Bows

Here are some pics of a few more bows.

Sunday Night Dinner: Casseroles and Bread Pudding

I received both these recipes from my awesome friend Rebecca S. who is probably the best dinner hostess ever! Every time we ate at her house Larry would ask me to get the recipes! The bread pudding is especially delicious! Thanks Rebecca for always sharing your recipes with us, but more importantly, for inviting us over to eat your delicious cooking!


Ritz Chicken Casserole -slightly adapted

2 c. chicken - cooked and cubed

4 c. cooked rice (I cook my rice in chicken broth instead of water. I think it adds a little more flavor)

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 (8 oz) carton sour cream

1/2 c. milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 sleeve Ritz Crackers - crushed

3 Tbs. margarine or butter - melted

3 Tbs. poppy seeds(optional)

Spray an 8x8 baking dish with Pam.(This will completely fill an 8x8 dish to the top. If you want a thinner casserole, us a 9x13 sized dish.) In a bowl combine rice, soup, sour cream, milk, salt, pepper and chicken. Spread in pan.

Melt butter in a bowl and stir in the crushed crackers until coated. Sprinkle over top of chicken mixture. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top of crackers.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 until bubbly, about 30 minutes. (Less if rice is hot from just being cooked.)

Bread Pudding and Sauce

(sorry the picture's kind of dark.)

1 1/2 c. white sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 1/4 lb white bread, torn or cut into chunks(about 1 large loaf. I use Wonder, or something similar)

non-stick spray

1 c. caramel sauce(recipe below)

In a large bowl combine sugar, eggs, cream, milk and butter. Mix well. Fold in bread. Put into a sprayed 9x13-inch pan. Pour caramel sauce over the top (the original recipe said to use 1/2 c. sauce, but I like to use 1 cup). Bake at 350 for 1 hour, rotating pan half-way through.

Caramel Sauce - This is the original sauce recipe I have, but I think I usually double it. We like to have extra to drizzle on top, or on ice cream).

1/2 c. white sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

1 c. corn syrup

1 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine sugars, butter and corn syrup until liquid and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in cream.

Pumpkin time!

It is the time of year for pumpkin recipes! These two recipes are our favorites when it comes to pumpkin foods.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup - From my friend Rebecca W.

1 T. butter

1 med. onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can chicken or vegetable broth

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pumpkin puree

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 t. curry

1 1/2 t cumin

1/8 t. cayenne

salt to taste

Heat up pot on medium heat. Add butter. When butter melts, add onion and garlic, saute 5 min. Add broth, tomatoes, pumpkin and black beans.(I like to puree the soup before adding the beans. It makes for a smoother soup, but it isn't necessary). Bring to a boil, turn heat to low. Stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt. Simmer 5 min, adjust seasoning, serve.

Be careful with the seasonings, especially the cayenne. It doesn't seem like a lot, but the soup gets spicy easily. Its best to start with less, and add more as needed. But remember, it will get spicier as it sits.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

And finally, the awesome Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll. This is so good, and easier to make than you'd think. I served these at our pumpkin carving party, and everyone absolutely loved them! Larry was so excited that I made it too! He loves this dessert. I just use the Libby's recipe, that can be found here.

Halloween Fun!

Here are some of the fun, spooky foods I made for the kids this Halloween. I know its too late for you to use this year, but you can file the ideas/recipes away for next year!

For Breakfast we had "spooky eggs"(just red food coloring. But it takes a lot to actually make it red, so we had pink eggs); "Franken-fingers"(sausage); bacon(i didn't come up with anything spooky for that); "ghost toast"(just use a cookie cutter); "ghost poop"(powdered donut holes. Yeah, i know.); and "spooky milk"(just a different color). So, nothing too fancy, just a fun twist on some breakfast foods. The boys enjoyed it.

Then for lunch we had "mummy dogs". This idea can be found in a couple of places online, so i'm not sure where I originally saw it, but the boys really loved it! Christian keeps asking me to make these.

Mummy Dogs

1 pkg refrigerated breadstick dough(12 count)

12 hot dogs

Pre-heat oven to 375. Unroll breadstick dough and cut each into 3 strips. Wrap each hot dog(like a mummy), starting at the bottom and working your way up. Use 3 strips for each hot dog. Leave a little space at the top for eyes. Place hot dogs on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 min. or until golden brown. Remove adn let cool a few minutes. Use ketchup or mustard for eyes.

This idea I found a while ago on the Picky Palate. It is just a little banana caterpillar. I will make this sometimes, just to make snack a little more fun. Just cut up a banana, and layer it back together with peanut butter. Stick a couple of pretzel pieces in as legs, and some chocolate chips as eyes, and you're done!

Potato and Onion Chowder

I love this time of year. Fall is by far my favorite season. I love the feel and smell of the cool crisp air. I love all the holiday baking. And I love coming inside after playing out in the cold, to the smell and warmth of a hearty soup. This recipe is from one of my aunts. It is definitely a favorite around here. Larry always has me double the recipe whenever I make it. He also says that, for some reason, the Rhodes dinner rolls go best with this soup.



Potato and Onion Chowder

1 c. diced onions
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
2 c. cubed raw potatoes (I usually use red, and probably a little more than 2 c.)
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. light cream
1 tsp. chopped parsley (I just use dry, and however much I feel like)


Saute onions and celery in butter until transparent, but not browned. Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently until potatoes are tender, about 20 min. Add milk, light cream, and parsley. Heat thoroughly.

This actually makes a thin soup. We just use some cornstarch to thicken it up. Just mix cornstarch in cold water. Bring the soup back to a boil, and the cornstarch mixture until it starts thickening, then bring back to a low heat.

Fruit Pizza

FRUIT PIZZA

I had a ton a fruit that needed to be used, and this was sounding really yummy! And it was! It was a huge hit with everyone that tasted it. I just used my regular sugar cookie recipe, with just a few changes in the baking process. Instead of cutting into cookies, I just pressed a good amount(depending on how thick you want it) into my pizza pan. Then, of course, the baking time will need to be longer since it is one giant cookie! I didn't really pay attention to how long it took, maybe 20 min. or more. Just watch it closely. Let it cool completely before frosting.

(Sorry the pictures aren't the greatest. I need to find some better lighting for these things!)

Sugar Cookies:

1 c. butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Dough doesn't need to be refrigerated. Roll to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. Cookies don't really brown so just watch them close. Remove from pan to cooling racks and cool completely before frosting.

*By the way, these cookies are amazing with a cream cheese frosting. So good, its hard to stop at just one....or five in my case.

This is the spread I used for the pizza. It is different than a regular cream cheese frosting. I just found it on allrecipes.com. There are a few versions on there, but this is the one I used. It was really good!

Cream Cheese Spread:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. white sugar

2t. vanilla

With electric mixer, beat cream cheese vanilla and sugar until light and creamy. Spread evenly over cooled crust. Top with desired fruit. I used strawberries, raspberries, peaches, and bananas. I think kiwis would have also been good.

Holiday Bows

Here are a few of the Holiday bow styles.

Halloween:

Christmas:

Sunday Night Dinner: Pizza and Peaches

Homemade Pizza

I let the boys "decorate" their own. I had to help spread the cheese though, otherwise it would have been one big pile right in the middle!
For the crust:
1 c. warm water, divided
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 oz package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 t.)
3 T. oil (olive or vegetable)
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt

Put 1/4 c. warm water in bowl. Stir in sugar, sprinkle yeast on top and float for 1 minute. Stir in and proof for 10 minutes. Pour mixture into large bowl and stir in rest of ingredients. Mix until a ball, knead 10 minutes. Put additional oil in bowl and rise in bowl for 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and let rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle corn meal on pan. Shape dough as desired, place on pan. Preheat oven to 400.

For pizza sauce:
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 T. dry Italian salad dressing mix (I use Good Seasons)

Mix together. Spread evenly on prepared pizza dough. Add whatever toppings you like. We enjoy the combination of mozzarella, pepperoni, red onion and green peppers. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese begins to bubble and brown.

And for dessert:

Doesn't it just look awesome? Thanks mom for the delicious fresh peaches!
Peach Delight Pie
This recipe is amazing!! It is Larry's favorite summer pie, and is a hit with everyone who tastes it.

For the crust:
This is my Grandmothers(on my moms side) pie crust. It is the crust my mom makes, and in my opinion is the best pie crust ever!

Makes 2 (9") pie shells (or more if you roll it thinner)

2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cold water or milk
1 c. shortening
1 beaten egg
1 Tbs. vinegar

Cut shortening into flour and salt. Beat egg, add vinegar and liquid. Add just barely enough liquid to dry ingredients to hold dough together, about 4 Tbs. Reserve remaining liquid for next batch of pastry. Handle dough as little as possible, use finger tips. Roll out into desired shape and size and place in pie tin.

The rest of the recipe comes from one of my amazing aunts! This is where the "delight" part comes in.

For the filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1/3 c. sugar

Mix well. Spread on unbaked 10" pie shell(I usually leave a little out since my pie pans are only 9". You can just put the extra in a small pan or tin to bake). Bake at 400 until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes(check after 15). Cool.

For the peach filling:

1 c. sugar

3 Tbs. cornstarch

1 c. cold water

1 c. sliced peaches or 3 Tbs dry peach jello(I always use the jello)

3-4 c. sliced peaches

Bring the first 4 ingredients to a full boil and boil for 1 min. Remove, add the 3-4 c. of sliced peaches. Pour into crust. (Be careful not to overfill your crust, especially if you are using a 9" pan. I always have some extra that I put on my extra cream cheese filling. It is good even without a crust.) Cool; refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. So yummy!!

More bows!

Here are a few of my more recent bows. I think these ones look better. See, practice does help!

The flowers are some of my favorites. Stay tuned for an upcoming experiment with the flower bows.

I've also been working on some holiday bows...coming soon.

Hair Bows

A good friend taught me how to make these a while ago. They are way fun! Here are some of my early bows. Some of the loops look a little skiwampus to me, but hey, you gotta learn somehow!

Crockpot French Dip with Homemade French Fries

French Dip

-3 lb boneless chuck roast

-About 1/2 can beef broth(enough to cover the bottom of the crockpot, and more to add if needed)
-Thyme

-Oregano

-Garlic Powder

-Salt and Pepper

-Parsley

-Ciabatta rolls

-1 cube butter, room temp

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-Parmesan cheese

-Sliced provalone cheese
-Horseradish(optional)

-Au Jus mix, made according to package directions

Place roast in crockpot, cover bottom with beef broth. Season roast generously with thyme, oragano, garlic powder, s & p, and parsley. Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours. When done, shred and keep warm. Slice rolls. Combine minced garlic with softened butter, spread on rolls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Broil rolls until golden and bubbling slightly.(Watch it closely so as not to burn). Top toasted rolls with shredded beef, a slice of provalone and horsradish(if you want). Serve with Au Jus and fries.

French Fries

-Red potatoes, as many as you want to make. (I usually use about 4 or 5, depending on size and how many people i'm feeding)

-Olive oil

-Seasoned Salt
Pre-heat oven to 400. Wash potatoes and trim of any bad parts. Cut up into french fry shape/size. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and seasoned salt. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Spray foil with cooking spray(this is very important! They will stick if you don't). Spread out fries in a single layer, bake for about 20-30 minutes. Turn fries part way through.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese with Zucchini in Italian Tomato Sauce

This is one our family favorites! It is my 2 year olds absolute favorite dish! Last time we ate this he had three helpings of the zucchini!

For the Macaroni:
1 2/3 cups (about 7 oz.) dry small elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (12 fl. oz.)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 2-quart casserole dish.Combine cornstarch, salt, mustard and pepper in medium saucepan. Stir in evaporated milk, water, and butter. Cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1½ cups cheese until melted. Add macaroni; mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown.

For the Zucchini:
2 Medium zucchini, sliced
about 16 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 T. dry Italian salad dressing mix(I use Good Seasons)
Stir the Italian seasoning into the tomato sauce. Use more or less depending on how spicy you want it. Gently boil the zucchini and the sauce mixture in a sauce pan over med-low heat until zucchini is tender.
*This recipe is really easy to just eyeball how much sauce you need, depending on how much zucchini you have. Be careful with how much seasoning mix you use. It can get spicy really easily.
You can also just buy this in the canned veggies aisle in the grocery store, but we like this way better.

Hummus

This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe. Soo yummy!

4 garlic cloves
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas(I use liquid from the chickpeas, and probably more than 2 T. I just add until it is the consistency that I want)
8 dashes hot sauce

Turn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature. This is great with warmed pita bread, carrots, and sugar snap peas.

New Blog

Welcome to my new blog! I am always wanting to post new yummy recipes, or fun crafts/projects I am working on, but never do! So now I have a spot just for those Tasty Crafts. Enjoy!