Sunday, July 29, 2012

Recipe: Apple Dumplings



I have been wanting to make Apple Dumplings for some time now when I saw the recipe posted on The Pioneer Woman's blog several years ago.  I finally had the opportunity to do so and OMG!  Why....why....did it take so long for me to do so is beyond me.  These dumplings are so beyond good...they are warm and comforting yummy good.  The only change that I made to the original recipe was replacing the Mountain Dew with Sprite.  Come Fall, I will be making these again...and again....and again....

Enjoy!



Apple Dumplings

by Ree Drummond/The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
  • 2 whole Granny Smith apples
  • 2-8 oz cans crescent rolls
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • cinnamon, to taste
  • 1-12 oz can lemon lime soda (Sprite)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Generously butter a 9x13" pan.
  3. Peel and core apples.
  4. Cut each apple into 8 slices each.
  5. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll.
  6. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir.
  7. Add vanilla, stir and pour entire mixture over apples.
  8. Pour lemon lime soda around the edges of the pan.
  9. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 40 minutes.
  10. Serve with ice cream and sauce from the pan.
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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

{#72} Must Try Tuesday: July 24, 2012

Whew!  VBS is over!  After weeks of hard work, stress and fun, last week was the best VBS that our church hosted.  It was high energy and the kids LOVED it!  My kids are still singing and dancing and telling me all the things they learned from the bible.

Now it is time to sit back, relax and enjoy the last few weeks of summer before school starts.  This week the theme is chocolate!  Yummy, delicious, smooth, sweet chocolate....

Enjoy!



Chocolate Malt Brownie Parfaits in a Jar @ A Spicy Perspective

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Peanut Butter Balls @ Baby Gizmo

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Dutch Chocolate Shortbread Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips @ DebbieSweets

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Chocolate Bowls @ Just One Mommy Trying

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Billionaire Bars

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Crispy Nutella Cookies @ Welcome to the Good Life

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Grasshopper Mint Chocolate Bark @ Brown Eyed Baker

~~~~~
Chocolate Chip Wontons @ Bizzy Bakes




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Monday, July 23, 2012

{Cooking with Kids} Elephant Biscuits



My sister and her three sons recently came for a visit for a month.  My girls had lots of fun playing and swimming with their cousins but as you know keeping them entertained is a constant battle.  I saw this cute idea on a recent blog I found, The Real Thing with the Coake Family, and I knew this would be a hit with my kiddos.  We had lots of fun making these adorable elephant biscuits and almost as fun eating them.  We made these a couple of times with different types of canned biscuits.  The first time we made them I only had jumbo layered biscuits.  The second time we made them with smaller biscuits (the kind you get 4 cans in a pack).  The smaller biscuits worked a bit better.  

Enjoy!



Elephant Biscuits

by The Real Thing by the Coake Family
Ingredients
  • 1 can of 10 count biscuits (one elephant requires 2 biscuits)
  • cinnamon sugar
  • craisins or raisins
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven as suggested on the package instructions.
  2. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
  3. Start with two biscuits.
  4. Cut one of the biscuits into thirds leaving a long strip in the center. This will be the ears and trunk.
  5. Place the first biscuit on the baking sheet.
  6. Place the two rounded cut pieces on either side of the other biscuit forming the ears of the elephant.
  7. Add the strip to the top of the biscuit to make the trunk.
  8. Repeat with the remaining biscuits.
  9. Sprinkle each head with cinnamon sugar.
  10. Place two craisins/raisins on each biscuit for eyes.
  11. Bake in the oven until golden brown.
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Linked To:
*My Sweet and Savory: Meatless Monday
*The Southern Institute: Creative Me
*Mrs Happy Homemaker: Makin' You Crave Monday
*Polish the Stars: Link Party
*DIY Home Sweet Home: More the Merrier
*Flour Me with Love: Mix It Up Monday
*Delightfully Dowling: Mangia Mondays
*Blessed with Grace: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
*It's a Blog Party: Delicious Dishes
*Inside BruCrew Life: Trick or Treat Tuesday
*Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
*A Little Nosh: Tastetastic Thursday
*Mom on Timeout: Taking A Timeout Thursday
*A Glimpse Inside: Catch a Glimpse
*Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hippo: Anything Goes
*I Heart Naptime: Sundae Scoop
*Nifty Thrifty Things: Nifty Thrifty Sunday
*Addicted to Recipes: Scrumptious Sunday
*Flamingo Toes: Think Pink Sunday
*Everyday Mom's Meals: Church Supper


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

{#71} Must Try Tuesday: July 17, 2012

It is Vacation Bible School week and things are crazy in our house this week so this I am keeping this short!  The theme this week is chicken.  My family loves chicken but how many ways can you make chicken to keep it from getting boring?  A lot as evidence by these awesome recipes I have pinned.

Have a great week!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches @ Six Sisters Stuff

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The World's Best Chicken @ Rachel Schultz

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Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Chicken @ French Press

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Greek Gyro Chicken, Tzatziki Sauce and Flat Bread Recipe @ Chef in Training

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Chicken Flautas @ Durfee Family Recipes

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Baked Buffalo Ranch Chicken Taquitos with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce 
  @ Pennies on a Platter

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Chicken and Cheese Roll Ups @ The Midwestern Wife

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Slow Cooker Coca Cola Barbeque Chicken @ Six Sisters Stuff

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Grilled Caprese Chicken @ Mel's Kitchen Cafe



Thursday, July 12, 2012

Recipe: Beefy Cheese Enchiladas



For the past two weeks, we have been busy at our church getting ready for Vacation Bible School.  It has been a lot of work which has really left me with zero time to grocery shop so I have been cooking out of my pantry.  Well, I was down to bare bones and only had cheese, flour tortillas, enchilada sauce and some ground beef.  It is no surprise that my family and I love Mexican food so I quickly threw these cheese enchiladas together and they were so good that my family devoured the entire pan in no time.  The addition of the beef sauce on top of the enchiladas really made them taste so much better.

This is a super simple and easy throw together recipe and you can use what you have on hand.  Instead of flour tortillas, use corn if you have them.  If you don't have ground beef, make it vegetarian and just use the enchilada sauce.  Use whatever cheese you have on hand.  If you do use the bigger burrito size tortillas, I would add more cheese to make sure they are super cheesy.  You could also add onions or chilies.  This recipe can be customized to your family's liking. 

Enjoy!


Beefy Cheese Enchiladas

by Wende Rickett
Ingredients
  • 4 cups cheese, shredded (I used cheddar and jack)
  • 2 cans red enchilada sauce
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • tortillas, any size (I used fajita size flour)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray a 9x13" pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. Reserve 1/2 cup of cheese and set aside.
  4. Add beef to a medium size sauce pan and cook until browned.
  5. Drain off any fat from the beef and add one can of the enchilada sauce.
  6. Cook the sauce on medium, stirring occasionally.
  7. Heat the tortillas up in the microwave until they are soft.
  8. Laying a tortilla flat and using the additional can of sauce, add 2 tablespoons of the enchilada sauce to the tortilla, making sure to spread it over most of the surface.
  9. Add about 1/4 cup of the cheese to the tortilla.
  10. Roll up the tortilla and place in prepared pan.
  11. Once all of the tortillas have been rolled, spoon a little of the additional sauce over the top of each enchilada. If you have any of the additional sauce left over, add it to the beef sauce.
  12. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.
  13. Remove the enchiladas from the oven.
  14. Pour the beef sauce over the enchiladas.
  15. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top.
  16. Place back in the oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  17. Remove the pan from the oven and serve.
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Linked To:
*Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday
*Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
*Mom on Timeout: Taking a Timeout Thursday
*A Creative Princess: It's a Party
*36th Avenue: Show Me Extraordinary
*A Glimpse Inside: Catch a Glimpse
*A Little Nosh: Tastetastic Thursday
*Happy Hour Projects: Happy Hour Friday
*The Grant Life: Financial Friday
*Simply Sweet Home: Friday Favorites
*Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hippo: Anything Goes
*It's a Hodgepodge Life: Hodgepodge Friday
*Stuff and Nonsense: Fridays Unfolded
*The Southern Institute: Creative Me
*Boogieboard Cottage: Masterpiece Monday
*Mrs Happy Homemaker: Makin' You Crave Monday
*Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms: Melt in Your Mouth Monday
*Polish the Stars: Link Party
*DIY Home Sweet Home: More the Merrier
*Flour Me with Love: Mix It Up Monday
*Delighfully Dowling: Mangia Mondays
*Blessed with Grace: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
*It's a Blog Party: Delicious Dishes
*Inside BruCrew Life: Trick or Treat Tuesday
 






Tuesday, July 10, 2012

{#70} Must Try Tuesday: July 10, 2012

With all of the hot weather we have been getting, we have been staying in the house, although we did spend the day at the lake a few days ago....it was so hot!  So we are mostly inside watching movies and eating lots of snacks.  We love eating popcorn while watching movies but sometimes it nice to have some "jazzed up" popcorn or even some snack mix.  So this week I thought I would feature snack foods and yummy drinks. 

Enjoy!


Grilled Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers with Vintage Cheese
 @ The Cooking Photographer

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Caprese Dip @ The Food Gospel According to Ruth

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Hot + Cheesy Carmelized Corn Dip @ How Sweet Eats

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Orange Creamsicle Buddies @ Five Little Chefs

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Better than Sex Chex Mix @ Chef in Training

~~~~
Sweet & Salty Mix @ Back 4 Seconds

~~~~
Caramel Caribou Popcorn @ Something Swanky

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Easy and Yummy Candied Popcorn @ A Mom Not a Pro

~~~~
Virgin Sangria @ Ten June

~~~~
Frozen Strawberry Watermelon Lemonade @ Eat Cake for Dinner



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Monday, July 9, 2012

Recipe: Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Chicken


We are definitely in the middle of summer.  The temp has been in 100's here and it has been too hot to do much of anything much less turn on the oven and cook.  I have been making lots of slow cooker meals.  I have family favorites that I have been making but I wanted to shake things up a bit so when I found this recipe that I had pinned last year, I knew this was going into my slow cooker immediately.  Why it took me so long to make it is beyond me and I could kick my self.  This chicken is full of flavor and the pineapple make it totally yummy.  I used a spicier BBQ sauce to balance out the sweetness.  Yum, yum, yum! 

The only slight change I made was only adding half of the BBQ sauce during the cooking and adding the rest once the chicken was shredded and put back in the slow cooker. I served the sandwiches with chips and was happy to not have to turn on the oven at all that night.

Enjoy!


Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

slightly adapted from Framed Cooks
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 20-oz can pineapple chunks, drained
  • 1 bottle BBQ sauce, 18-20 ounces.
  • Hamburger rolls
  • Extra BBQ sauce for topping
Instructions
  1. Place chicken, pineapple and onion in slow cooker.
  2. Add half of the bottle of BBQ sauce.
  3. Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
  4. Once chicken is cooked, remove chicken breast from cooker, leaving the pineapple and onion.
  5. If there is a lot of cooking liquid, remove all but about 1/4 cup of the liquid, set aside.
  6. Shred chicken and return to the cooker.
  7. Add the remaining BBQ sauce and stir. You want all of the chicken, pineapple and onions to be coated in the sauce.
  8. If the chicken mixture looks a bit dry, add a little of the reserved cooking liquid until it reaches the consistency that you like.
  9. Cook for about an hour on low so the chicken absorbs some of the BBQ sauce.
  10. Serve piled on hamburger buns with BBQ sauce on the side.
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Linked To:
*Make Ahead Meals for Busy Mom: Melt in Your Mouth Monday
*Beyer Beware: Hunk of Meat Monday
*Flour Me With Love: Mix It Up Monday
*Mrs Happy Homemaker: Makin' You Crave Monday
*The Southern Institute: Creative Me
*diy Home Sweet Home: More the Merrier
*Marvelously Messy: A Marvelous Mess
*Delightfully Dowling: Mangia Monday
*Keeping It Simple: Motivate Me Monday
*Blessed with Grace: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
*It's a Blog Party: Delicious Dishes
*Inside BruCrew Life: Trick or Treat
*Mandy's Recipe Box: Totally Tasty Tuesday
*Our Delightful Home: Show Me What You Got
*33 Shades of Green: Tasty Tuesday
*Reasons to Skip the Housework: Tuesday Timeout
*Chef in Training: Tuesday Talent Show
*Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday
*Mom on Timeout: Taking a Timeout Thursday
*A Creative Princess: It's a Party
*36th Avenue: Show Me Extraordinary
*A Glimpse Inside: Catch a Glimpse
*A Little Nosh: Tastetastic Thursday
*Happy Hour Projects: Happy Hour Friday
*The Grant Life: Financial Friday
*Simple Sweet Home: Friday Favorites
*Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hippo: Anything Goes
*It's a Hodgepodge Life: Hodgepodge Friday
*Stuff and Nonsense: Fridays Unfolded
 









Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Recipe: Not Your Mama's Baked Potato



A couple of days ago, I shared a recipe for Baked Potato Stacks.  Today, I am sharing another version.  This is not your typical baked potato.  This is an amped up awesomely good baked potato.  This potato is stuffed with sweet onion, garlic then sprinkled with salt and pepper and a pat of butter tops it.  It is wrapped in foil and then put on the grill or the oven where the onion and garlic become butter soft and yummy.  It is well worth the extra time.  

There are no precise measurements here.  Add as much or as little onion as you like.  If you don't have raw garlic, sub with garlic powder.  Substitute the butter with olive oil.  It really is a recipe that you can customize to your liking or what you have on hand. 

Enjoy!


Not Your Mama's Baked Potato

by Wende Rickett
Ingredients
  • potatoes, scrubbed clean and dried
  • sweet onion (1015 or Vidalia), sliced into rings
  • garlic, sliced
  • butter
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. If you are not putting the potatoes on the grill, preheat oven 400 degrees.
  2. Make several slices in the potato making sure to not slice through the potato.
  3. Cut the onion slices in half.
  4. Take a couple of slices and press into each cut opening. It takes some work to get the worked in. It helps to spread the sides apart slightly and stuff the onion in.
  5. Add a garlic slice in each cut opening.
  6. Add butter to the top of each potato.
  7. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Wrap tightly in foil.
  9. Bake or grill until potato gives slightly with pressure.
  10. Unwrap and cut horizontally and serve with fixings. (sour cream, cheese, etc.)
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Linked To:
*Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday
*Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
*Mom on Timeout: Taking Timeout Thursday
*A Little Nosh: Tastetastic Thursday
*Simply Sweet Home: Friday Favorites
*Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hippo: Anything Goes
*It's a Hodgepodge Life: Hodgepodge Friday
*Happy Hour Projects: Happy Hour Friday
*Blissful and Domestic: Feature Friday
*Country Momma Cooks: Link and Greet
*I Heart Naptime: Sundae Scoop
*Nifty Thrifty Things: Nifty Thrifts Sunday
*The Foley Fam: Sunday Funday
*Addicted to Recipes: Scrumptious Sunday
*Flamingo Toes: Think Pink Sunday
*Petite Hermine: Sunday Linky Party
*Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms: Melt in Your Mouth Monday
*Beyer Beware: Hunk of Meat Monday
*Flour Me With Love: Mix It Up Monday
*Mrs Happy Homemaker: Makin' You Crave Monday
*The Southern Institute: Creative Me
*diy home sweet home: more the merrier
*Marvelously Messy: A Marvelous Mess
*Delightfully Dowling: Mangia Monday
*Keeping It Simple: Motivate Me Monday
*Blessed with Grace: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
*It's a Blog Party: Delicious Dishes
*Inside BruCrew Life: Trick or Treat
*Our Delightful Home: Show Me What You Got
*33 Shades of Green: Tasty Tuesday
*Reasons to Skip the Housework: Tuesday Timeout
*Chef in Training: Tuesday Talent Show
*A Creative Princess: It's a Party




Tuesday, July 3, 2012

{#69} Must Try Tuesday: July 3, 2012

Anybody know where June went?  I can't believe tomorrow is July 4th!  The summer is flying by and this month is just as busy as last month.  So, this week, I thought I would share some awesome desserts that I have recently pinned.  They are look super good and I have planned to make a few of them in the next couple of weeks.

Happy 4th!


Strawberry Shortcake Appetizers @ The Lady Behind the Curtain

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French Strawberry Cake @ The Skinny Girl Can Bake

~~~~
German Plum Sour Cream Kuchen

~~~~
Cherry Fritters @ Mom on Timeout

~~~~
Apple Pies baked in Apples @ Chronicles of a Domestic Dilettante

~~~~
Strawberry Mug Pies @ How Sweet Eats

~~~~

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Monday, July 2, 2012

Recipe: Baked Potato Stacks


Who doesn't love the potato?  Well, I do have one kid who doesn't unless it is in the form of french fries.  When my husband and I were first marred, we used to have a baked potato night at least a couple of times a month.  Not only was it a great meatless meal it also helped out the grocery budget.  When I made these the other night, they were devoured, even by my non-eating potato girl.

It's a few more steps than a traditional baked potato, but well worth it.  I served ours with a side of ranch dressing but a dollop of sour cream on each would be great too.  Also, you can make as many as you want.  I used four medium sized potatoes and stacked them three high and got 18 stacks.  You can also make them as cheesy yummy as you want.

Enjoy!

Baked Potato Stacks

by Care's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 4 medium size russet potatoes
  • bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 cups cheese, shredded
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Bring to boil 4 (or more) cups of water.
  3. Slice the potatoes into 1/4" rounds. Place into the boiling water.
  4. Cook the potatoes in the boiling water for a few minutes. Just enough to slightly cook them but not until they are mushy. You want your potato to be cooked but firm so they don't fall apart.
  5. Remove the potatoes from the water with a slotted spoon onto a plate. Do not strain them or they will break apart.
  6. Generously spray muffin pan with non-stick spray.
  7. Place a potato slice on the bottom of each cup. Layer cheese and bacon on top of each slice.
  8. Repeat the process until your potatoes are stacked to your liking, but on the top potato slice, and a tiny pat of butter and a generous layer cheese.
  9. Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes for until the cheese is melted.
  10. Turn on the broiler for an additional 2 minutes to brown the top.
  11. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes.
  12. Remove the stacks from the pan and sprinkle tops with additional bacon.
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Linked To:
*The Southern Institute: Creative Me
*diy home sweet home project: More the Merrier
*Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms: Melt in Your Mouth Monday
*Flour Me with Love: Mix It Up Monday
*Marvelously Messy: A Marvelous Mess
*Keeping it Simple: Motivate Me Monday
*Beyer Beware: Hunk of Meat Monday
*Blessed with Grace: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
*BruCrew Life: Trick or Treat Tuesday
*Our Delightful Home: Show Me What You Got
*Mandy's Recipe Box: Totally Tasty Tuesday
*Chef in Training: Tuesday Talent Show
*33 Shades of Green: Tasty Tuesday
*Reasons to Skip the Housework: Tuesday Time Out
*Lady Behind the Curtain: Cast Party Wednesday
*Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
*Mom On Timeout: Taking Time Out Thursday
*A Little Nosh: Tastetastic Thursday
*Simply Sweet Home: Friday Favorites
*Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hippo: Anything Goes
*It's a Hodgepodge Life: Hodgepodge Friday
*Happy Hour Projects: Happy Hour Friday
*Blissful and Domestic: Feature Friday
*Country Momma Cooks: Link and Greet
*I Heart Naptime: Sundae Scoop
*Nifty Thrifty Things: Nifty Thrifty Things
*The Foley Fam: Sunday Funday
*Addicted to Recipes: Scrumptious Sunday
*Flamingo Toes: Think Pink Sunday
*Petite Hermine: Sunday Linky Party