, and remove parchment paper. Spread with some frosting.

2.Top with the second cake layer, top side down. Spread with more frosting and cover with the third cake layer, top side up. Brush away any crumbs from the sides and top of the cake layers. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting, spreading the top with frosting about 1/4 inch deep. Place chocolate curls on the top of cake.

3.Use a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one, to cut it. Cover any leftover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate, or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

Baked Chicken Fajitas

2012-02-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 T vegetable oil
2 t. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. salt
1/2 T Fajita seasoning
flour tortillas
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13×9 baking dish. Mix together chicken, tomatoes, chilies, peppers, and onions in the dish.

2.In a small bowl combine the oil and spices. Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle on the 1/2T Fajita Seasoning.

3.Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes stir and bake another 15-20 min or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

* This was a great and easy way to make fajitas. I loved that you can just throw it all in the pan and put it in the fridge until it was time to cook it. I will for sure be using this method again to make my fajitas in the future they were great. I give them a 4 1/2 on the scale.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

2012-02-04T07:45:00.001-07:00

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves Sliced in half
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
4-6 slices mozzarella cheese
1 jar (28-ounces) favorite marinara sauce
Pasta of your choice

1.Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the bottom of the crockpot stoneware.
2.In a medium bowl, beat egg. In second medium bowl, mix the bread crumbs, spices, and grated Parmesan cheese all together.
3.Dip chicken in beaten egg and then toss into bread crumb mixture to coat completely on both sides. Place chicken breasts on bottom of crockpot. Place a layer of mozzarella slices on top of breaded chicken breasts. Cover cheese layered chicken with entire jar of sauce.

4.Place lid of crockpot securely on and turn heat to LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Serve over cooked pasta of your choice. And top with another slice of cheese.

* This was so yummy and so easy it was done so fast mine was done in only 3 hours on high it was so good. I will for sure be making this many times I give it a 5 on the scale

Scone Dough

2012-02-03T07:33:00.030-07:00

3C plus 2-3T flour
2tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup warm water
2T sugar
dash of salt

1.Add all to the kitchen aid and knead together with the 3 cups of flour adding additional 2-3T flour until soft dough forms

2.Roll out dough and cut into squares fry dough until golden brown on both sides.

*This recipe makes 13-15 scones depending on size.

* This is a great easy recipe I use it all the time for scones Its a 5 on the scale.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna

2012-02-02T07:22:00.001-07:00

2 eggs

1 container (15 oz) Ricotta cheese

1 cup Cottage cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped, fresh Parsley

2 cups diced, cooked Ham

2 cups diced, cooked Chicken

1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder

1 jar (16 oz) creamy garlic Alfredo sauce

6 uncooked (oven ready) Lasagna noodles

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh Parsley

1.Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl beat eggs. Stir in ricotta, cottage and Parmesan cheeses and 1/4 cup parsley, set aside.

2.In another medium bowl, mix together chicken, ham, garlic powder and Alfredo sauce. In an ungreased 9x13 glass baking dish, spread about 1/2 cup of chicken mixture.

3.Top chicken mixture with 3 uncooked noodles, half of the cheese mixture, half the remaining chicken mixture and half each of the mozzarella and Swiss cheeses. Repeat layer starting with noodles again and ending with Swiss cheese. Cover tightly with foil.

4.Bake for 1 hour. Let stand 10-15 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of parsley before slicing and serving

* My family really liked this is was fun and different and really easy to put together I will for sure make this again sometime I give it a 4 1/2 on the scale.

Jalapeno Pepper Snackers

2012-02-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

5oz cream cheese softened
1/4 c Shredded Monetary Jack cheese
2 1/2 T Chopped green Chilies or 2T chopped jalapenos
1 11oz can refrigerated bread stick dough
1 egg white beaten
1 T water
4 T Cornmeal

1.In a Small bowl combine the cream cheese,shredded cheese and chili's mix well. Spoon into 16-17 even balls about 3 tsp each and place on a sheet of wax paper and freeze 30-45 min
2.Heat oven to 375 degrees spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Unroll dough and rip off pieces to wrap around each dough ball. Make sure that you wrap it tight so that all the cheese doesn't melt out when cooking.

3.Roll each dough ball into the egg white mixed with the 1T water and then in the cornmeal and place on cookie sheet

4.Back for 13-15 min or until golden brown Cool slightly before serving

* I thought that these were pretty good i think that I would try and use a little less dough on mine next time only because on some you could taste more of the dough then anything. But they were still yummy. My son called them spicy cheese meatballs lol I think that I would give these a 4 on the scale.

My Moms Baked Beans

2012-01-30T07:56:00.004-07:00

1/2 lb bacon
2 lbs ground beef
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 beef bouillon cubes
2/3 cup water boiling
1 1/2 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (28 ounce) cans baked beans with molasses

1.In a Dutch oven or other large, heavy, oven proof pot fry bacon until crisp and set aside.

2.In the same pan, cook ground beef, onion and celery until meat in brown and the onion and celery are tender.

3.Meanwhile, dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water.

4.Add bouillon to meat mixture with the remaining ingredients including bacon and mix well.

These are the bean flavors that I use.

5.Cover and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven until hot and bubbly.

*Top with some sour cream

This makes a lot of beans. I usually freeze the extras in quart size freezer bags so that they are easy to heat up just enough for meals.

* I love these beans they are the baked beans that my mom has made my whole life and I have yet to find another recipe for beans that I like as much. Try them out I promise that you will love them to. Of course I give these a 5 I make them all the time :)

Cornmeal Crusted Chicken with Jalapeno Popper Sauce

2012-01-29T07:44:00.001-07:00

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 egg, beaten
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 slices of bacon, chopped
3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.In a medium skillet, fry bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels. Combine cornmeal, chili powder, cumin, and salt on a plate. Dip each chicken breast in beaten egg, then in cornmeal mixture. Shallow-fry in vegetable oil in a large skillet until coating is crisp and juices run clear. Remove from skillet, drain on paper towels, and keep warm.

2.Add jalapenos to the same skillet that was used to cook the bacon; season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened. Add garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.

3.Bring to a boil. Add cream cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in shredded cheese and reserved bacon, stirring until the cheese in melted. Top chicken with sauce and serve.

* When I saw this recipe I knew that I wanted to make it . I love poppers and pretty much love them in any form so I was excited to try this. I have to say I was a little disappointing. I think with a few changes this would be great. First I would just used grilled chicken with some seasoning with the sauce and a little more cheese in the sauce to thicken it up a little more. I thought the sauce was good I think that it would be great as a sauce for mashed potato's. I think that I would try that next time and not do the chicken. So this one is a little hard to rate loved the sauce didn't care for the chicken so I will go in the middle and give it a 3. When I try it will potato's I will let you know :)

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

2012-01-28T07:37:00.003-07:00

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 med to large-sized onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons steak sauce
1 cup beef stock
Salt and ground black pepper
4 dinner rolls
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone, shredded

1.In large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and then brown the ground beef, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes.

2.Split open rolls . Toast the rolls under broil and set aside.

3.While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir the cheese.

4.To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll.

* I got this recipe on www.chef-in-training.com Such easy and great recipes

* Everyone in the family really liked these. They were easy to make and the cheese sauce made them so yummy. I would for sure make these again I give them a 4 1/2 on the scale.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2012-01-27T07:24:00.001-07:00

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 boneless pork shoulder roast (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) French Onion Soup

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1.Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until it's well browned on all sides.
2.Stir the soup, ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the pork and turn to coat.
3.Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or until the pork is fork-tender.
4.Remove the pork from the cooker to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the pork. Return the pork to the cooker.

5.Divide the pork and sauce mixture among the rolls.

* My family is not a big fan of pork. We eat it now and then but its not a regular in the house because we are just not into it lol But I happened to have a pork roast in the freezer that I needed to use so I found this recipe that got really good reviews. We thought that the sandwiches were pretty good I have not tried the leftovers yet to see how it tastes but it worked for dinner I give it a 3 1/2 on the scale.

Baked Avacado Fries

2012-01-26T17:20:00.001-07:00

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp kosher salt (sprinkle 1/2 into the flour save the other half for on top the avocados)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups panko
2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges
Grated Parmesan (Don't forget this it adds all the flavor)

1.Preheat oven to 450.
2.Coat avocado slices in the four, then egg, then panko. Spread on a cooling rack that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, then place on a cookie sheet.

3.Spray the top of the wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then bake for about 20 minutes at 450, or until they are golden brown (I turned my oven up to 500 for the last 5 minutes).

* I thought that these were pretty good. At first I forgot to add the Parmesan cheese and they were kinda bland but when I remembered the cheese they were much better. So remember to not forget the cheese :) They were simple to make and were a different fun side dish I give it a 4 on the scale

Pizza Noodle Casserole

2012-01-21T07:54:00.002-07:00

1 bag of Egg Noodles

1 extra large can of tomato sauce ( any spaghetti sauce you want)

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (you can also add some ricotta cheese to the mozzarella)

1 lb hamburger meat or sausage whatever you prefer

1/2 package pepperonis

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 C minced onion

1. Boil noodles according to package and drain

2. Brown meat in a pan with onion,garlic and seasonings

3. In a 9x13 dish add a layer of pasta sauce then meat then half of the noodles and half the cheese. Repeat layers until everything is used up. Top with pepperonis

4. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 min. Take off the foil and bake an additional 15 min. Let sit for ten min before cutting into it.

** My family thought that this was great I think that I would mix hamburger with sausage next time and add more pepperoni. I only had a few left in my pack. This was easy to make and really good I give it a 4 1/2 on the scale.

Cheesy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

2012-01-20T07:42:00.003-07:00

1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
3/4 cup shredded cheese, divided
1 (15 oz) can Old El Paso Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
6-8 flour tortillas depends on how full you fill them :)
dash of chili powder and garlic powder

1.Preheat oven to 400.

2.melt cream cheese and butter in a pan and stir until smooth.

3.Stir in chicken, green chilies, seasonings and 1/4-1/2 shredded cheese.

4.Dip each flour tortilla into Green Chile Enchilada sauce and spoon some of the mixture into the tortilla. Roll up and place in pan. Repeat until mixture is gone.

5.Top with a little extra Enchilada sauce and 1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheese.

6.Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

** These were so good and I liked that they were different from the normal red sauce enchiladas. I will for sure be making these again. I give them a 5 on the scale.

Hershey Kiss Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-01-19T07:36:00.004-07:00

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
30 Hershey Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment .
2. Place butter and sugars in stand or electric mixer beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined.

3. Place flour, salt and soda into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.

4. Wrap dough around Hershey Kisses leaving tall, do not press dough down.

5.Bake for 11-13 minutes until baked through. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting open.

Makes 30 cookies.

I got this recipe from picky-palate.com Hers looks a lot better cuz she used giant chocolate kisses but what do you do lol They still tasted great. I love her blog she has amazing ideas.

** These were a lot of fun I love to make cookies that are not the normal chocolate chip cookies so when I saw these I knew I had to try them they were so yummy and were pretty easy to make. I give these a 4 on the scale.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

2012-01-18T07:26:00.003-07:00

1 cup whole milk
7-8 T of Hot Chocolate mix
2 cups ice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoons granulated sugar
2T mini chocolate chips

1. Place milk into blender. Add hot chocolate mix and blend until combined.

2.Add ice and blend until ice is blended into tiny chunks. Pour evenly into glasses on top of plates to catch any dripping frozen hot chocolate.

3.Whip cream and sugar until whipped cream. Top each glass with whipped cream and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

** Yummy this was so easy and tasted great. It reminded me of the chocolate frosty that you get at Wendy's and who doesn't love those :) My son who is addicted to hot chocolate loved it to and though that it was pretty amazing that you can make it frozen lol. I give this 5 stars will for sure make it again sometime.And you should to...

Cafe Rio Chicken Salad and Tomatillo Dressing

2012-01-17T07:42:00.002-07:00

Chicken:

2 lbs chicken breasts

1/2 a small bottle of zesty Italian dressing You need 4-5oz

1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 pkt ranch dressing mix (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)

1/2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

1.Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours. Shred or chop up with fork

Dressing:

1 packet of buttermilk ranch dressing

1 cup Mayo

1 Cup buttermilk

1 bunch Cilantro

2 med size tomatillos husked

1 jalapeno (ribs and seeds removed)

A few small shakes of garlic powder

juice from 1 large lime

1.Blend mayo, dressing mix, buttermilk, and garlic in a blender until blended and smooth

2.Dice up tomatillos, jalapeno, and cilantro, and place in the blender.

3.Juice up the lime and add that to the blender.

4.Blend up all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

5.Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Extra for salad:

Romaine lettuce Chopped

Black or pinto beans

Rice I use my cilantro-lime-rice Recipe

Pico De Gallo

Lime

tortilla strips

** I love Cafe Rio its one of my favorite places to eat. I have tried a few different recipes for dressings and meat and I think that these are the best so far. Its not just like Cafe Rio but its really good for a cheaper at home version. I give this a 4 1/2 on the scale.

Mexican Lasagna

2012-01-16T07:23:00.007-07:00

1 pound lean ground beef

1 can (16 ounces) fat-free refried beans

1/2 cup minced white onion

1 garlic clove minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

3/4 tsp chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

9 uncooked lasagna noodles

1 jar (16 ounces) salsa

2 cups water

2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream

1 can (2 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1.In a nonstick skillet, cook beef,white onion and garlic over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the refried beans, oregano, cumin chili powder and garlic powder; heat through.

2.Place three noodles in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray; cover with half of the meat mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles. Combine salsa and water; pour over noodles.

3.Cover and bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until noodles are tender. Spread with sour cream. Sprinkle with olives, cheese and more onions.

Yield: 9 servings.

** I loved the fact that this was not the typical italian lasagna. It was so simple and quick to put together and it had great flavor. My whole family loved it and I would make this again. I give it a 4 1/2

Pizza Pockets

2012-01-15T07:55:00.001-07:00

Rhodes Texas Rolls
Pizza Sauce
Your Favorite Pizza Toppings we used pepperoni ,green pepper, onion, and olives
Mozzarella Cheese

1.Thaw rolls until soft and risen. Roll each roll out into a 7 inch circle. Fill with sauce, cheese, and toppings. Fold over and seal edges. Make a few slits in the top.

2.Place on a cookie sheet lined with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes at 350.

** These were really fun and easy to make the kids loved to add there own toppings to there pockets and even better we didn't have to use and more dishes to eat there I love finger food lol I would rate these with a 4. Fun Simple and easy just how I like recipes.

Caramel Buttermilk Syrup

2012-01-14T08:45:00.001-07:00

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

1.In a large saucepan, bring buttermilk, sugars, and butter to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in soda and vanilla. It will bubble up a lot. So use a deep pan.The bubbles will go away as it cools.

I got this recipe from http://www.creationsbykara.com/2011/02/buttermilk-caramel-syrup.html Check out her blog it makes me hungry everytime I look at it.

** This is the first time that I have made homemade syrup and it was so easy and so good I am going to give this a 4 1/2 on the scale I poured my syrup into a sqeeze bottle and it will stay good in the fridge 2-3 months.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

2012-01-13T18:18:00.003-07:00

1.5cups Flour
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
3/4 cups Milk
1 Eggs
1 teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 cup Butter, melted

1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoons Flour
3/4 Tablespoon Cinnamon

1 cup Powdered Sugar
2 1/2 Tablespoons Milk
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8x8 glass baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

2.In an electric mixer add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well , slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared pan.

3.For topping, In a large bowl mix the 1 stick of butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together until well combined and creamy. Drop evenly over the batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.

4.Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean.

5.In a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature. ( I think that it tasted better the longer that it sat)

** When my son asked me to make him Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast I knew that I didn't want to take the few hours that it took to make them. So instead I made this cake he was happy and it was done in less then an hour. I don't think that I would really compare it to an actual cinnamon roll but it was a yummy cake and you get the same tastes in much less time. This is a keeper and I give it a 4

Light and Crispy Waffles

2012-01-13T08:34:00.003-07:00

2 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
2 stiffly beaten egg whites

1.Preheat waffle maker. Put all ingredients except egg whites in large mixer bowl. Beat on low until moistened. Increase to medium, mix until smooth. By hand, gently fold in beaten egg whites. Pour 1/2 cup batter over grids. Close waffle maker, bake until steam no longer escapes, about 3-5 minutes. Repeat. Serve hot with your favorite topping.

** These were really good waffles but tasted a lot like the Belgian waffle mix you get at the store so where it was a good recipe I think that I will stick with the box mix only cuz its faster and I have two little boys that want there food quick lol I give it a 4

Tomato Cream Sauce

2012-01-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1 tablespoon dried basil leaves

1/2-3/4 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup half and half

1 tablespoon butter

1.In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Make sure it doesn't burn. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and continue to boil 5 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in half and half and butter. Reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes.

** This was a quick and easy sauce I would add more garlic if I made it again. I give it 3 1/2 on the scale

Texican Chili

2012-01-11T08:09:00.001-07:00

8 bacon strips, diced

2-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes, undrained

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups sliced carrots

1 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt, optional

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1.In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Brown beef in the drippings over medium heat; drain.

2.Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; add bacon and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 16-18 servings.

Nutritonal information
1 cup (prepared with turkey bacon, no-salt-added stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce and without salt) equals 163 calories, 6 g fat (0 saturated fat), 44 mg cholesterol, 242 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 16 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch

** I was not a huge fan of this Chili my husband thought that it was really good but I dont think I will make it again I am giving this Chili a 3 1/2 on the scale. I have other chili recipes on my blog I love like the Blue Ribbon Chili Its a 5 all the way :)

BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

2012-01-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

Salad

3 c. cooked, shredded chicken (cook in the crockpot with chicken broth, barbeque sauce and desired seasonings( I used Mrs Dash original seasoning and famous daves sweet and zesty bbq sauce. When done, shred chicken

I put 2 large frozen chicken in the crockpot with seasoning sauce and some water on high for 3-4 hours.

1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and chopped

1 can corn, drained & warmed

1 can black beans, rinsed, drained & warmed

tomato, diced

olives, chopped, opt.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 c. Mayonnaise

1/3 c. milk

1/3 c. buttermilk

6 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped, or to taste

1 Tbl. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 garlic clove, finely minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cumin, or to taste

For the Dressing: Combine all ingredients together and whisk vigorously to combine. You could also run this through a blender to make it even more smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To Assemble: Layer chopped lettuce, beans, corn, shredded chicken, shredded cheese, diced tomato and olives and drizzle with cilantro lime dressing.

I also added some chili lime tortilla strips for more crunch.

* I got this recipe from eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com again another one of her recipes that was so quick and easy.

** This recipe got a 5 it was so easy and delicios me,my husband and kids all loved it. We will totally add this to our normal dinner rotation.

New Feature on the Daily Smash

2012-01-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

I get asked by a lot of people about what recipes I post and if I post everything I make of just stuff that I like? For the most part I like most new stuff that I try out. But that doesn't mean that I am going to make it again or sometimes it just wasn't a favorite for my family but your family might enjoy it so that's why I post stuff that I'm not going to make again but was still good.. (To answer the question. No I don't post everything I make. If its a total flop or we really didn't like it and it ends up in the trash I'm not going to post it) :)

So for the new year I have decided that I am going to start rating my recipes on a scale from 1 to 5. One being I will not make again and 5 being I would eat this everyday if I could lol. I hope this will help people out a little with deciding on a recipe of mine to try it out.

Hope everyone is having a great new year so far and I am excited to get my new feature going :)

Crazy Cooking Challange (Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup)

2012-01-07T10:00:00.001-07:00

Its time again for the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE and this month we are all in search for the ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. I love soup and its even better in the winter months when its so cold outside. I knew that I was going to be in on this challenge and started my search. I knew that I didn't want the typical broth based noodle soup but something that was a little different. Thats when I found this Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup over at Mom I'm Hungry it sounded so yummy and was so simple another bonus. The soup turned out really yummy so try it our yourself and let me know what you think :)

6 cups chicken broth (I added 3 more cups of water because I like more liquid in my soup.)
2 handfuls of shredded carrots
3 stalks of celery finely chopped
1/2 chopped onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can evaporated milk
12 oz. bag of frozen homemade egg noodles
1 Rotisserie chicken
salt and pepper to taste
I also added about 1/4 tsp dill weed just cuz I love the taste of it in chicken soup

1.Pick all of the chicken off of the Rotisserie chicken and shred. Put chicken stock, carrots, celery, onion,water and noodles in chicken broth and boil for 20 minutes.

2.Then add chicken, soup, and milk into broth and vegetable mixture. Season with salt pepper and dill weed

3.mix all together until well combined

Bacon Egg and Cheese Ring

2012-01-06T08:00:00.002-07:00

1 can crescent roll dough 6 or 8 count
5 lg scrambled eggs
1 cup shredded cheese
6-8 slices of bacon cooked
salt and pepper to taste

1.Lay out the dough on a cookie sheet to look like a sun with all the large ends touching
2.place a slice of bacon on each roll

3.Top with 1/2 cup cheese and the cooked eggs top eggs with remaining cheese

4.fold over the small ends of the crescent rolls to hold all the eggs in

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 17 min or until golden brown. Slice into wedges

Simple Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

2012-01-05T08:00:00.001-07:00

5 cups of white bread (dry hot dog buns, rolls, cubed

4T butter divided
5 oz. evaporated milk (not condensed)
1 cups whole milk
1/4cup plus 2T sugar ( if you are not going to make a sauce for the pudding use 1/2 cup sugar)
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinanmon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mel;t 2T butter a8 x8" baking dish and spread the bread cubes evenly in the bottom; set aside. Reserve the rest of the butter for later use. In a large bowl, mix together evaporated milk, 1 cup of whole milk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until eggs are completely mixed in.

2.Add cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well and immediately pour over bread; let set 5-10 minutes, pressing down occasionally.

3.Pour additional milk over the bread if the bread is too dry. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes until bubbly and golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Melt the rest of the butter that was used to butter the dish and pour evenly over the hot pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven. Serve warm or cold and if you like top with a sauce of your choosing.

* I got this bread pudding recipe from cookingwithk.net She has a great blog go and check her out.

The Vanilla sauce recipe I added to the bread pudding was my own

Vanilla Sauce

1/4 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/4 cup half and half

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1.Combine first 4 ingredients in pan over med heat and stir until it thickens and comes to a full boil about 5-8 min. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over slices of bread pudding.

Paula Dean Tacos

2012-01-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

1 Lb. ground beef

1/4-1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno, ribbed and seeded, minced, opt.

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

2 Tbl. fresh cilantro, minced

1 Tbl. ground cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. chipotle chili powder

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper

8-10 taco shells

shredded cheese

salsa

sour cream

shredded lettuce, opt.

1.Brown ground beef in a large skillet add onion and jalapeno and saute a few minutes or until tender. Add tomato sauce, cilantro, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and fresh lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. If mixture starts to look too dry, add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of water and stir to combine.

2.Serve in crunchy or soft taco shells with shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream and lettuce and more chopped cilantro, if desired. Yield 8-10 tacos.

*I got this recipe from eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com again I have a whole list of her stuff that I want to try out. They are all so easy and yummy.

White Chocolate Popcorn

2012-01-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

I used red candy melts for christmas :)

3 bags Extra Butter Microwave Popcorn

1 bag (14 oz.) White Candy Melts

or 1 Lb. White Chocolate Almond Bark

1 bag M&M's, regular or mini

1.Pop popcorn in the microwave, DO NOT BURN IT. Transfer to a really large bowl, making sure to get out all of the un-popped kernels.

2.Melt white candy melts according to package directions. Pour over popped popcorn and add M&M's. Stir until all of the popcorn is coated with chocolate. Let set until chocolate has hardened. When chocolate has hardened, the popcorn will be stuck together in one large ball. So, use a spoon to break it into chunks. Store in an air-tight container.

*I got this recipe from eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com She has such fun recipes be sure to check her out.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

2012-01-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (3 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
3 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1/2 cup shredded Mexican style cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an oven safe serving dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Using an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth.

3. Stir in green chilies, jalapeno peppers, and Mexican and mozzarella cheeses. Spoon this mixture into the prepared baking dish.

4. Mix together the Panko and parmesan cheese and sprinkle it over the cream cheese mixture.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the topping is lightly browned.
Serve this dip with, French bread, tortilla chips, or crakers. We liked it best with bread.

My top picks of 2011

2011-12-28T15:12:00.001-07:00

Ok so I was going to do my top 11 of 2011 but when I started going thru the over 250 recipes I posted this year there was no way I could only pick 11 so I decided to do my top 20 of 2011 lol It was still so hard to pick and there are so many more that I would add to the list of favorites but these are the ones that stood out the most for me and I will make again and again. In no particular order here are my favorites for the year.

Main Dishes.

# 1 Chicken and black bean tostadas

#2 General tsos chicken

#3 Chicken lo mein

#4 Chicken enchilada pasta

#5 Cheeseburger ring

#6 Skillet beef tamales

#7 Chicken fajita pizza

# 8 Sizzling chicken and cheese

#9 Basil cream chicken and noodles

Soup

#10 Chicken tortilla soup

#11 Lasagna soup

#12 Blue ribbon chili

Breads

#13 Cinnamon sugar orange knots

#14 Pumpkin cinnamon chip bread

#15 Buttermilk banana bread

# 16 Texas roadhouse rolls

Rice

#17 Cilantro lime rice

#18 Chicken fried rice

Desserts

#19 Cream cheese coffee cake

#20 Funnel cakes

I have enjoyed doing my food blog all year and hope to continue doing it. Thanks to all the people that enjoy and follow my blog and for all the comments that you give I read everyone and really enjoy knowing that people are trying out my stuff. Have a great New Years and I will see you again in 2012 :)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T08:00:00.001-07:00

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year...

Santa Hat Party Mix

2011-12-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

For the Santa Hats:

Bugles

Red melting discs

Mini marshmallows

White sprinkles (nonpareils)

1.Melt the red discs in a double broiler (or microwave). Dip the bugles in the candy and set to dry on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Pour the nonpareils in a bowl. When the candy coating is set, dip the top point of the bugle into the red coating and place a mini marshmallow on the tip. Dip the bottom of the "hat" back in the melted candy, then dip in the sprinkles. Place back on a cookie sheet to set up.

For the chex mix:

1 1/2 C rice chex

1 1/2 C corn chex

2 C mini pretzels

1 C salted dry roasted peanuts

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 to 2 C red and green chocolate m&m's

White chocolate for melting (or white candy discs)

1.Pour all of your ingredients except the m&m's on a large baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the mix. Stir mix and coat with chocolate. After it is dry, add the m&m's.And place Santa hats on top. Be careful not to break the hats.

Triple Cheese Scalloped Potatos

2011-12-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, and sliced ( about 12-13 med potatos)
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 onion, finely chopped
3 cups whole milk
3 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup white American cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cup crushed cornflakes cereal

1.Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water, add salt, then bring to a boil on the stovetop until tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes. Transfer to a deep baking dish.
2.While the potatoes are cooking, heat 1/2 the stick of butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and saute until softened over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to make a thick, pasty roux. Slowly begin whisking in the milk. Continue whisking the milk until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the cheeses. Salt & pepper to taste.

3.Pour the cheese mixture over the potatoes. Stir the potatoes slightly until they are well coated with the cheese mixture.

4.In a small, microwave safe bowl, melt the remaining butter, then stir in the crushed cornflakes. Sprinkle atop the potatos.

5.Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the cornflakes have turned golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Chocolate Cherry Snowballs

2011-12-22T09:00:00.002-07:00



1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup maraschino cherries chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1.Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in almond extract. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. On low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Stir in cherries.

2 .Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool slightly. Measure 1/2 cup powdered sugar into small bowl. Roll each cookie in powdered sugar. Place on cooling rack to cool completely.

4 .Place chocolate chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High 45 to 60 seconds, turning bag over every 20 seconds. Squeeze bag until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle over cooled cookies. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes until chocolate hardens before storing.

Yeilds 32 cookies

French Toast Bundt

2011-12-21T08:35:00.001-07:00

24 Rhodes Dinner Rolls or 12 Rhodes Texas Rolls, thawed but still cold
2 eggs
1/3 cup liquid hazelnut coffee creamer (or any flavor you like)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
powdered sugar

1.Cut rolls in half forming 48 pieces (dinner rolls) or cut rolls in fourths (Texas rolls). Mix other ingredients in a bowl except powdered sugar.

2.Dip rolls in mixture and place evenly in bundt pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Pour remaining mixture over rolls.

3.Cover with plastic wrap and let rolls rise to top of pan (about 4 hours).
4.Remove wrap and bake at 350° F for 35 minutes. Invert onto serving platter.

5.Drizzle with syrup and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice and serve with additional syrup as desired.

Salted Peanut Chews

2011-12-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon water

1 egg

3 cups miniature marshmallows

2/3 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 bag (10 oz) peanut butter chips

2 cups crisp rice cereal

2 cups salted peanuts

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

2 .In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in pan using floured fingers.

3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle marshmallows over crust; bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until marshmallows begin to puff.

4. In 4-quart saucepan, cook corn syrup, butter, vanilla and chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted. Remove from heat; stir in cereal and nuts. Immediately spoon cereal mixture evenly over marshmallows.

5.Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm. For bars, cut into squares

Berry Bonbons

2011-12-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled

3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers (about 25 wafers)

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

15 ounces milk chocolate candy coating, chopped

2 ounces white baking chocolate

1.In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate chips. Stir in wafer crumbs and preserves. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Shape mixture into 1-in. balls. Place on a waxed paper-lined pan; refrigerate.

3.In a microwave, melt milk chocolate coating; stir until smooth. Dip balls in coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until set.

4.Melt white chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Decorate candies with white chocolate. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator

Yeild 35 bon bons

My First Blog Award

2011-12-19T11:25:00.001-07:00

I got my first blog award today from jennys-cookbook It was such a fun surprise and totally made my day :) Thanks so much Jenny everyone be sure to go and check out her awesome food blog.

The Liebster (German for dearest, beloved or favorite) Blog award is given to blogs with less than 200 followers.

Do you want to give a little Christmas present to some of your favorite bloggers too?

Copy the award and post it on your blog.
Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
Post 5 of your favorite blogs (with less than 200 followers) and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
Hope that followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

Here are the 5 fabulous blogs that I want to share with you today.

adorkablerecipes. Love the name and all the posts on this fun blog.

angelinkitchen Her latest post is caramel pretzel truffles. Do I really need to say more :) yummy I love all her great recipes.

aubreysrecipes Reindeer Donuts so cute and easy my boys would love to make these and leave them out for santa.

bigmamashomekitchen Chocolate chip cookie Double stuff Oreo Brownie Bars. Are you kidding me?? Amazing :)

bethsfavoriterecipes I love this blog I have tried so many of her recipes and we have loved every one. Be sure to check her out. I do everyday :)

Well there are my 5 I could go on and on with all the blogs that I love but all good things must come to an end lol

Thanks again Jenny and Happy Holidays all my great followers :)

Nutella Hot Chocolate

2011-12-18T09:45:00.007-07:00

1 cup milk
2 1/2 Tbsp Nutella
1 Tbsp Cocoa
pinch of salt
3T half and half

1.In a small sauce pan over medium heat, whisk the first 4 ingredients together until well blended and hot.

Pour in a cup and top with the half anf half and also some whipped cream.

* Serves one

Cranberry Orange Pull Aparts

2011-12-17T09:40:00.002-07:00

24 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

1 small box non-instant vanilla pudding

1/2 cup sugar

1 orange rind, grated

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1.Cut roll in half. Mix pudding, sugar and orange rind together. Dip rolls in butter and then in pudding mixture. Arrange, alternately with dried cranberries, in large sprayed bundt pan. Pour any leftover butter and pudding mixture over rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double or even with the top of the pan. Remove wrap and bake at 350F 30-35 minutes.

2.Cover with foil the last 15 minutes of baking. Immediately after baking, invert onto serving platter. Combine powdered sugar, butter and orange juice. Mix well. Drizzle over pull-aparts.

Great tip for cleaning your slow cooker

2011-12-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

I hate when I get food stuck in my slow cooker it seems like no matter how much you scrub it wont come off.I heard someone suggest filling the slow cooker with warm water and then throwing a dryer sheet in it and letting it soak. I thought that was a weird suggestion....until I finally tried it for myself. So I did the dryer sheet trick and it actually worked. It totally loosened up the burnt dried on crust.Just fill up the slow cooker with warm/hot water and throw in the dryer sheet and let soak about 20 min then wipe it all out. So there you have it...use a dryer sheet. Amazing!

Caramel Pull Aparts

2011-12-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

24 ounces frozen dinner roll dough (about 18-20)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant butterscotch pudding mix

1/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup melted butter

1.The night or several hours before, grease and flour a 9 or 10 inch tube pan. Mix brown sugar and pudding mix together. Mix white sugar and cinnamon together. Cut thawed but still cold dinner rolls in half and place in pan a layer at a time. Sprinkle brown sugar and pudding mix over first layer of rolls. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon mixture over the brown sugar and pudding mixture. Pour the melted butter over first layer. Repeat with the next layer.

2.Place in fridge overnight Do not cover. Next morning take out of fridge 30-40 min before baking and bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 30 minutes. Let stand a few minutes and turn pan over onto serving platter.

* Top with powdered sugar glaze or cream cheese frosting.

Mac and Cheese Soup with Veggies

2011-12-12T09:00:00.002-07:00

2 T. butter
1 small onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 t. salt
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. pepper
8 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 c. elbow macaroni
2 c. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
3 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. milk (I used 1/2&1/2)
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1. Melt butter in a large pot. Add onions, celery and carrots. Season with salt, paprika and pepper and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a slow boil.

2. Add noodles and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. After noodles are fully cooked, add the broccoli. Dissolve cornstarch in milk and slowly stir into slowly boiling soup. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until fully melted.

I got this recipe from http://stolenmomentscooking.com/

Orange Pull Apart Bread

2011-12-11T10:00:00.001-07:00

2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
1/3 c. fat-free milk
1/4 c. salted butter
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Filling:
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
3 Tbsp. grated orange zest

Cream Cheese Icing:
4 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. orange juice

Grease a standard loaf pan

Heat milk and butter just in microwave or on stove until butter melts. Add water, then allow to cool till just warm (110-115F). Add the yeast and 2 tsp. sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 5 min. Add the vanilla.

Combine 2C flour and the rest of the sugar. Add to the yeast mixture and mix till flour is just moistened. Add eggs, one at a time, beating till incorporated. Add 1/2 c. flour and mix till dough is smooth. Add 2 Tbsp. flour and mix till smooth.

Lightly flour a work surface and knead dough for about a minute. Add the last 2 Tbsp. flour if dough is too sticky. Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm place till doubled, about 1 hour.

Rub the orange zest into the sugar until it is orange and fragrant. Combine with the melted butter and set aside.

Punch down the dough and roll into a 12x20 inch rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the filling on the dough. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 5 strips, each 12x4 inches (use a ruler to get this as accurate as possible). Carefully stack the strips on top of each other, so you have a stack of five 12x4 inch rectangles.

Cut this stack into 6 equal rectangles, each 2 inches wide. Carefully place each of these smaller stacks into the loaf pan, cut side up. Cover and let rise in a warm spot till doubled, about 45 min.

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 30-45 min. Cool on rack about 10-15 min., then remove from pan to rack to continue cooling.

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar till smooth. Add the milk and juice and mix till combined. Ice warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I got this recipe from http://thatskinnychickcanbake.blogspot.com/

Garlic Bread Pull -a -Parts

2011-12-10T10:00:00.001-07:00

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp garlic

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

20 Rhodes Rolls thawed but still cold.

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan

2 In 1-gallon bag, mix Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Cut each dough ball into quarters (a pizza wheel works really well for this). Place dough pieces in bag. Shake bag to coat dough.

3 Place half of dough pieces in pan. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over dough. Place remaining dough pieces in pan over cheese. Sprinkle any excess Parmesan cheese mixture over dough. Pour melted butter mixed with garlic over top.

4.Place in a warm place and let rise until double in size

5 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Place heatproof plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Pull apart to serve.

Sweet Cornbread Cake

2011-12-09T18:15:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup cornmeal

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons melted butter

1 tablespoon honey

2 eggs, beaten

1-1/4 cups whole milk

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8X8 inch baking dish.
2.Stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Pour in the vegetable oil, melted butter, honey, beaten eggs, and milk, and stir just to moisten.

3.Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until the top of the cornbread starts to brown and show cracks.

What we loved about this bread it the texture. Its not like normal cornbread that crumbles all over when you bite it. Its more of a cake texture and makes it so much eaiser to eat. And it is so so yummy to :)

Blue Ribbon Chili

2011-12-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 med onion, chopped

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 cup medium spiced salsa

4 tablespoons chili seasoning mix (mild)

1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans

1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans

1 (15 ounce) can chili beans

1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatos

1tsp fresh garlic

1.In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the ground beef and the onion and saute for 10 minutes, or until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain grease, if desired.

2.Add the ground black pepper, garlic salt, garlic,tomato sauce,stewed tomatos,salsa,chili seasoning,and beans.Mix well,reduce heat to low and simmer at least 1 hour.

CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE # 4 Evil Fudge Balls

2011-12-07T10:00:00.006-07:00

Its time again for the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE and this month we are all in search for the ultimate FUDGE recipe. I have to admit that I am not a huge fudge fan. I mean I will have a little taste here and there but I could also pass it up. So I didn't know if I was going to do this months challenge because I have never even made fudge before but after searching the web and finding many yummy looking recipes I decided on these... Evil Fudge Balls. I know that its not the typical chunk of fudge but that's what I liked about it. And also it was so super easy I found the recipe here http://www.graciousrain.com/2011/01/26/evil-fudge-balls/ She has a great blog and easy yummy recipes.

2 lbs. Symphony bar chocolate (4 giant size bars)

8 oz. frozen Cool Whip

Vanilla Wafers–crushed

1.Melt chocolate over a double boiler being careful not to any water in the bowl. Cool slightly. Spoon the frozen cool whip into a mixing bowl and pour the chocolate over it. Mix on medium speed until well blended.

2.Refrigerate for about 1 hour or until the chocolate is firm enough to spoon and roll into balls.

3.Drop in crushed Vanilla Wafers and coat thoroughly.

4.Refrigerate in an air tight container
*This recipe makes 45 balls.

Clone of the Cinnabon

2011-12-06T18:50:00.001-07:00

1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup margarine, melted

4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup white sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1.Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.

For some reason I lost most the pics I took for this recipe and so I dont have the step by step pics.

2.After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

3.Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch bakin pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees

4.Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20-22 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole

2011-12-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

3 to 4 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (15 ounce) can evaporated milk
2 cups macaroni, uncooked
3/4 cup sour cream

1.Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray for easy clean up. In slow cooker, combine chicken, cream of mushroom soup,cream of chicken soup, evaporated milk, and macaroni. Mix well.

2.Cover with lid. Cook on low 5-7 hours. Add in sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Makes 6 servings.

...My Sons 6th Birthday ... A Pirate Party...

2011-12-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

1 baked 13- x 9- x 2-inch cake

6 cups chocolate frosting

Edible treasures, such as chocolate coins, Rolo candies, chocolate almond kisses or Necco Wafers

Red Fruit by the Foot

Mini jawbreakers or m&m's

Candy ring pops, candy necklaces rock candy anything you can think of.

1. Cut a section approximately 2-inches wide in the center of the cake. The two remaining rectangular pieces will form the bottom and top of the chest.

2.Slice the 2-inch section on an angle to form two long triangular wedges. Place the wedge on the bottom half of the chest, this will support the top of the treasure chest and keep it propped open. Then frost the bottom half of cake, including the wedges.

3.To add further support for the top of the chest, stand a few large gold coins under the lid.

With the "hinged" end at the back, place the top of the chest on the bottom and frost.

4.Wrap the fruit leather straps around the chest and press mini m&m's into the frosting alongside the straps. Fill the chest and the surrounding area with edible treasures and jewels.

* I also taped a treasure map to the tray before I put the cake down on it and also sprinkled graham cracker crumbs as the sandy beach that the treasure chest washed up onto.

PIRATE SHIP!!

2 baked 9" or 10" round cakes (I used pound cake for a sturdier cake to work with)

3 to 4 cups chocolate icing

Chocolate wafer sticks (such as Pepperidge Farm Pirouette Cookies)

Several pieces of white or off-white paper

5-6 10" wooden skewers

Malted milk balls

Rolo candies

Root beer barrels

Plastic pirate figures

Blue frosting for water, Gummy fish and whales

*Make blue frosting using food coloring and white frosting. Paint a 1/2" layer onto your serving tray and with a knife make swirls all over to create waves.

1.Cut the cakes in half and layer them, rounded sides all facing the same direction, adding a thin coat of chocolate icing between the layers.

2.Trim the bottom curves of the cakes slightly ,Also cut off the bottom of the cakes about 1 inch so that the cakes sit flat. then turn the cakes upright, (Tip:I inserted three of the wooden skewers through the four layers of cake will help keep them together.)

3.Cover with the chocolate icing, then create planking lines along the hull with a butter knife. Use dabs of icing to anchor wafer stick gunwales along the edge of the deck.

I broke the sticks in half and left them in the cake for support and put the candle in right in front of the small stick coming thru and covered it with frosting so you couldn't see them.

4.Press candles into both sides of the ship for cannons and draw around them with black icing.
5.Rip sails from paper, then slip them onto the skewers and set the masts in place.
6.Add malted milk ball cannonballs, plenty of Rolo gold booty, and root beer barrels, then station a few pirates to keep watch.
7. Decorate the water with gummy fish and whales

SKULLCAKES

21 baked Cupcakes
White frosting
black frosting
red frosting
Pirate Patch (optional)
nilla wafers (on the ends of the crossbones to make them look more real)

1.Arrange cupcakes to make a skull and crossbones. Frost all white the use the black and red to add details.

Here is what the finished table looked like. Sprinkle on some gold coins and you are ready to go.

Homemade Hot Chocolate

2011-12-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup white sugar

1 pinch salt

1/3 cup boiling water

3 1/2 cups milk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

1.Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

Sour Cream Lemon Pie

2011-12-02T18:12:00.000-07:00

1 pie crust, baked and cooled or can make one homemade
2/3 c sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 c milk
yolks from 3 large eggs
1 tsp finely grated fresh lemon peel
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c (half stick) butter cut into small pieces
1 c sour cream
whipped cream

1.Mix sugar and cornstarch in a medium-sized saucepan. Whisk in milk until smooth, then yolks until blended. Stir in lemon peel and juice.

2.Add butter and whick constantly over medium heat 5 minutes, just until boiling. Remove from heat and stir 1 minute longer. Let cool to room temperature.15-20 min stirring every now and let to let the heat out.

3.Stir in sour cream until well blended. Pour into cooled pie shell. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 6 hours umtil set, or up to 2 days.

4.Shortly before serving, garnish with whipped cream and lemon slices

Tator Tot Cassarole

2011-11-26T10:00:00.007-07:00

1 pound ground beef
1 med chopped onion
1 2-pound bag of tater tots
3/4-1 can of evaporated milk
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can corn drained
shredded cheese

1.Brown the ground beef and onion. Drain the meat and add the can of corn. In a bowl stir together the soup and evaporated milk. Pour the meat into a 9x13 pan. Top the casserole with tater tots and pour the soup mixture over the top.Shake on some salt and pepper and shredded cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until tator tots are cooked thru and crispy.

Potato Cheese Soup

2011-11-25T10:00:00.029-07:00

4 c. finely-sliced peeled potatoes

4 Tbsp. butter

1/2 c. finely-diced yellow onion

1/2 c. finely-diced celery

2 can chicken broth - (14 1/2 ounce ea)

1/4 c. water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 1/4 c Half and half

1/2tsp sugar

1/4tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp salt more to taste if needed

2T corn starch

1.On medium-low heat in a 3-qt sauce pan saute/fry celery and onions with butter. Cook till clear and take care not to let onions brown. Add in chicken broth, potatoes and water. Place on medium-low heat and cook till potatoes are very soft and tender.

2.When potatoes are done add in chicken bouillon cubes and cook till cubes have been dissolved. Mash the potatoes slightly but leaving most of them in chunks. Reduce heat and add in half-and-half, stir mix. Add in shredded sharp Cheddar cheese and stir till cheese is completely melted and dissolved into mix. Sprinkle sugar, pepper, and salt into soup, stir. Let soup simmer very slowly for 20 to 30 min taking care not to let soup scorch.

3.At the end take out 1 cup of the soup and mix in 2T cornstarch until well blended and add back to the pot of soup to thicken up. Mix until well combined and thick.

4.When ready to serve garnish with shredded colby cheese

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T10:00:00.003-07:00

I hope that everyone has a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Flaky Crescent Rolls

2011-11-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) Active Dry Yeast
1 cup warm water
1 cup boiling water
1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
7-1/2 to 8 cups all purpose flour

butter

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine boiling water, shortening, sugar and salt. Allow to stand 3-4 minutes or until shortening is melted and sugar is dissolved. Add the yeast mixture and eggs; mix well.

Add 2 cups of four; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight **

When ready to use, roll out and shape dough. Place rolls in pans, or greased cookie sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes.

Roll out big enough to cut 16 large triangles

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown. YIELD: 2 -1/2 dozen. I got 18 rolls with half the dough I used.

**When I make these rolls, I often do it in one day. I skip the refrigerating overnight. Simply add enough extra flour, to make a SOFT.....non-sticky dough. Make sure you let the dough raise until generously double. Then place shaped rolls (I make crescent style)....on your greased cookie sheets. Let raise again until double, before baking.

Here is a great Roll Tutorial from the sight http://www.getoffyourbuttandbake.com/2008/05/moms-rolls.html that I also got this recipe from.

Cinnamon Rolls

2011-11-23T16:53:00.001-07:00

Get the dough recipe and instructions here dough recipe

I only used half the dough for rolls and then I put the other half of dough into the the fridge to make cinnamon rolls the next morning,

Let the dough warm a little and roll out. Cover with butter brown sugar and cinnamon and roll up jelly style. Place on a greased pan and clover with a light towel. Let rise until double in size and cook at the same temp as the rolls. Top with a powdered sugar glaze.

Carne Asada Tacos, Guacamole and Pico de Gallo

2011-11-23T16:27:00.000-07:00

2 lbs Carne Asada Meat

½ onion – chopped

½ bunch cilantro – chopped

4 cloves garlic – crushed and minced

1 lime zested and juiced

¼ cup vinegar

½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce

½ cup olive oil

1 T liquid smoke

1 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper

1.In a bowl, add all marinade ingredients and whisk to combine. Put the chopped up meat into a gallon size ziplock bag and pour on the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

2.remove the steak from the refrigerator and let meat come to room temperature while you heat your grill. Cook on a very hot grill 2-3 minutes per side, depending on how you like it cooked. Let the meat rest, squeeze some fresh lime juice over the meat. Serve on either flour or corn tortillas and all your favorite toppings

*I got this meat recipe from bigmamashomekitchen its really good. There is some kick to it so if you dont like it real spicy I would leave out the cayenne pepper.

Pico De Gallo

2 medium tomato, diced

1 white onion, finely chopped

1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 -3 T fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Juice of 1 lime

1.In a medium bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno pepper (to taste,) Lime juice and cilantro Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Fresh Guacamole
2 med avacados,peeled and sliced
1/2 white onion minced
2T lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1.Mix all together in blender.

Basil Cream Chicken and Noodles

2011-11-19T10:00:00.003-07:00

1 cup milk

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

4 chicken breasts

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups whipping cream

1 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Pasta of your choice.

1.pound and flatten the chicken out a little so it cooks evenly throughout.

2.Place milk and bread crumbs in seperate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in milk, then coat with crumbs. In a skillet over medium heat cook chicken in butter until browned on both sides I cooked mine about 7 min per side on med heat. Remove chicken from skillet and keep in a 9x13 pan in the oven on warm.

3.Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to loosen up browned bits from pan. Stir in cream, basil, and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and whisk in parmesan cheese. Pour sauce over the chicken and noodles and serve.

I got this recipe from

http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2011/09/chicken-in-basil-cream-sauce.html So So yummy.

Caramel Chocolate Drizzle Chex

2011-11-18T10:00:00.002-07:00

3	cups Corn Chex cereal
3	cups Rice Chex cereal
1/2	bag (14-oz size) caramels (about 25)
2	tablespoons butter or margarine
2	tablespoons milk
1/4	cup semisweet chocolate chips

1.In a large microwaveable bowl mix together the cereals.

2.In a medium bowl microwave the caramels,butter and milk. uncovered on high 2-3 min stirring after each min until smooth. Pour the mixture over the cereal and gently stir until evenly coated.

3.Microwave the cereal on high 2-3 min stirring after each min just until begins to brown. Spread onto waxed paper to cool.

4.In a small bowl melt the chocolate uncovered on high 1 min or until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over cereal. Refrigerate until set and store in an airtight container.

Super Soft Dinner Rolls

2011-11-17T10:00:00.003-07:00

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1 egg

1/4 c. water (110-115 degrees F)

2T sugar

1 c. warm milk (110-115)

3 T shortening

3/4 t. salt

3 3/4c. all purpose flour.

1.In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, shortening, egg, sugar, salt and 2 c. of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in the rest of the flour (should form a soft dough).

2.Turn into a floured surface and knead until smooth. Or in the kitchen aid (about 6 minutes, dough will be sticky). Place in greased bowl, turned once to grease the top and cover and let rise in a warm space until double about 1 hour

3.Punch dough down. Turn onto flours surface, divide into pieces. Shape into rolls. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled (about 30 more minutes).

4.Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

5.Top with butter,honey or jam and then eat about 5 or 6 :) Yep they are that good .

This recipe above made 15 large rolls.

**I got this recipe from glitter to gumdrops at http://christyrobbins.blogspot.com/ she has great ideas. Check her out.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

2011-11-16T10:00:00.001-07:00

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 onion, chopped

2 1/2 cups beef broth (divided)

3-4 potatoes, diced

4 lg carrots, sliced

3-4 stalk celery, chopped

2T Cornstarch

1.Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, 1 1/2 cup beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.

2.Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6-8 hours, at the last half hour warm up the last cup of broth and stir in 2T cornstarch until mixed well. Add to the stew and vent the lid. This will thicken up the sauce into gravy.

Chocolate Icebox Pie

2011-11-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 cups finely crushed honey graham crackers
7 T unsalted butter, melted
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cold water
2 T corn starch
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 T unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together all crust ingredients. Pour into pie dish and use a metal measuring cup or flat bottomed glass to firmly press into the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool competely before filling.

2.In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, heat milk just until it bubbles around the edges (do not boil). Remove from heat and stir in the semisweet chocolate chips. Cool slightly.

3.In a bowl, whisk together the cold water and corn starch. Add the sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and vanilla and whisk until combined. Add to the chocolate mixture and whisk over medium heat. Bring to a low boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter.

4.Pour mixture into graham cracker crust and let cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

5.When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream until foamy. Add the powdered sugar and whip until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe onto chocolate filling.

6.Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Taco Grande Pizza

2011-11-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Pizza crust ingredients:

1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups (approximately) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
Butter, for greasing the pan
cornmeal for sprinkleing on pan

Taco meat ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
Tapatio to taste
1 cup Refried Beans

Pizza toppings:
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup salsa or picante sauce of your choice
12-16 ounces (3-4 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup thinly sliced black olives
1/2 cup diced green onions
1/2 cup diced Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional

1. To make pizza crust, combine warm water and salt in a mixing bowl. Add about 1.5 cups of the flour along with the yeast and stir. Add remaining flour and knead into a smooth dough (add enough flour, beyond the 2.5 cups if necessary). Knead for 5-10 minutes and then set aside, covered, in a warm place. (about 20 min)

2. Fry ground beef with garlic and onion. Drain well. Return to pan and stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and some hot sauce. set aside.

3. Liberally butter a 16-inch round pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. With buttery hands, spread dough evenly on pan.Top with refried beans( if you warm them up for about 20 sec it makes it eaiser to spred. Mix the pizza sauce and salsa together and spread over crust.

4. Sprinkle meat over sauce; evenly spread cheese over meat and then add olives, green onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese (if using). Allow pizza to rest for at least 10 minutes, but up to 30 minutes before baking. (A longer rest will produce a fluffier crust.)

5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake pizza for 10-12 minutes,

6. When pizza is done, remove from oven and let set for ~5 minutes. Slice into 12 slices and serve hot!