These cute little love note pies are perfect for Valentine's Day and you will be shocked how incredibly easy they are to make.
The Fixings:
Refrigerated pie crust
Strawberry or cherry pie filling (I used strawberry)
Small heart cookie cutter
Sharp paring knife
Flour
Egg wash (1 egg mixed with a TBSP of water)
Sugar
Fresh whipped cream or Cool Whip
Directions:
1. Flour your working area and roll out the pie crust.
2. With both crusts, you can typically get 4 large pies or 6-8 small pies. Cut dough into diamonds. Place pie filling into center (amount dependent on how small or large your pies are.) Fold over sides then fold up bottom until you have an "envelope."
3. Cut out small hearts and place in center of envelope.
4. Brush each pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes or until they are golden and bubbly.
6. They are SO delicious dipped in fresh whipped cream!
I hope you enjoy these little love pies! Tag me in your pictures if you decide to make them.
Love and lemons,
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Homemade apple butter checks all the boxes as far as bringing all the tastes of autumn together in one treat! Fresh Fall apples, warm cinnamon and the rich taste of cloves puts this breakfast or brunch condiment over the top.
I also think it is a pretty good first time canner recipe (minus the peeling, coring, and slicing ~ which to me is the worst part!)
The Fixings:
8 pounds of apples (use a good baking apple; we used Rome)
¼ TSP ground cloves
1 ½ TBSP vanilla
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
3 TSP cinnamon
Equipment:
Apple peeler/corer/slicer
6-8 QT crockpot
Potato masher
Emulsifier
Water bath with rack
Sterilized canning jars with lids and rings
Canning kit (or at least a funnel, magnetic lid lifter and tongs to lift jars in and out of water bath)
Directions:
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it out let me know!
]]>Valentine's Day Buckeye Brownies are the perfect treat to cut out with small heart cookie cutters and package individually for a class party or use a bigger cookie cutter and give as a gift. They have a taste that reminds me of the Reese's cups that the school would make. Seriously there is nothing better than that...except maybe crispito day. If you know you know.
Here's how!
The Fixings:
1 package of your favorite brownie mix. You can even use gluten free if needed. Fudge brownie works best. I also used the 9x13 family size. Prepare according to the directions on the box.
2/3 cup peanut butter (I like a not so drippy kind for this recipe).
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup graham crackers (I used the ready to use boxed kind or you can crush your own).
1/4 TSP salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, melted
1 TSP coconut oil, melted
Assorted sprinkles and nonpareils
Directions:
1. Prepare brownies according to directions on box and allow to cool completely.
2. Mix together the peanut butter, powdered sugar, salt, melted butter, and graham crackers until the mixture is smooth and well combined. It will have a slight "crunchy" type texture because of the graham crackers. You can mix everything in a food processor if you prefer. I hand mixed mine.
3. Once the brownies are completely cooled, dollop the peanut butter mixture over the brownies and carefully spread it out evenly. I then allowed it to fully "set" by placing them in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Cut out as many hearts as you'd like using your heart cookie cutter. I was able to make about a dozen or so small hearts. Or you can make fewer larger ones to give as gifts.
5. Using a microwave safe bowl, melt your chocolate chips and coconut oil in 15 second increments, stirring at each increment. To make the hearts easier to work with, I placed them in the fridge while I made the chocolate topping and got my decorating supplies together. They are just easier to work with if they are cool.
6. Spread a small amount of chocolate on each heart and decorate with sprinkles or whatever fun nonpareils you'd like.
7. Store in the fridge.
I hope you enjoy this yummy dessert! Let me know if you end up trying it. Tag me on social media.
Love and lemons,
]]>Inspired by my sweet friend, Morgan from Prosecco and Projects, these very simple and delicious homemade pop tarts are such a fun recipe to make with your kids. You can swap out the cookie cutters for different holidays too!
The Fixings:
Your favorite cookie cutters
1 package of refrigerated pie crust
Jam of your choice - We used homemade strawberry jam. It needs to be somewhat thick. I think a chocolate hazelnut spread would be really good too!
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
Milk
Vanilla extract
Directions:
Unroll pie crust and cut out your dough with your cookie cutters. I allowed mine to sit on the counter for a little bit to make it easier to work with.
Cut out your shapes. You will need 2 per pastry.
Spread a layer of jam on one of the cutout shapes. I found that a tablespoon or so was plenty.
Press the sides together with a fork.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-16 minutes or until they start to turn golden.
Allow them to cool completely.
Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with milk, adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you want. I used about 3-4 so it would drizzle nicely.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (depending on taste preference.)
Drizzle onto pastries and add any sprinkles or other decorations you would like.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! If you decide to try it out, don't forget to tag me in your pictures.
Love and lemons,
]]>
She is a great resource for all things clean living and green beauty. I saw these on her Instagram and had to try them for myself (with a few tweaks to the recipe.)
The best part is that they are a no bake treat and they are pretty decent in size, so one is quite filling.
I like to keep these stored in the fridge and then let them set out before eating (this helps to soften the chocolate a little so you know you don't break a tooth or something!)
The Fixings:
CUPS
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup peanuts chopped
4 TBSP peanut butter (you may need to add more to get the oatmeal/peanut mixture to a consistency you can work with)
4 TBSP honey (same as the peanut butter; add more if needed in order to be able to mold them into cups)
FILLING
1 cup peanut butter melted
TOPPING
1 bag of dark or milk chocolate chips of your choice
1 TBSP coconut oil
Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
Directions:
1. Grease 12-18 count cupcake pan. I used a 12 count and mine were pretty "thick" so I may try the 18 count next time.
2. Mix oatmeal, chopped peanuts, peanut butter and honey in a large bowl. Add extra peanut butter and honey if mixture is too dry. This mixture will be super sticky and stick to your hands!
3. Divide the mixture into the cupcake pan. Press the mixture well in order to form a "cup" and make a dent in the center of each cup to hold the filling.
4. Freeze for 10 minutes or until the cups are firm.
5. Melt the 1 cup of peanut butter and pour into the center of each oatmeal cup.
6. Freeze again for another 10 minutes or until firm.
7. In the microwave or using a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Spoon melted chocolate on top of each peanut butter cup.
8. Chill until chocolate has set.
9. Store in the fridge in an air tight container. Again, I like mine to set out a few minutes before I eat them so the chocolate isn't so hard :)
10. Enjoy friends!
I hope you enjoy this simple recipe. These are perfect snacks or quick breakfast because they are so filling!
Don't forget if you make them, tag me on social media and let me know how they turned out :)
Love and lemons,
]]>
We made a simple and delicious fruit salsa that is perfect for this Summer!
Fixings:
2 large Granny Smith apples; washed, peeled, and chopped into small pieces
1 pound strawberries; washed and chopped
1 cup kiwi; washed, peeled, and chopped
1/2 pound of raspberries; washed
4 TBSP of your choice of strawberry or raspberry preserves (I used raspberry)
1 lemon
Directions:
1. Combine apples, strawberries, and kiwi into a large bowl and stir.
2. Cut lemon and squeeze up to 2 TBSP of fresh lemon juice over fruit mixture.
3. Fold in raspberries. They will break apart as you fold them in.
4. Stir in 4 TBSP of your choice of fruit preserves.
5. Serve with cinnamon tortilla chips or cinnamon pretzel chips.
My family loved this easy recipe! I hope you enjoy it too. If you try it out, don't forget to tag me on social media and let me know.
Love and lemons,
]]>This is a semi-homemade recipe, but by all means you can use homemade cookie dough and icing if you are feeling fancy!
Fixings:
1 bag of sugar cookie mix (I used the Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix and went by the cut out cookie recipe which makes them a little more thick. I had to use all purpose flour, butter, and an egg with the mix).
1 can of whipped frosting (Again, I used the Betty Crocker brand and went with the cream cheese whipped frosting).
Shredded coconut
Green food coloring
I garnished mine with Cadbury mini chocolate eggs. You could also use jelly beans, malted chocolate eggs, or any other "egg" type candy you like.
Directions:
1. Prepare cookie dough per instructions. I use the cut out cookie recipe because it makes the dough thicker, but feel free to use the regular version or your own sugar cookie dough recipe.
2. Using a 12 count muffin tin, press dough firmly in each "cup" and push down in the center creating a little basket. Push in far enough to give it room to bake up but not too deep that the bottom is super thin.
3. Bake according to directions. It took mine about 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees. Do not over bake these!
4. Once the start to cool, run a knife around the rim to separate the cookie from the tin. Once completely cool, pop them out and put them on parchment or wax paper.
5. Add a few drops of green food coloring to the can of icing or homemade icing and stir well. Add in small amounts to desired light green color.
6. Pour a small amount of shredded coconut in a bowl and add green food coloring until you get the dark grass color you want. Allow to dry in the cup while you are icing the cookies.
7. Fill each cookie cup with the green icing. If you don't have a pastry bag, you can fill a sandwich bag with icing and cut the tip and use it to pipe your icing.
8. Garnish with coconut grass and candy eggs!
I hope you enjoyed these fun little Easter treats! Tag me on social media @thewhenlife if you make them.
Love and lemons,
]]>
My mom actually got me hooked on Fireside Coffee when several years ago she made it and gave it out as Christmas gifts. They were in cute little mason jars with ribbon and when given with a cute mug made a perfect present for a teacher or co-worker.
We've made probably no less than 3 batches since the holidays! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Fireside Coffee
Fixings:
2 cups of powdered cocoa (hot chocolate) mix - DO NOT use plain cocoa here (gag!)
2 cups of nondairy coffee creamer (you can use regular or vanilla is good too)
1 cup instant coffee
1 TSP cinnamon
1/2 TSP nutmeg
1 1/2 cups of white sugar
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix very well. Store in air tight container. We use mason jars for ours. Stir well before each use since some ingredients tend to settle at the bottom.
I typically combine 4-5 TSP of the mixture with 1 cup of boiling water. You may have to experiment with the coffee/water ratio until you find what best suites your taste.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and if you decide to make it let me know how it turned out.
Much Love,
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Pesto Chicken with Red Quinoa and Brown Rice
The Fixings:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 ounce jar of your favorite pesto
1 package ranch dressing seasoning mix (I only use Hidden Valley)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Directions:
1. Combine all wet ingredients in crockpot and stir.
2. Add chicken.
3. Cook for 6 hours on low. **You may need to cook longer if you use frozen chicken breasts.**
For the quinoa and rice bowls, I used the Minute Rice Red Quinoa and Brown Rice bowls. They come in a four pack and can ready in minutes in the microwave. No water needed! Just heat and serve up with your pesto chicken. I loved the hint of garlic which complimented the pesto perfectly!
**I received the Minute Rice Red Quinoa and Brown Rice bowls free for testing purposes, however all opinions expressed are of my own.**
Happy Friday Friends!
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That wasn't really my plan, however when I posted these cookies on my Instagram stories last week, I had so many requests for the recipe.
Now, these cookies are not usually pink, but I added a little food coloring to make them festive for Love Day. Also, I used Oreo's, but really any "crushable" cookie would work. I'm thinking that a Nutter Butter cookie would be delicious in them. They have a sugar cookie/cream cheese base, so I don't think you can go wrong with the cookie that you choose. I just love all things cookies and cream, so I went this route.
Cheesecake Cookies
The Fixings:
1. 4 ounces of cream cheese; softened
2. 8 TBSP salted butter; at room temperature
3. 3/4 cup of white sugar
4. 1 cup + 2 TBSP all-purpose flour
5. 10-15 Oreo cookies; broken/crushed into chunks
**I used Oreo's but again you can swap this up. I also added red food coloring, but only because it was Valentine's Day.**
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy; scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Add sugar and beat well.
4. Add in the flour, just a small bit at a time. Beat in on low speed.
5. Fold in the cookies.
6. Because this is a cheesecake base, the dough is a little "greasier" feeling than normal cookie dough. That is normal.
7. Scoop out 2 TBSP sized balls of dough and roll them into balls. Once placed on the baking sheet, lightly flatten them out into more of a cookie shape.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the began to look a little golden on the sides/bottom. They will be pretty "doughy" still, but that is okay! That cool into a soft cookie :)
9. Enjoy!!! This makes a small batch of cookies. I quadrupled the recipe for my son's teachers gifts. I do recommend a standing mixer if you start multiplying this recipe because this dough is cheesecake thick! You might burn up a hand mixer making larger batches!
Happy Love Month!
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To celebrate, I am sharing a Pizza Pasta Salad that can be tossed up with any of your favorite toppings. Again, this is a recipe you just can't really mess up.
It makes for a great side or a pretty filling lunch. Your choice! And of course, definitely kid approved for all those Mama's out there!
Pizza Pasta Salad
The Fixings:
8 ounces pasta of your choice. I used penne pasta.
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped.
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped.
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered.
1 cup pizza mozzarella, cubed or diced. You can also use the block mozzarella if that is all you can find.
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 1/4 cup mini pepperoni. I could not find these for this recipe so I quartered the large ones until I had the right amount. I also may or may not have added more because my kids love it!
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 TBSP fresh basil, chopped.
OPTIONAL: black olives, diced ham, banana peppers, etc...basically anything you would like on your pizza!
For the dressing:
You can either use 1 cup of store bought Italian or Zesty Italian dressing or make this one here:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 TSP oregano
1/2 TSP garlic salt
1/4 TSP chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and whisk together.
Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on the package. Rinse in cold water once cooked to el dente.
2. Combine the pasta, peppers, onion, tomatoes, cheese, pepperoni, and any other "toppings" you'd like.
3. Either with the dressing listed above or store bought, toss with the pasta mixture.
4. Top with the fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
5. Store in the fridge, covered, for at least one hour before serving.
6. Enjoy! So simple and delicious!
As always, let me know if you end up making this dish! I'd love to hear how it turned out :)
Happy Pizza Day!
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On The Go Oatmeal Cups
The Fixings:
5 cups rolled oats
2 1/2 cups of over-ripe smashed banana
1 TSP salt
5 TBSP honey
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips
2 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup + 1 TBSP coconut or vegetable oil
2 1/2 TSP pure vanilla extract
**Optional add-ins: dash of cinnamon; shredded coconut; chopped walnuts or pecans; ground flax; raisins or dates; dried fruit like blueberries**
I ended up using the cinnamon, walnuts, and I even added a heaping TBSP of peanut butter ;)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 380 F
2. Line 2 12 count muffin tins with cupcake liners.
3. In large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir well.
4. In separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients, including the smashed banana.
5. Pour into the dry mixture and mix well.
6. Pour into the cupcake liners and bake for 21 minutes.
Allow them to cool to room temperature, and by doing so they won't stick to the liners ;)
And enjoy! Kid tested and approved as well!
Happy Friday!
]]>This recipe is so quick and easy, plus it makes the perfect meal for these cold January nights. I served mine with jalapeño and cheddar cornbread muffins.
White Chicken Chili
The Fixings:
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups of your favorite salsa verde
2 cans great northern beans; drained and rinsed
2 TSP of ground cumin
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot or soup pot and simmer for an hour.
THAT IS IT!! Can you believe how simple that is? And the leftovers are just as good, if not better :)
Hope you all enjoy this simple soup! Let me know if you end up trying it. Would love to hear what you think, or see some pictures!
Happy Friday,
]]>
This is a fun alternative to the traditional Santa's cookies and milk we all leave out every Christmas Eve. But, even if you choose not to go this route, you will not be disappointed in how delicious this bark is. Plus the kids had a blast sprinkling (I mean more like dumping) all the cookies, candies, and sprinkles all over the melted chocolate. This is a fast and fun recipe you and your littles are sure to love.
Milk and Cookies Christmas Bark
The Fixings:
16 ounce package of white candy coating
Mini chocolate chip cookies
Mini red and green M&M's
White sprinkles
Large sheet pan
Parchment paper
Directions:
1. Place parchment paper on pan
2. Melt the candy coating according to package directions.
3. Pour melted candy coating into pan and smooth out.
4. Press cookies into melted coating. We used almost the entire bag so there would be a cookie in every piece.
5. Sprinkle M&M's and white sprinkles all over.
6. Let set in fridge. I let mine set for about 2 hours.
7. Cut or break into pieces and store in airtight container.
These also make super cute gifts for neighbors, family, and friends!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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Do you remember the spookylicious Vampire Venom Margarita she shared with us back in October? Well, she is at it again with this gorgeous Mrs. Santa-gria! A perfect holiday drink that can be served with OR without the alcohol.
Mrs. Santa-gria?
Oh My...You Sassy Girl, You!
'Tis the holiday season! Holiday cocktail parties galore and with that brings the opportunity to WOW your guests with a new cocktail creation.
So, why not bring a couple of all time party favorites together and give that Champagne cocktail a bit more SantaBaby Sass
For this recipe, I personally used a Prosecco due to its hint of sweeter side and leans towards an apple taste on the palette anyways. Paired up with the tartness of the Pama Pomegranate Liqueur, it gave it the perfect balance to the drink.
For an appetizer suggestion, I would recommend Prosciutto wrapped melon balls, Asiago stuffed mushrooms, or a simple tomato bruschetta. My favorite of course is a Brie topped with some apricot preserves and simply placed with apples and crackers.
Ingredients:
1 favorite bottle of Prosecco
1 bottle of Pomegranate Liqueur such as #PAMA
1/2 Granny Smith apple - thinner slices
1/2 red apple (of your choice, I used "Pink Lady" for mine) - thinner slices
20-30 red of green grapes, halved
Mint to garnish
Optional - 1 small bottle of cranberry juice
Optional - Pomegranate seeds
Directions:
In a glass pitcher, mix 1 bottle of Prosecco and 3-4 ounces of pomegranate liqueur, and stir generously.
Add the halved grapes and the apples slices.
Refrigerate for approximately 1-2 hours (or longer, but not longer than 12 hours).
If pomegranate is too tart or too dry for your taste, use 5-6 ounces of cranberry cocktail, and replace the liqueur. This will still serve as a refreshing substitute!
Serving:
Pour 4-5 ounces of the mixed cocktail in your favorite sangria glass, mason jar, or even just a stemless wine glass. Garnish with fruit such as apple slices, cranberries, or grapes. You can also drop a few pomegranate seeds in for a depth effect. Finish off with a fresh sprig of mint and ENJOY!
Non-alcoholic version:
Simply add your favorite non-alcoholic sparkling wine or even club soda will do the trick, no liqueur of course, and use cranberry juice instead. It is just as delish!
**Photo courtesy of Google Photo**
Thank you to Melissa for sharing this festive and beautiful recipe. You can follow her on Facebook or Instagram. Or at www.melissapottskutchek.com.
Happy Holidays,
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I borrowed this recipe from my brother-in-law's family and tweaked it just a little. I don't like my cranberry relish overly "orangey" so I will tell you what I did and what they normally do. Either way is so delicious and can be adjusted in both how much orange you like and how sweet you like it.
Cranberry Orange Relish
The Fixings:
12 ounces of fresh cranberries
1 small navel orange
3 TBSP of white sugar
Directions:
1. Wash the cranberries and orange.
2. Cut the orange and take out any seeds. Leave the skin on the orange.
3. Combine orange, cranberries, and sugar into a food processor and mix until it becomes a thick chunky relish consistency. You want some texture here so don't go overboard!
4. You can add more sugar here at the end if it is still too tart for you.
5. Delish!
The variation I did was: I did take the peel off the orange before I blended it because I don't like mine with too much orange. The peel or zest of the orange can be strong so I made it without the peel and the added orange zest at the end on top. I used about 2 TBSP of sugar instead of the 3.
Both ways taste amazing and goes to show you really can't mess this recipe up. It is so easy to adjust to your taste.
I hope you all enjoy! If you decide to make it yourself, send me a pic and let me know how it turned out!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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The recipe below makes two, but bulk it up and add club soda or your favorite seltzer and put it in a beverage server, with multiple slices of blood orange floating (and maybe even a few floating vampire's teeth, and you have the perfect party signature cocktail!
The Fixings:
1. 1 ounce White Tequila
2. 1 ounce Grand Marnier or Cointrueau - personal preference as to which you choose
3. 3 ounces fresh squeezed blood orange juice
4. 2 lime wedges squeezed
5. 1 tsp Simple syrup or honey
Directions:
Shake vigorously in a cocktail mixer with ice. Rim glass with Hawaiian Black Sea Salt (or if you prefer sweeter, you may use black colored sugar) and pour cocktail over ice. Garnish with a slice of blood orange and any Halloween inspired decoration of your choosing such as a plastic spider or eyeball tipped cocktail stir.
Be creative with it and have fun! If you want to have some more fun with it you can pour the cocktail into some test tubes or blood vials (vinegar vials) and use them as Blood shots! You can find them on Amazon or at your local apothecary or health food store.
Submitted by: The Beachy Diva Life or Melissa Potts Kutchek (MPK)
I saw this recipe on my friend Melissa's site and wanted to share it with you!
I thought it was so festive and perfect for Halloween. Plus, I thought she did an awesome job making it so pretty too!
You can find Melissa on her Wordpress page called, "The Beachy Diva Life," mpkthebeachydiva on Instagram, or find her on Facebook as Makeup, Mindset, and Margaritas with MPK #thebeachydiva. She is so fun to follow!
Thank you Melissa for allowing me to share this with everyone! Happy #feedthesoulfriday and Cheers to you!
Love,
]]>It made the cut!
The Fixings:
3-4 packages of ghost Peeps
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
Mini chocolate chips
Graham crackers, for serving
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In the bottom of a square baking dish (I used a 9 inch pie pan), spread out the chocolate chips and pour the heavy cream on top.
3. Cover completely with a single layer of ghost Peeps. I ended up only using 3 packages on mine.
4. The faces on the Peeps are going to melt off when you bake them! So, place the mini chocolate chips over the mouth and eyes.
5. Bake until the chocolate has melted and the ghosts are golden, 8-10 minutes. My oven decided 10-12 was best.
6. Serve warm with graham crackers for dipping.
This reheats well the next day in the microwave :)
This was such an easy and cute dessert to make with the kids! Lots of things for them to do that aren't too disastrous :) If I don't mess this up, you won't either!
Enjoy!!
Happy Halloween!
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I have been following Nadia, from Nadia's Fitness Journey, probably since I first started When Life. You can find her on Instagram @nadiasfitnessjourney. She shares her path to wellness and developing a healthy lifestyle, all while battling Fibromyalgia. She is an aspiring nutritional coach and an all around inspiring person. Her dishes always look so delicious and simple to make. Isn't that what we all want when looking for healthy recipes? Quick and simple! Even better, this includes one of my favorite ingredients, pesto!
Quick and Easy 5 Minute Pesto Vegetables
The Fixings:
Drizzle of oil
3-4 cups fresh or frozen vegetables (your choice here!)
2 TBSP water
2 TBSP of pesto sauce
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Heat skillet with drizzle of oil
2. Add vegetables, pesto, water, and any other additional ingredients.
**Suggestions include: green chiles, spices, or chopped coriander**
3. Sauté until water has evaporated and veggies are cooked.
4. Lastly, Enjoy!
Happy Eating!
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The Fixings:
1. 7-8 potatoes - washed, and peeled. Now, you can use several types here. A lot of people use just the plain baking type of potatoes, and if that is the case, usually 5-6 are plenty. I personally use red potatoes, and since they are smaller I do use the 7-8.
2. 1 stick of butter
3. 1 small onion chopped
4. 1 cup of French onion dip. I'll be honest I only use Barber's, but I know that isn't available everywhere, so whatever is your favorite brand.
5. 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
6. 2 cups (or more) milk
Directions:
1. Wash, peel, and chop up your potatoes into cubes.
2. Boil until they are soft but not mushy. I usually add a little salt to the water.
3. Once they are done, drain and leave them in a colander until ready to use.
4. Using that same soup pot, sauté the onion with the butter until tender.
5. Add the dip and the soups.
6. Mix well on the stovetop on medium heat, stirring in your milk.
7. I say 2 cups of milk, but sometimes it takes more and sometimes less to get the consistency that you want in your soup.
8. Add your potatoes back in.
9. Let simmer for about an hour to an hour and a half. Keep stirring to make sure that all the soup and dip have mixed well together.
My family loves this recipe! We usually add some sour cream, chopped bacon, pepper, and Colby Jack cheese on top to make it the "loaded" potato soup :)
This recipe can however, be modified by using low fat soups and skim milk. I will say I have never modified it, so I can't say that it will taste the same.
I hope that your family enjoys this simple soup as much as mine does. It really is a cheat version of a harder dish. My grandmother passed this to my mom who passed it on to me.
Hopefully we will see some Fall weather soon because eating this when it's 750 degrees outside just doesn't give me the same feeling.
Lots of love,
]]>But, I make this recipe about twice a year; once around Thanksgiving and usually at some point for a get together/family dinner in the Fall. So, no shaming me and my butter and soda here...
Sweet Potato Dumplings
The Fixings:
1 1/4 cup of sugar (white sugar)
1 1/4 stick of butter (I use the unsalted kind)
1 TSP of cinnamon
Crescent rolls from the refrigerated section
Frozen sweet potato patties (or you can cut/slice fresh sweet potatoes in circles, however it will take much longer to cook)
1 Cup of Mt. Dew (yes, you read that correctly.. MT. DEW folks)
The Directions:
You will need a 9x13 pan for this dish.
You are going to wrap each sweet potato patty with one crescent roll, starting from the widest end and rolling up.
Place them in the pan.
On the stovestop, combine sugar, butter, and cinnamon on medium and melt completely. I usually keep it on medium and stir constantly so it doesn't burn.
Pour mixture over the sweet potato crescent rolls.
Pour the cup of Mt. Dew over the dumplings.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until they are gold and bubbly :)
Then check your blood sugar...just kidding :)
Lots of love!
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The Fixings:
2 cups of dry oatmeal
1 cup of mini chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup of peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
1 cup ground flaxseed
2/3 cup of honey
2 TSP of vanilla extract
**A few variations I have tried that are just are delicious: chia seeds, coconut, another flavor of chips, actual flax seeds, any kind of nuts, such as pecans, almond slivers, crushed walnuts** Possibilities are endless!
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.
Roll into the size balls you want (it is going to stick to your fingers!)
I usually keep them in the fridge until I am ready to eat them.
Great for on the go snacks, breakfast, and this recipe makes a lot!
Enjoy Friends!
Lots of love,
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So, unmeasurably amazing huh? Wondering what that means, right? Well, basically, besides being an amazing recipe for chicken salad (a Southern staple), I also have no idea how much of each ingredient to tell you to add, hence the unmeasurable part. What I can tell you is you cannot mess this up! It all comes down to how much you like of each ingredient that determines how much you will add of it. The only thing I really make sure I use sparingly, and taste as I go, is the Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix. That is one thing I would not recommend going crazy with personally. I love it, but a little goes a long way in a recipe like this.
This is also a chunky chicken salad, as you can tell by the picture. It is great in a salad, a wrap with provolone, with pita crackers, etc... I think I have made this for every bridal and baby shower that I have been asked to help host.
I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!
The Fixings:
About 4 chicken breasts; I usually boil mine, and season the water with Olive Oil and Lawry's Seasoning Salt. You can also use rotisserie chicken here too.
Celery sticks with the green leafy part
Red seedless grapes
Pecans, walnuts, or almonds (whichever you have on hand)
Celery seed
Hellman's Mayo with Olive Oil - You can really use any mayo here but I swear this has a different taste and I hate mayo. I have even had my more healthier friends use mashed avocado instead of mayo, but no thanks for me.
Salt and Pepper
Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Mix
Directions:
While my chicken is boiling, I usually go ahead and cut up all the fruit and veggies and put that together.
I would say I use between 2-3 stalks of celery chopped, including the green leafy part in the salad.
For the grapes, I wash then go through and at least cut them in half or in quarters. I try and make sure I have equal parts grapes and celery.
Combine grapes and celery, then add however many nuts you want. My husband can't eat them, so I don't use as much, but if I had my way it would be equal parts of all 3.
Once chicken is finished, I manually shred with fork and add to the grape/celery/nut mixture.
Add your mayo to the consistency that you like.
I sprinkle in some celery seed, salt, and pepper.
I then sprinkle in my ranch dressing mix, tasting it as I go to make sure that I don't add too much.
Once it is down to the taste and consistency that you like, refrigerate, and you are good to go!
BTW - I am not a paid spokesperson for Hidden Valley or Hellman's. Unless they would like for me to be.
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The Fixings:
2 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Cup Rolled Oats
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Flavoring
1 Cup Nuts (I used Pecans in this recipe, which is what she always has used too)
1 Cup Shortening (I used Butter Flavored Crisco)
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
Directions:
Cream the shortening and the sugars together.
Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together and add to the mixture. Mix well!
Lastly, add the vanilla, oats, chocolate chips, and nuts. Stir in till everything is nice and mixed well.
Drop from spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes.
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