Happy Birthday!

My baby turned one and to commemorate the occasion I made her a Winnie the Pooh cake (love you, Wilton's cake pans!). 
We love Pooh Bear at our house.  Even have him on the kitchen wall (no lie...although that one is not by my choosing).  I actually made this cake for my now-15-year-old for her third birthday.  I thought it was so cute I had to make it again.  Here is me, my husband, and our four girls (at a hotel...thus the pic with the bed in the background)...we have two older boys, too...one of them was taking the pic, the other was rehearsing with his band : )

My Cute Little Panda Cake

Last week my daughter turned 13 years old.  She loves pandas, so I decided to try my hand at making her a panda cake.  I have done character cakes before, but just the ones with the ready-made pan that has the shape of the character.  This one is from a template I got off of the Betty Crocker website.  I tweaked the template a little bit and I think it turned out really cute!!!  She was so excited and it was hard for us to cut him up when it was time at her party.  Next week my baby turns 1 and I am doing a Winnie the Pooh cake (I have a Wilton pan for that one).  Hope it turns out as cute!  I will post pics!

Simple Garlic Bread

It's the simple things really...they make a difference between a great meal and an ok meal. Yesterday was my daughter's thirteenth birthday. I made chicken alfredo, which she loves, but also got some hot french bread fresh from the bakery to make garlic bread. Now I have seen a lot of people buy that pre-made throw-it-in-your-oven frozen garlic breads. In my book those never fail to disappoint and I will NOT use them! I make (in my humble opinion) fantastic garlic bread and it is sooooooooooooooooo easy!

All you do is slice the loaf of french bread in one long cut (so there is a top and a bottom). Use softened butter...not margarine...real, delicious, amazing butter. Spread it on the upper and lower halves of the loaf. Sprinkle garlic SALT (not powder) onto the buttery surface. Add a dash of parsley flakes or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if you like. Wrap it in foil and bake it at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. After you take it out of the oven, cut the vertical slices into the loaf...gives you lots of wedges with which you can enjoy your pasta dish, or maybe even the leftover sauce. Yummm...

Orange Julius

Do you ever go to the mall on a hot summer day and get an Orange Julius? They are a beautiful thing in the summer...sweet, cool, relaxing. Well, my daughter's middle school cooking teacher came up with this recipe for making them at home! They are so delish!

One 6 oz can of orange juice concentrate

One cup milk

One teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of water

2 cups ice cubes

Combine all ingredients except for ice in the blender and blend until smooth. Then, turn blender on liquify. Add a few ice cubes at a time, blending after each addition. Keep adding the ice until the drink is thick and fabulous!

Now, go get your beach towel-catch some rays in your backyard-and enjoy!

Inspired

Ever since my little baby Maya came into my life, I have been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and like I get nothing done. She is sweet and adorable, but requires sooooo much attention. One of the things in my life that has almost completely gone by the wayside is my experimenting in the kitchen. I feel like I need to make some new things and get inspired. I have been researching some new recipes, so hopefully I will have some good ones coming your way soon! Do you have any good ones to share with me?

Chicken & Black Bean Burritos

I invented this dish on one of those "what can I make for dinner with the things I have" nights. The kids loved it!

In a pan combine:
1 can black beans
1 can cream of chicken soup
3-4 cups shredded chicken
1 Tbsp. diced green chiles
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook over medium heat until heated through and the cheese has melted. Spoon into tortillas and roll into burritos. Garnish with sour cream and salsa if desired. Serves 4.

Butterscotch Haystacks

This is a holiday favorite from when I was growing up. I tweaked the recipe on the butterscotch chips package a bit and it was yummy! Don't be turned off by what sounds like a weird combination of ingredients. I am telling you...these are great!!!

3 11 oz bags of butterscotch chips
2 cups creamy peanut butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
2 12 oz bags of chow mein noodles

Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter on low in your crock pot, stirring occasionally. While they are melting, line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Once the butterscotch chips and peanut butter are completely melted, turn off crock pot. Fold in the mini marshmallows, stirring until coated with the mixture. Then fold in the chow mein noodles, again stirring until coated well with the mixture. (If all of the chow mein noodles don't fit initially, you can add them in after you have made some haystacks and there is more room in the crock pot.)

Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the waxed paper. You can either let them sit out to firm up or refrigerate them to firm them up. Refrigerating works faster. Then...enjoy!!! You can also make these with milk chocolate chips!

Ham & Cheese Frittata

Yesterday I was watching a cooking segment on the Today show and they were making frittata. I had heard of it before, but had no idea what it was. As I watched them make it, I decided it sounded good enough that I should try it. So...I went to the Taste of Home website, found a few frittata recipes, and sort of created my own recipe from there. When I ate it, I served it with homemade salsa (sorry...I didn't make that one...it was a gift). It was pretty good!

Ingredients:

* 3 Tbsp. dried, minced onions
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
* 8 eggs
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup diced tomatoes

Directions:

* In a large skillet, saute the butter, ham, and onions until tender. Heat through. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
* In a bowl, beat the eggs, water, pepper, and garlic salt until frothy. Stir in the cheese, tomatoes and ham mixture.
* Pour into a greased 9" x 13" baking dish. Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with salsa. Yield: 4-6 servings.

I think next time I will add a little more garlic salt and maybe add mushrooms, potatoes, or broccoli instead of the tomatoes...the kids don't like tomatoes so they picked them out.

Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie

If you like cheesecake and you like pecan pie, you will LOVE this one! I found this recipe in a magazine---gotta give props to Taste of Home---love them!


TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min. + chilling

Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 unbaked deep-dish pastry shell (9 inches) TKA: buy a frozen shell
1-1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 cup caramel ice cream topping (buy a 12.25 oz. jar)
Directions:
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. Pour slowly over pecans.
Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns too quickly). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 6-8 servings.

It is fabulous!!!

Quick Southwest Salad

Here is another healthy one from my sister-in-law, Jenny. This looks really yummy and I am gonna try it this weekend. I have a rule about cooking when the girls are at their dad's in Maryland in the summer...I DON'T DO IT!!! But this one is a no-cook recipe. Gotta love it!

Bag of Lettuce (or Romaine, chopped)
Tortilla Chips (crunched up)
Can of Black Beans (drain and rinse)
Can of Corn (drained)
Salsa
Cheddar Cheese
Ranch Dressing

Serve in BIG bowl or set everything out individually. Just layer it and eat! Low-fat, low-carb, yet filling. Yummy and super easy! Jenny says that even her kids like this salad! Serves 4.

Ham & Egg Casserole

I found a recipe for this on Taste of Home magazine's website, but changed a few things to make it my own. It is a yummy casserole for brunch!!! Great for using up leftover ham.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. dried minced onions
1/2 cup butter, melted
10 slices white bread, cubed
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or cheddar/Monterrey jack mixture)
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Combine bread and ham; place in a 9 x 13 in. baking dish that has been prepared with cooking spray.

In a separate bowl, beat minced onions, butter, eggs, milk, salt, and pepper with a wire whisk. Stir in shredded cheese. Pour over bread and ham mixture. Cover with foil. Bake at 300° for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove foil about 5 minutes before finished cooking. Yield: 10-12 servings.

BLT Summer Salad (it can be a meal)

Here is another healthy one from my sis-in-law, Jenny Lynne. So yummy and refreshing. Pretty easy to make and you can adjust the ingredients to make it low-fat/high fiber or not!

1 1lb. pkg cooked whole wheat/plain Rotini or Wagon Wheel pasta (Do not over cook)

8-10 pieces cooked Bacon/Turkey bacon, cut into little pieces
3 C. Romain or Ice burg Lettuce cut into 1 inch pieces
3 Roma Tomatoes, diced

While noodles cook, cut up the above ingredients. In a huge bowl mix the following:

1 C. Low-fat Mayo
4 T. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 t. Sugar
1 t. Salt
1/2 t. Pepper

Drain noodles and toss all ingredients into the huge bowl and mix until everything is coated. YUM.
I like serving this for dinner with whole wheat rolls and raspberry jam. It will easily work for two dinners or a big summer BBQ!

Chicken Roll-ups

Made these for lunch today...was a great way to use up the leftover Parmesan Chicken :) I got this recipe originally from my college roommate, Tiffany...but I have changed it up a bit to make it my own.

2 cans (about 10.5 ounces each) cream of chicken soup
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped up
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Handful of black olives, sliced (I use my egg slicer to do this...it's quick!)
1-2 packages of Crescent rolls, uncooked

Spray bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour in 1 can of cream of chicken soup and spread around the bottom of the pan.

In a bowl, combine chopped chicken, black olives, and shredded cheese. Stir. Add about a tablespoon of cream of chicken soup from the second can to help the mixture stick together a little (saving the rest of the can for later) and stir again.

Place heaping tablespoons of the mixture into the larger end of the crescent rolls and roll up (sort of like pigs in a blanket). Place in the prepared 9 x 13 pan. One you have used all of the mixture/crescent rolls, spoon the remaining cream of chicken soup over the chicken roll-ups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. About ten minutes before it is finished, sprinkle extra shredded cheese over the top if you like, then finish baking. My kids loved them!

Parmesan Chicken

I made this one for dinner tonight. Even my daughter who does not like Miracle whip liked it.

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Miracle whip light
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. oregano

Mix all ingredients except for chicken together in a bowl.

Use a pastry brush to spread the mixture on the chicken breasts and place in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, turning the chicken breasts halfway through cooking time and then sprinkling a bit more parmesan on top before finishing baking.

Freakin' Awesome Lasagna

Hello...today I am going to share with you my recipe for some amaaaaazing lasagna. This recipe is from Mi Estrella Favorita (my favorite star), Becky. She and I met in Spanish class at Ricks College a million years ago...she sat in front of me on the first day of class and laughed at my smart aleck remark and we've been great friends ever since.

Before the recipe, let me say welcome to Kristy, my first "follower"...I am thrilled to have you! I tried to leave a comment welcoming you on your blog but it is private!!!! I am not permitted!!! But I enjoy your comments on my sis in law Jenny's blog anyway!!! She is so cute to advertise for me!!! Feel free to send me any of your recipe favorites! I am always looking for new ones!

OK...now to the recipe...this stuff is awesome!!!

2 jars Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
12 lasagna noodles (these will go in four layers of three)
1 container part-skim Ricotta cheese
2:1 mozzarella/cheddar cheese ratio...I could give you amounts, but I just pile it on
1 pkg of pepperoni
1 lb ground beef, browned, seasoned, and drained (see spices below)

Spices for ground beef:
dash of garlic powder
1/8 tsp of onion powder
1/8 tsp of chili powder (yes, really)
1/8 tsp basil
1/8 tsp parsley flakes
1/8 tsp oregano

While browning ground beef, boil water and cook 12 lasagna noodles.

After ground beef is seasoned, browned, and drained, set aside.

Now you are going to layer in a 9 x 13 baking dish, prepped with cooking spray...
Layer one-Prego, just enough to spread and cover bottom of baking dish
Layer two-3 lasagna noodles, side by side
Layer three-teaspoon size blobs of ricotta (I usually do 12, like if you were baking cookies)
Layer four-seasoned, browned ground beef, drained
Layer five-pepperoni slices
Layer six-cheese mixture
Layer seven- 3 lasagna noodles, side by side
Press down all over lasagna now to make it dense so you can do more layers!!!
Layer eight-sauce, etc. (you are repeating layers 1-7 again, pressing it into pan periodically.

When baking dish is nearly full, cover with tin foil and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. About ten minutes before it is done, remove foil and top with cheese, then finish cooking.

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Family Fav Chili

Here's another from my health-conscious sister-in-law, Jenny.
A super easy hearty meal in one pot!

1 lb Ground Turkey or Beef (Turkey keeps this low fat!)--drained...thanks, Jenny :)
1 Onion, diced
2 15 oz cans Chili Beans
1 30 oz can crushed Tomatoes
2-3 tsp Chili powder

Brown Turkey/Beef with onion in large stew pot. After meat is browned, add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a low boil. Serves 5.

Don't Wanna Cook Today

Drive to Papa Murphy's, get pizza. Warm in oven. Eat. That was painless.

Dessert Pizza

Crust:
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour (if the mixture is dry, you can add a bit more butter)

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown

Sauce:
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup yogurt (your favorite flavor)

Mix sauce together and spread over baked crust.

Top with slices of your favorite fruits (kiwi, strawberry, bananas, blueberries, pineapple, grapes, etc.)

Stromboli

This yummy recipe was given to me years ago by one of my college roommates, Becky (mi estrella favorita!). This one is a fun one to make with the kids and they love it! There is lots of room for improvisation on this recipe...you can use your family's favorite pizza toppings in it!

1 loaf Rhode's frozen bread dough (thaw, but do not allow to rise)
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. miracle whip
Parsley, oregano, and basil to taste
1 bottle of your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce, warmed
Your favorite pizza toppings, such as: sliced pepperoni, cubed ham, shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded cheddar cheese

Roll the pizza dough out into an OVAL shape (not round like a pizza). Leaving two inches or so all the way around the edges of the dough clean, spread the mayo and mustard on the dough. Season with parsley, oregano, and basil. Then pile on the pizza toppings however you like.

Bring up the sides of the dough to meet edges and pinch closed to seal (all toppings should be completely enclosed inside). Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 15-25 minutes.

After baking, you can drizzle your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce over the top or slice the stromboli up and dip it into sauce. YUM!

Chicken Tetrazini

This dish I love...it's yummy...and it's one that is easy if you are taking dinner to someone that had a baby or surgery or something!

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. spaghetti
1/4 onion, minced (dried minced onion works too...just have to guesstimate)
1/4 garlic minced
1 Tbsp. butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 cups of chicken broth
10 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded (I use more...I like it really cheesy!!)
Pepper, parsley, and paprika to taste

Cook the spaghetti noodles in a pot of boiling water. While the spaghetti is cooking, in another pan saute the onion, garlic, and butter. Add soup, broth, worchestershire sauce, and half of the cheese. Cook until smooth. Add pepper, parsley, and paprika to taste.

Drain the spaghetti and pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer chicken breasts over the spaghetti, then cover with sauce. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover with tin foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes (until chicken is cooked through).

Sometimes when I make chicken tetrazini, instead of using chicken breasts I will by the frozen pre-cooked and cut fajita chicken and just mix that in with the sauce...that works, too!