Mix and Match Mama

Shortcake Remake!

2013-06-19T04:50:00.000-05:00

I went a little Shortcake crazy the other day...and it was so much fun!! I decided it was time to reinvent the standard shortcake and make it more fun, more creative and even simpler. Once I started, I really couldn't stop. This would be such a fun party idea...you could have a Shortcake Bar where people make their own for dessert. I'm very proud of myself...this method will delight you all summer long.

This is your basic recipe. The Strawberry Shortcake, of course! I'm going to give you the recipe for the original shortcakes and then some tweaks and twists below (the last one was my very favorite!). This is kind of grown-up twist on a classic...a little bit more sophisticated version (but my kiddos loved them all!).

Shopping List

1 can of Pillsbury Grands biscuits (go ahead and buy two cans...you'll want more!)

1 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, at room temp

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 splash of milk

Sliced Strawberries

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Combine your sugar and cinnamon in a bowl until combined. Dip each unbaked biscuit in the sugar mixture until covered in sugar and cinnamon all the way around and place them on a baking sheet.

Bake about 10 minutes or until biscuits are brown and done to your liking. Use this method for all of the recipes below.

To make the base cream recipe, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk with an electric mixer until combined. Add more powdered sugar if your cream isn't thick enough. You can also add more powdered sugar if your cream isn't sweet enough.

Split each biscuit in half and top with cream and sliced strawberries. Or...try one of these variations below...

Nutella Shortcakes

Make the cream as above but also beat in 1/4 cup of Nutella. Top with strawberries.

Coconut Shortcakes

Make the cream as above but add in one cup of sweetened flaked coconut to the cream after it's incorporated. Top with an additional sprinkle of coconut.

Nutella & Coconut Shortcakes

Make the Nutella cream as above but stir in one cup of sweetened flaked coconut to the cream and then garnish with some additional coconut.

S'mores Shortcakes

Make the cream as above but stir in one cup of chocolate chips into the cream after it's incorporated. Then top each biscuit with mini-marshmallows and crumbled up pieces of graham cracker.

So fun, right? The perfect party food!

Let's repeat:

1. Make your biscuits.

2. Make your base cream.

3. Add in Nutella (or hey...add in peanut butter or plain chocolate cocoa too!)

4. Stir in your add-ons (you could also stir in M&Ms, dry cranberries, nuts, ect.)

5. Garnish the tops

Enjoy your Shortcakes!

Dinner Tonight: Root Beer Tostadas

2013-06-18T04:46:00.000-05:00

I make a lot of tostadas at my house. They're just so easy. I put the meat in the slow cooker, come home and assemble a few ingredients and voila...dinner is served. I also feel like you don't need much else to go along with it...maybe some sliced fruit or grilled corn. It's just simple...and in June, I need simple.

Shopping List

1 (2-3 pound) brisket

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Salt and Pepper

6 tablespoons Chili powder

1 (2 liter) bottle of Root Beer (or several cans)

Tostada shells

2 limes, quartered

Caramelized onions, Tab's Guacamole, salsa and/or Monterey Jack Cheese to garnish

Preheat a heavy pot with EVOO over medium-high heat. Rub your brisket down with generous amounts of salt, pepper and chili powder. Brown each side in skillet 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker (fat side up...I'll explain later!) and pour in enough Root Beer to cover the brisket. Cover and cook on low all day (7-8 hours) or on high 3-4 hours.

About 20 minutes before you're ready to eat, remove brisket on to a cutting board and cover with foil. (This will allow the meat to rest and the juices to redistribute and keep it moist.) Disregard the liquid in the slow cooker. Slice and shred brisket and serve over tostada shells with a variety of toppings (we love caramelized onions, guacamole, salsa and Monterey Jack cheese) and squeeze one or two wedges of lime over each one.

So simple and so delicious! The Root Beer just gives the brisket an added boost and really pairs nicely with the chili powder. You'll make this recipe over and over again.

Ok...the fat side up thing...when you cook a brisket with the fat side up, during the cooking process, the fat will keep the meat moist and super flavorful if it's on the top and the lean part is on the bottom. Just a little tip for you :).

Bundt Cake #95: Hawaiian Luau

2013-06-16T06:33:00.001-05:00

I love Hawaii. I love the sand. I love the smell. I love the people. I love the the music. I love everything about it. I couldn't close out my cakes without one bundt cake in honor of Hawaii. Even if you can't go to the islands, you can eat a cake that brings the island flavors to you. Aloha.

Shopping List

1 box of coconut cake mix

2 small boxes of instant coconut pudding (use vanilla if you can't find it)

1/2 cup of veggie oil

1 (15 oz) can crushed pineapple (reserve the juice!), divided

1 cup pineapple juice from your canned pineapple

1/4 cup water (or more pineapple juice if your can has any left)

4 eggs

1 can store bought cream cheese frosting

2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut, divided

Maraschino cherries to garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease (I use Pam) a 10 inch bundt pan

In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, puddings, oil, pineapple juice, water and eggs with electric mixer. Stir in 1 cup of your crushed pineapple and one cup of your coconut. Pour into prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake rest on counter in pan 10 minutes. Then, invert cake onto serving plate to finish cooling.

Stir remaining one cup of coconut into your store bought frosting and frost cooled cake. Top cake with cherries.

This cake will make you feel like you're on vacation. The perfect tribute to summer and Hawaii.

And just for grins...here the three of us are when we took Kensington to Hawaii at 7 months old. So much fun!

Happy Father's Day to my sweet husband and my wonderful dad! I am so blessed to have both of you in my life. Love you!

Dinner Tonight: Chicken Cordon Bleu

2013-06-14T05:00:00.001-05:00

I'm using my slow cooker in the middle of summer?!?! Yes! I am. Thank goodness!

I knew it was going to be one of those days where we were running around like crazy people...gym, swim lessons, gymnastics...all on one day (which doesn't happen often in our house...but once in a while, it happens). I wanted something that would be waiting on me when we arrived home. I wanted chicken with a side salad...but not boring chicken. I wanted chicken I could get excited about. So...I opened my Six Sisters Stuff Cookbook (one of my faves!) and found their recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu. It was simple and delicious (and a nice change up from something off the grill). Thank you sisters! You made my family very happy (and this busy mama less stressed).

Shopping List

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

4 ounces sliced ham (use a good quality ham!)

4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

1 (8 oz) package dry stuffing mix (I used Stove Top)

1/4 cup butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine soup and milk. Pour enough of the soup into the slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer chicken breasts over sauce. Cover each breast with a slice of ham and then a slice of Swiss cheese. Slowly pour the rest of the soup mixture down on top of your chicken. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top of everything and drizzle butter down over stuffing. Cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours or on high 2 to 3 hours.

I served mine with a green salad and it was delicious!

If you haven't checked out the Six Sisters Stuff Cookbook, you really should. It's wonderful!

And you know what else is wonderful? Having a quick chicken dinner on a hot summer night.

Happy eating!

Strawberry Bars

2013-06-13T05:00:00.001-05:00

My favorite pie is my Strawberry-Banana Pie. It's light, it's fresh...it is the ultimate summer dessert. One of the things I like most about it is the little bit of lemon in the background. It's not too lemony...just a little. So, I set out to make a bar with the same bells and whistles. Mostly strawberry...but with that little hint of lemon in the middle. Mission accomplished.

I give you my Strawberry Bars...

Shopping List

1 box strawberry cake mix

2 eggs, divided

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease (I use Pam) an 8x8 inch baking dish.

In a bowl, combine your cake mix, one egg and oil until crumbly. Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of it. Press the remaining cake mix crumbs into the bottom of your baking dish to form the "crust". Bake for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, beat remaining egg, cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture over the baked "crust" layer and then sprinkle your reserved cake mixture over the top.

Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating at least one hour before cutting into squares.

That's it! If you want your bars extra lemony...then use a lemon cake mix instead of strawberry! This is the perfect little Mix and Match recipe.

Lunch: Sesame Ginger Pasta Salad

2013-06-12T04:58:00.000-05:00

My very favorite thing to eat for lunch is a pasta salad. I love it because you can make a big batch in advance, I love it because you can sneak all sorts of veggies inside, I love it because it doesn't have to be heated and I love it because it's easy!

Sheaffer insisted I try a bite of this dressing the other day...

...it's Newman's Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing.

Well...it was love at first bite. I went to the grocery store the next day, bought a bottle and made a pasta salad built around it. If you can't find Newman's Own at your grocery store (which you should be able to), then just substitute with another like dressing.

So flavorful and yet, so easy.

Shopping List

2 cups cooked and cooled short-cut pasta (I used whole wheat)

1 cup of chopped broccoli spears

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 (15 oz) can of crushed pineapple, drained

3-4 tablespoons Sesame Ginger dressing

A heaping pinch of both salt and pepper

Cashews to garnish

After you cook and cool (under running cold water) your pasta, toss the noodles with the next 5 ingredients. When you're ready to serve, garnish your pasta salad with a handful of cashews for some added crunch.

Refrigerate until you're ready to eat.

Simple, right? Just a few drizzles of this flavorful dressing really spruces up your pasta salad. And the pineapple and cashews add amazing flavor and texture too. Plus...this is vegetarian, so it would be an excellent vegetarian light supper as well.

Enjoy your pasta salad!

Dinner Tonight: Turkey Burritos

2013-06-11T04:46:00.000-05:00

I love eating a burrito but feeling no guilt. I also love eating a burrito that I didn't have to slave over! We made these ground turkey burritos the other night and they were a huge success! Of course, you could substitute ground beef...but ground turkey breast just makes me think of girl math (if I eat ground turkey, then I can have a bigger bowl of ice cream for dessert).

Enjoy!

Shopping List

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped (remove the seeds for less heat)

1 package taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons of chili powder)

11/2 cups salsa

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Large burrito size tortillas (the package with say burrito size and we used whole wheat)

Guacamole to garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown your turkey. Once brown, add in your onion and jalapeno and saute about 5 more minutes. Then stir in your taco seasoning and incorporate. Stir in your salsa, reduce heat to low and simmer about 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup!), lightly spray it with Pam and lay out 4 tortillas. Top each tortilla with some of your taco meat mixture, then layer on cheese. Fold burrito style (fold in the ends first, then fold over the two sides) and place on the baking sheet seam side down.

Bake about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top with guacamole.

So easy and so delicious! This is one of those recipes you'll repeat over and over again.

Bundt Cake #94: Fruity Pebbles

2013-06-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Let's get something straight here...I could probably do 100 bundt cakes just using cereal. This method was so much fun and really creative! The Fruity Pebbles Cereal made the cake taste like Funfetti. It was yummy and unique...it would also be good with Coco Pebbles too...and maybe a chocolate cake mix. Yummy!

My only suggestion is to sprinkle the final Fruity Pebbles on top of your cake right before you serve it. I sprinkled mine on the night before and even though it was delicious, I think I would have enjoyed it more if the Fruity Pebbles on top weren't cold from the fridge but instead straight out of the box.

This is Bundt Cake #94...just a few more to go!

Shopping List

1 box of white cake mix

2 small boxes of instant vanilla pudding

1/2 cup of veggie oil

1 1/4 cups of water

4 eggs

3 cups Fruity Pebbles Cereal, divided

1 can vanilla frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease (I use Pam) a 10 inch bundt pan

In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, puddings, oil, water and eggs with electric mixer. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Fruity Pebbles. Pour into prepared bundt pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake rest on counter in pan 10 minutes. Then, invert cake onto serving plate to finish cooling.

To make the frosting, stir one cup of Fruity Pebbles cereal into your store bought vanilla icing. Frost cooled cake and then sprinkle the rest of your Fruity Pebbles on top (wait and sprinkle the top Fruity Pebbles until you're about to serve the cake).

That's it!

My kids thought this cake was so much fun too (and my grown up friends ate every bite!). Such a fun twist on a cake. Next up, Bundt Cake #95!

Grillin' Week: Spinach Burgers

2013-06-07T05:18:00.004-05:00

I couldn't end Grillin' Week without showcasing a burger!

This burger is one of our very favorites. First of all, it's super simple, second of all, you put a box of spinach inside the burger, so your family is eating something healthy while they eating their burger, plus, you can switch out the beef for ground turkey or chicken...so it's a very flexible recipe and finally, thanks to a little dry onion soup mix, it's just darn delicious.

This is just the perfect summer burger. Click here for the full recipe.

We love to serve this burger with these sweet potato fries...

...they're right there in the freezer department next to the other French fries. Delish!

Ok, we can't end Grillin' Week without a fabulous dessert to go with our burgers and fries, right?

You must, must, must, must try my Strawberry Angel Food Cake. You must.

First, it's really simple to make. Second, it's flippin' delicious! It's light and perfect for hot evenings after you've been grillin'.

Thanks so much for hanging out with me during Grillin' Week! Let's recap our week's worth of Grillin' Recipes...

Monday: BBQ Pizza

Tuesday: Grilled Pound Cake with Peaches

Wednesday: Grilled Quesadillas

Thursday: Grilled Fish Tacos

Friday: Spinach Burgers

Next month, we'll have Vegetarian Week! And I'm not just talking about boring old salads!

Grillin' Week: Fish Tacos

2013-06-06T05:14:00.000-05:00

Grillin' Week would not be complete at the Shull house without some fish tacos. I know...some of you are skeptical. But fresh grilled fish with a little lemon and guacamole...is sooooo delicious! Plus, it won't make you feel bad about swimsuit season. In my opinion, it's the perfect way to eat fish...especially in the summer!

Click here to see my yummy Grilled Fish Taco recipe.

And for dessert...my Rustic Berry Cobbler. Berries and peaches are so ripe and wonderful this time of year...make cobbler to go with your dinner. Mix and Match the fruit...instead of frozen, use fresh, instead of berries, use peaches...make it fresh and make it easy.

This looks fancy but wait until you read the recipe...it's the easiest little dessert for your summer night.

Grillin' Week: Grilled Quesadillas

2013-06-05T05:03:00.000-05:00

Grillin' Week continues with a Mexican flare...

Who says you just have to make burgers and chicken on the grill? Not us! Last summer, Andrew suggested we grill quesadillas outside...and what a smart idea that was! This is such a fun twist on grillin' dinner...plus, it's really simple too.

Click here to see our Grilled Quesadilla Recipe.

And for a little bonus idea, I found this creative way to eat watermelon on Pinterest...

...take your watermelon wedge, soak it in some Tequila and then sprinkle salt on top. Thank you Pinterest and the wonderful geniuses that add their ideas. This watermelon would pair perfectly with some grilled quesadillas.

Grillin' Week: Grilled Pound Cake with Peaches

2013-06-04T05:08:00.002-05:00

Hold on people...this is going to be your new favorite summer dessert! Not only is it extremely easy (probably one of the easiest things I've ever made!) but it was realllllly yummy! Andrew had a weird look on his face when I told him we were going to grill pound cake...but he thought it was delicious! Fun, delicious and easy...that's just perfect for summer.

Grilled pound cake isn't something new...it's on fancy menus and in complicated cookbooks. But I don't work that way...I want the same result but I want to use some shortcuts. Summer is about running around in the sprinklers with my kids...not about slaving over dessert.

Shortcut #1:

I used this kind of pound cake found in the freezer section of your grocery store. It works great because you keep it frozen until you're ready to use it, it's always moist and it holds up well to the grill. Just pull it out of the freezer, cut thick slices and head on over to your pre-heated grill.

Lay your slices on the grill and heat each side about one minute (not long...you're just getting it slightly charred). Remove your slices from the grill and put them on a plate.

Then...shortcut #2:

Drain one can of sliced peaches (you can absolutely substitute with fresh sliced peaches!) and add a few over the tops of your pound cake slices.

Finally, shortcut #3:

Drizzle honey down over the top.

That's it! You will think this dessert is fabulous! And it's just so much fun too :).

Grillin' Week wouldn't be complete without a little dessert!

Grillin' Week: BBQ Pizza on the Grill

2013-06-03T04:39:00.001-05:00

It's Grillin' Week people!

I will be featuring a grill recipe every day this week to celebrate the season. And trust me...it won't all be burgers...I might even slide a grilled dessert in there.

It's time to grill!

We love grilling pizza during the summer. It's simple, it's fresh, it's a great way to sneak in veggies and it's just plain FUN! Tonight's pizza is a BBQ pizza with fajita chicken. First of all, it was a cinch to throw together and second of all, it was just a fun twist on our pizza. This is the perfect recipe to kick off our Grillin' Week...

Shopping List

Pizza Dough (click here for my recipe or use whatever dough you love)

1 (16 to 18 oz) bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

1 red onion, chopped

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 cups spinach leaves (we buy the bagged spinach over by the bagged salads)

1 pound (or two packages) of precooked fajita chicken strips (like this brand)

A pizza stone (a must for outdoor pizza grilling...trust me...we tried using other things at first)

Do not preheat your outdoor grill. The stone needs to be placed on a cold grill or else it will crack. Pizza stones are sold everywhere...grocery stores, Target, Walmart...and they're pretty inexpensive (less than $20).

Roll out your crust onto your pizza stone. Top pizza with ingredients in order given above. Place pizza on outdoor grill and turn on to medium heat. Close lid of grill and cook about 15 to 20 minutes, checking on it occasionally. Once pizza is golden and bubbly, remove from grill.

Slice and serve!

Simple, right? Especially if you use the precooked fajita chicken. If you can't find it (which you should be able to), you can add pepperoni, left-over chicken, deli chicken, or just leave it vegetarian.

Enjoy the evening, enjoy your family and enjoy your pizza!

Bundt Cake #93: Peach Upside Down

2013-06-02T06:57:00.002-05:00

In Texas, June is peach month. Peaches are ripe...peaches are juicy...peaches are delicious. Last summer, I made a Peach Bundt Cake, so this year, I decided to make a spin-off of my Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake and make a Peach Upside Down Cake. The result...delicious!

Shopping List

1/3 cup butter, softened and divided into slices

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 (15 oz) can sliced peaches, drained

1 box of yellow cake mix

2 small boxes of instant vanilla pudding

1/2 cup of veggie oil

1 1/4 water

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease (I use Pam) a 10 inch bundt pan

In your prepared bundt pan, drop slices of butter all around bottom. Next, sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the butter all the way around the bottom of the bundt pan. Put bundt pan in the oven for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, puddings, oil, water and eggs with electric mixer.

After you remove the bundt pan from the oven, carefully place your peach slices along the bottom of the pan on top of your melted butter and sugar mixture. You will not use all of the peaches! Just place one row of slices in a ring around the pan.

Carefully pour your cake batter on top of the peaches in your bundt pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake rest on counter in pan 10 minutes. Then, invert the cake onto a serving plate. Let the cake finish cooling.

So simple and so summer! This is bundt cake #93! The finish line is up ahead!

And get ready...this week on the blog...

It's Grillin' Week! All of the recipes this week (including dessert!) will be easy grill recipes for you and your loved ones.

Dinner Tonight: Tomatillo & Pineapple Burgers

2013-05-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

This dinner got me really excited! I mean...really, really excited! I love coming up with new ways to make my weeknight burger feel more special. Easy ways. Flavorful ways. And this did the trick!

Here's the thing...I'm going to give you the recipe for the homemade version of this salsa (because that's what I used)...but...if you want to go the simple, simple route, check the bottom of this recipe for a quick, store-bought version. Either way, you're going to love the flavor combination!

Shopping List

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

2 tablespoons steak seasoning (or whatever seasoning blend you have that pairs nicely with beef)

8-10 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed off

3-4 garlic cloves

1 onion, sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (remove seeds for a less spicy version)

the juice of one lime

1 (8 oz) can Pineapple Tidbits (or crushed pineapple), drained

1 avocado, sliced

Pepper Jack Cheese slices

Salt and Pepper

Burger Buns

To make the salsa, in the bowl of your food processor, combine tomatillos, garlic, onion, jalepeno, and lime juice and pulse until salsa consistency. Stir in your pineapple. Refrigerate until you're ready to eat.

Preheat your outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine ground beef with steak seasoning and a little salt and pepper. Divide ground beef mixture into 4 burger patties. Grill about 6 minutes each side. Add a slice of cheese on top about a minute before they're done.

To assemble your burgers, take one bun, top with burger patty, sliced avocado and then your tomatillo-pineapple salsa. Serve open face.

So flavorful! The sweetness of the pineapple really pairs well with the spiciness of jalapeno and the cheese.

Ok...what if you want to make this even simpler? All you need to do is buy a jar of tomatillo salsa (it's right there on the salsa aisle...it's green) and combine that with your crushed pineapple. Done. Simple, right?

Burgers are a summertime necessity...but they don't have to be boring burgers!

Lunch: Cucumber & Turkey Sandwiches

2013-05-29T05:00:00.000-05:00

The summer of 2011 will always be remembered as the Summer of the Sandwich. During the summer, I see my girlfriends just about every day. We swim, we play with our kids, we chat. At the beginning of that summer, Sheaffer started bringing this sandwich to the pool every day. After about a week straight, we all got curious and started asking her about it. It sounded simple, flavorful and most importantly, easy to prepare. The following week, we all started bringing the sandwich too. By the end of the summer, us gals probably consumed 300 of those sandwiches. It was the Summer of the Sandwich.

We also started mixing and matching the sandwich too. We changed out the Laughing Cow cheese flavors, added spinach and avocado, used ham instead of turkey, switched the cucumber for bell pepper...we went crazy over recreating this silly sandwich. So...here it is. The perfect little sandwich. Maybe this will be your Summer of the Sandwich too?

All of the ingredients you'll need...one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese, a few slices of cucumber, Sandwich Thins as your bread and a little deli turkey.

Split your sandwich thin open (they're great little things to use instead of a loaf of bread! They're located on the bread aisle!).

Spread one wedge of Laughing Cow between the bottom and top parts of the bread (we like all the flavors but Garlic and Herb is the original for our sandwich).

Layer a few slices of cucumber and a few pieces of deli turkey in the middle.

Done!

Isn't that simple? And it's so delicious too! And just for grins...here is one of my favorite pictures from the Summer of the Sandwich...

My sweet girl!

Corn and Red Pepper Quiche

2013-05-28T05:04:00.004-05:00

You know how I love a quiche! They are the perfect multi-tasking meal. They're good for breakfast, good for brunch and excellent for dinner. And you can sneak a ton of veggies in there...for all of those picky eaters in your house. I used chicken sausage in this version but of course, you can mix and match it any way you like. ~~Breakfast~~ ~~Brunch~~ ~~Dinner~~ Mealtime made easy!

Shopping List

1 pound chicken sausage (or any sausage you like)

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

8-10 green onions, chopped

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 (15 oz) can creamed corn

2 cups Montery Jack cheese, shredded

1 refrigerated pie crust, brought to room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fit a pie plate with one sheet of your pie crust. Set aside.

Brown your sausage over medium high heat. Once brown, add in your bell pepper and green onions and saute another 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, creamed corn, and cheese. Fold in sausage mixture. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell and bake about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.

I always sit my quiche on top of a baking sheet in the oven in case there is any bubbling over...this make for easy cleanup.

Simple, right? I love a light supper on a summer evening...and this quiche with a green salad would be just perfect. Enjoy!

Bundt Cake #92: Coconut Lime

2013-05-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

This is my 92nd bundt cake! Isn't that fun?! We are counting down to 100...and we're almost there. But don't worry...we're going to have a Bundt Cake Week, a big giveaway...we're really going to go out with a B-A-N-G! For now, let's celebrate with 92.

Two of the most prominent flavors of the season come together in one cake...coconut and lime. I hear Jimmy Buffet songs just looking at this recipe...

Shopping List

1 box of coconut cake mix

2 small boxes of instant coconut pudding (use vanilla if you can't find it)

1/2 cup of veggie oil

1 cup water

1/4 cup fresh lime juice for the cake...and then a little bit more for the frosting (about 2 to 3 limes total)

4 tablespoons of lime zest, divided

4 eggs

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease (I use Pam) a 10 inch bundt pan

In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, puddings, oil, water, 1/4 cup lime juice and eggs with electric mixer. Stir in 2 tablespoons zest. Pour into prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake rest on counter in pan 10 minutes. Then, invert cake onto serving plate to finish cooling.

Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar with a little more lime juice (2-3 tablespoons or so) until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin and more lime juice if it's too thick. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons lime zest and coconut.

Spoon over cooled cake, garnish with a little more coconut, slice and enjoy.

This cake has huge flavor without tasting too heavy. It's perfect for summertime!

And for more Memorial Day recipes, click here to see my Memorial Day menu.

Memorial Day Menu

2013-05-23T04:30:00.000-05:00

It's Memorial Day Weekend!

Fire up the grill, gather your friends around the pool...Summer has officially begun!

No Memorial Day celebration is complete without a fabulous (and easy!) outdoor menu. This is my menu to make your Memorial Day a breeze...

Spinach Guacamole is perfect for dipping and also for topping burgers. Plus, it's so easy!!

Sarah's Pinwheels can be made in advance and have just enough kick to kick-off your summer.

Our family never has a summer party without my Mama's Corn Salad! It's the perfect side to whatever you have on the grill.

These BBQ Green Beans are made in the slow cooker (so they're simple to prepare!), plus, they're delicious too!

Want to jazz up your burgers just a bit? Try my Avocado Ranch Burgers this holiday weekend.

Coconut Pie Bars are easy, delicious and just taste like summer.

And why drink your margarita when you can eat it in a cake? This is my Margarita Bundt Cake. Delicious!!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend! And don't forget to thank those men and women who have served so faithfully for us in the military. God Bless them and God Bless you!

Happy Memorial Day!

Lunch: Black Bean Dip (or filling!)

2013-05-22T05:00:00.000-05:00

We all have Sheaffer to thank for today's lunch idea! She created this fabulous recipe as a dip...but I think it's perfect for a lunch too. And the best part is? There is no baking, cooking or even heating. It's just that simple. I give you...Sheaffer's fabulous black bean dip...

So...what are your lunch options? Well, I mixed up a batch of this and tried it several different ways. One day, I had it with some pita chips and fruit as my lunch (and it was fabulous!). And then the next day, I put it inside a whole wheat tortilla with a little Cheddar cheese and ate it like a taco...super yummy! Any way you do it, you'll love it! Plus, look at all of those veggies. This just might be my favorite way to eat a veggie!

Other options...you can put it over a little Romaine lettuce and have it like a salad or you could put it inside a pita pocket. The options are endless...and so is the flavor.

Thank you Sheaffer!

Shopping List

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz) can of corn, drained

1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped red onion

the juice of one lime

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

Pinch of Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

1 avocado, diced (add that when you're ready to eat it)

In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients in order listed (except only add in avocado when you're ready to eat it). Cover and chill until you're ready to eat.

Simple, right? It's so fresh and so flavorful! You will find a million ways to incorporate this into your lunch. Dip can be lunch! (A fun lunch at that!)

And a special thanks to one of my favorite websites All Free Casserole Recipes for once again, featuring my work. Click here to see my featured breakfast casserole recipe.

Dinner Tonight: Meatloaf Joes

2013-05-21T04:30:00.000-05:00

My most requested meal ever is my Mom's Meatloaf. It's my husband's very favorite meal, my brother's very favorite meal, and the most viewed recipe on this blog. To say it's fabulous would be an understatement...my mama might have made the original version but I have since tweaked it. First, I turned it into meatballs for the Coach's Stack and now, I've turned it into a Sloppy Joe. You really won't find a better Joe for your supper.

Shopping List

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, sliced

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 cup ketchup

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon mustard
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Salt and Pepper
Burger Buns

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown your ground beef in a little bit of EVOO with a pinch of S&P. In a second skillet, saute your onions in a little EVOO with a bit of S&P over medium-high heat too (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Once your ground beef is brown, stir in your Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 5 minutes.

Take half of a burger bun and top it with your ground beef mixture and then some of your sauteed onions.

That's it!

So simple, right? The same ingredients as my Mom's Meatloaf but in Sloppy Joe form!

Mix and Match perfection.

Your family will love this recipe too!

Summer

2013-05-20T04:40:00.000-05:00

Summer is just about here. The weather is getting warmer, the days longer and the food lighter.

Here's my approach to food and cooking...during the fall and winter months, you just can't get me out of the kitchen. Every day my stove is bubbling with something, dessert is baking in the oven and coziness finds itself in my kitchen.

When spring arrives, I set out for the farmer's market, open the windows and enjoy the cool breeze and lighter fare.

But summer...summer is the time to be away from the kitchen. Summer is when you eat outside, light up the grill, slice open a watermelon and sit by the pool. Summer is for salads, burgers, ice cream and fireworks. Summer is not for burning up in the kitchen.

So this summer over here at the Mama's house, we're going to be sharing recipes and methods that allow you to spend more time outside with your family, more time away from the kitchen, more time making life simple and savoring the long days. We're going to take it easy this summer. We're going to make your life simpler this summer. It's going to be a great summer.

By mid-August, I will already be in deep into fall food. I'll be coring apples, baking pies, opening cans of pumpkin and roasting butternut squash. This fall, I will also be posting Meal Planning Mondays to make your grocery shopping a little bit easier. And, I will have a new recipe to make...maybe 100 times.

So, let's sit back and relax from here until August. Let's enjoy summer Mix and Match Mama style.

Bundt Cake #91: Marble

2013-05-19T06:50:00.000-05:00

A yellow and chocolate marble cake...it's the best of both worlds all swirled together. I kept my cake unfrosted...but of course, you could add a variety of yummy frostings to the top. Simple, delicious and sure to satisfy both the chocolate lover and the yellow cake lover in your family.

Shopping List

1 box of yellow cake mix

2 small boxes of instant vanilla pudding

1/2 cup of veggie oil

1 1/4 cups water

4 eggs

1 cup chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease (I use Pam) a 10 inch bundt pan

In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, puddings, oil, water and eggs with electric mixer. Pour two-thirds of the batter into prepared pan. Take your melted chocolate chips and beat them into the remaining one-third of the batter. Pour the chocolate batter on top of the yellow batter.

Taking a knife, gently swirl the two batters together inside the bundt pan. (Be careful not to swirl them too much.)

Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake rest on counter in pan 10 minutes. Then, invert cake onto serving plate to finish cooling.

So simple, right? And fun! Who doesn't love a cake that gives you the best of both worlds?

What to eat this weekend!

2013-05-17T05:11:00.002-05:00

Hello Friday! I've missed you. A lot.

This weekend, the Shull family is headed to the pool for the first time of the season. It's going to be a glorious May weekend and we should all go outside...with something yummy to eat. Here are some suggestions...

My yummy Scallop Kabobs and Corn are perfect for an easy, outdoor weekend.

And I love Swiss cheese...so my Swiss Stuffed Burger makes me reallllly happy!

And if you're in the mood for pasta, my BLT Pasta will do the trick!

Looking for something sweet? My super easy and super delish Strawberry-Pineapple Ice Cream Sandwiches would be perfect poolside!

As would my Lemon Neiman Marcus Bars!

Don't forget to check back on Sunday for Bundt Cake #91!! Can you believe it?! We're almost to 100!

And the winner of our Story Company Giveaway is...

Mia Nuttle!

Congratulations! Email me at mixandmatchmama@yahoo.com to claim your prize.

Happy Weekend!

Dinner Tonight: Chicken & Lemon Pasta with Dill

2013-05-16T05:11:00.000-05:00

Whoa! Check out my new Pinterest hover button-thing (that's a technical term, I'm sure...). All you do is hold your mouse over my photograph and then you can instantly pin it! Easy, easy, easy!

Just because it's summer doesn't mean you still can't have a bowl of pasta for supper. Pasta is the ultimate comfort food...even on warm summer nights.

Shopping List

1 pound spaghetti noodles (I used whole wheat, you use what you like)

2 cups chopped leeks (see below for cleaning instructions)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pound chopped, cooked chicken (click here to see how I get my chicken)

1 (7 oz) container of store bought pesto

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 cup chicken stock

Parmesan cheese to garnish

Chopped dill to garnish

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Salt and Pepper

Bring a pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. Drop your pasta and cook to al dente (about 7 to 8 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute your leeks and garlic in a drizzle of EVOO with a pinch of S&P for about 5 to 6 minutes. When the leeks are tender, add in your cooked chicken and pesto. Lower the heat to low and let simmer. Stir in your lemon zest and your stock. Continue to simmer.

Once your spaghetti is cooked, drain the water and add the hot noodles to your pesto chicken mixture. Toss to combine everything together and to get the noodles covered in sauce.

Serve each plate of pasta garnished with Parmesan cheese and dill.

Because you're using store bought Pesto, this meal is really simple to whip up. If you wanted to make it vegetarian, you could simply omit the chicken all together and use veggie broth instead of chicken broth. The dill and lemon zest really bring out the pesto flavors and compliment each other.

Ok...here's the scoop on washing your leeks...

Before you begin sauteing the leeks, you need to first chop them into bite sized pieces. Then submerge them in a bowl of cold water and swish them around to get the grit out. Remove them from the water on to a clean kitchen towel and lightly press them with the towel to remove the moisture. Then you'll be ready to saute them. If you don't chop them first and then clean them, they'll never get clean on the inside.

If that sounds too complicated for you (I'm speaking to my mother here), then just substitute a chopped red onion instead. Simple.

Happy dinner!