Cornbread Casserole

Last Christmas I was having trouble thinking of what I should bring to Christmas dinner.  A friend at work, Sheralyn, suggested this Cornbread Casserole that her family requests every holiday.  We liked it so much I ended up making it for both family Christmases!  And this year I made it for Derrick's family Thanksgiving, so here it finally is on the blog!

1 can whole corn, do not drain
1 can creamed corn
1 cup cheddar cheese
8 ounces sour cream
1 box, 8 1/2 ounces jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg
1 stick melted butter

Mix well.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato-Basil Cream

Congratulations on 30 years, Mom and Dad!

For our parents 30th anniversary, we decided to have a dinner party for them.  I made this pasta, Michelle made delicious chocolate chip cheesecakes and brought wine, and Marcie made a delicious salad.

I found this recipe on Pinterest.  I doubled it for our large group.  It was delicious and easy!  The fresh basil really makes it.  It was a big hit for the party.

1 (20 ounce) package refrigerated four-cheese ravioli
1 (16 ounce) jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce
2 tablespoons white wine
2 medium-size tomatoes, chopped or 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish: fresh basil strips

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Pour Alfredo sauce into a medium saucepan.  Pour wine into sauce jar.  Cover tightly and shake well.  Stir wine mixture into saucepan.  Stir in tomatoes and basil.  Cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Toss with pasta, and top evenly with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese.  Garnish with basil.

Honey Sesame Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and knew I had to try it.  We love different Asian recipes with rice.  The chicken has a nice flavor (not distinctly honey which is perfect), and the sauce makes the rice delicious!  Derrick says we should make this again!

Ingredients
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup diced onion (I left this out)

2 cloves garlic, minced (I left this out)

1 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup

 1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons cornstarch

 1/3 cup water
4 servings minute rice
1/2 tablespoon (or more) sesame seeds

3 scallions, chopped

Directions
Place chicken in Crock Pot and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.  I just left them in all day on low since we were at work.

Remove chicken to a cutting board, leaving sauce. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; set aside. Prepare rice.

Dissolve 4 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/3 cup water; add to crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Cover and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Add cooked rice to 4 plates, top with chicken and spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes

For our parents' 30th anniversary dinner, Michelle made these delicious mini cheesecakes. I have had a version of these with a Nilla Wafer as the crust, but these are much better.  I love the chocolatey layer on the bottom and the chocolate mixed throughout.  She made a few without chocolate, and those did not go as fast.  You may want to double the recipe for more mini cheesecakes. 

They were the perfect dessert to our celebration!

Crust

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons brown sugar

small pinch salt

2 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons sour cream or Greek-style yogurt

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 8 cups of a muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, make the graham cracker crust. Mix together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and salt and stir to combine. Pour over melted butter and stir with a fork to moisten the crumbs.

Place about a tablespoon of crumb mixture in each of the prepared muffin cups and pack down into an even layer.

In a large bowl, make the cheesecake. Cream together cream cheese, sour cream and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.

Place 1 tablespoon chocolate chips into each of the muffin cups. Evenly divide cheesecake batter between the muffin cups, covering the first layer of chocolate chips. Place another tablespoon of chocolate chips on top of the cheesecake batter in each of the muffin cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheesecakes are set.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan, then carefully transfer cheesecakes to a cooling rack to cool completely before refrigerating.

Makes 8.

Monster Cookies

I got this recipe from my friend, Lindsay.  She brought them over for a KSU watch party and everyone could not stop eating them!  They were amazing!

When I made them they still tasted delicious, but the flattened out and were crunchy while hers were nice and thick and chewy.  What did I do differently?  Was it the type of butter I used?  Let me know if you have any suggestions...

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups regular oats
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup m&ms
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter.  Add sugar and beat.  Add eggs, peanut butter, vanilla, syrup and mix.  Add oats, baking soda and salt.  Stir in m&ms and chocolate chips.

Bake 350, 12-15 minutes.  In my convection oven I only baked them 7 1/2 minutes.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup (Mrs. J)

I feel like I am in a little of a cooking slump.  For awhile I was finding and trying new recipes constantly.  I am still browsing through the cooking blogs I follow and pinning recipes on pinterest, but I have not found anything exciting enough and not-too-time-consuming enough to try.  We are still cooking almost every weeknight, but we keep circulating through the same old recipes.  So, if you have any good recipes, please send them my way!

I did get this soup recipe recently from a fellow teacher, Mrs. J.  I held on to it for a few weeks because I thought it would be a little time consuming for a weeknight, but it really was not bad.  Especially because I had Derrick beside me chopping the broccoli!

I adjusted it just a little, omitting the onions (since we do not care for them), substituting a few spices based on what was in our cupboard, cutting down the butter, and using milk instead of heavy cream to lighten it up.  It really has a great flavor - Mrs. J says the nutmeg is the secret ingredient.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
2 cups yellow onions or sliced leeks (we left this out)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (I used black pepper since it's what I had)
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)
6 tablespoons flour
6 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
2 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed
2 cup milk
2 1/2 cup shredded medium cheddar (works best to buy a block and shred yourself - I used closer to 3 cups)

In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.  Add the flour and cook, still stirring until well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes.  Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Add the broccoli and cook, until tender, 10-15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor.  I skipped this step since the last time I made broccoli cheese soup and blended it, we had an explosion.  Derrick chopped the broccoli extremely fine with a nut chopper and it was just fine!

Add the milk and bring to a bare simmer to heat through.  Add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted.

Roll Ups

Great for tailgating or football watch parties!

1 package cream cheese
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 cup cheddar
1 package tortillas (sundried tomato or jalepeno cheddar)
1 can diced green chilis
some salsa

Combine all ingredients except tortillas and spread onto tortillas.  Roll up (sometimes they cut easier if you refrigerate a couple hours or overnight) and cut into bite sized pieces.  Refrigerate.

Jenna's recipe (I have not made it yet, but I have tried hers and they are amazing!)
2 packages cream cheese
dried beef
chopped olives (not the entire can)
green onions
some salsa
Mama lupe tortillas

Follow same directions as above.

Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Derrick found this recipe in a Beach Body newsletter, so not only were they delicious with the nice toasted almond flavor, but they are also healthy!

3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
(or you could use honey mustard instead of the above ingredients)
olive oil cooking spray
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 pound chicken tenders
1 cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine honey, dijon mustard, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.  Mix well and chill.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheet with foil.  Spray with cooking spray.
Place eggs and water in medium shallow bowl.  Beat lightly.
Soak chicken pieces in egg mixture.  Set aside.
Combine bread crumbs, almonds, salt, and black pepper in large resealable plastic bag and shake to combine.
Working with a few pieces at a time, lift chicken from egg mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl and drop into bag containing bread crumb mixture.  Seal bag and shake to coat.  Repeat with remaining chicken.
Place chicken on baking sheet.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown, turning once halfway through.
Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce.

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

Marcie found this recipe on Pinterest and makes it all the time for her and Keith.  I thought I would give it a try, and Derrick loved it!  It has a strong lime flavor.

24-ounce jar medium salsa
juice from one lime
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 package taco seasoning (I actually left this out - it was flavorful enough on its own!)
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)
6 boneless chicken breast halves

In a crock pot, mix together the salsa, lime juice, cilantro, taco seasoning and jalapenos.  Add the chicken and coat with the salsa mixture.  Allow the chicken to cook, covered, in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours.  Serve chicken with salsa mixture spooned over top or shred and use as taco filling (which is what we did).

So Long's Rasperry Chipotle Black Bean Dip

If you are a K-Stater you have had this dip at So Long Saloon in Manhattan, Kansas.  It is one of the foods you have to get in Aggieville when you visit this town.  The other things I can't live without when I am there are Rock-a-belly Deli sandwhiches and Coco Bolos - YUM!  I also love Pita Pit which is a chain but you sure can't get it in Kansas City.  Katy and I definitely snacked on that at 2AM last weekend.

I have several friends who make this dip and I finally got the recipe from Sara.  She brought it to the lake Labor Day weekend and it was GONE before dinner started.  It is that delicious.  I am making it this weekend for our football watch party as the Cats take on North Texas. 

8 ounces cream cheese (Do not use the reduced fat variety or it will be watery)
1 can (14.5 ounces) black beans, drained - I rinse them, too
Raspberry jalepeno Fiesta jelly (usually found in Mexican isle)
Chopped purple onion (optional)
Monterey Jack cheese
Tortilla chips for serving

Smear cream cheese in the bottom of pan (works best in a smaller than a 9x13 but larger than an 8x8 - not sure of the exact measurements).  Pour beans on top.  Pour half the jar of jelly on top of beans.  Sprinkle on chopped purple onion (optional).  Top with Monterey Jack cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Homemade Mac-n-Cheese

I follow a fellow Alpha Xi's cooking blog, Amber's Cooking Adventures http://amberscookingadventures.blogspot.com/.  She posted this homemade macaroni and cheese so I finally tried it one night.  Derrick and I loved it!  We used Rotini noodles since those are Derrick's favorite noodle.  I actually got the healthy variety, too, and I don't even think he noticed!  Also, Derrick loves Club Crackers - he eats them with everything (Italian dishes, Asian dishes), and they were actually really good with this mac-n-cheese!  Eating the Clubs and macaroni together enhanced all the flavors - the salty, cheesy, and buttery.  Next time I might try sprinkling some crushed Clubs on top before baking.

4 cups dried pasta
1 egg
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 pound grated cheese (we used cheddar but other cheeses or a mixture will work - you will want to buy it in a block and grate it yourself because it melts much nicer)
salt
pepper

Cook macaroni and drain.  In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot melt butter and sprinkle in flour.  Whisk over medium low heat.  Cook five minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour in milk and add mustard, whisking until smooth.  Cook for five minutes until very thick.  Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of this sauce and pour into the small bowl with the beaten egg.  Stir constantly to avoid cooking the eggs.  Pour egg mixture back into the sauce until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.  Add salt and pepper to taste as needed.

Pour in drained, cooked pasta and stir to coat.  Pour into greased baking dish.  Top with extra cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Optional:  Add bread crumbs or crushed Club Crackers to the top before baking.  We also thought it would be very good to add some sliced grilled chicken to the top to get in another food group and make it a more hearty meal.

Oriental Salad

Making this for Labor Day Lake Weekend!  Woohoo!

2 packages ramen noodles, oriental flavor
2 packages cole slaw mix
2 packages slivered almonds
1 bunch green onions
1 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup white or red wine vinegar

Toast slivered almonds until browned.  Break up ramen noodles with a rolling pin.  Combine cole slaw mixes, almonds, and chopped green onions.  Add ramen noodles right before the dressing so they don't get soggy.

To make dressing combine oil, sugar, two packages ramen seasoning, and vinegar.  Shake well because the sugar and oil do not combine well.  Pour over salad mix and toss.

Calzones

I make another calzone using a thin pillsbury crust, but we were looking for something new and a little different to make and came across this on one of my blogs.  It took a little bit of work to roll out and form each one, but it was worth it because they were very delicious.  We only needed 5 1/2 and we were very full, so maybe next time I will cut the recipe down a little to save time.

You can play around with different fillings - whatever you like in a calzone or on a pizza such as pepperoni, mushrooms, green pepper, etc.  I would definitely keep the ricotta mixture, though.  It makes it good!

Note - make sure to plan ahead because the dough takes 2-3 hours to rise.

Ingredients
16 whole frozen, unrisen dinner rolls (I used Rhodes)
1 pound ground sausage, hamburger, or turkey (whichever you prefer in your calzone - we used turkey)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil or several tablespoons chopped, fresh basil
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
3 whole eggs
black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
marinara sauce, for serving

Place frozen rolls on a baking sheet to thaw.  I first sprayed the baking sheet with Pam and sprayed a piece of Saran Wrap with Pam and placed it over the rolls.  Let rise 2-3 hours.

Cook ground meat until brown.  Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and basil.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, pepper, and parsley.

Wehn rolls are thawed and risen, roll them out on a lightly floured surface until paper thin.  Spoon approximately 2-3 tablespoons ricotta mixture and 2-3 tablespoons meat onto half of the dough circle.  Fold half the dough over itself, then press edges to seal with a fork.

Brush the surface of each calzone with beaten egg, then bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with warm marinara sauce.

Rylee's Butterfinger Protein Shake

6 ice cubes
8 ounces (1 cup) almond milk
1 tablespoon sugar free butterscotch pudding mix
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Blend in a blender.

This was WAY more delicious than my plain old protein shake this morning!  Way to go, Rylee!  Be watching for her as an up-and-coming chef!

First Cooking Injury

My clumsiness got the best of me last night after dinner.  I had used one of those choppers that you pound on to chop nuts for our salad (as well as dried cranberries, Derrick's mom's home grown tomatoes and green peppers, cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette).  Derrick grilled delicious shrimp and corn on the cob.  We marinated the shrimp in Italian dressing - I really am convinced that is the best shrimp marinade.  Derrick is an expert at grilling them.

We were in the middle of watching 21 Jump Street after dinner and had the Olympics recording so we could watch it without commercials afterwards.  We paused the movie to quickly do the dishes and get some cookie dough ice cream!  Yum!  I was hand washing the chopper and Derrick was taking out the trash.  Somehow I dropped the chopper and did not realize how sharp it was and jammed my body against it to keep it from crashing to the floor.  Of course my hand was between the chopper and my body.  It hit it hard so I looked at it to see if there was a scratch.  It hadn't started bleeding yet, but there was an inch long cut and the skin was wide apart because of how the skin stretches across the back of your hand.  I screamed to Derrick that I cut myself bad and held the skin together tightly with the other hand over the sink while blood ran through all my fingers.  Derrick ran over to take a look.  While I was completely freaking out and angry with myself for doing something so stupid, Derrick remained completely calm.  He just calmly told me that it was going to be alright but we would probably need a stitch or two because a band aid would not be able to hold it together.  Then he helped me get some clothes on (we were in vegging out clothes), called my new sister-in-law, Marcie, who works at the Olathe ER to let her know we were coming, got my purse and insurance card and a towel for the blood, opened my car door and buckled my seat belt for me, and drove us to the hospital.  I am so thankful to have him!!!!

Marcie met us at the door.  She had already told the best doctor that we were coming in so he could have us on his case.  The nurse saw us immediately and got all our information.  We were given the VIP treatment thanks to Marcie!  I have heard horror stories about people waiting in the ER for 3 hours to be seen.  After we were all checked in it was only minutes before we were taken back to a room and prepped for stitches.  The stitches freaked me out because you can feel all the tugging and I hate thinking about what is happening.  But I did not look, and Derrick was right there holding my hand.  And Marcie stayed with us through everything.  We were out of there by 10:30PM.

Now I can't get in the lake or pool until the stitches come out in 14 days.  Bummer.  But it could have been a lot worse.  The first thing the doctor checked for was to see if it cut into my tendon, but thankfully it was only the layer of fat.

I am so thankful to Marcie for getting us in so quickly and getting the best care in a scary situation.  I could not ask for a better sister-in-law!

And I am so thankful to Derrick for taking such wonderful care of me, calming me down, and being there for me through everything.  He is my rock.  I am so blessed to be marrying him!

I will be much more careful around any potentially sharp objects even if I don't think they are sharp!

Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon

Derrick and I recently got a new Infrared grill.  We love it - it cooks everything so evenly.  Derrick grills everything to perfection!  We have been wanting to try salmon on cedar planks since we got the grill.  It really made it delicious.  The salmon takes on the flavor of the cedar planks.  Next time we may try a brown sugar glaze...



Cedar plank

Salmon

olive oil

fresh cracked pepper

dill

lemon juice

Soak cedar planks in water for 1-2 hours.  It is also an option to soak them in wine or cider.  Rub salmon with olive oil and cracked pepper.  Top with dill.  I used fresh dill chopped up, but dried dill works fine.  Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Light grill to medium (350 degrees).  Put cedar planks on grill.  Set salmon on cedar planks, skin side down.  Close the grill and leave for 12-15 minutes or until it is pink all the way through and flakes when you poke it with a fork.

Use a thin spatula to remove the salmon from the cedar plank.  The skin will stay stuck to the wood and the salmon should separate from it easily.  Throw away the used planks.  We served our salmon with a spniach salad and wild rice.

Banana Bread

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one large or two medium loaf pans.  Set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  Set aside.
In a medium bowl combine beaten eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened.  Batter should be lumpy.  Fold in nuts if using.  Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes for one large pan, or 40-45 minutes for two pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  If the top starts to brown too fast but the middle is not done, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Schweaty Balls by Rylee

1 18 ounce package oreos, any variety (Rylee chose mint)
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
6 ounces white chocolate bark

Blend oreos in a food processor.  Mix cream cheese and oreo crumbs with hands - this is Rylee's favorite part!  At this point you can refrigerate 15 minutes to make the dough easier to handle (we didn't).  Roll the dough into small balls and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet.  Refrigerate 15 minutes.  Melt chocolate bark in microwave (start with 1 1/2 minutes then stir and zap for 15 second intervals until melted.  Dip balls into the white chocolate and place back on wax paper.  You can sprinkle with sprinkles (I like to do red and green at Christmas time) or drizzle with chocolate.  Allow to harden for about 30 minutes. 

Rylee says, "Yummy!"

Mango Basil Salsa

A delicious summertime topping for a grilled meal.  I could eat it by itself!  The flavors blend together so perfectly.

1 mango, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Stir all together.  We used this as a topping for our grilled pork.

Orange Creamsicle Fruit Dip

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (3.4 ounce) small package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (6 ounce) container of frozen (concentrated) orange juice, slightly thawed
Fruit for dipping such as strawberries, apples, grapes, pineapple, blueberries

Mix the whipped topping, vanilla pudding mix, and orange juice together until well combined.  If needed add a little water to make it the desired consistency.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When I tasted it right away it was grainy from the vanilla pudding mix, but by the time we served it a few hours later it was completely smooth.

BETTER Baked Crab Rangoon

1 can (6 ounces) crabmeat, drained, flaked
4 ounces (1/2 of package) cream cheese, softened
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
12 won ton wrappers

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix crab, cream cheese, onions, and mayo.  Place 1 won ton wrapper in each of 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray, extending edges of wrappers over sides of cups.  We used two wrappers per cup, overlapping.  Fill with crab mixture.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until edges of cups are golden brown and filling is heated through.

You can find the won ton wrappers in the refrigerated produce section.

Corn Dip

A big hit at any tailgate, watch party, lake trip, and especially late-night-home-from-the-bars snacking.

2 cans Mexicorn, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 can diced green chiles
10 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
diced jalapenos to taste (optional)

Combine all ingredients and stir together.  Serve with Frito's scoops or tortilla chips.

Kayla and Rylee's Mini Hamburger Cookies

I found these delectable cookies on my favorite cookie blog, The Girl Who Ate Everything.  I thought they would be so fun for the girls to make!  Even young kids can assemble them because there is no baking required.  It turns out they are not only adorable, but very tasty, too!  They are fun for the summertime (maybe July 4th?) since it is grilling season and they look just like little burgers.

Vanilla wafer cookies
Grasshopper fudge cookies
1 cup shredded coconut
Green food coloring
Tube of red Betty Crocker decorator frosting
Tube of yellow Betty Crocker decorator frosting

Place coconut in a Ziploc bag and add 3-5 drops green food coloring.  Shake the bag until the coconut is a universal green color.

Lay out as many vanilla wafers as you have grasshopper cookies upside down on a cookie sheet.  These are the buns.  Place a small dot of frosting on the bun and then place your grasshopper cookie on top of each one to look like a hamburger patty.

Make a circle of red frosting on top of the grasshopper cookie to look like ketchup.  Then add the yellow frosting for mustard.  You have to use the actual Betty Crocker decorator frosting rather than dying your own (unless you have the professional cake decorating die that is very bright) so that you get the true red and yellow colors so it looks like ketchup and mustard.  Regular food coloring will make it a light, pastel color.  We only used red when we made them since the girls like ketchup better than mustard (and the tubes are kind of pricey). 

Top each one with green coconut (lettuce of course)!  Finish by placing another vanilla wafer on top for the top burger bun.  Cute and delicious!

White Chocolate Popcorn

The girls and I are making this today, and I'm going to take some home for the Batman marathon that Derrick, Michelle, and I are having tonight to prepare for Dark Knight Rises!

2 bags microwave popcorn
2 cups M&Ms
sprinkles (optional)
1 package almond bark
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Microwave popcorn and pick out unpopped kernels.  Put in a large bowl.  Melt almond bark and pour over popcorn.  Toss to coat. 

 

Add 2 cups of M&Ms and toss some more.  Spread on wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle the sprinkles over the popcorn (optional). 

Melt the chocolate chips and drizzle over popcorn.  Let cool then eat or store in Ziploc bags or an airtight container.  You can also add your favorite candy like toffee bits or candy canes at Christmas.

Death By Oreo Cupcakes by Kayla and Rylee

 
• 1 package of oreos
• 1 package chocolate cake mix (and ingredients according to directions on box)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick of butter, room temperature
• 3 3/4 cups powdered suger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cake mix according to directions on the box. Do not bake. Line cupcake tin with liners (depending on cake mix, should make 24 cupcakes). Place an oreo in bottom of each liner. Take half of remaining cookies and chop coarsely and add to the cake mix. Fill the cupcake tins. Bake 15 minutes or according to the directions on the cake mix box.  



Frosting

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla then add powdered suger slowly until well blended. Chop remaining oreos very fine (or food process). Add finely chopped oreos to frosting. After cupcakes are cooled, frost. Then enjoy!

Rylee's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownie layer:
brownie mix and oil and eggs required on box
chocolate/peanut butter chips

Cookie dough layer (egg free!):
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Prepare the brownies according to the box, adding about 1/2 cup chocolate or peanut butter chips (we used a mix of both!)  Let cool.

Prepare the cookie dough: In a medium bowl blend the butter and both sugars with an electric mixer.  Mix in the milk and vanilla.  Mix in flour until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread cookie dough over the cooled brownies.  Refrigerate until firm.  The firmer they are, the easier they are to cut.  They are least messy eaten with a fork!

Rylee says they are delicious and easier to make than she thought.  She sent some home with me and Derrick agreed that they are amazing!

Mother's Day Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

Happy Mother's Day!

Derrick and I were lucky enough to spend Mother's Day with both moms!  We went to church with my family, then headed home to pop this french toast in the oven in time for Derrick's family to arrive.  My dad brought momosas and I also made some scrambled eggs and fruit salad.  This casserole is to be made the night before and then refrigerated overnight.  Then all you have to do is bake it the next morning!  It worked out fine although we had tickets to Jersey Boys, the musical, the night before and were preparing this around midnight!  It would be great for a Christmas or Easter family breakfast when you don't want to spend a lot of time cooking in the morning.  It was very good drizzled with blueberry syrup or regular syrup. 



12 slices bread (French bread is best - we used the whole loaf)
2 packages 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
12 large eggs
1 to 2 cups milk (add a little at a time until milk is absorbed by the bread)
1/3 cup maple syrup
Blueberry syrup
Spray 9x13 pan with Pam.  Cut bread into cubes and arrange in the bottom of the pan.
Cut up cream cheese into 1 inch cubes.  Drop the cream cheese cubes over the top of the bread.  Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the top.
In a mixing bowl, combine 12 eggs, milk, and 1/3 cup maple syrup.  Pour this mixture, a little at a time utnil the bread soaks up the milk.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Pace covered casserole in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Then uncover and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and the center is set.
Serve with Blueberry syrup or regular syrup.

Kayla and Rylee's Oatmeal Banana Smoothie

An entry from Kayla:
We made this recipe for breakfast with Diane who is nannying us over the summer and we got this idea off of pintrest on my mom's board.

2 whole bananas (best with brown spots on the peel)
2 cups of ice
1/3 cup of yogurt preferably Greek yogurt flavored with honey or strawberry banana yogurt
1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal
1/3 cup almonds
we added a tbsp of honey to make it sweet
we also added a spoonful of peanut butter

Blend in a blender on high until smooth and if you have frozen bananas put 1 cup of ice in. /you also might have trouble blending it so stir it every so often and you might want to add a splash of milk.