Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Chicken Enchiladas

I have tried many different enchilada recipes.
This one tasted great. A new taste and filling too!

ingredients:
2 cups of Cubed Chicken, cooked
2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup of Sour Cream
1 small can of Green Chile's
1 small Onion, grated
2 cups of grated cheese
10 Flour Tortillas

directions:
Mix your chicken with 1 can of the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chilie's onion, and 1 cup of cheese. spoon onto the center of the tortillas and roll up. Place the filled tortillas in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Top with the remaining soup and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees in the oven for 30 minutes. 




Monday, January 28, 2013

Fruited Pork Loin

ingredients:
6 Boneless Pork Loin Chops, cut 1 inch thick
2 7 oz. packages of Mixed Dried Fruit
1 medium Red or Yellow Sweet Pepper, seeded and sliced
1 cup Bottled Barbecue Sauce

directions:
Trim the fat from your pork chops. Place the chops in a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Add the dried fruit and sweet pepper to the slow cooker. Pour the barbecue sauce over all of it in the cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer your chops to a serving platter. Skim the fat from the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the chops. Makes 6 servings.



Recipe Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Taco Casserole

ingredients:
1 lb. of Ground Beef
1 Onion, chopped
1/2 package Taco Seasoning
1 can of Tomato Sauce
Tortilla Chips
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup of Shredded Cheddar

directions:
Brown your ground beef and drain the excess fat. Add the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Line a 2-quart baking dish with broken tortilla chips. Spoon the meat mixture on top. Add another layer of tortilla chips. Stir the soup until it is creamy and pour it over the casserole. Top it with cheddar cheese and bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.



Recipe Adapted from "What's For Dinner?"

Friday, January 25, 2013

Main Street Special

Any picky eaters out there?
Here is a dish that my dad use to make when we were younger.
It was a tradition so I loved when he made it.
This is a dish that the meat and potato guys in your family will enjoy.
Simple and easy. Not any new things. Try it for dinner!

ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 can Corn
6-8 Potatoes, Peeled and Sliced or 2 cans of potatoes
2 Slices of an Onion, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste

directions:
Brown your ground beef and set aside. Fry your potatoes with the onions until they are tender. When your potatoes are ready ad the ground beef and corn. (If you use canned potatoes they are ready so add them to the ground beef with the corn at the same time.) Salt and pepper to taste. Make sure everything is cooked and heated through and you are ready! If you want it with a sauce add a can of cream of mushroom sauce.


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Valentine's Table Runner

If you didn't win our giveaway drawing yesterday and you would still like to have a beautiful Valentine's Day Table Runner visit our shop today!

We only have one left and if you order now you will have it 2+ weeks before Valentine's day to make your room have more of the holiday spirit!



Cheap, Easy and Cute Hanging Hearts!!!

Materials Needed:
Tissue Paper
Empty Cereal Box
Scissors
Hot Glue
Pencil
Ribbon

Directions:
This was so fun to make and I didn't have to go and buy anything! That was my most favorite part! I used the tissue paper I had saved from gifts and then everything else I had. Cut out 4-5 inch hearts from your leftover cereal box and then cut the insides out. Cut a bunch of once inch squares form your tissue paper and glue them around your hearts. My heart were only about 5/8 inches wide so I only had to do one row around the hearts. Glue the ribbon behind and hang them! You are done and it turns out so cute!





Spinach Orange Salad

If you love spinach here is a great salad for you!
I loved the dressing that went with this tasty salad!

ingredients:
1 Bunch of Spinach
1 can Mandarin Oranges
2 slices of Onions, diced
1 Avocado
1 small Cucumber, sliced
6 Fresh Mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Dressing
ingredients:
3 Tbsp. Oil
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Poppy Seeds
1/2 tsp. Salt
dash of Pepper

directions:
Wash and trim the spinach leaves and pat them dry. Tear into bite size pieces or leave them whole. Add the drained oranges, onions, avocado, cucumber and mushrooms. Toss lightly. Mix all of the dressing ingredients together. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving. 


Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Easy Cheesy Broccoli!


ingredients:
2 cups of Broccoli Crowns
1 can of Cheddar Cheese Soup

directions:
Pour 1 inch of water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover. Cook at low heat for 5-10 minutes until it is slightly tender. Drain and put into serving bowl. Heat 1 can of cheddar cheese soup. Pour over the broccoli and serve.






Tuesday, January 22, 2013

5 Qualities to Nurture in Your Child

I think this article is great. Read this for your child and try to incorporate these qualities for them to learn in their lives. 

Fast and Easy Fiesta Stacks

It is Tuesday! Here is my favorite recipe of the week!
I thought this tasted so good when we made it.
It is fast, easy and very tasteful.
Work this into your budget and save a little money.

ingredients:
1 can of Re-fried Beans
1/2 cup of Salsa
1/2 cup of Sour Cream
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning
2 Chopped Tomatoes
2 Slices of an Onion, diced
1 can of Olives (optional) I like it without
4-5 Tortillas
2 cups Shredded Lettuce
2 cups Shredded Cheese

directions:
Combine your beans, salsa, 1/4 cup sour cream, and 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning. Mix these all well. Add the green onions and 1/2 of the olives. Mix gently. Place one tortilla on a baking sheet. Top the tortillas with 2 scoops of the bean mixture and spread evenly 1/4 inch around from the edge. Sprinkle with cheese. Repeat these. Repeat the layers of the tortillas with the bean mixture and cheese 2 or 3 more times. Top with a tortilla. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the to pis golden brown. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sour cream and the remaining taco seasoning together. Spread this evenly across the top. Sprinkle with your tomatoes, olives and lettuce. cut into wedges and serves with your salsa.





Monday, January 21, 2013

Chicken Wraps

These are some of my favorites!

ingredients:
1 pkg. Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
4 oz. of Cream Cheese
1 cup of Chopped Chicken
1/2 tsp. of Lemon Pepper
1/4 cup of Onions, Finely chopped 
1/2 cup of Mushrooms, chopped (optional)

directions:
Mix your cream cheese, chicken, lemon pepper, mushrooms, and onions together until they are all well blended together. Place 1 scoopful of the meat mixture in the middle of each crescent roll. Fold over and seal the edges. Place on a sprayed baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until they are lightly brown. Serve with chicken gravy if you would like. 



DIY: How to Make A Burp Pad from a Clothe Diaper

So simple to make!
That is my kind of project!
All you need to do is buy a pack of clothe diapers at Wal-Mart.
Cover the back side with cute material that you love!
Cover just the middle or do the whole side.
Sew around the edges with them tucked under or even just serge.
Do it your way and it will turn out so cute!
These work great because they are made to absorb, so of course they will absorb all that spit up just great!


Saturday, January 19, 2013

National Popcorn Day!

Today is it! The 19th of January is National Popcorn day! 
Time to celebrate - pop some popcorn, melt white bakers chocolate and pour it over the top! Wa La! Great Popcorn to Celebrate tonight!


BLT Salad

Try this great salad for Sunday dinner! It tastes wonderful!

ingredients:
1 head of Romaine Lettuce
3 Eggs, Hard-Boiled
6 Strips of Bacon
2 Tomatoes, diced or a bunch of cherry tomatoes (those taste really good)
A few carrots, sliced
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Croutons


directions:
Cut or tear your lettuce into strips. Make sure it is clean and washed good. Place this in a serving bowl. Slice your eggs and put them in with the salad. Grill your bacon and cool. Break or cut them into pieces. Arrange all the eggs, bacon, tomatoes and carrots on top of the lettuce. Sprinkle with cheese and croutons and serve with the dressing of your choice.


Recipe from Kimberli








Friday, January 18, 2013

5 Ways How to Prepare Your Potatoes

Here are 5 great ways on how I love making potatoes!

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
6 Potatoes
2 Tbsp. of butter
milk
2 oz. of Cream Cheese
1/4 cup of Sour Cream
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:
Peel and cut your potatoes in pieces. Place these in a large sauce pan filled with 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil on high, reduce the heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until they are soft. Drain and add your butter. Mash your potatoes and add enough milk for a creamy consistency. Beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and blend in your sour cream. Stir these into the potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Make at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

*Optional: Add cheese to the top in the last ten minutes.


Hash Brown Potato Casserole 

Ingredients:
2 lbs. of Hash Browns
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 cup of Sour Cream
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup of Shredded Cheese
1 cup Crushed Cornflakes

Directions:
Put the potatoes in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Mix together sour cream and soup and stir these into the potatoes. Stir in the cheese and sprinkle the cornflakes on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes 

Ingredients:
1 lb. of Potatoes
1 1/2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Light Cream, Hot
1-2 peeled cloves of garlic.
As Needed:
Milk, Hot
Salt to Taste
White Pepper to Taste

Directions:
Peel and eye your potatoes and cut them into uniform sizes. Leave a little of the peelings on them if you want a little red color in your potatoes. Simmer the potatoes in salted water with your garlic cloves until they are tender. Make sure you have your potatoes covered with a lid. 

Drain your potatoes well and let them steam dry for a few minutes. Mash your potatoes either with a mixer or a potato masher. Mix together your potatoes and garlic well until they are broken up, Beat them will with your mixer or mash them well. Do not over whip your potatoes or they will become pasty and waxy. 

Beat in your butter and cream and then add enough milk to your potatoes so they have a proper consistency. Your potatoes should be soft and moist, not runny, and firm enough to hold their shape. Add your salt and white pepper to taste.  

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
6 cups of water
6 Potatoes
1 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 cup of warm milk
Salt and White Pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash all of your potatoes really good and then peel them. Cut them all up and then place them in your saucepan on the stove. Add the water and boil your potatoes on high until they are soft. If you cut them into big pieces they take a lot longer. If you want to go quicker cut them small. 

When they are done boiling, drain the water. Add your butter and then mash your potatoes. Add your milk to the consistency you want and mash it all together. Add your salt and pepper to taste and there you are. Great Tasting mashed potatoes.

Baked Potatoes

Ingredient:
As many potatoes as you want

Directions:
If you are making these for lunch or dinner. Put them in about 4 hours before. This way you don't cook them too fast and overdue them. But you get just the right softness. Wrap them up in tin foil (shiny side inside). 

Place all of your potatoes on a cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for the first hour and then 200 degrees for the next 3 hours. Poke with a fork to make sure they are done the way you want them to be. 



Thursday, January 17, 2013

How to Make A Photo With Texture Cream

1. Paint the edges and the back of your plaque, block, or canvas.
2. After this is dry seal it with a glossy or matte sealer.
3. Have your photo printed on luster/matte photo paper, but not glossy.
4. Put clear drying wood glue - not yellow - on the front of the block. Coat all 
    of the edges well. Smooth glue with a sponge brush. Place your print on    
    the plaque, canvas or block.
5. Smooth our any bubbles with a soft cloth. Let this dry for 25 minutes.
6. With a spoon pour a small amount of the PHOTO TEXTURE CREAM onto your 
    picture.
7. Quickly roll a textured rolling brush through the cream and evenly spread 
    around the photo.
8. When you use the photo texture cream watch for the following:
    - Wear gloves
    - Keep away from your eyes and skin
    - Rinse immediately if the product contacts your skin
    - Keep out of reach of children
9. Dry and display your photo!





Avocado BLT Sandwhich

I love avocados and I love BLT sandwiches. Here is a combination to love!

 Ingredients:
·        1 Ripe avocado
·        2 tablespoons light mayonnaise or salad dressing
·        1 teaspoon lemon juice
·        1 garlic, minced
·        4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and halved crosswise
·        4 romaine lettuce
·        1 tomato, thinly sliced
·        4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

Directions:
1. Halve, seed, and peel your avocado. Transfer one of the avocado halves to a small bowl and mash with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Stir the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic in with your mashed avocado; set aside. Thinly slice the remaining avocado half.
2. Arrange the avocado slices, bacon, lettuce, and tomato on four of the bread slices. Spread the mashed avocado mixture over the remaining four bread slices; place on top of the filled bread slices, spread sides down.



Recipe Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Recipes

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Dijon Chicken Strips

Here is a great recipe with a little twang.
 Chicken Strips Baked in the Oven - serve these for dinner tonight!

ingredients:
4-5 Large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup of Margarine or Butter
1 Tbsp. Dijon or Honey Mustard
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2/3 cup of Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes

directions:
Cut the thawed chicken breasts into strips. Set these aside and mix the melted butter, mustard and garlic powder. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes. Dip the chicken strips in the butter and mustard mixture, then coat them with the bread crumb mixture. Bake these in a greased 9 x 13" pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. 



Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Peanut Butter Blossoms

It is Tuesday! Here is our great taste for the week!
One popular cookie that is great for Valentine's Day!
Put your kiss on top and let your loved ones know how much you appreciate them! Also, click on and check out this book Young House Love - tons of great DIY projects.

ingredients:
  • 1/2
    cup shortening
  • 1/2
    cup peanut butter
  • 1/2
    cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2
    cup packed brown sugar
  • 1
    teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8
    teaspoon baking soda
  • 1
    egg
  • 2
    tablespoons milk
  • 1
    teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 3/4
    cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4
    cup granulated sugar
  • Chocolate kisses or stars


directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat the shortening and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

2. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll your balls in the 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookies center. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 54 cookies.








DIY:Valentines Cards with Acrylic Paint

Materials Needed:
Card stock Paper
Small Rolling Craft Paint Brush
Acrylic Paint
Heart shaped Cookie cutter

Make this fun design by folding your card stock into a shape that looks like a card. Dip your paint brush in some paint and roll it over your card. Let them dry. Hot pink looks the best! Then dip your cookie cutters in paint and press them on top of the first layer. This makes a fun, fast Valentines Card!



Design your own cards with your ideas!




Monday, January 14, 2013

Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas

Tortillas and Barbecue Sauce.
They don't really sound like they go together do they.
But don't second guess it, try this recipe for yourself. 
My husband and I actually really really thought it tasted good!

ingredients:

Nonstick Cooking Spry
4 8 inch Flour Tortillas
1 cup of Shredded Cheese (your choice)
1 4 oz. can of Diced Chile's, Drained
1 18 oz. Tub of Barbacue Sauce
2 cups of Shredded chicken, cooked
1 cup Bottled Salsa
1/4 cup Dairy Sour Cream

directions:

Coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. Place, coated sides down, on cutting board or waxed paper. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cheese over half of each tortilla. Top with green chiles and barbecue sauce with chicken. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently.

Preheat oven to 350. In a hot 10-inch skillet cook quesadillas, two at a time, over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Place quesadillas on a baking sheet. Keep warm in preheated oven for up to 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and green onion. Makes 4 servings.



Recipe Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Also, here is a menu planning tip that I would like to share with you: You've got to find out what works for you! Everyone is different so the same thing isn't going to work for everyone. I have tried a lot of things. Once I tried to plan my meals for 4 months at a time. Wow! That was a failure. So then I tried 1 month at a time and that didn't work either. I was seeing a trend that what I had planned a month ago didn't sound good to me on the actual day I was suppose to make it. 

I have finally figured out what works for me! I plan on a weekly bases and   this has been a success for my schedule. I usually go to the grocery store once a week - any more then that it gets chaotic. On the day I go before I leave I write down in my planner what main dish I want to make for each day of the week.  As I come across recipes during the week I either write them down or save the website I saw them on. This way I know where to find them. 

When I plan what meals I will make on which days I find them and look at all the ingredients. I make my grocery list from what I need from the recipes that I don't already have in my home. From there I add the main items like milk, carrots, eggs,  bananas, etc. This works great for me! From doing this it creates less stress for me because I know that I have all the ingredients I need for the week to make meals. It is even great when some nights you have leftovers. You can either use these for lunch the next day or even dinner again. What  ever recipe I don't use that week I know I have all the ingredients ready so if I want to use it for the next week!

Also, a great thing that has helped me is that if a recipe calls for 1 bottle of barbecue sauce or whatever it is (example: can of beans, ketchup, oatmeal) sometimes at the store I will buy 2 or 3 of this item. This will help build food storage little by little and you won't notice a huge change in your grocery bill. Then if you need it all of a sudden one day you don't have to make a trip to the store just to buy that one item.  

Find  what works for you. This has worked for me!

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Need Help Potty Training?

Anybody in that time of life where you are trying to potty train your toddler??? I will be there soon enough and I wish that it will be a fast and easy transition!

I read this article that I thought was great! 20 Best Potty-Training Tips! What a great idea! Read it for yourself or share it with someone you know! I know some of these tips helped with my younger sister a lot!

Good Luck!

http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/potty-training/tips/potty-training-tips/?sssdmh=dm17.646307&esrc=nwpmmdailytip011313#page=1
Found  at Parents.com

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Oreo Truffles

Oreo's are a weakness of mine.....
Give me some milk and Oreo's and I am in heaven!
They are one of my favorite cookies, so I have found a great recipe to make Oreo truffles. 3 simple ingredients and Wa la! A sweet treat to enjoy! Valentine's Day is also coming up and these could be great to make for your loved ones. 
Also, the first batch I was making I burnt the chocolate! 
You don't want to do that because it gets all gritty and doesn't taste good.
I didn't know what I did wrong, but now I do. 
So, below I gave you some tips on making chocolates. These will answer a lot of your questions!

(Don't forget our drawing coming up on the 23rd of January! A Valentines Table Runner, An Apron and Pot Pinchers - Become a Follower of Great Tastes Tuesdays and Get Your Name in the drawing! This is another chance to win)

ingredients:
1 Package of Oreo chocolate cookies, Finely Crushed
8 oz. of Cream Cheese
2 8 oz. packages of Semisweet Baking chocolate, melted

directions:
Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Mix 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and cream cheese until it is well blended. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. Shape into 42 one inch balls. Dip the balls in melted chocolate and place them on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.


Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Recipe Adapted from Multiple Recipes




Chocolate Help

Why didn't your chocolate set up?

- Candies need to be dipped and left to set up in a room that is between 65 and 68 degrees F. also, it could be that your chocolate wasn't tempered. Untempered chocolate takes a bit longer to set up.

What is the white film on my chocolate?

- The white film is called fat bloom. Sometimes fats in the center with creep out to the surface. This is most common in chocolate covered nuts. While it doesn't look as appetizing, it is perfectly fine to eat.

When I was melting my chocolate, it went hard and went into globs?

There are a few things that might have happened. First, you may have gotten water in your chocolate, causing it to seize. Chocolate is a very dry substance. there is no water it it and you don't add water. Get water in it and the chocolate crystals cling to the water. This causes clumpiness.  

When this happens you won't be able to use it for dipping but if you add enough liquid like milk it will thin it back out and you can use if for baking again. 

The second thing that might have happened it that it burned. Your heat was too high and you didn't stir it enough while you were melting it. There really is no way in retrieving burned chocolate.

So, keep your chocolate on low and just keep stirring it. If it isn't melting as fast as you would like just have patience and let it melt.

Ways to Melt Chocolate

There are a lot of ways to this. some people love the microwave heating it at 30 second intervals. Others like a double boiler, but be careful with working with chocolate around water. Others like to melt in a thick pan directly on the stove. With this method you need to stir it constantly and keep it very low or it will burn.

If you melt your chocolate so gently and slowly that it never gets aver 89 degrees F it will not need to go through the tempering process. This depends on the chocolate too.

Can you use Chocolate Chips?

You can but they have had things added to them so they get thicker when they are melted and then they are not easy to work with. So to have the best results use baking and dipping chocolate.


Friday, January 11, 2013

Richard Paul Evans

I have always been a fan of Richard Paul Evans as long as I can remember!
Well, maybe about the last 5 or 6 years.
I was in a bad accident around that time and someone recommended one of his books called "The Sunflower" to read and pass the time in physical therapy. I remember how fun it was to read that book and what a great writer he was! Since then I have read many of his books; the most recent one I have read is his latest called "A Winter Dream".
Can I tell you how great that book is!
This book has twists and turns that you are not even expecting.
It takes a modern side of retelling the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors in the Old Testament. 
It is a quick read and a great book to cuddle up with on the 
couch at this time of year. Read it for yourself!
On the right I posted a picture of what this book looks like. 
Click on it and you can find some great deals that are way on sale!

Harvest Season Soup

I made this last night and it tasted so good!
There are so many vegetables in it that it is really healthy. 
All of the spices and ingredients make it taste delicious!
Try this on one of these cold winter nights!

ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 Celery Stalks with leave, thinly sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and Pepper as Needed
1/2 can of Tomato Sauce
1 tsp. Dried Basil
2 tsp. Paprika
2 small Zucchinis, thinly sliced
1 handful of spinach leaves, chopped
1/4 of a head of Cabbage, chopped and thinly sliced
1 handful of Fresh Green Beans
1 28-oz. Can of Whole Tomatoes
4 cups of Water
2 Beef Boullion Cubes
1/2 Ground Beef, browned
1 1/2 cups or 6 oz. of Shredded Cheddar Cheese or Asiago

directions:


1. Coat the bottom of a heavy 6-quart pot with olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook your soup over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted and smelling great; stirring often.
2. Uncover, heat to medium high, stir in the tomato sauce, basil, and paprika. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add zucchini, spinach, cabbage, , green beans, tomatoes, and broth. Add the water, boullion cubes, and browned ground beef. Bring the soup to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and soup tastes of deep flavors. Simmering longer makes the flavor concentrate more int the soup.
3. For each serving toast a thick slice of bread. Rub with garlic salt, butter and cheese and broil on low in your oven for just a minute until it is light brown. 


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Banana Cream Pie and Graham Cracker Crust

I made this in a muffin tin last night and they were so go!
Try this fun recipe to make either a whole Banana Cream Pie or little 
miniature pies for a party!

ingredients:
1 - 3 oz. Package of Vanilla instant pudding
2 3/4 cups of Milk
2 ripe, Medium Banana, Sliced
1 - 9 inch Graham cracker crust (homemade or bought)
1 firm Banana
Whipped Topping

directions:

Prepare your pudding as directed using the milk it calls for. Stir in your 2 sliced bananas and spoon the banana pudding mixture into the pie crust. Place plastic wrap over the pie crust and chill for 1 hour. Remove the plastic wrap and cut the firm banana into slices. Garnish your pie with whipped topping and your banana slices. Makes 1 pie or 12-18 baby pies.




Graham Cracker Pie Crust

ingredients:
9 Whole Graham Crackers, finely crushed
1/3 cup of White Sugar
6 Tbsp. Butter, melted
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon (optional)

directions:

Mix your graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon until it is well blended. make sure you don't have any chuncks. Press this into you 8 or 9 inch pie pan or 12-18 muffin tins. (You don't need to spray the muffin tins)

Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes. Cool. And chill for at least 45 minutes.