bunny waffles

ingredients:

square waffles
whip cream
chocolate chips
bananas
strawberries



*cut one square waffle in half for the ears and cut little corners off the ears to make "cheeks" for the bunnies face.
*and assemble as seen.

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graveyard caramel brownies.

GRAVEYARD CARAMEL BROWNIES:

ingredients:

box of brownie mix
caramel syrup



*mix brownies and pour half into pan and then squeeze lots of caramel all over and then top with the rest of brownie mix.

*cut out a little spot for your washed and clean skeleton(s).

*make tombstones with reverse domino pieces and use a dry erase marker to draw (make sure your domino pieces are smooth and not gritty textured so it wipes of easily).

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pumpkin quesadilla.

PUMPKIN QUESADILLA:

ingredients:

2 flour tortilla shells (about the same size)
shredded cheddar cheese

*cut one tortilla shell into a pumpkin face. 
*put shredded cheese on the other tortilla and place pumpkin face on top and microwave till cheese is melted- about 45 seconds. 
*use leftover pieces to make pumpkin stem.



EASY!

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shepard's pie.

SHEPARD'S PIE:

this is my mom's easy recipe. it's so simple and so good! i like to make a huge pot of creamy mashed potatoes and store the leftovers in the fridge so i can throw together this quick dinner. 

ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. ground hamburger

mashed potatoes (make sure they are creamy, buttery and stuffed with sour cream)

1 can tomato soup

can of corn (optional)

cheddar cheese

*cook up your hamburger and salt and pepper it to taste.

*add tomato soup and place in a greased tall casserole dish (mines a circle about 4" deep).

*add layer of corn here if you want it.

*load up a thick layer of creamy mashed potatoes (if you are using chilled leftover mashed potatoes- make sure you heat them up and add a little more butter and sour cream before using).

*last top with cheese.

*cover with foil and bake.

BAKE: 375

TIME: 25 minutes

salt and pepper your individual servings.

you will be grateful if you have prepared potatoes in the fridge already- it is so fast!

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eyeballs

EYEBALLS:

your kids will love this simple eerie after school snack.


ingredients:

sliced banana
chocolate chips.

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i'm sorry!

i have not forgotten about this blog.
i have been pregnant and SICK!
i have been barely been able to even walk around.
hope to some day get some energy back to get back into baking and creating!

coleslaw

COLESLAW:

ingredients:

big head of cabbage

1 1/2- 2 C. baby cut carrots

1 1/2 C. mayo

4 T. sugar

2 T. lemon juice (maybe a tad more)

2 tsp. mustard

salt & pepper to taste

*chop cabbage into large bite size pieces... add to bowl.


*slice baby carrots lengthwise into slivers... add to bowl.


*in separate bowl combine mayo, sugar, mustard, lemon juice and salt & pepper until smooth (you may sample a little to see if it needs more juice, more salt- whatever).


*pour over cabbage and carrots and mix together.




*the cabbage releases some water so the next day you may need to stir your coleslaw and drain a little off so it's not drenched.


this is so fresh, crisp and crunchy. great for summer! you could add apples, or other vegetables and it would be delicious.

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strawberry filled white cupcakes

WHITE CUPCAKES:

i found this on pinterest.

i was in need of an easy recipe that made more than 24 cupcakes that were white.

so i went with this wedding cake recipe. i might as well went with one of my homemade recipes by the time i added all the additional ingredients. this makes about 34 to 36 cupcakes.

honestly, these weren't my favorite cupcakes plain... i'd much rather have an all homemade. but with the filling and the cream cheese i decided to do... you wouldn't know a difference. the combo was super delicious! and i can't complain at all! i of course posted my results... so of course they are good!

ingredients: 

1 pkg. moist white cake mix

1 C. flour

1 C. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/3 C. water

2 T. oil 

1 C. sour cream

4 egg whites

*mix dry ingredients together and then add wet ingredients and mix for 2 minutes.

*fill 3/4 of the way full.

BAKE: 325

TIME: 18 minutes (or until the centers our bouncy)

STRAWBERRY FILLING:

i used ball brand strawberry freezer jam to fill the cupcakes.

*when cupcakes are cooled... cut out the center of the cupcake with a sharp knife in kind of a cone shape.


*scoop jam into cupcake with a small spoon.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

since this is a big cupcake batch... i doubled my frosting recipe. it also depends on if you just frost with a knife or swirl (which needs more) some on top with a ziploc bag for looks.

ingredients:

1 pkg. cream cheese

5 T. butter softened

2 tsp. vanilla

2 C. powdered sugar

*cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla and slowly add your powdered sugar and cream well.

*i filled a big ziploc bag with my (doubled) recipe and stuck it in the fridge for a bit before i made up my cupcakes. if you have to keep your frosting in the fridge for a while... you will need to pull it out a little early and massage it. you don't want it too tough or your frosting won't come out.

*just snip a little corner from your ziploc bag when you are ready to swirl. make a big circle and then work your way swirling in the center and up.

these are perfect for a ladies night!

exactly what i made them for.

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grape salad.

GRAPE SALAD:

perfect summer snack, or side dish to bring to a bbq.

ingredients:

4 lbs. red grapes (i just buy the box from costco)

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese

8 oz. sour cream (just eye ball it to be the same amount as the cream cheese)

2/3 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C. well chopped walnuts

*pluck and rinse grapes. i lay them on a big towel and dry them off by folding the towel and rolling the grapes in it to dry them thoroughly.

*cream together cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla with hand mixer.

*place grapes in large bowl, add cream cheese and walnuts and stir.

*CHILL.

this is a very refreshing dish! i could seriously eat the cream cheese stuff all day.

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irresistible scones.

 

 

IRRESISTIBLE SCONES:

these are scones people. not biscuits with jam like at the fair.

these are a big time childhood comfort food for me. they were always at my hearts request. these are so addicting you'll be sorry you made them!

ingredients:

2 C. room temperature water

2 pkg. quick rise yeast

1/2 C. sugar

4 T. butter softened

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

3 1/2 C. flour

*more flour (possibly 3 more cups)

*combine water and yeast in large mixer and let set for 5 minutes.

*add sugar, butter, salt, eggs and 3 1/2 C. flour.

*mix for about 5 minutes and slowly add more flower a 1/2 C. at a time until it starts to pull off the sides of the bowl while mixing. you want the dough to be smooth and elastic but make sure to leave the dough kind of tacky.

*cover with a towel and set aside to rise a little- like 20 minutes to an hour. it doesn't have to double in size, but it's more than welcome to.

*punch down dough and mix together with your hand in the bowl and help get some of the air bubbles out.

*heat up oil in pan about 1/2 inch deep on just over medium heat.

*you may need to have a dish of oil to put on your fingers to shape the dough so it doesn't stick to you. tear off pieces of dough about 1/4 Cup worth and flatten with your fingers (i apologize for no pictures of this part). you want it about 1/4 inch thick or less and about 4 x 5 inches across. 

*when oil is hot place dough in and fry until golden brown on both sides and cool on a paper towel covered plate.

*this makes about 24ish scones- if you don't want that many... use half the dough and keep it in an air tight container in the fridge (with space for rising) and use it within a week. 

if you happen to have leftover scones... put them in the oven for about 4 to 5 minutes on a cookie sheet at 350 or just nuke them in the microwave for 30 seconds.

TEXAS ROADHOUSE 

CINNAMON HONEY BUTTER:

just to warn you this stuff isn't very good on the finger. it must be on or with your scone to be fantastic.

ingredients:

1 stick of butter softened

1/2 C. powdered sugar

1/2 C. honey

1 tsp. cinnamon

*mix together with hand mixer until whipped and fluffy- store in air tight container.

you can also put jam, or just honey/butter together for your scones.

i prefer to tear off a piece of scone and dip it. my sons like to smother the tops and eat it like toast.

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grilled chicken salad with poppy seed dressing.

GRILLED CHICKEN & POPPY SEED DRESSING:

this recipe has been adapted from my mother in law rulene.

it is so refreshing and tangy and good!

*pictures are from our easter dinner... you can click on the "easter" tab at the top of the page.

dressing:

2/3 C. apple cider vinegar

1 1/3 C. olive oil

1 C. sugar

4 T. lemon juice

4 T. chopped onion

1 tsp. salt

2 T. poppy seeds

*combine all of your ingredients in a blender and mix well. if you have a blendtec or vitamix... i recommend not adding poppy seeds until after mixing.

*store in fridge.

salad ingredients:

. romaine lettuce (you can use spinach and mixed greens too- i just didn't have any)

. craisins

. apples (i chose pink lady)

. shredded cheese (i chose motzeralla)

. grilled chicken breasts cubed (i season it with johny's seasoning salt & garlic salt).

*optional: cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds.

*cut your lettuce all beforehand and keep it chilled in the fridge till it's ready to be used.


*i always like to "make your own salad" i don't like it pre-combined as it gets soggy. i like to make it fresh and keep everything separated in their own bowl so it's salad bar style. 

*and you can make my flower rolls found HERE as a perfect combo for your meal. 







this salad is appealing to the eYe and the mouth. you salad lovers will ADORE this!

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flower rolls.

MUTHA'S BUNT PAN ROLLS:

this recipe is excellent for so many things!

my mom usually uses this recipe in a bunt pan. she rolls out the dough and cuts out circle pieces to stand up on their sides (like an accordion) in her bunt pan and cooks them and then pulls them apart when they are done.

this is also used to make her amazing scones (which you fry- and i will make and get that post up some day).

ingredients:

2 C. room temperature water

2 T. yeast

1/2 C. sugar

4 T. butter softened

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

3 1/2 C. flour (plus another 3 C. give or take)

*in your large mixer- add your water and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.

*add sugar, butter, salt, eggs and 3 1/2 C. flour and mix until incorporated.

*gradually add the other "3 cups" of flour. you may need less, you may need more. it depends on the day, the weather and where you live- you want the dough to become smooth and elastic and pull away from the sides of the bowl, but you do want to leave it a little tacky. mix for a few minutes.

*cover and let raise a little.

*butter your baking sheets and then roll dough out on a floured surface and start shaping into balls a little bigger than a large egg.

*follow my pictures above and use kitchen scissors and slice into 2 halves, then cut those halves in half and then once again so you end up with 8 petals. open the petals with your hands and shape a little and add a small ball to the center.

*i highly recommend sprinkling some pretzel salt before you bake.

BAKE: 350

TIME: 8 minutes??? or until golden brown (sorry my mom baked them and she doesn't time- that's a total guess).

*spread melted butter over each flower when they come out and cover with a towel until ready to serve.

i am so excited to shape this dough into more fun things. i used these for easter and my kids LOVED the rolls. they are soft, super easy to make and have a good flavor.

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fruit roll ups: roses

 

ok so i LOVE fruit roll ups!

i could eat the whole box myself they are so good!

yesterday at the grocery store i walked by them and an idea popped in my head... very typical moment for me.

i went with the package of tropical tie-dye, strawberry and wildfire. 

here's how to make them...

step 1: unroll your fruit roll up.

step 2: begin rolling your fruit roll up in about about a 1/2 inch folds. 

does not have to be perfect.

step 4: roll tight and place in a long wooden skewer. and adjust so it turns out like a rose. make sure your finished edge is folded nicely. you may want to compact the base of your rose around the skewer so it stays on snug.

 

step 5: stick your skewer into a green straw. the straw will be shorter than the skewer- it's ok. just put the roses in a colored vase.

  

 

 

 

they turned out exactly as i had hoped for!
aren't they so delicious???

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