Pie Birds, Buttons and Muddy Puddles

Valentine's Day Round Up

2013-02-13T08:48:00.000-05:00

I haven't had time to create a fun new craft or treat for Valentine's Day this year, but I have a few posts from the past that are good enough to share again. Enjoy!

Crayon Hearts - make you own valentines this year with broken crayons!

Chocolate Heart Rice Krispie Valentines - an easy treat that everyone loves, packaged as sweet individual treats

Felt Heart Garland - brighten up your doorway, stairway or window with this fun heart garland

Chocolate Sweet Heart Cupcakes - make your cupcakes extra special by topping with these rich chocolate heart cookies

Felt Fortune Cookies - a cute handmade valentine filled with your favorite Valentine sayings

Valentine's Gift - Bottles of Treats - the perfect gift for any guy; six bottles filled with his favorite treats and decorated for the occasion

These are a few of my favorite things...Kid Stuff

2013-01-24T22:20:00.004-05:00

It is amazing to me the amount of products and items I find out about from reading other blogs. There are some pretty cool things out there that I would probably have never heard of it wasn't for the handy dandy Internet. I live in a small town with no mall, so I rely heavily on Amazon and other online retailers. I thought I would share some of my family's favorite things for kids.

Contigo Kids Water bottles - these cups are leak proof. The big button on the front needs to be pushed in for the top to open and water to come out. It does take a little strength to push the button while tipping the cup up to drink, so I would say these are best for ages 4 and up. Jack has had these for almost two years and they have held up well. Best part - they are priced reasonably!

Easy Lunchboxes - we started using these this year for Jack. This helps keep food separate and safe from being smashed in his lunch bag. It also has cut down the amount of plastic baggies we were using. The lids are easy for him to remove. The plastic is a little more sturdy than the throw away containers and they are dishwasher safe. They also fit nicely inside his lunch bag. FYI - these are not leakproof!

Kids Animal Fork Picks - these cuties make lunch more fun for both my boys. We use them mostly for cut up fruit and cubed cheese. They both know to leave them in their lunch box and NOT to throw them away. We hand wash them and use them over and over. I am proud to say that in the last two years we have only lost one. They are small enough to place right inside the Easy Lunchbox container, or inside another small container.

Land's End Backpacks - I cannot say enough good things about Land's End's backpacks. They are durable, comfortable to wear and hold up well throughout the school year. We purchased the Small Haul backpack for Jack when he started kindergarten. It was still in great shape at the end of the year so he is using it a second year for 1st grade. You can add a name or monogram for an extra fee. Land's End backpacks are popular so having his initials ensures he has the right pack. The mesh pockets on the side are perfect for holding water bottles, and the front zip pockets for smaller items. Now is a great time to purchase backpacks for the next school year because last year's styles are on clearance. If you wait until summer look for one of Land's End's great sales. They often run a backpack sale in August.

Melissa & Doug Learning Placemats - in an effort to preserve my tablecloths and avoid changing it after each meal we have the kids use placemats at the table. We have used the cheap Walmart placemats in the past, but after a few washes they start to come apart. Melissa & Doug placemats are all plastic and hold up for months, even after being washed daily. They are educational and provide endless amounts of conversation at the dinner table with my kids. One side contains all the facts, and the other side is blank so the kids can write them in using a dry erase marker, or Melissa & Doug's special learning mat crayons. There are over 20 different placements to choose from but our favorites are The United States, United States Presidents, and Planets.

Bogs Boots - If you live in New England you know how important warm waterproof winter boots are. After a couple years of hand me down cheap boots and resulting blisters, we splurged on a pair of Bogs boots for Jack. It was more than I wanted to spend on a pair of boots but I fell in love with the ease and comfort of these boots. Most toddlers can put these one by themselves using the handles. They are waterproof and most importantly, warm! Jack was able to wear his Bog boots two winters in a row, and now Ethan is wearing them this year. And they still look decent, even after being worn for three winters in a row. I couldn't afford them this year for Jack when he outgrew them, so I got a pair of L.L.Bean boots on sale instead. Bad choice. They are stiff and difficult for him to put on, and reaffirmed in my mind that Bog boots are the way to go. Next year, I won't make that mistake.

Snap Cubes - these colorful cubes are a fun toy. They are about 3/4" and connect on all six sides. These are commonly found in the classroom or homeschool home, but really they are great for any elementary age child to play with. My boys love making shapes, patterns, and 3D designs with these cubes. Just beware, they are little and will end up under your couch :)

Webkinz - Is your kid begging for a pet? This is a great place to start. The boys each got a Webkinz pet for Christmas and have enjoyed taking care of in through the online Webkinz community. Each Webkinz is a stuffed animal that comes with an online code. Your child can register and then care for his Webkinz online. You can easily add to your Webkinz family using the same account. The boys enjoy decorating their pet's home and earning food and supplies online. You can find these in stores, but Amazon usually has the lowest price.

Laser Fingers - we have had a few sets of these laser fingers and they are super cool. The boys initially loved wearing them on their fingers ( they come with little elastic bands to stay on). Now they like to use them as lights in train track tunnels, or place them around their room for cool lights during play time. The battery life on them is not super long, but they are pretty cheap to replace (they sell them at our dollar store). These are for ages 3 and up.

Leapfrog Letter Factory DVD - Most Leapfrog products are rave worthy, but this one is our all time favorite. It helped our boys quickly learn their alphabet and the sounds each letter makes in a fun and engaging way. Each letter has its own room in the factory, and they sing a catchy song to help you learn the sounds of each letter. Our favorite is "P" and the popcorn room. FYI, this is available for instant streaming if you are Netflix subscriber.

Alex Toys Pirates of the Tub - what could be a better place to play pirates than in the bathtub? This set comes with two pirate squirters, one cannon squirter and a whole bunch of flat pieces that stick right on the shower/tub wall. Construct a ship, add some palm trees and treasure chest and enjoy listening to the sounds of "Ahoy Matey". My youngest son Ethan really loves playing with this set. It comes with a thin mesh bag, with suction cups to stick to the wall, to store all the pieces when not in use.

Crayola Flashing Timer Toothbrushes - Want to get your kids to brush their teeth longer? We enjoy this flashing timer toothbrush made by G.U.M. It flashes for 60 seconds, and helps my boys brush longer than they used to. It comes in fun colors and looks like a crayon. It has a little suction cup at the base of the toothbrush if you want to stand it upright on the counter when not in use. My boys insist on turning off the lights when brushing their teeth now :)

Sea Turtle Twilight Constellation Night Light - this night light (made by Cloud B) projects a starry night sky on the ceiling and walls. It has three different colors and five sea friends that light up when you push a button. Jack received this as a gift when he was really young and was obsessed with stars and the moon. It remains a favorite in the boys room at bed time and provides a soothing atmosphere for calming down and going to sleep. It does shut off automatically after 45 minutes. There are other night lights (lady bugs, regular turtle) available, and after reading some reviews they may project more stars than the sea turtle does due to the shape. The boys got dream lites for Christmas this year, but they still use this Sea Turtle night light every night.

The Jesus Bible Storybook - This is our favorite Bedtime devotional book. We have read through it several times. It is beautifully illustrated (although not a completely accurate description of each event), and the message is consistent through the book. Each story points to Jesus as the Savior and Redeemer. It focuses on God and what He has done for us. It isn't a thorough account of the Bible, but it does encompass the major Bible stories. The Message is present and graspable for ages 4 and up.

I hope you enjoyed reading about a few of my favorite things for kids. These are my own recommendations, and I not being paid or compensated for this post. Just in case ya were wondering.

Blackened Catfish - Eating Clean

2013-01-14T20:35:00.002-05:00

The big trend in getting healthy these days focuses on eating clean. It basically means no processed foods. Eating whole foods is not only good for you, but it is actually easier than you might think. After winning a facebook contest for a free month at KDR Fitness, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. Because I want to get healthier and feel better about how I look and feel, I am working hard to make dinners for our whole family that follow the clean eating guidelines. Whether you are eating clean or not, this recipe for Blacked Catfish is delish. My sister in law Sarah shared this recipe with me when I first got married. It is full of flavor, and it is a nice change from tilapia and haddock.

Blackened Catfish
recipe from Sarah Leland

Ingredients:
4 catfish fillets (about 6 oz each)
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:
Heat a large cast iron or nonstick pan over medium high heat.

In a small bowl mix the spices together.

Lay your catfish fillets on a cutting board, or piece of wax or parchment paper.

Pat the dry spice mixture all over one side of the fillets.

Add the olive oil to the pan, and swirl to coat. Let it heat for a minute, and then add the fillets, UNseasoned side down first. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until fish is cooked through.

Serve seasoned side up.

This is so awesome tasting. We have added blackened catfish to the regular rotation, it is that good.

This is what Eating Clean looks like. Give it a try. It is a good thing.

Chocolate Candy Pretzel Treats

2012-12-23T20:04:00.000-05:00

Here is a super quick last minute Christmas treat to make. These are the perfect addition to a dessert buffet or to give away in a little tin or bag. They are the perfect combination or salt and chocolate and quite addictive. A friend of mine makes these for us every Christmas and we love 'em!

Chocolate Candy Pretzel Treats
recipe from Stick a Fork in it

You will need:
small waffle shaped pretzels
Hershey kisses
M & M candies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees.

Place the pretzels in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Place an unwrapped Hershey kiss on the center of each pretzel.

It helps to have a little elf who can unwrap all the Hershey kisses for you :)

Have your m & m candies ready to go...

Cook the pretzel and kisses for 4-5 minutes, until the chocolate is soft and glistening.

Carefully place an m & m on the tip of the kiss

and lightly press down.

Finish with the remaining pretzels.

Let them sit until they set up and then place in the fridge for about 20 minutes to harden.

Enjoy!

Ziti Pasta Bake

2012-12-21T11:38:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've shared a tasty recipe with you...for that, I am sorry. I have been cooking and baking quite a bit this holiday season, decorating, making handmade gifts, etc. Also, my number one job as Mom has been extra busy which is why I haven't had much time to blog. Have no fear though, I haven't forgotten about you, in case you were wondering. And just to prove that point I am sharing an easy dinner than you can make ahead and refrigerate (up to 2 days) before cooking, or freeze for a future meal, or give as a meal to go for someone in need. This recipe is my mom's and everyone in our family loves it. It also reheats really well as leftovers.

Ziti Pasta Bake
feeds 4-6 hungry people

Ingredients:

1 box ziti pasta (1 lb)

1 jar pasta sauce

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 lb ground beef (or Italian sausage)

1 cup pepperoni slices (pizza pepperoni)* optional but everyone always loves it

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In large pan, brown the beef.

Drain any excess grease.

Add the tomato sauces to the ground beef.

Simmer over low heat to warm through.

Cut the pepperoni circles in half.

Add the pepperoni to the sauce and continue to simmer.

Cook pasta until al dente, drain, and add the meat sauce mixture.

Mix together until all the pasta is coated with the meat sauce.

Pour into a 9 by 13 glass or aluminum baking dish (I use disposable pans when I make this meal for someone else).

Top with the shredded cheeses.

If you are not going to cook right way, cover with foil and refrigerate or freeze (or give away!).

Once you are ready to cook it (defrost overnight in fridge if it is frozen), place in oven at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, until completely warmed through and lightly browned on top.

And there ya have it, a tasty, filling dinner. Perfect any night of the week and any time of year.

Enjoy!

Perfect Oven Pot Roast

2012-10-03T09:53:00.001-04:00

Have you been looking for the perfect pot roast recipe? It seems to be one of those things that people struggle to make - deciding on the right cut of meat, the right method of cooking, etc. Well, here is a winning recipe from Pioneer Woman. It is her "Perfect Pot Roast" recipe featured on her show on Food Network. I stepped away from my crock pot recipe and switched things up and used my dutch oven pot and the oven instead. The results? Amazing. Let's get cooking.

Perfect Oven Pot Roast
recipe from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast, or Bottom or Top Round Roast
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 whole onions
6-8 whole carrots
salt, pepper to taste
1 cup red wine (optional, can use beef stock instead)
2 cups to 3 cups beef stock
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or more to taste
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, or more to taste
for the gravy:
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
cooking liquid left in pan from roast
gravy master (optional)
salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil.

Cut the two onions into halves, and remove the peel. Once the pan is very hot (but not smoking) brown the onions on both sides. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.

Add your carrots to the plate with the onions.

Season your roast with lots of salt and pepper, on all sides.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over.

Remove the browned roast from the pan and set aside.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan.

Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups).

Now get your browned veggies and your fresh herbs.

Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme. I personally do not care for rosemary, so I left it out and used a little more thyme instead.

Cover your pot and place in oven.

Roast in a 275 F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

Check your roast for doneness by using a fork to see if the meat falls right apart. If it does, it is done. If it still has some resistance, put the lid back on and continue to cook for another 30-60 minutes until it is fork tender.

Place your roast carefully on a cutting board, and tent with foil to let it rest while you make the gravy. Remove your veggies using a slotted spoon and place in a serving dish (also cover with foil). Lastly, remove your juices to a large measuring cup and spoon off the fat that rises to the top.

Place your Dutch oven back on the stove top, and heat over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of all purpose flour.

Whisk continually until combined and browned.

Add in 1/2 cup of the reserved juices from the roast and whisk until thickened. Keep adding 1/2 cup of liquid at a time until you have the desired amount of gravy and the desired consistency. It is important to add the liquid slowly (1/2 cup at time). If you add all the liquid at once it will not thickened, so add it slowly! I can't stress that enough. Season your gravy with salt and pepper, and 1 tsp of gravy master if desired. Gravy master gives your gravy a richer taste and color, but it is completely optional.

Cut your roast into large thick slices, or chunks. It may fall apart as your slice it, that's okay! It just means your roast is incredibly tender and delicious.

Serve your roast and gravy with the roasted carrots and onions. I made roasted potatoes (regular and sweet potatoes) on a baking sheet (drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper) during the last hour of cooking time. I like to cook my potatoes separate so they don't get mushy.

Enjoy!

Pioneer Woman's Crispy Chicken Strips

2012-09-27T20:40:00.000-04:00

I know chicken strips are traditionally a kid's favorite food, but seriously, these crispy chicken strips are adult food too. The chicken is soaked in buttermilk, giving way to tender moist meat, and then coated in a seasoned flour mixture that has been drizzled with buttermilk. The buttermilk in the flour is KEY to those crispy bits of coating y'all love (don't you love it when I get all Southern?). Some people like their chicken strips with honey mustard or ketchup, but since we are going grown up style here let's eat them with a buttermilk ranch dressing (recipe found here). This recipe is courtesy of our favorite Pioneer Woman, who knows comfort food best.

Crispy Chicken Strips
recipe from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chicken tenders (or chicken beasts cut into strips)
buttermilk
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons Lawry's seasoning salt
salt,pepper
canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:
Season your chicken tenders with some salt and pepper.

Place the chicken tenders in large ziplock bag, and pour a cup or more of buttermilk over the chicken. Seal the bag and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
When you are ready to cook your chicken heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Pour enough canola or vegetable oil in the pan to come up the side about 1 inch. You aren't going to deep fry but you need enough oil to cook the chicken.

Place your flour in a bowl or shallow pan, and add your seasoning salt. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper or any other seasonings you want. Stir together with a fork and then slowly drizzle in about 1/3 cup of buttermilk to the flour.

You want some of the flour to crumble together, making little balls of coating that will stick to your chicken and be all delicious when fried. I went slightly overboard with the buttermilk here because I just had to take a picture at the same time. Do you know how hard that is to do? Take a picture of yourself pouring something while balance both the camera and the bottle at the same time? So anyways, this is a little TOO crumbly for me, but it works. You can't go wrong really.

Take your chicken strips and

place in the flour mixture.

Coat the chicken well with the flour mixture, and lightly shake off any excess flour.

Make sure your oil is hot and ready (you can place the end of a wooden spoon in the pan and if the oil makes small bubbles around it, it is ready). Place the chicken in the hot pan and cook on each side for 4-5 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags. Lightly salt.

Serve it while it's hot with this tasty buttermilk ranch dressing.

Now this is comfort food for both kids AND adults.
Enjoy!

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

2012-09-25T09:43:00.000-04:00

This recipe came from my friend Marcia, who makes this as a dip for veggie platters, but it also makes an amazing salad dressing or a dipping sauce for crispy chicken strips.

Buttermilk Salad Dressing

Ingredients:
1 clove of garlic finely minced
3/4 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of buttermilk (or 1/2 cup of milk mixed with 1/2 tsp of white vinegar, let sit 5-10 min)
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Combine ingredients and mix until smooth.

Chill 30 minutes, or overnight.

Enjoy!

French Boule Rolls with Garlic Dipping Oil

2012-09-22T13:38:00.000-04:00

Now, I know what some of you are thinking - you don't bake bread, right? Well, let's change that because this is a super simple bread recipe that you cannot mess up. I promise. No kneading and no mixer involved. Seriously, you make the dough, let it rise and then shape into rolls like I did here, or you can make 4 small round loaves instead. This is one of those recipes that will impress your family and friends so please don't run away. Enjoy these French Boule rolls with a garlic infused dipping oil that is also simple to make. The boule recipe is from Grace at Anderson Family Farm and the dipping oil is family recipe that my Dad perfected. Let's get started!

French Boule Bread with Garlic Dipping Oil

Ingredients:
for the bread
3 cups warm water
1 ½ heaping Tablespoons of dry active yeast
1 Tablespoon honey or sugar
1 Tablespoons coarse salt (like Kosher)
6 cups flour (half bread flour, half whole wheat)
for the dipping oil
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon dried parsley, or 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped fine)

Directions:

Measure your water in a large measuring cup. You want the water to be warm, but not hot! Add your yeast to the warm water with the honey or sugar and set aside for a minute or two. If you don't buy yeast in bulk, you can use one of the little packets (just measure the yeast out of that). Put the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add water mixture to dry ingredients and stir by hand until there are no dry pockets.

The dough should be quite sticky and wet, if it is not then you were too heavy on the flour and you’ll just need to add more water. No kneading, remember?

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rise at room temperature for about an hour or longer. Once it doubles in size and starts to collapse you know it is ready. But this is easy, remember, so if you can't tell if it is doubled or starting to collapse, just go for it after an hour or so.

This is what my dough looked like after an hour and a half. Perfect. Now preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place a stoneware pan in the oven (if you don't have one you can use a baking sheet upside down). Place an oven safe pan (metal - don't use glass!) on the bottom rack, underneath the rack with the stoneware pan.

Flour your counter really well and scoop your dough out onto the counter.

Use a sharp floured knife to cut the dough in half, and then in half again, giving you 4 quarters.

Cut each quarter into 4 equal sized pieces, giving you 16 pieces of dough total. They don't have to be exact, just eye it and no worries if some end up a little bigger or smaller than others.

Place a piece of parchment paper on top of an upside down baking sheet (or a baking peel if you have one, I don't) next to your work surface and start shaping the rolls. Using well floured hands roll each piece of dough into a round ball, pinching the bottoms together towards the center. Do this step pretty quickly, taking only about 20 seconds per piece of dough so you don't overwork it. Place the round balls of dough, seam side down, onto the parchment paper. Continue with remaining pieces.

Sprinkle the tops of the rolls with a little more flour and let them rise for about 20 minutes.

After about 20 minutes they should start to look puffy and they are ready for the oven. Add a cup of cold water to the metal pan on the bottom rack of the oven. This will create steam inside the oven, giving your rolls a nice crisp chewy texture on the outside.

Slide your parchment paper full of puffy rolls off the baking sheet and onto the hot stoneware pan, being careful not burn your hand! Bake the rolls for 20 minutes.

Now while the rolls are baking you can make the dipping oil. It is sooooo good. Add about 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil to a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Heat until you warmed through.

Add one clove of minced garlic to the oil and shut the heat off and let it sit and mingle for a few minutes. You don't want to cook the garlic, just infuse it into the oil.

Grate about 1/4 cup of fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Measure out 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and 1 Tablespoon of dried parsley (or double of fresh parsley).

Add the crushed red pepper flakes and parsley to the garlic infused oil.

Mix well.

In little bowls, place 1 Tablespoon of the freshly grated cheese. Pour the oil mixture over the cheese and mix. The smells are going to overwhelm your senses here and you might drool. Apologies in advance.

Take your rolls out of the oven and let them cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before you dig in, if you can. I usually can't.

Enjoy with the dipping oil and marvel that you just made a wonderfully impressive French bread.

The dipping oil is the perfect condiment for these delicious rolls. See the chewy crust all around the edges of the roll? That steam in the oven really gives you a professional bakery result. See the herbs and cheese in that oil? Seriously amazing flavors. Are you drooling yet?

I told you this was easy, and these step by step pictures (taken by friend Travis) will help you along the way.

Enjoy!

Pancakes - Make, Eat and Freeze

2012-09-19T09:06:00.001-04:00

For a couple years I searched for the perfect pancake recipe. I wanted one that was light, fluffy and delicious. And one that would freeze and reheat well. Oh, and did I mention it had to be egg free for my oldest son? That's a long list of demands. But I persevered and tried several so-so recipes before I found this one from the Food Allergy Mama cookbook. And it met all my demands! This really made me happy. So I am sharing with you.

We have pancakes now at least 2 mornings a week. I usually make a big batch on the weekends and freeze the leftovers to eat during the week. These reheat very well, so it makes school mornings much easier. I'll show you how I made and freeze these pancakes. You can make these pancakes with white or wheat flour. I was blessed with a big bag of freshly milled flour which is what I used for this batch. Freshly milled flour has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor to it. We loved it best in pancakes, but seriously, these come out great with white or regular wheat flour too!

Pancakes
recipe from The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book
makes about 18 pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour (or whole wheat)
4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
4 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 Tablespoon water

Directions:
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat, or preheat a large flat griddle to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the flour....

sugar,

baking powder,

and salt.

Mix until well combined.

In a large measuring cup, mix together the milk, water and oil. Add to the bowl with the dry ingredients.

Mix until JUST combined. Do not over mix; some lumps are fine.

Pancakes taste much better if you have a cute helper.

Just don't let your helper over mix!

Drop 1/4 cup of batter into rounds on your hot griddle. (My griddle is non-stick, so I don't butter or spray it. For regular skillets or griddles without the non-stick feature, you should spray with baking spray first.) I think you can fit 8 at a time, but I like to leave a little room for flipping them over, so I do 6 at a time.

Cook for about 3 minutes, until the edges start to lightly brown and set and

you see small bubbles on the top of the pancake.

Flip them over and cook for another 2 minutes until the bottoms are cooked.

And that is a perfect pancake.

Light and fluffy. Move to a cooling rack.

Or eat while they're warm!

Add a little butter. Yum.

Now add some maple syrup. REAL maple syrup. No fake stuff in our house.

And eat.

Ethan couldn't even wait for the butter and syrup on his. He loves pancakes.

Now, this is what really saves me time on busy school mornings - freezing extra pancakes.

You will need squares of wax paper, or parchment paper.

Stack the pancakes with a square of wax paper in between each one.

Place the stacks of pancakes into freezer bags, label and freeze. To reheat, place in the microwave for about 1 minute or the toaster oven for 3-4 minutes.

These pancakes taste just as good reheated as they do fresh!

I'm a Crafy Superstar at Cut Out + Keep!

2012-09-12T14:44:00.002-04:00

Cut Out + Keep is featuring me this week as a Crafty Superstar! I am so honored and excited to be included in their list of superstars. Head on over and have a look and make sure to check back each day as they post some of my popular projects from Pie Birds, Buttons and Muddy Puddles.

Cut Out + Keep is an online community where you make and share step-by-step craft tutorials. There are over 120,000 members and 50,000 projects covering every type of craft.

Spicy Black Bean Dip

2012-09-09T21:11:00.000-04:00

Looking for a great appetizer, snack, or side dish for dinner? Try this black bean dip. It is AMAZING. I made it a couple weeks ago when my friend Andrea from my kinda perfect came over for a craft night. We both loved it, so I made it again this weekend for lunch. You can control the amount of spice and heat if you don't like it hot - leave out the chipotle pepper, and just add the adobo sauce. The combination of the black beans with the corn and the sweetness of the tomato really made this a home run dip for me. This recipe does have a few steps, but they are not hard, and the end result makes it worth the extra dishes :)

Spicy Black Bean Dip
recipe from One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil + more for baking dish
1 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into medium dice
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 (15.5-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained well
1 canned chipotle en adobo, minced, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (if frozen, thaw first)
3/4 cup (3 oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup (3 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
Tortilla chips for serving

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 1-1/2 qt. baking dish with oil (or non-stick cooking spray).

See this beauty of a tomato? It was one of my last heirlooms from the garden. I grew a couple different varieties this year, and this was one of my favorites - Big Rainbow.

Core and dice your tomato.

Set the tomatoes in a colander over the sink and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, to help draw out any liquid.

Peel and dice your onion.

Heat oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Reduce heat to medium, add onion, sprinkle with reserved 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.

Add garlic and chili powder.

Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Rinse and drain your beans.

Add half of black beans to the pan.

Now get your chipotles in adobo sauce and scoop out one pepper if you want this dip spicy. If not, leave out the pepper.

Slice it, removing any seeds if you don't want too much heat, and add to the pan.

Add 1-2 Tablespoons of the adobo sauce to the pan.

Now add about 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil.

Cook until liquid reduces by about half, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer bean mixture to a food processor.

Add 1 tablespoon vinegar.

Process until smooth.

In a large bowl, add the rest of the beans, tomatoes and corn.

Add the processed mixture to the bowl.

Now add half of each of cheeses.
Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to baking dish.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese melts and browns around edges, about 15 minutes (longer if refrigerated).

Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley.

Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.

This makes 4-6 servings, but can easily be doubled if you are feeding a crowd.

Doesn't that look tasty?

Enjoy!

Homemade Wheat Thin Crackers

2012-08-31T19:56:00.001-04:00

I know what you some of you are thinking...making homemade crackers is way too much work. Am I right? It sounds intense, but honestly, it was really easy. Easier than making bread. This recipe is straight forward - no strange ingredients, no complex techniques. Just good old simple cooking, my friends. These crackers are very similar to store bought Wheat Thins. Make sure you use whole wheat flour. You can buy whole wheat flour in smaller 2 lb bags in the baking aisle, or sometimes in the bulk section of your grocery store. I was given a big bag of freshly milled whole wheat flour, which was what I used for these crackers.

Homemade Wheat Thin Crackers
recipe from green life pages

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups (5 oz) 100% whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra for sprinkling on

1/4 teaspoon paprika

4 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup + 1- 2 tbsp water

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick mat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, paprika, salt).

With a pastry blender (or two forks), cut in the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly.

This is what it should look like.

Mix together the water and vanilla and then pour into the flour and butter mixture.

Stir this mixture until it comes together. If it appears dry add a touch of water, but you don't want it sticky.

Split the dough in half.

Lightly flour a non-stick mat

Roll out one half of the dough very thin (1/16th inch).

Using a pizza cutter, cut into 1 inch squares, or whatever shape you desire.

I removed the excess dough around the edges.

Now the fun part! Select a seasoning for your crackers. I used this fancy smanshy Himalayan pink salt, but you could use regular kosher salt, sesame seeds, or maybe a taco seasoning, etc. I am looking forward to experimenting with seasonings soon.

Sprinkle on the salt or any seasonings you use. Place the baking mat (with your cut and seasoned crackers) onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching closely. Half way through baking rotate the pan to ensure even baking. My crackers took 8 minutes, but if you do not use a baking mat it will likely take less time for you. Be careful because they burn quickly.
Repeat with remaining dough.

Cool completely. Makes about 64 crackers for this full recipe. Store in an air-tight container.

Note: This recipe made enough crackers for two baking sheet, which I baked separately.

The boys really loved these crackers, which didn't surprise me because they love Wheat thins.

These took only about 10 minutes of hands on time to make. I was impressed by how easy the dough was to make.

Enjoy!

Perfect Iced Tea

2012-08-28T21:26:00.000-04:00

I love iced tea. I think it may have happened during the period of time I lived in the South. My iced tea maker and I have been buds for a while. But I learned a secret. An easier way to make iced tea. Without an iced tea maker. Want in? Yup, you do. Iced Tea is a great drink any time of year, but especially in the summer. Tea is good for you, especially green tea, which is what I used here. And it is calorie free. I like to buy decaf tea so my boys can drink it too. They love it. So let's get started.

Perfect Iced Tea
source: Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:
8 cups cold water
6 tea bags - any kind, tags removed
optional: sweeteners like sugar, honey or agave syrup and mint, orange peel

Directions:
In a 2 quart pan bring 8 cups of water to boil.

Turn off the heat and add the 6 tea bags.

Let it steep for 4 minutes.

Remove the tea bags and let it cool.

Pour into a pitcher or large glass jar (isn't this huge mason jar cool? my sister in law gave it to me and I LOVE it). Add some ice cubes and any desired sweeteners. We like ours unsweetened, but if you like it sweet, go for it!

This is totally optional, but according to Dr. Oz it helps boost metabolism, so I added a few freshly peeled orange peels and a sprig of mint. It also tastes pretty great with the green tea.

And there ya have it.

Perfect Iced Tea.

That was pretty easy, wasn't it?
Enjoy.

Key West Grilled Chicken

2012-08-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Here is an easy and tasty summer dinner - Key West Grilled Chicken. The marinade is easy to put together and you can cut up boneless chicken pieces and make kabobs, or do chicken breast halves. The key to this Key West chicken (ha ha) is to give it plenty of time to marinade so you get the full flavor.

Key West Grilled Chicken
recipe from GroceryBudget101

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
juice of one lime
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, garlic and salt.

If making kabobs, cut up chicken into large chunks.

Place chicken in a large ziplock bag.

Add marinade and place in fridge for at least 4 hours. You can do this overnight if you want.

Skewer the marinaded chicken pieces on metal skewers. If using wooden skewers, you need to soak them for about 20 minutes first.

I like to do this step on a baking sheet. It helps contain the mess and makes it easy to transport to the grill outside.

Preheat grill to medium high heat, and once hot, put your skewers on.

Grill for about 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. For chicken breast halves you will need to grill for about 5-6 minutes on each side.

Once cooked remove from grill (I use tongs since those metal ends are HOT!).

Serve on a platter (or on the skewers if you want) and garnish with cilantro (or parsley if you are not a cilantro fan like me). Squeeze a little extra lime juice over the top if desired.

Delish. Love summer dinners. Add a green salad and rice for a complete meal.

Enjoy!

Fried Zucchini Rounds with Aioli Sauce

2012-07-18T21:56:00.000-04:00

'Tis the season for zucchini. Lots of it. It is great to shred up and make chocolate chip zucchini bread, or slice it up in an easy cheesy zucchini bake, or wrap prosciutto around it and grill it, or enjoy it in a cowboy hash for dinner, but my favorite way to eat it is breaded and fried. It is a real treat this way, especially with this yummy aioli sauce. Usually, I bread it in panko and bake it (crispy baked zucchini sticks) which I showed you a couple summers ago; a much healthier option for the days I don't mind turning on the oven. But today was a day to splurge and there was a gorgeous zucchini ripe for the picking in my garden.

Fried Zucchini Rounds

Ingredients:
zucchini
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
salt, pepper
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
canola or vegetable oil
for the aioli:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon finely minced chives
salt, pepper

Directions:

Wash zucchini and slice in thin rounds (about 1/2 inch thick).

Heat oil (go up the sides about 1/2 inch) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You need enough oil to do a shallow pan fry.

Set up a little assembly line next to your pan. In one bowl, mix the milk, eggs and salt and pepper. In a second bowl add your bread crumbs.

Dip a few rounds into the milk and egg mixture, coating well on both sides.

Cover the egg coated rounds in bread crumbs, pressing the crumbs on both sides to be sure they stick.

Once the oil is hot, add the prepared rounds in a single layer. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.

Drain on a brown paper bag or paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Salt lightly while they are piping hot.

To make the aioli, mix together the mayo, lemon, garlic, chives and salt and pepper.

This is really versatile and you can add any fresh herbs you want.

Serve the fried rounds with the aioli sauce.

So so good. Trust me.

If you are looking for a great appetizer, snack or side with dinner using zucchini this one is a winner. Enjoy!

Dry Rubs Seasonings in Jars - Father's Day Idea

2012-06-13T20:44:00.000-04:00

Looking for a homemade gift idea for Father's Day? Here is what my Dad is getting: Homemade Dry Rub Seasonings in jars. Perfect for grilling all summer long. My Dad and I had a discussion about dry rubs and grill seasonings a few weeks ago, and he mentioned how hard it is to find good dry rubs that do not contain large amounts of salt and sugar. I remembered seeing a few recipes to make your own dry rub seasonings on Pinterest, and actually on Weight Watchers' website. So I decided to make him a little set for Father's Day. These seasonings are perfect for chicken, steak, fish, burgers, shrimp and even potatoes. Add a new grilling utensil set to the dry rubs in jars for a complete grill themed Father's Day gift.

I found my little jars with clamps at T.J.Maxx, in case you were wondering.

There are several recipes out there but I choose to make the following rubs:

All-American Barbeque Rub

recipe from Weight Watchers

2 tablespoons mild paprika

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon chile powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Southwestern Rub recipe from Weight Watchers
2 tablespoons chile powder (I used Ancho Chili powder)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon mild paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt Jamaican Jerk Spice Rub recipe from Culinary Disasters 2 tablespoons coriander 2 tablespoons ground ginger 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoon ground thyme 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg I'll show you the method.

Gather the spice ingredients listed. You will probably have most of the spices you need already. I purchased a couple of the ones I was missing in the bulk bin section at our local store. Spices are remarkably cheaper when you buy them in bulk bins, and you only need to purchase the amount you need.

Measure the spices into a small jar that has a screw top lid.

Cover and shake well, until combined.

To get rid of any lumps, use a little mini whisk or a small fork and stir vigorously until the lumps are gone.

Pour spice mixture into your gifting jar.

Make little labels.

Tape the labels to the top of the jar (use double stick tape on the backs).

I think these dry rubs will be an awesome gift that my Dad will really love. Happy Father's Day!

Check out more dry rub recipes here.

Enjoy!

Rolo Cake Mix Bars

2012-06-12T20:07:00.003-04:00

Rolo candies are so yummy. I bought a bag of them to make this dessert and we could not stop eating them. They are so good! Thankfully I didn't need the entire bag so our munching didn't interfere. I am always on the lookout for easy dessert recipes that do not contain nuts or eggs (my oldest son is highly allergic) so this recipe went straight to my Pinterest "Good Eats" board when my friend Bekki sent me the link to the recipe on Cookies & Cups.

The bars were delicious, and pretty simple to make.

But let me warn you, those rolos are addicting! Watch out :)

Rolo Cake Mix Bars
recipe from Cookies & Cups

Ingredients:

1 box (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix, dry

5 oz evaporated milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

40 Rolo Candies, unwrapped and cut in half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° and spray a 9 by 13 glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a stand mixer (or in a mixing bowl with a electric hand mixer), beat cake mix, evaporated milk and butter until combined.

Mixture will be thick and sticky.

Divide batter in half .

Press one half into the bottom of the pan.

Bake until just set, approximately 8-9 minutes.

Remove from oven and place Rolo candies, caramel-side down on top.

Using the two spoon method, drop remaining batter on top of Rolos in small teaspoon size amounts.

Bake for 20-24 minutes longer until top begins to golden.

Cool completely.

Cut into small squares.

Oooey and gooey.

Delicious.

This little guy loved them.

Enjoy!

Kieshja, or Sausage Calzone

2012-06-07T21:10:00.001-04:00

My mom made this for dinner often when I was growing up. She still makes it even today and everyone loves it. It was one of those dinners she created on her own and named it "Kieshja." I am not really sure how to spell it since she made up the name, but phonetically spelling it I came up with Kieshja. Basically, it is a sausage calzone. It is delicious. It is bursting with flavors. It is EASY to make. And now I have changed it up a bit to be a little healthier for you - whole wheat dough, low fat cheese and chicken sausage. My mom always make it with regular pork sausage but it is so chock full of flavor that making it with chicken sausage doesn't take away that great flavor, just the extra fat and calories.

Kieshja
recipe from my mom, Michele Scearbo

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat pizza dough (make your own - recipe here, or buy pre-made pizza dough in the bakery section of your grocery store)
1/2 yellow onion
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 12 oz package sweet Italian style chicken sausage
1 small 6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
non stick cooking spray

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large non stick skillet over medium heat.

Dice the onion and add to the hot oil in the pan.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until translucent and soft.

Remove the casing from your sausage using a pair of kitchen shears or a small paring knife.

Cut a strip up one side of the sausage and use your fingers to peal the casing off.

Keep going until all the casings have been removed.

Cut the sausage into small rounds.

Add the sausage rounds to the onions in the pan, and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break the rounds up into crumbles. This will get easier to do as it browns.

Brown the sausage until it is all cooked and crumbles into small pieces. Move the sausage and onions into a bowl to cool.

Let the mixture cool slightly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add the tomato paste to the sausage.

Mix together well.

Now get the dough ready...

Roll it out into a large rectangle.

Put the sausage mixture on the center of the rolled out dough.

Spread the mixture out evenly over the dough, leaving an inch border around the edges.

Grate your cheese.

Sprinkle your cheddar and mozzarella cheeses over the top.

Roll up, jelly roll style, tucking in the sides as you go.

Continue rolling until the seams meet and pinch them shut together.

Transfer the roll carefully to a lined baking sheet and cut small vents in the top of the calzone.

Spray the entire top with non sticking cooking spray, or brush the top with more olive oil or a egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water). Totally your choice!

Bake for about 35 minutes at 350 degree, until the top is golden brown and the inside sounds hollow when your knock on the crust.

Cool slightly, and then cut into thick slices on a slight diagonal.

Doesn't that look delicious? It is. For real. And now guilt free. Thanks Mom!

Angry Birds Cupcakes

2012-06-04T19:30:00.000-04:00

My baby just turned four years old and requested an Angry Birds birthday. I have to say that it was a fun theme to plan a party around, and these angry birds cupcakes were the best part! They were fun and easy to make, although a tad time consuming to decorate. Those talented girls over at The Crafting Chicks did a great post on how to make these so I followed their step by step directions (leaving out a couple things to simplify). It seems that Angry Birds are for all ages so these cupcakes are perfect for your next party or just for fun. I used my go-to cake recipe Wacky Cake for these chocolate cupcakes. I love this recipe because it is delicious, and egg and nut free so I don't have worry about my food allergy son being left out.

Make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled before you frost and decorate.

Okay, first make your frosting. I love this buttercream frosting recipe. It is slightly adapted from a recipe submitted by Sharon Gerstman on allrecipes. com. Here it is:
Buttercream Icing
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened at room temperature (do not soften in the microwave!)
1 teaspoon good quality pure vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 Tablespoons milk
Directions:
Using an electric stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, blend together the butter and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, and continue mixing until light and fluffy.

Divide your frosting into three bowls.

Add enough food coloring to get the desired color.

You have to add quite a bit of red food coloring and it will still seem a little pink. That's okay. The yellow and blue require a much smaller amount of food coloring.

For the toppings you need black licorice strips, orange slices...

large and mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips.

Frost the cupcake.

Slice an orange slice into thirds, and just one of those pieces for your peak.

Add two mini marshmallows for the eyes.

Use a toothpick to make a hole in the middle of the mini marshmallow, and place a mini chocolate chip into the hole. I found that the eyes were easier to make before placing the marshmallow on the cupcake.

Last, add two small slices of black licorice strings for the eye brows.

Now continue with the other colors. Frost first.

Add a beak, eyes, and a belly. Cut a large marshmallow into thirds and use one of the pieces for the belly.

Add the licorice for the eye brows.

Here is the red bird cupcake.

Same steps as the blue.

I ended up adding two red jelly beans for hair on the red bird cupcakes, but I actually think they looked better without them.

How cute are these? They really were fun to make and my birthday boy was so excited to have these for his big day.
Enjoy!

Italian Caprese Chicken Sandwiches with Garlic Aioli

2012-04-26T21:54:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time since I shared a tasty recipe with you readers. I needed a little break for school vacation week and the little break just didn't want to end. Until now. I decided it was long over due to share these Italian Caprese Chicken Sandwiches with you. Remember last year I made mini Italian sandwiches, full of great Italian deli meats and homemade olive muffaletta for our annual Ladies' Tea at church? This year I stayed true to those Italian flavors but created a new sandwich that everyone loved. I wanted to make a sandwich using the typical Caprese Salad as the starting point and decided to add thin chicken cutlets and a delicious garlic aioli to finish it off. TO. DIE. FOR. Well, maybe not DIE. How 'bout this - TO. SIGH. FOR. or TO. SING. FOR. Anyways, you get the point. They were delish.

Italian Caprese Chicken Sandwiches with Garlic Aioli
for the chicken cutlets:
boneless chicken breasts, sliced thin (see this post here on how to cut the chicken into thin slices)
2 eggs, mixed with 1/4 cup milk and S&P
2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
canola and olive oil, for frying
for the Caprese Salad:
fresh mozzarella
vine ripe tomatoes
fresh basil leaves
balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
for the aioli (recipe adapted from allrecipes.com):
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
juice of half a lemon
pinch of salt, pepper
rolls

Directions:
First, make the aioli by mixing together all the ingredients. Place in fridge until ready to use.

You may want to make this the day before to really give the flavors times to develop.
Next, make the chicken cutlets.

Slice your chicken into thin pieces (check out this post where I show how to cut the chicken into thin pieces). FYI, I made two dozen mini sandwiches so there is a lot of every ingredient going on here. You probably don't need to make as much if you are just making these for your family :)

Mix your eggs with the milk and salt and pepper.

Whisk together well.

Place your bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. I like to use metal cake pans to make cutlets.

Set up an assembly line with your chicken slices, egg/milk mixture and bread crumbs - ending by the stove.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add canola oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Swirl in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Remember, you aren't deep frying here, just shallow pan frying so you only need enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and just barely come up the sides. You know your oil is hot enough when you place the end of a wooden spoon into the oil and it sizzles and bubbles around it.

Dip the chicken into the egg/milk mixture.

Next, coat the chicken in the bread crumbs, making sure to cover both sides well.

Place in the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned and cooked through. They are thin so they should cook fast.

Drain the cutlets on a brown paper bag. It will absorb any extra oil. Sprinkle a little salt right over the cutlets while they are hot. Continue with remaining cutlets, until they are all breaded and fried. Now set them aside until you are ready to assemble your sandwich.

Now we are going to assemble the Caprese Salad part of the sandwich. Basically you are just layering the ingredients into little stacks.

Slice the fresh mozzarella into thick rounds, and cut the bigger rounds into halves (if you are making full size sandwiches you may want to leave them big, but mine were for mini sandwiches so I cut the rounds in half). Do the same with the vine ripe tomatoes and stack the tomato slices on top of the mozzarella. Place a whole basil leave on top of the tomato. I love the smell of fresh basil.

Sprinkle a little salt over the stacks and drizzle lightly with olive oil and then with balsamic vinegar. Now you have Caprese Salad. This is an awesome summer salad to serve with dinner, but it also goes great in these little sandwiches.

We are ready to assemble!

Liberally spread the garlic aioli on the bottom of the inside of your roll.

Place a chicken cutlet right over the aioli.

Add a Caprese Salad stack right over the chicken and you got yourself a tasty little sandwich.

My friend Carole and my sister Liz came to my house before the Ladies Tea and I put them to work helping me assemble these sandwiches. They were awesome kitchen sous chefs :) And in exchange, I shared a couple little sandwiches with them. My sister is one of the pickiest eaters I know, so I was really excited she liked the sandwiches so much.

Whenever I bring food to an event I like to make little signs so people know what they taking.

Doesn't that look so yummy?

Enjoy!

Italian Stuffed Artichokes

2012-04-11T13:25:00.000-04:00

This recipe is a favorite originating from my Mother's large Italian family. It was her job growing up to clean, trim, and stuff the artichokes. I can't imagine making a dozen of these at a time. My Mom taught me to make these when I was young and now I make them for my family. My husband and my son Jack really enjoy eating stuffed artichokes. They are a "labor of love" to make because of the preparation, but very worth it. Most people are scared to cook or even eat whole artichokes, so hopefully this post will help educate and show you how easy it is.

Italian Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients:

4 medium fresh artichokes

2 - 3 cups Italian style breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano, or parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic salt or 1 clove fresh minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Using a sharp knife, cut off the stem of the artichoke.

You will need it to sit upright in a pan so make the bottom level.

Next trim off about 1/2 inch of the very top of the artichoke.

It should now look like this.

Using a pair of kitchen shears and starting from the bottom, trim off the pointy top of each leaf. You are only cutting the tip, so maybe about 1/4 inch?

Continue all the way around the artichoke until you get to the top where the leaves are much tighter.

Don't worry if some of the leaves split a little in the middle when you are trimming them.

Continue with remaining artichokes.

Now you are ready to wash and stuff the artichokes.

Wash the artichokes and use your fingers to help loosen up the leaves by gently pulling them away from the center. This will make them easier to stuff. Turn the artichoke upside down and shake out any excess water.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Add the bread crumbs, grated cheese, parsley, garlic powder (or garlic) to a large mixing bowl. Mix together.

Add enough olive oil to make the mixture moist.

You want the mixture to be able to stick together when pressed against the side of the bowl with a fork.

Now stuff the artichoke leaves right over the bowl. Starting at the bottom again work your way up and around till you get to the top with the tighter leaves. Gently pull out each leaf and use your hand to scoop some of the mixture into the leaf. Don't worry if some falls out. Push the mixture down using your thumb.

Your choke should look big and fat now :)

Once you have stuffed most of the artichoke (don't do the leaves at the top) turn the artichoke upside down and shake out any excess bread crumb mixture.

Continue with remaining artichokes. Depending how heavy handed you are with the mixture, you might need to make more. I had just enough to stuff four artichokes.

These bad boys are ready for the oven now.

You can drizzle a little lemon juice over the top to prevent browning if you wish (I usually do not).

Place the artichokes in a large metal roasting pan.

Pour enough water into the pan to cover the base of the artichokes - about 1/2 inch of water. You need this water to help steam the chokes.

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for 60-80 minutes. The cook time with depend on the size of your artichokes and how much you stuffed them.

After 60 minutes remove the pan from the oven to check for doneness. Carefully uncover the pan.

Use your fingers to pull out a leaf from one of the artichokes. If it comes out easily, they are done. If it gives you resistance, cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so and check again.

Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

To eat the artichoke, pull out a leaf with the bread crumb mixture...

Use your teeth to scrape off the bread crumb mixture into your mouth. You can also eat the very bottom part of the leaf (the tender lighter colored part), which is part of the heart.

Discard the leaf and continue eating the remaining stuffed leaves. Once the outer leaves are gone, and you get to the center of the artichoke, use a spoon to scrape off the little white leaves and the fuzzy part covering the heart. The heart is on the bottom and very yummy.

From generation to generation, this recipe is a classic and continues to be a pleaser for all. Enjoy.

Leftover Potatoes? Make Potato Egg Salad

2012-04-09T12:43:00.000-04:00

Did anyone else end up with tons of leftover potatoes from Easter dinner? I made two bags and ended up with tons of leftover cooked potatoes. I decided to make my husband potato salad to go with his lunches this week and add hard boiled cooked eggs. Because I really love him. Those of you that know me will understand the love here (I do NOT eat eggs. Period. I do not like eggs. At all.) I decided to give Alton Brown's method of baking the eggs in the oven (instead of boiling them) a try, and it was really easy and they came out great (according to Adam, my husband "the egg eater.") I'll show you how I did it...

Potato Egg Salad

Ingredients:
1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
4 cups cooked potatoes, diced
2-3 hard cooked eggs
salt, pepper
1/2 tsp dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Place your eggs directly on the center rack in the oven. Place a baking sheet on the rack underneath (just in case an egg breaks).

Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Carefully place cooked eggs in a large bowl of ice water. Let them cook for about 15 to 20 minutes before peeling.

Put the mayo, mustard, celery salt and onion powder in a mixing bowl.

Mix together well.

Dice your cooked potatoes.

Add to the bowl with the mayo mixture and carefully toss the potatoes to coat.

Cut your cooked eggs in half (I used three eggs).

Cut the egg halves into bite size pieces.

Add the egg to the mixing bowl and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Carefully mix together.

Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle a little parsley (dried or fresh) over the top.

Serve and enjoy, unless you are a fellow non-egg eater like me. Then you can watch the people around you eat and enjoy. Adam said this was one of the best potato salads he has ever eaten. I hope he means it because there is a whole lot of it for him to eat this week :)

If you are looking for another way to use up leftover potatoes, or leftover ham, check out this post for Ham and Potato Soup, it's what's for dinner tomorrow night.

Bird's Nest Cookies

2012-04-05T19:58:00.000-04:00

How cute are these edible bird's nests for Easter? I am so pumped about these cute treats because they are super easy to make and my little guy Jack can eat them (no allergies - no nuts and no eggs!). I saw them at the Art of Dessert and knew they would be on the dessert menu this Easter. And the little eggs are Cadbury mini eggs, which are seriously the most addicting candy ever. I LOVE them. It is a problem, and I can't trust myself when they are in the house. ~~Psssst: This was the third bag I bought to make these cookies because we ate the first two bags before we got to cookie making time.~~

Bird's Nest Cookies
From the Art of Dessert

Ingredients:
12 oz bag chow mein noodles
12 oz bag butterscotch morsels
Cadbury mini eggs (or other little egg shaped candies)

Directions:

Melt the butterscotch morsels in a large microwave safe bowl, in 30 second increments, until the morsels are almost melted completely. Stir until all the little bits dissolve and the mixture is smooth. Be careful not to burn the morsels!

Add almost the whole bag of chow mein noddles and gently stir it together.

Scoop about 1/4 cup of the mixture and use your hands to shape into a little mound. Place on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.

Now the best part...

Add three chocolate egg candies to the center of the mound. Continue with remaining ingredients. If the mixture gets too hard you can soften it in the microwave for about 10 seconds to make it more pliable.

Makes about two dozen cookies total. This recipe is easily halved too, if you don't need that many ~~(or if you ate too many Cadbury mini eggs and didn't have enough left for that many cookies).~~

Let the cookies harden on the baking sheet for about five minutes before you transfer them to a serving platter.

If the little eggs don't stay stuck to the bird's nest, you can dip the bottoms in a small amount of melted morsels to make "glue" to help them stay in place.

Aren't they cute? My boys loved them.

Happy Easter!

Oven Fries

2012-04-04T08:04:00.000-04:00

Potatoes are always a great accompaniment to dinner - beef, fish, chicken - they just go well with dinner, don't ya think? Oven fries are one of my favorite ways to prepare potatoes. They are easy to prepare and come out of the oven crispy from the olive oil and with a little kick from the grill seasoning. I think this is a Rachael Ray recipe that my my Mom has made for years and passed on to me.

Oven Fries

Ingredients:
2-3 large russet potatoes
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of grill seasoning (or your favorite spice blend)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash potatoes well - do not peel!

Cut each potato into thirds (or in halves if it is smaller).

Now cut each third into thin strips - about 1/4 inch thick.

Place potato slices on a baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle the grill seasoning over the entire pan. This particular grill seasoning already had salt in it, but if your seasoning blend does not contain salt, go ahead and add some! Use your hands to toss the potatoes so each pieces is coated with the oil and the seasoning.

Arrange in potatoes in a single layer and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, turning the potatoes over halfway through.

They should be nice and crispy but a little bit thicken than fast food fries. They are not quite as thick as steak fries though.

These are always gobbled up pretty quickly! See how yummy they look? And they are so much better for you than fried potatoes.

Serve with dinner or as an afternoon snack. Your kids will think you are the coolest if you give them oven fries after school.

Enjoy!