my breakfast choice + a cookie swap with friends

I had this (see picture above) for breakfast Sunday morning. After hosting a cookie swap at our home where we were left with 100's of cookies (plus, after getting less than 2 hours of sleep that night due to our smallest child continuously getting up for whatever reasons)...why not?! ;) After our 10 1/2 inches of snow that our area was blessed with that prior evening, the yummy winter treat just added to the outside morning ambiance.

 

What a great group of friends we have from our church!!! Thanks guys for coming out; you are all awesome!! (and so were your cookies! :0)

Like last year, the kids decorated their own Reindeer Cookies. Several of us parents joked that this year's event seemed busier than the last...might it be because of the ages of our kids. Nah, couldn't be that! :)

On Friday, prior to the cookie swap, the boys and I got in the kitchen to start our double batch of Oreo Cheesecake Cookies. This year, my cookie choice was based solely on EASE of baking with two little boys. Last year, I made delicious Gingerbread Cookies, but oh.my.goodness. The time that those took was unbelievable. We were literally finishing up the icing still as people were walking through the door. Yeah, that was totally not happening this year.

This year, I was determined to ensure that this season was peaceful and simple...stressfree (most days!) Not the continual harried, busyness that we had last year and the year before. This peace and simpleness included our 4th Annual Cookie Swap. :)

 

These Oreo Cheesecake Cookies were yummy....different than the classic cookies that I usually make but super easy and really good. They bake to a slightly crisp on the outside and moist and chewy on the outside. By Day 3, they are pretty crispy...same great flavor but crispy. So, depending on whether you prefer chewy or crisp cookies, you might take this into consideration before baking. This recipe is a great one to do with your kids. Parker and Cooper took the "Big tasks" of smashing the oreos (mostly Cooper...this helped keep his hands out of the dough!) and rolling the dough into balls then rolling the dough in the oreo crumbs (mostly Parker). In the end, I had to put Cooper on the floor when I caught him shoving a fistfull of oreo crumbs in his mouth.  It's all fun and games until they start shoving their fiesty little hands into the goods. ;)

Recipe: Trevor's Chicken

 Trevor's Chicken

 

For some time now, I have been wanting to share this favorite recipe of our family's as it truly always makes everyone in our family smile. I hesitated because I could never seem to get a decent picture of the meal. To this novice photographer, it is a seemingly difficult meal to photograph. (And it does not help when you continuously forget to snap a photo before you start eating the mouthwatering meal every...single...time.) :)  But seriously, each time we fix this, our plates are cleaned within minutes. We like good, hearty protein-filled meals at our house; this tops our protein-packed dinner recipe list! The pictures do not do the rich flavor justice, but basically what you are looking at in picture #2 is chicken topped with bbq sauce, bacon and cheese. The first picture shows the salsa on top of the cheese. (well, what was left of it!!)

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese
4 slices of bacon (cooked)
Barbecue sauce, 2 cups
Salsa

Preparation:
Grill chicken breast with salt, pepper and barbecue sauce. Top with cooked bacon and cheese. Grill under broiler oven. Top with salsa and serve.

This recipe came from a cookbook my mom sent me last year after I started working and was looking for "5 ingredients and fewer" type meals. It's a Take Five Cookbook. She had it in her collection and was not really using it anymore...thanks mom!! I actually have not tried any other recipes from this little book, but if they are half as good as "Trevor's Chicken" I know we will enjoy them!

Easy Summer Pasta

Ingredients:
Garden Rotini Pasta (we buy a big bag at Sam's which will last us for months!)
Black olives
Mozarella Cheese
Cherry Tomatoes
2-3 large cooked chicken breasts
Italian Dressing
Rosemary
Tony's Chacheres

To make:
Grill chicken with desired spices (we typically use a little Rosemary and Tony's Chacheres). Cut grilled chicken into smaller pieces. Boil pasta 7-9 min. (When we cook this, we fill a 5 quart pot for plenty of leftovers! :)) Cut black olives and cherry tomatoes in half; cut up mozarella cheese. Drain pasta. Mix chicken, black olives, cheese, tomatoes and pasta in large bowl. Coat with Italian Dressing. Stir and mix and add a little more Italian Dressing.
This will make approximately 12-15 hearty servings. Summer Pasta is great warm or cold (my boys love it for leftover lunches!! Last summer we probably enjoyed this for lunch at least once or twice a week.)

Thank you so much to my dear friend, Jodi, who shared this recipe with me a few years ago. (it was actually the first meal she treated us to over at her house when we first met!) It is now one of our family's favorites!

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

I love a good gingerbread cookie. :)

For the last several years I have been wanting to find the perfect gingerbread recipe that I could add to my personal cookbook and share with others. My friend Tressa made the cutest, most delicious batch and shared them with her friends several years ago; since that Christmas, I have been determined to find a similar recipe to use and love. (Tressa keeps promising me hers, so I will have to compare the two recipes. I do believe that they are pretty similar.)

This Christmas Season, I picked up one of my favorite publications at Barnes N Noble: Cook's Illustrated. These issues never fail to deliver savory foods to the dinner table for whatever the occasion might be. I was thrilled to try the recommended Gingerbread Cookie Recipe! Not only did it offer instructions for thick and chewy cookies, but it also gave the thin and crisp version for additional preferences.

I was making multiple batches, which caused this start to finish process to last 3 evenings and 1 early Saturday morning...in other words, not something I would be able to take the time to do every holiday season. :) However, I was excited and determined to produce these yummy treats this year. (Although I will admit that by day 4 --the decorating portion of the process--my detailed attention to the beautiful, intricate details of the white icing was non-existent. As a matter of fact, my "extra several dozen" never even saw the pretty fluff. Luckily, this recipe satisfies without the added decor, so please know that if you are like me and your time is running shy and/or your baking interests have, by the end of this time-intensive project, dwindled by the waste-side...your cookies will still be share-worthy. :))

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
For about twenty 5 inch gingerbread people or thirty 3 inch cookies

3 cups (15 oz) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed (5 1/4 oz) dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1 Tbs ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
12 Tbs unslated butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
3/4 cup molasses
2 Tbs milk

(By food processor)
1. In food processor, process flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves together until combined, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture and process until mixture is sandy and resembles very fine meal, about 15 seconds. With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk; process until dough is evenly moistened and forms soft mass, about 10 seconds.
(By stand mixer)
1. Stir Together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add butter pieces; mix on medium-low speed until mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, about 1 1/2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, gradually add molasses and milk; mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds.)


2. Scrape dough onto counter; divide in half. Wirjubg uwtg 1 portion of dough at a time, roll dough to even 1/2 in thickness between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on baking sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate dough for 2 hours or overnight.)


3. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.


4. Remove 1 dough sheet from freezer; place on counter. Peel off top parchment sheet and gently lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. Cut dough into 5-inch gingerbread people or 3-inch gingerbread cookies, transferring shapes to prepared sheets with wide metal spatula, spacing them 3/4 inch apart; set scraps aside. Repeat with remaining dough until sheets are full. Bake cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes, rotating sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets for 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack; cool to room temperature.


5. Gather scraps; repeat rolling, cutting, and baking in steps 2 and 4. Repeat with remaining dough until all dough is used. Serve.

Thin and Crisp Gingerbread Cookies
For 2 1/2 to 3 Dozen gingerbread people or 4 to 5 dozen cookies

Note: If you wish to thread the cookies to make ornaments, snip wooden skewers to 1/2 in lengths and press them into the cookies just before they go into the oven; remove skewers immediately after baking.

To make ahead: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Follow recipe for Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies, quartering rather than halving dough, rolling each dough quarter 1/8 in thick, reducing oven temperature to 325 degrees, and baking cookies until slightly darkened and firm in center when pressed with finger, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Decorative Icing
Coats About 2 Dozen 2 inch cookies

Note: Transfer icing to a pastry bag to outline the cookies or make simple motifs, or use a soupspoon to drizzle the icing across the surface of the cookies. To coat the entire cookie, use a small metal spatula to spread the icing over the top surface. If the icing hardens while working with it, mix in a small amount of water.

1-2 Tbs milk
1 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Using a small whisk or fork, combine 1 Tbs milk and confectioners' sugar in small bowl and mix until smooth. If mixture is too stuff to work with, mix in additional milk in very tiny increments until proper consistency is reached.
2. Let icing dry to a dull shine, about 20 min, before serving or storing cookies.

Reindeer Cookies

When I was a little girl, my mama used to make reindeer cookies with me during the Christmas season. This year, I decided I wanted to make them with our boys.

Since our guys are still a little young (and since I had already spent most of my free baking time on holiday breads and gingerbread cookies!) and for the sake of time, I had hubby pick up the pre-sliced Simply Peanut Butter Cookie dough at the grocery store for me. It worked like a charm! At our Cookie Swap, we had quite a few kids in attendance, but Parker at the age of 3 (almost 4), was the oldest one. Going with the pre-sliced cookie dough was the best choice by far. All I had to do was put two slices on the baking tray together and then pinch them together a little for the reindeer head and then the kids placed the little antlers, nose and eyes. Easy for me and for the children. This is such a simple and fun holiday treat for you to do with kids! 

Reindeer Cookies
Ingredients:
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough (made from scratch or the store bought kind..either way is great!)
Red M&M's
Chocolate chip baking chips
Pretzels

Place dough 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using thumb and forefinger, make a slight indentation one-third of the way down the sides of each slice. Press in pretzels for antlers, chocolate chips for eyes and a red m&m for the nose.
Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until light brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. 

Let your kids have fun with it! (Our little reindeer heads were quite unique...one missing its eyes and one with its antlers upside down...but who cares?! Parker was so proud of his special reindeer cookies and couldn't wait to chow down on them! Each of the kids at the Cookie Swap who participated got to take home their special cookie in a cute little bag...so fun!)

Happy Christmas Baking with your Kiddos!

Christmas Party with Friends and a Holiday Recipe

Some friends of ours from Small Group, Ericka and Mike, hosted their 1st Annual Christmas Party this year. Have I mentioned before that Ericka loves to bake...and Mike loves her for that. :) Her beautiful and tasty treats not only please the sweet tooth, but are quite easy on the eye as well. I could not help but take a couple of snapshots of her "cookie table" to share.

...the snowflake cake pops were heaven on earth.

Our Small Group, plus Susie and Mike (the honorees :)):

Along with the scrumptious treats, Ericka whipped up a yummy drink: Drunken Smores. After trying one that evening, I immediately begged her for this tasty recipe. I would highly recommend whipping up one of these next holiday season as you sit by the fire wrapping Christmas presents. It is delicious!
Ericka graciously shared the recipe with me, to which I would like to share with you. Enjoy and just remember to pace yourself... ;)

Drunken Smores
1 part Marshmallow Vodka
2 parts Irish Liqueur (Bailey's or any brand works)
Top with Gingerbread Cookie and you are sitting happy! :)

Pizza in a Dish

Ingredients:
2 cups macaroni
1 pkg pepperoni
1 lb ground beef
1 onion finely chopped
1 15 oz can of pizza sauce
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic salt
2 cups mozzarella
1 Tbs parmesan

Cook the macaroni. Cut pepperoni in quarters. Cook ground beef and onion and drain. Stir everything together except cheese. Spoon half of mixture into dish; add half cheese. Repeat. Sprinkle with parmesan and rest of pepperoni.

Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 30-40 minutes.

Definitely a family weeknight favorite! All 3 of my boys were all smiles over this hearty dish! Clay's Aunt Kathi shared this recipe with me awhile back and I was excited to finally get to try it tonight. Parker enjoyed getting to dump the pepperoni, seasonings and sauces into the bowl and then mixing it all together.

Give it a try! Your kids will love it!

Friends and a Recipe

A couple of weeks ago, some dear friends of ours from church came over to visit and bring dinner (thank you sooo much again guys; I now have 2 new favorite recipes!!!) It was great getting to relax for a bit after dinner and the kids were down the night; we laughed and chatted until it felt like it was midnight only to be shocked when we read 9:12 on the clock. ha ha! ...Tells you how old we are getting! Katie and Ryan, thank you for a fabulous evening of fun and friendship; we must repeat it again soon! :)

Ryan and Katie have an adorable little tot named Blake...and I have to say he reminds me so much of Parker when he was younger. A sweet little boy who is always into something. :) Prepare yourself for the upcoming year ya'll. It will be a fun one, but a very busy one! ha ha!

After dinner I begged Katie to share her scrumptious recipes with me, to which she humbly shook her head and laughed, but graciously agreed. One of those recipes is shared below...So, I speak for myself and everyone else who is smart enough to try creating this treat in their own kitchen...THANK YOU Katie!!! If I had one phrase to describe the tasty pumpkin bars I would say that it is "the perfect taste of Autumn."

P.S. I told Katie I was going to take her shopping with me so she could help spruce up my wardrobe. She always looks adorably fashionable.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

1 - 29oz can of pumpkin (or 2 of the 15 oz cans)
12oz can of evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 C sugar
1tsp salt
1tsp cinnamon
1 box of yellow cake mix
¾ C butter
Chopped pecans

**Katie says: I also added a dash of pumpkin spice but it’s not in the original recipe.

Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, salt and cinnamon in mixing bowl.
Pour mix into a 9 x 11 pan
Pour yellow cake mix over top of pumpkin mixture
Sprinkle pecans on top
Pour ¾ C melted butter over top

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes

Recipe for Strawberry Bread

Strawberry Loaf

My mama has been baking this for a number of years. She orginally got the recipe from a cookbook in Tennessee. Quite a few years ago, she and daddy took a weekend trip to the Hippensteal Inn in Gatlinburg, TN and enjoyed this sweet bread over breakfast. When asking about it, the waiter told her of an old cookbook that had not only that recipe, but other favorites from the area. The problem was tracking it down...the very last shop she and daddy visited, before leaving the area, had a few sitting on their shelves!

Mama passed the recipe down to me and it is now one of my favorite "breads." I baked 15 loaves to pass out to each of our cookout guests a couple of weekends ago as a parting gift and a couple of extras for our neighbors. Parker's daycare staff also got to enjoy a loaf! Rest assured, this will be one of your favorite recipes to add to your collection!

"Strawberry Loaf"

Ingredients:
2 c sugar
3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs cinnamon
4 eggs beaten
1 1/2 c cooking oil
2 c frozen strawberries thawed
1 1/4 c chopped pecans

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease two 9x5 pans (fill halfway)
In large bowl combine sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In separate bowl beat eggs and oil together. Add strawberries.
Stir strawberry mixture into dry mixture.
Add pecans. Stir just until blended. Pour into prepared pans.
Bake for 55-65 min. Test center.

*Before serving, add a touch of warm butter or sprinkle powdered sugar on top for a perfect bite!

This bread is perfect for serving at a brunch or teatime...or for a midnight snack. ;)
Enjoy!

Strawberry-Chicken Salad Appetizers and Mrs. Terry's Classic Homemade Chicken Salad

Strawberry-Chicken Salad Appetizers

This was one of the appetizers I served the other night at our cookout. I believe they were a hit because Clay said they were gone quickly (& I restocked them 3 times!). Also, I have to admit that when I tried one I could have easily consumed a dozen or more of those things! Sooo yummy!
Typed out below is the original recipe that I got out of an old Southern Living magazine. Below the original recipe, I will include the slight alterations I made to my batch.

Preparations:
Arrange 36 spinach leaves on a large serving platter.
Divide 1/2 pound deli chicken salad evenly among spinach leaves (about 1/2 tsp each).
Sprinkle evenly with 3 Tbsp. chopped, toasted pecans; 1/2 cup slivered strawberries; and freshly ground pepper to taste.


Makes 28 appetizer servings. Prep: 20 min
If desired, cover platter with plastic wrap, and chill for up to 30 min. Once removed from the refrigerator, serve within an hour.
To add a Southern touch and make them easier to manage, place each spinach leaf atop a cornbread cracker (we used Town House Bistro brand) and then serve within 1 hour.

**Carrie's alterations: Instead of buying deli chicken salad, I used my mama's homemade chicken salad recipe, which I honestly think makes the appetizer! I will include her delicious recipe at the bottom of this post. I prepared the chicken salad 2 days prior to the party; therefore, the evening of the cookout, all I had to do was put the ensemble together and add the strawberry slivers on top. It took less than 10 min! A simple but delicious and elegant touch for any gathering of friends!

Mrs. Terry's Classic Homemade Chicken Salad

Since I was a little girl, I have always been a fan of chicken salad and have tried it in many different states in many different ways. I have found a few variations from the classic chicken salad (ie. using pineapple, etc) that I really enjoy, but my mama's classic one is still to this day my very favorite. I hope you enjoy as well! This makes perfect summer sandwiches!

Mrs. Terry's Homemade Chicken Salad Recipe:
4 chicken breasts, boiled
2 eggs, boiled
celery - 2 or 3 stalks
grapes
salt & pepper
mayonnaise

Boil chicken and cut into small pieces. Boil eggs and chop small. Chop celery and cut grapes. Stir all together. Add mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Carrie's notes: In my mama's recipe, she doesn't specify amounts in salt, pepper, grapes or mayonnaise. She knew that everyone's tastes might be a little different so she says to "eye it and taste it to your satisfaction." Also, your measurements will differ depending on how many actual chicken breasts and ingredients you are using. For the recipe I made this last week, I included 5 large chicken breasts, 3 eggs, 3 celery stalks and a bunch of grapes. :) I believe I used about 4 (maybe 5..I can't remember) large spoonfuls of mayonnaise. I like the mayo to be ever so slightly thicker than my personal taste, because the consistency will change after stirring and setting in the fridge for awhile. I add a pinch of salt but a good bit of pepper.

This recipe will always be one of the cherished ones that is included in our family cookbook.

Chicken Spaghetti from the Heart

Recently, our Sunday School Class has had a lot of new little additions to the families :) so we have been rotating taking food to each of the new mom's. This time, I thought I would whip up some hearty Chicken Spaghetti with a Mandarin Orange Salad & some french bread. It is such a great meal & I love how much it makes up at one time.
*For my own cooking, I added more noodles (I used a little less than a whole box) & was amazed at how "topping heavy" it still was!! I was able to get three 8x8 containers out of the recipe.

Chicken Spaghetti
4 chic breasts, cooked & cut up
7 oz spaghetti
1 qt. chic broth
1 stick oleo
1 lg onion
1 lg green pepper
1 can RoTel, drained
1 sm can English peas, drained
1 sm jar pimento, drained
1 (4oz) can mushroom pieces, drained
1 sm can water chestnuts, drained & sliced
1 lb Velveeta or American cheese

Saute onion & pepper in oleo. Add RoTel, peas, mushrooms & pimento; set aside. Cook spaghetti in chicken broth; drain. While still hot, add cheese that has been cut in pieces. Stir till cheese is melted. Mix with first ingredients. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 or 20 minutes. Freezes well. Makes 2 casseroles.

"In memory of Velma Lott. She made this several years for the Pilot Club fundraiser."

This recipe came from my hometown church's (First Baptist Grenada) "Endless Blessings" Cookbook. I have had this for less than a year, and have found so many delicious meals in this book. I shouldn't be surprised though...a lot of these were meals that our family grew up on...the recipes in here are tried and true. Brought to many church & community functions, recipes passed through families, meals delivered to the home in times of need...when I make some of these, I realize that they are not just ingredients and baking instructions but meals from the heart.

Marinated Cheese Recipe

Marinated Cheese by Southern Living

Ingredients
1 (.7oz) envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 Tbs minced green onion
2 Tbs water
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 (8oz) block Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8oz) block Cheddar cheese
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
1 (4oz) jar chopped pimiento
Assorted crackers

Preparation:
Whisk together first 6 ingredients
Cut Monterey Jack cheese in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 1/4 in thick slices. Repeat with Cheddar cheese & cream cheese.
Arrange cheese in 4 rows in a shallow 2qt baking dish, alternating Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, & cream cheese. Pour marinade over cheese. Cover & chill 8 hrs.
Drain marinade; arrange cheese on platter. Top with pimiento & serve with assorted crackers.

One of my girlfriends back home used this for Natalie's baby shower. I couldn't get enough of it; it was so yummy! She passed on the recipe, so that I could also serve it at Kelli's shower this past weekend. (Thanks Ashley!)

Here were the alterations I made for Kelli's shower...
Simply for time, I left out the green onion & cream cheese. I actually bought the cubed cheese in the bag to save on cutting time as well. One of these days, I'll do it exactly by the book, but for now, this is what worked...and it was yummy!

At the Grenada shower, Terra actually bought green olives to mix with the cheese because they were out of pimiento at the store. It was also delish!

Marinated Cheese is a great appetizer/party dish that makes 25 appetizer servings. Enjoy!

Creamy Vegetable Dip

(Picture courtesy of Southern Living)

I have made this quick creamy vegetable dip twice now for parties & am adding it to my "favorites" list. It's easy & so yummy! Enjoy!

Quick Creamy Vegetable Dip
from Southern Living
Prep: 10 min Chill: 2 hrs

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup drained, chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers (1 2oz jar diced pimiento, drained, may be substituted)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp hot sauce

Instructions:
Stir together first 9 ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover & Chill at least 2 hrs. Serve dip with with baby carrots, celery sticks, radish slices, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.

Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Almond Asparagus

I wanted to share one of my favorite vegetable dishes. It's so easy to do & also extremely yummy! :) The recipe came from myrecipes.com and they got it from the March 2002 Southern Living magazine. After cooking this side numerous times with dinners, I have slightly altered how I fix it for a family of 2 1/2 (in terms of servings that is!). Here's the original recipe & instructions; my notes are below.

You will need:

2 pounds fresh asparagus

2 TBS butter or margarine

1 TBS lemon juice

3/4 cup slivered (or chopped) almonds, toasted

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Cook asparagus in boiling water to cover 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.

Plunge asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add asparagus, & saute 3-5 minutes. Toss asparagus with lemon juice and remaining ingredients.

Makes 4 servings.

Carrie's notes: I usually just take out a handful of asparagus, toss it in the skillet with some water, cover & boil on med-high heat for 3 min. Then, I drain the water from the skillet, throw in some butter, a touch of water, the lemon juice, salt, pepper & chopped toasted almonds, cover & cook for another 2-3 min on med heat. (I also stir it occassionally.) Our family's preference is crunchy/hard vs. soft asparagus, so cooking it this way does not make it very soft. Also, we like to eat it warm :) so this is the very last thing I do before serving the plates.

Bon appetite! :)

summer salad

We LOVE to eat salads in the summertime...here's one of my favorites! This is a recipe my mom gave me from her recipe box; it originally came from my Aunt Christy (and I believe she got it from one of her cookbooks.)

You will need:
1 bag baby spinach
1 bag mixed green lettuce
Broccoli pieces
Cauliflower pieces
(can also use mushrooms, purple onions, avocado)
mandarin oranges or strawberries (I used strawberries this time)
Pecans

Toss greens in large bowl. Top with all of above ingredients that are desired. Mix dressing. Do not pour dressing over salad unless you plan to eat it all at one time. (Just use dressing as you need it.)

Dressing:
1/4 c sugar or splenda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 TBS onion juice
1/4 c cider vinegar
3/4 c salad oil (olive oil)
1 TBS poppyseed
1/4 c cottage cheese
1/4 c soft bacon bits

Shake well.

Note: The measurements in this recipe feed a larger group; if you are cooking for two & will not be able to eat the leftovers within a week or so, I would use less measurements.

This time, I cut up extra broccoli, cauliflower & strawberries and put in a ziploc bag to be able to use for future salads. I doubled the dressing recipe & put all of the dressing in a water bottle so that I could shake it again prior to use at dinner. (I just took a cute serving bowl to pour it in immediately before use.) I originally made this for a cookout on Wednesday, but am now able to enjoy the yummy leftovers for lunch this week. All I need is the lettuce, my ziploc bag with the goods, the cottage cheese, bacon bits & pecans (which I don't measure in my personal salads) & the dressing in the water bottle to shake and pour. Vwaahla! You have a yummy super-delicious salad!

(It's also great for Parker's lunch because I can just take a spoonful of the broccoli, cauliflower, & strawberries from the ziploc bag, a little turkey & cheese & he's good to go!)

Off to Mexico!!

A few fun things in my bag for Mexico!!!

Baked these yesterday for the goodie bags for when we're on the airplane...of course, Clay & Parker wanted to help!!! Parker had so much fun helping with the cookie cutters!
The cookies were by no means perfect, but they were definitely fun to make!!

Of course, by the time I had put in over 3 hours of prep work baking the cookies, making the icing, etc., that icing was just slapped on!! ha ha!

Clay's surprise goodie bag for the plane!!! I had so much fun putting these together!

Mexico, here we come! :)

favorite fruit recipes

"Fruit Pizza" - this was always a frequent request to my mom from my friends whenever mama was bringing a dish to a particular party/gathering. A huge favorite of mine that my mom did when I was growing up! I have now baked this for Bridal showers, 4th of July gatherings & just for fun! It's yummy & hey!...it's healthy because it has fruit! :)

You will need:

1 lg roll Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

Filling:

1 cup confectioners sugar

8 oz cream cheese

1 sm cool whip

Mash cookie doug onto pizza pan & bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.

Mix & spread the filling on crust.

Top with sliced fresh fruit - strawberries, peaches, blueberries & kiwi

"Chicken pesto sandwiches"

You will need:
Hamburger buns
Chicken breasts (as many as you want to fix)
Gala apples (1-2)
Pesto
Cheese (whichever kind you prefer)

Grill your chicken breasts. While they're grilling, spread your pesto on the top side of the bun. Place your grilled chicken breast on bottom layer of bun. Top with cheese & thin slices of Gala apple.

Enjoy! Super easy & fun!

Random today things & lawn party sandwiches!

I ironed 10 things today...it took me almost an hour & a half...I told Clay I was now done for the year! :)

A couple of bananas were too ripe to eat, so I pulled out the mixer & whipped up some yummy banana nut bread...which I can't wait to dig into tomorrow a.m.

Kitchen cabinets, tv stand & mama's closet...Parker's 3 favorite places today :)

Clay & I went & worked out today...we both have to get in bathing suit form...yikes!!! We need like 12 more weeks to work with here!

It was cloudy & rainy all day here today...oh mr. sunshine, please come out to play tomorrow!

Yesterday, Clay, Parker & I enjoyed a fun afternoon out at the park. We packed a picnic lunch (I was thrilled to get to pull out my picnic basket for the first time this year!), went to a nearby park & soaked up the warm sunshine & all of nature's goodness! Beautiful skies, birds chirping, kids fishing in the lake, children playing on the playground, families strolling on the sidewalks...you know God was smiling down at this picture!

Parker enjoying his "Lawn Party Sandwich."

PICNIC (PIK 'NIK), N. 1. A pleasant or amusing exursion, typically one in which food is eaten in the open air. 2. (Informal) An enjoyable experience, time, task, etc., a time free of ordinary cares or responsibilities...

Parker showing off his pinecone.

For the picnic, I decided to make "Lawn Party Sandwiches." You can find this recipe in other cookbooks I know, but I got mine from this cookbook below that can be found here. This is not a cookbook I use regularly during the week, but it's one I pull out every so often just for fun times like these or when we have guests come to stay. There are some great recipes & I love the pretty pictures in the book as well!



"Lawn Party Sandwiches"

can be found under the chapter A Tisket, A Tasket

1 cup margarine

1 medium onion, minced

1/4 c poppy seeds

1 Tbs prepared mustard

3 (24 count) packages party rolls

1 pound ham, shaved

12 oz swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Heat the margarine in microwave until melted. Stir in onion, poppy seeds & mustard. Cover & chill for 8-10 hrs. Remove poppy seed mixture from refrigerator 1 hr before needed to prepare recipe. Split each package of rolls horizontally with a serrated knife into 2 layers, leaving the bottom layer in the pan. Spread the cut sides of the rolls with poppy seed mixture. Layer ham & cheese on bottom layer of rolls. Top with the remaining roll layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min.

Makes 6 dozen sandwiches.

*Note: obviously for this outing I didn't need 6 dozen sandwiches, so I cut everything by 1/6. One package of rolls, etc. One of my girlfriends asked what kind of rolls I used...they weren't the frozen kind...that's all I know now, but I'll check at Target & let you know the brand.

red beans & rice

Red beans & Rice...Yum!!! It is one of mine & Clay's favorite meals! Clay cooked his version of it for me shortly after we got married & I've been hooked ever since! It's so simple, quick & inexpensive too!

You will need:
-Kidney beans - 5 cans is what I typically use but you can alter this to your preference (dark or light..whichever you prefer..I sometimes mix!)
-Hickory Farms Smoked Linked Sausage (1 pkg) -- if you want to make it cheaper just use half of the sausage
-Instant Rice
-Spices: Tony Sacheries Seasoning, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Fresh Ground Pepper

So, in your crockpot you pour the drained beans and the sausage. Then you pour enough water over all of it to cover. Next, you use your spices...I don't have measurements for these.... I use a good bit of Tony's (like 2 long swooshes around our large crockpot), maybe 8 good dashes of garlic powder, about 4 dashes of onion powder, and enough pepper to make it look good! :) We tend to like our spices more on the heavy end.

I cook it all on high covered for about 5-6 hours...you don't have to worry about it burning or sticking so you can leave it in there longer...I once left it in there for 9 hrs when I was doing 7 cans of beans & 1 whole sausage package.

If you're not sure about the measurement of the spices, take the lid off of the top after about 1 1/2 hours and see if it smells to your liking. I can usually tell what I want to add more of at that point!

When you're ready to eat, fix your rice & then dish it up!!!

This will usually fix 8+ servings for our family! We love it..especially in the winter months! We practically lived off of this the first winter we were up here! Oh! And I think it's even better as "left-overs!" And make sure you fix some good sweet tea to go with it! :)

Enjoy!

fruits in our kitchen

I love fruit! I have ever since I was a little girl. Right now, I count 7 different fruits in our kitchen: pears, apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, tomatoes & strawberries.

According to the American Heart Association, an average person is supposed to get 4 servings of fruit a day. One raw serving of fruit would be about the size of a baseball.

Parker loves his fruits as well; Clay & I are thrilled that he likes a variety of them. His favorites right now are grapes & tomatoes.

I especially love late spring & summer when many of the fruits are in season & you can use them in your daily recipes. Watch in the upcoming weeks for some of my favorite "fruit" recipes!

What fruits are in your kitchen today?