The Girl Who Ate Everything

Pepperoni Cheese Stick Roll Ups

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:01:00 +0000

I know it feels a bit schizophrenic around here bouncing back and forth from healthy to naughty dishes.

But there's just so much food and so little time.

Don't I sound like Ben from the Bachelor if he were living in a mansion with girls made out of food?

Okay...maybe that was a stretch.

I don't know how you couldn't feel a "connection" with these Pepperoni String Cheese Rollups. They're almost like these Pizza Rolls or these Stuffed Pizza Rolls, but definitely the easiest of all of them. I made these for my kids in under five minutes.

But they aren't just for kids...I'm thinking Super Bowl grub for sure. The Garlic Butter Glaze on top is definitely not a necessity but if you are serving them for adults it adds some flavor and makes them look a little nicer.

And yes, I'm completely ignoring the fact that TGWAE now has over 20,000 facebook fans. That's just crazy. Because really people, I'm posting about rolling premade dough, pepperoni, and cheese sticks being rolled up and baked. How hard is that?

And now I have to do another giveaway...because you all are so nice.

Not today. But soon...

Look at that cheesy goodness!

Pepperoni String Cheese Roll Ups
Source: adapted from Dinner With The Donnells

1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent roll dough
4 cheese sticks, halved
1 (3.5 ounce) package sliced pepperoni
optional - marinara or ranch sauce for dipping

Garlic Butter Glaze:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take each triangle of crencent roll dough and place about 6 pepperoni on the bottom of the triangle. Place half of a cheese stick on top and roll up. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown.

While rolls are cooking, combine the melted butter, Italian seasonings, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.

When rolls are done remove from the oven and brush with the garlic butter glaze. Serve with marinara or ranch for dipping.

Green Almond Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:04:00 +0000

I've never been a fan of green smoothies which seems to be super popular right now. Every one I've tried has been nas-tay! And NO, I'm not expecting them it to taste like an Oreo shake from Sonic...but how nice would that be?

This green almond smoothie that my friend Jenna sent me was awesome! I've known Jenna since high school and now she's in New York living the life. She's also known as Mommy in Manhattan, her blog about life in New York. It's everything from flying through the air in trapeze school, showing us how to tightline our eyes, or running into celebrities at the grocery store.

I love living vicariously through her escapades and her blog is a one stop shop for me to get a style update since I'm too busy looking at food blogs. I'm lucky if I can grab a shirt and throw it in my cart while I'm at Target. Jenna's blog makes me want to move to New York someday so she can dress me and put some eyelash extensions on me!

She's doing a giveaway today for some cute girl headbands and accessories so head on over and enter. I just entered because we know I'm terrible at anything crafty and I would love some cute hair accessories for my baby girl.

Here's Mommy in Manhattan and her cute family...

This green smoothie is full of vitamins and nutrients. It's packed full of spinach – but seriously doesn’t taste like spinach at all. I even was able to get my kids to drink it. Jenna's trick to getting her kids to drink it is by putting the smoothie in colored cups with lids and a straw.

Green Almond Smoothie
Source: Jenna from Mommy in Manhattan

1 banana

1 cup almond milk

1 1/2 tablespoons almond butter

2-3 handfuls of fresh baby spinach

ice

optional: whey protein powder, cocoa, cinnamon or shredded coconut

Put everything in the blender and blend until creamy. Makes 2 servings.

Buffalo Wing Turkey Lettuce Wraps

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:58:00 +0000

Let me start off by saying eating healthy is absolutely no fun. Except for the getting skinnier part...that's fun. Right now everyone is looking for healthy recipes and all I want to do is make the ten Super Bowl recipes I've been gawking at. These Buffalo Wing Turkey Lettuce Wraps are my compromise between eating healthy and diving head first into some cheesy gooey dip.

Why does it seem so much easier for guys to lose weight? Last year my husband and I both ate the same healthy food and both were doing P90x every day. He trimmed down and had a six pack and the only six pack I had was the Diet Dr. Pepper in my pantry. I swear he takes some magic pill that melts fat while I'm sleeping. Don't worry...if I ever find out I will let you know.

And just so you know he does not like to be called skinny. He said that would be the same as him calling me fat.

Trim. Trim is his goal.

My husband and I decided these Buffalo Wing Turkey Wraps are healthy food for people who don't want to eat healthy. These low carb wraps are packed with protein, veggies, and flavor. As you know my husband is obsessed with anything buffalo flavored. Buffalo Chicken Dip, Buffalo Chicken Nachos, Buffalo Chicken Mac n' Cheese...all some of our favorites. My sister-in-law Kristy, over at Sweet Treats and More happens to be married to my husband's brother, Brett, who is also obsessed with all thing buffalo. So when Kristy said Brett loved these, I knew my husband would to.

Buffalo Wing Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Source: barely adapted from Sweet Treats and More

1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup onion, diced finely
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 cup carrot shavings (use a vegetable peeler to make shavings)
1 cup celery, sliced thinly
1 head iceberg lettuce, leaves removed to form cups
salt and pepper
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Buffalo wing sauce
Blue cheese crumbles or blue cheese dressing to drizzle over the top

*I used some blue cheese crumbles and a tablespoon of Litehouse Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette just like my SIL, but don't feel like you have to have the dressing to make these...they are good with just the crumbles too.

1. In a large skillet, saute the onions over medium heat until soft (3-4 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add ground turkey, season with a dash of salt and pepper, brown meat and cook until cooked through. Drain any grease if necessary.

2. Return meat to pan and stir in the wing sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer for a couple of minutes.

3. Prepare lettuce cups. Place spoonful of meat into lettuce cup, top with a few carrot shavings and chopped celery. Sprinkle with some blue cheese crumbles and/or dressing. Wrap up and start eating!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:14:00 +0000

Now that I'm a mother of four one of the most common questions is, "How is life with four kids?" My answer changes depending on the day and sometimes the hour. Some days I feel like I have it together and other days I feel like a mad woman pulled in all directions losing my mind.

Last week I was feeling awful. I had severe fever and chills and my whole body ached. My OB told me to come in if I ever had those symptoms since it could be a sign of infection. So I grabbed the last appointment of the day and with all FOUR kids in tow, hurried to his office.

Turns out I just had the flu. After a lecture from my doctor about doing too much and stern instructions to take it easy, he asked, "Do you have help or a nanny at home?"

It was all I could do to not laugh out loud. I was thinking the obvious. If I had a nanny at home, do you think I would be at the gynecologist with four kids?

They say the "Joy is in the Journey". I know that's true and I'm reminded daily by the funny things my kids say and the kisses they give me. But sometimes I feel like I'm on a journey to Crazy Town.

People always ask how I find time to bake. I think we all find time for the things we love whether it be reading, running, or Pinterest :). Baking is therapeutic to me. It relaxes me and it's something my kids and I can do together.

Sunday nights always draw me into the kitchen begging me to make some cookies. Usually it's these cookies but last night I needed peanut butter and chocolate. Peanut butter and chocolate are like my own personal Xanax. These cookies have oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate chips which makes for some dangerous dough.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: Brown Eyed Baker

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.
4. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes 16 cookies.

Candied Pecan, Apple, and Gorgonzola Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:58:00 +0000

I'm guilty of picking out the marshmallows of the Lucky Charms cereal, for licking just the frosting off a slice of cake, and for eating just the pepperonis off the pizza. I'm a topping picker. So sue me. Or just don't share anything with me. That would be no fun...for you.

Salads are no exception. By the time I'm done eating a salad, all of the goodies are gone with just a bunch of lettuce left.

Last time I was visiting Arizona my sister made this salad for our Sunday dinner and I fell in love with it. Although it does have a lot of toppings for me to pick off, I enjoy the whole salad. The apples and gorgonzola cheese are the perfect compliment to each other. Recently I was in charge of making the salad for over 200 women for a church event. This is the salad I made because I knew it would be a hit.

Who are we kidding?

You know I put twice as many toppings on my own salad but here's what a normal person salad would look like.

The hardest part about this salad is the candied pecans. They definitely make the salad so you can't skip them. Just make sure you give them a good 5-7 minutes of your undivided attention. You can do it. The key is to keep stirring continuously so that your sugar and pecans don't burn.

I know that that's a whole lot of apple and Gorgonzola below, but remember I was making this salad for 200 women. This is actually just half of the ingredients I prepared. Keep the skins on your apples for some color.You can buy Gorgonzola pre-crumbled or buy it in a chunk and chop it yourself. You want small pieces because a little of this cheese goes a long way.

I usually use half Brianna's Poppy seed dressing and half Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette when I make this salad. For my church event I bought some of Brianna's dressing and then realized it could get costly so I made my own vinaigrette for some of the salad to cut costs.

Candied Pecan, Apple and Gorgonzola Salad

Source: my sister Susan

1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces
1/4 cup sugar
6 cups of Romaine lettuce or other mixed greens
1 large or 2 small apples, cored and diced (I like to use Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala)
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese

Dressing:
I like to use half Brianna's Poppyseed dressing and half Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette but any vinaigrette will due. This Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe below) from Our Best Bites is good alternative too if you want to make your own.

Directions:
To make the candied pecans, pour the sugar in a small skillet and pour the pecans on top. Cook over medium heat until sugar melts and turns a caramel color stirring constantly so that the nuts and sugar do not burn. Be patient! It takes a while for the sugar to start melting. Once the sugar turns a caramel color coat keep stirring to coat the pecans with it. Pour pecans onto greased wax paper or aluminum foil to cool. Once pecans are cooled, break them into pieces.

Note: If you happen to get to a point where your sugar will not melt and is just clumping, a quick fix is to add 1 tablespoon of water to the pan over the heat to get the sugar liquefied. Your pecans will not be as crisp but still taste yummy. Trust me, I made about 20 batches of these pecans and I got a little distracted during a couple of batches and wasn't stirring like I should.

Place lettuce in a serving bowl and add apples, Gorgonzola cheese, and pecans. Toss with dressing right before serving or let people add their own dressing.
Honey Red Wine Vinaigrette

Source: Our Best Bites

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1-2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 cup canola oil

In a blender, combine vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Place lid on blender and blend on high. While blender is running, add oil in a steady stream. Store in refrigerator for about 2-3 weeks. Shake well before serving.

Honey Garlic Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:41:00 +0000

This time of year everyone is trying to eat healthy and the nonconformist in me wants to do the exact opposite. The more I think about eating healthy chicken or fish with veggies, the more I just want to go eat a Krispy Kreme. The defiant inner teenager inside me wants to rebel and do exactly what I'm not supposed to.

I also have it in my head that I have to eat ALL of the junk food in my house before I can properly start to eat healthy. As if it's my duty to eat the whole pound of See's chocolate that my sisters gave me...ahem...before I can start eating healthy. I just think of it as taking one for the team so my husband doesn't have to ruin his healthy eating ways.

This crockpot honey garlic chicken is my compromise to the start of eating healthy. Although the ingredients aren't entire healthy on their own if you ate them in their entirety, the chicken only cooks in it and then just a little sauce is eaten with it. This recipe comes from Deborah over at Taste and Tell who shared this as one of her favorite recipes of 2011 so I knew I had to try it. I agree with her that often chicken in the crockpot tends to be dry and lacking flavor that's why chicken thighs are perfect for the crockpot. This chicken reminded me of the Huli Huli chicken we had in Hawaii last year. My husband thought this chicken was even better. Serve it over brown rice and with some broccoli for a healthy meal or shredded over a salad.

Honey Garlic Chicken

Source: Taste and Tell

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup honey
(optional) fresh basil, shredded, for garnish

Place the chicken in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, soy sauce, ketchup and honey. Pour over the chicken and cover.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Be sure to check the chicken periodically. My chicken was done after 5 hours on low. Remove chicken, place on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer the remaining sauce to a saucepan and reduce down over medium heat until desired consistency is reached. I mixed a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and added it to the sauce and continued to stir and cook on medium heat until it thickened up a bit.

Serve a little sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh basil.

Serve chicken over rice with some broccoli or green beans on the side.

My Favorite Recipes of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:54:00 +0000

I love countdowns and Best of's...

I remember when I was growing up always secretly watching MTV's countdown of the best music videos of the year. MTV wasn't allowed in our house back then...and now with shows like Jersey Shore...ha ha...there's no way it would be allowed now either.

So here's my own G-rated countdown that even my mom would approve of. Yesterday I listed Your Favorite Recipes of 2011 and today are some of my favorites that may have gotten overlooked. I was pregnant most of 2011, so you were subject to my cravings and food aversions.

We did, however, share some of the same favorite recipes of 2011. For the first couple of months of my pregnancy it was hard for me to even look at food let alone actually cook anything, but I came back with a vengeance with I nearly ate this entire Peanut Butter "Cheese" Ball by myself. Then, all I wanted was something savory and this Bloomin' Onion Bread was just what I craved. Finally, the S'more Cookies, come on...who wouldn't love those.

It was so hard to choose but here are a couple more of my favorite recipes from 2011...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes:

I tried to replicate a treat my husband had at work. We stuffed as much cookie dough into a cupcake as we could.

Creamy Sausage and Tomato Pasta:

Dinner doesn't always have to be extravagant. This is one of those meals with simple and fresh ingredients that I fell in love with.

Saltine Cracker Toffee:

Every time I make this recipe from my grandma, I almost eat the whole pan.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu:

WAY easier than the traditional Cordon Bleu and just as tasty. This is a comforting meal that my family loves.

Roy's Chocolate Souffle:

This molten lava cake is from one of our favorite restaurants, Roy's. I was amazed when they actually gave me their recipe. Don't ask how many of these I've eaten...

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins:

These are one of my all-time favorite muffins. No wonder they are all over the Internet. They are perfectly moist and full of spices with a cream cheese center.

Taco Pasta:

Here's another dinner that has made it into our regular dinner rotation. It's hard to please picky eaters and this one made my whole family happy.

Cranberry Bliss Bars:

These chewy blondies are festive and unique. This Starbucks knockoff will be on my holiday baking list every year from now on.

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches:

Pregnancy proved to make me lazy or maybe just really tired. All I know is that I got some major mileage out of my crock pot this year. This was one of my favorites...

Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes:

With just a few ingredients, I was surprised how easy and good these were. If you are scared of making cheesecake, these are the fool proof way to go.

Can't wait to make some more food memories with you all next year. There are a lot of good things to look forward to in 2012!

Your Favorite Top Ten Recipes of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:50:00 +0000

I have a lot of favorite but these were the recipes that you guys kept coming back to in 2011. I have to say...you all have good taste!

#1 Favorite: Ham and Cheese Sliders

I'm a little surprised that these were the overall favorite from 2011. Not that they aren't good but they are actually from 2010 and they didn't involve peanut butter or chocolate which is always popular. Pinterest revived some interest in them and they are still one of my favorites that satisfy the kids and adults as well.

#2 Favorite: S'mores Cookies

Cookie dough, graham crackers, and marshmallows...these were a hit with my friends and a hit with you guys. Perfect for a summer barbecue or New Year's Eve bash.

#3 Favorite: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

After increasing the cheesecake layer so that the crust to cheesecake ratio satisfied me, these are perfection in my eyes. Although these are also from 2010, I've made them several times this year and always get asked for the recipe.

Favorite #4: Peanut Butter "Cheese" Ball

You guys must love peanut butter and chocolate as much as I do to make this your #4 favorite. I mean you have to be serious about your peanut butter and chocolate love to indulge in this and I did - I think I ate the whole thing by myself. This was the only thing to finally fulfill my peanut butter pregnancy craving.

Favorite #5: Bloomin' Onion Bread

I haven't met many carbs that I haven't liked, but some I like more than others. This appetizer is visually appealing and HELLO, cheese and bread...yes, please.

Favorite #6: Caramel Apple Cupcakes

These cupcakes screamed fall and they blew up on Pinterest. Who knew so much goodness could come from a cake mix.

Favorite #7: Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

These were from a post way back in 2009 which explains why the photo is not that great. I first had these at a "chocolate party" at my friend Greta's house and had to have the recipe.

Favorite #8: Overnight French Toast Casserole

Sometimes simple is good, that's why I like this french toast casserole with it's classic flavor. And since I'm not a morning person the night before prep is just what I need.

Favorite #9: Fruit Salsa

This was a summertime favorite, another one from 2010. This is always a hit at baby showers and get togethers.

Favorite #10: Cheddar Bay Biscuits

You guys like those Red Lobster biscuits as much as I do. I love these when I don't want to deal with yeast. They are cheesy, savory, and super easy.

Individual Seven-Layer Dips

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:55:00 +0000

We keep it pretty minimal when it comes to toys for our kids on Christmas but yet somehow I feel like there's STUFF everywhere! Anyone else feel this way? We're swimming in Legos over here and just when I think I've cleaned up the last of them, I'll step on one or one of my boys will drop their ships and Lego pieces go flying everywhere. I think my husband spent 6 straight hours on Christmas helping them build Legos.

Seven layer dip is one of my favorites. But after a few people have dipped (hopefully not double-dipped), it starts to look like mush. All the pretty layers turn into an unidentifiable, unappetizing pile. My sister told me about the idea of individual seven layer dips as a party idea. And then, of course, I spotted a vegan version of what she had told me about on Pinterest .

The great thing about seven layer dip is that you can adjust it to your personal tastes. Now, you could make these in glass tumblers too, but we are pretty casual over here so plastic tumblers are the way we roll. These would be great for watching a football game or for a New Year's party.

Individual Seven-Layer Dips

Makes about 8 individual dips

*Note: All measurements are approximate. Depending on whether you want thicker or thinner layers you will need more or less.
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning

1 cup guacamole or make homemade guacamole

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

1 cup chunky salsa or pico de gallo; or make homemade pico de gallo

1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 bunch of green onions, sliced

1 (2.25 ounce) can of sliced olives, drained

9 ounce plastic tumblers

tortilla chips

Directions:

In a small bowl mix taco seasoning with refried beans. Some people prefer to mix their taco seasoning with the sour cream layer but I wanted a bright white layer so I did it with the beans.

Here's how the layers are assembled:

Layer 1: beans and taco seasoning

Layer 2: sour cream

Layer 3: guacamole

Layer 4: salsa or pico de gallo

Layer 5: cheese

Layer 6: tomatoes

Layer 7: green onions and olives

In each plastic glass, layer about 2 Tablespoons of the beans, followed by 2 Tablespoons of sour cream, 2 Tablespoons of guacamole, 2 Tablespoons of salsa or pico de gallo, and 2 Tablespoons of cheese. Make sure you drain your salsa or pico to get the excess liquid out before you pour it on. Then top with about 1-2 teaspoons of tomatoes, olives, and green onion (If making ahead of time, wait to add these toppings until shortly before serving).

Garnish with one tortilla chip. Store in the refrigerator until serving and serve with chips. Makes around 8 individual dips.

Merry Christmas...

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 02:41:00 +0000

...from my family to yours.

(and baby Gracie - can't believe these family pics are already outdated!)

Pictures by H.A.M. Photography

Cranberry Bliss Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:49:00 +0000

While this is the time of year all about giving, I feel in the last week and a half since I've had the baby I've been on the receiving end of everyone's generosity. I've been blessed with extremely giving (and stubborn) friends who lined up people to bring me meals even though I said I would be fine without them; friends who take my boys for playdates so that I can get in a nap and a shower; and friends who offer their gift of conversation.

Life with four kids, now I may be jinxing myself here, seems more balanced. It seems as though it was always meant to be this way...that we were just waiting for baby girl to fill this spot in our family.

These are supposedly a knock off of Starbucks' Cranberry Bliss Bars. I've never had Starbucks' version, but these were really good and oh so pretty. I've seen different versions of these all of the Internet and I opted for this one because it was supposed to be chewier and less cake-like than the other versions. It's a buttery blondie base (try not to eat all of the dough) with flecks of white chocolate and cranberries throughout. I'm not a huge lover of white chocolate but I loved these. The frosting is cream cheese and white chocolate with a hint of orange if you want. Or leave it out if you're not a fan.

Cranberry Bliss Bars
Source: RecipeGirl

Blondie Layer:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave or until melted; stir in brown sugar. Pour the butter and sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).
3. Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Let the frosting set (speed this up by throwing them into the fridge) then cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

North Pole Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:34:00 +0000

The plus about having a baby right before Christmas is that it left a self-procrastinator like myself, no other option but to get everything ready for Christmas beforehand. So now I'm able to relax and worry just about taking care of my baby. Don't get the wrong picture; I'm definitely not sitting on the couch eating bon bons. I feel like I'm wondering around like a zombie with no sleep and showering is definitely optional these days, but at least the frantic shopping days are behind me.

I fell in love with these cupcakes when I spotted them on Pinterest. Although, there aren't any real instructions, they were inspired from Jenny's Cookies and are fairly self-explanatory. I made these with my son and his preschool friends. They are simple and magical!

My Sweetest Recipe...

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:05:00 +0000

Named after my grandma Grace, in heaven...

Gracie Belle Denney

7 lbs 8 ounces

Made with love and cooked to perfection...

Eggnog Cookies and the night before baby

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:29:00 +0000

I think I'm ready. As ready as you can be. I've have my pre-baby pedicure, my hair done, my other kids stuff in order...and it looks like someone threw up blush and bashful all over my nursery. Mission accomplished.

I should be sleeping right now before my 4:45 am check-in at the hospital tomorrow but I figured the chances of me actually being able to sleep tonight are pretty slim. Anxiety has taken over. I have to keep telling myself people have babies all the time. Please just tell me everything will be okay.

Take a look at this pink cluster in the corner of baby girl's room. I became a little obsessed trying to recreate it ever since I saw it spotted on Pottery Barn's website.

Every time I look at it, I'm reminded why I never do crafts; a) I'm not good at them. b) Anything craft that should take one hour, takes me five.

I made the fabric pom poms myself and then my husband and I spent hours last night trying to hang it all up so it looked pretty. Three hours of my life I will never have back.

These eggnog cookies are great if you like eggnog. My husband chugs the stuff. Being a little more calorie conscious, I can't bring myself to drink more than a sip. Which is a little ironic since I ate about 10 of these cookies. These cookies are festive, soft, and taste like eggnog.

Eggnog Cookies

Source: Cookie Madness

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup salted butter, room temp
1/2 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon nutmeg for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter with an electric mixer. Add eggnog, vanilla and egg yolks and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets, 1″ apart. Bake for 21-24 minutes or until bottoms turn light brown.

Transfer to cool, flat surface immediately with spatula. Makes about 36 cookies.

Eggnog Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup eggnog (might need more or less)

In small mixer bowl, beat the powdered sugar and butter until well blended. Gradually beat in eggnog until icing is smooth and the desired consistency. You may need less or more depending on the consistency you like. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg after you ice the cookies. I used a sifter/strainer to gently sprinkle nutmeg on top. A little goes a long way when it comes to nutmeg. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Phat Cow Fudge

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:44:00 +0000

The TaiSlim giveaway is still going on until Friday so don't forget to enter.

PHAT: Pretty-Hot-And-Tempting. A much nicer alternative to FAT.

As I've said before, probably the question I get asked most frequently is "How are you not 500 pounds with everything that make on your blog?"

I love food. I've always loved food. And even when I'm eating really healthy I always treat myself to some chocolate...everyday. The majority of the time, we eat really healthy in my house. Of course I have times when I fall off the wagon hard, but that's okay...and normal.

Food and I have a really good relationship. Growing up, I may have had times where I was "curvier" and I would complain to my mom and she would always say, "Oh honey, you look great." I love that about her. We always ate healthy in my house and were active. So I think since we had that foundation, she knew I would be okay in the long run and it wasn't worth stressing over.

As I am reaching the end of this pregnancy, the pure logistics of how my body is stretching and expanding is really quite amazing. My belly button feels like it's 3 feet in front of me. I know pregnancy is supposed to be beautiful but my body has reached it's capacity and some moments I feel like a freak of nature waddling around. One thing that helps is that my husband looks at me with the same eyes whether I'm 10 pounds or 400 pounds. I love that about him.

So I thought this Phat Cow Fudge was fitting for the occasion. Sometimes I feel fat and sometimes I feel "phat", depending on which hormone is winning at the moment. This could also be named Rocky Road Fudge since essentially that's what it is but Phat Cow Fudge is way more fun. This fudge is creamy, easy, and requires no candy thermometer which is a plus. I like to switch up my Christmas plates with more than just cookies; fudge adds something nice to the mix. Especially this fudge. Since it's some of the best I've had.

Make sure you remember to freeze your marshmallows so that they don't melt when you stir them in. This recipe makes a ton! Perfect for Christmas plates, not perfect if you are making this just for yourself. Feel free to cut the recipe in half.

Phat Cow Fudge

Source: Eat Cake For Dinner

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

*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 wooden spoon, stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and loses its shine. Don't worry if it looks separated, just keep stirring. As it starts to cool it will lose its shine. 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).

Cool completely. You can speed this up by putting it in the refrigerator. Cut into pieces and serve. Store in an airtight plastic container. Makes about 60-70 pieces.

TaiSlim and a Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

***********Giveaway is Closed************

I can't believe I'm having this baby in a week! I'm already starting to think about the battle of losing the baby weight. My oldest brother Keith has been really successful using TaiSlim and I'm definitely going to have to try it out once I have this baby since it targets the mid-section and is safe while nursing.

Today Keith is giving away some introductory Tai Slim product to a lucky one of you. For those of you who would like to learn more about TaiSlim and to enter the giveaway, just leave a comment with your name and email so that you can be contacted with more information. The giveaway will end Friday, December 9th at 8pm, EST. Here's Keith's story...

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

I lost my driver’s license and when I got my new one I was wishing I had lost it again. I was out of control with poor eating habits, lack of exercise, and stress. The picture said it all. I also fudged a little on my weight, I was actually 223 lbs “large and in charge”, but not really.

The picture was painful enough to make me consider I needed to change. I was taking five different prescription drugs for high blood pressure, depression, sleep aids, etc. My personal relationships were being affected. I knew it was time for a change.

I found a product called TaiSlim which has been the catalyst to reduce my desire for food, gave me more energy, and scientifically proven to remove fat from my mid section. The clinical studies prove when using the TaiSlim products I will lose 4X the weight and 6X the fat over diet and exercise alone. That is what happened to me. I feel awesome without feeling hungry or deprived.

In the last 2 months I have lost 20 lbs, but most important and incredible is I took 4” off my waistline. I have eliminated three of the five prescription drugs and anticipate being off all of them soon. I still have few more pounds to lose. What I love the most is that if I want to I can still enjoy the recipes from "The Girl Who Ate Everything".

The season is upon us, be different, be unique, give the gift of a lifetime to a loved one or to yourself, it will change your life, it will free your life.

Learn more at:

http://www.keithlarson.taislim.com/

or email me at kglarson.az@gmail.com with any questions.

White Chocolate Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:47:00 +0000

Make sure to check out the winner of the Fast Easy Bread Kit on the Giveaway page:

December 1st around our house means it's time to bust out the Christmas decorations and our Elf on The Shelf, Jack. If you don't have an Elf, I highly recommend it. He generates loads of good behavior from your kids and has the power to make them do almost anything since he reports their behavior back to Santa. My husband even jimmy rigged some fishing line across our ceiling so Jack spontaneously flies across our ceiling every once in a while which gets the kids in a frenzy.

December 1st also means I start thinking what cookie to make for cookie exchanges or for neighbor treat plates. I always stress over making the perfect cookie. The recipe has to be festive, taste awesome, easy, unique, and make a lot of cookies. I spotted these cookies on Pinterest and they seemed to fit the bill. Cherry and almond mixed together - which is one of my favorite flavor combinations. I added more cherry liquid and almond extract to bump up the flavor because that's how we do it around here.

It's a shortbread cookie which means the dough is super dry. Don't be worried. This is normal. It should look like this:

It will all come together when you knead it into a ball. Look at those beautiful chunks of white chocolate and cherries.

Then you make really small balls and flatten them with the bottom of a glass.

Dip them in melted white chocolate and sprinkles and you're done!

White Chocolate Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookies

Source: adapted from BHG

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped (reserve 2 Tablespoons of liquid from cherries)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 drops red food coloring
2 teaspoons shortening
White nonpareils, sprinkles, and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well reserving 2 Tablespoons of cherry liquid for later.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender (or 2 forks), cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. You could also use a food processor here or use your Kitchen Aid Mixer. Stir in drained and chopped cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped white chocolate. Stir in the 2 Tablespoons reserved cherry liquid, almond extract, and food coloring. Mixture will be very dry and look like crumbs. Don't worry. That's normal. Using your hands, knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. The cookies do not spread much so make sure your balls are well formed. Having slightly damp hands helps here. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Do not overbake! Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. You could also do this in the microwave, melting in 30 second intervals stirring in between. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in sprinkles and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 48 cookies.

Storage: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:16:00 +0000

I blasted my heater on the way to the gym today. It was a chilly 68 degrees. Don't laugh. This Arizona/Florida girl likes the heat. Anytime I have to put real shoes on, besides my flip flops, I get grumpy and agitated. The cool front had me craving some real comfort food and it seems like I always turn to Mel's Kitchen Cafe for that.

Let me tell you something about broccoli cheese soup. A couple of years ago I was in charge of making soup for 250 women. We had a couple of different flavors but the broccoli cheese soup was gone WAY before the others. It tends to be a crowd favorite. This soup is thick, creamy, cheesy, and easy to make. I love the flavor that the Swiss cheese adds.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Source: MelsKitchenCafe

1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 small onion, diced finely
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, preferably sharp or extra sharp
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 cups chopped, lightly steamed or blanched broccoli (I left mine in pretty big chunks)

DIRECTIONS:
Note: I used Mel's tip of cooking the broccoli in a glass bowl covered in saran wrap in the microwave for 3-4 minutes while you prepare the rest of the soup. The broccoli comes out perfect.

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes.

In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour, salt and pepper. Cook together, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium heat until soup starts to thicken, about 5-8 minutes. Add warmed chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended.

Add cheeses and stir until completely melted. Stir in cooked broccoli. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Mine was really thick because I think I added more broccoli than it calls for but that's how I like it. If you need to thin it out you can whisk in some more milk or chicken broth. If it's too thin, you can simmer it a bit longer to thicken it up.

Serve immediately in bowls or bread bowls. Makes 4 servings.

Pumpkin Spice Rolls and a Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:51:00 +0000

*****************Giveaway is closed*****************

The winner is The winner is Whitney Owings. Thanks for entering!

These pumpkin spice rolls have the perfect texture and would be great for Thanksgiving. They taste divine with some butter and a drizzle of honey. I used my Fast Easy Bread Kit to cut the rising time in half! You can also make these without it...it will just take a little longer :)

Today to win your own Fast Easy Bread Kit just head on over to Fast Easy Bread and become a follower. Once you have done that, leave a comment here with 1) your name 2) your email 3) and tell me that you are now a follower. Because we know you are busy, the contest with run until Thursday, December 1st at noon, EST. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Spice Rolls

Source: The Sisters Cafe

4 tsp active dry yeast (or SAF-Instant Premium Yeast from Fast Easy Bread Kit), or approximately 2 envelopes
1/4 cup milk
5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (left this out because I didn't have it)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, or a 15 oz can of pure pumpkin
egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tbsp of water)

Heat milk to between 110 and 115 degrees (feels warm) on the stove or in the microwave and pour into the bowl of your stand mixer; stir in the active dry yeast (or SAF-Instant Premium Yeast from the Fast Easy Bread Kit), and let stand for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, brown sugar, and salt, and mix well.

In a separate large bowl, lightly beat the two eggs, then stir in the melted butter, and the pumpkin puree. After the yeast has been activated, add the wet ingredients directly into the bowl of your stand mixer, and stir to combine. Then add 1/2 of the dry ingredients (flour and spices) from the other large bowl, and stir to mix the dry and wet ingredients together. *At this point add 1 teaspoon Liquid Soy Lecithin if using the FastEastBreadKit). After it is well mixed, add the remaining 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix again.

Using the dough hook, allow your machine to knead the dough for you until it is smooth and still somewhat sticky (3-5 minutes). Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, and cover to let rise for approximately 1 hour or double in size (only a half hour with FastEastBreadKit). Lightly grease a jelly roll pan or 9X13 pan and line with parchment paper. To shape, take a piece of dough (about 1/4 cup) and start forming a round, smooth ball by pulling the sides to the center and pinching to seal. Place, pinched side down, on a counter and lightly roll dough into a ball. Space them in the pan so they are just barely touching the sides of one another; they will expand during the second rising time and during baking to completely fill the pan. Makes 18-24 rolls.

After your dough is shaped, cover it loosely, and let it rise for another 1-1 1/2 hours (cut this in half with FastEasyBreadKit). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees . Once your bread is ready to bake, brush the top lightly with the egg wash. Bake bread for approximately 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Serve with butter and honey.

Thanksgiving Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:05:00 +0000

I had some Thanksgiving foods to post but my Internet has been down for a couple of days and it's been so frustrating. My husband actually has to work on Thanksgiving this year so I'm going to a friend's house on Thanksgiving and then having another Thanksgiving the day after with my husband and some friends. If I had to cook every single menu item (and thank goodness I'm not), this is what I would make...

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Brie En Croute

Ruth's Chris Sweet Potatoes

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Roasted Asparagus with Browned Butter

Pecan Pie Bars

Pumpkin Dump cake - from my old roomie Jill

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Cherry Cheese Pie - A Larson tradition

Thankful Rolls

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:31:00 +0000

I've been avoiding blogging because I'm not sure the last few weeks of a crazy pregnant women should be documented.

You don't really want to know that instead of craving chocolate I've been craving Glade Clean Linen carpet deodorizer. It's definitely some form of pica. I have enough non-crazy genes left in me to actually abstain from eating it, but if I could I would. So instead of having dessert I find random reasons to sprinkle this on a 2x2 foot area of carpet and vacuum so that I can at least smell it. It has the same affect for me. Last pregnancy my pica problem materialized in the form of Lysol lemon disinfecting wipes.

...or do you really want to know that my baby girl has a mullet...in the womb.The one advantage of being high risk is that I get a detailed ultrasound every week. I asked yesterday if the baby had hair and the tech said, "Yes. In the back." Awesome. She's all set for late nights with daddy watching Swamp People.

Do you really want to know that at the park last week a little boy kept trying to lift up my shirt to get his ball back?

...or that the only reason I go to the gym lately is so that I can look at food on Pinterest while I'm stretching. Nope. Didn't think so.

But you do want to know about these cookies - another find on Pinterest that I've had on my "to-try" list. My friend Kaela sent them to work with her husband. Her husband and my husband work together and John thought they were so good he saved one for me and brought it home for me to try. They are full of caramel apple flavor with a surprise of caramel in the middle. The texture of the cookies is to die for. Almost good enough to make me give up my clean linen carpet powder.

I like mine heated up in the microwave for about 5 seconds to make sure the caramel is nice and gooey. I think they would be great with a warm cup of hot cocoa. Kaela's food blog has a new location so make sure to check her out at Cookin' and Kickin'.

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies
Source: Cookin' and Kickin'; original recipe The Cooking Photographer

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (7.4 oz) box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix (10 packets - found next to hot chocolate mix)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (14 ounce) bag of Kraft chewy caramels

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (you need this so that the caramel doesn't stick to the bottom of your cookie sheet).

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

With an electric mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Add vanilla and mix well.

Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined.

Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut (about 2 tablespoons).

Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely.

Shape the dough into a ball, and place on parchment covered cookie sheets about 3 inches apart.

Bake 11-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. They may not look quite done in the center but that is OK.

Once the cookies are done, carefully slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter.

Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down on the parchment or on a cookie rack. If they are not upside down while they cool they may drizzle caramel out the bottom.

Makes around 2-3 dozen cookies. Eat at room temperature or slightly warmed in the microwave.

Thankful Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:36:00 +0000

Last year I saw this really cute idea for "Thankful Rolls" over at the Idea Room and made these rolls for our Thanksgiving dinner. You can liven up your Thanksgiving table conversation with these creative rolls that have a personalized message inside...kind of like a fortune cookie.

It makes it really interesting when you include your guest's names in the messages. My friend Wendy was our host last year and her son-in-law happened to get this roll. Thankfully they have a good relationship or it would have been awkward.

Just write down your message on a piece of paper and wrap it in a rectangle of aluminum foil. Place it in between two dough balls from your regular dough recipe and then let your dough rise.

You can make either regular sized rolls or mini-rolls like I did here. I used the leftover dough scraps from my Lion House Rolls and baked them in a mini-muffin pan. Bake your rolls as you normally would according to your recipe directions.Then at dinner we had a separate "Thankful Rolls" basket that we passed around and read in the middle of dinner. It's a fun way to get the conversation going and to remember why you are celebrating Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Waffles

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:04:00 +0000

I love Daylight Savings in the fall. I'm not a morning person anyway, so it gives me an extra hour to get going and get my happy on for the rest of the day. I can't tell you how many bus stop mishaps I've had. I've showed up at my son's bus stop with my workout shirt on backwards or inside out. Then there was the time I showed up with a partial face mask on I had put on the night before. Awesome.

Breakfasts consisting of more than just cereal at our house are rare. We're usually rushing around getting dressed and my kids aren't huge breakfast eaters anyway. But Sunday, because of daylight savings time, we had a leisure morning before church with extra time to make a nice hot breakfast. And of course, they didn't get the memo about DST and were up at their normal early time.

My friend Barb sent me this Pumpkin Waffle recipe - a fall recipe she can't live without. They are soft and fluffy with the perfect amount of pumpkin and spice. My kids helped me make these, of course adding some mini-chocolate chips to their waffles. They asked for seconds, thirds, until finally we ran out of waffles...a good sign. Barb said these remind her of Trader Joe's pumpkin mix but only better. I agree.

Pumpkin Waffles

by Barbara Beck

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
4 eggs (separate yolks from the whites)
1 ½ cup milk
1 cup pure canned pumpkin
¾ cup (12 tablespoons) butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

Next, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. *If you have a stand mixer, you can start beating your egg whites while you prepare the rest of the batter (or just beat them later with a hand mixer). Beat egg whites until they form peaks. Reserve for later.

In a separate bowl, add the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add the dry mixture slowly until incorporated using a mixer.

If you haven't already, take the egg whites and beat with a mixer until they form peaks. Fold beaten egg whites gently into the pumpkin batter. Spray waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron and cook according to waffle iron instructions. Makes around 8 Belgian waffles.

Syrup
In a large saucepan combine:
½ cup butter
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Karo syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring butter, buttermilk, sugar, and Karo syrup to a boil then remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. Serve.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Dipping Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:14:00 +0000

Halloween was a major success. I trained my kids well. They know what chocolate I like and tried to get it for me (Twix, Almond Joy, Butterfinger Snackers).
My three boys can easily be categorized according to their candy consuming behavior:

The Statistician: My oldest son rarely eats candy, he just likes to collect it. He knows exactly how many pieces of candy he scored and counts it daily. I've offered to trade his loot for money or a surprise. No go. He just wants to hoard it and count it. Which makes it hard for me to sneak a piece.
The Inhaler: We never got an accurate count of my middle son's candy because he ate it from house to house as he collected it. Which I didn't mind because he weighs about 2 pounds and could really use all the calories he can get. He only eats chocolate and gave all his "candy" to the Swiper.
The Swiper: My 2 year old who doesn't discriminate who he steals candy from. He finds pieces of candy stashed in incredible hiding places and raids his brother's stashes while they're at school much to the Statistician's dismay. Is known to slam his candy against the bathroom door while I'm showering and demand, "Open? Mommy! Open?! Open?! Candy...open?!'

If I were to be categorized, I definitely would be a mix between the Inhaler and the Swiper. But now, I'm soooo over candy. I don't want to see it, I don't want to eat it...I just want it to be gone.

Feeling the need for something healthy, I headed over to Skinny Taste and found these Asian Turkey Meatballs. We rarely do Asian food in our house but I really liked these. I made some smaller ones for my kids and let them use toothpicks to eat them. I served it with brown rice and green beans.

Asian Turkey Meatballs With Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce
Source: Skinny Taste; Makes 12 meatballs; Serving size 3 meatballs (229.1 calories)

1/4 cup Panko crumbs
1-1/4 lbs (20 ounces) 93% lean ground turkey
1 egg
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Lime Dipping Sauce
4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 chopped fresh scallion

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500°F.

Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, ginger, cilantro, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp oil and mix with your hands until combined well. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

For the dipping sauce mix together lime juice, water, soy sauce, and remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in a bowl. Add scallions.

Transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 tablespoon sauce.

Serve meatballs with remaining sauce, about 1 tbsp per person. You probably won't use all the dipping sauce.

Makes 12 meatballs.

Dracula's Dentures for Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything}) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:14:00 +0000

My biggest issue with Halloween food is that although it may look cool, rarely does it actually taste good. I knew when I saw these that not only were they unique but they were made from chocolate chip cookies and frosting, something I could totally sink my teeth into. These took 2nd place by Lori Fillmore in the Nestle 2010 Spooktacular Baking Contest. Thanks for the creative recipe!

You can make these as easy or hard as you want. You can make your own dough or buy it; make your own frosting or tint some store bought.

Dracula's Dentures

Source: recipe by Lori Fillmore; found at Nestle USA

1 package (18.25 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough or your favorite cookie recipe
1/2 cup prepared vanilla frosting, tinted red
1 3/4 cups miniature marshmallows
48 slivered almonds

Directions:
Prepare cookies as directed on package or according to your favorite recipe. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. Cut each cookie in half for a total of 48 halves.

Frost the bottoms of all cookie halves with frosting. Place 6 marshmallow teeth around curved perimeter of 24 halves. For additional support, an additional marshmallow can be placed behind the teeth. Top with remaining 24 halves. Insert two almond slivers in between teeth for fangs. If fangs do not adhere, dip tips into frosting.