Six Sisters' Stuff

Healthy Meals Monday: Chicken and Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde

2012-05-28T13:00:00.000-06:00

I am loving enchiladas right now! I saw this chicken and bean one with creamy salsa verde and I knew I had to try it! The sauce turned out amazing and my whole family ate them all!

Chicken and Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

For the Chicken and Bean Filling:

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
15.5 oz can Navy beans (or Cannellini beans)
1 can black beans
8 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup fat free or light sour cream

For the Green Chile Enchilada Sauce:

1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 Tablespoon of butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup fat free chicken broth
7 oz can chopped green chile
2 jalapeños, chopped (I used jarred)
salt
1/2 cup fat free or light sour cream
3/4 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese
8 medium soft whole wheat tortillas
chopped fresh cilantro or green onions (or both!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.

For the Filling:
In a medium pan, heat olive oil on low. Add onions, garlic and saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and cook. Remove from heat and Add green chiles, beans, sour cream and cumin. Mix well.

Green Chile Enchilada Sauce:
In a large nonstick pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add flour and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth. Whisk until the sauce becomes smooth. Cook over medium heat until the sauce boils and thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Add green chiles, jalepeños, and salt to tatse. Cook another minute then remove from the heat. Stir in the sour cream.

Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup of the chicken/white bean filling. Roll the tortillas and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling remainder of the tortillas.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with cheese. Cover with aluminum and bake 20-30 minutes, until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with fresh cilantro or green onions

Adapted from Skinny Taste

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

2012-05-28T03:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Memorial Day! I first want to start by thanking all those who fought and are fighting for our country. We wouldn't be called the Land of the Free without you. Thank-you for all you do!

A lot of people get together with family and not only remember, but celebrate this day. I know how stressful planning the BBQ is so I have a solution for those who don't have a BBQ treat yet. These peanut butter rice krispies are super fast and taste amazing! My mom made these all the time when we were little. Being away from family I always get a little home sick - especially on holidays. But making these made it feel like my Mom had been cooking in my kitchen! I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day!

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup White Karo Syrup
1 1/2 Creamy or Chunky Peanut butter.
5 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1/2 package of milk chocolate chips
1/2 package of butterscotch chips

Directions:
Cook together until it boils-
1 cup sugar
1 cup white karo syrup

Then remove from heat. Add the peanut butter and stir til well blended. Then add your rice krispies. (You'll want to use a BIG bowl). Stir in and press into a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Melt and spread on top- 1/2 package milk chocolate chips and 1/2 package butterscotch chips. I just melt them in my glass measuring cup in the microwave. Don't over melt them or it will turn sugary.

Here are some other easy desserts that would be perfect for your BBQ:

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Cake Mix Caramel Brownies

Tropical Chocolate Coconut Blondies

Cake Mix Caramel Brownies Recipe

2012-05-27T15:00:00.000-06:00

I will be the first to admit that I am addicted to desserts. They are my weakness!

The more ooey and gooey they are, the better.

Caramel and chocolate seem to be the perfect couple and when you pair them with a cake mix recipe, you get quick and easy gooey deliciousness. :)

These brownies are so easy to whip up . . . you really would have no idea that they were made with a cake mix!

Cake Mix Caramel Brownies Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 package (14 ounces) caramels
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions:
Peel caramels and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup evaporated milk. Heat and stir until all caramels are melted (you can also do this on the stove-top over low heat- just keep stirring until caramels are melted).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) Grease a 9x13 inch pan (and when I say grease it, I mean it! These tend to be sticky, so grease it well. You may also want to grease the sides of the pan to prevent the caramel from sticking).
In a large mixing bowl, mix together cake mix, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, melted butter, and chopped pecans. The dough will be VERY thick and kind of hard to stir- that means that you made it right! Place 1/2 of the batter in prepared baking pan. I sprayed my fingers with non-stick cooking spray and spread it in the bottom of the pan using my hands.
Bake for 8 minutes.
Place the remaining batter into the fridge. Remove brownies from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Drizzle caramel sauce over chocolate chips. Remove brownie mix from refrigerator. Using a teaspoon, make small balls with the batter and smash flat. Very carefully, place on top of the caramel sauce until the top is completely covered. With the batter being so thick, I places little teaspoonfuls all over the top and then carefully pushed them together to cover the caramel. It doesn't look very pretty, but they will still taste amazing. :)
Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Remove and let cool. It is best to wait until the brownies are cooled to cut into them (it will be hard, but trust me- they are so worth the wait!).

Want some more brownie recipes?

These ones are delicious too!

Mom's Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies

Cheesecake Brownies

Samoa Brownies

Cookie Dough Brownies

Reese's Brownies

The Best Hamburger Recipe (and amazing secret sauce)

2012-05-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

My husband likes to think of himself as a grilling expert (to be honest- I have never grilled anything in my entire life! He is the grill-er in our family).

Before I married him, I really didn't eat that much meat. In fact, I really didn't like much else besides chicken . . . until he introduced me to all the wonderful foods that can be made on a grill.

I never really liked steak until he cooked me the perfect one- cooked rare. Oh. My. Goodness. It was divine! He teases me that I am more of a man than he is because I like my steak cooked so rare. Ha ha! (Don't worry- I now order my steaks medium rare so I don't gross out the people around me)

Anyway, "The Master of the Grill" is always looking for the next best thing and I think that we have found it with this hamburger recipe. The burgers were moist, flavorful, and delicious. They will definitely be a repeat for us this summer!

P.S. The secret sauce is like icing on the cake!! You have to try it!

The Best Hamburger Recipe (and secret sauce)
Ingredients:
Burger:
1 lb ground beef (I used 85/15- you want a fattier meat to make a juicier burger!)
sesame seed buns
1/2 cup Monterrey jack cheese, grated
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
seasoned salt to taste
cracked black pepper
onion powder

Secret Sauce:
3/4 cup of mayo
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup relish
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
seasoned salt

Directions:

Combine the ground beef, grated cheese, bbq sauce, and seasonings. Shape patties that are about 1 inch thick. With the 1 pound of ground beef I made 5 large patties.
Turn grill up to high and let it get hot.
Reduce heat to medium-high and place the burgers on the grill. Allow this side of the patty to cook for about 4-6 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t burn. Then flip the burger over and cook until done.
For the sauce: Combine all ingredients and whisk until well mixed. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking.
Assemble the burgers and serve with the special sauce, avocado, lettuce, tomato, cheese, pickles and your other favorite hamburger toppings!

Recipe adapted from Little Miss Momma

Looking for more grilling recipes?

Check these out:

Mom's Amazing Pork Chop Marinade

Grilled Malibu Chicken

Smoky Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Marinade

Grilled Zucchini

Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party Week 46

2012-05-25T20:00:00.000-06:00

I can't even tell you how much I love sitting down after a long week and seeing what you have been up to! You are all so talented and we are so happy you come share your ideas with us every weekend!

Here are some of our favorites from last week:

As soon as I see something chocolaty, I can't seem to look away! I think these Butterscotch Kit Kat Brownies from Shugary Sweets may be on our menu this weekend (if I can wait that long)!

This Asian Chicken Salad with Homemade Dressing from It's Overflowing looks like the perfect summer dinner! I always tend to eat more fruits and veggies this time of year because it is too hot to eat anything cooked over the stove!

I love this DIY Cupcake Stand from A Mommy's Life....With a Touch of Yellow. Wouldn't this be a perfect way to display your goods at a summer party or barbecue?! You could serve chips and dip, veggies, fruit, dessert.....the possibilities are endless!

I am dying to make one of these Please Remove Your Shoes Signs from Burton Avenue! Just this week, I went to Ross to buy a massive basket to keep by the front door to put shoes in to try and clear the mountain of shoes that surrounds our door!

There is just something about little, bite-sized desserts! I always feel a little better eating a few small treats rather then one massive one. These Individual Oreo Turtle Cheesecakes from Queen of my Nest look AMAZING!

Thanks for sharing!

Feel free to grab a button if you were featured today:

Now onto the party!

Link up YOUR recipes, crafts, ideas, projects or fun posts to share.
Please no etsy shops, giveaways or advertisements.

Visit some of the other links
and HAVE FUN!

Also, feel free to grab a party button (think of it as a party favor!):

Fresh Fruit Salsa and Homemade Cinnamon Chips

2012-05-25T15:00:00.000-06:00

One of my sweet friends recently had a baby who is allergic to all things dairy and peanut butter. Being the amazing mom that she is, she has given up my two favorite food groups (peanut butter is a food group, right?!) until she is done nursing her baby.

I have been thinking about her and all the things (especially treats!) that she is sacrificing for her cute baby and so I made it my mission to find her something sweet that she could eat . . .

Holy cow! It was so hard!

EVERYTHING I love has either dairy and/or peanut butter in it!

After pouring over dozens and dozens of recipes, I found this little number. This fresh fruit salsa is so delicious that I seriously eat it with a spoon. It would be perfect as a side dish, appetizer, or dessert for any party or get-together . . . or even when you are by yourself (I polished off a whole bowl on my own). The perfect partner to this salsa is the homemade cinnamon chips. Don't be intimated by them- they are so easy to whip up!

Fresh Fruit Salsa and Homemade Cinnamon Chips
Ingredients for salsa:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Fiji apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 cup raspberries
1 pound strawberries
1-2 peaches, peeled and diced (I used frozen because they are still so expensive and they worked great!)
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (I used homemade strawberry jam- the recipe is coming soon!)

Ingredients for cinnamon chips:
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, raspberries, strawberries, and frozen peaches. Then mix in apples (I added them last because I didn't want them to brown), white sugar, brown sugar, and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
Coat both sides of a flour tortilla with butter-flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges using a pizza cutter and dredge each wedge in cinnamon-sugar mix. Place in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Repeat until baking sheet is full.
Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes (they will get crispier as they cool). Serve with chilled salsa.

This salsa also tastes great over Pound Cake, Angel Food Cake and Ice Cream . . . you'll have to try it for yourself! :)
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

Looking for more yummy appetizers?

Here are some of our favorites:

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Chili's Copycat Skillet Queso

Cheesy Artichoke Bread

Low-Fat Baked Onion Rings

Fresh Spinach Dip

50 of the Best Grilling Recipes

2012-05-25T03:00:00.000-06:00

{Photo Credit}

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

We thought that we would kick off this weekend with some of the BEST grilling recipes . . .

50 of them, to be exact!

Looking for a yummy chicken, burger, steak, pork chop, or kebab recipe to try out this weekend?

We have got you covered!

Click on the link below each picture to be taken to the recipe.

1. Mom's Grilled 7-Up Chicken

2. Korean Beef Kabobs

3. Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

4. The Best Pork Chop Marinade

5. Grilled Malibu Chicken

7. Mixed Grill Kabobs

8. Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

9. Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple and Papaya Salsa

10. Grilled Basil Chicken

11. Spicy Honey Chicken

12. Campfire Banana Splits

13. Grilled Pizza Recipe

14. Grilled Zucchini

15. Grilled Peaches and Cream

16. Grilled Teriyaki and Pineapple Sandwiches

17. Chipotle Lime Steak

18. Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

19. Three-Cheese Grilled Potatoes

20. Breakfast on the Grill

21. Grilled Rosemary Chicken Thighs

22. Copy Cat Chipotle Chicken

23. Pacific Pork Kabobs with Pineapple Rice

24. Grilled Asian Chicken

25. Chicken and Bacon Shish-Ka-Bobs

26. Chili-Rubbed Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

27. Honey, Lemon and Rosemary Grilled Chicken

28. Italian Grilled Chicken

29. Lemon Garlic Herb-Rubbed Chicken

30. Fiesta Burgers

31. BBQ Lime Shrimp and Corn

32. Garden Vegetable Grill Sandwich

33. Grilled Lemon Chicken

34. Grilled Salmon

35. Classic Grilled Burgers

36. Ranch Burgers

37. Succulent Steak Marinade

38. Grilled Eggplant Pita Sandwiches

39. Bang Bang Shrimp

40. BBQ Ribs on the Grill

41. Chicken Satay

42. Grilled Chipotle Lime Chicken

43. BBQ Chicken Kebabs

44. Honey Lime Chicken

45. Grilled Chicken with White BBQ Sauce

46. Grilled Summer Pork Chops

47. Honey Garlic Pork Chops

48. Pineapple Teriyaki Burgers

49. Grilled Cilantro Chicken

50. Best-Ever Grilled Chicken Kebabs

Happy Grilling!

Quick Pico De Gallo Recipe

2012-05-24T15:00:00.000-06:00

I could eat Pico de Gallo every day of the week. I can't seem to get enough of the fresh veggies with a little hint of lime juice! We eat this on tortilla chips, salads and just about any Mexican dish!

Quick Pico de Gallo Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 firm Roma tomatoes, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper
4 Tbl. diced cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp. chopped garlic

Directions:
Dice tomatoes and sweet onion (I just use my food processor). Remove some, all or none of the seeds in the jalapeno pepper depending on how hot you want it, then dice it. Remove leaves of cilantro from stems and dice. Add 1 tsp chopped garlic. Mix gently and squeeze lime juice over top. Mix gently and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs for flavors to blend.

Looking for more Mexican inspired side dishes?
Here are a few of our favorites:
Easy Guacamole
Chili's Copycat Salsa
The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa
Chili's Copycat Skillet Queso
Three Bean Frito Chip Salad

(Recipe from Spark Recipes)

Easy Chicken Ranch Tacos Recipe

2012-05-24T03:00:00.000-06:00

My husband is obsessed with ranch. I don't know if I have ever seen him put a different kind of dressing on his salad. I decided to mix my love for Mexican food with his love for ranch. Everybody was happy! This meal that only takes a few minutes from start to finish and tastes great!

Your family will never know you weren't slaving away in the kitchen over these tasty tacos!

Easy Chicken Ranch Tacos Recipe:

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked chicken, cut up
1 pkg. taco seasoning (chicken or beef)
1/2 cup ranch dressing

Taco shells

Lettuce

Cheese
Preferred taco condiments

Directions:
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add cooked chicken and warm it for a few minutes. Sprinkle on the whole package of dry taco seasoning. Do not add any water! Heat for 5-7 minuted until all heated through and taco seasoning is stuck to the chicken.

Add ranch dressing, heat an additional 2-3 minutes to warm through.

Serve in taco shells with all your favorite fixings!

Looking for more delicious Mexican dishes?

Here are some of our favorites:

Mexican Lasagna

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

Chicken Lime Soft Tacos

Baked Chicken Ranch Taquitos

Low Fat Tex Mex Chicken and Rice

(Recipe from Do You Smell That!!?)

Cheesy Pizza Roll

2012-05-23T13:00:00.000-06:00

My Husband's favorite meal is with Rhodes rolls, mozzarella cheese, ham and pineapple. (find that recipe here) Making each individual one took some time to make. I didn't have a ton of time so I decided to try using a Rhodes Roll Loaf.

Cheesy Pizza Roll:

Ingredients:
- 2 Rhodes Loaves
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
- Pizza Toppings - I used Ham and Pineapple but you could use pepperoni, olives, etc

First I let it thaw (not rise) and it took about an hour.

Next I rolled out the dough with the rolling pin (try and get it as thin as you can).

I then added my ham, pineapple and mozzarella cheese.

Roll up your pizza roll and place on a baking sheet. (I had to cut mine in half because it was so long)

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

Let cool for 5 minutes then cut into good size pieces (I cut mine about 4 inches long)

You can then dip it into Pizza Sauce, Ranch or any other sauce you like to use!

You might like our other pizza options:

Skinny Crockpot Pizza Casserole

Alfredo Grilled Chicken Pizza

Stuffed Pizza

Geezees Personalized Canvas Art Giveaway (and LOTS of winners!)

2012-05-23T03:00:00.000-06:00

We are so excited to introduce you to this week's sponsor: Geezees Personalized Canvas Art.

Ever since Stephanie emailed us about her company, I have been in love with her amazing creations. She uses your words and your photos to make a completely unique and personalized piece of art. These would make the best wedding gifts, Mother's and Father's day gifts, Anniversary gifts . . . who am I kidding? I wouldn't give it away as a gift . . . I want one for myself!!

Check out some of these amazing pieces that Geezees has to offer:

Beautiful picture, combined with beautiful words! How cool would it be to have one of these with your vows on it? I definitely want one of these for my home!

Another gorgeous couple . . . so fun for a wedding gift!

I love the typography on this one- perfect to remember all the places that you lived or places where you have traveled to. Or maybe you have a fun family quote or memory . . . all would be perfect for this!

I love the 4 of these grouped together. So sweet in a darling nursery!

I am always racking my brain to think what to give the Grandmas for birthdays, Christmas, and Mother's Day . . . how sweet is this? Each grandchild listed the reasons they love their grandma . . . she will treasure this for the rest of her life!

I love the simplicity of this! It's perfect.

The oversized canvas art makes such a statement in your home! So beautiful!

And with Father's Day around the corner, check out this darling canvas art that lists the reasons from A to Z of why they love their dad.

Stephanie from Geezees is absolutely incredible- she works with you one-on-one to create the perfect custom canvas. She has over 2,000 happy customers who keep coming back for more . . . brides contact her months in advance to work out the details for their custom piece of art. And now Stephanie is ready and excited to work with you!

Want to win a $50 gift card to Geezees so that you can have your own personalized custom art?

Here is how to enter:

1. "Like" Geezees on Facebook and come back here to leave a comment to let us know.

2. Pin your favorite Geezees custom art on Pinterest and leave a comment here to let us know what you pinned.

3. Pin your favorite Six Sisters' Stuff post on Pinterest and leave a comment here to let us know what you pinned.

You can enter up to 3 times.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

We have had a couple of unclaimed prizes, so to be sure that you receive the prize if you win, please leave your email address in the comment.

Winner will be announced Wednesday, May 30.

And now for LOTS of winners!

The winner of the $50 Mikarose Gift Card is:

Ladybird Ln!

The winner of the 3 Flexi-Clips is:

Katrina and Brian!

The winner of the $100 Visa Gift Card is:

Julie Chalmers!

Thanks again for all who entered! We were blown away by all 375+ entries for our Pin It to Win It contest . . . we definitely be doing that again, so stay tuned!

Winners- please email us in the next 48 hours to claim your prize!

sixsistersstuff@gmail.com

How to Freeze Berries and Veggies

2012-05-22T13:00:00.000-06:00

I am loving strawberries right now and am so sad when they are out of season. I was reading through an old Simple and Delicious Magazine and ran across an article that gave tips on how to freeze fruits and veggies. So I decided to give it a try!

Berries:
Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries

Just wash and place fresh berries on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Freeze until frozen. Then transfer to heavy-duty freezer bags that have been labeled and dated for longer freezing.

Veggies:
You have to blanch the veggies first.

How to Blanch:

Fill a large saucepan with enough water to cover vegetables. Boil the water. Add veggies; cover; and boil for the time listed in the chart below.

Begin counting as soon as you place veggies in boiling water. You'll want to set a timer for accuracy because over blanching can cause veggies to lose flavor and color.

After boiling, drain and immediately place veggies in ice water (for the same length of time used in blanching) to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel, then place veggies in a single layer, without overcrowding, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze. Place frozen veggies in a heavy duty freezer bag. Label and date the bag and freeze for up to three months.

How Long to Blanch

Corn on the Cob: 6-9 minutes
Whole Baby Carrots: 5 minutes
Broccoli Spears: 5 minutes
Onions: 3-5 minutes
Asparagus: 2-4 minutes
Spinach: 2 minutes
Cauliflower: 1-2 minutes
Summer Squash: 1-2 minutes
Sugar Snap Peas: 1-2 minutes

Cooking Frozen Veggies:
Cook the same way you would cook a fresh. Because they were blanched, you'll need to cook them for slightly less time.

I froze strawberries, corn, spinach and asparagus. All worked out perfectly!

Mini Hamburger Cookies

2012-05-22T03:00:00.000-06:00

It is the last week for school for us and we are celebrating by making or doing something fun everyday to celebrate the upcoming SUMMER! Yesterday we made cookie hamburgers and girls loved putting them together. Here is what I did-

Mini Hamburger Cookies

Ingredients:

Vanilla Wafers (for the buns)
Thin Mint Cookies (for the burger)
1 cup Coconut (for the lettuce)
Green Food Coloring
Red Frosting (for the ketchup)
Yellow Frosting (for the mustard)

Directions:

Take your cup of coconut and put it in a plastic bag with 2 or 3 drops of green food coloring. Shake until desired color. Add more drops for a darker color.

Next take two vanilla wafers and put a blob of yellow frosting on one and a blob of red on the other wafer.

On one wafer put a Thin Mint Cookie and the other put your coconut.

Put a little more frosting on the thin mint cookie and stick it all together.

Linking up here

Healthy Meals Monday: Chicken Lime Lettuce Wrap

2012-05-21T13:00:00.000-06:00

I have been seeing chicken wraps all over the place on Pinterest and Facebook and I wanted to try it! I love the chicken lime tacos found here - so I decided to make them into wraps. They were delicious and had a lot less calories than the tacos.

Chicken Lime Lettuce Wrap:

1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks or strips
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper
2 green onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (more or less to taste)
Large pieces of lettuce (or tortillas)

Sauté chicken over medium high heat until browned. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, and garlic. Simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Add cilantro and
simmer for an additional 30 seconds. Serve on large pieces of lettuce or warmed tortillas with desired toppings.

You also might like these other healthy ideas:

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

Light Taco Casserole

Mexican Manicotti

3 Chip Cookies (aka Happy Cookies)

2012-05-21T03:00:00.000-06:00

In college I had a roommate who made the most amazing cookies. Whenever there was a reason to celebrate she would bake these little babies up. For my wedding she gave me the recipe and they really are my one of my favorite cookies! - I couldn't get a picture that would give these cookies justice. These are so delicious especially with the mixture of the three chips! Thanks KK!

3 Chip Cookies (AKA Happy Cookies)

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Butter Flavored Crisco
1 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
2 T milk
1 T vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 Cup Flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream the crisco and sugar. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix well. Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the chips. Spoon the cookies onto a cookie sheet. Use a baking stone for the best cookies!
Bake at 375 degrees for 11 - 13 minutes

You might also like:
Chewy M&M Cookies
Magic in the Middle Cookies
Mom's Snickerdoodles

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake Recipe

2012-05-20T15:00:00.000-06:00

My husband served a two year mission for our church in the Dominican Republic when he was 19 years old. While he was there, his dad passed away unexpectedly. I met my husband right after he got home from his mission, so I never got to meet my sweet father-in-law. My husband always talks about how his dad was such a fabulous cook. He remembers trips to the lake and his dad would be out slaving over the fire making delicious meals for everyone. From what I've been told, my father-in-law was amazing at cooking anything in a dutch oven. One of my husband's favorite desserts was his Dad's dutch oven peach cobbler. Since I don't know a thing about using a dutch oven, I went the easy route with this version of peach cobbler. It only takes a few minutes to throw together and tastes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 (16 ounce) cans peaches in heavy syrup
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Empty peaches into the bottom of one 9x13 inch pan. Cover with the dry cake mix and press down firmly. Cut butter into small pieces and place on top of cake mix. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Looking for more fruity desserts?

Here are some of our favorites:

Bite Size Apple Pies

No-Bake Strawberry Ice Box Cake

Grilled Peaches and Cream

Easy Strawberry Napoleon

Orange Creamsicle Fruit Dip

(Recipe from All Recipes) Linking up here

Slow Cooker Cheesy BBQ Chicken Bacon Sandwiches

2012-05-20T03:00:00.000-06:00

The next few weeks are jam-packed for our family! This past week, I have had two different TV spots that I (and my sisters) had to prep for, we put in sprinklers in our lawn (because we have been watering by hand for the past year and a half!), preschool graduation, and we are preparing to send my husband over to Bosnia at the end of the week to do some humanitarian work for our church. He will be over there for about 10 days helping fit people for wheelchairs and teaching other health professionals how to do it themselves. It's a great work to be involved in and he is very much looking forward to it because it will be such an incredible experience! However, it makes life a little bit crazy right now . . .

With all these things going on, I am doing all that I can to just get dinner on the table before the sun goes down. Without my trusty slow cooker, this just wouldn't happen!

These sandwiches are delicious and so easy to throw together. Make them on a night you know that you are going to be busy . . . you can thank me later. :)

Slow Cooker Cheesy BBQ Chicken Bacon Sandwiches
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (mine were frozen)
1 (16-20 oz) bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (we love Famous Dave's)
1 lb bacon strips, fully cooked
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6-8 large onion rolls/buns

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker and pour bottle of BBQ sauce on top of them. Cook on low for about 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Shred chicken and set aside.
Set oven at 425 degrees. Split onion rolls in half and lay on a large baking sheet covered in foil.

Put some shredded BBQ chicken on the top of half of the bun.

Place 2-3 strips of bacon on top of the chicken and top with a handful of shredded cheese.
Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes (until the cheese is melted and the edges of the bun are golden.
Top with the other half of the bun and enjoy!

These sandwiches go perfectly with our favorite Macaroni salad (and are the perfect summer meal!).
Adapted from Recipe Shoebox.

Looking for more yummy sandwich recipes?

Check these out:

Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Smoky BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

Ham and Cheese Sliders

Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party- Week 45

2012-05-18T20:00:00.000-06:00

We are so glad you came to party with us!

Before we start, have you entered our fabulous giveaways going on this week?!

Enter to win 3 Flexi-Clip Hair Accessories from Lilla Rose.

Click here for details!

and......

We have felt so blessed to have such amazing readers and we wanted to find a way to thank you . . . so, we are giving away a $100 Visa Pre-Paid gift card to let you know how much we appreciate you!

Click here for details!

Now that you've entered these fun giveaways,

IT IS TIME TO PARTY!

Here are our favorites from last week:

I can't even begin to express the cravings I have had for ice cream this pregnancy. Not a day goes by that I don't sit down with a ~~giant bowl~~ cup of ice cream and kick my feet up! This Chocolate Thin Mint Ice Cream from Life Made Simple looks to die for!

Nothing screams summer like a cool, refreshing beverage! My husband will be so happy we won't have to stop by Sonic so frequently to get me fruity drinks because of this Organic Strawberry Limeade from Lisa's Dinnertime Dish!

If you're looking for a way to add a little excitement to your next photo session, try Making Your Own Photo Props from The Letter 4. Your kids will love designing their own props!

The last thing I want to do on a hot day is slave over the stove. This Kick Your Can Chicken Salad from That's Some Good Cookin' would make the perfect summer meal!

Due to our recent move, I have had to do some major downsizing and my closet is full of all kinds of "organizational contraptions." I love this DIY Accessory Chair from My Sister's Suitcase to organize shoes and accessories!

Thanks for sharing!

Feel free to grab a button if you were featured today:

Now onto the party!

Link up YOUR recipes, crafts, ideas, projects or fun posts to share.
Please no etsy shops, giveaways or advertisements.

Visit some of the other links
and HAVE FUN!

Also, feel free to grab a party button (think of it as a party favor!):

5 Minute Fluffy Yogurt Fruit Salad

2012-05-18T15:00:00.000-06:00

When the temperatures start to climb, my desire to spend time in a hot kitchen baking food is non-existent. Unfortunately, my family still wants to eat (ha ha!), so I try to find recipes that can be made in as little time as possible. When I say that this recipe takes five minutes to throw together, I really am not kidding! It's the perfect side dish to any meal and is always a hit at potlucks!

5 Minute Fluffy Yogurt Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz) container of Cool-Whip (light or fat free is fine)
2 (6 oz) containers of yogurt- whatever flavor you want (I used Yoplait Orange Creme)
1/2 package of mini marshmallows
Fresh, frozen, or canned fruit that compliments your yogurt flavor (I used 1 can of mandarin oranges and 1 can of pineapple tidbits for this salad)

Directions:

Dump your yogurt into a bowl. Fold in the container of Cool Whip. Mix well. Add marshmallows and fruit. Chill and serve!

*We also love to use strawberry yogurt and add some fresh strawberries.

*If you use canned fruit, make sure you drain it VERY well or it will make your salad runny.

Looking for some more delicious side dishes?

Check these ones out:

Grandma's 5 Cup Creamy Fruit Salad

Raspberry Jello Pretzel Salad

Orange Fluffy Jello Salad

Honey Lime Fresh Fruit Salad

Linking up here

25 Quick and Simple Healthy Meals

2012-05-18T03:00:00.000-06:00

{Photo Credit}

Summer is almost here and things are already getting CRAZY! Sometimes I just need ideas of quick easy meals that are healthier than the usual pizza.

Click on the words below the picture to go to the recipe!

Hope you have a wonderful Friday!

1. Light Kung Pao Chicken

2. Herb Crusted Pork Chops

3. Cilantro Lime Shrimp

4. Skinny Pork Tacos

5. Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes

6. Light Chicken Divan

7. Shrimp and Avacado Salad

8. Skinny Buffalo Burger Quesadillas

9. Roast Beef and Shaved Parmesan on a Baguette

10. Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole

11. Miso Salmon

12. Low Calorie Meatball Sandwich

13. Charred Chicken Tacos

14. Healthy Garden Salad

15. Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

16. Chicken Spaghetti and Cherry Tomatoes

17. Chicken Lime Soft Taco

18. Weight Watchers Santa Fe Salad

19. Mexican Chicken Casserole

20. Weight Watchers Twice Baked Potato

21. Skinny Baked Chicken Nuggets

22. Lowfat Baked Pasta with Spinach

23. Tomato, Basil and Cheese Sandwich

24. Skinny Loaded Nachos

25. Healthy Three Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake

Looking for more healthy recipes?
Check out some of our favorites:
100 Healthy Snack Recipes
10 Healhty Kid Approved Snacks
Healthy Banana Orange Julius
The Best Fresh Tomato Salsa
Healthy Berry Green Smoothies

Have a great weekend!

Creamy Sausage and Tomato Pasta Recipe

2012-05-17T15:01:00.000-06:00

Creamy Sausage and Tomato Pasta

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
4-5 Italian sausages (about 1 pound) found in the fresh meat department (I used turkey Italian sausage)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
12 ounces penne pasta (get a 16 ounce box and use 3/4 of it)
grated Parmesan for topping

Directions:
Cook the pasta in salted water al dente, according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, brown the sausages and cut them into slices (I actually removed the casings and then browned and crumbled the sausages like you would ground beef).
Add the onions and garlic to the sausage and saute for a couple of minutes.
Pour in the entire can of diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce and heat through.
Pour in the half-and-half and heat through. The longer you cook the sauce the thicker it will get so simmer it until it is the consistency you want.
Add the basil and let it simmer for a few minutes.
Finally, mix the sausage sauce with the pasta and serve. Top each serving with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve with garlic bread and side salad.

Recipe adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Looking for more yummy pasta dishes?

Here are some of our favorites:

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Chicken Pasta Salad

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Homemade Spudnuts and Glaze Recipe

2012-05-17T03:00:00.001-06:00

Two of our sisters, Camille and Kristen, both worked at a doughnut shop in high school. Our close family friends owned a Daylight Donuts so Camille and Kristen went to work! I was too young to have a job, but remember thinking how they had one of the greatest jobs of all time. They got to bring home all of the leftover doughnuts at the end of the day. Our family finally got to the point where we started getting a little sick of having doughnuts so frequently, so we would hand them out to our neighbors. We had quite the fan club! It still broke my heart a little giving those scrumptious doughnuts away.

I still love a good doughnut every now and then, especially if it smothered in chocolate.
I don't know if there is anything better than a fresh, hot spudnut! I hate to admit this, but my darling husband was the one who actually made these. He knows the way to my hungry, pregnant heart! He was up so early making dough, letting it rise and cutting out the doughnuts. How did I get so lucky?!

We made a glaze as well as chocolate frosting for our spudnuts, but you could try just about any topping you like!

I think that the doughnut holes may have been the best part! Mmm Mm! They just melt in your mouth!

Homemade Spudnuts Recipe:

If you want to share with a lot of people....do the full recipe. If you just want to share with several.....do half the batch. The full recipe made just over 150 spudnuts with about 3 dozen doughnut holes.

Spudnuts:
4 c. milk
1 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbl. vanilla
2 pkg. yeast
1 c. warm potato water (water that potatoes have been boiled in)
1 c. mashed potato

Mix the above ingredients and let set about 30 minutes or until foamy.

Then add:
4 well beaten eggs
1 Tbl. salt
12 c. flour

Knead, let rise until double in size. Roll out about 3/4" thick, cut as for doughnuts (we used two different sizes of circle cookie cutters). Let rise until double in size. Cook in hot vegetable oil, flipping when one side is golden. While still hot dip, in glaze.

Glaze:
1/2 c. boiling water
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. vanilla

Chocolate Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbl. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tbl. milk or water
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Slowly stir in milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until silky and smooth. If you need a touch more milk to make this a dippable glaze, add a bit more.

Dip doughnuts in chocolate glaze and let rest to harden slightly.

Looking for more delicious breakfast pastries?

Here are a few of our favorites:

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Easy Blackberry and Cream Cheese Danish

Easy Gooey Gorilla Bread

Easy Lemon Pull Apart Rolls

Baked Cinnamon and Sugar Churros

(Recipe from Kristie's Kitchen Kreations)

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Lemonade Chicken

2012-05-16T15:00:00.000-06:00

I must be on a lemonade kick or something . . . yesterday's Raspberry Lemonade cupcakes and now this . . .

I saw the ingredients to this recipe and thought that it sounded different, but yummy. Who knew that lemonade concentrate would make slow cooked chicken taste so good?

If you like sweet and sour sauce, I really think that you will love this chicken. It's kind of a fun spin on the lemon chicken you would find at a Chinese restaurant.

I shredded our chicken as soon as it was finished and served it over rice and stir-fry vegetables . . . it was an easy and delicious meal!

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Lemonade Chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (I used frozen ones)

1 (6 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

5 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons cold water

Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Combine lemonade, brown sugar, ketchup, and vinegar in a bowl. Mix well and pour over chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Remove chicken from the slow cooker. Mix cornstarch and cold water together. Simmer the remainder of the sauce over medium heat on your stove top and add cornstarch mixture to the sauce, stirring until incorporated. Let sauce cook over medium heat for a couple minutes (about 5) or until the sauce has thickened. Pour sauce over chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.

*If you didn't want to cook your sauce on your stove top, you could take your chicken breasts out of the slow cooker and add your cornstarch mixture to the sauce that is left in the slow cooker. Stir it in, then cook it on high for about 30 minutes. It should thicken up during that time.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Crock Pot Chicken.

This post is sponsored by:

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Lillarose Flexi Clips Hair Giveaway (and a Jamberry Nails winner!)

2012-05-16T03:00:00.000-06:00

We are so excited to introduce the giveaway sponsor for this week: Marci, an independent consultant for Lilla Rose. I had never heard of Lilla Rose, but I am so thankful that Marci introduced me to such a wonderful company!

The product that Lilla Rose is famous for is the Flexi-Clip. I was fortunate enough to test one of these clips out and it's amazing! I was able to pull all my hair up and place it in one of these flexi-clips . . . it looks like I spent a lot of time on my hair and the clip was the perfect compliment . . . little did everyone know that I was able to do my hair in less than 3 minutes. :)

I also am able to use it in my daughter's hair- she loves it because it's so pretty.

These Flexi-Clips come in SO many different sizes, styles, and colors . . . their selection is absolutely amazing! Here are some of my favorites:

The Simple Band

The Antique Brass Roman Cross

Multi-Colored Hawaiian Flower

Princess Tiara Dangle

(my daughter absolutely LOVES this one because it's so fancy!)

The other great thing about these Flexi Clips is that they are so versatile! They can be worn so many different ways in your hair. Here are some examples:

I love that Lilla Rose gives you step-by-step video tutorials on how to do each one! They are so helpful and easy to follow. You can find all the tutorials here.

There is also a video tutorial that shows you exactly what size you need for your length and thickness of hair. You can find that video here.

Besides darling hair clips, Lilla Rose also carries a big assortment of other accessories, such as:

Hair Sticks

O-Rings

Hair Bands

Bobby Pins

And amazing jewelry!

Marci from Lilla Rose has graciously offered to give one of our lucky readers 3 Flexi-Clips of their choice (a $45-$60 value, depending on what you choose!). These are the perfect hair accessory for summer- such an easy way to pull your hair up and still have it look beautiful!

Here's how to enter:

1. Head over to Lilla Rose and check out all their Flexi-Clips. Come back here and leave a comment to let us know what clip is your favorite.

2. "Like" Lilla Rose on Facebook and leave a comment below to let us know.

3. Pin your favorite Lilla Rose item on Pinterest and leave a comment below to let us know.

You can enter up to three times.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

We have had a couple of unclaimed prizes, so to be sure that you are contacted if you win, please include your email address in the comment.

Winner will be announced on May 23rd.

And the winner of the Jamberry Nails giveaway:

Laura!

Please email us in the next 48 hours to claim your prize!

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

2012-05-15T16:36:00.000-06:00

Summer is right around the corner . . . HOORAY! It's definitely my favorite time of year. For this recipe that debuted on Studio 5 this morning (a local Utah lifestyle show), I took one of my favorite summer drinks and turned it into a cupcake. The end result was delicious! There are fresh raspberries in the batter and actual lemonade in the frosting, so you get a light, fresh taste that is perfect for summer. We also shared our Root Beer Float Cookies and our Orange Creamsicle Fruit Dip on the show today, so be sure to check out those yummy recipes too!

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
1 package white cake mix
1 small package vanilla instant pudding
3 Tbsp sweetened raspberry lemonade drink mix (like Country Time Lemonade- pink lemonade mix works too)
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp lemon zest
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 whites eggs

3 drops of red food coloring
1 cup fresh raspberries

Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Zest from 1 lemon
2 pound package or 7 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3-4 drops of red food coloring

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk cake mix, pudding mix, and drink mix together. Add sour cream, lemon zest, water, oil, and egg whites to the dry mix. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Add drops of food coloring and mix in. Fold in raspberries and mix gently to incorporate.
Scoop batter into 24 lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in one comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.
Prepare the frosting by creaming butter, shortening, and lemon zest together. Then add lemonade concentrate, milk and vanilla with a mixer. Beat until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, mixing well until light and fluffy. Beat in the food coloring.
Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes. Place a fresh raspberry on top of each cupcake. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Looking for more yummy cupcake recipes?

Check out these:

Black Forest Cherry Cupcakes

Banana Split Cupcakes

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Buckeye Cupcakes