The Peppered Pantry

Toffee Chip Shortbread Cookies

2011-09-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

The dark brown sugar is what makes these cookies so delicious!

They are crisp and crunchy and go great with a steaming cup of coffee or tea.

Also these seem like Fall cookies...don't ya think;)

Welcome to another Cookie Friday!

*recipe from Betty Crocker Cookies and Bars book*

Ingredients:

room temp. butter

my change-up: dark brown sugar

throw 'em together

beat well...

like so:)

add 2 c. flour and 1 c. toffee chips

mix slightly

scoop and drop

flatten with a glass dipped in sugar

bake @ 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

for a little something extra dip in melted milk chocolate

MmmmmmYUM!!!

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Freezer Peaches

2011-09-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

This year we got a box of Yakima's Princess peaches and we decided to try freezing them the way Michelle's dad had last year.

So thanks to Michelle's dad and Google;)

Some of the best peaches ever!!

Cut 'em in half and pit 'em..

slice..

throw 'em in 1 can of orange juice concentrate-thawed

you can add a bit of water if you want

but the peaches were pretty juicy on their own.

make sure to toss well to coat all with the OJ

we put about 5 cups per freezer bag

These are what we used to make our Peach Streusel Coffee Cake-Yummmmy!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Peach Streusel Coffee Cake

2011-09-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Doesn't the name alone just want to make

you grab a cup of coffee, a fork and dig in??

This coffee cake is so moist and delicious....

beware once you pick up the fork it will be hard to put it down!

This recipe was adapted from the Chronicles of Windy Ridge's

Apple Coffee cake... check it out!!

Very delish!!

Cream shortening and butter until light and fluffy...

Throw in a couple of eggs and vanilla; beat.

In another bowl, mix your dry ingredients:

flour

baking powder

baking soda

salt

Add dry ingredients and sour cream to mixture...

Add your peaches...

Don't skimp on the peaches!!! We used frozen peaches

and we were wishing we had added more!

Stir it all in!

Pour into greased pan.

For the topping: brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.

Sprinkle the top with the topping and walnuts or pecans...

ready for the oven!

Decadent!!!

The recipe says to cool completely... if you can wait; do it!!!

Printable Recipe

Chocolate-Marshmallow Pillows

2011-09-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

It's Cookie Friday!!

Yeah! :)

Chewy, Chocolaty, nutty goodness!

And Kinda dangerous to have sitting around the house!!

Start with a Betty Crocker double chocolate chunk

cookie mix and add oil, water, egg and pecans.

Drop onto cookie sheet and bake for 7 minutes....

Remove from oven and top each cookie with 1/2 of

a large marshmallow.

Return to oven for 1-2 minutes.

For the frosting...

in a saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat.

Remove from heat;

add whipping cream, butter and vanilla.

Blend well.

Stir in powdered sugar until smooth.

Spread frosting over each cooled cookie,

covering the marshmallow!

Yum... :)

And Dig In!!!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker

Cranberry-Orange Scones

2011-09-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

These scones are to die for scrumptious!!!

The original recipe is the Maple Pecan Scones from The Pioneer Woman cookbook.

I decided to change them up a bit by adding craisins and orange zest with a little white chocolate icing to top them off.

First we zest these little clementine oranges then

squeeze the the juice out.

smells soooo good!!

Cut cold butter into flour mixture until resembles crumbs

then add craisins and zest, egg and cream.

Stir until just combined then turn onto a floured board and form ball.

Roll and slice like a pizza.

Like so:)

Place on baking sheet and bake @ 350 degrees for 22 mins.

Cool completely before icing.

*Icing recipe will be included in the printable*

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Fresh Raspberry Crisp

2011-08-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year!!!

All the fresh fruits and veggies are ripe for the pickin'!

The kiddos and I have been out picking raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries and my freezer is packed to prove it;)

I also love, love crisps-this one is soooo easy and super flavorful.

Recipe rundown:

*recipe from Cooks.com*

raspberries

sugar

butter

flour

brown sugar

oats

pecans

Get yourself some fresh picked raspberries

sprinkle with sugar

mix up crumb topping:

butter, brown sugar, oats and pecans

sprinkle topping over raspberries

Top with whipped cream and savor the fruits of Summer!!

I don't know about anyone else but I'm hanging on to Summer with everything I've got-even though the kiddos go back to school today....ugh sooooo not ready for school to start!!

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Italian Chicken Panini

2011-08-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

I just love a good sandwich and a panini is a great way to go!

Very easy to throw together....

with lots of fresh flavors!

Oven roasted chicken = deli chicken... all the work is

done for you! (Love that!)

Ingredient List:

bread

pesto

mayo

oven roasted chicken

deli smoked ham

mozzarella cheese

roasted red pepper

butter

Spread one side of bread with mayo and the other with pesto....

layer meats, cheese and peppers.

Throw on panini maker for a few minutes.....

Once cheese is melted and bread is toasted....

you are ready to dig in!

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe adapted from Cooking with Sugar blog

Mini Blackberry Cobblers

2011-08-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Yummmm....

With all the fresh fruit in season, this is a great way to throw together

and quick and nummy dessert!

We got these blackberries from a local farmers market...

so fresh and juicy!

I just love the look of "mini" desserts!

Grease your ramekin and layer up the berries.

Sprinkle fruit with any juices from the fruit, sugar and cornstarch.

(If you don't have any juice from the berry, add a little lemon juice.)

Mix until all incorporated!

Dot each ramekin with butter...

In a medium bowl, combine sugar cookie mix, butter

vanilla or almond extract and 1 egg....

Use your hands to make a small ball of dough and

place in ramekin. Press dough down until most of

the top is covered.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes...

let cool slightly.

Top with ice cream!!

Enjoy your quick and cute mini dessert!

Printable Recipe

Caribbean Lime Coolers

2011-08-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

These cookies are a bite of freshness!

Sweet and tangy.

I found this recipe on the Betty Crocker site and have been wanting to make them for quite a while now.

The only change I made was to add white chocolate chips-every now and again you get a white chip in your bite-YUM I also toasted the coconut, I think it's really the only way to eat coconut;)

Ingredient list:

Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix

toasted coconut

zest and juice of 1 lime

butter

1 egg

white chocolate chips

powdered sugar

I love how quick these cookies mixed up and were baked and ready to eat!

That's what I love about a mix-quick and super easy!

Zest adds so much flavor and it's always nice to add a little color;)

Ever tried cracking an egg and taking a picture at the same time???

Me neither I cracked it first then tried to keep it in one side of the shell and click;)

Just so ya know!

I used 1/2 a bag but you could use the whole thing or less if you like.

the recipe calls for 3 T. but I just squeezed the whole thing in there-worked out fine:)

stir and drop...

the dough was a little soft but worked out for some soft and yummy cookies

Bake for 9 to 13 minutes.

I baked mine for 9 minutes exactly.

Dust with a little powdered sugar.

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Gourmet S'mores!!

2011-08-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Oh boy!!

Are these ever yummy!!!

Ok so s'mores are gooey, crunchy and just delish but I wondered is there something we could do to make it a bit different or as my friend Sonya says-exciting!?!

Not that there is anything wrong with the original in any way, shape or form!!

Why not throw a chunk of brownie on in place of the chocolate bar?!

We needed something else though something that would be melty like the chocolate bar and these Ghirardelli white chocolate squares were perfect!:)

So brownie and white chocolate are the secret ingredients...or not so secret!

Here's what you need:

graham crackers

toasted marshmallows

white chocolate squares

brownies

bake up your favorite brownie recipe

or use a box mix like I did;)

start stackin'!

graham cracker, brownie then white chocolate square-don't forget the most important part-the toasted marshmallow, top with graham cracker.

Get ready-it's over the top!!

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Sonic's Strawberry Limeade

2011-08-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

With Summer's end around the corner (soooo sad!!),

here is another great fruity drink to give a try!

This is a copycat recipe of Sonic's Strawberry Limeade.

Start by making a simple syrup: bring water and

sugar to a boil over medium heat.

Add key lime juice and set aside to cool.

In a serving pitcher, add strawberry juice and

lime syrup. Add club soda (next time, I would def go for

7-up or Sprite over the club soda!) and strawberries!

Serve over ice if desired.

Pair with your favorite Summer dish and drink up!

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe adapted from Cooking with K blog

Hazelnut Toffee Chip Cookies

2011-08-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

This is a Giada De Larurentiis recipe that I've had waiting to be made for quite some time.

I will definetly make them again and again-they were sooo good!

A little bit crispy on the edges and soft in the center-perfect!!

Recipe rundown:

old fashioned oats-finely chopped in food processor

transfer oats to medium bowl and add the above ingredients

room temperature butter-lots of it!

in another bowl cream butter and sugars, slowly add eggs and vanilla

toast, husk and chop hazelnuts

stir until just blended

stir these in...

scoop and bake

Another delicious cookie for another Cookie Friday!

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Chicken-Pesto Burgers

2011-08-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Best chicken burger ever!!!

I've made this several times trying to get exactly the right flavor combo I wanted.

As ya'all may have notice I love chicken, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes:)

So I figured with these ingredients you can't really go wrong anyway and every time I made it I loved it more!

Ingredients:

listed above

season with these

mix everything except artichoke

make into patties and freeze for about 30 minutes or until firm-for easier grilling.

this stuff is a must-tastes awesome and if your burger is a little dry, as chicken tends to be, it will add just the right amount of moistness:)

throw 'em on the grill!

Yum, Yum, Yummmy!

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Baltimore Beef Bad Boy

2011-08-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Another great sandwich from Guy Fieri!!!

Pretty simple to throw together....

beef top round, marinated in sea salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder,

dried oregano, paprika and chili powder.

Try to marinade for at 24-48 hours for the best flavor!

Top you rye bread with the meat, a horseradish, sour cream,

mayo mixture and lots of onions!!

It also would have been a lot better if we had a meat slicer, the

thiner the meat, the better!

I would also consider toasting the bread first...

the sauce did soak into the bread and make it a little saucy!

(Just a couple tips to throw at you!! :))

Another view...

look at all the meat and onions!!!

Yum!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe from Food Network Magazine June 2011/Guy Fieri

Rhubarb Cream Delight

2011-08-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

This is like a rhubarb cheesecake-super, super yummy!!

Cool and creamy, perfect for a summer BBQ.

I have no idea where this recipe is from I found it in my sisters recipe book one day that was lying open on the counter. The recipe was written with my own hand writing!!

So I figured I better make it and see if I remembered making before-pretty sure I haven't!

Let get to it!

There are many layers but don't let that stop you they are all quick and easy!

First off mix together crust ingredients

It's kinda crumbly....

like so..

but it comes together nicely

Set aside and start on next layer

Cut up fresh rhubarb.

Mix that with sugar and flour and pour into crust.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Next is the cream layer:

cream cheese, sugar and eggs

Bake again for 30 minutes and top with the sour cream, sugar and vanilla mixture.

Chill....then...

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Camping Cookies

2011-07-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

I am not sure what these cookies are actually called but they became "camping" cookies because I make them almost every time we go camping.

"Are you making the camping cookies???"

"Are we going camping? then of course I'm making them!!"

Every time!!!

These are not just your run of the mill chocolate chip cookies they are super, super yummy!!

And just so you know I don't really even like chocolate chip cookies-that's how good these cookies are!

Cinnamon is the secret ingredient and I usually add just a tiny bit extra because I like the spicy, warm flavor it gives. I also like to add pecans if I can get by with it!

Now let me tell you what up with 'em:

basic-butter{2-1/4 c.!!!} sugar and brown sugar-beat until fluffy

that's alot of butter!;)

flour, baking soda and salt

and oats to add at the end with the chips

3 eggs and some vanilla

this recipe makes a ton of cookies-perfect for freezing or company:)

We made S'mores with 'em!

DELISH!!

at this point you would add in the oats and cinnamon

6 cups of chocolate chips!!

I thought that was too many but the hubs thought maybe just a bit more would have been nice-but his favorite cookie is chocolate chip...

guess we don't have that in common;)

I decided I didn't want to be scooping cookies forever so I used the large scoop but you do whatever ya want;)

Perfection!!

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!!!

Printable Recipe

Blueberry-Sausage Strata

2011-07-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Blueberry season is almost here-Yay!!

I love, love blueberries and I'm really hoping to get out and pick some to freeze and some for yummy desserts and of course for this strata!

So with that being said here is an awesome and healthy recipe to use 'em up:)

This is another recipe from the Weight Watchers Magazine.

A little forewarning-this is an overnighter;)

Recipe Rundown:

sweet Italian turkey or chicken sausage

leeks

fresh thyme

blueberries

whole wheat crusty bread

milk

egg substitute-or egg whites

kosher salt

black pepper

Cook the sausage and leeks together.

I had to leave my leeks big enough to take out-don't want the kids freaking out!

Blueberries!!!

I used frozen they worked great!

Cut the bread into chunks.

add some of the berries to the sausage

Place half of the bread in the baking dish and top with sausage mixture, then eggs and top with remaining bread, pressing into egg mixture to moisten.

Cover and refrigerate over night or at least 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake for 60 to 65 minutes.

Serve with remaining blueberries and a drizzle of syrup.

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Chocolate Mint Pie

2011-07-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Cool, refreshing minty chocolate dessert.....

very easy to whip up too!

Ingredients:

Oreos

butter

milk

marshmallows

mint extract

whipping cream

chocolate pudding

I tried to come up with something different for my husband's birthday

and he loves chocolate and mint!

Melt butter into small saucepan.... add Oreo crumbs.

Reserve about 1/4 to 1/2 cup for the top and set aside;

press the rest of the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.

Be sure to press up the sides as well!

Place in fridge to chill.

In a medium sauce pan, heat milk....

add large marshmallows.

Continue stirring until all the marshmallows are melted.

Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.

Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form.

Once marshmallow mixture has cooled,

add mint extract.

Fold in the whipped cream and prepared chocolate pudding.

Top with reserved Oreo crumbs and chill.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Tangy Chocolate-Orange Pinwheel Cookies

2011-07-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Cookie Friday returns!!

Last week was crazy with all of us going to VBS so there was no cookie last week:(

These cookies were made by my friend Sonya from my cookies to make stack!

She nicely brought them over for me to take pictures of and of course taste-she is such a nice friend hey!

These cookies were really good I did think that the orange needed a bit more orange flavor.

The orange is flavored with Tang-throwback to childhood!!!

Loved that stuff:)

Here is the ingredient list:

powdered sugar

butter

egg

flour

salt

baking cocoa

orange flavored beverage crystals

Sonya suggested that you not bake them for the full 8 minutes because they burn very easy-so in the printable I put the time at 4 to 6 minutes.

Enjoy your weekend!!!

Printable Recipe

French Vanilla Toffee Cake

2011-07-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I'm the last one to notice all the different flavors of cake mixes but when I saw the French Vanilla one I had to get it.

I thought it would be super delish if I added some toffee bits to the whole thing..

and it was suuuuuper yummy!

Ingredients:

French vanilla cake mix-according to box directions

toffee bits

buttercream frosting

I say you can't go wrong if you add a little toffee...

I used my basic buttercream frosting recipe and topped that with toffee bits.

Layered it up...

frosted and ready to eat!

Super yummy-delish!:)

Enjoy!!

Marshmallow Creme Fruit Dip

2011-07-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

This dip is perfect for a hot summer day and it's super easy!!

Three ingredients-how's that for easy-peasy?!?!!

Ingredient list:

marshmallow creme

cream cheese

orange zest

That's it!!!

Super easy and super yummy with your favorite fruits!:)

*recipe from Shelly;)*

ENJOY!!!

Printable Recipe

Another take on the hotdog!

2011-07-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Now that Summer is in full swing.... grillin' is also in full swing!

I have a serious love for hotdogs on the grill!!!

The Food Network Magazine (June 2011) had a great layout with

World-Class Hotdogs .... we decided to give them

a try (I think some people were getting sick of the plain dogs!!)!

We chose their American Dog...

Hotdog,

BBQ Sauce,

Pulled Pork....

topped with some coleslaw!

Serve with a side of Marinated Mediterranean Salad

and a yummy Strawberry drink (recipe coming soon!).

White Chocolate Cranberry No-Bakes

2011-07-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

These cookies are 'da bomb!!!

Trust me I don't normally go around saying " 'da bomb"....

so yeah-what I'm saying is that can't go wrong with white chocolate+macadamia nuts+cranberries=perfection!!!!

Michelle and I came up with these last night after I realized I ran out of cookies to post-and if I do say so myself-they are GENIUS!!!!

Look at that big 'ol macadamia nut in that one!!

YUM:)

Welcome to Cookie Friday:)

Ingredient list:

sugar

butter

milk

oats

vanilla

white chocolate

macadamia nuts

cranberries

chop white chocolate, nuts and cranberries

bring to a boil the sugar, butter and milk

then add...

the oats and vanilla

then chocolate, nuts and berries

scoop onto pan or foil

Next step-EAT!!:)

Careful..

they are extremely addicting!!!

Enjoy your weekend!:)

Printable Recipe

Ladybug Cake

2011-07-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

How cute is this cake!?!?!?!

Michelle and I made this for my daughter Khloe's 1st birthday last weekend.

Let me tell that one wasn't timed so nicely!!-lol

A birthday on the 1st and then getting ready for the 4th was kinda nuts!

We went through alot of Wilton's food dye to get the colors we needed.

I made 2 recipes of One Bowl Chocolate Cake III and used 3 8 inch round cake pans-for the body, and 2 4 inch round ramekins-for the head.

We went with cookies and cream filling-sooo yummy!

Couldn't resist putting this one on;)

The whole party was Ladybug themed-very fun and cute, if I do say so myself!!

Here's a shot of Khloe with her cake:)

This cake was so fun to see come together because of course we were just winging it-we didn't really research how to cut it or have a pattern to go by.

All in all it turned out like a ladybug!:)

Thanks for stopping by!!

Printable for Chocolate Cake

Printable for Fondant

Printable for Filling

Happy 4th of July!!

2011-07-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

Have a safe and fun holiday!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-07-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

At the top of this recipe in big letters and many exclamation points it says-

BLOG THIS!!!!

YUM!!!

So I thought now would be a good time to do so...:)

Has anybody else noticed that most of the cookies to make it to Cookie Friday

have something to do with peanut butter???

Hmmmmm...

Best part about these besides the peanut butter-is that they are another Weight Watchers

recipe!!!!

Better than that....2 points+!!!

Helllllo....right?!?!

First things first-how to pictures....

Mix the dry ingredients-flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda and salt.

Ummm-that's a 1/4 c. right?

It is in my world;)

This White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter is da-liiiish!!

Cream together...

like so..

Add vanilla and egg

Should look like this.

Throw in the chips-mini chocolate chips and Heath chips-YUM!

Roll into 36 balls..

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Pleeeeaaase do not over bake them!!!

They should be a little chewy-but yet slightly crispy on the edges;)

Sooooo good they can't be bad right?!?

I made them later with mini chocolate chips and toasted coconut just another option-super yummy one at that!:)

Enjoy and have a safe and wonderful 4th of July weekend!!!

Printable Recipe

Mexi Chicken Burgers

2011-06-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

These burgers are delicious and very flavorful-fresh cilantro, chipotle pepper, garlic and lime!

The filler is summer squash, polenta and red pepper.

A couple slices of tomato and some creamy avocado is the perfect topping for these burgers, all wrapped up in a corn tortilla.

You can add sour cream and a drizzle of salsa if you like a little sauce.

This recipe is another one from Weight Watchers Magazine-I'm loving trying out bunches of their recipes!

Grill and enjoy!!!

Have an awesome Wednesday!

Printable Recipe

Marinated Mediterranean Salad

2011-06-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Need something quick to throw together for that bbq...

or just something light and refreshing to eat?

This Mediterranean Salad will do it!

I love all of the bright colors and you can't beat the

mixture of flavors!

Tomatoes, fresh basil (yum!), onions, black olives and

Italian dressing!

Throw in some cooked pasta of your choice

and nice chunks of mozzarella cheese!

Put in the fridge to cool nicely... it will be worth the wait!!

Ready to devour!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe adapted from http://ronzonigardendelight.newworldpasta.com/pasta_recipes.cfm

Cookie Pizza

2011-06-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Cookie Friday!:)

Two things-IT'S FRIDAY and A COOKIE IN PIZZA FORM!!!

Need I say more...um..yeah I guess so.

My daughter was drawn to this recipe because of the candy-the original recipe

called for gumdrops.

I don't really keep those on hand..do you??

I did just happen to have jelly belly's.

Press out the cookie dough onto a 12 inch pizza pan

Bake for 10 mins.

This stuff is sooo yummy!!

These were the ingredients we put on the "adult" side;)

Bring it out of the oven and top...

Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes.

Drizzle with white chocolate.

Cut into wedges.

Ya know...like a pizza;)

Kids loved this stuff!!

Totally flew off the platter!

The "grown-up" version was pretty yummy too!

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Summer Squash Turkey Burger

2011-06-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

What better way to kick off Summer than with a burger!!!

Yay!!!! Summer is finally here!!!

At least the calendar says it is...;)

This burger is perfect with or with out a bun.

Sometimes when its hot it's kinda nice to just use a "lettuce" bun:)

Turkey has a tendency to be a little dry so I added summer squash, red onion, and parsley-it made these burgers moist and delicious!

I topped them off with a Pomi sauce I came up with to season it up even more!

The link above goes directly to their Facebook page.

You could also add some fresh chunks of avocado for a little bit of a creamy texture.

Try this one out-its yummy!

Be on the lookout here for lots more burgers for your next cookout:)

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

S'Mores Brownies

2011-06-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Another easy and simple delicious brownie to add to your

stack of "must makes"!!

This one is better the next day too!

Layers and layers of goodness....

Start by layering a foil-lined pan with graham crackers...

they will overlap a little.

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave....

add sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour.

Pour over layer of graham crackers.

Bake for about 30 minutes... do not overbake,

you want your brownie to be soft and chewy!

Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chunks...

bake for another 3-5 minutes;

until marshmallows are puffed up.

Remove from oven and place broken graham crackers

onto the melted marshmallow and chocolate mixture.

Press in slightly!

Cool completely.

Use foil edges to remove from pan....

carefully pull foil away from brownies.

Ready to cut up.....

and devour!

Another great way to enjoy S'Mores!!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe adapted from kraftfoods.com

Oatmeal-Craisin Cookies

2011-06-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a really flavorful and low-fat granola like cookie;

this one fits the bill!!

It's from the Weight Watchers getting started book, marked as an essential recipe.

These are some of the best Oatmeal cookies I've had so it's pretty awesome that they are only 2 points per cookie!! That's points plus;)

They are seriously addicting though so I'm not sure how that works out WW wise but oh well whatever!!

For the recipe rundown...

rolled oats

whole grain wheat flour

baking powder

salt

cinnamon

butter{!!!}

brown and white sugars

egg

vanilla

craisins

Mix dry ingredients in one bowl

sugars and butter in another

beat until fluffy

add in egg and vanilla

I think the thing that makes these soooo yummy is the cinnamon and the rolled oats!

The original recipe calls for raisins, but I love craisins!

They were the perfect addition.

Bake for 9 minutes for a chewy cookie

and 11 to 12 for a more crunchy cookie.

Enjoy!!

Thanks for stopping by on this Cookie Friday;)

Have a great weekend!

Printable Recipe

Fun-Fetti Grenade Cake Pops

2011-06-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

What a Blast these were to make!!

These were a figment of the hubby's imagination for our all boy-little man Kam's birthday.

Funfetti was the cake flavor of choice from the birthday boy:)

Is it weird to have a funfetti grenade?!?!

I think it sums up Kam very well!!

We decided to make a special white one for him.

Ingredient List:

funfetti cake mix

frosting

fondant

dipping chocolate

wooden sticks or dowels

First off we made these little caps for the top of the grenade.

We were kinda just winging it with the fondant parts;)

We then made curved levers

These little squares really made the white one look like a real grenade!

Had we had a bit more time we definetly would have made some for the colored ones as well.

Shape them into somewhat the shape you want them to be-although the caps and levers are very forgiving if your shape is off.

Dip the stick in the chocolate first then press into the pop.

Once we dipped the white one we added sprinkles.

add a small drop of the chocolate to the fondant square and place on the side of the grenade.

Voila!!

A "pretty" grenade!!

We didn't dip these ones, just kinda spread the chocolate on so they looked really rustic.

These were a ton of fun and were a hit among all the kids but especially the boys:)

Printable Frosting Recipe

Printable Recipe

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

2011-06-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a good fried cheesestick dipped in Marinara Sauce?!?!?!

Here is a little different take on how to make them at home

adapted from the Food Network Magazine.

Using a mozzarella cheese stick and an egg roll or spring roll wrapper

makes these cheese sticks simple to whip up!

Start by brushing one egg roll wrapper with an egg and milk wash.

Place cheese stick on wrapper in corner closest to you and start rolling....

Tuck in the ends and keep rolling!

Dip wrapper in the egg wash....

and then your bread crumb mixture.

(we double dipped ours for a little more crunch!)

Start stacking them up and move on to the next one!

Heat oil to 325° and fry cheese sticks.

Watch carefully so all the cheese doesn't ooze out!

Serve with Marinara/Pizza Sauce.

Grab one while they are hot... they will be gone soon!! :)

Printable Recipe

Fluffer-Nutter Dipped Cookies

2011-06-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

It's finally Friday!!!

Cookie Friday-even better:)

These are the perfect cookies for today...

Found them over at The Picky Palate-AMAZING blog right?!?!

I saw them and made them pretty much right away-the only thing I did different is I dipped them in chocolate.

Oh my were they delish and only 4 ingredients!!!

Crazy right??

Here's the 4-

1 egg

peanut butter

marshmallow cream

chocolate chips

Mix the peanut butter and egg together until well combined. Then slowly stir in the marshmallow cream.

Scoop onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool on pan for about 5 minutes.

Melt chocolate and dip cooled cookies and place on drying rack until chocolate is firm.

Dig in!!!

Make sure you check out The Picky Palate if you haven't already:)

Enjoy your weekend!!!

Printable Recipe

Crescent Cristo Sandwich Loaf

2011-06-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

I first saw this sandwich over at Taste and Tell blog and had to try it-we love the original Monte Cristo. This sandwich loaf did not disappoint-sooo good!! I made it for one of my family Sunday potlatch meals-total hit!!! We added extra meat and cheese to make it more of a meal. I love the sweet and salty combination of the ham and the raspberry jam.

Recipe rundown:

refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

butter

honey

smoked turkey slices

ham slices

Muenster cheese

red raspberry jam

start out by laying the rolls into 4 long rectangles, brush with butter and honey mixture, bake until golden brown.

about 9 mins

Cool 15 minutes.

Place one crust down on greased or foil covered pan; top with turkey and ham.

Place with 2nd crust.

Top with cheese, ham and turkey.

Repeat.

Place 3rd crust and top with jam-

both kinds of sandwich meats

Top with the final crust and brush top with the honey butter mixture.

If desired sprinkle with Sesame seeds.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Let stand 5 minutes.

Cut into 8 to 10 slices.

YUM!!

This is one of those sandwiches you do not want to miss out on!!!

Make it soon;)

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Wedding Cake

2011-06-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Our first wedding cake!!

Whew!

Another thing under our belt! :)

Holly and I spent a lot of time planning, practicing and preparing

for this one, because you only get one shot at getting it right.

And we all know the cake is one of the important focal points of any wedding:)

It was a lot of work but very exciting to see it all come together.

The cake is covered with homemade fondant and decorated with a floral

lace pattern.

Very elegant and simple wedding topper!

The bride requested chocolate cake with peanut butter filling.

What a smart girl!!!;)

Suuuuuper delish!!

We also made all of the flowers out

of the fondant!

We tried gum paste flowers but the fondant was way prettier

and more elegant!

Congratulations Nate and Carrie!!

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-06-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here's whats outrageous about these cookies-there's peanut butter, oats and chocolate chips in them!!! Yum-they scored 8 thumbs up-2 per kid;)

Welcome to another Cookie Friday!!!

Recipe rundown:

butter, sugar, peanut butter-I used chunky, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs

flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips.

beat slightly

now imagine there is a picture of chocolate chips falling into the bowl right here:)

I got a new cookie scoop-just for Cookie Friday!!!

scoop and drop about 2 inches apart onto ungreased sheet pan

Cool about a minutes on pan.

These cookies were a hit and will be making several appearances in our house!:)

We took them to the camp out last weekend-devoured in no time flat!

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Slow-Cooker Brisket Sandwiches

2011-05-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hope you are all enjoying your Holiday weekend!

This recipe isn't a great kick-off for grilling season but

it IS a great backup if you can't

do a grill-out!

Heat oil in a large skillet and brown your salt and peppered

brisket on all sides.

Add the garlic the last 2 minutes to brown!

Transfer meat to slow-cooker.

Pour beer into the skillet and simmer for 30 seconds, scraping up

all the nummy brown bits left behind.

Add the beer to the slow cooker.

Nestle celery around the meat.

Add brown sugar, tomato paste, vinegar, mustard, soy sauce, bay

leaves and paprika.

Stir, then cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours.

(I know, I know... I didn't give you much time to plan ahead to make this today!!)

Transfer meat to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Slice it up!

Serve on your favorite rolls... be sure to drizzle some

of the yummy sauce over the top of the meat!

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Fudge-Filled Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-05-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Today is a peanut butter and Nutella kind of day with a little extra chocolate thrown in for good measure:)

Happy Cookie Friday!!

Speaking of which-these sandwich cookies earned two thumbs up from all the kiddos!

But I suppose thats not too hard to imagine...

with the peanut butter/chocolate combo:)

Ingredient list:

peanut butter

shortening

sugar

brown sugar

beat until fluffy...

add in 1 egg, beat until smooth...

beat in flour, baking powder, and baking soda..

shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet

flatten by pressing with fork in criss cross pattern..

bake for 4 to 6 minutes

While cookies are cooling-and at this point if you're gonna taste one ya might as well have 2, they're sandwich cookies can't have a top with out a bottom;) -mix up the filling.

Put the chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for about a minute-then add the peanut butter and nutella-stirring until smooth.

Nice and smooth:-)

Cool to room temp.

Take a tablespoon and spread mixture onto bottom cookie and top with the other.

Mmmmm!

ENJOY!!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!!:)

Printable Recipe

Caribbean Lime Pork Chop with Mango-Lime BBQ Sauce

2011-05-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

These pork chops are simply DE-vine!!

So much flavor-so little work!

I had so many limes in my fridge and these chops in the freezer just waiting to get together:)

I worked on the flavor combo for quite a few days before I just started throwing the ingredients over the top of the pork. I was bouncing ideas of whoever would listen:)

I think this is a total winner and perfect for the Memorial Day weekend grill-out!

First off the marinade:

Juice and zest of 2 or 3 limes

Mrs. Dash Caribbean Citrus Spice blend

Cilantro

Marinade for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Throw 'em on the grill until cooked through.

Mango-Lime BBQ Sauce

Mangoes

Lime juice+zest

Favorite BBQ sauce

Caribbean Citrus spice-Mrs. Dash

salt and pepper

Mash mango and add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until thickened.

Top pork chops with sauce and serve.

Wasn't that super easy?!?

Deeelish!:)

Printable Recipe

Cheesy Mini Meatloaves

2011-05-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

These little meatloaves are cheesey, yummy and quick to throw together!

I make them alot during a busy week because I usually have everything I need on hand.

You could easily modify them too-using ground turkey instead of beef or throw in some fresh onion and parsley or even use a different kind of cheese.

Main ingredients:

ground beef, evaporated milk, 1 egg, cooking oats

Spices:

Salt, pepper, garlic salt, and Montreal steak seasoning.

Mix well.

Add in cheese-lots of cheese;)

Form into little loaves-make sure to make a little dent in the top for the sauce

Speaking of sauce...

Mix ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar in a small bowl.

Pour a dollop of sauce over each loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 mins.

Enjoy:)

Printable Recipe

Trail Mix Cookies in the Mini

2011-05-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Cookie Friday!!!

I'm gonna give it my best shot to post a new cookie recipe every Friday.

I'm always finding/collecting new and different cookie recipes so this is gonna help me get through that massive stack and keep the cookie jar full for all the little grabby hands around here!!

YUM!!!

Perfection in a cookie and a great starter for Cookie Friday! These have all the best stuff and are also known as Monster Cookies.

I decided to change it up a bit and go mini-mini M&M's, chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, butterscotch chips and toffee bits-all topped of with toasted coconut!

Besides the above mentioned ingredients we'll need-

flour, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, peanut butter, oatmeal, baking soda, and course Kosher salt.

Lovin' these mini peanut butter cups!

All the "goods"!

Roll into whatever size cookies needed.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Enjoy!!:)

Printable Recipe

Cuban Panini Pressed Sandwich

2011-05-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

A sandwich that really speaks for itself!

Gooey-cheesey deliciousness

Perfect for a Wednesday of wondering....

"What to make for suppa??"

Solution:

CUBAN PANINI!!

So good and so easy-recipe rundown:

yellow mustard

Portuguese bread-or Kaiser rolls

thin sliced ham

pork roast

dill pickles

Muenster or Swiss

Spread mustard on rolls/bread, then layer ham, pork roast, pickles and cheese.

Panini for 5 minutes.

Then dig in and as always-ENJOY!!!!

*recipe slightly adapted from Taste of Home*

Printable Recipe

Frozen Strawberry Cheesecake & CSN Review

2011-05-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

I know Summer is still about a month away but get ready cuz this dessert

is what Summer is all about!! Ice cream, strawberries with just a hint of lemon...

mmmmm!

A while back we got an invitation to do another CSN review (love them!! :))

and chose to get the cutest mini springform pans!

Aren't they the adorable? :)

They are great to make individual little desserts!

Your dessert comes out perfectly... you don't have to worry about whether

it will keep its shape or is it even going to come out?

Check out all the CSN stores for the mini springform pans

or anything else you might be looking for.

Back to the dessert.....

Inside of the the frozen cheesecake is chunks of cheesecake (It is

almost like a blizzard!!) so to start you can either purchase a store

bought cheesecake or make your own. I chose to make a White chocolate Cheesecake

adapted from Paula Deen. It is a great Cheesecake!! And

pretty simple to throw together.

Start by mixing your graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter.

Press into a 9-inch springform pan.

Note: We didn't end up using the whole cheesecake so you could

make a smaller one!

Bake for 8 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth....

Add eggs one and a time.

Next, add the best part... the melted white chocolate!

Pour into baked crust and bake for 45 minutes.

Let sit for about 8 hours on a cooling rack.

..... much later :)

Make another graham cracker crust and press into

your springform pan.

Cut cheesecake into bite size pieces.

Fold cheesecake chunks into ice cream that has been whipped along

with small chunks of strawberries.

Add the ice cream filling to the prepared pans....

Don't be shy.... fill 'er up!

Such cute little pans!

Cover with Reynolds wrap and place into freezer.

Make the topping by adding strawberries, lemon juice and sugar

to saucepan. Cook for 3-5 minutes and cool until ready to use.

Once the ice cream and re-frozen, remove from freezer and

springform pan.

I love how the shape is so perfect!

Add your strawberry topping.

Sit back and enjoy!

White Chocolate Cheesecake Printable Recipe

Frozen Cheesecake Printable Recipe

Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin with Orange Glaze

2011-05-11T05:06:00.000-07:00

This one is a bit time consuming but totally worth it!!!

Plan ahead there is a 2 hour "marinade" time-sweet and spicy rub mixture needs a little time to work its magic;)

Tenderloin is so yummy and is especially so with the sweet and spicy rub!

Here is what you'll need for that yummy rub...

hot Mexican-style chili powder

garlic powder

dried oregano

cinnamon

Mix up ahead of time and get to work on the tenderloin-

slice them 3/4 of the way through and open like a book-pound flat.

Rub all sides with the spice mixture and refrigerate.

Meanwhile make a glaze:

orange juice

brown sugar

onion

Worcestershire sauce

mustard

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 mins. until mixture has reduced down to 2/3 c.

Cool completely.

Preheat grill and throw on tenderloins, flip after 3 to 4 mins and baste with the glaze.

Repeat with other side.

Use all the glaze its delish!!

This recipe is from Weight Watcher Magazine.

Super yummy and perfect for grilling season-which I hear is all year round!!!

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Cheese Fondue

2011-05-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

Do you have a special occasion coming up? Or just want to

do something different for dinner? Fondue

is a great way to go! I also hear that it is fun for the kidd-o's

as well. There is just something about fondue.... and it is so nummy too!

The ingredients are:

garlic clove

white wine

gouda cheese

mozzarella cheese(or you can just use gouda!)

cornstarch

black pepper

nutmeg

Baguette or any kind of bread is always delish with gouda! We just

used a french bread...

apples and broccoli!

Salami would have went great with this as well!

All set and ready to go!

Printable Recipe

**Recipe adapted from FoodNetwork.com and Wolfgang Puck

Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Recipe

2011-05-05T10:52:00.001-07:00

I have never made/attempted a plain cheesecake in a springform pan before so when I had to make a strawberry cheesecake for my SIL for her birthday I knew that I wanted to make one in a spring foam pan!! So I found a Cheesecake Factory cheesecake recipe all over the internet and figured I would give it a shot!!! The crust alone sounded different then the typical crust with all the different nuts and no graham crackers!! Someday I would love to go to the Cheesecake Factory and have a real sample besides the samples I get at Starbucks but until then this recipe will do in the mean time!!! This recipe will not let you down…if you are a cheesecake lover then you must try this recipe!!!!
For the crust pulse together the pecans,walnuts,almonds, and the vanilla wafers…then mix in melted butter.

Press into a 9 inch buttered springform pan, trying to line the sides as much as possible about 1 1/2" up the sides of the pan, set aside.

*Make sure all of your cheesecake ingredients are at room temperature!!!
{I totally forgot to get any pictures of the mixing of the cheesecake part…sorry}
You will beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy on low {always keep this setting} Add sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy. Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg. Add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, mix well. Add the sour cream and beat well. Pour cream cheese mixture into the springform pan.Place on the top rack in the middle of a 325 degree F preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.

When time is up turn oven off, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool then refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remember this important tip : A cheesecake should season. The wait is worth it. The flavor ripens and becomes enriched.
Serve it with a drizzle of strawberry sauce and you are all set!!!!

Enjoy because it is delish!!!!
{If anyone is interested in the strawberry sauce let us know!!!}
Printable Recipe

Carne Asada Tacos

2011-05-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Posting these pics is making my mouth water!!!

Good sign, right?

Warning: this is another one of those meals that you need

to start the night before!!!

But it is pretty simple and very tasty!!!

The night before, take a beef chuck roast and place it

in a glass baking dish. In a small bowl add the following

ingredients for the marinade:

lime juice

vegetable oil

chopped onion

minced garlic

salt

pepper

Cover and marinade overnight... be sure to turn several times!

The next day....

to a crockpot add vegetable stock, can of diced tomatoes, chipotle peppers, yellow

onion, garlic cloves, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Remove meat from marinade and add to crockpot.

Cook for 4-5 hours or until fork tender.

After the meat has cooked, start frying the tortillas.

Place corn tortillas in a large saucepan with a small amount

of oil and fry for about 1 minute each side.

Place on a paper towel lined place to drain extra grease.

You are ready to assemble....

this is the way I like them but you can add whatever you like

or leave off what you don't! :)

Take your warm tortilla, top with meat, squeeze lime juice over the

meat for extra nummy flavor... top with salsa, cilantro (lots of cilantro!!!)

and Quesco Fresco.

Serve with a side of chips and salsa and you are all set!

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Butterflied Cuban Style Pork Chops

2011-04-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's coming people, it's coming-grilling season!!!

I for one can not wait:)

This recipe is perfect for the grill or for the broiler-

there are a few steps but totally worth the work:)

This one is courtesy of Bobby Flay and Food Network.

Ingredient list:

for marinade-

oranges and limes+ juice

oregano

garlic

cumin

canola oil

pork chops

salt and pepper

swiss cheese

ham

pickles

cilantro

olive oil

First make the marinade for the pork chops to soak for at least 15 mins or up to

2 hours.

Combine 1 6 ingredients for marinade

Slice open the chops

place chops into the marinade

pickles, Swiss cheese and ham

Open the chop and lay on the Swiss,

then ham,

then pickles and more Swiss.

Then grill or broil.

Delish!!!

Next time I will use boneless chops-other than that yum!!:)

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Foccacia Bread

2011-04-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

This bread is sooooo delicious and-the best part-easy!!!

Remember those Italian Chicken Sandwiches from a couple months ago?

This is the bread from those yummy, yummy sandwiches:)

It's a really quick bread to make only takes an hour from start to finish!!

*recipe from allrecipes.com*

Here is what you'll need:

Honey, warm water, yeast-let it set for 5 mins.

Stir in salt, olive oil, and chopped onion.

Start adding in flour...

Until the dough comes together-then knead until smooth and elastic.

Lightly oil a large bowl and place dough in turning once to completely coat.

Cover with a damp cloth and let rise 20 mins.

Preheat oven to 415 degrees.

Place dough onto an oiled baking sheet, flatten and use fingertips to make indentations.

Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with rosemary, Parmesan cheese and end with a sprinkle of Kosher salt.

Let rise for 10 mins.

Bake for 20 mins or...

until golden brown.

Go ahead grab a slice;)

ENJOY!!!

Printable Recipe

Butterfinger Caramel Brownies

2011-04-18T04:02:00.000-07:00

Gooey Goodness..... that is the best way to describe these

brownies!! The brownie is gooey to start and then the added caramel

just takes the brownies to a whole new level!

Just a few ingredients too!

Got to love that! :)

Mix the brownies according the package directions.

In a food processor, add about 2 to 2 1/2 candy bars.

Pulse until crushed!

Add the candy bars to the brownie mixture.

Pour into a greased 9x13-inch pan.

Drizzle with the caramel topping.....

Using a butter knife, slice thru the caramel going the opposite

direction to get the love spread into every bite!

(Thanks Mom for this idea! :))

Bake the brownies according to the box.

Let cool.

Place remaining candy bars in a zip lock bag....

and crush!!

(I didn't use the food processor for these ones as I

wanted bigger chunks!)

Mix powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and milk

for the icing.

It should be drizzling consistency!

Drizzle icing over brownies....

Spread evenly!

Sprinkle with your chunks of butterfingers!

You may have to press the butterfinger chunks down a little

to make sure they don't stick!

Cool again!

Cut and Enjoy!

Mmmm... just need a big glass a milk with this plate!

Printable Recipe

Double Stuffed Cupcakes

2011-04-13T07:53:00.000-07:00

Double deliciousness!!:)

These cupcakes are stuffed with an Oreo cookie and a cheesecake filling-

over the top yummy!;)

The way I would describe the cupcake would be layers of Oreo goodness all wrapped up in a scrumptious cupcake package!!!

Try it-you'll see;)

Here's the rundown~a little virtual tour:

fill liner 1/4 the way with cake batter

top that with an Oreo

top it off with more batter

Bake at 350 degrees for 17 to 20 mins.

Cool.

Fill with cheesecake filling.

Frost with Buttercream Frosting.

Then feel free to enjoy;)

Printable Recipe

Printable Recipe-{frosting}

Crockpot Chicken Burritos

2011-04-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love the days when you can throw everything in

the crockpot and when dinner time comes around you are all set??

Yes?? Me too!! Here is a good one for you then and

nummy too!

Throw some thawed chicken breast in crockpot.....

Sprinkle with seasoning. Have you tried this one yet?

Love the lime in it! Or use whatever seasoning you have on hand!

Add black beans and/or pinto beans. (I used can but in the end had

a lot of extra sauce so next time I will either drain the beans completely

or use dried beans so they can soak up all the goodness!)

Let cook for about 5 hours on high or until the chicken is cooked through.

Once chicken is cooked, remove chicken breasts from sauce

and shred with fork. They should just fall apart!

Return chicken to crockpot.....

Mix together and let reheat and you are ready to

start assembling the burritos.

Put a fair amount of chicken and bean mixture down

the middle of the tortilla.

Top with rice.

We used Cilantro Lime Rice from the Sisters Cafe Blog....

goes great with the burritos!

Start by folding one side of the burrito over and

tucking under the chicken and rice.....

Fold in the ends......

Roll the burrito and tuck in the ends.

(I still need a little practice!! :)

Mmmm... look at the layers!

Served with chips and our favorite Homemade Salsa!

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling

2011-04-06T00:51:00.000-07:00

These were for my niece's birthday party.

Her mom asked me if I could do some jumbo sized cupcakes that had to be yellow to go with her adorable vintage pumpkin theme-you'all got to check out this post-way to cute!!

So I decided on lemon since she already had the raspberry she wanted them filled with:)

The above picture is from the party and courtesy of Stephanie at

The Whispering Creek House

I'm told they were a hit:)

Recipe rundown:

white cake mix

fresh squeezed lemon juice

raspberry filling or jam

1 recipe butter cream frosting

pearl sprinkles

{recipe available in the printable}

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

BBQ Pork Panini

2011-04-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

Let me start by telling you up front... you need to plan ahead

to make this delicious panini!!! One of the first things

we learned in Home-Economics in middle school was to read the recipe

completely through before even starting but it is the one

thing I forget to do!

This panini is a Neely's recipe from Food Network and is a awesome

one with all the right ingredients... bbq, cheese, pork and yep, love the pickles!

Start by making a dry rub with sugar, paprika and onion powder.

Pat the rub into the pork until it is covered. Cover with plastic wrap

and refrigerate to marinate for 1 hour.

Place roast pork into oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

When cooked, tent roast with foil so juices will settle.

Slice thin.

Slice your bread... I used a good Ciabatta bread!

Mix butter and garlic in small bowl.... spread on bread, followed

by your favorite bbq sauce.

Layer on the thinly sliced pork......

Top with cheese....

And finally the pickles... one of the best parts for me!!

Heat your panini press and grill the sandwich until the bread is toasty

and the cheese is melted.

Slice and serve warm!

Wouldn't a big dollop of potato salad just top of this plate?

Yumm!!!

Printable Recipe

What time is it?

2011-03-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

It's peanut butter jelly time!

Welcome to The Spicy Cupboard!

Shucks howdy!

Folks this is Michelle's husband, Jimmy, doing a guest post for you on this special April day.

First off, today's recipe is not for the faint of heart, or for beginners!

Today we are making Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Your first choice is a hard one: Which bread to use as your base?

I prefer a white bread myself, my wife prefers wheat; however, you may choose something else. Potato bread? French bread? Italian bread? Right said bread?

We will be using white bread today.

Once you have that figured out, your next choice is equally as hard. What type of Peanut butter. Chunky? Creamy? Natural?

Today we are using Creamy.

Now we decide on the Jelly. Strawberry? Grape? Sugar free? etc.

Today we are using sugar-free strawberry jam.

Now that we have these ingredients let's start making our masterpiece.

☆ ☆ ☆

First, we take 2 slices of our chosen bread.

Using a butter knife spread peanut butter on one side of one piece.

Like so.

Then, we take the knife and spread our chosen jelly on one side of the other slice of bread.

Take both slices and while having each slice face each other (side with peanut butter or jelly) put them together.

Once this is complete you still have a few options. You can cut the crust off, you can cut it in half, or even into 4 pieces.

And Voilà, dinner is served!

Printable Recipe

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Also, if you haven't guessed by now,

Happy April Fools Day!

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Beef Stew

2011-03-30T04:01:00.000-07:00

On these rainy, cold, dreary days I can't think of too many ways to feel warm and cozy than good old fashioned Beef Stew!

This is a classic, easy comfort meal.

Recipe rundown:

beef stew meat

potatoes

onion

carrots

beef stock/broth

bay leaf

sage

salt and pepper

I like to brown up the stew meat in a little olive oil.

Slowly start adding in the broth and water

cut up potatoes, onions, carrots-throw 'em in

add seasonings and bay leaf

and put a lid on it:)

Serve with your favorite bread.

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Italian Subs

2011-03-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Look at all those layers of goodness!!!

I am drooling just looking at the picture... lol!

When I saw this recipe in the March 2011 Food Network Magazine

I knew it was going to be a hit! First of all I

love sandwiches so you really can't go wrong with this sub and

if it says Italian, I usually want to try it! (Kinds drives my husband crazy! :))

Also very easy to throw together for a big crowd!

Grab a loaf of Italian soft bread, layer on cheese, salami, ham, mortadella,

capicola (I couldn't find it.. so just doubled up the salami!), lettuce, onion,

pepperoncini, tomatoes and top with oregano, red wine vinegar, olive oil,

salt and pepper and you have one delicious sub!

Definitely one to add to you list to make again... Enjoy!

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Lemon Grass-Pistachio Semi Freddo with Mango Caramel Sauce

2011-03-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Dessert Wars has challenged us like never before!!

Check out these instructions:

Since St. Patty's day is in March we thought it would be fun if we celebrated the color green! And not just anything green but foods that are naturally green!

Traditional

Green Apples

Green Grapes

Limes
Pistachios
Honey Dew
Kiwi
Green Pears
Mint
Pandan

Green Chile Peppers

Non-Traditional
Avocado
Green Tea
Cucumber
Green Chilies
Wasabi
Basil or other green herbs
Soy Beans (you may use tofu)
Vegetables like Spinach, Peas
Lemon Grass
Green Cheese

The challenge is to make a dessert that involves two green ingredients. You must use at least one ingredient from each column. This challenge is meant to change the way you think about desserts and take you way out of your comfort zone.

Since we haven't worked a whole lot with most of the

ingredients from the list, we tried to pick ingredients that

wouldn't be too bizarre!

After throwing a few ideas around, the two ingredients we

decided on were lemon grass and pistachio.

Once the lemon grass hunt was over we got to work!

Lemon grass is sold in stalks... remove outer layer.

We only used the white part of the stalk and chop her up!

In a food processor or plastic bag, add lemon cookies and

pistachios. Pulse or smash until roughly chopped.

Start the molasses by dissolving sugar into lemon juice

over medium heat. Once dissolved, add lemon grass

and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, whip the cream and confectioners'

sugar until soft peaks form.

Once the molasses is done, strain to remove any chunks of lemon grass.

Add molasses to the cream mixture and stir by hand two times

to fold in gently.

Prepare your ramekins!

Layer the cookie and pistachio mixture on the bottom of the ramekin....

Add a layer of cream....

Add another layer of cookies and pistachios......

End with another layer of they creamy mixture!

Place in to the freezer for 45 minutes to an hour.

In our research for this recipe, we found that mangoes

were often paired with lemon grass.

Hence...Mango Caramel Sauce!

Finely chop 2 mangoes....

In a medium sauce pan, add sugar and water...

Add mangoes. Cook until sugar is dissolved and

caramel reaches a dark amber stage.

Add butter and salt and swirl to combine.

Remove from heat.

Remove freddo from the freezer and let sit for a couple of minutes.

Run a butter knife around the edge if necessary.

Invert ramekin onto plate.

Drizzle with Mango Caramel Sauce.

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

The March prize package includes:

Whisk and cupcake necklace from Moon & Star Designs

Beanilla Sampler Pack of Vanilla Beans

Lenox Personalized Musical Cupcake

1,000 ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes

Organic Valley $50 Gift Certificate

Organic Prairie $50 Gift Certificate

Theme Kitchen $50 Gift Certificate

BEKA Cookware Crepe Pan

Monte Cristo Remix

2011-03-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

Quite a awhile ago-well about a year ago actually- my hubby had this crazy idea of using angel food cake to make his favorite sandwich-the Monte Cristo.

So we set out to make his idea into a reality:)

This recipe I have for you today is a change-up from the original posted here.

Wow the pictures in that post are really dark!!

This time we found angel food loaves-way easier to make into sandwiches!

here is the change-up:

oven roasted turkey, prosciutto, and Havarti

make layers with a bit of mayo and mustard then add meat, cheese another piece of cake and more meat and cheese-top with last piece of cake

use long toothpicks and slice in half

dip in egg batter

place on hot griddle and fry on all sides

sliding the skewer from the top all the way through to grill top slice.

Give this one a try soon-soooo delish:)

Enjoy!!

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