This Mommy Cooks

Slow Cooked Barbecued Beef {Slow Cooker}

2012-02-02T04:02:00.003-05:00

This is another one from the Bless Your Heart cookbook. If you haven't already, head on over to my last post and enter the giveaway to win your very own copy of this great cookbook. This recipe was great. It calls for cooking it in the oven at a low temperature for a long time, but I decided to put my slow cooker to work. I love finding new things to use my slow cooker for! You can slice this up or you can shred it and put it on buns. Either way, you'll enjoy it. It is a sweet barbecue sauce, so if that isn't your thing, you may want to cut some sugar out.

Slow Cooked Barbecue Beef
adapted from Bless Your Heart

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon celery salt
beef brisket (I used a 3+ pound bottom round roast.)
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

Directions:

In a small saucepan combine the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, hot sauce, sugar, and celery salt. Place over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Pour 1/2 of the sauce into the bottom of a slow cooker. Sprinkle the beef with the salt and pepper and place on top of the sauce in the slow cooker. Top the beef with the remaining sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve sliced or shredded on buns with extra sauce.

This is linked to It's a Keeper.

Strawberry Shortcake, a Cookbook Review, and a GIVEAWAY!!

2012-01-31T09:00:00.003-05:00

Way back last summer, I was contacted by Thomas Nelson to do some cookbook reviews. Well, I had a baby and began homeschooling my boys, so time passed me by and I'm just now getting around to the second review. I love cookbooks. I really don't like to read all that much (shh... don't tell my kids) but I do love to read cookbooks, especially ones with great stories in them. Bless Your Heart {Saving the World One Covered Dish at a Time} is a cookbook with just that, great stories. The recipes come from Patsy Caldwell, while all of the fun stories come from Amy Lyles Wilson.

"These recipes are proven to comfort and satisfy your family and the people who may as well be kin. Whether the occasion is a holiday gathering, a garden party, or one of life's unexpected events, food is the common denominator in the South. Lifelong Southerners Patsy Caldwell and Amy Lyles Wilson understand the craft of Southern cooking , and how few things are as nurturing as a meal lovingly prepared in the traditions of the South." - Bless Your Heart

I love how this cookbook is organized, although I do prefer recipe titles to be listed in the beginning of the book, and this book is not organized that way. Instead, there are chapters for different situations in life that you might want to cook certain dishes. For example, some of the chapter titles are "Church Potluck," "Family Reunions," "Book Clubs," "Lending a Hand," and "Tailgating." The recipes aren't too difficult and don't involve ingredients you wouldn't be able to find easily. My favorite chapter is the "Tailgating" chapter. Since I do live in the south, we love the SEC around here. All of the desserts are tied to different SEC teams. I mean who doesn't love some good football food? Hot chicken wings, Tennessee Caviar, Steak Sandwiches with Corn Relish, Big Orange Cheesecake? Now I really want to go to a tailgate, too bad football season is over! (Well of course we have the Superbowl coming up, but I will not be attending that game.)

I've tried out a few of Patsy's recipes, and haven't been disappointed yet. Today I'm sharing her shortcake recipe. Let me tell you, it was so easy! Remember how I made a pineapple upside down cake in an iron skillet last week? Well that's just how Patsy makes her shortcake too. Let me tell you how I am loving using my cast iron skillets more! Later this week I'll share her Swiss Potato Bake and Slow Cooked Barbecue Beef just to give you a good sampling of the delicious recipes found in this book.

Do you want your very own copy of Bless Your Heart? Well you can go here to buy one or you can enter my giveaway! Thomas Nelson has graciously offered to give away three of Patsy and Amy's cookbook Bless Your Heart away to my readers! Wahoo for you guys! I really do think you'll love this cookbook.

If you want to enter the giveaway to win your very own copy of Bless Your Heart- Saving the World One Covered Dish at a Time, then here's how you enter:

*You can do one or all of the things listed below to to enter the giveaway. You need to submit a separate comment for each thing that you do. I will not go through the comments to make sure you entered correctly, so make sure you do it right the first time. The comments are moderated, so they will not show up immediately. I will delete comments that are duplicated. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you in your comment.

Leave me a comment with your favorite meal to take somewhere, whether it be to a new mom, a tailgate, a baby shower, or a potluck. I want to know what your favorite things are too!
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This giveaway will run until next Monday, February 6th at NOON, eastern standard time. So make sure you get your comments in before then. I will use the random number generator at random.org to choose the winner.

Now for the first recipe I'll share from the cookbook. The shortcake recipe. The great thing about this recipe is that I had everything in my pantry! It was also easy to make and tasted great! I loved that it wasn't overly sweet either. You can top it with whatever you want. We chose strawberries and homemade whipped cream, thus the title for today: Strawberry Shortcake. Just fair warning, try not to eat the cake all by yourself for breakfast...

Strawberry Shortcake

from Bless Your Heart

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter (I used salted.)

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup self-rising flour (make your own here)

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg, slightly beaten

fruit and whipped cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the butter in an 8-inch iron skillet and put the pan in the oven to melt the butter. In a medium bowl mix the sugar, flour, milk, and egg. Stir to combine well. Pour the melted butter over the batter and mix well. Pour the batter into the skillet. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a plate.

To serve: Cut into wedges, split in half. Serve with your favorite fruit and whipped cream.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Disclaimer: I was not compensated by Thomas Nelson for this review. All comments are my own opinion. I did receive a free copy of the cookbook and was offered to give away three additional copies.

This is linked to It's a keeper.

Sweet Treat Tuesday-Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache {Repost}

2012-01-27T19:03:00.001-05:00

Since it's National Chocolate Cake Day, I thought I'd repost this delicious chocolate cake I made last May. Enjoy!

Last night we celebrated my father-in-law's birthday with this cake. It turned out very yummy and was devoured by all! I had all of the ingredients in my fridge and pantry, which is always a plus. It is definitely a chocolate cake, so be prepared to drink a whole glass of milk or serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can either serve this with the chocolate ganache recipe I have listed or just dust it with powdered sugar. If the word ganache scares you, it's just a thin icing. This is easy and will impress. If you don't have a bundt pan, I have no doubt it would work fine in any other pan, it rises nicely. I might just have to try it as a layer cake with something in between. Do note that the batter for this cake is very thin, don't worry, it's supposed to be like that. Definitely make this cake, mmm good!

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache
from Food52 and Foodandwine.com

Ingredients:
For cake:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cups dutch process cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Cocoa Powder.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup buttermilk (make your own here.)
1 cup freshly brewed strong black coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

For chocolate ganache (optional):

3 ounces chocolate, chopped (I used semi-sweet chips, bittersweet is suggested.)

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon corn syrup

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions:

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350.

Either spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray (this is what I did), or butter a bundt pan and dust the inside with cocoa powder or flour. Next, sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

In a mixer on low add the milk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla one at a time. Mix until all ingredients are smooth and incorporated. Then, with the mixer still on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Once all of the flour mixture is added, mix the batter for a full 4 minutes on medium speed.

After you've mixed the batter for 4 minutes on medium speed, pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester or tooth pick comes out clean. Allow cake to cook in pan for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack, and then invert onto serving plate (or keep on a wire rack) and allow to cool to room temperature.

Top cake with chocolate ganache (directions below) or dust with powdered sugar. This cake would also be delicious served warm with ice cream on the side. Mmmm.... good!

For chocolate ganache:

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. In a heatproof bowl, combine 3 ounces of chopped chocolate with the corn syrup and butter. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Let the ganache glaze cool until thick but still pourable, about 5 more minutes.

Pour the ganache over the cooled cake.Let the cake stand until the glaze is set, at least 30 minutes, before serving.

Mexican Pizza

2012-01-26T05:49:00.003-05:00

Last week, I was trying to figure out what we were going to have for dinner and after checking to see what ingredients we had, I decided to make a Mexican pizza. Have you ever had one of those from Taco Bell? I haven't, but I remember my mom getting them when I was little. All I remembered was that there were layers of tortillas, so I went from there. This turned out to be really good, and easy. You can keep it simple like I have, or add in onions, olives, jalapenos, etc. whatever you want. And the other fun thing you can do is top it with whatever you want too.

Mexican Pizza
from This Mommy Cooks

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef/turkey
1- 8ounce block of cream cheese
1- small can chopped green chilies
2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese, divided
1 can black beans
4 flour tortillas, burrito size
enchilada sauce (your choice, I used Trader Joes)

optional toppings:
salsa
lettuce
tomatoes
guacamole
sour cream
or anything else you like

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown hamburger meat, drain fat, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean and begin to soften cream cheese. Let cream cheese soften over low heat, stir often to keep from scalding. Add can of chopped green chilies to skillet with cream cheese. As cream cheese and chilies soften, add in hamburger meat. Stir to coat all of the meat with the cream cheese mixture. In another pot warm black beans. If you prefer refried beans instead, you may use them here.

Spray 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place one of the flour tortillas in the bottom of the dish. Spoon one-third of the meat mixture on top of the tortilla. Next, spoon one-third of the black beans on top of the meat and then top the beans with 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. Repeat this process two more times and top with last tortilla.

Pour enchilada sauce on top of Mexican pizza and top with remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Place in preheated oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

Serve warm and top with your favorite toppings.

This is linked to It's a Keeper.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake {in cast iron skillet}

2012-01-24T05:58:00.002-05:00

I have been wanting to try this recipe for a couple of years. Actually, ever since I bought Ree's cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I am so glad I finally did! It was so very good and actually not too hard to make! I mean who doesn't love a pineapple upside down cake? My boys loved it, all of them. I love how it's made in a cast iron skillet, but I bet you could use a regular baking pan and it would be just as good. The original recipe calls for shortening, but you know I don't like that stuff all that much, so I replaced it with butter, and it turned out fine.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake (in cast iron skillet)
slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 stick plus 1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1- 20oz can sliced pineapple, 2 tablespoons juice reserved
1-1/3 cups brown sugar
Maraschino cherries, optional

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, make the cake batter. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, 1/2 stick of the butter plus 1/4 cup of butter, milk, eggs, vanilla and the 2 tablespoons pineapple juice. Mix until well combined.

Melt the other 1/2 of the stick of butter in a 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Make sure that the butter is melted and covers all of the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter evenly and let the butter soak into the sugar and start to bubble.

Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the heat. Put the pineapple slices on top of the brown sugar and the cherries in the center of the pineapple slices if using them. Slowly pour the cake batter over the pineapples.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean of the center of the cake. (I would place skillet on top of a cookie sheet in case any bubbles over as mine did.)

When the cake is done, run a knife around the edge of the pan and place a cake plate upside down on the skillet and turn everything upside down. Remember the skillet is hot, so use oven mitts. If any pieces stick, just use a small knife or fork to scrape them off the pan and put them back on the cake, nobody will notice.

This is linked to It's a Keeper.

Honey Sesame Chicken

2012-01-23T05:18:00.001-05:00

This was so easy and so yummy! I love almost all Chinese inspired dishes. My kids loved it and so did I. It would have been even better if I had time to make fried rice, but the brown rice went perfectly with it.

Honey Sesame Chicken
from Skinny Mommy

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
Flour
1/2 cup honey
1 Tablespoon of sesame seed oil
1-2 teaspoons of siracha or other Asian hot sauce
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400.

Place flour in a bowl. Dip the chicken into the flour, covering it completely and shaking off the excess. Line a baking pan (with high sides) with parchment paper and add the chicken making sure they don't touch each other. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, mix together the soy sauce, sesame seed oil, honey, and siracha. Take out the chicken and pour the sauce over it, stirring to coat each piece. Put the chicken back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes more, stirring a few times to be sure every piece is glazed evenly. Toss with the sesame seeds if you desire and serve over rice.

Homemade Fortune Cookies {Cooking Club}

2012-01-21T10:56:00.000-05:00

Here is my last recipe to share from our Chinese New Year cooking club. Tianna brought homemade fortune cookies to go along with our steamed pears. They were delicious! I love fortune cookies. I think these would be a fun treat to make for kids and put fun notes inside. One note, if you store these in an airtight container, they will more than likely become soft and not remain crunchy like a traditional fortune cookie. They still taste good, but are chewy. So, I recommend letting some air get in to keep them crunchy. You will also need to make these only a few at a time, because they need to be hot in order to form the cookies into actual fortune cookies. Enjoy!

Homemade Fortune Cookies
adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients:
1 egg white
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (You can use vanilla extract if you prefer.)
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Write fortunes on strips of paper about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Generously grease 2 cookie sheets.

In a small bowl, mix the egg white and vanilla or almond extract until foamy but not stiff. Sift the flour, salt, and sugar and blend into the egg white mixture.

Place teaspoonfuls of the batter, forming a circle about 3 inches in diameter on one of the prepared cookie sheets at least 4 inches apart. Tilt the sheet to move the batter around if the circle isn't filled. Be careful to make batter as round and even as possible. Do not make too many, because the cookie has to be really hot to form into a fortune cookie, and once it cools it is too late. Start with 2 or 3 per cookie sheet and see how many you can do.

Bake for 10 minutes or until cookie has turned a golden color 1/2 inch wide around the outer edge of the circle. The center will remain pale. While one sheet is baking, prepare the other.

Remove from oven and quickly move cookie with a wide spatula and place upside down on a wooden board. Quickly place the fortune on the cookie, close to the middle and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a cup (any cup will do) and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Place folded cookies into the cups of a muffin tin or egg carton to hold their shape until firm.

If you store these in an airtight container, they become soft and not crunchy, so I recommend not doing that, just let them be open to a bit of air.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps {Cooking Club}

2012-01-19T05:42:00.000-05:00

We had two appetizers at our Chinese New Year cooking club. Charissa brought chicken lettuce wraps. They were so good and easy to make! I've always wanted to make the knockoff P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps but they have so many ingredients and look labor intensive. But, after hearing that these weren't too hard to make, I'll be putting them on our dinner menu plan soon because they were so good!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
slightly adapted from epicurious

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons clear rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/3 cup minced red onion
1 cup chopped canned button mushrooms or fresh
1/2 cup water chestnuts, minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, minced
8 to 10 inner leaves iceberg lettuce, edges trimmed and chilled
Handful of fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small bowl and mix together until the sugar dissolves.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok over high heat. (If you don't have a wok, just use a big pan.) Stir-fry the garlic and ginger for 10 seconds. Add the onion, mushrooms, and water chestnuts and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove the contents of the wok.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok. Swish the oil around, add the chicken, and brown for 1 minute, or until no longer pink. Add the cooked vegetable mixture back to the wok, decrease the heat, and stir in the sauce mixture. Stir for 1 minute, or until the sauce is heated and the chicken is cooked through.

Spoon the filling in equal amounts into the lettuce cups. Top each lettuce cup with cilantro and sprinkle with chopped cashews if desired. Serve warm.

Steamed Pears with a Surprise {Cooking Club}

2012-01-17T05:14:00.002-05:00

So for dessert we will continue with the Chinese theme. We had steamed pears with dates in the middle and it was so delicious! I was surprised how good it was. The addition of honey adds just a hint of sweetness that is perfect. The date in the middle is a perfect addition. We also had homemade fortune cookies that I will post later this week. We weren't able to have actual Chinese pears or Chinese dates so we used regular ones that tasted just perfect.

Steamed Pears with Surprise

adapted from about.com

Ingredients:
2 Asian pears (any pear is fine)
4 teaspoons honey, plus more for sauce
2 dried Chinese dates, softened in cold water, slitted, and the pits removed (any date is fine)
lemon juice to brush on the pears to prevent discoloration, optional
yogurt

Directions:

Wash the pears and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the top off the pears and set aside (these will become the lid). Remove the core. If desired, cut off a small slice at the bottom so that the pear will stand straight during steaming.

Spoon 2 teaspoons honey into each pear. Add 1 date. Place the top back on the pear. Brush the lemon juice over the skin of the pear if using.

Set up a steamer, or place a rack for steaming inside a deep pot. Place the pears on a plate and steam, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender.

In a small bowl combine yogurt and extra honey. Place in the bottom of a bowl and place pear on top of yogurt/honey mixture.

Serve warm.

Baked Crab Rangoons {Cooking Club}

2012-01-16T06:00:00.004-05:00

Last week, my cooking club met and our theme was Chinese New Year. It was so much fun! Our host, Lisa, is such a neat person and put a lot of effort into making the night fun! The table was decorated beautifully and the food was amazing. I have officially decided that I am going to start transitioning all my dinner plates, bowls, etc. to fiestaware. It is so beautiful! I can't wait to share some of our yummy dishes with you this week. First up, one of the appetizers. These were so easy to make and absolutely yummy. I can't wait to have another ~~excuse~~ opportunity to make these!

Baked Crab Rangoons
from Some Kitchen Stories

Ingredients:
1 can of 6 oz. white crab meat, drained
4-6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tablespoons mayo
1/2 teaspoon Siriacha hot sauce
2 teaspoons green onions/chives, plus more for garnish
Ground pepper to taste
Wonton wrappers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine first six ingredients in a bowl.

Spray muffin tin with oil. Push wrappers into muffin tins, making a well in the center. Spoon in some of the crab/cream cheese mixture into each wrapper.

Place in oven and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes until the edges of the cups are golden.

This is linked to It's a Keeper.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

2012-01-12T06:00:00.002-05:00

Yet another recipe I found on Pinterest. I actually changed the sauce because I didn't want to use cream of chicken soup, and it turned out really well. I had a hard time getting the crumbs to stick, so make sure you press the cracker crumbs on when dipping them. I'm wondering if using an egg in the dipping process will help that. I'll try it out next time.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken
inspired from Jamie Cooks It Up

Ingredients:
Chicken:
2 large chicken breasts
1 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/8 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons white flour
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper
2 T sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks. Grind up the Ritz crackers in a small food processor or crush them in the package.

Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the salt and pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture to combine.

Dip each piece of chicken into the milk then the cheese and finally the cracker crumbs. Make sure you press the crumbs on or they will fall off.

Place chicken pieces in prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.

Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then add the flour. Cook, stirring rapidly, until the mixture is thick. Add the chicken stock and whisk until smooth, then add the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add in sour cream with a whisk. Stir it over medium heat until the sauce is heated through.

Serve sauce over the chicken.

Homemade Waffles {Sweet Treat Tuesday}

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

So after a couple of years of seeing other bloggers post recipes for waffles, and me having to skip over them because I didn't have a waffle maker, I can finally go back and check out the recipes! I bought a waffle maker for myself for Christmas. I only bought a small cheap one because I didn't want to invest in a more expensive one and then not use it. So, I tried my hand at homemade waffles on New Year's Day. It was a definite success! They were delicious and everyone loved them. I was going for the Waffle House waffles, and these are close, but not the same. I changed the copy cat recipe a bit, so maybe that had to do with it. I hate using shortening unless I have to, so that was omitted and I used different amounts of the milk and creams. These were great though. Homemade waffles are SO much better than frozen ones. Who knew what I was missing?

Homemade Waffles

inspired by Mommy's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup heavy cream (half and half will work too)

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and stir to combine and set aside. In a large mixing bowl (I used my mixer.), lightly beat the egg adding in sugar and butter and mixing well until smooth. Add the cream, milk, buttermilk and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture while beating and mix until smooth. Cover and chill overnight, or use the batter right away.

To make waffles, spray nonstick spray on a waffle iron, and preheat it. Leave the batter out of the refrigerator to warm up a bit as your waffle iron is preheating. Spoon batter into the waffle iron and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the waffles are light brown. The amount you put on the waffle will depend on your type of waffle maker. This makes 5 large round waffles or 10 smaller square waffles.

Roasted Salmon with White Wine Sauce

2012-01-09T10:00:00.001-05:00

I found this recipe in pinterest. It was so easy and delicious! The sauce on top is really good. I love cooking with fish because it usually cooks so quickly. So here's another good weeknight meal!

Roasted Salmon with White Wine Sauce
from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet (I used 3 frozen salmon fillets.)
Coarse salt
ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place salmon on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Roast until opaque throughout and flakes easily, about 15 minutes.

While the fish is baking, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Add wine, and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chives; season with salt and pepper.

With a fork, gently break salmon into large chunks, and serve topped with white-wine sauce.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

2012-01-06T10:24:00.001-05:00

Have I mentioned my love for Jason's Deli before? I love it. I love salad bars and I love muffins. So Jason's Deli is one of my favorite places. My kids love it too, mainly for the muffins and free ice cream. Well sometime back before Christmas, we went to dinner there and I saw a soup that look amazing. I had to try it. It was the chicken pot pie soup. And let me tell you, it was delicious. I love chicken pot pie, so why wouldn't I love the soup version? This recipe so good! I changed some things about the original recipe to make it easier to prepare, because we all need that right? I have made it twice and I will say that I enjoyed cubed chicken better than shredded and we liked both the homemade cheesy crescent rolls and just rolled out pie crust baked for topping. Enjoy this on all of the cold nights that are about come along!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

inspired from back to the cutting board

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed or shredded

2 cups chicken broth or stock, divided

1 chicken bouillon or better than bouillon

3 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream (use milk instead if you prefer.)

1/2 cup flour

1/2 onion, finely diced

1 bag (16 oz) frozen vegetable blend (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)

2 potatoes, cubed (red or russet, I used red.)

1/2 teaspoon Thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

Put potatoes in a pot with 1 cup of chicken broth and enough water to cover them. Cover and cook until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, melt butter in large pot. Add in garlic, onions, and frozen vegetables. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are starting to look cooked, maybe 7-10 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally so the vegetables won't stick to the pan.

Once cooked, sprinkle the vegetable mixture with 1/2 cup of flour evenly. Stir to combine with a large spoon, I love my spoonula for this! Add in remaining cup of chicken broth, bouillon or better than bouillon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.

Gradually add in milk and cream, stirring constantly to keep it smooth. Bring the mixture to a low boil until it begins to thicken. Now add in potatoes and chicken. Reduce heat and simmer on low-medium for a couple of minutes. If you want to make it thinner, add more broth or milk, if you want it thicker, add a bit more flour. Salt and pepper to taste. (Remember to make sure there is enough salt, the potatoes with absorb a lot of it.)

Serve with puff pastry, baked pie crust, or homemade cheesy crescent rolls rolled out flat.

This post has been linked to Everyday Mom Meals.

Marinated Cheese Dip

2011-12-29T06:00:00.002-05:00

So, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I got this recipe from my brother-in-law, Brian. I've been told he's a pretty good cook. I haven't sampled much of his cooking, but I have had this and boy was it good. It is so easy to make and is always a crowd pleaser. Just in time for your new year's eve or football party! I don't have either to host or go to...so maybe I'll just have to make a half order of this for myself...and my family of course.

Marinated Cheese Dip
from my brother-in-law Brian (originally from a box of some sort...)
Ingredients:
3 cloves fresh minced garlic
3 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
8 ounce block of extra sharp cheddar
8 ounce block of cream cheese
2 ounce jar of diced pimentos

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except the cheese. It's important you do this first to give time for the flavors to mesh prior to pouring it over the cheese.

Cut both pieces of cheese lengthwise down the middle so that each brick is now 2 identical bars of cheese.

Slice the bars of cheddar into little squares about 1/4-inch thick. Set them aside. Start slicing the cream cheese blocks into similar squares. But, with cream cheese being so messy and soft, every time you slice it you add one piece of cream cheese to one piece of sharp cheddar so that you're alternating between cream and cheddar as you go.

The dish is an important ingredient as well. You have to make sure it's not too wide or else the marinade will be too shallow. But it also has to be big enough to house all the cheese. You pretty much want the cheese to be anywhere from half way submerged to 3/4 of the way covered.

Select your dish, lay your cheese in rows, alternating the cream cheese and cheddar cheese in the bottom. The slices will be sitting up, not laying flat in the dish. Pour the other ingredients over your cheese. Try to make sure you place a good portion of the parsley, garlic, and pimentos resting on top of the cheese. Let it sit covered in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Serve this with Triscuits, plain or flavored. I've been told that garlic and herb or roasted tomato are really good with this. Now, to eat it, take your triscuit and stab it into one of the pieces of cream cheese and scoop up 1 slice of cream and 1 slice of cheddar with plenty of the marinade ingredients on top. Delish!

French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping {Sweet Treat Tuesday}

2011-12-27T13:51:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a merry Christmas! My family had a wonderful holiday! I tried out a new recipe for Christmas morning, French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping, and it was a hit! I love overnight casseroles, makes breakfast the next morning so much easier!! Definitely give this a try, it was sooo good! I served it with pigs in a blanket, sausage balls, and fruit. You can drizzle maple syrup on top when serving this, but we didn't and we quite happy with the taste and flavor.

French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping

adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients:Casserole1 loaf French bread

6-8 large eggs

2 cups heavy cream (half-and-half will work too)

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash salt

Maple syrup, optional

Praline Topping1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, melted

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Slice French bread into about 20 slices, 1-inch each. Butter a 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish generously. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a whisk until blended but not too frothy. Layer the bread slices in baking dish in a single layer and pour half of the mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly. Use the remaining slices of bread to make a second layer and cover with the remaining milk/egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To prepare praline topping, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Spread praline topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup if desired, we didn't and it was still delicious!

This post has been linked to Everyday Mom Meals.

Homemade Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-22T16:54:00.000-05:00

Thinking of still making a gingerbread house with your kiddos? Here's an easy recipe you can try out if you're not planning on buying a kit at the stores. My boys love decorating one of these every year!

Homemade Gingerbread Houses

slightly adapted from Things that make you say MMM

Ingredients:

2 and 2/3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

2/3 cup molasses

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Roll out the dough on a greased piece of foil. To make the rolling easier, spray or grease your rolling pin as well. The dough won't stick as bad. Place foil onto a cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes. You want it to be very firm.

Right out of the oven, cut out the shapes. Lay the pattern pieces right on top of the cooked gingerbread (click here for pattern) or cut how you want it to look. Make sure to cut the pieces before the cookie cools, because it will harden and you won't be able to cut it. It needs to be very firm to stand up, so if the pieces are too soft, return to the oven.

To assemble, use any icing (to make mine easier, I used a tub of icing.) to put all the pieces together. A royal icing recipe is listed below. Let harden for at least 5-6 hours. I recommend doing the assembling the night before. Don't try to assemble it and then decorate it, because it will inevitably fall over and then you'll have crying kiddos on your hands, and we don't want that! Enjoy!

Royal Icing Recipe:

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 lb powdered sugar

Beat all ingredients thoroughly with an electric mixer until the icing stands up in peaks, about five minutes. Use icing right away, because it will harden. When not in use, keep it covered with a damp cloth to keep moist.

Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas

2011-12-20T06:39:00.001-05:00

Have you thought about what you and your family will be eating on Christmas morning? If you're anything like me, you don't want to be stuck in the kitchen cooking while everyone else is in the other room. I have compiled a list of all the recipes I have on the blog that can be made the night before and just popped in the oven or warmed up the next morning. I love dishes like this. It makes mornings a lot easier when all you have to do is pop a casserole dish in the oven, don't you agree? So here's to making Christmas breakfast a lot easier on you!

Just click on the title for each recipe and it will take you to the recipe.

Holiday Morning Buns

Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Casserole

sorry, no picture!

Daddy's Sausage Balls

Cinnamon Rolls

Sausage and Grits Breakfast Casserole

French Toast Casserole with Strawberry and Pecan Topping

Ham Balls

sorry, no picture

Cookie with Many Names {Sweets and Treats #5 and a Guest Post!}

2011-12-16T12:08:00.000-05:00

Well, today is the final day of my {Sweets and Treats} Week her on This Mommy Cooks. Since I only made four things for my goodie boxes I asked my sweet friend Sieglinde of Siggy Spice to do a guest post for me. I asked her because I love her blog and I knew she had tons of yummy sweet goodies to share. So, enjoy today's recipe, brought to you by Siggy Spice! Thanks Siggy!

Hi there! My name is Sieglinde, aka Siggy Spice. I am so honored that Amber asked me to guest post today! As you all know, she is a fabulous person whose food makes your tummy rumble and heart smile at the same time. This Mommy Cooks is definitely on my "speed dial" for scrumptious breakfast, lunch, or dinner ideas....and let's not forget the desserts!

I am not sure about you, but I am covered in flour and sugar at the moment wrapping up all my holiday baking. While I like to audition different recipes this time of the year, there are those tried and true sweet nibbles that are ALWAYS on my goody trays. These cookies are definitely one of those items. Several years ago I made these cookies into small truffle sized balls. My then 8-year old son started calling them Reindeer Poop...and much to my chagrin, the name has stuck! Whether you call them No Bake's, Chewy Fudgy Treats, Cow Pie's, or Reindeer Poop, they are sure to bring a smile to your face!

Cookie with Many Names
from Siggy Spice

Ingredients:
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• ½ cup milk
• 1/3 cup powdered cocoa, I use Hershey's Cocoa
• 2/3 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
• 3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Place piece of wax paper or foil on tray, cookie sheet, our counter.

Combine sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, cool 1 minute.

Add peanut butter and vanilla, stir quickly until peanut butter is smooth. Add oats and stir to thoroughly combine. Quickly drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper or foil. Cool completely. ENJOY!

Wishing you all the HAPPIEST of holidays and a New Year filled with MUCH love, health, and happiness - xoxo

~Sig

Rocky Road Fudge {Sweets and Treats #4}

2011-12-15T06:00:00.001-05:00

I love fudge. Why can you only really have and/or make fudge around Christmas? I mean I know I could make it year round, but who does that? Maybe I'll start a new trend. Anyway, this is now one of my favorite fudges. I love chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts, so of course I liked this. It looks fun, and it tastes great. It makes a ton, so if you don't want a ton, just half the recipe. I'm also thinking that you could buy Hershey's® (or any other brand for that fact) milk chocolate chips and use them instead of the bars. I happen to have two big bags of mini Hershey's® bars in my pantry for smores, so I didn't test out that theory, but I don't know why you couldn't!

Rocky Road Fudge
from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Ingredients:
20 ounces Hershey's® milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces
1(12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, cut into pieces
4 cups sugar
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
4 cups frozen mini marshmallows
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups walnuts or pecans, chopped ( I used walnuts.)

Directions:

Place four cups of mini marshmallows into the freezer until frozen.

In a large bowl, place broken milk chocolate bars, chocolate chips and butter pieces; set aside. In a large pan, combine sugar, evaporated milk and 2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly, then, continue to cook and stir at a light boil for 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and immediately pour over the chocolate/butter mixture. With a large spoon, stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and loses its shine. As it starts to cool it will lose its shine. Mine never really lost its shine, but I got tired of stirring, so I'm sure you'll be ok. Stir in the vanilla. Add the frozen marshmallows and walnuts/pecans. Spread into a large buttered cookie sheet (for a full batch I used two 9x13 baking dishes for smaller pieces and one 9x13 for thick larger pieces).

Cool completely. I put mine in the refrigerator to speed up the process. Cut into pieces and serve. Store in an airtight plastic container. Makes about 60-70 pieces.

Homemade Caramels {Sweets and Treats #3}

2011-12-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

Have you ever made homemade caramel? I haven't, and was very pleased with these. My cousin, Mark, emailed me the recipe a few weeks ago because he thought I'd like to have it. I was thankful for that, because who doesn't like to get a family recipe for something? These were great. They make a TON! If you don't need a TON, then I recommend halving this recipe. I wrapped about half of this up and handed it out and then with a fourth of it I made the Twix bars and now I still have a ton to use up! I'm thinking more Twix bars...

Homemade Caramels
from my cousin Mark

Ingredients:
2 pounds brown sugar
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 pound (4 sticks) butter
16 ounces light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons Vanilla

Directions:

First, grease 1 or 2 (9x13) pans with butter. (I only used one, but it really depends on how big you want your caramels. For this recipe, you could easily use two 9x13 pans.) In large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar. Once sugar is dissolved, add in corn syrup. Next, slowly add in sweetened condensed milk, stirring the whole time. Heat mixture to boiling and until a candy thermometer reads about 245 degrees. Continue to stir constantly so the bottom doesn't get scorched. You'll be stirring for awhile, so be prepared. Once the mixture is starting to thicken up, and the temperature is around 245 degrees you're ready to spread it in a pan and let it cool on counter for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, if caramel is completely cool, remove it from the pan and slice into small pieces. You can use wax paper to wrap them up individually, just wrap a small piece around the caramel piece and twist the ends.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles {Sweets and Treats #2}

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

And for another installment of {Sweets and Treats} week here on This Mommy Cooks I bring you Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles! Yes, they are as good as they look and sound! One of the best parts about these is that they are easy to make! I have come to love making things with peanut butter, because it's usually easy and it always tastes good.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles
slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:
1½ cups pretzel pieces
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup milk or semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon oil

Directions:

Put the pretzel pieces into a resealable plastic bag and crush into very small bits (a rolling pin works great for this).

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and salt. Stir until all of the ingredients are completely blended and smooth. Add the pretzel bits to the peanut butter mixture and mix thoroughly. Add the powdered sugar and mix until completely combined.

Line a small baking sheet with wax paper. Use a small cookie scoop to form small balls of the peanut butter mixture. If you don't have a cookie scoop, use about two teaspoons worth of mix and gently shape it into a ball. Place the ball on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining peanut butter mixture. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to dip the truffles, microwave the chocolate chips and oil together in a small bowl at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted and smooth.

Dip one peanut butter-pretzel ball into the melted chocolate and use a fork to roll it around, making sure that it is completely coated with chocolate. Let any extra chocolate drip off and place back on the wax paper-lined sheet. Repeat with all of the peanut butter-pretzel balls.

Return the baking sheet to the refrigerator and again chill for at least 30 minutes. You can drizzle with melted peanut butter (just warm some peanut butter up in the microwave) and some pretzel bits, or leave them plain. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Homemade Twix Bars {Sweets and Treats #1}

2011-12-12T06:00:00.003-05:00

Oh I love this time of year. You get to make and eat things you don't usually make and eat the rest of the year. My boys and I spent all day Friday and Saturday morning making candies to give to our neighbors for Christmas. I just love surprising people with homemade goodies and making them smile. I mean who doesn't like to get homemade candies, or anything homemade? I've been working on teaching my boys that we should want to give to others and not be so selfish. So, on Sunday, we walked up and down the street and delivered our homemade candies to our neighbors. It was a lot of fun and definitely surprised some of our new neighbors. (We have two brand new neighbors this year!) At first when I told my five year old that we were making these candies for our neighbors, he got sad because he wanted them to be for our family, but after delivering them today, I can say that he enjoyed giving them away. It's so sweet to see your three and five year old joyfully yelling Merry Christmas and handing over their homemade gift.

So, since we made all sorts of candies last week, I'm hosting a {Sweets and Treats} week here at This Mommy Cooks. I will post all of the yummy candies we made all this week. So look for a new goody every day! Enjoy!

Homemade Twix Bars
slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
Shortbread layer
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups All-Purpose Flour

Caramel layer
2 cups caramel, cut into small chunks
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Chocolate layer
3 cups chopped milk chocolate or dark chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon oil (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly spray a 9” x 13” x 2” pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the flour, butter, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and blend on medium speed. At first the mixture will seem a bit dry, continue beating on medium speed, and the dough will come together as a soft, smooth, slightly sticky dough. Place the dough in your chosen pan(s) and pat with your fingers to spread.

Prick the dough all over with a fork. This will allow steam to escape during the baking, and keep your shortbread from bubbling up in patches.

Bake the shortbread for 25 to 45 minutes, until lightly brown around the edges. If you use parchment paper, it will be closer to the 25 minute mark. Allow shortbread to cool before pouring caramel on top.

To make the caramel layer, place the caramel and cream in a medium-sized saucepan and melt together over low heat, stirring frequently. The caramel will be glossy and lump-free, but still thick. Pour the warm caramel over the baked, cooled crust and spread to the edges carefully. Place the pan in the refrigerator to set the caramel layer.

After the caramel has chilled for about 30 minutes, melt the chocolate for coating. You can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate; or microwave at 50% power in 30 second increments until chocolate is smooth.

If the chocolate seems too thick, melt in 1 teaspoon of oil at a time, until it’s thin enough to coat the bars.

For the quickest approach, you can pour the melted chocolate over the caramel layer and return to the fridge until set. Cut and serve the bars as you would brownies.

If you’d like to make classic Twix® shaped bars, remove the caramel-coated shortbread from the pan. Be sure to use parchment in the pan if you’re planning to do this so that it is easier to remove the cookie layer. Cut the bars into long thing strips. You can make them any size you want really. Dip the sticks into the melted chocolate one at a time. Submerge the stick under the chocolate until well coated. Using two forks to lift and support the stick will keep it from breaking as the excess chocolate drips off.

Place the coated bars on a wire rack to finish setting up or place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Place in fridge to set completely.

Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker

2011-12-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

So this year, I decided I was going to utilize my slow cooker on Thanksgiving. I actually used two. I used my big one for the turkey breast, and my smaller one for the hashbrown casserole. I have to say, that this was the first year I was able to get everything done at the same time. That's always an accomplishment, don't you think? I think the slow cookers helped free up my oven for other things to cook. Anyway, I don't plan on making turkey any other way from now on, unless I have to do a whole bird to feed a big o'le crowd, but an eight pound turkey breast was just fine and we had plenty of leftovers. I have to say that this was one of the most moist turkeys I've ever had, and my husband said it was the best he'd ever eaten. I like compliments like that! I think I'll actually make this another time just for regular dinners, only use a smaller turkey breast. It was flavorful and juicy, both things that are always good to describe turkey! Enjoy!

Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker

from A Year of Slow Cooking

Ingredients:

4 to 8 pound turkey breast (bone-in or out)

2 cups cheap white wine (I used cooking wine,you can use broth instead, if you'd like)

1 stick of butter

1 onion

kosher salt

Cracked Pepper

Directions:

I used a 6 quart slow cooker and a 8 pound turkey breast. Unwrap the turkey breast and pat it dry with paper towels. If you want to remove the skin you can, but I didn't because I'm lazy. Salt and pepper the breast liberally.

Place turkey in slower cooker, breast-side down. Cut up an onion in big chunks and push some pieces down next to the turkey and put a few in the rib cavity. Put the stick of butter in the rib cavity too. Pour the wine over the top.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. Use a meat thermometer to test doneness--it should register at 170°. (I cooked my 8 pound breast for 6 hours on high before removing the lid to check the temperature, and it was perfect.)

Remove from slow cooker, and let sit for about 20 minutes before carving.

EASY and fun holiday treats to make with your kids! {Repost}

2011-12-03T09:22:00.000-05:00

I'm reposting this because it has been one of the most popular posts and since Christmas is upon us, here are some fun ideas to do with the kiddos. I'm planning on trying out some new ones soon, so look for that post too!

If you’re looking for something fun to do with your children over the holiday break or need an idea for their Christmas party, hopefully this will get you started! At my monthly MOPS meeting last week, we made all sorts of fun, and very easy, treats. These are perfect for you to make with your kids, and they will love them! Thanks Lindsey for all of the great ideas!

Nutter Butter Reindeer Cookies
*You could use a Vienna Finger cookie if your child has a peanut allergy.

1. Lay out 1 nutter butter on your plate.

2. Take 1 pretzel and very gently break the bottom (round part) of the pretzel off. You will be left with the 2 loopy parts.

3. Using white cookie icing (found in the cake decorating section) or regular icing, “glue” the pretzel antlers to the top of the cookie.

4. Use the frosting to glue either 2 chocolate chips or 2 brown (or green or blue) M&M’s for the eyes.

5. Use the frosting to glue 1 red M&M for the nose.

Edible Wreaths
1. Spread ½ of a mini bagel with cream cheese (green food coloring was added to the cream cheese and was beat with the hand mixer)

2. Add raisins and craisins to the bagel to create berries.

3. Tear apart a string from a twizzler stick (Use the kind you can peel) and do your best to create a bow and stick it to your edible wreath.

Candy Airplane
1. Use 1 package of smarties (this will be the body of your airplane)

2. Use one 5 stick package of gum. (these are your wings). Place the gum perpendicular to the smarties…. On top of the smarties, forming a “T”

3. Get 2 lifesavers (wheels) and 1 rubber band.

4. Put the rubber band through the holes of the lifesavers.

5. Pull the rubber band ends around the ends of the gum package to hold the gum into place.

Magic Reindeer Food
Mix the following in a plastic bag:
½ cup bird seed
½ cup cheerios
½ cup oatmeal
A good shake of colored sugar (at least 1 tsp)

Tie closed with red ribbon. Your children will be so excited to sprinkle this “animal-friendly” reindeer food in your yard or driveway on Christmas Eve.