Cassidy's Cooking Collection

I can't believe it's not butter! Contest

2012-02-19T20:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

WHAT: You’re invited to a live, online red carpet viewing party! Complete with insider access.

WHEN: February 26^th from 3:00-4:30 PST

WHERE: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!’s Facebook page Toast to the Red Carpet – LIVE, presented by I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!

WHY: Because it will be fun! Everybody loves to see all the styles on the red carpet, fancy dresses and pretty hair-dos…and before the show even starts.

And for the food-loving fashionistas out there, a special group discussion will take place with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars ~ and a culinary expert who will be preparing “best picture-themed recipes” for you to use at your own party!

Sweet Chips ~ adapted from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!'s website

Ingredients

1/2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

4 (6-in.) flour tortillas

20 sprays I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Spray Original

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Spray each tortilla 5 times with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Spray Original, then evenly sprinkle with mixture; slice each into 8 wedges.

Arrange wedges, sweet side up, in single layer on baking sheet. Bake 7 minutes or until toasted. Cool on wire rack. Store in air-tight container.

I’m excited. It’s always fun to see the dresses and hairstyles on the red carpet.

Check out the Toast to the Red Carpet – LIVE online show yourself! Toast to the Red Carpet – LIVE, presented by I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!

Like I can’t believe it’s not butter on Facebook.

Participate in the contest by watching the show and submitting comments to this blog post before 11:59pm February 26th. A winner will be chosen February 27th. One winner will receive a coupon for a free tub of I Can't Believe Its' Not Butter! Giveaway items were provided by I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! per FTC guidelines

Sunday Brunch

2012-02-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

Our chickens have been laying lots of eggs
and I'm in the mood for a Sunday brunch... I think we will have:

EGGS BENEDICT  *

This makes 2 servings.
Ingredients-
For the Hollandaise Sauce:
The Hollandaise sauce can make it or break it~ so master it.
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut butter into 10 pieces and freeze them
Pinch salt

For the Eggs Benedict:
4 slices Canadian bacon
2 English muffins, split
2 teaspoons white vinegar
4 eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hollandaise sauce, recipe above
3-4 sliced green olives with pimento or black olives (optional)
Paprika for dusting

VEGETARIAN EGGS BENEDICT: Substitute Canadian Bacon for frozen, creamed spinach -    cooked according to directions.
Add 1 artichoke heart (un-marinated) for each muffin half.
Layer English muffin with spinach, eggs, artichoke heart. Top with sauce.

Steps:

1
Make the hollandaise sauce first.Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume.

2
Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble.

3
Add the frozen butter cubes all at once. Continue to whisk until the butter melts, the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the Eggs Benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

4
Heat the bacon in a medium skillet and toast the English muffins, cut sides up, on a baking sheet under the broiler.

5
Fill a 10-inch nonstick skillet half full of water. Add white vinegar to the cooking water. This will make the egg white cook faster so it does not spread. Bring to a simmer. Crack 1 of the eggs into a small bowl taking care not to break the yolk. Gently lower the edge of the bowl into the water letting some water flow into the bowl. Then let the egg slide out of the bowl and into the water.Quickly repeat with remaining eggs. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

6
Cook 3 1/2 minutes until the egg white is set and yolk remains soft. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing the egg to drain.

7
Lay a slice of Canadian bacon on top of each muffin half, followed by a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the eggs. Top with a dusting of paprika and an olive slice or two.
*From http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Eggs-Benedict   Thank you wiki!

and

Wait to drink until you've finished the Eggs Benedict...
MimosasChilled champagne
Orange Juice
1/2 slices of oranges for garnish

with...

hash browns or dutch oven potatoes
and
fresh fruit

Yum!

Peanut Butter Fingers

2012-02-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

This "old" recipe is one of my personal favorites.

1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Quick Oats

Topping:
1/2 Cup Powder Sugar
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
3 TBS Milk

Cream butter and sugars. Blend in eff, peanut butter, sodad, salt and vanillla. Stir in flour and oats. Spread in 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 20 min. Sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate chips. Let stand 5 min.

Combine 1/2 cup powder sugar, 1/4 cup peanut butter and 3 TBS milk. Mix well. Drizzle over bars. Cool.

Prescription Savings

2012-02-03T20:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I know I posted about this before, but here it is again... just in case you missed it the first time.

Walgreens is offering a special discount for its Prescription Savings Club:Walgreens Prescription Savings Club Join and receive discount prices on your prescriptions.

For $35 a year, a family membership covers everyone in your immediate family, including a spouse, dependents 22 and younger and pets.

$20 for individuals.

Included in Membership

Discounts on flu shots

Pet prescriptions

Nebulizer Supplies

Diabetic Supplies

Your membership includes prescription discounts on more than 8,000 brand name and generic medications. In addition, a 90-day supply of over 400 select generic medications is available to you for less than $1 a week.

Prescriptions can be ordered online at www.walgreens.com and mailed to your home. Standard shipping is Free!

You also earn bonuses when you purchase Walgreens and Nice! brand products and photo finishing services.

How do I earn and redeem bonuses on my card?
When you purchase any Walgreens and Nice! brand products and photo finishing services, 10% of the pre-tax price is instantly credited to your card. As long as it's a Walgreens and Nice! brand products and photo finishing services, you can earn money on your card to use on future purchases**. See more details on Walgreens website listed above.

Simply swipe your card at checkout before making payment.
Your 10% bonus will be added immediately onto your card.
The next time you scan your card at checkout, the bonus amount will be deducted from your purchase total.

Support Walgreens and stay updated by liking them on Walgreens on Facebook and following them on Walgreens on Twitter.

Baby Food

2012-02-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm sick of buying baby food. Especially when my baby girl only eats a few bites and decides she doesn't like it. It's expensive for what it is and it takes up a lot of room in the cupboard.

I've wanted to just make my own baby food for a while... so I did some researching online and this is what I found.

Crock Pot Methods:

--fresh or frozen fruit or vegetables
-- water

--Chicken, Turkey, Ham or Beef NOTE: The meats will take longer to cook than the fruits and veggies.

Wash your vegetables (and peel the skin if it needs to be). Cut into chunks. Put the chunks into your crockpot and cover with the least amount of water you can to fully cook them.

Make baby food on a day that you are home to watch the food. Each variety will cook differently.
You can use whatever size crock pot you've got, fruits and veggies should be fully cooked within 3 hours.

You could probably sneak in a sprinkle of cinnamon or brown sugar with some things...
When the veggies or fruit are quite tender, and the meat is fully cooked you're ready for the next step!

Use a blender, or a food processor to puree the food.

If you need to add a bit of water to make it thinner for your baby, do so in little drips.

Freeze in ice cube trays, then pop out and store in a freezer bag. Love this idea!

Links to recipes:

Baby food recipes for 6-9 months

Creamy apple and oat puree
Chicken and corn chowder
Sweet potato and squash puree
Beef, squash, and tomato puree
Peach, apple, and pear puree
Cauliflower, potato, and cheese puree
My first beef casserole
My favorite chicken puree
Potato and carrot mash with salmon
Superfoods puree

Baby food recipes for 9-12 months
My first tomato sauce, with pasta stars
Red lentils with carrot and tomato
Fruity chicken curry

Remember, always consult with your pediatrician regarding introducing solid foods to your baby and specifically discuss any foods that may pose allergy risks for your baby.

Resources:

http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/cookingbabyfood.htm This is a great site!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-make-baby-food-in-your-crockpot.html

http://www.babycenter.com/100_baby-food-recipes-by-annabel-karmel_10316719.bc

http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/

Mozzerella Tomatoes

2012-01-30T20:59:00.000-08:00

I can't remember when or where I came across this idea...

I had a few tomatoes that needed to be eaten so I sliced them in half (the "fat way") and sprinkled garlic salt and It's a Dilly seasonings on them.

Then I topped them off with mozzarella.

Popped them in the oven for just a little bit on broil (low), just watch close so the cheese doesn't burn.

This works best if your tomatoes are room temperature.

I think these are a yummy side to go with almost any dinner.
Everyone else in the family is pretty much "tomato haters"... but I don't care. Sometimes I just have to make things for myself.

While watching "world in a minute" my husband decided that he wanted to try sun black tomatoes... read more here.

Freezer meal updates

2012-01-17T09:42:00.000-08:00

I did it. On Saturday I loaded up all my veggies and meat and the zip lock baggies and headed over to my mother in law's house. She has a HUGE and awesome kitchen with tons of counter space (which my kitchen majorly lacks). She helped me wash, cut, peel, chop everything up. It took a few hours, but once it was all done it went really quickly. I wrote on the baggies the name of the recipe, the date, how long to cook it and if anything needed to be added. When I got home I added in all the other sauce and spices- I didn't want to take my entire kitchen to her house... I will definitely do this again though.

Here is the first recipe that we've actually tried-
Healthy Mama Barbecue Chicken (revised)FROM mama and baby love
3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large green pepper, cut into strips
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca (I think next time I will put in more to thicken it up)
2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks
(It would probably be better with breast meat, so you don't have to worry about fishing out bones)
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard (Dijon)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dump everything into (2) gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.

Cook on high in crock pot for 4 hours, or until chicken is done.

*Watch out for the chicken bones if you are dishing kids plates.

I was under the impression that this would be a whole meal all in itself... I was wrong. I tend to forget that things "cook down". So I made rice to go with and a salad.

The kids were picky about eating it, but me and the hubby thought it was good.

Sisters slow cooker recipes

2012-01-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

My sister has been posting lots of slow cooker recipes on her blog each day, check them out~ they look yummy to me! Thanks again Misty :)

Murder Mystery by Dinner

2012-01-17T08:37:00.000-08:00

Have any of you ever been to a Murder Mystery Party Game by dinner? I found this link and wondered if anyone with experiece might have tips or suggestions? Thought this would be a fun birthday party idea. Something other than just dinner.

Walgreen's Prescription Savings Club

2012-01-11T13:03:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Express Scripts and Walgreen's were unable to renegotiate their contract Walgreens and Express Script effective January 1st, 2012.

Anyone with a medical insurance/ prescription insurance card that says Express Scripts on it, may be effect, including military members with Tricare. To find out for sure if this will effect you check with a Walgreen's pharmacist or call the number on you card.

If you are effected by this program you may no longer be able to have prescriptions filled "in-network" through Walgreen's This could end up being a hassle for you if you have to transfer prescriptions, drive further to a different pharmacy, end up paying more, or deal with less convenient pharmacy hours than Walgreen's has to offer.

One of the main reasons I wanted to take this deal through Social Spark and post about this program, is because I feel like the military got put in the middle. It seems as though Walgreen's tried to keep Express Scripts happy with offers to meet or beat other prescription prices in the Tricare network. They also suggested a contract with Express Scripts commercial business separately for Tricare. Express Scripts refused.

I also read that Express Scripts could save customers a lot of money if they would promote a 90 day refill~ but that it would conflict with their own 90 day mail order plan (which they profit from). I'm not trying to "beat anyone up" here, but I hate when I see things like this that effect our military. Its also frustrating for people who will end up paying more for their drugs. Things are already hard enough in this economy!

This conflict between Express Scripts and Walgreens boils down to the value of your local community pharmacy.

Express Scripts wants customers to use their own mail order pharmacy rather than your community pharmacy whenever possible. It seems as though through their unwillingness to negotiate, that all they really care about is their own pocketbooks and not the customers.

This could threaten drugstores in your area. Don't take pharmacies for granted, they are the ones who help with a medication as you leave the emergency room at 2 a.m., or need a flu shot and haven’t been able to get to the doctor’s office... and many other things! Mail order can't help out with these kinds of things.

Pharmacies are often the first point of entry for many people into the health care system, and the value they provide by lowering overall health care costs should be recognized by Express Scripts.

Walgreen's is offering a deal: Walgreens Prescription Savings Club , for the month of January where you can sign up for a special savings card for only $10 to cover your entire family for the year. This special savings card has more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications. More than 400 generics are available with a three-month supply for less than $1 a week.

Support Walgreen's by “liking” them Walgreens on Facebook and following them Walgreens on Twitter for updates.

Nice to know...

2012-01-09T10:08:00.001-08:00

My sister posted a link for substitutions and I thought it was handy, so I'm sharing it with you all here.

Freezer to Crockpot

2011-12-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

I've been looking around online for ways to make a bunch of dinners that you can put in the freezer and then the crock pot... not in love with anything I've found yet.
Wondering if anyone out there has any ideas?

I like THIS, but I think I would maybe do a few less veggies.

This site HERE has some good ideas too. And one MORE here.

I've been lucky to find some of these ideas on http://pinterest.com/ and I would really love to come up with my own meals to repin there, in hopes of generating more traffic for the blog. But mostly because it would be so nice to have at home! I'd really love to try this on a Saturday, and then not have to worry about cooking all week.

So if any of you have ever tried this and have any suggestions I would really love to hear from you!

Cowboy Beef & Bean Skillet ~ From Kraft

2011-12-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

1-1/2 lb.beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
2 slices Bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red (or green) pepper, chopped
1 can (16 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) butter beans, rinsed
3/4 cup Barbecue Sauce

COOK steak strips in deep large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven on medium-high heat 3 min. or just until no longer pink in centers. Remove to plate.
ADD bacon to skillet; cook on medium heat 1 min. Add onions and peppers; mix well. Cook 6 min. or until bacon is done and vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in beans and barbecue sauce; simmer on medium-low heat 5 min.
RETURN steak and any juices from plate to skillet; cook 1 to 2 min. or until steak strips are done, stirring occasionally.

For a spicier dish, add 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper or 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce to ingredients in skillet with the beans and barbecue sauce.

Recipe Stache

2011-12-08T07:27:00.001-08:00

I was cleaning out my e-mails and I found a bunch of old recipes stached in there! Thought I'd share some on the blog. Most of these are a copy for something I found online.

These are from Gooseberry Patch:

Here's a recipe from the Mains chapter that you can
enjoy in under an hour, start to finish!

Trim-the-Tree Casserole
Here's a recipe from Vickie's own recipe box...with just 6 ingredients, it's a cinch to toss together. Pop it in the oven while you string the lights on the Christmas tree and hang the stockings!
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded 1/2-inch thick
4 slices Swiss cheese
10-3/4 oz. can cream of broccoli soup
1/3 c. milk
1 c. herb-flavored stuffing mix, crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted
Place chicken breasts in a greased 13"x9" baking pan. Top with cheese. Stir together soup and milk. Spread over cheese. Toss stuffing mix with melted butter and sprinkle over all. Bake, uncovered, at 350
degrees for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Serves 4 to 6.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

6 15-1/2 oz. cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
3 5-oz. cans chicken, drained
6 c. chicken broth
3 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 4-oz. cans diced green chiles
12-oz. container sour cream
1 T. olive oil
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. garlic powder
1-1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. white pepper
Optional: 2 onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot. Simmer for 20 minutes until heated through.
Serves 16 to 20.

Bonus tip!
Transporting a full pot of soup can be tricky...slip a large rubber band under one handle, twist it around the knob on the lid and wrap under the other handle. The lid will stay secure on the way!

The next two are from:
Christine Steendahl
"The Menu Mom"
www.kidapprovedmeals.com

Pizza Pasta Casserole
Makes 8 servings

1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
1/2 onion chopped
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 package 16 oz. spiral pasta cooked and drained
2 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
4 ounces sliced pepperoni (we use turkey pepperoni - it's healthier and less greasy)

1. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and pasta.

2. Transfer to a greased 13x9x2" baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Arrange pepperoni over the top.

3. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Pork Chop Casserole

6 pork chops
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (24 oz.) package hash browns
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can french fried onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Salt pork chops and brown in vegetable oil. Place in large casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over top. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Stuffed Bread ~ from http://www.5dinners1hour.blogspot.com/

We love these at our house! You can put one wrapped in foil in the slow cooker to warm on a Saturday morning for a quick Saturday afternoon lunch!

Use an artisan or large rounded loaf. Make cuts down to the bottom without cutting all the way through.
They can be stuffed with your favorite sandwich ingredients, wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for later. Make as many as you can fit in the freezer!

These are our favorites:

Ham/Cheddar

Turkey/Swiss

Pepperoni/Mozzarella

Roast Beef/Provolone

Cheddar Cheese

Cinnamon Sugar w/powdered sugar glaze

Pair one up with a few cans of healthy soup and you will be sure to stay out of the drive thru on the weekends!

*these can also be baked in a 400 degree oven on a baking sheet for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is crisp on the outside.

http://www.recipelion.com/Budget-Friendly-Recipes/8-Easy-Recipes-Using-Crescent-Rolls

Island Chicken Pizza ~ from Sandra Lee Semi Homemade

My brother Rich loves to grill. In cooler months he re-creates this good mood food with a rotisserie chicken. The tropical flavors evoke the easy appeal of the Caribbean--and the prepwork is equally laid-back, thanks to canned fruit and packaged jerk spices.

Ingredients

Makes: 4 servings

Start to Finish: 30 minutes

Nonstick cooking spray, Pam ®
3/4 cup chili sauce, Heinz ®
1 cup refrigerated tropical fruit, Dole ®
2 teaspoons Jamaican jerk seasoning, McCormick ®
2 teaspoons minced ginger, Gourmet Garden ®
1 can (13.8-ounce) refrigerated pizza crust, Pillsbury®
3 cups shredded Jack cheese, Sargento ®
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh cilantro spring (optional)
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, stir together chili sauce, 1/4 cup juice from tropical fruit jar, jerk seasoning, and ginger; set aside.
3. Press out pizza dough on prepared baking sheet into a 12-inch square. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes.
4. Remove crust from oven and spread sauce mixture over, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with cheese, fruit, chicken, and cilantro. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to bubble. Garnish with cilantro sprig and serve with crushed red pepper (optional). Serve hot.

Stupid Chicken from Recipe Lion
This slow cooker cooking recipe is so easy, even the world's worst cook can make it. Good luck finding easy recipes for a slow cooker that are any easier than this slow cooker chicken recipe.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
28 ounces can Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes
1 envelope Herb and Garlic Recipe Soup Mix
Hot cooked rice or pasta
Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Mix chicken, tomatoes and soup mix together, and pour into slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Serve over rice or bow tie pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you have an oven, you can do this in an oven-browning bag. Bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degree F.
Zucchini and mushrooms are nice additions to the recipe.

http://www.food.com/recipe/ham-stuffed-apples-214947

Ritz Mock Apple Pie

pastry for 2-crust 9-inch pie

36 RITZ Crackers, coarsely broken (about 1-3/4 cups crumbs)

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. cream of tartar

Grated peel of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Roll out half of the pastry and place in 9-inch pie plate. Place cracker crumbs in crust; set aside.
MIX sugar and cream of tartar in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in 1-3/4 cups water until well blended. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes. Add lemon peel and juice; cool. Pour syrup over cracker crumbs. Dot with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll out remaining pastry; place over pie. Trim; seal and flute edges. Slit top crust to allow steam to escape.
BAKE 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. Cool completely.

Grilled Cheese

2011-12-08T07:23:00.001-08:00

I forgot how good a simple grilled cheese sandwich can be. Especially with your favorite can of soup on a cold day. I know this isn't really a great recipe or anything, but it's one of those things that I honestly forget about. I'm always trying too hard to find great new recipes that I forget about the simple things. I have seen a few new recipes lately for a twist on the grilled cheese. Like adding slices of apples and bacon. Or sseveral different types of cheese, with a tomatoe or adding an avacado. How do you like your grilled cheese?

"The Dip"

2011-12-06T20:52:00.001-08:00

7 Layer Mexican Dip

INGREDIENTS
1 can refried beans
8oz container of guacamole
8oz container of sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 pkg taco seasoning
1 cup tomato- chopped and drained
1 cup olives- sliced
1/2 cup green onions- chopped
grated cheddar cheese

1st layer: bean dip
2nd layer: guacamole
3rd layer: sour cream, mayo, taco seasoning mixed together
4th layer: tomato
5th layer: olives
6th layer: green onions
7th layer: grated cheese

Crispy Bears

2011-12-06T20:38:00.001-08:00

My grandma used to make these every year for Christmas. I think they are better than regular rice krispy treats. Yum

13oz bag Rice Krispies
2cups brown sugar
1cup white karo
2 sticks butter (no wonder these are so good!)
1 can eagle brand milk
several small decorating candy: chocolate chips, red hots, etc.
2 or more plastic bear molds (you will want to spray these with pam the 1st time)

Place rice krispies into bowl.
Add together sugar, butter, syrup into pan and boil for 3 min. remove from heat.
Add eagle brand milk and boil 3 additional min.
Pour over rice krispies and mix well.
Fill bear mold with mixture. Careful, it's hot. Remove bear from mold, place on wax paper.
Use tiny chocolate chips for eyes and nose, red hots for belly button.
After they have cooled off and "dried" you can wrap them in plastic wrap to keep them fresh longer or if you are delivering them as treats to neighbors.

Hot Christmas Wassail

2011-12-06T20:33:00.001-08:00

1 gallon apple cider
2 quarts orange juice
2 quarts lemonade
18 whole cloves
6 sticks cinnomon
12 berries allspice

Mix and simmer for one hour, enjoy!

Mini Gingerbread Village

2011-12-06T20:06:00.001-08:00

Makes: 4 mini houses

· 1 tube (6-ounce) white icing

· 32 2-part graham cracker squares

· 1 can (6.4-ounce) white icing, Betty Crocker® Easy Flow

· Variety of small candies for decorating ~let the kids help pick out the treats

Directions

1. Using squeezable icing as glue, glue together 5 graham cracker squares to make a box without a top. Let icing harden for a few minutes.

2. To make roof supports, use a serrated knife to cut 1 graham cracker square in half. Using a long side of a cracker half as a base, cut cracker half into a triangle. Repeat with the other cracker half. Squeeze icing onto the long side of each triangle and attach to the top of the 2 opposite walls.

3. Squeeze icing onto the edges of the roof supports. To make the roof, use 2 more graham cracker squares attached together with icing. Gently place roof onto the roof supports. Repeat to make 3 more mini gingerbread houses. Let icing stand overnight to harden.

4. Decorate gingerbread houses as desired, using a variety of candies and canned white icing.

Copied from Sandra Lee Semi Homemade

We made a mini village a few years ago and it was really fun for the kids.

They go quick and easy because they are small, so the kids don't get half way done and then decide they are board.

Five-Minute Fudge Wreath on the Food Network

2011-12-06T20:04:00.000-08:00

Five-Minute Fudge Wreath on the Food Network

Love Rachel Ray's super easy Five-Minute Fudge Wreath.
Great for the holidays!

3 potatoe more

2011-12-06T19:55:00.001-08:00

Cheesey Scalloped Potatoes ~Mom
5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 T flour
1 1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 cup Swiss cheese slices finely chopped, divided
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup milk
2 T fresh minced parsley
Place a third of the potatoes in a shallow 3qrt dish, coated with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper; sprinkle half over the potatoes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of each cheese and half of the onions. Repeat layers. Top with remaining potatoes. Pour milk over all. Cover and bake at 350 for 50-60 min or till nearly tender. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered, 10 min longer or till cheese melts and potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

2 potatoe

2011-12-06T19:54:00.001-08:00

Dutch Oven Potatoes- These are a serious favorite!

Brown bacon in dutch oven
add diced onions & peppers to bacon.
After it's simmered for a bit add a small can of sliced mushrooms including juice.
Layer sliced carrots, and sliced potatoes sprinkling garlic powder and lemon pepper.
Add about 1/2 can of Mt Dew (or sprite)
Let cook on coals, camp chef or in oven until carrots and taters are tender.
Top with cheese

1 Potato

2011-12-06T19:30:00.000-08:00

I've got more potatoes than I know what to do with! Thank you Bountiful Baskets. We will have plenty of taters for a while.

Funeral Potatoes ~Grandma Ruth
6-8 medium potatoes, cooked, cooled and sliced
Pour 1/3 cup melted butter over potatoes
Combine: 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheddar.
Mix lightly and pour over potatoes.
Put in greased casserole or 9X13 pan.
Top with crushed Ritz crackers and butter.
Bake at 350 uncovered for 30 min.

Spinach Salad

2011-12-06T19:25:00.001-08:00

I had a bunch of fresh spinach and a pomegranate, so I thought I'd put them together as a salad to go with our dinner tonight. I couldn't decide what kind of dressing to put with it, so instead I got out a little jar of herbs de provence and sprinkled a tiny bit over the salad.

Hawaiian Haystacks

2011-12-06T12:17:00.001-08:00

Need a quick, easy (and cheap) dinner idea?
Try Hawaiian Haystacks, the kids love it!
I was curious what other people use for toppings and
found a crock pot method for busy/working mom's who are really short on time.

Hawaiian Haystacks

Stove top method: This is the way I've always done it
2 cans of cream of chicken soup- or cream of mushroom
1 can of milk (you can use a little more if you like)

Heat soup and milk on the stove until heated through. You want this to be the consistency of gravy. You can add more milk if the mixture is too thick.

Crock pot method:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 frozen chicken breasts
milk

Put chicken breasts in the crock pot and then cover with soup. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove chicken from the crock pot and shred or dice the chicken and return to the crock pot. Add enough milk to make the consistency of gravy.

Serve the sauce over COOKED RICE. Plan on one cup per person.

Then top with any of the following toppings:
*2 cups of cooked chicken breasts, diced or shredded (or you could use pork)
shredded cheddar cheese
pineapple tidbits
sliced olives
diced green onion
chopped celery
shredded coconut
slice almonds
diced fresh mushroom
Chow mien noodles
diced tomatoes
peas
mandarin oranges

I like this, because a lot of the toppings can come out of a can.... which saves me time.
Plus, my kids eat it. And it's not bad for left over lunch the next day either.

Cassidy's Cooking Collection

I can't believe it's not butter! Contest

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Prescription Savings

Baby Food

Links to recipes:

Baby food recipes for 6-9 months

Creamy apple and oat pureeChicken and corn chowderSweet potato and squash pureeBeef, squash, and tomato pureePeach, apple, and pear pureeCauliflower, potato, and cheese pureeMy first beef casseroleMy favorite chicken pureePotato and carrot mash with salmonSuperfoods puree

Baby food recipes for 9-12 monthsMy first tomato sauce, with pasta starsRed lentils with carrot and tomatoFruity chicken curry

Mozzerella Tomatoes

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Sisters slow cooker recipes

Murder Mystery by Dinner

Walgreen's Prescription Savings Club

Nice to know...

Freezer to Crockpot

Cowboy Beef & Bean Skillet ~ From Kraft

Recipe Stache

Stuffed Bread ~ from http://www.5dinners1hour.blogspot.com/

Island Chicken Pizza ~ from Sandra Lee Semi Homemade

My brother Rich loves to grill. In cooler months he re-creates this good mood food with a rotisserie chicken. The tropical flavors evoke the easy appeal of the Caribbean--and the prepwork is equally laid-back, thanks to canned fruit and packaged jerk spices.

Directions

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Grilled Cheese

"The Dip"

Crispy Bears

Hot Christmas Wassail

Mini Gingerbread Village

Five-Minute Fudge Wreath on the Food Network

3 potatoe more

2 potatoe

1 Potato

Spinach Salad

Hawaiian Haystacks

Creamy apple and oat puree
Chicken and corn chowder
Sweet potato and squash puree
Beef, squash, and tomato puree
Peach, apple, and pear puree
Cauliflower, potato, and cheese puree
My first beef casserole
My favorite chicken puree
Potato and carrot mash with salmon
Superfoods puree

Baby food recipes for 9-12 months
My first tomato sauce, with pasta stars
Red lentils with carrot and tomato
Fruity chicken curry