Saturday, March 30, 2013

Resurrection Rolls



Here are some rolls to try for your Easter Dinner!


Resurrection Rolls!






Ingredients
  • 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
  • 8 marshmallows
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Melt butter in a small, shallow dish.
  3. In another shallow dish, stir together sugar and cinnamon.
  4. Roll out crescents. Dip a marshmallow in the butter, then the cinnamon sugar mixture then place it in the center of the crescent. Roll up the crescent, being sure to seal up all the edges. Repeat with remaining crescents and marshmallows.
  5. Place crescents on a pan lined with parchment paper. If desired, mix together remaining butter and cinnamon sugar and brush it on the top of the crescents. Place in the oven and bake for 11-13 minutes or until crescents are light golden brown and puffy.
  6. Allow to cool slightly before serving.



Friday, March 29, 2013

Guest Friday with Aimee!

I am excited to announce my Guest for "Invite A Guest Friday"! This is Aimee over at


Check her out. 
This is a super great post that she has written!


Adding Instead of Subtracting

I feel like so often in our culture we focus on what we're doing wrong and what we need to stop doing. We hear constantly "Get rid of those shoes from middle school!" "Stop eating Oreos!" "Watch less Wizards of Waverly Place!" It's always: stop this or get rid of that. I admit, I do see the merit in advice when it's given to help free you from bad habits but once you get rid of everything, then what? Let's take my life for example. If I were to simply stop watching Netflix, eating Twizzlers for lunch, and get rid of all my old ugly clothes, then I'd spent my day hungry, bored, and wearing the exact same thing as I did yesterday (and the day before that). 

So lately I've been taking a new approach to my life. Instead of getting rid of things, I've chosen to fill my life with good things. For example, I made a goal to eat 5 fruits/vegetables and drink 2 glasses of milk every day. As long as I get those in, then it doesn't mater how many Oreos I eat. Usually I'm eating Oreos because I don't know what else to eat. But when I know I'm trying to eat more fruits and vegetables, I buy more at the store and I go to those first when I'm hungry because I know I have them and I know I want to eat them. 

I also have a chore chart with just a few things each day that need to get done in the house. I can watch TV as much as I want, but the chores need to get done at some point. Sometimes I get them done first thing in the morning but sometimes I don't get to them until after Eliza is in bed. But always, every day I get at least something done.

 My mom has been helping me get a wardrobe I feel comfortable going out in public in (my body just isn't the same shape anymore, despite being back to my pre-pregnancy weight). So now I can get rid of old clothes that don't fit right or are just plain awful because I have good things in my closet. 

I've found that when I fill my life with good things, the bad habits naturally start to fade. I love that my focus is on what I chose to do to make my life better, instead of focusing on what I'm doing wrong. I'm not buying new clothes to fill the empty drawer after I get rid of old clothes, I'm trading the bad for the good. For me, it's much easier to let go of it all because I'm not giving it up or forcing myself to quit. I'm simply exchanging good for better. I still enjoy my Oreos and Twizzlers, but they aren't my staples for snacks and lunches. 

How I did it, and how you can too:

  • Don't ever think about what you're doing wrong in your life or what you need to stop. It's frustrating, disheartening, and rarely works. Just ask anyone who has ever gone on a diet. 
  • Remember the focus is NOT about what you need to stop doing
  • It's about what you need to START doing
  • Pick no more than 5 or 6 things you want to do every day. Just start with 1 and do it every day for a week to see how reasonable it is. (I once decided that every Tuesday I was going to vacuum my whole house and wash laundry. That never happened once. So now I vacuum the downstairs one day, the upstairs another, wash one day, fold the next, etc.)
  • If it's just not possible, reevaluate and adjust the goal so it fits in your life (some may think it's a little pathetic how small my daily chores are but over a 2 week period everything gets done. That's much better than before when I tried to do too much then gave up and nothing got done ever. But that's just me. Remember, this is for YOU. Do what works for YOU)
  • One by one add another item you want to start doing. Again, if you have more than 5, see if you're being too hard on yourself. 
  • Once one of those goals becomes natural/a part of your routine, you can take it off the list (keep doing it of course) and add another goal. 

These are my goals. Every day I need to:
  • Read my scriptures
  • Exercise 
  • Clean something in the house 
    • I have a a chart that breaks up my chores into daily tasks. SO reasonable.
  • Read a book to Little El
  • Clean up the kitchen/clutter before bed
  • Eat at least 5 fruits/veggies + 2 glasses of milk
See? Not a big deal and totally manageable for me right now. And I started with little things. After the baby, my goals were to read scriptures and shower every day. Showering is now a habit so I took it off the list and added in exercise. It's about small, gradual steps towards a better life. 8 months after the baby, my house is cleaner, my family happier, and I still get to enjoy my Alex Russo time with a few Oreos.


I love this quote: Always concentrate on how far you've come, rather than how far you have left to go

http://loveandpayne.blogspot.com/2013/03/adding-instead-of-subtracting-different.html


Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Great Taste Tuesday!

It is Tuesday!! Drum Roll please. 
I would like to share my great taste for the week with everyone!
This week it is Chicken Fajitas!
Made these for my husband and he loved them!
This is a super fast and easy meal and you will love them too!


Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients:
12 oz. Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
1/4 cup of Cooking Oil
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1/4 cup Water
2 Tbsp. Snipped Fresh Cilantro or 1/2 tsp. Dry Cilantro
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/8 tsp. Salt
Pepper
8 Flour Tortillas
1 Tbsp. cooking Oil
1 Medium Onion 
1 Medium Green, red, or yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup Chopped Fresh or Canned Tomatoes or Tomatillo's
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Salsa
Shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack Cheese 

Directions:
Place Chicken Strips in a plastic bag and set in a deep bowl. In another bowl stir together 1/4 oil, lime juice, water, 1 tbsp. Cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade and set the chicken aside. 

Wrap the tortillas in foil. Heat these in a 350 degrees oven for 10 minutes to warm. Meanwhile preheat a large frying pan over medium heat; add 1 tbsp. oil. Cook and stir onion in hot oil for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the bell pepper strips and cook for 1 12/ minutes more or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables form the frying pan. 

Add the chicken strips to the hot pan. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until they are tender and aren't pink. Return all the vegetables to the frying pan. Add the tomatoes or tomatillo's. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until they are heated through. Stir in the remaining cilantro. To serve, fill the tortillas with the chicken vegetable mix and if you desire top with sour cream, guacamole  salsa and cheese. 

Monday, March 25, 2013

Brownie Mix Jar

Here is a fun project to make for a friend! 
Pre-made brownie mix that is great to give to someone for any holiday! 
Just add all of the dry ingredients to a mason and then add the additional ingredients and directions to a little card and tie it to the jar. 
The brownies taste great too! 



Friendship Brownies

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
2/3 cup Packed Brown Sugar
3/4 tsp. Salt
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/3 cup Baking Cocoa
1/2 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

Additional Ingredients:
3 Eggs
2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Pour the flour into a 1-qt. glass container with a tight fitting lid. On top of the flour, layer the brown sugar, salt, sugar, baking powder, cocoa, chocolate chips and nuts. Do not mix. Cover and store in a cool dry place for up to 6 months. To prepare brownies: In a large bowl, beat the eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir in the brownie mix until well combined.

Spread into a greased 9 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 34-38 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted near the center and comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 16 brownies.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

DIY Birthday Sign!

This is a super easy and fun Birthday sign that anyone can make!


All I did was this:

1. Trace small plates on Scrapbook Paper
2. Print off Happy Birthday that I had typed on a Word Document
3. Cut and glue everything out
4. Add some holes and string 
And wallah!

Easy and Cute!

Fun for a Polk-A-Dot themed party!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Invite A Guest Friday!

Welcome to my Invite A guest Friday! 
I am excited to have Kalani over from 


Thank you for your guest post!
Hope you all enjoy reading! 


So a little about me, I have always loved being active, whether it be spin class, dance, kick boxing or just simply working out at a gym. I was a Golds Gym member for 6+ years and I loved it, although, leaving the gym I would feel like I could have pushed myself harder. I didn’t know much about lifting weights and felt out of place staring into a mirror not knowing what, or how to lift, with all these bulky men around me. I used that as an excuse to not try new things, therefore, I stuck to my normal workout routine of cardio then using some weight machines. I kept getting frustrated with myself not seeing the results I wanted fast enough.

When I was pregnant with my baby, Jett, I had a hard time making it to the gym due to feeling sick and tired all the time, so I put on some good weight during pregnancy. This was extremely frustrating because I have never been “overweight” my entire life, I have always been average weight for my height. So I knew after I had him things had to change. I went to Golds Gym 5-6 days a week consistently for 8-9 months, and while there was some change happening, the progress was just too slow for me. When I heard from my husband how incredible crossfit was, I finally gave in and went to try it out for the free week (secretly in my mind I knew I was going to be addicted before I even stepped foot in the gym). Day one of crossfit literally about killed me and I couldn’t straighten my arms after the first week, which basically means I fell in love with it. The atmosphere was so different from just any other gym, everyone was excited to be there and everyone was encouraging those around them to give it their all. The thing I loved most was, the person who finished the workout last was just as important as the person who finished it first. Everyone is working on their own personal goals and trying to break their own personal records, all while having a good time with everyone around them.

Within my first 3 months I lost 9lbs and a total body inch loss of 13 inches, I feel amazing about my results so far knowing that I haven’t just been “losing weight” I have been building muscle. I feel strong and energized and I look forward to going to the gym everyday, with Crossfit Hyperion to thank for it. Bruce, Trevor, and all the other trainers are extremely knowledgeable and so much fun to be around. The atmosphere that they have created at Crossfit Hyperion is amazing, we are all like a big family, kickin butt and having a good time. Crossfit has definitely changed my life and I know anyone who tries it will fall in love.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

My Gourmet Hamburgers!

This is my most favorite way to make hamburgers! 
All the best ingredients! 
Even if you don't like onions that much you will love these Hamburgers!
One time I made these for a group of people and one of the 
guys in that group did not like onions. 
But he loved these!


Ingredients:
1 lb. Hamburger
1/3 Onion, diced very small
1 Egg Yolk
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Cheese Slices
Avocado
Tomatoes
Lettuce
6-8 Hamburger Buns
Butter
Ketchup
Mustard

Directions:
Make sure your ground beef is thoroughly thawed. In a large bowl mix your ground beef, onion and egg yolk all together. The egg yolk holds it all together. 

On a grill or a George Foreman grill your hamburger patty's. Salt and pepper as you're doing this. Melt the cheese on top right at the end if your prefer. Add butter to the inside of your buns and grill these also until they are lightly brown. 

When the Patty's are done add them to your grilled buns, add all of the other ingredients! You are ready to go. The avocado slices top it off and finish it!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Chocolate Chip Almond Oatmeal Cookies

It is TUESDAY! 
Here is my great tastes for the week! 
One of my new favorite cookies called chocolate chip almond oatmeal cookies! These were so good when I tried them for the first time - I had never had anything with this combination of ingredients! 
Try them and make them today!

Also, congratulations to Melanie who won our March giveaway with the gas card! Visit us daily to get your chance of winning more giveaways!



Ingredients:
1 Butter Flavor CRISCO Stick or 1 cup Butter Flavor Crisco all-vegetable shortening
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Firmly Packed Brown sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 cups Rolled Oats
9 ounces Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Slivered Almonds

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine shortening and sugars in a large bowl and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until they are well blended. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and almonds extract until well blended.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in the medium bowl. Add to creamed mixture; mix well. Add the oats and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and almonds.

Spray cookie sheets and drop dough by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until they are lightly brown. Cool on a cookie sheet for 4 minutes and then transfer and cool on a cookie rack.

Recipe adapted from Crisco Delicious Desserts for All Occasions


Saturday, March 16, 2013

Amazing French Toast

One of my favorite breakfast dishes are french toast!
You can eat if for breakfast or dinner!
It is easy to make and tastes good too!
Add butter, syrup, bacon, sausage, powdered sugar, fruit or even jam and you've got a meal! Don't forget to join this site and get entered for a free gas card! Tomorrow is our drawing!



Ingredients:
2 Eggs
3-4 Slices of White Bread
1/4 cup of Milk
Cinnamon
Pam

Directions:
Crack you eggs into a large bowl. Add your milk and whisk until the milk and eggs are all mixed together. Place a slice of bread in the egg mixture and soak it for w few seconds on each side. On a warm skillet place your soaked slice of bread and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Brown both sides and continue doing this to all slices of bread. These make great french toast for breakfast! This is 1 serving.

*Note: Personally, I like to do white bread with french toast because wheat seems to be too dense for me, but you can choose!

Friday, March 15, 2013

DIY: March Gardening!


I love when winter is finally over and spring is here! It is finally warm enough to go outside and to see new live starting to happen is one of my favorite times of the year

I am trying to get my yard back into the swing of things after this long winter so I was looking for some tips. 

Here is a list I found that is very helpful to me! It is meant for northern Utah, but I'm sure it can be used in many places!


Tips to Get You Going!
  • Start warm season plants indoors for transplanting in May. 
  • Clean up the yard on days when the weather is nice.  
  • Work organic material into annual beds as soon as they are dry enough. 
  • Plant hardy vegetables (peas, onions, radishes, spinach, broccoli, turnips, rhubarb). 
  • Plant bare-root plants (strawberries, raspberries, fruit trees, roses).
  • Purchase an herbicide to prevent crabgrass and spurge to apply the first of April. 
  • Consider applying a lawn pre-emergent earlier to areas next to sidewalks and driveways where it warms and breaks dormancy sooner.
  • Attend pruning classes for roses, fruit trees, trees and shrubs.
  • Prune fruit trees, raspberries, grapes and ornamental's that need it. 
  • Apply dormant oil to all fruit trees as soon as the buds swell and the first tip of color appears. Include an insecticide with the oil if desired. 
  • Prune roses after the buds break and there is 1 to 2 inches of growth. 
  • Clean up perennials by removing last years' dead material and transplant or divide those that are overgrown. 
  • Plant pansies and primrose for color in the garden, if you didn't plant them last fall. 

http://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/htm/gardening-tips

Invite A Guest Friday!

I am excited to welcome Marie from over at Blooming Homestead to my Invite a Guest Friday! I hope you all enjoy her post! Visit her today! She has shared with us one of her macadamia nut cookie recipes!

Don't forget to become a follower and get your name in the drawing for the March giveaway! Held on the 17th!! Win a gas card!

Hi Ya'll, its Marie from Blooming Homestead here to share a yummy white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. This is my one of my families favorite's and these make a great gift too!


Here's the recipe:

I would love to have you stop by and visit. You can find me on facebook , twitter, and Google + . Also, thanks so much to Kimberli @ Great Tastes Tuesdays for having me!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Blondies

My mom was up visiting me and made these the other day!
They taste good and are easy to make!
Great to take for a party!

Ingredients:

2 cups of Packed Brown Sugar
2/3 cup Butter
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Pieces (or Butterscotch)
1 cup Chopped Nuts

Directions:

Grease a 13x9x2 baking pan and set it aside. In a medium saucepan het the brown sugar and butter over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Stir constantly. Cool slightly. Stir in your eggs 1 at a time; stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

Spread your batter in a the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the chocolate pieces and nuts. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick is inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly on a wire rack and cut them into bars while they are warm!

Enjoy your Blondies!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Great Taste for the Week Tuesday!

What a hit this was! 
So easy and it takes like 2 minutes to make! 
Tastes Great!
 This is the great taste of the week because it tastes good and because of the simpleness and easiness to make it! 

Grape Lime Ricky!

1 12 oz. can Frozen Grape Juice
1 liter Lime Soda (Sprite)
2 Limes

Add the frozen grape juice to a pitcher . Prepare the grape juice as instructed on the can except substituting the soda for the water. Squeeze in one lime and cut the other one up and put it in. Drink within a few hours or else the lime will make it sour! Great for fun parties or get together! 

Monday, March 11, 2013

5 Ingredient Salad

Here is a great salad that is quick and easy and tastes great with all of these different ingredients!



5 Ingredient Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
1 can of Pineapple, small tidbits
1 can of Mandarin Oranges
2 cups of Whip Cream
1 cup of Coconut
1/2 cup of Sliced Nuts (Almonds, Pecans, or Walnuts)

Directions:
Drain your pineapples and oranges and add them to a bowl. Mix in your coconut and whip cream. Sprinkle the nuts on top and enjoy the fruit salad!

*Note: You can add fruit-cock-tail, bananas, or any fruit you would like

Friday, March 8, 2013

3 Ingredient Green Beans!

This is so super easy and makes for a greeat side dish!




Creamy Green Beans


Ingredients:
2 cans of Green Beans
1 can of Cream of Celery Soup
1/2 cup of Sliced Almonds

Directions:
Pour the cream of celery soup in a small saucepan. Drain your green beans and pour them into the soup. Warm this for 10-15 minutes. Stir often. When it is ready pour the sliced almonds on top.

*Note: This is for a larger group so you can cut it in half if it is too much!

6 Ways

To Raise A Well Balanced Child


I read this article and thought it was good! It is one of those things that I always think about. How am I going to have my children be well-balanced. In this article it talks about a few things that I thought was helpful. Hope you enjoy!
The key to raising a well-rounded child is to establish a solid support system at home so that they grows up satisfied with their achievements and ambitions. "The goal as a parent is to help your child feel competent and confident, and to help her develop a sense of passion and purpose," says Susan Stiffelman, MFT, an educational therapist.
"If you want to enhance your child's learning abilities to eventually boost her academic performance, it will take consistency, dedication, and patience," says Michele Borba, Ed.D., an advisor for Parents and the author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions. Consider these seven techniques if you're looking to raise a child who is well-balanced, healthy, and happy with her accomplishments.

1. Encourage Special Skills

Every child has unique gifts and talents.  Activities like a mommy-and-me music class or karate lessons can open their minds, but your wallet does't need to be involved. "Do not underestimate the power of unstructured play," says Stiffelman. Playing catch in the yard, dancing in the living room, and chasing after lightning bugs provide opportunities for intellectual, physical, and personal development. Stiffelman also suggests finding a hobby or two for yourself. "Allowing your child to see you trying something new may inspire her to do the same."

2. Applaud and Praise Efforts

Research conducted by Carol Dweck, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and a leading researcher in the field of achievement and success, discovered that a person's mind-set can influence behavior. When it comes to parenting, she suggests praising your child for his hard work instead of labeling him as "smart" or "talented." People with a fixed mind-set are usually reluctant to take on challenges because they believe their achievements come from innate abilities. Those with a growth mind-set are usually more willing to face challenges with hard work because they believe in always learning new skills. "Above all, keep in mind that the grade is not what motivates a top student to succeed -- it's his inner drive for learning," adds Borba.
 The trick is to pay attention to how your child learns best so you can identify her specific learning style. For example, if your school-age child is visual, consider using flash cards when she's trying to memorize multiplication tables. If your child falls into the interpersonal intelligence category (that is, he has people smarts), help him improve his vocabulary by connecting descriptive words to people like friends, relatives, and historical figures.

3. Read, Read, Read

When it comes to picking up a book and having story time with your kid, there is no such thing as starting too early. Reading to preschoolers -- and keeping books at home -- encourages language development, reading skills, and future success in school. "Even if your child is still too young to understand everything you're saying, he will learn to notice the rhythms of language, which will help him build a listening vocabulary," explains Susan M. Heim, author of It's Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence. In fact, reading to your child has been proven to help him emotionally: A government-funded study conducted by The Institute of Education in the United Kingdom found that 5-year-olds who were read to daily by their parents were less likely to have behavioral problems in school.

4. Eat Dinner Together

Don't worry if cooking isn't your strongest skill -- your child will reap the educational and emotional rewards from conversation, not chicken cacciatore. "Informal discussion topics ('How was your day?,' 'What are you discussing in science?' 'How will you study for that test?') lets your child know your family values learning," explains Borba. A study conducted by Columbia University showed that children who eat at least five meals a week with their families are more likely to achieve higher grades in school and are less likely to develop aneating disorder. If everyone in your home is on a different schedule and can't enjoy dinner at the same time, find another meal (like breakfast or an evening snack) when your family can sit together and review the day's events. (I like this last sentence because I know growing up we were all so busy that we couldn't eat dinner all tegether almost all the time, so I think even if it is 15 minutes sitting around eating milk and oreos and talking about the funny things that have happened in the last 2 days counts as a "meal")

5. Balance Bedtime

Establishing a bedtime -- and keeping to it every single night -- can be highly effective, but Borba further suggests turning off the computer and TV at least 30 minutes beforehand. If your child has access to a cell phone, she recommends taking it before bedtime because "62 percent of kids admit they use it after the lights go out -- and their parents are clueless!" Borba says that a sixth grader who loses precious zzz's the night before a big test could end up performing at a fourth- grade level.

6. Dole Out Endless Hugs

Giving your child a number of hugs throughout the day will help ease any tension she may be feeling. "There's nothing like the human touch to give a child a sense of security," says Heim. Studies of neglected children have shown that kids who don't receive affection can suffer from chronic stress, which can disturb the parts of the brain involved in focusing, learning, and memory. A study in the American Journal of Public Health, published in 2005, reports that touching another person gently has the power to alleviate symptoms -- emotional, behavioral, and physical -- related to stress. Not only will hugging your little one improve her ability to concentrate, it will also have benefits for you (and make you feel like a million bucks)







Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Macadamia Nuts!

It is Tuesday and I am ready to announce the great taste for the week!
Macadamia Nut Cookies!!!
I made these the other day and I couldn't get them out of the oven fast enough before my husband was eating almost all of them!
Great cookies! The nuts make them even better!




Macadamia Nut Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Butter, Softened
3/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 cups of Flour
1/2 tsp. Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Whole Macadamia Nuts 

Directions:
In a mixer bowl, beat the butter, sugars and eggs until they are light and fluffy. Add the flour, soda and salt. Mix at low speed until it is all combined. Stir in the vanilla and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes! 

* Note: (You can add 1 cup of white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips with this cookie and it is really good)

Monday, March 4, 2013

Lets Go Nuts!

Never heard of banana cookies before but
I found this recipe and thought I would try it! 
Kind of like a muffin and kind of like a cookie. 
I thought they were pretty good for something different!



Banana Nut Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Oil
2 Mashed Bananas
2 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
2 cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Chopped Nuts

Directions:
Blend oil, bananas, eggs and sugar. Mix together flour, soda and nuts. Combine with banana mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

The Imperfections of Perfection

This pizza was so good!
The combination of chicken, bacon, and Alfredo is delicious - you should try it.
out of the many Alfredo sauces I have had this is now at the top of the list!
Here is my imperfect picture of a pizza that tastes of perfection. 
(My dough went funny over the sides)
I wanted to point out that everything you make doesn't have to look like it just popped out of a magazine - as long as it tastes so yummy you can't stand it!



Chicken Bacon Alfredo Pizza

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tbsp. Flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. Heavy Cream (can be substituted for half and half)
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. Milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (16 ounce) Tube Refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked Chicken, cubed
8 slices Bacon, cooked and chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped Green Onions
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and mix in garlic powder and onion powder. Whisk in flour and stir constantly for one minute.  

Slowly whisk in your cream and milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble and allow to gently boil for 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add Parmesan, season with salt and pepper then return to warm heat, stirring occasionally until ready to use.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out pizza dough into a 13-14 inch round crust.  Place dough on a greased (using nonstick cooking spray) pizza pan or baking dish. Spread Alfredo sauce over dough coming within about 1 inch of the edge.  Sprinkle on Mozzarella and top with chicken, bacon and green onion.  

Bake for 14-16 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Cut into slices and serve.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Invite A Guest Friday!



I AM SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON FRIDAYS NOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE INVITE A GUEST FRIDAYS!

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS! IT IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE EVEN MORE AMAZING RECIPES, CRAFTS, DECOR AND MORE!
TODAY I AM EXCITED TO HELP YOU GET TO KNOW BETH OVER AT THE FIRST YEAR BLOG! SINCE IT IS GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME SHE IS SHARING A GREAT RECIPE WITH US! 
GIRL SCOUT THIN MINTS!!!!
WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE THEIR OWN! 
TRY THEM YOURSELF AND ENJOY THE RECIPE!!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE OF YOUR GREAT RECIPES NEXT FRIDAY EMAIL ME, i WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU!
Thin Mints - The First Year Blog #HomemadeThinMints

These are amazing, go ahead and buy the ingredients because you’re going to want to make them!
Wowza! These are seriously so good. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had a girl scout cookie in 6 years, but when I was in girl scouts my favorite were the trefoils. I hear that some regions are starting to sell gluten free cookies.. $5 for like 12 cookies. Hmm, I’ll probably still make them at home. 
Cookie Ingredients
6 tbsp butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
4 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup flour (plus more for rolling)
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla, peppermint, and cocoa powder. Add the flour (I usedCooqi Gluten Free) and salt and mix everything into a dough. I had to add an additional 2-3 tbsp of water because my dough was way too crumbly.
Instead of using a cookie cutter to cut each into a circle (we’re all busy and they’re just going to end up in my stomach!) I rolled all of the dough onto a large cookie sheet using some additional flour. Once I got the dough to my desired thickness, I took a pizza cutter and cut the dough into squares.. woohoo what a time saver!
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Bake for about 16 minutes, remember you want cookies with a crisp to them. Let them cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
Chocolate Coating Ingredients
10 oz dark, milk, or semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tsp peppermint
In a microwave safe bowl, combine half the chocolate and half the butter. Melt, stirring every 30 seconds until it is smooth. If it’s too thick for dipping, add more butter and microwave for a few seconds. Add the peppermint and stir. Dip each cookie into the chocolate and turn with a fork to coat. Transfer to wax paper or the original cookie sheet to allow the chocolate to set. Reheat the chocolate as needed.
These are super great when stored in the freezer!
Thin Mints - The First Year Blog #HomemadeThinMints
Come back for more, soon I’ll be making homemade gluten free samoas!