Berry Smoothie

The other day I was craving a cherry smoothie, which is strange because I'm not a huge cherry fan.  Since cherries aren't in season yet, I just went to the store and bought frozen cherries.  They are so very good for you and this smoothie is awesome.  The kids don't even realize they are having such a healthy snack because they are enjoying it so much!
Berry Smoothie
1C frozen cherries
1C frozen blueberries(optional)
1C strawberries
1/2C orange juice
1container cherry yogurt, or your choice
1C ice cubes
1 banana
Add the liquid first and then the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until mixed. YUMMY!

In our house we LOVE smoothies...all kinds! The Spring weather and longer days of sunshine give me so much more energy! My garden is all planted and my spinach has been growing beautifully. I have  made sandwiches with it and now today a smoothie.  This is one secret that is ok to keep from your kids...don't tell them it is in there and they will love it.  My kids went with it's green food coloring, or mom put a lime in it!!LOL  I did try to tell them the truth, but they just laughed and said why would anyone put veggies in a smoothie, so I just smiled and went along with what they wanted to think.  A smoothie can be so good for you(if you leave the ice cream out!) and they are so refreshing and there is something about drinking your fruits and veggies that just give a person extra energy.  This smoothie may sound gross or strange, but it is awesome and packed full of health.
Green Monster Smoothie
1C grapes, make sure you throw out the stems
1C orange juice
1carton vanilla yogurt
1-2C ice
1-2C baby spinach, stems removed
1 banana
1-2 apples, cored and cut up
Pour oj, yogurt and ice into blender. Then add the grapes whole, spinach whole, and apple and banana cut up into chunks. Blend until smooth.  Since the apples do have the skins still on, which is where the fiber and lots of other nutrition is, then the smoothie does have tiny peels, but it didn't bother my tastebuds a bit.  I only used one apple, but next time I will use two because the apple flavor is awesome.  If you think it tastes at all like spinach then just cut back on it, or throw in other stuff to cover it up, like another banana. ENJOY!

Green Fruit Salad

This recipe is to celebrate St Patricks Day. It is cool, refreshing and green! It makes me smile because it reminds me of Spring!  Feel free to add any fruits you want.  My mom makes a weight watchers version of this and uses sugar free pudding mix, cool whip, and adds a light vanilla yogurt. Then for the fruits just use a can that has no syrup and is in its "own juice."
Green Fruit Salad
1tub cool whip(can use light or sugar free)
1small pkg instant pistachio pudding
1 20oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
1can pears, drained, cut up
You can also add 1C mini marshmallows, the spring colored ones would be cute!
Mix the pineapple with juice with the pears and add the pudding and mix until thickened. Add cool whip and stir and refrigerate until serving.

Spinach Mushroom Pasta

This is a yummy version of an Olive Garde favorite..but I added to it! Add or change those ingredients according to what your family prefers. Next time I will add fresh asparagus. If you do this, just add asparagus cut up into chunks into the boiling pasta water during the last 5 minutes of cooking time and this will cook it enough to then add to the dish.  This pasta dish would also be excellent with grilled chicken or shrimp!
Spinach Mushroom Pasta
1pkg linguine (I had fettucini, so that is what I used)
1pkg fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 whole pkg fresh baby spinach, or 5-6C.
1pkg (8oz) cream cheese (use light and save calories!)
11/4C milk ( I used 2% and it was plenty creamy)
1-3t minced garlic (I like the 3t)
1/2pd bacon, sliced into bite size pieces
1t salt
1/2t pepper
2T butter
Boil pasta and drain. In a skillet, cook bacon and save 1T drippings. Add garlic and mushrooms to the bacon and drippings and add mushrooms and cook for a few minutes while stirring. Add spinach(it will look like too much, but it will shrink) and stir until wilted. Add cream cheese that is cubed up and milk, butter and salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium until the cream cheese is melted. Drain pasta and add to the sauce and toss well. YUMMY! Leftovers heat up great too!

Candy Cane Hearts

These are so cute and I'm making them for my daughter's kindergarten Christmas party. My daughter had so much fun helping me open the candy cane packages and shaping hearts out of them and then doing the sprinkles at the end.  I found the easiest way to open the packages of candy canes is just use scissors.
Have fun!  I also did this to oreos, just dipped them into the white bark and sprinkles with crushed peppermint or red sprinkles.
Candy Cane Hearts
mini candy canes (two per heart)
white almond bark
sprinkles, or crushed peppermints
Place candy canes together to make a heart shape. Melt white almond bark and put into ziploc bag and cut corner tip and squeeze enough into each heart mold to fill. Quickly sprinkle before it dries. Let sit and harden.

Mexican Chicken

The month of December is busy enough without having to worry about "what's for dinner????" This is a quick meal that comes together fast and everyone enjoys it.
Mexican Chicken
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2C salsa(I make my own)
1 (8oz)pkg cream cheese, SOFT
1-2C mexican shredded cheese
1pkg taco seasoning (optional)
Grease a 13x9 dish and place the chicken in it. If you have a smaller family use less chicken and a smaller dish and if you have a bigger family use two dishes and double the ingredients.  Mix the soft cream cheese with the salsa and if you want an extra flavor punch add the package of taco seasoning. Mix well.  Pour over the chicken and COVER with foil and bake for 30minutes at 350. Take out and sprinkle cheese on top and bake another 30 minutes. I have also added corn to the last 30minutes of cooking time.  This creates a wonderful sauce that you serve over the top of the chicken and you could top spanish rice with this too!

Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops

I've been making this dish for a long time. It is SO easy and very yummy and only has a few ingredients!  The other day at the grocery store my timing was just right with the meat department guy and he was putting out newly marked down meat and I grabbed the porch chops for next to nothing....I love when that happens!  This dish makes a wonderful gravy that you have to serve over mashed potatoes, or rice.
Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops
4-6 pork chops
1pkg ranch dressing mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup, (or any combo of two cans)
Spray the inside of the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray and place the pork chops inside. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the ranch seasoning package.  Put the soups on top. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. Serve the pork chops with mashed potatoes and use the leftover sauce/gravy to put on top! You could easily add carrots to this dish too.

Snickers Apple Salad

There are many recipes out there for this salad, but I thought how convenient it would be to use up some of that leftover Halloween candy! I forgot about this recipe until I needed to make something for a potluck and didn't know what to bring....sometimes that happens when a person has toooooo many recipes! LOL  I realized I had all the ingredients on hand and it used up some Halloween candy too! The recipe calls for snickers, but you could use any chocolate candy bar. Enjoy!
Snickers Apple Salad
3 tart apples, like granny smith, peel,core, chop small
3 full size candy bars, like snickers, chop fine (can also use the mini candy bars, like 9)
1 (8oz)tub cool whip...I use light  (you need every bit of help on this recipe, right?!)
1 or 2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding
I like to chop up the candy first and place it in the freezer while doing the rest of the salad. Mix cool whip and pudding together and then add the chopped apple and then the candy bar pieces. Stir well. Refrigerate for a good hour or two before serving. I was afraid the apples would turn brown before leaving for the potluck, but they did fine and they were even good the next day! Since I was bringing this to a potluck I doubled the cool whip amount and it worked great.

Baked Zucchini

This is a nice way to eat the abundant zucchini!
Baked Zucchini
Slice 2 medium zucchini 1/4inch thick. Place in a bowl or bag. Drizzle around 2T olive oil, or melted butter, into the bag. Place some minced garlic and 1tsp fresh oregano in the bag and mix all the ingredients well.  Pour out onto a cookie sheet and place in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper..I think garlic powder would be good too. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, or you could even use shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 35-40minutes.  I think next time I will turn on the broiler for a couple minutes at the end to give them the extra crisp I like on the top.  The bottoms of the slices did get perfectly browned and yummy.

BlackBottom Cupcakes

I first had these gems when I met my MIL, it was love at first bite. I got the recipe from her and tried to make them, but as always, it is never the same as the original baker's. So, in the last 13 years, I've made them twice, only because I let my MIL make them! I have not had any in a few years from her, and the hubby and I have been craving them, so I made them again....hoping they taste like hers! These cupcakes are actually gross when they are warm, have patience and let them get nice and cold in the fridge.
Blackbottom Cupcakes
11/2C flour
1C sugar
1/4C cocoa
1tsp soda
1/2tsp salt
1C water
1T vinegar
1tsp vanilla
1/3C oil
 Stir the above ingredients and pour into paper lined muffin cups about 1/3 full.
Mix the following: 2(8oz)pkgs cream cheese, 2 eggs, 2/3C sugar, 1/4tsp salt
Spoon over the chocolate mixture. Bake at 350 for around 30minutes, they won't look done, but they will set up as they cool. I did 33 minutes and it made the edges hard.
Let cool and refrigerate
Makes 24 cupcakes

Simple and Creamy Pasta Primavera

This is a great way to use up seasonal produce!
Simple and Creamy Pasta Primavera
2C uncooked spiral pasta
1pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2inch pieces
3 medium carrots, cut into strips, optional
2tsp canola oil
2C cherry tomatoes, halved
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2C grated parmesan cheese
1/2C heavy whipping cream
pepper
Cook the pasta. In a large skillet, saute asparagus and carrots in oil until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and garlic;cook one minute. Stir in cheese, cream and pepper. Drain pasta and toss with asparagus mixture.
This is from Taste of Home

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Homemade Chocolate Pudding
2T sugar
1T cornstarch
1C milk
1/3C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2tsp vanilla
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add milk, stir until smooth.  Cook and stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2minutes longer or until thickened. Stir in the chocolate chips; cook and stir until melted.  Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla. Serve warm or cold. This recipe makes two servings...double for a bigger amount.

Chocolate Biscuits

This is one yummy way to eat a biscuit! This would be a great recipe for kids to make!
Chocolate Biscuits
1pkg refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits
(I get the Pillsbury Simple brand)
1milk chocolate candy bar(use any kind)
2tsp cinnamon sugar
Flatten each biscuit into a 3inch circle. Break candy bar into 10pieces and place a piece on each biscuit. Bring up edges and pinch to seal the candy inside.  Put on an ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 450 for 8-10min.

Cheeseburger Quiche

Cheeseburger Quiche
1 pie crust
3/4pd cooked ground beef
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped, optional
1/2C dill pickle relish
1/2C cooked, crumbled bacon
5 eggs
1C heavy whipping cream
1/2C milk
salt, pepper
11/2C shredded cheddar cheese
Put the pie crust in a 9in pie plate, flute edges.  After beef is cooked, stir in tomatoes, onion relish and bacon. Place into the pie crust.  In a bowl, whisk eggs, cream, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over beef mixture and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 375 for 50-60min or until the center is cooked through.  Watch the edges of the crust the last 15min of cooking, you may need to place foil over the edges.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

There are many versions of this salad. Just throw in what sounds good to you and toss with your favorite dressing.  I like the Litehouse Raspberry Walnut Vinegarette dressing, it goes well with the stawberries! You can find it in the store over by the prepackaged salads and refrigerated produce.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
1pkg(6oz) fresh baby spinach
2C sliced, fresh strawberries
1C fresh sugar snap peas(you can find packages of this by the salad kits)
1small red onion, optional
1/2C pecan halves, toasted
Toss all the ingredients and serve with dressing. Add any ingredients you want to, you can even add grilled chicken and/or tortellini!

Tortellini Primavera

Tortellini Primavera
1(19oz)pkg frozen cheese tortellini
1pkg fresh, sliced mushrooms
1small onion, chopped, optional
(green onion is good too)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2tsp butter
2/3C milk
1(8oz)pkg cream cheese, lowfat, cubed
1/2-1pkg fresh spinach
1large tomato, diced
1/4C shredded parmesan cheese
Cook tortellini. In a large pan, saute mushrooms, onion, garlic in the butter until tender.  Stir in milk and heat through. Stir in cream cheese until blended. Add spinach(it will cook down) and stir until wilted.  Drain tortellini and toss with sauce and tomato. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. ***Since zucchini is abundant right now throw it in this dish, or even sub for the spinach**can also add grilled chicken

Garden Potatoes

We are getting a ton of garden new potatoes! An easy way to preserve potatoes is to blanch them. Clean them real well and then peel them if you don't like the peel. I love the peel on new potatoes, plus when they are small they are the pits to peel! Then dice them the size you would want them for stew or casseroles. Have boiling pots of water on the stove while you are prepping the potatoes. After they are cut up the size you want them then throw them in a pot full of boiling water for 5 minutes. (this takes several pots of boiling water going at the same time)The time starts when you throw them in the water, not after it starts to boil again.  Then drain the pot and rinse potatoes under cold water and drain very well. I lay out kitchen towels on the counter and put the potatoes on these to just drain a bit more and let them completely cool. Then take quart size freezer bags and fill them full, getting any air out. Place in the freezer in a single layer until frozen, then you can stack them after fully frozen.
It is so awesome during the winter to go to the freezer and pull out garden fresh potatoes for my stew or casseroles! Garden potatoes just have a different taste than store bought, YUMMY! And freezing is SO much quicker and easier than canning. I like this method because the potato holds its texture and does not get mushy like you would think freezing them would do. You do however need to be AWARE that when you add these already blanched potatoes to a recipe that they are partially cooked already and will cut your cooking time down, otherwise they may get mushy. Like if you were making mashed potatoes with them, it will not take the full amount of time to boil them, it takes like 10minutes and they are ready to mash!         ENJOY!

Linked to Totally Tasty Tuesdays

 

Here I roasted the potatoes in the oven with Freddy's burger/fry seasoning

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken

This week is fair week in our town.  We started it off by winning free tickets to the Diamond Rio concert! They are an awesome country group with so many hits and they put on a wonderful show.  It is so awesome to see a band that has been together for 20 years and still play a show like it was their first show.  They seemed very genuine and happy to be in our small town. Then last night our 5 year old daughter wanted to go Mutton Busting before the rodeo.  She has never done this before, but as we explained what she would be doing, she was thrilled to try it.  For those of you who don't know what Mutton Busting is, you put your innocent, helpless child on the top of a sheep in a pen and then they let the sheep out and it takes off running with your child on its back and the child who hangs on the longest wins the prize.  This idea thrilled my daughter, this is like the perfect thing for her.  She does this with her dog all the time so she knew she had this one.  We paid the 10 bucks and signed the paper saying we wouldn't press charges on them if she got hurt and put her in a long line of anxious kids. Then it was her turn and the one she was to ride was an awnry one and it was already bucking when it came down to me her before she got on it.  My daughter saw the chaos and the bucking and the cowboys put her helmet on and placed her on the awnry sheep and then the gate never opened......she chickened out!  I really do know she would have done it if it weren't for the sheep bucking and going crazy before she was placed on it.  My husband and I were kinda let down that we just lost 10 bucks and had no show of her riding the sheep, because we knew she would give that thing a ride!  But, I also look at it as a blessing, I think God was protecting her from getting really hurt because that sheep had already bucked a kid off.  We then went to a great rodeo and I got my yearly funnel cake, oh I love those things!  Tonight will be carnival rides and if I am lucky, another funnel cake!
This dish is wonderful and easy. It calls for chili powder, but I didn't add that, I just kept mine sweet with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and the brown sugar. I bought chicken tenderloins instead of the chicken breasts, so I didn't have to cut the chicken. I got this wonderful recipe from the cute blog, Full Bellies, Happy Kids.  She has some yummy recipes on that blog!  I think next time I make this dish that I will combine my bacon wrapped green beans with this recipe.  Put the chicken then green beans and wrap bacon around the both and then use the green bean sauce to pour over the top, I think the combo would be perfect.

Brooke waiting in line for the Mutton Bustin!

 Brooke at the carnival-Braedon went to the Tractor Pull with grandpa

Cookie Salad

This is a fun recipe that I adapted from the cute blog, Chef In Training.  I already make a fruit salad similar to this, but this recipe has the addition of cookies! YUM!
Cookie Salad
2pkgs instant vanilla pudding(I only used one and it was fine)
2C buttermilk, I used 2% and it was great
2(11oz)cans mandarin oranges, drained
1(20oz)can pineapple tidbits, drained(I used crushed pineapple,drained)
1 tub cool whip (light)
I also added a can of drained fruit cocktail
1package fudge striped cookies

Mix buttermilk and puddings together. Fold in cool whip. Add drained fruit. Crush up cookies, not too small. Mix all together and refrigerate for several hours. Really, any fruit combo would work for this. Adding fresh cherries and strawberries would be good.

There just wasn't a good way to take a picture of the finished product!

Crockpot Beef Tips

I have been on a mission lately to clean out my three freezers, um yeah, I said three! One freezer is mainly for the half beef we get each year, so that helps me justify having three. But, still food finds its way to the back and when I finally find it, it is attached to a hunk of ice! So, with prices of fuel and basically everything else going up, I've got to be even more frugal than I already am.  Our half beef order for this coming year is due anytime so I had to rearrange frozen foods and this put me on a mission...again....to use up stuff that has been sitting in the deep cold way too long.  I had a couple packages of stew beef and since it has been over 100 and high humidity off and on for weeks on end I am not about to make a big pot of stew with it! But, I will however get my wonderful crockpot out and make this yummy recipe for beef tips. It is so easy to throw together and you can serve it with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles. It has a wonderful gravy.
Crockpot Beef Tips
2packages, or around 2pounds, beef stew
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1pkg onion soup mix
1 soup can full of water
Throw everything in crockpot and stir well. Cook on low 8 hours, or high 4-5 hours, or until beef is cooked through. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles along with the gravy it makes.



OK, this picture makes this look disgusting, but it is a hard meal to photograph, you'll just have to trust me that its way better than it looks!