Pea + Peanut Salad

This is one of those "you have to try it before you decide" recipes. It sounds weird; I was skeptical at first as well. But once I tried it, I was sold. It's sweet and crunchy, savory and creamy, all at the same time.

Pea & Peanut Salad

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 lb frozen peas, thawed
1 lb Spanish or cocktail peanuts

In a bowl, combine everything except the peas and peanuts. Mix well. Gently stir in the peas and peanuts, ensuring everything is coated well. Chill at least one hour before serving.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars - a nice, different side dish. I served it with smoked sausage and noodles. As a bonus, my two-year old scarfed it down!

Reese Cup Brownie Bites

Reese Cup Brownie Bites

Ingredients:

1 box of Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix (plus ingredients as the box indicates)

36 Mini Reese Cups

Mini muffin tin liners

Mix the brownie mix as instructed on the box. I prefer to only use one egg for a fudgier brownie. Place liners into cupcake pan. Place approximately 1/2 tsp onto the bottom of each liner. This will prevent the Reese cup from getting hard on the bottom. Center Reese cups into the liners on top of the brownie mix.

Cover the Reese cup with approximately 1 tbsp of brownie batter. I use the small scoop from Pampered Chef for easy measuring. Make sure all sides of the Reese cup are covered with brownie batter to prevent the Reese cup from burning.

 Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes

before removing from cupcake pan.

 I chose to give mine a little flare and frost with Peanut Butter Fluff. I used the Pampered Chef Easy Decorator to make little puffs on top.

Enjoy! Happy 4th of July!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza

My friend Jessica made this today. It's beautiful!

She was kind enough to share the recipe! Thanks, Jessica!

1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (Jessica substituted Marshmallow Fluff)

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup white sugar

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice cookie dough and arrange on greased pizza pan, overlapping edges. Press dough flat into pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. In a large bowl, soften cream cheese, then fold in the marshmallow fluff. Spread over cooled crust. You can chill for a while at this point, or continue by arranging the fruit.
3. Begin with strawberries, sliced in half. Arrange in a circle around the outside edge. Continue with fruit of your choice, working towards the middle. If bananas are used, dip them in lemon juice so they don't darken. Then make a sauce to spoon over fruit.
4. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat, and add grated orange rind. Allow to cool, but not set up. Spoon over fruit. Chill for two hours, then cut into wedges and serve.               

I cannot wait to make this! Maybe I will go blueberry/strawberry picking this weekend! Thanks for sharing, Jessica!

Yummy Potato Casserole

Potato Casserole

1 package (30oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (I used 1 cup cheddar and 1 cup of hot pepper cheese)
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 c. sour cream
1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 c. butter, melted and divided
2 c. French's Fried Onions
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, cheese, onion, green peppers, salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine sour cream, soup and 1/4 of the melted butter. Pour over potato mixture and mix gently. Pour into a greased 3 qt. baking dish. Toss French's Fried Onions in the remaining melted butter and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes.

This is great for potlucks, dinner parties and holidays.

Yummy Factor: 5 stars!

Banana Bread French Toast Souffle

In an effort to eat some meatless meals and reduce our grocery bill, eggs and bread were on the menu. There were no complaints in my house about this one!

Banana Bread French Toast Souffle

10 cups cubed bread - I used 1/2 of a loaf of banana bread I made earlier this week and standard cheapy white sandwich bread
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup real maple syrup
6 eggs
1.5 cups milk (or cream or half-n-half - I just happened to have milk in the house)
1 t. vanilla
4 T. brown sugar, optional

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter a 9x13 pan. Do not use spray; butter makes the casserole fluff up like a souffle. Dump in bread cubes.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and syrup. Microwave for 1 min and mix together. Pour over bread cubes.

In same bowl, mix together eggs, milk, and vanilla. Pour over cream cheese mixture on bread crumbs.

Let stand for 15 min. Or refrigerate as long as overnight. (If you refrigerate, be sure to let it sit out at room temp for a while before baking.)

Sprinkle brown sugar over top. This is definitely not necesary but certainly very yummy as it kind of caramelizes on top.
Bake for 30 min covered. Remove foil and bake for additional 15 min.

Serve with fresh fruit, bacon or sausage (which I realize makes it not a meatless meal, but that's ok), and enjoy!

Poppy Chicken

Mmmmm, this is one of our household favorites. In fact, I made it for DH's birthday celebration a few weeks ago. He walked in the house after a week away, took one sniff, and smiled, "I smell poppy chicken!" It's not low-cal or low-fat, but hey, it was a birthday celebration! Even my kids like it!

Poppy Chicken

Ingredients

2 lbs. cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (I cook mine in the crockpot all day, so it shreds quite easily.)

1 can of cream of chicken soup (any cream soup would work fine)

1 c. of sour cream (I just fill up the empty soup can and call it good.)

1 stick of butter (told you it wasn't low-cal)

1.5 sleeves of Ritz Crackers, crushed

3 T. poppy seeds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350. Lay the cooked chicken in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Mix together the cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Spread over the top of the chicken (do not stir together).

Melt the butter, and add the crushed Ritz Crackers. Stir well. Add the poppy seeds, and stir well again. Sprinkle over the top of the saucy chicken

Bake for 30 min uncovered.

I serve with a steamed green veggie (asparagus this time). I typically don't do a starch since it has the crackers on top; it makes me feel better about the calorie count!

Flourless Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are delicious. I have never made a flourless cookie before. They are so quick and easy.

Flourless Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies
(courtesy of Martha Stewart Everyday magazine)

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Stir in 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts. With moistened hands, roll dough, about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on two baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden and puffed, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins - Yummy & Easy!

This is an old stand-by that I jazzed up with the addition of sweetened cream cheese. Try any flavors of cake mix that sound good - chocolate is one of my favorites.

These aren't soft, fluffy muffins -they're quite moist and dense, but they sure are g.o.o.d!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

1 box yellow cake mix

1 box spice cake mix

1 29 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 T. powdered sugar

2 T. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

2 T. chopped nuts, optional

Mix together cake mixes and pumpkin. Do not add anything the boxes call for - just add the pumpkin. The mixture will be thick and sticky, perfect for a mess-making two-year old.

Mix the cream cheese with the powdered sugar, and set aside. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and nuts, and set aside.

Spray two muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use cupcake liners. Add to each muffin tin: 2 T. of cake mixture followed by 1 T. of cream cheese mixture and then 2 T. of cake mixture. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. Cool before removing from muffin tins. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Yummy Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded (or 2 cans of Tyson all white meat chicken breast, drained, rinsed and shredded)
1 heaping tablespoon of Hellman's Mayo
3 tbsp. Honey Mustard
40-50 red seedless grapes, quartered
1/4 c. chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken breast, mayo, honey mustard, grapes and walnuts. Mix thoroughly. You may need to add a little more mayo depending on how moist you like the chicken salad. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a bed of lettuce, on toast or on a bagel. To add a little more flavor, chop one apple right before you serve to mix in. The apples get brown very quickly, so only add them right before you serve.

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. This is a staple for our house. We never get tired of this chicken salad.

Buckeyes

It's an Ohio tradition to make Buckeyes for the Holidays. They are smooth and creamy!

Buckeyes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 c. Jif peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese
6 c. powdered sugar
2 lbs. milk chocolate (I prefer Merkens or Ambrosia)

In a large bowl, mix softened butter and cream cheese. Mix on high until creamy. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing thoroughly. Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet and place the balls into the freezer for 30 minutes. Melt chocolate in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds to prevent burning. Use a toothpick to dip the balls into the chocolate leaving just the tops uncovered. Place them back on the same cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator until they are set.

This recipe makes approximately 80 buckeyes about the size of a large gumball.

Holiday Fudge-Yum!

This is the easiest fudge recipe. It melts in your mouth!

Holiday Fudge

Ingredients:
1 16oz. container of Marshmallow Fluff
5 c. sugar
2 cans of evaporated milk (5 oz. cans)
1/4 lb. butter
1 jar of fudge (16oz)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
24 oz. milk chocolate chips (or 2 small bags)

Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a large saucepan. Stir over low heat until blended. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Be careful not to mistake the air bubbles for a boil. Boil slowly for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla (and optional walnuts) until chocolate is melted. Pour into buttered 9x13 pan or 2 9x9 pans. Cool completely.

To make peanut butter fudge, simply substitute peanut butter chips and a heaping tablespoon of Jif for the chocolate chips.

This recipe makes approximately 5 lbs. of fudge.

Homemade Taco Salad Bowls

These homemade bowls are quick and easy.

Makes Mexi-night even more delicious!

Ingredients:

3 large tortilla shells
3 arms length pieces of foil
Pam cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Loosely ball foil into softball sized balls. On a large cookie sheet, spray the tops of the balls with Pam cooking spray. Center the tortillas over the foil balls and gently press down in the center to prevent them from rolling. Spray the tortillas with a light coating of Pam before placing in the over. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Ideas for serving:

• Fill with lettuce, taco seasoned meat, cheese and ranch dressing for a delicious taco salad.
• While warm, lightly coat with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Drizzle chocolate over the bowl and service with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle extra cinnamon, sugar and chocolate on the ice cream and top with whipped cream and a cherry. Yum!
• Fill with steak, sauteed onions and peppers for a great steak bowl

Enjoy!

Cocktail Meatballs - Only 3 yummy ingredients!

These have been around forever, but they are so easy and so yummy, how could I not include them here?

Cocktail Meatballs

1 bag of frozen pre-made meatballs
1 large jar of grape jelly
2 jars of chili sauce

Mix all ingredients in a slowcooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Stir well before serving.

That's it! So easy!

Cherry Yum Fluff!

Sorry it's been so long since Amy and I posted anything. I have to be honest, I just have not been cooking. I wish I had worthy excuses like having 2 kids under 2 like Amy, but I don't.

This recipe is courtesy of Chris and Lisa Bors! Thanks for sharing with me.

Cherry Yum Fluff

1 large tub of Cool Whip
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 can of crushed pineapple
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 sliced bananas
chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together except bananas with an electric mixer. Slice and fold in bananas.

Chill and serve.

Dessert Rating: 5 out of 5. It's easy, you can add any fruit you have laying around and it's still good. Great for cookouts!

Our first guest contributor - Crystal!

I must say, I find it ironic that our first guest contributor is Crystal. Don't get me wrong - Crystal is a great friend, a wonderful mother, and an all-around good person. However, I think she'd be the first to tell you, she's not a cook. So, for her to share this recipe with me, it must be worthy of posting.

There's only one other thing that I know Crystal likes to make, and I encourage everyone to beg her to share her infamous baked chicken recipe - you'll definitely love it! C'mon Crystal - please????

Toddler-Approved Chicken Nuggets
(Recipe courtesy of Huggies Baby Network)

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs (plain or Italian)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. Combine chicken, melted margarine, and Worcestershire in a 1 quart freezer bag. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a second freezer bag.

Tape the two bags together. Label and freeze.

To prepare for serving, thaw and remove the chicken pieces from the marinade. Shake them in the bread crumb bag to coat, a few at a time.

Preheat oven to 450. Arrange chicken on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 7-9 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5. Quick, easy, and fairly healthy. And no fighting with toddlers - they'll actually eat this one!